THE TOWN. 
59 
The town is straggling, formed in irregular streets 
or lanes of detached huts, without gardens or en- 
closures of any kind. The principal one, howeyer, 
is tolerably straight, and leads through the town 
to the church, haying crosses planted at interyals. 
Judging from the number of men who came alongside 
in the canoes, and who comprised probably two-thirds 
of the males, it may contain about three thousand 
inhabitants. There are also yillages at Santa Cruz, 
in the yalleys of St. John and St. Peter, and at 
the other parts of the island ; these are but few, 
small, and perhaps only occasional residences, as we 
understood that nearly all the inhabitants of the 
island haye houses at the metropolis, to which they 
resort on the ai'riyal of a ship, so that we saw 
the majority of the population of the island assem- 
bled to reap the benefit of our arriyal. Our friend, 
Goyernor “Tom Joe,” claims superiority oyer all. 
They admitted that slaye-yessels had often touched 
there for supply of fresh proyisions, and that their 
yisits were yery lucratiye ; but latterly, some of their 
countrymen had been forcibly carried off while trad- 
ing alongside, and they now feared to haye any 
communication with wretches, who respect no law 
human or diyine, where their yile interests are con- 
cerned. As a means of protecting themselyes against 
any future attempt, the natiyes were anxious to pur- 
chase fire-arms, as well as powder and shot. The 
few who possess muskets are yery fond of shooting 
