446 MART 
hopes of recovering the ancient profperity of the ifland. 
The event, however, did not anfwer the pains that were 
taken to attain it. Two years had not elapfed after the 
ceffation of hoftilities, when the colony loit the contra- 
band trade file carried on with the American Spaniards. 
This was owing to the fubftitulion of regiIter-(hips to the 
fleets; and thus were the attempts of the fmugglers con¬ 
fined within very narrow bounds. In the new lyltem, the 
number of (hips w as undetermined, and the time of their 
arrival uncertain; which occafioned a variation in the 
price of commodities unknown before; and from that 
time the fmuggler, u-ho only engaged in this trade from 
the certainty of a fixed and confiant profit, would no longer 
purfue it, when it did not fecure him an equivalent to the 
rilks he ran. But this lofs was not fo fenlibly felt by the 
colony, as the hardfhips brought upon them by the mo¬ 
ther-country. An unfkilful adminiftration clogged the 
reciprocal and neceflary connexion between the iflands and 
North America with fo many formalities, that in 1755 
Martinico fent but four veffels to Canada. The direction 
of the colonies, now committed to the care of ignorant 
and avaricious clerks, foon loll its importance, funk into 
contempt, and was proftituted to venality.- 
The debts, which had been contracted during a feries 
of calamities, had not yet been paid off, when the war 
broke out afrefh. After a feries of misfortunes and de¬ 
feats, the ifland fell into the hands of the Britifii. It was 
reltored, however, at the peace of 1763, fixteen months 
after it had been conquered ; but deprived of all the ne¬ 
ceflary means of profperity, that had made it of fo much 
importance. For fome years pall, the contraband trade 
carried on to the Spanilh coalts was almolt entirely loll. 
The ceffion of Canada had precluded all hopes of open¬ 
ing again a communication, which had been interrupted 
by temporary miftakes. The productions of the Grenades, 
St. Vincent, and Dominica, which were now become Bri- 
tifli dominions, could no longer be brought into their har¬ 
bours ; and a new regulation of the mother-country, 
which forbade her having-any intercourle with Guada- 
loupe, left her no hopes from that quarter. The colony, 
thus deprived of every thing as it were, and dellitute, ne- 
verthelels contained, at the furvey which was taken on the 
ill of January, 1770, 12,450 white people of all ages and 
of both fexes, 1814 free blacks or mulattoes, and 70,996 
flaves. About this time its products were computed at 
23,000,ooolbs. of fugar, 3,ooo,ooolbs. of coffee, 6oo,ooolbs. 
of cotton, and 4o,oooibs. of cocoa. The noted fnuff, 
called macouba, is made of tobacco raifed in the parilh of 
that name in the north of Martinico. In the ftatiftical 
account of France, publifhed by Herbin, the population 
of Martinico in 1788 is laid to confilt of 10,603 whites, 
4851 iree mulattoes, and 73,416 llaves. The exports at 
that time amounted to 25,640,000 francs; while the im¬ 
ports horn Franceamounted to 15,133,000 francs ofFrench 
produce, and 9,198,000 francs of foreign trade. Marti¬ 
nico is celebrated for a diltillery of liquors. Quarries of 
firee-ltone are rare in this ifland, and blocks of lava are 
tiled. Lime is made with the madrepores and fea-fhells. 
No mines have been d-ilcovered ; but a ferruginous fand, 
after a volcanic production, had been obl'erved on the 
Ihore near Mount Pdee. The inhabitants of Martinico 
are pale, and deltitute of that bloom which is obfervable 
in the people of France. Molt of the native quadrupeds 
Jhave been- deltroyed ; but rats and mice unhappily abound. 
In this ifland there is a bird called the whiftler of the 
mountain, from the refemblance of his cry to that of a 
man whiltjing. The red ant was very deftruflive till it 
was deltroyed by putting arfenic into its nells, or ftrew- 
ing it over its path. 
O. ail the French fettlernents in the Weft Indies, Mar¬ 
tin ico is the moft happily fituated with regard to the winds 
which prevail in thole leas. Its harbours poflefs the in- 
eltimable advantage of affording a certain (helter from tl}e 
hurricanes which annuy thefe latitudes. The harbour of 
Jrort Hoyal is one of the belt in all the windward iiiands; 
1NICO. 
fee vol. vii, p. 588. and fo celebrated for its fafety, that, 
when it was open to the Dutch, their ftiipmafters had or¬ 
ders from the republic to take flicker there in June, July, 
and Auguft, the three months in which the hurricanes are 
-moft frequent. The lands of the Lamentin, which are 
but a league diftant, are the richeft and molt fertile in the 
whole ifland. The numerous ftreams which water this 
fruitful country, convey loaded canoes to a confiderable 
diftance from the fea. The protection of the fortifications 
fecured the peaceable enjoyment of fo many advantages; 
which, however, were balanced by a fwampy and un- 
wholefome foil. This capital of Martinico was alfo the 
rendezvous of the men of war ; which branch of the navy- 
lias always oppreffed the merchantmen. On this account. 
Fort Royal was an improper place to become the centre of 
trade, which was therefore removed to St. Pierre’s. This 
little town, notwithftanding the fires that have four times 
reduced it to allies, liill contains 1700 houfes,- It is 
fituated on the weltern coaft of the ifland, on a bay, or 
inlet, which is almolt circular. One part of it is built on 
the 11 rand along the fea-fide, which is called the anchorage ; 
and is the place deltined for fliips and warehoules. The 
other part of the town ftands upon a low hill ; it is 
called the Forty from a fmall fortification that was built 
there in 1665, to check the feditions of the inhabitants 
again ft the tyranny of monopoly ; but it now ferves to 
protefl the road from foreign enemies. Thele two parts 
of the town are feparated by a rivulet. The anchorage is 
at the back of a pretty high and Iteep hill. Shut up as it 
were by this hill, which intercepts the ealteriy winds, the 
molt conftant and moft lalubrious in thefe parts; expofed, 
without any refrefhing breezes, to the lcorching beams of 
the fun, reflected from the hill, from the fea, and the black 
fand on the beach ; this place is extremely liot, and always- 
unwholefome. Befides, there is no harbour; and the lhips 
which cannot winter fafely upon this coalt are obliged to 
take (helter at Fort Royal. But thefe difadvantages are 
compenfated by the conveniency of the road of St. Pierre’s 
for loading and unloading of goods; and by its lituation, 
which is luch that fliips can freely go in and out at all 
times, and with all winds. 
Martinico again fell into the hands of the Britilh in 
1794; but was reltored to France by the treaty of peace 
in i8ox. It was again captured in February 1809; and 
in September 1811, a dangerous in lurredtion was quelled 
there, of which fee an account under the article Londom, 
vol. xiii. p. 262, 3, The ifland was finally reltored to the 
Fiench on the 2d of December, 1814; and was, by the 
addrefs of the governor, preferved from revolt during the 
fliort ufurpation (as it mult now be called) of Napoleon 
in 1815. 
The hurricanes in Martinico are very violent and de« 
ftruftive, One ol thefe dreadful calamities occurred on 
the 23d of July, 1813. It commenced about threeo’clock 
in the morning : it was molt violent at feven, and fubfided 
at ten. At feven o’clock, the barracks, hofpital, and 
mefs-houfe, at Fort Defaix, were blown down; and the 
lick expofed to the inclemency of the enraged elements. 
Several lives were loft; and fome limbs were broken. 
But the chief deftruCtion was at Fort Royal and at St. 
Pierre’s. About forty vefl’els foundered ; and only two 
efcaped. There was one uncommoniy-fine fliip, the Watt, 
of 800 tons burden ; (he was the largeft merchantman 
ever feen at St. Pierre, and had 011-board the produce of 
eight eftates, ready to proceed to Europe. In a few mi¬ 
nutes /he was in pieces. The unfortunate captain faw the 
danger coming on, anil might have efcaped by an exer¬ 
tion upon the inltant; but, running down to the cabin 
to fave his writing-delk, with fome important papers, 
before, he could regain the deck the fliip was gone ¥0 
the bottom. Tile wretched mariners were feen extend¬ 
ing their arms and imploring relief; but their cries 
were unheard amidlt the fury of the Itorm. The vio¬ 
lence of the elements was greater in the country than in 
the city, and fpacious woods were blown down by their 
a. impetuofity*. 
