140 
HISTORY OF THE [book hi. 
colony in one of the small islands, despised and 
deserted by the Spaniards, than on that vast coun¬ 
try, the continent, where, for want of sufficient 
authority, all things were fallen into confusion ; and 
he particularly pointed out for that purpose the 
island of St. Christopher. This gentleman dying, 
Mr. Warner returned to England in 1620, resolved 
to put his friend’s project in execution. He accord¬ 
ingly associated himself with fourteen other per¬ 
sons, and with them took his passage on board a 
ship bound to Virginia. From thence he and his 
companions sailed for St, Christopher’s, where 
they arrived in January 1623, and by the month 
of September following, had raised a good crop of 
tobacco, which they proposed to make their staple 
commodity.” It has been shewn in a former chap¬ 
ter, that the first actual establishment in Rarbadoes, 
took place the latter end of 1624. 
By the generality of historians, who have treated 
of the affairs of the West Indies, it is asserted, that 
a party of the French, under the command of a 
person of the name of D’Esnambuc, took posses¬ 
sion of one part of this island, on the same day that 
Mr. Warner landed on the other; but the truth is, 
that the first landing of Warner and his associates 
happened two years before the arrival of D’Esnam¬ 
buc; who, it is admitted by Du lertre, did not 
leave France until 1625. Unfortunately, the Eng¬ 
lish settlers, in the latter end of 1623, had their 
plantations demolished by a dread! ul hurricane, 
which put a sudden stop to their progress. In 
