I 9 S HISTORY OF THE [book hi. 
little effort to convince the public, of the vast im¬ 
portance of our West Indian dependencies; of 
which the progressive growth has now been traced 
from the first settlement. What remains is to con¬ 
vey that conviction to the English reader. This 
then, after taking a cursory survey, for the gratifi¬ 
cation of curiosity, of the present inhabitants and 
the system of agriculture, I shall endeavour to ac¬ 
complish. 
