214 
HISTORY OF THE [book. iv. 
West Indians to indulge extravagant ideas of their 
riches 3 to view their circumstances through a mag¬ 
nifying medium, and to feast their fancies on what 
another year will effect. This anticipation of ima¬ 
ginary wealth is so prevalent as to become justly 
ridiculous ; yet I am inclined to think it is a pro¬ 
pensity that exists independent of the climate and 
atmosphere, and that it arises principally from the 
peculiar situation of the West Indian planters as 
land-holders. Not having, like the proprietors of 
landed estates in Great Britain, frequent opportu¬ 
nities of letting their plantations to substantial te¬ 
nants, they are, for the most part, compelled to be¬ 
come practical farmers on their own lands, of 
which the returns are, in the highest degree, fluc¬ 
tuating and uncertain. Under these circumstances, 
a West Indian property is a species of lottery. As 
such, it gives birth to a spirit of adventure and 
enterprise, and awakens extravagant hopes and ex¬ 
pectations ;—too frequently terminating in per-^ 
plexity and disappointment. 
Such are the few observations which I have 
noted concerning the character, disposition, and 
manners of the White inhabitants of these islands. 
I proceed now to persons of mixed blood (usual¬ 
ly termed people of colour ), and native blacks of 
free condition. Of the former, all the different 
classes, or varieties, are not easily discriminated. 
In the British West Indies they are commonly 
known by the names of Samboes , Mulattoes , 2 ua- 
