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Danish

Antilles.

19

BOOK An early traveller, whose writings are preserved in XCIII. Hakluyt's collection, calls this archipelago "a knot of little islands, wholly uninhabited, sandy, barren, and craggy. Their chief and almost only staple commodities consist in sugar and coffee; the contraband trade, which is very extensive, is also considered the most profitable.The population of the three islands already mentioned amounted, in 1788, to 1200 whites, and 9000 negroes. The Danes became a commercial people after the Spaniards, the French, the English and the Dutch. They saw the new world divided among other nations and succeeded with difficulty in obtaining a small portion of its rich spoils. But their industry and wise policy increased the value of their scanty possessions; with the exception of Barbadoes and Antigua, no settlement is better cultivated, or proportionally more productive than the Danish island of Santa Cruz. Its prosperity has of late increased, the condition of the negroes has been much improved, and St. Tho- the small island of St. Thomas is now an important commercial station. M. Thaarup supposes the surface of these two islands to be from thirty-six to forty square leagues; the population is in the ratio of a thousand souls to every square league, and the nett revenue amounts to 100,000 rix-dollars, or nearly £17,000. The sugar of Santa Cruz is of the finest quality, and its rum equals that of Jamaica; Christianstadt, the metropolis, is situated on the eastern part of the island. The whole settlement was sold to France for 160,000 rix-dollars, or £50,000; many plantations on the island are believed to be worth £60,000. The largest harbour in St. Thomas may hold with safety a hundred ships of war; the storehouses are loaded with merchandize, brought from Europe or America. The small island of St. John is fertile, and its climate is comparatively healthy; but its cultivation has been hitherto neglected. Mr. Oxholm informs us that there are 71,458 English acres of good land in the Danish islands. The sugar plantations occupy thirty-two thousand and fourteen;

mas.

and thirteen hundred and fifty-eight are planted with cot- BOOK ton trees.*

Anguilla or Snake's Island, which belongs to the English, has received its name from its tortuous form; it is about nine or ten leagues in length, and not more than three at its greatest breadth. The soil abounds in chalk, and there are neither mountains nor rivers in any part of the island. A considerable quantity of salt is exported to New England, from a salt lake situated near the middle of Anguilla. The principal occupation of the inhabitants consists in rearing cattle, and cultivating Indian corn.

XCIII.

Anguilla.

tin's Island.

lomew.

The coast of St. Martin is indented with bays, which St. Marmakes it appear larger than it really is. The interior is mountainous; and the annual profits of a single salt marsh in this island exceed £12,000. Many of the settlers are of English origin; one half of the island belongs to the French, the other to the Dutch. Gustavus the Third, St. Barthoaware of the commercial advantages, which Denmark derived from her colonies, was anxious to procure for Sweden some possessions in the West Indies. He obtained from France, in 1784, the settlement of St. Bartholomew, which lies between St. Christopher, Anguilla, and the Dutch island of St. Eustatia; thus, its situation enables its inhabitants to carry on with advantage a contraband trade. Although the country is mountainous, no springs or rivers have ever been observed in it. Gustavia, the chief town, and indeed the only one in St. Bartholomew, is contiguous to Carenage, a harbour, which may admit a great many vessels at a time, but none drawing more than nine feet of water. The exports from this island consist of cassia, tamarinds, and sassafras. The Dutch considered Dutch their islands in the West Indies as so many factories for Antilles. carrying on their commerce, or perhaps their smuggling trade with the subjects of other princes; and were always much more solicitous about improving their possessions in St. Eusta

*Oxholm, Etat des Antilles Danoises.

+ Euphrasen, Voyage au St. Barthelemy.

tia.

XCIII.

Saba.

BOOK Guiana. St. Eustatia is about two leagues in length, and one in breadth; it consists of two mountains, and a deep valley between them. On the eastern summit there is an ancient crater, nearly enclosed by rocks of gneiss. Although no springs have been ever seen on the island, the inhabitants cultivate sugar and tobacco. It has been stated that the population amounts to five thousand whites; six hundred mulattoes and eight hundred slaves. Saba, an island adjoining St. Eustatia, is about twelve miles in circumference; the sea in its vicinity is shallow, and small vessels can only approach it. The coast is surrounded by rocks, and on this account the road from the most frequented landing place to the heights is difficult of access. There is an agreeable valley on the hills, watered by frequent showers, which render it very fertile. The climate is healthy, and Dutch writers declare, that the European women in Saba retain their looks longer than those in any other West Indian island. The inhabitants are chiefly composed of artisans and tradesmen, and their moderate wants are amply supplied by the produce of their industry. The chain of the Antilles bends at this place; Antigua and Barbuda may be regarded as the eastern links, which connect it with the other islands. Antigua, or Artego, is more than seven leagues in length, and as many in breadth. Mr. Edwards, the most accurate historian of the British colonies in the West Indies, tells us that "it contains about 59,838 English acres, of which $4,000 are appropriated for pasturage and the growth of sugar." This island, although formerly considered of little value, bas become important, and English Harbour is the best place in these seas for refitting British vessels. An arsenal, a royal naval yard, in which ships of war are careened, have been erected by Government. The population may amount to forty thousand inhabitants, of whom, says Mr. Young, thirty-six thousand are in a state of slavery; but the free population has increased and that of the negroes diminished since the publica

British
Leeward
Islands.

West India Common-Place Book.

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tion of that author's work on the West Indies. The BOOK governor of the Leeward Caribean Islands resides at St. XCIII. John, which is the great commercial town of Antigua. The exports consist of sugar, ginger, and tobacco; but the harvests are so variable, that it is difficult to ascertain their average amount; the frequent droughts to which the island is exposed have often destroyed every sort of vegetation. In the year 1788 there was no rain for the space of seven months; and the inhabitants must then have perished, had they not been supplied with provisions from foreign countries.

Barbuda is about twelve leagues north of Antigua, Barbuda. and contains more than 1500 inhabitants. The soil is well adapted for pasturage; and the settlers trade chiefly in oxen, horses and mules, with which they supply the neighbouring islands. The air is salubrious and invalids resort thither from other parts of the West Indies. Turtles are found on the shore, deer and different sorts of game abound in the woods.

topher's.

St. Christopher's, one of the western islands in this St. Chrischain, is about forty-two miles in circumference; there are in this settlement 43,726 acres, of which 17,000 are well adapted for the growth of sugar. The soil consists of a dark grey loam, it is easily penetrated by the hoe, and yields more sugar in proportion to its extent than any other land in the West Indies. Besides the cane, cotton, ginger and many tropical fruits are cultivated by the colonists. St. Cristopher's, or as it is more commonly called St. Kitt's, contains a population of 28,000 souls, and the proportion between the free inhabitants and the slaves is as one to thirteen.

Nevis and Montserrat are two small islands situated be- Nevis and Montsertween St. Christopher's and Guadaloupe; they are in the rat." possession of the English, and are fertile in cotton, sugar and tobacco.

Guadaloupe consists of two islands separated from each Guadaother by a narrow channel; the eastmost, or Grande- loupe. Terre, is about six leagues broad, and fourteen in length,

BOOK the other, or Basse-Terre, is fifteen leagues in length by XCIII. fourteen in breadth. The small islands Desiderade on the

east, Marie-Galante on the south-east; and the isles des Saintes on the south are subject to the Governor of Guadaloupe. The surface of all these islands is equal to Population. 334,142 English acres; the population has been recently estimated at 159,000 souls. According to the census of 1788, the whites amounted to 13,466, the free people of colour to 3044, and the negroes to 85,461; so that there were not at that time more than 101,971 inhabitants. The rapid increase of population must be in part attributed to the frequent emigrations from St. Domingo. There are Volcanoes. several volcanic mountains in Basse-Terre, and although they are no longer subject to explosions, one of them, which is called La Soufriere, still emits clouds of smoke. Sulphurous pyrites, pumice stone and many other volcanic productions, are found in the vicinity. A warm spring has been observed in the sea near Goave; its temperature has not been ascertained; but Father Labat assures us that he has boiled eggs in it. Basse-Terre is agreeably diversified by hills, woods, gardens and enclosures, which form a striking contrast with the marshy and sterile land on the eastern island. All the rocks near the sea consist of madrepore. The wild lemon-tree, the plant that produces gallianum,‡ the erythrina corallodendrum and the thorny volkameria grow in the enclosures. The sugar-cane reaches to a great height, but is of an inferior quality; the coffee too is not considered equal to that of Martinico. The bees in this island are black, their honey is very liquid and of a purple colour. The city of Basse-Terre is adorned with many fine buildings, fountains and public gardens. The fort that defends it commands an open road, which has all the conveniences of a safe harbour. Pointe à Pitre, the metropolis of Grande-Terre is un

Productions.

Towns.

* Statistique Générale de la France. † Isert's Voyage aux Isles Caraibes. Calophyllum Pataba.

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