The history of the Caribby-islands, viz, Barbados, St Christophers, St Vincents, Martinico, Dominico, Barbouthos, Monserrat, Mevis, Antego, &c in all XXVIII in two books : the first containing the natural, the second, the moral history of those islands : illustrated with several pieces of sculpture representing the most considerable rarities therein described : with a Caribbian vocabulary / rendred into English by John Davies ...

CHAP. II. Of each of the Caribby-Islands in particular.

THat we may observe some order in the Description we intend of each of these Islands in particular, we shall divide them into three Classes; whereof the first shall comprehend those which lye towards the South, and are neerest the Line; the second those which lye Northward; and the last, those which are commonly called the Lee-ward Islands, which reach Westward from St. Christophers, the best known of them all.

TABAGO.

THe first, and most Southerly of all the Caribbies is Tabago, or Tabac, distant from the Equinoctial Northward eleven degrees and sixteen minutes. It is about eight leagues in length, and four in breadth. There are in it several pleasant Mountains, out of which arise eighteen Springs or small Rivers, which, having drench'd the Plains, fall into the Sea. It is con∣ceiv'd the air of it would be healthy enough, if the Trees were cut down, and the ground opened.

The extraordinary height of the Trees growing in this Island argue the fruitfulness of its soil. There are in this the five kinds of four footed creatures, whereof there are but one or two in any of the other Islands. As 1. a kind of Swine, not much furnish'd with bristles, which have a certain hole on their backs. 2. Tatous. 3. Agoutis. 4. Opassums, and 5. Musk-Rats, all which we shall describe in their proper place. Not to mention the Wood-Quists, Turtles, Partridges, and Parrats, which are commonly seen there, it affords abundance of other Birds, not known in Europe.

The Sea which encompasses this Island is abundantly fur∣nish'd with all sorts of excellent Fish. Sea-Tortoises come in multitudes to hide their Egges in the sand, which lyes on the shoars. On the West and North side of it there are Bayes, where Ships may safely Anchor.

About sixteen years since, a Company of Burghers of Walcre in Zealand sent thither 200 men, to plant a Colony there, under the States-General of the United Provinces, and call'd the Island, the New-Walcre. But the natural Inhabitants of the Country, fearing the Neighbourhood of those Foreigners, massacred some of them, which forc'd the rest, who were troubled with sickness and feared the treatment their compani∣ons had receiv'd, to retire elsewhere. Whereupon the Island

was along time destitute of Inhabitants, and frequented only by some Caribbians, who, coming and going to their Wars, struck in there to get necessary refreshments; as also by some French of the Islands of Martinico and Gardeloupe, who came thither to fish for Lamantine and Tortoises, at certain seasons of the year.

But now the Zealanders are re-establish'd there, and about three years since Lampsen, an ancient Burgo-master of Flushing, and one of the States-General, ventur'd to people the Island anew. He brought thither, in his own Ships, several gallant persons, who are likely restore the Colony which his Coun∣try-men had planted there before.

This Island lying next to the Continent of that part of Ame∣rica which lyes Southward, lyes very convenient for a Com∣merce with the Arovagues, the Calibis, the Caribbians, and se∣veral other Indian Nations; and the keeping together of a considerable force of men, which might be easily sent over in∣to the Continent, and lay the foundations of a powerful Colony.

GRANADA.

THe Island of Granada, lying at twelve degrees and six∣teen scruples on this side of the Line, does properly begin the Semicircle of the Antilles. It is in length about seven leagues, the breadth not the same in all places, reaching North and South like a Crescent. The French became masters of it about six years since. They had at the beginning great con∣testations with the Caribbians, who, for some moneths, disput∣ed the possession of it with them by force of arms. But at last Monsieue Parquet, Governour of Martinico, who had resolv'd, at his own charge, to make an establishment there, oblig'd them, out of a consideration of their own concernments, grounded principally on the great advantages they received from the Neighbourhood of the French, to leave him quietly possess'd of it.

The ground produces all manner of the Country provisions, as Sugar-Canes, Ginger, and excellent Tobacco. The air is very healthy. It is well furnish'd with Springs of fresh water, and places of good Anchorage for Ships. It hath also abun∣dance of fair Trees, some excellent for their fruit, others for their fitness for building. There is good Fishing all about it, and the Inhabitants have also good Fishing and Hunting in and about three little Islands, called the Granadines, lying North-East from it. The first Governour of this place was, Mon∣sieur Le Comte Governour of Martinico, who was succeeded by Mon. dela Vaumeniere. It hath since been bought by the Count of Serillas, of Mons. Parquet.

BEKIA.

THe Island of Bekia is distant from the Line twelve de∣grees and 25 scruples. It is ten or twelve leagues about, and would be fruitful enough, if it were cultivated. There is in it a good Haven for Ships; but inasmuch as it is not furnish'd with fresh water, it is not much frequented, unless it be by some Caribbians of St. Vincent's, who sometimes go thither a fishing, or to dress some small Gardens they have up and down there for their diversion.

S^t VINCENT.

THe Island of St. Vincent is the most populous of any pos∣sess'd by the Caribbians. Its Altitude is sixteen degres North from the Line. Those who have seen the Island Ferro, or Fietro, one of the Canaries, affirm, that this is much of the same figure. It may be about eight leagues in length, and six in breadth. There are in it several high Mountains, between which are very fruitful Plains, if they were cultivated. The Caribbians have many fair Villages, where they live pleasantly, and without any disturbance. And though they have a jea∣lously of the strangers that live about them, and stand on their Guard when they come to their Roads, yet do they not deny them the Bread of the Country, which is Cassava, Water, Fruits, and other Provisions, growing in their Country, if they want them, taking in exchange, Wedges, Hooks, and other implements of Iron, which they much esteem

BARBADOS.

THe Barbados, which is the same that is called by the French Barboude, lyes between the 13 and 14 degree, North from the Equator, and Eastward from St. Alousie, and St. Vin∣cent. The English, who planted a Colony there in the year M. DC. XXVII. allow it to be about 25 leagues in compass, but greater in length then breadth. There is in the whole Island but one River, which truely deserves that name: but the Countrey lying low and even, there are, in several places, Pools and Reservatories of fresh water, which supply the scar∣city of Springs and Rivers. Most houses have also Cisterns, and Wells which are never dry.

At the first Cultivation the Earth promised not much; but experience hath evinc'd the contrary, it plentifully producing Tobacco, Ginger, Cotten, and especially Sugar-Canes, inso∣much that, next to St. Christophers, it is the most frequented by Merchants, and the most populous of all the Antilles.

About the year 1646. they accounted in it about twenty thou∣sand Inhabitants, not comprehending in that number the Ne∣gro-Slaves, who were thought to amount to a far greater.

There are many places in this Island, which may justly be called Towns, as containing many fair, long, and spacious Streets, furnish'd with a great number of noble Structures, built by the principal Officers and Inhabitants of this flourishing Colony. Nay indeed, taking a full prospect of the whole Island, a man might take it for one great City, inasmuch as the houses are at no great distance one from another; that many of those are very well built, according to the rate of Building in England; that the Shops and Store-houses are well furnish'd with all sorts of Commodities; that there are many Fairs and Markets; and lastly, that the whole Island, as great Cities are, is divided into several Parishes, which have very fair Churches. The most considerable of the Inhabitants think themselves so well, that it is seldom seen they ever remove thence.

This Island is very famous in all parts, by reason of the great abundance of excellent Sugar it hath afforded these many years. 'Tis true, it is not so white as that which comes from other parts, but it is better esteemed by Refiners, because it hath fairer grain and yields more, when it is purifi'd.

S^t LUCY's.

S^T Lucy's Island lyes at 13 deg. 40 scr. on this side the Line. It was heretofore frequented only by a small number of Indians, who came to fish thereabouts. But some time since, the French of Martinico came and kept them company. There are two high Mountains in the Island, which are very cold: They are seen at a great distance, and are called by the French, Les Pitons de St. Alousie. At the descent of these Mountains, there are pleasant Valleys cover'd with great Trees, and wa∣ter'd with Springs. The air is conceiv'd to be healthy, and that the soil will be fruitful, when it shall be a little better dis∣cover'd then it is yet.

MARTINICO.

THe Island of Martinico, which the Indians call'd Madanina, lyes at the altitude of fourteen degrees and thirty scruples on this side the Line. It is about sixteen leagues in length, of an unequal breadth, and about forty five in compass. The Soil of it is pleasant, which makes it at this day one of the most populous of all the Caribbies.

The French and Indians are joyntly possess'd of it, and have

liv'd a long time in very good correspondence. Mons. Parquet is the present French Governour of it.

Of all the Caribbies this is the most uneven Island, that is, the most full of Mountains, which are very high, and intermixt with inaccessible Rocks. The fruitful parts of it consist in certain round Hills or eminences; as also in very delightful skirts of Mountains, and some Plains or Valleys, which are ex∣treamly pleasant.

The Mountains of it are not to be inhabited, and serve for the feeding and retreat of wild Beasts, Serpents and Snakes, whereof there is great abundance. Yet are these Mountains well furnish'd with wood, which, in bigness and length, ex∣ceed any in Europe, and bears fruit and food for the wild Boars and Birds.

As for the Hills and skirts of Mountains, they are for the most part, inhabitable; and of a good soil, but very trouble∣some to manure. For some of them are so high and steepy, that people can hardly work on them without danger, or at least without holding by a Tobacco-stalk, or some Tree with one hand, that they may work with the other.

The Tobacco which grows on these eminent places is ever the best, and esteem'd above that which grows in the Valleys, and bottoms, which have not so much presence of the Sun. For the Tobacco, which grows in bottoms, and places encom∣pass'd with Woods, is ever full of yellow-spots, as if it were burnt, and neither takes well, nor keeps well. These enclosed places are also unhealthy, and those who work in them con∣tract an ill colour, and the new-comers, who are not accu∣stomed to that air, do sooner, in these, then in any other places, catch that griping of the Belly, which is so common in these Islands.

There being two different Nations in this Island, it is accord∣ingly divided between them, to wit, the Indians, the natural Inhabitants of the Country; and the French, who laid the foundations of this Colony in July, in the year 1635. under the Conduct of Mons. Desnambuc, who brought them from St. Christophers, and left them in quiet possession of this place.

That part of the Island which is inhabited by the Indians is comprehended in one quarter, which is called the Cabes-terre, without any other distinction.

The part occupied by the French, and called Basse-terre, is divided into five quarters, which are by them called, La Case du Pilote, La Case Capot, Le Carbet, Le Fort St. Pierre, and Le Prescheur. In each of these Quarters there is a Church, or at least a Chappel, a Court of Guard, and a Magazine for Arms, about which are built several large and fair Store-houses, both for the Commodities that are imported, and those of the growth of the Island.

The Quarter of the Case du Pilote is so called from a Savage Captain, who had sometimes lived there, and glory'd much in the name Pilot, which the French had given him. He disco∣ver'd to Mons. Parquet, the engagements which those of his Nation entred into against him.

In the Quarter of Case Capot, there is a very noble Savanna, (thus they call in the Islands pleasant Meadows and Pastures) which hath, on the one side the River called Capot, and on the other, many fair Edifices.

The Carbet Quarter hath its name from the ancient Inhabi∣tants, who sometime had there one of their greatest Villages, and a publick House which they called Carbet, a name yet common to those places, where they have their meetings. The French Governour liv'd in this Quarter a long time, ha∣ving built a noble Brick-house, neer the Haven, in a pleasant bottom, refresh'd by a considerable River, which falls down out of the Mountains. The Indians, who never had seen Stru∣cture of any such material, look'd on it at first with a great astonishment, and having attempted to shake it, by the strength of their shoulders, but not stirring it, they were forc'd acknowledg, that if all Houses were so built, the Tempest which they call the Hurricane would not prejudice them. But since, the Governour not having his health perfectly there, he made a present of it to the Jesuits, together with the Gardens about it, as also the rarities and curiosities of the Country, and several other habitations dependent on it, and a great number of Negro-slaves, who cultivate them.

Fort St. Pierre, or St. Peter's Fort, is the place where the Governour now lives. There are in it several great pieces of Cannon, some of Brass, some of Iron. This Fort commands all the Haven. About a stones cast from the Governours, stands the fair Colledge of the Jesuits, situate on a pleasant River, which is thence called, The Jesuits River. This Structure is of Free-stone and Brick, very delightful to the eye. The Ave∣nues also want not their temptation, and, all about it, are Gardens and Orchards, producing whatever is most delicious of the growth of the Islands; as also several Plants, Herbs, Flowers and Fruits brought thither from France. There is al∣so a Vine-yard, which yields yearly good store of Wine.

The Le Prescheur, or the Preachers Quarter, contains an even low part of the Country, very considerable for its extent, and several high Mountains, upon the skirts whereof, there are a good number of fair Habitations.

Between the Cabes-terre, and the Basse-terre, there is a kind of bottom, where is abundance of that Wood by which the Tobacco climes up. There they have also the Reeds, where∣with the Hutts are Palisado'd; as also the wild Mahot, the bark whereof serves for several things about the house.

Most of the Houses in this Island are of wood, very conve∣nient, and delightful to the eye. The most considerable are built on certain eminences. That advantageous situation con∣tributes much to their health who live in them, for the air is clearer then that of the Valleys. It also adds much to the beauty of those pleasant Structures; and causes a very diver∣tive prospect.

The best Haven of this Island lyes between Carbet and St. Peters Fort. It is more safe then any of the neighbouring Islands, as being encompass'd with high Mountains, which se∣cure the Ships lying in it from the violence of all winds.

Between Case du Pilote, and a bottom called Culde Sac des Salines, there is a Rock, running about half a league into the Sea, which is called the Diamond, from its figure, and is a retreat for an infinite number of Birds, and among others Wood-quists, which breed in it. It is hard getting up to it, yet some visit it, as they pass by, when the young ones are fit to eat.

There is another place on the same side as the Diamond, into which Ships are brought, to be refresh'd, and mended. The Sea there is always calm, but the air not healthy, in regard the Sea-men commonly catch Fevers, which yet are not very dangerous, inasmuch as they shake them off, as soon as they depart thence.

Besides the Torrents, which in times of rains fall down with great violence, and the inundations of this Island, there are nine or ten considerable Rivers which are never dry. Their sources are at the ascent or foot of the highest Mountains, and having watered the Valleys they fall into the Sea. They are prejudicial to the places neer them, in regard that when they overflow, they root up Trees, undermine rocks, and make a desolation over the Fields and Gardens, carrying along with them, the houses which lye in the plain Country, and what∣ever opposes the impetuosity of their course. This inconve∣nience hath oblig'd the Inhabitants of this Colony to take up their habitations on the tops of those little Mountains, where∣with their Island is richly furnish'd; for they secure them from these inundations.

But what is most considerable in this Island, is the multitude of the Inhabitants possessing it, who are thought to amount to nine or ten thousand persons, not comprehending in that num∣ber the Indians and Negroes, who are neer as many. The mildness of the Government and the advantageous situation of the Island contribute much to the advancement of it and the multiplication of its Inhabitants. For most of the French and Dutch Ships, bound for America, so order their course, that they may touch here, rather then at any other of the Islands: and as soon as they have cast Anchor in any of the Havens, to

take in the refreshments necessary for them, they set a shoar their Passengers, if they be not expresly oblig'd to bring them to some other place. Nay it hath often hapned that whole Fa∣milies, which had left France, with a designe to pass over into some of the other Islands which lye beyond this, and are not in∣ferior to it, either as to Air or Soil, being wearied out with the inconveniences of a long Voyage, have setled here to avoid exposing themselves to the same again.

Among the great multitude of people which make up this Colony, there are many persons of worth and quality, who after their honorable imployments in other parts of the world, have at last made choice of this place, for their repose and re∣tirement. Among these are particularly to be mentioned Mons. Courcelas, Lieutenant-General under the Governor, a person who by his excellent conduct hath gain'd the affections of both Inhabitants and Strangers; Mons. Le Comte, and Mons. de L' Oubiere, as being the principal Officers.

At the beginning of our Description of this Island, we said, that the French and Indians lived there a long time toge∣ther in good correspondence. But the Letters that came thence lately, giving an account of the state of it, affirm, that about four years since, the Caribbians made an insurrection, and have continued a War with the French ever since; that since that time, those Barbarians had done great mischiefs in the French Quarters; and that neither the height of the Moun∣tains, nor depth of the precipices, nor yet the horror of vast and dreadful solitudes, which till then had been accounted an impenetrable wall, lying between the several divisions of both the Nations, hindred not their falling upon them, and filling their habitations with fire, massacres, desolation, and what∣ever the implacable spirit of revenge could suggest to them of greatest cruelty, to feed their rage, and satisfie their bru∣tality.

Of the occasions of this Rupture there are several accounts given. Some attribute it to Mons. Parquet's establishing of French Colonies in the Islands of Granada and St. Lucy, with∣out the consent of the Caribbians, who thereupon took occa∣sion of discontent. Others affirm that they took up Arms, to revenge the deaths of some of their Nation, Inhabitants of the Island of S. Vincent, whom they believe to have come to their end by drinking some poison'd Strong-water which had been brought them from Martinico.

Immediately upon the breaking forth of this War, and the first devastations made by the Caribbians in one of the French Quarters (which, according to their custom, was by a base sur∣prise) those who envy'd the glory of those Colonies, and their progress and establishment in those Islands, scattered their ma∣licious reports, That the French would never be able to keep

under those Barbarians; That those of the same Nation, who live in Dominico and S. Vincent's, had secretly apply'd themselves to all their Allies of the Continent, to incite them to engage in an unanimous War against the French; That the more easily to effectuate that design, and make their Party stronger, they had gone so far as to treat of a Peace with the Arovagues, their ancient Enemies; And, That they had so far engag'd all these Salvages in their Quarrel, that they were resolv'd with a joynt∣force to fall upon the French, and over-run them with their multitude.

It is not certainly known whether there were really any such Association against them or not; but certain it is, that the ef∣fects ••of it appear'd not; and that after the first Irruptions of the Caribbians of Martinico into the French Quarters, which were indeed with some advantage of the Barbarians, they have been so unsuccessful in their Enterprises since, and worsted so with the loss of the chief amongst them, that about two years since they were forc'd to quit their Villages, and leave their Gardens to the disposal of the Victorious, and retire for safety into Woods, and inaccessible Rocks and Mountains. So that the World is now perswaded of the contrary, viz. That if those Barbarians shall make any further attempt to recover themselves out of that wretched Consternation in which they live, by the force of Arms, they will in all likelyhood be forc'd either to quit the absolute possession of the Island to the French, or accept of such Conditions of Peace as they can obtain, to renew the ancient Alliance, which they have been but too for∣ward to break.