years after, destroyed by a great fire. The extraordinary c ence of the harbour tempted them to build it once more; and more, in 1722, was it laid in rubbith by a hurricane, the mat rible on record. Such repeated calamities feemed to mark o place as a devoted fpot; the inhabitants therefore refolved to it for ever, and to refide at the oppofite bay, where they baik y fton, which is lately become the capital of the island. It cont upwards of 1000 houfes, many of them handfomely built, the talte of these islands, as well as the neighbouring continet, ftory high, with porticos, and every convenience for a com habitation in that climate. Not far from Kingston ftands St J de-la-Vega, a Spanish town, which, though at present infer Kington, was once the capital of Jamaica, and is still the tez government, and the place where the courts of juftice are held. On Sundays, or court-time, gentlemen wear wigs, and very gay in coats of filk, and vefts trimmed with filver. Atce times they generally wear only thread ftockings, linen draves veft, a Holland cap, and a hat upon it. Men-fervants wear a cur linen frock, with buttons at the neck and hands, long trowi the fame, and a check fhirt. The negroes, except those who gentlemen, who have them dreffed in their own livery, have ote year Oinaburghs, and a blanket for cloathing, with a cap or h kerchief for the head. The morning habit of the ladies is a night-gown carelessly wrapped about them; before dinner the off their dish bille, and appear with a good grace, in all the ave tages of a rich and becoming dress. The common drink of perfons in affluent circumftances is Ma wine mixed with water. Ale and claret are extravagantly dear; London porter fells for a fhilling per bottle. But the general c736 efpecially among thofe of inferior rank, is rum-punch, which the call Kill-Devil, becaufe, being frequently drank to excefs, it heat blood, brings on fevers, which in a few hours fend them to grave, efpecially those who are just come to the island, which s Teafon that fo many die here upon their first arrival. English money is feldom feen here, the current coin being extr Spanith. There is no place where filver is fo plentiful, or has a quicker circulation. You cannot dine for lefs than a piece of c and the common rate of boarding is three pounds per week; the in the markets beef, pork, fowl, and fith, may be bought as cheap in London; but mutton fells at nine-pence per pound. Learning is here at a very low ebb: there are indeed fome ger men well versed in literature, and who fend their children to Gr Britain, where they have the advantage of a polite and liberal cation; but the bulk of the people take little care to improve th minds, being generally engaged in trade or riotous diffipation The mifery and hardships of the negroes is truly moving; though great care is taken to make them propagate, the ultra ment they receive fo thortens their lives, that initead of increa by the courfe of nature, many thoufands are annually imported the Welt-Indies, to fupply the place of thofe who pine and de bị the hardt ps they receive. They are indeed stubborn and ra table for the moit part, and they must be ruled with a rede int ut they ought not to be crushed with it, or to be thought a fort of eafts, without fouls, as fome of their overfeers do at prefent, though me of thefe tyrants are themselves the dregs of this nation, and e refufe of the jails of Europe. Many of the negroes, however, ho fall into the hands of gentlemen of humanity, find their fituaons eafy and comfortable; and it has been obferved, that in NorthAmerica, where, in general,' thefe poor wretches are better used, here is a lefs watte of negroes, they live longer, and propagate beter. The flaves, on their firft arrival from the coaft of Guinea, are xposed naked to fale; they are then generally very fimple and innoent creatures, but they foon become roguith enough; and when they ome to be whipped, excuse their faults by the example of the whites. They believe every negroe returns to his native country after death. l'his thought is fo agreeable, that it chears the poor creatures, and enders the burden of life eafy, which would otherwife to many of hem be quite intolerable. They look on death as a bleffing, and it s furprizing to see with what courage and intrepidity fome of them neet it; they are quite tranfported to think their flavery is near at in end, that they fhall revifit their native fhores, and fee their old riends and acquaintance. When a negroe is about to expire, his ellow-flaves kifs him, and with him a good journey, and fend their hearty good wishes to their relations in Guinea. They make no lanentations; but with a great deal of joy inter his body, believing he is gone home and happy. BARBADOES, the moft Eafterly of all the Caribbees, is fituated in 59 deg. W. Lon. and 13 deg. N. Lat. It is 21 miles in length, and in breadth 14. When the English, fome time after the year 1625, first landed here, they found it the most favage and deftitute place they had hitherto vifited. It had not the lealt appearance of ever having been peopled even by favages. There was no kind of beafts of pafture or of prey, no fruit, no herb, nor root fit for fupporting the life of man. Yet as the climate was fo good, and the foil appeared fertile, fome gentlenen of fmall fortune in England refolved to become adventurers thither. The trees were fo large, and of a wood fo hard and stubborn, that it was with great difficulty they could clear as much ground as was neceflary for their subfistence. By unremitting perfeverance, however, they brought it to yield them a tolerable fupport; and they found that cotton and Indigo agreed well with the foil, and that tobacco, which was beginng to come into repute in England, anfwered tolerably. Thefe profpects, together with the ftorm between the king and parliament which was beginning to break out in England, induced many new adventurers to tranfport themfelves into this ifland. And what is extremely remarkable, fo great was the increafe of people in Barbanes, 25 years after its first fettlement, that in 1650 it contained Faore than 50,000 whites, and a much greater number of negro and Indian flaves; the latter they acquired by means not at all to their honour; for they feized upon all thofe unhappy men, without any pretence, in the neighbouring iflands, and carried them into flaety. A practice which has rendered the Caribbee Indians irreconcable to us ever fince. They had begun a little before this to culti vate fugar, which foon rendered them extremely wealthy. The ne ber of flaves therefore was ftill augmented: and in 1676 it is fupprad that their number amounted to 100,000, which, together with 50, make 150,000 on this fmall fpot; a degree of population unknown a Holland, in China, or any other part of the world most renownzi for numbers. At this time Barbadoes employed 400 fail of theps, one with another, of 150 tuns, in their trade. Their annual ports in fugar, indigo, ginger, cotton, and citron-water, was awe 350,000l. and their circulating cath at home was 200,000l. Sua was the increase of population, trade, and wealth, in the courts 50 years. But fince that time this ifland has been much on the dr cline, which is to be attributed partly to the growth of the French fugar colonies, and partly to our own eftablishments in the neg.bouring ifles. Their numbers at prefent are faid to be 20,000 white, and 100,000 flaves. Their commerce confifts in the fame articles as formerly, though they deal in them to lefs extent. Their capital Bridgetown, where the governor refides, whofe employment is and to be worth 5000l. per annum. They have a college founded well endowed by Colonel Codrington, who was a native of this itlana Barbadoes, as well as Jamaica, has fuffered much by hurricanes, fires, and the plague. ST CHRISTOPHER's, commonly called by the failors Sc Kitt's, is fituated in 62 deg. W. Lon. and 17 deg. N. Lat. about 14 leagues from Antigua, and is 20 miles long, and 7 broad. It has its name from the famous Chriftopher Columbus, who discovered a for the Spaniards. This nation, however, abandoned it as user= thy of their attention; and in 1626 it was fettled by the Fren. a and English conjunctly; but entirely ceded to us by the peace Utrecht. Befides cotton, ginger, and the tropical fruits, it generally produces near as much fugar as Barbadoes, and fometimes que as much. It is computed that this ifland contains 60co whites and 36,000 negroes. ANTIGUA. Situated in 61 deg. W. Lon. and 17 deg. N. L: is of a circular form, near 20 miles over every way. This land which was formerly thought ufelefs, has now got the start of the re.. It has one of the best harbours in the Weft-Indies, and is fupp. fnd to contain about 7000 whites, and 30,000 flaves. NEVIS AND MONTSERRAT. Two fmall iflands, lying between St Chriftopher's and Antigua, neither of them exceeding 18 miles = circumference, and are faid each to contain 5000 whites and 1 flaves. The foil in thefe four islands is pretty much alike, light, fandy, but notwithstanding fertile in an high degree; and their p; 2cipal exports are derived from the fugar-cane. BARBUDA. Situated in 18 deg. N. Lat. 35 miles North of A tigua, is 20 miles in length, and 12 in breadth. It is fertile, and a good road for fhipping, but no direct trade with Ergiand. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in hufbandry, and railing treb vifions for the ufe of the neighbouring ifles. It belongs to the Codrington family, and the inhabitants amount to about 1500. ANGUILLA. Situated in 19 deg. N. Lat. 60 miles North-West of St Chriftopher's, is about 30 miles long and 10 broad. This ifland is perfectly level, and the climate nearly the fame with that of Jamaica. The inhabitants, who are not numerous, apply themfelves to husbandry and feeding of cattle. DOMINICA. Situated in 16 deg. N. Lat. and in 62 W. Lon. lyes about half way between Guadalupe and Martinico. It is near 28 miles in length, and 13 in breadth, it got its name from being difcovered by Columbus on a Sunday. The foil of this ifland is thin, and better adapted to the rearing of coffee than fugar, but the fides of the hills bear the finest trees in the Weft-Indies, and the ifland is well fupplied with rivulets of fine water. ST VINCENT. Situated in 13 deg. N. Lat. and in 61 deg. W. Lon. 50 miles North-Weft of Barbadoes, 30 miles South of St Lucia, is about 24 miles in length, and 18 in breadth. It is extremely fruitful, being a black mould upon a strong loam, the most proper for the railing of fugar. Indigo thrives here remarkably well, but this article is lefs cultivated than formerly throughout the Weft-Indies. It is at prefent chiefly inhabited by the Caribbeans, and many fugitives from Barbadoes and the other iflands, who are now numerous, and have many villages, where they are faid to live well. GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES. Grenada is fituated in 12 deg. North Lat. and in 62 deg. Weft Lon. about 30 leagues South-Weft of Barbadoes, and almoft the fame diftance North of New-Andalufia, or the Spanish main. This ifland is faid to be 30 miles in length, and 15 in breadth. Experience has proved, that the foil of this ifland is extremely proper for producing fugar, coffee, tobacco, and indigo; and upon the whole it carries with it all the appearance of becoming as flourishing a colony as any of the WeftIndies, of its dimenfions. A lake on the top of a hill in the middle of the ifland fupplies it plentifully with fine rivers, which adorn and fertilize it. Several bays and harbours lye round the island, fome of which may be fortified with great advantage, which renders it very convenient for fhipping; and it has the happinefs of not being fubject to hurricanes. Its chief port, called St George's, has a fandy bottom, and is fo capacious and fafe, that 1000 veffels from 3 to 400 ton may ride fecure from ftorms; and 100 flips of the greatett burden may be moored in its harbour. TOBAGO. The moft Southerly of all the British islands or fettlements in America (except Falkland islands in the South-feas) is fituated in 11 deg. North Lat. 120 miles South of Barbadoes, and about the fame diftance from the Spanish main. This island is about 32 miles in length, and nine in breadth. The climate is not fo hot as might be expected fo near the equator; and it is faid that it lyes out of the courfe of thofe hurricanes that have fometimes proved fo fatal 1 fatal to the other Weft-India islands. It has a fruitful foil, capahe NEWFOUNDLAND. It is fituated to the Eaft of the gulpå of CAPE-BRETON. This ifland, fituated between Newfoun 1:-1 and Nova-Scotia, is in length about 110 miles. The foil is barr but it has good harbours, particularly that of Louifburgh, which. near four leagues in circumference, and has every where fix or seven fathoms water. ST JOHN's. Situated in the gulph of St Lawrence, i- abeat miles in length, and 30 or 40 broad, has many fine rivers, 2-2 though lying near Cape-Breton and New-Scotland, has greatly advantage of both in pleafantnefs and fertility of foil. Upon the r duction of Cape-Breton, the inhabitants of this ifland, amounting to 4000, fubmitted quietly to the British arms; and, to the drigrace of the French governor, there were found in his house several Erglish fealps, which were brought there to market by the favages of New-Scotland; this being the place where they were encouraged do |