that the population of all these islands amounts to 4000 whites, and 11,000 blacks, total 15,000. The residents are chiefly loyalists and their descendants, who emigrated from Carolina and Georgia, at the close of the Ameri can war. M Kinnen describes the whites generally as having regular features, and the women as singularly beautiful. They are commonly of an amiable and beneficent disposition, mild to their slaves, and public spirited. They are generally acquainted with what is going on throughout the Bahamas, and readily engage in plans of general or local improvement. Capital. NASSAU, the capital of all the Bahamas, is on the N. side of the island of New-Providence. Its harbor is formed by a long narrow slip of land, called Hog island, running from E. S. E. to W. N. W. Several small keys near the W. end of this, render the harbor almost completely landlocked. The body of the town is on the S. side of the harbor, and extends on a pretty steep acclivity, to the summit of a ridge, which runs in the general line of the coast. The streets are regularly disposed, and remarkably well paved. The town is as well built as any in the West-Indies. The houses are chiefly of stone, the materials of most of which were brought from the Bermudas, a distance of more than 200 leagues. The discovery of several excellent quarries in the island has remedied this great inconvenience. In the western part of the town is a large open square, the N. side of which, near the water, is bounded by palisadocs. Immediately S. of this square, on the ridge, are a large fortress and barracks for the troops. There are two churches, for one of which the legislature voted 5000l. at one session; and a new court house, and gaol, and a work house. In 1803, 10,000l. had been appropriated for building an elegant house for the governor general. In 1801, the town contained 1599 whites, 752 free blacks, and 3861 slaves; total 6212. It is divided into 2 parishes, each of which has a rector, supported liberally, partly by the inhabitants, and partly by the English society for propagating the gospel. The commerce of the town is extensive; and is carried on with England, with the West-Indies, and with the United States, which supply it with live stock and provisions. The environs of the town consist of gardens, pastures, pineries, and orange groves. The roads along the shore, for some miles on each side of the town, are excellent. The climate is delightful. Banks. There are two noted banks in these seas; the Great and Little Bahama banks. The Great Bahama bank lies between lat. 21 40 and 26° N. and between lon. 74 50 and 80 20 W. Its length from Verde Key in the S. E. to Isaac's Key in the N. W. is 450 miles. Its breadth in the S. is about 140 miles. Little bank is bounded by Florida gulf, on the W; N. W. channel on the S; N. E. channel on the S. E; and the Atlantic on the N. E. Its length from the Hole in the Wall, in the S. E. to Maranilla Recf, in the N. W. is about 180 miles, and its breadth from 40 to 70. Santareen, Eleuthera, Guanabani, and Caicos banks, are all of considerable extent. These banks are said to consist, in a great measure, of sea shells, in the form of sand, more or less worn or rounded by the action of the water. Keys. These are rocks or sand islands, scattered in immense profusion over this part of the ocean. Their number has been computed at 700. The Climate. In the winter the weather is very inconstant. winds, however, are then far less boisterous than in the more northern seas. Strong gales are common, in March, from the N. and N. E. The proper hurricanes of the more southern West-Indies do not reach these islands. In the hurricane months, however, the gales often stiffen to a tempest, and are very destructive in their ravages. They are so far ordinary that regard is had to them in the mode of building. In 1800, or the year after, one of these tempests drove 100 vessels ashore in the safe and sheltered harbor of Nassau. The greatest heat, in summer, seldom exceeded 90°; and the greatest cold, in winter, 50°. All the islands are healthy. Face of the Country. These islands are heaps of limestones and shells, covered with vegetable mould. The keys are chiefly rocky and sandy: on some of them a few trees are found. All the large islands that front directly upon the Atlantic, and almost all the ethers, stretch from S. E. to N. W. and the ridge of each is in the same direction. Soil. The soil of all the islands is a thin, but rich, vegetable mould. If the natural growth is cleared by burning, the mould burns with it, and the soil is ruined. If not, it yields, for a number of years, luxuriantly, and then is exhausted. Without manure, which cannot here be procured in any considerable quantity, it will yield no longer; and the planter is compelled to clear a new plantation. The chief article of culture in these islands is cotton. Guinea corn is raised in all of them, and is highly nutritive. Here, also, are pine apples and oranges. Ponds. Most of the Bahamas have numerous salt ponds. Those of Turk's island are the most valuable. The islands contain no fresh water streams. The wells are necessarily dry to a considerable depth. Zoology. The only tame animals possessed by the natives, it is said, were parrots, and a species of dogs that did not bark. A number of cats left on Guanahani by the early voyagers have multipied astonishingly over all the Bahamas. Lizards and guanas are abundant and are thought a luxury. The tall red bird is common; its flesh is very rich. Large flocks of flamingoes are found in the bays. The bald headed pigeon, the wild pigeon, and green parrot abound in the fields and plantations. The humming bird and ground dove frequent the pineries and groves, and the mocking bird enlivens the shore with its sprightly .melody. The fish caught here are the hynde, grunt, sword fish, king fish jew fish, hog fish, angel fish, bill fish, hound fish, parrot fish, trum pet fish, gar fish, bream, ten pounder, and crab. Alligators are occasionally caught for the table. The flesh is hard and white, and resembles that of a sturgeon. Islands. Besides the keys already mentioned, the Bahamas consist of 14 islands or groups of islands. The following are their names in a geographical order, commencing from the S. E. Watling's Island Turk's Islands Situation. THIS group lies between lon. 65 30 and 85° W. and between lat. 17 40 and 23° N. Cuba, Hispaniola, and Porto Rico, lie in a line, from E. S. E. to W. N. W. Jamaica is S. of Cuba, and W. of Hispaniola. Aborigines. The original inhabitants of all the West-Indies, except the Bahamas, were Arrowauks. At the time of the discovery they were the sole possessors of the Greater Antilles, and the chief possessors of Trinidad. From the other islands they had been exterminated by the Caraibes. All the islanders of this name had a common origin, spoke one language, possessed the same institutions, and practised the same superstitions. These islands were divided into great kingdoms, subject to powerful caciques or hereditary monarchs. There were 5 in Hispan iola, several in Cuba and Jamaica, and but one in Porto Rico. Each kingdom was subdivided into numerous principalities; the princes of which held them by the tenure of service. The regal authority was absolute, but was administered with great mildness. Edwards fixes on 3,000,000 as the aboriginal population of the Greater Antilles. Peter Martyr, on the authority of Columbus, states that of Hispaniola at 1,200,000; that of Cuba was estimated at 1,000,000; and the remainder were probably nearly equally divided between Jamaica and Porto Rico. The Arrowauks were a mild, and comparatively a cultivated people. The climate and the fertility of the islands naturally rendered them indolent. That necessity, which urges men to action, and, by exercise invigorates the fibres, was here unknown. Many instances are recorded of their generous and compassionate turn of mind, of their benevolence and hospitality. Excessive sensuality was the predominant defect in their character. The great body of the nation in the Greater Antilles were exterminated within 20 years after the discovery of Columbus. Lalande. The Greater Antilles consist of 4 large islands, viz. Cuba Jamaica CUBA. This is the most western of the West-India islands, and larger than all the rest. It lies between lon. 74° and 85° W. and between lat. 19 45 and 23° N. It is 700 miles long, from E. S. E. to W. N. W; and, in the widest part, 150 broad; containing about 54,000 square miles. Nicholas and Old Bahama channels lie between it and the Bahama bank, on the N. E; and the Windward channel, on the E. divides it from Hispaniola. The distance across from point Maysi to the Mole is 45 miles. The distance from cape Cruz to Jamaica is 90; and from cape Sable in Florida, to Cuba, 130; but from the edge of the Florida bank, only 90. It is divided into 18 jurisdictions. Columbus called this island Juanna, in honor of the prince, the son of Ferdinand; but it soon resumed, and has ever since retained, its native name of Cuba. Columbus discovered it on the 27th of October, 1492, but supposed it to be a part of the continent. Sebastian de Ocampo ascertained that it was an island in 1508. A body of troops from Hispaniola, 300 in number, under Diego Velasquez, conquered the island in 1511. Havanna, the capital, was built by Velasquez in 1519; taken by the Buccaneers in 1669, and by the English in 1761. The inhabitants are catholics. There are two bishoprics. The oldest, that of St. Jago de Cuba, comprehends the eastern half of the island; and was established originally at Baracoa; and afterwards removed to St. Jago. That of Havanna was not erected till 1788, This island was at first a part of the viceroyalty of Mexico. We have not been able to ascertain the year, in which, with Porto Rico, it was erected into a captaingeneralship; nor the year, in which Porto Rico was taken from it and made a separate government. A royal audience is established at Principe; and cabildos and other inferior courts in the various towns and villages. M. Thiery, according to an enumeration which he saw in the house of the governor in 1788, estimated the population at 266,000. Since that period it has been much increased by emigrations from Spain, and from the Spanish part of St. Domingo; and is probably, at present, not less than 350,000. The regular troops at the Havanna are 2 regiments of veterans, 2 of light infantry, and 1 squadron of dragoons; in all 10,000. The militia of that town are 1600. In the other large towns, bodies of regular troops are also stationed, and a militia is found all over the island. The language of the inhabitants is an impure Spanish. Its common appellation is the Creole-Spanish. The mode of education adopted is ridiculous. The Aristotleian philosophy is alone taught, and the other branches are much the same as were in vogue dur ing the dark ages. The university at the Havanna was founded in 1774. It has I professor of philosophy, 2 of theology, and 2 of Laiin. The state of the common schools is deplorable. The HAVANNA is the largest town. It is on the N. side of the island, about 45 leagues from cape Sable, and 80 coastwise from cape San Antonio. Its harbor is one of the best in the world. The entrance is by a narrow channel half a mile long, difficult of access, and strongly fortified the whole distance, with platforms, works and artillery. The celebrated castle of Moro, fort San Carlos, and fort Diego, also protect the town. No less than 800 cannon are mounted on all the works. The rivers Lagida, and Almendariz, fall into the harbor E. of the town. The harbor is a league in breadth, and capable of receiving 1000 ships of war. It has 6 fathoms of water, and is so safe that vessels ride securely without casting anchor. The shape of the town is semicircular, the diameter being formed by the shore. It is built on the W. side of the harbor. The squares are irregular, and the streets narrow; some of them are paved with iron wood, which is extremely durable. The houses are disfigured with heavy balconies, and wooden railings, and are by no means elegant. There are 11 churches in the town, all richly ornamented, several monasteries, and 2 hospitals. The arsenal 1 is a superb edifice. The population has been estimated, by an intelligent traveller, at 70,000. A great deal of wealth is collected here. The number of cabriolets is 3000. The commerce of the town is more extensive than that of any other in Spanish America. Provisions are plentiful and cheap. PRINCIPE is the residence of the audience, and the proper capital. It stands near the centre of the island, and is said to be nearly as large as the Havanna. BAYAMO, or ST. SALVADOR, is near the S. coast, on a river, which empties into a large bay, of the same name, and contains 12,000 inhabitants. ST. JAGO DE CUBA, farther E. than Bayamo, on the same coast, is surrounded by a hilly country, and has a spacious and secure harbor; the entrance being by a channel 2 leagues in length, and defended by a castle. The population is said to amount to 35,000 or 40,000. SAN CARLOS DE MATANZAS lies about 20 leagues E. of the Havanna, has a good port, and 7000 inhabitants. Holguin, 30 miles E. of Trinidad, and Guiza, contain each 6000. The commerce of the island is chiefly in the hands of Catalonian merchants. The principal imports are hardware, linen, silk, clocks and watches, wines and spices. The great articles exported are sugar, tobacco, chocolate, coffee, wax, cotton, mahogany, fruits, cattle, and swine. In 1792, the export of sugar was upwards of 2,000,000 arrobas; that of tobacco 120,000 arrobas for the manufactory at Seville, while 14,000 were reserved for the use of the island and the other colonies; that of wax at 20,000 arrobas; and that of cotton, 6000. In that year, 121 cargoes of negroes were imported. The land near the sea is generally level, except in the S. E. part of the island. All the interior is mountainous. The soil is every |