ed, in 1788, 6,539 whites, 3280 free blacks, and 16,659 slaves; in all 26,478.

MONTEGO BAY, in Cornwall, in the N. W. is an opulent, flourishing town, and in 1788 contained 225 houses, of which 33 were capital warehouses.

PORT ROYAL stands near the extremity of a peninsula, which bounds Port Royal bay, on the S. E. It is about 10 miles S. from Kingston; and, after St. Jago, is the oldest town in the island. It contains about 200 houses, a royal navy yard, the navy hospital, and barracks for a regiment of soldiers.

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, in the S. W. contains about 60 houses.
FALMOUTH is a very flourishing town in the N. W.

The climate of the coast is hot and sultry, with little variation from January to December. This is particularly true of the south coast, where the average temperature, from June to November, inclusive, is 80°, and but little cooler in the other six months. On the tops of the mountains the general state of the thermometer is from 55 to 65. It has been observed as low as 44°.

In the north of the island the country, at a small distance from the shore, rises into hills, which are more remarkable for their beauty than boldness. In the south the cliffs are rough and precipitous, and at the foot of the lower range of hills lie vast plains or savannas, displaying all the pride of the richest cultivation.

The number of acres in the island amount to 4,080,000. Of these only 1,907,589 had been located in December, 1791. Even all this is not improved. The lands in cultivation were then dis

tributed nearly as follows:
767 sugar plantations, averaging 900 acres each
1000 pens, or breeding and grazing farms, at 700 each
Plantations of cotton, coffee, pimento, ginger, &c.

690,000

700,000

350,000

1,740,000

Edwards supposes that the remaining acres amounting to 2,340,000, are chiefly unfit for cultivation; not merely on account of the barrenness of the soil, but principally on account of its mountainous

situation.

Black river is the deepest and largest in Jamaica. It is navigable for flat bottomed boats and canoes about 30 miles, and empties about 20 W. of Pedro bluff, in the S. W. part of the island.

Point Morant, or East Cape is the eastern extremity of Jamaica in lon. 76 10 W. and is the usual point of departure for ships bound through the windward passage. Portland Point is the most southern cape; and South-Negril the most western.

A ridge of lofty mountains, called the Blue mountains, traverses the island from E. to W. The Blue mountain Peak, in the main ridge, is 7431 feet above the level of the sea.

Numerous groves of pimento are found every where on the hills, on the N. side of the island. The mountains are, in general, covered with excellent timber.

Perhaps no country in the world affords so rich a variety of excellent fruits, indigenous and exotic.

The island of Great Cayman is equidistant from Jamaica and Cuba. It is inhabited by descendants of the old buccaneers, about 160 in number. Their chief business is piloting, and fishing for turtle.

The two Little Caymans, N. E. of this, are not inhabited.

Pedro shoals, or the Bivora bank, lie S. of the western half of Jamaica, extending upwards of 30 leagues from E. to W. The Ciscabel is a rock at the W. end; Pedro keys are near the middle; and the Portland rock, at the E. end, is 10 leagues S. of Portland point.

PORTO RICO.

Porto Rico is situated between lat. 17 54 and 18 30 N. and be tween lon. 65 30 and 67 8 W. It contains about 4140 square miles.

Columbus gave the island its present name of Porto, or Puerto Rico.

The island was discovered by Columbus on his second voyage, in 1493. Juan Ponce explored it in 1508, and founded the town of St. John de Porto Rico, in 1514.

The number of inhabitants is now estimated at 200,000. ST. JOHN DE PORTO RICO, the capital, is on the N. side, about 15 leagues W. from cape St. Juan. The harbor is spacious and safe, and admits vessels of any burden. The town is well built, and contains about 30,000 inhabitants. The fortifications are strong and commanding. It was long the chief seat of the English contraband trade, and is considerably populous.

There are two other seaports on the island, Maraguand and Miaguesse. Maraguand is on the N. side, a few miles only E. of point Bruquen. The harbor is good and safe. The body of the town is 3 or 4 miles up in the country. It contains about 5000 inhabitants. Miaguesse is on the W. end, a few miles N. of cape Roxa. The town stands 5 miles up the country, is handsomely built, and contains about 6000 inhabitants.

Hurricanes are not unfrequent. That of 1742 was remarkably destructive. In 1778, there were on the island 5861 plantations and farms of every description. These were then stocked with

23,195 horses, 1515 mules, 77,384 horned cattle, and 49,058 sheep and swine. The produce for that year was 2737 quintals of sugar, 1163 of cotton, 19,556 of rice, 15,216 of maize, 7458 of tobacco, and 9860 of molasses.

Cape St. Juan is the N. E. extremity of the island, cape Mala the S. E. and cape Roxa the S. W. Cape St. Francis is the termition of a promontory on the W. end not far from the N. side, and point Bruquen the N. W. extremity of the island.

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS.

THIS range extends from lat. 9 30 to 18 45 N.; and from lon. 59 30 to 65 20 W. The form of the range is the arc of a circle, commencing at Trinidad, the most southern; and bending N. E. and then N. W. to Bieque, or Crab island, the most western.

The Atlantic is on the E. and the Caribbean sea on the W. The Mosquito shore, the western coast of the Caribbean, lies 500 leagues W. of the middle of the range. The Cape Verd islands, on the African coast, lie 35 degrees of longitude, or 780 leagues, to the eastward, in the same parallels.

These islands have already been mentioned, as consisting of two groups; the Leeward islands in the N.; and the Windward islands in the S.

The earliest inhabitants of this numerous group were Arrowauks; tribes of the same nation, which occupied the Greater Antilles. At a period, however, long before the discovery of America, this peaceful nation had been chiefly exterminated by the Caraibes, Caribs, or Caribbees, a warlike and ferocious people from Guiana on the continent. They still occupy all the coast of that province.

The Caraibes, therefore, must be considered, like the Mexicans, as one of the great nations of the continent.

The Caraibes of these islands lived in villages that had the appearance of a European encampment. Their cabins were built of poles fixed circularly in the ground, and drawn to a point at the top.

Though not as tall as the generality of Europeans, their frames were robust and muscular; their limbs flexible and active; and their eyes possessed a penetrating quickness and wildness, that seemed an emanation from a fierce and martial spirit. Their natural complexion was that of a Spanish olive.

A few remains of the nation are scattered over various parts of the Caribbean Archipelago. But in Spanish and Dutch Guiana they still remain a formidable body, sufficiently numerous to repel the aggressions of the colonists, and possessing the proud independence, the invincible love of liberty, and the ferocious courage, which so strongly characterized their ancestors.

LEEWARD ISLANDS.

The islands thus denominated extend from lat. 15 15 to 18' 45 N.; and from lon. 60 55 to 65 20 W. On the S. Dominica is the most remote; on the E. Deseada; on the N. Ancgada; and on the W. Bieque or Crab island. This last is only 3 leagues from Porto Rico, one of the Greater Antilles; and Dominica is but 10 from Martinique, the most northern of the Windward islands.

The Virgin islands, Anguilla, St. Martin's, Saba, St. Eustatius, Barbuda, St. Christopher's, Nevis, Antigua, and Montserrat, all constitute a single colonial government, under a governor general. Dominica has its own governor.

VIRGIN ISLANDS.

This is a small group lying E. of Porto Rico, between lat. 17 40 and 18 45 N.; and between lon. 64 10 and 65 20 W. The extreme island on the N. and E. is Anegada; on the S. Santa Cruz; and on the W. Bieque.

Of these islands the Spaniards claim Bieque or Crab island, and Colubra, Green, or Serpent island; together with Great and Littie Passage island, and the Tropic keys, all lying between the two first mentioned. These islands are attached to the government of Porto Rico, and are of no consequence.

The following is a list of the principal English islands with their dependencies.

Islands.

1. St. Thomas

2. St. John

3. Tortola

Dependencies.

{Brass, Little Saba, Great St. James, Little St.

Lavango, Cam, and Witch islands.

Jost, Van Dyke's, Little Van Dyke's, Guano,
Beef, and Thatch islands.

Anegada, Nicker, Prickly Pear, Mosquito, 4. Virgin Gorda Cammanoes, Dog, Fallen City, Round Rock, Ginger,Cooper's,Salt,Peter's,and DeadChest islands.

5. Santa Cruz or St. Croix.

Columbus discovered these islands in 1493, and named them Las Virgines or The Virgins. The Dutch buccaneers took possession of them in 1648, and were driven out by a stronger party of English buccaneers, in 1666.

The immediate government of these islands is vested in a council of 12, appointed by the crown; and a house of representatives. The president of the council acts as governor in the absence of the governor general, who resides at Antigua. These islands pay 400/. toward the salary of the governor general. Four and a half per cent. annually was paid by the inhabitants on all produce, as the price of their government.

These islands are many of them very dangerous to navigators. There is a bason, however, between, Virgin Gorda, Tortola, and St. Thomas, called Sir Francis Drake's Bay, 7 leagues long and 4 broad; in which ships may anchor, and be sheltered and landlocked from all winds.

The following is a list of the exports from Tortola and Virgin Gorda, and their dependencies, in 1787:

Other articles (value)

£6,651 2 6
£2,340 18 5

The whole value of the exports of that year was 156,959/. 12s. 6ď. and the various articles were carried in 40 vessels, measuring 6516 tons, employing 436 men. The exports from St. Thomas, St. John's, and Santa Cruz we have not seen. Those from Santa Cruz exceed all the other four.

SPANISH ISLANDS. Bieque or Crab island is 3 leagues from Porto Rico. It is 14 miles in circumference, has a rich soil, and a good road for shipping on the S. Colubra is of about equal size, lies 4 leagues N. of Bieque, half way between Porto Rico and St. Thomas, and 5 leagues from each. Great Passage island is 12 miles E. of Porto Rico, and between the other two. It is about 7 miles long and 2 wide. Little Passage island is in its neighborhood. The Tropic keys are a collection of rocks, a little W. of Great Passage island.

ST. THOMAS. This island is 9 miles long from E. to W. and 3 broad; and 12 leagues E. of Porto Rico. It has a safe and commodious harbor, guarded by a single fort. It was, while in the hands of the Danes, a well known resort of smugglers. Sugar, tobacco, potatoes, millet, and maniac are the chief objects of cultivation. The soil is sandy, and is badly watered.

ST. JOHN. This is 5 miles long and 1 broad, and 2 leagues E. S. E. of St. Thomas. It is well watered, and has a harbor, called Crawl Bay, the best between Antigua and Porto Rico. The soil is indifferent, and the exports trifling.

TORTOLA. This island is 15 miles long, and 6 broad, and but a short distance N. of St. John. The country is mountainous, but under high cultivation. It is one of the healthiest islands in the West-Indies, and has a large and safe harbor. Sandy Bay and Road Town are the two principal settlements, both well fortified. This is the most valuable of the Virgin islands, except Santa Cruz.

VIRGIN GORDA. The English call it Penniston, and corruptly Spanishtown. It is 8 miles E. of Tortola. It is badly watered, and has few inhabitants. A mountain in the centre of the island is affirmed to contain a silver mine. Anegada, the largest of its dependencies, is low, and almost covered by water at high tides.

SANTA CRUZ. The French call it St. Croix. It is 30 miles long and 9 broad; and lies 21 leagues S. E. of cape Mala, in Porto Rico, and 12 S. of St. John. Columbus discovered it. The Span iards, English, and Dutch were by turns masters of it for a long period. In 1651 it was bought for the knights of Malta, who sold it, in 1664, to the French West-India company; and by them it was ceded to Denmark, in 1596. The English took it, with St. Thomas and St. John, in 1808. Its population is estimated at 3000 whites and 30,000 negroes. The soil is very fertile. The annual produce of sugar has been from 30,000 to 40,000 hhds. and other West-India commodities in proportion.

ANGUILLA.

Anguilla, or Snake island, was so called from its winding tortuous shape. It is about 30 miles long, and 6 broad; and lies 25 leagues E. by S. of Virgin Gorda, and 50 from Porto Rico. The climate is healthy, and the inhabitants strong and vigorous. The exports, in 1770, amounted to near 60007. in sugar, rum, and cotMaize is cultivated extensively.

ton.