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niards routed the whole army, killed about 600, and chased the remaining part on board their ships.

Dispirited with these disasters, and dreading consequences still more fatal, neither officers nor soldiers were willing to risk another attempt. The Spaniards by that success which had crowned their efforts against British valour, were flushed with victory, and gained in courage what we had lost. On these accounts it is more than probable, that had an attempt been made a second time, it would have been attended with consequences to our troops even more fatal and disastrous than their fears had magnified.

To make some atonement for this badly projected and imprudently conducted expedition, Penn and Venables proceeded to plan another, as well as to conduct it themselves. They sailed from Hispaniola to Jamaica, pushed their enterprise with vigour, and the island surrendered without a blow. Since that period (1655) it has remained in the hands of our government, has been cultivated with extraordinary success, and has raised its consideration in the eyes of Europe.

The conquest of Jamaica was however at that time of little account in the estimation of Cromwell, who had other objects in view of a more extensive magnitude. Penn and Venables on their return to England, were both committed to the tower; not for taking Jamaica, but because they had failed in their expedition against Hispaniola.

It has been stated in a preceding page on the authority of Raynal, that the population of Jamaica, when it fell into our hands, "consisted of about 1500 slaves, governed by as many tyrants." But Penn on his return to England in September 1655, when examined before the council of Cromwell, states the number at twelve or fourteen hundred only. On the precision of these accounts the reader must decide. Penn without all doubt had the best opportunity of ascertaining their numbers, and yet it is possible from a variety of causes that his statement may be incorrect.

All accounts however agree, that the Spaniards, after having murdered the natives, visited the shores of Africa. They had begun the mournful traffic of dealing in their fellow-creatures; and the unhappy sons of Guinea had been forced to embark, to people these distant islands, to labour for these destroyers of mankind, and drag out a miserable existence amid the‍ hardships of servitude and the lamentations of sorrow.

The Spanish settlement next in consequence to St. Jago, was at Port Caguay, the present Port Royal, which lies on the southeast side of the island. It was then only a village; but was afterwards improved into a very considerable town by our coun

trymen, and continued to enjoy great commercial prosperity from its convenient situation. But at length, the inhabitants were driven from it by a train of unexampled calamities. They were visited by repeated hurricanes, by earthquakes, and by a dreadful fire; in consequence of which catastrophes, the new town of Kingston was founded in 1693, and became the capital of the county of Surry, so called after the name of Surry in England, of which the particulars will be given in their proper place. With respect to Port Royal, we have only to notice, that it still retains part of its former importance, as it is the harbour for ships of war; has a navy-yard, in which they can be built if occasions require, and in which they are repaired and refitted after damages sustained at sea. There are about two hundred houses in the town, fit for the reception of mariners, of merchants, of tradesmen, and others connected with them. It contains likewise a royal hospital for sick and wounded officers, seamen, and soldiers; and barracks for a regiment of infantry. It is strongly fortified, and constantly maintained in a proper state for defence in time of war, against any powerful enemy. A remarkable instance of local attachment to this place, and at the same time of the wonderful preservation of the life of one of its worthy inhabitants, (who, if the historical narratives handed down to us of the general wickedness that pervaded all ranks of the people be true, must have been in many respects a modern Lot,) is inserted here as copied by Edwards from a tomb-stone at Green-Bay near the remains of this once flourishing town. It indeed merits communication to every pious believer in the tender mercies of the Almighty Governor of the universe.

"DIEU SUR TOUT.

"Here lies the body of Lewis Galdy Esq. who departed this life at Port Royal, the 22d of December 1736, aged eighty. He was born at Montpellier in France; but left that country for his religion, and came to settle in this island, where he was swallowed up in the great earthquake, in the year 1692; and by the providence of God, was by another shock thrown into the sea, and miraculously saved by swimming, until a boat took him up. He lived many years after, in great reputation, beloved by all who knew him, and much lamented at his death."*

* It is a branch of that fashionable philosophy which disgraces rather than embellishes the age in which we live, to deny altogether the providence of God. But this sentiment, though its advocates are but too numerous, is too daring to lay claim to universal credit, and too fashionable to be in general

disavowed. A middle path has therefore been struck out, in which the pro vidence of God is not reasonably admitted, nor totally denied.

The advocates for this middle opinion, admit a general providence as they term it, but utterly deny that which is particular, without once adverting to the absurdities to which such an opinion must necessarily lead. For it ought to be considered, that between these two points there can be no medium. We must either admit a particular providence, or we must deny the Divine interference altogether.

A general providence must without all doubt be of general application. I know of no other manner in which the term can be introduced. A general providence which comprehends a whole, must necessarily include all the parts of which that whole is composed; and consequently must apply to the parts individually as well as to the whole. If a general providence takes no notice of any given individual part, neither can it take notice of another part in the same situation; and by the same mode of reasoning, the remarks may be extended to every individual person or thing over which a general providence is supposed to extend. Can then that providence be of general appli cation, which takes no cognizance of any one part to which it is supposed to be applied? Certainly this is impossible. The admission of a general providence must therefore include that which is particular, because it is impossible that the former can exist without the latter. The two ideas, if they be two, must stand or fall together. And those who admit a general providence, and deny that which is particular, involve themselves in contradictions.

CHAP. VI.

HISTORY OF JAMAICA.

Condition of the island when captured-difficulties which our first settlers had to encounter and surmount-prudent conduct and excellent character of D'Oyley our first governor. Unsuccessful attempt of Spain to recover the island-progress of prosperity under the direction of Lord Windsor-Jamaica enriched by the spoils of the Buccaniers-character and depredations of those pirates.

JAMAICA at the time of its capture was in a forlorn condition. The internal parts were mountainous and useless, and the shores presented little better than a desert that had never been inhabited by man. In taking a circuit round the island, it is of little consequence in what part we begin. Cultivation was confined to an inconsiderable portion; and cattle which were grown wild, inhabited all the rest. The progress of years which had multiplied their numbers, had provided for their defence, by inclosing them in impenetrable forests, and instructing them to ascend the mountains which had never been trodden by the foot of man. The perpetual verdure which clothed the surface of the island, provided for them an inexhaustible source of pasturage, which knew no suspension through the chills of winter, and which was never concealed by descending

snows.

The southern side of the island was alone occupied; and the inhabitants thereof, with but few exceptions, were confined to a narrow spot. In estimating therefore the condition of the island, it will be necessary to start from some particular point, while we survey its shores and their contiguous lands. We will therefore begin with Puerta de Esquivella, a place of considerable note in ancient days.

Puerta de Esquivella (Port Esquivel) so named in honour of the first deputy governor of the island, under Diego Columbus, was the harbour which received the Spanish galleons from the Havannah, and where they put in through stress of weather, and remained during the hurricanes. It is situated to the westward of Port Royal, and is now known by the name of Old Harbour, a tribute of respect which commemorates its ancient reputation. From this place to Punto Negrillo, the most west

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erly point of the island, the whole of that great extent of country, except a small hamlet named Oristan, remained unsettled, though admirably adapted for cultivation. Returning eastward to the north of Port Royal, extensive savannas or plains overrun with horned cattle and horses, appeared to be almost destitute of human inhabitants; for the only plantation existing in this quarter, was that of a rich widow, who, according to Sir Hans Sloane, had a considerable sugar-work at a place called Hato de Liguany, a great number of negro slaves, and about 40,000 head of cattle in the adjacent savannas.

Most parts of the island abounded with horses and horned cattle, which wandered at large over the extensive plains, without owners and without controul. The multitudes of cattle which were found on the island, confirmed the opinion which has uniformly prevailed as to the indolence of the Spaniards; and the wildness which appeared in all of them, plainly proves that no method had been taken to subdue their native fierceness. A state of nature prevailed through the vegetable department; the animals which swarmed in all the country, participated of the same common condition; and the Spaniards who were on the island, exhibited signs of their approaching ruin. Industry had but partially visited these abodes of fertility; necessity, and not advantage, prompted the inhabitants to action. They knew not the value of the island which they possessed; and they had made but little improvement of those parts which they had selected for cultivation.

The northern coasts were totally uncultivated; and that side of the island presented only a wild desert of intermingled rocks, forests and plains, from the eastern to the western extremities of the land. From the best authorities we are likewise assured, that the Spaniards, in the long space of time they remained in peaceable possession of this valuable colony, not less than one hundred and fifty years, had not cultivated the hundredth part of the land which was best adapted to the purposes of producing abundant crops of sugar, cotton, tobacco, rice, and other profitable commodities for foreign commerce. The characteristic indolence of the Spanish nation was transported hither from their native country: and the settlers, even when they possessed such a number of negro slaves purchased or captured from Africa, as nearly equalled their own population, contented themselves with raising such a quantity of food and other produce as was sufficient for their domestic wants. Their only articles of exportation were a small surplus of cocoa, hog's-lard and hides, which, with some provisions, they chiefly bartered with the ships that occasionally put into their ports, for Euro

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