wards of 300,000; and not less than 200,000 of them were then employed in cultivating sugar alone. From that time to the present, the augmentation has been at least in an adequate proportion in almost every branch of trade. It is evident from the following comparative estimates, made in 1788 and 1797, that coffee has not been neglected, while the cane has engrossed so much of the planter's care and attention. At the former period there were exported to To America lbs. 808,528 At the latter period, to Great Britain These rapid advances in prosperity, which appear in the short space of ten years, have continued from that period to the present. The number, therefore, of labourers necessary to carry on these and other branches of cultivation, must have increased in a regular proportion. If, therefore, we duly estimate the circumstances before us, and reflect upon the ardour with which the slave-trade was urged by the merchants and landholders, for many years prior to its abolition, we cannot fix the number of enslaved negroes, now in Jamaica, at less than 400,000, even on a moderate calculation. CHAP. XI. HISTORY OF JAMAICA. Natural history of Jamaica-soil, grass, esculents-vegetablesexotics-trees and fruits-description of logwood-of indigo and of cotton-of the mountain crab-of insects, particularly of the moscheto and fire-fly-reptiles, yellow, black, and silver snakes -lizards in their varieties of various species of fishes--birds in their varieties of various kinds of animals-of mountains, ores, &c. Epitome of the natural history of Jamaica, from the earliest and best authorities. FROM the voluminous writers on that curious, useful, and entertaining subject, natural history, it is no easy task to reduce within a narrow compass, and yet with due precision, such a description of its various objects in any one country, as may prove satisfactory to the reader of its civil history. This, however, we have undertaken to perform with respect to all the islands of the West Indies, separately: and as in the civil his tory, so likewise in this department, Jamaica, the principal British Colony, takes the lead. The soil of the island is various: the savanna lands are for the most part clayey, or intermixed with sandy spaces, some of which are of great depth and extent. These are called Sandgalls, and produce no other vegetable than a small wire grass, unfit for pasturage, but applicable to many other purposes: when dried, it is used instead of hair to mix with plaster for cielings, stuffing for saddles, chairs, &c. and for thatching negro cottages. Many of the hills, especially those nearest the south coast, are covered with rocks of a kind of shell marble, which makes an excellent lime, and is used for buildings. The interstices of these rocks are filled with a fine black mould, which is extremely fertile, and proper for maize, and other provisions, such as yams and cocoas. In the interior parts of the island, the hills, and even the mountains, are covered to their summits with a vast depth of soil of various sorts. The principal of these are-a red clay on a white marl-a ditto on a grit—a reddish brown ditto on marl-a yellowish clay mixed with common mould-a red grit-a loose calca reous mould—a black mould, on a clay or other substratum -a loose black vegetable mould, on rock-a fine sand-and their varieties. The black mould is much the best of any of the hilly lands for culture, and produces the finest canes. The soil of the vallies is still more various, as it is compounded partly from the washings of surrounding eminences, and partly of the sediment deposited by rivers and floods of rain. The stately woods, which adorn most parts of the island, are filled with trees whose bulk and loftiness exceed any in Europe. Many of them are from one hundred to one hundred and thirty feet in height, and to a considerable height entirely destitute of branches, which gives them a more majestic appearance. Cotton and cedar trees have been cut in the island, which measured ninety feet from the base to the limbs; and several mahoganies, little inferior. To these may be added, the trumpet tree and snake wood, which grow in most of the woody parts of the island, and rise to a considerable height, being seldom, in their most perfect state, under thirty-five or forty feet. It is a general rule, that a rocky and indifferent soil is always to be known by stunted, crooked trees: on the contrary, a deep good mould is distinguished by trees of a large diameter, straight and tall.* In this delightful island, both maize and Guinea corn are cultivated with much success. Each species is amazingly productive; but the former, from the number of its crops, is most advantageous. Much, however, depends upon the seasonable weather. If, when the grain is deposited in the earth, a considerable drought ensues, one crop is all that can be expected : a happy intermixture of sunshine and showers produces two; * When we confine our observations to straightness, height, and beauty, the Barbadoes cabbage-tree may justly claim the pre-eminence, and be styled the princess of the forest. The seeds of this tree were first introduced into Jamaica by Governor Knowles, and the soil has been found congenial to their nature. Since his time, though these trees have been cultivated with great care, they have rather been kept for ornament than service, because beauty rather than utility is their principal recommendation. "It rises (says Browne) by a tall straight trunk, which bilges moderately at some distance from the root, and shoots from thence to the top in a regular cylindric tapering body. On the top it spreads into a large and beautiful foliage. The external leaves of this foliage are erect, and embrace those that are internal; so that the resemblance of the tree is continued at some distance after the timber ceases. The young leaves of this tuft of foliage are remarkably tender when boiled, and yield a most delicious flavour. But prodigality and profusion must reach to an enormous pitch, before such a tree could be destroyed for a momentary gratification." Browne says, that "Mr. Ray makes mention of one of these trees, that was observed to grow to the height of two hundred and seventy feet, or thereabouts." vest. and occasionally three have been reaped in the same year. The soil also in no small degree determines the profits of the harWhen that is congenial, forty bushels have been produced by a single acre; while an uncongenial soil, and unfavourable weather, sometimes stint the crop to fifteen. From the Guinea corn, more than one harvest has never been produced; but the quantity which nature yields, in some measure compensates for the tardiness of her movements. But even this is subjected to variations, arising from the soil and the weather. When both have been favourable, an acre has been known to yield sixty bushels; but when these have been unpropitious, half the quantity has been all that has rewarded the planter for his toils. This grain is in general sown in September; its vegetation is promoted by the mildness of the West India winter; it ripens in the month of January; and harvest immediately commences. Among the Calavances, a peculiar species of the pea is sometimes cultivated; but its small value, the attention which it requires, and the little demand which is made for it, prevent it from being honoured with general notice. The rice which might be raised, would be entitled to much more regard, were it not that it requires a soil which is pernicious to the health of those who are employed in its cultivation. This circumstance gives it a forbidding aspect; the life of the slave being of more value to the planter, than the rice which might be raised by his labour in the most favourable year. In addition to this, many articles of greater importance, which are in themselves more productive, and attended with less risk, point out more profitable sources of wealth, which may be directed either to home consumption or foreign exportation. Among the valuable articles cultivated for domestic use, the Guinea Grass claims the first place. It is not, however, a native of the island, but was imported about sixty years since from the coast of Guinea (whence it obtains its name), as food for some birds which were carried from thence to Jamaica as objects of curiosity. The death of the birds soon after their arrival rendered the seeds apparently useless, and as such they were thrown away. Shortly afterwards, the herbage which sprang from them was perceived to flourish in a most luxuriant manner. This attracted the notice of the cattle; and the attachment of the cattle to this grass soon excited the attention of the planter. From this solitary spot it was propagated through the island: the soil was every where found congenial to its nature; and even the rocks in general were soon clothed with its verdure. The introduction of this grass soon increased the number of grazing and breeding farms, on spots where the hand of cultivation had rarely laboured before: and the effects were soon rendered visible in the large supplies which, at a moderate rate, crowded the Jamaica markets. It is chiefly owing to this circumstance, that to the present time the island abounds with beef and mutton, which for cheapness and quality may challenge most of the markets of the towns in Europe. To this exotic must be added another species, denominated Scotch or Scots Grass, which, though inferior to the former, has been found to be highly valuable. This grass is a native of the island, and was found in great plenty when Jamaica fell into our hands. It sprung up spontaneously in the low and marshy grounds. It has since been very generally cultivated, but has been found to thrive most luxuriantly in the swampy lands. It is so productive, as to afford an almost constant supply of fodder for horses and mules, during the time they are kept in the stables. The manner in which the inhabitants propagate this grass, is by separating the joints, and inserting the detached parts in small drilled holes, made in the earth to receive them. They are fixed about two feet asunder, and begin to vegetate in a few days. The roots and joints of the new plant speedily increase; and the latter branch out into new shoots, which spread along the ground, and soon fill the field in which they had been originally planted. Its general growth is from two to four feet. It is mostly ripe for cutting in about six months from its first planting; and if the ground be kept free from weeds, it will then afford a crop once every month or six weeks. When once planted, it will stand many years, and the failure of a few roots can easily be supplied by new joints being planted in their room. An acre of good land well filled with this plant, near Kingston or Spanish Town, has been estimated at no less than £120 per annum, as its cultivation is attended with fewer inconveniences than that of any other plant of the island. The esculent vegetables of the native growth of the island are, cocoa, ochre, lima-bean, Indian-kale, plantains, bananas, yams of different sorts, calalue, (a species of spinach,) eddoes, cassavi, and sweet potatoes. A plantain gathered unripe, and roasted, supplies the place of bread with many whites, and, in the estimation of the negroes, is almost invariably preferred before it but since the introduction of the bread-fruit trees, brought hither by Captain Bligh from Otaheite in 1793, it is most probable it will be less valued by the latter. Besides the above-mentioned, all the vegetables which kitchen-gardens produce for common use in England, thrive also in the hilly parts of this island. As for fruits, their variety and excellent quality |