and slaughtering the cattle, for the sake of the hides and tallow, which soon became an article of export. It was supposed by Sedgewicke, that the soldiers had killed 20,000 in the course of the first four months after their arrival; and as to horses, "they were in "such plenty (says Goodson) that we accounted them "the vermin of the country."†

Eastward of Liguany was the Hato, by some called Ayala, by others Yalos, and now wrote Yallahs; a place, saith Venables" which hath much commodity of planting or erecting of sugar engines of water, by reason of two convenient rivers running through it fit for that purpose." Next to Ayala was the Hato called Morante. This Morante (saith Venables) "is a large and plentiful Hato, being four leagues in length, consisting of many small savannas, and has wild cattle and hogs in very great plenty, and ends at the Mine, which is at the cape or point of Morante itself, by which toward the north is the port Antonio."

Such is the account of Jamaica as transmitted in General Venable's letter to Secretary Thurloe, dated 13th June 1655. The reader will perceive, that no mention is made of the northern side of the island; which gives room to conclude, as was undoubtedly

+"Colonel Barry's house, all galleried round, (now called Cavaliers), was formerly, when the Spaniards possessed the island, the only place in Liguany inhabited; a rich widow had here a sugar-work, and abundance of cattle in the savannas, near 40,000." (Sloane, vol. i. Introd. P. 73.) The mountains of Liguany were supposed also to contain mines both of gold and copper.

the fact, that it was one entire desert, from east to west, totally uncultivated and uninhabited.

Of the inland parts, it appears from Sloane, that Guanaboa was famous for its cacao-trees, and the low lands of Clarendon for plantations of tobacco.

Upon the whole, although the Spaniards had possessed the island a century and a half, not one hundredth part of the plantable land was in cultivation when the English made themselves masters of it. Yet the Spanish settlers had no sooner exterminated, in the manner we have seen, the original proprietors, than they had recourse, with their neighbours of Hispaniola, to the introduction of slaves from Africa. We are told that the number of negroes in the island, at the time of its capture, nearly equalled that of the whites. It is not easy to discover to what useful purpose the labour of these blacks was applied. The sloth and penury of the Spanish planters, when the English landed, were extreme. Of the many valuable commodities which Jamaica has since produced in so great abundance, some were altogether unknown, and of the rest the inhabitants cultivated no more than were sufficient for their own expenditure. Their principal export, besides cacao, consisted of hogs lard and hides. The sale of these articles, and supplying the few ships that touched at their ports with provisions, in barter for European manufactures, constituted the whole of their commerce; a commerce which the savages of Madagascar conduct with equal ability and success. They possessed nothing

of the elegancies of life, nor were they acquainted even with many of those gratifications which, in civilized states, are considered as necessary to the comfort and convenience of it. They were neither polished by social intercourse, nor improved by education; but passed their days in gloomy langour, enfeebled by sloth and depressed by poverty. Having at the same time but little or no connection with Europe, nor the means of sending their children thither for education, (a circumstance that might have introduced among them from time to time some portion of civility and science), they had been for many years in a state of progressive degeneracy, and would probably, in a short time, have expiated the guilt of their ancestors, by falling victims themselves to the vengeance of their slaves. Time indeed had wrought a wonderful change in the manners and dispositions of all the Spanish Americans. It must, however, be acknowledged, that if they possessed not the abilities of their forefathers, they were unstained with their crimes. If we find among them no traces of that enterprising genius; that unconquerable perseverance, that contempt of toil, danger and death, which so wonderfully distinguished the great adventurers, who first explored and added a new hemisphere to the Spanish dominion; we must own at the same time, that they were happily free from their guilty ambition; their remorseless fanaticism and frantic cruelty. But, whatever was their character, it is impossible to justify the hard terms imposed by the English commanders on the poor settlers in Jamaica, in requiring them to deliver up their slaves and effects, and quit the country altogether.

They pleaded that they were born in the island, and had neither relations, friends, nor country, elsewhere, and they declared that they were resolved to perish in the woods, rather than beg their bread in a foreign soil. This was their final answer to the propositions of Venables, the English general, nor could they be brought again to enter into any treaty. The resistance they afterwards made against the efforts of our troops to expel them from the island, may furnish this important lesson to conquerors-that even victohas its limits, and that injustice and tyranny frequently defeat their own purposes.‡

ry

The articles of capitulation first agreed on, which may be seen in Burchet's Naval History, are sufficiently liberal. By these all the inhabitants (some few individuals excepted) had their lives and effects granted them, and permission to remain in the country; but on the 4th of June, Venables informs the Lord Protector, that the inhabitants having broken their promises and engagements, he had seized the governor and other chief persons, and compelled them to subscribe new articles. What those were he does not say. It appears however, that it was sti pulated by one of them, that the Spanish part of the inhabitants should leave the island; and it seems probable, that this measure was promoted by the intrigues of the Portuguese; for, in a subsequent letter, Venables writes thus: "The Portugueses we hope to make good subjects of; the Spaniards we shall remove." The particulars related in the text, concerning the effect of this determination on the minds of those poor people, are given on the authority of a paper signed, J. Daniel, dated Jamaica, 3d of June, and preserved among Thurloe's State Papers, vol. iii. p. 504.

CHAPTER III.

Proceedings of the English in Jamaica after its capture.Col. D'Oyley declared President.-Discontents and mortality among the army,-Vigorous exertions of the Protector.-Col. Brayne appointed commander in chief.-His death.-D'Oyley re-assumes the government.-Defeats the Spanish forces, which had invaded the island from Cuba. -His wise and steady administration.-Bucaniers.-Conciliating conduct of Charles II. on his restoration.-First establishment of a regular government in Jamaica.-Lord Windsor's appointment.—Royal proclamation.-American treaty in 1670.-Change of measures on the part of the crown.-New constitution devised for Jamaica.-Earl of Carlisle appointed chief governor for the purpose of enforcing the new system.-Successful opposition of the assembly. Subsequent disputes respecting the confirmation of their laws.-Terminated by the revenue act of 1728.

A

FTER the capture of the island, until the restoration of Charles II. the English in Jamaica remained under military jurisdiction. Cromwell had nominated Winslow, Serle and Butler, to act as commissioners, with Penn and Venables, intending, I presume, to constitute by this arrangement, a council of state, whose authority might mitigate the rigour of the law-martial; but the two generals, with commisVol. I.

22