attention. Of these, Jamaica claims the first notice. It lies between the 75th and 79th deg. of west longitude, and is between 17 and 19 degrees from the equator. Its length from east to west is about one hundred and forty miles; in breadth it is about sixty miles, and it is of an oval form. This country is intersected by a ridge of mountains called the Blue Mountains: on each side of which are chains of smaller ones. In the plains the soil is prodigiously fertile. None of our islands excepting St. Christopher's, produce so fine sugars. The pastures after rains are of a most beautiful verdure. They are called savannas, in which are found several salt fountains; and not far from Spanishtown is a hot bath of extraordinary medicinal virtues.

Jamaica was discovered by Columbus; and by the early Spanish historians it was called Xaymaca, which signified in the language of the natives, a country abounding with springs. After the death of this great man, the transactions of the Spaniards during a century and a half, in the settlement of Jamaica, have scarcely obtained the notice of history. It came into our possession during the usurpation of Cromwell, and by means of an armament which was intended for the reduction of Hispaniola. The fleet destined for this purpose was ill equipped; the men were badly chosen, and worse armed; under such circumstances it was no wonder that the scheme should fail. The commanders, who had ever been at variance, fearing to return to England without effecting their purpose, resolved to make an attempt on Jamaica before the inhabitants of that island could receive information of their defeat in Hispaniola. The island surrendered, but not till the people had secreted their most valuable effects.

The whole number of white people in Jamaica, did not exceed fifteen hundred; and although the Spaniards had possessed the island so many years, not one hundredth part of the land fit for plantation was cultivated when the English made themselves masters of it. The number of negroes in the island at the time of its capture nearly equalled the white people. 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. They possessed nothing of the elegancies of life, nor were they acquainted even with many of those gratifications, which, by civilized states, are considered as necessary to the comfort and conveniency of it. . They were neither polished by social intercourse, nor improved by education. But whatever was their character, the terms imposed by the English commanders cannot be justified, in requiring the poor settlers in Jamaica 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 resolved to perish in the woods, rather than beg their bread in a foreign soil. The resistance that they afterwards made against the efforts of our troops to expel them from the island, may furnish this important lesson to conquerors; "That even victory has its limits; and injustice frequently defeats its own purposes."

After the capture of the island, till the restoration of Charles the Second, the English in Jamaica remained under military jurisdiction. Nevertheless it was the intention of the Protector to have

established a civil government on very liberal principles. An instrument was framed for the purpose, but the situation of the troops required martial array and strict discipline: for the dispossessed Spaniards and fugitive negroes continued to harass the soldiers with perpetual alarms. Men were daily killed by enemies in ambush. The Spanish blacks had separated themselves from their late masters, and murdered without mercy such of the English as fell into their hands. They even attacked the troops in their quarters, and set fire to some of the houses in the town of St. Jago de la Vega, the capital.

Cromwell was however bent, not only on conquering but on peopling the island, and while recruits were raising in England, he directed the governors of Barbadoes and other British colonies to the windward to encourage some of their planters to remove to Jamaica, on the assurance of having lands assigned them there. He also gave instructions to his son Henry Cromwell, who was majorgeneral of the forces in Ireland, to engage two or three thousand persons of both sexes from thence to become settlers in Jamaica, and he advised with lord Broghill, who commanded at Edinburgh, on the best means of inducing as great a number to emigrate for the same purpose from Scotland.

In the mean time, the old soldiers within the island disliking their situation, and conceiving that the Protector had thoughts of confining them to Jamaica for life, became dissatisfied and mutinous. Other causes concurred to awaken in them a spirit of discontent. Having at first found in the country cattle in abundance, they had destroyed them with such improvidence as to occasion a scarcity of fresh provisions, in a place which had been represented

as abounding in the highest degree. The commanders, apprehending this event, had urged the soldiers to cultivate the soil, and raise by their own industry Indian corn, pulse, and cassavi, sufficient for their maintenance: this however they absolutely refused, and contemptuously rejected every plan which could contribute in the smallest degree to their preservation. Possessed with a passionate desire of returning home, they even rooted up the provisions which had been left planted by the Spaniards. A scarcity approaching to famine was at length the consequence of such misconduct, and it was very speedily accompanied by its usual attendants, disease and contagion.

The Protector, as soon as he received information of the calamitous fate of the country, exerted himself with his usual vigour, to afford it relief. Provisions and necessaries of all kinds were shipped without delay, and Cromwell, distrustful of the governor's attachment, superseded him, by granting the commission of commander in chief of Jamaica to colonel Brayne. This gentleman, though possessed of a considerable portion of sagacity and penetration, wanted firmness and fortitude. The troops still continued unhealthy, and the commandant, alarmed for his own safety, begged for permission to return to England. Before an answer to his petition could arrive, he was taken seriously ill; and, finding himself in imminent danger, he transferred his authority to D'Oyley, the late governor, a few days only before he expired.

D'Oyley happily possessed all those qualifications in which Brayne was deficient, but on account of the treatment that he had formerly experienced, he entered upon his charge with great reluctance. He begged permission to resign; but the Protector began now to know his value, and would

not accept of his resignation. And to the exertions of this brave officer, seconded and supported by the affection which the soldiers manifested on every occasion, we owe at this day the possession of Jamaica, the re-capture of which by the Spaniards, towards the end of the year 1657, became an object of great national concern.

1658.

On the eighth of May thirty companies A. D. of Spanish infantry landed on the north side of the island, furnished with provisions for eight months, and with every means of military offence and defence. Twelve days had elapsed before D'Oyley knew of their landing, and six weeks more intervened by the time that he was able to approach them by sea. He then attacked them in their intrenchments, and compelled the Spanish commander to get back as he could to Cuba, after the loss of all his stores, ordnance, ammunition, and colours; and one half of the forces which he had brought with him. Few victories have been more decisive; nor does history furnish many instances of greater military skill and intrepidity than those which were displayed by our countrymen on this occasion.

By the wise, steady, and provident administration of D'Oyley, the affairs of the island began at length to wear a more promising appearance. The army was become healthy, and encouragement was given to a spirit of planting, by some successful efforts in raising Indian corn, cassavi, tobacco, &c. But what gave the greatest vigour to this new settlement, and raised it at once to a surprising pitch of opulence, was the resort thither of the Buccaneers*. These men, who fought with the greatest

*The Buccaneers had their rise in the following manner. Many of the old planters were too much in love with