lies seven leagues to the north of Montserrat, and is twenty-one miles in circumference. Its soil is fertile though coarse in the higher parts, and its productions like those of St. Kitts. It contains some mineral baths, and its climate is temperate and healthy, though it is subject to floods and hurricanes. It contains three small harbors, and the same number of towns. Its commodities are cotton and sugar.

MONTSERRAT.

COLUMBUS called this island Montserrat from its resemblance to a mountain of that name in Catalonia. It contains between forty and fifty thousand acres, and is situated in 16° 50' north latitude, and 61° west longitude, with Antigua to the north east, St. Kitts and Nevis to the north west, and Guadaloupe about nine leagues south south east of is. Its climate is extremely healthy, its lands mountainous, and its soil very fruitful. The animals, fish, and vegetable productions of the other islands are also common to Montserrat, and its principal commodities are rum, sugar, and cotton. It has a few tolerable roads, but no good harbor.

TRINIDAD.

TRINIDAD is an island in the Gulf of Mexico, divided from New Andalusia in Terra Firma by a strait of about three miles in breadth. This isle was discovered by Columbus, and called by him Trinidad, in honor of the Holy Trinity. It contains many natural curiosities, and has a fine, fruitful, and

productive soil. Its commodities are sugar, cotton, Indian corn, and tobacco, and it abounds in fruits and vegetables. Trinidad is sixty-two miles long, and forty-five broad, and lies in 10° north latitude, and between 60° and 61° 30' west longitude. A great part of the island yet remains uncultivated. Trinidad, although subject to earthquakes, is out of the reach of hurricanes, and its climate, though very hot, is tolerably healthy.

CHAPTER II.

CHRONOLOGY OF JAMAICA, FROM ITS DISCOVERY to THE YEAR 1815.

1494. MAY 2, Columbus discovered Jamaica.

May 5, Columbus anchors on the north side of the island, in a port which he calls Santa Gloria. Columbus anchors for three days in another bay, which he calls Porto Bueno; traffics with the natives; leaves the island; calls it Santiago. 1503. Columbus forced to run his vessels ashore at Santa Gloria; meets with great kindness from the natives; natives change their demeanor, and refuse to supply provisions; Spaniards desperate in consequence; natives terrified by an eclipse of the moon; restore supplies; Columbus detained a year on the island.

1504. Vessels arrive, and on 28th June Columbus leaves Jamaica.

1506. May 20, Columbus dies.

1509. Don Diego Columbus arrives in the West Indies, and sends Juan de Esquibel with 70 men to take possession of Jamaica.

1523. June 27, Francisco de Garay, who had succeeded Esquibel as Deputy Governor of Jamaica, left that island with 9 ships, 2 brigantines, 144 horses, and 850 Spaniards, to establish a colony on the banks of the river Panuco.

Since the year 1509 the first town in the island had been founded, and was called Seville. It was afterwards burnt, and St. Jago de la Vega built in its stead.

1526. King of Spain gives 100,000 maravedis to build an hospital in Seville, but hearing there were no sick, orders a church to be erected instead. 1638. Colonel Jackson, with a force from the Windward Isles, invades Jamaica; inhabitants make a gallant defence; Colonel Jackson plunders St. Jago de la Vega, and extorts a ransom for sparing the houses; he then leaves the island without interruption.

1655. May 10, An expedition under Admirals Penn and Venables arrives at Jamaica.

English attack and take the island.

June 25, British fleet leaves Jamaica.

Major General Fortescue left in command of the army.

October, Major Sedgewick sent from England as commissioner; a supreme council constituted; General Fortescue declared President; General Fortescue dies; succeeded by Colonel D'Oyley.

1655. Not a single Indian in the island out of the 60,000 found there on its first settlement by the Spaniards.

Spaniards in Jamaica kill 80,000 hogs annually to export their lard to Carthagena.

Oliver Cromwell issues a proclamation encouraging English settlers.

1656. Spaniards and negroes still continue to resist the English, but the British army is more successful, though exceedingly distressed.

Grand council of state in England vote that 1000 girls, and as many young men, should be listed in Ireland and sent to Jamaica.

Cromwell greatly encourages all settlers in Jamaica.

Army discontented; ready to revolt.

Major General Sedgewick appointed commander in chief; dies.

Mr. Noel, a London merchant, receives a grant of 20,000 acres of land in Jamaica.

Army largely reinforced; great disease prevails; 140 deaths weekly among the soldiers.

1657. Colonel Moore arrives with a new regiment; several planters arrive from New England and Bermuda.

Colonel D'Oyley made Governor, vice Brayne, deceased.

Juan de Bolas, the negro chief of the Maroons of fugitive blacks, surrenders to the English, and is made colonel of a black regiment.