Former poffeffions, upon leafes for years, and under certain ftipulations. A great number, however, of the French, not chufing to live under our government, abandoned their eftates, which, together with the new lands, were generally purchafed by adventurers from thefe countries; by which means the English fettlers in the island of St. Vincent, foon became confiderable both as to number and property.

Though no ftipulation had been made in favour of the Caribbs by the late treaty of peace, Our court gave early inftructions, in the year 1764, that they fhould not be disturbed in the poffeffion of their lands; and the commiffioners for fales were directed, not to attempt any furvey of them, without particular orders for that purpose.

The new fettlers having time to look about them, foon obferved with regret, that the plain and fertile part of the island was in the hands of the Caribbs, to whom its valuable properties rendered it of little more advantage, than any equal extent of the rudeft country would have been; their cottages being fcattered at a great distance in the woods, and only small spots of ground near them, cleared or cultivated. In short, fear and avarice operated ftrongly to make them with the removal of the black inhabitants.

Representations were accordingly made to government, as well by the principal of the new fettlers, as by the commiffioners of fales, to deprive the Caribbs of their poffeffions, and to grant them fuch an equivalent, whether in the ifland, or elsewhere, as fhould be thought neceffary. Thefe reprefentations were fupported by many plaufible

reafons, among which, the immediate profits to the crown from the fale of the lands, was ftrongly urged; the dangers arifing to thofe who had already made purchafes under the faith and protection of government, as well as to the island in general, from the neighbourhood of a lawlefs banditti, who were frongly attached to the French, with whom they held a conftant correfpondence in the neighbouring islands, and who from their religion and manners were violently averfe to our people and government, were also described in the highest degree of colouring.

In confequence of thefe reprefentations, inftructions were issued by the lords of the treasury, in the beginning of the year 1768, for the furvey and difpofal of the lands poffeffed by the Caribbs; for the parts of which that were cleared and cultivated, they were to be paid a certain price per acre, in money, and were to have other lands allotted in return, fufficient for their fupport, in a different part of the island. The new lands were to be granted and fecured in perpetuity, to them and their pofterity; were to be free from all quit-rents, charges, and conditions, except peaceable behaviour, and obedience to government; were to defcend among them, according to their own cuftoms and ufages of inheritance; and were to be for ever unalienable to any white perfon.

Five years were given for effecting this tranfplantation.

The Caribbs, from their connexions with the French, especially in the late war, had imbibed prejudices against our people and government, and were at all times, [*F 3]

from

from our firft poffeffion of the ifland, extremely fufpicious of our defigns and proceedings; and this diflike and fear operated fo ftrongly upon them, that fome years before, they had applied to the French governor of St. Lucia, for leave to fettle on that island. For which reafon, the arrangement propofed by the English government, excited the most general alarm amongft

them.

They now concluded, that this meafure was only the prelude to a defign formed, either for their utter extermination, or for reducing them to a state of flavery; and a report was fpread and believed amongst them, that the ancient claim of property, which the Englifh had pretended in the perfons of their ancestors, was now to be revived against themselves. In this fituation, they applied to the Governor of Martinique for advice and protection; the latter of which he abfolutely refufed, and as to the former, is faid to have recommended to them a fubmiffion to government. This advice, however, had no effect upon their conduct. In anfwer to the applications of the commiffioners, they faid, that the whole ifland was originally their property; that however, as they had permitted the French to fettle upon a part of it, their king might difpofe of that part as he pleafed; but that as they were not his fubjects, he had no authority over them, and confequently could not grant or difpofe of the part of their country, which they had referved to themfelves. They concluded, by abfolutely refufing to part with their lands, or to admit of any exchange.

The commiffioners notwithstand

ing, proceeded in making the fur vey, and advanced a road into their country. Though the Caribbs expreffed great diffatisfaction and refentment at this measure, they feemed very unwilling to proceed to actual violence. Their behaviour and countenance, became however, at length fo alarming, that it was thought neceffary, in the beginning of May 1769, to fend an officer with forty men, to protect the furveyors and their people. This fmall detachment, having taken poft in the heart of the Caribbee country, where fome temporary huts had been erected for their reception, found themselves imme diately fo effectually furrounded, by a ftrong body of well-armed Caribbs, that all communication with their own people, and all means of fubfiftence, were entirely cut off, fo that they were little less than prifoners. The prudence and temper of the officer, who confidered the inequality of his force, and the extreme unwillingness which the Caribbs had hitherto fhewn, of bringing matters to the last extremity, not only preferved the detachment from being cut off, but prevented the fmalleft violence from being offered on either fide, In the mean time, the furveyors and their people were fo terrified, that they abandoned their work, and were permitted to retire in fafety; but their huts were demolished, and the new roads broke up, fo far as time would admit.

The fituation, and uncertain fate of the detachment, caused an univerfal alarm, and the English settlers having taken up arms, and joined the few regular troops that were in the island, marched immediately to its relief. However, as

they found the detachment fafe, it was not thought confiftent with prudence, nor authorized by inftructions from home, to proceed to violence against the Caribbs. It was agreed that nothing further fhould be done, until the prefent tranfactions were laid before the king and council, and their final refolutions known. The Caribbs immediately agreed to thefe propofitions, and a stop was for that time put to the furvey.

Though the planters had not a force, in any degree equal to the reduction of the Caribbs, the number of the rivers in the country, and the richness of the foil through which they had now marched, operated fo powerfully upon their paffions, that they could not avoid expreffing the regret which they felt, at being prevented from bringing matters to an immediate extremity, in terms which gave no favourable idea of their equity or humanity.

Falfe reports were induftrioufly raifed and circulated, which kept the island in a continual alarm: the moft paffionate complaints were fent home: the Caribbs reprefented as most daring and incorrigible rebels and their own danger exaggerated in the highest degree. Nothing less than their total extermination could now afford fafety; and it was propofed to tranfport them to the coaft of Africa, or to fome defart island in that quarter. In the mean time, the lieutenantgovernor of the new iflands arrived at St. Vincent's, and iffued a proclamation, to quiet the minds of the Caribbs, and to remove their fears and fufpicions; nor do we find of any further violence they committed, than the deftruction of the new roads, and the burning of

a houfe belonging to a perfon who was particularly obnoxious to them; and they quietly fubmitted to the imprifonment of one of their chiefs, who was fufpected of the latter fact; nor does it appear that there was a fingle fhot fired, nor a drop of blood fpilt, in all this commotion.

Notwithstanding the warm and continual remonstrances that were made at home, government feemed till very unwilling to proceed to violence with these people. Accordingly the commiflioners, in the beginning of the year 1771, held another meeting with feveral of their chiefs, and propofed a new partition, and exchange of lands, upon a narrower fcale, and terms more favourable to them, than the arrangement which had been already agitated; but every proposal for parting with their lands, was rejected by the Caribbs with the greateft firmness; and on the queftion being demanded, whether they acknowledged themselves fubjects to the King of Great-Britain, and would take the oath of allegiance, they boldly replied in the negative; faid they were independent, and were not fubject either to the King of Great-Britain or of France. As the continuance of our tranquillity with the courts of France and Spain, feemed at that time very precarious, there is little room to doubt, but that the Caribbs were fpirited to this conduct, by the governors of the neighbouring French islands.

In confequence of this contumacy, orders were issued from home, that two April 18th. regiments fhould be

1772.

fent from North-America, to join about an equal number, that were either aleady at St. Vincent's, or [*F 4]

that

that could be spared from the neighbouring iflands for that fervice, which with the affiftance of his Majefty's fhips upon that ftation, were to reduce the Caribbs to a due fubmiffion to government; or if their obftinacy rendered that impracticable, that they might be removed from the island, to fuch place as fhould be thought moft proper for their reception; the tricteft orders being given at the fame time, that they fhould be furnifhed with proper veffels for their transportation, plentifully provided with provifions and neceffaries, and treated with all imaginable humanity in their paffage. It was farther directed, that when they arrived at the place of their deftination, they fhould be liberally fupplied, both with every thing neceffary for their prefent fubfiftence, and for their establishment as a new colony. But it does not appear, that the place to which they were to be removed, was properly adapted to their reception and accommodation, or fo much as clearly afcertained.

The event of this expedition was not known, when the affair of St. Vincent's became agitated in parliament. Soon after Dec. 9th.

the opening of the feffion, upon the prefenting of an eftimate from the War-Office in the committee of fupply, of the landfervice for the enfuing year, the number of troops that were ftated to be in the Weft-India islands, gave an opportunity to the gentlemen in oppofition, to animadvert upon this expedition, and to give notice, that they would on a future day, propofe an enquiry, into its nature, juftice, and propriety, together with the motives that led to

fo extraordinary a measure. This enquiry being agreed to by adminiftration, the matter was afterwards frequently brought up; but ftill deferred, in hopes of obtaining new information, and to give an opportunity of procuring and confidering the neceffary papers.

It was accordingly a confiderable time after the Christmas recefs, before this affair was taken finally into confideration; when at length, two general officers were examined, as to the latest accounts they had received of the ftate of their regiments, which were then employed on the fervice against the Caribbs. One of these gentlemen read part of a letter, which he had received upon the fubject from St, Vincent's, in which the expedition was greatly complained of, not only in refpect of its having been undertaken in the rainy feason, which had occafioned a great mortality among the troops; but also with regard to its injuftice and cruelty, with both of which it was ftrongly charged by the writer; who emphatically complained, that the poor Caribbs had been very ill ufed; and wifhed, with the energy characteristic of an officer, that the contrivers and promoters of the expedition, might be brought to a fpeedy and fevere account. By the fame authority it was reprefented, that the woods were fo thick, that the Caribbs killed our men, with the greateft fecurity to themselves, and without their being able even to fee the enemy that deftroyed them; and that at the time of writing the letter, which was on the 14th of November, the troops had not been able to penetrate above four miles into their country,

It was then enquired of adminiftration, whether they had received any late accounts from that ifland; when to the furprize of every body, it appeared that their lateft intelligence from thence, was above a month prior in date, to the letter which had been read by the general. A gentleman who had been lieutenant-governor of the New Iflands, was examined as to the temper, behaviour, and difpofition of the Caribbs, of all which he gave a very favourable account, and reprefented them as a quiet inoffenfive people; he was farther afked, if he had heard that the planters were envious of them for their lands, to which he answered in the affirmative; and being preffed as to particular names, men tioned one, of confiderable rank and confequence in the island, and who had a principal fhare in all the measures that had been purfued for ftripping them of their poffeffions.

Some officers were examined, who had ferved, or borne command, at different times in St. Vincent's; thefe gentlemen, in general, gave favourable accounts of the Caribbs, and attributed entirely, their late turbulent and fufpicious temper, to the attempts that had been made to deprive them of their lands: they all concurred in their accounts of the unhealthinefs of the island, and particularly in the rainy feafon, when, they declared, it must prove fatal, to any troops that were under a neceffity of acting in it, and that the conflitutions of fuch as efcaped with life, would be totally ruined.

On the other fide, one of the principal planters, in the island, and of confiderable rank by his

office, with fome others, were examined. They, in general, defcribed the Caribbs as a faithlefs, cruel, and treacherous race, who were abandoned to all manner of exceffes, particularly with refpect to liquor, in which state they were capable of the most barbarous actions. That while they continued on the island, there could be no fecurity for the perfons or property of the inhabitants; they were charged with murders, robberies, with enticing the negro flaves from their mafters, and deftroying others whom they caught in the fields; no particular proofs were, however, brought in fupport of these charges. The connexions and intelligence which the Caribbs held with the French, and their application to the Governor of Martinique for protection and affiftance, were fhewn in a very dangerous light; and no care was neglected to defcribe the fatal confequences that must attend the island, whenever a war broke out with France, with fuch a deadly enemy lying in its bofom. Their mortal enmity to our government and people, was alfo much infifted on; and it was concluded upon the whole, that there was no other alternative, but that either his Majefty's natural fubjects, or the Caribbs, muft quit the island, if the latter are permitted to continue in their present ftate of independence.

After feveral strictures upon the nature of this evidence, and on the interested views by which, it was faid, to be apparently directed, the

following motions were Feb. 15th.

made, ift. That the expedition against the Caribbs, in the island of St. Vincent, was undertaken,

3