THE
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NATURAL HISTORY a
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Pn aE RE em
By the REWEREND
M. GRIFFITH HUGHES, AM. .
oe ee
Reor of St. Lucy’s Parith, in the faid Ifland, and F.R.S.
LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR; 1750 And fold by moft Bookfellers in Great Britain and Ireland. MDCCL. .
MissouR! BOTANICAB GARDEN LIBRARY
= ages “ wine:
BY DIVINE PERMISSION,
~ Lord Archbifhop of CANTERBURY,
THE FOLLOWING worK 1s, -
Wilco Erb: GREATEST DUTY AND ROS SIDIS O40.
INSCRIBED, BY
HIS GRACE’S MosT OBEDIENT
AND HUMBLE SERVANT,
G. Hughes.
any ae #0 ia FO wees if ON ORO i 2
I
Oe TH EF
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o U BescG: R'E Bakke
Thofe whofe Names are marked thus *, are Subferibers for large Paper.
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A, * IS Grace the Duke of St, Albans. ® His Grace the Archbifbop of Armagh,
Lord Primate of all Ireland. His Excellency the Right Hon, the Earl of Albemarle, Right Hon. the Earl of Abingdon, Right Hon. the Earl of Arran. Right Hon. the Earl of Ancram, Right Hon. Lord Anfon. * Right Rev. the Lord Bifbop Afaph.
Hon. Sir Atwil Lake.
All-Souls College, Oxford,
Mr, Francis Abbyvan,
Thomas Adams, E/q;
Mr. Jonathan Adams. * Mr, James Adams,
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of St.
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Ht! S Moft Chriftian Mayzsty. His Royal Highne/s the Prince of Wauzs.
Her Royal Highne/s the Prince/s of Wauzs.
His Royal Highne/s the Duke of CumBrRLAND.
fis Moft Serene Highnefs the Prince of Hesse.
His Moft Serene Highnefs the Prince of Saxz-Gorua.
His Moft Serene Highnefs the Landgrave of Hnssr-Cassst. lis Moft Serene Highnefs the Duke of Orunans.
Mr. James Adamfon.
Jofeph Addifon, Andrew Afflick, E/q;- Ralph Allen, E/q; Dr. Reynold Alleyne. Reynold Alleyne, E/q; Mr, James Alport. Mr. John Alfop. Sir Stephen Anderfon, Bart. Henry Anderfon, E/q; Mr, Andrews, Apothecary. Hon. Thomas Applethwaite, zwo Books. Mrs, Archer, Mr, Edward Archer, jun.
John Archer, jum.
William Arderen, F. R. S. George Armftrong, E/q; Mr, Samuel Armftrong.
Mr.
ALIST of SEBSCRIBERS.
* Mr. William Atherly.
* Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart.
* Rev. Dr. Ayfcough, Clerk of the Clofet to his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales.
B, His Grace the Duke of Bedford. * Right Hon. the Earl of Burlington, two Books. + * Right Hon. the Earl Brooke. Right Hon, the Earl of Bute. * Right Hon, the Earl of Bleffington. * Right Hon, the Lord Vifcount Boling- broke. * Right Hon, the Lord Vere Beauclerc, Baron of Hanworth. * Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Bangor. * His Excellency the Chevalier Bathget, bis Imperial Majefty’s Refident at Venice, * Right Rev. the Lord Bifbop of Briftol. Sir John Barnard, Kut. Alderman, Mr, Robert Babb. Richard Lovel Badcock, Rev. Mr, Barnard, Reéfor of Bridgetown in Barbados, Mr, Abraham Barnard. Edward Barry, M. D. James Barry, E/q; Mr. Richard Barton, B. D, John Bartrum. Edward Bartrum. Hon, William Barwick, E/q; Mr. Samuel Barwick. Mrs. Sufanna Barwick, Reliét of the late Prefident Barwick. Mr. Samuel Barrow. Benjamin Bafwain, E/q; Thomas Baxter, E/q; Mr. John Bayly. Rev. Dr. Bearcroft, Chaplain in Ordinary to bis Majefty. | Henry Bellingham, E/; Mr. George Bell, Surgeon, F. R.S. Francis Bell, E/g; Mr. Robert Beckles. Samuel Bedford. John Beft, E/q; Mr, Robert Belgrave. William Belgrave. Slingfby Bethel, E/g; Alderman. Rev. Thomas Berdmore, D. D. Mr. Ambrofe Beurer, Apothecary at Nu- “remberg. Mr. John Berisford. Rev. Jofeph Bewfher, two Books. Mr. Bickham, Engraver Rey. Mr. Thomas Birch, 4. M. F.R.S ,
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Henry Bifhop, 2/9; Rowliid nee E/y; Trimmingham Blackwell, E/g; Mrs. Prifcilla Blackman. Jonathan Blenman, E/g; Attorney General _ of Barbados, zhree Books. Mr. Robert Board. Mr. Robert Bend. Charles Bolton. John Bonnel, Ef; . Mr. Booth. Benjamin Boftuck. Hon, William Boverie, E/g; Robert Bouchier, E/g; Mr, Thomas Bourne. Mr, Thomas Bowen. James Bowyer. John Brace, E/q; - Edward Brace, E/q; Mr, Samuel Brace. John Brathwaite, E/q; Mr. Robert Brathwaite, juz. Mr, John Brewtter, Mr, 'Thomas Brewfter. Hon, George Bridges, E/7; Mr, Brindly, Bookfeller. The Rev. Mr.Philip Brown, B. D. Mr. Broome. : i John Brougham. Seigneur de Brummer. William Bryant, 4. B. two Books. Hon, James Bruce, E/g; two Books. Henry Banbrigge Buckeridge, E/g; Hon, Sir Thomas Burnet, Kut. two Books. Rev. Dr. Burton. : j Mr, Charles Barton, : Charles Buth, E/; Mr, Edward Butcher.
William Butcher. > Bee
James Butcher, Mr, Butterfield, - : Rev. Mr. Byam, Reéfor of St. John’s, An- tigua,
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His Grace thk Lord Archbifbop of Cantet- bury, ¢wo Books.
Right Hon. the Lord High Chancellor,
fis Grace the Duke of Chaulnes, Prefident * of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris,
Right Hon. the Earl of Chefterfield, «
Right Hon. the Lord Caftlemaine.
Right Rev. the Lord Bifbop of Carlifle:
Sir William Calvert, Knt. Alderman.
Hon, John Campbell, E/g;
Walter Caddle, E/q;
Thomas Cadogan, Efy;
Mr, Jofeph Calendar, :
y
A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS,
Mr. Richard Calendar. Archibald Campbell, E/7; John Campbell, E/g; of Red-Lion-/treet, Holborn. Archibald Carmichael, E/q; Mr. John Carmady, jun. Hon. James Carter, E/q; Mr, Fofter Carter. Rev Mr. John Carter, 4. M. two Books. Mr. William Carter. Mr. Chilcot, Organift at Bath. Codrington Carington, E/g; Mr, Paul Carington, John Caffon. William Cattel, Surgeon, two Books.
* Rev. Mr, Cauthorne, 4. M.
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Rev. Mr. Chamberlaine. \
Sir Charles Bagot Chefter, Bart.
Mr, Charles Child.
Robert Cholmondeley, E/q;
Mr. John Clark, Book/eller.
Dr. John Clark.
Mr, Samuel Clark.
Thomas Clark, E/q;
Monfieur Clement.
Benjamin Clinket, E/q;
Mr. Benjamin Cleeve, Merchant. Abraham Chovet, Surgeon.
James Cockburne, E/g;
John Cobham, E/q;
My. Thomas Cobham.
_ Capt. William Cogan,
Dr. Clow.
Mr. Laurence Cole.
Hon, John Colleton, E/4;
James Edward Colleton, E/q;
Rev, Mr. Collins.
Rev. Mr. Giles Collins.
Rev. Mr, William Collins.
Mr. Peter Collinfon.
Mr. Samuel Cooper.
Rev. Dr. Conner, Fellow of St. Fobn’s Col- lege, Oxford,
Mr. Samuel Cooper,..of Norwith.
Rev. Dr. Conybeare, Dean of Chrif- Church, Oxford.
John Conyers, E/g; of Corpus-Chriffi Col- lege, Oxon.
Mr, Mendez de Cofta.
Richard Cowlam.
Rev. Mr. James Cox, Reéfor of Suneam in Kent.
Dr. William Cox.
Mr, William Coxal.
Mr, William Croft.
Mr. John Crew, of Crew-Hall, E/g;
Mr, Craten.
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David Crow, E/q; Mr. Thomas Cruife.
Dz : His Grace the Duke of Dorfet. His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, iwo Books. : Right Rev. the Lord Bifhop of St. Davids. Right Rev. the Lord Bifhop of Derry. James Dawkins, E/q; three Books. Mr. Michael Dale. Mr, John Dapwell.
* Sir James Dafhwood, Bart. * Henry Dafhwood, E/q;.
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Rev. Dr. Derham, Prefident of St. Sobn’s College, Oxford, four Books. Rev. Dr. Delany. Theophilus Defbrifay, E/g; Mr, Andrew Derry. Ifmac Del-Peza. Daniel Devine. Richard Deveney. Richard Dilling. Thomas Dipper. | Hon. John Dottin, E/g; two Books. Dr. John Douglas. Rev, Mr, Dowding, B. D. | William Downes, E/q; Richard Downes, E/q; Mr. Purfer Downes. William Drake, E/g; Mrs, Elizabeth Drake.
‘Thomas Drake, E/g;
Mr. Andrew Derry.
Henry Drax, E/q;
Mr, Samuel Drayton. joe Drayton,
*rancis Drayton. William Duffy, E/q
Thomas Duke, E/q;
Mr. William Dake, two Books. John Dunbar. Michael Duncan.
Capt, Dunn,
Rev, Robert Dymond.
Mr. Theophilus Dymond.
Rev. Mr. Dyer.
Robert Dynwiddie, E/q;
E. Right Rev. the Lord Bifbop of Ely. Right Rev. the Lord Bifbop of Exeter. Mr. Richard Eaton,
Mr,
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4 LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.
- Mr. Eafton, Bookfeller in Salitbury.
Matthew Eber, Eg;
Mr. Samuel Eburne,
Mr. Simon Edwards.
Richard Edwards, E/7; Mafter in Chancery.
Philip Edwards, Efq;
Mr. Edwards of the College of Phyficians, two Books.
Rev. Mr. Edward Edwards, 4. M.
Philip Edwards, Eff; +: :
Mr. Richard Edwards, .
Mr. Simon Edwards. -
Rev. Mr. Robert Edwards, 4. B.
Mr. Robert Edwards.
Mr. G. D, Ehret.
Anthony Eiver, E/7; -
Richard Eftwick, Efq;
Mr. Richard Roufe Eftwick.
Rev. Mr. Evans, 4. M.
Rev, Mr. Ewyn.
F.. Rev. Dr. Fanthaw, Regius Profefor of Divinity at Oxford. Mrs. Anne Farrell, Mr, John Farr. Hon, Governor Fleming. # Martin Folks, Ef, P. RS... Hon, John Fairchild, Eg; Mr, Jofeph Farley, two Books. Robert Firchurfon, LEfg; tao Books. Francis Find, jun, E/q; Thomas Finlay, E/7; Mr. Fitzherbert. é Fon, Richard Fitzpatrick, Efy; Mr. Fletcher. William Fletcher. Thomas Forbes, Rev. Mr. Foote, L. L. B. Francis Ford, jun. E/q; Capt. William Fofter, tao’ Books. Rev. Mr. Reynold Fofter, 4..M, two Books, Mr. Ingham Fofter. Mrs, Hannah Fofter, Rev. Mr. Fothergil, B.D. - Fothergil, MZ. D. Rev. Mr, Fothergil, 4. M. Chriftopher Freife, E/q; John French, Efq; Tobias Frere, E/g; Thomas Fox, E/b; Jonathan Franklin, Byq; Mr, Michael Fortune, William Fuller,
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* Es Grace the Duke of Grafton. * Right Hon, the Lord Gowran. * Right Hon. the Lady Betty Germaine. Right Rev. the Lord Bifhop of Gloucefter. - His Excellency Henry Greenville, Governor
of Barbados, &c. fix Books, Hon, John Gallop, Efq; Mr. Gammon. Chriftopher Gall, Eq; Eftick Gall, E/; Mr, William Gall,
Samuel Game.
Dr, Jofeph Gamble. George Gafcoigne, Ej; Mr, John Gafcoigne. Hon, John Gibbons, E/g; two Books, Hon, William Gibbons, Eff; Speaker of
the Affembly at Barbados, two Books. - Hon. Philip Gibbs, Ej; : Philip Gibbs, jun, E/q; William Gibbs, E/z; Dr. John Gibbs. Mr. Jofeph Gibbs,
Rowland Gibfon, ss * Rev, Charles Gifford, 4. M.: ‘ Mr. Thomas Gilks,
Edward Gore, Efy;
Mr. Henry Gorfely. Richard Gofling, B/7; Dr, Charles Goudy, Efq; Mr, William Gough. :
Samuel Gould, Book/éller. 4 Capt, Samuel Goulding, nf Mr. John Grant. : Charles Gray, E/q;
Gray’s Inn Library,
George Greame, E/7;
Rev. Dr. Greene, Fellow College, Oxford.
Mr. William Green,
John Grey, E/q;
Mrs. Elizabeth Grey,
Mr, Edmund Grey.
Mr, Edward Grey, Rev. Mr, Walter Griffith, A.M, Sour Books. : [
* Mr, Samuel Griffin.
Robert Grifley, WM. D.
Edward Grove, Bj/y; two Books. William Gulfton, Eg;
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Eittst 3a * Right Hon, the Earl of Halifax. * Right Hon, the Earl of Harcourt. yal * Right
A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.
* Right Hon. the Countefi of Huntiigton. Right Hon. the Lady Harcourt. * Right Hon. the Lady Howe.
Right Hon. Lord Effingham Howard. ‘Right Hon. and Rev. the Lord Bifhop of Hereford.
* Hon, Sir Edward Hawke, K. B. Rev, Dr. Hales, ; * Dr. Halliar, Profeffor of Botany at Got- tingen. —— Halfey, E/q; * Hon, Charles Hamilton, E/q; Mr. Richard Hamilton, Surgeon, William Hamilton, E/g; Capt. Patrick Hamilton, of Jamaica. * George Hannay, E/g; John Hannington, E/; * Mrs. Hannington. Mr. William Hall. Richard Hall, E/g; Mr. Hugh Hall. ~ Mr, Barnard Hall. Rev. Mr. Hall, L. L. B. Mr. Richard Halfewood. Henry Haffel, E/7; Rev. Mr. William Hagegat. © ~ Mrs. Sufannah Haggat, Mr. Samuel Hallam. John Harrifon, E/g; two Books. Cheney Hart, M. D: Mr. Edward Harrifon, -
“John Hartford Ward Harris, -E/9; Mr. T-honwas Harris; Mrs. Jane Harper. Mr. John Hartford.
George Hartle.
Mr. Henry Hafiel. John Hotherfal, E/q; * John Hay, £.L.D.
College, Oxford. Capt, Henry.
Mr. William Henry, Dr, John Herne. * Sir William Heathcote, * Benjamin Heath, E/g; * James Herbert, Eq; * ThoinasHefketh; E/q;
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Felliw of St. John’s
John Hill, E/g; Secretary to the Board of |
Trade. * Thomas Hill, E/q; * Mr, Benjamin Hinds. ty a ee * Rev. Dr. Holden, Prefident: of the Eng- lith Seminary at Paris, - ‘ William Holder, £/9; Mr. Henry Evan Holder. John Allen Holder. * Robert Holdford, E/q;
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Capt. Thomas Holland; two Books.
Mr. Hollioake, Surgeon.
Thomas Horne, E/q;
Robert Hooper, Ej; :
Mr. Thomas Hope.
Rev, Dr. Horfeman.
John Hotherfal, H/g 4. abit de
Rev, Mr. Richard Hotchkifs, 4. M.. four
_ Books. ie :
Charles Grave Hudfon, Ej/g; Gentleman: Commoner of Edmund-Hal/, Oxon.
Rev, Obadiah Hughes, D, D. two Books.
Rev. Mr. Lewis Hughs, 4. M4.
Mr, Richard Hughes, Purfer of His Ma- jefty’s Ship the Affurance, three Books,
Mrs, Sufannah Hughes.
Mr. John Hughs, Printer...
Hugo Phyfician in Ordinary to his
Majefty at Hanover. re "
~"Hugo, Phyfician to the Houjhold.
§ Mrs. Hulfton.
Rev. Mr, Humphry Humphreys, 4. B.
* Rev. Dr. Hunt, Profeffor of Hebrew at.
Oxford. . Richard Hunt, E/g; Rev, Mr. Hunter, 4. M. Hon. Samuel Hufbands, E/9; Richard Hufbands, E/g;
: Mr. John Huffey.
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Robert Hutchinfon.
I. whe
St. John’s College Library, Oxford. St. John’s College Library, Cambridge. Mr, Richard Jackman,
William James. Miles James, E/q; Robert Janffen, E/q Rev. Mr. Ibbetfon, . Mr. Jefiries of Kingfton.
Jeffries, Engraver to bis Royal Highnefs
the Prince of Wales. : :
Mr, George Jemmet. Hen, Edmund Jenkins, E/g; William Jenkins, E/q; E Edward Ince, E/q Mr. Thomas Ince.
Dale Ingram, Surgeot.
William Innys, Merchant. Dr, Johnfon, Refidentiary of St. Paul’s,
London.
Rev, Mr. Rowland Johnfon of Hempftead, A.M. two Books. ~~ ‘ ‘ Mr. Richard Johnfon.
William Johnfon. Col. John Jones, Eg; . Benjamin Jones, E/9; b * Rev.
ALIST of SUBSCRIBERS.
* Rev, Mr. Lewis Jones, 4. M. Reétor of _ Mowddwy. - *® Rev. Mr. Jones. - * Rev, Mr. Jones, 4. M. of Elfttee. * Rev. Mr. Jones of Jefis Col, Oxford. A. M. * Mr. Jones of Hempitead, ° Joleph Jordan, fen. E/q; Mr, Jofeph Jordan. jun, Hurdefs Jordan, E/z; * Sir Willian Irby, Bart. Jofhualremonger, Hyg; _. Edwatd Itonfide, E/g;
K, * Hon. Admiral Knowles. * Rev: Dr. Kendrick. * Mr. John Kendtick: - James Keith. ’ * Mrs, Kennons, tivo Books. Henty Peter King, Efg; * Rev, Mr. Arnold King; 4. M. Rev. Mr. Richard King, 4M * Jac. Theod. Klein, Resp. Ged. a fecéetis Re- gia Societatis Londin. 8 Academe Sci- entiarum Sodalts. ; Mr. Thomas Knights, Samuel Knights. * Francis Knowles, E/q;
* His Grace the Duke af Leeds. * Right Hon, Earl of Leicetter. * Right Hon. Lady Luxborough. * Right Rev. Lord Bifbop of Londoti. * Right Rev. Lord Bifbop of Lincoln: . * Right Rev. the late Bifhop of Litchfield, * Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Landatt: _ Mr, Lafartie. : * Sir Bibye Lake, Bari. * Thomas Lake, E/q; Mr; Sarhuel Lake. © * Hon, Lady Lambert: Mr, Alexander Lampley, _ John Lane; E/¥; Rev. Mr. Langford, A.M. Rev. Mr. Larkham, Fellow of Cotpus Chrifti College, Oxon: Mr, John Lawfon, Jofeph Laycock, Samuel Leach, - Leach Leach. _..) , John Leary: ; Capt: John Leatherhead: Mr. Matthew Lee. a) james heen Henry Leflie, E/7; Mr, Bowman Leflie: ‘Thomas Leflie, E/q;
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George Levine. E/q; Mr. William Levine. Ifaac Levine, E/q; Rev, Mr. James Lewis. x John Lewis, B/g; Agent Victualler at Gi- braltar, Mr, Samuel Lewis. Temple Lewis, E/g; John Liyte, E/;. Mr. Thomas Light. Anthony Linch, David Lifle, Hg; Charles Long, E/q; Mr, Charles Long. Philip Lovewell. Herman Louis. © Charles Lowth, Samuel Lloyd. Dr. Nathaniel Lloyd, . Rev. Mr. Lloyd, B. D. Dr. Thomas Lycott. ee Rev. Dr. Charles Lyttleton, Dean of Exeter. Right Hon, George Lyttleton, E/g;
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Right Hon, Earl of Macclesfield. Right Hon, Earl of Moréton. Right Hon. Lord Maynard, two Books. Right Hon. Lord Montfort. Right Hon, Lord James Manners: ' Right Rev: Lord Bifiop of Meath. , His Excellency Mathews, E/g; Go-
vernor of Antigua, ean ai Afflick Mackleur, Bf; two Books. ——— Mancumara, M.D, at Barbados, Magdalene College Library, — Francis M‘Mahon, E/9; Samuel Mapp, E/g; Thomas Mapp, E/9; ’ Dr; Martin, Dean of Worcefter. Mr. jane Matcol.
3enjamin Maffie,
Mrs. Matfie. Mr, John Mathal.
_ William Mafiline, M. Matty, M. Ds ’ Mr. John Mayhew. «> Hon, William Maynard, Bj; two Books, - John Maynard, F/f, = | w Jonas Maynard, E/q; ny Mr. Mayntown, of Gray’s luz. Richard Mead, M.D. ilies Benjamin Mellowes, D/y; two Books, Mofes Mendez, E/g; ; Mr. William Meyer, Bookfeller. Richard Meyrick, M.D. * Owen Meyrick, Bg;
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ALIST of SUBSCRIBERS,
* Humphrey Mildmay, E/7; » John Millington, E/g; * Rev, Dr. Mills, Mr. John Middleton. Francis Miller, E/q; Mr. Jofeph Mills, Timothy Miller. Elias Mivielle, E/9; Robert Mitchell, E/g; John Molefworth, E/g; Gentleman-Com- moner of Baliol College, Oxon.
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Rev, Mr. Moore, Curate of St. Sepulchre’s. |
Daniel Moor, E/g; Humphry Moftyn, E/g, William Moll, E/g; Mr, Jofeph Moll.
John Monroe, ™. D. Mr. John Mottley.
Rev. Mr, Edward Morgan, 4. M. Rev. Mr. Thomas Morgan, Cheltenham, two Books.
Samuel Morgan, E/q;
Mr. Lewis Morris.
Jafper Mortis, E/7;
Rev. Mr. Kenneth Morrifon,
Mr. Mountford, ‘Book/eller at Worcefter, James Mount.
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His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, His Grace the Duke of Newcaftle. Right Hon. the Earl of Northampton. Right Hon. the Earl of Northumberland, Right Rev Lord Bifbop of Norwich, James Nath, E/y; Hon. John Needham, E/q; Mr. Turbeville Needham.
Samuel Newman, New Gollege Library. Rev. Dr. Newton. John Newton, E/y; Mr. Nathaniel Newton; ni Head Mrs. Newton, Boohféller, at Manchef-
ter:
Mr, William Nibs, jun.
Benjamin Nicholls. ek Rev. Dr, Nicholls; Chaplain io the Right
Rev. Lord Bifhop of London, ~
Mr, William Nicholls. fS : Mordecai Nunes.
William Nut.
Samuel Nurfes.
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Oero2 * Right Hon. Earl of Orery.
A MU of
* Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Oxford. * Hon. Lieutenant-General James Oglethorpe, ”
is * Sir Chaloner Ogle, Knit. * Rowland Oliver, E/q; Oriel Gollege Library. Robert Ofborne, E/q; Samuel Ofborne, E/q; Mr. James Ofborne, of Alban-Hall. James Ofborne, E/q; Mr. Thomas Ofborne, of Gray’s-Inn, Bogk- Seller, fix Books. John Oftraham, * Corbet. Owen, E/q; * Hugh Owen, AZ, D, * Richard Owen, E/q; * Humphrey Owen, B. D. of Jefas College, Oxon. ‘ * Rev. Mr. Owen Owen, A. Mw Mr. John Oxley. Edward Oxnard,
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Py * His Grace the Duke of Portland. * Her Grace the Dutchefs of Portland, * Right Hon. Countefs of Pomfret. * Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Peterborough: * Right Hon. Henry Pelham, Eg;
| * Francis Paddie, Eg;
Mr, Samuel Palmer.
| * Rev. Dr. Pardo, Principal of Jefas College,
Oxon, ; James Parfons, 2 D. _ Richard Parrot, E/g,; : Mr. Edward Clark Parith, Merchant. ——+ Parrot, Surgeon,
__ Samuel Parry, Attorney at Law.. William Paterfon, E/g; — Thomas Patridge, E/g; -
Mr. Eyre Payne.
- John Payne, two Books.
homas Abel Payne. Thomas Payne. * Mrs. Pearfon. * John Pennant, Eg; * Henry Pennant, E/g; Dr. John Penny. | Rev Mr. Jonathan Perkins. Rev. Mr, Richard Perry, 4. M. Student of Chrift Church, Oxon. Mr, Samuel Perry. William Perry, Eg; William Peterfon, E/g; Mr, William Peters,
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& Rev. Dr. Pickering, Vicar of St. Sepul-_ chres.: John Pickering, E/9s Jofeph Pickering, E/q, wakigh fo * Rov, Mr. Pearce, A. M. Vicar of Tilling- ham i# Effex. : Mr. Thomas Pierce, jum. William Pierce. Conrade Pile, E/7; Mr. Daniel Pindar. « Philadelphia Library. Mr. George Philips.
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John Philips. * William Phelps, £/; Mr: Thomas Plumftead. Mrs, Mary-Anne Popple. ‘ Wr. Powel, Apothecary. Mrs. Anne Poyer. John Poyer, E/q * Henry Pratten, £/75 , Capt. John Prentice. — Mr. William Prefcod. James Prideaux, Eas Mr. John: Pridee. — Thomias Pridee. Francis Proines. Samuel Pyet. ©
Queen’s College Library, Oxon, ie R
«His Grace the Duke of Rutland. 4 Right Hon. Earl of Radnor. * Right Hon. Lord Romney. . ; * Right Reverend Lord” Bifkep of Ro- chefter.: ide ' Dr. John Raven. Thomas Revell, E/g;. Capt. James Rawlins, ‘Thomas Reeve; E/9 ~ Mr. John Reeves.” Rev. Mr. John Reynolds, 4. M, Nicholas Rice, E/q; : Mr, Jofeph Rider. George Riders | Meffrs. John and James.R ivington. * §ir Thomas Robinfon, Kut. James Rogers, M.D. _ Jofeph Roleftone, E/q; or '* Rey, Mr. Romaine, 4. M, Leéfurer of St, Dunftan. |. * Rev, Mr. Roman, B. D. Rev. Mr. Patrick Rofe, 4. M4. Mr. William Rofs. 7 . Rev. Mr. Thomas Rotherham, 4, M. two _ Books. A orga Rev, Mr. John Rotherham, 4. B. ©* Fin, Samuel Roufe, E/q; four Books.
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Thomas Roufe, E/q i
ALISPP SUBSCRIBERS
Hillary Rowe, E/q; wo Books.” amt
Mr, James Royftone, Merchant. © Philip Rudder. f David Rudder, E/g; S
Right Hon. Earl of Sandwich. Right Hon. Countefs of Sandwich. Right Hon. Countefs of Sunderland. Right Hon. Earl of Shaftfbury.
Right Rev. Lord Bifbop of Salifbury. ©
Hon. Andrew Stone, Efg; Commuiffioner of
Trade and Plantations. Mr, John Salmon, William Salmon. Hen. Richard Salter, E/q;
Hon. William Sandiford, E/q; two Books:
Mr. John Sandiford. Willian Sealy; E/¢; Mr. James Scott.
Dr. James Sedgwick: Rev. Mr. Seers, A. Mi John Sericold, Eq; John Sharp, E/g;
Rev. Dr. Shaw, Principal of Edimund-hall
» Oxon. |
James Sheppard, E/q;’
Rev. Mr, Shipley, 4, M.
Rev. Mr. Shire, 4. M.
Mr, Philip Simons. William Shurland. “Charles Shurland,
Reynold Skeet, E/q; —
Rev. Dr. Skerret.
Sir Hans Sloane, Bart.
Mr. Slaughter; of Newyate-/irect: ee
Rev. Thomas Smith, D. D. Tennifon Smith, E/g; ;
Richard Smith, Merchant, Ejg; two Books,
Edward Smyth, JZ D.
Edward Smith, E/g;
Mr. Samuel Smith. Henry Smith..
Henry Snock, E/q;
Mr. John Southward.
Mr. Thomas Speck. Jofeph Sponfhall.
Thomas Stack, 1. D.
Thomas Stevenfon, E/q;
Mr, Roger Stevens.
Rev, Mr. Stennet.
Mr, James Streaker. George Stretch. George Streate. Demmock Streate. Benjamin Stoute.
William Sturge, E/g;
Rev,
a» ooh
A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS,
Rev. Dr. Stukeley.
John Sutton, E/g; of Jamaica:
Samuel Francis Swinden, E/q; * Mr. Symons.
as * Right Hon, Earl of Tilney. *® His Excellency Edward Trelawney, Gover- nor of Jamaica. Mr. Fimington Tatem. James Taylor: Jofeph Taylor. Jofeph Terril, E/g; two Books. Mr. William Terril. Douding Thornhill. William Thorne. Thomas Thorneton, E/9; Mr, Samuel Tavers. * Dr. Chriftophorus Jacobus Trew, at No- renberg; Mr. John Tucker. * Rev. Mr, Jofiah Tucket; 4. M, Mr. John Tull. Thomas Tunckes, Efq; two Books: Mr. Nicholas Turner. Cholmondley Turner, E/7 ; * The Library of St.'Thomas’s Ho/pital, Mr, George Thotnas. Mr. Thomas Thomfoti: * Touchitt, Merchant. * Edward Tymewell, E/q;
Vv. * Right Hon. the Countefs of Uxbridge. * William Vaughan, E/q;
Thomas Vaughan, E/q;. . Mr. Stumford Vanhulfts * Edward Vernon, E/9;
Mr. James Virtue.
W.
® Right Hon. Lord Vifcount Windfor.
Right Rev. Lord Bifbop of Winchefter. * Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Worcefter.
* Right Hon. Lord Chief Fuftice Willes. * Walter Wade of Lifbon, AZ, D.
Robert Wadefon, E/q; two Books.
John Waite, E/9;
Eyre Walcott, E/9;
Thomas Walcott, E/7;
Mr. Samuel Walcott.
Mr. Charles Waller.
Antony Waldron.
Abel Walker, E/g; zwo Books.
Hon, George Walker, E/q;
Mr. Jofeph Walker.
William Walker, E/9;
Mr. Peter Walker.
* Rev. Mr, William Warburton, Chaplain to His Royal Hishas the Prince of Wales. :
Afton Warner, E/q;
Mr. Richard Warner; of Lincoln’s Jun.
Thomas Watner, E/q; of maa
William Warren, E/q;
Robert Warren, Els
Thomas Wateiman, Efq;. -
Mr. William Wats:
Watfon. William Wayles: ie Thomas Weales. Sei
Henry Webb, E/q;
Mr. Jothua Webfter, Surgeon:
Hon. Ralph Weeks, E/q;
Roger Weeks, E/q;
Mr, Nathaniel Weeks.
Peter Weftern:
Rebert Wefton, E/q;
Rev: Mr. Jofeph Wharton, 4. M. teoo Bobks.
Mr. Dennis Wharton.
John White, E/g;
Mr. Samuel Whitemat.
William Whitaker, Dolphin Court, Thomas Whitaker, E/q; Mr. Williati Whitehead. Wheeler. John Wheeler. - Thomas Wheelet,
Rev, Mr. Whitford:
Mr. John Wickham.
Nicolas Wilcox, fen. E/g; two Books.
Mr; Thomas Wilbraham:
Rev. Mr, James ‘Walliame, A, M. ie Fetus College, Oxon.
Rev, Mr. John Williams, M. A. of Twickenham.
Mr, Richard Williams.
Alexander Williams.
David Williams. Hugh Williams; E/q; Mr, Daniel Williams.
Hugh Williams, _
William Windham, E/q;
Rev, Peter Wingfield, M. A.
Edward Winflow, B/G; two Books.
Thomas Withers, E/g;
Robert Wrightfon, Ef; of Cufwork in Yorkshire.
Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Wright, 4. M4.
William Wollafton, E/q;
Rev. Mr. Dudley Woodidge, two Books.
Mrs. Ruth Woodhidge.
Mr, Thomas Woolford: :
in) Mr.
*
Merchant, in Tower Hill,
*
xe
* *
A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.
Mr. John Worrel. ‘x Hon, Philip York, E/q William Worrel. * Hon. Col. York. * Francis Woodward, M.D. * Hon. Charles York. : * Richard Woodward, L.B. . * —— Young, Ejq; from Antigua. * Rev, Hugh Wyne, D. D. Chaplain in Or- | * Rev. Mr. Richard Younger, 4. M. dinary to bis Majéfty. Philip Yeoman, E/q;
* Sir John Wynne, Bart: Mr. Thomas Yard.
Rev, Mr, William Wynne, 4 1. * M. Yonttall, E/q; of Wycliffe.
x f
* His Grace the Lord Archbifbop of York.
SUBSCRIBERS from VIRGINIA.
7) Ight Hon. Thomas, Lord Fairfax. Col. George Lee. k Hon, William Fairfax. , Maj. William Dangerfield. Hon. John Robinfon, E/g,; Prefident of Maj. Andrew Monroe.
: the Council. Maj. Peter Wayener.
Hon. William Newton. Thomas Nelfon, E/;
Hon. and Rev. William Dawfon, D. D. James Reid, E/q; — one of bis Maje/ty’s moft Hon. Council, and Beverley Whiting, E/7; Prelident of the College of William and Mr. John Butheron.
Mary. George Webb. Col. Charles Carter; Stephen Dewey. — Col. Carter Burwell. . Edward Pendleton. Col. Preflley Thornton, James Pomer. Col. William Fitz-Hugh, Lumford Lomax. Col. Jothua Fry. y * echarner Degraffenreid, Col. William Beverley. _ . John Lee. Col. Lunden Carter. ——- Curtis, jun. Col. Richard Blund, William Kennar, Col. George Braxton. ; John Mercer.
Col. Lewis Burwell, Bak R-4+ AT -A.
Age 1.1.12. for greateft Breadth 13. 3-qrs read 14.and 5Furlongs. Page 52.for Swallows readSallows. Ibid. Hin, EB Yeagh read Yew. Page 136. dele the Defcription of Turk’s Hess $e 139. line 18. for expands ietett Ei ontally read expanding itfelf horizontally. Page 146. for Bee-wood Tree read Beef-wood Tree. Jbid. dele Fultic Tree. Page 164. for Buombo read Bumbo. Page 170. line 21. for reddith, thick and fucculent. Page 189. line 12. dele red before Veins. Page 182. line 22. for {ort read {pecies. Page 186. dele. Cochineal. Page 208; line 20 for brownith read brown. Page 209. line 11. for, brownilh read brown. 210 line 8. for high read lone. Ibid 1, 33. for high readin height. Ibid. line 36, for brownifh read brown. Page 216, line g. for roundith Pods read round Boos Lbid. line 19. for thoug hfomewhat read though fomewhat. bid. line 18. after that Time add from. their ee planted. Page 220. for Antegoa read Antegua. Page 221. dele Wild Penny-royal. Ibid: line 15. dele the after-b r. Ibid. line 2.0. dele and roundifh. Page 222. line 11. for are longifh read are about five Inches long, narrow and ip pointed. Ibid. line 23. after Colt’s Foot add and the Colour. Page 223. line 23. aftér eaves nadiomewenie ane Adid. lines 33 and 34. for three Inches thick read two Inches thick near the Earth. Page 224. line 8. for makes read a gieat Number: Page 226. line 16. for many leaved Flowers read rofaceous Flowers. Page 236. line for Stalk read main Stalk. Page. 237. line 8. for Skill read Knowledge. Page 253. line 15. for coral Seaweed io) the itiff Sea-weed. Ibid. line 20 dele Head after Brown. Ibid. inflead of rather Seed, read what are here called Seed Page 255, for purplifh Sea Mofs, read purple Sea Mofs. Ibid. line 30. for purplith Colour read purple. Pa ve 2.58 : line 3. after Refemblance to it add in Shape. Page 261. line 15. after reality add of. Page 262. line oir cs , : read it fome Times. Jbid. line 14. for about the Roots of the great Feelers read where the Feelers ake ae Rife. a line 3. after Sea add this. Ibid. after Shoals add or {nch fhallow Places. Ibid. line 28. jor which the: cal 4 d which theydo. Page 266. line 8. for but oftener read and often Graneries near the Sea-fide.. Ibid. line en Pounds read ten Pounds. Page 268. line 19. for Fancifulnefs read Fancy. Page 273, for Ver AT ia EL ee, creditable, ead credible. Page 227. line 22. for brownith read brown. Page 278 ie of fir es ae oe Spots. Ibid. line 11. for Concha Veneris Alba read the Rice Shell. Page 280, line 32. dele by which I fi sR on z rifhment is convéy’d to the Fifh, Page 297. line 39. for langid read languid. Page 298 Plate 24 Shortt ‘be 3 ded Plate 26. Negroes, their Numbers, Index for Page 2. read Page 14. For Plate 11. 352. read Plate 11 : I Se ae £18 eft abou Hecon en DEN DA, Toe Wild Cane. va 5 grows to about fifteen Feet high. Its Flags refemble to thofe of the R i i Tail, thicker than a Walkihgicaiie, ahd ftrong 3 the young Canes at eae ts pete abe Fat a ens . into Pickles. Plate 10 *s being the Defcription of the Bay Berry Tree, is to be placed oppofite to Pher sais ck aes ‘ OSE~SHELLS, ; ap HESE are of two Sotts, the white, and thofe tinged with a Maiden’s-bluth ee bee mes a in great Plenty on moft of our fandy Bays. hefe; with a Species of the fmall black Buccinum Kind, and ies and often called Pea-fhells, are with great. A fiduity, gathered and ae: pan ; cee Pea ote bie ea a lively Reprefentation of Rofes ; the fecond ferve to imitate the Seed and S cd ft vee nd het dies fou flowers, and the third are of no lefs Service to reprefent thofe {mall Grnulagon Bereich bene San fome, as well as the Summits of other apetalous Flowers, ies eS thrummy Difcus of
3 the latter are very rare to be met
THE
CON! EN FS tea ORCS, BARS UTR REATS of the Air, Soil, and Climate. The Refidence of Indians for- merly in the Ifland prov’d.. The conftitutional Difference of the Inha- bitants of hot and cold Climates ‘examined after a new and phyfical Mane ner. Hurricanes, their Force and Effedts ; elpecially that in Barbados, in the Year 1665. compar’d with the moft remiarkable Storms defcrib’d by antient Authors ; and probable Conjectures offer’d, that all Hurticanes, if of long Continuance, ‘begin in variable Climates.
BOOK UW. Page 31. } Treats of the Caufe, Nature, and Cure of the Difeafes peculiar to that, and the neigh= bouring We/t- India Wands. The Qualities of the Waters, whether of Springs, Rivers, Wells or Ponds. Foffils, and fubterraneous Caves. The unequal Force of the Des luge near the Equator, and in variable Climates, prov’d, and accounted for. The Nature of bituminous Foffils examined, with a Confutation, from their Qualities and Situation of a late great Critic’s Hypothelis; v/z. ¢ That the Deftruétion of Sods * and Gomorrah was not fupernatural, but occafion’d in a natural Way by feveral
© Veins of Bitumen taking Fire.’ , :
- BOOK II. Page 61. ’ ‘Treats of Land Animals, Quddrupedes, Volatiles, Reptilés, and Infeéts,
BOOK IV. Page gy. shit Treats of Vegetables; and begins with a Botanical Defcription, as well as a ‘Phyfical Inquiry into the Nature and Qualities of Trees, Shrubs, and Plants, hitherto known
in the Ifland, being about Four hundred in Number 3 and concludes with thofé of the Nuciferous Kind. z z
; Pomiferous — BO, O KS.V... Page 121495 ; BOOK VI. Page 167.( Treats of theTrées, Shrubs, eects ie i BOOK VII. Page 174. and Plants of the sili at oy 4 Inds BOOK VIII Page 188. quole, an
Anomalous
Among other remarkable Plants, that call’d the Agnus Scythicus is particularly des feribed: Likewife an Inquiry into the Qualities of the Cane-Plant, as well asa very eafy Method propos’d to prevent the Miftakes frequently committed in fernrenting Cane=Juice, Ge, for the Diftillation of Rami, by which means a Well- proportion’d Mulfa will res gularly ferment: An Inquiry into the Caufe of that Diflemper in Canes, called the Blaft ; with a probable and cheap Method of deftroying it propos’d,
BO OK _ IX. * Page 21.
Treats of the Shores of thé Ifland, with the Shells, particularly the Murex ; to- gether with a Defcription of feveral exanguious Tribes of Animals found thétéon; efpe- cially the Animal-Flowets; thé pale Yellow; the dark Purple fpotted with Black; afd ~ the Green. Thefe new-difcover’d furprifig Claffes of Beings, which appeat in thé ’ SHipe of Flowers, were unknown to ali formes Authors of Natural Hiftory.
BOOK. X. Page ago. Sed
Treats of the Sea-Fithes, and {everal marine Produétions; efpecially fuch as have not been at all, or imperfectly, defcribed by other Authors: With a probable Account of the different Sea-Curtents round this, and the neighbouring Iflands,
ASUE TH -OeRaS
a Quoted.
A. Page 1 Riftotle (2h, 257. Athenaus 271, 274 Boerhaave fee ung t Julius Cefar g. (note 6. , Cicero oe ee 921 Dee Derham 69 Diodorus Siculus z 26 Dr. Freind 36 (note 6) Glover 24, 56 Galen 33 Veh Dr. Halley 5 Hoffman 46 Herodotus 9, 13 Hippocrates 32 Homer 2, 23, 71 Horace 9g, 12, 18, (note 24. ) 113, 276, 280, 310 j Hunt Pg (note 12.) Ifidore
1, (note 22.) 270 Julius Pollux 272
Page
M. Manilius 276 Maundrel 50, 57 Dr. Mead © ~ 32 Milton 195 se on 78 86, 261, 300 Ovid 15, 18 ; P, Petiver 258 Pindar : 9 Pifo 12, 25, 36 (note 37) Pliny 74, 92, 269, 2ae 273, 274 Plautus 6 (note 20) QW Quintus Curtius 76 R. Ray 36, 291. Rondeletius 27% Rohault ; 280 Seneca ; ; Dr. Shaw 27 Dr. Toune ; ; ; oy. 35 Voffius Virgil ap 27,'(note 30.) 51, 56, ge
58, 5 I Polydore Vieil
Le Clerc \ $1 27% Lift. Hift. Conchyl. 275, ib. 8 278 : Lucretius 269 | Dr. Warren 345 37 Lucilius 280 | Willoughby 69
TEXTS of Scripture Cited or Illufirated.
Page Page
Enefis x. 26 2 | Jobi. 19 28
Gen, xiii. 8 16 | Job viii, 11 : . gt Gen, xiii, 10 52,53 | Job xxvi. 14 27 Gen, xxvi. 20 er Pfalm xviii, 10, 11 27 Gen, xxix, 12 : 16 | Pfalm lxviii. 13 71 Deut. xi, 10, 11. 12 20 | Pfalm civ. k., Numb, v. 18 15 | Pfalm exiv. 3 ts 27s Numb. xiii. 24. 2 | Ifaiahv. 30 52 Ot tate 2 Kingssverazec a 40 | Ifaiah oh a 15 27
Nomb. xxi, 18 45
Pee oP wiht AG BS
EON A TURAL Philofophy flourifhed firft in the Eaft. mea ae It was in great Petfetion among the Afjrians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians ; and, if their Knowlege of it had been faithfully conveyed to Pofterity, we ; might have expected, that the next Age of Learn- ing in Greece would have been able to have made
greater Progrefs in that noble Science.
~
Cell at ay
e
%* ¢ But, alas! here Philofophy was forced to put
“on a poetical Drefs, adorned by the Poets, its « Patrons, with Fables, and enlivened with extravagant Fancies. Nor “ was hens itfelf proof againft fo prevailing a Corruption.”
‘This was the State of every Branch of Philofophy in Greece; nor did this Study meet with much better Succefs in the firft Part of the fucceed- ing Roman Empire. “ For while this was in its Infancy, during the Three « firft Ages, which were {pent in conquering Italy ; Stri€tnefs of Man- “ ners, and the Art of War, were their chief Study, and continued to be « {o, till they were Mafters of the Eaft.” Then Oratory became their Darling. Upon the Declenfion of the Roman Empire, the Darknefs of Ignorance, that enfued thro’ many fucceflive Ages, {pread like Elijah’s
Cloud, and, in a Darknefs, like that of Egypt, enveloped the {mall Re- “mains of Learning in almoft a total Eclipfe.
Nor did the Philofophical Part of it revive, or thew the leaft Spark of its native Brightnefs, till Gadileo in Izaly, and the great Bacon in England, became its Patrons.
A It
* Sprat’s Hiftory of the Raya! Society.
il
ip YE FOO BE.
was about this Time that Natural Hiftory, as well as every Byanch of see cdeacel Philofophy, became the Study of great a in a Countries, in England efpecially, and fome time afterwards i Tae under the Protection of that great Patron of Bie es ve whofe Princely Favours fought for, and encouraged, Men of Learning, not in France only, but in the moft diftant Countries.
But of late Years its greateft Promoters have been the Royal Beste) < in England, and the Academy of Sciences in France : By their es <¢ chiefly, has the World received more ufeful Difcoveries ayd Improve « ments in one Century, than ig had done for many Ages kefore.
“If they go on with the fame unwearied Diligence and Succefs for spe “ Century more, what Depths of Nature will not be explored 2? What “ Treafures of Knowlege will not be difplayed Dee
But tho’ many Branches of this excellent Study have, of late Years, been {o laudably cultivated, to the Glory of God, and the Good of Mankind ; yet we have Caufe to lament, that our Purfuits of this Nature are ftill deficient.
The feveral ingenious and learned Difcoveries of Malpighi, Grew, ‘Ray, Derham, and Hales (among many others that might be added), tho’ excellent in their Kind, are yet but fo many well-proportioned Limbs
of an unfinifhed Piece. s
Other Sciences and Arts owe their Perfection, not only to theCapacity
of the great Men who ftudied them, but likewife to the confined Nature
of the Subjects treated of.
., But as to Natural Hiftory, fo many are the Species of Animals, Plants,
and Foffils,, which are yearly difcovered, that we may juftly fay with
Pliny, Multum adbuc refiat operis, multumg; reftabit ; nec ulli nato poft
mille fecula praecluditur occafo aliquid adjiciendi. And tho’ the Study of fo extenfive a Subject be attended with fome Difficulty, yet will it prove
no le& pleafing than ufeful.
In other Hiftorics we meet with, at leaft, a great Mixture of Pain
_with our Pleafure. If in Biography we are firft charmed with the
great Talents and amiable Character of C¢/ar, whilft in the true Intereft
-of his Country ; fhall we not be grieved to find, that his Ambition, at
laft,. proved fatal to many Thoufands of his Fellow-Citizens and Coun- trymen ? If we are pleafed with the Life and AGtions of Epaminondas ;
. as. the fatal Cataftrophe of his laft unhappy Period draws on, can an _ Degree of Chearfulnefs check the rifing Sigh, or ftop the falling Tear ?
- When from Biography we. purfue Mankind through the general Hi-
2 ftory of Nations, we fhall be fhocked with monftrous Examples of
Wickednefs, far overbalancin
g the few fuccefsful Inftances of difinterefted Virtue. Tage
In
BOR 4. 3k wat &é.
In one Age we fee Epittetus banifhed, and the venerable Seneca doomed to Death, whilft Domitian and Nero are covered with Purple. In another Period, injured Majefty bows the Neck to relentlefs Ty-
tT anny.
If, from this unamiable Stream of hiftoric Truth, we explore its branching Rivulets, and feek for Pleafure in our Refearches into the An- tiquity of Nations; this Study, tho’ always harmlefs, and fometimes ufeful ; yet, after an irkfome and tedious Purfuit, thro’ Paths rendered obfcure and dark by Length of Time, or Ignorance, or made almoft im- pervious by Superftition, after a Life fpent in fuch Inquiries, perhaps the ultimate Refult will be, how precifely to determine the Day and Year, that memorable #ra, which gave Birth to a Vimrod, who conquered fome fmall Province, or built fome little City, and reigned its Tyrant ; or per- haps the Period of our Labours will clofe with the diminutive Difcovery how to fix the original Meaning of fome obfcure Sentence, or even an
obfolete Word.
Whereas, in purfuing the Study of Nature, and meditating upon the exact Harmony fo vifible in the Works of the Creation, we are fure to meet with untainted Pleafures ; not fuch as proceed from the Tranfports of an heated Imagination, or a violent Paffion, but Pleafures, like that of
Health, ftill and ferene.
The Accomplifhments we acquire by many other Studies, may, by foothing our Vanity, occafionally miflead us, and likewife byafs human Nature with a ftrong Propenfity towards fome favourite Prepoffeffion of the Will.
Thus the Oratory of Cicero, indued with every Power to pleafe ----- to raife or calm the various Paffions in the human Breaft ; ---- (a noble Endowment, when employed in the Caufe of Virtue !)---- But (fuch, alas! is the Inftability and Imperfection of human Nature) this very Talent, which gave him Pre-eminence above other Men, became fubfervient to indulge a Weaknefs, which we muft at once condemn and pity. To living Cz/ar, the Orator paid the pleafing Tribute of Adulation and. Praife: ---But, when dead, loaded him with Reproaches.
If we defcend to many other Branches of Study, and polite Literature (efpecially in the prefent Age), we fhall find, that thefe Embellifhments too often tend only to infpire us with a fanfied Superiority over others, and ferve, at beft, but to fet forth and enliven fome particular Occafion or Period of Life. Their Amufements, to make ufe of a great Writer’s Simile, ‘ *.are likea Fountain,which, on fome gaudy Days, {pouts forth a “ frothy Stream, but remains dry all the reft of the Year.”
But fuch are the Subjeéts of our Inquiries in Natural Philofophy, that they are as large, and as lafting, as the Univerfe, full of inexhauftible * Lord Vifcount Bolingbroke. : : Variety;
i
Iv:
PR REL A Ce Be Variety, worthy (next the facred Oracles) of ‘the Attention of him, whom God hath placed at the Head of this lower World.
By contemplating thefe Subjects, we are gradually led bom Things vifible, to the Knowlege of him who is ‘invifible. Here we fee eco rable Inftances of Harmony, Beauty, and Order, not to be imitated by the moft laborious Endeavours of any human Art or Contrivance.
Thofe delighted with the Vegetable Creation may, each returning Spring, not only be pleafed with their Profufion of Sweets, and of fuch beautiful Colours, as excel even a Solomon in all his Glory ; but likewife our Inquiries may now be as boundlefs as the Creation ; no forbidden Tree checks our Curiofity ; but, with solomon, we may explore their Se- crets, from the lofty Cedar to the humble Hyflop, {pringing from the Wall.
When by thefe, and fuch-like Inquiries, we find in every thing a wile, good, and ufeful Defign, it will afford us Pleafures, purer and fuperior to thofe which the fanguine Glory of Arms, boundlefs Ambition, or fa- tiated Avarice, can give. It will infpire us with Sentiments moft pleafing, as moft fuitable, to that divine Image the Almighty has pleafed to ftamp of himfelf upon the human Mind. rep
“« * What room can there be for low little Things in Minds fo ufefully “ and fo nobly employed ? What dark and melancholy Paffions can over- ‘* thadow his ‘Heart, whofe Senfes are conftantly entertained with fo ““ many various Productions?” The leaft_ good Effect attending thefe Purfuits ‘will be an innocent Joy.
“What Anger, Envy, Hatred, or Revenge, can long torment his Breaft, “¢ whom not only the nobleft Objects, but even every Infect, every Blade “* of Grafs, or Grain of Sand, can divert ?” To whom the Return of every Seafon fuggefts a Circle of the moft innocent Amufements.
From thefe Inquiries, he will learn the infnite Diftance between his great Creator and himfelf. “ This will teach him to worfhip that Wif ** dom by which all Things are fo eafily fuftained, and will lead him to “ direct his Praifes aright.”
There is not the {malleft Part of this Globe left without evident Sig- natures of God’s Goodnefs. If this little Spot we are treating of, pro- duces not the Sapphire, the Carbuncle, ‘Topaz, or Ruby, we are not wanting, however, in the more truly valuable Produ@ions of Nature, which are chiefly fubfervient to the N. eceflities and Conveniencies of Life : and even our moft barren Hills are not unferviceable : If their high Summits want ‘their grateful Verdure ; if out of their Sides we cannot dig Brafs ; yet it is to thefe, under Providence, we owe the former and
* Sprat’s Hiltory of the Royal Society. the
PAROOES EP FB CR Re
the latter Rain, by intercepting feveral Clouds, and watry Vapours, that: would otherwife fly over us.
It is from the Sides of thefeHills and Mountains that the living Streams. defcend, fo grateful and refrefhing to Men and Beafts in hot Climates. It is likewife to their friendly Shades, that we owe the Growth of feveral valuable Plants, whofe delicate Texture could not bear the long-continued piercing Rays of the Sun.
But, among other providential Bleflings, the Conftancy of the Trade- Winds is not the leaft valuable: Without this, all other Conveniencies, fuch as Pleafantnefs of Situation, Richnefs of Soil, and feafonable Weather, would be of no Service; fince the Return of each Day, now, by the Breezes of this Wind, made cool and grateful, would, without this pro- vidential Allotment, be infufferable through Heat: The tender Plant would lofe its grateful Verdure, fade, wither, and die,
It may perhaps te {aid by fome Readers, that thefe, and fuch Re- fleGtions, are too often interfperfed through the following Work ; and that it would be fufficient barely to treat of the Nature and Qualities of the Subjects in a Philofophical Light, without drawing any Conclufions from them, though they evidently point out the Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs of God, in the Make, N ature, and Ufe of each Individual,
The Anfwer to fuch is eafy: That the original and true Ufe of Philos fophy was to render Mankind good as well as learned ; by raifing their Thoughts from Things vifible, to the invifible Author of all Perfeétion,
Shall Galen, a Heathen Philofopher, break out into Raptures of Admi- ration, upon the Difcovery of fo many Marks of infinite Wifdom in the Formation of the Eye? And, thall Chriftians be blamed for taking notice of fuch Inftances of God’s Wifdom in other Parts of the Creation ?
Philofophy, when rightly applied, is of great Ufe, even in a religious View : It was this that taught Pythagoras Integrity of Manners, and Au- fterity of Life.
This made Empedocles prefer a quiet private Life to the Splendor of a Crown, with all its lucrative Advantages.
This taught Socrates to die as free from Haughtinefs as Weaknefs; “and “ the moft beautiful Lineaments, in the Chara@er of Cato, are owing to’ ** this excellent Science.”
Here the great Bacon experienced more exalted Pleafures than in the Sunfhine of a Court. It was this that not only corrected the paft Inad- vertencies of his Life, unto which an infatuated Attachment to Grandeur had mifled him, but likewife recalled his great Talents from meaner Pur- fuits to their proper Objeéts ---To explore the hidden Secrets of Nature : And, by making Experience and Reafon go hand in hand, he not only
a exploded
Vi
PORYE FLAS TB.
exploded thofe groundlefs dogmatical Opinions, which Length of Time had rendered venerable to Ages of Ignorance ; but likewife, by number-" lefs Experiments, both fought and difcovered feveral valuable Truths $ which, like rich Ore, had been long hid under Rubbith.
Future Difcoveries will, no doubt, in fo. inquifitive an Age as this, bring likewife to Light many Secrets of Nature, which even ftill lie hid in Ob{curity: But, in order to be fuccefsful in fuch Attempts ; as the Harveft is large, and the Labourers few, every Affiftance ought to be em- braced, even from Men of no extraordinary Talents : Thefe, like Hewers of Wood, and Drawers of Water, may be ferviceable. It may be, per- haps, neceflary to premife, that we are not to expect the moft exact Performance of this Kind to be in every Part equally engaging. The hiftorical Defcription of a Country, like its natural Appearance, muft needs be attended with Variety. And as, in travelling over it, we muft climb high rocky Hills, and pafs through dreary Defarts, as well as open Lawns, and flowery Meads; fo the Reader muft not always expect to be entertained with beautiful Images, and a Loftinefs of Style. In Variety of Subjects, this mutt alter with the Nature of theThings to be defcribed.
For Inftance: A pompous Stile and Language would ill fit a bare Narration of Faéts, or the Defcription of a grovelling Plant. Upon the Whole, that Stile or Method of Writing (as a great Orator hath obferved) is beft, which reprefents the Subject in Words moft expreflive of their Nature and Qualities.
As I have been obliged, in the Courfe of the following Treati z As] be reatife, t
differ in Opinion from feveral Authors, I have Sdeh eee tolls it without fupercilioufly condemning them, or, I hope, even leffening that Benevolence which we owe to one another ; and which is the fureft Foun-
dation of focial Happinels.
The Miftakes of many Authors, who have treated of Places not “ feétly known to them, are almoft unavoidable; and will be alwa : fo whilft they receive their Informations from Men, who have ae Capacity to difcern, Judgment to reprefent Things in their proper Light ; nor are ingenuous enough to relate nothing but Truth. ee
The Miftakes, therefore, of fuch Authors, are by n | ne ,t o means th j of Ridicule: Juftice, Good-nature, and Colour, ought e meee infeparable from human Kind ; efpecially when we prefume to fit es Judges upon other Mens Works ; left we fhould rafhly pronounce that a
Crime, which, at moft, was but the Effeé of too great a Share of Cre-
dulity: A Misfortune, which Men of the greateft Veracity themfelves
_ have been often led into.
Thus
Papoks be Fe Celk:
Thus the great Boerhaave, depending upon the Information of others, hath been induced to believe the Barbados Green Tar (an evident bitu- minous Foffil) to be an Exfudation from a Vegetable.
No Faults, therefore, of this Kind, are, juftly fpeaking, proper Ob- je€ts of Cenfure, but thofe which Men wilfully commit, and, by pre= tended ufeful Difcoveries, impofe upon the Public: Thefe, like falfe Lights, or erroneous Land-marks, are of an heinous Nature ; rife into Crimes ; and become gradually of a deeper Dye, as their Impofitions upon Mankind are more or lefs of ill Confequence,
Nor are thofe Men excufable, who (tho’ in Things indifferent) love to dwell upon the Marvelous; and either furprifingly aggrandize or dimi- nifh the Subjeéts they treat of, juft as it beft fuits with their Fancy. Here the Vanity of being thought fuperior to thofe who went before them, as well as more learned than their Neighbours, hath a great Share. But the thort-lived Portion of all fuch, isa flafhy temporary Glare of Applaufe ; which, like Lightning, whilft it fhines, deftroys. In purfuing Fame, they fly from Veracity, its beft and fureft Pillar; and, without which, no Charaéter can be truly valuable.
How far I have myfelf obferved thefe Rules, and avoided thefe Faults, muft be left to the Public to determine ; as well as with what Succefs I have, upon the Whole, through untrodden Paths, purfued my Subjeét. And, as this, in its different Branches, required Variety of Reading, as well as Talents peculiarly adapted to each, the learned and candid Reader will look upon any little Inaccuracy as almoft unavoidable, and there- fore excufable.
This I can with Truth fay, that I have not reprefented one fingle Fact, which I did not either fee myfelf, or had from Perfons of known Veracity. And, as to the Arguments offered to fupport any {pecula- tive Part of the Work, thefe muft ftand or fall by their own intrinfic Worth.
AR GIEID
Vil
E, RR ATA,
AGE 6, Line x, for indabited read inhabited, In Note (8) for bign r. bigh. p, 36. 1. 1. for Lewcoplematia t, Leucophlegmatia. p, 67. in “the Note, for Barbades r. Barbados, P. 89. 1, 26. after fometimes dele a great deal longer, p. 116, 1,27, dele equal before Knowlege,
. 118. 1, 22. for Ten Pints r. Ten Pounds. P. 135. dele very prickly, p. 142. 1. 10, dele aving never an odd one at the End, and after -
P. P. 145. after Bay-berry add Plate X *, Pp. 146. 1. 14. for Bee-qwood e, Becf-wood, 1, 30. dyeing delee. —p, 159. 1, 14. for its white Flowers x. the Flowers which are white, . 166. 1. 2, 2. its Leaves which are auriculated, 1, 4. dele as it were into Ears, P. 170. 1. 34, for Capfule x. Capfula. p, 171. 1. 33. for Kitifonia x, Kitifonia, Pp. 176. Popo r. Papaw. p. 186, dele the Defeription of the Cochineal, Pp. 192. 1, 13, after add they are then moft generally produced, P- 202. 1. 28, for on the Main x. on the Continent
nd.
of America, _p, 205. 1. 32. for allover t Wand t, in moft Parts of ¢
peculiarly x peculiar to it,
Pe P. Pp. 280, B. 280. 1. 27. for Echinie x, Echint, 285, 1. 15. for Couzy x, Coury, p, 290. 1.27, dele PlateXVII, P. 206, 1, 28, for Slippine/s x. Slipperines. 1, 36, for Slippinefs r, Slipperine/iy : : eee if | ‘The Bay-Berry Tree dclineated in Plate to, marked thus * is to be Paged 145. Plate 24, for Page 298. read 280, Plate ry. for Page 1352. read Page 152. The Sea-Eggs mentioned in Page 279, and 280. and faid to be in Plate 26. Fig. 1. Fig. 2. as well as the Plate Fifh, jor the flat Sea-Egg mentioned in Page 280. and 281. and faid to besin Plate 28, Fig. 3. Fig. 4. are to be found in Plate 24. Page28o0, Page { 280, Tine 20. dele not after were. Page g- line 40. for auétiores read acutiores, In the Addenda, Page 2. line 27. Sor nals, read AAaess \for mopque@-, read ropoupc@-. : : | 6S The Reader is defired Uikewife to confult the Errata at the End of the Lift of Subferiers.
‘The following Names did not come in “Lime to be inferted in the General LIS T,
Henry Bellingham, Ej; Large Paper | Edward Mears, ‘Merchant, Smail Paper. Edward Barry, 4. D. Large Paper. Edward Meade, Ejg; Small Paper, Thomas Litton, £/7; Large Paper. Mr. Cooper, Small Paper. Faithful Fortefcue, Eq; Large Paper. pave
~
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Sy
Haig ans rey Na
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Maycockds Bay | te” Ma Maycocks FF | {a ;
Fuel Lout \\
—_—
ip bes Oh, Denmark¥t
Hors Toww 5) 2>~—
givames Church \ Lis bonne
el @L AND Of BA RB AD OSs Drawn fiom an Actual Survey, _ and from the Observations of
3 y I LHughis MAF RS. = By Tho Jefferys, GEOGRAPHER a. W Hid Y sess >
vince eS
& hope. Q C5)
7 ey ae Rarnhim, = 4 ees RE Se 7
rag: = Hecht" 96 "UE
Shoo, = ff — Fr Che Y)__Corbeta Bay th aS
even tes ttATEEREHISCUEE
i=
| (Gow i, 0 OF IS
oe rifariny aaa 3 , : , aj srs of the Council ,. a “s The Hon & YY; Wer La ahaes oe F's Siacior® \ f|
<\E +A and to t to the test of the f } a Ono forty Dtemlbews i of Yhe ll Yaenlly ya Fhe LY Cw tumbly jut . : | 17
ey SS ——— ihe aS
\
ee xo. ree wr
ths ; > > ¥ “ > piharen Pe | Gag "ie
> . jp Downs ©
77g OE s * dnd: wi jt Lutt ° FidhersD ne
sind) ay” arks % Hole
*
con Es ; Mi c 09 | 8 charles forgo" pout 2” Nes Dy a | | 7 EBxXxPTrTLANAT I ON. 7 Tipps ee eer forts or- a | | Plantations of greatest Note or | aH | \| Sugar Works of threeWindmilld 3 6 efit Mild. di | of one Mill So ee i enene tk inttien a ieeasie agin ° B. Plantations of lefs Hote .-...-—-----% | g. Rockd under Water ,....---------------- x ; Tiga... ESP is AES E> : f ~ i 59 58 ey 56 53 2 ri 50
‘ oe Aye ee AProfpect of Bridges Lown, in the {fla EEE BELLE
‘PH ED
Mand of BARBADOS.
As!
BOOK L
CELE greateft Extent of this Ifland is from Lat. 7A
Farr 0} 230 |
rd yous “Difference -+'-- 13 Min.
From Longitude Weft from London -'58 : 49 3 To Longitudes~- -.-- - == - 59: O2% = Difference of Longitude 00 : 12+ «Its greateft Length from Goulding’s Green, in St. Lucy's Parifh, to Ananias Point, in the Parifh of (LMAO Sd gil Ue Mot s6eae Miles.
SCS t J Opie ie bh Reese im 13
Toi Liatheadew P eswried towed vail 2h
eo oe
principal pointes) a ee ae :3 Stat. Miles. Its firft. Appearance from the Sea to the Eaftward, is fomewhat hilly to the South-weft, and North-weft: more level. Its Surface generally appears covered with a grateful Verdure, which, variegated with lofty (1) ‘Trees, and large Buildings, affords many different; and thofe very beautiful Pro- {pects. The higheft Part of the [land is arocky Cliff, in the Eftate of Francis Vaughan, Efq; whofe perpendicular Altitude is 9 15’ Feet the ho- ghan, Bigs whole perp 915 Feet, the ho rizontal Bafe being taken from:High-water Mark. golommysct 3¢ bi » vbyolo mobist sg9l9 Bas uB af Among 4 \(@2)| By lofty, Trees, we'are to;underftand tholeichiefly which are planted near Dwelling-Houfes, generally more for Ornament than Ufe. As for large Timber-trees, fo neceflary. to makerand repair the Sugar-Mills, and other larger Buildings, wé are’ obliged to‘ bring thefe,” at a. great’ ‘Expence, chiefly from the Iflands of St, Lucia, and Tobago.
2 The Natural Eiffory of the —- Book. I
Among many uncertain Conjectures, thofe who derive the Name given
to this Ifland, from the Portuguefe Language, are moft properly in the
Right ; for, as they were the frft Diftoverers of the Wi ofp-India Wands (if
not of 4merica ingeneral), it is not unreafonable to fuppofe, that they might
give this, and theneighbouring Iflands, a N ame analogous to fomething re= markable in their firft Appearance’; and nothing of this kind could be
more furprifing to Luropeans, than'to fee the Shores thaded with a kind of Fig-trees, differing from all other Trees in the manner of their Growth ;
for;. from their Branches hang innumerable fmall Filaments growing down-
wards, till they touch the Earthy. and: then take: Root. Thofe ThreadHike Refemblances have-been’ called} byithe'Engh/b; from the Ait Settlement of
the Ifland to this Time, the Beards of ar oh ~trees ; “ap i all_P a litythe’ Rogtvede mishdoribidall have the fame Kifior off ei/fte em-
be OE meandered eee ho une con-
Why called junctly, Las Barbadas, i. e. the Bear déd Tlands ; for Coufa Barbada in that Barbadas, Language fignifieth an ie eae . And, when this Ifland ‘a “be ighabiédib ‘the Hngli/bS ik ree ined-the general: ame eiveh fc Gil
° & the. Wibisy haa a AN RRR sehNe hekaee ie
The origi- Diftin@tion-fake, obliged to be called by different Names, __If we confult nal Names “the mole antent Hiftoriess divine on h be we fhall find, that the Ety-
of Places may, i Hee XY e
expreflive ofpmology of the original Names given to
tien Na telative Meaning, expreffive of their Nature, Qualities, wor Quulity.” "Thuis, vas carly asthe Time of Myet\owhen the '
ee t9 view the:Land._of Ganaan, had brought from thehge:
fo large, that they bare it between Two} when'the
of the Country; they; called the Valley by the Name
of the Bunch. of: Grapes; for fo the Hebrew Word j
An unhealthy Part-of Arabia was called by the H,
maveth, and by; the rabians Ses, Hadramaut
trance of Death... And in Genefis it is faid} that the
AD ne) Dea e Herdimen of Geriar did ftrive with:L/aac’s Herdfmen, fayingy' The Water is ours: And he called the Name’ of the Well py Exek, i.e. Contention, becaufe they ftrove with him, Innumerable are the Inftances which might be produced’ fiom feve. tal Languages, efpecially fromthe Coltie'and: Greek,to prove that feveral Words in thofe Languages are! adapted? to’reprefent and: be: expreflive’ of the Subjects ‘treated of. : “A pueeeiwic: ‘The Works. of Homer are’ full! of Inftances of: this Kind 5: and, amon - many. others, that might be produced, =the original Cele called’ the Sun Titan 3 a Name. evidently derived frony Zi, a Houlks and Tan, Fite? whith is, very fignificant of the Notion moft Eattern Natioiis had of that:Planét: : fo, olf what shath ‘been obferved. of ikhilar Inftances and Examples have -any, Weight; we may, from: Parity of Reafons be Rtished With’ the’ pres fent Etymology of the Nante given to:thisTflandy and proceed'to bhferva: «thatthe Atmolphere is, in general, feréne and clear, feldom cloudy ; aad
froma total. Ablence of Hail, Froft oF Show, it’ is: Hever Tiablet6 thor omny and fodden Vicitfitudes” no lels common than. projudicial in iable , ee Chinnates,
Bokl Sland off BARBADOS. 9
Climates, either to the Southward, or to the Northward, of the Tropics.
And fuch is the Serenity and Clearnefs of the Atmofphere, that the Air The lee is, in general, very healthy: But what chiefly conduces to its Purity, is a a the Regularity of theTrade-Winds, which, feldom varying throughout the oF a Year, further from the Eaft, than to the Eaft-north-eaft, and confe-
quently paffing over a vaft Tract of Water of about 3127 Miles (for about
that Diftance from us, is the neareft Point of (2) Land on the oppofite
Shore), or were it only even what lies betwixt the Tropic and our Lati-
tude, it muft neceffarily blow upon the Ifland in cool refrefhing Gales.
It is likewife no {mall Advantage, or rather Happinefs, that we have neither Bogs nor Marfhes, to ftagnate our Waters, which, being exhaled into Vapours, might be pernicious ; nor large Forefts of Trees, which not only prevent the Winds in their Paflage, but likewife generate moift Air, caufed by the great Quantity of Vapours which perfpire through their Leaves, as well as from the fhaded moift Soil: By this means the Inha-
_ bitants are free from the Fever and Ague, fo common to the Inhabitants of uncultivated Iflands.
As it cannot be foreign to my Subje&, I beg Leave to offer a few pro- Arguments bable: Conjectures, to prove that the Current of the Deluge, between the ane thie Tropics, ran from Eaft to Weft. One Argument that may be offered to pene
rove this, is the fhattered Condition of the Eaftward Side of that Chain tnge, be- of Hills and Clifts, which are as Barriers to this Iland, from Cuckold’ ser oe Point, to a Place called Confet’s Bay ; for, as they face the Eaft, their torn ene State, in that Part alone, and no-where elfe, fhews, that they not only, °°" by their Situation, firft ftemmed, but, as they were higher than any other Part of the Ifland, they wholly bore the repeated Percuffions of the Cur- rent in the gradual Afcent of the Deluge, as well as, during the Conti- nuance thereof, the Force of the Tides, until they were intirely over- whelmed ; and even then, the higher they were, the nearer their Sum- mits would be to the Surface ; therefore the greater Arch of a Circle they would defcribe ; and confequently, they would be more violently preffed and torn by the Water, than Places nearer to the Centre.
This is evidently feen from the boifterous Surface of the Sea in a Storm, whofe Violence often wafhes, or rather tears off large Pieces of Rocks, whilft, at the fame time, the tendereft Sea Plant, at any confider- able Depth, is not difturbed.
From hence we may obferve, that by how much the lower the level Land, and the Valleys were, than the Tops of the Hills, by fo much lefs they were difturbed; and confequently, upon the Decreafe of the Deluge, the fooner, and in greater Quantity, would the Dregs and Sediment (which trailed gently along an even Bottom) fubfide and fettle: And from hence, in part, proceed the different Degrees of Fertility in the Soils of Hills and Valleys (3). Another Argument, that the Current of the In-
ry undation,
(2) Portaventura in Africa. (3) The very deep Soil of moft fertile low Countries, fuch as
Egypt, may be, in all Probability, primarily owing to the fubfided Feces of the Deluge.
fen ae - The Natural Hiftory of the ~ Book L
undation, in the Time of the Deluge, ran, ‘as above defcribed,. is the: coping Figure of the Iland, from Eaft to Welt; for, if we narrowly and -
attentively: view the feveral gradual Defcents of fo many. continued Ridges of Rocks, like Cafcades,, declining precipitately to the Weltward {for tn- flance, that. long Chain of Hills, from Mount Gilboa, in St. Lucia’s Parith,
to the Black Rock, in St. Michael's Parith), we cannot well otherwife con-.
chide, from the deep Soil, on the Eaftward of thefe, where the Land is. .
level ; and from the ragged, and bare-wath’d Surface, ‘to the. Weft; bur that the latter was thus torn by theViolence-of theWaters failing over theny;-
and the fornier, the Effect of the fubfided Sediment, upon. the Decreafe -
of the Deluge. The Want of fiich a Bed of Rocks; from Black Rock to
coe Aiine's Cafile, caufed that Chafm which opéns'to the Sea thro’ Bridge- _. Lown, oppofite to the Valley of 5. George’s. What further confirms me -
in my Opinion, and. brings what I have firft offer'd, as conjectural, toa
" greater Degree of Certainty, is the Obfervation I made upon the ruinous. ' «Tops of moft of the lofty Mountains in Worth America, as well: as-dn- _ England. - In thofe, Norther variable: Climates, Nature felt the’ univer- _ fal Shock promifcuoufly on every Point of the- Compafs ; whereas our ~ Hills and Clifts, which extend along the Ealt Side of the Mand, difco- - ver no Indications, on the Weftern Sides, of any Violence receiv’d, but. ae
what was naturally oceafion’d, by the falling off of the Waters, upon the =“) ° Decreafe of the Deluge. The Gourfe of fo many deep Chafms, or abrupt Fiffures in the Earth (call’d here Gudlies) always running from Eaft to Welt,
is likewife an additional, and even an’ unanfwerable Argument in favour, _
_ of what hath been urg’d upon this Head: And, that thefe were origi- ©
nally the Effe& of the Deluge, tho’ fince much inlarg’d by repeated wri _.. Torrents, will evidently appear by viewing the oppofite Sides of thofe’.
deep: Chafms in the Earth, where are to be feen large Pieces of Rocks, °° — that appear to have. been once intire, but afterwards. forcibly torn.afun- |
_ der: And as thefe, divided Rocks are-often to. be found ‘near the Heads \.. Tsoe _or Beginnings of thefe Gullies, where the greateft Stream of colle@ed. ”
-. Rain-water, even in the greateft Flood, is too {mall and weak to be the ©
~ Caufe of fo violent a Separation ; therefore we may, with great Reafon, conclude, that this Difunion, and torn State, was effeGted by the Guirent «
of the (4) Deluge 5 and. that its regular Courfe, to. the Weftward, between
the Tropics, was but the natural Gonfequence of an (5) Eafterly Trade-
‘Wind, which guided and byafs’d its Courfe to that Point. Former.
Wee otte: Defcriptions. of this. Ifland begin’ with barely mentioning its Difco-
very of the
_ Wet-India very by :the Portuguefe, and. the Settlement. of the FE hij * Iflands by. : ie REET: : : © Lngujb, there, “the Prme in. the Reign of King Yames the Firft, in the Year “16 Pleated
Ee cakby the leaft Inquiry, whether. it had been ever before inhabited, ‘and: b the Englip. whom. It is, indeed, faid, that fome of the firft Difcoverers of this.
_} Mand‘
. (4) This Opinion was confirm’d to mi ny tha ition: or fa Basia Phylicin, late of this Mand. ns Coneurfent Conjedture of Dr. 1Yarrén. a very ingenious
(5) The Caufe and Nature of Trade-Winds are excellently explained by the great Dr. Halley,
Book I. Mand of BARBADOS.
Tine 3 found no Inhabitants upon att: Arrival. itvavan we ought - not to conclude too haftily, .that. there never: were any, until what. is “offered to’ prove the contrary, be» fully confidered, : I was, indeed; once partly inclined to that Opinion, induced ‘to. “it ‘frond the. Remateaele of this, from the whole Clufter of IMlands, viz. St. Lucia, Dominico, Mary- Galant; Guardaloup,, St. Chri ipopher's, Antigua, and St. Vincent ; which.
Fu
_ Jatt, tho’ neareft, ‘is about. one Wandaets Miles . diftant: And on moft
r of thefe are’ in Sight of one another, they’ ‘are more convenient for mu-
tual: Commerce in’ Time. of Peace; and’ ‘Embarkation in Time of Wat...
And what gives feveral of thefe the ‘Advantage over this Ifland, with re- “gard: to an Indian Settlement, is their-far greater Number of | open ‘Bays
and Rivers, ftored with Tortoifes, and. almoft. an * ‘incredible Plenty of
’ Fith. ) But as we have. late Inftances of their, coming hither from | -
» Sa Vir incent’ 3, in their {mall Canoes, or Perriawgets, even. for their Plea-.
_fure, I concluded, that: they. might formerly, moré probably, come for
their Intereft 5 efpecially at certain Seafons of the Year, when the Fifh-
ing, or Game, in the other ‘Tflands, Brew. either feanty” or By, by being . too ‘often difturbed. »
'Phefe probable Conjectures, upon a : faecher” Ingiiiry, were, corrobo=
Fated by the Suffrage of many aged Perfons; fevéral of whom were be- tween eighty and ninety Years: old, who, not only agreed in’ their re- “ceived Tradition, that there were Talis formerly in this Iland, but like- wife fome of them.added farther, that their frequent Arrival to, or De- ‘parture from it, was always in. the Wane of .the Moon, for the. Benefit of Tight » Nights ; ; and that when a Difference arofe. between them and ; # ‘the Engh, ih, the Indians retired to their Faftneffes in the Woods ; and
that in their: Way. down to their Canoes, they would artfully hide them- ©.
* felves with Coverings of green Boughs, to elude the Search of the Exgiifh..
"Now, fince the Parents of thefe aged Perfons, who give this Account, . >
Weise cil ieaicte be old enough. to be Eye-witnefles ‘of thefe: ‘Things ; fuch, and a : _ early a Teftimony, where’ they .had ‘no ‘apparent Tadneernent to deviate »
from the Truth, -muft, at: leaft; be allow’d to carry with it the ufual ~ _ Weight and Credit. in fie Cafes till thefe Conje@ures, ftrengthened a » Tradition, and. confirm’ d by apparent, Fats, grow to fuch a Deere of. Certaitity, ag to-leave every Doubt inexcufable. *
The Method: I thall take -to prove their former (6) Rehdense j in this
Ifland (which to: Pofterity may be ferviceable) will be to.make it appear, .
Beh That there are feveral Places, in this Ifland, called, to this Day,
after their Names. Secondly, ‘That in thefe ' very Places, there afe daily dug
- up.fuch. Marks: of their former Refidence, as were ' peculiar to Indians.
Thirdly, I fhall compare. thefe feyeral Bate ce: with thofe confefledly fa-
tisfactory one in. almoft pe Cat T pik he by obletvings that “oh SD Ae
the °
(6) Tam iigendansd: in this fami: Digreffion from the Subject, a many Greek and” Roman Au- - thors ; efpecially by the: ‘Example of ite Cafar, who, in his Commentaries, carefully traces the Origin,
ae 3 well as ceicriaes the > Magne and Cuftoms, of the different Heations whofe Porintries he treats of.
tat at ae Nor AS tea “ NEw : od ase wien ¢
meee *
6 0 Phe Naniral Hiflory of the . - Book : the Indians, who inbabited this Mand; could; in‘all Probability (by reafon’
- of the great Diftariee from’the Continent), be’ no otliersthanColonies from. -fome of the Leeward Jflands, molt probably from Sé. Vincentiss, Ste Ta 9.”
eo wad ‘or Tobago. From: either,o ‘ thefe,. according. to :their ‘Situation; with, oe - .. ¢efpe€'to Barbados, -as well as with regard. to ‘a fafe Harbour, they muff, (~~. « Reidone erprobably land ‘to the Weft ‘or -Weft-fouth-weft’ of this Mland. Accor bee ig indians ink itp a8 Carlifle (7) Bay is the largeft and moft’ commadious “Harbour, . it pat proved: is natural to fuppofe, that, they landed here, and madé-the adjacent Part. ° .", _« of the Ifland their Place‘of Refidence:. sa Piaaey confirmed by) 0% - the Buttings and’ Boundings’ of feveral Tenements near this Bay’; which, ~ ++, sin very old Deeds, até faid to terminate at or within a. certain Diftance’ : : _.. © from thé Indian, Bridge ; from which the great -Number of Houfes built... 5 ; Bridge Teun about this Convenient’: Place, came foon afterwards to be’ called’ Bridge °° "33. “ed... Tewn.* The above-mention’d Bridge’was placed over that: Part of* the © // 5» .°. "feck, or narrow -Néck ‘of. ‘the .Biy,.- which’ divides:‘Major -Gidngy °°
Clerk's Houle from.Colonel: fohn Fairchild’s,’ The Neceflity. that the?) | Indians, refiding’ onthe North fidé.of the’ Creek, were under to” mute’ acy yi 0". Bridge (which in all-Likelihood’ confifted of no more tham-afew Trees, © .. +> fell’d down, and laid acrofs this-Creek),: will appear; when we'éonfider, «. ° .:~ - that their beft, and almoft only Supply. of frefh Water, was’on thée-South.. ~~ fide of it, at a Place’ now. call’d Hlazinington’s Spring. aes eect eee 8 ey
‘The'next.-fmall Rivulet running tothe Sea-to the Leeward of Bridge’
Lown is.at prefent, as well as in many old Deeds, eall’d Indian River... Te. was likewife at this Place that fome Indians, from St. Vincent's, landed, in’ or about the Year 1738, And as Indians are remarkably nice in chufing'a*.*’ dry healthy Situation, this, with fo few or no Footfteps of their long Abode ~
"here, gave me rom to’ believe, that they kept moving along: the Sea Shores". ° 7.”
.- fo long as they met with convenient: fifhing (8) Bays : “And as the laftof °°. -
_ ‘thefe, of any Note, to the Leeward ofthe Ifland, is: Six Mens Bay, and’. i¢) 6.
° ‘Rider’ s Bay, \et us but allow thefe-to. be then, ‘as they are; at \prefent, ‘agi 2. °°" _* well ftored with Fith as anyother, and-we fhall foon Ax their Refidencé, © 3" S fora while at leaft, ih this convenient-Place 3 for. thefe Indians (as:fhall. ° © *\.2.’
__ _. be prefently fhewed) were but’ ill provided. with, Tools. to fell Timber!) 9)!
_, This, join’d to their great Indolence, ‘caufed themto fearch (efpecially ins) 6
- wet Seafons) for their natural fheltering Place, the fitft convenient'Caves (°° S and, as ‘there is ‘a very commodious one in ‘the Side of a neighbouring” Pes LL - . Hill,called to this Day the Judien Coftle, and ‘almoft ina dire Line. * °° * « “The Refi from Sixx. Mens Bay, and not above a Mile and an half off, in’ a’ pleafane i e6 7... ¢ Indians far- Patt of the Country, - it is'more ‘than ‘probable (efpecially as there was. | 2° Be: ther proved. ? o, Ma sf S sabi 5 ee Ss ‘, oe ee 2 * ws ie sae : oe Pons en eee 6 ae ere neato 8 ., bee « its : nee tag os NO ot i ' _ (7), This Harbour is call’d Carlife Bay,.'from‘a Royal Grant of this Ifland to-the Earl of Curfife> “The - », adjacent Town, call’d Bridge Toi cov of about. belive Huitcned Hoates, all tailt oka Sane Pete Sw » Brick, or Timber.. The other chief Towns are Speight’s Town, uftin’s' Town, and the lol Town. as 8h °(8) As the Bays, near the Hole Town, were well ftored with Fith, this feemed to be their fécond Settle- : ment from Indian River : But as it was neceffary, in ftormy’ Weather, to provide a Shelter higher upinthe © ° =. "Country, T found feveral Remains of theit Abode, undet ‘the ‘Shelter of an high Cliff, in the “Eftate of | “++ Ai as
~
same 4 oe hel —_ ry ‘eas, Mee ‘
> ~
- on
| Samuel Barwick, Elq; deceafed.’ We are likewife informed by Tradition, that'five Indian. Wom oe ~* Promife of good Ulage from ‘the Hagiis, upon the Defertion of the reft of the Jadians, lived and'dite ig he. ee: se "that Place 5.and, about twa Miles from herice, there isa Tract of Land called Lidian Wood,"or Indian Town... e
6S Ole yay owes er saat . oe x C . a ut _ 5 se “ ms a #5 Ae yd aa ~~ 23 Z pe” * re *» ws > *, yee ae : " . ee . ‘fe ¢ “ . * me . wen. « <3 ? . - . ‘ F “ s ” *
.
+e 4 ‘ek Ns Reval nee ¥ cad
- yng ae) tw
ee
a
:
2 2.8% @ kw
aa <i
~ SS
MYER
war Sal
ts A ae
wi
—
ANY \S AWN
N\
"AN Wy
By ~ ° as ‘ e ees » ¥ ¥ * ‘ | y Hy + C Rice sees : ee £ | AAO OL eae ’ - 1 BABOON AIS LC SOR ace ae ee | AS AAS INO ae a ce i RAC ES Sea kee I SAAN e SAS Gs Sees SQ RACERS ES Wy ; SS SX 7 . . SSS Ss SSS SSS . ay > S=S—== s e «4 ” « * 4 * - * eS * he wee Near
“Bink ae Mand f BARBADOS
“no iced Bj inear, “anid 6 convenient), that ‘they fhould. pitch’ ‘upon. ie bene upon feveral Accounts ° very. commepdious’ for; a as the: Mouth of it: — the Weft;: vad, being ‘under the : ‘Shelter, ob “an Hill, was. : fecured » | from ‘the Wirid and Rain; “and éven from Danger by: Hurricanes, and os as ‘the® ‘Entrance, to. it is for fteep and.: ‘narrow, that,” upon Cecafion,* ‘one - a ae “Man may: defend’ himfelf againft. an- hundred, ° it. may be: - juitly. cahet : - their Caille,, ‘But what inade ‘this. Place: more complete: (and affords, I hinkyas: -undoubted: ‘Pioof of theit Refidence here); is- an adjoining wey =. Bottom whiere they: dug: a: Pond. “or Releivoir to hold: Rain-water 5: we ° kis Place i ‘is, atid: hath: been, ‘fiitce the Memory. of: ‘the: oldeft’ ‘Neigh? .bours alive,. ‘eall’d ‘the: Indian. Pind. “With. Part of the. ‘Clay. €9)s ), which. * they ‘dug’ out, they; made “their Earthen-ware,. fuch »as Pots’ and: Pans ; ;
themfelves’ Gods; and: ‘worthiped : them. Among. {€veral * broken’ Fiage
-, © broken’ off; ftood upon an oval ‘Pedeftal above’ thiee Feet’in: ‘Height ;\ and i 1. + ts) " deferib’ ‘din Plate’ .t. Pig: A “The. Heads of all: others. that cartie. , x ». waited my Obfervation, were very ‘fmall: ‘One of thefe (which i is Becabede ae “ * ain Plate. v: _ Fig: Ra.) ‘exceeds’ not in Weight; fifteen Ounces ; and: all, that eae: ie have, ‘hitherto’ feen,:are of Clay buent. - Thefe Jeffer’ Adols were; in.all .
.-
en ‘. Biobability, their Péenates F made fhiall ‘for’ ‘the | Eafe: ‘and: Gonveniency © sae x of beisig ‘carried ‘with: them, in their feveral: Journeys 3 3 as the al Seip Me aa y were perhaps: defigned: for fome ftated’ Places of Worhip. ter a:
Piri" The laft Proof of their. Refidence i in. this. Place,. ‘is aegreat ‘Number oi
=
and, like. the Idolaters of old; out of the fame» Materials they made’ to...
"ments, of Idols, -faid to be ‘dug up»in.this Place,- I faw, the Head-of One, Indian ee" : Sag te which ‘alone. weighed. abovesaxty Pounds Weight. ° -This,- before. it was: eicovareds Shag 8
. * be Re :
as
oc pe Be
a i os dick Stone. Hatchets and Chiffels, that are. here dug up: Thefe are re-... ie : ep préfented: in’ ‘Plate : I, F.'3..4. and’ 5. The Ufe of: thefe’ (1, 6) Hatchets ; iniirbitthe oth Sk and Ghiffels: was. iivall Likelihood to- cut: down ‘Timbér; to make. Huts, ae and Chit.
“where they: *had ‘not the Conveniency. of Caves; “as well as with’ the Help 2 cof ; Fire to- “fell: fome of: the: largeft ‘ ‘Kinds, to make‘ anodes,’ Thefe, I
> and then," with ‘their fecoping Onitels they, by Destees niade them hols"; ‘ "st low. iste sth ry .
foe aa Having ioibied the Refidence i in ahs Place, it. tail: not be ‘trmaling
3, 'td thofe; who know: the roving: Difpofition of Indians, to: find, that*they: ..
: . moved. under the Shelter. of. ‘the Hills, and almoft always at’ ‘equal Di-’
. “ety ¢ flance fromthe Sea;" till they” came to a large convenient Cave,. iinder.an *
* Hill, called’ Mount’ Gilboa; inthe’ Eftate. of Colonel Toba: Pickering 3. e.
se where NE found, feveral’ of their broken’ ‘Images, Pipes, Hatchets, - ny
Hey © Chiffels: “And, fee this, and the: “before-mentioned Cave; were te
Z- SS 9 i55) as feveral
~ $ t ' oe es
ees 2-0) By the great” SNimbét of the *Rergaite: of Tadion Pat wilnss in , this and, and the» known Scarcity af a tae in many, if not in. all. of the Leeward: Wands, Ti joa, no , BoUDe: but Dey were fupplied With... ey, * Earthenware from hericé: y
of the-:moft fubftantial Infide.Part of a’Conch-fhell ;. others, of the hardeft common Stones’;. anda few; of . * the cutting Sort of a Storié.of'an opake_ ereenith: Colour, Natiegatedl with feveral white Veins, fomewhat ., sy geleetigg the SPPHERS Rule late: Th ww ae 5) eee <A :
ae aaa
eis “ ae ee Ye» : oe” Bee " re - ~ a es ike. ee ee aie = See a Bee ‘ 5S! er $ a ork Fe eg, he, oe ey eee eae tras 4
(10) some of the Hatchets, and a ‘great ‘Noahiber: ‘of the ‘Chie selpecially the: feoopinst ones,. ‘are eek dy uh
‘ Fa ee ‘after they’ were ‘roughly {quared, were half- burnt? with live Opals <* ¥ e: ee ‘
he: < a
{everal Reafons very convenient 3 + et there was one effential "Happinefs
wanting ; for, upon very, heavy: Rains, the Water in ,thefe artificial Ponds, : being difturbed, became muddy:: _ And, .as their greateft’ native Luxury. .
_ (if it may now-a-days ‘be . fo called) was to. drink of ‘the pureft Streata, >
it. was natural and cuftomary for’ them ‘to ramble in. Search of Spring=: ».
Water, which at a little Diftance from ‘hence ‘they found.in the Eftate’.
* of. Edward Bonnet, Elgy “Here they fettled, near a {mall perennial Spring, -
_ which is the only one ‘for feveral Miles round it. . The ‘Situation of this” -_
- /-\ Place afforded another additional Conyeniency,, being, by the Goodnefs of:
the Soil, very proper to produce Yams, Plantain, and Banana Trees’; but. - as there was no ‘Cave to afford Shelter, they were obliged to cut down |
b) ‘ ‘
_.,that there. are found, about this Place of their Refidence, fo many. Frag~
. © ments ‘of broken Hatchets, Chiffels, and. Pots... There are not only near L --, this Place, but 'likewife at Maycock’s. Bay (11)... Yoan’s Hole, Cluff's Bay, ‘and near Scotland Church, as well as in other Places, many Tokens of .~
~ Timber to build Huts; and from thence, in all Probability, it-comes,
“yt pestteheir former Abode. “To this may be added, that there is a Tradition’ ~.
4
‘+ in’ a Family of Negroes, belonging to Thomas Tunckes; Efq; the An-. ES. &
‘eeftors of which. Family came over’ with the. ‘firft Negtoes that ever « °
~, came hither. from Guiney, that before the Country’ was cleared “from ae An Lidian Woods, there. was an’ Indian Town near a “Pond, ‘in his: Eftatey in the.“
own.
and, when thefe Indians could not for a lon
Parith of S.Michael’s, ‘which Refervoir to this Day is called the Indian Ponds, ~
Bs.
- © Subjeétion by the WAires, the laft Attempt was fo vigorous, that it obliged
all the Indian Inhabitants. of. the ‘Town ‘to make their Efeape in their © “Canoes to the neighbouring Ilands; which: they all ‘didy except one .. a _ Woman, and her Sona young Lad: « ‘The latter foon afterwards. making. - +. chis: Efcape alfo, his Mother, ina hort time, pined to Death. Several.
«
| #-o:Earthen Veflels, ‘of : different Sizes, have been. dug ‘up near. the above-.. - "|. mentionéd Pond, within’ thefe thirty Yeats laft paft: ‘Thefe were: ge- ~~ “nerally of a globular Figure, of a Slate: Colour, but very: brittle other= _} wife, far furpafling the Earthen-ware made here by: Negroes; in Thinnefs,. “* -
2" dndian
‘Ware.
* Earthen- -
f Smoothnefs, : and. Beauty:
Let us now fum-up thefé Teftimonies, arid put the Contino vidint '~ I have’ offered on this Head, upon.’ the Authority: of thefe Proofs. A ' for the firft Proof, that there are feveral Places inthis Ifland called-after
_ ‘their-Names } this, tho” the leaft, carries with ita. Degree of: Gonviction, * +, which ‘cannot be well: gainfaid ; for, “who © will” pretend. to nite ee’ (without -being led into:,the feveral: ‘Particulars of the: Hiftory of the.
» + Fimes): whether the Cele’ did not formerly poffefs and inhabit that Part: = <0°>. » _ of France, called Armorica, when he. finds the moft. antient. Churches, att ght and notable Places, retain: their. Celtic: Names to this Day ?. Or, what °- ~~. Sceptic: would be hardy enough: to difpute, -whether the Ums dug up’ a
: : ~ in England were not originally depofited. there by th Romans 2: “Such
«ihe
“ Fal hak amoral:
. (11). There.is near this Bay 2 Very convenient. Cave foi Sheltdx in ftormy Weather. . ge SE Ss REE CS Sg ae nee
ae, i. a se
Le alee eee a
eter hot mn bks SN, Rs
g .time -be: brought into |
a, '. ip © Bg dey
-pretend. to 'difpute’’ * ss
Book. land of BARBADOS. og
a moral Certainty commands the Affent of every unprejudiced Perfon, The feveral Places in this Ifland called and fuppofed to be Indian Set. tlements, confirmed by’ early Tradition, and further corroborated by the Difcovery of feveral rude Idols, Hatchets, and’ other Tools, dug up in thefe Places, different in Shape and, Subftance from thofe ufed by every civilized Nation, and peculiar (after the Ufe of Iron was
' found by the more civilized) to Indians only ; thefe Things (I fay)
_ being confidered, and impartially fuffered to have their proper Weight; . there. will, I believe, be very little occafion to multiply or add
"any further Arguments, to prove that: Indians formerly refided (for at jeaft certain Seafons of the Year) in this Ifland. :
The Refidence of Indians being proved, it may be expected, that we
~ inquire into the Difpofition of the prefent Inhabitants. Of thefe it may The prefent _be juftly faid, that they are generous and hofpitable, firmly attached in Beds their Principles to: the prefent happy Eftablifhment, in Church and State.” The Men have a natural, as well as, by the frequent Ufe of Arms, acquired Their Cha- Bravery ; with no {mall Share of vufeful Learning, and Knowlege in Trade. oe The Women, in general, are very agreeable ; and feveral of them might
~any-where pafs for Beauties. There are many Inftances of their prudent Behaviour and Oeconomy, greatly affifting to improve a moderate, and
* zetrieve a broken Fortune. ore i } '
I muft here beg leave to endeavour (a Thing hitherto unattempted)
-to afcertain fome reafonable Caufe of that general Obferyation, that the Inhabitants of hot Countries are of a more volatile and lively Difpofition, and more irafcible in general, than the Inhabitants of the Northern Part of the World. |» The former is evidently apparent from the more fublime » Compofitions of almoft. all Eaftern Authors, their lively Imaginations (as a learned (x 2) Critic hath obferved) tranfporting them, with incredibleWarmth and Aétivity, from one Thing to another ; and thereby caufing them to
“overlook thofe Rules of Method and Connexion, that are obferved by Europeans of a-cooler and more regular Fancy. Inftances of this we
_-have in the Works of Pindar, and throughout. the whole Book of Fob. Nor is it with me a Doubt, whether different Climates may not caufe a conftitutional Difference. Herodotus, as well as Cicero, was of this Opinion. The latter fays, Videmus quam varia junt terrarum genera .. .. ale que acuta ingenia kignant, alie que retufa : que omnia
punt ex cali varietate, & ex difparili adfpiratione terrarum. Cicero de Div. .No. 79.
~ Idem de Fato, No. 7. Inter locorum naturas quantum inter fit videmus ;
“alios effe falubres, alios peftilentes. .. .
Athens tenue culum, ex quo auttiores etiam putantur Attici: craffum
Thebis ; itaque pingues Thebani.
And Horace, fpeaking of the Works of a dull Author, fays,
_ Beotum in craffo jurares. aere natum.
, Hor. Lib. If. Ep. I. 244.
D
But, (12) Vide Dostor Hunt's Explanation of ob, Chap. vii. Ver. 22. 23.
i fe) The Natural Hiftory of the Book 1 But, without laying any Strefs upon: the above Inftances, it will not bg very difficult to explain, in fome meafure, the Reafon of fo vifiblea con: ftitutional Difference in the Inhabitants of hot and cold Climates. :
‘The confi. As (t3) Heat in the former rarefies and increafes the Velocity of the fitional Dif’ Fluids, confequently the Particles of Blood, thus expanded, meeting in the Inhabit- their Circulation (even in the iminuteft Veffels) no Obftacle from the andcod external Preffure of Cold, nor any Languidnels by immoderate Heat, it Climates follows, that as Health confifts in an equal Motion of the Fluids, and Re-
examined in
anew and ‘fiftance of the Solids, fuch an even Temperament of the Air muft
et “be more friendly to, and productive of, Health and Chearfulnefs, than in
Climates where often, by fevere cold Weather, the Globules of Blood lofe in a great meafure their Motion, efpecially towards the Extremities of the Body, where at fuch times they cohere in Mafies too large to pats freely through the minute capillary Veffels. When this Harmony be- tween the Solids and Fluids is difconcerted, then arifes, as Experience teaches us, a fudden Senfe of Pain, which cannot be removed till the
Blood is, as it were, thawed by Heat, and fo recovers its uninterrupted
Motion : And tho’ we know not certainly how to define what the Ani- mal Spirits are ; yet, on Suppofition that they are the moft refined and
ative Particles of the Blood, as they are with great Reafon thought to :
be, their pleafing, or painful, Influence on the Body muft, in a great meafure, depend upon the regular or irregular Motion of their original conftituent Fluid, the Blood : -Now, when this is checked in its Circula- tion, either by a fudden Preffure of an heavy Atmofphere, or the Varia- blenefs of the Winds from warm to cold; the Animal Spirits, which be- fore were agreeably diffufed through the whole Body, by thefe fadden {nterruptions in the Blood, their original Source, likewife become un- able to perform ‘their Functions:; for, when Nature is impeded in any of her Operations neceflary to our Well-being, whether natural, vital; or
animal, that mutual and infeparable Connexion. between the Mind and
the Body will appear fo vifibly, that if the latter be affe@ed with Pain, —
the neceflary Confequence of ObftruGions in the Fluids, the former foon lofes that Chearfulnefs which is naturally lefs interrupted, and may be _ better preferved, in Climates obnoxious to no fudden Viciflitudes of Wea. ther, from moift to dry, from hot to cold; for an even Temperature of the Air is‘beft adapted to fupport the (14) Body in that State which is
requifite -
‘This, in general, may be true, efpecially of thofe who are daily expofed to hard Labour, and confequently
fweat much : But, with regard to the white Inhabitants of this Mand, this fuppofed eigtiey is not fo great ; i iluters of every
; ; f equal Degree of Heat Cold, in a clofe Room, and a warm Bed ? However, it muft’ be owned, that fotalee Chindtcs So piss Inconveniencies ; they are yery improper for thofe Conftitutions which Tequire much bodily Exercife 3 for
it
Book 1. Yland of BARBADOS.
requifite to the due Exertion of the Animal Occonomy, and confe- quently, in fome meafure, of the rational Faculty.
Nor is the fudden Alteration, upon the Change of Wind and Weather, peculiar to the human Conftitution alone ; for other Animals feel the Viciflitudes of the Weather, efpecially in variable Climates. This is a Remark as early as the Time.of Virgil, which appears by the following Lines :
- . « Ubitempefas & cali mobilis humor
Mutavere vias, & Fupiter humidus Auftris
Denfat, erant que rara modo, & que denfa, relaxat. Vertuntur [pecies animorum, & pettora motus
Nune alios, alios, dum nubila ventus agebat,
Concipiunt. Hine ille avium concentus in agris,
Ex lete pecudes, & cvantes gutture corvi. . Guo. I. 416,
But with the changeful Temper of the Skies,
As Rains condenfe, and Sunfhine rarefies ;
So turns the Species of their alter’d Minds,
Compos’d by Calms, and: difcompos’d by Winds.
From hence proceeds the Birds harmonious Voice :
From hence the Crow exults, and frisking Lambs rejoice.
Thus far have we briefly endeavoured to account, from the Nature of the Climate, and the Mechanifm of the human Body, for that volatile Difpofition, fo peculiar to the Inhabitants of hot Climates : That Irafci- bility of ‘Temper, likewife, which is afcribed to them, is, in a great mea~ fure, the natural Confequence of the above-mentioned Difpofition ; for, as Water that is already hot, will, with’ a little additional Heat, boil over, fo when the Animal Spirits are in a high Flow, and the Will, by the Propenfity of long-rooted Habits, unhappily affifts, and is bent to gratify fome favourite Paffion, the Tranfition from a Degree of Sprightlinefs to Irafcibility is natural and eafy.
If we purfue this Argument a little further, it will appear more con- clufive by reafoning upon, and experimentally comparing the Correfpond- ency between artificial and natural Heat, and their fimilar Effects upon human Bodies.
This will, in fome meafure, anfwer to two different and oppofite Cli- mates: For Inftance, If, in very cold Weather, the Inhabitants of far Northern Countries drink fuch a Quantity of {trong {pirituous Liquors, as will caufe a free Circulation to the Blood, before almoft congealed with Cold, they will affume a fudden lively Chearfulnefs: Should they ftill
drink it cannot be taken without Danger of being furfeited.; nor is it le{s improper to Perfons who labour -under any Degree of Phrenfy or Madnefs, whofe periodical Fits, at the Full and Change of the Moon, return here with greater Violence than in a cold Climate: Yet, tho’ we enjoy, or may enjoy here, in general, by a regular Conduct, a more chearful Scene of Life, free from. the unequal Changes of Heat and: Cold ;° yet it muft be owned, that we are, in a great meafure, Strangers to thofe invigorating Starts of Livelinefs,
ge me Animal Spirits diffufe thro’ the whole Body in moderate frofty Weather, and a clear Air, in ngland.
igs
UG:
The Natural Fiiftory of the Book I.
drink on, they then hurry on the Blood, from a free to a rapid Motion : And if thefe are the natural Effedts of {pirituous Liquors in a very od Climate, what and how great muft they be in the oppofite Extreme r For the Velocity of the Blood, occafioned by the Warmth of the Climate, naturally attenuates and breaks the Cohefion of its Parts, hereby accele- rating its Motion to fuch a Degtee, as to raife a more than ordinary Flow of Animal Spirits : Thefe, in fuéh Cafés (as Experience teaches us), are too often, in moft Conftitutions, accompanied with an uncontroulable Flow of the irafcible Paffions of the Soul.
If we allow Horace to be a Judge of Nature, fuch frequent Obferva~ tions upon the Effeé of {trong Drink might give him the Hint to caus tion us againft the Excefs of it :
Tres prohibet fupra Rixarum metuens tangere Gratia.
Hor. Lib, II. Ode rg,
It might likewife give Birth to that frequent Cuftom of raifing Courage in common Soldiers, who often want nobler Motives to heroic Deeds, by giving them ftrong Liquors to heat their Blood immediately before an Engagement, that, by the Affiftance of fuch a borrowed Flow of Animal Spirits, they maybe the more refolute, and thoughtlefly ruth into the Heat of Battle, and ‘there a@ with an Intrepidity fuitable to fuch dangerous Circumftances ; for, as the fame Author elfewhere obferves,
Quis pop vina gravem militiam, aut pauperiem crepat ?
; Hor. Lib. f. Ode 18, Who in his Gups can feel the Weight Of Arms, or‘of a pinching State ?
Should the grave Behaviour of the Spaniards, compared with the Spright- linefs of the French, who live in 4 colder Climate, be brought as an Ar- gument againft what I have faid, it is eafily anfwered ; for perhaps the too grave Behaviour of the one, and the too volatile Difpofition of the other, may not be intirely conftitutional to either; for the one may be partly the Effe@ of cultivated Levity, as the rigid Deportment of the
_ other in Part the Improvement of an affected Gravity.
But, however this may be, another very natural and very convincing Reafon why the Inhabitants of fome of the very hot Parts of Spain are more liable to be penfive, melancholy, and teyengeful, than others, is, that the {corching Heat of the Sun is there of long Continuance : And as Heat, in general, produces that Difpofition which is called bili- ous, it increafes the oily Parts of the Blood, and renders them lighter, and mote moveable, by leffening their Tenacity : Then the other confti. tuent Parts become more piquant, and the Salts they contain are more achive, in proportion as the blunting Oil is attenuated,
The
Book I. Jland of BARBADOS,
The greater the Heat, the longer it is continued, the more obvious will its Effeéts be ; Livelinefs and Adtivity will be remarkable where this Difpofition is moderate, as it isin the We/?-India Mlands, which enjoy the Benefit of the Trade-Winds, and moift Vapours; but where fuch Breezes are wanting, long-continued Heat, fuch as they feel in Spain, is capable of abforbing every thin Fluid ; and, confequently, fuch a Difpo- fition of the Juices inclines to Penfivenefs, Referve, and often deliberate Revenge.
Add to this what I before hinted at, with regard to the We/-Indies, that Habits, efpecially fuch as have been early indulged to our depraved Nature, have a great Share in forming our future Condué in Life.
This leads me to obferve, that Children, in thefe We/-India Mlands, are, from their Infancy, waited upon by Numbers of Slaves, who, in their moft unwarrantable Condué& (unhappy for both!), are obliged to pay them unlimited Obedience ; and as, in thefe tender Years, their natural Appetites are flronger than their Reafon, when they have thus their favourite Paflions nourifhed with fuch indulgent Care, it is no Wonder, that by Degrees they acquire (unlefs happily prevented, or corrected, by the good Examples of Parents, or Education) an overfond and felf-fuf- ficient Opinion of their own Abilities, and fo become impatient, as well as regardlefs, of the Advice of others.
And, as this is a Matter of Faét, unhappily verified by numberlefs Inftances, it is not furprifing, if, in Minds thus early indulged in the Gra- tification of their Appetites, and’ too often undifciplined by the Reftraints of Education, we fometimes find the irafcible Paflion domineering, and infolently triumphing, over Reafon: Nor can fuch an Influence be wor- thy of Surprize, when we confider, that Habits and Cuftoms leave deep Traces, and lafting Impreffions, upon the more folid Structure. of the human Frame. :
_A notorious Inftance of this kind is mentioned by Heredotus, who fays, that, pafling by Pelufium, where there had been fought, many Years patt, a bloody Battle between the Perfians and the Egyptians, the Skulls of the Slain, on each Side, being ftill in different Heaps; he found, upon Trial, that a ftrong Blow could not eafily break thofe of the Egyptians, whereas thofe of the Perfians, by the conftant Warmth of their Turbants, fcarce ever feeling the Variety of the Seafons, were fo very tender, that they did not refift the leaft Blow.
From hence Herodotus (15) juftly attributes the Hardnefs of the Eg yp- tians Skulls to the Habit of that Nation, whofe Cuftom it was to fhave
E their
(15) Oddpa St piye cfov rvdiucv@ Re a Emxrxeapion BS yde ston mepinexupiioy yepls Exallepo i yah wax Tastn wecevfov (xwels fF Way Mecréay entdJo Ta area, df ex mplorn xd] apXas, erépeods dG ae Aiyuafion) ch fe PW Tepotev xcgaral ein acdevies ETH, wee, Gd Stres Ligo uérn Barser, Sie legviets* ade we Aiyorfior sre Sire kguest, os psyis av rio rakes SrappiEciasr alziv Se rere Toe taclov (4 tue 7” Cuadiiws Eweiller) O76 Aly S70 jz airing dad masSiav oped uct, Evpcivlae res neqards, H mess # Urry mayurdjas 73 oreey" revTe JS TET0 Hy TE Us) QuraKeERR, aA ridv Serr Atyurfiov 93 dv Tis traces iol]o garanghsadvlav dvOpdaroyy Teron je Ji) 7875 Ber abriov iqveds gopesiv Tes nepaads: Téiot de Tléponos OTs adevias goptyol, ati Tide oxintesgivos JE dpriie, aides tidpas 7s gopsov]es. Herod. Thalia, Cap. XII. Edit. Gale. :
3
14 The Natural Hiftory of the Book L their Heads often; and, by expofing them to the different Viciffitudes of Wind and Weather, their Skulls grew to an extreme Hardnels. @ ~The former Indians, and the prefent Englfb Inhabitants, being confi- dered, it will not te here improper to take fome Notice of the Bee and Difpofition of our Negroes, or black Inhabitants, employed ie cu os The Num- vating our Land :'Thefe are between Sixty-five and Seventy thoufand, tho ber of Ne- £.merly we had a greater Number: Yet we are obliged, in order to keep groes in the Vi g . Wand. yp a -neceffary Number, to have a yearly Supply from Africa. ~The hard’ Labour, and often the Want of Neceflaries, which thefe unhappy Creatures are obliged to undergo, deftroy a greater Number than are bred up here: Thefe new Slaves are chiefly brought from the Their dif Kingdoms of (16) Coromantee, Angola, (17) Whiddaw, Ebo, and Anamabw. tiveCoun- The farft of thefe, in general, are looked upon to be the beft for Labour, Kien keing, in fome meafure, inured to it in their own Country. _ We have had likewife formerly fome Slaves brought hither from the Tfland of Madagafcar : Thefe differ fomething from the Africans in the Colour of their Skins, being not of a Coal-black, but fomewhat inclined to the Tawny ; yet ftill a Degree blacker than the Indians. It hath perplexed the Learned to find out fome natural Caufe of the Negroes Complexion, fo remarkably differing from the reft of Mankind. The black Some have endeavoured to account for it, from the intenfe Heat of Colour of the Sun in thefe and fuch-like hot Climates: But this is fo far from being
Negroes
proved to true, that I have always obferved, that the Hair of thofe who are ex- é no . owing tothe pofed. to the Sun’s Heat, turns from a true black, to a brown reddifh
Heat of the Colour. As to the Blacknefs of the Negroes Skin, this reaches no deeper than the outward Curis ; for, when this peels off by being fcalded, or by any other Accident, the Part ever after remains white.
Neither can the extraordinary Curling of their Hair be owing to the Heat of the Sun; for the (18) Indians have always lank Hair, tho’ gene- rally expofed to its Heat. As to the Stature and Make of Negroes, excepting that a greater Number of them have their Nofes fhorter, and Lips thicker, than the Whites, 1 never could find out any extraordinary Difference: They are shape and generally ftrait-limb’d, which is occafioned, in fome meafure, by their
Stature of § i" i 6 Negroes. not lacing with Bandages their Children when young, according to the
too
_ €:6)° This Nation of Negroes, above all others, deprecate the divine Vengeance when it thunders.
_ (17) The Whiddaw and Angola Negroes are generally circumcifed. «© (18) The Jndians, tho’ they refemble A4u/attces in Colour, yet they are a diftinct Race, and far from deriving their Origin from a Mixture between a white Man and a black Woman ; for fuch a Mixture,which are called Adu/atioes, hath always very curled Hair, the Indians always lank and ftrong. A AMulatto Woman cohabiting with a d/ack Man, and the Children of thefe with Blacks likewife, their Defcendents, in three or four Generations, will gradually lofe their Copper-colour Complexion, and Length of Hair ; the former being almoft abforbed in the natural Blacknefs of the Negro Hue, and the latter lofes its borrowed Length, becoming weak, fhort, curled, and woolly : Likewife, on the contrary, if a Mulatto Woman is married to a white Man, and their Children continue to marry white People, their Complexion will be fo far bleached in about fix or feven Generations, as to terminate in what we call in England a Nut-brown Complexion. A
| few Generations further will lofe all Diftinctions in Colour, and the Quality of their Hair ; fo that the Whites
the Tndians, and the Blacks, differ not accidentally, but originally and really: And therefore, as thofe Men who pretend to account for the Origin of the Blacks, or Indians, -bring neither Proof nor Authority to ftrengthen their Opinions, thefe muft be looked upon at beft but uncertain Conjectures.
Book 1. land of BARBADOS. ce
too ufual Cuftom of a few of the white Inhabitants here, as well as the almoft univerfal Cuftom in moft Northern Countries, which not only prevents the free Circulation of the Blood, but is often the Caufe of unna- tural Diftortions of the Body.
The Negroes in general are very tenacioufly addicted to the Rites, Negroes Ceremonies, and Superftitions of their own Countries, particularly in fronsly a4 their Plays, Dances, Mufic, Marriages, and Burials (19). And even er Sa fuch as are born and bred up here, cannot be intirely weaned from thefe monic of Cuftoms : They ftand much in Awe of fuch as pafs for Obeah (20) Negroes, gate thefe being a fort of Phyficians and Conjurers, who.can, ‘as they believe,
not
(19) There are but few Negroes who believe that they die a natural Death, but rather that they are fafcinated, or béwitched. The Bearers, in carrying the Corpfe of fuch a one to the Grave, when they come oppofite to, or in Sight of the Houfe of the Perfon who is fuppofed to have bewitched the Deceafed, pretend to ftagger, and fay, that the Corpfe is unwilling, and will not permit them to carry it to the Grave, until it is fuffered to ftop near, or oppofite to, that Houfe : After this is complied with for a few Minutes, the Corpfe is, as they think, appeafed, and then the Bearers, without Difficulty, carry it to the Grave. If likewife, in digging a Grave, they find a Stone which they cannot eafily get out, they imme- diately conclude, that the Deceafed is unwilling to be buried there ; therefore they dig elfewhere, until they find a Place more propitious to the fuppofed Inclination of the Dead. Moft young People fing and dance, and make a loud Noife with Rattles, as they attend the Corpfe to its Interrment: Some Days after, efpecially on their Feafts, they ftrew at Night fome of the drefled Victuals upon the Graves of their ceeeatea: Parents, Relations, or Friends. Something like this Cuftom was obferved by the Romans, in their Feafts called Silicernia, at which Times there was a Repaft prepared for the Dead, at leaft in Honour of them, and laid on their Graves. ‘This appears from the following Words of Ovid de Fa/tis, Lib. IL. 5339 &e.
Eft honor & tumulis. Animas placate paternas, arvag; in extinétas munera ferte pyras. Parva petunt manes. Pietas pro divite grata eft Munere. Non avidos Styx habet ima Deos. Tegula projeétis fatis eft velata coronis ; Et fparfe friges, parcag; mica falis.
Tombs have their Honours too 3 our Parents crave y Some flender Prefent to adorn the Grave. : Slender the Prefent, which to Ghofts we owe : Thefe Pow’rs obferve not what we give, but how: t No greedy Souls difturb the Seats below. They only ask a Tile with Garlands crown’d, And Fruit, and Salt to fprinkle on the Ground.
(20) Thefe Obeah Negroes get a good Livelihood by the Folly and Ignorance of the reft of the Negroes. I fhall here infert one Inftance of their pretended Method of curing the Sick, which was performed upon a Negro Woman ; who, being troubled with Rheumatic Pains, was perfuaded by one of thefe Obeah Doétors, that fhe was bewitched, and that thefe Pains were owing to feveral Pieces of Glafs, rufty Nails, and Splinters of {harp Stones, that were lodged in the different Parts of her Body ; adding, that it was in his Power, if paid for it, to cure her, by extracting thefe from her through her Navel. Upon the Payment of the ftipulated Pramium, he produced his Magical Apparatus, being two Earthen Bafons, a Handful of different Kinds of Leaves, and a Piece of Soap. In one of thefe Bafons he made a ftrong Lather, in the other he put the bruifed Herbs ; then clapping thefe with one Hand to the Navel, and pouring the Suds by Degrees upon them, he ftroked the Parts moft affected with the other Hand, always ending towards the Navel: In a fhort time after, thrufting his Finger and Thumb into the Cataplafm of Herbs, he produced feveral Pieces of broken Glafs, Nails, and Splinters of Stones (which he had before artfully conveyed among the bruifed Herbs). As fuch a great Number extracted, was looked upon as an extraordinary Inftance of the Doétor’s great Skill, he unluckily demanded a farther Reward than what was ftipulated : But as the Woman’s Husband was one of thofe very few, who had no Faith in fuch pretended Cures, being accidentally knowing in fome of their Secrets, inftead of an additional Reward, he made him by Threats refund the Money he had already received, bidding him, if he was a Conjurer, find out by his Art fome Means of getting it again reftored to him.
Their Method of clearing themfelves from imputed Crimes hath a near Affinity to the bitter Water ufed among the ‘feos. In the latter Cafe, the Prieft took fome of the Duft of the Floor of the Taberna- cle ; and, mixing it with Water, he gave it to the Woman fufpected of defiling her Husband’s Bed, faying unto her, If thou haft gone afide to Uncleannefs with another, inftead of thy Husband ; then this Water, that caufeth the Curfe, fhall go’ into thy Bowels to make thy Belly’to fwell, and thy Thigh to rot: And the Woman fhall fay, Amen, Amen.- In like manner, the Negroes take:a Piece of Earth from the Grave of their neareft Relations, or Parents, if it can be had ; if not, from any other Graye. This being murals rere
ater,
16 The Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
not only fafcinate them, but cure them when they are bewitched by ren Their Su- And if once a Negro believes, that he is bewitched, the Notion is foftrongly rftition, ay Pa 2 cae ine : m" tiveted in his Mind, that, Medicines {eldom availing, he ufually lingers till (21) Death puts an End to his Fears, :
The Capacities of their Minds in the common Affairs of Life are but little inferior, if at all, to thofe of the Europeans. If they fail in fome Arts, it may be owing more to their Want of Education, and the De- preflion of their Spirits by Slavery, than to. any Want of natural Abili- ties; for an higher Degree of improved Knowlege in any Occupation would not much alter their Condition for the better.
That Slavery not only deprefles, but almoft brutalizes human Nature, is evident from the low and abje@ State of the prefent Grecians, when compared with their learned and glorious Anceftors.
Our Slaves, in their Mirth and Diverfions, differ according to the feve- ral Cuftoms of fo many Nations intermixed : However, all agree in this
Their Cu- One univerfal Cuftom of adorning their Bodies, by wearing Strings of
ftom of — Beads of various Colours, intermixed fometimes by the richer fort of
wearing 5 : ot ee
Strings of Houfe Negroes with Pieces of Money. Thefe Beads are in great Num-
pee Se bers twined round their Arms, Necks, and Legs. This Cuftom is not
and Arms. peculiar to the Inhabitants of Africa ; for we find it by the moft antient Account to be common in all Eaftern Nations, efpecially among the Fewifb Women, as early as the Patriarchal Age: And their Fondnefs for thefe Ornaments came at laft to fo great Excels, that we find it among the Crimes reproved by the Prophet L/aiah.
That they were likewife in Ufe among the Greeks, is evident from a Piece of Painting of above Seventeen hundred Years old, now in the curious Collection of Dr. Mead, where the Graces are reprefented in a Dance, having their Legs adorned with Bracelets, : iti
Thefe Slaves, in fome of their rude Dances to (22) Mufic ftill ruder, ufe Gefticulations very unfeemly and wanton ; at. other times, they have
eu -a. fort Water, they drink it, imprecating the divine Vengenace to infi@ an immediate Punifhment upon them ; but in particular, that the Water and mingled Grave-duft which they have drank (if they are guilty of the Crime) may caufe them to fwell, and their Bellies to burft. Mott of them are fo firmly perfuaded that it will-have this Effect upon the Guilty, that few, if any (provided they are confcious of the imputed Crime), will put the Proof of their Innocency upon the Experiment. This Cuftom, with the Ufe of Brace- lets, and the Circumcifion of fome Nations of Negroes, are the almoft only Inftances of this kind, wherein T find that thefe Inhabitants of Africa agree with the former ews, except that they likewife, in faluting their Friends and Acquaintance, often call them bythe Name of Brothers: This feems to be analogous -to the Cuftom of the antient Fews, who included Confanguinity, as well as Fraternity, in that Relation, We are Brethren, fays Abraham.to Lot ; whereas he was only his Nephew. So Facob told Rachel, that he was her Father’s Brcther. ‘The wearing of Ear-rings among the richeft of the Negroes, is likewife agreeable to the Cuftoms of fome of the antient Fews and Carthaginians : The former we find breaking their Far rings to make the molten Calf: and Plautus, in his Play called Penulum, taking notice of fome Ge thaginian Slaves, fays, that their Hands fhould be without Fingers ; one would think, becaufe they wore their Rings, in their Ears Re ep a O (21), When thefe Negroes die a natural Death, or efpecially when they deftroy themfel i that they fhall return to their own Country. It would be too grofs to patie Ghee they bee i Beal and to live there in their mortal Bodies : Therefore. we muft conclude, that they have fome Notion of th Immortality of the Soul ; and what they mean by their own Country is, that they fhall, after this Lif . enjoy the Company of their Friends and Relations in another World. rae “Ke, (22) The Inftruments they generally make ufe of in their Dances, are a Banjau, a Gambay,.and a
Drum, which they likewife call a Pump. ‘The latter is made of an hollow Trunk of Feet high, and about a Foot in Diameter, the Dimenfions of the Whole, more or et ees phon Np
over
Book L Lland of B AR B A D O S: Lz
a fort of Pyrrhic, or a Martial Dance, in which their Bodies are ftrongly agitated by skipping, leaping, and turning round,
Since I have made this Digreffion to treat of the Manners and Cuftoms of thefe Negroes, it may perhaps be expeéted, that I fhould confider the feveral Arguments for and againft making our Fellow-creatures Slaves.
But, without engaging in a Controverfy foreign to my Defign ; If we agree with the Civilians of the moft polifhed and learned Nations, shavery con- they are of. Opinion, that the Power of making Slaves is, and hath aia been, a natural Confequence of Captivity in War. As to the Slavery of thefe African Negroes, this Hardfhip is not fo unfupportable to them ; for they are very little better than Slaves in their own Country.
However, I will not prefume to determine how defenfible this Cuftom may be under a Chriftian Difpenfation ; but thus far may be faid, in favour of it, that by the beft Accounts we have from the Coaft of Guiney, antecedent to our. purchafing any Slaves, the feveral different Nations were fo very favage and barbarous, that they were at continual Wars with one another, and the greateft Mercy that was fhewn to the Conquered was to be put to fudden Death. Hence the Trees along the Sea-Coafts were daily to be feen horribly adorned with the Limbs and Heads of their vanquifhed Enemies. ’
Upon the Truth of this Suppofition, proved by repeated credible At- teftations, that thefe_4fricax Nations were, and are, fo inexorable to their Captives taken in War, will it not, with the fevereft Cafuift againft the Purchafe of Slaves, be of fomeWeight to confider, that if they are bought, and tranfported into Chriftian Settlements (without laying any Strefs upon taking away by this Means the Guilt of Murder from their Conquerors, or the Benefit that arifes to Mankind from their Labour), at leaft a few, among many Thoufands imported, may probably come to a better Know- lege of their Duty to God and Man.
I barely mention this Argument, and leave it to ftand or fall by its own Weight : Though to bring thefe in general to the Knowlege of the Chri- ftian Religion, is undoubtedly a great and good Defign, in Intention laudable, and in Speculation eafy ; yet I believe, for Reafons too tedi- ous to be mentioned, that the Difficulties attending it are, and I am afraid ever. will be, unfurmountable.
The only Happinefs, even in Temporals, that thefe poor Creatures meet with, is when they fall into the Hands of Mafters influenced by the Prin- ciples of Humanity, and the Fear of God: By thefe they are treated (though often their ill Behaviour deferves the contrary) with great Lenity. So true is the Saying of the Poet, in the moft literal Senfe :
F ---Ingenuas
over with a Goat’s or Sheep’s Skin. Jfdore, in his Origines, defcribes the Symphonia to be hollow like a Drum, and covered with Leather, which was beaten, or played upon, with a Stick or Quill.
From hence we may conclude, that the laft-mentioned Inftrument, in Ufe among our Negroes, hath a great Refemblance, if it is not the fame, with the Symphonia of the Antients ; for this W</f-Jndia Inftru- ment is always played upon with a Stick, or the Fingers.
18
Their Igno- rance in Religion compared with fome other Na- tions,
The Natural FHiiftory of the Book. I.
~----- Ingenuas didiciffe fideliter artes
Exmollit mores, nec finit effe feros. ae eee | Ovid. de Ponto, II. 9. 47-
T’ imbibe foft Arts, and yield to Learning’s Sway, Soon wears the Edge of Savagenefs away.
On the other hand, when they are fo unfortunate as to have Owners unpolifhed in their Manners, and infatiable of Riches (who, like the Egyptian Tyrants, require Brick without Straw, or, more literally, exa& fevere Labour from an hungry Belly, or a naked Back), they have f{carce a Gleam of Reft from hard Toils, and heavy Stripes, but whilft Sleep, with its fhort Interval, eludes the painful Scene, which muft again be renewed with the returning Dawn.
- Such Task-matfters (23) confider not, that Compaffion to the Mifera- Ele is a juft Debt ; and that this humane Difpofition, as Cicero juftly obferves, is not the Inftitution of worldly Policy, is not the bare Effeét of any particular Cuftom, but the univerfal Voice of Nature, whofe Dictates the Brave, the Generous, and the Good, in every Age, and in every Nation, hear and obey: For, although God fuffered the Children of I/rael to be made Slaves in Eg ypz, till fuch wholfome Severity recalled them to their Duty ; yet he brought Plagues upon the Eg yprians for their Cruelty and Inhumanity towards them.
The obvious and natural Inference that we may and ought to draw from fo many complicated Scenes of Mifery, in the Condition of fo many Thoufands of our Fellow-creatures (who are continually liable to the Infults of the Imperious, and the Lufts of the Debauched, and whofe own and their Childrens Childrens inceffant Labour will never be at an End, but with their Lives), is gratefully to acknowlege the Happinefs of living where neither our Lives nor Fortunes are at the Mercy of any tyrannical Oppreffor.
How happy, I fay, are we, when compared with the feveral Nations above-mentioned, whofe Ignorance in all Knowlege about Religion is fo great, that, in their original native Country, their Adoration is often paid to Grocodiles, Rivers, Snakes, and certain coloured Fowls !
Howfoever ridiculous the Cuftom of the Eg yptians may appear in worfhiping Beetles and Crocodiles, yet there is fome Shadow of Reafon at leaft of Excufe, to be given for this their Extravagancy ; for, as fhe Paflion of Fear is almoft univerfally predominant, as thefe Beetles came fome Years in great and numerous Swarms from Affyria into Egypt, and almoft.
(23) It feems by the following Paffage from Florace, that the Treatment of the Romans of their Slaves
was not lefs fevere, than that of the prefent Age ; for the Poet, puttin, Mena, P, A mind of his former Slavery, defcribes him thus : at z Hehe Freed-man, ie
Tbericis perufte funibus latus, Et crura dura compede. Hor. Epode 4.
Book I. land of BARBADOS. 19
almoft covered the Face of the whole Land, and, like their kindred Locufts, devoured every green Thing; and as the Crocodiles proved often very deftruétive to their Herds; the Egyptians therefore built Tem- ples and Altars to thefe, and worfhiped them, in Hopes, that either they, or the fuppofed Deity, who prefided over them, would be more propi- tious, and lefs hurtful, to them for the future.
It was upon the fame Principle that the polite Romans deified Fevers, and dedicated Temples to them. But it is hard to conceive, that there was any Good to be hoped, or Evil be dreaded, from an harmlefs black Snake, which was one of the Objeéts of Worthip among thefe Slaves, or from a parti-coloured Fowl, which was never thought by any other Nation to be even ominous, much lefs to have Qualities that would render it, to a reafonable Creature, the Object of divine Worfhip.
Here we fee the Effect of unaffifted Reafon ; and that it cannot, to the Bulk of Mankind, under fuch Circumftances, be a fufficient Guide to a reafonable Service towards God..
Indeed, fuch a Religion is fo void of improved Reafon, and {pecula- tive Thinking, that it furpaffeth the groffeft Apoftafies of the’ Jews, in their Imitation of the Egyptians, Syrians, and (24) Phanicians, fo much complained of by the Prophets J/aiah and Exebiel.
From the Difpofition and Manners of the Inhabitants, the next Thing The Nature that will naturally fall under our Confideration, will be the Nature of the°! %* 5°! Soil. ‘This chiefly is black, in low deep Lands, in fhallower Parts fome- what reddifh, on the Hills frequently of a whitith chalky marly Nature, and, near the Sea, generally fandy. F
By fuch Variety, Providence hath wifely adapted different Soils to the different Nature of the feveral Kinds of Trees, Shrubs, and Plants.
1 rt ts, Where
(24) Thefe, among the many Apoftafies of the J/-aelites, mentioned by the Prophets, ‘are elegantly de- feribed by the great and ingenious Mr. Adi/ton, who, {peaking of the Egyptian and Syrian Idols, fays, j
For thofe the Race of Mrael oft forfook
Their living Strength, and unfrequented left His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down
Lo beftial Gods ; for which their Heads as low Bow’d down in Battle, funk before the Spear Of defpicable Foes. Wath thefe in Troop
Came Afhtoreth, whom the Pheenicians cal’'d Aftarte, Queen of Heav’n, with crefient Horns ; To whofe bright Lmage nightly by the Moon Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs : In Sion, alfa, not unfung, where flood
Her Temple on th’offenfive Mountain built
By that uxorious King, whofe Heart, tho’ large, Beguil’d by fair Idolatreffes, fell
To Idols foul. Thammuz came next bebind: Whofe annual Wound in Lebanon allur’d
The Syrian Dam/els to lament his Fate
In am’rous Ditties all a Summer’s Day ;
While fmooth Adonis from his native Rock
Ran purple to the Sea, fuppos'd with Blood
Of Thammuz yearly wounded : The Love-Tale Infected Sion’s Daughters with like Heat ; Whofe wanton Paffions in the facred Porch Ezekiel faw, when, by the Vifion led,
His Eyes furvey’d the dark Idolatries
Of alienated Judah, ——— Paradife Loft, Lib. I. Ver, 432.
20-
Ti he Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
Where the Soil is black, as it imbibes the Rays of the Sun, and refle&ts few or none, there the circumambient Air is not near fo hot as where the Soil is fandy, or gravelly ; for moft, if not all Bodies, reflect the folar Rays, in proportion to their refpective Denfity and Smoothneds ; fo that by how much the more folid and polifhed the Particles of a fandy or gravelly Soil are, than black Mould, by fo much the more intenfe will the Heat of their Reflexion be. <i
It is owing to thefe refleéted Rays, and the Want of Moifture, that the Blades of Canes, as well as other Plants, are more apt to fcorch in fandy, or gravelly, than in a black Soil: And, as the Fertility of this, as well as others of the #¢/-India Ilands, depends upon {eafonable Rains, the long Chains of (25) Hills, interfperfed with deep Valleys, are therefore providentially fituated to the Eaftward of fome Parts of the Iland, to intercept the Clouds and Vapours: For, if the Wind, at Eaft, drives before it even a thin fcattered Cloud towards the Welt, this, as long as it is not augmented. by adventitious Exhalations, will hover in the Air ; but as foon as it comes oppofite to,, and as low as thefe Hills, the impelling Force of the Wind at Eaft, and the Refiftance of the now clofe oppofite Hills will compel thefe thin watry Veficles to coalefce and affociate into Drops ; by which means this thick Collection of Water becomes fo denfe,
‘that its Gravity is greater than the Strength of the Air in that Situation
can uphold, and it defcends therefore in refrefhing Rain ; but, when the Colleétion of Vapours is not fo great as to form Clotds, and if thefe are not raifed before the Cold of the Evening above the Height of the Hills and Clifts, being then deftitute of their chiefeft Caufe of Expanfion, I mean the Heat of the Sun, they then are compreffed, and defcend in foft Mifts upon the Earth ; yet in far greater Quantity, for the Reafons above- mentioned, upon the Sides of thefe refifting Hills to the Eaftward. It is partly from hence, and not intirely, as fome imagine, from the fuperior Excellency of the Soil, that particular Parts of Sz. Fofeph’s and St. Andrews Parifhes yield a more certain, and often better Increafe, than moft other Parts of the Ifland.
This is fo remarkably true in general, that it hath been obferved, that as long as the Wind blows oppofite to one Side of the high Mountains, near the Ganges, they have no Rain on the other Side, the Clouds being intirely broken by the Refiftance of thofe very high Hills. And, as the Winds in and near England blow near half the Year from the Weftward Points, it muft follow, that the Clouds and Vapours are, in a great mea- fure, carried that Way : If thefe, as in England, are in their Courfe inter-
cepted
(25) That a long Chain of Hills is very ferviceable to intercept the Clouds and 7 early as the Time of A%o/es; for, in his Defcription of the Lana Canaan, he ee eae aE Yael, The Land whither thou sf in to poffefs it, is not as the Land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, wh : thou wateredft thy Seed with thy oot, as a Garden of Herbs ; i.e. In Egypt (as the learned Dr. Shane Here Travels, obferves) the Zgyptians, for want of feafonable Rains, were obliged to water their Grou a a artificial Canals, which received the Waters upon the Overflowing of the Nile. But the Land hie is b 2 Poff ike a soe of jee a oa bik a peal Water of the Rain of Heaven; a Land Me bab
ora thy Goa careth for: The Lyes of the Lord t, od are always upon it fr SH of Bian fi the End of the Year. Deut. xi. 10, 11, 12. ys upon it from the Beginning of the Year even unto
Book I. Iland of BARBADOS, | 24
cepted by high Hills, they become more denfe, and confequently break into Rain or Mift. If they meet with little or no Refiftance, many of thefe thin fcattering Clouds pafs over an open champaign Country. It is, I believe} owing to this chiefly, that Picardy in France is lefs fupplied with Moifture, and confequently wants that grateful Verdure fo remarkable in Exgland. -
That thefe Hills are ferviceable in ftopping the flying Clouds from High Lands paling over the Ifland, is what is daily confirmed by Experience ; fore meee that Part of the Ifland called The Thickets, in St. Philip's Parith, being Clouds. low Land, and having no Hills, nor high Clifts to the Eaftward, to make any Refiftance to thefe Clouds, is often fcorched with great Drought, © when the middle and more hilly Parts of the Ifland are replenifhed with Rain.
It muft not from hence be concluded, that fuch Countries are intirely
deftitute of Rain, becaufe they have no Hills or Clifts to the Eaftward. I mention thefe only as Helps, to prevent fome low Clouds and Vapours from pafling over them ; for, if the general Caufe of the Defcent of Rain was the Refiftance made by the Hills and Mountains, there would be little or no Rain at a great Diftance from Land, which we are fure there is.
It will likewife perhaps be furprifing to thofe unacquainted with the Nature of the Soil of fome Parts of this Ifland, to hear, that in the moft hilly, which is called Scotland, confiderable Quantities of Land fhould tun away (as it is here termed), and become Part of a neighbouring Eftate.
Sometimes large Pieces of Ground planted with Canes, and even The Soil in Land with Plantain and Banana Trees growing upon it, have flid down riny See
to the Valleys from the Sides of the Hills. This happens in very rainy flides ee Seafons ; for, as the Soil upon thefe Hills is commonly not above Hight ae sie ies or Nine Inches deep, and of an oozy and foapy Nature underneath, it meetaneye eafily feparates from the next immediate Subftratum,- which is of a flip- pery Chalk, flat Stones, or loofe Gravel.
When the Soil flides in large Pieces, its Motion is lefs violent, than when it is confined in narrow Chafms in the Meeting of two Hills, efpe- cially if the Situation be very fteep ; for there the Colle@ion of Water being confiderable and heavy, inftead of gliding {oftly between the two Strata, it breaks out in different Places at once, and then runs down the Precipice a mingled Torrent of Earth and Water.
A remarkable Inftance of this kind happened fome Years ago in S¢. Andrew's Parith, where a large Garden, the Soil of a Potato-Garden, with its growing Produce, flid from the Side of a neighbouring Hill, and tichly covered the next Neighbour’s Land, fituated in the Vale below.
Another Inftance, fimilar to this, happened at an Eftate, now in the Poffeflion of the Reverend Mr. Reynold Fofer, where the greateft Part of a poor Tenant's Land, with all its Produce growing upon it, firft cracked, and then flid over the Clifts into the Sea ; but during the long Continu- ance of the fame Rain, in a few Hours afterwards, the adjoining Land of
G Mr.
22 | The Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
Mr. Fofter, being then planted with Canes, came tumbling pe, and richly fupplied the Place of the Soil fo lately wafhed off, and there re- mained. : The Violence with which the Land moves at fuch times, may be guef- fed at likewife from the following Inftance : A Cabbage-tree, of about Thirty Feet high, moved Roots, Soil, and all, feveral Feet from the Place where it grew; it moved in an upright Pofture, and remained fo upon the Settlement of the Soil, and continues to this Day to grow and flourith. This Tree is to be feen at Banana Hole, an Eftate in Sz. Fo/eph’s Parifh, belonging to Mrs. Warren, at the Black Rock. However fertile thefe hot Climates are, if refrefhed with feafonable Dews and Rains, and with the warm enlivening Rays of the Sun; yet it will {carce appear credible, at leaft to the Northern Inhabitants of the World (where the Vegetable Creation languifhes for near half the Year ; and, when the Sun fheds its benign Influence, is comparatively weak and faint), that in an Ifland, containing not above 106470 Acres of Land, there fhould ever have been near 70,000 b/ack, and 30,000 white Inha- bitants ; though at this Time, indeed, as I have obferved before, th Number is not quite fo confiderable. The reat What I fhall add will ftill appear more incredible (though upon good i Axe) ° ° 7 the Land, Grounds I affirm it); That if all the Valleys, and other Places fhaded from the Wind, were to be planted with Plantain, Banana, and Caffado Trees, and the open level Land with Yams, Potatoes, Eddoes, Corn and Pulfe (efpecially Pigeon-peas), and a fufficient Number of Cattle was kept to provide Manure, this fmall Ifland alone, without any foreign Affiftance, would, in feafonable Years, produce a Sufficiency of fuch Food to maintain more than the (26) Number of its prefent Inhabit- ants. ; i abe pune From hence we may learn not to wonder at, nor disbelieve what is faid of the Chil. in Scripture of the Fertility of the Holy Land, and the numerous Armies ore ee brought into the Field by the Children of I/rac, Though their fettled ble. Kingdom from Dan to Kade/b, upon the Northern Boundaries of Arabia Petra, wasnot above One hundred and Twenty Miles long, and in Breadth, from (26) Romulus allowed every Roman but Two Acres of Land (which were much lef than th i bs fure) in even a Winter Country. How much more fruitful an ee in this Ifland is, hanes will appear by the following Calculation : An Acre of Land defigned for Yams hath generally three thoufand one hundred Holes dug in it. This planted in the Beginning of July, with Five hundred Weight of {mall Yams, _ will come to their Maturity, and be fit to be dug up the latter End of December or th Beginning of ‘Zanvary, and will yield Two Pounds and Three Quarters Weight of Yams from every Hol : ‘This is a Computation fo very fmall, that the Inhabitants often dig Four, Five, or Six Pounds, more a whic Ihave mentioned: However, by this very low Calculation, anAcre.thus planted (befides the fmall Yam ie Seedlings, equalling the Weight of what was planted) will produce a Sufficiency for Five Men a hole ‘Year, allowing each Man Four Pounds of this kind of Food a Day ; fo that Twenty-feven thoufand A aK *of the prefent beft Cane Land, planted in Yams, would produce yearly a Sufficiency of this kind sae above Allowance, for One hundred and Thirty thoufand Men, which is above the Number of its mitre Inhabitants. After the above-mentioned Quantity is fubtracted from the Whole, there will remai S pene nine thoufand Four hundred Acres, which (except what the Buildings, Orchards, and other Conk eventy- take up) may be planted, fome in Corn and Pulfe, and the reft left for Pafturage, which ‘Guanticy willie more than fufficient to raife Cattle for Manure, and other Ufes : Befides, there might be Taifed Be tHe
moft barren Part a great Number of Sheep and Goats ; and the whole Land, th: i would be open for other Provifions, fuch as Potatoes and Pulfe, for above Six Months Ay ie auel aed
Book I. land of BARBADOS.
from the Mediterranean Sea to the Defart on the Eaft, about Eighty ; yet, when Yoab numbered the Children of I/rael, they were found to be Thirteen hundred thoufand fighting Men, befides Women and Children.
The great Fertility, and prodigious Growth, of Vegetables in warm Climates, when compared with the Northern Parts of the World, is almoft incredible ; at leaft, it will appear to be fo to thofe who are unac- quainted with the Nature .of Vegetation. \
This will be made more evident, when we come to defcribe the Plan- tain-tree, and the great American Aloe; nor will it be le& agreeably furprifing to find, that thefe hot Climates are far from being uninhabita- ble ; for the Heat is daily cooled by the conftant Breezes of Wind, which at the Sun’s firft Rifing gently fan the Air, and increafe in Strength in proportion to the active Influence of the Sun’s Heat, till towards Even- ing, when the folar Heat is abated, thefe refrefhing Gales, generally fpeak- ing, die away.
The Conftancy, Regularity, and Gentlenefs of the Wind, efpecially in what we call the Winter Months, the Serenity and Clearnefs of the Air, the continued Verdure of Trees, diverfified with Variety of Objects of Art and Nature, all terminating in and furrounded with the Sea, may be compared, with fome {mall Allowance, to Homer’s beautiful Defcrip- tion of the Plains of Memphis, near the Acherufian Lake.
: ” Ou mgelos, ux” ctp sete morus, bre el onp@e* "AAW ater Zepupoto Aujuaverovlas anras > \ Suen b > t ? ‘ Queavos avinaw averveey cvbpaaouse
Stern Winter fmiles on that aufpicious Clime > ~
The Fields are florid with unfading Prine.
From the bleak Pole no Winds inclement blow ;
Mold the round Hail, nor flake the fleecy Snow :
But from the breezy Deep the Bleft inhale The fragrant Murmurs of the We eftern Gale. Pops.
The beautiful Profpeéts from feveral Hills to the Vales below, efpeci- ally from the Top of a {mall Hill, near the Honourable Fobn Dottin’s Eftate, from another in Batten’s Eftate, and from Brigs’s Hill, are not perhaps inferior to that fo celebrated Profpe& from the Top of Mount Tabor towards the fpacious Valley of E/draelon, and the Mediterranean Sea. __Nor ought we here to negleé& the Defcription of Hachleton’s Clift, where Nature at one View difplays a great Variety of furprifing Profpedts. Here the high impending Rocks yield a dreary rueful Appearance : The feveral deep Chafms below, over which they projeét, are imbrowned with the thick Foliage of lofty Trees. The adjacent fteep Declivity is crouded with irregular Precipices, and broken Rocks ; the whole View terminating in the tempeftuous Sea, over whofe craggy Shores the foaming Waves inceffantly break.---All folemnly awful, if not horrifying Scenes! except when the Eye is relieved by a Glimpfe, or fometimes a full Sight, of the
neighbouring
23
24
The Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
neighbouring Plantations. To complete this uncommon Contraft, adeep rapid River runs through the Valleys at the Bottom of thefe Precipices 5 which, tho’ in the dry Seafons it is almoft without Water ; yet eae the rainy Months of June, July, and Auguf, it often overflows its higheft Banks ; and its then irrefiftible Courfe may juftly be {aid to anfwer Florace’s Defcription of the River Tiber in a Storm.
oc Rae ss = = ~ Cetera Fluminis Ritu feruntur, nunc medio alveo Cum pace delabentis Etrufcum In mare ; nunc lapides ade/as, Stirpe/q; raptas, & pecus, & domos V olventis una, non fine montium Clamore, vicineg;, five, Cum fera diluvies quietos Lrritat amnes.
Like Tiber’s {mooth and glafly Face, When gently rolling to the Main ; Life fometimes glides with a foft Pace, Unvanquifh’d with the Edge of Pain. Like Tiber, oft ’tis in a Roar, When his rough Billows lath the Shore ; Rocks, Trees, and Cattle, down are borne, And Domes from their Foundation torn ; Huge Mountains found, as well as Woods; _ And all around the Plains are Floods.
As the above-mentioned ftupendous Clifts are intirely impaflable for many Miles, except by Three narrow Chafms hewed through the Rocks, where Ten Men can refift a Hundred ; this, with their Vicinity to the Sea, reminds me of Mr. Giover’s beautiful Defcription of the Streights of Thermopyle. - + - = - There the lofty Clifts
Of woody Octa overlook the Pals ; ‘And far beyond, o'er half the Surge below, _ Their horrid Umbrage caf. - - - = Lzonipas.
_ This Place is ftill more melancholy, if we caft our Eyes upon the feveral Catacombs, which on our firft Settlement in this [land were du out of the Rocks in the Side of this Clift, where lie the Remains & Hele who, like the Patriarchs of old, procured to themfelves Places of Relt a
‘The Antients, efpecially Ariforle, were of Opinion, that the Tora Zone was uninhabitable, by reafon of its fuppofed great Heat; but. when we confider the almoft conftant Regularity of the Trade-Winds 7
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Book I. land of BARBADOS. 25
and Weather, and the quick Return of Night, with its moift Vapours, we cannot be at a Lofs to conceive how thefe otherwife hot and fultry Regions, near the Equator, are by this Means rendered not only habi- table, but pleafant ; and, as the Inhabitants are not liable to fudden The Mand
Changes from Heat to Cold, they not only enjoy a great-Share of Health, ppeiny but likewife live to an advanced old Age. from the
5 5 f L it There are now alive (and moft of them in a tolerable good State of of feme em
Health) within Three Miles round, in a Country-place, Part in $2. Lucy's the Inhabit- Parifh, and Part in S¢. Peter’s, Eleven Women, and One Man, whofe Age,
added together, make a Thoufand and Five Years. We have likewife, in
the Ifland, Three Perfons, whofe Ages, being added together, amount, by
the beft Computation that can ke made, to near Three hundred Years.
Pifo, in his Account of Brafil, fays, that feveral of the Natives there live, fome to an Hundred, others to an Hundred and. Fifty Years : Yet I beg Leave to diffent, with regard to the Certainty of it, from that great Man, however a Man of Veracity in other refpeéts ; for neither the Jn- dians upon the Continent of America (at leaft the different Nations that I knew), nor the native Negroes of Africa (as far as I could learn by the moft ftri& Inquiry from fuch of them as have been naturalized in thefe Colonies), have any certain Method of reckoning their Years; nor of the latter is there one of an Hundred that can give you any tolerable room to guefs at their Age, unlefs fomething very remarkable happened when they were young, to leave a lafting Impreflion upon their Minds,
When I examined a very old Perfon about her Age, all that fhe could remember was, that fhe was a very lufty Girl when the great Hurricane happened.
This indeed was an #ra remarkable enough ; for of all Storms called Hurricanes, Hurricanes, which, in Truth, are inexpreflibly violent (though not fo fre- ma quent in their Returns here, as it is imagined in Europe), that which happened in Barbados, on the 31ft of Auguf? 1675. was not inferior, in its deplorable Confequence, to the Earthquake which happened at Jamaica (27); for it left neither Houfe nor Tree ftanding, except the few that were fheltered by fome neighbouring Hill or Clift.
Some Hours before the Storm began, the Heaven was overcaft with thick Clouds, of a black reddifh Hue; the Air calm, but fultry ; and the more it loft its expanfive Force (which before buoyed up the watry Par- ticles in a difperfed State), the clofer the Clouds condenfed, and the blacker they appeared.
H The
(27) In the terrible Earthquake at Jenaicd, which happened on the 7th of June 1692. the Sand in the Streets moved in Heaps, like the Waves of the Sea ; then on a fudden the Earth opened in feveral Places, and {wallowed in whole Rows of Houfes with their Inhabitants. The remaining few knew not whither to fly ; for Deftruction was on every Side. As the Earth opened and clofed with a yery quick Motion, feyeral Hundreds of the Inhabitants were abforbed alive ; others jammed in the clofe Fiflures, fome up to their Necks, fome to theirWaifts ; and others had their Legs and Thighs broken in thefe Yawn- ings of the Earth, which were fo numerous, that a Gentleman reckoned above Two hundred open in a very fhort time. The Sea was in fuch ftrong convulfive Motions, that in almoft an Inftant it receded back near a Mile, and as quick returned to its former Bounds. A large Mountain, not far from Port Morant, was quite fwallowed up, and the Place where it ftood is now become a large Lake of about Four Leagues over. Vide Phil. Tranf. Vol. Il. p. 411.
26
The Natural Fiftory of the Book I. began, the ‘Wind
The Afternoon, when the Violence of the Storm re ETRE was high and varying, almoft in an Inftant, to every (2 8) P. oS a fal Compafs ; but fettled chiefly. at North, being attended with area Rain, Thunder, and Lightning, ‘eh Pankss
The Sea, where not guarded with high Clifts, overflowed its anks, in fome Places, above an Hundred Yards.
The Day-light, while it lafted, as Milton exprefies it,
Serv'd only to difcover Sights of Woe;
*
for there was nothing to be feen but one rueful Spectacle of almoft uni- verfal Ruin. i
If one looked in to the Land, Behold, Darkne/s, and Sorrow, and the Light was darkened in the Heavens thereof. ;
The Night, as it came on, was ufhered in with an almoft continued
rumbling Noife in the Air, with the Increafe of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning ; efpecially the latter, which now with redoubled Force, darted not with its ufual fhort-lived Flafhes, but in rapid Flames, skim- ming over the Surface of the Earth, as well as mounting to the upper Regions.
The next (29) Morning, when the Storm was abated, the whole Ifland afforded a lively, but terrible, Idea of the Tenth Egyptian Plague of old ; for there was {carce a Houfe but lamented one dead in it, or in general fomething equal, or worfe. ;
Several Families were intirely buried in the Ruins of their Houfes; and there were few that efcaped, but with the Lofs either of fome Rela- tion, Friend, or Acquaintance.
Thefe,
(28) There was not an Houfe left in Speights Town, whofe Roof was not blown off. i above the Town, at an Eftate, now in the Poffeflion of Mr. Andrew Derry, whofe Ree eae Fates off, the Violence of the Wind was fo great, that he and_his Bride, up one Pair of Stairs (being married but that Evening), were carried from their Bed by the Force of the Wind, and thrown into a prickl Pimploe-Hedge ; in which uncomfortable Situation, they were both found next Morning unable e aftit themfelves. Likewife one Humphry Waterman, then an nfant, was found as foon as the Storm ‘was ov: with his Arm broken, and in that Condition fucking his dead Mother, killed by the Lightning or Sto a
There are many Inftances that might be given of the great and deftructive Force of SiSheE 3 eff eciall Bee which ines ig a Repos Cambyfes, which was fo violent, that it raifed the Sand in the De art between Egypt and Ethiopia, fo as to cover and ; F 4 eat woh were intended lett the Exhiopians. oo pee tees SHY SoRae Ob Fifty thoufand
n the above-mentioned Hurricane in this Ifland, there were Seve illed i ; that Part of the Ifland called Scotland. I have thefe Informations fon aan Pots fecacericnte, he Ifand, and who were, at the time of the Hutricane, of fufficient Age both to remember. it oat aie Remarks on, the Violence of the Storm, and the Occurrences that then happened 2, Ane make thels
(29) It is here reported, that, during this Hurricane, one Mrs. Grosme, a Midwife in S ig? Parifh, living upon the Eftate of Mr. Thomas Hardin, endeavouring to go from her Dwelli in St. PLilp’s houfe, was fnatched up by a Whirlwind, and carried through the Air to a great Diftan she pate where fhe was found many Hours afterwards grafping the Roots of a large Tree newl tee om Home,
Thofe here, who believe this Relation, urge, in favour of their Belief, that heed rary ae Inftances of as great Storms, which have been frequent at Rome, at Capua, at Lavini Rep Ae damit Places of Tia. See Dicerts Siult, Vol Tl, Lib. XU, a ‘um, and feveral other
owever, I leave the Reader at Liberty to judge for himfelf, Probability, and whether any fimilar Tnltence® fon good autho Pate confirm it ? v
Inftance is confiftent wi nfiftent with be brought to countenance, if nog
| | BookI. Sand of BARBADOS.
Thefe, and fuch-like Storms, when compared with the moft remark- able ones, defcribed by Heathen Authors, either in Profe or Verfe (30), are infinitely more furprifing and dreadful ; for, when the Almighty, in thefe terrible Vifitations, rideth upon the Wings of the Winds, when he maketh the Darkne/s bis Pavilion, then it may be faid without a F igure, that he taketh up the Mountains in a Balance, and the great Deep as the Drops of a Bucket : Not the Tops of Rhodope, or the Ceraunian Hills, alone are torn ; it is not thefe alone that skip like Lambs, nor is it the River Yordan only that flies back, but Hills upon Hills fink into Valleys, and the Bottom of the great Deep uncovers, and ftarts into Land, at his angry Nod. The Foundations of the Earth fhake, and the Pillars of Heaven are aftonifhed, at his Rebuke. Lo/ thefe are but Part of bis Ways. How little a Portion is beard of him !
The fudden fhifting of the Wind, in thefe and fuch-like Hurricanes, to the feveral Points of the Compafs, may be juftly compared to /; irgil’s
beautiful Defcription of a Storm, in the following Words :
7 > > = > => Ae venti, velut agmine fatto, Qua data porta, ruunt, & terras turbine perflant. Incubuere mari, totumg; a Jedibus inus Una Eurufg; Notufq; ruunt, creberg; procellis Africus ; & vaftos volvunt ad littora fiutius. fEn. I. 86,
The huddled and tumultuous Band of Winds
Sweeps o’er the Earth, and a wide Portal finds :
Then broods upon the Deep; and in their Turns
South, Eaft, and Weft, with eddying Fury burns : They
(30) As the moft celebrated Defcription of a Storm is that of Virgil’s, it will not perhaps be improper to infert it in his own Words: G. I. 322.
Spe etiam immenfum ccelo venit agmen aquarum, Lt feedam glomerant tempeftatem imbribus atris
i Collette ex alto nubes: ruit arduus ether, Et pluvid ingenti fata leta, boumg; labores Diluit : implentur faffe, && cava flumina crefiunt Cum fonitu, fervetg; fretis fpirantibus aquor. pfe Pater, media nimborum in notte, corufea fulmina molitur dextra ; quo maxima motu Terra tremit ; fugére fere, &$ mortalia corda Per gentes humilis firavit pavor : Ile fagranti 4ut Atho, aut Rhodopen, aut alta Ceraunia telo Dejicit : ingeminant Auftri, & denfiffimus imber : Nunc nemora ingenti vento, nunc littora plangunt.
Oft from above defcend a Troop of Floods : ’
Oft gather from the Deep the thick’ning Clouds ; Down ruth the Skies, and with impetuous Rain
Wath out the Ox’s Toil, and fweep away the Grain. The Dikes are fill’d ; no Bounds the Torrent Keep 5 And with the breathing Surges boils the Deep. Amidft a Night of Clouds, his glite’ring Fire,
And rattling Thunder, hurls th’eternal Sire.
Far fhakes the Earth; Beafts fly ; and mortal Hearts Pale Fear dejects: He, with refulgent Darts,
Or Rhodope, or Atho’s lofty Crown,
Or fteep Ceraunia’s Clifts, ftrikes headlong down.
The Rains condenfe ; more furious Aufter roars :
Now with vaft Winds the Woods, now lathes he the Shores,
27
28
The Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
They roufe the loweft Waves, that flept before, And heave huge Billows tow’rds the lab’ring Shore.
As thefe quick Tranfitions of the Wind to the feveral cardinal ee is a notorious Matter of Fat, with refpeét to Hurricanes, how inexcu nc able muft thofe be, who, without any Inquiry, ridicule the pane ° a Storm in the Book of Fob; becaufe the Author makes the Storm to a ect the Four Corners of the Houfe, as if it were at once! which indeed is no lefs a true, than an elegant Defcription, of fuch a Storm.
It is obferved, that the Glare of Lightnings is, in general, more expanded in thefe hot, than in Northern Climates. ‘This is undoubtedly occafioned by the greater Rarefaction of the Air near the Equator. However, in Yimes of violent Hurricanes (if of any long Continuance), the Rapidity of the Wind and Rain prefles on, and forces a prodigious Quantity of heavy Air in the room of the more rarefied, which is obliged to fly upwards, and to give way: Then the Atmofphere becomes as much condenfed, during the Storm, as in any Northern Climate: And therefore the Light- ning, being more clofely prefled by fo thick a Medium, would appear, and in reality be, more compaét, than when lefs refifted by the common mofe rarefied Air. It is chiefly owing to this, with a {mall Allowance for the Confternation and Fear that the Inhabitants were then poffeffed with, that we can in fome meafure reafonably account for their defcribing the then Lightnings to be fo very uncommon to them, as to appear like fo many Wedges or Bolts of Fire in the Air.
I am of Opinion, that all Hurricanes begin in variable Climates ; other- wife we fhould not in all Probability have here any fuch Storms at all ; for as the Air is very much rarefied near the Equator, its Particles are at a great Diftance from one another, and confequently a& with a lefs Force and Struggle, than when «nearly comprefled between a thicker Medium. This (ceteris paribus) may be evidently feen by the great Power of Air pent up in a Wind-Gun, which will force Leaden Bullets through an Half- inch Deal-toard ; fo that where-ever the Particlesof Air are moft compreffed together, there the greater will their Struggle be to expand, or dilate. Hence all fuch variable Climates will be more liable to Storms. We may likewife add, that the nearer any of our Wef-India Hlands is to the main Land, whofe Mountains near the Shore are very high, if the Storm blows upon the Ifland from the oppofite Point ; for laftance If it comes from the North-eaft ; and the adjacent Continent, oppofite to that Point, rifes with very high Lands (the Storm meeting with this Refiftance, and being ftill violently prefled againft the Sides of thefe Hills); the remaining Particles of rarefied Air will, according to their Nature, mount upward, leaving the lowermoft ftill more condenfed ; and as every Particle of Air hath an elaftic Quality, the greater the Number is of thefe that are compreffed together, their uni
Pp gether, their united Force
will
Book L. land of BARBADOS,
will with greater Power recoil ; fo that the Storm, being thus ftopped in its Courfe, will more violently blow, as well as laft longer.
Some flight Earthquakes have been likewife felt in this Ifland ; but pro- bably not fo much here as in the neighbouring Iflands of Sz. Vincent’s and St. Lucy’s, where there are burning Mountains, that have at times vomited Fire (tho’ not of late Years); and where there is a great Quan- tity of crude Brimftone to be found in the Neighbourhood of their Volcano’s. The Hurricanes are much lefs frequent of late Years ; nor hath there appeared any thing like one in this Ifland, fince the Year (31) 1731. which blew from the Eaft and North-eaft.
All the Ships were driven out of the Harbour ; but there was not much Damage received, except on Shore, where feveral Houfes were thrown down, and fome large Trees torn up by the Roots.
From thefe loud ones, let us take a View of the more filent Strokes of the Almighty’s Hand, whereby he neverthelefs afferts his Kingdom over all the World, I mean the Difeafes peculiar to this and fome neigh- bouring Iflands.
(31) The Violence of this Storm was fuch, that it covered, near Bridge Town, a Shoal at a {mall
Diftance from the Land, oppofite to Colonel Hilary Rowe’s and Mr. Waldron’s Houfes, of near Two hundred Yards long, Twenty broad, with a Bank of Stones Four Feet thick: Thefe adventitious Stones have
been fince partly wathed off by high Tides, and partly carried away for Ballaft, or to be burnt into Lime.
by the Inhabitants.
The End of the First Boox.
29
renee da
APSA nleets
NATURAL HISTORY
(OF) MP ISEIo,
Ifland of BARBADOS.
BOOK IL.
oe the Difeafes peculiar to this and the neighbouring Iflands.
ZT is the Opinion of many great Men, that’ the Almighty never fhews his Power by infli@ing Dif eafes, or even great Inconveniencies, peculiar to any certain Part of the World, but at the fame time he difplays forth his Gueanens in providing fome extraordinary Remedies. If Eg ype is often denied refrefhing (1) Rains, its Dews defcend not
g Osea only, like thofe of Hermon, upon the thirfty Plains, but ae idles ttl Nile alfo is commanded more plenteoufly to fupply that Blefling from his copious Urn. When he hath thus fertilized the Earth, his Waters recede within their former Bounds, and return not again till the flated Periods, to cover the Land ; fo that if this Part of the World is fometimes vifited with.Fevers far more acute than any known in the Northern Parts (the Plague excepted), I make no doubt but indulgent Providence
(1) This muft be underftood chiefly of Upper Egypt.
32 The Natural Hiftory of the Book I.
Providence hath provided Plants, Minerals, &c. in the fame Cas we upon a thorough Search into their Qualities, are capable of affording no only great Relief, but alfo moft effe@tual and fpecific Remedies. r
That they are not already found, ‘is rather an Argument, that we is not been fufficiently inquifitive, than that there are no fuch Plants endue with thefe Virtues. < :
TheHeatof ‘The feveral Difcoveries that have enriched the Materia Medica plainly
futiimeat thew, that the Virtues of Plants and Minerals are inexhauftible. And
mesuices. we may likewife obferve, that the Heat of the Sun in thefe hot Climates
wis fo intenfe (efpecially upon thofe Plants which grow fheltered from the Wind), that it fublimates their Juices, Salts, and Spirits, to a far greater, Degree of Perfection, ‘than a chemical Fire,~ by its inconftant Heat, can poflibly effect. ;
Hence it is, that the moft valuable Gums and Balfams are brought from hot Climates. Witnefs that of Gilead and Peru. ’
It is obferved by the ableft Praditioners in Phyfic of this Ifland, that Peripneumonies and Pleurifies are almoft the conftant Attendants of the Change of Wind, if of any Continuance, from the true Trade-Wind, efpe- cially to a fultry South-weft Wind.
The Difference of Purity between this and our Trade-Wind, is eafily difcovered ; for the South-weft Wind blows from a very hot moift Part of the Continent of America, which is not above 254 Miles diftant from this Ifland: And as this is by far hotter than our ufual Air, it adds too great a Relaxation to the Animal Syftem. feeds 3 ;
ie ee This, with the different Degrees of Circulation in all the Juices (which ftitutional fuch a Difference in the Air muft caufe), gives Birth to various Difeafes : eens, nh- Whereas the Trade-Wind, by its Frequency, or ‘rather by its Conftancy, _is not only conftitutional to the Inhabitants, but it is in itfelf purer than the other, becaufe it blows upon the Ifland at Eaft-north-eaft ; and as the neareft Part of the Continent, upon that Point, is 3127 Miles from us, the Air muft be far colder by paffing over fo much more Water,
than the South-weft Wind, and confequently more wholfome.
The learned Dr. Mead, in his Treatife de Pefie, obferves, that it was the Opinion of Hippocrates, that the Conftitution of the Air that prece- ded peftilential Fevers, was mixed with great Heats, much Rains, and Southerly Winds. And Galen takes notice, “ that no other than a moift “ Air brings the Plague.” Lucretius is of the fame Opinion, in his admira.. ble Delcription of the Plague of Athens. “ Thefe Difeafes, fays he, either “* come from the Air, or rife from the Earth.” ic
- - - - Ubi putrorem bumida nafta of, Lntenpeflivis pluviifg, & folibus ia.” : Lucrer. Lib. VI, Ver, 1098.
In
Book I. land of BARBADOS.
In or about the Year 1741. a great Number of Dogs ran mad; and I obferved, that the Temperament of the Air, for many Months before, was very hot. In this Seafon, a great Number of Cattle, being bit by thefe Dogs, ran mad likewife.
I cannot here omit inferting a very lucky unexpected Cure of a mad Cow, kelonging to lurdifs Fordan, Efg; in Sz. Lucy’s Parith. When found to be mad, fhe was confined ; but as the ufual Symptoms, attend- ing that terrible Diftemper, appeared more and more, and fhe growing to extreme Madnefs, the Owner determined to deftroy her ; but as the
was a favourite Beaft, her Doom was refpited till he had tried the fol-.
lowing Experiment.
Having thrown her down upon a Dunghil, he dire@ed his Slaves to keep, by Force, her Mouth open, whilft he poured by Degrees down her Throat a large Pailful of cold Water. Ina fhort time after, fhe began to feed, and in about Twenty-four Hours drank Water as ufual, fully reco- vered, and remained {o.
As this is a Matter of Fad, fufficiently attefted by that Gentleman, and his Family, I make no Apology for inferting it: Indeed I fhould have been inexcufable, if I had omitted fo extraordinary and furprifing a Circum- ftance ; for who knows but indulgent Providence may at laft point out fome Remedy againft fo dreadful a Calamity, and that the fame Method may be of Service towards the Cure of the human Species ?
- It appears to me, at leaft, probable ; for even Nature, in Inftances not intirely diffimilar, points out fomething like this : Thus, when the Stomach is overloaded, it generally makes many Efforts to relieve itfelf by Vomits, which, when affifted by Art, prove often an effe@ual Remedy: And as we find, that the miferable Patient, when affliGed with this Diforder, hath an ardent Defire of Water, though the Nature of the Diftemper is fuch, that it will not permit him to drink ; therefore, if, in this Cafe, a confider- able Quantity of Water were forcibly poured down his Throat, perhaps it would be of great Service ; for as the Poifon is of a very hot Nature, which appears by the violent Thirft it caufes, it is more than probable, that fuch a Quantity of cold Water, mixing with the Virus, would, at leaft, abate its Force, till Sudorifics, or other Medicines, had time to expel and throw off the Poifon by Perfpiration, or otherwife : That fome Poifons, of an hot Nature, ac lef vigoroufly in Cold, than when affifted with Heat, is evident, from the more dangerous Confequence of the Bite of Scorpions and Vipers in Italy, and elfewhere, in an hot Summer Seafon, than in moderate cold Weather.
As the Exgli/b Phyficians are no lefs remarkable for their Humanity, than Skill and Judgment, it is to be withed, that thefe ingenious Gentlemen would (in Pity even to the dumb Creation, as well as to their Fellow- Creatures) try this Experiment firft on Beafts 3 which if fuccefsful, it might likewife be of Service to the human Species, under fuch deplorable Circumftances.
K From
Vo
34 : The Natural Hiftory of the Book If. From this feeming Digreffion, let usreturn to obferve, that the Dry nt = ach (fo called from its affe@ting that Part of the Body with great Coltive- - nefs and Pain) was formerly much more frequent and fatal, than it hath been of late. Diftillers of Rum, and Boilers of Sugar, and Overleers, were chiefly fubje@ to it; the firft (who are generally of the poorer Sort), from immoderately drinking new hot Rum ;_ the fecond and third, from taking Cold, after fweating in hot Boiling-houfes, and drinking very {trong Punch, or almoft as ftrong (2) Cowow, or (3) Mobby. This Diftemper is likewife faid to arife from Grief and Trouble of Mind ; and fometimes it hath been thought to be epidemical. 4 | The Belly- After it hath for fome Days affli@ed the Patient with intolerable Pains Symptoms. in the Belly, Coftivenefs, with voiding little Urine, and that like Mum, the Breath ftinking very offenfively, the Pains are frequently tranflated to the Limbs, attended fometimes with an intolerable Pricking and Burning in the Feet ; at other times, great Pains in the Stomach arife ; and then the Patient hath Epileptic Fits, which often relieve the Pains, but weaken and impair the Ufe of the Limbs.
When the Difeafe becomes inveterate, the Patients grow hoarfe, and _ lofe their Voice, coveting Anodynes, and ftrong Drink, to that Degree, that the common Rum is much too weak; and they drink even Hungary Water, or put red Pepper into Rum, to augment its Heat. When they lofe the Ufe of their Limbs, they commonly have profufe Sweats,
Meme: The Method of Cure formerly was to purge the Patients both with Cure. Cathartics and Clyfters: From this Praétice the unhappy Creatures were fubjeét to lofe the Ufe of their Limbs. won age aba aa
However, this»prevailed until about the Year 1¥00. or fomewhat be-
~ fore, when the Phyficians kegan to make ufe of Anodynes with better Succefs; which hath been their Way of proceeding ever fince. The prefent Their prefent Method of Cure is univerfally followed, being both fafe Gare: and eafy, and the Patients run no Danger of either Life or Limbs eFor,: - as foon as Dr. Warren found, that it was a convulfive. Gonfiridion. chiefly in the Ilion, he judged that Purges and fharp Clyfters Rit be attended with bad Succefs, and Emeties, at leaft, ufelefs, if not De ars hurtful ; from whence he concluded, that Anodynes mixed sich Anti- thod of hyfterics would be the likelieft Means of Relief : He therefore purfued ce that Method, as neceflary to be followed, for a few Days Fi th Pains of the Belly intirely ceafed for the Space of Tilly iu H ; Then he concluded, that the {pafmodic Conftri@ions were over; at soft time he ordered fome emollient Clyfter, and then gave a entle P “ of fome of the bitter Pills, which generally perfected the Gavia bhi Ape pnodine i a few Nights fucceflively afterwards, oy aga
The bitter Pills are thought propereft, becaufe the Bile in this Dj
per fhews itfelf to be deficient in its due Secretion, or its a came
There
(2) A Drink made with the Scummings of the boiled i i i dan alent, mg oiled CaneJuice, mixed with Water, and fermented ; and
(3) Mobby is a Drink made with pounded Potatoes, and Water fermented with Sugar or M. Late olaffes,
Book IL Iland of BARBADOS, * 435,
There are other Kinds of Colics, which often affli@ the Inhabitants ; likewife the Yellow- Jaundice, and Hyfteric Diforders : But as thefe are not peculiar to this Climate alone, it cannot be expected, that I fhould enter fo far into the Province of the Phyfician, as to treat medicinally of them.
As Diarrhceas, however, and Dyfenteries, make no {mall Havock among the poorer Inhabitants of the Iland; and as the Caufe and Me- thod of Cure, in fome meafure, differ from the fame Diftemper in North- ern Climates, being partly conftitutional ; they deferve to be mentioned : Nor can this be better done, than in the Words of Dr. Towve.
Fluxes are very common in the We/-Indies, but more efpecially in Floxes very rainy Seafons ; and may be imputed chiefly to the Negligence of thofetainy Sea. who either too unwarily or unavoidably expofe themfelves to the Injuries" of the wet Weather ; by which means Perfpiration being interrupted, the thin Part of the Blood, which fhould have been exhaled through the Pores ‘of the Skin, is thrown upon the Bowels, and thence difcharged in loofe Stools. This plainly appears from the great Number of Negroes, and the poorer Sort of White People, who in thefe Seafons are much more afflicted with this Diftemper, than fuch whofe Condué of Life does not fubject them to the like Inconveniencies. :
Befides catching Cold, there are other antecedent Caufes of a Diarrhea; the principal of which are, ‘An immoderate Ufe of crude fugacious Fruits, ** unwholfome Food, and Meats of difficult Digeftion ; all which, by ftimu- “ lating the Guts, will likewife occafion a Diarrhoea.
“ When thefe laft-mentioned Caufes occur, with a damp rainy Seafon, “< the Bowels will not only be loaded with the thin Juices, which ought “* to pafs off by Perfpiration, but they will alfo, by reafon of the Stimulus “ lodged in them, be continually folicited to expel their Contents more “ frequently, and of a thinner Confiftence, than ufual. A diminifhing “¢ Perfpiration will likewife. contribute towards inlarging the Orifices of the “¢ Hepatic and Pancreatic Duéts ; and, on this Account, the Secretions of “ their refpeétive Juices will be more plentifully made into the Inteftines: ‘* And hence we have an additional Caufe of, Loofenefs.””
Thefe Circumftances, I think, are fufficient to account for every Spe- cies of the Diarrhoea; and, when we are once fully afcertained of the Caufe, we need not be much at a Lofs what Method of Cure ought to be purfued in each Species.
Fluxes have been here very often negleGted in the Beginning, from an Opinion, that they are falubrious, and of Service to the Conftitution, by affording an Outlet to fome offending Matter, which, if retained, would have proved prejudicial.
This-Remark may in fome Cafes be very true ; but it is not to be con- fided in without great Caution in the We/f-Indies, where a fimple Flux frequently rifes up into an obftinate Dyfentery in Three or Four Days ; and, when the Diarrhcea is fuffered to continue any time, it too commonly
terminates
36
‘The Natural Hiftory of the Book II.
terminates in a Leucophlematia, or Dropfy ; to which Difeafes People in thefe Parts of the World are exceedingly difpofed. :
But as a Diarrhoea is fometimes truly critical, and contributes a great deal towards the Cure of other Diftempers, fuch a Diarrhoea ae by no means to be ftopped, fo long as the Strength of the Patient can fupport
“him under it.
The Matter of a Diarrhoea in thefe Parts is frequently fo fharp and cor- rofive, as not only to carry off the mucous Subftance of the Inteftines, but alfo in a few Days to abrade and tear away their villous Coat, and excoriate the Mouths of the Blood-veffels. The ftimulating Matter ftill remaining, the Flux is continued ; and, the Orifices of the Blood-veffels being opened at the fame time, the Flux muft unavoidably become a Bloody one. :
Likewife fultry Weather, and hot {pirituous Liquors, as well as acrid pungent Food, are capable of producing a Diarrhoea 5 and as they greatly rarefy the Blood, this Rarefaction, fuperadded to the Loofenefs, gives us a fatisfa&tory Idea of their being the Caufe of a Dyfentery.
This is confirmed, by obferving how much this Difeafe rages among the White Servants, as well as Negroes, in our Plantations ; which fort of People are much addiéted to debauch in Spirits, and Punch made exceed- ingly ftrong with new Rum, very acid with the Juice of Limes, fermented with coarfe Sugar.
The almoft unanimous Confent of Phyficians, as well as Proofs drawn from Praétice, have fo fully demonftrated the Benefit received from Blood-letting, that it is fufficient only to mention it, to remind Pradti- tioners of the Neceflity there is not to omit it in the Beginning of a Dyfentery.
The Indian Root, or (4) Ipecacuanha, hath juftly eftablifhed its Repu- tation in the Cure of this Diftemper, both in thofe Parts of the World from whence it was originally brought, where Fluxes are { 5) endemic and in all other Places where it hath been ufed on thofe Occafions. ;
But perhaps the Reafon why it is found to be fuperior to the reft of the Emetic Tribe, was not at all confidered before the learned and judi- cious Dr. Freind (6) gave us an Infight into that Matter, unlefs we except one Paffage in Pi/o (7). P
If the Ipecacuanha does not only exert its emetic Faculty, but like wife paffeth through the Bowels in fuch manner as to promote a Stool or
two,
(4) Si quando evacuationibus locus, radicem vomitivam Ipecacuanha, exquifiti ‘ceteris remediis preeferre conducit. Pipe, P1300 8 Sse imany ‘nats eee (5) Affectus dyfentericas nimirum his terris eft familiaris, ita ut perpetu i i Pip ibid. > Perpetuo nobis fporadica, & popularis, (6) Radix Ipecacuanha preter vim vomitoriam, quam obtinet, uberrimum fudo i n a : ‘ 1 rem € ae hoc, quantum ego conjectura affequi poffum, pracipue confiftit egregia illa in duenteicniare pee Atq; in quam fibi pre aliis vomendi inftramentis vendicat. Freind Comment. de Feb, p- 40. ectibus virtus, (7) Ad radicem Ipecacuanha confugiendum, tanquam ad facram ancoram, qua nullum tutius, tum in hoc, tum in plerifq; aliis, cum vel fine fanguine, fluxibus compefcendis vit remedium. Quippe, Preterquam quod tuto & efficaciter tenaciffimos quofq; humores fepiflime autem per vomitum ejiciat, & a parte affecta derivet, vim quog; aftri&ivam poft
preftantius gut natura excogita- per ipfam alvum, fe reliquit. Pi,
Book IL. Yland of BARBADOS, 27
two, which often happens, it will be fufficient that Night to give the Patient aBolus made with Rhubarb and Diafcordium ; but if the Phyfician obferves no fuch Effeét from the Vomit, then he generally gives “half a Dram of Rhubarb in any convenient Vehicle, in order to carry off any Remains of the ftimulating Matter which may adhere to the Guts; for many are the Occafions which confirm the ill Confequences of giving aftringent Medicines in the Infancy of this Difeafe, when the Flux of Blood hath not been immoderate.
After the Bowels have been prepared in this manner, the Phyficians have recourfe to Balfamics, Agglutinants, Aftringents, and Opiates, which mutt be contrived in proportion to the Neceflity of the Patient, the Vio- lence of the Flux, and the Length of its Duration.
If the Sick be much debilitated by the Continuance of the Diftemper, and the great Effufion of Blood, a Cordial Draught is generally allowed him to fupport and invigorate the languid Spirits, fuch as Claret, or Madera Wine, burnt with Spices, or {trong Cinnamon-Water, diluted with the white Decoion.
The Food in this Cafe muft be cooling, mucilaginous, and aftringent. Panada, made with Cafada Bread, is with very good Reafon commended by Pio, who advifeth it not only as a cooling healing Diet, but asan ufe- ful Ingredient in the Compofition of Clyfters. He
The fame Author recommends the Jelly of white and red Guavas, Granadilla, Hog-plumb, &’c. as proper Nourifhment. Thefe are men- tioned, becaufe they are always at hand in Barbados.
Unripe Plantains and Bananaes, roafted, are alfo proper for thefe Pa- tients ; but, above all, a Milk Diet.
This Hland is likewife fubje& to a very malignant Fever (though I anemeloy. believe in common with other Countries between the Tropics) now called the Yellow Fever.
Dr. Warren, in his ingenious Treatife upon this Diftemper, concludes it to be a Species of the Plague, and that the Infection was unhappily brought to Martinico in Bales of Goods from Mar/eilles in the Year 1721. though others, who have refided much longer in the Ifland, are of a different Opinion, efpecially Dr. Gamble, who remembers that it was very fatal here in the Year 1691. and that it was then called the New Diftemper, and afterwards Kendal’s Fever, the Peftilential Fever, and the Bilious Fever.
The fame Symptoms did not always appear in all Patients, nor alike in every Year when it vifited us.
It is moft commonly rife and fatal in May, June, Fuly, and Auguft ; and then moftly among Strangers, though a great many of the Inhabit- ants, in the Year 1696, died of it, and a great many at different Periods fince,
Laga The
38
Symptoms of the Fe- ver.
A Yellow- nefs appear- ing in the Eyes, a bad Symptom.
The Tex- ture of the Blood.
The Natural Hiftory of the Book IL.
~The Patient is commonly feized with a fhivering Fit, as in an poe which lafts an Hour or two, more or lefs ; and the Danger 1s guefled at, according to the Severity and Continuance of the Ague. # e
After the fhivering Fit, a violent Fever comes on, with exceflive ains in the Head, Back, and Limbs, Lofs of Strength and Spirits, with great Dejection of Mind, infatiable Thirft and Reftlefnefs, and fometimes too with a Vomiting, attended with Pains in the Head; the Eyes being red, and that Rednefs in a few Days turning toa Yellownefs.
If the Patient turns yellow foon, he hath fcarce a Chance for Life ; and the fooner he does fo, the worfe. : : {
The Pain in the Head is often very great, when firft feized with this Fever. i
After fome Days are paft, this Pain abates, as well as the Fever; and the Patient falls into a breathing Sweat, and a temperate Heat, fo that he appears to be better; but, on a narrow View, a Yellownefs appears in his Eyes and Skin, and he is vifibly worfe. ”
About this Time he fometimes {pits Blood, and that by Mouthfuls ; as this continues, he grows cold, and his Pulfe abates, till at laft it is quite gone ; and the Patient becomes almoft as cold as a Stone, and continues in that State with a compofed fedate Mind.
In this Condition he may perhaps live Twelve Hours without any fen- fible Pulfe or Heat, and then expire.
Such were the Symptoms and Progrefs of this Fever in theYear 1715.
Sometimes likewife the Patients burft out with bleeding at the 4zus, and foon after die ; and fometimes likewife at the Nofe, by which means they have been relieved ; but when the Blood iffues from thence but in few aa it is a bad Prognoftic, and is generally the Harbinger of Death.
In moft of thefe Cafes, the Patients are generally hot and dry ; the Blood taken from them very red, and fcarce will coagulate; the Grume fwimming upon the Surface of the Serum in a thin Leaf, having fcarce any Confiftence. |
The Patients have likewife often intolerable Pains in and about the Stomach: Sometimes with thofe Pains they fhall have a Livor, and the plain Marks of a Sphacelus fhall poffefs the greateft Part of the Abdo- men before they die, particularly the Region of the Stomach and Liver
It often alfo happens, that the fick Perfon thall lie almoft ftupid; aiid being asked how he does, fay, He is very well ; at other times he _ under the greateft Agonies, and Fits of Groanings.
A loofe ‘Tooth being drawn from a Perfon who had the Fever ve feverely, there iffued out from the Hole a great Quantity of black ftink ing Blood, which ftill kept oozing till the third Day, on which the P il died in great Agonies and Convulfions. ; Spent
After Death the Corps of fuch appear livid in fom or elfe marked with peftilential Sigel Castiulet or eee es
IT am
Book II. Iland of BARBADOS, 29
I am of Opinion, that the Blood is from the Beginning full of putrid Alcaline Salts.
If this be the Cafe, I leave it (with Submiflion) to the Learned in Phyfic to confider, whether diluting Acids would not be of great Ser- vice (efpecially in the Beginning of this Diforder) to raife a Conflia, by their mingling with the Alcaline Salts; by which means a Stagnation in the Fluids would be, in a great meafure, prevented, until Nature, with other feafonable Affiftances, might have time to try her Efforts, and fo recover at laft.
Without this, or fome Help like this, from the Phyfician, the Patient often dies in three Days time. :
Such are the Symptoms, Progrefs, and Conclufion of this malignant Diftemper : And though Dr. Warren, in his learned Treatife, is of Opi- nion, that it can be cured by Diaphoretics and Sudorifics ; yet, as this Difeafe appears in fo many various Shapes, thefe have very often failed.
The next Difeafe worthy our Notice is the Small-pox ; for we are fel- ae plod dom free from it in fome Part of the Ifland or other: However, fince fom the Inoculation hath been introduced among us, our Lof by that Diftemper $™2!/Pox- ’ hath hitherto been very {mall. fe
It hath been obferved, that this Diftemper proves, in general, very fatal to fuch of the Inhabitants of the We/f-Indies as receive the InfeGion in England, ox in any other Northern Climate, efpecially if they are taken ill foon after their Arrival at it.
This, I believe, will not be difficult to be accounted for, when we This Dit- confider, that the Inhabitants of warm Climates do almoft continually often fata ftrongly perfpire, by which means their Pores are more relaxed and net dilated ; and confequently, if this Infeétion (as furely it may) can be com-taken ill in municated by the Pores, the more open thefe are, the more capable chey ert Cl are of receiving a deeper Degree of Infection, than thofe Perfons, who every Winter have their external Veffels compreffed and contraéted by the cold Air. ;
However, we are not from hence to conclude, that the Porés of fuch are never to be reconciled to cold Climates ; for thofe of the Skin, as well as the Juices of the Body, will in time become adapted to the different Climates we are in.
It is remarkable, that the Chicken-pox vifits this Ifland at fet periodi- The Mea- cal Times ; for it hath been obferved by Dr. Gamble, a very old and ee 8 Peles ingenious Phyfician, as well as a Perfon of undoubted Veracity, that temper. the following were its periodical Returns within his Obfervation ; v/z. in the Year 1692-3. 1711. 1728. 1746-7. which is at the Diftance of about Eighteen Years.
The Leprofy is another Diftemper, which fome unhappy Petfons are The Lepro- affli@ed with ; nor is it lefs furprifing to Strangers, than a Concern to the” moft thinking Part of the Inhabitants, that public Care hath not been taken to keep the Clean from the Unclean.
Among
40
~The Natural Hiftory of the Book IL
Among the ‘Fews, the Law concerning Leprofy was fo fey ove ved, that they depofed Uzziah, tho’ a Prince, and thruft him out of the ‘Tem- ple, and confined him to a feparate Apartment during Life. 1 a
We cannot trace this Diftemper up to its Origin, as far as it relates to
the Weft-India Wands ; but its firft Appearance here was about. Sixty
The Lepro- fy propagat- ed chiefly in the Male Line,
Its Sym- ptoms,
Years ago. It hath fpread very much within thefe Twenty Years, and more lately among White Inhabitants, as well as Black. Children have teen often feized with it, without any known Caufe, either in themfelves, or their Parents : However, it is, in general, thought to be hereditary, at leaft, in the Male Line ; which the following Inftance will, in fome mea- fure, evince. — ; Meth ‘ _ A certain Negro Woman, in S¢. Fames’s Parifh, cohabiting with a leprous Negro Man, had Two Children by him, both leprous, though the herfelf did not receive the Infe@ion. After fome Years fhe turned him off, and cohabited with another Black, who was free from this Diforder ; by him likewife fhe had Children, but neither of them in the leaft infe@- ed with the Leprofy. After a Quarrel with this laft pretended Husband, fhe returned to her former leprous Husband, and had this Second time by him feveral Children; who, as they grew up, proved leprous alfo, tho’ the herfelf received not the Infection this time. \@ From hence we may perhaps learn to know how emphatically, and with what great Propriety of Expreflion, the infpired Prophet paffed Sen- tence upon Gehaxi, faying, The Lepro/y of Naaman the Syrian /hall cleave
_ to thee, and thy Seed for ever.
The firft Symptom of this loathfome Difeafe, in this Part of the World,
“is a permanent Swelling on the Tips of the Ears, and the Falling off of
the Hairs of the Eye-brows; then the Face appears unctuous, fhining, and full of protuberant fuperficial Spots of a brown Copper Colour ; the Lips and Nofe generally much fwelled, the Fingers and Toes diftorted, and at laft ulcerated ; the Infeéion creeping from Joint to Joint, till it hath corroded all the Fingers and Toes. ‘Thefe Ulcers never kindly di-
* geft; however, there iffues from them a thin corroding Ichor.
The Ele- phantiafis.
Its Sym- ptoms.
Many are the miferable Objects, that are daily feen aflied with, and labouring under, this great Misfortune.
The Elephantiafis is likewife a Difeafe very common among the Blacks and -hitherto incurable. i ;
The Seat of this Diftemper is the Legs and Feet. It happens moft commonly after long Illneffes, efpecially fevere acute Fevers. or long In- termittents, or other tedious Diftempers, or Surfeits deeded fs t violent Exercife, ; : Ye , In us Beginning the Patient appears cache@ical foon after the vitiated Humours fubfide enerally in ace ig both Legs and Feet: Thefe become dintheds andehae hae aha with varicofe Swellings, which are very apparent, from the Knees i i h Extremities of the Toes; “then the Skin begins to grow heen
G unequal ;
and emaciated, and
Book I. land of BARBADOS. 4t
“ unequal ; its vafcular and glandulous Compages is inlarged; and a fcaly “ Subftance, with a fort of Chaps and Fiffures in the Interftices, appears “upon its Surface. Thefe feeming Scales do not dry up and fail of ; but “ are daily protruded forward, and ftretched in their Dimenfions, till the “* Leg is inlarged to an enormous.Bulk ; fo that in the Size, Shape, and all other external Appearance, it minutely reprefents the Leg of an ‘* Elephant, from whence the Difeafe receives its Denomination.”
But, notwithftanding that this fcaly Coat appears to be hard, callous, and infenfible ; yet if it be touched ever fo fuperficially with aLancet, the Blood will freely ouze out ; and, if the Epidermis, which affords this monf{trous Appearance, be pared off to the Thicknefs of the Scarfeskin in thofe Parts, an Infinity of Orifices of the Blood-veffels will prefent themfelves to the Eye, when affifted with a Microfcope.
“ Though the Limb continues to proceed to this inordinate Magnitude, “ yet the Appetite of the Negro remains good, his Digeftion ftrong, and -“ his Secretions regular ; nor is he fenfible of any other Inconveniency, “¢ than the Burden of carrying fuch a Load of a Leg along with him.”
In this Condition, fevera] have been known to live Twenty Years, and have performed chearfully all the Duties of their Servitude, which were ~confiftent with fuch difproportionate Limbs.
Amputation of the difeafed Leg hath been performed many times, but has always failed of a Cure ; for the Diftemper conftantly takes Poffef- fion of the remaining Leg.
As for other cutaneous Diforders, we are not more affii@ed with them The Guiney than Europeans, unlefs fuch as are occafioned by the Guiney Worms and W°™* Ciegoes, called here Chiggers.
The former are feldom or never known among the White Inhabitants ; nor often among our native Slaves 3 but chiefly among new Negroes brought hither from the Coafts of Guiney.
Thefe Worms are generally bred in Ponds of ftagnant frefh Waters 3 and it is fuppofed, that they enter oftener in by the Pores of the Skin, than by drinking the Water: For thofe who moft frequently bathe in fuch Ponds, are ofteneft troubled with them. They are exceeding long, in refpe& to their great Exility and Thinnefs ; and are eafily obferved, when fome of that Water is mingled in a Glafs with fome other more tranfparent Water.
The firft Day or two they cannot be clearly feen, being as pellucid as the Water itfelf ; but foon afterwards they grow fo opaque as to be dif- cernible, even by the naked Eye.
Dr. Gamble had one of thefe, which meafured an Ell long ; it exactly Theitshape, +efembled a waxed white Thread.
They move very quick under the Skin, along the Membrana adipofa ; and ‘what is one Day {een in the Breaft, or Belly, thall often, in a Day or two, be found in a diftant Part of the Body, perhaps the Thigh, the Leg, or under the Ham.
a
M However,
4? The Natural Hiftory, c. Book IL
ethod fometime fince found
However, thefe are eafily cured, by a M out. The Me- Take, for Example, one Ounce of Garlick, one of Blache Peppes oe Fans de- verized, and one Ounce of the Flour of Brimftone; mix oS ies oa them,” gether in a Quart of Rum; and for three or four Mor ae ue 3 se _give a Wine-Glafsful of this Infufion to the Perfon afflicte 3340 4 di hath a Thoufand about him, each will contract itfelf in a Coil, an 1 die, and then fall off in the Form of a Boil from the Surface of the Skin. As to Ciegoes, they will appear to the naked Eye like a ea : Thefe are the continual Companions of Filth and Lazinefs, trouble os chiefly to Negroes, and particularly to fuch new Negroes as are Peal t hither from Guiney, whofe Defpondency, and carelefs Regard for Life, from the Uncertainty, or rather Certainty of what they are to undergo, makes Life, at that Junéture, irkfome to them; though a few Years Ex- perience convinces them, that if there can be a Degree of Happinefs without Liberty, they enjoy a more certain Tenure, and a better Condi- tion of Life, here, than in their native Africa.
Giegoes This little Animal, vexatioufly teazing, unlefs foon eradicated, generally covered. faftens and fettles on the Toes, or fome Part of the Feet. It is firft dif- covered by a moderate Itching in the Part affected, afterwards with a throbbing itching Pain; and if not foon carefully picked out.with a Pin or Needle, it will, in time, burrow or neftle one Eighth of an Inch into the Flefh, and there lay innumerable Quantities of Nits or Eggs, which, when hatched, become equally voracious, and eat the Feet into fo many little Cells, like Honeycombs. panies It is not likewife uncommon for thefe little Vermin to get into the Feet of People of the beft Condition ; but as they are foon taken out by their Slaves, it feldom proves to be of bad Confequence:: ‘Tho’ Strangers, not being fenfible what occafions the Itching, will fometimes let them remain, till they become very (8) troublefome, and perhaps require the Hand of the Surgeon. Likewife the Body-Yaws, and the Running-Yaws, fo common here, are Diforders unknown in Northern Climates. The Body- ‘The Body-Yaws appear in many protuberant flefhy Knobs, every way “as large as a {mall Thimble, embofling the Face, Breafts, Arms, and other Parts of the Body. Thefe, in time, by the Ufe of Simples, here- after to be mentioned, dry and fall off. , The Running, or the Wet, Yaws affe@ chiefly the oi i the Knees or Elbows, from whence continually diltil a Lae: eae ' This Diftemper is thought to be tranfmitted in an hereditary Wa Bem Parents, who have had the Venereal Difeafe, to their unhappy Children It is obfervable, that no {mall Care, Skill, and Time, are requifite te
cure it.
OF 8) Caftile Soap and Lamp-Oil, boiled to a Confilte: i ; Methods ot deeaying the Drecaai 0a Confiftency, and applied hot to the F cet, is one of the beft
WaTeErRs, Fossits, and MINERALS. eoseggoesonasasooooseseeseqosceoosesonoess SSS SESS
Of WATERS.
Ee? T being unncceflary to inquire into the conftituent Parts of zy || Water in general, in a Treatife of this kind, I fhall proceed to confider only the Nature and Qualities of that which foRSe|| we are furnifhed with in this Ifland, from Springs, Rivers,
“sta Wells, and Ponds.
The moft remarkable Springs of Water are the following: Cole's Cave Spring, Mr. Colliton’s, Mr. Eftwick’s, Mr. Brathwait’s, the Reverend Mr. Fofter’s, Mr. Whitaker's, Pory Spring, and that at Codrington’s College.
The fpecific Gravity of Fifteen cubical Inches of thefe refpective Wa- The fpecific
; Gravity of
ters, as well as compared together with that of the moft remarkable zrnie
Spaws, is inferted in the annexed Table. NMaten cou pared with
As Cole’s Cave Water hath been generally efteemed (tho’ not fo in Faét, fome re- the beft Water in the Ifland, I have been very careful in the Examination aren of it. The Spring which iffues fo plentifully from the Side of the Cave, affords very tranfparent Water, having fomething of a ftyptic Quality ; and it hath been obferved, that bathing in it is of great Service in cuta- neous Diforders.
Among the above-mentioned Springs, that in the Eftate of the Reve- tend Mr. Fofter, called Belly-ach Hole, affords excellent Water. This Spring rifing, as moft of the reft do, out of the Side of an Hill facing the Eaft, hath a fine marly Bottom, mixed with Sand: The Water is very light, foft, and pure. There
camer pete TT- 44 The Noviral Hiftory of the Book If: @. NE S SeaE There is likewife on the fame Eftate, iy ee another Spring, whofe Water is heavier, and fomewhat purgative, BH he oie ae Spring, in Sz. Thomas's Parifh, and another at Mn Eas ie St. Fobn’s, as well as Mr. Whitaker's Spring, in. St. Michae a as Bee ford good light Water : The latter, by its Vicin Ae the Sea, is 0 pecat . Sétvice to fupply the Navy, as well as other Velfels, in the adjacent Bay. The chief The chief Rivers are Sv. Yo/eph’s River, another running through the the liland, Parith of Sy. Andrew's, a Third taking its Rife from Mr. Bratkwait's Spring, and the Fourth near Codrington’s College. ‘a eee All the above-mentioned Streams, with fome others of lefler Note, on -___ this Side of the Ifland, fall into the Sea to the Eaftward. i Ay lf picts Our Springs and Rivets of any Note being thus taken briefly notice of 3 "Tet us now proceed to confider our other Supplies, our Wells and Ponds. The former are dug with great Expence through, generally, a foft marly Rock, intermixt fometimes with Veins of an harder Nature. Thefe Wells are commonly in Depth from Fifteen to Fifty (9) Fathoms, and _~ their refpective Water *(efpecially if the lower Strata, from wheneg it gufhes, be Clay, Gravel, or Rock) is preferable, as‘ to its ‘Putity, to River-Water, the latter having generally feveral Impurities blown into it by the Wind, as well as contraéed from the different Soils it: pafies through, whereas the Well-Waters are very limpid and light. Mr.Ostern’s Among the Waters. of. many of thefé that I have examined, that Bee iron Mr. Osborne's, in St. Peter's Parith, excels every other, whether of eel Wells, Springs, Rivers, or Ponds, in this Tfand. ~ It is lighter by one "Grain, in fo {mall a Quantity as Sixteen cubical Inches, than the pure German Spaw Water. The Depth of this Well is not above Fifteen . ‘Fathoms, thro’ a fomewhat foft rocky Stratum, terminating in an hard firm Rock: An Hole being made in this, the Water guthes out from beneath ; and the fame being again ftopped with a Plug, and the remaining Water drawn out, the Bottom of the Well may be, and often is, clean wathed ; and then the Water is permitted to guth out afreth. I am of Opinion, that the Purity of this Water, above all other in the Ifland, is owing partly to the Situation of the Place : For, as the Well is dug thro’ feveral rocky Strata, beginning in fo very high Ground, that its Bottom is higher than the adjacent Plain 5 confequently it can receive no other Supply but Rain-Water, which (Snow-Water excepted) is the moft fimple of all others. And when this gradually penetrates thro’ man thick Lamine of porous Rocks, by this natural Diftillation as it runs 2 refines ; that which is pureft pervading the clofeft separa by the MinutenefS of its Parts, whilft the groffer Particles, being arrefted in their Paflac ‘fubfide, and cleave to the Rocks, ° &
Another
; (9) Te is not always that they come to Water, tho’ they die; Dept r aa ~soblerved in the Eftate of Tobias Frere, Efq3 in the Pathe of Corif-Ghar he oe wali this T have five Fathoms, they found little or no Water. | POMS caer digging Thirty-
Book IL Iland of BARBADOS. 45
Another Reafon why Spring-Waters, at their Fountain-Heads, as well as Wells, are purer (efpecially in hot Climates) than the Waters of Rivers or Ponds, is, becaufe the latter, whether in its current Stream, or in Re- fervoirs, is expofed to the Heat of the Sun, whofe exhaling Power is here fo great, that it raifes up the lighteft and fimpleft, that is, the beft Parts of it in Vapours, leaving the Remainder lefs pure.
What is here called Pond-Water, is Rain-Water fettled in artificial or natural Bafins, which, in a Country fo {paringly furnifhed with Springs, or Rivers, are of great Service to Man and Beaft.
Thefe Refervoirs are generally dug near a Defcent, that they may be fupplied with Water as often as it rains, which it generally does in greater Quantity, in the Months of Fume, Fuly, and Auguft ; but tho’ we call this Time.of the Year the Rainy Seafon, yet the periodical Return of wet Weather in thofe Months is not near fo certain here, as it is in fome Parts of Africa. The Rains likewife in thofe hot Months, when they are moft wanted to cool the Atmofphere, fall at fuch times, by reafon of the Rarefaction of the Air, in very large Drops, like thofe fudden Summer Showers in Exgland. We find the above-mentioned Conveniencies of Refervoirs made ufe of in Palefine, as early as the Patriarchal Age.
The Inhabitants of St. Andrew's, and fome Part of S¢. Fofeph’s Parith, Aa are plentifully fupplied with frefh Water, by digging Holes in the Sand, inure from Ten Inches to Three Feet deep: Thefe are almoft inftantaneoufly song the filled with frefh Water percolated thro’ the Sand.
Some Parts of Barbary are in the like manner fupplied: And Cafar, being befieged in Wexandria, when the Enemy, by turning the Sea-Water into his Springs, rendered them ufelefs, faved himfelf, and his Army, by digging fuch Pits or Holes in the Sand, from whence he had a conftant Supply of frefh Water.
Tho’ thefe and fuch Supplies of Water proceed partly from the Sea ; yet I am of Opinion, that the above-mentioned Supply, in this Ifland, is - greatly, if not chiefly, owing to the Rain-Water that defcends from the ad- jacent Hills, and then fettles in the Sand. This is evident from the greater Plenty that is to be found, and that nearer the Surface, after great Rains : Its Purity likewife may, in fome meafure, be owing to the Place where it is found; for Sand hath a great deal lefs of Matter capable of Solution in it than Earth.
As any artificial Refervoir of Water is often, in Scripture, called a Well, when the Station of the [/raelites, in their Way to Canaan, was upon the Borders of the Red Sea, the Waters there mentioned to be in fuch Plenty, that the Princes digged a Well with their Staves, muft pro- bably (fince they digged with thefe Inftruments) be in fuch a fandy Situation’as the above-mentioned ; otherwife Staves would not, in Places lefs foft and porous, be proper to dig Holes fufficient for that Purpofe. The digging thefe, or almoft any other Bafin, for the fame Ufe in any other kind of Soil, muft, in all Probability, be attended with Art, and
N great
46 - » The Natural-Hiftory of the Book UL.
great Labour, fince we find, that it caufed a Contention between ra- ham and Abimelech.
Many, I believe, are the Places in the O/d Teftament, where, with great Submiflion to our learned Commentators, from their Want of fufficiently
-confidering the Situation of Pale/line, the Nature of the Climate, and its Productions, the real Meaning of feveral Texts is either very imper- ‘feétly or often not at all, underftood. . Of all the Waters we have treated of, that of Mr. Osborne's Well, as I before obferved, is the lighteft and beft; and it hath been proved of great Service in Nephritic Cafes.
The Water of Belly-ach Hole, in the Eftate of the Reverend Mr. Fofter, is next in Goodnefs, being a foft limpid Water.
Each of thefe, by their great Lightnefs and Purity, enter the fineft
Veffels, where they diffolve, and wath away, the ftagnant Humours; take off the Sharpnefs of the Juices, and break the Coagulations and Acidity of the Blood. _ Pure Water likewife dilutes, prepares, and correéts the crude and ill- concocted Juices, diffolves their Salts, and blunts their Force: And as the Decay of human Nature is owing to Obftrudtions; and Wrinkles, old Age, and even the Diffolution of the human Frame, are, in general, chiefly owing to the Want of fufficient Motion in the Fluids ; it is highly prebable, that Water (how little foever efteemed by the Generality of Mankind) more excellently divides the Blood and Juices, than any other Liquid whatfoever ; and therefore is of the greateft Service to preferve Health and Life.
Whoever would be curious enough to inquire into its various effica- cious Excellencies, either in Scorbutic, or Hypochondriacal Difeafes, and
-eyen in inflammatory Fevers, may confult the ingenious Dr. Floffman’s and Dr. Shaw's Experiments upon different kinds of Water: ae After the ftri@eft Inquiry, I found in the whole Ifland butTwo Springs, that had any Appearance of a Mineral Principle ; the one in the Eftate of Mr. Richard Richards, in the Parith of Sz. Andrew's; the other at Mr. Perry's Eftate, in St. Fofeph’s Parifh: The former turns of a faint Purple with the Powder of Galls ; the latter inftantly of a deep Purple ; and, like the Pyrmont, refumes its firft Colour, upon dropping into it a few Drops of the Spirit of Vitriol. The Difcovery of this Water may, and I hope will, be of great Service in all Cafes where -Chalybeats are required. AanaicAni- I fhall conclude my Obfervations upon thefe Heads with a curfory ’ Defcription of the feveral aquatic Animalcules, which I: have obferved, more or lefs, to inhabit every Refervoir of Water, efpecially Ponds.
The Sides of thefe are often covered with a greenifh Incruftation -in Appearance, as if there were many coarfe Grains of Sand cemented «to their ftony or rocky Sides : Thefe, even to the naked Eye, upon a narrow Infpection, feem to be alive; and the Quantity of a Pin’s Head being ; diluted
Book IL. Wand of BARBADOS.
diluted in Water, and viewed through a Microfcope, there appear about Eight or Nine little Animals, moving, or rather darting from Place to Place, with a very quick irregular Motion : Their whole Bodies are pel- lucid, and look in the Water like fo many Drops of Quickfilver, their Legs being Four of a Side, moving with great Rapidity.
| What is called a Water-Bug, is about an Inch long, and Three-quarters broad: This is to be found in moft Ponds in the Ifland ; but feldom or never in Well-Water. The Origin of this Bug is a Pond-Worm of about an Inch and a Quarter long, the Body jointed, and the Head guarded with a! Forceps: The whole Worm, as moft Aquatics are, is of the Shrimp- kind. This, a little before its Transformation, inwraps itfelf in an hol- low Lump of Clay in the Bottom of the Pond: Some time afterwards it cafts off both its Shape-and Exwvie, and becomes a Bug: In this laft Stage, by the Armour upon its Back, and the Fins it paddles with in fwim- ming, and its frequent Recourfe to the Surface for Air, it fomewhat refembles a Tortoife in Miniature.
The Water of a great many of thefe Ponds, at different Times of the Year, efpecially in a dry Seafon, when the Water is low, and the ‘Weather fomewhat calm, throws up a greenifh Scum to the Surface : This is fo ftrong a Poifon, that, if fwallowed with the Water by Poul- ‘try, fuch as Turkies, or even by Black Cattle, they in half an Hour’s time expire.
Having examined this Scum with a Microfcope, on the fame Day that a Two-years old Bull had been poifoned by drinking in the fame Pond, I obferved, that a Drop of it contained feveral very compact Fa/ces, or {mall Fagot-like Bundles; the Extremities of their conftituent Parts be- ing, in Appearance, fo many cryftallized Spicula.
I likewife difcovered, in the fame Drop of this Scum, which was di- luted in fair Water, feveral Annulets, each Link of the Chain being of an orbicular Form, barely touching one another.
It is faid, that this Scum is at times full of {mall Animalcules: How- ever, I cannot affirm this to be true from any Experience of my own.
4 TABLE
48
The Natural Hiftory, &c. Book II.
A TABLE of the /pecific Weight of Fifteen cubical Inches of the Waters of the principal Springs, Wells, &c. in the Ifland of Barbados, as well as the Weight of thefe, compared with fome other Mineral Waters.
Weighed——Ounces, Drams. Grains.
(Mr. Robert Oshorne’s Well-Water, in St. Peter’s Parifh — 12
Cole’s Cave, Water The Spring at Codrington’s College Belly-ach Hole Pory Spring Water Pond- Water - Pond-Water filtrated thro’ a Water-ftone z Rain-Water, received from the Eaves, after long Rain — Pyrmont-Water Bay-Water, by Percolation thro’ the Sand —-—-———— A weak chalybeat Water, in the Eftate of Mr. Richard i Richards - The fame Quantity of Barbados Proof Rum weighed Seven Ounces and anhalf, Two Drachms, Twelve Grains and an half. ©.
CmoONnnmnmannmnwonwondc Ww WWWW WWD WWD W ~ he} v|
Fifteen cubical Inches of