items, is settled by the majority; the churchwarden delivers the accounts, and collects the money. One of the principal disbursements is the minister's salary; about 2007. sterling is provided by an act of the island, and it is customary for the vestry to make a voluntary addition to it, generally from 601. to 1007. per annum. This, with a parsonage house, and sometimes a horse, is sufficient to make a clergyman comfortable; and the minister is under the necessity of avoiding conduct which would be offensive to his parishioners, while a portion of his income depends on the goodwill of his flock. The salary of the clerk is also on a liberal scale, being from 751. to 1207. per annum; he acts as vestry clerk in keeping the accounts, and collecting the taxes. The surplice fees are liberal; three guineas is a common fee to a clergyman, and not unfrequently one guinea and a balf, to the clerk, as a wedding fee. This, with 31. 13s. 6d. to the governor for a licence (few white people being married by banns) makes matrimony an expensive business.

I cannot pass to the next British island (in a geographical position) without noticing an act that reflects much honour on the colonists of Antigua, who have ever been distinguished for their desire to mitigate the horrors of slavery, and to inculcate morality and religion among their dependents. An act passed the Island Assembly 13th February, 1834, and was ratified by the council two days after, decreeing the emancipation of every slave in the island on the 1st of August, 1834, unqualified from all the provisions of the act of the British Parliament with

FOUR AND A HALF PER CENT. DUTIES. 321

reference to apprenticeship. The bill provided for locating, in their present domiciles, all the slaves residing upon sugar plantations for the space of one year, and also for settlement in the parishes in which their present residences are situated, for the same period. In case of insubordination or improper conduct, two magistrates to have the power of removing them. Food and clothing, as now provided by existing laws, to be supplied to the old, infirm, and young for one year, at the proprietor's expence, and reasonable wages allowed to all the able and competent labourers. The laws of the island relative to the slaves to be abrogated, and the statute law of England to take their place.

In the words of this most righteous Act— From and after the 1st of August, 1834, slavery shall be and is hereby utterly and for ever abolished and declared unlawful within this colony and its dependencies!'

This prompt measure of the Antiguans was not met in a corresponding spirit at home, because the destructive four and a half per cent. duties levied on all their produce exported' (and which his present Majesty has so nobly resigned) was combined by the colonial legislature in the slavery emancipation act.

1 These duties are levied in Barbadoes, Antigua, Nevis, St. Kitt's, Montserrat, and Tortola; they have amounted, since the period when they were first levied, to seven millions sterling! The larger islands and Guiana have successfully opposed the infliction of so heavy a tax.

WEST INDIES. VOL. II.

Y

BOOK VIII.

ST. CHRISTOPHER'S, OR ST. KITT'S, NEVIS, AND ANGUILLA.

CHAPTER I.

ST. CHRISTOPHER'S.

LOCALITY PHYSICAL ASPECT MOUNTAINS RIVERSGEOLOGY CLIMATE- POPULATION.

IN 17° 18′ north latitude, 62° 40′ west longitude, seventy-two miles in circumference, and containing sixty-eight square miles, is situate St. Kitt's, or St. Christopher's, called by the Caribs Licmuiga, or the fertile isle, and in shape somewhat like Italy-as an outstretched leg.

HISTORY.

- This singular-looking but beautiful spot was discovered by Columbus in 1493, and, as stated by some, received its name from the great navigator himself1, by reason of his being so pleased

1 This island is not only honoured by being named after Columbus, but it is said to have given birth to Christophe, first a slave, afterwards a waiter in an hotel and on board a

with its fertile appearance; others say its name is derived from a part of Mount Misery bearing a resemblance to the statues common at that period on church porches, of St. Christopher carrying our Saviour on his shoulders. The island was then densely peopled by Caribs, who remained for some time after its discovery in possession of their native home, subject to the occasional visits of the Spaniards for water, with whom they are stated to have been on terms of friendship '—a very doubtful fact, unless the Spaniards did not require the land or persons of the Caribs.

In 1623, Warner (afterwards Sir Thomas) settled on the island, with his son and fourteen Londoners, and found three Frenchmen residing in tranquillity with the natives. Warner returned to England for more recruits, and, on his return in 1625, landed the same day with M. D'Enambuc, who had arrived from France with a party of colonists. The Caribs took alarm, made war on the European invaders, were discomfited with the loss of 2000 in killed and wounded, leaving 100 foes dead from their poisoned arrows. The English and French agreed to divide the island between them, and articles of partition were signed 13th of May, 1627. The island was divided into upper and lower portions—the former

privateer, and finally Emperor of Haiti. According, however, to one account, this remarkable man was born in the island of Grenada, in 1769, and was a slave at St. Domingo so late as 1791.

So stated by the intelligent and eloquent author of the West India Sketch Book.

and most extensive called Capisterre, belonging to the French; and the lower called Basseterre, alone inhabited by the English.

Don Frederick de Toledo, a Spaniard, proceeding to the Havannah with fifteen frigates and twentyfour ships of burthen, attacked the colonists in 1629, burned and plundered in every direction, and carried off 600 Englishmen as prisoners; but the flow of emigration was so great to the West Indies at this period, that in the following year the number of English settlers amounted to 6000. Jealousies, bickerings, and at length hostilities, began between the English and French settlers, which were stopped by the latter compelling the former to return within their line of demarcation; but although it was agreed that if France and England went to war, the colonists of St. Christopher's should remain neutral, the resolution was broken on the commencement of hostilities in Europe; and a terrible battle, which lasted several days, ended in favour of the French colonists, who assumed the mastery of the whole island, and gallantly defended their acquisition, in the following year, against a large English force, sent to recover possession; in the contest for which, Lord Belamont and Colonel Lauvreu were slain, all their officers wounded, eight colours lost, 700 British troops killed and drowned, and many taken prisoners. At the peace of Breda, the English colonists were restored to their portion of the island, and for twenty years the French and English lived in peace; but, in 1689, the former entered the territory of the latter, put to death all who opposed, and by the aid of fire and