Situation and Extent ofJamaica.
The Island ofJamaicalieth North from the Southern Continent ofAmerica, in the Sea call’dMare del Nort; and South from the Isle ofCubaabout twelve Leagues; and West fromHispaniolatwenty, in eighteen Degrees of Northern Latitude; and beareth fromRio de HachaNorth-West, a hundred and fifty Leagues; fromSanta MarthaNorth North-West, a hundred and thirty five; fromRio GrandeNorth-West, a hundred and thirty; fromCarthagenaNorth, fourteen; fromPorto BelloNorth-East and by North, a hundred and ninety; from the Bay ofDarien, North and by East, a hundred and seventy; from the Bay ofMexico, a hundred and fifty. It is of Form something nearly resembling oval, being in length from East to West, about fifty four Leagues, or a hundred and seventy Miles;from North to South in the broadest and middlemost part, about three and twenty Leagues, or seventy Miles over, and so groweth narrower and narrower towards each Extream; in circumference about one hundred and fifty Leagues, or four hundred and fiftyEnglishMiles.
Nature of the Country.
This Island is well water’d with Springs and Rivers, and is all over, especially in the Western parts, full of high Hills and Mountains: It is also well Wooded; for the North and South parts chiefly abound with tall and large Woods: Nor are there wanting every whereSavanas, or Pastures, which are thought to have been Fields ofIndian Maiz, till theSpaniardsarriving here, brought in Horses, Cows, Hogs, andAsinego’s to feed.
Temperature of the Air.
The Air in this Place is more temperate, and the Heat more tolerable, than in any of the rest of theBarloventi, by reason of the cool Breezes which constantly blow from the East, and the frequency of Showers of Rain, and refreshing Dews which fall in the Night.
This is also the onely Island of theBarloventi, which is not subject to violent Storms and Hurricanes; and the Diseases which are predominant here, are onely bred by Intemperance, as Surfets, Feavers, and Agues, or occasion’d by ill Diet or Slothfulness.
Commodities of the Island.
The Commodities of this Island are very many; and first for Vegetables, the Sugars are so good, that they now out-sell those ofBarbado’s 5s.per Cent.
Cocoa, of which there are many large Walks; and greater plenty by improvement may easily be produc’d.
Tobacco, so good, that the Merchants give Six pence a Pound for it, and buy it faster than the Planters can make it.
Indigo is producible in great abundance, if there were Hands sufficient employ’d about it.
The Cotton of this Place is accounted very firm and substantial, and preferr’d before any that grows in the neighboring Islands.
Of Tortoise-shell there is also good store, by reason that much of that sort of Tortoise is taken on this Coast.
Here are also great variety of Dye-woods, asBrasiletto,Fustwick, Red-wood, a kind of Log-wood, and several others, besides divers of those that are accounted the most curious and rich sorts of Woods, as Cedar,Mohogeney,Lignum-vitæ, Ebony,Granadilla, and others, which are frequently Exported.
Moreover, there are very probable testimonies, that there are Mines of Copper here, since both there have been those who affirm to have seen the Oar wrought out of one of them, and theSpaniardsreport the Bells that hang in the great Church, to have been Cast out of this Island Copper. As for Silver, theEnglishare said to have been shew’d a Silver-Mine behind the Mountains, West ofCagway.
Ambergreece theSpaniardsreport to have been often found on this Coast.
Salt might be made here in great abundance, there being three good Salt-pans; and Salt-petre hath been found in many Parts.
Ginger is reported to grow better here than in most of theCaribbeeIslands; and Cod-pepper very plentifully; and also a certain kind of Spice call’dPiemete, being in the form ofEast-IndiaPepper, of a very aromatical and curious taste, partaking as it were of divers species together: it grows wild in the Mountains, and is very highly valu’d amongst theSpaniards.
Of Drugs and medicinal Plants there is here a very great abundance, asGuaiacum,China-Root,Cassia-Fistula,Veuillard,Achiotes,Tamarinds,Contrayerva,Ciperas,Adiantum Nigrum,Aloes,Cucumis Agrestis,Sumach,Acacia,Misselto, with several others, both Drugs, Balsoms and Gums.
Cochineleis produc’d by a Plant that grows in this Countrey, but it is not made without much care and curiosity, and theEnglishare not yet well experienc’d in the Husbanding thereof, besides that the Growth of the Plant is much obstructed by Easterly Winds.
Beasts.
There is here greater store of Cattel than in any of the rest of theEnglishPlantations inAmerica, as Horses, which by reason of the great number of them, are bought very cheap.
Cow’s, of a large size, and of which vast numbers are yearly kill’d.
Asinego’s and Mules, both wild and tame, being a very serviceable sort of Cattel in those Countreys.
Sheep, large and tall, and whose Flesh is counted exceeding good, but the Fleece worth little.
Goats in great abundance, being a sort of Cattel very peculiar to that Countrey.
But of all other Cattel, Hogs are here in the greatest plenty, both wild in the Mountains, and tame in the Plantations; and they are more in request for Food than any of the rest, their Flesh being counted both of a better rellish, and more easily digestible than the Hogs-flesh of our Parts.
Fish.
The Fish that is very plentifully caught in these Coasts is of infinite variety, and quite of another kind from what we have in this part of the World, the principal whereof is the Tortoise, which is taken in great abundance both on these Coasts, and in the IslandsCamavas.
Birds.
The tame Fowl in this Place, are chiefly Hens, Turkies, and Ducks; but of wild Fowl infinite store, as ofGuineeHens,Flamingo’s, Teal, Ducks, Wigeon, Geese, Pigeons, Snipes, Plovers, Parrots, Turtles, Parachites, Machaw’s, with divers others.
Fruit-Trees and other Plants.
Choice and excellent sorts of Fruits are here in great abundance, asCocao-Nuts,Mannes,Maumees,Supatas,Suppotillias,Avocatas,Cashuds, Prickle-Apples, Pickle-Pears, Sower-Sops,Custud-Apples, and many others.
For Timber-Trees,Platanesand Pines.
And for Garden-Herbs, Radish, Lettice, Parsley, Cucumbers, Melons,&c.
The antient Inhabitants us’d two sorts of Bread, the one made of stamp’d Roots, and the other of Corn, which is Reap’d thrice every year, and grows with such success, that one Pint sow’n yields two hundred.
They had a strange way to make theirCazariCakes of the RootJuca, which keep good a year: They first press’d out the Juice with great Weights, which if drunk raw, occasions sudden Death; but boyl’d, is pallatable and good.
Potato’s are here in great abundance, and grow like Artichokes in a moist Soil, and shoot forth Leaves of a dark-green Colour, like Spinage; they spread upon the Earth by Stalks, and bear a Flower like a Bell, at the end of which grows the Seed: the Roots are generally White, but sometimes Red, Marble-colour’d, Yellow, and Violet; they are not onely pleasing to the Pallat, but accounted very wholsom when stew’d in a close cover’d Pot, with a little Water.
But much daintier are theAnanas, which grow on a Stalk of a Foot long, surrounded with sixteen large sharp Leaves, between which grows a Fruit like a Pine-Apple, but much bigger, with an uneven Rind, of a pale Green, and inclining to a Carnation on a yellow Ground; on the top shoots out a red Bunch of Leaves and Flowers; the innermost Pulp melts on the Tongue, and is of so delicious a taste, that it exceeds all other Dainties; the Seed produces Fruit once.
Of this Fruit there are several sorts, the chief whereof is accounted a special Remedy against a bad Stomach, Gravel, Poyson, and Melancholy.
The Drink made ofAnanasis no way inferior toMalvasiaWine.
A sort of sensitive Plant.
Here you may observe a remarkable Secret of Nature in a certain ever-green Plant, which grows either on the Bodies of old Trees, on the Rocks, or in the Woods; the Stalk whereof surrounded with Leaves, full of dark red Spots, bears a sweet-smelling Violet-colour’d Flower, the Leaves whereof as soon as touch’d, close up together and die, and according as they are held in the Hand a shorter or longer time, this strange alteration continues.
Ginger.
Since theSpaniardsplanted Ginger onJamaica, it hath grown there in great abundance; the Male Plant (for it is divided into Male and Female) hath generally bigger Leaves than the Female; the Stalks, which are without Knots, have more Leaves upwards than downwards, and spreads along the Earth, still take Root anew; when the Leaves wither, then the Ginger is commonly ripe, but it hath not that poinancy whilest green as when dry’d.
Cotton.
The Cotton of this Island (of which the Clothes and Hammocks that are made, are vended in most parts of the Western World) grows on a Tree of equal heighth with a Peach-Tree, with a straight Stem or Body, out of which shoot Boughs of an equal length, and at equal distance; between the Leaves, which are narrow and long, grow red Flowers, and from them, oval Cods, which when ripe, inclose the Cotton, and a Seed like Pepper.
Description of theAlligator.
Of hurtful Creatures here, besides theManchonele, and a sort of Snakes call’dGuaana’s, wherein ’tis thought there is little or nothing of a poysonous quality; the most observable is theAlligator, with which many Rivers and Ponds abound; it is a very voracious Creature, but is seldom known to prey upon a Man; it moves swiftly and strongly forward, but turns slow; the biggest of them are about twenty Foot long, their Backs scaly and impenetrable, so that they are hardly kill’d but in the Belly or Eye; they have four Feet or Fins, with which they go or swim indifferently; are observ’d to make no kind of noise; their usual course for getting their Prey, is to lie on their Backs as dead, then with a sudden onset to surprize what-ever Fowl or Beast comes fearlesly near them; the best caution other Creatures have of them is from the strong smell that flows from their Bodies: to requite the harm done by them, they have something of vertue, for the Fat or Oyl of their Bodies hath been experienc’d to be an admirable Ointment for all kinds of Pains and Aches; they Lay Eggs no bigger than a Turkies by the Water side, still covering them with Sand, which heated by the Sun-beams, hatcheth the young ones, who naturally creep into the Water.
MuschilliandMerrywings.
In some parts of the Countrey there are also a sort of stinging Flies, call’dMuschilliandMerrywings, but theEnglishQuarters are little infested by them.
Hugh Linschotwrites, That the antient Natives of this Place were a subtile and sharp-witted People, skilful in Handicrafts, and expert in warlike Affairs, above all theAmericansbesides.
First Discovery of the Island.
The Island was discover’d by theSpaniardsunder the Conduct ofColumbus, who first built there the Town ofMellilla; which disliking, he remov’d again toOristana; and finding that an incommodious and unhealthy Situation, he remov’d again to another Plantation, where he built a very fair Town, first call’dSevilla, afterwardsSt. Jago de la Vega, consisting of about seventeen hundred Houses, two Churches, two Chappels, and an Abbey, being the chief, if not the onely Seat of theSpaniardsbefore the arrival of theEnglish, for theirEstanchas, or small Plantations, were committed wholly to the custody of their Slaves.
Diego, the Son ofChristopher Colonus, (or, as he is vulgarly call’d,Columbus) was the first that was constituted Governor of this Island, and sentJuan de SquibelloCommander, who upon their first arrival here committed such horrid Cruelties and Massacres, that (as the fore-mention’dBartholomeo de las Casaswrites) five thousand Inhabitants were in a short time reduc’d to less than three hundred, multitudes being put to death in a most inhumane and barbarous manner, some roasted alive, others torn in pieces by theSpanishDogs, besides many other studied ways of Butchery, too dreadful to be read with patience; nor were they free from Civil War amongst themselves, which first began in this Island.
Attempts of theEnglishupon his Island.
The first and onely Attempters upon this Island since theSpaniardsmade themselves Masters thereof, have been theEnglish, who in the Year 1592. under the Conduct of SirAnthony ShirleyLanded upon it, & got clear possession thereof, none of theSpaniardsthat were then upon the Place daring to make the least resistance; but not thinking it worth the keeping, they soon deserted it, and made Sail back again forEngland: after which they remain’d unmolested for a long time, till in the Year 1654. a Fleet ofEnglishwas set out forHispaniolabyCromwell, under the Command of ColonelVenables, with a Design for the taking ofSt. Domingo; but meeting with ill success in the Enterprize, and being forc’d to quit that Island with loss of Men, and frustration of their hopes, they steer’d their Course forJamaica, and on the tenth ofMayin the Year abovesaid, with little opposition possess’d themselves of it. Upon their approach toSt. Jagothe Inhabitants thereof deserted it, and betook them to the Mountains, gaining time by a pretence of Treaty, to secure their Women and Goods; and oftentimes making Incursions upon the stragling Parties of theEnglish, slew and took many Prisoners by surprize: but being weary of this wild and irregular kind of living, they betake themselves at last to the Isle ofCuba, where many of them, the Grandees especially, were permitted by favour to continue, the rest being by the Vice-Roy commanded back, with promise of speedy and considerable Supplies; by that time this remnant of theSpaniardswas near tir’d out with hardship and necessity, some being very much discourag’d and driven to utter despondence of Mind, others destroy’d out-right, part of the long promis’d and expected Supply arrives, the greatest part being to follow soon after; butfinding the Islanders so few in number, and in so sickly and necessitous an Estate, they would not joyn with them, but maugre all the Governor’s Perswasions or Commands, retreat to the North part of the Island, and there fortifie at a place call’dChireras, expecting every day fresh Recruits; which not coming time enough, and their Quarters being discover’d, they were set upon by theEnglish, and most of them either slain or taken Prisoners: not many Moneths after the rest of theSpanishForces Land, being in all about thirty Companies, with Ordnance and good store of Ammunition; who falling presently to make strong Fortifications atRio Novo, are nevertheless in a short time utterly defeated by theEnglish: Upon which, and several other ill Successes, despairing to re-gain the Island, they Ship off their Women and the richest of their Goods; and theNegroSlaves grown Masterless, by the general either slaughter or departure of their Patrons, shake off their Obedience to theSpaniards, and constitute a Governor of their own, aBlack, yet submit themselves, and own Subjection to theEnglishGovernment, theSpaniardsfromCuba, both by their Perswasions and monethly Contributions, in vain endeavoring to reduce them; onely some few there were that stood out, whom the rest not onely made it their business to discover, but help’d theEnglishto take them, insomuch that at last theSpanishGeneral not having above fifty Men left him, was forc’d to seek for Peace, and offer’d Terms of Accommodation; which theEnglishGeneral would not be drawn to accept of, unless upon Condition that he should deliver up to Justice as many as were left of those that had barbarously murder’d any of our Men, either in time of Treaty, or after Quarter given.
TheEnglishin this Island are setled for above a hundred Miles along the Countrey from the Eastward.
Chief Towns.
Their chief Towns are 1.St. Jago, (built by theSpaniards, as afore mention’d) which lieth six Miles within the Land, North-West from the Harbor ofCagway. Here theEnglishhave built a small Fort.
2.Passage, a small Town, built also by theEnglishsix Miles fromSt. Jago, for the convenience of going toCagway, consisting of about fifty Houses and a Fort, whence cross this Harbor, about three Leagues distant is the Town of 3.Cagway, seated on the Extream end of the Point, containing in it above six hundred Houses, all built by theEnglish, besides the Governor’s Palace, and the Houses where the Stores for the Army are kept.
This is counted the most healthful Place in all the Island, and the very Scale of Trade, where all Merchants, Strangers, and Sailors reside.
Here, upon the utmost Angle of the Point towards the Sea, is a round Tower, built of Lime and Stone; about which is rais’d a strong and regular Fort, containing sixty pieces of Ordnance.
Port Royal.
This Town is now call’dPort Royal, and is thought to contain about sixteen thousand Inhabitants.
Landward.
A Mile from hence is another Fort, call’dLandward, which runs from the Harbor to the Sea, to defend the Town from any Attempt by Land.
Little Island.
Off the Mouth of the Harbor towards the Sea, lie divers small Islands, the most Western of which being within half a League of the Fort, and between which and the Fort every Ship that comes into the Harbor is necessitated to pass: It is call’dLittle Island; where a Fort is likewise rais’d, to defend the Mouth of the Harbor, containing eight pieces of Ordnance.
Another Fortification is atPortmorant, which we shall make mention of amongst the Harbors.
Chief Ports and Harbors.
The chief Harbors of this Island, are 1.Port Anthony, on the North, a very safe Land-lock’d Harbor, onely the coming in is somewhat difficult, the Channel being narrow’d by a little Island that lies off the Mouth of the Port.
2. On the East of the Island isPortmorant, a very capacious Harbor, where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water, and Ride safe from all Winds.
3. On the South isPort Cagway, a Harbor wonderfully convenient, secure and capacious, being five Leagues over in some places, in others four, and at the narrowest, three; it is Land-lock’d by a Point of Land that runs twelve Miles South-West from the Main of the Island, having the great River that comes byLos Angelos, andSt. Jagorunning into it, and divers Springs about it, where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water. Here is every where good Anchorage, the Road being so deep, that a Ship of a thousand Tun may lay his sides to the Shore of the Point, and load and unload with Planks afloat.
4. On the West isPoint Megrill, a Port very convenient and secure; to Windward from which, a little North-West, is the Seat of the old Town ofMellilla, founded byColumbus, as afore mention’d.
The chief Plantations of this Island, are 1.Portmorant, above the Harbor before mention’d, and by the two Rivers that run into it. Here are good Plantations of Sugars, Cottons, Tobacco’s,&c.
2. Hence about ten Miles liethMorant, where a thousand Acres of Land have been taken up for my LordWilloughby, and a Company of Merchants.
3. Hence farther Leeward liethYallow, having good Plantations of Cotton, Tobacco, and other Provisions, excellentSavana’s, and some store of tame Cattel.
4. Thirty Miles hence, on the North side ofCagwayisLigonce, where are excellent Plantations of Sugar, Cotton, and Tobacco, very pleasantSavana’s and some store of wild Cattel.
5. Twenty Miles farther West, nine Miles from the Harbor ofCagway, isLos Angelos, having some Plantations of Sugar,Cacao, and Tobacco, all which were oldSpanishPlantations, and are less considerable than those made by theEnglishin other places.
6. Eight Miles from hence, North-West, isGuanaboa, where likewise were someSpanishPlantations, since improv’d by theEnglish, who have very many excellent Plantations of Sugar,Cacao, &c.
7. Hence West South-West liethGuatabacoa, a most pleasant rich and fertile part of the Countrey, abounding with Cattel, and excellentSavana’s. Here theNegro’s setled that revolted from theSpaniards, who are endeavouring to make some Plantations of Tobacco’s and Provisions, and with them are setled some fewEnglish, who have divers Walks ofCacao.
The several Governors of theEnglishinJamaica.
The several Governors of this Island since the taking of it by theEnglish, are as followeth: GeneralRobert Venablesstaid upon the Place about three Moneths after the taking of it, and at his coming away forEnglandhe left the chief Command to Major GeneralRichard Fortescue, who liv’d Governor about three Moneths; after which Lieutenant GeneralEdward Doylywas by the Army elected President; but upon his coming away soon after forEngland, Lieutenant GeneralWilliam Brainwas sent over Governor in his room; who living in the Government about three quarters of a year, did as it were bequeathe it again toDoyly, for he was chosen by vertue of a Blank Commission, whereinBrainhad inserted his Name whom he would have succeed, and remain’d Commander in Chief both by Land and Sea till His Majesty’s Restauration, and then by His Majesty’s Letters Patents was confirm’d in the Government, and so was the first that was Governor there for His Majesty:The next that succeeded was the LordWindsor, upon whose coming away SirThomas Muddifordwas sent Governor, and after him SirThomas Linch, who remains Governor at present.