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John's college, Cambridge, that the flagellatory difcipline prevailed in that fociety till as late a period as the year 1684, when it is fuppofed the fyftem expired with the flogging of the celebrated Mat. Prior over the hatchway of the fcholars' buttery. As for the truth of this story I do not pretend to vouch, but that it is in circulation at St. John's, Mr. W. may fatisfy himself by applying to any of the members of that college. From the dungeon-like appearance of the apartment in one of the turrets of St. John's, which is faid to have been occupied by Prior, and which is now converted into a gip-room, it is evident he was allowed no great accommodation at college; confidering which, and other circumstances, I think it not at all improbable that fuch a punishment might have at that time prevailed, both at this and other colleges in the university.

For the further fatisfaction of the learned writer, for whom the above information is more particularly defigned, I beg leave to obferve, that there is a fenfe in which the word hitch is used in the maritime parts of our northernmost counties, different from any in which he or Mr. KERSHAW have explained it, but which does not throw any light on the meaning of the word as ufed by Pope. In the fenfe I allude to, it fignifies the fuddden act of catching hold of a perfon by furprize or unawares, and first introduced in this fenfe, as I conceive, by fea-faring perfons, amongst whom the term is not unufual, as applied to the

grees.

ceffary to complete the library of the ftudent. Since the publication of Mr. BARRINGTON's obfervations on feveral old ftatutes, no book of that kind, to my recollection has appeared. I would fuggeft to your learned readers a book not formed after that model wholly, but one that fhould contain obfervations on all the ftatutes from the reign of Henry VIII. to the prefent time, the hiftory of their introduction, by whom, the characters of the propofers, the arguments pro and con, the common law as it ftood before the ftatutes, the alterations in confequence of the new law, and the feveral fubfequent determinations thereon. Thefe fhould be the leading features of fuch a work, which, if well executed, I am confident would be of infinite ufe to the profeffion; would leffen the fatigue of fearching into many books for the clear understanding of any particular statute, and would, I hope, facilitate the study of our ftatute law. There are, however, two obvious, though not unanswerable objections; I mean the labour of compleating fuch an undertaking, and the danger of its being handled by the unfkilful; but he that hopes to accomplish it without infuperable courage and per feverance will deceive himfelf, and labour in vain-without deep refearch and pro found legal learning will add little to his fame, and lefs to his fortune. Newbury, Feb. 2o.

C.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR,

HE accounts juft received of an attack made by the Spaniards on the bay Honduras, the particulars of which we are however yet to learn, give fome intereft refpecting the nature of a country almoft unknown*. As from a refidence there of feveral years, I have had an opportunity of being well acquainted with this fettlement. I beg leave through the channel of the Monthly Magazine to give fome information to the public upon this fubject.

catching hold of any thing with a hook or rope," fee Bailey's dictionary, where of the word is derived from the Saxon hiczan gnifying "to wriggle, or move by deIf this be (as Bailey reprefents it) its real import, I do not fee with what propriety, or peculiar aptnefs, Pope can be admitted to have used it in the paffage referred to by Mr. WAKEFIELD. It is rather furprising that no notice is taken of this ftrange word by Junius in bis "Etymologicon." Your's, &c. April 8, 1799. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

R. H. C.

To this establishment we have improperly given the name of the bay of Honduras. It is not a bay; and Honduras is the name of the Spanish Province to the fouth and fouth east of the British fettleI fhall however adhere to the po

LTHOUGH many law books have Abren lately published which have fount.

contributed but little to the advancement of knowledge, it does not follow that works of real utility may not ftill be neGip-room, in the cant language of the Univerfity, fignifies a fmall apartment allotted for the Gips,or men-fervants, to clean shees and perform fimilar neceffaries in

*

pular name.

*No Geographer has defcribed this country. The only traveller that has given any account of it is Captain Nathaniel Uring, who, in a book of Voyages and Travels, published in 1740, gives fome particulars of two trading voyages he made to this place.

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This fettlement is a part of Yucatan, Spanish province which forms Peninfula running out from the kingdom of Mexico to the northward, into the gulph of Mexico. Here and at Campeachy (on the western coaft of Yucatan) the English have been in the habits of cutting logwood from an early period of the prefent century. At Campeachy, however, it has now been long difufed, and there, as well as at the Bay of Honduras, it met with conftant interruptions from the Spaniards; and it is well known to have been a principal cause of the war in 1740.

This establiment, however, never affumed a regular form until after the peace of 1763. The Baymen then became more refpectable than they had formerly been, and befides their places for cutting wood in the river, formed a fort of town on a little island on the coaft, called St. George's key (or according to the Spaniards Cayo Cafina) from which, as well as all the other parts of the diffrict, the logwood cutters were expelled by the Spaniards in the American war. In fact, the Spanish government never acknowledged or allowed the right of the British to cut logwood in any part of this country previous to the definitive treaty of peace of 1783, and it was not till the convention of 1786, that the privilege was granted of cutting mahogany.

The Bay of Honduras extends along the east coast of Yucatan, for about fixty or feventy miles. The Rio Hondo (deep river) is the northern boundary; and there are alfo the new river, the river Belize or Wallis, and the river Sibun or Jabon, which is the boundary to the fouth -the intermediate fpace between Belize and Sibun being granted as an additional district, in confideration of the evacuation of the Mosquito fhore, by the convention between Great Britain and Spain of 1786. Thefe rivers are interfected by a bounding-line running at different diftances, from twenty to eighty miles in the country. St. George's key is alfo included in the English fettlement. The four rivers are all navigable for twenty miles and upwards, by veffels of confiderable burthen, and much higher by canoes*.

The whole Peninfula of Yucatan is fuppofed by naturalifts to have been for

* The canoes generally used, are of a particular and very handfome form, to which they give the name of Dories. They have alfo a flat bottomed kind, fhaped like Thames Punts-thefe they call Pitpans.

merly fea, and there appear strong grounds for their conjecture-1ft. It is entirely a flat and very low lying land, while all the adjacent country is mountainous2d. It every where contains in the interior falt water lakes, which have no visible communication with the fea-3dly,

Through the whole country are to be found marine shells-and lastly, all along the coaft are little iflands, or keys as they are called, mere beds of fand, and having every appearance of being thrown up from the fea.

The ground is generally fwampy and covered with wood. Mahogany as well as logwood, fuftic and other dying woods, and alfo iron-wood, bullet-tree, lignum vitæ and other kinds of hard timber, grow in great abundance; and the remainder of the furface is filled with the different fpecies of palm, cotton tree, and others; but principally by the aquatic fhrubs, called mangrove and a variety of underwood. There are befides in fome places barren plains, or which at least bear only a coarfe and useless kind of grass. The rivers are the only highways.

Such a country it may be eafily believed is not healthy. St. George's key and the other keys on the coaft, however, are extremely falubrious, and form a deGrable retreat to the fick and the valetudinary. The heat in Honduras is nearly the fame as in the Weft India islands, and like them it enjoys the fea breezes, except occafionally during the winter, when the north wind blowing over the frozen continent of America, produces here a very pleasant temperature, fometimes even fo cold as to make a fire comfortable.

On the banks of the rivers, and the neighbourhood of thefe banks, the settlers cut logwood and mahogany, which hav ing now become pretty much exhausted immediately on the rivers fides, is obliged to be carried a confiderable distance, frequently feveral miles, on roads made on purpofe, and where it is dragged by oxen brought from England or Jamaica ; for no cattle are bred in the diftrict, or ufed there but for draught. In Belize the mahogany is floated down the river, and

fent on board of veffels in the road-tead oppofite to its mouth. From the rest of the rivers, the mahogany as well as other woods are carried in coafting veffels of from twenty to an hundred tons burthen, either to Belize river's mouth, or St. George's key, thefe being the only places where veffels lie to receive it.

At the mouth of Belize, which was the oldeft

oldeft eftablishment, and is the principal river, both in refpect to the length of its courte, and the quantity of mahogany on its banks, the inhabitants have formed a town, not of extraordinary fize or elegance, but which is their principal rendezvous, where the courts are held, &c. and I may here mention, that in September 1786, a tremendous hurricane and inundation of the fea took place, which not only deftroyed every houfe or hut in the town, but either funk or drove on fhore every fhip and veffel in the fettlement, and feveral hundred lives were loft at fea and on fhore. So great was the influx of the fea, that I, who was upon the spot at the time, was up to the neck in water on the highest ground in the town, and might have been drowned, had I not, with a number of other perfons, got into a large canoe which we faftened to a tout tree. As the greatest part of the town confifted of huts made of palmetto poles, and covered with palmetto leaves, it was easily rebuilt; and there have been fince erected fome more comfortable houfes of wood and covered with fhingles. The place has been alfo neceffarily much enlarged to accommodate the emigrants from the Mofquito fhore.

The trade of Honduras is of greater importance than is generally fuppofed: I had occafion to keep an account of it of ficially for feveral years. That account I have not now before me; but from memory I give the following statement of it, as it was in the year 1790, when I left the fettlement.

It employed nearly one hundred veffels of all defcriptions, (exclufive of the coafting craft of the country) to the amount of twelve thousand tons burthen, having on board about one thoufand feamen. The exports were above four millions of feet of mahogany, and eight hundred tons of logwood, befides other articles of lefs confequence-The imports were all the variety of European manufactures, and provifions. Befides the value of the exports, and the advantage to the mother country from the confumption of her manufactures; the reader will confider the number of feamen this trade employed he will confider the number of artificers employed in England to work the maho gany, and he will confider the advantage to this nation from the exportation of it in its manufactured ftate. Of the dying woods the fame may be obferved, and as thefe are now in confequence of the war become much higher priced, a greater quantity will be imported; for during

my refidence at Honduras, logwood was not imported into Britain as an article of profit, but merely as dunnage for the fhips.

For the want of fpecie, payments were generally made in wood. The established price for that purpofe was 151. currency (rol. 125. 7d. fterling) per thousand feet for mahogany, and 41. currency (21. 175. fterling) per ton for logwood, and the fe payments were not reckoned equal to above two thirds of payments in cash or bills*.

The number of inhabitants in the year 1790, amounted to nearly two thoufand five hundred. Of thefe about fourfifths were negro flaves, and a great proportion of the remainder perfons of colour, or Meflees, being a mixture of whites with Indians, or of whites or Indians with negroes. Of this population nearly three-fourths were emigrants from the Mufquito fhore, who evacuated that country in terms of the convention of 1786. There are no Indians in the district.

Captain Uring, whofe voyages I have before mentioned, gives no very favourable picture of the Baymen. He pronounces them a favage fet of people, all failors and mostly pirates; who, while they could procure ftrong liquors, lived in the most beaftly way, and gave themfelves up to all manner of filthy debauchery. I am happy to fay that there are now many inftances of civilized, well behaved, and well informed men among the wood-cutters§, but, I must at the fame time confefs, that the race of old Baymen is not quite extin&t. One clafs in particular comes nearly up to Mr. Uring's description, the turtle fishers, or turtlers, as they are called. Thefe, (though not pirates) confift of fome hundreds of old failors whom idleness has led to this favage life. They inhabit the

The price of mahogany in London was then from 4d. to 10d. per foot, now it is treble-the price of logwood not 51. perton, and now it is nearly five times that amount. About the year 1720, logwood fold in England for rool. per ton.

+ See more upon this fubject, as well as on others refpecting the Honduras fettlement, fpard," lately king's fuperintendant in that in the Memoirs of Edward Marcus Dedistrict, just published by Ridgway.

The reader will understand, that this fettlement has attained a confiderable degree of civilization, when he is informed, that in 1789, an injured husband recovered by law damages against the feducer of his wife.

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If I should be afked, what is the religion in this fettlement? I inuft answer, none to my knowledge. Here is no prieft, no church, no public worship. It is a fubject, in fhort, never thought of. What a happy opportunity for the miffionary fociety to extend their pious labourst!

I am truly forry to add, that in a country containing between two and three thousand inhabitants there is not a fchoolmaster. One perfon attempted the task for fome time during my stay at Honduras, but received little or no encouragement.

The political state of this fettlement, and its natural hiftory, will be the fubject of a future letter. I am, Sir,

Your most obedient servant, JAS. BANNANTINE. Temple-freet, St. George's-fields.

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TOUR OF ENGLAND. (Continued from page 34.) Journal of a Tour through almost every county in England, and part of Wales, by Mr.JOHN HOUSMAN, of Corby, near Carlife; who was engaged to make the Tour by a gentleman of distinction, for the purpose of collecting authentic information relative to the ftate of the poor. The Journal comprifes an account of the general appearance of the country, of the foil, surface, buildings, &c. with obfervations agricultural, commercial, &c.

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TOVEMBER 13, went from Prefteign to Bishop's Caftle in Shropfhire, 20 miles. I breakfasted at Knighton, a pretty little market town a few miles from Prefteign. Before I reached Knighton I paffed over a large common, which, by cultivation, might be rendered very ufeful. The town ftands at the bottom of a deep narrow valley, along which a pretty rivulet runs: the road paffed to and from Knighton, has a very quick defcent into the town, and a still more rapid afcent out of it: most of the banks are clothed with wood. I afterwards croffed a common of feveral miles in extent, and had a view of fome others at a great distance. Thefe commons are moftly dry, and naturally produce fern, and fome whins or furze: the sheep depafturing thereon are small. The foil of this district in general is gravelly and dry, but a part contains a ftrongish clay: the furface is hilly, but not mountainous : tracts of wood-land, chiefly small oaks, appear here and there. This district is very much a corn country. Bishop's Caftle is a small ancient market town, poorly built, and has about 1100 inha bitants, who are farmers, common tradefmen, and mechanics: it ftands in a pleafant farming country: the farmers are affembled here to-day at the fair, difpofing of their cattle, and are as drunken and noify as I generally found that class of men in other parts of the kingdom. Here was anciently a very large and strong castle from which the town took its name, but there is now scarce a veftige of it remaining. The average rent of land is between 20s. and 30s. per acre, and the common fize of farms is about sool. per ann.

Nov

Nov. 15. went from Bishop's Castle to Shrewsbury in Shropshire, 20 miles. The furface for the firft 12 miles is unlevel; and the foil rather barren, being generally wettish poor clay, and naturally producing rulhes: most of the hedges are Father naked, with, here and there, a few fcattering trees. In this track there is much dry hilly common: and a little to the westward are fome black rocky mountains covered with heath, and fheltering a few groufe. Buildings mostly thatched and very indifferent. The fheep of this country are fmall, but faid to be profitable; their wool is remarkably fine; 8 or 10 fleeces will weigh a ftone, which, a farmer tells me, fells for 27s. a very enormous price! a flock of 500 fetches about 3ool. à number of them have lately been fent into Scotland, for the purpose of eftablishing the breed on fome of the finest hills there, but with what fuccefs I did not hear. At the end of 12 miles I have a fine view of the country from a rifing ground-The Chefhire hills appear at a great diftance on the north, the Welsh mountains on the north weft, and the Shropfhire hills on the east; while the intermediate space prefents a fine, fertile, extenfive plain, with the city of Shrewsbury smokeing in the center, and the Severn winding through it. The country along which the lait 8 miles of the road goes is level and pleafant; inclofed with pretty hedges, and the foil a gravelly loam. Shrewsbury ands in a remarkably fine fituation by the fide of the Severn, which runs almoft half round it: the freets are wide and clean, and the buildings elegant. It contains 5 churches, and 11,000 inhabitants, a few of whom are employed in a woolen manufacture; but that bufinefs is rather on the decline. Part of the walls, and the caftle, are yet ftanding. The famous houfe of induftry, fo noted for its fine regulations in the management of the poor, is erected on a beautiful eminence on the oppofite fide of the river, and has every appearance of a nobleman's feat. November 19, went from Shrewsbury to Ellesmere in Shropshire 16 miles. The road good; foil generally dry; furface pretty level; farms large; fmall, badly built cottages; and a few trees in hedges. I obferved near the road feveral peat moffes; peats are here much ufed for fuel. I alfo paffed 3 farge lakes, the first I had feen fince I left Cumberland: one of thefe comes up clofe to Elleftere. Red freeftone, as well as blue flate, are got in this neighbourhood; the latter refembles the heavier fort of Weftmoreland Gate. This

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morning the air was very mify, and afterwards a heavy fhower of fhow fell*, Shropshire is a fruitful and pleafant county, producing much corn, enjoys a mild air, and has plenty of coal and water. The interior parts of the county moftly level; but towards the confines more hilly and mountainous. Farms in this county and Herefordshire are increasing in fize, and diminishing in number. Ellesmere is a small market town, but only like a large village it is, however, pleasantly fituated on the confines of a large and beautiful lake, to which most of the gardens on that fide reach. On a rifing ground near the end of this lake a houte of industry has lately been built, but is not yet finished: the proprietors have already expended 8000l. thereon, and it is thought 2000l. more will fcarcely complete the building. A houfe of that kind near Montgomery has alfo been lately erected and coft 12,000l. and it is thought 5000l. more will be neceffary to finish it. Much may be faid both for and against thofe large receptacles of poverty and mifery, and wretchednefs. I fhall only, however, observe, that to frame laws and regulations for the best management of the poor, with a view to humanity and economy, a very minute and practical knowledge of their feelings, manners, tempers, notions, cuftoms, and prejudices is abfolutely requifite; and which I am afraid few of our legiflators take the trouble of making themfelves acquainted with. Those who will make it their business to enquire nicely into these matters, will find the difpofitions of the poor widely different from thofe in more easy circumstances, and of liberal education. I am again approaching Wales, which the language of the people teftifies. They are fometimes converfing in Welsh, and fometimes in English; and you will frequently hear both languages in the fame fentence: fometimes a queftion is afked in English and answered in Welth; and the contrary. Most of the inhabitants on the borders of Wales fpeak both languages; but I am told there are feveral villages in the interior and mountainous parts where very few can speak English; and it is common for the old people, when asked by a more learned acquaintance, why they do not, at least, fend their children to learn English, to remark that children learn foon enough to be proud, and that they ought not to

* I afterwards heard, that the night before, or early that morning, an earthquake was felt in various parts of the kingdom; and more particularly in Nottinghamshire.

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