which he held under government, that he might devote his whole time and strength to the work of God; and now was perfectly willing to go with him among savages, and spend her time in forming their totally uncultivated minds.

I was very uneasy when I found that little had yet been done by Mr. Joice in the education of the children; but when all the difficulties were laid open, in the proper settlement of the land on which the house was built, in bringing the materials for building to the proper spot, the illness of Mrs. Joice, and some other particulars, my mind was satisfied, and I trust every thing will soon have the most favourable appearance through the blessing of God.

I feel myself much attached to these poor savages. The sweet simplicity and cheerfulness they manifested on every side, soon wore off every unfavourable impression my mind had imbibed from the accounts I had received of their cruelties -Cruelties originating probably with ourselves rather than with them. They are a handsomer people than the negroes, but have undoubtedly a warlike appearance, as their very women frequently carry cutlasses in their hands, and always knives by their naked sides.

We now returned to Kingston, preaching by the way, and received by the planters with every mark of kindness and respect. Indeed the whole body of the people seem to wish us success.Many were the proofs of affection shewn us at our departure, especially by one whose delicacy will not admit of my mentioning his name.

Having appointed Messrs. Gamble and Clark to labour in the English division of the island (Mr. Baxter now and then making them a visit) I hired a vessel for Dominica; and with Mr. and Mrs. Baxter (who were desirous of making one visit to

their old friends in Antigua before they settled among the Caribbs) and Mr. Lumb, set sail on Tuesday, the 16th, for Dominica.

It may not be improper in this place to add a short account of the Caribbs.

SECTION III.

A short account of the CARIBBS in the island of St. Vincent.*

BY the best accounts which I have been ableto collect, the black Caribbs originally sprung from the cargo of a Guinea ship, which was wrecked on one of the Grenadilloes. They were brought over to this island by the yellow Caribbs, who were the aborigines or native inhabitants, with niany of whom they were soon connected, forming a motley mixture, such as we now see; but in which the negro colour and features chiefly prevail. They continued in this interchange of good offices, till such time as the black Caribbs perceived their superiority to the others in number and strength, who then drove the yellow Caribbs to the leeward part of the island, where a few of them only now remain. The greater part of the latter went to the islands of Tobago and Trinidad, in both of which islands their posterity are to be seen at present.

It is unnecessary to follow them through the detail of their wars, and of their treaties with the French, who at length formed a settlement in the island. At the treaty of peace in 1763, the

* I was furnished with the materials for the following account, by Dr. Davidson, a physician, who resides on the borders of the Caribb-country.

Caribbs possessed the most valuable part of this island. By the treaty which was made with them in 1773, they gave up an extent of country, comprehending about fourteen miles in length, and from three to four in breadth; only part of which was settled in 1779, when the French invaded the island. Their jealousies and hatred of the English, which had been industriously kept up by the French, joined with some private causes of dissatisfaction, led them to take an active part against us and the dread of their barbarities had no small effect in inducing the inhabitants so soon to capitulate. The settlements on the ceded lands were almost totally abandoned, after the most shocking cruelties had been exercised by the Caribbs on the wretched victims of their rage. The French, during the time that the island belonged to them, left the Caribbs in the quiet and peaceable possession of their lands. Since the island has been restored to us, we have once more attempted a settlement on the ceded lands, and hitherto without interruption; and we sincerely hope that the present good disposition of the Caribbs will long

continue.

It is a very difficult matter to fix precisely on their numbers, for reasons which are too obvious to need being mentioned. The best informed on the subject speak with uncertainty. However, few have fixed their numbers below five thousand: I would rather suppose even that calculation to be short. From their temperance; their being unaccustomed to hard labour, the healthiness of the climate, their early marriages, and the fruitfulness of their women, we may easily account for their rapid increase.—We may add to these considerations, the fruitfulness of the soil, and the ease with which the few necessaries of life are procured.

It is a difficult matter to say what ideas they have of a Supreme Being. The French took but little pains to instruct them in Religion. They have some faint ideas of a Supreme Cause which created all things, but they conceive that God commits the government of the world to subordinate Spirits. They make use of several incantations against evil spirits to prevent their malignant influence.

The black Caribbs, differing so little from the negroes whom they saw employed in the occupations of the field, soon perceived the necessity of a discrimination founded on more obvious marks than that of complexion; and therefore adopted a plan of flattening their children's foreheads, which is done by applying to the forehead a small board defended by soft cotton and tied behind. The child, the moment it is born, is submitted to this operation, which is continued for two or three months. Some exceptions are, however, to be made to this general rule. Twins, from a supposition of their being weakly, and children who are sickly at their birth, are exempted. The operation is also longer continued upon the male than on the female child. Horrid distortions of the countenance, squinting, &c. occasioned by the board's being unequally or ill-applied, are fre quently observable.

The marriages of the Caribbs take place at an early age, and are generally made by the parents of both parties without consulting the inclinations of the female; a house is erected for them, and the little furniture which they require, is provided. The wife is soon made acquainted with the labour of the field: she plants the cassada, the yams, potatoes, &c. and prepares and dresses them for the indolent male, whose sole occupation is either shooting wild pigeons, Indian rabbits, and manna

rous, (the opossa,) or fishing. When the husband finds himself in the situation of taking more wives, he obtains them from their parents: many of them have four or five. On that event, they build separate houses for each wife, spending their time alternately with them. So entirely, however, are the wives devoted to the despotism of their husbands, that quarrels among them are never known. Adultery is punished with death. In no part of the world are the women more chaste, owing, possibly to the severity with which incontinence is punished.

When a husband leaves any of his wives, they are not at liberty to marry again till his death; in that case only is it in their power to make an election. No slavery can be conceived more wretched than that of the women, the whole labour without and within doors devolving on them. Nor is this all: whenever frequent childbearing, or any other cause, has made them look old or ugly, their husbands leave them for other wives; for whom, and their children, they are likewise obliged to do all the most laborious offices. Their husbands frequently, in their scenes of drunkenness and debauchery, wound and maim them with their cutlasses, and even shoot them.

Nor is there among them the smallest traces of policy or natural justice. The Lex Talionis is their only rule, provided the party has the power or abilities to redress himself. A little time ago an instance happened shocking to humanity.- Manuel, a Caribb, had a sister remarked by her sable lovers, for her beauty and handsome person, of whom she had not a few. She could however, be only the lot of one; and he to whose lot she fell, was the friend and intimate acquaintance of Manuel. Her husband and she lived for