"Though many gentlemen promised their assistance in supporting the mission, yet I plainly perceive that the burthen will fall chiefly upon Mr. Hamilton. Some of those who subscribed the paper sent to the synod have left the island, and others are dead. Some think that the revolution in France has put an end to all hopes of success, and discontinue their subscriptions; while others are cast down by the great misfortunes that have lately befallen them. Some, who formerly gave me pressing invitations to preach on their estates, never mention a word about it now; but our greatest grief is, that we have not yet found one single soul that seeks a Saviour."

Early in March 1791, Mr. Montgomery, having lost his wife, seeing no fruit of his labors, and being ill of a dysentery, took his leave of Tobago, and returned to Barbadoes. In this island his complaint increased, so as to baffle the efforts of those who endeavored to restore his health; and on the 27th of June, he exchanged the troubles of time for the rewards of eternity. Thus began and thus ended with Mr. Montgomery the Moravian mission in Tobago.

In 1792, Mr. Hamilton again renewed his application for a successor to Mr. Montgomery, and in this request he was joined by other planters; but the brethren were not prepared to comply with it. They, nevertheless, directed, that Mr. Fritz, their Missionary in Barbadoes, should occasionally visit Tobago, till a more favorable period should arrive for them to make another effort.

CHAP. XXI.

HISTORY OF ST. VINCENT'S.

St. Vincent's. Situation, and acknowledged NeutralityOriginal Inhabitants-Origin of the black Charaibees.

pre

Their domestic Contentions, and Wars with the red Charaibees.-The French gain a Footing through these Discords, and, finally, form a Compromise with the vailing Faction-Conquest of the Island by the English. Ceded to them in perpetuity by the Treaty of 1763.Encroachments upon the Lands of the Charaibees.-This succeeded by a War.-Articles of Pacification.-Vicissitudes-Violation of the above Articles through French Intrigue.-Captured by the French in 1779; and, finally, restored to England in 1783.

IT is situated in the 13th degree of north latitude, and

the 61st west longitude from London, and is nearly at an equal distance from the two British colonies of Grenada and Barbadoes.

This island, being either overlooked or neglected by European navigators and adventurers, many years after they had seized and colonized most of the other West India islands, became the asylum of the native Indians, who had fled from the cruelties of the Spaniards, the first European invaders of their ancient habitations. The prospect of undisturbed tranquillity, uniting with a variety of local circumstances, rendered it more congenial to their genius and mode of living, than any other spot. Amongst other particulars, its numerous rivers, and pleasant vallies; the vast quantities of fish to be caught around its shores; and the conveniency of procuring trees proper for making canoes, gratified their desires, and gave this island, in their estimation, a decided superiority.

Of the original inhabitants, there are various accounts extant, materially differing from each other; which render a circumstantial detail the less interesting, especially as they all depend on uncertain tradition.

A difficulty in accounting for facts, which we cannot but

perceive, without fully comprehending them, rarely fails to open the door to conjecture in almost all its forms. In these cases, supposition usurps the place of historical certainty; a concurrence of opinion gives weight to the inventions of fancy; and time, which sometimes gives sanction to the grossest absurdity, metamorphoses error into current truth.

The island of St. Vincent exhibited to the first settlers, two distinct races of men. They were, evidently, of different origins, and their appearances and manners plainly cor responded with those of different portions of the globe. One of these tribes had, evidently, descended from the Aborigines of the island; those of the other tribe were, as evidently, intruders; and the great difficulty consists in accounting fairly and fully for their introduction. To speak with certainty on this point, which is admitted by all to be dubious, is what no author pretends. Probability is the highest species of evidence which has hitherto been attained; and on this foundation the origin of this people rests.

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Upon a fair comparison, Raynal seems to have given the most concise and satisfactory narrative of the early settlement of the Europeans among the natives, and of other savage tribes inhabiting the island, and claiming it as their undisputed property at that period. "When the English and "French," says that author, "began to give some con"sistence to their settlements on the Windward Islands, in 1660, they agreed, that Dominica and St. Vincent's "should be left to the Charaibees, as their property. Some "of these savages, who till then had been dispersed, re"tired into the former; but the greater part into the latter, "The population of these children of nature was suddenly increased by a race of Africans, whose origin was never ascertained. It is asserted, that a ship carrying out negroes from that country, for sale, foundered on the "coast of St. Vincent; and that the slaves who escaped "from the wreck were received by the inhabitants as "brethren. Others pretend, that these blacks were de "serters from the plantations of the neighbouring colonies. "A third tradition says, that this foreign race came from "the blacks, whom the Charaibees took from the Spaniards, "in the first wars between those Europeans and the Indians. "If we may credit Du Tertre, the oldest historian who has "written on the Leeward Islands, those terrible savages, "who were so inveterate against their European masters, "spared the captive slaves, took them into their houses, and "restored them to liberty, that they might enjoy life, that

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"is to say, the common blessings of nature, which no man "has a right to withhold from his fellow-creatures. But "this was not all. The proprietors of the island gave their 66 daughters in marriage to these strangers; and the race "which sprung from this mixture, were called Black "Charaibs, having preserved more of the primitive color "of their fathers, than of the lighter hue of their mothers. "The red Charaibs, or Charaibees, as they are now most "generally called, are of a low stature; the black Charaibs are tall and stout; and this doubly-savage race speak with a degree of vehemence which seems like "At length, however, some difference arose between "the two classes of these savages; of which, the French "inhabitants of Martinico resolved to avail themselves, and "thereby to profit by the ruin of both parties.* They

anger.

Whatever the origin of these people might have been, this much is evident: they were fostered by the natives, and treated as brethren whom they felt solicitous to rescue from distress. How long both parties continued in amity, appears rather uncertain. Time, however, which produces a forgetfulness of past misfortunes, and an obliteration of gratitude, increased their numbers, their power, and their ambition. This change in circumstances soon led to a change in their condition. They rose upon their original benefactors and preservers, and, taking possession of their habitations and lands, drove them back into the north-west part of the island. This happened about the year 1700.

The reason which has been assigned for this flagrant departure from that gratitude which is so peculiar to the Indian character, is this: The red Charaibees finding their black associates increase faster than themselves, came to a resolution similar to that which had been adopted by Pharaoh on a somewhat similar occasion; namely, to put all their male children to death. And the blacks, exasperated at this mode of cruelty, which was an outrage upon savage barbarity, proceeded to arms, and, finally, to conquest, as above described.

The red Charaibees, however, driven from their habitations and lands, uniformly made this treatment a subject of complaint, both to the English and French, who occasionally touched on their part of the island, to take in wood and water. The French, anxious to promote their own interest under the auspices of justice, consented, after some deliberation, to espouse the cause of the injured party; and, accordingly, in 1719, fitted out a considerable expedition from Martinico.

Acting in compliance with the solicitations of the red Charaibees, the French naturally expected, on their arrival, to find them in readiness to co-operate in the common design. And in confidence of that persuasion, landing without much opposition, they proceeded immediately to set fire to the huts and plantations of the black Charaibees, whom they fully resolved either wholly to extirpate, or to reduce to slavery. The red Charaibees, however, who had been so forward to complain of the injuries they had sustained, and to invite the French to the attack, enjoyed the storm like unconcerned spectators; while the French, unacquainted with that mode of warfare which they were necessitated to pursue, were, finally, obliged to retire with considerable loss.

The black Charaibees, unable to withstand the force of European arms,

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"pretended, that the black Charaibees gave shelter to the slaves who deserted from the French islands.-Imposture " is always productive of injustice. Those who were falsely accused, were afterwards attacked without reason; but "the smallness of the numbers sent out against them, the jealousy of those who were appointed to command the expedition, the defection of the red Charaibs, who refused 46 to supply such dangerous allies with any of the succours they had promised them, to act against their rivals; and "the impossibility of coming up with enemies who kept "themselves concealed in woods, were all circumstances "which combined to disconcert this rash and violent enterprize. The invaders were forced to re-embark, after losing many valuable lives; but the triumph of the black "Charaibs did not prevent their suing for peace. They

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even invited the French to come and live with them, "swearing sincere friendship and inviolable concord. The proposal was accepted; and in the year 1719, many "of the French inhabitants of Martinico removed to St. "Vincent's."

When the French planters came to settle at St. Vincent's, they brought their slaves from Martinico, and other French islands, to clear and till the ground. The black Charaibs, shocked at the idea of resembling men who were degraded by slavery, and fearing that in process of time their own color, which betrayed their origin, might be made a pretence for enslaving them, took refuge in the thickest part of the woods. In this situation, in order to create and perpetuate a visible distinction between their race and the slaves brought into the island, they compressed so as to flatten the foreheads of all their new-born infants; and this was, thereafter, considered as a token of their independence. The next generation thus became, as it were, a new race.* The flat

retreated by day from the scene of action, and secreted themselves in some inaccessible parts; while, sallying by night from some unsuspected ambushes, success so far attended them, that they usually retired secretly victorious.

The French troops, thus harassed with incessant toils; obliged to act on the defensive by night, and unable to accomplish any thing of an offen. sive nature by day;---deserted by the tribe whom they came to assist, and engaged in an expedition which rendered their situation more perilous in proportion as time advanced, had to retire to Martinico with this reflec tion, that savage finesse and policy had completely triumphed over European arms.

* That this custom of flattening the head of all their infants prevailed among the original Charaibees, has been uniformly admitted by all; and