plantations ,t%j;he caieiefiothers, bp whom they are often neglectç&j
on the contrary, as moskof .tlie families reside .constantly on
their plantations, an improvement "begun by the father is carefully
continued ^leÈwar4s|^ïhi^|^|ï|aïp^_ ]jbÿ \\%ich means n
fui produce is still procured«..even where the ground has begun to
lessen in fertility. I halve been lasmred that in mafriy plâoçsi of'this
island the fertile earth is not above two feet dieep ; and. thedanA’ite-
quii-es, to.be manm'ëd-every year j, but,thenVit yields an excel lent
crop. \ In the deep, valleys fine sugar canes are produced;1 bU>V on
that partoftherisinggrotmd^.whetefor so dPfeny sePturjes wildctrees
had deposited their lea:ves,-ànd formed a<fcnsiderabl© bed of garden
earth, are those eQtfëe;planta.tioas, the.ltorfollQf which have been
always so highly esteemed. -The principal moimtâins ard eer^pO^d
of a Steel eoloured.granite,, and I am informed they are so alkevifothe
island. |
The people of Marünâço seem to live . vdry happily a tholgh
I was informed'by them, that they had suffered much in the reto-
lotionary time. Of fheir mother-country, by the decree,w®è&w:as
made in favonr,of the negroes. These men were; ttofc suifiëfofiiJÿ
enlightened to make -a proper use, of the'bounty "bestowed upon
thëm, fJqt turned fheir freedom into IfoentiMsn^ïCthfeÿ-first
became disobedient, then insolent, and at last broke out into riotous
disorder,; however, every thing is now quiet, and the principal
wish of tlie ..inhabitants is for a general peaeç,. in which sentiment
I join them with all my heart. .A gentleman, who-is, a native ofuiy
o^njep,untry, has called on me to enquire about a neçr relation : of
fiis, and of whom I gave him some information; this person has given
me a more particular description of the .inhabitants of Maf tinico,
having resided there many years. On his voyage from Cayenne with
an intention of returning to Europe, he touched at Martinico, and
was'so much pleased with the agreeable manners o f the society here,
.that he resolved never to leave this island again. Politeness^wnicn
is hl wlflhighlySit^nêd ,bufc'höit'saoften imitatedysëéms here not to
'Be'pfódute^Bnl^by *è&iïcàlit?h,:tral tB Be^he bffedtofa natural happy
• É p t ó t i ; the pëdffîfebbÿ shëwffigdivîlitÿtd otîrérs, they
ënj&f tbëmèelvfe ^'^ieatrdëal of plëâsure they ateMalso
^ y ’inôch attached to 'thëirfafoiliés, ariâï!âfd>Kîh(î'to their negroes.
t0Hstrhôgërii continued' this
^itféman, Mreb&lS^îarlfàttentiye; and ifÿou woüîdchoosë to
réfoain b^fo1ddgef;!‘jb\fwill* fin^fhW'I have not exaggerated the
description, whVch I have giveh óf the manners of this island.” I
But many reasons induce me to hasten ah firuch fis'possible1 thé
particularly ns; my letteis. o f crédit
are only for Surinam; arid yöu may think, as I had nb expectation
not bring möëtf cash with me ;
al! Opportunity I have h a d b f observing the manners of the
true
description,. atid' it depends Only on myself to be directly introduced.
) ' Thé length of my rural walks, and' not yet being accustomed to
Ip sudden approach of night where tHërë is so little twilight, make
it often dark before 1 cântfëaèh home ; I have therefore been
cautioned to take" particular care, as there are k> many venomous
snakes im this island, afitf I alwâys'Wâlk'm^lbMiddlë of thë roads,,
where on the light coloured ground they èambé better perceived.
Martinico, and St. Lucia, are the only islands of the Great
Antilles or Carribee Islands*that are infested by these' reptiles, and
bistory relates, that the Indians gavé the following explanation of
the circumstance, “ The original natives o f ttóBsë two islands used
to attack the Indians of the coast of Sou th America, ahd plunder
their habitations : the people of thé-ëBntinentV- by way of retaliation,
caught many venomous snakesiM-baskets; and carried them over to •
the islands, wheré they turned them loose; not only âs an act of