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but to afford ftrong prefumptions for the paffage. As to his fecond argument, that no fifh, efpecially whales, are to be met with in thofe feas, the reafoning holds good only about Charleton ifland. Later voyagers have indifputably proved, that many whales are to be feen in thofe parts, efpecially at the opening of Wager River, a circumflance implying, that such a paffage may open on the north-west part of Hudfon's Bay. As to his reafoning against the paffage, because the ice in latitude 65 deg. 30 min. lying along the fhore as fands, and drives eastward, as he calls them, the fame thing is faid to happen in Magellan ftreights, which open a paffage to the South Seas; and their existence was formerly as much doubted of by the famous Americus Vefpucius, as that of the north was by captain James. Granting all the captain fays to be true, about the commodioufnefs of the paffage by the way of the Cape of Good Hope, yet, according to his own confefsion, it would be nearer to the South Seas and the northern part of China. Laftly, the hardships of the voyage towards the north-west are now but inconfiderable in comparison of what they are reprefented by captain James.

Certain it is, that a factory has fubfifted for fome years at fort Churchill, which is in a higher latitude than Charleton ifland, beyond which captain James thought no fettlement could be made. The continent, weft and north-west from Charleton ifland, is inhabited, and the Indians there are better clothed, and more civilized than those that lived in any part of North America before the arrival of the French and English. One of these nations, called Mofemlecks, deferve particular notice, as they lie upon the remote part of Hudfon's Bay. They are, in confequence of their being civilized, rational and converfable; and they have always perfevered in their affertion, that to the northweft of them lie a people, who live in towns, who trade with one another upon a large lake, in veffels, each of them twenty times as big as their canoes. Could these accounts be relied on, they would go far towards justifying even farther attempts towards a north-weft paffage; but as there is fome likelihood that the French Canadian Jesuits have had an intercourse with thofe Mofemlecks, we have the less dependence upon their reports.

Since the year 1730, fresh attempts have been made to discover this paffage, by the captains Middleton and Ellis, and their journals have been published. The first declared his opinion that no fuch paffage exifted: the other is confident that there is a north-weft paffage, though he could not

find it out, and supports his opinion by some reasons, which amount to little more than a bare probability. If such a communication with the Indian fea fhould ever be difcovered, it will in all likelihood prove extremely dangerous, if not impracticable, from the ice with which it must be encumbered. If thofe difcoverers, inftead of coasting along bays which in high latitudes are always choaked up with ice, had kept the open fea, which is always navigable, and steered directly for the north pole, perhaps they would have found a direct paffage to the other fide of the globe without any impediment or hardfhip whatsoever. This was the opinion of Maupertuis, Maclauren, and many other celebrated mathematicians.

Upon the whole, the arguments for a north-weft paffage An act of were fo plaufible, that the legislature, in 1744, paffed an parliament act of parliament to encourage the difcovery of the fame. encou The preamble of the act takes notice, that," As the dif- raging the difcovery covering a north-weft paffage through Hudson's Streight to of a norththe western American ocean, would be of great benefit and weft pasadvantage to this kingdom; and that it would be a great Jage. encouragement to adventurers to attempt the fame, if a public reward was given to fuch perfons as fhould make a perfect difcovery of the faid paffage: it is therefore enacted, That if any fhips or veffels, belonging to his majesty's fubjects, fhall find out and fail through any paffage by fea between Hudfon's Bay and the western ocean of America, the owners of fuch fhips or veffels fhall be intitled to receive, as a reward for such discovery, the fum of twenty thousand pounds." Commiffioners are appointed by the same act for examining the claim that may be made under it; and a provifo is added, "That nothing in this act shall extend to prejudice the eftate, rights, or privileges, of the governor and company of the adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay."

CHAP.

Defcription of Barbadoes.

CHAP. XCIX.

Containing the History of the British and other
Ilands in the American Weft-Indies.

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SECT. I.

The Hiftory of Barbadoes.

UR beft geographers have laid down the island of Barbadoes between long. 59° 56' and 60° 2' weft from London; and between north lat. 12° 56' and 13° 16'. As to its extent, it is very difficult to afcertain. It is computed twenty-five miles from north to fouth, and fifteen miles from east to west; but the reader will form a more adequate idea of the extent of this ifland, when he is told, that in reality it does not contain above one hundred and feven thousand acres. Barbadoes is the most windward of all the Caribbee Iflands, excepting Tobago The whole of the island may be confidered as one continued garden, every foot of which is fo precious, that it is improved to the utmost, and prefents to the eye, wherever it is turned, the most delightful profpects. The climate is hot, but not unwholfome, because of the fea-breezes; and a temperate regimen renders it as fafe to live in as any climate in Europe, fouth of Great Britain.

The capital of Barbadoes is Bridge Town, fituated in the inmost part of Carlisle Bay. It contains about fifteen hundred houses, and fome contend that it is the finest town the English poffefs in America. The rents of the houses, which in general are spacious, well-built and finished, are as high as fuch houfes would let for in London. The wharfs and quays are well defended from the sea, and very convenient. The harbour is fecure from the north-east wind, which is the conftant trade-wind there, and Carlisle Bay, capable of containing five hundred fail of fhips, is formed by Needham and Pelican points. Bridge Town is defended on the weftward by James Fort, which mounts eighteen guns. Near this is Willoughby's Fort, built upon a tongue of land running into the fea, and mounts twelve guns. Needham's Fort has three batteries, and is mounted with twenty guns; and St. Anne's Fort, the strongest in the island, ftands more within land. In fhort, there is all along the lee-fhore a breaft-work and trench, in which, at

proper

proper places, were twenty-nine forts and batteries, having three hundred and eight cannon mounted, while the windward fhore is fecured by high rocks, fteep cliffs, and foul ground. Such was the ftate of the fortifications of the iland in 1717; but fince that period, they have been. greatly augmented and improved. The powder and stores of the island are kept under a ftrong guard in a stone magazine, within a fmall fort of eight guns, on the caft fide of the town. The church of St. Michael exceeds in beauty, largenefs, and conveniency, many English cathedrals, and has a fine organ, bells, and clock. In fhort, Bridge Town is deftitute of few elegancies or conveniencies of life that any city in Europe affords. It has a free-fehool for the instruction of poor boys, an hospital, and a college.

At the beginning of queen Anne's reign, the French Attempts had an eye upon Barbadoes; and Labat, one of their most of the judicious milionaries and voyagers, who was upon the French iland, affirms, that the plate and furniture of Bridge against it. Town was equal in value to the capture of the Spanish galleons; and that Chatteaurenauld, in 1702, might have made himfelf master of the ifland, had he not proceeded to convoy the plate-fleet to Vigo. But the miffionary, at the fame time confeffes, that the conqueft of Barbadoes could not have been effected by a lefs number than that of five thousand men, and thofe creoles and buccaneers, and twelve men of war to prevent any fuccours from coming to the islanders. But he fuppofes, at the fame time, the Irish Roman Catholics, who were then very numerous upon the island, would join the French against their mafters. Though the island is now incomparably better fortified than it was fixty years ago, yet there is fome reason for doubting whether it is equally populous. Thirty thoufand fouls are fuppofed to be the utmoft extent of the white inhabitants; so that the whites upon the island, capable of bearing arms, cannot be very numerous (A).

(A) According to a report of the military ftate of this ifland in 1736 (1), it had twenty-two caftles and forts, twenty-fix batteries, mounted with four hundred and fixtythree pieces of ordnance, many of which were honey-combed, and near one hundred wanting to complete the fortifications;

which, with the military ftores
and arms, were much decayed.
The militia confifted then of
one troop only, two regiments
of horfe and fort, making in
all four thousand three hundred
and twenty fix men; but the
militia is now computed at fif-
teen hundred horfe, and three
thousand foot.

(1) Syftem of Geography, vol. ii. p. 751.

The

Its government

and towns.

The government of this ifland, as it is now conftituted, refembles that of the other islands. It confists of the governor, a council of twelve men, who are, as it were, of his own nomination, being appointed by letters of mandamus; and an affembly of twenty-two, chofen yearly out of the feveral parishes, viz. two for each, by a majority of votes. The governor has the fole power of appointing and difplacing all military officers; but judges and juftices of the peace, are to be appointed by confent of the council, of whom no member can be displaced, without consent of the reft, unless on an extraordinary occafion, not fit to be divulged to the whole body; and then the governor's reafons for fuch fufpenfion are immediately tranfmitted home. The governor, befides his falary of two thousand pounds fterling, payable out of the four and a half per cent. is intitled to no perquifite, except a third of feizures; and reftrained from receiving any gift or prefent from the affembly, or others, unless it be granted as a fettlement by the firft affembly he meets after his arrival. Though the fenior counsel is to administer affairs in his absence, or after his death till the arrival of another, he cannot pass any acts but what are immediately neceffary for the peace and welfare of the ifland, nor diffolve the affembly then in being, nor remove or fufpend any officer, civil or military, without the consent of at leaft feven of the council. The prefident is allowed for his trouble one half of the falary and emoluments alotted to the governor for the time being; and five members of council make a quorum, to tranfact all public business, and to conftitute a court of chancery, and court of errors; which courts are held monthly. The members of a new affembly are chofen on the expiration r diffolution of a former, on the Monday after the third publication of a writ directed to the parish-churches throughout the island for that purpose; and when they are returned to the governor in council, they take all the fta e oaths, fubfcribe the teft, and then chufe a fpeaker, who cannot act as fuch before he is prefented to, and approved by the governor. The speaker, and eleven other members, conftitute a houfe for tranfaction of bufinefs. They may make what rules they think proper, which are binding on themfelves. They may expel any of their members, and may give leave to any two of them to go off the island for fix months, for recovery of their health. They have a right to try and determine all controverted elections, but can only adjourn themfelves from day to day; all longer adjourn ments being to be made by the commander in chief. affembly annually nominates the treafurer, the ftore-keeper

The

of

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