,558 JAM

55". or exceeds 70°; and many English fruits, as theapp.e, peach, strawberry, &c., flourish there in thegreatest perfection. Jamaica is situated near thelimits of the great volcanic region of South America,and it is, in consequence, liable to earthquakes. Onthe 7th of June, 1802, at mid-day, an earthquakedestroyed the town of Port Royal. The convulsionlasted about three minutes, when the town sunkseveral fathoms under water; and strange to say 7 , thewalls of the buildings may still be seen in calm wea-ther. The heavy buildings throughout the islandwere thrown down, shattered mountains ruined manysettlements, general sickness ensued, order and indus-try were at an end; and 3000 lives were lost by thisvisitation. Smart shocks are felt almost every year;but in 1802, and again in 1810, they were moreviolent than usual. Hurricanes are more frequent,and, in many cases, more terrible and destructivethan earthquakes, A succession of hurricanes deso-lated this and some of the neighbouring islands forseven years, beginning in 1780, with the exceptiononly of 1782 and 1783. The first, in 1780, was muchthe most destructive. The amount of property de-stroyed exceeded 2,000,000/. sterling. The grazingfarms have lately increased much, and horned cattlearc abundant. They feed on Guinea grass, which wasintroduced by means of seeds brought and droppedby birds in the middle of the last century. The ratsare very numerous and destructive, particularly tothe sugar-cane; in some years, whole fields of thisplant are as completely destroyed by these animals asif a blight had alighted on them; and eight or tenhogsheads of sugar are supposed to be annually lostin this way out of every hundred. Fifty thousandrats have been caught on some estates in a singleyear, but no sensible diminution of their numbertakes place.

The legislature of Jamaica is composed of thegovernor, of a council nominated by the crown, con-sisting of twelve gentlemen, and a house of assemblycontaining forty-three members, who are elected bythe freeholders. The most important articles ofexport produced in the island are sugar, rum,molasses, coffee, cocoa, cotton, indigo, pimento, andginger.

The island of Jamaica was discovered by Colum-bus, May 3, 1494, in his second expedition to the NewWorld. In June, 1.503, being on his return from Vera-gua_ to Hispaniola, he was driven by tempestuousweather upon this island, where he remained upwardsof twelve months, having lost his vessels, and sufferedevery variety of hardship. After his death, his sonDiego, as hereditary viceroy of the countries disco-vered by his father, sent out, in 1509, to Jamaica,Juan de Esquivel, who conciliated the natives by hiskindness ; and the island prospered under his admi-nistration. His successors, however, appear to haveadopted the cruel policy of other governors of thatperiod. So entire was the extermination of theIndians at Jamaica, that of a population of CO,000persons living at the discovery of Columbus, not asingle descendant was alive little more than a centuryand a half afterwards. In 1590, an English partytook the capital, and delivered it up to pillage. Fortyyears afterwards, it was again invaded by a force fromthe Windward islands, and the town of St. Jago dela Vega was plundered. Jamaica was finally con-quered by the English during the administration ofOliver Cromwell. The whole number of whites at

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this time did not exceed 1500, and the number ofnegroes was about the same. The Spanish inhabit-ants, rendered desperate by oppression, made a manlvresistance, and for a long time the English wereharassed by their incursions. Cromwell encouragedemigration, both from Great Britain and the othercolonies in the West Indies; and from two to threethousand persons were engaged by Henry Cromwellin Ireland, and a considerable number embarkedfrom Scotland for this purpose; and, in the hands ofgovernor D'Oyley, the government was adminis-tered with energy. In May, 1(158, an attempt wasmade by the Spaniards to recover the island; but theforce which landed for this purpose was repulsed.About this time, the settlement became the resort ofthe buccaneers, who spent their immense gains incharacteristic extravagance, and enriched the inha-bitants. After the restoration of Charles II, Jamaicabecame a place of refuge for many republicans whohad distinguished themselves in the civil contest; andone of the first measures of the restored monarch wasto continue D'Oyley in office, and authorise theelection of a council and assembly of representativesby the people. This, which was the first establish-ment of a regular civil government, the island hav-ing been previously governed by martial law, tookplace in 1661. Afterwards, controversies arosebetween the assembly and the crown, which unsettledthe affairs of Jamaica for a space of fifty years. Butat length, in 1728, a compromise was effected; andthe assembly consented to settle on the crown astanding revenue of 8000/. per annum, on certainconditions, of which the following are the principal:1. That the quit rents arising within the island shouldform part of the revenue; 2. that the body of theirlaws should receive the royal assent; and, 3. thatall such laws and statutes of England, as had beenesteemed laws in the island, should continue suck.

The most important event in the recent history ofJamaica, is the final overthrow and exile of that form-idable band of fugitive negroes, who, under the nameof Maroons, had formed an independent and hostilecommunity in the island, for the greater part of acentury. On the conquest of the island from theSpaniards, a multitude of African slaves fled to themountains, beyond the reach of the invaders, andmaintained themselves in these fastnesses in spite ofall their efforts. Their numbers were continuallyincreased by the accession of deserting slaves, and aharassing conflict was kept np with the whites, inwhich the latter were the principal sufferers. In1738, an accommodation was effected, and a speciesof independence guaranteed to these hardy outlaws;but at length, in 1795, hostilities broke out again. Theactivity and skill of the Maroons rendered them anovermatch for the great force brought against them.In this state of things, the British resorted to the useof bloodhounds, 100 of which were imported fromCuba, and, under the direction of experienced hunts-men, were let loose upon the mountaineers, to seizeand tear the unhappy fugitives. Thus hunted downlike wild beasts, and hemmed in by a force too power-ful to be overcome, they had no alternative but sub-mission. The expulsion of this brave and unhappyrace was determined upon, and finally carried intoeffect. More than 600 were transported to the coldand bleak shores of Nova Scotia, where many of themperished miserably.

The population of this island has increased consi-