XX. 1773. CHAP. of their flaves, the plunder and burning of their efiates, and to compromife with the black Carribs under terms of the most abject and degrading fubmiffion. They hoped, by temporizing, to gain an entire afcendency, and for that reafon endeavoured to live on amicable terms with the ferocious Carribs, to whom they imparted a finall knowledge of the catholic religion, affecting towards them an extraordinary attach Arrange ments in the treaty 'ment. WHILE Saint Vincent's, and other islands inhabited by the Carribs, were thus anxioufly of Aix la coveted by the French, they were no lefs obChapelle; jects of defire to the English; but after a long and ineffectual conteft, it was agreed by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 1748, that thofe iflands fhould be confidered neutral, the property being vefted in the Carribs, but the European fubjects retaining their private poffeffions. Both nations were afterwards diffatisfied with this arrangement, in which, from mutual jealoufy, they had conceded their own rights into the hands of a race who were not parties to the contract. In the negotiation of 1762, they adopted a contrary fyftem, and without naming the Carribs, or adverting to their rights, real or imaginary, the iflands of Dominica, St. Vincent, and Tobago, were allotted to Great Britain, while France kept poffeffion of St. Lucia." At the peace of 1762. a The following inftance is given by the Abbé Raynal. “The black Carribs, conquerors and maiters of all the leeward coaft, required of the Europeans, that they fhould again buy the lands they had already purchased. A Frenchman attempted to fhew the "deed of conveyance from a red Carrib; I know not, fays a black "Carrib, what thy paper fays; but read what is written on my ar "row. There you may lee, in characters which do not lie, that if you "do not give me what I demand, I will go and burn your houfe to"night." b In this account I have principally followed Edwards's hiftory of the Welt Indies, vol. i. b. iii. chap. 3, with occafional references to Raynal, Guthrie, and the papers produced to the houfe of commons." MANY XX. British go MANY of the French inhabitants, on the ar- CHAP. rival of the Englith, left St. Vincent's, and the Carribs alfo folicited from the French governor of St. Lucia, permiffion to fettle there, which was refufed. A commiffion was framed for fur- Proceedveying and difpofing of the lands; but although ings of the no ftipulation was made in the treaty of peace, vernment the lords of the treafury forbad the commif- with refioners to fuffer any furvey of the territory in- lands. habited or claimed by the Carribs, till the re- 24th Mar. ceipt of further inftructions, that their num- 1764. bers, difpofitions, and fettlements might be more fully known. ribs. AT firft the Carribs, uncertain of their future Conduct deftiny, fhewed the utmoft humility, and in of the Carcompliance with the propofitions of government, many of them took the oaths of allegiance, and were received as fubjects, fhewing a perfect understanding of the tranfaction, expreffing themfelves much favoured and obliged by being placed on fuch a footing, and confenting to give up fuch lands as they could not cultivate. Afterwards, however, when they understood the nature of the inftructions to the commiffioners, and had received advice from the French, they claimed more land than could be useful, or than, under other circumftances, they would have prefumed to demand." 1767. AFTER three years, William Young, efq. firft 11th April commiffioner for the fale of lands, in a memo- Mr. rial to the treasury, ftated, that the total num- Young's ber of Carribs did not exceed two thoufand, memorial. including women and children: the original See report of Mr. Maitland and other perfons concerned in the ifland of St. Vincent, to loid Hillsborough; Debrett's Debates, vol. vi. P. 366. * See Memoir of Mr. William Young; Debrett's Debates, vol. vi, P. 339. VOL. II. D Carribs XX. CHAP. Carrils being reduced to a very fmall number, living remote from the blacks, and under continual apprehenfions from their known ferocity. The black Carribs were feattered over the moft extenfive and fineft part of the ifland, but they cultivated only a fall portion of the land in detached pieces, principally relying for fubfiftence on hunting and fifling. It was confidered dangerous to the colonifts that thefe lands fhould remain in the poffeffion of lawless and wild favages, and therefore further inftructions were requefied. Mr. Young intimated the propriety of affording protection to the red Carribs, as permitting their extermination by the blacks, would be repugnant to humanity; and he confidered, as a fubject of curious fpeculation, the adoption of fuch meafures as would reconcile the happinefs of both races of Carribs, with the fafety and welfare of the Britith fubjects. Jan. 1768. Survey ordered. IN purfuance of Mr. Young's recommendation, the lords of the treafury inftruéted the commiffioners to furvey and difpofe of certain parts of the island claimed by the Carribs; but not to attempt removing them until notice of the whole arrangement and defign fhould be fully imparted to, and understood by their chiefs: humanity, mildnefs, and attention to the habits and convenience of the Carribs were exprefsly enjoined; the commiffioners were reftricted from receiving fecs, directed to avoid violence, and to obferve the ftricteft good faith in their tranfactions. In the lands allotted in exchange no quit-rent was to be referved, and the Carribs were to receive the fum of four According to the beft accounts not above one hundred families. johannes, johannes, or feven pounds four fhillings fterling, CHAP. for every acre they had cleared. XX. ings of the Ox receipt of thefe inftructions, the king's May1769. furveyors began to examine the country, and Proceedmake a road. The black Carribs, filled with commifalarm and indignation, affembled a force of fioners. two hundred men in arms, and, loudly declar- of the Hoftility ing their refolution to maintain their freedom black Carand preferve their lands, infulted and obftructed ribs. the furveyors, and furrounding a detachment of forty men, fent to guard them, cut off every fupply of water and provifions. Mr. Alexander, Arrangeprefident of the council, acting for the go- ment. vernor in his abfence, collected a force of a hundred men, but having pofitive inftructions to avoid hoftilities, propofed to fufpend making the road, and defift from all proceedings till further orders from the king, of which he would give due notice: the Carribs, fatisfied with this declaration, promised to return quietly to their habitations; the forty men were liberated, and tranquillity reftored without bloodshed." Ax appeal to force now feemed inevitable. Their furThe Carribs declared their refolution not to fuffer the proceeding of the furveyors; prevented the military from going to their new barracks at Mercerika; pulled down the house allotted for that purpofe; denied fubjection to the king, and refolved to preferve their independence. After the arrangements with Mr. Alexander, they broke up the road begun by the troops and furveyors, burned the huts Debrett's Debates, vol. vi. p. 342. See lieutenant-governor Fitzmaurice's letter to lord Hillsborough; Mr. Wm. Young's letter to Harry Alexander; the letter of Mr. Alexander to lieutenant-governor Fitzmaurice, and the memorials and fubfequent papers, paffim. Debrett's Debates, vol. v. p. 346, et feqq. ther vio lences. XX. CHAP. erected for their ufe, and committed many ravages on the neighbouring plantations. The red Carribs did not interfere in the contest: the lords of the treafury thewed humane attention towards them, by directing, that if the remains of this unfortunate people wifhed to be fettled apart from the negrocs, their inclination fhould be complied with. Artifices of the French. NOR would the Black Carribs probably have fhewn fo determined an oppofition, on a point of no importance to them, but for the artful infligation of the French, who ufed every means to excite antipathy against the English; even the little information they imparted of the catholic religion was fubfervient to this purpofe; and in execrating the British name, the Carribs did not forget to ftigmatize them as heretics. For fome time after the peace, however, no infiance of difaffection had appeared, except that of maintaining a contraband intercourfe with the French inhabitants of St. Lucia and Martinico, and declining all commerce with the English in St. Vincent's. From the vicinity of St. Lucia, and the ancient habits of the Carribs, this preference might have been confidered of finall importance, had not the malignant genius of the French foon rendered it extremely dangerous. The Carribs were infligated to relift the claims of England by French emillaries, whofe intrigues in the Weft Indies formed a part of the plan which prompted the attack on the British property at Falkland's lands. They taught the black Carribs to believe, that, as they were moftly defcended from a race of flaves, bound in an Englith thip to Barbadoes, the heir of the owner had obtained an order to fell them as his own property. When animofity was fufficiently |