Antigua and the Antiguans Volume I Part 9

In one of the deepest parts of a ravine grew a variety of tangled bushes, which clothed it to its very bottom with their verdant foliage. Disrupted rocks were thickly scattered about, over which glided the speckled snake, while cricket and frog kept up an incessant chirping. About the commencement of the storm already described, a dark figure was seen slowly, but firmly descending the steep bank of the ravine, whose nearer approach bespoke him a son of Ham, one who wore the chain of bondage. In height he measured about six feet, while his broad chest and muscular arms shewed his Herculean strength. His complexion was of the deepest jet, and his large black eye shone with the fierceness of a firebrand. A mantle of dark blue cloth was wrapt around his form, leaving his arms and legs bare; and his head was bound round with a scarlet handkerchief, the ends of which floated in the breeze with graceful negligence. In one hand he bore a ma.s.sive club, which a.s.sisted his steps in his descent; while the other rested upon a horse-pistol, which, heavily loaded, lay hid in the folds of his garment. Upon gaining the bottom of the ravine, he looked cautiously around; and then, as if satisfied all was right, he raised a conch-sh.e.l.l to his lips, and blew a low but clear blast.

This repeated thrice, he seated himself upon one of the rocks; and burying his face in his hands, mused in silence, unmindful of the threatening appearance of the heavens. But a few minutes pa.s.sed, when he again started to his feet, and blew a louder blast, which at a short interval was answered by a low whistle; and the crackling of dry leaves (as if trodden under foot) proclaimed the approach of other visitants. Drawing the pistol from its confinement, the first occupant of the ravine stepped a few paces forward, and, in a voice rendered thick by contending pa.s.sions, demanded the word. "Death to our foes!" was the answer; and in another moment, about forty negroes stood around their king. "Welcome, brave friends, to this lone spot; for here at least we can feel we are free, and bid defiance to the hated whites. But where is Morah? Surely she will not desert us, Tomboy?" And he directed his looks to a short stout man, who ranked as his general, and answered to that name, and who had taken up his post at the right shoulder of his sable majesty.

"Oh, no; Morah knows too well to desert Klaas at his need.

Believe not that," returned the man. "We should have been here long before, but she was knocked up with her walk, and we were obliged to wait her will. But see!"-and touching the arm of Klaas, he pointed to two l.u.s.ty youths who were coming down the bank, bearing between them some object, which could scarcely be p.r.o.nounced human. Placing their burden safely at the feet of Klaas, the young men drew back, while he, giving her his hand, raised and placed her upon a rocky seat near himself. The woman, (for so she proved,) although looking more like the habitant of another world, must have numbered her hundredth year. Her face, which had lost its naturally black hue from age and sickness, was puckered up in a thousand wrinkles; while her toothless gums were seen through her thick open lips. The few hairs which time had left her were bleached to a snowy white; but her black eyes had lost none of their brightness: they gleamed from beneath her overhanging brow with a supernatural ray. Her form was bent almost double, and the skin hung about her hands and arms like black and shrivelled parchment. An old blanket partly covered her attenuated person, which she firmly grasped with her long bony fingers; but it afforded her no defence against the inclemency of the evening; for she s.h.i.+vered and trembled at every blast. Such was Morah, the old Obeah woman,[46] who was hated, yet dreaded, by nearly all her tribe.

"Morah," said the leader of the band, after she had rested for a few minutes, "Morah, dost thou not know me? hast thou forgot the purpose for which we have met? The time is short, remember."

"Oh, no, no! me no forget," said the old crone; "me know you very well; you're 'Count,' the negro king, as you call yourself, but your ma.s.sa call you 'Count the Runaway,'" and she laughed demoniacally.

"Call me Klaas," shrieked the negro; "oh! call me not Count-the name of my servitude-the name those detested whites gave me when, torn from all my heart holds dear, and forced into their s.h.i.+ps, they brought me to this country, and sold me, for a miserable pittance, to the man I despise-the man who, for a small fault, had me flogged until the blood gushed down my back. Yes! flogged _me_, who was born heir to a kingdom, and who followed the chase in my own bright land, free as the zephyr which kisses its sunny mountains, until the fortunes of war made me the despised, degraded slave I am. Call me not 'Count,' I say; for every misery I have ever borne is recalled by that hated name. Why was it I spurned poor Nuno from me, and embittered her after life?

Because, in a moment of repose-when the weary toil of the day was over-seated before our hut in the bright moonbeam, I talked to her of Africa, and of my hopes of soon escaping from my degraded state, she raised the demon within me by calling me 'Count,' when I had taught her to use no other name but 'Klaas;' and thus bringing all my wrongs before me, I vowed to sacrifice our child to the G.o.ds of my country should its eyes ever see the light. Oh, then, call me not 'Count' in this wild ravine, where everything breathes an air of freedom, although I am obliged to bear it (but not for long, I hope) before the abhorred Christians. Oh! call me not 'Count.' unless-" and he flung his arms on high, while his eyeb.a.l.l.s rolled in fire, and every nerve quivered with emotion- "unless you wish to see me, like the hunted lante turn on all alike. But enough;"-and by strong effort he mastered his turbulent pa.s.sions, although the perspiration flowed from off his forehead in large drops, and his breast heaved like the stormy billow;-"I came not here to-night to recite my wrongs, or the wrongs of these my comrades; but to plan our redemption from them, and the destruction of our enemies. To business, then. But first let me ask you, Morah, has Obeah given the sign?"

"An' think you me come here to-night had he not?" returned the old woman, doggedly; "ay, that he has, and a good sign it is; but p'raps you no want white man dead, eh? And again the hag uttered her horrible laugh, which seemed still more so in the midst of a clap of thunder, while her miserable form looked more unearthly in the lightning's flash.

"Death to our foes!" broke from the lips of the leader, which was repeated by all the band; and then breaking up the circle in which they had been standing, they proceeded to prepare the different articles used in their superst.i.tious orgies, under the inspection of old Morah, while Klaas and his general, Tomboy, conferred apart.

A large hole being dug in the middle of the ravine, and all things properly arranged, the king and his companion were called; when, joining in a rank around the opening, the mysterious rites began. Morah, squatting at one end of the aperture, called upon Obeah, under the t.i.tle of Nzambiampongee, to a.s.sist them in the extirpation of their foes; and after many a mumbled incantation, proceeded to bury in the hole small quant.i.ties of gunpowder, rusty iron, a little money, and a portion of human hair; while Klaas added to the heap by throwing in a few bujis.[47] After another incantation was chanted by them all, the hole was carefully covered over with black dog-bush,[48] and the earth once more thrown in and pressed down. At this moment a night-raven screeched, and Morah interpreted it as a kindly sign from Obeah; whilst a beautiful speckled snake, gliding over the spot, was greeted by Klaas as his country's G.o.d. This ceremony over, Morah departed, and other business was discussed. Seated upon his rustic throne, Klaas issued his mandates to his attentive subjects, who, stretched around, looked up to him as their presiding divinity.

"In eight days' time," began their king, in a distinct and audible tone, "there is to be a ball given by the governor, in honour, they say, of their king, and as all our tyrants are expected to be present, it has been determined to make that night the scene of our grand endeavours, that, at one stroke, shall destroy our enemies, and make us once more free. Under yonder bushes, where the earth looks fresh, are buried the kegs of gunpowder which we have, at various times, been enabled to collect; and the night before the ball takes place do you, Quashey c.o.o.nah, make it your business to remove them carefully up to Clark's hill, where Harry, who has been lately hired there, will have them placed under the cellar. Frank, I look to you to take care of what arms we have procured, and also to distribute them. You will also have those bills sharpened-they may prove very useful. I make it my duty to fire the train about the time the moon rises above the top of yon mountain, while Tomboy will lead the party who is to prevent any of the whites escaping.

Hercules will lay in wait with his band at the entrance of the town; so that, when the flames rise high, and the inhabitants hasten to give them a.s.sistance, he may fall upon them and prevent them. I have sent him and Jemmy to meet a large party of negroes up to windward to-night, who, no doubt, will aid us with their force; and as many of them are in the habit of going out shooting for their masters, they may be able to add a little to our stock of powder. Ned, do you try and obtain what arms you can; in such a cause, any means are fair.

"Ah! that I will, King Klaas; and look what I have brought you to-night," and turning round, he drew from its sheath a blade of the finest steel; "what say you to Ma.s.sa Colonel's own good sword. He told me to take care of it to-day, after he had done looking at it, and to put it carefully up; and so I have, ah!

ah!" and Ned laughed until the water ran down his cheeks.

"That's right, my fine fellow!" exclaimed Klaas; and taking it from the hand of his comrade, he examined, with intense interest, its s.h.i.+ning surface. After some moments had pa.s.sed in this employment, he replaced it carefully in its sheath, and, with something like a sigh, exclaimed,-"Well, I have been driven to this. They might have made me their friend, but harshness, contempt, and insult, has conspired to render me what I am; and for this bright weapon, perhaps the gallant Colonel Morgan has often drawn it in a far less worthy cause. But hist! I hear the sound of horses' feet, and it is time we part. At the close of three more days, meet me here again to receive final orders; till then, farewell; and remember our motto-'Death to our foes!'" So saying, Klaas rose from his seat, and grasping once more his club, prepared to depart. At this moment, however, a slight rustle was heard among the brushwood, as if some person was retreating, and Klaas, drawing his pistol from his bosom, started forward in that direction, followed by the others. "What could it be?" was the anxious inquiry, when, after a strict search, no object met their view. "What, indeed!" replied their chief; "if it was any of our friends, why did they not come forward; but if it was a foe-a spy-our plans of vengeance will be defeated, and we ourselves dragged to a felon's death;" and he ground his teeth at the thought. As nothing else could be done, they once more bade good night, and departed to their respective homes, leaving Klaas and his general to make one more attempt to discover the cause of the noise.

Six times had the chariot of the sun rolled along the heavens, and bright-eyed Phbus sought his golden couch, since the conspirators gathered around their king in that wild and silent glen. Among the inhabitants of Antigua nothing was talked of but the governor's ball, which was to be upon the grandest scale imaginable. Many a young heart beat high at the prospect of its gaieties, and many a bright eye grew brighter at the thoughts of the conquests to be made on that eventful night. The few shops which dealt in European fas.h.i.+ons were crowded from morning to night with fair visitants, or their _femmes de chambre_; and laces and bugles, catgut and tiffany, were in constant demand.

The busy sempstresses plied their needles with double speed; and various were the flounces and furbelows, pinkings and quiltings, they invented. In the midst of this bustle and activity, this antic.i.p.ation of joyous festivities, a plaint of distress was borne down upon the gale: the governor's best-beloved son-the hope and pride of his parents-tossed his fevered head upon the couch of sickness; and in a few short hours, that beautiful and blooming youth lay a stiffened corse.

In a large but well-arranged apartment, whose open _jalousies_ admitted the evening breeze, loaded with the fragrance of the Arabian jasmine, were seated three persons. Two out of the group ranked under the lofty t.i.tle of "lords of the creation;" but the third was a young and beautiful creature, whose elegant figure and flowing ringlets bespoke her one of Nature's fairest flowers.

Reclining upon a _fauteuil_, she drew from a lute sounds so soft and sweet that every sense was held in thraldom; and anon, when she joined her liquid voice, and sang of other days, few were there who would wish to break the spell. But the spell was ordained to be broken-broken in a sudden manner. The door opened hastily, and a negro, darting into the middle of the room, exclaimed, in a voice of terror-"Ma.s.sa, me must speak with you!"- "What's the matter?" returned our elder acquaintance, rising up, "what's the matter, Cuffee? You frightened us by your sudden entrance, and sent my Marien's roses back to her heart."-"Beg your pardon, ma.s.sa, and yours, young missis, but me have something to tell you make your ears ring again: but, ma.s.sa, where's Julio?-please let him come in." And without waiting for an answer, he left the room in search of the boy. "Marien, dearest," said her father, "take your cousin's arm, and retire for a little, until I have heard what the mad fellow has to say: his foolish nonsense has frightened you more than I like to see."

And fondly pressing his daughter's hand, he led her to the door.

In a few minutes Cuffee returned with the boy Julio, who wore the same downcast look as he did on the evening of the storm; and, holding the boy by the hand, gave his master the following narration. Julio, who, from being deaf and dumb, appeared to possess the other senses in a higher degree, had one evening observed a strange negro loitering about his master's estate, and hiding behind the bushes when any one pa.s.sed. Thinking this peculiar, the dumb boy determined to watch his proceedings, and if he discovered anything wrong, to endeavour to acquaint his master with it. After spending more than an hour in this employment, the stranger departed, and Julio, unable to comprehend his motives, and fearful of not being understood, kept his discovery to himself. Some weeks had elapsed, and he had almost forgotten the circ.u.mstance, when, on the evening before the storm, he saw the same person lurking about the same spot; and, watching him un.o.bserved, perceived he was shortly joined by a slave, of the name of Quelch, who, for repeated bad behaviour, had been punished by his master a few weeks before. After they had consulted for some time together, the stranger pointed in the direction of the ravine; and putting his hand under his cloak, drew forth a long sharp-pointed knife, which he shewed to his companion, giving at the same time a peculiar look. The knife being returned to its owner, the negroes parted, leaving Julio with the determination of watching Quelch more strictly.

On the next evening, leaving his young mistress engaged with a book, the boy left the house with the intention of going to look for his master; and, upon gaining the high road, he saw Quelch entering an opening on the other side. Following his steps, he hid himself among the bushes, and thus became a witness of that lawless meeting, where, although he could not hear the words uttered, he saw enough to inform him some evil was intended.

Frightened, and uncertain how to tell his discovery, his first care was to reach home; and, hara.s.sed in mind and body, the poor child stood before his mistress in the manner described. The next morning, he sought his uncle Cuffee, and, by significant gestures and pa.s.sionate mutterings, at length made him understand the above relation. Cuffee's first care was to inform a friend of his of the name of Robin, and these two negroes watched the ravine every night in hopes of discovering what poor Julio could not inform them-the names of the conspirators. All, however, remained silent: the ravine had no occupants: and Robin and Cuffee were almost inclined to think they had misunderstood the boy, when, one evening, just as they had gained their accustomed post, they thought they heard the sound of voices; and, creeping upon their hands and knees, espied the whole band, with Klaas, or, as they called him, "Count," at their head, plotting their dreadful schemes. Knowing that this negro king was the father of Julio, Cuffee liked not to inform against him; and the next morning bringing intelligence of the death of the governor's son, and consequently the prorogation of the ball, he was in hopes the negroes would get disheartened at the failure of their plans, and forego their horrible intentions. Still he determined to keep an eye upon their movements; and a few weeks after, through the medium of another slave, named Manuel, he discovered that the conspirators intended to put their designs into execution on the 15th of December; and that they were to have a final meeting in the ravine, to receive orders from their king.

These were the tidings Cuffee conveyed to his master's ear- tidings which made his stout heart beat faster, and caused a shade of care, for once, to cross his brow. The time was short: the next night was the one on which the negroes were to meet, and Mr. ---, after leaving a kind message to his daughter, to excuse his absence, started immediately for the capital, accompanied by Robin and Cuffee, to lay the information before the proper authorities.

The evening was calm. There was no moon, but the stars shone bright, and, by their refulgence, parties of men were seen walking cautiously along in the same direction. Every now and then they stopped as if to listen, and then proceeded again, as no sound met their ear. Leaving the high road, they struck across a wild and sterile plain, until, arriving at the bank of a kind of rocky defile, where the sable conspirators held their nocturnal meetings, they separated; and taking up their position on all sides, and holding their very breath, they presented more the appearance of marble statues than living men. After remaining in this situation for some time, a noise was heard as the tramp of a body of horse pa.s.sing over a flinty road-no uncommon occurrence at that period. The sound came nearer and nearer, and presently a large band of soldiers appeared in sight, led by a middle-aged officer, and accompanied by several gentlemen. Riding for a short distance past the ravine, the word was given, "Halt!"

and in a moment the horses stood motionless. "Dismount!" broke from the lips of the commander, and the men, all heavily armed, sprang to the ground. Walking quickly forward, they joined the watchers around the ravine, while their leader, followed by many others, bounded down the bank, and exclaimed, in a stentorian tone, "Surrender! or you are dead men." All was confusion among the a.s.sembled conspirators. Hemmed in on all sides, and daunted by the gleaming arms and pointed muskets of the soldiers, who came so silently but surely upon them, the negro band were driven to despair. Klaas alone maintained his firmness, and shouted in a voice of thunder, "Fire the gunpowder, lads, fire the gunpowder, and let us die as brave men, and not as cowards. Who will mourn the fate which will be shared by our hated tyrants!" But this was not to be. Overpowered by numbers, their arms tightly pinioned behind them, their mouths gagged, and held between two soldiers, negro after negro was marched off-the ravine was left to its usual silence-and the reign of "Klaas," the "Slave King," was over.

So ends the legend. The conspirators being conveyed to the capital, various were the punishments awarded them. Klaas, or, as he was more generally called, "Count," Tomboy, and Hercules were broken alive upon the wheel. In their last moments their fort.i.tude did not forsake them; and their last words expressed their hatred to the whites. Some were gibbeted alive in a place called Green's Bay. Frank, who belonged to E. Chester, Esq., and several more, were burned in Otto's pasture, at the outskirts of the capital; and the rest, who were looked upon as the dupes of their reputed king, were transported to the Spanish coasts.

Quelch was pardoned: he played the traitor's part, and amused the ear of Klaas and his comrades with some chimerical scheme while the soldiers pa.s.sed by who accomplished their destruction; and old Morah, the Obeah woman who attended their meetings, escaped punishment by falling a prey to death before her trial. So signal was the victory obtained, and so severe the punishment of the conspirators, that the remaining slaves became intimidated, and quietly bore their yoke without seeking for deliverance. In 1739, the country emanc.i.p.ated Cuffee and Robin for their discovery of this insurrection, paying to their masters their respective value, and presented Manuel with a reward for his services in that affair.[49]

[46] A dealer in necromancy.

[47] A small white sh.e.l.l, about the size and shape of an olive, used as the general currency in Guinea.

[48] A wild shrub, supposed to be of great use in witchcraft.

[49] For some further particulars, see Appendix, No. 14.

CHAPTER X.

Governor William Mathew-Sir George Thomas, Bart.-James Verchild -Honourable William Woodley-Sir Ralph Payne-Hon. Craister Greathead-General Burt-The circ.u.mstances of his death-Sir Thomas s.h.i.+rley, Bart.

After the suppression of the insurrection related in the last chapter, it was resolved in future to keep a better watch over the negroes, and be more strict in the government of them. Slaves were not to be allowed to congregate about the streets of St.

John's; and if they refused to disperse, when ordered to do so, it was justifiable to fire upon them: the country paying for those who were shot. If any of the negroes were suspected of treasonable practices, conspiracies, or insurrections, they were to suffer torture, not extending to death; but in case any of them died under the pain of having a limb cut off, &c., the owner of such slaves received the value of them from the public treasury.

The inhabitants appear to have been quite alarmed at the state of affairs, particularly as there were but few white people still upon the island compared with the negroes. In 1740-1, it was again taken into consideration how to increase the number; and after some deliberation, it was determined to give further encouragement for the importation of white servants, by adding a bounty of 40s. to that already given. It was also ordained, that every owner or renter of slaves should, for every thirty negroes, have a white man in his employ, under a penalty of 20l. for each, according to the number of slaves. This gave rise to the custom of building "free tenancies," which were houses given to white persons to reside in, without receiving rent for the same; and by this means, the proprietor escaped the obligation which the law enforced of employing so many white servants or overseers.

In 1741, Rat Island, as it is called, although in reality a promontory, was purchased by the country, and barracks and fortifications erected thereon. War having broken out between England and France, the Antiguans suffered very much in their commerce. Commodore Lee had been sent out to protect the trade, but, it appears, he did not act like a British officer; for when stationed off Antigua, he allowed a French fleet of merchantmen and their convoy to pa.s.s his vessels without molestation, and actually captured some of the Antigua coasters. In 1747, complaints against him were sent home, and Commodore Legge was despatched to Antigua, with full power to try the case. The Antiguans were obliged this year to purchase and maintain a vessel to protect their small crafts, so hara.s.sed were they by the French privateers.

The lieutenant-governor of Antigua, Colonel George Lucas, died this year, (1747,) at Brest, where he was detained prisoner, having been taken by a French vessel of war, on his way to England the year before. The following year, (1748,) a pet.i.tion was sent home, praying his majesty for satisfaction for the injury suffered by the incursions of the French. About this period, the court-house was commenced to be built, on the spot where the market used to be held. Hitherto a house was rented for that purpose, which was found to be very inconvenient, for many reasons; and as there was no particular place appointed for the offices of the secretary or provost-marshal, it was found expedient to erect such building as soon as possible, and appropriate a part of it for those offices.

In 1752, George Thomas, Esq., succeeded his excellency William Mathew, Esq., in the government of Antigua, and the rest of the Leeward Islands, as captain-general. The following year (1753) a fund was raised to purchase land, for the purpose of building additional barracks for the accommodation of the regiment of foot stationed in Antigua, and also building a guard-house in the town of St. John's. In the same year, an additional support for his excellency, George Thomas, was appointed to be paid to him during his government. The erection of a new church at Parham was commenced in 1755; a yearly tax having been imposed upon the inhabitants, for the expense of the erection, and for keeping it afterwards repaired. This year, too, it was found, that the white inhabitants had so materially decreased in number, notwithstanding strenuous measures had been taken since 1716 to encourage the importation of them, that it was thought necessary to offer further inducements to white persons to emigrate from England to this colony. In order that this object should be more fully carried out, heavier penalties were also this year enforced upon proprietors and renters of negroes, if they neglected to have in their employ a white Protestant person for every thirty slaves; for many owners had evaded the law, by paying the penalty, rather than be obliged to maintain a white servant. The number of white inhabitants at this period was but little more than 3000, while the negroes amounted to about 32,000. In 1757, a portion of land was appropriated for building a house for the accommodation of the train of artillery in the town of St.

John's.

In 1758, the French threatened an invasion of Antigua. War had broken out between England, and France; and, as was always the case in such times, the French began to plague their English neighbours in the West Indies. The Antiguans, hearing of their intentions, hastily equipped several privateers to cruise about the island, which were fortunate enough to take some prizes, and intimidate the French. It was found by experience, that these privateers injured the French more in their commerce than even the men-of-war; and for this reason, the country gave great encouragement to the fitters-out of such vessels.

The following year, (1759,) Commodore Moore commanded the Leeward Island station, and the brave Captain Tyrrel was ordered to protect the island of Antigua. This gentleman, whose courage and activity were equal to his conduct and circ.u.mspection, had, early in the month of March previous, demolished a fort at Martinique, and destroyed four privateers riding under its protection. On his return to Antigua, he discovered a large fleet of the enemy's; and giving immediate chase, attended by the "Weazle" man-of-war, he quickly came up with them, and after a desperate fight, scattered and dispersed them. Capt. Tyrrel was wounded in the face, and lost three of the fingers of his right hand. This year, too, the island of Guadaloupe was taken by the English; and the Antiguans (on the faith of a proclamation issued by the governor, pledging the country to pay the value of such slaves as might be killed or desert) sent a large complement of negroes to act as pioneers, and a.s.sist in drawing the artillery. During the next year, several prizes were taken by the Antigua privateers; and Captain O'Brien, of H. M. S. "Griffen," a.s.sisted by Captain Taylor of the "Temple," took three large vessels off Antigua, and brought them into English Harbour.

The year 1760 is celebrated for the introduction of methodism into Antigua, by a Mr. Gilbert, which, from a very small beginning, has overspread the whole island, and proved of infinite value to the inhabitants. In 1761, a.s.surance was prohibited on all French vessels and merchandise; and also all vessels trading to France, or the French colonies, during the war. During this year regulations were made respecting the manumission of slaves. Antigua certainly set a bright example to the other islands, in days of slavery, of never withholding from its negroes _that_ privilege. The following year, 1762, the necessity of having the laws of the island printed was again brought before the council and a.s.sembly, which was unanimously agreed to. The same year Antigua again supplied a complement of strong negroes, to serve as pioneers, &c., under the command of the Right Honourable the Earl of Albemarle, in an intended expedition against Martinique. The year 1765 was the last that Sir George Thomas continued in the government of the Leeward Caribbee Islands.[50]

James Verchild, Esq., was appointed to succeed Sir George Thomas in the government in 1766; and during that year harbour-masters were appointed. Antigua still appearing deficient in white inhabitants, in 1767 further regulations were made, which would, it was hoped, tend to increase the number, and retain in the island many families who were upon the point of leaving it. The cause of these persons emigrating, it appears, was on account of their not being allowed to reckon the female members of their family, in the place of a white servant to so many slaves, as the law required, as was the case in Jamaica and St. Vincent's; it was therefore deemed expedient this year to give way in this respect, and permit two women to count as one man.

In 1768, William Woodley, Esq., was appointed commander-in-chief of Antigua, and the other Leeward Caribbee Islands. During his administration, a dreadful fire broke out in the town of St.

John's, which did great damage, but of which a further account will be given in another part of this work. Large sums of money were granted, and a collection made for the sufferers at Liverpool. Precautions were afterwards taken, by regulating certain buildings about the capital; but unfortunately those wise regulations have long since fallen into disuse. In 1769, the snow "Rodney" put into Antigua, in distress. She had been despatched from England with convicts, who were to be employed in the State of Maryland, but meeting first with bad weather, and afterwards long calms, all their provisions were consumed; and when they fortunately made Antigua, eleven of the convicts had died from starvation, and the survivors had eaten their very shoes.