A Prospect of the Island of Barbadoes.

BArbadoes is the most considerable Island the English have among the Carribees, & lies in thirteen degrees and twenty Minutes on this side the Equator, and though not above Twenty four Miles long and fifteen broad, yet was many years ago accounted to have above / Twenty thousand Inhabitants besides Negro Slaves who are thought a far greater number. In the reign of K. James the first a Ship of Sr. William Curteens returning from Pernambuck in Brasil, being driven by foul weather upon this Coast, chanced to fall upon this Island, and anchoring before it staid some time to inform themselves of the nature thereof, which was so exceedingly over-grown with Woods that they could find no Champion ⁴⁵ or Savana’s for men to dwell in, nor any Beasts but a multitude of Swine, which the Portugals put ashoar long before for breed, if they should at any time be cast on that shoar in foul weather, and the fruits and roots that grew there afforded so great plenty of food as they multiplied abundantly, so that the Natives of the other Islands use to come thither a hunting; This discovery being made, and advice given to their Friends in England, other Ships were sent, and having cut down the Woods, and cleered the ground, they planted Potatoes, Plantines and Maiz, which with the Hogs flesh they found served only to keep Life and Soul together, and their supplies from England, coming so slow and uncertain, they were oft driven to great extremities, but in the year 1627. when they had more hands, and having Tobacco, Indico, Cotton Wool, and Fustick ⁴⁶ Wood to trade with, some Ships were invited with hope of gain to visit them, bringing for exchange such things as they wanted, as working Tools of Iron, and Steel, Cloaths, Shirts, Drawers, Hose, Shoes, Hats, and more Planters; So that in a short time they grew very considerable, especially when their Sugar Canes were grown and they had learned the Art of making Sugar; The Inhabitants which consist of English, Scotch, Irish, with some few Dutch, French and Jews, were lately calculated to be above fifty Thousand, and the Negro’s about an hundred Thousand; So that they can in a short time arm Ten Thousand fighting men, which with the natural 162advantage of the place, is able to defy the most potent Enemy, as the Spaniards have found / to their cost, having in vain assaulted it several times.