INTRODUCTION
The story of the West Indies and Spanish Main is one to stir the hearts of many nations. The shores of the Caribbean Sea have been the scene of marvellous adventures, of intense struggles between races and peoples, of pain, trouble, and disaster of almost every description. No wonder that the romance writer has laid his scenes upon its beautiful islands and deep blue waters, for nowhere in the world, perhaps, could he find such a wealth of incident. From "Robinson Crusoe" to Marryat's genial stories, and down to "Westward Ho!" and "Treasure Island," old and young have been entranced for many generations with its stories of shipwrecks, pirates, sea-fights, and treasure-seekers. Yet with all this the field has not been exhausted, for hardly a year passes without a new romance dealing more or less with the "Indies."
Under this name of the Indies the islands and continent were first known to the Spaniards, and it was not until some years had passed that the mainland received the name of Terra Firma. The string of islands facing the Atlantic were the Antilles, so called from a traditional island to the west of the Azores, marked on maps and globes of the fifteenth century. This "Bow of Ulysses," as Froude called the islands, was divided into the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the latter being also known as the Caribbees, from their original inhabitants. Other divisions were made later into Windward and Leeward Islands, but these differed so much in the descriptions of different nations that it would be as well to leave them out of the question. Perhaps the best way would be to name the whole the Antilles or West Indian Islands and divide them, in going from north to south, into the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Caribbees.
When we think of these beautiful islands and shores they recall those of that other "Great Sea" which was such a mighty factor in the development of Greece and Rome, Phœnicia and Carthage, Venice and Genoa. As Ulysses and Æneas wandered about the Mediterranean, so the early voyagers sailed along the coasts of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in fear of anthropophagoi, amazons, giants, and fiery dragons. As the Indies were the scene of struggles between great nations and the raids of buccaneers, so also was the Mediterranean a battlefield for Christian and Turk, and a centre for piracy.
Reports of golden cities, pearls and emeralds in profusion, and wealth that passed all description, led the Spaniards to explore every island and river, until the cannibals became less alarming. Yet their sufferings were terrible. Hurricanes sunk their frail craft on the sea and earthquakes wrung their very souls on land. Starvation, with its consequent sickness and death, destroyed one party after another, but they still went on. The discovery of the riches of Mexico and Peru led them to look for other rich nations, and to travel thousands of miles on the mainland, guided by the reports of the Indians. Undaunted by suffering and failure, they would often try again and again, perhaps only to perish in the attempt at last.
The treasures of the Indies made Spain the greatest nation in Europe. With her riches she could do almost anything. Other nations bowed down before her, and she became sovereign of the seas and mistress of the world. No matter how it was obtained, gold and silver flowed into her coffers; what did she care that it was obtained by the bloody sweat of the poor Indians?
Then came envy and jealousy. Why should Spain claim the whole of the New World? England, Holland, and France began to dispute her supremacy and determined to get a share of the good things. The "invincible domination" of Spain led her to declare war against England, with the result that the hardy sea-dogs of that time began to worry the fat galleons at sea, and to pillage the treasure depôts on the Main.
And here we must mention that there were two important places in the Indies where Spain was most vulnerable—the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Porto Rico and the Isthmus of Darien. Through the first came the outward fleets with supplies, and on their return with gold and silver, while on the Isthmus was the depôt for merchandise and the great treasure store. At these two points the enemy congregated, either as ships of war, buccaneers, corsairs, or pirates, and in their neighbourhood some of the most bitter struggles took place. There was no peace in the Indies, whatever might nominally be the case in Europe. Englishmen's blood boiled at the atrocities of the Spaniards, but we are afraid it was not love for the oppressed alone that made them massacre the Spaniards whenever they got an opportunity. The poor Indian received but a scant measure of justice from these very people, when as a matter of convenience they required possession of the Caribbee islands.
Other nations took possession of smaller islands, unoccupied by Spain, and from these centres continued their raids, as privateers in war, and as pirates at other times. Sometimes they were united among themselves against the common enemy, sometimes at war with each other. France and Holland against England, England and Holland against France—nothing but quarrels and fighting. Now an island changed hands, and again it was restored or recaptured. The planters were never sure of being able to reap their crops, and often had literally to superintend the estate work, armed with sword and arquebuse, while their black and white slaves cultivated the soil.
Now the West Indies became the great training ground for three maritime nations—England, France, and Holland. Spain lost her prestige, and the struggle lay among her enemies for over a century. At first the three disputants for her place were equally matched; then Holland dropped behind, leaving England and France to fight it out. The struggle was a very close one, which only ended with the fall of Napoleon, and it was in the Caribbean Sea where the great check to France took place. Here Rodney defeated De Grasse, and here Nelson and many another naval officer gained that experience which served them so well in other parts of the world.
Here also was the scene of that great labour experiment, the African slave-trade. The atrocities of the Spaniards caused the depopulation of the Greater Antilles, and led to the importation of negroes. Whatever may be said against slavery, there can hardly be any question that the African has been improved by his removal to another part of the world and different surroundings. True, he has not progressed to the extent that was expected by his friends when they paid such an enormous sum for his enfranchisement; still, there are undoubtedly signs of progress.
The white colonists in the West Indies never settled down to form the nucleus of a distinct people. Since the emancipation the islands have been more and more abandoned to the negroes and coloured people, with the result that although the government is mostly in the hands of the whites, they are in such a minority as to be almost lost. In Cuba there appears to be such a feeling of patriotism towards their own island that probably we shall soon hear of a new republic, but elsewhere in the islands our hopes for the future must lie in the negroes and coloured people.
On the mainland the original inhabitants were not exterminated as in the large islands, and consequently we have there a most interesting process in course of accomplishment—the development of one or more nations. Here are the true Americans, and as the Gaul was merged in the Frank, and the Briton in the Saxon, so the Spaniard has been or will ultimately be lost in the American. At present the so-called Spanish republics are in their birth-throes—they are feeling their way. Through trouble and difficulty—revolution and tyranny—they have to march on, until they become stronger and more fitted to take their places among other nations. Out of the struggle they must ultimately come, and it will be a most interesting study for those who see the result.
In Hispaniola we have also a nation in the course of development—an alien race from the old world. More backward than the Americans, the Africans of Haïti are struggling to gain a position among other nations, apparently without any good result. The nation is yet unborn, and its birth-throes are distressing. We look upon that beautiful island and feel sad that such a paradise should have fallen so low. As a race the negro has little of that internal power that makes for progress—he must be compelled to move on. Some are inclined to look upon him as in the course of degenerating into the savage, but we, on the contrary, believe him to be progressing slowly.
In the islands belonging to European nations the influence of the dominant power is visible in the negro even when he has no trace of white blood. The French, English, or Dutch negro may be recognised by his manners, and even features. In some places East Indians and Chinese have been imported, but these stand alone and make little impression. They are aliens as yet, and take little part in the development of the colonies.
Latterly the West Indies have sunk into neglect by Europe. Except for the difficulties of the planters their history is almost a blank sheet. Few know .anything about the beautiful islands or the grand forests of the mainland. Even the discovery of gold in Guiana, which goes to confirm the reports of Ralegh, three centuries ago, is only known to a few. Ruin and desolation have fallen upon them since the peace of 1815 and the emancipation. Even the negro—the protégé of the benevolent—is no longer the object of interest he once was. Cane sugar is being gradually ousted by that from the beet, and hardly anything has been done to replace its cultivation by other tropical products.
Yet the islands are still as lovely as they were four centuries ago, and on the continent is a wealth of interest to the naturalist and lover of the beautiful. Now and again a tourist goes the round of the islands and publishes the result in a book of travel; but the countries are out of the track of civilisation and progress. Possibly if the Panama or Nicaragua Canal is ever finished things may be a little better, but at present the outlook is very dismal.
In attempting to compress the story of the West Indies and Spanish Main within the covers of one volume we have undertaken a task by no means easy. Every island and every province has its own tale, and to do them all justice would require a hundred books. Every West Indian will find something missing—some event unmentioned which is of the greatest importance to his particular community. This is only to be expected, yet we believe that the reader will get a fairer idea of their importance when they are comprehended in one great whole. The photo block illustrations are from negatives prepared by Mr. Thomas B. Blow, F.L.S.
CONTENTS | |
[I] | page |
| The Spaniards and their Victims | 1-22 |
| The native Americans—The Arawak and the Carib—Theirindependent spirit—Their country—The character of theSpaniard—He wants to convert the natives to Christianity—"Aton of gold"—First Spanish settlers in Hispaniola—Theyravage the island and are entirely cut off—Thesecond colony oppresses the Indians—Repartimientos—Crueltiesto the Indian slaves—Decrease of the population—Slave-huntingin other islands and on the Main—Resistanceof the cannibals—Decline of Hispaniola. | |
[II] | |
| The Quest for "El Dorado" | 23-47 |
| Treasure-seeking and its dangers—Alonzo de Ojeda—Theproclamation to the Indians—Disastrous voyage of Valdivia—Acannibal story—"El Dorado," the gilded one—TheGerman knights—Ambrosio de Alfinger—George of Spires—NicholasFedreman and others—Pedro de Ursua andLope de Aguirre—Pedro de Acosta—Diego de Ordas andJuan Martinez—The quest and its dangers. | |
[III] | |
| Singeing the Spaniard's Beard | 48-67 |
| The Papal Bull of partition—English and French seamenin the Indies—Raids on the Spanish possessions—MasterWilliam Hawkins goes to Brazil—The Caribs friendly tothe enemies of Spain—John Hawkins carries negroes fromAfrica—Francis Drake's attack on Nombre de Dios—TheSimaroons—Drake captures the Panama train—John Oxenham—AndrewBarker—Drake's second voyage—Hecaptures St. Domingo and Carthagena—Last voyage ofDrake and Hawkins—Death of Drake—Exploits of otheradventurers. | |
[IV] | |
| Ralegh and the First British Colonies | 68-89 |
| "Letters Patent" to Ralegh—"El Dorado" again—Ralegh'sfirst voyage to Guiana—Keymis and Berrie—TheDutch in Guiana—Charles Leigh founds a settlement—RobertHarcourt's colony—Ralegh's imprisonment—Heis released to again visit Guiana—Disastrous results—RogerNorth's colony—King James's want of policy—Changesafter his death—St. Christopher's and Barbados—North's colony again—The Bahamas—The French andDutch settlements—Rise of the Dutch—The French andEnglish at St. Christopher's. | |
[V] | |
| Buccaneers, Filibusters, and Pirates | 90-112 |
| The buccaneers of Hispaniola—Tortuga—Bay of Campeachy—Privateersturning pirates—Pierre Legrand—Captainsde Basco and Brouage—Captain Lawrence—Montbarthe "Exterminator"—Lolonois—Morgan stormsand captures Panama—He settles down in Jamaica—VanHorn—Raid on the South Sea—Lionel Wafer's journeyacross the Isthmus. | |
[VI] | |
| War in the Young Colonies | 113-136 |
| Spanish raids—Effects of the "Great English Revolution"—TheCaribbee Islands in revolt—Cavaliers and Roundheadsin Barbados—Charles the Second declared king—LordWilloughby arrives with a Commission from thefugitive—Persecution of the Roundheads—Sir GeorgeAyscue sent out with a fleet to reduce Barbados—Theisland blockaded—Its surrender—Surinam held for theking—Cromwell and Spain—The Expedition to St. Domingo—Captureof Jamaica—Colonisation of the island—TheCouncil for foreign plantations. | |
[VII] | |
| The Planters and their Slaves | 137-159 |
| First adventurers not agriculturalists—Slaves wanted—Negroesimported—Sugar—Cotton—Tobacco—First plantations—Kidnapping—Prisonerstransported—Englishslave-trade—Comparative cost of negroes and whites—Rebels—Storyof Henry Pitman—Condition of the bond-servants—Lifeof the planter—Dangers of the voyage—Jamaica—Slaveryin Africa—Treatment of the West Indianslave. | |
[VIII] | |
| The Struggle for Supremacy | 160-183 |
| Trade disputes between England and Holland—War—Thebuccaneers employed—Repulse of De Ruyter at Barbados—Captureof Dutch colonies by English—The French drivethe English from St. Kitt's—Abortive attempts for its recapture—Peaceof Breda—The value of the buccaneers toJamaica—Character of the three nations now contendingfor supremacy—Case of Surinam—English refused permissionto leave with their slaves—War again—Peaceof Westminster and the exodus from Surinam—Case ofJeronomy Clifford—Sir Henry Morgan represses buccaneering—Anotherwar—Du Casse and the Corsairs—JacquesCassard—Curious position of Berbice—Cassard takesCuraçao—His downfall. | |
[IX] | |
| The Struggle for the Darien Trade | 184-206 |
| Carthagena and Porto Bello fairs—The trade of the Isthmus—Thejoint-stock mania—William Paterson and the Darienscheme—Caledonia and New Edinburgh founded—Destructionof the colony—The Assiento contract—The Great SouthSea Bubble—Vain attempts of the English to obtain freetrade with the Spanish provinces—Attacks on the logwoodcutters of Campeachy—War with Spain—Contrabandtraders and their losses—Captain Jenkins' ear—Anotherwar with Spain—Admiral Vernon takes Porto Bello—Hisfailure at Carthagena—English exploits. | |
[X] | |
| Slave Insurrections and Bush Negroes | 207-236 |
| Sufferings of the planters from war—Barbados alone ashaving never fallen to the enemy—Internal difficulties—Ferocityof slaves and cruelty of their punishments—TheMaroons of Jamaica and bush negroes in Guiana—Slaveinsurrections—Abortive plots in Barbados—Troubles inJamaica—Revolt in Antigua—The great slave insurrectionin Berbice—The whites driven from the colony—Haunts ofthe Guiana bush negroes—Surinam in continual fear oftheir raids—Expeditions sent against them—Treaties—Greatinsurrection in Jamaica and suppression of theMaroons. | |
[XI] | |
| The Sovereignty of the Seas | 237-255 |
| Downfall of Spain—England and France—Contrabandtraffic of the Dutch and Danes—Advantages of neutrality—TheJews in the islands—They support the buccaneers—Thegreat war—England against the world—AdmiralRodney—His abortive fights with De Guichen—The trainingof his fleet—He captures St. Eustatius and confiscatesprivate property—Capture of Demerara—Outcry againstRodney—British disasters—Rodney appears again—Hisdecisive victory over De Grasse—Peace and its results—Thegreat struggle with France and her allies—Britishsupremacy—Peace of Amiens—War again—Nelson in theWest Indies—The American war—Decline of the plantationsfrom the abolition of the slave-trade. | |
[XII] | |
| Downfall of Hispaniola | 256-275 |
| Results of the French Revolution—The friends of the blacks—Therights of man—Civil disabilities of free colouredpeople—Agitation in the French colonies—James Ogé—Demandof the coloured people for equal rights—Civil warin Hispaniola—"Perish the colonies"—Great slave insurrection—Thewhites concede equal rights, but the Conventionrevokes their original decree—Truce broken—Thestruggle renewed—Devastation of the colony—The Britishexpedition and its failure—Toussaint L'Ouverture—Slaveryabolished—It is re-established by Napoleon—Treachery toL'Ouverture and the negroes—Dessalines and Christophedeclare the independence of Hayti—Massacre of the whites—TheEmpire and Republic. | |
[XIII] | |
| Emancipation of the Spanish Main | 276-288 |
| Influence of the French Revolution on Spanish America—Mirandavainly attempts to rouse Venezuela—Revolutionat Caracas—Simon Bolivar—Struggle for independence—Atrocitiesof both parties—Bolivar proclaims exterminationto the Royalists—Spanish successes—The British Legion—Devastationof the country—The Columbian Republic—Guatemala. | |
[XIV] | |
| Abolition of Slavery | 289-313 |
| Agitation against slavery by the Quakers—Abolition of theAfrican slave-trade—Effects of this on the plantations—Conditionof the slave—Registration—Rising in Barbados—TheProtestant missionaries arrive—Opposition of theplanters—Ordinance against preaching and teaching slavespassed in Jamaica—The anti-slavery party in England—Ameliorationof the condition of the slave—Insurrection inDemerara—Prosecution and conviction of the Rev. JohnSmith—Emancipation in the British colonies—Its effect oncolonies of other nationalities—Insurrection at St. Croix—Totalabolition of slavery in the West Indies. | |
[XV] | |
| Results of Emancipation | 314-345 |
| Ruin of the planters—Difficulty of procuring labour—Abolitionof the differential duties—Immigration—Barbadosan exception when ruin fell on the other colonies—Labourlaws in French, Danish, and Dutch colonies—Anotherinsurrection in St. Croix—Race prejudice causes riots inDemerara—Insurrection at Jamaica—Confederation riot atBarbados. | |
[XVI] | |
| The Isthmus Transit Schemes | 346-364 |
| Nelson's expedition to the San Juan—Miranda's project—Importanceof a canal—Central America—Effects of thediscovery of gold in California—The Panama railway—Canalprojects—Darien again—The Times and theNicaragua project—Ship railway—Lesseps and the PanamaCanal—Difficulties of the work—Its downfall—Characterof Lesseps—The Nicaragua Canal. |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| 1. | Reception of Spaniards by Arawaks. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [Frontispiece] |
| 2. | Reception of Spaniards by Caribs. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [5] |
| 3. | A corner of Paradise. The Victoria Regia | [8] |
| 4. | En route to the goldfields of Guiana. Passing the rapids of the Essequebo | [10] |
| 5. | Worrying the natives with dogs. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [13] |
| 6. | A modern alluvial gold washing | [16] |
| 7. | Suicides. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [17] |
| 8. | A Guiana river. The Tumatamari falls | [26] |
| 9. | Inhabitants of the Spanish Main. From Colijn's "Reisen" | [28] |
| 10. | "El Dorado." From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [37] |
| 11. | Negro woman returning from market | [53] |
| 12. | Negro barber | [54] |
| 13. | Negro family on holiday | [55] |
| 14. | Negresses gossiping | [56] |
| 15. | Ralegh in Trinidad. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [71] |
| 16. | Gold hunting. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [80] |
| 17. | Carib attack on a settlement. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [89] |
| 18. | St. Kitt's. From Andrews' "West Indies" | [118] |
| 19. | A Surinam planter. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [138] |
| 20. | A negro festival. From Edwards' "West Indies" | [140] |
| 21. | Voyage of the sable Venus. From Edwards' "West Indies" | [142] |
| 22. | Slaves landing from the ship. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [144] |
| 23. | Map of Terra Firma. From Gottfried's "Reisen" | [197] |
| 24. | A rebel negro. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [209] |
| 25. | The execution of breaking on the rack. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [212] |
| 26. | March through a swamp. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [224] |
| 27. | Trelawny town. From Edwards' "West Indies" | [231] |
| 28. | Pacification of the Maroons. From Edwards' "West Indies" | [234] |
| 29. | View of part of Hispaniola. From Andrews' "West Indies" | [258] |
| 30. | La Guayra on the Main. From Andrews' "West Indies" | [280] |
| 31. | The First of August. From Madden's "West Indies" | [308] |
| 32. | A relic of the slavery days old slave buying fish | [310] |
| 33. | Negress, Guiana | [315] |
| 34. | Negress fish-sellers, Guiana | [316] |
| 35. | Chinese wood-carrier | [317] |
| 36. | East Indian coolie | [318] |
| 37. | East Indian coolie family | [319] |
| 38. | Coolie barber | [320] |
| 39. | East Indian coolie girl | [321] |
| 40. | Coolie women, British Guiana | [322] |
| 41. | Coolie vegetable sellers, British Guiana | [323] |
| 42. | East Indian coolies, Trinidad | [324] |
| 43. | East Indian coolie, Trinidad | [325] |
| 44. | Trinidad coolies | [326] |
| 45. | Barbados. From Andrews' "West Indies" | [330] |
| 46. | St. Lucia. From Andrews' "West Indies" | [331] |
| 47. | Atlantic entrance to Darien Canal. From Cullen's "Darien Canal" | [348] |
| 48. | Europe supported by Africa and America. From Stedman's "Surinam" | [363] |