This Island being jointly the Plantation of both English and French, was divided into four Wards, two whereof have been long since in possession of the French, and the other two in possession of the English, strangely divided one from another; for the English in one Ward cannot go to the other without troubling the French; and so on the contrary: the English have more Rivers and People, the French more plain Land, fitter for Cultivation, and Forts furnish’d with Guns and Soldiers. At the Entrances of the Paths which lead into the several Wards stand Watch-houses, where Sentinels, or Watch-men stand daily in their turns.
In a Bay of the Sea they found a brave Salt-pit, from whence a sandy Cliff runs so far into the Ocean, a that some have swum from the end thereof over to the Island Nevis.
A Silver Mine hath been long since discover’d on this Island, in which the English and French claim equal Interest, but neither Party make any benefit of it for want of Miners.
The high Mountains, the Springs of boyling sulphurous Water, and brambly Woods, hinder all passage through the middle of the Island: The Ground runs more and more sloaping to the Sea-side, and is divided into several High-ways, along which stand convenient Houses, cover’d with red or glaz’d Slate, shaded with Trees, and environ’d with pleasant Gardens, to which there is a delightful Prospect from the Fields, of the green Tobacco-Leaves, the yellow Sugar-Canes, Ginger, and Potato’s.
Basse-Terre the chief Town belonging to the French.
Besides the scatter’d Buildings, the French have built a compleat Town near the convenientest Harbor of their Quarter, call’d Basse-Terre, where the Merchants dwell in fair Houses built of Brick and Free-stone; whither all sorts of People bring their Commodities, and Truck their European Goods for such as St. Christophers produceth. All manner of Trades and Handicrafts live also in this Town, and a Court of Judicature is kept every Week. The Church built of Free-stone, is cover’d with the aforesaid red Slate, and was formerly Govern’d by the Capuchins; but they being dismiss’d Anno 1646. the Government was given to the Jesuits and Carmelites; who also built themselves other stately Edifices: but the Jesuit Henrick du Vivier was the first who bore the chiefest Command over all.
The Sick that have not sufficient Means to maintain them, have an Hospital appointed, where all Necessaries are provided for them; and to which is added a School for the bringing up of poor Children.
Description of the Castle.
But the chiefest Structure is the Castle, on the building whereof the Lord Poincy spar’d no Cost; it is built half a French Mile from the Sea at the Foot of a high Mountain, shadowed with great Trees. In the Way thither stand the Houses of the prime Officers; and a long Walk of Orange and Lemmon-Trees leads to a large Court before the Front of the Castle it self, which is built square with Bricks and Free-stone three Stories high; and the Entrance into it is ascended by a large pair of Stairs; near the Gate which opens to the West, stand great Stone Cisterns, into which they receive the Water through Pipes laid under Ground; the Chambers and Halls are very lightsom and high, and the Walls of them adorn’d with Cedar; a flat Terrace on the top yields a pleasant Prospect all over the Countrey; the Windows in the Front look open not onely upon the Orange Walk, but also upon several delightful Plantations of Sugar-Canes and Ginger.
Westward appear several Mountains, whose high Heads are invested with ever-flourishing Trees; and between the Palace and those Mountains a very large and stately Garden, full of all manner of Flowers and other delightful Plants, as well those commonly known amongst us, as those peculiar to that part of the World; in the middle thereof stands a Fountain, deriving its Source from the Foot of a neighboring Hill.