It was in the Year 1625. that the English and French jointly (Desnambuc Commanding the French, and Thomas Warner the English) Landed on this Island of St. Christophers, at a certain time when the Caribbeeans, perswaded by their Boyez to destroy all Strangers, were ready up in Arms, but they met with such Entertainment, that they soon lost their Courage, and yielded possession to the Assailants: Not long after which Desnambuc and Warner went (the one to Paris, and the other to London) to inform their Kings of the Condition of St. Christophers, and to raise a Company which might promote the Planting of it: Both attain’d their Desires, and had fresh Assistance given them; for both Kings favor’d the Design, in regard of the good Conditions that were propos’d to those that should go Undertakers thither: And to prevent all Contentions between the English and French, they made Boundaries on each side; but Hunting, Harbors, Fishing, Mines, Trees for Wainscoting, and the like, were to remain in common; and each was to assist the other. The English Plantation increased daily more than the French; having constant Supplies from the Company in London; when as on the contrary, the Merchants at Paris grew weary, being desirous first to have a Return for what they had already spent, though the Countrey was not yet Manur’d: wherefore Desnambuc going thither himself, made the Company understand that they could not possibly expect to receive a Return, unless the Countrey were Planted with Tobacco, Indigo, Ginger, and Sugar, which requir’d both Time and People. But whilst the Business seem’d to go on prosperously, a great Accident hapned which threw down the Work to nothing: for the Spanish King set out a Fleet within the fore-mention’d Year, of one and thirty Gallions, three Galeasses, and four Pinnaces, with seventy five hundred Men, under the Command of Frederick de Toledo, Emanuel de Mineses, and John Fajardo, from Cadiz, when before the Island St. Jago there lay at the same time twenty two Portuguese Galleys, fourteen Carvils, carrying four thousand Men, Commanded by Antonio Nunnez Barreio, and Francisco de Almeida, who joyning with the Spaniards, took the City St. Salvador, and went about wholly to chase out of the Caribbee Isles all the English and French: in which Attempt nine English Ships lying before Nevis, were all taken by Toledo, who Sail’d within Cannon-shot of St. Christophers, Commanded at that time by the French Captain Rossey, the Forts cast up by the English and French not being stor’d with Provisions nor Ammunition, and consequently no way able to endure a Siege, and the less, because the Works were not quite finish’d; nevertheless Desnambuc immediately drew up his Soldiers to the Low-land, where he lay Intrench’d along the Coast, to prevent the Enemies Landing; but Rossey suffer’d the Spaniards to Land without the least Resistance: whereupon young Du Parquet Sallying out of the Sconces, fell valiantly upon the first Company, but being forsaken by his Men, was run down by the Multitude and kill’d: In the mean time all their Sloops full of Men Landed, insomuch that Rossey fearing to be surrounded, left his Trench and went up into the High-lands, whereby the Spaniards became Masters of the Fort, but did not pursue their Victory, as suspecting that the French might lie in Ambuscade in the next Wood; and indeed they suspected not in vain, for the French having undermin’d their Forts, had laid Gun-powder in some of the Cellars, which firing, blew up very many of the Spaniards, whilst Desnambuc Embarquing himself, sav’d those which were not slain by the Enemy’s Sword. Mean while the English relying on the League between the King of England and the Spaniard, made no Resistance, (notwithstanding they were inform’d that Frederick Toledo had quite ruin’d the French Plantation, and put them all to the Sword) but sent Agents to Toledo, to put him in mind of the League between Spain and England, which he not taking notice of, alledg’d, That Pope Alexander the Sixth, when a Controversie arose concerning the new Discoveries in the East and West, between the Crowns of Castile and Portugal, had determin’d that Castile had sole Right to the Western World, and therefore that St. Christophers, being a part of the Western World, according to the Pope’s Gift, belong’d to his Master Philip; and insisting upon that Allegation, he commanded them to quit their Right to the Place; to which purpose he restor’d them six of the nine Ships taken at Nevis, on Condition that they should immediately set Sail for England, onely those whom the six Vessels were not able to carry, were permitted to stay on the Island till the next opportunity: After which Toledo weighing Anchor, was scarce out of sight, when the English began to take new Courage, and gathering together to repair their ruin’d Works as well as possibly they could with what Forces they had left; for besides those who went for England in the six Ships, being near two thousand, the Spanish Admiral took six hundred choice English, which he distributed amongst his Fleet; whilest Desambuc suffer’d a great deal of hardship, not onely through ill Weather at Sea, but also for want of Provisions; Having during this time been on the Islands St. Martin, Montserrat, and Antego, thinking to have possess’d himself of some or other of them in stead of St. Christophers, but not finding such a fruitful Soil, and convenient Situation, as what he had been forc’d to forsake, he was not forward to fix there, but rather judg’d it convenient to enquire concerning the Condition of St. Christophers, and at last being inform’d by a Ketch, that the Enemy was gone to Havana, and the English were busie in Tilling their Lands, he return’d to his old Station; where nevertheless their Endeavors to repair what was ruin’d, had been in vain, by reason of the scarcity of Provisions, and want of other Necessaries, had not in their greatest extremity some Netherland Vessels arriving there, furnish’d them with Provisions, Clothes, and other Necessaries, on bare promises of payment: But not long after growing rich with Tobacco, Sugars, Ginger, and Indigo, they made Satisfaction to all their Creditors, and at last attain’d to the Condition before mention’d.
In the late War between Us and the Dutch, the French taking advantage of our Engagement, endeavor’d to destroy our Plantations there, and to make themselves Masters of the whole Island; but the Matter being at last brought to some Agreement, Sir Charles Wheeler hath been very lately sent over thither by His Majesty to re-settle Affairs there, and order the Capitulations between the French and English.
CHAP. XIX.
The Islands Sotavento, and the Isle Trinidado.
In the Division we found to be made of the Islands that lie between Florida and New Spain, and Southern America, the last are the Isles of Sotavento, which are reckon’d to be these three, Margareta, Cubagua, and Tabago, but the last is by most accounted, and hath been mention’d amongst the Caribbees.
Situation of Margareta.
Margareta, so call’d from the abundance of Pearls (of which the Spanish Appellation comes near the Latine Margaritæ) found there by the Spaniards at their first Discovery, lies about the twelfth Degree of Northern Latitude over against the Main Land of Cumana, from which it is distant about seven Leagues: It is accounted sixteen Leagues long, and half as much in breadth, and was discover’d by Columbus in his third Voyage in the Year of our Lord 1498. and was at first in great reputation, in regard of the rich Pearl-fishing upon its Coasts, wherein the Spaniards (more favorable it seems to the Natives of this Place than usual, because of their readiness to discover their Treasures) employ’d Negro’s, brought from the Coast of Guinee, whom by severe Punishments inflicted, they forc’d to such excessive Labor, that many of them, though excellent Divers, were drown’d, others either devour’d, or lam’d by the ravenous great Fish thereabouts, and by destroying the very Seed through their insatiable greediness after Pearl, brought the Trade of Pearl-fishing in a short time to a very small Account, in respect of what it might have been, had it been well husbanded. Nor hath this Island of late Years been much frequented, only in the Year 1601. Captain Parker with a Fleet of English put on Shore here, and took as many Prisoners as he had five hundred pounds of Pearl for the Ransom of, and at his coming away took a Ship he met from off the Coast of Angola, with three hundred and seventy Negro’s aboard her, who were going to be sold for Slaves.
The Soil is not unfruitful, bringing forth several sorts of Fruit, and store of Maiz, and probably if improv’d, would as well bear Wheat, and other usual kinds of Grain; but there is great want of Water, which the Inhabitants are troubled to fetch from the neighboring Continent.
Towns and Places of chief note.
The Places of chief note, are 1. Monpater, a Fort built by the Spaniards in a Nook of the Island, lying Eastward to secure the Pearl-fishing Trade, and to defend the Town where the Governor resides, as also the Treasurer of the King of Spain’s Customs of Pearl, which have been formerly valu’d at 50000 l. yearly.