GEOGRAPHICAL, STATISTICAL, AND HISTORICAL MAP OF PORTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. No. 4s.
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O R Tone but he succeeded in satisfying himself and his countrymen at last, that, whatever were the endow Islands. Dependencies, attention, and it was not until a century afterwards that any further notice appears to have been taken
PO TO RI O'. ients of the whites, they were equally subject with themselves to pay the common debt of nature. The 3. Santa Cruz, or St. Croix. ofthem. They were then visited by the earl of Cumberland in hCs voyage to attack Porto Rico, and are
SITUATION AND EXTENT result of the experiment determined them upon attempting to throw off the yoke. An insurrection ac- ;4. Tortola. Jost Van Dyke's, Little Van Dyke's, Guano, Beef, and Thatch islands described b the historian of that voyage as "a knot of little islands, wholly uninhabited, sandy, barren,
Porto Rico, le called bys theu, natives asBofHiponolrbtwen1iq4uand18, licesnglbrkeoSo thet east rhoodfalculaeHispaniorelaew buetweViennora.A ee70C c5r4Pr klaner suit* ma5esDocorllndityngondRokbrnokei oustsosf tosno the Spaniands whoc had calcoate upo ah timtis submission, were tae bypartyeadNckr rikyPer o
N. lat. and between 650 45'and 670 45' W. long. It is 115 miles long, from east torwest and has a mean rise. e Victowvrrcoyetngth sateedfocevfoheSpnrredinhiturhsrpied6aSpnshisvnesvz.Biqorr ra aepetbGrrtiefitlePsseeateTrponky, and upwardl of onec hundeer wo ied themselves wer sorol- Ibu the Coopr's Salt, Petr's bulanfrtterdo
breadth ~ ~ FAC OF THE COUNTRYn SOIL, &000 tqaeuls t hp snal hto p ormhe nativs and obtained an easy triumph. This unfortunate people had miscalculated the chances of I other small islands, lying contiguous to Porto Rico. hi rtcin n16,te eedie u yasrne at ftesm detrrwo al
The O T1 O T SZ &c. erall fertile In 1778 the n between their own imperfect weapons, and the frightfil and suremusketry of their invaders. p Of the above islands, St. Thomas, St. John, Santa Cruz, and their dependencies, belong to the Danes; ing themselves English, pretended to take possession for the crown of Englando: and the English moth-
The country is pleasant tis nd fsd valliesr dhe si is wch were the n stocked As Thse who escaped fromte massacre of the Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and their dependencies, to the English. The Spanish islands are attached to the arch made no scruple to claim the benefit of the enterprise, if he did not authorize it, for Tortola and
there were on the island 5861 plantations and fam feey dcript n, whic oele the ftce H olaunsmetr~ where they finished their existence grovernment of Porto Rico. its dependencies were soon afterwards annexed to the government of the Leeward islands, mna com-
with 23,195 horses, 1515 mules, 77,384 horned cattle, and 49,058 sheep and swine. The principal agri- fieldof battle, were sold toninesoe nh they en- DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLANDS. mission granted by Charles II. to sir William Stapleton, and the English title has ever since remained un-
cultural productions are sugar, cotton, rice, maize, and tobacco. Hurricanes are not unfrequent: that The etipation^ 1 So. theas nabout gav theue Spanstd the Poolo possssi. of th islles which they connin DESRIPIO OF'urmlspahd
ofu1742ras prmciosarkal e stugctorctie. maize, for manyco yurcnsa ntufeun:a e e poars without interruption; but without deriving those advantages from it which it is 1. St. Thomas, about 121leagues east of Porto Rico, is9mlsonadctisabt40qurmle. mpchd
of 1742 was remarkably destructive. able in nroer hands of vieldin. In1580, however, England being then at war with Spain, an expe- l The soil is well watered and fruitful. The number of plantations is 74, of which 40 are devoted to the The Dutch had made but little progress in cultivating the country when they were expelled from .
S a awkins and Drake which had assailed and plundered many of the Spanish settlements, cultivation of sugar, and 34 to that of cotton. The value of the exports in 1812, including those of St. Tortola, and the subsequent improvements were chiefly made by some English settlers from the little
St. Juan de Porto Rico, the capital, is on the north side of the Island, bouthth 1ages knd b aon nattackon the islnd bu't after suffeingsome los, they were compelled to return. In 1598, John, was 106,7761. The population in 1815, was estimated at 5050, of which number 550 were whites, island of Anguilla; who, about the middle of the sixteenth century, embarked with their families and
Cape St. Juan. It stands on a peninsula mna spacious bay, and is connected"" w a n motheran e t fitted out with the exress design of subduing the island. The command was 1500 free negroes, and 3000 slaves. St. Thomas, the chief town, is on the S. E. side, and has a safe-and settled in the Virgin Islands. Their wants were few, and their government simple and inexpensive.
isthmus of considerable length. The harbour is spacious and safe, and admits vessels ofanyburden.a er"o ord ea 1of Cumberlad who landed with-To00 soldiers on the 6th of June. The inhabi- commodious port, in which 200 ships can be accommodated. The deputy governor, with a council nominated from among themselves, exercised both the legislative
The entrance is less than half a mile wide, and the fortifications are strong and commanding. Tepo- ptasnf te ownofPoro comae vigorous resistance ; but, in afew days, the garrison, consisting of 2. St. John, 6 miles S. E. of St. Thomas, contains about 40 square miles. The soil produces sugar, and judicial authority, determining in a summary manner without a jury all questions between subject
pulation is variously estimated, from 10 to 30,000. O400 soldiers, surrendered in consequence of which the whole island submitted. The capture of Porto cof fee, tobacco, and cotton. The population is 2430, of which number 180 are whites, 50 mulattoes, and subject. There appear to have been no taxes laid, and when money was wanted for the public
~ ~ ~ ~ OPLT N .,.,, Q" "^. ;o alroarpin Wnw deemd of eeat im ortance and, for the purpose of preserving it as an English possession, and 2200 negroes. The Moravians have a missionary station on this island. use, it was raised by voluntary contribution. Under this system they remained until 1756, when the
The number of inhabitants in 1778, was 80,660. In 1793, thpoutonecidalreacssn bwlnemoedherelesnfeinthe inhabitants^ to Carthagena. Notwithstanding the 3. Santa Cruz, or St. Croix,1lies south of St. John, and contains about 100 square miles. It is divided population amounted to 1263 whites, and 6121 blacks. The inhabitants petitioned to be placed on the
from St. Domingo, many of the Spamish inhabitants of that island removing hither. At present it s sup- Gmetiation an ePontrncs fheunorunt Spaniards, the measure was carried into execution: only into 346 plantations, on which are 3869 horses and mules, 115 wind-mills, and 149 horse mills. The soil is same footing with their sister islands, by the establishment of a civil government and constitutional courts
posed to exceed 100,000. Pwuvs naH
GOERMET --i fi ,,lnWYr. nosp iof the isand. The troos were seized with a dreadful malady, which destroyed three fourths 1812, was 415,7031. The number of inhabitants in 1813, was 31,387, of whom 2223 were Danes, 1164 which induce monarchs to lend an ear to the petitions of their subjects, failed of success. In 1773, the
Porto Rico is a captain generalship. Origially, with Cuba, it was a part of the viceroyalty of Mexico; session ho d lande Cuberand, who had been disappointed in his hopes of amassing mulattoes and free blacks, and 28,000 slaves. The Moravian brethren have missionary stations here. attempt was renewed and under better auspices, for the petitioners, after praying that they might be
then it was attached to the government of Cuba; and finally made a distinct provmnce. wehltrm the plunder of the inhabitants, returned to England, leaving sir John Berkeley in command. Christianetadt, the chief town, and capital of all the Danish West India islands, is on the north coast. It permitted to elect an assembly of representatives out of the freeholders and planters, in order that such
HISTOR"ALSKETlCH. Th rtalitv of the troo a soon afterwards compelled the English to evacuate the island alto- has a harbour, a fort, 660 houses, and 5000 inhabitants- assembly, with the governor and council,nught frame proper laws for their government, pledged them-
The extensive island of Porto Bico has undergone few of those vicissitudes which furnish the1 er- increa eni eds, who hadbe compe to abandon it, returned, and aga-n occupied their The value of all the property, public and private, in the three Danish islands, is estimated at 5,014,440.. selves in that case to grant to "his majesty" an impost of four and a half per cent. on all goods and com-
als and interest of history. The epoch of its discovery was the year 1493, when it was viie by gether; and h bpamrs n a encmcc .- ," viz. Santa Cruz, 3,728,6401. St. Thomas, 747,8001. and St. John, 538,0001. modifies the growth of these islands, similar to that which was paid in the other Leeward islands.
Columbus. Hispaniola, at that period, so far engrossed the attention of the Spamiards, ht the bother settlme rot o theresent, the island of Porto Rico has remained under the dominion of Spain, 4. Tortola. lies N. E. of St. John, and is 15 miles long by 6 broad. It is well cultivated, and one of the Accordingly, the royal pleasure was signified to the governor in chief, that he should issue writs for
islands were neglected. The space of sixteen years from the time of its discovery, passed y beore Frm pe"" ^ or h eouin hc aeafce h ohrcuty healthiest islands in the West Indies. It has a large and safe harbour on the S. E. side. The productions convening an assembly or house of representatives, who, together with a council of twelve persons to be
they had leisure to turn their thoughts to Porto Rico. In 1509, Ponce de Leon, one of the adven- without experiencing any re suea anoldin cotton TheaeiuLU uiiiumu.^ ^^ ^ population is about 10,000. appointed by the governor for that purpose, might frame and pass such laws as might be necessary for
turers whom the thirst of gold had sent out from Spain, embarked fom Hispanmola, to make a con- ,5. Virgin Gorda is 8 miles east of Tortola. It is 15 miles long, and produces sugar and cotton. The the welfare and good government of the islands. In November 1773, a proclamation was issued by the
quest of the island i which, being thinly peopled, was mncapable ot making a vigorous defence. Thne population is stated at 8000. .inegada, the largest of its dependencies, is low, and almost covered with governor for convening a house of representatives of the Virgin islands. The first assembly met on the
inhabitants were a simple and inoffensive race. The exploits of the Spanmards had filled. them with awe, THEc *VIRGNr' ISL ANDS water at high tides. 1st of February 1774, and immediately complied with their engagement to the crown, by granting an
and instead of attempting to oppose the landing of the invaders, they only thought of yielding submis- 1JijV HUrl OJA U In 1812, Tortola and Virgin Gorda together, yielded 39,508 cwt. of sugar, 135,740 gallons of rum, impost of four and a half per cent. on the produce of the colony for ever. They afterwards passed an
sively to the yoke. They concluded that the whites were a race o ueirbmsum alhh e h Ilnslees of superto Ricog~stwome between 17 40' and 18 45' N. lat. and between 64 10 53,260 pounds of cotton, and 2000 pounds of coffee. act granting the sum of four hundred pounds currency per annum, as their proportion towards the salary
distance would be unavailing. Accordingly, on the arrival of Ponce de Leon, they sbte wih out a 1 ^^ysand 6sW.l The extreme island on the north and east is Anegada; on the south Santa Cruz, 6. Spanish Islands. These islands are all attached to the government of Porto Rico, and are of very of the governor-general.
struggle. They soon found, however, that if the Spaniards were a superior race, the yoke which had ad60W.lng. lTthe exrm orslane On the oti n aii nguo esuu ^L ^,, ^6Q her Virgin islands, Santa Cruz or Saint Croix is one of the most important. It was discover-
been imposed upon themselves, was not the more easily borne on that account. The grievous exactions and on the west dieque, or Grab island. DIVIrSION m HISTORICAL SKETCH. ed by Columbus in one of his early voyages. The Spaniards, English, and Dutch, were by turns masters
of their new masters induced them to form resolutions for the recovery of their origmal rights. One Th follns list of the 'rnci al islands, with their dependencies. The name by which these islands are distinguished, is generally supposed to have been betowed upon of it for a long period. In 1651, it was bought for the Knights of Malta, who sold it in 1664 to the
obstacle, however, stood in the way of an attempt to resist the Spaniards by force. They believed the Teolowing is a ht teprinial isp lendm ieranencies. them by sir Francis Drake, in 1580, in honour of queen Elizabeth; but, according to Mr. Edwards, the French West India company, by whom it was sold to Denmark, in 1696. It remained in the possession
Spaniards to have been gifted by heaven with extraordinary owners, and they feared lest they were ex 1. Sth' oas Brass Little Saha, Great Spt James, Little St. James, and Bird islands. historian of the West Indies, they were thus called by Columbus after the 11,000 virgins celebrated in of this power until 1808, when it was taken, together with the islands of St. Thomas and St.John, by the
ir caiqus, thoae ah eprimentd tnan indoi5S v iduaedl o Spantiahmrd.a ThCmadWic slns cuc hsoy.Tedaeo terdicvryws143 he ee thesk hwaser thuh unworthe and Eazardos2 but Joton. atao tah, lane geea peace.s /o ,;o ___________
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