HISTORY OF EUROPE.

former poffefiions, upon leafes for years, and under certain Ptipula- tions. A great number, however, of the French, not chafing to live under our government, abandoned their efiates, which, together with the new lands, were generallypur- chafed by adventurers from thefe countries; by which means the Engliflifettlers in the ifland of St. Vincent, foon became conliderable both as t0 number and property.

Though no Ptipulation had been made in favour of the Caribbs by the late treaty of peace, our court gave early inltruftions, in the year 176+, that they lhould not he dif- turbed in the poflellion of their land; and the comrniflioners for files were directed, not to attempt any furvey ofthem, without parti- cular ortit-rs for that purpofe.

The new fettlers having time to lcok about them, foon obferved with regret, that the plain and fer- tile part of the illand was in the hands of the Caribbs, to whom its valuable properties rendered it of little more advantage, than any equal extent of the rudelt country, would have been; their cottages being fcattered at a great difiance in the woods, and only lrrvall {pots of ground near them, cleared or cultivated. In lhort, fear and ava- rice operated llrongly to make them with the removal of the black

- inhabitants.

Reprezentations were according- ly made to government, as well by the principal of the new fettlers, as by the commifiioners of fales, to deprive the Caribbs of their pofief- fions, and to grant them fuch an equivalent, whether in the illand, or elfewhere, as fhould be thought neceflary. Thefe reprefentations were fupported by many plaufible

[*8s reafons, among which the imme- diate profits to the crown from the {ale of the lands, was firongly urged; the dangers arifing to thofe who had already made purchafes under the faith and protection of government, as well as to the ifland in general, from the neighbour- hood of a lawlels banditti, who were ftrongly attached to the French, with whom they held a conltant correfpondence in the neighbouring illands, and who, from their _eligion and manners, were viol» & averle to our people and government, were alfo delcrtb- ed in the highell: degree of colour- ing.

In confequence ofthele reprelen- tations, inllruétions were iflited by the lords of the treafury, in the beginning of the year 1768, for the furvey and difpofal of the lands poiTefled by the Caribbs; for the parts of which that were cleared and cultivated, they were to be paid a certain price per acre, in money, and were to have other lands allotted in return, futlicient for their fupport, in a difFerent part oftheifland. The new lands were to be granred and lecured in perpetuity, to them and their pof- terity; were to be free from all quit-rents, charges, and conditions, except peaceable behaviour, and obedience to government ; were to defccnd among them, according to their own culloms and ufages of inheritance; and were to be for ever unalienable to any white per- fon. Five years were given for ePfeéting this tranfplantation.

The Caribbs, lroni their con- nexions with the French, efpecially in the late war, had imbibed pre- judices againll our people and go- vernment, and were at all times,

PF] 3 lrom