OCR Text |
Show 4.0 ANTIGUA. and thet.r empI oyers-tha' t schools are numerous md well at- 1 b ed " t ded mam.a ges fI ·equent ' and the Sabbath we! o .s erv . Tehn e f'o llowm. g 1. eport from H · Hamilton, the President of Montserrat, to s·t r Wm· Colebrooke ' dated "Ja.n.u ·a ry .l Ohth' , ! 84.0 " seems to be every thin(b) ' that either the po!ttJc. llul o. r p I- lanthr' opt.s t coul d de st.r e. " It affords me b" reat sattsfactwn to r'e port to your E, x.c e llency' the orderly an. d good conduct of our laborm. o- popu 1a t.1 011. Durinb" the Clmstmas holy-days, our c Iu uch eb s olUn.l d chapels were crowded to excess by a well dressed peasan t ry, "u nd Olll' J. ail near! y untenanted. Th. e laborers have all returned to their agricultural avoc.ations wtth a degree of ptmctuall.t y, w h.1 c1 1 , 1 hope 'a nd trust• w1!l msure the future pto.s - perity of the colony. The prospects for 184.1, are very promts- m. g. The laborers are settling. t.h emselves d.o wn qll.l etly and contentedly, abounding in provlswns, md thetr growmg crops in a high state of cultivation. I am happy to say that the dif· ferences and jealousies which existed between the parties are wearing away, and giving place to better feelings. Job-work is daily gaining ground. The system of weekly cash payments to the laborers, to the almost total exclusion of credit md barter, is now so completely established, and so pllllctually acted on, that a case of complaint rarely occurs, md the absence of a contract act is not felt at present." The stipendiary mag1strnte of the same island observes, " that repairs and additions to the teal property in the town are going on; that the value of land in the country is increased ; that an estate wh1ch was lately purchased for between five and six thousand pounds, (then considered a good sale,) would not now be parted with for £8000 · that the amount of imports is much increased ; that marri~es among the peasantry are numerous, schools improved and extended, and the progress in general morals satisfactory." These testimonies were confirmed by our friend John Cox Collins, the Rector of Montserrat, whom we afterwards met m Antigua. Heinfonned us that the free-laborers there are working well, an<! tbat the present crop was estimated at 1500 hogs· heads, being a high average. The negroes who attend hJs ANTIGUA. 4.1 church, insisted last year, on expressing, by some thank-offeriug, their gratitude to God !or the blessings which they were enjoying, UJJder freedom; they subscribed £15 15s to be expended in a silver goblet for the commt.ul.ion table; and on the same ground, in the present year, they are again subscribing their money to supply the table witlt silver cups. The reefs near the coast of Antigua are numerous; und as we lay to, on our approach to it during the night, we wei'C exposed to some danger. Early in the morning, however, a pilot boarded us, and we made a safe entrance into the beautiful harbor of St. John's. The appearance of this island, from the sea, nlthoLtgh singular from the grotesque form of many of the rocky hills, is not so picturesque as that of St. Christopher's; but the green and orderl y-looking fields of cane, and the numerons vessels waiting, in the harbor, for sugar, again afforded us a prima-facie evideuee of prosperity. We cast auchor about noon below the fort, and were rowed a long distance in a boat to St. John's. This town is of considemble size, pleasant and airy, and greatly increased and improved since the date of freedom. We had heard much of the yellow fever here; it had been for sometime prevalent with a decided type, but it was now gone by; the Inst lingering case expiring soon after our arrival. Good rooms and sullicient cntcrtainrnent awaited us at au hotel kept by a colored female named Appleby. Although I was in weak health during our stay, of two weeks, in Antigua, objects of interest, and opportunities fot· religions service, presented themselves in rapid succession. A li:nv brief memoranda from our diary, will lead to some developement of the state of the colony. l st Month, (January) 15th. "How are the laborers going on?" said I to the pilot who brougl•t us into port. "Beautifully," replied he-" eight estates which had been broken up under slavery, are now again in cultivation." 1'1lis infonnation was afterwards substantially confirmed. Only six of these estates, however, hnd been broken up, namely: Potter's, Dunning's, Jenning's, Patterson's, Tranquil Vale, and HiJI,house; 4* |