The history civil and commercial of the British colonies in the West Indies. Vol. I-2

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BOOK III.

HISTORY

OF

THE

saries. It was called the Hopewell ; and arrived at St. Christopher’s on the 18th of May 1624 ; and thus he certainly preserved a settlement, which had other wise died in its infancy. Warner himself did not return to St. Christopher’s until the year following. He was then accompanied by a large body of recruits, and D’Esnambuc arrived about the fame time ; perhaps the fame day. This latter was the captain of a French privateer ; and, having in an engagement with a Spanish galleon of superior strength, been very roughly handled, he was obliged, after losing several of his men, to seek refuge in these islands. He brought with him to St. Christopher’s about thirty hardy veterans, and they were cordially received by the English, who appear at this time to have been under some apprehensions of the Charaibes. Hitherto Warner’s first colony had lived on friendly terms with these poor savages, by whom they were liberally supplied with provisions ; but having seized on their lands, the consciousness of deserving retaliation made the planters apprehensive of an attack, when probably none was intended. Du Tertre relates, that the French and English receiving information of a projected revolt, concurred in a scheme for seizing the conspirators beforehand. Accordingly they fell on the Charaibes by night, and, having murdered in cold blood from one hundred to one hundred and twenty of the stoutest, drove all the rest from the island, except such of the women as were young and handsome, of whom, says the reverend historian, they made concubines and slaves. Such is the account of a contemporary author, Pere Du Tertre, who relates these transactions with perfect composure, as founded on common usage, and not unwarrantable in their nature. He adds, that x


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