The West indies in 1837

Page 347

JAMAICA.

331

tains, attached to the Baptist mission in Spanish town. We were kindly welcomed by J. M. P H I L L I P O . This mountainous district, though possessing great advan­ tages of situation, soil and climate, has been hitherto neglected, and is still wild and uncultivated. The population however, is sufficiently large to supply a numerous attendance at the mission chapel and school. The premises are situated on an eminence, about two thousand five hundred feet above the sea, and command an extensive prospect on all sides. The whole breadth of the island is visible from Old Harbour, on the south to Port Antonio, on the north side. Sligoville derives its name from a finely situated mountain residence of the late Governor, in this neighbourhood. 11th.—We returned to Spanish Town early this morning by a mountain ride, which is not surpassed by any in the island. From their contiguity to the capital, these mountains offer delightful situations for villa residences, and accordingly, within the last few years, an active spirit of improvement has been mani­ fested in the district. A numerous meeting of the custodes and other leading persons from the different parishes, was yester­ day held to establish a scale of labor, which is a favo­ rite project with Sir L I O N E L S M I T H , who carried it into effect in Barbados contrary to law. Soon after his assumption of this Government, he directed the plan­ ters to form committees in their respective parishes, to agree upon labor scales, and the present meeting was summoned to reduce these to a general standard. No project can well be conceived more absurd and imprac­ ticable, as the greatest variety of soils is found in Jamai­ ca, no two parishes, nor scarcely any two estates being ; precisely, alike. Notwithstanding such difficulties, a j


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