Richard Ligon - A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbadoes

A True & Exact

HISTORY

Of the Island of

BARBADOES

ILLUSTRATED WITH A MAP OF THE ISLAND,

as also the Principal Trees and Plants there,

Set forth in their due Proportions and Shapes, drawn out by their
several and respective Scales.

Together with

THE INGENIO THAT MAKES THE SUGAR,

with the Plots of the several Houses, Rooms, and other
places, that are used in the whole process of Sugar-making ;

viz.

the Grinding-room, the Boyiing-room,
the Filling-room, the Curing-house, Still-house.
and Furnaces.

First Printed 1657, Second Edition 1673

First Published in 1970 in Great Britain by

FRANK CASS PUBLISHERS

Newbury House, 900 Eastern Avenue

London, IG2 7HH

and in the United States of America by

FRANK CASS PUBLISHERS

c/o ISBS, 5804 N.E. Hassalo Street

Portland, Oregon, 97213-3644

Website http://www.frankcass.com

Reprinted 1976 and 1998

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:

A catalogue record for this book is available

from the British Library

ISBN 0-7146-4886-8
ISBN 978-1-134-72961-6 (epub)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

A catalog record for this book is available

from the Library of Congress

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Frank Cass and Company Limited.

Printed in Great Britain by

Bookcraft (Bath) Ltd, Midsomer Norton, Avon

A TRUE & EXACT

HISTORY

Of the Island of

BARBADOES.

Illustrated with a Map of the Island, as also the Principal Trees and Plants there, set forth in
their due Proportions and Shapes, drawn out by their several and respective Scales.

Together with the Ingenio that makes the Sugar, with
the Plots of the several Houses, Rooms, and other places, that are used in the whole process of Sugar-making ; viz. the Grinding- room, the Boyling-room, the Filling-room, the Curing-house, Still-house, and Furnaces; All cut in Copper.

By RICHARD LIGON, Gent.

LONDON,

Printed, and are to be sold by Peter Parker, at his Shop at the Leg and Star over against the Royal Exchange, and Thomas Guy at the corner Shop of Little Lumbard-street and Cornhill, 1673.

THE CONTENTS

Of the several things mentioned in this

HISTORY.

A TRUE AND EXACT

HISTORY

OF THE ISLAND OF

BARBADOES

Aving been censurd by some (whose Judgements I cannot controll and therefore am glad to allow) for my weakness and Indiscretion, that having never made proof of the Seas operation, and the several faces that watry Element puts on, and the changes and chances that happen there, from Smooth to Rough, from Rough to Raging Seas, and High going Billows, (which are killing to some Constitutions,) I should in the last Scene of my life, undertake to run so long a Risco as from England to, the Barbadoes ; And truly I should without their help conclude my self guilty of that Censure, had I not the refuge of an old Proverb to fly to, which is, [ Need makes the old Wife trot ] for having lost (by a Barbarous Riot) all that I had gotten by the painful travels and cares of my youth, by which means I was stript and rifled of all I had, left destitute of a subsistance, and brought to such an Exigent, as I must famish or fly ; and looking about for friends, who are the best supporters in so straggering a condition, found none, or very few, whom griefs and afflictions had not depressd, or worn out, Banishment absented, or Death devourd ; so that in stead of these near and Native comforters, I found my self a stranger in my own Countrey, and therefore resolvd to lay hold on the first opportunity that might convoy me to any other part of the World, how far distant soever, rather than abide here. I continued not many weeks in this expectation, when a friend, as willing to shift his ground as I, gave me an Overture which I accepted, and so upon the sixteenth day of June, 1647. we embarkd in the Downs, on the good Ship called the Achilles ; a vessel of 350 tunns, the Master Thomas Crowder of London ;& no sooner were we all aboard, but we presently weighed Anchor, and put to Sea; in so cold weather as at that time of the year, I have not felt the like; and continued so till we came to Falmouth-Harbour : where we put in, and rested for a night; but in our passage thither, were very uncertain upon what Coast we were, by reason of the unsteadiness of the winds, and cloudiness of the weather ; so that I perceived more troubles and doubts in the Seamen in that short passage, than in all the voyage after. But, the weather clearing up, the Master and Mates drew out several plots and Landscapes : which they had formerly taken upon the Coast of France and England, (which are of great use in the narrow Seas,) by which they were well assured where they were ; for there they seldome use Loggline, or Backstaff, but attend onely the Tydes, Compass, and Card; nor is there any use of other directors in so narrow a room. We were (as I remember) about 10 dayes failing to Falmouth, and had with us a small ship of about 180 tunns, called the Nonesuch ; of which Captain Middleton was owner, a very good Seaman, and a Planter in Barbadoes : but himself then remaining in London.

The next day we put to Sea, and continued our course to the Southwest, (with somewhat a Scant wind,) partly to avoid the high going Billowes of the Bay of Biskey : but chiefly to stand aloof from Pirats and Pickaroones : which are very frequent upon the Coasts of Spain, and Barbary ; and as we past along, I perceivd a difference in the way of our Ships . for in slack winds, our consort the Nonesuch would run us out of sight in four or five hours sail; but in strong and stiff winds, we did the like with her. So that I guessd the larger the sails, the swifter the way; provided, they were alike built in the model of their keeles: but I leave that to be resolved by the Seamen, or that Admirable Architect of Moving Horses, Mr. Pett.

About the Latitude of 45 degrees, we met with a Ship coming from Guinny, but bound for London ; the Captains name was Blague, a very civil Gentleman, who hald us, came aboard us, and invited divers Gentlemen that were there aboard his ship : which was a Friggot of about 400 tuns, her Lading