Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2). Mrs. Lanaghan

Christopher’s. Soon after his arrival, he entered into a league with the French settlers and Mons. D’Esnambuc, the captain of a French privateer; and, falling upon the Caribs by night, murdered in cold blood one hundred and twenty of the men.²⁴ The females they parted among themselves, and one of the handsomest of them fell to the share of Sir Thomas Warner,²⁵ by whom she had a son, a remarkably fine and intelligent lad. About the year 1645, when he was fifteen years old,²⁶ an old Carib man, who, by some chance, had remained upon the island after the expulsion of his countrymen, informed the boy of the former cruelties of the English to his mother’s relations​—​a tale which so exasperated him, that he was determined to escape, the first opportunity, and join his Carib friends. At length he effected his purpose, and fled to Dominica,²⁷ where the Caribs had taken up their abode after being driven from St. Christopher’s. So pleased were the Indians with this display of spirit on the part of their young relative, that they received him with open arms, looked upon him as their chief, shared with him all their predatory booty, and followed him in all his expeditions. In 1664, Lord Francis Willoughby appointed this half-Carib (who bore the name of Thomas Warner) governor of Dominica, then inhabited by Indians. In this situation he remained until 1666, when he was captured by the French, and carried prisoner to St. Christopher’s, (some authors say Guadaloupe,) where he met with very harsh treatment, and was not liberated until after the peace, and then only at the earnest interposition of Lord William Willoughby. After his liberation, he appears to have carried on his warfare with the English colonists, until, as already mentioned, 1674, when he met his fate in about the forty-fourth year of his age.

      As perhaps it may be interesting to some of my readers to look over the “Remonstrance,” alluded to as drawn up by the members of the Antigua legislature in 1676, when Colonel Philip Warner was tried for the murder of his half-brother​—​I have inserted it in the Appendix, (No. 6.)

      ²⁰ The French having entirely ruined Antigua, it was necessary to form all new regulations, as at the first settlement of the colony.

      ²¹ For a further account of this gentleman’s family, see Appendix, No. 4.

      ²² For copy of the Grant of Land to Colonel P. Warner, see Appendix, No. 5.

      ²³ Oldmixon, in his “British America,” says:—​“At this time (1676) there was a wicked practice in the West Indies, of which the English are accused; and that was, their stealing and enslaving Indians, which they took on the continent or the islands. And one Colonel Warner being charged with this unlawful traffic​—​if it deserves that name​—​was made a prisoner in England, and sent, aboard the Phoenix frigate, to Barbados, to take his trial there; but he found so many friends, that he came off.”

      ²⁴ Oldmixon, in his History of St. Christopher’s, speaking of this circumstance, says​—​“They (the Caribs) were willing enough to live peaceably with the Europeans who first landed there, and were upon the place when D’Esnambuc came thither; but, upon his landing, their boyez, or conjurers, telling them, in a general assembly met on purpose, that the foreigners were come to take away their country from them, and destroy them root and branch, it was resolved to massacre the English.” He goes on to state, that the English and French, having gained intelligence of the Caribs’ design to cut their throats, “fell upon the most factious of the natives by night, killed them, and drove the rest out of the island.”

      ²⁵ Labat mentions seeing this woman at Dominica, and gives the following account of her:—​“This old savage woman is, I think, the oldest creature in the world, being more than a hundred years old. They say she had been very handsome, and on account of her beauty the English governor at St. Kitts kept her for a considerable time. She had a number of children, among which was one called Ouverard. [Warner, it ought to be; but Pierre du Tertre is not very particular in his orthography of English names.] Pierre du Tertre speaks of him in his history; but this demi-savage was dead before I came to the West Indies. They always continue to call her Madam Ouverard. After the English sent her to Dominica upon the death of the governor, she was more respected for her old age than from being his mistress. Her property was rather extensive, and was entirely peopled by her children’s children. This old woman was entirely naked, and had not two dozen hairs upon her head; her skin resembled old parchment completely dried up, as if baked. She was so crooked that I could not see her features except when she went to drink water. She had a good many teeth in her head, and her eyes were perfectly clear.”

      ²⁶ Some writers make it sixteen.

      ²⁷ Dampier says St. Lucia.

      CHAPTER V.

       Table of Contents

      Governor Col. R. Williams​—​Biographical remarks​—​Towns of trade appointed​—​Antigua divided into parishes​—​Sir Nathaniel Johnson appointed captain-general and governor-in-chief​—​Colonel Codrington​—​Remarks upon this family​—​Invasion of Antigua by a French privateer​—​Attack upon Guadeloupe by the English​—​Expedition to St. Christopher’s​—​Gallant conduct of Colonel Williams and Colonel Willoughby Byam​—​Sir Francis Wheeler’s expedition​—​Wilmot and Lillingston’s expedition​—​Death of the captain-general, General Codrington​—​Colonel John Yeamans, lieutenant-governor​—​Arrival of Admiral Benbow.

      In 1675, Colonel Rowland Williams was appointed lieutenant-governor (or, as the phrase then was, deputy-governor) of Antigua. This gentleman was possessed of eminent qualifications, which honourably distinguished him among his contemporaries. He was alike conspicuous as a wise councillor and a skilful commander; whether in the senate or the field, he equally merited applause. The father of Colonel Williams (as will be seen in the genealogy of this family) was one of the earliest settlers in Antigua, and even in those times was famed for noble virtues​—​virtues which have descended from father to son, down to the present day, and centered themselves in the person of the Hon. Rowland E. Williams, the present possessor of “Claremont,” the family mansion.²⁸

      During the administration of Colonel Rowland Williams as governor of Antigua, six towns were appointed as places of trade, instead of two, as was the former custom. These towns were Falmouth, St. John’s, Bridge Town, Carlisle Road, Parham Landing Place, and Bermudian Valley. In these different towns all business was to be transacted as relates to shipping, &c.; and no vessel was allowed to unload or sell their cargo at any other place, under punishment of forfeiting their goods. This, however, did not debar any freeholder from disposing of his own personal property or merchandise at any place in the island he deemed proper.

      It does not appear at what particular period a secretary and a marshal were appointed; but in 1677 an act was passed relating unto such officers.

      In 1680, provisions were made for settling the militia, and for ensuring a better martial discipline throughout the island.

      Antigua was divided into parishes about 1681, which then consisted of five​—​namely, Falmouth, Rendezvous Bay, and part of Willoughby Bay, to be the parish of St. Paul’s; the remaining part of Willoughby Bay, Nonsuch, and Belfast, to be the parish of St. Philip’s; divisions of New and Old North Sound to be the parish of St. Peter’s; the divisions of Pope’s Head, Dickerson’s Bay, St. John’s, and Five Islands, to be the parish of St. John’s; and the divisions of the Road and Bermudian Valley to be the parish of St. Mary’s. Churches were also ordered to be erected, and all parochial charges to be raised from the inhabitants of each parish. The yearly salary of their ministers was 16,000lbs. of sugar or tobacco, which was paid to them on the 24th day of June, being the feast of St. John the Baptist.

      The following year (1682) an expedition was despatched to act against the Indians of Dominica.

      His Majesty Charles II. having departed this life, Sir William Stapleton proclaimed his successor, James II. with great pomp, at Nevis. An old writer gives a long account of the ceremonies observed upon that day​—​of the gorgeous