But to return to the West Indies.--A slave-ship had been many years ago
wrecked near St. Vincent's. The slaves on board, who escaped to the island,
were without necessaries; and, besides, were obliged to maintain a war with
the native Caribbs: yet they soon multiplied to an astonishing number; and,
according to Mr. Ottley, they were now on the increase. From Sir John
Dalrymple's evidence it appeared, that the domestic slaves in Jamaica, who
were less worked than those in the field, increased; and from Mr. Long,
that the free Blacks and Mulattoes there increased also.
But there was an instance which militated against these facts (and the only
one in the evidence) which he would now examine. Sir Archibald Campbell had
heard, that the Maroons in Jamaica in the year 1739 amounted to three
thousand men fit to carry arms. This supposed their whole number to have
been about twelve thousand. But in the year 1782, after a real muster by
himself, he found, to his great astonishment, that the fighting men did not
then amount to three hundred. Now the fact was, that Sir Archibald
Campbell's first position was founded upon rumour only; and was not true.
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