Note 38 — Chapter VII

Barbuda is a small island, about twenty miles broad, and lies twenty-six miles to the north of Antigua. It has belonged to the Codrington family from about the year 1691, when William III. granted it to General Codrington, then governor-general of the Leeward Islands. It raises a great number of horned cattle, ponies, donkeys, &c., and its shores are very prolific in turtle and various kinds of fish; while its beach is strewed with many beautiful shells. Deer, also, range amid its sylvan glades; and their flesh occasionally affords another dish at a West Indian dinner. The chief emoluments arising from this island, however, are the number of wrecks; three or four sometimes occurring in a year. The reason of these frequent maritime disasters is, that the island lies so low, and is generally encompassed with fogs, that vessels are upon the reefs (by which it is almost entirely surrounded) before they are aware. It was upon one of this chain of reefs, that H. M. S. Woolwich was wrecked.

Barbuda contains about 1500 inhabitants, of which the greater part are employed as huntsmen and fishermen: the former make use of the lazo to catch the wild horses, &c.