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There is but seven established parishes:- videlicet, the town and parish of St. Katherine's, St. John's, the town and parish of Port Royal, Clarendon, St. David's, St. Andrew's, and St. Thomas, which are very large, and in them all but one church, and that at St. Katherine's being a fair Spanish Church, ruined by the old soldiers, and lately in some measure repaired by Sir Charles Littleton. They have been encouraged, and are now levying contribution to raise churches in some of the richest of the other parishes. Beyond the bounds of these parishes are many plantations, hunters' huts, etc., containing many hundreds of people, as all along the northside at least one thousand men, and on the south as many from the bounds of Clarendon to Poynt Pedro and Bluefield's Bay, and so to the Poynt Negril, where they have lately, by his Majesty's writ, been commanded to meet, and have sent four representatives to the Assembly. In these parishes are now but five ministers: videlicet, Mr. Webb, Mr. Johns, an old army preacher, not yet in orders, and Mr. Maxfield, left by Sir Charles, and Mr. Hoaser and Mr. Sellars, two Germans, brought hither by the lieutenant-general: one Mr. Nicholas a passenger on the Wester-gate, was well settled at Poynt Morant, but died of the disease that many of that ship perished in.
Out of these parishes are formed five good and large regiments, full of men and good officers; and two more are forming, one from the northside and another in the south, beyond the limits of the said parishes, which are supposed will be best and most, the old soldiers for the most part being turned hunters, and app__d themselves for the store of game to those parts, where it is supposed they kill not less than one hundred weight of hog per month, which have vent for to seamen, merchants, and planters after the rate from fifteen to twenty per cent according to its goodness; but note, two-thirds of their weight is lost before they attain a market, by reason of their boning, jerking, and drying; with this profit some of them buy servants and slaves, and begin to settle brave plantations; others, like idle fellows, drink all out; but now the hunting begins to abate, more have settled land than ever, so there is scarce any place near the sea but is settled, and many are gone into the mountains, and find it the most healthful and fruitful land, which qualities do sufficiently repay the difficulties of carriage to the ports. The chief court of justice for common law is settled in St. Jago, the old Spanish Town, which is twelve miles from the harbour, and almost in the centre of the length of the country, which consists of a chief justice and two other justices, and it contains in it power to determine pleas of the crown, common pleas, and also exchequer jurisdiction, and from hence lies a writ of error before the governor and council.
The proper commodities are pimento, China roots admirable good, but we have not yet attained the true art of curing them, excellent good aloes, rhubarb, salsaperigew, tamarinds, cassia, vaignillios, and hides, and tallow, there foregoing are commodities to invite the merchant.
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