Historical Notes

Diary of Sir William Young’s Tour Through the Windward Islands (1791-1792)

“Wednesday, December 7 at day-break, St.Vincent’s in sight. At 3 p.m. the ship came to an anchor in Nanton’s Harbour off Calliaqua…in half an hour we went on shore in the pinnace; horses were ready to carry us up to the villa, or mansion house of my estate, distant about half a mile…{{more}}

Friday, December 9: We mounted our horses at one o’clock to ride to Kingsto(w)n, where a negro boy had carried our clothes to dress: the distance is about three miles of very hilly road…

Friday, December 16:- Three Guinea ships being in the harbour, full of slaves from Africa, I testified a wish to visit the ships previous to the sale…Everything was prepared for our visit, as the least observing eye might have discovered: in particular I was disgusted with a general jumping or dancing of the negroes on the deck, which some, and perhaps many of them, did voluntarily, but some under force or control; for I saw a sailor, more than once, catch those rudely by the arm who had ceased dancing, and by gesture menace them to repeat their motion, to clap their hands and shout their song of Yah! Yah! which I understood to mean ‘Friends’.

…Never were there ships or cargoes better suited for the ground of general observation; for the ships came from distant districts, and with people of different nations on board: the Pilgrim of Bristol, with 370 Eboes from Bonny. The Eolus of Liverpool, with 300 Windward negroes from Bassa. The Anne of Liverpool, with 210 Gold Coast negroes from Whydah.

Sunday, January 1, 1792: Rode over to my Pembroke estate in the valley of Buccament…The road is over the most rugged and towering hills, with occasional precipices of rock of a reddish dark hue, and for the rest covered with bushes and some fine trees…The valley, containing about 3,000 acres is hemmed on each side by towering hills, whose steep ascents have in parts peeled off or split in the storm…My Pembroke estate takes in the hill in the centre, and thence runs along the river-side, comprehending all the valley on one side, to within a quarter of a mile of the sea.

Friday, January 13, 1792: The Charaibe chief of all, Chatoyer, with his brother du Vallee, and six of their sons, came to pay me a visit, and brought their presents; a stool of Charaibe workmanship, and a very large cock turkey of the wild breed, which with a hen I mean for England. Chatoyer and Du Vallee were well dressed…”