Polynesian., 1851-03-29
EARLY ATTEMPT TO COLONIZE
THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN FROM
SCOTLAND.

SCOTLAND.
INSTEAD of being dispirited by the withdrawal
of such large portion Of the subscriptions,
the Scotch became more convinced Of the
soundness Of the scheme, and regarded the
opposition Of the English merchants as testi-
mony in its favor. The old spirit of il-will
to the English melted them as strongly to
persist in the enterprise as, $50 years before,
it melted them to fight the English in the field.
Moreover, Paterson's vehement eloquence,
and gorgeous descriptions of tie spot where
he proposed to found the Colony, completely
seized the national Imagination. " Trade, !"
said he, will beget trade, money will be-
get money; the commercial world will no
more want work for their hands, but will,
rather, want hands for their work. Dafien,
the door of the seas, the key Of the universe,
will enable its possessors to become the legis-
lators of both worlds, and the arbitrators Of
commerce. The settlers at Darien will ac-
quire nobler empire than Alexander or
Caesar, without fatigue, expense, or danger,
as we'll as without mourning the guilt and
bloodshed with which conquerors are usually
chargeable." With these golden prospects
before them, who could hesitate? Six ships,
of from 36 to go guns, were ordered to be
built at Hamburg; for, so resolute was the
king against the scheme, that he refused to
let the company have the use of war ship
then lying at Burntisland. 1900 men, in
cluding 300 youths of the best Scottish fami-
lies, volunteered themselves as the first emf
grants-the founders of the great future
capital Of the world So universal was the
enthusiasm, that even the most cautious poll
ticians in the kingdom participated in it, and
were shareholders in the company.
On the 26th July, l69S, five ships, with
1900 men on board, and provisions for year,
set sail from Leith. The whole city of Edin-
burgh, we are told, poured down upon Leth
to see the colony depart, amid the tears, and
prayers, and praises of relations and friends.
Many seamen and soldiers, whose services
had been refused, because more had offered
themselves than were needed, were found
hid in the ships, and when ordered ashore
clung to the ropes and timbers, ilnploring to
60, without reward, with their companions.
The fleet reached its destination in two
months; and the colonists, disembarking,
entered with spirit on their new duties. Had
they chosen, they might, it is said, have
marched from the most northern extremity of
Mexico to the most southern extremity of
Chile, and overturned the whole Spanish
empire in America, so much superior were
they, in strength and discipline, to the dege-
nerate Spaniards; but cautious against Civ
ing bad impression, as to their aims and
intentions, they paid scruPulous attention to
the claims which other nations made TO cef-
tain parts of the American territory, sent
friendly messages to the Spanish governors,
and began to bargain with the native Indians
for the lands on which they meant to settle.
The country which they purchased they
called New Caledonia. The name of the
spot where they disembarked was Acta; this,
which was to be the site of the new city, they
called New Edinburgh; and fort, which
they built in the neighborhood, they called
St. Andrew. A narrow neck of land, which
ran into the sea, was cut through, SO as to
make the harbor more safe and convenient; !;
and on mountein behind the fort was placed
watch-tower, commanding a prospect Of
immense range. Here, it is said, the High
landers, of whom there were great many
in the expedition, used to walk to enjoy the
mountain air, and think of their far-away
Scottish hills. The colony having been thus
constituted, its first public act was to issue
a declaration Of perfect freedom of trade,
and perfect federation, in religious matters,
to all the citizens of New Edinburgh, and
all foreigners who should enter the port.
The news of the formation Of the colony
at Darien reached Edinburgh or the 25th
of March, 1899, and was celebrated with the
most extravagant rejoicings Thanks were
publicly offered up to God in all the churches
Of the city. A public graduation of the stu
dents, with the magistrates, attended in their
robes; the professor Of philosophy pronounced
harangue in favor Of the settlement, the le-
gality Of which was maintained in the printed
thesis of the students. 1t seems even to have
been common subject Of defamation from
the pulpit.
These rejoicings were premature. The
colonists, who, during the winter, found the
climate of Darien sufficiently temperate, sunk
under the sickly influence of the returning
summer. Their provisions, too, were soon
exhausted, and as they were unable, as yet
to derive their own subsistence from the soil,
they were obliged to depend for supplies upon
the mUther country, or upon the British colo
nies in N. America. They had not anticipa-
ted any difficulty in obtaining these supplies,
as soon as they became necessary. 1t was,
therefore, with feeling of mingled indigna-
tion and despair, that they learned that King
William had sent orders to :he governors of
the British colonies Of Jamaica, Barbados,
New York, &c., to issue proclamations in his
majesty's name, prohibiting all his majesty's
subjects, in these colonies, from holding any
correspondence with the Scottish colony at
Darien, or assisting it, in any shape, with
arms, ammunition, or provisions. That such
orders should have been sent-that the king
should have deliberately taken means to
starve to death colony of his own subjects,
chartered by his own hands, is hardly credi-
BILE; and yet the fact is certain. So strongly
had he been prejudiced against the colony by
the representations of the English merchants,
that he disowned all connection with it, and
treated the emigrants as mere runaway sub
jects, who were endeavoring to found set
Element against his will, and who we're, there