The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-27


one of the Bahamas, was the first landing
place of Columbus in 1892. On the 18th of
October of that year, according to the log
book Of his initial voyage to the new world.
he visited the island now called New Provi-
dence and named it Fernandina, in honor of
Ferdinand. King of Spain.
A few years later all the Carib inhabitants
of the group were made slaves and taken
over to Cuba to work in the mines, and the
islands were abandoned.
The Bahamas we're included in the charter
given by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Humphrey
Gilbert in 1878. As they were not occupied
they became part of Virginia in 1912. In
1916 Il band of immigrants from Bermuda,
first effected a settlement in Eleuthera one of
the groupe, and New Providence was first
settled in 1866. Capt. William Sayles, an
English navigator, the following year was
miraculously saved from shipwreck in the
harbor of this island and named it Provi-
dence. 1t was aiterward called New Prov-
denre to distinguish it from another island of
the same name in the Caribbean sea. After
Sayles return to England, a grant was
secured from Charles II. in 1870 by the Duke
of Albermar and five others, to all the islands
between 22d and 9th degrees, north latitude.
They sent out a governor who was received
with i'll favor and transported to jamaica.
No stable form Of government was established
until l7lS. For half century following
New Providence was tn rendezvous OF
pirates, its shOal water and small islands and
channels about it-inlccessihle to large ships
and very dangerous of approach at all-ren-
dered it safe retreat for these daring.
blood-thirsty robbers Of the West Indian
seas. The exploits of these desperadoes are
narrowing oven to read. Black Beard. prob
ably the most ferOcious, vllianous marine
d"sperado the world has ever known, made
this island his headquarters. Between the
pirates and the Spaniards who made
periodical descents upon the settlement, the
little community of Nassau had baneful
existence. 1t was laid waste by the Spaniards
in 1852 and in 1903 Nassau was a colony of
1909 people. The cultivation of sugar,
tobacco and provisions had begun to prosper
when the last attack occurred in which the
French united with the Spaniards. those
who were not slaughtered. made their escape
to Carolina. The negroes We're carried off
Is all other valuable chattIes and the colony
entirely annihilatcd. Tho governor who was
thirsty Spaniards, found the place entirely
deserted, and after a short cncampment in
til" woods was obliged to return home. The
pirates returned and took possession and they
held full sway and depredations on the sea
hecame more daring and impudent. King
George the First sent outan expedition against
them under command of Captain Woodes
Rodgers, but before his arrival at Nassau,
Black Beard had been killed and his band
taken up in one of the inlets of Cape Hat
teras by Lieut. Maynard, commander of a
naval force sent out by the Governor of Vir-
ginia. Governor Rodgers quickly extirpated
the pirates: established regular adminstra-
ton, enforcing British law and restoring
peace and order in Nassau. The coast was
fortified; roads cleared towns rebuilt and
colonization induced; prosperity once more
set in and continued during the regime of
Gov. Rodgers.
During the early part Of the American
revolution the Island of New Providence was
taken by II small force of Americans under
Commodore Hopkins, but was soon aban-
doued. In 1891 it was seized by the Spaniards
and at the close Of the war was retaken by
by the peace of Versailles in 1888, and they
have retained possession ever since.
After America gained her independence the
Governor Of the Bahamas offered II freehold
of land under the British flag on the islands
to loyal American colonists, and the bone and
ants of the hardy band who availed thela-
selves of this offer.
The chief pursuit Of the natives early in
the present century was that of "wrecking in
the hole in the wall A narrow and difficult
channel is the only passage between the
Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, and upwards
of 100 vessels bound for gulf ports from all
parts of the world passed through it every
day. Whether business was good or not in
Nassau, depended very largely upon how
many vessels We're wrecked on these danger
ous rocks and shoals. Whenever wreck
occurred it meant her cargo whatever it
might be-would be sold at auction in Nassau
for next to nothing, and by the time the
''wrecker'' was settled with. and the wants of
the unfortunate ones supplied and paid for,
they were not likely to be cncumbcred with
much loose change. In slang words they
would do them up, and do them proper. But
the wrecker's occupation is dead. As Nassau
was The rendezvous of the blockade-runners
during our last Rebellion sailing vessels were
abandoned ior the steamer. lighthouses We're
by the government and have ever
since been sustained at great expense. Dur
Nassau was the headquarters of the block
ade- runners. They would take out n cargo
of provisions and munitions of war and if
successful, would land them somewhere in
the rebel states and return to Nassau with a
cargo of cotton from here it would be re-
shipped to England. Cotton on account of
the war, was iabuously high in London. and
provisions and ammunition We're very profit
able cargo If it reached the rebels Block
profitable business as it Wa nearly always
successful. The prosperity Of Nassau was at
its height Business wis booming The
streets at times We're impossible on account