BAHAMA Ist,Asos, a name given by the Eng lish to that cluster of small islands, rocks, and reefs called by the Spaniards Lueayos, which stretch, in a north-westerly direction, from the northern coast of Hispaniola to the Bahama strait, opposite the Flo rida shore ; a space of near 300 leagues, from about 22° to 28° of N. Lat. and from about 70° to 80° of W. Long. The whole number of these islands, coin prehending those, whose smallness, barren soil, or want of water, render them uninhabitable, amounts to about 500. Of these, the principal are—Providence, 27 miles long, and 11 broad, whose capital, Nassau, is the seat of government ; Abaco, Harbour Island, Eluthera, Exuma, St Salvadore,;called by the In, dians Guanahani, Long Island, Andros, and Bimini,. These islands, though unimportant in themselves, and but little known to European geographers, are enti tled to particular notice, as it was on one of them that the great Columbus first landed, after a voyage, the most adventurous and magnificent in design, and the most important in its consequences to the two.beint spheres, that had ever been undertaken. The island which was thus honoured was St Salvadore, to which ' English mariners have given the name of Call Island. Here Columbus erected a cross ; and, taking posses sion of it in tl— name of his Catholic majesty, gave it the appellation which it still bears. The more import ant and inviting regions, however, which he afterwards discovered, prevented him from making any permanent settlements in St Salvadore ; and the Bahamas were completely neglected, till, about the year 1629, the English, then animated with all the ardour of adven ture, began to plant on the island of Providence, which had hitherto been uninhabited. Some years after, Cap tain Saylc, an English mariner, then on a voyage to Carolina, was forced, by stress of weather, to land on one of these isles ; and, on his return to England, made so favourable a report of their soil and climate, that a grant of them was solicited and obtained by six of the proprietaries of Carolina. Sayle soon af
ter visited them a second time, and gave the English government such a flattering account of the advan tage which might be derived from the possession of the island of Providence in particular, that they were induced to send out thither a governor and colony, about the year 1672. This settlement, however, was so much harassed by Spanish pirates, that it be came necessary to abandon Providence, and all Bahama islands. They now became the resort of pirates, who annoyed the American trade to such a degree, that the English government was at length compelled to take some strong measure in order to reduce them. In the year 1721, King George I. on the conclusion of peace with Spain, sent out a force to dislodge these outlaws, and to fortify and settle the island of Providence. The Bahamas, how ever, have never risen to any degree of importance among the other islands in this immense commercial archipelago. Such, indeed„ was their insignificance, that scarcely any information could be obtained con cerning them, even by the lords of the committee of council for the affairs of trade and plantations. " To the inquiries of their lordships, in 1789," says Mr Bryan Edwards, " as to the extent of territory in these islands, the quantity of 'land in cultivation, the number of white inhabitants, productions, exports, &c. the only answer that could be obtained from the governor, was, that it was at that time impossible to ascertain any of those particulars. It appears, how ever, from the testimony of other persons, that these islands are in general rocky and barren ; that the only article cultivated for exportation is cotton, of which the medium export is 1500 bags, of 2 cwt. each ; that the inhabitants (who, in 1773, consisted of .2052 whites, and 2211 blacks) have of late years been considerably augmented by emigrants from North America ; but of their present numbers no precise account is given." See Edward's History of the lVest Indies, vol. i. p. 574, 8vo edit. (es)