Mrs. Lanaghan - Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2)

Captain Southey, in his “Chronological History of the West Indies,” writing of the events of 1674, says​—​“Sir Thomas Warner’s son went with an expedition to suppress the Caribs, who were headed by his half-brother, his father’s son by a Carib woman. He was received in a friendly manner by his relative. In the middle of the repast, upon a signal given, the Caribs were attacked and all massacred. Different reasons are given for this act of atrocity: one, that the Indian Warner committed all the ravages upon the English; another, that the murderer was ashamed of his Indian relations.” Evidently Captain Southey took Dampier for his guide in relating this circumstance; and other authors, following in the wake, have handed Colonel Warner down to posterity, in the character of a fratricide. But before his actions are discussed, it would be well to lay aside all previously formed opinions, and, horrible as fratricide must appear to all, calmly take a retrospect of the great cruelties practised by the Caribs on the persons of the English, which led to the melancholy incident already narrated. 23Before concluding this subject, it will be necessary to mention some further particulars of the Indian Warner, the half-brother, of whose death Colonel Philip Warner was made amenable.

At the latter end of 1629, after having the honour of knighthood conferred upon him by Charles I., Sir Thomas Warner returned from England to St. Christopher’s. Soon after his arrival, he entered into a league with the French settlers and Mons. D’Esnambuc, the captain of a French privateer; and, falling upon the Caribs by night, murdered in cold blood one hundred and twenty of the men. 24The females they parted among themselves, and one of the handsomest of them fell to the share of Sir Thomas Warner, 25by whom she had a son, a remarkably fine and intelligent lad. About the year 1645, when he was fifteen years old, 26an old Carib man, who, by some chance, had remained upon the island after the expulsion of his countrymen, informed the boy of the former cruelties of the English to his mother’s relations​—​a tale which so exasperated him, that he was determined to escape, the first opportunity, and join his Carib friends. At length he effected his purpose, and fled to Dominica, 27where the Caribs had taken up their abode after being driven from St. Christopher’s. So pleased were the Indians with this display of spirit on the part of their young relative, that they received him with open arms, looked upon him as their chief, shared with him all their predatory booty, and followed him in all his expeditions. In 1664, Lord Francis Willoughby appointed this half-Carib (who bore the name of Thomas Warner) governor of Dominica, then inhabited by Indians. In this situation he remained until 1666, when he was captured by the French, and carried prisoner to St. Christopher’s, (some authors say Guadaloupe,) where he met with very harsh treatment, and was not liberated until after the peace, and then only at the earnest interposition of Lord William Willoughby. After his liberation, he appears to have carried on his warfare with the English colonists, until, as already mentioned, 1674, when he met his fate in about the forty-fourth year of his age.

As perhaps it may be interesting to some of my readers to look over the “ Remonstrance ,” alluded to as drawn up by the members of the Antigua legislature in 1676, when Colonel Philip Warner was tried for the murder of his half-brother​—​I have inserted it in the Appendix, (No. 6.)

20The French having entirely ruined Antigua, it was necessary to form all new regulations, as at the first settlement of the colony.

21For a further account of this gentleman’s family, see Appendix, No. 4.

22For copy of the Grant of Land to Colonel P. Warner, see Appendix, No. 5.

23Oldmixon, in his “British America,” says:—​“At this time (1676) there was a wicked practice in the West Indies, of which the English are accused; and that was, their stealing and enslaving Indians, which they took on the continent or the islands. And one Colonel Warner being charged with this unlawful traffic​—​if it deserves that name​—​was made a prisoner in England, and sent, aboard the Phoenix frigate, to Barbados, to take his trial there; but he found so many friends, that he came off.”

24Oldmixon, in his History of St. Christopher’s, speaking of this circumstance, says​—​“They (the Caribs) were willing enough to live peaceably with the Europeans who first landed there, and were upon the place when D’Esnambuc came thither; but, upon his landing, their boyez, or conjurers, telling them, in a general assembly met on purpose, that the foreigners were come to take away their country from them, and destroy them root and branch, it was resolved to massacre the English.” He goes on to state, that the English and French, having gained intelligence of the Caribs’ design to cut their throats , “fell upon the most factious of the natives by night, killed them, and drove the rest out of the island.”

25Labat mentions seeing this woman at Dominica, and gives the following account of her:—​“This old savage woman is, I think, the oldest creature in the world, being more than a hundred years old. They say she had been very handsome, and on account of her beauty the English governor at St. Kitts kept her for a considerable time. She had a number of children, among which was one called Ouverard . [ Warner, it ought to be; but Pierre du Tertre is not very particular in his orthography of English names. ] Pierre du Tertre speaks of him in his history; but this demi-savage was dead before I came to the West Indies. They always continue to call her Madam Ouverard . After the English sent her to Dominica upon the death of the governor, she was more respected for her old age than from being his mistress. Her property was rather extensive, and was entirely peopled by her children’s children. This old woman was entirely naked, and had not two dozen hairs upon her head; her skin resembled old parchment completely dried up, as if baked. She was so crooked that I could not see her features except when she went to drink water. She had a good many teeth in her head, and her eyes were perfectly clear.”

26Some writers make it sixteen.

27Dampier says St. Lucia.

Table of Contents

Governor Col. R. Williams​—​Biographical remarks​—​Towns of trade appointed​—​Antigua divided into parishes​—​Sir Nathaniel Johnson appointed captain-general and governor-in-chief​—​Colonel Codrington​—​Remarks upon this family​—​Invasion of Antigua by a French privateer​—​Attack upon Guadeloupe by the English​—​Expedition to St. Christopher’s​—​Gallant conduct of Colonel Williams and Colonel Willoughby Byam​—​Sir Francis Wheeler’s expedition​—​Wilmot and Lillingston’s expedition​—​Death of the captain-general, General Codrington​—​Colonel John Yeamans, lieutenant-governor​—​Arrival of Admiral Benbow.

In 1675, Colonel Rowland Williams was appointed lieutenant-governor (or, as the phrase then was, deputy-governor) of Antigua. This gentleman was possessed of eminent qualifications, which honourably distinguished him among his contemporaries. He was alike conspicuous as a wise councillor and a skilful commander; whether in the senate or the field, he equally merited applause. The father of Colonel Williams (as will be seen in the genealogy of this family) was one of the earliest settlers in Antigua, and even in those times was famed for noble virtues​—​virtues which have descended from father to son, down to the present day, and centered themselves in the person of the Hon. Rowland E. Williams, the present possessor of “Claremont,” the family mansion. 28