the observer from afar thought of
these achievements. To bring out more strikingly these phases of the
situation these documents have been added.

A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLANDS OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. CROIX, IN THE
POSSESSION OF THE DANES, IN 1769

The only remaining islands in this part of the world, that we
shall now mention, are those of St. Thomas and St. Croix, which
belong to the Danes; the former is situated in 18 deg.. north
latitude, and is one of that cluster of islands called the
Virgins. Though it is not above seven leagues in circumference,
it is in a commodious situation, and has an excellent port of an
oval form, in a manner surrounded by two promontories, which
defend the ships that lie within from almost all winds. In the
bottom of this port is a small fortress which stands in a plain,
and is a regular square with four small bastions, but it has
neither outworks nor a ditch, it being only surrounded with a
pallisade. On the right and left of the fort are two small
eminences which in our plantations would be called bluffs; but
though they seem designed for batteries that would command the
whole harbour, no such use is made of them. The King of Denmark
has here a Governor and a garrison; notwithstanding which, there
is a large factory on the island belonging to the
Brandenburghers, the subjects of the King of Prussia.

The neighbourhood of the Spanish island of Porto Rico is only at
17 leagues distance, and secures the inhabitants from the danger
of wanting provisions, to which they would otherwise be exposed;
for though the soil is tolerably good and every foot of it
cultivated, yet it would not produce sufficient for the
maintenance of the inhabitants, who are very numerous.

The town of St. Thomas consists of one long street, at the end of
which is the Danish magazine, a large magnificent and convenient
building. The Brandenburgh factory is also very considerable, and
the persons belonging to it are chiefly French refugees, who fled
thither when the protestants were expelled from the French
islands. The chief produce of their plantations is sugar, which
is very fine grained, but made in small quantities; yet the
Danish Governor, who is usually a man of some rank, lives in a
manner suitable to his character, and generally acquires a