Six Months in the West Indies, in 1825

A light-hearted travelogue, published anonymously in 1826, describing the natural history and society of the Caribbean.

Henry Nelson Coleridge (Author)

9781108025980, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 February 2011

342 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.9 cm, 0.44 kg

Henry Nelson Coleridge (1798–1843) was plagued with spinal problems and rheumatism throughout his life. The purpose of his six-month voyage around the Caribbean, although ostensibly for his health, was also a futile attempt to prevent his marriage to his beloved cousin Sara. Coleridge's thinly disguised references to Sara punctuate this light-hearted memoir, originally published anonymously in 1826. Coleridge compares and contrasts twelve different islands. Towns, villages, monuments, architecture, churches and plantations are described as he roams the islands freely, visits acquaintances and enjoys the natural history. Throughout his journey Coleridge observes all races on the islands. He gives an account of the Caribbean plantations, commenting on the situation of the plantation slaves and pondering the opportunities available to emancipate them without affecting the plantations' productivity. He also highlights cases where slaves are well treated by plantation owners.

1. Reasons for going abroad
2. Madeira
3. Crossing the Tropic
4. Barbados
5. Trinidad
6. Grenada
7. St. Vincent's
8. St. Lucia
9. Barbados
10. Martinique
11. Dominica
12. Montserrat
13. Nevis
14. St. Christopher's
15. Anguilla
16. Antigua
17. Barbuda
18. Barbados
19. Planters and slaves
20. The end.

Subject Areas: Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH]