The year 1698 was a year of mourning to the Antiguans; their friend and patron, as well as governor, breathed his last sigh, and exchanged an earthly for a heavenly home. General Codrington was, as before remarked, the first person who planted the sugar-cane in Antigua: its chief productions before were indigo, ginger, and tobacco. He removed from Barbados (of which island he was a native) in 1674; and some authors make that year his appointment to the governor-generalship of the Leeward Islands, and that of Colonel Rowland Williams, deputy-governor of Antigua. This assertion is, however, evidently incorrect; for we have already seen, that Sir William Stapleton was acting as such at that period. The mistake must have arisen from General Codrington having removed to Antigua in that year. After the demise of General Codrington, the captain-general of the Leeward Islands, Colonel John Yeamans, a resident proprietor of Antigua, exercised the office of governor of the island. The Antiguans came to the resolution this year (1698) of appointing an agent for the island, who was to reside in London, and solicit the confirmation of such laws as should from time to time be made in Antigua, as well as to transact any other island business. The salary then given was 100l. sterling per annum, to commence from 1st January, 1689; but since the year 1800, it has been augmented. About this period, the notorious Captain Kidd[33] paid Antigua a visit; but finding the coast of North America would afford him a better harvest, he did not remain long. In 1699, the gallant Admiral Benbow arrived at Antigua with a squadron of men-of-war, having on board Colonel Collingwood’s regiment, (or, more probably, Col. Whetham’s regiment, known as the “Enniskillen,” or 27th regiment of the line;) part of which was intended to be stationed upon the island, and the remainder to be sent to the other colonies within the government. ------ [28] For the Genealogy of the Williams family, see Appendix, No. 7. [29] Sir Nathaniel Johnson was appointed, in 1704, Governor of Carolina.—Vide History of Carolina. [30] For further particulars of this family, vide Appendix, No. 8.