[29] The first Europeans established at Jamaica were Spaniards or Portuguese; but the island was, 1655, conquered by the English, when all _the old colonists_ retired, carrying away the greater portion of their wealth. Cromwell hastened to re-people the island, by transporting to it a number of political convicts. In 1659, four years after the conquest, there were already 4,500 Europeans and 1,400 Negroes on the island. In 1670, the white population amounted to 7,500, slaves 8,000. It will then, be observed, that the population of Jamaica descends exclusively from _English_ colonists and Negro slaves. With regard to the Caribs, they have been entirely exterminated by the Spaniards a century before the arrival of the English. [30] Long (Edward), _History of Jamaica_, vol. ii, p. 235, London, 1774, cited in the _Charleston Medical Journal_, vol. vi. 1851. [31] The relation of Lewis is, in certain respects, more suggestive than that of Long. The latter says that the Mulattoes of the first degree are well constituted; while Lewis pretends that they are mostly _weak and flabby_, whence it results that the physical inferiority becomes manifest at _the very first crossing_. We believe this to be incorrect. The author endeavours to explain the defect of vitality in the children of Mulattoes, and has recourse to a theory which, if well founded, would, instead of weakening, only strengthen the fact. On the other hand, we believe that the assertion of Long, despite of the corrective which accompanies it, is too general. If it were true that the union of Mulattoes is always unproductive in Jamaica, the fact would have been too evident not to have been long known, for _absolute_ sterility is easily ascertained. Relative sterility, however, may long escape notice, considering that there is always in the pure races a certain number of cases of sporadic sterility. It is probable that further investigations will establish for Jamaica conclusions analogous to those adopted by Mr. Nott for South Carolina; namely, that the Mulattoes of this _English_ island are less prolific between themselves than with the whites or blacks, and that their direct descendants are generally less vivacious and prolific than the men of the pure races. [32] Waitz, _loc. cit._, p. 205. Van Amringe, _Investigation of the Theories of the Natural History of Man_. Hamilton Smith, _Natural History of the Human Species_, 1848. Day, _Five Years Residence in the West Indies_, vol. i, p. 294, 1852. [33] Seemann, _Reise um die Welt_, bd. 1, p. 314, 1853. Waitz, _Anthropologie_, p. 207. [34] _Bulletins de la Société d’Anthropologie_: procés-verbal de la séance du 1er Mars, 1860, vol. i, p. 206. [35] Dr. Tschudi adds, “considered as men, the Zambos are far inferior to the pure races:” _Travels in Peru_, London, 1847. G. Pouchet, _De la Pluralité des Races Humaines_, p. 137. Paris, 1848. [36] Boudin, _Géographie Médicale_, Introduction, p. 39. Paris, 1857.