An Account of the British Settlement of Honduras

Captain George Henderson wrote the book An Account of the British Settlement of Honduras in December 1809 and addressed it to the Commander of the Troops, Brigadier General Barrow. This book serves as an overview of Honduras, including topics such as its geography, climate, natural history, slaves, population, disease, and the English settlers’ relationship with the Indians. This entry will primarily focus on chapters I and III, which talks about the location of Honduras, the role of the Indians, and the treatment and view of the slaves.

The first chapter begins with talking about the location of the British Settlement of Honduras, in which its location is described as being situated in the province of Yucatán as a peninsula extending from the province of Honduras. Henderson goes on to explain the English settlers’ relationship with the Indians, explaining the Indians’ hostility. He states that the Indians are always armed with bows and arrows, which are thought to be poisoned. Henderson and the English settlers clearly have negative views toward the Indians, despite the fact that the settlers invaded the Indians’ land.

Henderson begins the third chapter by explaining the cost of the slaves, which he says is approximately thirty-five pounds Jamaica currency. In the pages that follow, there is a list of provisions that each individual slave requires, which mainly includes food and clothing. He goes on to explain where the slaves are from, in which many are from Africa and the others are from West Indian islands and the United States. Henderson claims that the treatment of slaves in Honduras is generous compared to elsewhere, such as the United States. Henderson notes that even a country that advocates a higher portion of freedom than most others have worse conditions for slaves than Honduras does.

Henderson’s Account of the British Settlement of Honduras highlights the main issues in Honduras in 1809, including the customs of the Indians and the quality of life of the slaves. His analysis of slavery is significant in that he is justifying it due to the better lifestyle of slaves that Honduras upholds compared to other countries. Later in the book he describes the daily life of slaves, as well as the rules regarding the freeing of slaves, which emphasizes his interest in their roles.

Works Cited

Henderson, George. An Account of the British Settlement of Honduras. London, C. and R. Baldwin, New Bridge-Street, Dec. 1809.

By Emilee Haines