|
|
Coincidentally
with the decline of the cotton estates, the abolition movement
was gaining momentum and strength in England. This led to
the fourth major event that would influence Exuma's future:
the emancipation of the slaves. Beginning in the first decade
of the 1800's, the Parliament in Britain began enacting resolutions
designed to restrict the slave trade, improve the treatment
of slaves, and establish certain slave rights. Most of these
measures, opposed by the Colonies in the West Indies, were
reluctantly ratified by the Bahamas General assembly and not
strictly enforced. But the tide favoring the abolition of
slavery continued to rise, and the result was predictable.
There were several instances of slave unrest, in 1829 there
was a revolt on the Rolle plantations in Exuma and in 1833,
Governor Smythe had to send 55 armed men to Exuma to stabilize
the situation. In the same year, the Emancipation Act Was
passed in the British Parliament.
The Bahamas
General assembly bowed to the inevitable and enacted laws
that would free the slaves. An "apprenticeship"
period was to begin on August 1st, 1834 with full freedom
to be realized in 1840. This so-called apprenticeship was
vacuous, impossible to administer and all slaves were actually
freed on August 1st, 1838.
By this
time, the old Loyalist estates in Exuma were in shambles.
The end of slavery destroyed the last hope of reviving a viable
agricultural economy on the Island and most descendants of
the old Loyalists families had died or left years before.
But a few did remain and, for example, there are some present
day Exumians who trace their ancestry back to Nicholas Almgreen.
The slaves
were now free, but they were essentially abandoned on worn-out,
non-productive land, having few skills aside from farming.
Under these conditions they subsisted. In most cases, they
had assumed their slave master's names and continued to work
the land for their own support. Since Lord John Rolle was
by far Exuma's largest land owner and slave holder, the Rolle
name is proudly borne by many, many Exumians - reported to
be near one third of the population. On much of tile land
property titles were confused. But by purchase, grant, gift,
inheritance or squatting most of the land gradually came to
be owned by the former slaves and their descendants.
It is
indeed a tribute to the strength and fortitude of Exumians
who persisted during the next century, raising families and
supporting themselves with a number of aid and support from
the colonial government. It was not until World War II, and
the years that followed that tourism began to provide some
measure of prosperity for the Island. As more and more people
from the United States and Europe came to appreciate Exuma's
beauty and advantages, tourism, yachting and winter residents
began to contribute to the economy. Jobs were created, local
enterprises started up and a new era of slow growth was begun.
Independence
> |
