The Cayman Islands was first seen and recorded by renowned explorer Christopher Columbus in 1503 during his fourth voyage to the New World. He first named the islands Las Tortugas since the isles and seas were teeming with turtles.
An Island Rich In Amphibians
In 1586, Sir Frances Drake’s fleet of 23 ships stopped for two days in Grand Cayman. They noted that the island was not inhabited, but it was covered in crocodiles, alligators, iguanas, and turtles. Due to the island’s abundance of turtles, ships began sailing through the Caribbean to stop off in the Cayman Islands to stock up on turtle meat, a great source of protein for the crew. Over the next few hundred years, so many turtles were hunted that their population has dwindled.
Early Settlers
In the 1660s, people started attempting to settle on Little Cayman but they soon fled after being attacked by pirates. Privateers and pirates were active in the area for many years since they were using the Islands as a base from which to attack the galleons laden with gold and silver from the New World bound for Europe.
It was only in the 1730s that the Islands had their first permanent settlers. This was when the first land grants were recorded. According to official records, the first settlers came from Jamaica since the Islands was decreed a dependency of Jamaica in the Treaty of Madrid. In 1773, the first survey or “map” of Cayman was drawn by the Royal Navy. The population at this time was 400, with half being free and half being slaves. In 1802, another census was recorded and the population of Grand Cayman increased to 933, roughly half of whom were of British descent and the other half being slaves of African descent.
Info source: sunshinesuites.com
An Island Rich In Amphibians
In 1586, Sir Frances Drake’s fleet of 23 ships stopped for two days in Grand Cayman. They noted that the island was not inhabited, but it was covered in crocodiles, alligators, iguanas, and turtles. Due to the island’s abundance of turtles, ships began sailing through the Caribbean to stop off in the Cayman Islands to stock up on turtle meat, a great source of protein for the crew. Over the next few hundred years, so many turtles were hunted that their population has dwindled.
Early Settlers
In the 1660s, people started attempting to settle on Little Cayman but they soon fled after being attacked by pirates. Privateers and pirates were active in the area for many years since they were using the Islands as a base from which to attack the galleons laden with gold and silver from the New World bound for Europe.
It was only in the 1730s that the Islands had their first permanent settlers. This was when the first land grants were recorded. According to official records, the first settlers came from Jamaica since the Islands was decreed a dependency of Jamaica in the Treaty of Madrid. In 1773, the first survey or “map” of Cayman was drawn by the Royal Navy. The population at this time was 400, with half being free and half being slaves. In 1802, another census was recorded and the population of Grand Cayman increased to 933, roughly half of whom were of British descent and the other half being slaves of African descent.
Info source: sunshinesuites.com
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