a y Oo. 4 : 7 ie] ; 7 - ; 7 - 7 _ i : - - : - : : 7 - - } - 7 : 7 : - - : - a aay - - _ - - A DESCRIPTION O Pye, HOE ‘SP ANISH ig 188, ISLANDS and SETTLEMENTS mt Ser [NDIES. Compiled from authentic Memoirs, Revifed by Gentlemen who have refided many Years in the SpaNnisu Settlements; WAND) IML: Uy Sab RY Aa BB With Thirty-two MAPS and PLAN S. Chiefly from guosel.L Drawings taken from the SpPANIARDs in the laft War) And Engraved by Tae MAS ¥) EFFERYS, Geographer to His Majesty. ERO IV DD ines Printed for T. Jerrerys, in Si. Martin's Lane, near Charing-Crofs. 1762, ae ° al SWirss me SS = ae Fay a eS ° om 4 Ofi > * ‘ “~ & ~ . * eset r a ree bee Di P: Bh? rLOLEd “giotk . a ea ( i de cee not rrearct tate i f é o » Tadd bol Wy 4 < t To the Right Honourable GEORGE DUNK, Earl of HALIFAX, Vifcount Sunsury and Baron of Hatirax; One of the Lords of his Majyesty’s moft Honourable Privy Council ; Lord Lieutenant and Cuftos Rotulorum of the County of NorTHAMPTON 3; Lieutenant General of his Mayesty’s Forces ; Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of the Kingdom of IRELAND; Fir Lord Commiffioner for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great BRiTaln 3 This Defcription of the Spanifh Iflands and Settlements on the Coaft of the We/?- Indies, Is, with the utmoft refpect, infcribed by His Lordfhip’s moft obedient, And mott obliged Humble Servant, THOMAS JEFFERYS. Fs ey eee SV SADE E 1. Leas ae ADVERTISEMENT. EVERAL of the principal Officers in the Britisu Wavy, during the Courfe of the laft War with Spain, having found on board their refpective Prizes, many curious Draughts and Surveys of the Spans Settlements in the Wust-Invies, with a moft difinterefted public Spirit, have communicated them to the Editor for the Service of Bririsu WMavigators ; thefe, together with aVariety of new Materials, with which he has been favoured by feveral Gentlemen, who have refided many Years, both in the Spanisu and Enoutsu Settlements, in the Wesr-InDIEs, en- courage him to hope, that this Work will not only be found extremely ufeful, but alfo entertaining; and he further thinks it a Duty in- cumbent on him to inform the Public, that he has not only availed himfelf of their Ufe inthis Work, but that be is likewife far ad- vanced in drawing and engraving of A Bite RG E Goode ei Aen Re OF THE WES T-L-N ODL Bs In Twenty Sheets; in which are laid down, all the Capes, Rocks, Shoals and Soundings, compiled from the aforefaid Materials, which will be publifbed with all the Expedition that a Work of this kind will permit. A-LIST of the P 4y Fath ys. cy - aA Chart oGseite Wei hadies rr San Fernando de Cita 48 22 mening 85 to front the Title. 12 Port Royal Laguna, 56123 Santiago de Cuba 86 2 Puerto de La Guaira ~ 6|13 The Road of Vera Cruz 60|24- Bahia de Xagua’ “R87 of 3 Puerto de Cavello 7\14 City of La Vera Cruz 64125 The Colorados $8 4 Santa Martha ~ 10} 15 Penfacola 70126 Bahia Honda . 89 5 Harbour of Carthagena 15}16 Sant Auguftine .71|27 Puerto de Cavanas go 6 City of Carthagena 20417 The Ifand of Cuba 73128 Puerto de Mariel Ng 7 Bay of Zilapata 22;18 The City of Havana 77)29 Mapof San Deming 92 8 Porto Belo or Puerto velo 24/19 Bahiade Matanzas 84.) 30 City of San Domingo 93 The Town of Chagré — :30/20 Bahia de Nipe’ ibd.|3x San Juan de Puerto Rico 96 10 The Ifthmus of Panama 32|21 Puerto de Baracoa * ibd. | 32 Aguada Nueva Ney, HE Plans of Santa Martha, Puerto Velo, Ghagré, Matanzas, Nipe Xagua, Babia Honda, Mariel, and Cavanos, with the Aguada_Nueva ae Puerto Rico, (which laft was taken by order of Admiral Torres in 1740) are all copied from Spami/h furveys made by Francifco Mathias Celis, Chief Pilot to his Catholic Majefty’s Royal Armada in 1740. The harbour of Carthagena, and bay of Zifapata, from furvey's made op Don ‘fuan de Herrera, chief Engincer at Carthagena. The ifthmus of Darien, Lorweae Creeks, St. Auguftin, with the Colrados, from other Spani/b drawings. _ Vera Cruz, city and harbour, with that of ee “fuan de Puerto Rico, from- drawings of the Sieur Bully, Pilot of Mar/eilles. The cities of Carthagena and San Domingo, with the harbour of Pen/facola, and map of the ifland of San Domingo, from French authors. La Guiara, and Puerto Cavell, from Drawings made by Englip officers - laft war. ‘ Guantanimo, with the entrance into the harbour. of Soaliteo de Cuba, from furveys taken by Admiral Dure/ in 1740. iy “The ifland of Cuda, with the city of the Havana, ate compiled from many Spanifo and Engh/b farveys, draughts and journals, corrected from late remarks made by feveral of our officers dnd merchants By the ‘fpot, and aac a, by altengmical obfervations. “psy ? Cforfoutio tockorkooto Lackootoctactoctootiooko ofactote seoko oss ooohan¥o ao oke fo Noczoogo so so to Yororyootoaootio INTRODUCTION HE Britifh nation being forced by the crown of Spain into a war with that country, much againft both intereft and inclination, after having reduced the french to the lowelt extremity, by the afliftance of providence, and the valour and wile difpofition of our fleets and armies, under the aufpices of a good caufe, our eyes of courfe turn towards thofe parts of Spa America, where it is moft likely the Eugi/b will principally aim their attacks, To contribute fomewhat toward gratifying this curiofity fo na- tural at a feafon when fuch large and powerful armaments from nip our own country, are abroad, hovering as it were about their coafts and territories in the new world; and while we are in doubtful expectation where next the fury of war will fall, and for the confequences of it in thofe parts; this brief defcription makes its appearance to. the Public. In the execution of our defign, it is intended to confine the pen chiefly to an account of the fea-coafts, -harbous, and towns adjacent tothem, of the Spami/b acquifitions in the Weft-Indies ; beginning from the eaftern part of the fouth coaft of the Tzerra Firma, thence along the fhore to Vera Cruz, round to Florida, and fo to the iflands of Cuba, &c. Two reafons more efpecially induce us to limit our work in this manner ; the a one ii DN Tak Oop UC To tong one, becaufe the internal part of thefe vaft regions cannot be fo accurately treated of, from a deficiency of intelligence fo minute and well attefted as is to be wifhed for, the Spaniard being rather cautious in this particular ; the other, from confidering the: fea- ports and places bordering upon, or not far removed from the fhores, as the main and moft convenient objects of naval expe- ditions, and .confequently, moft likely to become the theatre of Britifb enterprize. The Spanifb empire in America, as likewile the whole fouthern continent, connected by the ifthmus of Panama, together with all the iflands below the tropic of Cancer thereto belonging, are commonly called the We/f-Indies, which appel- lation is faid to have arifen from a miftake of Columbus, the firft difcoverer of the new world; who, concluding the Indies which the Portuguese had a little before difcovered in the eaft, to be {ome great continent, balancing thofe parts of the univerfe already known, imagined that whoever failed weftward, muft at length arrive at the moft eaftward bounds of that continent, and in coa- fequence of this fuppofition, called the iflands he difcovered , the W eft-Indies. Under his conduct one of the Lucazos iflands, named Guanahani, or Cat Ifland, was the part of America firlt deferied by the Europeans, onthe 11th of O&ober, 1492, from which place he proceeded to Haitw, now Hi/paniola ; and having fixed a fet- tlement upon that ifland, returned to Spaim. Soon after this, he made a fecond voyage, when the firft land he fell in with was the ifland of De/cada ; hence he failed again to Hii/pamiola, where at Lie Ro Doi CORO ®t bik at his arrival, he found affairs in the utmoft confufion, caufed by the ill behaviour of the Spaniards he had left behind him, towards the natives of the country. Columbus being a man of trict difci- pline and feverity of manners, his proceeding hereupon fo much difgufted the licentious crew he had to deal with, as to inflame matters to fuch a height, that appeals were fent from both parties into Spain. A perfon was deputed to enquire concerning thefe grievances, who carried it with that partiality againft Colwmbus, as to fend him, at the inftigation of the oppolite party, into Spain loadcn with chains. He was, however, at-his arrival, fet at liberty, and had the fatisfaction of feeing King Ferdinand and Queen L/abella, who was truly his friend, much concerned at his misfortunes, but it was with difficulty, . neverthelefs, that he could procure a new Governor to be fent to Hi/paniola. ‘This great man made four voyages to the We/f-Indies; and at the end of the laft, feeing many diforders and difputes aie among the new {fettlers, he- determined to return to Spain, to give their Majetties the beft account he could of thofe parts; where, at his firft landing, he. was fhocked with the news of Queen J/a- .bella’s death, which, together with the ill ufage he thenceforward met with from the Spavi/b courtiers, and the cold behaviour of the King, broke his heart after a few months illnefs, in the year 1506. The chief difcoveries of Columbus were the Lucaios iflands, Hii ifpanicla, Defeada, Puerto Rico, and the Spani/b Main, north of the river of the Amazons ; it is true he faw the ifthmus of a2 Panama, iv Tian Tt Ol Oye TT .Oo Ne _ Panama, butthe demonftration of its being only a narrow neck oi land, connecting the two great continents of northern and fouthern America, having the vait pacific ocean behind it, was referved for another, which was Ba/co Nunes de Balboa, who, after a har-~ railing march over the mountains near Porto Bello, was the fiarft European that ever faw the So wih Seas, and acquired at the fame time an imperfect account of the empire of Perw. In the year T5102, Fobn Ponce de Leon, a Spanifb gentleman of courage and fortune, being upon his voyage to Porto Rico, was driven by _ hard weather-upon a part of the continent, which he took pof- feffion of, calling it Florida, but why, is uncertain. Yucatan was difcovered in the year 1517, by Hernandex de Cordova, a very gallant man, who landed with fome force upon it, but was obliged, by the bravery of the natives, to embark again for Cuda: neverthelefs, Francis de Monteyo found means afterwards to fettle in the fame country, and to cultivate a friendfhip with the Indians by inter-marriages among his own and their people. No great progrefs beyond the difcoveries of a few coafts and iflands, had been made hi- - _ therto by the Spaniards in America, till the great Cortex began up- _ on his enterprizes. Ferdinando Cortez was ee at Medellin, a {mall town of Effremadura in Spain, in the year 14.85 ; his father’s name ‘was. Martin Cortez de Monroy, his mother’s Catharino Pizarro Al- marino, both noble, but not in affluent circumftances ; when, with fome difficulty they had reared their fon to the age of fourteen years, finding him then rong : and healthy, they fenthim to the univer- fity & Men R.O DUO Ruran * yx ftv of Salamanca, with an intention that he fhould apply himfelf to the ftudy of the law; but having no kind. of inclination to this profeflion, after fome difficulties that occurred in determining his choice, he fixed upon a refolution of going tothe Wef-Indies, and was’accordingly fent with Srairendators letters to the then Governor of Hi/panicla. He embarked at Sevillz in 1504, and was kindly received at his arrival in the Weft Indies. Cortez was now in the bloom of youth, very handfome.in his perfon, engaging in his behayiour, and amiab’e in his manner; he {poke with elegance, was very prudent, yet quick to refolve, and ready to execute, of great prefence and fteadinefs of mind, _ joined to invincible courage and fortitude ; a generous contempt of money, and a facility of obliging all, exempt from mercenary motives. Thefe great qualities in- duced Fames V alafqeues, on his being appointed Governor of Cuda, to make Cortez his Secretary; in difcharging which office fome accidents happened, that caufed much difagreement between him and the Governor, and brought Cortez more than once in great danger of life: he, however, found means not only to be recon- ciled to, but gained fuch an afcendant over the Governor, that he was appointed Admiral of a very large fleet fitted out at the expence of the former, in order to make difcoveries ; but even now he was upon the point of being fet afide, by the unlucky expreffion of a fool that was kept by Vala/gues, which ftruck him fo deeply with fufpicion in regard to Cortex, that he had nearly tefolved to change his Admiral ; this the latter perceiving, took a very v ‘Hi UNTO DUGRION very bold ftep, and making ufe of the love he poffeifed in the hearts of both foldiers and failors, put to fea with the fleet with- out waiting for either leave or orders. He failea to Vera Cruz, where, hearing of the prodigious wealth of Mexico, he fet forward towards that country, with a body of troops confifting of about 300 foot, 15 horfe, and 1300 Indians to carry the baggage ; and, after various confli&s and difficulties, fubdued this -vaft country for the king of Spain. In 1528 Cortex returned home, © where he was received with great honour by that monarch, pre- - fented with a large eftate by him, created a Marquis, and mar- ried to a lady of very high rank. The next year he returned to Mexico, whence he fent parties to difcover the more northern regi- ons of this empire. His people were kindly received there, and a friendly peace concluded between them and the Spaniards. Some troubles that happened in relation to his-difcoveries, where- in the viceroy interfered, inclined him to return once more into Spain in the year 1542, where he was received with as much diftin@ion as before, but obtained no fatisfaction with regard to his complaint. This however did not cool his zeal for his prince, whom he ferved gallantly in the calamitous expedition againft Algiers. From this time Cortez led a private life, and died near Sevi/le, in the year 15 543 hiscorpfe, by his own defire, was carried into: New Spain. While the conqueft of Mexico took up the at- tention of Cortez, that of Peru was carried on by Francis Pizarro, and Diego de Almagro in conjun@tion, They made a con- ITNTROBU ET EON. vii confiderable progrefs herein, and acquired much wealth, but not without great danger and difficultics in their ftruggles againtt the natives, rendered {till heavier by their own broils and diffenti- Ons ; which at laft produced a battle between them, wherein _4/- magro was taken, and foon afterwards flain. Pizarro fell,-in re- turn for this violent proceeding, by the hands of Ahnagro’s friends. The king of Spain, to quell thofe tumults, fent over one Vaca de Caftro ; 5 between whom and /magra, the fon of the former of that name, a bloody battle was fought, wherein the latter was defeated, and foon after taken prifoner and put to death. Mean while Gonfalo Pizarro, brother of the above Francis, fet himfelf up for viceroy, in’ oppofition to Bla/ca Nunez Vela, appointed in 1544: which, after many conflicts, ended in a total defeat of the latter, who was wounded, taken and beheaded. Thefe difturbances juftly alarming the Spanif monarch with apprehenfions of ces the extente territories of Peru, he fent over Peter de la Gafca, one in whofe integrity and abilities he repofed the higheft confidence, with a commiffion fo ample, as almoft in effeét to equal regal authority : he was a man of great intrepidity, deep pru- dence, mild behaviour, unblemifhed probity, and abfolutely dif- interefted. By his wifdom and courage he gradually quelled the feveral tumults and infurreCtions of the rebels: and having de- _ feated Pizarro and his adherents, condemned him. and thirteen more to death; among whom was Francis Carjaval, the . | chief - Ne Ve EM he 6) U6 BL 6. ® chief promoter of troubles in thefe parts. Gar/a contrived a method to foften the yoke of the Indians, and to reduce them to the Chriftian faith; when having fettled all to-his fatisfaction, though he came without money and acted upon credit, he paid his debts, and carried with him into Europe, for the King’s ufe, near two millions, teferving not a penny for himéfelf; See firft in autho- rity that ever did the like. This is a fuccinét account of the manner in which the Spanifh nation have gotten pofleflion of far the beit and largeft part of the continent M4 America, extending from the north of Calif He 4 to the ftreights of Magellan; a [pace of between 6 and 7000 miles. The reader may imagine that in this amazing tract of territory, “the productions mutt be as various as the climates ; let it fuffice to fay, that {carcely any thing is wanted, were it properly managed, that can conduce both to the convenience, and even luxury of life ; the foil of thefe countries being in general exceeding richand «. fertile, fo as to require but little pains of cultivation ; yet after all,~ however jutt and well-founded our panegyric upon the foil and productions may be, the riches upon the furface fall far fhort of thofe within the bowels of the earth, wherein lie the fountains of thofe immenfe treafures which have fupplied Europe for almoft - _three centuries paft with fuch profufion of gold and filver, not to mention the pefuls and gems of. various forts, with which the new world abounds. ‘io preferve the fole commerce with thofe regions (6 suemielves, aud the crown of 6 pati the Spaniards ~~ have a oR 23D ue TsO N: ix have been always particularly attentive, and the better to com- pals this fcheme, have carefully reftrained ftrangers from travel- ing through their dominions: and though there are fome in- ftances of foreigners having pafled through them, they are yet fo rare, and thofe refearches attended with fo much difficulty and hazard, that it is not wonderful our accounts.concerning: the inter- nal parts of thofe countries fhould be both imperfect and uncertain, fo that all the lawful trade between Europe and Spanifh Aimerica is entirely confined to the Spaniards themfelves, and under the abfolute direction of the crown. The eftablifhed plan upon which they carry on this trade is pretty well, known in general, but few people carry their en- quiries far enough into its particulars: to give therefore as clear an account of this matter as poflidle, the Ga/leons, Flota, Flotilla, Regifler-foips, and Guarda- coftas {hall be all feparately and diftina@- ly defcribed. Gateons are, in fact, very eee men of war, of a con- ‘ftruGtion now altogether difufed except in Spain, and built after fuch a manner there only becaufe it affords ampler room for the flowage of merchandize, with which commonly they are fo en- cumbered as to be rendered incapable of defence. The fleet which we call the galleons confifts of eight fuch men of war; three of them aregvery large, and are ftiled Ja Capitana, la Admi- rante, and il Governo. The ret are all confiderably lefs; among which there is an advice-frigate of forty guns. It cofts the mer- Ree a b | chantmen x DON’ TR OCT Ge Cr eT ON: chantmen that fail in company with this fleet a large fum of money for their licences: they are in number from twelve to fixteen, and carry at leaft one third part more of burden than their refpective fchedules exprefs. The bufinefs of thef- {hips is to carry all the merchandize and warlike ftores to Peru, which are wanted in that country. During the time of Peace the galleons fail once a year regularly, though at no fet time, _ but according to the pleafure of the king, and the convenieace of the merchant. They fteer away from Cadiz, right for the Canaries; where, if the flota fails in company with them, they both anchor together in the harbour of Gomera; thence they make for the 4nzilles ; in which longitude the flota leaves them, and the galleons bear away for Carthagena. As foon as they come in fight before the mouth of Rio de la Hacha, after having doubled cape de la Vela, advice of their arrival is fent to all parts, that every thing may be prepared for their reception. They remain a whole month in the harbour of Cuarthagena, and land there whatever is defigned for the audience of Tierra Firma. They then fail to Puerto Velo, where having ftayed during the fair, (which lafts five or fix weeks) landed the mer- chandize intended for Peru, and received the treafures and rich commodities fent from thence on board, they fail back to Carthagena, and remain there till they return’ to Spain, which ufually happens within the {pace of two years. When orders for returning home arrive, they fail rt to the Havana : having | there PNP RO Dp Uwe fF OLN. Xi there oe the flota, and what other fhips are bound to Ez- rope, they fteer northward as high as Carolina, and there taking the wefterly winds, they fhape their courfe to the Axore, eee having watered and victualled afrefh at Tercera, they thence con- tinue their voyage to Cadiz. The Frora confifts, like the galleons, of a certain number of men of war and merchant-fhips. ‘There are feldom more than three of the former in this fleet, called /z Capitana, la Admi- rante, and la Patacha; and ufually about fixteen of the latter. They fet fail fometime in the month of Augu/f, in order to obtain the benefit of the winds that blow in MVovember, for the more eafily purfuing their voyage to Vera Cruz. They call at Pw- erto Rico in their way, to refrefh, pafs in fight of Hi/paniola, Famaica, and Cuba, and, according to the winds and feafon, fail either by the coaft of Fucatan, or higher through the gulph to Vera Cruz, which lies at the bottom of it. The run of this fleet, according to the abovementioned cruize, has been thus computed ; they allow ten days for the paflage from Cadiz to the Canaries, 250 leagues; twenty days to- fail from hence to the Antilles, 800 leagues; twenty days likewife from thence to the moft weftern extremity of Cuba, 500 leagues; and twelve or thirteen days more for their arrival at Vera Cruz, about 260 leagues; in the whole about 1810 leagues in fixty- two days. The flota being intended to furnifh not only Mex- ico, but the Philippine iflands alfo, with the goods of Europe, b 2 is Xii ENT ® O DU SG... EO. N: is obliged to remain there a confiderable time, and fometimes finds it neceffary to winter in that port; they return with a cargo not altogether fo rich as that of the galleons, but it is faid b fome to encreafe annually in value. This fleet ufually fails from Vera Cruz in the month of May, but fometimes detained fo late as Augu/? ; it then makes for the Havana, and generally returns with the galleons, though they feldom leave Spain to- sether. When they are affembled at the Havana, a few of the lighteft and cleaneft fhips are immediately fent off for Europe, ~ who carry with them an exaét account of the lading of both the galleons and flota, as well as of theirown. Thefe veffels the Spaniards properly enough ftile the F LOTILLA, or little fleet. Two reafons may be afligned for their detaching them in this manner ; the one, in order that the government may be the better enabled to judge what convoy may be fuitable, in cafe of any change of affairs, to protect the grand fleet; the other,’ for the better regulation of the indulto to be levied on the merchants, in proportion to their intereft in the galleons and flota. Two caufes likewife may be afligned for the great fleet's remaining fo long at the Havana; the expectation of a wind, and’ of the regifter fhips, which they are to convoy home. A Recister Sup, is fo called from its being regiftered, with all the effe&s embarked in Spain, in -books kept for that end. at Seville: but as a more explanatory account may be defired by the reader, this matter fhall be particularly ftated. Suppofing J 4 ore 2 liar Rr OODIUAICoT 70 WN. xiii a number of merchants: to have conceived, as they think, juft grounds for believing they fhall meet with a good market for European goods at fome port or other in the Weft Indies, they draw up a petition in the cleareft and ftrongeft manne: they are able, fetting forth their reafons thereupon, and lay it before the council of the Indies. The purport of the petition is to this effe@: That they may obtain leave to fend a thip of three hundred tons burthen, or lefs, to the port therein f{pecifi- ed: this permiflion is granted, upon payment of a large fum to the crown, generally not lefs than 30000 pieces of eight, not to ‘mention prefents to all the king’s officers without exception. But to obviate any fufpicions that might arife herefrom, they regifter their fhips and cargo, in order to preferve a confiftency between their petition and licence: but alas! what poffibility is there of guarding again{t cuftom-houfe venality ? The fhip entered as of only 300 tons burthen, not only carries above 300 tons more, but likewife affords accommodation for paflengers befide. ‘The governor and officers at the port whereunto the regifter {hip is bound, receive copies from the regifter, relative to the affair ; and notwithftanding all the diligence and in‘egrity of the faid gentlemen, and though they make a moft minute enquiry ioto the circumftances, very feldom any fraud is difcovered, and the veffel of 6.o6r 700 tons returns back to Europe with a certifi- cate, authenticated by all the king’s officers, that fhe fcarcely carries 300, together with a bill of lading in the fame accurate {ile ic Cia xiy Tip OF. R LOQDUINICOTI ID WN, of computation. The merchants fometimes gain twoor three hundred per cent. by thefe regifter fhips, which enables them to pay fo bountifully for cheating the king, after having firft robbed his fub,e¢ts in order to do it. The regifter fhips go to Buenos Ayres, Puerto Cavello, Santa Martha, and places where the galleons and flota never come ; but generally arrive with the latter, and fometimes fet out with them, and part company in a certain latitude. People of quality in Spaim frequently ufe their intereft in procuring the abovementioned licences, and are fuppofed to be impelled to it by fomething befides mere good nature. But it is not to the Spaniard alone that the management of fuch illegal practices hath been confined; other Ewropean nations have pufhed their im- _ provement in thefe myfteries even beyond them; and by extra- ordinary donations to Spani/b governors, comptrollers, infpedtors, &c. made them ample amends for their integrity to their king, and kindnefs to flrangers. ‘The accumulation of great wealth, ~ the natural confequence of this fort of commerce, has tempted the Englifb, French and Dutch in the Weft Indies, people of no delicate ftomachs in point of manners, to endeavour at dealing in the fame way, without the previous ceremony of a licence; and, partly by the connivance of Spamifb governors, and partly by ufing force, have fucceeded to their wifh: but the court of Spain, provoked by the flagrancy of this evil, refolved to put a ftop to it, and fent over new governors, with very determi- nate tern 6 DW CF EON. ou nate orders on this head, requiring them to be carried into rigo- rous execution. ; The Guarpa Costa, or guard fhips, took their rife from thefe inftruétions ; and becaufe they have made much noife in the world, it may not be improper to fpeak more particularly of them. It muft be allowed that the Exgli/b, French and Dutch had tun fuch lengths as to give real occafion for the equipping an arma- ment ftrong enough to oppofe the violent meatures of all of them. The Dutch veffels mounted from 20 to 36 guns, and defied all the governor of Carthagena could do ; but as foon as the guard fhips began to act, they put a flop to thefe illicit proceedings, and took and deftroyed more than to the value of 100,000 pounds, hanging at the fame time fixteen Spami/h merchants, whom they found trading on board thefe fhips, without ceremony. The be-_ witching defire of gain carried the Spamifb captains by degrees beyond all bounds of juftice ; and under colour of feizing con- traband goods, they ftopt and made captures of every Engli/b vetlel they could,at firft under flight pretences, and at laft eee any pretence at all: the governors fharing in the profit of the prizes made in this manner, were induced to fend falfe relations to the court of Madrid, and thereby raifed that fpirit of obftinacy, which drew upon them the late war and its bad confequences. After having given a detail of the manner in which the Spaniards carry on their trade, the reader may pollibly expeét to be in- formed as to the value of the money and eile&s annually tranf- i ported ey LN FR OD UYU CF t-ON. ported from their American dominions into Spain ; though this cannot be done with all the exa@tnefs that the nature of the thing makes defirable, yet by the neareft and niceft computation: -we have been able to procure, it may amount, one year with ano- ther, to about 38,000,000 of pieces of eight, or more than g,000,000 of pounds fterling. One would imagine that with this vait yearly influx of wealth, the Spani/b monarchy fhould be the richeft, and, confequently, one of the moft powerful kingdoms upon the face of the earth; but the fact is quite otherwife, and Spain feems to be no more than the common coffer or treafury, into which all the nations of Europe thruft their hands, and draw out as much as their fituation and abilities for commerce enable them to take. Many reafons concur to fhew why Spain, though furnifhed with fuch immenfe riches, has been ever fince, fo far from growing more powerful, and extending her do- minion in Europe, (though fhe has often attempted to doit) that the is perhaps at this time more feeble, in comparifon, than fhe was, _ even before the difcovery of America: There are four things that chiefly contribute to render a nation powerful, refpectable, and formidable in the eyes of its neighbours ; the wealth, the number, _ the virtue, and the induftry of its inhabitants. The two latter of thofe requifites fupport and augment the two former ; for wealth, deftitute of virtue and induftry, only leaves the potters an open and defencelefs prey to perpetual ravages and inroads from without, and numbers in the fame condition cannot be efteemed any IENTRODWD®WYU CT ION. XV11 any thing more. than a riotous indifciplined. mob, and muft ne- ceffarily dwindle and. wafte away from, want of order and regu- larity: within themfelves. The more thefe qualifications of virtue and induftry preponderate and, flourifh in any nation, the hap- pier is that people. in itfelf, and the dreadfuller to its enemies. How far Spain may be. deficient in, or deviate from them, fhall be the fubje&t of our iprefent enquiry. If the Spaniards, as {oon as they had acquired fuch extenfive dominion in the new world, had dili- gently applied to the cultivation of trade and manufacture, it would neceflarily have given them the fupreme direction of the affairs of Europe ; ; for the fubjeé&ts of all their various terri- tories trading without reftraint among themfelves, for almoft every commodity, that wants either natural or acquired demand, would have created a maritime force too potent for any other power to have oppofed : nay, even under the prefent reftrictions, were thefe fame fubje&ts to carry on a combined barter among each other, thole prodigious fums now diffufed all over Europe would have concentered and fixed in Spain, as their principal receptacle, which would, of ‘confequence have enabled their kings to give law to their poorer neighbours ; but inftead of encouraging this found policy, and thus fapping the ftrength of foreigners, by with- drawing gradually from them the props which their own indolence have furnifhed, the monarchs of Spain fquandered and lavith- ed away the vaft treafures they received from their new domini- ons, in a vain purfuit after univerfal monarchy, at a time when, aK ss ; for a Vill EN TRO ODCAT Ok for want of a due attention to what might caufe’ any part of it to revert to them and their people again, they left them: {elves poor and deftitute, like va {pendthrift that ftill lives upon the principal, and after fwimming for a feafon in igh gaiety and delight, finds himfelf on a fudden funk into penury and defelaz tion. Inftead of confidering the Wef? Indies as-an eftate they were to improve and receive an annual profit always from, they re- garded them only as a farm, out of which they endeavoured to raife all they could at once: and in this refpet we muft own they acted with much vigour, drawing thence immenfe treafure, which was {quandered in fchemes to deftroy the peace of others in Europe, and which at the fame time furnifhed their antagonifts with the finews of war againft themfelves: - whereas had they turned the ftrength of their riches inwards, and made ufe of it as a fpur and incitement to improve the ingenu- ity and induftry of their own people, the whole world could fearcely have withftood them.; and according to the natural con- ftitution of things, had their activity in thefe particulars been at all proportioned to the vattneds of their wealth, fo as to have produced and continued a circulation of it chiefly among them- -felves, they muft have held the principal fway in Ewrope, for _the very fame reafons that we {ee thofe do, who in private life are pofleffed of moft wealth and induftry. By this mifmanagement, Spain, inftead of being the ticheft, is, in reality, one of the pooreft ftates in Ewrope. ‘The continual fupply they ftand in need of from other countries, renders their merchants no more | in Nr R:O.,.D-0-G. 7.70 (N. ‘xix in general, than factors, and they do but negotiate for foreigners the larger part of the returns they receive from the Weff-Indies : What avail then all thofe founding titles their monarch af- fumes, while ftrangers enjoy the real fruits of what he only is nominal fovereign ? furely this is truly to be vow et preterca nihil. As to the fecond article, number of inhabitants, we {hall find the Spaniards miferably deficient herein. Many capital er- rors in policy, and indeed fome partly unavoidable, or very difh- cult to be cured, as arifing from the cuftoms and inftitutions of the country, concur to be the caufes of this paucity. The Spaniards are a people bigotted in the laft degree to the prejudices and ab- furdities of the church of Rome: the confequence of which fuperftition muft end of courfe in being over-run with a vaft multitude of priefts, who are, according to the laws of their church, forbidden to marry, by which means a great part of the community die without defcendancy. A ftrange tenet in religion, to imagine that a hateful force impofed upon the will by another, and what we are compelled to only by violence from without, can plead any merit as a virtue, or leave us more at. liberty for pious avocations. ‘Their early marriages may be another prevention of fertility, as wellas perhaps frequently the caufe of a weakly and infirm complexion of body to their children: but nothing can contribute more to this thinnefs of people, than their indolence and floth, by which they are not only difabled from providing for greater numbers, but are far from fupporting thofe they have, by the culture and produce of their own lands: in a °° otf N°r*tR to? DI ot cOrar tof! a country, larger’ than Fiano’ and not by half ‘fo popiitan eet and a foil too, which is allowed i in itfelf to be fufficiently fruit+ | ful, where labour is not wanting, ‘the common people are con~ tinually i in a ftarving condition; nor is it ‘to be admiréd “that thofe fhould not be prolific, at fubfift upon a diet {pare in quantity, and meagre in quality. The next thing that falls under confideration is their virtue ‘and it is certainly acknow- ledged on every fide, that the Spamiards are men of remarkable: - probity and honour in their dealings, beyond what is found in> general among other nations ; and were it not carried to the foppery and barbarity of fuperftition, we might fay they area people of devotion and piety : but then to counterbalance thofe - good. qualities, they are charged with unmeafurable arrogance and pride, as alfo with unbounded cruelty and revenge where oppor- tunity happens of gratifying their fpirit of avarice and refentment. Their immane and unparallelled inhumanity to the unhappy Indian nations they conquered, their extirpation of the inhabitants of whole kingdoms, and other horrid excefles among them, are too fhocking to be dwelt upon... In what, degree the little ad- vantage they receive from thefe fettlements, and that their riches, gained at the price of fuch effufion of innocent blood, make them-. felves wings, asthe {cripture has it, and fly away, may be ac-, counted judicial, I fhall not pretend to determine. There is. likewife another circumftance in their, behaviour that fomewhat difqualifies them from that obliging and eafy intercourfe among men, which the nature of bufinefs:and trade requires; it is the. profound nee op dc Tro N. xii * ~ profound refervednels and affected ftiffnef which fo diftinguifhes the Spaniard. Men, whatever may be pretended, are in ge- neral better pleafed with infincere civi lity and fraudulent urba- nity, than with rigid, ungracious integrity ; otherwife how could France, a nation fo confefledly cunning and deceitful, or their language, whofe phrafe and idiom is fo nicely adapted thereto, and which indeed feems to be good for little elfe, have fo deeply infinuated themfelves into the courts of Europe. With Tegard to induftry, all the world knows that the Spaniards are ‘utterly devoid of that; nor can there be pointed out a more lazy and flothful people upon the face of the earth. Of this, three caufes may be principally affigned ; the one arifes from the heat of the climate, the other from their over-weening pride, which will - fearcely allow them to do any labour ; and the third from their fuperftition, which crowds the year fo full of holidays, that if they were willing to work, they could hardly find op- portunity ; but from whatever it fprings, it is without doubt one of the main producers of the reigning poverty of their country ; for the luxuries and refinements of life, which are almoft in- difpenfibly created wherever money can be raifed to fupport them ; as likewife common conveniencies and neceflities muft be fupplied, the Spaniards among themfelves contributing but little towards the fupplying of either; thofe wants are gratified by their more induftrious neighbours ; and as without doubt each holds up the price of his peculiar commodities to the greateft height he is able,’ the larger moiety of the treafures drawn from 7 the PON ris esi IeN-T. BO. D,. &. GC. T 1G. N. the mines of Peru and Mexico fall immediately into the hands of other pofleffors than the proprietors of thefe countries. The French furnifh them with all forts of gold and filver ftuffs, filk, and velvets, ftockings, hats, linen, gloves, paper, cards, and toys. The Dutch fend them fpices of all kinds, linens, cloths, ferges, camblets, fhalloons, toys, hemp, tar, pitch, copper and _ iron ware, dried fifh, ©&c. From the Engh they receive every fort of woollen goods, hats of all forts, filk and worfted ftockings, rich filks, copper, brafs, and iron wate, clocks, watches, falt provifions, &c, And if we add to this what the Spaniards import from other countries, it will be found that upon the whole not lefs than fifteen millions of every fuch cargo from America may be reckoned to belong to foreigners who have intereft in the goods exported thither. It is eafy for one who has confidered thefe native wants of Spain to fuppofe, after all the various expences of government are defrayed, out. of what remains, and the many accidental demands and | charges that arife from ftate intrigues carried on in various parts of Europe are anfwered, but little cafh remains in the kingdom for the fubjeéts ufe, and even that little is almoft entirely fpent, either upon fmall fhopkeepers, generally Frenchmen or Italians, who retire with what they have acquired to their own countries in the decline of life, or elfe upon the labourers and reapers, and fo forth, that come by thoufands out of the provinces of France bordering upon Spaim, and return back after their bufi- - nefsis over, with their wages. The reader may hence conceive - ) i; i what rN TR O-D UC FIFowNm XXili what terrible diftrefs, and almoft irremediable evil muft accrue from a failure in the arrival of the fupplies from 4merica, by a ftoppage of the galleons, which is liable to happen only in time of war, the time when their prefence is moft abfolutely neceffary : one cannot therefore fufficiently wonder at the folly of an enemy, that long has, and ftill might have continued to have enjoyed much advantage from a war between England and France; with the former of which too Spain at all times carried on the mof beneficial part of her commerce, and can entertain the leaft fufpicion of being injured by, if fhe rightly confidered, and was not made the tool and dupe of French artifice, who has rafhly thrown up fuch a happy opportunity, to embroil herfelf in war with a nation, only at prefent by far the moft potent of any in in the univerfe, and to fight the caufe of a people, difpirited, beggared, and funk into the utmoft contempt. What can a Britifh adminiftration, firm and true to its own, that is to fay, the intereft of its country, fear from the junction of fuch defpi- cable foes; the one in the profecution of a war, unjuftly commenced by them, contrary to common faith and folemn treaty, having loft all her moft valuable poffeffions, like limbs fevered from the bleeding body, and the other in the feeble, abjeét condition, above defcribed. The Spanifh monarchs having not been unapprized of the great difadvantages their country laboured under, from being thus deprived by foreigners of the immenfe treafures they draw from their mines, for the better fecuring the commerce of their American dominions to the inhabitants of O/d Spain, ftridlly . forbid xv WNT R OD UG FFE O:-N. forbid all traffic in the Weft Indies between their fubjedts oe thofe of the colonies there, belonging to other nations! _ But vain is it to imagine that Spamards or any elfe will fuffer the natural right of providing themfelves with conveniences to be taken : from them; and that they will not endeavour to come at them by fome clandeftine means,, while no care is taken to obtain a proper fupply from the mother country. Much of the gold and filver therefore, that fhould have paffed into Spain by the galleons, has made its efcape in this manner, efpecially to Yamaica, from . whence the Spaniards at Carthagena, Porto Bello, Rio de la Hacha, and other places, have been fupplied with Eropean com- modities, notwithftanding the great hazard they run in the ma- nagement of fo dangerous a trade, the lives both of buyers and fellers being equally expofed, and often forfeited to what their - government is pleafed to call juftice.. It feems however to be our intereft to put a ftop to this contraband traffic, could we thereby effe€tually. procure the friendfhip of Spain, and engage them to pay i in return a grateful regard to our commerce in particular. “There is a certain proportion of our goods and manufaétures, that _ will be ever necefiary to the inhabitants of Spanifh America, and which they will have by fome means or other: now it is cer- ‘tainly preferable i in refpect of ourfelves, that they fhould purchafe _ them in a fair and regular, rather than in a clandeftine manner; which if it could be brought to bear, might fettle a lafting, nay a perpetual good underftanding and harmony between two nations, whofe mutual intereft it is never to be at variance. A A DESCRIPTION | OF) MILE cage Spanifo VWlands and. Settlements ON THE Coaft of the We/f-Indies. QeGQRRGREGGEEGRGGGEECOSEERSERRERERRECRESEREEEREES | TIERRA FIRMA, R the province of New Caftile, was difcovered by Chriftopher Columbus, in his third voyage, and was fo called by his failors, who were moft of them natives of Old Caflile. It afterwards obtained the name of the Ca/iilla del Oro, from the large quantities of gold found therein, particularly in the diftrit of Uraba. It is avery large territory, bounded by the fea on the north; by Caribana and Guiana on the eaft; by Peru and the river of the Amazons on the fouth ; and by the Pacific Ocean on the weft. As to the climate, it cannot be called either wholfome or pleafant, fince in one part of the year they are fcorched with the burning rays of the fun, and in the other drowned with continual rains. The foil is very different ; for in fome_ . B places, 2 ISLANDS ON THE COAST places, though there is a perpetual verdure, yet the trees produce little or no fruit, and in other parts there is a vaft plenty of all things, infomuch that they have two harvefts, and their meadows feed prodigious multitudes of cattle: The mountains abound with tygers, and various forts of voracious animals. Rivers and rivulets there are in abundance ; but fome of them are fo far from being wholfome, that theit waters are dangerous, and not fit to be drunk. There were formerly very rich mines of gold in this province, but ~ ‘they are now in a manner exhaufted, yet fome remains there are, as well as filver and iron mines, which have been fince opened. On the fea-coaft there was once a very rich pearl fifhery, but it is now in a great meafure difufed. The natives of this part of America were never thoroughly conquered, and, in all human probability, never will; for on the one hand, they are a very warlike, gallant people, and on the other, they hate the Spaniards to a degree which’ words can hardly -exprefs. Our privateers have frequently made ufe of them in their expeditions, and have obferved this averfion of theirs ‘to the Spaniards extend fo far as not to give or receive quarter from them. It is not, however, to be expected, that the Indians fhould do much towards making an entire conqueft of thefe parts from the Spaniards; firft, becaufe they are not very numerous or powerful; and, fecondly, be- caufe they are of a fickle, inconftant difpofition, and in reality not cordially affected to any Europeans, as may be eafily gathered from a comparifon of the many relations we have of the expeditions of the buccaneers into this pro- vince, which they have invaded more frequently than any other. Tue Istp or LA TRINIDAD, 5 Ae larger than any other on this coaft; the gulf of Paria divides . . I it from the continent: between the moft eaftern point of thisifland and that of Salinas on the main land are the outlets called Bocas del Drago, or the mouths of the dragon, through which the gulf has a communication with the fea; thefe openings were fo called by Chriflopher Columbus, on account em ef — =e OF TIERRA FIRMA. 3 of the fwiftnefs of the current between them. The climate of Ja Trinidadis {aid to be infalubrious, the ifland being very often covered with thick fogs. Sir Walter Raleigh, who was there fometime in the year 1593, and examined it, fays, that the northern part of it is high land ; but that the foil is good, proper for planting of fugar-canes, tobacco, &c. Here are feveral forts of animals, plenty of wild hogs, fith, fowl, and fruit. It alfo produces maize, caflava, and other roots; and, in general, all that is found in America. The Spaniards -owned to Sir Walter that they found gold in the rivers of this ifland, but nothing in comparifon of what the main land produces. Notwithftanding what Sir Walter fays, in regard to its fertility, Herrera, {peaking of this ifland, looks upon it as not proper for any kind of produétion. The chief thing it abounds with is a kind of foffil pitch, or bitumen, which the Spaniards call Tierra de Brea; it is found in the eaftern corner of this ifland, where there is fuch a quantity of it, that they may carry it away by fhip loads, but the Spaniards pretend that it cannot be of any ufe, on account of its melting too eafily by the heat of the fun. The chief town of the ifle is St. Fofeph de Orunna, fituated on the eaftern fhore, upon a {mall river: it has a harbour for {mall veffels, a little fort, and a few men to defend it. Istanp or LA MARGARITA, ALLED by the Spaniards Santa Margarita de las Caracas, is feparated from the Continent by a ftreight eight leagues broad, and was dif- covered by Chriftopher Columbus in the year 1498, in his third voyage; it is between 35 and 40 leagues in compafs, and as it is always verdant, aftords a very agreeable profpect. The native Indians were formerly very nume- rous, though there is hardly any frefh water, but what they are obliged to fetch from the main. ‘The ifland is fertile, abounding with paftures, maize, and fruit. The Pearl fithery having rendered it very famous, the Spaniards built a caftle called Morpadre, on the eaft cape of the ifland. at B 2 The 4 ISLAND S,0O,.N THE sC OASIT The chief town is in the middle of it, and not far from this the vil- lage, called Macanao. The ifland is under a particular governor. When it was in its greateft {plendor, a prodigious number of boats were daily employed in fifhing of pearl; for which purpofe the Spaniards made ufe of Negroes brought hither from Cape Verde, Guinea, and Angola; but the pearl oyfters being near exhaufted, this fithery is much declined. ‘The fifth of it belongs to the King of Spain, from whom the natives of this ifland obtained their liberty, becaufe they received the Spaniards without refiftance. The Dutch | took this ifland in the year 1620, demolifhed the caftle, plundered the town, and carried the cannon away, fince which time the. Spaniards are retired ~ to the Main, and the ifland is inhabited only by the native Indians and a few. Mulattoes. THe Iste of CUBAGUA, S four leagues to the fouth of La Margarita. The foil of this place is very nitrous, and full of falt : there is no frefh water, and very few trees.. The ifland is entirely over-grown with a kind of thiftle, covered with long black thorns, which renders it almoft impafiable. There are no other ani- mals but rabbits, and fome fea-fowls. Oviedo fays, that near the eaftern point, a great quantity of a certain aromatical rofin is found fwimming upon the waters, which is of fome ufe among the druggifts. The ifle of Cubagna was very famous formerly, on account of its pearl fithery, and in thofe times the Spaniards had built there a little town, under the name of New Cadiz. It remained inhabited as long as pearls were to be found in the neighbouring fea; but it is now entirely deftroyed, and not a fingle inhabitant to be found in the whole ifland. SALT. OF TIERRA FIRMA: | 5 SALT TO RTUGA Istanp, ‘0 called, os Captain Dampier, to diftinguith i it from the Shoals of Dry Tortugas neat Cape Florida ;, and from the Ifle of Portuga by H:/paniola is pretty large, uninhabited, and abounds with falt; is about 14 leagues diftant, wefterly from Margarita, and 20. from Cape Blanco on the Main. The eaft end of Tortuga is full of rugged, bare, broken rocks. At the fouth eaft is an indifferent good road for fhips, much frequented in peaceable times by merchant-men that come hither to lade falt, during the months of May, ‘fune, ‘fuly, and Auguf. Near the weft end of the ifland, on the fouth fide, is a fmall harbour, and fome frefh water. There are fome goats on this, ifland, but not many. The turtle or tortoife come upon the fandy bays to lay their eggs, and from hence the ifland has. its name. There isno riding any where but.in the road where the falt ponds are, or in the harbour. CUMANA, AS built fourteen leagues to the fouth of Margarita, on the conti- nent, by the Spaniards in 1520, and called at firft Nueva Corduba. It is defended by a ftrong caftle, and the town ftands near the entrance of a great gulph known by the name of Go/fo de Carriaco, or of Cumana: to the northward of this gulph are the falt pans of Araya, near the cape of the fame name. Thefe pans produce a great quantity of falt, and are of great emolument to the inhabitants of thefe parts.. PUERTO: - ISUANDS ON THE! (COAST PUERTO DE LA GUAIRA, S above 60 leagues from Cumana, and 15 from Cape Blanco to the weft, which cape is the eaftermoft boundar y of the Caracas ; this is the chief place on this coaft, and is the fea-port to Santiago de Leon de Caracas; and tho’ it has but a bad harbour, or rather an open road, yet it is much frequented by Spanifh fhipping, for the Dutch and Engh/h anchor in the fandy bays, that lie along the fhore, in the mouths of feveral valleys, where there is very good tiding. The town, which is fituated at the foot of a very high hill, is open on the land fide, but has‘two forts, and feveral batteries toward the fea. It was taken in the laft century by Capt. Wright and his privateers. This place was attacked in 1743, and the garrifon commanded by Doz Matheo Gual, defended it againft a {quadron of Briti/h fhips of war, com- manded by admiral Knowles, who bombarded the town, made fome breaches ‘n the fortifications, demolifhed their churches, and blew up a magazine; put there being only one landing-place, they did not attempt to difembark; and mott of the fhips being fo much damaged as to be entirely difabled from continuing the attack, were ordered dices le to Curaffa to refit ; when this came to be eee by the garrifon, many of the inhabitants who had fled to the woods on the firft appearance of the Briti/b fleet, returned to their houfes with great joy. PUERTO CAVELLO, S a fortified town on the coaft of Caracas, diftant 20 ic from La) Guaira. We have not been able to get any account of the trade or commerce of this place, and it was but little known before 1743, when | Commodore Knowles, after the repulfe at La Guaira, having refitted the {quadron under his command, came, on the 15th of April, before this place, which was extremely well fupplied with a garrifon of 1500 feamen and fol- diets, 4000 Indians, Blacks, c. which the governor of the Caracas had fent for the defence of the town. The Admiral having landed 1200 men under Plate 2. Plan of Puerto de la Guaira on the Coatt of the Caracas | 12 A “AS NY ISS A x _ 4 : ‘ ' ’ * : : : ' ‘ a . ' id noe ' % oT A 5 ‘ i ‘ . - A ' _— = i _ = i a; J ‘ i 7 % 7 : i t. fi : ‘ - - ; f a . , e - a = = ‘ y x 5 Z is i i ' —_ ' F = e A - - em. 7 = s ‘ ° = Paae 6 Plate 2. é ; Plan ay ; of Puerto de la Guaira on the Coalt of the Caracas. 4 ; 40 Yards or 2 Furlongs 2 1 3 UF or 4 Furlongs. 880 Yards \ ‘AVELLO , on the £ alt of the RTO C °. Plan JE Plate 3. f aracas. Cc oO ava ft. Punta Ba: QUIN, * 58 29 8. wis af “Siva 2 2s = Bet fegae Sea Seon) ca a tes a a of RTO CAVELLO , ards or 4 Furlongs. 7 es my PUI TM ) OO on the Caracas f the ‘oalt o C So} “ ra Gener ey Uke Plot at se CS ty OE ol wl 2) wf: ot a OF TIERRA FIRMA. ” under the command of Major Lucas, on the fea-beach, they were attacked in the night from the fafcine battery near Punta Brava, and being put into diforder, retreated in confufion, and re-imbarked ; but on the 24th the Ad- miral made. a general attack on the caftle and fafcine batteries, which lafted for ten hours with great obftinacy, on, both fides, and fome of the fhips having expended all their ammunition, and moft of them being {o fhattered in their mafts and rigging as to be {carce able to fet a fail, the Admiral made a fignal to cut, and failed to the Keys of Burdurata to refit his {quadron. t J a p ahs ) 3 4: } f . | Santiago DE Leon pE CARACAS, | Re metropolis of the province of Venezuela, five leagues within land from Puerto de la Guaira ;, it is a large, elegant, and wealthy place, built in the Spanifh tafte, with broad, ftrait ftreets, above a mile long, interfecting each other at right angles, with a handfome {quare in the centre, where. moft of the owners of the cocoa tree walks, . that are in the valleys by the fhore, and within land refide ; the plantations being managed by overfeers. and negroes. A Spaniard who was an acquaintance of Capt. Dampier, and had been there, told him, the town is very populous, and he judged it to be: three times as big as the Groyne, in Old Spain. The way to it is very winding, {teep, and craggy, over a ridge of great hills, that clofes up the valley. It is in a large fayana that 1s feven miles long, and in fome places about two miles over, that abounds with cattle, and is terminated on the eaft by im- menfe high hills, and on the weft by fome much fmaller, between which. run feveral ftreams of water, that unite into a great river, navigable: many miles before it enters into the fea. ‘The coaft here is very remarkable, being a continued tract, of high ridges of hills, and fmall. valleys, intermixed for ‘about 20 feagues, ftretching eaft and weft, but in fauch a manner, that the ridges of hills, and the valleys, alternately run podint-. ing upon the {hore from fouth to north. ‘Thefe hills are barren, except the lower fides of them, which are covered with fome of the fame rich black aould that fills the valleys, and is very good. In fome of the valleys there. is 8 '.- 18 L ANID! YON HH EB © Ags is a ftrong red clay, but in general they are extremely fertile, well watered, and inhabited by Spaniards and negroes. All this coaft at different feafons of the year, enjoys a dry north- eatt Wifi in other refpeéts likewife it is very healthy, and has a {weet clear air. The _ Spaniards have look-outs: or {couts on the hills, breaft-works in the val- leys, and moft of their negroes are furnifhed with arms alfo for the defence of the bays. The Dutch have a-profitable trade here almoft to themfelves: Dampier fays, he has known three or four great fhips at a time on the coaft. They carry thither all forts of European commodities, efpecially linen, making vaft returns, chiefly in filver and cocoa. The cocoa tree grows here in abundance, and is their chief wealth. The trunk of it is about a foot and a half thick, and from feven to eight feet high, the branches large. and {preading like an oak, the nuts are enclofed.in -cods fhaped like a large cucumber.. There may be commonly 20. of 30 of thefe cods on a tree, the rind of them is about. half an. inch. thick,. brittle, and harder than that of a lemon; they neither ripen, nor are gathered at once, but all in about the fpace of a month, fome before. others; when gathered, they lay them in feveral heaps to f{weat, and then burfting the thell with their hands, they extract the nut, which is enlofed in a whitith, - clammy fubftance. The nuts lie clofe ftowed in rows like the grains of. maize ; there are generally from 18 to 24 in a cod, which are big or fmall in proportion to the fize of the latter. They are then dried in the fun, and will keep fo well, that even falt water will not hurt them. There are from. 500 to 1000 or 2000 trees in a walk or cocoa plantation. Thefe nuts are paffed in change for money, and ufed as fuch in the bay of Campeachy. MARACAIBO, 'S$ a fmall, but rich town in the province of Venezuela, fituated on the weftern banks of the lake of the fame name, about eight leagues from its mouth. It is extrernely well built, has feveral ftately houfes, _ very> regular, and adorned with balconies which command a fine pro- , fpect TIERRA FIRMA. 9 fpe&t of the lake. Here are about 4000 inhabitants, of which 800 are able to bear arms. The Governor is fubordinate to the Governor of Tierra Firma. Here is a large parochial church, an hofpital, and four convents. Veflels under 30 tons are continually coming hither, with manufactures and merchandifes from the places near the lake, which are bought up by the Spa- niarés for other markets. Ships are built at Maracaibo, which trade all over America, this place being very commodious for fhip-building. The lake, or rather gulf, on which the town ftands is near 140 miles long, and, in fome parts, 40 in breadth, runniag from fouth to north, and emptying itfelf into the North Sea. ‘There is a bar at the entrance, which is well de- fended by ftrong forts; Sir Henry Morgan pafled by them, plundered feve- ral Spanifh towns on the coafts, and defeated a {quadron which had been fent to intercept him. As the tide flows into this lake, its water is fomething brackith, notwith- ftanding the many rivers it receives. It abounds with all forts of fith, fome of which arevery large. By the navigation of this lake the inhabitants of Vene- zuela catty on a trade with thofe of New Granada. Rio pE ta HACHA. § the capital of a province bearing the fame name, and lies about 40 B leagnes eaft of Santa Martha. "The Spaniards formerly called it Nue/ra Senora de los Nieves, and-afterwatds-De-Jos-Remediose It is fituated on the banks of the Rio de Ja Hacha, near the fea coaft, and upon a little bill. It con- tains not much above 100 houfes. This town has been feveral times taken by the buccaneers, the Spaniards were at laft fo difheartened, thet in 1682 they deferted it, but within a fhort time after fettled here again, and have fince fortified it. In the open country the Indians are free from the Spani/h yoke, though they permit their priefts to vifit them. They fubfift chiefly by grazing their cat- tle, every man marking his own, and thereby fecuring his property ; but as 10 THE COAST OF as to the lands they are common to all, and they have only a property in the ground round their houfes, which is enclofed by a fence. As foon as the Spanifp galleons are feen at this port, expreffes are fent to all the fettlements in the country, to give them notice to prepare their treafure for the fairs of Carthagena and erbs Velo. Its harbour is quite open, and has no defence againit the northern winds. The diftri& of Rio dela. Hacha is very fruitful ; produces much gold and precious ftones, and abounds in falt. Formerly a pearl fifhery was carried on near this towns which brought great riches to its inhabitants. Santa MARTHA, it 40 leagues north eaft from Carthagena, the capital of a province of the & fame name, fituated near the fea, in a very wholefome fpot, and at the foot of one of thofe prodigious mountains which are a part or continuation of the. Cordillera or Andes, whofe fummits are generally hidden in the clouds; but in clear weather, when the tops appear, are covered with fnow. The city was formerly very populous, but is now much decayed, occafioned by the Spani/b fleet’s not touching there, as they anciently ufed to do. The houfes, in general, are built with canes, and covered with palmetto leaves, and fome with pantiles. ‘The governor of the province, together with the other officers, refides here. It is the fee of a bifhop, {uffragan to the metropolitan of New Granada. ‘The inhabitants trade with the Indians in the neighbour- hood, who bring hither earthen ware and cotton ftuffs.. The country round the city produces but few cattle, being extremely mountainous; and the Spaniards who inhabit it are but few. Sir Francis Dreke in 1 525; entirely ruined this town; the next year Sir Anthony Shirley plundered it. In 1630 it was ravaged by the Dutch, and fince has been taken feveral times by our buccaneers, which had fo impove- rifhed the place, that in 1681 they fcarcely thought it worth pillaging. _ Ata league and a half diftant from Santa Martha are large falt-ponds, from whence they extract very good falt, and as it into the neighbouring provinces, ; } Plate 4; if PLAN of the Bay & Town of S™ MARTHA, on the Coast of TIERRA FIRMA, © 1 Mile CT Fn ee is rt — i 1 ‘ee ve ve Plate 4; : a : n i : ; Luge Wo. Fis 8*Pucblo de | us Taganga PLAN of’ the Bay & Town of S™ MARTHA, on the Coast of TIERRA FIRMA. © TIERRA FIRMA. 1 provinces. Between the city and the mountains of the Andes, which are rocky and barren, the land is level, and produces abundance of oranges, . lemons, pine-apples, and grapes. In fome places there are gold-mines, and in others precious ftones of great value. The harbour of Santa Martha is very large and fafe, and covered by two {mall iflands, with very good anchoring ground, and a place very fit for careening vefiels: there is alfo good conveniency for watering of fhips, and cutting of wood. The inhabitants fend their goods to Carthagena. All along this coaft from /a Trinidad to Carthagena there ufed to be pearl fitherics, of which we fhall give the reader fome account, though they are almoft, if not quite difufed. They were, ftrictly {peaking, five; the firft was at Cubagua, ‘a {mall ifland lying between Margarita and the continent ; the pearls here feldom exceeded five carrats, but to ballance this they were found in great quantities. The fecond was at the ifle of Margarita, or Ifle of Pearls, where they found the largeft, fineft, and moft regular of any in the Weft- Indies. The third was the fifhery of Cumanagota, 20 leagues fouth of Tortuga, and 26 leagues fouth-eaft of Cape Blanco, at the bottom of the gulph of Caracas, on the coaft of the Caracas. ‘The fourth fifhery was: that which the Spaniards ftiled La Rancheria, at the mouth of the Rio de fa Hacha. The fifth was the fithery of S'. Martha, at 60 leagues diftance: from the former. ‘The time of fithing is from the month of Oéfober to the month of March, at which time there fail from Carthagena ten or twelve barks, convoyed by fome men of war, ftyled the Armadilla ; and thefe having made their tour, return again to the fame port, which is the centre of the pearl trade. ‘Thefe barks have an admiral, which is ftyled /a Capitana, on. board whereof all the oyfters that are taken in the day are depofited at night. Some of the flaves who are made ufe of in diving will continue under water near a quarter of an hour, and then bring up with them a little bafket of oy- fters. The pearl oyfter, or mother of pearl, as it is ufually called, is three or four times as big as another oyfter, and contains ufually ten or twelve pearls of different fizes. The ripeft and largeft appear firft, the fmaller and rawer lie deeper in the fhell. When the oyfters are brought on fhore, they bury them in the fand, ull, by the heat of the fun, they corrupt and open of themfelves, and the pearls are difcovered ; in fome they findmany in fome few,. Git2 and} 12 T Hk) CO ALM OF and in fome none at all; they are afterwards taken out, cleaned, dried, and then paffed through a kind of fieve, in order to diftinguith their fizes ; fuch as are very finall are fold for feed pearl, and the reft according to their magnitudes—Pearls have been always efteemed; the Indians fet a great value upon them, before any Europeans came amongft them. ‘The beauty and ex-- -cellence of pearls confifts in their fhape and water; thofe that are perfe&tly round are moft efteemed, and next to thefe pear pearls. In Europe we . efteem moft the white or clear water ; but the Indians and Arabians prefer the yellow, provided the pearls be perfectly ripe. The great diftin@ion between oriental and occidental pearl confifts in this, that the latter have a caft of lead in their colour, however ripe or perfect, which abates their - value; and yet Tavernier {peaks of fix pearls which came from the We/- Indies, perfe&tly round and black, which, one with another, weighed twelve carrats, and were efteemed at a high rate. Seed pearls, for the ufe of the apothecaries, are worth about a crown an ounce; fmall pearls, bored, are worth from one to three crowns an ounce; a round ripe pearl of a carrat ‘weight may be worth about ten fhillings; of two carrats about three pounds ; of four carrats about fifteen pounds; and a very perfect pearl of ten carrats, or the largeft fize, is efteemed at about two hundred pounds. When pearls are very perfect, and much above this fize, they have no re- gular price, but are eftimated merely by fancy: thus the fine pearl which the king of Spain has, called /2 Peregrina, which weighs fifteen carrats, or fomewhat lefs, is faid to be worth twenty thoufand pounds. Pear pearls are about a third lefs in value than round. © A'R Tit A GaN Ay I S the capital of a province of the fame name. The bay and the country round Carthagena, anciently called Calamari, were difcovered in 1502, by Roderigo de Baftides. The Indians being naturally a very warlike people, the very women fhared in defending the country. ‘Their ufual arms were bows and arrows, the points of which they fo poifoned with the juice of i certain TIERRA FIRMA. 13 certain herbs, that the flighteft wounds made by them were mortal. Oviedo being, with feveral of his predeceffors, baffled in their repeated attempts, the conqueft of this place, the peopling of the city, and reducing it into a colony and government were compleated by Don Pedro de Heredic, in 1583, From feveral natural advantages, particularly that of its fine fituation, it was raifed into an epifcopal fee. The French invaded it under the condué of a Corfican pilot in 1544. In 1585 this place was taken by Sir Francis Drake, with a body of 2300 land-forces: they kept poffeflion of it fix weeks, and having burnt a part of the city, received 30,000 pounds fterling in fpecie, for the ranfom of the remainder of it. The next year it was fubdued by Capt. Chriffopher Carlifle with goo men, who took from this place above 30 pieces of brafs cannen, befides, other treafure. A very fhort time after five French priva- teers took it again, and carried off a booty worth 150,000 ducats, but burnt the place, which was newly repaired, to the ground. In 1697 the Sieur ce Pointis undertook to plunder it with a fquadron of French men of war, on board of which there were 4,175 men; at St. Domingo he was joined by a {quadron of buccaneers, confifting of fix fhips, and about 1500 men, with- out whofe affiftance, in all probability, he had mifcarried. The place made a vigorous refiftance, but was at length taken, though not without confide- rable lofs to the French. We have various accounts of the plunder which they carried off: but the moft authentic compute it at two millions fterling, at the leaft. Befides what the buccaneers carried off, who, being diffatisfied with their fhare, returned again, and re-took poffefiion of the city, notwith- ftanding the former compofition, {tripping the inhabitants of five hundred thoufand pounds more. Since this time the city of Carthagena has been thoroughly repaired, or rather rebuilt, and better fortified than ever. There are in it five churches befides the cathedral, which is in itfelf a noble ftruGure, its infide being as richly furnifhed, as its outfide is magnificent. There are alfo eleven con- vents, a fine palace for the governor, a fumptuous town-houfe and cuftom- houfe , and a prodigious trade is driven on by the merchants fettled here, efpecially in pearls, emeralds, indigo, cochineal, and other rich goods. As to the number of perfons who inhabit this city, it is not eafy to have an exact account of them; a French officer who was there in 1730, judged there might 14 THE COAST OF might be about twenty-four thoufand perfons ; that is to fay about four thou- fand Spaniards, and the reft creoles, negroes, &c. The city is fituated on a fandy ifland, which forming a narrow paflage on the S. W. opens a communication with that part called Tierra Bomba ; as far as Boca Chica on the north fide, the land is fo narrow, that before. the wall was begun, the diftance from fea to fea was only 30 fathoms, but afterwards the land enlarging by means of the wall, forms another ifland on this fide, and the whole city is, except in thefe two places, which are very narrow, entirely furrounded with water ; it communicates by 4 wooden bridge, with a large fuburb called Xemani, built on another ifland, which ‘is alfo annexed by a wooden bridge to the continent. The fortifica- tions both of the city and fuburbs are conftru&ted in the modern manner, and lined with free-ftone. The garrifon in time of peace, confifts of ten: companies of reguiars, each containing 77 men, officers included, befides feveral companies of militia. ‘The whole city and fuburbs are commanded by the caftle of St. Lazaro, which lies on an eminence, from whence is feen an enchantiug view of the country and coaft to a great diftance. The city and fuburbs are well laid out, the ftreets ftrait, broad, uniform, and well paved. The houfes are moftly built of ftone, and have but one ftory. All the churches and convents are of a proper architecture ; but there appears fomething of poverty in the ornamental part, and fome want what even de- cency might require. Carthagena, together with its fuburbs, is equal to a city of the third rank in Europe. It is well peopled, though moft of its inhabitants are defcended from the ‘Izdian tribes. The governor refides in the city, which till the year 1739 was independent of the military governments. In civil affairs an appeal lies to the audience of Santa Fe; and a viceroy of: Santa Fe being that year created, under the title of viceroy of New Granada, the government of Carthagena became fubje& to him alfo in military affairs. ‘The firft viceroy was lieutenant-general Don Seba/ftian de Eflava, who defended Carthagena againft the Enghjb in 1741. Carthagena has alfo a bifhop, whofe f{piritual is of the fame extent with. the military and civil jurifdictions. The chapter is compofed of the bifhop and @ preside. Here is alfo a court of inquifition whofe power is very extenfive. Befides: As sage rt sk bie HARBOUR 7 CARTHAGENA. eee CIENAGA pz TESCA \\ = TIERRA FIRMA. 1s Befides thefe tribunals, the policy and adminiftration of juftice in the city, © is under a fecular magiftracy, confifting of regidores, out of whom every year are chofen two alcaldes. There is alfo an office of revenue under an accomptant and treafurer, where the taxes and monies belonging to the king are received, and proper iffues directed. A perfon of the law alfo refides here, with the title of Auditor de Ja Gente de Guerra, who determines pro- cefles. Carthagena bay i is one of the beft in this country. It extends two leagues anda half from north to fouth, and has fafe anchorage, though the many fhallows at the entrance make a careful fteerage neceflary. It abounds with great variety of fifh, the moft common are the fhad and turtle;, but it is alfo infefted with a great number of fharks. In this bay the galleons from Spain wait for the arrival of the Peru fleet at Panama, and on the firft E advice of this they fail away for Puerto Velo; but at the end of the fair held at that town, return into this bay, and after victualling, put to fea again im- mediately. Durin~ their «b{ence'the bay is very little frequented ; the coun- try veffels, whiicl, : ily a few bilanders and feluccas, ftay no longer than to careen and fit out for fea. The climate.is very hot from May to November, which is tke winter here; there is almoft a continual fucceflion of thunder, rain, and tempetts ; fo that the ftreets have the appearance of rivers, and the country of an ocean; from this, otherwife fhocking inconvenience, they fave water in refervoirs, as the wells fupply them only with a thick, brackith fort, not fit to drink. From December to .dpril is the fummer here, in which there is an invariable continuation of exceflive heat, which makes the complexions of the inhabi- tants fo wan and livid, that one would imagine them. but newly recovered from a violent fit of ficknefs: yet they enjoy a good ftate of health, and live even to eighty and upwards. The fingularity of the climate occafions dif tempers as peculiar; the moft fhocking is the fever, attended with the black vomit, which moftly affects ftrangers, and rages among the feamen; it lafts about three or four days, in which time the patient either recovers or dies, (for it is very acute) and on recovery he is never troubled with it again. Another diftemper peculiar to the inhabitants is the mal de fan Lazaro, or P leprofy SO ee en ee 6 THE COAST OF leprofy, which is common and contagious: nor is the itch lefs frequent or communicative, and it is dangerous to attempt the cure, when ithas once gained ground ; in its firft ftage they anoint with a kind of earth called Maquimaqui. The Culebrilla, ot little fnake, is particular to this cli- mate, which caufes a round inflamed tumour, that often. terminates in a mortification. Spafims and convulfions are very common here, and frequently prove mortal. ‘The principal trees for fize are the caoba, or mahogany, cafhue, the cedar, the Santa Maria, and the balfam tree. Of the firft are made the canoes, and champagnes, ufed for fifhing, and for the coaft and river trade. The reddith cedar is preferable to the whitifh. The S®. Maria and balfam trees, befides the ufefulnefs of their timber, which, like the others, are com- pact, fragrant, and aed grained, diftil thofe admirable balfams, maria oil, and balfam of To/z, fo called from an adjacent village, where it is found in the greateft quantities. The manzanilla is remarkable for its poifonous fruit ; the antidote is common oil: the wood is variegated like marble. It is dangerous to lie under this tree, for even its droppings fwell the body, which is only cured by repeated ointments and cooling draug!.ts.. The very beatts themfelves avoid the tree by inftin@t, and never approach it. The palm trees are of four fpecies: the firft produce cocos or coco nuts; the fecond dates ; the third, called palma real, avery difagreeable fruit, lefs than the date ; and the fourth, called corozo, a fruit larger than the date, of exquifite tafte, and greatly ufed in making cooling and wholfome draughts. Palm wine is ex- tracted from all the four, which ferments for five or fix days, and is then applied to ufe: it is of a whitifh colour, very rich and racy, and is the fa- vourite liquor of the Indians and negroes. The guiacum and ebony trees are equally common here; being the moft firm and compact of all wood. The fenfitive plant is found in great plenty. The bejuco with, or vine here - bears a fruit called habilla, or bean, very bitter, but one of the moft ef- fe@ual antidotes againft the bites of vipers and ferpents; perfons who fre- quent the woods eat of this valuable habilla, and then are no way ap- prehenfive from the bite, though ever fo venomous. There are feveral - tame animals here as the horfe, cow, and the hog, Gc. the_,fleth of the latter is s faid to exceed the beft in Europe ; while that of the former i is dry and TIERRA FIRMA. 17 and unpalatable, becaufe they cannot fatten upon account of the exceffive heats. Poultry, pigeons, partridges and geefe are very good, and in great plenty. There is alfo plenty of deer, rabbits, and wild boars called fajones. The tigers make great havock among the animals. Here are foxes, arma- dillos, lizards,,.ardillas, fquirrels, and an innumerable variety of monkeys. The bat is very remarkable; for the people being obliged, on account of the heat, to leave their windows open all night, the bats get in at them, and open the veins of any part of the body they find naked, fo that the blood flows from the orifice in fuch quantities, that their fleep often proveth their paflage to eternity. Snakes, vipers, centipes, and all other poifonous rep- tiles are here as common as in other parts. Barley, wheat, and other ef- culent grains of Europe, are little known7; maize and rice, of which they make their bolla, or bread, abound even to excefs. The beft fort of bolla is kneaded with milk. Among the negroes the caflava bread is moft common; it is made of the roots of yuca, yams, and moniatos, the upper fkin of which they ftrip off, and grate the infide into water. There is great plenty of camotes, in trite like Jfaiaga potatoes, ufed both as pickles, and roots with meat. Plantations of fugar canes abound, fo as greatly to lower the price of honey, and a great part of the juice of thefe canes is diftilled into fpirits: they grow fo quick as to be cut twice a year, Great numbers of cotton trees grow here, thofe which are planted and cultivated are reckoned the beft; the cotton of both is fpun, and made into feveral forts of ftuffs for the negroes. j The cacao trees, from which chocolate is made, excel here, and the cho- colate is more efteemed than that of other countries; efpecially the chocolate of the Magdalena, which is highly valued, and by way of diftinétion, in preference to that of the Caracas, is fold by millares,—The cacao nuts of which chocolate is made, are fold by the fanega of 115 pounds, or in fome places 110, except that of Maracaibo, which weighs only 96 pounds. Chocolate is allowed to have thefe four good qualities: firft, it is very cooling ; fecondly, very nourifhing, and of eafy digeftion; thirdly, very proper to repair the exhaufted {pirits and decayed ftrength; and laftly, very proper to preferve the health, and prolong the lives of old men. This is D the 18 | TE Aco A810 F moft valuable treafure which naturé could have beftowed on this country. The fruits peculiar to the country, are the pine-apple, which from ‘its beauty, fmell, and tafte is ftiled ‘by way of preference, the queen of fruits ; the papapays, guanabanas, guayabas, fapotes, mameis, plantanes, cocos, which is a fpecies of the palm-tree, and many.. others. . Le- mions are fcarce; but that defe&t is remedied by a great plenty of limes called here futiles, the juice of which the inhabitants of Carthagena ufe in all their cookeries. As grapes, almonds and olives are not natural here, the country is deftitute of wine, oil, and raifins, with which it is fupplied from Europe; therefore thefe articles.are exceflively dear, and this want fometimes. occafions epidemical diforders among thofe who have been ufed to wine, for being deprived thereof, they often lofe their digeftive faculty. The want of ~ oil is fupplied by hog’s lard, and inftead of lamps they ufe tallow-candles, fo that they want oil only for their falads. Among the nobility and better fort their moft luxurious difh is the agico; which confifts of pork: fried, birds of feveral kinds, plantanes, maize tan and feafonings made of pi- mento or agi. The bay joG Carthagena is the firft place in America at which the galleons are allowed to unload at, and therefore enjoys the firft fruits of commerce, by the public fales made there. Thofe fales, though not accompanied. with all the forms ufed at Porto-Velo fair, are yet very confiderable; for the traders at Santa Fe, Popayan, and Quito, lay out not only their whole ftock, but alfo the monies entrufted to them by commiffions for feveral forts of goods, and thofe {pecies of provifions which are moftly wanted in their re- {pective countries. The two provinces of Santa Fe and Popayan have no other way of fupplying themfelves with provifions but from Carthagena. Their traders bring gold and filver fpecie, ingots, duit, and alfo emeralds ; for, befides the filver mines worked at Santa Fe, which daily encreafe by frefh difcoveries, there are others that yield the fineft emeralds; but the value of thofe gems being at prefent fallen in Europe, and particularly in. Spam, the trade of them, formerly fo confiderable, is now greatly leffened, and, confequently the reward for finding them. All thefe mines produce great quantities of gold, which is carried to Coco, and there pays _ one TIERRA FIRMA, ne ae one fifth to the king. The little fair at Carthagena occafions a great num- ber of thops'to be opened, and filled with all kinds of merchandize, the profit partly refulting to Spaniards (who come in the galleons, and are either recommended to, or are in partnerfhip with the cargadores or traders, who bring European goods) and partly to thofe already fettled in the city. The cargadores furnifh the former with goods, though to no great value, in order to gain their cuftom: and the latter, as perfons whom they have already experienced to be good and honeft dealers, and both in proportion to the quicknefs of their fale. This is a time of univerfal profit; to fome from letting lodgings and fhops,, to fome from the increafe of their refpective trades, and to others from the labour of their negroes and flaves, whofe pay alfo is pro- portionally increafed, as they do more work in this bufy time ; nor is it un- common for thefe laft, from this brifknefs of trade, to purchafe their freedoms and fet up for themfelves. . By the increafe of ftrangers, fometimes to one half of the ufual number of people, the confumption, and confequently the price of provifions and other articles advance ; from which thofe who bring them to market raak* g:. >t advantages. This commercial tumult lafts only while the galleons continue in the bay, to which hurry the tiempo muerto, or dead time, fucceeds. The fmall trade earried on during this calm feafon, confilts of a few billanders from La Tri- nidad, the Havana, and St. Domingo, bringing leaf tobacco, fnuff, fugars, and returning with Magdalena cacao or chocolate, earthen ware, rice, and _ ether goods wanted in thofe iflands, and even of thefe fmall veffcls one is fearcely feen for two or three months together. ‘The fame may be faid of thofe which go from Carthagena to Nicaragua, Vera Cruz, Honduras, and other parts; but the moft frequent trips are made to Puerto Velo, Chagre, or Santa Martha. And the reafon why this commerce is not carried on more brifkly is, becaufe that moft. of thofe places are naturally furnifhed with the fame kind of provifions, and are under no neceffity of trafficking with each other. Another branch of the commerce of this place during the tiempo muerto is carried on with the towns and villages of its own jurifdiction ; from whence are brought all kinds of neceflaries, moftly in canoes, and champanas, a fort of boats very proper for rivers: their returns confift moftly D2 1 OF a Oi dare a eae mre 20 THE, COAST. OF of goods for apparel, which the traders purchafe from the galleons, &c. No eatables pay any duty tothe king, and any perfon may in his own houfe kill any number of pigs he thinks he fhall fell that day, no falted pork being eaten here, the exceffive heat foon corrupting it. All imports from Spain, as brandy, wine, oil, almonds, raifins, pay a duty, and are afterwards fold without any farther .charge, except what is paid by the retailers as a tax for their fhop or ftall. Befides thefe goods which keep alive this flender in- land commerce, here is an office for the affiento of negroes, where they are brought, and as it were kept for pledges, till fuch perfons as want them on their eftates come to purchafe them ; negroes being generally employed in husbandry, and other laborious country works. This indeed gives foie life to the trade of Carthagena, though it is no weighty article. On the eaft fide of the harbour there is a fafe landing-place at Cavalh, about three leagues from Carthagena ; anda pretty good horfe-road in the fummer months to Texar de Gracia, within three miles of Carthagena, from whence is a coach road into the city. Ah rsQ paces from the ‘bottom of the hill of Sz. Lazaro there i: “- the city over a narrow neck of land near St. Catharine's gate, where there is a water to. crofs of about 30 paces over, which generally takes the horfes up to their girths: by this neck of land and the high road above-mentioned are the only great entrances into Carthagena. At Lexar de Gracia, Bofque, Alivia, and /a Quinta there are good landing places, and very fine cifterns for water. The communication by the great road to the city can be cut off by a line from the great lake to the bay, which is about a quarter of a mile, the road is there narrow, and moftly through a wood. In March 1739-40, Admiral Vernon with the Briti/b fleet caft anchor in the open bay, called Playa Grande, before this city, bombarded it, and _ damaged the principal church, the jefuits college, the cuftom-houfe, and beat down feveral houfes, and by a fhell dhrown into ihe Jou baftion filenced a battery. of ten guns; but not having a fufficient force to attempt the total reduction of this place, coafted the fhore towards Boca Chica, and failed to Porto Velo, and reduced fort Chagre; but afterwards being rein- forced by Sir Chaloner Ogk's{quadron, with tranf{ports and troops cons Eng- land, PLAN of the of! References 1, Cathedral Church, la, Sf Domingo . 3 The Jesuits , 4 3° Lherea, 5.S Johns Hospital . 16, S€Austin. \10. 16. SI ofres , \a7, St Lsabedlase, U8, Chambagos . “a. S*Franciss. 20, J'Ds Martyr. 21. S* Lgreatives'y 22. 3 Lukes , 23. SHranctsKavier, 24. SCatharanas, 25. 5! Tago, 20. S! Donango, - RST anes N a [4 50 400 ia - CITY ann SUBURBS CARTHAGENA, oe re ay fede LARA ss oa ae ony i Me Ley % d ¥ 2 Dass if is i Hi Ph ‘ hg ti \ x i Ny ~ eK = 2 NaN we See Zo wr ‘ Ne”. A * 228 ff here, LEE web i a 5 if We, Cy fa fh ~~? ‘ Z prs 2 3 ye SF i, AS AGRE Wy, ren oy ‘net. : Me. opp. 2e eee ) NY v2 * “ul aa pill, st) Pe We = al he ge 2h" OG (iy N Yip. oe, : ¥ 2g Nt t : 2 Ny, Pa oe 2h eao Ujrar o Stage AR Boe, ibe qd 7. Ws seul ; . Mm \ i Crry anp SUBURBS of CARTHAGENA, References |1. Githedral Church, ‘2. Sf Domingo . 4-The Tasutts . p SED heresa:, 5.8 ohins Hospital Se Austin. SY . NYE grate, 28 sae fee ah" ee ee a8 tee 2p. te bask gee 2 te get ae Eh ei Ore, y se, ) yt A K EN ee in Y 2 yy ry pr ehtt. 2tha, AIS ay 128 ct 4. ies Seulpr « no tesergpiapeey ee es q i : WE YERRA), FIR M:A: 21 land, the next year Admiral Vernon and Sir Chaloner Ogle, with the Briti/h fleet and tranfports arrived off this city on the 4th of March, they landed the forces under the command of General Wentworth, who opened the fiege of Boca Chica on the gth, which, aftera great oppofition, was taken on the 25th, when the boom was cut, on which our fhips entered the harbour, and took poffeffion of Ca/lzllo Grande, without oppofition, on the 31ft.—The whole army landed on the sth of 4pri/ near La Quinta, and entered the convent of La Popa without oppofition. On the 8th it was determined to attack the fort of St. Felipe de Baraxas (called by the Engh/h, fort St. Lazar) which commanded the city, and had been reconnoitred by our engineers, who affirmed, that the walls might be eafily efcaladed, as there was no ditch at the foot of it, and that the road leading up the hill to it was broad, and of an eafy afcent, and that there was a wooden door on the left of the fort, which might be forced without much difficulty. Accordingly, before break of day on the gth, the troops began to mount the hill, but that divifion, — which was, by order, to have gone up an open acce”™*»s oad, was, in the dark, by a fatal miftake (as it was faid of the guide) led up the centre, where the afcent is very fteep, and t).c ground broken: fome of the moft forward gained the top, and puthed on to the enemy’s entrenchments, but not being immediately fuftained, by reafon of the great difficulty found in mounting the hill, and that the reft of the platoons advanced flowly with the ftreet- firing, they were moft of them killed or wounded. Soon after day-break it was difcovered that the enemy had aflembled out of the city, upon the hill, a force fuperior to this detachment, and the General, finding it was too late to pufh forward in the attack, ordered them to retreat. In this fkirmith, the Enghj/h loft 179 killed, 459 wounded, and fix taken prifoners. After the mifcarriage of this {cheme, the troops fickened furprifingly fat, and thofe that were killed being efteemed the flower of the army, the Ge- neral declared he was no longer in a condition to defend himfelf, and much lefs to carry on a fiege againit the place, and in a general council of war of fea and land officers held on the 15th, they came to a refolution, upon the General’s reprefentation of the bad ftate of the army, to have the cannon and forces reimbatked with all convenient fpeed, and the 17th in the night all 22 TEE aC OOP er = © F the troops were accordingly taken off the fhore, the fortifications already taken were blown up, and by the 12th of May, the whole fleet and tranf- ports left Carthagena. ! id It was reported in the beginning of the prefent year, that great part of Carthagena was de{troyed by an earthquake in 1761, but as the particulars of that dreadful account are not yet come to hand, we {hall decline faying any more about it, only that we hope it is not true. , ZV SR Pea As Bay, S 25 leagues to the fouthward of Carthagena; feveral branches of the Rio del Sinu enter this bay, in which a fleet of fhips may ride at anchor in five or fix fathom water, fafe from moft winds. Tu: GULF op RIVER oe DARIEN ‘© S very large, but the depth at the entrance is not anfwerable to the width AL of the mouth. About nine leagues to the N. W. from this gulf lies the Golden Ifland; and not far diftant the bay of Caledonia, in which is very good anchorage, and great plenty of excellent water. In 1699 feveral natives of Scotland formed a fettlement here, calling it New Caledonia, and reported that the fertility of the foil, and pleafantnefs of. the place is equal to any in America; that they found a confiderable quantity of gold “in digging the earth, and that many fcore acres of wood-land having been cleared, was, in a few months after, as much over-grown as if no body had been there. This fettlement however was abandoned in the year 1700, through the neglect and mifmanagement of the undertakers, who neither fent-out proper perfons, nor fupplied thofe they did fend with provifions. SA M- | qd “ jijerys Jeu. 1 bs ‘ i ” , = n = = i : ' \ \ H n e ' i} 1 > - = ps ’ 2 f j / = ie ‘? = 5; Sif sis Ta : ; Cowan OF : ORROSQUILLO IG PL, ALIN of ZISARPATA BAY. 6 Y@ del Jato TIERRA FIRMA. 23 MM ALL AcSe Tau aw s, ALLED by the Spaniards, Iflas de San Blas, extending to -a-yvery confiderable diftance along the northern fhore of the ifthmus, with the adjacent country 5 and its hills and forefts, of perpetual verdure, form a lovely profpect from the fea. Thefe iflands lie in clufters, and between moft of them are navigable channels, the fea betwixt them and the fhore being na- vigable for their whole extent, and affording every where good anchorage in firm, fandy ground, with fafe landing either on the ifland or the main. In this long channel a number of fhips may always find fhelter in all winds, fo that formerly it was the general rendezvous for all the privateers on this coaft. Moft of thefe iflands are low, flat, and fandy, covered with a variety of trees, and abounding with fhell-fith of feveral kinds: fome of them alfo a‘ford {prings of frefh water, and convenient places for careening fhips. The lony channel- between the Sggeda//as and the ifthmus, is from two to four sales in breadth, extending from point Samballas to the gulph of Darien: the whole coaft of the ifthmus is full of fandy bays, with many brooks of frefh water. Tux BASTIMENTOS, --RE a few iflands about a mile or two to the weftward of Samballas vay iflands, in the mouth of the bay of Nombre de Dios, and about half a mile, or more, from the fhore; famous now for admiral Hofer’s having con- tinued a long while before them with a Briti/b fquadron fome years ago. Thefe iflands are for the moft part pretty high;.on one of them there is a {pring of very good. water; and all of thém together make a very gocd har- bour ; between them and the ifthmus there is a good entrance in with the fea wind between the eaftermoft ifland and the next to if, and an out-let with the land wind the fame way, this being the chief paflage. N O M- aes B40" Teer 1 Sere Mw US NOMBRE DE’ DIOS, AS deftroyed in its infancy by the Indians of Darien. Some years after it was rebuilt, and the inhabitants maintained their ground till the year 1584, when orders arrived from Pip II. for their removing to Puerto Velo, as much better fituated for the commerce of that country. The place where Nombre de Dios ftood, is in the bottom of a bay clofe by the fea. There is no fign of a town remaining, it is fo over-run with wild - canes. ‘The fituation feems to have been but very indifferent, the bay be- fore it lying open to the fea, and affording little fhelter for fhipping, which was one reafon why the Spamards forfook it, and another, probably, was the unhealthinefs of the country itfelf, it being low, {wampy land, and very fickly ; yet there is a rivulet of very {weet water which runs clofe by the north fide of the town. The mouth of the harbour is very wide, and though there be before it two or three little keys or ‘rocks, yet they afford no great fecurity to it. PORTO BELO, wNamep By THE SPANIARDS PUERTO: VEL O,+ AS difcovered by Chriftopher Columbus in 1507. It ftands about the middle of the narroweft part of the ifthmus, and not above 50 miles from Panama, which is on the other fide. Its fituation is very agreeable, being about a quarter of a mile diftant from the harbour, in a fine plain, watered by three rivulets: there are in it two good churches, a handfome houfe for the governor, an exchange for the merchants, a cuftom-houfe, and a great number of warehoufes. The great church is built of ftone, large, decently © ornamented, and ferved by a vicar and fome other priefts, who are natives of the country ; there are alfo two other churches, one belonging to the Fathers of oe kcAN of PORTO BELO. = 4 RN ( 7 aly? yy Miles TTT \ ns plate 8. Zz PLAN of PporTO BELO. Salmedina shoe EN ra 2 | ; | 3o | 95 f Os | igel Draque 45 8 Jo ad a a8 “if S Pine oa _ at oes Y? de Buensyantur: a a Lay hy Yee <= eG PA-NAM A. 25 J of Mercy, whofe convent ‘is contiguous to it; the other dedicated to Sr. “fuan de Dios, and was intended for an hofpital. ‘The church belonging to the Fathers of Mercy is of ftone, but very mean, and in a ruinous condition ; and the convent fo greatly decayed, that the religious are obliged to live in the town, difperfed in private hou'es. That of &¢. "/uan de Dios, is a {mall building refembling an oratory, and like the other, is in a very ruinous con-~ dition. Its whole community confifts of a prior, chaplain, and another reli- gious, fo that properly {peaking it has no community at all; and the apartment intended for the reception of patients, confifts of one chamber open to the roo: without beds or other neceflaries ; nor are any admitted but fuch as are ab to pay for their treatment and diet: it is therefore of no other ufe than to lodge the fick men belonging to the fhips of war which come hither, and who are provided with neceffaries from the fhips, and attended by their re- {pective furgeons, lodging being the only thing afforded them in this nomi- nal hofpital. At the eaft end of the town in the road to Panama, is a quar- ter-called Guinea, being the place where all the negroes of both fexes, whe-=- ther flaves or free, have their habitations. This quarter is greatly crouded when the galleons are at Porto Velo, ‘moft of the inhabitants of the town re- tiring hither for the fake’ of letting their houfes. At the fame time great numbers of mechanics, who then flock hither from Panama, lodge in this quar- ter for cheapnefs. Porto Velo, which is but very thinly inhabited, becomes at the time when the galleons are there, one of the moft populous places in the world. Its fituation on the ifthmus between the fouth and north fea, the goodnefs of its harbour, and its fmall diftance from Panama, have given it the preference to all other places for the fale of the joint commerce of Spain and Peru at its fair. As foon as advice arrives at Carthagena that the fleet from Peru have unloaded their merchandize at Panama, the galleons make the beft of their way to Porto Velo, in order to avoid the many dif- tempers which affect the feamen, and derive their fource from idlencfs. The concourfe of people on this occafion is fuch, that the rent of lodgings is raifed to an exceffive height, the price of a common chamber with a fmall. clofet during the fair, being often 1000 crowns; and that of fome large houfes 4, 5, or 6000. The fhips are no fooner moored in the harbour, than. i E the: 26 THE Wook BR ws the feamen ere& in the fquare a large tent with the fails, where they depo- fite the cargoes. Thefe bales are drawn on ledges by the crews of the feveral fhips, and the money paid for their labour is equally divided among them all. While the feamen and European traders are thus employed, the roads are covered with droves of mules from Panama loaded with chetts of gold and fil- ver, on account of the merchants of Peru; but notwithftanding the hurry and confufion attending fuch prodigious crouds, no lofs or difturbance is ever known. He who has feen Porto Velo at other times, folitary and poor, the harbour without fhips, and every place wearing a melancholy afpe&, muft be filled with aftonifhment at this fudden change, to fee every houfe crouded, the fquares and ftreets full of bales and chefts of gold and filver, the harbour of fhips and veffels ; in fhort, a fpot at other times detefted for its deleterious qualities, become the ftaple of riches for the old and new world, and the fcene of one of the moft confiderable branches of commerce in the whole earth. The fhips being unloaded, and the merchants of Peru, together with the pretident of Panama, arrived, the fair comes under deliberation: and for this purpofe the denuties of the feveral parties repair on board the fhip be- longing to the commodore of the galleons, where, in prefence of that com- mander, and the prefident of Panama, the former as patron of the Europeans, and the latter of the Peruvians, the prices of the feveral kinds of merchan- dize are fettled, and the contra¢ts are figned and made publick, that every one may by them regulate the fale of his effects ; and by this means all fraud is precluded. The purchafes and fales as well as the exchanges of money, are tranfacted by brokers from Spaz and Peru. After this, every merchant begins to difpofe of his own goods ; the Spani/h brokers embark their chefts of money, and thofe of Peru fend away the goods they have purchafed, by veffels up the river Chagre ; and thus the fair of Porto Velo ends. After all, it is no very confiderable place, exclufive of the trade carried on. there during the fair, for itis an open town,, without either wall or fortification, all the — caftles and forts being intended to protect the harbour only. The air is as unwholefome as that of Nombre de Dios, though there are not fo many marthes about it. The fea, when it ebbs, leaves a vaft quantity of black ftinking OF PANAMA. 27 ftinking mud upon the beach, from whence there exhales an intolerable noifome vapour, which is fuppofed to be the chief caufe of the unwhol- fomnefs of the place. Be that as it will, certain it is, that at every annual fair, near 400 people are carried off by the maladies which reign here ; particularly a kind of peftilential fever, which, caufing a mortification in the entrails, carries off the patient in a fewdays. It is no wonder there- fore, that, except at this trading feafon, Puerto Velo is very thinly inhabited. To fay the truth, there are none refide here but what are obliged to it on account of their employments, either in the army, or in commerce : fo that there are not reckoned in it above 2 or 300 people, befides the gar- rifon. Notwithftanding all the pains taken to fortify it, there are few places which have fallen oftner into the hands of an enemy than Porto Vel. In 1595, before it was half finifhed, it was taken and ranfomed by the famous Sir Francis Drake, who died, and was thrown overboard in the harbour. In 1601, it was taken again by Capt. Parker, though it had then as many forts as it had lately. In 1669 it was taken, after a very obftinate defence, by Capt. Morgan and his buccaneers. In 1678, Capt. Croxom, at the head of another body of free-booters, furprized and plundered the town, though they did not make themfelves mafters of the forts; and finally, in 1739, it was taken, and.all its fortifications demolifhed by Admiral Vernon with fix fhips only, whereby the Spaniards received incredible damage. ‘The anchoring- place for large fhips is to the north-weft of Gloria caftle, near the center of the harbour; but {mall veffels come farther up, taking care to evoid a bank of fand ftretching off 300 yards from S¢.-‘ferom’s point, there being only a fathom and a half or two fathoms water on it. North-weft of the town is a little bay called La Caldera, or the Kettle, having four fathoms and a half water, a very proper place for careening of fhips, being perfectly de- fended from all winds. Among the mountains which furround the harbour of Porto Velo, is one particularly remarkable for its fuperior height, and for being confidered as the barometer of the country, by foretelling every change _ of weather. This mountain, diftinguifhed by the name of Capiro, ftands at the bottom of the harbour in the road to Panama ; its top is always covered E 2 with 28 To gle bE SF al Mt aie S with vapours of a denfity and darknefs feldom {een in the clouds of the at- mofphere ; and from thefe which are called the capil or cap, the changes of the weather are indicated ; for when thefe clouds thicken, increafe in their blacknefs, and fink below their ufual ftation, it is a fure fign of a tempett ; while on the other hand their clearnefs and afcent as certainly indicate the ap- proach of fair weather. It muft however be obferved, that thefe changes are very frequent, and the fummit is hardly ever free from clouds, and when this does happen, it is only as it were for an inftant. The inclemency of the climate © of Porto Velo is well known. The heat is exceffive, being greatly augmented by the fituation of the town, which affords no interval for the current of the winds, that would otherwile refrefh it. The trees on the mountains ftand fo — thick, that they intercept the rays of the fun, and confequently prevent the earth under their branches from being dried, hence copious exhalations, ‘which form large heavy clouds, and precipitate in violent torrents of rain ; but thefe are no fooner over than the fun breaks out afrefh, and fhines with his former fplendour ; though before the activity of his rays has dried the furface of the ground not covered by the trees, the atmofphere is again croud- ed with another collection of thick vapours, the fun is again concealed, and another torrent of rain fucceeds: in this manner it continues night and day without any fenfible diminution of the heat. Thefe torrents of rain, which, by their fuddennefs and impetuofity feem to threaten a fecond deluge, are often accompanied with fuch tempefts of thunder and lightening, as muft terrify the moft intrepid ; efpecially as this dreadful noife is prolonged by re-. percuffions from the caverns in the mountains, and augmented by the howl- ings and fhrieks of the multitudes of monkeys of all kinds that inhabit the adjacent forefts. This continual inclemency of the climate, added to the fa- tigue and immoderate drinking of the feamen employed in unloading the fhips, who, to recruit their f{pirits, have recourfe to brandy, of which there is, on thefe occafions, an incredible confumption, muft jointly injure the beft conftitutions, and produce thofe deleterious difeafes fo common in this coun- try. But it is not the feamen alone who are fubject to thefe difeafes ; others who are ftrangers to the feas, and not concerned in the fatigues, are alfo at- tacked and often carried off by them. The number of the inhabitants of Porto PrN Felo OF PANAMA. , 29 Velo is therefore very inconfiderable, and the greateft part of thefe negroes and mulattoes ; the whites continuing no longer here than they can acquire a moderate fortune, when they retire to Panama to enjoy it; a fufficient proof of the unhealthinefs of Porto Velo, fince it is forfaken by thofe to whom it gave birth. Provifions are fcarce at Porto Velo, and confequently dear, particularly during the time of the fair, when large fupplies are fent from Panama and Carthagena. The only thing in plenty here is fith, of — which there is a great variety, and extremely peed. It alfo abounds in fu- gar canes, fo that the miferable cottages in the country are built with them. Frefh water pours down in ftreams from the mountains, thefe waters are light and digeftive, qualities which in any other pait of the world would be valu- able, but are here pernicious. The country feems to be curfed by nature, fo that what is in itfelf good, is here deftructive ; for this water being too fine and. active for the ftomachs of the inhabitants, produces dyfenteries, the laft ftaze of other diftempers, and from which the patient feldom or never reco- vers. As the foreft almoft borders on the town, the tigers often make incur- fions into the ftreets, during the night, carrying off fowls, dogs, and do- meftic animals ; even children have often fallen a prey to thefe ravenous crea- tures. Serpents are alfo very numerous, and remarkably deftru@tive ; but the number of toads exceeds any thing of that kind hitherto known. When it has rained more than common in the night, the ftreets and fquares in the morning are paved with thefe reptiles ; fo that you cannot ftep without tread- ing on them, which is fometimes productive of troublefome bites ; for, they are not only poifonous, but. large enough for their teeth to be feverely felt. They are generally about fix inches in length, and their number is fo great, that nothing can be imagined more cia than their croakings during the night i in all parts of the town, woods, and caverns of the mountains. CHAGRE, 30 THE ISTHMUS GS TD AAG) Reo &; S fituated on a ftcep rock at the mouth of the Rio de Chagre, diftant about eighteen leagues from Porto Bello. It is defended by the Caftillo de San Lorenzo, which commands the entrance of that river. On the weft fide of the harbour is Fuerte de la Punta, and the royal cuftom-houfe, where an ac- count is taken of all the goods that go up the river. This fort has a com- mandant and lieutenant, which, with the garifon, is draughted from Panama. In 1669 Captain Morgan landed the buccaneers a few miles to the eaft, and befieged Caftillo de San Lorenzo, which the Spaniards defended with great bravery ; for after the Emg/i/b had gained a breach, defended by the governor with twenty-five men, feveral of the Spaniards caft themfelves from the top of the hill, headlong into the fea, choofing rather to die that death, than to afk quarter ; the governor, tho retreating, continued to defend himfelf ; but at laft was killed by a mufquet fhot in the head, on which the reft furrendered prifoners of war, being only thirty left out of three hun- dred and fourteen, (all the officers being killed) and fcarce ten of thefe but what were wounded. The Engh/b had above one hundred men killed and feventy wounded. Captain Morgan having been refufed a ranfom by the governor of Porto Velo for this caftle, took all the cannon, demolithed the walls, and burnt all the buildings, after which the Spaniards rebuilt it with ftone. Admiral Vernon came before this place on the 20th of March 1740, and ordered Capt. Knowles clofe in with the ketches, who inceflantly for two days bombarding the caftle, it furrendered on the 22d to the admiral, | who went on fhore, and found in the cuftom-houfe 4300 ferons and. bags of Guayaquil cocoa, jeluits bark, and Spanifh wool, ready to be fhipped on _ board of the galleons, and entirely deftroyed two guarda cofta floops that were funk juft above the cuftom-houfe. On the 28, the cuftom-houfe (being cleared) was burnt; and the 22 brafs cannon, with part of the garrifon, be- ing embarked, on the 29th the mines were {prung, which entirely demolifh- ed the lower baftion, blew up fome of the upper works, and deftroyed: by fire all the inner building of the:caftle of San Lorenzo. RIO . c late g. PLAN Town, Road, and Harbour of CHAGRE. : CE Oi * Xb af 3 ait a els. Sh ja x 19} cg ANA ac) Hol: é aaa 4 G4 1% ‘ aay a: 4524 et cn 4a Fa er ele 6 Coin ba Gly, OP gi Th NaaKcal (Nig HY AN eo Male Sle xs ots eee f+ £. & 1 Ships were 2 3. PLAN 2 Fee n 2 of the Town, Road, of q foe eulfe. and Harbour CHAGRE. Furlonge OF PANAMA. Sr Tur RIVER’ or CHAGRE, NORMERLY called Rio de Lagartos, fromthe number of alligators in it, has its fource in the mountains near Cruces, where the river begins to be navigable. At the cuftom-houfe here refides an alcalde, who takes an account of all goods fent. this way, to or from Panama. ‘The river here is about 20 fathoms broad, and at the mouth about 120 fathoms over, forming a fine harbour for vefflels to ride at anchor, in 24 fathoms water. At the entrance is a ridge of rocks, feen at low water, on which four fhips of Capt. Morgan’s fleet, that were coming into the harbour after the caftle was taken, were loft; but the men and goods were all faved. This river is navigated by Spanz/b veflels, called Chatas, they are com- monly mounted with two great iron guns, and four fmall brafs ones : thefe veffels not only carry the merchandize up and down this river, but to Porto Velo, and into the lake of Nicaragua. Capt. Morgan, after he had taken the caftle of San Lorenzo, failed up the river Chagre with 1200 men, and artillery in 32 canoes and five boats; on the third day he landed at Cedro Bueno, and marched by land to Panama, where they arrived with their artillery in feven days, after having fought their way thro’ feveral ambufcades. Notwithftanding this exprefs account of the march of thefe adventurers, it appears, by a council of war held on board the Boyne, in the Weft- Indies, 28th Odtober 1741, to be unanimoully agreed by Admi- ral Vernen and the other members of that council, that, from the bef advices they had been able to colle@, it was impracticable to advance with cannon to Panama; and it being a fortified town, wich above forty pieces of cannon mounted on the ramparts, and a fuflicient garrifon, they thought it not practicable to attempt it without. The road to Panama by land from Porto-Bello is at prefent, and will ever remain fo whilft that country is poffefied by the Spaniards, utterly imprac- ticable for the tranfpoiting of cannon. Cannon of any calibre may be brought in flat-bottomed veffels, fuch as are ufed on the river Chagre for See ohdae of heavy goods, as far, as the landing place of Cruzes; from thence to Panama by land, tho’ the road is tu rocky { 32 TE HEy a Se’E EM & Ss rocky and narrow, as not to admit of any fort of wheel-carriage for hes greateft part of the way. However, methods may be ufed to bring up from Cruszes to the plains near Panama, without the leatt delay, any number of cannon and mortars, provided none of them, when difmounted, exceed the weight of soolb. : The few cannon that were mounted on the walls of Panama, in. the year 1740, were brought by fea from the city of Lima. PE a The conveyance of the king’s treafure, and the merchandize from Chif and Peru, landed at Panama, thence to Porto Vel, is performed two ways: the firft is in fummer, by land, which is a journey of about 14 Spanifh leagues, upon mules, through the towns of Maria Enrique, Venta de - Camillilla, Venta de Chagres, San fuan, Pueblo de Indios, Pequem, and Bo- _gueron ; in winter, to Santa Cruz, or Venta de Crizes, on the Rio de Chagre, near five leagues from Panama, from whence it is conveyed down the riverjin flat-bottom boats, in three days, if the ‘water be high, elfe they may be from fix to twelve days, or more, the river being full of fhelves, and very fhallow in fummer-: in this cafe the treafure may be carried through ‘a level country to Embarcadero, on the Rio de la Trinidad, and there em- barked for Porto Velo. Cockburn, in the account of his journey from Panama to Porto Veh, fays that they fet out upon mules about two o'clock in the afternoon, and tra- . velled till about four o’clock the next morning, before they reached a houfe; but had a good guard againft an attack of the Indians at war, or wild beatts. Their guard carried wax tapers in the night, to. frighten the beafts: that the fame day they arrived at the Rio de Chagre, and alighted from their: mules, to dine under fome trees: after refting there two hours, they croffed: — the river, and afcended a very fteep mountain, where it was impofiible for — them to keep on their mules, without clinging faft round their necks. Some’ part of this road.is not above two feet broad, having precipices on each fide: four or five hundred feet deep; fothat-by the leaft flip of a mule’s foot, both itfelf and rider muft be dathed in pieces: by fun-fet they got to an inn, or houfe where travellers are entertained, there being feveral fuch on this road : the next morning they fet out by day-break, and came down to the Rio de , Chagre: hhh I re ro arr oi eT A MAP of the ISTHMUS of PAN Drann from . Spanish Surveys . i I TT TTT ATT th Road de Ottoquillo (ara On Mi 62 i ee a” Page ‘ Lagi Q gto a , : “Mik ; bed ‘ee — on eet 7 | “etme, = 7 ‘ - Ff : 7 - t= | —— a . at ee JsTHMUS of PANAMA, Drann from Spanish Surveys . Jed Leagues, a 3 4 \ aac Perico de Na SG BAY 0% PANAMA Se O.F. PAN AM A. 23 Chagre again, through which they rode a confiderable way over great rocks, though fometimes the water was over the mules backs : from thence they afcended other mountains, and met the river again. Some of thefe mountains have roads about three feet wide, paved with broad ftones by the oor Indians, on whom. the Spaniards impofed this tafk, and being come to a clear fpot of ground, they refrethed themfelves and mules again, and in the evening came to another of thefe houfes of entertainment, which are placed on this road at ten leagues diftance from each other ; a diftance which is thought’a common journey for a mule to travel in one day ; and in- deed it is more than they can well perform, for they never come this way laden with plate, but feveral of them perifh on the road: having travelled thus at the rate of ten leagues * a day, they arrived at Porto Velo on the fourth day after they had left Panama. Thefe different methods of carriage are of vaft utility ; for in the fum- mer the Rio de Chagre is frequently fo low, that boats cannot pafs ; and on the other hand, in the winter, when the navigation by that river is free, the road by land is altogether impaffable. All the country in the vicinity of this river, and indeed the greateft part of the ifthmus, is of {mall value, and little rezarded; the climate being bad, the foil a continued bog, the rivers muddy, and their waters unwholfome. 1 PANAMA. HE firft difcovery of this place the Spaniards owe.to Tello de Guzman, who landed here in 1 515, but found only fome fithermens huts, be- ing a very proper place for their bufinefs, and thence called by the Indians Panama; which fignifies a place abounding with-fth. In 1518, Pedrarias Davila, governor of Lzerra Firma, tettled a colony here; and in 1921 Panama was conftituted a city with the ufual privileges. : The old city of Panama became, by degrees, a very confiderable place ; for, befides a handfome cathedral, there were eight convents, a large hof- F | pital, * Cockburn muft err in this account, by making it leagues inftead of miles, for the ufual road from Puerto Velo to Panama by land is only 14 leagues; and there is yet a nearer way thro’ the woods, which none are permitted to go, except expreiles for the government. Be PGT EDs oe Me UPS pital, and feveral fine buildings; but as for walls, they had none; all the fortifications for the defence of fo important a place were two forry redoubts, one on the fhore, and the other fronting the road to Venta Cruz, mounted with 6 pieces of cannon each. In 1669 it was taken by the famous Sir Henry Morgan, who burnt it to the ground, having loaded 175 beafts with the treafures he took. The Spanzards fay it contained about 6000 houfes, moft of them built of rofe-wood and many of them more magnificent than any other in the Indies. New Panama was built four miles weft from the ruins of O/d Panama, and is a very fair city, feated clofe by the fea-fide. It gives name to.a large bay, which is famous for a great many navigable rivers running into it; fome whereof are very rich in gold. Inthe bay are feveral fmall iflands, equally pleafant to the eye of a {peCtator, and profitable to the: proprietors. On the land fide Panama is encompafied by a pleafant country, full of fmall hills, verdant vallies, and fine groves.of trees, which appear like iflands in the Savanas. The city is furrounded by a ftrong and high ftone-wall, well mounted on all fides with brafs cannon, and defended by a large garrifon of regulars. It has a cathedral, eight parifh churches, and thirty chapels. The prefident’s palace is a very grand building; and all the public edifices being built with ftone, may be juftly fiyled fo, confidering where they ftand. The houfes have but one ftory and a tyled roof. With- out the walls is an open fuburb, larger than the city itfelf. The ftreets, both of the city and fuburb, are ftrait, broad, and, for the moft part, paved ; the houfes in general were of a wood which was feldom known to burn, till this city was almoft deftroyed by fire in 1737, the virtue of the timber being unable to fecure it from the ravages of the flames. The fire began in a cellar, where, among other goods, were great quantities of pitch, tar, naptha, and brandy; fo that the fire being, as it were, faturated © with thefe fubftances, foon reachéd the walls, and even this fingular kind of wood became a prey to the devouring flames. The fuburbs, being above a mile from the city, received no damage. Since this misfortune it~ has been rebuilt again, for the greater part of ftone, a material for building here very plenty. In this city is a tribunal, or royal audience, in which _ the Ay OF PANAM A. | 35 the governor of Panama prefides ; and to this employment is annexed the captainfhip of Tierra Firma, a prefident, four counfellors, a provoft, anda procurator general; an auditor of accounts, a treafurer, and a commif- fary general; a corporation compofed of alcaldes and regidores, and a court of inquifition appointed by the tribunal at Cartagena. ‘The convents are thofe of the Dominicans, Francifcans, Auguftines, and fathers of mercy ; be- fides which there is a college of jefuits, a nunnery of the order of Santa Clara, and an hofpital of Saz Sibi de Dios. ‘The flender revenues will not admit of their being very numerous; nor are the ornaments of the churches re- markably Hee though far from being contemptible. , The decorations of private houfes are elegant, but not coftly, though this city is not defti- tute of wealthy inhabitants ;- and all have a fufficiency. Cockburn, who was at this city in 1732, fays it ftands very pleafantly on a high hill, clofe by the fea, and is of great extent, having feveral well built churches and convents init. ‘The houfes are large, and handfomely built of timber ; the inhabitants numerous, and moft of them very rich: they drefs exceedingly fine, the ladies wearing the moft coftly goods that can be brought from Europe, having their hair curioufly dreffed, and adorned with damon and other precious ftones. The place abounds with money, but all things are excefiively dear, the leaft coin that paffes here, being half a real of plate, which is three-pence half-penny Engh/b money. The harbour of Pazama is formed by the fhelter of feveral iflands, where ' fhips lie very fafe at about two and an half or three leagues from the city. The tides are regular, and it is high water at the full and change, about three o'clock. The water rifes and falls confiderably, fo that the fhore, lying on a ‘gentle flope, is at low water left dry to a great diftance. The trade is very confiderable, it is the port where the fhips from Lima, Guayaquil, &c. unload the treafure fent to O/d Fe Spain, and the ftaple for the goods brought up the Rio de Chagre. This commerce is of the greateft advantage to the inhabitants, with regard to letting out their houfes, mules and negrces, and the freight of vefiels : but this Is not rene whole of its commerce, Panama, even during the abfence of the armadilla, is never without ftrangers, it being the thoroughfare for all going re and 36 Tbe 1. SA EM Ys and coming from Peru by the South Sea, for Spain ; to which muft be added the continual trade carried on by the Peruvian fhips, which bring variety of goods, as mealof different forts, wine, brandy, fugar,.tallow, leather, olives, oil, andthe like. The fhips from Guayaquil bring cacao, and je- fuit’s bark, which always meet with a quick exportation here, efpecially in - times of peace. The coafting veffels which make frequent trips from the ad- jacent ports fupply the city plentifully with provifions, the dearnefs of which in this city and its diftri&t, occafioned by the large quantity confumed, and the great diftance from whence they are brought, is amply compenfated by the multitude and value of the pearls found in the oyfters growing in its gulph. The firft to whom the Indians made this valuable difcovery, was Ba/co Nunez de Balboa, when in his voyage from Panama to make farther difcoveries, in the fouth fea, he was prefented with fome by Tumaco, an Indian prince ; at prefent they are found in fuch plenty, that there are few perfons of fub- ftance near Panama, who do not employ all, or at leaft part of their flaves in this fighery. ; | There are neither woods nor marfhes near Panama, but a fine dry cham- pain country, little fubject either to fogs or mifts. The rainy feafon lafts here from May to November ; but the rains are by no means fo heavy as on the other fide of the ifthmus; and yet even here they are very unwholfome to all but the natives, or fuch as have dwelt very long inthe place. As this is the great centre of commerce from Peru and Chih, fo the merchants who live at Panama are generally {peaking rich, and the port is never without a ccnfide- rable number of fhips in it ; nay, there is generally an armadilla, that is, a {quadron of {mali men of war either lying before it, or cruizing in its neigh- bourhood.. Moft of the towns and villages in the province of Panama, are - fituated in fmall plains along the fhore, the reft of the country being cover- ed with fteep and craggy mountains, uninhabited on account of their fteri- lity. ‘This province contains three cities, twelve villages, and a great num- ber of rancherias, or villages of Zxdian huts. It has alfo feveral gold mines, but they are greatly neglected, the Spantards chufing rather to apply them- felves to the pearl fifhery than the mines, as it affords a more certain profit, and at the fame time is followed with much greater eafe. The : FOE. BL ASN’ AM Ay s ‘The method made ufe of by the Spaniards for obtaining gold out of the rivers, of which there is greater plenty in this audience, and in the mines of Santa Maria not far off, than within the fame fpace in any other part of Mw Spain, or perhaps in the whole world, is as follows: From the mountains in the midft of the ifthmus there roll down feveral 1i- vers, with a ftrong and rapid current, during the rainy feafon efpecially, and . then tear away part of the foil, and with it abundance of gold, which afier- wards is, with confiderable pains, feparated therefrom. The Indians are ge- nerally employed in this work, as alfo the flaves of the Spaniards, that is, the negrocs ; the latter make about five fhillings a day; but the former, who fell ies they get at a price agreed on, get confiderably more. They take the mud up in litde wooden difhes, and after {uffering it to fettle, they wafh from ‘it as much of the black earth as they can ; eens it 1s put up into certain bafons, called by the Spanzards lavaderos, which are placed under a pipe or {pring of running water, and is ftirred with an iron {patula, that as the wa- ter pafles through, it may be the better able to carry off the fand or earth : after it has gone through this operation, it ftill retains its black colour, but the increafe of its weight, in proportion to the quantity that is Icft, fuftici- ently indicates that all this pains is not taken without anfwering fome end, This black earth is next thrown into broad wooden difhes, tibligin in th middle, like a butcher’s tray, but not fo deep; there, by repeated wathings and rubbings, the black earth is entirely cleanfed away, and a fhining eal fand is found at the bottom. ‘Though there feems to be a great trouble in this method, yet it is much the eafieft and the cheapett way of coming at the gold, for there is neither a fourth part of the labour, nor of the expence in thus feparating the grains of gold from the foil, thac there mult be ‘ufed in extracting it from the ore. In the dry feafon they work at the mines of Saita Maria, which lie not far from Panama, and are exceedingly rich. It was taken in 1684, by our buccaneers, and more than once fince ; nay, Da: ani pier tells us they had fome thoughts of fettling there, and thinks they might have done it in fpite of all the force the Spaniards had in Peru. ‘They were tempt- ed to thefe thoughts by jfeeing the mines abandoned by the Spaniurds, as they were for a long time, and by the quaniities of gold, wnich, from their owa experience 38 0 aR etree iM Us experience they knew them to yield. For the obtaining of gold from the mine, they firft of all break to pieces the mineray or marcafite which holds it; and then conveying it to the mills, it is ground into a powder as fine as can be imagined: this powder being put into wooden-veflels, together with a proportionable quantity of quickfilver, is there wrought into a patte ; which, after being expofed to the fun for forty-eight hours, is wafhed in a particular manner, till there is nothing left but the quickfilver and gold; and then the latter is feparated from the former by diftillation. Such as are verfed in this kind of bufinefs diftinguith three’ kinds of gold: the firft is called pepitas, which is an Indian word, though ufed by the Spaniards, and fignifies the feeds of an apple. They ufe this to diftinguifh the pure gold, which is either found in the rocks, or wafhed down by the rivers, alread formed into little lumps, which need no refining; thefe are of feveral fizes, from the bignefs of a large pin’s head, to that of a goofe’s egg. The fecond is the grain gold, obtained by wafhing only. The third is ingots, caft out — of gold, refined by the help of fire. “The inhabitants of Panama are faid to have gained formerly, by the methods before mentioned, fome thoufand — pounds weight of gold in a year; but of late, though the mine has not been difcovered above eighty years, the quantity is confiderably decreafed. Throughout all America the king of Spaz receives for his duty a fifth of the filver, and a.twentieth of the gold: this duty is called the cove, and when it is once paid, the remainder belongs to the fubject ; for he who finds a mine, and will be at the charge of working it, is the abfolute pro-— prietor, and has all the encouragement given him that he could with. But this is a fmall article in the profits of the inhabitants of this rich city, who drive on a prodigious commerce, both in North and South America. As foon as ever the galleons enter the port of Carthagena, an exprefs is difpatched over land to Panama, from whence he pro- ceeds by fea to Lima. In the mean time all the neeceflary preparati- ons are made for conveying the treafure, from Panama to Puerto Velo. The viceroy of Peru, on the other hand, makes all imaginable difpatch in fending the Lima fleet, efcorted, by an armadilla, or fmall fquadron of men of war, to Panama, where, as foon as they arrive, they are unladen, and OF. PA NODA MA.’ 39 and the goods forwarded for Porto Velo. The Lima fleet then fails to Perico, which is the port of Panama, at a {mall diftance from that city, and there wait the return of the European goods from Puerto Velo, by the fame carriage their’s was fent thither ; and having taken this on board, they immediately fail away for Lima. | i Although the neighbourhood of Panama be pretty well cultivated, yet the reft of the audience is but very thinly inhabited ; neither are there any to- lerable ports after you have paffed the bay of St. Michael, till you come to cape Corrientes; though there are many rivers which fall into the fea along the coaft. What is ftranger fill, this country is abfolutely in the hands of the natives, with whom the Spanzards {fometimes trade for gold, almoft all of them bringing down more or lefs ; but they have no command over them, and are fo much afraid to truft them, that they never attempt to fend % much as one exprefs by land from Panama to the audience of Quito. MEXICO, oe NEW. SPAIN, N the broadeft part on the frontiers of New Mexico, extends from the gulf of Calfornia on the weft, to Louifiana on the eatt, about two hundred leagues, and narrows by degrees till it comes near the bay of Campeche, where it is but 35 leagues over, after which it diminithes fo much, that near the ifthmus of Panama, the moft weftern extent, is but ten leagues over. The extent of the northern coaft of New Spain, in the gulf of Mexico, meafures by the fea coaft above one thoufand leagues. : The air is generally reckoned extraordinary wholefome, and is very tem-= perate, being qualified with refrefhing fhowers in the hotteft months, and cool breezes from the fea all the year. It produces many forts of grain, fruits, and herbs; rich mines of gold and filver; and its {pacious plains afford the beft of pafturage : the principal commodities are wool, cotton, {ugar, filk, cochineal, feathers, honey, balm, amber, falt, tallow, hides, tobacco, ginger, and diver medicinal drugs. This ? 40. THEE AC OVA ST OF Guatimala. This large and pleafant country was a great flourithing monarchy for {e- veral ages, governed by its own kings (chofen from their greateft captains} till 1521, when it was entirely conquered by the Spaniards under Ferdinando Cortez ; fince which it has remained fubje& to the crown of Spain, and. is - governed by a viceroy. The inhabitants are a mixture of Chriftians and Pagans ; for many of the natives {till retain their heathenith worthip, though the Spaniards take great pains to convert them tothe church of Rome. They are reckoned very docile, civil, and fteady in friendfhip ; many of them are very ingenious in painting and making very lively pictures with divers coloured feathers of little birds called cireons, and fome are {aid to be good muficians. < ind Mexico is divided into three audiences or governments; which, though all under the infpection of the viceroy of Mexico, have each a fovereign court, to decide all matters whatfoever, civil or criminal : and this is fo ordered for the eafe of the people, who elfe would be obliged upon all fuits to repair to the city of Mexico from the remoteft parts. ‘Thefe audiences are, Guaparayara, or New Garzicia, the moft northern. 2. Mexico. 3. Guatimata, the fouthermoft, which, as it joins to Tierra Firma, and we continue to proceed from eaft to weft, fhall be firft defcribed. GUATIMALA, ONTAINS the provinces of Chapa, Soconufco, Guatimala proper, Vera Paz, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cofia_ Rica, and Veragua. -VERAGUA is the leaft province in the audience of Guatimala; and en- joys an advantageous fituation for commerce, having many ports in the South-Seas. The climate is not to be boafted of ; its foil very indifferent ; the Se Ge ciiats, MEXICO,.OR NEW SPAIN. 41 the country being mountainous, and overgrown with woods, affor ding very little either of arable or. pafture- -lands ; ; is then it abounds in what the Spaniards efteem much more than-even the neceflaries of life ; ; that is gold, of which there is more in this little province than in all New Spain betides, chiefly got out of the rivers, after rains or ftorms. This province was fettled as a reward of the extraordinary merits of the great admiral Chriftopher Columbus, the difcoverer of this part of the world, and was granted not only to him, but to his pofterity, in propriety with the title of dukes, which they hold to this day, and are of the'richeft families of Spain. Trinipap, by fome miftakenly called Veracua, is only an ifland: the trade of this place proceeds from the working of the neighbouring mines, where the flaves are compelled to dig and wafh the earth in the adjacent rivers, in which bits of gold are often found, as big.as peas. ConcePTion, is both a rich and large city, ftanding not far from the coaft of the North Sea. Here refide the governor and others of the king’s officers. SanTA Fe, is near the centre of this province: here the king of Spain keeps officers for cafting and refining the gold which is produced in the mines near this town. It has been thought very praCticable to make a defcent on this coatt, “aw _even to take the city of Conception, during a war with Spain. COS Ba RICA, or tote RICH 'C OAST: ‘HE climate of this province is far from being good, and its foil is worfe, being mountainous, barren, and woody ; which defcription ilk fuits with its name ; but thefe places received their appellations when they were firft 42 Tie “COAS T+0 F Audience of firft difcovered, and of courfe acquired fuch denominations as fuited beft with the notions of thofe who impofed them. The reafon they call this Cofta Rica was, becaufe its inhabitants were poffeffed of a great deal of gold, and parted with it freely : whence the Spanzards concluded they procured it without diffi culty, and that there was abundance of it in this country : however they were in fome meafure deceived ; for as the gold was chiefly taken out of their rivers, {o the quantity decreafed in proportion as the people diminifhed, whowere wont to fearch for it ; a work which none of the Indians ate much inclined to now. Mines however there are in this country, both of gold and filver, though not fo rich as formerly. The only place of note in this province is the Rio de Sucre, called by the Enghfb the Sugar River, fo named from the many fugar works ereéted on it: the country through which it runs produces great plenty, which the Spaniards chiefly confume in {weet-meats and preferves. CARTHAGE, which is the capital, is feated in the heart of this province, about midway between the North and South-Seas. It is a bifhop’s fee, and has a Spani/h governor : the merchants refiding here are efteemed rich, and are faid to carry on their trade by land to Panama, and by fea to Puerto Velo, Cartha- gena, and the Havana. Ni LGA Riaee UA \HIIS province extends from the North to he South-Sea. The air is the beft and cleareft in the whole kingdom of Mexico, and the foil moft excellent : it abounds with corn and with fruits, as alfo with very fine , timber: wax, cordage, tar, and fugar are the principal commodities it af- fords. One may guefs how pleafant and plentiful a country this is, by its being called the Paradi/e of Mahomet. What adds much to its beauty is the © noble lake of the fame name, which is near 130 leagues in circuit, and ex- tending within 20 miles of the South-Sea. This lake runs into the North- Bie ere Sea Guatimala. - MEMEO, OR CME W SPAIN. 43 fea by a canal, which is narrow and full of bars and fhoals; near the mouth of it, where it is not above a mile over, is the caftle of Sr. ‘Fobn, about 50 leagues from Granada that commands the channel. This lake abounds with fith, which are fo much the better, on account of its having a flux and reflux, like the fea. The navigation of the lake is managed by flat-bottom boats built at Granada, that trade to Puerto Velo and Carthagena, but in-a very tedious, tho’ not dangerous manner, chiefly on account of idlenefs and want of applica- tion in the Spaniards, who, from being very a¢tive and vigorous as they were when they firft fettled in this country, are now become flow, cautious, and fo wedded to their own opinions, that cuftom is always a ftronger argument than reafon. It is faid confidently, perhaps not without truth, that there is a great deal of fmuggling carried on by the help of this navigation, which certainly might be ufed to a much better purpofe than it is, if the poffeffors of this country were of the fame difpofition with other nations. But becaufe the river, which iffues from the lake, and falls by three mouths or channels into the North-Sea, is interrupted with cataracts, they trouble not themfelves about it, as they are afraid, if they fhould take pains to remove thefe difficulties, and to open a commodious poft on this fide, it might in- vite enemies to think, not only of plundering, but of taking poffeffion of it ; to prevent which, the inftru@tions from the king of Spaz to the governor of Sf. fobn'’s caftle is, not to permit any Briti/h fubje& to pafs either up or down this lake, for the Spaniards fay, if once the Engl/b come to a knowledge of the importance and value of this lake, they will foon make themfelves matters of this part of the country. Leon, the capital city of the province of Nicaragua, is large and populous ; it {tands at the edge of the lake, 20 miles diftant from the South-Sea. The plain in which it is feated is fandy, furrounded on every fide with fine meads. The houfes are not high built, but ftrong and large, with gardens about them; their walls ftone, and they covering pantiles. It is the fee of a bifhop, (under the archbifhop of Mexico) who has a cathedral and palace, and likewife the refidence of a Spani/h governor, appointed by the viceroy of Mexico. Here G 2 are 44 TH Bf eCeO0S TO OF _ Audience of are five monafteries, and three parith churches. In 168 5 it was taken and plundered by our buccaniers under the command of Swan and Townley who burnt it to the ground ; but it has fince been rebuilt and fortified ; it et a port on the South-Sea, called Rialexa, which ftands in a plain, by a {mall river, and ferves not only for carrying on the trade of Lon, but of Guatimala. GRANADA isa City fituated on the eaft fide of the lake of Nicaragua, is very large, has three churches, with feveral convents, and a numerous clergy ; this city, which is about 25 miles from Leon, is more populous, and much better built of the two; and is withal a place of far greater trade, as having the conveniency of fending goods by the lake to Cartéagena and other places ; it is defended by a caftle, and as much frequented as any city in the Spanifh territories. It was taken in 1686 by the French and Englif{h free-booters, who plundered and fet fire to it. HW O-NYDAUARG AS, | S the largeft province in the audience of Guarimala, extending from eaft to weft above a hundred leagues in length, and near fourfcore in breadth. Though the Spaniards claim this country, the Englj/h have been long in» poffefiion of the logwood tract.in the bay of Honduras, cutting large quan- tities of it there every year ; and the Mufguito Indians, to the eatt of this pro- vince, have entered into treaties wih the Exgi/p, and received them with great friendfhip into their country. The air is extremely fruitful: it a- bounds with corn, both European and Indian ; its paftures are rich and fine, and maintain vaft quantities of cattle. The rivers of this province, moft of them, overflow like the Nz, and contribute thereby to the richnefs of the foil. Its principal commodities are cotton, wax, Vigonia wool, logwood, &c, befides gold and filver, of which antiently there was more than there is now, the Indians in this province being worn out, and with them the mines alfo. It produces great quantities of extraordinary large gourds, or calabafhes ; which Guida, MERLE O,.OR) NEW SPAIN 45 which the Hifpaniola Indians call Hibueras ; and the firft difcoverers, feeing many of them float along the coaft, called it Go/fe de Hibueras, and the pro- vince itfelf Hibuera: yet afterwards, finding very deep water at the great cape of this country, they called it Cabo de Honduras, i. e. the promontory. of the depth, and the country itfelf Honduras. The vineyards bear twice a year; for immediately after the vintage, the vines are cut again, and the fecond grapes are ripe b:fore Cérifimas, The ancient inhabitants, being extremely flothful, fowed fo {paringly, that they were often in want, and forced to feed on roots, and even on vermin and carrion. The country was once exceeding populous, till it was thinned by the Spaniards. ‘The natives, inftead of a plough, ufe a long pole with two crooked ftaves at the end; the one bent downwards, the other upwards. The eaft part of this province is poflefied by the Mo/quitos, which we fhall here defcribe. The MusquiTos isa fimall nation of Indians, never conquered by the Spa~ niavds ; the country being fo fituated as to render any attempts againft them impraQicable : for they are furrounded on all fides by land with moraffes, or inacceffible mountains ; and by fea with fhoals and rocks ; befides they have fuch an implacable hatred to the Spamiards, for their inhumanity and cruelty in deftroying many millions of their neighbours, that they would never have any correfpondence with them; for whenever they fent any miffionarics, or other agents, amongift them, they conftantly hide them, 7. e. put them to death. They call the Spanzards in derifion, little breeches, and reproach the Englifo with folly in releafing them when taken prifoners of war. Notwithftanding this, they are a mild inoffenfive people, of much morality and virtue, and will never truft a man who hath once deceived them, or for- feiced his word. | : None of them have more than one wife, with whom they never part, un- lefs for adultery, which is very feldom known amongft them; and fo great a regard is fhewn to thofe who are married, that precedence is always given to them, even from the elder to the younger, if the latter happens to ke married and the other is not. They inhabited. It is a bifhopric which was removed in 1558 from Truxillo ; is 46 THES GAS §O.r Audience of They have no kind of vice amongft them, nor any occafion for magi- {trates to decide differences, and preferve the peace. They have fome notions of a fupreme being, and pay their adorations to the fun, which they fuppofe influences every thing, and governs the world. They likewite ufe a ceremony in the burial of their dead, who are fewed up in a mat, and not laid in their grave length ways, but upright on their feet, with their faces dire@ly to the eaft. When the duke of Albemarle was governor of Famaica, the Mufquitos put themfelves under the proteétion of the crown of Great-Britain, and their king received a commiffion from his grace under the feal of that ifland. They have ever fince been fteady in their alliance with the Exgij/b, and very ufeful to them on many occafions. When the king dies, the next male heir goes to Samaica, with three or four principal men, to certify that he is next in blood, and receives in form a commiffion to be king of the Mu/guitos; and till this is obtained, he is not acknowledged by them, though after all, he is little more than a nominal king unlefs they are at war, having no revenues, and very few prerogatives ; being obliged, in time of peace, to fifth and fowl for the fupport of himfelf and his family. He hath indeed fome diftin@tion fhewn him, and now and then prefents made him by the governor of “famaica, and the Engli/h traders, who frequently touch there. Neither hath he any guards; and yet we never heard of any plot, rebellion, or infurre@ion in that kingdom. The Mu/quitos have a very great affection for the Brith nation; and are fo fond of every thing that belongs to us, that they are never eafy till they have obtained an Engh/h name. Our feamen give the common people fuch chriftian and firnames as they think pro- per; and their war captains, or great men, the titles of fome of our principal nobility. VALADOLID, called by the Indians, Comayagua, is the principal city in the province of Honduras. Yt ftands on a river at the diftance of eighty miles from the fea, and is pleafantly feated in a valley, and for a Spamifh inland city well - the ‘ Guatimala. MEXICO, OR NEW SPAIN. 47 the refidence of the governor of the province, and the place where the filver is refined, which is dug in the adjacent mountains. ‘The country adjacent - _ produces fine cotton, and as fine wool on the backs of their fheep. St. Jaco, or ST. Grorcs DE OLANCHO, is fituated in a delightful valley on the eaft of the river Xagua, feventy miles from the bay: it is faid, that formerly this town was inhabited by 4000 Spaniards, who had with them 6000 tributary Indians, but when captain Cook was here, the Spani/b families were reduced to 40. This town was plundered and deftroyed by the buccaniers. Pe OAL Ee LA, TORMERLY ftood about a league from the bay, between two rivers, k _ the mouths of which, with fome iflands, formed the harbour ; which, by fome, was called the port of Truxillo, by others St. Giles’s bay, and was defended by a caftle. It is faid to be the only harbour on this coaft capable of trade. In 1588 the bifhops fee was removed from this town to Valla- dolid. thas been frequently attacked by the Exgli/b and Dutch, the Jatter of whom, in 1663, took the caftle, and carried their plunder to a watch- houfe on the fhore ; but a fire broke out in the city, which in a few hours reduced two thirds of it in afhes, blew up the magazine, and confumed great part of their booty. ‘The town afterwards was attempted to be rebuilt, but could never recover its trade; fince which it is reported to have been deftroyed by an earthquake. The country abounds with Indians: there are but very few Spaniards, and but little if any remains left of this once popu- leus city. ; DUE Rat O 48 | THE COAST OF ___ Andience of P UyER TO) one VAL OLS it a {mall town, on the eaft fide of the entrance into the Golfo Dolce; it was heretofore a famous port of the city of Guatimala, to and from which all commodities were carried on horfeback, by a road cut through the rocks, from whence fome think it had the name Cavallos, i. e. horfes ; but d’ Acofia derives it from a ftorm here, wherein the Spaniards were obliged to throw their horfes overboard. Captain Newport, an Engh/hman, arriving here in 1591, found a confiderable booty; but the town was deferted by the Spaniards, who had magazines here for the goods that were brought from the inland parts, which were burnt together with the town; and the place being taken fix years after by Capt: Shirley, the Spaniards removed the trade to Amatique, where they built and fortified the village of St. Thomas de Caftilla, a very {trong place in the province of Vera Paz. SAN FERNANDO pp OMA O, S fituated near the entrance of the Golfo Dolce, in 1 5 desraes 18 minutes north latitude. This place has lately been fortified by the Spaniards, with an intent to curb the Mu/guite-men on the one hand, and the Logwood- cutters and bay-men on the other. It is a very good harbour, with fafe anchorage from the north and eaft winds, in eight fathom water. ‘The plan of this port was drawn by lieutenant Young of the Viper-/loop a few years _ ago, fince which they have ereted a fort. THE ~~ Plate 1, } : Lage 4é. 5 92 ZF Lis GE a 0. ss ‘ | Ie: Af a of, oo, af #, o 2 | of the HARBOUR of : a SAN HERNADO de OMOA. PLAN | | T Cy al, T jeiferys seulp . J jo : ms © a . . 7 ’ i a ; : | i : = ‘ t yr ~ + \ : 4 a ' A : : { ’ Lt i 7 . 1 i , a : rT fe : rs > — ye oe mie, |< 5 ad Lage 48. — 2 2 eke ae 29% La R2% of oo aR x - ° 2292 99 gol FF sf POR ake oo ke a eee rg iad = sine ap Boe Hoes Magy" st R BR go 8 P99) ee 8 Boon ee B20. 829 ao 122 292 2 2 a 4 2290 So atee $22.5 Qa ANS qi Ne Nt A it Al ‘ ‘ \\ | a 22 f a i j 2 S AS 7 12 ae \\ NW \ i = iS i 8 PLAN of the fe i HARBOUR | of | a 7 SAN FERNADO de OMOA. | Bf ‘'athoms | 5° 100 3 300 | ~ —! TZ, Vaperys vad. * ‘raw lhe > Guatimala. MEXICO, Oe NEW TS PAIN. ™ We UR Abe Lov, Ei ONE DOU RA 6) are feveral {mall iflands, formerly ufed for the pearl fifhery: but fewer pearls are now found here, and thofe not. fo large as formerly, that fithery in a manner being difufed. The cutting of logwood being fo much complained of by the Spaniards, and affigned by them as a juft provocation for their depredations onthe Engijh, : [ S noted for the oreat quantities of logwood that are cut there. In this bay before the commencement of the late war, we fhall here give a brief account of it. é The country where the Egli/h cut their logwood, is alla flat, and a great ~ part of ita morafs, with feveral lagunes, which are very often overflown. In the dry feafon, when the cutters have found a good number of trees, they build a hut near them, where they live. After cutting down a tree, they chip off the bark, and lay it in heaps, marking paths to each, that when the rains come which overflow the ground, they are as fo many channels where they ‘ go with fmall currents and land them, bringing them fometimes thirty miles to the Barcaderas, whence the buyers fetch it at five pounds a ton, Famaica money. During the floods, the cutters dwell at the Barcaderas, which are 42 miles up the river, where they have huts built on high banks to fecure them from the waters. As foon as they have notice of any veffels arrival at the mouth of the river, they flock down to purchafe whatever they want. The cutters of logwood were originally fettled in the bay of Campeache ; but having been difturbed by the Spaniards, removed to the bay of Honduras, where they fupport themfelves by force of arms, being about 1500 in number, “matters and fervants. At the feafon they follow the wood, which runs in a ‘line of fome miles, like a vein of minerals in the earth ; and fometimes they run over a great many miles, without finding a ftick of it. The fhips that “come into the bay are always on their guard; for they fetch the logwood down in flat-bottom boats in the night, and take it on board in the day, But the neck of this trade has been broken in the bay of Campeache, fince “the year 1722, when five Spani/h frigates took or burnt twelve Exgii/h thips =] 1 ie belonging 50 oT aE CO Ay Sy T 4 iO xk Audience oF belonging to the northern colonies, deftroyed all the logwood they had cut, and put the cutters to the fword. Some trees of the logwood grow very tali and ftrait ; though moftly low and crooked. ‘They bear a {mall leaf, and have a prickly underwood like our white thorn in both thefe refpeéts. It bloffoms and bears feed ; which, by falling off, fows the ground from which it fprings up, and its vegetation is much forwarded by the inundations bringing the foil over it. All the rivers and creeks in the bay of Honduras fwarm with aligators, guanos, and feveral forts of fifh. : Among the little iflands in the bay are great numbers of green turtle, moftly catched in nets. The manatee is alfo frequently met with here ; which the Moskito Indians are employed to ftrike, they being excellent mark{- men. The ew fith, which exceeds all the reft in goodnefs, is fhaped fome- what like a cod, but thicker in proportion, and much better eating. They have very broad {cales, and fome of them weigh 8a lb. | As there are in the bay of Honduras, many iflands, keys, and reefs of rocks, which makes the navigation extremely dangerous, to thofe who are unac- quainted with them, we fhall defcribe fome of the principal, beginning with Santa Catalna. SANTA CATALINA and OLD PRovIDENCE are two iflands, about feven Teagues in circumference, fituated 13°. 10/. north latitude, and 79° 30! welt longitude, 50 leagues to the S. E. of cape Gracios a Dis. Thefe iflands are perhaps the beft in the We/t-Indies, (in proportion to their bignefs) both as to their healthful air and richnefs of foil, and capable of producing any thing the We/t- Indies afford; the fea is well ftored with plenty of turtle and fith, and - _ abundance of wild hogs are on the largeftifland. The natural produce of thefe iflands is fuftick, cedars, and feveral forts of We/t-India woods: they are furpri- fingly free from thofe infects which are natural to the We/t-Indies, neither are there any fnakes or poifonous animals to be found in them. In 1665 Man/velt the pirate, fenfible of the great convenience of thefe iflands, in his defcents on the Spani/h main, took them, and joined them by a bridge, intending to raife provilions on them for his whole fleet, leaving a garrifon and French go- vernor, Guatimala. MEXICO) ‘or’ NEW ISPAIN. 61 vernor, who delivered them foon after to the Spaniards, who fortified them in avery ftrong manner with nine forts. Afterwards the Spanzards defended the : forts againft feveral attacks made by captain Morgan, who took them at lat by a ftratagem concerted between him and the Spani/b governor. RatTTANn-IsLanp, is above 30 miles long and 13 broad, about 8 leagues diftant from the coaft of Honduras. ‘This is a plentiful ifland abound- ing with wild hogs, deer, Indian conies, wild fowl, quantities of turtle, and fine fith, &c. Its foil in the vallies is rich and fertile, and will produce any thing in common with the reft of the We/-Indies. There is very good oak grows upon this ifland, as likewife pine-trees of fufficient bignefs to make mafts and yards for merchant- -thips. The fouth fide is very convenient for fhipping, having many fine harbours. The north fide is defended by a reef of rocks that extend from one end of the ifland to the other, having but few paflages through, and thofe of but {mall note, being moftly made ufe of by the turtlers. This ifland is very well fituated for trade both with the Spa- niards at Guatimala, and the bay of Honduras. It is likewife very healthy, the inhabitants hereabouts generally living to a great age. Port Royal the principal harbour on this ifland, is naturally fortified with rocks and fhoals : the entrance is fo narrow, that only a fingle fhip can pats at a time. Vi Ra pray 7 HIS province received its name from an odd accident: it was brought under the obedience of the Spaniards by the preaching of certain monks. The foldiers, on their firft entering the province,: finding they had nothing to do, called it ironically Tzerre de Guerra, (or The Land of War) but the graver fort of people, with much more propriety, Vera Paz, as much as to fay The Land of true Peace. This province is but of fmall extent. As to the climate, the Spanih eee affirm that one half of the province is 2 very £2 TH By €:0 408)T x QF Audience of very pleafant, and with all very healthy; whereas the other-half is hot tothe laft degree, the air participating-of all the ill qualities which can be: expeded from iach a temperament. As to foil, the country is very rough ahd mountain- ous, yields very little corn, but abounds with cedar trees andother ufeful tim- ber. The chief commodities are drugs, efpecially phyfical gums, of which they have plenty ; as alfo farfaparilla, China root, and mechoacan : formerly alfo there was fome gold in the Gulfo Dulce, but of late we do not. hear. much of it. CoBan, by fome called Vera bihies the capital of this province, isa 0 ee neat city ona river, -about 40 miles from the Go fo Dolce, was the fee of a: bifhop, till it was united: with that of Guatiala. ASCABATLAN is.a {mall town on a river about 40 miles from Golf Dolces the town is governed by.a Spanifb corregidor, whofe power extends. to Golfo. Dolce, and over the towns in the way to it. There are many farms of cattle: . and mules in theneighbourhood, and itis very famous for mufk melons, which the Indians carry on mules as far as Guatimala. The river on which this town. ftands is famous for the beft fith in the country, particularly that called bobo,. a round thick fifh, as long as a man’s arm, with only one bone in the middle, white like milk,, and as fat as butter. ey have good trout, very much refembling the tafte of veal. G01 EO] re Ie 5, S a lake that runs into the bay of Honduras, having a little port at its: mouth, with an old caftle, called St. Thomas de Coflilla. Here ate: many fifhing veffels, but it is otherwife not much frequented, the air’ being. unwholfome ; though it is large enough for 1000 fhips, with an entrance: betwixt two. a which might catily “be defended, Two or three veffels. come: Guatimala. - MEXIC.O,.or, NEW SPAIN. 53 come hither in Suly or Auguft, with wheat and other goods from Spaim, and take on board the produce of the country about Guatimala, of which great quantities are lodged here in the months of sis Auguft and September. GUA T.IMA,L A, HE ancient city of this name, one of the fineftin New Spain, was | entirely deftroyed in the year 1541, by a dreadful hurricane and earthquake, whereby one hundred and twenty thoufand Spaniards loft their lives. It was built at the bottom of a volcano with two — from one of which iffued fire, from the other water. SoS St. Jago de Guatimala, the prefent city, which is not only ae capital of this province, but alfo of the audience of Guatimala, a place where the prefident and the royal courts refide, the feat of a rich bifhop, and the centre of com- merce in thefe parts, ftands on a fine plain, about three leagues diftance from the volcano, which was fatal to the old city: however it is far from being alto- gether out of danger from earthquakes, which are {till frequent in thofe parts. It is, notwithftanding this, well built, and well inhabited, the citizens carrying on a great trade, not only through all the provinces of Mexico, but even into | Peru, whereby fome become extraordinary rich, who then, generally {peak- ing, leave this place, and go torefide at Mexico. ‘The chief commodities in which they deal are hides, indigo, anatta, filvefter, cochineal, cocoa, Gc. and indeed no city can be feated more conveniently for an extenfive trade than this, and at the fame time enjoy fo great a fecurity from the inroads of pyrates and privateers, for it ftands eight leagues from the South Sea, which is too far for the buccaneers to march without halting, and about forty leagues from the Golfo Dolce in the bay of Honduras, by which it alfo drives a great trade.. Tue 54 THe COAST. OF Audience of ~in#e AU DITEN C Eor ME X TGxo Necludes the provinces of Mechoacan, Mexico Proper, Panuco T lafcala, Guaxaca, Tabafco and Yucatan. ‘This is by far the nobleft part of the Spanifb dominions. Its extent is very great, its foil fruitful, and though un- der the torrid zone, its climate indifferently cool, rich in all forts of defirable commodities, gold, filver, and precious ftones. . Yo U).G wag ere A ky: HIS province is in all refpects a moft noble country, and as fuch de- fl = fervedly commended by Herrera, and all the Spanifh writers. The climate is pretty warm in the fummer, which begins in the month of April, - and ends in that of September. The winter feafon is indifferently cool, ex- cepting the months of ‘fanuary and February, which are almoft as hot as in the midft of fummer ; yet on the whole the country is very wholfome, efpe- cially a fort of mountainous tract, which runs acrofs it, where when the Spa- niards entered America, there were fome Indians three hundred years old, _and the natives ftill live to a vaftage. The days and nights are pretty near equal all the year round; and this, with the fea breezes, makes the heat to- lerable enough. The foil is indifferently good, produces plenty of corn, when fufficiently cultivated, and abounds with cattle of all forts, but the principal. commodity is logwood, for which the bay of Campeache is defervedly fa- mous. But inafmuch as no mines have been difcovered in this country, whatever plenty there may be of other ufeful things, the Spaniards are not — fond of making fettlements here, which without doubt is one great caute of ‘its abounding fo much with Indians. 'Thefe, however live, generally fpeak- ing, in fubmiffive obedience to the Spaniards. In the bay of Campeache, they are made ufe of in making falt, which is a very laborious employment, the poor an ai: creatures Mexico. $= MEXICO, on NEW SPAIN. 55 creatures being forced to endure all extremities of weather, without either houfe or hut to protect them; they likewife keep their ose and do every fervile office, though not without reluctance. CAMPEACHE, NALLED by the Spaniards, San Francifco de Campeaché, ftands open to the fea: it makes a fine fhew, being all built with ftone. The houfes are not high, but the walls very ftrong; the roofs flattifh after the Spani/h man- ner. When taken by the Spaniards, it was a large town of 3000 houfs, -and had confiderable monuments both of art and induftry. There is a good dock, and a ftrong citadel or fort, where a governor refides with a garrifon which commands both the town and harbour. The Engh/h, commanded by Sir Chrifopher Mims in 1659, ftormed and - took it only with fmall arms, and it was a fecond time taken by the Exghjh and French buccaneers by furprize in 1678. The port is large but fhallow. It was a ftated market for logwood, of which great quantities grew here, before the Englifh landed in the neighbourhood, and cut it at the ifthmus, which they entered at Trzefle ifland, near the bottom of the bay, 40 leagues S. W. from Campeaché. ‘The chief manufacture of the country, adjacent to this town, is cotton cloth, which is the clothing of the natives, and even of fome of the Spaniards of the poorer fort. iy ALY Be Agr Ses Gi) OF HE extent of this province along the gulf of Mexico is a very narrow flip by the fea fhore. Neither is the foil or climate much to be boafted of, the one being far from wholfome, and the other not over-fruit- ful. Our logwood-cutters ufed to frequent this place much, and procured 56 ‘Sr EMG OCA OF lei R Audience of great advantage to themfelves by trading with the Spaniards, who were very glad of any fupplies of European commodities, having no ports of their own, and lying at a confiderable diftance from La Vera Cruz. There are no mines here, which is one reafon perhaps why it is fomewhat neglected ; yet the _ people have good farms, well ftocked with cattle, which yield them confi- derable profit ; and befides, they have great plenty of cocoa, which they fend laden on mules to Vera Cruz. PORT! ROV AL LAGUN&« : ALLED by the Spaniards Laguna de Terminos, or de Xicalango, is ten | leagues in length, and near four leagues over, with one mouth at each end ; the weftern is called Bocca de Sal, and the eaftern Port Royal. There is a {mall ifland of the fame name at the weftern fide of this paflage, three leagues from weft to eaft, which is feparated by e narrow creek from the ifland of Trie/fe, which is above four leagues long. There is another ifland, near feven leagues in length, called Beef D/le, becaufe a Spaniard here ufed ‘to fur- nifh the privateers with beef. This ifle is divided on the weit fide by the river of St. Peter and Paul from Taba/co ifland: the eaft branch feparates this ifland from the continent on the fouth, running into a great lake called Puerto Xicalango, or Man of war Laguna, which empties into Laguna Terminos, near Bocca de Sal. ‘The bar, which is above two miles broad, makes ‘this harbour very difficult to enter, either in or out, having not more than twelve . feet water, and if the fea is not very fmooth, it is very dangerous for fhips of any burthen to go over the bar. This port ufed formerly to be called the © Logwood Creek, being the principal refort of the Engl/h for logwood. The Spaniards having denied the right of the Exgii/b to cut logwood in the bay of Campeache, juft before the beginning of the laft war, the matter” was referred to the board of trade, who made a report, <‘ That the bay of Cam- «« peache might fo far be called the property of England: that the Engl/b, «¢ for fome years before, as well as after the American treaty in 1670, enjoy- , GE £ q Plate 22. mal Pr bs tel o. stel j wlp, Gferye e wy ——— * if Plate 22. AMPEACHE oa Pane is, at ouN* T Royat LA the Called by Por fay One Bish PLAN at of PorT ROYAL L nH! AGUNA, ed the all LoGwoop CREEKS, cominonly c: Ae + nel Sumafinta Re ‘Mexico. - MEXICO,OR NEW SPAIN. 57 «¢ ed an uninterrupted liberty of cutting logwood in the Laguna de Terminos, «¢ (which lies at the bottom of the bay) and other places not inhabited by the “« Spaniards in the province of Yucatan, cither through right, fufferance, or «< indulgence : that the faid treaty even eftablifhed a right in the Britz/h crown ** to the faid Laguna and parts adjacent, which had been for fome years be- “© fore, as well as at the time of the treaty, in the poffeffion of the Engl/b ; and «¢ that chough the right of the Britz/h crown to the faid Laguna fhould not be *« infifted on, the fame liberty was atually granted val confirmed by the <¢ treaty of commerce at Ufrecht.” Tapasco. A town called by the Spaniards, Nueftra Senora de la Vit- toria, i. €. Our lady of victory, becaufe of a great one obtained here by Cortez on his firft arrival. It lies on an ifland, at the mouth of the river Grijalva, where it is broad and thallow. The Gria/va divides itf{cif near the fea into two branches, the weftern falls into the river Taba/co, which rifes in the mountains of Cézapa; and theother runs til]. within four leagues of the fea, where it fubdivides and feparates Beef-I/le from the continent. The plains on the bank of this river, abound with cattle and other animals, par- ticularly the mountain-cow, becaufe it is very like that creature, and feeds on a fort of mof$ that grows on the woods near the great rivers. Eight leagues up this river, which is fometimes called Labafco River, Dampier fays, the Spa- niards had a breaft-work, and a {mall guard to watch the buccaneers, that for- merly plundered the town called Villa de Mofc, (four leagues above this breaft- work) which was inhabited both by Spaniards and Indians, who had a fort and a church there. He adds, that fhips come up thus far with European goods; and take Cacao and other commodities of the country in return. ‘This place is very much enriched by merchants and tradefmen who refort hither at Chriflmas. I GUAXACA, 58 1 aE COAST "GE Audience of GUA. XA GA, S a province as well fituated as any in America, extending on the north to the gulph of Mexico, and on the fouth to the pacific ocean. The cli- - mate is tolerable, and the foil rich, producing two very valuable drugs, cochi- neal and vainillas, the former a rich dye, and the latter a valuable per- fume ; it grows in various parts of the kingdom of Mexico, but no where in fuch plenty as here; we will therefore take this opportunity to defcribe it. The Vainilla is a little cod full of fmall black feeds ; it is four or five inches long, bigger than the the ftem of a tobacco-leaf, bur when dried, much refembling it; fo that our privateers at’ firft often threw them away,’ when they took any, wondering why the Spaniards {hould lay up tobacco- ftems. . This cod grows on a fmall vine, which climbs about and fupports itfelf by the neighbouring trees: it firft bears a yellow-flower, from whence the cod afterwards proceeds. It is at firft green, but when ripe, it turns yel- low ; this the Indians (whofe manufacture it is, and who fell it cheap to the Spaniards) gather and lay inthe fun, which makes it foft, when it changes to a dark colour. Then they frequently prefs it between their fingeis, till it. becomes flat. The principal ule of this perfume is to give a flavour _.to chocolate, and fometimes tobacco ; in both which it is extremely agreeable. This province alfo abounds with an excellent breed of horfes, and great herds of black cattle and fheep, the wool of which is manufactured by the clothiers of Los Angeles. There is alfo great plenty of mulberry-trees, {o that this province _might produce more filk than any other in America, Notwithftanding thefe ad- vantages, the country of Guaxaca is but very thinly inhabited, for which no fufficient reafon appears, fince it wants not good ports both on the North, and in the South-Seas: in the gulph of Mexico, thips ride fafely at the mouth of the river Alvarado. The capital of the province is an inland city of a middling fize, and indifferently built, feated in a fair and fruitful plain: its proper name is 4z- teguera; but it is commonly called Guaxaca. It is a bifhop’s fee of confiderable. revenues Mexico. MEXOC CO cORO NEWEHSP ALIN. 59 revenue, and fome rich families, defcended from the eld Spani/h conquerors, have their habitation there. It is afferted by fome, that becaufe the river is not fortified, this place might be very eafily fubdued, and great contributions levied,-as there arein the neipa- bourhood many rich towns, churches and cloifterss the nuns in which are . famous for making the beft gue tets that is exported to Spain. LA SOC A tp wAL fi Wee province has the happinefé of lying both on the-North and South- Seas. With regardto theclimate and foil of this province, they are much the fame with hole: of Mexico, only fome think the former lefs variable, and the latter more fruitful. As it is perhaps the beft feated, fo it is beyond queftion, the moft populous country in all America, which is owing to many caufes ; fome of which it may not be improper to mention. In the firft place we mutt obferve that the T/a/ca/ans were never conquered; but as they were originally the allies of Cortez, fo by his recommendation, they have ever fince been confidered in that light by the Spamz/b government; which is perhaps the only true point of policy they purfue. By this means the villages and towns fwarm with Indians, who are a quite different people from their neighbours : for, whereas the latter are grown fenfelefs and ftupid, through the long continuance of flavery and oppreffion, thefe have all the fire and fpirit thac is natural to a free people. They {peak the Spani/h tongue, and fcarce any other: they are perfectly reconciled to the Spanz/b cuftoms, and are fo grate=. ful for the countenance and refpet fhewed them, that it is conceived the _ government may more fafely depend upon them than the Mefizes, though the latter are actually defcended from Spaniards. One may very well Ponda that having fuch an inftance before their eyes, the viceroy and his council do not treat the Indians in general better; perhaps they may have their reafons to the contrary, caer to us they feem paft finding out. i2 | eA. 60 i T°. AEM © OAS: T Oo F Audience of LA, VE RAs G@ia z: 6 Be se old town cf this name having fallen to decay, and the port being very bad, occafioned the prefent town to be built 16 miles further to the eaft, where was a fafe port well fituated, and protected by a rock on which they built a fort called Sz. ‘fohn de Ulua. New Vera Cruz is nota place of very great extent, no Spaniard of diftinG@ion refiding here on account of its unwholfome fituation between tracts of dry land on one fide, and rank bogs on the other ; yet, as to trade, this is one of the moft confiderable places per- haps in the world: it is the natural-center of the American treafure, and the magazine of all the merchandize that goes out of New Spain, or is tranfported from Europe. It receives a vaft quantity of Ea/f-India commodities over land every year from Acapulco: and the merchants here carry On a great trade through America, being protected by the Barvolento fleet, which is a {mall {quadron employed to clear the coaft from pirates and interlopers, and which comes hither conftantly in Odtadber. When the flota, which is always obliged to winter here, arrives and un- lades the goods from O/d Spaim, and takes in thofe of Mexico, as well as the merchandize that comes from the PAzppine iflands, by the Acapulco fhips, a fair is opened in this town, which lafts many weeks, fometimes till the thips © are ready to depart : then this place. nay be faid to be immentely rich ; but the moft wealthy merchants not only refide at the city of Los Angeles, the far greater part of the year, but alfo keep their iilver there, till fuch time as the flota is juft ready to go off, which ought regularly to be in May, but is fome- times detained till Augu/?; therefore, the conftant inhabitants of this place are only Mulattes and Meftizes, with a few Spanifh factors. The inhabi- tants, flaves and all, are computed at about 3000, and the city is about half a - Spanifp league in compafs. The ftreets are very regular, and the buildings, for moft part of timber, decently furnifhed with porcelaine, and china goods ; and their churches magnificently adorned with plate. The foil it ftands in is Lage bo ‘ NH —Lyyyyp)) \\ PLAN of the ROAD and PORT of aig LA VERA CRUZ. = J NA NaN = NN B XS PS Gy: X “yp. & = = S Diggs We, ee Ly ty ier ae PLAN of the ROAD and POR'T of ae LA VitRA CRUZ, ye DW oe, por nt ll yy Mm Ay << My 5S Mbit LUT A Sea wotess : Dine Page bi. we Mexico. ME XDPC OF OR N.EW: SPAIN. 61 is barren, fo that their provifions are far fetched, and dear bought. Vera Cruz having been taken and plundered by the buccaneers feveral times, the Spaniards have built forts, and keep centinels all along the coaft, their ordi- nary garrifon confifting only of 60 horfe, and two companies of foot. The old town ftood about a mile from the fhore, which was firft difcovered by Gryalvain1518. Next year Cortez built a town here, and with great ceremony gave it the name of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. It was called Vi//a Rica on account of the gold that was found there by Gryalva; and the fir- name of La Vera Cruz was added, becaufe Cortez arrived here on a Good Friday, and was determined to conquer the country or die, having for that purpofe funk the fhips that brought his handful of men hither, that they might have no hopes of ever going back again by fea. Here it was that the firlt 500 Spaniards fortified themfelves again{ft millions of the Indians. It ftands in a fpacious flat, on the north fide of a river, which is quite dry fome part of the year, but at other times runs very ftrong. The men are haughty, and fond of ftate and eafe, for which reafon they are flothful, though they underftand trade very well. They are alfo very fuperttitious, wearing great {trings of beads about their necks, and fill their houfes with pictures and images of their faints. They live moftly on choco- late and fweet-meats, are extremely fober, and eat little flefh. - The women are obliged to keep above ftairs from converfation of the men, and very rarely go abroad; at which time thofe of figure go in acoach or a chair, and the reft in fine filk veils, from the crown of their heads to their feet, with only a fmall opening on the right fide for them to fee their way. In their houfes they wear nothing over their fhifts, but a filk petticoat, laced with gold o; filver, and only a ribbon plaited on their hair, with gold brace- lets, and chains about their necks, and emerald pendants at their ears. The unhealthy feafon here is chiefly from about Apri to November, during which is rains almoft continually ; but for the reft of the year this is a very pleafant place, the wind and the fun tempering each other without rain. For 45 miles towards Mexico, the country is hot and fickly, but from thence the climate begins to be more temperate. In ° 62 THVENC OA SAO F Audience of In the neighbourhéod of Vera Cruz, there grows the nopal, a {pecies Be the Tuna, or prickly pear, but without thorns, on which the Cochineal is found. Cechineal are {mall animals, with a beak, eyes, feet and claws, which creep, ¢limb,. feek their food, and bring forth young without changing their fpecies, as filk worms do; but producing their like; are no larger than nits, or fmall mites, or the point of aneedle; but when come to maturity, re: femble both in fize and figure a dog’s-tick. hey are generated, as is commonly believed by thofe who cultivate them, by a {mall butter fly, bred upon the nopal, (the plant they live upon) which, in pafiing and repafiing over them, impregnates thefe infects. As to the manner of raifing, nourifhing, and managing them, it appears, that at the proper feafon, namely, after winter (when he ie little animals’ can bear the open air) as foon as the cochineals, which they have kept in their houfes, are grown large enough to produce young ones, they put 12 or 14, toge- ther into a paftle, or little neft, made of fine foft hay, ftraw, mofs, trees, or the down which immediately envelopes the cocoa-nut. Thefe paf-’ tles are then placed upon the plants of the nopal, or prickly Indian fig, (which they take care to cultivate well for this purpofe) and in two, three or four days thefe animals bring forth a great many young ones; foon after which the dams die. Inthe mean while, the young ones, coming out of the nefts, climb up the nopal, fix themfelves to it, and fuck its juices, which is their only nourifhment, but they do not eat the plant ; and, for this reafon, they always feek thofe parts of it that are greeneft, and fulleft of juice, taking care at the fame time to place themfelves on the parts moft fheltered from the wind and weather. During this time, whilft they are growing up’and become pregnant, great care is taken that no vermin incommode or kill them, as alfo to keep them clean, and difengage them from certain threads like cob- webs, that grow upon the nopal, as likewife to defend them from too much heat or cold, and from the rain or winds; becaufe the fine cochineals are very tender: neverthelefs the wild cochineals ftand all thefe inconveniencies ; but then they are fo gritty, of fo ill a fmell, and of fuch little value, that they cheat not to be mixed with the fine. » As Lage 4 A TE US sos. ee ae 3 4 PLAN x OF Ny LA VERA CRUZ 6 SS from. SPANISH DRAUGHTS. Explanation . aThe Great Church b.The Dominiian Friars and Ingq“ Py Any NS a 20. re IS province is very large, and finely fituated ; it is bounded on the eaft. [ by the gulph of Mexico, on the fouth by the provinces of T/a/cala and "Mexico proper. It was one of the firft difcoveries of the famous Cortez, whotook a great deal of pains to conquer and plant it, though the country be rather fruitful ee a hs Sa Mexico. MEXICO, orn NEW SPAIN, 69 fruitful and pleafant than rich. Its inhabitants made a very vigorous refiftance, and were not fubdued without confiderable lofs,; however feveral cities havin been built among them, they have been fince thoroughly bridled, which is perhaps one reafon why fo many of them chofe to retire into Florida, rather than to remain flaves in their native country. On this account we find the country north of this province but indifferently peopled, and little notice taken of it in feveral authors, notwithftanding it has-a very extended fea- _coaft along the gulph of Mexico, with feveral roads and creeks, though no great ports. That part of this country next to Mexico is the beft and richeft, abound- ing with provifions, and having fome veins of gold, and plenty of falt, but turns out to little accountfor want of liands. The parts adjacent to Lowi/iana are wretchedly poor and barren, and is, by Martiniere, called the kingdom of New Leow; this country extends from the Rio Bravo, or del Norte, to Fhrida. It is mountainous, and has feveral mines, tho’ very few towns; the principal of which are Caouil in the north, and Guanahate in the fouth. PaNnuco city, the capital of this province, is a bifhop’s fee, fituated about 17 leagues from the fea, on the river Panuco. It was built in the year 1520, by order of Cortez, and called Sz. E/fevan del Puerto. . It contains about 500 families ; the houfes being built of (tone, and neatly thatched with Pa/- metto leaves, aré thereby rendered {trong and clean. It is faid to have an exten- five harbour, but the bar prevents the entrance of large fhips, yet the river is navigable within land by veficls of 500 tons, which might, it is thought, reach the filver mines in the province of Zacatecas with little oppofition. San Luis de los Zacatecas is garrifoned by 1000 Spaniards and flaves, of whom there are 500 families about the town and mines. Further up the country are many filver mines, particularly the mines of Santa Barbara, St. ‘fobn, and Ende, which Monf. de /a Salle had in view when, under a pretence of finding out the mou.h of the Mzfifpi, he examined moft of the harbours on this coaft. K 2 E:L:O- 68 TH -E'*C°O Ac AaHOvr PL, Oo. .R LLG A. HIS name was given -by the Spaniards to all that part of the conti- nent lying north of the gulph of Mexico, and | bordering on the As/an- ' fic ocean to the eatt. FLoripA PROPER is, at prefent, that peninfula lying between Georgia and Cape Fhrida. The air of this region is pure and temperate, and the country in general, healthy. It is more fubject to heat than cold, being only a few degrees north of the tropic of Cancer ; but though the former is fome- times very great, it is much tempered at times by the fea-~breezes. The country Hneeuee with all forts of timber, but the tree moft valued in this country is faflafras, called by the natives of Florida, palama or pavama ; large quantities of which are exported annually from hence. It never are to a greater height than a {mall pine, growing both on the fhore, and on the | Porneslnes but always in a foil neither very dry, nor very moift, The Spaniards of San Matheo, and St. Augufiine, having been almoft every ore feized with fevers, from the ufe of bad food and muddy water, were told by the French to take faflafras in the fame manner as they had feen it ufed by the fa- _ vages: that is to cut the root into {mall pieces,~ 4 boil it in water ; having done which, and drinking the liquor fafting, and at their meals, they found it per- feétly cured them. Several other experiments have been made with it ; and, if we may believe them, there is hardly any malady which can withftand the effi- cacy of this drink. It was their fole remedy, and univerfal prefervative, in F/- rida; but when they are fhort of provifions they do not ufe it, becaufe it would © create an eager appetite, {till more infupportable than any diforder whatever. — They add, that faflafras is an admirable fpecific againft the venereal - {temper. The many rivers with which Florida is watered, not only abound with fith, but render. it inferior to no country, either in pleafantnefs or fertiliry. The tip coaft indeed is fandy; but a litue further from the fea, the foil is {0 good as to yield all forts of grain. Almoft every where they have two crops of Indian ae COM igh) Pee: 69 Indian corn in a year. All along the coaft, and two or three hundred miles up the country from the fea, they have the root of which the caflave flour and bread is made in the greateft part of America betwixt the two tropics ; and is reckoned as good as our manchet. There is good beef, veal, and mutton, with plenty of hogs, efpecially on the fea-coaft ; they have acorns, cocoa-nuis, and other mafts. Here are horfes, not only for draught, but alfo for the faddle. Their cattle have a long black fort of hair, or rather wool, fo fine, that with fome fmall mixture, it is thought it would | be preferable to common wool for hats, cloathing, and other neceffa- rics. Though ‘cotton grows wild here in great plenty, yet it is not manu- fatured. Of bark of trees they make thread, cords, and ropes. Upon the whole coaft, for two hundred leagues, are feveral vaft beds of oyfters ; and in. frefh water-lakes and rivers, is a> fort of thell-fith, between a mufcle, and a pearl oyfter, in fome of which are found pearls, and many larger than ordinary. From cape Flrida to Mexico, both to the eaft_and weft of the Miji/ippi, is to be found alfo, efpecially after high fouth winds, a fort of ftone pitch, which the Spaniards, who call it cofea, moiften with greafe, and ufe it for their veffels in the nature of pitch; and they fay it is much better than ours in hot countries, as not being fo apt to melt. ) In latitude 26°. 50! ang. » good way upwards, the coaft of the main land of Florida cannot be approaches, by reafon of the fhoals and fmall iflands, moft of which are very low and barren, and fo clofe together that canoes of bark can hardly pafs between them. Few favages inhabit this part of the coun- try; but the coaft is the kingdom, as it were, of oyfters. All its fhore abounds in mangrove trees, to which adhere a prodigious quantity of fmal oyfters ; others much larger are to be met with in the fea ; and in fuch num- bers, that they are fometimes taken for rocks, level with the furface of the water. PE N- “Ie ¥ oe eS eS 70 THE. €O AS PaO F PEN §$ A'GC’O fn) N Florida, is a large harbour, fafe from all winds, and has four fathom water at its entrance, deepening gradually to feven' or eight: On the weft fide of the harbour ftands a poor town, of about forty palmetto houfes, defended by a fmall ftockaded fort of about twelve or fourteen guns, call-. ed Santa Maria de Galre, from its being erected in the time cf the count de Galre, but of very little ufe, the inhabitants confifting wholly of malefaGors tran{ported hither from Mexico. A very fine river falls into the bay of Mexz- coon the fide of this harbour, after running above roo miles through the country. The land here produces plenty of trees fit for mafts of fhips, and accordingly many of them are cut down and carried to Vera Cruz for that purpofe. SANT, A. .U Ge 5S) ea ES ~ITUATED on the eaftern coaft of the peninfula of Florida, about 70 leagues from the gulph of Florida, or channel of Bahama, and 47 from the town and river of Savana. It is built along the fhore, at the bottom of ahill ; near it is the church and monaftery of the order of Sant Augu/tine. The caftle is called St. obn’s, built of foft ftone, has four baftions, a curtain 60 yards long, a parapet nine feet thick, and a rampart twenty feet high, cafemated, arched, and bomb-proof. There was fome years ago fifty pieces of cannon, fixteen of which were brafs, and fome of them twenty- four pounders. . 5 Sir Francis Drake attacked this fort in 1586, when the Spaniards fled and left him fourteen brafs guns, which were mounted on a platform of trees ‘and earth, befides a cheft of 2000 pounds and other booty. Then the town only confifted of timber houfes; the fort was alfo a wooden one, and the walls confifted of nothing but trunks of-trees fet clofe together. In 1665 it was- again rere Phite 15. PLAN 20.90% : a - goer he: of the ae Nee oy ne se onde a te ype 220 20% y0y2% or90 ete ae ovat of? 20% a Led TOWN and HARBOUR of ST AUGUSTIN. Miles. ae, et Se gga? . Qo 2-22 Fa fri oq roan aD aod of ONS age ; as aot Tae ——— 292 9 8M yo9 8 e st, Re taker tog OR, 90% ate = 2.00 o)p0" . oon Sea t _: ‘ge oa D AE te gine om 10 29% ae 2 9.09" peas a2o aa teee apo acy, a 9 a Rog A - 2 - Qi arora eet ie ‘920 2 aghe®@ a 27 obtae 9,00 2 et 2929. C7 aes au ong wate® ea” y Aho 9, 22, 20% sega rt ee 2a. at = BLL 9 “Gah chic Ogg Seat nae - s o0e** eo ote . x a * Plate dg. NC “doe, g) “Ot ven? i mie a) of tt Loe 2220." 4% ae | of the on ateeee ee. Mae. o ‘ pi See et | : ; "20.200. ong ot 2 ott. gar Rete Os TOWN and HARBOUR of | wh Steyn Sea te S* AUGUSTIN. i re se 20 ov oes : 22 ae “it hing a = 4 ote% Paeg. 090% > aore,% 22. vA Re Ve Gag Bees s e2aoe PS i a apeee 22a i erry Ow ane alee ID PTA: 71 again attacked and plundered hy Capt. Da, at the head of the buccaneers; at which time the fort is faid to have been an octagon, with a round tower at each angle, in which the foldiers kept guard. The next attack of it wa in 1702 by the Enghip and Indians of Carihal under Col. A@vor their go- vernor } he ruined the villages and farms in the open country, and befiege this town three months ; bat on approach of fome Spami/d vetlels to its re~ lief, he ‘raifed the fiege with precipitation, and marched to Charles Town, 300 ‘miles by land, ledving the fhip and ftores he broug ‘ht with him to the ene- my. The'laft fiegeof this place was by Gen. “Ork thorpe in 1740, wiih four men. of war and tranfports from Charles Titod with troops to aflift ir the fiege. Having rendezvoufed near the mouth of Saint Fobn’s river, and being joined by the Cherokee Indians on the gth of May, he marched 20 miles to fort Diego, which he took, and made the garrifon prifoners of war, the Spaniards Alfo abandoned fort Moofa, or Negro fort; (23 miles nearer to Sant Auguftine ) to the general, who-afterwards encamped with his army on Sant Anaflafa ifland, having left a fall part of ‘his forces on the continent to garrifon fort Negro, and alarm the Spaniards. “Fune 15 the S; naniards made | a fally from the caitle of Sant Augufline, attacked and defeated the garrifon at fort Negro, killed colonel Pa/mer, the commander, and took many of them - prifoners. (After this the Spanrards’ received a fupply of provifions, Ge. from Cuéa, that were conveyed up the Matanzas, and landed.to the fouth of the town where the general had no battery to annoy or force to intercept them. The befiegers bombarded both the caftle and town ; but their artillery ‘being planted at too great a diftance to do any material execution, which in- convenience was caufed by the river, -morafles, and other obftructions, and the near approach of bad weather obliging the men of war to return to fea, the ac < = 4 . ay S . ~ . flege was raifed about the 4th of Suly 3 it appearing very plain that 200 fea men, 400 foldiers, and 300 Indians, which was the whole number employed in the expedition, was a force too weak to fubdue 1000 Spaniards, fecured by a cattle, ftrengthened by the Spanifh governor, who had early intelli- ‘gence of the intended vifit. Thus were the high expectations blafted that had been raifed from this important undertaking, which, if it had fucceed- ed, muit have been attended with extraordinary advantdpbs to the Engh/h, whofe 72 THE I'L A NIDRO F againft any attempts of the Spaniards by land, befides the great fervice this place would have been to our trade, not only by depriving the Spaniards of a pott from whence they might annoy us on that fide, but alfo by enabling us to annoy them upon occafion, by cruifing on their homeward bound fhips coming from the gulph of Florida. According to the charter of King CAar/es IT. in 1665, which fixes the limits of South Carolina at latitude 29, this town is, as well as Georgia, within the Englfb dominions, and confequently belongs to us as a forfeiture. The Spaniards {ay indeed that grant is an invafion of their right, they pretending a right of poffeflion to all the coaft as high as Virginia. But if the firft dif- covery gives a title, which is generally the foundation of the Spaniards pre- tentions to their dominions in America, it belongs to us; for Seba/iian Cabot difcovered it about the year 1497: it was more thoroughly difcovered in 1512 by Leon, a Spaniard from Puerto Rico, who took poffeffion of the country for the king of Spaz. Seven leagues below the fort of Sant Augufline are two forts, the one on the north, and the other on the fouth fide of a large lake. General Oglethorpe deftroyed the laft, and took poffeffion of the firft, which is called Mauchico- dis, farrounded with ftrong palifadoes, eight feet high, with:a parapet and loop-holes, about breaft high. CO BA S the moft confiderable ifland of the Great Antilles, lies between 19° “5G! _and 23° 20! of north latitude, and between 73° 40! and 85° 10! weft lon- gitude. It is about 780 miles in length, but very narrow in proportion, not being in fome places above 40 miles in breadth, and in its wideft not more than 1 aoe It lies within the tropic of Cancer, about 40 miles weft of Hi/paniola, and go to the northward of ‘famaica, commanding the gulph of Mexico, Florida, and the windward-paflage, where it may with propriety be called Te Shield i of whofe fouthern fettlements on the continent would have hereby been fecured © 8535-Long. W: from Lunda 84.35. Tropic of Cancer - : = = ge Es < wn 2 Cid te ; < ; 2 Rocks = abore| ~ ; Aira por vor ar = Seas by the Catmmall Up8a48 =e Oe gave) Dg lgee — py” -, Clr SEANTO PYidel Guan = 3 Ser - of trae °C? de Corrientes o A MAP of The LS LE of CUBA, with the Bahama Iflands, Gulf of Florida , and Windward Patsage : Drawnfrom Englith and Spanifh Surveys . ENGRAVED BY TI homas Jiffirys, Geagrapher to HIS, UAJESTY. SCALE. juss 20 to a Degree - Le _ _ Beitioh Mithe Uy. tcie Degree - Sanne ae a a Cr-Us B A. >) Os of the We eft- Indies, and is by far the moft temperate and pleafant of all the Az- tilles. The Europeans, who are generally troubled with the heat of thefe parts, confefs themfelves agreeably refrefhed by the.cooling winds, which blow in the morning and evening throughout this ifland. As to the foil, it differs pretty much: the wisieeis portion of the country is moftly plain, and® if it were properly cultivated, might be fruitful. The eaftern part is exceedingly mountainous, and from thence there runs a chain of hills almoft through the whole ifland; but the farther you go the lefs rough and barren they are. From thefe hills there run down to the north and fouth many rivers, which, befides, _ their beftowing verdure and coolnefs as they pafs, are full of fifth, and thofe esi very largé and good. The greateft inconveniency in Cuda is its being over- erown with woods, which, whatever the Spaniards may pretend, muft be chiefly owing to their own Jazinefs ; for as they admit the country was well © peopled when firft difcovered, it muit neceffarily have been lefs thick with trees. Amoneft thefe, however, there are fome very valuable, particularly cedars of an enormous fize, and other forts of odoriferous wood. Birds there are of all kinds, more than in any other of the iflands: and the Spaniards at \. their firft landing having fuffered fome black cattle to ftray into the woods, they by degrees turned wild, and have furnifhed the ifland with that breed, _ which, together with tobacco, fugar and copper, make now the principal riches of itsinhabitants. Many fine Fat Beals are leftto roton the ground, great numbers being killed purely for the hides which are fent into Spain, and-in the flaugh- ter af them the negroes are employed. The flefh cut into pieces is dried in the fun, and ufed as proviion for fhipping. There are many alligators here. Moft writers confound this creature with the crocodile, and indeed the Spa- niards have but one name, viz. caymanes, to exprefs both; yet it is certain, that there is a difference, and amongft other particulars in thefe, the legs of a crocodile are longer than thofe of an alligator; his flefh is not mufky as the other is; the knots on the back are thicker, higher and firmer, but the plaineft and moft ditcernable difference, and which indeed difcovers itfelf at firft fight, is this, that the crocodile carries his tail cocked and crooked, with the tip turning back like a bow, whereas the alligator drags his on the pou. L This 74. THE IaS &. AN D..O F This ifland was ticaveied by the famous Chri/lopher Columbus, who had’ but a very flight view of it, which yet was fatal to the natives, for they having prefented him with gold, fome pieces of which he carried into Spain, occafioned an immediate refolution to fettle in it. . This was performed in 1511, by Diego de la Velafquez, who tran{ported hither about 500 foot and 80 horfe. He was a haughty, cruel, inexorable man, and the treatment the poor people met with from him, was fuch as we want both room and will to relate. The worthy bifhop of Chiapa, who was an eye-witnefs of his bar- barity, hath publifhed it to the world, and computed, that by thefe horrid feverities, near five millions of people were deftroyed. _ Later writers, inftead of {peaking tenderly, pathetically, and with indignation againgt fo execrable a fact, do all in their power to give this horrid proceeding the air _ of juftice, by reprefenting the Indians as the moft bafe and wicked nation that ever lived. Herrera tells us, on the contrary, that they were a very good fort of people, and well tempered. They had, fays he, princes and towns of 200 or 300 houfes, with feveral families in each of them, as was ufual in ifpaniola. They had no religion, as having no temples, idols, or facrifices ; but they had the phyficians, or conjuring priefts, asin Hi/panila. They fafted three or four months, taking no fuftenance but the juice of herbs, and when reduced. to extreme weaknefs, they were then worthy to be informed _ whether the feafons of the year would be favourable, or otherwife ; what chil- | dren would be born ; whether thofe born would live ; and fuch like queftions. Thefe were their oracles ; and thefe conjurers they called Behigues, who led the people into many fuperftitions and fopperies, as pretending to cure the fick by blowing on them, and fuch other exterior aGtions, mumbling fome words be- twixt their teeth. .Thefe people of Cuba knew that heaven and earth, and other things, were created, faid they had fome information concerning the. flood, and that the world had been deftroyed by water, from three perfons that came three feveral ways : they were men of about 70 years of age; that an old man knowing that the deluge was to come, built a great canoe, and went into it with his family, and abundance of animals; that he fent out a carrion crow, which did not return, ftaying to feed on the dead bodies, and afterwards returned carrying a green branch, with other particulars, even to | Noak’s = CTW BoA, 75 Noah’s two fons covering him when drunk, and the other fcoffing at it ; adding, that the Indians ML eendedia from the Jatter, and therefore had no coats hor cloaks 5 ; but that the Spaniards def{cending from the other that covered him, were therefure cloathed, and had horfes. The true reafon, in all pro- bability, why the Spaniards deftroyed, with fo little pity, fo vaft a number of innocent people, was a covetous defire of poffefling the whole ifland, and all its real and fuppofed riches: for, at this time, they fancied that the parts of the ifland poffeffed by the natives, were exceflively rich in gold, of which, while they fuffered them to live, the Spamards did really receive a very large fhare ; but fince their extirpation, there has been very little, and at prefent there is {carce any gold to be found. The gold was taken out of the rivers, which required not only a great deal of time and patience, but many hands, and a perfeét knowledge of the places where it was to be met with. This ac- counts for the lofing that precious metal with the people, and fhews how weak a point of policy this doctrine of extirpation really is. There is no winter here: but in Fune, fuly and Augu/?, when the fun is al- moft vertical, then they have great rains, and often violent ftorms, which great- ly mitigate the extreme heat of the climate. The faireft feafon is when the fun is fartheft from them, and then it is hotteft in the morning; for towards noon a fea-breeze fprings up, which blows pretty brifk till the evening. The ~ trade-wind in thofe feas blows from the E. and by N.° At the full and ' change of the moon, from Oéfober to April, they have brifk winds at N. and N. W. which in December and Fanuary often turn into ftorms, though this is called their fair feafon. It is faid to havé in general the beft Jand of any ifland in America, and is capable of producing prodigious quantities of all the commodities farnithed by that quarter of the world ; particularly ginger, long-pepper, and other fpices, caffia-fiftula, maftic, and aloes; large cedars, and other odoriferous trees, oaks, pines, palm-trees, plenty of large vines, fine cotton trees, and ex- ‘cellent tobacco ;_ befides plenty of pine-apples, plantains, bananas, guavas, andlemons. Here are alfo fome large walks of cacao trees, and good fugar- works, worked by horfe and water mills, which are faid to make the beft fu- gars in the We/t-Indies, though in no great quantity, for want of hands to L 2 cultivate 76 THE LS AINGD! OF cultivate the canes. Here are mines of copper, which furnifh the Spanifh plantations with metal for all their brafs guns; and gold duft having been formerly found in the fands of the rivers, it is conjectured, that there are mines of gold, if not of filver too, in the mountains, of which there runs a large tidge from the eait to the weft end of the ifland; but the Spaniards having deftroyed all the natives, they cither never difcovered where the mines were, or never opened them for fear of an invafion. Adjacent to this ifland are great conveniences both for making falt, and catching fifh. The ifland abounds with horfes, mules, fheep, wild boars, hogs, and cattle of a larger and better breed than in any other part of America ; Parrots, partridges with blue heads, and large tortoifes. Here are quarries of flints, and fountains of bitumen, which is ufed for fhips inftead of pitch. The black cattle, brought hither by the Spaniards, have multiplied to fuch a prodigious degree, that large herds of them run wild in the woods for want of people enough to eat their flefh, though great numbers of them are yearly killed for their hides and tallow. Upon the whole, it is a very pleafant, rich, and fertile ifland; but has at prefent more churches than farms, more priefts than planters, and more lazy bigots than ufeful labourers: and to this it 1s owing, that the largeft ifland in the We/t-Indies, with a luxuriant foil, befides food for its inhabi- tants, which is eafier produced and obtained here than perhaps in any other part of the world, does not produce for exportation, including even their hides and tallow, tobacco and {nuff, near the value of our little ifland of Antigua. So great is the difference between floth and induftry, tyranny and — liberty. The ifland has feveral towns ; and Sant ‘fago de Cuba, though a {mall place, is called the capital, it being the fee of the bithop, though he generally refides at the Havana, which, as it is the chief city, we fhall begin with, and proceed round the eaftern and fouthern coaft of that ifland. THE ree —— — Vlate 18 - y ; Kaye b1. (PAS fhe » CITY and HARBOUR of the HAVANA. Refferences BRtt 9 A The Kort & Girernars Habitation see of ne Deffince . as B.Lhe Machine where Lanye: Shups are hove down. " C.The Reyal ompanns Fictory , = 4 D.The Hidk where small ships hove down are fia Predia where Merchant Ships ave built, = OE Lhe Land Gute. * Punta Gute & Adjucrnt Bastion mounted with 26 Guns. ike <¢ 2 HED Lines, Bach of 6 Draft Guns, Sa PE joes er ' J. The Fak Market Battery 22 Tron S*T Saabs say EZ : pee ae ; ; i : 4 3 2, Guns. a rs A an °K A Battery of 7 Brags Guns. ah. Lhe Shapherite Buttery 24 Guns *OM.The 12 Apostles Datery. Zine a a Satigag ss G \Z A i . = : 2 5 z ra! s ae > —— 3 Seehenee = Hi ; 2. The Markd Place. i . The Tranciscan Fryers. e Ee a8 2 3 3. Uhe Parade. A yeaeh yiaat 3 4. The Cithedral. 2 . & The Custom House 6. The Dominican Fryers. 7» The Jesuits Colledi 4, S!Megos Hospital. g- Magazine . wo, Augustinians. u, Bishops Palace, 412. Barracks. 43. S" Catharina de Stenna. 4. SY Juan de Dios. 45- S8*Angelos, 10, S®Chrsts de Buen Viaje. 17, S!Pheresade Tastes , 18. S™ Filipe de Neri. 4g. el Sprritw Sante , 40. NYS de Bethlem, 21, S* Faudoro . a2, S* Clara, 3, NY Senor de Monserrat. 24, S!' Francisco de Laula’, Plat ia Lay 81, PLAN tA a CITY and HARBOUR ofthe HAVANA. Refferences A. The Fort & Governors Habitation of ne Defence L : B. Lhe Mactane where Large Ships are hove down, C, The Royal companys Kactory , D. Lhe Hidk where sinall ships are hove donn. ae BE. Vika Pwdra where Merchant Ships g are bult, 2 OE. The Land Gute , © G. Punta Gate & Adjacent Bastion: 2 pee mounted with 26 Guns. * “HE Sve Lines, Hach of © Braps Gunes, vo I, The Kish Market Battery 22 Iron: ~ 90. Guns. ‘ SA Battery of 7 Bras Guns. gh. Lhe Shepherils Battery 14 Cans 22M. The 12 Apostles Battery , 2. The Market Place. 2 2. The Franciscan Fryers . 23, The Parade. 4. The lathedral. 5. The Custom House * 6. Lhe Domircan Fryers . sex 7, The Jesuits Colledge , 8, St Diegos Hospital. g- Maga zine , "10, Augustinians . u, Bishops Palace’, 12, Barracks 13. S" Catharina de Stennar yy. 3" Juan de Dis . 45. Se Angelos, 16, 5S Chrsto de Buen Vigge ; 7. S" Theresa de Jesus , 8. S” Felipe de Nav. ig, Spartu Santo, aa, S“” Clara, 93, NY Senora de Monserrat 24. J Francisco de Paula, goo I fupfew eu. @ UPR A: 77 “Tip HA. VAN A, “AS built by Diego de Velafquez, fine conquered the iffand of Cn. and fettled a little town here in Leu. It was named originally the port of Carenas; but afterwards when the city, by its increafe of wealth, grew confiderable, it was called San Chriflopher of the Havana. In 1536 it was of fo inconfiderable a value, that being taken by a Freach pirate, he accepted of fo fmall a fum as 700 pieces of eight for its ranfom. Some time after it was taken by Engij/h, anda fecond ume by the French; nor was it till the reign of Pdzhp II. of Spaz that the importance of it was thorough- ly underftood, or any care taken to f{trengthen it: though what was then done proved infufficient, and moft of the fortifications were in a very bad condition, when Francis Coreal was there in 1666, and very little better when he vifited it again 20 years afterwards. Since the acceffion of the houfe of Bourbon to the throne of Spain, more pains have been taken there- in. We fhall firft defcribe the city, and then the port, in the condition they now are. The city of Havana, which is properly ftiled The Key of the Weft- Indies, lies in 23°12! north latitude, and 82° 13! weft longitude from Lon- don, fituated in the moft fruitful part of the ifland, and the only part where there are any farms, the reft being almoft deftitute of inhabitants. It ftands on the weft fide of the harbour, in a very beautiful and pleafant plain ; is the refidence of the governor and captain-general of Cuba, and of the royal officers, as well as of an affeflor, for the affiftance of the governor and captain- general of the Weft Indies. The buildings are elegant, but not lofty, built of ftone, and make a very good appearance, though it is faid they are but meanly furnifhed within. Here are eleven churches and monatteries, and two hand- fome hofpitals. Near the middle of the town is a fpacious fquare, furround- ed with uniform buildings. The churches are rich and magnificent, the lamps, candlefticks, and ornaments for the altars being of gold and filver ; fome of the lamps are of the moft curious workmanfhip, and weigh near an hundred weight, ‘The Recolfeéis church, which ftands on the beft ground in ~ 98 THE ISLAND OF in the city, has twelve beautiful chapels in it, and in the monaftery are cells for fifty fathers. ‘The church of Santa Clara has feven altars adorned with plate, and the nunnery contains an hundred women and fervants, all cloathed in blue. The church belonging to the Augu/lines has thirteen altars ; that of San ‘fuan deDios nine, with an hofpital for foldiers, of 1 2,000 pieces of eight revenue. It is not a bifhop’s fee, though the bifhop of Sant ‘Fago de Cuba generally refides there ; the revenue of which prelate is not lefs than 50,000 pieces of eight a year. In 1700 the number of inhabitants was computed at 26,000, and we may very well imagine it to be encreafed fince. They are a more polite and fociable people than the inhabitants of any of the Spani/h ports on the continent, and of late imitate the French, both in their drefs and manners. One part of the ifland is under the jurifdiction of this city, as the other is under that of Sant S089. The diftriG belonging to the Havana is by far the beft cultivated, yet it has not above fix towns and, villages in it. The port is the beft in the Weff-Indies, and fo capacious, that rooo fail of fhips may ride there commodioufly : there is, generally {peaking, fix fathom of water in the bay. At the entrance of the channel, which is pretty -natrow, and of difficult accefs to an enemy, being well flanked by forts and platforms of guns, there are two ftrong caftles, which are fuppofed to be capable of aerendine the place againft any number of fhips : the chief is El Morro ; it aids! on the eaft fide of the channel, and is a kind of tri- angle, fortified with baftions, on which are mounted about forty pieces of cannon. A little to the fouth of this is a battery, called The Twelve Apofiles, almoft level with the water, and carrying each a ball of thirty-fix pounds. On the other fide of the channel ftands a {trong fort called the Puntal; by fome Mofa de Maria: it isa regular {quare, with good baftions, well mounted with cannon. A part of the Morro is a watch-tower, where -a man fits in a round lanthorn at the top, and on the appearance, of fhips at fea, puts out a3 many flags from thence as there are fail. The third is ftiled Te Fort: it is a fmall, but {trong work, on the weft fide, - towards the end of the narrow channel, with four baftions and a plauiorhy, mounted with 38 pieces of heavy cannon. } “tthe a Ses gece ee wn => CrUy BAS 79 The city is walled all round, and fortified with baftions on the land-fide, and there are befides two forts on the fea-coaft, defigned to prevent an enemy from landing ; one a league from the entrance of the harbour on the eaft fide, called Cojimar, the other on the weft, called the fort of Chorrera, of 12 guns each. However fecure this port may he to fhips within, it is of no great fecurity to fhips without, the entrance being too narrow to give quick admittance to a numerous fleet. Hence the galleons have been often infulted, and fome of them taken in fight of this port, without being able to get in, or receive any f{uccour from its caftles : as (among other inftances) was the cafe of the flota in its return from La Vera Cruz in 1629, mentioned by Gage. It feems at cape Sant Antonio, the moit weftern point of Cuba, they met with the fa- mous Dutchman, called by the Spaniards, Pie de Pelo, or Wooden Leg, and as much feared by them as Sir Francis Drake, who waited there for them ; and after he had faluted them with a broadfide or two, the admiral Don “fuan de Guzman y Torres, called a council of war, wherein it was refolved to fly from the enemy, as the fureft way to fave the king’s treafure, which amounted to fix or feven millions, according to their own account, and to make dire@tly for the bay of Matanzes, imagining that the Dutch would not venture in after them. But the misfortune was they could not get in far themfelves,the bay being too fhallow for their heavy great bellied galleons. This obliged them to run their fhips a-ground, after which the richer fort endeavoured to efcape to land with what wealth they could in cabinets and bags: but the Dutch coming fwiftly upon them, foon ftopped their flight with the cannon from their fhips; fo that except a few cabinets that were hidden, all the reft of the treafure became the Hollanders prize. Two friars, who had fleeced their fheep of 30,000 ducats, were alfo fleeced themfelves. Thus lightened of their burdens, the Heet went on to Spain; where Gage fays, the admiral was imprifoned, and loft his fenfes. for awhile, which having recovered, he was afterwards beheaded. _ The commerce carried on in this port, which is very Seer tle. we will for the fake of perfpicuity, divide into the particular commerce of the ifle of Cuda, and that more general by the galleons. The former con- fitts 80 LAE ISL A ND “OF fifts in hides, ufually ftiled, of the Havana, which are excellent, and of great value ; fugar, tobacco, admirable in its kind, €c. Though ‘ftrangers ere prohibited to trade, yet a contraband commerce is carried on brifker here than that at La Vera Cruz. It muft be obferved, that the traffic of the ifland of Cuba is not entirely confined to the Havana, but extends itfelf to other ports, particularly Sant Sfago de Cuba, where there are frequently many little veftels from the Canaries, and other parts, which trade entirely for the com- modities of the country. As to the general commerce, this port is the place of rendezvous for all fhips, particularly from Puerto Velo, and Vera Cruz, which return into Spam from the Indies. The Havana is regularly fupplied with European goods, only by the regifter-fhips from Cadiz and the Canaries. The flota and galleons bring there no more than the refufe of their cargoes, which they had not been able to difpofe of at Carthagena, Puerto Velo, or Vera Cruz. While the fleet is in the bay, provifions are exceffively dear on fhore, and money fo plenty, that a Spaniard expects half a piece of eight a day from a male flave, and a quarter from a female, out of what they can earn by their labour. ‘The fleet generally fails from thence through the chan- nel of Bahama, in the month of September, and is the richeft in the world, fince in filver and merchandize, there is feldom lefs than 30, 000, 000 pieces of eight on board, or 6,750,000 pounds of our money. The firft attempt that was made upon this city, after the Spaniards fettled here, was in 1536, by a French pirate, who took the place, which then con- fitted only of wooden houfes thatched, and made the Spaniards redeem it from fire, by 700 ducats, as was faid before. It happened, that three fhips arriving from New Spain the next day after he was failed with the ranfom, | unloaded their goods with all expedition, and purfued the pirate; but the com- manders behaved fo cowardly, that he took all the three, one whereof was an admiral’sfhip; which fo emboldened the pirate, that he returned to the Havana, and made the inhabitants pay him 700 ducats more. After this the Spanzards built their houfes of ftone, and a fort at the mouth of the harbour, but the city being ftill open on the land-fide, fome Engii/b cruizers in thofe feas landed not far from the town, and having entered it before day-break, the Spaniards fled into the woods, and left the place to be plundered. During the war . between | ae We | Plate 4167. chDL of ST ROS Z- <2 * ? *R-0°S &o-tad Ve ey af “errphoyy WLM Gy AY{L $ LA MT aT cE jetty fun Tip (iM) 0k 8 Z ay “p. F VOR 2 “oot eS 2 Qa a ; te. 7 QQ. aN 3 ° D ey t ack: F c : ae s : cS nO aww - q , y efferys seul, Plate. Wg PLAN of the = TIARBOUR and SETTLEMENT te aioe of ° . PENSACOLA. i Scale British Miles . aed OYSTER C ovr 4 35 : 3 3o ov! (arcens Roe|Bucks la i\ Cc wAy!n nL of ST’ ROSA 20 = . 1S LAND en O'S A ° coli GU ah ae OF \M 2. - Xe Gr Ba A. 81 between Henry Ul. of France, and the emperor Charles V. a Preach thip with go men, after having plundered Sant “fago, came hither in the night, but to their great difappointment found all the houfes empty, they having been fo often plundered, that the Spanzards had removed all their goods to houfes in the country. While they were fearching, two perfons came to them, pretending to agree for ranfom, but really to fpy out their num- ber. The French demanding 6000 ducats, the fpies pretended all their ef- fects would not raife that fum. Upon_their return to their countrymen, a confultation was held, wherein fome were for paying the fum if they could get no abatement ; but the majority, defpifing the enemy’s number, were for difputing it with the (word; and marching fecretly with 150 men, fur- prized the enemy at midnight ; but the Frenzcs, upon the firing of an alarm- gun, recovered their arms in a trice, and put them to flight ; “ind being en- raged at this defign of the Spamiard,, {et fire to the town, after having aed the doors and windows, @&c. with pitch and tar, fo that it was foon confumed to athes. A Spaniard defiring that they would {pare the chuiches which were erected for the wortfhip ‘Oe God, the French an{wered, that people who had no faith, had no occafion for churches to profels it in, \ They then pulled down the walls, and quite demolithed the fort. After this, the town was rebuilt, and Poilip II. appointed fuan de Texeda his camp-mafter, and Baptifia Antonel, a celebrated architeé, to fortify this place, and put it in a pofture of defence. OxsERVATIONS on the Eoetrye ara. of the HAV-AN.A, made by an Officer in 17 59 7 L Morro is a caftle that ftands upon an high rock, the fortifications are of ftone, irregular, and fo confined towards the fea, that they cannot bring any more than four guns to bear upon one object; it is more regular towards the land, but being upon a rock, and of {mall compafs, might with fhells be rendered not tenable. It is overlooked by the Cavanas, a high Jand 83 THE FSU NOD OF land which runs along the N. E. fide of the entrance into the bay, and commands all the fortifications that defend the entrance. Under the faces of the fouth-weft angle of the caftle, and more within the entrance into the harbour, is a battery of ftone called the twelve apoftles; a little higher, and oppofite the point-gate is the /2 Divina Paflora or Shepherds battery of {tone forr4 guns (then not quite finifhed) level with the water, but {o fituated under the hill, (which is here very rocky) that it will be almoft im- poffible for men to ftand to their guns, on account of fplinters from the rock above. From the governor’s houfe to the Punta gate, fronting the mouth of the harbour, there are four batteries opening, one behind the other ; they are all. overlooked from the Cavanas on the oppofite fhore, and may be flanked - from thence by mufketry. Over the Punta gate, and sa the entrance into the harbour, there is a large ftone battery: this is alfo overlooked from the oppofite hill, and likewife from the rifing-ground on the north-fide of the village of Guis daloupe. The Puntal is a fquare caftie, with four baftions, regular, but very fmall, about 200 yards diftant from the gate, from which it is feparated by a diteh with a draw-bridge. The ground here is low, wet, and marfhy ; behind the marfh, and jeining to the fouth-weft fide of the glacis of the puntal, here is a breaft-work of earth pallifadoed, to cover the communication of the caftle, with the puntal gate, and the road that leads to the Lazaretto. From the Punta gate to the dock-yard there is a rampart with baftions, | faced with ftone, and earthern. parapets with a ditch, which in feveral places is fallen in, and almoft filled up, particularly behind the Pasta and land-gates ‘near the ftone-quarries, which if joined to one another, might be of great detriment to the place in cafe of a fiege, as lodgments.might be made in them ; the ground here rifes with an eafy afcent to the land-gate, and is either open pafture or garden-ground, well ftored with the cabbage tree. Be- fore the, land gate is a ravelin, the hill on a rifing ground from this gate (which is the higheft part of the town) to the dock-yard, is fteeper than on the other fide. Almoft half a mile from the gate, is the church a Guadaloupe, being the higheft ground on the land fide of the town, and if not fortified (which it was CUM Bo A: i 83 was not in 4ugu/?, 1759) feems to be the moft advantageous {pot to com- mand the town, being higher than any part of it except the land- -gate, which it feems to be nearly on a level with. From the north fide of this rifing ground the Punta gate may be flanked, and from the fouth-eaft fide the dock-yard i iscommanded. Along the north fide runs an aqueduat, which falling into the ditch at the land gate, runs down to the dock-yard both for watering the fhips and turning a faw-mill. About half a mile from the church, is a bridge made over a rivulet that runs into the bay about 100 yards. That road leads to the center of the ifland, and extends to Baracoa above 600 miles diftant. From this bridge to the Lazarefto is about two miles, with arifing ground betwixt them. A trench thrown up between thefe two places, would cut off the communication with the town by land, The Lazaretto is about a mile and a half from the point-gate; near this place is a fmall fandy_bay, where there had been a fmall redoubt. From the bay to the Punta/ the coaft is alow flat rock about three feet higher than the furface cf the fea. The garrifon in Auguft 1759, confilted of two regiments of foot, and part of a regiment of horfe, 300 mulattos, and 4 or 5000 militia. The iflanders, (excepting thofe that cultivated the land) are hunters, well mounted, and inured to fatigue, provifions good and plenty, their beef wild cattle caught by the hunters in the woody parts of the iland. From the above obfervations, itis evident, that though the- Havana is well fortified, and perhaps ftronger than any other place Beloapiag to the Spaniards in the WVe/t- Indies, yet it is far from being impregnable, as fome have pretended. A proper force landed on the weft fide of the city, would foon become matters of it, as the walls on the land fide are low and in a perifhing ftate ; nor could either the caftles above defcribed prevent their approaches, unlefs the hil] upon which the church of Guadaloupe {tands, is properly fortified: the Spantards, (if they do their duty) may baffle the beft conducted attempts, as the. rainy feafon fets in in ‘Fu/y. But if the hill on the eaft fide of the entrance was taken pofleffion of, the town might foon be reduced, and then the forts could not long defend themfelves, when attacked from the land by the eer and from fea by the fhips. be conclude; this city is of the greateft importance to the Spaniards of any in all the Wt Vefl- Indies 5 as the io of this place would ruin the Spani/h M 2 trade; 84 THE ist AND OF trade; and all their ports-on the eaft fide of the continent would eafily fall into the hands of the conquerors, if they purfued the blow, with refolution and intrepidity. BAHIA nea MAP AN Z AS: S a fine deep bay, and one of the largeft in Cuda, oppofite Bahama channel, ‘about twenty-four leagues eaft from the Havana, hardly fit for large fhips, but very convenient for fmall veflels to anchor and take in freth water: at the bottom of the bay is the fmall town of Sax Carlos, and a fort to guard the road. There is here a very great {nuff manufactory. PUERTO vu PRINCIPE, S three hundred miles S. E. of the Havana, and one hundred: ehiy fix N. W. of Baracoa. It was formerly a large and rich town; but being taken by Capt. Morgan with his buccaneers, after a ftout refiftance, it never recovered itfelf. Near it are feveral fountains of bitumen. BAHIA. pe NIPE, iG an eeaiea bay , with very deep water on the north fide of Cuba, thirty leagues weft of Punta de Mayfi, and 140 leagues S. E. of the Havana. T Rete is a road from hence over the mountains to Sant Fago. de Cuba, tant about eighty miles from this places acer er rer pp BARRACOA, *S about feven leagues north weft of Puntade Mayfi on the north fide’ of Cuba, being a good port with regular. foundings; the courfe into EIS OLE LO many avoid entering it, becaufe it is troublefome to come cut | again, for the windblows righta-head; tho’ fome have thought it would make a Plate 1g. ar £ +: 4 GY Jor ¢ » small 3 raf tg 4 eT Hil) wit Plate 19- baa PLAN OF , BAHIA de MATANZAS . )) < S a Punta de Goayos arr Ie Soult aoies or My, LI, r \ ae Best Anchoring Ground 4 IS i all A TNL emits’ me Ex ie fe ee NP (2 ops i . - s/ GRanp Bay or NIPE on the North side of CUBA from Spanish Draughts. White 2 = = ree Page 84. GRAND Bay oF NIPE on the North side of CUBA from Spanish Draughts. awleague. tage 84. ae Ney 2%; - as oe, X 2A Ay | vs Ny, Ne Mn Y j 0 2 a 4 S 4 = fe lo AWildif & : é th : Pi B “ toe 22 8 g: . AFP Zr vse 2 "aati Boa ae Zp {PE 3 es OC ea ane Oa aaa sears 2.2 i er ae 2s Att My Ml ee Quai rite rae Re 292 pa ROM o:N, Limieneeeor hier 229 2220 “ é 95 Leg. . Z i Qebde ES alee | cacti eas CO Lea) a Vibe 22 as age : i ae er Roh, aaah 3.99 o%ag ery hana AR $0 SEE aia Na °0%9 Loe aBo Plate 21, | ‘ Luge 84. = - : PLAN | of 4 PUERTO de DAR ACOA, a Ticague. x | aes SS EAS a3 22a re pee te are Wey Y voy oe Ss. « 2 2) Plate 22. PLAN f GUANTANIMO, called by the English Cumberland Harbour. ni Big te Miles. 2: 3 PLAN of GUANTANIMO, Plate 22a, , called by the E. nglish C umberland Harbour. English Miles. y SC WBC A. : 85 a very convenient port for hips that ufe the’ windward paflage. From this place there is a toad through the chief towns to the Havana, above 600 miles in length, by which means there is a communication over land to moft of the. prindi pial ports on this ifland. PUERTO pt GU ANZA T M'O,; Y the Enghifh failors called Walthenam, (to which Admiral Vernon B gave the name of Cumberland Harbour) is a very fine harbour, ca- pable of containing any number of fhipping; with this further advantage, that they are fecure againft the hurricanes which reign in thete parts in Auguft and September. ‘The. entrance is narrow and winding, fo that it might be rendered inacceffible, by erecting a fortification at its mouth. This paflage is above fix. miles long, is full of final iflands, and has on both fides a great many creeks or inlets, (called /zgunas, or lakes, by the Spaniards ) efpecial ly at the entrance into the harbour, the patlage is fo narrow, that not above one fhip can pafs at a time, which renders it capable of being fecured'againft any fleet. The harbour is encompafied by hills, that in fome places come clofe to the fhore, and contribute much to its fecurity a~ gainft winds. The coun ry on both fides thefe hills is a fine plain; there isa fine frefh- water river navigable for feveral leagues upwards, which falls into the fea, jut within the mouth of the harbour on the welt Gide. To this river, called Agua Anima, was given the name of ugujiz ; there are befides two other little rivers, or brooks, on the fame fide, within the harbour, one called Orange, the other Douglas river: the ‘and between the hills is much impregnated with falt, affording no ljefs than eight or nine falt fprings or pans, three of which are of tape extent, and might be made to turn to great advantage. Heres plenty of fith and fowl; Liao up the country abun- dance af wild cows, hogs, and horfes, with other sacle: As foon as admiral Viiian: in Fuly 1741, .had taken pofleffion of this place, he fent fome veflels about four or five leagues up the river, along which the tranfports ranged themfelves, and lauded the troops which en- camped in three bodies ‘by the river-fide. After athis general Wentworth fent 86 THE ESL 4;NQD OF fent out feveral detachments to examine: and) feour the country, which meeting with many advanced guards of the Spaniards, repulfed ‘them, and brought.in plenty. of provifions both for the fleet and army; but having ftayed till the hurricanes were over, and receiving no fupplies from Europe, it is faid, they were obliged to quit the ifland on account of the ficknefs among their troops... bier SN Wan : S;AcN FET AGO: ik, Ci BAG TES about 50 miles to the weft of ether iend harbour ; is the capital city of Cuda, and a bithop’s fee, although the governor of the ifland, and allthe king’s officers refide at the Havana, “the governor of Santiago i is fub- jet to the governor of the Havana, whois captain general in. military affairs. eae this city is neither fo large, populous, nor {trong as: the former; nor is the refort of fhips fo great on account of trade, which _confifts of hides, fugar, and copper, whereof there are rich mines in the mountains but three leagues weft from the city. The harbour is one of, the beft in this part of America; it runs about feven miles north into, the. land : the entrance for about a mile is fo narrow that only one thip can,en-: ter ata time; then it widens for about two miles, and then contracts itfelf again; after which it opens again into a fpacious triangular bafon, very deep, and fecure from hurricanes. The water is fo ftill that there is fCarce need of anchors to fecure the {hips which ride here. At the mouth of the har- bour, on the eaft fide, ftands the {trong Fort del Morro, mounted with twenty. guns; and a little farther within, on thre fame fide, two batteries ; the firftalarge, one, the other fmall: by thefe the entrance may be defended againft a nu-. merous fleet; befides itis by nature fo dangerous, that denn any but. {mall veffels frequent this port. The officers fone by admiral Vernon to examine this place, report that there is no anchoring without at fea, where there is 801, or 100 fathom water, with. a prodigious ep and when {hips are arrived within half a league of it they are generally becalmed, which is occafi- , , oned by the land intercepting the wind: there they roll and tofs, unable ‘to. “help one another, and in great danger of being driven upon the rocks that Plate 23, pin IG x ¥Re gy bike es 2 3 Sty eee Qa); a ait Ces : 43 3 Sop yy Ae? * MWe 0 CITY awn HARBOUR. of STJAGO pr CUBA. Tafiows erally AES . \ t “ ; : *- E \ 7 D r f 5 : ? ‘ " “ af 2. - 2 f s , , a . ‘ ” SNe J Ae = - ~ “ - ' Se : ‘ < * y . : ‘ . bin “ . 2 x too. ; i * 5 = ' \ . Ai ‘ s e - _ ) ' , e , . ) F: \ . y “ ~ 4 = ‘ : ee ‘ . r ! ~ icy ~ = ' A : = Py ee ‘ ia 33 ‘ . ' a Plate %4- hai PLAN de BAHIA XAGUA | on the SOUTH SIDE OF CUBA. Sea Leagues. a a8 e ao apg BRS Se seer SP ty Plate Ld-e is i H fis 7 “Site 4, “A eeusseins 00n , a9 , be ~ 98 n0 oer ; 099 09.0 oo Ftd Ps i > : ae oe eae a ae p goee Rh Rs Sh So. te Ly ij, Ar ae > g99;2° 9509 2298 on BOYUY tes 22D Oo 105" om ' i } j \ ¥ ’ ‘ \ \ a, v" ere’ 2 Cit. BA. 87 that lie to the weft of the entfance, as marked in the plan. For this very reafon, while the Spaniard: are in poffeffion of the fort, it would be almoft impoffible to enter this harbour. La TRINIDAD, fituated on the fouth fide of Cuda, about 1g0 miles diftant from the Havana, and under the jurifdiction of that city: there is a fmall trade carried on in barks, from this town to Cartagena, and {everal other places on the coaft of Tierra Firma. The river is only fit for veffels that draw about 10 feet water. B AuHall As abe... GUA, ITUATED on the fouth fide of Cuda, and about 80 miles to the S.E. of the Havana, and about go miles N. W. and by N. from port Negril in Samaica. This is a very fine harbour, with deep water, the entrance of which is guarded by a fmall fort upon a rock, called Cayo de Cabron., There are ec fine freth-water rivers, that difcharge themfelves into- this bay ;_ the country round produces the fineft timber for fhip-build- ing; moft of them that are fit for ufe are {tamped with the king of Spain's arms, and when cut down, are tran {ported by fea to the Fern Aon for the ufe of the docks there. a em oe i @ O-L O-R: A’ D 0.8, RE a. very dangerous clufter of rocks, that lie at the moft wefterm part of the bank Santa Ifabella, on which many rich fhips have been loft in their paflage from Samaica to Europe. As this coaft has never been accurately laid down, but in Spanifh draughts, we have thought proper to infert a copy of one, with the defcription of the coaft, written originally in Spanifh, by Damingo Gonzales Carranza, his Catholic majefty’s principal pilot of the flota in New Spain. “In failing from Yamaica for the gulph of Florida, and having pat the ‘“« large Cian direct your courfe to the N. W. and you will come in fight 6 of 33 | THE AS£LAIND OF ¢¢ of tage Corrientes, which is even ‘land, moderately high, with (ome trees, ‘one of which looks like a watch-tower. When you are off this cape, ‘* to be more fure of it, you wiil fee about the north, fome high mountains, “« full of ridges, which Ne on the other fide of the ifland of Cue en the river Puercos sand are by fome called Las Sierras del Potrero, or Sierras “¢ de] Rofaris, for, in this Gtuation, you can fee no other; they appear off at: “© fea to be two hills. To this cape Corrientes, you are not to. come too near, * tii you are Nv and §.-with it, for to the 8. W. about a league and a half ‘¢ from land; a rock lies Ere: water. «© When you are upon cape Corrientes, and certain of it by the grove of “trees as aforefaid, if you would go near, and it bears N. and S. you may «fail fafely towards it; for then you will be clear of its fhoals; and there is a ‘« bay to the eaftward which affords very good {helter. - In cafe you want to «© weather the cape, you may make clofe up to it; for althoug! h you muft “© make fome boards, there is no danger; as you will quickly & get patt ity) ** keeping well up ‘to windward, till you come within the bay, Giicele you «* will fee a fandy fhore, upon which you may anchor in five or fix fathom «© water, Or more if you pleafe, for it is all good anchoring-ground and clear : “though .the bottom appears fpotted, it 1s black mud, and the réft 46 White fand with cockle fhells: at the brink of the fhore is‘a good place ‘* to take in’ water ; and at the end of it, a grove of date trees. After you ‘* have pafled fome ridges of -ftones, inclining to the fea, you will find the «* faid place for water. - From cape Corrientes the coaft runs to the W.N. WwW. ‘‘ as for as the cape de St. Antonio, which is the weft end of the ifand of «* Cuba, and is like a mole built on the land, that runs out from the front of “* the faid ifland. On the fouth fide of it, the coaft is cletr and foundable, * the land low and full of trees ; of which fome appear higher ie others : ‘«< at the fea the trees are to be feen-before you difcover the land ; ney Iyok <* like fhips under fail, which appearance has deceived many te _ « This cape.of St. Antonio, has about three leagues in front, from which «¢ three points run out that form two little bays; each of them is a place to *‘ take in water; but the beft is on the northermoft point, called Punta del ‘¢ Mangler’; that on the fouth is called Punta: del Gua i and they all S$ hiss - BO ee te RULARITIITTEN Sr S WT: = Em Mn Ss MEN DATUUENEALOTULLALTHRAG AV ERO EUAN ETLT OO 10 PRTAUASLTONMASHSUSPRRCTELTNG© C70) TTR Po me nan Plate 25. PLAN of the COLORADO ROCKS, near the West end of’ CUBA, ~ Pet, 10s Sea Leagues 3 Lage #8, Les et os. ; re iui agtoms — can age sh ae yap we A Pep, Peg Py wo a fee titra tee hig? BAHIA HONDA. Scale of Miles. p 2 Hale v6. , WPS AS SES f of OP:+ 1 00p, | op. Pe 9 be Y % : J Z . ae ae 78. ea. i 906 wine ING PRE a7 if f il ' Bd Ban "eke 29.84.2209, ,,, ue ery inf Sivan vippay litte 2280 (a TTA Ny, (ste a i ee Reta SHOTS Wdt te 9, 2 (09,5 909. _.”199 Rae ey 20. : = 900 ) ofa, Pao : py 4 28 099 SS ESS S SSS Zac 24 z oo 200% SE TO 0 ger Ly, | Yoo BOS O nip ve boas WS Boo PQ - 229 op ee 9 v0, WON ° / ie Wss oe, ace AMT Od ye. A ‘ 28.109 °°? gon Miley ..G090N Tee EAE Hos O22. ave... Vac BF. 9° ® of. 20 oa Seasive. Sind oo vice ae #2 Vy a 90 9 oa Matthey Cr ym FA. 89 “Jie N. and S. near the Punta del Manglar. A little to the eaft of it, begins «the paflage that runs to the N. E. by the fhoals of St. [abe/, and along «the coaft as far as Bahia Honda. If you would take in water at this «© cape, you may anchor in the faid paflage, for in this part of the Punta del ‘¢ Manglar, there 1s a good {pring orswell; near it there is likewife ‘ ff 008 020 yy & ff 002° §eeSe, gus Gost ooo % to 20 oso E> -) WY mee Y Kae 55d for) “00 boy ; . le YT Aguada of Wilering Plitee 282 «fas gg 2 RP 95° sad ash, 08 ery 2 ote YSL A LARGA™ «i / 2% tn tao 229 282 0. ZZoM LRH 3 1 ap? A Figg sR2P of 80°F 2"; PUERTO de CAVANAS. a oo: pe syiiiis weed Fg 21 uae 3a Sy Scale of 1 Mile, d , akiqw valu. raon RO va) sails ae i ase ae a O98. cap Be 820 ae AQ anet Fee Decca ene epee set mah ae Pp sien \s ond. ale 3 ES Sa Feed won roar, peveg 29, oo nnd FAS a 03 oo ) ) e829 200 | sa ours eee ax wo Te ON, 920 on tao 8 NE 2a soe! r Lo eae Ces Page oe } “| a) =, ene A, Ngee $e ah ako” de ¥ se 990 ae ae Fe X | : Je 30) 2D 9, \\ OF a 88 Et a PUERTO de MARIEL 220 +0 aD pean AW = ARGS WD \ Pa ea ~*~ 159) ORF. Sipe AP SAR % 2. 099 ge G Scale of 1 Mile. : S ST ; NON 65° Oa a em ote % 11 000 cee CUCU NAAT AHHH : 665 ee ga0eo 2 28 i 068 oo OF, aT T 48 opeag BS 8 aes ? SS ao... OS 13 060 Booe 6 ae way 960 6% wet oso F68 : ; ae ue r. Lexy 800. ope id 904 900 coe—ape. °° ; | / TALUV JY OP OLWHA ee cc 7 ooo coe O° i 9 9p ave 98h oc ae Par 1) geo ot c a i el ag 000 xB era... 7500! 060 Z aL SP ORDON STI UO EELE, + 6283 ° Foo age oh 1 ‘ob abuy | “GU RTT San DOMINGO. gr? the name was firft extended to that quarter ofthe ifland, and in procefs of time to the whole; fo that it is now generally called Szzt Domingo. It is fi- tuated between Cuda and Puerto Rico, andit extends from lat. 17°. 37/. to. Jat. 20/. and from long. 67°. 35/. to long. 74°. 15/. being near 400 miles from weft to-eaft, and ‘almoft. 120 where broadeft, from “Herel to fouth.- The climate here is extremely hot, but cooled by winds that blow at cer- tain feafons. -It alfo rains excefiively at fome times, yet not in all places alike: but on the whole it cannot be faid that the air is by any means comparable to that of Cua; the foil alfo differs very confiderably, being in fome places exceedingly rich and fruitful, in others miferably poor and barren. The climate agrees but badly with new-comers, yet fome of if the inhabitants live here in great ftate and plenty, in good health, and toa great age, many of them exceeding 80, and fome erehine to 120 years. - This ifland, whichis next to Gubd for fize, is allowed next to that to be the moft fruitful, and by much the pleafanteft in the Weft Indies; having vatt forefts of cabbage-trees, palms, elms, oaks, pines, juniper, caramite, aca- jou, and-other trees {till taller and larger, and the fruit more pleafing to the eye; ‘and better tafted than in the other iflands; particularly ananas, bananas, grapes, oranges, lemons, citrons, toronias, limes, dates, and apricots. Here are all the birds common in the Weff Indies ; as alfo the mufketto and fire’ flies. “In the meadows or favanas are innumerable herds of black cattle. There are a fufficient. quantity of horfes inthe Preacd part of the ifland to fupply all their neighbouring cojonies; befides wild horfes and wild hogs, of the breed firft brought over by the spaniards.. The hunters fhoot the beeves for their hides, as is done in Cuba; and with regard to the pork, they ftrip the flefh from’ the bones, and jerk it as they do in Jamaica, Scarce a country in the world is better watered by brooks zd navigable rivers, in which are plenty of fifh, and the coaft abounds wit! Liodisatiee and tortoifes. Its principal river is called Ocogz. In the fands of the rivers: they ufed®°to find gold’ duft, and the ifland has many ities s of ‘gold, filver, and copper ; which, though formerly worked with ereac profit, yet the Spaniards have found them{elves too weak to carry them on to advan-' tage, and take all the care they can to conceal them from cihers. The principal commodities of this ifland are hides, fugar, indigo, cotton, cocoa, Ni 2 coffee, 92 THE ISLAND OF coffee, ginger, tobacco, falt, wax, ambergris, various forts of drugs, and dyers wood. What corn they have ripens at fuch different times that it can- not be reaped with any profit. The number of French on this ifland ‘is. faid to equal, if not exceed, that of the Spaniards; though both together are very far fhort of what the ifland is capable of maintaining. In 1726, the inhabitants were computed at 30,000 whites, and 100,000 negroes and mulattos, whofe daily allowance is potatoes, though they have leave to keep hogs. | The Spaniards, by degrees, conquered the natives; and, in battle, and cold blood, deftroyed no lefs than 3,000,000 of men, women and children. While the natives enjoyed their poffeffions, the Spanz/h inhabitants lived much rnore happily, and enjoyed much greater affluence than they have done fince ; for the people cultivated their lands, fupplyed chem with fith, and fome fmall quantities of gold, when they could find it; whereas now the far greateft part of what the Spaniards claim, rather than poffefs, is defert, and yields litle or nothing. As this ifland was among thie firft difcovered by the Spaniards, {o it was the center of their commerce in thefe parts; and they were for many years fole poffeffors. During fome part of that time it was a very flourifhing colony. But after the conqueft of Peru, and the confiderable additions made to their territories on the continent of North America, they neglected this ifland, which encouraged the French, about the middle of the laft century to fix themfelves on the north fide, where they have improved — the fettlements to fuch a degree, and have become (0 ftrong, that it is thought they might long before now have made themfelves mafters of the whole ifland, did they n°: cap more benefit from the neighbourhood of the Spaniards than. from thei: «»pulfion. The frequent defcents both of the Enghjh and French on the wet vart of the ifland, by degrees, obliged the Spaniards to abandon all that por. of it to the weft of Monte Chriffo, on the north, and cape Mon- gon on *)« ‘outh. But though the Spaniards were glad to live upon | good terns with the French, yet they always confidered them as ufurpers of a country to which they had no fort of right, till 1697, when the Spa~ niards yielded to. them the weft part of it, by the treaty of Ry/wick, The boundarics between them and the French may be feen in the map. The French are convinced that in this part of the ifland are confiderable mines. of - e ese 2: . ' =— > ‘ “ a xe The ISLAND of HISPANIOLA. called by the FRENCH STDOMINGO. Subject to FRANCE & SPAIN. from the best Authorities by Thomas Jefferys. Geographer to His MAJESTY, inecHtS Brulee or ‘ ita Find args te Ded tatlaye tite Riviere British & French Leagues 20 to aDegree al Dritish Statute Miles } | Tvujitain’ of Brash) = .. Water o@ = SRS of the CITY of SAN DOMINGO. Reference s. a.The Cathedral , b. The Archbishops Palace. |e. The Town House , d. Palace: of Christopher Columbus, e, Presidenaa, «| £. Pryars de la Merced. .| g. The Dominican Fryars. h. The Dominican Nuns. i. The Franciscan. a sete K Nuns of S® Clara, eae eS 1, Hogpital for the incurable. tay eS x a, |m. SP Anthony . * n. JS? Barbara. ‘lo. The Jenuats . pp. Zhe Shambles, i SS Wis = “|g. Collage. == a j Ra ig em ~ 24) 2. Hospital’. ie heen 3 3 : t Fen British Fathoms ‘= alt Be rtiee ae! ‘a Clee PA eras aca a iy ete Rize chet a eif se Cwm t beet PPT ei At te {- % eee eth teh > eeette eemail = - eete™ ee 45 : WOAH Pepe ji NNO US OE Loy ii = 7 SS tL Ue G4. t zs “Las I. EIGNAS Be |\PLAN ies ! ees : : be i! ke he CITY of & ze uke f ‘ eos Sask ; DOMINGO. ; eh ot p a oh ie £ Pe eee eo Loan iio eferences, : > 2. ies 2S - a & ote f rt ie al , } A ce Sa [S ae - hops Palace. ; Use , hristopher Columbus, an Pryars. nuns. ban, Clara , incurable, y 5 t s, re Poe, te \ oe eh Ri & bade ree Money Yt Lee [eal eee he: Trog"S« DR. ee es " a bo ted a a . te voe h.9 te eee Be RELL 2 SSA es ° 2 ‘ a ; ¢ : a ele \ vee rans WN SS ZZz7-——ie , San DOMINGO. 93 of feveral forts: but while the fugar and indigo mines, as one of their writers expreffes it, are fure to produce fuch a quantity, they are never likely to look for any others. Spanif/h coin is much more current in this ifland than French. 'The fmalleft pieces are half rials, and the accounts are only kept in pieces of eight, and rials. : Though the flaves here are more numerous by far than their Ewropean lords, the French and Spaniards, who are not a fifth part of the people upon the ifland, yet the flavery is as intolerable as on the continent; with this difference, that the Spanzards lead a lazy indolent life, entirely depending on their flaves ; whereas the French fometimes work themfelves. The colony of the latter here is allowed to be the moft confiderable and important they _ have in thefe parts. They are already poffeffed of fo many noble harbours and forts as give them an opportunity of difturbing and ruining the commerce of any -nation which they happen to be at war with. And indeed fo many harbours are all round the ifland, that failors can fcarce mifs of one in which they may have freth water and provifions. Sanr DOMINGO. , | Gane capital of this ifland, was firft built by Columbus, on the fouth fide of it, and is fituated at the mouth of the river Ozama, in a fine plain, which fhews it to a great advantage from the fea. Bartholomew Columbus, brother to the admiral, is faid to have founded it in the year 1394, and gave it the name of Domingo. It was taken by Sir Francis Drake, who, held it a month, and then burnt a part of it; but fpared the reft for a ran- fom of 60,000 pieces of cight. It foon recovered itfelf ; but the trade, which. was confiderable in fugar, hides, tallow, horfes, hogs, and caffia, has de- cayed fince the Spaniards have been tempted by later difcoveries to Havana,. Sc. Neverthele(s it {till makes a good figure ; and its inhabitants, including the negroes, Gc. are thought to exceed 25,000 ; and fome reckon them many more. They confift of Spantards Meftizoes, Mulatos, and Saltatrazes, of all: which together a fixth part is fuppofed to be Spaniards. gt. Domingo is a large well built city, a bar port, and it has feveral ftru€turés more magni- ficent than is ufval in the We/t-Indves, efpecially thofe of the king of Spain's col-~ 94 5 T. HE! FS-LOAANED 4) F 4 collectors. Here is a Latin {chool, and hofpita l with an endowment: of " 20,000 ducats a year, befides an univerfity. Fhey havea tine -cachedraly / feven large monafteries, 2nd two nunneries, befides a mint, and 4 college,’ 4 with a revenue of 4000 ducats. I: is the fee of an archbi thop, whofe fuffral . gans are the bifhops of La ee, ‘ton in this ifland, St. ‘fobn's iti Porto Rico,, St. Fago in-Cuba, Venezucla in New Cajfiile, and of 7 ladolid in’ Honduras. ‘Here alfo is the refidence of the judges of the royal courts; it is an’ audiencia real, the moft eminent royal audience of the Spaniards in America: fo that the lawyersand the clergy keep this city from utter Gecay, fine the declen- fion of its trade. ‘The greateft part of the commerce. cirried on by the Spa- wards of this ifland is however from this port, which h 5 fathom water at the beft: it is fafe and large, and defended by feveral pide ores with a caftle at the end of ‘the pier, ftrengthened with two half moons. ‘The nat from Old Spain lives in a houfe in this city, that is faid to have been built and: occupied by Chrifopher Columbus himfelf. To this court, on account: of prior fettlement, appeals are brought from all the We/t-India iflands, as for- merly they were from every province of Spani/h America, and his fentence is - definitive, unlefs it is called by a particular commiffion into Spam. As hee purchates his office, he confequently executes it with opprcftion ; nor does he want inftruments for that purpofe. This place being the refort and har- bour, of the moft abandoned fet of wretches in the Spani/h Dominions. San Domingo is built of ftone, after the Spanifh model, having a large {quare market-place in the middle, about which ftands the cathedral and =< other public buildings: and from this {quare the ftreets run in a dire& line, - being crofied by others at right angles; fo that the form of the town is almoft quadrangular. It is moft delightfully fituated, between a large navi-~ gable river on the weft, the ocean on the fouth, and a fine fruitful country on the north and eaft. ee ee Pe ee ne Monre Curisqo, lies on the north fide of the ifland, has a commo- dious harbour nineteen leagues weft from Puerto de la Plata, and forty N. W. from San Domingo, near the river called Yaguey, on whofe banks are many falt pans. This port has been the mart for a contraband trade, carried on between ithe French and Spaniards during this war. ; ° PuERTO San DOMINGO. 95 Puerto pe LA PLaTa is thirty-five leagues north of Sanz Domingo. Ovando fixed a colony herein 1502. It ftands conveniently on the fea ‘coaft, has a caftle, and was reckoned the fecond place of trade in the ifland ; but has been fo often deftroyed by pirates, that it is now dwindled to a mere fifhing-village. ee Tue City or Conception de /a Vega ftands twenty-five miles north of San Domingo, was formerly a bifhop’s fee, founded by Columbus, who had from this town the title of Duke de Ja Vega conferred on him and his pofterity by the king of Spam. It has an abbey of Francifcans, a cathe- dral, whofe bifhop is fuffragan to San Domingo, feveral parifh churches and convents. ST. JAGo DE Los CAVELLEROS, twenty-nine leagues N. W. from San Domingo, is a very pleafant place, fortified with a caftle, and was for- metly inhabited by the Buccaneers or Hunters. — | SAONA, of SAVONA, on the §. E. point of the ifland, has pleaf- ant woods and paftures, abounds with tortoifes_and other fith, as alfo with guaiacum ; and formerly tupplied Hi/paniola with caflavé, but is now uninhabited and frequented only by Spani/h fithermen, at the time that the tortoifes come to lay their eggs. It is but five miles from the neareft part of Saz Domingo ifland. The north and fouth fides of this ifland are. rocky and foul, nor is the eaft fide, where fhips may ride in éi ath fe, ce ) ee P y ride in eight fathom,,. Mona Ist ann, is very {mall, and is faid not to be three leagues in ie cuit, lies between Puerto Rico and San Domingo, and its climate and foil are excellent. There is great plenty of good water; and the oranges that grow here are by much the largeft and fineft in America. It is well peopled,. for. its extent, and is under a particular governor for the king of Spain. | Pe ULE, RE OW Ral CO, r‘NALLED by its antient inhabitants Boriguen, was difcovered by Co- lumbusin the year 1493, but it. coft the Spaniards a great deal of . trouble to reduce it, the. intiabitants being a brave gallant people, and extremely- 9 THE ASLAND OF extremely fond of liberty. They however fucceeded 2 Jaf, and net only conquered, but extirpated the natives: who, at the f-% arrival of the Spaniards, are {aid to have amounted to 600,000. The n: ral confequence of fuch inhuman conduct was too foon vilible ; the defiru.ion of the people proved the ruin of the ifland, and there is now no longe: ny quantity of gold found in Puerto Rico, wc it formerly abounded, and for the fake of which the poor mnocent natives were flaughtered. The rains which ge- nerally render the feafon unhealthful fall in June, Fuly, . d Auguff, when the weather would otherwife be extremely hot. The foi'. which is beauti- fully diverfified, is exteemely fertile, abounding with fine meadows, well ftocked with wild cattle; which were brought originally from Spain. A ridge of mountains runs through the ifland trom eaft to weft, from whence great numbers of brooks and rivers iffue, which water the plains, and clothe them with the fineft paftures.. The fides of the hills are covered with trees of various kinds, proper for building fhips and other ufeful purpofes : but its principal commodities for commerce are fugar, ginger, hides, cotton, thread caffia, maftick, &c. Great quantities of falt are alfo made on the ifland ; which, with the great variety of fine fruits it produces, adds much to the value of its exports. ‘The number of inhabitants, who are chiefly Mulatos at prefent on the ifland, amount to alout 1c,000. The genius of the people, and the convenient fituation of this Teh would render it the moft flourifhing of all the Spanifh colonies, if fome great in- conveniences did not keep the people under. Thefe are principally three ; great droughts, which are but too frequent, and which bring the inhabi- tants to the point of ftarving; hurricanes, which happen alfo very often, and do incredible mifchief at fea and on fhore ; and, laftly, the defcents of privateers, which have been fo frequent, and fo fatal,’ that all the fea-ports have been ravaged feveral times. San JUAN vs PUERTO RICO, HE capital of the ifland, is fituated on a {mall ifland, extending a- crofs the harbour, and is joined to that of Puerto Rico by a caufey. This harbour is very capacious, and the largeft {hips may lie here with the c utmoft | Plate 91. oe ae vi cn S20 2agee~ 2 { ae qane 4 gee me Tae * 209 oooh 932 g 986. ooh Lage go. RRRR es nat Town ann HARBOUR of SAN JUAN de PUERTO RICO. in iv Plate 31. 2 - : 20 220 222 2 ano ty 209g 22Q = got & ae, ee ca of the Ogg. “oye ease 00 ace os panes” 6 Sal Woe TOWN snp HARBOUR Bee yy ORD 995” 3 f : ie ; ae ¢ ¢ "492 ~ 9000 029” Sy = (ae : ; 7 2 : ; Wig : SAN JUAN dePUERTO RICO. he veo r ye as Me Finite Mra ts 1 el eee : out ria i 4 Hi gee? * Plate ga. 2 - Page 97. PLAN of the AGUADA NUEVA de PUERTO RICco. Scale of Miles. SELEI IPAS | ‘OOIY OLWEoOd 3p | VAGTON VaAVIOV orp Jo NV Ig ‘LO abog e “= aban Tt’. PWERTO RICO. |, ) ay _ utmoft ne It is the fee of a bithop ; large, and well isan) though the “beauty of the city is greatly diminifhed by the canvas, or wooden lattice, that they ufe inftead of glafs windows ; they’ ve no water, except rain, which they preferve i in cifterns. ;), This plece is better inhabited than moft Spani(h cities, being the centre of the contraband trade carried on by the Engh/h and French with the fub- _ jects of Spazu, notwithftanding the feverity of the laws, and the extraordi- nary precautions taken to prevent it. Onthe W. fide of the city is the . Caftillo del Morro, a_ very ftrong citadel, which at once commands and defends it; while the Le of the harbour is protected by the El] Canuelo, a large well fortified caftle. In the year 1595 Sir Francis _ Drake burned all the fhips in the harbour; but finding it impoffible to keep the place, without abandoning all his other defigns, he did not attempt to make himfelf matter of it. Three years after the Earl of _ Cumberland reduced the ifland, and had fome thoughts of keeping it; but lofing 400 men in the {pace of a month by a contagious difeafe, which he afcribed to the heavy rains that his people. were expofed to in the wet _feafons, and the fatal dews that fell in fair weather, he was-glad to depart, carrying away with him 70 pieces of cannon, and an immenfe booty in plate. In 1615 the Dutch fent a ftrong fleet againft Puerto Rico, but with no great faccefs; for they only took and plundered the city, not being able to reduce the caftle, which, with its forts, are now in a better condition than ever, this harbour being of great utility to the Spau/b commerce. The AGUADA NUEVA vce PUERTO RICO, § one of the fineft roads for fhipping in all the We/f-Indies, being theltered from the trade winds by the ifland of Puerta Rico; here the galleons and flota, generally anchor when they come from Spaim, and the Barlovento fleet, after they have been at Cumanagota, come here for frefh water and provifions, before they return to La Vera Cruz. O nf AD- Ay DOF ES ay D A. The following Articles were erin ei to the eee too » late to be inferted in their proper Places. : ~ To follow Aha Ne gl page 9. n: ny lake; this town is sabe centre oreede. between Merida, ees and Mara- “caibo, there being many rivers which enter the lake near it; this place j is Often overflowed, in the rainy feafon, that makes it very ‘unwholfome; at that time the richeft inhabitants retire to Maracaibo and the others to their plantations ; of which there are many in this country both of fugar and cacao: the plantations at Varinas, about 120 miles from hence, aré famous for tobacco, being eftéemed the beft in the univerfe, which for its goodnefs is called Tobacco de Sacerdotes or Prieft’s Tobacco ; large quantities of which are fent hither to 1F export- ed for Maracaibo, &c. Though this town was defended’ by a fort and intrenchments, yet the French Bucensiers in 1679 took and plundered 1: offering to fave the town for 10000 peices of eight, but the: Spaniards being dilatory, the French fet fire to it, and it was a great | part deftroyed before ifley brought 1 in the ranfom.’ This place was a fecond time taken by Captain Morgan, whofe people exercifed creat cruelty to force the Spaniards to difcover their effe@ts, but after hivine ftayed here for many days, were obliged to take 5000 peices of eight in part.of the ranfom for. this town... To follow Sa St. Martha, page 12. R1LO GRANDE DEcsilc MADALENIA, | oe a very large noble river, and. by far the beft in all Tiera Firma, rifes in the Mountains of Popayan, and is navigable almoft from its fource; it receives the Rio de Cauca, which {prings from the fame mountains, and is very little in- ferior to it in extent or magnitude; this river enters the north fea by feveral mouths, the principal of which is Boca Grande, about 10 leagues S. W. from Santa Martha; and there is a branch of this river called e/ Digue, which enters the | ) j A’ DOD “EON CD GAA 99 the fea about 12 ‘leagues to the fouth of Carthagena, which tho’ filled with reeds, is navigable thro’ a very fine populous country, By this river the produce and treafure of all the cor untry between Popayan and Carthagena i 1S carried on;, and for more than 300 miles from the fea this river runs through a very, fine plain extremely well fettled, with {everal ‘con~’ fiderable towns and villages on its banks; from fome cf the principal of which are many very, good roads to Carthagena; and other parts on the weftern coatt of this province, but the fineft 1s hen from e/ Retiro to Tou, through a very pl leafant valley for abour 20 0 leagues. To come before Cofta Rica, page 41. BiQ.GHA «ven *T, O, R.O; SHIR TY eight leagués to the weft ‘of Puerto Velo, and-about-7o almott: due fouth ae es mouth of Niearagua river, lies this bay, which is in the province of Veragua, and is about 10 leagues i in compafs, furrounded with feveral little iflands, ‘Whe: which veflels may ride fecure from violent winds: this place was often reforted to by the buccaniers, efpecially after they had taken and plundered Puerto Velo a fecond time; here they victualled and re- fitted theirficet, confifting of nine veffels, for a fouth-fea expedition. Adjoining to this place is a very large bay called Bahra del Almirante, where there is fafe anchoring, and a very good fhelter for fhips. TheIndians which inhabit the country round thefe bays are very fierce, -and whom theSpantards could never conquer; on which account they are called by them Indios Bravos ot wild Indians, who have often fhewed an inclination to trade with the Engh/h; but the Mo/guitos being jealous, it has been thought more prudent to decline it, tho’ a fettlement ere4ted here with a fort, would be attended with a very lucrative trade to the aay nation. Near this coalt is found a finall thell fith, which is the true Tyrian dye. The country. is very fruitful, and produces great plenty of mango, equal to that of the Ea/- Indies, with feveral forts of {pices, in particular the wild nut- meg, many, of which have been brought by the French (who it is’ faid have long hada defign of fettling here) from thence to ‘famaica. Oo Madd 100 A AD CD VE JIN GDA. Add to the asec of Rattan Ifland page 51. ; HIS ifland in the laft war was fettled, and garrifoned by Britifh troops from Samaica s but at the follicitation of the court of Spain, was evacuat- ed after the peace in 1748; and tho’ then the Spaniards iffued feveral placarts, i inviting people to come and fettle on the ifland, yet it is uninhabited ; and the reafongiven by a Spaniard of great fenfe, and very large property on the conti- nent, was, that they were all truly fenfible thatthey could never expeé any af- fiftance or protection from their unweildy government, and therefore mutt be defenfelefs and liable to be infulted and plundered by the firft-enemy that comes, and that as long as they were a little more fecure in their fettlements on the main, it would never be worth the expence or hazard of any Spaniard to fettle on the iflands, which is a very cogent reafon why all the iflands on this coaft and bay, as well as on the coaft of Tzerra Firma, are moftly uninhabited. | Add to the account of La Vera Cruz, page 61. HE Barlovento fleet, feldom confitts of more than two or three men of war, and three or four floops; they are employed in carrying the eee to the diftant places on the coaft, that is, to relieve the garrifon, pay the forces, &c.. and to fee that there is no contraband. dealings: they generaliy fet out from Vera Cruz in May, and go through the gulph, as high Up as Cumanagota to Puerto Rico, watering at the Aguada Nueva; from thence coafting it, .they return to la Vera oe early in October, being generally abfent from thence four months. On account of the. unwholefomnefs of the cee many of the moft fabftantial merchants and nobles of Mexico will not run the rifk of their health in coming to Vera Cruz, but have fent their factors; this has often in- duced the king ok Spain to fend his mandate for removing the fair to Pueblo de los AUBERS, and other places within land, that Teaoey being the fineft cli- mate in the known world. The trade of /a Vera Cruz has of late been very uncertain ; ; the flota hay- ing been fometimes fufpended for two or three years, and all the produce and treafure cf this country exported in a fingle bottom called the Sola fhip, "The A Soy ww pH A 101 The trade between Acapulco and the Philipines is carried on very regular on account of conveying the miffionaries there in three fhips; thus, whilft thefirft thip has taken in her lading, and ready to fail from Acapulco, this fecond is refi: ing and loading at Manilla, and the third is on her voyage home for Acapulco: by this means is that trade kept up very regular, and feldom known to mif- carrry but when interrupted by an enemy. As for the Eaf-India goods brought in this fhip, moft of them are confumed in Mexico, very few being fent to Vera Cruz, except for prefents to fome great perfonages in Europe. The cochineal that is fhipped at 2 Vera Cruz, is brought chiefly from Guaxaca, where there are regular plantations of the Nopa/; they decay in three years, during which time they take great care to raife new plantations to fucceed thofe worn out by the cochineal; the traders and fhopkeepers of Guaxaca buy it of the Izdians in any quantity they bring them, this they put into a tub, for which reafon the three forts of cochineal are now reduced into one. Of late years the inhabitants of da Vera Cruz get much out of the rigid ftiffuefs of the Spanzard growing more polite, by imitating the manners of the French, their ladies appearing more in public places, giving and. receiv ing vifits, asin other polite nations. The following receipts for planting Cacao and Coco, the firft ufed by the Spaniards, and the latter in the Eaft-Indies, were commu Vaud nicated to the kditor, by a Gentleman who refided many Years the Welt-Indies.. | ‘A K E the largeft and fineft cods when full ripe, and let them lie three or four days, then open them and take out the grains, and put them in a veffel of water; thofe which fwim reject, the others wath clean from the pulp. take off the fkin, and let them lie in the water till you jut perceive them to {prout ; then having the land you propofe for planting very clean,. 102 A DD E ND A: clean, and well burnt from weeds and trees, make a hole where you intend to plant your tree about afoot diameter, and fix inches deep: fplit in the middle a Waha leaf, and place it within the circumference of the hole, which will then be about eight inches above the ground, and reach to the bottom of the hole ; into that leaf rub the mould very light, till it is filled as high as the furface of the ground; then take your nuts and plant three triangularly, by making a hole for each nut with your finger about two inches deep, and put in the nut which juft began to f{prout, with the end downward, fhake in a little more mould juft to cover it, then’ fold over the leaf clofe, and lay a {mall {tone on the top to prevent its opening ; in about eight or ten days the nut will rife out of the mouid; then open the leaf, and place fome other Jeaves round it, to fcreen it from the fun: leaves of the palm kind are generally ufed, as you may fix them beft in the ground; and thefe muft be renewed as often as they decay, for about fix months, at which time take a bough of the madre of Cacao, and plant it about fouth fouth weft of the tree, which will grow up with the cacao; from this time -be-not too fond of cleaning the herbage cr grafs in the cacao walk, becaufe that keeps the ground cool, but cut down every thing of the vine kind, or any other weeds that grow high: if all the nuts you plant in one hole grow up, ‘when they are about eighteen inches high, tran{plant’one of them, or draw it and throw it away; the other two, if they fpread different ways, may grow ; but if you find them intermingle, it is better to cut down one of them ; the fifth year they will begin to bear ; but it is beft to pluck off the fruit, except a few cods, and at the next crop alfo fuffer not too many ; the eighth year let all come to perfection that will. A black mould and level bor- tom, well fcreened from the winds, efpecially the northern ones, is beft. The tree will generally bear two crops a year ; when you gather it, or pluck the cods off, let them lie about three days, then take out the nuts, and put them upon mats or fkins to dry in thehot fun; it is beft not to wath off the pulp, as they will then keep the longer. A tree will remain good about twenty years, and produce the value of from three or five pieces of eight annually to cighteen. The Spaniards find from experience, that trees tran{- planted neither bear fo foon nor fo well as thofe never moved ; about fix yards from, tree ta tree is a good diftance to plant them. If the cacao a x i sar rahe ir le fa ' ss = Ay DD EN DG. 103 be extenfive, it is beft to let a few large timber trees {tand at a good diftance from each other, it in fome meafure breaks the violence of the wind. . The clearing the cacao walks from grafs, and cutting away the trees which fhade the cacao, is the reafon that great numbers of them died in famaica, even after they had begun to bear.’ A plantain leaf may be ufed inftead of the waha leaf, and other trees may be ufed inftead of the madre of cacao: the Spaniards ufe more than one tree for that purpofe. I recommend fuch trees as do not drop the leaf, or require great nourifhment, as the orange tree (and the coffee tree) iA believe would likewile be fufficient. f C, OC ©. HE coco-nut tree is propagated in the Ea/f-Indies for many ufes ; ; the pulp on the infide of the nut is very agreeable to-eat, and, the water contained in it is the moft agreeable and wholefome drink in the world. From the pulp, when old and grown hard, they prefs and. get a very ufeful oil, and the dry pulp remaining, they fatten hogs and poultry with, and when rice is fcarce, it is ufed in fome parts as bread or provifion for the poorer fort: the leaves make covering for their houfes. The ourfide hufk of the coco-nut is foaked in water and. beaten, from thence is made all the ropes and rigging for their fhips, being the beft cables in the world for holding a fhip ina hurricane; and from the coco-nut tree is made wine, or, as they call it, tody, and likewife arrack ;, but then the tree mutt be kept from bearing fruit, which they do -by,.cutting off part of the {prout which fhoots. out every month, in order to produce fhe nut, and tie jars to them, from whence difils the liquor they either drink for wine, or foment to diftil for arrack., N. B. The bett coco grows wild in the wood, at or near the Mu/queto _fhore; and the vinclla and appar iag erow wild likewife there ; and the nicaragua wood, whichis much more panable than logwood, might eafily be propagated in Sfasmaica. Ong that coaft are feveral fine harbours fit, for -fhips of any burthen, which we have been,put in poffeffion of by the origi- mal and cnly owners and pofieflors of the land,-and our conftant and faith- ful friends, the Judians of that country, and who have to this day fuch a ae rp like to the rae that they would kill every one of them they meet with (as was their former cuftom) if caey were not reftrained by the Enghfb. They are a numerous, bold, and warlike people, and are to a man ufed to arms ; but the Indians, who are under the Spanifb government, are opprefled with taxes, and a variety of hardfhips, not fuffered to have any arms in their houfes, or fo much as a knife, except one which is chained to a table. A P | aa) a Nee iki ah Major SMITH’s Account of Cusa, in a Letter written in 166 5. oh GO ete is a very good ifland, and in it is generally, for fo large a country, the beft land I have feenin America, although I have travelled « cations i id aaaleiad vo5 Britith Troops defeated and retreat \Covo the King of Spain’s duty on | Hawkins é Sir John defeated at La Carthagena deadly aig Gold ——— 28 Vera Cruz 64 Buccaniers tate Rio de la HachalCroxen Captain takes Porto Belo Honduras Province —---44 URETHRAL Te, COTY te ism gat LEAT OTOH, 9 ——— St. Martha —10| Cuba Sfland ——+71 ——— Leon 44|Cubagua ——- 4] Jew Pip — —50 —_——-——— 8 Yago- Aq Culua le {ndians of Carthagena their Wo- ——___ + —_—___ Campeche 5 3|Cumana —— 5} men de ‘fend the Country 12 ——_--———_ La Vera Cruz os Cumberland Harbour 85 of Rio de la Haca free ————— sr. Aguiline. 7 | ere 2) from the Spanith Yoke 9 —-------- ——Gibraltar 9s | Darien ——22 | of Yucatan live to a great Cc Drake Sir Francis deffroys St.| Age GA Cac20 ———101} | Martha —r10|— of Viafeala never conquered Caiman —— 87 | ——?ekes Carthagena ————13 Campeache 55) San Domingo 93|———their method of making Co- Cape St. Antonio =~ ——88|—-—Puerto Rico 97] chineal © 6% Cape Corrientes —— ibd. dies at Porto Belo 27 |——-—f Panuco retire to Florida Carthage ———-42|——- ——St. Aguitine —70 ; -67 Carthagena eat Baka and fettled, Dutch plunder Margarita 4| K 2 | —ravage St. Martha 10 pepo: Commodore bombards La —- Bay defexiBbed 15 |——-—take Truxillo Guaira and Puerto Cavelio TUR A places in ——— Puerto Rico ~ 97 | ; —— 6 ———- _ ihe Ba 20 E Lombards Fort Chagre 30 —-befieged by the Britijo|Englith right to cut Logwood 56| arny —--— 20 -Cruifers take the Havana) Laguna de Terminos 56 Caftillo Grande taken 21 -80) Landing Places in the Harbour of Caftillo San Lorenzo taken. 30 ae Carthagena nee Cattillo del Oro ——1| Florida ——68| Lazaretto ———-83 Cayo de Cabron ——— 387 | Fort Mauchicoly taken 72) | Lcon meet ae ; T N D E xX. : Logwood Creeks mem. 56 (Parker Captain takes Porto BelofSanta Iabella wenesen --Cutters routed from the 27|Santa Margarita de las alias Bay of Campeachy 49 |Pearl Fifberies 709 howe 1 iat gee 3 --defcribed 50 their Value 72|/Santa Mariade Galre 70 M |Penfacola 79|Santa Martha —I0 Macanao_. 4|Perico 39|Saona J/land 95 Maracaibo Town —— 8 Porto Bello or Puerto vello 24)St. Giles Bay -----47 Margarita [land — 3/Port Royal 7# Rattan 41|St. John’s Ca/tle to defend Nicara- Method of obtaining Gold —37 —--Laguna —56| gua Lake pi ese ea 43 Mexico or New Spain —39 | Puerto de Barracoa ——84|Sallafras its furprizing cures 6g Audience 54| Puerto Cavallos the chief Port of Scots fettle at Darien‘and aban- Mims Sir Chriftopher ¢afes} Guatimala CAE ae, Re OMe te ay et betes hee 22 Campeache C39 betaine Cavello 6|Ships but at Maracaibo 9 Mena [land 95|------- de Cavanas go}Shirley Sir Anthony plunders St, Monte Chrifto Q4.| ------- de la Guaira —=+ 6]: Martha © tol) weeds 10 Moor Col. attacks St. Auguftine | ------- del Principe 84|Sugar River eeewen ee 42 71 |------- de Mariel go|Sant Auguftine © =------- 70 Morgan Sir Henry takes Maraca- - de Guantanimo 85 T ibo —- 9|--—- de la Plata g5| Tabafco Province «-------- 65 -Porto Belo 27 Rico ibid.|\———Town | wa-----59 -Chagre - ———30 Puntal Sol Wierrade Brea’ * cug Poteeees 3 -Panama —— 34] Punta de Mayzi ——841 Tierra Firma ea -St. Cataline © 50\------ del Guanal 88) Trinidad Zand | -Gibraltar 98 R -Town (wena AT Morro . 81 | Rattan [land ——51} Trinidad zz Cuba ---17 Mofa de Maria 78) Raleigh Sir Walter bis Account of{Vruxillo8 wee 47 Mufquito Indians 44) Trinidad —— 3} Tlatcala Province ~----59 —under the Proteétion of|Rialexa a fea Port on the South V Great Britain 46| Sea ———44}Vainilla deferibed --— 58 Rio Grande ——98 | Valadolid the chief City of Hon- New Cadiz —- 4] Rio dela Hacha —-— 9| duras =. 46 New Cattile —- I S |Varagua Province. s---40 New Leon 67| Salt Tortugua [fand = —— 5 |——— Ifland : 4 New Panama 541 | Serie i) ye 22|Vera Cruz = 660 Nicaragua Province ——42'San Carlos —— —§.] Vera Paz ———51 - Lake of great impor-\----Fernando de Omoa 48) Vernon Admiral takes Boca Chica tance 42|----Francifcode Campeache 55 21 Nombre de Dois 24|----Jofeph de Orunna --- 3|--------Porto Belo ----27 Nopal decribed 62|----Juan de Ulua wre -- 64; ——Chagre —— =---- 30 i: ---- Thomas de Caftil]la ---52 Guantanimo ----85 Oglethorp General attacks St.|---- Peter and Paul River 56)VillaHermofe = =----- 57 Auguttine 71|Sant Auguftine = | ~------ 70 Ww —— takes Fort Mauchicolis|Santa Catalina _ —---—50|}Walthenam —— 85. 72!Sant Domingo Mand ----90| Wool of Guaxaca ----58 Old Providence Ifland =——50|--------- City 93, Wright Captain takes LaGuaira 6 1% -| Santiago de Leon da Caracas 5 | x Palmer Captain killed at St. Au- j——----de Cuba ---86 | Xagua Rrver 7 tere n ee 47 guftine ——7I |-------- -or St. George de Olen- Xemani ennenns 14 Panama —-23| cho i gh Siege 47 {hs : a ——— Harbour 35 | --nn----- de Guatimala. -=-53 Yacatan ans a2 54 Trade —— 36] Sant Juande Puerto Rico ----96 Z ne Road to it by Land —31{Santa Fe weere---41| Zifapata Bay = wee 22, Panuco Province ———66 OS a hed Wad ig! ae ae e iy ey six ied . AP = a ple ‘ zi x ‘ oe m a . “ 2, 1 “ts hd < J E & 7 « «wi =; fda os eae ae Srey Ss _— = 7 1 lag ae “e ; ° i peda