BOOK II. CHAP. Vil. 2r 



through ignorance of the means by wliich its contents aiijrlit be 

 dilcovered. In Old Spain the water is remarkably hght, pure, 

 and wholelbme: to this, and the fereniry of the air, it is attributed 

 that the Spaniards are free from the Icurvy, notwithflanding their 

 indulgence in pork, the leaft: perfpirablc of all animal food. The 

 Spaniards in America are therefore (from a national prejudice) 

 particularly nice in the choice of their water, which forms the 

 chief of their daily beverage. It is not improbable, what I have 

 heard fome of the oldeft inhabitants of St. Jago relate, that the 

 Spaniards formerly here ufed to be at the trouble of procuring 

 water, for their common drink, from the Bridge river, fix miles 

 Weftward from the town; and that all of them kept their drinking- 

 water in large jars, fo many in mimber as to have always one fuf- 

 ficiently clear for ufe, while others were in the courfe of depura- 

 tion. The river Cobre, having a free current from the town 

 to the harbour of Kingfton, uninterrupted by rocks or fiills, and 

 flowing through a pretty level, opeu country, might undoubtedly 

 be made navigable up to it by means of locks ; but the expence of 

 fuch an undertaking, and the fliort diftance of land-carriage, are 

 objedlions that may probably reftrain the inhabitants from ever 

 attempting it. The river abounds with excellent mullets, mud- 

 iilh, .eels, calaperer, jew-{iflij,^craw-fifh, and praivns. It has only 

 one bridge, which crofles it in the road leading towards Sixteen- 

 imle-walk. This bridge is flat, and compofed of planks on a 

 frame of timber-work, which refts upon two fexatigular piers, and 

 two buttrefles projeding from the banks, cdnftruded with piles, 

 and braces interlaced with mafoury. In great floods, the river has 

 been known to rife feveral feet above the floor without injurv, not- 

 withflanding the vaft prefl'ure of fo large a column of water. This 

 is afcribed to the refiftance of the water below or under the 

 flooring, which enables it to fuflain this weight above, in the 

 year 1699, an arched bridge of brick was conftruded fome miles 

 below the town, in order to keep open the communication by 

 land \\\\\\ Kingfton; but, for want of a proper foundation, it wa^ 

 foon fwept away by a flood, and never lince re-built. Attem[)rs 

 have lately been made to get an act palled for bui:ding one at the 

 publick expence, and more conveniently fituated ; but, through 

 Vol. II E ' the 



