42 J A M A I C A. 



They are accommodated with tilts or awnings, and navigated en- 

 tirely by NeoToes. This is a barquadier for Spanifli Town, and 

 moft of the plantations in St. Catliarine, St. Thomas in the Vale,, 

 and St, John. The merchant- fliips which load from hence ufually 

 lye off the hofpital of Greenwich, where they receive their cargo- 

 cut of large boats, or lighters, there not being depth of water fuf- 

 ficient for veflels of burthen to come nearer the wharfs. The li- 

 tuation is low, and fubjeft to inundations from the harbour in 

 ftorms. This place is famous in the annals of Jamaica for the 

 landing of colonel jackfon in 1638, and of Venablcs in 1655. 

 The firfl-built town was wholly dertroyed by the great earthquake 

 of 1692, and never thoroughly rebuilt ; nor is it probable that it 

 will ever grow again into a town. The want of fufficient 

 depth of water, perhaps, firfl: induced Mr. Henderfon, an en- 

 terprizing and fpirited gentleman, to form a new and more con- 

 venient fliipping-place on the North-Eaft fide of Salt-pond hill, 

 under cover of the Twelve-apoftle battery ; this he has effefled at 

 a very large expence, and with much judgement. The depth of 

 water admits Hiips of burthen very near to the wharf, and already, 

 there appears the dawning of a new town ; which, by attrafting 

 the moft confiderable part of the bufinefs, feems to forebode tiie 

 fpeedy decline of Pafiage Fort. This new barquadier is called at 

 prefent by the name of Port-Hen<lerfbn ; and, befides its ufe for 

 fhipping off fugars, and other produce, with the utmoft difpatch/ 

 it has opened a ready communication on that fide of the harbour 

 with the fquadron and Port-Royal Town ; which cannot fail o£ 

 proving extremely convenient, more particularly in time of war.- 

 At the back of Salt-pond hill is a remarkable cave. The adit 

 leading into it is narrow and low ; but the cave itfelf is from t\ven-» 

 ty-five to thirty feet diameter, and of good height. The floor of 

 it is ftrewed w'ith human bones ; and there runs a tradition among 

 the Negroes^ that a white perfon many years ago colIe'Sled a vaft 

 pile and confumed it to afhes : a large quantity ftill remains; andj 

 from the conformation of the fkulh, they are thought to have been 

 Indian. Some have imngined that the Indians made ufe of thefe 

 recefies as a fort of catacombs^ or offuaries, for their dead. The 

 a«tient Mexicans laid their dead bodies without burial on the fur-' 



face 



