BOOK II. CHAP. VII. 75 



tains cloathed with noble woods, full of the fineft and larp-ed tim- 

 ber-trees ; and every fpot adupted to cultivation of almofi: every 

 kind, except that the fummits of fome are thought too bleak and 

 chilly for the fugar-cane : this is therefore chiefly confined to the 

 vallies, and warmer flopes of the hills. The water is equal to 

 any in the world for purity and wholefomenefs ; and the air is in 

 general extremely healthful, and agreeable to European conftitu- 

 tions. About Orange River, and fome other parts of this parifli, 

 the quarry-flones lie in layers, and are dug out in regular fquares, 

 of pretty even thicknefs, fo as to anfwer the mafon's purpofe witli 

 very little trouble. They are of a light-brown, and yield to the 

 acid. The chief ports are Anotto Bay, Port Maria, Auracabefla, 

 Saltgut, and Rio Nuevo; which are good anchoring-places, thoup-h 

 no fecurity to (hips in time of a hurricane, as they are all expofcd 

 to the North. 



Port Maria is famous for having given, as it is fuppofed, an 

 afylum to Columbus, when his (hip was near foundering with a 

 leak ; and fomewhere hereabouts authors have placed the town of 

 Melilla, the firfl which the Spaniards founded. Rio Nuevo is 

 likewife remarkable for the decifive vicftory gained there by general 

 D'Oyley over the Spaniards; which confirmed the Englifn in 

 pofleflion of this idand. The weather in this parifh is extremely 

 wet during great part of the year, and fo cold, that few if any of 

 the houfes are unfurnifhed with a chimney. Its chief productions 

 are fugar and rum, a little indigo, coffee, tobacco, and corn. 

 The land in general from its richnefs bears too luxuriant a cane : 

 1 have feen fome here of enormous fize and length ; but fuch are 

 unfit for making fugar, and are only ground for the flill-houfe. 

 The great plenty of water and provifions are extremely favourable 

 to the breeding of hogs, of which there is great abundance; but 

 fheep and poultry do not thrive here fo well, owing to the rank- 

 nefs of the nafturage, and moiflure of the atmofphere. This paiiih. 

 having been frequently difiiurbed with infurreclions of the Ncgroe 

 flaves belonging to it, has four barracks, at two of which tiiere la 

 ufually a fmall cantonment of foldiers. 



Fort Haldane, at Port Maria, ilands on an eminence command- 

 ing the entrance of the harbour, and is capable of making a good 



L 2 defence. 



