BOOK II. CHAR VIII. m 



duce or inflame thofe terrible diforders fo common in this part of 

 the country. The galleons and other European fhips, which flay 

 any time here, feldom leave it without burying half, or at leaft 

 one third, of their men : whence this place has been termed the 

 grave of the Spaniards; but it may, with equal propriety, be ap- 

 plied to thofe of other nations who vifit it. This remark is fuffi- 

 ciently confirmed by the havockmade among the Englifh, when 

 the fleet, under command of vice-admiral Hofier, lay before 

 this port in 1726 for fix months. The inclemency of the air fwept 

 away fuch numbers of his feamen, that he was obliged to bear 

 away for Jamaica. This fleet was afterwards kept on fervice, on 

 the coafl of Carthagena and the Baftimentos chiefly, until June 

 1728, when it returned to Jamaica in confequence of the peace 

 with Spain ; and it was then computed, that, from the time of ad- 

 miral Hoiier's arrival in June 1726, it had loft two admirals, ten 

 captains, about fifty lieutenants, and near four thoufand fubaltern- 

 cflicers and feamen ; who all fell by ficknefs, and not by the hands 

 of the enemy ! But, notwithflanding this general fatality of the 

 climate of Porto Bello, and its neighbouring coaft, to Europeans, 

 a Spanifti fquadron, which lay here in 1730, enjoyed a good flate 

 of health. This happy fiugularity was attributed to the flop of 

 the fhips at Carthagena, where the crews pafled the time of the 

 endemia ;. by which their conflitutions w'ere better adapted to the 

 climate. So noxious is the air of this place, that even perfons bora 

 in it, if above the degree of a Mulatto, fcorn to refide here; and, 

 for the fame reafon, the royal edidl of Spain forbids the fair held 

 annually to exceed forty days. The principal fources of this un- 

 healthinefs, exclufive of what has been already mentioned, are, 

 the fwampinefs of the ground on the Eaft fide of the harbour, and 

 a black filthy mud, which at low-water is left bare, and fends forth 

 an abominable ftench. Such a fituation muff, in any part of the 

 Wefl-Indies, render the air malignant ; and it will provi fo, in a 

 greater or lefs degree, in proportion as other caufes more or lefs 

 concur in preventing it from being either difperfed or corrected. 

 Upon admiral Vernon's return to Jamaica, from Porto Bello and 

 Carthagena, the crews of the men of war, and land-forces, brought 

 with them a very contagious fever. The land-forces had been re-r 



duced; 



