ir6 JAMAICA. 



which quarter the wind rarely lets, and plant the ground with the 

 wild-lage, rofemary, and other aromatic flirubs, which grow very 

 abundant in the low lands-? If there is really a wide difference be- 

 tween a pure and a vitiated air, in regard to the effefts they reipec- 

 tively produce on the health of mankind (and that there is vvill 

 be readily granted), hum;uuty fhould unite with good fenfe to re- 

 move thofe nuifances and erroneous cuftoms, which have too long, 

 prevailed againft the public welfare. 



The Jewifli fynagogue in this town is a handfome, fpacious 

 builduig ; and here the principal rabbi officiates. Ic contains a 

 gallery, like that in SpaniQi Town, for the reception of their wo- 

 men, w!io do not mingle with the other fex in their public devo- 

 tions. The Jews are numerous ia this town, being poffefied of 

 the greated fhare in the Spanifti trade. They have a convenient 

 burying-ground without the town. No public buildings having as 

 yet been erefted for the officers of the cuftoms and the receiver- 

 general of the ifland, their offices are kept in private houfes, fitu- 

 ated in different quarters of the town ; which is a very great in- 

 convenience to the trade. Every veflel that arrives is obHged to be 

 entered at the poft-office, the fecretary's, the colIe£lor's, comp- 

 troller's, naval, and receiver-general's. Thefe being all detached, 

 and at a diftance from one another, the captains ol fhips are forced 

 to make the tour of the whole town when they attend thefe offices 

 either to enter or clear. The Eaft fide of the parade, or fquare, in 

 a line with the barracks, would be a very proper fpot for erefting a 

 range of building, to include all thefe offices; but fuch an under- 

 taking has been thought too expenlive for the town, or the county 

 ofSurrv; and the other two counties are faid to have oppofed fuch 

 a fcheme, from an apprehenfion or jealoufy that it might one day 

 be converted into a place of refidence for the commander in chief. 

 Moderate men, however, are of a different opinion : they wiffi to 

 iee a building ere£\ed here, fo necefliiry for the accommodation and 

 difpatch ot the traders; and that an exchange, or place convenient 

 for daily meetings of the merchants, was likewife provided ; efpe- 

 cially as no other town of fuch extent and importance is without 

 them. In proportion as the comimercial fpirit and importance are 

 kept up among the inhabitants, they may be lefs inclined to leave 



2 the 



