1)8 J A M A I C A. 



hibited; and the company are numerous and cle";'.nt in their 

 appearance. 



The principal place for taking the air is the road leading to Rock 

 Fort, which (lands about four miles Eaflward from the town ; and 

 moft of the inhabitants who keep carriages exercife here morning 

 and evening every day. This fort is fituated at the extremity of 

 the long mountain, a rocky eminence, inacceffible on this parr, 

 where it projects nearly into the harbour, leaving only a fmall 

 narrow pafs at the foot, where the fortrefs is built. It confilfs of 

 two baftions, mounting twenty-one guns (twenty-four pounders), 

 tind furniflied with a jmall powder-magazine, and other habiliments 

 of war necellary for its defence. Upon the tace of the hill is a 

 little battery of fix guns, with traverfed lines that lead up to it. 

 Outfide the walls is a wet ditch, funk lower than the furface of 

 the water in the harbour; fo that it may be occafionally tilled. 

 The fort is provided alio with a draw-bridge towards the Eaflern 

 road; cafemates, for lodging the men; and a houfe for the officers. 

 It is too fmall to admit a garrifon of more than feventy men : ne- 

 verthelefs, governor Kn — 1 — s was fo confident of its ftrength, 

 that he maintained it was capable of flanding a fiege againfi: ten 

 thoufind men. It defends the accefs towards the town from the 

 Eaftv/ard, and would undoubtedly prove a great fecurity againfi: an 

 attack from that quarter; for the only way leading to it is narrow, 

 and confined a coiifiderable lengtii in a ftrait diredion, expofed to 

 the whole fire of the fort, without a poflibility of annoying it : 

 nor could trenches be formed, to carry on a regular approach, as 

 the road is all the way a fliallow fand clofe by the water's edge. 

 A guard of foldiers is always kept here ; but the fort is faid to be 

 very unhealthy to the men and their officers. The caufe of this 

 has by fome been imputed to their drinking from a bracklffi flream 

 which runs near it. Others afcribe it to the extreme heat rever- 

 berated down upon them from the hill, which rifes like a wall 

 .above the fort. And fome have thought it proceeded from a la- 

 goon, which lies near the mouth of Mammee River, about three 

 miles to the Eaftward. To corroborate the latter opinion, is al- 

 ledged the inftance, mentioned by Lind, of Whydavv-caftle, on the 

 coafl of Africa ; which has been rendered more unhealthy than 



the 



