B O O K ir. CHAP. VIII. i^ 



SECT. III. 

 PORT ROYAL. 



THIS parifli is bounded on the Eaft, by St. David; on the 

 Weft, by the port, and St. Andrew ; North, by Kingfton harbour, 

 and St. David; and South, by the fhip channel, and fea. A part 

 of Yallahs River forms the inland confine on the North ; as the 

 Bull Bay River does on the Eaft. It is watered alfo by the Hope, 

 and Mammee. The town, which is in 17° 57' North latitude, 

 and 76° 37' longitude Weft from London, is fituated on the point 

 of a pcninfula, or narrow neck of land, called the Palifadoe, which, 

 projedling from the main land about eight miles and three quarters, 

 forms a barrier to the harbour of Kingfton againft the fea. The 

 foundation of it was firft laid by general Brayne, in the year 1657. 

 It was then called Cagua, or Cagway, a corruption probably of 

 caragua, the Indian name for the coratoe, or great aloe, which 

 overfpreads the adjacent Saltpan Hill. The excellent anchorage in 

 the road, where a thoufand (hips might lie fecure from all winds 

 except hurricanes, and the depth of water, infomuch that the largeft 

 vellels ufed to lay their broadfides to the wharfs, and load or un- 

 load with little trouble, made it fo defireable a feat for trade, that 

 it foon became celebrated for the number of its inhabitants, the ex- 

 tent of its commerce, and amazing treafures of gold and filver. 

 In the year 1672, it contained eight hundred well-built houfes, 

 moft of which were rented as high as any of that time in the heart 

 of the city of London. Twenty years after this, the number was 

 increafed to two thoufand ; and it had then attained the height of 

 its fplendor. The fituation was extremely incommodious in many 

 refpedts. It had neither earth, wood, nor water; the foil was no- 

 thing more than a loofe fand, lodged at firft upon a ridge of rock, 

 and gradually extended in breadth, as well as depth, in a long fe- 

 ries of time, by the renditions of the fea. The natural wants, 

 however, of fo large and populous a town, proved very in- 

 ftrumental towards forming and encouraging plantations upon the 



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