r' V 



,44 J A M A I C R-. ' 



was funk fo low, thaf if was feared the fea would encroach too faft, 

 and endanger the houfes left ftanding on that lide. They therefore 

 enabled that the owners of ground formerly built upon, and whofe 

 houfes had heen thrown down by the earthquake, fliould rebuild 

 them; or, otherwife, that the lots" fliould be fold on a fair valuation, 

 and the money be paid to the owners. Some provilions were like- 

 wife made for repairing the wall, or breaftwork, which had been 

 built to hinder the encroachment of the fea; and the receiver-ge- 

 neral, fecretary, and port officers, were ordered to hold their offices 

 here, by themfelves or deputies, as heretofore. 



By degrees, as the popular fears fubfided, the town increafecMn 

 buildings and inhabitants, though far fliort of its former ftate, till 

 the year 1703, when it was deflroyed a fecond time. A terrible 

 fire broke out among fome of the ware-houfes, which fpread with 

 fuch fury, as to reduce moft of the houfes to afhes. It was occa- 

 sioned, as appears from an a£l paffed foon after, by keeping large 

 quantities of gun-powder, and other combuftibles, in the different 

 quarters of the town ; and its devaftation was imputed to the 

 Northward fhingles, with which the houfes were covered. This 

 .accident produced the law, which enads, that, as the North-Ame- 

 rican fliingles had been found very dangerous, no perfon, inha- 

 biting in this town, fhould for the future cover a"ny houfe, or other 

 building, with any fliingles brought from the Northward, nor 

 any other than what are made and produced in this ifland, under 

 penalty of forfeiting 100 A and fuch houfe or building : a regula- 

 tion fo prudent, that it is amazing it has not been extended to 

 Kingfton, and other towns where it is equally neceflary. This 

 ruinous accident caufed another defertion to Kingfton ; which thus 

 began to thrive by the decline of her elder fifter; fo that, two 

 years afterwards, it was grown fo populous, that the legiflature 

 found it convenient to eftablirti here a quarter-feflion, and court of 

 common-pleas, and to enaft feveral provifions for fecuring the na- 

 vigation of the harbour, fettling the rates of wharfage, repairing 

 the ftreets, and guarding againft fire. Port Royal- was at this pe- 

 riod reduced to a very low ebb, yet it was not wholly deferted. It 

 was thought advifeable to keep it provided always with a ftrong 

 garrifon. It dill pofleffed fome little trade, and was the favourite 



re fort 



