BOOK II. CHAP. VIII. 145 



rcToit of the feamen belonging to the men of war and privateers. 

 But, as if Providence had decreed that it fliould never more revive 

 to any thing like its former fplendor, what the earthquake and con- 

 flagration had fpared was nearly demoliflied by a violent hurricane, 

 which happened on the 28th of Auguft, 1722. It began at eif^ht 

 in the morning, and lafled fourteen hours ; during which, the rain 

 was inceflant, and the ftorm veered all round the compafs. In 

 Klngflon mofl: of the buildings were thrown down, or much fhat- 

 tered. The very day preceding it was perfedly calm; but lb great 

 a fwell at fea, that the waves broke over the bread- work at 

 Port Royal, and laid all the Ilreets under water. The fort fuffcred. 

 very much ; leveral of the guns were difmounted, and fome wafhed 

 into the fea. The church and row of houfes in the Eaft part of 

 the town were fo battered, that there remained very little ap- 

 pearance of a building. In fhort, above half the to\\n was laid in 

 ruins; and the houfes and plantations in all parts of the ifland fuf- 

 fered confidcrable damage, except in St. Jago, where the Sjaaifti 

 buildings llood the fhock unhurt. Very few of the inhabitants lolt 

 their lives; but in the harbour it proved more fatal. Out of 

 tliirty-fix merchant-Ihips and floops, only ten were to be feen after 

 the ftorm ; and of thefe one half were irreparably damaged. The 

 Falkland, Swallow, and Weymouth men of war, and the floop 

 Happy, loil; all their mafts and boats ; the other part of the fqua- 

 dron, confifting of the Lancafter, Mermaid, and Adveiiture, were 

 luckily at fea, and efcaped. The naval ftore-houfe was blown 

 down ; and mod of the powder in the magazines damaged. The 

 • Rio Cobre was obftruded for feveral miles about the Caymana's, 

 and loft its ufual channel, by the prodigious abundance of trees and 

 rubbidi which the wind and inundation had thrown into it j fo that 

 the parage from St. Jago to Kingfton by land became interrupted 

 for fome time; and the aflembly were obliged to pafs an adt for 

 clearing it. It was computed, that four hundred perfons loft their 

 Jives in the harbour, among which were two hundred Negroe 

 ilaves on board a Guiney thip, which foundered at her anciiors. 

 In 1 7 17, the afiembly, being fenfible that the wall, or breaft-work, 

 on the South fide of the town was of the utmoft importance to pre- 

 vent the fea from breaking in, eftablifhed 150/. per anumi as a per- 

 VoL. II. U pctual 



