BOOK ir. CHAP, \'Jn. 151 



and in front to the battery of Fort Augufta. The harbour is about 

 one mile and three quarters in breadth, but widens further-in. 



The men of war anchor near the town in eight and ten fathom 

 water. Foit Augufta ftands on Mofquito Point,, which is a fandy 

 peninfula, about two miles in length, and very narrow, projeding 

 from the North-Ead fide of the Saltpan Hill, and forming a kind 

 of lunette on the Weft fide of the harbour. At the point, the fliip- 

 channel between the harbours of Pprt Royal and Kingfton is not 

 a quarter of a mile in breadth, and would probably become Ihoal- 

 water, if it was not for the Rio Cobre, which fweeps through it 

 to the fea. The channel has from fix to eight fathom ; but 

 on each fide of it are fand-banks, in pafiing over which, the fmall 

 wherries fometimes rub their keels. This fort mounts eighty-fix 

 large guns, kept in excellent order. It contains a large magazine,, 

 a houfe for the commandant, barracks to contain three hundred 

 foldiers, with all convenient offices, and cafemates. It was pro- 

 jefted to mount one hundred and fixteen guns ; but it is not yet 

 compleated. The walls and baftions are built upon piles of the 

 palmeto or thatch-pole tree, which is endued with the property of 

 lafting in water without being liable to erolion by the worm. 

 Thefe were driven down through th.e loofe liind, until they reached 

 a firm bed. If the fame precaution had been ufed in conftrufting 

 the houfes of Port Royal, it is probable that the greater part of 

 the town would have iurvived the earthquake. This fort con- 

 tains an hofpital, befides habitations for the officers, and is looked 

 upon to be an healthy garrifon. The neck of find wdiich 

 joins it to the main is not above fifty or fixty feet wide in moft 

 places, and fo low, that an enemy could not carry on approaches, 

 on account of the water rifmg near the furface ; and it is flanked by 

 a lagoon, or inlet of water from the harbour, of fome extent; for 

 thefe reafons, and becaufe the fliip?, in paffing up the channel to- 

 wards- Kingfton, muft com.e within point-blank (hot of a whole 

 line of guns, a governor of this illand pronounced it impregnable 

 both by land and fea. The fort is about two miles diftant from 

 Port Royal, and about three and a Iwlf from Kinpfton. 



The 



