170 JAMAICA, 



ground at prefent for controverting it. This parifh comprizes a 

 vaft tracV of fine land ; but tiie iettlements are fcattered alone the 

 coaft ; and the interior parts are as yet unoccupied, except near the 

 Rio Grande on the North fide, where the moft diftant are not more 

 than fix miles from the fea. It is mountainous, and fubjed to 

 almoft continual rains, which are naturally caufed by the height 

 of the central ridges, and fo prodigious an extent of thick woods j 

 but they would undoubtedly decieafe here, as they have done in 

 the other diftrifts, if any confiderable part of this wildernefs was 

 cleared, and room given for a free paflage to the wind and vapours. 

 It contains eight or nine rivers, moft of them of no great note ; 

 the principal is B-io Grande before-mentioned, which has its 

 fource about fixteen miles from the fea, and becomes very confi- 

 derable by the accefiion of feveral itreams which fall into it. The 

 chief (hipping-places are, Port Antonio, formerly called St. Francis ; 

 Prieftraan's Bay ; and Manchineel Harbour. Port Antonio lies on 

 the North-Eaft part of the coaft, in about i8° ii' North latitude. 

 It comprehends two harbours, the Eaftern and Weftern, divided 

 from each other by a narrow peninfula,, of about three miles and 

 a half in length, on the point of which ftands Fort George. The 

 Ihip-channel leading into the Weftern harbour pafles between this 

 point, and Lynch's, or Navy Ifland, and is about one mile over. 

 The entrance into the Eaftern lies between the South-Eaft point 

 of Navy Ifland and the main land, and about three miles from 

 fhore to ftiore. There is alfo a fmall channel on the Weft fide of 

 the ifland; but it is extremely narrow, and obftrucled with very 

 extenfive fand l)anks; fo that the deepeft part can only admit boats. 

 It is alfo rendered dangerous by a reef of rocks, ftretchiiig from 

 the North-Weft fide of the ifland, between two and three leagues 

 towards the main land. This ifland is three miles and a half in 

 length, by about one and a half in uidth, and lies in an oblique 

 diredtion South-Eaft and North- Weft. Towards the fea it is in- 

 acceflible, on account of the rocks and flioals which guard it on 

 that fide ; but on the fide next the harbour there is very deep water 

 clofe in, fo that men of war coming in have fwept the trees with 

 their yai-ds. The harbours are land-locked, and capacious enough 

 to receive a very large fleet. 



This 



