BOOK ir. CHAP. VIII. 171 



This part of Jamaica, lying only about thirty-fix leagues from 

 Cape Tiberon, on the Weft end of Hifpaniola; and the difficulty 

 confidered whicli our men of war have fometimes encountered in 

 turning up againft the trade-wind, and currents from Port Royal, in 

 order to weather the Eaftern point of Jamaica ; together with the 

 commodious fituation of Port Antonio, which opens diredly into 

 the Windward Paflage ; gave rife to the fcheme of fortifying and 

 adapting it as a place of rendezvous for the fquadron in time of 

 war. In the year 1728, the aflcmbly pafled an a£l approjiriating 

 twenty acres of land on I.ynch's Ifland for the convenicncy of 

 eredting ftore-houfes and wharfs for his majefty's naval ftores, and 

 careening the fhips of war. In the year 1733, this work was iu 

 ereat forwardnefs ; and rear-admiral Stuart, who then commanded 

 on the flation, finding the air of the illand unhealthy, ordered tlie 

 wood to be cut down and burnt. Unfortunately, inftead of hirino; 

 Negroes to perform this laborious talk, it was afligned to detach- 

 ments made from the crews of the Lion, Spence, and fome other 

 fhips of war; of whofe incapacity for it Dr. Lind has given us 

 the following melancholy account : 



Many of thefe men were feized at once with a fever and deli- 

 rium. This phrenzy attacked a man fo fuddenly, and with fo 

 much fury, that with his hatchet, if not prevented, he would have 

 cut to pieces the perfons who flood near him. Orders were ifl'ued, 

 that, as foon as the men were thus feized, they fhould be bled, and 

 immediately fent on board their rcfpcctive fliips. The confequence 

 was, that all who were carried on board quickly recovered ; whereas 

 thofe who remained on fhore either died, or underwent a dangerous 

 fit of ficknels. This calamity, and the peace which not long after 

 happened, occafioned the projecl to be dropped, although the go- 

 vernment had been put to a great expence in ereclmg feveral flore- 

 houlesi and in i urchafing the ifland in propriety. Theie buildings 

 having fince gone to decay, and the inlrabitajits in the neighbourhood 

 made free to pull down and ufe luch of the materials as were fer- 

 viceable to them. The reafons for reluming this fcheme are at 

 prefent extremely flrong, fince the French have laboured lb fuc- 

 cefsfully in fortifying and compleatiug a very large town at Cape 

 Nicola Mole ; u-hich lying only lixteen leagues and a half from the 



Z 2 Eaflernmofl: 



