i86 JAMAICA, 



by feveral banks of fand ; within them is a fine road for (Tiips of 

 large burthen ; and near this is therefore eflablilhed the chief bar- 

 quadier for all the plantations and fettlements in the parifli [dj. 

 The Eaflern fide retains its antient name of Palleta, or Parratee 

 Bay. The Spaniards had a fmall village here, which was deftroyed 

 by a detachment of the army under colonel D'Oyley. This part 

 is fwampy, and principally inhabited by Mulattoes, Quaterons, 

 and other Cafts ; a poor, but peaceable and induftrious race, who 

 have long been fettled here, and live by fifhing and breeding 

 poultry. If it was not for the fhoals at the mouth of the river, 

 there is depth and room fufficient in it to anchor, and keep afloat, 

 a very great fleet of capital fliips. But, though it is not navigable 

 by vefl'els of burthen, it is, as well as its branches, of very eminent 

 fcrvice to the inhabitants of the adjacent country, by enabling 

 them, at fmall expence and trouble, to bring their fugars, rum, 

 and other kinds of produce, by water-carriage, down into the 

 bay. He£lor's, or One-eye River, which rifes near Wallingford- 

 plantation, in the North-Wefl diftrid, after a zig-zag courfe of 

 about twelve miles, difcharges into Black River. The Eaftern 

 branch of it enters into a very high ridge of mountainous land, 

 extremely well-wooded, and filled with mahogany and other va- 

 luable timber, and difembogues again at three miles diftance. 

 The arch-way under which it pafles is of a rude, Gothic appear- 

 ance, about twenty feet in height, but rifing and falling alter- 

 nately within ; where it is fupported with pillars, the nuclei of 

 which are of a very fine, white free-flone; and in fome parts of 

 this cavern are large J}rata of marble. The water deepening as we 

 advance forwards under the mountain, it is not an eafy matter to 

 explore this remarkable adit for any very confiderable extent;- 

 though, for a good diftance from the mouth, it does not reach much 

 above the knees. However, it may be claimed among the more 

 beautiful natural curiofities in the ifland, and merits a further in- 

 veftigation. This, with the YS (fo called from the Galic word 

 Y S, which fignifies crooked, or winding), and the other dreams 

 which empty themfelves into the Black River, contribute chiefly 



[^] Near the mouth is often caught the rtianatti ; which has given name to fome aiijacent 

 mountains,, 



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