I90 JAMAICA. 



ever become populous, thcfc neglecled portions will undoubtedly 

 he brought into culture. In the year 1764, a projeft indeed was 

 talked of here for building a bridge acrofs Black River, near its 

 mouth, in order to open a communication with the Eaft and Wefl: 

 fides ; by which means, it was allcdgcd, and with great appearance 

 of reafon, that the contiguous lands might foon be improved [^]; 

 •which at prefent they cannot well be, on account of the inconve- 

 nient and expenfive mode of pafling acrofs in a ferry-boat, for 

 which each paffenger pays yl{f. a time ; and often it happens, that 

 it cannot be ferried at all. The fum of 2500/. was propofed to be 

 raifed within tlie parifli, for carrying this fcheme into execution; 

 but I do not find that it has been hitherto attempted. This exten- 

 five fpace of undrained, fwampy ground circumjacent, renders the 

 habitations on the bay unfavourable to health. So it proved to a 

 company of the 66th regiment, quartered here in 1764. In the 

 month of Auguft they were attacked with putrid fevers and dyfen- 

 teries, fo fiital to them, that three men were buried in one day ; an 

 inftance of great mortality, confiderlng the fmall number of which 

 the company confided. This ravage is to be afcribed to no other 

 caufe than the exhalations reeking from the marfliy foil around 

 riiem, which, in that hot feafon of the year, imparted an evil 

 ^ifpofition to the atmofphere. Some of the other quarters 011 

 the coafts are not lefs unwholefome, from fimilar caufes; which I 

 ihall occafionally fpeak of. This regiment, which was chiefly can- 

 toned in different parts near the fea-ftiore, buried in this year no 

 lefs than one hundred and two men ; whereas the 36th, whofe 

 quarters lay moftly at Spanifti Town, Port Royal, Moiquito Fort, 

 and Clarendon (two detachments only, I think, being pofted on 

 the coaft in the oat-parilhes ; one at Old Harbour, the other at 



[f] The land contiguous to the banks of this river is alledged by forae to be of an infertile na- 

 ture ; which they afcribe to this caufe, that the water, being uncharged with foil, aftbrds no vege- 

 tative depofit, like moll other rivers of the ifland, when it overflows ; but rather does mifchief, by 

 leaving a petrifaftive, barren fubllance behind. If this be true, it furnifties anoiher argument in 

 favour of draining and embanking tlie adjacent grounds; by which means, the river-water, being 

 hindered from Ipreading, might be confined within the cuts. The lownefs of fituatioii induces a 

 probability, that any fuch depofit is but very fuperficial, and that at a very fniall depth the natural 

 foil is rich, and when duly turned up would become highly produdiive. Befides, there certainly 

 mull have been no fmall quantity of vegetable mould accumulated in the courfe ot fo niany ages, 

 by the annual decay of plauts and herbage on the furface. 



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