ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 365 



Thefe torrents of-rain, which, by their fuddennefs and impetuofity, feem to threaten 

 a fecond deluge, are accompanied with fuch tempefls of thunder and lightning, as 

 muft daunt even the mod refolute : this dreadful noife is prolonged by repercuffions 

 from the caverns of the moontains, Hke the explofion of a cannon, the rumbling of 

 which is heard for a minute after. To this may alfo be added the bowlings and fhrieks 

 of the multitudes of monkies of all kinds, which live in the forefts of the mountains, 

 and which are never louder than when a man of war fires the morning and evening gun, 

 though they are fo much ufed to it. 



This continual inclemency, added to the fatigue of the feamen in unloading, the fhips, 

 carrying the goods on fhore in barges, and afterwards drawing them along on fledges, 

 caufes a very profufe perfpiration, and, confequently, renders them weak and faint ; 

 and they, in order to recruit their fpirits, have recourfe to brandy, of which there is, on 

 thefe occafions, an incredible confumption. The exceffive labour, immoderate drinking, 

 and the inclemency and the unhealthfulnefs of the climate, muft jointly deftroy the beft 

 conftitutions, and produce thofe deleterious difeafes fo common in this country. They 

 may well be termed deleterious ; for the fymptoms of all are fetal, the patients being too 

 much attenuated to make any effectual refiftance ; and hence epidemics and mortal dif- 

 tenlpers are fo very common. 



It is not the feamen alone who are fubjeft to thefe difeafes ; others, ftrangers to the 

 feas, and not concerned in the fatigues, are attacked by them ; and, confequently, 

 is a fufficient demonftration that the other two are only collateral, though they 

 tend both to fpread and inflame the diftemper ; it being evident, that when the 

 fluids are difpofed to receive the feeds of the diftemper, its progrefs is more rapid, 

 and its attacks more violent. On fome occafions, phyficians have been fent for 

 from Carthagena, as being fuppofed to be better acquainted with the propereft 

 methods of curing the diftempers of this country, and, confequently, more able to 

 recover the feamen ; but experience has fliewn, that this intention has been fo little 

 anfwered, that the galleons or other European fliips, which ftay any time here, feldom 

 depart, without burying half, or, at leaft, a third of their men ; and hence this city 

 has, with too much reafon, been termed the grave of the Spaniards ; but it may, with 

 much greater propriety, be applied to thofe of other nations who vifit it. This remark 

 was fufiiciently confirmed by the havoc made among the Englifli, when their fleet, in 

 1726, appeared before the port, with a view of making themfelves mafters of the 

 treafure brought thither from all parts to the fair held at the arrival of the galleons, 

 which, at that time, by the death of the Marquis Grillo, were commanded by Don 

 Francifco Cornejo, one of thofe great officers whofe conduQ: and refolution have done 

 honour to the navy of Spain. He ordered the fhips under his command to be moored 

 in a line within the harbour ; and ere6led, on the entrance, a battery, the care of which 

 he committed to the officers of the fhips : or rather, indeed, fuperintended it himfelf, 

 omitting no precaution, but vifiting every part in perfon. Thefe preparatives Itruck 

 fuch a confternation into the Englilh fleet, though of confiderable force, that, inftead 

 of making any attempt, they formed only a blockade, depending on being fupplied 

 with provifions from Carthagena, and that famine would at length oblige the Spaniards 

 to give up what they at firft intended to acquire by force ; but when the admiral 

 thought himfelf on the point of obtaining his ends, the inclemency of the feafon de- 

 clared itfelf among his fhips' companies, fweeping away fuch numbers, that in a fhort 

 time he was obliged to return to Jamaica, with the lofs of above half his people. 



But, notwithftanding the known inclemency of the climate of Porto Bello, and its 

 general fatality to Europeans, the fquadron of 1730 enjoyed there a good flate of health, 



though 



