TOPOGEAPHY OF JAMAICA. 393 



■was followed by malignant fevers, by wbicb the island was ravaged, and -whole 

 districts depopulated. 



In 1772 Port Royal was again destroyed, this time by a cyclone, and it also 

 suffered much from fierce conflagrations. At present it is merely the outer port 

 of Kingston, the military and naval quarter, while trade and the industries are 

 centred in the capital. The channel giving access to Kingston Harbour, at the 

 western extremity of the Palisades, is defended by recently-constructed fortifica- 

 tions ; it has a depth of 26 feet, and a width at its narrowest part of not more 

 than 55 yards. In the harbour, anchorage is afforded to large vessels in depths of 

 over 30 feet. 



Several lines of steamers connect Kingston with the rest of the Antilles, and 

 all the trade of Jamaica with Great Britain, Canada, the United States, and other 

 countries is carried on through this seaport. From Kingston also radiate some 

 submarine cables, and it is connected with Spanish Town by a railway, which, 

 beyond that point, ramifies to the north and west of the island. 



Spanish Town, which retained the ofiicial title of capital down to the year 

 1869, is the ancient Santiago de la Vega, founded by Diego Colomb in 1525. Its 

 port, lying to the south-west on an island- studded bay, which is sheltered on the 

 south side by Portland Hidge, is known by the name of Old Harbour, but is at 

 present little frequented. The waters of the Cobre river are distributed over 

 the surrounding plain by irrigation canals with a total length of over 30 miles. 



The plains encircling Kingston and Spanish Town are dreary and monotonous 

 in the disafforested parts ; but the neighbouring hills and mountain slopes on the 

 north are covered with magnificent plantations, parks, and public pleasure-grounds ; 

 here are also the botanic gardens and forests of acclimatisation whence, in the last 

 century, more than a hundred useful plants, amongst others the bread-fruit tree, 

 were distributed over the island and throughout the Antilles. The heights of 

 Newcastle, which command a view of Kingston plain and harbour, with the long 

 verdant crescent of the PaKsades, are also covered with recent plantations. 



Beyond Old Harbour the south coast presents no havens or any accommodation 

 for shipping except a few dangerous roadsteads, such as those of Black River 

 Village and Savana-la-Mar. Nor are there any inlets on the west side except the 

 little creeks of Negril ; but on the north-west coast are the safe harbours of Lucea 

 and Mosquito Bay, followed by Montego, which, though less sheltered, is more 

 frequented by vessels engaged in the coasting trade. In the last century Montego 

 was the seaport of the little republic of Trelawney Town, called also Maroon Town. 

 Falmouth, lying farther east at the mouth of the Martha Brea river, also does a 

 brisk trade, although vessels drawing over 12 or 13 feet are unable to cross the 

 bar. 



Sevilla, about the middle of the north coast, over half a mile from the present 

 little seaport of Santa Ana, formerly Santa Gloria, was the first settlement made 

 by the Spaniards in Jamaica. Its site is still marked by the ruins of a church. 

 Beyond it follow Port Maria and Ainwtta, on the north-east coast, and, farther 

 east, Fort Antonio, the chief mart for bananas in the island. The negroes of this 



