3 lS a M E XI C A Chap. XIII. 



The Rivers Itabo, Ocoa, Cepi, £ia, QtqU* Sanati dt Plata, and Chiabon, have fornc 

 one, others more Sugar-Mills upon them. 



But the chiefeft River is O^ama, broad, and lo deep, that thebiggeft Veflel may 

 lie clofe by the Shore ; and alfo wafliesSf. Domingo. 

 SSity n of Tbis Cit y> thc Metropolis of all the Ifles round about, was built by Bartholomew 

 st.D*mngo. Columbus, and was peopled Jnno 1494. after which it flourifh/d eight years, when 

 a terrible Storm blowing the fame down to the Ground, Nicholas Olanda remov\J 

 it to the Weftern Shore of 0%ama, that the Spaniards, who had for the moft part fet- 

 led towards the Weft, might not be neceffitated to Ferry over : but the firft place 

 Hood much more conveniently, being not onely provided of a Fountain of fwect 

 Water, but alfo freed of thofeunwholfom Vapours which daily rife with thc Sun 

 at this new-built City. To prevent the inconvenience of crofling to the fore- 

 mentioned Fountain, of which the Inhabitants found themfelves oftentimes in 

 great want, Olanda went about to lead the neighboring River Hayna into the 0%ama 9 

 but the Defign not being profecuted, bereav'd Domingo of the onely thing which 

 would have made it able to (land in competition with any City in the World . for 

 it lies on a Plain, the South fide whereof is wafli'd by the Sea ; the Eaft fide,' by 

 the River 5 on the North and Weft are many delightful Fields. 



The City, which in a manner is built fquarc, is divided into long ftraight 

 Streets, full of fair Houfes after the Spanijh manner : in the middle thereof is a 

 fquarc Marketplace, with a handfom Church, the Yard whereof is encompafs'd 

 with a high Wall, which upon occafion would ferve for a place of great Defence. 



The Collectors of the King of Spain's Revenue dwell in ftately Palaces ; and 

 the Dominicans, Francifcans, and Monks De la JWerced, have brave Cloyfters, befides 

 two more for the Nuns. 



The Latine School and Hofpital belonging to the City, arc Endow'd with great 

 yearly Revenues. 



The Arch-bifliop of St. Domingo hath Command over the Bifhoprick of Concep- 

 tion, La Vega, Cuba, Venezuela, and Torto <]{ico. 



The City isfurrounded with a Stone Wall, and fortifi'd with a Caftle, which 

 <with two Bulwarks reaches to the River O^ama, and within them two Half- 

 Moons. 



On the utmoft Shore ftands a round Tower near the Southern Bulwark. 



Before thc new difcover'd Countreys entie'd away many People from St. Do- 

 mingo, and the Silver Fleet put into Havana, thc Inhabitants drove a great Trade in 

 Hides, Tallow, Sugar, Caflia, Horfes, and Hogs. 



Anno 1 586. Sir Francis Drake Landed here with twelve hundred Englijh.men, took 

 the City by Storm, ftaid a whole Moneth in the fame, and upon Compofition with 

 thc Spaniard, left it undeftroy'd. 



Other chief Towns in Hifyaniola are 1. Solvation, twenty eight Leagues diftant 

 from St. Domingo, towards the Eaft. 



2. Zeybo. 3. Cotny, formerly inhabited by thofe that work'd in thc Gold* 

 Mines . thc laft efpecially was once a rich Town, and much frequented, but now 

 in a manner deferted. 



4. Jzjta, or New CompojieUa, eight Leagues diftant from St. Domingo, famous 

 for the Sugar-Mills not far from it, and one of the Ports beforcmention d. 



5. taguana, for its brave Harbour alfo call'd Maria del Puerto, in the more We- 

 ftern parts of the Ifland ., a fmall Town not above a League diftant from thc Sea • 

 It was burnt by Captain Chrijlopker Newport. 



6. Con- 



Other chief 

 Towns of 



HiffiMttioIa. 



