148 



CITY OF ST. SALVADOR. 



[1824. 



The streets are narrow, badly paved, and horribly filthy ; and were 

 it not for the peculiar salubrity of the air, the heat would doubtless 

 produce very fatal effects on the health of the inhabitants. For the 

 fine air the city is indebted to its elevated situation ; for it is literally 

 " a city that is set upon a hill." The back-yards, generally, are no- 

 thing but noisome receptacles of filth, unfit for description. Some 

 exceptions there must be, of course ; and these are found in a few ele- 

 gant mansions, roomy and convenient, occupied by the opulent. But 

 even these are shabbily furnished, and not a whit too clean, inside 

 or out. 



The city of St. Salvador is protected by several forts and other 

 works of defence, the principal of which is Fort do Mar, which has 

 been built more than two hundred years. It stands on a small rocky 

 bank of the inner bay, about half a mile from the shore, and consists 

 of a castellated tower, of one hundred feet diameter, similar to that on 

 Governor's Island in the harbour of New-York, surrounded by an ex- 

 tensive lower batter}'" of a later date. The entire diameter is about 

 two hundred and seventy feet. The lower battery mounts thirty guns, 

 varying in their caliber from twenty-four to forty-two pounds. From 

 the level of the lower battery the tower rises perhaps thirty feet ; the 

 upper battery containing only sixteen guns, twenty-four and eighteen 

 pounders. The top is paved with flagstones, sloping towards the 

 centre, so that all the rain which falls on its surface descends through 

 a grate into an extensive reservoir below, of capacity sufficient to 

 supply the garrison for six months. Merchant-ships usually anchor 

 between this fortress and the city. The custom-house and dock-yard 

 are on the beach. 



The population of St. Salvador is said to be upwards of one hun- 

 dred thousand ; of these, forty thousand are negroes, and thirty thou- 

 sand are mulattoes. It is a place of considerable commerce, export- 

 ing cotton, sugar, coffee, tobacco, lignumvitae, mahogany, satin and 

 tulip woods, gums, balsams, medical roots, and aqua-ardent, a sort of 

 rum. In return, they import from Europe wine, flour, bacalhao, but- 

 ter, cheese, salt, &c. From Africa they receive wax and gold-dust, 

 in exchange for coarse-printed cottons, spirits, and tobacco. Their 

 coasting trade is also prosperous, and their inland commerce im- 

 mense. 



The meat market is miserable, the beef being unworthy of the name ; 

 while mutton, lamb, and veal are nearly unknown. There are no 

 inns or boarding houses ; strangers who choose to live on shore must 

 hire the whole or part of a house, and furnish it. There are some 

 cookshops or eating-houses, which are distinguished by their surpassing 

 nlthiness, and a flag of three colours over the door. There are 2*lso 

 many coffee-shops, which are equally unattractive. 



In entering the harbour, a ship will have from fourteen to sixteen 

 fathoms of water, within half a mile of the eastern shore, deepening 

 to the westward to eighteen or twenty fathoms, until two-thirds across ; 

 beyond which heavy ships ought not to proceed. To the westward 

 of this are overfalls, shoaling from fourteen to six and a half fathoms, 

 then deepening again to twelve ; and in some places, while yet nearly 



