20 



THE COAST OF 



of goods for apparel, which the traders purchafe from the galleons, ^c. No 

 eatables pay any duty to the king, and any perfon may in his own honfe kill 

 any number of pigs he thinks he fhall fell that day, no falted pork being 

 eaten here, the exceffive heat foon corrupting it. All imports from Spain, 

 as brandy, wine, oil, almonds, raifins, pay a duty, and are afterwards fold 

 without any farther charge, except what is paid by the retailers as a tax 

 for their fhop or flail. Befides thefe goods which keep alive this flender in- 

 land commerce, here is an office for the affiento of negroes, where they are 

 brought, and as it were kept for pledges, till fuch perfons as want them on 

 their elates come to purchafe them ; negroes being generally employed in 

 husbandry, and other laborious country works. This indeed gives fome life 

 to the trade of Carthagena, though it is no weighty article. 



On the eafl fide of the harbour there is a fafe landing-place at Cavallo, 

 about three leagues from Carthagena ; and a pretty good horfe-road in the 

 fummer months to Texar de Gracia, within three miles of Carthagena, 

 from whence is a coach road into the city. About i ro paces from the 

 bottom of the hill of St. Lazaro there i' oa'; *- the city over a 



narrow neck of land near St. Catharines gate, wheic there is a water to 

 crofs of about 30 paces over, which generally takes the horfes up to their 

 girths : by this neck of land and the high road above-mentioned are the 

 only great entrances into Carthagena. At 'Texar de Gracia^ Bofque, Aljivia, 

 and la ^inta there are good landing places, and very fine ciflerns for 

 water. The communication by the great road to the city can be cut off by 

 a line from the great lake to the bay, which is about a quarter of a mile, 

 the road is there narrow, and moftly through a wood. 



In March 1739-40, Admiral Vernon with the Britijh fleet caft anchor in 

 the open bay, called Playa Grande, before this city, bombarded it, and 

 damaged the principal church, the jefuits college, the cuflom-hoafe, and 

 beat down feveral houfes, and by a ihell thrown into ihe fouth baflion 

 lilenced a battery of ten guns ; but not having a fufficient force to attempt 

 the total redu£lion of this place, coafted the fhore tov^ards Boca Chica, and 

 failed to Porto Velo, and reduced fort Chagre ; but afterwards being rein- 

 forced by Sir Chaloner Oj^/t-' s fquadron, with tranfports and troops {xomEng- 



