CUBA. 



8i 



between Henry II. of France^ and the emperor Charles V. a French fliip 

 with 90 men, after having plundered &ant Jcigo, cam.e hither in the niglu, 

 but to their great difiippointment found all the houfes empty, they having 

 teen fo often plundered, that the Spaniards had removed all their goods to 

 houfes in the country. Wi:iie they were fearching, tv/o perfons came 

 to them, pretending to agree for ranfom, but really to fpy out their num- 

 ber. The French demanding 6000 ducat?, the fpies pretended all their ef- 

 feds would not raife that fum. Upon their return to their countrymen, a , 

 confultation was held, wherein fome were for paying the fum if they could 

 get no abatement ; but the majority, defpifing the enemy's number, were 

 for difi:)uting it with the fword ; and m.arching fecretly with 150 men, fur- 

 prized the enemy at midnight ; but the French, upon the firing of an alarm- 

 gun, recovered their arms in a trice, and put them to flight ; and being en- 

 raged at this defign of the Spaniards, fet fire to the town, after having daubed 

 the doors and windows, ^3c. with pitch and tar, fo that it was foon confumed 

 to aihes. A Spaniard dcfiring that they would fpare the chuiches which 

 were eredled for the worfliip of God, the French anfvvered, that people 

 who had no faith, had no occafion for churches to profefs it in. They then 

 pulled down the walls, and quite demolifhed the fort. After this, the town 

 was rebuilt, and Philip II. appointed 'Juan de Texcda his camp-mafter, and 

 Baptijla AntoneUi, a celebrated archited:, to fortify this place, and put it 

 in a pollure of defence. 



Oi].'3i:rvations on the Fortifications of H A V A N A, 

 made hy an Officer in 1759. 



T^L Morro is a caftle that ftands upon an high rock, the fortifications are 

 of ftone, irregular, and fo confined towards the fea, that they cannot 

 bring any more than four guns to bear upon one objedl; it is more regular 

 towards the land, but being upon a rock, and of fmall compafs, might with 

 fliells be rendered not tenable. It is overlooked by the Cavahas, a high 



M land 



