San D O MING O. 91 



the name was firfb extended to that quarter of the ifland, and in procefs of 

 time to the v/hole ; fo that it is now generally called Sant 'Domingo. It is fi- 

 XM^X.Q^hzX.'^t^w Cuba 'iivA Tuerto Rico, and it extends from lat. 17°. 37'. to 

 lat. 20'. and from long. 67°. 35'. to long. 7!^.°. 15/. being near 400 miles 

 from well: to eaH:, and alm.ofl; 120 where broadePc, from north to fouth. • 

 The climate here is extremely hot, but cooled by winds that blov/ at cer- 

 tain feafons. It alfo rains exceflively at fome times, yet not in all places 

 alike : but on die whole it cannot be faid that the air is by any 

 means comparable to that o{Cu'oa\ tlie foil alfo differs very confiderably, 

 being in fome places exceedingly rich and fruitful, in other-s miferably poor 

 and barren. The climate agrees but badly with new-comers, yet fome of 

 the inhabitants live here in great ftate and plenty, in good health, and to a 

 great age, m.any of them exceeding 80, and fome reaching to 120 years. 



This ifland, which is next to Cuba for fize, is allowed next to that to be the 

 rfioft fruitful, and by much the pleafanteft in the Wejl Indies-, having vaft 

 forefts of cabbage-trees, palms, elms, oaks, pines, junippr^ caramite, aca- 

 jou, and other trees flill taller and larger, and the fruit mo; e pleafmg to the 

 eye, and better tafted than in the other illands j par.ticula;;; ananas, bananas, 

 grapes, oranges, lemons, citrons, toronias, limes, date;., and apricots. 

 Here are all the birds common in the Weji Indies ; as alfo the mufketto and 

 fire flies. In the meadows or favanas are innumerable herds ot black cattle. 

 There are a fufficient. quantity of horfes in the French part cf the iiland to 

 fupply all their neighbouring colonies; befides wild horfes r.v J wild hogs, 

 of the breed frfl brought over by the Spaniards. The hunrerb dioot the 

 beeves for their hides, as is done in Cuba ; and with regard to the pork,' 

 they ffrip the iiefli from the bones, and jerk it as they do ia yamaica. 

 Scarce a country in the world is better watered by brooks r^ 'd navigable 

 rivers, in which are plenty of filh, and the coafi; abounds with crocodiles 

 and tortoifes. Its principal river is called Ocoa. In the fands of !he rivers ■ 

 they ufed to find gold duft, and the ifland has many mines of gold, 

 filver, and copper ; which, though formerly worked with great profit,, yet 

 the Spaniards have found themfelves too weak to carry them on to advan-" 

 tage, and take all the care they can to conceal them from ot.'hers. The 

 principal commodities of this ifland are hides, fugar, indigo, cotton, cocoa/' 



N 2 coffee. 



