94 



T H E I S L A N D O F 



collectors. Here is a Lathi fchool, and hofpk;:!] wi.th ?VFjre-'»ldovvment of 

 2O5O00 ducats a year, befides an univerlity. Fhey liave 'iTn'e ca hedral, 

 feven large monafleries, f:nd two nunneries, befi<Jes a mint, ahd 'a college, 

 with a revenue of 4000 ducats. L; is the fee of an archblfhopj xvhofc fufi-'ra- 

 gans are the biOiops of La ConcelK toh in this ifland, .SY. 'John^ in Porto KicOy, 

 St. Jago in Cuba, Venezuela in New Cajiile^ and of Vatadolid in Honduras. 

 Here alfo is the re{idence of the judges of the royai courts; it is i^n andi^ncia 

 real, the moft eminent royal audience of the Spaniards in America': fo that 

 the lawyers and the clergy keep this city from utter liecay, fin e the declen- 

 fion of its trade. The greateft part of the cOrrimerc'e.cafi'j^d on by the Spa- 

 niards of this ifland is however from this port, \ hich h 5 fathom water at 

 the beft : it is fafe and large, and defended by feveral bat.eries, with a caflle 

 2X the end of the pier, ftrengthened with tv/o half moons. The prefident 

 from Old Spain \\vq^ in a houfe in this city, that is faid to have been built and 

 occupied by Chrijlopker Columbus himfelf. To this court, on account of 

 prior fettlement, appeals are brought from all the Weft-India iflands, as for- 

 inerly they were from every province of Spanijh America, and his fentence is 

 definitive, unlefs it is called by a particular commiffion into Spain. As he 

 purchafes his oflice, he confequently executes it with opprtfiion ; nor does 

 he want inftruments for that purpofc. This place being the refort and har- 

 bour, of the moft abandoned fet of wretches in die Spanijlo Dominions. 



San Domingo is built of ftone, after the Spanijli model, having a large 

 fquare market-place in the middle, about which ftands the cathedral and 

 other public buildings : and from this fquare the flreets ruri in a diredl line, 

 being crofied by others at right angles ; fo that the form of the town is 

 almoft quadrangular. It is moft delightfully fituated, between a large navi- 

 gable river on the weft, the ocean on the fouth, and a fine fruitful country 

 on the north and eaft. 



Monte Chris:^ o, lies on the north fide of the ifiand, has a commo- 

 dious harbour nineteen leagues wefi; from Puerto de la Plata, and forty 

 N. W. from San Domingo, near the river called Taguey, on whofe banks are 

 many fait pans. This port has been the mart for a contraband trade, 

 carried on between the French and Spaniards during this war. 



« Puerto 



