l4 A yOYAGE TO Book J, 



iieat of the place. All imports from Spain^ as brandy^ 

 wine, oil, almonds, raifins, pay a duty, and are after- 

 wards fold without any farther charge, except what i$ 

 paid by retailers, as a tax for their fhop or ftall. 



Besides thefe goods, which keep alive this flender 

 inland commerce, here is an office for the affiento of 

 ^Negroes, whither they are brought, and, as it were^, 

 kept as pledges, till fuch perfons as want them on their 

 .eftates come to purchafe them ; Negroes being gene- 

 rally employed in hufbandry and other laborious coun- 

 try works. This indeed gives fome life to the trade 

 of Carthagena, though it is no weighty article. The 

 produce of the royal revenues in this city not being 

 llifjicient to pay and fupport the governor, garrifon, 

 and a great number of other officers, the deficiency 

 is remitted from the treafurers of Santa Fe, and 

 Piiito, under the name of Situado, together with fuch 

 nionies as are requifite for keeping up the fortifica- 

 tions^ furnifhing the artillery, and other expences, ne- 

 ^ceiTary for the defence of the place and its forts. 



BOOK 



