Ch. III. SOUTH AMERICA. qi 



CHAP. III. 



Defcription of Porto Bello Harbour. 



THE name of this port indicates its being com- 

 modions for all forts of fhips or vefiels, whether 

 great or fmall ; and though its entrance is very wide, 

 it is well defended by Fort St. Philip de Todo Fierro. 

 It ftands on the north point of the entrance, which is 

 about 600 toifes broad, that is, a little lefs than the 

 fourth part of a league ; and the fouth fide being full 

 of rifes of rocks, extending to fome diftance from the 

 fhore, a fliip is obliged to ftand to the north, though 

 the deepeft part of the channel is in the middle of the 

 entrance, and thus continues in a ftrait diredion, hav- 

 ing 9, 10, or 15 fathom water, and a bottom of clayey 

 mud, mixed with chalk and fand. 



On the fouth fide of the harbour, and oppofite to 

 the anchoring place, is a large caflle, called Sant Jago 

 de la Gloria, to the eaft of which, at the diftance of 

 about an hundred toifes, begins the town, having be- 

 - fore it a point of land projecting into the harbour. 

 On this point flood a fmall fort called St. Jerom, 

 within ten toifes of the houfes. All thefe v/ere de- 

 molifiied by the Englifli admiral Vernon, who, with a 

 numerous naval force*, in 1739, made himfelf mafter 

 of this port ; havying found it fo unprovided with 

 every thing, that the greateft part of the artillery, 

 efpecially that of the caftle de Todo Fierro, or iron 

 caftle, was difmounted for want of carriages, part of 

 the few military ftores unferviceable, and the garrifon 

 Ihort of its complement even in time of peace. The 

 governor of the city, Don Bernardo Gutierrez de Bo- 

 canegra, was alfo abfent at Panama, on fome accu- 

 fation brought againft him. Thus the EngiiQi fleet, 



* The numerous naval force, mentioned by our author, con- 

 filled, we know, of fix fhips only, 



meeting 



