25 8' A Voyage to 



ThkXXXV. lazily caufe themfelves to be carry'd in Beds of fine Gottoit, 

 hanging by the Ends to a Pole, which two Blacks cany on 

 their Heads or Shoulders ; and to be there conceal'd, and 

 that neither the Rain, nor the Heat of the Sun may offend 

 them, that Bed is cover'd with a Teller, to which they 

 hang Curtains to be drawn when they pleafe. Thus ly- 

 ing aiong there at their Eafe, with the Head on a rich 

 Pillow, they are carry'd about more gently than in Coaches 

 or Chairs. Thofe Cotton Hammocks are call'd Serpentins, 

 and not Palanhns, as fom~ Travelers fay: 



If this great Unevennefs of the Ground is inconvenient 

 to the Inhabitants, it is on the other hand very advanta- 

 geous to the Fortifications. With a fmall Expence this 

 might be made a Town morally impregnable ; Nature has 

 See plate there made Ditches and Outworks flanking one another, 

 XXXIV.. where the Ground might be difputed Inch by Inch. The 

 Eaft-fide is almoft inaccelfible, as may be feen in the Pro- 

 file, by the Line A. B. being almoft cover'd by a deep Pool, 

 having 15 -or 20 Fathom Water in fome Places, which lies 

 down in a Vale between two Hills, the Afcent whereof h 

 very fteep. 



From that Pool, which comes very near the Sea, on the 

 North-fide, they have drawn a little Stream, that ferves for 

 Ships to Water. 



In Aiort, to approach the Town on the South-fide, the 

 Landing muft be near the Forts I have mention' d, or 

 farther in among the Batteries, which are on the Cosft-s 

 which would certainly be very difficult, tho' the Oppo- 

 fition.were never fo fmall. 



The Dutch, in 1624, having taken this Place, whenun- 

 cler the Dominion of the Spaniards, fortify 'd it on the Land- 

 fide with .a Rampart, or rather a great Entrenchment of 

 Earth, which enclofed theJBody of the Upper Town, the 

 3d Part of a League in Length ; which did not prevent the 

 Spaniards, retaking of it the next Year 1(525. That Enclo- 

 fure is now quite ruin'dj. it has been negleded to endea- 

 vour 



0 



