Chap. III. 4 the F R E N C H 
about twelve Leagues from the Continent i this Ifland 
is about nine Leagues in Compafs, the Soil very good, 
and there are two or three tolerable Ports, one of which 
is capable of receiving Ships of three hundred Ton. This 
Ifland lies very convenient for carrying on a Trade with 
the Spanifi Colonies on the Continent of America, and 
fooner or later the French will, in that refpeft, make it 
turn to good Account. It is alfo very commodious for 
maintaining an Intercourfe with the only Settlement they 
have on the Coafl; of South America, I mean the Ifland of 
Cayenne, of which it is requifite that we fhould next 
give the Reader an Hiftory, and fliort Defcription •, be- 
caufe that in Time, likewife, this may become a trouble- 
fome Settlement, though hitherto the French have not 
drawn from it any very confiderable Advantages. 
The Ifland of Cayenne has been a French Colony ever 
fmce the Year 1625, it lies clofe by the Continent of 
Guiana, and only cut off and made an Ifland by the Rivers 
Ovia on the Eaft, and Cayenne on Weft, from which 
laft it takes its Name, as may be feen in the Map. The 
Town and Fort where the great Road is, at the Mouth of 
the River Guiana, are exa&y in 4 Degrees 50 Minutes 
of North Latitude, and 332 Degrees of Eaft Longitude 
from Ferro. It is reckoned about eighteen or twenty 
Leagues in Compafs, ftanding high on the Coaft, and 
looks, at a Diftance, like Part of the Continent. The 
Length of the Ifland^ from the River of Ovia, to the 
River Cayenne, is about feven Leagues, and the Breadth 
about three. The River Cayenne falls into the North 
Sea, on the Weft Side of it, dividing the Country of 
the Carihhees, from that of the Galihis. The Ifland forms 
three principal Capes or Promontories, being thofe of 
Fort Liwis; Seperon, and Matiuri •, it has much meadow 
and pafture Ground in feveral Parts, the reft is low and 
marlhy, efpecially in the Middle, fo as to be almoft im- 
paffable. The Edges of it are moftly covered with 
Trees, which 'we call Mangroves, having that peculiar 
Quality of growing in Salt Water, fo deep, thick, and 
wide rooted, that from thefe very Roots other Trees rife 
up without End, fo won^lerful clofe, interwoven with 
one another, that in fome Parts of the Ifland a Man 
may walk Leagues on them without touching the 
Ground, 
About fix Years ago the Ifland was extraordinary un- 
healthy, by reafon of the long Rains, which lafted above 
nine Months in tw^elve, but efpecially from December till 
June -, as alfo becaufe the Ground was clofe wooded, and 
fo marfliy, that it occafioned feveral Sorts of Difeafes 
among the Inhabitants, which in a more particular 
Manner aftedled young Infants, infomuch that many 
died almoft as foon as born, and others at a very tender 
Age ; for which Reafon the moft fubftantial Planters 
iifed to fend them over to France very young, to preferve 
them from the Malignity of that bad Air ; which is now 
nothing near fo pernicious to thole young Babes, fmce the 
’ Land has been grubbed up, fo that they grow up heal- 
thy and ftrong ; befides, the Women are fafer in Child- 
bed, and the generality of the Inhabitants are lefs fub- 
jedt to the Diftempers than they were before the Ifland 
vv^as cleared of moft of the Wood ; however, it is ftill, 
and always will be, an uncomfortable Place to be in, be- 
caufe of the long rainy Seafon every Year, and fcorch- 
ing clofe Air Night and Day, which dif-fpirits a Man ; 
and the heavy Shov/ers and Vapours exhaled from the 
fwampy Grounds, which ftill occafion Diforders in 
Men and Beafts, though not fo much as formerly ; large 
Cattle, particularly, can fca,rce live there. They are alfo 
continually tormented v/ith Gnats, Flies, and Worms, 
Ants, Bugs, and other Sorts of Vermin ; all which, to- 
gether, render the Place very difagreeable and uneafy ; 
for which Reafon feveral Planters, when grown rich, re- 
tire into France, and let their Plantations. 
The Soil of Cayenne, by reafon of the continual Rains, 
produces plenty of Sugar Canes, which, though fmall 
and fhort jointed, yield very plentifully alfo Mandio- 
ca, or Caffibi, Indian Wheat, Rocou, Cotton, Accajou- 
Apples, Banillas, Pete, Ebony, Letter, and Violet 
Wood, Ananas, Tuberofes, very fine and large Papaias, 
and feveral Sorts of American and European Grain and 
VoL. ,IL Numb. 94, 
in AMERICA. 361 
Seeds, befides Lemons, Oranges, Indigo, and Figs, Cfci 
The Country abounds in wild Boars, called there Packs, 
Deer, Agontils, Woodcocks, Ortolans, Nightingales, Ar- 
ras, Occos, Toucans, Parrots, Parroquets, and other 
Birds, only remarkable for their Feathers : Alfo Fla- 
mingos, Birds about as big as a , Hen, flying in Swarms 
like Ducks or Cranes ; large wild Ducks with red Tufts on 
their Heads, Lizards, Cameleons, and Very large Serpents, 
fome of them above twenty-five Feet long, befides many 
fmaller. The chief Town of Cayenne ftands on the Weft 
Part of the Ifland, in an advantageous Situation, Nature 
and Art having equally contributed to the fortifying of it. 
It is of an irregular hexagon Figure ; the Fortifications 
of the Town, which are extenfive, were moftly eaft up 
with Earth by the Hollanders, after they had driven the 
French from the Ifland, and have feveral Batteries mount- 
ed with Cannon, and a dry Ditch quite round, befides 
rows of Trees that furround it in a Triangle, which 
makes a handfome Profpect at a Diftance ; within this 
flight Fortification ftand above two hundred Houfes, dif- 
pofed in fuch a Manner, as to make two .different Streets 
or Lanes ; all built with Planks of a certain Tree, by 
the French called Poirier, and of other Sort of Timber, 
and thatched : Which is the Reafon they are now and 
then burned down fo fall, that nothing can be faved, to 
the great Lofs and Damage, not only of the Owners, 
but of feveral Inhabitants round the Town. On the 
North-eaft Part of it, towards the Gate of Armire, the 
Jefuits have a little Chapel ftanding in an open Place 
by itfelf, and before it a Grove of Lemon Trees, .which 
afe)rd a pleafant Shade to walk under ; the Chapel is 
adorned with a fmall Spire of Planks, with good Bells. 
On a pretty fteep Hill, or Eminence, ftands the Fort 
of St. Lewis de Caperoux, built by order of Lewis XIII. 
King of France, on the Sea-fide, commanding every 
Way, mounted with forty- two Iron Guns; the Garrifon . 
whereof commonly confifts of four Companies of regu- 
lar Forces, befides near five hundred Inhabitants, moft- 
ly French, and divers Indians, who retire into the Ifland 
with their Canoes, and there make their Cottages and 
Car bets, living either in the Town, or on the Ifland round 
about, as far as mount Sincry, becaufe of the Goodnefs of 
the Soil, and the Wholefomenefs of the Air, as it lies much 
higher than the Ifland. Thefe, upon the leaft Alarm, 
are obliged to ftand to their Arms •, the Signal to give 
Notice to them to come together, being to fire off fome 
Cannon, efpecially in the Night-time. The weakeft 
Places of this Ifland are alfo defended by fome Batteries 
and Guns. The next Town in the Ifland to this, is Ar- 
mire, diftant about three Leagues Eaftward, but fmall 
and thinly peopled, where the Jefuits have a Chapel 
alfo for the Conveniency of the Inhabitants of that Part of 
the Ifland •, and about a League farther Eaft is the Point 
Maturi, and near it a very fine Plantation for Sugar, and 
is a fit Place to land at. Weft of this Plantation ftands 
an Indian Carbet. Thefe are all the remarkable Towns 
(A Cayenne, except here and there fome few Cottages and 
Plantatidiis about the Ifland •, the fourth Part of which is 
ftored with fine large Meadows, or pafture Ground, cal- 
led Savannahs, and three Rivulets ; they have ufually a 
Watch-houfe, and a Battery of fome Iron Guns at Ar- 
mire, to give Signals when they difeover Ships coming 
from the Eaftward. Fort Lewis commands both the 
Town and the Sea ; the anchoring Place for Ships is un- 
der the Cannon of the Fort, within Muflcet-Ihot from 
Land, in three Fathom and a half muddy Ground, South- 
weft of the Water-gate, which has four good Guns to 
defend the Road. 
The Colony is partly fubfifted by Provifions brought 
from France in Merchant Ships by way of Trade, which 
commonly are Wine, Brandy, Meal, and powdered or 
fait Meats, for Beef is very fcarce there, befides that; 
they are not allowed to kill any, nor Calves neither# 
without Leave of the Governor, or his Subftitutes, that 
Cattle may multiply in the Ifland : All forts of Linen- 
Cloathing, Stuffs, Silks, Shoes, and other wearing Ap- 
parel, are alfo carried thither'from France, for the Ufe 
of Men, Women, and Children ; and all forts of .Tools, 
and fmall Wares, either for the Service of the Colony, or 
4 Z for 
