mile broad; and to defend this paffage, a battery was ereCting on
the point of land on the Ifland fide. But this feems to be a very
ufelefs work, as the channel has no more than two fathom water,
and confequently is navigable only for barks and boats, and therefore
feems to be a paffage that an enemy could have no inducement
to attempt, efpecially as the common paffage at the North end of
the Ifland is lo broad and fafe, that no fquadron can be prevented
from coming in by any o f their fortifications, when the fea-breeze
is made. However, the Brigadier Don JoJe Sylva de P a z, the Governor
of this fettlement, is efteemed an expert Engineer; and he
doubtlefs underftands one branch of his bufinefs very well, which
is, the advantages which new -works bring to thofe who are en-
trufted with the care o f ereCting them: for, befides the battery
mentioned above, there are three other forts carrying on for the
defence of the harbour, none o f which are yet completed. The firft
o f thefe, called St. Juan, is built on a point of St. Catherine s near
Parrot Ifland ; the fecond, in form of a' half-moon, is on the Ifland
o f St. Antonio; and the third, which feems to be the chief, ,and
has fome appearance o f a regular fortification, is on an Ifland near
the continent, where the Governor refides.
The foil of the Ifland is truly luxuriant, producing fruits of many
kinds Ipontaneoufly ; and the ground is covered over with one continued
foreft o f trees of a perpetual verdure, which, from the exuberance
of the foil, are lb entangled with briars, thorns, and underwood,
as to form a thicket abfolutely impenetrable, except by fome
narrow pathways, which the inhabitants have made for their own-
convenience. Thefe, with afew Ipots cleared for plantations along
the Ihore, facing the continent, are the only uncovered parts o f
the Ifland. The woods are extremely fragrant, from the many
aromatick trees and Ihrubs with which they abound; and the
fruits and vegetables of all climates thrive here, almoft without
culture, and are to be procured in great plenty ; fo that here is no
want of pine-apples, peaches, grapes, oranges, lemons, citrons,
melons, apricots, nor plantains. There are befides great abundance
of
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 45
of two other productions, of no final! confideration for a fea-ftore,
I mean onions and potatoes. The flelh provifions' are, however,
much inferior to the vegetables : there are, indeed, fmall wild cattle
to be purchafed, fomewhat like buffaloes ; but thefe are very indifferent
food, their flelh being o f a loofe contexture, and generally o f
a difagreeable flavour, which is probably owing to the wild cala-
balh on which they feed. There arelikewife great plenty of phea-
fants ; but they are not to be compared in tafte to thofe we have in
England. The other provifions of the place are monkeys, parrots,
and, above all, filh o f various forts: thefe abound in the harbour,
are exceeding good, and are eafily catched ; for there are a great
number of fmall fandy bays, very convenient for haling the feyne.
The water, both on the Ifland and the oppofite continent, is
excellent, and preferves at fea as well as that of the 'Thames: for
after it has been in the calk a day or two it begins to purge itfelf,
and ftinks mcft intolerably, and is foon covered over with a green
fcum; but this in a few days fubfides to the bottom, and leaves the
water as clear as cryftal, and perfectly fweet. The French (who,
during their South-Sea trade in Queen Anne's reign, firft brought
this place into repute) ufually wooded and watered in Bon-Port,
on the continent fide, where they anchored with great fafety in
fix fathom water; and this is doubtlefs the moft commodious road
for fuch Ihips as intend to make only a Ibort ftay. But we watered
on the St. Catherines fide, at a plantation oppofite to the
Ifland of St. Antonio.
Thefe are the advantages of this Ifland of St. Catherine's; but
there are many inconveniences attending it, partly from its climate,
but more from its new regulations, and the late form o f government
eftablilhed there. With regard to the climate, it muft be remembered,
that the woods and hills, which furround the harbour, prevent
a free circulation o f the a ir; and the vigorous vegetation,
whichconftantly takesplacethere,furnilhesfucha prodigious quantity
of vapour, that all the night, and a great part o f the morning,
a thick fog covers the whole country, and continues till either the
fun