this Town and the Island, but I know not what hindered its being put in Execution. The greatest want in this Town is fresh water, their Wells affording only brackish, therefore 'tis the business of several Men to send great Canoes in the morning with the Sea Breeze to the River, and to bring thence many Casks of water to the Town with the Land Breeze at night.
This Point, which was called Point-Cagway, where Port Royal stood, was never built upon by the Spaniards while they remained Possessors of the Island, for two Reasons, as I was informed. The first was the frequency of Earthquakes, which, when considerable, would certainly overturn it. This was found true in a few years after I came from thence, for it was all destroyed by the Earthquake which happened in the year 1692. whereof there is a large account Communicated by me in the Philosophical Trensactions, Number 209. p. 77. For the whole Neck of Land being sandy (excepting the Fort, which was built on a Rock and stood) on which the Town was built, and the Sand kept up by Palisadoes and Wharfs, under which was deep water, when the Sand tumbled upon the shaking of the Earth, into the Sea, it covered the Anchors of Ships riding by the Wharfs, and the Foundations yielding, the greatest part of the Town fell, great numbers of people were lost, and a good part of the Neck of Land where the Town stood was three Fathoms covered with water. The second cause of the aversion of the Spaniards to this place, was its being liable to be wash'd off by the violent Sea-Breezes or Souths. Upon the great Earthquake many are removed and settled in Liguanee at Kingston, and since a great Fire which happened there lately, more are removed to the same place, so that very few remain at present at Port Royal.
It will not be amiss to give here a small description of some places and things, such as I took in Journies when in the Island.
Passage-Fort is made up of some few Houses, Store-houses, and others; it is the place from whence is ship'd the Sugars, and other Commodities of the Island from Sixteen-Miles-Walk, and other Plantations. It was a small Fortification in the time of the Spaniards, whence its name, and I suppose was a defence to St. Jago de la Vega, which was the chief Town possessed by that Nation.
Old Harbour is a place on the Sea side, about six Miles from St. Jago de la Vega, consisting of some Houses, and Store-houses. In the time the Spaniards possessed this Island, they loaded their Galeons here. These large Vessels rode at Anchor under a Cayo or Rock. Pigeon Island, a small Island, lies off of this Harbour.It
