Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
This city was founded originally by the Spaniards, in 1586,
and fortified in 1665. Sir Francis Drake reduced the fort, and
pillaged both it and the town; Captain Davies also, and a body
of buccaneers, treated the place in a similar manner afterwards.
Also, as has been before stated, the British and Indians attacked
it under Colonel More, but were forced to retire, leaving their
vessels and stores behind them; in their retreat, they burnt the
houses in the neighbourhood, and ravaged the country to a great
extent; General Oglethorpe, in 1740, also bombarded the fort, but
was obliged to retreat.
The situation of this city, on the coast of the Atlantic, renders
it healthy, as it has all the advantage of the sea breezes; it
is 316 miles south-west of Charlestown, in South Carolina, 180
miles east of St. Markʼs, in East Florida; and 240 miles from the
entrance of the gulf or straits of Florida. The figure of the town
is an oblong, and it is built at the bottom of an eminence, along
the beach.
There are four principal streets, running parallel to each other;
these are wide and perfectly straight, and intersected by others of
a smaller size, at right angles. The church of St. Augustine, is
a well built edifice, and with the monastery, forms the principal
ornament of the place. The fortress which protects the town, is
called the Castle of St. Juan; it is built of stone, having four
bastions, the curtains between which are 180 feet in length, and
the rampart is twenty feet in height. The buildings are very good,
and the greater part are bomb-proof, and partly casemated; so that
this fortification is reckoned strong.
The other most noted towns of East Florida, are _St. Markʼs_, a
sea-port, situated on St. Markʼs river, near where it falls into
Apalachia Bay, 180 miles west of the capital, in 30° 10ʹ north
latitude, and 84° 36ʹ west longitude.
_Apalachia_, is also a sea-port on a bay of the same name, into
which the Apalachia river empties itself. In the environs of this
town, is a country inhabited by the Apalachia Indians; it is 130
miles east of Pensacola, the capital of West Florida, and 90 miles
west of the river del Espiritu Santo, and situated in 29° 48ʹ north
latitude, and 84° 28ʹ west longitude.
_St. Juan_, twelve miles north of St. Markʼs.
_St. Francisco_, fifty-six miles east south-east of St. Markʼs.
_St. Pedro_, forty-four miles east south-east of St. Markʼs.
_Apalachicola_, on the Apalachicola river, 100 miles north-east of
Pensacola in West Florida.
_Neuvilla_, fifty-four miles south south-east of St. Markʼs; and--
_Talahosochete_, an Indian town, 30 miles north of St. Markʼs.
In West Florida, the capital, _Pensacola_, is situated on the west
side of Pensacola Bay; this harbour is one of the finest in the
Floridas, safe from every wind, and having from seven to eight
fathom water, so that vessels drawing 21 feet may enter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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