(seq. 311)

East Florida

Marshes not at all prejudicial to health; their Evaporations are swept away
in the day time by the Easterly Winds trading to the West, and in the night season
by the Westerly Winds trading back to the Eastward. At the time when the
Spaniards left the Town, all Gardens were well stocked with Fruit Trees, vizt
Figs, Guava, Plantin, Pomegranates, Lemons, LImes, Citrons, Shadock, Bergamot,
China and Seville Oranges; the latter full of Fruit throughout the whole Winter
Season; and the Pot-herbs, though suspended in their Vegitation, were seldom
destroyed by COld. The Town is three quarters of a mile in Length, but not quite
a quarter wide; had four churches, ornamentally built with Stone in the Spa=
-nish Taste, of which one within, and one without the Town still exist. One is
pulled down, viz the German Church, but the Steeple is preserved as an Ornament
to the Town; and the other viz the Convent Church, and Convent in Town is taken
in the Body of the Barracks. All Houses are built of Masonry; their En=
-trances are shaded by Piazzas supported by Tuskan Pillars or Pillasters abt
the South sun. The Houses have to the East Windows projecting 16 or 18 Inches
into the Street, very wide, and proportionally high. On the west side their
Windows are commonly very small, and no Opening of any kind to the North,
on which side they have double Walls 6 or 8 feet asunder, forming a kind of
Gallery, which answers for Cellars and Pantries. Before msot of the Entrances
were Arbours of Vines, producing plenty, and very good Grapes. No House
had any Chimney for a Fire-Place. The Spaniards made aves of stone Urns,
filled them with Coals left in their Kitchens in the Afternoon, and set them
at Sun-Set in their Bed-rooms to defend themselves against those Winter
Seasons, which required such Care. The Governor's Residence has
both sides Piazzas, xiz. a double one to the South, and a single one to the North;
also a Belvidere; and a grand Porticom, decorated with dorick Pillars, and
Entablatine. On the North End of the Town is a Fort; with four
Bastions, a Ravelin, contersarp, and glaxis built with quarried Shell Stones
(a), and construted according to the Rudiments of Marchal De Vauban.
This Fort commands the Road of the Bay, the Town, its Environs, and both
Talomeko Stream and Matance Creek. The Soil in the Gardens & Environs
of the Town, is chiefly sandy and marshy. The Spaniards seem to have
had
(a) is the only Stone met with in the Northen part of this Province, and consists of Shell
congeled together with Sea Salt, which by repeated Solution and coagulation
has lost its acid, and become [?] Some are of coarse Shells, and others of shells not
bigger, than a sand grain. This latter will bear to be cut in all Shapes, and even
in small Ornaments - the former are adapted for Grotto Work; also in such parts of Foritifica=
=tions, where strength and Lightness are required, both which qualities are combined in these Stones; however they msut
be well [?] and coated with a thin brick wall before 'tis covered with Ground or accordning to more Skillfull Invention, or else
the Rain & other moisture is very apt to find its Passage thro' them, for which reason they will fully answer for vaulting
of Cisterns both in Foritifications & on board of men of War to filter Rain & salt water, provided they have their proper
Strata of Pebble and Variety of Sand.