“In 1662 there was a serious attack made upon the place [pg 382]by a squadron of fifteen vessels under Lord Winsor, whose people landed at the place now known as the ‘Aguadores,’ and to the number of eight hundred men marched without opposition on the city, of which they took possession, after repulsing a small force sent out to meet them. The invaders, it appears, partook freely of the church-bells, carried off the guns from the forts, took charge of the slaves, and not finding the valuables they anticipated, which had been carried off by the retreating inhabitants, they, in their disappointment, blew up the Morro Castle, and destroyed the cathedral, remaining nearly a month in possession of the city.
“It was not until 1663, therefore, that the castle now known as the Morro was rebuilt, by order of Philip I., and at the same time the fortresses of Santa Catalina, La Punta, and La Estrella.
“In July and August, 1766, a large portion of the city was ruined by earthquakes, more than one hundred persons being killed.
“The town has the honour of having for its first mayor, or ‘alcalde,’ Hernando Cortes; and it is said that the remains of Diego Velasquez, the first explorer and conqueror, were buried there in the old cathedral. It is related in corroboration of this fact, that on the 26th of November, 1810, on digging in the cemetery of the new cathedral, the broken slab of his tomb was found, seven and a half feet under ground, the inscription upon which is illegible, with the exception of a few Latin words giving name and date.”
APPENDIX D.
PORTO RICO.
Porto Rico was discovered by Columbus in November, 1493. In 1510 Ponce de Leon founded the town of Caparra, soon after abandoned, and now known as Pureto Viejo, and in 1511, with more success, the city of San Juan Bautista, or better known simply as San Juan. The native inhabitants were soon subdued and swept away. In 1595 the capital was sacked by Drake, and in 1598 by the Earl of Cumberland. In 1615 Baldwin Heinrich, a Dutchman, lost his life in an attack on the Castello del Morro. The attempt of the English, in 1678, was equally unsuccessful, and Abercrombie, in 1797, had to retire after a three days’ strife. In 1820 a movement was made toward the declaration of independence on the part of the Porto Ricans, but Spanish supremacy was completely reëstablished by 1823. The last traces of slavery were abolished in 1873.
San Juan is the ideal city and spot of the whole island, saving that it is well fortified, for it is the coolest, the healthiest port, with thirty-eight feet of water in the harbour, and twenty-eight feet of water alongside the coal wharves. It is the only port on the island with fortifications. There are barracks in a few of the larger towns, but outside of the eight thousand or ten thousand troops there are very few fighting men on the island.