At the Season (once a year) they move their Pavilions from the pleasurable Spots, the better to attend the Logwood cutting, which carries them sometimes many Miles from this principal Residence, to follow the Wood, which runs in a Line or Vein (like Minerals in the Earth) of some Miles perhaps, and then as many, without a Stick of it. They cut it into large Pieces, and leave it on the Ground till the Land-Flood favours their bringing it into the River, and then Canoos are laden away with it, to lay in store at Barcaderas, where the Chief are still left residing.
They have all good Arms, and knowing the Spanish Clemency, defend themselves desperately, if attacked; which has happened seldomer than at Campechy, and always by Sea.
A Servant, which is the first Step with Seamen into the Trade, is hired at a Tun of Logwood per Month, and has one Day in seven for himself, making together about 10l. a Month to him; hence, if thoughtful and sober, they in time become Masters, join Stock, and trade independently. They have a King, chose from among their Body, and his Consort is stiled Queen, agreeing to some Laws by common Consent, as a Guide to them.
The Ships that come into the Bay, are on their Guard also, fetch it down in flat-bottomed Boats, each Crew being allowed on the Voyage, a Bottle of Rum and some Sugar, and row generally in the Night, as freest from those stinging Flies, and rest in the Day.
The Exchange with Ships is for Money, Beer, Flower, or any sort of Provisions and Necessaries; these, the cunningest reserve in Store against the Wants and Demands of the Inconsiderate, and so make extraordinary Returns.
It may not be improper to conclude this Head with an Observation or two on the Channel and Current of Florida, which I submit to the more Skilful.
This Gulph is as dangerous a Navigation as any known; the Spaniards often experience it, because it’s an Addition to the Danger, that they have unwieldy Ships, and lubberly Seamen. We commit Errors, I imagine, by our common Charts, which lay down the Channel double the Breadth it is; the most intelligent in the Passage having assured me, it is not above 16 or 18 Leagues over; and therefore when a Storm happens, build on a false Supposition.
The Spaniard is likewise over-careful to be safe; the nicer Observations made on Shoals, Currents, or Winds, either here or in the Bay, when and how to make them advantageous, are from an imagined Security against any maritime Power, committed only to their Admiral (according to common Report) whose Light the Fleet are to follow; and for their better Recovery of any shipwrecked Cargo in the Gulph, (frequent in losing the Admiral,) they have a Garrison at St. Augustine, on the Florida Shore, a barren Spot where they are almost starved, and which would not be worth keeping but for this. Ships and Vessels may, and often have sailed through this Channel from the N End to Cuba, or the Bay of Mexico, notwithstanding the common Opinion, on account of the Current, that is against it. They keep the Bahama shore aboard, Shoals of a great Extent, sprinkled with rocky Islands so low, there is very little Safety to those unhappy Men who are cast away upon them; yet at several, there are anchoring Places, and fresh Water found.
They meet the Wind in Summer, for the greatest part of the Channel, Easterly; which with a counter Current in shore, pushes them through easily; much the better way for any sudden Attack upon the Havana (a glorious Attempt in time of War) because they cannot discover you, like as in the other Path from Jamaica, where by Beacons, they can gain an Intelligence of 150 Leagues in a very short Space of time, and so be the better prepared.