5. Near the Haven before the Town Puerto del Principe is a Fountain, out of which at certain times flows liquid Pitch.
Villa Sancti Spiritus.
6. The Town call’d Villa Sancti Spiritus, six Leagues from the Ocean, boasts fifty brave Houses, and is wash’d by the River Saaz.
Havana.
7. The chiefest City which the Spaniards possess in the West-Indies, and the present Seat of their Governor, is Christovall de Havana; which stood first on the South side of Cuba, but was afterwards built on the North, opposite to Florida: The Harbor before it is large and safe, for it is able to contain a thousand Ships, without the least endangering of one another, and yet the Entrance so narrow, between a Promontory and a square Fort, that two Ships cannot Sail in together: the shallowest part thereof hath six Fathom Water. On each side the Mouth of the Harbor is a Fort, the one call’d Mesa de Maria, which stands built on a Champain Ground; the other call’d Morro, which lies at the Foot of two Hills, on whose tops several Guns are planted, which Command the Town and Haven.
Betwixt these two Forts is a Tower cover’d, on the top whereof is a round Lantern, wherein stands continually a Watch-man, who puts forth as many Flags as he discovers Ships at Sea, to give notice thereof to the City, which is a Mile from thence.
Before Havana stands a third Castle, well stor’d with Guns, as likewise the rest are, in all to the number of two hundred and forty, and strongly Garrison’d; of which great care was taken by the General Jean de Texeda, and Baptista Antonelli, an Architect, sent thither by Philip the Second, King of Spain, to secure the Place from all foreign Assaults, because the Plate-Fleet, and other Ships that come out of the West-Indies, have their place of Rendezvouz here, and from hence set Sail altogether for Spain. The City stands along the Haven, and hath two Churches with spiry Steeples. The Houses are now built after the Spanish manner.
Havana several times Assaulted and taken.
But Havana was not so strongly fortifi’d in former times, for Anno 1536. it could not resist a mean French Pyrate, who losing the rest of his Fleet was driven hither by Storm, and conquering Havana, had burnt the same, consisting at that time of woodden Houses cover’d with Thatch, had not the Spaniards redeem’d them from the Fire for seven hundred Ducats; with which Money the French set Sail, when the day following three Ships arriv’d from New Spain before Havana, and having unladed their Goods, and preparing themselves for Battel, pursu’d the Pyrate; whom getting sight of, the Admiral, who Sail’d before, durst not venture to Engage him alone, but staid for the other two Ships: from which cowardly Action the French Pyrate taking Courage, fell on the Spanish Admiral, who without firing a Gun ran his Ship ashore, and deserted the same: the next Ship thereby discourag’d Tacking about, made away from the Enemy; on which the third also follow’d, insomuch that at last they were all three taken by the French; who encourag’d with this unexpected Victory, steer’d their Course a second time to Havana, where they got as much more Money from the Inhabitants as before. After this the Spaniards built all their Houses of Stone, and a Fort at the Mouth of the Harbor, yet nevertheless the City lay open on the Land side; of which the English Fleet, Cruising about in those Seas, being inform’d, Landed not far from Havana, and enter’d the City before Day-break: the Spaniards thus suddenly surpriz’d, fled into the Woods, whilest the English plunder’d and ransack’d the City without any resistance. But this was not the last Blow which Havana receiv’d, for during the Wars between the Emperor Charles the Fifth, and the French King Henry the Second, a Ship set Sail with ninety Soldiers from Diep to Cuba, where they made themselves Masters of St. Jago, and carried great Treasure away with them: Thus enrich’d, they set in the Night on Havana, but found their Expectations frustrated, for all the Houses were empty, the Spaniards (being so often Plunder’d) having remov’d all their Goods to their Countrey Houses, which lay scattering about the Island. Whilest the French were searching the Houses, two Spaniards came under pretence of agreeing with them, but their Design was chiefly to take an Account of their Enemies Forces. The French demanded six thousand Ducats of them: to which the two Spaniards reply’d, That all their Goods would not raise so much: then going to their Party, inform’d them of the number of the Enemies, and their Demands; whereupon Consulting, some judg’d it best to comply with a forc’d Necessity, and if they could not get any thing abated, to pay the demanded Sum: but most of them were of another opinion, alledging, That the number of the French was not equivalent to their Demands, and that it would not be for their Credit, to yield up their Estates so tamely, without trying their Title by the Sword: This being judg’d fittest, they march’d to Engage them with a hundred and fifty Men, which about Midnight fell on the French, and at the first Onset slew four of them; but upon the firing of the Gun they were all alarm’d, and after a small Skirmish, put the Spaniards to flight. The Conquerors enrag’d at this treacherous Plot of the Spaniards, set fire on Havana, in which at that time was a good quantity of Pitch and Tarr; with which the Gates, Windows, Roofs, and Pent-houses being all bedaub’d over, were in few hours all in a light Flame; after which the Churches in order for their firing, were also going to be over-laid with the same combustible Matter; at which a Spaniard boldly desir’d, that the Temples erected for Gods Service might be spar’d: to which he was answer’d, That People who keep not their Promise, nor had any Faith, had no need of Churches to profess their Faith in. The French not satisfi’d with burning, pull’d down the Walls, and utterly demolish’d the Fort.
The Haven Xagua.