Island, stood _St.
Joseph_'s Fort of twenty one Guns: From this Fort to _Boccachica_
Castle a Boom and Cables were fixed across, fastened with three large
Anchors at each End; and just within the Boom was moored in a Line four
Men of War, the _Galicia_ of sixty six Guns, (aboard which was the
Admiral Don _Blass D'Leso_,) the _Africa_ and _St. Carlos_, each of
sixty six Guns, and the _St. Philip_ of seventy Guns, which spread the
Width of the Harbour's Mouth, that there was not room for a Ship either
to pass a head or a stern of them, so that it was impossible for
shipping to force an Entrance into the Harbour; and had the Enemy here
made a Defence equal to the admirable Disposition they had formed, it
must have been a difficult Task for the Fleet to have got in, even
after _Boccachica_ Castle was taken. About four or five Miles from
hence is a Creek, or Passage, that parts the Grand _Baru_ from the Main
called _Passa Cavallos_, through which there is Water enough for small
Vessels: This Pass the Enemy had defended with two Fascine Batteries,
one of eight Guns, the other of four, as well to protect their own
Imbarkations that come this Way with Provisions from _Tolu_, and the
River _Sina_, as to prevent any Attempts being made this Way. The next
place of Defence was _Castillo Grande_, which is about eight Miles up
the Harbour. This Castle is a regular Square with four Bastions, strong
and well built, and defended to the Land by a wet Ditch and Glacis
proper, and one Face towards the Sea has a Raveline, and a double Line
of Guns. This Castle can mount sixty one Guns, though there was but
fifty seven in it. Opposite to this was a Horse-shoe Battery of twelve
Guns, called _Mancinilla_; and in the Middle between these two Forts is
a large Shoal with not above two or three Foot Water on it, which
divides the Channel into two: In each of these Passages were Ships sunk
across, to prevent, if possible, the Fleet's getting by; for that Part
of the Harbour above these Castles is a perfect Bason, and seems rather
like one Harbour within another, so that if some of the Ships could not
have got past to have covered the Troops landing (where they did) they
must have marched several Miles, and been greatly exposed; besides, it
would have been excessively difficult transporting the Cannon, neither
could the Bomb-Ketches have got near enough this Way to have diverted
the Town; so that the Intent of this Disposition was exceeding good,
had