Page:Historical records of Port Phillip.djvu/82

 70 EARLY RECORDS OP PORT PHILLIP. attached Santa Cruz with Lord Nelson), from which the inhabitants were supplied with very good water, conveyed from the neighbouring hills by wooden throughs, supported on slight posts and reaching quite to the town. At the head of the street, near the Government House or Bequisition, stood a large Cross ; and at a small distance the Governor's House and the Church of St. Francis ; annexed was a monastery of Franciscans. At this church we see a grand funeral of one of the Fran- ciscans, the corpse was carried on a bier, the face and feet exposed, they were a long time performing burial service ; and when they deposited the body in the grave, which is first prepared with a coffin to receive it, is let down by fillets, and a paul coverd over, to prevent your seeing a quantity of lime thrown on the face and body. We were informed that the body remained there only a few days, then taken up, and put into a charnal-house adjoining to the church. The hills on the N.E. part of this island is surrounded by inaccessible mountains. There were not any fortifications upon the commanding ground above the town ; but at each end of the bay stood a fort between which were erected 3 or 4 circular redoubts, connecting with each other by a low parapet wall, wearing the appearance of a line of communication between the forts ; but few cannon in the works. There is a very curious cave called Beggers, on the S.W. side about a mile and a-half from the town, likewise an aqueduct. The road there is bad, being loose stones that bore all the appearance of cinders. The new roads that they are making to Bonavista is broad and good. They were cutticg the barley and Indian wheat, both of which were good crops. The sea breezes gener- ally sets in about 10 from the N.E. side of the island and blows to 5 or 6 in the eve. Frequently there is a tremendous surge at the pier, when the wind is at east, that it is not possible to land. The land breeze sets in from the W. which continue till 7 or 8 in the morn. The alti- tude of the Peak itself we were informed, was 15,396 feet, only 148 yards short of 3 miles. The Peak of Teneriffe, which the Dutch make their first meridian is said to be three miles high, in the form of a sugar loaf, and is situated on an island of the same name near the coast. — Vide Guthrie. Geog., page 659. Tuesday, 17. a.m. — Employed variously, p.m. — Fresh breezes and clear. I went to see the town and the church. Nostra Seniora de Consion. At 3 returned on board. We caught a great number of mackrell on board. 5 Spanish officers from the Man of War brig dind with us. JVedfiesdaT/, 18. Wind vble. N.E. a.m. — Fresh breezes and hazy. At 1 1 the Spanish Man of War brig left the Bay. We turned up our hands and gave them three cheers ; they returnd it. p.m. — I went on shore and into the fields, which appeard very bad land. They cut the corn with a sickle, than place it upon a large round of stones, where it lays some days, than take it to the store houses in the town. The Governor's daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong and family, with the harbour-captain, drank tea with Capt. Woodrift' ; they were very much pleasd with the ship. At 6 they went on shore. Thursday/, 19. a.m. — Moderate breezes, p.m. — Prepared for sailing. This being the great Festival of Assencion, the Spanish flags were