Alfred Burdon Ellis

The Great Earthquake of Port Royal Alfred Burdon Ellis

Publisher Marketing: The Spaniards, during the century and a half that they held Jamaica, never erected any buildings upon Cagua, or Punto de Caguaya, as the cay at the western extremity of the Palisades was termed by them. Indeed, in their day the site was not at all suitable, for during the prevalence of strong breezes the sand was swept hither and thither by the sea, and a great portion of the cay submerged. After, however, the cay had become joined to the Palisades, and the sand ridge had risen two or three feet above high water, Cagua, or Careening Point, as the English called it, became a good position from which to defend the entrance of the harbor. The first work, which mounted twenty-one small guns, but consisted merely of a stockade with a wall of loose stones, was erected in 165G, and in 1G57 this was replaced by a round tower of stone. The requirements of the small garri- son gradually led to houses being built, and Governor Brayne formed a naval and military depot. Thus by degrees a town sprang up, which at first was limited to the rock area of the origi- nal cay, but which gradualy overflowed those limits and spread along the sand which had drifted up against the rock. In 1G60, at the accession of Charles II, the royal commission confirming in the office of Governor of Jamaica Colonel D'Oyley, who had been appointed under the Commonwealth, was proclaimed at Careening Point, and the town was named Port Royal, in com- memoration of the event. In 1662 the stone tower, which had been enlarged and added to, was similarly renamed, and hence- forward was known as Fort Charles.