is a fair stone building, and looks handsome to the sea, though but
indifferently furnished within: both Spaniards and Portuguese in their
plantations abroad, as I have generally observed, affecting to have large
houses; but are little curious about furniture, except pictures some of
them. The houses of the town are 2 or 3 stories high, the walls thick and
strong, being built with stone, with a covering of pantile; and many of
them have balconies. The principal streets are large, and all of them
paved or pitched with small stones. There are also parades in the most
eminent places of the town, and many gardens, as well within the town as
in the out parts of it, wherein are fruit trees, herbs, saladings and
flowers in great variety, but ordered with no great care nor art.

OF ITS GOVERNOR, SHIPS AND MERCHANTS; AND COMMODITIES TO AND FROM EUROPE.

The governor who resides here is called Don John de Lancastrio, being
descended, as they say, from our English Lancaster family; and he has a
respect for our nation on that account, calling them his countrymen. I
waited on him several times, and always found him very courteous and
civil. Here are about 400 soldiers in garrison. They commonly draw up and
exercise in a large parade before the governor's house; and many of them
attend him when he goes abroad. The soldiers are decently clad in brown
linen, which in these hot countries is far better than woollen; but I
never saw any clad in linen but only these. Beside the soldiers in pay,
he can soon have some thousands of men up in arms on occasion. The
magazine is on the skirts of the town, on a small rising between the
nunnery and the soldiers' church. It is big enough to hold 2 or 3000
barrels of powder; but I was told it seldom has more than 100, sometimes
but 80. There are always a band of soldiers to guard it, and sentinels
looking out both day and night.