leaving a few men behind, who were the most likely to live, to keep
possession of the castle, if possible, till farther orders should
be received from Jamaica.

"The Spaniards re-took the castle, as soon as the season permitted;
and, with it, those who had not strength enough to make their
escape.

"The crews of the vessels and transports that convoyed and carried
the troops, suffered considerably by diseases which the season
produced, while lying on the coast, and a thousand seamen lost
their lives.

"Of about eighteen hundred people who were sent to different posts,
at different embarkations, to connect and form the various
dependencies of this expedition, few of the Europeans retained
their health above sixteen days, and not more than three hundred
and eighty ever returned; and those, chiefly, in a miserable
condition. It was otherwise with the negroes who were employed on
this occasion. Few of them were ill; and the remainder returned to
Jamaica in as good health as they went from it.

"The survivors of the party, after they left San Juan Castle,
embarked for Blue Fields, an English settlement about sixty miles
to the north of San Juan River, where most of them died.

"The climate of San Juan was not more destructive to the human
frame, than the harbour was to the ships: and, for the benefit of
future naval operations, I think it is important to mention, here,
that there is an absolute necessity for having every vessel