I shall now give the best description I can of the Different Forts that are Erected for the Defence of the Bay. The first you meet with coming in from Sea is a Battery of 22 Guns, seated in the Bottom of a sandy Bay, which is on the South side of the Sugar Loaf, and can be designed for no other use than to hinder an Enemy from landing in that valley, from whence I suppose they may March up to the Town or round by the West side of the Sugar Loaf to attack the Forts that are on that side of the Entrance into the Bay, the first of which is Seated under the foot of the Sugar Loaf on a low Isthmus which joyns the Peninsula or point of the Bay with the Land of the Sugar Loaf. It appears to be a square of Stone Work without a Ditch, with Bastions and furnished with Cannon. A little within this fort are 2 battrys of 5 or 6 Guns each. They are designed to play upon Shipping, but neither these battrys or the Fort are out of reach of a Ship's Cannon. Hard by these batterys stands Fort Logie. It is an irregular hexagon, built of Stone upon a Small Rock standing at the west Entrance of the Bay, and is surrounded on all Sides by the Sea. It is mounted with 14 or 15 guns, which are placed so as to play upon Shipping going in and out of the Harbour. There is only one way to go into it, which is by Steps Leading up to a Sally Port on the North-West side. Opposite this is the Fort of Santa Cruze, built upon a low rocky point that forms the East Entrance of the Bay. It hath the Appearance of a Regular Fortification of Stone Work built upon the Slope of the Rock, on which account there are in some places 2 Tier of Guns. It hath no Ditch but on the Land side, where it is cut out of the Rock; in every other part the Sea washes up to its Walls. It seems everywhere to be well Mounted with Cannon Except on the land side, where none are wanting, because they could be of no use, the land being so very high above it. Yet, after all, neither this Fort nor those on the opposite shore do not appear to be of any great Strength, even against Shipping, for which they are wholly design'd, being the key of the Bay. They lay low, and Ships may come so near as to have them entirely within the reach of their Guns; but it would require 5 or 6 Sail of the line to insure Success. Between 2 and 3 Miles within the Entrance of the Bay, on the West Side, is the Isle Borghleone, upon the east point of which is Erected a Battry of Stone, and Mounted with 17 pieces of Cannon. Besides this, on the highest part of the Island, is a Battry of 6 Guns mounted on an Open Platform. These battrys are designed to play upon Shipping in the Bay, and seems not ill designed for that purpose; yet they would be Obliged to Submit to the Attack of Shipping or that of a Land force, there being nothing to hinder the latter from Landing on the Island behind the Battrys. Opposite to this Island, on the low point on the east side of the Bay, is the Battry of St. Dominica of 7 Guns. A little without this Battry, on the East side of the Bay, is a small but high Island, close to the Shore, on the Top of which is the Church of Bonn Voyage, about half-way down the Cliff. Below the Church is a Battry of 3 Guns. Neither the one nor the other of these battry's are of much Consequence. They serve, indeed, to force Shipping coming into the Bay between 2 Fires, and hinder them from Anchoring on that side until they are silenced. The next fortification is that on the Ilha dos Cobras, the east point and North side of which consists of a Rampart Bastion and a Parrapet faced with Stones and mounted with Cannon, but no Ditch, which is not much wanting, as the works are built on the Edge of the rising Ground. The other side next the Town hath no other inclosure but a plain wall without any Guns. It is said that the works on this Island are in bad repair, on account of being so Extensive that they would take more men to Defend them than they could spare, and, placing no Dependancy on their Strength, let them go to decay. The ground on which the Monastry of Benedictines Stands Commands the Works on the Island. Over the South end of the City stands the Castle of St. Sebastian; it is Seated upon a Hill, and Commands the whole Town; and this is all I know of it, only that it is not counted a place of any great Strength. For the Defence of these Forts and the Town the King of Portugal Maintains 7 Regiments of Regular Troops. Those I saw were well cloathed and in good Condition; but this, as I was told, was not the Case with the whole. Besides these Troops are 3 Regiments of Militia, 2 of Horse and one of foot. These consist of the principal inhabitants of the place, who serve without pay, Muster and Exercise in turns nine Months in the year, on which account they rank with the Regular Troops.