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“...JAMAICA 123
military camp, and on to Hardware Gap, is a drive
well worth taking for the magnificent panorama
obtainable. The road continues down the Buff
Bay River valley to Buff Bay on the north side of
the island. Spanish Town, or St. Jago de la Vega, Spamsh
on the banks of the Rio Cobre (Jhourfrom Kingston own'
by train), was the former capital of the island. It
was once a town of considerable importance, and
the well-constructed group of Government Build-
ings round its central square testifies to its former
grandeur. Among the more notable of these are
the old King’s House, the official residence of
former Governors, on the west side. It was built
from designs by Craskell, the then engineer of the
island. The plans were approved during the
administration of Lieutenant-Governor Henry
Moore in 1759-1762, and the building was com-
pleted in 1762, after the arrival of the Governor,
William Henry Lyttelton. The expense of build-
ing the House, which was considered the “ noblest
and best...”
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“...coasting steamer of the Royal Mail Steam
Packet Co., which proceeds round the island once
a week. The north-east trade-wind, fresh from
across 2500 miles of ocean, blows uninterruptedly
straight upon the east coast, lashing the shallow
sea into foaming breakers for more thafi a mile
out. The shore for thirty miles is lined with
waving cocoa-nut trees extending to the very edge
of, and sometimes on to, the sandy beach itself, the
whole forming, as it suddenly breaks upon the eye,
the marvellous panorama of life, sound, and colour
which Kingsley pictured thirty-eight years ago.
The train to Sangre Grande takes visitors to within
a few miles of the east coast, and conveyances
for a reasonable charge are always available from...”
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