Mountains tall enough to pierce the clouds caught his attention.

Sea turtles swam in water clear enough to see the coral reefs.

Dense tropical jungle covered much of the 146 by 51 mile island.

Brightly colored birds chattered from the treetops. Christopher Columbus thought he had found

paradise. Later in the 15th century, Jamaica came under Spanish rule. Breathtaking and pristine,

the island served more as a stop between routes and a place to repair ships than a place to colonize. By the mid-17th century,

all of that had changed. As their power grew, the English, French, and Dutch began to look to the

Americas and the Caribbean for colony expansion. The islands contained precious metals and a bounty

of valuable goods, and naturally this spurred a conflict among the nations

who wanted to control them. England's Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell sent a special force to

overtake Hispaniola, headed by experienced captains Richard Venables and William Penn in a bid for power.

Thousands of troops and 18 warships converged on the area in April of 1655.

The endeavor failed. Instead of returning home unsuccessful, though, the captains set their sights on

Jamaica. This time they were victorious. While the captains left the island, many of their men

stayed behind to start colonies and build

forts in their newfound paradise. But paradise had a downside. They had arrived in May. Spring

gave way to summer and the unrelenting heat forced colonists to change their way of life. Wool gave way

to more practical attire. They avoided hard work during the hottest parts of the day.

The volcanoes spewed noxious sulfur steam, and storms thrashed the island, often for weeks at a time.

Diseases they had never encountered before wiped out much of the settlement, cramped and poorly built houses reminiscent of England's worst slums lined the streets.

And people emptied chamber pots in a centralized spot not far from Port Royal.

The overwhelming stench reached the noses of sailors entering harbor.

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