2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



fleets for New Spain sail within sight of the islands of Puerto Rico 

 and Santo Domingo, to the S. of them, some 500 leagues, to Cape 

 San Anton, the westernmost point of the island of Cuba. From there 

 they sail to the port of Vera Cruz ; the due course and time for the 

 voyage are known by the pilots, who take care to plot a good course. 



3. From the above-mentioned islands to Cartagena and Puerto 

 Bello there is a direct E.-W. route, but for greater safety they pass 

 between Dominica and Matarino and sail 50 leagues WSW. and then 

 W.;|SW. to 12°, sighting a headland on the Cape de la Vela ; immedi- 

 ately upon recognizing the Sierra Nevada which lies above Santa 

 Marta, they sail WNW. until they sight the light-colored water of 

 the Rio Grande, whereupon they steer SW., aiming at Morro Hermoso 

 and the Point de la Canoa, up to Cartagena ; from Cartagena they 

 sail to Puerto Bello, a matter of 90 leagues. 



4. From Vera Cruz it is 300 leagues' sail to Havana ; on leaving 

 port they head NE. up to 25° ; from there they steer E, till they 

 sound at the Tortugas, and from them they run to Havana. From 

 Puerto Bello it is also 300 leagues' sail to Havana. On leaving the 

 harbor they steer E. till they make a N.-S. line with Cativa Head ; 

 then ESE. to the island of San Bernardo, from which they sail E. to 

 Cartagena. From there they steer NE. to 13° ; from 13° to i6°3o' 

 lie the shoals of Serrana, Serranilla, etc., where they navigate cau- 

 tiously on account of the shoals ; on the same course they sight the 

 Isle of Pines, passing within view of it, and then Cape San Anton, to 

 which they have to give heed on account of shoals ; right afterward 

 they come to Havana harbor. 



5. From Havana the galleons and fleets leave by the Bahama Chan- 

 nel and once out, they steer NE. up to 32° ; thence E.^NE. to 38° 

 or 39°; on this course they make the Terceras Islands; this is the 

 summer route. 



6. On the winter route they steer from the Bahama Channel E. 

 for the island of Bermuda, which lies at 32 "30'. Passing along its 

 southern coast and following the route, they sail as far as 37°, on 

 which lies the island of Santa Maria ; for the island of Tercera, they 

 sail to 38° ; for San Miguel, to 37° ; at these they take on necessary 

 fresh provisions. From there it is 300 leagues to Spain ; 40 or 50 of 

 them are sailed E. and then they turn and steer E.^SE. till they sight 

 Cape St. Vincent ; from the cape they sail an E.-W. course to 

 Sanlucar. That is the most usual and secure route set and followed 

 by the galleons and fleets, to go to the Indies and return to Spain. 



