304 Mr. WAFERS Voyages, Scd 



try for 5 or 6 Days. The Spaniards make no Ufc 

 of this Port Scrivan ; and unlefs a Privateer, or a 

 rambling Sloop put in here by Chance, no Veffel 

 vifits it in many Years. 



From Port Scrivan to the Place where ftood for- 

 merly the City of JSIombre de Dios, 'tis further Weft- 

 ward about 7 or 8 Leagues. The Land between is 

 very uneven, with fmall Hills fteep againft the Sea; 

 the Valleys between them water'd with forry little 

 Rivers. The Soil of the Hills is rocky, producing 

 but fmall fhrubby Trees ; the Valleys are fome of 

 good Land, fome of Swamps and Mangroves. 

 The main Ridge here feems to lie at a good Di- 

 ftance from the Sea ; for it was not difcernible in 

 this March of the Privateers along the Shore to Par- 

 Nomhre de^obd. The Place where Nombre de Dios flood is the 

 Dios. Bottom of a Bay, clofe by the Sea, all over-grpwn 

 with a Sort of Wild-Canes, like thofe us 5 d by our 

 Anglers in England. There is no Sign of a Town 

 remaining, it is all fo over-run with thefe Canes. 

 The Situation of it feems to have been but very in- 

 different, the Bay before it lying open to the Sea, 

 and affording little Shelter for Shipping ; which I 

 have heard was one Reafon why the Spaniards for- 

 fook it : And another, probably, was the Un- 

 healthinefs of the Country it felf, it being fuch low 

 fwampy Land, and very fickly ; yet there is a Ri- 

 vulet of very fweet Waters which runs clofe by the 

 Eaft-fide of the Town. The Mouth of the Har- 

 bour is very wide and tho* I have heard that there 

 lie before it 2 or 3 little Keys, or Rocks, yet they 

 afforded no great Security to it. So that the Spani- 

 ards were certainly much in the right, for quitting 

 this Place to fettle at Portobel ; which tho' it be al- 

 * fo an unhealthy Place, yet has it the Advantage of 

 a Tery good and defenfxble Harbour. 



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