TIERRA F/RMA. 



23 



SAMBALLAS Islands, 



CA L L E D by the Spaftiards, IJlas de San Bias, extending to a very 

 confiderable diftance along the noichern fhore of the ifthmus, with the 

 adjacent country ; and its hills and forefls, of perpetual verdure, form a lovely 

 profped: from the fea. Thefe iflands lie in cluflers, and betv\^een mofl of 

 them are navigable channels, the fea betwixt them and the fhore being na- 

 vigable for their whole extent, and affording every where good anchorage in 

 firm, fandy ground, with fafe landing either on the ifland or the main. 

 In this long channel a number of fhips may always find fhelter in all winds, 

 fo that formerly it was the general rendezvous for all the privateers on this 

 coaft. Mofi: of thefe iflands are low, flat, and fandy, covered with a variety 

 of trees, and abounding with {liell-fifh of feveral kinds : fome of them alfo 

 afford fprings of frefli water, and convenient places for careening fhips. The 

 Ion'- channel" between the Samballas and the ifthmus, is from two to four ^ 

 miles in breadth, extending from point Sambalku to the gulph of Darien : 

 the whole coaft of the ifthmus is full of fandy bays, with many brooks of 

 frefti water. 



The BASTIMENTOS, 



AR E a few iflands about a mile or two to the weftward of Samballas 

 iflands, in the mouth of the bay of Nombre de Dios, and about half 

 a mile, or more, from the fhore; famous now for admiral Hofiers having con- 

 tinued a long while before them with a Britijh fquadron fome years ago. 

 Thefe iflands are for the moft part pretty high ; on one of them there is a 

 fpring of very good water ; and all of them together make a very good har- 

 bour ; between them and the ifthmus there is a good entrance in with the 

 - fea wind between the eaftermoft ifland and the next to it, and an out-let with 

 the land wind the fame way, this being the chief pafTage. 



N O M- 



