44 THECOASTOF Audience of 



are five monafterics, and three parifh churches. In 1685 if: was nken and 

 plundered by our buccaniers under the command of Swan and Townlev, 

 who burnt it to the ground ; bat it has fince been rebuilt and fortified ; it has 

 a port on the South-Sea, called Rialexa, which flands in a plain, by a Imall 

 river, and ferves not only for carrying on the trade of Leon, but oi Guatimala. 



Granada is a city fituated on the eafi: fide of the lake of Nicaragua, is 

 very large, has three churches, with feveral convents, and a numerous clergy j 

 this city, which is about 25 miles from Leon, is more populous, and much 

 better built of the two ; and is withal a place of far greater trade, as having 

 the conveniency of fending goods by the lake to Carthagena and other places j 

 it is defended by a caftle, and as much frequented as any city in the Spanijh 

 territories. It was taken in 1686 by the French and Englijh free-booters, 

 who plundered and fet fire to it. 



HONDURAS, 



S the largefi: province in the audience of Guatimala, extending from eafl 

 to wefi: above a hundred leagues in length, and near fourfcore in breadth. 

 Though the Spaniards claim this country, the Englijh have been long in 

 poflefiion of the logwood trad in the bay of Honduras, cutting large quan- 

 tities of it there every year ; and the Mufyiiito Indians, to the e ift of this pro- 

 vince, have entered into treaties wi h the Lnglifb, and received them with 

 great friendship into their country. The air is extremely fruitful : it a- 

 bounds with corn, both European and Indian ; its paftures are rich and fine, 

 and maintain vafi: quantities of cattle. The rivers of this province, moft of 

 them, overflow like the Nile, and contribute thereby to the richnefs of the 

 foil. Its principal commodities are cotton, wax, Vigonia wool, logwood, <S?<r, 

 befides gold and filver, of which antiently there was more than there is now, < 

 the Indians in this province being worn out, and with them the mines alfo. 

 It produces great quantities of extraordinary large gourds, or calabafhes ; 



which 



