56 



THE COAST OF 



Audience of 



great advantage to themfelves by trading with the Spaniards^ who were very 

 glad of any fnpplies of European commodities, having no ports of their own, 

 and lying at a confiderable diftance from La Vera Cruz. There are no mines 

 here, which is one reafon perhaps why it is fomewhat negledled j yet the 

 people have good farms, well flocked with catde, which yield them confi- 

 derable profit i and befides, they have great plenty of cocoa, which they fend 

 laden on mules to Vera Cruz* 



PORT ROYAL LACUNA, 



CALLED by the Spaniards Laguna de Terminos, or de Xkalango, is ten 

 leagues in length, and near four leagues over, with one mouth at each 

 end ; the weftern is called Bocca de Sa/, and the eaftern Port RoyaL There 

 is a fmall ifland of the fame name at the weftern fide of this pafTage, three 

 leagues from weft to eaft, which is feparated by ^- narrow creek from the 

 illand of T/'/V/^f, which is above four leagues long. There is another iftand, near 

 feven leagues in length, called Beef IJle, becaufe a Spaniard here ufed to fur- 

 niQi the privateers with beef. This ifle is divided on the weft fide by the 

 river of St. Peter and Paul from Tabafco ifland : the eaft branch feparates this 

 illand from the continent on the fouth, running into a great lake called Puerto 

 XicalangOy or Man of war Laguna^ which empties into Laguna Terminos^ 

 near Bocca de SaL The bar, which is above two miles broad, makes this 

 harbour very difficult to enter, either in or out, having not more than twelve 

 feet water, and if the fea is not very fmooth, it is very dangerous for fhips 

 •of any burthen to go over the bar. This port ufed formerly to be called the 

 Logwood Creek, being the principal refort of the EngliJJj for logwood. 



The Spajiiards having denied the right of the Engljfo to cut logwood in the 

 bay of Campeacbe, juft before the beginning of the laft war, the matter was 

 referred to the board of trade, who made a report, That the bay of Cam- 

 ^' peache might fo far be called the property of England: that th« EngUjh^ 

 for fome years before, as well as after the American treaty in 1670, enjoy- 



