Ch. VL SOUTH AMERICA. 363 



the middle part of the iQand of Puerto-Rico. This 

 was a tranfporting fight to all, as having before 

 their eyes a fecure and plentiful port : and having 

 happily efcaped the dangers of the Granadillas, a 

 knot of iQands where the greateft channel is but three 

 or four leagues broad, the currents having very pro- 

 videntially carried the fiiip through the midil of them, 

 clear of the rocks, which on both fides have proved - 

 fatal to many vellels : and they had not fo much as anj 

 fjght of land. By Don George Juan's eftimate he 

 found that they might Vv^hen they fteered betwixt the 

 iilands of Barbadoes and Sr. Vincent, the currents 

 had carried them almoil forty- two leagues to the well : 

 ' and though they all very vv^ell knew that the courfe of 

 the waters in that part of the neighbourhood of Mar- 

 tjnico fets weft ward, they were at a lofs to conceive 

 how they had pafied betvv^ixt tliofe iPiands without hav- 

 ing fight of any one, they lying fo near one another, 

 the night being clear, and every one keeping a good 

 look out. 



On the night cf the fourth day, they fometimes lay- 

 to, and fometimes made an eafy fail, in order to gee 

 into the channel betwixt theiflands of Funto-Rico and 

 St. Domingo, intending for Guarico, otherwife called 

 cape Francois. On the 5th at fix in the morning, the * 

 S. W. point of the iftand of Puerto-Rico bore N. at a- 

 bout four leagues diilance : and ftanding towai-ds it 

 till within the diftancc of only two leiigues, they could 

 very plainly fee the bottom, which was ilony ; and on 

 founding found feven fathom water. On this they 

 tacked to the weft, and continuing in this direction a- 

 bout two hours, they had aiways the fame depch of 

 feven fathom, but coming into twenty they returned 

 tp their former courfe. 



At eleven in the forenoon they di (covered to lee - 

 ward two large ihips : and apprehending they nright 

 belong to the enemy, the frigate ta-: ked : on which 

 they aifo did the lame, aqd crowded fail. At nogn 



tliC 



