Ch.III. south AMERICA. 27 



trance, and with their whole fquadron and armaments 

 moved to the bottom of the bay. But, by the dili- 

 gence and induftry of our people, they found all the 

 artillery of fort Santa Cruz nailed up. This fort was 

 alfo, from its largenefs, called Caftillo, Grande, and com- 

 manded all the fhips which anchor in the bay. This, 

 together with that of Boca Chica, St. Jofeph, and two 

 others, which defended the bay, called Manzanillo and 

 Paftelillo, the enemy, enraged at their difappointment, 

 demolifhed when they quitted the bay. The promifing 

 beginning of this invafion, as I have already obferved, 

 gave occafion to the (hutting up and rendering im- 

 pradicable the entrance of Boca Chica, and of opening 

 and fortifying the former ftreight; fo that an enemy 

 would now find it much more difficult to force a paffage. 



The tides in this bay are very irregular, and the fame 

 may nearly be faid of the whole coaft. It is often feen 

 to flow a whole day, and afterwards ebbs away in four 

 or five hours; yet the greateft alteration obferved in its 

 depth is two feet, or two feet and a half. Sometimes it 

 is even lefs fenfible, and only to be perceived by the cur- 

 rent or flow of the water. This circumfl:ance increafes 

 the danger of ftriking, though a ferenity continually 

 reigns there. The bottom alfo being compofed of a 

 gravelly ooze, whenever a Ihip is aground, it often hap- 

 pens that flie mull be lightened before fhe can be made 

 to float. 



Towards Boca Chica, and two leagues and a half 

 diflant from it fea-wards, there is a fnoal of gravel and, 

 coarfe fand, on many parts of which there is not above 

 a foot and a half of water. In 1735, the Conquiftador 

 man of war, bound from Carthagena to Porto Bello, 

 ftruck on this fhoal, and owed her fafety entirely to a 

 very extraordinary calm. Some pretended to fay that the 

 fhoal was before knov;n by the name of Salmedina; but 

 the artifts on board affirmed the contrary, and that the 

 fhoal on which fhe ftruck had never been heard of be- 

 fore» From the obfervations of the pilots and others, 



Nueftr^ 



