A Voyage to 



begins the Mouth of the River of Baldivia, which may he 

 about four Leagues wide in that Place; but the two Goafts 

 drawing together towards the S. S. E. form only a Guljet 

 about half a League wide, the Entrance whereof is d^* 

 fended by four Forts, two on each Side and more par- 

 ticularly by the firft on the Larboard-Side, call'd Fuerte 

 de Niebla, clofe under which, Ships muft pafs, to avoid 

 the Sand-Banks, which reach out to the third Part of the 

 Channel from the Foot of Fort Marga, being that on the 

 Starboard- Side. If it be defign'd then to come to an An- 

 chor in the Port of Corral, they muft come rounding to- 

 wards the Starboard up to the Fort of the fame Name, to 

 anchor in four Fathom Water. If they will go up to the 

 Town, that is, to the neareft Part of it, they muft alfo 

 pafs by Fort Niebla, and that of Manfera, which is on the 

 Ifland of Conftantine Perez, ranging along the South-Side 

 of a great Ifland, behind which, within the Continent, is 

 a Port fo commodious, that they there land Goods on a 

 Bridge, or Key, without the Help of Boats. 



From the Port of Corral, Boats have a fhorter Way by 

 half, along the Channel form'd by that great Ifland and 

 the Land on the Starboard-Side. Ships do not pafs that 

 Way, for Fear of the Sands there in the Middle of it. 

 Wherefoevcr a Ship anchors, it is fafe againft all Winds., 

 becaufe the Anchorage is good, the Bottom being a hard 

 Owze, and there is no Sea, unlefs near the Port of Corral 

 when the North-Wind blows. There is commodious Wa- 

 tering every where, and abundance of Wood, not only for 

 Fewel, but alfo Timber to build Ships. The Soil there, when 

 tiird, is extraordinary fertile for Grain and Pulfe : Grapes 

 indeed do not ripen, but the Want of Wine may be fup- 

 ply'd with Cyder, as in fome Provinces of France ; for 

 there is fuch a Multitude of Apple-Trees, that there are 

 little Woods of them. 



The Advantageoufnefs of that Port, has prevailed with 

 the Spaniards to ered feveral Forts to defend the Entrance 

 againft Strangers^ becaufe they look upon it as the Key of 



the 



