Chap. I, Captain Willi 
We found nothing confiderable in the Town, except 500 
Packs of Flour, and fome Pitch; Tar, and Cordage. We 
received alfo the 1 50 Oxen promifed by the Gentleman we 
releafed at Leon, which, together with the Sugar, and fome 
other Cattle we found in the Country, was extremely welcome 
to us. We ftaid here from the 17th to the 24th. The 2 5th, 
Captain Davis and Captain Swan parted, the firft having 
a mind to return to the Coaft of Peru ; the other intending 
to go farther to the Weft. As I had a Curiofity to be bet- 
ter acquainted with the Northern Parts of the Continent of 
Mexico , I left Captain Davis , and went aboard Captain 
Swan. Captain Pownley , with his two Barks, joined us ; 
but Captain Harris and Captain Knight followed Captain 
Davis. The 27th, Captain Davis , with his Ship, went 
out of the Harbour ; but we ftaid fome time behind, to pro- 
t vide ourfelves with Water and Fuel. 
42. By this time our Men began to be much afflidted 
with Fevers, which we attributed to the Remains of a con- 
tagious Diftemper, that lately reigned at Rio Leja ; for 
Captain Davis's Men underwent the fame Fate. Septem- 
ber 3. we failed again, fleering to the Weft. We had bad 
jWeather all along the Coaft, with violent Tornadoes, Thun- 
der, and Lightning. The Tornadoes blew from the North- 
weft. The tempeftuous Weather kept us out at Sea ; fo that 
we faw no Land till the 14th, at 12 0 51' North Latitude. 
We came in Sight of the Vulcano or burning Mountain of 
Cuatimala . It appears with a double Peak, like two Sugar- 
loaves, betwixt which fometimes break out the Fire and 
Smoke, efpecially before bad Weather. The City of Gua- 
timala is feated near the Foot of this high Mountain, eight 
Teagues from the South Sea, and forty or fifty Leagues 
from the Gulph of Matique in the Bay of Honduras in the 
North Seas. It is reputed a rich City, the Country about 
at abounding in feveral Commodities peculiar to it, and 
tranfported thence into Europe , efpecially the four noted 
Byes, Indico, Otta or Anatta, Silvefter, and Cochineal. 
The Land near the Vulcano oCGuatimala is low by the 
Sea-fide ; but, by degrees, becomes higher and higher for 
about ten Leagues from the Shore. We faw abundance of 
Drift-wood and Pumice-ftones floating in the Sea. Thefe 
laft were thrown out by the Mountain, and wafhed by the 
Rains into the Sea. The 24th, at 14 0 30' North Latitude, 
the Weather being fettled, Captain T ownley went afhore 
with 106 Men to the Weft, in hopes to find a Landing- 
place, and fome Refrefhments for our fick Men. We lay 
by till the 26th, when, coafiing along to the Weft, with a 
North-weft Wind, we faw a Track of high Land, begin- 
ning at the Eaft, and running for ten Leagues within the 
Land to the Weft, where it finks by an eafy Defcent. On 
this Side of it, near to the Sea, we faw rich Pafture-plains, 
mixed with plealant Groves. The Country near the Sea- 
Jhore was defended by fandy Hills ; but the boifterous 
Waves would not let our Men land with their Canoes. We 
were forced to coaft ftill for eight or nine Leagues farther ; 
but Captain Pownley, feeing no Profpedt of landing, re- 
turned aboard with his Men October 2. But, being refolved 
to try his Fortune again, he forced his Canoes afhore in a 
fandy Bay, where he landed with the Lofs of one Man, 
and moft of the Powder fpoiled with the fait Water. When 
they were got afhore, they found the Country full of Tor- 
Tents, and unfordable Rivulets ; fo they were forced to re- 
turn to their Canoes. They were charged by 200 Spaniards 
and Indians ; but thefe they foon repulfed, and forced them 
%o take the Way of Peguantapeque , the fame Town that 
Captain Pownley went to look for, but could not get Sight 
of it. Immediately after his Return, we failed again, with 
a brifk North North-eaft Wind, ftill coafting to the Weft, 
within two Miles of the Shore. At fix Miles from the 
Land we found nineteen Fathom, and, at eight Miles, 
twenty-one Fathom, coarfe Sand. We could not difcover 
either Creek or Bay for twenty Leagues farther, till we 
came to the Ifle of P angola, where there is fafe Anchorage. 
It is high, but fmall, yet well furnifhed with Wood and 
Water, about a League from the Continent, which has 
plealant Failure-grounds near the Sea, but high Woodland 
deeper in the Country. We failed a League farther into 
the Port of Guatulco, one of the beft in the Kingdom of 
M** 0 ? at !' 5 ° r 3 °' Nort] i Latitude. On the Eaft Side of 
the Entrance of the Harbour,- about a Mile from it, is a 
Numb. y. 
AM I) A M P I E R. IOI 
fmall Ifle adjacent to the Shore, and, On the Weft Side of the 
faid Entrance, a great hollow Rock, open at the Top, through 
which the Waves of the Sea force their F’affage, as if through 
a Pipe, with a great Noife, and to a great Height, 
even in the calmeft Weather ; fo that it affords a good 
Mark to Seamen bound for this Porn The whole Depth 
of the Harbour is about three Miles, and its Breadth one 
Mile. It runs in North-weft. The Weft Side is the more 
fecure, becaufe the reft is expofed to the South- weft Winds;, 
which are frequently on this Coaft. 
43. Here Captain Pozvnley landed again with fome Men 5 
and, marching to the Eaft, came to the River Capalita * 
which has a very fwift Current ; but is deep at its Entrance. 
A League from Guatulco, two of our Men fwam over the 
River, where they feized upon three Indians , that were 
placed there to keep Watch. As they could not fpeak 
Spanijh, fo they made Signs, that they could condudl them 
to a Village; whereupon 140 Men were fent, under the 
Conduct of Captain Pownley , (myfelf being one) who re- 
turned the 8th, having feen, after fourteen Miles March, 
a fmall Indian Village, where they found nothing but fome 
Vinelloes drying in the Sun. The Vinello grows on a fmall 
kind of Fine, creeping up about the Trees. This, at firft, 
bears a yellow Flower, which produces a Cod of the Big- 
nefs of the Stem of a Tobacco-leaf, and about four or five 
Inches long. This Cod is green at firft, but, when ripe, be- 
comes yellow: The Seeds are black. After they are gathered, 
they lay them in the Sun, which makes them foft, and of a 
Chefnut-colour. They fqueeze it fiat afterwards with their 
Fingers. 1 he Spaniards , who buy this Commodity very 
cheap of the Indians , flake them afterwards with Oil. I never 
heard of any of the Vinelloes, except hereabouts, about Cai- 
ocha in the Bay of Campeachy , and Bocco-toro. Near this 
laft Place, I gathered them myfelf, and endeavoured to 
cure them, but could not ; and, as I know other Perfons, 
who have lived many Years in thefe Parts, and have attempt- 
ted the fame with no better Succefs, I am apt to believe 
the Indians have fome peculiar way to cure them, that hi- 
therto is unknown to us. The 10th, we fent four Canoes 
before to the Weft, to expedl our coming at Port Angels ; 
and, in the mean while, endeavoured to take fome Pri- 
foners. The 12th, we failed with our Ships from Guatulco , 
the Land lying along to the Weft, inclining to the South, 
for twenty or thirty Leagues, the Sea-winds at Weft South- 
weft and South-weft, the Land-winds at North. We coafted 
along as near as we could to the Shore, to take the Be- 
nefit or the Land-wind, the Sea-wind being againft us, be- 
fides that we were kept back by the Current fetting to the 
Eaft ; fo that we were forced to come to an Anchor at Sa- 
crijicio, an Ifle halt a Mile long, a League to the Weft of 
Guatulco, and half a Mile from the Continent. To the 
Weft of the Me appears a good Bay, but it is rocky. The 
beft Anchorage is betwixt the Me and the Continent, at five 
or fix Fathom Water, tho’ the Tide is pretty ftrong here, 
the Sea riling about fix Feet. The 13th, we continued 
coafting to the Weft near the Shore, which was high and 
woody, with divers fandy Bays ; but the Waves very boi- 
fteious near the Shore. Two of our Canoes returned the 
2 2d, and told us, they had loft Company of the other two ; 
that they could not find Port Angels ; and had endeavoured, 
in vain, to land at a Place, where they faw great Store of 
Cattle, being then juft a-breaft Port Angels , though thofe 
in the Canoes did not know it. We went in, and came to 
an Anchor there. It is a broad open Bay, having two or 
thi ee Rocks at the Vfeft End. Bor the reft, there is 
good Riding at thirteen, twenty and thirty Fathom Water; 
but Ships lie expofed to all Winds, the Land-winds ex- 
cepted, till they come at twelve or thirteen Fathom Water, 
where they are Iheltered againft the Trade-winds, which are 
Weft South-weft. The Flood rifes about five Feet, fets 
to the North-eaft, and the Ebb at South- weft. The Landing- 
place is clofe to the Weft Side, before the above-mentioned 
Rock ; but, as the Waves run very high, there is but in- 
different landing. It lies at 15 0 North Latitude, and is 
inclofed, on the Land-fide, by high fandy Grounds, Part 
abounding with Woods, Part Plains, with very good Grafs. 
The 23d, we landed 100 Men, who fubiifted two or three 
Days upon fait Beef, and got Store of fait Maiz, Hogs, 
Cocks and Hens, in an adjacent Houfe to the Plain ; but 
2 D ' 
