PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
not be mistaken, the highest part making something like a sad* 
die, and running away to a low point to the northward, which is 
the point forming the harbour of Payta. As we stood in shore, 
we discovered two small sail coming out from Payta, and as we 
approached them were at a loss to know what to make of, them; 
but at last discovered them to be two rafts or catamarans, steer¬ 
ing by the wind, having each six men to work therri I had at 
first believed them to be fishing rafts from Payta, but was sur¬ 
prized they should have ventured so great a distance from the 
land, as we were, when we spoke them, about 7 leagues off shore, 
and was induced, from their strange appearance, to visit them. 
On going along side, I learnt, to my astonishment, that they were 
from Guyaquil, with cargoes of cocoa, bound to Guacho, a port 
to leeward of Lima, and had already been out 30 days. They 
were destitute of water, and had no other provisions on board 
than a few rotten plantains. We however perceived a number of 
fish bones and pieces of fish scattered about the rafts, which indu¬ 
ced us to believe that they were enabled to catch an abundance of 
fish, which no doubt follow them to get the small barnacles and 
grass with which the logs were plentifully supplied. Nothing 
can exceed the miserable construction of these floats : eight logs, 
of from 25 to 30 feet in length, with the bark scarcely taken off, 
and three pieces lashed across with a kind of grass rope, form 
the floor; each side is formed of two logs, laid on one another, 
and the deck is composed of rough logs, laid crosswise, and pro¬ 
jecting from 4 to 6 feet beyond the sides, and all lashed (though 
very insecurely) together; forward and aft are some pieces of 
board, from 3 to 4 feet in length, stuck down between the logs 
forming the floor, and serve as a substitute for a keel; a mast 
stepped in between the logs of the floor, and, instead of partners, 
secured N, a lashing from side to side, and having the additional 
security of a stay and a shroud, which is shifted always to the 
weather side, and to this is hoisted a large lug-sail made of cot¬ 
ton. Their ground tackling consists of some bark, twisted in the 
form of a rope, which serves as a cable, and a large stone, with a 
stick lashed to it, of about 18 inches long, for a stock, serves as an 
anchor ; she is steered by a paddle, carries her cargo on the logs 
