We Accordingly Sailed On The 7th, And Next Day
Took A Vessel Of Ninety Tons, Laden With Flour; And Continuing
Our
voyage with a gentle wind at S. we anchored on the 9th at the island of
Gorgona, on its
West side, in thirty-eight fathoms clean ground, two
cables length from shore, in a sandy bay, the land round which is very
low.
Gorgona is in lat. 2 deg. 54' N. twenty-five leagues from Gallo, and is
remarkable for two high risings or hills called the Saddles. This island
is two leagues long by one league broad, and is about four from the
continent, having another small isle at its west end. It is full of tall
trees, and is watered by many rivulets, having no animals except
monkies, rabbits, and snakes. It is very subject to heavy rains, and the
only observable difference in the seasons here is, that the rains are
more moderate in summer. The sea around is so deep that there is no
anchorage except at the west end, where the tide flows eight feet.
Muscles and periwinkles are here in great plenty, and the monkies open
the shells at low water. There are also abundance of pearl oysters,
fixed to loose rocks by their beards, four, five, and six fathoms under
water. These resemble our oysters, but are somewhat flatter and thinner
in the shell, their flesh being slimy and not eatable, unless dried
beforehand and afterwards boiled. Some shells contain twenty or thirty
seed pearls, and others have one or two pearls of some size, lying at
the head of the oyster, between the fish and the shell; but the inside
of the shells have a brighter lustre than even the pearls.
The 13th January we pursued our voyage for Isla del Rey, being two men
of war, two tenders a fire-ship, and a prize vessel. With the trade-wind
at S. we sailed along the continent, having low land near the sea but
seeing high mountains up the country. On the 16th we passed Cape
Corientes, in lat. 5 deg. 32' N. being a high point with four small
hillocks on the top, and at this place found a current setting to the
north. The 21st we came in sight of Point Garachina, in lat. 7 deg. 20'
N.[170] The land here being high and rocky, and without trees near the
shore. Within the point there is plenty of oysters and muscles. About
twelve leagues from this point are the islands called Islas del Rey,
or the Pearl Islands.[171] Between these and the Point of Garachina
there is a small flat barren island, called Galleria, near which we
came to anchor.
[Footnote 170: Carachina Point is in lat. 8 deg. 10' N.]
[Footnote 171: The Isla del Rey is a considerable island in the bay of
Panama, and the Archipelago de las Perlas are a multitude of [illegible]
islets N. by W. from that island. - E.]
The King's or Pearl Islands, are a considerable number of low woody
isles, seven leagues from the nearest continent, and twelve leagues from
Panama, stretching fourteen leagues from N.W. by N. to S.E. by S. Though
named Pearl Islands in the maps, I could never see any pearls about
them. The northermost of these isles, called Pachea or Pacheque,
which is very small, is eleven or twelve leagues from Panama; the most
southerly is called St Paul's Island, and the rest, though larger, have
no names. Some of them are planted with bananas, plantains, and rice by
negroes belonging to the inhabitants of Panama. The channel between
these islands and the continent is seven or eight leagues broad, of a
moderate depth, and has good anchorage all the way. These isles lie very
close together, yet have channels between them fit for boats.
At one end of St Paul's Island, there is a good careening place, in a
deep channel inclosed by the land, into which the entrance is on the
north side, where the tide rises ten feet. We brought our ships in on
the 25th, being spring tide, and having first cleaned our barks, we sent
them on the 27th to cruise towards Panama. The fourth day after, they
brought us in a prize coming from Lavelia, laden with maize or Indian
corn, salted beef and fowls. Lavelia is a large town on the bank of a
river which runs into the north side of the bay of Panama, and is seven
leagues from the sea; and Nata is another town situated in a plain on
a branch of the same river.[172] These two places supply Panama with
beef, hogs, fowls, and maize. In the harbour where we careened, we found
abundance of oysters, muscles, limpits, and clams, which last are a kind
of oysters, which stick so close to the rocks that they must be opened
where they grow, by those who would come at their meat. We also found
here some pigeons and turtle-doves.
[Footnote 172: From the circumstances in the text Lavelia seems to be
the town now named San Francisco, near the head of the river Salado,
which runs into the gulf Parita, on the west side of the bay of
Panama. - E.]
Having well careened our ships by the 14th February, and provided a
stock of wood and water, we sailed on the 18th, and came to anchor in
the great channel between the isles and the continent, in fifteen
fathoms, on soft ooze, and cruised next day towards Panama, about which
the shore seemed very beautiful, interspersed with a variety of hills
and many small thickets. About a league from the continent there are
several small isles, partly ornamented with scattered trees, and the
King's Isles on the opposite side of the channel give a delightful
prospect, from their various shapes and situations. The 18th we went
towards Panama, and anchored directly opposite Old Panama, once a place
of note, but mostly laid in ashes by Sir Henry Morgan, and not since
rebuilt.
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