45' N. and
the town of that name is about eighty-five or ninety statute miles up
the river, supposed to have been an ancient seat of the Mexican nation,
before their removal to the vale and lake of Mexico. - E.]
[Footnote 187: The Rio Rastla de Panuco, in 23 deg. 45' N. is certainly here
meant. - E.]
On the 2d February 80 men were landed in the river Rosario.[188] We
came to a pretty little town of the same name, a considerable way up
that river, where we were assured by some prisoners that the gold-mines
were not above two leagues from thence; but as we had present occasion
for provisions, we carried about ninety bushels of maize on board from
this place, without searching for the mines. As this small supply was
insufficient for our necessities, we resolved to return to the S.E. to
the Rio San Jago,[189] where we anchored on the 11th. This is one of
the most considerable rivers on the west coast of New Spain. The country
having a good appearance, Captain Swan sent seventy men to look for a
town. After rowing up and down for two days, they landed in a corn
field, and, while busy in gathering maize, they seized an Indian, who
told them of a town called Santa Pecaque, four leagues farther.
[Footnote 188: The mouth of this river is in lat. 28 deg. N. about fifty
miles S.E. from Cape Mazatlan, where Dampier seems to have been then at
anchor among the Mazatlan isles. - E.]
[Footnote 189: So called by Dampier from the town of St Jago on its
banks. Its proper name is the Rio Grande, or river of Tololotlan.
The mouth of this river forms a large bay, in lat 21 deg. 30' N. in which is
the considerable island of St Blas. - E.]
Returning to the ship with this intelligence, Captain Swan went with 140
men in eight canoes, and landed five leagues up the river, which was
there about a pistol shot across with high banks. He marched from thence
through fertile plains and woods for three or four hours, and on
approaching St Pecaque the Spaniards evacuated the place, so that we
entered unopposed. This town is situated in a spacious plain on the side
of a wood, being neatly built, with a market-place in the middle, but
not large, and has two churches. There are silver-mines five or six
leagues from this town, the ore from which is carried on mules to
Compostella to be refined. Compostella, the capital of this part of
Mexico, is twenty-one leagues from Pecaque, being inhabited by seventy
families of Spaniards, and by five or six hundred mulattoes and Indians.
Finding great plenty of maize, sugar, salt, and salt fish at this place,
Captain Swan divided his men into two parts, one of which kept
possession of the place, while the other half were employed to carry
these articles to the canoes, which was done turn and turn about, with
the assistance of some horses. We continued this work for two days; but
on the 19th Captain Swan learnt from a prisoner that 1000 men had
marched from St Jago, a rich town three leagues from Pecaque on the
river, for the purpose of attacking us. On this Captain Swan wanted our
people to march altogether with what provisions we could carry; but they
refused to obey him till all the provisions should be carried on board,
and he was forced to allow half of them to go on with fifty-four loaded
horses. They had not gone a mile from Pecaque when they were attacked by
the Spaniards from an ambush, and were all slain on the spot. Captain
Swan marched to their relief, but came too late, finding the whole party
slain and stripped naked; yet the Spaniards never once attempted to
engage him, having certainly paid dear for their victory.
Returning on board with the rest of his men, and what provisions had
been carried off, Captain Swan resolved to sail for Cape Lucas in
California, in hopes of trafficking with the Indians there and in the
lake or gulf of California. We accordingly sailed on the 21st with the
wind at N.W. and W.N.W. and anchored at the islands of Santa Maria, in
eight fathoms on clean sand. There are three islands, usually called the
Three Marias,[190] stretching fourteen leagues from S.E. to N.W. of
moderate height, stony, barren, and uninhabited, in lat 21 deg. 30' N.
[long. 106 deg. 15' W.] from which Cape St Lucas in California is forty
leagues W.N.W. and Cape Corientes twenty leagues E.S.E. We anchored off
the east end of the middle island, which we called Prince George's
island. These islands produce some cedars, and we found near the sea a
green prickly plant, with leaves like those of the penguin plant, and
roots like those of the sempervivum, but much longer, the Indians of
California subsisting mostly on these roots. We baked and eat some of
these roots, which tasted like boiled burdock roots. I had been long
afflicted with dropsy, and was here buried in the sand for half an hour,
covered up to the neck, which brought on a profuse sweat, and I believe
with good effect, for I began to recover soon after. We careened here;
but as there is no fresh water to be had at this place in the dry
season, we had to return to the valley of Valderas, but finding the
river brackish we sailed three leagues nearer Cape Corientes, and
anchored beside a small round isle four leagues north of that cape, and
half a mile from the shore, opposite to a rivulet on the continent,
where we filled our water casks.
[Footnote 190: In reality four, the fourth or most northwesterly,
being named St Juanica.
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