19 Deg.

20' N. seems the haven belonging to Purificacion.

- E.]

On the 24th the four canoes left by Captain Townley's bark returned to the ships. They had got beyond the cape by means of rowing to the valley of Valderas, or Val d' Iris, the valley of flags, at the bottom of a deep bay, inclosed between Cape Corientes on the S.E. and point Pontique on the N.W. In this delightful valley they landed thirty-seven men, who advanced three miles into the country, and were attacked by 150 Spaniards, horse and foot. Our men retreated into an adjoining wood, whence they kept up a heavy fire on the Spaniards, killing their leader and fourteen troopers, besides wounding a great many, while four of our men were slain and two wounded. Owing to this loss the Spaniards took to flight, and our people were enabled to re-embark. This valley is about three leagues broad, and is bounded towards the inland country by an easy ascent, affording a delightful prospect of extensive pastures well stored with cattle, interspersed with pleasant groves of guavas, orange-trees, and lime-trees. The sandy bay affords a safe landing, and has a fresh-water river, navigable by boats, but becomes brackish in the end of the dry season, which is in February, March, and April.

We continued cruizing off Cape Corientes till the 1st January, 1686, when we sailed for the valley of Valderas, proposing to provide ourselves with some beef, of which we were in great need.

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