A league West from Point Ponteque are two small barren Islands, round which lie scattered several high, sharp, white rocks. The Cygnet passed on the East side of the two Islands, the channel between them and Point Ponteque appearing clear of danger. 'The sea-coast beyond Point Ponteque runs in NE, all ragged land, and afterwards out again NNW, making many ragged points, with small sandy bays between. The land by the sea is low and woody; but the inland country is full of high, sharp, rugged, and barren hills.'
Along this coast they had light sea and land breezes, and fair weather. They anchored every evening, and got under sail
in the morning with the land-wind. January 14th. White Rock, 21° 51′ N. On the 14th, they had sight of a small white rock, which had resemblance to a ship under sail. Dampier gives its latitude 21° 51′ N, and its distance from Cape Corrientes 34 leagues. It is three leagues from the main, with depth in the channel, near the Island, twelve or fourteen fathoms.
15th. 16th. The 15th, at noon, the latitude was 22° 11′ N. The coast here lay in a NNW direction. The 16th, they steered 'NNW as the land runs.' At noon the latitude was 22° 41′ N. The coast was sandy and shelving, with soundings at six fathoms depth a league distant. The sea set heavy on the shore. They caught here many cat-fish.
20th. Chametlan Isles, 23° 11′ N. On the 20th, they anchored a league to the East of a small groupe of Isles, named the Chametlan Isles, after the name of the District or Captainship (Alcaldia mayor) in the province of Culiacan, opposite to which they are situated. Dampier calls them the Isles of Chametly, 'different from the Isles or Keys of Chametly at which we had before anchored. These are six small Islands in latitude 23° 11′ N, about three leagues distant from the main-land[74], where a salt lake has its outlet into the sea. Their meridian distance from Cape Corrientes is 23 leagues [West.] The coast here, and for about ten leagues before coming abreast these Islands, lies NW and SE.'
The Penguin Fruit. On the Chametlan Isles they found guanoes, and seals; and a fruit of a sharp pleasant taste, by Dampier called the Penguin fruit, 'of a kind which grows so abundantly in the Bay of Campeachy that there is no passing for their high prickly leaves.'
Rio de Sal, and Salt-water Lagune, 23° 30′ N. In the main-land, six or seven leagues NNW from the Isles of Chametlan, is a narrow opening into a lagune, with depth of water sufficient for boats to enter. This lagune extends along
the back of the sea-beach about 12 leagues, and makes many low Mangrove Islands. The latitude given of the entrance above-mentioned is 23° 30′ N, and it is called by the Spaniards Rio de Sal.
Half a degree Northward of Rio de Sal was said to be the River Culiacan, with a rich Spanish town of the same name. Swan went with the canoes in search of it, and followed the coast 30 leagues from abreast the Chametlan Isles, without finding any river to the North of the Rio de Sal. All the coast was low and sandy, and the sea beat high on the shore. 30th. The ships did not go farther within the Gulf than to 23° 45′ N, in which latitude, on the 30th, they anchored in eight fathoms depth, three miles distant from the main-land; the meridian distance from Cape Corrientes being 34 leagues West, by Dampier's reckoning.
The Mexican, a copious Language. In their return Southward, Swan with the canoes, entered the Rio de Sal Lagune, and at an estancian on the Western side, they took the owner prisoner. They found in his house a few bushels of maize; but the cattle had been driven out of their reach. Dampier relates, 'The old Spanish gentleman who was taken at the Estancian near the Rio de Sal was a very intelligent person. He had been a great traveller in the kingdom of Mexico, and spoke the Mexican language very well. He said it is a copious language, and much esteemed by the Spanish gentry in those parts, and of great use all over the kingdom; and that many Indian languages had some dependency on it.'