In the middle of a Lake within this Territory is an Island, on which the Indians had a Tradition, That a Man no sooner set his Foot but he died immediately: Which Opinion of theirs was chang’d when the Spaniards went thither in Boat-fulls and return’d safe again, with Relation that they had seen a large Stone Image, resembling a Woman; before which lay the Ashes and Bones of slain People.
Round about the Village Guaymoco grow great Balsom-Trees, which afford Timber of fifty five Foot long. From this Village leads a Way to the City Salvador, near which the fore-mention’d River Guachapa runs with so many windings, that the Traveller is forc’d to cross the same several times before he can come to the Foot of a Mountain which formerly cast out terrible Flames; but now the combustible Matter being consum’d, there appears onely a great Hole on the top, with Ashes in a large compass round about it. At the Foot of the same are two Pits, one of which smoaks continually in such a manner, that it stifles all those that approach it; yet the Mountain is well overspread with Cedars and Pine-Trees.
Three Leagues farther lies the Village Nixapa; and not far from thence the Hill Elmal Pais, which consists of great Stones and Ashes, wonderfully mixt together: No less wonderful is a Brook which flows in the Night till Morning, and then sinks into the Ground: And in the Countrey Choluteca is another, which hides it self at Noon, and appears again towards Night. The Cavern which formerly produc’d Fire and Smoke, now affords good Water to the Village Curcatan, and City Salvador: Near the Village Yztepegve are five Springs, which cast up Allom and Sulphur. The Natives Chontales which speak several Languages, flock to the Village Mimilla, to make Offerings; not far from hence are two Pits, one of which is full of boyling Water, and the other as cold as Ice: Moreover, Cocori lies near a high Mountain, on the top of which is a very turbulent Lake.
Havens.
The chiefest Haven of this Countrey, which lies along the South-Sea, is Bahia de Fonseca, Discover’d by Gonsalves Davila, Anno 1522. and so nam’d from Joan Rodrigas de Fonseca, Bishop of Burgos; In the middle thereof appears the Island Petronella, with nine others, of which four are inhabited by Indians.
The good conveniency of the Haven Fonseca, induc’d some of the Spaniards to make a new Passage from the side of the Southern Ocean, to the Northern, viz. from Panama to Nombre de Dios, designing it to reach from the said Haven Fonseca, unto Puerto de Carellos, which are distant one from the other forty five Leagues; most of it good way, except some over-grown Mountains, which might be made passable with little trouble; to which purpose they built the Town Buena Esperanca, yet nevertheless the Work remain’d unprosecuted.
There are moreover reckon’d as appertaining to Guatimala, the small Provinces Soconusco, Suchitepec, and Chilulteca, the chief of them being Soconusco, to which belongs the Town of Gevetlan, where the Spanish Governor hath his Residence; the rest seem to be onely small Territories about Towns of the same Name, in like manner as St. Salvador, and St. Miguel before-mention’d.
CHAP. V.
The Kingdom of Mexico, or New-Spain.
Bounds of New-Spain.