Leaving our ships at Cape Blanco, we went in a bark and several canoes to make an attempt on Guayaquil, but were discovered, and returned therefore to our ships, in which we sailed for the island of Plata, in lat. 1° 15' S. where we arrived on the 16th December. Having provided ourselves with water on the opposite coast of the continent, we set sail on the 23d with a brisk gale at S.S.W. directing our course for a town called Lovalia, in the bay of Panama. Next morning we passed in sight of Cape Passado, in lat. 0° 28' S. being a very high round point, divided in the middle, bare towards the sea, but covered on the land side with fruit-trees, the land thereabout being hilly and covered with wood. Between this and Cape San Francisco there are many small points, inclosing as many sandy creeks full of trees of various kinds. Meaning to look out for canoes, we were indifferent what river we came to, so we endeavoured to make for the river of St Jago, by reason of its nearness to the island of Gallo, in which there is much gold, and where was good anchorage for our ships. We passed Cape St Francisco, whence to the north the land along the sea is full of trees of vast height and thickness.
Between this cape and the island of Gallo there are several large rivers, all of which we passed in our way to that of St Jago, a large navigable river in lat. 2° N.[167] About seven leagues before it reaches the sea, this river divides into two branches, which inclose an island four leagues in circuit. Both branches are very deep, but the S.W. channel is the broadest, and the other has sand-banks at its mouth, which cannot be passed at low-water. Above the island the river is a league broad, having a straight channel and swift current, and is navigable three leagues up, but how much farther I know not. It runs through a very rich soil, producing all kinds of the tallest trees that are usually met with in this country, but especially red and white cotton-trees, and cabbage-trees of large size. The white cotton-tree grows not unlike an oak, but much bigger and taller, having a straight trunk, without branches to the top, where it sends out strong branches. The bark is very smooth, the leaves of the size of a plum-tree leaf, dark green, oval, smooth, and jagged at the ends. These trees are not always biggest near the roots, but often swell out to a great size in the middle of their trunks. They bear silk-cotton, which falls to the ground in November and December, but is not so substantial as that of the cotton-shrub, being rather like the down of thistles. Hence they do not think it worth being gathered in America; but in the East Indies it is used for stuffing pillows. The old leaves of this tree fall off in April, and are succeeded by fresh leaves in the course of a week. The red cotton-tree is somewhat less in size, but in other respects resembles the other, except that it produces no cotton. The wood is hard, though that of both kinds is somewhat spongy. Both are found in fat soils, both in the East and West Indies.
[Footnote 167: Nearly in the indicated latitude is the river of Patia, in the province of Barbacoas. The river St Jago of modern maps on this coast is in lat. 1° 18' N. in the province of Atacames, or Esmeraldas.--E.]
The cabbage-tree is the tallest that is found in these woods, some exceeding 120 feet in height. It likewise is without boughs or branches to the top, where its branches are the thickness of a man's arm, and twelve or fourteen feet long. Two feet from the stem come forth many small long leaves of an inch broad, so thick and regular on both sides that they cover the whole branch. In the midst of these high branches is what is called the cabbage, which, when taken out of the outer leaves, is a foot in length, and as thick as the small of a man's leg, as white as milk, and both sweet and wholesome. Between the cabbages and the large branches many small twigs sprout out, two feet long and very close together, at the extremities of which grow hard round berries, about the size of cherries, which fall once a year on the ground, and are excellent food for hogs. The trunk has projecting rings half a foot asunder, the bark being thin and brittle, the wood hard and black, and the pith white. As the tree dies when deprived of its head, which is the cabbage, it is usually cut down before gathering the fruit.
As the coast and country of Lima has continual dry weather, so this northern part of Peru is seldom without rain, which is perhaps one reason why this part of the coast is so little known. Besides, in going from Panama to Lima, they seldom pass along the coast, but sail to the west as far as the Cobaya Islands, to meet the west winds, and thence stand over for Cape St Francisco. In returning to Panama, they keep along the coast, but being deeply laden, their ships are not fit to enter the rivers, the banks of which, and the seacoast, are covered with trees and bushes, and are therefore convenient for the natives to lie in ambush. The Indians have some plantations of maize and plantains, and also breed fowls and hogs. On the 27th December, 1684, we entered the river of St Jago [Patia] with four canoes by the lesser branch, and met with no inhabitants till six leagues from its mouth, where we observed two small huts thatched with palmito leaves. We saw at the same time several Indians, with their families and household goods, paddling up the river much faster than we could row, as they kept near the banks. On the opposite, or west side, we saw many other huts, about a league off but did not venture to cross the river, as the current was very rapid. In the two huts on the east side we only found a few plantains, some fowls, and one hog, which seemed to be of the European kind, such as the Spaniards brought formerly to America, and chiefly to Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Cuba, where, being previously marked, they feed in the woods all day, and are recalled to their pens at night by the sound of conch shells.
We returned next morning to the mouth of the river, intending to proceed to the isle of Gallo, where we had directed the ships to meet us. This small uninhabited island, in lat. 3° N.[168] is situated in a spacious bay, three leagues from the river Tomaco, and four and a half from an Indian village of the same name. It is moderately high, and well stored with timber, having a good sandy bay at its N.E. end, near which is a fine stream of fresh water; and over against the bay there is good anchorage in six or seven fathoms. There is only one channel by which to approach this island, in which are four fathoms, and into which it is necessary to enter with the flood, and to come out with the ebb. The river Tomaco is supposed to have its origin in the rich mountains of Quito, and takes its name from that of a village on its banks.[169] The country on this river is well peopled by Indians, among whom are a few Spaniards, who traffic for gold with the natives. This river is so shallow at the mouth, that it can only be entered by barks. The town of Tomaco is small, and situated near the mouth of the river, being chiefly occupied by the Spaniards, who trade in this neighbourhood. From this place to that branch of the river St Jago where we were then at anchor is five leagues.
[Footnote 168: The lat. of Gallo is only 1° 57' N. That assigned in the text would lead to the isle of Gorgona, in 2° 54' N. but the description of our author suits much better with Gallo.--E.]
[Footnote 169: The island and point of Tomaco are placed in modern maps at the mouth of the Mira, off which are many islands, in lat. 1° 40'N.]
As the land here is low and full of creeks, we left the river on the 21st December, and crossed these small bays in our canoes. In our way we saw an Indian hut, whence we took the master and all his family, and rowing forwards, we came to Tomaco at midnight. We here seized all the inhabitants, among whom was one Don Diego de Pinas, a Spanish knight, whose ship was at anchor not far off to load with timber, and in which we found thirteen jars of good wine, but no other loading. An Indian canoe came to us, in which were three natives, who were straight and well-limbed, but of low stature, having black hair, long visages, small eyes and noses, and dark complexions. Several of our men, who had gone seven or eight leagues up the river, returned on the 31st, bringing with them several ounces of gold, which they had found in a Spanish house, whence the inhabitants had fled.
On the 1st January, 1685, while going in our canoes from Tomaco to Gallo, we took a packet of letters in a Spanish boat bound from Panama to Lima, by which the president of Panama wrote to hasten the Plate fleet from Lima, as the armada from Spain had arrived in Porto Bello. This intelligence made us change our intention of proceeding to Lavelia, instead of which we now proposed to make for the Pearl Islands, not far from Panama, past which all ships bound from the south for Panama must necessarily pass. 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.