De Fonte taking in the Betumen must have been in pursuance of his Instructions, and there provided for him by Order of the Viceroy.
That which follows, called vulgarly Tar, &c. seems to be an Interpolation, or additional Comment, though not distinguished as such; and it may be observed here is a different Mode of Expression, and a Want of that Conciseness which apparently precedes. If with these Words took a Quantity of Betumen, we connect on the 10th we passed the Equinoctial, then that Conciseness and Simplicity of the Narration is preserved. It is inconsistent that de Fonte should inform the Court, that it was not for Want of Tar that he put into this Port, and that he did not procure this Betumen to use instead of Tar, but to make Use of it as Medicine. The taking the Betumen aboard sufficiently intimated his Compliance with his Instructions. The Expression, we took it in for Medicine, hath something particular in it, seems to be a Note or Memorandum added by some Person who made the Voyage, to instruct a Friend for whom he made, or to whom he gave, a Copy of this Letter.
The one Degree seven Minutes of Latitude is misplaced, Cape St. Francisco being by no Geographers or Voyage Writers placed in that Latitude; the one Degree seven Minutes is the Latitude of the River St. Jago, and which Prieto lays down in one Degree eight Minutes.
As to the Courses and Distances eighty Leagues N. N. W. and twenty-five Leagues E. and by S. which were placed in the Margin in the first Edition, but are since crept into the Text. N. N. W. is a Course entirely contrary, and instead of one there is two Courses, North and North East, and which two Courses are consistent with the E. and by S. Course twenty-five Leagues, as that Course will then terminate in the Latitude and Longitude of the River Jago. This Error of North West for North East may be accounted for by remarking, that in the Spanish Compass North East and North West are rendered Nord Este and Nord Oeste: The Omission of the O in este is a Fault which may be committed even by a careful Transcriber, or may be a Mistake in the Translator, for Want of due Attention to the Compass.
In the Passage from St. Helena he would keep the Coast aboard, for the Benefit of a fair and fresh Wind, and which he would have without any Interruption from the Land Breezes, and by standing N. W. to clear the Islands of Solango and Paita, and then stand North Easterly would form a North Course of one Hundred and Thirty-two Miles, or forty-four Leagues, and then be off Cape Passao, in N. Lat. 8´. Long. 83° 59´ W. and well in with such Cape, as it is evident he was from the Expression in the Letter by the Cape del Passao with a North East Course, thirty-six Leagues, they would be in Lat. 1° 23´ North, Long. 82° 50´, and so have passed Cape Francisco, N. Lat. 50´, Long. 82° 55´, and with an East and by South Course twenty-five Leagues, would be in the Lat. 1° 8´, Long. 81° 36´, the Latitude and Longitude of the River St. Jago.
There was not such a Provision Country, it appears from later Accounts, on any Part of the Coast between this and Lima; nor could the Ships be any where brought up with greater Safety: St. Helena is described as a poor and barren Part of the Country.
The Health of his People, liable to scorbutick Disorders in the northern Climates whither he was going, was an Object that must be attended to, in order that the Voyage should meet with the desired Success. Therefore after the Betumen, he recruits what he had consumed of his fresh Provision in his run from Lima, and lays in a great additional Store, as is apparent if we consider that their Consumption in this respect is not proportionable to ours, from their Mode of dressing it. And we may judge from having so great a Quantity of Fowl ready, with Goats and Hogs, the People had received Orders to be thus provided against the Ships Arrival; the Sailors would be a great Assistance in curing the Provisions, the Flesh as well as the Fish, and would do it in the most suitable Manner for the Sea Service; a Number of Hands, gave an Expedition so as the Provisions would not be spoiled by the Heat of the Sun; and his Victualling detained de Fonte four Days.
Six Miles and a half, or the Left Hand the River is navigable for small Vessels, and all that follows seems by Way of Comment, and to be a spurious Interpolation, as also, which are there wild and in plenty.
'The 16th of April we sailed from the River of St. Jago to the Port and Town Raleo, 320 Leagues W. N. W. a little westerly, in about 11 Degrees 14 Min. of N. Latitude, leaving Mount St. Miguel, &c.'
The Point of Yeaxos, or the Sandy Strand, in Lat. 11° 58´, Long. 93° 31´, which covers the Port of Raleo (or Realejo) is three Hundred and twenty Leagues from the River St. Jago; but the Course N. 47° 30´ W. or N. W. almost a Quarter West, and by the Expression a little Westerly, the W. N. W. seems to mean, he steered first West from the River St. Jago, until he made the high Land, and then North-west, a little Westerly.