Page 196
An.1685
A Prize of two Barks.
All about thefe Rivers, efpecially near the Sea, the Land is low, it is deep black Earth, and the Trees it produceth are extraordinary large and high. Thus much concerning the Gulf of St. Michael, whi- t' er we were bound.
The fecond day of March, as is faid before, we weighed from Perico, and the fame night we anchored again at Pacheque. The third day we failed from thence, fteering towards the Gulf. Captain Swan undertook to fetch off Captain Townly and his Men: therefore he kept near the Main; but the reft of the Ships ftood nearer the Kings Iflands. Captain Swan defired this office, becaufe he intended to fend Let- ters over-land by the Indians to Jamaica, which he did; ordering the Indians to deliver his Letters to any Englifh Veffel in the other Seas. At 2 a clock we were again near the place where we clean'd our Ships. There we faw two Ships coming out, who pro v d to be Captain Townly and his Men. They were coming out of the River in the night, and took 2 Barks bound for Panama: the one was laden with Flower, the other with Wine, Brandy, Sugar, and Oyl. The Prifoners that he took declared, that that the Lima Fleet was ready to fail. We went and anchored among the Kings Iflands, and the next day Captain Swan returned out of the River of Santa Maria, being informed by the Indians, that Captain Townley was come over to the Kings Iflands. At this place Captain Townley put out a great deal of his Goods to make room for his Men. He diftributed his Wine and Brandy, fore to every Ship, that it might be drunk out; becaufe he wanted the Jars to carry Water in. The Spaniards in thefe Seas carry all their Wine, Brandy, and Oyl in Jars that hold 7 or 8 Gallons. When they lade at Pifco (a place a- bout 40 leagues to the Southward of Lima, and fa- mous for Wine) they bring nothing elfe but Jars of Wine, and they ftow one tier on the top of another so