Page 221
An.1685
Ria Lexa Harbour and Town.
next to visit Ria Lexa, and desired to meet him there: they also released a Gentleman on his promise of paying 150 Beefs for his Ransom, and to deliver them to us at Ria Lexa; and the same day our Men came to their Canoas: where having staid all night, the next morning we all entered our Canoas, and came to the Harbour of Ria Lexa, and in the after- noon our Ships came thither to an anchor.
The Creek that leads to Ria Lexa lyeth from the N.W. part of the Harbour, and it runs in Norther- ly. It is about 2 leagues from the Island in the Harbours mouth to the Town; 2 thirds of the way it is broad, then you enter a narrow deep Creek, bordered on both sides with Red Mangrove Trees, whose limbs reach almost from one side to the other. A mile from the mouth of the Creek it turns away West. There the Spaniards have made a very strong Breftwork, fronting towards the mouth of the Creek, in which were placed 100 Soldiers to hinder us from landing: and 20 yards below that Breftwork there was a Chain of great Trees placed cross the Creek, so that 10 Men could have kept off 500 or 1000.
When we came in sight of the Breftwork we fired but two Guns, and they all ran away: and we were afterwards near half an hour cutting the Boom or Chain. Here we landed, and marched to the Town of Rio Lexo, or Rea Lejo, which is a- bout a mile from hence. This Town stands on a Plain by a small River. It is a pretty large Town with 3 Churches, and an Hospital that hath a fine Garden belonging to it: besides many large fair Houses, they all stand at a good distance one from another, with Yards about them. This is a very fickly place, and I believe hath need enough of an Hospital; for it is seated so nigh the Creeks and Swamps, that it is never free from a noisom smell. The Land about it is a strong yellow Clay: yet where