Page 253
An.1685
Valley of Colima.
itfelf which ftands there not far from the Volcan. The Town is faid to be great and rich, the chief of all its Neighborhood : and the Valley in which it is feated, by the relation which the Spaniards give of it, is the moft pleafant and fruitful Valley in all the Kingdom of Mexico. This Valley is about 10 or 12 leagues wide by the Sea, where it makes a fmall Bay: but how far the Vale runs into the Country I know not. It is faid to be full of Cacao gardens, fields of Corn, Wheat, and Plantain- walks. The neighbouring Sea is bounded with a fandy fhore ; but there is no going afhore for the violence of the waves. The Land within it is low all along, and Woody for about 2 leagues from the Eaft fide; at the end of the Woods there is a deep River runs out into the Sea: but it hath fuch a great Bar, or Sandy fhole, that when we were here no Boat or Canoa could poffibly enter, the Sea running fo high upon the Bar: otherwife, I judge, we fhould have made fome farther difcove- ry into this pleafant Valley. On the Weft fide of the River the Savannah land begins, and runs to the other fide of the Valley. We had but little wind when we came aboard; therefore we lay off this Bay that afternoon and the night enfuing.
The 29th day our Captains went away from our Ships with 200 men, intending at the firft conve- nient place to land and fearch about for a path: for the Spanish Books make mention of 2 or 3 other Towns hereabouts, efpecially one called Sallagua, to the Weft of this Bay. Our Canoas rowed along as near the fhore as they could; but the Sea went fo high that they could not land. About 10 or 11 a clock 2 Horfemen came near the fhore, and one of them took a Bottle out of his pocket, and drank to our men: While he was drinking, one of our men fnatcht up his Gun, and let drive at him, and kill'd his Horfe: fo his confort immediately fet Spurs to his