Page 255
An.1685
Oarrha. The Author taken fick.
could hurt them, and mounting their Horfes fpeed- ed after their Conforts, who were marched away into the Country. Our Men finding a broad Road leading into the Country, followed it about 4 leagues in a dry ftony Country, full of fhort Woods: but finding no fign of Inhabitants they returned again. In their way back they took two Mulatto's, who were not able to march as faft as their Conforts; therefore they had skulked in the Woods, and by that means thought to have efcaped our Men. Thefe Prifoners informed us, that this great Road did lead to a great City called Oarrha, from whence many of thofe Horfemen before fpoken of came: that this City was diftant from hence as far as a Horfe will go in 4 days; and that there is no place of confequence nearer: that the Country is very poor, and thinly inhabited. They faid alfo, that thefe Men came to affift the Phillippine Ship, that was every day expected here, to put afhore Paffengers for Mexico. The Spanish Pilot- Books mention a Town alfo called Sallagua here- abouts: but we could not find it, nor hear any thing of it by our Prifoners.
We now intended to cruize off of Cape Corrien- tes to wait for the Phillippine Ship. So the 6th day of December we fet fail, coafting to the Weftwards, towards Cape Corrientes. We had fair weather, and but little Wind: the Sea breezes at N. W. and the Land-wind at N. The Land is of an indifferent heighth, full of ragged points, which at a diftance appear like Iflands: the Country is very woody, but the Trees are not high, nor very big.
Here I was taken fick of a Fever and Ague that afterwards turned to a Dropfy, which I laboured under a long time after: and many of our Men died of this diftemper, though our Surgeons ufed their greateft skill to preferve their lives. The Dropfy is a general diftemper on this Coaft, and the Natives say,