FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265  
266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274   275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   >>   >|  
ent was very rapid. In the two huts on the east side we only found a few plantains, some fowls, and one hog, which seemed to be of the European kind, such as the Spaniards brought formerly to America, and chiefly to Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Cuba, where, being previously marked, they feed in the woods all day, and are recalled to their pens at night by the sound of conch shells. We returned next morning to the mouth of the river, intending to proceed to the isle of _Gallo_, where we had directed the ships to meet us. This small uninhabited island, in lat. 3 deg. N.[168] is situated in a spacious bay, three leagues from the river _Tomaco_, and four and a half from an Indian village of the same name. It is moderately high, and well stored with timber, having a good sandy bay at its N.E. end, near which is a fine stream of fresh water; and over against the bay there is good anchorage in six or seven fathoms. There is only one channel by which to approach this island, in which are four fathoms, and into which it is necessary to enter with the flood, and to come out with the ebb. The river _Tomaco_ is supposed to have its origin in the rich mountains of Quito, and takes its name from that of a village on its banks.[169] The country on this river is well peopled by Indians, among whom are a few Spaniards, who traffic for gold with the natives. This river is so shallow at the mouth, that it can only be entered by barks. The town of _Tomaco_ is small, and situated near the mouth of the river, being chiefly occupied by the Spaniards, who trade in this neighbourhood. From this place to that branch of the river St Jago where we were then at anchor is five leagues. [Footnote 168: The lat. of Gallo is only 1 deg. 57' N. That assigned in the text would lead to the isle of Gorgona, in 2 deg. 54' N. but the description of our author suits much better with Gallo.--E.] [Footnote 169: The island and point of Tomaco are placed in modern maps at the mouth of the Mira, off which are many islands, in lat. 1 deg. 40'N.] As the land here is low and full of creeks, we left the river on the 21st December, and crossed these small bays in our canoes. In our way we saw an Indian hut, whence we took the master and all his family, and rowing forwards, we came to Tomaco at midnight. We here seized all the inhabitants, among whom was one Don Diego de Pinas, a Spanish knight, whose ship was at anchor not far off to load with timber, and in which w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265  
266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274   275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Tomaco

 

Spaniards

 
island
 

leagues

 

village

 

situated

 

Indian

 
timber
 

anchor

 

chiefly


fathoms

 

Footnote

 

entered

 
traffic
 
natives
 

shallow

 

occupied

 
description
 

assigned

 

neighbourhood


branch
 

Gorgona

 
modern
 

forwards

 

midnight

 

seized

 

inhabitants

 

rowing

 

family

 
master

Spanish

 

knight

 

islands

 
canoes
 

crossed

 
December
 
creeks
 

author

 

anchorage

 
recalled

previously

 
marked
 
proceed
 

directed

 

intending

 

morning

 

shells

 
returned
 
Hispaniola
 

plantains