Page 243
An.1685
Snooks, a sort of Fish.
we were resolved to land, they quitted the place; one chief reason why the Spaniards are so frequently routed by us, although many times much our fu- periors in numbers, and in many places fortified with Breftworks is, their want of small Fire-arms, for they have but few on all the Sea Coasts, unless near their larger Garrisons. Here we found a great deal of Salt, brought hither as I judge for to salt Fish, which they take in the Lagunes. The Fish I observed here mostly, were what we call Snooks, neither a Sea-fish nor fresh Water-fish, but very nu- merous in these salt Lakes. This Fish is about a foot long, and round, and as thick as the small of a mans Leg, with a pretty long head : It hath Scales of a whitish colour, and is good meat. How the Spaniards take them I know not : for we never found any Nets, Hooks, or Lines, neither yet any Bark, Boat, or Canoa, among them on all this Coast ; except the Ship I shall mention at Aca- pulco.
We marched 2 or 3 leagues into the Country, and met with but one House, where we took a Mulatto Prisoner, who informed us of a Ship that was lately arrived at Acapulco ; she came from Lima. Captain Townly wanting a good Ship thought now he had an opportunity of getting one, if he could perswade his men to venture with him, into the Harbour of Acapulco, and fetch this Lima Ship out. Therefore he immediately proposed it, and found not only all his own men willing to assist him, but many of Captain Swan's men also. Cap- tain Swan opposed it, because Provision being scarce with us, he thought our time might be much bet- ter imployed in first providing our selves with food, and here was plenty of Maiz in the River where we now were, as we were informed by the same Prisoner ; who offered to conduct us to the place where it was. But neither the present necessity, nor Cap-