Page 244
An.1685
Acapulco.
Captain Swan's perswasion availed any thing, no nor yet their own interest ; for the great design we had then in hand, was to lye and wait for a rich Ship which comes to Acapulco every year richly la- den from the Philippine Islands. But it was necessary we should be well stored with Provisions, to ena- ble us to cruize about, and wait the time of her co- ming. However Townley's Party prevailing, we only fill'd our Water here, and made ready to be gone. So the 5th day in the afternoon we sailed again, coasting to the westward, towards Acapulco. The 7th day in the afternoon, being about 12 leagues from the shore, we saw the high Land of Acapulco, which is very remarkable: for there is a round Hill standing between other 2 Hills ; the westermost of which is the biggest and highest, and hath two Hillocks like two paps on its top : the eaftermost Hill is higher and sharper than the mid- dlemost. From the middle Hill the Land declines toward the Sea, ending in a high round point. There is no Land shaped like this on all the Coast. In the evening Captain Townly went away from the Ships with 140 men in 12 Canoas, to try to get the Lima Ship out of Acapulco Harbour.
Acapulco is a pretty large Town 17 degrees North of the Equator. It is the Sea-port for the City of Mexico, on the West side of the Continent ; as La Vera-Cruz, or St. John d' Ulloa in the Bay of Nova Hifpania, is on the North side. This Town is the only place of Trade on all this Coast ; for there is little or no Traffick by Sea on all the N. W. part of this vast Kingdom, here being as I have said neither Boats, Barks nor Ships, (that I could ever see) unless only what come hither from other parts, and some Boats near the S. E. end of California; as I guess by the intercourse between that and the Main, for Pearl-fishing.
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