Page 256
An.1685
Cape Corrientes.
fay, that the beft remedy they can find for it is the Stone or Cod of an Allegator (of which they have 4, one near each Leg, within the Flefh) pulverized and drunk in Water: this Receipt we alfo found mentioned in an Almanack made at Mexico: I would have tried it, but we found no Allegators here, though there are feveral.
There are many good Harbours between Salla- gua and Cape Corrientes: but we paffed by them all. As we drew near the Cape, the Land by the Sea appeared of an indifferent heighth, full of white Cliffs; but in the Country the Land is high and barren, and full of fharp peeked Hills, unpleafant to the fight. To the Weft of this ragged Land is a chain of Mountains running parallel with the fhore: they end on the Weft with a gentle defcent; but on the Eaft fide they keep their heighth, ending with a high fteep Mountain, which hath 3 fmall fharp peeked tops, fomewhat refembling a Crown; and therefore called by the Spaniards, Coronada, the Crown Land.
The 11th day we were fair in fight of Cape Cor- rientes, it bore N. by W. and the Crown Land bore North. The Cape is of an indifferent heighth, with fteep Rocks to the Sea. It is flat and even on the top, clothed with Woods: the Land in the Country is high and doubled. This Cape lieth in 20 d. 28 m. North. I find its longitude from Te- nariff to be 230 d. 56 m. but I keep my longitude Weftward, according to our courfe, and according to this reckoning, I find it is from the Lizard in England 121 d. 41 m. fo that the difference of time is 8 hours, and almoft 6 minutes.
Here we had refolved to cruize for the Phillippine Ship, becaufe fhe always makes this Cape in her Voyage homeward. We were (as I have faid) 4 Ships in company; Captain Swan, and his Ten- der; Captain Townly, and his Tender. It was so ordered