Page 267
An. 1686
River of St. Jago.
the place we were in, being ftrangers, and having no Pilots to direct or guide us into any River; and we being without all fort of Provifion, but what we were forced to get in this manner from the fhore. And though our Pilot-book directed us well enough to find the Rivers, yet for want of Guides to carry us to the Settlements, we were forced to fearch 2 or 3 days before we could find a place to land: for as I have faid before, befides the Seas being too rough for landing in many places, they have neither Boat, Bark, nor Canoa, that we could ever fee or hear of: and therefore as there are no fuch landing places in thefe Rivers, as there are in the South Seas, fo when we were landed, we did not know which way to go to any Town, except we accidentally met with a path. Indeed the Spaniards and Indians whom we had aboard knew the Names of feveral Rivers, and Towns near them, and knew the Towns when they faw them: but they knew not the way to go to them from the Sea.
The 8th day Captain Swan fent about 40 men to feek for the River Oleta, which is to the Eaft- ward of the River Rofario. The next day we fol- lowed after with the Ships, having the Wind at W. N. W. and fair weather. In the afternoon our Canoas came again to us, for they could not find the River Oleta; therefore we defigned next for the River St. Jago, to the Eaftward ftill. The 11th day in the evening we anchored againft the mouth of the River, in 7 fathom water, good foft oazy ground, and about 2 mile from the fhore. There was a high white Rock without us, called Maxentelbo. This Rock at a diftance appears like a Ship under fail; it bore from us W. N. W. diftant about 3 leagues. The Hill Zelifco bore S. E. which is a very high Hill in the Country, with a Saddle or bending on the top. The River St. Jago is in lat. 22 d. 15 m. It is one of the principal Rivers on this