bing and flowing of the tide, which we obferved to be about five
feet, and that it fet nearly E. and W.
The watering place is fituated in that part of the harbour, where
freth water is marked on the plan. This, during the whole time
o f our (lay, had the appearance of a large (landing lake, without
any vifible outlet into the fea, from which it is feparated by a part
o f the drand. The origin of this lake is a fpring, that bubbles
out of the ground near half a mile within the country. We found
the water a little brackilh, but more confiderably fo towards the
fea-fide; for the nearer we advanced towards the fpring-head, the
fofter and frelher it proved. This laid us under a neceflity of filling
all our cafics from the fartheft part of the lake, and occafioned
us fome trouble ; and would have proved dill more difficult, had it
not been for our particular management, which, on account of the
conveniency o f it, deferves to be recommended to all who (hall
hereafter water at this place. Our method confided in making ufe
o f canoes which drew but little water; for, loading them with a
number of fmall cades, they eafily got up the lake to the fpring-
head, and the fmall calks being there filled, were in the fame manner
tranfported back again to the beach, where fome of our hands
always attended to dart them into other calks of a larger fize.
Though this lake during our continuance there, appeared to have
no outlet into the fea, yet there is reafon to luppofe, that in the
rainy feafon it overflows the drand, and communicates with the
ocean ; for Dumpier, who was formerly here, fpeaks of it as a large
river. Indeed it is neceffary that a vad body of water ffiould be
amaffed before the lake can rife high enough to overflow the drand j
fince the neighbouring lands are fo low, that great part of them mud
be covered with water, before it can run out over the beach.
As the country hereabouts, particularly the trad of coad contiguous
to Acapulco, appeared to be well peopled, and cultivated;
we hoped to have eafily procured from thence fome frefh provi-
fions and other refreffiments, which we now flood greatly in need
of. To facilitate thefe views, the Commodore, the morning after
263
we came to an anchor, ordered a party o f forty men, well armed,
to march into the country, and to endeavour to difeover fome town
or villaeS, where they were to attempt to fet on foot a corre-
fpondence with the inhabitants; for when we had once begun
this intercourfe, we doubted not but that by proper prefents,
we ffiould allure them to bring down to us whatever fruits or
frefh provifions were in their power; as our prizes abounded in
various kinds of coarfe merchandife, which were of little con-
fequence to us, though to them they would be extremely valuable
Our people were dire£ted on this occafion to proceed with
the' greateft circumfpeCtion, and to make as little
of hoflility as poffible; for we were fenfible, we could find no
Wealth in thefe parts worth our notice ; and what neceffanes we
reallv wanted, we expefled would be better and more abundantly
fupplied by an open amicable traffic, than by violence and force
of arms But this endeavour of opening a commerce with the
inhabitants proved ineffectual; for towards evening, the party
which had been ordered to march into the country, returned greatly
fatigued by their unufual exercife, and fome of them fo far fpent
that they had fainted on the road, and were obliged to be brought
back upon the (houlders of their companions. They had penetrated,
as they conceived, about ten miles into the country, along
a beaten track, where they often faw the frefh dung of horfes or
mules. When they had got near five miles fromthe harbour,
the road divided between the mountains into two branches, one
running to the Eafl, and the other to the Wed. Op deliberation
concerning the courfe they ffiould take it was agreed to continue
their march along the eaflern road ; this when they had followed
it for fome time, led them at once into a large plain or Savannah ;
on one fide of- which they difeovered a centinel on horfeback with
a piflol in his hand. It was fuppofed that when they fir A faw him
he was afleep, but his horfe flartled at the glittering of their arms,
and turning round fuddenly ran off with his mafler, who though he
was very near being unhorfed in the furprize, yet recovered his fea^