An excellent ruttier for the Islands of the West Indies,
and for Tierra firma, and Nueva Espanna.
IF a man depart from the barre of S. Lucar in Summer
time, hee must steere Southwest until hee hath sight of
Punta de Naga, which is in the
Isle of Tenerif. The
markes to know it be these. An high point sloping to
the sea, & at the Easter point it hath two down falles
like particions, and they shew to be separated from the
maine of the Island & stand in 28 degrees & a halfe.
And if thou wilt have sight of the Grand Canaria, and
findest thy selfe with Punta de Naga, thou shalt then
steere Southwest and by South, and so thou shalt have
sight of Canaria which standeth in 28 degrees. And thou
must come to ankor on the Southeast side of the Island.
But I advise thee, if it be in winter time, that thou keepe
another course, and that as followeth.
The course that a man must keepe departing in winter
for the Indies from Sant Lucar.
DEPARTING from Sant Lucar in winter thou shalt goe
West and by South keeping along the coast, because if
thou goe farre from the coast, thou shalt meete with the
wind off the sea untill thou be as high shot as
Cape
Cantin, which is a low flat cape with the sea. And thou
shalt see a great wood before thou come at this cape,
called Casa del Cavallero. And from thence thou shalt
steere thy olde course, that is Southwest and by South
for the
Isles of Alegranza, and Lancerota; and when
thou art North and South with Alegranza, thou shalt
steere thence Southwest, and so thou shalt see the
Canaria, which is a round high land, and standeth in
twentie eight degrees.
What thou must doe if a contrary wind take thee fiftie
leagues off the shore.
WHEN thou art fifty leagues shot on thy way into the sea
Southwest off, and there thou chance to meete with a
contrary winde off the sea, and if it force thee to put
roome, then thou shalt steere Northeast and by East,
and shalt hall with sight of Cabos del Plata, which shew
when thou art a seaboord so farre as thou mayest descrie
them, to be like two points of white sand: and if it be
cleere thou shalt see within the land certain high hilles
lying Northwest and by West called las Sierras de
Zahara, and being three leagues from land thou shalt have
thirtie fadomes water, and sand: And from thence to the
bay of Cadiz
thou shalt goe along Northwest by the
coast: and if thou be in thirtie or forty fadomes, thou
shalt have oaze; but if thou bee in lesse then thirtie
fadomes, thou shalt have other sounding; which if it
chance, then thou art against S. Pedro. And if it bee
by day thou shalt see the Ermitage of Sant Sebastian,
which seemeth to be a shippe under sayle. And thou
shalt goe into the bay taking heede of the Puercos, give
them a good birth off. And if thou chance to bee benighted when thou fallest with the bay, and wouldest goe
into the bay, thou shalt carie thy lead in thy hand, and
be sounding: and finding thy selfe in rockie ground, thou
shalt steere North because of shunning the Puercos: and
yet give them not too great a birth because of The Diamant, and so thou mayest goe in, sounding when thou
thinkest good. And being benighted and then not East
and West with the bay, and if thou doest not goe into
it, then make the largest boord thou canst keeping off
till day.
If thou be at the Canaries and wouldest sayle to Nueva
Espanna, thou shalt sayle foure and twenty houres South
because of the calmes of Fierro. And from thence thou
shalt goe Westsouthwest, untill thou finde thy selfe in
twenty degrees. And then thou must goe West and by
South, which is the course for the
Isle Deseada. And
from Deseada thou shalt goe West and by North, because
of the variation of the compasse. And falling with
Deseada, thou shalt finde it to rise low with the sea:
and it standeth in 15 degrees. And the eastermost part
is the sharpest, and smaller then the West point.
And if thou art going for Tierra firma, thou shalt goe
West and by South untill thou come to Dominica
, and
there on the Northwest side is a river, where thou mayest
water. The marks to know it bee a certaine high land
full of hilles. And seeing it when thou art farre off to
the seaward, it maketh in the middest a partition; so
that a man would thinke it devided the Island in two
parts. And this Island standeth in 14 degrees and a
halfe.
I advise thee that if thou wouldest goe for Nueva
Espanna, and so doest passe betweene Guadalupe
and
Monserate to the Westward, that being thus open off
the entrance betwixt them thou shalt go Westnorthwest,
and so shalt have sight of Santa Cruz, which standeth
in seventeene degrees and a halfe. And the markes to
know it be these. It is an Island not very high, and
lyeth East and West, and at the East end it is lower
then at the West end.
And going forward on thy course thou shalt runne
Westnorthwest, and so thou shalt goe to have sight of
the
Isle of San Juan de Puerto rico, which is an Island
lying East and West, and standeth in eighteene degrees.
And the markes be these. That on the West end it is
lowest, and the Eastermost is the highest. And if thou
fall with the middest of the Island, then thou shalt goe
a long it to the West unto Cabo Roxo, which is the end
of the Isle. And from thence the coast runneth North
to Punta Aguada.
Cape Roxo hath certaine red cliffes.
Thou must steere West and by South from
Cape Roxo
to find Mona
, and so thou shalt have sight of Mona
.
And the marks thereof be these, it is a low land lying
East and West: and on the East end it is highest, it hath
a slope towards the sea, and standeth in 18. degrees,
rather lesse then more. And if it be by day, then thou
shalt runne West and shalt see Saona: which is an Island
lying without Hispaniola, and lyeth East and West, and
is full of trees; and hath certaine sandy bayes. And if
it bee cleere weather thou shalt see within the land of
Hispaniola certaine hie hils called las Sierras de Yguey.
And being benighted upon Mona
, then thou shalt steere
West and by South, because of certaine shoalds that lye
off Saona: but having day light and no sight of land,
thou shalt loofe up Northwest and so passe by it, and as
thou goest along the coast of Hispaniola, and seest the
sea to be cast up into the aire, then thou shalt be about
10 leagues off the harbour of Santo Domingo, and these
mountings up are called The Spoutes.
But I advise thee, that if thou bee benighted when thou
fallest with Santo Domingo, then thou must keepe the
hils called Sierras de las minas viejas to the Northwest.
And if thou wouldest goe into Santo Domingo, and
meetest there with a forcible Northerly wind, then the
best way is to runne East till it be day. And having
daylight thou shalt cast about, and so thou must ply to
wind-ward untill the Northerly wind be done: and when
it is past, make all the saile thou canst to hale with the
sight of Calle de las Damas
: and when thou hast sight
thereof thou shalt lye with thy stemme with a sandie
Bay, which lyeth on the other side: and thou must take
in thy maine saile, and go so till thou bring thy selfe
open with the midst of the river; and so having opened
the river, thou must go with great care in the middest of
the same, with all thy sailes up, except thy maine saile,
and thou must have thy boat out, if it be needefull to
sound or to tow thy ship, if she cast too much to the
loofe, for the currents will cast here to the loofe: wherefore bee sure to have thy boat out to helpe thy steerage:
and this is the way whereby thou must worke.
The course from Santo Domingo to go for Nueva
Espanna.
I ADVISE thee that if thou wilt goe from Santo Domingo
for Nueva Espanna, thou shalt goe Southwest and by
South, and so thou shalt have sight of Punta de Nizao,
which is a low point, and is the end of the hilles called
Sierras de las minas Viejas, and towards the Northwest
of them thou shalt see a lowe land, and to goe into Hocoa
thou shalt stirre from this poynt of Nizao Westnorthwest,
and thou shalt see the point of Puerto Hermoso, and the
Bay that it maketh: and thou must be sure to keepe neere
the shore to find a good road, and feare not to go neere
the land: for all is deepe water, and cleare ground, and
let not fall thine anker til thou be past all the rivers;
and beware of the land, for it thou ride much without,
thy anker wil come home, because it is rocky and flatte
ground. And thou must be ready, that when thine anker
commeth home, thou have thy moarings readie in thy
boat to carry on shore with foure or five men, and if thou
thinke good, thou mayest let them fall on land with a
rope. And when thou art come to anker thou mayest
send on shore to moare, so shalt thou be best moared.
The course from Hocoa to Nueva Espanna.
GOING from Hocoa to Nueva Espanna thou shalt stirre
Southwest: and this way thou shalt find the
Isles Beata,
and Alto velo: Beata hath these marks: It is a low land
with the sea, and full of trees: and on the East side an
high land or cliffe; and Alto velo hath these markes.
A blacke round land, and the Eastermost part thereof is
highest, and it hath a downefall. When thou art North
and South with* then thou shalt go West, untill
thou be so farre shot as the Frailes : and from thence goe
West and by North, and keeping this course thou shalt
have sight of
Cape Tiburon. And if by keeping this
course thou have sight of a little Island, thou mayest
make account it is the
Isle of Baque: and it is hard to
the land, and from thence thou shalt go West, keeping
thy selfe out untill thou double a poynt that maketh as it
were a great Bay, and then thou must go West and by
North, till thou come to
Cape Tiburon, that hath a round
blacke land, and in some part thereof certaine white
cliffes.
I advise thee that when thou art against
Cape de
Tiburon, thou stirre Northwest, and so thou shalt have
sight of Cuba
, which lyeth East and West: and thou
shalt see certaine hilles which are called Sierras del Cobre,
and in the highest of them is the harbour of S. Iago de
Cuba: and finding thy selfe so, thou mayest runne West
unto
Cape de Cruz. And before thou seest
Cape de Cruz
thou shalt see the hils called Sierras de Tarquino, and
from these hils to
Cape de Cruz the land waxeth lower
and lower, and it is lowest of all at the Cape it selfe.
And if thou chance to have the water troubled, as though
thy ship did raise up the sand from the ground, be not
afraid: for this place is called The nine fathoms: for thou
shalt find no lesse water upon it, and it is the shallowest
water that thou shalt have.
Thou must marke that
Cape de Cruz maketh an ende
of the coast that commeth from the East to the West,
and beginneth the course that goeth North and South,
and standeth in 19. degrees, rather more then lesse.
From
Cape de Cruz thou must stirre Westnorthwest:
and this way thou shalt have sight of the
Isle de Pinos,
and if thou have faire weather, then thou must goe Northwest, and by West, because of the currents that will set
thee out to sea. And keeping this course thou shalt have
sight of an high land. I tell thee it is the marke of the
Isles called los Jardines, and is commonly called the land
of Zagueio: and then thou shalt goe West and by South:
and if it bee by night, then goe Westsouthwest untill
thou have brought thy selfe out from The Jardines. And
being by day thou shalt keepe off the land, and shalt goe
Westnorthwest, and so thou shalt see the
Isle de Pinos.
The markes to know the Cape de Santo Antonio.
THE headland called Capo de Santo Antonio is a lowe
land, and full of trees, and upon the Cape it selfe it hath
two or three thicke woods, and the coast lyeth Northwest
and Southeast. And thou must also take good heed that
thou have sight on the same coast of a white sandie Bay;
and it is on the same coast that lyeth Northwest and
Southeast. And these be the markes from Punta de las
Arenas, or The poynt of the sands, to the
Cape of Saint
Anthonie, and from the
Cape de Corrientes to Punta de
las Arenas thou shalt have a great Bay, being so long,
that if thou be not very neere the shore thou canst not
see land, it is so low. And if thou see not the land well,
it will shew to be a tuft of trees. And the
Cape of S.
Anthony standeth in 22. degrees.
A ruttier that a man must keepe from Dominica
to
Martinino, and so to Tierra firma.
I ADVISE thee that going from Martinino or Dominica
,
if thou wouldest goe for Margarita, that thou stirre South
and by West, because of the great currents that goe
here, and set Northwest. And by this course thou shalt
find the Testigos, which be 4 or 5 Islands: and if thou
wilt not goe so much to windward, then thou shalt see
Frailes, which bee three small Islands. And if thou wilt
goe into the harbour of Manpater, it is presently in doubling of the point on the East side to the Southward.
And being minded to go for puerto de Juan Griego, which
lieth on the Northside, then go neere the land, and along
the coast of the West, and presently thou shalt have sight
of puerto de Juan Griego; it standeth in 11. degrees.
I advise thee that going from Matalino, which standeth
in 13. degrees, if thou wouldest goe to Cartagena
, thou
shalt goe West and by South, and by this way thou shalt
have sight of the
Isles of Curazao and Aruba
, which stand
in 12. degrees: from these Islands thou shalt go West;
and when thou art North and South with Monjes, thou
shalt see them to be three little white Ilands, and they
are white because of the multitude of birds that are there:
they stand in a triangle. From thence thou shalt goe
West, if it be by day, and so shalt have sight of Coquebacoa that standeth in 12. degrees. And being by night,
then goe Northwest: and by day thou shalt cast to goe
for the land againe Westsouthwest. Coquebacoa hath a
certaine poynt not very high, and within this poynt thou
shalt see in the inland certain hilles which bee called las
Sierras de Avite.
Going from this poynt of Coquebacoa thou shalt run
West, and shalt run along the coast, and shalt go to have
the sight of Baya honda and Portete, which is a low land
even with the sea.
The Cape de la Vela lieth with a redde shewe not very
high; and without this Cape about a league there is a
little coppled rocke. A man may be bold to go betwixt
this rocke and the maine.
And going from this Cape to have sight of Cape del
Aguja thou must stirre Southwest, and thou shalt have
sight of the Ancones which lye at the ende of the hilles
called Sierras Nevadas. And then presently thou shalt
see the Cape del Aguja: the marks whereof are these: It
is a low Cape, and upon it is a copple not very high, and
there beginneth the high land of the Sierras Nevadas, or
snowy mountaines.
Take this for a warning that if thou goe for Cape de
la Vela by night by the course abovesayd, and commest
into a whitish water, then sound and thou shalt find 40.
fathoms, and thy sound will be certaine smal sandy white
oaze, and some smal weeds. And then thou mayest make
account that thou art North and South with the river
called
Rio de Palominos, which commeth out of the midst
of the Sierras Nevadas. And being benighted thou shalt
go Westnorthwest, or West and by North until day: and
being day then thou mayest hale in with sight of the
land Southwest, because thou mayest be sure to come
right in with it.
If thou goe from Cape del Aguja for Cartagena
, if it
bee by day, thou shalt goe West and by South, and shalt
goe to have sight of Morro Hermoso, that is The faire
mountaine, which lyeth to the Westward of
Rio grande.
And being alone, and with a good ship of saile, and
drawing towards night, then thou must come to anker
behind Morro hermoso: and after the first watch thou
must set saile, and go out West and by North, because
thou must be sure to keep a seaboord from the
Island
de Arenas, which lyeth 2 leagues to seaward right against
Samba.
And if thou goe from Cape del Aguja by night, thou
shalt goe West and by North: and so thou shalt goe
without the force of the water of
Rio Grande. And being
by day thou shalt goe along the coast, and shalt see
Morro hermoso, which, as I have sayd, lyeth to the West
of
Rio Grande, and hath for markes, a face of a blacke
land not very hie, and it is round. And if thou depart
by day from Morro hermoso, thou must goe West, and
must take heede, as I sayde before, of the
Isle de Arenas,
which lyeth North and South of Samba. Samba hath
for a marke as it were a gallie towed. And going this
way by day, thou shalt see El buio del Gato
, which is an
high land with certaine white cliffes to the seaward: and
also more to the West thou shalt see the poynt called
Punta de la Canoa, which is a low land even with the
water: and there endeth the coast which lyeth East and
West. And the Bay that goeth to Cartagena
beginneth
here, and lyeth Northeast and Southwest.
And take this for a warning, that if thou be benighted
against Samba, thou shalt take in thy sailes, & lye off
to the offward until midnight without any saile abroad
until midnight: and from midnight forward thou shalt lye
so into the land without sayle: and if in the breake of
day thou see no land, then goe Southwest, and if this
way thou have sight of certaine white cliffes, make
account it is Buio del Gato
. Take this for a warning,
if thy ship bee great come not nigh the land in the Bay:
I meane thou mayest not with a great ship come nigh
the land from the poynt de la Canoa untill thou come to
Cartagena
, because in many places there are not above
3 or 4 fathoms at the most. In all this Bay there is no
hie land but the Gallie, which is right over the harbour
of Cartagena
.
And if it chance that any man come for this place that
never was here before, then let him looke for a little hill
like a towed gallie lying East and West, and all the land
is low, and seemeth to be full of trees. Having these
sights, then make account thou art against Cartagena
,
and to goe in thou hast nothing to be afraid of: but
keepe thyselfe hard aboord the poynt of Ycacos: and then
when thou commest to double the poynt del Judeo, give
a breadth off, because there is a shoald.
I advise thee that if thou be benighted, when thou art
at The poynt de la canoa, and wouldest enter into Cartagena
by night, that thou take good heede of a shoald
that lyeth halfe a league to the sea, and so thou shalt
goe in 8 fathoms, and sandie ground. And when thou
findest thy selfe in deepe water, as in 30 fathoms and
more, then the harbour will bee open before thee. And
if thou have any fresh Northerne winds, then loofe up to
the seaward, and lye with thy stemme Eastsoutheast, and
so thou mayest goe in East through the middest of the
chanell: and though it bee by night, yet thou mayest
goe in safely, because it is all cleere. And if the night
be cleere thou shalt have sight of the Island called Cares,
and it is an high land.
Comming from Cartagena
to goe for Nombre de Dios
in the time of the Northerne winds, thou must bring thy
selfe to the offward of Sal medina: and thence stirre
West till thou bring thy selfe North and South with
Cabeza de Cativa; and then goe Southwest and by West,
and thou shalt so fall with
Rio de Francisco. It hath for
markes a certaine land not very high, and within the land
certaine high hils lying East and West. And on the
West of the river of Francisco thou shalt see certaine
cliffes that bee sixe leagues from Nombre de Dios, inclining toward the sea.
I advise thee that going this course above written; if
thou see 3 or 4 Isles lying lowe with the sea, and also
lying East and West, thou mayest make account that
they be the
Islands de Cativa, and then runne West, and
so thou shalt go along the coast. And if thou see by
this way a poynt of low land, make account it is Punta
de Samblas : and upon it thou shalt see a row of hie rockie
hils, and they be the mountaines of Santa Cruz.
If thou come from Cartagena
to go to Nombre de Dios
in the time of the sea winds, when thou art out from Sal
Medina, thou shalt goe West and by North, that thou
mayest have sea-roome, and take the Brisas or Northerne
winds when they come: and goe till thou be North and
South with the harbour of Nombre de Dios: and from
thence goe Southwest, and if by this way thou see a row
of high hils on a coast that lyeth Northeast and Southwest, make account they are Sierras de las minas Viejas,
which minas Viejas lie North and South with the harbour
of Velo alto. Having kept this course abovesaid, and
having sight of the former marke, thou mayest account
that thou art on the West side of Nombre de Dios.
Furthermore when thou hast sight of an high land, and
thou bee North and South with it, and in the toppe thereof
thou seest as it were a litle table, if it be highest toward
the East, then make account that thou art North and
South with Nombre de Dios, I say, with the harbour of
Nombre de Dios, and this hill is called Sierra de Capira.
And if thou wilt goe into the harbour, thou must keepe
thy prow right against this hill, and comming neerer to
the shore, thou shalt see a ledge of rockes, and it is without, and thou mayest goe in what depth thou thinkest
good, or at which place thou findest most water in. And
to the West of the harbor thou shalt see two or three
Islands called Islas de los Bastimentos.
Take this for a warning, if thou come out of Nombre
de Dios in the time of the Brisas or Northerne winds, and
wouldest goe for Cartagena
, thou shalt come out in the
morning, and shalt go Northnorthwest untill 3 of the
clocke at afternoone, and then cast about to the land,
untill thou be hard aboord the shore, and so thou must go
turning untill thou hast doubled Cabeza de Cativa: and
having doubled it then ply to windward all that thou
mayest: and if thou be Eastnortheast off it, then thou
shalt have sight of the
Ilands of Baru, which are 3 or 4
Islands lying low, and are all full of trees: and then presently thou shalt have sight of the gallie that is over
Cartagena
, and it is like a gallie towed.
I advise thee, that if thou come for Cartagena
in the
time abovesayde, and commest from Cabeza de Cativa, if
the wind will not suffer thee to lye but West, then going
thus if thou seest a great high Island full of mountaines,
and on the North side thereof thou see a ledge of rocks
two leagues into the sea, thou mayest be sure it is Isla
fuerte: but if thou see not the rocks, give them a good
breadth: and if thou wilt come to anker, thou mayest ride
well on the West side of them, betwixt the maine and
them in fifteene fathomes; and the sounding is clay. And
if thou wilt go betweene this and the
Islands of Saint
Barnardo to goe into Cartagena
, thou mayest goe safely.
And if any man aske thee how thou knowest the
Islands
of Baru and San Barnardo, thou mayest answere truely,
that the Isles of San Barnardo are full of high hilles, and
certaine sandie bayes to seaward; and the sayd Isles
have a good depth two or three leagues to the sea: and
this depth is called the Bacilla. And these are all the
markes for the Islandes of San Barnardo. And touching
the
Isles of Baru, they bee 3 or 4 little Islands and very
even with the sea, and full of trees, and there is no good
depth about them, but hard aboord them.
A ruttier from Cartagena
to Havana
in Cuba
.
COMMING from Cartagena
to goe to Havana
, thou must
goe Northnorthwest untill thou be in foureteene degrees:
and then forwardes thou shalt goe with great care to
anker every night, and when it is day set sayle. And this
is to bee done in this place because of the shoalds of
Serrana: and so thou mayest proceede with a care to
anker when thou commest about Seranilla, or neere to it,
which is in fifteene degrees and a halfe. And upon it
thou shalt see a lowe flatte land lying Northeast and
Southwest: and the sea beateth upon it round about,
except that on the Southeast part it hath certaine shelves
of sand, and on the West side it hath a certain litle
copple, which from sea seemeth to bee a shippe under
sayle : and being Northeast and Southwest off it, scant a
league from the shoald commeth out on the West side a
certayne shoald, whereupon the sea doth alwayes beate.
I advise thee that if thou canst not passe on the West
side, then thou must goe betwixt the sayd little copple
that it is like a sayle and the shoald: for the passage is
good. But if thou depart from the Serranilla to the
Northwest, and seest a lowe land with the sea, and
certaine white sandy bayes, and on the West side seest a
low land, and on the Eastside a little coast lying East
and West, thou mayest make account it is
Cape de
Corrientes.
And if thou goe from
Cape de Corrientes for
Cape de
Santo Antonio, thou must goe Westnorthwest, and so
thou shalt goe with the Cape. The marks be a low land
full of trees with certaine white sandie bayes: and upon
the Cape it selfe thou shalt see two thicke groves of great
trees, and they be upon the Cape it selfe.
To go from the
Cape de Sant Antonio for Havana
in
the time of the North winds, thou shalt goe Northwest
untill thou be cleere of all the shoalds of the Cape, and
then hale thy bowlines, and go as neere the wind as thou
canst possibly, untill thou bring thy selfe unto 24. degrees,
and there sound, and thou shalt find it the Tortugas, and
thy sounding will be white sand.
Thou must take heede what is said in the Chapter
before: for he that writ the same hath seene it, and bene
witnesse to this: that comming from Seranilla, and stirring North and by East he had sight of an Island standing
in 16. degrees, and it is on the shoalds of
Cape de
Camaron. And from thence, if thou have the wind large,
goe Northeast and by East, because of the variation of the
compasse, and thou shalt make thy way Eastnortheast,
and thou shalt fall with Isla de Pinos. This I say, because
the currents set sometime West: and so it fell out to bee
true in March, Anno Domini 1582. I tell thee farther,
that wee came out from this aforesayd Isle stirring North
and by East, for the wind would not suffer us to lye
neerer the East, and one evening at Sunne going downe
we fell with a land, that had the same markes to our
judgement with the
Cape de Corrientes: and because
night was at hand, we wrought to double
Cape de Sant
Antonio, stirring West: and about midnight we had land
all high right a head, & the coast lying Southwest: and
then we cast and lay Northeast till day: And being day,
wee saw the land all a head, and we plied to windward to
the East, and kept it a larboord till we had brought it
Southwest. And to be short, we went here on land in the
same place that we first fell with in the evening before:
and it was an Island called Cozumel, lying on the coast of
Yucatan
. And this Island was the land which we saw
first, seeming by the marks to be the
Cape de Corrientes.
Wee came to an anker about the middest of the Island,
rather to the Norther then the Souther part: there we
found a towne of Indians, who gave us all things which
we needed for our money: and wee carried our Astrolabs
on shore and tooke the height in 19. degrees and one
tierce. A man may goe betweene this Island and the
coast of Yucatan
, and the
Cape de Catoche at pleasure
Northeast; and the water wil set in thy favour: and thou
must go till thou be in 24. degrees, and so thou shalt have
the sounding of the Tortugas.
The course to be kept from the Cape de Santo Antonio
for Nueva Espanna.
IF thou goe from the
Cape de Santo Antonio for Nueva
Espanna, and beeing late, thou shalt stirre Westnorthwest
till thou be in the height of 24. degrees: and from thence
thou shalt stirre something to the West, until thou bring
thy selfe North and South with the litle Iland called
Vermeja : and when thou art so, thou shalt go Southwest,
& by this way thou shalt find
Villa Rica, which is in 19
degrees & a halfe, and the signes be these. Thou shalt
find a ledge of high hils lying Northeast and Southwest.
But if thou chance to fall with a coast that lyeth North
and South, then thou mayest account, that it is about the
low ground of Almeria
which hath these markes. It is a
land not very high, and it is full of little copples. And
if thou have cleare weather, thou shalt see within the
land certaine high hils which are called the hils of Papalo.
And I advise thee that beeing so farre shotte as the
poynt called Punta delgada, which is the ende of all those
hilles of
Villa Rica, thou mayest stirre thence South and
by West, and thou shalt goe along the coast, and shalt
see a lowe land, and with this land thou shalt fall, going
for Saint Paul, and being so farre shotte as Saint Paul, if
thou wilt goe into the harbour, thou must stirre Southwest: and this is the course that thou must keepe being
shotte into the Bay. And thou shalt goe along the coast
of the lowe land in sight thereof: and keeping this course
thou shalt see on the other side a blacke hill, and it is
called Monte de Carneros. Take this for a note, that it
lyeth over the house of Buytron: and as thou doest come
neerer to the poynt of rockes, thou must bee sure to keepe
thy lead going, and shalt have foure fathomes and a halfe
or five fathomes, and so thou mayest goe through the
middest of the chanell. And comming against the castle,
thou shalt give it some breadth off towards the Arrecife
or
rocke: and having doubled the castle, thou shalt goe from
thence and shalt bring thy selfe to an anker hard by the
Herreria, which is a cleane Bay, and thou shalt ride
against the hospitall.
I advise thee that if thou be benighted when thou art
neere to S. Paul, and meetest with a Northerly wind after
midnight, that then thy best way is to bring thy selfe into
thy coarses, and lye by, plying to windward, and to seaward in 20. fathomes which depth thou shalt have neere
the shore, to the Northward: and being day, then goe in
with the harbour as thou canst best, observing what is
abovesaid.
And I advise thee that if thou come from
Villa Rica,
and findest thy selfe in 20. degrees and a halfe, and seest
no land, and seest that the water doth alter, thou shalt
sound 60. fathomes water: and if in this depth thou hast
oaze, make account thou art East and West with the river
of Almeria
. This course is from the
Cape of Santo
Antonio to Nueva Espanna without or aseaboord the
Alacranes or Scorpions.
Now followeth how to worke, if a man come betwixt the
Alacranes and the maine.
IF thou goe from the
Cape de Santo Antonio and wouldest
goe for Nueva Espanna within the Alacranes, thou must
stirre West and by South, and by this way thou shalt
bring thy selfe in 20. fathoms; and if thou keeping this
course findest lesse water, then go West and by North,
and that way thou shalt bring thy selfe into 20. fathomes
againe, untill thou have brought thy selfe North and
South with the triangle. And being North and South
with the triangle, then thou shalt be also North and South
with Surta: from thence thou shalt go Southwest: and by
this course thou shalt have sight of the high hils of S.
Martin, which are certaine high hils lying Northwest and
Southeast, and they have a partition in the midst, and to
the Northwest they be highest: and on the Southeast part
within the land, thou shalt see something an high land,
called Pan de Minsapa, that is, the loafe of Minsapa,
which is a round loafe not very high.
The hils of S. Martin stand in 18. degrees lesse one fift
part.
I advise thee that when thou fallest with Saint Martin,
and wouldest go with Saint John de Ullua, then thou shalt
goe Westnorthwest: and this is the course that thou must
keepe, if thou bee farre off at sea, I meane so farre off as
thou mayest well descrie the hils of S. Martin.
But if thou be neere to the land, then thou must goe
Northwest and by West, and thou shalt so come along the
coast, and thou shalt find the coast to bee low land: and
comming this course thou shalt have sight of certaine little
hilles not very high: then thou shalt fall with the poynt
called Punta de Antoni Serro : and these hilles lye over the
river of Medelin. And if when thou art East and West,
with The Volcan or hill that casteth out fire, any man doe
aske thee, where the harbour of Sant Juan de Ullua is,
thou mayest truely answere, West and by South, and it
standeth in 18. degrees and a halfe.
The course to be kept from Nueva Espanna to the maine
of Spaine in Europe
.
COMMING from S. Juan de Ullua to goe for Spaine, thou
shalt stirre Northeast untill thou be in 24. degrees: and
so beeing thou shalt goe East untill thou bring thy selfe
in the soundings of the Tortugas, and thy ground wil be
white sand. I advise thee, that if it be by night, thou goe
East; and finding the water to waxe shoalder, then goe
Southwest, with a care to keepe thy lead going, untill
thou loose ground, and come into great depth, because
thou mayest fall to the North of the Tortugas. And
going from this sound for Havana
thou must stirre Southsoutheast, because of the currents that carrie thee to the
East. And if by this way thou have sight of an hie land,
that seemeth to be like a loafe, make account it is the
loafe of Cabanas. And to the East of this loafe thou
shalt see a land that hath a plaine. It sheweth to be low,
even with the sea, and as smooth as the sea: and from
this land to the East the land is lower and lower. And
from thence to Havana
thou must goe East. And if the
wind will not let thee go that course, thou must turne up
till thou be upon the harbour of Havana
.
The marks of the poynt of Havana
be these, that on
the East side it hath an hie blacke land, which is sloping
to the sea, with a litle white tower on the top thereof:
and as thou goest into the port, thou must keepe neere
the high blacke land, and when thou art hard to it, strike
thy toppe sayles in signe of peace to the castle, least it
shoote at thee.
What course the Spaniards keepe from Havana
to Spaine.
IF from Havana
thou wouldest set thy course for Spaine,
thou must goe Northeast, and shalt so have sight of the
Martyres, which stand in 24. degrees and a halfe. And
the coast lieth East and West. The marks be these, it
sheweth like heads of trees, and in some places certaine
rocks with white sandy bayes. And if the wind be large,
thou mayest go East and by South untill thou see the
coast to lye Northeast and Southwest: and if the wind be
scant, then go turning up: and take good heed that every
evening at Sunne going downe thou have sight of the
land, and so thou must do being in the chanell, untill thou
bring thy selfe into the middest of the chanell : and thou
must lye off from the going downe of the sunne, untill the
ende of the first watch with thy coarses alone, without any
more sayle; and from midnight forwards cast about, and
lye the other way with the like sayle untill day: and thus
thou must doe untill thou bring thy selfe into the chanel.
And if being in the Chanel thou finde the winde large,
thou shalt stirre Northeast, with a care to goe cleane off
the sholds of the Mimbres or the Osiars. And if being in
the Chanel thou meete with the wind at North, then thou
must turne with a litle saile 4. glasses one way, and 4.
another, as thou thinkest good. And if thou canst not
beare sayle, then thou mayest goe with all thy sayles
downe, except when thou wouldest cast about, thou
mayest loose some small sayle to winde thy ship.
I advise thee, that when thou art come out of the
Chanel, thou shalt be in 28. degrees. And if it be in
summer, thou shalt goe Northeast untill thou be in 39.
degrees and 1/2, which is the height of Flores
: and thou
shalt goe to the Northward of Bermuda. And if thou
thinke good to go in more degrees, to have the seawinds,
thou shalt goe by the same height, as I have sayd: and
if thou shalt finde the winde off the sea, thou hast no
neede to goe in more heights: and from thence thou shalt
goe East and by South: and thou must goe thus because
of the variation of the Compasse. And thus thou shalt
find the isles of Flores
and Cuervo, which stand in 39.
degrees 1/2, and in 40. large. These markes be these.*
Thou mayest goe from betwixt Flores
and Cuervo, and
must goe East Southeast, and so thou shalt have sight of
the
Island of Sayles, which is the
Island of S. George.
And beeing at the land thou shalt goe along it, and when
thou hast doubled a certaine litle Headland that lyeth in
the East poynt, then thou shalt stirre East and by North,
and East. And thus going, thou shalt have sight of
Terzera, which is in 39. degrees. The markes bee these.*
And behinde a certaine blacke land something high, which
is called el Brasil
, standeth the Citie called Angra
. Going
from Terzera, thou shalt runne East Northeast, untill thou
bring thy selfe Northwest, and Southeast with the
Cape of
Saint Vincent. And thou mayest worke thus being in
summer: for alwayes thou shalt have the windes at Northwest. And beeing Northwest and Southeast with this
Cape, thou shalt stirre Southeast and by East, and thou
shalt so fall with the land 6. or 7. leagues to the windward
off the Cape on the coast, which lyeth North and South:
then thou shalt goe along the coast to the South, untill
thou see the Cape. And the Cape standeth in 37.
degrees: the markes be these. It is a Cape not very hie,
and is blacke, sloping to the Sea. And from thence thou
shalt double the Asagresal Southeast: and so running,
thou shalt then goe East unto the
Cape of S. Mary: and
from this Cape goe East Northeast, and so thou shalt
runne to have sight of Arenas Gordas: and then thou
shalt see presently a little hill towardes the East which is
called Cabeza de Pedro Garcia. And if thou be benighted,
and comming into 8. or 9. fathoms, then I wish thee to
come to anchor, untill it be day, and then call for a Pilote,
that may by some meanes carie thee into harbour.
I advise thee, if in the Winter time thou bee shot out
of the narrowest of the Chanel of Bahama, and wouldest
goe for Spaine, that thou must goe East Northeast, untill
thou be in 30. degrees rather lesse then more; and then
thou mayest goe East and by South, because of the variation of the Compasse. And stirring hence East Southeast,
thou shalt goe on the Southside
of Bermuda: and must
goe with great care, because many have bene lost heere
about this Island, because of their negligence. And when
thou art sure thou art past this Island, then goe East
Northeast, untill thou bee in the height of seven and
thirtie degrees: which is in the height of the
Island of
Saint Marie. And going thus, and not seeing Land, but
seeing the Sea to breake, make account it is the rocks
called las Hormigas. And if thou thinke good to goe to
Faial
, thou shalt goe till thou be in 38. degrees 1/2 scant,
and then thou shalt goe East, and so shalt have sight of
Faial
. The markes of it be these.*
Comming out from Faial
, and leaving all the Islandes,
then all goe East and by South untill thou bring thy selfe
in 37. degrees, which is the height of Cape Saint Vincent:
and then goe East, and thou shalt see the Cape having
the markes aforesayd. And from
Cape S. Vincent thou
must goe East Southeast, till thou be Northeast, and
Southwest, with the barre of S. Lucar: and then goe
Northeast for the Barre.
Take this for a warning, that if going in 37. degrees
thou have not sight of
Cape S. Vincent, and hast sight
of certaine hie hils, make accompt they are Sierras de
Monchico.
I advise thee, that if thou stand in feare of men of warre
about the
Cape of S. Vincent, then goe in 36 degrees 1/3.
And finding thy selfe within the Cape, if thou see many
signes of greene weedes, then cast about to the North
Northeast, and by this way finding land, and the same
shewing white, be sure it is the castle of Aimonte.
A ruttier for the old Chanel from the East point of Cuba
by the North side thereof to Havana
.
GOING from the
Cape of S. Nicolas, thou shalt goe North
Northwest, but thou must keepe to windward off the
poynt, that thou mayest weather it, & it is called the poynt
of Mayaci: and it is a very low land and smooth: and
above up within the land about a league it hath a long
Hill, which is not very high but flat. And from that
poynt to Baracoa is 7. leagues.
And being disposed to goe into Baracoa, keepe the
weather-shore all along, untill thou open the Harbour.
And to knowe if thou bee open of the Harbour, looke
upon the South side; and thou shalt see an Hill by it
selfe, which maketh as it were a crowne upon it. And if
thou come along, it maketh as it were a Fort with Ports
about it: And this is the marke if thou come out of the
Sea. And this Hill is North and South of the Harbour,
over the Harbour of Baracoa. And if thou wilt goe in,
thou must take heede of a Shoald which lyeth on the East
side, and thou must keepe the West side: and goe not
much from the Shoald, because the foote of the Shoald
that shooteth Westward hath 5. fathoms water. And
when thou art within the Shoalds, thou must goe a litle
within them, and then let fall an anchor: and looke that
thou come not much on the East side, for it is shoaldie.
And comming out from Baracoa, being to passe through
the old chanel, you shal set your course Northwest until
you come with the Cayo de Moa, or the shoald of Moa,
untill you thinke you are Northeast and Southwest with it,
or till you thinke you are gone 12. leagues: and you shal
know that you are upon Cayo de Moa. For before you
come at it by 2. leagues or more, you shall understand
that it hath a poynt of lowe land, and upon the poynt it
hath a Palme tree; which tree you shall see alwayes,
before you see the point: and it is like a sayle. From
thence to the Pracellas or Flats you shall stirre Northwest
two parts of your way, that you have to runne from Cayo
de Moa to the sayd Pracellas or Flats, and the one halfe
part of the way North Northwest and by West. And this
way you shall see the Pracellas or Flats in a cleane place
of the shoald above the water, for all the breach of the
sea. The Mosowes bee from the Pracell West, and you
shall leave them to windward.
And if you will goe with the Pracellas or Flats, you
shall finde 4. or 5. fathomes: and you may goe sure
without danger a Northwest course untill you come in
7. fathomes. And if you will goe upon the Shoald, you
shall goe upon that depth, untill you have runne 40. or
45. leagues: And from thence you shall set your course
Southwest, till you see the Flattes of the maine land.
You shall then see to the Westward a rocke divided into
3. partes, which is called the Camoloquea. And looke
that when you come from the Pracellas Southwest, you
have certaine Flats before you: take heede of them that
you fall not by night with them by foure leagues, for feare
of the Mecala: and you shall set your course West Northwest untill day: and when it is day, you must beare close
aboord the shore, and then you shall see a flat Island with
many broken sands, which is called Cropeda, and lyeth
but a little out of the trade way, somewhat to the
Northward. Off that you shall see 2. Rocks of stone,
which are the poynt of all the Flats: And two leagues
from them on the mayne land you shall see a poynt
which sheweth like broken land. This is called the
poynt of Caucus. And from that poynt to Matanzas
on the Northside of Cuba are 12. leagues, and your course
lieth West and by North: and then you must borrow upon
the land all that you can, because of the currents: for the
currents will cary you into the Chanell. And being at
Matanzas
, you must runne all along the shore, because of
the currents. Remember that when you see one league
before you a Rocke, and a Shoald, that hath upon it but
2. fathomes water; and your marke if you come out of
the sea is an Hill, and the Hil is not very hie, it standeth
East and West, and upon it are some little risings and
they are not very high, and upon these risings stand two
round homocks close together, you shall see the Teates of
Havana.
To know along the shore when you are against the
Harbour of Xaroca, the markes are these. A little to
the Westward one league, you shall see along the shore
a Hill that is broken, and that broken Hill is over the
Harbour of Xaroca: and then a little more to the Westward a league, there is another broken Hill. And you
shall see that North and South from these broken hils is
a Flat off. And from that to Havana
is 7. leagues: and
it is all cleane ground, and you may goe along the shore
till you come to Havana
. To know the harbour of
Havana
, you shall see before you come at it one litle rocke
of stone not very hie, and smooth toward the sea: upon
the rocke standeth a litle white tower, wherein they keepe
watch. And then if you have the winde large, you shall
see the harbour open, and then you may beare in with it.
Your shippe being of great burthen, when you are
within, then keepe on the West side, because on the East
side, on the West end of the Rocke aforesayde, there lieth
a ledge to the Westward which hath but three or foure
fathoms 1/2 upon it. If your ship be of small burthen, you
may run along the weather shore, untill you come right
against the Castle; and then halfe the Bay over you may
come to an anchor.
How to worke comming through the olde Chanell, if you
be not minded to goe over the Pracellas or shoalds.
IF you will come through the olde Chanel, when you come
as hie as the Shoalds, comming upon your course from the
Caio de Moa, as I told you, keepe 2. leagues from the
Pracel or shoald: and then set our course West unto the
low islands of the Firme land. And upon this course you
shal ken the Flats on the point of Caio Romano: and
within it is one Flat higher then the other, and smooth
upon, and in the middest it maketh as it were broken
land; and when you are in the chanel in the day time, you
must take heede you come not neere the shore by 2.
leagues, and by your sounding no neerer then 3. fathoms.
And you must take heede stil when ye night commeth to
keepe 2. or three leagues off for feare of the shoalds.
And in the night you must goe Northwest as is aforesaid.
And also you must take heed that you keepe in the middle
of the chanel, as nere as you can toward the shoald. And
finding much wind & being benighted, from midnight till
day stirre West Northwest, and when it is towards day,
then you may edge towards the Flats as is aforesaid.
And as you stirre hence one day and one night from
Caio Romano to the inwards of the Chanell, you shall see
the firme land of Cuba
, and other markes; and among the
rest, a round hamocke, which you may easily know. It is
called Alcane de Barasoga. And from thence to Savano
and to Basquo is 6. leagues, and likewise Havana
6.
leagues. And from thence to crosse under the Fort is
45. leagues. And stirre hence upon your course aforesaid.
And if you have gone from Barasoga 30. leagues, you
shall see none of the Flats of Mecala: And give them a
bredth off two or three leagues, and keepe your course
West Northwest, as aforesayd, untill it be day, and
presently you may edge round to the Flats. And thus
stirring, keepe your course untill you see the hilles of
Camaloqua.
And looke that when you come from Caio de Moa, along
the Pracel or shoald by night close by it, you shall not see
what land it is, till it be day: and in the Morning you shall
set your course as is aforesayd untill you see the shoald,
and in seeing it, you may stirre on your course as is above
mentioned, untill you come to Havana
.
For to set your course from the point of Mance to Caio
Romano, when you are North and South with the point of
Mance, you shall stirre thence West Northwest, until you
thinke you be Northeast and Southwest with the hill of
Hama
. And this hill is an high hill and smooth to the
seaside. And from this hill to Caio Romano you shall
stirre Northwest and by West: and upon this course you
may be bolde to see Caio Romano. And the marke of this
Flat is, that it maketh an hie land and smooth upon the
top: and in the middest of it, it sheweth as it were broken.
And when you come to it, you must take heede you come
not neere it by 2. leagues, because it is fowle. And looke
that you bring not yourselfe too neere the hill of Hama
by
night. For you must take heede of Caio Romano to
keepe off it untill Morning: in the Morning you may goe
your course untill you see it, and then set your course, as
is abovesaid.
