ches long and an inch broad, edged with prickles. The
fruit grows in clusters at the top of the stem, being round and as large
as an egg, having a thick rind, inclosing a pulp full of black seeds, of
a delightful taste. The red penguin grows directly out of the ground,
without any stalk, sometimes sixty or seventy in a cluster, no bigger
than onions, but the shape of nine-pins, the cluster being surrounded
with prickly leaves eighteen inches or two feet long.

[Footnote 185: In modern maps these are called the isles of _Mazatlan_,
and are placed in lat. 28 deg. 15' N. The name given in the text appears
taken from a town on this coast called Charmela, in lat 22 deg. 50' N. but
improperly.--E.]

Captain Swan went with 100 men in canoes to the north, to find out the
river _Culiacan_, supposed to be in lat. 24 deg. N.[186] and said to have a
fair and rich town of the same name on its banks; but after rowing
thirty leagues he could not find the river, neither was there any safe
landing place on the coast. Seven leagues N.N.W. from the Chametla or
Mazatlan isles, our men landed in a small lake or river, having a narrow
entrance, called _Rio de Sal_ by the Spaniards, in lat. 23 deg. 30' N.[187]
They here procured some maize at an adjacent farm; and learnt at another
landing place of an Indian town five leagues distant, to which they
marched. Coming near the place we were encountered by a good number of
Spaniards and Indians, who were soon beat off. On entering the place we
only found two or three wounded Indians, who told us the town was named
_Mazatlan_, and that there were two rich gold-mines at the distance of
five leagues.

[Footnote 186: The mouth of the river of Cullacan is in 24 deg. 45' N. and
the town of that name is about eighty-five or ninety statute miles up
the river, supposed to have been an ancient seat of the Mexican nation,
before their removal to the vale and lake of Mexico.--E.]

[Footnote 187: The Rio Rastla de Panuco, in 23 deg. 45' N. is certainly here
meant.--E.]

On the 2d February 80 men were landed in the river _Rosario_.[188] We
came to a pretty little town of the same name, a considerable way up
that river, where we were assured by some prisoners that the gold-mines
were not above two leagues from thence; but as we had present occasion
for provisions, we carried about ninety bushels of maize on board from
this place, without searching for the mines. As this small supply was
insufficient for our