Between this cape and the island of Gallo there are several large rivers, all of which we passed in our way to that of St Jago, a large navigable river in lat. 2 deg.  N.[167] About seven leagues before it reaches the sea, this river divides into two branches, which inclose an island four leagues in circuit.  Both branches are very deep, but the S.W. channel is the broadest, and the other has sand-banks at its mouth, which cannot be passed at low-water.  Above the island the river is a league broad, having a straight channel and swift current, and is navigable three leagues up, but how much farther I know not.  It runs through a very rich soil, producing all kinds of the tallest trees that are usually met with in this country, but especially red and white cotton-trees, and cabbage-trees of large size.  The white cotton-tree grows not unlike an oak, but much bigger and taller, having a straight trunk, without branches to the top, where it sends out strong branches.  The bark is very smooth, the leaves of the size of a plum-tree leaf, dark green, oval, smooth, and jagged at the ends.  These trees are not always biggest near the roots, but often swell out to a great size in the middle of their trunks.  They bear silk-cotton, which falls to the ground in November and December, but is not so substantial as that of the cotton-shrub, being rather like the down of thistles.  Hence they do not think it worth being gathered in America; but in the East Indies it is used for stuffing pillows.  The old leaves of this tree fall off in April, and are succeeded by fresh leaves in the course of a week.  The red cotton-tree is somewhat less in size, but in other respects resembles the other, except that it produces no cotton.  The wood is hard, though that of both kinds is somewhat spongy.  Both are found in fat soils, both in the East and West Indies.

[Footnote 167:  Nearly in the indicated latitude is the river of Patia, in the province of Barbacoas.  The river St Jago of modern maps on this coast is in lat. 1 deg. 18’ N. in the province of Atacames, or Esmeraldas.—­E.]

The cabbage-tree is the tallest that is found in these woods, some exceeding 120 feet in height.  It likewise is without boughs or branches to the top, where its branches are the thickness of a man’s arm, and twelve or fourteen feet long.  Two feet from the stem come forth many small long leaves of an inch broad, so thick and regular on both sides that they cover the whole branch.  In the midst of these high branches is what is called the cabbage, which, when taken out of the outer leaves, is a foot in length, and as thick as the small of a man’s leg, as white as milk, and both sweet and wholesome.  Between the cabbages and the large branches many small twigs sprout out, two feet long and very close together, at the extremities of which grow hard round berries, about the size of cherries, which fall once a year on the ground, and are excellent food for hogs.  The trunk has projecting rings half a foot asunder, the bark being thin and brittle, the wood hard and black, and the pith white.  As the tree dies when deprived of its head, which is the cabbage, it is usually cut down before gathering the fruit.