The 29th, 200 men were sent in canoes to attempt to land, and if possible to find a road to the town of Selagua, seated, as we were told by the Spaniards, at the N.W. end of the vale of Colima, but they were unable to land, owing to the violence of the waves.  We came in sight of the port of Selagua on the 1st December.  This is a bay in lat. 19 deg. 8’ N. parted in the middle by a rocky point, so that it appears like two havens, in either of which there is safe anchorage in ten or twelve fathoms, though the western harbour is the best, and has besides the advantage of a fresh-water rivulet.  We saw a considerable number of armed Spaniards on the land, to whom we made a visit next morning with 200 men, but they soon fled.  In the pursuit our people found a broad road, leading through a wooded and rocky country, which they followed for four leagues, but found not the least appearance of any inhabitants, and therefore turned back.  On their return they took two straggling mulattoes, who said the broad road led to the city of Oarrah,[182] four long days journey into the country, and that these men came from that city to protect the Manilla ship, which was expected to set her passengers ashore at this place.  The Spanish maps place a town called Selagua hereabouts, but we could not find any appearance of it.

[Footnote 182:  Guadalaxara, the latter part of which is pronounced achara, is probably here meant.  It is 160 miles inland from the port of Selagua.—­E.]

We pursued our voyage on the 6th December towards Cape Corientes, in hopes of meeting the Manilla ship.  The land on the coast was moderately high, sprinkled with many rugged points, and full of wood, having several apparently good ports between Selagua and Cape Corientes, but we did not touch at any of them.  Cape Corientes, of which we came in sight on the 11th, in lat. 20 deg. 28’ N. is pretty high, being very steep and rocky towards the sea, but flat on the top.  I found its longitude from the Lizard in England, by our reckoning, 121 deg. 41’ W.[183] As the Manilla ship is obliged to make this point on her voyage to Acapulco, we took up a station here with our four ships in such a manner that we judged she could hardly escape us; but as we were in want of provisions, fifty or sixty men were sent in a bark beyond the cape to endeavour to get some.  They returned, however, on the 17th, not having been able to double the cape, but left forty-six men in four canoes, who intended to attempt to get beyond by rowing.

[Footnote 183:  It is only in long. 105 deg. 88’ W. from Greenwich; that in the text, from computation or dead reckoning, being considerably erroneous in excess.—­E.]