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.
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