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The town of Tomaco is small, and situated near the mouth of the river, being chiefly occupied by the Spaniards, who trade in this neighbourhood. From this place to that branch of the river St Jago where we were then at anchor is five leagues. As the land here is low and full of creeks, we left the river on the 21st December, and crossed these small bays in our canoes.
The river Tomaco is supposed to have its origin in the rich mountains of Quito, and takes its name from that of a village on its banks. The country on this river is well peopled by Indians, among whom are a few Spaniards, who traffic for gold with the natives. This river is so shallow at the mouth, that it can only be entered by barks.
In our way we saw an Indian hut, whence we took the master and all his family, and rowing forwards, we came to Tomaco at midnight. We here seized all the inhabitants, among whom was one Don Diego de Pinas, a Spanish knight, whose ship was at anchor not far off to load with timber, and in which we found thirteen jars of good wine, but no other loading.
Descents were made on two or three other places, and near Tomaco they captured a vessel, with a Spanish gentleman Don Diego de Pinas on board, and several other Spaniards. On the 1st of January, 1685, the two vessels sailed for the island of Gallo.
We returned next morning to the mouth of the river, intending to proceed to the isle of Gallo, where we had directed the ships to meet us. This small uninhabited island, in lat. 3° N. is situated in a spacious bay, three leagues from the river Tomaco, and four and a half from an Indian village of the same name.
On the 1st January, 1685, while going in our canoes from Tomaco to Gallo, we took a packet of letters in a Spanish boat bound from Panama to Lima, by which the president of Panama wrote to hasten the Plate fleet from Lima, as the armada from Spain had arrived in Porto Bello.
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