The Coastes of Barbary.
For to sayle out of the Bay of Gibralter to Tetuan, then run over south & by east, about close by the point of Seuta, especially with a westerly winde, you should otherwise be carried away so with the current, which then commonly runs to the eastwards, that you should fall too farre to the Leewards. Comming then about by the point of Seuta, you shall see out a head a black point called cape Porkes lying south from the poynt of Seuta. When men lye in the Bay of Gibraltar, they may see the foresayd cape Porkes* 1.1 alongst over Seuta: which is a poynt very easy to be known, sail towards that point, & with a westwinde luffe up so neere as you can. When you come about that poynt, then you shal begin to see Tetuan, which lieth up against the high land, a great league within the land: run then soo far to the s. wards, untill that the east end of the towne come right over a little round hommock, which is upon the high land within. In the middest off the towne standeth a black to∣wer, and in the innermost land of al within, lye three little hills, which doe (as it were) looke over the outer∣most inner land, bring the three little hills over the fore∣sayd black tower, & anchor then so farre from the shoare that the first little hill of the high land to the south∣wards of Seuta towards cape Porques, come a little without Cape Porques, there it shall bee sixteen fathom deep, & good soft ground.* 1.2 If you anchor otherwise then upon these foresayd marks you shall have bad, stony & sharpe ground. It hath happened that some ships have anchored there, but their anchors fell so into the rocks, that they could not weigh them again, but must hew of their cables, and leave their anchors behinde them. Therefore if you come off from the point of Cape Porques, then bee care full that you bring the foresayd first little hommock (which lyeth a stearn of you in the bight of Seuta to the southwards of Seuta) a little without the Cape Porques, and so keep sailing to the southward, and keep heaving of the lead continually without ceasing untill that you get the soft ground, so soone as you shall feele it, let then presently your anchor fal, for the place where the soft ground is, is not two cables length in compasse great.
Tetuan lyeth from Seuta about sixe leagues, and three or foure leagues to the southwards of it lyeth a point, called Cape Tetuan,* 1.3 whereupon standeth a tower. He that hath never been at Tetuan, might easily be mistaken by that poynt, taking it to be cape de Porques, the sooner because that some say that Tetuan at least nine leagues to the southwards of Teutan. It hath happened that ships have sayled unto this poynt, and have so runne past Tetuan, therefore it is best that men goe not too farre from the shoare either by night or by day for to get the cape Porques certainly in sight.
The Bay off Tetuan betwixt the Cape Porques and Cape Tetuan, is a sand-bay altogether of sand-strand with low hommocks here and there upon the sea-side, which a farre of seeme as if they were shipps, but the ground thereabouts is altogether foule, except such a place as before is sayd. Betwixt the Cape Porques and Seuta it is also a faire sandstrand; but thwart of it is all good ground.
The Coast of Barbarie in the Straite of Gibralter, lyeth from Seuta to Cape de Spartell west and by south, and westsouthwest eight or nine leagues. But the Cape de Spartell, and Cape de Trafalgar on the Spanish side, lye north & by west, and south and by east eight leagues asunder.
From Cape de Spartell to Arzila,* 1.4 the coast lyeth south and by west seven leagues, betwixt them both alongst the sea-side, it is all lowe land, with some poynts and high land within, with a white sand-hilly strand. A little to the southwards of the poynt of Cape de Spartell, men may anchor for easterly windes in twelve or thirteene fathom, cleane sand-ground, but so soone as the winde doth shift to the west they must bee ready to get under saile, lest they be inbayed upon a lee shoare.
About a league to the southwards of the Cape lyeth a little hommock upon the low land, by the water side, which sheweth (in sayling by) like a broken schonce or castle.
Arzyla is a little walled town, lying upon the water side, and hath a little bard haven, which men doe sayle into at two places through a row of Rockes, which lyeth before it, the northermost channell is the deepest, but both of them are not fit but for small shippes. Being come within the rocks, men doe anchor betwixt the town and the rockes.
From Arzyla to Alarache, the coast lyeth also south and by west eight leagues, it is altogether a cleane coast with some rocks on the shoare, the land betwixt them both is somwhat higher them betwixt Arzyla and the Cape with high land within. About an English mile to the southwardes of Arzyla standeth a tower, and som∣what further to the southwards, upon the high land, stand some little houses, but men cannot well see them, except they sayle close alongst by the coast. Betwixt Arzyla and Alarache, but somwhat neerer Alarache then Arzyla, lyeth on the sea side, a high white cliffe which is very easy to be known, betwixt that cliffe and