ABSTRACT
Colonial Nicaragua was an important source of Indian slaves, timber, dyewood, naval stores, and foodstuffs for the Viceroyalty of Peru. The great bulk of this traffic moved through the port and villa of Realejo, at the head of a mangrove-lined estuary some 8 kilometers up river from the modern Pacific coast port of Corinto. The western entrance, El Cardon Channel, has long been the principal entrance to the harbor. It is about half a kilometer wide and can accommodate merchant ships of deep draught. Entering the harbor and doubling Punta Icacos, which lay on the left, vessels found fully protected anchorage in seven fathoms. Across the channel, to the north, at Jaguey, an opening in the mangrove-lined beach, large ships from Peru were careened. Barracks had been established there for guarding port provisions and equipment. The port of Realejo first attracted attention in connection with Pedro de Alvarado's plan to invade Peru.
