They remained twelve or fourteen days at the Gallapagos, during which time Captain Cooke lived on shore in a very poor state of health.  They also landed 1500 bags of flour, with a large quantity of sweetmeats and other provisions, on York Island, which they might have recourse to on any emergency.  From one of their prisoners, an Indian of Realejo, they had a flattering account of the riches of that place, which he alleged might be easily taken, and for which enterprise he offered to serve them as a guide.  Setting sail therefore from the Gallapagos on the 12th June, they shaped their course in lat 4 deg. 40’ N. with the intention of touching at the Island of Cocos, [in lat. 5 deg. 27’ N. and long. 87 deg. 27’ W. from Greenwich.] This island is seven or eight leagues in circuit, but uninhabited, and produces a pleasant herb near the sea coast, called Geamadael by the Spaniards.  It is so environed with steep rocks as to be inaccessible, except on the N.E. where ships may safely ride in a small bay.

Missing this island, they continued their course towards the continent of America, and reached Cape Blanco, or Trespuntas, on the coast of Mexico, in lat. 9 deg. 56’ N. in the beginning of July.  This cape gets the name of Blanco, or the White Cape, from two high steep taper white rocks, like high towers, about half a mile distant.  The cape itself is about the same height with Beachy-head, on the coast of Sussex, being a full broad point jutting out to sea, and terminated with steep rocks, while both sides have easy descents to the sea from the flat top, which is covered with tall trees, and affords a pleasant prospect.  On the N.W. side of the cape the land runs in to the N.E. for four leagues, making a small bay, called Caldera Bay, at the entrance to which, at the N.W. side of the cape, a rivulet of fresh water discharges itself into the sea through very rich low lands abounding in lofty trees.  This rich wooded vale extends a mile N.E. beyond the rivulet, when a savanna begins, running several leagues into the country, here and there beautifully interspersed with groves of trees, and covered with excellent long grass.  Deeper into the bay, the low lands are cloathed with mangroves; but farther into the country the land is higher, partly covered with woods, and partly consisting of hilly savannas, not so good as the former, and here the woods consist of short small trees.  From the bottom of this bay one may travel to the lake of Nicaragua over hilly savannas, a distance of fourteen, or fifteen leagues.[154]

[Footnote 154:  The bay of Caldera in the text is evidently the gulf of Nicoya, from the bottom of which the lake of Nicaragua is distant about fifty English miles due north.  The latitude of Cape Blanco in the text, 9 deg. 56’ N. is considerably erroneous, its true latitude being only 9 deg. 27’ N.]