leasant 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.]

Captain Cooke had been very ill ever since their departure from Juan
Fernandez, and died as soon as they came within two or three leagues of
Cape Blanco, which indeed is a frequent incident at sea, as people who
have been long ill often die on coming in sight of land. Coming to
anchor a few hours after a league within the cape, near the mouth of the
before-mentioned rivulet, in 14 fathoms on clear hard sand, his body was