[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° 56' N. is considerably erroneous, its true latitude being only 9° 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 immediately carried on shore for interment, under a guard of twelve armed men. While the people were digging his grave, they were joined by three Spanish Indians, who asked many questions, and were at length seized, though one of them afterwards escaped. The other two were carried aboard, and confessed that they were sent as spies from Nicoya, a small Mulatto town twelve or fourteen leagues from the cape, and seated on the banks of a river of the same name,[155] being a convenient place for building and refitting ships. The president of Panama had sent intelligence to this place of the English being in these seas, in consequence of which the inhabitants, who mostly subsist by cultivating corn, and by slaughtering great numbers of cattle which feed on their extensive savannas, had sent their ox hides to the North Sea by way of the lake of Nicaragua, as also a certain red wood, called in Jamaica Blood wood, or Nicaragua wood, which is used in dying. These commodities are exchanged for linen and woollen manufactures, and other European goods.
[Footnote 155: There is no river at Niceya, but it is seated on a bay or harbour within the gulf of the same name.--E.]
Learning from their prisoners that there was a large cattle pen at no great distance, where cows and bulls could be had in abundance, and being very desirous of having some fresh beef which had long been very rare among them, twenty-four of the English went ashore in two boats, under the guidance of one of the Indians, and landed about a league from the ships, hauling their boats upon the dry sand. Their guide conducted them to the pen, in a large savanna two miles from the boats, where they found abundance of bulls and cows feeding. Some of the English were for killing three or four immediately, but the rest insisted to wait till morning, and then to kill as many as they needed. On this difference of opinion, Dampier and eleven more thought proper to return aboard that night, expecting to be followed by the rest next day. Hearing nothing of them next day at four p.m. ten men were sent in a canoe to look for them; when they found their comrades on a small rock half a mile from the shore, up to their middles in water, having fled there to escape from forty or fifty Spaniards, well armed with guns and lances, who had burnt their boat. They had taken shelter on this rock at low water, and must have perished in an hour, as it was then flowing tide, if they had not been relieved by the canoe, which brought them safe on board.
On the 19th July, Edward Davis, quarter-master of the Revenge, was elected captain, in the room of Captain Cooke. They sailed next day from Cape Blanco towards Realejo, with a moderate breeze at N. which brought them in three days over against that port, in lat. 12° 26' N. This place is easily discovered from sea, by means of a high-peaked burning mountain about ten miles inland, called by the Spaniards Volcano vejo, or the old volcano, which is so high that it may be seen twenty leagues out at sea, besides which there is no other similar mountain on all that coast. To make this harbour, the mountain must bear N.E. and keeping this coarse will bring a ship directly into the harbour, the entrance of which may be seen at three leagues off. This harbour is inclosed by a low isle, a mile in length, a quarter of a mile broad, and a mile and a half from the main land. It has a channel or entrance at each end of the island, that on the east, being narrow and having a strong tide, is seldom used, but that on the west is much larger and more commodious. In taking this entry, however, ships must beware of a certain sandy shoal on the N.W. point of the isle, and when past this must keep close to the isle, as a sand-bank runs half way over from the continental shore. This port is able to contain 200 ships.
About two leagues from the port, the town of Realejo stands in a fenny country, full of red mangrove trees, between two arms of the sea, the westermost of which reaches up to the town, and the eastermost comes near it, but no shipping can get so far up.[156] On entering the bay in their canoes, they found the country apprized of their approach, and fully prepared for their reception, wherefore the enterprise against Realejo was laid aside. Pursuant to a consultation between the two commanders, Eaton and Davis, they sailed on the 27th July for the gulf of Amapalla or Fonseca.
[Footnote 156: The account in the text appears applicable to what is now called El Viejo, or the old town, nearly 12 miles from the port, but modern Realejo stands almost close to the entrance of the bay or harbour.--E.]
This is a large gulf or branch of the sea, running eight or ten leagues into the country, and nearly of the same breadth. The S.E. extreme point is called Cape Casurina, or Casiquina, in lat. 12° 53' N. and long. 87° 36' W. and the N.W. point is Cape Candadillo, in lat. 18° 6' N. and long. 87° 57' W. Within this bay are several islands, the principal of these being named Mangeru and Amapaila. Mangera is a high round island, two leagues in circuit, inclosed on all sides by rocks, except on its N.E. side, where there is a small sandy creek. The soil is black and shallow, full of stones, and produces very lofty trees. It has a small town or village in the middle inhabited by Indians, and a handsome Spanish church. The inhabitants cultivate a small quantity of maize and plantains, having also a few cocks and hens, but no beasts except dogs and cats. From the creek to the town there is a steep rocky path. Amapalla resembles the other isle in soil, but is much larger, and has two towns about two miles asunder, one on its northern end, and the other on the east. The latter is on a plain on the summit of a hill, and has a handsome church. The other town is smaller, but has also a fine church. In most of the Indian towns under the Spanish dominion, the images of the saints in their churches are represented of the Indian complexion, and dressed like Indians; while in the towns inhabited by Spaniards, the images have the European complexion and dress. There are many other islands in the bay, but uninhabited.
Captain Davis went into the gulf with two canoes to procure some prisoners for intelligence, and coming to Mangera, the inhabitants all ran away into the woods, so that only the priest and two boys were taken. Captain Davis went thence to the isle of Amapalla, where the inhabitants were prevented from retiring into the woods by the secretary, who was an enemy to the Spaniards, and persuaded them the English were friends; but by the misconduct of one of the Buccaneers, all the Indians run away, on which Davis made his men fire at them, and the secretary was slain. After this the casique of the island was reconciled to the English, and afterwards guided them wherever they had occasion to go, especially to places on the continent where they could procure beef.
A company of English and French Buccaneers landed some time afterwards on this island, whence they went over to the continent, and marched by land to the Cape River, otherwise called Yare, or Vanquez river, which falls into the gulf of Mexico, near Cape Gracias a Dios, on the Mosquito shore. On reaching that river near its source, they constructed bark canoes, in which they descended the stream into the gulf of Mexico. They were not, however, the first discoverers of this passage, as about thirty years before, some English went up that same river to near its source, from the gulf of Mexico, and marched thence inland to a town called New Segovia, near the head of Bluefield's river.