For Three Or Four Leagues The Water Is
Only From Four Fathoms To Six, And This Bay Has White Cliffs Both To The
North And South.
In the bottom of the bay there are two rivers running
into the sea, both of which are what the seamen call alligator water,
that is, white and musky as before described.
On each side of these
rivers there are shoals of sand; and near their mouths are fine groves
of tall spreading green trees, which are the marks by which they may be
found, as their mouths are narrow, and not discernible at a distance.
These rivers are seldom frequented by the Spaniards, except for
refreshments, for which they are well adapted, as all the adjoining
country abounds with every kind of provisions that this part of the
world produces. About two leagues up these rivers there are several
Indian villages, who furnish the Spanish ships which come here with
cocoa-nuts, plantains, bananas, and other kinds of fruit.
The cocoa-tree is generally from fifty to an hundred feet high, and
for the most part straight and slender. The leaves are four fathoms, or
four and a half long, at the very top of the tree, and serve excellently
for thatching houses. At the bottom of the leaves the cocoa nuts grow in
clusters of ten, fifteen, or twenty, hanging by a small string which is
full of joints. Each nut, with its outer rind, is larger than a man's
head, and within this outer rind is a hard woody shell which will hold
near a quart of liquid. The nut or kernel lines the inside of this
shell, and within this kernel is about a pint and half of pure clear
water, very cool, sweet, and pleasant. The kernel also is very good and
pleasant; but when old, we scrape it all down, and soak it in about a
quart of fresh water for three or four hours, which is then strained,
and has both the colour and taste of milk, and will even throw up a
thick head not unlike cream. This milk, when boiled with rice, is
accounted very wholesome and nourishing by the doctors, and was given to
our sick men. When the nut is very old, the kernel of itself turns to
oil, which is often used to fry with, but mostly for burning in lamps.
The outer end of the nuts may be applied to the purposes of flax, and of
it the natives make a kind of linen, and it is also manufactured into
ropes and cables, which are sold in most parts of America and the West
Indies. The shell of this nut makes very pretty drinking cups, and it
also burns well, making a fierce hot fire. Thus the cocoa-tree affords
meat, drink, oil, clothing, houses, firing, and rigging for ships.
The plantain-tree is only about thirteen or fourteen feet high and
four feet round, its leaves being eight or nine feet long and two broad,
ending in a round point. The fruit grows at the bottom of the leaves, on
a great stalk, in a pod about eight inches long and the size of a black
pudding, being of a fine yellow colour, often speckled with red. The
inside of this is white, but the plantain itself is yellow like butter,
and as soft as a pear. There sometimes grow fifty or sixty of these pods
on one stalk, and five or six stalks on one tree. They are an excellent
fruit, and most parts of the East and West Indies abound with them. The
banana tree is much the same with the plantain, but the fruit is only
about six inches long, fifty or sixty of them growing on one stalk, and
is extraordinarily mellow, sweet, and good.
We left the bay of Atacames on the 31st July, accompanied by our prize
the Dragon, and passing the Bay of Panama, came to the Bay of Nicoya on
the 16th August, in lat 9 deg. 30'N. in which we anchored near certain
islands near the centre of the bay, called Middle Islands, where we
careened. While here, Mr Clippington, the chief mate, having quarrelled
with Captain Dampier, drew over twenty-one men to his party, and making
himself master of the bark, in which was all our ammunition and the best
part of our provisions, hoisted anchor, and went without the islands,
whence he sent us word that he would put ashore at an Indian house all
our powder, shot, and other ammunition, reserving only what was
necessary for his own use, which he did accordingly, and we sent our
canoes to fetch it on board.
These islands in the Bay of Nicoya are extremely pleasant and fruitful,
abounding in all things necessary for life, such as birds of various
kinds, several sorts of fish, and amphibious animals, particularly
turtles and guanas. Among the birds is a very beautiful one called the
Maccaw, having feathers of all the colours of the rainbow. It is in
shape like a large parrot, with a white bill, and black legs and feet.
The carrion crow is as big as a small turkey, which it perfectly
resembles in shape and colour; but its flesh smells and tastes so strong
of muck that it is not eatable. The pelican is almost as big as a
swan, being mostly white with brown tips to the wings, having a long
bill with a large cross joining the lower part of the bill, and hanging
down the throat like a bag or satchel of great size, into which it
receives oysters, cockles, conchs, and other shell-fish, which it is
unable to break, and retains them there till they open, when it throws
them out and picks out the meat. They are good food, but taste a little
fishy. Their feet are broad, and webbed like ducks, being water fowl,
yet they commonly roost on rocks or trees, and always sit with their
heads to the wind, varying their posture as that changes.
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