tning, which obliged us to keep out to sea, so that we
saw no land till the 14th, when we were in lat. 13 deg. 51' N. We then came
in sight of the volcano of Guatimala. This presents a double peak like
two sugar-loaves, between which fire and smoke sometimes burst forth,
especially before bad weather. The city of Guatimala stands near the
foot of this high mountain, eight leagues from the South Sea, and forty
or fifty from the gulf of Amatique, at the bottom of the bay of
Honduras.[178] This city is reputed to be rich, as the country around
abounds in several commodities peculiar to it, especially four noted
dyes, indigo, otta or anotto, cochineal, and silvestre.[179] Having in
vain endeavoured to land on this part of the coast, we proceeded to the
small isle of _Tangola_. a league from the continent, where we found
good anchorage, with plenty of wood and water.

[Footnote 178: This description agrees with the situation of St Jago de
Guatemala, in lat. 14 deg. 25' N. long. 31 deg. 18' W., which is about thirty
statute miles from the South Sea. The modern city of Guatemala, standing
nine miles to the S.E., is only about sixteen miles from the sea at the
head of a bay of the same name.--E]

[Footnote 179: This last is an inferior species of cochineal, gathered
from the uncultivated opuntia, while the true cochineal is carefully
attended to in regular plantations. Both are the bodies of certain
insects gathered by the Indians and dried for preservation, constituting
the most valuable scarlet dye.--E]

A league from thence is the port of _Guataico_, in lat. 15 deg. 52' N. long.
36 deg. 20' W. one of the best in Mexico. On the east side of the entrance,
and about a mile from it, there is a small isle near the shore, and on
the west side a great hollow rock, open at top, through which the waves
force a passage with a great noise to a great height even in the calmest
weather, which affords an excellent mark for seamen. This port runs into
the land about three miles in a N.W. direction, and is about one mile
broad. The west side affords the securest anchorage, the other being
exposed to S.W. winds, which are frequent on this coast. We landed here
to the number of 140 men, of whom I was one, on the 8th September, and
marched about fourteen miles to an Indian village, where we found
nothing but _vanillas_ drying in the sun. The _vanilla_ grows on a small
vine, or bindwood shrub, which winds about the stems of trees, producing
a