this means is at least 3 months within 4 degrees of the Zenith so that they have the Sun in a manner over their heads from the beginning of May till the latter end of July Whereas when the Sun comes under the Line in March or September it immediately posts away to the North or the South and is not 20 days in passing from 3 degrees on one side to 3 degrees on the other side the Line So that by his small stay there the heat cannot be answerable to what it is near the Tropick where he so long continues in a manner Vertical at Noon and is so much longer above the Horizon each paaticular day with the intervening of a shorter night But to return to Tonquin During the wet months there 't is excessive hot especially whenever the Sun breaks out of the Clouds and there is then but little Wind stirring And I have been told by a Gentleman who liv'd there many years that he thought it was the hottest place that ever he was in tho he had been in many other parts of India And as to the Rains it has not the least share of them tho neither altogether the greatest of what I have met with in the Torrid Zone and even in the same Latitude and on the same side of the Equator The wet season begins here the latter end of April or the beginning of May and holds till the latter end of August in which time are very violent Rains some of many hours others of 2 or 3 days continuance Yet are not these Rains without some considerable intervals of fair weather especially toward the beginning or end of the season By these Rains are caus'd those Land-floods which never fail in these Countries between the Tropicks at their annual periods all the Rivers then overflowing their Banks This is a thing so well known to all who are any way acquainted with the Torrid Zone that the cause of the overflowing of the Nile to find out which the Ancients set their wits so much upon the rack and fancied melting of Snows and blowing of Etesiae and I know not what is now no longer a secret For these floods must needs discharge themselves upon such low Lands as lie in their way as the Land of Egypt does with respect to the Nile coming a great way from within the Torrid Zone and falling down from the higher Ethiopia And any one who will be at the pains to compare the time of the Land flood in Egypt with that of the Torrid Zone in any of the parts of it along which the Nile runs will find that of Egypt so much later than the other as 't will be thought reasenable to allow for the daily progress of the Waters along so vast a tract of Ground They might have made the same wonderment of any other Rivers which run any long course from out the Torrid Zone but they knowing only the North Temperate Zone and the Nile being the only great River known to come thither a great way from a Country near the Line they made that only the subject of their enquiry but the same effect must also follow from any great River that should run from out of the Torrid Zone into the South Temperate Zone And as to the Torrid Zone the yearly floods and their cause are every where as well known by people there as the Rivers themselves In America particularly in Campeachy Rivers in Rio Grande and others 't is a vast havock is made by these floods bringing down sometimes Trees of an incredible bigness and these floods always come at the stated season of the year In the dry part of Peru along the coasts of Pacifick Sea where it never rains as it seldom does in Egypt they have not only Floods but Rivers themselves made by the annual falling of Rain on the Mountains within Land the Channels of which are dry all the rest of the year This I have observ'd concerning the River Ylo on the Coast of Peru in my former Volume p. 95. But it has this difference from the Floods of Egypt that besides its being a River in the Torrid Zone 't is also in South Latitude and so overflows at a contrary season of the year to wit at such time as the Sun being in Southern Signs causes the Rains and Floods on that side the Line But to return from this digression in August the weather at Tonquin is more moderate as to heat or wet yet not without some showers and September and October are more temperate still yet the worst weather in all the year for Seamen is in one of the 3 months last mentioned for then the violent Storms called Tuffoons Typhones are expected These winds are so very fierce that for fear of them the Chinese that Trade thither will not stir out of Harbour till the end of October after which month there is no more danger of any violent Storms till the next year Tuffoons are a particular kind of violent Storms blowing on the Coast of Tonquin and the neighboring Coasts in the months of July August and September They commonly happen near the full or change of the Moon and are usually preceded by very fair weather small winds and a clear Sky Those small winds veer from the common Trade of that time of the year which is here at S. W. and shuffles about to the N. and N. E. Before the Storm comes there appears a boding Cloud in the N. E. which is very black near the Horizon but towards the upper edge it looks of a dark copper colour and higher still it is brighter and afterwards it fades to a whitish glaring colour at the very edge of the Cloud This appears very amazing and ghastly and is sometimes seen 12 hours before the Storm comes When that Cloud begins to move apace you may expect the Wind presently It comes on fierce and blows very violent at N. E. 12 hours more or less It is also commonly accompanied with terrible claps of Thunder large and frequent flashes of Lightning and excessive hard rain When the Wind begins to abate it dyes away suddenly and falling flat calm it continues so an hour more or less then the wind comes about to the S. W. and it blows and rains as fierce from thence as it did before at N. E. and as long November and December are 2 very dry wholesom warm and pleasant months January February and March are pretty dry but then you have thick fogs in the morning and sometimes drisling cold rains the Air also in these 3 months particularly in January and February is very sharp especially when the wind is at North East or North North East whether because of the Quarter it blows from or the Land it blows over I know not for I have elsewhere observ'd such Winds to be Colder where they have come from over Land April is counted a moderate month either as to heat or cold driness or moisture This is ordinarily the
times sought after by the Spaniards who knew he was left on the Island yet they could never find him He was in the Woods hunting for Goats when Captain Watlin drew off his men and the Ship was under sail before he came back to shore He had with him his Gun and a Knife with a small Horn of Powder and a few Shot which being spent he contrived a way by notching his Knife to saw the barrel of his Gun into small pieces wherewith he made Harpoons Lances Hooks and a long Knife heating the pieces first in the fire which he struck with his Gunflint and a piece of the barrel of his Gun which he hardened having learnt to do that among the English The hot pieces of Iron he would hammer out and bend as he pleased with Stones and saw them with his jagged Knife or grind them to an edge by long labour and harden them to a good temper as there was occasion All this may seem strange to those that are not acquainted with the sagacity of the Indians but it is no more than these Moskito men are accustomed to in their own Country where they make their own Fishing and Striking Instruments without either Forge or Anvil tho they spend a great deal of time about them Other Wild Indians who have not the use of Iron which the Moskito men have from the English make Hatchets of a very hard stone with which they will cut down Trees the Cotton Tree especially which is a soft tender Wood to build their Houses or make Canoas and though in working their Canoas hollow they cannot dig them so neat and thin yet they will make them fit for their service This their digging or hatchet-work they help out by fire whether for the felling of the Trees or for the making the inside of their Canoa hollow These contrivances are used particularly by the Savage Indians of Blewfield s River described in the 3d Chapter whose Canoas and Stone-hatchets I have seen These Stone-hatchets are about 10 inches long 4 broad and 3 inches thick in the middle They are grownd away flat and sharp at both ends right in the midst and clear round it they make a notch so wide and deep that a man might place his Finger along it and taking a stick or withe about 4 foot long they bind it round the Hatchet-head in that notch and so twisting it hard use it as an handle or helve the head being held by it very fast Nor are other Wild Indians less ingenious Those of Patagonia particularly head their Arrows with Flint cut or grownd which I have seen and admired But to return to our Moskito man on the Isle of John Fernando With such Instruments as he made in that manner he got such Provision as the Island afforded either Goats or Fish He told us that at first he was forced to eat Seal which is very ordinary meat before he had made Hooks but afterwards he never kill'd any Seals but to make lines cutting their skins into thongs He had a little House or Hut half a mile from the Sea which was lined with Goats skin his Couch or Barbecu of sticks lying along about 2 foot distant from the ground was spread with the same and was all his Bedding He had no Cloaths left having worn out those he brought from Watlin's Ship but only a Skin about his Waste He saw our Ship the day before we came to an Anchor and did believe we were English and therefore kill'd 3 Goats in the morning before we came to an anchor and drest them with Cabbage to treat us when we came ashore He came then to the Sea side to congratulate our safe arrival And when we landed a Moskito Indian named Robin first leapt ashore and running to his brother Moskito man threw himself flat on his face at his feet who helping him up and embracing him fell flat with his face on the ground at Robins feet and was by him taken up also We stood with pleasure to behold the surprize and tenderness and solemnity of this interview which was exceedingly affectionate on both sides and when their ceremonies of civility were over we also that stood gazing at them drew near each of us embracing him we had found here who was overjoyed to see so many of his old friends come hither as he thought purposely to fetch him He was named Will as the other was Robin These were names given them by the English for they have no names among themselves and they take it as a great favour to be named by any of us and will complain for want of it if we do not appoint them some name when they are with us saying of themselves they are poor Men and have no name This Island is in lat 34 d. 15 m. and about 120 leagues from the Main It is about 12 leagues round full of high Hills and small pleasant Valleys which if manured would probably produce any thing proper for the Climate The sides of the Mountains are part Savanahs part Wood-land Savanahs are clear pieces of Land without Woods not because more barren than the Wood-land for they are frequently spots of as good Land as any and often are intermixt with Wood-land In the Bay of Campeachy are very large Savanahs which I have seen full of Cattle but about the River of Plate are the largest that ever I heard of 50 60 or 100 miles in length and Jamaica Cuba and Hispaniola have many Savanahs intermixt with Woods Places cleared of Wood by Art and Labour do not go by this name but those only which are found so in the uninhabited parts of America such as this Isle of John Fernandoes or which were originally clear in other parts The Grass in these Savanahs at John Fernando's is not a long flaggy Grass such as is usually in the Savanahs in the West-Indies but a sort of kindly Grass both thick and flourishing the biggest part of the year The Woods afford divers sorts of Trees some large and good Timber for Building but none fit for Masts The Cabbage Trees of this Isle are but small and low yet afford a good head and the Cabbage very sweet This Tree I shall describe in the Appendix in the Bay of Campeachy The Savanahs are stocked with Goats in great Herds but those that live on the East end of the Island are not so fat as those on the West end for though there is much more Grass and plenty of Water in every Valley nevertheless they thrive not so well here as on the West end where there is less food and yet there are found greater Flocks and those too fatter and sweeter That West end of the Island is all high Champion ground without any Vally and but one place to land there is neither Wood nor any fresh Water and the Grass short and dry Goats were first put on the Island by John Fernando who first discovered it in his Voyage from Lima to Baldivia
of the biggest Island that between both there is formed a very commodious Harbour The entrance of this Harbour is on the North side where the two Islands are near a mile asunder There are 3 or 4 small Keys and a good deep Channel between them and the biggest Island Towards the South end of the Harbour the two Islands do in a manner close up leaving only a small passage for Boats and Canoas There are no more Islands on the North side but 5 or 6 on the South side of the great Island See the Table The Mold of these Islands for the biggest part is blackish and pretty deep only the Hills are somewhat stony The Eastern part of the biggest Island is sandy yet all cloathed with Trees of divers sorts The Trees do not grow so thick as I have seen them in some places but they are generally large and tall and fit for any uses There is one sort of Tree much larger than any other on this Island and which I have not seen any where else It is about 3 or 4 foot diameter in the Body from whence is drawn a sort of clammy juice which being boiled a little becomes perfect Tar and if you boil it much it will become hard as Pitch It may be put to either use we used it both ways and found it to be very serviceable The way that they get this juice is by cutting a great gap horizontally in the body of the Tree half through and about a foot from the ground and then cutting the upper part of the body aslope inwardly downward till in the middle of the Tree it meet with the traverse cutting or plain In this plain horizontal semicircular stump they make a hallow like a Bason that may contain a quart or two Into this hole the juice which drains from the wounded upper part of the Tree falls from whence you must empty it every day It will run thus for some months and then dry away and the Tree will recover again The Fruit-trees that nature hath bestowed on these Isles are Mangoes and Trees bearing a sort of Grape and other Trees bearing a kind of wild or bastard Nutmegs These all grow wild in the Woods and in very great plenty The Mangoes here grow on Trees as big as Apple-trees Those at Fort St. George are not so large The fruit of these is as big as a small Peach but long and smaller towards the top It is of a yellowish colour when ripe it is very juicy and of a pleasant smell and delicate taste When the Mango is young they cut them in two pieces and pickle them with Salt and Vineger in which they put some Cloves of Garlick This is an excellent sawce and much esteemed it is called Mango Achar Achar I presume signifies Sawce They make in the East Indies especially at Siam and Pegu several sorts of Achar as of the young tops of Bamboes c. Bambo Achar and Mango Achar are most used The Mangoes were ripe when we were there as were also the rest of these Fruits and they have then so delicate a fragrancy that we could smell them out in the thick Woods if we had but the wind of them while we were a good way from them and could not see them and we generally found them out this way Mangoes are common in many places of the East Indies but I did never know any grow wild only at this place These though not so big as those I have seen at Achin at Maderas and Fort St. George are yet every whit as pleasant as the best sort of their Garden Mangoes The Grape-tree grows with a strait body of a Diameter about a foot or more and hath but few Limbs or Boughs The Fruit grows in Clusters all about the body of the Tree like the Jack Durian and Cacao Fruits There are of them both red and white They are much like such Grapes as grow on our Vines both in shape and colour and they are of a very pleasant Winy taste I never saw these but on the two biggest of these Islands the rest had no Tar-trees Mango's Grape-trees nor Wild Nutmegs The Wild Nutmeg-tree is as big as a Walnut-tree but it does not spread so much The Boughs are gross and the Fruit grows among the Boughs as the Wallnut and other Fruits This Nutmeg is much smaller than the true Nutmeg and longer also It is inclosed with a thin Shell and a sort of Mace encircling the Nut within the Shell This bastard Nutmeg is so much like the true Nutmeg in shape that at our first arrival here we thought it to be the true one but it has no manner of smell nor taste The Animals of these Islands are some Hogs Lizards and Guanoes and some of those Creatures mentioned in Chap. XI which are like but much bigger than the Guano Here are many sorts of Birds as Parrots Parakites Doves and Pigeons Here are also a sort of wild Cocks and Hens They are much like our tame Fowl of that kind but a great deal less for they are about the bigness of a Crow The Cocks do crow like ours but much more small and shrill and by their crowing we do first find them out in the Woods where we shoot them Their flesh is very white and sweet There are a great many Limpits and Muscles and plenty of green Turtle And upon this mention of Turtle again I think it not amiss to add some reasons to strengthen the opinion that I have given concerning these Creatures removing from place to place I have said in Chapter 5th that they leave their common feeding places and go to places a great way from thence to lay as particularly to the Island Ascention Now I have discoursed with some since that subject was printed who are of opinion that when the laying time is over they never go from thence but lye some where in the Sea about the Island which I think is very improbable for there can be no food for them there as I could soon make appear as particularly from hence that the Sea about the Isle of Ascention is so deep as to admit of no anchoring but at one place where there is no sign of Grass and we never bring up with our sounding Lead any Grass or Weeds out of very deep Seas but Sand or the like only But if this be granted that there is food for them yet I have a great deal of reason to believe that the Turtle go from hence for after the laying time you shall never see them and where ever Turtle are you will see them rise and hold their Head above water to breath once in 7 or 8 minutes or at longest in 10 or 12. And if any man does but consider how Fish take their certain seasons of the year to go from one Sea to another this would not seem strange even Fowls also having their seasons to remove from once place to another These Islands are pretty well watered
Esperance or of Good Hope finding that they might now proceed Eastward There is good Sounding off this Cape 50 or 60 leagues at Sea to the Southward and therefore our English Seamen standing over as they usually do from the Coast of Brazil content themselves with their Soundings concluding thereby that they are abrest of the Cape they often pass by without seeing it and begin to shape their course Northward They have several other signs whereby to know when they are near it as by the Sea-Fowl they meet at Sea especially the Algatrosses a very large long-winged Bird and the Mangovolucres a smaller Fowl But the greatest dependance of our English Seamen now is upon their observing the variation of the Compass which is very carefully minded when they come near the Cape by taking the Suns Amplitude mornings and evening This they are so exact in that by the help of the Azimuth Compass an Instrument more peculiar to the Seamen of our Nations they know when they are abrest of the Cape or are either to the East or the West of it and for that reason though they should be to Southward of all the Soundings or fathomable ground they can shape their course right without being obliged to make the Land But the Dutch on the contrary having settled themselves on this Promontory do always touch here in their East India Voyages both going and coming The most remarkable Land at Sea is a high Mountain steep to the Sea with a flat even top which is called the Table Land On the West side of the Cape a little to the Northward of it there is a spacious Harbour with a low flat Island lying off it which you may leave on either hand and pass in or out securely at either end Ships that anchor here ride near the Main Land leaving the Island at a farther distance without them The Land by the Sea against the Harbour is low but backt with high Mountains a little way in to the Southward of it The Soil of this Country is of a brown colour not deep yet indifferently productive of Grass Herbs and Trees The Grass is short like that which grows on our Wiltshire or Dorsetshire Downs The Trees hereabouts are but small and few the Country also farther from the Sea does not much abound in Trees as I have been informed The Mould or Soyl also is much like this near the Harbour which though it cannot be said to be very fat or rich Land yet it is very fit for cultivation and yields good Crops to the industrious Husbandman and the Country is pretty well settled with Farms Dutch Families and French Refugees for 20 or 30 leagues up the Country but there are but few Farms near the Harbour Here grows plenty of Wheat Barly Pease c. Here are also Fruits of many kinds as Apples Pears Quinces and the largest Pomgranats that I did ever see The chief Fruits are Grapes These thrive very well and the Country is of late years so well stockt with Vineyards that they make abundance of Wine of which they have enough and to spare and do sell great quantities to Ships that touch here This Wine is like a French High Country White Wine but of a pale yellowish colour it is sweet very pleasant and strong The tame Animals of this Country are Sheep Goats Hogs Cows Horses c. The Sheep are very large and fat for they thrive very well here This being a dry Country and the short pasturage very agreeable to these Creatures but it is not so proper for great Cattle neither is the Beef in its kind so sweet as the Mutton Of wild Beasts 't is said here are several sorts but I saw none However it is very likely there are some wild Beasts that prey on the Sheep because they are commonly brought into the Houses in the night and penn'd up There is a very beautiful sort of wild Al 's in this Country whose body is curiously striped with equal lists of white and black the stripes coming from the ridge of his Back and ending under the Belly which is white These stripes are two or three Fingers broad running parallel with each other and curiously intermixt one white and one black over from the Shoulder to the Rump I saw two of the Skins of these Beasts dried and preserved to be sent to Halland as a rarity They seemed big enough to inclose the Body of a Beast as big as a large Colt of a twelvemonth old Here are a great many Ducks Dunghil Fowls c. and Ostriges are plentifully found in the dry Mountains and Plains I eat of their Eggs here and those of whom I bought them told me that these creatures lay their Eggs in the Sand or at least on dry ground and so leave them to be hatch'd by the Sun The meat of one of their Eggs will suffice two men very well The Inhabitants do preserve the Eggs that they find to sell to strangers They were pretty scarce when I was here it being the beginning of their Winter whereas I was told they lay their Eggs about Christmas which is their Summer The Sea hereabouts affords plenty of Fish of divers sorts especially a small sort of Fish not so big as a Herring whereof they have such great plenty that they pickle great quantities yearly and send them to Europe Seales are also in great numbers about the Cape which as I have still observed is a good sign of the plentifulness of Fish which is their food The Dutch have a strong Fort by the Sea side against the Harbour where the Governour lives At about 2 or 300 paces distance from thence on the West side of the Fort there is a small Dutch Town in which I told about 50 or 60 Houses low but well built with Stone-walls there being plenty of Stone drawn out of a Quarry close by On the backside of the Town as you go towards the Mountains the Dutch East-India Company have a large House and a stately Garden walled in with a high Stone Wall This Garden is full of divers sorts of Herbs Flowers Roots and Fruits with curious spacious Gravel-walks and Arbors and is watered with a Brook that descends out of the Mountains which being cut into many channels is conveyed into all parts of the Garden The Hedges which make the Walks are very thick and 9 or 10 foot high They are kept exceeding neat and even by continual pruning There are lower Hedges within these again which serve to separate the Fruit-trees from each other but without shading them and they keep each sort of Fruit by themselves as Apples Pears abundance of Quinces Pomgranats c. These all prosper very well and bear good Fruit especially the Pomgranat The Roots and Garden-herbs have also their distinct places hedged in apart by themselves and all in such order that it is exceeding pleasant and beautiful There are a great number of Negro Slaves brought from other parts of the
down in Lat. 12 d. 16 m. It is about 20 leagues from the Main and 9 or 10 from Querisao and is accounted 16 or 17 leagues round The Road is on the S. W. side near the middle of the Island where there is a pretty deep Bay runs in Ships that come from the Eastward luff up close to the Eastern shore and let go their Anchor in 60 fathom water within half a Cables length of the shore But at the same time they must be ready with a Boat to carry a Hasar or Rope and make it fast ashore otherwise when the Land-wind comes in the night the Ship would drive off to Sea again for the ground is so steep that no Anchor can hold if once it starts About half a mile to the Westward of this Anchoring place there is a small low Island and a Channel between it and the main Island The Houses are about half a mile within Land right in the Road There is a Governour lives here a Deputy to the Governor of Querisao and 7 or 8 Soldiers with 5 or 6 Families of Indians There is no Fort and the Soldiers in peaceable times have little to do but to eat and sleep for they never watch but in time of War The Indians are Husband-men and plant Maiz and Guinea Corn and some Yames and Potatoes But their chiefest business is about Cattle for this Island is plentifully stocked with Goats and they send great quantities every year in Salt to Querisao There are some Horses and Bulls and Cows but I never saw any Sheep though I have been all over the Island The South side is plain low Land and there are several sorts of Trees but none very large There is a small Spring of water by the Houses which serves the Inhabitants though it is brackish At the West end of the Island there is a good Spring of Fresh water and 3 or 4 Indian Families live there but no Water nor Houses at any other place On the South side near the East-end is a good Salt-pond where Dutch Sloops come for Salt From Bon-Airy we went to the Isle of Aves or Birds so called from its great plenty of Birds as Men of War and Boobies but especially Boobies The Booby is a Water-fowl somewhat less than a Hen of a light greyish colour I observ'd the Boobies of this Island to be whiter than others This Bird hath a strong Bill longer and bigger than a Crows and broader at the end her Feet are flat like a Ducks Feet It is a very simple creature and will hardly go out of a mans way In other places they build their Nests on the ground but here they build on Trees which I never saw any where else tho I have seen of them in a great many places Their Flesh is black and eats Fishy but are often eaten by the Privateers Their numbers have been much lessen'd by the French Fleet which lay here till it was lost as I shall give an account The Man of War as it is called by the English is about the bigness of a Kite and in shape like it but black and the Neck is red It lives on Fish yet never lights on the Water but soars aloft like a Kite and when it sees its prey it flys down head foremost to the waters edge very swiftly takes his prey out of the Sea with his Bill and immediately mounts again as swiftly and never touching the Water but with his Bill His Wings are very long His Feet are like other Land-Fowl and he builds on Trees where he finds any but where they are wanting on the ground This Island Aves lies about 8 or 9 leagues to the Eastward of the Island Bon-airy about 14 or 15 leagues from the Main and about the lat of 11d 45m North. It is but small not above 4 mile in length and towards the East end not half a mile broad On the North side it is low Land commonly overflown with the Tide but on the Southside there is a great Rocky Bank of Coral thrown up by the Sea The West end is for near a mile space plain even Savanah Land without any Trees There are 2 or 3 Wells dug by Privateers who often frequent this Island because there is a good Harbor about the middle of it on the North side where they may conveniently careen The Riff or Bank of Rocks on which the French Fleet was lost as I mentioned above runs along from the East end to the Northward about 3 mile then tends away to the Westward making as it were a Half Moon This Riff breaks off all the Sea and there is good riding in even sandy ground to the Westward of it There are 2 or 3 small low sandy Keys or Islands within this Riff about 3 miles from the Main Island The Count de Estree lost his Fleet here in this manner Coming from the Eastward he fell in on the back of the Riff and fired Guns to give warning to the rest of his Fleet But they supposing their Admiral was engaged with Enemies hoised up their Topsails and crowded all the Sail they could make and ran full sail ashore after him all within half a mile of each other For his Light being in the Main Top was an unhappy Beacon for them to follow and there escaped but one Kings-ship and one Privateer The Ships continued whole all day and the Men had time enough most of them to get ashore yet many perished in the Wreck and many of those that got safe on the Island for want of being accustomed to such hardships died like rotten Sheep But the Privateers who had been used to such accidents lived merrily from whom I had this relation and they told me that if they had gone to Jamaica with 30 l. a Man in their Pockets they could not have enjoyed themselves more For they kept in a Gang by themselves and watched when the Ships broke to get the Goods that came from them and though much was staved against the Rocks yet abundance of Wine and Brandy floated over the Riff where these Privateers waited to take it up They lived here about 3 weeks waiting an opportunity to transport themselves back again to Hispaniola in all which time they were never without 2 or 3 Hogsheads of Wine and Brandy in their Tents and Barrels of Beef and Pork which they could live on without Bread well enough tho the new-comers out of France could not There were about 40 Frenchmen on board in one of the Ships where there was good store of Liquor till the after part of her broke away and floated over the Riff and was carry'd away to Sea with all the men drinking and singing who being in drink did not mind the danger but were never heard of afterwards In a short time after this great Shipwrack Captain Pain Commander of a Privateer of 6 Guns had a pleasant accident befel him at this Island He came hither to Careen intending to fit
remainder of these Islands of Cape Verd are St. Antonio Sta. Lucia St. Vincente and Bona-Vista of which I know nothing considerable Our entrance among these Islands was from the North East for in our passage from Virginia we ran pretty far toward the Coast of Gualata in Africk to preserve the Trade-wind lest we should be born off too much to the Westward and so lose the Islands We anchored at the South of Sall and passing by the South of St. Nicholas anchored again at Mayo as hath been said where we made the shorter stay because we could get no Flesh among the Inhabitants by reason of the regret they had at their Governour and his Mens being carried away by Captain Bond. So leaving the Isles of Cape Verd we stood away to the Southward with the Wind at E. N. E. intending to have touched no more till we came to the Streights of Magellan But when we came into the lat of 10 deg North we met the Winds at S. by W. and S. S. W. therefore we altered our resolutions and steered away for the Coast of Guinea and in few days came to the Mouth of the River of Sherboro which is an English Factory lying South of Sierra Liona We had one of our Men who was well acquainted there and by his direction we went in among the Shoals and came to an anchor Sherboro was a good way from us so I can give no account of the place or our Factory there save that I have been informed that there is a considerable Trade driven there for a sort of Red Wood for Dying which grows in that Country very plentifully 't is called by our people Cam-wood A little within the shore where we anchored was a Town of Negroes Natives of this Coast. It was skreen'd from our sight by a large Grove of Trees that grew between them and the shore but we went thither to them several times during the 3 or 4 days of our stay here to refresh our selves and they as often came aboard us bringing with them Plantains Sugar-canes Palm-wines Rice Fowls and Honey which they sold us They were no way shy of us being well acquainted with the English by reason of our Guinea-Factories and Trade This Town seem'd pretty large the Houses but low and ordinary but one great House in the midst of it where their chief men meet and receive Strangers and here they treated us with Palm-wine As to their Persons they are like other Negroes While we lay here we scrubb'd the bottom of our Ship and then fill'd all our Water-Casks and buying up two Puncheons of Rice for our Voyage we departed from hence about the middle of November 1683 prosecuting our intended course towards the Straights of Mágellan We had but little wind after we got out and very hot weather with some fierce Tornadoe's commonly rising out of the N. E. which brought Thunder Lightening and Rain These did not last long sometimes not a quarter of an hour and then the wind would shuffle about to the Southward again and fall flat calm for these Tornadoe's commonly come against the wind that is then blowing as our Thunder-Clouds are often observed to do in England but the Tornadoe's I shall describe more largely in my Chapter of Winds in the Appendix to this Book At this time many of our men were taken with Feavers yet we lost but one While we lay in the calms we caught several great Sharks sometimes 2 or 3 in a day and eat them all boyling and squeezing them dry and then stewing them with Vinegar Pepper c. for we had but little flesh aboard We took the benefit of every Tornado which came sometimes 3 or 4 in day and carried what Sail we could to get to the Southward for we had but little wind when they were over and those small winds between the Tornadoe's were much against us at S. by E. and S. S. E. till we past the Equinoctial Line which we crost about a degree to the Eastward of the Meridian of the Isle of St. Jago off the Cape-Verd Islands At first we could scarce lye S. W. but being got a degree to the Southward of the Line the wind veer'd more Easterly and then we stemm'd S. W. by S. and as we got farther to the Southward so the wind came about to the Eastward and freshened upon us In the Lat. of 3 S. we had the wind at E. in the Lat. of 5 we had it at E. S. E. where it stood a considerable time and blew a fresh top gallant gale We then made the best use of it steering on briskly with all the Sail we could make and this wind by the 18 of Jan. carried us into the Lat. of 36 South In all this time we met with nothing worthy remark not so much as a Fish except Flying Fish which have been so often described that I think it needless for me to do it Here we found the Sea much changed from its natural greenness to a white or palish colour which caused us to sound supposing we might strike ground For when ever we find the colour of the Sea to change we know we are not far from Land or shoals which stretch out into the Sea running from some Land But here we found no ground with 100 fathom Line I was this day at noon by reckoning 48 d. 50 m. West from the Lizard the variation by our morning amplitude 15 d. 50 m. East the variation increasing The 20 day one of our Chyrurgeons dyed much lamented because we had but one more for such a dangerous Voyage January 28th we made the Sibbel de Wards which are 3 Islands lying in the lat of 51 d. 25 m. South and longitude West from the Lizard in England by my account 57 d. 28 m. the variation here we found to be 23 d. 10 m. I had for a month before we came hither endeavoured to perswade Captain Cook and his Company to anchor at these Islands where I told them we might probably get water as I then thought and in case we should miss of it here yet by being good Husbands of what we had we might reach John Fernando's in the South Seas before our water was spent This I urged to hinder their designs of going through the Straights of Magellan which I knew would prove very dangerous to us the rather because our men being Privateers and so more wilful and less under command would not be so ready to give a watchful attendance in a passage so little known For altho these men were more under command than I had ever seen any Privateers yet I could not expect to find them at a minutes call in coming to an anchor or weighing Anchor beside if ever we should have occasion to moor or cast out two Anchors we had not a Boat to carry out or weigh an Anchor These Islands of Sible de Wards were so named by the Dutch They are all three rocky barren Islands
without any Tree only some Dildo-bushes growing on them and I do believe there is no Water on any one of them for there was no appearance of any Water The two Northernmost we could not come near but the Southermost we came close by but could not strike ground till within two Cables length of the shore and there found it to be foul rocky ground From the time that we were in 10 degrees South till we came to these Islands we had the Wind between E. N. E. and the N. N. E. fair weather and a brisk gale The day that we made these Islands we saw great sholes of small Lobsters which coloured the Sea Red in spots for a mile in compass and we drew some of them out of the Sea in our Water-Buckets They were no bigger than the top of a Mans little finger yet all their Claws both great and small like a Lobster I never saw any of this sort of Fish naturally red but here for ours on the English Coast which are black naturally are not red till they are boil'd neither did I ever any where else meet with any Fish of the Lobster shape so small as these unless it may be Shrimps or Prawns Captain Swan and Captain Eaton met also with shoals of this Fish in much the same Latitude and Longitude Leaving therefore the Sible de Ward Islands as having neither good Anchorage nor Water we sailed on directing our course for the Streights of Magellan But the Winds hanging in the westerbord and blowing hard oft put us by our Topsails so that we could not fetch it The 6th day of February we fell in with the Streights Le Mair which is very high Land on both sides and the Streights very narrow We had the Wind at N. N. W. a fresh gale and seeing the opening of the Streights we ran in with it till within four mile of the mouth and then it fell calm and we found a strong tide setting out of the Streights to the Northward and like to founder our Ship but whether flood or ebb I know not only it made such a short cockling Sea as if we had been in a race or place where two tides meet For it ran every way sometimes breaking in over our Waste sometimes over our Poop sometimes over our Bow and the Ship tossed like an Egg-shell so that I never felt such uncertain jerks in a Ship At 8 a clock in the evening we had a small Breez at W. N. W. and steered away to the Eastward intending to go round the States Island the East end of which we reached the next day by noon having a fresh breez all night The 7th day at noon being off the East End of States Island I had a good observation of the Sun and found my self in lat 54 deg 52 min. South At the East end of States Island are three small Islands or rather Rocks pretty high and white with the Dung of Fowls Wherefore having observed the Sun we haled up South designing to pass round to the Southward of Cape Horne which is the Southermost Land of Terra del Fuego The Winds hung in the western quarter betwixt the N. W. and the West so that we could not get much to the Westward and we never saw Terra del Fuego after that evening that we made the Streight Le Mair I have heard that there have been Smokes and Fires on Terra del Fuego not on the tops of Hills but in Plains and Valleys seen by those who have sailed through the Streights of Magellan supposed to be made by the Natives We did not see the Sun at rising or setting in order to take an amplitude after we left the Sibble de Wards till we got into the South Seas therefore I know not whether the variation increased any more or no. Indeed I had an observation of the Sun at noon in lat 59 deg 30 min. and we were then standing to the Southward with the Wind at W. by N. and that night the Wind came about more to the Southward of the West and we tackt I was then in lat 60 by reckning which was the farthest South latitude that ever I was in The 14th day of February being in lat 57. and to the West of Cape Horne we had a violent Storm which held us till the third day of March blowing commonly at S. W. and S. W. by W. and W. S. W. thick weather all the time with small drizling Rain but not hard We made a shift however to save 23 Barrels of Rain-water besides what we drest our Victuals withal March the third the Wind shifted at once and came about at South blowing a fierce gale of Wind soon after it came about to the Eastward and we stood into the South Seas The 9th day having an observation of the Sun not having seen it of late we found ourselves in lat 47 d. 10 m. and the variation to be but 15 d. 30 m. East The Wind stood at S. E. we had fair weather and a moderate gale and the 17th day we were in lat 36 by observation and then found the variation to be but 8 degrees East The 19th day when we looked out in the morning we saw a Ship to the Southward of us coming with all the Sail she could make after us we lay muzled to let her come up with us for we supposed her to be a Spanish Ship come from Baldivia bound to Lima we being now to the Northward of Baldivia and this being the time of the year when Ships that trade thence to Baldivia return home They had the same opinion of us and therefore made sure to take us but coming nearer we both found our mistakes This proved to be one Captain Eaton in a Ship sent purposely from London for the South Seas We hailed each other and the Captain came on board and told us of his actions on the Coast of Brazil and in the River of Plate He met Captain Swan one that came from England to trade here at the East Entrance into the Streights of Magellan and they accompanied each other through the Streights and were separated after they were through by the Storm before mentioned Both we and Captain Eaton being bound for John Fernando's Isle we kept company and we spared him Bread and Beef and he spared us Water which he took in as he passed through the Streights March the 22d 1684. we came in sight of the Island and the next day got in and anchored in a Bay at the South end of the Island in 25 fathom water not two Cables lengths from the shore We presently got out our Canoa and went ashore to see for a Moskito Indian whom we left here when we were chaced hence by three Spanish Ships in the year 1681. a little before we went to Arica Captain Watlin being then our Commander after Captain Sharp was turned out This Indian lived here alone above 3 years and altho he was several
sandy bearing only a few shrubby Trees These Indians plant no manner of Grain or Root but are supplied from other places and commonly keep a stock of Provision to relieve Ships that want for this is the first Settlement that Ships can touch at which come from Panama bound to Lima or any other Port in Peru. The Land being dry and sandy is not fit to produce Crops of Maize which is the reason they plant none There is a Spring of good Water between the Village and the Seas On the back of the Town a pretty way up in the Country there is a very high Mountain towring up like a Sugar-loaf called Monte-Christo It is a very good Sea-mark for there is none like it on all the Coast. The body of this Mountain bears due South from Manta About a mile and half from the Shore right against the Village there is a Rock which is very dangerous because it never appears above water neither doth the Sea break on it because here is seldom any great Sea yet it is now so well known that all Ships bound to this place do easily avoid it A mile within this Rock there is good Anchoring in 6 8 or 10 fathom Water good hard Sand and clear ground And a mile from the Road on the West side there is a shole running out a mile into the Sea From Manta to Cape St. Lorenzo the Land is plain and even of an indifferent heighth See a further account of these Coasts in the Appendix As soon as ever the day appear'd our men landed and march'd towards the Village which was about a mile and a half from their Landing-place Some of the Indians who were stirring saw them coming and alarmed their Neighbours so that all that were able got away They took only two old Women who both said that it was reported that a great many Enemies were come over land thro the Country of Darien into the South Seas and that they were at present in Canoas and Periagoes and that the Vice-Roy upon this news had set out the fore-mentioned order for burning their own Ships Our men found no sort of provision here the Vice-Roy having likewise sent orders to all Sea-ports to keep no provision but just to supply themselves These Women also said that the Manta Indians were sent over to the Island Plata to destroy all the Goats there which they performed about a month agone With this news our men returned again and arriv'd at Plata the next day We lay still at the Island Plata being not resolved what to do till the 2d day of October and then Captain Swan in the Cygnet of London arriv'd there He was fitted out by very eminent Merchants of that City on a design only to trade with the Spaniards or Indians having a very considerable Cargo well sorted for these parts of the World but meeting with divers disappointments and being out of hopes to obtain a trade in these Seas his men forc'd him to entertain a company of Privateers which he met with near Nicoya a Town whither he was going to seek a Trade and these Privateers were bound thither in Boats to get a Ship These were the men that we had heard of at Manta they came over land under the command of Captain Peter Harris Nephew to that Captain Harris who was kill'd before Panama Captain Swan was still Commander of his own Ship and Captain Harris commanded a small Bark under Captain Swan There was much joy on all sides when they arriv'd and immediately hereupon Captain Davis and Captain Swan consorted wishing for Captain Eaton again Our little Bark which was taken at Santa Hellena was immediately sent out to cruize while the Ships were fitting for Captain Swan's Ship being full of goods was not fit to entertain his new guest till the goods were dispos'd of therefore he by the consent of the Supercargo's got up all his goods on Deck and sold to any one that would buy upon trust the rest was thrown over-board into the Sea except fine goods as Silks Muslins Stockings c. and except the Iron whereof he had a good quantity both wrought and in Bars This was saved for Ballast The third day after our Bark was sent to cruize she brought in a Prize of 400 Tuns laden with Timber They took her in the Bay of Guiaquil she came from a Town of that name and was bound to Lima. The Commander of this Prize said that it was generally reported and believed at Guiaquil that the Vice-Roy was fitting out 10 sail of Frigots to drive us out of the Seas This news made our unsettled Crew wish that they had been perswaded to accept of Captain Eaton's company on reasonable terms Captain Davis and Captain Swan had some discourse concerning Captain Eaton they at last concluded to send our small Bark towards the Coast of Lima as far as the Island Lobos to seek Captain Eaton This being approved by all hands she was cleaned the next day and sent away mann'd with 20 men 10 of Captain Davis and 10 of Swan's men and Captain Swan writ a Letter directed to Captain Eaton desiring his company and the Isle of Plata was appointed for the general Rendezvous When this Bark was gone we turn'd another Bark which we had into a Fire-ship having 6 or 7 Carpenters who soon fixt her and while the Carpenters were at work about the Fire-ship we scrubb'd and clean'd our Men of War as well as time and place would permit The 19th day of October we finish'd our business and the 20th day we sail'd toward the Island Lobos where our Bark was order'd to stay for us or meet us again at Plata We had but little Wind therefore it was the 23d day before we passed by Point St. Hellena The 25th day we crossed over the Bay of Guiaquil The 30th day we doubled Cape Blanco This Cape is in lat 3 d. 45 m. It is counted the worst Cape in all the South Seas to double passing to the Southward for in all other places Ships may stand off to Sea 20 or 30 leagues off if they find they cannot get any thing under the shore but here they dare not do it for by relation of the Spaniards they find a current setting N. W. which will carry a Ship off more in 2 hours than they can run in again in 5. Besides setting to the Northward they lose ground therefore they alway beat it up under the shore which oft-times they find very difficult because the wind commonly blows very strong at S. S. W. or S. by W. without altering for here are never any Land-winds This Cape is of an indifferent heighth It is fenced with white Rocks to the Sea for which reason I believe it hath this name The Land in the Country seems to be full of high steep rugged and barren Rocks The 2d day of November we got as high as Payta We lay about 6 leagues off shore all the day that the
told them that the River Rosario is rich in Gold and that the Mines are not above 2 leagues from the Town Captain Swan did not think it convenient to go to the Mines but made haste aboard with the Maiz which he took there to the quantity of about 80 or 90 Bushels and which to us in the scarcity we were in of Provisions was at that time more valuable than all the Gold in the world and had he gone to the Mines the Spaniards would probably have destroyed the Corn before his return The 3d day of February we went with our Ships also towards the River Rosario and anchored the next day against the Rivers mouth in 7 fathom good oazy ground a league from the shore This River is in lat 22 d 51 m. N. When you are at an anchor against this River you will see a round Hill like a Sugar-loaf a little way within Land right over the River and bearing N. E. by N. To the Westward of that Hill there is another pretty long Hill called by the Spaniards Caput Cavalli or the Horse's Head The 7th day Captain Swan came aboard with the Maiz which he got This was but a small quantity for so many Men as we were especially considering the place we were in being strangers and having no Pilots to direct or guide us into any River and we being without all sort of Provision but what we were forced to get in this manner from the shore And though our Pilot-book directed us well enough to find the Rivers yet for want of Guides to carry us to the Settlements we were forced to search 2 or 3 days before we could find a place to land for as I have said before besides the Seas being too rough for landing in many places they have neither Boat Bark nor Canoa that we could ever see or hear of and therefore as there are no such landing places in these Rivers as there are in the South Seas so when we were landed we did not know which way to go to any Town except we accidentally met with a path Indeed the Spaniards and Indians whom we had aboard knew the Names of several Rivers and Towns near them and knew the Towns when they saw them but they knew not the way to go to them from the Sea The 8th day Captain Swan sent about 40 men to seek for the River Oleta which is to the East-ward of the River Rosario The next day we followed after with the Ships having the Wind at W. N. W. and fair weather In the afternoon our Canoas came again to us for they could not find the River Oleta therefore we designed next for the River St. Jago to the Eastward still The 11th day in the evening we anchored against the mouth of the River in 7 fathom water good soft oazy ground and about 2 mile from the shore There was a high white Rock without us called Maxentelbo This Rock at a distance appears like a Ship under sail it bore from us W. N. W. distant about 3 leagues The Hill Zelisco bore S. E. which is a very high Hill in the Country with a Saddle or bending on the top The River St. Jago is in 〈◊〉 22 d. 15 m. It is one of the principal Rivers on this Coast there is 10 foot Water on the bar at low Water but how much it flows here I know not The mouth of this River is near half a mile broad and very smooth entring Within the mouth it is broader for there are 3 or 4 Rivers more meet there and issue all out together The Water is brackish a great way up yet there is fresh Water to be had by digging or making Wells in the sandy Bay 2 or 3 foot deep just at the mouth of the River The 11th day Captain Swan sent 70 men in 4 Canoas into this River to seek a Town for although we had no intelligence of any yet the Country appearing very promising we did not question but they would find Inhabitants before they returned They spent 2 days in rowing up and down the Creeks and Rivers at last they came to a large Field of Maiz which was almost ripe They immediately fell to gathering as fast as they could and intended to lade the Canoas but seeing an Indian that was set to watch the Corn they quitted that troublesom and tedious work and seiz'd him and brought him aboard in hopes by his information to have some more easy and expedite way of a supply by finding Corn ready cut and dried He being examined said that there was a Town called Santa Pecaque 4 leagues from the place where he was taken and that if we designed to go thither he would undertake to be our Guide Captain Swan immediately ordered his men to make ready and the same evening went away with 8 Canoas and 140 men taking the Indian for their Guide He rowed about 5 leagues up the River and landed the next morning The River at this place was not above Pistol shot wide and the Banks pretty high one each side and the Land plain and even He left 23 men to guard the Canoas and marcht with the rest to the Town He set out from the Canoas at 6 a clock in the morning and reacht the Town by 10. The way thro which he passed was very plain part of it Wood-land part Savannahs The Savannahs were full of Horses Bulls and Cows The Spaniards seeing him coming run all away so he entered the Town without the least opposition This Town of Santa Pecaque stands on a Plain in a Savannah by the side of a VVood with many Fruit Trees about it It is but a small Town but very regular after the Spanish mode with a Parade in the midst The Houses fronting the Parade had all Balconies there were 2 Churches one against the Parade the other at the end of the Town It is inhabited most with Spaniards Their chiefest occupation is Husbandry There are also some Carriers who are imployed by the Merchants of Compostella to trade for them to and from the Mines Compostella is a rich Town about 21 leagues from hence It is the chiefest in all this part of the Kingdom and is reported to have 70 white Families which is a great matter in these parts for it may be that such a Town hath not less than 500 Families of copper-coloured People besides the white The Silver Mines are about 5 or 6 leagues from Santa Pecaque where as we were told the Inhabitants of Compostella had some hundreds of Slaves at work The Silver here and all over the Kingdom of Mexico is said to be finer and richer in proportion than that of Potosi or Peru tho the Oar be not so abundant and the Carriers of this Town of Santa Pecaque carry the Oar to Compostella where it is refined These Carriers or Sutlers also furnish the Slaves at the Mines with Maiz whereof here was great plenty now in the Town designed for that
we came I mean by the North West I know there have been divers attempts made about a North West Passage and all unsuccessful yet I am of opinion that such a Passage may be found All our Countrymen that have gone to discover the N. W. Passage have endeavoured to pass to the Westward beginning their search along Davis's or Hudsons Bay But if I was to go on this Discovery I would go first into the South Seas bend my course from thence along by California and that way seek a Passage back into the West Seas For as others have spent the Summer in first searching on this more known side nearer home and so before they got through the time of the year obliged them to give over their search and provide for a long course back again for fear of being left in the Winter on the contrary I would search first on the less known Coasts of the South Sea side and then as the year past away I should need no retreat for I should come farther into my knowledge if I succeeded in my attempt and should be without that dread and fear which the others must have in passing from the known to the unknown who for ought I know gave over their search just as they were on the point of accomplishing their desires I would take the same method if I was to go to discover the North East Passage I would winter about Japan Corea or the North East part of China and taking the Spring and Summer before me I would make my first Trial on the Coast of Tartary wherein if I succeeded I should come into some known parts and have a great deal of time before me to reach Archangel or some other Port. Captain Wood indeed says this North East Passage is not to be found for Ice but how often do we see that sometimes designs have been given over as impossible and at another time and by other ways those very things have been accomplished But enough of this The next day after that fatal Skirmish near Santa Pecaque Captain Swan ordered all our Water to be fill d and to get ready to sail The 21st day we sailed from hence directing our course towards California we had the Wind at N. W. and W. N. W. a small gale with a great Sea out of the West We past by 3 Islands called the Maria's After we past these Islands we had much Wind at N. N. W. and N. W. and at N. with thick rainy weather We beat till the 6th day of February but it was against a brisk Wind and proved labour in vain For we were now within reach of the Land Trade-wind which was opposite to us but would we go to California upon any Discovery or otherwise we should bear 60 or 70 leagues off from shore where we should avoid the Land-winds and have the benefit of the true Easterly Trade-wind Finding therefore that we got nothing but rather lost ground being then in 21 d. 5 m. N. we steered away more to the Eastward again for the Islands Maria's and the 7th day we came to an anchor at the East end of the middle Island in 8 fathom Water good clean Sand. The Maria's are three uninhabited Islands in lat 21 d. 40 m. they are distant from Cape St. Lucas on California 40 leagues bearing West South West and they are distant from Cape Corrientes 20 leagues bearing upon the same points of the Compass with Cape St. Lucas They stretch N. W. and S. E. about 14 leagues There are 2 or 3 small high Rocks near them The Westermost of them is the biggest Island of the three and they are all three of an indifferent heighth The soil is stony and dry the land in most places is covered with a shrubby sort of Wood very thick and troublesome to pass through In some places there is plenty of straight large Cedars though speaking of the places where I have found Cedars Chap. 3. I forgot to mention this place The Spaniards make mention of them in other places but I speak of those which I have seen All round by the Sea side it is sandy and there is produced a green prickly Plant whose leaves are much like the Penguin-leaf and the root like the root of a Seâ—…pervive but much larger This root being bak d in an Oven is good to eat and the Indians on California as I have been informed have great part of their subsistence from these roots We made an Oven in a sandy Bank and baked of these Roots and I eat of them but none of us greatly cared for them They taste exactly like the Roots of our English Burdocks boil'd of which I have eaten Here are plenty of Guanoes and Raccoons a large sort of Rat and Indian Conies and abundance of large Pigeons and Turtle-Doves The Sea is also pretty well stored with Fish and Turtle or Tortoise and Seal This is the second place on this Coast where I did see any Seal and this place helps to confirm what I have observed that they are seldom seen but where there is plenty of Fish Captain Swan gave the middle Island the Name of Prince George's Island The 8th day we run nearer the Island and anchored in 5 fathom and moored Head and Stern and unrigg d both Ship and Bark in order to careen Here Captain Swan proposed to go into the East Indies Many were well pleased with the Voyage but some thought such was their ignorance that he would carry them out of the world for about 2 thirds of our Men did not think there was any such way to be found but at last he gain'd their consents At our first coming hither we did eat nothing but Seal but after the first 2 or 3 days our Strikers brought aboard Turtle every day on which we fed all the time that we lay here and saved our Maiz for our Voyage Here also we measured all our Maiz and found we had about 80 Bushels This we divided into 3 parts one for the Bark and two for the Ship our Men were divided also 100 men aboard the Ship and 50 aboard the Bark besides 3 or 4 Slaves in each I had been a long time sick of a Dropsy a distemper whereof as I said before many of our men died so here I was laid and covered all but my head in the hot Sand I indured it near half an hour and then was taken out and laid to sweat in a Tent. I did sweat exceedingly while I was in the Sand and I do believe it did me much good for I grew well soon after We staid here till the 26th day and then both Vessels being clean we sailed to the Valley of Balderas to water for we could not do it here now In the wet Season indeed here is Water enough for the Brooks then run down plentifully but now though there was Water yet it was bad filling it being a great way to fetch it from the holes were it lodged The
R. W 146 0 146 R. 12 58 E by N 25 W 146 0 146 R. 12 58 E by N 26 W 3 N 185 9 N 184 Ob. 13 7 E by N 27 W 140 0 140 Ob. 13 7 E by N 28 W 167 0 167 R. 13 7 E by N 29 W 2 N 172 5 171 Ob. 13 12 E 30 W 173 0 173 Ob. 13 12 E N E M. 1 W 196 0 196 R. 13 12 E by N 2 W 160 0 160 Ob. 13 12 E by N 3 W 154 0 154 R. 13 12 E N E 4 R. W. Ob. W 2 S 153 5 S 152 R. 13 12 Ob. 13 7 E N E 5 W 2 N 180 7 N 179 Ob. 13 14 E N E 6 W 3 N 172 9 N 171 Ob 13 22 E N E 7 W 160 〈◊〉 160 Ob. 13 22 E N E 8 W 3 S 149 7 S 148 Ob. 13 15 E by N 9 W 4 S 134 9 S 133 Ob. 13 6 E N E 10 W 128 0 128 R. 13 6 E N E 11 W 5 S 112 9 111 Ob. 12 57 〈◊〉 N E 12 W 128 0 128 R. 12 57 E N E 13 W 129 0 129 R. 12 57 E N E 14 W 128 0 128 R. 12 57 E N E 15 W 4 N 118 8 N 117 Ob. 13 5 E N E 16 W 6 S 114 11 S 113 Ob. 12 54 E N E 17 W 3 S 109 5 S 108 Ob. 12 49 E N E 18 W 120 0 120 R. 12 49 E N E 19 W 〈◊〉 0 137 R. 12 49 E N E 20 W 134 0 134 R. 12 50 E 21 N W 7 W 13 8 N 10 R. 12 59 E N E Summ of all the Westings 7323 Making Deg of Longitude in all 125 d. 11 m. Now the Island Guam bore N. N. E. 8 leagues dist this gives 22 m. to my Lat. and takes 9 from my Meridian dist so that the Island is in Lat. 13 21 and the Merid. dist from Cape Corrientes 7302 miles which reduced into degrees makes 125 d. 11 m. The Table consists of 7 Columns The first is of the days of the month The 2d Column contains each days course or the Point of the Compass we ran upon The 3d gives the distance or length of such course in Italian or Geometrical miles at the rate of 60 to a degree or the progress the Ship makes every day and is reckoned always from noon to noon But because the course is not always made upon the same Rumb in a direct line therefore the 4th and 5th Columns shew how many miles we ran to the South every day and how many to the West which last was our main run in this Voyage By the 17th of April we were got pretty near into the latitude of Guam and our course then lying along that parallel our Northing and Southing consequently were but little according as the Ship deviated from its direct course and such deviation is thenceforward exprest by N. or S. in the 5th Column and the Ships keeping straight on the West Rumb by 0 that is to say no Northing or Southing The 6th Columns shews the lat we were in every day where R. signifies the dead Reckoning by the running of the Logs and Ob. shews the lat by observation The 7th Column shews the Wind and Weather To these I would have added an 8th Column to shew the Variation of the Needle but as it was very small in this course so neither did we make any observation of it above once after we were set out from the Mexican Coast At our departure from Cape Corrientes we found it to be 4 d. 28 m. Easterly and the observation we made of it afterwards when we had gone about a third of the Voyage shewed it to be so near the same but decreasing Neither did we observe it at Guam for Captain Swan who had the Instruments in his Cabbin did not seem much to regard it Yet I am inclined to think that at Guam the Variation might be either none at all or even increasing to the Westward To conclude May 20th at noon when we begin to call it 21st we were in lat 12 d. 50 m. N. by R. having run since the noon before 134 miles directly West We continued the same course till 2 that afternoon for which I allow 10 miles more West still and then finding the parallel we ran upon to be too much Southerly we clapt on a Wind and sailed directly North till 5 in the afternoon having in that time run 8 mile and increased our latitude so many minutes making it 12 d. 58 m. We then saw the Island Guam bearing N. N. E. distant from us about 8 leagues which gives the latitude of the Island 13. d. 20 m. And according to the account foregoing its longitude is 125 d. 11 m. West from Cape Corrientes on the Coast of Mexico allowing 58 and 59 Italian miles to a degree in these latitudes at the common rate of 60 miles to a degree of the Equator as before computed As a Corollary from hence it will follow that upon a supposal of the truth of the general allowance Seamen make of 60 Italian miles to an Equinoctial degree that the South Sea must be of a greater breadth by 25 degrees than it s commonly reckoned by Hydrographers who makes it only about 100 more or less For since we found as I shall have occasion to say the distance from Guam to the Eastern parts of Asia to be much the same with the common reckoning it follows by way of necessary consequence from hence that the 25 degrees of longitude or there abouts which are under-reckon'd in the distance between America and the East Indies Westward must be over reckoned in the breadth of Asia and Africk the Atlantick Sea or the American Continent or all together and so that Tract of the Terraqueous Globe must be so much shortened And for a further confirmation of the fact I shall add that as to the Aethiopick or Indian Sea its breadth must be considerably less than 't is generally calculated to be if it be true what I have heard over and over from several able Seamen whom I have conversed with in those parts that Ships sailing from the Cape of Good Hope to New-Holland as many Ships bound to Java or thereabouts keep that lat find themselves there and sometimes to their cost running a ground when they have thought themselves to be a great way off and 't is from hence possibly that the Dutch call that part of this Coast the Land of Indraught as if it magnetically drew Ships too fast to it and give cautions to avoid it But I rather think 't is the nearness of the Land than any Whirlpool or the like that surprizes them As to the breadth of the Atlantick Sea I am from good hands assured that it is over-reckoned by 6 7 8 or 10 degrees for besides my different draughts of the concurrent Accounts of several experienced men who have â—…onfirmed the same to me Mr.
for the Europeans coming Eastward by the Cape of Good Hope in a course contrary to the Sun and us where-ever we met they were a full day before us in their Accounts So among the Indian Mahometans here their Friday the day of their Sultans going to their Mosques was Thursday with us though it were Friday also with those who came Eastward from Europe Yet at the Ladrone Islands we found the Spaniards of Guam keeping the same computation with our selves the reason of which I take to be that they settled that Colony by a course Westward from Spain the Spaniards going first to America and thence to the Ladrones and Philippines But how the reckoning was at Manila and the rest of the Spanish Colonies in the Philippine Islands I know not whether they keep it as they brought it or corrected it by the Accounts of the Natives and of the Portuguese Dutch and English coming the contrary way from Europe One great reason why Seamen ought to keep the difference of time as exact as they can is that they may be the more exact in their Lo ngitude For our Tables of the Suns declination being calculated for the Meridians of the places in which they were made differ about 12 minutes from those parts of the World that lie on their opposite Meridians in the months of March and September and in proportion to the Suns declination at other times of the year also And should they run farther as we did the difference would still increase upon them and be an occasion of great errours Yet even able Seamen in these Voyages are hardly made sensible of this tho so necessary to be observed for want of duly attending to the reason of it as it happened among those of our crew who after we had past 180 degrees began to decrease the difference of declination whereas they ought still to have increased it for it all the way increased upon us We had the Wind at N. N. E. fair clear Weather and a brisk gale We coasted to the West-ward on the South side of the Island Mindanao keeping within 4 or 5 leagues of the shore The Land from hence trends away W. by S. It is of a good heighth by the Sea and very Woody and in the Country we say high Hills The next day we were abrest off Chambongo a Town in this Island and 30 leagues from the River of Mindanao Here is said to be a good Harbour and a great settlement with plenty of Beef and Buffaloe It is reported that the Spaniards were formerly fortified here also There are 2 shoals lie off this place 2 or 3 leagues from the shore From hence the Land is more low and even yet there are some Hills in the Country About 6 leagues before we came to the West end of the Island Mindanao we fell in with a great many small low Islands or Keys and about 2 or 3 leagues to the Southward of these Keys there is a long Island stretching N. E. and S. W. about 12 leagues This Island is low by the Sea on the North side and has a ridge of Hills in the middle running from one end to the other Between this Island and the small Keys there is a good large Channel Among the Keys also there is good depth of Water and a violent Tide but on what point of the compass it flows I know not nor how much it riseth and falls The 17th day we anchored on the East side of all these Keys in 8 fathom water clean Sand. Here are plenty of green Turtle whose flesh is as sweet as any in the West Indies but they are very shy A little to the Westward of these Keys on the Island Mindanan we saw abundance of Coco-nut Trees Therefore we sent our Canoa ashore thinking to find Inhabitants but found none nor sign of any but great tracks of Hogs and great Cattle and close by the Sea there were the ruins of an old Fort. The Walls thereof were of a good heighth built with Stone and Lime and by the Wokrmanship seem'd to be Spanish From this place the Land trends W. N. W. and is of an indifferent heighth by the Sea It run on this point of the Compass 4 or 5 leagues and then the Land trends away N. N. W. 5 or 6 leagues farther making with many bluff points We weigh'd again the 14th day and went thro between the Keys but met such uncertain Tydes that we were forced to anchor again The 22d day we got about the Westermost point of all Mindanao and stood to the Northward plying under the shore and having the Wind at N. N. E. a fresh gale As we sailed along further we found the Land to trend N. N. E. On this part of the Island the Land is high by the Sea with full bluff points and very Woody There are some small sandy Bays which afford streams of fresh Water Here we met with two Proe's belonging to the 〈◊〉 one of the Mindanaian Nations before mentioned They came from Manila laden with Silks and Calicoes We kept on this Western part of the Island steering Northerly till we came abrest of some other of the Philippine Islands that lay to the Northward of us then steered away towards them but still keeping on the West side of them and we had the Winds at N. N. E. The 3d of February we anchored in a good bay on the West side of an Island in lat 9 d. 55 m. where we had 13 fathom Water good soft oaze This Island hath no name that we could find in any book but lieth on the West side of Island Sebo It is about 8 or 10 leagues long Mountainous and Woody At this place Captain Read who was the same Captain Swan had so much railed against in his Journal and was now made Captain in his room as Captain Teat was made Master and Mr. Henry More Quartermaster ordered the Carpenters to cut down our Quarter Deck to make the Ship snug and the fitter for sailing When that was done we heeled her scrubbed her bottom and tallowed it Then we fill'd all our Water for here is a delicate small run of Water The Land was pretty low in this Bay the Mould black and fat and the Trees of several kinds very thick and tall In some places we found plenty of Canes such as we use in England for Walking-canes These were short jointed not above two foot and a half or two foot ten inches the longest and most of them not above two foot They run along on the ground like a Vine or taking hold of the Trees they climb up to their very tops They are 15 or 20 fathom long and much of a bigness from the root till within 5 or 6 fathom of the end They are of a pale green colour cloathed over with a coat of a short thick hairy substance of a dun colour but it comes off by only drawing the Cane thro your hand We did cut many of them
Besides this present from the Governour there was a Captain of a Jonk sent two Jars of Arack and abundance of Pine-apples and Water-melons Captain Read sent ashore as a Present to the Governour a curious Spanish Silver-hilted Rapier an English Carbine and a Gold Chain and when the Officer went ashore three Guns were fired In the afternoon the Governour sent off the same Officer again to complement the Captain for his civility and promised to retaliate his kindness before we departed but we had such blustring weather afterward that no Boat could come aboard We stayed here till the 29th day and then sailed from hence with the wind at S. W. and pretty fair weather We now directed our course for some Islands we had chosen to go to that lye between Formosa and Luconia They are laid down in our plots without any name only with a figure of 5 denoting the number of them It was supposed by us that these Islands had no Inhabitants because they had not any name by our Hydographers Therefore we thought to lye there secure and be pretty near the Island Luconia which we did still intend to visit In going to them we sailed by the South West end of Formosa leaving it on our larboard side This is a large Island the South end is in lat 21 d. 20 m. and the North end in 25 d. 10 m. North lat the longitude of this Isle is laid down from 142 d. 5 m. to 143 d. 16 m. reckoning East from the pike of Tenariffe so that 't is but narrow and the Tropick of Cancer crosses it It is a high and woody Island and was formerly well inhabited by the Chinese and was then frequently visited by English Merchants there being a very good Harbour to secure their Ships But since the Tartars have conquered China they have spoiled the Harbour as I have been informed to hinder the Chinese that were then in Rebellion from fortifying themselves there and ordered the foreign Merchants to come and trade on the Main The 6th day of August we arrived at the five Islands that we were bound to and anchored on the East side of the Northermost Island in 15 fathom a Cables length from the shore Here contrary to our expectation we found abundance of Inhabitants in sight for there were 3 large Towns all within a league of the Sea and another larger Town than any of the three on the back side of a small hill close by also as we found afterwards These Islands lye in lat 20 d. 20 m. North lat by my observation for I took it there and I find their Longitude according to our Drafts to be 141 d. 50 m. These Islands having no particular Names in the Drafts some or other of us made use of the Seamens priviledge to give them what names we pleased Three of the Islands were pretty large the Westermost is the biggest This the Dutch men who were among us called the Prince of Orange's Island in honour of his present Majesty It is about 7 or 8 leagues long and about 2 leagues wide and it lies almost N. and S. The other two great Islands are about 4 or 5 leagues to the Eastward of this The Northermost of them where we first anchored I called the D. of Grafton's Isle as soon as we landed on it having married my Wife out of his Dutchess's Family and leaving her at Arlington house at my going aboard This Isle is about 4 leagues long and one league and a half wide stretching North and South The other great Isle our Seamen called the Duke of Monmouth's Island This is about a league to the Southward of Grafton Isle It is about 3 leagues long and a league wide lying as the other Between Monmouth and the South end of Orange Island there are two small Islands of a roundish form lying East and West The Eastermost Island of the two our men unanimously called Bashee Island from a Liquor which we drank there plentifully every day after we came to an anchor at it The other which is the smallest of all we called Goat Island from the great number of Goats there and to the Northward of them all are two high Rocks Orange Island which is the biggest of them all is not inhabited It is high Land flat and even on the top with steep cliffs against the Sea for which reason we could not go ashore there as we did on all the rest I have made it my general observation that where the Land is fenced with steep Rocks and Cliffs against the Sea there the Sea is very deep and seldom affords anchor ground and on the other side where the Land falls away with a declivity into the Sea altho the Land be exrraordinary high within yet there are commonly good soundings and consequently anchoring and as the visible declivity of the Land appears near or at the edge of the Water whether pretty steep or more sloping so we commonly find our anchor ground to be more or less deep or steep therefore we came nearer the shore or anchor farther off as we see convenient for there is no Coast in the World that I know or have heard of where the Land is of a continual heighth without some small Valleys or declivities which lye intermixt with the high Land They are these subsidings of Valleys or low Lands that make dents in the shore and Creeks small Bays and Harbours or little Coves c. which afford good anchoring the surface of the Earth being there lodged deep under Water Thus we find many good Harbours on such Coasts where the Land bounds the Sea with steep Clifs by reason of the Declivities or subsiding of the Land between these Cliffs But where the Declension from the Hills or Cliffs is not within Land between Hill and Hill but as on the Coast of Chili and Peru the Declivity is toward the Main Sea or into it the Coast being perpendicular or very steep from the neighbouring Hills as in those Countries from the Andes that run along the shore there is a deep Sea and few or no Harbours or Creeks All that Coast is too steep for anchoring and hath the fewest Roads fit for Ships of any Coast I know The Coasts of Gallicia Portugal Norway and Newfoundland c. are Coasts like the Peruvian and the high Islands of the Archipelago but yet not so scanty of good Harbours for where there are short Ridges of Land there are good Bays at the extremities of those Ridges where they plunge into the Sea as on the Coast of Caraccos c. The Island of John Fernando and the Island St. Helena c. are such high Land with deep shore and in general the plunging of any Land under Water seems to be in proportion to the rising of its continuous part above Water more or less steep and it must be a bottom almost level or very gently declining that affords good anchoring Ships being soon driven from their Moorings on
over-board some into their Boats others into the Sea and they all made away for the shore But when we perceived their fright we made much of him that was in hold who stood trembling all the while and at last we gave him a small piece of Iron with which he immediately leapt overboard and swam to his Consorts who hovered about our Ship to see the issue Then we beckned to them to come aboard again being very loth to lose a commerce with them Some of the Boats came aboard again and they were always very honest and civil afterwards We presently after this sent a Canoa ashore to see their manner of living and what Provision they had The Canoas Crew were made very welcom with Bashee drink and saw abundance of Hogs some of which they bought and returned aboard After this the Natives brought aboard both Hogs and Goats to us in their own Boats and every day we should have 15 or 20 Hogs and Goats in Boats aboard by our side These we bought for a small matter we could buy a good fat Goat for an old Iron Hoop and a Hog of 70 or 80 pound weight for 2 or 3 pound of Iron Their Drink also they brought off in Jars which we bought for old Nails Spikes and Leaden Bullets Beside the forementioned Commodities they brought aboard great quantities of Yams and Potatoes which we purchased for Nails Spikes or Bullets It was one Man's work to be all day cutting out Bars of Iron into small pieces with a cold Chisel and these were for the great purchases of Hogs and Goats which they would not sell for Nails as their Drink and Roots We never let them know what store we have that they may value it the more Every morning assoon as it was light they would thus come aboard with their Commodities which we bought as we had occasion We did commonly furnish our selves with as many Goats and Roots as served us all the day and their Hogs we bought in large quantities as we thought convenient for we salted them Their Hogs were very sweet but I never saw so many meazled ones We filled all our Water at a curious Brook close by us in Graftons Isle where we first anchored We stayed there about 3 or 4 days before we went to other Islands We sailed to the Southward passing on the East side of Grafton Island and then passed thro between that and Monmouth Island but we found no anchoring till we came to the North end of Monmouth Island and there we stopt during one Tide The Tide runs very strong here and sometimes makes a short chopping Sea Its course amongst these Islands is S. by E. and N. by W. The flood sets to the North and ebb to to the South and it riseth and falleth 8 foot When we went from hence we coasted about 2 leagues to the Southward on the West side of Monmouth Island and finding no anchor ground we stood over to Bashee Island and came to an anchor on the North East part of it against a small sandy Bay in 7 fathom clean hard sand and about a quarter of a mile from the shore Here is a pretty wide Channel between these two Islands and anchoring all over it The depth of Water is 12 14 and 16 fathom We presently built a Tent ashore to mend our Sails in and stay'd all the rest of our time here viz. from the 13th day of August till the 26 day of September In which time we mended our Sails and scrubbed our Ships bottom very well and every day some of us went to their Towns and were kindly entertained by them Their Boats also came aboard with their Merchandise to sell and lay aboard all day and if we did not take it off their hands one day they would bring the same again the next We had yet the Winds at S. W. and S. S. W. mostly fair weather In October we did expect the Winds to shift to the N. E. and therefore we provided to sail as soon as the Eastern Monsoon was settled to cruise off of Manila Accordingly we provided a stock of Provision We salted 70 or 80 good fat Hogs and bought Yams and Potatoes good store to eat at Sea About the 24th day of September the Winds shifted about to the East and from thence to the N. E. fine fair weather The 25th it came at N. and began to grow fresh and the Sky began to be clouded and the Wind freshned on us At 12 a clock at night it blew a very fierce storm We were then riding with our best Bower a head and though our Yards and Top-mast were down yet we drove This obliged us to let go our Sheet Anchor veering out a good scope of Cable which stopt us till 10 or 11 a clock the next day Then the Wind came on so fierce that she drove again with both Anchors a head The Wind was now at N. by W. and we kept driving till 3 or 4 a clock in the afternoon and it was well for us that there were no Islands Rocks or Sands in our way for if there had we must have been driven upon them We used our utmost endeavours to stop her being loath to go to Sea because we had 6 of our Men ashore who could not get off now At last we were driven out into deep Water and then it was in vain to wait any longer Therefore we hove in our Sheet Cable and got up our Sheet Anchor and cut away our best Bower for to have heav'd her up then would have gone near to have foundred us and so put to Sea We had very violent weather the night ensuing with very hard Rain and we were forced to scud with our bare poles till 3 a clock in the morning Then the Wind slacken'd and we brought our Ship to under a mizen and lay with our head to the Westward The 27th day the Wind abated much but it rained very hard all day and the night ensuing The 28th day the Wind came about to the N. E. and it cleered up and blew a hard gale but it stood not there for it shifted about the Eastward thence to the S. E. then to the South and at last it settled at S. W. and then we had a moderate gale and fair weather It was the 29th day when the Wind came to the S. W. Then we made all the sail we could for the Island again The 30th day we had the Wind at West and saw the Islands but could not get in before night Therefore we stood off to the Southward till 2 a clock in the morning then we tackt and stood in all the morning and about 12 a clock the 1st day of October we anchored again at the place from whence we were driven Then our 6 men were brought aboard by the Natives to whom we gave 3 whole bars of Iron for their kindness and civility which was an extraordinary Present to them Mr. Robert Hall was one of the
Mindanaian make for our own use which our Carpenters afterwards altered and made a delicate Boat fit for any service She was sharp at both ends but we saw'd off one and made that end flat fastening a Rudder to it and she rowed and sailed incomparably We stayed here but till the 12th day because it was a bad Harbour and foul ground and a bad time of the year too for the Tornadoes began to come in thick and strong When we went to weigh our Anchor it was hooked in a Rock and we broke our Cable and could not get our Anchor though we strove hard for it so we went away and left it there We had the Wind at N. N. E. and we steered towards the S. E. and fell in with 4 or 5 small Islands that lye in 5 d. 40 m. South lat and about 5 or 6 leagues from Callasusung Harbour These Islands appeared very green with Coco-nut Trees and we saw two or three Towns on them and heard a Drum all night for we were got in among shoals and could not get out again till the next day We know not whether the Drum were for fear of us or that they were making merry as 't is usual in these parts to do all the night singing and dancing till morning We found a pretty strong Tide here the flood setting to the Southward and the ebb to the Northward These shoals and many other that are not laid down in our Drafts lye on the South West side of the Islands where we heard the Drum about a league from them At last we past between the Islands and tried for a passage on the East side We met with divers shoals on this side also but found Channels to pass through so we steered away for the Island Timor intending to pass out by it We had the Winds commonly at W. S. W. and S. W. hard gales and rainy weather The 16th day we got clear of the shoals and steered S. by E. with the Wind at W. S. W. but veering every half hour sometimes at S. W. and then again at W. and sometimes at N. N. VV. bringing much Rain with Thunder and Lightening The 20th day we passed by the Island Omba which is a pretty high Island lying in lat 8 d. 20 m. and not above 5 or 6 leagues from the N. E. part of the Island Timor It is about 13 or 14 leagues long and five or six leagues wide About 7 or 8 leagues to the VVest of Omba is another pretty large Island but it had no name in our plats yet by the situation it should be that which in some Maps is called Pentare We saw on it abundance of smoaks by day and fires by night and a large Town on the North side of it nor far from the Sea but it was such bad weather that we did not go ashore Between Omba and Pentare and in the mid Channel there is a small low sandy Island with great shoals on either side but there is a very good Channel close by Pentare between that and the shoals about the small Isle We were three days beating off and on not having a wind for it was at South South West The 23d day in the evening having a small gale at North we got through keeping close by Pentare The Tide of ebb here set out to the Southward by which we were helped through for we had but little wind But this Tide which did us a kindness in setting us through had like to have ruined us afterwards for there are two small Islands lying at the South end of the Channel we came through and towards these Islands the Tide hurried us so swiftly that we very narrowly escaped being driven ashore for the little wind we had before at North dying away we had not one breath of wind when we came there neither was there an anchor ground But we got out our Oars and rowed yet all in vain for the Tide set wholly on one of the small Islands that we were forced with might and main strength to bear off the Ship by thrusting with our Oars against the shore which was a steep bank and by this means we presently drove away clear of Danger and having a little wind in the night at North we steered away S. S. W. In the morning again we had the wind at W. S. W. and steered S. and the wind coming to the W. N. W. we steered S. W. to get clear of the S. W. end of the Island Timor The 26th day we saw the N. W. point of Timor S. E. by E. distant about 8 leagues Timor is a long high mountainous Island stretching N. E. and S. VV. It is about 70 leagues long and 15 or 16 wide the middle of the Island is in Lat. about 9 d. South I have been informed that the Portuguese do trade to this Island but I know nothing of its produce besides Coire for making Cables of which there is mention Chap. X. The 27th day we saw two small Islands which lye near the S. W. end of Timor They bear from us S. E. We had very hard gales of wind and still with a great deal of Rain the wind at W. and W. S. W. Being now clear of all the Islands we stood off South intending to touch at New Holland a part of Terra Australis Incognita to see what that Country would afford us Indeed as the Winds were we could not now keep our intended course which was first Westerly and then Northerly without going to New Holland unless we had gone back again among the Islands but this was not a good time of the year to be among any Islands to the South of the Equator unless in a good Harbour The 31st day we were in lat 13 d. 20 m. still standing to the Southward the wind bearing commonly very hard at W. and we keeping upon it under 2 courses and our Mizen and sometimes a Main-top-sail rift About 10 a clock at night we tackt and stood to the Northward for fear of running on a shoal which is laid down in our Drafts in lat 13 d. 50 m. or thereabouts it bearing S. by W. from the East end of Timor and so the Island bore from us by our judgments and reckoning At 3 a clock we tackt again and stood S. by W. and S. S. W. In the morning assoon as it was day we saw the shoal right ahead it lies in 13 d. 50 m. by all our reckonings It is a small spit of hand just appearing above the waters edge with several Rocks about it 8 or 10 foot high above water It lies in a triangular form each side being about a league and half We stemm'd right with the middle of it and stood within half a mile of the Rocks and sounded but found no ground Then we went about and stood to the North 2 hours and then tackt and stood to the Southward again thinking to weather it but could not So
we bore away on the North side till we came to the East point giving the Rocks a small birth then we trimb'd sharp and stood to the Southward passing close by it and sounded again but found no ground This shoal is laid down in our Drafts not above 16 or 20 leagues from New Holland but we did run afterwards 60 leagues due South before we fell in with it and I am very confident that no part of New Holland hereabouts lyes so far Northerly by 40 leagues as it is laid down in our Drafts For if New Holland were laid down true we must of necessity have been driven near 40 leagues to the Westward of our course but this is very improbable that the Current should set so strong to the Westward seeing we had such a constant Westerly Wind. I grant that when the Monsoon shifts first the Current does not presently shift but runs afterwards near a month but the Monsoon had been shifted at least two months now But of the Monsoons and other Winds and of the Currents elsewhere in their proper place As to these here I do rather believe that the Land is not laid down true than that the Current deceived us for it was more probable we should have been deceived before we met with the shoal than afterward for on the Coast of New Holland we found the Tides keeping their constant course the Flood running N. by E. and the Ebb S. by W. The 4th day of January 1688 we fell in with the Land of New Holland in the Lat. of 16 d. 50 m. having as I said before made our course due South from the shoal that we past by the 31st day of December We ran in close by it and finding no convenient anchoring because it lies open to the N. W. we ran along shore to the Eastward steering N. E. by E. for so the Land lies We steered thus about 12 leagues and then came to a point of Land from whence the Land trends East and Southerly for 10 or 12 leagues but how afterwards I know not About 3 leagues to the Eastward of this point there is a pretty deep Bay with abundance of Islands in it and a very good place to anchor in or to hale ashore About a league to the Eastward of that point we anchored January the 5th 1688. 2 mile from the shore in 29 fathom good hard sand and clean ground New Holland is a very large tract of Land It is not yet determined whether it is an Island or a main Continent but I am certain that it joyns neither to Asia Africa nor America This part of it that we saw is all low even Land with sandy Banks against the Sea only the points are rocky and so are some of the Islands in this Bay The Land is of a dry sandy soil destitute of Water except you make Wells yet producing divers sorts of Trees but the Woods are not thick nor the Trees very big Most of the Trees that we saw are Dragon-trees as we supposed and these too are the largest Trees of any there They are about the bigness of our large Apple Trees and about the same heighth and the rind is blackish and somewhat rough The leaves are of a dark colour the Gum distils out of the knots or cracks that are in the bodies of the Trees We compared it with some Gum Dragon or Dragons Blood that was aboard and it was of the same colour and taste The other sorts of Trees were not known by any of us There was pretty long grass growing under the Trees but it was very thin We saw no Trees that bore Fruit or Berries We saw no sort of Animal nor any track of Beast but once and that seemed to be the tread of a Beast as big as a great Mastiff Dog Here are a few small Land-birds but none bigger than a Blackbird and but few Sea-fowls Neither is the Sea very plentifully stored with Fish unless you reckon the Manatee and Turtle as such Of these creatures there is plenty but they are extraordinary shy though the Inhabitants cannot trouble them much having neither Boats nor Iron The Inhabitants of this Country are the miserablest People in the world The Hodmadods of Monomatapa though a nasty People yet for Wealth are Gentlemen to these who have no Houses and Skin Garments Sheep Poultry and Fruits of the Earth Ostrich Eggs c. as the Hodmadods have and setting aside their humane shape they differ but little from Brutes They are tall strait bodied and thin with small long Limbs They have great Heads round Foreheads and great Brows Their Eye-lids are always half closed to keep the Flies out of their Eyes they being so troublesome here that no fanning will keep them from coming to ones Face and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off they will creep into ones Nostrils and Mouth too if the Lips are not shut very close So that from their Infancy being thus annoyed with these Insects they do never open their Eyes as other People and therefore they cannot see far unless they hold up their Heads as if they were looking at somewhat over them They have great Bottle noses pretty full lips and wide mouths The two fore teeth of their upper Jaw are wanting in all of them men and women old and young whether they draw them out I know not Neither have they any Beards They are long visaged and of a very unpleasing aspect having no one graceful feature in their faces Their Hair is black short and curl'd like that of the Negroes and not long and lank like the common Indians The colour of their skins both of their faces and the rest of their body is coal black like that of the Negroes of Guinea They have no sort of Cloaths but a piece of the rind of a Tree ty'd like a Girdle about their wastes and a handful of long Grass or 3 or 4 small green Boughs full of Leaves thrust under their Girdle to cover their nakedness They have no Houses but lye in the open Air without any covering the Earth being their Bed and the Heaven their Canopy Whether they cohabit one Man to one Woman or promiscuously I know not but they do live in Companies 20 or 30 Men Women and Children together Their only food is a small sort of Fish which they get by making Wares of stone across little Coves or branches of the Sea every Tide bringing in the small Fish and there leaving them for a prey to these people who constantly attend there to search for them at low water This small Fry I take to be the top of their Fishery they have no Instruments to catch great Fish should they come and such seldom stay to be left behind at low water nor could we catch any Fish with our Hooks and Lines all the while we lay there In other places at low water they seek for Cockles Muscles and Periwincles Of these Shell-fish there are
America on the other If I be questioned for taking this Liberty I should think it enough to say that I wanted a general Name for this whole Ocean and I could not find one more proper And yet even as to the Reason of the thing if the Discovery of a Sea to the South of the Isthmus of Darien or the Mexican Coast were ground sufficient for the extending the Name of South Sea to all that largest Ocean of the World tho it lies West rather of the whole Continent of America much more may I be allowed a less considerable enlargement of the name of Atlantick Sea which others have long since extended to so great a part of this Ocean from its Original narrow Confines the Neighbourhood of Mount Atlas and the Coasts of Mauritania I know that so much of this Ocean as lies South of the R. Niger went usually by the name of the Aethiopick Sea yet I can't learn a sufficient Reason for it for tho 't is true that the Antients call'd all the South parts of Africk to each Sea Aethiopia yet even upon this bottom the name of Aethiopick Sea should have been left common to the Oceans on each side the Cape of Good Hope But if the Name must be appropriated why to this on the West of Africa why not rather to that on its E. Coast which lies nearer the Inward or more proper Aethiopia now the Abissine Empire and consequently might better be call'd the Aethiopick Sea Accordingly I have ventured to call it so Vol. I. page 289 making it there the same as the Indian which I also make to be all the Ocean from the East Coast of Africa to the remotest of the E. India Islands New Holland and New Guinea tho this Name also of Indian Sea has been understood usually of narrower bounds But be that as it will I was for using comprehensive Names and therefore these three Names of Atlantick Indian and South Seas or Oceans serve me for the whole Ambit of the Torrid Zone and what else I have occasion to speak of To these three Parts is added a General Index of both Volumes The first Volume should not have been publish'd without one but that 't was reserved to be annex'd to this that the Reader might not have the trouble of turning over two Alphabets Thus what I designed as an Appendix to the former Volume is grown to be its self a Volume answerable to the other And I am sensible there is one part of the intended Appendix yet behind viz. The Description of the South Sea Coasts of America from the Spanish Pilot-Books c. I confess I had thoughts of crowding it into this Volume but besides the dryness and fatigue of such a Work and the small leisure I had for it I was quite discouraged from attempting it when upon nearer View of the Matter I found in those Descriptions and Charts a repugnance with each other in many particulars and some things which from my own experience I knew to be erroneous Indeed as they are they may be very useful to Sailors in those Parts being generally right enough in the Main but I was loth to undertake a work much of which must have consisted in correcting Mistakes and yet have left unavoidably many more to be rectified Others may have Time and Helps for this affair and future Discoveries may give greater Light to direct them To me it shall suffice that bating this one particular I have here endeavoured to perform what I had made the Publick expect from me The CONTENTS PART I. The Supplement of the Voyage round the World CHap. 1. The Authors Voyage from Achin to Malacca and Tonquin 2. The Natural State of Tonquin 3. Of the Natives their Customs Religion Trade c. 4. Of the Government Kings Soldiery and Mandarins 5. Voyage to Tenan The A.'s journey by land to Cachao and Occurrences 6. His return from Tonquin witâ—… some particulars of Cambodia and Bancouli and Arrival at Malacca and Achin 7. Achin describ'd its Natural and Political Sate Customs Trade Civil War c. 8. His Voyage to Malacca again Malacca described 9. His Return to Achin Voyage to Fort St George and thence to Bencouli Bencouli described PAAT II. The Campeachy Voyages Chap. 1. The A.'s 1st Voyage to Campeachy and Return Jucatan ' Alcranes and I. of Pines describ'd 2. His 2d Voyage The E. Coast of Campeachy describ'd its Vegetables Weather Animals c. 3. Logwood-Cutting Beef-Hunting and Occurrences 4. The W. Coast of Campeachy describ'd its Mountain-Cow Indians c. 5. The Coast further W. and products of Campeachy and New Spain described The A.'s return to England PART III. A Discourse of Winds Storms Seasons Tides and Currents in the Torrid Zone Chap. 1. Of the True or General Trade Wind at Sea Crossing the Line c. 2. Of the Coasting and constant Trade Winds 3. Of the shifting Trade-Winds and Monsoons 4. Of the Ordinary Sea and Land Breezes 5. Of peculiar Breezes and Winds of particular effects Summasenta Winds Cartagena Breezes Popogaios Tereno's and Harmatans 6. Of storms Norths Souths Hurricane's Tuffoons stormy Monsoons and Elephanta's 7. Of the Seasons of the Year Weather Rains and Tornadoes 8. Of Tides and Currents Natal described its Product Negroes c. A Map of the Streights of MALACCA A Map of the Streights of MALACCA Mr Dampier's Voyages VOL. II. PART I. His Voyage from Achin in Sumatra to Tonquin and other places in the East-Indies CHAP. I. The Connexion of this discourse with the Voyage round the World The Authors departure from Achin in the Isle of Sumatra with Captain Weldon Their Course along the Streights of Malacca Pulo Nuttee and other Islands The R. and Kingdom of Jihore Pulo Oro and Pulo Timaon Green Turtle there Pulo Condore Sholes of Pracel River of Cambodia Coast of Champa Pulo Canton Cochinchinese Pulo Champello R. and City of Quinam Oyl of Porpusses and Turtle Shipwrackt men detained usually at Cochinchina and Pegu. Aguala wood from the Bay of Siam Bay of Tonquin I. of Aynam and other Islands Rokbo one mouth of the chief R. of Tonquin Fishers I. River of Domea the other Mouth It s Bar and Entrance Mountain Elephant Pearl-Islands Pilots of Batsha They go up the River of Domea Domea and its Gardens and Dutch there They leave their Ships at Anchor above it where the Natives build a Town They go up to the chief City in the Country Boats The River and the Country about it Leprous Beggars Hean a Town of note Chinese there The Governor Shipping and Tide They arrive at Cachao the Metropolis of Tonquin THe Reader will find upon perusing my Voyage round the World that I then omitted to speak particularly of the excursions I made to Tonquin Malacca Fort St. George and Bencouli from Achin in the Isle of Sumatra together with the description I intended to give of those parts I do but just mention them there but shall now proceed to a
finding our Vessel unfit for the Sea we put in here to mend and repair her Leave was granted us for this and I prepared to hale our Vessel ashore at the west end of the Town not far from the small Fort. It is there soft Oazy ground near a mile off shore and it deepens very leisurely being shole water just by the shore and when the Tide goes out it leaves the Oaz dry a quarter of a mile from the shore but a mile from shore you have clean sand and about 4 fathom at low Water Our Vessel floated in close to the Fort and lay not 20 yards from it and at low water it sunk down into the mud that we could not fit the after-part as I would have done Opium which is much used by the Malayans in most places was a great Commodity here at this time but it is prohibited Goods and therefore tho many asked for it we were shy of having it too openly known that we had any But in short Mr. Coventry found a Customer and they found means to get it ashore while the Soldiers of the Fort were at dinner The Customer was a Dutch man and the price he was to pay for it was as much as he was worth and finding it to be nought he would have been off his bargain and when Mr. Coventry would not release him he absconded But Mr Coventry having an interest in the Shabander he compelled the Mans Wife to pay for the Opium under the name of Gold for so Mr Coventry called it The Shabander chid Mr. Coventry for smuggling with an inferiour when he might have done it better with him but stood his friend in compelling the Woman tho unjustly to pay for the Opium I saw this Dutch man on board his own Vessel when he had bought the Opium and he was very pensive and sad He had a pretty fine House without the Gates and a Garden which maintained his Family with Pot-herbs Sallading and Fruits besides some for the Market This was managed by his Wife and he himself had 2 Sloops and either imployed them in Trading among the Malayans for Pepper carrying them such Commodities as they wanted especially Opium or by hiring himself and Sloop to the Dutch East India Company to go whither they would send him It was not long since he he had been at the Spice Islands with Rice which he sold at a profitable rate but he told me he was not suffered to bring any Spice from thence except 8 or 10 pound for his own spending neither was there so much profit that way for him as by Trading at home among the Malayans either on the Coast of Malacca or Sumarta For tho he and other free Men are not suffered to Trade for themselves to any places where the Company have Factories or Guardships yet they could find Trade enough nearer home and by this Trade the Freemen of Malacca pick up a good livelihood It was on this home Trade that he was now bound and the Opium had been very beneficial to him had it been good but he went away and ordered his Wife not to pay for it but left Mr Coventry to take it again and upon the Shabander's compelling her to take it and pay for it she complained they were utterly undone for the Opium when it came to be examined was really very bad and worth little or nothing Here Mr Coventry bought Iron Bars Arack Canes and Rattans wherewith we loaded our Vessel which was now set afloat again The Dutch brought most of our goods aboard and were more kind than I expected for they had not used to Trade with us and I believe the news of our Revolution in England had sweetned them for they often drank the Konings health with us very heartily While we were here we made 2 new Cables of Rattans each of them 4 inches about Our Captain bought the Rattans and hired a Chinese to work them who was very expert at making such wooden Cables These Cables I found serviceable enough after in mooring the Vessel with either of them for when I carried out the Anchor the Cable being thrown out after me swam like Cork in the Sea so that I could see when it was tight which we cannot so well discern in our Hemp Cables whose weight sinks them down nor can we carry them out but by placing 2 or 3 Boats at some distance asunder to buoy up the Cable while the Long Boat rows out the Anchor To conclude with Malacca our goods being all aboard we fill'd our water and got all in a readiness for our departure back again CHAP IX The A. departs from Malacca They lose a yard and return to refit They set out again and run on a Shole but get off with the flood Pulo Sambilong They lose their Mizen-yard and put into Pulo Dinding The Island and Fort described the opposite Coast. Tutaneg a sort of Tin The Enmity between the Dutch here and the Malayans on the Coast. A Rencounter with them They leave P. Dinding and arrive at Achin The escape of some English Prisoners out of Bengal The A. sets out again from Achin and arrives at Fort St George It s pleasant Prospect He goes thence to Bencouli in Sumatra It s sight at Sea Point of Sillabar The Scituation of Bencouli Houses Weather Soil Fruits Animals and Inhabitants The Pepper Trade here and elsewhere The first settlement of the English here The Fort and usage of the Natives The Conclusion of the Supplement WE departed from Malacca towards Achin about the middle of November 1689. Mr Coventry being weary of Captain Minchin's Company had bought a small Vessel of 7 or 8 Tuns and laded her also with the same kind of goods This he commanded himself having a Portuguese Pilot and 3 or 4 Mariners under him and we set out both Ships in Company together We had now in Captain Minchin's Ship but 2 white Men the Captain and I the Boat-swain being gone with Mr. Coventry but we took in as a Passenger one Mr. Richards an Englishman who having lately married a Dutch Woman at Malacca came abroad us with her to go as passengers to Achin with us We had a Land Wind in the morning and about 11 a Clock had the Wind at N. W. a pretty strong gale and at 12 our fore-yard broke in the middle We made signs to Mr. Coventry to bear down to us who weighing before us was a mile to windward of us but he kept on fearing to return as having bought his Ship there by stealth and we therefore returned alone into Malacca Road. As soon as we anchored Mr. Richards was sent ashore to buy a new yard I gave him the length and bigness It was Evening before he came aboard again and he brought aboard an old yard much too big and too long for us This piece I shortned and shaped to my mind and by 12 a Clock at night had it fixt and slung rigg'd and the sail bent to it
sail and they have thus vanished on a sudden The Fish which they take near the shore with their Nets are Snooks Dog-fish and sometimes Tarpoms The Tarpom is a large scaly Fish shaped much like a Salmon but somewhat flatter 'T is of a dull Silver Colour with Scales as big as a Half Crown A large Tarpom will weigh 25 or 30 Pound 'T is good sweet wholsom Meat and the Flesh solid and firm In its Belly you shall find two large Scalops of Fat weighing two or three Pound each I never knew any taken with Hook and Line but are either with Nets or by striking them with Harpoons at which the Moskito-Men are very expert The Nets for this purpose are made with strong double Twine the Meshes 5 or 6 Inches square For if they are too small so that the Fish be not intangled therein he presently draws himself a little backward and then springs over the Net Yet I have seen them taken in a Sain made with small Meshes in this manner After we have inclosed a great number whilst the two ends of the Net were drawing ashore 10 or 12 naked Men have followed and when a Fish struck against the Net the next Man to it grasped both Net and Fish in his Arms and held all fast till others came to his assistance Besides these we had three Men in a Canoa in which they mov'd side ways after the Net and many of the Fish in springing over the Net would fall into the Canoa And by these means we should take two or 3 at every Draught These Fish are found plentifully all along that shore from Cape Catoch to Trist especially in clear Water near sandy Bays but no where in muddy or rocky Ground They are also about Jamaica and all the Coast of the Main especially near Carthagena West from Rio de la Gartos there is a Look-out or Watch-tower called Selam This is a Place close by the shore contrived by the Spaniards for their Indians to watch in There are many of them on this Coast Some built from the Ground with Timber others only little Cages placed on a Tree big enough for one or two Men to sit in with a Ladder to go up and down These Watch-towers are never without an Indian or two all the day long the Indians who live near any of them being obliged to take their turns About three or four Leagues Westward of Selam is another Watch-Box on a High Tree called Linchanchee Lookout from a large Indian Town of that Name 4 Leagues up in the Country and two Leagues farther within Land is another Town called Chinchanchee I have been ashore at these Look-outs and have been either rowing in a Canoa or walking ashore on all this Coast even from Rio de la Gartos to Cape Condecedo but did never see any Town by the shore nor any Houses besides Fishing-hutts on all the Coast except only at Sisal Between Selam and Linchanchee are many small regular Salt Ponds divided from each other by little Banks the biggest Pond not above 10 Yards long and 6 broad The Inhabitants of these two Towns attend these Ponds in the Months of May June and July to gather the Salt which supplies all the Inland Towns of these Parts and there is a skirt of Wood between the Sea and the Ponds that you can neither see them nor the People at Work till you come ashore From these Salt Ponds further West about three or four Leagues is the Look-out called Sisal This is the highest and most remarkable on all the Coast it stands close by the Sea and it is built with Timber This is the first Object that we make off at Sea and sometimes we take it for a Sail till running nearer we discover the high Mangrove-trees appearing in small Tufts at several Distances from it Not far from hence there is a Fort with 40 or 50 Soldiers to Guard the Coast and from this Place there is a Road through the Country to the City of Merida This is the chiefest City in all the Province of Jucatan it being inhabited mostly with Spaniards Yet there are many Indian Families among them who live in great subjection as do the rest of the Indians of this Country The Province of Jucatan especially this Northern and the most Easterly Part of it is but indifferently fruitful in comparison of that rich Soil farther to the West Yet is it pretty populous of Indians who all live together in Towns but none within five or six Miles of the Sea except as I said at two or three Fishing Places and even there the Indians resort to fish but at certain Seasons of the Year Therefore when Privateers come on this Coast they fear not to Land and ramble about as if they were in their own Country seeking for Game of any sort either Fowl or Deer of both which there are great plenty especially of the latter though sometimes they pay dear for it A small Jamaica Privateer once Landed 6 or 7 Men at this Look-out of Sisal who not suspecting any danger ordered the Canoa with 3 or 4 Men to row along by the shore to take them in upon their giving a sign or firing a Gun But within half an hour they were attack'd by about 40 Spanish Soldiers who had cut them off from the shore to whom they surrendred themselves Prisoners The Spaniards carried them in triumph to the Fort and then demanded which was the Captain Upon this they all stood mute for the Captain was not among them and they were afraid to tell the Spaniards so for fear of being all hanged for Straglers Neither did any one of them dare to assume that Title because they had no Commission with them nor the Copy of it for the Captains don't usually go ashore without a Copy at least of their Commission which is wont to secure both themselves and their Men. At last one John Hullock cock'd up his little cropt Hat and told them that he was the Captain and the Spaniards demanding his Commission he said it was aboard for that he came ashore only to hunt not thinking to have met any Enemy The Spaniards were well satisfied with this Answer and afterwards respected him as the Captain and served him with better Provision and Lodging than the rest and the next day when they were sent to the City of Merida about 12 or 13 Leagues from thence Captain Hullock had a Horse to ride on while the rest went on Foot And though they were all kept in close Prison yet Hullock had the honour to be often sent for to be examined at the Governours House and was frequently Regal'd with Chocolate c. From thence they were carried to Campeachy Town where still Captain Hullock was better served than his Comrades At last I know not how they all got their Liberties and Hullock was ever after call'd Captain Jack It is about 8 Leagues from Sisal to Cape Condecedo Twenty Leagues North of which
The Females with their young Ones are much troubled to leap after the Males for they have commonly two one she carries under one of her Arms the other sits on her Back and clasps her two fore Paws about her Neck These Monkies are the most sullen I ever met with for all the Art that we could use would never tame them It is a hard matter to shoot one of them so as to take it for if it gets hold with its Claws or Tail it will not fall as long as one breath of Life remains After I have shot at one and broke a Leg or an Arm I have pittied the poor Creature to see it look on and handle the wounded Limb and turn it about from side to side These Monkies are very rarely or as some say never on the Ground The Ant-Bear is a four-footed Beast as big as a pretty large Dog with rough black-brown Hair It has short Legs a long Nose and little Eyes a very little Mouth and a slender Tongue like an Earth-worm about 5 or 6 Inches long This Creature feeds on Ants therefore you always find them near an Ants Nest or Path. It takes its Food thus It lays its Nose down flat on the Ground close by the Path that the Ants travel in whereof here are many in this Country and then puts out its Tongue athwart the Path the Ants passing forwards and backwards continually when they come to the Tongue make a stop and in two or three Minutes time it will be covered all over with Ants which she perceiving draws in her Tongue and then eats them and after puts it out again to trapan more They smell very strong of Ants and taste much stronger for I have eaten of them I have met with these Creatures in several Places of America as well as here i. e. in the Sambaloes and in the South Seas on the Mexican Continent The Sloth is a four-footed hairy sad-coloured Animal somewhat less than the Ant-Bear not so rough its Head is round its Eyes small it has a short Nose and very sharp Teeth short Legs but extraordinary long sharp Claws This Creature feeds on Leaves whether indifferently of all sorts or only on some particular kinds I know not They are very mischievous to the Trees where they come and are so slow in motion that when they have eaten all the Leaves on one Tree before they can get down from that and climb another and settle themselves to their fresh Banquet which takes them up 5 or 6 days though the Trees stand near They are nothing but skin and bones altho' they came down plump and fat from the last Tree They never descend till they have stript every Limb and Bough and made them as bare as Winter It takes them up 8 or 9 Minutes to move one of their feet 3 Inches forward and they move all their four feet one after another at the same slow Rate neither will stripes make them mend their pace which I have tryed to do by whipping them but they seem insensible and can neither be frighted or provoked to move faster The Armadillo so called from its Suit of Armour is as big as a small sucking Pig the body of it pretty long This Creature is inclosed in a thick Shell which guards all its back and comes down on both sides and meets under the belly leaving room for the four Legs the Head is small with a Nose like a Pig a pretty long Neck and can put out its Head before its Body when it walks but on any danger she puts it in under the shell and drawing in her Feet she lies stock still like a Land-Turtle And though you toss her about yet she will not move her self The Shell is joynted in the middle of the back so that she can turn the fore-part of her body about which way she pleases The Feet are like those of a Land-Turtle and it has strong Claws wherewith it digs holes in the ground like a Cony The flesh is very sweet and tasts much like a Land-Turtle The Porcupin being a Creature well known I 'll pass it in silence The Beasts of Prey that are bred in this Country are Tigre-Cats and as is reported by our Men Lions The Tigre-Cat is about the bigness of a Bull-Dog with short Legs and a truss Body shaped much like a Mastiff but in all things else viz. its Head the colour of its Hair and the manner of its Preying much resembling the Tigre only somewhat less Here are great numbers of them They prey on young Calves or other Game whereof here is plenty And because they do not want Food they are the less to be feared But I have wisht them farther off when I have met them in the Woods because their Aspect appears so very stately and fierce I never did see any Lion in this Country but I have been informed by two or three persons that they did see Lions here But I am assured that they are not numerous Here are a great many poisonous Creatures in this Country more particularly Snakes of divers sorts some yellow some green and others of a dun Colour with black and yellowish spots The yellow Snake is commonly as big as the small of a Man's Leg and 6 or 7 seven foot long These are a lazy sort of Creatures for they lye still and prey on Lizards Guanoes or other small Animals that come in their way It is reported That sometimes they lurk in Trees and that they are so mighty in strength as to hold a Bullock fast by one of his Horns when they happen to come so near as that she can twist her self about the Limb of the Tree and the Horn at once These are accounted very good Meat by some and are eaten frequently I my self have tryed it for curiosity but cannot commend it I have heard some Bay-men report that they have seen some of this kind here as big as an ordinary Man's Wast but I never saw any such The green Snakes are no bigger about than a Man's Thumb yet 4 or 5 foot long The Backs are of a very lively green Colour but their Bellies inclining to yellow These are commonly in Bushes among the green Leaves and prey upon small Birds This I have often seen and was once in danger to be bit by one before I saw it For I was going to take hold of a Bird that fluttered and cryed out just by me yet did not fly away neither could I imagin the reason till reaching out my hand I perceived the head of a Snake close by it and looking more narrowly I saw the upper part of the Snake about two or three Inches from his head twisted about the poor Bird. What they feed on besides Birds I know not but they are said to be very venemous The dun coloured Snake is a little bigger than the green Snake but not above a foot and a half or two foot long these we should often see
in and about our Huts but did not kill them because they destroyed the Mice and are very nimble in chacing those Creatures Besides Snakes here are Scorpions and Centapes in abundance Here are also Galliwasps These are Creatures somewhat resembling Lizards but larger their bodies about the thickness of a Man's Arm having four short Legs and small short Tails their colour a dark brown These Creatures live in old hollow Trunks of Trees and are commonly found in wet swampy ground and are said to be very poisonous Here are also a sort of Spiders of a prodigious size some near as big as a Man's Fist with long small Legs like the Spiders in England they have two Teeth or rather Horns an Inch and a half or two Inches long and of a proportionable bigness which are black as Jett smooth as Glass and their small end sharp as a Thorn they are not strait but bending These Teeth we often preserve Some wear them in their Tobacco-pouches to pick their Pipes Others preserve them for Tooth-Pickers especially such as were troubled with the Tooth-ach for by report they will expel that pain tho' I cannot justifie it of my own knowledge The backs of these Spiders are covered with a dark yellowish Down as soft as Velvet Some say these Spiders are venemous others not whether is true I cannot determine Tho' this Country be so often over-flown with Water yet it swarms with Ants of several sorts viz. great small black yellow c. The great black Ant stings or bites almost as bad as a Scorpion and next to this the small yellow Ants bite is most painful for their Sting is like a spark of fire and they are so thick among the boughs in some places that one shall be covered with them before he is aware These Creatures have Nests on great Trees placed on the body between the Limbs some of their Nests are as big as a Hogshead this is their Winter Habitation for in the wet Season they all repair to these their Cities Here they preserve their Eggs. Ants-Eggs are as much esteemed by the Planters in the West-Indies for seeding their Chickens as Great Oat-meal with us in England In the dry Season when they leave their Nests they swarm over all the Woodland for they never trouble the Savannahs You may then see great Paths made by them in the Woods of three or four Inches broad beaten as plain as the Roads in England They go out light but bring home heavy Loads on their backs all of the same substance and equal in bigness I never observed any thing besides pieces of green Leaves so big that I could scarce see the Insect for his Burthen yet they would march stoutly and so many still pressing after that it was a very pretty sight for the Path lookt perfectly green with them There was one sort of Ants of a black Colour pretty large with long Legs these would march in Troops as if they were busie in seeking somewhat they were always in hast and followed their Leaders exactly let them go whither they would these had no beaten Paths to walk in but rambled about like Hunters Sometimes a Band of these Ants would happen to march through our Huts over our Beds or into our Pavilions nay sometimes into our Chests and there ransack every part and where-ever the foremost went the rest all came after We never disturbed them but gave them free liberty to search where they pleased and they would all march off before night These Companies were so great that they would be two or three hours in passing by though they went very fast The Fowls of this Country are Humming Birds Black Birds Turtle Doves Pigeons Parrots Parakites Quames Corresoes Turkies Carrion Crows Subtle Jacks Bill Birds Cockrecoes c. The Humming Bird is a pretty little feather'd Creature no bigger than a great over-grown Wasp with a black Bill no bigger than a small Needle and his Legs and Feet in proportion to his body This Creature does not wave his Wings like other Birds when it flies but keeps them in a continued quick motion like Bees or other Insects and like them makes a continual humming Noise as it flies It is very quick in motion and haunts about Flowers and Fruit like a Bee gathering Hony making many near addresses to its delightful Objects by visiting them on all sides and yet still keeps in motion sometimes on one side sometime on the other as often rebounding a foot or two back on a sudden and as quickly returns again keeping thus about one Flower five or six minutes or more There are two or three sorts of them some bigger than others but all very small neither are they coloured alike the largest are of a blackish colour The Black Bird is somewhat bigger than ours in England it has a longer Tail but like them in Colour They are sometimes called Chattering Crows because they chatter like a Magpy There are three sorts of Turtle Doves viz. white breasted Doves dun coloured Doves and ground Doves The white breasts are the biggest they are of a blewish grey Colour with white breasts these are fine round and plump and almost as big as a Pigeon The next sort are all over of a dun lesser than the former and not so round The ground Dove much bigger than a Sky-Lark of a dull grey very round and plump and commonly run in pairs on the ground and probably thence have their name The other two sorts flie in pairs and feed on Berries which they commonly gather themselves from the Trees where they grow and all three sorts are very good Meat Pigeons are not very common here they are less than our Wood Quests and as good food The Quam is as big as an ordinary Hen Turkey of a blackish dun Colour its Bill like a Turkeys it flies about among the Woods feeds on Berries and is very good meat The Correso is a larger Fowl than the Quam The Cock is black the Hen is of a dark brown The Cock has a Crown of black Feathers on his Head and appears very stately These live also on Berries and are very good to eat but their Bones are said to be poisonous therefore we do either burn or bury them or throw them into the Water for fear our Dogs should eat them Carrion Crows are blackish Fowls about the bigness of Ravens they have bald Heads and redish bald Necks like Turkeys and therefore by Strangers that come newly from Europe are often mistaken for such These live wholly on flesh and are therefore called Carrion Crows There are great numbers of them They are heavy dull Creatures and by their pearching long at one place they seem to be very lazy yet they are quick enough to find out their Prey for when we hunt in the Woods or Savannahs as soon as we have killed a Beast they will immediately flock about us from all parts and in less than an hours time there will be two or