again it shall be to live in the Great Canary But I can scarce prefer any thing to France it self for happiness but before I leave this Island I must not forget to tell you That it 's 30 Leagues in compass and almost round Saturday the 2d towards Evening the Wind blowing hard at North-North-East we Sailed and slacking again about Three a Clock in the Morning we Steer'd our Course in sight of the Pic a high Mountain of the Island of Teneriffe with a design to Anchor in the Road of Holy-Cross our Pilots observ'd in this Latitude that the Needle varied to the North-East three Degrees thirty Minutes Sunday the 3d being to the farthest North of the Great Canary with a scanty Wind at North-North-East we had the Cape to the West all Night Monday the 4th in the Morning we arriv'd at Teneriffe the richest of all the Canary Islands in sight of Holy-Cross a little Town on the East Point of the Island One may Anchor there in 25 or 30 Fathom Water however we did not Anchor at all and remain'd ready to Sail again all day waiting the Sloop that was sent ashore Thô the Governor of Holy-Cross permitted those who went in the Sloop to Land yet he acquainted the Governor-General whose Residence is at Laguna three Leagues from the Sea that there was some French who desir'd to come ashore to be supply'd with Provisions The Answer was To make them Prisoners if they did Perhaps the reason was That they were afraid we might have some Aboard that had the Plague thinking we came from the Levant The Pic is one of the highest Mountains in the World they say one may see it 40 Leagues off at Sea As for us we saw it but 12 or 15 by reason of the Fog which made it appear to us like a Cloud in the Point of a Diamond it 's always cover'd with Snow thô it never Snows below nor ever Freezes As for Teneriffe it 's reckon'd to be the highest Island in the Ocean and the best Peopled for its bigness containing 15000 Inhabitants it 's this which produces that excellent Wine of Malvesia which passes for the best in the World This Wine is not known in these Islands but since the Spaniards became Masters of it for they first brought the Plant from Candia and now they prefer this Wine to that of the Place from whence it derives its Original and there comes a greater quantity from thence than from Candia The Seven Canary Islands lye in a Line one by another almost exactly from East to West they are very Mountainous but well Peopled and very Fertile the least is 60 Miles in compass As I had formerly heard speak of a wonderful Tree in the Isle of Fer whose long and narrow Leaves are always green and supply'd all its Inhabitants with Water I was willing to inform my self about it and I ask'd if it was so as I was inform'd that there falls so great a Dew on this Tree that dropping afterwards as a clear Water into Stone Basons which they set a purpose to receive it it supplies both all the Men and Beasts of the Island Providence thus wonderfully supplying the want of fresh Water They told me 't was a meer Fiction yet some there were too who said there might be such a Tree in the Island but that it did not yield such a quantity Tuesday the 5th we continued our Course to the Southward in 27 Degrees 40 Minutes of Southern Latitude and in 360 Degrees of Eastern Longitude about Six in the Evening the South Point of the Great Canary lay East-North-East from us about 7 Leagues off Wednesday the 6th it blew so hard at East that we were extreamly shatter'd in our Masts and Rigging and the Main-Mast bow'd so that we expected it would come by the Board this Tempest ceas'd a quarter of an hour after and we enjoy'd a Calm again Thursday the 7th at Noon being in 23 Degrees of Southern Latitude and 28 Minutes of East Longitude we pass'd the Tropick of Cancer Wednesday the 8th we approach'd the Coast of Barbary being at Noon in 20 Degrees 47 Minutes of South Latitude the Wind blowing hard at East-North-East and observing 't was impossible to gain Cape Blanc before Night and that we were four Leagues from Land being in 28 Fathom Water we presently tack'd about Steering East-South-East And Saturday the 9th about Eight a Clock in the Morning we found our selves within a League of Land We rang'd the Coast as far as Cape Blanc where we Anchor'd in 14 fathom Water to the North-West about a League from the Point of the Cape which is according to our Elevation in 20 Degrees 30 Minutes of South Latitude and 359 Degrees 10 Minutes of West Latitude When the Portuguese first discover'd this Cape about the Year 1454. they call'd it Cape Blanc for that being Sandy and Barren they saw not the least Verdure it 's level like the Sea whence they call'd it the Sea of Sand. From Cape Cantin to this Cape which comprehends 300 Leagues one sees nothing but a Sandy Plain call'd by the Ancients the Desart of Lybia and by the Arabians Zaara it's Inhabited only by Wild Beasts as Lyons Tygers Onces Leopards and such like Creatures These Desarts reach to Mount Aâ—las on the North and to the Country of the Negroes on the South they are of so vast an extent from East to West that they can't be pass'd on Horseback in fifty days By this way the Caravans of Fex pass to Tombut Melly Borneo and the other Kingdoms of the Negroes When a Storm rises in these Desarts the Sand Buries Men and Camels and often the Stuffs and filling up the Pits by the way the Passengers Dye with Thirst as there is no beaten Path there they make use of the Compass as at Sea There 's a sort of a Gulf in the very Point of Cape Blanc which takes its Name from the Island which it forms which is call'd Arguin this Gulf advances above 15 Leagues into the Land for which reason we lose the sight of it in passing the Point The Portuguese had a Fort formerly in this Island from whence they Traffick'd with the Azoaghes Arabs or Moors who exchange with them Gold Gum-Arabick Ivory and Ostridges Feathers which are in great Plenty there by reason of the great number of these Birds 'T is said of this Creature that its Memory is so bad that it forgets where 'thas laid its Eggs and often treads on them I can't easily believe what I am told that one of them will feed eight Men. They bring these Merchandizes to Hoden which is four days Journey up Land and where arrive the Carravans of Tombut Gualata and other places of Inward Lybia and of the Negroes Country These People observe the Law of Mahomet don't stay long in a place wandring from one place to another along the Desarts according as they find
considers there is but a Plank between him and Eternity CHAP. III. The first discovery of Land since we lost sight of it Remarks on the Pike of Teneriffe WE Steer'd our Course for the Madera Islands where with pleasure we waited to take in some refreshments tho' 't was not above Nine Days that we had lost sight of Land But the Currents which we met having carried us too far to the East or rather to the great Foggs at Land having hinder'd us from the sight of it we left it to the Right without perceiving it till we had doubled it The 9th we discovered the Isle of Savages which was the first Land we made since we parted from Port-Lewis 't is scituated in 30 Degrees of the Northern Latitude and Twenty Minutes Longitude This is an uninhabited Island very dangerous for the Steep Craggy Rocks that inviron it for above a League that scarce a Boat can go a Shoar by this sight of Land we judged we were not far from the Canary Islands which doubtless we should have come to sight of the next Morning if we had not been delay'd by a Calm which happily lasted but a little while for in the Evening it began to blow a brisk Gale so that by the Eleventh at 7 a Clock in the Morning we were within Thirteen Lagues of the Pike of Teneriffe By Noon we were near it being in Twenty Eight Degrees Thirty Six Minutes North Latitude and Three Hundred and Fifty Nine Degrees of Longitude The Pike of Teneriffe is seen Forty Leagues off and undoubtedly may pass for one of the highest Mountains in the World Some make it seven Leagues high others Twelve This proud Mountain wraps its head in the Clouds which appears white by reason of the Snow that covers it Winter and Summer rising through the middle Region of the Air which makes it so cold that none was ever able to mount it Behind this Mountain stands the Town of Canary of which the Island bears the Name which is very Fruitful and abounds in Corn and is famous for the rich Wines it produces which are carried to all Parts of the World Three are besides Three other Islands the first that of Gomer of the same side with the Pike and not above Six or Seven Leagues distant The second is Palm Island memorable for the Death of Forty Jesuits who going to Brazill to Preach the Faith of Jesus Christ were there Martyr'd by the Calvinists about a Hundred Years ago This latter is opposite to the Pike of Teneriffe and is about Twelve or Thirteen Leagues distant We past between these two having Palme Island on the Right and the Pike of Teneriffe on the Left And the last is the Isle of Fer where Geographers commonly place the first Meridian These four Islands belong to Spain so that we could not take a view of them but at a distance by reason of the War between us and it CHAP. IV. The different Opinions concerning the Trading Winds THe Wind which had hardly stir'd all day began to blow fresh in the Evening so that we cou'd easily perceive the Trading Winds which are so useful for Sailing they are call'd so by reason of their continuing three or four months without changing These sort of Winds Blow always from the North East in the Southern parts and from the South East in the Northern parts which very much perplexes curious people to find out the true reason of it Some maintain that the Trading Winds are no other then those which blow from the West and the North with great violence which passing over Europe to the East and South rarify and grow weaker as they approach the warmer Climates on the contrary in the Southern parts the Western and Southern Winds blowing with the same violence towards Africa are thence driven towards the East and North and abate by degrees as they approach the warmths of the Line and quite cease when they reach it Others explain this matter after a different manner they will have it that the excessive heats of the Line draw these Winds from the Poles where the Exhalations and Vapors which are the matter of the Winds being stronger and in greater abundance cause more violent and lasting ones and that afterwards these Winds or Exhalations are drawn towards the Zone and there abated by the excessive heat Behold the best Account I could meet with to satisfy those who are curious in this matter but whatever the Natural Cause of them may be it may be truly said they are the sweetest Winds that blow CHAP. V. The Squadron Anchors at the Island of Saintiague HEther we had reason to admire our happiness and to hope we should soon arrive at Saintiague where we were to stay some days our only misery was a violent Fever which feiz'd our men and of which fifty lay dangerously ill tho' we had been but three weeks at sea 'T was then the R. R. F. F. the Jesuites found an opportunity to exercise their Zeal and Charity they Confest the sick gave them Instructions for dying well and assisted them with their own provisions It must be said that from the first day they came aboard us they had such care by their Holy Example to promote a good life amongst the Officers and seamen that far from following the loose way of others they thought themselves obliegd to behave themselves according to the utmost severity of the Christian Religion they were willingly present at their Catechisms and Sermons on Sundays and at Mass every morning with prayers at the end for the King in the evening we said our beads and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin making an Examen of Conscience on our knees with an Act of Contriction Great was the happiness and advantages we had from the company of these Religious persons but chiefly the sick one of the Mandarins nam'd Pipit dy'd the 7th day of his distemper the R. P. Fachard took particular care of him never leaving him till he had administerd extream Unction and the Holy Eucharist to him Of these three Envoys of the King of Siam he converted two to the Catholick Religion Baptizing them at Brest and 't is to be presum'd that the third would soon have yeilded too to the Authority of his holy Life as well as that of his Arguments All the funeral Honours due to a person of Quality were paid to this deceas'd Mandarin Four Gard Marines held the corners of the Pall and after the usual prayers on the occasion threw him into the Sea with five Guns fir'd at a distance one from another which made it more sad and Sollemn 't was believ'd in the rest of the ships that 't was an Ensign dy'd so to honour him and to testify to their Admiral their concern for him they struck their sails and lay by rolling in his way sadly as if there were none to govern them as soon as the ship past by they hoist their Sails again The next night which
the happiness to descry it and the Sentinel whom we had plac'd on the Top-gallant no sooner cry'd Land but we hoist our Flag to give the welcom news to the other ships who were behind which caus'd a vast and universal joy especially amongst the Sick who would needs come above-board to behold the Land where they hop't for recovery Being now late we durst not come too nigh so having lain By half the night Wednesday the 21st of June we came to an anchor before the Isle of Moelly between nine and ten in the morning CHAP. XII Monsieur Duquesne treats with the King of the Isle of Moelly for refreshments who furnishes him in abundance Its Situation Fertility Religion and Manners of its Inhabitants THe Commandant gave the Gun of Assurance the common practice amongst strange Nations when War is not intended and sent in a sloop with Monsieur Voutron and the Scrivain to know if upon presenting the King we might be furnish'd with Refreshments and other necessaries they were receiv'd as well as could be immagin'd by these Savages who seem'd very well pleas'd to exchange their Fruits and Cattel with us This great present consisted of two pieces of Indian cloath and an old Musket which the latter carried who had been in the Country before and spoke some Portuguese he presented them to the King who was then in a sweet and pleasant Valley call'd the Queen's Creek lying by the sea side about 7 Leagues from where we anchord If one may judge of his Condition by his Brother and Sons whom I have seen selling Hens for paper it can be none of the greatest this little Prince was charm'd with our Present and signify'd to the Scrivain by an Indian Portuguese who had liv'd some time in the Country and was his Interpreter and Intendant of his Affairs that he thanked the Commandant and that he would give Orders to his subjects to furnish us with whatever we had occasion for our Money Upon which Monsieur Duquesne went a shoar that very day to regulate every thing that there might be no disorder or difference on the landing and orderd the Captains of the several ships to command the seamen on pain of death to offer no violence to the Negro's Next morning we debarkt our sick to the number of about fifty most ill of the Scurvy for whom we made Tents by the Sea side the Negro's came from all parts with provisions vix Oxen Cows Kids and almost all other kinds of provisions which we had plenty every day and at very easy rates Our Commandant finding he could at an easy rate refresh his men here after their vast fatiegues allow'd them while they stai'd every day as much fresh provisions morning and evening as they could eat which were so plentiful and cheap that a fat Ox cost but four Livers and a half a Cow but a Crown and Pullets Kids Eggs Milk and Fruits we had in exchange for Knives Paper and bits of Linen Of all other they were fondest of Knives and Linen Being generally Magicians they made use of the first to make characters and with the last they cover'd their nakedness and some of our men have bought an Ox for an old tatter'd Shirt They were no less careful to supply us aboard than a shoar coming every day in their Pirogues which are little Banows made of the hollow'd trunk of a Tree bringing us Ananas Bananes Cocos Lemons Oranges and divers other excellent sorts of fruits which we had in plenty as well as of the other provisions while we lay at anchor Every meal seem'd a feast and indeed we had no less than four or five several sorts of meat at each as much water as we would drink besides our ration of wine at dinner and supper instead of Aqua-vita which we were forc'd to drink for two months we had great plenty of Oranges and scarce eat or drank any thing without them so that our present happiness mads us forget all our past miseries which lasted three whole months without so much as sight of land and having no more than was just necessary to keep us alive Moelly is an Island of Arabia which may be about 30 Leagues in compass scituated in 12 degrees of south Lat. and 63 Degrees 40 Minutes of Long. it s very fertil through the frequent rains that fall and hedg'd in with steep rocks both its vallies and high mountains are cover'd with woods in which fat Oxen are found differing from those of France by a bunch of fat on their backs like a wenn as likewise Kidds Poule Pindades Ring-doves and a great deal of other game and there would be excellent fowling if it were not for the inaccssible Mountains The Orange and Lemon Trees are not its least glory they stand so thick in some places that one may smell them at a great distance and distinguish them amongst crowds of other odorifirocous Trees not inferiour even to them there 's scarce a sweet Orange to be found but all of a delicat tartness except some of a smaller growth that have neither the form nor size of a true natural Orange The Island produces besides excellent Rice and Mill thrice as large as that of France and were it more even and compact would be very fit to live in It seems to be but thinly peopl'd for I saw but one Village of about threescore or fourscore cottages made and cover'd with branches of Palm under which the Negro's lie the entrance into them is so low that one must creep to get into them they sleep on Mats of rice straw which they lay on the ground one sees nothing here which does not argue the miserable life these Savages lead Taking a view of this Village I had the curiosity to enter into a wretched Hutt built of stone and sand which they told me was a Pagod or Temple in which these wretches worship an Oxe's head the forehead being inscrib'd with Arabick characters they made him a grot in the wall adorn'd with shell work where they plac'd this reverend Divinity and which they remov'd a little after we went in whither 't was they believ'd us unworthy to look on 't or that they observ'd we slighted it as much as it deserv'd The middle of the Pagod was matted and on the right side as you enter there was a pole stuck in the ground forkt at one end supporting some mother of pearl burnt on the inside which I suppose serv'd for a lamp and a little lower of the same side was a stair-case of 5 steps leading to the place where the King sits To so many superstitions they joyn a great many of the Mahometan so true it is that the Author of that infamous Religion has sprea'd his follies at so great a distance When we arriv'd it was the time of their Ramadam or Lent during which they mayn't eat drink or smoak 'till the sun's set and they are so exact in 't that no perswasions or threats can make 'em
Leagues an hour and the winds as good and constant as we could desire Sailing so succesfully we could not miss arriving quickly in the heigth of the Maldives which we left of the right without so much as seeing them tho' we had sent the Lyon on the 20th to discover them they are seldon past unseen but our Pilots according to their Card and their calculation told us they must be there so we reckon'd we should soon be at the Isle of Ceylon whither we were order'd to go to see if there were any of the Enemy's ships there for besides that the Dutch had several Collonies there the English came thither every year for Nutmegs Cinnamon and Cloves with which this Island greatly abounds The same day one of our Seamen was drown'd about six at night when the rest of our men were at supper all things seem'd to conspire to his loss a slack wind in our stern made the ship rowl very much and instead of eating with his Comarades according to custom he went on the Deck to kill a Kidd were treading on the blood of the Kidd he slipt and fell into the sea to which the rowling of the ship very much contributed he was a pretty vvay off us before vve perceiv'd it and so could give him no help by casting out ropes the Marriners did all that they could and Monsieur Duquesne order'd them to take dovvn the sails and hoise the boat out but ' t vvas too late and we saw him perish without our being able to give him the least assistance Next day being the 22d there happen'd a pleasant but an unlucky mistake presently after noon the Seamen cry'd Land before us and we immediately believ'd that 't was the Coast of Coromandal or the Isle of Ceylon we made the ordinary signal and presently after discover'd eight Islands near one another which joyn'd to the view we had of land to the South made Monsieur Duquesne say that 't was certainly the Maldives the Pilots could not be of his opinion and the reputation of their skill and judgment was concern'd to differ from him In the mean time after perusing the Cards and their Journals they own'd their mistake and agreed that the biggest sight of land was the point of the Maldives which is the most Northerly Island of all the rest which we found too true and we attributed the cause of this mistake to the strong Currents which they found had thrown us too much to the west we presently tack't about and lay by all night for fear of being run aground by the tides CHAP. XVI Vicu of the Isle of Ceylon famous for its Beauty Riches and the mountain of the Peke of Adam a Dutch Pink with eight chests of Silver made Prize FRom break of day 'till Friday the 28th we made all the sail we could when Loyseau who kept the head of the Squadron made a signal of his discovering land and after we had descry'd it our selves too on the edge of the Horrison we hoisted our flag to give notice to the rest 'T was not long before we plainly perceiv'd the Isle of Ceylon at which we very much rejoyc'd having all along expected to meet some of the Enemys ships there I think I never saw a more pleasant Country being very even and of a vast extent and one of the most rich and fertill in the world you see here a great number of tall Trees ever green some forming lovely Arbours others beautiful alleys in the vast plaines which stretcht themselves towards the sea side besides a rich smell of Nutmegs and Cinnamon charming and delicious beyond Expression Of the three Mountains in this Island there is one remarkable for its heigth and name being the Peke of Adam and by some believ'd that Adam and Eve were bury'd here which is as great a certainty as that other opinion they have here that God in this Island establisht the terrestrical Paradice which I leave to the more knowing to judge of This Isle is plac'd between 6 and 10 Deg. of North Lat. and 103 Deg. of Long. its form is round and may be about 250 Leagues in compass or better The Dutch who are Masters of it draw an immence revennue thence for the Nutmegs and Cinnamon as well as the Pearl which is fisht up here Coasting the Island we discoverd two sail a head of us who seem'd to keep at a distance from the Island but presently made to land when they saw us Our Commandant impatient to know whence they were thought to snap them by hoisting up English colours and making all the sail he could the Dragon as the swiftest sailer went to cut off their way and when we were vvithin shot of them vve fir'd a gun as did the Dragon too and the ball so scar'd em that instead of coming aboard as vve hop'd they presently fled for refuge to a house by the sea side a fevv hours after the Sentinel vvho vvas on the top cry'd a Sail I can't easily describe the different motions of joy it caus'd amongst us some vvent up to the round-top others to the fane others vvho could not so easily do it stood in the shrouds and the rest made use of their Perspectives to discover a vessel which could not yet be seen but by her top yet after an hours sailing she was plainly disern'd to be three Leagues off The Sun was already set and we fear'd but one thing which was that she would sail off in the night and so escape us by taking a contrary course so that we scarce knew what to do tho' we were sure she lay at anchor our Commandant considerd of it being loath to do as he had done before at Amiouam where he shot a matter of eight hunderd shot at random in the night when fifty would serve by day light so he resolv'd to ly by her all night without attempting any thing by which means we shou'd confirm her the more in her mistake of us So we anchord in 25 fathom water at seven a-clock and next morning being the 25th weighed anchor again at 5 in the morning the wind blowing fresh quickly brought us to the sight of her for which we were so much concern'd all night least she should make her escape We first heard Mass after that we breakfasted and then Monsieur Duqusne orderd to hoise up English colours the Enemy mistaking their friends answer'd us by hanging out Dutch colours whithour stiring from where they lay giving us all the time and opportunity we could wish for to attack them and now indeed it was in vain to attempt an escape if they had known we were French This Vessel lay at Anchor in the road of Mevelle under the shelter of a high ground which hinder'd her having a sight of us the night before The Rock whom we follow'd enter'd into the same road and anchor'd by her side which she had scarce done but the Dutch underdanding what we were endeavour'd to get ashoar
on the third of December we came to an anchor within three Leagues and a half of the Land where after firing three guns of notice as the first time the Commandant sent Monsieur Fauche to give notice of his arrival We presently prepar'd to set a shoar at the mouth of the River those who had the disease of the Country and to get fresh provisions aboard for the rest of the sick the number of whom was too great to let the English know of it who had a Factory too at Balazor and might make their advantages of it Monsieur Deslandes Director general arriv'd from Ougly 2 days after almost at the same time as the Mergui an English built ship of 18 guns with two others that the French took from the Siamois which were partly laden with Salt-peter and some bales of goods that were to be put aboard the Squadron we unloaded 'em out of hand and several other great Barks who every day brought us the rest of the goods while we were loading Monsieur Deslandes continued a board us whom the Commandant entertain'd very nobly and honour'd him several times with the discharge of guns as well from his own ship as the rest who complimented him thus in their Turns We were very ill furnisht with fresh provisions here the beef and mutton was meer carrion so that two of the Captains who were careful of the health of their men threw what fell to their share over-board I never saw any flesh so red or so likely to procure a flux however our Captain who did not much concern himself with such things and the violence of hunger made us digest them with rice which was now our bread for four months This fare was none of the best and I long'd to go to Balazor to mend my diet but could not get leave by reason that at our first landing there were some of the Seamen who got drunk with Aquavitae and quarrell'd with the English one of vvhom they kill'd with a knife which was the occasion of hindring the others going a shoar without so much as excepting some of us who were not given to such kind of quarrels The two Mandarins being gone to Balazor to Inquire out a convenient passage to their Country understood that them was a Moorish ship bound suddainly for Mergui they agreed presently for their passage with the Captain and afterwards came to take their leave of Monsieur Duquesne and Father Tachard who was glad to be rid of the burthen The Father who had them under his protection and who was in honor oblieg'd to see them us'd respectfully having receiv'd them from the hand of the late King of Siam procur'd from Monsieur Duquesne a Compliment to dismiss them with five guns We recommended to them the mierable state of the French who languisht in their prisons and Monsieur Chamoreau Captain of the Lyon besought them in particular in the behalf of a Brother of his who was actually a prisoner there tho' to be plain with them I believe their interest was very inconsiderable And if I may believe the account a Jesuite gave me of them 't would be as much as they could do to keep their own feet out of the fetters when they came home Father Duchast whom a long Residence in Siam had render'd him knowing in the Maxims and policies of this Nation arriv'd at Ougli and came to salute Father Tachard and to put into his hands a great quantity of provisions which the Jesuits of this Town sent to those of Ponticheri after he had put them aboard us he he return'd very well pleas'd with his Voyage and us too for he was so civil as to let us have all the curious stuffs he had brought from Ougly at reasonable rates Monsieur Vasseur second Lieutenant of the Rock dying next morning we threw him into the sea with 7 guns discharg'd for his Funeral CHAP. XL. The Squadron parts from Balazor to return to Ponticheri we found a great number of Moors there who fled for refuge to the French THe near approach of an ill Season but cheifly the earnest desire of Monsieur Duquesne to return to France made us hasten our departure after having taken in fresh Water and all other supplies necessary for our Voyage we commanded our sick aboard whom the land Air had perfectly recover'd And on Saturday the 30th of December we parted with Monsieur Deslandes for Pontichery being follow'd by the Company 's boat loaden with powder and ball for the Fort. We took our course South East and by South with a fresh gale which soon turn'd into a calm and lasted from the first to the fifth of January 1691. When it began to blow a fresh again and on the tenth in the evening we discover'd the land of Madras at which the Commandant lay by for fear of passing beyond it in the night resolving to stop there the next day if he discover'd any shiping tho' the fright and consternation the enemy was in gave us little ground to expect it yet nevertheless we met one whom the fort had no sooner warn'd of our arrival by six guns but she fled not believing it a sufficient protection We follow'd her with all the sail we could make and at last came up with her notwithstanding she had been so far a head of us about four in the afternoon seeing the Lyon and the Dragon within shot of her she run herself within a little bank at Sadraspatam where her men presently went a shoar But in vain had she sought for safety there if the sea which was very ruff had not hinder'd us from boarding her yet we earnestly desier'd it being ready to run any riskque in the pillageing and burning of her but Monsieur Duquesne judging otherwise of it pursued his Voyage and this evening came to an anchor some Leagues beyond Madras from whence we departed next morning being the twelfth and arriv'd at Pontichery at one in the afternoon the Fort saluted us with nine Guns and we answer'd them with as many Father Tachand went a shoar presently taking with him what he had aboard intending to make his residence there I could not immagine that the loss of his Reverence could produce such different effects as it did there were some who were very much afflicted at it and a great many others who of the contrary were very little concern'd and most of the Seamen who are little verst in the merits and worth of Men were as incensible of the loss of him as if they had never enjoy'd the advantages of his company however he wanted not the civility of seven Guns at his departure The Publick is like to be oblieg'd to him for an account of his Voyage which at parting he put into the hands of Monsieur Duquesne to deliver it to the RR. FF Jesuites who were to see it printed but it contains no return I read nothing in it which I had not seen and which I have not inserted in this except
Pasture for their Horses Camels Oxen Sheep and Goats on the Milk of which they live They are divided by Tribes and Families they acknowledge no other King but him who surpasses the rest in Riches and him they willingly Obey as their Captain Their Traffick with the Negroes consists in Horses and Camels they receive two six eight ten Slaves for one Horse but for a Camel only two The Fort of Arguin was taken by the Dutch from the Portuguese and again taken from them in the War of 1672. by Monsieur Ducas Captain of the Royal Company of Africa he had but 120 Men to this Expedition and lost but three of them The Cowardise of the Dutch eas'd this Conquest very much for nothing was more easie than to prevent it we had but six Guns of which the biggest was but an Eight Pounder nothing defended us and with all this we wanted Water it being impossible to Drink of that of one single Well in the Island which stinks This Fort remain'd to us by the Treaty of Nimeguen as did all the other Places which the Company Occupies notwithstanding this Treaty the Dutch send several Ships thither every Year which is a manifest infraction The Captain of our Ship Landed there with 30 Men thinking to have met the Ship call'd the Town of Hambourgh but it was Sail'd away we found only one Bark in the Dock which was not finish'd and which we burnt and another little Vessel in which were some Moors and Dutch who abandoning it Swam for 't 'T was found Loaded with Tortoises which were very welcom to our Men in the Sloop whose Provisions were all spent they are very large on this Coast and very plentiful one alone will feed 30 Men they eat like Veal and are Meat good enough its Shell may be about 15 Foot round Cape Blanc abounds in Fish besides the common Fish as Parguese Vielles Gold-Fish Junny and Sea-Dogs and others of whose Names I am ignorant our Men catch'd some of them and fed very happily on them for eight days which we carried on this Coast As far as the Mouth of the River of Senegal there are some shatter'd Habitations of Moors thô the Country be very Barren and scarce any thing lives there but Fish Saturday the 16th we continued our Course to Goree and past in sight of the River Senegal of which I shall speak hereafter Tuesday the 19th we discover'd Cape-Verde being in 14 Degrees 45 Minutes of Southern Latitude North. This Cape was thus Nam'd by the Portuguese who discover'd it the same Year as Cape-Blanc They Nam'd it Cape-Verde because the great number of Trees they saw there of which several are always green It 's high and yields a pleasant Prospect on the top are two round Mountains which from their resemblance were call'd Breasts It advances very far out into the Sea and passes for the greatest in the Ocean after Cape De-Bon-Esperance there is a great concourse of Tides there which bear to the Southward It s Situation is ill mark'd in the Card which places it in 14 Degrees exact whereas it 's in 14 and a half After doubling the first Point for there are two we see a little Island which is uninhabited it 's Nam'd the Isle of Birds by reason of the great numbers seen there at its first Discovery When we had pass'd this Island we doubled the other Point to discover Goree which lies behind the Cape almost opposite to the Breasts The Coast runs inward to the North-West in a Creek where is found the best Water of all this Latitude which is a great relief to the Ships Being arriv'd at Goree Wednesday the 20th of May 1682. and Anchoring in the Road we Saluted the Port with seven Guns which return'd the Salute Gun for Gun the first was with Ball in Honour to Monsieur Dancourt when he went into the Sloop our Ship saluted him with five Guns all the Ships in the Road did the same and when he was Landed the Fort saluted him with seven more After shewing the Letters of the Company who had made him Director he took possession of his Employment he found Affairs in a very ill posture by the conduct of two Persons each of them pretending to the chief Command The one was a Frenchman and Commandant of Goree for the Company and the other their Agent-General along the Coast But as this is none of my business I shall meddle no farther The Island of Goree was called so by the Hollanders because it resembled an Island of Zealand of the same Name It 's about a quarter of a League in compass and runs long ways North and South about a League from the Land it has to the South a Rock slopeing of one side and of the other is wash'd by the Sea The whole Island indeed is surrounded almost by Rocks which hinders the entrance into it except a little Creek by which Vessels may enter As the Portugueses were the first who have made long Voyages on this Coast 't was first discover'd by them as well as all the rest of Africa to the Sea Ocean and Atlantick side having fallen into the possession of the Dutch they built a Fort on the weakest side of the Mountain for the Defence of the Island and of another wretched Fort which was below not able to defend it self Monsieur the Count d'Estrees Vice-Admiral of France in 1678. in the Month of November seiz'd on this Fort which the Governor render'd to him without making any Defence as they could not spare Men to Garison them they were both raz'd Messieurs of the Company who Govern the Island at present have a little re-establish'd that below by Buildings which serve them for Magazines and by the raising an ordinary Wall on the Ruins of the Old Fort only to avoid being insulted by the Negroes Monsieur Dancourt presently employ'd himself in promoting the Trade visiting the Counters establish'd along the Coasts and in giving Orders to the Commissaries and afterwards in seeking the Amity of the Negro Kings and Chiefs To this end he began to visit the Country up and down for a matter of fourscore Leagues that is from the Mouth of the Senegal to that of the River Gambia which are the two Mouths of the River Niger I accompany'd him in all his Journeys along the Coasts when I inform'd my self of all that concerns the Country of their Religion Manners and Customs of the Africans of Cape-Verde We began the 6th of December with Senegal whither we could not go by Sea because of a North Wind that was just contrary to us notwithstanding the Affairs of that place requiring the presence of Monsieur Dancourt because of the Death of the Governor which happen'd a little before he resolv'd to go thither by Land and to send the Fame a Ship commanded by Captain D'Oyere as well to carry Merchandise as to bring back
to fetch all their Water and Wood from the main Land These are they who have the best share of all the Trade that is driven on this River which chiefly consists in Negroe Slaves Ivory and Wax It is Navigable above two hundred Leagues A DESCRIPTION OF THE River ZAMENEE THE River Zamenee is inhabited by several sorts of Negroes those at its Mouth towards the North call themselves Floupes a People extreamly Savage with whom no Nation has any Commerce They are all Pagans having every one his God according to his particular Inclinations one worships a Bullocks Horn another a Beast or a Tree to whom they offer Sacrifice according to their own manner Their Dress is like those of Cape Verd and the Inhabitants of the River Gambia which consists in a Piece of Cotton Cloth striped after the manner of the Country which barely covers their nakedness They have no succession of Kings the most Absolute and most Powerful amongst them Commands They understand Cultivation very well and make very good Improvements of their Lands which they sow with Mill and Rice Their Riches consists in Bullocks Cows Goats of which some of them have great quantities They possess the Coast all along as far as the River Gambia and about six Leagues into the Land Their Towns are well Peopled and about a quarter of a League distant one from another The Negroes or Filouppes that inhabit the South Entrance of this River are exceeding barbarous and cruel for when they can catch any white Men they give 'em no quarter and some say they eat them These are in possession of the Country all along the Coast to a Town called Boulol which stands at the Mouth of the River of St. Domingo This Coast is much better Peopled than that of Gambia The Villages are about two Leagues distant one from another and about half a League from the Sea About seven or eight Leagues farther the ebbing and flowing of the Sea makes a little River which leads to the Town of Jam where the Portuguese make great Quantities of Wax which they traffick with by Land to Gambia and Cacheaux The adjacent Countries are inhabited by Negroes who are call'd Bagnons and these have a King that lives twelve or thirteen Leagues from the Sea A DESCRIPTION OF THE River St. Domingo THE River of St. Domingo runs from East to West winding a matter of two hundred Leagues 'T is also inhabited by different sorts of Negroes and by the Portuguese who have several Towns there At the North Entrance of it there is small Fort belonging to the Portuguese mounted with four Guns and commanded by Serjeant and four Soldiers Four Leagues higher on the same Shoar near the Village of Boulet is the little River of Linguim which runs a matter of nine or ten Leagues under Ground and then loses it self It is possest and cultivated by the Bagnon Negroes who are all Idolaters and very much dreaded by their Neighbours The Village of Quongain is directly at its Entrance where abundance of Portuguese and Gourmets inhabit who make great store of Wax there The River Boguinda is on the same Coast about three Leagues higher than the Tide comes It spreads it self twelve or fifteen Leagues into the Land inhabited by the same sort of People who as I have told you before traffick altogether with Wax 'T is the ordinary Passage from Cacheau to Jam. On the Entrance of the River of St. Domingo to the South is a large Wood called Matteformose and a Village inhabited by the Flouppes much more civiliz'd than those I have mention'd before With whom a Trade is maintain'd for Slaves and Provisions but chiefly for great Quantities of Rice Going up the River about two Leagues you meet with a small Rivolet which is not Navigable but separates the Flouppes from the Papels The Papels are Pagan Negroes all Idolaters as the former They have a King who dwels five or six Leagues from them When any considerable Person dies they sacrifice Bullocks Cows Kids and Capon to their Gods which are for the most part one or more Trees the Horn of an Ox c. In the same Road about four Leagues higher you find the Town of Cacheau now in the Hands of the Portuguese who have three Forts there the chief of which may have about ten or twelve Guns and the other two three or four each A Captain-Major has the Government of it who has a dependance on the Governor of Cape Verd they are every Year recruited with thirty or forty Portnguese Soldiers who are generally banish'd Criminals they supplying the Places of those who die for want of wholsome Diet by necessity or by an over addicting themselves to Women 'T is design'd them a Place of Exile tho' they often find it happy enough There may be about three hundred Inhabitants in the Town who are for the most part Mullato's the other may have Wives or Concubines There is in the Town a Receiver of the King's Customs for the Ships that come to traffick there pay ten per Cent. for coming in and going out There is a Grefferi or Writer who holds the Place both of Publick Notary and Sheriff 't is the Governor who administers Justice There is a Parochial Church a Curate and a Visitator who is in the Nature of the great Vicar of France for he always makes Visitations on behalf the Bishop of St. James There is also a Convent of Capuchins where there are seldom more than three or four Religious The Inhabitants of the Town have little Boats and Barks in which they trade on the Rivers of Nonne Pougues Serlione and to the Islands of the Bezagots where they have a great Commerce with Wax Slaves and some small pieces of Ivory The Portuguese have yet another Town a great way higher up the River about one hundred and fifty Leagues from Cacheau call'd Farim pallasodo'd round but the Inhabitants are not so numerous as at Cacheau tho' the greatest part of them have Somer-Houses here where their Gourmet's make Calico's and some small quantities of Wax There is also a Curate and a Captain-Major who is dependant on the Town of Cacheau The Negroes that inhabit the adjacent Countries are call'd Maudingues All the Villages from Cacheau to Farim are Peopled by the Gourmets of the Portuguese who gather Cotton c. Going Southward out of the River of St. Domingo you meet several Islands the first is call'd the Three Islands which effectively has that Figure Possessed by the Gourmots or Negroes who have freed themselves from the Slavery of the Portuguese and most of them tho' they are baptis'd have renounc'd the Catholick Faith They cultivate this Island which produces great store of Cotton of which they make their Cloth They have Cannoo's to serve them in their Traffick with the Negroes of the Continent The Place which they pass is call'd the Bott They are very