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A VOYAGE TO NEW HOLLAND ETC.
IN THE YEAR 1699.
Wherein are described,
The Canary Islands, the Isles of Mayo and St. Jago. The Bay of
All-Saints, with the forts and town of Bahia in Brazil. Cape Salvador.
The winds on the Brazilian coast. Abrolho Shoals. A table of all the
variations observed in this voyage. Occurrences near the Cape of Good
Hope. The course to New Holland. Shark's Bay. The isles and coast, etc.
of New Holland.
Their inhabitants, manners, customs, trade, etc. Their harbours, soil,
beasts, birds, fish, etc. Trees, plants, fruits, etc.
...
Illustrated with several maps and draughts: also divers birds, fishes and
plants not found in this part of the world, curiously engraven on copper
plates.
...
BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER.
...
THE THIRD EDITION.
...
LONDON,
Printed for James and John Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard.
1729.
...
CONTENTS.
DEDICATION.
THE PREFACE.
CHAPTER 1.
The Author's departure from the Downs.
A caution to those who sail in the Channel.
His arrival at the Canary Islands.
Santa Cruz in Tenerife; the road and town, and Spanish wreck.
Laguna Town lake and country; and Oratavia town and road.
Of the wines and other commodities of Tenerife, etc. and the governors at
Laguna and Santa Cruz.
Of the winds in these seas.
The Author's arrival at Mayo.
Of the Cape Verde Islands; its salt pond compared with that of Salt
Tortuga; its trade for salt, and frape-boats.
Its vegetables, silk-cotton, etc.
Its soil, and towns; its guinea-hens and other fowls, beasts, and fish.
Of the sea turtles, etc. laying in the wet season.
Of the natives, their trade and livelihood.
The Author's arrival at St. Jago; Praya and St. Jago Town.
Of the inhabitants and their commodities.
Of the custard-apple, St. Jago Road.
Fogo.
CHAPTER 2.
The Author's deliberation on the sequel of his voyage, and departure from
St. Jago.
His course, and the winds, etc. in crossing the Line.
He stands away for the Bay of All-Saints in Brazil; and why.
His arrival on that coast and in the bay.
Of the several forts, the road, situation, town, and buildings of Bahia.
Of its Governor, ships and merchants; and commodities to and from Europe.
Claying of sugar.
The season for the European ships, and coir cables: of their Guinea trade
and of the coasting trade, and whale killing.
Of the inhabitants of Bahia; their carrying in hammocks: their
artificers, crane for goods, and negro slaves.
Of the country about Bahia, its soil and product.
Its timber-trees; the sapiera, vermiatico, commesserie, guitteba, serrie,
and mangroves.
The bastard-coco, its nuts and cables; and the silk-cotton-trees.
The Brazilian fruits, oranges, etc.
Of the soursops, cashews and jennipahs.
Of their peculiar fruits, arisahs, mericasahs, petangos, petumbos,
mungaroos, muckishaws, ingwas, otees, and musteran-de-ovas.
Of the palmberries, physick-nuts, mendibees, etc. and their roots and
herbs, etc.
Of their wildfowl, macaws, parrots, etc.
The yemma, carrion-crow and chattering-crow, bill-bird, curreso,
turtledove and wild pigeons; the jenetee, clocking-hen, crab-catcher,
galden, and black heron: the ducks, widgeon and teal; and ostriches to
the southward, and of the dunghill-fowls.
Of their cattle, horses, etc.
Leopards and tigers.
Of their serpents; the rattlesnake, small green snake.
Amphisbaena, small black and small grey snake; the great land-, and the
great watersnake; and of the water-dog.
Of their sea-fish and turtle; and of St. Paul's Town.
CHAPTER 3.
The Author's stay and business at Bahia: of the winds, and seasons of the
year there.
His departure for New Holland.
Cape Salvador.
The winds on the Brazilian coast; and Abrolho Shoal; fish and birds: the
shearwater bird, and cooking of sharks.
Excessive number of birds about a dead whale; of the pintado bird, and
the petrel, etc.
Of a bird that shows the Cape of Good Hope to be near: of the
sea-reckonings, and variations: and a table of all the variations
observed in this voyage.
Occurrences near the Cape; and the Author's passing by it.
Of the westerly winds beyond it: a storm, and its presages.
The Author's course to New Holland; and signs of approaching it.
Another Abrolho Shoal and storm, and the Author's arrival on part of New
Holland.
That part described, and Shark's Bay, where he first anchors.
Of the land there, vegetables, birds, etc.
A particular sort of iguana: fish, and beautiful shells; turtle, large
shark, and water-serpents.
The Author's removing to another part of New Holland: dolphins, whales,
and more sea-serpents: and of a passage or strait suspected here: of the
vegetables, birds, and fish.
He anchors on a third part of New Holland, and digs wells, but brackish.
Of the inhabitants there, and great tides, the vegetables and animals,
etc.
MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
MAP. CAPTAIN DAMPIER'S NEW VOYAGE TO NEW HOLLAND ETC. IN 1699 ETC.
TABLE 1. CANARY ISLANDS.
TABLE 2. CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.
TABLE 3. BRAZIL.
BIRDS OF THE VOYAGE:
FIGURE 1: THE PINTADO BIRD.
FIGURE 2: THIS VERY MUCH RESEMBLES THE GUARAUNA, DESCRIBED AND FIGURED BY
PISO.
TABLE 4. NEW HOLLAND.
BIRDS OF NEW HOLLAND:
FIGURE 3: THE HEAD AND GREATEST PART OF THE NECK OF THIS BIRD IS RED AND
THEREIN DIFFERS FROM THE AVOFETTA OF ITALY.
FIGURE 4: THE BILL AND LEGS OF THIS BIRD ARE OF A BRIGHT RED.
FIGURE 5: A NODDY OF NEW HOLLAND.
FIGURE 6: A COMMON NODDY.
FISH OF NEW HOLLAND:
FIGURE 1: THE MONKFISH.
FIGURE 3: A FISH TAKEN ON THE COAST OF NEW HOLLAND.
FIGURE 6: A REMORA TAKEN STICKING TO SHARKS BACKS.
FIGURE 8: A CUTTLE TAKEN NEAR NEW HOLLAND.
FIGURE 9: A FLYING-FISH TAKEN IN THE OPEN SEA.
PLANTS FOUND IN BRAZIL. TABLE 1 PLANTS.
PLANTS FOUND IN NEW HOLLAND. TABLE 2 PLANTS.
PLANTS FOUND IN NEW HOLLAND. TABLE 3 PLANTS.
PLANTS FOUND IN NEW HOLLAND AND TIMOR. TABLE 4 PLANTS.
PLANTS FOUND IN THE SEA NEAR NEW GUINEA. TABLE 5 PLANTS.
FISH OF NEW HOLLAND. PLATE 3 FISHES:
FIGURE 4: A FISH CALLED BY THE SEAMEN THE OLD WIFE.
FIGURE 5: A FISH OF THE TUNNY KIND TAKEN ON THE COAST OF NEW HOLLAND.
DOLPHINS. PLATE 2 FISHES:
FIGURE 2: THE DOLPHIN OF THE ANCIENTS TAKEN NEAR THE LINE, CALLED BY OUR
SEAMEN A PORPOISE.
FIGURE 7: A DOLPHIN AS IT IS USUALLY CALLED BY OUR SEAMEN TAKEN IN THE
OPEN SEA.
A VOYAGE TO NEW HOLLAND, ETC. IN THE YEAR 1699.
DEDICATION.
To the Right Honourable Thomas, Earl of Pembroke,
Lord President of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.
My Lord,
The honour I had of being employed in the service of his late Majesty of
illustrious memory, at the time when Your Lordship presided at the
Admiralty, gives me the boldness to ask your protection of the following
papers. They consist of some remarks made upon very distant climates,
which I should have the vanity to think altogether new, could I persuade
myself they had escaped Your Lordship's knowledge. However I have been so
cautious of publishing any thing in my whole book that is generally known
that I have denied myself the pleasure of paying the due honours to Your
Lordship's name in the Dedication. I am ashamed, My Lord, to offer you so
imperfect a present, having not time to set down all the memoirs of my
last voyage: but, as the particular service I have now undertaken hinders
me from finishing this volume, so I hope it will give me an opportunity
of paying my respects to Your Lordship in a new one.
The world is apt to judge of everything by the success; and whoever has
ill fortune will hardly be allowed a good name. This, My Lord, was my
unhappiness in my late expedition in the Roebuck, which foundered through
perfect age near the island of Ascension. I suffered extremely in my
reputation by that misfortune; though I comfort myself with the thoughts
that my enemies could not charge any neglect upon me. And since I have
the honour to be acquitted by Your Lordship's judgment I should be very
humble not to value myself upon so complete a vindication. This and a
world of other favours which I have been so happy as to receive from Your
Lordship's goodness, do engage me to be with an everlasting respect,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most faithful and obedient servant,
WILL. DAMPIER.
THE PREFACE.
The favourable reception my two former volumes of voyages and
descriptions have already met with in the world gives me reason to hope
that, notwithstanding the objections which have been raised against me by
prejudiced persons, this third volume likewise may in some measure be
acceptable to candid and impartial readers who are curious to know the
nature of the inhabitants, animals, plants, soil, etc. in those distant
countries, which have either seldom or not at all been visited by any
Europeans.
It has almost always been the fate of those who have made new discoveries
to be disesteemed and slightly spoken of by such as either have had no
true relish and value for the things themselves that are discovered, or
have had some prejudice against the persons by whom the discoveries were
made. It would be vain therefore and unreasonable in me to expect to
escape the censure of all, or to hope for better treatment than far
worthier persons have met with before me. But this satisfaction I am sure
of having, that the things themselves in the discovery of which I have
been employed are most worthy of our diligentest search and inquiry;
being the various and wonderful works of God in different parts of the
world: and however unfit a person I may be in other respects to have
undertaken this task, yet at least I have given a faithful account, and
have found some things undiscovered by any before, and which may at least
be some assistance and direction to better qualified persons who shall
come after me.
It has been objected against me by some that my accounts and descriptions
of things are dry and jejune, not filled with variety of pleasant matter
to divert and gratify the curious reader. How far this is true I must
leave to the world to judge. But if I have been exactly and strictly
careful to give only true relations and descriptions of things (as I am
sure I have) and if my descriptions be such as may be of use not only to
myself (which I have already in good measure experienced) but also to
others in future voyages; and likewise to such readers at home as are
more desirous of a plain and just account of the true nature and state of
the things described than of a polite and rhetorical narrative: I hope
all the defects in my style will meet with an easy and ready pardon.
Others have taxed me with borrowing from other men's journals; and with
insufficiency, as if I was not myself the author of what I write but
published things digested and drawn up by others. As to the first part of
this objection I assure the reader I have taken nothing from any man
without mentioning his name, except some very few relations and
particular observations received from credible persons who desired not to
be named; and these I have always expressly distinguished in my books
from what I relate as of my own observing. And as to the latter I think
it so far from being a diminution to one of my education and employment
to have what I write revised and corrected by friends that, on the
contrary, the best and most eminent authors are not ashamed to own the
same thing, and look upon it as an advantage.
Lastly I know there are some who are apt to slight my accounts and
descriptions of things as if it was an easy matter and of little or no
difficulty to do all that I have done, to visit little more than the
coasts of unknown countries, and make short and imperfect observations of
things only near the shore. But whoever is experienced in these matters,
or considers things impartially, will be of a very different opinion. And
anyone who is sensible how backward and refractory the seamen are apt to
be in long voyages when they know not whither they are going, how
ignorant they are of the nature of the winds and the shifting seasons of
the monsoons, and how little even the officers themselves generally are
skilled in the variation of the needle and the use of the azimuth
compass; besides the hazard of all outward accidents in strange and
unknown seas: anyone, I say, who is sensible of these difficulties will
be much more pleased at the discoveries and observations I have been able
to make than displeased with me that I did not make more.
Thus much I thought necessary to premise in my own vindication against
the objections that have been made to my former performances. But not to
trouble the reader any further with matters of this nature; what I have
more to offer shall be only in relation to the following voyage.
For the better apprehending the course of this voyage and the situation
of the places mentioned in it I have here, as in the former volumes,
caused a map to be engraven with a pricked line representing to the eye
the whole thread of the voyage at one view, besides charts and figures of
particular places, to make the descriptions I have given of them more
intelligible and useful.
Moreover, which I had not opportunity of doing in my former voyages;
having now had in the ship with me a person skilled in drawing, I have by
this means been enabled, for the greater satisfaction of the curious
reader, to present him with exact cuts and figures of several of the
principal and most remarkable of those birds, beasts, fishes and plants,
which are described in the following narrative; and also of several
which, not being able to give any better or so good an account of, as by
causing them to be exactly engraven, the reader will not find any further
description of them, but only that they were found in such or such
particular countries. The plants themselves are in the hands of the
ingenious Dr. Woodward. I could have caused many others to be drawn in
like manner but that I resolved to confine myself to such only as had
some very remarkable difference in the shape of their principal parts
from any that are found in Europe. I have besides several birds and
fishes ready drawn, which I could not put into the present volume because
they were found in countries to the description whereof the following
narrative does not reach. For, being obliged to prepare for another
voyage sooner than I at first expected, I have not been able to continue
the ensuing narrative any further than to my departure from the coast of
New Holland. But if it please God that I return again safe, the reader
may expect a continuation of this voyage from my departure from New
Holland till the foundering of my ship near the island of Ascension.
In the meantime to make the narrative in some measure complete I shall
here add a summary abstract of the latter part of the voyage, whereof I
have not had time to draw out of my journals a full and particular
account at large. Departing therefore from the coast of New Holland in
the beginning of September 1699 we arrived at Timor September 15 and
anchored off that island. On the 24th we obtained a small supply of fresh
water from the governor of a Dutch fort and factory there; we found also
there a Portuguese settlement and were kindly treated by them. On the 3rd
of December we arrived on the coast of New Guinea; where we found good
fresh water and had commerce with the inhabitants of a certain island
called Pulo Sabuda. After which, passing to the northward, we ranged
along the coast to the easternmost part of New Guinea, which I found does
not join to the mainland of New Guinea, but is an island, as I have
described it in my map, and called it New Britain.
It is probable this island may afford many rich commodities, and the
natives may be easily brought to commerce. But the many difficulties I at
this time met with, the want of convenience to clean my ship, the fewness
of my men, their desire to hasten home, and the danger of continuing in
these circumstances in seas where the shoals and coasts were utterly
unknown and must be searched out with much caution and length of time,
hindered me from prosecuting any further at present my intended search.
What I have been able to do in this matter for the public service will, I
hope, be candidly received; and no difficulties shall discourage me from
endeavouring to promote the same end whenever I have an opportunity put
into my hands.
May 18 in our return we arrived at Timor. June 21 we passed by part of
the island Java. July 4 we anchored in Batavia Road, and I went ashore,
visited the Dutch General, and desired the privilege of buying provisions
that I wanted, which was granted me. In this road we lay till the 17th of
October following, when, having fitted the ship, recruited myself with
provisions, filled all my water, and the season of the year for returning
towards Europe being come, I set sail from Batavia, and on the 19th of
December made the Cape of Good Hope, whence departing January 11 we made
the island of St. Helena on the 31st; and February the 21st the island of
Ascension; near to which my ship, having sprung a leak which could not be
stopped, foundered at sea; with much difficulty we got ashore where we
lived on goats and turtle; and on the 26th of February found, to our
great comfort, on the south-east side of a high mountain, about half a
mile from its top, a spring of fresh water. I returned to England in the
Canterbury East India ship. For which wonderful deliverance from so many
and great dangers I think myself bound to return continual thanks to
Almighty God; whose divine providence if it shall please to bring me safe
again to my native country from my present intended voyage; I hope to
publish a particular account of all the material things I observed in the
several places which I have now but barely mentioned.
...
A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS.
1699.
CHAPTER 1. DEPARTURE AND PROVISIONING EN ROUTE.
THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM THE DOWNS.
I sailed from the Downs early on Saturday, January 14, 1699, with a fair
wind, in His Majesty's Ship the Roebuck; carrying but 12 guns in this
voyage and 50 men and boys with 20 months' provision. We had several of
the King's ships in company, bound for Spithead and Plymouth, and by noon
we were off Dungeness.
A CAUTION TO THOSE WHO SAIL IN THE CHANNEL.
We parted from them that night, and stood down the Channel, but found
ourselves next morning nearer the French coast than we expected; Cape de
Hague bearing south-east and by east 6 leagues. There were many other
ships, some nearer, some farther off the French coast, who all seemed to
have gone nearer to it than they thought they should. My master, who was
somewhat troubled at it at first, was not displeased however to find that
he had company in his mistake: which as I have heard is a very common
one, and fatal to many ships. The occasion of it is the not allowing for
the change of the variation since the making of the charts; which Captain
Halley has observed to be very considerable. I shall refer the reader to
his own account of it which he caused to be published in a single sheet
of paper, purposely for a caution to such as pass to and fro the English
Channel. And my own experience thus confirming to me the usefulness of
such a caution I was willing to take this occasion of helping towards the
making it the more public.
Not to trouble the reader with every day's run, nor with the winds or
weather (but only in the remoter parts, where it may be more particularly
useful) standing away from Cape la Hague, we made the start about 5 that
afternoon; which being the last land we saw of England, we reckoned our
departure from thence: though we had rather have taken it from the
Lizard, if the hazy weather would have suffered us to have seen it.
HIS ARRIVAL AT THE CANARY ISLANDS.
The first land we saw after we were out of the Channel was Cape
Finisterre, which we made on the 19th; and on the 28th made Lancerota,
one of the Canary Islands of which, and of Allegrance, another of them, I
have here given the sights, as they both appeared to us at two several
bearings and distances.
SANTA CRUZ IN TENERIFE; THE ROAD AND TOWN, AND SPANISH WRECK.
We were now standing away for the island Tenerife where I intended to
take in some wine and brandy for my voyage. On Sunday, half an hour past
3 in the afternoon, we made the island and crowded in with all our sails
till five; when the north-east point of the isle bore west-south-west
distance 7 leagues. But, being then so far off that I could not expect to
get in before night, I lay by till next morning, deliberating whether I
should put in at Santa Cruz, or at Oratavia, the one on the east, the
other on the west side of the island; which lies mostly north and south;
and these are the principal ports on each side. I chose Santa Cruz as the
better harbour (especially at this time of the year) and as best
furnished with that sort of wine which I had occasion to take in for my
voyage: so there I come to an anchor January 30th, in 33 fathom water,
black slimy ground; about half a mile from the shore; from which distance
I took the sight of the town.
In the road ships must ride in 30, 40, or 50 fathom water, not above half
a mile from the shore at farthest: and if there are many ships they must
ride close one by another. The shore is generally high land and in most
places steep too. This road lies so open to the east that winds from that
side make a great swell, and very bad going ashore in boats: the ships
that ride here are then often forced to put to sea, and sometimes to cut
or slip their anchors, not being able to weigh them. The best and
smoothest landing is in a small sandy cove, about a mile to the
north-east of the road, where there is good water, with which ships that
lade here are supplied; and many times ships that lade at Oratavia, which
is the chief port for trade, send their boats hither for water. That is a
worse port for westerly than this is for easterly winds; and then all
ships that are there put to sea. Between this watering-place and Santa
Cruz are two little forts; which with some batteries scattered along the
coast command the road. Santa Cruz itself is a small unwalled town
fronting the sea, guarded with two other forts to secure the road. There
are about 200 houses in the town, all two stories high, strongly built
with stone and covered with pantile. It hath two convents and one church,
which are the best buildings in the town. The forts here could not secure
the Spanish galleons from Admiral Blake, though they hauled in close
under the main fort. Many of the inhabitants that are now living remember
that action in which the English battered the town, and did it much
damage; and the marks of the shot still remain in the fort walls. The
wrecks of the galleons that were burnt here lie in 15 fathom water: and
it is said that most of the plate lies there, though some of it was
hastily carried ashore at Blake's coming in sight.
LAGUNA TOWN LAKE AND COUNTRY; AND ORATAVIA TOWN AND ROAD.
Soon after I had anchored I went ashore here to the Governor of the town,
who received me very kindly and invited me to dine with him the next day.
I returned on board in the evening, and went ashore again with two of my
officers the next morning; hoping to get up the hill time enough to see
Laguna, the principal town, and to be back again to dine with the
Governor of Santa Cruz; for I was told that Laguna was but 3 miles off.
The road is all the way up a pretty steep hill; yet not so steep but that
carts go up and down laden. There are public houses scattering by the
wayside, where we got some wine. The land on each side seemed to be but
rocky and dry; yet in many places we saw spots of green flourishing corn.
At farther distances there were small vineyards by the sides of the
mountains, intermixed with abundance of waste rocky land, unfit for
cultivation, which afforded only dildo-bushes. It was about 7 or 8 in the
morning when we set out from Santa Cruz; and, it being fair clear
weather, the sun shone very bright and warmed us sufficiently before we
got to the city Laguna; which we reached about 10 o'clock, all sweaty and
tired, and were glad to refresh ourselves with a little wine in a sorry
tippling-house: but we soon found out one of the English merchants that
resided here, who entertained us handsomely at dinner, and in the
afternoon showed us the town.
Laguna is a pretty large well-compacted town, and makes a very agreeable
prospect. It stands part of it against a hill, and part in a level. The
houses have mostly strong walls built with stone and covered with
pantile. They are not uniform, yet they appear pleasant enough. There are
many fair buildings; among which are 2 parish churches, 2 nunneries, a
hospital, 4 convents, and some chapels; besides many gentlemen's houses.
The convents are those of St. Austin, St. Dominick, St. Francis, and St.
Diego. The two churches have pretty high square steeples, which top the
rest of the buildings. The streets are not regular, yet they are mostly
spacious and pretty handsome; and near the middle of the town is a large
parade, which has good buildings about it. There is a strong prison on
one side of it; near which is a large conduit of good water, that
supplies all the town. They have many gardens which are set round with
oranges, limes, and other fruits: in the middle of which are pot-herbs,
salading, flowers, etc. And indeed, if the inhabitants were curious this
way, they might have very pleasant gardens: for as the town stands high
from the sea on the brow of a plain that is all open to the east, and
hath consequently the benefit of the true tradewind, which blows here and
is most commonly fair; so there are seldom wanting at this town brisk,
cooling, and refreshing breezes all the day.
On the back of the town there is a large plain of 3 or 4 leagues in
length and 2 miles wide, producing a thick kindly sort of grass, which
looked green and very pleasant when I was there, like our meadows in
England in the spring. On the east side of this plain, very near the back
of the town, there is a natural lake or pond of fresh water. It is about
half a mile in circumference; but being stagnant, it is only used for
cattle to drink of. In the wintertime several sorts of wildfowl resort
hither, affording plenty of game to the inhabitants of Laguna. This city
is called Laguna from hence; for that word in Spanish signifies a lake or
pond. The plain is bounded on the west, the north-west and the south-west
with high steep hills; as high above this plain as this is above the sea;
and it is from the foot of one of these mountains that the water of the
conduit which supplies the town is conveyed over the plain in troughs of
stone raised upon pillars. And indeed, considering the situation of the
town, its large prospect to the east (for from hence you see the Grand
Canary) its gardens, cool arbors, pleasant plain, green fields, the pond
and aqueduct, and its refreshing breezes; it is a very delightful
dwelling, especially for such as have not business that calls them far
and often from home: for, the island being generally mountainous, steep,
and craggy, full of risings and fallings, it is very troublesome
travelling up and down in it, unless in the cool of the mornings and
evenings: and mules and asses are most used by them, both for riding and
carriage, as fittest for the stony, uneven roads.
Beyond the mountains, on the south-west side, still further up, you may
see from the town and plain a small peaked hill, overlooking the rest.
This is that which is called the Pike of Tenerife, so much noted for its
height: but we saw it here at so great a disadvantage, by reason of the
nearness of the adjacent mountains to us, that it looked inconsiderable
in respect to its fame.
OF THE WINES AND OTHER COMMODITIES OF TENERIFE, ETC.
The true malmsey wine grows in this island; and this here is said to be
the best of its kind in the world. Here is also canary wine, and verdona,
or green wine. The canary grows chiefly on the west side of the island;
and therefore is commonly sent to Oratavia; which being the chief seaport
for trade in the island, the principal English merchants reside there,
with their consul; because we have a great trade for this wine. I was
told that that town is bigger than Laguna; that it has but one church,
but many convents: that the port is but ordinary at best and is very bad
when the north-west winds blow. These norwesters give notice of their
coming by a great sea that tumbles in on the shore for some time before
they come, and by a black sky in the north-west. Upon these signs ships
either get up their anchors, or slip their cables and put to sea, and ply
off and on till the weather is over. Sometimes they are forced to do so 2
or 3 times before they can take in their lading; which it is hard to do
here in the fairest weather: and for fresh water they send, as I have
said, to Santa Cruz. Verdona is green, strong-bodied wine, harsher and
sharper than canary. It is not so much esteemed in Europe, but is
exported to the West Indies, and will keep best in hot countries; for
which reason I touched here to take in some of it for my voyage. This
sort of wine is made chiefly on the east side of the island, and shipped
off at Santa Cruz.
Besides these wines, which are yearly vended in great plenty from the
Canary Islands (chiefly from Grand Canary, Tenerife, and Palma) here is
store of grain, as wheat, barley, and maize, which they often transport
to other places. They have also some beans and peas, and coches, a sort
of grain much like maize, sowed mostly to fatten land. They have papaws,
which I shall speak more of hereafter; apples, pears, plums, cherries,
and excellent peaches, apricots, guavas, pomegranates, citrons, oranges,
lemons, limes, pumpkins, onions the best in the world, cabbages, turnips,
potatoes, etc. They are also well stocked with horses, cows, asses,
mules, sheep, goats, hogs, conies, and plenty of deer. The Lancerota
horses are said to be the most mettlesome, fleet, and loyal horses that
are. Lastly here are many fowls, as cocks, and hens, ducks, pigeons,
partridges, etc. with plenty of fish, as mackerel, etc. All the Canary
Islands have of these commodities and provisions more or less: but as
Lancerota is most famed for horses, and Grand Canary, Tenerife, and Palma
for wines, Tenerife especially for the best malmsey (for which reason
these 3 islands have the chief trade) so is Forteventura for
dunghill-fowls, and Gomera for deer. Fowls and other eatables are dear on
the trading islands; but very plentiful and cheap on the other; and
therefore it is best for such ships that are going out on long voyages,
and who design to take in but little wine, to touch rather at these last;
where also they may be supplied with wine enough, good and cheap: and,
for my own part, if I had known before I came hither, I should have gone
rather to one of those islands than to Tenerife: but enough of this.
AND THE GOVERNORS AT LAGUNA AND SANTA CRUZ.
It is reported they can raise 12,000 armed men on this island. The
governor or general (as he is called) of all the Canary Islands lives at
Laguna: his name is Don Pedro de Ponto. He is a native of this island,
and was not long since President of Panama in the South Seas: who
bringing some very rich pearls from thence, which he presented to the
Queen of Spain, was therefore, as it is said, made general of the Canary
Islands. The Grand Canary is an island much superior to Tenerife both in
bulk and value; but this gentleman chooses rather to reside in this his
native island. He has the character of a very worthy person; and governs
with moderation and justice, being very well beloved.
One of his deputies was the governor of Santa Cruz, with whom I was to
have dined; but staying so long at Laguna, I came but time enough to sup
with him. He is a civil, discreet man. He resides in the main fort close
by the sea. There is a sentinel stands at his door; and he has a few
servants to wait on him. I was treated in a large dark lower room, which
has but one small window. There were about 200 muskets hung up against
the walls, and some pikes; no wainscot, hangings, nor much furniture.
There was only a small old table, a few old chairs, and 2 or 3 pretty
long forms to sit on. Having supped with him I invited him on board, and
went off in my boat. The next morning he came aboard with another
gentleman in his company, attended by 2 servants: but he was presently
seasick and so much out of order that he could scarce eat or drink
anything, but went quickly ashore again.
OF THE WINDS IN THESE SEAS.
Having refreshed my men ashore, and taken in what we had occasion for, I
sailed away from Santa Cruz on February 4 in the afternoon; hastening out
all I could, because the north-east winds growing stormy made so great
sea that the ship was scarce safe in the road; and I was glad to get out,
though we left behind several goods we had bought and paid for: for a
boat could not go ashore; and the stress was so great in weighing anchor
that the cable broke. I designed next for the Island of Mayo, one of the
Cape Verde Islands; and ran away with a strong north-east wind right
before it all that night and the next day, at the rate of 10 or 11 miles
an hour; when it slackened to a more moderate gale. The Canary Islands
are, for their latitude, within the usual verge of the true or general
tradewind; which I have observed to be, on this side the equator,
north-easterly: but then, lying not far from the African shore, they are
most subject to a north wind, which is the coasting and constant trade,
sweeping that coast down as low as to Cape Verde; which, spreading in
breadth, takes in mostly the Canary Islands; though it be there
interrupted frequently with the true tradewind, north-west winds, or
other shifts of wind that islands are subject to; especially where they
lie many together. The Pike of Tenerife, which had generally been clouded
while we lay at Santa Cruz, appeared now all white with snow, hovering
over the other hills; but their height made it seem the less
considerable; for it looks most remarkable to ships that are to the
westward of it. We had brisk north-north-east and north-east winds from
Tenerife, and saw flying-fish, and a great deal of sea-thistle weed
floating. By the 9th of February at noon we were in the latitude of 15
degrees 4 minutes so we steered away west-north-west for the island of
Mayo, being by judgment not far to the east of it, and at 8 o'clock in
the evening lay by till day. The wind was then at west by south, and so
it continued all night, fair weather, and a small easy gale. All these
were great signs, that we were near some land, after having had such
constant brisk winds before. In the morning after sunrise we saw the
island at about 4 leagues distance. But it was so hazy over it that we
could see but a small part of it; yet even by that part I knew it to be
the isle of Mayo. See how it appeared to us at several views as we were
compassing the east and south-east and south of it, to get to the road,
on the south-west of it, and the road itself.
THE AUTHOR'S ARRIVAL AT MAYO.
I got not in till the next day, February 11, when I come to an anchor in
the road, which is the leeward part of the island; for it is a general
rule never to anchor to windward of an island between the tropics. We
anchored at 11 o'clock in 14 fathom clean sand, and very smooth water,
about three-quarters of a mile from the shore, in the same place where I
anchored in my voyage round the world; and found riding here the Newport
of London, a merchantman, Captain Barefoot commander, who welcomed me
with 3 guns and I returned one for thanks. He came from Fayal, one of the
western islands; and had store of wine and brandy aboard. He was taking
in salt to carry to Newfoundland, and was very glad to see one of the
King's ships, being before our coming afraid of pirates, which of late
years had much infested this and the rest of the Cape Verde Islands.
I have given some account of the island of Mayo and of other of these
islands in my Voyage round the World, but I shall now add some further
observations that occurred to me in this voyage. The island of Mayo is
about 7 leagues in circumference, of a roundish form, with many small
rocky points shooting out into the sea a mile or more. Its latitude is 15
degrees north, and as you sail about the isle, when you come pretty nigh
the shore, you will see the water breaking off from those points; which
you must give a berth to and avoid them. I sailed at this time two parts
in three round the island, but saw nothing dangerous besides these
points; and they all showed themselves by the breaking of the water: yet
it is reported that on the north and north-north-west side there are
dangerous shoals that lie farther off at sea; but I was not on that side.
There are 2 hills on this island of a considerable height; one pretty
bluff, the other peaked at top. The rest of the island is pretty level
and of a good height from the sea. The shore clear round hath sandy bays
between the rocky points I spoke of, and the whole island is a very dry
sort of soil.
OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS; ITS SALT POND COMPARED WITH THAT OF SALT
TORTUGA; ITS TRADE FOR SALT, AND FRAPE-BOATS.
On the west side of the isle where the road for ships is, there is a
large sandy bay and a sandbank of about 40 paces wide within it which
runs along the shore 2 or 3 miles; within which there is a large salina
or salt pond, contained between the sandbank and the hills beyond it. The
whole salina is about 2 miles in length, and half a mile wide; but above
one half of it its commonly dry. The north end only of the pond never
wants water, producing salt from November till May, which is here the dry
season of the year. The water which yields this salt works in from out of
the sea through a hole in the sandbank before mentioned, like a sluice,
and that only in spring tides when it fills the pond more or less,
according to the height of the tides. If there is any salt in the ponds
when the flush of water comes in it presently dissolves: but then in 2 or
3 days after it begins to kern; and so continues kerning till either all
or the greatest part of the salt water is congealed or kerned; or till a
fresh supply of it comes in again from the sea. This water is known to
come in only at that one passage on the north part of the pond; where
also it is deepest. It was at a spring of the new moon when I was there;
and I was told that it comes in at no other time but at the new moon
spring tides; but why that should be I can't guess. They who come hither
to lade salt rake it up as it kerns, and lay it in heaps on the dry land,
before the water breaks in anew: and this is observable of this salt
pond, that the salt kerns only in the dry season, contrary to the salt
ponds in the West Indies, particularly those of the island Salt Tortuga,
which I have formerly mentioned, for they never kern there till the rains
come in about April; and continue to do so in May, June, July etc. while
the wet season lasts; and not without some good shower of rain first: but
the reason also of this difference between the salt ponds of Mayo and
those of the West Indies why these should kern in the wet season, and the
former in the dry season, I shall leave to philosophers.
Our nation drives here a great trade for salt, and have commonly a
man-of-war here for the guard of our ships and barks that come to take it
in; of which I have been informed that in some years there have not been
less than 100 in a year. It costs nothing but men's labour to rake it
together, and wheel it out of the pond, except the carriage: and that
also is very cheap; the inhabitants having plenty of asses for which they
have little to do besides carrying the salt from the ponds to the seaside
at the season when ships are here. The inhabitants lade and drive their
asses themselves, being very glad to be employed; for they have scarce
any other trade but this to get a penny by. The pond is not above half a
mile from the landing-place, so that the asses make a great many trips in
a day. They have a set number of turns to and fro both forenoon and
afternoon, which their owners will not exceed. At the landing-place there
lies a frape-boat, as our seamen call it, to take in the salt. It is made
purposely for this use, with a deck reaching from the stern a third part
of the boat; where there is a kind of bulkhead that rises not from the
boat's bottom but from the edge of the deck to about 2 foot in height;
all caulked very tight. The use of it is to keep the waves from dashing
into the boat when it lies with its head to the shore to take in salt:
for here commonly runs a great sea; and when the boat lies so with its
head to the shore the sea breaks in over the stern, and would soon fill
it was it not for this bulkhead, which stops the waves that come flowing
upon the deck and makes them run off into the sea on each side. To keep
the boat thus with the head to the shore and the stern to the sea there
are two strong stanchions set up in the boat, the one at the head, the
other in the middle of it, against the bulkhead, and a foot higher than
the bulkhead. There is a large notch cut in the top of each of these
stanchions big enough for a small hawser or rope to lie in; one end of
which is fastened to a post ashore, and the other to a grappling or
anchor lying a pretty way off at sea: this rope serves to haul the boat
in and out, and the stanchions serve to keep her fast, so that she cannot
swing to either side when the rope is hauled tight: for the sea would
else fill her, or toss her ashore and stave her. The better to prevent
her staving and to keep her the tighter together there are two sets of
ropes more: the first going athwart from gunwale to gunwale, which, when
the rowers benches are laid, bind the boats sides so hard against the
ends of the benches that they cannot easily fall asunder, while the
benches and ropes mutually help each other; the ropes keeping the boat's
sides from flying off, and the benches from being crushed together
inwards. Of these ropes there are usually but two, dividing the boat's
length as they go across the sides into three equal parts. The other set
of ropes are more in number, and are so placed as to keep the ribs and
planks of the boat from starting off. For this purpose there are holes
made at certain distances through the edge of the keel that runs along on
the inside of the boat; through which these ropes passing are laid along
the ribs so as to line them, or be themselves as ribs upon them, being
made fast to them by rattans brought thither, or small cords twisted
close about both ropes and ribs, up to the gunwale: by which means though
several of the nails or pegs of the boat should by any shock fall out,
yet the ropes of these two sets might hold her together: especially with
the help of a rope going quite round about the gunwale on the outside, as
our longboats have. And such is the care taken to strengthen the boats;
from which girding them with ropes, which our seamen call fraping, they
have the name of frape-boats. Two men suffice to haul her in and out, and
take in the salt from shore (which is brought in bags) and put it out
again. As soon as the boat is brought nigh enough to the shore he who
stands by the bulkhead takes instantly a turn with the hawser about the
bulkhead stanchion; and that stops her fast before the sea can turn her
aside: and when the two men have got in their lading they haul off to sea
till they come a little without the swell; where they remove the salt
into another boat that carries it on board the ship. Without such a
frape-boat here is but bad landing at any time: for though it is commonly
very smooth in the road, yet there falls a great sea on the shore, so
that every ship that comes here should have such a boat, and bring or
make or borrow one of the other ships that happen to be here; for the
inhabitants have none. I have been thus particular in the description of
these frape-boats because of the use they may be of in any places where a
great sea falls in upon the shore: as it does especially in many open
roads in the East and West Indies; where they might therefore be very
serviceable; but I never saw any of them there.
ITS VEGETABLES, SILK-COTTON, ETC. ITS SOIL, AND TOWNS; ITS GUINEA-HENS
AND OTHER FOWLS, BEASTS, AND FISH. OF THE SEA TURTLES, ETC. LAYING IN THE
WET SEASON. OF THE NATIVES, THEIR TRADE AND LIVELIHOOD.
The island Mayo is generally barren, being dry, as I said; and the best
of it is but a very indifferent soil. The sandy bank that pens in the
salt pond has a sort of silk-cotton growing upon it, and a plant that
runs along upon the ground, branching out like a vine, but with thick
broad leaves. The silk-cotton grows on tender shrubs, 3 or 4 foot high,
in cods as big as an apple, but of a long shape; which when ripe open at
one end, parting leisurely into 4 quarters; and at the first opening the
cotton breaks forth. It may be of use for stuffing of pillows, or the
like, but else is of no value, any more than that of the great
cotton-tree. I took of these cods before that were quite ripe, and laid
them in my chest; and in 2 or 3 days they would open and throw out the
cotton. Others I have bound fast with strings, so that the cod could not
open; and in a few days after, as soon as I slackened the string never so
little, the cod would burst and the cotton fly out forcibly at a very
little hole, just as the pulp out of a roasting apple, till all has been
out of the cod. I met with this sort of cotton afterwards at Timor (where
it was ripe in November) and nowhere else in all my travels; but I found
two other sorts of silk-cotton at Brazil, which I shall there describe.
The right cotton-shrub grows here also, but not on the sandbank. I saw
some bushes of it near the shore; but the most of it is planted in the
middle of the isle, where the inhabitants live, cotton-cloth being their
chief manufacture; but neither is there any great store of this cotton.
There also are some trees within the island, but none to be seen near the
seaside; nothing but a few bushes scattering up and down against the
sides of the adjacent hills; for as I said before the land is pretty high
from the sea. The soil is for the most part either a sort of sand, or
loose crumbling stone, without any fresh-water ponds or streams to
moisten it, but only showers in the wet season which run off as fast as
they fall, except a small spring in the middle of the isle, from which
proceeds a little stream of water that runs through a valley between the
hills. There the inhabitants live in three small towns, having a church
and padre in each town: and these towns, as I was informed, are 6 or 7
miles from the road. Pinose is said to be the chief town, and to have 2
churches: St. John's the next, and the third Lagoa. The houses are very
mean: small, low things. They build with figtree, here being, as I was
told, no other trees fit to build with. The rafters are a sort of wild
cane. The fruits of this isle are chiefly figs and watermelons. They have
also callavances (a sort of pulse like French beans) and pumpkins for
ordinary food. The fowls are flamingos, great curlews, and guinea-hens,
which the natives of those islands call galena pintata, or the painted
hen; but in Jamaica, where I have seen also those birds in the dry
savannahs and woods (for they love to run about in such places) they are
called guinea-hens. They seem to be much of the nature of partridges.
They are bigger than our hens, have long legs, and will run apace. They
can fly too but not far, having large heavy bodies and but short wings
and short tails: as I have generally observed that birds have seldom long
tails unless such as fly much; in which their tails are usually
serviceable to their turning about as a rudder to a ship or boat. These
birds have thick and strong yet sharp bills, pretty long claws, and short
tails. They feed on the ground, either on worms, which they find by
tearing open the earth; or on grasshoppers, which are plentiful here. The
feathers of these birds are speckled with dark and light grey; the spots
so regular and uniform that they look more beautiful than many birds that
are decked with gayer feathers. Their necks are small and long; their
heads also but little. The cocks have a small rising on their crowns,
like a sort of a comb. It is of the colour of a dry walnut shell, and
very hard. They have a small red gill on each side of their heads, like
ears, strutting out downwards; but the hens have none. They are so strong
that one cannot hold them; and very hardy. They are very good meat,
tender, and sweet; and in some the flesh is extraordinary white; though
some others have black flesh: but both sorts are very good. The natives
take them with dogs, running them down whenever they please; for here are
abundance of them. You shall see 2 or 300 in a company. I had several
brought aboard alive, where they throve very well; some of them 16 or 18
months; when they began to pine. When they are taken young they will
become tame like our hens. The flamingos I have already described at
large. They have also many other sort of fowls, namely pigeons and
turtledoves; miniotas, a sort of land-fowls as big as crows, of a grey
colour, and good food; crusias, another sort of grey-coloured fowl almost
as big as a crow, which are only seen in the night (probably a sort of
owls) and are said to be good for consumptive people but eaten by none
else. Rabeks, a sort of large grey eatable fowls with long necks and
legs, not unlike herons; and many kinds of small birds.
Of land animals here are goats, as I said formerly, and asses good store.
When I was here before they were said to have had a great many bulls and
cows: but the pirates who have since miserably infested all these islands
have much lessened the number of those; not having spared the inhabitants
themselves: for at my being there this time the governor of Mayo was but
newly returned from being a prisoner among them, they having taken him
away, and carried him about with them for a year or two.
The sea is plentifully stocked with fish of divers sorts, namely
dolphins, bonetas, mullet, snapper, silver-fish, garfish, etc. And here
is a good bay to haul a seine or net in. I hauled mine several times, and
to good purpose; dragging ashore at one time 6 dozen of great fish, most
of them large mullet of a foot and a half or two foot long. Here are also
porpoises, and a small sort of whales that commonly visit this road every
day. I have already said that the months of May, June, July and August
(that is, the wet season) are the time when the green-turtle come hither
and go ashore to lay their eggs. I look upon it as a thing worth taking
notice of that the turtle should always, both in north and south
latitude, lay their eggs in the wet months. It might be thought,
considering what great rains there are then in some places where these
creatures lay, that their eggs should be spoiled by them. But the rain,
though violent, is soon soaked up by the sand wherein the eggs are
buried; and perhaps sinks not so deep into it as the eggs are laid: and
keeping down the heat may make the sand hotter below than it was before,
like a hot-bed. Whatever the reason may be why Providence determines
these creatures to this season of laying their eggs, rather than the dry,
in fact it is so, as I have constantly observed; and that not only with
the sea-turtle but with all other sorts of amphibious animals that lay
eggs; as crocodiles, alligators, iguanas etc. The inhabitants of this
island, even their governor and padres, are all negroes, wool-pated like
their African neighbours; from whom it is like they are descended;
though, being subjects to the Portuguese, they have their religion and
language. They are stout, lusty, well-limbed people, both men and women,
fat and fleshy; and they and their children as round and plump as little
porpoises; though the island appears so barren to a stranger as scarce to
have food for its inhabitants. I enquired how many people there might be
on the isle; and was told by one of the padres that here were 230 souls
in all. The negro governor has his patent from the Portuguese governor of
St. Jago. He is a very civil and sensible poor man; and they are
generally a good sort of people. He expects a small present from every
commander that lades salt here; and is glad to be invited aboard their
ships. He spends most of his time with the English in the salting season,
which is his harvest; and indeed, all the islanders are then fully
employed in getting somewhat; for they have no vessels of their own to
trade with, nor do any Portuguese vessels come hither: scarce any but
English, on whom they depend for trade: and though subjects of Portugal,
have a particular value for us. We don't pay them for their salt, but for
the labour of themselves and their beasts in lading it: for which we give
them victuals, some money, and old clothes, namely hats, shirts, and
other clothes: by which means many of them are indifferently well rigged;
but some of them go almost naked. When the turtle season comes in they
watch the sandy bays in the night to turn them; and having small huts at
particular places on the bays to keep them from the rain, and to sleep
in: and this is another harvest they have for food; for by report there
come a great many turtle to this and the rest of the Cape Verde Islands.
When the turtle season is over they have little to do but to hunt for
guinea-hens and manage their small plantations. But by these means they
have all the year some employment or other; whereby they get a
subsistence though but little else. When any of them are desirous to go
over to St. Jago they get a licence from the governor and desire passage
in any English ship that is going thither: and indeed all ships that lade
salt here will be obliged to touch at St. Jago for water, for here at the
bay is none, not so much as for drinking. It is true there is a small
well of brackish water not half a mile from the landing-place which the
asses that carry salt drink at; but it is very bad water. Asses
themselves are a commodity in some of these islands, several of our ships
coming hither purposely to freight with them and carry them to Barbados
and our other plantations. I stayed at Mayo 6 days and got 7 or 8 ton of
salt aboard for my voyage: in which time there came also into this road
several sail of merchants ships for salt; all bound with it for
Newfoundland.
THE AUTHOR'S ARRIVAL AT ST. JAGO; PRAYA AND ST. JAGO TOWN.
The 19th day of February, at about one o'clock in the morning, I weighed
from Mayo Road in order to water at St. Jago, which was about 5 or 6
leagues to the westward. We coasted along the island St. Jago and passed
by the port on the east of it I mentioned formerly which they call Praya;
where some English outward-bound East-Indiamen still touch, but not so
many of them as heretofore. We saw the fort upon the hill, the houses and
coconut-trees: but I would not go in to anchor here because I expected
better water on the south-west of the island at St. Jago Town. By eight
o'clock in the morning we saw the ships in that road, being within 3
leagues of it: but were forced to keep turning many hours to get in, the
flaws of wind coming so uncertain; as they do especially to the leeward
of islands that are high land. At length two Portuguese boats came off to
help tow us in; and about three o'clock in the afternoon we came to an
anchor and took the prospect of the town. We found here, besides two
Portuguese ships bound for Brazil whose boats had towed us in, an English
pink that had taken in asses at one of the Cape Verde Islands and was
bound to Barbados with them. Next morning I went ashore with my officers
to the governor, who treated us with sweetmeats: I told him the occasion
of my coming was chiefly for water; and that I desired also to take in
some refreshments of fowls, etc. He said I was welcome, and that he would
order the townsmen to bring their commodities to a certain house, where I
might purchase what I had occasion for: I told him I had not money but
would exchange some of the salt which I brought from Mayo for their
commodities. He replied that salt was indeed an acceptable commodity with
the poor people, but that if I designed to buy any cattle I must give
money for them. I contented myself with taking in dunghill-fowls: the
governor ordering a crier to go about the town and give notice to the
people that they might repair to such a place with fowls and maize for
feeding them where they might get salt in exchange for them: so I sent on
board for salt and ordered some of my men to truck the same for the fowls
and maize while the rest of them were busy in filling of water. This is
the effect of their keeping no boats of their own on the several islands,
that they are glad to by even their own salt of foreigners for want of
being able to transport it themselves from island to island.
St. Jago Town lies on the south-west part of the island in latitude about
15 degrees north, and is the seat of the general governor and of the
bishop of all the Cape Verde Islands. This town stands scattering against
the sides of two mountains, between which there is a deep valley, which
is about 200 yards wide against the sea; but within a quarter of a mile
it closes up so as not to be 40 yards wide. In the valley by the sea
there is a straggling street, houses on each side, and a run of water in
the bottom which empties itself into a fine small cove or sandy bay where
the sea is commonly very smooth; so that here is good watering and good
landing at any time; though the road be rocky and bad for ships. Just by
the landing-place there is a small fort, almost level with the sea, where
is always a court of guard kept. On the top of the hill, above the town,
there is another fort which, by the wall that is to be seen from the
road, seems to be a large place. They have cannon mounted there, but how
many know not: neither what use that fort can be of except it be for
salutes. The town may consist of 2 or 300 houses, all built of rough
stone; having also one convent, and one church.
OF THE INHABITANTS AND THEIR COMMODITIES.
The people in general are black, or at least of a mixed colour, except
only some few of the better sort, namely the governor, the bishop, some
gentlemen, and some of the padres; for some of these also are black. The
people about Praya are thievish; but these of St. Jago Town, living under
their governor's eye, are more orderly, though generally poor, having
little trade: yet besides chance ships of other nations there come hither
a Portuguese ship or two every year, in their way to Brazil. These vend
among them a few European commodities, and take of their principal
manufactures, namely striped cotton cloth which they carry with them to
Brazil. Here is also another ship comes hither from Portugal for sugar,
their other manufacture, and returns with it directly thither: for it is
reported that there are several small sugar-works on this island from
which they send home near 100 ton every year; and they have plenty of
cotton growing up in the country wherewith they clothe themselves, and
send also a great deal to Brazil. They have vines of which they make some
wine; but the European ships furnish them with better; though they drink
but little of any. Their chief fruits are (besides plantains in
abundance) oranges, lemons, citrons, melons (both musk and watermelons)
limes, guavas, pomegranates, quinces, custard-apples, and papaws, etc.
OF THE CUSTARD-APPLE, ST. JAGO ROAD.
The custard-apple (as we call it) is a fruit as big as a pomegranate, and
much of the same colour. The outside husk, shell, or rind, is for
substance and thickness between the shell of a pomegranate, and the peel
of a seville orange; softer than this, yet more brittle than that. The
coat or covering is also remarkable in that it is beset round with small
regular knobs or risings; and the inside of the fruit is full of a white
soft pulp, sweet and very pleasant, and most resembling a custard of any
thing, both in colour and taste; from whence probably it is called a
custard-apple by our English. It has in the middle a few small black
stones or kernels; but no core, for it is all pulp. The tree that bears
this fruit is about the bigness of a quince-tree, with long, small, and
thick-set branches spread much abroad: at the extremity of here and there
one of which the fruit grows upon a stalk of its own about 9 or 10 inches
long, slender and tough, and hanging down with its own weight. A large
tree of this sort does not bear usually above 20 or 30 apples, seldom
more. This fruit grows in most countries within the tropics, I have seen
of them (though I omitted the description of them before) all over the
West Indies, both continent and islands; as also in Brazil, and in the
East Indies.
The papaw too is found in all these countries, though I have not hitherto
described it. It is a fruit about the bigness of a musk-melon, hollow as
that is, and much resembling it in shape and colour, both outside and
inside: only in the middle, instead of flat kernels, which the melons
have, these have a handful of small blackish seeds about the bigness of
peppercorns; whose taste is also hot on the tongue somewhat like pepper.
The fruit itself is sweet, soft and luscious, when ripe; but while green
it is hard and unsavoury: though even then being boiled and eaten with
salt-pork or beef, it serves instead of turnips and is as much esteemed.
The papaw-tree is about 10 or 12 foot high. The body near the ground may
be a foot and a half or 2 foot diameter; and it grows up tapering to the
top. It has no branches at all, but only large leaves growing immediately
upon stalks from the body. The leaves are of a roundish form and jagged
about the edges, having their stalks or stumps longer or shorter as they
grow near to or further from the top. They begin to spring from out of
the body of the tree at about 6 or 7 foot height from the ground, the
trunk being bare below: but above that the leaves grow thicker and larger
still towards its top, where they are close and broad. The fruit grows
only among the leaves; and thickest among the thickest of them; insomuch
that towards the top of the tree the papaws spring forth from its body as
thick as they can stick one by another. But then lower down where the
leaves are thinner the fruit is larger, and of the size I have described:
and at the top where they are thick they are but small, and no bigger
than ordinary turnips; yet tasted like the rest.
Their chief land animals are their bullocks, which are said to be many;
though they ask us 20 dollars apiece for them; they have also horses,
asses, and mules, deer, goats, hogs, and black-faced long-tailed monkeys.
Of fowls they have cocks and hens, ducks, guinea-hens, both tame and
wild, parakeets, parrots, pigeons, turtledoves, herons, hawks,
crab-catchers, galdens (a larger sort of crab-catchers) curlews, etc.
Their fish is the same as at Mayo and the rest of these islands, and for
the most part these islands have the same beasts and birds also; but some
of the isles have pasturage and employment for some particular beasts
more than other; and the birds are encouraged, by woods for shelter, and
maize and fruits for food, to flock to some of the islands (as to this of
St. Jago) than to others.
FOGO.
St. Jago Road is one of the worst that I have been in. There is not clean
ground enough for above three ships; and those also must lie very near
each other. One even of these must lie close to the shore, with a
land-fast there: and that is the best for a small ship. I should not have
come in here if I had not been told that it was a good secure place; but
I found it so much otherways that I was in pain to be gone. Captain
Barefoot, who came to an anchor while I was here, in foul ground, lost
quickly 2 anchors; and I had lost a small one. The island Fogo shows
itself from this road very plain, at about 7 or 8 leagues distance; and
in the night we saw the flames of fire issuing from its top.