A General History of the Pyrates Part 11

These Precautions being taken, he ordered his Men, who were to go in the Boat with him, to put two Pair of Pistols each under their Cloaths, he doing the like himself, and gave them Directions to go into the Guard-Room, and to enter into Conversation with the Soldiers, and observe when he should fire a Pistol thro' the Governor's Window, to start up at once and secure the Arms in the Guard-Room.

When _Davis_ arrived, Dinner not being ready, the Governor proposed that they should pa.s.s their Time in making a Bowl of Punch till Dinner-Time: It must be observed, that _Davis_'s c.o.xen waited upon them, who had an Opportunity of going about all Parts of the House, to see what Strength they had, he whispered _Davis_, there being no Person then in the Room, but he, _(Davis)_ the Master, the Doctor, the c.o.xen and Governor; _Davis_ on a sudden drew out a Pistol, clapt it to the Governor's Breast, telling him, he must surrender the Fort and all the Riches in it, or he was a dead Man.

The Governor being no Ways prepared for such an Attack, promised to be very Pa.s.sive, and do all they desired, therefore they shut the Door, took down all the Arms that hung in the Hall, and loaded them. _Davis_ fires his Pistol thro' the Window, upon which his Men, without, executed their Part of the Scheme, like Heroes, in an Instant; getting betwixt the Soldiers and their Arms, all with their Pistols c.o.c.k'd in their Hands, while one of them carried the Arms out. When this was done, they locked the Soldiers into the Guard-Room, and kept Guard without.

In the mean Time one of them struck the Union Flag on the Top of the Castle, at which Signal those on Board sent on Sh.o.r.e a Reinforcement of Hands, and they got Possession of the Fort without the least Hurry or Confusion, or so much as a Man lost of either Side.

_Davis_ harangued the Soldiers, upon which a great many of them took on with him, those who refused, he sent on Board the little Sloop, and because he would not be at the Trouble of a Guard for them, he ordered all the Sails and Cables out of her, which might hinder them from attempting to get away.

This Day was spent in a kind of Rejoycing, the Castle firing her Guns to salute the Ship, and the Ship the Castle; but the next Day they minded their Business, that is, they fell to plundering, but they found Things fall vastly short of their Expectation; for they discovered, that a great deal of Money had been lately sent away; however, they met with the Value of about two thousand Pounds Sterling in Bar Gold, and a great many other rich Effects: Every Thing they liked, which was portable, they brought aboard their Ship; some Things which they had no Use for, they were so generous to make a Present of, to the Master and Crew of the little Sloop, to whom they also returned his Vessel again, and then they fell to work in dismounting the Guns, and demolishing the Fortifications.

After they had done as much Mischief as they could, and were weighing Anchor to be gone, they spy'd a Ship bearing down upon them in full Sail; they soon got their Anchor's up, and were in a Readiness to receive her.

This Ship prov'd to be a _French_ Pyrate of fourteen Guns and sixty four Hands, half _French_, half Negroes; the Captain's Name was _La Bouse_; he expected no less than a rich Prize, which made him so eager in the Chace; but when he came near enough to see their Guns, and the Number of their Hands upon Deck, he began to think he should catch a _Tartar_, and supposed her to be a small _English_ Man of War; however, since there was no escaping, he resolved to do a bold and desperate Action, which was to board _Davis_. As he was making towards her, for this Purpose, he fired a Gun, and hoisted his black Colours; _Davis_ returned the Salute, and hoisted his black Colours also. The _French_ Man was not a little pleased at this happy Mistake; they both hoisted out their Boats, and the Captains went to meet and congratulate one another with a Flag of Truce in their Sterns; a great many Civilities pa.s.sed between them, and _La Bouse_ desired _Davis_, that they might sail down the Coast together, that he _(La Bouse)_ might get a better Ship: _Davis_ agreed to it, and very courteously promised him the first Ship he took, fit for his Use, he would give him, as being willing to encourage a willing Brother.

The first Place they touch'd at, was _Sierraleon_, where at first going in, they spied a tall Ship at Anchor; _Davis_ being the best Sailor first came up with her, and wondering that she did not try to make off, suspected her to be a Ship of Force. As soon as he came along Side of her, she brought a Spring upon her Cable, and fired a whole Broadside upon _Davis_, at the same Time hoisted a black Flag; _Davis_ hoisted his black Flag in like Manner, and fired one Gun to Leeward.

In fine, she proved to be a Pyrate Ship of twenty four Guns, commanded by one _c.o.c.klyn_, who expecting these two would prove Prizes, let them come in, least his getting under Sail might frighten them away.

This Satisfaction was great on all Sides, at this Junction of Confederates and Brethren in Iniquity; two Days they spent in improving their Acquaintance and Friendship, the third Day _Davis_ and _c.o.c.klyn_, agreed to go in _La Bouse_'s Brigantine and attack the Fort; they contrived it so, as to get up thither by high Water; those in the Fort suspected them to be what they really were, and therefore stood upon their Defence; when the Brigantine came within Musket-Shot, the Fort fired all their Guns upon her, the Brigantine did the like upon the Fort, and so held each other in Play for several Hours, when the two confederate Ships were come up to the a.s.sistance of the Brigantine; those who defended the Fort, seeing such a Number of Hands on Board these Ships, had not the Courage to stand it any longer, but abandoning the Fort, left it to the Mercy of the Pyrates.

They took Possession of it, and continued there near seven Weeks, in which Time they all cleaned their Ships. We should have observed, that a Galley came into the Road while they were there, which _Davis_ insisted should be yielded to _La Bouse_, according to his Word of Honour before given; _c.o.c.klyn_ did not oppose it, so _La Bouse_ went into her, with his Crew, and cutting away her half Deck, mounted her with twenty four Guns.

Having called a Counsel of War, they agreed to sail down the Coast together, and for the greater Grandeur, appointed a Commadore, which was _Davis_; but they had not kept Company long, when drinking together on Board of _Davis_, they had like to have fallen together by the Ears, the strong Liquor stirring up a Spirit of Discord among them, and they quarrelled, but _Davis_ put an End to it, by this short Speech:--_Heark ye, you_ c.o.c.klin _and_ La Bouse, _I find by strengthening you, I have put a Rod into your Hands to whip my self, but I'm still able to deal with you both; but since we met in Love, let us part in Love, for I find, that three of a Trade can never agree_.--Upon which the other two went on Board their respective Ships, and immediately parted, each steering a different Course.

_Davis_ held on his Way down the Coast, and making Cape _Appollonia_, he met with two _Scotch_ and one _English_ Vessel, which he plundered, and then let go. About five Days after he fell in with a _Dutch_ Interloper of thirty Guns and ninety Men, (half being _English_,) off Cape _Three Points_ Bay; _Davis_ coming up along Side of her, the _Dutch_ Man gave the first Fire, and pouring in a broad-Side upon _Davis_, killed nine of his Men, _Davis_ returned it, and a very hot Engagement followed, which lasted from one a Clock at Noon, till nine next Morning, when the _Dutch_ Man struck, and yielded her self their Prize.

_Davis_ fitted up the _Dutch_ Ship for his own Use, and called her the _Rover_, aboard of which he mounted thirty two Guns, and twenty seven Swivels, and proceeded with her and the _King James_, to _Anamaboe_; he entered the Bay betwixt the Hours of twelve and one at Noon, and found there three Ships lying at Anchor, who were trading for Negroes, Gold and Teeth: The Names of these Ships were the _Hink_ Pink, Captain _Hall_ Commander, the _Princess_, Captain _Plumb_, of which _Roberts_, who will make a considerable Figure in the sequel of this History, was second Mate, and the _Morrice_ Sloop, Captain _Fin_; he takes these Ships without any Resistance, and having plundered them, he makes a Present of one of them, _viz._ the _Morrice_ Sloop, to the _Dutch_ Men, on Board of which alone were found a hundred and forty Negroes, besides dry Goods, and a considerable Quant.i.ty of Gold-Dust.

It happened there were several Canoes along Side of this last, when _Davis_ came in, who saved themselves and got ash.o.r.e; these gave Notice at the Fort, that these Ships were Pyrates, upon which the Fort fired upon them, but without any Execution, for their Mettle was not of Weight enough to reach them; _Davis_ therefore, by Way of Defiance, hoisted his black Flag and returned their Compliment.

The same Day he sail'd with his three Ships, making his Way down the Coast towards _Princes_, a _Portuguese_ Colony: But, before we proceed any farther in _Davis_'s Story, we shall give our Reader an Account of the _Portuguese_ Settlements on this Coast, with other curious Remarks, as they were communicated to me by an ingenious Gentleman, lately arrived from those Parts.

_A Description of the Islands of_ St. THOME, DEL PRINCIPE, _and_ ANn.o.bONO.

AS the _Portuguese_ were the great Improvers of Navigation, and the first _Europeans_ who traded too and settled on the Coasts of _Africa_, even round to _India_, and made those Discoveries, which now turn so much to the Advantage of other Nations, it may not be amiss, previously to a Description of those Islands, to hint on that wonderful Property of the Loadstone, that a little before had been found out, and enabled them to pursue such new and daring Navigations.

The attractive Power of the Loadstone, was universally known with the Ancients, as may be believed by its being a native Fossil of the _Grecians_, (_Magnes a Magnesia_) but its directive, or polar Virtue, has only been known to us within this 350 Years, and said to be found out by _John Goia_ of _Malphi_, in the Kingdom of _Naples, Prima dedit nautis usum magnetis Amalphi_; tho' others think, and a.s.sure us, it was transported by _Paulus Venetus_ from _China_ to _Italy_, like the other famous Arts of modern Use with us, PRINTING and _the Use of_ GUNS.

The other Properties of Improvements of the Magnet, _viz._ Variation, or its Defluction from an exact N. or S. Line, Variation of that Variation, and its Inclination, were the Inventions of _Sebastian Cabot_, Mr.

_Gellibrand_, and Mr. _Norman_; the Inclination of the Needle, or that Property whereby it keeps an Elevation above the Horizon, in all Places but under the Equator, (where its Parallel) is as surprizing a Phaenomenon as any, and was the Discovery of our Countrymen; and could it be found regular, I imagine would very much help towards the Discovery of Longitude, at least would point out better Methods than hitherto known, when Ships drew nigh Land, which would answer as useful an End.

Before the Verticity and Use of the Compa.s.s, the _Portuguese_ Navigations had extended no farther than Cape _Non_, (it was their _ne plus ultra_,) and therefore so called; distress of Weather, indeed, had drove some Coasters to _Porto Santo_, and _Madera_, before any certain Method of steering was invented; but after the Needle was seen thus inspired, Navigation every Year improved under the great Incouragements of _Henry, Alphonsus_, and _John_ II. Kings of _Portugal_, in Part of the 14th and in the 15th Century.

King _Alphonsus_ was not so much at leasure as his Predecessor, to pursue these Discoveries, but having seen the Advantages accrued to _Portugal_ by them, and that the Pope had confirmed the perpetual Donation of all they should discover between Cape _Bajadore_ and _India_, inclusively, he resolved not to neglect the proper a.s.sistance, and farmed the Profits that did or might ensue to one _Bernard Gomez_, a Citizen of _Lisbon_, who was every Voyage obliged to discover 100 Leagues, still farther on: And about the Year 1470 made these Islands, the only Places (of all the considerable and large Colonies they had in _Africa_,) that do now remain to that Crown.

St. _Thome_ is the princ.i.p.al of the three, whose Governour is stiled Captain General of the Islands, and from whom the other at _Princes_ receives his Commission, tho' nominated by the Court of _Portugal_: It is a Bishop.r.i.c.k with a great many secular Clergy who appear to have neither Learning nor Devotion, as may be judged by several of them being Negroes: One of the Chief of them, invited us to hear Ma.s.s, as a Diversion to pa.s.s Time away, where he, and his inferior Brethren acted such affected Gestures and Strains of Voice, as shewed to their Dishonour, they had no other Aim than pleasing us; and what I think was still worse, it was not without a View of Interest; for as these Clergy are the chief Traders, they stoop to pitiful and scandalous Methods for ingratiating themselves: They and the Government, on this trading Account, maintain as great Harmony, being ever jealous of each other, and practising little deceitful Arts to monopolize what Strangers have to offer for sale, whether Toys or Cloaths, which of all Sorts are ever Commodious with the _Portuguese_, in all Parts of the World; an ordinary Suit of Black will sell for seven or eight Pound; a Turnstile Wig of four Shillings, for a Moidore; a Watch of forty Shillings, for six Pound, _&c_.

The Town is of mean Building, but large and populous, the Residence of the greater Part of the Natives, who, thro' the whole Island, are computed at 10000, the Militia at 3000, and are in general, a rascally thievish Generation, as an old grave Friend of mine can Witness; for he having carried a Bag of second hand Cloaths on Sh.o.r.e, to truck for Provisions, seated himself on the Sand for that Purpose, presently gathered a Crowd round him, to view them; one of which desired to know the Price of a black Suit, that unluckily lay uppermost, and was the best of them, agreeing to the Demand, with little Hesitation, provided it would but fit him; he put them on immediately, in as much hurry as possible, without any _co-licentia Seignor_; and when my Friend was about to commend the Goodness of the Suit, and Exactness they set with, not dreaming of the Impudence of running away from a Crowd, the Rascal took to his Heels, my Friend followed and bawled very much, and tho' there was 500 People about the Place, it served to no other End but making him a clear Stage, that the best Pair of Heels might carry it; so he lost the Suit of Cloaths, and before he could return to his Bag, others of them had beat off his Servant, and shared the rest.

Most of the Ships from _Guiney_, of their own Nation, and frequently those of ours, call at one or other of these Islands, to recruit with fresh Provisions, and take in Water, which on the Coast are not so good, nor so conveniently to come by: Their own Ships likewise, when they touch here, are obliged to leave the King his Custom for their Slaves, which is always in Gold, at so much a Head, without any Deduction at _Brasil_, for the Mortality that may happen afterwards; this by being a constant Bank to pay off the civil and military Charges of the Government, prevents the Inconveniency of Remittances, and keeps both it and _Princes_ Isle rich enough to pay ready Money for every Thing they want of _Europeans_.

Their Beefs are small and lean, (two hundred Weight or a little more,) but the Goats, Hogs and Fowls very good, their Sugar course and dirty, and Rum very ordinary; as these Refreshments lay most with People who are in want of other Necessaries, they come to us in Way of bartering, very cheap: A good Hog for an old Cutlash; a fat Fowl for a Span of _Brasil_ Tobacco, (no other Sort being valued, _&c_.) But with Money you give eight Dollars _per_ Head for Cattle; three Dollars for a Goat; six Dollars for a grown Hog; a Testune and a Half for a Fowl; a Dollar _per_ Gallon for Rum; two Dollars a Roove for Sugar; and half a Dollar for a Dozen of Paraquets: Here is Plenty likewise of Corn and Farine, of Limes, Citrons and Yamms.

The Island is reckoned nigh a Square, each Side 18 Leagues long, hilly, and lays under the _aequinoctial_, a wooden Bridge just without the Town, being said not to deviate the least Part of a Minute, either to the Southward or Northward; and notwithstanding this warm Scituation, and continual vertical Suns, the Islanders are very healthy, imputed by those who are disposed to be merry, in a great Measure to the Want of even so much as one Surgeon or Physician amongst them.

Isle _Del Principe_, the next in Magnitude, a pleasant and delightful Spot to the grave, and thoughtfull Disposition of the _Portuguese_, an Improvement of Country Retirement, in that, this may be a happy and uninterrupted Retreat from the whole World.

I shall divide what I have to say on this Island, into Observations made on our Approach to it, on the Seas round it, the Harbour, Produce of the Island and Seasons, Way of Living among the Inhabitants, some Custom of the Negroes, with such proper Deductions on each as may ill.u.s.trate the Description, and inform the Reader.

We were bound hither from _Whydah_, at the latter Part of the Month _July_, when the Rains are over, and the Winds hang altogether S. W. (as they do before the Rains, S. E.) yet with this Wind (when at Sea) we found the Ship gained unexpectedly so far to the Southward, (_i. e._ Windward,) that we could with ease have weathered any of the Islands, and this seems next to impossible should be, if the Currents, which were strong to Leeward, in the Road of _Whydah_, had extended in like Manner cross the Bite of _Benin_: No, it must then have been very difficult to have weathered even Cape _Formosa_: On this Occasion, I shall farther expatiate upon the Currents on the whole Coast of _Guiney_.

The Southern Coast of _Africa_ runs in a Line of Lat.i.tude, the Northern on an Eastern Line, but both strait, with the fewest Inlets, Gulphs or Bays, of either of the four Continents; the only large and remarkable one, is that of _Benin_ and _Calabar_, towards which the Currents of each Coast tend, and is strongest from the Southward, because more open to a larger Sea, whose rising it is (tho' little and indiscernable at any Distance from the Land,) that gives rise to these Currents close in Sh.o.r.e, which are nothing but Tides altered and disturbed by the Make and Shape of Lands.

For Proof of this, I shall lay down the following Observations as certain Facts. That in the Rivers of _Gambia_ and _Sierraleon_, in the Straits and Channels of _Benin_, and in general along the whole Coast, the Flowings are regular on the Sh.o.r.es, with this Difference; that, in the abovemention'd Rivers, and in the Channels of _Benin_, where the Sh.o.r.e contract the Waters into a narrow Compa.s.s, the Tides are strong and high, as well as regular; but on the dead Coast, where it makes an equal Reverberation, slow and low, (not to above two or three Foot,) increasing as you advance towards _Benin_; and this is farther evident in that at Cape _Corso, Succonda_ and _Commenda_, and where the Land rounds and gives any Stop, the Tides flow regularly to four Foot and upwards; when on an evener Coast, (tho' next adjoining,) they shall not exceed two or three Foot; and ten Leagues out at Sea, (where no such Interruption is,) they become scarcely, if at all, perceptible.

What I would deduce from this, besides a Confirmation of that ingenious Theory of the Tides, by Captain _Halley_; is first, that the Ships bound to _Angola, Cabenda_, and other Places on the Southern Coast of _Africa_, should cross the _aequinoctial_ from Cape _Palmas_, and run into a Southern Lat.i.tude, without keeping too far to the Westward; and the Reason seems plain, for if you endeavour to cross it about the Islands, you meet Calms, southerly Winds and opposite Currents; and if too far to the Westward, the trade Winds are strong and unfavourable; for it obliges you to stand into 28 or 30 Southern Lat.i.tude, till they are variable.

Secondly, On the Northern Side of _Guiney_, if Ships are bound from the _Gold-Coast_ to _Sierraleon, Gambia_, or elsewhere to Windward, considering the Weakness of these Currents, and the Favourableness of Land Breezes, and Southerly in the Rains, Turnadoes, and even of the Trade Wind, when a-breast of Cape _Palmas_, it is more expeditious to pursue the Pa.s.sage this Way, than by a long perambulatory Course of 4 or 500 Leagues to the Westward, and as many more to the Northward, which must be before a Wind can be obtained, that could recover the Coast.

Lastly, it is, in a great Measure, owning to this want of Inlets, and the Rivers being small and unnavigable, that the Seas rebound with so dangerous a Surff thro' the whole Continent.

Round the Sh.o.r.es of this Island, and at this Season, _(July, August_ and _September_,) there is a great Resort of Whale-Fish, tame, and sporting very nigh the Ships as they sail in, always in Pairs, the Female much the smaller, and often seen to turn on their Backs for Dalliance, the Prologue to engendring: It has an Enemy, called the Thresher, a large Fish too, that has its Haunts here at this Season, and encounters the Whale, raising himself out of the Water a considerable Heighth, and falling again with great Weight and Force; it is commonly said also, that there is a Sword Fish in these Battles, who p.r.i.c.ks the Whale up to the Surface again, but without this, I believe, he would suffocate when put to quick Motions, unless frequently approaching the Air, to ventilate and remove the impediments to a swifter Circulation: Nor do I think he is battled for Prey, but to remove him from what is perhaps the Food of both. The Number of Whales here has put me sometimes on thinking an advantageous Fishery might be made of it, but I presume they (no more than those of _Brasil)_ are the Sort which yield the profitable Part, called Whale-Bone: All therefore that the Islanders do, is now and then to go out with two or three Canoes, and set on one for Diversion.

The Rocks and outer Lines of the Island, are the Haunts of variety of Sea-Birds, especially b.o.o.bies and Noddies; the former are of the Bigness of a Gull, and a dark Colour, named so from their Simplicity, because they often sit still and let the Sailors take them up in their Hands; but I fancy this succeeds more frequently from their Weariness, and the Largeness of their Wings, which, when they once have rested, cannot have the Scope necessary to raise and float them on the Air again. The Noddies are smaller and flat footed also.

What I would remark more of them, is, the admirable Instinct in these Birds, for the proper Seasons, and the proper Places for Support. In the aforemention'd Months, when the large Fish were here, numerous Flocks of Fowl attend for the Sp.a.w.n and Superfluity of their Nourishment; and in _January_ few of either; for the same Reason, there are scarce any Sea Fowl seen on the _African_ Coast; Rocks and Islands being generally their best Security and Subsistance.

The Harbour of _Princes_ is at the E. S. E. Point of the Island; the North-Side has gradual Soundings, but here deep Water, having no Ground at a Mile off with 140 Fathom of Line. The Port (when in) is a smooth narrow Bay, safe from Winds, (unless a little Swell when Southerly) and draughted into other smaller and sandy Ones, convenient for raising of Tents, Watering, and hawling the Seam; the whole protected by a Fort, or rather Battery, of a dozen Guns on the Larboard-Side. At the Head of the Bay stands the Town, about a Mile from the anchoring Place, and consists of two or three regular Streets, of wooden built Houses, where the Governor and chief Men of the Island reside. Here the Water grows shallow for a considerable Distance, and the Natives, at every Ebb, (having before encompa.s.sed every convenient Angle with a Rise of Stones, something like Weirs in _England_) resort for catching of Fish, which, with them, is a daily Diversion, as well as Subsistance, 500 attending with Sticks and wicker Baskets; and if they cannot dip them with one Hand, they knock them down with the other. The Tides rise regularly 6 Foot in the Harbour, and yet not half that Heighth without the Capes that make the Bay.

Here are constantly two Missionaries, who are sent for six Years to inculcate the Christian Principles, and more especially attend the Conversion of the Negroes; the present are _Venetians_, ingenious Men, who seem to despise the loose Morals and Behaviour of the Seculars, and complain of them as of the Slaves, _ut Color Mores sunt nigri_. They have a neat Conventual-House and a Garden appropriated, which, by their own Industry and Labour, not only thrives with the several Natives of the Soil, but many Exoticks and Curiosities. A Fruit in particular, larger than a Chesnut, yellow, containing two Stones, with a Pulp, or clammy Substance about them, which, when suck'd, exceeds in Sweetness, Sugar or Honey, and has this Property beyond them, of giving a sweet Taste to every Liquid you swallow for the whole Evening after. The only Plague infesting the Garden, is a Vermin called Land-Crabs, in vast Numbers, of a bright red Colour, (in other Respects like the Sea ones) which burrough in these sandy Soils like Rabbets, and are as shy.

The Island is a pleasant Intermixture of Hill and Valley; the Hills spread with Palms, Coco-Nuts, and Cotton-Trees, with Numbers of Monkeys and Parrots among them; the Valleys with fruitful Plantations of _Yamms, Kulalu, Papas_, Variety of Sallating, _Ananas_, or Pine-Apples, _Guavas, Plantanes, Bonanas, Manyocos_, and _Indian_ Corn; with Fowls, _Guinea_ Hens, _Muscovy_ Ducks, Goats, Hogs, Turkies, and wild Beefs, with each a little Village of Negroes, who, under the Direction of their several Masters, manage the Cultivation, and exchange or sell them for Money, much after the same Rates with the People of St. _Thome_.

I shall run a Description of the Vegetables, with their Properties, not only because they are the Produce of this Island, but most of them of _Africa_ in general.

The Palm-Trees are numerous on the Sh.o.r.es of _Africa_, and may be reckoned the first of their natural Curiosities, in that they afford them Meat, Drink and Cloathing; they grow very straight to 40 and 50 Foot high, and at the top (only) have 3 or 4 Circles of Branches, that spread and make a capacious Umbrella. The Trunk is very rough with k.n.o.bs, either Excrescencies, or the Healings of those Branches that were lopped off to forward the Growth of the Tree, and make it answer better in its Fruit. The Branches are strongly tied together with a _Cortex_, which may be unravelled to a considerable Length and Breadth; the inward _Lamella_ of this _Cortex_, I know are wove like a Cloath at _Benin_, and afterwards died and worn: Under the Branches, and close to the Body of the Tree, hang the Nuts, thirty Bunches perhaps on a Tree, and each of thirty Pound Weight, with p.r.i.c.kly Films from between them, not unresembling Hedge-Hogs; of these Nuts comes a liquid and pleasant scented Oyl, used as Food and Sauce all over the Coast, but chiefly in the Windward Parts of _Africa_, where they stamp, boil and skim it off in great Quant.i.ties; underneath, where the Branches fasten, they tap for Wine, called _c.o.c.kra_, in this Manner; the Negroes who are mostly limber active Fellows, encompa.s.s themselves and the Trees with a Hoop of strong With, and run up with a great deal of Agility; at the Bottom of a Branch of Nuts, he makes an Excavation of an Inch and a half over, and tying fast his Calabash, leaves it to destil, which it does to two or three Quarts in a Night's Time, when done he plugs it up, and chooses another; for if suffered to run too much, or in the Day Time, the Sap is unwarily exhausted, and the Tree spoiled: The Liquor thus drawn, is of a wheyish Colour, intoxicating and sours in 24 Hours, but when new drawn, is _pleasantest to thirst and hunger both_: It is from these Wines they draw their Arack in _India_. On the very Top of the Palm, grows a Cabbage, called so, I believe, from some resemblance its Tast is thought to have with ours, and is used like it; the Covering has a Down that makes the best of Tinder, and the Weavings of other Parts are drawn out into strong Threads.

_Coco-Nut-Trees_ are branch'd like, but not so tall as, _Palm_ Trees, the Nut like them, growing under the Branches, and close to the Trunk; the milky Liquor they contain, (to half a Pint or more,) is often drank to quench Thirst, but surfeiting, and this may be observed in their Way of Nourishment, that when the Quant.i.ty of Milk is large, the Sh.e.l.l and Meat are very thin, and harden and thicken in Proportion, as that loses.

_Cotton_ Trees also are the Growth of all Parts of _Africk_, as well as the Islands, of vast Bigness, yet not so incremental as the Shrubs or Bushes of five or six Foot high; these bear a Fruit (if it may be so called) about the Bigness of Pigeons Eggs, which as the Sun swells and ripens, bursts forth and discovers three Cells loaded with Cotton, and Seeds in the Middle of them: This in most Parts the Negroes know how to spin, and here at _Nicongo_ and the Island St. _Jago_, how to weave into Cloths.

_Yamms_ are a common Root, sweeter but not unlike Potato's: _Kulalu_, a Herb like Spinnage: _Papa_, a Fruit less than the smallest Pumkins; they are all three for boiling, and to be eat with Meat; the latter are improved by the _English_ into a Turnip or an Apple Tast, with a due Mixture of b.u.t.ter or Limes.

_Guava's_, a Fruit as large as a Pipin, with Seeds and Stones in it, of an uncouth astringing Tast, tho' never so much be said in Commendation of it, at the _West-Indies_, it is common for _Craeolians_, (who has tasted both,) to give it a Preference to Peach or Nectarine, no amazing Thing when Men whose Tasts are so degenerated, as to prefer a Toad in a Sh.e.l.l, (as _Ward_ calls Turtle,) to Venison, and Negroes to fine _English_ Ladies.

_Plantanes_ and _Bonano's_ are Fruit of oblong Figure, that I think differ only _secundum Major & Minus_, if any, the latter are preferable, and by being less, are juicier; they are usually, when stripped of their Coat, eat at Meals instead of Bread: The Leaf of this Plantane is an admirable Detergent, and, externally applied, I have seen cure the most obstinate s...o...b..tick Ulcers.

_Manyoco_. A Root that shoots its Branches about the heighth of a Currant Bush; from this Root the Islanders make a Farine or Flower, which they sell at three Ryals a Roove, and drive a considerable Trade for it with the Ships that call in. The manner of making it, is first to press the Juice from it, (which is poisonous) done here with Engines, and then the Negroe Women, upon a rough Stone, rub it into a granulated Flower, reserved in their Houses, either to boil, as we do our Wheat, and is a hearty Food for the Slaves; or make it into a Bread, fine, white, and well tasted, for themselves. One thing worth taking Notice about _Manyoco_ in this Island, is, that the Woods abound with a wild poisonous and more mortiferous Sort, which sometimes Men, unskilled in the Preparation of it, feed on to their Destruction: This the Missionaries a.s.sured me they often experimented in their Hogs, and believed we did in the Mortality of our Sailors.