8 
A Voyageto JAMAICA 
* Purchas 
p. 10, Tow- 
erfon Voy. 1. 
to Guinea 
ap. Hacluyt, 
Pee: 3*- 
Decad,2.¢,2. 
at bottom, and grew ftraiter or narrower to its top, where round about was 
a corrugated or curled Ledge or band, fomething like a Cocks-Comb, Con- 
vex on one fide, and Concave on the other, which Scamen faid was for its 
more convenient failing ; all this pact of it was of a purple and bluifh colour 
and Pellucid ; the other part was a great number of blackith and Red Fibres, 
Strings or Cirrhi; they were long and White, here and there Purple, having 
feveral Knots like Nits on it, taking their Original from the bottom of this 
Bladder, which if ftretched were {everal Fect long, but if curled up were 
very fhort, ftinging much worfe than Nettles, whence it 1s by fome reckoned 
Poifonous. ‘They are very often to be met with at Sea, and Seamen do affirm 
that they have great skill in failing, managing their Bladder or Sail with judg- 
ment, as may be moft for their purpofe, according to their different Winds 
and Courfes ; aliowing them more Reafon, than I, at prefent, am willing to 
do of Life, there appearing to me no other parts than the Bladder and Cirrhi 
abovementioned. 
On Tuefday the 18. at Night we lay by, becaufe we were afraid of run- 
ning upon the Ifland of Madera, or Rocks about it in the Night when dark, 
being in its Latitude, or very near it by obfervation, and by the Dead- 
Reckonings, Corrected by Obfervations, it appearing that we fhould be fo far 
Weft as thofe Iflands are placed. But after failing feveral Leagues, next 
Morning we could not make any Land, and feveral of our Seamen being of 
Opinion that we were to the Weftward of it; it was evn almoft refolvd 
that we fhould hold on for Barbadocs the neareft way, fecing with this Wind 
we could not eafily-get back thither, and that it might retard us confiderably 
the going to Palma, or any‘of the Canaries ; although Frefh Water, Provifions, 
and Wine were a great inducement to our going to one of them. One of 
the Captains who had made many Voyages to the Canaries, being call’d, and 
coming on Board with the others, (who according to their Inftructions and 
Signals, were to come to confult for the Publick welfare) told the others, 
that having made this Ifland ufually in his Voyage to the Cuvaries, he 
knew that as yet we were not come fo far Weft, but if the Wind held we 
might be there to Morrow; and that the Reafon to him feemed this, that 
either the Ifland ought to be placed a Degree more Weft ; or that we, as 
every Body elfe, failing through this Sea at this time of the year had met 
with Wefterly Winds, which bringing great Seas, and makinga Current which 
always goes with Wind; * and there being in the Ocean, we had faild 
through a great!Current of Water to the Eaftward, he thought we had 
had more Lee Way than we had allowed for, and been more Eafterly car- 
ried than we computed, and therefore advifed that we fhould perfift till 
Night, then lie. by for fear of the worft; which on his. pofitive affirmation 
we.did, and on Thurfday the. 20th: about Twelve at Noon we made the 
Defarts, which~are three {mall Iflands or great Rocks, lying on the Eaft 
fide of the Mand of Madera about Three Leagues from the Land. . Being a- 
bout Ten Leagues from it, we came in fight of Porto Santo, an Ifland be- 
longing to the Portugucfe, Three Leagues long, and one and a half broad, in 
3°. North Lat. Twelve Leagues to the North-Eaft of Aadera.\, It had Five 
eicices Inhabitants, and yet was taken by Preftom with Sixty Men, as Da- 
vies tells us, Purchas,579.. It was firtt Difcovered according to Fo. de Barres, 
by Giovan Confalvo Larco, and 7rsftan Vaz, who: were fent out to difcover 
Guinea beyond Cape ‘Bajador, and were carried againft their intention by a 
Tempeft to Porto Saxto, which they called fo for their being faved thereby 
from Shipwreck. They return’d to Portugal, and gaye an account of it, 
and went thither again with Three Barks, one Bartolomeo Pereftrello (whole 
Widow Chriftopher Columbas. married) joyning with them : they carry’d Fenils 
an 
