20 
A Voyage to JAMAICA. 
Tab... Fig.2+ 
occafion lefS difturbance from this fort of Vermine, yet Lam certain both Zn- 
dians, Moors, and Europeans, who live there are fubject to them, though they 
be not in fo great plently as in more Northerly Countries where the Inhabitants 
Sweat lefs, and go better Cloathed, in the Plics of which Apparel thefe Crea- 
tures find good fhelter. I cannot on this occafion pafs by a Matter of Curiofity 
relating to the Plica Polonica, a ftrange Difeafe frequent in Poland, which comes 
from the intangling many Locks of the Hair, and has very odd Symptoms at- 
tend it, one of which is, that on cutting of it off, it endangers the Perfon 
who had it. ‘There are feveral Opinions about it, but many belteve it to be 
only the effect of Lazinefs, and not Combing the Hair; | am very apt to 
believe this, becaufe Dr. Conmer gave me fome of the Plica he cut off a 
Perfon in Poland, in which was an innumerable quantity of Lice and Nits 
lodged amongft, and at the bottom of the Hair. “Tis very odd that when 
thefe Locks are cut off they fhould grow fickly, but it may be this way eafily 
anfwered, that carrying off fo much humor, or being a Neft for fo many Lice, 
they do fomething like a Pea in an Iflue, difcharge the Blood, which when 
it is cut off isno longer done. That Lice conftantly fuck the Blood is cer- 
tain from Perfons Fluxed whofe Blood is no fooner impregnated with Mer- 
cury than all thefe kind of Vermine {well, drop off, and dye. 
When we came near to the Tropick we were call’d upon for our Tropick- 
Money, that is to fay, we who had never before crofled that Line to the 
South, muft now give either fo much Money, as by the ufage of Seamen we 
fhalkbe tax’d, to make them Drink, or be duck’d thrice into the Sea from 
the Yard Arm, we chofe rather the firft, and fo were free. 
The fixth Day was taken a Fifh which was thought to be a Barracooda, but 
was not fo, it was taken witha Flying-Fith Bait, fuch as are made ufe of for 
Boneto’s. (called it Serpens Marinus, compre(]us, lividus. | 
This Fifh was three Foot feven Inches long, an Inch and a half broad 
near the Head, where broadeft, having a long Head, fharp, or ending in a 
point, with the Mandibles Prominent, in which were many Teeth in each of 
the Jaws, very fharp and threatning, the Under Jaw was longer than the 
Upper, and ended in a Callous Subftance, the Tongue was bony, and fhap’d like 
an Arrow-Head, the Gills very red: its Eyes wereround of an Inch Diameter : 
it had two Fins at the Gills, one long one all over the Back, and one from the 
Anus wav'd towards the Tail, which was forked, it was all over {mooth with- 
out Scales, of a Livid colour, and its flefh was full of Bones. be: 
Its Afophagus, if any, was very fhort, its Ventricle fild with fmall Fith 
like Anchovies. ‘The Guts had one or two Circunivolutions. The Cecum was 
very long, extending its (elf to the Avus, and ‘fill’d with the Contents of the 
Stomach, its Diaphragme Membranous: its Liver large, with a Gall-Bladder, 
containing in it watery Gall. ‘There were under the Guts two long Bodies 
went to the Asus, which I take to be the Kidnies: It had in it two forts of 
Worms, the one round and Criftalline, the other long, rowling themfelves 
{pirally like a Snail. 
This Fith was taken about the ‘Tropick of Cancer, with a Bait, fuch as is 
ufed for Dolphins and Boneto’s, viz. a flying-Fifh, or Hook drefled like it. 
It was a great difpute among the Seamen whether it fliould be eaten or 
not; moft People faying its Livid colour was a fufficient Argument againtt 
it; but this is no manner of Reafon, for Fifhes much Swarthier are eaten in 
many places. One whovhad been a Privateer, and in the South-Seas, where 
fometimes they had hard Fare, and met with new kinds of Filhes, aflured us, 
that in fuch’ Difputes they ufually tafted the Heart, which if {weet they 
thought a good Argument for the ufe of them in Victuals, if not, they were 
ufually rejeéted as poiforious, how far true my Relator muft anfwer, for my 
“part I believe it as little as the former: but there is a very good Reafon to 
object 
