320 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



They however make ufe of this precaution before 

 they eat it, namely, of laying a great weight on it, 

 that all the malignant particles might the better 

 ooze out in the foam : and after keeping it a whok 

 day in this manner, they open the hard fhell within 

 which it is inclofed, boil it till about half ready, and 

 then fliift it into another water. By thefe precautions 

 they affirm that all the noxious particles are extrafted. 

 But, in my opinion, this troublefome procefs is thrown 

 away, the tafte of its flefh not being at all anfwerable: 

 and were it even in any degree palatable, furely 

 the remembrance of its fetid fmell muft difguft the 

 itomach. 



During the feafon in which the turtles lay their 

 eggs, namely from December to April, the fhores 

 of the whole ifiand are covered with them ; after 

 which retiring into the fea they difappear, as was the 

 cafe when we were at Norona. In thefe months the 

 ■winds are at N. and N. W. and from May forward 

 they ihift to the E. ibmetimes inclining to the S. E. 

 and at others to the N. E. The ladtude of this ifland, 

 as taken by feveral French pilots, at the time it was in 

 poiTeffion of that nation, is 3°, 53' S. and thus it (lands 

 in the new French map; and lies 2^° W. of the ob- 

 iervatory at Paris. Its diftance from the coaft of Bra- 

 zil is betwixt 60 and 80 leagues j but this is not pre- 

 cifely determined, the French map placing it 60 leagues 

 E. of it, whilft the Portuguefe pilots belonging to the 

 tranfports, and who, confequently, ihould be well ac- 

 quainted with the paiTage, judge it to be 80 leagues. 

 By taking a medium betwixt the two, the diltance will 

 be 70. 



On the frigates coming to an anchor in the bay, 

 and all our apprchenfions diflipated by a certainty 

 that the Portuguefe pofitriTed this ifland, we took in 

 our Engliih colours, and hoilled P>ench ; and fuc- 

 ceflively faluted the Portuguefe flag, which was an- 



fwered 



