Ch. IX. SOUTH AMERICA. ^03 



the fea in fecundity. Thefe harbours are complete 

 anchoring places, being clear, and having a good 

 bottom, that they may be f-.fely failed into without 

 a pilot. Some there are with reefs of rocks, bat 

 tliefe are generally vifible ; and thofe that are co- 

 vered, are ufually about the capes or points at the 

 entrance of the harbours: and therefore by keeping in 

 the middle all danger is avoided. Thefe harbours 

 are fo near ench other, as to be openly feparated by a 

 point of land, which feldom forms a diftance of above 

 two leagues ; fo that the whole coaft of the ifland, is 

 a fucceffion of harbours. But it is not in rll that 

 the Englilh have any town or village ; and thefe, 

 which are to be found only on the larger bays, and 

 where the nature and dilpofition of the country are 

 moft convenient for a fettlement, are fmall, and the 

 inhabitants but few. Cod-fiihing is the univcrfal 

 bufinefsi and befides their dwellings they have offices 

 and ftore houfes for preparing and hying up their 

 fiih till the time arrives for lending it into Europe, 

 on their own account, or felling it to veffels which 

 come there to purchalc it in exchange for European 

 goods. None of thefe villages are without a fort or 

 battery for their fecurity in time of war ; but thefe 

 are fo infignificant, that the moft t!;ey could do 

 would be to drive away fome p^;tty privateer. The 

 greateft extent of this ifland is from N. to S, being 

 ninety-five leagues, that is, from Cape St. Mary, in 

 46 deg. 55 min. to the north cape, which forms the 

 freights of BelHflc in 5 1 deg. 20 rain. And the 

 diftance from E. to W. that is, from Cape Raze to 

 Cape Cod, is eighty leagues. But the fettlements of 

 the Englifli arc only about the harbours and in the 

 country near Piacentia j and along its bays eaftward 

 toward Cape Raze, and t'rom thence to Cape Buena 

 Vifta: all the remainder both up the country and 

 along the coaft, northwards towards the ftreights, 

 and from thence weftward, is entirely deiart. This 

 D d 2 muft 



