SIR HANS SLOANE. 35 



other fish were to be had, it would not be counted 

 so great a delicacy." 



On the 25th November, they reached Barba- 

 does, where they were hospitably entertained by 

 Sir Edwin Steed, the governor. " For my own 

 part," says Sloane, " I liked so well the dessert 

 after dinner, which consisted of shaddocks, guavas, 

 pines, mangrove-grapes, and other unknown fruits 

 in Europe, that I thought all my fatigues well 

 bestowed when I came to have such a pleasant 

 prospect." He enjoyed these luxuries for ten 

 days, when they again put to sea, and passed St 

 Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Mont- 

 serrat, and once more landed at Nevis, on Friday, 

 December 9th, but quitted it again on the llth, 

 and in five hours reached St Christophers, at that 

 time occupied by both French and English, the 

 former being in possession of the extremities, and 

 our countrymen of the centre. The governor 

 "treated his Grace the Duke of Albemarle; and the 

 French governor, hearing of his coming ashore, 

 sent him a compliment by an officer." From 

 thence they proceeded by St Eustache, Saba, 

 Santa Cruz, Mona, Altabella, " famous for turtles, 

 where are a great many eggs laid by them in the 

 sand, which are there hatched," and Hispaniola ; 

 and, finally, on the 19th December, they came 

 into Port Royal Harbour. 



Dr Sloane had, during the voyage, availed 

 himself of every opportunity of examining the 



