CURIOUS OBSERVANCES. 5 



"The Hollanders likewise, not only at this passage, but also at the rocks called 

 Berlingues, nigh the coast of Portugal, in 39 deg. 40 min. (being a passage very dangerous, 

 especially by night, when in the dark the rocks are not distinguishable, the land being 

 very high), they use some such ceremony; but their manner of baptising is very different 

 to that of the French, for he that is to be baptised is fastened and hoisted up thrice at 

 the mainyard's end, as if lie were a criminal. If he be hoisted the fourth time, in the 

 name of the Prince of Orange or of the captain of the vessel, his honour is more than ordinary. 

 Thus every one is dipped several times in the main ocean, but he that is dipped first has the 

 honour of being saluted with a gun. Such as are not willing to fall must pay twelve pence for 

 ransom ; if he be an officer, two shillings ; and if a passenger, at their own pleasure. 

 If the ship never passed that way before, the captain is to give a small rundlet 

 of wine, which, if he denies, the mariners may cut off the stern of the vessel. All 

 the profit accruing by this ceremony is kept by the master's mate, who, after reaching 

 their port, usually laid it out in wine, which was drunk amongst the ancient seamen. 

 Some say that this ceremony was instituted by the Emperor Charles V., though it is 

 not amongst his laws/' After recording some similar ceremonies, we find Esquemeling 

 at Tortuga, their desired port, where they landed the goods belonging to the West India 

 Company. 



Our chronicler, after describing the abundant fruits and fine trees, the flocks of wild 

 pigeons and abundance of turtle from which the island derives its name, being supposed 

 to resemble one in the general outline of its coasts speaks of the multitudes of large crabs, 

 both of land and sea. " These," naively says the narrator, " are good to feed servants and 

 slaves, whose palates they please, but are very hurtful to the sight ; besides, being eaten too 

 often they cause great giddiness in the head, with much weakness of the brain, so that 

 very frequently they are deprived of sight for a quarter of an hour." 



The French, having settled on the Isle of St. Christopher, planted there some large 

 trees, of which they built long boats, and in which they proceeded to discover neighbouring 

 islands. They first reached Hispaniola, where they landed, and found large quantities of 

 cattle, horses, and wild boars, but did not stop there, as there was already a considerable colony 

 of Spaniards. They proceeded to the neighbouring island of Tortuga, which they seized 

 without difficulty, there being not more than ten or twelve Spaniards in possession. The 

 French were afterwards obliged to abandon it. In 1664 it was occupied by the "West India 

 Company of France, who sent thither Monsieur Ogeron as governor. The company expected 

 considerable trade, and even went so far as to give a large amount of trust both to the 

 pirates and to traders. This, as might be expected, did not answer, and they had to resort 

 to force of arms in order to collect some of their payments. To make a long story short, 

 the Company eventually recalled their factors, and sold the servants as slaves. On this 

 occasion Esquemeling was also sold, being a servant of the said Company, and received very 

 hard usage from his first master, the lieutenant-general of the island. Fortunately for 

 himself, he fell sick, and his master, fearing to lose him altogether, sold him cheaply to a 

 surgeon, who treated him humanely, and he soon recovered his health. After having served 

 him one year, he was offered his liberty on a promise to pay a ransom when he was in a 

 position to do so. " Being," says the chronicler, " now at liberty, though like Adam when 



