SECOND VOYAGE 215 



subsisted ; and it was at this part of the isle only where 

 they were to be obtained.* 



While they lay in the road, a sloop belonging to Bermuda 

 had sailed but a few days before with 105 turtle on board, 

 which was as many as she could take in ; but having turned 

 several more on the different sandy beaches, they had ripped 

 open their bellies, taken out the eggs, and left the carcases 

 to putrefy an act as inhuman as injurious to those who 

 came after them. 



Turtle are to be found at this isle from January to June. 

 The method of catching them is to have people upon the 

 several sandy bays to watch their coming on shore to lay 

 their eggs, which is always in the night, and then to turn 

 them on their backs till there be an opportunity to take 

 them off the next day. Nothing is more'certain than that 

 all the turtle which are found about this island, come here 

 for the sole purpose of laying their eggs ; for they met 

 with none but females ; and of all those which they caught, 

 not one had any food worth mentioning in its stomach ; a 

 sure sign that they must have been a long time without 

 any ; and this may be the reason why the flesh of them is 

 not so good as those caught on the coast of New South 

 Wales, where they feed. 



On the 31st of May they left Ascension, and steered to 

 the northward. They had a great desire to visit the island 

 of St. Matthew, to settle its situation ; but as they found the 

 wind would not let them fetch it, they steered for the island 

 of Fernando de Noronha, on the coast of Brazil, in order to 

 determine its longitude. 



On the 9th of June, at noon, they made that place, distant 

 six or seven leagues. It appeared in detached and peaked 

 hills, the largest of which looked like a church-tower or 

 steeple. When they arrived in the road, a gun being 

 fired from one of the forts, the Portuguese colours were 

 displayed, and the example was followed by all the other 

 forts. Having speedily ascertained the longitude, they 

 stood away without landing. 



By the 18th they made no doubt that they had now got 

 the N.E. trade-wind, as it was attended with fair weather, 

 except now and then some light showers of rain ; and as 

 they advanced to the north, the wind increased and blew a 

 fresh top-gallant gale. 



* The island of Ascension is now brought under cultivation. A 

 party of marines have long been located there ; buildings and tanks 

 erected ; and it is a place of frequent resort for homeward bound 

 shipping from the East Indies, etc., where supplies to a certain extent, 

 particularly turtle, may be obtained. It is also a place of rendezvous 

 for ships belonging to the African station. 



