1 69 1.] DU quesne's relation. 43 



one of its Rarities. The Water is clear and wholesome, and 

 some of it Purgative. From these Springs flow Eivulets, 

 and even some Eivers, which water all the Plains, and are so 

 full of Pish, that Voyagers affirm, Those who ford them find 

 it so sli'ppery, they can hardly stand for the Number of Fish.^ 

 There are several Lakes, and one among the rest, so plentiful 

 of Springs, that seven great Rivulets run out of it into a vast 

 and rich Plain. 



" There is no venomous Creature iipon it, neither in the 

 "Water, neither on the dry Land ; whereas almost all other 

 hot Countries are full of Snakes, and such sort of Animals, 

 whose Sting or Bite is dangerous, if not mortal. The same 

 thing is affirm' d of the Plants and Fruits here. 



"I shall say nothing of the admirable Shells that are 

 pick'd up on tlie Sea shoar, nor of the Coral and Ambergreese 

 that are found here, tho' they are both valuable and useful 

 Things. But I must declare that the Sea is full of Fish, and 

 that its Turtles only wou'd abundantly and deliciously subsist 

 the Inhabitants. The Land Turtles are also some of the 

 Riches of the Island. There are vast Numbers of them : Their 

 Flesh is very delicate ; the Fat better than Butter or the best 

 Oil, for all sorts of Sawces. Some of the Sea turtles weigh 

 above 500 Pound weight. The Land Turtles are not so big ; 

 but the great ones carry a Man with more ease than a Man 

 can carry them. This Oil of Turtle, for 'tis a sort of Fat, 

 which do's not congeal as other Fat do's, is an excellent 

 Remedy in several Distempers. 



" The Forrests are not so thick but one may easily go thro' 

 them, and the Shade do's not hinder the Fruit from ripening. 

 There is abundance of Cedars, of Ebony, and Timber for 

 Carpenter's use, Palm-Trees, Fig-Trees, Plantanes, Oranges, 



1 " Les estangs & riuieres y fourmillent de poissons, il n'i a ni cro- 

 codilles dans icelles, ui serpens nuisibles a I'homme, ni insectes facheu- 

 ses, ainsi que dans les autres iles, ni pulces, ni mouches, ni mousquites 

 picquantes, ni fourmis, ni rats, ni souris." (De Flacourt, 1661.) 



