■98 HOW WE PASSED OUR TIME. [169I. 



when they do it in a great JSTuniber, they doubtless hinder 

 her Course, because she cannot run so lightly over the 

 Waves. I was the more willing to speak of this Animal at 

 large, for that others have not done it ; and I cannot help 

 saying, en passant, that I sometimes wonder at the mighty 

 Eeputation the Famous Eondelet acquir'd ; for I never con- 

 sulted him concerning any thing within my Knowledge, but 

 I found him very false and very dry.^ 



All our Employment as long as we staid in this Island was 

 very Insignificant, as may be easily imagined ; however, we 

 cou'd not live witliout doing something. The looking after 

 our Cabins, and Cultivating our Gardens, took up one part of 

 our Time, Walking, another. We frequently went to the 

 South of the Island, either in crossing it, or going about it ; 

 there's no Place upon it but we Visited very nicely ; none 

 of the Mountains or Hills are without Verdure, tho' they are 

 very full of Eocks. The bottom which is Eock, is spread 

 with two, three or four foot Earth, and amongst the Stones 

 where there's no appearance of Earth, great Trees tall and 

 straight grow, which at a distance gives one a better Idxa of 

 the Island than it deserves, because one wou'd think it was 

 compos'd of a Soil universally Excellent. 



One may go every where all over it with ease, there being 



1 Our author is rather too severe in his criticism. Rondelet was 

 Doctor Regent in Medicine at the University of Montpellier, and 

 published several important works on natural history. He was a good 

 observer, a diligent student, and a skilful anatomist. The work by 

 which he is best known is that on fishes, entitled Dc Piscihus marinis 

 lihri xviii, in qiiibus vivce piscium imagines expositce sunt. Lyon, 1554. 

 It was translated into French and published in 1558. This edition is 

 illustrated by numerous woodcuts, evidently executed by a skilful 

 artist, and drawn with great fidelity to nature. With the exception of 

 a few that Rondelet could only have known by hearsay, they may be 

 recognized at the present day. The original work is dedicated to 

 Cardinal Tournou, whom the author accompanied on his travels in the 

 capacity of physician. Rondelet died in 1566 at the age of 59. {Bio- 

 graphic UniverscUe.) 



