1692.] DEPARTURE DECIDED OIS^ 105 



US, that it took away from the Pleasure. We often delighted 

 our selves in teaching the Parrots^ to speak, there being a 

 vast number of them. We carry'd one to Maurice Isle, which 

 talk'd French and Dutch. 



We shall soon see that all the last year of our abode 

 here, we were employ'd in building the fine Bark, of which we 

 must speak in the Sequel of these Memoirs. If any one 

 desires to know how we lighted our Cabbins when 'twas, 

 dark, or the Places w^e were then in, I must acquaint him 

 that we brought Lamps with us ; and instead of Oil, made 

 use of Turtles fat, which as I said before, never Congeal'd. 

 We lighted our Fires with Burning-Glasses. 



The Eeader finding we had Abundance of Variety of Flesh 

 and Fish, Pioasted and Boil'd, Soops, Eagouts, Herbs, Pioots, 

 excellent Melons, other Fruits, Palm-Wine, clear and fresh 

 Water, do's not apprehend the poor Adventurers in Eodrigo 

 were in any danger of Starving. 



But since he's so kind as to consern himself a little in their 

 extraordinary manner of Living, I assure him they made 

 very good Cheer without Surfeits, Indigestion, Diseases, and 

 thanks be to God without Bread. The Captain had left them 

 two great Barrels of Bisket,^ but they seldom made use of it, 

 except 'twas in Soops or Broth, and often they quite forgot 

 it. When we had stay'd above a year in our new Island, 

 we began to wonder we saw no Ship come ; for to say truth, 

 some of us were not a little tir'd. They regretted the loss 

 of their Youth, and were troubled to think they shou'd per- 

 haps be oblig'd to pass the best part of their Lives in a 

 strange Solitude, and intolerable Idleness. After several 

 Deliberations, 'twas at last almost unanimously agreed, that 

 when we had stay'd two whole years in expectation of Ncivs 

 from Mr. Du Quesjie, which we at first resolv'd to do, then if 

 none came, we wou'd do our utmost to get to Maurice Island, 



1 Vide ante, p. 83 ; Phil. Tr., loc. cit., p. 429. 

 ^ Vide ante, p. 55. 



