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the fhip, a flrong guard-room, where centinels 

 were kept day and night, with provifions difpofed 

 in the bed manner in the magazine, where alio a 

 guard was kept. 



The ifland, on which we were, was in appearance 

 about four leagues round ; there were others near it 

 of different extent, and that on which the Indians 

 had their tents was the fmalleft of all and the nearefl 

 to ours. Here they lived folely by fifhing, and 

 this whole coaft was as plentifully flocked in that, 

 as the land was deflitute of every article for the 

 fupporc of human life. As to their drefs, a few 

 leaves of trees, or a piece of bark was fufficient 

 for them. They cover no part of their bodies but 

 the part which all men from modefty conceal. 



The foil of 'all thefe iflands is a fort of very fine 

 fand, or rather a fort of calcined chalk, interfperf- 

 ed with white coral, which is eafily broken. Thus 

 you fee nothing on it but fhrubs and bufhes. The 

 banks of the fea are covered with a pretty fort of 

 fliells, and fome fpunges are like wife found on 

 them, which feem to have been cafl on more here 

 by the waves in flormy weather. 'Tis pretended 

 that what keeps the Indians from leaving this place, 

 is the number of mipwrecks that happen in the 

 , mouth of the gulph of Bahama, of which they ne- 

 ver fail to make all the advantage poflible. 



There is not fo much as a fingle fourfooted beafl 

 on thefe iflands, which feem to have been curfed 

 of God and man, and which would be utterly un- 

 inhabited, except by a fet of wretches, who fub- 

 fift on the deftrudtion and miferies of others, and 

 by compleating what their ill deftiny only begun. 



Qn 



