262 



CAPE VERDS— SAL. 



[1828. 



small portion of their general food. We caught an immense number ; 

 and, according to custom, received a broad hint to send the governor a 

 mess, which we did, with many apologies for our ignorance of the 

 etiquette proper on such occasions. 



July 23d. — We left St. Nicholas on Wednesday evening, the 23d 

 of July, at seven, P. M., with a fine breeze from north-by-east, and on 

 the following morning, at four o'clock, were close in with the island 

 of Sal, and anchored in Mordeira Bay, in six fathoms water, sandy bot- 

 tom. This in my opinion is the best harbour among the whole group 

 of the Cape Verd Islands. The anchorage is in lat. 16° 42' north, 

 long. 22° 54' west. 



The island of Sal, which lies about twenty leagues eastward of St. 

 Nicholas, derives its name from its great number of salt-ponds, and 

 the vast quantity of salt that is manufactured from their waters, which 

 are continually replenished from the rising of the sea. This water, 

 when properly exposed to the sun, crystallizes into a beautiful salt, 

 which is the staple commodity of the island. If the manufacture were 

 properly attended to, this single island would be sufficient to supply 

 all the United States for a century to come. 



This island is a little more than forty miles in circumference, and 

 lies about three hundred miles from the coast of Africa. It is of an 

 oblong shape, extending north and south, something less than twenty 

 miles in length, and perhaps eight or ten in breadth. It forms the 

 north-east point of the semicircular range before mentioned, and be- 

 longs to the governor of Bonavista, a wealthy Portuguese, named Don 

 Martinez, who has been at vast expense in cutting a road through the 

 mountain, from the salt-pans on the east side of the island, to the bay 

 or harbour of Mordeira on the west side, where ships may lie in per- 

 fect safety, and take on board their cargoes of salt, which is of the 

 best quality produced among these islands. 



The island is high and bold ; rising in two peaks, which in clear 

 weather may be seen from a ship's deck at the distance of fifteen 

 leagues. The easternmost peak is the highest, and the land between 

 them being low, they appear like two separate islands when seen at a 

 distance from the north or south. On approaching it nearer we find 

 that the irregularity of its shores produces many promontories, points, 

 bays, <fec, among which are the following : North Point, which ex- 

 presses its appropriate location ; Martinez Point, a few miles south- 

 east of the former ; fifteen miles farther south is East Point ; the 

 south-eastern extremity of the island is called Wreck Point, near which 

 the Erne was wrecked in 1819; a few miles farther west is South 

 Point ; farther north, on the western side, is Turtle Point ; then comes 

 Mordeira Bay, where we lay at anchor ; north of this is a promontory 

 called the Lion's Head, off which lies Bird Island ; still farther north 

 is Palmira Point and Bay ; on the north-west is Manuel Point ; and 

 Horn Point projects about half-way between the latter and NorthPoint, 

 " the place of beginning." 



July 24th. — At 6 o'clock in the morning, I started on an excursion 

 over the mountain, in search of the agent to whom all applications 

 must be made for purchasing salt. As respects business, however, my 



