216 A VOYAGE TO BooiciX. 



They however make ufe of this precaution before 

 they eat it, namely, of laying a g'-eat weight bn it, 

 that all the malignant particles might the better 

 ooze out in the foam : and after keeping it a whole 

 day in this manner, they open the hard fhell within 

 which it is inclofed, boil it till about half ready, and 

 then fhift it into another water. By thefe precau- 

 tions they affirm that all the noxious particles are 

 cxtradled. But, in my opinion, this troublefome 

 procefs is thrown away, the tafte of its flefh not be- 

 ing at all anfwerable : and were it even in any de- 

 gree palatable, furely the remembrance of its fetid 

 fmell muft difgull the ftomach. 



During the feafon in which the turtles lay their 

 eggs, namely from December to April, the fhores 

 of the v/hole ifland are covered with them ; after 

 which retiring into the fea they difappear, as was the 

 cafe when we were at Norona. In thefe m.onths the 

 winds are at N. and N. W. and from May forward 

 they fhift to the E. fometimes inclining to the S. E. 

 and at others to the N. E. The latitude of this ifland, 

 as taken by feveral French pilots, at the time it was in 

 pofTcflion of that nation, is 3? 53' S. and thus it ftands 

 in the new French map and lies 33^ W. of theob- 

 fervatory at Paris. Its diflance from the coail of Bra- 

 zil is -betwixt 60 and 80 leagues ; but this is not pre- 

 cifely determined, the French map placing it 60 leagues 

 E. of it, whilfl the Portuguefe pilots belonging to the 

 tranfports, and who, confequently, fhould be well aC^ 

 quainted with the paiTage, judge it to be 80 leagues. 

 By taking a medium betwixt the two, the diflance will 

 be 70. 



On the frigates coming to an anchor in the bay, 

 and a.li our apprehenfions diffipated by a certainty 

 that the Portuguefe poffefTed this ifland, we took in 

 our Englifli colours, and hoift:ed French ; and fuc- 

 ceffively faluted the Portuguefe flag, which was an» 



fwered 



