WHALING VOYAGE. 
227 
shrine of gluttony. A number of Creole Spaniards came 
on board the ship, lounging about, and endeavouring to 
bargain with the sailors. All of them possessed large 
bags, in which they carried their articles of traffic, 
w'hich principally consisted of a peculiar kind of hat, 
which being extremely light is exceedingly well adapted 
for wear in hot climates ; they are made of a kind of 
grass, w r hich is plaited into broad-brimmed hats of neat 
appearance. They appeared extremely anxious to 
trade, but appeared averse to an erect position ; lying 
on a hen-coop or leaning over a rail, they would urge 
their business with great assiduity, all their muscles 
lying idle except those of the tongue, which were put 
into play with amazing volubility. 
After having left this place, and continued our course 
farther north for about five degrees, we came to Monta 
Christa, a town of that name, which stands upon a 
mountain which suddenly rises from low lands that are 
situated all around. It rears its lofty head only thirty 
miles south of the equinoctial line, and bears the same 
name as that of the town (which is formed upon its 
waist), to which it no doubt gave origin. 
It is wonderful that only five degrees of latitude 
should make such a difference with regard to vegetation. 
We had only just left perfect aridity and barrenness ; 
and now, in a few days’ sailing along the same coast, we 
came to perfect irrigation and fertility : a place not only 
abounding in vegetable life, but also in a multitude of 
various living creatures, but more particularly birds ; 
and great varieties of beautiful insects, among which 
