The VOYAGES of Book L 
only, 1 prefume to offer the Reader another Reafon •, which 
is, the Nearnefs of the Shores, or oppofite Coafts, in the 
Mediterranean ; for, as we fee in a Bafon that has been 
Ihook, the Motion of the Water remains after the Bafon 
Bands Bill • fo it is plain, that the Violence of the Motion 
is greater in proportion to the Smalnefs of the Veffel, be- 
caufe the Strokes from the oppofite Side are repeated 
quicker, and the Water has lefs room to play. 
After two Days the Wind freftiened, and they began to 
recover the Fatigues they had fuftained : During that Space 
of Time, they continued to Beer South-wefl, in hopes of 
gaining the Canaries •, and diverted themfelves with ob- 
ferving the Manner in which the Flying-fiHi endeavours 
to efcape its Enemies, the Albicores and Bonitoes. The 
Flying-fifh is not much bigger than an Herring, and the 
Fins it flies with, are, for Strength and Texture, not un- 
like the Wings of a Bat. The Butch Sailors eBeem them 
very good Food, and, therefore, are never better pleafed, 
than when they meet with Plenty of them. The Bonito is 
a Fifh about two Feet long, of a greyifh Colour, and finely 
Rreaked from Head to Tail ; the Flefh dry, hard, and of 
a difagreeable TaBe. The Albicore refembles the Bonito 
in every relpeft, except its Size ; for the Albicore is, ge- 
nerally fpeaking, five or fix Feet long, and weighs fome- 
times 1501b. They faw likewife fome Water-fowl, and 
particularly Teal, which the Seamen always account a Sign 
of the Land’s being near. 
At laB, finding themfelves in the Latitude of 28°, they 
expedited they fnouid have feen very foon fome of the 
Canary Elands ; when, of a Bidden, the Man at the Mafi- 
liead informed them, that he difcovered a Sail, which 
carried Englijh Colours. As foon as they drew near 
enough to difcern her Motions, they perceived that fhe 
flruck her Colours, and bore away from them. In about 
an Hour’s time flie appeared again, with four Sail more 
in her Company, which fometimes carried white, and fome- 
times black, and, at laB, red Colours ; which gave Reafon 
to fufpedt, that they were Pirates. The Commodore im- 
mediately made the Signal for a Line of Battle ; all Hands 
were employed in making a clear Ship, in filling Grenades, 
and preparing every thing that was neceffary for the en- 
duing Engagement, in which they were fo lucky as to have 
the Advantage of the Wind. The Pirates, obferving this 
Difpofition, immediately put themfelves in a fighting 
PoBure ; and began by Bribing their red, and hoiftmg a 
black Flag, with a Death’s Plead in the Centre, a Powder- 
horn over it, and two Bones acrofs underneath. They 
likewife formed a Line ; and, in an Hour’s time, the 
Adtion began. The Pirates fought brifkly for fome time, 
fuppofing them to be Merchantmen ; but, after a Difpute 
of two Hours, and perceiving that the Commodore fought 
to board the Veffel with which he was engaged, they 
Ipread all the Canvas they could, and crouded away as faff 
as poffible. The Butch Commodore cried out, as foon as 
he faw them bearing away. Let the Rafcals go : In which 
he flridtly obeyed his Infirudtions •, for all the Butch Ships, 
belonging to their Eaft and Weft India Companies, have 
ffridt Orders never to give Chace, but to purfue their 
Courfe. It is true, that fometimes their Captains negledt 
this Order ; but it is at their Peril, and they are always 
made anfwerable for the Confequences on their Return 
home. 
This unlucky Accident coB the Squadron a great many 
Men. In the Commodore they had four killed, among 
whom was a Quarter-maffer, and nine wounded ; and 
there were feven killed, and twenty-fix wounded, in the 
other two Ships. The Carpenters likewife found them- 
felves fully employed in Bopping Leaks, and repairing the 
Damage they had received. As foon as this was done, 
which was by the 1 5th of November , they continued their 
Voyage, and arrived in Sight of the Eland of Madeira , 
which afforded a beautiful Profpedl at a Difiance. There 
Is good Anchorage on its Coaffs, where Wood and Water 
may be conveniently taken in ; but, notwithfianding this, 
the Butch Eaji and IV eft India Ships rarely touch there. 
In the Neighbourhood of Madeira , they faw a defert 
Eland, which is much frequented by the Pirates, who 
wood and water there, and obtain other Refrefhments. 
They had likewife a Sight of the Pike of Teneriff, at the 
1 
Diftance of about twenty-five Leagues. This is generally 
efieemed the highefi Angle Mountain in the World, which 
is the Reafon that Geographers place there the firfi Me- 
ridian ; a Cufiom, however, from which many of the 
Moderns vary, but with which the Globe and Map-makers 
in Holland conflantly comply, believing, that, from this 
Regularity, they derived great Advantages. On the other 
hand, the French and Engliftj , of late Years efpeeially, 
incline to fix the firfi Meridian in their refpeftive Maps at 
Paris) or at London \ which creates great Confufion in the 
Longitude of Places, when this Difiinftion is not previoufiy 
taken notice of by the Writers who make ufe of fuch 
Maps. King Lewis the XHIth of France endeavoured 
to prevent this Inconvenience by an Edift, dated April 25. 
1634. by which he directed the firfi Meridian to be 
placed in the Ifland of Fero, the mofi Wefiward of the 
Canaries . 
From thefe Elands they continued fleering South-weB, 
for thofe of the Cape de Verde , of which they had likewife 
a Sight. This Cape Verde , or Green Cape , is a Point in. 
Africa , or rather a Mountain, fhooting forth into the Sea, 
which Ptolemy calls Arlinarium . It was difcovered by the 
Portuguefe in the Year 1474, in the Reign of Alphonfus 
the Vth; it is bounded by the two Rivers Gambia and 
Sanega , formerly called Stachiris and Garatius : To the 
Wefi Side of it there is an Eland full of an infinite Num- 
ber of Birds, whofe Eggs are commonly gathered by the 
Mariners. This Cape is a dangerous Landing-place, be- 
caufe of a great many Rocks about it funk under Water 5 
therefore it is better to land three Leagues off it, though 
in a Place uninhabited, and which affords nothing but Wood 
and Stones. The Continent is peopled by Negroes, who 
trade with all Nations, and fpeak feveral Languages, efpe- 
cially French and Portuguefe. The mofi Part of them go 
naked, having only a Piece of linen Cloth about their 
Middle, to cover their privy Parts : But the Noblemen and 
Grandees clothe themfelves a little better ; for they wear a 
long Garment of Calico, made like a Woman’s Shift, and 
Briped with Blue : They hang little fquare leather Bags 
upon their Arms and Legs, but we could not learn of them 
what they put in thefe Bags : They wear Necklaces made 
of Sea-horfes Teeth, with glafs Beads between j on their 
Heads they wear a Cap of Calico, Briped with Blue. They 
are a prudent and wife People, employing themfelves in 
cultivating the Ground, which bears good Rice, and other 
Things, fufficient to maintain them : The richer Sort 
among them keep Cattle, which are very dear in that 
Country, becaufe there are but a few. Here are a great 
many good Blackfmiths s for Iron is much valued amongft 
them ; and you find long iron Bars, forged like Spears, 
which ferve them for fififing, and ploughing the Ground : 
They make likewife feveral Sorts of W eapons, as Arrows, 
Darts, Javelins, &c. They have little or no Knowledge of 
Almighty God, except fome of them, who converfe with 
Chrifiians. In general, what Religion they have, comes 
nearefi to the Mohammedan •, for they are circumcifed. 
They are very lafcivious Men, and may have as many 
Wives as they pleafe, and Women are feldom fatisfied with 
one Husband f but, above all, they love Strangers very 
paffionately. The Portuguefe who live there are free, and 
trade with all Nations, but have no Authority or Power, 
but over their Slaves and Servants. The Country is alto- 
gether under the Subjection of the Governors of each. 
Town or Village, who row in little Boats to the Ships when 
they arrive, to make them pay the Cufiom. 
They had at this time only a Sight of thofe People in 
their Boats ; for, having the Advantage of a flrong North- 
eafl Wind, they continued their Courfe for fix Weeks, with- 
out coming to an Anchor, or handling a Sail. In this 
long Paffage they had fome Days in which the Heat was 
almofi infupportable ; and the Crew began to murmur 
exceffively, on account of their being at fliort Allowance 
for Water, of which, they faid, they had too little to fufiEn 
Life, efpecially confidering the hard Labour they were 
obliged to undergo. This fliort Allowance produced foon 
after a very extraordinary Accident : One of the Swabbers, 
being exceeding thirfiy, got down into the Hold, and 
pierced a Calk, which very unluckily proved to be Brandy, 
fnfiead of Water j at which he pulled fo heartily, that he 
