312 The V O Y 
another Reafon for acting in this manner which is their 
Apprehenfibn, that if a Gold-mine fhould be wrought at 
the Cape, it might tempt other Nations, the Englijh and 
French particularly, to undertake fomething to their Pre- 
judice j whereas, in the Circumftances under which Things 
are now fettled there,- the Dutch Colony at the Cape is fo 
far from being a Grievance, that it is really an Advantage 
to other Nations, as well as their own. In other refpefls, 
they encourage all Sorts of Difcoveries : A few Years ago 
there was found out, in a Mountain very near the Town, a 
Cavern, where the Hottentots find that V enom in which 
they dip their poifoned Arrows. There have been like- 
wife found, at the Diftance of about twenty Leagues from 
the Cape, fome hot Baths, the Waters of which, being im- 
pregnated with Particles of Steel, have been known to cure 
many Difeafes. There is great Reafon to believe, that 
confiderable Improvements may ftill be made here for the 
Advantage of the Inhabitants, and of the Company, who, 
as they are not great Gainers by this Eftablifhment, other- 
wife than as it affords Refrefhments to their outward and 
homeward-bound Ships, would be glad of any Means 
that might increafe the Value of their Settlement, con- 
fiftent with their Maxim of Government, and with that 
Indulgence which it is reqtiifite to fhew the Hottentots , 
who are, perhaps, of all Nations of the World, the moll 
tenacious of their Liberty, and the moft defperate in their 
Refentment of any Attempt made to its Prejudice. It is 
now time to leave this delicious Country, where the Cli- 
mate is allowed this peculiar Advantage, that it not only 
agrees with the Fruits and Herbs of different Countries, 
but even gives them greater Perfection than ever they 
attain where they naturally grow. 
39. Towards the End of the Month of March 1723. 
their Ship being revictualled, and ready to fail, a bride 
South-eaft Wind carried them out of the Bay. Their Fleet 
confided of about three-and-twenty Sail, the belt Part of 
which belonged to the Company-, the reft wer t India Ships, 
that were alfo homeward-bound. They fleered their Courfe 
for the Ifland of St. Helena , where they arrived in three 
Weeks : When they thought they were pretty near the 
Ifland, the Commodore thought proper to detach two 
Ships, to difcover whether there were any Corfairs upon 
that Coaft ; for a little before, they had feen and give Chace 
to a Pirate, and therefore apprehended there might be 
more upon that Coaft. As they drew near it, the Commo- 
dore fired a Gun, as a Signal for the Line of Battle which 
is, in all Cafes, a very ufeful Precaution, though it flood 
them here in little ftead, becaufe, as it fell out, there were 
no Pirates on the Coaft. 
The Ifland of St. Helena lies in the Latitude of 16 0 15' 
South, about 550 Leagues from the Cape of Good Hope , 
500 Leagues from the Coaft of Brafil , and 350 from Au- 
gufta , which is the neareft Land. This Ifland is about 
ieven Leagues in Circumference, covered with rocky 
Hills, which, in a clear Day, may be feen forty Leagues 
off at Sea. It is really furprifing to fee fo fmall an Ifland 
in the rrxdft of the Ocean, and at fo great a Diftance from 
Land, with fo deep a Sea round it, that there is fcarce any 
Anchorage to be found. The Portuguefie firft difcovered 
it, and that to their Coft, having one of their large Indian 
Ships wrecked here -, of the Remains of which they built a 
Chapel, which, though long fince decayed, ftill beftows its 
Name on the fineft Valley in the Ifland. They planted 
Lemons, Oranges, and Pomegranates, over all the Coun- 
try, and left there likewife Hogs and Goats, together with 
Partridges, Pigeons, and Peacocks, for the Conveniency 
of fuch Ships as fhould touch there but they did not 
think fit to plant it, becaule they were afraid fome other 
Nation would difpoffefs them. There was an Hermit who 
chofe to live here by himfelf, killing the Goats for their 
Skins, which he fold as Opportunity offered, when the 
Ships came in ^ but the Portuguese removed him, as they 
did afterwards fome Negro Slaves, who fettled in the 
Mountains. It is at prefent poffeffed by the Englijh , who 
have a good Fort here,' and are fo well eftablilhed, that it 
is not likely any other Nation fhould difturb them, The 
Valleys are exceedingly beautiful and fertile j the Weather 
indeed is fometimes very hot, but even then it is very cool 
upon the Mountains, fo that they never can want a Place 
..2 
AGES of Book I. 
of Refrefliment. There is not any Country in the World 
better watered, the Rivulets running from the Tops of 
the Hills into the Sea, which is never at a great Diftance, 
with Streams as clear as CryftaL, nor can there be any 
thing more pleafant, than to behold the Seamen, fatigued 
with a long Stay in hot Climates, refrelhing themfeives 
here by wafhing themfeives in the Brooks. Here are 
Muftard-plants, Parfley, Sorrel, Purflain, Winter-creffes, 
and other Flerbs, exceedingly good for the Scurvy : Nei- 
ther is the Ifland deftitute of Trees, though none fit for 
Timber, but for Fuel only. All Sorts of Refrefhments are 
to be had here in Plenty, and on reafonable Terms and, 
though there were formerly Difputes between the Englfb 
and Dutch , about the Poffeffion of the Ifland, yet the 
former now treat the latter very kindly whenever their 
Ships put in here, and furnifh them ' with whatever they 
want. 
They failed from hence for the Ifland of Afcenfion , which 
lies in 8 Degrees South Latitude, about 200 Leagues 
North-weft from St. Helena: It is about the fame Bignefs 
with the other Ifland, but the Shore is exceffively rocky, 
and the Country abfolutely barren here are, neither Grafs 
nor Trees, but the Surface of the Land looks as if rent 
afunder from whence fome have conceived, not without 
great Shew of Reafon, that here has been formerly a Vol- 
cano, or fiery Mountain. There is indeed a pretty high 
Hill in the Middle of the Ifland, on one Side of which 
Water has been found. At certain Seafons of the Year, 
the Country is almoft covered with Sea-fowl but what 
chiefly engages Ships to put into the only Harbour in the 
Ifle, is the great Plenty of excellent Tortoife, which, when 
they come alkore in the Night to lay their Eggs, the Sailors 
turn upon their Backs, till they have Leifure to carry them 
on board. It is wonderful, that thefe Creatures will live 
above a Month without any other Subfiftence than what 
they derive from their fprinkling a little fait Water on them 
three or four times a Day, The Reafon of keeping them 
fo long is, that the Seamen are never weary with eating 
them, perfuadmg themfeives, that they make a per left 
Change in the Juices, and free them intirely from the 
Scurvy, and other Difeafes of the Blood, which as they 
are jullified by Experience, it feems but reafonable to give 
Credit to their Report. As this Ifland of Afcenfion is 
moft certainly a very indifferent Habitation, it is a thing 
very common to leave Malefactors here, when they do 
not care to put them to Death, as happened not long ago 
to a Dutch Book-keeper, who was convifted of Sodomy ; 
but, whether this be not a worfe Punifhment than Death, 
confidering the Miferies that muft be' endured in one of the 
hotteft Climates in the World, on a Place that does not 
afford the leaft Shelter, the Reader will determine. How- 
ever, as it has lefs the Appearance of Severity, and there 
is aPoffibility, that the Criminal may be taken off by fome 
other Ship, this Practice, elpecially for fuch flagrant 
Crimes, does not deferve to be condemned. 
After leaving this Ifland, they began to approach the 
Line, which they palled without feeling an exceffive Heat, 
becaufe, as the Sun was turning then towards the North, 
they had the Benefit of pretty brifk Winds, which moderated 
the Weather exceedingly. They now likewife began to fee 
at Night the North Star, which they had not done for a 
Year and an half ; and it is not to be expreffed, how 
much the Seamen were rejoiced by this Incident. 
They foon found themfeives in the Latitude of 18 0 
North, in that Part of the Sea, which is, generally fpeak- 
ing, covered with Grafs, fo that at a Diftance, it really 
looks like a Meadow. This Grafs has a yellowifh Call, 
and is hollow within, and, when hard preffed with the 
Finger, yields a clammy vifcous Juice. There are fome 
Years in which none of this Grafs appears j and others 
again, in which it abounds, and is found in prodigious 
Quantities. Some imagine that it comes from the very 
Bottom of the Sea ; becaufe Divers report, that, in fome 
Places, the Bottom of the Sea is covered with Grafs and 
Flowers : Others again believe, that this Grafs is driven 
from the Coafts of Africa but our Author fays, that he 
difapproves both thefe Notions and, for thefe Reafons: 
Firit, if it came from the Bottom of the Sea, why ihould it 
not have the fame Appearance elfe where? For, if the Report 
of 
