PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
58 
there were great difficulties in procuring boat to bring them 
down ; and that he apprehended there would be great delays. I 
immediately ordered my small gig-boat to be prepared, and in 
one hour and three quarters I landed in the town, although the 
distance, from the ship, was 13 miles. I remained there tw© 
hours, to make such arrangements as were necessary ; and was 
about the same time returning to the ship. Next morning, Mr. 
Shaw came down, with five puncheons of rum; fresh beef for two 
days ; a quantity of onions ; and a few bags of flour ; which were 
all that could be procured. The beef was spoiled before it came 
on board, and we were obliged to throw it overboard ; and shortly 
afterwards, an enormous shark, at least twenty-five feet in length, 
rose along side, with a quarter of a bullock in his mouth. It 
would be impossible to describe the horror that this voracious 
animal excited. Several of our seamen, and most of the officers, 
had been swimming along side, the evening previous. A man 
would scarcely have been a mouthful for him. When he first 
made his appearance, every one was impressed with a belief, that 
it was a young whale. 
During our stay here, we were constantly attended by an offi¬ 
cer from the fort, who was indefatigable in his attentions towards 
us. His name was Sabine, and his rank was that of serjeant- 
major. He was in every respect subject to my directions, and 
delicacy prevented me (whatever might have been his expecta¬ 
tions) from offering him any compensation. I gave him, how¬ 
ever, at my departure, 40 dollars for the pilotage of the ship. 
I waited on the commander of the fort the day after I anchor¬ 
ed. He was a very old man ; his name was don Alexandre Jose 
de Azedido. He received me with great civility, and, as has been 
generally the case with the Portuguese, expressed great desire 
that our cruize might be successful. The fort has been erected 
about 70 years; there are mounted on it 15 or 20 honey-conibed 
guns of different calibres. Vegetation has been so rapid, that 
the walls of the fortress are nearly hid by the trees that have 
shot up in every part. The gun-carriages are in a very rotten 
state, and the garrison consists of about 20 half-naked soldiers 
