Upon the Sea-shore appears often-times the Sword-fish, which hath no Scales, but a grey Skin, and white Belly, rough like a Fyle, a flat Head, two Fins on each side, two on the Back, and one in stead of a Tail, with which it makes a swift motion: the Sword of it is a long Bone, arm’d on each side with twenty seven white and strong Teeth. This Fish striving to be Chief of the Sea, Encounters with all other Fishes whatsoever, even with the Whale himself, whose Belly he often rends open; near his Eyes are two Nostrils, out of which he blows the Water he drinks into the Air.
Sect. XIV.
Montserrat.
Description of Montserrat.
Montserrat, lying just at the seventeenth Degree, is so call’d from a Spanish Hill beyond Barcellona, whose shape this Island represents off at Sea; It is about three Leagues in length, and almost as much in breadth, and is very Mountainous, except a little towards the East, and as much Westward.
The English have a Church here, lin’d in the in-side with Cedar, which this Island produces in great abundance.
The Acajou-Tree.
Also the Acajou-Tree, which grows an exceeding heighth, with mighty Boughs, under which many judge it very wholsom to sleep: But there are two sorts of the Acajou-Tree, the one differing from the other in tallness of Body and Colour; of which the most esteem’d is the red and sweet-smelling, which is not subject to any decay; for that which is white, and yields Gum when cut, is of a less value.
The Acomas-Tree.
The Acomas is also no way inferior in bigness to the Acajou, which bears long swarthy Leaves, and yellow Fruit not unlike a Plumb; but because of their extraordinary bitterness they are not eatable, onely the wild Pigeons at a certain time of the year feed on them, after which their Flesh becomes bitter also; from the Bark when cut, runs a milky Juice.
The Cypress-Tree.