A true & exact history of the island of Barbados

by Richard Ligon

This Iland, wee left ten Leagues, or thereabouts on our Larboard side, and next to it, the Ile of May; famous for store of excellent Salt.

The last of those Ilands was Palma; a land so high, as after wee first discovered it; which was in the morning; wee thought to have reacht it that night, but found our selves farre short of it, next morning, though wee had a full gaile all that night: so much is the eye deceived in Land which lyes high. This Iland is about 28 degrees to the Noreward, and from it to the Iles of Cape Verd about 13 degrees a long way to bee silent, for there is no land between and therefore I purpose to entertaine you with some Sea delights; for there is no place so void and empty, where some lawfull pleasure is not to bee had, for a man that hath a free heart, and a good Conscience. But these Sea-pleasures are so mixt with Cruelties, as the trouble of the one, abates much the delight of the other, for here wee see the great ones, eate up the little ones, as they doe at Land, and with as little remorse; yet laying that consideration aside the Chase affords some pleasure to the eyes: for some kinds of fishes shew themselves above water, for a long while together. I have seen 20 Porpisces very large of that kinde, Crosse the Prow of our Ship, one behind another in so steady and constant a course, in chase of some other fishes; as I have seen a kennell of large Hounds, in Windsor Forrest, in the chase of a Stag; one following another directly in a track; and the onely difference I finde is, these doe not spend their mouthes, but what they want in that is supplyed by the goodnesse of their noses; for they never are at a fault, but goe constantly on. The Dolphins likewise pursue the flying Fish, forcing them to leave their knowne watry Elements, and flye to an unknowne one, where they meet with as mercilesse enemies; for there are birds that attend the rising of those fishes; and if they bee within distance, seldome fayle to make them their owne. These birds, and no other but of their kinde, love to straggle so far from land; so that it may be doubted, whether the sea may not bee counted their naturall home; for wee see them 500 leagues from any land, at Sun setting; and so it is not possible they should recover land that night; and on the waves they cannot rest without great hazzard. I have seen them sometimes light, and sit upon the waves, but with such Caution: for feare of being taken in by a fish, as her rest is very unsafe; unlesse when the is covered by the nights dark wings. This Bird, is a kinde of sea Hawke, somewhat bigger then a Lanner, and of that colour; but of a far freer wing; and of a longer continuance; and when she is weary, she finds resting places, if the Seas be Calme; for then the Turtles lye and sleep upon the waves, for a long time together; and upon their backs they sit, and sleep securely; and there, mute, prune, and oyl their feathers; rouse, and doe all their Offices of nature, and have roome enough for all, for some of those Turtles are a yeard broad in the back: wee took one with our long Boate, as he lay sleeping on the water, whose body afforded all the Gentlemen, and Officers of the Ship, a very plentifull meal; and was the best meat wee tasted, all the time wee were at Sea. There are of these kinds of Fishes but two sorts, that continue in the mayne; the Loggerhead Turtle, and the Hawkes bill Turtle, of which sorts, the latter is the best, and of that kind ours was that wee took. There is a third kind, called the Green Turtle which are of a lesser Magnitude, but far excelling the other two, in wholesomnesse, and Rarenesse of taste; but of them hereafter for I have no mind to part so leightly, with the forenamed Birds of prey: For having been bred a Faulconer in my youth, I cannot but admire the admirable swiftnesse of wing these birds make. They mount sometimes upon the trayne, to so loftie a pitch: as, if a Faucon were there, Shee might be allowed a double Cancellere in her stooping to her game: they doe it at one entire downe come. Her ordinary flying for her own pleasure, and not for prey is commonly more free then the best Haggard Faulcon, that I have ever seen; but the continuance of it makes it the more admirable, At the times they grow hungry, they attend the Dolphins, who are their Spaniels; and where they perceive the water to move, they know they are in Chase, of the flying fish; and being neere them, they rise like Coveys of Partridges by 12 and 16 in a Covey, and flye as far as young Partridges, that are forkers, and in their flight these birds make them their quarry.

These frighted fishes, sometimes in the night have crost our ship, and being stopt by the shroudes, have falne downe; and with their bodies we have baited hookes, and taken their pursuers the Dolphins; which we have found very excellent meat, being drest by a good hand, with Wine, Spice, and sweet herbs, which we never wanted. So here we have excellent hauking, no feare of losing our hauke, by going out at Cheik, or to a village to Poult, and yet eate of the quarrie, and sometimes of the Spaniells, which is an advantage the best faulconers misse at Land. As for the hunting here, we only see the Chase, but suffer the hounds to flesh themselves upon the quarrie, or it may be, a royall fish, such a one as may fill a dish to furnish Neptunes table, & by that meanes we are cosen’d of our quarry. So that as I ever thought on Land, I find the same at Sea, Hawking to be the better sport. I had almost forgot, to tell what kind of fish this flying fish is, which is the cause of such excellent sport, both in himselfe and others, he is just like a Pilchard, but his fins larger, both in breadth & length, & as long as they are wett, so long he flyes; and for their mortall enemies the birds, they continue with us from 33. degrees til we come to 15. and then leave us.

At which time and place, another kinde undertakes us, not much bigger then a Castrill; and as near that colour as may bee, but of another manner of flying: for these flye close to the water, and turne about every wave; so that wee often lose sight of them, by interposing of the waves, and think somtimes that a wave has overwhelmed her. The pleasure she gives the eye, is by the giddinesse of her flying, and often seems to be lost: and yet (contrary to our expectation) appears againe. But I will trouble you no longer with the inhabitants of the Plyant Aire, but dive into the Deep, to try what pleasure that Element affords to give you delight.

There is a Fish called a Sharke, which as he is a common enemy to Saylers and all others that venture, in Calmes, to commit their naked bodies to the sea (for he often bites off Legs, sometimes Armes, and now and then swallowes the whole body, if the Fish bee great): So when the Saylers take them, they use them accordingly. Sometimes by putting out their eyes, and throwing them over bord; sometimes by mangling and cutting their bodies, finns, and tayles, making them a prey to others, who were mercilesse Tyrants themselves; And in this kind of justice they are very Accurate.

Many of these fishes we took; some by striking with harping Irons, some with Fishgigs, some with hookes; and amongst the rest, one very large, which followed the Ship foure houres, before wee went about to take him; and perceived before him, a little Fish which they call the Pilot Fish; This little guide of his, swims sometimes a yeard before him, sometimes more or lesse, at his pleasure; and in his greatest adversity often cleaves to him, and like a deare friend, stickes closest when hee needs him most: for when he is taken, this little fish, never fayles to fasten himselfe to his head, or some part neere that, and resolves to dye with him. The experience of this wee found not only in this great fish, but in all the rest wee had formerly taken, for wee never took the one without the other. And the Engine wee took this great Sharke with, was a large Hook, baited with a piece of Beef; which he received into his mouth, his belly being turned upwards, for his mouth being short of his snout a good deale, he could not take it conveniently, his back being upward, by reason his snout drove the line afore it, but as soon as wee perceived the baite to be swallowed, we gave a sudden pull, which fastned the hook so, as we were sure the weight of his body would not teare it out, Wee drew him up, and laid him in the Wast of the Ship, where none durst abide but the Seamen who dare doe any thing.

Wee had aboard divers mastive Dogges, and amongst them, one so large and fierce, as I have seldome seen any like him; this Dogge flew to him with the greatest Courage that might be, but could take no hold of him, by reason of his large roundnesse and sliminesse; but if by chance he got hold of one of his finnes, the Sharke would throw him from side to side of the Ship, as if he had been nothing; and doubtlesse if he had encountred him in his own Element, the Sea, he would have made quick work with him.

Divers of this kind wee took, but none so large; he was about 16 foot long, and 10 foot about the middle. Other fishes wee took, as the Bonito, the Spanish Maquerell, the Albucore, Dolphin, &c. which wee found excellent meate, but especially the Albacore, which is a fish of such a shape, as it pleased me much to look on. Those wee took were not much above a yard long, with forked tayles, the gristles very firme and strong, and the body neer that, no bigger then a mans wrist; but suddenly growing upward to such a greatnesse, as I have seldome seen any like him, and so strong withall, as a sayler a very strong man, holding one of them fast by the gill, when this fish mov’d but his tayle to get loose, gave such a spring, as he had like to have put his arme out of joynt. These kind of fishes, in a cleare Sunshine evening, delight themselves and us, by trying which of them can leap highest above water, so that ’tis a pretty pastime, to see fishes so large, and gloriously colour’d, shew themselves so far above their naturall Element, whose shapes and colours gave such variety. But this sport we saw not often.

I will trouble you no more, with mentioning the variety of shapes and colours of fishes, till I come to St. Jago; onely one, and that a very small one; for his body is not much bigger then a large Pomegranate, and yet his faculties are such, as may draw more eyes to look on him and more mindes to consider him, then the Vast Whale: for though it be true, that his large body, appearing above the surface of the water being in calmes a smooth leavell superficies, and suddenly appearing, is one of the strangest and most monstrous sights that can be in nature; (and the more admirable, when he is incountred by his two mortall enemies, the Sword and Theshal fishes. For to shake them off, he leapes more then his owne length, above water; and in his fall, beats the sea with such violence, as the froth and foame is seen a quarter of an houre after, White, as when ’tis beaten by a strong West wind against a Rock; and at other times, spouts out the Water in great quantities; the height of an ordinary Steeple.) Yet this great master-piece of Nature, is not in my opinion so full of wonder, nor doth raise the consideration to such a height: as this little fish the Carvill, who can when he pleases, enjoy himselfe with his neighbour fishes, under water; And when he putts on a resolution to trie his fortune in another Element, the Ayer, he riseth to the top of the sea, let the billow go never so high, and there without the help of a sayler, Raises up his maine Mast, spreads his sayles, which he makes of his own sinewes, fits his Rudder and Ballast, and begins his voyage; But to what Coast he is bound, or what trafique he intends, himselfe and He that made him onely can tell. Fishes there are none to prey on, nor flies, and therefore ’tis not for food he travailes; I have seen them 500 leagues from any land, if his voyage be to any Port, he must have a long time and much patience to get thither; if to sea, hee’s there already; in one thing he hath the advantage of any ship that ever sayled: for he can go neerer the wind by a poynt, then the most yare Friggot that ever was built. Which shewes how farre Nature can exceed Art. Another advantage he has, that in the greatest Tempest, he never feares drowning. Compasse, nor Card he needs not, for he is never out of his way; whether then his voyage be for pleasure or profit we are yet to seeke.