We also enquired of our Intelligencer, the Hermite, what Trades or Manufactures were practised there; but were answered, that they were few, and inconsiderable; Sugar, Sweet-meats, and Coco-nuts, being the greatest trade they had. Yet by the Padres leave, we carried away with us 50 head of Cattle, and 8 Horses, which Barnardo made us pay double for; the usual price being 25 s. a piece, for which he made us pay 50 s. and for Horses, 10 l. a piece, which others have had for 4 or 5 l. But he was content, we should rate our commodities accordingly, and so we were no great losers by the exchange.
Having dispatch’d our businesse, we got leave to go ashoar, upon the little Iland, at the entrance of the Prye, there to cut and pull grasse, for our Horses and Cattle, which we made up into hay; a work quickly done, where so much Sun-shine was our helper. It being perfectly dried, we stowed it in the ship, which was our last work, and so wayed Anchor, and hoysed Saile, steering our course for the Barbadoes, leaving Bernardo (according to his own desire) behinde us; having but 2 Degrees to the southward to varie, in the running of 620 Leagues Westward. St. Jago lying in 15. and the Barbadoes in 13 Degrees and 30 Minutes, to the Northward of the Line.
There are seven more Ilands, which are called the Ilands of Cape Verd: viz. S. Michaels, St. Vincents, St. Anthonies, St. Lucia, Bravo, Fogo, and Soll: Some of which are much larger, but none so considerable, as this of St. Jago.
As we lay at Anchor in the entrance of the Prye, we perceived at Sun-set, between the Sun and us, the Iland called Fogo; which was at such a distance, as none of us could discern it all the day, till that houre; and then the Iland interposing between the Sun and us, we saw it perfectly, shap’d like the neather half of a Sugar loafe, the upper half being cut off eeven; and in the midst of the top of that, a smoak and fire rising out, from which we guest it took its name.
About the tenth of August, we put out to Sea; and as we sayled, we left the Iland of our Starbord-side, and did not part with the sight of it, till we discern’d a little Town, near to the shoar, which, we were told, was the best in the Iland, and a place meant for the chief Port, for all Traffick in the Iland; but by means of a great mischiefe, that Ships were subject to in that Harbour, it was almost totally deserted: For the Sea there, was so rocky in the bottome, and those rocks so thick together, and sharp withall, as they cut the Cables off neer to the Anchor, and so the Anchor often left in the bottom. There was a Dutchman that lay there but three daies, and in that little stay, lost two Anchors. From this Iland to the Barbadoes, we account 620 Leagues; which, by reason of the constancy of the Windes, which blow seldome in any other point, than Nore-east and By-east, they have usually sayled it in 16 or 17 daies. But we, for that it was the time of Tornado, when the windes chop about into the South, were somewhat retarded in our passage, and made it twenty two daies ere we came thither; and many have made it a far longer time. For, in the time of Tornado, the clouds interpose so thick, and darken the skie so much, as we are not able to make an observation for a fortnight together; and so being doubtfull of our Latitude, dare not make the best use of our Sayles and way, for fear of slipping by the Island; and being past it, can hardly beat it up again, without putting out into the Main, and so by painfull traverses, recover our selves to the Eastward of the Iland, and then fall back again, by the due Latitude upon it, at 13 Degrees and 30 Minutes.
Besides this paines, and losse of time, when we misse the Iland, we many times run hazards, by falling upon the Leeward Ilands, in the night, of which the Bay of Merixo is well stor’d.
In this long reach, (which may be call’d a voyage it selfe) I had only two things to make the way seem short; the one was Pleasure, the other Businesse; that of Pleasure, was, to view the Heavens, and the beauty of them, which were objects of so great glory, as the Inhabitants of the World, from 40 Degrees to either Pole, can never be witnesse of. And this happens at the time, when the Turnado is with those of that Latitude, where we were. For the clouds being exhal’d in great quantities, some thick and grosse, some thin and aeriall, and being hurl’d and roll’d about with great and lesser curles, the Sun then and there being far brighter, then with us here in England, caused such glorious colours to rest upon those Clouds, as ’tis not possible to be believed, by him that hath not seen it, nor can imagination frame so great a beauty: And the reason is, the neernesse and propinquity of the place we are in, which makes us see the glory of the Sun, and of those Stars too, which move in that Horizon, much more perfectly, then at a further distance. The proof of this I found, by looking on the Stars, that appear large and bright to us in England, which being seen there, do not only lose much of their light, but of their magnitude. For instance; There is a little Star, called Auriga, neer the Charles Wain, which in England I have seen very perfectly, in bright nights; but at that distance, I could never see it in the clearest night, though I have often attempted it. And upon my return to England, I found it as I left it; which argues, that it was no decay or impediment in my sight, that made me lose it, but only the distance of place. I deny not, but a better sight then mine, may see this Star Auriga at the Barbadoes; but then, so good a sight may see it more perfectly in England than I can; and so the comparison holds. But another reason, to prove the Celestiall Bodies brighter at neerer distance, is, That the Moon being neer the Full, (at which time it gives a plentifull light) I have observed in the night, (the Sun having been set two hours, or thereabouts) and at such a time, as the Clouds being in a fit Position, to reflect the beams which the Moon then gives, to the place where you are, you shall see a perfect Rain-bow in the night. But this does not happen at all times, though there be Clouds, for the beams to rest on; but only to such as are in an angle, where these beams reflect, and meet in a just point.
Divers new Constellations we found, to the Southward, which in our Horizon are never seen; and amongst them, one, which we call the Cruseros, which is made up of foure Stars, which stand almost square, or rather like the clawes of a Birds foot; and the Sea-men told us, that two of them point at the South Pole, as the Poynters of the Charles Wain, do to the North Star. But the South Pole cannot be seen by us, that come from the Northern parts, till we be under the Line, and then we see both North and South; as we do the Sun in morning and evening, at six and six. And thus much for Pleasure.
Now for Businesse, it was only this: To inform my selfe, the best I could, of the account the Master and his Mates kept, of the Ships way, both for Compasse, Card, and Logline, together with the observations at noon, by that excellent and usefull Instrument, the Back-staffe, by which we know to a mile, the Latitude we are in; and if we had an Instrument, to finde out the Longitude as perfectly, every man might guid a Ship, that could but keep an account.
To the knowledge of this great secret, of the Ships Course, divers Gentlemen of our company applyed themselves very diligently; for the Master was not forward, to communicate his skill to all that were of his Messe. And to such a proficiency we were grown, as to lay a wager with the Boat-swain, a very good Seaman, upon the first sight of the Iland of Barbadoes. He laid, we should not see it till the afternoon, or late in the evening. We, that we should make it before noon. Whether it were chance, or our skilfulnesse, I know not, but we won the wager, which was a couple of very fat Hens, which we caused to be drest, and eat them in sight of the Iland, with a double joy: first, that we had won the wager; next, that we were grown so neer our wished Harbour.