A Voyage to New Holland by William Dampier

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THE AUTHOR'S ARRIVAL AT ST. JAGO; PRAYA AND ST. JAGO TOWN.

The 19th day of February, at about one o'clock in the morning, I weighed
from Mayo Road in order to water at St. Jago, which was about 5 or 6
leagues to the westward. We coasted along the island St. Jago and passed
by the port on the east of it I mentioned formerly which they call Praya;
where some English outward-bound East-Indiamen still touch, but not so
many of them as heretofore. We saw the fort upon the hill, the houses and
coconut-trees: but I would not go in to anchor here because I expected
better water on the south-west of the island at St. Jago Town. By eight
o'clock in the morning we saw the ships in that road, being within 3
leagues of it: but were forced to keep turning many hours to get in, the
flaws of wind coming so uncertain; as they do especially to the leeward
of islands that are high land. At length two Portuguese boats came off to
help tow us in; and about three o'clock in the afternoon we came to an
anchor and took the prospect of the town. We found here, besides two
Portuguese ships bound for Brazil whose boats had towed us in, an English
pink that had taken in asses at one of the Cape Verde Islands and was
bound to Barbados with them. Next morning I went ashore with my officers
to the governor, who treated us with sweetmeats: I told him the occasion
of my coming was chiefly for water; and that I desired also to take in
some refreshments of fowls, etc. He said I was welcome, and that he would
order the townsmen to bring their commodities to a certain house, where I
might purchase what I had occasion for: I told him I had not money but
would exchange some of the salt which I brought from Mayo for their
commodities. He replied that salt was indeed an acceptable commodity with
the poor people, but that if I designed to buy any cattle I must give
money for them. I contented myself with taking in dunghill-fowls: the
governor ordering a crier to go about the town and give notice to the
people that they might repair to such a place with fowls and maize for
feeding them where they might get salt in exchange for them: so I sent on
board for salt and ordered some of my men to truck the same for the fowls
and maize while the rest of them were busy in filling of water. This is
the effect of their keeping no boats of their own on the several islands,
that they are glad to by even their own salt of foreigners for want of
being able to transport it themselves from island to island.

St. Jago Town lies on the south-west part of the island in latitude about
15 degrees north, and is the seat of the general governor and of the
bishop of all the Cape Verde Islands. This town stands scattering against
the sides of two mountains, between which there is a deep valley, which
is about 200 yards wide against the sea; but within a quarter of a mile
it closes up so as not to be 40 yards wide. In the valley by the sea
there is a straggling street, houses on each side, and a run of water in
the bottom which empties itself into a fine small cove or sandy bay where
the sea is commonly very smooth; so that here is good watering and good
landing at any time; though the road be rocky and bad for ships. Just by
the landing-place there is a small fort, almost level with the sea, where
is always a court of guard kept. On the top of the hill, above the town,
there is another fort which, by the wall that is to be seen from the
road, seems to be a large place. They have cannon mounted there, but how
many know not: neither what use that fort can be of except it be for
salutes. The town may consist of 2 or 300 houses, all built of rough
stone; having also one convent, and one church.

OF THE INHABITANTS AND THEIR COMMODITIES.

The people in general are black, or at least of a mixed colour, except
only some few of the better sort, namely the governor, the bishop, some
gentlemen, and some of the padres; for some of these also are black. The
people about Praya are thievish; but these of St. Jago Town, living under
their governor's eye, are more orderly, though generally poor, having
little trade: yet besides chance ships of other nations there come hither
a Portuguese ship or two every year, in their way to Brazil. These vend
among them a few European commodities, and take of their principal
manufactures, namely striped cotton cloth which they carry with them to
Brazil. Here is also another ship comes hither from Portugal for sugar,
their other manufacture, and returns with it directly thither: for it is
reported that there are several small sugar-works on this island from
which they send home near 100 ton every year; and they have plenty of
cotton growing up in the country wherewith they clothe themselves, and
send also a great deal to Brazil. They have vines of which they make some
wine; but the European ships furnish them with better; though they drink
but little of any. Their chief fruits are (besides plantains in
abundance) oranges, lemons, citrons, melons (both musk and watermelons)
limes, guavas, pomegranates, quinces, custard-apples, and papaws, etc.

OF THE CUSTARD-APPLE, ST. JAGO ROAD.

The custard-apple (as we call it) is a fruit as big as a pomegranate, and
much of the same colour. The outside husk, shell, or rind, is for
substance and thickness between the shell of a pomegranate, and the peel
of a seville orange; softer than this, yet more brittle than that. The
coat or covering is also remarkable in that it is beset round with small
regular knobs or risings; and the inside of the fruit is full of a white
soft pulp, sweet and very pleasant, and most resembling a custard of any
thing, both in colour and taste; from whence probably it is called a
custard-apple by our English. It has in the middle a few small black
stones or kernels; but no core, for it is all pulp. The tree that bears
this fruit is about the bigness of a quince-tree, with long, small, and
thick-set branches spread much abroad: at the extremity of here and there
one of which the fruit grows upon a stalk of its own about 9 or 10 inches
long, slender and tough, and hanging down with its own weight. A large
tree of this sort does not bear usually above 20 or 30 apples, seldom
more. This fruit grows in most countries within the tropics, I have seen
of them (though I omitted the description of them before) all over the
West Indies, both continent and islands; as also in Brazil, and in the
East Indies.

The papaw too is found in all these countries, though I have not hitherto
described it. It is a fruit about the bigness of a musk-melon, hollow as
that is, and much resembling it in shape and colour, both outside and
inside: only in the middle, instead of flat kernels, which the melons
have, these have a handful of small blackish seeds about the bigness of
peppercorns; whose taste is also hot on the tongue somewhat like pepper.
The fruit itself is sweet, soft and luscious, when ripe; but while green
it is hard and unsavoury: though even then being boiled and eaten with
salt-pork or beef, it serves instead of turnips and is as much esteemed.
The papaw-tree is about 10 or 12 foot high. The body near the ground may
be a foot and a half or 2 foot diameter; and it grows up tapering to the
top. It has no branches at all, but only large leaves growing immediately
upon stalks from the body. The leaves are of a roundish form and jagged
about the edges, having their stalks or stumps longer or shorter as they
grow near to or further from the top. They begin to spring from out of
the body of the tree at about 6 or 7 foot height from the ground, the
trunk being bare below: but above that the leaves grow thicker and larger
still towards its top, where they are close and broad. The fruit grows
only among the leaves; and thickest among the thickest of them; insomuch
that towards the top of the tree the papaws spring forth from its body as
thick as they can stick one by another. But then lower down where the
leaves are thinner the fruit is larger, and of the size I have described:
and at the top where they are thick they are but small, and no bigger
than ordinary turnips; yet tasted like the rest.

Their chief land animals are their bullocks, which are said to be many;
though they ask us 20 dollars apiece for them; they have also horses,
asses, and mules, deer, goats, hogs, and black-faced long-tailed monkeys.
Of fowls they have cocks and hens, ducks, guinea-hens, both tame and
wild, parakeets, parrots, pigeons, turtledoves, herons, hawks,
crab-catchers, galdens (a larger sort of crab-catchers) curlews, etc.
Their fish is the same as at Mayo and the rest of these islands, and for
the most part these islands have the same beasts and birds also; but some
of the isles have pasturage and employment for some particular beasts
more than other; and the birds are encouraged, by woods for shelter, and
maize and fruits for food, to flock to some of the islands (as to this of
St. Jago) than to others.

FOGO.

St. Jago Road is one of the worst that I have been in. There is not clean
ground enough for above three ships; and those also must lie very near
each other. One even of these must lie close to the shore, with a
land-fast there: and that is the best for a small ship. I should not have
come in here if I had not been told that it was a good secure place; but
I found it so much otherways that I was in pain to be gone. Captain
Barefoot, who came to an anchor while I was here, in foul ground, lost
quickly 2 anchors; and I had lost a small one. The island Fogo shows
itself from this road very plain, at about 7 or 8 leagues distance; and
in the night we saw the flames of fire issuing from its top.

CHAPTER 2.

SOUTH OF THE LINE TO BRAZIL.

THE AUTHOR'S DELIBERATION ON THE SEQUEL OF HIS VOYAGE AND DEPARTURE FROM
ST. JAGO.

Having despatched my small affairs at the Cape Verde Islands I meditated
on the process of my voyage. I thought it requisite to touch once more at
a cultivated place in these seas, where my men might be refreshed, and
might have a market wherein to furnish themselves with necessaries: for,
designing that my next stretch should be quite to New Holland, and
knowing that after so long a run nothing was to be expected there but
fresh water, if I could meet even with that there, I resolved upon
putting in first at some port of Brazil, and to provide myself there with
whatever I might have further occasion for. Beside the refreshing and
furnishing my men I aimed also at the inuring them gradually and by
intervals to the fatigues that were to be expected in the remainder of
the voyage, which was to be in a part of the world they were altogether
strangers to: none of them, except two young men, having ever crossed the
Line.

HIS COURSE, AND THE WINDS, ETC. IN CROSSING THE LINE.

With this design I sailed from St. Jago on the 22nd of February with the
winds at east-north-east and north-east fair weather and a brisk gale. We
steered away south-south-east and south-south-east half east till in the
latitude of 7 degrees 50 minutes we met with many ripplings in the sea
like a tide or strong current, which setting against the wind caused such
a rippling. We continued to meet these currents from that latitude till
we came into the latitude of 3 degrees 22 north when they ceased. During
this time we saw some bonetas and sharks; catching one of these. We had
the true general tradewind blowing fresh at north-east till in the
latitude of 4 degrees 40 minutes north when the wind varied, and we had
small gales with some tornados. We were then to the east of St. Jago 4
degrees 54 minutes when we got into latitude 3 degrees 2 minutes north
(where I said the rippling ceased) and longitude to the east of St. Jago
5 degrees 2 minutes we had the wind whiffling between the south by east
and east by north small gales, frequent calms, very black clouds with
much rain. In the latitude of 3 degrees 8 minutes north and longitude
east from St. Jago 5 degrees 8 minutes we had the wind from the
south-south-east to the north-north-east faint, and often interrupted
with calms. While we had calms we had the opportunity of trying the
current we had met with hitherto and found that it set north-east by east
half a knot, which is 12 mile in 24 hours: so that here it ran at the
rate of half a mile an hour, and had been much stronger before. The rains
held us by intervals till the latitude of 1 degree 0 minutes north with
small gales of wind between south-south-east and south-east by east and
sometimes calm: afterwards we had the wind between the south and
south-south-east till we crossed the Line, small winds, calms, and pretty
fair weather. We saw but few fish beside porpoises; but of them a great
many and struck one of them.

It was the 10th of March, about the time of the equinox, when we crossed
the equator, having had all along from the latitude of 4 degrees 40
minutes north, where the true tradewind left us, a great swell out of the
south-east and but small uncertain gales, mostly southerly, so that we
crept to the southward but slowly. I kept up against these as well as I
could to the southward, and when we had now and then a flurry of wind at
east I still went away due south, purposely to get to the southward as
fast as I could; for while near the Line I expected to have but uncertain
winds, frequent calms, rains, tornados, etc. which would not only retard
my course but endanger sickness also among my men: especially those who
were ill provided with clothes, or were too lazy to shift themselves when
they were drenched with the rains. The heat of the weather made them
careless of doing this; but taking a dram of brandy which I gave them
when wet, with a charge to shift themselves, they would however lie down
in their hammocks with their wet clothes; so that when they turned out
they caused an ill smell wherever they came, and their hammocks would
stink sufficiently that I think the remedying of this is worth the care
of commanders that cross the Line; especially when they are, it may be, a
month or more before they get out of the rains, at some times of year, as
in June, July or August.

HE STANDS AWAY FOR THE BAY OF ALL-SAINTS IN BRAZIL; AND WHY.

What I have here said about currents, winds, calms, etc. in this passage
is chiefly for the farther illustration of what I have heretofore
observed in general about these matters, and especially as to crossing
the Line, in my Discourse of the Winds, etc. in the Torrid Zone: which
observations I have had very much confirmed to me in the course of this
voyage; and I shall particularise in several of the chief of them as they
come in my way. And indeed I think I may say this of the main of the
observations in that treatise that the clear satisfaction I had about
them and how much I might rely upon them was a great ease to my mind
during this vexatious voyage; wherein the ignorance, and obstinacy
withal, of some under me, occasioned me a great deal of trouble: though
they found all along, and were often forced to acknowledge it, that I was
seldom out in my conjectures when I told them usually beforehand what
winds, etc. we should meet with at such or such particular places we
should come at.

Pernambuco was the port that I designed for at my first setting out from
St. Jago; it being a place most proper for my purpose, by reason of its
situation, lying near the extremity of Cape St. Augustine, the
easternmost promontory of Brazil; by which means it not only enjoys the
greater benefit of the seabreezes, and is consequently more healthy than
other places to the southward, but is withal less subject to the
southerly coasting tradewinds that blow half the year on this shore;
which were now drawing on, and might be troublesome to me: so that I
might both hope to reach soonest Pernambuco as most directly and nearest
in my run; and might thence also more easily get away to the southward
than from Bahia de todos los Santos or Rio de Janeiro.

But notwithstanding these advantages I proposed to myself in going to
Pernambuco I was soon put by that design through the refractoriness of
some under me, and the discontents and backwardness of some of my men.
For the calms and shiftings of winds which I met with, as I was to
expect, in crossing the Line, made them who were unacquainted with these
matters almost heartless as to the pursuit of the voyage, as thinking we
should never be able to weather Cape St. Augustine: and though I told
them that by that time we should get to about three degrees south of the
Line we should again have a true brisk general tradewind from the
north-east, that would carry us to what part of Brazil we pleased, yet
they would not believe it till they found it so. This, with some other
unforeseen accidents, not necessary to be mentioned in this place,
meeting with the aversion of my men to a long unknown voyage, made me
justly apprehensive of their revolting, and was a great trouble and
hindrance to me. So that I was obliged partly to alter my measures, and
met with many difficulties, the particulars of which I shall not trouble
the reader with: but I mention thus much of it in general for my own
necessary vindication, in my taking such measures sometimes for
prosecuting the voyage as the state of my ship's crew, rather than my own
judgment and experience, determined me to. The disorders of my ship made
me think at present that Pernambuco would not be so fit a place for me;
being told that ships ride there 2 or 3 leagues from the town, under the
command of no forts; so that whenever I should have been ashore it might
have been easy for my discontented crew to have cut or slipped their
cables and have gone away from me: many of them discovering already an
intention to return to England, and some of them declaring openly that
they would go no further onwards than Brazil. I altered my course
therefore, and stood away for Bahia de todos los Santos, or the Bay of
All Saints, where I hoped to have the governor's help, if need should
require, for securing my ship from any such mutinous attempt; being
forced to keep myself all the way upon my guard, and to lie with my
officers, such as I could trust, and with small arms upon the
quarter-deck; it scarce being safe for me to lie in my cabin by reason of
the discontents among my men.

HIS ARRIVAL ON THAT COAST AND IN THE BAY.

On the 23rd of March we saw the land of Brazil; having had thither, from
the time when we came into the true tradewind again after crossing the
Line, very fair weather and brisk gales, mostly at east-north-east. The
land we saw was about 20 leagues to the north of Bahia; so I coasted
alongshore to the southward. This coast is rather low than high, with
sandy bays all along by the sea.

OF THE SEVERAL FORTS, THE ROAD, SITUATION, TOWN, AND BUILDINGS OF BAHIA.

A little within land are many very white spots of sand appearing like
snow; and the coast looks very pleasant, being chequered with woods and
savannahs. The trees in general are not tall; but they are green and
flourishing. There are many small houses by the seaside, whose
inhabitants are chiefly fishermen. They come off to sea on bark logs,
made of several logs fastened side to side, that have one or two masts
with sails to them. There are two men in each bark log, one at either
end, having small low benches, raised a little above the logs, to sit and
fish on, and two baskets hanging up at the mast or masts; one to put
their provisions in, the other for their fish. Many of these were
a-fishing now, and 2 of them came aboard, of whom I bought some fish. In
the afternoon we sailed by one very remarkable piece of land where, on a
small pleasant hill, there was a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. See
a sight of some parts of this coast and of the hill the church stands on.

I coasted along till the evening and then brought to, and lay by till the
next morning. About 2 hours after we were brought to, there came a sail
out of the offing (from seaward) and lay by about a mile to windward of
us and so lay all night. In the morning upon speaking with her she proved
to be a Portuguese ship bound to Bahia; therefore I sent my boat aboard
and desired to have one of his mates to pilot me in: he answered that he
had not a mate capable of it, but that he would sail in before me, and
show me the way; and that if he went into the harbour in the night he
would hang out a light for me. He said we had not far in, and might reach
it before night with a tolerable gale; but that with so small an one as
now we had we could not do it: so we jogged on till night and then he
accordingly hung out his light, which we steered after, sounding as we
went in. I kept all my men on deck and had an anchor ready to let go on
occasion. We had the tide of ebb against us, so that we went in but
slowly; and it was about the middle of the night when we anchored.
Immediately the Portuguese master came aboard to see me, to whom I
returned thanks for his civilities; and indeed I found much respect, not
only from this gentleman but from all of that nation both here and in
other places, who were ready to serve me on all occasions. The place that
we anchored in was about two miles from the harbour where the ships
generally ride; but the fear I had lest my people should run away with
the ship made me hasten to get a licence from the governor to run up into
the harbour and ride among their ships, close by one of their forts. So
on the 25th of March about ten o'clock in the morning, the tide serving,
I went thither, being piloted by the superintendent there, whose business
it is to carry up all the King of Portugal's ships that come hither, and
to see them well moored. He brought us to an anchor right against the
town, at the outer part of the harbour, which was then full of ships,
within 150 yards of a small fort that stands on a rock half a mile from
the shore. See a prospect of the harbour and the town as it appeared to
us while we lay at anchor.

Bahia de todos los Santos lies in latitude 13 degrees south. It is the
most considerable town in Brazil, whether in respect of the beauty of its
buildings, its bulk, or its trade and revenue. It has the convenience of
a good harbour that is capable of receiving ships of the greatest burden:
the entrance of which is guarded with a strong fort standing without the
harbour, called St. Antonio: a sight of which I have given as it appeared
to us the afternoon before we came in; and its lights (which they hang
out purposely for ships) we saw the same night. There are other smaller
forts that command the harbour, one of which stands on a rock in the sea,
about half a mile from the shore. Close by this fort all ships must pass
that anchor here, and must ride also within half a mile of it at farthest
between this and another fort (that stands on a point at the inner part
of the harbour and is called the Dutch Fort) but must ride nearest to the
former, all along against the town: where there is good holding ground,
and less exposed to the southerly winds that blow very hard here. They
commonly set in about April, but blow hardest in May, June, July and
August: but the place where the ships ride is exposed to these winds not
above 3 points of the compass.

Beside these there is another fort fronting the harbour, and standing on
the hill upon which the town stands. The town itself consists of about
2000 houses; the major part of which cannot be seen from the harbour; but
so many as appear in sight with a great mixture of trees between them,
and all placed on a rising hill, make a very pleasant prospect; as may be
judged by the draught.

There are in the town 13 churches, chapels, hospitals, convents, beside
one nunnery, namely the ecclesia major or cathedral, the Jesuits'
college, which are the chief, and both in sight from the harbour: St.
Antonio, St. Barbara, both parish churches; the Franciscans' church, and
the Dominicans'; and 2 convents of Carmelites; a chapel for seamen close
by the seaside, where boats commonly land and the seamen go immediately
to prayers; another chapel for poor people, at the farther end of the
same street, which runs along by the shore; and a third chapel for
soldiers at the edge of the town remote from the sea; and an hospital in
the middle of the town. The nunnery stands at the outer edge of the town
next the fields, wherein by report there are 70 nuns. Here lives in
archbishop, who has a fine palace in the town; and the governor's palace
is a fair stone building, and looks handsome to the sea, though but
indifferently furnished within: both Spaniards and Portuguese in their
plantations abroad, as I have generally observed, affecting to have large
houses; but are little curious about furniture, except pictures some of
them. The houses of the town are 2 or 3 stories high, the walls thick and
strong, being built with stone, with a covering of pantile; and many of
them have balconies. The principal streets are large, and all of them
paved or pitched with small stones. There are also parades in the most
eminent places of the town, and many gardens, as well within the town as
in the out parts of it, wherein are fruit trees, herbs, saladings and
flowers in great variety, but ordered with no great care nor art.

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