S. The Other Called The South-East Harbour, In 28 Deg.
15' S. All
kinds of refreshments are to be had there, as fish, turtles, and
manatis, in great abundance.[183] It has an infinite number and variety
of fowls.
Hogs and goats, only newly introduced, are in some reasonable
number, and are fast increasing. The island is healthy, and between 30
and 40 leagues in circumference. The variation there is 21 deg. westwards.
They came from Bantam in May, were a month in getting to the Mauritius,
had remained there four months and a half, and had been six weeks from
thence, seventeen days of which with contrary winds.
[Footnote 183: The Lamantin, Trichechus Manatas Australis, Southern
Manati, or Fish-tailed Walrus of naturalists. This singular amphibious
animal, or rather aquatic quadruped, inhabits the southern seas of
Africa and America, especially near the mouths of rivers, pasturing on
aquatic plants, and browsing on the grass which grows close to the
water. It varies in size from eight to seventeen feet long, and from 500
to 800 pounds weight, and the flesh is said to be good eating. - E.]
The 22d of December we were in lat. 85 deg. 28' S. within seven leagues of
Cape Aguillas,[184] which shews like two islands from where we were,
being to the S.E. of it. Coming more athwart, it resembled three isles,
two bays, N.E. and N.W. making three conspicuous, low, and seemingly
round points. We had ground in the evening in 77 fathoms upon ooze,
being about five leagues south from shore, and, as I guess, nearly to
the westwards of the shoalest part of the bank. When bound homewards on
this coast, and finding no weather for observation, either for latitude
or variation, we may boldly and safely keep in sixty fathoms with
shelly ground, and when finding ooze we are very near Cape Aguillas.
When losing ground with 120 fathoms line, we may be sure of having
passed the cape, providing we be within the latitude of 36 deg. S. The 23d
we steered all night W. by N. and W.N.W. with afresh easterly gale,
seeing the land all along about eight or ten leagues from us, all high
land. About noon we were near the Cape of Good Hope, to which we sailed
in seventeen hours from Cape Aguillas. Being within three leagues of the
sugarloaf, we stood off and on all night. The 28th I received by the
Dutch boat from the island, six sheep, the fattest I ever saw, the tail
of one being twenty-eight inches broad, and weighing thirty-five pounds.
I got a main-top-sail of the Dutch, of which we were in extreme want,
and gave them a note on our company to receive twelve pounds twelve
shillings for the same. For the fat sheep we got on Penguin island, we
left lean in their room. The Dutch here behaved to us in a very honest
and Christian-like manner.
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