Of his oranges, and at
the same time to parry all theirs, so that they should hit no part of him
but his hands. But no one would take up the wager, as they all knew he
could perform even better than he mentioned. I was on land in Gomera and
Ferro, and touched also at the island of Palma, but did not land there.
[1] In Grynaeus, this person is called a patrician or nobleman of Venice,
and his surname is omitted. - Astley.
[2] _Con Veuto da greco et tramantana in poppe_; literally, having a Greek,
and _beyond the mountain_ wind in the poop. The points of the compass,
in Italian maps, are thus named, N. _Tramontana_. N. E. _Greco_. E.
_Levante_ S. E. _Sirocco_. S. _Mezzoni_. S. W. _Libeccio_. W.
_Ponente_. N. W. _Maestro_. - Clarke.
[3] This date ought to have been 1413. - Astl.
[4] Barbot says eight leagues; other authors say more, and some less. It
is about twelve leagues to the north-east of Madeira. - Astl.
[5] When Sir Amias Preston took this island in 1595, it abounded in corn,
wine, and oil, and had good store of sheep, asses, goats, and kine.
There was also plenty of fowl, fish, and fruits. - Astl.
[6] From this account it seems to be an inspissated juice. - Astley. This
tree has probably received its name from the bark being like the
scales of a serpent. About the full of the moon it exudes a vermilion
coloured gum. That which grows on the islands and coasts of Africa is
more astringent than what comes from Goa. It is found on high rocky
land. Bartholomew Stibbs met with it on the banks of the Gambia river,
and describes it under the name of _Par de Sangoe_, or blood-wood tree.
The gum is a red, inodorous, and insipid resin, soluble in alcohol and
oils; and when dissolved by the former, is used for staining marble.
- Clarke.
[7] The woods of Madeira are cedar, vigniatico, laurus Indicus, which has
a considerable resemblance to mahogany, barbuzano, chesnut, and the
beautiful mirmulano, and paobranco. - Clark.
[8] This measure is said to weigh about thirty-three English pounds, so
that the quantity mentioned in the text amounts to 1850 quarters
English measure. - Astl.
[9] I suppose he means at one crop. The quantity in the text, reduced to
avoirdupois weight, amounts to twenty-eight hogsheads, at sixteen
hundred weight each. - Astl.
[10] In Clarke, this person is named Ferrero; perhaps the right name of
this person was Fernando Pereira, who subdued Gomera and Ferro. - E.
[11] A species of moss, or lichen rather, that grows on the rocks, and is
used by dyers. - Clarke.
[12] Other authors call the natives of the Canaries _Guanchos_. - E.
