I Therefore Laid My Manuscript Aside, Not Wishing
That Any One Might Peruse It; But As You Have Again Urged The Performance
Of My Promise, I Now Anxiously Obey A Request, Which, As Coming From You,
I Must Always Consider A Command.
Apprehensive, likewise, of appearing
forgetful of your polite attentions, I prefer the danger of exposing my
ignorance, to the possibility of being charged with ingratitude or want
of attention.
Being a sailor, and unused to composition, I pretend to
little more than copying the remarks of those who have sailed from our
continent to _Ethiopia_, without attempting to reduce my narrative into
lucid order, or to embellish it with fine writing. You will therefore
have the goodness to destroy this account, after its perusal, that the
errors I have committed, by compliance with your commands, may not draw
upon me the imputation of presumption.
The Portuguese ships which sail to the island of St Thomas from Lisbon,
for cargoes of sugar, usually put to sea in February, though some vessels
make this voyage at every period of the year. Their course is S.S.W.
until they reach the Canary Islands; after which they steer for the
island of Palmas, which is opposite to Cape Bojador on the coast of
Africa, and is about ninety leagues from the kingdom of Castile. This
island has plenty of provisions, and abounds in wine and sugar. The north-
west wind prevails most, and a great sea rages continually on its coast,
particularly in the month of December[2].
If the ships which are bound for the island of St Thomas find it
necessary to obtain a quantity of salt after having taken on board a
sufficient supply at the island of _Sal_, they steer for the coast of
Africa at the Rio del Oro; and, if they have calm weather and a smooth
sea; they catch as many fish in four hours, with hooks and lines, as may
suffice for all their wants during the remainder of the voyage. But, if
the weather is unfavourable for fishing at the Rio del Oro, they proceed
along the coast to Cape Branco; and thence along the coast to the island
of Arguin. The principal sorts of fish on this coast are _pagros_, called
_albani_ by the Venetians; likewise _corvi_ and _oneros_, which latter
are only a larger and darker-coloured species of _pagros_. As soon as
taken, the fish are opened and salted, and serve as an excellent supply
of provisions to navigators. All the coast of Africa, from Cape Bojador,
otherwise called _Cabo della Volta_, as far as Cape Branco and even to
Arguin, is low and sandy. At Arguin, which is inhabited by Moors and
Negroes, and which is situated on the confines between these two nations,
there is a capacious harbour, and a castle belonging to our king of
Portugal, in which some Portuguese always reside with the royal agent.
On leaving the island of Sal, our ships steer next for St Jago, another
of the Cape Verd islands.
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