We Here Watered And Refreshed Ourselves; And Here A
Disagreement Took Place Between Captain Dampier And His
First-Lieutenant, Who Was Turned Ashore At Midnight, With His Chest And
Servant.
At four next morning, being the 13th October, we sailed from St
Jago, not fully resolved where next to touch at.
[Footnote 205: Lat. 32 deg. 33' N. long. 17 deg. 5' W. from Greenwich. - E.]
On the 22d October we caught four fish; a shark, a dolphin, a
jelly-fish, and an old-wife. The shark and dolphin are well known, and
need not be described in this place. The Jelly-fish was about fourteen
inches long and two inches deep, having sharp teeth, a sparkling eye,
and long extended mouth. It has a prodigiously high fin on its back, of
a slimy substance, except that its rays, which are thirty-two in number,
are firm and stiff. It has also one small fin under the throat, of the
same slimy substance with the large one on its back. The greater part of
the body is of a silver colour, with numerous small dark spots and
circular bands, all the rest of its substance being a green jelly-like
substance, whence the name. The Old-wife is about two feet long and
nine inches high in the back, having a small mouth, a large eye, and a
large broad fin beginning at the hinder part of the head, and reaching
to the tail. It has also a large broad fin on each side near the gills,
and a pretty large one under the belly. The body is deep blue, and the
fins a very light blue, tipt with yellow. The head has many spots, and
the body is regularly streaked longways.
We passed the equator on the 2d November, about forty-five leagues west
from the meridian of St Jago. On the 8th, in lat. 10 deg. 20' S. we saw
three small islands on the coast of Brazil, called the islands of St
Ann, not above a stone's throw from each other, and very full of wood,
as is the whole coast of Brazil. These islands are about four miles from
the main, and are much troubled with southerly winds, which blow in
gusts, so that ships ought here to lay their best anchor to the south,
and all little enough sometimes for their safety. They produce nothing
except wood, and are frequented by vast flocks of sea fowl, called
boobies by our sailors. The booby is about the size of a duck, some
entirely white and others grey, having feet like a duck, and subsist
mostly on flying-fishes, which they catch while in the air. I have made
many a meal on these birds, but it was for want of other victuals, for
they taste very fishy, and are apt to make one sick, if not previously
well salted. They are so silly, when weary of flying, that they will
light upon your hand, if held out to them.
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