They Sailed From Sierra Leona On The 4th September, On Which Day The
Admiral Fell Sick.
On the 29th they were off the island of St Thomas,
just on the north side of the line, and anchored on the 1st of October
at Cape Lopo Gonzalves, in lat.
0 deg. 50' S. At this place the surgeon of
the Maurice was convicted on his own confession of having poisoned seven
sick men, because they had given him much trouble, for which he was
beheaded. On the 30th of October they anchored in the road of Annobon,
where they obtained hogs and fowls, and were allowed to take in water,
and to gather as many oranges as they thought proper. The east end of
this island, where are the road and village, is in lat. 1 deg. 30' S. and
long. 6 deg. E. from Greenwich. The island is about six leagues in circuit,
consisting of high and tolerably good land, and is inhabited by about
150 families of negroes, who are governed by two or three Portuguese, to
whom they are very submissive. If any of them happen to be refractory,
they are immediately sent away to the island of St Thomas, a punishment
which they greatly dread. The island abounds in ananas, bananas,
cocoa-nuts, tamarinds, and sugar-canes; but the principal inducement for
ships touching here is the great plenty of oranges, of which the Dutch
gathered upwards of 200,000, besides what the seamen eat while on shore.
These oranges were of great size and full of juice, some weighing three
quarters of a pound, and of an excellent taste and flavour, as if
perfumed.
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