The Island Is Mountainous And
Barren, Its Plainest Part Being Over Against The Sandy Bay Where We
Anchored.
The wood growing upon it is short, and only fit for fuel.
We
watered at a little stream that flows from a spring down the hill, and
is good fresh-water, the others in that neighbourhood being brackish. It
was formerly inhabited and had a governor, but is now only frequented by
the inhabitants of the other islands in the season for catching turtle,
these islanders being mostly negroes and mulattoes, and very poor. The
stock of wild goats on this island has been mostly destroyed by the
inhabitants of St Nicholas and St Antonio. The heat at this place was so
excessive to us, newly from Europe, that several of our men became sick,
and were blooded. There are a few wild asses; and some of our officers
wounded one, after a long chase, yet he held out, and tired them.
These islands are named from Cape Verd, on the coast of Africa, whence
they lie about 170 leagues to the west.[218] They are ten in number, of
which St Jago, St Nicholas, Bonavista, St Antonio, Brava, Mayo, and
Fuego are inhabited. St Jago is much the largest and best, and is the
seat of the chief governor. Besides sugar and tobacco, this island
produces a small quantity of indigo, which, with goat-skins and some
other articles, are sent to Lisbon. The capital is named likewise St
Jago, and is the see of a bishop.
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