The Commodities We Carried Out In This, Voyage Were Linens And Woollen
Cloths, Iron Work Of Sundry Kinds, Manillios Or Bracelets Of Copper,
Glass Beads And Coral.
Those we brought home were pepper, elephants
teeth, palm oil, cloth made of cotton very curiously woven, and cloth
made of the bark of the palm tree.
Their money consists of pretty white
shells, as they have no gold or silver. They have also great store of
cotton. Their bread is made of certain roots called _Inamia_, as large
as a mans arm, which when well boiled is very pleasant and light of
digestion. On banian or fish days, our men preferred eating these roots
with oil and vinegar to the best stock-fish[313]. There are great
quantities of palm trees, out of which the negroes procure abundance of
a very pleasant white wine, of which we could purchase two gallons for
20 shells. The negroes have plenty of soap, which has the flavour of
violets. They make very pretty mats and baskets, also spoons of ivory
very curiously wrought with figures of birds and beasts.
[Footnote 313: It is obvious that the banian or meager days, still
continued in the British navy, are a remnant of the meager days of the
Roman catholic times, when it was deemed a mortal sin to eat flesh.
Stock-fish are, however now abandoned, having been found to promote
scurvy. - E.]
Upon this coast we had the most terrible thunder and lightning, which
used to make the deck tremble under our feet, such as I never heard the
like in any other part of the world. Before we became accustomed to it,
we were much alarmed, but God be thanked we had no harm. The natives are
very gentle and courteous; both men and women going naked till they are
married, after which they wear a garment reaching from the middle down
to the knees. Honey was so plentiful, that they used to sell our people
earthen pots of comb full of honey, the size of two gallons for 100
shells. They brought us also great store of oranges and plantains, which
last is a fruit which grows on a tree, and resembles our cucumbers, but
is very pleasant eating. It pleased God of his merciful goodness to give
me the knowledge of a means of preserving water fresh with little cost,
which served us six months at sea; and when we came to Plymouth it was
much wondered at by the principal men of the town, who said there was
not sweeter water in all Plymouth[314]. Thus God provides for his
creatures, unto whom be praise, now and _for ever more_, amen.
[Footnote 314: This preservative is wrought by casting a handful of
bay-salt into a hogshead of water, as the author told me. - _Hakluyt_.
The Thames water soon putrifies on board ships in long voyages; but
afterwards throws down a sediment and becomes perfectly sweet pleasant
and wholesome; insomuch that it is often bought from ships which have
been to India and back.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 286 of 441
Words from 149837 to 150348
of 230997
