for raiſing of Tents, Watering, and hawling the Seam; the whole protected by a Fort, or rather Battery, of a dozen Guns on the Larboard-Side. At the Head of the Bay ſtands the Town, about a Mile from the anchoring Place, and conſiſts of two or three regular Streets, of wooden built Houſes, where the Governor and chief Men of the Iſland reſide. Here the Water grows ſhallow for a conſiderable Diſtance, and the Natives, at every Ebb, (having before encompaſſed every convenient Angle with a Riſe of Stones, ſomething like Weirs in England) reſort for catching of Fiſh, which, with them, is a daily Diverſion, as well as Subſiſtance, 500 attending with Sticks and wicker Baskets; and if they cannot dip them with one Hand, they knock them down with the other. The Tides riſe regularly 6 Foot in the Harbour, and yet not half that Heighth without the Capes that make the Bay.
Here are conſtantly two Miſſionaries, who are ſent for ſix Years to inculcate the Chriſtian Principles, and more eſpecially attend the Converſion of the Negroes; the preſent are Venetians, ingenious Men, who ſeem to deſpiſe the looſe Morals and Behaviour of the Seculars, and complain of them as of the Slaves, ut Color Mores ſunt nigri. They have a neat Conventual-Houſe and a Garden appropriated, which, by their own Induſtry and Labour, not only thrives with the ſeveral Natives of the Soil, but many Exoticks and Curioſities. A Fruit in particular, larger than a Cheſnut, yellow, containing two Stones, with a Pulp, or clammy Subſtance about them, which, when ſuck’d, exceeds in Sweetneſs, Sugar or Honey, and has this Property beyond them, of giving a ſweet Taſte to every Liquid you ſwallow for the whole Evening after. The only Plague infeſting the Garden, is a Vermin called Land-Crabs, in vaſt Numbers, of a bright red Colour, (in other Reſpects like the Sea ones) which
