Page 449
An.1687
Shy Turtles. Vast Cockles. A Drug.
Here we stayed several days, and sent out our Canoas a striking of Turtle every day ; for here is great plenty of them; but they were very shy, as they were generally where-ever we found them in the East India Seas. I know not the reason of it, unless the Natives go very much a striking here: for even in the West Indies they are shy in places that are much disturbed: and yet on New Holland we found them shy, as I shall relate; though the Natives there do not molest them.
On the sholes without us we went and gathered Shell-fish at low water. There were a monstrous sort of Cockles; the Meat of one of them would suffice 7 or 8 Men. It was very good wholsom Meat. We did also beat about in the Woods on the Island, but found no game. One of our Men, who was always troubled with sore Legs, found a certain Vine that supported it self by climbing about other Trees. The leaves reach'd 6 or 7 feet high, but the strings or branches 11 or 12. It had a very green leaf, pretty broad and roundish, and of a thick substance. These leaves pounded small, and boiled with Hogs Lard, make an excellent Salve. Our Men, knowing the virtues of it, stockt themfelves here : there was scarce a Man in the Ship but got a pound or two of it; especially such as were troubled with old Ulcers, who found great benefit by it. This Man that discovered these leaves here had his first knowledge of them in the Isthmus of Darien, he having had this Receipt from one of the Indians there: and he had been ashore in divers places since, purposely to seek these leaves, but did never find any but here. Among the ma- ny vast Trees hereabouts, there was one exceeded all the rest. This Captain Read caused to be cut down, in order to make a Canoa, having lost our Boats, all but one small one, in the late Storms; so 6 lusty Men, who had been Logwood-cutters in the
cockle: giant clam