Page 64
An. 1682
Rich Trade of the Coast of Caraccos.
their Negro's are furnished with Arms also for de- fence of the Bays. The Dutch have a very profita- ble Trade here, almost to themselves: I have known 3 or 4 great Ships at a time on the Coast, each, it may be, of 30 or 40 Guns. They carry hither all forts of European Commodities, especially Linnen; making vast returns, chiefly in Silver and Cacao. And I have often wondred and regretted it, that none of my own Countrymen find the way thither directly from England; for our Jamaica-men Trade thither indeed, and find the sweet of it, though they carry English Commodities at second or third hand.
While we lay on this Coast, we went ashore in some of the Bays, and took 7 or 8 Tun of Cacao; and after that 3 Barks, one laden with Hides, the second with European Commodities, the third with Earthen ware and Brandy. With these 3 Barks we went again to the Islands of Roca's, where we shar'd our Commodities, and separated, having Vessels enough to transport us all whither we thought most convenient. Twenty of us (for we were about 60) took one of the Vessels and our share of the goods, and went directly for Virginia. In our way thither we took several of the Sucking-fishes; for when we see them about the Ship we cast out a Line and Hook, and they will take it with any manner of Bait, whether Fish or Flesh. The Suck- ing-fish is about the bigness of a large Whiting, and much of the same shape towards the Tail, but the Head is flatter. From the Head to the middle of its Back there groweth a sort of flesh of a hard gristly substance, like that of the Limpit (a Shell-fish tapering up Pyramidically); which sticks to the Rocks; or like the head or mouth of a Shell-Snail, but harder. This excrescence is of a flat oval form, about 7 or 8 inches long, and 5 or 6 broad; and ri- sing about half an inch high. It is full of small ridges,