Page 74
An. 1683
Isle of St. Nicholas.
lour, towards black, and about the hardness of mel- low Cheese, and of a very fragrant smell. This that Mr. Hill shewed me, being some of it, which Mr. Barker gave him. Besides those already mentioned, all the places where I have heard that Ambergriefe hath been found, are Bermudas, and the Babama Is- lands in the West Indies; and that part of the Coast of Africk, with its adjacent Islands, which reaches from Mozambique to the Red-Sea.
We went from this Island of Sal, to St. Nicholas, another of the Cape-Verd Islands, lying West South West from Sal, about 22 leagues. We arrived there the next day after we left the other; and An- chored on the S. E. side of the Island. This is a pretty large Island; it is one of the biggest of all the Cape-Verds, and lyeth in a triangular form. The largest side which lyeth to the East, is about 20 leagues long, and the other two above 20 leagues each. It is a mountainous, barren Island, and rocky all round towards the Sea; yet in the heart of it, there are Valleys where the Portugues, which inha- bit here, have Vineyards and Plantations, and Wood for fewel. Here are many Goats, which are but poor in comparison with those in other places; yet much better than those at Sall: There are likewise many Asses. The Governour of this Island came aboard us, with 3 or 4 Gentlemen more in his Com- pany, who were all indifferently well cloathed, and accoutred with Swords and Pistols; but the rest that accompanied him to the Sea side, which were about 20 or 30 men more, were but in a ragged garb. The Governour brought aboard some Wine made in the Island, which tasted much like Madera Wine: It was of a pale colour, and lookt thick. He told us the chief Town was in a Valley 14 mile from the Bay, where we rode; that he had there under him above one hundred families, besides other Inhabitants that lived scattering in Valleys more re- mote.