Page 77
An.1683
The other Isles of Cape Verd.
and a great many Inhabitants ; and that they make a great deal of Wine, fuch as is that of St. Nicholas. I have not been on any other of the Cape Verd Ilands, nor near them ; but have feen moft of them at a diftance. They feem to be mountainous and barren ; fome of thefe before-mentioned being the moft fruitful and moft frequented by Strangers, efpecially St. Jago and Mayo. As to the reft of them, Fogo and Brava are two fmall Ilands lying to the Weftward of St. Jago, but of little note ; only Fogo is remarkable for its being a Vulcano : It is all of it one large Mountain of a good heighth, out of the top whereof iffue Flames of Fire, yet only difcerned in the night: and then it may be feen a great way at Sea. Yet this Ifland is not without Inhabitants, who live at the foot of the Mountain near the Sea. Their fubfiftence is much the fame as in the other Ilands ; they having fome Goats, Fowls, Plantains, Coco-Nuts, &c. as I am informed. Of the Plan- tains and Coco-Nuts I fhall have occafion to fpeak when I come into the Eaft Indies: and fhall defer the giving an account of them till then.
The remainder of thefe Iflands of Cape Verd, are St. Antonio, Sta. Lucia, St. Vincente, and Bona-Vifta: of which I know nothing confiderable.
Our entrance among thefe Iflands was from the North Eaft ; for in our paffage from Virginia we ran pretty far toward the Coaft of Gualata in Africk, to preferve the Trade-wind, left we fhould be born off too much to the Weftward, and fo lofe the Ilands. We anchored at the South of Sall, and paffing by the South of St. Nicholas anchored again at Mayo, as hath been faid ; where we made the fhorter ftay, becaufe we could get no Flefh among the Inhabitants, by reafon of the regret they had at their Governour and his Mens being carried away by Captain Bond. So leaving the Ifles of Cape Verd we ftood away to the Southward with the Wind at E. N. E. intending to have