The Isles Of St. Nicholas, Mayo, St. Jago, Fogo"

The Isles Of St. Nicholas, Mayo, St. Jago, Fogo, A Burning Mountain; With The Rest Of The Isles Of Cape Verde.

We went from this Island of Sal to St. Nicholas, another of the Cape Verde Islands lying west-south-west from Sal about 22 leagues.

We arrived there the next day after we left the other, and anchored on the south-east side of the island. This is a pretty large island.

It is one of the biggest of all the Cape Verde, and lies in a triangular form. The longest side, which lies to the east, is about 30 leagues long, and the other two about 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 Portuguese, which inhabit here, have vineyards and plantations, and wood for fuel. Here are many goats, which are but poor in comparison with those in other places, yet much better than those at Sal: there are likewise many asses.

The governor of this island came aboard us with three or four gentlemen more in his company who were all indifferently well clothed, and accoutred with swords and pistols; but the rest that accompanied him to the seaside, which were about twenty or thirty men more, were but in a ragged garb.

The governor brought aboard some wine made in the island, which tasted much like Madeira wine: it was of a pale colour, and looked thick. He told us the chief town was in the valley fourteen 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 remote. They were all very swarthy; the governor was the clearest of them, yet of a dark tawny complexion.

At this island we scrubbed the bottom of our ship, and here also we dug wells ashore on the bay, and filled all our water, and after 5 or 6 days stay we went from hence to Mayo, another of the Cape Verde Islands, lying about forty mile east and by south from the other, arriving there the next day and anchoring on the north-west side of the island.

We sent our boat on shore, intending to have purchased some provision, as beef or goats, with which this island is better stocked than the rest of the islands. But the inhabitants would not suffer our men to land; for about a week before our arrival there came an English ship, the men of which came ashore pretending friendship, and seized on the governor with some others, and, carrying them aboard, made them send ashore for cattle to ransom their liberties: and yet after this set sail, and carried them away, and they had not heard of them since.

The Englishman that did this (as I was afterwards informed) was one Captain Bond of Bristol. Whether ever he brought back those men again I know not: he himself and most of his men have since gone over to the Spaniards: and it was he who had like to have burnt our ship after this in the Bay of Panama; as I shall have occasion to relate.

This isle of Mayo is but small and environed with shoals, yet a place much frequented by shipping for its great plenty of salt: and though there is but bad landing, yet many ships lade here every year. Here are plenty of bulls, cows, and goats; and at a certain season of the year, as May, June, July, and August, a sort of small sea-tortoise come hither to lay their eggs; but these turtle are not so sweet as those in the West Indies. The inhabitants plant corn, yams, potatoes, and some plantains, and breed a few fowls; living very poor, yet much better than the inhabitants of any other of these islands, St. Jago excepted, which lies four or five leagues to the westward of Mayo and is the chief, the most fruitful, and best inhabited of all the islands of Cape Verde; yet mountainous, and much barren land in it.

On the east side of the isle St. Jago is a good port, which in peaceable times especially is seldom without ships; for this has been long a place which ships have been wont to touch at for water and refreshments, as those outward-bound to the East Indies, English, French and Dutch; many of the ships bound to the coast of Guinea, the Dutch to Surinam, and their own Portuguese fleet going for Brazil, which is generally about the latter end of September: but few ships call in here in their return to Europe. When any ships are here the country people bring down their commodities to sell to the seamen and passengers, namely, bullocks, hogs, goats, fowls, eggs, plantains, and coconuts, which they will give in exchange for shirts, drawers, handkerchiefs, hats, waistcoats, breeches, or in a manner for any sort of cloth, especially linen, for woollen is not much esteemed there. They care not willingly to part with their cattle of any sort but in exchange for money, or linen, or some other valuable commodity. Travellers must have a care of these people, for they are very thievish; and if they see an opportunity will snatch anything from you and run away with it. We did not touch at this island in this voyage; but I was there before this in the year 1670, when I saw a fort here lying on the top of a hill and commanding the harbour.

The governor of this island is chief over all the rest of the islands. I have been told that there are two large towns on this island, some small villages, and a great many inhabitants; and that they make a great deal of wine, such as is that of St. Nicholas. I have not been on any other of the Cape Verde Islands, nor near them; but have seen most of them at a distance. They seem to be mountainous and barren; some of these before-mentioned being the most fruitful and most frequented by strangers, especially St. Jago and Mayo. As to the rest of them, Fogo and Brava are two small islands lying to the westward of St. Jago, but of little note; only Fogo is remarkable for its being a volcano: it is all of it one large mountain of a good height, out of the top whereof issues flames of fire, yet only discerned in the night: and then it may be seen a great way at sea. Yet this island is not without inhabitants, who live at the foot of the mountain near the sea. Their substance is much the same as in the other islands; they have some goats, fowls, plantains, coconuts, etc., as I am informed. Of the plantains and coconuts I shall have occasion to speak when I come into the East Indies; and shall defer the giving an account of them till then.

The remainder of these Islands of Cape Verde are St. Antonia, St. Lucia, St. Vicente, and Buena Vista: of which I know nothing considerable.