Voyages to the East-Indies Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1798 Excerpt: ... namely, an English East-Indiaman, bound to Bengal; two French vessels for Mauritius, and three Portuguese for Brazil. Porto Praya is situated, according to my observation there, in north latitude, 140 50', at the most southern part of the island St. Jag It is a pretty deep bay, formed to the east by the beforementioned point, whence the land trends to the north, to the deepest part of the bay. This eastern more is very high and mountainous; at the end of the bay, a little to the west, there is a very indifferent fortification, upon a little eminence, which is called the castle, and upon which, th-. Portuguese ensign is hoisted, when any ship: arrive. The land then turns, in a southerly direction, with high mountains, ending in a range of rocks, very little elevated above the surface of the sea, which form the west point of the bay. Almost in the middle, between the west point and the castle, about two cables' length from the shore, there is a small island, which, by the eye, appears to be about thirty feet perpendicular out of the waier. It is flat at c 3 top, top, like a table, and about eight hundred feet in circumference, by computation. The French call it rifle aux Cailles. The seamen who die in the harbour, are buried there. Boats, but no ships, can pass between this ifland, and the west shore; the passage is filled with sunken rocks. The cistern, whence the ships take in their water, is at the bottom of the hill upon which the castle is built; and in common seasons, if drawn dry in the evening, is full again the next morning, though the water itself is not very good, being more or less brackish. The town of Praya consists of a few scattered huts of wood and clay. There are no more than two or three brick buildings, which even can scarcely be cal...