Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/67

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Asses. I. St. Jago. Praya.
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any English Ship that is going thither: And indeed all Ships that lade Salt here will be obliged to touch at St. Jago for Water, for here at the Bay is none, not so much as for Drinking. 'Tis true there is a small Well of brackish Water not half a mile from the Landing-place, which the Asses that carry Salt drink at; but 'tis very bad Water. Asses themselves are a Commodity in some of these Islands, several of our Ships coming hither purposely to freight with them, and carry them to Barbadoes and our other Plantations. I stay'd at Mayo 6 days, and got 7 or 8 Tun of Salt aboard for my Voyage: In which time there came also into this Road several Sail of Merchants Ships for Salt; all bound with it for Newfoundland.

The 19th day of February, at about One a Clock in the Morning I weighed from Mayo-Road, in order to Water at St. Jago, which was about 5 or 6 Leagues to the Westward. We coasted along the Island St. Jago, and past by the Port on the East of it, I mention'd formerly [Vol. I. p. 76.] which they call Praya; where some English outward-bound East-India Men still touch, but not so many of them as heretofore. We saw the Fort upon the Hill, the Houses and Coco-nut Trees: But I would not go in to anchor here, because I expected better Water on the S. W. of the