These
cables are strong and lasting: and so much for the European ships.
The ships that use the Guinea trade are small vessels in comparison of
the former. They carry out from hence rum, sugar, the cotton cloths of
St. Jago, beads, etc. and bring in return gold, ivory, and slaves; making
very good returns.
The small craft that belong to this town are chiefly employed in carrying
European goods from Bahia, the centre of the Brazilian trade, to the
other places on this coast; bringing back hither sugar, tobacco, etc.
They are sailed chiefly with negro slaves; and about Christmas these are
mostly employed in whale killing: for about that time of the year a sort
of whales, as they call them, are very thick on this coast. They come in
also into the harbours and inland lakes where the seamen go out and kill
them. The fat of them is boiled to oil; the lean is eaten by the slaves
and poor people: and I was told by one that had frequently eaten of it
that the flesh was very sweet and wholesome. These are said to be but
small whales; yet here are so many, and so easily killed, that they get a
great deal of money by it.
Pages:
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84