o the North, and
that place passed, it swarueth againe toward the West, as it did before
proportionally. [Sidenote: Signes about the Cape of Bona Speransa.] As
touching our first signes, the neerer we came to the people of Afrike, the
more strange kindes of fowles appeared, insomuch that when we came within
no lesse then thirty leagues (almost an hundred miles) and sixe hundred
miles as we thought from any Iland, as good as three thousand fowles of
sundry kindes followed our ship: some of them so great that their wings
being opened from one point to the other, contained seuen spannes, as the
Mariners sayd. A maruellous thing to see how God prouided, so that in so
wide a sea these fowles are all fat, and nothing wanteth them. The
Portugals haue named them all according to some propriety which they haue:
some they call Rushtailes, because their tailes be not proportionable to
their bodies, but long and small like a rush, some forked tailes because
they be very broad and forked, some Veluet sleeues, because they haue wings
of the colour of veluet, and bowe them as a man boweth his elbow. This bird
is alwayes welcome, for he appeareth neerest the Cape. I should neuer make
an end if I should tell all particulars: but it shall suffice briefly to
touch a few, which yet shall be sufficient, if you marke them, to giue
occasion to glorifie almighty God in his wonderfull works, and such variety
in his creatures. [Sidenote: Fishes on sea coast of Africa.] And to speake
somewhat of fishes in all places of calme, especially in the burning Zone,
neere the line (for without we neuer saw any) there waited on our ship
fishes as long as a man, which they call Tuberones, they come to eat such
things as from the shippe fall into the sea, not refusing men themselues if
they light vpon them. And if they finde any meat tied in the sea, they take
it for theirs. These haue waiting on them six or seuen small fishes (which
neuer depart) with gardes blew and greene round about their bodies, like
comely seruing men: and they go two or three before him, and some on euery
side. Moreouer, they haue other fishes which cleaue alwayes vnto their
body, and seeme to take such superfluities as grow about them, and they are
sayd to enter into their bodies also to purge them if they need. The
Mariners in time past haue eaten of them, but since they haue seene them
eate men their stomacks abhorre them. Neuerthelesse, they draw them vp with
great hooks, and kill of