of May, or in June. It
was said when I was here that the ships would sail hence the 20th day of
May; and therefore they were all very busy, some in taking in their
goods, others in careening and making themselves ready. The ships that
come hither usually careen at their first coming; here being a hulk
belonging to the king for that purpose. This hulk is under the charge of
the superintendent I spoke of, who has a certain sum of money for every
ship that careens by her. He also provides firing and other necessaries
for that purpose: and the ships do commonly hire of the merchants here
each 2 cables to moor by all the time they lie here, and so save their
own hempen cables; for these are made of a sort of hair that grows on a
certain kind of trees, hanging down from the top of their bodies, and is
very like the black coir in the East Indies, if not the same. 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. Those that strike them buy their licence for
it of the king: and I was informed that he receives 30,000 dollars per
annum for this fishery. All the small vessels that use this coasting
traffic are built here; and so are some men of war also for the king's
service. There was one a-building when I was here, a ship of 40 or 50
guns: and the timber of this country is very good and proper for this
purpose. I was told it was very strong, and more durable than any we