Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/206

 outherly Winds and oppoite Currents; and if too far to the Wetward, the trade Winds are trong and unfavourable; for it obliges you to tand into 28 or 30° Southern Latitude, till they are variable.

Secondly, On the Northern Side of Guiney, if Ships are bound from the Gold-Coat to Sierraleon, Gambia, or elewhere to Windward, conidering the Weaknes of thee Currents, and the Favourablenes of Land Breezes, and Southerly in the Rains, Turnadoes, and even of the Trade Wind, when a-breat of Cape Palmas, it is more expeditious to purue the Paage this Way, than by a long perambulatory Coure of 4 or 500 Leagues to the Wetward, and as many more to the Northward, which mut be before a Wind can be obtained, that could recover the Coat.

Latly, It is, in a great Meaure, owning to this want of Inlets, and the Rivers being mall and unnavigable, that the Seas rebound with o dangerous a Surff thro’ the whole Continent.

Round the Shores of this Iland, and at this Seaon, (July, Augut and September,) there is a great Reort of Whale-Fih, tame, and porting very nigh the Ships as they ail in, always in Pairs, the Female much the maller, and often een to turn on their Backs for Dalliance, the Prologue to engendring: It has an Enemy, called the Threher, a large Fih too, that has its Haunts here at this Seaon, and encounters the Whale, raiing himelf out of the Water a coniderable Heighth, and falling again with great Weight and Force; it is commonly aid alo, that there is a Sword Fih in thee Battles, who pricks the Whale up to the Surface again, but without this, I believe, he would uffocate when put to quick Motions, unles frequently approaching the Air, to ventilate and remove the impediments to a wifter Circulation: Nor