Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/64

26 Governor of Mayo was but newly return'd from being a Prisoner among them, they having taken him away, and carried him about with them for a Year or two.

The Sea is plentifully stock'd with Fish of divers sorts, viz. Dolphins, Boneta's, Mullets, Snappers, Silver-fish, Garfish, &c. and here is a good Bay to hale a Sain or Net in. I hal'd mine several times, and to good purpose; dragging ashore at one time 6 dozen of great Fish, most of them large Mullets of a foot and a half or two foot long. Here are also Porposes, and a small sort of Whales, that commonly visit this Road every day. I have already said, [Vol. I. p. 75.] That the Months of May, June, July and August, (that is, the Wet Season) are the time, when the Green Turtle come hither, and go ashore to lay their Eggs. I look upon it as a thing worth taking Notice of, that the Turtle should always, both in North and South Latitude, lay their Eggs in the Wet Months. It might be thought, considering what great Rains there are then in some places where these Creatures lay, that their Eggs should be spoiled by them. But the Rain, tho' violent, is soon soaked up by the Sand, wherein the Eggs are buried; and perhaps sinks not so deep into it as the Eggs are laid: And keeping down the Heat may make the Sand hotter below