Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/97

Rh vides 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 Coyre 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-cloaths of St. Jago, Beads, &c. and bring in return, Gold, Ivory, and Slaves; making very good returns.

The small Craft that belong to this Town are chiefly imployed in carrying European Goods from Bahia, the Center of the Brasilian Trade, to the other Places on this Coast; bringing back hither Sugar, Tobacco, &c. They are sailed chiefly with Negro-Slaves; and about Christmas these are mostly imployed in Whale-killing: for about that time of the Year a sort 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