Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/99

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At Samana the French setled several Families, who were cut off by the Spaniards, of a Town called Isabella, of three or four hundred Inhabitants. They have Horses and Mules in the Savannas about it. The English at Jamaica buy most of their Mules from the Spaniards. It is not far from Porto Plata where the Spaniards are also settled.

The Manati Stones are brought from thence, and taken from behind the Ears of that Animal, each Ear having one.

One Doctor Fritz a German Chirurgeon and Chymist, who had been in the South-Seas with Captain Townley, told me he had seen of the Cascarilla-Trees, or those on which grows the Peru or Jesuits Bark: that they grow near the Sea side and are very large Trees; that they cut a piece of the Bark round the Trunk of the Tree near the ground; that a while after the Bark withers on the whole Tree, and falls off; that they had taken a Ship named the Cascarilla, and had thrown most of that Bark, her loading, into the Sea, to make room for Provisions. That the Leaves generally found in the Bags of the Bark, was of that Tree, and Plenty of the Trees is to be met with in the South-Sea.

A Bristol Ship, coming towards Jamaica, struck on a Rock two Miles from without the Town of Port-Royal, but this Ship when lighted of the Goods was got off again. This is very ordinary, for the Rocks and Shoals being here-about covered with Coral and Coralline Substances, the Ships coming upon them, are not often pierc'd nor bulg'd, but bruise these Coralline Substances to Sand, and very often get off again without much damage.

Captain Groves told me he had left a while ago on the Island of Tobago, seventy Curlanders in a Fort on that Island, that their Food was European Bread, which they had provided for several Months, wild Hogs, Hogs with their Navels on their Backs, Armadillos an excellent Food, and Racoons, with very great plenty of Fish. Their Trade was as yet chiefly cutting of very large Mastick, Cedar and other Trees for Timber, to be sent to the Island of Barbados, with which by Licence from the King, they might Trade. This Island is, I think, held by the Curlanders at the Crown of England.

They have there a sort of Pleasant, very good Meat.

He told me that having been often in the Mediterranean, at certain Seasons some sort of wild Pigeons were so plentiful on the Isle of Zante, as the Inhabitants sold them for half pence apiece, that they came from Egypt, and that on the Island Caprea, near Naples Quails are sold at a certain Season at the same rate. Pigeons are at Jamaica very plentiful at some Seasons. Ground-Doves are sold for a Bitt, or Real a Dozen. They are taken with Clavannes, and wild