Page:The History and Travels of Hector Maclean, Late Sailor.pdf/23

 was alo moored there: This Brig had their Beef tole from them repeatedly by the PortegueePortugueſe [sic], when hung over the Stern a teeping; they were urpized who took it away; and at lat one of the Sailors watched it very narrowly with a Fih Gigg in his Hand, and perceiving the Thief coming to cut away, as he had often done before, he very dexterouly truck him through the Back, when going off with his Prize; and when he found that it was a PortegueePortugueſe [sic] Sailor of one of the Brazil Ships, he hook him off the Gigg, crying aloud to us and the other Ships, That he had truck a Shark tealing his Beef, but that he had thrown him down with the Tide, as not being eatable. The Portuguee, who are in general great Thieves, though vexed at this Affair, yet they made no Words about it; and our Beef, after the Death of this Human Shark, was never troubled any more, and the Adventure afforded great Diverion to the Britih Ships lying there.

The Portuguee themelves eteem a Man's Life no more than a Dog's; and it is highly requiite to act with the greatet Circumpection towards them, for they are proud and unhumanely barbarous as their Neighbours the Spaniards, and are as eaily affronted; and their bloody and revengeful Dipoition, dipoes them often to accomplih the mot hocking Murders, for even the lightet Offences given them.