They Are Heavy
Birds And Fly Slowly, And Always When Sitting Rest Their Long Bills
Upon Their Breasts.
The Guana is an amphibious animal, found both on
land and in the water.
It is about three feet long, some more some less,
and is very ugly, having large sharp scales, black and green, from the
fore part of the head to the end of the tail. The mouth is furnished
with numerous large and sharp teeth, and it has four long claws on each
foot. They commonly breed in holes about the roots of old trees near the
water. When stewed with some spice, their flesh is very white and eats
well, making also good broth; but if not extraordinarily well boiled, it
is very dangerous meat, making men very sick and often occasioning
fevers.
There are several kinds of turtles, or sea tortoises, but we account
the green turtle the best meat. When they want to lay their eggs, they
go on shore in some sandy bay, where they make a hole in the sand with
their fins, two feet and a half deep, in which one turtle will deposit
from eighty to ninety eggs, which they cover over with the sand, leaving
them to hatch by the heat of the sun. They lay in this manner two or
three times every year, and go immediately off to sea, leaving their
young when hatched to shift for themselves; which, as soon as they get
out of the eggs and from the sand, retire to the sea. The eggs are round
and white, as large as those of a duck, being covered with a thin tough
skin, but no shell. I have seen of the green turtle 200, 350, and even
400 pounds weight. The lean of this animal looks like beef, but the fat
is as green as grass, yet is very wholesome food. The pearl-oyster is
much about the size of our common oyster, but thick and broad, and hangs
to the rocks by a long string or beard, like that of a muscle. The pearl
is found in its thickest part, and some have six or seven pearls. The
Spaniards often make voyages to this gulf of Nicoya and to California in
quest of pearls, employing Indian divers, who go down in seven or eight
fathoms, and bring up eight, ten, or twelve oysters at a time, which are
opened by other men on board. The meat of this oyster is very green and
fat, and eats tolerably well, boiled or stewed. The great-oyster grows
to the rocks, not hanging from them by a beard. When opened, one part of
the meat is of a fine red colour like a cherry, and the rest a fine
white. I have often eat of this oyster, for want of better victuals; and
they are so large, that one of them cut in pieces and stewed is a
sufficient meal for five or six men. The muscles here are so large
that one will suffice for a meal to two men, and they are tolerably good
when, stewed with pepper and vinegar.
We sailed from the Gulf of Nicoya on the 23d September, and were in lat.
13 deg. 7' N. on the 7th October, when we got sight of two high mountains,
commonly called the Volcanoes of Guatimala. That which is to the north
of the city is the highest, and affords a fine prospect from the sea;
and in the year 1534 threw out a torrent of water, which totally
overwhelmed the old city of St Jago de Guatimala, and occasioned the
building of a new city at the distance of thirty-five miles S.E. The
other mountain is really a volcano, which rages terribly in the rainy
season, from April to November, sometimes throwing out stones as big as
a house, and with such prodigious eruptions of flame, that one may see
to read a letter in a dark night at the distance of six miles. This is
to the south of Guatimala.
The 9th October we took a bark of eighty tons in ballast, but which had
a small quantity of provisions, which were very acceptable. This bark
was commanded by a Spaniard named Christian Martin, born in the
Canaries, but brought up in London, who had formerly been servant to
Captain Eaton, and came with him to the South Sea in quality of gunner;
but, falling out with the men, he ran away from them in the island of
Gorgonia, where he lay concealed for six days till the ship departed. He
then cut down two trees, which he drew to the water side, and bound
together with withes, fixed a mast, and made a sail of two shirts which
he had with him. Then filling a bag with oysters, he put off early in
the morning from Gorgonia, and got next day in the afternoon into the
river Bonaventura. He was here ill used by the Spaniards, who sent him
to Lima, where he was set at liberty. We were now sixty-four men and
boys, all in good health and spirits, and on the 23d November, captured
a small bark of sixty tons from California laden with plank, but having
also several parcels of pearls, that had been fished on that coast.
December 4th we came into the Bay of Nativity, or Puerto Nauidad, in
lat. 19 deg. 22' N. where we took a new ship of about sixty tons, laden with
ammunition and military stores for the Acapulco ship, for which we were
now in search, and for the sight of which our people longed as earnestly
as if there had been no difference between seeing and taking her;
neither was it long before they had their wish in one respect, but not
in the other. We took from our prize what ammunition was left; for, on
perceiving our design, the ship's company quitted her, having first
thrown overboard the best part of her cargo, and left the rest scattered
about in the utmost confusion.
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