54' N. twenty-five leagues from Gallo, and is
remarkable for two high risings or hills called the Saddles. This island
is two leagues long by one league broad, and is about four from the
continent, having another small isle at its west end. It is full of tall
trees, and is watered by many rivulets, having no animals except
monkies, rabbits, and snakes. It is very subject to heavy rains, and the
only observable difference in the seasons here is, that the rains are
more moderate in summer. The sea around is so deep that there is no
anchorage except at the west end, where the tide flows eight feet.
Muscles and periwinkles are here in great plenty, and the monkies open
the shells at low water. There are also abundance of pearl oysters,
fixed to loose rocks by their beards, four, five, and six fathoms under
water. These resemble our oysters, but are somewhat flatter and thinner
in the shell, their flesh being slimy and not eatable, unless dried
beforehand and afterwards boiled. Some shells contain twenty or thirty
seed pearls, and others have one or two pearls of some size, lying at
the head of the oyster, between the fish and the shell; but the inside
of the shells have a brighter lustre than even the pearls.
The 13th January we pursued our voyage for Isla del Rey, being two men
of war, two tenders a fire-ship, and a prize vessel.
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