We Also Reckoned On
Some Assistance From The Factors Of The South Sea Company, Resident
There, Who, In Case A Peace Were Actually Concluded In Europe, Might
Intercede For Us, And Procure Us A Passage For Europe.
Yet as there was
something extremely disagreeable in the idea of a surrender, especially
to such enemies as the Spaniards, we were in no great hurry,
particularly as we were here somewhat at our ease, enjoying many
conveniences to which we had long been strangers.
The free use we made
of the excellent fruits growing on this island brought the flux among
us, which weakened us very much, and interrupted our work for some days,
yet in the main did us little hurt, or rather tended to preserve us from
the scurvy. We deliberated and consulted as to our future conduct; but
our views were so discordant, and our minds so distracted, that we could
come to no resolution, except that of continuing here, in hopes of
something happening to our advantage.
The island of Quibo or Coibo is almost in the same parallel with
Panama, [276] being about twenty-four English miles from N. to S. and
twelve from E. to W. It is of moderate height, covered all over with
inaccessible woods, always green; and, though never inhabited, abounds
with papaws and limes, and some other fruits I never saw before, which
are nearly as good, though wholly neglected, as those that are most
carefully attended to in other islands in similar latitudes, whence it
may be inferred that the soil is fertile; and, if ever inhabited and
cleared, it promises to be as productive as the best of our West-India
islands. The pearl-fishers, not being able to follow their occupation
during the vandevals, or black stormy months, from the beginning of
June to the end of November, have a few scattered huts in several parts
of this island and of Quivetta, used by the divers during their
season, in which they sleep and open their oysters, so that the sandy
beach is covered with fine mother-of-pearl shells. In wading only to the
middle, we could reach large pearl oysters with our hands, which at
first pleased us much; but we found them as tough as leather, and quite
unpalatable. Having no seyne, I can say little about other kinds of
fish. We occasionally observed a large kind of flat fish, which often
sprung a great way out of the water, which are said to be very
destructive to the divers; for, when these return to the surface, unless
they take great care, these fish wrap themselves round the divers, and
hold them fast till drowned. To guard against this, the divers always
carry a sharp-pointed knife, and on seeing any of these fish above them,
present the point over their heads, and stick it into the fish's belly.
They are also subject to great danger from alligators, which swarm in
this part of the sea; and some of us fancied we saw one swimming below
the surface near Mariato Point, only a few leagues from hence.
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