de Verds, and seeing several turtle upon the water, we hoisted out our
jolly-boat, and attempted to strike them, but they all went down before
our people could come within reach of them. On Monday the 30th, we came
to an anchor in Port Praya bay, the principal harbour in St Jago, the
largest of the Cape de Verd Islands. The rainy season was already set
in, which renders this place very unsafe; a large swell that rolls in
from the southward, makes a frightful surf upon the shore, and there is
reason every hour to expect a tornado, of which, as it is very violent,
and blows directly in, the consequences are likely to be fatal; so that
after the 15th of August no ship comes hither till the rainy season is
over, which happens in November; for this reason I made all possible
haste to fill my water and get away. I procured three bullocks for the
people, but they were little better than carrion, and the weather was so
hot, that the flesh stunk in a few hours after they were killed.

On Thursday the 2d of August, we got again under sail, with a large
cargo of fowls, lean goats, and monkies, which the people contrived to
procure for old shirts, jackets, and other articles of the like kind.[8]
The intolerable heat, and almost incessant rain, very soon affected our
health, and the men began to fall down in fevers, notwithstanding all my
attention and diligence to make them shift themselves before they slept,
when they were wet.

[Footnote 8: "Clothes, particularly those that are black, however mean,
are here an object of ambition and vanity, rendered less necessary by
the warmth of the climate."]

On Wednesday the 8th, the Tamar fired a gun, upon which we shortened
sail till she came up: We found that she had suffered no damage but the
carrying away of her topsail-yard; however, as we were obliged to make