Brava_, that is, the brave island. From the banks thereof into the sea
do run in many places reasonable streams of fresh water easy to come by,
but there was no convenient road for our ships; for such was the depth
that no ground could be had for anchoring. And it is reported that
ground was never found in that place; so that the tops of _Fogo_ burn
not so high in the air, but the roots of _Brava_ are quenched as low in
the sea.

Being departed from these islands, we drew towards the line, where we
were becalmed the space of three weeks, but yet subject to divers great
storms, terrible lightnings and much thunder. But with this misery we
had the commodity of great store of fish, as dolphins, bonitos, and
flying-fishes, whereof some fell into our ships; wherehence they could
not rise again for want of moisture, for when their wings are dry they
cannot fly.

From the first day of our departure from the islands of Cape Verde, we
sailed 54 days without sight of land. And the first land that we fell
with was the coast of Brazil, which we saw the fifth of April, in the
height of 33 degrees towards the pole Antarctic. And being discovered
at sea by the inhabitants of the country, they made upon the coast great
fires for a sacrifice (as we learned) to the devils; about which they
use conjurations, making heaps of sand, and other ceremonies, that when
any ship shall go about to stay upon their coast, not only sands may
be gathered together in shoals in every place, but also that storms and
tempests may arise, to the casting away of ships and men, whereof, as it
is reported, there have been divers experiments.

The 7th day in a mighty great storm, both of lightning, rain, and
thunder, we lost the canter, which we called the Christopher. But the