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An.1682
The Guano. Isle of Blanco.
Tortise come upon the sandy Bays to lay their Eggs: and from them the Island hath its Name. There is no riding any where but in the Road where the Salt-Ponds are, or in the Harbour.
At this Isle we thought to have sold our Sugar among the English Ships that come hither for Salt; but failing there, we design'd for Trinidada, an Island near the Main inhabited by the Spaniards, tolerably strong and wealthy: but the Current and Easterly Winds hindering us, we passed through between Margarita and the Main, and went to Blanco, a pret- ty large Island almost North of Margarita; about 30 leagues from the Main, and in 11 d. 50 m. North Lat. It is a flat, even, low, uninhabited Island, dry and healthy; most Savanah, of long Grass, and hath some Trees of Lignum Vita growing in Spots, with shrubby Bushes of other Wood about them. It is plentifully stored with Guanos, which are an Animal like a Lizard, but much bigger. The body is as big as the small of a mans leg, and from the hind quarter the tail grows tapering to the end, which is very small. If a Man takes hold of the tail, except very near the hind quarter, it will part and break off in one of the joints, and the Guano will get away. They lay Eggs, as most of those amphi- bious creatures do, and are very good to eat. Their flesh is much esteemed by Privateers, who commonly dress them for their sick men; for they make very good Broath. They are of divers colours, as almost black, dark brown, light brown, dark green, light green, yellow, and speckled: They all live as well in the Water as on Land; and some of them are constantly in the Water, and among Rocks: These are commonly black. Others that live in swampy wet ground are commonly on Bushes and Trees, these are green. But such as live in dry ground, as here at Blanco, are commonly yellow; yet these al- so will live in the Water, and are sometimes on Trees.