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An.1682
Modern Changes in the West-Indies.
Trees. The Road is on the N. W. end, against a small Cove, or little sandy Bay. There is no ri- ding any where else, for it is deep water and steep close to the Land. There is one small Spring on the West side, and there are sandy Bays round the Island, where Turtle or Tortoise come up in great abundance, going ashore in the night. These that frequent this Island are called green Turtle, and they are the best of that sort, both for largeness and sweetness of any in all the West Indies. I would here give a particular description of these and other sorts of Turtle in these Seas; but because I shall have occasion to mention some other sorts of Turtle when I come again into the South Seas, that are very different from all these, I shall there give a general account of all these several sorts at once, that the difference between them may be the better dis- cerned. Some of our modern Descriptions speak of Goats on this Island. I know not what there may have been formerly, but there are none now to my certain knowledge; for my self and many more of our Crew have been all over it. Indeed these parts have undergone great changes in this last age, as well in places themselves, as in their Owners and Commodities of them; particularly Nombre de Dios, a City once famous, and which still retains a confi- derable name in some late Accounts, is now nothing but a Name. For I have lain ashore in the place where that City stood; but it is all overgrown with Wood, so as to leave no sign that any Town hath been there.
We staid at the Isle of Blanco not above 10 days, and then went back to Salt-Tortuga again, where Captain Yanky parted with us: and from thence, after about 4 days, all which time our men were drunk and quarrelling, we in Captain Wrights Ship went to the Coast of Caraccos on the Main Land. This Coast is upon several accounts very remarka- ble: