ountain,
continually playing, which, in a warm climate, has a desirable cooling
effect. There is but one church, which contains a few indifferent
paintings.

The inhabitants are civil, but reserved, and the inquisition being on the
island, spreads a gloomy distrust on the countenance of the people.

The troops are miserably cloathed, and poverty and superstition lord it
wide. The wines of this place, from a late improvement in the vines, are
equal to the second kind of Madeira, and I cannot pass over this subject
without making honourable mention of the candour of Mr. Rooney our wine
merchant.

Here we completed our water from an acqueduct admirably constructed for
the convenience of the shipping, and after receiving on board lemons,
oranges, pomegranates, and bananas, with every variety of fruits and
other refreshments with which this island most plentifully abounds,
proceeded again on our voyage.

The fever that prevailed on our leaving England became now pretty
general, and almost every man had it in turn, and as we approached the
line many of the convalescents had a relapse, but the Lords of the
Admirality, previous to our sailing, had supplied us with such unbounded
liberality in every thing necessary for the preservation of the seamens'
health, that I may venture to say many lives were saved from their
bounty, and I should be wanting in my duty to their Lordships, as well as
the community, was I to pass over in silence the uncommon good effects we
experienced from supplying the sick and convalescent with tea and sugar;
this being the first time it has ever been introduced into his Majesty's
service; but it is an article in life that has crept into such universal
use, in all orders of society, that it needs no comment of mine to
recommend it. It may, however, be easily conceived that it will be sought
with more avidity by those whose aliment consists chiefly in animal food,
and that always salt, and often of the worst kind. Their bread too is
generally mixed with oatmeal, and of a hot drying nature. Scarcity of
water is a calamity to which seafaring people are always subject; and it
is an established fact, that a pint of tea will satiate thirst more than
a quart of water. But when sickness takes place, a loathing of all animal
food follows; then tea becomes their sole existence, and that which can
be conveyed to them as natural food will be taken with pleasure, when
any slip slop, given as drink, will be reject