Cayman, at the laying time, to live wholly upon turtle that then abound
there; purposely to have their bodies scoured by this food, and their
distempers driven out; and have been said to have found many of them good
success in it. But this by the way. The hawksbill-turtle on this coast of
Brazil is most sought after of any, for its shell; which by report of
those I have conversed with at Bahia, is the clearest and best clouded
tortoise-shell in the world. I had some of it shown me which was indeed
as good as ever I saw. They get a pretty deal of it in some parts on this
coast; but it is very dear.

Beside this port of Bahia de todos los Santos there are 2 more principal
ports on Brazil where European ships trade, namely Pernambuco and Rio de
Janeiro; and I was told that there go as many ships to each of these
places as to Bahia, and 2 men-of-war to each place for their convoys. Of
the other ports in this country none is of greater note than that of St.
Paul's where they gather much gold; but the inhabitants are said to be a
sort of banditti, or loose people that live under no government: but
their gold brings them all sorts of commodities that they need, as
clothes, arms, ammunition, etc. The town is said to be large and strong.

CHAPTER 3.

TWO OCEANS AND NEW HOLLAND.

THE AUTHOR'S STAY AND BUSINESS AT BAHIA: OF THE WINDS, AND SEASONS OF THE
YEAR THERE.

My stay here at Bahia was about a month; during which time the viceroy of
Goa came hither from thence in a great ship, said to be richly laden with
all sorts of India goods; but she did not break bulk here, being bound
home for Lisbon; only the viceroy intended to refresh his men (of whom he
had lost many, and most of the rest were very sickly, having been 4
months in their voyage hither) and so to take in water, and depart for
Europe in company with the other Portuguese ships thither bound; who had
orders to be ready to sail by the twentieth of May. He desired me to
carry a letter for him, directed to his successor the new viceroy of Goa;
which I did, sending it thither afterwards by Captain Hammond, whom I
found near the Cape of Good Hope. The refreshing my men and taking in
water was the main also of my business here; beside the having the better
opportunity to compose the disorders among my crew: which, as I have
before related, were grown to so great a height that they could not
without great difficulty be appeased: however, finding opportunity during
my s