rrison in the castle
consisted of 60 men, and that there came thither every year two ships,
one large and the other a small caravel. He told me farther that Don
John was at war with the Portuguese, which encouraged me to go to his
town, which is only four leagues from the castle, and from which our men
had been driven in the preceding year. This fellow came fearlessly on
board, and immediately demanded why we had not brought back the men we
took away the year before, for he knew that the English had taken away
five negroes. We answered that they were in England, where they were
well received, and remained there till they could speak the language,
after which they were to be brought back to serve as interpreters
between the English and the natives; with which answer he seemed quite
satisfied, as he spoke no more of that matter.

[Footnote 246: This is surely an error, as the troy or bullion pound
contains only 12 ounces. We ought therefore to read 3 pounds 9
ounces--E.]

Our boats being come on board, we weighed and set sail, and soon
afterwards noticed a great fire on the shore, by the light of which we
could discern a large white object, which was supposed to be the
Portuguese castle of St George del Mina; and as it is very difficult to
ply up to windward on this coast, in case of passing any place, we came
to anchor for the night two leagues from the shore, lest we might
overshoot the town of Don John in the night. This town lies in a great
bay which is very deep[247], and there the people were chiefly desirous
to procure basins and cloth, though they bought a few other trifles, as
knives, horse-tails, and horns; and some of our people who were on shore
sold a cap, a dagger, a hat, and other such articles. They shewed us a
coarse kind of cloth, which I believe was of French manufacture: The
wool was very coarse, and the stuff was striped with various colours, as
green, white, yellow, &c. Several of the negroes at this place wore
necklaces of large glass beads of various colours. At this place I
picked up a few words of their language, of which the following is a
short specimen:

Mattea! Mattea! Is their salutation.
Dassee! Dassee! I thank you.
Sheke, Gold.
Cowrte, Cut.
Cracca, Knives.
Bassina, Basins.
Foco, foco, Cloth.
Molta, Much, or great plenty[248]

[Footnote 247: This abrupt account of a town, &