g of ships, or any other sort of architecture, here are found
several sorts of timber. The fruits, likewise, which grow here
abundantly, are nothing inferior, in quantity or quality, to what other
islands produce. I shall name only some of the most ordinary and common:
such are magnoit, potatoes, Abajou apples, yannas, bacones, paquays,
carosoles, mamayns, annananes, and divers other sorts, which I omit to
specify. Here grow likewise, in great numbers, those trees called
palmitoes, or palmites, whence is drawn a certain juice which serves the
inhabitants instead of wine, and whose leaves cover their houses instead
of tiles.

In this island aboundeth, also, the wild boar. The governor hath
prohibited the hunting of them with dogs, fearing lest, the island being
but small, the whole race of them, in a short time, should be destroyed.
The reason why he thought convenient to preserve these wild beasts was,
that, in case of any invasion, the inhabitants might sustain themselves
with their food, especially were they once constrained to retire to the
woods and mountains. Yet this sort of game is almost impeded by itself,
by reason of the many rocks and precipices, which, for the greatest
part, are covered with little shrubs, very green and thick; whence the
huntsmen have oftentimes fallen, and left us the sad remembrance of many
a memorable disaster.

At a certain time of the year there resort to Tortuga large flocks of
wild pigeons, and then the inhabitants feed on them very plentifully,
having more than they can consume, and leaving totally to their repose
all other sorts of fowl, both wild and tame; that so, in the absence of
the pigeons, these may supply their place. But as nothing in the
universe, though never so pleasant, can be found, but what hath
something of bitterness with it; the very symbol of this truth we see in
the aforesaid pigeons: for these, the season being past, can scarce be
touched with the tongue, they become so extremely lean, and bitter even
to admiration. The reason of this bitterness is attributed to a certain
seed which they eat about that time, even as bitter as gall. About the
sea-shores, everywhere, are found great multitudes of crabs, both of
land and sea, and both sorts very big. These are good to feed servants
and slaves, whose palates they please, but are very hurtful to the
sight: besides, being eaten too often, they cause great giddiness in the
head, with much weakness of the brain; so th