VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS.
83
were in ſuch numbers floating on the ſurface of the water, ſo as to be taken whenever they were required. To this food, we may be ſaid to owe the preſervation of our healths, and the crew, in general, grew fat upon it.
Other voyagers have alleged, that living on turtle, cauſes the flux, ſcurvy, and fever; I can firſt account for ſuch a conſequence, by its not being ſufficiently boiled, or cooked in unclean utenſils; and, ſecondly, every man who has experienced a long voyage, is well informed, that a ſudden change of food, and particularly from an ordinary ſea or ſalt diet, to an entirely freſh one, will produce the flux, ſickneſs of ſtomach, and other complaints. My method, to prevent ſuch effects, was to allow the crew as much vinegar as they could uſe, and ſuperintend myſelf the preparation of the ſeamen's meal. I uſed to taſte the broth, in order to know if it was properly done, that it contained a ſufficient quantity of pearl barley, and was duly ſeaſoned by boiling with it ſalt beef or pork. I alſo ordered that the proportion of the ſalt meats cooked with the turtle, ſhould be previouſly towed and freſhened, and when the crew were tired of ſoup, I gave them flour to make their turtle-meat into pies, and, at other times, fat pork to chop up with it, and make ſauſages. But in moſt of their meſſes, I