ſoutherly Winds and oppoſite Currents; and if too far to the Weſtward, the trade Winds are ſtrong and unfavourable; for it obliges you to ſtand into 28 or 30° Southern Latitude, till they are variable.
Secondly, On the Northern Side of Guiney, if Ships are bound from the Gold-Coaſt to Sierraleon, Gambia, or elſewhere to Windward, conſidering the Weakneſs of theſe Currents, and the Favourableneſs of Land Breezes, and Southerly in the Rains, Turnadoes, and even of the Trade Wind, when a-breaſt of Cape Palmas, it is more expeditious to purſue the Paſſage this Way, than by a long perambulatory Courſe of 4 or 500 Leagues to the Weſtward, and as many more to the Northward, which muſt be before a Wind can be obtained, that could recover the Coaſt.
Laſtly, It is, in a great Meaſure, owning to this want of Inlets, and the Rivers being ſmall and unnavigable, that the Seas rebound with ſo dangerous a Surff thro’ the whole Continent.
Round the Shores of this Iſland, and at this Seaſon, (July, Auguſt and September,) there is a great Reſort of Whale-Fiſh, tame, and ſporting very nigh the Ships as they ſail in, always in Pairs, the Female much the ſmaller, and often ſeen to turn on their Backs for Dalliance, the Prologue to engendring: It has an Enemy, called the Threſher, a large Fiſh too, that has its Haunts here at this Seaſon, and encounters the Whale, raiſing himſelf out of the Water a conſiderable Heighth, and falling again with great Weight and Force; it is commonly ſaid alſo, that there is a Sword Fiſh in theſe Battles, who pricks the Whale up to the Surface again, but without this, I believe, he would ſuffocate when put to quick Motions, unleſs frequently approaching the Air, to ventilate and remove the impediments to a ſwifter Circulation:
