The East India Vade-Mecum, Volume 1 (of 2): or, complete guide to gentlemen intended for the civil, military, or naval service of the East India Company.Williamson, Thomas
History
The East India Vade-Mecum, Volume 1 (of 2): or, complete guide to gentlemen intended for the civil, military, or naval service of the East India Company.
Williamson, Thomas
India -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
The profusion of compliments, and of real civilities, we experienced,
were absolutely burthensome; we were every-where welcomed in the most
kind and liberal manner; barges, rowing from twelve to thirty oars, were
at our command, to take us to and from the ship, which could not pass
the Bar of Pernambuco, and lay full four miles from the shore, in seven
fathoms. As to fruits, fish, vegetables, and poultry, they may be had to
any amount, of the first quality; their beef and mutton are not,
however, much to be praised, and their pork is intolerably fat, without
being firm. This last is one of the principal viands at the tables of
the Portuguese, in every quarter of the globe, and is dressed in various
ways, all equally offensive to a delicate stomach. The serenity of the
weather rendered the acquisition of a supply of excellent water very
easy; the casks being floated to and from the shore; all fastened to
ropes, and towed by the large boats already mentioned.
The land lying low towards the beach, though backed at some distance by
hills, occasioned us to be within a few leagues before we discovered our
proximity to the Continent; and we should probably have run into shallow
water, had not a large floating object been seen about a mile from us.
Our glasses speedily enabled us to distinguish persons moving on a low
frame, that we conjectured could be nothing less than some great
fragment of a wreck. Boats were immediately hoisted out, and, in less
than half an hour, we had the satisfaction to see our quarter-deck
covered with a variety of fine fishes, chiefly rock-cod, that had been
taken by the industrious Indians, whose catamaran we had mistaken for
the remains of some unfortunate vessel.
Although we could not converse with these people, it was natural for us
to suppose we were not far from land; to which they directed our
attention, and by significant signs, as well as by leading on the
catamaran, of which they had hoisted the sail, pilotted us to the Roads
of Pernambuco, leaving us in good anchoring water, and gratefully
receiving some beads, and other trinkets, of no value in our estimation,
but highly prized among them, in exchange for the excellent repast they
had afforded to the whole ship’s company.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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