William Strapps Diary Part 1

We passed the nearest of Cape De Verd Isles at 9/15 am. It presented a barren rocky appearance and it was a good Sample of the others that we passed On rounding this isle we saw a welcome sight Some dozen or so of ships lying at anchor in a good sized bay which was [deleted]not[/deleted] [inserted]none[/inserted] other than our looked for little port on the of St Vincent you can find it on the map. It is a coaling station. San Antonio & Jago I believe are the largest of the De Verde Isles they are situated of the N.W. coast of africa and are under the control of the Portugese goverment We were soon in the bay which is a very good one and pretty well sheltered I could now see the reason why we did not enter the harbour last night The coast was lined with sharpe & treacherous rocks & direct in the [deleted]cetre[/deleted] [inserted]centre[/inserted] of entrance to the

bay towered a huge rock out of the water like a monach of all he surveyed. He was truly the monach of that harbour with a vengence as their was neither a signal nor a lighthouse to guide ships in at night. We dropped anchor outside the other craft lying there and soon a fleet of boats were on their way towards our vessel among the first were the Portugese officials and the Co's agent each had a boat of their own rowed by 4 or 6 black fellows & fine rowers they were. The other boats were crowding round the gang-way. It was amusing to see some of them good sized lads naked as they were born shouting out for pieces of coin to be thrown overboard they would then dive after it like a duck and sure enough would come up with it holding it for view between his finger & thumb and then put it into his pocket (Mouths

then over again after another piece. It was a very clever feat and performed with astonishing agility. We resolved to go ashore so down the gangway we went and of all the scuffling who should have us would have scared a nervous person like me I dont think. The row ashore as quite a treat. We had a good row with the rowers when when we got ashore but we would not pay till we went back to the ship & we promised faithfully to go back by them. Terrafirma reached we had a run to stretch our legs and then made our way along the shore into the town. The houses are built chiefly of a kind of a kind of mixture of clay & small stones after the fashion of concrete build ings. Some had plaster over it and others were left bare. Some were painted of various designs & colours. They are roofed with tiles and the doors & window frames

of part of the houses were well put together. Many have verandahs. Almost every other house or shed was a shop in its way. The invariable row of black & white bottles of wine &c. constituted the main part of the furniture a bed in the corner and perhaps an odd chair adorned the side. A few were good shops & exhibited many useful articles for sale. They make some beautiful white bread at very moderate prices. Peak Freen & Co's biscuits were considered a great luxury one would judge by the price asked for them it only being 4 or 5 shillings per pound. There was an abundance of fruit & vegetables to be had in the streets or at the markets (but they are not, the product of the island as it is nearly barren). Oranges bananas yams cocoa nuts sugar canes were in abundance. The oranges were splendid ones some as large as your double fist. Bananas in

large clusters [sketch of a banana bunch] one bunch is a nice load to carry the pod is like a large broad bean but inside is a soft pulp which is very sweet & sickly taste with it. The yams are somewhat like parsnips in colour long & narrow. These are roots dug up same as potatoes. Bananas are fruit. Sugar-cane is very nice not so sickly as I expected to find them. There were little bazaars where fancy baskets & fans were sold. Wicker chairs and birds in cages such as parrots paroquets Java sparrows Love birds & ect. If a portugese settlement Englishmen show superiority by making beasts of themselves and the inhabitants seem to know it if considering the quantity of English Scotch Irish whiskey & Gin they had to view which more than one of our passengers imbibed to freely. The Maderia was in full swing & those