John Atkins - Voyage to Guinea, Brazil and the West Indies in HMS Swallow and Weymouth

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CASS LIBRARY OF AFRICAN STUDIES

TRAVELS AND NARRATIVES

No. 55

Editorial Adviser: JOHN RALPH WILLIS

Department of History, University of California, Berkeley

A VOYAGE TO
GUINEA, BRAZIL, AND THE WEST INDIES

A VOYAGE

TO

GUINEA, BRAZIL, & THE WEST INDIES

IN HIS MAJESTYS SHIPS,

THE SWALLOW and WEYMOUTH

Describing the several Islands and Settlements,
viz :
Madeira, the Canaries, Cape de Verde,
Sierra Leone, Sesthos, Cape Apollonia, Cabo Corfo, and others
on the Guinea Coast; Barbadoes, Jamaica, &c.
in the West Indies

The Colour, Diet, Languages, Habits, Manners,
Customs, and Religions of the respective Natives, and Inhabitants
With Remarks on the
GOLD, IVORY, AND SLAVE TRADE;
and on the Winds, Tides and Currents of the several Coasts

By

JOHN ATKINS

First published 1735 by
FRANK CASS AND COMPANY LIMITED

Published 2013 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017, USA

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

ISBN 13: 978-0-714-61787-9 (hbk)

PUBLISHERS NOTE

There is no omission between pp. 2 and 19. This is a facsimile reprint of the 1735 edition (which differs from the second edition of 1737 only in a slightly varied title page) and consequently the eccentric pagination has been retained.

The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this book but points out that some imperfections from the original may be apparent.

.

T HE Publishing of this Voyage, is from a Supposition that it contains something useful to those following in the same Track, and that it will be no unprofitable Amusement to others who do not. I shall therefore wave all Apology, and instead, proceed to a Reflection or two, on the Life and Element we occupy.

And first, The Man whose Means of Subsistence irreversibly depends on the Sea, is unhappy because hesorsakes his proper Element, his Wife, Children, Country, and Friends, all that can be called pleasant (and of Necessity, not Choice) to tempt unknown Dangers, on that deceitful, trackless Path; Lee Shores, Tempests, Wants of some kind or other, bad Winds, or the rougher passions of our selves, are continually molesting; and if common Danger under one adopted Parent (Neptune) does not always unite us, yet we are still cooped like Fowls, to the same Diet and Associates.

Till changd at length and to the Place conformd

In Temper and in Nature we receive

Familiar the fierce Heat.

Milton. B. II.

Tophet * with Stink of Suffolk, Vaporous

Obscures the Glim; that visive and olfatlive Nerves

In us feel dreadful Change.

And to compleat our ill Luck, while we are thus contending with sinister Fate, the Rogues at home perhaps are stealing away the Hearts of our Mistresses and Wives. Are not these a hapless Race thus doomed!

A Sea-Life absolutely considered, had so much of Hardship and Danger, that in King Johns Time a national Synod ordained, no married Persons should go beyond Sea without publishing their mutual Consent; which, I apprehend, proceeded from this Foundation: That it should not be in the power of one to thrust him-self on Difficulties and Hazard, that would make the other equally unhappy. The Saxons before, made a Law, that if a Merchant crossed the wide Sea three times, he should be honoured with the Title of Thane, (Rapin, p. 15.) and the Monarchs of the East shew their Approbation, by still leaving the rough Dominion of it to Christians. There are Circumstances notwithstanding, which may abate the Infelicity, and give real Pleasure: Such chiefly in the Navy, are a Defence of ones Country, a Livelihood, being better manned and provided against Dangers than Trading Ships; Good-naturd Officers, a mutual good Treatment, seeing the Wonders of the Deep, and at last, maimed or decrepid, a Retreat to Superannuation, or that noble Foundation of Greenwich-Hospital; to which of late Years must be added, the Satisfaction Officers receive from that generous Contribution for supporting their Widows, and consequently the Children they may leave behind them.

This charitable Project is governed by the following Articles, established by His present Majesty.

I.

That Widows of Commission and Warrant Officers of the Royal Navy, shall be reputed proper Objects of the Charity, whose Annual Incomes arising from their Real and Personal Estates, or otherwise, do not amount to the following Sums, viz.

And that where any such Widow is possessed of, or interested in any Sum of Money, the Annual Income and Produce thereof shall be computed and deemed, as annually yielding Three Pounds per Centum, and no more.

II.

That to avoid Partiality and Favour in the Distribution of the Charity, Widows of Officers of the same Rank pall have an equal Allowance, the Proportion of which Shall be fixed Annually by the Court of Assistants, according to their Discretion; and that in order thereunto, the said Court may distribute Annually such Part of the Monies, arising by the said Charity, among the Widows, as they think proper; and to lay out such other Part thereof in South-Sea Annuities, or other Government Securities, as to them shall seem meet, for raising a Capital Stock for the general Benefit of the Charity, where the Application is not particularly directed by the Donors.

III.

That in the Distribution of Allowances to poor Widows, the same be proportionate to one another, with respect to the Sum each is to receive, according to the following Division, viz.

The Widow of a Captain or Commander shall receive a Sum One Third more than the Widow of a Lieutenant or Master.

The Widow of a Lieutenant or Master shall receive a Sum One Third more than the Widow of a Boatswain, Gunner, Carpenter, Purser, Surgeon, Second Master of a Yacht, or Master of a Naval Vessel Warranted by the Navy Board.

IV.

That Widows admitted to an Annual Allowance from the Charity, shall begin to enjoy it from the First Day of the Month following the Decease of their Husbands, provided they apply within Twelve Months for the fame; otherwise, from the Time of their Application.

V.

That if any Widow, admitted to the Charity, marries again, her Allowance from thenceforth shall cease.

VI.

That in order to prevent Abuses, no Widow shall be admitted to the Benefit of the Charity, who has not been married for the Space of Twelve Months to the Officer by whose Right she claims the fame, unless the said Officer was killed or drowned in the Sea Service. And if any Officer marries after the Age of Seventy Years, his Widow shall be deemed unqualified to receive the Charity

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