152
A Relation of the Voyage in this Country mighty well ; and Sheep, Oxen, and Horses, multiply amongst them apace; and the Ships that sail thither, whether singly, or in company, to lade Sugar, carry with them Wines, Corn, Salt-meats, and all forts of Merchandizes they may have occasion for ; so that a Man of an Estate can dive there, as well as in France : But yet the high Scituation of the Country makes the Air unwholsome, and there are but a few Ships that go thither, whole Crew does not feel the Effects of it ; and we our selves, lost about a dozen or fifteen Men, who died as it were from one Day to another, without any Symptom of being sick. The Inhabitants, besides the Inconveniency of a bad Air, are much incommoded with Ants, Mousticks, and a kind of an Handworm, which they call Chiques, and which fix themselves in the foies of the Feet, and are so much the more troublesome and insupportable, in that they cannot be rooted out from thence, if they have once time given them to lay their Eggs there : Serpents are also very common in this Island, and creep into the very Houses, of which there are several sorts, whole stinging is very dangerous;