[23]
was alſo moored there: This Brig had their Beef ſtole from them repeatedly by the Portegueſe, when hung over the Stern a ſteeping; they were ſurpized who took it away; and at laſt one of the Sailors watched it very narrowly with a Fiſh Gigg in his Hand, and perceiving the Thief coming to cut away, as he had often done before, he very dexterouſly ſtruck him through the Back, when going off with his Prize; and when he found that it was a Portegueſe Sailor of one of the Brazil Ships, he ſhook him off the Gigg, crying aloud to us and the other Ships, That he had ſtruck a Shark ſtealing his Beef, but that he had thrown him down with the Tide, as not being eatable. The Portugueſe, who are in general great Thieves, though vexed at this Affair, yet they made no Words about it; and our Beef, after the Death of this Human Shark, was never troubled any more, and the Adventure afforded great Diverſion to the Britiſh Ships lying there.
The Portugueſe themſelves eſteem a Man's Life no more than a Dog's; and it is highly requiſite to act with the greateſt Circumſpection towards them, for they are proud and unhumanely barbarous as their Neighbours the Spaniards, and are as eaſily affronted; and their bloody and revengeful Diſpoſition, diſpoſes them often to accompliſh the moſt ſhocking Murders, for even the ſlighteſt Offences given them.
