This island is about nine leagues from N. to S. and about two leagues from E. to W. and has abundance of salt ponds, whence it derives its name, but produces no trees, and hardly even any grass, some few poor goats feeding scantily upon shrubs near the sea.  It is frequented by wild fowl, especially a reddish bird named Flamingo, shaped like a heron, but much larger, which lives in ponds and muddy places, building their nests of mud in shallow pools of standing waters.  Their nests are raised like conical hillocks, two feet above the water, having holes on the top, in which they lay their eggs, and hatch them while standing on their long legs in the water, covering the nest and eggs only with their rumps.  The young ones do not acquire their true colour, neither can they fly till ten or eleven months old, but run very fast.  A dozen or more of these birds were killed, though very shy, and their flesh was found lean and black, though not ill tasted.  Their tongues are large, and have near the root a piece of fat, which is esteemed a dainty.

From hence they sailed to the island of St Nicholas, twenty-two leagues W.S.W. from the island of Salt, and anchored on the S.W. side of the island, which is of a triangular form, the longest side measuring thirty leagues, and the two others twenty leagues each.  They here found the governor a white man, having three or four people about him, who were decently cloathed, and armed with swords and pistols, but the rest of his attendants were in a very pitiful condition.  They dug some wells on shore, and traded for goats, fruits, and wine, which last was none of the best.  The country near the coast is very indifferent, but there are some fine valleys in the interior, pretty well inhabited, and abounding in all the necessaries of life.

The principal town of this island is in a valley, fourteen miles from the bay in which the Revenge came to anchor, and contains about 100 families, the inhabitants being of a swarthy complexion.  The country on the sea is rocky and barren, but in the interior there are several vallies, having plenty of grass, and in which vines are cultivated.  The wine is of a pale colour, and tastes somewhat like Madeira, but is rather thick.

From thence they went to Mayo, another of the Cape de Verd islands, forty miles E.S.E. from St Nicholas, and anchored on its north side.  They wished to have procured some beef and goats at this island, but were not permitted to land, because one Captain Bond of Bristol had not long before, under the same pretence, carried away some of the principal inhabitants.  This island is small, and its shores are beset with shoals, yet it has a considerable trade in salt and cattle.  In May, June, July, and August, a species of sea-tortoises lay their eggs here, but are not nearly so good as those of the West Indies.  The inhabitants cultivate some potatoes, plantains, and corn, but live very poorly, like all the others in the Cape de Verd islands.