[Sidenote: _A Black bred in_ France _turns to his Native Customs_.]
And whereas such a Grant cannot subsist without Blacks, he is also allow’d to send a Ship to _Guinea_ to purchase them. They may perhaps find there the famous Black _Aniaga_, Brother to a King of _Guinea_, whom Captain _Delbee_ brought over into _France_, above Thirty Years ago. The King was pleas’d to have him Educated, Instructed and Baptiz’d, the _Dauphin_[126] being his Godfather; then put him into his Troop of Musquetiers, and afterwards made him a Captain in his own Regiment, where he serv’d Honourably. Being desirous to see his own Country again, where he promis’d to promote the _French_ Trade, and the settling of Missioners, his Majesty loaded him with Presents, and order’d a Ship to carry him back to _Guinea_; but as soon as he was there, he no longer remember’d he had been baptiz’d, and turn’d again as perfect a Black, as he had been before. A Friend of mine, who was an Officer aboard a Ship, and hapned to be on that Coast in the Year 1708, had two or three Interviews with that Black, who came aboard him. He was a great Man in that Country, for his Brother was King. He express’d much Gratitude for the Kindness that had been shewn him in _France_, and was extraordinary Courteous, and made great Offers to those aboard the Ship, and to all such of the Nation as would go into _Guinea_.
This Navigation to _Louisiana_ will farther procure us a free Resort to the two famous Ports of the Gulf of _Mexico_, _viz._ The _Havana_ and _Veracruz_, where Strangers did not use to be admitted, and which we knew only by their Names and their Situation in our Maps.
The latter of those Towns is the Port of _New Spain_, at the Bottom of the Bay or Gulf, in 18 Degrees of _North_ Latitude, Seated in a Sandy Plain, encompass’d with Mountains; beyond which there are Woods and Meadows, well Stock’d with Cattle and wild Fowl: the flesh whereof is stringy and tasteless. The Air is very Hot, and not Healthy, when any Winds blow, except the _North_, which rises commonly once in Eight or Fifteen Days, and holds for the Space of Twenty Four Hours, blowing so hard, that there is no going ashore from the Ships, and then the Cold is very piercing. When the Weather is clear there plainly appear, on the Road to _Mexico_, two Mountains rising above the Clouds, and forty Leagues distant, all cover’d with Snow. The Streets of _Veracruz_ are streight as a Line; the Houses are handsome and regular; the Fortifications next the Land inconsiderable, but the Front of the Town next the Sea forms a Semicircle, with a little Fort at each End. Directly before that Front, a Quarter of a League out at Sea, there stands, on a Spot of Ground, inaccessible, by Reason of the Breaking of the Sea, a strong Citadel, well built and furnished with all Necessaries, a good Garrison and double Batteries of two hundred Pieces of brass Cannon. Ships cannot anchor any where, but between that Citadel and the Town; besides that, it requires several Precautions, because it is difficult coming to an Anchor.