Who so would neerely looke into what hath bin spoken may likewise vnderstand that going from the West to the East in altitude beyond the Tropikes we shall finde Westerne windes for that the motion of the Equinoctiall being so swift it is a cause that the ayre moueth vnder it according to this motion which is from the East to West drawing after it the vapours and exhalations that rise of either side the Equinoctiall or burning Zone in countring the course and motion of the Zone are forced by the repercussion to returne almost to the contrary whence grow the South-west windes so ordinary in those parts Euen as we see in the course of waters the which if they be incountred by others of more force returne in a manner backe So it seemes to be like in vapours and exhalations whereby it growes that the windes doe turne and separate themselues from one part to another These Westerly windes doe commonly raine in a meane altitude which is from twenty and seuen to thirty and seuen degrees though they be not so certaine nor so regular as the Brises that are in a lesse altitude The reason is for that the South-west winds are no causes of this proper and equall motion of the heauen as the Brises are being neere to the Line But as I haue said they are more ordinary and often more furious and tempestuous But passing into a greater altitude as of fortie degrees there is as small assurance of windes at Sea as at Land for sometimes the East or North winde blowes and sometimes the South or West whereby it happeneth their nauigations are more vncertaine and more dangerous That which we haue spoken of windes which blow ordinarily within and without the Zone must be vnderstood of the maine Sea and in the great gulphes for at land it is otherwise where we finde all sorts of windes by reason of the inequalitie which is betwixt the Mountaines and the vallies the great number of Riuers and Lakes and the diuers scituations of Countries whence the grosse and thick vapours arise which are moued from the one part or the other according to the diuersitie of their beginnings which cause these diuers windes the motion of the ayre caused by the heauen hauing not power enough to draw and moue them with it And this varietie of windes is not onely found at land but also vpon the Sea coast which is vnder the burning Zone for that there be forraine or land windes which come from the land and many which blow from the Sea the which windes from the Sea are commonly more wholesome and more pleasant then those of the land which are contrariwise troublesome and vnwholesome although it be the difference of the coast that causeth this diuersitie commonly the land windes blow from mid-night to the Sunne rising and the Sea windes vntill Sunne setting The reason perhaps may be that the earth as a grosse substance fumes more when as the Sunne shines not vpon it euen as greene wood or scarse dry smoakes most when the flame is quenched But the Sea which is compounded of more subtile parts engenders no fumes but when it is hot euen as straw or haâ—e being moist and in small quantitie breedes smoake when it is burnt and when the flame failes the fume suddenly ceaseth Whatsoeuer it be it is certaine that the Land winde blowes by night and that of the Sea by day So that euen as there are often contrary violent and tempestuous windes vpon the Sea coast so doe we see very great calmes Some men of great experience report that hauing sailed many great passages at Sea vnder the Line yet did they neuer see any calmes but that they alwayes make way little or much the ayre being moued by the celestiall motion which is sufficient to guide a Shippe blowing in poope as it doth I haue already said that a Shippe of Lima going to Manilla sailed two thousand seuen hundred leagues alwayes vnder the Line or not aboue twelue degrees from it and that in the moneths of February and March when as the Sunne is there for Zenith and in all this space they found no calmes but alwayes a fresh gale so as in two moneths they performed this great voyage But in the burning Zone and without it you shall vsually see great calmes vpon the coasts where the vapours come from the Ilands or maine land And therefore stormes and tempests and the sudden motions of the ayre are more certaine and ordinary vpon the coasts whereas the vapours come from the Land then in full Sea I meane vnder the burning Zone for without it and at Sea there are both calmes and whirlewindes Notwithstanding sometimes betwixt the two Tropickes yea vnder the Line you shall haue great raine and sudden showers yea farre into the Sea for the working whereof the vapours and exhalations of the Sea are sufficient which mouing sometimes hastily in the ayre cause thunder and whirlewindes but this is more ordinary neere to the Land and vpon the Land When I sailed from Peru to new Spaine I obserued that all the time we were vpon the coast of Peru our voyage was as it was ordinary very calme and easie by reason of the Southerne winde that blowes hauing alwayes a fore winde returning from Spaine and new Spaine As we passed the gulph lanching farther into the Sea almost vnder the Line wee found the season coole quiet and pleasant with a full winde but comming neere to Nicaragua and to all that coast wee had contrary windes with great store of raine and fogges All this Nauigation was vnder the burning Zone for from twelue degrees to the South which is Lima we sailed to the seuenteenth which is Gautâ—lco a port of new Spaine and I beleeue that such as haue obserued their nauigations made vnder the burning Zone shall finde what I haue said which may suffice for the windes which raigne at Sea vnder the burning Zone It were a very difficult matter to report particularly the admirable effects which some windes cause in diuers regions of the world and to giue a reason thereof There are windes which naturally trouble the water of the Sea and makes it greene and blacke others cleere as Christall some comfort and make glad others trouble and breede heauinesse Such as nourish Silke-wormes haue great care to shut their windowes when as the South-west windes doe blow and to open them to the contrary hauing found by certaine experience that their wormes diminish and dye with the one and fatten and become better with the other and who so will neerely obserue it shall finde in himselfe that the diuersities of windes cause notable impressions and changes in the body principally in sicke parts and ill disposed when they are most tender and weake The holy Scripture calleth one a burning winde another a winde full of dewe and sweetnesse And it is no wonder if we see such notable effects of the winde in Plants
in the middest of the Prouince hath a Port and landing place in the Coast of the South Sea and the North Sea wherein there is some Riuers betweene Nicaragua and Veragua common to this Gouernment and the Bayes of Saint Ierome and of Caribaco neere the limits of Veragua THe part of the Indies of the South is vniustly called America it is all that is discouered from Nombre de Dios and Panama to the South wherein is included Terra firme the Kingdomes of Piru the Piru Chile which the Indians call Chille The Prouinces of the Streight the Riuer of Plate and Brasile where are fiue Councels of Panama new Kingdome of Granada Saint Francise of Quito Lima the Charcas and the eleuen Gouernments part of their Coast toucheth in the North Sea and part in the South in the which for the most part reigneth the South and the South-west which contrarie to his nature is there pleasant and doth mitigate the great heate whereby that Countrie may bee inhabited although it neuer rayneth nor hayleth in it but in a very little distance And the two rowes of Mountaines that runne equally through all these Indies haue a great difference though they are in one altitude of the Pole for the one is well replenished with Trees and it alwayes rayneth in it and it is hot the other is all bare and cold in Summer and Winter These rowes are called Andes and Sierra or the Mountayne they haue most high Hils and goe in sight the one of the other one thousand leagues almost equally In the Hill are bred sundrie beasts and in the parts where they open they make Valleys which is excellent dwelling as that of Xanxa and Guaylas and Yucay In the Andes also are bred sundrie beasts and past the Citie of Cuzco these rowes doe diuide themselues leauing in the middest a great champaine Countrie which is the Prouince of Collao where are infinite Riuers Lakes and Pastures without Trees or Wood for the distemperature of the Countrie though wholesome and much inhabited There followeth after it the Prouince of the Charcas hot and of great plentie with very rough Hills of great riches of Mynes and the figure of these Indies is seene in the Table before going HONDIVS his Map of America Meridionalis AMERICA MERIDIONALIS THe limits of the Counsell of Panama which was first called Castilla del Oro and afterwards Terra Firme are very small for the Counsell is principally resident there for the dispatch of the Fleetes and Merchants which goe and come to Piru it hath in length East and West about nintie leagues from the confines of the gouernment of Cartagena and Popayan vnto the Castle of Veragua and in breadth from the South Sea to the North sixtie leagues and thence downeward vnto eighteene by Nombre de Dios or Porto bello to Panama it is a ground generally very rough with Mountaines full of quagmires the ayre close with vapours moist hot and for this cause very sickly from May vnto Nouember a barren soyle and destitute of many things for there groweth nothing but Millet and very little though there be good Pastures for Kine and breeding of Cattle The gouernment of Veragua stands in the bounds of this Counsell and in it and in that of Panama these Townes following The Citie of Panama is in the coast of the South Sea neere vnto it in 9. degrees of latitude and 82. of longitude from the Meridian of Toledo from whence it is distant by direct way one thousand fiue hundred and sixtie leagues It is a Towne of six hundred housholds the most are Merchants and dealers And with the Counsell are resident the Kings Officers and Royall treasurie which doe goe already to Portobello when there is any Fleete to the dispatching of it and likewise the Cathedrall suffragan to the Archbishopricke of the Kings delos res is here resident with three Monasteries of Dominicke Franciscane and Merced Friers The Port of this Citie is reasonable although at low water the Ships remaine dry and therefore in Summer they ride in the strand and in winter in the hauen of Perico two leagues from the citie Pedrarias Dauila peopled it being Gouernour of Castillo del Oro or of the Gold against the will of the dwellers of Sancta Marie the auncient of Darien the yeare 1519. and a little after the Cathedrall Church was remoued thither and it might haue had a better seate and more wholesome and to the purpose for the trafficke of the South Sea not going very farre from whence the Citie now stands The Citie of Nombre de Dios was by Iames of Nicuesa first planted 1510. and afterward by Iames of Albitez by order of Pedrarias and he was the first Admirall that discouered her port It is remoued to Portobelo for the first Admirall discouered it and gaue the name because it was more wholesomer and fitter for the loading and vnloading of the Fleetes and for their securitie and of the new Citie of Saint Phillip which is built there the Inginer Baptista Antonelli hath made a Castle and appointed another on the other side the hauen for to keepe the entrie The Merchandize are carried from Portobelo to Panama by two wayes one by Land with carriage which is eighteene leagues of lesse difficultie then by the way of Nombre de Dios the other by Sea and the Riuer of Chagre whose mouth is eighteene leagues from Portobelo to the West whereby the Merchandize goe vp when the water reacheth to the vent of the Crosses and from thence they go in carriages fiue leagues to Panama The Village of Nata stands thirtie leagues from Panama to the West in the Coast of the South Sea Captaine Franciscus Companion peopled it by order of Peter Arias for the warre with the Casique Vrraca The inhabiting of Acla and Captaine Gabriel of Roias finished by commandement of Peter Arias in the Coast of the North Sea and entrance of the Gulfe of Vraba right against the Iland of Pinos whereof at this present there is no more memory then that there was the death of that famous Captaine whose memory will last eternally the President Basâ—â— Nunnez of Balnoa and of his company In the breach of Almagro and in the head of the Riuer Chiepo there is Gold and in times past was much gotten In all these Riuers are many Lizards or Crockadiles and very great which put the first discouerers and pacifiers to great trouble and did deuoure some men It happened that a man being in a Boate neere to the Kings House in Panama a Lizard came and snatched him from the Stearne of the Boate and carried him away to eate him on certaine Rockes and hauing begunne to teare him in pieces they shot at him with a Caliuer and killed the Lizard so that he before his death receiued the Sacraments of the Church The Prouince of Veragua which stands in somewhat more then tenne degrees
season of the yeere for hee perceiueth that our Armie which is there is not sufficient for offence but onely for defence You shall receiue double pay the better to furnish you against the iniurie of cold and as wee shall bee clothed with double garments I hope wee shall bee also apparelled with double glorie Let vs march on merrily I my selfe will goe with you and bee companion of your glorie After hee had thus spoken vnto his Souldiers they all cryed One God in Heauen and one Emperour on the Earth and bowing downe all their heads in token of humilitie they shewed how agreeable they were to obey that which he commanded Thus euery one returned into his Tent where they abode yet eight dayes more The Prince sent back againe Zamai vnto Sachetay with some fiue and twentie thousand Horse and fiftie thousand Foot-men for the safetie of his estate in those parts Thus after prayers were said all the Armie being assembled together in the presence of the Prince according to the custome of our Emperours our Armie began to march forward Hee forgat not likewise to dispatch one vnto the Emperour his Vncle to giue him vnderstanding of all this resolution the which hee very well liked of The Prince by the same Messenger did beseech him to send vnto him in the Spring of the yeere some fiftie thousand men to repayre his Armie and certayne money also for the payment of his men of Warre which hee granted him Moreouer the conducting of good store of warlike munition and plentie of victuals for to renew ours for this warre was principally enterprised for the profit and greatnesse of the Tartarians and for the importance which the losse of the Lordships of Paguin and Quifu was vnto them whereby the King of China had greatly strengthened and assured his estate in so much as hee might at his pleasure enter vpon the Tartarians and the Tartarians could not enterprise against him without great forces for that hee had caused a wall to bee made betweene the spaces of the Mountaynes which was fortie leagues long so as they were defended hereby from the ordinarie incursions the which continually did greatly enrich them because they brought much Cattell through the same wherein the Countrey of China doth greatly abound by reason it is situated in a temperate ayre being neither too hot nor cold This was the cause that made the Emperour his Vncle to desire this warre whom our Prince according to his dutie would to the vttermost of his power gratifie as also his new Subiects So wee began to march and in thirtie eight dayes wee arriued at Cipribit the Armie hauing found great discommodities there had wee newes of Calibes who was very glad to vnderstand how the affaires had passed hee came to visit the Prince who shewed vnto him a very good countenance and gaue him particular vnderstanding of his determination and vnderstood at large of Calibes all that had passed within the Kingdome of China The next day the Prince mounted on horse-back and came vnto Pazanfou where the forces commanded by Calibes were aâ— that present the which had often fought with and tryed the forces of the Chinois but found them much interiour vnto their owne The Emperour caused a generall reuiew to bee made of all the forces which were vnder Calibes and after he beheld the countenances of these Souldiers throughout all their rankes he caused them to muster and to receiue money euery one crying God saue the victorious and inuincible Emperour according to their custome The Prince of Thanais who commanded the Armie in Calibes absence going to meet Tamerlan with great diligence had marked the Wall and the places by the which hee might enter by force and sent many Spyes into the Country of China by certayne little wayes that were within the Mountaynes who aduertised him of all Hee had also gayned through his courtesie a Lord of the same Mountaynes called the Lord of Vauchefu who ruled a great Countrey with whom he had so well profited that he made him desirous of a new Master and to submit himselfe vnto the Emperour receiuing daily great discommoditie by the warres which the Tartarians and Chinois made so as he comming to visit the Prince of Thanais hee assured him of his desire to doe the Prince seruice and to helpe him in the warre against the Chinois the which the Prince of Thanais had wisely concealed from Calibes But as soone as the Prince was arriued he imparted the same vnto him the which made Tamerlan desirous to haue some speech with him so that as soone as the Prince had receiued commandement from the Emperour hee sent vnto Vauchefu to aduertise him of the Princes arriuall and of the commandement which hee had receiued whereof the other was very glad and hauing appointed a day the Prince tooke his iourney without stirring of the Armie into the campe of the Prince of Thanais which was neere vnto the Riuer of Languenne whither hee had caused this foresaid Lord to come who met him there Then the Prince after he had heaped vpon him gifts of faire Horses rich Furres and other rare things he willed him to vtter that which he had to say vnto him This Lord spake then in this manner Know my Lord that it is but losse of time to thinke that with your Armes you should bee able to force the Wall which the Chinois haue built against the incursions of your subiects the Defendants haue too much aduantage therein I doubt not of your Souldiers stoutnesse and of their courage I know you haue conquered many Nations with them and that whatsoeuer you command them they will die or doe the same I know you haue great and wise Captaines with you that your Person is onely of all the World worthy to command them but all this will bee but in vaine against the Wall of the Chinois where I assure you there are fiftie thousand men to keepe it and you cannot stay there so short a time but there will come thither fiftie thousand more led by the Xianxi who hath such a commandement The King of China will himselfe march forward also who will giue you battell with two hundred thousand Horse and as many Footmen After you haue fought I beleeue that the fortune and valour of your men may obtayne the victorie the which will cost you deare but for to shew vnto you how much the reputation and mildnesse of your men hath bound mee vnto them I will shew you a meanes by the which you may cause fiftie thousand men to enter into the Kingdome of China whom I my selfe will conduct and they shall bee on them which keepe the Wall in a manner as soone as they shall perceiue it In the meane time you shall cause your men to goe vnto a place that I will tell you which will bee very discommodious vnto the Chinois by reason of a Mountayne ouer against them which you must cause
Snow wee cast into the Caldron and when wee thought it was boyled wee eate it Nor could wee satisfie our selues therewith and thus wee liued for thirteene dayes together with small charitie amongst vs by reason of the great scarcitie of all thinges and extreame famine leading rather a brutish life then the life of men Continuing in this rude and homely kinde of life it happened that through the intollerable wants foure of our companions of the greater retiring place failed euen where the afflicted Master was with those remedies and slender comforts for their soules and bodies so that you may thinke their bodies remayning neere vnto vs who being very weake had lost all our strength wee were not able to remooue them two yardes out of sight and yet I will say more that wee had no sooner taken the frozen or warme water in our mouthes but presently Nature of it selfe cast it vp againe wee not beeing able to abstaine from it nor almost to stand on our feete The cold season of the yeere had brought vs to such necessitie that to warme vs wee stood close thronged in such sort that wee seemed as it were to bee sewed together Wherefore I entred vnder the sayles which couered both our Cottages round about downe to the ground the smoake not being able to issue foorth which proceeded as I thinke from the Pitch which was within certaine peeces of the Pinnasse which we burned so that our eyes were swolne that wee could not see neuerthelesse wee indured all that wee might bee warme And our garments which wee neuer put off were full of vermine and the Lice swarmed in such number that taking them from our backes wee cast them by whole handfuls into the fire and they had entred into the flesh in such manner through the skinne euen to the bones that finally they brought a young man of our company that was a Notarie euen vnto death so that hee was neuer able to defend himselfe from so loathsome a litle vermine A thing of most manifest example to abase and abate our pride and haughtinesse of minde Now concord sayling among vs euery one vsed his owne proper aduise whereupon part of our companie wandring through the Sauage and vn-inhabited place came to the knowledge of a solitarie and ancient retiring place made by the Shepherds heretofore for the time of their abode and it was seated on the highest part of the Coast of the sayd Iland towards the West distant from ours about a mile and a halfe Vnto the which sixe of the companie of the number of those eight which were found in that first and greater retiring place determined to remooue themselues to that new-found solitarie habitation for their lesse inconuenience leauing the other two their other companions alone in an abandoned and forsaken place as well because they were not able to trauell as also for that wee were altogether vnable to conduct them It came to passe that those sixe through the gracious goodnesse and gift of God found an exceeding great Fish to the which I know not what name to giue whether Whale or Por pisse of the Sea which wee are to thinke was sent from the Diuine and excellent bountie to feed vs. And considering that wee saw it cast vp by the Sea vpon the shoare dead fresh good and great and at the time of our so great necessitie wee rendred thankes vnto our most gracious Lord God who at that time would sustayne our so weake and diseased bodies with that foode appeased peraduenture through the prayers of some vigilant and deuout soule With this Fish wee fedde our selues for nine dayes sufficiently And as it happened those very nine dayes were so tempestuous with windes rayne and snow that by no meanes the cruell storme would haue suffered vs to goe one pace out of our Cottage The miraculous Fish being spent the furious tempest was somewhat asswaged wherefore not hauing wherewith to maintayne life like Wolues that oppressed with famine goe to seeke out other places of abode wee arose out of the Cottage and went wandring through the desert Rockes to finde any succour to sustayne our life with Perewinckles of the Sea and Barnacles with the which wee were of necessitie to bee contented although they were very little thinges and so wee maintayned our selues vntill the last of Ianuary 1431. and therefore wee were leane pale afflicted and but halfe aliue In which time finding certayne dung of Oxen scorched and dryed with the cold and winde whereof wee gathered euery day to make a fire wee certainely knew that place to bee frequented by Oxen which thing gaue vs assured hope of some good end and through this perswasion wee indured part of our grieuous cares and sorrowes In the end the houre came wherein our benigne Creator and most gracious Lord purposed to conduct his little flocke so much afflicted into the Hauen of their safetie and it was in this manner Two young Heifers of a Fisher-man neere vnto this Iland within fiue miles beeing strayed the former yeere from the place where hee vsed to dwell and neuer vnderstanding any newes of them within the yeere nor hauing any hope to finde them againe on the very first day of February 1431. at night one of the Sonnes of the said Fisher-man of Rustene for so the said Iland was called being of the age of sixteene yeeres dreamed that certainly the two Heifers were escaped and gone vp to the Iland of Saints distant from them where wee were lodged at the point of the West part vpon the which no man durst euer goe at the low water Whereupon the Sonne who had such a vision or dreame prayed the Father and an elder Brother of his that they would accompany him to goe to seeke them And so all three in a Fisher-boate tooke their way towards the sayd Iland and came to the point where wee were and the sayd young men landing there left their Father to looke to the Boate and hauing ascended a little vpon the Cliffe they saw a smoake arise in the ayre from their retiring place which they had formerly vsed Whereupon through feare and astonishment they maruelled and that not a little how whence and by what meanes it might come to passe Wherefore they stood a long time much amazed And desiring to know the cause they began to talke one with another And although wee perceiued the noyse and heard the voyce yet wee could not conceiue whence it should bee but rather iudged it to bee the crying of Crowes then the voyce of men And wee were the rather induced thereunto because some few dayes before wee had seene vpon the miserable Carkasses of our eight companions cast to the winde multitudes of Crowes that rent the ayre with their croking feeding themselues vpon them whereupon wee thought it could bee no other But continuing from good to better the voyces of the children of God sent to saue vs wee cleerely perceiued
distemper of cold besides other vses sufficiently knowne especially in the Winter time when Hot-houses and Chimneyes are in vse heaped together of Rocks and stone through which the flame might easily breake forth which as soone as through the force of the fire they were throughly heat and when the Hot-house began now to leaue smoking the cold parts of the Chimney were besprinkled with hote glowing stones by which meanes heate vseth effectually to disperse it selfe throughout the whole house which also is very well so preserued by the wall and Roofe couered with Turfe Yet lest the Islanders might seeme through meere pouertie or want of knowledge to haue vsed rude buildings and poore houses I can cal to remembrance certayne houses of an hundred and twentie sixe foot long and some of one hundred thirie fiue as I haue before declared concerning the buildings of Ingulfus and some of one hundred and twentie feet in length and sixtie feet broad whereof we shall hereafter speake some also whose hollowed rafters and boarded seeling of the walls carued by art report the ancient Histories of worthy and memorable Acts. They therefore inclosed their habitations built after this manner with certayne spaces of fruitfull fields ordayned for tillage which spaces through toylesome labour they afterwards compassed about with a banke cast vp to keepe out the Heards of cattle Moreouer suffâ—cient huge pastures were assigned to euery Farme or plot of ground diuided by certayne limits or inclosures from others whereof we shall speake in the eight Chapter And euery Farme or Habitation for the most part and in like manner euery plot of ground receiued the name from the first Founders sometimes also from some other so Mountaynes and Riuers as hath beene aduertized before so that by this meanes the places themselues euen by their names only declared to all posteritie their first Inhabitants and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I proceede from buildings to their victuals and tillage of the field and ground which partly succeeded well to the first Inhabitants to procure Corne and fruit from thence but I know not whether euery where alike Yet in the meane space that Hiorleifus mentioned before exercised his slaues in tillage of the ground and one Gunnerus of Lidarenda sowing his Seed was wounded by the enemie on the ball of the cheeke and likewise Hoschuldus Huitarnesgode busily imployed in sowing the Seed was slaine Hence from the fields there are proper names of certayne places Hence came that Law concerning the gathering together and carrying of Corne after Haruest where they speake of the seruices which the Lawyers call praediall All which are manifest tokens of the tillage of the ground amongst the first Islanders which also euen vnto this day I heare is practised by some Inhabitants of South Island but with lesse increase the ground and temper of the Ayre degenerating from the first goodnesse thereof after so many Ages peraduenture also the care of the Husbandmen beeing lesse diligent may bee the cause since Corne comming from forreigne parts began more to be in vse And because that tillage of the ground seemed in the beginning either not vsed of all or lesse fruitfull for Corne and all manner of graine a peculiar manner of tillage of the ground presently began whereby they compassed with dunge those fields or spaces which I said they inclosed within their owne circuit especially with kowes dunge at the mowing of the best hay to the intent they may the betterfeed the Heards and especially the Kine that they might yeeld the more plenty of Milke Which tillage of the ground is yet retayned and they only exercise thesame for the most part almost by mid-land Inhabitants seeing such as dwel vpon the Sea-coast liue most by fishing whither also those more remote or mid-land people yeerely send their Seruants to fish Both Plaines that is to say the ground and the Sea was to bee ploughed after a sort by the Islanders for the comforts of life To whom besides insteed of victuals Sheep Oxen Swine and Kiddes sufficiently abounded and also fishes of diuers kindes besides Sea-fish out of the Flouds Lakes and Riuers they met with euery where so that they might take them as it were out of a certayne wee le especially in that Age also Milke and White-meate with goodly plentie of Butter from the Heards of cattle Besides Fowle in great number some tame as Hennes and Domesticall Geese or Fowle of another kind liuing in the open Ayre wandring also solitarily in Mountaynous places which the possessors marked in the feet that euery-one might more easily demand his owne They had others also not tame which they tooke by certayne ginnes as Geese and Duckes of the Medow Partridges and Swannes and very many Sea-fowle whose names and properties I doe not know But Fowle of either kind tame or wilde they either presented their Egges or themselues or both for the vse of men Besides the naturall Drinke or pressed Whay of Milke whereof the great plentie is so much the better as the Milke is more excellent so that halfe an ounce of water mixed with an ounce of Whay doth not wholly diminish the taste thereof but that it relisheth more of the Whay then of the water they also boyled Barley Flowre sometimes adding thereto the Honey Combe or Water mingled with Honey sometimes also a Liquour made of certayne Berries growing heere Moreouer the ancient Islanders brought in drinke made of Corne from forreigne parts as also all manner of graine and other things for they were furnished with ships of their owne wherewith they yeerely visited at their pleasure Denmarke Norway Suecia Scotland Saxonie England and Ireland Our ancient Islanders wanted not honest Banquetings and meetings and that surely without miserable sparing whether we respect the number of the guests or the time of the Banquets exhibited For Theodorus and Thorualdus brethren and Citizens of Hialtaedat of North Island solemnizing the Funerals of their Father Hialta made a Banquet for fourteene dayes together of twelue hundred persons presenting the men of better note with some gift And an Inhabitant of West Island surnamed Olaus Pa with his two brethren were at the charge to banquet nine hundred men euen for fourteene dayes space not sending the chiefe men away without reward I find money was not vsuall with the Islanders I meane those of ancient time but siluer was weighed by the ballance and bartering of Merchandizes was very commonly vsed Moreouer Rings of Gold and Bracelets were both often sent for tokens of remembrance from Superiours to priuate men or from one friend to another §. III. Of their Politie and Religion in old times THe Islanders going about to establish an Aristocratie or State of Nobilitie considering they dwelt scattered in the Countrey and not together first diuided their Citie into Fourths or Tetrades named from the foure principall quarters of the World and distinguisâ—ed besides by setting of bounds such also
Kingdome by the marsh of this Citie which is eight leagues from it by the Sea and afterward twelue vnto the Barranca of Malambo in the great Riuer Ocanna is also in this Gouernment which the Captaine Franciscus Hernandez inhabited 1572. and was first called Sancte Anne There is in the Coast of this Gouernment the Riuer of Buhia neere Ramada and the Riuer of Piras and that of Palomino where a Captaine of this name was drowned and the Riuer of Don Iames the Ancones of Buritaca and the Cape of Aguia neere Sancta Martha right against the hill of Bonda and the Riuer of Gayra to the West The Prouince and Gouernment of Cartagena in the Coast of Terra firme and the North Sea hath in length East and West from the Riuer of the Magdalene vnto the Riuer of Darien eightie leagues North and South and as many vnto the confines of the New Kingdome though men say it is more in Voyage The Countrie is Mountainous of Hils and Valleys of high Trees rainie and moist the seedes of Castile beare no seede there is no Wheate nor Gould but in some places There is much rozen made in some Mountaines of this Gouernment and Gums arromaticke and other liquors which they get out of the Trees and great quantitie of Sanguis Draconis and a very fragrant balme of great vertues The Citie of Carthagena Iâ—ands neare the Sea two leagues from the Point of Canoa to the West in tenne degrees of latitude and seuentie six of longitude one thousand foure hundred and sixtie leagues from Toledo of more then fiue hundred housholds among them aboue two thousand women In it is resident the Gouernour the Kings Officers treasurie Royall and the Cathedrall suffragan to the New Realme with Monasteries of Dominick and Franciscan Friers The scituation is plain and almost like an Iland the Sea compasseth it on the North side it is a rough coast and very shallow and on the land side it hath an arme of the Sea which reacheth to a Marish which is the Lake of Canapote which ebbeth floweth after the order of the Sea at the same houre and they passe from the Citie to Terra firme by a Bridge and a manner of a Causie which hath about two hundred and fiftie paces The Citie is built on Sand within two fathoms they finde fresh water though sometimes it is vnwholesome not so much as the coast of Nombre de Dios for the ayres in respect of the Marish are wont to cause diseases but for the most part it is wholsome The Hauen is one of the least of the Indies though the great Ships doe ride farre from the Citie It hath at the entrie an Iland like that of Escombrera in Cartagena of Castile whereby they called it Cartagena and the Iland was called Codego now they call it Caxes it hath two leagues in length little more then halfe a league in bredth it was wont to be inhabited with Indian Fishers it hath no water The first that saw Carthagena in the year 1502. was Roderick Bastidas the year 1504. Iuan de la Cosa or Iohn of the Thing went a shore and found Lewes Guerra and they were the first that began the warre with the Indians which were proud and bould and both men and women fought with venomed arrows Afterward returned Alonso of Oieda with Iohn of the Thing for Pilot Maior Americo Vespucio for Mariner some years after Gregorie of Obiedo took vpon him to inhabit Cartagena performed it not The year 1532. went Don Pedro of Eredia born in Madrid and inhabited it and pacified a great part of the Countrie though with labour and cunning because the people were very warlike and there was a woman that before they could take her being about eighteene yeeres old slew with her Bow eight Spaniards The Village of Saint Iames of Tolu is six leagues from the Sea to the South-west of Cartagena two leagues from it part by Sea for by Land it cannot be gone and part by the Marishes and Mountaines It is a sound Countrie of great breedings and tillage and fruits of Castile the President Don Peter of Heredia peopled it The Village of Marie thirtie two leagues from Cartagena to the South is also the inhabiting of Don Peter of Heredia in the yeare 1534. The Village of Sancta Cruz of Mopox is seuentie leagues from Cartagena by the Sea and Riuer of Magdalene neere whose border it stands whereby they goe about more then halfe the way it is not sound being among Quagmires A Captaine of Don Peter of Heredia peopled it 1535. The yeare of 1509. the Bachiller Eusico as hath been said inhabited Sancta Marie the auncient of the Darien which is in this Gouernment forsaking the Village of Saint Sebastian of Bona vista which the same Captaine Alonso de Oieda had inhabited in the furthest place of Vraba afterward the Captain Alonso of Heredia inhabited Saint Sebastian againe for the President his Brother in certaine little hils almost halfe a league from the Sea And in the yeare 1537. the Bachiller Iohn of Vadillo went out of Saint Sebastian with a good number of Souldiours and passing many troubles most rough Mountains thick woods came to the Citie of Antioquia of the gouernment of Popayan there was a Souldior that from theÌ„ce came to the Citie of the Plate in the Charcas which is 1200. leag The Barranca of Malambo which is a Custome house of the iurisdiction of Cartagena thirtie leagues from it on the border of the great Riuer and twenty from Sancta Martha six from the Sea where the Merchandize that are carried by Land to the New Realme are vnloaden from the Barranca are carried vp by the Riuer in Canooes Lower then Nopox entreth the Riuer of Cauca into the Riuer of Magdalene which also springeth about Popayan more toward Cartagena and to the West standeth the Knobbe and the point of Zamba and Butrio del gato or Arbolera and the seuen Cottages and the point of the Canowe two leagues from Cartagena and the point of Ycacos at the entrie of the port right against the Iland of Carex and the point of the Ship in Terra firme at the other lesser entrie of the port and almost to the North is a little Iland which is called Sardina and in the coast of Tolu the Ilands of Baru which are six and at the entrie of the Gulfe of Vraba the six which are called of Saint Bernard right against the Riuer Zenu and more within the Gulfe the strong Iland and the Tortoyse The port of Zenu stands fiue and twenty leagues from Cartagena it is a great Bay that hath his entrance by the East it is secure here they make store of Salt and it tooke the name of the Towne Zenu which standeth on the Riuer In the
from out of the Ocean which in those parts is very great and spacious and hauing drawne vnto it this great abundance of vapours doth suddenly dissolue them into raine and it is approued by many tried experiences that the raine and great stormes from Heauen proceed from the violent heate of the Sunne first as we haue said before it raines in those Countries when as the Sunne casts his beames directly vpon the earth at which time he hath most force but when the Sunne retires the heate is moderate and then there falls no raine whereby wee may conclude that the force and heate of the Sunne is the cause of raine in those Countries Moreouer we obserue both in Peru new Spaine and in all the burning Zone that the raine doth vsually fal in the afternoone when as the Sunne beames are in their greatest force being strange to see it raine in the morning And therefore Trauellers foreseeing it begin their iourneys early that they may end and rest before noone for they hold that commonly it raines after noone Such as haue frequented and trauelled those Countries can sufficiently speake thereof And there are that hauing made some abode there say that the greatest abundance of raine is when the Moone is at the full but to say the truth I could neuer make sufficient proofe thereof although I haue obserued it Moreouer the dayes the yeere and the moneths shew the truth hereof that the violent heaâ—e of the Sunne causeth the raine in the burning Zone experience teacheth vs the like in artificiall things as in a Limbecke wherein they draw waters from herbs and flowers for the vehemency of the fire forceth and driueth vp an abundance of vapours which being pressed and finding no issue are conuerted into liquor and water The like wee see in gold and siluer which we refine with quick-siluer the fire being small and slow we draw out almost nothing of the quick-siluer but if it be quick and violent it doth greatly euaporate the quick-siluer which encountring the head aboue doth presently turne into liquor and begins to drop downe Euen so the violent heate of the Sunne produceth these two effects when it findes matter disposed that is to draw vp the vapours on high and to dissolue them presently and turne them into raine when there is any obstacle to consume them And although these things seeme contrarie that one Sunne within the burning Zone being neere should cause raine and without the Zone afarre off should breed the like effect so it is that all well considered there is no contrarietie A thousand effects in naturall causes proceed of contrarie things by diuers meanes we drie linnen by the fire and in the aire and yet the one heats and the other cooles Pastures are dried and hardened by the Sunne and with the Frost moderate exercise prouokes sleepe being too violent it hindereth if you lay no wood on the fire it dyeth if you lay on too much it likewise quencheth for the onely proportion entertaines and makes it to continue To well discerne a thing it must not be too neere the eye nor too farre off but in a reasonable distance proportionable being too farre off from any thing we lose the sight and too neere likewise we cannot see it If the Sunne beams be weake they draw vp no fogge from the Riuers if they be violent hauing drawne vp the vapours they presently dissolue and consume them but if the heat be moderate it drawes vp and preserues it for this reason the vapours rise not commonly in the night nor at noone but in the morning when as the Sunne begins to enter into his force There are a thousand examples of naturall causes vpon this subiect which wee see doe often grow from contrarie things whereby we must not wonder if the Sunne being neere engenders raine and being farre off works the like effect but being of a moderate and proportionable distance causeth none at all Yet there remaines one doubt why the neernesse of the Sunne causeth the raine vnder the burning Zone and without when it is farthest off In my opinion the reason is that in Winter without the Tropicks the Sunne hath not force sâ—fficient to consume the vapours which rise from the Land and Sea for these vapours grow in great abundance in the cold Region of the aire where they are congealed and thickned by the extremitie of the cold and after being pressed they dissolue and turne into water Therefore in Winter when the Sunne is farthest off the dayes short and the nights long his heat hath small force but when the Sunne approcheth which is in the Summer time his force is such as it drawes vp the vapours and suddenly consumes and disperseth them for the heat and the length of the dayes grow through the neernesse of the Sunne But within the Tropicks vnder the burning Zone the farre distance of the Sunne workes the same effects that the neernesse doth without the Tropicks by reason whereof it raines no more vnder the burning Zone when the Sunne is farre off then without the Tropicks when it is neerest for that in this approching and retyring the Sunne remayns alwayes in one distance whence proceedes this effect of cleernesse But when the Sunne is in the period of his force in the burning Zone and that he cast his beames directly vpon the Inhabitants heads there is neither cleernesse nor drynesse as it seemes there should be but rather great and strange showers for that by this violent heat he drawes vp suddenly a great abundance of vapours from the Earth and Ocean which are so thicke as the winde not able easily to disperse them they melt into water which breedeth the cold raine in so great abundance for the excessiue heat may soone draw vp many vapours the which are not so soone dissolued and being gathered together through their great abundance they melt and dissolue into water The which wee may easily discerne by this familiar example roast a piece of Porke Mutton or Veale if the fire be violent and the meate neere wee see the fat melts suddenly and drops away the reason is that the violent heat drawes forth the humour and fat from the meat and being in great abundance cannot dissolue it and so it distils more away But when the fire is moderate and the meat in an equall distance wee see that it roasts handsomly and the fat drops not too suddenly for that the moderate heat drawes out the moistnesse which it consumes suddenly And therefore Cookes make a moderate fire and lay not their meate too neere nor too farre off lest it melt away The like may bee seene in anoother experience in candles of tallow or waxe if the wike bee great it melts the tallow or the waxe for that the heat cannot consume the moistnesse which riseth but if the flame bee proportionable the wax melts nor drops not for that the flame doth waste it by little and little as it riseth But this is
Beasts and Men seeing that we see it visibly in Iron which is the hardest of all mettals I haue seene Grates of Iron in some parts of the Indies so rusted and consumed that pressing it betwixt your fingers it dissolued into powder as if it had beene hay or parched straw the which proceedes onely from the winde which doth corrupt it hauing no meanes to withstand it But leauing apart many other great and notable effects I will onely make mention of two The one although it causeth pangs greater then death it selfe yet doth it not breede any further inconuenience The other takes away life without feeling of it The sicknesse of the Sea wherewith such are troubled as first begin to goe to Sea is a matter very ordinary and yet if the nature thereof were vnknowne to men we should take it for the pangs of death seeing how it afflicts and torments while it doth last by the casting of the stomacke paine of the head and other troublesome accidents But in truth this sicknesse so common and ordinary happens vnto men by the change of the ayre and Sea For although it be true that the motion of the Ship helpes much in that it moues more or lesse and likewise the infections and ill sauours of things in the Ship yet the proper and naturall cause is the ayre and the vapours of the Sea the which doth so weaken and trouble the body and the stomacke which are not accustomed thereunto that they are wonderfully moued and changed for the ayre is the Element by which we liue and breath drawing it into our entrailes the which we â—athe therewithall And therefore there is nothing that so suddenly and with so great force doth alter vs as the change of the ayre we breathe as we see in those which dye of the plague It is approued by many experiences that the ayre of the Sea is the chiefe cause of this strange indisposition the one is that when there blowes from the Sea a strong breath we see them at the Land as it were Sea-â—â—cke as I my selfe haue often found Another is the farther wee goe into the Sea and retyre from Land the more wee are touched and dazeled with this sicknesse Another is that coasting along any Iland and after lanching into the maine we shall there finde the ayre more strong Yet will I not deny but the motion and agitation may cause this sicknesse seeing that we see some are taken therewith passing Riuers in Barkes others in like sort going in Coaches and Caroaches according to the diuers complexions of the Stomacke as contrariwise there are some how boisterous and troublesome soeuer the Sea be doe neuer feele it Wherefore it is a matter certaine and tried that the ayre of the Sea doth commonly cause this effect in such as newly goe to Sea I thought good to speake this to shew a strange effect which happens in some parts of the Indies where the ayre and the winde that raigns makes men dazle not lesse but more then at Sea Some hold it for a fable others say it is an addition for my part I will speake what I haue tried There is in Peru a high mountaine which they call Paâ—â—acaca and hauing heard speake of the alteration it bred I went as well prepared as I could according to the instructions which was giuen me by such as they call Vaguianâ—s or expert men but notwithstanding all my prouision when I came to mount the degrees as they called them which is the top of this mountaine I was suddenly surprized with so mortall and so strange a pang that I was ready to fall from the top to the ground and although we were many in company yet euery one made haste without any tarrying for his companion to free himselfe speedily from this ill passage Being then alone with one Indian whom I intreated to helpe to stay me I was surprized with such pangs of straining and casting as I thought to cast vp my heart too for hauing cast vp meate flegme and coller both yellow and greene in the end I cast vp blood with the straining of my stomacke To conclude if this had continued I should vndoubtedly haue dyed but this lasted not aboue three or foure houres that wee were come into a more conuenient and naturall temperature where all our companions being foureteene or fifteene were much wearied Some in the passage demanded confession thinking verily to dye others left the Ladders and went to the ground being ouercome with casting and going to the stoole and it was told me that some haue lost their liues there with this accident I beheld one that did beate himselfe against the earth crying out for the rage and griefe which this passage of Pariacaca had caused But commonly it doth no important harme onely this paine and troublesome distaste while it endures and not onely the passage of Pariacaca hath this propertie but also all this ridge of the Mountaine which runnes aboue fiue hundred leagues long and in what place soeuer you passe you shall finde strange intemperâ—â—ures yet more in some parts then in other and rather to those which mount from the Sea 〈◊〉 from the Plaines Besides Pariacaca I haue passed it by 〈◊〉 and Soras in another place by Collegâ—â—â— and by 〈◊〉 Finally by foure different places going and comming and alwayes in this passage I haue felt this alteration although in no place so strongly as at the first in Pariacaca which hath beene tried by all such as haue passed it And no doubt but the winde is the cause of this intemperature and strange alteration or the ayre that raignes there For the best remedy and all they finde is to stoppe their noses their eares and their mouthes as much as may be and to couer themselues with cloathes especially the stomacke for that the ayre is subtile and piercing going into the entrailes and not onely men feele this alteration but also beasts that sometimes stay there so as there is no spurre can make them goe forward For my part I hold this place to be one of the highest parts of land in the world for we mount a wonderfull space And in my opinion the Mountaine Neâ—ade of Spaine the Pirences and the Alpâ—s of Italie are as ordinary houses in regard of hiâ— Towers I therefore perswade my selfe that the element of the ayre is there so subtile and delicate as it is not proportionable with the breathing of man which requires a more grosse and temperate ayre and I beleeue it is the cause that doth so much alter the stomacke and trouble all the disposition The passages of the mountaines Neâ—ade and other of Europe which I haue seene although the ayre be cold there and doth force men to weare more cloathes yet this colde doth not take away the appetite from meate but contrariwise it prouokes neither doth it cause any casting of the stomacke but onely some paine in the feete
two three or foure leagues at the most on a day Those that guide those troupes haue their ordinarie lodgings where they are assured to haue water and pasture and there they vnlade and set vp their Tents making fire and dressing their meates which is not painfull although it be a flegmatike and slow manner of trauell When there is but one dayes iourney one of these sheepe will beare eight Arrobes in weight or more and beares this burthen eight or ten leagues in a day as the poore Souldiers were wont to doe when they marched through Peru. This kinde of Cattell delights most in a cold aire and for this cause they liue vpon the Sierre and die in the Lanos by reason of the heate Sometimes these sheepe are all couered with Ice and frost and yet they continue sound and well The bare sheepe are pleasant to behold for they will stay vpon the way raysing vp their necks and will looke vpon any one very wistly and so they remaine a long time without moouing or any shew of feare which giueth occasion of laughter seeing them thus to stand And yet sometimes they doe grow amazed sodainly and runne away with their burthens euen to the highest Rocks so as not being able to come vnto them they are constrayned to kill them with an Harquebuze lest they should lose their barres of Siluer which they sometimes carry The Pacos will grow reastie vnder their burthens lying down and will endure to be cut in a thousand pieces before they will rise when this humor takes them wherof the prouerb growes in Peru to say that one is reastie to signifie he is obstinate for that when any of these beasts is moodie it is with excesse the remedie they haue is to stay and sit downe by the Paco making much on him vntill the fit be past and that he rise and sometimes they are forced to stay two or three houres They haue a disease like to scabs which they call Carache whereof they commonly die The Ancients had a remedie to burie them quicke that had the Carache lest they should infect the rest being a very contagious disease and goes from one to another An Indian that hath one or two of these sheepe is not reputed poore for one of them is worth sixe or seuen pieces of assay and more according to the time and places The Bezaars stone is found in all these beasts before mentioned which are proper to Peru whereof some Authors of our time haue written whole bookes which they may reade that desire to haue a more particular knowledge For the present subiect it shall be sufficient to say that this stone which they call Bezaar is found in the stomacke and belly of this beast sometimes one alone sometimes two three and foure They are very different in forme greatnesse and colour for that some are small like Filberds and lesse others like Walnuts some like Pidgeons egges and others as bigge as a Hens egge and I haue seene some as bigge as an Orange in forme some are round others in fashion like to Lentils and many other formes For their colour some are blacke some white some grey darke greene and others as if they had beene gilded It is no certaine rule to iudge the best and most fine by the colour or forme All these stones are made and fashioned of diuers films and skins one vpon another In the Prouince of Xaura and other Prouinces of Peru they finde these stones in diuers kindes of beasts both wilde and tame as in the Guanacos Pacos Vicugnes and Tarugues some adde an other kinde which they say are wilde Goates which the Indians call Cypris These other kindes of beasts are very well known in Peru whereof we haue alreadie discoursed The Guanacos or Countrie sheepe or Pacos haue commonly the lesser stones and blacke neither are they so much approued for the vse of physicke They draw the greatest Bezaar stones from the Vicugnes and they are grey or white or of a darke greene which are held for the better They esteeme those of the Tarugues for the most excellent whereof there are some reasonable bigge they are commonly white inclining to grey and they haue the filmes commonly bigger and thicker then the rest They finde the Bezaar stone equally both in Male and Female All beasts that ingender it chaw the cuid and commonly feede vpon the Snow and Rocks The Indians report and teach by tradition from their Fathers and Ancients that in the Prouince of Xaura and in other Prouinces of Peru there are many herbs and venemous beasts which poison the water and the pastures where they eate and drinke and where they breathe amiddest which venemous herbs there is one very well knowne of the Vicugne by a naturall instinct and of other beasts that ingender the Bezaar stone which eate this herbe and by meanes thereof they preserue themselues from the poisoned waters and pastures and they say that of this herbe the stone is compounded in the stomacke whence it drawes all the vertue against poison and other wonderfull effects This is the opinion and tradition of the Indians discouered by men of great experience in the Kingdome of Peru which agrees with reason and with that which Plinie reports of the Mountaines Goats which are nourished and fed vpon poison without suffering any harme The Indians being demanded why the Sheepe Kine Goats and Calues such as are in Castile haue not the Bezaar stone seeing that they feede on the same Rocks their answere is That they beleeue not that those beasts of Castile eate of that herbe or that they haue found the Bezaar stone in Stags and fallow Deere This seemes to agree with our knowledge for that in new Spaine they finde the Bezaar stone although there be no Vicugnes Pacos Tarugues nor Guanacos but onely Stags in some of which they finde these stones One thing is worthy admiration that they grow and are fashioned vpon very strange things as vpon the tagge of a Point vpon a Pin or a piece of Wood which they finde in the centre of this stone and yet doe they not hold it false for that the beast might swallow it and the stone thicken vpon it and growes one vpon another and so it increaseth I did see in Peru two stones fashioned vpon Pignons of Castile which made vs to wonder much for that in all Peru wee had not seene any Pines or Pignons of Castile if they were not brought from Spaine which seemes to mee very extraordinarie This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone They bring other physicall stones from the Indies as the stone of Hyiada or of Rate the bloud stone the stones of Milke and of the Sea Those which they call Cornerinas for the Heart whereof there is no neede to speake hauing nothing common with the subiect of beasts whereof wee haue intreated which giues vs to vnderstand how the great Master and Author of all hath imparted his benefits
lancheth or cutteth the same while in the meane time it can neither be seene nor taken that from some it hath cut off their hands and from other their feete vntill the remedy was found to annoint the place with Oyle and scrape it with a Rasor In the firme Land in golden Castile or Beragua there are many Vipers like vnto them of Spaine they that are bitten of them dye in short space for few liue to the fourth day except present remedy Of these some are of lesse kinde then other and haue their taile somewhat round and leape in the aire to assaile men and for this cause some call this kinde of Vipers Tyro their biting is most venomousâ— and for the most part incurable One of them chanced to bite an Indian Maide which serued me in my house to whom I caused the Surgians to minister their ordinary cure but they could doe her no good nor yet get one drop of blood out of her but onely a yellow water so that she died the third day for lacke of remedie as the like hath chanced to diuers others This Maide was of the age of foureteene yeares and spake the Spanish tongue as if she had beene borne in Castile she said that the Viper which bit her on the foot was two spans long or little lesse and that to bite her she leapt in the aire for the space of more then six paces as I haue heard the like of other credible persons I haue also seene in the firme Land a kinde of Adders very small and of seuen or eight foot long these are so red that in the night they appeare like burning coles and in the day seeme as red as blood these are also venemous but not so much as the Vipers There are other much lesse and shorter and blacker these come out of the Riuers and wander sometimes farre on the Land and are likewise venemous There are also other Adders of a russet colour these are somewhat bigger then the Viper and are hurtfull and venemous There are likewise another sort of many colours and very long of these I saw one in the yeare of Christ 1515. in the Iland of Hispaniola neere vnto the Sea coasts at the foote of the Mountaines called Pedernales When this Adder was slain I measured her found her to be more then twenty foot long and somewhat more then a mans fist in bignesse and although she had three or foure deadly wounds with a Sword yet dyed she not nor stunke the same day in so much that her blood continued warme all that time There are also in the Marishes and desarts of the firme Land many other kindes of Lysarts Dragons and diuers other kindes of Serpents whereof I intend not here to speak much because I haue more particularly entreated of these things in my generall historie of the West Indies There are tlso Spiders of marueilous bignesse and I haue seene some with bodie and legges bigger then a mans hand extended euery way and I once saw one of such bignesse that onely her body was as bigge as a Sparrow and full of that Laune whereof they make their webbes this was of a darke russet colour with eyes greater then the eyes of a Sparrow they are venemous and of terrible shape to behold There are also Scorpions and diuers other such venomous wormes Furthermore in the firme Land there are many Toades being verie noious and hurtfull by reason of their great multitude they are not venemous they are seene in great abundance in Dareena where they are so big that when they die in the time of drought the bones of some of them and especially the ribs are of such greatnesse that they appeare to be the bones of Cats or of some other beasts of the same bignesse But as the waters diminish the moisture consumeth in the time of drought as I haue said they also consume therewith vntill the yeare next following when the raine and moisture encrease at which time they are seene againe Neuerthelesse at this present there is no such quantitie of them as was wont to be by reason that as the Land is better cultured by the Christians as well by the felling of Woods and Shrubs as also by the Pasture of Kine Horses and other beasts so is it apparant that this poison diminisheth daily whereby that region becommeth more holesome and pleasant These Toades sing after three or foure sort for some of them sing pleasantly other like ours of Spaine some also whistle and other some make another manner of noise they are likewise of diuers colours as some greene some russet or gray and some almost blacke but of all sorts they are great and filthie and noious by reason of their great multitude yet are they not venemous as I haue said There are also a strange kinde of Crabbes which come forth of certaine holes of the earth that they themselues make the head and bodie of these make one round thing much like to the hood of a Faulcon hauing foure feete comming out of the one side and as manie out of the other they haue also two mouthes like vnto a paire of small Pincers the one bigger then the other wherewith they bite but doe no great hurt because they are not venemous their skin and bodie is smooth and thinne as is the rkinne of a man sauing that it is somewhat harder their colour is russet or white or blew and walke sidelong they are verie good to be eaten in so much that the Christians trauailing by the firme Land haue beene greatly nourished by them because they are found in manner euerie where in shape and forme they are much like vnto the Crabbe which we paint for the signe Cancer and like vnto those which are found in Spaine in Andalusia in the Riuer Guadalchiber where it entreth into the Sea and in the Sea coasts there about sauing that these are of the water and the other of the land they are sometimes hurtfull so that they that eate of them dye but this chanceth onely when they haue eaten any venomous thing or of the venemous apples wherewith the Caniball archers poison their arrowes whereof I will speake hereafter and for this cause the Christians take heede how they eate of these Crabbes if they finde them neere vnto the said apple trees Furthermore in these Indies as well in the firme land as in the Ilands there is found a kinde of Serpents which they call Yuanas which some call Iuannas these are terrible and fearefull to fight and yet not hurtfull they are verie delicate to be eaten and it is not yet knowne whether they be beasts of the land or fishes because they liue in the water and wander in the woods and on the land they haue foure feet and are commonly bigger then Connies and in some places bigger then Otters with tailes like Lysarts or Eutes their skinne is spotted and of the same kinde
bones and Iewels was gathered and laid vpon a rich Mantle the which was carried to the Temple gate where the Priests attended to blesse those deuellish relickes whereof they made a dough or paste and thereof an Image which was apparelled like a man with a visor on his face and all other sorts of Iewels that the deaâ— King was wont to weare so that it seemed a gallant I doll At the foote of the Temple staires they opened a graue ready made which was square large and two fadom deepe it was also hanged with new Mats round about and a farre bed therein in the which a religious man placed the Idol made of aâ—hes with his eyes toward the East part and hung round about the wals Targets of Gold and Siluer with Bowe and Arrowes and many gallant tuffes of Feathers with earthen vessels as Pots Dishes and Platters so that the graue was filled vp with houshold stuffe Chests couered with Leather Apparell Iewels Meate Drinke and Armor This done the graue was shut vp and made sure with beâ—mes boords and flored with earth on the top All those Gentlemen which had serued or touched any thing in the buriall washed themselues and went to dinner in the Court or yard of the Kings house without any table and hauing dined they wiped their hands vpon certaine locks of Cotten woll hanging downe their heads and not speaking any word except it were to aske for drinke This Ceremonie endured fiue dayes and in all that time no fire was permitted to be kindled in the Citie except in the Kings house and Temples nor yet any Corne was ground or Market kept nor none durst goe out of their houses shewing all the sorrow that might be possible for the death of their King In Mexico were twelue Iudges who were all Noblemen graue and well learned in the Mexican Lawes These men liued onely by the rents that properly appertaine to the maintenance of Iustice and in any cause iudged by them it was lawfull for the parties to appeale vnto other twelue Iudges who were of the Princes bloud and alwayes abode in the Court and were maintained at the Kings owne cost and charges The inferiour Iudges came ordinarily once euery moneth to consult with the higher And in euery fourescore dayes came the Iudges of euery Prouince within the Mexican Empire to consult with the Iudges of Mexico but all doubtfull causes were reserued to the King onely to passe by his order and determination The Painters serued for notaries to paint all the cases which were to be resolued but no suite passed aboue fourescore dayes without finall end and determination There were in that Citie twelue Sergeants whose office was to arrest and to call parties before the Iudges Their garments were painted Mantels whereby they were knowne a farre off The Prisons were vnder ground moist and darke the cause whereof was to put the people in feare to offend If any witnesse were called to take an oath the order was that he should touch the ground with one of his fingers and then to touch his tongue with the same which signified that he had sworne and promised to speake the troth with his tongue taking witnesse thereof of the earth which did maintaine him But some doe interprete the oath that if the paâ—tie sware not true that then he might come to such extremitie as to eate earth Sometime they name and call vpon the God of the crime whose cause the matter touched The Iudge that taketh bribes or gifts is forthwith put out of his office which was accounted a most vile aâ—d 〈◊〉 reproach The Indians did affirme that Necauâ—lpincintâ— did hang a Iudge in Tezâ—â—â—o for 〈…〉 sentence be himselfe knowing the contrary The Murtherer is executed without exception The woman with childe that wilfully casteth her creature suffereth death for the same The Theefe for the first offence was made a slaue and hanged for the second The Traitor to the King and Common-weale was put to death with extreame torments The Woman taken in Mans apparell died for the same and likewise the Man taken in Womans attire Euery one that challengeth another to fight except in the warres was condemned to dye In Tezcuco the sinne of Sodomie was punished with death and that Law was instituted by Necaualpincinth and Necaualcoio who were Iudges which abhorred that filthy sinne and therefore they deserued great praise for in other Prouinces that abhominable sinne was not punished although they haue in those places common Stewes as in Panuco The end of the fift Booke AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL THINGS CONTAINED IN THE FIVE BOOKES of the third Part of PVRCHAS his Pilgrims The first Number notes the Page the second Number directs you to the number noted in the back-margent of the Pages Right against which or betwixt that and the next number the note is to bee found Obserue that whereas many words may bee well written with I. or with Y. the Reader is to looke to both Obserue also that Name of Saints or Knights are not set vnder S. but in the Alphabet of their proper Names A ABaccu is the Caspian Sea 69.60 The largenesse of it 70.1 Abaseia or Habassia is India media 106.50 in Marg. Rich in Gold ibid. Abedalcuria 252.60 Abortion caused by an Herbe 991.40 Acapulco the Prouince and Port in the West Indies the Latitude 871.60 Acias or Akas so the Tartars call the Alanian Christians 10.10 Enemies to the Tartars 12.40 Achbaluch Mangi which in Tartars Language is the White Citie of the Mangi 90.1 Acornes as big as Apples 520 50 Accents the Chinois haue fiue seuerall 384.20 Accounts cast by graines of Corne 1053.50 Accord betweene Poles and Russes about chusing their Emperour 788.789 Acquaintance the Ceremony of beginning it 374 Acacron the Armenian Prophet 49.50 Acon the Citie Arabicke and Syriack vnderstood there 13.50 Adams Sepulcher in Zeilan 106.1 More of that Fable ibid. Adams-Apples grow in Persia 71.10 Adders of India their seuerall sorts and natures 976.1 Adem the Soldan of it discomfited 106.50 Admirals Iland 474.40 Sea horses there 512 Adoration the manner of it in Mexico 1027.30 1028.1 1046.60 Adoption practised in Russia 740.40 Adulterie punished with Death in Peru 1058.40 Adultresses Dowries giuen to poore Girles 276.10 Adulterie Witaldrie the punishment 182.40 Adulterers how punished in China 204.10 Aedgar the King his mightie Nauie 619.40 Emperour of the Ocean ibid. Aegeland and Halgeland discouered 212.1 Aequinoctiall vnder it moyst and raynie and why 918.40 Not so hoâ— as the Antients held it very cold in March causes of the temperature though the Sunne bee very hote the dayes and nights equall 920. No Calmes vnder the Lane 923.60.926 The Ayre vnder or neere it swifter then the Ayre about the Poles and why 925.30 Easterne and Westerne windes continuall vnder the Lino 925.40 See Torride Zone Aequinoctiall whither healthfull liuing vnder it 889.10 Aethiopian Patriarch 327.30
Shewing the reason why the Sunne without the Tropicks causeth greatest quantitie of waters when it is farthest off and contrariwise within them it breedeth most when it is neerest l. 2. chap. 7. Exceptions to generall rules The Authors experience Various and diuersified tempers of the Torrid Zone Causes of temperatenâ—sse vnder the Line and within the Tropicks Second cause That there bee other reasons besides the former mentioned which shew that the burning Zone is temperate especially alongst the Ocean Chap. 11. Arist. 〈◊〉 Dionys. c. 15. 〈◊〉 câ—â—l â—ierar That the cold windes bee the principal cause to make the burning Zone temperate Chap. 13. It is noted by trauellers that there is a hot winde sometimes neere to Balsara and Ormus which swalloweth mens breath and suddenly kils them Linschoten obserue at Goa the wind to blow twelue houres from the Sea and other twelue constantly from the land Temper of the Indies Of the windes their differences properties and causes in generall lib. 3. cap. 2. * We haue abbreuiated and to preuent tediousnesse cut off a great part of Acostas obseruations in the two former bookes as hauing handled the same in our Pilgrimage l. 8. where we haue shewed whence men and beasts might come thither and that the opinion of the worlds vnhabitablenesse betwixt the Tropicks is false for the daily raines when the Sunne is neerest the long nights therein great dewes the breezes and constant course of the windes the great Lakes Riuers height of Hills c. make those parts not onely habitable but more temperate then others and fitter for mans life there being more heat at and on this side the Tropicks then vnder the Line We here doe but cull ouâ— choise things for better vnderstanding the naturall historie of those parts for other things referring the Reader to the Authour himselfe Occasionally our notes shall elucidate those things also which are in the Text omitted * Vulcans as Aetâ—â— Hecla c. sulphurous earth whence â—â—re issueth Generall windes Monsoâ—â— Windes receiue their qualities from the places by which they passe Psalme 134. Ieremie 10. Herera hath shewed the height of the Hills to bee the cause of the windes constancy and raines raritie Eastern winde raineth betwixt the Tropicks That the burning Zone the Brises or Easterly windes doe continually blow and without the Zone the Westerne and that the Easterly are ordinarie alwayes there Chap. 4. Iuan de Gacos in Decade 1. lib. 4. cap. 6. They goe one way to the Indies and return another why Sayling 2700. leagues without sight of Land in two moneths See Candishes voyage Cause of the Brises Motion of the Primum Mobile carrieth the inferiour aire with it The Comet 1577. seene eight dayes sooner in Peru then in Spaine The Brize or motion of the air with the heauens is a winde Why withouâ— the Zone in a greater altâ—tude we finde alwaies Westerly windes Chap. 7. 〈◊〉 windes Of the exceptions to the foresaid Rules of the winds and calmes both at Land and at Sea Chap. 8. Cause of the variety of windes Simile Note Of some maruellous effects of the windes which are in some parts of the Indies Chap. 9. Silkewormes killed with South-west windes Exo. c. 10. 14. Iob 17. Ioan 4. Osâ—e 13. Dan. 3. The like Linschoten obserueth in the Terceras Sea sicknesse whence Agitation and Sea ayre Strange passion at Pariacaca by the ayre there Height of Pariacaca 〈◊〉 too subtile for mens bodies So we see Horses to beate the water with their feete to make it more grosse and thereby more agreeable to their bodies Vicunos Great Desart Punas ayre kilâ—ing Strange Story The same confirmed by a Iesuites report and a Dominicans Such effects of cold wâ— haue obserued in Russia and other Northern parts and the like Master Kniuet will tell vs at the Maggelan Straits No Mediterranean Sea of great note in America Terra firme Straight of land but eight leag betwixt North South Seas Herodotus Iouius Experience in Drakes and Maires voyage haue found them no straights but broken Ilands to the South contrary to our Author here See of this Sir Francis Drakes Voyage to 1. l. 2 I haue omitted Sarmientoes voiage c. The supposed Straight in Florida Of the ebbing and flowing of the Indian Ocean Chap. 14. The Philosophers in searching the cause of ebbing and flowing haue easily erred following the Greekes and Latines which knew not the Ocean and could not therfore know the cause * Hernando Alonso which with Sarmiento had gone to the Straights to seeke Captaine Drake At the Downes on our coast two tides meet one from the Westerne Sea or slewe the other from the North which there cause much varietie Of sundry Fishers and their manner of fishing at the Indies The Manati a strange fish The Whales also bring forth their yong aliue and nourish them with their brests being in that huge creature scarce twice so big as the breasts of a woman and farre lesse then those of many women Their foode is also Sea weedes Sharking sharkes They haue rough heads whereby they cleaue and sticke fast to the Sharke which thus are forced to caâ—ry them with their swift motion of whose off all also they liue Crocodiles * Yet so as euer and anon hee dips it in the water his tongue being so short that otherwise he could not swallow it Tigre kils a Crocodile Indians exploit on a Crocodile Whale killed by the Sauages Of Lakes and Pooles that be at the Indies Chap. 16. Thicke water Fishes and fishing Originall of Lakes Greatest riuers flow from Lakes Hot Lake and many wonders thereof Lakes of Mexico salt and fresh Râ—ch Lake Of many and diuers Springs and Fountains Chap. 17. Hot Spring turning into Stone Fountaine of Pitch Cold and hot Springs together Salt Spring which yeeldes Salâ— without boiling Pocke-â—pring Smoak Spring Inke c. Of Riuers Chap. 18. Maragnon or Amazons Water-fall Golden thirst Riuer of Plata increasing as Nilus How they passe their Riuers Haire and Straw Bridges L. 3. C. 19 Decay of people in the Indies by the Spaniards Corn groundâ— The Indies mountainous and thereby temperate Of the properties of the land of Peru. Chap. 20 One winde onely The Plaines the hils and the Andes See sup in Herera Raine almost euer and almost neuer Diuers Beasts Their bread The reason why it raines on the Lanos along the Sea coast Chap. 21. Of the propertie of new Spaine of the Ilands and of other Lands Chap. 22. Peru wine Sugar workes and Hides Indians wasted Of the vnknowne Land and the diuersitie of a whole day betwixt them of the East and the West Chap. 23. Of the Volcans or Vents of fire Chap. 24. Terrible earthquake at Guatimala Couetous Priest Causes of this burning Basil. Psal. 28. in exaâ— Of Earthquakes Cap. 26. Great earthquakes Noyse before the earthquake Why the Sea coast is subiect to earthquakes Earthquake at Ferrara terrible Aâ— Angoango Metals grow as