sound the common people thinke the soules of the damned to be tormented heere it is certayne that diuers and horrible spirits are obserued in this Mountayne and about it for if a Battaile be fought in any place the Islanders especially they that sayle and fish in the Sea neere to Hecla know the day of the Battaile fought although they know not where it be done for they see as they report wicked spirits going forth and returning and bringing soules with them And such a storie is repâ—rted all Island ouer A Fisherman sayling by Hecla met with another ship both had a prosperous wind and when after the manner of Saylers he was demanded who hee was and of what place hee answered that hee had the Bishop of Breme in his ship whom hee would conuay to Hecla and it was knowne that the Bishop dyed the same day which notwithstanding I would not set downe for truth If any perish by Sea or otherwise dye sometimes leauing their Friends and Acquaintance they appeare very heauie being demanded whither they goe and from whence they answere they are brought to Hecla vnder a cruell Master the Deuill and so vanish And they are so bewitched of Satan that they thinke them the soules of the departed But because no man that is well in his wits will thinke that Hell is in this Mountayne yet it may be demanded whence the Hill hath this matter whereby it should bring forth so many yeeres flames so many ashes and such abundance of Pumis stones For wee see the most sollid and firme bodies and all things to be consumed by fire and for that cause some thinke that it shall come to passe that these flames shall once be extingished for the cause fayling they deny that any effects can follow But heere what I thinke I will freely speake yet sauing other mens judgements It is manifest by watry Meteors that there is a continuall generation of water by the vapours gathered together in the cauities of the Earth which issueth forth by Fountayns but the efficient and materiall causes abiding perpetually the effects also continually remayne so also in the bowels of the Earth there are certayne places which by their owne nature draw vnto them a hote and dry exhalation and that it resolues it into flames ashes and Pumis stones which may easily be done in this Mountayne by reason of the Sulphur matter which is found in Island throughout the whole Land And as Fountaynes send forth more abundance of water in the Winter time then in the Summer nay some of them are dry because matter failes so is it with this Mountayne for sometimes matter failing it hath neither flames nor smoke and all is quiet whereby it appeareth that the matter and efficient cause faile Howeuer it bee I know this that no man may come to the foot of the Mountayne without danger and feare as hereafter shall be declared The same yeere I was in Island the nine and twentieth of Nouember about midnight in the Sea neere Hecla there appeared a flame which gaue light to the whole Iland so that all of vs astonished wondred and carefully expected the issue thereof the elder sort and such as were skilfull in this matter said that this light came from Hecla an houre after the whole Iland trembled as it should haue beene moued out of the place after the Earthquake followed a horrible cracke that if all warlike Ordnance had beene discharged it had beene nothing to this terrour It cannot be thought much lesse expressed by word how horrible it was Wee thought that the whole frame of the World would fall and that the last Day was at hand but it was knowne afterwards that the Sea went backe two leagues in that place and remayned dry About the beginning of Iuly at a certayn time of the yeere great store of Ice suddenly floteth to the Iland about Hecla and there goes a rumour through the whole Iland nay it is beleeued that the damned soules are tormented in this Ice by course in the Flame in the Mountayne and after in the Ice This Ice for three whole moneths swimmeth only about Hecla If you take any part of this Ice out of the Sea and wrap it in a linnen cloth and lay it vp in a Chest it remayneth so long vnmelted as it swimmeth in the Sea but if the Ice in the Sea vanish which suddenly in one night happeneth this appeareth not nor leaueth any signe of moysture in the linnen cloth which is not a hard thing for Satan to doe to take away the Ice without moysture to increase their incredulitie Olaus Magnus maketh mention of this Ice in his eleuenth Booke But because I determined to search out all things diligently I sayled not without great feare vnto this Ice and I obserued that this Ice was violently cast against the Rockes by force of the winds and so made a mournfull sound afarre off as if miserable howlings were heard there Hereupon the Islanders thinke the soules of the damned are tormented in this Ice Of the Riches of the Islanders I Haue said that Island was a rough and snowie Countrey and besides it is full of Rockes and stones and so truly that there is not a field in the whole Iland they haue not so much as Gardens wherein they may haue Pot-herbes or Pulse they know no kinde of Corne nor Apples Peares nor Cheries nor any fruit of Trees And which is almost incredible they neither vse Bread nor Salt yet they are well liking and strong There is no Citie in the whole Iland they seldome haue two or three dwellings together They haue their Cottages on the Sea side for fishing and vnder ground by reason of the fierce windes There is no lone of money among them for wares are changed for wares Brimstone groweth on the South part and almost throughout the whole Iland which is digged out in great abundance they sell this stuffe purged for a small price Mines of Gold or Siluer nor of any other mettall they haue none They vse Iron but such as is brought vnto them You shall scarse finde a man who hath not Iron Nayles in a Bagge wherewith Horse-shooes are fastened All their houses are vnder ground for they haue no matter for building There is not a tree in the whole Iland except the Birch-tree and that in one place which also exceedeth not the stature of a man in length and that by reason of the vehemencie of the winds that it cannot grow higher This Birch-tree after the Summer Solstitium beginnes first to bud the leaues haue a most sweet smell and of so fragrant a sauour that the Germanes put them in their Tents and vpon their meats for a singular delight Yet sometimes great abundance of Firre-trees from Tartaria or else-where carried by force of the waues and the Ice arriued in Island The chiefe vse of them is in building Cabbins vnder the ground you shall scarsly find a
not to hinder the exceptions which Nature hath giuen to this Rule making some Regions of the burning Zone extremely drie The which is reported of Ethiopia and wee haue seene it in a great part of Peru where all that Land or Coast which they call Playnes wants raine yea land waters except some Vallies where Riuers fall from the Mountaines the rest is a sandie and barren soile where you shall hardly finde any Springs but some deepe Wells But with the helpe of God we will shew the reason why it rayneth not in these Playnes the which many demand for now I onely pretend to shew that there are many exceptions to naturall Rules whereby it may happen that in some part of the burning Zone it raines not when the Sunne is neerest but being farthest off although vnto this day I haue neither seene nor heard of it but if it be so we must attribute it to the particular qualitie of the Earth and also if sometimes the contrarie doth chance we must haue regard that in naturall things there happens many contrarieties and lets whereby they change and dissolue one another For example it may be the Sunne will cause raine and that the windes will hinder it or else cause more abundance then hath beene vsuall When I passed to the Indies I will tell what chanced vnto mee hauing read what Poets and Philosophers write of the burning Zone I perswaded my selfe that comming to the Equinoctiall I should not indure the violent heate but it fell out otherwise for when I passed which was when the Sunne was there for Zenith being entred into Aries in the moneth of March I felt so great cold as I was forced to goe into the Sunne to warme me what could I else doe then but laugh at Aristotles Meteors and his philosophie seeing that in that place and at that season when as all should be scortched with heat according to his rules I and all my companions were a cold In truth there is no Region in the world more pleasant and temperate then vnder the Equinoctiall although it be not in all parts of an equall temperature but haue great diuersities The burning Zone in some parts is very temperate as in Quitto and on the playnes of Peru in some parts very cold as at Potozi and in some very hot as in Ethiopia Bresil and the Molucques This diuersitie being knowne and certaine vnto vs wee must of force seeke out another cause of cold and heat then the Sunne beames seeing that in one season of the yeere and in places of one height and distance from the Pole and Equinoctiall we finde so great diuersitie that some are inuironed with heat some with cold and others tempered with a moderate heat Considering this matter generally I finde two generall causes which maketh this Region temperate the one is that before mentioned for that this Region is very moist and subiect to raine and there is no doubt but the raine doth refresh it for that the water is by nature cold and although by the force of the fire it be made hot yet doth it temper this heat proceeding onely from the Sunne beames The which wee see by experience in the inner Arabia the which is burnt with the Sunne hauing no showres to temper the violence thereof The cloudes and mists are the cause that the Sunne offends not so much and the showres that fall from them refresh both the Aire and the Earth and moisten likewise how hot soeuer it be They drinke raine water and it quencheth the thirst as our men haue well tried hauing no other to drinke So as reason and experience doth teach vs that raine of it selfe doth temper the heat and hauing by this meanes shewed that the burning Zone is much subiect vnto raine it appeares that there is matter in it to temper the violence of the heat To this I will adde an other reason which deserues to be knowne not onely for this matter but for many others for although the Sunne be very hot and burning vnder the Equinoctiall yet is it not long so as the heat of the day being there shorter and of lesse continuance it causeth not so violent a heate the which it behooues to specifie more particularly Such as are practised in the knowledge of the Spheare teach very well that the more the Zodiake is oblique and trauersing our Hemisphere the more vnequall are the dayes and nights and contrariwise where the Spheare is straight and the signes mount directly there the dayes and nights are equall And therefore in all that Region which is betweene the two Tropicks there is lesse inequalitie then without them and the more wee approch the Line the lesse inequalitie we finde the which wee haue tried in those parts Those of Quitto for that they are vnder the Line haue not throughout the whole yeere the dayes and nights more short at one season then at an other but are continually equall Those of Lima being distant almost twelue degrees finde some difference betwixt the dayes and the nights but very little for that in December and Ianuarie the dayes increase an houre or little lesse Those of Potozi finde much more difference both in Winter and in Summer being almost vnder the Tropicke But those that liue without the Tropicks finde the dayes in Winter shorter and in Summer longer the more remote they are from the Equinoctiall and come neere the Pole as wee see in Germanie and in England the dayes are longer in Summer then in Italie and in Spaine It is a thing which the Spheare doth teach and experience doth plainly shew vs. Wee must adde an other Proposition which is likewise true and very considerable for all the effects of Nature to vnderstand the perseuerance and continuation of the efficient cause to worke and mooue This presupposed if any one demand of me why vnder the Equinoctiall Line the heat is not so violent in Summer as in some other Regions as in Andelousia in the moneths of Iuly and August I will answere that in Andelousia the dayes are longer and the nights shorter and as the day being hot inflames and causeth heat so the nights being cold and moist giue a refreshing According to the which at Peru there is no such great heat for that the dayes in Summer are not long nor the nights short so as the heat of the day is much tempered by the freshnesse of the night Being a thing concluded that the two fore-named properties are common and vniuersall to all the Region of the burning Zone and yet in the same there are found some places very hot and other exceeding cold Also that the temperature is not there equall in all places but vnder one climate one part is hot another cold and the third temperate all at one season wee are forced to seeke out other reasons whence this great diuersitie should proceede in the burning Zone Discoursing therefore vpon this question I doe finde
three apparant and certaine causes and a fourth more obscure and darke The apparant and certaine causes bee The first is the Ocean the second the situation of the Land and the third the nature and propertie of many and sundrie windes Besides these three which I hold for manifest I beleeue there is a fourth hidden and lesse apparant which is the propertie of the same Land inhabited and the particular influence of the Heauens Among the speciall causes and reasons I haue first placed the Sea for without doubt the neernesse thereof doth helpe to temper and coole the heat for although the Water be salt yet is it alwayes water whose nature is cold But if wee shall yet search more particularly wee shall not finde in all this Land an equall temperature of heate although it bee in equall distance from the Sea and in the same degree seeing that in some partâ— there is great heate and in some very little Doubtlesse the cause thereof iâ— that the one is lower and the other higher which causeth that the one is hot and the other cold It is most certaine that the tops of the Mountaines are colder then in the bottome of the Vallies the which proceedes not onely for that the Sunne beames haue greater repercussions vpon lower places although it be a great reason yet there is another which is that the Region of the aiâ—e is colder when it is farthest from the ground The cause why the middle Region of the aire is more cold hath beene shewed before for that the Region of the aire next to the fierie exhalation the which according to Aristotle is vpon the Spheare of the aire repells and thrusts backe all the cold the which retires it selfe into the middle Region of the aire by Antiparistasis as the Philosophers speake Now if any one should question with me in this manner If it be so that the aire is hot and moist as Aristotle holds and as we commonly say whence then proceedes the cold which is congealed in the middle Region of the aire seeing it cannot come from the fierie Spheare For if it come from the Water or the Earth by this reason the lower Region of the aire should be colder then the middle To answere truly what I thinke I will confesse that this Argument and Obiection is so difficult as I am almost readie to follow the opinion of such as reproue the qualities agreements and disagreements which Arâ—stotle giues vnto the Elements â—aying they are but imaginations who for this occasion hold the aire to bee cold by nature And to this end they vse many arguments and reasons whereof we will propound one very familiar and well knowne leauing the rest apart In the Canicular dayes we are accustomed to beate the aire with a fan and wee finde that it doth refresh vs so as these Authors affirme that heate is no priuate propertie of any other Element but of fire onely which is dispersed and mingled with all things as the great Denis doth teach vs. But whether it be so or otherwise for I will not contradict Aristotle but in that which is most certaine in the end they agree all that the middle Region of the aire is colder then the lowest next to the Earth as experience doth shew vs seeing that in this middle Region are congealed Snow Haile Frosts and other signes of extreme cold The middle Region then which they call the burning Zone hauing on the one side the Sea and on the other the Mountaines we must hold them for sufficient causes to temper and coole the heate The temperature of this Region ought chiefly to be attributed to the propertie of the winde that blowes in that Country the which is pleasant and fresh The prouidence of the great God Creator of all things hath beene such as he hath ordayned fresh and coole windes in that Region where the Sunne makes his course which seemes should be burnt vp that by their coolenesse the excessiue heate of the Sunne might be qualified Wee see in one climate some Regions and Cities hotter then others onely for that they feele lesse winde to refresh them The like is in other Countries where no winde blowes the which are all on fire like vnto a furnace If we shall neerly looke into the consideration of the winde whereof we haue spoken we may resolue many doubts which some obiect and which seeme strange and wonderfull wherefore the Sunne casting his beames vpon the burning Zone and particularly at Peru and that more violently then in Spaine in the Canicular dayes yet they defend the heat with a light couering so as with a slender couering of mats or straw they are better preserued from the heate then in Spaine vnder a roote of wood or a vault of stone Moreouer why are not the nights in Summer at Peru as hot and troublesome as in Spaine Wherefore on the highest tops of Mountaines euen amongst the heapes of snowe you shall sometimes feele great and insupportable heat Wherefore in all the Prouince of Colao when yee come into the shade how little soeuer you feele cold But comming into the Sunne beames you presently finde the heate excessiue Euery morning the winde from the Sea doth cease and the Sunne begins to cast his beames and for this reason they feele the greatest heat in the morning vntill the returne of the same windes which otherwise they call the tyde or winde of the Sea which makes them first to feele cold Wee haue tried all this whilest wee were at the Ilands of Barlouante where in the mornings wee did sweat for heat and at noone we felt a fresh aire for that then a North Easterly winde which is fresh and coole doth commonly blow Considering with my selfe the pleasing temperature of many Countries at the Indies where they know not what Winter is which by his cold doth freeze them nor Summer which doth trouble them with heat but that with a Mat they preserue themselues from the iniuries of all weather and where they scarce haue any neede to change their garments throughout the yeere I say that often considering of this I find that if men at this day would vanquish their passions and free themselues from the snares of couetousnesse leauing many fruitlesse and pernicious designes without doubt they might liue at the Indies very pleasant and happily for that which other Poets sing of the Elisean fields of the famous Tâ—â—pâ— or that which Plato reports or feignes of his Atlantike Iland men should finde in these Lands if with a generous spirit they would choose rather to command their siluer and their desires then to remayne to it slaues as they are Hauing discoursed in the two former Bookes of that which concernes the Heauens and the habitation of the Indies in generall it behooues vs now to treat of the three elements Aire Water and Land and their compounds which be metals plants and beasts for as for the fire I
see no speciall matter at the Indies which is not in other Regions vnlesse some will say that the manner to strike fire in rubbing two stones one against another as some Indians vse or to boile any thing in gourds casting a burning stone into it other such like things are remarkable whereof I haue written what might bee spoken But of those which are in the Vulcans and Mouthes of fire at the Indies worthy doubtlesse to be obserued I will speake in their order treating of the diuersitie of grounds whereas they finde these fires or Vulcans Therefore to begin with the windes I say that with good reason Salomon in the great iudgement which God had giuen him esteemes much the knowledge of the windes and their properties being very admirable for that some are moist others drie some vnwholsome others sound some hot others cold some calme and pleasant others rough and tempestuous some barren and others fertile with infinite other differences There are some windes which blow in certaine Regions and are as it were Lords thereof not admitting any entrie or communication of their contraries In some parts they blow in that sort as sometimes they are Conquerors sometimes conquered often there are diuers and contrarie windes which doe runne together at one instant diuiding the way betwixt them somtimes one blowing aboue of one sort and another below of an other sort somtimes they incounter violently one with another which puts them at Sea in great danger there are some windes which helpe to the generation of Creatures and others that hinder and are opposite There is a certaine winde of such a qualitie as when it blowes in some Countrie it causeth it to raine Fleas and in so great abundance as they trouble and darken the aire and couer all the Sea-shoare and in other places it raines Frogs These diuersities and others which are sufficiently knowne are commonly attributed to the place by the which these windes passe For they say that from these places they take their qualities to be cold hot drie or moist sickly or sound and so of the rest the which is partly true and cannot be denyed for that in a small distance you shall see in one winde many diuersities For example the Solaâ—â—â— or Easterne winde is commonly hot and troublesome in Spaine and in Murria it is the coolest and healthfullest that is for that it passeth by the Orchards and that large champaine which wee see very fresh In Carthageâ—e which is not farre from thence the same winde is troublesome and vnwholsome The Meridionall which they of the Ocean call South and those of the Mediterranean Sea Mezo giorâ—o commonly is raynie and boysterous and in the same Citie whereof I speake it is wholesome and pleasant Plinie reports that in Africke it raines with a Northerne winde and that the Southerne winde is cleere He then that shall well consider what I haue spoken of these windes he may conceiue that in a small distance of Land or Sea one winde hath many and diuers qualities yea sometimes quite contrarie whereby wee may inferre that hee draweth his propertie from the place where it passeth the which is in such sort true although we may not say infallibly as it is the onely and principall cause of the diuersitie of the windes It is a thing we easily find that in a Riuer contayning fiftie leagues in circuit I put it thus for an example that the winde which blowes of the one part is hot and moist and that which blowes on the other is cold and drie Notwithstanding this diuersitie is not found in places by which it passeth the which makes me rather to say that the windes bring these qualities with them whereby they giue vnto them the names of these qualities For example we attribute to the Northerne winde otherwise called Cierco the propertie to be cold and drie and to dissolue mists to the Southerne winde his contrarie called Leuasche we attribute the contrarie qualitie which is moist and hot and ingenders mists But it is needfull to seeke further to know the true and originall cause of these so strange differences which we see in the windes I cannot conceiue any other but that the same efficient cause which bringeth forth and maketh the winds to grow doth withall giue them this originall qualitie for in truth the matter whereon the winds are made which is no other thing according to Aristotle but the exhalation of the interior Elements may well cause in effect a great part of this diuersitie being more grosse more subtill more drie and more moist But yet this is no pertinent reason seeing that we see in one Region where the vapours and exhalations are of one sort and qualitie that there rise windes and effects quite contrarie We must therefore referre the cause to the higher and celestiall Efficient which must be the Sunne and to the motion and influence of the Heauens the which by their contrarie motions giue and cause diuers influences But the beginnings of these motions and influences are so obscure and hidden from men and on the other part so mightie and of so great force as the holy Prophet Dauid in his propheticall Spirit and the Prophet Ieremie admiring the greatnesse of the Lord speake thus Qui profert ventos de thesauris suis. Hee that drawes the windes out of his Treasures In truth these principles and beginnings are rich and hidden treasures for the Author of all things holds them in his hand and in his power and when it pleaseth him sendeth them forth for the good or chastisement of men and sends forth such windes as he pleaseth not as that Eolus whom the Poets doe foolishly feigne to haue charge of the windes keeping them in a Caue like vnto wilde beasts We see not the beginning of these windes neither doe we know how long they shall continue or whither they shall goe But wee see and know well the diuerse effects and operations they haue euen as the supreme Truth the Author of all things hath taught vs saying Spiritus vbi vult spirat vocem eius audis neseis vnde venit aut quò vadit It is true that the Northerne winde is not vsually cold and cleere there as here In some parts of Peru as at Lima and on the Playnes they finde the Northerne windes troublesome and vnwholsome and all along the Coast which runnes aboue fiue hundred leagues they hold the Southerne windes for healthfull and coole and which is more most cleere and pleasant yea it neuer raines contrarie to that wee see in Europe and of this side the Line Yet that which chanceth vpon the coast of Peru is no generall rule but rather an exception and a wonder of Nature neuer to raine vpon that coast and euer to haue one winde without giuing place to his contrarie whereof we will hereafter speake our minde It is no generall rule there that the Northerne winde is neither hot nor
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
halfe part were passed which was fiftie thousand men good Odmar finding them in very ill order and nothing at all aduertised of the Enemies nearnesse gaue the charge and vtterly ouerthrew them there remayned dead vpon the ground some fiftie thousand men but it was not without great fight strengthened with the fauour of water and a great Marish wherein they were encamped Notwithstanding our Foot-men hauing wonne the banke of the Riuer beganne also to winne the Boats and to seuer them by the meanes of a great Boat the which we with diligence caused to runne downe beeing full of artificiall fire so as at the same very time that they which were within the Boate did draw neere they retyred out of the same hauing first kindled the fire within the Boate the which with a great force rushed against the Bridge of Boats and ouerthrew it and where it was resisted did burne This did greatly astonish them that were passed to see their returne cut off The Kings Brother was not yet passed vnto the other-side of the water and he which first had gone ouer was the King of Cauchina who was slayne at the first charge fighting very valiantly in the fore-front The Kings Brother did see his men slayne and drowned and could not remedie the same This second ouerthrow was of no small importance although it was but the third part of the Kings Brothers Army and that there remayned vnto him as yet a hundred thousand fighting men but there was no great hope that he durst present himselfe before our Army The newes hereof being reported at Quantioufou they desired to make tryall of the Emperours clemency Axalla dispatched one of his faithfull friends of his Countrey vnto the Prince to carry vnto him these good newes which was more welcome vnto the Prince then the ouerthrow he had giuen vnto the Enemy and agreed vnto all that Axalla demanded referring all vnto his sufficiencie and fidelitie The Kings Brother hauing sent to demand safety for to treate the Prince granted so much vnto them for such as would come vnto him In this meane-time Quantoufou yeelded it selfe into the hands of Axalla who caused the Garrison to come out of the same receiued the Inhabitants into the Princes protection and they which would might remayne therein vnarmed and he entred thereinto with the joy of all the Inhabitants who did determine to receiue the Emperour into the same with all the magnificence that might be He caused thirty thousand men of War to enter thereinto vnto whom was money deliuered for to maintayne them there vntill such time as all the Foot-men should receiue pay for three monethes due vnto them whereof the Inhabitants of Quantoufou did furnish the Prince to the summe of eight hundred thousand Tentins the which do amount vnto foure hundred and fifty thousand crownes or therabout The Prince at this present sent me vnto Axalla whom I found feasting of his Captaines and souldiers staying for the commandement that I brought vnto him the which was to remaine within Quantoufou and to cause all his footmen to set forward directly vnto him the which was done by the Prince to the end it should strike a greater terror into the minds of the enemies who seeing all his footmen arriued he supposed they wold nothing doubt Quantoufou being taken but that he would march forward insomuch as he hoped this would greatly aduance his Affaires considering the estate they were in I returned from Quantoufou vnto the Emperour hauing seene a beautifull and great Citie well fortified and wonderfully peopled and round about it there was a fruitfull Countrey Thus the Embassadors being arriued who were of the Kings chiefest Vassals Tamerlan receiued them with all humanitie causing his greatnesse to appeare vnto them and therewithall the agilitie of his Horsemen to make them see with their eyes that it would be the destruction of the Chinois name if he proceeded any further So hauing saluted the Emperour with all reuerence they vttered their Embassage vnto him which was that the Kings Brother had sent them vnto him to treat for two causes the one was for the liberty of their King the other for preseruation of their Countrey The Prince hauing heard them answered them that they had reason to trust vnto his mildnesse and seeing at this present they desired it he would yeeld thereunto Thereupon the Prince rose vp and caused to be said vnto them that they should deliuer their offers in writing and that present answere should bee made thereunto Thus went they out of the Princes presence with great joy and as it were assured of Peace and to recouer their former prosperities The conditions which they offered were to leaue Paguinfou and all the Countrey beyond it with all the Fortresses of the Mountaynes that they would pay all the charges of his Army since the day of answere made vnto his Embassadors that they would giue two Millions of Gold for their King This being presented vnto the Lord hee made answere thereunto which was that he would keepe that which hee had conquered within the Countrey which was his owne justly seeing his armes had giuen it vnto him that hee would haue the Riuer where he was now encamped to be his Frontier stretched vnto Hochioy Tahaucezug Cauchio Lulun euen vnto Poschio bordering vpon the Sea that the King of China should pay vnto him yearely three hundred thousand Crownes the which should bee deliuered at Paguinfou for acknowledgement of submission vnto the Empire as well for his Successors as himselfe that they should pay fiue hundred thousand Crownes in ready money for the charge of the Army that the King of China should be deliuered and all the Chinois Prisoners should pay ransom vnto particular men that took them except those which carryed the name of Kings who should pay one hundred thousand Crownes for peace with his Armes that no Chinois should bee kept as slaue nor sold for such hereafter beeing vnder the Princes obedience that Traffique and Entercourse of Merchants should be free betweene both the Nations that the King of China should deliuer his Brother as Prisoner and two Kings named with twelue principall men of the Countrey for assurance of the peace They accepted of such conditions of peace as pleased the Conquerour hoping that time would bring againe vnto them their ancient liberty and that for a time it behooued them to beare with patience the yoke of their bondage Now the Prince had sent two thousand Horse to fetch the King of China to the end that being at liberty he might sweare to the peace solemnly the which he hauing performed at Quantoufou whither the Prince caused him for to come he brought with him vnto Paguin all the pledges and amongst the rest the Kings eldest Sonne and his Brother The King beeing departed for to performe his promise according to the Treaty by him confirmed he was receiued and as it were worshipped within his Countrey with all the
nor Siluer And therefore I besought the King that he would punish this deceiuer Tioneg that the good iustice that is vsed in China might be knowne In the time of the former Vice-roy and Capado Tioneg and his companion Yanlion deliuered this vntruth I afterward besought the King that hee would cause all the Papers of the cause of Tioneg to be coppied out and that he would send for the said Tioneg with his processes before himselfe And I my selfe saw the said Papers and caused it to appeare that all was but lyes which the said Tioneg had said I wrote vnto the King saying That by reason of the lyes which Tioneg had made the Castillians suspected that wee sought to make warre vpon them and that therefore they had slayne aboue thirtie thousand Chineses in Luzon The King did that which I besought him And so he chastised the said Yanlion commanding him to bee put to death And hee commanded Tionegs head to be cut off and to be put in a Cage The people of China which were slayne in Luzon were in no fault And I with others negotiated this businesse with the King that I might know his pleasure in this affaire and in another matter which was this That there came two English ships to these coasts of Chincheo a thing very dangerous for China That the King might consider what was to bee done in these two matters of so great importance Likewise wee wrote vnto the King that he would command the two Sangleys to be punished which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And after wee had written these things aforesaid to the King he answered vs thâ—t wee should learne wherefore the English ships came vnto China whether they came to robbe or no That they should dispatch from thence a Messenger immediatly to Luzon and that they should signifie to them of Luzon that they should not giue credite to the base and lying people of China And that forthwith they should put to death those two Sangleyes which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And touching the rest that wee wrote vnto him wee should doe as wee thought best After wee had receiued this order the Vice-roy the Capado and I sent this message to the Gouernour of Luzon That his Lordship might know the greatnesse of the King of China Seeing hee is so mightie that hee gouerneth all that the Moone and Sunne doe shine vpon And also that the Gouernour of Luzon may know the great wisedome wherewith this mighty Kingdome is gouerned Which Kingdome this long while none durst attempt to offend And albeit the Iaponians haue pretended to disquiet Corea which is vnder the Gouernment of China yet they could not obtayne their purpose but they were driuen out of it And Corea hath remayned in great peace and safety as at this day they of Luzon doe well vnderstand The Answer of Don PEDRO DE ACANNA Gouernour of the Philippinas to the Visitour of Chincheo in China THe Gouernour answered these Letters by the same Messengers that brought them vsing termes full of courtesie and authoritie Hee rehearsed the rebellion of the Sangleyes from the beginning Hee iustified the defense of the Spaniards and the punishment that was executed vpon the Offenders Hee said that no Common-wealth can be gouerned without chastising the bad nor without rewarding the good And therefore that he did not repent him of that execution because it was done for repressing of them that thought to destroy vs. That the Visitour should bee Iudge what hee would doe if the like case should happen in China That the griefe that he had was that he could not saue certaine Sangleyes Merchants Anhayes which died among the offenders But that this was vnpossible to be remedied because the furie of warre doth not giue leaue to kill some and to saue others especially being not knowne of the Souldiers in the heate of battell That vsing mercy to those that remayned aliue condemned them to rowe in the Galleyes which is the punishment which is ordayned among the Castillians for those that haue deserued death Yet if it seeme in China that it ought to be moderated hee would grant them libertie But let it be considered said Don Pedro that this may be a cause that in not chastising so great an offence they may hereafter fall againe into the same A thing that would shut vp all accesse vnto fauour That the goods of the Chineses that were slayne are in safe custodie And that it may be seene that no other affection moueth mee then that of iustice I will shortly send them to be deliuered to the right Heires or vnto such persons as of right they belong vnto None other respect moueth mee to any of these things but that of reason Whereas you tell mee That if I will not set at libertie those prisoners licence will be granted in China to the kinsfolke of those which died in the Rebellion to come with an Armie to Manila it breedeth no feare in mee For I hold the Chineses to be so wise that they will not be moued to such things vpon so weake a ground especially none occasion thereof being giuen them on our part And in case they should be of another minde wee Spaniards are a People which know very well how to defend our Right Religion and Territories And let not the Chineses thinke that they are Lords of all the World as they would haue vs thinke For wee Castillians which haue measured the World with spannes know perfectly the Countreyes of China Wherefore they shall doe well to take knowledge that the King of Spaine hath continuall warres with as mighty Kings as theirs is and doth suppresse them and putteth them to great troubles And it is no new case that when our enemies thinke that they haue vanquished vs they finde vs marching and destroying the Confines of their Land and not to cease vntill wee haue cast them out of their Thrones and taken their Scepters from them I would be much grieued with the change of the commerce But I beleeue also that the Chineses would not willingly lose it since that thereby they obtayne so great profit carrying to their Kingdome our Siluer which neuer faileth in trucke of their merchandise which are slight things and soone worne out The ships of the Englishmen which arriued on the coast of China it was determined not to receiue because they be no Spaniards but rather their enemies and Pirats Wherefore if they come to Manila they shall be punished Finally bâ—causâ— wee Spaniards doe alwaies iustifie our causes and doe boast our selues that it cannot bee said in the world that wee vsurpe other mens possessions nor inuade our friends that shall be fulfilled which is here promised And from hence forward let them know in China that wee neuer doe any thing for feare nor for threats of our enemies Don Pedro concludeth offering continuance of amitie by new bonds of peace with the Kingdomes of
Russia as was sayd before as Waxe Tallow Hides Flax Hempe c. grow and goe abroad in farre lesse plentie then they were wont to doe because the people being oppressed and spoyled of their gettings are discouraged from their labours Yet this one thing is much to bee noted that in all this oppression there were three brethren Merchants of late that traded together with one Stocke in common that were found to bee worth 300000. Rubbels in money besides Lands Cattels and other Commodities Which may partly be imputed to their dwellings farre off from the eye of the Court viz. in Wichida one thousand miles from Mosko and more The same are sayd by those that knew them to haue set on worke all the yeere long ten thousand men in making of Salt carriages by Cart and Boat hewing of Wood and such like besides fiue thousand Bond-slaues at the least to inhabite and till their Land They had also their Physitians Surgeons Apothecaries and all manner of Artificers of Doutches and others belonging vnto them They are sayd to haue payed to the Emperour for Custome to the summe of three and twentie thousand Rubbels a yeere for which cause they were suffered to enioy their Trade besides the maintayning of certayne Garrisons on the borders of Siberia which were neare vnto them Wherein the Emperour was content to vse their purse till such time as they had got ground in Siberia and made it habitable by burning and cutting downe Woods from Wichida to Perm aboue one thousand verst and then tooke it all away from them perforce But this in the end being enuyed and disdayned as a matter not standing with their policie to haue any so great specially a Mousick the Emperour began first to pull from them by pieces sometimes twentie thousand Rubbels at a time sometime more till in the end their Sonnes that now are are well eased of their Stocke and haue but small part of their Fathers substance the rest being drawne all into the Emperours treasurie Their names were Iacone Gregorie and Simon the Sonnes of Oâ—â—ka For the qualitie of their people otherwise though there seemeth to bee in there some aptnesse to receiue any Art as appeareth by the naturall wits in the men and very children yet they excell in no kinde of common Art much lesse in any learning or literall kinde of knowledge which they are kept from of purpose as they are also from all military practice that they may bee fitter for the seruile condition wherein now they are and haue neither reason nor valour to attempt innouation For this purpose also they are kept from trauelling that they may learne nothing nor see the fashions of other Countries abroad You shall seldome see a Russe a traueller except hee bee with some Embassadour or that hee make an escape out of his Countrey Which hardly he can doe by reason of the borders that are watched so narrowly and the punishment for any such attempt which is death if hee bee taken and all his goods confiscate Onely they learne to write and to read and that very few of them Neither doe they suffer any stranger willingly to come into their Realme out of any ciuill Countrie for the same cause farther then necessitie of vttering their commodities and taking in of forreine doth enforce them to doe And therefore this yeere 1589. they consulted about the remouing of all Merchants strangers to the border Townes to abide and haue their residencie there and to bee more wary in admitting other strangers heereafter into the Inland parts of the Realme For the same purpose also they are kept within the bounds of their degree by the Lawes of their Countrey so that the sonne of a Mousick Artificer or Husbandman is euer a Mousick Artificer c. and hath no meanes to aspire any higher except hauing learned to write and reade hee attayne to the preferment of a Priest or Dyack Their Language is all one with the Slauonian which is thought to haue beene deriued from the Russe Tongue rather then the Russe from the Slauonian For the People called Sclaui are knowne to haue had their beginning out of Sarmatia and to haue tearmed themselues of their Conquest Sclauos that is Famous or Glorious of the word Sclaua which in the Russe and Slauonian Tongue signifieth as much as Glorie or Fame Though afterwards being subdued and trod vpon by diuers Nations the Italians their Neighbours haue turned the word to a contrary signification and terme euery Seruant or Peasant by the name of Sclaue as did the Romanes by the Getes and Syrians for the same reason The Russe Character or Letter is no other then the Greekâ— somewhat distorted Concerning their Trades Diet apparell and such like it is to be noted in a seuerall Chapter of their priuate behauiour This order that bindeth euery man to keepe his ranke and seuerall degree wherein his fore-fathers liued before him is more meet to keepe the Subiects in a seruile subiection and so apt for this and like Commonwealths then to aduance any vertue or to breed any rare or excellent qualitie in Nobilitie or Commons as hauing no further reward nor preferment whereunto they may bend their endeauours and employ themselues to aduance their estate but rather procuring more danger to themselues the more they excell in any noble oâ— principall qualitie THeir Courts of Ciuill Iustice for matters of Contract and other of like sort are of three kinds the one being subiect vnto the other by way of appeale The lowest Court that seemeth to be appointed for some ease to the Subiects is the Office of the Gubnoy Starust that signifieth an Alderman and of the Sotskoy Starust or Bayliffe of the Soake or Hundred whereof I spake before in the ordering of the Prouinces These may end matters among their neighbours within their Soake or seuerall Hundred where they are appointed vnder the Dukes and Dyacks of the Prouinces to whom the parties may remoue their matter if they cannot be agreed by the said Gubnoy or Sotskoy Starust The second is kept in the head Townes of euery Prouince or Shire by the said Dukes and Dyacks that are Deputies to the foure Lords of the Chetfirds as before was said From these Courts they may appeale and remoue their Suits to the chiefe Court that is kept at the Mosko where are resident the Officers of the foure Chetfirds These are the chiefe Iustices or Iudges euery of them in all Ciuill matters that grow within their seuerall Chetfird or Quarter and may be either commenced originally before them or prosecuted out of the inferiour Courts of the Shires by way of appeale Their commencing and proceeding in Ciuill actions is on this manner First the Plaintife putteth vp his Supplication wherein he declareth the effect of his Cause or wrong done vnto him Whereupon is granted vnto him a Wepis or Warrant which he deliuereth to the Prastaue or Sergeant to doe the arrest vpon
Archbishop of Larissa who is now in England and pretendeth the same cause of their banishment by the Turke to wit their not admitting of the Popes new Kalender for the alteration of the yeere Which how vnlikely it is may appeare by these Circumstances First because there is no such affection nor friendly respect betwixt the Pope and the Turke as that hee should banish a Subject for not obeying the Popes ordinance specially in a matter of some sequel for the alteration of Times within his owne Countries Secondly for that hee maketh no such scruple in deducting of times and keeping of a just and precise account from the Incarnation of Christ whom hee doth not acknowledge otherwise then I noted before Thirdly for that the sayd Patriarch is now at Naples in Italy where it may be ghessed he would not haue gone within the Popes reach and so neere to his nose if hee had beene banished for opposing himselfe against the Popes Decree This office of Patriarchship now translated to Mosko beareth a superiour Authoritie ouer all the Churches not onely of Russia and other the Emperours Dominions but thorow out all the Churches of Christendome that were before vnder the Patriarch of Constantinople or Sio or at least the Russe Patriarch imagineth himselfe to haue the same authoritie Hee hath vnder him as his proper Diocesse the Prouince of Mosko besides other peculiars His Court or Office is kept at the Mosko Before the creation of this new Patriarch they had but one Metropolite that was called the Metropolite of Mosko Now for more state to their Church and new Patriarch they haue two Metropolites the one of Nouogrod velica the other of Rostoue Their office is to receiue of the Patriarch such Ecclesiasticall orders as hee thinketh good and to deliuer the charge of them ouer to the Archbishops besides the ordering of their owne Diocesse Their Archbishops are foure of Smolenso Cazon Vobsko and Vologda The parts of their office is all one with the Metropolites saue that they haue an vnder Iurisdiction as Suffraganes to the Metropolites Superiors to the Bishops The next are the Vladikeis or Bishops that are but sixe in all of Crutitska of Rezan of Otfer and Torshock of Collomenska of Volodemer of Susdalla These haue euery one a very large Diocesse as diuiding the rest of the whole Countrey among them The matters pertayning to the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of the Metropolites Archbishops and Bishops are the same in a manner that are vsed by the Clergie in other parts of Christendome For besides their authoritie ouer the Clergie and ordering such matters as are meere Ecclesiasticall their jurisdiction extendeth to all Testamentarie causes matters of Marriage and Diuorcements some Pleas of iniuries c. To which purpose also they haue their Officials or Commissaries which they call Boiaren Vladitskey that are Lay-men of the degree of Dukes or Gentlemen that keepe their Courts and execute their Iurisdiction Which besides their other oppressions ouer the common people raigne ouer the Priests as the Dukes and Dyacks doe ouer the poore people within their Precincts As for the Archbishop or Bishop himselfe hee beareth no sway in deciding those causes that are brought into his Court. But if hee would moderate any matter he must doe it by intreatie with his Gentleman Officiall The reason is because these Boiarskey or Gentlemen officials are not appointed by the Bishops but by the Emperour himselfe or his Councell and are to giue account of their doings to none but to them If the Bishop can intreat at his admission to haue the choice of his owne Officiall it is accounted for a speciall great fauour But to speake it as it is the Clergie of Russia aswell concerning their Lands and reuenues as their Authoritie and Iurisdiction are altogether ordered and ouer-ruled by the Emperour and his Councell and haue so much and no more of both as their pleasure doth permit them They haue also there Assistants or seuerall Counsels as they call them of certayne Priests that are of that Diocesse residing within their Cathedrall Cities to the number of foure and twentie a piece These aduise with them about the speciall and necessarie matters belonging to their charge Concerning their Rents and Reuenues to maintayne their dignities it is somewhat large The Patriarchs yeerely rents out of his Lands besides other fees is about 3000. Rubbels or Marcks The Metropolites and Archbishops about 2500. The Bishops some 1000. some 800. some 500. c. They haue had some of them as I haue heard say ten or twelue thousand Rubbels a yeere as had the Metropolite of Neuogrod Their Habit or Apparell when they shew themselues in their Pontificalibus after their solemness manner is a Mitre on their heads after the Popish fashion set with Pearle and Precious Stone a Coape on their backes commonly of Cloth of Gold embroydered with Pearle and a Crosiers Staffe in their hands layed ouer all with Plate of Siluer double gilt with a Crosse or Sheepherds Crooke at the vpper end of it Their ordinary habit otherwise when they ride or goe abroad is a Hood on their heads of blacke colour that hangeth downe their backes and standeth out like a Bon-grace before Their vpper Garment which they call Reis is a Gowne or Mantell of blacke Damaske with many Lists or Gards of white Sattin layed vpon it euery Gard about two fingers broad and their Crosiers staffe carried before them Themselues follow after blessing the people with their two fore-fingers with a maruellous grace The Election and appointing of the Bishops and the rest pertayneth wholy to the Emperour himselfe They are chosen euer out of the Monasteries so that there is no Bishop Archbishop nor Metropolite but hath beene a Monke or Frier before And by that reason they are and must all bee vnmarried men for their Vow of Chastitie when they were first shorne When the Emperour hath appointed whom he thinketh good hee is inuested in the Cathedrall Church of his Diocesse with many Ceremonies much after the manner of the Popish Inauguration They haue also their Deanes and their Arch-deacons As for preaching the Word of God or any teaching or exhorting such as are vnder them they neither vse it nor haue any skill of it the whole Clergie being vtterly vnlearned both for other knowledge and in the Word of God Onely their manner is twice euery yeere viz. the first of September which is the first day of their yeere and on Saint Iohn Baptists day to make an ordinary speech to the people euery Metropolite Arch-bishop and Bishop in his Catherall Church to this or like effect That if any bee in malice towards his Neighbour hee shall leaue off his malice if any haue thought of Treason or Rebellion against his Prince hee beware of such practice if hee haue not kept his Fasts and Vowes nor done his other Duties to the Holy Church hee shall
Versts ouer And after they haue vnladen their goods out of their Cayooks they draw the said Vessels ouer at times with Horses that come from Mezen of purpose lying there the most part of the Summer to that intent and they pay sixe pence Russe for drawing ouer an empty Boat Being ouer this Ouer-hall they driue with the streame in three dayes to the Towne of Oust-selma and with the streame in foure dayes they driue to a place called Pustozera and from Pustozera against the streame they come to the Boluanou and from the Boluanou to the Towne of Pechora Also many of these Boats very often in their returne home with their foresaid Cayooks carrie Furres to Vsting and diuers other places into the Countrey of Russia All which they doe in a Summers time CHAP. X. The Voyage of Master IOSIAS LOGAN to Pechora and his wintering there with Master WILLIAM PVRSGLOVE and MARMADVKE WILSON Anno 1611. THe first of Iuly William Gurdon Richard Finch and William Pursgloue went on shoare at Suatinose where two Crosses stand The second wee weighed anchor againe and stood into the Bay because of the Ice and that night wee went on shoare againe The third we weighed anchor and stood it about Suatinose The fift we stood to the Eastwards fiue leagues more and about twelue of the clocke at night wee were thwart of the Iland of Toxar The tenth at eight of the clocke at night we weighed and went ouer a Barre at two fathomes and came into Harbour where wee anchored at ten of the clocke in the morning in fiue fathoms hauing sands round about vs being land-locked The eleuenth my selfe William Gurdon and William Pursgloue with sixe of our men more departed from the ship with our Shallop to goe vp to the Towne of Pustozer The fourteenth wee arriued at the fishing house of one Euan Vasiliou sene sowhau where the people were afraid of vs and were ready to runne away but we spake to them and gaue them some Biscuit and Aqua vita and they sod vs some fish and shewed vs our way to another Fishery but they ran away from vs so we departed on our way The fifteenth day at foure of the clocke in the afternoone wee met with a Russe that was borne at Vstiug who gaue vs Milke and such things as he had and we gaue him some Biscuit and some Aqua vita and hee directed vs vnto another Fishery about some fiue miles from that place where wee arriued about sixe of the clocke the same night But comming ashoare we found not any saue one man who after some conference had with vs and giuing him some Bread and some of our Aqua vitae hee told vs that the Master of the house with three of his sonnes were hunting of Duckes and that their wiues were afraid and were runne into the Woods to hide themselues leauing a young childe behind them for haste So he brought vs into the house where by that time that we had stayed an houre because there were so many Muschitaes which are like vnto a Midge and sting most horribly so that we were not able to stay without the Master of the house and his sonnes came thither who at the first were afraid thinking we came to rob them And they were about to shoot our men in the Boat but one of our men holding vp a Biscuit cake they then came to them and spake vnto them but our men not vnderstanding them made them signes to the house where my selfe William Gurdon and William Pursgloue were who when they came into the house being yet afraid they came in one after another Now when we had saluted them after the Russe manner they asked vs of whence we were and for what cause we came thither whereunto I made answere that wee were English-men who because of the troubles in Russia came thither to seeke a Trade hauing heard diuers times of the fame of those parts Then hee replied that in times past those places had beene good for trading but now by reason of a bad Gouernour in those troublesome times vpon a spleene he had fired the Towne and burned aboue an hundred houses and so by that meanes they were fallen into pouerty and trading decayed by reason of his great exactions Yet hee said that they haue great store of Salmon and that the last yeere they got aboue 15000. Salmons and in the Winter is their chiefest Mart. For then the Samoyeds come thither from diuers places and bring Sables and Beauers white Foxes Rosamackes Feathers and some Squerrils So hauing supped with him we gaue him a gallon of our Aqua vitae and some fortie cakes of our white Biscuit and three or foure pound of Raisins for we heard that he was one of the principallest men in the Towne Then desiring his fauour he holpe vs to a man to goe with vs vp to the Towne because of the fearefulnesse of the people which they conceiue through the Warres of the Poles and so wee departed from thence that night to the Towne The sixteenth in the afternoone we arriued at the Towne of Pustozera where wee found not many people considering the number of houses there which are betwixt fourescore and an hundred being of wood built after the Russian manner and they are subiect vnto the Russe obseruing all their Rites as doe the Russes The people were all abroad some in getting of Morses Oyle and Belougaes Oyle and some fishing of a fish called Ometta which is a very sweet fish and some hunting Duckes sauing the Customers and three or foure more who were likewise afraid of vs although we had one of their owne people with vs and were ready to flee away So we seeing their fearefulnesse caused their man to goe first on shoare with vs three aboue mentioned not permitting the rest of our men to come on Land as yet then hee calling to them they stayed still peeping from behind the corners of their houses vntill at the last there was a Russe one of Colmogro that had wintred with them who knew me and had seene me some two yeeres before at Cola in Lappia at his Vncles house And so he encouraged them speaking greatly in our commendation shewing them that I was a Merchant and came to trade with them and not with any intent of harme for hee knew mee very well and told them that I was at Cola foure or fiue yeeres together and lay at his Vncles house So he came to me and tooke me by the hand asking me how I did and told me his name and how hee had seene mee with his Vncle at Cola. Then I called to mind that I had seene him there and so we grew acquainted and he went with vs to the Custome-house where staying an houre at length the Customer came and after many questions had concerning our comming thither I craued licence that foure of vs might winter with them which they denyed alledging that they
and simpler diet not on rapine and flesh or fish-deuouring prey Thunders and all tempestuous stormes trouble not the higher aiery Regions but the lower and those next the baser earthy dregs the sediment and sinke of the World nor doth ancient Philosophie reckon Comets other then Meteors or falling Starres to be Starres indeed but excludes both from the heauenly Sphaeres Had Alexander followed this rule and sought Greatnesse in Goodnesse like him which is Optimus Maximus the Great God the great Good of the World and in himselfe rather then others in being Master of himselfe then Lord of large Territories he neither had sighed after the conquests of other Worlds which Fâ—olâ—sophie had created before he had seene the tâ—nth part of this nor had dyed by poyson in a forraine Countrie forced to content himselfe with possessing nay being possessed of a few feet of earth then had he beene in very deed now but in Title GREAT Alexander Great Goodnesse is the true and good Greatnesse I know not how fit a Preface this may seeme to the ensuing Russian Relation this I am sure that they which write of Iuan Vasilowich the Great Great Muscouite doe lay heauie aspersions on his Father and Grand-father but on himselfe supersuperlatiues of crueltie that I mention not other vices both for Matter and Forme These things are deliuered particularly in the Histories of Alexander Gwagninus Tilmannus Bredenbachius Paulus Oderbornius Reinoldus Heidensten and others in large Tractates written thereof purposely His merits of the English might procure a silence of his euils wee of all men being in regard of respect to our Nation vnworthy to speake that which hee if those Authours haue not beene malicious was worthy to heare if so dreadfull effects did not force an Historian that is the Register of the execution of Acts of Gods bountie and iustice decreed in the Court of Diuine Prouidence to looke to the direfull Cause in foregoing sinnes that after Ages may heare and feare I will touch a few of those which Gwagninus alone relates His owne brother being accused An. 1570. by Wiskonati is said without leaue granted to cleare himselfe to bee put to exquisite tortures first and after to death his wife stripped and set naked to the eyes of all and then by one on horse-backe drawne with a rope into the Riuer and drowned Iohn Piâ—trowich a man of principall command accused of treason presenting himselfe to him not admitted to make any purgation was set in Princely accoutrements on a Throne the Emperour standing bare-headed before him and bowing to him but soone after with a knife thrusting him to the heart the Attendants adding other Furies till his bowels fell out his body dragged forth his seruants slaine three hundred others in his Castle executed his Boiarens all gathered into one house and blowne vp with poulder their Wiues and Daughters rauished before his face by his followers and then cut in pieces and no liuing thing left in their houses or grounds the husbandmens wiues stripped naked as they were borne and driuen into a Wood where were Executioners purposely set to giue them their fatall entertainment His Chancellor Dubrowsti sitting at table with his two Sonnes were also vpon accusation without answere cut in pieces and the third sonne quartered aliue with foure wheeles each drawne a diuers way by fifteene men Miessoiedowyschly supreme Notarie displeasing him his wife was taken from him and after some weeks detayning was with her hand-maid hanged ouer her husbands doore and so continued a fortnight he being driuen to goe in and out by her all that time Another Notaries wife was rauished and then sent home and hanged ouer her husbands table whereat he was forced daily to eate In trauelling if he met any woman whose husband he liked not he caused her to stand with her nakednesse disclosed till all his retinue were passed Cutting out tongues cutting off hands and feet of his complayning Subiects and other diuersified tortures I omit as also the guarding his father in lawes doores with Beares tyed there that none might goe in or out hanging his seruants at his doores torturing him for treasure casting hundreds of men at once into the water vnder the Ice two thousand seuen hundred and seuentie thus and by other tortures executed at Nouogrâ—d An. 1569. besides women and the poorer persons which Famine forced did eate the bodies of the slaine and were after slaine themselues the Archbishop also set on a Mare with his feet tyed vnder the belly and made to play on Bag-pipes thorow the Citie the Monks spoyled and slaine Theodore Sirconij the Founder of twelue Monasteries tortured to shew his treasure and then slaine Wiazinsky his Secretarie by many dayes renewed tortures dying hee recreating himselfe with letting Beares loose in throngs of people Iohn Michalowich Wiskewati the Chancellor his eares lips and other members one after another cut off by piece-meale notwithstanding all protestations of his innocency aboue two hundred other Nobles at the same time variously executed one his Treasurer two other Secretaries the Treasurers wife set on a rope and forcibly dragged to and fro thereon by that torturing her naked flesh to learne her husbands treasures whereof soone after shee dyed in a Monasterie into which shee was thrust All these are but a little of that which Gwagninus alone hath written A taste and touch is too much of bloud and in such immanities He is also said in a famine to haue gathered many people in expectation of almes on a bridge and there guarded the bridge being cut to drowne them as the readiest way for cheapnesse of corne But I lothe such crudities His last crueltie was on himselfe dying with griefe as was thought for the death of his eldest sonne Iuan whom falsly accused he struck with a staffe wrought with Iron whereof he dyed in few dayes after Hee was a man accused for communicating in disposition with his father and as a ioyfull Spectator of his tragicall executions But if any delight to reade the terrible and bloudie Acts of Iuan Basilowich he may glut if not drowne himselfe in bloud in that Historie which Paul Oderborne hath written of his life and both there and in others take view of other his vniust Acts. I will not depose for their truth though I cannot disproue it aduersaries perhaps make the worst For my selfe I list not to take sinkes against him and would speake in his defence if I found not an vniuersall conspiracy of all Historie and Reports against him I honour his other good parts his wit his learning perhaps better then almost any other Russe in his time his exemplarie seuerity on vniust Magistrates his Martiall skill industrie fortune wherby he subdued the Kingdoms of Casan and Astracan which also the Turke sending from Constantinople an Armie of three hundred thousand to dispossesse him of A. 1569. besides his hopes and helpes from the Tartars few returned to tell their disasters and the
number of three hundred men of which I the Relator of this was one were put into one ship belonging to Sweden and came from thence for vs. We were assaulted with a great tempest and were tossed so long that all our victuals were almost spent the miserie of which threw vs into more desperate feares now were wee assaulted by double deaths Famine and Shipwrack what course to take for our reliefe no man presently knew Continue without foode it was impossible and as impossible was iâ— for vs to recouer the Land in any short time without the assured destruction of vs all At this season our Commanders were these Lieutenant Benson Lieutenant Walton who was Prouost Martiall of the field and an Ancient of the Colonels companie The common Souldiers vowed and resolued to compell the Mariners seeing the present miseries and no hopes promising better to set vs all on shoare vpon the first Land that could be discouered Our Commanders did what they could by disâ—wasion to alter this generall resolution because they feared it would bee the losse of the greatest part of our Companies if they came once to bee scattered and besides they knew that it would redound to their dishonour and shame if they should not discharge the trust imposed vpon them by our Captaines which trust was to conduct vs and land vs before whilest our Chieftaines remayned a while behinde in England to take vp the rest of our Companies Yet all this notwithstanding Land being discouered there was no eloquence in the world able to keep vs aboord our ship but euery man swore if the Master of the ship would not set vs on the shoare the sailes should be taken into our owne hands and what was resolued vpon touching present landing should in despite of danger be effected Vpon this the Master of the ship and the Mariners told vs that if we put to land in that place we should all either perish for want of victuals which were not to bee had in that Countrie or else should haue our throats cut by the people Wee resolued rather to trie our bad fortunes on the land and to famish there if that kind of death must needes attend vpon vs then to perish on the Seas which we knew could affoord vs no such mercy and on shoare wee went as fast as possibly we could When our Officers saw that there was no remedie nor force to detayne vs aboord they then disheartned vs no longer but to our great comforts told it that the Master of the ship which thing hee himselfe likewise openly confessed knew both the Land and Gouernour thereof as indeed we proued afterwards he did and therefore desired they all our companies not to misse-behaue themselues toward the people for that it was an Iland called Iuthland vnder the Dominion of the King of Denmarke but subiect to the command of a Lord who vnder the King as his Substitute was the Gouernour And that we might be the better drawne to a ciuill behauiour towards the Inhabitants our Officers further told vs that they would repaire to the Lord Gouernour of the Countrie and acquaint him with the cause of our vnexpected landing there vpon which we all promised to offer no violence to the people neither was that promise violated because we found the Inhabitants tractable and as quiet towards vs as we to them yet the greater numbers of them ran away with feare at the first sight of vs because as afterward they reported it could not bee remembred by any of them that they euer either beheld themselues or euer heard any of their ancestors report that any strange people had landed in those places and parts of the Iland for they thought it impossible as they told vs that any ship should ride so neâ—ee the shoare as ours did by reason of the dangerous Sands Our Officers so soone as they were at land went to the Gouernour of the Iland whilest the Souldiers who stayed behind them ran to the houses of the Ilanders of purpose to talke with the people and at their hands to buy victuals for a present reliefe but when wee came among them they could neither vnderstand vs nor we them so that the Market was spoiled and wee could get nothing for our money yet by such signes as wee could make they vnderstood our wants pitied them and bestowed vpon vs freely a little of such things as they had In the end a happy meanes of our reliefe was found out by a Souldier amongst vs who was a Dane by birth but his education hauiâ—g beene in England no man knew him to be other then an English man This Dane made vse of 〈◊〉 owne natiue language to the good both of himselfe and vs certifying the people who the rather beleeued him because he spake in their knowne tongue of the cause that compelled vs to land vpon their Coast and that we intended no mischiefe violence or money to which report of his they giuing credit stood in lesse feare of vs then before and thereupon furnished vs with all such necessaries as the Countrie affoorded to sustaine our wants The foode which wee bought of them was onely fish and a kinde of course bread exceeding cheape Of which foode there was such plentie that for the value of three pence wee had as much fish as twentie men could eate at a meale and yet none of the worst sorts of fish but euen of the very best and daintiest as Mackrels and Lobsters and such like In which our trading with the poore simple people we found them so ignorant that many yea most of them regarded not whether you gaue them a Counter or a Shilling for the bigger the piece was the more fish they would giue for it but besides fish wee could get no other sustenance from them or at least could not vnderstand that they had any other But obserue what happened in the meane time that we were thus in traffique with the Ilanders for victuals our Officers as before is said being gone to the Lord Gouernour who lay about twelue English miles from the Sea side the Master of our ship on a sudden hoysed vp sailes and away he went leauing one of his owne men at shoare who accompanied our Officers as their guide through the Iland The cause of the ships departure did so much the more amaze vs by reason it was so vnexpected and the reason thereof vnknowne to vs But wee imagined the Master of the ship and Mariners feaâ—ed to receiue vs into the Vessell againe because some of our men at their being at Sea threatned the Saylers and offered them abuses before they could be brought to set vs on land On the next day following the Lord Gouernour of the Iland came to vs bringing our Officers along with him yet not being so confident of vs but that for auoyding of any dangers that might happen he came strongly guarded with a troupe of Horse-men well armed And vpon his
any refined phrases and eloquent speeches Therefore briefly and as it were in the forefront I intend to shew you the whole proceeding of the voyage in a word as namely there is no passage nor hope of passage in the North of Dauis Streights wee hauing coasted all or neere all the Circumference thereof and finde it to be no other then a great Bay as the Map here placed doth truly shew wherefore I cannot but much admire the worke of the Almightie when I consider how vaine the best and chiefest hopes of man are in things vncertaine And to speake of no other matter then of the hopefull passage to the North-west How many of the best sort of men haue set their whole indeuours to proue a passage that wayes and not onely in Conference but also in Writing and publishing to the World yea what great summes of money hath beene spent about that action as your Worship hath costly experience off Neither would the vaine-glorious Spaniard haue scattered abroad so many false Maps and Iournals if they had not beene confident of a passage this way that if it had pleased God a passage had beene found they might haue eclipsed the worthy praise of the Aduenturers and true Discouerers and for my owne part I would hardly haue beleeued the contrarie vntill mine eyes became witnesse of that I desired not to haue found still taking occasion of hope on euery little likelihood till such time as we had almost coasted the Circumference of this great Bay Neither was Master Dauis to be blamed in his report and great hopes if he had anchored about Hope Sanderson to haue taken notice of the Tydes for to that place which is in 72. degrees 12. minutes the Sea is open of an vnsearchable depth and of a good colour onely the Tydes keepe no certaine course nor rise but a small height as eight or nine foote and the flood commeth from the Southward and in all the Bay beyond that place the Tyde is so small and not much to be regarded yet by reason of snow melting on the Land the Ebbe is stronger then the Flood by meanes whereof and the windes holding Northerly the fore-part of the yeere the great Iles of Ice are set to the Southward some into Fretum Hudson and others towards New found Land for in all the Channell where the Sea is open are great quantities of them driuing vp and downe and till this yeere not well knowne where they were bred Now that the worst is knowne concerning the passage it is necessarie and requisite your Worship should vnderstand what probabilitie or hope of profit might here be made hereafter if the voyage bee attempted by fitting men And first for the killing of Whales certaine it is that in this Bay are great numbers of them which the Biscainers call the Grand Baye Whales of the same kinde which are killed at Greenland and as it seemeth to me easie to be strooke because they are not vsed to bee chased or beaten for we being but one day in Whale Sound so called for the number of Whales that wee saw there sleeping and lying aloft on the water not fearing our ship or ought else that if wee had beene fitted with men and things necessarie it had beene no hard matter to haue strooke more then would haue made three ships a sauing voyage and that it is of that sort of Whale there is no feare I being twise at Greenland tooke sufficient notice to know them againe beside a dead Whale wee found at Sea hauing all her finnes or rather all the rough of her mouth of which with much labour we got one hundred and sixtie the same euening we found her and if that foule weather and a storme the next day had not followed wee had no doubt but to haue had all or the most part of them but the winde and Sea arising shee broke from vs and we were forced to leaue her Neither are they onely to be looked for in Whale Sound but also in Sir Tho. Smiths Sound Wostenholme Sound and diuers other places For the killing of Sea Morse I can giue no certaintie but onely this that our Boat being but once ashoare in all the North part of this Bay which was in the entrance of Alderman Iones Sound at the returne our men told vs they saw many Morses along by the shoare on the Ice but our ship being vnder saile and the winde comming faire they presently came aboord without further search besides the people inhabiting about 74. degrees told vs by diuers signes that toward the North were many of those beasts hauing two long teeth and shewed vs diuers pieces of the same As for the Sea Vnicorne it being a great fish hauing a long horne or bone growing forth of his forehead or nostrill such as Sir Martin Frobisher in his second voyage found one in diuers places we saw of them which if the horne be of any good value no doubt but many of them may be killed And concerning what the Shoare will yeeld as Beach finnes Morse teeth and such like I can little say because we came not on shoare in any of the places where hope was of finding them But here some may obiect and aske why we sought that Coast no better to this I answere that while we were thereabout the weather was so exceeding foule wee could not for first wee anchored in Wostenholme Sound where presently our ship droue with two anchors a head then were we forced to stand forth with a low saile The next day in Whale Sound we lost an Anchor and Cable and could fetch the place no more then we came to anchor neere a small Iland lying between Sir Tho. Smiths Sound and Whale Sound but the winde came more outward that we were forced to weigh againe neuerthelesse if wee had beene in a good harbour hauing but our Ships Boat we durst not send her farre from the ship hauing so few men as seuenteene in all and some of them very weake but the chiefe cause wee spent so little time to seeke a Harbour was our great desire to performe the Discouerie hauing the Sea open in all that part and still likelihood of a passage but when we had coasted the Land so farre to the Southward that hope of passage was none then the yeere was too farre spent and many of our men very weake and withall we hauing some beliefe that ships the next yeere would be sent for the killing of Whales which might better doe it then wee And seeing I haue briefly set downe what hope there is of making a profitable voyage it is not vnfit your Worship should know what let or hinderance might be to the same The chiefest and greatest cause is that some yeere it may happen by reason of the Ice lying betweene 72. degrees and a halfe and 76. degrees no minutes that the ships cannot come into those places till toward the middest of Iuly so that
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
and easie for that these eighteene leagues of Land betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama is more painefull and chargeable then 2300. by Sea whereupon some would say it were a meanes to drowne the Land one Sea being lower then another As in times past we finde it written that for the same consideration they gaue ouer the enterprize to winne the red Sea into Nile in the time of King Sesostris and since in the Empire of the Othomans But for my part I hold such discourses and propositions for vaine although this inconuenience should not happen the which I will not hold for assured I beleeue there is no humaine powerable to beate and breake downe those strong and impenetrable Mountaines which God hath placed betwixt the two Seas and hath made them most hard Rockes to withstand the furie of two Seas And although it were possible to men yet in my opinion they should feare punishment from heauen in seeking to correct the workes which the Creator by his great prouidence hath ordained and disposed in the framing of this vniuersall world Leauing this discourse of opening the Land and ioyning both Seas together there is yet another lesse rash but very difficult and dangerous to search out Whether these two great gulfes doe ioyne in any other part of the world which was the enterprize of Fernando Magellan a Portugall Gentleman whose great courage and constancie in the research of this subiect and happy successe in the finding thereof gaue the name of eternall memory to this straight which iustly they call by the name of the discouerer Magellan of which straight we will intreate a little as of one of the greatest wonders of the world Some haue beleeued that this Straight which Magellan had discouered in the South Sea was none or that it was straightned as Don Alonso d'Arsile writes in his Auracane and at this day there are some that say there is no such Straight but that they are Ilands betwixt the Sea and Land for that the maine Land ends there at the end whereof are all Ilands beyond the which the one Sea ioynes fully with the other or to speake better it is all one Sea But in truth it is most certaine there is a straight and a long and stretched out Land on either side although it hath not yet beene knowne how farre it stretcheth of the one side of the straight towards the South After Magellan a Shippe of the Bishop of Plaisance passed the straight Don Guitieres Caruaial whose Maste they say is yet at Lima at the entrie of the Pallace they went afterwards coasting along the South to discouer the Straight by the commandement of Don Garcia of Mendoca then Gouernor of Chille according to that which Captaine Ladrillero found it and passed it I haue read the discourse and report he made where he saieth that he did not hazard himselfe to land in the Straight but hauing discouered the North Sea he returned backe for the roughnesse of the time winter being now come which caused the waues comming from the North to grow great and swelling and the Sea continually foming with rage In our time Francis Drake and Englishman passed this Straight After him Captaine Sarmiento passed it on the South side And lastly in the yeere 1587. other Englishmen passed it by the instruction of Drake which at this time run along all the coast of Peru. Euen as Magellan found out this Straight vpon the South so some haue pretended to discouer another Straight which they say is in the North and suppose it to be in Florida whose coast runnes in such sort as they know no end thereof Peter Melendez the Adelantade a man very expert at Sea affirmeth for certaine that there is a Straight and that the King had commanded him to discouer it where in he shewed a great desire he propounded his reasons to proue his opinion saying that they haue seene some remainders of Ships in the North Sea like vnto those the which the Chinois vse which had beene impossible if there were no passage from one Sea vnto another Moreouer hee reported that in a certaine great Bay in Florida the which runs 300. leagues within the Land they see Whales in some season of the yeare which come from the other Sea One of the most admirable secrets of Nature is the ebbing and flowing of the Sea not onely for this strange property of rising and falling but much more for the difference there is thereof in diuers Seas yea in diuers coasts of one and the same Sea There are some Seas that haue no daily flowing nor ebbing as we see in the inner Mediterranean which is the Thyrene Sea and yet it flowes and ebbes euery day in the vpper Mediterranean Sea which is that of Venice and iustly giueth cause of admiration that these two Seas being Mediterranean and that of Venice being no greater then the other yet hath it his ebbing and flowing as the Ocean and that other Sea of Italie none at all There are some Mediterranean Seas that apparantly rise and fall euery moneth and others that neither rise in the day nor in the moneth There are other Seas as the Spanish Ocean that haue their flux and reflux euery day and besides that they haue it monethly which commeth twice that is to say at the change and at the full of euery Moone which they call Spring-tides To say that any Sea hath this daily ebbing and flowing and not monethly I know not any It is strange the difference we finde of this subiect at the Indies for there are some places whereas the Sea doth daily rise and fall two leagues as at Panama and at a high water it riseth much more There are other places where it doth rise and fall so little that hardly can you finde the difference It is ordinary in the Ocean Sea to haue a daily flowing and ebbing and that was twice in a naturall day and euer it fals three quarters of an houre sooner one day then another according to the course of the Moone so as the tide fals not alwaies in one houre of the day Some would say that this flux and reflux proceeded from the locall motion of the water of the Sea so as the water that riseth on the one side fals on the other that is opposite vnto it so that it is full Sea on the one side when it is a low water on the opposite as we see in a Kettle full of water when we mooue it when it leanes to the one side the water increaseth and on the other it diminisheth Others affirme that the Sea riseth in all parts at one time and decreaseth at one instant as the boyling of a Pot comming out of the centre it extendeth it selfe on all parts and when it ceaseth it fals likewise on all parts This second opinion is true and in my iudgement certaine and tried not so much for the reasons which the Philosophers giue
Riuers which after become great flouds Vpon the way from Arequippa to Callao there are two Lakes vpon the Mountaines of the one and other side the way from the one flowes a brooke which growes to a floud and fals into the South Sea from the other they say the famous Riuer of Aporima takes her beginning from the which some hold that the renowned Riuer of Amazons otherwise called Maragnon proceedes with so great an assembly and abundance of waters which ioyne in these Mountaines It is a question may be often asked why there is so many Lakes in the tops of these Mountaines into the which no riuer enters but contrariwise many great streames issue forth and yet doe we scarce see these Lakes to diminish any thing at any season of the yeare To imagine that these Lakes grow by the Snow that melts or raine from heauen that doth not wholly satisfie me for there are many that haue not this abundance of Snow nor raine and yet wee see no decrease in them which makes me to beleeue they are Springs which rise there naturally although it be not against reason to thinke that the Snow and raine helpe somewhat in some seasons These Lakes are so common in the highest tops of the Mountaines that you shall hardly finde any famous riuer that takes not his beginning from one of them Their water is very cleere and breedes little store of fish and that little is very small by reason of the cold which is there continually Notwithstanding some of these Lakes be very hot which is another wonder At the end of the Vallie of Tarapaya neere to Potozi there is a Lake in forme round which seemes to haue beene made by compasse whose water is extreamely hot and yet the Land is very cold they are accustomed to bathe themselues neere the banke for else they cannot endure the heate being farther in In the midst of this Lake there is a boiling of aboue twentie foote square which is the very Spring and yet notwithstanding the greatnesse of this Spring it is neuer seene to increase in any sort it seemes that it exhals of it selfe or that it hath some hidden and vnknowne issue neither doe they see it decrease which is another wonder although they haue drawne from it a great streame to make certaine engines grinde for mettall considering the great quantitie of water that issueth forth by reason whereof it should decrease But leauing Peru and passing to new Spaine the Lakes there are no lesse to be obserued especially that most famous of Mexico where we finde two sorts of waters one salt Lake like to that of the Sea and the other cleere and sweete by reason of the Riuers that enter into it In the midst of this Lake is a rocke very delightfull and pleasant where there are bathes of hot water that issue forth the which they greatly esteeme for their health There are Gardens in the middest of this Lake framed and fleeting vpon the water where you may see plots full of a thousand sorts of hearbes and flowers they are in such sort as a man cannot well conceiue them without sight The Citie of Mexico is seated in the same Lake although the Spaniards haue filled vp the place of the scituation with earth leauing onely some currents of water great and small which enter into the Citie to carrie such things as they haue neede of as wood hearbs stone fruites of the Countrie and all other things When Cortez conquered Mexico hee caused Brigandins to be made yet afterwards he thought it more safe not to vse them therefore they vse Canoes whereof there is great store There is great store of fish in this Lake yet haue I not seene any of price notwithstanding they say the reuenue of this Lake is worth three-hundred thousand Duckets a yeere There are many other Lakes not farre from this whence they bring much fish to Mexico The Prouince of Mechonacan is so called for that it aboundeth greatly with fish There are goodly and great Lakes in the which there is much fish and this Prouince is coole and healthfull There are many other Lakes whereof it is not possible to make mention nor to know them in particular onely wee may note by that which hath beene discoursed in the former Booke that vnder the burning Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes then in any other part of the world There is at the Indies as in other parts of the world great diuersitie of Springs Fountaines and Riuers and some haue strange properties In Guancauilica of Peru where the Mines of Quick-siluer be there is a Fountaine that casts forth hot water and in running the water turnes to rocke of which rocke or stone they build in a manner all the houses of the Village This stone is soft and easie to cut for they cut it as easily with Iron as if it were wood it is light and lasting If men or beasts drinke thereof they dye for that it congeales in the very entrailes and turnes into stone and for that cause some Horses haue died As this water turnes into stone the which flowes stoppes the passage to the rest so as of necessitie it changeth the course and for this reason it runnes in diuers places as the rocke increaseth At the point of Cape Saint Helaine there is a Spring or Fountaine of Pitch which at Peru they call Coppey This should be like to that which the Scripture speakes of the sauage Valley where they did finde pits of Pitch The Marriners vse these Fountaines of Pitch or Coppey to pitch their ropes and tackling for that it serues them as Pitch and Tarre in Spaine When I sailed into new Spaine by the coast of Peru the Pilot shewed me an Iland which they call the I le of Wolues where there is another Fountaine or Pit of Coppey or Pitch with the which they anoint their tackling There are other Fountaines and Springs of Gouliranrozen which the Pilot an excellent man in his charge told me he had seene and that sometimes sailing that waies being so farre into the Sea as he had lost the sight of Land yet did he know by the smell of the Coppey where he was as well as if he had knowne the Land such is the fauour that issues continually from that Fountaine At the Bathes which they call the Bathes of Ingua there is a course of water which comes forth all hot and boiling and ioyning vnto it there is another whose water is as cold as Ice The Ingua was accustomed to temper the one with the other and it is a wonderfull thing to see Springs of so contrarie qualities so neere one to the other There are an infinite number of other hot Springs specially in the Prouince of Charcas in the water whereof you cannot indure to hold your hand the space of an Aue Maria as I haue seene tried by wager In a Farme neere to Cusco
better nor fairer For that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Country where it neuer raines nor thunders men desire naturally to know the cause of this strangenesse The reason which some giue that haue neerly looked into it is that vpon that Coast there rise no vapours sufficient to engender raine for want of matter but onely that there bee small and light vapours which cannot breede any other then mists and deawes as wee see in Europe oftentimes vapours doe rise in the morning which are not turned into raine but into mists onely the which growes from the substance which is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine They say the reason why that which happens but some times in Europe falls out continually vpon the Coast of Peru is for that this Region is very drie and yeelds no grosse vapours The drinesse is knowne by the great abundance of Sands hauing neither Wells nor Fountaines but of fifteene Sâ—ades deepe which is the height of a man or more and that is neere vnto Riuers the water whereof piercing into the Land giues them meanes to make Wells So as it hath beene found by experience that the course of Riuers being turned the Wells haue beene dried vp vntill they returned to their ordinarie course and they giue this reason for a materiall cause of this effect but they haue another efficient which is no lesse considerable and that is the great height of the Sierre which comming along the Coast shadowes the Lanos so as it suffers no winde to blow from the Land but aboue the tops of these Mountaines By meanes whereof there reignes no winde but that from the Sea which finding no opposite doth not presse nor straine forth the vapours which rise to engender raine so as the shadow of the Mountaines keepes the vapours from thickning and conuerts them all into mists There are some experiences agree with this discourse for that it raines vpon some small Hills along the Coast which are least shadowed as the Rocks of Atico and Arequipa It hath rained in some yeeres when as the Northerne or Easterly windes haue blowne yea all the time they haue continued as it happened in seuentie eight vpon the Lanos of Trugillo where it rained abundantly the which they had not seene in many ages before Moreouer it raines vpon the same Coast in places where as the Easterly or Northerne windes be ordinarie as in Guayaquil and in places where as the Land riseth much and turnes from the shadow of the Mountaines as in those that are beyond Ariqua Some discourse in this manner but let euery one thinke as he please It is most certaine that comming from the Mountaines to the Vallies they doe vsually see as it were two Heauens one cleere and bright aboue and the other obscure and as it were a gray vaile spread vnderneath which couers all the Coast and although it raine not yet this mist is wonderfull profitable to bring forth grasse and to raise vp and nourish the seed for although they haue plentie of water which they draw from the Pooles and Lakes yet this moisture from Heauen hath such a vertue that ceasing to fall vpon the Earth it breedes a great discommoditie and defect of graine and seedes And that which is more worthy of admiration the drie and barren Sands are by this deaw so beautified with grasse and flowers as it is a pleasing and agreeable sight and very profitable for the feeding of Cattell as we see in the Mountaine called Sandie neere to the Citie of Kings New Spaine passeth all other Prouinces in pasturâ—s which breedes infinite troopes of Horse Kine Sheepe and other Cattell It abounds in fruit and all kinde of graine To conclude it is a Country the best furnished and most accomplished at the Indies Yet Peru doth surpasse it in one thing which is Wine for that there growes store and good and they daily multiply and increase the which doth grow in very hot Vallies where there are waterings And although there be Vines in new Spaine yet the grape comes not to his maturitie fit to make Wine The reason is for that it raines there in Iuly and August when as the grape ripens and therefore it comes not to his perfection And if any one through curiositie would take the paines to make wine it should be like to that of Genua and Lombardie which is very small and sharpe hauing a taste like vnto Verjuyce The Ilands which they call Barlouente which bee Hispaniola Cuba Port Ricco and others thereabouts are beautified with many greene pastures and abound in Cattell as Neat and Swine which are become wilde The wealth of these Ilands bee their Sugar-workes and Hides There is much Cassia fistula and Ginger It is a thing incredible to see the multitude of these merchandizes brought in one fleete being in a manner impossible that all Europe should waste so much They likewise bring wood of an excellent qualitie and colour as Ebone and others which serue for buildings and Ioyners There is much of that wood which they call Lignum sanctum or Guage fit to cure the pox All these Ilands and others thereabouts which are many haue a goodly and pleasant aspect for that throughout the yeere they are beautified with grasse and greene trees so as they cannot discerne when it is Autumne or Summer by reason of continuall moisture ioyned to the heat of the burning Zone And although this Land bee of a great circuit yet are there few dwellings for that of it selfe it engenders great Arcabutos as they call them which be Groues or very thicke Coppises and on the Playnes there are many marishes and bogs They giue yet another notable reason why they are so smally peopled for that there haue remayned few naturall Indians through the inconsideratnesse and disorder of the first Conquerors that peopled it and therefore for the most part they vse Negros but they cost deare being very fit to till the Land There growes neither bread nor wine in these Ilands for that the too great fertilitie and the vice of the soile suffers them not to seede but casts all forth in grasse very vnequally There are no Oliue trees at the least they beare no Oliues but many greene leaues pleasant to the view which beare no fruit The bread they vse is of Caçaue whereof we shall hereafter speake There is gold in the Riuers of these Ilands which some draw forth but in small quantitie I was little lesse then a yeere in these Ilands and as it hath beene told me of the mayne Land of the Indies where I haue not beene as in Florida Nicaragua Guatimala and others it is in a manner of this temper as I haue described yet haue I not set downe euery particular of Nature in these Prouinces of the firme Land hauing no perfect knowledge thereof The Country which doth most resemble Spaine and the Regions of Europe in all the West Indies
their Canoes which are Boates made of one piece They bring into Spaine from the Hauana excellent timber In the Iland of Cuba there are infinite numbers of like trees as Ebene Caouana Grenadillâ— Cedars and other kindes which I doe not know There are great Pine trees in new Spaine though they be not so strong as those in Spaine they beare no pignous or kernels but emptie apples The Oakes as they call them of Guayaquil is an excellent wood and sweet when they cut it yea there are Canes or most high Reeds of whose boughs or small reedes they doe make Bottles and Pitchers to carry water and doe likewise vse them in their buildings There is likewise the wood of Maâ—sle or Firre whereof they make masts for their ships and they hold them as strong as Iron Molle is a tree of many vertues which casteth forth small boughes whereof the Indians make wine In Mexico they call it the tree of Peru for that it came from thence but it growes also in new Spaine and better then those in Peru. There are a thousand other Trees which were a superfluous labour to intreat of whereof some are of an exceeding greatnesse I will speake onely of one which is in Tlaco Chauoya three leagues from Guayaca in new Spaine this tree being measured within being hollow was found to haue nine fadome and without neere to the roote sixteene and somewhat higher twelue This tree was strooke with lightning from the toppe to the bottome through the heart the which caused this hollownesse they say that before the thunder fell vpon it it was able to shaddow a thousand men and therefore they did assemble there for their dances and superstitions yet to this day there doth remaine some boughes and verdure but not much They know not what kinde of tree it is but they say it is a kinde of Caedar Such as shall finde this strange let them reade what Plinie reporteth of the Plaine of Lidia the hollow whereof contained fourescore foot and one and seemed rather a Cabbin or a House then the hollow of a tree his boughes like a whole wood the shaddow whereof couered a great part of the field By that which is written of this Tree we haue no great cause to wonder at the Weauer who had his dwelling and Loome in the hollow of a Chesnut tree and of another Chesnut tree if it were not the very same into the hollow whereof there entered eighteene men on Horsebacke and passed out without disturbing one another The Indians did commonly vse their Idolatries in these Trees so strange and deformed euen as did the auncient Gentiles as some Writers of our time doe report The Indians haue receiued more profit and haue bin better recompenced in Plants that haue bin brought from Spaine then in any other Merchandise for that those few which are carried from the Indies into Spaine grow little there and multiply not and coâ—trariwise the great number that haue beene carried from Spaine to the Indies prosper well and multiply greatly I know not whether I shall attribute it to the bountie of the Plants that goe from hence or to the goodnesse of the soyle that is there Finally there is at the Indies any good thing that Spaine brings forth in some places it is better in some worse as Wheate Barley Hearbes and all kinds of Pulses also Lettuce Coleworts Radishes Onions Garlike Parsley Turneps Parseneps Becengenes or Apples of loue Siccorie Beetes Spinage Pease Beanes Fetches and finally whatsoeuer groweth here of any profit so as all that haue voyaged thither haue beene curious to carry Seedes of all sorts and all haue growne although diuersly some more some lesse As for those trees that haue most abundantly fructified be Orenge-trees Limons Citrons and other of that sort In some parts there are at this day as it were whole Woods and Forrests of Orange trees tha which seeming strange vnto me I asked who had planted the fields with so many Orange trees they made me answer that it did come by chance for that Oranges being fallen to the ground and rotten their seedes did spring and of those which the water had carried away into diuers parts these Woods grew so thicke which seemed to mee a very good reason I haue said that this fruite hath generally increased most at the Indies for that I haue not beene in any place but I finde Orange trees for that all their soile is hot and moist which this tree most desires There growes not any vpon the Sierre or Mountaine but they carrie them from the vallies or Sea coast The conserue of Oranges which they doe make at the Ilands is the best I haue seene any where Peaches Presses and Apricockes haue greatly multiplied especially in new Spaine At Peru there growes few of these kindes of fruites except Peaches and much lesse in the Ilands There growes Apples and Peares yet but scarcely there are but few Plumbs but aboundance of Figges chiefly in Peru. They finde Qâ—inces in all the Countrie of the Indies and in new Spaine in such aboundance as they gaue vs fiftie choice ones for halfe a riall There is great store of Pomegranats but they are all sweete for the sharpe are not there esteemed There are very good Melons in some parts of Peru. Cherries both wilde and tame haue not prospered well at the Indies the which I doe not impute to want of temperature for that there is of all sorts but to carelesnesse or that they haue not well obserued the temperature To conclude I doe not finde that in those parts there wants any daintie fruite As for grosse fruites they haue no Beillottes nor Chesnuts neither doe I finde that any haue growne there to this day Almonds grow there but rarely They carry from Spaine for such as are daintie mouthed both Almonds Nuts and Filberds but I haue not knowne they had any Medlers or Seruices which imports little There growes no Wine nor Grapes in the Ilands nor firme Land but in new Spaine there are some Vines which beare Grapes and yet make no Wine The cause is for that the Grape ripens not well by reason of the raine that fals in the Moneths of Iuly and August which hinders their ripening so as they serue onely to eate They carâ—y Wine out of Spaine and from the Canaries to all parts of the Indies except Peru and the Realme of Chille There are some places where the Vines are not watered neither from heauen nor earth and yet they increase in great abundance as in the Valley of Yca and in the ditches that they call Villacuzi in which places they finde ditches or th' earth sunke downe amongst the dead Sands which are thorowout the yeare of a wonderfull coolenesse and yet it raines not there at any time neither is there any manner of meanes to water it artificially the reason is because the soile is spongious and sucks vp the water of the riuers that
fall from the Mountaine which moisten these Sands or else it is the moistnesse of the Sea as others suppose which passing ouer this Sand is the cause why it is not barren nor vnprofitable as the Philosopher teaches The Vines haue so increased there as for this cause onely the tithes of the Churches are multiplied fiue or six times double within these twentie yeares And it is strange that in the Citie of Cusco you shall finde ripe Grapes all the yeare long the reason is as they say for that those Vallies bring forth fruits in diuers moneths of the yeare either for that they cut their Vines in diuers seasons or that this varietie proceedes from the qualitie of the soile but whatsoeuer it be it is most certaine there are some Vallies which carrie fruite all the yeare If any one wonder at this it may be he will wonder much more at that which I shall say and perchance not beleeue it There are Trees in Peru whereof the one part yeeldes fruite one sixe moneths of the yeare and the other halfe part yeeldes fruite the other six moneths In Malla which is thirteene leagues from the Citie of Kings there is a Figge tree whereof the one halfe which is towards the South is greene and yeeldeth his fruite one season of the yeare that is when it is summer vpon the Sierre and the other moitie towards the Lanos or Sea coast is greene and yeeldes his fruite in the other contrarie season when it is summer vpon the Lanos which groweth from the diuers temperature and the ayre which commeth from the one part and the other The reuenue of Wine there is not small but it goeth not out of the Countrie But the Silke that is made in new Spaine is transported into other Countries as to Peru. There were no Mulberrie trees in the Indies but such as were brought from Spaine and they grow well especially in the Prouince which they call Mistecqua where there are Silke-wormes and they put to worke the Silke they gather whereof they make verie good Taffataes yet to this day they haue made neither Damaske Sattin not Veluet The Sugar yet is a greater reuenue for they not onely spend it at the Indies but also they carrie much into Spaine for the Canes grow exceeding well in manie parts of the Indies They haue built their engins in the Ilands in Mexico in Peru and in other parts which yeeldeth them a very great reuenue It was told me that the engine for Sugar in Nasca was worth yeerly aboue thirtie thousand pieces of reuenue That of Chicaâ—a ioyning to Truxillo was likewise of great reuenue and those of new Spaine are of no lesse and it is strange thing to see what store they consume at the Indies They brought from the Iland of Saint Dominique in the fleet wherein I came eight hundred ninetie eight chests of Sugar which being as I did see shipped at Port Ricco euery chest in my opinion weighed eight Arobes euery Arobe weighing fiue and twentie pounds which are two hundred weight of Sugar is the chiefe reuenue of these Ilands so much are men giuen to the desire of sweet things There are likewise Oliues and Oliue trees at the Indies I say in Mexico and in Peru yet hath there not beene to this day any Mill for Oile for that they eate all their Oliues and dresse them well they finde the charge is greater to make Oile then the profit and therefore they carry all the Oile they doe spend from Spaine And here we will end with plants and will passe to such beasts as be at the Indies §. VI. Of Beasts and Fowles in the Indies I Finde there are three kindes of beasts at the Indies whereof some haue beene carried from Spaine others are of the same kinde we haue in Europe and yet not carried by the Spaniards and others are proper to the Indies whereof there are none in Spaine Of the first kinde are Sheepe Kine Goats Swine Horses Asses Dogs Cats and other such beasts for there are of all these kindes at the Indies The smaller Cattell haue greatly multiplyed and if they could make profit of their woolls by sending them into Europe it were one of the greatest riches the Indies had for there the flocks of sheepe haue great pastuers where as their feeding failes not In Peru there is such store of pastures and feedings as no man hath any proper to himselfe but euery man feedes his troups where he pleaseth For this reason there is commonly great store of flesh and very good cheape and all other things that come from sheepe as Milke and Cheese For a time they lost their woolls vntill that some began to husband it and to make cloth and couerings which hath beene a great helpe for the poorer sort of the Countrie for that the cloth of Castile is very deare there There are many Clothiers in Peru but more in new Spaine yet the cloth that comes from Spaine is farre better whether the wooll bee more fine or the workmen more expert In former times there were men that did possesse threescore and ten yea a hundred thousand sheepe and at this day they haue not many lesse If this were in Europe it were a very great substance but in that Countrie it is but a meane wealth In many parts of the Indies and I thinke in the greatest part small Cattell doe not increase and profit well by reason that the grasse is high and the soile so vicious that they cannot feede so well as great Cattell And therefore there is an infinite number of Kine whereof there are two kindes Some are tame and goe in troups as in the land of Charca and other Prouinces of Peru as also in all new Spaine from these tame Kine they draw such profit as they doe in Spaine that is the Flesh Butter Calues and Oxen to till the ground The other kinde is wilde which liue in the Mountains and Forests and therefore they tame them not neither haue they any master to whom they are proper both for the roughnesse and thicknesse of the Forest as also for the great multitude there is and he that first kills them is the master as of any wilde beast These wilde Kine haue so multiplyed in Saint Dominique and thereabouts that they troupe together in the fields and woods by thousands hauing no master to whom they appertaine They hunt these beasts onely for their hides they goe to the field on horse-backe with their weapons to hough them coursing the Kine and when they haue strucken any and stayed them they are their owne they slay them and carry the hides home leauing the flesh which euery one neglects for the abundance there is so as some haue testified in this Iland that in some places the aire hath beene corrupted with the abundance of these stinking carkasses The hides they bring into Spaine is one of the best reuenues of
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
them I caused two graues to be opened wherein was nothing found but a vessell full of the graine of Maiz and a bundle of Iucca as I haue said And demanding the cause hereof of the King and the other Indians they answered that they that were 〈◊〉 there were the labourers of the ground and men skilfull in sowing of seedes and makiâ—â— of bread and seruants to the Kings father and to the end that their soules should not dye â—ith their bodies they slue themselues at the death of the King their Master to liue with 〈◊〉 heauen and to the intent that they might serue him there in the same office they reserue that Maiz and Iucca to sowe it in heauen Whereunto I answered them in this manner 〈◊〉 how your Tuyra deceiueth you and how all that he teacheth you is false You see how 〈◊〉 so long a time since they are dead they haue not yet taken away this Maiz and Iucca which is now purified and worth nothing and not like to be sowen in heauen To this the King replied saying In that they haue not taken it away nor sowen it in heauen the cause is that they chanced â— finde enough there by reason whereof they had no neede of this To this errour many thing were said which seemed of little force to remoue him from his false opinion and especially any â—uch as at that age are occupied of the Diuell whom they paint of the selfe same forme and 〈◊〉 as he appeared vnto them in diuers shapes and formes They make also Images of Gold Coâ—per and Wood to the same similitudes in terrible shapes and so variable as the Painters are aâ—â—â—stomed to paint them at the feete of Saint Michael the Archangell or in any other place 〈◊〉 they paint them of most torrible portrature Likewise when the diuell greatly intendeth 〈…〉 them he threatneth to send them great tempests which they call Furacanas or 〈◊〉 and are so vehement that they ouerthrow many houses and great trees And I haue seenâ— Mountaines full of many and great trees that for the space of three quarters of a league the â—â—â—ntaine hath beene subuerted and the tree ouerthrowne and plucked out of the earth with 〈…〉 The gulfe of Vraba is distant from the Equinoctiall line from an hundrâ—â— and twentie to a hundred and thirty leagues and three quarters of a league after that accompt of seuenteen leagues and a halfe for euerie degree from Pole to Pole thus for a little more or lesse goeth all the coast By reason wherof in the Citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena and in all that course of the foresaid gulfe of Vraba at all times of the yeere the daies and nights are in manner of equall length and if there be any difference betweene them by reason of this small distance from the Equinoctiall it is so little that in foure and twentie houres making a naturall day it cannot be perceiued but by the iudgement of speculatiue men and such as vnderstand the sphere From hence the North Starre is seene verie low Of diuers particular things as Wormes Serpents Beasts Foules Trees c. I Will first speake of certaine little and troublesome Beasts which may seeme to be engendred of nature to molest and vexe men to shew them and giue them to vnderstand how small and vile a thing may offend disquiet them to the end that they may remember the principall end for the which they were created that is to know their maker In manie parts of the firme Land by the which as wel the Christians as the Indians do trauaile there are such marishes waters in the way that they are faine to go without breeches among the hearbes weeds by reason wher of certain small beasts or wormes which they call Garapates much like vnto Ticks cleaue fast to their legs These worms are as little as the pouder of beaten Salt cleaue so fast that they can by no meanes be taken away except the place be nointed with oyle after that the legs be nointed a while with oyle or the other parts where these little Tickes are fastened they scrape the place with a Knife so take them away But the Indians which haue no oyle smoake them and burne them with fire and abide great paines in taking them away by this means Of other little Beasts which trouble men and are engendred in their heads or other parts of their bodies I say that the Christian men which trauaile into these parts haue them but seldome times and that not past one or two and this also very seldome For passing by the line of the Diameter where the compasse maketh difference of sailing by the winde called Greco that is North-east and Magistral that is South-west which is in the course of the Ilands of Azori they saile but a little way following our voiage by the West but that all the Lice which the Christians carrie with them or are engendred in their heads or other places of their bodies die and vtterly consume by little and little and are not engendred in India except in the heads of little children in those parts as well among the children of the Christians which are borne there as also among the naturall Indians who haue them commonly in their heads and sometimes in other parts of their bodies and especially they of the Prouince of Cuena which is a region containing more then a hundred leagues in length and embraseth the one and the other coast of the North Sea and of the East When these Indians are infected with this filthinesse they dresse and cleanse one another And they that exercise this are for the most part women who eate all that they take and haue herein such dexterity by reason of their exercise that our men cannot lightly attaine thereunto There is also another thing greatly to be considered and this is how the Christian men being there cleane from this filthinesse of India as well in their heads as the rest of their bodies yet when they returne to come againe into Europe and begin to arriue in that place of the Ocean Sea where we said before that these Lice died and forsooke them sodainely in their repassing by the same clime as though these Lice had tarried for them in that place they can by no meanes auoide them for the space of certaine daies although they change their shirts two or three times in a day These Lice are at the first as little as Nits and grow by little and little vntill they be of the bignesse that they are in Spaine This haue I oftentimes proued hauing now foure times passed the Ocean Sea by this voiage Beside these wormes and vermin wherof we haue spoken there is another little mischieuous worm which we may number among the kindes of Fleas this Pestilence the Indians call Nigua and is much lesse then a Flea it pearceth the flesh of a man and so
in the Timber of a Ship 626.10 Toades as bigge as Cats not venemous their singing and noises 976.20 Tobaccho the benumming qualitie of it vsed by the Mexicans in their Diuellish vnction and Physicke 1043.40 Tobacco lighted by the Sunne at mid-night in Greeneland 737.50 Tobacco Pipes of Earth and Copper 587.50 Cape Cod ibid. 30 Grapes and Roses and Tobacco grow neere it ibid. Discouered when 588.10 Tobalsko Castle in Siberia neere to the Dominions of the King of Alteene 798.1 How farre thence through Alteene to China ibid. 60. The Commodities and Trading there 544.50 The way from Pechora thither ibid. See 552 Tocoatican the Iland 308.40 Tocci the Mexicans Idoll a Young-man worshipped in a Womans skin 1004.1 1031.30 Tococ what in Chinese 306.10 Toera the Riuer nauigable after a Thawe 525 Toes with two Nayles 394.20 Tolle and Customes payed at Bridges in China 330 Toll taken at Bridges in Russia 754 40 Tombe a strange one 265. 266. Inscriptions vpon them in China ibid. 50 Tome Mastangue an Armenian his aduentures 254 Tomineios an Indian Bird as small as a Bee or Fly 965.20.977.10 Tomo Castle in Siberia how farre from the Dominions of Altine and Cathaya 798. 527 Tongue of a Bird like a Quill 980.20 Tooles made of Cowes bones where 877.40 Tooles that cut Stone made of a Ciment of sand and blood 1129.40 And of Flint for Goldsmiths and Grauers 1132.50 Tooma the new Citie where 527.1 Tooth of a Giant found as bigge as a mans first 1002.10 Torchillus the Islander his last Will 665.50 Tortoises of India which take fifteene men to draw them out of the water the manner of taking them they lay Egges and feede on shore 987.10 Tortoises of the West Indies described when good Meate and when Poyson 976.40 Tortuga I le in the West Indies 866.30 Tosa an Iland 253.20 Towers wonderfull ones in China 204.60 Tower of ten Stories high 328.30 Trades giuen ouer in Russia and why 432 Trades none bound vnto in China 367.20 Tradesmen in Tartarie worke one day in the Weeke for the Prince 88.20 Trading in Muscouie granted to the English 221 Traditions made equall with Scriptures 452 Traditions in China 196.50 Traditions learned by heart in Mexico 1052. And in Peru 1053.10 Trauaile the difficulties of it in the North and North-Eastern parts 66.20.60 Trauailing fifteene dayes together vpon Bushes 960 Trauailing by the Compasse in Iseland 649.50 Trauellors out of Russia punisht with losse of Life and Goods and why 433.10 Trauellors in Russia what they must carry 224.20 Transubstantiation imitated by the Deuill in his Idoll-Ceremonies 1041.10 in marg Trapesunda the Citie 2.20 Traytors punishment in China 406.40 Treason forfeits all Priuiledges 388.1 Treason vnheard of in Peru 1055.10 Treasurer of the bones of the Dead 274.20 Treatie of a League betwixt Russia Denmarke and Sweden against the Pole 757.1 Tree borne in Procession 227.20 Tree of the Sunne where 72.20 Tree whose pith is Meale for Bread 104. The wood sinkes in the water Lances made of it c. ibid. Tree of Siluer a most Artificiall one in Tartarie 35.50 Described ibid. Trees that haue lyen since Noahs Flood 223.60 Trees none in the frozen Countryes of Noua Zembla Lapland c. 517.40 Trees in Peru halfe of which yeelds fruits for one sixe Moneths and the other side another 961.50 Trees taken vp by the rootes carried by Elephants to the Great Chams Gardens 83.30 Trees of the West Indies loose not their Leaues 983.30 Not deepe rooted ibid. Trees and Thickets of the West Indies 960.10 Huge Trees ibid. Trees Fruites and Plants of West India 981 Trees hollow that will hold a hundred men 982.20 Tribunals stately ones 272.1 Tributes payed to the King of Mexico see page 1080. c. Some pretie Story about that 1006.20 Tribute of the Russe payed in Commodities 428 Trigautius his discourse of China 380 Trimecau a strange Sect 277.1 Trinidad Iland discouered the shape c. 866.1.10 Trinity Harbour in Greenland our Kings Armes set vp there 722.40 And possession taken for him ibid. The Latitude and Variation ibid. Trinitie some mention of it 397.60 Trinitie imitated by the Deuill in Peru 1045.20 Trondon the Towne in Norway 618.20 The King of Denmarkes seate ibid. Saint Olaus the King buryed there ibid. Tropickes the causes of temperature and habitablenesse betwixt them 921.922 Constant Brises betwixt the Tropickes 924. Westerne windes without them alwayes and why 925.40 Tropickes when most rayne within or without them and the reason 918.50 in margin 919.20.30 Causes of temperature there 920. c. Truth well rewarded 194.30 Trumpa the kinde of Whale that yeelds the Sperma Caeti Amber Greece 471.50 Trumpets of the Cannibals of shels of Weelkes 992.20 Tsaritzna the Iland 243.60 Tucaman Prouince in the West Indies bounds of its Iurisdiction Townes in it and their Latitudes Mines Wooll Gilt-leather Husbandry Riuers c. 897.40 Tudinfu a noble Kingdome 95.10 Great trading there ibid. Tufaune a Tempest vsuall in China 197.40.263.50 Tuinians a people of Cathay 24.20 Tuinians opinion that the Soule of euery thing is the God of it 41.40 They will not haue the secrets of their Religion searched into 41.60 They are Manichees 42.10 Tumblers in China 302.40 Tumen in Tartarie the trade there the way thither from Pechora in Russia 556.20 Tumen a Tartarian money worth ten Markes 34.10 Tumultuous multitude an example of them in Russia 753.20 Tunall Tree of India the strange growing of it which beares fruit and Cochinell 957.30 One in Mexico growing out of a Mans heart the strange storie of it 1003.40 1004.40.50 Tunall Tree againe described with his fruit 1131.30 Tunas a West Indian fruit makes the vrine like Blood 984.40 Tundi or Bishops in Iapon 324.20 Turffes in stead of Morter in Island 662. Two sorts of Turffes inuenter of Turffes ibid. Turkes their manner of liuing 69.40 Turkes trade into China 362.10 Their Commodities and gulling the China King with a feyned tribute ibid. Turkie wasted by the Tartars 119.1 The Kingdome of it refused by the Armenian 119.20 The weake Estate of it in Rubruquis his time 51.60 52.1.10 Turkemannia the Countrey 237.1 Their manner of liuing and feeding ibid. Turkemannia inhabited by Turkes Grecians and Armenians 69.40 All vnder the Tartars when ibid. Turkish Armie ouerthrowne by the Russe 740 Turkie Carpets 69.40 Turkisses where found 71.1 Turlock Hauen in Island 647.50 Turquestan the Kingdome 109.20 Wonne by the Tartars 114.20 Tusce what in Chinese 312.60 Tutelare Gods respected in China 396.60 Tutia and Spodio where made and how 72.10 Tutia good for the Eyes ibid. Twelfe-dayes-solemnities 498.60 Kept Ianuary the fourth in Russia 225 V VAchen the Countrey Gentiles 232.30 Vaigats Straights and Iland Discouered 463.20 Inhabited by the Somoeds ibid. Impassible for Ice 463.40 It is an Iland 250.30 Vaigates Straights whence so full of Ice and floting Wood 527.50 Sometimes open from the Ice 526.40 The Riuers and Inlets about it 545.1 The way thence to the
317.30 Canonized at Rome 316.60 Bâ—asts to haue conuerted 300000. soules 317.30 His trauels 318.1 Goes to Cangoxima in Iapon there publishes the Decalogue 318 40 Opposed by the Iaponian Priests ibid. Returnes to India to fetch an Ambassadour gets himselfe made the Popes Nuntio opposed by Aluarus who falls into a Leprosie 318.60 Xauiers zeale and behauiour towards him 319.1 Gets himselfe carried into China where he is forsaken and dies 319.10 Xauxan a flower that makes bread in the Indies 954.10 Xylobaâ—samum what properly 95â— 30 Xinaleygrau the Signiory 281.30 Y YAik a Riuer 241.50 Yamsu the Riuer the course of it 340.40 〈◊〉 by the two 〈◊〉 Cities in China ibid. Yara City in Catay 800.50 Described Yaskent a Citie 240.40 Yehuri the Mexican Priests that heard Confessions 1041.60 Yeare of the Tartars beginnes in February 84.30 This is 〈◊〉 solemnest day ibid. They fâ—â—st thâ—â— in white garments 84.50 Their New yeares gifts ibid. They reckon their yeares by Twelues and how 88.40 Yeare in Russia begins with September 447.20 And the September before ours 746.28 why 757.50 Yeare when it begins in China 392 40 〈…〉 how solemnized 394.1 Their Yeare 〈…〉 â—62 10 265 50. Gods of the Yeare ibid. It begins in March 196.50 Yeare begun in the middle of Ianuary in Norway of old 659.50 Yeare of the Samoieds is but halfe a Yeare 556 Yeares of the Mexicans 1135.30 1136.1 Their manner of reckoning them 1050. The beginning end and lâ—st dayes of it ibid. Yeare of the Peruians 1051.1 Yeare in Peru begins in December 1040.1 1045.1 Yedzo land the latitude 842.50 Yeilding the Ceremony of it in Mexco 1013.20 50 Yellow Mugals 799.20 Yellow Riuer in China the course 340. Sacrificed vnto ibid. 10000 ships in it Prouerbe of it ibid. Yellow the King of Chinois colour which none else may be of 392.50 Yellow hats a great honor 201.20 Yem the Riuer 235.20 Yemps a Towne 224.1 Yenisâ—e or Ienisse Riuer falleth into the Sea Naromzie 546.20 Not farre from China ibid. Yguanas a strange West Indian beast that both swimmes and climbes trees their shape 966.40 See Yuanas Yiu a Festiuall day in Peru the Ceremonies of it 1046.20 Yongs Cape 567.60 Yopes the Riuer in the West Indies 871.60 Youga Riuer in Catay falls into the Blacke Sea 800.40 Youth how educated in Mexico 1064 Yperpeâ—a â— Câ—iâ—e 10.20 Yea a great Feast in Peru the solemnitie 〈◊〉 1035. â—0 c. Yuanaâ— West Indian Serpent described delicate meate 976.50 〈◊〉 for the Frenchâ—oxe â—oxe 977.1 Yâ—câ— the chiefe food of Brasile 903 10. How they make bread of it the Iuice is poyson and the substance bread where this bread is most vsed 954.10 Yucatan Prouince in the West Indies vnder the Gouernment of Mexico its bounds c. 870.30 A Peninsula the extent temperature no Riuer in it nor metall long liued people Townes their latitudes c. 87.10.20 c. Yun-lo the China King 389.30 Yuo de Narbona his Letter and Discourse about the Tartars 63 40 Z ZAcatecas the Prouince in the West Indies rich in Siluer Mynes three Townes of Spaniards in it distance from Guadalaiara 876. And from Mexico Other Mynes there Villages c. 877.1.10 Zacatula the Prouince and Village in the West Indies the latitude distance from Mexico Zamachie in Media a Staple for Silke 442.50 The Russe trades thither gaue 〈◊〉 to the English the Commodities ibid. Zamatia an Iland of the Moluccas iâ— Taprobana 904.30 Zar or Czar one of the Russian Emperours Titles 793.30 Zauorat in Russia the latitude 545 30 Zeilan the best Iland of the World 104.20 T is Traprobana 110.10 Zenam Iland 223.1 Zenam on the Coast of Finmarke â—61 10 581.40 Zeni two Brethren their Fortunes 610. c. Zenoâ— Chersonesus where 633 30 Zenu the 〈…〉 in the West Indies the distance from Carâ—agena Salt made there 88â— 50 Zere the Iland 246.40 Zichmui Prince of Frisland his Story 610. c. Zielensa Ilands 543.30 In Russia Zikia the Citie 2.20 Zipangu the golden Iland 102.20 Taken by the Tartars ibid. The Ilanders call Mangi Chin or China 102.50 Zodiake as it is more streight or more oblique makes the daies or nights of diuers lengths 920.40 Zona Torrida why in some places vnder it the raine still falls in the afternoone 918.50 Why so much vnder it when the Sunne is hottest 919.20 30 40. Why in some places vnder it there falls no raine nor are any springs c. 919 60. Temperate in many places in others hote cold c. And the causes 920.10 20 30 c. Reasons of the diuersities of tempers 921. The heat though violent yet short the greatest heate in the morning and why 921.50 Westerne wind blowes seldome there 923.40 It is the greatest of the fiue Zoâ—â—â—s 923. Why men sayle vnder it from East to West and not backe againe 924.50 Seâ— Aequinoctiall The land-winds coole it by night and the Sea-winds by day 926.10 Calâ—ses often vnder it ibid. Many Lakes vnder some parts of it 933.10 Most of the West Indies lye vnder it 9â—5 10 The Countries vnder it are all hilly why 936.1 Torride Zoâ—â— most inhabited of all the West Indies and by white Men and they most warlike it is of the temperature of Spaine few waters raine seldome vnder it 898.10 20 30 Zorzania 〈◊〉 Georgia 69.50 Zubu the Iland 282.10 FOr the vse of this 〈◊〉 the Reader may see the aduice giuen him ouer the head of the Letter A In the beginning of tâ—is 〈◊〉 This is so printed 〈◊〉 the end of the Index that it may be the better seene FINIS LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henry Fâ—therstone and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1625. Gen. 28.12 Sencâ— Benef. l. 7. cap. 4.5 Gen. 28. 32.20 Aug. de C.D. li. 19. cap. 5. * Master Hak. had published part of this Author but the whole worke being found in Benet Colledge Library in Cambridg I thought fit to communicate it to the World it being neuer published as I thinke in any Language I begin with the Tartars as being â—â—owne to thesâ— parts before the Chinois yea China or Mangâ— became knowne by them Ecclus 39. v. 3. Cassaria or Gasaria Gasaria Soldaia The Citie of Matriga * Matriga Zikia Frier Bartholomew de Cremona The necke of Tanrica Chersonesâ—â— The Tartars Chap. 2. Of the Tartars and of their houses The benefit of a Painter in strange Countries Chap. 3. Of their Bedâ— Puppets Images and drinking Pots Idols Chap. 4. Of their drinkes and how they prouoke one another to drinking They vse the like custome in Florida Chap. 5. Of their â—ood and victuals Drying of flesh in the wind Chap. 6. How they make their drinke called Cosmos Caracosmos Duke Baatu Store of Mares and Mares milke Chap. 7. Of â—he beasts which they eat of their garmenâ—s and of their manner of hunting Our Falconers vse the left fist Another strange custome which
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