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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00689	A briefe description of the portes, creekes, bayes, and hauens, of the Weast India: translated out of the Castlin tongue by I.F. The originall whereof was directed to the mightie Prince Don Charles, King of Castile, &c.; Suma de geographia que trata de todas las particlas & provinces del mundo: en especial de las Indias. English	Enciso, Martin Fernández de, d. 1525.; Frampton, John, fl. 1577-1596.	1578 (1578)	STC 10823; ESTC S105589	23,212	34

From porte Roiall to the porte of Plata are fiue and thirtie leagues from the porte of Plata to the Cape de Cierpe are fourtie leagues the coaste lieth East Southeast From the Cape of Cierpe vnto the cape of Higuei are eight and twentie leagues And from the Cape of Higuei to the cape of Tiburon are one hundreth and eightie leagues and that is the length of this Ilande It hath in breadth from the Beata to porte Roiall ninetie leagues the South parte of it standeth in .xix. and .xx. degrees the North parte in .xxiiij. This Ilād is inhabited with Christiās There is gathered in it much gold there cōmeth euery yeare frō this Iland to Castile 400000. Castellanos more euery Castellano is worth .vij. shillings of our money of Englād It is a countrie of much fleshe and also of much freshe fishe the cattayle do multiply much bycause there is no kinde of vermine that do hurt them In al this Iland the Kine and Mares do bring forth yong ones once euery yeare and the yong Mares and yong Kine be with fole when they be but a yeare and a halfe olde The grasse is alwayes greene and neuer waxeth drye the trees be alwayes greene with their leaues as they be here in the moneth of May and Iune They eate bread of a roote which they call Casaui There be other rootes like to Turneps whiche be called Aies and also Batatas but the Batatas be better and there be fieldes ful of them as be here of sowen fieldes There is also a fruyte which is called Pinas whiche be of the makyng of a Pine apple but they be greater the trees that beareth them be lyke to the Canes or stockes of Lillies and Flure de Luces Whē they be in season they turne yellow like to waxe the smell of it is so much so sweete that it smelleth in all the house where they be It is of a maruelous goodly sauour although that the tast of it be somwhat egre There is also an other fruit of trees which is called Mameis which is as great like to a Doues egge of a tawny colour being within three kernels the meate of it is like to a Peach somewhat red The people of this Ilande were Idolaters naked although that now they be turned Christians The womē do weare a kind of apparel which they call there Naguas made in such sorte that it couereth them from the waste to the knees and they which be Virgines go naked as they were borne when any woman hath loste bi r Virginitie immediately she doth couer hir self and if she haue no Naguas she putteth before hir a leafe tied on with threedes made of Cotton woll wherwith she couereth hir Secretes and that leafe they call there Pampanillia and when any of these women are with childe or giue sucke to any childe there is no man that will company with hir for any thing in the worlde they say it is sinne to company with hir at that time And when any woman is with childe hir husband taketh an other vntill his wife be deliuered of hir childe and as long as she giueth sucke and when any man dieth that is of estimation they did make a greate hole in the ground where they vsed to put him in and they put him in sitting and put in also with him both meate and drynke and they couer the hole with timber and with earthe and lefte open a straight mouth where a man mighte goe in to these came their wiues and such as loued them well and went in to him and put in meate and after that they were entered in the mouth was couered with timber and earth and so they were lefte all within and they sayde that they wente to beare him company to the other world where they should haue better cheere and more pleasure And now there is in this Iland many townes of Christians the principall towne is Sancto Domingo where is a good porte and ryuer and likewise there is the best trade of all the Ilande this is towardes the south parte at the north parte is the porte of Plata but the towne is little and the porte is not very good and by this meanes the trade is litle In this Iland be many moūtaines of Salte and rockes of Salte From the cape of Saint Nicholas to the Iland of Cuba are xiiij leagues the Iland of Cuba lieth west it hath in length two hundereth and twentie leagues and in breadth by the cape de Crus fiftie leagues and by the other partes by some wayes thirtie leagues and other some twenty It is a good Iland and in it is much victuall and much wilde foule Pigeons Geese and Partriche and many Popingayes The countrey is full of Mountaynes there is gathered in it much golde although that it is not so fine as that of the Iland called Espanola The people be idolaters the one parte of it is inhabited with Christians The ende of the land which standeth next to the cape of saynt Nicholas is in .xxiiij. degrees and a halfe and that which lieth towardes the weast is in .xxvij. degrees The poynt of the cape de Crus is .xxiij. degrees This Iland of Cuba hath at the north parte of it aboue two hundreth small Ilandes and they be all inhabited with people which people be not very blacke be of a good growth both the men and also the women but there is no flesh to eate in these Ilandes their meate is fishe rootes and bread made of rootes and the blades of grasse and if any of the people be caried to other places if they doe giue them fleshe to eate immediatly they die if the flesh which they eate be not very litle in quantitie Towarde the south parte of Cuba is the Ilande called Iamayca and this of Iamayca lieth weast from the cape of Tiburon There is from the cape of Tiburon which is in the Iland of Spanola vnto Iamaica xx leagues and in the middest betweene both lieth the Nauaca whiche is a little small rocky Iland beyng plaine and vnprofitable Iamaica lieth East and Weast it hath in length fiftie leagues and in breadth .xxv. it is a fruytefull Ilande and hath muche corne growing in it and hath all kinde of victuall such as they vse to eate whiche suffiseth their necessitie and groweth vpon the same Ilande there is much cattel and many trees of cotton wooll they gather much Cotton wool in it wherof they make store of cloth but there is no golde there is also great aboundance of Fishe And there be a certayne kinde of little beastes that haue the snoute and tayle like to a Ratte and the body like to a Coney and these be called Hutias whose fleshe is good to eate and there are multitudes of them From the ende of the Ilande of Cuba towardes the Northweast hath appeared a great countrie it is thought to be a firme lande

some doe carrie a thing like to a fonnell of golde wherein they put their members The Women goe all couered from the wast downewarde with wast coates of cotten woll and weare rings put through their eares and many other things and cheynes of gold There hathe bin found amongst the Indians much golde although that muche of it is course and in valewe of tenne and twelue kuyllats and lesse and they call this Giamin In the South part of this countrey is found golde in the Riuers and as it hath not bin much sought till now it hath not bin knowen I haue seene a graine gathered in a Riuer whiche wayed seauen Ducates From Nombre de Dios to Veragua are fiue and thirtie leagues Veragua is towardes the Weast in tenne degrees And neere to Nombre de Dios is Port Bello which is a good Port. It hathe at the entrie of it a little Ilande and in the middest another The Countrey of this coast is full of sharpe Mountaynes and barren From Veragua the coast turneth North to the cape of Gracias Adios threescore leagues The cape of Gracias Adios standeth in foureteene degrees And neere to Veragua is the Furmia and after Corobora and after that certayne Ilandes compassed aboute with sholdes and from the cape of Gracias Adios the coast turneth Weast ▪ to the cape of Caxines where is an Ilande and is thirtie leagues distante And from the cape of Caxines the coast turneth towards the North threescore and fifteene leagues vnto the cape de Lagar and all these threescore and fifteene leagues be sholdes and entreth into the Sea towardes the East threescore leagues and from this cape to the cape of the Iland of Cuba are one hundred and twenty leagues The cape of Cuba lieth North. From the cape of Lagar vnto the cape of Fondura are fiue and thirtie leagues The coast lieth West The cape of Lagar and that of Fondura standeth in .xvj. degrees and being past the cape of Fondura is a Gulfe that entreth .xv. leagues within the lande and in the entrie it hath .xviij. leagues of length and farther in xxv From this cape to the bay of S. Thome are .lx. leagues and the coast lieth Weast And neere to the bay entreth one end of the lād into the sea .xx. leagues towards the Northweast and at the end of the land is the entrie of the baye of S. Thome and the bay doth returne vpon the cape Southeast .xlv. leagues and carieth in length and breadth .xv. leagues And at the entrie in of this gulfe towards the Weast appeareth another little roūd gulfe full of small Ilands From the mouth of this gulfe to the Port of the Figueras are .xxx. leagues The coast lieth Northweast and it is all sholdes The entrie of the Gulfe of S. Thome standeth in .xix. degrees and halfe It entreth in at the East part for by the Weast part it is all sholdes The cape of the Figueras standeth in .xxj. degrees and from this place the discouerers returned and past no farther they found in this Coūtrey trees of oke with acornes like to oures and many birdes different from those of this Countrey and hennes as greate as Geese and they found tokens shewes of much golde for they found great peeces of golde in the power of Indians And now I do returne to the Gulfe of S Michael to the coast of the other side towards the South The Gulfe of S. Michael lieth Northeast Southweast with that of Vraba there are .xxv. leagues of land betweene the one and the other That of S. Michael is towards the Southweast it hath at the entrie in .x. leagues of length .xxv. And towards the Southweast lieth the Ilande of Perles There is from the Gulfe to the Ilande tenne leagues This Ilād is plentiful of vittaile There is in it many birds so many conyes that they enter into the houses to breede And round about it on euery side is much fishing of great Pearles and very fyne I sawe one of the fashion of a little peare the best and greatest that I haue seene The entrie of the Gulfe of Saint Michaell standeth in sixe degrees From the entrie of the Gulfe of Saint Michaell the coast lieth West seauen leagues vnto the Cacike Tamao The coast lyeth .xxviij. leagues toward the Northweast and by Weast to the Riuer of Tubanama This Riuer of Tubanama hath at the entrie an Ilande in triangle whiche causeth him to haue two mouthes it is a good Riuer and a good Countrey well inhabited and of much vittayle and great fishing there is in it much golde In this coast the Sea doth ebbe and flowe much From this Riuer to Panama are twenty leagues and the coast lieth Weast and there is in the middest the Riuer called Chapanere and the Riuer Pacora whiche are in a good countrey and where as is gold and the people are good Panama hath an Iland towards the Sea neere the land Frō Panama to the cape of Chiru are .xx. leagues and the coast lyeth Weast and by South there is in the middest Perequete and Tabora From Chiru towards the West appeareth a gulfe oblique in the middest whereof dwelleth the Cacike Paris an Indian Gentleman of greate power and the richest in that coast and there remayneth in the myddest Nathan and Estora which are good townes All this coast frō the Gulfe of Saint Michaell to Chiru and Paris be from sixe to seauen degrees The countrey is playne and good and of much vittayle of all sortes and in all that countrey is muche golde From Paris lyeth a poynt of the land into the Sea twētie leagues and being past the poynt the coast turneth to the Northeast vntill it come hard to the cape of Gracias a Dios and all the Countrey is frutefull and a rich Countrey of gold whereas are many good townes In this Countrey they doe compasse about the townes with timber for feare of Tygres and Lions that they come not by night into the houses From the Gulfe of Vraba Saint Michaell to the end of the cape of Gracias Adies are two hundred leagues and all this Countrey hathe not in breadth more than thirtie and where it is most fourtie leagues and all are good people and riche and a fruyteful coūtrey There they vse no bowes nor hearbe of poyson but Launces and Dartes And there are in this Sea towardes the Southe many Ilandes where is as muche golde and Pearles as the Indians doe say And they say that there is a countrey where the people that doe inhabite it haue bookes and do wryte and reade as we doe Now seyng that we haue spoken of that part that is from the Ilande of Fierro towardes the Weast and Northweast lette vs speake of one peece of lande whiche is in this seconde parte towardes the North whiche lande is called the lande of Labrador This lande of Labrador standeth in .lvij. degrees it standeth Northweast from Calizia and East and Weast with Scotlande This lande of Labrador hath towardes the Weast parte of it the countrey of Bacallaos whiche is a countrie of muche fishyng and a great countrey and the Bocallaos standeth Weast from Galizia and parte of them Weast and by Northe and this countrey hath many portes and good Muche of the countrey is inhabited and there are many Ilandes before it all inhabited They say there is in it greate quantitie of Furres and very fine The lande of Labrador is towards the North from the Acores There is from the Acores to the lande of Labrador three hundreth leagues and from Galizia to the lande Labrador three hundreth and fiftie And there is from Galizia to the lande of Cauallaos fiue hundreth and thirtie leagues The lande of Cauallaos standeth in fourtie nine and in fiftie degrees FINIS The cape of saynt Austin The riuer of saynt Francis. The Bay. Saynt Thome Cold Cape Saynt Sebastian Marauon The Sea of freshe vvater Paria The Trinitie The Ilande of Mayo ●andes Canibal● Saynt Iohn The Iland called Espanalo Higuei Saynt Domingo The manners of the Ilande called Espanola Cuba Cape de Crus Small Ilandes Iamayca Paria Margarita pearles Cana fistola Coquibacoa Veneciuela Cape Dela vela Tucuraca Sancta Marta Appels of poyson Yaharo Moūtayns vvith Snovve Garia Ilandes of Sandes The portes of Carta gena Iperboton ▪ Cara●●●● Cenu An earth of golde Canibals The Gulfe of Vraba Lyons Tygres Lizards Yaguanas A greate Riuer The Gulfe of S. Michaell Careta Nombre de Dios. Pocurosa Veragua The cape of Gracias Adios Sholde● The cape Lagar The bay of S. Thome The cape of the Figueras The Gulfe ▪ of Saint Michaell An Ilande of Pearles Tamao Tubunama Panama Pacora Chiru Paris

one that was giuen to a Dogge to eate whiche within foure houres was turned all into wormes in the body and so we found it when we caused the Dogge to be opened for to see the effect of the Apple And if any man do put himselfe vnder one of these trees in the shadowe immediatly his head beginneth to ake if he do continue there long his face beginneth to swell to trouble his sight and if by chaunce he sleepe vnder the tree immediatly he loseth his sight all this I haue seene by experience Before you come to Sancta Marta there is Yaharo which is in the side of the snowie mountaynes Yaharo as a good port and standeth in a good countrey and there be Orchardes of trees of diuers sortes of fruytes to be eaten among them there is one like to Oringes when the fruite is in season to be eaten it turneth yellow and the meate that is within it is like to butter It hath a good sauour and hath the tast so good so soft that it is maruelous The moūtaines that lie full of Snow beginne from Sancta Marta and neare to Yaharo is the highest parte of them and they shew vpon the toppes as white as if they were Snowe and from thence they reache to Veneciuela and so into the countrey within it is not knowen how farre for that the coūtrie is not yet in subiectiō nor the Indians do giue any more reason of them but that they reache very farre into the countrie This Mountayne is vpō the toppe playne and there be many townes of Indians vpō it and many lakes of standing water In Sancta Marta is gathered much Cotton wooll and the Indians do make store of clothe of it whiche is a thing to be seene and they make it of many colours they do make of Popingayes fethers Pecocks and of other birdes which be in that countrey certaine things like to Diademes very great that the gētlewomen do put on their heades which things hang downe vpon their shoulders in one peece vnto their girdle like to the ends of a bishops Mitre this is so well wrought that it is maruell to see the diuersitie of the colours and the worke and the arte thereof and as the colours be naturall and of themselues they shewe so wel that no artificiall worke of such as is wrought here is so good nor so acceptable vnto the sight From Sancta Marta the coast turneth south .xx. leagues and in the turnyng cape of Sancta Marta standeth Garia where be a naughty kinde of people and righte before this wilde countrey entreth into a Riuer very greate whiche goeth from the Mountaynes that lie full of Snowe and he is so greate that thys water entreth a greate way into the Sea without any minglyng of it selfe with the salte water and from thence the coast lieth Weast vnto the porte of Zamba Zamba is a good porte and standeth in eleuen degrees and a halfe From Sancta Marta to Zamba be fiue and twentie leagues the lande of this coaste is playne and lowe without Mountaynes and it is all very fayre medowe grounde and a countrie well inhabited the menne haue their heare cutte the women goe couered from the waste downeward They are good people and burte no bodie but suche as doe hurte them firste Zamba hath towardes the Weast parte of it foure Ilandes of sandes whiche lyeth neare the lande and rounde aboute them be sholdes they reache tenne leagues into the Sea but betweene them and the lande where the Cape De Loyo delo gato standeth there may passe shippes from Zamba vnto the Cape of Canoa whiche is twoo leagues From Carta gena be twenty leagues and they be all sholdes of the Ilandes of sandes Before the Cape of Canoa there is a rocke whiche ryseth a little aboue the water whiche rocke they call Canoa but by reason it is seene it is not daungerous And a little before aboute twoo leagues from thence are the portes of Carta gena The portes of Carta gena haue an Iland in the myddest whiche standeth not out of the compasse of the other lande and by the one and the other side of thys Ilande there is a porte but that of the Easte parte hath the better entrie the Ilande is called Gnodego hee hath twoo leagues in length and halfe a league in breadth and is well inhabited of Indians beyng fisher menne The people of this Countrey be tall but bothe menne and women goe all naked as they were borne they are warrelyke people and vse bowes and arrowes they shoote all their artowes wyth a naughty hearbe and the women doe lykewyse fighte as well as the menne I had prysoner a gyrle of eyghten or twentie yeares of age who dyd affirme that she had kylled eyght Christian menne before shee was taken prysoner In this place groweth the hearbe Iperboton wherewith they heale the woundes of the hearbe whiche is poyson and with thys Hearbe they say that Alexander healed Ptholome In this Countrey and towardes the Weast partes the Indians doe eate breade of the grayne of Maiz grounde and they make of it good bread whiche is of muche substaunce and of the selfe same meale of Maiz beyng sodden in kettels and great tinages in muche water they make wyne to drynke and it is wyne o● much substaunce good and of a good sauour The Indians doe vse to drynke a greate cuppe full of it when they ryse in the mornyng without eatyng any thyng else with it and therewith they goe to theyr dayly laboures and be there labouryng the greatest parte of the day without eatyng any other thyng The Christians that are in that Countrey doe vse the lyke and they say that it is there in that Countrie and a manne endureth to laboure with it all one daye without eatyng any other thyng if he drynke twoo tymes thereof The hearbe Iperboton wherewith they heale the hearbe that is poyson they say that the iuyce of hys toote is as good for the sighte as for to heale the hearbe of poyson and that there is of it in Carmania and in the Mountayne Atalantes whiche are in the coaste of Getulia In this countrey of Carta Gena is in the power of the Indians muche Copper ▪ and there is lykewise golde but not muche and they say that twentie leagues from that Countrie towardes the Southweast is muche golde and whosoeuer will may goe thither for it From Carta gena to the Ilandes of Caramari whiche lieth Weast are eyght leagues these Ilandes be all lowe and no shippe can passe betwene them From the Ilands of Caramari vnto the Ilandes of Baru be ten leagues betweene these of Baru and the land may passe shippes if they be not very great and beyng paste these Ilandes of Baru more towardes the Weast is the porte of Cenu which is a great Baye and hath his entry by the East part and it is a good sure

A BRIEFE Description of the Portes Creekes Bayes and Hauens of the Weast India Translated out of the Castlin tongue by I. F. The Originall whereof was directed to the mightie Prince Don Charles King of Castile c. Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman Anno. 1578. To the right worshipfull Sir Humfrey Gilbert Knight THere came to my hands of late right vvoorshipfull a notable peece of vvoorke of the Portes and of diuers rare things bothe of the Easte and VVeast Indians vvritten by Martin Fernandes Denciso aboute Anno. 1518. then Dedicated to Don Charles King of Castile and after called in aboute tvventie yeares past for that it reuealed secretes that the Spanish natiō vvas loth to haue knovven to the vvorlde And finding in the same vvorke the Longitudes and Altitudes of many Ilandes and of the Portes of the tracte of the firme lande of America I thought good to trāslate out of Spanish into English some parte of the same Calling to minde that your vvorship vvas the firste man of our nation that gaue light to our people for the finding out of the northvvest straight and that novv you meane in proper person and that at your ovvne charges to take some noble voyage and discouerie in hande to leaue behind you renovvne to your family and honour and profite to your countrie I coulde not but honour you in harte And to make some shevv of my good vvill I desired much to present some thing to you and vvas sory that I had no notable vvorke of matter of Nauigation to Dedicate vnto you meete for your so greate vvorthinesse But yet such as this is I dedicate it vnto you besechyng you most humbly to take the same in good parte and to vvay the good vvill of the giuer as very greate persons of highe honour haue done vvhen little trifels haue bene giuen them by others of lovv degree And Sir albeit this small gifte in respect of ministring any knovvledge to you your self may seeme nothing in that you doe vnderstande the tongues vvherein this and many other knovvledges of high value lie hid from our Seamen although not from you yet this may for our meere English Seamen Pilotes Marriners c. not acquaynted vvith forrayne tongues bring greate pleasure if it fortune our Mariners or any other of our Nation to be driuen by vvinde tempeste currents or by other chaunce to any of the Ilandes Portes Hauens Bayes or Forelandes mencioned in this Pamphlet and so it may also in the voyage be a meane to keepe them the more frō idlenesse the Nurce of villany and to giue them also right good occasion by vvay of example vpon any nevv Discouerie to take the Altitude and Latitude to set dovvne the tracte of the Ilandes the natures of the soyles and to note the qualitie of the ayre the seuerall benefites that the Soyles and the Riuers yeelde vvith all the discomodities and vvantes that the same places haue and if our Countrie men fortune the rather to be avvaked out of their heauy sleepe vvherein they haue long lien and the rather hereby be occasioned to shunne bestiall ignoraunce and vvith other nations rather late than neuer to make thēselues shine vvith the brightnesse of knovvledge let them giue Sir Humfrey Gilbert the thankes for vvhose sake I translated the same And thus committing your vvorship to the greate Neptune the greate God of the Christians that ruleth lande and Sea I leaue you to your voyage and to the gouernment of that mightie God vvho neuer plāted in any man so hie courage vvith so much desire to greate attempts but to some greate end as heretofore in many hath bene seene and as the sequele in your happie successes no doubt shall be founde as England and the vvhole vvorld shall out of question vvitnesse From London the xiiij of May. 1578. Your worships at commaundement Iohn Frampton A brief description of the Portes Creekes Bayes and Hauens of the Weast India FRom the Ilande called Fierro vnto the Ilande of saint Nicholas are twoo hundreth leagues the Iland of saint Nicholas lieth South Southweast and from thence to the Ilande called Fuego are .xl. leagues that Iland lieth directly South and from thence to the Cape of S. Iustin whiche standeth in the other side of the Equinoctiall line are foure hundred leagues The cape of S. Austin lieth South Southweast with the Iland called Fuego standeth in eight degrees on the other side of the Equinoctiall towardes the South and from the Cape of S. Austin vnto the gulfe riuer of S. Francis are fortie fiue leagues the coast lieth southweast the riuer of saint Francis standeth in ten degrees towardes the south this is a good porte it hath a good riuer From that riuer vnto the Bay of all Sayntes are seuentie leagues the Baye lieth Southwest by south in .xiij. degrees and there remayneth in the middest porte Roiall whiche is a good porte and hath good riuers The Bay of al Saints hath within it certain litle Ilandes and within these are twoo good riuers In the direction towardes the coast the lande lieth lowe and the people are naked eate bread of rootes It is a baren countrie From the Bay of all Saintes to the porte called Seguro are .lxxx. leagues the coast lying south by weast Porte Seguro standeth .m. xvij degrees this is a porte and a Riuer and it is a good porte From porte Seguro vnto the cape which is beyond Golfo Formoso that is to say the fayre gulfe are one hundreth and ten leagues and the coast lieth south southweast and betweene these twoo are many dry and shallowe places whiche lieth on sea borde .xx. and .xxx. leagues and passing them you shall finde neare the land barres and sholdes which haue vpō them three or foure fadome water of deapth and neare towardes the ende of the sholdes standeth the gulfe of Saint Thome whereunto adioyneth the gulfe of Barrosas And passing those shallow places there lieth cape Formoso that is to say the fayre cape in .xxij. degrees and a halfe and beyng paste the fayre cape there appeareth a gulfe betweene two landes and it seemeth to haue a league in breadth and three or foure in length and at the ende therof is the riuer called Delgado this is a good porte a good coūtrie and good people although that they be naked From this gulfe to Cape Frio that is to say the colde cape are .xvj. leagues cape Frio standeth in .xxiij. degrees and a halfe this cape hath before it an Iland adioyning and the fayre cape an other betwene these other little Ilands From the colde Cape the coast doth turne to the Northweast and by North .xxv. leagues from thence it turneth Northeast other .xx. leagues and maketh the Colde cape lyke to an Iland and betweene him and the lande there is a good gulfe with many small Ilandes in the middest and frō this gulfe vnto the gulfe of the

porte There is from Carta gena to Cenu xxv leagues Carta gena lieth East in ten degrees and a halfe and Cenu towardes the Weast in ix degrees in that of Cenu they make muche Salte the people be strong and warlike they vse bowes and their arrowes be set with poyson Ill men and womē goe naked When any man of great auctoritie dye or any chylde of hys they take their guttes out of their bodies and washe them with certaine thyngs and annoynt them and vpon them they put Cotton wooll died with diuers colours whiche they put againe into the bodie and beyng coloured therwith they put them into a bedde made after the fashiō of the beddes of that countrey and they hang him vp in the house neare to the place where they make their fire and so they keepe him It happened to me that I tooke a towne called Catarapa where we founde more than xx that were hanged after this sort in the houses In this coūtrey of Cenu is much golde in the power of the Indians very fine and it is myngled and hath his foundation of Siluer and there is no parte of it Copper whiche the Indians doe say they bryng from certayne Mountaynes from whence the ryuer of Cenu doth come forth from certayne places that they call Mocri and an other Cubra and an other Cud● and the earth that they haue in those places is somewhat redde and they gather it in riuers valleys and when it rayneth they caste nettes ouerthwart the riuers valleys and as the water increaseth it bringeth graynes of gold as great as an egge they remayne in the nets in this sorte they gather the greatest graynes that which they gather they bring to the towne which is called Cenu being .x. leagnes from the Sea vpō the riuer there they worke it and doe what they will with it I toke an Indian Gentleman prisoner that sayd to me that he had gone to this place three times and had seene it gathered after that sort and also that he himselfe had gathered it This countrey of Cenu hath great store of vittayle growen in the Countrey Their bread and Wyne is made of the meale of Maiz as it is in Carta Gena Likewise there be rootes whereof they make bread as in the Iland of Cuba and Iamaica and the Espanola but it is of another qualitie for that of the Ilandes is naught and if any do eate of it he dyeth as though he had eaten Arnike and also if any beast eate of it or drink of the water that commeth out of it he dyeth And to make bread of it they grate it and after they presse it and when it remayneth as drye as powder they make bread of it and that which groweth in this Citie of Cenu and in all the Countrey heereabout they eate them rawe and rosted for they are very good to be so eaten and of a good sauoure A Protestation I Did require two Indian Gentlemē of Cenu in the behalfe of the King of Castile that they shoulde be subiect to the Kyng of Castile and that he woulde giue them to vnderstande that there was one God alone whyche was three persons in one and did require them that they woulde leaue vnto him that Countrey seeyng that it did apperteyne to hym and if they would liue in it as they were that they should giue to him the obedience as vnto their Lord and also shoulde giue him in token of obedience some thing euery yeare euen so much as they themselues would name and if they would this doe the Kyng would giue them rewards and giftes and helpe against theyr enimies and would put among them learned men Priestes that should shew them that which doth apperteyne to the faith of Christe and if any of them woulde not turne Christians they should not be compelled by force agaynst their willes but they might remayne as they were before and they answered me to that I sayde that there was but one God and this God gouerned the Heauen and the Earth and was Lorde of all It lyked them very well who sayde that they thought it to be true and they sayd that they were Lords of their owne Coūtrey and had no neede of any other Lorde Then I required thē agayne that they should do it not doing it I would make warre agaynst them would take their Towne would kill as many as I tooke or would keepe thē prisoners and sell thē for slaues They aunswered me that first they would put my head vpō a staffe they laboured to do it but they coulde not for we tooke the towne by force although they shotte at vs an infinite nūber of arrowes al poysoned with hearbes wherwith they wounded two of our men and both dyed although their wounds were but small After I tooke prisoner an Indian Gentleman of those w●ich I spake of before that had declared to me of the mines of Vocri whome I founde to be a man of much truth kept his promise in al things And after this sort are all the warres of those Countreys Frō this riuer of Cenu vnto the Gulfe of Vraba are xxv leagues The gulfe of Vraba lieth towards the Weast in .viij. degrees Al this Countrey is full of Mountaynes a naughtye kinde of people they are all Canibals eate mans flesh They vse to shoote with bowes and arrowes which are poysoned Fiue leagues from the Riuer of Cenu towards the West is an Iland called the strōng Iland welnecre a league frō the lande In this Iland is muche salte made and neerer the Gulfe is another called the Tortuga The Gulfe of Vraba hath xiiij leagues of length within the land of breadth in the mouth an entrie .vj. or .vij. leagues farther in fiue and neere the cape foure At the entrie toward the East he hathe certaine sholdes which entreth in more thā two leagues into the Sea athwart of the mouth entrie and they goe welneere ouer the one halfe of the entrie towards the Weast part of the Gulfe And there is fiue leagues within the Gulfe the Darien whych is inhabited with Christiās and there they gather fyne golde in a Riuer that descendeth from certaine high Mountaynes In these Mountaynes be many Tigres Lyons and diuers other beastes and Cattes with lōg tayles and be like to Apes but that they haue great tayles There are also Swyne many great beastes as great as kyne fatte whiche be of a grey couloure and haue their feete like to kyne the head like to a Moyle with long eares their flesh being good to eate There be also many other beastes I toke that Towne which was the first that was taken in that Countrey and I saw all these beasts and it was told me that they had sene Ownees I saw none but I saw a riuer that passeth by the towne of Darien wherein were many Lyzards that were great