nothing they met with for they murther and destroy all things where e're they come Brasile by whom possess'd at present The several Nations that now possess Brasile besides its native Inhabitants are Portuguese English Hollanders Germans and French which the Brasilians by a general Name call Ajuru-juba otherwise they call all Strangers Caraiba or Pero But from the commixing of several Nations proceeds a fifth sort for one that is born of European Parents in Brasile is call'd Mozombo of an European Father and Brasilian Mother Mameluc of an European Father and a Moor Mulatto of a Brasilian and Moor Curiboca or Cabocles of two Negro's Criolo But above all others the Portuguese are the strongest along the Sea-Coast who when first they began to settle on Brasile found great resistance and had not the Natives been at Wars amongst themselves they could never have got so much footing but now they are sufficiently Masters for they have either slain all the old Inhabitants or driven them up into the Inland however the Brasilians are so valiant that they will Encounter a great Army being brought up in the Wars from their Cradle When they Engage one with another they shoot their Arrows exceeding thick Hooting Hollowing and Leaping from one side to the other to shun the Arrows with a wonderful dexterity The Conquerors spare none but kill all and Feast on the slain Bodies but some they hale away Prisoners with a Rope about their Necks to each of whom they allot a young Maid who cherishes and fattens them up for five Moneths at the end of which they make a great Feast and drink to a pitch beyond Sense or Reason having first fill'd their Bellies with the Flesh of the slain Prisoners roasted If the Woman be got with Child by the Slain they imagine that they can take no greater revenge of their Enemy than to devour the Child as soon as it comes into the World but it often happens that the Woman really loving her Husband the Prisoner runs away with him and so bereaves her Friends of a Banquet SECT II. St. Vincent THe continual Wars which the Portuguese have maintain'd against the Brasilians have hindred them from Setling any where but along the Sea-side where their Residences are divided into thirteen Praefectures or Lordships by them call'd Capitanias the Southermost whereof being 1. St. Vincent Places of note in the Praefecture of St. Vincent hath a City of the same Denomination which lies near a River that coming out of the Ocean runs round in the Countrey and so returns into the Sea 2. Sanctos los Leyes which reckons four hundred Houses and three Sugar-Mills Here great Ships take in their Lading in the middle of the City 3. Hitauhacin the most Southern is inhabited by the Portuguese Twelve Leagues from thence up into the Countrey the Jesuits have built the Village St. Paulo near the Gold-Mines that lie in the Mountains extending from East to West thirty Leagues This Village long since containing eighty Houses is inhabited by Brasilians and a mix'd People the Way thither is troublesom over rough Mountains and Ways overgrown with Brambles On the Island Britioga at a sandy Inlet which makes a good Harbor lies a Fort for defence of the Haven St. Vincent and since the English Anno 1582. sunk a Ship there a second Fort hath been built to prevent the coming in up the River yet notwithstanding Captain Thomas Candish ran by both the Forts and burnt St. Vincent but spar'd Sanctos Before the River which washes St. Vincent appears the Island Sebastian pretty large wooddy and well stor'd with Venison It hath wholsom Water good Herbage and a secure Road for Ships against all Winds Farther into the Sea appears the high and rocky Isles Alcatraces as also Victorio des Busires Porto des Castellanos Monte de Frigo Muella and Queimadas The Nature of the Tupinikinsi Natives of St. Vincent The Natives of St. Vincent which are in League with the Portuguese are call'd Tupinikinsi inhabiting the Mountains which extend above twenty eight Leagues up into the Countrey They maintain continual Wars against the Carioes a civiliz'd People and white of Complexion as also against the Cupin-Imbas on the North and a nameless People bordering on Peru. Moreover the Miramumins a very wild People range all the Countrey over but are much lessen'd since the Portugueses Arrival SECT III. Rio de Janeiro First Discovery and Possesion of Rio de Janeiro THe second Lordship Rio de Janeiro formerly by the French call'd Ganabara was discover'd Anno 1515. by Juan Dias de Solis but the French first Setled themselves here forty years after Dias de Solis for setting Sail from Havre de Grace with three well Mann'd Ships Commanded by Nicholas Durandus Villegagnon they arriv'd at Rio Janeiro in November and at the Entrance into the River which is about half a League broad built a woodden Fort of a hundred Foot long and sixty broad and giving it the Name of the French Admiral Coligni put several Guns into the same to secure the Entrance inclos'd on each side by two steep Mountains In the River which is very broad lie several wooddy Isles on one of which near the Fort Coligni Villegagnon Setling himself suffer'd great Inconveniences for want of Water because he durst not Land on the Main for fear of being surpris'd by the Natives Here he stay'd a year and a half in a deplorable Condition when Philip Corguileray and Du Pont set Sail with three Ships from the Haven Honfleurs but they also though they had many Men yet were ill stor'd with Provisions insomuch that Hunger increas'd amongst them daily wherefore Villegagnon return'd home without any farther Exploits Jean Leri who went with Corguileray describes Rio Janeiro after this manner Jean Leri his Description thereof The River saith he lies twenty three Degrees Southward of the Equinoctial Line the Inlet of the Sea twenty fourthousand Paces broad and in some places broader is hemm'd in by hills the Mouth of the Inlet is somewhat dangerous by reason of three rocky Isles beyond the large Bay is a narrow Channel on the left-hand whereof there rises a high Mountain which the French call'd Le Pot de Beure because it resembles a Butter-pot Somewhat farther lies the Rock Ratier where Villegagnon thought to build a Fort but the Water in stormy Weather washing over the Rock he was forc'd to give over his Design Half a League farther is an Island a thousand Paces in length and a hundred and fifty in breadth surrounded with Rocks on which the French resided at each end of the Isle rises a Hill and from the middle a Rock sixty Foot high on the Hill Villegagnon pitcht his Tent till he had built him a handsom House on a Rock the other Houses were built in the Valley Three Leagues and a half farther lies a fruitful Isle nine Miles in circumference inhabited by a salvage People call'd Touoebinambauti there
several People with Sticks on which hung white Cloths some of them came aboard and brought with them what Provisions the Island afforded The Inhabitants barter'd Clappes Pisang Fowls Hogs Mother-of-Pearl Fish-hooks Stone Axes little Stools great Clubs with a black Point as long as a Man's Arm and hooked against Trifles The Hollanders were also stor'd here with fresh Water The People both in Language Habit rud Customs were very like those of the first Island but were not altogether so courteous One of the Southlanders stealing a Half-pike out of the Boat was forc'd by his Companions to restore the same The fore-mention'd Haelbos relates That going ashore with some Soldiers he saw their Houses which he found to be built after a strange manner viz. some of them were round like Towers Wider at top than at bottom and without any Holes for Air but all built close of Canes which were stuck in the Ground other Huts were cover'd with a long Roof of Pisang or Clappes Leaves resting on Posts under which kind of Building Haelbos shelter'd himself against a mighty Shower of Rain found divers young Men and Women sitting on Mats and an old Woman blind through Age lying by them on the Ground and Fanning her self with Pisang Leaves The Men going away signifi'd thereby a kind of Invitation to the Hollanders to go to the Women who not receiving the Entertainment they expected rose altogether on a sudden and Singing Danc'd about the Hollanders The Men had on their Shoulders and Breasts Scars of half an Inch deep and an Inch long upon some of which being fresh and bleeding the Flyes sat They eat after a strange manner for stripping off the outmost Rinds of the Clappes with their Teeth and breaking the hard Shell against their Elbows they pull out the Kernel and eat the same Whatever Flesh-meat they eat they never throughly boyl or roast it but make it onely just warm They sleep on the Ground upon Mats and lay their Heads on a little woodden Cricket with four Feet They take great pride in their Hair and those that have not long Hair of their own use Perukes Tasman steering his Course towards the high Coast that lay before this Island was follow'd by several small Vessels from the adjacent Shore of which some carry'd a Bough of Clappes or Pisang with white Veins at the ends but seeing the Ships Sail from them they threw the same overboard Tasman standing Westerly discover'd three Isles near the last whereof the Sea broke exceedingly which the Hollanders not without great danger had approached in the Night after which they discover'd to Leeward of them a high Coast which extended it self a great way but the Sea went so rough that they durst not venture near the Land besides the Sea went very high on a Bank first ten then five three and a half and again ten fourteen and seven Fathom deep and oftentimes a Man might see the Ground insomuch that they kept out the Boats belonging to the Hemskerk which was in most danger to carry them aboard of the Sea-Cock if the first should chance to split Lastly getting over the Bank they saw very high Land to Windward and many hilly Isles to Leeward the Sea also was full of blind Rocks and Shelves so that they were in danger every hour and the rather because the Wind blew hard every day yet at last losing sight of Land they steer'd their Course Westerly in five Degrees Southward of the Line towards New Guinee On the two and twentieth of March they discover'd low Land full of Woods of tall Trees surrounded with a company of Isles against some of which the Sea brake with great violence insomuch that they were again in great danger especially when they were got amongst eighteen Isles between which the Water being shallow and the Current running very strongly drove the Ships towards the Shore Whilest they were Tacking to and again to get beyond the Shelves a little Vessel carrying a great Weather-cock on her Star-board came from the Shore Row'd by seven Men who sat on Boards which lay over the same they were of a brown Complexion onely girt about with a hairy Girdle made fast on the top of their Heads under their Feet they also wore something in stead of Shoes about their Necks hung Flowers and their Bodies were Painted black Among the seven one who was very fat and whose Head was adorn'd with two Feathers stood up and proffer'd the Seamen two Clappes in return whereof Tasman gave them a Box of Nails and a piece of Sail-cloth which sinking under Water an aged Man div'd for the same and bringing it up gave it to his six Companions who made no shew of thankfulness Their Arms consisted in Bowes and Arrows Their Clappes they call'd Anieuw as the other Islanders had done Sailing from hence they discover'd two low Islands full of Trees and three Leagues from them on their Star-board a high Coast and on the other side a great Island whither they drove with a small Gale approaching the same two very small Boats came towards the Hemskerk the biggest of the two carry'd six Men and the least three all of them very deform'd they went stark naked onely their Yards were ty'd up with a String on their Bellies and about their Arms hung Chains of Mother-of-Pearl they were Coal-black onely red about the Mouth which redness was occasion'd by the chewing of Pisang in their Hair stuck woodden Combs and on their Foreheads green Leaves but in each Boat was one who had a bruised Reed made fast in his Neck like a Plume the biggest Vessel was Painted with strange Shapes of Men and Beasts they us'd red Bowes and Arrows and having call'd to the Seamen they Row'd back again to the Shore which Tasman left a Stern of him and ran between the Main Coast by all suppos'd to be New Guinee and several great Islands that lay scatter'd along before the Main Coast from whence came four small Boats adorn'd with Imagery like Serpents but kept without Gun-shot from the Ships at last one leaping overboard swam to the smallest Boat out of which one swam back in his stead to the other and afterwards came to the Hemskerks side he was a black Man wore Leaves before his Privities and Armlets about his Elbows through the Gristle of his Nose stuck a white Bone Bodkin sharp at the ends and of a Fingers length and about his Neck a String full of Cockle-shells Tasman Sailing on along the Main Coast met with eighteen Boats more the Rowers whereof laid their Oars upon their Heads and not without strange Gestures call'd aloud and invited the Hollanders to come ashore On the Sterns and Heads of these Boats were likewise divers Shapes Painted upon a white Ground in some were two and in others three four and five Men eight of them going into the Hollanders Boats were made Drunk with Arrack These Southlanders went stark naked some onely covering their secret Parts
since found by credible Navigators and therefore we cannot depend on Zeno's Discovery The Ameriecan Tongue is nothing like the Norwegian John de Laet accounts it a great mistake in Grotius that as a testimony of the Americans original out of Norway he compares their Languages He reckons up some Places to be Northward of Panama which end their words with the syllable Lan in stead of Land because the Spaniards have left out the Letter D at the end thereof It is certain that in the Northern America lie Cimatlan Coatlan Guescolan Artlan Quaxutatlan Icatlan Tapatlan Cinacatlan Tenuchitlan Comitlan Metzitlan Guatitlan Necotitlan Curcatatlan Besides that most of these Names are not of Countreys but of Towns and Villages and therefore no ways fitting to have the termination of Land and it is well known that many ny American words end with Lan which signifie nothing less than Land for the Mexicans say Puertatitlan which signifies At the Gate below Ochachitlantzitlan Yet lower Tenoxtitlan this City is also call'd from her Founder Mexis Mexico that is Rests on a Rock Moreover it may not without reason seem strange to any that the Northern Americans have remembred but three Cities out of all the Teutonick Tongue viz. Lan in stead Land Groenland when discovered Concerning Groenland through which the Norwegians are thought to have travell'd to America Lysander witnesseth Serm. 3. Antiq. Daâ—â—â— That it was accidentally discover'd by one Eric Rauder Anno 987. and planted thirteen years after Olaus King of Norway plac'd two Bishops over the new Inhabitants as Substitutes to the Archbishop of Dronthen For four Ages they Sail'd frequently to Groenland but since their King was impoverish'd by War they left off that Trade We find not in any Author that the Norwegians which liv'd along the Sea-shore ever went to seek a Way over the inaccessible Snowy Mountains of Groenland to this our New World Besides Grotius stands for the Norwegians as Planters upon testimony of the Mexicans themselves who told the Spaniards That their Ancestors which planted there came from the North first setling themselves on Estotiland where to this day there are not improbable proofs by several remarks that they were a Norwegian Colony The opinion conceâ—â—â—â— the City Norumbega 〈◊〉 America In the American City Norumbega live a People that speak the same Language and observe the same Customs with the Mexicans In this by-Corner are found also some Alavards or Longobards or Lombards as they say Now the Spaniards call that New Mexico because last discover'd though indeed the old cramm'd with People eight hundred years since for the Mexicans of New Mexico do not lie so far Northerly as to the North-west for this Mexico lies in sight of California which is believ'd to border on Tartary or at least separated from it by a narrow Channel But Norumbega if ever such a Place was must according to the West-Indian Records have been situate where a part of New France lies now planted by the English between which and New Mexico lies an almost unmeasurable vast Tract of Land Mean while here is not the least sign of this City Norumbega to be found neither do the Inhabitants dwell in Cities but live in Tents or moveable Villages which change their Names as oft as their Governors Moreover the Norwegians could not get to this Norumbega by Land through Ysland and Groenland to Estotiland because of the vast Bays and great Midland-Sea discover'd by the English in their North-western Discoveries so that leaving Estotiland it was altogether impossible for them to come to Norumbega Hereto may be added what the Mexicans say of themselves who acknowledge That travelling from the North they did not find an un-inhabited Countrey before them but were forc'd to make their Way by a long and bloody War with the Chichimecen a salvage People Chichimecen that knew neither Laws or Religion The People also dwelling opposite to California differ from the Customs of the Mexicans being divided into several People of contrary Constitutions and as different Languages They are so much inclin'd to Gaming that they venture their Liberty at it Every one is satisfi'd with one Wife except some of the Nobility which oftentimes have more They throw up high Banks in several places to damm out the Sea believe the Immortality of the Soul every one eats at a peculiar Table most of them go naked onely caver their Pudenda with a Cloth some Sacrifice and eat Mans-flesh all which according to Tacitus Pliny Lucan and other Roman Writers was observ'd by the antient Germans from whom those that inhabit between the Norwegian Mountains were extracted These Allegations to make the Norwegians to be the Parents of the Northern Americans John de Laet thus contradicts It no ways follows that one People take original from the other because here and there are several words found that have the same signification and sound in divers Countreys much less when they must either add change or diminish several Letters Moreover there is no small mistake in the compar'd words for Pagod is not us'd all over America the East-Indians about the River Indus call their Idol-Temples Pagod or Pagode the word Guaira is no where us'd in America but by the Peruvians and with them not signifying a Fan but a little Oven neither is Ilama a Lamb for before the coming of the Spaniards thither neither Sheep nor Lambs were ever seen in Peru but a Wool-bearing Beast thus describ'd by Joseph de Acosta A description of the strange Beast Ilama in Peru. Ilama says he a four-footed Creature furnishes its Master with Meat and Clothing and supplies the office of a Beast for Burthens and at no charge for Hay nor Provender well satisfi'd with what he finds in the Ways or Mountains But the Ilama's are of two sorts either woolly or short-hair'd the first go by the Name Pacos the other Moromoro being not much less than a Calf with a long Neck like a Camel but of several colours for some are white some black and others speckled having an odd Look especially when they are ty'd and stand still without any motion staring with goggle-eyes on their Owners Sometimes in a moody humor upon a sudden taking a freak they run up to the top of almost inaccessible Mountains where both the frantick Beast and his Burthen are loft The Pacos sometimes likewise takes sudden Pets and fustian Fits often doing the forward Supersalt tumbling over and over with their Goods and will not be rais'd their moodiness continuing with beating nay though they cut them to pieces but the best way is to sit down by them and wait some hours till their humor being spent they rise again of their own accords These Beasts are much inclin'd to a Disease call'd Carashe or the Mange of which they generally die and because the Disease is very catching they straight bury the infected alive so the better to preserve the rest Grotius also mistakes when
Didacus interpreted the Language in some part agreeing with that of Hispaniola to this effect You have to all admiration come to see this Countrey from another World my advice to you is That you hurt none for the Souls of evil-doers go to dark places But on the contrary they shall enjoy the heighth of all Pleasures that are Friends to Peace Columbus reply'd That he came a Scourge for the cruel Cannibals but a Shield to protect the quiet and well-meaning Indians Great disturbance in Hispaniola After this returning to Hispaniola much contrary to his expectation he found all things which he had setled there turn'd topsie-turvy for first the Governors at Isabella jangled and were at private contentions amongst themselves and the Benedictine Monk Boilus and Peter Margarites were return'd to Spain there to make their complaints at Court and besides the Spaniards had dealt very inhumanely with the Natives by their frequent Rapes Thefts and Murders wherefore the Indians not unjustly incens'd destroy'd all the Spaniards they found stragling in any part without the Lines of their Fortification Caunaboa also lay about the Fort St. Thomas and closely besieged Hoieda but receiving intelligence of Columbus's arrival he broke up his Siege and march'd from thence but soon after was taken Prisoner by the Spaniards Mean while upon Design a Plot none of the wisest the Natives of Hispaniola had neither Till'd or Sow'd the Ground or us'd Agriculture the year before contriving by want of Provisions not considering themselves to starve out the Spaniards but the mischief fell upon the Contrivers for so great a Famine hapned that spreading over the whole Countrey in a few Moneths fifty thousand were starv'd to death but the Spaniards made a saving though hard shift with their own store then though too late the Islanders repented of their folly for they saw the Spaniards making an advantage of their misery not onely built more Houses in their City Isabella but prepar'd their Weather-beaten Vessels with which Sailing to the Gold Mountains of Cipangi on the Hill whence sprung several Fountains they rais'd the Castle of the Conception Great benefit they reap'd by this Fort to which they carry'd daily abundance of Amber Brimstone mix'd Ore of Silver and Gold and Brazile-wood besides great store of Gold and they might have gotten ten times more had they not been so much inclin'd to slothfulness and minding other vain pleasures yet notwithstanding all the Fleet carry'd that year above one thousand two hundred pound weight of Gold to Spain Spaniards tyrannise there In the mean while the Natives complain'd to Columbus of the Spanish Soldiers which under pretence to seek for Gold committed many insufferable Outrages therefore they desir'd that they might be retain'd in their Forts and not straggle so much abroad and they would willingly bring them every three Moneths a certain weight of Cotton Amber Brazile-wood and Gold more than equivalent to what they snatch'd but Columbus whose Soldiers notwithstanding his severity and using Martial Law upon some of them for their Crimes and proud with their success yet prevail'd at last that they consented thereto but the Inhabitants never perform'd their promise who being almost famish'd had much to do to preserve themselves alive spending their time in picking Sallads Whilst the Business remain'd in this ill posture or rather confusion Cibanus Their Conquest Brother to the imprison'd Caunaboa rais'd an Army of five thousand Men the Spaniards divided into five Companies march'd to meet him and their Enemies being naked and having no other Arms than Bowes Arrows and Clubs after some little resistance were soon dissipated and put to flight but overtaken by the Spanish Horse many of them were taken Prisoners and others forc'd to skulk and hide themselves on the tops of Mountains ANGRA op TERCERA Columbus Sails the third time to Hispaniola Whilst all things were thus in disorder at Hispaniola the Admiral Christopher Columbus set Sail a third time with eight Ships from the Haven Barrameda in the Year 1498. To shun the French Pyrates which watched for the Indian Treasures he directed his Course to Madera a fruitful Island of Corn Wine Sugar Wax and Cattel desolate till Anno 1420. Here coming to an Anchor he sent six Ships away to Hispaniola which himself afterwards followed with the remaining two steering by the Flemish Islands or Acores first so call'd from the Flemings the first Planters Here he dropt Anchor before the City Angra on the Isle Tercera which is sixteen Leagues in circumference Description of the City Angra and very Mountainous the tops whereof are like Spires and abound with Grapes the Plain Countrey produces great store of Corn but it will not keep above twelve Moneths The Ground is oftentimes terribly shaken by Earthquakes and between several sulphurous Places both Flames and Smoak ascend up to the Sky Near the City Angra is a Fountain which turns Wood into Stone The Winds in this Place blow so fierce and strong that they not onely beat down Houses but wear out Iron and all manner of Stone-work In Angra the chief Commander of all the Flemish Isles hath his Residence The City surrounded by steep Rocks lies towards the Sea like a Crescent or Half-Moon for at both ends thereof the Mountains extend with deep Points into the Ocean The uppermost part towards the West stands likewise fortifi'd by a high Rock as also by another on the East on both are continual Watches kept whereof those on the first can discover Ships fifteen Leagues off at Sea coming either from the East or West-Indies and on the other all those that come from Europe When they see above fifteen Sail they put out the Kings great Flag upon the top of all the Rock This City of Angra is divided into several Streets the Governor and Archbishop live each in a stately Palace five handsom Churches are no small ornament to it the Sea before it abounds with Fish but are not to be taken in December by reason of the turbulent Waves Christopher Columbus having refresh'd at Angra Sail'd along the African Coast between the Hesperides under the Equinoctial he was so miserably tormented by the Heat that his Vessels seem'd to burn the Hoops sprung from the Casks so that the Water run about the Hold and they could expect nothing but death from the insufferable Heat and want of Water eight days they had endur'd this hardship when they met with a fresh Gale out of the South-East so that they made great Way towards the West On the last of July he discover'd three high Mountains and approaching near the Shore he smelt as in a Posie all the sweet breathings of fragrant Flowers commix'd and at last saw a convenient Haven where going ashore he found cultivated Grounds and steps of Beasts but not a Man appear'd the next day they spy'd a Boat with twenty young Men come rowing from the Shore into the Ocean The Admiral hal'd them in
into a Channel between high and Snowy Mountains whereupon he immediately judg'd as the famous Negromancer Roderick Talerus had often told him that there was the Passage through which the Northern Ocean flow'd into the Southern wherefore he resolutely adventur'd to Sail into those Sraights which in some places narrow and in others broad is an hundred and twenty Leagues long and full of small Isles and dangerous Rocks Whilst he still Sail'd on the Ship call'd Antonio Tacking about return'd to Cadiz But Magellanus enter'd the great South-Sea with three Sail on the 25. of October where the Sea-men suffer'd extremely by excessive Heat Drought and Famine three Moneths and twenty Days without sight of Land And now their Shooes and the Leather which cover'd their Shields began also to grow scarce which before had been counted a Dainty when they discover'd two Islands lying two hundred Leagues distance one from another yet both Desolate and Barren wherefore they were call'd the Unfortunate Isles After that they came amongst a great number of Islands whose Inhabitants were much inclin'd to Thievery for which cause they Denominated them Ladrones the chiefest Island call'd Borneo hath two hundred fifty four Leagues in Circumference whereon a Tree grows whose Leaves when faln off seem to be alive and creep like Worms The King of this Island entertain'd the Spaniards very courteously two Elephants bringing his Presents to them on the Shore out of a City consisting of twenty thousand Houses Near Borneo are two lesser Islands call'd Zubo and Matan The King of Zubo freely submitted himself to the Spaniards Magellanus slain and Magellanus leaving his Fleet at Anchor in the Haven went with his own and other Indian Boats and attended with some of the Zubensers to Matan where setting a Village on Fire he carry'd great Riches from thence This not satisfying he resolv'd within eight days to set upon the Royal Head-City but the King in his own Defence Encountering with Magellanus slew him and seven Spaniards more besides twenty two dangerously wounded those which escap'd by flight got to Zubo Spaniards murdered where being invited to Dinner by the King they were all of them in stead of a second Course Murther'd at Table The occasion of this was out of Revenge because the Spaniards had fall'n too foul upon their Women and Maids Devirginating and forcing them to their Pleasure than which rudeness nothing was among them more Detestable The Sea-men weakned by these Misfortunes were necessitated to burn their third Ship call'd St. Jago but Sailing to the Molucco Islands with the other two they Freighted them both with Cloves with which the Ship Trinitas Sail'd to New-Spain through the South-Sea and the Victoria An end of the Voyage about the world Commanded by John Sebastian de Lano went the same way which the Portuguese us'd and so to St. Lucar de Barrameda near Sivile where he came to Anchor with his Ship and eighteen Men. SECT X. Ferdinando Cortez his Voyage ALthough several Expeditions of the Spaniards to America prov'd very unsuccessful at the first yet they still undertook them afresh and with renewing Courage Ferdinando Sottus Sottus cruelty though he Landed five hundred Men in Florida yet brought no Treasure from thence onely he cut off the Hands of fifteen Princes because they would not discover their Mines of Gold Miserable end of Narvaez Yet far worse success had Pamphilus Narvaez who lost both his Fleet and Men saving onely ten out of six hundred in the River Palma and they also afterwards dy'd there or eat one another to satisfie their raging Hunger Cortez his Voyage But much better was the fortune of Ferdinando Cortez Sailing from Spain to America in the Year 1519. who having the Command given him over ten stout Ships and three Frigats with five hundred Foot and an additional Force of sixteen Horse rais'd by the new Spanish Inhabitants on Cuba with which Forces Landing on the Island Cozumella he prohibited Humane Sacrifice to their Idols and Erected a Cross with the Image of the Virgin Mary in one of their Temples and releas'd Hieronimus Aquilaris after a seven years Slavery Remarkable delivery having suffer'd Shipwrack with Valdivia at which time some that sav'd themselves in the Boat were by the Current in thirty days driven to Jucatan in which time seven dy'd of Hunger the rest going ashore were no sooner Landed but Sacrific'd by the Natives to their Gods or Zemes. Among the six that remain'd yet left alive and to be offer'd after the same manner the next day was this Aquilaris who with his Companions breaking Prison in the following night fled to a Neighboring Prince their Enemy and one that maintain'd a continual War against these Cannibals Strange Battel Here Cortez sent Articles of Peace to Taxmarus the King of the Countrey but he sleighting his proffer came down upon him into the Field with forty thousand Men drawn from the City Potanchanum which contain'd above twenty thousand Houses all built of Stone And indeed the Spaniards had here seen their last day had not Cortez drawn by a seeming advantage the Enemies under his Canon and sent his small Party of Horse to attend the motion of the Rear when so soon as they had fir'd their Canon making great Execution the Front routed and the Rear terrifi'd with the noise and smoke of the Guns they also broke being at the same instant Charg'd with the Horse which were so terrible to them that never saw Horses nor such Service on Horseback before that in a short time the whole Body of so great an Army was utterly dissipated and the triumphing Conquerors took possession of the empty City Potanchanum Potanchanum a City where Solacing they staid a whole Moneth Then from hence they Sail'd to Colvaca where upon the request of the Natives they settled a Colony Amongst the Presents which were there given to the Spaniards were some of their own Volumes Colvacana Books of what fasahion as also their Temples Books whose Leaves were made of the innermost Rind of a Tree and a kind of Paste made of their Meal glew'd together the Characters stood at some distance one after another rang'd like our Christ-Cross Row or A B C. Here Cortez was amaz'd to behold their stately Temples the Floors whereof were cover'd with Embroyder'd Tapestry beset with Precious Stones to which great multitudes flock'd being very zealous to perform their Devotions When their Seed is put into the Ground or come to its full growth they offer young Children to their Zemez richly Cloth'd having been fatten'd some Weeks before When they want Children they kill their Slaves and in default of them they pacifie them with Dogs Strange Sacrifices The Victims that go to be Sacrific'd they Worship with all Adoration Bowing and Congying before them Strange Idol-Worship Their Zeal in this their Idol-Worship may appear from a strange Custom observ'd by them when
inform'd of his just Pretences to all that Usurp'd Territory call'd New Netherland the same having been formerly part of New England and of how great prejudice to the Act of Navigation and how dangerous Intruders the Dutchmen are generally upon other Princes Dominions what mischief might ensue to all our English Plantations in time of War if the Dutch were permitted to strengthen themselves in the very heart of His Majesties Dominions being Masters of one of the most commodious Ports and Rivers in America His Majesty resolv'd to seize upon the same as his undoubted Right and in May 1664. having design'd four Commissioners to the perfecting of Affairs in New England Collonel Richard Nichols Sir Robert Carr George Cartwnight and Samuel Mawrick Esquires with three Ships of War to convey them to Boston The matter was so order'd that the same Ships serv'd for the reducing of the Town and Fort of New Amsterdam upon conditions advantageous to His Majesty and easie to the Dutch Now begins New Netherland to lose the Name for His Majesty having conferr'd by Patent upon his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany all the Acquisitions made upon Foraigners together with long-Long-Island the West end whereof was wholly setled and Peopled by Dutch-men his Royal Highness impower'd by Commission as his Deputy-Governor Colonel Nichols Groom of his Bed-chamber to take the Charge and Direction of Reducing and Governing all those Territories it was by him thought fit to change some principal denominations of Places viz. New Netherland into York-shire New Amsterdam into New York Fort-Amscel into Fort-James Fort-Orange into Fort-Albany and withal to change Burgomasters Schepen and Schout into Mayor Aldermen and Sheriff with Justices of the Peace so that all the Civil Policy is conformable to the Methods and Practise of England whereas New England retains only the name of Constable in their whole Rolls of Civil Officers It is plac'd upon the neck of the Island Manhatans looking towards the Sea encompass'd with Hudson's River which is six Miles broad the Town is compact and oval with very fair Streets and several good Houses the rest are built much after the manner of Holland to the number of about four hundred Houses which in those parts are held considerable Upon one side of the Town is James-Fort capable to lodge three hundred Souldiers and Officers it hath four Bastions forty Pieces of Cannon mounted the Walls of Stone lin'd with a thick Rampart of Earth well accommodated with a Spring of fresh Water always furnish'd with Arms and Ammunition against Accidents Distant from the Sea seven Leagues it affords a safe Entrance even to unskilful Pilots under the Town side Ships of any Burthen may Ride secure against any Storms the Current of the River being broken by the interposition of a small Island which lies a Mile distant from the Town About ten Miles from New York is a Place call'd Hell-Gate which being a narrow Passage there runneth a violent Stream both upon Flood and Ebb and in the middle lie some Rocky Islands which the Current sets so violently upon that it threatens present Shipwrack and upon the Flood is a large Whirlwind which continually sends forth a hideous roaring enough to affright any Stranger from passing farther and to wait for some Charon to conduct him through yet to those that are well acquainted little or no danger It is a place of great Defence against any Enemy coming in that way which a small Forticfiation would absolutely prevent and necessitate them to come in at the West end of Long-Island by Sandy Hook where Nutten Island forces them within the Command of the Fort at New York which is one of the best Pieces of Defence in the North parts of America It is built most of Brick and Stone and cover'd with red and black Tyle and the Land being high it gives at a distance a pleasing prospect to the Spectators The Inhabitants consist most of English and Dutch and have a considerable Trade with Indians for Beaver Otter and Rackoon-Skins with other Furrs as also for Bear Deer and Elke-Skins and are supply'd with Venison and Fowl in the Winter and Fish in the Summer by the Indians which they buy at an easie Rate and having the Countrey round about them they are continually furnish'd with all such Provisions as is needful for the Life of Man not onely by the English and Dutch within their own but likewise by the adjacent Colonies Manhattans River The Manhattans or Great River being the chiefest having with two wide Mouths wash'd the mighty Island Watouwaks falls into the Ocean The Southern Mouth is call'd Port May or Godyns Bay In the middle thereof lies an Island call'd The States Island and a little higher the Manhattans so call'd from the Natives which on the East side of the River dwell on the Main Continent They are a cruel People and Enemies to the Hollanders as also of the Sanhikans which reside on the Western Shore Farther up are the Makwaes and Mahikans which continually War one against another In like manner all the Inhabitants on the West side of the River Manhattan are commonly at Enmity with those that possess the Eastern Shore who also us'd to be at variance with the Hollanders when as the other People Westward kept good Correspondency with them On a small Island near the Shore of the Makwaes lay formerly a Fort provided with two Drakes and eleven Stone Guns yet was at last deserted Wholesom Waters This Countrey hath many removable Water-falls descending from steep Rocks large Creeks and Harbors fresh Lakes and Rivulets pleasant Fountains and Springs some of which boyl in the Winter and are cold and delightful to drink in Summer The Inhabitants never receive any damage by Deluges neither from the Sea because the Water rises not above a Foot nor by the swelling Rivers which sometimes for a few days covering the Plains at their deserting them leave them fat and fruitful The Sea-Coast is Hilly and of a sandy and clayie Soil which produces abundance of Herbs and Trees The Oak grows there generally sixty or seventy Foot high Trees and for the most part free from Knots which makes it the better fit for Shipping The Nut-trees afford good Fuel and a strange Prospect when the Wood is set on fire either to hunt out a Deer or to clear the Ground fit to be Till'd Some Plants brought hither grow better than in Holland it self as Apples Pears Cherries Peaches Apricocks Strawberries and the like Their Vines grow wild in most places and bear abundance of blue white Vines and Muskadine Grapes Sometime since the Inhabitants made a considerable advantage by the Wine of them which is not inferior to either Rhenish or French Water Lemmmons All manner of Plants known in Europe grow in their Gardens The Water-Lemmons no less pleasing to the Palate than healthful when grown ripe they are about the bigness of an indifferent Cabbage the English press
which stood on the Altar to the Priests Cells who by that time were to have Fasted five days this done the People came all to the Temple again to be present at the end of the Feast then a Slave who had represented the Idol a whole year appear'd to whom every one having shew'd Reverence the chief Priest cutting open his Breast tore the Slave's Heart reaking out of his Body and shew'd it to the Sun then the Consecrated Youths and Maids made a great noise with Drumming Singing and Dancing about the Body till Sun-set after which the Virgins going up to the upper Chappel plac'd Bread and Fruit made up like dead Mens Bones and Heads before the Idol where after it had stood a little while the Servants went up and fetch'd it down whilst the Youths and Maids went to their several Cloysters Much after the same manner and with such like brutish Ceremonies not worth mentioning was also celebrated the Feast of Quetzatcoalt In the inner part of the Temple stood a Stage on which upon Festival Days the People Acted Drolls in which they sometimes feign'd themselves deaf blind lame and the like and begg'd to be cur'd of their Idols sometimes were dress'd like Serpents Adders Crocodiles or other ravenous Beasts in which postures they fought one with another Computation of Time amongst the Mexicans Those Feasts were all kept on certain times according to the Mexican Almanack in which the Year was divided into eight Moneths and each Moneth into forty five Days which together made three hundred and sixty The five remaining Days to compleat the Year they kept apart on which all Affairs whatsoever were laid aside as Selling Buying Offerings c. nothing else being thought on but Feasting one another for the passing away of the time The first Day of their Year was on the twenty sixth of February Each Moneth had a peculiar Name and Sign Moreover they divided the Year into four parts by as many Representations viz. a House a Rabbet a Cane and a Flint to strike Fire with and Figur'd it out by a Wheel with four Spikes jutting out round about it colour'd green red blue and yellow and in the middle thereof a Sun each Spike signifi'd thirteen years wherefore it had thirteen Divisions distinguish'd by the four fore-mention'd Representations At each Division of the Wheel they set down what remarkable things should happen that year by certain Characters as a Man in red Apparel typifi'd that Year when Ferdinand Cortesius clad in Red conquer'd Mexico When the Wheel was fill'd with fifty two years Prognostication then on the last Night they broke all their Pots and Vessels in pieces and blew out their Candles because they believ'd that at the end of the said fifty two years the World would be at an end and therefore they had no need of Housholdstuff or ought else But so soon as the Day appear'd again they play'd on Pipes Trumpets and Drums rejoycing that God had deferr'd the destruction of the World fifty two years longer then they bought new Utensils and Candles and made solemn Processions Art of Writing Concerning the Art of Writing amongst the Inhabitants of New Spain Joseph Acosta tells us That some old Books containing ancient Passages the Course of the Heavens nature of Beasts and Plants were found in Jucatan according to the Relation of a Learned Indian but were all burnt by Command of a Spanish Bishop because he suppos'd them to be full of Matter touching the Black Art Their Histories they describ'd with the Representations of the Things Rhetorick and Poetry the Children were taught by Rote in the Schools so that they never forgot what they had once learnt But at present they use Spanish Letters or Characters Ancient Government Moreover the Government of Mexico hath ever been kept in a good Order the King's Power being exactly limited that nothing might be lost of the common Priviledges The fourth King Icoath made Earls who next to the Lords of Tezcuco and Tacuba had right to the Crown which was like a Mitre turn'd up behind and rising before with a Point According as they increas'd in Power so they advanc'd in Royal Dignity in which Muteczuma the Second exceeded all others And to manifest his splendor his House for all sorts of Creatures and many other things might serve for a sufficient testimony for in it he kept Sea-Fish in salt Water River-Fish in fresh Water and all manner of Beasts in peculiar places The Birds were kept in great Aviaries surrounded with golden Rails Next to the Kings follow'd four Earls call'd Atlacohecalcatl which signifies Princes of the Throne Launces a Weapon much us'd amongst the Mexicans The next in Degree were the Tlacatecatl or Man-cleavers Esauahuacatl or Blood-shedders Tsallancalqui or Lords of Blackness without all which the King durst not take any Business in hand High and lesser Courts of Judicatory where Matters of Life and Death were try'd were in most Cities and other Courts also for petty Quarrels Controversies and the like The Collectors brought their Revenues to the Court every Moneth The chief thing which preferr'd both Rich and Poor to Places of Honor consisted in Valour and heroick Exploits Their Arms were chiefly sharp pieces of Flint made fast to a Stick with which they could at one Blow chop off a Horses Head They also us'd Pikes Clubs and Lances and sometimes Slings For defensive Armour they had Helmets and Shields made of Tygers Leopards and Lyons Skins They always fell upon their Enemies unawares their Design being generally to take Prisoners rather than to kill them for they reserv'd them for Offerings to their Idols Muteczuma made several Commanders over his Armies giving them a Power one above the other which were to be distinguish'd by several Marks for the chiefest ty'd the Hair on the top of their Heads with a red String betwixt which stuck a brave Plume of Feathers at the end whereof hung as many Tassels as they had done noble Exploits To this Order belong'd also the King who wore one of the same Marks with which King Muteczuma and his Son stand Carv'd on a Rock The Ayulas or The Order of the Eagle consisted of valiant Men. The Grey Knights were of less Quality and wore Collars which reach'd up to their Ears the lower part of their Body being naked Persons of greater Dignity when going to the War were Arm'd from Head to Foot Which Order was also permitted to wear Cotton-Clothes and Shoes richly embroider'd with Gold and Silver they us'd painted Vessels and had Lodgings provided for them at Court Their Education of Youth Moreover it is worthy of obesrvation what great care the Mexicans took in the bringing up of their Children to which purpose they had Schools near to their Temples in which Youth was taught to Sing Dance Morality Obedience and also Martial Discipline Children of noble Extract had Learned Men for their Tutors Their Punishments for Transgressions were very severe the
who was taken there in the Year 1665. which will give light to the knowledge of the present State not onely of Cuba but of some other parts of America belonging to the Spaniards which is as followeth Maj. Smith's Letter concerning Cuba and other Parts CUba is a very good Island and in it is generally the best Land for so large a Countrey as I have seen in America although I have travell'd the main Continent in several places and have cross'd from the North Sea to the South Sea as also the North side of Hispaniola and most parts of Jamaica Novissima et Accuratissima JAMAICAE DESCRIPTIO per JOHANNEM OGIâ—UIUM Cosmographum Regum I have seen other parts of the West-Indies where the Spaniards might be fleec'd of considerable quantities of Riches as at Panama where their Silver Bars lie pyl'd up in Heaps in the open Streets Day and Night without Guard for five or six Moneths together waiting the arrival of the Armado which when arriv'd in Puerto Bello they Transport it thither with so slender a Guard for so great a Treasure as would be an easie Prey to a thousand resolv'd Men although of extraordinary value for so small a Charge but here is no resting nor long remaining they being so numerous as in all other places of the main Land though of great Wealth and easily gotten with a Catch and away But to my purpose This Island of Cuba hath adjacent to it great Conveniences of Salt and Fishing and in it are very great plenty of Horses Neat Sheep and Hogs both wild and tame of a far larger and better breed than any other parts of America It hath also many very rich Mines of Copper already open and is the onely Place that supplies all the West-Indies with Metal for the infinite number of Ordnance they have in all their Ports and Castles both in the North and South Seas but whether it hath any Mines of Silver or Gold I know not but if there were any such they would not adventure their opening and discovery fearing the Invasion of that Island whereunto is so easie access by Sea and of so great import to their whole Interest in America for which reason also they refuse to work any Mines in Florida that are nigh the North Sea although they have there very many but do rather employ themselves about others farther up in the Countrey although with greater Labor and Cost for conveyance of the Product by Land to Mexico And lastly for its full praise this Island hath many very good Ports and Harbors of great advantage to Ships for safe passing the Gulf and should the Spaniards keep three or four Frigats always plying between the Western end of Cuba and that of Havana off and on it were impossible for any Ships of ours that came from Jamaica to escape them the Scales turn'd would be their Case to all America Neither wants it great Sugar-works which have Water-mills and Horse-mills and very many large Cocoa Walks the most and best Tobacco and in short it produceth all other Commodities that any of our American Islands have knowledge of CHAP. XVI Jamaica Situation and Extent of Jamaica THe Island of Jamaica lieth North from the Southern Continent of America in the Sea call'd Mare del Nort and South from the Isle of Cuba about twelve Leagues and West from Hispaniola twenty in eighteen Degrees of Northern Latitude and beareth from Rio de Hacha North-West a hundred and fifty Leagues from Santa Martha North North-West a hundred and thirty five from Rio Grande North-West a hundred and thirty from Carthagena North fourteen from Porto Bello North-East and by North a hundred and ninety from the Bay of Darien North and by East a hundred and seventy from the Bay of Mexico a hundred and fifty It is of Form something nearly resembling oval being in length from East to West about fifty four Leagues or a hundred and seventy Miles from North to South in the broadest and middlemost part about three and twenty Leagues or seventy Miles over and so groweth narrower and narrower towards each Extream in circumference about one hundred and fifty Leagues or four hundred and fifty English Miles Nature of the Countrey This Island is well water'd with Springs and Rivers and is all over especially in the Western parts full of high Hills and Mountains It is also well Wooded for the North and South parts chiefly abound with tall and large Woods Nor are there wanting every where Savanas or Pastures which are thought to have been Fields of Indian Maiz till the Spaniards arriving here brought in Horses Cows Hogs and Asinego 's to feed Temperature of the Air. The Air in this Place is more temperate and the Heat more tolerable than in any of the rest of the Barloventi by reason of the cool Breezes which constantly blow from the East and the frequency of Showers of Rain and refreshing Dews which fall in the Night This is also the onely Island of the Barloventi which is not subject to violent Storms and Hurricanes and the Diseases which are predominant here are onely bred by Intemperance as Surfets Feavers and Agues or occasion'd by ill Diet or Slothfulness Commodities of the Island The Commodities of this Island are very many and first for Vegetables the Sugars are so good that they now out-sell those of Barbado's 5 s. per Cent. Cocoa of which there are many large Walks and greater plenty by improvement may easily be produc'd Tobacco so good that the Merchants give Six pence a Pound for it and buy it faster than the Planters can make it Indigo is producible in great abundance if there were Hands sufficient employ'd about it The Cotton of this Place is accounted very firm and substantial and preferr'd before any that grows in the neighboring Islands Of Tortoise-shell there is also good store by reason that much of that sort of Tortoise is taken on this Coast Here are also great variety of Dye-woods as Brasiletto Fustwick Red-wood a kind of Log-wood and several others besides divers of those that are accounted the most curious and rich sorts of Woods as Cedar Mohogeney Lignum-vitae Ebony Granadilla and others which are frequently Exported Moreover there are very probable testimonies that there are Mines of Copper here since both there have been those who affirm to have seen the Oar wrought out of one of them and the Spaniards report the Bells that hang in the great Church to have been Cast out of this Island Copper As for Silver the English are said to have been shew'd a Silver-Mine behind the Mountains West of Cagway Ambergreece the Spaniards report to have been often found on this Coast Salt might be made here in great abundance there being three good Salt-pans and Salt-petre hath been found in many Parts Ginger is reported to grow better here than in most of the Caribbee Islands and Cod-pepper very plentifully and also a certain kind of
divided it into five Wards separated from that part of the Isle which was inhabited by the antient Natives Each Ward hath a Church or at least a Chappel Armory Store-houses and Dwelling-houses like an intire Village The first Ward is call'd Pyloot from a Caribbeean Captain who was very familiar with Du Parquet and inform'd him of his Peoples Designs The second nam'd Capot is wash'd by a River of the same Denomination and hath many fruitful Plains The third retains the Caribbeean Name being Carbet signifying a Publick Structure to which they us'd to resort to Feast or hold Councils of War not far from which the Governor dwelt in a Stone House Near the Harbor stood also an Armory in a Valley water'd by a fresh River which falls out of the Mountains shaded with Trees and Gardens full of Rarities But since the Governor gave this and many other fair Buildings to the Jesuits he remov'd to the fourth Ward call'd St. Peter where he built a Castle and furnish'd the same with Brass and Iron Guns to defend the Harbor A Stones-throw from the Governor's House lies the Jesuits Cloyster on the Banks of a pleasant Stream built very artificially of Marble and Free-stone and having a pleasant Prospect over the River and adjacent Gardens beautifi'd with the choicest of Flowers Fruits and Trees and also a Vineyard out of which they press a considerable quantity of Wine The last Ward call'd Preacheur extends East and West some parts whereof swell into high Mountains at the Feet whereof stand fair Structures others sink into low Valleys or Savannas Novissima et Acuratissima BARBADOS DESCRIPTIO per JOHANNEM OGILUIUM Cosm ographum Regium The Mahot-Tree Between the French Settlements and the Caribbeeans runs an Arm of the Sea along whose Shores grows abundance of the Mahot-Tree which is full of Boughs from the top down to the Ground The Bark of this Tree serves in stead of Ropes and is also us'd to tie up Tobacco the Wood it self is durable and good for Building wherefore most of the Houses built on Hills are of this Timber The best Harbor for Ships is between the Wards Carbet and St. Peter defended from the Winds by high Hills The Diamond Not far from the Inlet of the Salt-pits appears about half a League off at Sea a Rock call'd The Diamond being a Receptacle for an innumerable multitude of Birds and especially wild Pigeons Besides the Streams that in the rainy Seasons run through the Dales and Savana's there are ten Rivers which falling from the Mountains glide through the Valleys into the Sea Sometimes they swell in such a manner that over-flowing their Banks they wash down the Trees and Houses which Inconvenience hath taught the French to build their Houses on Hills or rising Grounds The good Situation of this Island hath invited many Families thither SECT XXII St. Lucia Situation of St. Lucia ST Lucia by the French Alouzie is so call'd because it was discover'd on the thirteenth of December Dedicated in the Kalendar to the Virgin Martyr Lucia who was burnt at Syracuse It lies Southerly from Dominico at thirteen Degrees and forty Minutes and is ken'd at a great distance by two fiery Mountains the most Easterly of which is higher than the other At the Feet of these two Mountains lie pleasant Valleys shadow'd by close Woods and moistned by clear Springs near which heretofore a small number of Caribbeeans dwelling maintain'd themselves with Fishing they went stark naked and painted their Bodies with red Oker and drew a Vermilion Stroke from their Ears to their Noses An English Ship sent to Guinee to supply the Plantations there Landed sixty six mutinous Persons here who were all kill'd by the Inhabitants but when Henry Jacobson Lucifer putting into the Bay of Lucia to Water there Anno 1627. Landed to discover the Island he found neither Man nor House nor any thing but a barren Soil yet notwithstanding Du Parquet sent his Deputy Rosselan with a Colony to Plant in this Island SECT XXIII Barbados Situation of Barbados THe Island Barbados which was Planted by the English Anno 1627. lies between thirteen and fourteen Degrees and hath twenty five Leagues in circumference and somewhat more in length than breadth and is supply'd with a fresh-Water River and several Pools The Ground being fruitful in the producing of Tobacco Cotton Ginger and especially Sugar invited many People to Settle there insomuch that in a short time it could shew twenty thousand Inhabitants besides Negro Slaves The Trees which grow on this Island are not onely delightful but profitable amongst which the Roucou is one with sharp Leaves white Carnation Flowers like Stars which hang by Clusters at the end of the Boughs and after a while turn to a Cod full of vermilion Kernels The Juice dry'd in the Sun and kneaded into Balls is of a great value Of the Bark of this Tree they make strong Ropes and the Root is very wholsom and of a pleasant taste The Fly Cayouyou Moreover amongst the Insects that breed here there are a sort of Flyes worthy of a short Description the Caribbeeans call them Cayouyou being about the bigness of a Beetle they have two strong Wings and under them thinner which they never spread abroad but when they flye and then they carry such a lustre in them that they give as much Light in the Night as a lighted Candle their Eyes also at the same time glittering like Fire making no noise when they flye they feed on the Juice of Flowers and are so smooth that they are very apt to slip through ones Fingers and when they find themselves to be taken they hide their glittering Wings under the other The Indians tie these Flies to their Hands and Feet so to have the benefit of their Light in the Night and anoint their Bodies all over at certain Solemnities wherein Candles are forbidden with the Juice squeez'd out of them which causes them to shine like a Flame of Fire They catch them with a piece of Wood which they move in the Air whereupon the Flyes going to sit are taken with a Hat but their Light vanishes if they are kill'd But as to what may farther be added concerning this Island being one of the chief of our Plantations we cannot better satisfie the curiosity of those who desire a true Information of all things that concern that Place than by inserting verbatim a Letter from an intelligent Person who hath been long resident there viz. Colonel Robert Rich of no older Date than May 31. 1670. by which the present State and Condition of the Island the Buildings and other Improvements made there by the Planters since they first possess'd it in what Commodities of the Growth of the Countrey their chief Trade consists their Strength Militia Government and flourishing Commerce and what-ever else is material to be imparted may be clearly understood SIR Colonel Rich his Description of the Barbados I
besides Brandy and English Spirits but of these latter now no great quantities Imported or spent by reason of the general use of the Spirit of Sugar-Cane call'd Rum which the meaner sort as Servants and Slaves do not onely drink in great abundance but much also is hence Transported into Virginia Bermudas and New-England Here is also Imported great store of Provisions of all sorts viz. Beef Pork Fish c. from Ireland New-England Virginia Bermudas New-found Land c. also Pease Flour Butter Cheese and Bisquet likewise Timber Boards Pipe and Hogshead Staves c. also Negro-Slaves from Guinee and live Cattel as Bulls Cows Asinego 's and Horses from the Cape de Verd Island New-England and from England Servants and all other Commodities for Plantations and for Apparel of all which great quantities are hither brought and sold The Shipping that comes to Trade to this Island belongs generally to England some few Vessels are here built and pass to and fro to the Leeward Islands and some belong to New-England Bermudas c. The number of Vessels which come hither to Trade in one year is found upon search to be about two hundred of all sorts some years more some less as Ketches Sloops Barques c. containing in Burthen fifteen thousand five hundred and five Tun according as they were here Entred which is at the least a third part less than their true Burthen by reason every Ship pays one pound of Powder per Tun the means ordain'd by this Country for storing the Magazine the greatest part of which Ships re-load with Sugars for England and many go for New-England Bermudas Virginia Tangier c. not always full loaden with this Countreys Growth The usual Rate for Tunnage from hence to London is from 4 l. to 5 l. per Tun sometime when Ships are very plentiful it is at 3 l. and less and at other times when scarce from 6 l. to 7 l. in the late War with the Dutch it was at 10. 11. and 12 l. per Tun. The Government is Constituted by the Laws of England and Laws not repugnant to them onely some particular Laws are here made proper for this Place by the Governor or Deputy and his Council which usually are from seven to twelve in number and an Assembly that consists of twenty two Persons chosen by the Free-holders two out of every Parish SECT XXIV St. Vincent Situation of St. Vincent THe Island of St. Vincent South-West from St. Lucia and having sixteen Degrees of North-Latitude was so call'd by the Spaniards as having discover'd it on that Saint's Day being the fifth of April It is accounted eight Leagues long and six broad and rises round about with high Grounds and several Mountains which are seen at a great distance This Island hath a very fruitful Soil and for the bigness of it hath been long since well peopled with Caribbeeans before the arrival of the Spaniards possessing here several Villages to whom they are still sworn Enemies but Truck'd with the Hollanders for Provisions Horns Axes Knives and other Trifles At the West and South sides are convenient Bays to lie at Anchor and take Water in The Fruit Momen The Inhabitants highly esteem the Momen growing to the bigness of an Apple-Tree the Fruit which it bears resembles a green Cucumber and is of a pleasant Juice the Skin always green and prickly the Seed which is in the same about the bigness of a French Bean is generally black and streak'd with Golden-colour'd Veins The Granadilla Here is also that Plant mention'd elsewhere by the Spaniard call'd Granadilla by the Dutch Rhang-Apple and La Fleur de la Passion by the French and it is so call'd as being fancied to represent the thorny Crown of our Saviour together with the Cross Nails Hammer and Pillar the Plant runs along the Ground unless it meet with a Pole by which it runs up SECT XXV Bekia Situation of Bekia NOt far from St. Vincent lies the Island Bekia which reckons twelves Leagues in circumference and lies at twelve Degrees and twelve Scruples of Northern Latitude It hath a secure Harbor against all Winds but because it is without fresh Water is is onely frequented by the Caribbeeans that dwell on St. Vincent who come hither to Fish and visit certain little Gardens which they have there for their pleasure The Soil produces store of Water-melons whose red juicy Pulp yields when squeez'd a great quantity of sweet Liquor which is very refreshing and good to create an Appetite their white Flowers notch'd at the end of the Leaves afford a delightful smell Anno 1633. Captain John Johnson Van Hoorn putting in to Bekia to catch Tortoises found a fine Inlet on the West and Eastward a Ridge of Rocks Cotton growing wild in the Fields and upon the Shore a kind of Snails call'd Burgun under whose first Shell appear'd another of a Silver colour with black Specks SECT XXVI Granada Situation of Granada GRanada lying at twelve Degrees and sixteen Scruples like a Half-moon from the North to the South is full of Woods Towards the South-West runs a fresh River into the Sea The Shore very low affords good Anchorage at twelve Leagues distance The Current grows exceeding strong here and the Water also ebbs and flows in a few hours Dirick Simonszoon Witgeest Sailing from Tobago was amaz'd to see with what force the Current drove him to Granada The French possess it Hither Du Parquet at his own Charge sent three hundred Men from Martinico who scuffled with the Inhabitants six Moneths before they could possess the same in Peace and scarce had they obtain'd it at last but by telling them that the French Assistance would be very advantageous unto them against the Arovages The Duke Seryllac in Paris inform'd of the Fertility of this Island bought it of Du Parquet for a considerable Sum of Money And inded Granada is none of the meanest of the Caribbees the Soil producing very good both Fruit and Timber-Trees amongst which is the Latine-Tree of a tall Body but ordinary thickness and in stead of Boughs hang Leaves like Fans in long Stalks which being ty'd together serve for Roofs of Houses There is also the Tree Cocoa which yet grows not so high here as in other parts of the West-Indies SECT XXVII Tabago Situation of Tabago THe next which comes in view is Tabago so call'd as some think from the quantity of that Drug there Planted eight Leagues long and four broad lying in the eleventh Degree and sixteen Minutes of Northern Latitude and hath many high Mountains full of Wood out of which glide eighteen Streams which watering the Plains fall into the Sea Captain Vitgeest coming to an Anchor here found a convenient Inlet on the East and fresh Water to fill his Casks Half a League from the Shore rise five Rocks through which he Sail'd with his Ships Within the Cliff opens a Bay into which runs a River well stor'd
occasion great Cold and in Harvest and October it Rains exceedingly whereas at other times it is very dry Weather and the Winds blow generally out of the East or North-East yet the Land-Breezes coming out of the West bring sometimes Rains with them From the Mountains which are stony and barren fall many Brooks and Rivers which water divers Plains the Grass and other Plants of which are often blasted by violent Storms nevertheless Oranges Lemmons Granates and all sorts of Spanish Garden Fruits grow here in great plenty The Woods afford likewise Pigeons Partridges Venison and the like the Rivers all manner of Fish which are seen to swim in great numbers twenty Yards under the Water especially in the Haven St. Martha near which formerly liv'd many Fisher men who with Nets made of tough Twigs pleited together caught such plenty of Fish that they furnish'd all their Neighbors The High-ways are made dangerous by Lyons Tygers and Bears Great plenty of Precious Stones in these Parts The Countrey Buritaca affords the Inhabitants Gold Tairona excellent Stones against Bleeding and the Gravel Jasper Porphyr and Gold the Valley Tunia many rich Emeraulds which Stones us'd to be in great esteem before America produc'd such great numbers of them Acosta relates That a Spaniard desiring to know the Price of an Emerauld shew'd two to an Italian Jeweller who valu'd the one at a hundred the other at three hundred Ducats but soon after seeing a Chest full of them said they were scare worth a Ducat apiece and that the Sute which the Roman Lady wore being beset with Emeraulds and valu'd at four hundred thousand Ducats would not sell now for half so much This Stone or Jewel exceedingly fortifies the Sight wherefore the Emperor Nero represented the bloody Encounters of Fencers in an Emerauld It is also judg'd to be good against the Falling-sickness wherefore the Indians hang them in their Noses to this day and adorn their Idols with them they grow in stony Rocks along Veins not unlike Crystal and in time obtain a glittering Greenness the biggest of them that are found in this Age are most esteem'd of in Genua The Emerauld Pillar which as a wonderful Ornament stood in Hercules's Temple in the City of Tyrus being very famous amongst the Antients was without doubt no more than a green Stone and perhaps of the same Material was the Pillar erected by the Arabian King Miramamolines in the Cathedral at Corduba But the great fame of these Emeraulds incited Gonzalvez Zimenes Governor of St. Martha to leave his Place and seek for them to which end he Sail'd up the Rivulet Gayra with two Ketches and forty five Spaniards who meeting with the Casique Bagotta got much Gold of him and afterwards went to the Valley Tessuca of which Simandoca being Governor conducted Ximenez twenty three Leagues farther to an Emerauld Rock from whence he return'd exceedingly enriched the rumor of which spreading up and down made several travel thither amongst whom was Peter di Lugo Governor of Terra Firma who sending for Aid from Carthagena fought his way to Bagotta who resisted him for some time till at last being defeated he made Peace with them for a considerable quantity of Gold Peter di Lugo his Treachery to the Natives which when Peter di Lugo had receiv'd not regarding his Word he plunder'd all the Countrey and having committed all imaginable Cruelties on the Natives return'd home with an invaluable Mass of Gold and Emeraulds to St. Martha The Welsares Journey Not long after the Welsares German Knights came from Venezuela which City the Emperor Charles the Fifth Morgag'd to them Anno 1518. and travell'd through the snowy Mountains of St. Martha with Indian Guides whose Instructions following they digg'd many Emeraulds out of the Valley Funia the Inhabitants of which affrighted at the sight of the Strangers hang'd themselves out of despair though naturally valiant and ingenious in working in Tapestry the shapes of Tygers Lyons and other Beasts and painting on the Walls of their Houses variety of Figures of divers colours covering their Floors with Mats neatly pleited of Rushes They fed on Fish Venison and Mans-flesh and also on the Roots Agies tasting like Chesnuts Yuca Maiz Batata and Cassada Chief Cities and Places of note The chief Cities and Places of principal note in this Province are 1. St. Martha which gives Denomination to the whole Province it stands built at the North Sea which makes a large and convenient Harbor being defended from the Winds by high Mountains and two Isles is a Bishop's See and hath a large Cathedral The Houses built of Canes are cover'd with Palmito-Trees and some with woodden Shingles The Haven hath neither Fort nor Castle to defend it because there is no Trade but with the Indians which bring Earthen Ware and Cotton Clothes to sell and because the Spanish Ships seldom come hither the Place is much gone to decay and the more because it is no way defended against any Assault of an Enemy which the French and afterwards the English under the Command of Sir Francis Drake and the following Year under Captain Anthony Shirley took advantage of and plunder'd and burnt the City 2. Teneriff built on the Banks of the River Magdalena forty Leagues from St. Martha 3. Tamalameque otherwise call'd Villa de las Palmas twenty Leagues South of Teneriff lying on a high stony Ground between which are plain Pastures for Cattel surrounded with high Woods as also Pools made by the over-flowing of the Rivers whose Banks are inhabited by the Indians who are much addicted to Sleep and Drinking The Pools before mention'd produce abundance of Fish as also Crocodiles and the terrible Manati before describ'd 4. Ocanna which hath an Inland Haven 5. Ramada formerly call'd New Salamanca standing at the Foot of the Mountain call'd Sierras Nevadas This Town is famous for its Copper and Brass Mines 6. Cividad de los Reyes which built in the Valley Upari stands on the Shore of the mighty River Guataporeya where from the beginning of January till May the Eastern Breezes moderate the Heat otherwise intolerable But the continual Rains thereabout occasions the Quartan Ague and many such like Distempers The Natives hereabouts salvage and valiant would never submit to the Spaniards The peculiar 〈…〉 The Tree Xagua The peculiar Plants of this Place are the Tree Xagua which bears a Fruit like a Raisin which dry'd and ground yields exceeding good Meal for Bread The Root Scorzonera The Root Scorzonera which cures the Bitings of Serpents The Indians also use the Tail of a Serpent for a Remedy against the same Evil as they take Tobacco against the Falling-sickness and snuff the Powder in at their Nostrils and drink the Juice thereof to cause Loosness Chief Rivers The chief Rivers of this Province are 1. Polomino so call'd from a Spanish Captain that was drown'd there with his Horse falling from the Sierras Nevadas 2. Guatupori
are several other Isles on which breed good Oysters with little Pearls which stick so fast to great Stones that they can scarce be pluckt off The River Janeiro abounds with Fish Towns and Places of chief note The French once possess'd this Island but were dispossess'd by Emanuel de Sa Governor of Brasile for the Portuguese The City Sebastian which contains three hundred Houses is built on the Southern Point of Janeiro opposite to which on the Northern Point lies the Fort a large Church the Jesuits Cloyster and two Sugar-Mills give no small lustre to the City where the chief Trade consists in Brasile Wood and Cotton The French Storm'd this Town Anno 1581. but march'd off without any success Dirk Ruiters an Eye-witness gives us this Description of Sebastian The Town says he lies two Leagues up the River Janeiro in a Bay about which it is built like a Semi-Circle in a sandy Soil along the Water and is about a Mile long at each end rise steep Mountains besides which it hath neither Walls nor Gates but its strength consists of four Forts the chiefest whereof stands towards the East on a Rock in the Mouth of the River the second towards the West an Isle which on the South-East rises with a Mountain resembling a Sugar-Loaf the third crowns a Rock South-East from the Town and the fourth in the North-West a high Mountain The Natives call'd Tououpinambauti are very serviceable to the Portuguese Besides the fore-mention'd Towns Coligni and St. Sebastian some make mention of another in this Praefecture call'd Angra de los Reyes twelve Leagues distant from St. Sebastian Westward The Burroughs of the Natives are populous but neither strong by Nature nor fortifi'd and so not by any one thought worthy the naming SECT IV. De Spirito Sancto Description of the Lordship De Spirito Santo NExt to Rio Janeiro lies the Lordship or County De Spirito Sancto exceeding fruitful having divers Woods abounding with Venison The Rivers Parayva Manangea Itapemeri Iritibi and Guarapari Several strange sorts of Fish are stor'd with all sorts of Fish and amongst others the Fish Piratiapua which in the Winter Moneths lives in the Rivers and against the Summer returns to the Rocks wash'd by the Ocean This Fish hath a wide Mouth full of Teeth a reddish Tongue little Fins except those on their Backs divers colour'd Scales yet most of a dark Red and generally weighs fifty Pound Here is also the Fish Paru full of yellow Scales like Half-Moons over a black Skin it hath long Fins near the Tail and a little Head No less remarkable is the Guebucu which hath a long Body a sharp bonie Snout the upper Jaw reaching over the other no Teeth a Tail divided in the middle sharp Fins on the Back and a Skin full of Silver-colour'd Prickles This Monster not onely devours great Fishes but also Men when it is hungry it often runs its Snout through the side of a Ship But there is no Fish more deform'd than the Abacatuaja which being oval and flat hath two long Fins underneath and one on the top a divided Tail green Fins a smooth Skin and fiery Eyes as soon as it is taken it cries like a Hog In this County stands a Town of the same Denomination which contains two hundred Houses a Sugar-Mill and a Cloyster of Jesuits and drives a great Trade in Cotton and Brasile Wood. Before the City lies an Inlet full of Isles the Mouth of which is guarded by a Castle The Natives call'd Maigaias are in League with the Portuguese but the Tapuyans and Apiapetangas do them all the mischief they can possibly so that the Portuguese travel in great danger of their lives when any Business calls them through the Countrey of these salvage People But besides these People the Way is pester'd with strange wild Beasts especially on the Mountain Mestre Alvaro which is seen at a great distance off at Sea on which amongst other Creatures breeds the terrible Serpent Boiguacu The Serpent Boiguacu whose length is generally twenty four Foot it is of an Ash colour with great and small black Spots with a little white Speck in the middle when hungry it leaps out of the Hedges or from the tops of Trees raises it self upright on its Tail and winding about either Man Beast or whate're it be squeezes it to death or puts its Tail which ends in a sharp Point or Sting in at the Fundament in such a manner that it kills the Creature on which it seizeth in a moment and then swallows it up This Serpent hath strong Ribs inwardly and more than seventy bonie Joynts wherefore it turns it self with great ease the Joynt-bones near the Head are the biggest and grow smaller and smaller towards the Tail It also feeds on Pismires The Bird Jabicu-guacu This County also breeds the Bird Jabicu-guacu which exceeds the Crane in bigness and hath a long thick Bill but no Tongue on his Head appears a white grifly Crest or Mitre the Wings and Tail are short and the Feathers most of them white except the Pinions which shine like Rubies their Flesh is of a good rellish but somewhat dry Near the River which washes the City Spirito Sancto the Paraibes dwell in Huts not unlike Ovens SECT V. Porto Seguro Description of Porto Seguro NExt to the fore-mention'd County borders Porto Seguro discover'd by Pedro Alvares Capralis who gave this Countrey the Name of Terra de Santa Cruiz but afterwards chang'd it to Porto Seguro because he found a secure Harbor there The Town built on the top of a white Rock gives its Denomination to the whole Countrey and harbor'd long since two hundred and twenty Families and hath five Sugar-Mills The Land on the North side of the Rock rises high but South wardly a smooth Coast runs along the Ocean from which two Leagues off at Sea lie several Cliffs against which the Waves break with a great force The Towns Santa Cruiz and Amaro are left desolate because the Portuguese were continually Invaded by the salvage Aymures whom they were not able by any means to repress Southward from Porto Seguro appear the Shoals Abrolhos twenty six Leagues from the Coast they are of one breadth but one is longer than the other Opposite to the Abrolhos on the Main Coast a plain Countrey extends it self thirty Leagues in length inhabited by the Ouetacates a cruel People who continually either destroy one another or else make sad slaughters amongst their Neighbors The County Porto Seguro belongs to the Spanish Duke of Avero but is very much decay'd The Beast Capybara The Rivers Moucuripe Caruvelas and Lucura breed abundance of Water-Hogs call'd Capybara which have short Feet Bristles and Ears a thick Body and Head with a bearded Snout besides two Tusks and twenty four lesser Teeth in each Jaw but no Tail they feed on Grass and Bushes in whole Herds on the Shore and make a terrible
reason of the Sickness amongst the Seamen Frambore King of this Place granted Lam and Veron free liberty to Hunt and to gather as many Oranges and Lemmons as they pleas'd with which the Seamen were so refresh'd that they set Sail again and amongst many other things carry'd a Baboon with them from Sierra Leona A strange kind of Baboon which so exactly resembled a Man that it was wonderful to behold having a Body Hands Eyes Ears Feet and Actions like a Man smoak'd Tobacco amongst the Seamen made a noise like a Child when beaten The Inhabitants of Sierra Leona where these Monsters run in great Companies through the Woods believe that the Souls of the Deceased reside in them John de Laet in his annual Journal of the Transactions of the West-India Company affirms That he saw a Female of these monstrous Creatures which usually had her monethly Flowers The Fleet as is before mention'd Sailing from Sierra Leona came to an Anchor at Commany and Landed twelve hundred Men at Poquena besides a hundred and fifty Negro's which Regiment Andries Veron and Arend Jacobszoon carry'd to the Castle Del Mine The Hollanders ill success before the Castle Del Mine whither they before sent a Company Commanded by Hans Gryf to prevent the Sallies of the Enemy The Hollanders tir'd and thirsty Encamp'd themselves near the Fort and whilest some of the Men were seeking for Water others smoaking Tobacco and lying without their Arms and in disorder on the Ground and the Commanders were taking a view of the Fort from a neighboring Hill two hundred Negro's fell upon the scatter'd Army with great rage and fury and so much the greater in regard the Portuguese had promis'd them great sums of Money for every Hollander they kill'd never any Army was in such a distraction they being dispers'd and kill'd like so many Sheep the Admiral Veron and all the Officers slain and in a short time four hundred and forty Men cut off and had not Captain Arend Jacobszoon been in League with the Inhabitants of Commany whither the routed Regiments fled not one Man had escap'd that bloody Slaughter Nor was it to much purpose to Besiege the Castle Del Mine because the Bullets hitting against the Walls of the Castle built all of Rock-stones did no Execution But the four Ships inform'd of this miserable destruction fell down to Commany to fetch those that were left alive and return'd home with the other eleven During the unfortunate Expedition of this Fleet the West-India Company fitted out nine great Ships and five Ketches in the beginning of the Year 1626. under the Command of Peter Peterszoon Hein to Cruise for the Spanish Ships that were expected from New Spain and Honduras The Fox Frigat being sent before to inform Henrickszoon of Heyn's coming reach'd about the latter end of May beyond the Isles Dominico Guadalupa Mevis St. Christophers and by Santa Crux there not finding a Harbor on the South-side because of the Rocks she Sail'd from Mona over to the Main Coast where seven Leagues Westward of Carakess he discover'd a high broken Land whose Mountains seem'd to reach to the Clouds from thence she steer'd to the Promontory Caldera the Isles Margareta and Coche on which last he took abundance of Goats not without the loss of forty six Men kill'd by the Spaniards and Indians Mean while the Admiral Peter Heyn in the beginning of June Sail'd to the Southward of Barbados Island pretty mountainous as hath been formerly mention'd and full of Woods and by Martinino whose Hills are very high and overgrown with Trees Here Peter Heyn could get nothing else but sweet Water and a Fruit resembling a green Grape which grew on a round Leav'd Tree whose Juice cur'd the Scurvey Sailing from hence and Landing on Guadalupa he found a Canoo seven Fathom long and one broad and cut out of one Tree The Inhabitants a well timber'd People went stark naked and desir'd to be excus'd that they could not furnish the Hollanders with more Provisions because the French and English Inhabitants of St. Christophers had pillag'd them Near Mona the Fox Frigat joyn'd with the Fleet with information that he could hear no tydings of Henrickszoon wherefore Peter Heyn judg'd it convenient to Sail along the South-Coast of Hispaniola with a separated Fleet which was to joyn again near the great Caiman Near Cape de Corientes the Dutch took a Spanish Ship laden with Sarsaparilla after that another with Salt and Fish and on the Shelves before Coche before the Promontory Antonio a Fly-boat with Tallow and Hides and at the same places two Vessels more with Ballast the Men whereof inform'd him that the Fleet from New Spain had about a Moneth before weigh'd Anchor from the Haven Juan de Ulva and set Sail to Havana so that without doubt they were arrived there wherefore Peter Heyn steer'd towards Tortugos in hopes if he could to overtake some of the heavy Sailers Before the Promontory De Florida he discover'd seven Sail and coming up nearer above thirty which had Henrickszoon been united with Peter Heyn had without doubt fallen into the hands of the Netherlanders but it being judg'd a madness to set upon so great a Fleet with so small a number of Ships they Sail'd away undisturb'd Peter Heyn steer'd his Course along Florida where he met three Canoos with strange Men in them who came aboard of him their Bodies being naked were painted with several colours onely Mats of Rushes about their Middle and on their Backs long Tassels hanging down their Merchandise consisted of a sort of Gum of little value The Netherlanders in this Place took also a Vessel with Sina Leaves and some pounds of Ambergreece but the Scurvey increasing daily amongst them they Tack'd about and ran to an Anchor at Sierra Leona where they stay'd till the latter end of January 1627. and then set Sail to Brasile and overtook a Vessel from Madera laden with a hundred and fifty Pipes of Wine and other rich Goods and ran into the Inlet Todos los Sanctos with undaunted courage not regarding the Guns that were fir'd from the Fort and Battlements of the City St. Salvador near which lay thirty Sail of Ships to which he making up Success of the Dutch against the Portuguese Fleet. steer'd between the Portuguese Admiral and Rere-Admiral whom sinking he forc'd the Admiral to surrender whilest the Hollandia and Geldria Frigats fell upon the rest which were forsaken by the Seamen who leap'd over-board then several Mann'd Boats of the Hollanders notwithstanding the Enemy's continual firing went and fetch'd off twenty two Sail of the Portuguese Vessels all which they did in three hours time onely with the loss of fifty Men besides some that were wounded amongst whom was the Admiral being shot with a Bullet through the Arm and wounded in the Legs with a Splinter his Ship also was with the Gelria Frigat driven with the Spring-Tide on a Bank whence after the Gelria had
both great and small yielding good Harbors and store of Whales and Sea-Horses The Voyages of Jonas Pool and others to Greenland In the Year 1610. Jonas Pool Master of the Amity fell in with this Land in May and continu'd upon the Coast discovering of Harbors and killing of Morses till June following and he is said to have been the first that gave this Countrey the Name of Greenland The next year he set out again accompany'd with Thomas Edge Commander of the Mary Margaret And since many other Voyages have been made as to a Place known and a great Trade driven in catching of Whales not without several Contests with the Dutch and Danes but nothing of late discover'd considerable more than in the first Voyages The Harbors Sounds and Coastings most taken notice of are Fair Foreland Cape Cold Black-Point Horn-Sound Knotty-Point Bell-Sound Lowness Cross-Road Deer-Sound Fowl-Sound Close-Cove Gurnet-Nose Ice-Sound and Green-Haven There are few that have Sail'd to Greenland Cherry-Island but make great mention of Cherry Island so call'd as having been first discover'd at the Charges of Sir Francis Cherry an eminent Merchant by others Bear-Island from the multitude of Bears found there it lies in the Latitude of seventy four Degrees and is noted for store of Fowl Foxes like Dogs and upon the Coasts great store of Whales Sea-Horses and Morses It is also said to be furnish'd with Lead-Mines and Pits of Sea-Coal Situation and first Discovery of Iseland Iseland so call'd from the continual Ice which is upon it is a craggy mountainous Countrey and not onely the Hills but a great part of the Low-land cover'd with perpetual Snow It is of a Form somewhat oblong lying between the fifty fourth and fifty ninth Degree of Northern Latitude having Norway on the East the Orcades and Scotland on the South Grenland on the West and the Hyperborean or frozen Sea on the North. It is by Olaus Magnus suppos'd to be twice as big as Sicily that is to say about a hundred Leagues in length It is the most known and most througly discover'd of all the Countreys of the Artick Region and is said to have been first found out and peopled in the Year of our Lord 900. by certain of the Nobility of East-Frisia in the Countrey of Breme in the time of Alebrand Bishop of that Countrey but whether or no utterly unpeopled till that time is a Question not easie to be determin'd though in all probability so obvious a Place to be found out could not lie so long totally uninhabited Not long after several Colonies of Norwegians Setled themselves some in Hitland some in Ferow others following the Example of these Bremers in Iseland The Countrey is full of Rocks and Stones and as is credibly reported not a cultivated Field or Garden in the whole Island and by consequence no sort of Corn yet the People living without either Bread or Salt are very strong and of a good Complexion Neither is there a Tree to be seen except the Birch which likewise grows but in one place and exceeds not the heighth of a Man by reason of the violence of the Winds yet there is said to be great plenty of Butter the Grass being so fat that the Oxen are not suffer'd to stay long at a time in the Pastures for fear of bursting Till of late there was neither Town nor any thing that could be call'd a Village in the whole Island but stragling Cottages here and there not above three or four together in a place most by the Sea side for the convenience of Fishing they were built pretty deep in the Ground but artificially fram'd of Whales Bones with Seats Benches and other Utensils of the same now sometimes they use Fir to the same purpose which is cast upon the Coast by the force of the Sea from Tartary or elsewhere For want of Vessels they lay their Butter in Heaps in the Corners of their Houses like Mortar In the Winter wanting Fodder they feed their Cattel with Fish Besides these Cattel which are Kine without Horns Horses onely fit for carrying of Burthens and very large Sheep there are store of white Foxes and huge Bears of the same colour and a sort of rough Dogs very well known and frequent amongst us by the Name of Shocks which the Islanders esteem not a little and will part with their Children at a far easier rate They keep neither Hogs nor Poultrey for want of Grain to feed them Many Rivers in Iseland The Rivers belonging to this Island are many and those not unpleasant affording to the Inhabitants plenty of Fish especially Sturgeon Trouts and Salmons and one is especially remarkable for a Bridge made over it which being the onely Bridge of the Countrey is made of the great Bones of a Whale The whole Island is one continu'd Desart without any trodden Path or Road from one end to the other so that all that have occasion to travel to any part thereof by Land make use of the Compass as if they were Voyaging by Sea Strange Fish on the Coast of Iseland The Coast of Iseland hath many strange and monstrous Fish worth observation as first the Orca which though nothing near so big as the Whale yet is able to be the death of it for being of the shape of a Ship turn'd upside-down and having sharp long Fins on its Back it pricks the Belly of the Whale therewith till it kills The next is the Hackfall which is very fat and about twelve Inches long Then the Dog-Fish which lifting up its Head out of the Sea Barks and letting forth its young ones receives them into her Belly again when they have sported a while in the Sea Lastly another Monster of a most frightful shape mention'd by Olaus Magnus but not by any particular Name Strange Fountains In divers parts of the Island are Fountains of scalding Water which as soon as taken from the Fountain begins to cool and when cold hath a sulphury Substance swimming on the top At the West end is a smoaky Fountain very cold and turning all that is cast into it into Stone At the place upon the Sea call'd Turlocks Haven are two Fountains of different quality the one hot the other cold which by Pipes being brought together into one place make a Bath of an excellent temperature and of a medicinal Vertue Not far from Haven Halneford is a Cliff in a Rock of an unknown depth and no Water to be discern'd by those that look down into it but if a Stone be cast in it shall make a noise for half an hour together as if it were striking against a Brazen Vessel and all this while the Water will be rising till it comes up to the brim and then will be so long sinking again as the Stone was falling Mountains of Iseland There are also three Mountains in Iseland not to be left unmention'd the Mountain of the Cross the Moutain Snenelstockel
The Land of Pygmies but upon what certain Ground cannot in the least be discover'd for we find not from the Russians to whom the Place by reason of its Vicinity is probable to have been first known any other Account of the Inhabitants but that they are a People wholly destitute of civil Manners and unlimited by Law or Religion saving that they seem to give some kind of Adoration to the Sun Moon and North-star and have some Qualities which speak them national Creatures whereas the Pygmies if there be any such Creatures are thought to have nothing of Humane but their Shape onely Willoughby-Island Besides Nova Zembla there is not far from it another Island known by the Name of Willoughby-Island from Sir Hugh Willoughby the first Discoverer they both are of the Dominions of the Czar of Russia Several Attempts for the discovery of the North-West Passage WHat hath been discover'd of Sea in the North or South parts of the World is of no less Consequence than what hath been discover'd of Land and the Straight of Hudson Northward is no less considerable than the Straight of Magellan South we shall therefore compleat this Discourse of the Artick Region with a brief Mention of what Capes Bays Sounds c. have been found out by those that have attempted to find a Passage by the North-West to the East-Indies Not to insist upon the fabulous Stories of King Arthur's first conquering Ireland and then Sailing into the Northern Seas and subduing Scantia Iseland Groenland and as the Story saith many other Islands beyond Norway even under the Pole or of Malgo's subduing Ireland Iseland the Orcades and Norway or Octher's Reports to King Alfred of his Voyages to the North-East parts beyond Norway or the Voyages of the two famous Venetian Brethren Nicolo and Antonio Zeni or of Marcus Paulus Venetus Odoricus and Vertomannus the first English-man we hear of that made an Expedition into those Northern Seas was Sir Hugh Willoughby before taken notice of for the Discovery of King James's Newland and Willoughby-Island in the Year of our Lord 1553. Stephen Burroughs as hath been intimated discover'd amongst other Places about the Year 1556. the Straight of Vaigats In the Year 1576. Sir Martin Forbisher setting forth with two Barques after he had been out about five Weeks had sight of a High-land which he nam'd Queen Elizabeths Foreland Queen Elizabeths Foreland Thence Sailing more Northerly to the heighth of about sixty two Degrees he descry'd a great Sea or Inlet which he entred and thence it took the Appellation of Forbisher's Straight Forbister's Straight About two years after proceeding to a farther discovery of it he entred a good way into it and took possession of the utmost Place he went to for Queen Elizabeth who thereupon gave it the Name of Meta Incognita Anno 1580. Arthur Pett and Charles Jackman were sent out by the Russian Company to make a Discovery of the River Ob and passing the Straight of Waigats took particular observation of the Islands and Places there but not being able to pass much farther by reason of the Ice towards the latter end of the year they return'd In prosecution of this Discovery to the North-West Captain John Davis of Sandruge in Devonshire made three Voyages his first Anno 1585. his second 1587. in which he met with many strange Adventures but the main thing that accru'd from these Voyages was finding of a mighty Through-let between vast and desart Islands to which his Name gave the Appellation of Fretum Davis Davis's Straight or Davis's Straight The next that went upon this Design was Captain George Weymouth who from the Year 1585 to 1602 made several Expeditions which produc'd large Relations of strange Accidents that befell them but little of Discovery farther than what had been made before Mr. James Hall very noted for his Voyages to Groenland which before was by Captain Davis call'd Desolation at his falling in with that Place nam'd a Head-land from then King of Denmark Cape Christianus Cape Christianus which some think to be no other than Cape Farewel Anno 1606. Mr. John Knight was set out by the King of Denmark of the Passages of whose Voyage little or nothing memorable is recorded The next and most famous Attempter in the discovery of the North-Wast Passage was Henry Hudson who is said to have discover'd farther Northward to the Pole than any before him From the Year 1607 to 1610 he made several Voyages being set out by Sir Thomas Smith Sir Dudley Diggs and Mr. John Wostenholm with others that were his great Friends and Advancers of such publick Designs In his last Voyage the Isles of Gods Mercy Prince Henry's Foreland King James's Cape Queen Annes Cape Digg's Island Cape Wostenholm The King 's Foreland Mount Charles Cape Salisbury c. were first taken notice of and nam'd and which were his principal Discoveries and therefore worthily retaining his Name Hudson's Straight and Bay Hudson's Straight and Bay but in his return homeward he was set upon in his Cabbin by one Green Wilson and others of their Conspiracy and together with his Son John Hudson Tho. Widdows Arn. Ludlow Sidrach Faner and two or three more was put over into a small Shallop in which they were forc'd to seek their Fortune and in all likelihood perish'd for they were never heard of after Nor long after Green going on Shore upon a strange Island was shot from an Ambuscade of Salvages into the Heart the like End has Wilson and three more of the Conspirators dy'd of their mortal Wounds the rest with much ado got home in a very sick and weak Condition through the Hardships the had sustain'd and want of Provisions There was also another Hudson who Anno 1608. went to the height of eighty one Degrees and gave Names to certain Places which continue to this day as Whale-Bay Hackluit's Headland and Hudson's Touches By the Assistance of Prince Henry and those other Noble Persons above mention'd Captain Thomas Button set out in the Year 1612. and is said to have pass'd Hudson's Straight and leaving Hudson's Bay to the South to have Sail'd two hundred Leagues South-Westward over a Sea above eighty Fathoms deep which at length he discover'd to be another great Bay since call'd Button's Bay Button's Bay He is said also to have discover'd a great Continent which he call'd New Wales Several other Voyagers there were in this great Attempt of the North-West Passage as Captain Gibbons Robert Bylot William Baffins and Captain William Hawkridge who though they all came short of the main Enterprize yet every one found out some new Cape Bay or Promontory or open'd a farther Passage than had been before as Bylot made known Cape Comfort Baffin Baffin's Bay the Inlet call'd from him Baffins Bay as also Sir James Lancaster's Sound Hawkridge a farther Passage into Lumly's Inlet From the Year 1616. to 1631. the Business slept and then a Voyage