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A31221 A short discoverie of the coasts and continent of America, from the equinoctiall northward, and the adjacent isles by William Castell ... ; whereunto is prefixed the authors petition to this present Parliament for the propagation of the Gospell in America, attested by many eminent English and Scottish divines ... ; together with Sir Benjamin Rudyers speech in Parliament, 21 Jan. concerning America. Castell, William, d. 1645.; Rudyerd, Benjamin, Sir, 1572-1658. 1644 (1644) Wing C1231; ESTC R20571 76,547 112

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Fish Fowl and honey with which it aboundeth Over against the West end of Cumana a degree remote to the North lyeth Tortugas and Blancas distant five leagues one from the other which for that they afford little el●e but Hogges and Goats hard to be taken being overrunne with exceeding sharp briers and thornes are seldome gone unto The next part of the continent bending to the Northwest is Venezuella a ●ar greater and r●cher Country It consisteth of many Provinces and hath in it many Spanish Townes and commodicus Havens The soyle in generall is so fertill as it affordeth two crop● yeerly the Pastures and Meddowes thereof are so many and ●o rich as they plentifully sustaine gre●t store of wholsome Cattell as well Neat as other The great s●ore of Cow and Oxe hides usually brought from thence sufficiently prove the same It is also generally reported to afford in divers Provinces good store of treasure especially gold of the best sort Before the comming of the G●rmanes into this Country to whom the Emperour Charles gave it in regard of their great service against the Protestants the Country was full of Inhabitants but by reason of the covetousnesse and cruelty of those Germanes whose intent was not to plant but to make spoyle of the Natives they were well nigh utterly rooted out and are not now much increased by a latter possession of the Spanish but Tygers and other wild beasts have overrunne it Spanish Authors make mention of severall Provinces belonging to Venezuella but they doe not so cleerly prescribe their severall limits as is requisite Therefore proceeding in my discourse according to my usuall method in following the Sea-coast I shall briefly acquaint you with such Spanish Towns as are neare adjacent to the Sea-coast or neer upon the same degree of longitude though farre distant in regard of latitude from North to South which is the breadth of the Country The most Easterne promontory of Venezuella is Cordeliera within five miles of Porte de Guaira whence within fifteene miles is the strong Tower called Cara●as and from thence within two miles is Blanco all convenient harbours for ships Then follow Tur●ane and Burburate two other commodious and safe Havens the former whereof affordeth good water and is distant from Blanco thirteene miles the other store of salt and is remote from the said Blanco fifteene miles Within the Land a●ove two leagues from the Sea-coast lyeth Carvaleda a Spanish Towne of some note and from thence about foure leagues is Saint Iago a greater Town where the Governour of those parts doth usually reside From Porte Burbarata about seven leagues within the continent directly to the South the Spanish of latter time hath built Nova Valentia from whence fifteene leagues more to the South is Nova Zerez of a later standing both well accommodated with wholsome provision in a competent measure From Zerez to Nova Segovia another Spanish Towne directly to the South is twenty leagues it joyneth upon the River Bariquicemet● which falleth after a great circuit of ground into the River Oronoque the Country hereabouts is very barren but the mountaines with which it is surrounded are conceived by the Germanes who built that Towne to be well stored with gold this opinion of theirs is upon good grounds strongly confirmed by others of better judgement who have written of those parts Tucunio that is exceedingly commended for the sweetnesse of the Ayre the temperature of the climate the super-abundant variety of victuall and store of gold it yeeldeth is yet eleven leagues more to the Southwest distant from the neerest place of the North Seacoast fifty from Nova Granado 150 leagues in which long passage two parts are very pleasant and fruitfull the third very rough and ill provided Now to returne to the Sea coast and so with relation to the longitude of Venesuella to survey the middle of this Country as it extendeth it selfe to the South Not farre from Burburata lyeth a little gulfe called Triste from which Porte Etsave is a league distant whence the Land beginning to wind upon the North sea continueth for the space of 55 leagues so to doe by somewhat proportionable gaining on the Sea Onely a little above Coro the onely City here the Land turning two leagues to the South and then againe twelve to the North-west admitteth a great inlet of the Sea which falling somewhat neare to the gulfe of Venezuella laying on the other side maketh a kind of Peninsula called Paragoana containing in the circumferance about 25 leagues The Cape whereof to the North is San-Roman a promontory of great note and betweene the South-west end thereof and the foresaid gulfe lyeth the great Lake of Maracaybo extended into the continent in length 35. 〈◊〉 bredth ten leag●es over the mouth of it being a mile and a halfe wide joyned with the gulfe of Venequell whence though the Sea daily flow into it yet doth it empty it selfe by a constant ebbing The Islands over against this part of the continent some leagues remote in respect of latitude are first Bonary neare a degree distant to the North it is of eight miles circumferance well provided with store of hogs and horse as also with one safe Haven on the Northwest end thereof from hence 39 leagues farther to the west and fourteene to the North from Coro the onely City of Venezuella is Curaca farre lesse but more fertill It hath a Haven on the North but not very safe especially for great ships The last is Araba nine miles remote from Quarac●o to the West and eight from Cape San Roman to the North Let us now consider the Spanish Townes adjacent to this Sea-coast and more remote into the Land Coro which is built in the foresaid Peninsula having a Bishop seat in it goeth by the name of a City and is indeed the onley place of note neare adjoying to Sea and chiefe Towne of Venezuella it hath belonging to it two Havens to the West and North that to the west though not very good is farre better then that of the North The Country round about is well stored with fish flesh fowle and sugar Canes One thing it hath peculiar such store of wholsome and medicinable herbs as it is said to need no Physitian From Coro directly to the South betweene the North Sea-coast the Lake Maracabo and neare Valent●a lyeth Portilla de Carora in the fertile Vale of Carora a large space of ground neare two leagues from the pleasant and fruitfull fields of Coro to the no lesse pleasant and fruitfull Vale of Carora is mountainous and unfruitfull inhabited onely by Savages called Xizatiaras and Axaguas In the bottome of Maracabo is Lagana a Spanish Towne surrounded between two Rivers with well levelled grounds which might serve to good use being abundantly stored with Deere Coneys and great variety of Fowle but that it is overrunne with wild Beasts especially with Tygers Beyond which eightteene leagues more to the South is the
more where the Gulph of Mexico beginneth to turne from the West directly South from the degrees of 29 to 25. I might here proceed with the description of Nova Hispania a countrey of highest esteem with the Spaniard for riches and fruitfulnesse but having passed as far as the Northwest Seas of America will permit I take it to be our best course to returne back againe to view the Ilands and the more Southeast parts of the Continent lying far nearer and every way of as good consequence for the propagating of the Gospell and the setling of some weake Plantations which we have there already for the continuall sending forth more Colonies and for the obtaining store of treasure and many rich merchantable commodities Cuba THE first great Iland in our returne lying most to the West is Cuba having Hispaniola Easternly to usward distant from the first Easterne part thereof which is Cape Mayzi twelve leagues to the West it is divided from Nova Hispania by a long and large interposition of Sea called Mexico To the North it hath the Lucayicke Islands The neerest parts to the South is the Island Iamaica From the East promontory of Mazi to Cape Anthony full West it extendeth it self no lesse then 230 leagues but in breadth where it is largest it exceedeth not forty leagues where narroest not fifteene A very large Island and fruitfull soyle able abundantly to sustaine many thousand men for the Natives are well nigh utterly destroyed by the Spaniard And the few Spanish inhabitants at this time there remaining are not able to make use of the fifth part thereof The Climate is somewhat hot but yet healthfull and reasonable temperate it is so over stored with kine as they kill them meerely for their hides and so with hogges as they know not what to doe with them It hath in it a Cathedrall and a Monestery To the East thirty leagues distant and within ten leagues of the Northern Sea lieth a Towne called Baracoa neer to which runneth the River Mares To the North West likewise thirty leagues lieth Baiamo which though it be an inland towne yet it is well furnished with usefull commodities by meanes of the great river Cante which falleth into the Sea on the South-side of the Island A fourth Towne whereunto belongeth a good haven Porto del Principe lying to the Northside neer forty leagues from Saint Iages On the Southfide more then fiftie leagues from Iages lieth the Town Spiritus Sanctus And betweene these lie the great mountaines Tarquino Cape de Crus and a great inlet of the Sea the Land bending to the North and to the North-east no lesse then a degree but the coming up unto them by reason of the many rockes and shelves is somewhat dangerous From hence being more then halfe the length of the Island unto Cape Anthony the most Westerne promontory of great note with mariners On the South-side also lieth the Town Seas Port Xagua and Cape Corrientes opportune places to harbour and take in water and wood The West end of Cuba from Cape Anthony bendeth Northward where lie the Organes observed by Saylors to be dangerous touching upon in regard of many sands rockes and shallowes but after the Land falling into the East not above nine miles from Habana there are two very convenient Ports Port Puercos and Port Marien but of all the Ports of Cuba Habana on the Northside neer the West end of the Iland is farre the largest the safest and most renowned It is strongly Fortified both by nature and by Arte by a narrow coming up unto it by Sea and with strong Castles as it is thought to be invincible and therefore hither as to a most secure harbour from all parts of America the Spanish Fleet meeteth yeerly and so being gathered together returne about the beginning of September with there farre greater treasure collected then considerable Forces to conduct it safely into Spaine Neither indeed is Habana so impregnable but that a Navy Royall landing some of their Forces at Port Marien or Port Puercos aforesaid may take both Town treasure before the Spanish Navy can put from thence if they could in a seasonable time somewhat about September light upon the Spanish Fleet And if the Grandes of Spaine have by reason of the large pension of 3. or 4000. pounds yeerly paid to many pensioners here such intelligence of an intendment that way yet though we should misse of the Fleet for one yeer we might be sure to seize upon the Towne and so greatly straighten them in their yeerly returnes and in few yeers become Commanders of those narrow Seas through which their vast treasure is yearly conveighed Hispaniola HIspaniola lyeth between the degree of eighteen and twenty one of the North latitude The most East end of it at Cape Enganno is very narrow the most West end between Saint Nicholas to the North and Cape Dona Maria to the Southside is broader then any other part of the Island The length from East to West 120. leagues the breadth as it is related by Spanish Authors is 60. leagues where it is widest where narrowest thirty The temperature of the aire till noone is somewhat over hot but after continually temperate The commodities of Suger and Cow-hides are more abundaut here then in any of these Islands Acosta reporteth that from hence in the yeer 1587. were brought into Spaine 9000. Chests of Suger they though kill their Beasts most for their hides yet they multiply to fast upon them and such is the increase of horse and hogges which sufficiently proveth the exceeding fertillity of their soyle there having been neither Neat horse nor hogges in the whole Ile before it was stored by the Spanish not above 150 yeers since Now to begin the particular description of the I le of the Townes Rivers and Ports according to the severall Provinces as they lie from East to West betweene North and South The most Easterne Province called Hygvey is a rough and mountainous place yet well furnished with variety of fruitfull trees To the South lie two small Islands Catilina and Zybo well provided with good nature and store of cattell as also the Island Saona of a larger extent which though it be not now inhabited yet it is very commodious for Ships to furnish themselves with severall sorts of provision it abounding with great store of fruits and wholsome cattell The next province is Iagvagua upon the South Coast wherein standeth San Domingo the onely chiefe City of the Island built by Bartholomeus Collumbus Anno 1494. on the East-side of the River Osama but afterwards removed by Nicolas Obando to the Westside It is neatly built and stately with stones and environed with a strong wall It is the seat of an Archbishop and the place where the governour of the Island and all the Kings officers do reside and but that it is not conveniently supplied with water it might wel passe for one of the best cities in all
yet for all this it wanteth not store of all kind of victuall continually supplyed from other places by reason it so aboundeth with treasure in hope whereof the Spanish Merchants make that the chiefe place of trading by the River Chagre out of the North and by the River Chepo out of the south sea Both which though they come short of the City yet are they of very great use to bring the Merchants Commodities so neere which are afterwards much more easily conveyed thither by land Conce●ning the land passage from one sea to the other a most remarkable attempt of Captaine Oxenhaw a countryman of ours Anno 1573. must not be forgotten for though in the conclusion it proved not succesfull yet it may be a great encouragement of singular concernment to those who with greater strength shall make the like enterprize It was briefly thus Captaine Oxenham induced by the fame of the vast treasure which fortunate Drake obtained in those parts provided a ship of a 120 Tun in which having with him neere a hundred men the winds favouring him he came sooner then he could well expect on the North Sea-coast of Panima where getting as neere as he could conveniently for the shortest cut over to the North sea he landed his men drew up his ship into a cranny where he left her and his great Ordnance covered all over with bowes Then he and his men taking sufficient victuall with two field pieces and other necessary armes after twelve leagues march they came to a River which falleth into the South sea where he built a barge 45 foot long in which he conveyed his men into an Island called the Isle of Pearles close by the side whereof they who come our of the South sea to Panima must needs passe Here they closely concealed themselves for ten dayes at the end whereof they seized upon two Pinnaces comming from Peru wherein was little lesse then 200000 .li. of gold and silver besides great store of rich Pearles they took from the Islanders both which they might certainly have conveyed to their ship and so into England had not both Captain souldiers in their comming back in three particulars dealt very foolishly First in too sudden discharging the two Pinnaces they had taken by whom the Governour of Panima being much sooner informed of the exploit then otherwise he could have been made the more quick pursuit after them with twice as many forces as they had Secondly in casting the feathers of hens they had pillaged over board whereby they gave perfect notice to the pursuers Of the particular River they returned by of which before they were very much to seek But most of all did they forget themselves in an unseasonable contention concerning the dividing of the prize the Souldiers refusing to beare it upon their shoulders over the land unlesse the might know how much should come to every mans particular share which demand of theirs being as undiscreetly denied the convention lasted so long as the forces from Panima came upon them recovered the treasure and cut them all off or took them prisoners whom they forthwith brought to Panima and there cruelly executed some few escaped whom by reason of their youth they spared Beyond Panima to the South-sea are some but not many Ports and Rivers To the South-east is the River Chiepo the River de Labalsa Saint Miguels gulf Port de Pinas and the River Balsas neer about which groweth great store of timber fit for shipping whereof singular use may be made in the South sea On the South-west are two Ports Perico and Nata whereof the first is not far remote the other twelve leagues distant from Panima from whence as being the most Westerne parts of all Panima governments I am now to proceed with the Province of Veragua as neerest adjoyning to the West formerly belonging to the government of Nova Hispania but now in the jurisdiction of the Governour of Guatemala since that Province and many more thereunto belonging are upon the matter exempted from the Viceroy of Nova Hispania I might here following H●rea and others fall upon the generall description of the government in respect of the Climate Soyle and of the severall commodities and discommodities of the same but to what purpose seeing it is evident and all Authors agree that in particular they differ extreamly I shall therefore in my particular descriptions of them taking them according to my constant method as they lye by the North Sea-coast passe through them fro● sea to sea where it can be done conveniently and as I proceed I shall endeavou● in all respects to give you such account of their severall qualities and conditions as is requisite To begin therefore with Veragua as it hath Panima government to the East so Costo Rica to the West fi●ty leagues in length and where it is narrowest 25 in bredth from the North sea to the South which on both sides it is bounded The Soyl● for the most part is barren as being mountainous and full of briers unfit for graine and pastoring yet very rich in all kind of mettals especially with gold The inhabitants are many very stout men and great opposers of the the Spaniard The first who found out Veragua was Christopher Columbus who at his first ariva●l found some opposition by the Nati●es but he soon pacified them with toyes and as Her●a reporteth for 36 brasse bels he gained 80. li. whereby we may easily guesse ●hat an a●ple returne he there made for things of very small worth The north Sea-coast belonging to this Province affordeth but few good harbours the neerest from the coast of Panima is the River ●elen distant from Port B●lo 2● leagues neere which it built the Towne la Conception where the Governour resideth A second is a little within the River Veragua from which the Province is denominated The last a pretty large gulfe called Caravaro Between which and Belen lieth an Island ten mile● from the continent called Escudo an Island carefully to be observed in regard of the many rocks and shelves that are about it The Spanish inland Towns to omit all the poor Hamblets possessed by the Natives are onely Trinidad and Saint Fayth the one three the other twelve leagues remote From la Conception close to the South sea is Carlos another Spanish Towne five leag●es from Saint Fayth over against which and to the East and West of it are 20 small Islands or rather rocks which goe by the name of Zebaco so as in the South sea of Veragua we read of no good Haven but onely Port G●era neere cape Maria in the South-east corner thereof The next adjoyning Province lying as Veragua between both seas 40 leagues in bredth and if Herea reckon right 90 leagues to the West in length up to the continent of Nicaragua is Costarica much of the same condition of the former mountainous and barren but full of rich mines To the North sea it hath