above Dalmatia the Dalmation Hills and they are stretched out through Macedonia to Thrace and Pontus But because there cometh in a little space between the Julian and Dalmatian Hills therefore some men determine and make the end of the Alpes to be in the Julian Mountains It sendeth out one Arm with continual chains and yokes of Hills and with a winding course like a crescent passing through all Italy and dividing it into two parts it runneth along even to the Sicilian Sea Neither doth it march forward in one form every where but in many parts it putteth forth collateral or side-Companions and fellow Branches as it also sendeth forth some Mountains styled with several Names as the Mountain Massicus the Hill Gaurus Monte di Capua or the Mountain of Capua and the burning Vesuvius c. The Hills of Peru. 2. The Hills of Peru or Peruviana the longest of all others for they pass through the whole South America even from the Equator to the Magellanick streigths and do separate the Kingdom of Peru from other Provinces insomuch that the whole tract of this Chain of Hills is about 800 German miles And the heads or cliffs of the Hills are so high that they are reported to weary Birds in their flight over them and there is but one only passage over these Hills which as yet is discovered and that very cumbersom Many of those are covered with perpetual Snows as well in Summer as Winter and many of them are also wrapt up and involved with the Clouds and some likewise are elevated beyond the middle Region of the Air. Truly it hath hapned the Spaniards sometimes passing out of Nicaragua into Peru that many of them These Mountains exceeding Cold. together with their Horses on the tops of those interposed Mountains have suddenly died and if they had become stiff with cold Frost they remained there immovable like standing Images The cause of which seemeth-to have been the want of Air such as our breath or Lungs require There are also found in these Mountains Sulphury and smoking Hills The Hills between Peru and Brasil 3. There are very many other Mountains between Peru and Brasil which also stretch themselves out through the Country of China to the Magellanick streights where the high tops of the Hills are perpetually hidden with Snows although they lie under the Latitude of 52 degrees The Hills of Canada and New England 4. Add to these Chains of Hills those of Canada and New England and very many others in North America covered with continual Snow although they are less famous The Mountain Taurus 5. The top of Taurus a Mountain in Asia This was amongst ancient Writers accounted the most noble and greatest Mountain of the World It riseth up in Asia Minor from the Pamphilian Sea nigh to the Chelidonian Islands and thence marcheth along through divers Countries and great Kingdoms under divers Names from the West into the East unto India and divideth all Asia into two parts one whereof which looketh to the North is called Asia within Taurus and the other which faceth the West is named Asia without Taurus It is fenced in on either side with many Companions amongst which the famous and most notable ones are the greater and the lesser Anti-Taurus which cut and divide the greater and lesser Armenia into two parts where Taurus it self passeth between Armenia and Mesopotamia it sendeth forth many Arms towards the North and South The Mountain Imaus 6. The Mountain Imaus marcheth forth in form of a Cross two ways as well towards the East and VVest as towards the North and South The Northern part is now called Alkai It is stretched out forward towards the South even to the very ends of the Indies and the fountain heads of the River Ganges in length about four hundred German Miles It divideth the Asian Scythia into two parts of which that which looketh on the west is called Scythia within the Mountain Imaus but that which beholdeth the East is named Scythia without the Mountain Imaus The Mountain Caucasus 7. The top of the Mountain Caucasus is stretched out from the North to the South towards Pontus Euxinus from the Caspian Sea to whom it is a neighbour at the breadth of fifty miles and to those that sail in the Caspian Sea it is an infallible mark to govern and steer their course by It reacheth to Mount Ararat in Armenia where Noah's Ark rested which the Turks and Persians believe to be there kept to this day But the Mountains of Ararat are neighbours to Taurus because all these Mountains are contiguous VVe will speak of the height of Caucasus in the Thirtieth Chapter The Hill of China 8. The Hill of China which embraceth and comprehends the Damasian Mountains so called by the Ancients towards the VVest and Ottoroâ—ora towards the North. This Clift or Chain of Hills consisteth of many Mountains not indeed continually yoked together but here and there affording a passage between them And the Mountains of Camboja seem to be a part of that gang of Hills The Mountains of Arabia 9. The Hills of Arabia which march forward in a triple rank of whom the Holy Mount Sinai is a part The Mount Atlas 10. The most famous Hill and which is celebrated with innumerable figments of the Greek Poets is Mount Atlas in Africa It riseth at the shore of the Western Ocean of Africa and extends it self through all Africa even to the borders of Egypt It hath the Fountains and Springs of almost all the Rivers of Africa in many places it is full of Snow and Cold although it lieth in the Torrid Zone The Mountains of the Moon 11. The Clift of Africa nigh to Monomotapa which is called the Mountains of the Moon It compasseth in almost all Monomotapa and the arms or branches thereof are many as the Hill Zeth and the Snowy Mountains There are found very many and in a manner innumerable other yoaks or chains of Mountains in Africa severed and disjoyned by a small space insomuch that they are almost all contiguous and seem to be parts of one Chain of Hills The Riphean Mountains of Europe 12. The Riphean Mountains of Europe which are also called the Obian Hills they march on forward from the White Sea or Muscovian Bay to the very mouth of the River Ob and the Muscovites call them Weliki Kameypoyas that is the great Stony Girdle because they think that the whole World is girted in with them There is here another yoak of Hills which the Russians call Joegoria It beginneth at the Southern boundary of Tartaria and extends it self unto the North Sea and very many Rivers rise and spring out of this viz. the Rivers Wissagda Neem Wissera and Petsora the greatest of all Besides a triple yoak of Hills runneth down betwen Siberia and Russia from the North towards the South One of them the Russians call Coosvinscoy Camen whose breadth or
Maffaeus relateth there is a Mountain which continually vomiteth Flames on the top of which the Evil Spirit sheweth himself to certain Persons after that they have macerated themselves for a Vow sake 10. Many Vulcanelloes are found in the Isles of Japan distant 70 miles from Ferando Also in a certain small Isle which lieth between Tanaxuma and the Isles called the Sisters a burning Mountain is discovered at other times smoaking Certain Vulcanes in the Isle Tendai 11. In Tendai one of the Philippine Isles where the Promontory of the Holy Spirit is certain Vulcans are found One also in the Isle Marindique another of the Philippine Isles 12. In Nicaragna a Province in America a lofty Mountain casteth forth flames in such great abundance that they may be seen 10 miles distant Vulcan Mountains in Cordillera 13. In the Ridge of Peru called Cordillera here and there are certain Rocks and Vulcan Mountains partly smoaking and partly burning and they are said to cast out fire Especially in the Province of Carrapa there is a Mountain from whose top when the Heaven is serene much smoak is discovered to be elevated Others in Peru 14. Near to Arequipa a City of Peru 90 miles distant from Lima a certain Sulphureous Mountain continually ejaculateth fire which is found dangerous to the City 15. In Peru near the Valley Mulahallow about 50 Leagues from Quito there is a Vulcan which once rending cast forth great Stones and terrified also the remote places with the huge noise Other Vulcans 16. In one of the Islands which they call Papoys which Le Maire discovered except peradventure it may adhere to the South Continent on the Oriental Coast of New Guiney is a Vulcan which at that time burned 17. Certain Mountains lying on the Oriental Shore of the River Jeniscea in the Country of the Tingesi beyond Ob towards the East by a journey of some weeks there are Vulcans as the Muscovites do report 18. Certain Mountains at the River Pesida beyond the Region of the Tingaesi A Vulcan in Liburnia 19. In Liburnia near the City Apollonia is a rocky Mountain from the top of which continually issueth smoak and flame In the Land adjoyning there are hot Fountains there are also certain Mountains which have now ceased to burn So the Isle Queimoda on the Coast of Brasil not far from the mouth of the Silver River in time past did burn so the Mountains in Congo or Angola which they term Vesbrande Bergen In the Isles of the Azores especially Tercera and St. Michael formerly the Earth burned in many places but now the smoak in some places is sometimes expelled hence also they have often Earthquakes The Isles of St. Helena and of the Ascension have also its Earth like unto these viz. a Dust Embers and Ashes so that in times past it is probably the Mountains of these Isles burned which is also manifest from the Sulphureous Earth and Coals which they call Smitskolen Now the cause of these Vulcans or burning Mountains is a Sulphureous bituminous Substance which is contained in such like Mountains Proposition VI. The Tanges of the Mountains some admit of no passage or opening some of many other some of one or another only Of the Tanges of the Mountains They are called Portae and also Thermopylae Of which the more noted are 1. The Thermopylae in Phocis from which this name was communicated to the rest 2. The Caspian Portae which as through a narrow passage are admitted into the Caspian Mountains 3. The Port of the Mountain Cordillera in Peru. 4. The Port of the Mountain which is extended between Abyssiue and Arabia Troglodytica through which they carry Provision and Grain from that Region unto this 5. In Caucasus the Sarmatick and Albanian Ports Proposition VII That Mountain is termed a Promontory which runneth forth in a certain Tract to the Sea or on the Shore is elevated above the adjacent places Of Promontories or Capes In Mapps they are called Capes or Heads among which the more noted are Cape of Good-hope 1. The Cape of Good-hope in Africa which must be passed by those that sail into India Cape Victoria 2. Cape Victoria in the end of the Streights of Magellan Cape Verd. 3. Cape Verd in the Angle or Point of Africa where the Shore windeth from West to East Cape Vincent 4. Cape Vincent in Spain Promontory or Cape of Atlas 5. The Promontory of Atlas so anciently called not a Cape because that Mariners some Ages past supposed that it could not be passable or that if any one had sailed beyond it yet he could not return back safe therefore this was the bound of their Navigation on the Coast of Africa Other Promontories may be seen in the Mapps Proposition VIII Vnto Mountains are opposed Caves and deep Abysses which are found in few places of the Earth Of Caves or deep Abysses In times past that Mephitick Cave in Island called the Cave of St. Patrick and that Cave in Italy called Grotta del Cane was famous In the Mountain of Fessano Beni Guazeval is a Cave that vomiteth forth fire In the Island Baruch adjoynig to Wales in England near the Sea is a Rock in which there is a Cave unto which if you apply your ear a noise like stroaks of Hammers upon Iron as in a Smith's shop may be heard Not far from the City Bessa in Aquitain is a Cave vulgarly called Du Souley in which in the Summer season a noise is heard like unto Thunder In many places betwixt the midst of the Mountains there are found Valleys so profound that they strike the Beholders with horrour and cause a giddiness CHAP. XI Of Mines Woods and Desarts MInes Woods and Desarts do ennoble certain Parts or Tracts of the Earth Of Mines Woods and Desarts concerning which although little can be proposed yet for an exact knowledge of the Terrestrial Superficies it will not be unnecessary to consider those Places and to design the Tracts and Limits of them which we shall briefly perform in this Chapter Proposition I. A Mine is a place in the Earth from which Metals Minerals or other sorts of Earth are dugg But because what is dugg up out of the Earth is various therefore all these Mines receive various denominations Of Mines as Mines of Gold Silver Copper Iron Marble Mines of precious Stones and the like The most famous of the Gold and Silver Mines are those of Peru and Castella Aurea Peru and Castella Aurea and Potosi rich in Mines the richest in the world for throughout all the Provinces of Peru are found Mines abounding with Gold and Silver yet not excluding the other Metals so that the Natives of Peru and the Spaniards in times past did boast that the Ground or Soyl of this Kingdom was Gold and Silver Girava a Spanish Writer testifieth at the City Quito are Mines which yield more Gold than Earth
now this Problem is the same with that to find out the Meridian Line and the North and South quarters for these being known it is easy to know the rest First by the Stars viz. in the night the Bear or the Helice and Polary Star so called in the extremity of the tail of the Vrsa Minor of great same amongst the Ancients which shewed the North quarter whence all the rest are found for the face being turned to the North the East is at the right hand and the West on the left the Line of which quarters at Right Angles cutteth the Line of the North and South And these Cardinal quarters being found it is easy to find the intermedial quarters unto which purpose that there may be no need of a description they had a Circle made with the quarters whose Northern Line being placed above the Northern Line of any place the other quarters at one sight are discovered But in the day they sought out the quarter by the rising or setting of the Sun as we have shewed in the XXVIII Chapter See Chap. 28. 2. The other Method of the Antients for the knowing of quarters was the knowledge of the scituation or extension of the Shoars and one Promontory to the other For seeing the quarter of this extension was known to them either from the Maps or from Observation and Experience they might in Navigation by seeing them know the other quarters For one quarter being known all the rest are known therefore the Ancients did not far depart from the Coasts viz. that they might know the quarter by the benefit of the known quarter of the extension of Shoars For they could not always use the Method of the Stars and the rising and setting of the Sun 3. The third Method of the Ancients of the knowledge of the quarters was the observed course of the Ship For going from any place and guiding the Ship to the known quarter they were able from the mutation of the course of the Ship to know the quarters 4. Hence it is manifest that the chief cause of the dangerous and imperfect Navigation of the Ancients was the ignorance of a Method by which every where in the middle of the vast Ocean they might know the quarters and so that quarter unto which the Ship was to be steered For as I have said the Method by the Stars and the rising and setting Sun cannot be applied on all days and on the hours of every day for the mark from the scituation of the Shoars faileth in the mid Seas in the night neither is it safe enough in the day time The third Method from the observed course of the Ship hath not place when the Ship is tossed by boysterous winds and tempests from one quarter to another And in this casually lyeth the chief difficulty This I thought fit to admonish concerning the Modes of the Ancients for the finding out the Meridian Line and the North and South by reason that the imperfection of these was the cause of the dangerous and small Navigation of the Ancients seeing that they were never able to commit themselves to the vast Ocean and therefore never knew those Regions between which the Ocean is interposed of which the chief is all America never yet fully known But at this day the Method of knowing the quarters in all places and of finding out the Line of the North and South is facile by the benefit of the admirable propriety which the Loadstone and all Iron touched by it hath been found to have Viz. that all Magneticks not hindred by others in any place direct their points almost to the same quarters For there are two opposite points in the Loadstone whereof one always and in all places turneth it self to the North or the adjacent quarter the other to the South and so also the other points of the Magnes respect the other quarters viz. every point its particular quarter but all of them are not considered but only those two points which as I have said do convert themselves to the North and South which are termed the Poles of the Magnes one Northern the other Southern And the same virtue much to admiration is communicated to the Needle but by an inverted and contrary operation of nature For the end of the Lamine or Needle which is touched at the North Pole of the Magnes doth not convert it self to the North but to the South and that end which is rubbed at the South Pole of the Loadstone turneth not to the South but to the North. These points of the Needle are also termed the Poles The virtue of the Loadstone Although therefore the Loadstone and the Iron touched by it have very many notable properties yet all may be referred to two species or heads one is that virtue which doth extract the Iron the other by which in every place it directeth the two points of its Superficies to the North and South The former faculty the Ancients were not ignorant of but only this latter Seeing therefore the Magnes hath this property therefore by its help it is easy to find in any part of the Earth or Sea where the North or South is whence all the other quarters are soon known For if those points of the North and South be noted in any Loadstone or the North and South Pole and we have this Magnes in the Ship where we are in the Sea when we desire to know the quarters the Loadstone being hung by a Cord that it may easily move it self will so direct its Poles to the quarter of the North and South that it will shew the quarters demanded But the Magnetick Needle is more easy for use whose end is touched at the South Pole of the Magnes For if that this Needle be placed in the middle upon a sharp perpendicular pin so that it can freely turn round the Needle resting will shew by one of its ends the North quarter and by the other the South From what hath been said it is easy to make a Nautical Instrument Proposition II. To make a Mariners Compass Of the making the Mariners Compass Let the described Circle on any Paper be divided into 32 Quarters or degrees and let one of these deg being taken for the North Quarter be ascribed with these appellations Viz. with a peculiar Sign the Flower de Luce and the found out points for the other Quarters viz. South East West North-East North-West as we have propounded them in the Diagram in the XX Chapter Mariners term this Chart the Rose Then let the Magnetick Needle be so affixed beneath the Chart that the middle of the Needle may be beneath its Center and the North Pole of the Needle may be subjected to the Line of the Paper unto which we ascribe the Northern Quarter Moreover the Paper being so made with the Needle lying under let it be put upon the pointed pin that it may have a free Circumrotation So the Index of the
the fire It s Sap infused in Water heated and taken luke-warm purges Flegm and cures Venerial distempers Their Fruits Among their Fruits they have Damsons twice as big as ours Mirabolans of many kinds Anana's Citrons Oranges Pomegranates Grapes Dates Coco-Nuts c. They gather Maniguet Ginger and divers Roots which they eat instead of Bread and which serves for divers other uses they have quantity of Rice Millet Beans Pease French-Beans both red white green and all sorts of Pulse The Sensitive Herb is found among the Tapates whose Leaf touched they all close and shut up one within anothen hanging towards the ground and not raising up nor opening themselves again till a good while after and that by little and little It s chief places The Isles hath many good Roads and commodious Ports and every where are found good Water and Victuals but the Air is unhealthful to the Europeans by reason of the great Heat which here reigneth it lying under the Torrid Zone yet the French have established a Colony sometimes in one place and sometimes in another The Bay of Anton-Gil or of St. Anthony is the best in all the Island On the same Coast and farther towards the North is Boamarage more towards the South Arganda and continuing Cacambout Manialoufe Manajara or the Port of Pruâ—es Matatane Manapate or the Port of Gallions Manatenga Andâ—â—boul Romag near the Port St. Cace and Antipere or Sancta Clara near Cape St. Romain All these places or Ports are builded with Wood covered with Leaves and inclosed with Pallisadoes as throughout all the Isle On the other side towards the West and directly opposite to the Coast of Africa are Vingagora St. Andreâ—â—â— the Bay of Pracel St. Vincent St. James the Port or Guâ—ph of St. Augustine the best next to Antongil Tombaja c. The middle of the Isle rises into Mountains covered with Wood where is Ebony Saunders Orange-Trees Citron-Trees c. The Isle of Sancta Mary described About Madagascar are a great many of Isles as that of SANCTA MARY near the Bay of Anton-Gil about ten or twelve Leagues in circuit is fair and fertile affords store of Provisions and Potters Earth and their Seas quantity of Whales which they catch by darting on them a certain Iron fixed to the end of a Cord which when they have tired themselves they make to the shore and of these Whales they make Oyl with which as also with their Provisions and Potters Earth they drive a Trade The Isles of Comeres described The Isles of COMERES are Five principal ones as St. Christophers St. Esprit Loura Comera and Gasidsa The Inhabitants of this last are perfidious the others more civil and under one King alone who resides at Ansuvanny where there is some Trade the most part are Mahometans the Soil is pleasant and fertile because of the Rivers which descend from the Mountains and water their Fields They have all sorts of Birds they have no Iron they fetch from Madagascar Rice Millet Amber-greece and Slaves which they transport into Arabia and the Red Sea from whence they bring Stuffs and Indian Habits Amfium or Opium In 1613. the Hollanders tauched on this Island and received great refreshment It is observed that for a Quire of common Paper they had an Ox for a common Looking-Glass another for a Dozen of Little Bells which they fastned to Hawks Legs another for a Bar of Iron three Oxen c. The Isle of Maurico described The Isle MAVRICE or SANCTA APPOLLINA between 19 and 20 degrees seems to have been inhabited before the Hollanders established a Colony It is about 15 Leagues in compass Mandelslo saith that this Island hath a good Haven both deep and large enough for fifty Said of great Ships to harbor in which makes it to be very pleasant having many Mountains which are well cloathed with Trees and always green among which some are so lofty that they seem to overtop the Clouds And its Valleys as pleasant and green and adorned with several sorts of Trees as well those that bear Fruits as Cocoes Dates Oranges Citrons c. as those which yield none as great quantity of excellent Ebony and other Trees some of whose wood is Yellow others Red others mixt and all with fair and lively colours The Leaves of their Palm-trees are large enough to cover a man the Birds are here so tame that they suffer themselves to be taken with the hand or killed with a stick They have Tortoises strong enough to bear a man but fourfooted Beasts they have none Besides these Isles aforesaid there are several others which are seated about the Isle of Madagascar as Two bearing the name of Deigosoares Two by the name of Nunni Pereirae Three by the name of Deigo Roix Four by Sancta Clara Two by St. Romanus Three by St. Julianus Three by St. Jacobus Nine by St. Vincent Three by St. Christophers Three by Comora And eight by the name of Bugi Also the Isles of Boamarage St. Anthony St. Maria Radix Mascarenhae Johannis de Lisboa Syrtium and Mosambicha-Nova with some others The Banks of India very dangerous for Shipwracks Between the Isle of Madagascar and the main Land about 70 Leagues from the Isle 100 from Cefala and 150 from Mozambique are the Banks of India infamous for Shipwracks and particularly for that of the Admiral Fernando Mendoza in 1586. The Banks and Rocks are of sharp Stones and with divers points like to Coral some black others white others green but all horrible even to behold There rests a great number of Islands to the North and East and between the North and East of Madagascar and among these Isles many Banks and Rocks We will omit a particular description of them as unnecessary and only say that the French have often designed to establish a powerful Colony in the Countrey encouraged by its Commodities and the great Commerce it is like to maintain The Isles of CAPE VERDE The Isles of Cape Verde described viz. ONe hundred and fifty Leagues from Cape Verde and towards the West are a body of Islands which extend themselves from 13 ½ unto the 19 degree of Latitude and from 153 ½ unto 157 or thereabout of Longitude They are called in general the Isles of Cape Verde because that Cape is the nearest main Land to them Amongst these Isles there are 10 in some consideration though a part of them not inhabited they are ranged almost in form of a Cressant or Semi-Circle of which the convex part regards the Continent and the two Points the Ocean That which makes the Point towards North and West is that of St. Antonio which those of St. Vincent St. Nicholas and Sancta Lucia follow advancing between East and South then those of Salt Bona Vista and Maya descend from North to South and are the most Easterly of all Those of St. Jago of Fuego and Brava the most Southern returning from East to
West and advancing a little towards the South So that St. Anthony and Brava make the two Ends or Points towards the West Bona Vista makes the middle of the half Circle towards the East SANCTA LVCIA St. Nicholas St. NICHOLAS and St. JAGO are the greatest having each 100 or 120000 paces of length 15 20 or 30000 of breadth and 200 or 250000 paces of circuit St. Anthonio and St. Vincent are less by more then half and not of above 100000 paces in circuit the rest which are the least have not above 30 40 or 50000 paces I make no account of seven or eight others whose names have not been given us and which are rather Rocks than Isles St. JAGO is the greatest and the chief of all having a Bishops seat in the City of the same name St. Jago besides which are Ribera Grande with a good Port towards the West Praya towards the East St. Mary towards the North all with their Ports Some place likewise St. Thomas whose Port is dangerous others St. Domingo others St. Michael possibly these fall under some of the others Ribera Grande hath 500 Houses the Air is unhealthful the Land hilly but the Valleys fruitful in Grains Vines Fruits Sugar Canes Millons c. Feeding much Fowl and Cattle and particularly Goats in abundance These Beasts bringing forth young every four Moneths and three of four at a time and the Kids are very fat and delicate Sancta Lucia St. Vincent St. Anthony SANCTA LVCIA is the best peopled after that of St. Jago St. Nicholas St. Vincent and St. Anthony have been esteemed Desert yet they appear to have many Inhabitants though not so many as they could feed The Ships of the Vnited Provinces passing here in 1622. found in that of St Anthony 500 persons Men Women and Children all Aethiopians St. Vincent and St. Nicholas had no less At Mayo these Aethiopians are strong and of good stature but it is to be believed that every where are some Portugals to keep the rest in aw Salt Bona Vista The Isles of SALT of BONA VISTA of MAYO and of St. JAGO yield so great quantity of Salt which is made naturally of the Water which the Sea from time to time leaves that besides what they consume in the Countrey they laded every year more then 100 Ships which is transported into other Countreys and yet there remains six times as much which becomes useless It is reported that the Isle of Mayo could make alone lading for two thousand Sail of Ships yearly and the others not much less The other riches of the Countrey lies in the Skins of their Goats which are in so great quantity through all these Isles that many flocks are seen of 1000 Head The Skins are sent to Brasil Portugal and other places and make excellent Cordovants The Flesh is salted in the Countrey and sold to Ships going and returning from Brasil to the Indies Besides the Salt and Woats which are the principal riches of the Countrey they have many Wild Horses Oxen Apes c. also Cotton whereof they make several Manufactures Also Rice and many sorts of Grains Among their Fowl they have one kind particular to them which they call Flamencos the Feathers of their Bodies are all White and those of their Wings Red as Blood Their Tortoises are not above two or three foot long they come out of the Sea and lay their Eggs in the night covering them with Sand and the heat of the Sun hatches them Fuego Brava In Fuego and Brava they gather Wines which yield little to those of the Canaries The Sargasso Sea Between the Islands of Cape Verde and the main Land inclining towards the Canaries the Sea is called Sargasso because from the 20 to the 24 degree and for the length of 30 40 or 50 Leagues the Sea is covered with an herb like to that which is found in the bottom of Wells and which the Portugals call Sargasso This Herb except that it is more Yellow resembles Sea-Parsley bearing certain Grains or Fruit at the end but of neither taste nor substance Many have been much troubled to know from whence these Weeds come which are distant from the Isles and from the firm Land more then 60 Leagues and in a part of the Sea where there is no bottom found Nevertheless they are so close and in so great quantity that the Water seems rather a Meadow or Green Field then a Sea Ships which fall among these Weeds had need of a good Wind to disingage themselves and I believe it was these which hindred Sataspes from finishing his course about Africa and were the cause of his misfortune This Sataspes Son of Teaspes one of the Achemenides A story of Sataspes having ravished the Daughter of Zopyrus the Son of Magabises was condemned by Xerxes to be crucified His Mother the Sister of Darius caused this punishment to be changed into another to wit he was caused to make the Circumnavigation of Africa which could not be done without great difficulty and hazard He embarked in Egypt passed the Pillars of Hercules entred into the Occidental Ocean and passed far to the South along Africa but knowing that it would yet require much time and pains to end this course he returned into Egypt and thence to the Court where he said he had met with somewhat that hindred his Ship from passing farther Xerxes took him for a liar and made him suffer the death he was before condemned to But to continue The Isles of Cape Verde The Position wherein the Isles of Cape Verde are now found answers much better to the Position of the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy then that of the Canaries Ptolomy places his Fortunate Isles between the 10 and 16 degree of Latitude the Isles of Cape Verde are between the 13 and 19 the Canaries beyond the 26. The Meridian of the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy is at 8 degrees of Longitude from the Coast of Africa and towards the West The least Meridian of the Isles of Cape Verde is at 8 degrees of Longitude from the same Coast and towards the same side The least Meridian of the Canaries touches the Coast of Africa Ptolomy confines his Fortunate Isles under one Meridian and extends them from South to North between the tenth to the sixteenth parallel or degrees of Latitude which are five degrees of Latitude The Isles of Cape Verde are not justly under one Meridian but under two or three and extend themselves from the 13 ½ to the 19 which are five degrees of Latitude The Canaries on the contrary are all couched from West to East and almost under the same parallel or degree of Latitude which is the 27 lengthning themselves from the first to the 6 of Longitude These four Reasons are very strong to prove that the Isles of Cape Verde do rather answer to the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy then the Canaries Their distance in regard of the Aequator is
of the said Company Jamaica described JAMAICA is an Isle of a large extent being from East to West 170 miles in length and from North to South where it is broadest about 70 being of an Oval form and waxing narrower and narrower at both extream ends It is seated betwixt the Tropicks in the 17 and 18 degrees of Northern Latitude It s scituation Extent and beareth from off the Isle of Hispaniola Eastwards about 35 Leagues In the midst of the Isle from East to West runs a continued ridge of lofty Mountains which are well stored with fresh Springs whence flow the many Rivers that so plentifully water the Island Well watered to the great benefit of the Inhabitants The Air is observed to be more temperate than any of the Caribe Isles and of as mild a temperature as any place betwixt the Tropicks being alwaies refreshed with cool breezes frequent showers and great dews in the nights that it may be deemed Temperate and by its continual verdure exceeding delightful The Weather The weather is less certain than in the Caribe Isles the most observable wet seasons are in November and May there being no seemable Winter but by a little more rain and thunder in the Winter months nor is there scarce any sensible lengthning or shortning of the Days or Nights Hurricanes are here never known It s fertility and commodities This Isle in most parts especially the North is of a Fertil and rich soil and liberally answers the Cultivators cost and pains for what is planted The chief Commodities that it produceth are Sugars which are so good that they out sell those of the Barbados 5 s. per cent Cocao the richest Commodity of the Island Indico Cotton Tobacco but indifferent Hides Copper great variety of Woods for Dyers also Cedar Brasilletto Lignum vitae Ebony c. Tortoises in exceeding great plenty whose flesh is excellent good and nourishing but those that are troubled with the French man it is dangerous to eat Salt Salt-Peter Ginger Cod-pepper Piemente being an excellent Aromatick spice of a curious gusto having the mixt tast of divers Spices Cocheneil divers excellent Druggs Gumms and Balsoms many of which are not yet known by their names Here are greater abundance of Cattle than in most of the English Plantations as Horses Cows Hoggs Sheep Goats Asnegroes Mules Great plenty of Cattle which came from the breed of those put into the Woods by the Spaniards when they were first Masters of the Island which for want of Masters became wild but since the English have had to do here they are much wasted to what they were The Bays Rivers Roads and Creeks Fish Fowl are well stored with excellent Fish of sundry sorts appropriate to the Indies Likewise great store of Fowl both tame and wild the chief of which are Ducks Teal Wigeon Geese Turkyes Pigeons Hens Plovers c. Here are great plenty of excellent Fruits as Oranges Fruits Cocarnuts Pomegranates Limes Guavers Mammes Alumee-Supotas Avocatas Cashues Prickle-Apples Prickle Pears Grapes Sower sops Custard-Apples Dildoes Plantains Pines c. And Herbs Roots Herbs and Roots and Flowers common to England grow here very well Here are very noxious Beasts or Insects found those most dangerous are the Alegators Hurtful things some of which are fifteen and twenty foot long here is also Manchonele which is a kind of Crab likewise Snakes and Guianas but not poysonous as also Muskettoes and Merrywings a sort of stinging Flies found very troublesome to the Inhabitants The Diseases that Strangers are most incident unto are Dropsies occasioned by ill Dyet Drunkenness Diseases and Sloathfulness Calentures too frequently the product of Surfeits also Fevers and Agues but it is experimentally sound that if a good Dyet and moderate Exercises are used without excess of Drinking they may enjoy a competent measure of health and the reason of the great mortality of the Army at their arrival was the want of Provisions together with an unwillingness to labouror exercise joyned with discontent This Island is divided into Fourteen Precincts Divisions or Parishes It s division in to Precincts or Parishes many of which are well Inhabited especially the Southern part so far as the ridge of Mountains which runneth in the midst nor are its Southern parts especially near the Sea without Plantations though not so thick as about St. Jago and of late years the Island is much increased in its Inhabitants and Plantations being likely to prove the Potentest Colony the English are Masters of in America being able to bring into the Field upon occasion about eight or ten thousand men This Isle abounds with goods Bays Roads and Harbours the chief amongst which are Port Royal formerly Cagway It s chief places Port Royal. seated on the extream end of that long point of Land which makes the Harbour which is exceeding commodious for Shipping and secured by a strong Castle and land lock't by a point of land that runs twelve miles South-East from the main of the Island having the great River that runs by los Angelos and St. Jago falling into it where Ships do commonly water and conveniently wood The Harbour is two or three Leagues broad in most places with good Anchorage and so deep that a Ship of one thousand Tun may lay her sides to the Shoar of the point and load and unload with Planks afloat which commodiousness doth make it much resorted unto and as well Inhabited by the Merchants Store-house-keepers and other Inhabitants this being the only noted place in the Isle for Traffick and resort being said to contain about 12 or 1500 well built houses which are as dear rented as if they stood in well traded streets in London yet its scituation is very unpleasant and uncommodious having neither Earth Wood or fresh water but only made up of a hot loose sand which renders it more unhealthful than up in the Country and Provisions are very dear about 12 miles up in the Land from this Town is St. Jago St. Jago or St. Jago de la vega which when the Spaniards were Masters of it was large containing about 2000 houses which were destroyed and reduced to about 500 when the English first seized the Isle and here the Governour resideth and where the chief Courts of Judicature are held which makes it to be well resorted and inhabited where they live in great pleasure recreating themselves in their Coaches and on Horseback in the evenings in the Savana near adjoyning as the Gentry do here in Hide-Park The present Governour is his Excellency Charles Earl of Carslile Viscount Howard of Acorpeth Lord Dacres of Gilsland one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council a person for prudence and noble qualifications every way beâ—itting such a place Six miles Southward of this Town is seated Passage at the mouth of the River Passage which at six miles course falleth into the Harbour of
from the middle and sendeth forth rays it signifieth a moist and windy season 3. If that the Sun be pale in his setting but if it be red the Air will be quiet and serene the next day 4. If the Sun being pale setteth in black Clouds it signifieth a North-wind 5. If that the Moon be red like unto gold it is deemed a certain sign of a Wind according to the Verse Pallida Luna pluit rubicunda fiat alba serenat 6. A circle about the Moon 7. If that the Northern-horn or corner of the Moon appear more extended a North-wind is approaching 8. If that the Southern a South-wind is at hand 9. The rising of the Moon and the more noted Stars as of the Bear Orion and especially the Goats with the Sun 10. If the small Stars in Cancer termed Asellos be covered with a Cloud if the Northern of them be covered the Wind will be South if the Southern be covered it will be North. 11. For the most part Winds begin to blow when that the Wind ceaseth 12. When a certain noise and murmur like to an Ebullition is heard in the Sea 13. The Ancients also prognosticated from the Raven the Dolphin and other Animals 14. From fiery Meteors as from Lightning and Falling-Stars but not from the Ignes fatui Proposition XVIII Why in the Spring and Autumn the Winds are more frequent and blow with greater force than in the hot Summer or cold Winter Greater and more frequent Winds in Spring and Autumn than in Summer and cold VVinter In the Spring it is supposed to be partly by reason of the dissolving of Snow especially in Mountainous places partly because that the Pores of the Earth are then opened and send forth many exhalations partly because that the Air and Vapours are then more thin when that they were condensed in the Winter Add that for the most part in the Month before the beginning of the Spring and in the very Spring many Rays do fall by reason that humid Constellations then have possessed those houses of the Zodiack into which on the entrance of the Sun we account the beginning of the Spring and also in Autumn the frequent Rays and Exhalations are to be accounted the cause of the Winds as well as in the Spring by reason that a moderate heat proceeding from the Sun advanceth the Vapours and Exhalations yet such as are more thick and less attenuated But in the heat of Summer there are no Winds for the most part for the same reason by reason of which Rays are very seldom seen at that Season viz. because that the Sun overmuch attenuateth the Exhalations and doth not permit them so to conjoyn or meet in such a quantity as is required to the generation of the Winds Which cause is not general or always true and neither is it generally true that in the heat of Summer there are no Winds for here we are only to understand it concerning that which oftentimes happeneth But in the sharp Winter the winds are more rare and that by reason that both fewer Vapours are raised from the Earth and those also that are elevated are either condensed into Clouds or are so dissipated by Frost that they cause no wind Proposition XIX In what Altitude of the Air or in what Region of the Air the Winds begin to blow In what Region the Winds begin to blow There are some that suppose the winds not to exceed the lower Region of the Air because that they discover that the tops of the high Mountains as Olympus feel no Blasts But I question the Observation seeing that the Smoak cast forth from the top of Mount Aetna is discerned to be moved to and fro by the wind therefore I suppose that such a windy commotion may be caused also in the upper Region of the Air. Proposition XX. Vnto what space one and the same Wind may extend it self How far one and the same Wind may extend it self There is great diversity in this matter for the winds blowing from the East to the West under the torrid Zone seem to encompass the whole Earth and those also that blow either from the North or South for many days and long spaces are wont to accompany and follow Mariners The same seemeth true concerning collateral Lines but this diversity is because that the same wind is different in divers places as we have shewed in the Tenth Proposition in the end of the explication of the first cause CHAP. XXI Of the Winds in particular and Tempests IN the foregoing Chapter we have alledged the distribution and differences or rather the denominations of the Winds which they receive from the quarter from whence they blow or seem to blow which division also is accidental by reason that they are taken in respect of a certain place of the Earth unto which those Quarters are related Now in this Chapter we shall alledge the divisions and Phaenomena which are in a certain time of the year or else are proper to certain tracts of the Earth although that we desire to have more and those likewise more accurate Observations concerning these things But we will produce what we have collected with much labour from the Diaries of the Seamen Proposition I. One Wind is constant and another inconstant Of Winds constant and inconstant That is a constant wind which at the least for one or two hours bloweth from the same quarter That is an inconstant wind which sometimes bloweth and other some is changed into other winds blowing from other quarters The causes of the more or less duration of the same wind also of the swift immutation seemeth to be 1. if that it be from a general cause or from a cause less constant So Winds proceeding from the motion of the Air with the motion of the Sun in the torrid Zone are constant so those also that blow from the dissolving of the Snow especially in the Mountains 2. If that by chance there be no such vapours in other quarters which are apt to generate Winds 3. If that the circumambient Air about the Cloud of which the Winds are generated be more thick and granteth no passage to the Exhalations but if that the Air be not so thick or more relaxed and that few Vapours be here and there in divers places and quarters and lastly if that the general causes do cease then indeed the Winds are found variable which are for the most part gentle Proposition II. One Wind is general and another particular Of general and particular Winds The general Wind is termed by Mâ—riners a Passant wind which at many places at once in a long tract of Earth bloweth on the Sea almost for a whole year That is termed a particular on the contrary which bloweth not at once in many places for a whole year Now a general Wind is hindred 1. In the parts of the Sea near the Earth for here Vapours from other quarters do interpose
to wit In the South-East and North-East or in the quarters more near to the North and South its cause seemeth to be referred either to the divers scituation of the places in which the Snow and the more thick Clouds are there collected or rather unto a general wind which is very forcible to attract those Motions unto another quarter For seeing that a general wind of its own nature tendeth directly from the East to the West and these Motions tend from one Pole unto the other thence ariseth a mutual hindrance and thence it may come to pass that the wind may gain an intermedial quarter between the East and South and East and North. The South-West and North-West Motions are unconstant rare and weak and therefore are scarce reckoned amongst Motions when that the North and South by accident seem to decline sometimes to the West but they are attracted to the East by a general wind Now to render a reason concerning the great diversity of these Motions in divers places more accurate observations are required and those not of one year but of many with the notation of the Winter Rainy Snowy Seasons and the Mountains of these places from the quarters of which these state winds do blow we should also know the Phasis and Motion of the Moon and what variation this maketh Several winds blow at certain times in set places 2. In July South winds blow at Cape Verd for then there is the Winter in the time of Rain and this seemeth to produce from no other Cause than that by which in our Zone North winds blow in the Winter 3. At the Promontory of Good-hope in September the North-East wind bloweth 4. At Patanen in India in November December and January continual Rains and a North-East wind predominateth but in other Months an East wind bloweth and it is Summer 5. About Sumatra there is a mutation of the Motions in November and December 6. In the Isle of Mayo one of the Azores in the end of August a vehement wind bloweth from the South and bringeth Rain which moistens the Earth otherwise dry and then first of all Grass springeth up which feedeth many Goats at the end of December 7. In Congo from the middle of March to September at what time it is Winter there the North and north-North-West wind blow or other intermedial winds which force and gather the Clouds on the tops of the Mountains and generate an obscure Air with Rain But from September to March the South and South-East and other intermedial winds blow that are contrary to the former See the following Proposition We have taken these differences of the state and Anniversary winds from the Observation of Mariners that term them Moussons or Motions if that they blow in a long tract of the Sea And now we should Treat of their Causes but that we are ignorant of the Mountains of the Regions of the times of the Snows and their meltings and many other matters Moreover those Observations of Seamen are not sufficiently accurate so that they deserve a diligent inquisition concerning their Causes The more noted Motions are these More noted Motions 1. In the Indian Ocean between Africa and India and to the very Moluccos in an Oriental Motion towards the West which begineth in January and bloweth for six Months even to the begining of June In August and September a contrary Motion begineth viz. Western winds In June July and August is a mutation of Motions and great Tempests from the North. Now when that we speak of Oriental and Occidental winds we do not only understand the East and West winds but also the Collateral winds 2. The Oriental motion varieth very much at the Shoars so that Ships can only Sail from India on this side Gatis or on the Coasts of Malabar from January to the middle of May to Persia Arabia Mecha and Africa for seeing that in the end of May and all June July and August the Tempests rage violently and often a North wind or furious North-East wind frequently intermixing it self therefore in these Months no Ships pass from India on this side Gatis but on the Coast of India beyond the Gatis or Ganges that is on the East quarter or on the Coasts of Choromandel such Tempests are not known A Voyage is undertaken from Ceilan Java and other Isles to the Moluccoes in September because that then the Oriental motion begineth which hindereth the general wind But when you depart to 15 degrees of South Latitude beyond the Aequator this Occidental motion is not discovered in the Indian Ocean but a general South East wind filleth the Sails 3. From Cochin to Malacca that is from the West to the East they begin their Voyage in March because that then there the Western motion begineth or rather the North West wind frequently bloweth 4. In the Kingdom of Guzurat half the year the North winds blow from March to September and in the other half the South winds and that without any other hindrance caused by other winds 5. The Dutch set Sail from Java for the most part in January or February when that they return for Europe then they Sail with an Easterly wind even to 18 degrees of South Latitude and here the South or South-East wind begineth to blow by which they Sail even to St. Helena 6. Although in the Indian Ocean from January even to June the motion be Oriental and then from August to January the motion be Occidental yet nevertheless in divers parts of it when we must Sail from one place to another divers seasons are discovered more or less convenient by reason that the Collateral winds do more or less blow or the motion is more or less vehement at those times or other winds more often or more seldom intermix at that time therefore those that are to Sail from Cochin to Malacca observe another motion another from Malacca to Maccou the Emporium of China another from Maccou to Japan 7. At Banda the Western winds cease with the end of March and at the end of April there are variable winds and calms with the Month of May violent Easternly winds with Rain begin 8. At Ceilan about the Promontory called Punto Gullo on the 14th of March the first Occidental wind beginneth viz. the west-south-West-South-West then the South-West constant and continnual from the end of March to the first of October then the North-East begineth which bloweth there even to March but some daies at ten or also more these State-winds or motions happen sooner or later 9. In the Voyage from Mozambique to Goa in May and June the South-East winds are predominate even to the Aequator but from the Aequator to Goa the South-West and South winds reign in July August and the following Months 10. In the 35 deg of the Elevation of the Meridian which passeth through the Isle of Tristan de Conha in May on the New Moon the West wind reigneth 11. At the 2 â…• of
above almost maketh up and moderateth them To wit in the Regions of the Northern Temperate Zone it is Spring and Summer the Sun going from Aries by Cancer to Libra because then he is more near them Then the Sun going from Libra through Capricorn to Aries it is Autumn and Winter But in the Southern Temperate Zone the matter is contrary neither can those other causes altogether disable the force of this first and induce a new course of the seasons and be able to alter the times as in the Torrid Zone 2. Yet those Seasons of divers places vary so that in one place there may be more Heat or Cold or Rain than in another although the places lie in the same Climate but yet they cause not the Winter to be changed into Summer or Summer into Winter A Rocky Marshish and Maritim Land findeth somewhat another degree of heat or cold than Vallies or a Chalk and Maritim Land 3. The places in the Tropicks for the most part in the Summer have an excessive heat others a Pluvial Season so that they almost approach to the nature of the places of the Torrid Zone So in the part of the Kingdom of Guzarat lying without the Tropick at the same time the wet and dry months are observed which in the part lying beyond the Aequator the Summer is changed into a Pluvial Season yet then there is greater heat than the dry part of the year where they have a moderate cold and in truth in the places of the Temperate Zones we judg the Summer and Winter not from the drought and rains but from the heat and cold Now in the Coasts of Persia and Ormus there is so great heat without Rains in the Summer by reason of the vicinity of the Sun rhat both the Men and their Wives ly in Cisterns full of Water The like heat is in Arabia The Regions of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea are called the coast of Barbary Throughout all Barbary the middle of October being past Showers and Cold begin to increase and in December and January the cold is perceived more intense and that only in the morning and withal so remiss that the Fire is not desired February taketh away the greatest part of the cold from the Winter but yet it is so inconstant that sometimes 5 or 6 times in one day the Air changeth In the month of March the North and West Winds blow violently and cause whole trees to be vested with blossoms April giveth form almost to all Fruits so that the entrance of May and the end of April is wont naturally to produce Cherries In the middle of May they gather Figs and in the middle of June in some places are ripe Grapes Of the seasons of the year of Barbary the Figs or Autumn are gathered in August and there is no greater plenty of Figs and Pears than in September There is not so great intemperies of the year in those places but that the three months of the Spring are always temperate The entrance of the Spring that is the Terrestrial not the Celestial is as they reckon on the 15th of February and the end the 18th of May in all which time the Air is most grateful to them If from the 25th of April to the 5 of May they have no Rain they esteem the same as ominous They count their Summer even to the 16th of August at which time they have a very hot and serene Air. Their Autumn from the 17 of August to the 16 of November and they have that for two months to wit August and September yet not great That which is included between the 15 of August and the 15 of September was wont to be termed by the Antients the Furnace of the whole year and that because it produced Figs Pears and that kind of Fruit to maturity From the 15 of November they reckoned their Winter which they extend to the 14 of February At the entrance of this they begin to till their Land which is the plain but the mountainous in the month of October The Africans have a certain perswasion that the year hath 40 very hot days and on the other side so many cold The Opinion of the Arabians days which they say begin from the 12 of December They begin the Aequinoxes on the 16 of March and on the 16 of September Their Solstices on the 16 of June and the 16 of December The end of their Autumn all their Winter and a good part of their Spring is full of violent Winds accompanied with Hail Lightnings and dreadful Thunders neither is there wanting in many places of Barbary an abundance of Snow In Mount Atlas 7 degrees distant from the Tropick of Cancer they divide the year only into two parts for from October even to April they have a continual Winter and from April again to October they have Summer In this there is no day in which the Mountains tops glitter with Snow The seasons of Numidia In Numidia the parts of the year swiftly pass away for in May they reap their Corn in October they gather their Dates but from the middle of September to January a violent Frost continueth October abstaining from Rains all hopes of Sowing is taken from the Husbandman the same hapneth if that April produceth not Pluvial Water Leo Astricanus remembreth many Mountains of Snow in Africa not far from the Tropick of Cancer Of China The North part of China although no more remote from the Aequator than Italy yet it hath a cold more sharp for great Rivers and Lakes are congealed up with Frost the cause of which is not yet sufficiently known except we should refer it to the Snowy Mountains of Tartaria not far remote to the avoyding of which cold they abound with the Skins of Foxes and Scythilian Rats New England New England although it lie in 42 degrees of North Latitude and therefore no more removed from the Aequator than Italy yet in the month of June when Sir Francis Drake was there the Air was so vehement cold that he was compelled to sayl back to the South for the Mountains were then covered with Snow The cause is the Frigid temperature of the Earth being Stony The seasons of Aegypt In Aegypt which is bounded with the Tropick of Cancer the Spring and Temperate Season of the year is observed about January and February The Summer beginneth with March and April and continueth June July and August The Autumn possesseth September and October The Winter hath November and December About the beginning of April they Reap their Corn and presently thresh it After the 20 of May not an Ear of Corn is to be seen in the Fields no Fruits on the trees On the Ides of June the inundation of the Nilus beginneth The seasons in the streights of Magellan In the Streights of Magellan and the adjacent Regions although they be no more distant from the Aequator than our parts
collect the increase or decrease of the Declination of the Sun from the Aequator or of the Points of the Ecliptick to be the Cause of this unequal increase of the days but in the places of the Aequator it self all days are equal and therefore here is no increase or decrease although the Sun seem to stand about the days of the Solstice that is a little changing the Meridian Altitude Now it is manifest that the greater inequality of this encrease and decrease of the days is to be found where the places are more remote from the Aequator if that the Pole be Elevated for the distance of the divers places from the Aequator and the Arches of the Parallels Elevated above the Horizon be considered in both scituations Proposition XXV In the places of the Torrid Zone or those scituated in the Aequator or in the midst of the Torrid Zone the Sun much sooner departeth from the Vertex than in places near the Tropick of Cancer or Capricorn Of the departure of the Sun in places of the Torrid zone Let any Degree in the Brazen Meridian of the Globe be noted for Example the Fifth Degree from the Aequator and another place in the Torrid Zone being taken for Example one whose Latitude is 18 Degrees Let this be brought to the Meridian make a sign with a Chalk in this and let 5 Degrees from this towards the Tropick be reckoned on the Brazen Meridian and here again make a sign with a Chalk We must shew that the Sun in fewer days is removed from the Vertex of the places of the Aequator 5 Degrees in the Meridies than from the Vertex of another place so many Degrees Let the Globe be turned until some Point of the Ecliptick come under some noted Point of the Meridian near to the Aequator And let the Degrees of the Ecliptick between the first of Aries and Libra and between that Point and the Arches here to be noted Then let the Globe be turned again until some Point of the Ecliptick pass through the Note made in the Meridian for the place and let this Point of the Ecliptick be noted then let the Globe be turned again until another Point of the Ecliptick pass through by that Point removed five Degrees which is noted which must again be noted and let the Arch between the two last Points of the Ecliptick be reckoned which will be found to be much bigger than that which was first noted and thence the Sun shall stay in this Arch more days than in the former and therefore he more slowly recedeth from the Vertex of the second place than from the Vertex of the place taken in the Aequator THE THIRD BOOK OF General Geography TO WIT THE COMPARATIVE PART Of the Affections from Comparing of Places CHAP. XXXI Of the Longitude of a place Definitions 1. _â—HE Circle of the Longitude of any place in the Earth Definition is a Circle passing through that place and both the Poles of the Earth It is also termed the Meridian Circle because the Meridian of a place and the Circle of the Longitude of a place are one and the same Circle But they are only rationally distinguished because the Meridian hath respect to the Motion of the Stars the Circle of the Longitude to the extension of the Earth having no respect to the Celestial Motions But the use of the term Meridian is more frequent and convenient and therefore we shall also use the word They are conspicuous in Globes and Maps passing through every Ten Degrees of the Aequator 2. The distance of a place from a certain Meridian is termed the Longitude of a place or else it is the Arch of the Aequator or Parallel intercepted between the Meridian of that place and a certain other Meridian This Meridian from which the Meridians of other places are reckoned from West towards the East is called the first Meridian The Longitude of the Earth it self is termed its extension from West to East conceived according to the Line of the Aequator The first Meridian in the Maps and Globes is notable above the rest for Magnitude and Colour and it is apparent to the eyes 3. The distance of one place from another is a very short Line intercepted between those two places in the Superficies of the Earth 4. Any Point in the Globe and Maps is truly said to represent and exhibit any place of the Earth if that it hath that Scituation and distance to the other points of the Maps such as the place of the Earth which it ought to represent hath to the other places of the Earth which are represented by the other Points of the Earth Proposition I. Nature hath put no beginning or end to the dimension of the Earth or of the extension from the West to the East or according to the Aequator but all and every one of the places may be taken for a beginning and the first Meridian may be placed in them For the better understanding of this the matter must be more fully searched into No beginning or end of the Dimension of the Earth c. because that some I know not upon what account suppose great mysterias to lâ—e herein that every Superficies as well plane as crooked as a Line â—y one and a Body by three is measured and terminated by two Dimensions or extensions as is evident from Principles of Geometry and common use of which extension one is termed the Longitude of the extension or figure and the other the Latitude and the one is conceived perpendicular to the other Neither do these extensions differ in their nature but that which we take for Longitude may also be taken for Latitude and so on the contrary but yet for the most part if these two extensions be unequal we take the longest for Longitude and the shortest for Latitude But in Ordinate Figures as in the Aequilateral Triangle a Quadrate and the like the two extensions are equal neither is there any difference between Longitude and Latitude For the Figure of the Superficies of the Earth is Spherical and Latitude doth not truly differ from Longitude which we so conceive in it for the more distinct cognition Now those two extensions in the Spherical Superficies are commodiously so conceived as in other crooked Superficies if that first the Periphery of the Semicricle be taken in it drawn from one point to the opposite point and this Line be made one extension of the Superficies then for the other extension you shall take another Periphery cutting the former Periphery in the middle at Right Angles for so Longitude and Latitude are taken in all Figures and this must be conceived to extend about the whole Superficies until it return to it self that so a crooked Superficies may be supposed to be extended into a plane Because therefore the first assumed Periphery or extension is only the Semicircle that shall be the Latitude of the Globe the
that the people pass to and fro as it were in throngs near to this City are Josephs 7 Granaries now brought to ruines yet 4 of them are so repaired as they are made use of to keep the publick Corn. On the South end of this City he saith there yet remaineth a round Tower wherein Pharaohs daughter lived when she found Moses in the River which runs hard by it South West of Grand Cairo on the other side of the Nile about four Leagues distance stands the three oldest and greatest Pyramides the Jews affirming them to be built by Pharaoh who was drowned in the Red Sea the fairest for himself the next for his Wife and the least for his only Daughter The greatest of the three and chief of the Worlds Seven Wonders is made in form Quardangular lessening by equal degrees the Basis of every Square is 300 paces in length and so lessening by degrees ascending by 250 steps each being about 3 feet high the Stones are all of a bigness and hewed four square And in this as also in the others there are several Rooms There are also about 16 or 18 other Pyramides but of less note and not so ancient as these 3 aforesaid are which I shall pass by Nigh to this City in the Plain is the place where they did inter their dead in which they used such art that the bodies of their dead remain to this day perfect sound and these we call Mummies The places where these bodies ly are about ten fathom under ground in Vaults either in the Sand or upon an open stone The Earth is full of dry Sand wherein moisture never comes which together with their art of Embalming them doth thus preserve the bodies for some thousand years past In the brest of these Mummies is set a small Idol some of one shape some of another with Hieroglyphicks on the back side of them This City of Grand Cairo was formerly of a very great Trade but that which hath now ruined it as likewise that of Alexandria is the discovery of the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope by which the English Portugals and Hollanders at present go to these Indies and bring into the West all those Drugs Spices Precious Stones Pearls and a thousand other Commodities which came before by Aleppo or by Egypt but passing by Cairo let us come to the other Cassilifs The Cassilifs in the lower Egypt In the lower Egypt are those of Garbia Menufia and Callioubech within the Delta and between the Branches of the Nile That of Mansaura without and Eastward towards the Holy Land and Arabia Likewise without and Westward of the Nile is the Cassilif of Bonhera or Baera which stretches it self from the Nile unto the Cape of Bonandrea This last Cassilif is almost quite out of Egypt though within its Government and the length of its Sea Coast not less then that of all Egypt along the Nile But that which is distant from the Nile is subject to the Arabs and very Desart that which is near it is better worth It s Governor is obliged to Mannel a Callech or Channel of 100000 paces in length to carry water from the Nile to Alexandria and when a new Bassa arrives in Egypt this Governor hath likewise to furnish him with Horses and Camels for himself his Train and Baggage and to defray his charges from Alexandria unto Cairo But since the Wars with the Venetians the Bassa's have generally come round by Land and not adventured by Sea to Alexandria Among the Desarts of this Cassilif those of St. Macaire have had 360 and odd Monasteries And here is likewise to be seen a Lake of Mineral Water which converts into Nitre the Wood Bones or Stones that are thrown into it The Cassilifs of Callioubech Menousia and Garbia being between the Branches of the Nile and out of the course of the Arabs ought to be esteemed the best in Egypt and particularly the last which yields more abundantly Sugar Rice Milk Grains Oyl Flax Herbs Honey Fruits c. And Maala one of its principal Cities which they call the Little Medina is a place of great devotion with them where they hold yearly a famous Fair which the Governor opens with great pomp observing many Ceremonies The Cassilif of Mansoura doth produce the same Commodities but not in so great a quantity though of a greater extent then Garbia but more over it yields Cassia These four or five Cassilifs take up the whole Coast of Egypt and of its Government and on this Coast are the Cities of Alexandria Rosetto Damiata and some others The City of Alexandria Alexandria among the Turks Scanderia was built by the command of Alexander the Great and by him peopled with Greeks immediately after the conquest of Egypt and the Moddel traced by the Architect Dinocrates who for want of other matter made use of Wheat-flower to mark out the circuit which was taken for a good Augury It was afterwards beautified by many but especially by Pompey It is scituated Westward of the Delta over against the Isle of Pharos and built upon a Promontory thrusting it self into the Sea with which on the one side and on the other the Lake Mareotis It is a place of good defence its circuit is about 12000 paces adorned with many stately Edifices among which the most famous was the Serapium or the Temple of their god Serapis Which for curious workmanship and the stateliness of the Building was inferior to none but the Roman Capitol then the Library erected by Ptolomy Philadelphus in which there were 200000 Volums which Demetrius promised to augment with 300000 more And this in the War against Julius Caesar was unfortunately burnt And this is that Philadelphus who caused the Bible to be translated into Greek by the 72 Interpreters which were sent him by the High Priest Eleazar In this City in Anno 180 Gantenus read Divinity and Philosophy who as it is thought was the first institutor of Vniversities This City hath been enriched with 400 high and strong Forts and Towers and the Ptolomies or Kings of Egypt having made here their residence after the death of Alexander the Great and caused many stately and magnificent Palaces to be built Under the Houses are Gisterns sustained with Pillars of Marble as also Pavements for their refreshment being their Summer habitation their ancient custom by reason of the heat being to build their Houses as much under ground as above the upper part serving for their Winter habitation It was their custom also to erect great Pillars of Marble or Porphyry among others that of Pompey which stands upon a four square Rocky Foundation without the Walls on the South side of the City It is round and of one intire piece of Marble and of an incredible bigness being above One hundred foot high not far from the place where he was slain in a Boat at Sea and where his ashes were laid In this City are also two
with the Mono-Motapa of which he seems once to have been a part is in peace with the King of Zanguebar that he may have commerce to the Sea for he hath much Gold Silver Ivory and the same Commodities as Mono-Motapa but its People are more barbarous and brutish The chief places in the Mono-Emugi are Agag Astagoa Leuma Camur Beif Bagametro and Zembre seated on the bottom of the Lake Zaire CAFRERIA or the Land of CAFRES The Land of Cafreria described CAFRERIA or the Land of CAFRES makes the most Southern Coast of all Aethiopia winding like a Semicircle about the Cape of Good Hope some begin it from Cape Negro and continue it unto the River of Cuama this separating it from Zanguebar and the other from Congo or what we have esteemed with Congo Others begin it and end it with the Tropick of Capricorn as well on this side as beyond the Cape of Good Hope I esteem under the name of Cafres all the Coasts which environ the Mono-Motapa both towards the West South and East so that we may call these Cafres Occidental Meridional and Oriental This distinction being taken in regard of the natural scituation in which these People are from the Mono-Motapa or we may chuse rather to consider them in Occidental or Oriental as we have already done the Cape of Good Hope then keeping the one from the other It hath formerly been believed that these People had neither Kings Law nor Faith and therefore were called Cafres that is without Law But it hath since been known that they have divers Kings and Lords as those of Mataman where there are divers Metals Chrystal c. And of Melemba among the Occidentals those of Chicanga Sedanda Quiteva and Zefala among the Orientals and others we know not towards the South and Cape of Good Hope On the Coast of Cafres are these places and Isles viz. St. Nicolai Piscarius the Port of Carascalis the Cape of Good Hope St. Martins Bay and the Cape of St. Lucia Also these Isles 4 bearing the name of St. Lucia 2 of St. Christophers 5 of Crucis and 3 of Aride Many of which as likewise the Capes are well known by Sea-men especially the Cape of Good Hope All these Coasts of Cafreria are bounded within Land by a Chain of Mountains formed by the Mountains of the Moon and which inclose Mono-Motapa That part of these Mountains which advance towards the Cape of Good Hope are called by the Portugals The Cape of Good Hope Picos Fragos that is Watry Points or Rocks This Cape is the most remarkable piece in Cafreria the most Southern point of Africa and of our Continent and the most famous Promontory of the whole World Vasco de Gama knew it in 1498 and after having doubled it found the way by the East-Indies to the Great Sea and from hence the Portugals boast to have been the first that had the knowledge of this Cape But we have made appear in the general discourse of Africa that the Ancients have both known and spoke of it Near the Cape of Good Hope and farther towards the South is the Cape of Needles which should be more famous since it is more Southernly than the other by 12 or 15 Leagues But the name Cape of Good Hope is given to all that Head of Land which is the most Southern of Africa The Air Fertility Commodities c. of the Country The Air of this Country is sometimes temperate and sometimes cold by reason of the Mountains which are covered with Snow and Ice from whence descends quantity of cold Waters The Vallies and Lower Countries pleasant and fertil hath store of Woods and Forests in which are abundance of Beasts and Fowls as Deer Antilopes Baboons Foxes Hares c. Also Ostriches Herons Pelicans Pheasants Partridges Geese Ducks c. They are well supplied with good Water feed much Cattle which they truck with Strangers for Knives Scizzars Spoons and divers Toys they have likewise much Fish in their Rivers The People and their Trade The Inhabitants are Black have thick Lips flat Noses long Ears and in a word very ill-shapen They are more barbarous and brutish than the rest of Africa they are Man-eaters their chief ornaments in their Apparel are Chains of Iron Brass Beads Bells or the like and cutting and slashing their Skins in several shapes Clothing they have none only in the Cold season they wrap themselves about with Skins of Beasts Towns they have none or very few for the most part living in the Woods and Forests like brute Beasts But the Cafres on the East are much more civil than the others most of them have made a part and are yet subject to the Mono-Motapa who about 50 years ago divided his Estate into four parts giving to his eldest Son what is within Land and by much the greatest part and to his three younger Sons Zuiteva Sedanda and Chicanga towards the Sea-Coast for their Portions Cefala or Zefala seems to make its piece apart whose King pays Tribute both to the Mono-Motapa and the Portugals and these have divers Fortresses on the Coast Sena Tete Cuama c. Zefala is so abundant in Gold and Elephants that some take it for the Ophir whither Solomon sent his Fleet every three years And they give for a reason that the Gold Ivory Apes c. which that Fleet brought are here found in abundance That this Fleet parting from the Red Sea there is no likelyhood it should go to Peru which some take for this Ophir besides that there is there neither Ivory nor Apes but that it was rather to some part of Asia or Africa They add that there remains not far from Zefala some footsteps of ancient Buildings and Inscriptions left there by Strangers long time ago Nay likewise that there is some notes and Books how Solomon sent thither his Fleet. Moreover the Septuagint translate Sophira instead of Ophir and the name of Sophira is not overmuch different from Sopholo However it be there is here store of Gold both in the Mountains and Rivers and often very clean and pure as well in Powder as Sand and this Gold is esteemed the best and finest in Africa ours seeming but Brass in comparison of it The Country is healthful and pleasant seated only on the Coast the Mono-Motapa confining it within Land A part of its now Inhabitants are not the Natives but descended from that Coast which belonged to the Mono-Motapa The Natives as I said before are Black and Idolaters or Cafres the others very swarthy and for the most part Mahometans They have a great Trade on this Coast for their Gold two or three Millions being yearly brought hence and that for Toys and things of a very small value which are carried them from divers parts of Asia and Europe and some parts of Africa The ISLES of AFRICA as they lie and are found In the Mediterranean Sea And on the Coast of BARBARY as the ISLES of
our Coast into the other Continent It may likewise be believed that others have passed from the other Coast that is to say from Asia Whence it comes that some believe that the Inhabitants of Peru and Mexico descend rather from the Chinois and Japanois than from the Europeans or Africans But this subject will be too tedious to handle let us therefore content our selves to speak a word or two of this America in general before we descend to particulars AMERICA considered in its whole Body is part on this side and part beyond the Equator It stretches it self to near 54 degrees beyond and extends it self to 80 or more on this side which are more than 130 degrees of Latitude our Continent not having much more than 100 But the breadth of America is very unequal this Continent being composed of two great Peninsula's almost divided the one from the other by the Equator its breadth here is not in some places of above 30 40 or 50 Leagues The bigness of America though in other places 1000 or 1200 and possibly much more in America Septentrionalis if the Land of Jesso be contiguous to it The scituation and Land of Jesso This Land of JESSO or YEDSO is between America and Asia and we know not yet whether it joyn upon Asia or America or make a Piece apart if it be divided both from the one and the other and that New Denmark and Greenland are upon it as there is much reason to believe it makes a Piece not less than the three parts of our Continent or of the two of the other but possibly it makes a third part of the other Continent Let us proceed to the two parts of America as they are esteemed and known at present AMERICA SEPTENTRIONALIS AMERICA SEPTENTRIONALIS is that part of America which is not only the most Northern of the two America's but likewise doth all lie between the Equator and the North The length and breadth of America Septentrionalis it extends it self from the 8th or 10th degree of Latitude even beyond the Artick Circle and if we comprehend the Artick Lands with America it advances at least to the 88th degree of Latitude which are 70 degrees for its height from South to North. Its length from West to East possesses near all the degrees of Longitude of the other Hemisphere to wit from about the 180th where ours end even beyond the 300th which is the end of the other The Mer del Nort is on the East of it the Mer del Sud on its West towards the North its bounds are unknown there being Land found even beyond the 80th degree of Latitude Its bounds with appearance that they extend yet farther towards the Pole so that we cannot judge to what degree or whether it be contiguous to New Denmark and Greenland or whether it be in Islands and on the South it makes America Meridionalis We will divide this America Septentrionalis into Canadiana and Mexicana Under the name of Canadiana is understood that part of America which is about Canada where the English French Hollanders Danes and Swedes have divers Colonies And under the name of Mexicana It s division according to Mons Sanson that part of America which the King of Spain doth almost alone possess and where he hath established abundance of Colonies subdividing Canadiana into the Artick Lands and Canada or New France and Mexicana into New Mexico and Mexico or New Spain Of these four parts Mexico or New Spain is the most advanced towards the Equator and the South the Artick Lands towards the North It s scituation the other two parts rest in the middle Canada or New France towards the East and New Mexico towards the West The first is under and about the Tropick of Cancer the second under or about the Polar Circle the two others lie from 25 or 30 unto 60 degrees of Latitude so that the first is within or very near the Torrid Zone the second within or near the Frozen Zone and the two in the middle quite in the Temperate Zone The first and most Southernly ought to be called Mexico or New Spain Mexico because Mexico is by much the fairest City and the Dominion of the ancient Kings of Mexico extended over the best part of it New Spain because the King of Spain possesses near all of it having established a great many Colonies a Vice-Roy divers Archbishops Bishops Audiences and Governments the Natives of the Country that are left being almost all Tributaries to him The second may be called the Arctick Lands because it approaches the Arctick Pole Arctick Lands and is for the most part comprehended within the Arctick Circle these are but little known We understand well that they are divided by some Streights and that it apparently consists in many and divers Isles which hath been the cause a Passage hath been sought to go this way to China and the East-Indies The Natives do here enjoy a full and entire liberty the People of Europe not thinking it worth their pains to establish Colonies Of the two middle parts the most Easternly and nearest to Europe ought to be esteemed under the general name of Canada or New France Canada or New France of Canada because in that particular Region the Europeans first Landed of New France because the French did first establish themselves here before any other Europeans The most Western and farthest from Europe may in general be called New Mexico because the Spaniards of Mexico or New Spain discovered it not till after they had been sometime settled in this other Of these four parts of America Septentrionalis to wit Mexico or New Spain New Mexico Canada or New France and America Arctica New Spain is washed by Mer del Nort and Mer del Sud America Arctica likewise by both Seas New France only by Mer del Nort and New Mexico only by Mer del Sud These four great parts are subdivided into many less which we call Regions Peoples Provinces c. We will observe the chief of them the most clearly and succinctly as possibly we can but because New Spain touches on America Meridionalis we will begin our America Septentrionalis by the Arctick and New France so proceeding to the one and the other Mexico that we may pass in order to the parts bordering on America Meridionalis And likewise because the Arctick Lands of America are very little known and that we cannot judge to make a particular discourse of them we will content our selves to speak something here before we pass to the other parts That part of America which is comprised for the most part between the Arctick Pole and Circle or which at most descends unto the 60th or 55th degree of Latitude is named according to our method America Arctica In all this part we know only some Coasts and Gulphs of that which is most towards Europe There we have the Isles of Iseland and
Groenland we might likewise put Shetland which we know not whether Isles or parts of the New Continent as we are likewise ignorant of all the rest of America Arctica ISELAND Iseland subject to the King of Denmark is 150 Leagues long and little less than 100 broad Its Inhabitants Its Inhabitants are very lusty and live above an 100 years they scarce addict themselves to any thing but the feeding of their Beasts and Fishing The Coast toward the South is much better and best inhabited The Governour of the Island resides at Bellested on the Coast Scalhold and Holdon Bellested Scalhold and Holdon its chief Towns within Land are Bishops Sees The Mountains of Hecla and Helga often vomit Fire though the Circle of the Pole Arctick passes over this Island and incloses part of it in the Frozen Zone leaving the other in the Temperate if that can possibly be which lies so contiguous and near to the Frozen yet doth it not hinder them from enjoying many rare things in their Mountains in their Lands in their Fountains and Rivers in their Beasts and in their Fish Iseland doth in my Judgment apparently answer to the Thule of the Ancients though some Authors of the Country maintain the contrary Groenlandt or Greenland GROENLANDT that is GREENLAND hath been long known to those of Iseland and Norway Account is made that one Torwald and his Son Errick of Norway passed into Iseland about the year 800 and that from Iseland Errick and his Son Lieffe passed a little after into Groenlandt where they established some Colonies of Norwegians And the same History saith that Lieffe had some Combats with the Ancient Sekreglingres and Native Inhabitants of the Country and that those of Norway held but a small part in the East Coast of Groenlandt the Sekreglingres keeping the rest within the Country and that what the Norwegians possessed and knew in Groenlandt was not the hundreth part but that there were divers People governed by several Lords of which the Norwegians had no knowledge It s Fertility They say that in several parts of Groenlandt there are Lands which bear as good Wheat as any Ground in the World and Chestnuts so large that their Kernels are as big as Apples that the Mountains yield Marble of all sorts of colours that the Grass for Pastures is good and feeds quantities of great and small Cattle that there are Horses Stags Wolves Foxes Black and White Bears Beavers Martles c. That the Sea is full of great Fishes as Sea-Wolves Dogs and Calves but above all of Whales that the white Bears live more on the Sea than on the Land and that as the Black ones feed only on Flesh the White ones do on Fish and are especially greedy of little Whales which causes a great Antipathy between them and Whales who pursue them where-ever they can scent them The Marhval a strange kind of Fish That their Fish Marhval carrieth a Tooth or Horn so strong and long that it fights against and pierces the Whale as the Rhinoceros does the Elephant and they assure us that the Horn is of the same greatness form and matter and hath the same properties as those which we here esteem in the Vnicorns The Norwegians and Danes who sometime since have passed into Groenlandt say that the Language of its Inhabitants is so different from that of Norway or Denmark that there is little appearance they could descend either from the one or the other and that if formerly there have been any Colonies of Norwegians they are quite extinct In 1636 the Danes which went thither to Trade demanded by signs if beyond that ridge of Mountains there were any Men the Savages made them to understand they were innumerable higher Its Inhabitants and stronger than they and that they used great Bows and Arrows and would not have any Commerce nor suffer the sight of Strangers The Habits of those with whom the Danes traded some of which they brought into Denmark were of Skins of Wild Beasts their Shirts of the Entrails of Fish and their Wastcoats of the Skins of Birds with their Feathers These same Relations make mention of an Old and New Groenlandt this descending towards the South the other mounting towards the North but that some years since the North Seas have been so loaden with Ice that the first ones not being melted before Winter and the other having continued from time to time to add to them and lie in heaps one upon the other the Sun in the end hath not had power to break them and in succession of time this way hath been stopt up and the communication of Iseland with Old Groenlandt lost CANADIANE In which may be considered The ARCTICK LANDS called AMERICA ARTICA with its chief places and such are ISELAND Bellested Schalhod Holdon GROENLAND Bearesord Mudder Point Trime Point Warusick Foreland Warwick Sound Cape Farwel Resolution Isle NORTH WALES Seahorse Point Cape Pembrook SOUTH WALES Hudsons Bay James Bay Cape Henretta Marie CANADA or NEW FRANCE with its chief Parts and Places and such are those of ESTOTILAND Sir Tho. Smiths Foreland Merchants Isles Cape Charles King James Foreland Cape Prince Henry Hope advanced Ganse Bay Slapers Haven Clapmuts Bay Orang Bay Hollandsche Bay SAGUANA Quebeck Tadousac Bay Savage Brest Port de Quartier Port de St. Nicholas Chichekedec Port Neuf Jaus Coudres Isle of Orleance Sillery CANADA Mont Real Richelieu Point Verte Croipapequiac Cape de l'Evesque Assumpsion Isle Isle of Plate Isle of Birds Isle of Ramec New-found-land Isle of Brien Isle of Cap. Breton Isle of St. John ACADIE Martengo Macomode Paspay Port de Rosignal Cape de Sable Port Royal Cape de Mines Isles of Forchu de Sable NEW ENGLAND Boston Plimouth Charles-Town Dorchester Cambridge Ulielands Isle Long Isle MARY-LAND Maries Town Calverton Herrington NEW YORK New York VIRGINIA James Town Elizabeth Town Dales Gift Wicocomoco Pouhatan Bermuda Secotam Cape Henry Smiths Isle Isle of Paquiwock Croatoan Wokokon CAROLINA Charles-Town The HURONS St. Peter St. Francis Alexis St. Michael St. Joseph Isle of BERMUDES Southampton Harington Pagets FLORIDA St. Hellens Port Royal St. Matthews St. Augustine St. Jago CANADA OR New France UNder the name of CANADA or New France we esteem that which is on both sides the great River of Canada or St. Laurence with the Isles that are before its Mouth unto and so far as this River is known and from the Gulphs and Streights of Davis and Hudson unto New Spain or Mexico In this extent we have the Isles of New-found-land Terra di Librador Canada which communicates its name to the rest Acadia Saguenay the Irocois the Hurons the Algonquins with about a hundred other sorts of people whose names are known The Isles of NEW-FOVND-LAND or according to the Biscains New-found-land of Bacallaos that is of God-fish are so called by reason of these Fishes here found in such great quantity that sometimes they seem to hinder the sayling
of Ships in like manner are they found in the Gulph or Bay of St. Laurence Besides the Cod-fish here are other sorts of Fish in great plenty as Thornback Ling Salmons Oysters c. The greatest of these Isles and which commonly takes the name of New-found-land is 4 or 5 Leagues circuit It is scituate betwixt the degrees of 46 and 53 of Northern Latitude and is severed from the Continent of America by an Arm of the Sea and is distant from England about 600 Leagues A Country ill-inhabited towards the East and South the Inhabitants being retired farther within Land but the English have of late settled some Colonies to maintain their Fishing-Trade Its Inhabitants The Natives are of a reasonable good Stature and well proportioned but full-ey'd broad-faced beardless and of an Oker complexion not over ingenious their Houses are very mean and their Apparel and Furniture worse The Country being for the generality reputed fertil if well cultivated and would yield good Grains is enriched by Nature with plenty of Fish Fowl and wild Beasts and is blest with a wholsom Air though the rigour of the Winter season and the excess of Heats in Summer do something detract from its due praise East of New-found-land is a great Bank a thing as remarkable as any in all Canada This Bank is much different from those which are covered with Water when the Sea is high uncovered and dry on an Ebb Saylors must shun such Banks like death This which we now speak of is like a Country overflown always covered with the Sea and having at least 20 30 or 40 Fathom water for the depth is unequal Off from this Bank on all sides the Sea is no less than 200 Fathom deep and yet this Bank is 200 Leagues long 20 25 and sometimes 50 broad It is on this Bank that the New-found-landers that is those Ships that go to fish for Cods of New-found-land do for the most part stop and make their freight About this great Bank and more towards the Main Land than the Ocean there are some others much less but of the same nature It is almost incredible how many Nations and of each how many Sail of Ships go yearly to fish for these Cods with the prodigious quantity they take a Man being able to take 100 of them in the space of an hour The manner of Fishing They fish with Hooks which are no sooner thrown into the Sea but the greedy Fish snapping the Bait is taken by the Hook and drawn on Ship-board they lay him presently on a Plank one cuts off his head another guts it and takes out its biggest bones another salts and barrels it c. Which being thus ordered is hence transported by the English and other European Nations into all parts of Europe as also into the other three parts of the World They Fish only in the day time the Cod as they say not biting in the night nor doth this Fishing last all Seasons but begins a little before Summer and ends with September In Winter the Fish retires to the bottom of the deep Sea where Storms and Tempests have no power Another kind of Fishing Near New-found-land there is another kind of fishing for the same Fish which they call dried Fish as the other green Fish The Ships retire into some Port and every Morning send forth their Shallops one two or three Leagues into the Sea which fail not to have their load by Noon or a little after They bring them to Land lay them on Tables or Planks and order it as the other but after the Fish hath been some days in salt they take it forth exposing it to the Air and Wind lay it again in heaps and return it from time to time to the open Air till it be dry That this Fish may be good it must be dried in a good and temperate Air Mists moisten it and make it rot the Sun hardens it and makes it yellow At the same time they fish for Cods green or dry the Fishers have the pleasure of taking Fowl without going forth of their Vessels They take them with a Line as they do fish baiting the Hook with the Cods Liver these Fowl being so greedy that they come by flocks and fight who shall get the Bait first which soon proves its death and one taken the Hook is no sooner thrown out again but another is catch'd in the like nature But enough of these and of Cod-fishing In the year 1623 Sir George Calvert Knight the Principal Secretary of State and afterwards Lord Baltimore obtained a Patent of part of New-found-land which was erected into the Province of Avalon where he settled a Plantation and erected a stately House and Fort at Ferry-land where he dwelt some time And after his death it fell to his Son the Right Honourable Caecilius late Lord Baltimore also Proprietor of Mary-land CANADA taken particularly is on the Right hand and towards the lower part of the great River The River Canada and its name is communicated both to the River and Neighbouring Country This River is the largest of America Septentrionalis and one of the fairest in the World It is about 200 Fathom deep and at its Mouth 30 Leagues broad It s course according to the report of those of the Country is already known for 4 or 500 Leagues and there is some likelyhood that we may in the end discover that the Lake which seems to be its head-Spring disburthens it self into the Sea by two or three different courses one towards us which is that of Canada another towards the West and above California the third towards the North and into the Christian Sea and that the Mouth of this may shew us the way we have so long sought to go to the East-Indies by the West People with whom the French Trade Their Colonies The People with whom the French trade here are the Canadans the Hurons the Algonquins the Attiquameques Nipisiriniens Montagnets those of Saguenay Acadia c. And to this purpose they have divers Colonies on the great River at Tadousac at Quebeck at Three-Rivers at Sillery at Richelieu at Montreal and without the Bay of Chaleur at Miscou at Port-Royal c. This Trade is only managed by Exchange they give the Skins of Bevers Otters Martles Sea-Wolfes c. for Bread Pease Beans Plumbs Kettles Cauldrons Hatchets Arrow-heads Pinchers Coverlids c. But to instruct them in Christianity many Ecclesiasticks of Religious Orders have had divers disbursements and residences likewise an Hospital and Seminary of Vrsilines The Jesuits have the chief care of these Houses North of Canada is ESTOTTILAND Estottiland or TERRADE LABRADOR near Hudsons Streight it is called sometimes the Land of Cortereal and sometimes new Britany however I esteem it a part of new France the Country is Mountainous Woody full of wild Beasts well furnished with Rivers rich in Metals of a fertil Soil in most places and would produce
Port Royal it contains about twenty houses only serving for the conveniency of passage from Port Royal to St. Jago It s other places are Port Morant in the Eastern point Port Morant a very capacious and secure Harbour and hereabout is a Potent Colony of the English seated Old Harbour a good Bay for Ships to ride in Old Harbour Port Negril Port Negril in the extream Western point very commodious and secure to windward in which Men of War do often ply when they look for the Spanish Ships not far from which place was seated the old Town of Melilla founded by Columbus Port Antonio seated on the North Port Antonio a very safe Land lock't Harbour at the mouth of which lyeth a small Isle wholly taken up by the said Earl of Carlisle with divers other good Bays and Harbours along the Coast It s other chief places are Sevilla seated in the North part of the Isle Sevilla once beautified with a Collegiate Church whose Chief bore the title of Abbot amongst whom was Peter Martyr who described the History of the West Indies by Decades Mellilla And Mellilla seated on the North East where Columbus mended his Ships at his return from Veragua This Island was of considerable importance to the Spaniards by reason that all his Plate-Fleet which comes from Carthagina steer directly for St. Domingo in Hispaniola and from thence must pass by one of the ends of this Isle to recover Havana which is the common Rendezvous of this whole Armado before it returns home through the Gulph of Florida nor is there any other way whereby to miss this Island because he cannot in any reasonable time turn it up to the windward of Hispaniola which though with great difficulty it might be performed yet by this means he would lose the security of his said united Fleet which meet at Havana from all the parts of the Bay of Mexico Nombre de Dios and elsewhere accompanying each other home The Isle Boriquem with its chief places described BORIQVEM is little less either in Circuit or Fruitfulness than Jamaica St. Juan del Puerto Rico is the Residence of a Bishop and a Governor It hath an excellent Port which sometimes communicates its name to the Island El Arricibo and Guadianilla or St. Germain are the other Cities all the Isle hath few Ports it is traversed by a Chain of Mountains which cut it from West to East here is sound a white Gum which they use instead of Pitch to caulk their Ships and instead of Tallow to make Candles and for want of other Medicaments for Wounds and Sores besides its Gold Sugars and Gayac it hath many Salt-Marches These four Isles are the greatest and chiefest of the Antilles the rest are numerous and ought to be considered under the names of the Lucays and Caribes The Lucays are North of Cuba and Hispaniola of which Lucayon is the chief the greatest and the most Northernly of all Bahama gives its name to the Channel which is between the Isles and Florida a Channel so rapid that in despite of the Winds it carries Ships from South to North or rather from South-West to North-East Guanahani is the first Land which Columbus discovered near America and named in St. Salvador because he had been in danger to have been cast into the Sea by his own men in the fear they had that they should find no Land The CARIBE ISLES THE CARIBES or CANIBALS ISLANDS are so called from its Native Inhabitants who were Canibals or Men eaters and these are a great Body of Isles forming a Demy-Circle towards America Meridionalis the chief of which are set down in the Geographical Table and which I shall take notice of and first with Barbados BARBADOS the most considerable Colony the English are Masters of amongst all the Caribe Isles Barbados It s scituation is in the North Latitude of 13 degrees 20 minutes and although but of a small Circuit not exceeding eight Leagues in length and 5 in breadth where broadest yet it is a Potent Colony and able on occasion to Arm about 10000 Fighting men It s strength which with the natural strength of the Isle is able to give resistance to the powerfullest Foe It is exceeding fertil bearing Crops all the year long Fertility and the trees always cloathed in their Summer livery but the two seasons for Planting is in May and November but the Sugar Canes are Planted all the year round And here are found to grow in great plenty excellent Fruits as Oranges both sweet and sower Fruits Pomgranates Citrons Lemmons Limes Macows Grapes Juniper Apples Momins Acosous Papayers Monbains Icacos Raysins Cherries Cocos Indian Figgs Plantins Bonauves Guavers Castard Apples prickle Pears and Apples Millons both land and water and Pine Apples the rarest Fruit in the Indies They have great plenty of Fish and Fowl Fish and Cattle common with Jamaica and other places in the Indies and have also a competent stock of English Cattle and Horses but something dear by reason they imploy their Grounds better than to breed upon and most roots herbs and seeds and flowers common with us in England are found to thrive and grow very well The Commodities that this Isle produceth are Sugars Indico Cotton Wool Commodities Ginger Fustick and Logwood but especially Sugar Indico Cotton and Ginger lading yearly therewith 200 sail of Ships both great and small to the great enrichment of the Inhabitants and profit of England This Isle lying so near the Equinoctial Line cannot but be hot yet not so but that travel and labour is sufferable and that occasioned by the cool breezes of wind which riseth with the Sun and bloweth fresher as the Sun mounteth up And the Air is found very moist so that all Iron-tools are much subject to rust This Isle is not over plentifully watered with Rivers or fresh Springs there being but one that may appropriate that name or rather a Lake which runneth not far into the Land notwithstanding which defect the Inhabitants have no want of water for the Land lying low and even there are several Ponds and most houses have Wells or Cisterns which holds the rain water And here is a River called Tuigh-River remarkable for that on the top of the water is gathered an Oyl which is made use of to burn in Lamps Its Trees Amongst the Trees here growing which for the most part are appropriate to the rest of the Caribe Isles those of most note are the Cedar Redwood Mastick Locust the Iron wood tree also the Cassia Fistula Coloquintida Tamarind Cassavie of which is made their Bread the Poyson tree and the Physick Nut also the Calibash the Shell of whose Fruit serveth like Goards to carry liquid things in the Mangrass tree the Roucou of whose Bark is made Ropes as also Flax which being spun is imployed to several uses the Lignum Vitae and the Palmeto Here are several
mixing a certain tincture it never comes out They make Bonnets Frontlets Ruffes Bands Cloaks Girdles Garters and Bracelets with Feathers of divers colours which they work and mix the colours together very excellently The Brazilians which have stayed among the Portugals are for the most part become Christians the others wander without Religion Some knowledge of the Sun Moon and Stars There is a great diversity of Tongues among them insomuch that Jarric assures us that in his time he observed sixty different ones and though they have no Sciences yet have they some knowledge of the course of the Sun Moon and Stars giving them divers names and calling the Eclipses nights of the Sun and Moon The riches of Braâ—ile All the Wood of Brazile belongs unto the King of Portugal private persons not being permitted to trade in it Their riches come from Whale-Oyl Confects Conserves Tobacco Silver Hides and other Commodities but principally from Sugar no Country in the World exporting so much as Brazile doth The Isle Madera hath but ten Sugar Engines the Isle of St. Thomas possibly less but Brazile 4 or 500. The names of Mestiz Mulates Cariboco Criolo c. Explained As for the names of Mestiz and Mulates which divers times have been met with it is to be observed that the Portugals being long since here established and having from time to time caused to be transported a great many Negroes as well Men as Women to serve them This mixture of divers Nations and divers colours hath made them to distinguish their Children and to call those who came from Father and Mother of the Europeans Mozomâ—o those who came from an European and a Brazilian Mestiz or Mamelucco those from an European and a Negroess Mulates those from a Brazilian and a Negroess Cariboco those from the Father and Mother of Aethiopians Criolo Moreover it hath been known that an Aethiopian woman whose Husband was likewise an Aethiopian hath brought forth two Children the one black and the other white and a Brazilian Woman whose Husband was likewise a Brazilian to bring forth two the one white and the other black and oft-times blacks have whites and whites blacks and there are to be seen white Aethiopians that is to say in all the features of their face and in their hair all the proportions of an Aethiopian but with skin and hair white Before Brazile lyeth a train of low Rocks but of a small breadth but which continue almost all along the Coast leaving but certain overtures by which the Rivers discharge themselves into the Sea Ships that go or return from Brazile pass necessarily by these overtures or openings which oft times proves very dangerous PARAGVAY or Rio de la Plata THe Province of PARAGVAY or Rio de la Plata other then the Province de la Plata in Peru is on the River which those of the Country call Paraguay the Spaniards Rio de la Plata from whence it takes its name We may comprehend under the name of Paraguay or Rio de la Plata all the neighbouring Provinces and those which are on the Rivers falling into the Paraguay and consider them in three or in seven parts To wit in Paraguay or Rio de la Plata which may make the higher and lower part of that which is upon the River Into Chaco and Tucuman which are on the Rivers which descend on the right hand and into Parana Guayr and Vraig which are on the Rivers which descend on the left hand These are towards Brazile and the Mer del Nort the other two towards Peru and Chili and the two first in the middle The River of Paraguay described The River of Paraguay or de la Plata hath its springs in the Lake of Xarajes on the confines of Peru and Brazile and descending from north to South turns in the end to South-East receives a great many fair and large Rivers among others Putomayo Vermejo or Salado and la Garzarone on one side Guaxarape Parana and Vraig on the other The Paraguay falling into the Sea makes a Gulf of fifty and odd Leagues wide between the Capes of St. Mary and St. Anthony and an hundred and fifty Leagues within Land is ten or twelve and descending farther fifteen twenty or five and twenty Leagues broad but of so little depth and so cumbred with Rooks and Banks that what with them and the sudden storms which often rise from the South sailing up it proves very dangerous The Province of Paraguay described The particular Province of Paraguay in the highest part of the River is little known nor have the Spaniards here any Colonies yet it bears its name common with the River and communicates it to all the neighbouring quarters The People are not so barbarous as in Brazile It s People some addicting themselves to Husbandry in which the men till and sow the ground and the Women reap and gather in Harvest others know how to make Stuffs Vestments spin Cotton c. The Province de la Plata with its Colonies described Below Paraguay is the Province dela Plata where the Spaniards have some Colonies viz. 1. The Assumption being the chief place in this Countrey is well built and very well frequented neighboured by a great Lake in the midst of which is a great Rock which exalteth its head about one hundred fathom above the water this Town is said to be inhabited by three sorts of people viz. 1 By natural Spaniards who are Masters of it to the number of about four hundred families 2. Mulatoes being those that are born of Spaniards and Negro's of which there are said to be several thousands and lastly by Mestizo's which are such as are begotten by the Spaniards upon the Natives and these are not in such great number The next Town of note is Buenos Ayres seated on the ascent of a small Hill on the Southern Bank of the River de la Plata said to contain about two hundred families of Spaniards It is encompassed with a Mud-Wall but it s chiefest strength is in its Castle which is but small neither over-well provided with Ordnance and Ammunition the other Towns are Las Siette Corrientes St. Fe and St. Spiritu or Torre di Gabboto the two last and Buenos Ayres are on the right side the Assumption and Las Corrientes on the left and this two hundred and fifty or three hundred Leagues from the Sea Buenos Ayres little less than an hundred St. Fe little more the Assumption alone is on the Paraguay Las Siette Corrientes where the Parana c. falls into the Paraguay The fignification of Paraguay de la Plata This name of Paraguay is given by the Natives of the Country and signifieth a River of Feathers either because there are here found great quantities of Birds whose Feathers are various and of divers colours or because those of the Country dress and adorn themselves with those Feathers The name de la