Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	green_a	leaf_n	stalk_n	1,986	5	11.2762	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36106	A new voyage round the world describing particularly the isthmus of America, several coasts and islands in the West Indies, the isles of Cape Verd, the passage by Terra del Fuego, the South Sea coasts of Chili, Peru and Mexico, the isle of Guam one of the Ladrones, Mindanao, and other Philippine and East-India islands near Cambodia, China, Formosa, Luconia, Celebes, &c., New Holland, Sumatra, Nicobar Isles, the Cape of Good Hope, and Santa Hellena : their soil, rivers, harbours, plants, fruits, animals, and inhabitants : their customs, religion, government, trade, &c. / by William Dampier ; illustrated with particular maps and draughts.	Dampier, William, 1652-1715.	1697 (1697)	Wing D161; Wing D165; ESTC R9942	710,236	1,112

these are 6 small Islands in lat 23 d. 11 m. a little to the South of the Tropick of Cancer and about 3 leagues from the Main where a Salt-Lake hath its out-let into the Sea These Isles are of an indifferent heighth Some of them have a few shrubby bushes the rest are bare of any sort of Wood. They are rocky round by the Sea only one or two of them have sandy Bays on the North side There is a sort of Fruit growing on these Islands called Penguins and 't is all the Fruit they have The Penguin Fruit is of two sorts the yellow and the red The yellow Penguin grows on a green stem as big as a Man's Arm above a foot high from the ground The leaves of this stalk are half a foot long and an inch broad the edges full of sharp prickles The Fruit grows at the head of the stalk in 2 or 3 great clusters 16 or 20 in a cluster The Fruit is as big as a Pullets Egg of a round form and in colour yellow It has a thick skin or rind and the inside is full of small black seeds mixt among the Fruit. It is a sharp pleasant Fruit. The red Penguin is of the bigness and colour of a small dry Onion and is in shape much like a Nine-pin for it grows not on a stalk or stem as the other but one end on the ground the other standing upright 60 or 70 grow thus together as close as they can stand one by another and all from the same root or cluster of roots These Penguins are encompast or fenced with long leaves about a foot and an half or 2 foot long and prickly like the former and the Fruit too is much alike They are both wholsom and never offend the stomach but those that eat many will find a heat or tickling in their Fundament They grow so plentifully in the Bay of Campeachy that there is no passing for their high prickly leaves There are some Guanoes on these Islands but no other sort of Land Animal The Bays about the Islands are sometimes visited with Seal and this was the first place where I had seen any of these Animals on the North side of the Equator in these Seas For the Fish on this sandy Coast lye most in the Lagunes or Salt-lakes and mouths of Rivers but the Seals come not so much there as I judge for this being no rocky Coast where Fish resort most there seems to be but little food for the Seals unless they will venture upon Cat fish Captain Swan went away from hence with 100 Men in our Canoas to the Northward to seek for the River Coolecan possibly the same with the River of Pastla which some Maps lay down in the Province or Region of Cullacan This River lieth in about 24 d. N. lat We were informed that there is a fair and rich Spanish Town seated on the East side of it with Savannahs about it full of Bulls and Cows and that the Inhabitants of this Town pass over in Boats to the Island California where they fish for Pearl I have been told since by a Spaniard that said he had been at the Island California that there are great plenty of Pearl-Oysters there and that the Native Indians of California near the Pearlfishery are mortal Enemies to the Spaniards Our Canoas were absent 3 or 4 days and said they had been above 30 leagues but found no River that the Land by the Sea was low and all sandy Bay but such a great Sea that there was no landing They met us in their return in the lat 23 d. 30 m. coasting along shore after them towards Cullacan so we returned again to the Eastward This was the farthest that I was to the North on this Coast. 6 or 7 leagues N. N. W. from the Isles of Chametly there is a small narrow entrance into a Lake which runs about 12 leagues Easterly parallel with the shore making many small low Mangrove Islands The mouth of this Lake is in lat about 23 d. 30 m. It is called by the Spaniards Rio de Sal for it is a Salt Lake There is Water enough for Boats and Canoas to enter and smooth landing after you are in On the West side of it there is an House and an Estantion or Farm of large Cattel Our Men went into the Lake and landed and coming to the House found 7 or 8 Bushels of Maiz but the Cattle were driven away by the Spaniards yet there our Men took the Owner of the Estantion and brought him aboard He said that the Beefs were driven a great way into the Country for fear we should kill them While we lay here Captain Swan went into this lake again and landed 150 Men on the N. E. side and marched into the Country About a mile from the landing place as they were entring a dry Salina or Salt-pond they fired at two Indians that crost the way before them one of them being wounded in the thigh fell down and being examined he told our Men that there was an Indian Town 4 or 5 leagues off and that the way which they were going would bring them thither While they were in discourse with the Indian they were attacqued by 100 Spanish Horsemen who came with a design to scare them back but wanted both Arms and Hearts to do it Our Men past on from hence and in their way marched through a Savannah of long dry Grass This the Spaniards set on fire thinking to burn them but that did not hinder our Men from marching forward though it did trouble them a little They rambled for want of Guides all this day and part of the next before they came to the Town the Indian spake of There they found a company of Spaniards and Indians who made head against them but were driven out of the Town after a short dispute Here our Chirurgeon and one Man more were wounded with Arrows but none of the rest were hurt When they came into the Town they found 2 or 3 Indians wounded who told them that the Name of the Town was Massaclan that there were a few Spaniards living in it and the rest were Indians that 5 leagues from this Town there were 2 rich Gold Mines where the Spaniards of Compostella which is the chiefest Town in these parts kept many Slaves and Indians at work for Gold Here our Men lay that night and the next morning packt up all the Maiz that they could find and brought it on their backs to the Canoas and came aboard We lay here till the 2d of February and then Captain Swan went away with about 80 Men to the River Rosario wh●…re they landed and marched to an Indian Town of the same Name They found it about 9 mile from the Sea the way to it fair and even This was a fine little Town of about 60 or 70 Houses with a fair Church and it was chiefly inhabited with Indians They took Prisoners there which

Cotton and Cabbage-trees whereof there is great plenty and they are as large of their kinds as ever I saw There are two sorts of Cotton-trees one is called the Red the other the White Cotton-tree The white Cotton-tree grows like an Oak but generally much bigger and taller than our Oaks The body is streight and clear from knots or boughs to the very head there it spreads forth many great limbs just like an Oak The Bark is smooth and of a grey colour the Leaves are as big as a large Plumb Leaf jogged at the edge they are oval smooth and of a dark green colour Some of these Trees have their bodies much bigger 18 or 20 foot high than nearer the ground being big-bellied like Nine-pins They bear a very fine sort of Cotton called Silk Cotton When this Cotton is ripe the Trees appear like our Apple-trees in England when full of Blossoms If I do not mistake the Cotton falls down in November or December then the ground is covered white with it This is not substantial and continuous like that which grows upon the Cotton-shrubs in Plantations but like the Down of Thistles so that I did never know any use made of it in the West Indies because it is not worth the labour of gathering it but in the East Indies the Natives gather and use it for Pillows It hath a small black Seed among it The Leaves of this Tree fall off the beginning of April while the old Leaves are falling off the young ones spring out and in a weeks time the Tree casts off her old Robes and is cloathed in a new pleasant garb The red Cotton-tree is like the other but hardly so big it bears no Cotton but its Wood is somewhat harder of the two yet both sorts are soft spungy Wood fit for no use that I know but only for Canoas which being streight and tall they are very good for but they will not last long especially if not drawn ashore often and tarred otherwise the Worm and the Watersoon rot them They are the biggest Trees or perhaps Weeds rather in the West Indies They are common in the East and West Indies in good fat Land As the Cotton is the biggest Tree in the Woods so the Cabbage-tree is the tallest The Body is not very big but very high and streight I have measured one in the Bay of Campeachy 120 feet long as it lay on the ground and there are some much higher It has no Limbs nor Boughs but at the head there are many Branches bigger than a mans Arm. These Branches are not covered but flat with sharp edges they are 12 or 14 foot long About 2 foot from the Trunk the Branches shoot forth small long leaves about an inch broad which grow so regularly on both sides of the Branch that the whole Branch seems to be but one Leaf made up of many small ones The Cabbage Fruit shoots out in the midst of these Branches from the top of the Tree It is invested with many young Leaves or Branches which are ready to spread abroad as the old Branches droop and fall down The Cabbage it self when it is taken out of the Leaves which it seems to be folded in is as big as the small of a mans Leg and a foot long It is as white as Milk and as sweet as a Nut if eaten raw and it is very sweet and wholesom if boiled Besides the Cabbage it self there grow out between the Cabbage and the large Branches small ●…wigs as of a Shrub about two foot long from their Stump At the end of those Twigs which grow very thick together there hang Berries hard and round and as big as a Cherry These the Tree sheds every year and they are very good for Hogs for this reason the Spaniards fine any who shall cut down one of these in their Woods The body of the Tree is full of rings round it half a foot asunder from the bottom to the top The Bark is thin and brittle the Wood is black and very hard the heart or middle of the Tree is white pith They do not climb to get the Cabbage but cut them down for should they gather it off the Tree as it stands yet its head being gone it soon dies These Trees are much used by Planters in Jamaica to board the sides of the Houses for it is but splitting the Trunk into 4 parts with an Axe and there are so many Planks These Trees appear very pleasant and they beautifie the whole Wood spreading their green Branches above all other Trees All this Country is subject to very great Rains so that this part of Peru pays for the dry weather which they have about Lima and all that Coast. I believe that is one reason why the Spaniards have made such small discoveries in this and other Rivers on this Coast. Another reason may be because it lies not so directly in their way for they do not Coast it a long in going from Panama to Lima but first go West-ward as far as to the Keys or Isles of Cobaya for a Westerly wind and from thence stand over towards Cape St. Francisco not touching any where 〈◊〉 till they come to Manta near Cape St. Lorenzo In their return indeed from Lima to Panama they may keep along the Coast hereabouts but then their Ships are always laden whereas the light Ships that go from Panama are most at leasure to make discoveries A third reason may be the wildness and enmity of all the Natives on this Coast who are naturally fortified by their Rivers and vast Woods from whence with their Arrows they can easily annoy any that shall land there to assault them At this River particularly there are no Indians live within 6 leagues of the Sea and all the Country so far is full of impassible Woods so that to get at the Indians or the Mines and Mountains there is no way but by rowing up the River and if any who are Enemies to the Natives attempt this as the Spaniards are always hated by them they must all the way be exposed to the Arrows of those who would lye purposely in Ambush in the Woods for them These wild Indians have small Plantations of Maiz and good Plaintain-gardens for Plant●… are their chiefest food They have also a few Fowls and Hogs It was to this River that we were bound to seek for Canoas therefore the 26th supposing our selves to be abrest of it we went from our Ships with 4 Canoas The 27th day in the morning we entered at half Flood into the smaller Branch of that River and rowed up 6 leagues before we met any inhabitants There we found two small Huts thatched with Palmeto Leaves The Indians seeing us rowing towards their Houses got their Wives and little ones with their Houshold-stuff into their Canoas and paddled away faster than we could row for we were forced to keep in the middle of the River because of our Oars but they with their

is a Pond of brackish Water which sometimes Privateers use instead of better there is likewise good riding by it About a league from this are two other Islands not 200 yards distant from each other yet a deep Channel for Ships to pass through They are both overgrown with red Mangrove Trees which Trees above any of the Mangroves do flourish best in wet drowned Land such as these two Islands are only the East point of the Westernmost Island is dry Sand without Tree or Bush On this point we careened lying on the South side of it The other Islands are low and have red Mangroves and other Trees on them Here also Ships may ride but no such place for careening as where we lay because at that place Ships may hale close to the shore and if they have but four Guns on the point may secure the Channel and hinder any Enemy from coming near them I observ'd that within among the Islands was good riding in many places but not without the Islands except to the West-ward or S. West of them For on the East or N. E. of these Islands the common Trade-Wind blows and makes a great Sea and to the South-ward of them there is no ground under 70 80 or 100 fathom close by the Land After we had filled what Water we could from hence we set out again in April 1682. and came to Salt-Tortuga so called to distinguish it from the shoals of Dry Tortugas near Cape Florida and from the Isle of Tortugas by Hispaniola which was called formerly French Tortugas though not having heard any mention of that name a great while I am apt to think it is swallow'd up in that of Petit-Guavres the chief Garrison the French have in those parts This Island we arrived at is pretty large uninhabited and abounds with Salt It is in Lat. 11 degrees North and lyeth West and a little Northerly from Margarita an Island inhabited by the Spaniards strong and wealthy it is distant from it about 14 leagues and 17 or 18 from Cape Blanco on the Main A Ship being within these Islands a little to the South-ward may see at once the Main Margarita and Tortuga when it is clear weather The East end of Tortuga is full of rugged bare broken Rocks which stretch themselves a little way out to Sea At the S. E. part is an indifferent good Road for Ships much frequented in peaceable times by Merchant-ships that come hither to lade Salt in the months of May June July and August For at the East end is a large Salt-pond within 200 paces of the Sea The Salt begins to kern or grain in April except it is a dry season for it is observed that rain makes the Salt kern I have seen above 20 Sail at a time in this road come to lade Salt and these Ships coming from some of the Caribbe Islands are always well stored with Rum Sugar and Lime-juice to make Punch to hearten their Men when they are at work getting and bringing aboard the Salt and they commonly provide the more in hopes to meet with Privateers who resort hither in the aforesaid months purposely to keep a Christmas as they call it being sure to meet with Liquor enough to be merry with and are very liberal to those that treat them Near the West end of the Island on the South side there is a small Harbour and some fresh Water That end of the Island is full of shrubby Trees but the East end is rocky and barren as to Trees producing only course Grass There are some Goats on it but not many and Turtle or Tortise come upon the sandy Bays to lay their Eggs and from them the Island hath its Name There is no riding any where but in the Road where the Salt-Ponds are or in the Harbour At this Isle we thought to have sold our Sugar among the English Ships that come hither for Salt but failing there we design'd for Trinidada an Island near the Main inhabited by the Spaniards tolerably strong and wealthy but the Current and Easterly Winds hindering us we passed through between Margarita and the Main and went to Blanco a pretty large Island almost North of Margarita about 30 leagues from the Main and in 11 d. 50 m. North Lat. It is a flat even low uninhabited Island dry and healthy most Savanah of long Grass and hath some Trees of Lignum Vitae growing in Spots with shrubby Bushes of other Wood about them It is plentifully stored with Guano s which are an Animal like a Lizard but much bigger The body is as big as the small of a mans leg and from the hind quarter the tail grows tapering to the end which is very small If a Man takes hold of the tail except very near the hind quarter it will part and breakoff in one of the joints and the Guano will get away They lay Eggs as most of those amphibious creatures do and are very good to eat Their flesh is much esteemed by Privateers who commonly dress them for their sick men for they make very good Broath They are of divers colours as almost black dark brown light brown dark green light green yellow and speckled They all live as well in the Water as on Land and some of them are constantly in the Water and among Rocks These are commonly black Others that live in swampy wet ground are commonly on Bushes and Trees these are green But such as live in dry ground as here at Blanco are commonly yellow yet these also will live in the Water and are sometimes on Trees The Road is on the N. W. end against a small Cove or little sandy Bay There is no riding any where else for it is deep water and steep close to the Land There is one small Spring on the West side and there are sandy Bays round the Island where Turtle or Tortoise come up in great abundance going ashore in the night These that frequent this Island are called green Turtle and they are the best of that sort both for largeness and sweetness of any in all the West Indies I would here give a particular description of these and other sorts of Turtle in these Seas but because I shall have occasion to mention some other sorts of Turtle when I come again into the South Seas that are very different from all these I shall there give a general account of all these several sorts at once that the difference between them may be the better discerned Some of our modern Descriptions speak of Goats on this Island I know not what there may have been formerly but there are none now to my certain knowledge for my self and many more of our Crew have been all over it Indeed these parts have undergone great changes in this last age as well in places themselves as in their Owners and Commodities of them particularly Nombre de Dios a City once famous and which still retains a considerable name in some late