Sesto beyng East The .xxi. day of the sayde moneth we fel with Cape Mensurado to the Southeast about two leagues of This Cape may be easely knowen by reason the rysyng of it is like a Porpose head Also toward the Southeast there are three trees whereof the Eastermost tree is the hyghest and the myddlemost is lyke a hie stacke and the Southermost lyke vnto a Gibet and vppon the mayne are foure or fyue hygh hylles rysyng one after an other lyke rounde hoommockes or hyllockes And the Southeast of the three trees is three trees lyke a brandierwyse and all the coast along is whyte sand The sayde Cape standeth within a litle in syxe degrees The .xxii. of December we came to the ryuer of Sesto and remayned there vntyll the .xxix. day of the sayde moneth Here we thought it best to send before vs the pynnesse to the ryuer of Dulce called Rio Dulce that they myght haue the begynnyng of the market before the commyng of the Iohn At the ryuer of Sesto we had a Tunne of graynes This riuer standeth in .vi. degrees lackyng a terce From the ryuer of Sesto to Rio Dulce is .xxv. leagues Rio Dulce standeth in fyue degrees and a halfe The ryuer of Sesto is easye to be knowen by reason there is a ledge of rockes on the Southeast parte of the Rode And at the entryng into the hauen are fyue or sixe trees that beare no leaues This is a good harborowe but very narow at the entrance into the ryuer There is also a rocke in the hauens mouth ryght as you enter And all that coast betweene Cape de Monte and cape de las Palmas lyeth Southeast and by East Northwest and by West being three leagues of the shore And you shall haue in some places rockes two leagues of and that betweene the riuer of Sesto and cape de las Palmas Betweene the ryuer of Sesto the ryuer Dulce is .xxv. leagues and the high lande that is betweene them both is called Cakeado being eight leagues from the ryuer of Sesto And to the Southeastwarde of him is a place called Shawgro and an other called Shyawe or Shauo where you may get freshe water Of this Shyawe lyeth a redge of rockes and to the Southeastwarde lyeth a hedlande called Croke Betweene Cakeado and Croke is .ix. or ten leagues To the Southeastwarde of is a harborowe called saint Vincent Ryght ouer agaynst sainct Vincent is a rocke vnder the water two leagues and a halfe of the shore To the Southeastwarde of that rocke you shall see an Ilande about three or foure leagues of this Ilande is not paste a league of the shore To the East Southeast of the Ilande is a rocke that lyeth aboue the water and by that rocke goeth in the ryuer of Dulce which you shall know by the sayde ryuer and rocke The Northwest syde of the hauen is flatte sande and the Southeast syde thereof is lyke an Ilande and a bare platte without any trees and so is it not in any other place In the Rode you shall ryde in xiii or .xiiii. fadomes good owes and sande beyng the markes of the Rode to bryng the Ilande and the Northeast lande togeather and here we Ankered the last of December The third day of Ianuary we came from the riuer of Dulce Note that cape de las Palmas is a fayre high lande but some lowe places thereof by the water syde looke lyke redde cliffes with whyte strakes lyke wayes a cable length a peece this is to the East parte of the cape This cape is the Southermost lande in all the coast of Guinea and standeth in foure degrees and a terce The coast from Cape de las palmas to Cape Trepoyntes or the tres Puntas is fayre and cleare without rocke or other daunger Twentie and fyue leagues from Cape de las Palmas the lande is hygher then in any place vntyl we come to Cape Trepoyntes And about ten leagues before you come to Cape Trepoyntes the land ryseth styll hygher and hygher vntyl you come to Cape Trepoyntes Also before you come to the sayde Cape after other fyue leagues to the Northwest part of it there is certayne broken grounde with two great rockes and within them in the byght of a bay is a castel called Arra parteining to the kyng of Portugale You shal know it by the sayd rockes that lye of it for there is none suche from Cape de las Palmas to cape Trepoyntes This coast lyeth East by North West by South From Cape de las Palmas to the sayd castel is fourscore and fyfteene leagues And the coast lyeth from the sayd castel to the westermost point of the Trepoyntes Southeast and by South Northwest and by North. Also the westermost poynt of the Trepoyntes is a low land lying halfe a myle out in the sea and vppon the innermoste necke to the land ward is a tuft of trees there we arryued the eleuenth day of Ianuary The twelf day of Ianuary we came to a towne called Samma or Samua beyng .viii. leagues from Cape Trepoyntes toward East Northeast Betweene Cape Trepoyntes and the towne of Samua is a great ledge of rockes a great way out in the sea We continued foure dayes at that towne the captayne therof would needs haue a pledge a shore But when they receiued the pledge they kept him still would trafficke no more but shot of theyr ordinance at vs. They haue two or three peeces of ordinance and no more The .xvi. day of the sayde mooneth we made reckonyng to come to a place called Cape Corea where captayne Don Ihon dwelleth whose men entertayned vs frendly This Cape Corea is foure leagues Eastwarde of the castell of Mina other wyse called La mina or Castello de mina where we arryued the .xviii. day of the moneth Here we made sayle of all our cloth sauing two or three packes The .xxvi. day of the same moneth we weighed anker and departed from thence to the Trinitie whiche was .vii. leagues Eastwarde of vs where she solde her wares Then they of the Trinitie wylled vs to go Eastwarde of that .viii or .ix. leagues to sell part of theyr wares in a place called Perecow and an other place named Perecow Grande beyng the eastermost place of both these whiche you shall knowe by a great rounde hyll neere vnto it named Monte Rodondo lying westward from it and by the water syde are many hygh palme trees From hence dyd we set forth homewarde the .xiii. day of February and plyed vp alongest tyll we came within .vii or .viii. leagues to Cape Trepointes About .viii. of the clocke the .xv. day at afternoone we dyd cast about to seawarde and beware of the currantes for they wyl deceiue you sore Whosoeuer shall come from the coaste of Mina homewarde let hym be sure to make
litle these are called Volatori that is fleeyng fyshes they ryse by great companies and flockes in suche multitudes that it is an astonyshment to behold them Sometimes they ryse but litle from the water as it chaunceth continue one flyght for the space of an hundred paces and sometimes more or lesse before they fall agayne into the sea sometymes also they fall into the shyppes And I remember that on an euenyng when al the company in the shyp were on theyr knees syngyng Salue regina in the hyghest part of the Castell of the poupe and sayled with a full wynde there passed by vs a flocke of these fleeyng fyshes and came so neare vs that many of them fell into the shyppe among the whiche two or three fel hard by me whiche I tooke alyue in my hand so that I myght well perceyue that they were as bygge as Sardines and of the same quantitie hauyng two wynges or quilles growing out of theyr synnes lyke vnto those wherewith all fyshes swym in ryuers these wynges are as long as the fyshes them selues As long as theyr wynges are moyst they beare them vp in the ayre but assoone as they are drye they can contynue theyr flyght no further then as I haue sayde before but fall immediatlye into the sea and so ryse agayne and flee as before from place to place In the yeere a thousand fyue hundred and fyfteene when I came fyrst to enfourme your Maiestie of the state of the thynges in India and was the yeere folowyng in Flaunders in the tyme of your most fortunate successe in these your kyngdomes of Aragonie and Castyle whereas at that viage I sayled aboue the Ilande Bermuda otherwyse called Garza beyng the furthest of all the Ilandes that are founde at this daye in the worlde and arryuyng there at the deapth of eyght yardes of water and distaunt from the lande as farre as the shotte of a peece of Ordinaunce I determyned to sende some of the shyp to lande aswell to make searche of suche thynges as were there as also to leaue in the Iland certayne Hogges for encrease But the tyme not seruing my purpose by reason of contrary wynde I coulde bryng my shyppes no nearer the Ilande beyng twelue leagues in length and syxe in breadth and about thyrtie in circuite lying in the three and thyrtieth degree of the North syde Whyle I remayned heere I saw a stryfe and combat betweene these fleeing fyshes and the fyshes named Gylt heades the foules called Seamewes and Cormorantes which surely seemed vnto me a thyng of as great pleasure and solace as coulde be deuised while the Gylt heades swam on the brymme of the water and sometymes lyfted theyr shoulders aboue the same to rayse the fleeyng fyshes out of the water to dryue them to flyght and folowe them swymmyng to the place where they fal to take and eate them sodenly Againe on the other side the Seamewes and Cormorantes take many of these fleeyng fyshes so that by this meanes they are neyther safe in the ayre nor in the water In the selfe same peryll and danger doo men lyue in this mortall lyfe wherein is no certayne securitie neyther in hyghe estate nor in lowe Which thyng surely ought to put vs in remembraunce of that blessed and safe restyng place whiche God hath prepared for suche as loue hym who shall acquiete and fynishe the trauailes of this troublous worlde wherein are so many dangers and bryng them to that eternall lyfe where they shall fynde eternall securitie and rest But to returne to the hystorye these byrdes and foules whiche I sawe were of the Ilande of Bermuda neere vnto the whiche I sawe these fleeyng fyshes for they coulde be of no other lande forasmuche as they are not accustomed to wander farre from the coastes where they are bredde Of thincrease and decrease that is rysyng and fallyng of our Ocean sea and South sea called the sea of Sur. I Wyll nowe speake of certayne thynges whiche are seene in the Prouince or at the least in the citie of golden Castyle otherwyse called Beragua and in the coastes of the North sea of the South sea called the sea of Sur not omitting to note one synguler and marueylous thyng whiche I haue consydered of the Ocean sea wherof hytherto no Cosmographer Pilot or Maryner or any other haue satisfyed me I say therefore as it is well knowen to your maiestie and all such as haue knowledge of the Ocean sea that this great Ocean casteth from it selfe the sea Mediterraneum by the mouth of the strayght of Gibilterra in the which the water from th end furthest part of that sea euen vnto the mouth of the sayde strayght eyther in the East toward the coaste commonly called Leuante or in any other part of the sayde sea Mediterraneum the sea doth not so fall nor increase as reason woulde iudge for so great a sea but increaseth very litâ—e and a small space Neuerthelesse without the mouth of the â—trayght in the mayne Ocean it increaseth and falleth very muche and a great space of grounde from syxe houres to syxe houres as in all the coastes of Spayne Britanâ—â— Flaunders Garmanie and England The selfe same Oâ—ean sâ—a in the firme lande newly founde in the coastes of the same lying towarde the North doth neyther ryse nor fall nor lykewyse in the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba and al the other Ilandes of the same lying towarde the north for the space of three thousande leagues but onely in lyke maner as dooth the sea Mediterraneum in Italy which is in maner nothyng in respecte to that increase and decrease whiche the sayde Ocean hath in the coastes of Spayne and Flaunders But this is yet a greater thyng that also the selfe same Ocean in the coastes of the sayde fyrme lande lying towarde the South in the citie of Panama and also in the coast of that lande whiche lyeth towarde the East and West from that citie as in the Ilande of pearles or Margaritea whiche the Indians call Tarrarequi and also in Taboga and Otoque and in all other Ilandes of the south sea of Sur the water ryseth and falleth so muche that when it falleth it goeth in maner out of syght whiche thyng I my selfe haue seene oftentymes And here your maiestie may note an other thing that from the north sea to the south sea being of such difference the one from the other in rysyng and fallyng yet is the lande that deuideth them not past eyghteene or twentie leagues in breadth from coaste to coaste So that both the sayde seas beyng all one Ocean this strange effecte is a thyng worthy greatly to be consydered of all suche as haue inclination and desyre to knowe the secrete woorkes of nature wherein the infinite power and wysedome of God is seene to be suche as may allure al good natures to reuerence and loue so diuine a maiestie And whereas by y e demonstrations of
learned men I am not satisfyed of the naturall cause hereof I content my selfe to knowe and beleeue that he whiche hath made these thynges dooth knowe this and many other which he hath not graunted to the reason of man to comprehende muche lesse to so base a wyt as myne is They therefore that are of greater vnderstandyng shall search the cause hereof for them and for me forasmuche as I haue onely put the matter in question as a wytnesse that haue seene thexperience of the thyng Of the strayght or narrowe passage of the land lying betweene the North and South sea by the which spyces may much sooner and easlyer be brought from the Ilandes of Molucca into Spaine by the VVest Ocean then by that way whereby the Portugales sayle into the East India IT hath been an opinion among the Cosmographers and Pilottes of late tyme and other whiche haue had practyse in thynges touchyng the sea that there shoulde be a strayght of water passing from the North sea of the fyrme into the South sea of Sur which neuerthelesse hath not been seene nor founde to this day And surely yf there be any such strayght we that inhabite those partes do thynke the same should be rather of land then of water For the fyrme land in some partes thereof is so strayght and narrowe that the Indians say that from the mountaynes of the prouince of Esquegua or Vrraca which are betweene the one sea and the other if a man ascend to the top of the mountaines and looke toward the North he may see the water of the North sea of the prouince of Beragua againe looking the contrary way may on the other syde towards the South see the sea of Sur and the prouinces which confine with it as do the territories of the two Lordes or kynges of the sayde prouinces of Vrraca and Esquegua And I beleeue that yf it be as the Indians say of all that is hytherto knowen this is the narrowest strayght of the fyrme land whiche some affirme to be full of rough mountaynes Yet do I take it for a better way or soo short as is that whiche is made from the port called Nomen Dei whiche is in the North sea vnto the newe citie of Panama beyng in the coast and on the bancke of the sea of Sur whiche way is lykewyse very rough full of thycke wooddes mountaynes ryuers valleyes and very difficult to passe through and can not be done without great labour trauaile Some measure this way in this part to be from sea to sea eighteene leagues whiche I suppose to be rather twentie not for that it is any more by measure but because it is rough and difficult as I haue sayde and as I haue founde it by experience hauyng now twise passed that way by foote countyng from the port and village of Nomen Dei vnto the dominion of the Cacique of Iuanaga otherwyse called Capira eyght leagues and from thence to the ryuer of Chagre other eyght leagues So that at this riuer beyng sixteene leagues from the sayde port endeth the roughnesse of the way then from hence to the marueilous brydge are two leagues and beyonde that other two vnto the port of Panama So that altogeather in my iudgement make twentie leagues And yf therefore this nauigation may be founde in the South sea for the trade of spyces as we trust in God to be brought from thence to the sayde port of Panama as is possible enough they maye afterwarde easely passe to the North sea notwithstandyng the difficultie of the way of the twentie leagues aforesayde Which thyng I affirme as a man wel trauayled in these regions hauyng twyse on my feete passed ouer this strayght in the yeere 1521. as I haue said It is furthermore to be vnderstoode that it is a marueilous facilitie to bryng spices by this way which I wil now declare From Panama to the ryuer of Chagre are foure leagues of good and fayre way by the which cartes may passe at pleasure by reason that the mountaines are but few and litle and that the greatest part of these foure leagues is a playne grounde voyde of trees and when the cartes are come to the sayde ryuer â–ª the spyces may be caried in Barkes and pynnesses For this riuer entreth into the North sea fyue or syxe leagues lower then the port of Nomen Dei and emptieth it selfe in the sea neere vnto an Iland called Bastimento where is a verye good and safe port Your maiestie may now therfore consyder howe great a thyng â–ª and what commoditie it may be to conuey spices this way forasmuch as y e riuer of Chagre hauing his originall only two leagues from the South sea continueth his course and emptieth it selfe into the other North sea This riuer runneth fast and is verye great and so commodious for this purpose as may be thought or desired the marueylous brydge made by the worke of nature beyng two leagues beyond the sayde ryuer other two leagues on this syde the port of Panama so lying in the mydde waye betweene them both as framed naturally in suche sort that none which passe by this viage doth see any such brydge or thinke that there is any such buyldyng in that place vntyll they be in the top thereof in the way towarde Panama But assoone as they are on the brydge lookyng towarde the ryght hande they see a litle ryuer vnder them whiche hath his chanell distant from the feete of them that walke ouer it the space of two speares length or more The water of this ryuer is very shalowe not passyng the deapth of a mans legge to the knee and is in breadth betweene thyrtie and fourtie pases and falleth into the ryuer of Chagre Towarde the ryght hand standyng on this brydge there is nothing seene but great trees The largenesse of the brydge conteyneth fyfteene pases and the length thereof about threescore or fourescore pases The arche is so made of most harde stone that no man can beholde it without admiration beyng made by the hygh and omnipotent creatour of all thinges But to returne to speake somewhat more of the conueying of spices I say that when it shall please almyghtie God that this nauigation aforesayde shall be founde by the good fortune of your maiestie and that the spyces of the Ilandes of the South sea whiche may also be otherwyse called the Ocean of the East India in the which are the Ilandes of Molucca shal be brought to the sayd coast and the port of Panama and be conueyed from thence as we haue sayde by the fyrme lande with cartes vnto the ryuer of Chagre and from thence into this our other sea of the North from whence they may afterwarde be brought into Spayne I say that by this meanes the viage shal be shortned more then seuen thousand leagues with muche lesse daunger then is by the viage nowe vsed by the
troubled as often as they passed by his dominions to geue them vyttualles But Careta denyed that he coulde geue them any at that tyme alleagyng that he had oftentymes ayded the Christians as they passed by those coastes by reason whereof his store was nowe consumed also that by the meanes of the continuall warre whiche he kept euer from his childes age with a kyng whose name was Poncha borderyng vpon his dominion he and his familie were in great scarcenesse of al thynges But Vaschus woulde admyt none of these excuses and thereupon tooke Careta prisoner spoyled his vyllage and brought him bounde with his two wyues and chyldren and all his familie to Dariena With this kyng Careta they found three of the felowes of Nicuesa the which wheÌ„ Nicuesa passed by those coastes to seeke Beragua fearing punishment for theyr euil desertes stole away from the shippes lying at anker And when the nauie departed committed them selues to the mercie of Careta â–ª who enterteyned them very frendly They had nowe ben there eighteene monethes and were therefore as vtterly naked as the people of the countrey Duryng this tyme the meate of thinhabitantes seemed vnto them delicate dishes princely fare especially because they enioyed the same without any stryfe for mine and thyne whiche two thynges mooue and enforce men to suche harde shyftes and miseries that in lyuyng they seeme not to lyue Yet desyred they to returne to theyr olde cares of suche force is education and naturall affection towarde them with whom we haue ben brought vp The vyttuals which Vaschus brought from the vyllage of Careta to his felowes left in Dariena was rather somewhat to asswage theyr present hunger then vtterly to take away theyr necessitie But as touching Ancisus beyng Lieuetenaunt for Fogeda whether it were before these thyngs or after I knowe not but this I am sure of that after the reiecâ—yng of Nicuesa many occasions were sought against Ancisus by Vaschus and his factionaries Howsoeuer it was Ancisus was taken and cast in pryson and his goodes confiscate the cause hereof was as Vaschus alleaged that Ancisus had his commission of the Lieuetenauntshyp of Fogeda only whom they said to be now dead and not of the kyng saying that he woulde not obey anye man that was not put in offâ—ce by the kyng him selfe by his letters patentes Yet at the request of the grauest sort he was somewhat pacified and dealt more gentelly with hym hauyng some compassion on his calamities and thereupon commaunded him to be loosed Ancisus beyng at libertie tooke shyppe to depart from thence to Hispaniola but before he had hoysed vp his sayle al the wisest sort resorted to him humblye desyryng hym to returne agayne promysyng that they woulde doo their diligence that Vaschus being reconciled he myght be restored to his full aucthoritie of the Lieuetenauntshyp but Ancisus refused to consent to theyr request and so departed Yet some there were that murmured that God and his angels shewed this reuenge vpon Ancisus because Nicuesa was reiected through his counsayle Howe so euer it be the searchers of the newe landes fall headlong into ruine by theyr owne follie consumyng them selues with ciuile discorde not weighing so great a matter nor employing theyr best endeuour about the same as the woorthynesse of the thyng requireth In this meane tyme they determined all with one agreement to sende messengers into Hispaniola to the yong Admiral and viceroy sonne and heyre to Christophorus Colonus the fynder of these landes and to the other gouernours of the Ilande from whom the newe landes receiue theyr ayde and lawes to signifie vnto them what state they stoode in and in what necessitie they liued also what they had founde and in what hope they were of greater thyngs if they were furnished with plentie of vyttualles and other necessaries For this purpose they elected at the assignement of Vaschus one Valdiuia being one of his faction and instructed by hym agaynst Ancisus and to be assystant with hym they appoynted one Zamudius a Cantabrian so that commaundement was geuen to Valdiuia to returne from Hispaniola with vittuals Zamudius was appoynted to take his voyage into Spayne to the kyng They toke ship both togeather with Ancisus hauyng in mind to certifie the king howe things were handled there much otherwise then Zamudius information I mee selfe spake with both Ancisus Zamudius at their comming to the court Whyle they were occupied about these matters those wretched men of Dariena loosed Careta the king of Coiba vpon condition that he shoulde ayde them in their warres agaynst his enimie and theyrs kyng Poncha borderyng vpon his dominions Careta made a league with them promising that as they passed by his kingdome he woulde geue them all things necessarie meete them with an armie of men to goe forward with them to the battaile against Poncha Theyr weapons are neyther bowes nor venomed arrowes as we sayde thinhabitauntes to haue whiche dwel eastward beyonde the gulfe They fyght therefore at hande with long swordes whiche they call Macanas made of wood because they haue no Iron They vse also long staues lyke iauelyns hardened at the endes with fyre or typt with bone also certayne slynges and dartes Thus aftet the league made with Careta both he and our men had certayne dayes appoynted them to tyll theyr grounde and sowe theyr seedes This done by the ayde of Careta and by his conduction they marched towarde the pallace of Poncha who fled at theyr comming They spoyled his vyllage and mitigated theyr hunger with such vyttuals as they founde there yet coulde they not helpe theyr felowes therewith by reason of the farre distance of the place although they had great plentie for the vyllage of Poncha was more then a hundred myles dystant from Dariena whereas was also none other remedie but that the same shoulde haue ben caryed on mens backes to the sea syde beyng farre of where they left theyr shyppes in the whiche they came to the village of Careta Here they founde certayne poundes weight of gold grauen wrought into sundry ouches After the sackyng of this vyllage they resorted toward the ships intending to leaue the kynges of the inlande vntouched at this tyme and to inuade only them which dwelt by the sea coastes Not farre from Coiba in the same tracte there is a region named Comogra and the king thereof called Comogrus after the same name To this kyng they came fyrst next after the subuertion of Poncha and founde his pallace situate in a fruiteful playne of .xii. leagues in breadth at the rootes of the further syde of y e next mountaynes Comogrus had in his courte a certaine noble man of neere consanguitie to kyng Careta whiche had fled to Comogrus by reason of certayne dissentions which was betwene Careta hym these noble men they cal Iura This Iura therefore of Coiba met our men by the way
in deede they were Departyng therfore from the large region of Quiriquetana the .xiii. day of the calendes of September when he had sayled thyrtie leagues he found a ryuer within the mouth wherof he drewe freshe water in the sea where also the shore was so cleane without rockes that he founde grounde euery where where he myght aptly cast anker He writeth that the swift course of the Ocean was so vehement and contrary that in the space of fourtie dayes he coulde scarcely sayle threescore and tenne leagues and that with much dyfficultie with many fetches and compassynges fyndyng him selfe to be some tymes repulsed and dryuen farre backe by the violent course of the sea when he woulde haue taken lande towarde the euening leaste perhaps wanderyng in vnknowen coastes in the darcknesse of the nyght he myght be in daunger of shypwracke He wryteth that in the space of eyght leagues he found three great and fayre ryuers vpon the banckes whereof there grewe reedes bygger then a mannes thygh In these riuers was also great plenty of fyshe and great Tortoyses Lykewyse in many places multitudes of Crocodyles lying in the sande and yanyng to take the heate of the sonne besyde dyuers other kyndes of beastes wherunto he gaue no names He sayeth also that the soyle of that lande is verye diuers and variable beyng somewhere stonye and full of rough and craggie promontories or poyntes reachyng into the sea and in other places as fruitefull as may be They haue also diuers kynges and rulers In some places they call a kyng Cacicus in other places they call hym Quebi and somewhere Tiba Such as haue behaued them selues valyantlye in the warres agaynst theyr enemies and haue theyr faces full of scarres they call Cupras and honour them as the antiquitie dyd the gods whiche they called Heroes supposed to be the soules of suche men as in theyr lyfe tyme excelled in vertue and noble actes The common people they call Chiui and a man they call Homem When they say in theyr language take man they say Hoppa home After this he came to an other ryuer apt to beare great shippes before the mouth whereof lye foure small Ilandes full of floryshyng and fruitfull trees these Ilandes he named Quatuor tempora From hence sayling toward the East for the space of .xiii. leagues styl against the violent course of the water he found twelue other small Ilandes in the which because he founde a new kind of fruites much like vnto our Lemonds he called them Limonarâ—s Wanderyng yet further the same way for the space of .xii. leagues he founde a great hauen entryng into the lande after the maner of a gulfe the space of three leagues and in maner as brode into y e which fel a great riuer Here was Nicuesa lost afterward when he sought Beragua by reason whereof they called it Rio de los perdidos that is the ryuer of the lost men Thus Colonus the Admiral yet further continuyng his course agaynst the furye of the sea founde manye hygh mountaynes and horrible valleys with dyuers ryuers and hauens from all the which as he sayth proceeded sweete sauours greatly recreatyng and comfortyng nature Insomuche that in al this long tract there was not one of his men diseased vntyll he came to a region whiche thinhabitantes call Quicuris in the whiche is the hauen called Cariai named Mirobalanus by the Admirall bycause the Mirobalane trees are natiue in the regions thereabout In this hauen of Cariai there came about two hundred of thinhabitantes to the sea syde with euerye of them three or foure dartes in theyr handes yet of condition gentle yenough and not refusyng straungers Their commyng was for none other purpose then to knowe what this newe nation meant or what they brought with them When our men had geuen them sygnes of peace they came swymmyng to the shyppes and desyred to barter with them by exchaunge The Admiral to allure them to frendshyppe geue them many of our thynges But they refused them suspecting some disceyt thereby bycause he would not receiue theirs They wrought all by sygnes for one vnderstoode not a woord of the others language Suche gyftes as were sent them they left on the shore and woulde take no part thereof They are of suche ciuilitie and humanitie that they esteeme it more honorable to geue then to take They sent our men two young women beyng virgines of commendable fauour and goodly stature sygnifying vnto them that they myght take them away with them if it were their pleasure These women after the maner of their countrey were couered from their ancles somwhat aboue their priuye partes with a certayne cloth made of gossampine cotton but the men are all naked The women vse to cut their heare but the men let it growe on the hynder part of their heades and cut it on the fore part Their long heare they bynde vp with fyllettes and wynde it in sundry rowles as our maydes are accustomed to do The virgines whiche were sent to the Admirall he decked in fayre apparell and gaue them many gyftes and sent them home agayne But lykewyse all these rewardes and apparel they left vppon the shore bycause our men had refused their giftes Yet tooke he two men away with hym and those very wyllyngly that by learnyng the Spanyshe tongue he myght afterward vse them for interpretours He considered that the tractes of these coastes were not greatly troubled with vehement motions or ouerflowynges of the sea forasmuche as trees growe in the sea not farre from the shore euen as they doo vppon the bankes of ryuers the whiche thyng also other do affirme whiche haue latelyer searched those coastes declaryng that the sea ryseth and falleth but litle therabout He sayth furthermore that in the prospect of this land there are trees engendred euen in the sea which after that they are growen to any height bend downe the toppes of theyr braunches into the ground whiche embrasyng them causeth other braunches to spring out of the same and take roote in the earth bryngyng foorth trees in theyr kynd successiuely as dyd the fyrst root from whence they had theyr oryginall as do also the settes of vines when onely both the endes thereof are put into the grounde Plinie in the twelfth booke of his natural historie maketh mention of suche trees describyng them to be on the lande but not in the sea The Admiral wryteth also that the lyke beastes are engendred in the coastes of Cariai as in other prouinces of these regions and such as we haue spoken of before Yet that there is one founde here in nature muche differyng from the other This beast is of the bygnesse of a great Monkey but with a tayle much longer and bygger it lyueth in the wooddes and remoueth from tree to tree in this maner Hangyng by the tayle vppon the braunche of a tree and geatheryng strength by swaying her body twyse
shall dryue vs and among these so many pleasaunt and fruitfull prouinces of this large lande let vs choose one in the whiche wee maye with libertie spende that portion of our lyues which yet remayneth Who can fynde vs or shal be able to profer vs violence When these or the lyke wordes were declared to Petrus Arias hee sent to the South partes for Vaschus wyllyng him by the vertue of his commission to repayre to him foorthwith Vaschus obeyed and at his commyng was cast in pryson yet constantly denying that euer hee entended any such thyng Witnesses were brought agaynst him and his wordes rehearsed from the begynnyng To conclude hee was iudged woorthy death and was put to execution And this is the rewarde wherewith the blynde goddesse oftentymes recompenseth such as haue susteyned great trauayles and daungers to bee hyghly in her fauour Petrus Arias leauyng hys wyfe in Dariena embarked him selfe in the shippes left of Vaschus to thintent to search those coastes But whether hee bee returned or not wee haue yet no certayne knowledge He hath also his fortune Yet is there an other gouernour assigned whose name is Lupus Sosa the viceroye of the Ilandes of Canarie What stomake Petrus Arias may haue if he returne let good men iudge There was nothing done vnder him woorthy glorie Some thynke that hee was at the beginnyng to slacke and negligent in his office and not seuere in correctyng errours and misorders But we will leaue him and rehearse somewhat whereof we haue been lately infourmed as touchyng the great and deepe ryuer of Dabaiba the whiche for the greatnesse and largenesse thereof our men named Grandis that is great as we haue noted in our Decades This ryuer falleth into the furthest corner of the gulfe of Vraba by seuen portes or mouthes as doth the ryuer of Nilus into the Egyptian sea whose large description you may also reade in our Decades That the mountaynes on euery syde about this ryuer are ryche in golde wee haue learned by thinformation of thinhabitauntes of whom wee made diligent inquisition Vaschus and besyde him other gouernours and Lieuetenauntes haue fouretymes entred into this ryuer with theyr armies in battayle array and with dyuers kyndes of shippes fyrst for the space of fourtie myles then fyftie and at the last fourescore and at an other tyme also ouerthwarte the ryuer Oh shamefull chaunce and detestable cowardnesse of our men A naked nation encountryng with them that had apparell the armed against the vnarmed had the ouerthrow in maner in all conflictes and were either all slayne or wounded They vse inuenomed arrowes and are such experte archers that if they espy any place of theyr enimie bare or vnarmed they will not lyghtly fayle to stryke him there They vse also many dartes which in the tyme of the battayle they hurle so thicke a farre of that they take the lyght of the sunne from theyr enemies as it were with a cloude They haue lykewise brode long swoordes made of a heauy and harde kynde of wood wherewith they fight fiercely neare at hand Vaschus him selfe receiued many woundes in encountryng with them And thus by reason of the fiercenesse of these Barbarians the ryuer of Dabaiba is yet left vnsearched Wee will nowe speake somewhat more of the Ilande of Hispaniola which the Spanyardes call Spagnuola the mother and chiefe of all other landes or Ilands wherof we entended to write In it the Senate is now restored and fyue Iudges assigned to giue lawes to all thinhabitauntes of those tractes But in short tyme they shall ceasse geathering of gold although there bee great plentie by reason they shall lacke labourers and myners forasmuch as thinhabitauntes whose helpe they vsed heerein are brought to a small number consumed partely by warre and many more by famine that yeere that they dygged vp the rootes whereof they made theyr best bread and lefte of sowyng their grayne of Maizium which is their common foode supposing hereby to haue dryuen our men out of the Ilande who had vittayles sent them from Spayne A great number of them also dyed of new and straunge diseases which in the yeere of Christ a thousande fyue hundred and eightiene consumed them lyke rotten sheepe And to say the trueth our mens vnsaciable desyre of golde so oppressed these poore wretches with extreme labour and toyle where as before they lyued pleasauntly and at libertie gyuen onely to playes and pastymes as daunsyng fyshyng foulyng and huntyng of little Cunnies that many of them peryshed euen for very anguyshe of mynde the which with theyr vnaccustomed labour are thinges of them selues sufficient to engender many newe diseases But the kyng and the Senate haue nowe determyned that they bee reduced to a people and to gyue them selues onely to increase and tyllage of the grounde and that onely suche as are bought or taken out of other regions be appoynted to labour in the gold mynes But it shall suffyse to haue sayde thus muche of the pestiferous hunger of golde therfore I wil speake of other matters It is a marueylous thyng to consider how all thinges increase and prosper in this Ilande There are nowe .xxviii. suger presses wherewith great plentie of suger is made The canes or reedes wherein the suger groweth are bygger and hygher then in any other place and are as bygge as a mans arme in the brawne and hygher then the stature of a man by the halfe This is more wonderfull that where as in Ualentia in Spayne where a great quantitie of suger is made yeerely where so euer they applye them selues to the great increase thereof yet doeth euery roote bryng foorth not past fyue or syxe oâ— at the most seuen of those reedes whereas in Hispaniola oâ—e roote beareth twentie and oftentymes thirtie Foure footed beastes and cattayle are marueylously increased in this Ilande And albeit that the rauenyng hunger of golde hath hitherto greatly hyndered our men from tyllage of the grounde yet is there great plentye of wheate whiche prospereth so well that it yeeldeth some tyme a hundred folde and this especially on the hylles or rydges of the mountaynes prospectyng towarde the North Uines doo also encrease here with no lesse fruitefulnesse What shoulde I speake of the trees that beare Cassia fistula brought fyrst into this Ilande from the other Ilandes neere vnto the supposed Continent as we haue noted in our Decades There is nowe suche plentie hereof that after a fewe yeeres we shall haue a pounde of the pryce that we paye nowe for an ounce Of the Brasyle and Mirobalane trees with other innumerable prerogatiues and benefytes which nature hath plentifully geuen to this blessed Ilande we haue spoken sufficiently in our Decades Yet haue I thought good to repeate parte of the same because I thynke that the wittes of many readers haue diuerted from the weight of great affaires to
in Affrik and the beare in Sarmatia are fierce as in theyr present strength and vigoure but translated into a contrary heauen are of lesse strength and courage The foule called Ciconia which some thynke to be the Storke doth not tary the wynter yet do the Cranes come at that tyme. The Scythian wyll accuse the Romane heauen as inducyng feuers whereas neuerthelesse there is none more holsome Such as haue been tenderly brought vp if they come suddeynely into the campe can not away with hunger watchyng heate passages through ryuers battayles sieges and assaultes But the olde souldier exercised in the warres vseth these as meditations of the fielde as hardened therto by long experience He that hath been accustomed to the shadowe of the citie and wyll attempte the saying of the poet Uirgil Nudus ara sero nudus that is naked and bare without house and home shal to his peryl make an end of the verse Habebis frigora febram that is he shal haue the colde ague Suche thynges therfore as seeme hard vnto vs beyng accustomed by litle and litle become more tollerable Insomuch that this exercise of sufferaunce by such degrees doth oftentimes growe to prodigious effectes farre beyond our expectation And thus we seeme to haue made sufficient demonstration by heauen nature and art wherby it may appeare that no part of the land or sea is denied to liuing creatures The reader may also perceiue howe large matter of reasons and examples may be opened for the declaryng of our opinion wherin we rest Let therfore thauctoritie of the auntient auctours geue place and the consent of the newe writers agree to this history not as nowe at the length comprehended wheras before many hundred yeeres Germanie and Scondia had entercouse of merchandies not seuered by the large gulfe of Gothia but as nowe by our commentaries brought to lyght and hauyng sayde thus muche in maner of a preface we wyll nowe proceede to wryte of the North regions Schondia SCondia Schondania or Schondenmarchia is as muche to saye as fayre Dania or fayre Denmarke Plinie in one place nameth it Scandia and in an other Scandinauia if there be no faute in thexemples It was named Schondia by reason of the fayrenesse and fruitefulnesse thereof And this aswell for that in beneficiall heauen fertilitie of grounde commoditie of hauens and marte townes abundaunce of ryuers and fyshe plentie of beastes great quantitie of metall as golde syluer copper and leade diligent culturyng the grounde with townes and cities well â—nhabited and gouerned by ciuile lawes it geueth place to none other fortunate region This was in maner vnknowen to the olde Greekes and Latins as may appeare by this argument that with one consent they affirmed that in these north regions the colde Zone or clime was condemned to perpetuall snowe intollerable to al lyuyng creatures For fewe of them haue made mention hereof as to be inhabited Among whom Plinie as one of the chiefe saith in his fourth booke that Schondania is of vnknowen biggenesse and onely that portion thereof to be knowen which is inhabited with the nation of the Hilleuiones in fiftie villages Neither yet is Eningia lesse in opinion Other more auncient then Plinie haue placed most fortunate regions with men of long lyfe which the Greekes call Macrobios and of most innocent behauour vnder the tracte of those landes and that there came from thence to Delphos certayne religious virgines with vowes and giftes consecrated to Apollo And furthermore that that nation obserued this institution vntyll the saide virgins were violated of them of whom they were receiued as straungers These are most cleare testimonies of Antiquitie both of the greatnesse of Schondia and the people that inhabite the same although they were since vnknowen as lykewyse the Gothes departyng from these North landes although they obteyned Thempire of the regions about the maryshes of Meotis and the coastes of the sea Euxinus with the realme of Denmarke wherof that is thought to be a portion whiche is nowe called Transiluania and the bankes of the ryuer of Danubius and in fine inuaded the Romane Empire yet were not the regions well knowen from whence they tooke theyr originall Therefore lyke as part of the olde wryters are vnsufficient witnesses to testifie of our narrations as touchyng these landes vnknowen to them Euen so the other parte whiche excluded the same as vnhabitable are to be conuinced leaste theyr authoritie beyng admitted shoulde engender opinions not agreeable or conuenient to the nature of places Sigismundus Liberus in his commentaries of Moscouia writeth thus Scandia or Scondia is no Ilande as some haue thought but part of the continent or firme land of Suetia which by a long tract reacheth to Cothland and that nowe the kyng of Denmarke possesseth a great part thereof But whereas the writers of these thynges haue made Scondia greater then Suetia and that the Gothes and Lumbardes came from thence they seeme in my opinion to comprehend these three kyngdomes as it were in one bodie only vnder the name of Scondia forasmuch as then that part of land that lyeth betweene the sea Baltheun which floweth by the coastes of Finlandia and the frosen sea was vnknowen and that by reason of so manye maryshes innumerable riuers and intemperatenesse of heauen it is yet rude vncultured and litle knowen Which thyng hath been the cause that some iudged al that was called by the name of Scondia to be one great Iland Gronelande GRonelande is interpreted greene land so called for the great encrease and fruitfulnesse of pasture By reason whereof what great plentie of cattaile there is it may hereby appere that at such time as shippes may passe thither they set foorth great heapes of Cheese and Butter to be solde whereby we coniecture that the lande is not rough with barren mountaynes It hath two Cathedrall Churches vnder the Ordination of Nidrosia To one of these was of late yeeres a Byshop appoynted only by the title of a Suffragane in consideration that while the Metropolitane doth neglect the direction of religion for the distance of the place and difficult nauigation the people is in maner falne to gentilitie being of them selues of moueable wittes geuen to magicall artes For it is sayd that they as also the people of Laponia do rayse tempestes on the sea with magicall inchauntmentes and bryng such shyps into daunger as they entend to spoyle They vse litle ships made of Leather and safe agaynst the brusing of the sea and rockes and with them assaile other shyps Peter Martir of Angleria writeth in his Decades of the Spanysh nauigations that Sebastian Cabot saylyng from England continually towarde the North folowed that course so farre that he chaunced vpon great flakes of yse in the Mooneth of Iuly and that diuertyng from thence he folowed the coast by the shore bendyng toward the South vntyll he came to the clyme
dismissed So that the murderer by the losse of a vyle Horse or a Bowe is discharged of the Iudge with these woordes Get thee hence and goe about thy businesse They haue no vse of gold and syluer except only a few merchauntes but exercyse exchaunge of ware for ware And yf it so chaunce that by sellyng of suche thynges as they haue stolne they get anye money of theyr borderers they bye therewith certayne apparrell and other necessaries of the Moscouites The regions of theyr habitations the feelde Tartars I meane are not lymitted with any boundes or borders There was on a tyme a certayne fatte Tarter taken prysoner of the Moscouites to whom when the Prince sayde howe art thou so fat thou dogge syth thou hast not to eate the Tartar aunswered Why should not I haue to eate syth I possesse so large a lande from the East to the West whereby I may be abundantly nouryshed But thou mayest rather seeme to lacke syth thou inhabytest so small a portion of the woorlde and dooest dayly stryue for the same Casan is a kyngdome also a citie and a castle of the same name scituate by the riuer Volga on the further banke almoste threescore and tenne leagues beneath Nouogradia the lower Along by the course of Volga towarde the East and South it is termined with desart feeldes towarde the Sommer East it confineth with the Tartars called Schibanski â–ª and Kosatzki The kyng of this prouince is able to make an armie of thyrtie thousande men especially footmen of the which the Czeremisse and Czubaschi are moste expert Archers The Czubaschi are also cunnyng Mariners The citie of Casan is threescore leagues distant from the principall castle Vuiathka Furthermore Casan in the Tartars language signifieth a brasen pot boylyng These Tartars are more ciuill then the other for they dwell in houses tyl the grounde and exercise the trade of marchandies They were of late subdued by Basilius the great Duke of Moscouia â–ª and had their Kyng assigned them at his arbitrement But shortlye after they rebelled agayne and associate with other Tartars inuaded the region of Moscouia spoyled and wasted many cities and townes and ledde away innumerable captiues euen from the citie of Moscouia which they possessed for a tyme and had vtterly destroyed the same yf it had not been for the valeauntnesse of the Almaine Gunnners whiche kept the castle with great ordinaunce They also put Duke Basilius to flyght and caused hym to make a letter of his owne hand to Machmetgirei theyr Kyng to acknowledge hym selfe for a perpetuall tributarie to them wherevpon they dissolued the siege and gaue the Moscouites free libertie to redeeme their captiues goods and so departed But Basilius not long able to abyde this contumelie and dishonour after that he had put to death suche as by flying at the first encountryng were the cause of this ouerthrow assembled an armie of an hundred and fourescore thousande men shortly after in the yeere .1523 and sent forwarde his armie vnder the conduct of his Lieuetenant and therewith an Heralde at armes to bydde battell to Machmetgirei the Kyng of Casan with woordes in this effecte The last yeere lyke a theefe and robber without byddyng of battel thou dyddest priuily oppresse mee wherefore I nowe chalenge thee once agayne to proue the fortune of warre if thou mystruste not thyne owne power To this the Kyng answered that there were manye wayes open for him to inuade Moscouia and that the warres haue no lesse respecte to the commoditie of tyme and place then of armure or strength and that hee would take the aduauntage thereof when and where it should seeme best to him and not to other With whiche woordes Basilius beyng greatly accensed and burnyng with desyre of reuenge inuaded the kingdome of Casan whose Kyng beyng stryken with sodayne feare at the approche of so terrible an army assigned the gouernaunce of his kyngdome to the yong Kyng of Taurica his Nâ—uie whyle he him selfe went to requyre ayde of the Emperour of the Turkes But in â—ine the Kyng of Casan submytted him selfe vppon certayne conditions of peace which the Moscouites dyd the gladlyer accept for that tyme because their victualles fayled them to mayneteyne so great a multitude But whereas Duke Basilius him selfe was not present at this last expedition hee greatly suspected Palitzki the Lieuetenant of the army to bee corrupted with brybes to proceede no further In this meane tyme the Kyng of Casan sent Ambassadours to Basilius to intreate of peace whom I sawe in the Dukes courte at my beyng there but I coulde perceyue no hope of peace to be betweene them For euen then Basilius to endomage the Casans translated the marte to Nouogradia whiche before was accustomed to be kepte in the Ilande of marchauntes neare vnto the citie of Casan Commaunding also vnder payne of greeuous punyshement that none of his subiectes shoulde resorte to the Ilande of marchauntes thynkyng that this translation of the marte shoulde greatly haue endomaged the Casans and that only by takyng away their trade of salte which they were accustomed to buye of the Moscouites at that marte they should haue been compelled to submyssion But the Moscouites them selues felte no lesse inconuenience heereby then dyd the Casans by reason of the dearth and scarsenesse that folowed heereof of all suche thinges as the Tartars were accustomed to bryng thyther by the ryuer of Volga from the Caspian sea the kyngdomes of Persia and Armenia and the marte towne of Astrachan especially the great number of most excellent fyshes that are taken in Volga both on the hyther and further syde of Casan But hauyng sayde thus muche of the warres betweene the prince of Moscouia and the Tartars of Casan we will nowe proceede to speake somewhat of the other Tartars inhabiting the regions towarde the Southeast and the Caspian sea Next beyond the Tartars of Casan are the Tartars called Nagai or Nogai which inhabite the regions beyonde Volga about the Caspian sea at the ryuer Iaick runnyng out of the prouince of Sibier These haue no kynges but Dukes In our tyme three brethren deuydyng the prouinces equally betweene them possessed those Dukedomes The first of them named Schidack possesseth the citie of Scharaitzick beyonde the ryuer of Rha or Volga toward the East with the region confinyng with the ryuer Iaick The seconde called Cossum enioyeth all the lande that lyeth betweene the ryuers of Kaman Iaick and Volga The third brother named Schichmamai possesseth parte of the prouince of Sibier and all the region about the same Schichmamai is as much to say by interpretation as holy or myghtie And in maner all these regions are ful of woods except that that lieth toward Scharaitz which consisteth of playnes and fieldes Betweene the riuers of Volga and Iaick about the Caspian sea there sometimes inhabited the kinges called Sawolhenses Demetrius Danielis a man among
sea and the next day all day and the next nyght after vntyl the thyrde day of the sayde moneth about noone makyng our way good dyd runne .60 leagues Item from .xii. of the clocke the thyrde daye tyll .xii. of the clocke the .iiii. day of the sayde moneth makyng our way good southest dyd runne euery three houres two leagues which amounteth to .xvi. leagues the whole Item from xâ—i of the clocke the .iiii. day to .xii. of the clocke the .v. day running southwest in the sea dyd runne .xii. leagues Item runnyng from .xii. of the clocke the .v day vntyll .xii. of the cloke the .vi. day runnyng southeast dyd runne xviii leagues And so from .xii. of the clocke the .vi. day vntyll .xii. of the clocke the .vii. day runnyng southsouthwest dyd runne euery houre .ii. leagues which amount to .xlviii. leagues the whole Item from .xii. of the clocke the .vii. day tyll .iii. of the clocke the .viii. day southsouthwest runnyng in the sea dyd runne .xxx. leagues Item from three of the clocke the .viii. day vntill .iii. of the clocke the .ix. day runnyng southsouthwest dyd runne .xxx. leagues Item from .iii. of the clocke the .ix. day tyll .iii. of the clocke the .x. daye dyd southsoutheast in runnyng in the sea the summe of .xxiiii. leagues Also from .iii. of the clocke the .x. day vntyll .xii of the clocke the .xi. daye dyd runne southsouthwest the summe of .xii. leagues and from .xii. of the clocke tyll .vi of the sayde daye dyd runne vi leagues Running south and by west in the sea from .vi. of the clocke the xi day til .vi. of the clocke the xii day dyd runne .xxxvi. leagues From .vi. of the clocke at after noone the .xii. daye tyll .vi. of the clocke the .xiii. daye at after noone dyd runne .xiii. leagues Item from .vi. of the clocke the .xiii. daye tyll .vi. of the clocke the .xiiii. day at after noone we were becalmed that we coulde lye southwest with a sayle And the .xv. daye in the mornyng the wynd came to the East and Eastnortheast The .xvii. daye in the mornyng we had syght of the I le of Madera whiche doth ryse to hym that commeth in the northnortheast part vpryght lande in the west part of it and very hygh and to the southsoutheast a lowe long lande and a long poynt with a saddle thorough the myddest of it standeth in the .xxxii. degrees and in the west part many sprynges of water runnyng downe from the mountayne and many whyte fieldes lyke vnto corne fieldes and some whyte houses to the southeast parte of it and the toppe of the mountayne sheweth very ragged if you may see it and in the northeast part there is a byght or bay as though it were a harborowe Also in the sayd part there is a rocke a litle distance from the shore and ouer the sayde byght you shall see a great gap in the mountayne The .xix. day at .xii. of the clocke we had syght of the I le of Palmes and Teneriffa and the Canaries The I le of Palme riseth round and lyeth southeast and northwest and the northwest part is lowest In the south is a round hyll ouer the head land and an other round hyll aboue that in the land There is betwene the Southeast part of the I le of Madera and the northwest part of the I le of Palme .lvii. leagues This I le of Palme lyeth in the .xxix. degrees And our course from Madera to the I le of Palme was south south and by west so that we had sight of Teneriffa of the Canaries The southeast part of the I le of Palme and the northnortheast of Teneriffa lieth southeast and northwest and betweene them is twentie leagues Teneriffa and the great Canarie called Grancanaria and the West part of Fortisuentura standeth in .xxvii. degrees and a halfe Gomera is a fayre Iland and very ragged and lyeth West Southwest of Teneriffa And who so euer wyll come betweene them two Ilandes must come South and by East and in the South part of Gomera is a towne and a good rode in the sayde parte of the Ilande and it standeth in twentie and seuen degrees and three terces Teneriffa is an hygh land a great hygh pycke lyke a suger loafe and vpon the said picke is snow throughout al the whole yeere And by reason of that pycke it may be knowen aboue al other Ilandes and there we were becalmed the .xx. day of Nouember from syxe of the clocke in the mornyng vntyl foure of the clocke at after noone Betweene Gomera and Cape de las Barbas THe .xxii. day of Nouember vnder the Tropyke of Cancer the Sunne goeth downe West and by South Upon the coast of Barbarie .xxv. leagues by North Cape blanke at three leagues of the mayne there is .xv. fadome and good shelly grounde sand among and no streames and two small Ilandes standyng in the .xxii. degrees a terce From Gomera to Cape de las Barbas is an hundred leagues and our course was South and by East The sayde Cape standeth in xxii and a halfe and all that coast is flatte .xvi. or xvii fadome deepe Uii. or .viii leagues of frâ—m the ryuer de Oro to cape de las Barbas there vse many Spanyardes and Portugales to trade for fyshyng duryng the moneth af Nouember and al that coast is very lowe landes Also we went from cape de las Barbas southsouthwest and southwest and by south tyl we brought our selues in .xx. degrees and a halfe reckonyng our selues .vii. leagues of and that was the least sholes of cape Blanke Then we went South vntil we brought our selues in thyrtene degrees reckonyng our selues twentie and fyue leagues of And in fyfteene degrees we did reare the crossiers and we myght haue reared them sooner if we had loked for them They are not ryght a Crosse in the moneth of Nouember by reason of the nyghtes are short there Neuerthelesse we had the syght of them the .xxix. day of the sayde moneth at nyght The fyrst of December out thyrteene degrees we set our course South and by East vntyl the fourth day of December at twelue of the clocke the same day Then we were in niene degrees and a terce reckonyng our selues thyrtye leagues of the sholes of the ryuer called Ria Grande beyng West Southwest of them the whiche sholes be thyrtie leagues long The fourth of December â–ª we began to set our course Southeast we beyng in syxe degrees and a halfe The nienth day of December we set our course East Southeast the fourteenth day of the sayde moneth we set our course East we beyng in fyue degrees and a halfe reckonyng our selues thyrtie and syxe leagues from the coast of Guinea The .xix. of the sayde moneth we set our course East and by North reckoning our selues .xvii. leagues distant from Cape Mensurado the sayde Cape beyng East Northeast of vs and the ryuer of
affyrme by this coniecture that there is yet seene the print of the steppes of his feete of the length of almost two spannes The inhabitants are subiect to the kyng of Narsinga and paye hym tribute The region is of temperate ayre although it be situate in maner vnder the Equinoctiall lyne The people are of darke tawny colour Theyr apparell are certayne single clokes of bombasine cloth whiche they weare bearyng euer the ryght arme out all naked as is the maner of all the Indians They are no warrelyke men neyther haue they the vse of Iron Here my companyon solde to the kyng muche Saffran and Coralles Of Paleachet a citie of India Cap. 5. DEpartyng from the Ilande of Zailon in three dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Paleachet subiecte to the kyng of Narsinga It is a famous marte of ryche merchaundies and especially of iewels and precious stones brought thyther from Zailon and Pego. There is also great plentie of spices There dwell in the citie many Mahumetan merchauntes where we beyng receiued in one of theyr houses tolde hym from whence we came and what merchaundies we brought as Saffran and Coralles whereof he was very glad The citie hath great scarsnesse of corne but plentie of Ryse and in other fruitefulnesse of the soyle and maner of the people much lyke vnto Calecut But because they were at dissention with the kyng of Tarnassari and prepared warres agaynst hym we departed from thence and in .xiii. dayes saylyng arryued at the citie of Tarnassari a hundred myles distant Of Tarnassari a citie of India Cap. 6. THis citie is not farre from the sea and situate on a meetly equall grounde well walled hauyng also a famous porte and a very fayre ryuer runnyng on the North syde of the citie The kyng is an Idolatour and a prince of great power He keepeth continuall warre with the kyngs of Narsinga and Bangella He bryngeth to the feelde a hundred Elephantes of the fayrest and byggest that euer I sawe He hath an armie of an hundred thousand pencionarie footmen as many horsemen Theyr weapons are swoordes rounde targettes peltes bowes dartes and iauelins of great and long reedes They are also armed with iackes made of bombasine cotton wrought very harde and closely couched Theyr houses are walled and continent in order as ours are The region bryngeth foorth wheate bombasine sylke of sundrye kindes of colours Brasile and sundrye kyndes of fruites muche lyke vnto ours Also apples of Assiria Oranges Limons Citrons Gourdes Cucumbers c. Of the wylde and tame beastes of the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 7. THis region bryngeth foorth many beastes both wyld and tame The tame beastes are Oxen Kyne Sheepe Gotes Hogges Hartes and Hyndes The wylde beastes are Lions Wolues Cattes of the mountayne and also Muskecattes In the feeldes are many Peacockes and those kynde of Egles whiche we call Falcons Popingays also or Parrottes marueylous fayre of the which some are white and other of seuen colours There is lykewyse great plentie of Hares and Partriges and diuers other sortes of great byrdes liuyng by praye muche bygger then Eagles for of the vpper parte of their beckes they make hafâ—es for swoordes The becke is of yelowe colour distincte with crimsine very fayre and beautifull to be seene But the byrde is blacke and purple with certayne whyte feathers intermyxt There are also the byggest Hennes and Cockes that euer I sawe and therefore thinhabitants and Mahumetans which dwell there take muche pleasure in Cockefyght and laye great wagers in that kynde of sporte I haue seene them fyghte for the space of syxe houres and yet sometymes they kyll one an other at the fyrst stroke There are certayne Gotes farre exceedyng ours in byggenesse and muche fayrer these are so fruitefull that at one byrth they bryng forth foure young kyddes There is so great abundaunce of beastes that twelue weathers are sold for one peece of golde to the value of a crowne or pistoleâ— There are also certayne weathers or rammes with hornes lyke vnto buckes hornes and are muche bygger and fyercer then ours Theyr Buffles are not so fayre as ours The region hath also abundaunce of fyshe very bygge and good and of small price These people eate all maner of beastes excepte Kyne They eate on the grounde without carpet or other cloth yet haue they vessells of woodde artificially made Theyr drynke is water and suger theyr beddes are raysed from the grounde after the maner of ours Theyr couche is of bombasine cotton and the couerynges of sylke Theyr apparell is a cloke or mantell of bombasine or sylke with one arme out all bare But some of the merchauntes weare inner vestures or shirtes of sylke or bombasine cloth They go all barefooted except the priestes whiche weare on theyr heads certayne rayles or crestes of two spannes long with a knotte on the crowne lyke vnto an Acorne and sparkled with golde They delyght also in earinges but weare neyther rynges nor braslettes The colour of the inhabitantes inclyneth to whyte for the temperature of the climate or ayre is colder then at Calecut Theyr maner of tyllage and geatheryng of fruite is lyke vnto ours Of the maner which the kyng of Tarnassarie vseth when he permitteth his wyfe to be defloured of white men Cap. 8. THis kyng vseth not to geue his wyfe to the priestes to be defloured as doth the kyng of Calecut but committeth this facte to whyte men as to the Christians or Mahumetans for he wyll not suffer the Idolaters to do this The inhabitantes lykewyse haue not to do carnally with theyr wyues before some whyte man of what so euer nation haue fyrst the breakyng of them The maner of burnyng dead bodyes in the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 9. WHen the kyng or any of the priestes or gentlemen dye their bodies are burnt in a great fyre made of a pile of wood then all the whyle they sacrifice vnto the deuyll Their asshes are reserued in certayne pottes of the earth of Samos and buryed in theyr houses They sacrifice in y e shadows of trees as do they of Calecut Whilst the bodyes are burnyng they cast in the fyre all maner of sweete sauoures as Aloes Myrre Frankensence Storax Sandals Corall and innumerable suche other sweete gummes spices and trees These make the fyre muche greater encreasyng the flame by reason of theyr gummositie in the meane tyme also they neuer ceasse to make a great noyse with Trumpettes Pipes Drummes Tambarells and suche other instruments not muche vnlyke the ceremonies which in olde tyme were vsed among the gentiles in canonisyng theyr saintes Furthermore duryng these funeralls there are .xv. or .xx. disguised lyke deuyls whiche continually walke rounde about the fyre with many strange gesticulations after the maner of reioycyng The wyfe also of the burned kyng or priest standeth by the tyre alone without the companye of any other woman lamentyng and beatyng her
such contentions as proceede of thyne and myne When we had been heere three dayes my companion asked the Christian merchantes where was the region whiche brought foorth Cloues They aunswered That Cloues were founde in an Ilande named Monoch sixe dayes saylyng from thence Therfore proceedyng on our voyage we came thyther in the space of seuen dayes Of the Ilande of Monoch where Cloues growe Cap. 24. THis Ilande is very narowe yet in length exceedeth the Ilande of Bandan The inhabitauntes are much worse then they of Bandan for were it not only for mans shape they should in maner differ nothyng from beastes Their colour is whyter and the region colder This Ilande bryngeth foorth Cloues as do also many other litle and desolate Ilandes lying about it The body of this tree is not muche vnlyke the Boxe tree and hath leaues lyke vnto the Cinamome tree but rounder and almost lyke the Bay leafe When they waxe rype the inhabitauntes beate them downe with reedes laying fyrst mattes vnder the trees The grounde is sandie and the region so low vnder the Horizon that the North starre can not be seene there They sell Cloues for the double price that Nutmegs are solde sel them by measure for they are vtterly without knowledge of weyghtes Of the Iland of Bornei Cap. 25. AS we were togeather talkyng of our voyages the Christian merchantes spake vnto me in this maner Our dearly beloued freende forasmuch as by the grace of God we are come thus farre in safetie yf it please you we wyl go see one of the fayrest Ilandes in the worlde and very ryche and suche as I beleeue you neuer sawe but we must fyrst go to an other Iland named Bornei for there shal we haue bygger vessels for we must needes passe a deepe and rough sea Then sayde my companion Do as shall please you for we are contented to go with you Therefore hyryng a greater Foyst we directed our iorney to that Ilande both by daye and nyght sayling alway southwarde By the way we passed foorth the tyme with pleasant talke The merchaunt men asked me many thynges of the ceremonyes and solemnities of the Christian religion vsed among vs And when I made mention of the Veronica commonly called the Uernacle of the face of Chryst and of the heads of Peter and Paule the chiefest of the Apostles and also of many other saintes they aduertysed me secretly that if I woulde go with them I shoulde become a great man for the knowledge of suche great thynges But beyng deterred by the greatnesse of the iorney fearyng that then I should neuer haue come home I refused to go with them At the length we came to the Iland of Bornei distant from Monoch about two hundred myles and is somewhat bygger but muche lower beneath the Horizon or Equinoctiall The inhabitantes are Idolaters of sharpe wyt and maner of lyuyng not greatly to be discommended Their colour inclyneth more to whytenesse They weare not all one maner of apparell for some weare shirtes of bombasine cloth other mantells of chamlet and other also sharpe cappes of red coloure They obserue iustice and good order This Ilande yeeldeth yeerely great abundaunce of Camphora which they sayd to be the gumme of a tree but I dare not affyrme it because I haue not seene it Here my companyon hyred a lyght shyppe or barke for a hundred peeces of golde Of the obseruations vsed in the nauigation to the Iland of Giaua Cap. 26. AFter that we had made prouision of vittayles sufficient for the voyage we directed our iorney to the Ilande of Gyaua and came thyther in the space of fyue dayes saylyng euer towarde the south Our Pilot vsed the maryners boxe or compasse with also the lode stone and sea carde after the maner of ours Therefore when my companyon sawe that the Septentrions or north starres coulde not be seene there he asked the Christians how they could sayle on that sea without they guide of the north star asked also by what other star they were guided The Pilote aunswered that the inhabitantes of these regions obserue principally fyue starres and also one other starre opposite or directlye contrary to the Septentrions or North starres whereby they gouerned their viages in these regions and sayd that he also vsed the lode stone because it euer mooueth to the North and sayde furthermore that on the other syde of that Ilande is a certayne people whiche in saylyng obserue certayne starres contrary to the Septentrions for that the sayde people are Antipodes to them of Europa Sarmatiae and that they inhabite as colde a region and climat and as neare vnto the pole Antartike as is manifest by the shortnesse of the day beyng but foure houres long in their wynter of whiche talke we tooke great pleasure Of the Ilande of Gyaua and the maners of the people Cap. 27. THerfore proceedyng on our iourney fyue dayes saylyng we came to the sayde Ilande beyng very great large and hauyng in it many kyngdomes and kynges beyng all Idolaters and of diuers maners of lyuyng for some of them honor Idolles after the maner of Calecut some also honor the Sonne and some the Moone other take Kyne for their Idolles and some the fyrst thyng that they meete in the mornyng take for the Idol of that day other also honor the picture or similitude of the deuyll This Ilande bryngeth foorth sylke whiche groweth of it selfe in the wooddes and also the fayrest Smaragdes or Emeraldes that are in the world there is likewyse plentie of Golde and Copper The soyle is fruitefull of Corne and all sortes of fruites as in the citie of Calecut There is great abundance of fleshe of all sortes as with vs. The inhabitantes are faythfull and true dealyng people they are of the â—ame colour and stature that we bee but haue larger forheades very great eyes and of brasyll or redde colour and flatte noses wearyng theyr heare long There is a great multitude of foules and birdes but vnlyke vnto ours except Peacockes Turtle dooue and Crowes They greatly obserue iustice and good order For theyr apparel they vse mantels or clokes of Bombasine cloth or sylke or Chamlet euer wearyng out one arme They vse no coates of fence or armure because they haue no warres but when they traueyle on the sea they vse bowes and impoysoned arrowes made of Reedes They vse also certayne long and holowe staues which we call Trunkes through the which after our maner they blowe little arrowes so infected with poyson that if they rayse neuer so little blood death foloweth incontinent They haue no Gunnes or other ingines They eate all sortes of fleshe fyshe and fruites yet some feede of one kynde of meate and other of other as them listeth Of theyr cruell maners in selling their parentes to the Anthropophagi to be eaten Cap. 28. THe inhabitantes
and the kyng of Portugale These Iudges gaue sentence vppon this matter callyng the contrary parte before them vppon the brydge of Caya in the yeere .1524 The Portugales could neyther disturbe or deferre the sentence nor yet would they allowe it to be iust and accordyng to ryght Saying that there was not sufficient processe made that they should passe to the giuyng of sentence and so departed threatenyng to sleye the Castilians as many as they should fynde in the Ilandes of the Malucas For they knewe ryght well that theyr countreymen the Portugales had already taken the shyppe called the Trinitie and had also taken the Castilians in Tidore Then also departed our men takyng theyr iourney to the Courte gyuyng vp to the Emperour all their writinges and declaration what they had done And according to this declaration must be signed and marked all Globes and Mappes whiche good Cosmographers maisters doe make The line also of the repartition and last diuision of the newe world of the Indies ought to passe litle more or lesse by the poyntes of Humos and Buen Abrigo as I haue sayde in an other place And thus shall it appeare euidently that the Ilandes of spices and also the great Ilande of Samotra doe parteyne to Castile But the lande of Brasile parteyneth to the kyng of Portugale where the Cape of sainct Augustine is being .viii. degrees beneath the Equinoctiall This lande reacheth from the poynte of Humos to the poynte of Buen Abrigo and is in length North and South .viii. hundred leagues being also some way two hundred leagues East and West And heere after these serious matters wee will rehearse one mery thyng whiche was this It so chaunced that as Frances de Melo Diego Lopes of Sequeyra and other of those Portugales of this assembly walked by the ryuers syde of Guadiana a litle boye who stoode keepyng his mothers clothes which shee had washed demaunded of them whether they were those men that parted the worlde with the Emperour And as they answered yea he tooke vp his sherte and shewed them his bare arse saying Come and drawe your lyne heere through the myddest Which saying was afterward in euery mans mouth and laughed at in the towne of Badaios yea euen among the Commissioners them selues of whom some were angry and some marueyled at the saying of the chylde The cause and aucthoritie whereby they diuided the Indies THe Castilians and Portugales had long debated and reasoned about the golde myne of Guinea which was found in the yeere of our Lorde .1471 in the tyme of the raigne of Don Alonso kyng of Portugale y e fyrst of that name This was a matter of great importaunce For the Negros or blacke Moores for thinges of no value gaue golde by whole handfulles whiche was at that tyme when the sayde kyng of Portugale pretended title and clayme to the kingdome of Castile in the ryght of his wife Queene Ioane called the excellent agaynst the Catholyke Princes Isabel and Don Fernando whose it was in deede But that stryfe was ended as soone as Don Fernando had vanquished Don Alonso at a place called Temulos nor farre from Toro whiche place Don Fernando chose rather to make warre agaynst the Moores of Granada then to buye and sell with the blacke Moores of Guinea And thus the Portugales remayned with the conqueste of Affryke from the streightes forwarde which beganne where the infante of Portugale Don Henrique sonne to Kyng Iohn the bastarde and maister of Auis dyd begyn to enlarge it When Pope Alexander the .vi. beyng a Ualentinian borne had knowledge hereof hee mynded to gyue the Indies to the kynges of Castile without any preiudice to the Portugales who had conquered the sea coastes of Affryke These Indies the Pope gaue of his owne mynde without the motion of any other with this burden charge that they should conuerte the Idolatours to the fayth of Christ and commaunded a lyne or meridian to bee drawen North and South from one hundred leagues Westward beyonde one of the Ilandes of Capo Verde towarde the Weste bycause the Spanyardes should not meddle in Affrike parteynyng to the conquest of the Portugales to the auoydyng of all stryfe betweene them Kyng Iohn of Portugale the seconde of that name was greatly offended when he red the Bull and donation of the pope although his owne Ambassadours had made the selfe same request vnto his holinesse He also founde him selfe agreeued with the Catholyke princes Isabel and Fernando that they had shortened the course of the landes he had discouered depriuyng him of the rychesse which belonged to him and therefore refused to stande to the Popes Bull in this case desiryng the Catholyke princes Isabel and Fernando to graunt him three hundred leagues more to the West besyde the one hundred which they had graunted before and thâ—rewith sent his shyppes to keepe the coastes of Affryke The princes Catholyke were content to satisfie his mynd and to please him according to theyr gentle nature and for the aliance that was betweene them And in fine with the consent agreement of the Pope graunted two hundred sixtie leagues more then the Bull made mention of at Tordesillas the seuenth day of Iune in the yeere of our Lorde .1494 And wheras our kynges thought that they shoulde haue loste grounde in graunting so many leagues that way they woon by that meanes the Ilandes of the Malucas with many other ryche Ilandes The kyng of Portugale also herein deceyued him selfe or was deceyued of his whom he put in trust hauyng no certayne knowledge of the situation of the Ilandes of the ryche Spicery in demaundyng that which the kyng dyd demaunde For it had ben better for him to haue requested the three hundred and sixtie leagues rather Eastwarde from the Ilandes of Capo Verde then towarde the Weste And yet for all that I doubt whether the Malucas should haue fallen within his conquest accordyng to the ordinarie accoumpte and dimension which the Pylottes and Cosmographers doe make And after this maner they diuided the Indies betweene them by aucthoritie of the Pope for the auoydyng of further stryfe and contention Howe and by what occasion the Emperour layde the Ilandes of Maluccas to pledge to the kyng of Portugale WHen the Kyng of Portugale Don Iuan the thyrd of that name had knowledge that the Cosmographers and pylottes of Castile had drawen the lyne from the place before named and that he could not deny the trueth fearyng also thereby to leese the trade of spices made suite request to the Emperour that he should not sende foorth Louisa nor Sebastian Cabote to the Malucas and that the Castilians should not attempte the trade of spices nor see suche euylles and miseries as his Captaynes had shewed in those Ilandes to them that aduentured that viage with Magallanes which thyng he greatly couered although he payde
serpentes but suche as are without hurt Likewise wilde geese turtle doues and duckes muche greater then ours and as white as swannes with heades of purple colour Also Popiniayes of the whiche some are greene some yelowe some lyke them of India with yelowe rynges about theyr neckes as Plinie describeth them Of these they brought fourtie with them of moste lyuely and dilectable colours hauyng theyr feathers entermingled with greene yelowe and purple whiche varietie delyghteth the sense not a litle Thus muche thought I good to speake of Popyniayes ryght noble prince specially to this intent that albeit the opinion of Christophorus Colonus who affyrmeth these ilandes to be part of India doth not in all poyntes agree with the iudgement of auncient wryters as touchyng the bygnesse of the Sphere and compasse of the Globe as concernyng the nauigable portion of the same being vnder vs yet the Popiniayes and many other thynges brought from thence doo declare that these Ilandes sauour somewhat of India eyther beyng neare vnto it or els of the same nature forasmuche as Aristole also about the ende of his booke de Caelo Mundo and likewyse Seneca â–ª with diuers other aucthours not ignoraunt in Cosmographie do taffirme that India is no long tracte by sea distant from Spaine by the west Ocean for the soyle of these ilandes bryngeth foorth Mastyx Aloes and sundry other sweete gummes and spyces as doth India Cotton also of the Gossampine tree as in India in the countrey of the people called Seres The languages of all the nations of these ilandes may well be wrytten with our Latine letters For they cal heauen Turei A house Boa Golde Cauni A good man Taino Nothing Mayani Al other words of theyr language they pronounce as plainly as we do the Latine tongue In these ilandes they founde no trees knowen vnto them but Pine apple trees and Date trees and those of marueylous heyght and exceedyng harde by reason of the great moystnesse and fatnesse of the grounde with continual and temperate heate of the sunne whiche endureth so al the whole yere They playnely affirme the ilande of Hispaniola to be the moste fruitefull lande that the heauen compasseth about as shall more largely appeare hereafter in the particuler description of the same which we entende to set foorth when we shal be better instructed Thus makyng a league of frendshyp with the king and leauing with hym .xxxviii. men to searche the ilande he deparâ—ed to Spayne takyng with hym tenne of the inhabitauntes to learne the Spanishe tongue to the intent to vse them afterward for interpretours Colonus therfore at his returne was honourably receiued of the kyng and queene who caused hym to syt in theyr presence whiche is a token of great loue and honour among the Spanyardes He was also made Admiral of the Ocean and his brother gouernour of the ilande Toward the second voyage he was furnished with .xvii. ships wherof three were great caractes of a thousande tunne .xii. were of that sort which the Spaniards cal Carauelas without deckes and two other of the same sorte somewhat bygger and more apt to beare deckes by reason of the greatnesse of theyr mastes He had also a thousande and two hundred armed footemen well appoynted among which were many artificers as smythes Carpenters myners and suche other certayne horsmen also well armed Lykewyse mares sheepe heyghfers and suche other of both kindes for encrease Lykewise al kinde of pulse or grayne and corne as wheate barley rye beanes and pease and suche other aswel for foode as to sowe besyde vines plantes and seedes of suche trees fruites and hearbes as those countreyes lacke and not to be forgotten sundry kyndes of artyllerie and iron tooles as bowes arrowes crosbowes bylles hargabusses brode swoordes large targettes pykes mattockes shouelles hammers nayles sawes axes and suche other Thus beyng furnished accordyngly they set forward from the Ilandes of Gades nowe called Cales the seuenth day before the Calendes of October in the yeere of Christ .1493 and ariued at the ilandes of Canarie at the Calendes of October Of these ilandes the last is called Ferrea in whiche there is no other water that may be drunke but only that is geathered of the deawe which continually distylleth from one only tree growyng on the hyghest bancke of the ilande and falleth into a rounde trenche made with mans hande we were enfourmed of these thynges within fewe dayes after his departure What shall succeede we wyl certifie you hereafter Thus fare ye well from the courte at the Ides of Nouember .1493 The seconde booke of the first Decade to Ascanius Sphorcia Vicount Cardinal c. YOu repeate ryght honourable prince that you are desyrous to knowe what newes we haue in Spayne from the newe worlde and that those things haue greatly delyted you whiche I wrote vnto your hyghnesse of the fyrst Nauigation You shal nowe therefore receiue what hath succeeded Methymna Campi is a famous towne in high Spayne in respect from you and is in that parte of Spayne whiche is called Castella Vetus beyng distant from Gades about .xl. myles Here the courte remayned when about the .ix. of the Calendes of Apryll in this yeere of ninetie and foure there were postes sent to the king and queene certifiyng them that there were twelue shyppes come from the newe ilandes and ariued at Gades but the gouernour of the shyppes sent woorde to the kyng and queene that he had none other matter to certifie them of by the postes but only that the Admiral with fiue shyppes and fourescore and ten men remayned styll in Hispaniola to searche the secretes of the ilande and that as touchyng other matters he hym selfe would shortly make relation in theyr presence by woorde of mouth therefore the day before the Nones of Apryl he came to the Courte hym selfe What I learned of hym and other faythfull and credible men whiche came with hym from the Admirall I wil rehearse vnto you in suche order as they declared the same to me when I demaunded them take it therefore as foloweth The third day of the Ides of October departyng from Ferrea the laste of the ilandes of Canariae and from the coastes of Spayne with a Nauie of seuenteene shippes they sayled .xxi. dayes before they came to any ilande inclining of purpose more towarde the left hand then at the fyrst voyage folowing the north northeast winde and arriued fyrst at the ilandes of the Canibales or Caribes of whiche only the fame was knowen to our men Among these they chaunced fyrst vpon one so beset with trees that they coulde not see so muche as an elle space of bare earth or stonie grounde this they called Dominica because they found it on the Sunday They taried here no time because they saw it to be desart In the space of these .xxi. dayes they thynke that they sayled eyght
hundred xx leagues the north northeast wynde was so ful with them and so freshly folowed the sterne of theyr shyppes After they had sayled a lytle further they espied diuers ilandes replenyshed with sundry kindes of trees from the whiche came fragrant sauours of spyces and sweete Gummes here they sawe neyther man nor beast except certayne Lysartes of huge bygnesse as they reported which went aland to viewe the countrey This iland they called Galana or Galanta from the cape or poynt of this ilande espying a mountayne a farre of they sayled thyther About .xxx. myles from this mountayne they sawe a ryuer dessendyng which seemed to be a token of some great and large flood This is the fyrst lande whiche they founde inhabited from the ilandes of Canariae and is an ilande of the Canibales as they learned by the interpretours whiche they tooke with them from Hispaniola into Spayne at theyr fyrst voyage Searching the ilande they found innumerable villages of .xx. houses or .xxx. at the most set rounde about in order makyng the streete in compasse lyke a market place And forasmuche as I haue made mention of theyr houses it shall not be greatly from my purpose to describe in what manner they are buylded They are made rounde lyke belles or rounde pauilions Theyr frame is raysed of exceedyng high trees set close togeather and fast rampaired in the ground so standing aslope and bending inwarde that the toppes of the trees ioyne togeather and beare one agaynst another hauyng also within the house certaine strong and short proppes or postes whiche susteyne the trees from fallyng They couer them with the leaues of date trees and other trees stronglye compact and hardened wherwith they make them close from winde and weather At the shorte postes or proppes within the house they tye ropes of the cotton of gossampine trees or other ropes made of certayne long rough rootes much lyke vnto the shrubbe called Spartum wherof in old tyme they vsed to make bandes for vines and gables and ropes for shyppes These they tye ouerthwarte the house from poste to poste on these they lay as it were certaine matresses made of the cotton of gossampine trees whiche growe plentifully in these ilandes This cotton the Spanyards cal Algodon and the Italians Bombasine and thus they sleepe in hangyng beddes At the entrance of one of theyr houses they sawe two images of wood lyke vnto serpentes whiche they thought had been suche idols as they honour but they learned afterwarde that they were set there onlye for comelynesse for they knowe none other god then the sunne and moone although they make certaine images of gossampine cotton to y e similitude of suche phantasies as they say appeare to them in the nyght Our men found in theyr houses al kindes of earthen vessels not muche vnlyke vnto ours They founde also in theyr kytchens mans fleshe duckes fleshe goose fleshe al in one pot and other on the spyts redy to be layde to the fyre Entring into their inner lodgynges they founde faggottes of the bones of mens armes and legges whiche they reserue to make heades for theyr arrowes because they lacke iron the other bones they cast away when they haue eaten the fleshe They founde lykewyse the head of a young man fastened to a poste and yet bleedyng They haue in some vyllages one great hall or pallace about the whiche theyr common houses are placed to this they resort as often as they come togeather to playe When they perceiued the commyng of our men they fledde In theyr houses they founde also aboue thirtie children captiues whiche were reserued to be eaten but our men tooke them away to vse them for interpreters Searching more diligently the inner parts of the iland they founde seuen other ryuers bygger then this whiche we spake of before runnyng through the ilande with fruitefull and pleasaunt bankes delectable to beholde This ilande they called Guadalupea for the similitude that it hath to the mount Guadalupus in Spayne where the image of the virgin Marie is religiously honoured but the inhabitauntes call it Carucueria or Queraquiera It is the cheefe habitation of the Canibales They brought from this iland .vii. Popiniayes bigger then Phesants muche dyfferyng from other in colour hauyng theyr backes brestes and bellies of purple colour and theyr wynges of other variable colours in al these ilands is no lesse plentie of Popyniayes then with vs of sparrowes or starelynges As we bring vp capons and hennes to franke and make them fat so doo they these bigger kindes of Popyniayes for the same purpose After that they had thus searched the ilande and driuen these Canibales to flight whiche ran away at theyr fyrst approche as soone as they had espied them they called their company togeather and as soone as they had broken y e Canibales boates or lighters whiche they cal Canoas they loosed theyr ankers the day before the Ides of Nouember and departed from Guadalupea Colonus the Admiral for the desyre he had to see his companions whiche at his fyrst voyage he left the yeere before in Hispaniola to search the countrey let passe many ilandes both on his ryght hande left hande and sayled directly thyther By the way there appeared from the north a great iland which the captiues that were taken in Hispaniola called Madanino or Matinino affirming it to be inhabited only with women to whoÌ„ the Canibales haue accesse at certayne tymes of the yeere as in olde tyme the Thracians had to the Amazones in the ilande of Lesbos the men chyldren they sende to theyr fathers but the women they keepe with them selues They haue great and strong caues or dennes in the grounde to the whiche they flee for safgarde if any men resorte vnto them at any other tyme then is appoynted and there defende them selues with bowes and arrowes agaynst the violence of suche as attempte to inuade them They coulde not at this tyme approche to this ilande by reason of the North northeast wynde which blewe so vehemently from the same wheras they nowe folowed the East southeaste After they departed from Madanino and sayled by the space of .xl. myles they passed not farre from an other ilande which the captyues sayde to be verye populus and replenyshed with al thynges necessarie for the life of man This they called Mons Serratus because it was full of mountaynes The captyues further declared that the Canibales are woont at some time to goe from theyr owne coastes aboue a thousande myles to hunt for men The day folowing they sawe an other ilande the whiche because it was rounde they called Sancta Maria Rotunda The next day they founde an other whiche they called S. Martini whiche they let passe also because they had no leasure to â—arrye Lykewyse the thirde daye they espied an other whose Diametral syde extendyng from the Easte