Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
land_n	acre_n	shilling_n	worth_a	1,731	5	10.0348	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

not altogether destitute of small Hills and every where of a moderate heighth and a Champion Country naturally very fit for Cultivation There is one Hill more remarkable than ordinary especially to Seamen The English call it the Golden Mount but whether this name is given it by the Natives or only by the English I know not 'T is near the N. W. end of the Island and Achin stands but 5 or 6 mile from the bottom of it 'T is very large at the foot and runs up smaller towards the head which is raised so high as to be seen at Sea 30 or 40 leagues This was the first Land that we saw coming in our Proe from the Nicobar Islands mentioned in my former Voyage The rest of the Land tho of a good heighth was then undiscerned by us so that this Mountain appeared like an Island in the Sea which was the Reason why our Achin Malayans took it for Pulo Way But that Island tho pretty high Champion Land was invisible when this Golden Mount appeared so plain tho as far distant as that Island Besides what belongs to Achin upon the Continent there are also several Islands under its Jurisdiction most of them uninhabited and these make the Road of Achin Among them is this Pulo Way which is the Easternmost of a Range of Islands that lye off the N. W. end of Sumatra It is also the largest of them and it is inhabited by Malefactors who are banisht thither from Achin This with the other Islands of this Range lye in a semicircular form of about 7 Leagues diameter Pulo Gomez is another large Island about 20 mile West from Pulo Way and about 3 Leagues from the N. W. point of Sumatra Between Pulo Gomez and the Main are 3 or 4 other small Islands yet with Channels of a sufficient breadth between them for Ships to pass through and they have very deep water All Ships bound from Achin to the Westward or coming from thence to Achin go in and out thro one or other of these Channels and because shipping comes hither from the Coast of Surrat one of these Channels which is deeper than the rest is called the Surrat Channel Between Pulo Gomez and Pulo Way in the bending of the Circle there are other small Islands the chief of which is called Pulo Rondo This is a small round high Island not a above 2 or 3 mile in circumference It lyes almost in the extremity of the bending on the N. E. part of the Circle but nearer Pulo Way than Pulo Gomez There are large deep Channels on either side but the most frequented is the Channel on the West side Which is called the Bengal Channel because it looks towards that Bay and Ships coming from thence from the Coast of Coromandel pass in and out this way Between Pulo Way and the Main of Sumatra is another Channel of 3 or 4 Leagues wide which is the Channel for Ships that go from Achin to the Streights of Malacca or any Country to the East of those Streights and vice versa There is good riding in all this Semicircular Bay between the Islands and Sumatra but the Road for all Ships that come to Achin is near the Sumatra Shore within all the Islands There they anchor at what distances they please according to the Monsoons or Seasons of the Year There is a small Navigable River comes out into the Sea by which Ships transport their Commodities in smaller Vessels up to the City The mouth of this River is 6 or 7 Leagues from Pulo Rondo and 3 or 4 from Pulo Way and near as many from Pulo Gomez The Islands are pretty high Champion Land the mould black or yellow the Soyl deep and fat producing large tall Trees fit for any uses There are brooks of water on the 2 great Islands of Way and Gomez and several sorts of wild Animals especially wild Hogs in abundance The Mold of this Continent is different according to the natural position of it The Mountains are Rocky especially those towards the West Coast yet most that I have seen seems to have a superficial covering of Earth naturally producing Shrubs small Trees or pretty good Grass The small Hills are most of them cloathed with Woods the Trees whereof seem by their growth to spring from a fruitful Soyl the Champion Land such as I have seen is some black some grey some reddish and all of a deep mold But to be very particular in these things especially in all my Travels is more than Ican pretend to tho it may be I took as much notice of the difference of Soil as I met with it as most Travellers have done having been bred in my youth in Somersetshire at a place called East Coker near Yeovil or Evil In which Parish there is as great variety of Soil as I have ordinarily met with any where viz. black red yellow sandy stony clay morass or swampy c. I had the more reason to take notice of this because this Village in a great measure is Let out in small Leases for Lives of 20 30 40 or 50 pound per Ann. under Coll. Helliar the Lord of the Mannor and most if not all these Tenants had their own Land scattering in small pieces up and down several sorts of Land in the Parish so that every one had some piece of every sort of Land his Black ground his Sandy Clay c. some of 20 30 or 40 Shillings an Acre for some uses and other not worth 10 groats an Acre My Mother being possest of one of these Leases and having of all these sorts of Land I came acquainted with them all and knew what each sort would produce viz. Wheat Barley Massin Rice Beans Peas Oats Fetches Flax or Hemp in all which I had a more than usual knowledge for one so young taking a particular delight in observing it but enough of this matter The Kingdom of Achin has in general a deep mould It is very well watered with Brooks and small Rivers but none navigable for Ships of burthen This of Achin admits not of any but small Vessels The Land is some part very woody in other places Savannah the Trees are of divers sorts most unknown to me by name The Cotton and Cabbage-trees grow here but not in such plenty as in some part of America These Trees commonly grow here as indeed usually where-ever they grow in a champion dry ground such at least as is not drowned or morassy for here is some such Land as that by the Rivers and there grow Mangrove Trees and other Trees of that kind Neither is this Kingdom destitute of Timber-trees fit for building The Fruits of this Country are Plantains Bonanoes Guava's Oranges Limes Jacks Durians Coco-nuts Pumple noses Pomgranates Mangoes Mangastans Citrons Water melons Musk-melons Pine-apples c. Of all these sorts of Fruits I think the Mangastan is without compare the most delicate This Fruit is in shape much like the Pomgranate but a

advantage to themselves that after about 4 hours fighting they cut their Cables and went away in haste and disorder with all their Sails loose even their Top-gallant sails which is not usual but when Ships are just next to running away Captain Heath notwithstanding his Ship was so heavy and incumbred behaved himself very bravely in the fight and upon the going off of the French went aboard the Dutch Commadore and told him that if he would pursue them he would stand out with them to Sea though he had very little Water aboard but the Dutch Commander excused himself saying he had orders to defend himself from the French but none to chase them or go out of his way to seek them And this was the exploit which the French have thought fit to brag of I hear that the Dutch have taken from them since their Fort of Ponticheri But to proceed with our Voyage We had not been at Sea long before our men began to droop in a sort of a distemper that stole insensibly on them and proved fatal to above 30 who died before we arrived at the Cape We had sometimes two and once three men thrown over board in a morning This distemper might probably arise from the badness of the Water which we took in at Bencouli for I did observe while I was there that the River-water wherewith our Ships were watered a ws very unwholesom it being mixt with the Water of many small Creeks that proceeded from low Land and whose streams were always very black they being nourished by the Water that drained out of the low swampy unwholesom ground I have observed not only there but in other hot Countries also both in the East and West Indies that the Land-floods which pour into the Channels of the Rivers about the season of the Rains are very unwholesom For when I lived in the Bay of Campeachy the Fish were found dead in heaps on the shores of the Rivers and Creeks at such a season and many we took up half dead of which sudden mortality there appeared no cause but only the malignity of the Waters draining off the Land This happens chiefly as I take it where the water drains through thick Woods and Savannahs of long Grass and swampy Grounds with which some hot Countries abound and I believe it receives a strong Tincture from the Roots of several kind of Trees Herbs c. and especially where there is any stagnancy of the Water it soon corrupts and possibly the Serpents and other poisonous Vermin and Infects may not a little contribure to its bad qualities at such times it will look very deep coloured yellow red or black c. The season of the Rains was over and the Land floods were abating upon the taking up this Water in the River of Bencouli but would the Seamen have given themselves the trouble they might have fill'd their Vessels with excellent good Water at a Spring on the back side of the Fort not above 2 or 300 paces from the Landing place and with which the Fort it serv'd And I mention this as a caution to any Ships that shall go to Bencouli for the future and withal I think it worth the care of the Owners or Governours of the Factory and that it would tend much to the preservation of their Seamens lives to lay Pipes to convey the Fountain Water to the shore which might easily be done with a small charge and had I staid longer there I would have undertaken it I had a design also of bringing it into the Fort though much higher for it would be a great convenience and security to it in case of a Siege Beside the badness of our Water it was stowed among the Pepper in the Hold which made it very hot Every morning when we came to take our allowance it was so hot that a man could hardly suffer his hands in it or hold a bottle full of it in his hand I never any where felt the like nor could have thought it possible that Water should heat to that degree in a Ships Hold. It was exceeding black too and looked more like Ink than Water Whether it grew so black with standing or was tinged with the Pepper I know not for this Water was not so black when it was first taken up Our food also was very bad for the Ship had been out of England upon this Voyage above three years and the salt Provision brought from thence and which we fed on having been so long in salt was but ordinary food for sickly men to live on Captain Heath when he saw the misery of his Company ordered his own Tamarinds of which he had some Jars aboard to be given some to each mess to eat with their Rice This was a great refreshment to the men and I do believe it contributed much to keep us on our legs This distemper was so universal that I do believe there was scarce a man in the Ship but languished under it yet it stole so insensibly on us that we could not say we were sick feeling little or no pain only a weakness and but little stomach Nay most of those that died in this Voyage would hardly be perswaded to keep their Cabbins or Hammacks till they could not stir about and when they were forced to lye down they made their Wills and piked off in 2 or 3 days The loss of these men and the weak languishing condition that the rest of us were in rendered us uncapable to govern our Ship when the wind blew more than ordinary This often happened when we drew near the Cape and as oft put us to our trumps to manage the Ship Captain Heath to incourage his men to their labour kept his watch as constantly as any man tho sickly himself and lent an helping hand on all occasions But at last almost despairing of gaining his passage to the Cape by reason of the Winds coming Southerly and we having now been sailing 8 or 9 weeks he called all our men to consult about our safety and desired every man from the highest to the lowest freely to give his real opinion and advice what to do in this dangerous juncture for we were not in a condition to keep out long and could we not get to Land quickly must have perished at Sea He consulted therefore whether it were best to beat still for the Cape or bear away for Johanna where we might expect relief that being a place where our outward bound East India Ships usually touch and whose Natives are very familiar but other places especially St. Laurence or Madagascar which was nearer was unknown to us We were now so nigh the Cape that with a fair Wind we might expect to be there in 4 or 5 days but as the Wind was now we could not hope to get thither On the other side this Wind was fair to carry us to Johanna but then Johanna was a great way off and if the Wind should continue as

covered with Pantile There is a strong Citadel or Fort at one end planted with many Guns where the Governour resides with a small Garrison to defend it Though this Port Commands the Town and Harbour yet it hath been twice taken First by Sir Christopher Mims who about the Year 1659. having summoned the Governour and afterwards stayed 3 days for an Answer before he Landed his Men yet then took it by Storm and that only with small Arms. I have been told that when he was advised by the Jamaica Privateers to take it by Stratagem in the Night he replied that he scorned to steal a Victory therefore when he went against it he gave them warning of his Approach by his Drums and Trumpets yet he took the Fort at the first onset and immediately became Master of the Place It was taken a second time by English and French Privateers about the Year 1678. by surprize They Landed in the Night about 2 Leagues from the Town and marching into the Country lighted on a Path that brought them thither The next Morning near Sun-rising they entred the Town when many of the Inhabitants were now stirring in their Houses who hearing a noise in the Street look'd out to know the occasion and seeing Armed Men marching towards the Fort supposed them to be some Soldiers of their own Garrison that were returned out of the Country for about a Fortnight or 3 VVeeks before they had sent out a Party to suppress some Indians then in Rebellion a thing very Common in this Country Under favour of this Supposition the Privateers marched through the Streets even to the Fort without the least Opposition Nay the Towns-People bad them Good Morrow and Congratulated their safe return not discovering them to be Enemies till they fired at the Sentinels on the Fort-wall and presently after began a furious Attack and turning two small Guns which they found in the Parade against the Gates of the Fort they soon made themselves Masters of it The Town is not very rich though as I said before the only Sea-Port on all this Coast. The chiefest Manufacture of the Country is Cotton-Cloath this serves for cloathing the Indians and even the poorer sort of Spaniards wear nothing else It is used also for making Sails for Ships and remitted to other parts for the same purpose Besides Cotton-Cloath and Salt fetch'd from the Salinas I know of no other vendible Commodity exported hence Indeed formerly this place was the Scale of the whole Logwood-Trade which is therefore still called Palo i. e. VVood de Campeachy tho' it did not grow nearer than at 12 or 14 Leagues distance from the Town The place where the Spaniards did then cut it was at a River called Champeton about 10 or 12 Leagues to Leeward of Campeachy Town the Coast from thence South the Land pretty high and rocky The Native Indians that lived hereabouts were hired to cut it for a Ryal a Day it then being worth 90 100 01 110 l. per Tun. After the English had taken Jamaica and began to cruise in this Bay they found many Barks laden with it but not knowing its value then they either set them adrift or burned them saving only the Nails and Iron work a thing now usual among the Privateers taking no notice at all of the Cargo till Cap. James having taken a great Ship laden with it and brought her home to England to fit her for a Privateer beyond his Expectation sold his VVood at a great rate tho' before he valued it so little that he burned of it all his Passage home After his return to Jamaica the English visiting this Bay found out the Place where it grew and if they 〈◊〉 Prize at Sea they would go to Champeton 〈◊〉 where they were certain to find large Piles cut to their Hand and brought to the Sea-side ready to be ship'd off This was their Common Practice till at last the Spaniards sent Soldiers thither to prevent their Depredations But by this time the English knew the Trees as growing and understanding their value began to rummage other Coasts of the Main in search of it till according to their desire they found large Groves of it first at Cape Catoch which as I have said before was the first Place where they setled to Logwood-Cutting and loaded many Vessels from thence to Jamaica and other Places But it growing scarce there they found out the Lagune of Trist in the Bay of Campeachy where they followed the same Trade and have ever since continued it even to the time of my being here But to proceed From the River Champeton to Port-Royal is about 18 Leagues the Coast S. S. VV. or S. VV. by S. Low-land with a sandy Bay against the Sea and some Trees by the shore with small Savanahs mixt with small shrubby VVoods within Land all the way There is only one River between Champeton and Port-Royal called Port Escondedo Port-Royal is a broad Entrance into a Salt Lagune of 9 or 10 Leagues long and 3 or 4 wide with 2 Mouths one at each end This Mouth of Port-Royal hath a Barr whereon there is 9 or 10 Foot VVater VVithin the Bar it is deep enough and there is good Anchoring on either side The entrance is about a Mile over and two Miles in length it hath fair sandy Bays on each side with smooth Landing Ships commonly Anchor on the VVeather or East side next Champeton both for the convenience of some VVells there dug on the Bays by the Privateers and Logwood-Cutters as also to ride more out of the Tide which here runs very strong This Place is remarkable enough because from hence the Land trends away VVest and runs so for about 65 or 70 Leagues farther On the VVest side of this Harbour is a low Island called by Us Port-Royal-Island which makes one side of the Mouth as the Main does the other It is about 2 Miles wide and 3 Leagues long running East and VVest The East end of this Island is sandy and pretty clear of VVoods with some Grass bearing a small prickly Bur no bigger than a Grey Pea which renders it very troublesom to those that walk bare-foot as the Bay-Men often do There are some Bushes of Burton-wood And a little further to the VVest grow large Sapadillo-Trees whose Fruit is long and very pleasant The rest of the Island is more woody especially the North side which is full of white Mangrove close to the shore On the VVest side of this Island is another small low Island called Trist separated from the former by a small Salt Creek scarce broad enough for a Canoa to padle through The Island Trist is in some Places three Mile wide and about 4 Leagues in Length running E. and W. The East end is swampy and full of white Mangroves and the South side much the same The VVest part is dry and sandy bearing a sort of long Grass growing in Tufts very thin This is a sort of