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
of the corner of the gulfe of Vraba as we haue largely declared before The common report is that all the land of his dominions is ryche in gold The pallace of kyng Dabaiba is fyftie leagues distant from Dariena The inhabitantes saye that from the pallace the gold mynes reache to the borders on euery syde Albeit our men haue also golde mynes not to be contemned euen within three leagues of Dariena in the whiche they geather golde in many places at this present Yet do they affirme greater plentye to be in the mynes of Dabaiba In the bookes of our fyrst fruites written to your holynesse we made mention of this Dabaiba wherein our men were deceyued and mystooke the matter For where they founde the fyshermen of kyng Dabaiba in the marishes they thought his region had been there also They determined therfore to send to kyng Dabaiba three hundred choyse young men to be chosen out of the whole army as most apt to the warres and well furnyshed with all kyndes of armour and artyllerie to the intent to go vnto hym and wyll hym eyther frendly and peaceably to permit them to inhabite part of his kyngdome with the fruition of the golde mynes or els to byd hym battayle and dryue hym out of his countrey In theyr letters they oftentymes repeate this for an argument of great ryches to come that they in a maner dygged the ground in no place but found the earth myxt with sparkes and small graynes of golde They haue also aduertised the kyng that it shal be commodious to place inhabitours in the hauen of Sancta Martha in the region of Saturma that it may be a place of refuge for them that sayle from the Ilande of Dominica from the whiche as they saye it is but foure or fyue dayes saylyng to that hauen of the region of Saturma and from the hauen but three dayes saylyng to Dariena But this is to be vnderstoode in goyng and not in returnyng For the returnyng from thence is so laborious and difficulte by reason of the contrary course of the water that they seeme as it were to ascende hyghe mountaynes and stryue agaynste the power of Neptunus This swyft course of the sea towards the west is not so violent to them whiche returne to Spayne from the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba although they also do labour agaynst the fall of the Ocean The cause whereof is that the sea is heere very large so that the waters haue theyr full scope But in the tract of Paria the waters are constrayned togeather by the bendyng sydes of that great land and by the multitude of Ilandes lying agaynst it as the lyke is seene in the strayghtes or narrow seas of Scicile where the violent course of the waters cause the daungerous places of Scilla and Caribdis by reason of those narrowe seas which conteyne Ionium Libicum and Tirrhenum Colonus the fyrste fynder of these regions hath left in wrytyng that saylyng from the Ilande of Guanassa and the prouinces of Iaia Maia and Cerabaro beyng regions of the west marches of Beragua he founde the course of the water so vehement and furious agaynst the foreparte of his shyp whyle he sayled from those coastes towarde the East that he coulde at no time touche the grounde with his soundyng plummet but that the contrary violence of the water woulde beare it vp from the bottome He affyrmeth also that he coulde neuer in one whole day with a meetely good wynde wynne one myle of the course of the water And this is the cause why they are oftentymes enforced to saile fyrst by the Ilandes of Cuba and Hispaniola and so into the mayne sea towarde the North when they returne to Spayne that the North wyndes may further theyr voyage whiche they can not bryng to passe by a direct course But of the motions of the Ocean sea to and fro this shal suffise Let vs nowe therefore rehearse what they wryte of Dariena and of theyr habitation there whiche they cal Sancta Maria Antiqua planted on the sea bankes of Dariena The situation of the place hath no natural munition or defence and the ayre is more pestiferous then in Sardus The Spanishe inhabitours are al pale and yelowe lyke vnto them whiche haue the yelowe iaundies which neuerthelesse commeth not of the nature of the region as it is situate vnder the heauen For in many regions beyng vnder the selfe same degree of latitude hauing the pole of the same eleuation they fynd holsome temperate ayre in such places where as the earth bryngeth foorth fayre sprynges of water or where holsome riuers runne by bankes of pure earth without mudde but most especially where they inhabite the sides of the hyls and not the valleys But that habitation whiche is on the bankes of the ryuer of Dariena is situate in a deepe valley and enuironed on euery syde with hygh hylles By reason wherof it receyueth the Sonne beames at noonetyde dyrectly parpendicular ouer theyr heades and are therefore sore vexed by reflection of the beames both before behynde and from the sydes For it is the reflection of the sonne beames whiche causeth feruent heate and not theyr accesse or neerenesse to the earth forasmuche as they are not passyble in themselues as doth manifestly appeare by the snowe lying contynually vnmoulten vpon certayne hygh mountaynes as your holynesse knoweth ryght well The sonne beames therfore fallyng on the mountaynes are reflected downwarde into the valley by reason of the obiect of the declining sydes of the hylles as it were the fall of a great round stone rowled from the toppe of a mountayne The valley therefore receyueth both those beames whiche fall directly thereon and also those whiche are reflected downewarde from euery syde of the mountaynes Theyr habitation therefore in Driena is pernicious and vnholsome onely of the particuler nature of the place and not by the situation of the region as it is plased vnder the heauen or neare to the sonne The place is also contagious by the nature of the soyle by reason it is compassed about with muddy and stynkyng marishes the infection whereof is not a lytle encreased by the heate The vyllage is selfe is in a marishe and in maner a standyng puddle where of the droppes fallyng from the handes of the bondemen whyle they water the pauementes of theyr houses Toades are engendred immediately as I my selfe saw in an other place the droppes of that water turne into flees in the sommer season Furthermore wheresoeuer they dygge the grounde the deapth of a handful and a halfe there spryngeth out vnholsome and corrupt water of the nature of the ryuer whiche runneth through the deepe and muddye chanell of the valley and so falleth into the sea Nowe therfore they consult of remouyng theyr inhabitations Necessitie caused them fyrst to fasten theyr foote heere because that they whiche fyrst arryued in those landes were oppressed with suche
sooner come thyther by folowyng the course of the Sunne Westward then agaynst the same Of the colour of the Indians ONe of the marueylous thynges y t God vseth in the composition of man is coloure whiche doubtlesse can not be consydered without great admiration in holdyng one to be whyte and an other blacke beyng colours vtterly contrary some lykewyse to be yealowe whiche is betweene blacke and white and other of other colours as it were of diuers liueries And as these colours are to be marueyled at euen so is it to be considered howe they dyffer one from an other as it were by degrees forasmuch as some men are whyte after dyuers sorts of whitnes yelowe after diuers maners of yelowe blacke after dyuers sorts of blackenes how from white they go to yelow by discolouring to browne red and to blacke by ashe colour murry somwhat lighter then blacke tawny like vnto the west Indians which are altogether in general either purple or tawny lyke vnto sodde Quinses or of the colour of Chestnuttes or Olyues which colour is to them naturall and not by theyr goyng naked as many haue thought albeit theyr nakednesse haue somewhat helped therevnto Therefore in lyke maner and with suche diuersitie as men are commonly whyte in Europe and blacke in Affrike euen with lyke varietie are they tawney in these Indies with diuers degrees diuersly inclinyng more or lesse to blacke or whyte No lesse marueyle is it to consider that men are white in Siuile and blacke at the cape of Buena Speranza and of Chestnut colour at the ryuer of Plata being all in equall degrees from the Equinoctiall lyne Lykewyse that the men of Affrike and Asia that lyue vnder the burnt line called Zona Torrida are blacke and not they that lyue beneath or on this syde the same lyne as in Mexico Iucatan Quauhtema Lian Nicaragua Panama Santo Domingo Paria Cape Sainct Augustine Lima Quito and other landes of Peru which touche in the same Equinoctiall For in all the tracte of these coastes certayne blacke men were founde only in Quarequa when Vaschus Nunnez of Balboa discouered the sea of Sur. By reason whereof it may seeme that such varietie of colours proceedeth of man and not of the earth which may wel be although we be al borne of Adam Eue know not the cause why God hath so ordeyned it otherwise then to consider that his diuine maiestie hath done this as infinite other to declare his omnipotencie and wisedome in such diuersities of colours as appeare not only in the nature of man but the like also in beasts byrdes and floures where diuers and contrary colours are seene in one litle feather or the leaues growyng out of one litle stalke An other thing is also greatly to be noted as touching these Indians and this is that their heare is not curld as is the Moores and Ethiopians that inhabite the same clime neyther are they balde excepte very â—ildome and that but litle All whiche thynges may gyue further occasions to Philosophers to searche the secretes of nature and complexions of men with the nouelties of the newe worlde ⧠A most auncient testimonie of the VVest Indies by the writing of the diuine Philosopher Plato PLato in his famous and diuine Dialogue named Timeus where he entreateth of the vniuersall nature and frame of the whole worlde taketh for his principle the moste auncient hystorie of an Ilande in tyme of great antiquitie named Athlantides makyng also mention of the kyng people and inhabitantes of the same and that they kept warre agaynst the Atheniens and were ouercome of them Plato also there inducing the sayde hystorie to be rehearsed by one named Critia who affirmed that he had often hearde it of his Uncle who was in the tyme of Solon one of the seuen sages of the Grekes This Critia declared that when Solon went into Egypt to a certayne citie named Sâ—im situate vpon the riuer of Nilus where the diuision and recurryng of the riuer maketh the Ilande Delta he there spake with certayne learned priestes very skylful in knowledge of antiquities of many worldes past Insomuch that they made mention of manye thinges that were before the flood of Noe or Deucalion and also before the vniuersal conflagration or burning of the worlde in the tyme of Phaeton forasmuche as the warres betweene the people of the sayde Ilande of Athlantides and the Atheniens was long before the general flood and the conflagration aforesayde Plato induceth the priest speaking to Solon in maner as foloweth Thinges most marueylous and true O Solon remayne in auncient writynges and memorie of our predecessours and olde ages long before our tymes But aboue all thynges one exceedeth al admiration for the greatnesse and singularitie thereof whiche is this It is in our recordes of moste antiquities that in times past your citie of Athens hath oftentymes kepte warres agaynst an innumerable multitude of nations whiche came from the sea Athlantike in maner into al Europe and Asia whereas nowe appeareth no suche nation forasmuche as the sayde sea is nowe al ouer nauigable And yet at that tyme had in the mouth and as it were in the entrie where you place the Columnes of Hercules an Ilande whiche was sayd to be much greater then al Africa and Asia and that from thence was passage to many other Ilandes neare thereabout and from the sayde Ilandes to the continent or fyrme lande whiche was right ouer agaynst it neare vnto the sea Yet that within the mouth there was a litle gulfe with a porte the deepe sea without was the true sea and the lande without was the true continent This Ilande was named Athlantides and in it was a kyng of marueylous great power and myght who had the dominion of the sayde Ilande and many other and also a great part of the continent lande whereof we haue spoken and muche more towarde our partes also forasmuche as they were dominatours of the thyrde part of the worlde conteynyng Africa Egypt and Europe euen vnto the sea Tirrhenum The power therefore of them beyng then so great they came to inuade both your countrey and ours and all other that are within the Columnes of Hercules Then O Solon the vertue of your citie shewed it selfe famous in magnanimitie and feates of armes with the assemblance of the other Grecians in resystyng theyr great power vntyl you had driuen them out of our lands and restored vs to our libertie But shortly after that this enterprise was atchiued befel a marueylous great earthquake and exundation or ouerflowing of the sea which continued for the space of one day and nyght In the whiche the earth opened it selfe and inglutted all those valiant and warlike men and the sayde Ilande Athlantides sunke into the bottome of the sea whiche was the occasion that neuer from that tyme forwarde any shyp coulde sayle that way by reason of the great mudde and slyme whiche remayned of the drowned
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
mountaynes be cutte it groweth agayne within the space of foure dayes hygher then wheate And forasmuche as many showres of rayne doo fall in this region whereof the ryuers and flooddes haue theyr encrease in euery of the whiche golde is founde myxt with sande in all places they iudge that the golde is dryuen from the mountaynes by the vehement course of the streames whiche fall from the same and runne into the ryuers The people of this region are geuen to idlenesse and play for suche as inhabite the mountaynes syt quakyng for colde in the Wynter season and had rather to wander vp and downe idelly then take the paynes to make them apparell where as they haue wooddes full of Gossampine cotton but suche as dwell in the valles or playnes feele no colde in Wynter When the Admirall had thus searched the beginning of the region of Cibana he repayred to Isabella for so he named the citie where leauyng the gouernaunce of the Ilande with his deputies he prepared hym selfe to search further the limittes of the Ilande of Cuba or Iohanna whiche he yet doubted to be the firme lande and distant from Hispaniola only .lxx. myles This dyd he with more speedye expedition callyng to remembraunce the kynges commaundement who wylled hym fyrst with al celeritie to ouerrunne the coastes of the new Ilandes lest any other prince shoulde in the meane time attempt to inuade the same for the kyng of Portugale affirmed that it parteyned only to him to discouer these vnknowen landes but the bishop of Rome Alexander the sixt to auoyde the cause of this dissention graunted to the kyng of Spayne by the aucthoritie of his leaden bulles that no other prince shoulde be so bolde as to make any voyages to any of these vnknowen regions lying without the precinct of a direct lyne drawen from the North to the South a hundred leagues Westwarde without the paralels of the Ilandes called Capud Viride or Cabâ—uerde whiche we thinke to be those that in olde tyme were called Hesperides these parteyne to the kyng of Portugale and from these his Pylotes whiche do yeerely searche newe coastes and regions directe theyr course to the East saylyng euer towarde the left hande by the backe of Aphrike and the seas of the Ethiopians neyther to this day had the Portugales at any tyme sayled Southwarde or Westwarde from the Ilandes of Cabouerde Preparing therfore three shyppes he made haste towarde the Ilande of Iobanna or Cuba whyther he came in short space and named the poynt therof where he fyrste arryued Alpha and O that is the fyrste and the last for he supposed that there had ben the ende of our East because the sonne falleth there and of the West because it ryseth there For it is apparant that Westwarde it is the beginning of India beyonde the ryuer of Ganges and Eastwarde the furthest ende of the same whiche thyng is not contrary to reason forasmuche as the Cosmographers haue left the lymittes of India beyond Ganges vndetermined where as also some were of opinion that India was not farre from the coastes of Spaine as we haue said before Within the prospect of the beginnyng of Cuba he founde a commodious hauen in the extreme angle of the Ilande of Hispaniola for in this part the Ilande receiueth a great goulfe this hauen he named Saint Nicholas porte beyng scarcely twentie leagues from Cuba As he departed from hence and sayled Westward by the South syde of Cuba the further that he went so muche the more the sea seemed to be extended in breadth and to bende towarde the South On the South syde of Cuba he founde an Ilande whiche the inhabitauntes call Iamaica this he affirmeth to be longer broder then the Iland of Scicile hauyng in it only one mountaine which on euery part beginning from the sea ryseth by litle and litle into the myddest of the Ilande and that so playnely without roughnesse that such as goe vp to the toppe of the same can scarcely perceiue that they assende This Ilande he affyrmeth to be very fruiteful and ful of people aswel in thinner partes of the same as by the shore and that the inhabitantes are of quicker wytte then in the other Ilandes and more expert Artificers and warlyke men For in many places where he woulde haue aryued they came armed against him and forbode him with threatnyng wordes but beyng ouercome they made a league of frendshyp with hym Thus departing from Iamaica he sayled toward the West with a prosperous wynde for the space of threescore and tenne dayes thynking that he had passed so farre by the compasse of the earth being vnderneath vs that he had ben neare vnto Aurea Chersonesus nowe called Malaccha in our east India beyonde the begynnyng of Persides for he playnely beleeued that he had left only two of the twelue houres of the sunne which were vnknowen to vs for the olde wryters haue left halfe the course of the sunne vntouched where as they haue but only discussed that superficial parte of the earth whiche lyeth betweene the Ilandes of Gades and the ryuer of Ganges or at the vttermost to Aurea Chersonesus In this Nauigation he chaunced on many furious seas running with a fall as it had ben the streames of floods also many whyrlepooles and shelfes with many other dangers and strayghtes by reason of the multitude of ilandes whiche lay on euery syde But not regardyng al these perylles he determined to proceede vntil he had certaine knowledge whether Cuba were an ilande or firme lande Thus he sayled forward coastyng euer by the shore toward the West for the space of CC.xxii leagues that is about a thousande and three hundred myles and gaue names to seuen hundred ilandes by the way leauyng also on the left hande as he feared not to report three thousande here and there But let vs nowe returne to suche thynges as he founde woorthy to be noted in this nauigation Saylyng therefore by the syde of Cuba and searchyng the nature of the places he espyed not farre from Alpha and O a large hauen of capacitie to harborowe many shyppes whose entraunce is bendyng beyng inclosed on both sydes with capes or poyntes whiche receiue the water this hauen is large within and of exceedyng deapth Saylyng by the shore of this porte he sawe not farre from the same two cotages couered with reedes and in many places fyre kyndled Here he sent certayne armed men out of the shyppes to the cotages where they founde neyther man nor woman but rostemeate yenough for they founde certayne spyttes of wood lying at the fyre hauyng fyshe on them about a hundred pounde weight and two serpentes of eyght foote long apeece whereat marueylyng and lookyng about if they could espye any of the inhabitauntes and that none appeared in syght for they fledde al to the mountaynes at the commyng of our men
sunne begynneth to shine the water is coniealed into most pure and whyte salte wherewith innumerable shyypes myght be laden yf men dyd resort thether for the same before there fale any rayne For the rayne melteth it and causeth it to synke into the sande and so by the poores of the earth to returne to the place from whence it was dryuen Other say that the playne is not fylled from the sea but of certeine sprynges whose water is more sharpe and salt then the water of the sea Thinhabitantes do greatlye esteeme this bay of salt whiche they vse not only for theyr owne commoditie but also woorking the same into a square forme lyke vnto brickes they sell it to strangers for exchaunge of other thynges whiche the lacke In this Region they stretche and drye the dead bodies of theyr kinges and noble men laying the same vpon a certayne frame of woodde muche lyke vnto a hurdle or grediren with a gentell fyre vnder the same by lyttle and lyttle consumyng the fleshe and keping the skynne hole with the bones inclosed therein These dryed carcases they haue in great reuerence and honour them for theyr houshoulde and famylier gods They say that in this place they sawe a man in an other place a woman thus dryed and reserued When they departed from Curiana the .viii. day of the Ides of February to returne to Spayne they had threescore and .xvi. poundes weight after .viii. vnces to the pounde of pearles which they bought for exchange of our thinges amounting to the value of fyue shillinges Departing therfore they consumed threescore dayes in theyr iourney although it were shorter then from Hispaniola by reason of the continuall course of the sea in the west which dyd not only greatly stey the shippe but also somtymes dryue it backe But at the length they came home so laden with pearles that they were with euery maryner in maner as common as chaffe But the master of the shyppe Petrus Alphonsus being accused of his companyons that he had stowlen a great multitude of pretious pearles and defrauded the kyng of his portion whiche was the fifth parte was taken of Fernando de Vega a man of great lerning and experience gouernour of Gallecia where they aryued and was there kept in pryson a long tyme. But he styll denyeth that euer he deteyned any part of the pearles Many of these pearles were as bygge as hasell nuttes and as oriente as we call it as they be of the East partes Yet not of so great pryce by reason that the holes thereof are not so perfecte When I my selfe was present with the right honorable duke of Methyna and was biddē to dynner with him in the citie of Ciuile they brought to hym aboue a hundred and twentie ounces of pearles to be solde whiche surely dyd greatly delyte me with their fayrenes and brightnes Some say that Alphonsus had not these pearles in Curiana being distant from Os Draconis more then a hundred twentie leagues but that they had them in the regions of Cumana and Manacapana nere vnto Os Draconis and the ilande of Margarita for they deny that there is any pearles founde in Curiana But sith the matter is yet in controuersie we wyl passe to other matters Thus muche you haue whereby you may coniecture what commoditie in tyme to come may bee looked for from these newe landes of the west Ocean whereas at the fyrst discouering they shewe suche tokens of great ryches Thus fare ye well ¶ The .ix. booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardinal Lodoutke VIncentiagnes Pinzonus also Aries Pinzonus his neuiew by his brother syde whiche accompanyed the Admiral Colonus in his fyrst vyage were by him appoynted to be maisters of two of the small shippes which the Spaniards call Carauelas being moued by the great ryches amplitude of the new landes furnyshed of theyr owne charges foure Carauels in the hauen of theyr owne countrey which the Spanyardes cal Palos bordering on the west Ocean Hauing therfore the kings licence passeport to depart they loosed from the hauen about the Calendes of December in the yeere .1499 This hauen of Palos is threescore twelue myles distant from Gades commonly called Cales and .lxiiii. myles from Ciuile All thinhabitantes of this towne not one excepted are greatly geuē to searching of the sea and continually exercised in sayling They also directed their viage fyrst to the iland of Canarie by the ilands of Hesperides now called Cabouerde which some cal Gorgodes Meducias Sayling therfore directly toward the south from that ilande of Hesperides whiche the Portugales beyng possessers of the same cal Sancti Iacobi and departing from thence at the Ides of Ianuary they folowed the southwest wynde beyng in the myddest betwene the south and the west When they supposed that they had sayled about three hundreth leagues by the same wynde they say that they lost the syght of the Northe starre and were shortely after tossed with excedyng tempestes bothe of wynde and sea and vexed with intollerable heate Yet sayled they on further not without great daunger for the space of two hundred fortie leagues folowing yet the same wynd by the lost pole Wherfore whether habitable regions be vnder the Equinoctiall lyne or not let these men and the oulde wryters aswel Philosophers as poetes and cosmographers discusse For these mē affirme it to be habitable and meruelously replenished with people and they that it is vnhabitable by reason of the sonne beames depending perpendicularly or directlye ouer the same Yet were there many of the olde wryters whiche attempted to proue it habitable These maryners being demaunded if they saw the south pole they answered that they knew no starre there like vnto this pole that might be decerued about the poynt but that they sawe an other order of starres and a certeyne thicke myst rysyng from the horizontall lyne whiche greatly hyndered theyr syght They contende also that there is a great heape or rysyng in the myddest of the earth whiche taketh away the syght of the south pole vntyll they haue vtterly passed ouer the same but they verely beleeue that they sawe other images of starres muche differing from the situation of the starres of our hemispherie or halfe circle of heauen Howe so euer the matter be as they informe vs we certifie you At the length the seuenth day of the calendes of Februarye the espied lande a farre of and seeing the water of the sea to be trobelous sounding with theyr plummet they founde it to be .xvi ▪ fathames deepe Going a lande and tarying there for the space of two dayes they departed bycause they sawe no people stering although they founde certeyne steppes of men by the sea syde Thus grauing on the trees the stones nere vnto the shore the kynges name and theyrs and the tyme of theyr commyng thether they departed Not farre from this station folowyng
the fyers on the land by nyght they founde a nation lying vnder the open fyrmament after the maner of warre Our men thought it not best to trouble them vntyll the mornyng There fore at the rysyng of the sonne fortie of our men well armed wente towarde them agaynst whom came forth .xxxii. of them with bowes slynges and dartes euen redy to fyght The other companye folowed them armed after the same maner Our men affirme that they were of hygher stature then eyther the Almaynes or Pannonians They beheld our men with frownyng threatenyng countenaunce but our men thought it not good to fal to bickering with them vncertayne whether it were for feare or bycause they would not dryue them to flight Wherfore they went about to allure them by faire meanes rewards but they refused all kynde of gentelnes and stoode euer in a redines to fight declaring the same by signes and tokens Thus our men resorted to theyr shyppes and they to the place from whence they came without any further busines The same nyght about mydnyght they fledde left the place voyde where they lay in the campe Our men suppose them to be a vagabund and wandering nation lyke vnto the Scythians without houses or certeyne dwelling places lyuing only with the fruites of the earth hauing theyr wyues and chyldren folowing them Suche as measured their footesteppes in the sande affirme with great othes that one of theyr feete is almost as long as two feete of our men of the meane sorte Sayling on yet further they founde an other riuer but not of deapth sufficient to beare the Carauels they sent therefore the foure shippe boates to lande full of armed men to search the countrey They espyed vppon a hygh hyll nere vnto the sea syde a greate multitude of people to whom our company sent foorth one man with certeyne of our thynges to allure them to exchange And when he had cast a haukes bell towarde them they cast downe a wedge of golde a cubit longe the which as he stoâ—ped to take vp they sodenly inclosed hym and caryed hym away But he was shortly after rescued by his companions to some of their paynes for they slue eyght of our men wounded many a farre of with theyr arrowes and dartes made of wood hardened at the endes with fyre After this they encompassed our shippe boates within the ryuer and came rashly within the reache of our men laying holde on the boates sydes where they were thrust through and hewen in peeces as it had ben sheepe by reason they were naked Yet woulde they not for al this geue ouer but tooke from our men one of their boates hauing no men in it for the gouernour thereof being slayne with an arrowe the other fledde and escaped And thus they lefte this fierce and warlyke people saylyng toward the northwest along by the same coastes with sorowfull hartes for the death of theyr companyons When they had sayled about .xl. leagues they chaunced into a sea of suche freshe water that they fylled theyr barelles and hoggesheades therewith Searching the cause hereof they vnderstoode that a vehement course of riuers discended with great viâ—â—â—nce from the toppes of certayne great hylles They say also that there lyeth within the sea manye fortunate and fruitfull Ilandes and well inhabited and that thinhabitantes of this tracte are men of meeke nature and suche as doo not refuse straungers yet lyttle profytable to them because they haue no marchandyes for their purpose as golde or precious stones for lacke whereof they brought from thence thyrtie captiues to sell for slaues Thinhabitantes call this region Mariatambal The region of the east part of that ryuer is called Camomorus and that of the west part Paricora in the midlande whereof thinhabitantes signifyed that there is great plentie of golde For folowing this riuer directly toward the North as the bending of the shore requyred they recouered againe the syght of the north pole All the coaste of this tracte parteyneth to Paria the which as we sayd before was fyrst found by Colonus hym selfe and hath in maner in euery place great abundaunce of pearles They say that these coastes are adioynyng vnto and all one with Os Draconis and also borderyng vppon the regions of Cumana Manacapana Curiana Cauchieta and Cuchibachoa Wherfore they thought it to be part of the firme lande of India beyonde the riuer of Ganges For the great large compasse therof doth not permit that it shoulde be an ilande albeit the whole earth vncouered with water largely taken may be called an Ilande From the poynt of that land where they lost the sight of the north pole saylyng by a continuall tracte about three hundred leagues towarde the west syde of Paria they say that almost in the mid way they chaunced into a riuer called Maragnonum whiche they affirme to be of suche exceedyng breadth that it might seeme incredible yf the antiques dyd not make mention of the lyke Beyng demaunded of me yf it were not salt water where it diuided the lande they answeared that the water therof was very freshe and sweete and that the further it ranne to be so muche the fresher also ful of Ilandes and wholsome fyshe they dare auouche the breadth therof to be more then thirtie leagues Yet yf we wel weigh and consyder the largenesse and widenesse of Boriostomea and Spiriostomea the mouthes of the famous riuer of Ister nowe called Danubius and howe farre they violate or corrupt the salt water with their freshnesse we shal ceasse to marueyle although this other riuer be greater for who can diminish the power of nature but that it may make this bigger then the other and another bygger then this And I suppose this to be the ryuer whereof Colonus the Admirall made mention in the description of his voyage in these coastes But we shal hereafter haue further knowledge hereof let vs nowe therefore returne to the commodities of these regions They found in many Ilands about Paria great wooddes of Brasile trees and brought away with them three thousande poundes weyght thereof They say that the Brasile of Hispaniola is muche better then this to dye cloth with a more fayre and durable colour From hence folowing the winds which the Spaniards cal Northuest and the Italians Graeco they passed by many Ilandes very fruiteful yet left desolate and wasted by reason of the crueltie of the Canibales for they went alande in many places they founde the ruines of many destroyed houses yet in some places they founde men but those exceedyng fearefull fleeyng to the mountaynes rockes and wooddes at the syght of euery straunger or shyppe wanderyng without houses or certayne abydyng places for feare of the Caniballes laying wayte and huntyng after them Here they found those great trees whiche of them selues in dyuers places bryng forth that fruite or spice which the Apothecaries cal Cassia Phistula
whole to the kyng in that shyp in the which the gouernour Boadilla was commyng home into Spaine the shyp with all the men beyng drowned by the way by reason it was ouer laden with the weyght of gold multitude of men albeit there were mo then a thousande persons which saw and handeled the piece of gold And wheras here I speake of a pounde I do not meane the common pounde but the summe of the ducate of gold with the coyne called Triens which is the third part of a pounde which they call Pesus The summe of the weight hearof the Spanyardes call Castelanum Aureum All the gold that is digged in the mountaines of Cibaua and Port Regale is caried to the tower of Conception where shoppes with al thinges appertayning are redy furnished to fine it melt it and caste it into wedges That doone they take the kynges portion therof which is the fyfte parte and so restore to euery man his owne which he gotte with his labour But the gold which is founde in saynt Christophorus myne and the regions there about is caryed to the shoppes which are in the vyllage called Bonauentura In these two shops is moulten yeerely aboue three hundred thousand pound wayght of gold Yf any man be knowen deceytfullye to keepe backe any portion of golde whereof he hath not made the kynges officers priuie he forfeyteth the same for a fyne There chaunceth among them oftentymes many contentions and controuersies the whiche vnlesse the magistrates of the Ilande do fynyshe the case is remoued by appellation to the hygh counsayle of the court from whose sentence it is not lawfull to appeale in al the dominions of Castyle But let vs nowe returne to the newe landes from whence we haue digressed They are innumerable diuers and exceedyng fortunate Wherefore the Spanyardes in these our dayes and theyr noble enterpryses do not geue place eyther to the factes of Saturnus or Hercules or anye other of the auncient prynces of famous memory which were canonized among the goddes called Heroes for theyr searchyng of newe landes and regions and bryngyng the same to better culture and ciuilitie Oh God howe large farre shal our posteritie see the Christian religion extended howe large a campe haue they now to wander in whiche by the true nobilitie that is in them or mooued by vertue wyll attempt eyther to deserue lyke prayse among men or reputation of well doyng before God What I conceiue in my mynde of these thynges I am not able to expresse with penne or tongue I wil now therfore so make an end of this perpendiculer conclusion of the whole Decade as myndyng hereafter to search and geather euery thyng particulerly that I may at further leysure wryte the same more at large For Colonus the Admiral with foure ships and a hundred threescore and ten men appoynted by the kyng discouered in the yeere of Christe .1520 the lande oueragaynst the West corner of Cuba distant from the same about a hundred and thirtie leagues in the myddest of whiche tracte lyeth an Ilande called Guanassa From hence he directed his voyage backwarde toward the East by the shore of that coast supposyng that he shoulde haue founde the coastes of Paria but it chaunced otherwise It is sayde also that Vincencius Agnes of whom we haue spoken before and one Iohannes Daiz with diuers other of whose voyages I haue as yet no certayne knowledge haue ouerrunne those coastes but yf God graunt me lyfe I trust to knowe the trueth hereof and to aduertise you of the same Thus fare ye well The ende of the fyrst Decade The fyrst booke of the seconde Decade to Leo Bishop of Rome the tenth of that name of the supposed continent or firme lande SInce the tyme that Galeatius Butrigarius of Bononie and Iohannes Cursius of Florence most holy father came to the Catholique kyng of Spayne the one of your holinesse ambassage and the other for the affayres of his common wealth I was euer for the moste parte in theyr companye and for theyr vertues and wysedome had them in great reuerence And whereas they were greatlye geuen to studie and continuall reuoluing of diuers auctours they chaunced vpon certayne bookes negligently let slyppe out of my handes entreatyng of the large landes and regions hytherto lying hyd and almost West Antipodes founde of late by the Spanyardes Yet being allured and delyted with the newnesse and straungenesse of the matter although rudely adourned they commended the same therewith earnestly desyryng me in theyr owne names and requiring me in the name of your holynesse to adde hereunto al such thynges as were founde after that tyme and to geue them a copie therof to sende to your holynesse that you myght thereby vnderstande both howe great commodities is chaunced to the progenie of mankynde as also encrease of the millitant congregation in these our dayes by the fortunate enterpryses of the kynges of Spayne For lyke as rased and vnpaynted tables are apte to receiue what fourmes soeuer are fyrst drawen thereon by the hande of the paynter euen so these naked and simple people doo soone receyue the customes of our religion and by conuersation of our men shake of theyr fierce and natiue barbarousnesse I haue thought it good therfore to satisfie the request of these wyse men espetially vsyng thaucthorytie of your name wherunto not to haue obeyed I shoulde esteeme my selfe to haue commytted a heynous offence Wherfore I wyll nowe briefly rehearse in order what hyd coastes the Spanyardes ouerran who were thaucthours therof where they rested what further hope they brought and finallye what greate thynges those tractes of landes do promyse in time to come In the declaration of my decade of the ocean which is nowe prynted and dyspersed throughout Chrystendome vnwares to me I described howe Christophorus Colonus founde those ilandes wherof wee haue spoken and that turnyng from thence towarde the left hande southward he chaunced into greate regions of landes and large seas dystant from the Equinoctiall lyne onely from fyue degrees to tenne where he founde brode ryuers and exceeding hygh mountaynes couered with snowe and harde by the sea bankes where were manye commodious and quyet hauens But Colonus being now departed out of this lyfe the kyng beganne to take care how those lands might be inhabited with Christian men to thincrease of our fayth Wheruppon he gaue lycence by his letters patentes to al such as would take the matter in hand and espetially to two wherof Diego Nicuesa was one the other was Alphonsus Fogeda Wherfore about the Ides of December Alphonsus departing fyrst with three hundred souldiers from the ilande of Hispaniola in the which we sayd the Spaniardes had builded a cytie planted theyr habitation saylyng in maner ful south he came to one of the hauens found before which Colonus named Portus carthaginis both because of the iland
not a lytle astonyshed to beholde our shippes with the sayles spread whereas they vse no sayles nor can vse but small ones yf they woulde by reason of the narownesse of theyr Canoas Swarmyng therefore about the shyppe with theyr Canoas whiche we may wel cal Monoxyla because they are made of one whole tree they feared not to shoote at our men beyng yet within their shyppes and keepyng them selues vnder the hatches as safely as yf they had ben defended with stone walles But when our men had shotte of certayne peeces of ordinaunce agaynst them they were so discomfited with the noyse and slaughter thereof that they droue them selues to flyght Being thus disparcled our men chased them with the ship boate toke many and slue many When the kynges heard the noyse of the gunnes and were certified of the losse of theyr men they sent ambassadours to Vincentius Agnes to entreate of peace fearyng the spoyle of theyr goodes and destruction of theyr people yf our men should come alande in theyr wrath and furie They desyred peace therefore as coulde be coniectured by theyr signes and poyntynges for our men vnderstoode not one woord of theyr language And for the better proofe that they desyred peace they presented our men with three thousande of those weyghtes of gold that the Spanyardes call Castellanum Aureum whiche they commonly call Pesum Also a great barrel of wood ful of moste excellent masculine Frankencense weighing about two thousande and sixe hundred poundes weight after eight ounces to the pounde whereby they knewe that that lande brought foorth great plentie of Frankencense for there is no entercourse of marchaundies betweene the inhabitauntes of Paria and the Sabeans being so farre distant wheras also they of Paria knowe nothing without theyr owne coastes With the golde and Frankencense whiche they presented to our men they gaue them also a great multitude of theyr peacockes both cockes and hennes dead and alyue aswel to satisfie theyr present necessitie as also to carry with them into Spayne for encrease lykewyse certayne carpettes couerlettes table clothes and hangyngs made of Gossampine silke finely wrought after a strange deuice with pleasant and variable colours hauyng golden belles and such other spangles and pendauntes as the Italians call Sonaglios and the Spanyardes Cascaueles hangyng at the purfles therof They gaue them furthermore speakyng popyngayes of sundry colours as many as they woulde aske for in Paria there is no lesse plentie of popyngayes then with vs of doues or sparows Thinhabitants of these regions both men women are apparelled with vestures made of gossampine cotton the men to the knees and the women to the calfe of the legge The fashion of theyr apparel is simple and playne muche lyke vnto the Turkes but the mens is double and quilted like that which the Turkes vse in the warres The princes of Paria are rulers but for one yeere but theyr auctoritie is no lesse among the people both in peace and warre then is thauctoritie of other kyngs in those regions Their villages are builded in compasse along by the bankes of al that great gulfe Fyue of theyr princes came to our men with theyr presentes whose names I thought woorthy to be put in this historie in remembrance of so notable a thing Chiaconus Chiauaccha that is the prince of Chiauaccha for they cal princes or kings Chiaconus Chiaconus Pintiguanus Chiaconus Chamailaba Chiaconus Polomus ▪ and Chiaconus Potto The gulfe beyng first found of the Admiral Colonus they cal Baia Natiuitatis because he entred into the same in the day of y e natiuitie of Christ but at that time he only passed by it without any further searchyng and Baia in the Spanyshe tong signifieth a gulfe Whē Vincentius had thus made a league with these princes folowyng his appoynted course he founde many regions toward y e East desolate by reason of diuers floods and ouerflowyngs of waters also many standyng pooles in diuers places and those of exceeding largenesse He ceassed not to folowe this tracte vntyl he came to the poynt or cape of that most long lande This poynt seemeth as though it would inuade the mount Atlas in Aphrica for it prospecteth towarde that part of Aphrike which the Portugales cal Caput bonae Sperantiae The poynte◠or capes of the mount Atlas are rough and sauage neere vnto the sea The cape of Bona Speranza geathereth thyrtie and foure degrees of the South pole called the pole Antartike but that poynt only seuen degrees I suppose this lande to be that whiche I fynde in olde wryters of Cosmographie to be called the great Ilande Atlantike without any further declaryng eyther of the situation or of the nature thereof The eight booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent WHen Iohn the king of Portugale liued whiche was predecessour to him that nowe raigneth there arose a great contention betweene the Castilians and the Portugales as concernyng the dominion of these newe founde landes The Portugales because they were the fyrst that durst attempt to searche the Ocean sea synce the memorie of man affirmed that al the nauigations of the Ocean ought to parteyne to them only The Castilians argued on the contrary part that whatsoeuer God by the ministration of nature hath created on the earth was at the begynnyng common among men and that it is therefore lawful to euery man to possesse such lands as are voyde of Christian inhabitours Whyle the matter was thus vncertaynelye debated both parties agreed that the controuersie shoulde be desyded by the byshop of Rome and plighted fayth to stande to his arbitrement The kyngdome of Castile was at that tyme gouerned by that great queene Helisabeth with her husband for the Realme of Castile was her dowrie She also and the kyng of Portugale were cosyn germanes of two systers by reason whereof the dissention was more easyly pacified By the assent therfore of both parties Alexander the bishop of Rome the .vi. of that name by thaucthoritie of his leaden bull drewe a right lyne from the North to the South an hundred leagues Westwarde without the paralels of those Ilandes whiche are called Caput Viride or Cabouerde within the compasse of this lyne although some denye it falleth the poynt of this lande whereof we haue spoken whiche they cal Caput Sancti Augustini otherwyse called Promontorium Sancti Augustini that is saint Augustines cape or poynt and therefore it is not lawful for the Castilians to fasten foote in the begynnyng of that land Vincentius Annez therefore departed from thence beyng aduertised of the inhabitantes that on the other syde of the hygh mountaynes towarde the South lying before his eyes there was a region called Ciamba whiche brought forth great plentie of golde Of certayne captiues whiche he tooke in the gulfe of Paria whiche certaynely parteyneth to the dominion of Castile he brought some with him to Hispaniola and left
to the cape or poynt of Cuchibacoa whiche being passed there is a gulfe on the left hande we measured three hundred leagues in one Carde much thereabout in another From this poynt of Cuchibacoa to the region of Caramairi in whiche is the hauen Carthago whiche some cal Carthagena we found about a hundred seuentie leagues From Caramairi to the Iland Fortis fyftie leagues From thence to the gulfes of Vraba among the whiche is the vyllage called Sancta Maria Antiqua where the Spanyards haue appoynted theyr habitation only .xxxiii. leagues From the ryuer of Vraba in the prouince of Dariena to y e riuer of Beragua where Nicuesa had intended to haue fastened his foote if God had not otherwyse decreed we measured a hundred and thirtie leagues From Beragua to that riuer which we said of Colonus to be called Sancti Matthei in the which also Nicuesa loosing his Carauel wandered in great calamities we founde in our Cardes only a hundred and fourtie leagues Yet many other whiche of late tyme haue come from these partes haue described many mo leagues in this tract from the ryuer of Sancti Matthei in whiche also they place diuers ryuers as Aburema with the Iland called Scutum Cateba lying before it whose kyngs name is Facies combusta Likewise another ryuer called Zobraba after that Vrida and then Duraba in the which golde is founde Furthermore many goodly hauens as Cerabaro and Hiebra so called of the inhabitauntes And thus yf your holynesse wyll conferre these numbers togeather you shall fynde in this accompt a thousand fyue hundred twentie and fiue leagues which amount to fyue thousande seuen hundred miles from the poynt of Sancti Matthei whiche they cal Sinum perditorum that is The gulfe of y e lost men But we may not leaue here for after this one Astur Ouetensis otherwyse named Iohannes Dias de Solis borne in Nebrissa whiche bryngeth foorth many learned men sayling from this riuer towarde the West ouerranne many coastes and leagues but the middest of that shore bendeth towarde the North and is not therefore directly placed in order with the other yet may we geather by a diameter or right lyne about three hundred leagues Hereby may you geather what is the length of this lande but of the breadth perhaps we shal hereafter haue further knowledge Let vs nowe speake somewhat of the varietie of the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starres This lande therefore although it reache foorth from the East into the West yet is it crooked and hath the poynt bendyng so towarde the South that it looseth the syght of the North pole and is extended beyonde the Equinoctial lyne seuen degrees towarde the South pole but the poynt hereof parteyneth to the iurisdiction of the Portugales as we haue sayde Leauing this poynt and saylyng towarde Paria the North starre is seene againe is so much the more lifted vp in how much the region enclineth more towarde the West The Spanyardes therfore haue diuers degrees of eleuations vntyll they come to Dariena being theyr cheefe station and dwelling place in those landes for they haue forsaken Beragua where they founde the North pole eleuate .viii. degrees but from hence the land doth so much bend towarde the North that it is there in manner equal with the degrees of the strayghtes of Hercules pyllers especially yf we measure certaine landes founde by them toward the North syde of Hispaniola among the which there is an Iland about three C. and .xxv. leagues frō Hispaniola as they say which haue searched the same named Boiuca or Agnaneo in the which is a continuall spring of running water of such marueilous vertue that y e water thereof being drunke perhaps with some diet maketh olde men young agayne And here must I make protestation to your honesse not to thynke this to be sayde lyghtly or rashly for they haue so spread this rumour for a trueth throughout al the courte that not onlye al the people but also many of them whom wysedome or fortune hath diuided from the common sort thynke it to be true but yf you shal aske my opinion herein I wyl answere that I wyll not attribute so great power to nature but that God hath no lesse reserued this prerogatiue to hym selfe then to searche the hartes of men or to geue substaunce to priuation that is beyng to no beyng except we shall beleeue the fable of Colchis of Eson renouate to be as true as the wrytynges of Sibylla Erythrea Albeit perhaps the scooles of Phisitions and natural philosophers wyll not muche stycke to affyrme that by the vse of certayne secrete medicines and dyet the accidentes of age as they cal them may be long hydden and deferred whiche they wyl to be vnderstoode by the renouation of age And to haue sayde thus much of the length and breadth of these regions and of the rough and hugious mountaynes with theyr waterye caues also of the diuers degrees of that lande I thinke it sufficient But I thought it not good to let passe what chaunced to these miserable men among theyr generall calamities I remember that when I was a chylde me thought my bowelles grated and that my spirites were marueylously troubled for very pitie when I read in the poete Uirgyl howe Achemenides was left of Vlysses vpon the sea bankes among y e giantes called Cyclopes where for the space of many dayes from the departyng of Vlysses vntyl the comming of Eneas he eate none other meate but only berries and hawes But our vnfortunate Spanyards whiche folowed Nicuesa to inhabite Beragua would haue esteemed hawes berries for great delicates What should I heare speake of the head of an asse bought for a great pryce and of such other extremities as men haue suffered in townes besieged After that Nicuesa had determined to leaue Beragua for the barrennesse of the soyle he attempted to searche Portum Bellum and then the coastes of the poynt called Marmor yf he myght there fynde a place more fortunate to inhabite In this meane tyme so greeuous famine oppressed his souldiers that they neyther absteined frō eating of mangie dogges which they had with them aswel for theyr defence as for huntyng for in the warre agaynst the naked people dogges stoode them in great steade nor yet sometyme from the slaine inhabitauntes for they found not there any fruitful trees or plentie of foules as in Dariena but a barren ground and not meete to be inhabited Here certaine of the souldiers made a bargayne with one of their felowes for the pryce of a leane dogge who also was almost dead for hunger they gaue the owner of the dogge many of those peeces of gold which they cal Pesos or golden Castellans Thus agreeing of the pryce they flayed the dogge to be eaten and cast his mangie skinne with the bones of the head hangyng thereto among the bushes The day folowyng a certayne
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
to be his assystantes as Alfonsus de Ponte Diegus Marques and Iohannes de Tauira confyrmed the same letters and subscribed them with theyr names The nauigation therefore of Petrus Arias was in this maner The day before the Ides of Apryl in the yeere of Christe .1514 he hoysed vp his sayles in the towne of saint Lucar de Barrameda situate in the mouth of the ryuer Baetis which the Spanyardes nowe cal Guadalchebir The seuen Ilandes of Canaria are about foure hundred myles distant from the place where this riuer falleth into the sea Some thynke that these are the Ilandes whiche the olde wryters dyd call the fortunate Ilandes but other thynke the contrary The name of these Ilandes are these The two that appeare fyrst in sight are named Lanzelota and Fortisuentura On the backhalfe of these lyeth Magna Canaria or Grancanaria Beyond that is Teuerif and Gomera somewhat towarde the north from that Palma and Ferrea lye behynde as it were a bulwarke to al the other Petrus Arias therfore arriued at Gomera the eyght day after his departure with a nauie of seuenteene ships a thousand and fiue hundred men although there were only a thousand and two hundred assigned hym by the kynges letters It is sayd furthermore that he left behynde hym more then two thousande very pensiue and sighing that they also myght not be receiued proferyng them selues to goe at theyr owne charges He taryed xvi dayes in Gomera to the intent to make prouision of fuel and freshe water but cheefely to repayre his shyppes beyng sore broosed with tempestes and especially the gouernours shyppe which had lost the rudder For these Ilandes are a commodious restyng place for al suche as intende to attempt any nauigations in that maine sea Departing from hence in the Nones of May he sawe no more lande vntyll the thyrde day of Iune at the whiche he arryued at Dominica an Ilande of the Canibales being distant from Gomera about eight hundred leagues Here he remained foure dayes makyng newe prouision of freshe water and fuell duryng whiche tyme he sawe no man nor yet anye steppes of men but founde plenty of sea Crabbes and great Lisarts From hence he sayled by the Ilandes of Matinina otherwyse called Madanino Guadalupea and Galanta otherwyse called Galana of al which we haue spoken in the fyrst Decade He passed also through the sea of hearbes or weedes continuing a long tract Yet neyther he nor Colonus the Admiral who fyrst found these Ilandes and sayled through this sea of weedes haue declared any reason how these weedes should come Some thynke the sea to be verye muddye there and that these weedes are engendred in the bottome thereof and so beyng loosed to ascende to the vppermost part of the water as we see oftentymes chaunce in certayne standyng pooles and sometymes also in great ryuers Other suppose that they are not engendred there but to be beaten from certayne rockes by the violence of the water in tempestes And thus they leaue the matter in doubt Neyther haue they yet any certayne experience whether they stycke fast and geue place to the shyppes or wander loose vpon the water But it is to be thought that they are engendred there for otherwyse they shoulde be dryuen togeather on heapes by the impulsion of the shyppes euen as a beasome geathereth the sweepynges of a house and shoulde also let the course of the shyppes The fourth day after that he departed from Dominica the hyghe mountaynes couered with snowe whereof we haue spoken in the seconde Decade appeared vnto hym They say that there the seas runne as swyftly towarde the west as it were a ryuer fallyng from the toppes of hygh mountaynes although they fayled not directly toward the west but inclined somewhat to the south From these mountaynes falleth the ryuer of Gaira famous by the slaughter of our men at such tyme as Rodericus Colmenares passed by those coastes as we haue sayde before Lykewyse many other fayre ryuers haue theyr original from the same mountaynes This prouince in the which is also the region of Caramairi hath in it two notable hauens of y e which our men named the one Carthago or Carthagena and thother Sancta Martha the region wherof thinhabitants call Saturma The port of Sancta Martha is nerer to the mountaynes couered with snow called Montes Niuales for it is at the rootes of the same mountaines but y e hauen of Carthago is more westward about fyftie leagues He wryteth marueylous things of the hauen of Sancta Martha whiche they also confirme that came lately from thence Of the which young Vesputius is one to whom Americus Vesputius his vncle beyng a florentine borne left the exact knowledge of the mariners facultie as it were by inheritance after his death for he was a very expert maister in the knowledge of his carde his compasse and the eleuation of the pole starre with all that parteyneth therto This young Vesputius was assigned by the kyng to be one of the maisters of the gouernours shyp because he was cunnyng in iudging the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starre by the quadrant For the charge of gouerning the rudder was cheefly committed to one Iohannes Serranus a Spaniard who had oftentymes ouerrunne those coastes Vesputius is my very familier frende and a wittie young man in whose company I take great pleasure and therfore vse hym oftentymes for my ghest He hath also made many voyages into these coastes and diligentlye noted suche thynges as he hath seene Petrus Arias therfore wryteth and he confirmeth the same that thinhabitantes of these regions tooke theyr originall of the Caribbes or Canibales as appeared by the desperat fyersnesse and crueltie which they oftentimes shewed to our men when they passed by theyr coastes Suche stoutnesse and fortitude of mynde is naturallie engendred in these naked Barbarians that they feared not to assayle our whole nauy and to forbyd them to come a lande They fyght with venemous arowes as we haue sayde before Parceyuyng that our men contemned theyr threatnynges they ranne furyously into the sea euen vp to the breastes nothyng fearyng eyther the bygnesse or multitude of our shyppes but ceased not contynuallie beyng thus in the water to cast dartes and to shoote theyr venemous arrowes as thycke as hayle Insomuch that our men had byn in great daunger yf they had not bin defended by the cages or pauisses of the shippes and their targettes Yet were two of them wounded which died shortely after But this conflict continued so sharp that at the length our men were enforced to shoote of theyr greatest pieces of ordinaunce with hayleshoote at the slaughter and terrible noyse wherof the Barbarians beyng sore discomfited and shaken with feare thynkyng the same to be thunder and lyghtnyng turned theyr backes and fledde amayne They greatly feare thunder because these regions are oftentimes vexed with thunder and lyghtnynges by reason
of the hyghe mountaynes and nearenesse of the same to the region of the ayre wherein such fierie tempestes are engendred whiche the philosophers call Meteora And albeit that our men had nowe dryuen theyr enimies to flyght and sawe them disparcled and out of order yet doubted they and were of diuers opinions whether they shoulde pursue them or not On the one partie shame prycked them forwarde and on the other syde feare caused them to caste manye perylles especially consyderyng the venemous arrowes whiche these Barbarians can direct so certaynely To depart from them with a drye foote as sayth the prouerbe with so great a nauie and suche an armye they reputed it as a thyng greatly soundyng to theyr reproche and dishonour At the length therefore shame ouercommyng feare they pursued them and came to land with theyr ship boates The gouernour of the nauie also Vesputius do wryte that the hauen is no lesse then three leagues in compasse beyng also safe without rockes and the water therof so cleare that a man may see pybble stones in the bottome twentie cubits deepe They say lykewyse that there falleth two fayre ryuers of freshe water into the hauen but the same to be meeter to beare the Canoas of these prouinces then any bygger vessels It is a delectable thyng to heare what they tel of the plentie and varietie and also of the pleasaunt tast of the fyshes aswell of these ryuers as of the sea therabout By reason wherof they found here manye fysher boates and nettes woonderfully wrought of the stalkes of certayne hearbes or weedes dryed and tawed and wreathed with cords of spunne gossampyne cotton For the people of Caramairi Gaira and Saturma are very cunnyng in fisheyng and vse to sel fyshe to theyr borderers for exchaunge of such thynges as they lacke When our men had thus chased the Barbarians from the sea coastes and had now entred into theyr houses they assayled them with newe skyrmishes espetially when they sawe them fall to sacking and spoylyng and theyr wyues and chyldren taken captyue Their householde stuffe was made of great reedes whiche growe on the sea bankes and the stalkes of certayne hearbes beaten and afterwarde made harde The floores thereof were strewed with hearbes of sundry colours and the walles hanged with a kynde of tapstry artificially made of gossampine cotton and wrought with pictures of Lions Tygers and Eagles The doores of theyr houses and chambers were full of dyuers kyndes of shelles hangyng loose by small cordes that beyng shaken by the wynde they myght make a certayne rattelyng and also a whystelyng noyse by geatheryng the wynde in theyr holowe places for herein they haue great delyght and impute this for a goodly ornament Dyuers haue shewed me many wonderfull thynges of these regions especially one Conzalus Fernandus Ouiedus beyng one of the magistrates appoynted in that office which the Spanyardes call Veedor who hath also hytherto entred further into the lande then any other He affirmeth that he chaunced vppon the fragment of a Saphire bygger then the egge of a goose and that in certayne hylles where he trauayled with thirtie men he founde many of the pretious stones called Smaragdes Calcidones and Iaspers besyde great peeces of Amber of the mountaines He also with diuers other do affirme that in the houses of some of the Canibales of these regions they found the like precious stones set in gold and inclosed in tapstry or arras if it may so be called wherewith they hang theyr houses The same land bryngeth foorth also many wooddes of brasile trees and great plentie of golde in so much that in maner in al places they founde on the sea bankes on the shores certayne marchasites in token of golde Fernandus Ouiedus declareth furthermore that in a certayne region called Zenu lying fourescore and tenne myles from Dariena Eastwarde they exercise a straunge kynde of marchaundize For in the houses of the inhabitantes they founde great chestes and baskets made of the twigges and leaues of certayne trees apte for that purpose being all ful of Grassehoppers Grylles Crabbes or Crefyshes Snayles also and Locustes whiche destroye the fieldes of corne al well dryed and salted Beyng demaunded why they reserued suche a multitude of these beastes they answeared that they kept them to be solde to theyr borderers whiche dwell further within the lande and that for the exchange of these pretious byrdes and salted fyshes they receiued of them certayne strange thynges wherein partly they take pleasure and partly vse them for theyr necessary affayres These people dwell not togeather but scattered here and there Thinhabitantes of Caramairi seeme to dwel in an earthly Paradise theyr region is so fayre and fruitefull without outragious heate or sharpe colde with litle difference of the length of day and nyght throughout all the yeere After that our men had thus dryuen the Barbarians to flyght they entred into a valley of two leagues in breadth and three in length extendyng to certayne fruitefull mountaynes full of grasse hearbes and trees at the rootes whereof lye two other valleis towarde the ryght hande and the leaft through eyther of the whiche runneth a fayre ryuer wherof the ryuer of Caira is one but vnto the other they haue yet geuen no name In these valleys they found many fayre gardens and pleasaunt feeldes watered with trenches distributed in marueylous order with no lesse art then our Insubrians and Hetrurians vse to water their feeldes Theyr common meate is Ages Iucca Maizium Battata with suche other rootes and fruites of trees and also such fyshe as they vse in the Ilandes and other regions of these prouinces They eate mans fleshe but seldome because they meete not oftentymes with strangers except they goe foorth of theyr one dominions with a mayne army of purpose to hunt for men when theyr rauenyng appetite pricketh them forwarde For they abstayne from them selues and eate none but suche as they take in the warres or otherwyse by chaunce But suerly it is a miserable thyng to heare howe many myriades of men these fylthy and vnnaturall deuourers of mens fleshe haue consumed and lefte thousandes of most fayre and fruitefull Ilandes and regions desolate without men by reason whereof our men founde so manye Ilandes whiche for theyr fayrenes and fruitefulnesse myght seeme to be certayne earthly Paradyses and yet were vtterly voyde of men Hereby your holynesse may consider howe pernitious a kynde of men this is We haue sayde before that the Ilande named Sancti Iohannis which thinhabitants cal Burichena is next to Hispaniola It is sayde that only the Canibales which dwel in the other Ilandes neere about this as in the Ilande called Hayhay or Sansta Crucis and in Guadalupea otherwyse called Queraqueiera or Carucuiera haue in our tyme violently taken out of the sayde Ilande of Sancti Iohannis more then fyue thousande men to be eaten But let it suffice thus muche to haue wandered
Cabot is my very frend whom I vse famâ—lierlye and delyte to haue hym sometymes keepe me company in my owne house For beyng called out of Englande by the commaundement of the catholique kyng of Castile after the death of Henry kyng of Englande the seuenth of that name he was made one of our counsayle and assistaunce as touching the affayres of the new Indies lookyng dayly for shyppes to be furnished for hym to discouer this hyd secret of nature This voyage is appoynted to be begunne in Marche in the yeere next folowyng beyng the yeere of Christ .1516 What shall succeede your holynesse shal be aduertysed by my letters yf God graunt me lyfe Some of the Spaniardes denye that Cabot was the fyrst fynder of the lande of Bacallaos and affirme that he went not so farre westewarde But it shall suffice to haue sayde thus muche of the gulfes and strayghtes and of Sebastian Cabot Let vs nowe therfore returne to the Spaniardes At this tyme they let passe the hauen of Carthago vntouched with al the Ilandes of the Canibales there aboute whiche they named Insulas Sancti Bernardi leauyng also behind theyr backes al the region of Caramairi Heere by reason of a sodayne tempest they were caste vpon the Ilande Fortis beyng about fyftie leagues distant from the enteraunce of the gulfe of Vraba In this Iland they founde in the houses of thinhabitantes many baskettes made of certayne great sea reedes ful of salt For this Iland hath in it many goodly salt bayes by reason wherof they haue great plentie of salte which they sell to other nations for such thyngs as they stande in neede of Not farre from hence a great Curlew as bygge as a Storke came flying to the gouernours shyp and suffered her selfe to be easely taken whiche beyng carryed aboute among all the shyppes of the nauie dyed shortly after They sawe also a great multitude of the same kynde of foules on the shore a farre of The gouernours shyppe whiche we sayd to haue lost the rudder beyng now sore broosed and in maner vnprofytable they left behynde to folowe at leasure The nauie arryued at Dariena the twelfth day of the Calendes of Iuly and the gouernours shyppe beyng voyde of men was dryuen alande in the same coastes within foure dayes after The Spanyardes whiche now inhabited Dariena with theyr Captayne and Lieuetenaunt Vaschus Nunnez Balboa of whom we haue largelye made mention before beyng certifyed of the arriuall of Petrus Arias and his companye went foorth three myles to meete him and receiued him honorably and religiously with the psalme Te deum laudamus geuyng thankes to god by whose safe conduct they were brought so prosperously thyther to al theyr comfortes They receyued them gladly into theyr houses builded after the maner of those prouinces I may wel cal these regions Prouinces a Procul Victis that is such as are ouercome farre of forasmuche as our men do now inhabite the same al the barbarous kynges and Idolatours beyng eiected They entertayned them with such cheare as they were able to make them as with the fruites of those regions and new bread both made of rootes and the graine Maizium Other delicates to make vp the feast were of theyr own store which they brought with them in theyr ships as poudred flesh salted fyshe and bread made of wheat for they brought with them many barrelles of wheate meale for the same purpose Heere may your holynesse not without iust cause of admiration beholde a kynges nauye and great multitude of Christians inhabiting not only the regions situate vnder the cyrcle of heauen called Tropicus Cancri but also in maner vnder the Equinoctiall line contrary to the opinion of the olde wryters a fewe excepted But after that they are nowe mette togeather let vs further declare what they determined to do Therfore the day after that y e nauie arriued there assembled a company of Spanyards thinhabitours of Dariena to the nuÌ„ber of foure hundred and fiftie men Petrus Arias the gouernour of the nauy and his companye conferred with them both priuilie and openlye of certayne articles whereof it was the kynges pleasure he shoulde enquire and most especially as concernyng suche thynges wherof Vaschus the fyrst fynder and Admirall of the South sea made mention in his large letter sent from Dariena to Spayne In this inquisition they founde althyngs to be true whereof Vaschus had certified the king by his letters and therevpon concluded that in the dominions of Comogra Pocchorrosa Tumanama at the assignement of Vaschus certayne fortresses shoulde be erected foorthwith to thintent there to plant theyr colonie or habitation To the better accomplyshment hereof they sent immediatly one Iohannes Aiora a noble young gentleman of Corduba and vnder Lieuetenant with foure hundred men and foure Carauels and one other lytle shyp Thus departyng he sayled fyrst directly to the hauen of Comogrus distant from Dariena about twentie and fyue leagues as they wryte in theyr last letters From hence he is appoynted to send a hundred and fyftie of his foure hundred towarde the South by a newe and ryghter way founde of late by the whiche as they say it is not past twentie and syxe leagues from the pallace of kyng Comogrus to the entraunce of the gulfe of Sancti Michaelis The residue of the foure hundred shal remayne there to be an ayde and succour to al such as shall iorney to and fro Those hundred and fyftie whiche are assigned to go southward take with them for interpretours certain of our men which had learned the soothern language of the bondmen which were geuen to Vaschus when he ouerranne those regions and also certayne of the bondemen them selues which had nowe learned the Spanyshe tongue They say that the hauen of Pocchorrosa is only seuen leagues distant from the hauen of Comogrus In Pocchorrosa he is assigned to leaue fyftie men with the lightest ship which may be a passinger betwene them that like as we vse post horses by land so may they by this currant shyp in short space certifie the Lieuetenaunt and thinhabitours of Dariena of such thynges as shal chaunce They entend also to build houses in the region of Tumanama The pallace of king Tumanama is distant froÌ„ Pocchorrosa about twenty leagues Of these foure hundred men beyng of the olde souldiers of Dariena men of good experience fyftie were appointed to be as it were Decurians to guide and conduct the new men from place to place to do theyr affayres When they had thus set all thynges in order they thought it good to aduertyse the kyng hereof and therwith to certyfye hym that in those prouinces there is a kyng named Dabaiba whose dominion is verye ryche in gold but the same to be yet vntouched by reason of his great power His kyngdome ioyneth to the second great ryuer named Dabaiba after his name whiche falleth into the sea out
fourscore myles for they call it threescore leagues He spent certaine daies heere in idlenesse for he coulde neither by fayre meanes nor by foule allure the kyng of the region to come to hym Whyle he lay thus idelly there came to hym other fyftie men sent from Dariena vnder the gouernaunce of captayne Lodouicus Mercado who departed from Dariena in the calendes of May to the intent to searche the inner partes of those regions When they met togeather they determined after consultation to passe ouer the mountaynes lying towarde the South euen vnto the South sea lately founde Beholde nowe a wonderfull thyng that in a lande of suche marueylous longitude in other places they founde it here to be onely about fyftie myles distant to the South sea for they count it .xvii. leagues as the maner of the Spanyardes is to recken and not by myles Yet saye they that a league consysteth of three myles by lande and foure by sea as we haue noted before In the toppes of the mountaynes and turnyng of the waters they founde a kyng named Iuana whose kyngdome is also named Coiba as is the region of king Careta of whom we haue made mention elswhere But for as muche as the region of this Iuana is rycher in golde they named it Coiba Dites that is Coiba the rych For wheresoeuer they dygged the grounde whether it were on the drye lande or in the wet chanelles of the ryuers they founde the sande whiche they cast foorth myxt with golde Iuana fledde at the commyng of our men and coulde neuer be brought agayne They spoyled all the countrey neare about his palace yet had they but litle golde for he had caryed all his stuffe with hym Here they founde certayne slaues marked in the faces after a straunge sorte For with a sharpe prycke made eyther of bone or els with a thorne they make holes in theyr faces and foorthwith sprinklyng a powder thereon they moiste the pounced place with a certayne blacke or redde iuice whose substaunce is of suche tenacitie and clamminesse that it wyll neuer weare away They brought these slaues away with them They say that this iuice is of suche sharpenesse and putteth them to suche payne that for extreme doloure they haue no stomacke to theyr meate certayne dayes after The kynges whiche take these slaues in theyr warres vse theyr helpe in seekyng for golde and in tyllage of the grounde euen as doo our men From the pallace of Iuana folowyng the course of the water about tenne myles towarde the South they entred into the dominion of an other kyng whom our men named the olde man bycause he was olde not passyng of his other name In the region of this kyng also they founde golde in all places both on the lande and in the ryuers This region is very fayre and fruitefull and hath in it many famous ryuers Departyng from hence in fyue dayes iourney they came to a lande lefte desolate They suppose that this was destroyed by ciuile discorde forasmuche as it is for the most parte fruitefull and yet not inhabited The fyfth day they sawe two men commyng a farre of these were laden with bread of Maizium whiche they caryed on theyr shoulders in sackes Our men tooke them and vnderstoode by them that there were two kynges in that tract the one was named Periquete who dwelt neere vnto the sea the others name was Totonoga This Totonoga was blynde and dwelt in the continent The two men which they met were the fyshers of Totonoga whom he had sent with certayne fardelles of fyshe to Periquete and had agayne receyued bread of hym for exchaunge For thus do they communicate theyr commodities one with an other by exchaunge without the vse of wycked mony By the conductyng of these two men they came to kyng Totonoga dwellyng on the West syde of saint Michaels gulfe in the South sea They had of this kyng the summe of syxe thousand Castellans of golde both rude and artifycially wrought Among those groumes of rude or natyue golde there was one founde of the weyght of two Castellans whiche argued the plentifull rychenesse of the grounde Folowyng the same coast by the sea syde towarde the West they came to a kyng whose name was Taracuru of whom they had golde amountyng to the weyght of eyght thousande Pesos We haue sayde before that Pesus is the weyght of a Castelane not coyned From hence they went to the dominion of this kynges brother named Pananome who fledde at their commyng and appeared no more afterwarde They say that his kyngdome is ryche in golde They spoyled his pallace in his absence Syxe leagues from hence they came to another king named Tabor From thence they came to the kyng of Cheru He frendly entertained our men and gaue them foure thousand Pesos of golde He hath in his dominion many goodly salt bayes the region also aboundeth with golde About twelue myles from hence they came to another king called Anata of whom they had xv thousande Pesos of golde whiche he had gotton of the kynges his borderers whom he had vanquished by warre A great part of this gold was in rude fourme bycause it was molten when he set the kinges houses on fyre whom he spoyled For they robbe and slay the one the other sackyng fyryng theyr villages and wasting theyr countreyes They keepe warre barbarously and to vtter destruction executyng extreeme crueltie agaynst them that haue the ouerthrowe Gonsalus Badaiocius with his felowes wandred at libertie vntyll they came to this kyng and had geathered great heapes of golde of other kynges For what in braslettes collers earerynges brest plates helmettes and certaine barres wherewith women beare vp theyr brestes they had geathered togeather in gold the summe of fourscore thousand Castellans which they had obtayned partly by exchange for our things where they founde the kynges theyr frendes otherwise by forcyble meanes where they founde the contrary They had gotten also fourtie slaues whose helpe they vsed both for cariage of their victualles and baggagies in the steede of Moyles or other beastes of burden also to releeue such as were sick and forweeried by reason of theyr long iourneies and hunger After these prosperous voyages they came by the dominion of kyng Scoria to the palace of a kyng named Pariza where fearyng no suche thing Pariza enclosed them with a great armie and assayled them straggelyng and vnwares in such sort that they had no leasure to put on theyr armure He slue and wounded about fyftie and put the resydue to flyght They made suche hast that they had no respect eyther to the golde they had geathered or to theyr slaues but left all behynde them Those fewe that escaped came to Dariena The opinion of all wyse men as concernyng the variable and inconstant chaunces of fortune in humane things were false if all thynges shoulde haue happened vnto them prosperously For such
sentence against him and how apt the Barbarous nations are to embrase the Christian fayth The contentes of the seuenth booke Fol. 81. HOwe Quicedus and Colmenaris the procuratours of Dariena were honourably enterteyned at the court and brought to the kynges presence and howe theyr complexion was chaunged by alteration of the ayre Howe Petrus Arias a noble man was elected gouernour and Lieuetenaunt of Dariena and howe other of the court laboured for the same office also howe the bishop of Burges spake to the kyng in his behalfe Howe Petrus Arias had a thousande and two hundred souldyers appoynted him at the kynges charges and of the kynges custome house in the citie of Ciuile called the house of the contractes of India Howe a great number of Spanyardes profered them selues to goe at theyr owne charges and of a restraint made that no straunger myght passe without the kyngs licence also how the aucthour reproueth Aloisius Cadamustus a wryter of the Portugales viages Howe Petrus Arias shortly after his departure from Ciuile lost two of his shyppes and was dryuen backe agayne by tempest and howe beyng newly furnyshed he passed the Ocean with more prosperous wyndes The thyrd viage of Vincentius Pinzonus and howe he came to the regions of Paria where encountryng with thinhabitauntes he put them fyrst to flyght but after fallyng to intreatie of peace they gaue him great plentie of golde and abundaunce of masculine frankensence with dyuers other princely presentes Of the great multitude of Popingiayes whiche are in the region of Paria and howe thinhabitours are apparelled also of the fyue kynges that made a league of friendshyp with Vincentius Howe Vincentius sayled Eastwarde by the tracte of the region of Paria vntyl he came to the poynt of that long lande which the aucthour supposeth to be the great Ilande Atlantike wherof the olde wryters make mention The contentes of the .viii. booke Fol. 86. A Contention betweene the Castilians and Portugales as concernyng the diuision of the new founde landes and howe the controuersie was fynished by the bishop of Rome Howe Don Christopher the gouernour of the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis was slayne by the Caniballes and the bishop put to flyght also of the other bishops of the Ilandes Howe the Caniballes of the Ilande of Sancta Crux slue and ate a kyng with certayne of his men beyng friendes to the Christians and made faggottes of theyr bones and howe quarellyng with our men they put them to silence The contentes of the .ix. booke Fol. 87. OF the marueylous fruitfulnesse of the regions of Beragua Vraba and Dariena and of the dyuers kyndes of trees and fruites also of the pleasaunt taste of swynes fleshe beyng fedde with the fruites of Mirobalane trees Of Lions and Tygers and other wylde beastes and of a beast of straunge fourme Of the ryuers of the gulfe of Vraba as the ryuer of Dariena and Rio Grandis and howe the great serpentes called Crocodiles are founde in other ryuers besyde Nilus in Egypt also howe thaucthour of this booke was sent Ambassadour to the Soldane of Alcayr in Egypt Of the Portugales nauigations and of the ryuer Senega found by them to bee a chanell of Nilus also of the multitude of byrds and foules being in the maryshes of Dariena A phylosophicall discourse of thoriginall and generation of sprynges and ryuers and of the breadth of the lande diuydyng the North and South Ocean Of the great ryuer Maragnonus and of the earthly Paradyse and how springs are engendred by cōuertion of ayre into water Of the often fall of rayne vnder the Equinoctiall line and of the pores of the sea opened by the South wyndes Of the great ryuers of Tanais Ganges Danubius and Eridanus famous to the olde wryters and howe certayne ryuers runnyng through the caues of the earth breake foorth into spryngs a farre of The contentes of the .x. booke Fol. 91. HOwe the newe founde landes discouered by the Spanyards in the West Ocean are eyght tymes bygger then Italie besyde that which the Portugales possesse and of the cardes of the sea drawen by Colonus and Americus Vesputius The order of measuryng the lande and howe a league conteyneth foure myles by sea and but three by lande The Nauigation of Iohannes Dias and of the sundry eleuations of the pole starre Of the Ilande of Boiuca or Agnaneo and of the spryng whose water being drunke causeth olde men to looke young How Nicuesa and his souldyers were so oppressed with famine that they were driuen to eate mangie dogges Toades and dead men and howe a broth made of a dogge skynne was solde for many peeces of golde The Contentes of the bookes of the thyrd Decade The contentes of the fyrst booke Fol. 94. OF the desperate aduenture and good fortune of Vaschus and howe with a hundred fourescore and ten men hee brought that to passe for the which Petrus Arias was sent with a thousand and two hundred freshe souldyers Howe Iron serueth for more necessary vses then golde and howe superfluities hynder libertie Howe Vaschus in one conflicte slue sixe hundred Barbarians with theyr kynges and howe he founde the house of kyng Quarequa infected with vnnaturall lechery commaundyng that the kyng and fourtie such as he kept for that purpose should bee gyuen for a pray to his dogges which he vsed to serue in the warres agaynst these naked people Of a region of blacke Moores and howe Vaschus came to the toppes of the mountaynes where gyuyng thankes to God hee behelde the newe South Ocean neuer before seene nor knowne to men of our world Howe Vaschus put kyng Chiapes to flyght and after made a league of friendshyp with him and how the kyng gaue him .iiii. hundred poundes weyght of wrought golde Howe kyng Coquera was put to flyght who also being receyued to friendshyp gaue Vaschus sixe hundred and fyftie poundes weyght of wrought golde Of the gulfe called Sinus S. Michaelis beyng full of inhabited Ilandes and of the manly courage and godly zeale of Vaschus also of the rysyng and fallyng of the South sea Howe kyng Tumacchus beyng dryuen to flyght and afterwarde reconciled gaue Vaschus sixe hundred and fourtiene peeses of golde and two hundred and fourtie of the greatest and fayrest pearles and howe the kyng caused his men to fyshe for pearles Of the Ilande called Margaritea Diues and of the abundance of fayre and great pearles founde therein Of habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall line and of the Portugales nauigations to the Antipodes inhabityng the fyue and fyftie degree of the South pole also a declaration of Antipodes and of the starres about the South pole The contentes of the seconde booke Fol. 101. OF the maner of fyshyng for pearles and of the three kyndes thereof also dyuers other questions concernyng pearles Of the multitude of the shell fyshes wherein pearles are ingendred and founde in maner in all places in the South sea and of abundaunce of golde founde almost in
the yeere THe landes and regions that are neare about the clymes of the Equinoctiall lyne are naturally hot although they be otherwise temperate by the diuine prouidence therfore such fleshe or fyshe as is taken and kylled in these regions can not be preserued from putrifaction except it be rosted sodden or perboyld the same day that it is kyld And wheras I haue sayd that such regions are naturally hotte and yet temperate by the prouidence of God it is so in deede and therefore not without cause the auncient aucthours were of opinion that the burnt lyne or Torrida zona where passeth the lyne of the Equinoctiall shoulde be vnhabitable by reason the Sun hath greater dominion in that place then in any other of the sphere remaynyng continually betweene the two tropykes of Cancer and Capricorne For when in these regions the earth is opened or dygged from the superficiall parte thereof to the deapth of a mans heyght it is founde temperate and within this space the trees and plants fasten and spread their rootes and no deeper extendyng the same as farre in breadth in the grounde as doe theyr braunches in the ayre and enter no deeper into the grounde then I haue sayde because that beneath the deapth of the sayde space of a mans heyght the earth is very hotte the vpper part beyng temperate and very moyst aswell by reason of the abundaunce of water whiche falleth from heauen vpon that earth at certayne ordinarie seasons of the yeere as also for the multitude of great ryuers brookes sprynges and maryshes whereby the myghtie and supreme Lord which made these landes hath most prudently prouided for the preseruation of the same There are also many rough and hygh mountaynes with temperate ayre and pleasaunt cleare and moderate nyghtes of the whiche particularitie the auncient wryters hauyng no certayne knowledge affirmed the said burnt line or Torrida zona or Equinoctiall to be naturally vnhabitable As touching which thing I am able to witnesse the contrary by testimonie of syght and feelyng as by most certayne senses hauyng lyued many yeeres in these regions by reason whereof better credite ought to be giuen to me then to such as haue grounded their opininion onely vpon coniectures And to speake further of the situation of these regions you shall vnderstand that the coaste of the North sea beyng in the gulfe of Vraba and in the porte of Dariena where the shyps arryue whiche come out of Spayne is in the sixte degree and a halfe and in the seuenth and from sixe and a halfe vnto eyght except a small poynt which entreth into the sea towarde the North. That poynt which of this lande and new parte of the worlde lyeth most towarde the East is the cape of sainct Augustine which is in the eyght degree So that the sayd gulfe of Vraba is distant from the Equinoctiall lyne from a hundred twentie to a hundred and thirtie leagues and three quarters of a league after that accompte of .xvii. leagues and a halfe for euery degree from pole to pole and thus for a litle more or lesse goeth all the coast By reason whereof in the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena and in all that course of the foresayde gulfe of Vraba at all tymes of the yeere the dayes and nyghtes are in maner of equall length and if there bee any difference betweene them by reason of this small distance from the Equinoctiall it is so litle that in .xxiiii. houres makyng a naturall day it can not bee perceyued but by the iudgement of speculatiue men and suche as vnderstande the sphere From hence the North starre is seene very lowe And when the starres whiche are called the guardens of the North starre are vnder the Chariot it can not be seene because it is vnder the horizontall And whereas I haue sayde before that it rayneth in these regions at certayne ordinarie tymes it is so in deed For it is wynter and summer there at contrary tymes to that which is in Spayne where the greatest colde of frost and rayne is in December and Ianuary and the greatest heate of sommer about saint Iohns day at Mydsommer or in the moneth of Iuly But in golden Castile or Beragua it is contrary for the sommer and tyme of greatest drought without rayne is at Christmas and a moneth before and a moneth after the tyme when it rayneth most is about Mydsommer and a moneth before and a moneth after And this season which they call wynter is not for that it is any colder then then at any other tyme of the yeere or hotter at Christmas then at other seasons the tyme in these regions being euer after one maner but for that that in this tyme whiche they call wynter the Sunne is hydde from theyr sightes by reason of cloudes and rayne more then at other times Yet forasmuche as for the most part of the yeere they lyue in a cleare open and temperate ayre they somewhat shrynke and feele a litle colde duryng the tyme of the sayde moyst and cloudy ayre although it be not colde in deede or at the least such colde as hath any sensible sharpenesse Of dyuers particuler thinges as woormes serpentes beastes foules trees c. MAny other thinges might be sayd and much differyng from these wherof I haue spoken But to lette passe the multitude of thinges whiche are as variable as the power of nature is infinite and to speake of such thinges as come chiefely to my remembraunce as most worthie to be noted I will first speake of certayne litle and troublous beastes which may seeme to bee engendred of nature to molest vexe men to shewe them giue them to vnderstand how small and vyle a thing may offende and disquiet them to th ende that they may remember the principall end for the which they were created that is to know their maker and procurer of their saluation by the way whiche is open to all Christian men and all other which will open the eyes of theyr vnderstandyng And although the thinges whereof wee entende nowe to speake may seeme vyle and litle to be esteemed yet are they worthy to bee noted and considered to vnderstande the difference and variable workes of nature So it is therefore that whereas in many partes of the firme lande by the whiche as well the Christians as Indians doe trauayle there are suche maryshes and waters in the way that they are fayne to go without breeches among the hearbes and weedes by reason whereof certaine smal beasts or wormes which they cal Garapates much lyke vnto tykes cleaue fast to their legges These wormes are as litle as the pouder of beaten salt and cleaue so fast that they can by no meanes bee taken away except the place bee noynted with oyle and after that the legges be noynted a whyle with oyle or the other partes where these litle tykes are fastened they scrape the place with a knyfe and so take
as though it were pullyshed and is without of colour inclynyng towarde blacke and shyneth or glystereth very fayre and is within of no lesse dilicatenesse Suche as haue accustomed to drynke in these vesselles and haue been troubled with the disease called the frettyng of the guttes say that they haue by experience founde it a marueylous remedie agaynst that disease and that it breaketh the stone and prouoketh vrine This fruite was called Cocus for this cause that when it is taken from the place where it cleaueth fast to the tree there are seene two holes and aboue them two other natural holes whiche altogeather do represent the gesture and figure of the cattes called Mammoni that is Munkeys when they crye which crye the Indians call Coca but in very deede this tree is a kinde of Date trees and hath the same effecte to heale frettyng of the guttes that Plinie descrybeth all kynds of Date trees to haue There are furthermore in the firme lande trees of suche byggenesse that I dare not speake therof but in place where I haue so many wytnesses whiche haue seene the same as well as I. I saye therefore that a league from Dariena or the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua there passeth a ryuer very large and deepe which is called Cuti ouer the which the Indians had layde a great tree so trauersing the same that it was in the steade of a bridge the whiche I my selfe with dyuers other that are at this present in your maiesties court haue oftentymes passed ouer And forasmuche as the said tree had line long there and by y e great weight therof was so shronke downewarde and partly couered with water that none coulde passe ouer it but were wette to the knee I beyng then in the yeere .1522 the official or Iustice in that citie at your maiesties appoyntment caused an other great tree to be layde in that place whiche in lyke maner trauersed the ryuer and reached more then fyftie foote ouer the further syde This tree was exceeding great and rested aboue the water more then two cubytes in the fall it cast downe all such other trees as were within the reache thereof and discouered certayne vynes whiche were so laden with blacke grapes of pleasaunt taste that they satysfied more then fyftye persons whiche ate theyr fyl thereof This tree in the thyckest part therof was more then syxteene spannes thycke and was neuerthelesse but litle in respect of many other trees whiche are founde in this prouince For the Indians of the coaste and prouince of Cartagenia make barkes or boates thereof which they call Canoas of suche byggenesse beyng all one whole tree that some conteyne a hundred men some a hundred and thirtie and some more hauyng neuerthelesse such voyde space within the same that there is left sufficient roome to passe to and fro throughout all the Canoas Some of these are so large besyde the length that they conteyne more then ten or twelue spannes in breadth and sayle with two sayles as with the maister sayle and the tryncket which they make of very good cotton The greatest trees that I haue seene in these partes or in any other regions was in the prouince of Guaturo the kyng wherof rebellyng from the obedience of your maiestie was pursued by me and taken prisoner at whiche tyme I with my companye passed ouer a very hygh mountayne full of great trees in the top whereof we founde one tree whiche had three rootes or rather diuisions of the roote aboue the earth in fourme of a tryangle or treuet so that betweene euery foote of this triangle or three feete there was a space of twentie foote betwene euery foote and this of such heyght aboue the earth that a laden Carâ— of those wherewith they are accustomed to bryng home corne in the tyme of haruest in the kyngdome of Toledo in Spayne â–ª myght easely haue passed through euery of those partitions or wyndowes which were betweene the three feete of the sayd tree From the earth vpwarde to the trunke of the tree the open places of the diuisions betweene these three feete were of suche â—eyght from the ground that a footeman with a Iauelin was not able to reache the place where the sayde feete ioyned togeather in the trunke or bodye of the tree whiche grewe of great heyght in one peece and one whole bodie or euer it spread in braunches whiche it did not before it exceeded in heyght the Towre of Sainct Romane in the citie of Toledo from whiche heyght and vpward it spread very great and strong braunches Among certayne Spaniardes whiche clymed this tree I my selfe was one and when I was ascended to the place where it begunne to spreade the braunches it was a marueilous thyng to beholde a great countrey of suche trees towarde the prouince of Abrayme This tree was easy to clyme by reason of certayne Besuchi whereof I haue spoken before which grew wreathed about the tree in suche sort that they seemed to make a scalyng Ladder Euery of the forsayd three feete whiche bore the bodie of the tree was twentie spannes in thickenesse and where they ioyned all togeather aboute the Trunke or bodie of the tree the principall Trunke was more then fourtie and fyue spannes in circuite I named the mountayne where these trees growe the mountayne of three footed trees And this whiche I haue now declared was seene of all the companie that was there with me when as I haue sayde before I tooke kyng Guaturo prysoner in the yeere .1522 Many thynges more myght heere be spoken as touching this matter as also howe there are many other excellent trees founde of diuers sortes and dyfference as sweete Cedar trees blacke Date trees and many other of the whiche some are so heauye that they cannot floote aboue the water but syncke immediatly to the bottome and other agayne as lyght as a Corke As touchyng all which thynges I haue written more largely in my generall historie of the Indies And forasmuche as at this present I haue entred to entreat of trees before I passe any further to other thynges I wyll declare the maner howe the Indians kindle fyre only with wood and without fire the maner wherof is this They take a peece of wood of two spannes in length as bygge as the least fynger of a mans hand or as an arrowe well pullyshed and of a strong kynde of wood which they keepe only for this purpose and where they entend to kyndle any fire they take two other peeces of wood of the dryest and lyghtest that they can fynde and bynde them fast togeather one with an other as close as two fyngers ioyned in the myddest or betweene these they put the poynt of the fyrst litle staffe made of harde and strong woodde whiche they hold in theyr handes by the toppe thereof and turne or rubbe it rounde about contynually in one place betweene the two peeces of woodde which lye bounde togeather vppon
bodyes and haue two rowes of teeth the one somewhat separate from the other of cruell shape and standyng very thycke When they haue slayne this fyshe they cut the body thereof in small peeces and put it to drye hangyng it three or foure dayes at the cordes of the sayle clothes to drye in the wynde and then eate it It is doubtlesse a good fyshe and of great commoditie to serue the shyppes for vitalles for many dayes the leaste of these fyshes are most holesome and tender it hath a skynne muche lyke to the skynne of a Sole whereunto the sayd Tiburon is like in shape Whiche I saye because Plinie hath made mention of none of these three fyshes among the number of them wherof he writeth in his natural hystorie These Tiburons come foorth of the sea and enter into the ryuers where they are no lesse perylous then great Lisartes or Crocodiles wherof I haue spoken largely before For they deuoure men kyne and horses euen as do the Crocodiles they are very daungerous in certayne washyng places or pooles by the ryuers sydes and where they haue deuoured at other tymes Dyuers other fyshes both great and small of sundry sortes and kyndes are accustomed to folowe the shyppes goyng vnder sayle of the whiche I wyll speake somwhat when I haue written of Manate whiche is the thyrde of the three wherof I haue promised to entreate Manate therefore is a fyshe of the sea of the byggest sorte and muche greater then the Tiburon in length and breadth and is very bruityshe and vyle so that it appeareth in fourme lyke vnto one of those great vesselles made of goates skynnes wherin they vse to cary newe wyne in Medina de Campo or in Areualo the head of this beast is lyke the head of an Oxe with also like eyes and hath in the place of armes two great stumpes wherwith he swymmeth It is a very gentle and tame beast and commeth oftentimes out of the water to the next shore where if he fynd any hearbes or grasse he feedeth therof Our men are accustomed to kyl many of these and diuers other good fyshes with their crosbowes pursuing them in barkes or Canoas because they swim in maner aboue the water the which thyng when they see they drawe them with a hooke tyde at a small corde but somewhat strong As the fyshe fleeth away the archer letteth go and prolongeth the corde by litle and litle vntyll he haue let it go many fathams at the ende of the corde there is tyde a corke or a peece of lyght woodde and when the fyshe is gone a litle way and hath coloured the water with his blood and feeleth hym selfe to faynt and drawe towarde the ende of his lyfe he resorteth to the shore and the archer foloweth geatheryng vp his corde wherof whyle there yet remayne syxe or eyght fathams or somewhat more or lesse he draweth it towarde the lande and draweth the fyshe therewith by litle and litle as the waues of the sea helpe hym to do it the more easly then with the helpe of the rest of his companie he lyfteth this great beaste out of the water to the lande beyng of suche byggenesse that to conuey it from thence to the citie it shal be requisite to haue a carte with a good yoke of Oxen and sometymes more accordyng as these fyshes are of byggenesse some being much greater then other some in the same kinde as is seene of other beastes Somtymes they lyft these fyshes into the Canoa or barke without drawyng them to the lande as before for as soone as they are slayne they flote aboue the water And I beleeue veryly that this fyshe is one of the best in the worlde to the tast and the lykeest vnto fleshe especially so lyke vnto beefe that who so hath not seene it whole can iudge it to be none other when he seeth it in peeces then very beefe or veale and is certaynly so lyke vnto fleshe that all the men in the world may herein be deceyued the tast likewise is like vnto the tast of very good veale and lasteth long yf it be powdred so that in fine the Base of these parts is by no meanes lyke vnto this This Manate hath a certayne stone or rather bone in his head within the brayne whiche is of qualitie greatly appropriate agaynst the disease of the stone if it be burnt and grounde into small powder and taken fastyng in the morning when the paine is felte in such quantitie as may lye vppon a peny with a draught of good whyte wyne For being thus taken three or foure mornings it acquieteth the greefe as dyuers haue tolde me whiche haue proued it true and I my selfe by testimonie of syght do wytnesse that I haue seene this stone sought of dyuers for this effecte There are also dyuers other fyshes as bygge as this Manate among the whiche there is one called Vihuella This fyshe beareth in the toppe of his head a swoorde beyng on euery syde full of many sharpe teeth this swoorde is naturally very harde and strong of foure or fyue spannes in length and of proportion accordyng to the same byggenesse and for this cause is this fyshe called Spada that is the swoorde fyshe Of this kynde some are founde as litle as Sardines and other so great that two yokes of Oxen are scarsely able to drawe them on a Cart. But whereas before I haue promised to speake of other fyshes whiche are taken in these seas whyle the shyppes are vnder sayle I wyll not forgeat to speake of the Tunnye whiche is a great and good fyshe and is oftentymes taken and kylde with trout speares and hookes cast in the water when they play and swym about the shyppes In lyke maner also are taken many Turbuts whiche are very good fyshes as are lyghtly in all the sea And here is to be noted that in the great Ocean sea there is a strange thyng to be consydered whiche all that haue been in the Indies affirme to be true And this is that lyke as on the lande there are some prouinces fertyle and fruitfull and some barren euen so doth the lyke chaunce in the sea So that at some wyndes the shyppes sayle fyftie or a hundred or two hundred leagues and more without takyng or seeyng of one fyshe and agayne in the selfe same Ocean in some places all the water is seene tremble by the mouyng of the fyshes where they are taken abundantly It commeth further to my remembraunce to speake somewhat of the fleeyng of fyshes whiche is doubtlesse a strange thyng to beholde and is after this maner When the shyppes sayle by the great Ocean folowyng theyr viage there ryseth sometymes on the one syde or on the other many companies of certayne litle fyshes of the whiche the byggest is no greater then a Sardyne and so diminishe lesse and lesse from that quantitie that â—ome of them are very
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
commodities that it seemeth in a maner an earthly Paradise it hath diuers kynds of beastes and yet none hurtful or of rauenyng kynde Theyr sheepe are of suche heyght that they vse them in steede of Horses some write that they are as bygge as the young Foles of Camelles and that theyr wooll is verye softe and fyne also that the Ewes bryng foorth Lambes twyse a yeere The people are wyttie and of gentle behauiour cunnyng also in artes faythfull of promise and of maners not greatly to be discommended saue only that they are ignorant of Christ who neuerthelesse is now knowen vnto them in many places as our hope is he shal be daylie more and more yf all Princes wyll herein put theyr helpyng handes to the plowe of our Lorde and send labourers into his vineyarde Of the great ryuer called Rio de la Plata that is the ryuer of siluer THis ryuer reacheth very farre in length breadth and is called Vruai in the Indian tongue Into this falleth an other riuer named Paraue The first that sayled into the riuer of Plata was Iohn Dias Solis whom the ryght noble kyng of Spaine Ferdinandus made Admirall of these seas In the ryuer lyeth an Ilande whiche Iohn Dias named Martinus Gratias because a pilot of his so called was buried there This Ilande is situate in the myddest of the ryuer and is distant from the mouth of the same about fourtie leagues As the sayde Admyrall attempted to expugne the Ilande he was sodenly oppressed and slayne of the Indians that priuylye assayled hym Wherewith neuerthelesse theyr barbarous crueltie was not satisfied vntyll they had torne hym in peeces and deuoured hym But many yeeres after the Emperours Maiestie and Kyng of Spayne Charles the fyfte sent foorth Sebastian Cabot a man of great courage skylful in Cosmographie and of no lesse experience as concernyng the Starres of the sea with commaundement to discouer and subdue the Indians of Tharsis Ophir Cipango and Coi Cathai Receyuyng therefore his commission and proceedyng forwardes on his viage he arriued by chaunce at this Ilande the cause whereof was that the principall vessell was lost by shypwracke and the men that saued theyr lyues by swymmyng were receyued into our shyppes Perceyuyng therefore that by reason of this chaunce he coulde by no meanes perfourme his viage attempted he entended to expugne the sayde Ilande and thereupon to conueygh his victuals to land to prepare his souldiers to the inuasion to plant colonies to erect fortresses by the riuers side wherby the Spaniards might be defended from the violence of the Barbarians But before he attempted this he was aduertised that the Ilande was rich in gold siluer Which thing did so encorage him that without respecte of peryl he thought best to expugne it by one meanes or other wherein his boldenesse tooke good effecte as often tymes chaunceth in great affayres Furthermore as touchyng the ryuer Sebastian Cabote made relation that he neuer sawe any comparable vnto this in breadth and deapth For whereas it falleth into the sea it conteyneth .xxv. leagues in breadth From the mouth of the ryuer Cabote sailed vp the same into the lande for the space of three hundred and fiftie leagues as he wryteth in his owne carde That it is of great deapth may hereby be consydered that many great ryuers fall into it so that the chanell can not be shalowe that conteyneth such aboundance of water and suche plentie of good and great fyshes For there is in maner no fyshe in the sea that is not founde in this ryuer Assoone as the Spanyardes were set alande they made a proofe if the soyle were fruitefull to beare corne Takyng therefore fyftie graynes of wheate and committyng the same to the earth in the moneth of September they geathered thereof two thousand and fiftie at December next folowyng wherin some being deceyued and mistakyng the thyng haue written in the steade of two thousande and fiftie fiftie thousande and two the lyke fertilitie is there of all other grayne and pulse Furthermore thinhabitauntes declared that not farre from that place there are great and hygh mountaines in the which is founde great plentie of golde and no great distance from the same to be other mountaynes no lesse fruitefull of syluer and many other thinges long to rehearse Thinhabitauntes are paynefull men and tyll the grounde diligently wherein they take great pleasure and haue therefore great plentie of bread of Maizium There are sheepe of such byggenesse that they compare them to young Camels or Asses as some say theyr wooll is very fine and nearest vnto the fynenesse of sylke There are also beastes of diuers kyndes Among men there is this difference that such as liue in the mountaynes are whyte and for the most part lyke vnto the men of our regions but they that dwell aboue the ryuer as though they tooke theyr colour thereof are blackyshe or purple of the coloure of fine Iron or Steele This also chaunceth to many of them that theyr feete and legges are lyke the legges and feete of the foule called the Oystreche Of the landes of Laborador and Baccalaos lying west and northwest from England and being part of the firme lande of the VVest Indies MAny haue traueyled to search the coaste of the lande of Laborador aswell to thintent to knowe howe farre or whyther it reacheth as also whether there be any passage by sea through the same into the sea of Sur and the Ilandes of Molucca whiche are vnder the Equinoctiall lyne thynkyng that the way thyther should greatly be shortened by this viage The Spanyardes as to whose ryght the sayde Ilandes of spices parteyne dyd fyrst seeke to fynde the same by this way The Portugales also hauyng the trade of spices in theyr handes dyd trauayle to fynde the same although hytherto neyther any suche passage is founde or the ende of that lande In the yeere a thousande and fiue hundreth Gasper Cortesreales made a viage thyther with two Carauelles but found not the streight or passage he sought At his being there he named the Ilands that lye in the mouth of y e gulfe Quadrado after his name Cortesreales lying in the fyftie degree and more brought from that land about threescore men for slaues He greatly marueyled to behold the huge quantitie of snowe Ise for the sea is there frosen exceedingly Thinhabitantes are men of good corporature although tawny lyke the Indies and laborious They paynt theyr bodyes and weare braselettes and hoopes of syluer and copper theyr apparell is made of the skynnes of Marternes dyuers other beastes whiche they weare with the heare inwarde in winter and outwarde in sommer This apparell they gyrde to theyr bodyes with gyrdels made of cotton or the fynewes of fyshes and beastes They eate fyshe more then any other thyng and especially Salmons although
northerne lande but suche a one that ether is not to be traueyled for the causes in the first Obiection alleaged or cleane shut vp from vs in Europe by Groenland the South ende whereof Moletius maketh firme lande with America the north parte continent with Lapponlande and Norway Thyrdly the greatest fauourers of this voyage can not deny but that if any such passage be it lyeth subiect vnto Yse and snow for the most parte of the yeere whereas it standeth in the edge of the frostie zone Before the Sunne hath warmed the ayre and dissolued the Yse eche one well knoweth that there can bee no saylyng the Yse once broken through the continuall abode the Sunne maketh a certayne season in those partes how shall it be possible for so weake a vessell as a shyppe is to holde out amyd whole Ilandes as it were of Yse continually beatyng on eche syde and at the mouth of that goulphe issuyng downe furiously from the North safely to passe whan whole mountaynes of Yse and Snow shal be tombled downe vpon her Wel graunt the west Indies not to continue continent vnto the Pole graunt there be a passage betwyxt these two landes let the goulph lye neare vs than commonly in cardes we fynde it set namely betwyxt the .61 .64 degrees north as Gemma Frisius in his Mappes and Globes imagineth it and so left by our countriman Sebastian Cabote in his table the which my good Lorde your father hath at Cheynies and so tryed this last yeere by your Honours seruaunt as hee reported and his carde and compasse doe witnesse Let the way bee voyde of all difficulties yet doeth it not folowe that we haue free passage to Cathayo For examples sake You may trende all Norway Finmarke and Lapponlande and than bow Southwarde to sainct Nicolas in Moscouia you may lykewyse in the Mediterranean sea fetche Constantinople and the mouth of Tanais yet is there no passage by sea through Moscouia into Pont Euxine now called Mare Maggiore Agayne in the aforesayde Mediterranean sea we sayle to Alexandria in Egypt the Barbares bryng theyr pearle and spices from the Moluccaes vp the read sea and Arabian goulph to Sues scarsely three dayes iourney from the aforesayde hauen yet haue we no way by sea from Alexandria to the Moluccaes for that Isthmos or litle streicte of lande betwyxt the two seas In lyke maner although the northerne passage bee free at .61 degrees latitude and the West Ocean beyonde America vsually called Mar del zur knowen to be open at .40 degrees eleuation for the Ilande Giapan yea .300 leagues northerly aboue Giapan yet may there bee lande to hynder the through passage that way by sea as in the examples aforesayde it falleth out Asia and America there beyng ioyned togeather in one continent Ne can this opinion seeme altogeather friuolous vnto any one that diligently peruseth our Cosmographers doynges Iosephus Moletius is of that mynde not onely in his playne hemispheres of the worlde but also in his sea carde The French Geographers in lyke maner bee of the same opinion as by their Mappe cut out in fourme of a harte you may perceyue as though the West Indyes were parte of Asie Whiche sentence well agreeth with that olde conclusion in the scholes Quidquid praeter Africam et Europam est Asia est Whatsoeuer land doeth neyther appertayne vnto Afrike nor to Europe is parte of Asie Furthermore it were to small purpose to make so long so paynefull so doubtfull a voyage by such a new founde way if in Cathayo you should neyther be suffred to lande for silkes and siluer nor able to fetche the Molucca spices and pearle for piracye in those seas Of a lawe denying all Aliens to enter into China and forbiddyng all the inhabiters vnder a great penaltie to let in any stranger into that countreys shall you reade in the report of Galeotto Perera there imprisoned with other Portugalles as also in the Giaponyshe letters howe for that cause the woorthie traueyler Xauierus bargayned with a Barbarian Marchaunt for a great sum of Pepper to be brought into Cantan a porte in Cathayo The great and daungerous piracie vsed in that seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to reade the Giaponishe and East Indian historie Finally all this great labour would bee lost all these charges spent in vayne if in the ende our traueylers myght not be able to returne agayne and bryng safely home into theyr owne natyue countrey that wealth and ryches they in forreyne regions with aduenture of goodes and daunger of theyr lyues haue sought for By the Northeast there is no way the Southeast passage the Portugalles doe hold as Lordes of that seas At the Southwest Magellanus experience hath partly taught vs and partly we are persuaded by reason howe the Easterne currant stryketh so furiously on that streicte and falleth with such force into that narrow goulphe that hardely any shyppe can returne that way into our West Ocean out of Mar del zur The which if it be true as truly it is than may we say that the aforesayde Easterne currant or leuant course of waters continually folowyng after the heauenly motions looseth not altogeather his force but is doubled rather by an other currant from out the Northeast in the passage betwyxt America and the North lande whyther it is of necessitie carryed hauyng none other way to maintaine it selfe in circular motion and consequently the force and fury thereof to be no lesse in the streict of Aniaâ— where it striketh South into Mar del zur beyond America if any such streicte of sea there be than in Magellane frete both streictes beyng of lyke breadth as in Belognine Zalterius table of new France and in Don Diego Hermano di Toledo his carde for nauigation in that region we doe fynde precisely set downe Neuerthelesse to approue that there lyeth a way to Cathayo at the Northwest from out of Europe we haue experyence namely of three brethren that went that iourney as Gemma Frisius recordeth and left a name vnto that streicte whereby nowe it is called Fretum trium Fratrum We do reade againe of a Portugal that passed this streicte of whom M. Furbisher speaketh that was imprisoned therefore many yeeres in Lesbona to veryfie the olde Spanyshe prouerbe I suffer for doyng wel Likewise An. Vrdaneta a fryer of Mexico came out of Mar del zur this way into Germanie his Carde for he was a great discouerer made by his owne experience and trauayle in that voyage hath been seene by gentelmen of good credite Now yf the obseruation and remembrance of thyngs breedeth experience and of experience proceedeth art and the certeine knowledge we haue in al faculties as y e best Philosophers that euer were do affyrme truly the voyage of these aforesayd trauaillers that haue gone out of Europe into Mar del zur and returned thence at the Northwest doo moste euidently conclude that way to be nauigable and that
passage free So much the more we are so to thynke for that the fyrste principle and chiefe grounde in all Geographie as great Ptolome sayth is the historie of trauel that is reportes made by trauaylers skylfull in Geometrie Astronomie of al suche thinges in their iourney as to Geographie do belong It only then remaineth that we now answeare to those argumentes that seemed to make against this former conclusion The fyrste obiection is of no force that generall table of the worlde set foorth by Ortelius or Mercator for it greatly skilleth not being vnskylfully drawen for that poynt as manifestly it may appeare vnto any one that conferreth the same wiâ—h Gemma Frisius vniuersal mappe with his round quartered carde â–ª with his globe with Sobastian Cabota his table and Ortelius generall Mappe alone worthily preferred in this case before all Mercator and Ortelius other doinges for that Cabota was not only a skilful sea man but a long trauailer such a one as entred personally that streicte sent by king Henry the seuenth to make this aforesayd discouery as in his owne discourse of nauigation you may reade in his carde drawen with his owne hande the mouth of the northwesterne streict lieth neare the .318 Meridian betwixt .61 and .64 degrees in eleuation continuyng the same breadth about .10 degrees west where it openeth southerly more and more vntyll it come vnder the tropike of Cancer and so runneth into Mar del zur at the least .18 degrees more in breadth there then it was where it fyrst began otherwyse I coulde as well imagine this passage to be more vnlykely then the voyage to Moscouia and more impossible then it for the farre situation and continuance thereof in y e frosty clime as nowe I can affyrme it to be very possible and most lykely in comparison thereof for that it nether coasteth so farre north as the Moscouian passage doth nether is this streicte so long as that before it bowe downe southerly towardes the Sonne agayne The seconde argument concludeth nothing Ptoleme knewe not what was aboue .16 degrees south beyonde the equinoctiall lyne he was ignorant of all passages northwarde from the eleuation of .63 he knewe no Ocean sea beyonde Asia yet haue the Portugalles trended y e Cape of good hope at the south poynte of Afrike and trauayled to Giapan an Ilande in the east Ocean betwixt Asia America our marchants in y e time of king Edward the syxt discouered the Moscouian passage farther north then Thule and shewed Groenlande not to be continent with Lapponlande and Norway the lyke our northwesterne trauaylers haue done declaryng by theyr nauigation that way the ignorance of all Cosmographers that ether do ioyne Groenlande with America or continue the west Indies with that frosty region vnder the north pole As for Virgil he sange accordingly to y e knowledge of men in his time as an other Poete dyd of the hotte Zone Quarum quae media est non est habitabilis aestu Imaginyng as most men then dyd Zonam torridam the hot Zone to be altogeather dishabited for heat though presently we knowe many famous and worthy kingdomes and cities in that part of the earth and the Iland of saint Thomas neare Aethiopia and the welthy Ilands for the which chiefly al these voyages are taken in hande to be inhabited euen vnder the equinoctial lyne To answere the third obiection besides Cabota al other trauaylers nauigations y e only creadit of M. Furbisher may suffise who lately through al these Ilands of Ise and mountaines of snowe passed that way euen beyond the gulphe that tumbleth downe from the North and in some places though he drewe one ynche thick Ise as he returning in August dyd came home safelye agayne The fourth argument is altogeather friuolous vayne for neyther is there any isthmos or streict of land betwixt America and Asia ne can these two landes ioyntly be one continent The fyrst part of my answere is manifestly allowed of by Homer whom that excellent Geographer Strabo foloweth yeldyng hym in this facultie the prise The aucthour of that booke lykewyse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Alexander attributed vnto Aristotle is of y e same opinion that Homer and Strabo be of in two or three places Dionisius in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So dooth the Ocean sea runne rounde about the worlde speakyng only of Europe Africke and Asie as then Asie was trauayled knowen With these Doctoures may you ioyne Pomponius Mela Cap. 2. lib. 1. Plinius lib. 2. Cap. 67. and Pius 2. Cap. 2. in his description of Asie All the whiche writers do no lesse confirme the whole Easterne side of Asie to be compassed about with sea then Plato doth affirme in Timaeo vnder the name Atlantide the West Indies to be an Ilande as in a speciall discourse thereof R. Eden writeth agreable vnto the sentence of Proclus Marsilius Fiâ—inus and others Out of Plato it is gathered that America is an Ilande Homer Strabo Aristotle Dionisius Mela Plinie Pius 2. affirme the continent of Asie Afrike and Europe to be enuironned with the Ocean I may therefore boldly say though later intelligences therof had we none at all that Asie and the West Indies be not tied togeather by any isthmos or streict of land contrary to the opinion of some new Cosmographers by whom doubtfully this matter hath been brought in controuersie And thus muche for the first part of my aunswere vnto the fourth obiection The second part namely that America Asie cannot be one continent may thus be prooued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most riuers take downe that way their course where the earth is most holowe deepe wryteth Aristotle and the sea sayth he in the same place as it goeth farther so is it founde deeper Into what goulphe do the Moscouian ryuers Onega Duina Oby and Rha powre out their streames Northwarde out of Moscouia into the sea Whiche way dooth that sea stryke The South is mayne lande the Easterne coast waxeth more and more shalowe from the North ether naturally because that part of the earth is higher Aristot. 2. met c. 1. or of necessitie for that the forcible influence of some Northerne Starres causeth the earth there to shake of the sea as some Philosophers do thynke or finally for the great store of waters engendred in that frostie and cold clyme that the banckes are not able to holde them Alber. in 2. Meteo Cap. 6. From the North I say contynually falleth downe great abundaunce of water So that this Northeasterne currant must at the length abruptly â—owe toward vs South on the West syde of Fynmarke and Norwaye or els stryke downe Southwest aboue Groneland or betwixt Groneland and Iseland into the Northwest streict we speake of as of congruence it doth yf you marke the situation of that region and by the report of M. Furbisher experience teacheth
vs. And M. Furbisher the further he trauayled in the former passage as he tolde me the deeper alwayes he founde sea Lay you now the sum hereof togeather The riuers runne where the Chanels are most hollow the sea in taking his course waxeth deeper the sea waters fall continuallye from the North Southward the Northeasterne currant striketh downe into the streict we speake of is there augmented with whole mountains of I se snow falling downe furiously out from y e land vnder y e North Pole Where store of water is there is it a thing impossible to want sea where sea not only doth not want but waxeth deeper ther can be discouered no land Finally whence I pray you came the contrary tyde that M. Furbisher met withal after that he had sayled no small way in that passage if there be any isthmos or streict of land betwixt the aforesaid Northweststerne gulfe and Mar del Zur to ioyne Asia and America togeather That conclusion frequented in scholes Quidquid preter c. was ment of the partes of the worlde then knowen and so is it of ryght to be vnderstoode The fifte obiection requireth for answere wysedome and policie in the trauailer to wyn the Barbares fauour by some good meanes and so to arme strengthen him selfe that when he shal haue the repulse in one coast he may safely trauaile to an other commodiously taking his conuenient times discretly making choyse of them with whom he wyl throughly deale To force a violent entrie would for vs Englishe men be very hard consyderyng the strength and valeour of so great a nation farre distaunt from vs and the attempt thereof myght bee most perillous vnto the doers vnlesse theyr part were verye good Touchyng theyr lawes agaynst strangers you shall reade neuerthelesse in the same relations of Galeotto Berara that the Cathaian kyng is woont to graunt free accesse vnto all forreiners that trade into his countrey for marchandyse and a place of lybertie for them to remaine in as the Mores had vntyll such time as they had brought the Loutea or Lieuetenaunt of that coaste to be a circumcised Saracene wherefore some of them were put to the sworde the rest were scattred abrode at Fuquien a great citie in China certayne of them are yet this day to be seen As for the Giapans they be most desyrous to be acquaynted with strangers The Portugals though they were straightly handled there at the fyrst yet in the ende they founde great fauoure at the prince his hands insomuch that the Loutea or president that misused them was therefore put to death The rude Indish Canoa halleth that seas the Portugalles the Saracenes Mores traueil continually vp downe that reache from Giapan to China from China to Malacca from Malacca to the Moluccaes and shal an Englishmā better appointed then any of them al that I say no more of our nauie feare to saile in that Ocean What seas at al doo want piracie what nauigation is there voyde of peril To the last argument Our traueylers neede not to seeke their returne by the northeast ne shall they be constrayned except they lyst ether to attempte Magellane streicte at the Southwest or to be in daunger of the Portugalles for the Southeast they may returne by the northwest that same way they do go foorth as experience hath shewed The reason alleaged for proofe of the contrary may be disproued after this maner And fyrst it may be called in controuersie whether any currant continually be forced by the motion of Primum mobile rounde about the worlde or no for learned men do diuersely handle that question The naturall course of all waters is downewarde wherfore of congruence they fall that way where they fynde the earth most lowe and deepe in respecte whereof it was erst sayde the seas to strike from the Northren landes Southerly Uiolently the seas are tossed and troubled diuerse wayes with the wyndes encreased and diminished by the course of the Moone hoysed vp and downe through the sundrye operations of the Sonne and the Starres finally some be of opinion that the seas be carried in part violently about y e world after the daily motion of the highest mouable heauen in lyke maner as y e elementes of ayre and fyre with the rest of the heauenly spheres are from the east vnto the west And this they do call theyr easterne currant or leuant streame Some suche currant may not be denied to be of great force in the hote Zone for the nearenes thereof vnto the centre of the Sonne and blustryng easterne wyndes violently dryuing the seas westwarde howbeit in the temperate climes the Sonne beyng farther of and the wyndes more diuerse blowyng as muche from the north the west and south as from the east this rule doth not effectually withholde vs from traueylyng eastwarde ne be we kepte euer backe by the aforesayde Leuante wyndes and streame But in Magellane streict we are violently driuen backe westwarde Ergo through the Northwesterne streicte or Anian fret shall we not be able to returne eastwarde it foloweth not The fyrst for that the northwesterne streict hath more sea rome at the least by one hundred Englyshe myles then Magellane fret hath the onely want wherof causeth all narrowe passages generally to be most violent So woulde I say in Anian gulfe if it were so narrowe as Don Diego and Zalterius haue paynted it out any returne that way to be ful of difficulties in respect of such streictnes therof not for the nearenes of the Sonne or easterne wyndes violently forceing that way any leuant streame But in that place there is more sea rome by many degrees if the cardes of Cabota and Gemma Frisius and that whiche Tramezine imprinted be true And hytherto reason see I none at all but that I may as well geue credyt vnto theyr doynges as to any of the rest It must be Peregrinationis historia that is true reportes of skilful trauailers as Ptolome writeth that in suche controuersies of Geographie must put vs out of double Ortelius in his vniuersall tables in his particuler Mappes of the west Indies of all Asia of the northren kyngdomes of the easte Indies Mercator in some of his globes and generall mappes of the worlde Moletius in his vniuersall table of the Globe diuided in his sea carde and particuler tables of the East Indies Zalterius and Don Diego with Fernando Bertely and others do so much dyffer both from Gemma Frisius and Cabota among them selues in diuers places from them selues concerning the diuers situation and sundrye limittes of America that one may not so rashly as truelye surmise these men either to be ignorant in those pointes touching the aforesayd region or that the mappes they haue geuen out vnto the world were collected only by them neuer of their owne drawyng M. Furbishers prosperous voyage and happie returne wyl absolutely decide these controuersies and certaynely determine where
the contrary parte of the sayde lande discouered The sayd maister Antonie wrote furthermore that by the opinion of men well practised there was discouered so great a space of that countrey vnto the sayde sea that it passed .950 leagues whiche make .2850 myles And doubtlesse if the Frenche men in this theyr newe Fraunce would haue passed by lande toward the sayd Northwest and by North they should also haue founde the sea whereby they myght haue sayled to Cathay But aboue all thynges this seemed vnto me most woorthie of commendation that the sayde maister Antonie wrote in his letter that he had made a booke of al the naturall and marueylous thinges whiche they founde in searchyng those countreys with also the measures of landes and altytudes of degrees A worke doubtlesse which sheweth a princely and magnificall mynd wherby we may conceiue that if God had giuen him the charge of the other hemispherie he would or now haue made it better knowen to vs. The which thing I suppose no man doth greatly esteeme at this tyme beyng neuerthelesse the greatest and most glorious enterpryse that may be imagined And heere makyng a certayne pause and turnyng him selfe towarde vs hee sayde Doe you not vnderstande to this purpose howe to passe to India towarde the Northwest wynde as dyd of late a citizen of Uenece so valiant a man and so well practised in all thinges perteynyng to nauigations and the science of Cosmographie that at this present hee hath not his lyke in Spayne insomuche that for his vertues hee is preferred aboue all other pylottes that sayle to the West Indies who may not passe thyther without his lycence and is therefore called Piloto Maggiore that is the graunde pylote And when we sayde that wee knewe him not hee proceeded saying that beyng certayne yeeres in the citie of Siuile and desirous to haue some knowledge of the nauigations of the Spanyardes it was tolde him that there was in the citie a valiant man a Uenecian borne named Sebastian Cabote who had the charge of those thinges beyng an expert man in that science and one that could make cardes for the sea with his owne hande and that by this reporte seekyng his acquayntaunce hee founde him a very gentle person who enterteyned him friendly and shewed him many thinges and among other a large Mappe of the worlde with certayne perticular nauigations aswell of the Portugales as of the Spanyardes and that hee spake further vnto him in this effecte When my father departed from Uenece many yeeres since to dwell in Englande to folowe the trade of merchandyes hee tooke mee with him to the citie of London whyle I was very young yet hauing neuerthelesse some knowledge of letters of humanitie and of the sphere And when my father dyed in that tyme when newes were brought that Don Christopher Colonus Genuese had discouered the coasts of India wherof was great talke in all the court of kyng Henry the seuenth who then reigned insomuche that all men with great admiration affirmed it to be a thing more diuine then humane to sayle by the West into the East where spyces growe by a way that was neuer knowen before By which fame and report there increased in my harte a great flame of desyre to attempte some notable thyng And vnderstandyng by reason of the sphere that if I should sayle by the way of the Northwest wynde I should by a shorter tracte come to India I therevppon caused the kyng to bee aduertised of my diuise who immediately commaunded two Carauels to be furnyshed with all thinges apperteynyng to the vyage which was as farre as I remember in the yeere .1496 in the begynnyng of sommer Beginning therefore to sayle toward Northwest not thinking to fynde any other lande then that of Cathay and from thence to turne toward India But after certayne dayes I founde that the lande ranne towarde the North which was to me a great displeasure Neuerthelesse saylyng along by the coast to see if I could fynde any gulfe that turned I founde the lande styll continent to the .56 degree vnder our pole And seeyng that there the coast turned toward the East dispayring to fynde the passage I turned backe agayne and sayled downe by the coast of that lande towarde the Equinoctiall euer with intent to fynde the sayde passage to India and came to that parte of this firme lande whiche is nowe called Florida Where my victualles faylyng I departed from thence and returned into Englande where I founde great tumultes among the people and preparance for warres in Scotlande by reason whereof there was no more consideration had to this vyage Whervppon I went into Spayne to the Catholyke kyng and queene Elizabeth who beyng aduertised what I had done enterteyned mee and at theyr charges furnyshed certayne shyppes wherewith they caused mee to sayle to discouer the coastes of Brasile where I founde an exceedyng great and large ryuer named at this present Rio della Plata that is the ryuer of siluer into the whiche I sayled and folowed it into the firme lande more then sixe hundred leagues fyndyng it euery where very fayre and inhabited with infinite people whiche with admiration came runnyng dayly to our shyppes Into this ryuer runne so many other riuers that it is in maner incredible After this I made many other vyages whiche I now permyt And wexyng olde I gyue my selfe to rest from suche traueyles bycause there are nowe many young and lusty Pylotes and mariners of good experience by whose forwardnesse I doe reioyce in the fruites of my labours and rest with the charge of this office as you see And this is as muche as I haue vnderstoode of maister Sebastian Cabote as I haue geathered out of dyuers nauigations written in the Italian tongue And whereas I haue before made mention howe Moscouia was in our tyme discouered by Richarde Chanceler in his viage towarde Cathay by the direction and information of the sayd maister Sebastian who long before had this secrete in his mynd I shall not neede heere to describe that viage forasmuche as the same is largely and faythfully written in the Latine tongue by that learned young man Clement Adams schoolemaister to the Queenes Henshemen as he receyued it at the mouth of the sayd Richard Chanceler Neuerthelesse I haue thought good heere to speake somewhat of Moscouia as I haue redde in the booke of Iohn Faber written in the Latine tongue to the ryght noble Prince Ferdinando Archeduke of Austria and Infant of Spaine of the maners and religion of the Moscouites as he was partly instructed by the Ambassadours of the Duke of Moscouie sent into Spayne to Themperours maiestie in the yeere .1525 He wryteth therefore as foloweth I thynke it fyrst conuenient to speake somewhat of the name of this region whereby it is called at this day and howe it was called in olde tyme. Conferryng therefore the moste
in maner vnder the same qualitie of heauen persysted wyllyngly in the same opinion with more confidence then consideration of the thynges whereof we nowe intreate so lyghtly was that opinion receyued as touchyng the vnhabitable clime vnder the poles But we with better confidence and faith forasmuche as we are not instructed with coniectures intend to stande against the sentence of the olde autours affirmyng the North regions within the colde clime to be inhabited with herrynges coddes haddockes and brettes tunnyes and other great fyshes with thinfinite number whereof tables are furnyshed through a great parte of Europe All whiche are taken in the North sea extended beyonde our knoweledge This sea at certayne tymes of the yeere poureth foorth his plentifulnes or rather driueth foorth his increase to seeke newe mansions and are here taken in theyr passage Furthermore also euen the mouthes of the riuer of Tiber receiued a fyshe as a newe gest sent from the north sea this swamme twise through Fraunce and twise through Spayne ouerpassed the Ligurion and Tuscan sea to communicate her selfe to the citie of Rome The lakes also and ryuers of those regions are replenyshed with fyshe insomuch that no power of colde is able to extinguyshe thincrease of the yeere folowing and the succession reparable so many hundred yeeres And I plainely thinke that if it should of necessitie folowe that one of these two elementes the earth and the water should be destructiue to lyuyng creatures the water shoulde chiefely haue wrought this effecte But this is founde so tractable that in the depe wynter both that increase is brought foorth and fyshing is also exercised The lande is lykewise inhabited with like plentifulnesse But that we wander not to farre let the fayth hereof rest in thexposition folowing wherin we intend to declare howe by the power of nature and industry of man this commoditie may come to passe Therefore as touchyng nature we suppose that the diuine prouidence hath made nothyng vncommunicable but to haue geuen suche order to all thynges wherby euery thyng may be tollerable to the next The extremities of the elementes consent with theyr next The ayre is grosse about the earth and water but thynne and hot about the fyre By this prouidence of nature the vttermost sea is very salt And salt as witnesseth Plinie yeldeth the fattnesse of Oyle But Oyle by a certayne natyue heate is of propertie agreeable to fyre The sea then beyng al of such qualitie powreth foorth it selfe farre vpon thextreeme landes whereby by reason of the saltnesse thereof it moueth and stirreth vp generatiue heate as by fatnesse it norisheth the fecunditie of thynges generate It geueth this fruitefulnesse to the earth at certayne floods although the earth also it selfe haue in his inner bowels the same lyuely and norishing heate wherby not only the Dennes Caues and hollow places but also spryngs of water are made warme this so much the more in how muche the wynter is more vehement This thyng doth more appeare by this example that the mountaines of Norway and Swethlande are fruitfull of metales in the which siluer and copper are concoct and molten into veines â–ª which can scarcely by done in fornaces By this reason also the vapoures and hot exhalations pearsyng the earth and the waters and through both those natures breathyng foorth into the ayre temperateth the qualitie of heauen maketh it tollerable to beasts as witnesseth the huge bygnesse of the Whales in those seas with the strength of body and long lyfe of such beastes as lyue on the land which thyng coulde not be except all thyngs were there commodiously norished by the benefite of the heauen and the ayre For nothyng that in the tyme of encrease is hyndred by any iniurie or that is euyl fedde al the tyme it lyueth can prosper wel Neyther are such thynges as liue there offended with theyr natural wynter as though an Egiptian or Ethiopian were sodenly conueighed into those cold regions For they were in long tyme by litle and litle brought fyrst acquaynted with the nature of that heauen as maye be prooued both by the lyfe of man and by the hystorie of holy scripture They that were led from Mesopatamia and that famous Tower of Babilon towards the North partes of the worlde in the fyrst dispertion of nations did not immediately passe to the extreme boundes but planted theyr habitations first vnder a myddle heauen between both as in Thracia and Pontus where theyr posteritie was accustomed the better to susteyne the rigour of Scythia and Tanais as he that commeth from winter to sommer may the better after abyde yse and snow beyng fyrst hardened thereto by the frostes of Autumne In lyke maner mortal men accustomed to beare the hardnesse of places next vnto them were thereby at the length more confirmed to sustayne the extremities And here also if any sharpnesse remaine that may seeme intollerable nature hath so prouided for the same with other remedies For the land and sea hath geuen vnto beastes deepe and large Caues Dennes and other hollowe places and secreete corners in mountaynes and rockes both on the land and by sea banckes in the which are euer conteyned warme vapoures so muche the more intent and vehement in how much they are the more constrayned by extreeme cold Nature hath also geuen valleyes diuerted and defended from the North windes She hath lykewyse couered beastes with heare so muche the thycker in how much the vehemencie of cold is greater by reason wherof the best and richest furres are brought from those regions as Sables whose pryce is growne to great excesse next vnto gold and precious stones and are esteemed princely ornamentes The beasts that beare these furres are hunted cheefelye in winter whiche thyng is more strange because their heare is then thicker and cleaueth faster to the skin How greeuous then shal we thinke the wynter to be there where this litle beast liueth so wel and where the hunters may search the Dennes and hauntes of such beastes through the woods and snow But such beastes the condition of whose bodies is so tender that they are not able to abide thiniurie of the cold either lye hyd in winter or change their habitation as do certaine beasts also in our clime Nature hath furthermore geuen remedie to man both by art and industry to defende him selfe both abrode and at home Abrode with a thicke vesture and the same well dowbeled At home with large fyers on Harthes Chymneyes and in Stooues for the daye with close Chaumbers and Couches soft and warme Beddes for the nyght by whiche remedies they mittigate the wynters which seeme rigorous to straungers although they are to thinhabitantes more tollerable then our opinion as in deede by the fyrst naturall mixture or composition of theyr bodies such thyngs are agreeable to them as seeme very hard to other The Lion
exceedyng hygh mountaynes reachyng euen vnto the bankes whose rydges or toppes by reason of continuall wyndes are in maner vtterly barren without grasse or fruites And although in diuers places they haue diuers names yet are they commonlye called Cingulus mundi that is the worlde In these mountaynes doo Ierfalcons breede whereof I haue spoken before There growe also Cedar trees among the whiche are founde the best and blackest kynde of Sables and onely these mountaynes are seene in all the dominions of the prince of Moscouia whiche perhappes are the same that the olde wryters call Rhipheos or Hyperboreos so named of the Greeke woorde Hyper that is Under and Boreas that is the North for by reason they are couered with continual snowe and frost they can not without great difficultie be trauayled and reache so farre into the North that they make the vnknowen land of Engreonland The Duke of Moscouia Basilius the sonne of Iohn sent on a tyme two of his captaynes named Simeon Pheodorowitz Kurbski and Knes Peter Vschatoi to searche the places beyonde these mountaynes and to subdue the nations thereabout Kurbski was yet alyue at my beyng in Moscouia and declared vnto mee that he spent .xvii. dayes in ascending the mountayne and yet could not come to the toppe therof which in theyr tongue is called Stolp that is a pyller This mountayne is extended into the Ocean vnto the mouthes of the ryuers of Dwina and Petzora But now hauyng spoken thus much of the sayde iourney I will returne to the dominions of Moscouia with other regions lying Eastwarde and South from the same toward the myghtie Empyre of Cathay But I will fyrst speake somewhat briefly of the prouince of Rezan and the famous ryuer of Tanais The prouince of Rezan situate betweene the ryuers of Occa and Tanais hath a citie buylded of wood not far from the banke of Occa there was in it a Castle named Iaroslaw whereof there now remayneth nothing but tokens of the olde ruine Not farre from that citie the ryuer Occa maketh an Ilande named Strub which was somtyme a great Dukedome whose prince was subiecte to none other This prouince of Rezan is more fruitful then any other of the prouinces of Moscouia Insomuche that in this as they say euery grayne of wheate bringeth foorth twoo and sometymes more eares whose stalkes or strawes grow so thicke that horses can scarsly goe through them or Quayles flee out of them There is great plentie of hony fyshes foules byrdes and wylde beastes The fruites also doe farre exceede the fruites of Moscouia The people are bolde and warlyke men Of the famous ryuer of Tanais FRom Moscouia vnto the Castle of Iaroslaw and beyonde for the space of almost xxiiii leagues runneth the ryuer of Tanais at a place called Donco where the marchauntes that trade to Asoph Capha and Constantinople fraight theyr shyppes and this for the most parte in Autumpe beyng a rayney tyme of the yeere For Tanais heere at other tymes of the yeere doeth not so abounde with water as to beare shyppes of any burden This famous ryuer of Tanais dyuydeth Europe from Asia and hath his orygynall or sprynges almost .viii. leagues from the citie of Tulla towarde the South inclynyng somewhat towarde the East and not out of the Riphean mountaynes as some haue writen But out of a great lake named Iwanwosero that is the lake of Iohn beyng in length and bredth about .1500 Werstes in a wood which some call Okonitzkilles and other name it Iepipbanoulies And out of this lake spryng the two great ryuers of Schat and Tanais Schat towarde the West receyuyng into it the ryuer of Vppa runneth into the riuer of Occa betwene the West and the North But Tanais at the fyrst runneth directly East and continueth his course betwene the kyngdomes of Casan and Astrachan within syxe or seuen leagues of Volga and from thence bendyng towarde the South maketh the fennes or maryshes of Meotis Furthermore nexte vnto his sprynges is the citie of Tulla and vppon the banke of the ryuer almost three leagues aboue the mouthes of the same is the citie of Asoph whiche was fyrst called Tanais Foure dayes iorney aboue this is a towne called Achas situate harde by the same ryuer whiche the Moscouites call Don. I can not sufficiently prayse this ryuer for the exceedyng abundaunce of good fyshes and fayrenesse of the regions on both sydes the bankes with plentie of holesome hearbes and sweete rootes besyde dyuers and many fruitefull trees growyng in suche coomly order as though they had been set of purpose in gardens or orchardes There is also in maner euery where such plentie of wylde beastes that they may easely be slayne with arrowes Insomuch that such as trauaile by those regions shall stande in neede of none other thyng to mayntayne theyr lyfe but only fyre and salte In these partes is no obseruation of myles but of dayes iorneys But as farre as I coulde coniecture from the fountaynes or sprynges of Tanais vnto the mouthes of the same iorneying by lande are almost fourescore leagues And sayling from Donco from whence I sayde that Tanais was fyrst nauigable in scarsely .xx. dayes voyage they come to the citie of Asoph tributarie to the Turkes which is as they say fyue dayes iorney from the streight of Taurica otherwyse called Precop In this citie is a famous marte towne vnto the whiche resort many merchauntes of dyuers nations and from dyuers partes of the worlde For that all nations may the gladlyer haue recourse thyther free lybertie of bying and sellyng is graunted vnto all and that without the citie euery man may freely vse his owne and accustomed maner of lyuyng without punyshement Of the alters of great Alexander and Iulius Cesar whiche many wryters make mention of in this place or of theyr ruines I coulde haue no certayne knoweledge of thinhabitauntes or any other that had oftentymes trayuayled these places Furthermore the souldyers whiche the prince of Moscouia mayntayneth there yeerely to oppresse thincursions of the Tartars being of me demaunded herof answeared y t they neuer saw or heard of any such thing Neuerthelesse they said that about y e mouths of Tanais the lesse foure dayes iorney from Asoph neere vnto a place called Sewerski by the holy mountaynes they sawe certayne images of stone and marble Tanais the lesse hath his springes in the Dukedome of Sewerski whereof it is called Donetz Sewerski and falleth into Tanais three dayes iorney aboue Asoph But such as iorney from Moscouia to Asoph by lande they passyng ouer Tanais about the olde and ruinate towne of Donco do somwhat turne from the South to the East In the which place if a ryght line be drawne from the mouthes of Tanais to the sprynges of the same Moscouia shal be founde to be in Asia and not in Europe More directly from
Moscouia to Cathay THe great and large prouince of Permia is distant from Moscouia two hundred and fyftie or as some sai three hundred leagues directly betwene the East and North and hath a citie of the same name by the ryuer Vischora which runneth .x. leagues beneth Camam The iorney by land can scarsely be trauailed thither but in winter by reasō of mani riuers marishes ▪ and fens But in sommer this iorney is dispatched with more facilitie in boates or smal ships by Vuolochda Vstiug and the ryuer Vitzechda which runneth into Duina .xii. leagues from Vstiug But they that go from Permia to Vstiug must sayle vp the ryuer Vischora agaynst the course of the streame and passyng ouer certayne ryuers sometymes also conueying theyr boates into other ryuers by land they come at the length to Vstiug three hundred leagues distant from the citie of Permia There is smal vse of bread in this prouince For theyr yeerely tribute they pay to the Prince furres and horses They haue a priuate language and letters of theyr owne which one Stephen a Byshop who confirmed them yet waueryng in the fayth did inuent For before beyng yet infantes in the faith of Christ they slewe and fleyde an other Byshop that was appoynted to instruct them This Stephen afterward when Demetrius the sonne of Iohn reygned was taken for a Sainct among the Ruhens Of these people there yet remayne many Idolatours here and there in the woods whom the Munkes and Heremites that go thyther do not cease to conuert from theyr vaine errour In the winter they iorney to Artach as they do in many places of Russia Artach are certaine long patentes of wood of almost six handfulles in length which they make fast to theyr feete with Latchets and therwith perfourme theyr iorneis with great celeritie They vse for this purpose great Dogges in the steade of other beastes with the which they carry theyr fardels on sleades as other do with Hartes in other places as we wyl further declare hereafter They say that the prouince toward the East confineth with the prouince called Tumen parteining to the Tartars The situation of the prouince of Iugaria is apparent by that which we haue sayd before The Moscouites call it Iuhra with an aspiration and call the people Iuhrici This is that Iugaria from whence the Hungarians came in tyme past possessed Pannonia and vnder the conduct of Attila subdued many prouinces of Europe wherein the Moscouites doo greatly glorye that a nation subiect to them inuaded and wasted a great part of Europe Georgius Paruus a Greeke borne and a man of reputation with the Prince of Moscouia wyllyng to ascribe to the ryght of his Prince the great Dukedome of Lithuania and the kyngdome of Polonie ▪ with certayne other Dominions tolde me that the Iuhgarici or Iuhgarie beyng subiects to the great Duke of Moscouia came foorth of theyr owne countrey and fyrst inhabited the regions about the Fennes of Meotis and then Pannonie which was afterward called Hungarie by the ryuer of Danubius Also that in fine they possessed the region of Morauia so named of the ryuer and lykewyse Pollonie so called of Polle whiche signifieth a playne Furthermore that Buda was so called after the name of the brother of Attila They say also that the Iuhgarie vse the same tongue that do the Hungarians the whiche whether it be true or not I do not know For although I haue made diligent inquisition to knowe the trueth hereof yet could I fynde no man of that region with whom my seruaunt beyng expert in the Hungarian tongue might speake They also pay furres for theyr tributes to the Prince of Moscouia And albeit that pearles and precious stones are brought from thence to Moscouia yet are they not geathered in theyr Ocean but in other places especially about the coast of the Ocean neare vnto the mouthes of Duina The prouince of Sibier confineth with Permia and Vuiathka the whiche whether it haue anye castels or cities I do not yet certaynely knowe In this the ryuer Iaick hath his originall and falleth into the Caspian sea They say that this region is desart because it lyeth so neare the Tartars or that yf it be in any part inhabited the same to be possessed of the Tartar Schichmamai Thinhabitantes haue a peculiar language and haue theyr cheefe gaynes by the furres of Marternes whiche in fairnesse and greatnesse excel al the furres of that kynd that are found in any other prouinces Yet could I haue no greate plentie of them in Moscouia at my beyng there Note that long after the wrytyng of this historie at Richard Chaunceler his fyrst bryng in Moscouia Duke Iohn Vasiliuiche that nowe reygneth subdued all the Tartars with theyr regions and prouinces euen vnto the great citie and mart towne of Astrachan the Caspian sea At the same tyme also there was in the Dukes Court an ambassadour that came from this prouince of Sibier who declared that his father had been sent Ambassadour to the great Chan of Cathay and that the great citie of Cambalu where the great Chan kepeth his Court in wynter was in maner distroyed by Nigromancie and Magicall Artes wherein the Cathyans are very expert as wryteth Marcus Paulus Venetus There was also at the same tyme thambassadour of the kyng of Pertia called the great Sophie This Ambassadour was apparelled al in Scarlet and spake muche to the Duke in the behalfe of our men of whose kyngdome and trade he was not ignorant The people called Czeremisse dwell in the wooddes beneth Nouogradia the lower They haue a peculiar language and are of the secte of Machumet They were sometyme subiecte to the kyng of Casan but the greater part of them are nowe subiecte to the prince of Moscouia Many of them at my beyng there were brought to Moscouia as suspected of rebellion This nation doth inhabite a large region without houses from Vuiathka and Vuolochda to the ryuer of Rama All the nation aswell women as men are very swifte of foote and expert archers wherin they so delyght that theyr bowes are in maner neuer out of their handes and geue theyr chyldren no meate vntyll they hyt the marke they shoote at Two leagues distaunt from Nouogradia the lower were many houses to the similitud of a citie or towne where they were accustomed to make salte These a fewe yeeres since beyng burnt of the Tartars were restored by the commaundement of the prince Mordwa are people inhabytyng by the ryuer of Volga on the south banke beneth Nouogradia the lower and are in al thinges lyke vnto the Czeremisses but that they haue more houses And here endeth Thempire of the Moscouites Note here that Matthias of Michou in his booke of Sarmatia Asiatica writeth that the dominion of the Duke of Moscouia reacheth from the northwest to the southeast fyue hundred myles of Germanie
these Barbarians of singular faith grauitie tolde vs of a marueylous in maner incredible thing that is seene among these Tartars And that his father being sent by the prince of Moscouia to the kyng of Sawolhense saw while he was in that legacie a certaine seede in that Iland somewhat lesse rounder then the seeds of Melones Of the which being hyd in the ground there groweth a fruite or plante very lyke a Lambe of the height of fiue spannes and is therefore called in theyr tongue Boranetz whiche signifieth a litle Lambe For it hath the head eyes eares and all other partes like vnto a Lambe newly eyued with also a very thyn skyn wherewith dyuers of the inhabitauntes of those regions are accustomed to lyue theyr cappes and hattes and other tyrements for theyr heades Many also confirmed in our presence that they had seene these skynnes He saide furthermore that that plant yf it may be called a plant hath blood and no fleshe but hath in the steade of fleshe a certayne substaunce lyke vnto the fleshe of Creuishes The hooffes also are not of horne as are the Lambes but couered with heare in the same fourme The roote cleaueth to the nauyl or myddest of the belly the plant or fruite lyueth vntil al the grasse hearbes growing about it being eaten the roote wythereth for lacke of nouryshment They say that it is very sweete to be eaten and is therfore greatly desyred and sought for of the Woolues and other rauenyng beastes And albeit I esteeme all that is sayde of this plant to be fabulous yet forasmuche as it hath been tolde me of credible persons I haue thought good to make mention hereof Of this strange fruite Mandeuile maketh mention where in the .lxxxiiii. Chapter of his Booke he wryteth thus Nowe shal I say of some landes countreys and Isles that are beyonde the lande of Cathay therefore whoso goeth from Cathay to India the hygh and the lowe he shall goe through a Kyngdome that men call Cadissen and is a great lande There groweth a manner of fruite as it were Gourdes and when it is rype mâ—n cut it asunder and fynde therein a beast as it were of fleshe bone and blood as it were a litle Lambe without wooll and men eate that beast and the fruite also whiche is a great marueyle neuerthelesse I sayde vnto them that I helde that for no marueyle for I sayde that in my countrey are trees that beare fruite that become byrdes fleeing which are good to be eaten and that that falleth into the water lyueth and that that falleth on the earth dyeth And they had great marueyle of this c. From the prince of Schidacke proceedyng twentye dayes iourney towarde the East are the people which the Moscouites cal Iurgenci whose prynce is Barack Soltan brother to the great Chan of Cathay In tenne dayes iourney from Barack Soltan they come to Bebeid Chan. And this is that great Chan of Cathay Names of dignities among the Tartars are these Chan signifieth a Kyng Soltan the sonne of a Kyng Bij a Duke Mursa the sonne of a Duke Olboud a noble man or counseller Olboadulu the sonne of a noble man Seid the hygh priest Ksi a priuate person The names of offices are these Vlan the seconde dignitie to the Kyng for the Kynges of the Tartars haue foure principal men whose counsell they vse in all their weyghtie affayres Of these the firste is called Schirni the seconde Barni the thyrde Gargni the fourth Tzipsan And to haue sayde thus muche of the Tartars it shal suffise Marcus Paulus wryteth that the great Chan is called Chan Cublai that is the great Kyng of Kynges as the great Turcke wryteth hym selfe in lyke maner as I sawe in a letter wrytten by hym of late in the citie of Ragusa in the whiche he vseth this subscription Soltan Soliman desclim Cham Signore de Signori en sempiterno The Nauigation by the frosen Sea AT my beyng in Moscouia when I was sent thyther by king Ferdinando my lorde and maister it so chaunced that Georgius Istoma the Duke of Moscouia his Interpreter a man of great experience who had before learned the latine tongue in the court of Iohn king of Denmarke was there present at the same tyme. He in the yeere of Christe .1496 beyng sent of his prince with maister Dauid a Scotte borne and then Ambassadour for the kyng of Denmarke whom also I knewe there at my firste legacie made me a breefe information of al the order of his iourney the which forasmuch as it may seeme difficult and laborious as wel for the distance as daungerous places I haue thought good to describe the same as I receyued it at his mouth Fyrst he sayde that beyng sent of his prince with the sayde Dauid they came fyrst to Nouogradia the great And whereas at that tyme the kyngdome of Suecia reuolted from the Kyng of Denmarke also the Duke of Moscouia was at discention with the Suetians by reason whereof they could not passe by the most accustomed way for the tumultes of warre they attempted theyr iourney by an other way longer but safer and came fyrst from Nouogradia to the mouthes of the ryuer of Dwina and Potiwlo by a very diffâ—cult and paynfull iourney For hee sayd that this iourney which can not be to muche detested for such labours and traueyles continueth for the space of three hundred leagues In fine takyng foure small shyppes or barkes at the mouthes of Dwina they sayled by the coast on the right hand of the Ocean where they sawe certayne hygh and rough mountaynes and at the length saylyng .xvi. leagues and passyng a great gulfe folowed the coast on the lefte hande and leauyng on the right hande the large sea whiche hath the name of the ryuer Petzora as haue also the mountaynes adiacent to the same they came to the people of Finlappia who although they dwell here there in low cottagies by the sea syde and leade in maner a beastly lyfe yet are they more meeke and tractable then the wylde Lappians He sayde that these also are tributaries to the prince of Moscouia Then leauing the lande of the Lappians and saylyng fourescore leagues they came to the region of Nortpoden vnder the dominion of the kyng of Suecia This the Moscouites call Kaienska Semla and the people Kaieni Departyng from hence and saylyng along by the coast of a wyndyng and bendyng shore reachyng towarde the ryght hande they came to a promontorie or cape called the Holy nose being a great stone reachyng farre into the sea to the similitude of a nose vnder the which is seene a caue with a whyrlepoole which swaloweth the sea euery syxe houres and castyng foorth the same agayne with terryble roaryng and violence causeth the sayde whyrlepoole Some call this the Nauell of the sea and other name it Charibdis He affyrmeth that the violence of this
swalowing gulfe is such that it draweth into it inuolueth and swaloweth vp shyppes all other thinges that come neare it and that they were neuer in greater danger For the whirlepoole so sodeynely and violently drue vnto it the shyp or barke wherein they were carryed that with the helpe of Ores and great labour they hardly escaped When they had thus ouerpassed the holy nose they came to a certayne stony mountaine which they should needes compasse about but being there stayed with contrary windes for the space of certaine dayes the pylot of the shyp spake vnto them in this effect This stone sayeth he that you see is called Semes the whiche except wee please with some gyfte we shall not passe by without great danger But the Pylot beyng reproued of Istoma for his vayne superstition helde his peace And when they had ben deteined there by tempest for the space of foure dayes at the length the tempest ceassed and they went forward on theyr viage with a prosperous wynde Then the pylot spake vnto them agayne saying You despised my admonition of pleasing the Semes and scorned the same as vayne and superstitious but if I had not priuilie in the night ascended a rocke and pleased the Semes we should surely haue had no passage Being demaunded what he offered to the Semes hee sayde that he poured butter myxt with otemeale vpon the stone which we sawe reach foorth into the sea As they sayled further they came to an other cape named Motka whiche was almost enuironed with the sea lyke an Ilande in whose extreme pointe is situate the Castel of Barthus which some call Wardhus that is a house of defence or fortresse For the kynges of Norway haue there a garrison of men to defend theyr marches He sayde furthermore that that cape reacheth so farre into the sea that they could scarsely compasse it in eyght dayes By which tarying leaste they should be hyndered they caryed on theyr shoulders with great labour theyr barkes and fardelles ouer a streyght of lande conteynyng halfe a league in breadth From hence they sayled to the region of the wylde Lappones called Dikillappones to a place named Dront beyng .200 leagues distant from Dwina toward the North. And thus far as he sayth doth the prince of Moscouia exacte tribute Furthermore leauing their Barkes here they furnyshed the residue of their iourney on Sleades He further declared that there were heards of Hartes as are with vs of Oxen which in the Noruegians tongue are called Rhâ—n beyng somewhat bygger then our Hartes These the Lappones vse in this maner They ioyne them to Sleades made lyke fysher Boates as we put horses to the Cart the man in the Sleade is tyed fast by the feete lest he fal out by the swift course of the Hartes In his leaft hande he holdeth a coller or reigne wherewith he moderateth the course of the Hartes and in the ryght hand a pyked staffe wherwith he may susteyne the Sleade from fallyng yf it chaunce to decline too muche on anye parte And he tolde me that by this meanes he trauayled .xx. leagues in one day and then dismyssed the Hart who by hym selfe returned to his owne maister and accustomed stable This iourney thus finished they came to Berges a citie of Noruegia or Norway situate directlye towarde the North betweene the mountaynes and went from thence to Denmarke on horsbacke At Dront and Berges the day is sayde to be .xxii. houres long in the Sommer Equinoctial Blasius an other of the prince of Moscouia his Interpreters who a fewe yeeres before was sent of his prynce into Spayne to the Emperour declared vnto vs an other and shorter way of his iourney for he sayde that when he was sent from Moscouia to Iohn the kyng of Denmarke he came firste on foote vnto Rostowe and takyng shyppe there came to Pereaslaw and from Pereaslaw by the riuer Volga to Castromow and that from thence goyng seuen werstes by lande he came to a litle ryuer saylyng by the whiche when firste he came to Vuolochda then to Suchana and Dwina and in fiue to the citie of Berges in Norway ouerpassyng in this viage al the perylles and labours that Istoma rehearsed before he came at length to Hafnia the cheefe citie of Denmarke whiche the Germanes call Koppenhagen but in their returnyng home they both confesse that they came to Moscouia by Liuonia and that they were a yeere in this viage albeit Georgius Istoma sayde that halfe the parte of that tyme he was hyndered by tempestes and inforced to carrye long in manye places by the way yet they both lykewyse constantly affyrme that in this iourney eyther of them trauayled a thousande threescore and ten werstes that is three hundred and fourtie leagues Furthermore also Demetrius who of late was sent ambassadour from the prince of Moscouia to the Byshop of Rome by whose relation also Paulus Iouius wrote his description of Moscouia confirmed all these thynges to be true All they beyng demaunded of me of the congeled or frosen sea made none other answere but that in places neere vnto that sea they sawe many and great ryuers by whose vehemente course and abundant flowyng the seas are dryuen farre from the shore and that the sayde water of the ryuers is frosen with the sea a good space from the lande as in Liuonia and other partes of Suecia For although by the vehemencie of the wyndes the Ise is broken in the sea yet doth this chaunce seldome or neuer in ryuers except by some innundation or fluode the Ise geathered togeather be lyfted vp and broken For the flakes or pieces of Ise caryed into the sea by force of the ryuers do flote aboue the water in maner all the whole yeere and are agayne so vehemently frosen togeather that a man may there sometymes see great heapes of the Ise of manie yeeres as doth appeare by suche pieces as are dryuen to the shore by the wynde I haue also been credybly informed by faythfull men that the sea Baltheum otherwyse called the gulfe of Liuonia is oftentymes frosen in many places They say furthermore that in that region whiche is inhabited of the wylde Lappones the Sunne in the sommer Equinoctiall doth not fall for the space of .xl. dayes yet that the body thereof is so hydden with a darke myste or cloude three houres that the beames do not appeare neuerthelesse to geue such light during that time that the darknesse hyndereth not theyr woorke The Moscouites make theyr boste that these wylde Lappones are tributaries to theyr prynce Whereat I do not greatly marueyle forasmuch as they haue none other neere vnto them that may demaund tribute of them Theyr tribute is onely furres and fyshe hauyng in maner none other thyng greatly commodious And albeit they lacke bread salte and other intysementes of gluttony and lyue onely with fyshe and
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
which were youngest and beste made He tooke them by a deceite in this maner that giuing them knyues sheares looking glasses belles beades of Crystall suche other trifles he so filled theyr handes that they coulde holde no more then caused two payre of shackels of Iron to be put on theyr legges makyng signes that he would also giue them those chaynes which they lyked very wel bycause they were made of bright and shining metall And wheras they could not carry them bycause theyr handes were full the other Giantes would haue caryed them but the captaine would not suffer them When they felte the shackels faste about theyr legges they began to doubt but the Captayne dyd put them in comfort and bad them stande still In fine when they sawe howe they were deceiued they roared lyke bulles cryed vppon theyr great deuill Setebos to helpe them Being thus taken they were immediately seperate and put in sundry shippes They could neuer bynde the handes of the other two yet was one of them with much difficultie ouerthrowen by .ix. of our men his hands boūd but he sodeinly loosed him selfe and fled as did also the other that came with them In their fleeing they shot of their arrowes and slue one of our men They say that when any of them dye there appeare x. or .xii deuils leaping and daunsing about the bodie of the dead and seeme to haue their bodies paynted with diuers colours and that among other there is one seene bigger then the residue who maketh great mirth reioysing This great deuyll they call Setebos and call the lesse Cheleule One of these Giantes which they tooke declared by signes that he had seene deuylles with two hornes aboue their heades with long heare downe to theyr feete and that they caste foorth fyre at theyr throates both before and behynde The Captayne named these people Patagoni The most parte of them weare the skynnes of such beastes whereof I haue spoken before and haue no houses of continuance but make certayne cotages which they couer with the sayd skynnes and carry them from place to place They lyue of raw fleshe and a certayne sweete roote which they call Capar One of these whiche they had in theyr shyppes dyd eate at one meale a baskette of Bysket and droonke a bowle of water at a draught They remayned fyue monethes in this porte of Sainct Iulian where certayne of the vnder captaynes conspiryng the death of theyr Generall were hanged and quartered among whom the Treasurer Luigo of Mendozza was one Certayne of the other conspiratours he lefte in the sayde lande of Patogoni Departyng from hence to the .52 degree towarde the pole Antartike lackyng a thirde parte they founde a ryuer of freshe water and good fyshe Theyr shyppes were here in great daunger They remayned two monethes in this porte where they made newe prouision of freshe water fuell and fyshe Here the Captayne caused all his men to bee confessed Approching to the .52 degrees they found the straight now called the straight of Magellanus beyng in some place a hundred and ten leagues in length and in breadth somewhere very large and in other places little more then halfe a league in breadth On both the sides of this straight are great and hygh mountaynes couered with snowe beyonde the which is the enteraunce into the sea of Sur. This enteraunce the Captayne named Mare Pacificum Heere one of the shippes stole away priuilie and returned into Spaine In this was one of the Giantes who dyed assoone as he felte the heate that is about the Equinoctiall lyne When the Captaine Magalianes was paste the straight and sawe the way open to the other mayne sea he was so glad thereof that for ioye the teares fell from his eyes and named the poynt of the lande from whence he first sawe that sea Capo Desiderato Supposing that the shyppe which stole away had been lost they erected a crosse vpon the top of a hygh hil to directe their course in the straight if it were theyr chaunce to come that way They founde that in this straight in the moneth of October the nyght was not past foure houres long They founde in this straight at euery three myles a safe hauen and excellent water to drynke wood also and fyshe and great plentie of good hearbes They thinke that there is not a fayrer straight in the worlde Here also they sawe certaine fleeing fyshes The other Giant which remayned with them in the shyppe named breade Capar water Oli redde cloth Cherecai red colour Cheiche blacke colour Amel And spoke all his wordes in the throate On a tyme as one made a crosse before him and kyssed it shewyng it vnto him he sodaynely cryed Setebos and declared by signes that if they made any more crosses Setebos would enter into his bodie and make him brust But when in fine he sawe no hurte come thereof he tooke the crosse and imbrased and kyssed it oftentymes desiryng that he myght be a Christian before his death He was therefore baptysed and named Paule Departyng out of this straight into the sea called Mare Pac ficum the .xxviii. day of Nouember in the yeere .1520 they sayled three monethes and twentie dayes before they sawe any land and hauyng in this tyme consumed all theyr Bysket and other victualles they fell into suche necessitie that they were inforced to eate the pouder that remayned thereof beyng nowe full of woormes and stynkyng lyke pysse by reason of the salte water Theyr freshe water was also putrified and become yelowe They dyd eate skynnes and peeces of leather whiche were foulded about certayne great ropes of the shyppes but these skynnes beyng made very harde by reason of the Sunne rayne and wynde they hung them by a corde in the sea for the space of foure or fiue dayes to mollifie them and sodde them and ate them By reason of this famyne and vncleane feedyng some of their gummes grewe so ouer theyr teethe that they dyed miserably for hunger And by this occasion dyed menetiene men and also the Giaunt with an Indian of the lande of Brasile otherwyse called Terra de papagalli that is the lande of Popingayes Beside these that dyed .xxv or .xxx. were so sicke that they were not able to doe any seruice with theyr handes or armes for feeblenesse So that there was in maner none without some disease In these three monethes and xx dayes they sayled foure thousande leagues in one gulfe by the sayde sea called Pacificum that is peaceable which may well be so called forasmuch as in all this tyme hauyng no sight of any lande they had no misfortune of wynde or any other tempest During this tyme also they discouered only two little Ilandes vnhabited where they sawe nothing but birdes trees and therefore named them infortunate Ilandes being one from the other about two
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
is the chiefe that the Catholyke fayth and Christian religion specially in this our tyme may in all places be exalted amplified and enlarged whereby the health of soules may be procured and the Barbarous nations subdued and brought to the fayth And therefore whereas by the fauour of Gods clemencie although not without equall desertes we are called to this holy seate of Peter and vnderstanding you to be true Catholyke princes as we haue euer knowen you and as your noble and woorthy factes haue declared in maner to the whole world in that with all your studie diligence and industry you haue spared no trauayles charges or peryls aduenturyng euen the shedyng of your owne blood with applying your whole myndes and endeuours herevnto as your noble expeditions achyued in recouering the kyngdom of Granata from the tyrrany of the Sarracens in these our dayes do plainly declare your factes with so great glory of the diuine name For the whiche as we thynk you worthy so ought we of our owne free wyl fauorably to graunt you al thynges whereby you may dayly with more feruent myndes to the honour of God and enlargyng the Christian Empire prosecute your deuout and laudable purpose most acceptable to the immortall God We are credibly infourmed that whereas of late you were determyned to seeke and fynde certayne Ilandes and fyrme landes farre remote and vnknowen and not heretofore founde by any other to the intent to bryng the inhabitantes of the same to honor our redeemer to professe the catholike fayth you haue hytherto been much occupied in the expugnation and recouerie of the kyngdome of Granata by reason wherof you coulde not bryng your sayde laudable purpose to the ende desyred Neuerthelesse as it hath pleased almyghtie God the foresayde kyngdome beyng recouered wyllyng to accomplishe your sayde desyre you haue not without great labour peryls charges appoynted our welbeloued sonne Christopher Colonus a man certesse wel commended as most worthy and apt for so great a matter well furnyshed with men and shippes and other necessaries to seeke by the sea where hytherto no man hath sayled suche firme landes and Ilandes farre remote and hytherto vnknowen who by Gods helpe makyng diligent searche in the Ocean sea haue founde certayne remote Ilandes firme landes whiche were not heretofore found by any other in the whiche as is sayde many nations inhabite lyuyng peaceably and goyng naked not accustomed to eate fleshe and as farre as your messengers can coniecture the nations inhabytyng the foresayd landes and Ilandes beleeue that there is one God creator in heauen and seeme apt to be brought to the imbrasyng of the catholyke fayth and to be imbued with good maners by reason wherof we may hope that yf they be well instructed they may easyly be induced to receyue the name of our sauiour Iesus Christe We are further aduertised that the forenamed Christopher hath now buylded and erected a fortresse with good munition in one of the foresayde principall Ilandes in the whiche he hath placed a garryson of certayne of the Christian men that went thyther with hym aswell to thintent to defende the same as also to searche other Ilandes and firme landes farre remote and yet vnknowen We also vnderstande that in these landes and Ilandes lately founde is great plentie of Golde and Spyces with diuers and manye other precious thynges of sundrye kyndes and qualities Therfore all thynges diligently consydered especially the amplyfying and enlargyng of the catholike fayth as i◠behoueth catholike princes folowyng the examples of your noble progenitours of famous memorie whereas you are determined by the fauour of almyghtie God to subdue and bryng to the catholyke fayth thinhabitantes of the aforesayde landes and Ilandes We greatly commendyng this your godly and laudable purpose in our Lorde and desyrous to haue the same brought to a due ende and the name of our sauiour to be knowen in those partes do exhort you in our Lorde and by the receiuyng of your holy baptysme wherby you are bound to Apostolical obedience earnestly require you by the bowels of mercie of our Lord Iesu Christ that when you intende for the zeale of the Catholyke fayth to prosecute the sayde expedition to reduce the people of the forsayde landes and Ilandes to the Christian relgion you shall spare no labours at any tyme or be deterred with any peryls conceiuyng fyrme hope and confidence that the omnipotent God wyll geue good successe to your godly attemptes And that beyng auctorysed by the priuilege of the Apostolycall grace you may the more freely and boldly take vppon you thenterpryse of so great a matter we of our owne motion and not eyther at your request or at the instant petition of any other person but of our owne mere liberalitie and certayne science and by the fulnesse of Apostolycall power do geue graunt and assigne to you your heyres and successours all the fyrme landes and Ilandes found or to be foūd discouered or to be discouered toward y e west south drawing a lyne from the pole Artik to y e pole Antartike that is from the North to the South Contaynyng in this donation whatsoeuer fyrme landes or Ilandes are founde or to be founde towarde India or towarde any other part what so euer it be beyng distant from or without the foresayde line drawen a hundred leagues towarde the West and South from any of the Ilandes whiche are commonly called De los Azores and Capo verde All the Ilandes therefore and fyrme landes founde and to be founde discouered and to be discouered from the sayde line towarde the West and South such as haue not actually ben heretofore possessed by any other Christian kyng or prynce vntyll the daye of the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesu Christ laste paste from the whiche begynneth this present yeere beyng the yeere of our Lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxiii when so euer any such shal be founde by your messengers and captaynes we by the aucthoritie of almyghty GOD graunted vnto vs in saint Peter and by the office whiche we beare on the earth in the steede of Iesu Christ do for euer by the tenor of these presentes geue graunt assigne vnto you your heyres and successours the kynges of Castyle and Legion all those landes and Ilandes with theyr dominions Territories cities castels towres places and villages with all the ryght and iurisdictions thereunto parteynyng constitutyng assignyng and deputyng you your heyres and successours the lordes thereof with full and free power aucthoritie and iurisdiction Decreeyng neuerthelesse by this our donation graunt and assignation that from no Christian Prince which actually hath possessed the foresayde Ilandes and fyrme landes vnto the daye of the natiuitie of our Lord beforesayd theyr ryght obteyned to be vnderstoode hereby to be taken away or that it ought to be taken away Furthermore we commaunde you in the vertue of holy obedience as you haue promysed and as we doubte not you wyll do vppon mere deuotion and princely
magnanimitte to sende to the sayde fyrme landes and Ilandes honest vertuous and learned men suche as feare GOD and are able to instruct thinhabitantes in the Catholyke fayth and good maners applying all theyr possible deligence in the premisses We furthermore streightly inhibite all maner of persons of what state degree order or condition soeuer they be although of Imperiall and regall dignitie vnder the payne of the sentence of excommunicatiō which they shal incurre if they do to the contrary that they in no case presume without speciall lycence of you your heyres and successours to trauayle for merchaundies or for any other cause to the sayde landes or Ilandes founde or to be founde discouered or to be discouered towarde the West and South drawyng a lyne from the pole Artyke to the pole Antartike whether the firme landes and Ilandes founde and to be founde be situate toward India or toward any other part beyng distant from the line drawen a hundred leagues toward the west from any of the Ilands commonly called De los Azores and Capo Verde Notwithstandyng constitutions decrees and Apostolycall ordinaunces whatsoeuer they are to the contrary In hym from whom Empyres dominions and all good thynges do proceede Trustyng that almyghtie GOD directyng your enterprices if you folowe your Godly and laudable attemptes your labours and trauayles herein shall in shorte tyme obtayne a happie ende with felicitie and glory of all Christian people But forasmuche as it shoulde be a thyng of great difficultie these letlers to be caryed to all suche places as shoulde be expedient we wyll and of lyke motion and knowledge do decree that whyther so euer the same shal be sent or wheresoeuer they shal be receiued with the subscription of a common notarie thereunto requyred with the seale of any person constitute in ecclesiasticall dignitie or suche as are aucthorised by the Eclesiasticall court the same fayth and credite to be geuen thereunto in iudgement ▪ or els where as shoulde be exhibyted to these presentes It shal therefore be lawefull for no man to infrynge or rashly to contrary this letter of our commendation exhortation request donation graunt assignation constitution deputation decreee commaundement inhibition and determination And if any shall presume to attempte the same he ought to know that he shal therby incurre the indignation of almyghty God and his holy Apostles Peter and Paule Geuen at Rome at saint Peters In the yeere of thincarnation of our lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxiii The fourth day of the nones of Maye the fyrst yeere of our seate An Abridgement of P. Martyr his .5.6.7 and .8 Decades and particulerly of Ferd. Cortesius conquest of Mexico by R. VV. THe fyrst foure Decades of P. Martyr you haue already seene done into Englyshe by R. Eden as also certayne parcelles of the foure last P. Martir made eight decades of the west Indish newes in lesse labour these may be run ouer speciall regarde being had vnto that Decade wherein the more principall matter is expressed I meane the fyrst and that chiefly for the famous conquest of the citie Themistitan in Mexico prouince yea of all that great region we doe nowe vsually call newe Spaine As for the sixte Decade it conteyneth very little matter woorth the rehearsal except it be certeine reportes of the Spaniards how they found where they traueyled in the West Indies plough stuffe of gold that the prince of Nicoragua with his family became christian that certaine beardles Indians greatly feare suche men as haue beardes that they vse to sacrifice lyue men vnto their Idolles eyther taken in the warres or fatted vp at home bountefully for that purpose that Nicoragua Mere for the greatnesse and vnknowen length thereof for the ebbes and fluddes and many Ilandes therin myght woorthely be called a freshe water sea This freshet hath ben thought to run into the Northwesterne streicte rather of ignorance the course therof being not throughly knowen than that it so falleth out in deede as P. Martyr wryteth Finally in the .9 .10 bookes of the sixt Decade newes is sent to Rome of the controuersie betwixt the Spaniardes Portugales concernyng the Moluccaes handled more effectually in more ample maner by R. Eden Fol. 448. than P. Martyr in this place penned it Wherfore it were a needlesse woorke and actum agere in deede to trouble the reader therewith any further especially whereas in this volume mention hath ben made therof euen by P. Martyr him selfe as you haue already seene The lyke opinion am I also of touching the .vii. .viii. decades some parcels wherof the Aucthour doth repeate out of his former writinges as Dec. 7. c. 2. the ruine of the Ilandes Iucaies out of his fourth Dec. c. 3. Item out of the second Decade c. 10. the nature of that spring in the Ilande Boiuca otherwyse called Agnaneo the water whereof who so drinketh by reporte of an old man becommeth young agayne is in many woordes repeated by P. Martyr Dec. 7. c. 7. the whole summe of whose seconde discourse thereof is expressed in the former place by R. Edens addition of this clause Perhappes with some diet the which woordes are not in P. Martyr his texte to be shorte the two kindes of breade the Indians doe make of the rootes Iucca and a kynd of graine called Maiz suffitiently declared Dec. 1. lib. 1. Dec. 3. lib. 5. lib. 9. Dec. 3. be repeated againe Dec. 8. c. 3. Other parcelles of these aforesayd Decades wherein the subtelties of theyr Magicians and Coniurers Peaces or Pages are discribed their Tigres crueltie their sundry kindes of wylde beastes foule Serpents their diuers sortes of trees and fruites partly may you reade of in the breuiarie of Gonzal Ferd. Ouiedus historie as of the fountayne of pytch the stone pellets naturally made for Gunnes Fol. 224. out of the .7 Decade c. 7. and the Glowoormes out of the same c. 9. partly in R. Eden his notes of newe Spayne Peru Rio de la Plata Baccaleos and Florida set downe in this volume Fol. 225. as particulerly of the Nutshelles vsed in steede of money taken out of P. Mart. Dec. 8. c. 4. Partly in Theuetus woorkes of the newe founde worlde Englished long since and finally in those bookes which sundry learned Simplicistes haue lately written principally to ayde the Phisitians of our tyme. Some other curiosities there be conteyned in P. Martyr his two last Decades namely the Iucaien women to be so fayre that for theyr loue other countrey Barbares seeke to inhabite those Ilandes Dec. 7. c. 1. The Spanyardes well vsed of the Iucaiens contrary to all curtesie to haue carried away many of those Ilanders into slauery and misery Agayne certayne traueylers to haue ben seene there that had tayles lyke fyshe Dec. 7. c. 2. Fonde fantasies of mens soules departed Dec. 7. c. 3. wandring first North and than South about the worlde afterwarde to growe young agayne in iolitie Agayne other to imagine that the departed
set foorth at large those thinges by leasure which briefly are noted and signified in fewe vnto some that willingly woulde not be altogeather ignorant thereof nor yet stande to long in any such discourses To set downe particulerly eche Spanyarde and Portugale his doynges in these new discouered landes to drawe Geographically the places to wryte all their battelles victories and conquestes to describe the cities rased the townes erected to poynte out the Capitaynes personages to shewe theyr traueyles and good hap it would requyre an other Homere an other Thucydides an other Liuius labour it would requyre an other Emperour to set students a woorke as Iustinian dyd his lawe geatherers the relations of the Indyshe traueylers are so many in number theyr reportes so diuers the volumes written therof so huge and in so sundry languages R.W. FINIS R. VVilles Speciall aduises to be obserued in readyng ouer this woorke Fol. 6. De Medea put out De. Fol. 7. Of my Decades reade of my fyrst Decade For as the two fyrst bookes of the first Decade were by P.M. dedicated vnto Ascanio Visconte than Cardinall and Uicechaunceller of Rome so are the eight bookes folowing in the same Decade written to the Cardinall of Aragonia Fol. 54. Euery Decade hath ten bookes or Chapters whereof it hath according to the Greeke woord that name Fol. 20 A. and. O. c. His meanyng is that this selfe same poynte is extreme West in respect of one halfe of the worlde and extreme East in respecte of the other halfe or hemisphere beneath vs. Fol. 31. Iuga de Canias Reade Iuego de Canas Fol. 35. Barramedabas Reade Barrameda Fol. 39. To be part of the continent This was then spoken for want of further knowledge as in other writynges folowyng it will appeare Fol. 45. The gold whereof they are made is natiue c. This place should be thus Englished Their golde is lyke vnto that golde in Germany wherof the Florenes are made The nexte sentence likewise is not without some falte of the translator for the latin goeth thus Alibi in eo tractu intra vaginam mentularem neruum reducunt funicuio que praeputium alligant Fol. 47. Gorgodes Meducias Reade Medusaeas Fol 49. Being demaunded of me This place should you reade thus Being demaunded of me afterwarde were it not a sea separating two landes they answered the water there of to be fresh sweete the further they went vp against the streame it to be so much the more freshe sweete to be full of Ilandes and holesome fishe They dare aduouche the breadth thereof to be more than .30 leagues and the ryuer very swiftly to fall into the sea yeeldyng vnto the fury of the freshe water Fol. 49. Beyond the citie of Cathayo They supposed it according to theyr skyll in vnknowen places Fol. 50. Animae album Reade Animen Item You shall now therfore This sentence is not in P.M. But an other of the same length wherin he abaseth his own knowledge in respecte of T. Liuius and auoucheth the fantasiâ—s folowing to be better than Lucianus tales for that Lucianus â—â—â—ned his fables but these follyes to be truly suche in deede Fol 51. But nowe most noble Prince Three other vaine tales are here left out of the beginning of the sea and the original of woman kynde all Greece could neuer haue imagined more vayne more scornefull more shamefull fables and so are they lefte to such as lyst to reade them in that language wherin P. Martyr dyd wryte them with the prayse of suche Barbarous ministers as doe preache them Fol. 57 The yeere of Christ .1520 Reade .1502 Fol. 83. Pezulana Reade Petrus Arias Fol. 89. Or that in Niogita Reade or that in the blacke burnt Moores countrey or kyngdome of Melinde Fol. 90. Water is turned into ayre Reade ayre is turned into water Fol. 98. The niene Boates of Culchas Reade or Culchas Fol. 153. Coâ—lacutea Reade Calecut Cochin Comorin Fol. 164. Etesti Reade Etesiae Fol. 169. â—emobal Reade Cempoal Fol. 186. The generations of nations Reade of metalles Fol. 231. Eight Reade eighteth Item 36. Reade 63. Fol. 232 The West Ocean Reade South Ocean namely Mar del zur Fol. 234. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the margine should haue place in the texte before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reade the Greeke verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 252. P. 231. In the margine put it out Fol. 253. Peruse these foure volumes Read the foure volumes Fol. 260. Santlianum Reade Santianum Fol. 265. Obo alias Oba and Obi Fol. 268. Fladimer al Volodimer Item Smolne al Smolensko Fol. 269. Impreignable Reade inexpugnable Fol. 270. Nicene Reade Nice And of theyr fayth more lykely hereafter fol 273 although fol. 302. the former opininion be recited againe Fol. 274. Prohibit Reade prohibited Fol. 283 â–ª Volham Reade Volgha Item Diuidna al Duina Item Vistiuga Reade eche where Vstinga Fol. 279. Schondia for these countreys folowing see Ortelius 45. table in his first edition de reg Septentional Fol. 280. Sigismundus liberus Reade liber for he was Baron of Harbestein the Deutche Barons are called frey heren wherof in latin also his title was written Liber Baro ab Herbestein out of his woorkes is that discourse taken Fol. 301. Fol. 281. Wardhus Castle .54 the one rowe of figures here signifieth the longitude the other sheweth the Latitâ—de The reader for his assuraunce herein shall doe well to conferre all the figures so set with the Mappes lest he be deceyued Fol. 294. By vnknowen nations Reade motions Fol. 297. The ryuer Clesma al. Desma Item Marouians Reade Morauians Fol. 298. This tongue is spred further Read agayne of the Sclauon tongue at large Fol. 301. Fol. 304. Bengas Of theyr money and also of all other nations coynes shall you haue a speciall discourse heereafter if God sende vs lyfe Fol. 308. Tumen It should seeme to be that Tamen spoken of before Fol. 246. Fol. 310. To Artach Reade in Artachs Fol. 311. Besermanni What they be Reade Fol. 335. Fol. 312. As do the Christians imagining so of vs for that many Christians to wyt the meaner sorte dwel commonly euer in one place Fol. 316. Seuen werstes to wyt seuen Moscouian myles that is fyue Englyshe myles and somewhat more Fol. 321. It shall suffice to the reader put out to Item Sachana al. Sughaua Hisnouogrod Reade Nisnouogrod Tartars Nogaies pointe it thus Tartars Nogais Bilbil al Bilbek Casbin Reade Casmin Baccho al Bachu Fol. 323. Sharuan al Chirua and Seruan Tollepan Reade Torbante Fol. 324. Arash al. Exesch Fol. 326. Unto Mecha in Arabia to honour Mahumets tombe whereof you shall reade in Lewes Vartomannus Nauigations Item Ardaxuil Reade Ardouil Item Fol. 320. for Ardeuelim Fol. 327. Ought to be beloued Reade beleeued Fol. 329. Tulibante Reade Torbante Fol. 329. The Persians to wyt the Gentlemen of Persia. Esteeming artes and sciences for silkes and furnitures of horses Fol. 326. 330. Fol. 330.
Priuilegio Kyng of Portugale Algarbs Lorde of Guinea of the coÌ„quest nauigation and trafike into Ethiopia Arabia Persia India The first part the first Decadâ— The second Decade The third Decade The fourth Decade The seconde part The thyrde part The fourth part A harde begynyng The Pylot that fyrst founde the Indies Mina Colon was not much learned Colon conferred with learned men Kyng Henry the seuenth Barnarde knewe not all thynges The conquest of Granada The archbâ—shop of Toledo The colour of the East Indians The coloure of the west Indians Gods wysedome power is seene in his workes Thyle is Islande The largenesse of the Ocean vnknowen to this day Cardinal Ascanius The warres at Granatum agaynst the Moores Italy disquieted with warres The sequeles of warre Kyng Frederike Spayne subdued from the Moores The kyngdome of Naples The temperatnesse of the Equinoctiall vnknowen to the olde wryters Continent or fyrme lande as bygge as three Europes Riches are the instruments of conquestes The rewardâ— of vertue The Ilandes of the West Ocean Christophorus Colonus India The fyrst voyage of Colonus The Ilandes of Canarie Gades or Calsmals A league what it conteyneth by sea The fortunate Ilandes Capo Verde The .vii. Ilandes of Canarie Betanchor a Frenche man subdued the Ilandes of Canarie c. Alphonsus Lugo Colonus men rebel agaynst hym Fayre woordes and promises Hispaniola Iohanna Nightingales syng in Nouember The Ilande of Ophir The Ilandes of Antilia A shypwracke The people of the Ilande Naked people Expert swymmers Gold for earth and glasse Many kynges Religious and humane people Canoas Monoxyla They haue no iron Canibales or Caribes Anthâ—opophagi The crueltie of the Canibales Ages Rootes in the steede of meate Iucca Bread of rootes In hearbe of strange nature Maizium Golde in estimation Golde in the sandes of riuers Serpentes without venime Turtle doues Duckes Popiniayes Plini These Ilandes are part of India The Indians are Antipodes to the Spanyardes Aristotle Seneca India not farre from Spayne Mastyx Aloe Gossampine cotton or bombase Seres The language of these Indians Trees fruites vnknoweÌ„ to vs Fat and moyst grounde Heate continual temperate The fruitefulnesse of Hispaniola The seconde voyage of Colonus Corne seedes to sowe Tooles and artyllerie Water droppyng from a tree continuallye Methymna Campi Castella Vetus Gades The Ilandâ— of Ferrea Ilandes of the Canibales The Ilande of Dominica Lysartes The Ilande of Galanta The Iland of Guadalupea Villages of .xx. or .xxx. houses The buildyng of theyr houses Gossampine cotton Bombase Hangyng beddes Images Fine cookerie Arrowheades of bones The mount Guadalupus Carucueria Popiniayes bygger then Phesantes The Canibales driueÌ„ to flyght Matinino an Ilande of women The Ilandes of Mons Serratus Huntyng for men Sancta Maria Rotunda Sanctus Martinus Sancta Maria Antiqua Insula crucis an Ilande of the Canibales The Canibales are expert Archers Arrowes inâ—ected with â—enime A conflict with the Canibales The fiercenesse terrible countenance of the Canibales Methymna Campi Innumerable Ilandes The mynes of mettals precious stones The sea called Archipelagus Insula S. Iohannes or Buchena Death for death â—he mounâ—â—ynes are colâ—er then the â—â—aynes â—rom Domiâ—â—ca to Hispaâ—â—ola fiue hunâ—â—ed leagues â—he Spaniarâ—s left in the â—ande are â—yne â—yng Guaccaâ—â—rillus reâ—â—leth Two images of golde Libertie and idlenesse A happie kinde of lyfe Superfluitie Many haue to much and none yenough The golden worde Naked men troubled with ambition Geue place The Admirall sendeth for the kyng No horses in the Ilandes A tyme for all â—ynges A desperate aduenture of a woman Cloelia of Rome Guaccanarillus is sought Melchior Popyngiayes and byrdes Taini Haukes belles A large house Reedes of sundry colours Caccius Hoiedus and Gorualanus Gold in riuers â—allyng from mountaynes The manner of gathering gold Graynes of golde A masse of rude gold weyghing ix ounces Caunaboa â–ª kyng of the house of golde Holsome water and plentie of fyshe The day and nyght of equall length in December Byrdes breede in December The eleuation of the pole The starres are called guardens of the pole The Equinoctial line A chappell and priestes Marchantes Syrophenicians The Cinamome tree Xiloaloes or Lignum Aloes Hispaniola Ophir whither Solomons shyps sayled for Golde Isabella A token of marueilous fruitefulnesse Hearbes greene al the whole yeere Suger reedes Plantes and vines Corne grayne ripe twyse a yeere The region of Cipanga or Cibana Golde The golden region of Cibana The vale of Cibana Golde for haukes bels Graynes and pibble stones of golde They passe not for golde in that it is golde onely but. c. Stones of golde as big as the head of a childe Spices Wilde vines of plesaunte taste Fruitful mountaynes Golde in the lande of ryuers falling from the mountaynes Libertie and idlenes The mountaynes are colde The ilande of Cuba Least any other prince c. Discention betweene the Portiugales and Spaniardes The ilandes of cobouerde or Hesperides The Portugales vâ—ages The ende of the easte and weste Note India not far from Spaine Sainte Nicolas porte The iland of Iamaica Quicke witted people The compassing of the earth Aurea Chersonesus or Malaccha A secreate of Astronomie The riuer of Ganges Daungerous streightes by reason of many Ilandes A large hauen Rosted fishe and serpents of viii foote longe Crocodiles of Egipte The kinges fishers Serpentes esteemed for delicate meaâ—â— Blossomes fruites both at one time Trees which beare gourds A multitude of Ilandes Hotte water A straunge kinde of fisshing Abundance of Tortoyses Fisher men The fishe Guaicanum Humane people A mountayne fruitfull and well inhabited Dogges of strange shape and dumme white and thicke water Wooddes of â—ate trees Men appareâ—â—d like white â—â—yers â—pparelled â—en Natiue vines Trees bearyng spices sweete fruites Diuers languages in the Ilande of Cuba Pearles in shelfyshes The sea entangled with Ilandes A multitude of great Tortoyses A gulfe of white water The humanitie of a reuerende olde gouernour An oration of the naked gouernour Theyr opinion of the soule of man Desyre of gold founde that which religion coulde not â—ynde Virtus post nummos c. The lande as common as â–ª the sunne and water Simple dyet Hispaniola The Canibales Sickenesse of to much Watching Easte India The Spaniardes rebell in the Admirals absence The kinges of the ilande rebell The Spaniardes misbehauiour A iust reuenge Capitayne Hoieda Caunaboa conspireth the Admirals death Famine in the ilande of hispaniola The hunger of golde causeth greate famine The tower of conception Electrum is a metall naturally mixt of one portion of golde an other of siluer being of propertie to bewraye poyson and was therfore in olde time in greater estimation then golde The mine of Electrum An other kinde of amber is taken out of greate whale fishes Orpement oâ— oker Wooddes of brasile trees Licentiusnes of to much libertie And this only geathered and not dygged out of the bodye of the mine The nature of the region disposeth the maner of
recourse to those regions and can no lesse then declare the same albeit it may seeme incredible to some ignorant persons not knowing the power of nature to whom Plinie was perswaded that nothing was impossible We haue therefore thought it good to make this discourse by the way of argument lest on the one syde men of good learnyng and iudgement and on the other syde suche as are studious to finde occasions of quarellyng in other mens wrytynges shoulde iudge vs to be so vndiscrete lightly to geue credite to euery tale not being consonant to reason but of the force and great violence of those freshe waters whiche repulsyng the sea make so great a gulfe as we haue sayde I thynke the cause thereof to be the great multitude of floods and riuers whiche beyng geathered togeather make so great a poole and not one ryuer as they suppose And forasmuch as the mountaines are exceeding high and steepe I thinke the violence of the fall of the waters to be of suche force that this conflict betweene the waters is caused by thimpulsion of the poole that the salt water can not enter into the gulfe But here perhaps some wyll marueyle at me why I should marueyle so muche hereat speakyng vnto me scornefully after this manner Why doth he so marueyle at the great riuers of those regions Hath not Italie his Eridanus named the kyng of ryuers of the old wryters Haue not other regions also the lyke as we reade of Tanais Ganges and Danubius which are sayde so to ouercome the sea that freshe water may be drawen fourtie myles within the same These men I would satisfie with this aunswere The famous ryuer of Padus in Italie whiche they nowe call Po and was of the Greekes called Eridanus hath the great mountaynes called Alpes diuiding Fraunce Germanie and Pannonie from Italie lying at the backe therof as it were bulwarkes agger full of moysture and with a long tracte receiuyng Ticinam with innumerable other great ryuers falleth into the sea Adriatike The lyke is also to be vnderstoode of the other But these ryuers as our men were enfourmed by the kynges fall into the Ocean sea with larger and fuller channels neere hande and some there are whiche affirme this lande to be very large in other places although it be but narowe here There commeth also to my remembraunce another cause the whiche although it be of no great force yet do I entende to wryte it Perhaps therefore the length of the lande reachyng farre from the East to the West if it be narowe may be a helpe hereunto for as we reade that the ryuer Alpheus passeth through the holowe places vnder the sea from the citie of Elis in Peloponeso and breaketh forth at the fountayne or spryng Arethusa in the Iland of Sicillia so is it possible that these mountaines may haue such long caues parteynyng vnto them that they may be the receptacles of the water passing through the landes beyng farre distant and that the same waters commyng by so long a tracte may in the way be greatly encreased by the conuersion of ayre into water as we haue sayde Thus much haue I spoken freely permitting both to them which do frendly interprete other mens dooyngs and also to the malitious scorners to take the thing euen as them lysteth for hytherto I can make no further declaration hereof but when the trueth shal be better knowen I wil do my diligence to commit the same to wrytyng Nowe therfore forasmuch as we haue spoken thus muche of the breadth of this lande we entende to describe the length and fourme of the same The tenth booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent THat lande reacheth foorth into the sea euen as doth Italy although not lyke the legge of a man as it doth But nowe I compare a Pigmean or a dwarfe to a Giant for that part thereof whiche the Spanyardes haue ouer runne from the sayd East poynt which reacheth towarde the sea Atlantike the ende not beyng yet founde towarde the West is more then eyght tymes longer then Italie And by what reason I am moued to say eyght tymes your holynesse shall vnderstande From the tyme therefore that I fyrste determined to obeye theyr requestes who wylled me fyrst in your name to wryte these thinges in the Latine tongue I did my endeuour that al things myght come foorth with due tryal and experience whereupon I repayred to the Bishop of Burges beyng the cheefe refuge of this nauigation As we were therfore secretely togeather in one chamber we had many instruments parteining to these affaires as globes and many of those maps whiche are commonly called the shipmans cardes or cardes of the sea Of the which one was drawen by the Portugales wherunto Americus Vesputius is said to haue put to his hande beyng a man most expert in this facultie and a Florentine borne who also vnder the stipende of the Portugales had sayled towarde the South pole many degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall In this carde we founde the first front of this lande to be broder then the kynges of Vraba had perswaded our men of theyr mountaynes To another Colonus the Admiral while he yet lyued and searched those places had geuen the beginning with his owne handes whereunto Bartholomeus Colonus his brother and Lieuetenaunt had added his iudgement for he also had sayled about those coastes Of the Spanyardes lykewyse as many as thought them selues to haue anye knowledge what parteyned to measure the land the sea drewe certayne cardes in parchment as concernyng these nauigations Of all other they moste esteeme them whiche Iohannes de la Cossa the companion of Fogeda whom we sayde to be slayne of the people of Caramairi in the hauen of Carthago and another expert pylote called Andreas Moralis had set foorth And this aswel for the great experience which they both had to whom these tractes were aswel knowen as the chambers of theyr owne houses as also that they were thought to be cunninger in that part of Cosmographie which teacheth the discription and measuring of the sea Conferring therfore al these cardes togeather in euery of the whiche was drawen a lyue expressing not the myles but leagues after the maner of the Spanyardes we tooke our compasses began to measure the sea coastes after this order From that poynt or fronte whiche we sayde to be included within the lyue parteynyng to the Portugales iurisdiction beyng drawen by the paralelles of the Ilandes of Cabouerde but a hundred leagues further towarde the West whiche they haue nowe also searched on euery syde we founde three hundred leagues to the entraunce of the riuer Maragnonum and from thence to Os Draconis seuen hundred leagues but somwhat lesse by the discription of some for they doo not agree in al poyntes exquisitely The Spanyards wyl that a league conteyne foure myles by sea and but three by lande From Os Draconis
euery house also howe the treasurie of nature is in those coastes and of the golde mynes of Dariena Howe kyng Teaocha gaue Vaschus .xx. poundes weyght of wrought golde and two hundred pearles also of desartes full of wylde beastes and howe Vaschus was troubled with great heate in the moneth of Nouember Howe a dogge Tyger was taken and his whelpes tyed in cheynes and torne in peeces also how Vaschus gaue .iiii. kynges to his dogges to be deuoured Of the vse of dogges in theyr warres and of the fiercenesse of the Caniballes How kyng Bononiana fauoured the Christians gaue Vaschus xx pound weyght of wrought golde also his oration to Vaschus A similitude prouyng great plentie of golde in the regions of the South sea and of the trauayles which olde souldyers are able to susteyne The contentes of the thyrd booke Fol. 105. HOwe kyng Buchibuea submitted him selfe to Vaschus sent him certayne vesselles of golde also how kyng Chiorisus sent him .xxx. dyshes of pure golde Howe Iron serueth for more necessary vses then golde also an example of the lyfe of our fyrst parentes Howe kyng Pocchorrosa submitted hym selfe and gaue Vaschus fyftiene pounde weyght of wrought golde also how Tumanama the great kyng of the golden regions towarde the South sea is taken prysoner lykewyse howe he gaue Vaschus .xxx. pounde weyght of pure and wrought golde and his noble men .lx. pounds weyght of golde Of the cause of vehement wyndes neere vnto the Equinoctiall lyne and of the coloure of the earth of the golden mynes Of the large and fruitefull playne of Zauana and of the ryuer Comogrus also howe kyng Comogrus baptised by the name of Charles gaue Vaschus .xx. pounde weyght of wrought golde Of the good fortune of Vaschus and howe he was turned from Goliath to Elizeus from Anteus to Hercules with what facilitie the Spaniardes shall hereafter obtayne great plentie of golde and pearles Of the Spanyardes conquestes and fiercenesse of the Canibales also an exhortation to Christian princes to set forwarde Christes religion The contentes of the fourth booke Fol. 110. THe fourth viage of Colonus the Admiral from Spayne to Hispaniola and to the other Ilandes and coastes of the firme lande also of the floryshyng Ilande Guanassa Of the seuen kyndes of Date trees wylde vines and Mirobalanes also of byrdes and foules Of people of goodly stature whiche vse to paynt theyr bodyes and of the swyfte course of the sea from the east to the west also of freshe water in the sea Of the large regions of Paria Os Draconis and Quiriquetana and of great Tortoyses and reedes also of the foure fruitefull Ilands called Quatuor Tempora and .xii. Ilands called Limonares Of sweete sauoures and holsome ayre and of the region Quicuri and the hauen Cariai or Mirobalanus also of certayne ciuil people Of trees growyng in the sea after a straunge sort and of a straunge kynde of Monkyes whiche inuade men and feyght with wylde Bores Of the great gulfe of Cerabaro replenished with many fruitefull Ilandes and of the people whiche weare cheynes of golde made of ouches wrought to the similitude of dyuers wylde beastes and foules Of fyue villages whose inhabitauntes geue them selues onely to geatheryng of golde and are paynted vsyng to weare garlandes of Lions and Tygers clawes also of seuen ryuers in al the which is founde great plentie of golde and where the plentie of gold ceasseth Of certayne people whiche paynt theyr bodyes and couer theyr priuie members with shelles hauyng also plates of gold hangyng at theyr nosethrylles Of certayne woormes whiche beyng engendred in the seas neere about the Equinoctial eate holes in the shyppes and howe the Admirals shyppes were destroyed by them Howe the king of Beragua entertayned the Lieuetenaunt and of the great plentie of golde in the ryuer of Duraba and in al the regions there about also in rootes of trees and stones and in maner in al ryuers Howe the Lieuetenaunt and his company woulde haue erected a colonie besyde the ryuer of Beragua was repulsed by thinhabitauntes Howe the Admiral fel into the handes of the Barbarians of the Iland of Iamaica where he liued miserably the space of tenne monethes and by what chaunce he was saued and came to the Ilande of Hispaniola Of holsome regions temperate ayre and continual spryng al the whole yeere also of certayne people which honour golde religiously duryng theyr golden haruest Of the mountaynes of Beragua beyng fyftie myles in length and higher then the cloudes also the discription of other mountaynes and regions thereabout comparyng the same to Italy Colonus his opinion as touchyng the supposed continent and ioynyng of the north and south Ocean also of the breadth of the sayde continent or firme lande Of the regions of Vraba Beragua and the great ryuer Maragnonus and the ryuer of Dabaiba or Sancti Iohannis also of certayne maryshes and desolate wayes and of Dragons and Crocodiles engendred in the same Of .xx. golden ryuers about Dariena and of certayne precious stones especially a Diamonde of marueylous byggnesse bought in the prouince of Paria Of the heroical factes of the Spanyardes and howe they contemne effeminate pleasures also a similitude prouing great plentie of golde and precious stones The contentes of the fyft booke Fol. 119. THe nauigation of Petrus Arias from Spayne to Hispaniola and Dariena and of the Ilandes of Canarie also of the Ilands of Madanino Guadalupea and Galanta Of the sea of hearbes mountaynes couered with snow also of the swyft course of the sea towards the West Of the ryuer Gaira the region Caramairi and the port Carthago and Sancta Martha also of Americus Vesputius and his expert cunnyng in the knowledge of the carde compasse and quadrant How the Canibales assayled Petrus Arias with his whole nauie and shot of theyr venomous arrowes euen in the sea also of theyr houses and housholde stuffe How Gonsalus Ouiedus founde a Saphire bygger then a goose egge also Emerodes Calcidonies Iaspers and Amber of the mountaynes Of woods of Brasyle trees plentie of gold and marchasites of metals founde in the regions of Caramairi Gaira and Saturma also of a straunge kynde of marchaundies exercised among the people of Zunu That the region of Caramairi is lyke to an earthy Paradise of the fruitfull mountaynes and pleasaunt gardens of the same Of many goodly countreis made desolate by the fiercenesse of the Canibales and of diuers kyndes of bread made of rootes also of the maner of plantyng the roote of Iucca whose iuise is deadly poyson in the Ilandes and without hurt in the continent or fyrme lande Of certayne golden ryuers Hartes wylde Boores foules gossampine whyte marble and holsome ayre also of the great ryuer Maragnonus discending from the mountaynes couered with snowe called Serra Neuata How Petrus Arias wasted certaine Ilands of the Canibales how by the swyft course of the sea his shyps were caried in one night fourtie
leagues beyonde thestimation of the best pilotes The contentes of the sixt booke Fol. 124. OF sundry opinions why the sea runnneth with so swyft a course from the East to the West and of the great gulfe of the North part of the fyrme lande The viage of Sebastian Cabot from England to the frosen sea â–ª and howe beyng repulsed with Ise in the moneth of Iuly he sayled farre Westwarde Of people apparelled with beastes skinnes and how Beares take fyshes in the sea and eate them How Sebastian Cabot after that he had discouered the lande of Baccallaos or Baccallearum was called out of Englande into Spayne where he was made one of the assistaunce of the counsayle of the affayres of India and of his second viage Of the Ilande Fortis and howe a great foule as bygge as a Storke lyghted in the gouernours shyp also howe he arryued at Dariena with the kinges nauie Howe Vaschus receyued the new gouernour and of habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall How Petrus Arias the new gouernour distributed his armie to conquere the South regions ryche in golde and to erect new colonies in the same Of the ryche golde mynes of Dabaiba and of the expedition agaynst the kyng of that region Of the violent course of the sea from the East to the West and of the difficult saylyng agaynst the same Of the pestiferous and vnholsome ayre of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena and how the Spaniardes were of necessitie enforced to plant theyr fyrst colonie and habitation there The cause of the varietie of regions lying all vnder one degree or paralel and by what meanes the Sonne beames are cause of feruent heate Of toades and flees engendred of droppes of water and of a house set on fyre with lyghtnyng Of a Dogge deuoured of a Crocodyle and of venemous byting of great Bats also of Lions Tigers other wilde beasts How in these regions all foure footed beastes growe to a bigger quantitie then they which were of y e fyrst broode also of certayne trees of whose planckes if shyps be made they are safe from the wormes called Broma or Bissas Of a tree whose wood is present poyson yf it be only borne about and of an hearbe that is a preseruatiue agaynst the same Of the ryche Ilandes of the south sea and of certayne expeditions agaynst the Canibales The contentes of the .vii. booke Fol. 130. THe particuler description of the Ilande of Hispaniola and of the ryche Iland called Margaritea Diues lying in the South sea also of the great abundaunce of bygge pearles founde in the same Howe the auctoure compareth Hispaniola to the earthly Paradyse and howe it farre excelleth Italy in fertilitie and temperate ayre Of the fyrst inhabitours of Hispaniola and of the Ilandes of Canarie Howe thinhabitauntes of Hispaniola in theyr songues and rhymes had certayne prophesies that apparelled men shoulde come to theyr countrey and bryng them into seruitude and of theyr familiaritie with spirites also howe those spirites haue no more appeared to them since they were baptised Of theyr expertenesse in swymmyng and of theyr delicate Serpentes byrdes foules and Popingiays Of the fourme and situation of Hispaniola neere the Equinoctiall and howe colde is in some place thereof accidentall and not by the situation of the region Of the Oxen and Swyne of exceedyng bygnesse and of eares of wheat as bygge as a mans arme in the brawne also howe the Swyne are fedde with Mirobalanes c. Of plentie of golde Brasyle Mastix Gossampyne Electurum of thincommodities of intemperate regions Of dyuers languages in the Ilande and howe the prouinces are diuided into regions Howe Andreas Moralis sayled into a daungerous and darke caue within the rocke of a mountayne and of whole ryuers deuoured of suche caues also of the conflyct of the waters Of a standyng poole in the toppe of an hygh mountayne how fearne and bramble bushes growe onely in colde regions The Contentes of the .viii. booke Fol. 135. OF a great lake or standyng poole of sowre and salte water and of the sea fyshes in the same in the myd lande of the Ilande also of deuouryng fyshes called Tiburoâ—i Of the ryuers fallyng into the lakes and of CC. sprynges in the space of a furlong A marueylous hystorye of a kyng stryken dumbe and lame by a myracle and of the Indian language Howe suche as are drowned in the lake are neuer cast vp agayne and of the Ilande Guarizacca in the myddest of a standyng lake also of a lake of freshe water and an other of salte and freshe water Of a large playne of two hundred myles in length and an other of an hundred and twentie Of the marueilous fyshe or monster of the sea called Manati or Matum fedde with mans handes and howe she caryeth men ouer the lake Of the mountaynes vales hylles playnes and ryuers of Hispaniola and howe golde is founde in all mountaynes and golde and fyshe in all ryuers Of salte bayes and howe the ryuers haue theyr increase from the caues of the mountaynes also howe there is no hurtefull beast in the Ilande Of the pleasures of Hispaniola and of the region of Cotohi wel inhabited situate in a plaine in the toppes of mountaynes reachyng to the cloudes Of moderate colde in the mountaynes and of fearne of marueylous bygnesse Howe pure and massie golde is founde in the region of Cotoy or Cotohi and that the vaine of gold is a lyuyng tree also of the rootes branches and floures of the same and howe certayne caues are susteyned with pyllers of golde What gold is brought yeerely from Hispaniola into Spaine and of the salte of the mountaines being as hard as stones and cleare as crystall also sprynges of salte freshe sowre water Of certayne wylde men lyuing in caues and dennes without any certaine language and of their marueylous swiftnes a foote Of pytche of the rocke and two kyndes of trees and of the leafe of a tree vsed in the steede of paper also howe thinhabitants thynke that the Christians can make those leaues speake and disclose all secretes Of a strong coloure made of the iuice of a certayne apple and of the hearbe whose smoke is poyson The contentes of the nienth booke Fol. 142. OF the kindes of fruites wherewith the inhabitauntes of Hispaniola lyued fyrst and how they came to the knowledge of Iucca also how Ceres fyrst founde Wheate and Barley in Egypt Why theyr kynges are called by diuers names and by what names they salute the kynges chyldren when they are borne How they make theyr testamentes and how certayne of the kynges wyues and concubines are buried with them Of the variable motions of the elementes in Hispaniola and where it rayneth but litle and where muche Of the colonies and villages that the Spaniardes haue builded in Hispaniola and of the other Ilandes about the same Of a spryng whiche runnyng vnder the sea from Hispaniola breaketh foorth in the Iland of Arethusa also
hundred leagues distant The first of these Ilandes is from the Equinoctiall towarde the pole Antartike xv degrees and the other fiue Their sayling was in such sorte that they sayled dayly betweene l.lx. to .lxx. leagues So that in fine if God of his mercy had not gyuen them good weather it was necessary that in this so great a sea they should all haue dyed for hunger Which neuerthelesse they escaped so hardly that it may be doubted whether euer the lyke viage may be attempted with so good successe They considered in this Nauigation that the pole Antartike hath no notable starre after the sorte of the pole Artike But they sawe many starres geathered togeather which are lyke two cloudes one separate a little from an other somewhat darke in the myddest Betweene these are two starres not very byg nor much shynyng which moue a little and these two are the pole Antartike The needell of their compasse varied somwhat and turned euer towarde the pole Artike neuerthelesse had no suche force as when it is in these partes of the pole Artike Insomuch that it was necessarie to helpe the needle with the lode stone commonly called the Adamant before they coulde sayle therewith bycause it moued not as it doeth when it is in these our partes When they were in the myddest of the gulfe they sawe a crosse of fyue cleare starres directly towarde the Weste and of equall distance the one from the other The order of the starres about the pole Antartike some haue figured in this maner A. The pole Antartike B. The Crosse. In these dayes they sayled betweene the West and South so farre that they approched to the Equinoctiall lyne and were in longitude from the place from whence they first departed a hundred and twentie degrees In this course they sayled by two Ilandes of exceedyng heyght whereof the one named Cipanghu is twentie degrees from the pole Antartike and the other named Sumbdit fyftiene degrees When they were paste the Equinoctiall line they sayled betweene the West Southwest at the quarter of the West towarde the Southwest more then a C. leagues changing their sayles to the quarter of the southwest vntyll they came to the thirtiene degrees aboue the Equinoctiall towarde the pole Artyke intending as much as were possible to approch to the Cape called of the olde writers Cattigara the whiche is not founde as the olde Cosmographers haue discribed it but is towarde the north about .xii. degrees as they afterward vnderstoode When they had thus sayled .lxx. leagues of this voyage in the xii degree aboue the Equinoctiall and C.xlvi degrees of longitude as I haue sayde the syxt daye of March they discouered a litle Ilande towarde the northwest and two other towarde the southwest but the one was hygher and bygger then the other In the byggest of these the generall captayne woulde haue rested hym selfe a whyle but he coulde not by reason the people of these Ilandes resorted continually to the shyppes with theyr Canoas and stole nowe one thyng nowe an other in suche sorte that our men coulde take no rest and therefore demaunded of the captaine that they myght stryke theyr sayles to bryng the shyppes to lande But the captayne beyng prouoked to anger went aland with fourtie armed men and burnt about fyftie of theyr houses with many of theyr Canoas and slue also about seuen men and recouered a shyppe boate whiche the Barbarians had stolne and so departed folowyng his voyage The Captayne named these Ilandes Insulae Latronum that is the Ilandes of theeues When our men had so wounded some of them with arrowes that they were stryken through both sydes they pulled foorth the arrowes not ceassyng to maruayle at them tyll they fell downe dead And yet coulde not the other so depart but styll folowed y e ships with more then two hundred of their boates approching as nere to the shyppes as they coulde and proferryng our men certayne fishes As the shyps passed with ful sayle in the middest of theyr boates they sawe in some of them certayne women lamentyng and tearyng theyr heare whiche our men thought they dyd for the death of theyr husbandes As farre as they coulde perceyue these people lyue at theyr owne lybertie without any ruler or gouernour They go naked and haue blacke beards and blacke heare on theyr heades whiche they weare long downe to their wastes They are of the same stature that we are and well made of colour like vnto an Oliue Their women are wel fauored with blacke thycke heare on theyr heades reachyng to the grounde The men colour theyr teeth redde and blacke which they esteeme a comely thyng They annoynt theyr bodyes and heare with they oyle of Cocus Theyr boates are some all blacke some white and some redde and haue sayles made of the brode leaues of Date trees sowed togeather In the steade of a rudder they vse a certayne brode boorde with a staffe in the top and may when they wyll make the sterne the fore castell or the forecastell the sterne They sayle so swyftely that they seeme a farre of lyke Delphyns swymmyng aboue the water The tenth daye of Marche in the yeere .1521 they wente alande vppon a litle Ilande named Zamal .xxx. leagues dystant from the Ilande of theeues Because this Ilande was not inhabited they rested here a while where the captayne caused a pauilion to be pitched for the sycke crased men and a hogge to be kylled The .xviii. daye of Marche they sawe a boate with nyne men commyng towarde them shewyng them selues ioyfull and reioysyng of theyr commyng They brought many presentes with them and seemed to be people of muche humanitie They gaue the Captayne a great fyshe and a great vessell of the wyne of those Date trees whiche beare the fruite Cocus They made also signes that within the space of foure dayes they woulde bryng Ryse and dyuers foules and beastes as they dyd in deede This Cocus is a fruit of certayne Date trees whereof they make bread wyne oyle and vineger They make wyne in this maner They cutte a bygge branche of the tree and hange thereat a reede as bygge as a mans legge into the whiche droppeth a sweete licoure from the tree like vnto whyte wyne somwhat tart and let the reede continue there from mornyng tyl euenyng and from euenyng to mornyng The fruite of this tree called Cocus is as bygge as the head of a man or more The fyrst rynde of this is greene and of the thyckenesse of two fyngers hauyng in it certayne threedes whereof they make cordes with the whiche they tye theyr boates Under this rynde there is a thycke shell which they burne and make pouder therof and vse it as a remedy for certayne diseases Under this shell is a white substance lyke the carnel of a Nut being a fynger in thycknesse which they eate with fleshe and fyshe as we