rich and fruitfull of all things for that it lieth well And also the trées bring forthe fruit of themselues without planting grafting setting or sowing neuerthelesse their fruits are as good swéete and plesant to eate as if the trée had bene grafted We sée in our countrey that the fruits of the fields that is to wit those that the earth bringeth forthe without laboring is rude wilde soure swete and without any good tast the others are contrary Therfore in this Iland is much better fruit than on the maine lande although that it be vnder one Zone and temperatenesse among the which there is one that they name in their language Chicorin and the Trée that beareth them is like to a fether trée of Egipt or Arabia as well in height as in leaues The which fruit is séene héere the which the shippes bring and we cal them Nuts of India the which the Marchants holde deare for they are very faire and proper to make bottels for the wine being a certaine time in these vessels hath a maruelous swete smell and pleasaunt bicause that the fruit hath a smell like Muske Furthermore those that customably drinke in these cuppes or vessels as I was enformed of a Iewe are preserued from the head ache from the ache in the flankes and prouoketh vrine The which being noted of Plinie and others they say that al kinde of Palmes are healthfull and good for many things This fruit wherof we speake is altogether good The Indians Ethiopians being visited with sicknesse péele the fruit drink the iuice or liquor the which is white like to milk and therewith they are eased also with this fruit they make a kinde of sustenance being mingled with certain meale of dried rootes or dried fishe of the which they eate after that it is wel boiled together This liquor is not to be kept long but for the time that is may be kept it is without comparison better for the partie that taketh it than any kinde of conserues that may be found And for the longer keping of this fruit they boile the liquor the which when it is colde they put into vessels therfore appointed others put therein Honey to make it pleasaunt to drinke The trée that beareth this fruit is so tender that if it be neuer so little touched or pricked with any sharpe or pointed thing the iuice will come forthe the which is pleasant to drinke and very proper to quenche thirst All these Ilands that are found on the coast of Ethiopia as the Isle of Prince hauing .35 degrées of longitude minute .0 and of latitude minute .0 Mopata Zonzibar Monfia S. Apolin and S. Thomas vnder the line are riche and fruitfull almost all full of these Palme trées and other trées bearing fruit that are maruellous good There are found diuers other kinde of Palme trées bearing fruit although that not all like those of Egypt and in all the Indies of America and Perou as well on the maine land as in the Ilands are found of seuen sortes of Palme trées all differing in fruit the one from the other Among the which I haue found some that beare Dates good to eate as those of Egipt of Arabia Felicia and of Siria Moreouer in this said Iland are Melons of a meruellous greatnesse being as great as a man may compasse or embrace of a ruddy coloure Also there are some white and others yellow but muche more wholesomer than oures in Europe There are also diuers kindes of good herbes and health some among the which there is one the which they name Spagnin the which they vse for their woundes and sores also against the biting of Vipers and other venemous beastes for it draweth out the venime or poison Furthermore there is founde great quantitie of good Saunders in the woodes and groues As touching beastes wilde and tame fishes and birdes our Iland norisheth of all sortes and in as great quantitie as is possible In the which Iland there is a straunge birde made like a puttocke or rauenous foule the bill like a Hauke hir eares hanging downe to hir throte the féete very rough and full of fethers being of a white shining coloure like to siluer onely the fethers on hir head are blackishe This birde is named in their language Pa in the Persian tongue Pie or Lege and this foule liueth with Serpents of the which there are great quantitie and of diuers kindes Also there are other kinde of birdes not like to those in our Countrey As for beastes there are a great number of Eliphants and beasts with one horne being of two kindes Of the which the one is the Asse of India hauing the foote not clouen as those that are found in the land of Persia the other is named Orix or clouen foote There are no wilde Asses but onely on the dry land Whether y t there be any Vnicorns I know not but being at the Indies of America certain of the Indians came to sée vs aboue .lx. or .lxxx. leagues of whome as we did question with of many things they shewed vs that in their countrey there was a great nūber of certain great beastes like to a kinde of wilde cowes y t they haue hauing one only horne in their forehead about a fadome lōg but to say y t they are Vnicorns I am not sure hauing no perfect knowledge therof I haue before shewed y t this countrey or Iland norisheth great store of serpents Lezards of a maruelous greatnesse y t which are easily takē w tout dāgers Also y e Neigers eat these Lezards so do the Indians of America There are lesser ones of y e bignesse of a lege that are very good and delicate to eat beside many good fishe and foule which they eate when they sée time Among other secretes bicause of the multitude of fishe there are great store of Whales out of the which the inhabitaunts of the Countrey draw Amber the which many take to be gray Amber a thing that is here very skāt and precious Also it is very hearty and good to comfort the most notable partes of our humaine body and with the same they make a great trade with straunge Marchauntes Of our arriuall to Fraunce Antartike otherwise named America to the place named Caape Defria Cap. 24. AFter that by deuine prouidence with so many trauailes common and ordinarie to so long a Nauigation we were come to the maine land not so soone as our heartes desired which was the tenth day of Nouember and in stead of taking our rest it behoued vs to discouer séeke out proper places to make or reare newe siedges being no lesse astonied or amazed that the Troyans were at their arriuall into Italie Hauing therefore stayed but a while at the former place where as we landed as in the former Chapter we haue shewed we spred againe our sa-les sailing towarde Caape Defria wheras we were well receiued of the
to the straight of Forna and DaryeÌ„ that they might passe more easier to Moluques without going to y e straight of Magellan And they sayling on that coast discouered this fayre Promentary whereas setting foote on lande they found the place so fayre and temperate although it be but .340 Degrées of longitude minute .0 and eight of latitude mynute .0 that they there stayed to the which place since are gone other Portingals with a number of ships and people and by succession of tyme hauinge allured the people of the countrey by giftes and pacified them they made a holde named Castell Marin since they haue edified another néere vnto this named Fermanbow trading there one with another The Portingals laade cotton wild beastes skynnes spices and among other things prisoners that the wild men of the countrey take in the warres of their enimies the which they carrie into Portingall for to sell Of the Canibals as well of the mayne lande as of the Ilands and of a tree named Acaion Cap. 61. THis greate Promentary being this doubled and affronted with greate difficultie it behoued vs to attempt fortune and to shorten our way as much as was possible not keping farre of from the mayne land chiefly ceasting somewhat néere to the Iland of S. Paule and other little Ilandes not inhabited neere to the main lande whereas are the Canibals the whiche countrey deuideth the King of Spayns lande from the King of Portingall as hereafter shalbe shewed Seing that we are come to these Canibals we will speake our worde This people from the Caape S. Augustine and beyond néere to Marignan is the moste cruellest and inhumayne people that are in America These imps eat most commonly humayne flesh as we do biefe or mutton haue therevnto more appetite and delight and this is of a truthe that when they haue any of their enimies in their hands it is hard to get them from them for the great desire that they haue to eate them like Rauening Lyons There is no beast in the wildernesse neither in the desartes of Africa or Arabia that longeth so sore or that is so gredie of humayne flesh as these wild and brutish people Also ther is no nation that can be acquaynted wâ—th them neither Christians nor others And none can trade into their countrey without leauing of pledges so mistrustfull they are thinking themselues of more credit than others For this cause the Spaniards and Portingals haue played them some ill tricks in memorial whereof wheÌ„ that they may get any of them God knoweth how they are handled for there is no other way but death and so to be eaten and deuoured of these imps Therefore there is continuall warre betwene them and these people and many Christians they haue deuoured These Canibals haue on their lips stones gréene and white as the other wild meÌ„ haue but without comparison more longer for they descende euen to their breast Moreouer the countrey is fruitefull ynough better than belongeth to such wicked beasts for it beareth great quantitie of fruits hearbes and wholsome rootes with a great nomber of trées named by them Acaion bearing a fruit as big as my fist fashioned lyke a Goose egge some of them therewith make a kind of beuerage although the fruite is not good to eate at the top of this fruite groweth a kynde of nuts made lyke a Cunneys tayle the kernel within is very good to eate after it hath had y e heat of the fier The shel is very ful of oyle hauing a sharpe taaste with the which the wilde men maye make more store and plenty than we can of our nuts the leafe of this trée is lyke to the leafe of a peare trée a little more pointed and red at the ende the barcke of this trée is tauney and bitter the wilde men put this woode to no vse for that it is somewhat tender and softe In the Ilandes of the Canibals whereas there is greate plenty of these trées they cut the woode to burne for that they haue little other wood and also Gaiac This much as touching this trée Acaion There are also other trées whereof the fruite is daungerous to eate among the which there is one named Haouay Furthermore this countrey is full of hills mountaynes with good mynes of golde There is a high and riche mountayne where these wilde men get their gréene stones that they beare at their lips and therefore it is not vnpossible but that there may be founde emerauldes and other riches if this obstinat people woulde permit that we might go in saâ—egarde lykewise there is founde white Marbell and blacke Iasper and Porphire And in al this countrey from the Caape S. Augustine vnto the Ryuer of Marignan they vse all one manner of liuing as the others doe at Caape de Fria the same Riuer separateth the lande of Perou from the Canibals and hath in bredth at the mouth fiftene leagues or thereabout with some Ilandes peopled and riche in golde for the wilde men haue founde a meane howe to trye it and to make broade rings lyke to buckles and others that they hang on their nostrels and on their chéekes the whiche they carrie for magnificence The Spaniardes say that the greate Ryuer that commeth from Perou named Aurelane and this do méete vpon this Riuer there is another Iland named the Trinitie distant ten degrées from the lyne hauing in length about .30 leagues in breadth about .8 leagues the which is the richest Ilande that may be found in any parte for that it beareth al kinde of mettals But for that the Spaniardes landing there many tymes for to bring it to their subiection and obedience haue cruelly handled the inhabitantes therefore they haue bene rudtly repulsed and the better parte destroyed This Ilande bringeth forth abundance of a certaine fruite the trée whereof is lyke to a Palme trée with the which they make drinke Furthermore there is founde good Frankinsence and Gaiac lykewise in many other Ilandes néere to the mayne lande Also there is betwene Perou and the Canibals many Ilandes named Canibals somewhat néere to Zamana of which the chiefest is distant from the Spanish Iland .30 leagues al the which Ilands are vnder the obedience of a King whome they call Sassique of his subiectes he is wel obeyed The greatest Iland hath in length .60 leagues and of bredth .48 rude and ful of mountaynes almost comparable to the Iland of Corsa in the which their King kepeth customably The wilde men of this Ilande are mortall enimies to the Spaniards after such a sorte that they can by no meanes trade Also these people are vglie to beholde hye minded and couragious very subiect to thefte there are many trées of Gaiac and another that beareth a fruite of the greatnesse of an Egge very fayre to behold neuerthelesse it is venemous therefore they temper therewith their arrowes that they vse to ayde them selues with
that from the riuer of Marignan betwene America and the Ilands of Antilles that ioyne at Perou vnto Terra Florida néere to newe found lande belongeth to the King of Spaine the which hath also great Lordship in America comming from Perou toward the South on the West side towarde Marignan as is before shewed To the King of Portingal did befall all that is from the said riuer of Marignan towards the South vnto the riuer of Plate which is .36 degrees from the Equinoctiall And the first place towarde Magellan is named Morpion the second Mahanhoc in the which place hath bene found many mines of golde and siluer The thirde Port Sigoura néere to Caape S. Augustine Fourthly the point of Cronest Monâ—ou castel Marin and Fernanbow bordering the Canibals of America To declare particularly the places from one riuer to an other as Curtana Caribes néere to the swéete or freshe riuer and royall Likewise their lyings with other things I wil forbeare at this time It shall suffice onely to know that in those places before named the Portingals are inhabited and caÌ„tel how to entertaine the wilde men of the countrey so that they liue togither in peace trade many riche marchandise And there they haue bartered and builded houses and castles to resist their enimies Now to retourne to the Prince of Spaine he hath done the like for his part the which is as we haue shewed from Marignan towards the West vnto Moluques as wel on this side as beyond in the West in the sea peaceable the Ilands of these two seas and Perou in the maine land so that altogether extendeth of a great compasse beside the countrey adioyning that in time may be found out as Cartagera Cata Palmaria Parisa great and little The which two nations specially the Portingals haue discouered muche land in the East countrey for their trade the which notwithstanding they enioy not as they do many places of America and Perou For to beare rule in that Countrey they must get the loue and fauor of the Indians otherwise if that they reuolt they will destroy all that they finde so y t they must frame themselues so to their wayes that they by no wise may be offeÌ„ded Now ye must note that their attempts and discouerings was not without great bloudshed specially of poore Christians that haue ieoperded their liues without hauing respect to the cruell inhumanitie of these people To be short there is no difficultie be it neuer so daungerous that withdraweth a mannes manly heart We sée in our Europe how muche the Romaines at the beginning minding to enlarge their Empire but with a litle land to the respect of that which hath bene gotten within this sixtie yeares haue shed the bloud as well of them selues as of their enimies What furious and horrible dissipations of lawes disciplines honest conuersation hath raigned throughout the world biside the ciuile warres of Sylla and Marius Cina and of Pompey of Brutus of Anthony Augustus more hurtfull than the rest also hath folowed the ruine and decay of Italy by the Gothes Hunns and Wandallians which also haue inuaded Asia and ouerthrowne the kingdome of Grece to the which purpose Ouid séemeth to haue spoken these woords We see hovv things doe chaunge and come to passe And novv a people raigne that nothing vvas And he the vvhich had might and poure Dothe them homage obey and eke honoure To conclude all humaine creatures are subiecte to chaunge more or lesse according as they be rich or poore high or lowe little or great The deuision of the West Indies in three partes Cap. 66. BEfore that I passe any farther to describe this countrey by good right as I thinke named Fraunce Antarctike or before America for the reasons that we haue alleaged bicause of his largenesse which is without comparison I am minded for that I would the reader should the better vnderstand it to deuide it in thrée parts for since the time that other Countreis haue bene discouered all the Countrey of America Perou Florida and Canada and other places adiacent to goe from the straight of Magellan haue bene coÌ„monly called the west Indies and is for bicause the people liue al naked barbarous and rude as those that are yet in the East Indies The which Countrey meriteth well the name of India of the floud or riuer Indus as we haue before shewed This fair riuer entring into the East sea called Indique by seuen mouthes or openings as Nyll doth into the sea Meditarium taketh his originall of the Mountaines Arbiciennes and Beciennes Also the riuer Gangis in like case entreth in by .v. openings into this sea deuiding India into two partes separating the one from the other Therfore this region being so farre from America for the one is in the East and the other compreheÌ„deth from the South vnto the west we cannot say that others thaÌ„ those that haue first discouered these landes haue added this name of India séeing the beastly behauior and crueltie of this people so brutish without faith without law and not vnlike to diuers people of the Indies of Asia and of Ethiopia of which Plinie maketh most ample mention in his natural history By this meanes hath America obtained the name of India to the likenesse of that which is in Asia for y t they agrée in maners beastly brutishnesse other things as we haue before shewed of the OccideÌ„tal people to those of the East parts Therefore the first part of this land containeth toward the South vnto the straight of Magellan which is .52 degrées .30 minutes of the Equinoctiall line I meane of the Austreall line comprehending no part of the other land that is beyond the straight the which was neuer knowne nor inhabited of vs sauing onely from that straight comming from the riuer of Plate From thence drawing towarde the West far betwéene these two Seas are the prouinces of Patalia Paranaguacu Margageas Patagones or region of Giaunts Morpion Tabaiares Toupinambou Amazones the countrey of Brasil vnto y e Cape of S. Augustin the which is .viij. degrées beyonde the line the Countrey of Canibals Anthropophages the which regions are comprehended in America compassed with the Ocean sea and on the other side toward the South of the peaceable sea which is otherwise the sea of Magellan We will therfore ende this Indian land at the riuer of Amazones the which euen as Ganges maketh the seperation of one Indies from another towards the East also this notable floud the which hath of bredth .50 leagues may make separation of India America and of Perou The seconde parte shall begin from the sayde riuer containing many kingdomes and Prouinces at Perou the straight of land containing Daryen Furna Popaian Anzerma Carapa Quimbaya Cali Pasta Quito Canares Cuzco Chila Patalia Parias Temistitan Mexica Cataia Panuco the Pigmeis eueÌ„ to Florida which lieth .25 degrées of latitude on this side the line I leaue the Ilands
things that they neuer sawe To this purpose I remember that they woulde perswade vs that in high Africa there was people that had eares hanging downe to there hales the which is nothing so but a manifest fable and lye The fifth prouince is Canar hauing on the west side the South Sea the which is a maruelous cold countrey for the Frost and Snowe lyeth there all the yeare long And although that in others Regions of Perou the colde be not so violent and that there commeth and procedeth great plenty of good fruites yet there is not such teÌ„peratnesse in Sommer for in Sommer in other places the ayre is extreme hot vntemperat the which causeth a corruption chiefly in the fruites Also that venemous beastes are not founde in colde countries as they are in hote regions Therefore al being considered it is harde to iudge which of these countries ought to be preferred before the other to this we may replie that there is no commoditie but that hath his incommoditie Moreouer there is yet another named Calao wherein is more trading and occupying than in any other countrey in Perou the which also is the cause that it is better peopled It extendeth from the Easte coast to the mountaynes of Andes and from the Weaste to the mountaynes of Nanades the people in this countrey is named Xuli Chilan Acos Pomata Cepita and Trianguauaco Although it be wilde and Barbarous yet it is neuerthelesse very tractable bicause of the marchandise and trade that there is vsed otherwise it woulde not be lesse confirmable than the rest of America In this countrey there is a great laake named in their language Titicata whiche is to say Iland of Fethers for that that in this Lake there are certaine lyttle Ilands in the which are founde a great number of byrds great and small and of such diuers kyndes as is almost vncredible Now the last couÌ„trey that is in Perou named Carcas next adiaceÌ„t to Chila in the which standeth the famous and rich Citie of Platte the countrey being very rych bicause of the fayre Riuers and Mynes of Golde and Siluer Therefore this great countrey containeth is called all that is comprehended from the Riuer of Platte vnto Quitto as we haue already shewed and of which we haue declared y e eight principall countries and prouinces This maine land being so long and broade is like to the fygure of a triangle although that many call it an Ilande the which cannot or else will not make a difference betwene an Iland that which we call almost an Iland By this meanes ye nede not to doute that from the straight of Magellan .50 degrees of latitude and .30 minuts and .303 degrées of longitude beyond the lyne being more than .68 degrées on this syde is the maine lande In dede if that this little lande betwene new Spaine Perou hauing in bredth but .17 leagues from the Ocean to the South were cut from the one Sea to the other then Perou might be called an Iland but Daryen a straight of lande so named of the Riuer of Daryen doth let it yet it behoueth somwhat to speake of Perou As touching the Religion of these wyld men of that countrey which are not yet reformed to our Fayth they holde a very straunge opinion of a great â—â—ttell that they kéepe secretly saying that the Sea in times past passed out thereof with all his Fishes and that out of a nother thing proceded the Sunne the Moone the first Man and the first Woman the which their false and deceitfull priestes haue persuaded and shewed them named Bohitis and they haue beleued and giuen credit thereto a long tyme vntil that the Spanyards haue dissuaded the most parte of these dreames and delusions Besides this these people are very idolatrous aboue others One worshippeth according to his minde what pleaseth him The fishers worship a fish named Lyburon and the rest worship certain beasts and byrds Those that labor the ground make gardens worship the Earth but they all in generall take the Sunne to be a great God lykewise y e Moone the earth thinking that by the Sunne the Moone all things are ruled and gouerned In swearing or taking an othe they will lay theyr hand on the Earthz beholde the Sunne they also holde opinion that there hath ben a Deluge as those of America saying that there came a Prophet from the North parts that dyd maruels the which after he was put to death had neuerthelesse power to lyue The Spanyards occupy all this mayne land from the Riuer of Marignan vnto Furna and Daryen and yet more further on the west coast which is the straightest or narowest place of the mayne lande by the which the way lyeth to Moluques Furthermore it exteÌ„deth to the Ryuer of Palme wheras they haue so well edified and peopled all the countrey that it is a maruellous thing to sée the riches that at this day that countrey bringeth forth lyke vnto a great kingdome First to begin almost thoroughout al the Ilands of Perou there are Mynes of Gold or siluer with certaine Emerauldes and Turkesses neuertheless e hauing not so lyuely a color as those y t come from Malaca and Calicut The most welthiest people of all the countrey of Perou are those y t they name Iugas valiant aboue other nations they worship cattell and all other kynde of domesticall beasts in greater number than we doe here for the countrey thereto is giuen in such sorte that beastes hydes and skyns of all sorts is their chief marchandise and they kill the beasts onely for theyr skynnes The greatest number of these domesticall beasts are become wylde bicause that there are so great multitude so y t they let them stray in the woods day night for that they haue no place to harbor theÌ„ in their houses And for to take theÌ„ they set snares and chase them as we doe Venison As for Corne as I vnderstand it cannot profit there nor grow in no part of Perou no more than in America Therefore aswell gentlemen as others lyue with a kynde of sustenance y t they name Cassade which is a kinde of cakes made of a roote named Manihot Furthermore they haue great plenty of Myll fish As touching wine there groweth none in stede whereof they make other kyndes of beuerege This much as touching the circuit of Perou the which with his Ilands of the which I wil treat hereafter is brought to such a forme that at this preseÌ„t ye shal finde townes castels cities bâ—â—oughes houses bishopricks coÌ„mon weales all kende of liuings so y t ye will iudge it to be a nother Europe By this we know how great the power goodnesse of our God is his prouidence to all people for euen as y e Turks Mores heathen people seke to destroy Christes religion so coÌ„trarily in other places it
make them better disposed their ioynts to be playable as the Africans doe with oyle of Olyue Within the head of this fish are found certaine stones of the which they make great store for y t they haue proued them to be good against the colyke be it in the Raynes or in the bladder The femals of this fish bring forth their yong ones quick with out egge as doth y e Whale the Grampyn also she hath .ij. rothers lyke beasts on y e earth with y e which they giue suck to their yong ones A Spaniard that had dwelled long time in this Iland shewed to me y t a gouerner of y e coūtrey did norish one in a cesterne y e terme of .30 yeares the which in proces of time became so priuie y t she wold almost suffer one to lay his hand vpō hir The wyld men will take this fish hard by y e shore as she féedeth vpon y e grasse I leue to speake of many byrds clad with diuers rich coloured fethers w t which they make tapissary figurs of mē womē beasts birds other things they trim them vpon some lynnen clothe therewith they garnish hats caps and gounes the which is very fayre pleasant to beholde Of strange foure footed beastes there are none founde but onely those of which we haue spoken Neuerthelesse there is founde two kynde of lyttle beastes as little as Coneys the which they name Hulias and Caris good to eate That which I haue sayde of this Iland I may in lyke maner speake of the Iland of S. Iames before named Iamaica on the east side it hath y e Iland of S. Dominike There is a nother faire Iland named Bouriquan in their countrey spech but in the carde Marius it is named S. Iohns Iland y e which on the East side hath lying the Iland of the holy crosse and other little Ilands of the which some are inhabited the others are deserte This Ilande from the East to y e west containeth aboute .52 leagues of length .300 degrées no minutes and of latitude .18 degrées no mynutes To be short there are many other Ilandes in those parts the which bicause of the multitude I omit Also for that I could haue no particular knowledge of them I will not here forget that in all these Ilandes there are founde no rauening beastes no more than in England and in the Ile of Creta Of the Iland of Cuba and of Lucaiae Cap. 72. NOw there resteth of all the Ilands of Perou to reherse some secrets of the Iland of Cuba of certaine others adiacēt yet to say the truthe there can be little more spoken than that which hath ben alredy sayd of y e Spanish Iland This Iland is more greater larger than the others for it is reckned from the Promontarie that is on the East syde to the other that is on the west syde thrée hundreth leagues And from the North to the South seuenty leagues As touching the disposition of the aire there it is temperate so that there is no excesse of heate nor yet of colde There are found rich mines of Gold siluer likewise other mettals On y e sea side are found faire riuers that procede from the high hills the waters whereof are excellent with great quantitie of good fish Moreouer before it was discouered it was better peopled with wyld men than any others but at this day the Spaniards are lords and masters The myddest of this Ilande hath two hūdreth nintie degrées of longitude no minuts and of latitude twenty degrées no minutes There is a hyll harde by the Sea syde that is all salte more higher than that of Cipris greate number of trées of cotton brasyll hornebeame also salte of the earth proceding out of a nother mountaine very high and brackishe And of this kynde there is founde in lyke maner in the Iland of Cipris named of the Grekes Oryctos the which also is gotten in a mountaine hard by the Sea Furthermore there is founde in this Ilande great store of Azer Vermilion Alume and other things that are taken out of the bowels of the Earth As touching byrds and foules of the Ayre there is a kynd of Partrige very little being of a red color and also of dyuers other colours their fleshe is very delicate The rusticall people of the mountaines do nourish a number of them in their houses as we do here pullein and many other things worthy to be noted and written First there is a valley that is in length thrée leagues betwene two mountaines where as are founde an infinite number of bowles of stone great and little being naturally engendred in that place although some wold iudge them to be made artificially Sometimes there is founde some so great that foure men wold be combered to cary away one the others are lesse and some so little that they excéede not the quantity of a little egge The seconde thing worthy to be noted is that in the same Ilande there is a mountaine néere to the riuage of the Sea out of the which runneth a licor like to that which is made in the fortunate Ilandes named Bre as we haue before shewed the which runneth doune into the Sea Quintus Curtius in his bokes which he hath made of the Iestes of Alexander y e great sheweth that he being come to a citie named Memi was desirous to sée a great pitte or caue in the which there was a fountaine that rendred great quantitie of gumme very strong being vsed with other thinges so that the authour thinketh for this onely reason the walles of Babilon to haue ben so strong for that they haue bene made of such thinges the which is not onely founde in the Ilande of Cuba but also in the countrey of Themistitan and on the coast of Florida As touching the Ilands of Lucaia being so named for that they are many in number they are northward of the Ilande of Cuba and of S. Dominike they are more than .iiij. hundreth in number all little ones and not inhabited vnlesse it be the greatest that beareth the name of all the others named Lucaia The inhabitants of this Ilande commonly goe to trafficke on the maine lande and to other Ilands They that inhabite there as well men as women are whiter and more fairer than in any of those parties or countreis Séeing that I am in talke with these Ilands of their riches I will not forget somewhat to speake of the riches of Potossi the which taketh his name of a highe mountaine y t hath in height a great league halfe a league compasse This mountaine is maruellous riché bicause of the great Mynes of siluer tyn and brasse which hath ben found almost at the top of the mountaine and this Myne of Syluer hath ben found so good that in one quintall of the Mine is found halfe a quintall of pure
commeth to purpose as the things that I haue séene for pleasure and contentation of my mind that the reader might thereby receiue some pleasure and profit Now this floude so famous among other things of the which the countrey and Kingdome that it watereth hath bene named Senega as our sea Meditarium hath or requireth diuers names according to the diuersitie of countreys where it passeth and in Libia comming to the Caape verd of the which we haue spoken here before from the which to the ryuer the countrey is very plaine sandie and barren for the which cause there are not so many deuouring beastes as in other places This floude or Riuer is the firste and moste celebrated of the lande towarde the Weaste side separating or deuiding the drie and barren countrie from the fruitfull and it extendeth euen to the high Libia and to many other countreys and Kingdomes that it watereth It contayneth in bredth about a league the which is very little in the respect of many riuers that are in America of the which we will treate hereafter more at large Before that it entereth into the Weaste it deuideth and entereth in by two mouthes or openings being separated the one from the other about half a league the which are of an indifferent depth so that smal ships may be brought in Some in the olde time as Solon in his booke named Pollycistor Iulius Caesar and others haue written that the great floude of Nill passing all ouer Egypt hath the like spring or Original as Senega procedeth out of the same mountaines the which semeth not true For the originall of Nill is far beyonde the Equator for it commeth from the high hills of Bede otherwise named of the Auncient Geographers hills of the Moone the which separateth the olde and newe Africa as the hills Pyrannes deuide Fraunce from Spaine And these hills are in Cerenaique the which is beyond the lyne .15 degrées The source or spring of Senega of the which we speake procedeth from two hills or mountaynes the one named Mandro and the other Thala being distant from the hills of Bede more than a 1000. leagues And by this may be sene how greately many haue erred for y t they haue not sought out things as we haue done of late dayes As for the hills of the Moone they lye in the lower Ethiopia those from whence commeth Senega into Libia of the which the chiefest hills are Vsergate from whence procedeth the Riuer of Darda the mounte Mandro being more spokē of than the others for bicause that all the riuers that runne from Salata to Massa being distant the one from the other about seuenty leagues take their originall out of this hill Furthermore the mounte Gyrgila from whence their falleth a riuer named Sympho and of Hagapole commeth the floude Subo being full of good fish and Cocodrils hurtful to their neighbors True it is that Ptolomeus hauing treated of many countreys and strange Nacions hath sayde that which semed hym good chiefely of Africa and Ethiopia And among all the Auncient writers I finde none that hath had so perfit knowledge to my minde as he when he speaketh of the Promentarie of Phraso hauing fiftene degrées of latitude that is the farthest lād of the which he hath had knowledge as also describeth Glarean in the end of the descriptiō of Africa In his time the inferior world hath bene discribed neuerthelesse he hath not wholy speken thereof for that he knewe not a greate parte of the land Meridionall which in our time hath ben since discouered And many things haue ben added to the writings of Ptolome that may be sene in the generall table that is properly of him Therefore the simple reader hauing not greatly turned in the Cosmography nor had experience of things shal note that al the inferior worlde is deuided by the elders in thrée partes vnequal that is to wit Asia Europa and Africa of the which some haue writen the truth other that which semed them good without making any mention of the west Indies that at this day make the fourth parte of the world discouered of late yeres as also hath bene the most greatest part of the Easte Indies Calicut and others As touching those of the Weaste as Fraunce Antariike Peru Mexica they are now commonly called the Newe Worlde yea to the .52 degrée and a halfe of the lyne where as is the straight of Magello and many other prouinces on the North side and of the South on the coast of Leuant to the lower tropicke of Capricorne in the Weast Meridionall and the North lande of the which Arian Plinie and others Historiographers haue made no mention that they haue ben discouered in their tyme. Some haue made mention of certayne Ilandes that were founde out or discouered by the Carthaginians but I iudge thē to be the Ilandes Hisperides or fortunate Plato also sayth that in tymes past there was in the sea Atlantike or Weast a great mayne lande or countrey and that there was in like case an Iland named Atlantike more greater than Africa or Asia together the which was swallowed vp with an earthquake the which I thinke rather to be a fable than otherwise for if it had ben true others beside him would haue written thereof knowing that the lande of which the elders haue had knowledge deuideth in this maner First of the Easte parte it is next vnto the vnknowen land the which is next to the great Asia and to the Easte Indies on the South side they haue had knowledge of a few that is to wit Ethiopia Meridionall named Agisimbra or the North side of the Ilandes of Englande Scotlande Ireland and the hills Hiperbores which are the Further partes of lande Northwarde as some do say Now to retourne to Senega on the one and on the other side of the floude euen as the grounde is diuers and differing so are the inhabitantes therof on the one side the people are very blacke of great stature and strong of body neuerthelesse the countrey flourisheth w c fayre trées bearing fruit on the other side you shal sée al contrary the mē of the colour of Asshes of little stature As touching the people of the countrey of Senega I can say no other thing than of those of Caape verd but that they are rather worse for that the Christians dare not so easily descende a lande for to trade or to haue refreshing as in other places vnlesse they wil be killed or taken for captiues and so to be made staues All things among them are wilde and contemptible sauing onely peace the which they doe somewhat esteme one towarde another In like case reste with some excercise sometimes in laboring the grounde for to saue Ryce as for corne and Wine there is none as touching corne it cannot prosper nor come vp as in other countreys for that there falleth very little and seldome rayne which is
and others but Ptolome did since inuente degrées for to measure bothe the Sea and the land which before was not a lyke measured and this is much more easy It is then Ptolome that hath compassed the whole worlde by Degrées as wel in length as in bredth finding 360. Leagues and in euery degrée .17 Leagues a half as I vnderstande of our Pilots that are expert in Nauigation So that the whole world hauing the Firmament and the Elementes in his conference contayneth .360 degrées equally by twelue signes whereof euery one hath 30. degrées for .12 tymes .30 make iust .360 A degrée contayneth .60 minutes a minut .60 thirdes a thirde .60 fourthes a fourth .60 fifthes vnto .60 tenthes For the proportions of the firmament may be parted in so many partes as we haue sayde Then by the degrées we find the longitude latitude and distance of places the latitude from the line to our Pole whereas there is .90 degrées and so much beyonde the longitude is taken from the fortunate Ilands to the Easte Wherefore I saye to conclude that the Pilot that woulde sayle ought to consider thre things the firste in what hight of degrées he findeth himselfe and in what hight the place is that he will goe to secondly the place where he findeth himselfe and the place whether he hopeth to goe that is to know what distance and length there is from one coaste to another Thirdly to knowe what winde or windes wil serue for Nauigation all the whiche he may knowe and sée by his compasse and other Instrumentes of the Sea Folowing alwayes our course sixe degrées at this side our lyne kéeping the Caape on the North of vs vntill the .15 day of Aprill at which tyme we knewe the Sunne to be directly vnder our Zenith the which was not without enduring great heat as ye may wel thinke if ye consider the heat y t is hetherwarde the Sunne being in Cancer whiche is far from our Zenith to vs that inhabit in Europe Nowe afore going any farther I wil speake of certayne flying fishes that I left out when I spake of fishes vnder the lyne It is therefore to be noted that vnder the lyne ten degrées on this side and beyonde there is founde aboundance of flying fish that flyeth hye in the ayre being folowed of another fish that woulde deuoure him So that by the quantitie of him that flyeth ye may easily coniecture the quantitie of the other lyuing by praye Among the which the Dorade of whom we haue before shewed doeth folowe hym aboue all others for that his flesh is very delicate and tender of the which also there are two kinds the one is lyke a herring the which is that which is so chased of others this fish hath foure wings two great ones lyke vnto the wings of a bat and two other little ones néere to the tayle the other is made lyke a Lampron of the which kindes there are fewe found but onely .15 degrées on this side and beyonde the lyne the which to my iudgement is the cause that those that haue set out bookes of fishes haue left them out beside many others The Americans name this fish Pirauena he flieth lyke a Partrige and the little one flyeth much better and higher than the other and sometymes they are so néere chased and folowed specially by night that many tymes they strike againste the ship sayles by heapes and there remayne There is another fish which is called by them Albacore much more greater than the Porpas the which is also a deuourer of the flying fish as wel as the Dorade and he is very good and excellent to eate aboue all other fishes in the sea as well of the Weast as of the Easte He is vneasy to be gotten and therefore they make a counterfet fish of white linnen the which they make to spring aboue water as doeth the flying fish and by this meanes he is most commonly taken Of Perou and of the principal places contayned in the same Cap. 70. NOw kéeping our course hauing the wind very faire we coasted the lande of Perou and the Ilandes being on the coaste of the Weast Sea called the Ilandes of Perou euen to the heigth of the Spanish Ilande of the which we will speake hereafter particularly This countrey as we haue deuided it is one of the thrée partes of the Weaste Indies hauing in length .700 Leagues taking from the North to the South and in bredth .100 Leagues from the Easte to the Weaste being a firme lande from Themestitan passing the straight of Daryen betwene the West and the sea which they name pacifik and it was so named of a Riuer called Perou which is in bredth about a little league as many other prouinces in Africa Asia and Europe haue takē their names of their most famous Riuers as also we haue shewed of Senega This Region is then inclosed with the Weast and the South Sea garnished with thicke forestes and mountaynes the which make the countrey in many places vnaccessible so that we cannot there driue our Cartes and Horses loden there as we do héere In this countrey of Perou there is many faire prouinces among the which the most chiefest towardes the North is Quito the which extendeth in length from the Easte to the Weast aboute 60. Leagues and in bredth .30 Next to Quito is the prouince of the Canaries hauing towardes the Easte the Riuer of Amazones with many mountaynes and hills and inhabited with a Barbarous and wilde people not yet conuerted besides this there is the prouince that the Spaniards haue named S. Iames of olde port beginning within a degrée beyond ▪ the lyne Equinoctiall The fourth which they call in their language Taxamilca extendeth to the greate Citie of Tongilla the which after that their King Atabalyba was poysoned Pizare seing the fruitfull commodities of the countrey caused there to be edified a Town and a Castel There is yet another named Cuzco in the which the Iugies haue long tyme raygned being a people so named whiche haue bene in tymes past mighty Lords And this worde Iugies is as much to say as Kings And in their time their Kingdome limits was so greate and large that it contayned aboue a .1000 Leagues from one end to another Also this countrey beareth the name of the chiefest Citie as doeth Rhodes Metelin Candia other countreys taking their names of the most renomed Townes and Cities as I haue shewed Furthermore being on a tyme at Caape Finistra in Spayne a Spaniarde shewed me that in this countrey of Cuzco there is founde a people that haue their eares hanging downe to their shoulders hauing hanging on their eares greate pieces of fine and pure shining Golde well pollished and better than any other Golde in Perou to whose wordes I will sooner giue credit than to many Historiographers in these daies that writ by heare say reporting to vs
that from one gate one may sée to the other without any let To be short this citie at this present is so fortified and compassed with strong walls and rampers lyke in forme and fashion to oures in Europe and it is one of the greatest fayrest and rychest that is in all the prouinces of y e west Indies taking from y e straight of Magellan which is beyond the lyne .52 degrees vnto the last furthest land of Abrador y e which holdeth .51 degrées of latitude on this syde y e lyne on y e North side Of Florida Cap. 74. SEing that in writing this discourse we haue made mention of this lande called Florida although that in our retorne we approched not so neare considering that our course lay not altogether so low neuerthelesse we sayled close by to take an easterly wynde It séemeth to me not out of the way to write thereof some thing Lykewise of the land of Canada that is next to it toward y e North being onely certaine mouÌ„taines betwene bothe Therefore keping our course of the height of new Spaine on y e right hande to attaine to Europe not so sone nor so right a course as we wished to haue gone we found the sea fauorable ynough But as by chaunce I put out my head for to beholde it I saw it as farre as I could extend my sight all couered with herbes and floures the which gaue me occasion to think that we were nere to y e land considering also y t in other places of y e sea I had not so much séene notwithstanding I found my selfe incontinently frustrate of my opinion knowing that they proceded of y e sea so y e we saw the sea strawed with those hearbs for y e space of .20 days The sea in y e part hath smal store of fish for thâ—se places séeme rather to be marishes than otherwise Shortly after appeared another signe and forshewing of a starre with a long tayle from y e East into the North the which forshewings I leaue to the iudgement of Astronomers and to the experience of those that haue knowledge therein After this which was worse we were troubled with a contrary wind the terme of nyne dayes euen to the heigth of our Florida That place is a poynt of lande entring into the full Sea a hundreth leagues being .25 leagues a shelfe or shallow .25 degrées and a half on this syde the lyne a hundreth leagues from Caape de Baxa Therfore this great land of Florida is very daungerous for those that sayle of the coast of Cataia Canibalu Panuca and Themistitan for to sight a farre of it would be iudged an Iland lying out in y e mayne Sea Furthermore this place is dangerous bicause of the running waters wyndes and tempests that are in that coast commonly As touching the mayne lande of Florida it hath on the east syde the prouince of Chicoma and the Ilands named Bahana and Lucaia On the west syde lyeth noua Espania the which diuideth in the land that is named Anauae of the which we haue before shewed The best and most fruitfullest countries that are in Florida is Panuae y t which bordereth Noua Espania The people of the countrey are naturally cruell and mightie men being all Idolaters who when that they haue néede either of water or sunne for their gardens and rootes with the which they dayly liue then they will fall doune before their Idolls that are maâ—â— to the similitude of men or of beastes Besides this these people are more and better practised in the feats of warre than the people of Perou When they go to the warrs they beare their king on foure mens shoulders in a beastes skinne and they that beare him are clad and garnished with riche feathers And when that they come to hande strokes they set their king in the middest of them clad with fine skinnes and he will neuer depart from thence vntill the battell be ended Also if that they feele them selues to bée the weaker sort and that their kyng beginneth to flée they wyll not fayle to kill hym the which order the Persians and other barbarous nations in the East parte obserue at this day their weapons of defence are bowes and arrowes made of wood enuenomed the whiche in stede of Iron heades are garnished at the ende with bones of fishes or wilde beasts the whiche is very sharpe Some of them will eate their enimies as the Americanes will doe of whom we haue spoken And although this people as we haue before shewed are Idolaters neuerthelesse they beléeue the soule to be immortall Also that there is a place appointed for the wicked the whiche is a very colde land and that the Gods permit that the sinnes of the wicked shall be punished Also they beleue that there is an infinite numbre of people in the skies and as many vnder the earth with many other folies the which may better be compared to the transformations of Ouide than to any other thyng Furthermore they beleue these things to be true as Turkes and Arabians do that which is writen in their Alcoran This countrey towarde the sea is not verie fruitfull the people are very rusticall more than those of Perou or of America for that they are traded wyth strangers This lande was named Florida in the yere 1512. by those that first dyd discouer it for bicause that by the sea side it was flourishing with gréene trées and with an infinite number of â—â—cures of diuers sundry colours Betwene this Florida and the riuer of Palme are to be seene diuers kinds of monstrous and strange beastes among which ther is a kind of great Bulles hauing hornes a foote long and on the backe a croupe like to a Camell the heare long all about the bodie hauing a dunnish colour Of these beasts there were once two that were broughte quicke into Spayne of one of the which I saw the skin and not otherwise and they liued there but a short time This beast as it is said is perpetual enimie to the horsse can not abide him to be by him In Florida toward the Caape of Baxe there are certaine litle riuers where as the wylde men gather oisters that haue pearles Now seing that we ar come to the gathering of oysters I will not forget by what meanes they get out these pearles as wel in the east Indians as in the West Ye must note that euery chiefe or head housholder hauyng a greate number of slaues knowing not to what labour to set them about they sende them to-gather oysters of the whiche they gather baskets full for their masters putting them into certain great vessells which being halfe full of water is an occasion that the oysters beyng conserued therin certaine dayes do open and the water clensing them leaueth these stones or perles within these vessels And to get them out they first take the oisters out of the vessell and
Grecia by the Phenicians that then ruled on the sea being reputed to their great glory as the first finders out of that which they had learned of the Egyptians The men in this parte on the coaste of Europe vse to noynte their ioyntes with Oyle of the which they haue greate plenty before they take in hand any greate exercise for al softe and pliable things are not easy to breake they principallie make warre with the Spanyardes on their borders partly for religion partly for other causes It is true that the Portingals of late time haue ouercome certaine places in Barbaria and edified townes and Castels and planted our Religion specially one faire towne named the holy Crosse for that they ariued stayed there the same day it is at the foote of a faire mountayn But within this twoo yeres the wicked people of the countrey being assembled together haue throwne downe from the sayde mountayne so many greate stones that they had pulled out thereof that in the ende the poore Portingals were constrayned to forsake the place there is alwayes such enimitie or hatred among them that they trade and trafficke together their Suger Oyle Ryce Lether and other marchandise by leauing of pledges and hostages They haue quātitie of good fruts as Oranges Lemōds Citrons Pomegarneds the which they eat for wante of better meate and Ryce in stede of Wheate also they drinke Oyles as we do Wine They liue many yeares more to my iudgement bicause of the sobrietie they vse than otherwise Of the fortunate Ilandes novv called the Canaries Cap. 5. LEauing Barbaria on the left hande hauing alwayes the winde fauorable we knew by our compasse how néere we were to the fortunate Ilandes lying on the borders of Mauritania toward the west being so named by our elders bicause of the good tēperatnesse of the aire frutfulnesse of the same Nowe the first day of September in the foresayde yeare about sixe of the clocke in the morning we had sight of one of these Ilands bicause of the hyght of a great Hill of the which we wil speke more largely and particularly hereafter These Ilandes as some do affirme are .x. in number of which there are thrée that the Authors make no mention of for that they are vnhabited the other seuen which are named Tenerif the Ile of yron Gomeria and the great Iland properly called Canaria are distant from the Equinoctial .27 degrées the other thrée Forteuenturia Palma and Lencelota are .28 degrées so that by this ye may sée that from the first to the last is a degrée the which is .17 Leagues and a halfe reckening from the North to the South according to the opinion of Pillotes But without further talke he that wold finde out by the degrées of the firmament the quantitie of leagues and stades that the earth doth contayne and what proportion there is from league to degrée the which ought to be obserued of him that will write of coūtreys as a true Cosmographer let him reade Ptolomeus the which treateth therof at large in his Cosmography Among these Ilands there is none of them but the greatest that is named Canaria bicause of the multitude of greate Dogs that there are nourished as Plinie sheweth and many others after him that say as yet that Iuba bare away twayne But nowe they are all named the Canaries without any distinction for this onely reason before shewed But in my opinion I thinke they were named Canaries for the abundance of Canes and wild Réedes that growe on the sea brink as for the Canes or Réedes y t beare Suger the Spaniards haue planted a great many since the tyme that they haue there inhabited but ther did inhabite brutish Barbarous men before that there were any Dogs the which standeth by good reason for I knowe well by experience that in all the countreis and Indies y t haue ben discouered and founde out of late dayes they had neuer knowledge of dog or catte as hereafter shal be shewed Yet I knowe well that the Portingals haue brought thether some and kept them for to hunte after wild beastes Plinie therefore speaketh in this maner the first is called Ombrion whereas there is no signe of house nor building In the mountaines there is a fountaine trées like vnto that which is named Ferula both blacke and white out of the which may be wrong or writhen water Of the blacke ones the water is very bitter to the contrary the white ones the water is pleasant to drinke The other is called Iunonia whereas there is but one onely house builded of stone ther is sene another that is next to this but lesse of the sayd name another that is full of greate Lizardes Right ouer against these before shewed there is another named the Iland of Snowe for that it is alwayes couered with snowe The next to that is Canaria so called bicause of the multitud of great dogs y t it engendreth as we haue before shewed wherof Iuba King of Mauritania had two in the saide Ile ther are some apperāce of old buildings This coūtrey in times past hath ben inhabited with wild Barbarous people not knowing God but altogether Idolaters worshipping y e Sūne y e Moone certaine other planets as soueraigne deities of the which they thought they receiued al their benefits but in lesse thā .58 yeres y e Spaniards haue subdued and ouercome them and slayne part of them and the rest they hold and kepe as slaues and captiues and they inhabiting there haue established or set vp the Christian fayth so that at this present ther is none of the ancient dwellers left onely a fewe excepted that are hid in the mountaynes as in the mountayne of Pych of the which we will speake hereafter folowing True it is that that place is the refuge of all the banished of Spaine the which for punishement are sent thither into exile so that there is an infinite number also of slaues the which serue as well to labor the grounde as to do other labors I do much maruel how the inhabitantes of these Ilands and of Afrike for that they are néere neighbors haue so differed in language in colour Religion and in maners Also that many vnder the Romaine Empire haue conquered and subdued the greatest parte of Africa and neuer touched these Ilands as they haue done in the sea Meditareum knowing also that they are very fruitfull seruing as a victualer to y e Spaniards euē as Cicilie serueth to the Romaines and Geneuois This countrey of it selfe is good being so well tilled it bringeth greate profit and the most in Sugers For within these fewe yeares they haue planted many Canes that bring forth greate quantitie of Sugers maruelous good not only in these Ilands but in other places that they hold there Neuerthelesse it is not so good in any part as in
wished for and they make them in the likenesse of Men Women Lions Birdes and Fishes the which is a faire thing to sée and muche better to taste Also they conserue many fruits the which by this meanes do kepe and they are caried into straunge Countreis to the comfort and recreation of euery one This Countrey is very good faire and fruitfull aswell of his natural disposition bicause of the faire hills decked with woodes and strange fruits the which we haue not in these parties as also of fountaines and liuely springs with the which the fieldes and medowes are watered being garnished with herbes and floures sufficiently and wilde beastes of all sortes Among the Trées that are there there are many that caste gumme the which they haue learned with the time to put to necessary vses There is also séene a kind of Gaiac but for that it is not found so good as the Gaiac that is at the Antilles they set nought thereby it may also be that they know not the manner how to vse it There are also certaine Trées that at certaine times of the yeare casteth good Gumme the which they call Dragons bloude and for to get it out they pearse the trée foote opening it wide and déepe This trée beareth a yellow fruit as great as a Cherrie the which is very good to refreshe one whether he haue the Ague or otherwise This kinde of gumme is not vnlike to Cynaber of which writeth Dioscoridus saying as for Cynaber sayth he is brought from Africa and is solde deare so that there is not ynough to satisfie paynters it is redde and therefore some iudge it to be Dragons bloude and so hath Plinie thought it in his booke the .33 of his naturall Historie the seuenth Chapter of the which as well Cynaber as Dragons bloude is not at this day founde among vs so naturall as the elders haue described but the one the other is artificiall therefore knowing what the elders haue iudged it and that which I haue knowen of this gumme I woulde esteme it to be altogether like to Cynaber and Dragons bloude hauing a softe and a cold vertue I wil not here forget among these so singular fruites as great Lemonds Oranges Citrons and abundance of swete Pomegranads winish swéete and sowre little and great the ryne or péele of which serue to tanne and harden the skins for that they are very suppell And I thinke that they haue learned this of Plinie for the treateth therof in his 19. booke and thirtenth Chapter of his Historie To be short these Ilāds so fruitful wel disposed do excel in dilicatnesse those of Greece were it Chios that Empedocleus hath so much extolled and Rhodes Apollonius and many others Of the Wine of Madera Cap. 9. WE haue here shewed howe much the lande of Madera is fruitfull and well disposed to beare many kinds of good fruite nowe we must speake of the Wine of Madera the which is aboue all fruites for the vse and necessitie of our humayne life I cannot tel whether it meriteth the first degrée at the least I am assured it meriteth the seconde in excellencie and perfection The Wine Suger bicause of an affinitie in temperatnesse that they haue together require a like disposition as doeth the ayre and the lande And euen as our Ilandes of Madera doe bring forth greate quantitie of very good Suger so doe they in lyke maner bring forth good Wine from what partes so euer the plantes are come The Spaniards haue affirmed that they wer not brought from Leuant nor from Candia and yet the Wine is as good and better The which then ought not to be attributed to any other thing but onely to the grounde I know well that Cyrus King of the Medians and Assirians before that he had conquered Egypte made to be planted a great number of plāts that he caused to be brought from Siria that since brought forth good Wine but yet they passed not these of Madera And as for the Wine of Candia though they are very excellent so that in times paste they haue bene greatly estemed in the Romaine bankets the which haue bene more celebrated than the Wines of Chios Metheglyn and of Promentorie of Aruasia which for his excellencie and pleasantnesse hath bene called Wine for the Gods But at this day the Wines of Madera and of the Ile of Palme one of the Canaries hath got the reputation whereas there groweth white red claret with the which they doe trade into Spaine and from thēce into other countreys The most excellentest is sold at the place where it is made for nine or ten Ducats the Pype From the which countrie being transported into other places it is very hot and burning and rather poyson to men than nourishmēt if it be not taken with discretion Plato estemed Wine to be a very good nourisher and very familiar to our bodies stirring vp or prouoking the spirites to vertue and honestie alwayes prouided that it be moderatly taken Also Plinie saith that Wine is a souerayne medicine The which being well knowen of the Persians estemed their greate enterprises after that they had dronke Wine moderatly to be more worthy than those that were done fasting that is to wit being taken in sufficient quantitie according to the complectiō of mē We haue here shewed that onely the quantitie or superfluitie of meates and drinkes hurteth therefore to my iudgement this Wine is better the second and third yere than the firste when it hath the heate of the Sunne the which heate within time consumeth and vadeth so that then there remayneth but the naturall heate for being transported from one place to another the burning heate extinguisheth Moreouer in these Ilandes of Madera the trées herbes and fruites growe so rancke and thick that they are constrayned to cutte and to burne a greate parte thereof In stede of which they plante canes of Suger that profit very much bringing their Suger in in .6 monthes and those that they plante in Ianuarie are cut in Iune from one moneth to another and so according as they are planted the which letteth that the heat of the Sunne doth not hurte them Here I haue briefly shewed that which I could obserue as touching the secretes of the Iles of Madera Of the Promentarie Verd and of his Ilandes Cap. 10. THE elders haue called or named a Promentarie a point of a lande that lieth out long in the sea the which may be séene a farre of and that this day it is called with vs a Caape as a thing eminent aboue others as the heade is aboue the rest of the body also some will write Promontorium à Prominendo the which to my iudgemēt is best This Caape or Promentarie of the which we minde to speake lyeth on the coast of Africa betwene Barbaria and Guinny in the realme of Senega distāt from the Equinoctiall .15 degrées being in times paste
Tabrobane Melinde Cannonor and others they take on the left hande costing the Ile of S. Laurence guiding the head of the ship to Weast or Southweast hauing the winde at Weaste Northweaste This countrey of the Easte Indies extendeth so farre that many iudge it to be the thirde parte of the worlde Mela and Diodorus writeth y t the sea compassing these Indies from the South to the Easte is of such a greatnesse that with much payne they can passe though the wind be fauorable in the space of fortie dayes but I dare affirme twice fortie This countrey therefore is on that side compassed with the sea which bicause of that is named the Indian sea or Indique confining towardes the North to the hill Cancasa and is named India of a Riuer named Indus as Tartaria of the Riuer Tartar passing by the countrey of the greate King Chan. Yt is inhabited with people of diuers kinds as well in manners as in Religion A great parte is vnder the ohedience of Prester Iohn the which holdeth the Christian Fayth the others are Mahometists as we haue before shewed speaking of Ethiopia and others are Idolaters The other way at the departing of this Caape that is on the right hand leadeth to America the which we folowed hauing the wind good and fauorable neuerthelesse we remayned a good long time on the water as well for the distaunce of the places as for the winde that afterwarde fell contrarie the which made vs to lynger euen to the eightene degrée of our lyne and then agayne it began to fauor vs. Before passing any farther I will shewe a thing that is worthy of memorie Aproching or drawing néere to America within fiftie leagues we began to smell the ayre of the lande otherwyse than the smell of the sea with such a swéete and pleasant smell of the Trées Herbes Fruits and Floures of the countrey that neuer balme were it the balme of Egypte that euer smell swéeter or pleasanter Therefore I leaue you to thinke or iudge what greate ioye the poore Nauigantes had although that of a long time before they had eaten no breade also being out of hope to recouer any for their retourne The next day which was the laste day of October about nine of the clocke in the morning we discried the high hills of Croistmouron although that was not the place whereas we pretended to goe wherefore costing the lande a thrée or foure Leagues not minding to descend a lande being well enformed that the inhabitantes there are allyed with the Portingals and therefore for nothing we woulde aborde or descende there keping on our way till the second of Nouember that we aryued to a certayne place named Maqueh for to enquire of things specially of the King of Portingals Armye whereas preparing our boates and barges for to come a shore and set foote on lande there appeared foure olde men of the countrey for that the yong men were gone to the warre the which olde men at the firste fled away thinking we had bene Portingals their enimies but shewing them a token of assurance in the ende they came néere vs. Neuerthelesse staying there not aboue foure and twentie houres we hoyssed sayle for to drawe towarde Caape de Frie distant from Maqueh twentie fiue leagues This countrey is maruellous fayre in tymes past inhabited by the Portingals the which gaue it that name which before was called Gekan and there they reared a tort minding there to remayne for bicause of the goodnesse of the place But within a shorte tyme after for what cause I knowe not but the Barbarous men of the countrey made them all to dye and eate them vp as they vse customably their enimies And at our ariuall they helde two Portingals that they had taken in a little boate and to them they though to doe the lyke to whom our comming was a pleasure for by vs they were recouered out of the handes of these cruell inhabitantes Pomponius Meleus calleth this Caape of which we speake the front of Africa for that beyonde it bendeth lyke an Angle and retourneth by little and little into the North and East there whereas is the ende of the mayne land and of Africa of the which Ptolomeus had neuer any knowlege This Caape also is the chiefe or heade of Newe Africa the which towarde Capricorne extendeth to the mountaynes of Habacia and Gaiacia the flat countrey is little inhabited it is very brutish and Barbarous yea monstrous not that the men are so disformed as many haue written as though that in their sléepe they had dreamed it being not afrayde to affirme that there are people of whome their eares hang to their héeles others with one eye in the foreheade as Arismases others without heade others hauing but one foote but of such a bredth that therewith they may shadowe them selues against the heate of the Sunne and they call them Monomeres Monosceles and Sciapodes certaine others being ignorant doe write yet more strangenesse yea late writers writing without iudgement reason or experience I will not altogether denye the monsters which are vnnaturall approued by the Philosophers and affirmed by experience But I doe impugne things that are so farre out of reason let vs returne to our Promentarie There is founde diuers kindes of dangerous beastes venomous among others the Basiliscus hurtfull to the inhabitants also to the strangers and to those that go to fish on the Borders This Basiliscus as euery man may know is a venomous beast that killeth a man with his onely looke the body about nine inches long the head like fier vpō y t which ther is a white spot in maner of a crowne the mouth red the rest of the face of blacke colour the which I knowe by the skinne that I dyd sée in the handes of an Arabian he chaseth away all other Serpentes with his hissing as Lucian sayth for to remayne alone master of the fielde To be short I may say with Salust that there dyeth more people by wilde beasts in Africa than by any other inconuenience This much thought I good to speake by the way Of the Iland Madagascar otherwise of S. Laurence Cap. 23. THE great desire that I haue to let slip nothing that is necessarie and profitable to the Readers bindeth me that I thinke it the office and duetie of a writer to treate of al things that partayne to his argument without leauing one word out the which thing hath stired me vp to set out in this place this Ilande so notable hauing seuenty eight degrées of longitude no minut and of latitude aleuen degrées and thirtie minutes very well peopled and inhabited with blacke wilde men within a certayne time the which kepe or holde the like maner of Religion as the Mahometists some being Idolaters but after another manner It was firste discouered by the Portingals and named S. Laurence and before Madagascar in their language
out not comprehending them although that they are of no lesse coÌ„passe and greatnesse than Sicilia Corsica Cypris or Candia nor yet of lesse value therefore shall this parte be limitted towards the South to Florida There resteth now only to describe the third parte the which shall begin at Noua Espania or new Spaine comprehending all the prouinces of Anauac Vcatan Eulhuacan Xalixa Thalco Mixtecapan Tezeuco Guzanes Apalachen Pancho Aute and the kingdome of Micuacan from Florida vnto the land of Bacalles which is a great Region vnder the which also is comprehended the land of Canada and the prouince of Chicora which is .33 degrées on this side the line the land of Labrodor newe found land compassed with the frostie Sea on the Northe side This Countrey of the West Indies being thus deuided not specifying many things from the one ende to the other that is to witte many things froÌ„ the one end to the other that is to wit from the straight of Magellan at the which we haue begon vnto the ende of the farthest land of the Indies it is more then .4800 leagues of length and by this ye may descerne the bredthe excepting the straight of Parias before named therfore they are now called y e great Indies being without comparison more greater than the East Indies As touching the rest I desire the reader to take in good parte this little deuision vntil it please God to giue vs meane to make one more greater Likewise to treate more at large of this countrey but thus much I thought néedefull in the meane time to bring to light Of the Iland of Rats Cap. 67. LEauing these Canibals for the small comfort y t there was to be had hauing the winde at South we sailed to a very faire Iland distant froÌ„ the line .iiij. degrées the which is very daungerous in the aboording of it for it is no lesse daungerous to a front thaÌ„ some great Cape or Promentary for that it entreth farre into the sea and for rockes that are about it and ranged on the coast side This Iland was vnluckely found out to the mishappe of those that first did discouer it Some Portingall ship passing by on that coast for default of good gouernment striking against a rocke néere to this Iland brake in pieces and drowned excepting .xxiij. meÌ„ that saued them selues in this Iland in which place they remained the terme of two yeares wheras they died only two excepting which in the meane time liued with Rattes Birdes and other beastes And as on a time there passed by a ship of Normandie that returned from America they set their skiffe out for to rest in that Ilande whereas they found these two poore Portingalls that were onely lefte of this shipwrake the which they brought away with them And these Portingals had named it the Iland of Rats bicause of the multitude of Rats of diuers kindes that there are so that they say that their companions died onely being vexed with these vermin These beastes liue with egs of Torterels that they make on the Riuage of the Sea and with birds egs wherof there is great store Also when we went for to seke fresh water whereof we had such greate nede that some amongst vs were constrayned to drinke their owne water or bryn the which dured the terme of thrée monethes and the famyn foure moneths we sawe there so many birdes and so priuie that we might haue laden therewith our ships neuerthelesse we coulde not recouer fresh water vnlesse we had entred very farre into the couÌ„trey As for the rest it is fayre decked with many fayre trées being gréene the moste parte of the yeare euen like a goodly gréene medowe in the moneth of May although it be within foure degrées of the lyne Though that this Iland is not inhabited yet it is not vnpossible no more than others in the Zone as the Ilandes of S. Homer vnder the Equinoctial others And if it wer inhabited I am wel assured that it would make one of the fairest places in al the Worlde and riche there might be made very good Suger Spices and other things of great value I know well that many Cosmographers haue had this opinion that the Zone betwene the two Tropickes was vnhabited for the extreame heate of the Sunne notwithstanding y t experience sheweth the coÌ„trary without any farther contention euen as the Zones to the twoo Poles bicause of the colde Heroditus and Solon affirmeth that the hils Hiperbores are inhabited and likewise Canada drawing néere to the North and other count yet more néere approching the colde Sea of the whiche we haue alredy spoken Therefore let vs returne to our IlaÌ„d of Rats This place by good right is so named for bicause of the abundance of Rats that lyue there of the whiche there are diuers kindes one kinde among the reste that the wilde men of America eat named in their language Sohiatan and they haue their hayre gray the flesh good delicate like a little leueret There is another named Hiexousou greater than the others but not so good to eat they are as great as those of Egypt called Pharaos Rats Others there are as greate as Wezels that the wild meÌ„ eate not for bicause that when they are dead they stinke like carion the which I haue sene also there are founde diuersitie of Serpentes named Gerara the which are not good to eate but there are others named Theirab that are good for of these Serpentes there are diuers kindes that are nothing venemous nor like to those of our Europe so that their biting is neither mortall nor any thing dangerous there are to be sene redde ones scaled of diuers coloures lykewise I haue sene gréene ones as gréene as the bay leafe they are not so greate of body as the others notwithstanding they are very long Therefore it is not to be marueled at how these wild men there aboutes eate these Rats without daunger and Serpents euen as they do Lezardes as before we haue shewed Likewise néere to this Ilande is founde a kynde of fish and also vpon the coaste of America very daungerous also much feared and redoubted of the wilde men for that she is a rauening fish and as daungerous as a Lyon or a Woulfe famished this fish is named Houperou in their language and eateth other fish in the water excepting one that is as greate as a little Carpe the which foloweth him alwayes as if there were soâ—â—â— Sympathia or secrete loue betwene them or else he foloweth him for to be preserued and kept sure from other fishes So that the wilde men fishing all naked as they do alwayes feare him not without a cause for if he catche them he will either drowne them or strangle them or looke where he toucheth he carieth away a piece with his téethe Also they will take héede how to eate of this fishe but if y t they can take him
aliue as they doe many times for to be reuenged of him they kill him with arrowes Being therefore there a certaine space of time turning héere and there I behelde many straungs fishes that are not in Europe among the which I saw two very monsterous hauing vnder the throte like two Goates dugge◠a thing on the chin that for to sée too was like a Goates beard Beholde how nature the great workemistresse taketh pleasure to varifie hir workes as well by water as by land as the cōning workman beutifleth his work excéeding the common trade of his Arte and science Hovv vve continued our course vvith a declaration of the Astrolabia of the sea Cap. 68. FOr bicause that we found no great consolation nor comfort of our trauails in this Iland It behoued vs without any tarying to hoise sail with an indifferent winde vntill we came vnder the Equinoctiall whereas the sea and the windes are also vnconstant Also the aire is alwayes séene there troubled if one side be faire the other is troubled and threatneth fowle weather so that for the most parte there is raine and thunder which can not be without danger to y e Nauigants Now before they come néere to this line the good Nauigantes Pilots and Mariners being expert take counsel or beholde alwayes their Astrolabia for to knewe the distance and lying of places from thence where they are And bicause this so necessarie an Instrument for Nauigation commeth now in talke I will speake there of lightly by the way for the instruction of those that wil folow the sea being so great that the vnderstanding of man cannot well comprehend it And that which I speake of the Astrolabia as much may I say of the Rule or nedell of the sea by the whiche they may also conduct right the ship This Instrument is so politike that with a little paper or parchement as broade as the palme of my hand and certayne lines marked which signifieth the windes and a little Iron with the which this Instrument is made by his onely natural vertue that a storie giueth him and bloweth in his proper mouing and without any touching sheweth where is the Easte the Weaste the North and the South and also al the thirtie two windes belonging to Nauigation it sheweth them not onely in one place but in al places of the worlde beside other secretes that I omit for this present wherby it plainly appeareth that the Astrolabia the nedell or compasse with the Carde Marin are well made and that there shewing and perfection as is a wōderfull thing for that a thing so great as the Sea is pictured in so little a space and so agreable that by the same men vndertake to sayle rounde about the worlde Then the good and perfect Astrolabia is no other thing than the Sphere pressed and represented in a playn accomplished in his compasse with .360 Degrées that answere to the circute of the World deuided in like number of degrées the which agayne must be deuided into foure equal parts in our Instrument that is .90 in euery parte the whiche afterwarde ye muste parte by fiue and fiue then holding your Instrument by the ring rayse it or hold it towarde the Sunne so that the Sunne beames may enter in at the hole then looking to your declination in what year◠moneth and day ye are in when ye take the height of the Sunne And if the Sunne be towardes the South which is on the coast of America and ye be towards the North ye muste take from your height as many degrées as the Sunne hath declined from the line of y e which we speke towarde the South And if that in taking of the height of the Sunne ye be towardes the South beyonde the Equinoctiall and the Sunne be in the North ye muste in lyke manner take away so many degrées as the Sunne hath declined from the lyne towarde our Pole as for example if ye take your height the Sunne being betwene the Equinoctiall and you when ye haue taken the sayde height ye muste for to knowe the place where ye are be it in sea or lande adde your degrées which the Sunne is declyned from farre from the lyne with your height and ye shall finde that which ye demaunde the which is to be vnderstanded as much of the Pole Artike as Antartike Thus much by the way Gentle Reader of our Astrolabia leauing the rest of the knowledge and vsage of this Instrument to Astronomers and Astrologians that make dayly profession thereof It shall suffice that which I haue spoken the which I knowe to be necessary and nedefull to Nauigation chiefly for those that are ignorant and not yet exercised therein Of the departing of our Equator or Equinoctiall Cap. 69. I Thinke there is no man of Spirite but that knoweth that the Equinoctiall is a trace or circle imagined by the midst of the Worlde from the East to the Weast in equall distance of two so that from the fayde Equinoctiall to eche one of the Poles it is .90 Degrées as we haue at large treated before and of the temperatnesse of the ayre that is there about of the Sea and of the fishes There resteth nowe somewhat to speake in our returne of that which before we left out passing therefore about the firste day of Aprill with a fauourable winde kéeping our right course with sayle spread right to the North neuerthelesse we were molested with one ill commoditie the which was that daye and night it ceased not to raine the which notwithstanding came well to passe for vs to drinke considering our necessitie for the space of two monethes and a halfe enduring thyrst for that we colde get no fresh water And God knoweth whether we drancke not our fill euē with open throte considering the extreame heat that burned vs it is true that the rayne water in those parres are corrupted for the infection of the ayre from whence it commeth for that whereof the rayne engendreth is depraued in such sort that if a body wash their hāds therewith there wil ryse pushes bladders I knowe well that many Philosophers hold opinion that some rayne water is vnholsome they set difference betwene these waters with y e reasons which at this time I wil not allege auoyding prolixitie wel what corruptiō so euer came of it yet neuerthelesse it behoued vs to drink therof though it had cost vs our liues Furthermore this water falling on a clothe woulde stayne it and leaue a spot that scant would be gotten out Nowe therefore after we had passed the lyne it was néedfull for our conduct to beginne to counte our degrees from thence vnto our Europe as much muste be done of them that goe thither after that they are come vnder the sayde-line The Ancient Cosmographers measured the earth the which we may also doe by stades paces and féete and not by degrées as we doe as affirmeth Plinie Strabo
doeth more increase Thus far touching Perou which in our retourne we coasted on y e left hand as in sayling thether we costed Africa Of the Ilands of Perou and chiefly of the Spanish Iland Cap. 71. NOw y t I haue shewed of y e lande of Perou seing y t in y e course we haue in oure returne costed certaine Ilands on the Weast Sea called the Ilands of Perou for that they border the lande I thinke it good in lyke case somewhat to write thereof for bicause we were some to the heigth of one of these Ilandes named the Spanish Iland by those that first did discouer it being before named Haiti which is as much to say as sharpe or sower land Also it was named Quisqueia the great and of a truthe it is so faire and great that from the east to the west it is .50 leagues long and of bredth from the North to the South .40 and in compasse or cyrcuit more than .400 and is beyond the Equinoctiall lyne .18 degrees hauing toward the East the Iland of Saint Iohn with many other small Ilands much to be feared and dangerous for Saylers and toward the West it hath the Ilands of Cuba and Iamaica on the North syde the Ilands of the Canibals and toward the South the Cape of Vela planted on the mayne land This Iland sheweth lyke to Sycilly in tymes past that first was named Trinacria for y t it had .3 promētaries very eminēt lyke vnto that of which we speake the which hath thrée standing very farre into the Sea of the which the first is named Tyburon the second Higney y e third Labos which is a syde of y e Iland which they haue named Beata almost full of y e wood Gaiac In this Spanish Iland are found many fayre Riuers among y e which y t chiefest named Orane passeth rounde aboute y e chiefest Citie named by y e Spaniards Sainst Dominick the others are Nequa Hatibonice Haqua full of very good fishe and pleasant to eate the which is bicause of the temperatnesse of the Ayre and goodnesse of the ground and of the water these Riuers runne about into the Sea almost all on the East syde y e which méeting together make a very large Riuer bancked on both sydes before that this Iland was discouered of y t Christiās it was inhabited with wilde men that were Idolaters worshipping the diuel who shewed him self to them in diuers similitudes lykenesse Also they made many sundry Idols according to the visions sights that they had as they do at this present in many Ilands maine land of that countrey the others worship many gods chiefly one aboue the rest the which they esteme to be a maker of all things and they represēt his figure in an Idoll of wood being set in some trée garnished with leaues and fethers Likewise they worship the Sunne the Moone other celestiall creatures the which now the inhabitāts that are there do not vse for that they are reformed to y t Christian faith and to all kynde of ciuilitie I know wel that in times paste there haue ben some y t haue not regarded it We reade of Caius Caligula an Emperor of Rome though he dispraised hated y t diuine power yet neuerthelesse he quaked trembled for feare when y t there appeared any shew or tokē of gods wrath But before y t this Iland of which we speake was brought to subiection vnder the Spaniards as I haue ben enformed of those that were at the conquest the wylde men killed aboue ten thousād Christians vntil y t the Spaniards had fortified thē selues in certain places after which time they killed a great multitude of y e inhabitants y e rest y t were left they led captiue into diuers countreys and made them slaues And after this sort they haue vsed them of y e Ilands of Cuba of S. Iohn Iamaique the holy crosse the Canibals with many other Ilands maine countrys For at the first the Spaniards Portingals for that they would haue the better dominion rule learned to liue after their maner alluring them by gifts and faire woordes always keping them in their fauor vntill that in proces of time they saw how that they were able to mate and ouercome them then they began to reuolte from their former vse taking this rude people and vsing them lyke slaues they prouoked them to labor the earth otherwise they had neuer come to the perfection of their enterprise The mightiest kings of this countrey are in Casco and Apina rich and famous Ilands aswell for the Golde and Siluer that there is founde as for the fruitfulnesse of the land The inhabitāts weare nothing but Golde about them as large bouckles of two or thrée pound waight y e péece hanging at their eares the weight whereof maketh their eares to hang halfe a foote long the which causeth the Spaniards to cal them greate eares This Iland is very rich in Mynes of Golde as are many others of that countrey for there are founde few or none but either hath Mynes of Gold or Siluer Furthermore it doeth abounde with horned beastes as Oxen Kyne Shéepe Goates and an infinit number of Hogs also very fayre Horses the which beastes for the most parte are become wylde as we haue shewed of the maine lande As touching Corne and wyne they haue none but that which is brought from other places and therefore in stede of bread they eate much Cassade made of the meale of Rootes and in sted of wyne they haue very good and swéete drynks made of diuerse fruites as the Syder of Normandy They haue an infinit number of good fish of the which some are very straunge among the which there is one named Manaty the which is taken in the ryuers and also in the Sea but the greatest store are in Ryuers This fish is lyke to a Bucke or Goats skynne being fylled wyth oyle or wine hauing two féete on both sydes of the shoulders with the which he swimmeth and from the brest to the tayle deminisheth of greatnesse his head is lyke to the head of an Oxe hauing a slender face the chyn ful great and very lyttle eyes this fish is ten foote broade twenty foote long hauing a graye skynne heary lyke to an Oxe hyde so that with his skynne the people of the coūtrey make showes according to their maner his féete are all rounde garnished eche one with foure long clawes lyke to the féete of an Oliphant This fish is more disformed and mishapen than any kynde of fish in that countrey Notwithstanding very good to eate hauing a tast more lyke to vele than fishe The inhabitans of that countrey do gather the grease of the sayde fishe for that it is very good for their Goate skyns of the which they make very good marokyns the black slaues or Neigers do anoynt their bodies there with to
then they lette the water oute by a hole vnder the which they lay a linnen cloth least that with the water the stones or pearles that mighte be should runne out As touching the figure of these Oysters they differ much from ours as well in colour as in shell hauing eche of them certain litle holes which would be thought to haue ben made artificially in the which holes are these pearles Thus muche thought I good to speake of by the way the like also are found at Perou and certaine other stones in good number but the finest are founde in the Riuer of Palme and in the riuer of Panuco the which are distant the one from the other .32 leagues but the christians haue not libertie to get them bicause that the wilde men of that countrie are not yet conuerted to our christian faith Now therfore coasting Florida on the left hand the winde beyng to vs contrary we sayled very néere to Canada and to an other countrey that is called Baccalos which was against our wills and to our great displeasure bicause of the extreme colde that molested vs the terme of eightene dayes although that this lād of Baccalos entreth farre into the full sea in forme of a point welnigh two hundreth leagues on the north side distant from the line onely fortie eight degrées Thys pointe was named Baccales bicause of a certaine fishe that is found thereabout in the sea whiche they name Baccales betwene which and the Cape Delgado there is diuers Ilāds peopled very dāgerous to aboord bicause of the multitude of rocks that compasse the sayd Ilandes they are called the Ilands of Cortes Some iudge them not to be Ilands but mayne lande hangyng vpon the point of Baccalles These places were first discouered by an Englishman named Sebastian Babat who informed Kyng Henry the seuenth that by that waye he would sayle into the countrie of Catia towards the Northe and that by this meanes he woulde fynde spices and other thyngs as well as the Kyng of Portingal dyd in the east Indies Neuerthelesse his mynd was to go to Perou America for to people that cuntrie with Englishmē but his purpose toke no effect True it is y t he landed toward the coast of Irelād in y e north .300 mē where as bicause of the extreme colde the most part of his men dyed thoughe it were in the moneth of Iuly And since Iames Quartier a Briton made thither two voyages as he hym selfe shewed me in the yeare .1530 and .1535 Of the lande of Canada before named Baccalos being discouered in oure time and how the inhabitants liue Ca. 75. FOr bicause that this countrey lying in the Northe was discouered in oure time first by Sebastian Babat an Englisheman and then by Iames Quartier a Briton beyng well séene in nauigation who toke vpon him the voyage at the commaundemente of the kyng of France Francisce the first I think it good therfore somewhat to write the which semeth to me most worthie to be noted although that accordyng to the order of our voyage homewardes it ought to go before the next Chapter Moreouer that which moueth me so to doe is that I haue not séene any that hathe treated otherwise although to my iudgement the thyng doth merite it and that I haue surely learned it of the sayd Iames Quartier This lande being almoste vnder the Pole artike is ioyned towarde the Weast to Florida and to the Ilandes of Perou and since is coasted by the west toward Baccalles of which we haue spoken The which place I think be the same that those which lately haue discouered and named Canada as it happeneth many times that some will giue name to that whiche is out of others knowledge the which toward the east extendeth to the sea called Hyperbores on the other side to a mayne lande called Campestra de Berga to the Southeast ioyning to this countrey There is a Caape called Loraine otherwise by them that discouered it the lande of Britons being nere to new founde lande hauing not in distance aboue .x. or .xij leagues betwene them This new founde land bordreth this hie lād the which we haue named Caape Loraine and towards the northeast betweene both lieth an Iland which hath in compasse about foure leagues The said lād beginneth euen at the sayd Caape towards the Southe and extendeth east northeast and west Southwest the most part thereof extending to the lande of Florida lying like an halfe circle drawing towarde Themistitan Now to return to Caape Loraine of the which we haue spoken it lieth to the lande towards the north whiche is ranged with the sea Meditarium as Italy betweene the sea Adriatike and the sea Ligustike And from the sayd Caape going towards the West and west southwest the shore is to be séene about two hundreth leagues and all sandie and silte without any port or hauen This region is inhabited with many people of an indifferent gret stature very malicious hauing most cōmonly their faces disfigured couered with vizards of red and blew which colours they haue of certayne fruites This lande was discouered by Iames Quartier a Bryton borne at S. Maloes in the yeare .1535 At that time besides the number of shippes that he had for the performaunce of his voyage with certaine barkes some with .60 and 80. men a piece he fought out this vnknowne countrie vntill he came to a great brode riuer to the which they gaue a name in the whiche is founde very good fish chiefly Salmons and that great plentie then they traded into so many places adiacēt with kniues hatchets hookes and lynes to fishe with and such like for Hartes skinnes and skinnes of other wild beastes wherof there is great store The wilde men of the countrey gaue them good entertainement shewing them selues well affectioned towardes them and glad of their comming knowledge and amitie and with their practise in bargainyng with them After this they passyng further founde other people contrary to the first as well in their language as in their maner of liuyng the which people sayd that they came from the great riuer Chelogua for to make war against their neighbors which afterward was known of a truthe by Iames Quartier who toke one of their skiffes with seuen men wherof he reserued twaine which he brought into Fraunce and at his second voyage did carie them backe againe and also they returned againe and were made Christians ended their liues in Fraunce Moreouer the sayde Quartier coulde not learne the maner of liuing of the first Barbariens neither what commoditie is in their countrey and region bicause that it was not before frequented nor traded Of an other countrey of Canada Cap. 76. AS touching the other part of this Region of Canada where as remayne and inhabite the last wilde men It hath ben since discouered beyond the sayd riuer of Chelogua being more thā thrée or
is greatly subiect to earthquakes and to hayles and therefore these poore people being ignorāt of natural things yea much more of heauēly things are greatly afrayd although that these things are common they think that these things procede from their Gods for that they haue offended them Notwithstanding earthquakes commeth not but of windes that are shut in in certayn crasses of the earth the which by greate power causeth it to shake as in lyke manner it causeth many times great trées to shake yea and bloweth them vp by the rootes of the which Aristotle doth shewe As touching hayle it is not to be maruell though it be rife bicause of the vntemperatnesse and vnconstancie of the ayre being very colde in this Region bicause of the distāce of the Sunne the which commeth no néerer than when it commeth to our Tropicke And therefore the water that falleth from the Firmamēt is alwayes frosen bicause that the aire is alwayes colde and therefore it is alwayes haile or snow Now these Canadians when that they féele such incommodities for the affliction that they receiue they kepe thēselues in their houses with certaine domestical beasts that they nourish And there they make their mone to their Idols whose forme and lykenesse is not much vnlike to the fabulouse picture of Melusin of Lusignam being halfe a Serpent and halfe a Woman for the heade of their Idoll with hir haire representeth according to their brutish maner a woman And the rest of their body is lyke to a Serpent The which may cause Poets to fayne that Melusin was their Goddesse The earthquakes be dangerous although the case be euident Séeing that we are come to speake of earthquakes we will shewe thereof one word according to the opinion of naturall Philosophers with the inconueniences that folowe Thales Milesius one of the seuen wise men of Grecia sayde that water was the beginning of al things and that the earth floting in y e middest of this water was in a continuall quaking sometymes more and sometymes lesse Of this same opinion was Democrites and fayde furthermore that the water vnder the earth being burst out by rayne coulde not bicause of his excesse quantitie be contayned in the vaynes and compasse of the earth but caused these earthquakes and of this procedeth the Springs and Fountaynes that we haue Anaxagoras sayd it was fier the which coueting as it is his nature to rise hye and to ioyne with the fier Elementarie causeth not onely this quaking but certayne openings goulfes and such lyke in the earth as we may sée in certa yne places and confirmed his opinion in that the earth burneth in certayne places Anaximines doeth affirme the earth it selfe to be the cause of this quaking the whiche being opened bicause of the excessiue heate of the Sunne the ayre entereth in greate quantitie and with vyolence the whiche after that the earth is closed agayne hath no issue And by this meanes the belly of the earth beginneth to moue this causeth the earthquake The which semeth more to agrée with reason and trueth than the others according as we haue folowing Aristotle also that the winde is no other thing than an ayre that riseth rangingly But leauing these opinions of naturall causes and of earthquakes the which may come by other reasons only by the permission of the most highest vnknowen to vs. The inconueniens and mishaps that come thereby is ouerwhelming of Towns and Cities as happened in Asia of seuen Cities in the time of Tiberius Caesar and of the Metropolitane Citie of Bithinie during the raigne of Cōstantinus Many also haue ben swallowed vp by the earth and others drowned with waters as was Elicea and Aura at the ports of Corinth And for to be short this earthquake commeth sometimes with such vehemence that beside the inconueniences afore shewed it maketh Ilandes of mayne land as it hath done Sicily with certayne places in Siria and others it ioyneth sometymes Ilandes to mayne land as Plinie saith to be happened of those of Doromscia Parua in millites In Africa many playnes and valleys are at this day turned to lakes and riuers Also Seneca sheweth that a flocke aboue fiue hundreth Shepe and other beastes and foules were on a tyme swallowed vp and lost by an earthquake And for this reason the moste parte kepe them by the Riuers sides for to eschewe this earthquake being taught by experience and not by reason that marish grounde and wet places are not so subiect to earthquakes as the mayne and the hyelande and therefore this reason is very easy to those that vnderstād the occasion of the earthquakes before alleged And for this cause the riche and renomed temple of Diana in Ephesus the which continued more than two hundreth yeares being so strongly edified that it meriteth to be in the number of one of the spectacles of the world was set on piles of woode in a marishe place for bicause that it should not be subiect to Earthquakes vntil such time as one Heluidius or as some terme him Eratosthenes being foolishly minded for bicause that he would be knowne and that his memorial might be shewed did set it on fire and consumed it to ashes Also for this cause the Romains had edified a Temple to Hercules by the riuer of Tyber and there they did pray and offer sacrifices Nowe this earthquake is so vehement and contagious in Canada that within .v. or .vj. leagues of their houses within the Countrey there shall be found more than two thousand trées ouerthrowne to the earth as well on hils as on valeys rockes ouerthrowne one vpon an other the ground to sinke and to be swalowed vp and all this hapneth not but of mouing and stirring of the earth The like may happen to other Countreys that are subiecte to earthquakes Thus much thought I good to speake of earthquakes without straying farre from our matter Of the Countrey called New found land Cap. 82. AFter that we were departed from the heigth of the gulfe of Canada it behoued vs to passe further kéeping our course right North leauing the lande of Labrador and the Ilands called the Ilands of Deuils and the Cape of Marco distant from the line .56 degrées we coasted on the left hand the Countrey that is named Newe founde lande the which is very colde and therfore those that did first finde it out made there no long abiding nor those neither that goe thither oftentimes for fishe This new found land is a region that is one of the farthest partes of Canada and in the same land there is found a riuer the which bicause of his bredth and length séemeth to be almost a Sea and it is named the riuer of the thrée brethren being distant from the Ilands of Essores foure hundreth leagues and from Fraunce nine hundreth it separateth the Prouince of Canada from this New found land Some iudge it to be a narow Sea
and the meane that they obserue to cure them cap. 46 The maner hovv to trade among these people of a byrd named Toucan of the Spicery of that countrey cap. 47 Of byrdes most common in America ca. 48 Of Venison and wyld beastes that these wylde men take cap. 49 Of a tree named Hauorahe cap. 50 Of a tree named Vhebehafou and of the honey Bees that frequent it cap. 51 Of a straunge beast named Haute cap. 52 How these Americans kyndle fier of their opinion of the vvorld and of their Yron works cap. 53 Of the riuer of Vases lykewise of certaine beastes that are found there about And of the land named MorpioÌ„ 54 Of the Ryuer of Platte and of the countrey adâ—acent ca. 55 Of the straight of Magellan and of Daryen ca. 56 Hovv that those that inhabit from the Ryuer of Platte vnto the straight of Magellan are our Antipodes cap. 57 How these wylde men excercyse husbandry and make gardens of a roote named Manihot and of a tree that they name Penoabsou ca. 58 How and after vvhat sorte the land of America vvas dyscouered and Brassyll wood found out with many other trees not seene else vvhere but in that countrey cap. 59 Of our departing from France Antartik or America ca. 60 Of the Caniballs aswell of the maine land as of the Ilands of a tree named Acaiou cap. 61 Of the Ryuer of Amazones otherwise named Aurelana by the which ye may fayle into the country of Amazones and into France Antertike cap. 62 How certayne Spaniards aryued into a countrey vvhere they found Amazons ca. 63 How these Spaniards contynued theyr voyadge to Morpion and of the Ryuer of Platte cap. 64 How the lands of the kings of Spayne and of Portingall are seperated cap. 65 The deuision of the West Indies in thre partes cap. 66 Of the Iland of Rats cap. 67 How we continued our course wâ—â—h a declaratioÌ„ of Astrolabia of the Sea cap. 68 Of the departing of our Equator or Equinoctiall cap. 69 Of Perou and of the principal places coÌ„tained in the same cap. 70 Of the Ilandes of Perou and chiefly of the Spanish Iland cap. 71 Of the Ilands of Cuba and of Lucaia cap. 72 A description of Noua Espania and of the great citie of Themestitan edified in the vvest Indies cap. 73 Of Florida cap. 74 Of the Ilande of Canada before named Baccalos being discouered in our tyme and how the inhabitans lyue cap. 75 Of a nother countrey of Canade cap. 76 What Religion these Canadians vse with theyr lyuing how they resist the Colde cap. 77 Of these Canadians apparell how they weare theyr haire and hovv they treate their children cap. 78 Hovv these people make war cap. 79 Of Mynes precious stones other secrets that are found in Canada cap. 80 Of Earthequakes hayles to the which the countrey of Canada is very subiect ca. 81 Of the countrey called Nevv found land cap. 82 Of the Ilands of Essores ca. 83 ¶ Imprinted at London in Knightrider strete by Henry Bynneman for Thomas Hacket 1568. Al things haue bene made for man A difference of Art and of Nature How Nauigation profiteth The cause of the Authors Nauigation How the Author toke shipping for to sayle to India America Why it was called new Hauen The superstitioÌ„ of the elders before they would go on the water Ilandes and other singularities of Gibaltar Ebusus Ieniza Frumentaria Malue Sala Diuers opinioÌ„s of the erection of the pillers of Hercules The maner custome of noble and valiant men in tymes paste What Hercules it was of whoÌ„ are named the columns Tartesse and auncient Citie of Africa Gibaltar a place of Trafficke from Europe to Africa Cap. de canti The fourth parte of the world as some writers affirme the opinion of this word Africa The situation of Africa Pillers of stone where as are writings of the Phenicians The maners ReligioÌ„ of the Africans The cause why there are in Africa so many strange kind of beastes Barharia parte of Africa and why it was so called The Religion ceremonies of the barbariens In Mecha the sepulture of Mahomet the voyage of the Turkes to Mecha The EgyptiaÌ„s were the first that inuented writing and letters The holy Crosse a town in Barbarie How the Fortunate Ilandes lye nowe named the Canaries Why they wer named of our elders the Fortunate Ilandes The number of these Ilands Ca. 3.4.5 6. Why the fortunate Ilandes are now named the Canaries Ombrion Strange trees Iunonia The Ile of Snowe Canaria The inhabitaÌ„ts of the Canaries conuerted to the Christian faith The bountie of the Ilandes named Canaries Suger of Canaria Suger of Egypt Suger of Arabia The fruitfulnesse of the Canaries Smal trees named Paper Oriselia an herbe Bre blacke gumme and howe it is made The wonderfull hight and circuite of Pikehill The height of the hill Etna Ptolomeus hath knowen this hill Strange sortâ— of stones The Ile of IroÌ„ and why it is so called The fruitfulnesse of the Ile of Iron Milke and Cheese grauelly Diuers nourishmentes of diuers people Milke is very good sustenance The Ile of IroÌ„ is right vnder the Diametrial line The value of euery degree Scorpions of Canaries The Ilandes of Madera not knoweÌ„ of our elders What Madera signifieth Suger of Madera celebrated aboue others Comfets of Madera The fruitefulnesse of the Ilands of Madera Gumme A kinde of Gaiac Dragons blud Dioscoridus Cinaber Wine and Suger of Madera Wine of CaÌ„dia Wine of the Ile of Palme The profit of Wine being moderatly taken A Promentary is that which we cal a Cape Ialout now called Caape verd why it was so named Dargina gowlf Promentarie of Ethiopiae Barbazins and Serretsa people of Affrica Almadies Nigritis nowe called Senega Iland neare to Caape verde not inhabited A straunge tree Diuers kindes of Palmes Plinie lib. 13. cap. 4. Phoenix a bird and why she is so named Prouerbe The property of the Palme Lib. 7. Lib. 8. Lib. 16. Chapt. 42 â–ª Lib. 5. of plantes The manner how to make Wine of Palmes The property of the Wine of Palme trees Another kinde of drinke The Kingdome of Senega The opinion of some of our elders vpon the originall of Nill and of Senega Hills of the Moone and of there lying The originall of Senega Hills of Libia None in times past hath had perfit knowledge of Africa in generall The newe worlde The Iles Hisperides discouered by the Carthaginians in times paste The Ile Atlantike in the time of Plato The diuisitie of the countrey the inhabitants maners in Senega A fruitfull tree and Oyle of diuers properties The lying of the Ilandes of Caape verd The Ile of S. Iames. The Ile of S. Nicolas others as Flera Plintana Pintoria and Foyon Marokins of Spaine Foure kinde of Torterels Lib. 9. cap. 10. How to take the Torterels The thicknesse of the shells of these Torterels of the Sea and why they serue Shieldes