hath two strong Forts opposite to each other with a Platform in the midst which also commands the Road all which are well fortified with great Guns c. The principal of these Forts is called Charles Fort being seated in Nedham's Point 2. Little Bristol Little Bristol formerly Sprights Bay situate about four Leagues Leeward from St. Michaels hath a commodious Road for Ships and is a place well frequented and traded unto and is strongly defended by two powerful Forts 3. St. James St. James formerly called the Hall seated not far from Bristol hath the accommodation of a good Road for Ships and is a place of a considerable Trade for its defence besides a large Platform hath fortified Breast-works and in this Town is kept for the Precinct the Monthly Courts Charles-Town Charles-Town seated wind-ward of St. Michaels about two leagues and an Oyster-Bay it is secured by two strong Forts the one to the windward and the other to the Leeward of the Town and Road with a Platform in the midst This Town hath the accommodation of weekly Markets and here is kept the Monthly Courts for the Precinct The other Places of Name along the Sea-coast of this Isle beginning Easterly and so encompassing the Isle are as followeth Fowl-bay Augustin's-bay Maxwell's-bay where there is a small Isle Black Rock The Hole Spikes-bay Balises-bay Long-bay Clark's-bay and Constance-bay This Island is very strong as well by Nature as Art being sheltered with Rocks and Shoals and where Nature hath not thus defended it it is fortified by Trenches and Ramperts with Pallisado's Curtains and Counterscarps besides round about the Isle regarding the Sea is standing-wood here are also for its further defence three Forts one for a Magazine for the Ammunition and Powder to lie in and the other two places for Retreats as occasion serves They have also for their further security a standing Militia consisting of two Regiments of Horse and five of Foot which are stout and well-disciplined Men and always to be ready on beat of Drum The Government Government is by Laws agreeable to those in England for which they have Courts of Judicature Justices of Peace Constables Church-wardens and the like And for the administration of Justice here are yearly five Sessions It is divided into Eleven Precincts wherein are fourteen Churches and Chappels the whole so filled with Houses that it may almost seem one great Town There is a Fish called a Rock-fish taken near this Island which is red intermixt with several other colours very delightful to the eye And a great Fly called by the Indians Cucuyos which gives such a great light in the night that it is called the flying Torch of America not only guiding the Traveller by shewing his way in the night but with the assistance of this light a man may easily write and read the smallest Print that the Indians having these Flies fastened to their hands and feet go a hunting all night by the light of them which the famous Dubartus thus describes New Spain's Cucuyo in his forehead brings Two burning Lamps two underneath his wings Whose shining Rays serve oft in darkest night Th' Embroiderers hand in Royal-works to light Th' ingenious Turner with a wakeful eye To pollish fair his purest Ivory The Vsurer to count his glist'ring Treasure The learned Scribe to limn his golden Measure Those who are desirous to know more of the Nature of the Sugar-Canes the manner of their planting growth cutting grinding boiling together with the manner of their conveying the Skimmings into their Cystern where to distil it for Spirits how long it continueth in the Curing-house before it become Muscovado-Sugar together with the manner of its refining and making into Whites may consult Mr. Richard Ligons description of this Isle where they will find sufficient satisfaction The present Governour of the Island of Barbado's is Sir Richard Dutton A DESCRIPTION Of the ISLAND of St. CHRISTOPHERS ST CHRISTOPHERS so named from Christopher Columbus the first discover thereof who finding it very pleasant gave it his own Name which the shape of the Mountains likewise inclined him to for on its upper part it hath as it were upon one of its shoulders another lesser Mountain as St. Christopher is painted like a Giant carrying our Saviour upon his back like as it were a little Child It is situated in the latitude of 17 degrees Situation and 25 minutes on this side the Line in circuit about 75 Miles the Land lies high in the midst by reason of some very high Mountains from which springs several Rivers which oftentimes by reason of the Rains falling from the Mountains are overflown to the detriment of the Inhabitants The Soyl The Soyl. being light and sandy is apt to produce all sorts of the Country-Fruits Provision and Commodities as Sugar Tobacco Cotton Ginger c. This Isle by reason of its several great and steep Mountains between which are dreadful Rocks and Springs of hot and sulphurous Water with horrid Precipices and thick Woods yea some Springs of Sulphur which causes one of them to be called the Sulphurous Mountain There is on the Sea-side a Salt-Pit called Gul-desac and not far from the Salt-Pit there is a small Isthmus of Land which reacheth within a Mile and a half of the Island of Nevis and Mevis The Island is placed exceeding delightful and of a most delectable prospect to the eye of the beholder for it is divided into several stages from the uppermost whereof a man may take an exceeding pleasant prospect of all the Plantations and Gardens which gently descend to the Sea-side and in regard of the general ascent of the Isle the lower stage or story doth not debar the eye of the pleasant prospect of that which lieth at a remoter distance and that which makes the prospect the more delectable in the several Plantatious which are bounded with Rows of Trees always in their verdure are the fair Houses covered with glazed Slate The whole Island is divided into four Quarters or Cantons two whereof are possessed by the English and two by the French but so separated that People cannot go from one Quarter to another without passing over the Lands of one of the two Nations The English have more little Rivers in their Division the French more of the plain Countrey fit for Tillage The Engilsh exceed the French in number but the French have four Forts of which one hath regular Works like a Citadel that of most note commands the Haven and is called Basse-Terre and the English only two one commanding the great Haven and the other a Descent not far from Pointe de Sable and to prevent Differences between the two Nations each of them have a Guard upon the Frontiers of their Division which is renewed every day The English have erected five fair Churches well furnished with Pulpits and Seats of excellent Joyners Work of precious Wood the Ministers being sent thither by
several of which being capable to harbour five hundred Sail of Ships from the rage of the Sea and Winds by reason of the interposition of several Isles to the number of about 200 which lie about this Coast The Account of the Worship and Ceremonies of the Indians hath been much perfected by the Industry and Voyages of Capt. Gosnold Capt. Hudson Capt. Smith and others the last of which gives a very large Account this Captain being taken Prisoner by the Natives and while he stayed among them observed their Magical Rites three or four days after his being seized seven of their Priests in the House where he lay each with a Rattle making him sit down by them began about Ten in the Morning to sing about a fire which they encompassed with a Circle of Meal at the end of every Song which the Chief Priest begun the rest followed in order they laid down two or three Grains of Wheat then the Priest disguised with a great Skin his Head hung round with little Skins of Weasles and other Vermine and a Cornet of Feathers painted as ugly as the Devil at the end of every Song he used strange and vehement Gestures throwing great Cakes of Deer-Suet and Tobacco into the fire thus these howling Devotions continued till Six a Clock at Night and held so three days This they pretended was to know of their God whether any more English should arrive and what they intended to do in that Country They sed Capt. Smith so high that he much doubted they would have sacrificed him to their Chief Deity the Image of whom is so deformed that nothing can be more monstrous the Women likewise after he was freed and President of the Company made him a very odd Entertainment thirty of them came out of the Woods only covered before and behind with a few green Leaves their Bodies painted of different colours the Commander of these Nymphs had on her Head a large pair of Stag's Horns and a Quiver of Arrows at her Back with Bow and Arrows in her hand the rest followed with Horns and Weapons all alike they rushed through the Streets with hellish shouts and crys dancing about a fire which was there made for that purpose for an hour together then they solemnly invited him to their Lodging where he was no sooner come but they all surrounded him and crying Love you not me after which they feasted him with great variety cook'd after their mad fashion some singing and dancing all the while and at last lighted him home with a Firebrand instead of a Torch to his Lodgings And although this Country is seated in the midst of the Temperate Zone yet is the Clime more uncertain Temperature as to the heat and cold than those European Kingdoms which lie Parallel with it and as to Virginia this may be compared as Scotland is to England The Air The Air. is found very healthful and agreeable to the English which makes them possess many Potent Colonies being very numerous and powerful When they design to make War they first consult with their Priests and Conjurers no People being so Barbarous almost but they have their Gods Their Religion Priests and Religion they adore as it were all things that they think may unavoidably hurt them as Fire Water Lightning Thunder our Great Guns Muskets and Horses yea some of them once seeing an English Boar were struck with some terror because he bristled up his Hairs and gnashed his Teeth believing him to be the God of the Swine who was offended with them The chief God they Worship is the Devil which they call Okee they have conference with him and fashion themselves into his shape In their Temple they have his Image ill-favouredly Carved Painted and Adorned with Chains Copper and Beads and covered with a Skin The Sepulchre of their Kings is commonly near them whose Bodies are first Imbowelled dried on a Hurdle adorned with Chains and Beads and then wrapped in white Skins over which are Matts they are afterwards Intombed orderly in Arches made of Matts their Wealth being placed at their feet But for their common Burials they dig a hole in the Earth with sharp Stakes and the Corps being wrapped in Skins and Matts they lay them in the Ground placing them upon sticks and then cover them with Earth the Burial ended the Women having their Faces painted black with Cole and Oyl sit Mourning in the House twenty four hours together howling and yelling by turns The Natives are cloathed with loose Mantles made of Deers Skins and Aprons of the same round their Middle Their Cloathing all else being naked of Stature like to us in England They Paint themselves and their Children and he is most Gallant who is most deformed The Women Imbroider their Legs Hands and other Parts with several Works as of Serpents and the like making black spots in their Flesh Their Houses are made of small Poles round and fastened at the top in a circle like our Arbours covered with Matts twice as long as broad they are exact Archers and with their Arrows will kill Birds flying or Beasts running full speed One of our Men was with an Arrow shot through the Body and both the Arms at once Another Indian shot an Arrow of an Ell long through a Target that a Pistol Ballet could not pierce their Bows are of tough Hazle and their Strings of Leather their Arrows of Cane or Hazle headed with Stones or Horn and Feathered Artificially They soon grow heartless if they find their Arrows do no execution They say there is Men among them of above two hundred years of Age. Though the Planting of this Country was designed by several of the English yet it lay much neglected 'till a small company of Planters under the Command of Captain George Popham and Captain Gilbert was sent over at the charge of Sir John Popham in 1606. to begin a Colony upon a Tract of Land about Saga de hoch the most Northernly part of New-England but that design within two years expired with its Founder Soon after some Honourable Persons of the West of England commonly called the Council of Plymouth being more certainly informed of several Navigable Rivers and Commodious Havens with other places sit either for Planting or Traffick newly discovered by many skilful Navigators obtained of King James the First a Patent under the Great Seal of all that part of North America called New-England from forty to forty eight Degrees of North Latitude This vast Tract of Land was in 1612. Cantoned and divided by Grant into many lesser Parcels according as Adventurers presented which Grants being founded upon uncertain and false Descriptions and reports of some that Travelled thither did much interfere one with another to the great disturbance of the first Planters so that little profit was reaped from thence Nor was any greater Improvement made of those Grand Portions of Land saving the erecting some few Cottages for Fishermen
hath been here And in their Complaints to any of the French Governours this is commonly the first Thy Mariners for so they call all strangers have taken away a Knife or some such small trifle out of my Cottage They are a People linked in one common intrest and love each other extreamly so that very rarely any difference ariseth amongst them but if they are by chance offended though it be by one of their own People they seldom ever forget it but study all imaginable ways of revenge and when their Sorcerers tell them such an one hath done them the Mischief that happens to them they watch all opportunities to kill him crying out He hath bewitched me I will be revenged on him They bear great respect to ancient people the younger sort complying in all things with their sentiments and wills Their Youths have no conversation either with their Maids or married Women and are generally less amorous than those of the Female Sex though both are very chast a Vertue worthy admiration in a barbarous People that go naked But by the pernicious Examples the Christians have set them they are now grown somewhat more loose They are great lovers of Neatness which is not very usual among Savages for if a man should but ease himself in their Garden where their Potatoes grow they will forsake them A DESCRIPTION OF NEW-JERSEY NEW-JERSEY is part of the Province of New-Albion aforementioned and is subdivided into East and West-Jersey East-Jersey lies between 39 and 41 Degrees of North-Latitude It s Situation being about 12 Degrees more to the South than the City of London it is bounded on the South-East by the main Sea East by that vast Navigable Stream called Hudson's River West by a Line of Division which separates it from West-Jersey and North upon the main Land and extends itself in length on the Sea-Coasts and along Hudson's River One hundred English Miles and upward The Proprietors Proprietors of this Province who in 1682. were William Penn Robert West Thomas Rudyard Samuel Groom Thomas Hart Richard Mew Thomas Wilcox Ambrose Rigg John Heywood Hugh Hartshorn Clement Plumstead and Thomas Cooper have published the following Account for the information and incouragement of all Persons who are inclined to settle themselves Families and Servants in that Country which may give sufficient satisfaction of the Situation Conveniencies and Product thereof The conveniency of Situation temperature of Air and fertility of Soyl is such that there is no less then seven considerable Towns viz. Shrewsbury Chief Towns Middle-Town Burgin Newark Elizabeth-Town Woodbridge and Piscataway which are all inhabited by a sober and industrious People who have necessary Provisions for themselves and Families and for the comfortable Entertainment of Strangers and Travellers And this Colony is experimentally found generally to agree well with English Constitutions For Navigation it hath these advantages Its Advantanges for Navigation not only to be situate along the Navigable part of Hudson's River but lies also fifty Miles on the main Sea And near the midst of this Province is that noted Bay for Ships within Sand-Hook very well known not to be inferiour to any in America where Ships not only harbour in greatest storms but ride safe with all winds and sail in and out thence as well in Winter as Summer For Fishery the Sea-banks there are very well stored with variety of Fish not only such as are profitable for Transsportation but fit for Food there As Whales It s Fish Cod-fish Cole and Hake-fish large Mackarel and many other sorts of flat and small Fish The Bay also and Hudson's River are plentifully stored with Sturgeon Great Basse and other Scale-fish Eels and Shell-fish as Oysters c. in great plenty and easie to take This Counrry is plentifully supplied with lovely Springs Waters Rivulets In-land Rivers and Creeks which fall into the Sea and Hudson's River in which is much plenty and variety of fresh-Fish and Water-Fowl There is also great plenty of Oak-Timber Trees fit for Shipping and Masts for Ships and other variety of Wood like the adjacent Colonies as Chesnut Walnut Poplar Cedar Ash Fir c. fit for building within the Countrey The Land or Soyl as in other places varies in goodness and richness It s Fertility but generally fertil and with much smaller labour than in England produceth plentiful Crops of all sorts of English Grain besides Indian Corn which English Planters find not only to be of vast encrease but very wholsome and good in use It also produceth good Flax and Hemp which they now spin and manufacture into Linnen Cloth There 's sufficient Meadow and Marish to their Up-lands and the very Barrens there as they are called are not like some in England but produce Grass fit for grazing Cattel in Summer season The Countrey is well stored with Wild Deer Fruits Fowls Conies and wild Fowl of several sorts as Turkeys Pigeons Partridges Plover Quails wild Swans Geese Ducks c. in great plenty It produceth variety of good delicious Fruits as Grapes Plums Mulberries Apricocks Peaches Pears Apples Quinces Water-Melons c. which are here in England planted in Orchards and Gardens These as also many other Fruits which come to perfection in England are the more natural product of this Country There are already great store of Horses Cows Hogs Cattel and some Sheep which may be bought at reasonable prices with English Money or English Commodities or Man's Labour where Moneys and Goods are wanting What sort of Mine or Minerals are in the Bowels of the Earth after-time must produce the Inhabitants not having yet employed themselves in search thereof But there is already a Melting-Furnace and Forge set up in this Colony where is made good Iron which is of great benefit to the Country It is exceedingly well furnished with safe and convenient Harbours Harbours for Shipping which is of great advantage to that Countrey and affords already for Exportation great plenty of Horses and also Beef Pork Pipe-staves Boards Bread Flower Wheat Barley Rie Indian Corn Butter and Cheese which they export for Barbadoes Jamaica Mevis and other adjacent Islands as also to Portugal Spain the Canaries c. Their Whale-Oyl and Whale-Fins Bever Monkey Racoon and Martin-Skins which this Countrey produceth they transport for England The Situation and Soyl of this Country may invite any who are inclined to transport themselves into those parts of America For 1. It being considerably peopled and situate on the Sea-coast with convenient Harbours and so near adjacent to the Province of New York and Long Island being also well peopled Colonies may be proper for Merchants Tradesmen and Navigators 2. It is likewise proper for such who are inclined to Fishery the whole Coast and very Harbours-mouths being fit for it which has been no small Rise to New-England People and may be here carried on also with great advantage 3. For its Soyl it is