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
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
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
Syluer The slaues do no other thing but worke fetch Syluer from the Myne they cary it to the principall and chief towne of that countrey the wich was edifyed at the bottome of the hyll by the Spaniards Synce this Myne was found out all the countries Ilands mayne lands be Inhabited with certaine wylde men all naked as in other places of America Thus much as touching Perou and of his Ilands A description of Noua Espania and of the great citie of Themistitan edified in the vvest Indies Cap. 73. FOr bicause that it is not possible for all men to sée seÌ„sibly all things during his age be it either bicause of the continuall alteration and changing of things that are here in this world or bicause of y e long distaÌ„ce of places countries God hath giuen the meane to represent them not onely by writing but also by picture by the industry labor of those that haue sene them I haue sene set out by figure many auncient as those of Iason of Acteon Eneas Hercules many other things y e which we may dayly sée in their proper forme without figure as are many kynds of wild beasts For this cause I mynd to set forth rehearse vnto you y e great large citie of Thimistitan as nere as is possible being sure certaine y t few among you haue sene it neither can ye well go sée it bicause of the long dangerous nauigation that it behoueth ye to make Themistitan is a citie edified in newe Spayne the which taketh his beginning at the straight of Ariana and endeth on the north side at the riuer of Canuca In times past it was named Anauak and since because it was discouered and inhabited of Spaniardes it hath receiued the name of newe Spaine Among the which landes the first inhabited was Iucathan the which hath a point of lande lying out into y e sea like vnto the lande of Florida notwithstanding that those which make the Cardes Marius haue forgotteÌ„ to make the best the which setteth out their shew or description Now this Noua Espania on the East West and South side is compassed with the west sea and on the North side to the new world the which being inhabited is séene beyond in the same North an other lande not known of the Modernes for the which I will not stand therein Themistitan which is a strong Citie great and very riche in the countrey before named is founded on a greate Lake the way that goeth to this Citie is not broader than the length of two speares being so named of him that laide the foundation named Tenuth sonne to the Kinge Iztacmixcoatz This citie hath onely two gates the one to enter in the other for to come out at And not farre from the Citie is a bridge of wood a tenne foote broad the which was made for the encreasing diminishing of the waters for that Lake riseth and falleth like vnto the Sea And for the defence of the citie there is yet many others like in maner to Venice edified in the sea That countrey is coÌ„passed with very high mountains the plaine cuntrey hath in circuit .150 leagues in the which is fouÌ„d .ij. lakes that occupy a great part therof for bicause y t these .ij. lakes haue of circuit .50 leagues of the which thone is fresh water in the which is many good small fishe and the other is salte water the which besyde his bitternesse is venemous and therefore it can nourish no fish the which is against the opinion of those that thinck it to be but one Laake The playne is separated from the sayd Laakes by certaine mountaynes and at their farthest parte they are ioyned with a straight or narow land by the which men are conducted with barkes and boates euen into the Citie the which is standing on the salt water from thence to the mayne land on the causy side it is foure leagues And I cannot compare the greatnesse thereof better than to Venise For to enter into the sayd Citie there is foure ways made of stones artificially wheras there are two cundits or fountaines of y e greatnesse of two paces and of a mans heigth from one of the which is conducted fresh water into the Citie y e which is of the heigth of fiue foote and the water runneth a long euen to the middest of the Citie of the which they drynke and vse it in their nedeful businesse The other Chanel they kéepe emptie for this reason when y t they will â—lense that same wherein the fresh water is they bring all the filth of the Citie with the other to y e land and bicause that the chanels passe by the bridges by the places whereas the salt water entereth goeth oute they conduct the sayd water by swéete and cleane chanells the heigth of a pace Vpon this Laake y t compasseth the Citie the Spaniards haue made many fayre houses places of pleasure some vpon little Rocks others vpon pyles of woode Moreouer Themistitan staÌ„deth a .xx. degrées of eleuation aboue the lyne Equinoctiall and hath .272 degrées of longitude It was taken by strength by Ferdinand of Cortes being captaine generall for the Emperor in those partes of the yeare of grace .1521 containing than .70000 houses little and great The kings palaice which was named Mutuezuma with those of the lords of y e towne was faire great and large The Indians that then did inhabit this Citie had a custome to kepe euery fyue daies the market in places thereto appointed their trade was fethers of byrds with the which they made diuers and sundry things as gounes fashioned after their maner Tapistry woorke and other things And to these sciences were the oldest sorte occupied When they would go worship their great Idoll the which was erected in the myddest of the Citie lyke vnto a theatre who when they had taken any of theyr enimies in the war did sacrifice them to their Idolls and then eate them holding this for a kynde of religion Furthermore their trade was beastes skynnes of the which they made gounes hose and a kynde of hoodes for to kepe them as well from the colde as from stynging flyes The inhabitans at this daye which before were cruel and vnhumaine by succession of time haue so well changed their maners and conditions that in stead of barbarous and cruell they are ciuill and gratious in such sort that they haue left all theyr former naughtie and wicked doings the which they were wont to vse as in killing one another eating humayne fleshe to haue company with the first woman y t they met without hauing regarde either to kindred or degrée with other lyke vices and imperfections Their houses are sumptuously buylded Among other things there is a fayre palaice where as the Armour of y e Citie is kept the streates and places of this Citie are so straight
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 north-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 north-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
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
the cause that the séedes cannot bud out nor floure bicause of the extreme heate and drieth So soone as they sée their grounde watered or dewed they begin to sowe and after they haue sowed within thrée monethes the fruite is ripe redy to be cut Their drinke is the Iuice of Palme trées and water Among the trées of this countrey there are founde some of the greatnesse of our Oke trées the which beareth fruite as great as dates with the nut they make Oyle that hath meruelous properties The firste is that it holdeth water in yellowe collour like safferne with y e which they dye or collour their little boulles that they drinke in also there hattes that are made of the strawe of rice Furthermore this Oyle hath a smell like to Marche violets and a sauor or taast like Olyue Oyle therefore many eat of it with their Fish Ryce and other meates that they eate Thus much thought I good to speake of this ryuer and countrey of Senega the which extendeth from the coast of Leuant to the land of Thuensar and from the South parte of the Realme Cambra from the ponent to the Weaste sea keping alwayes our course certayne dayes after we began to enter into the countrey of Ethiopia in that parte that is named the Kingdome of Noby which is of a greate circuite with many Kingdomes and prouinces of the which we will hereafter speake Of the Ilands Hisperides othervvise named Caape verd Cap. 13. AFter that we had lefte our Promentary on the lefte hande for to kepe our course as right as it was possible making the Southwest a quarter of South almost a whole day but about ten or eleuen of the clocke the winde came contrary the which cast vs on the right hande towardes certayne Ilandes the which are called by our carde Marins Ilandes of Caape verd the which are distant from the Canaries about two hundreth leagues and from the Promentarie sixtie leagues by sea and a hundreth leagues from Budomell in Affrica following the coste of Ginnie towarde the pole Antartike These Ilandes are ten in number of the which there are two wel peopled with Portingals that firste discouered them brought them to their obedience one of them which they haue named S. Iames Iland is better peopled than the rest also thither is made greate trading by the Moores as well of those that inhabite the mayne lande as of the others that sayle to the Indies in Ginnie and of Manycongra in the countrey of Ethiopia This Ilande is distāt from the Equinoctiall lyne fiftene degrées an other likewise named S. Nicolas Ile inhabited as the other the others are not so peopled as Flera Plintana Pintoria and Foyon in the which there are a certayne number of people and slaues sent thither by the Portingals to labor the grounde in some places where they finde it beste and chiefly for to get goate skinnes of the which ther is great store therewith make good trade haue thereof a great vent and therefore the Portingals pass twise or thrise in a yere with ships and munitions leading with them dogs and bringing nets and snares for to chase and hunte wild goates the which after they are skinned they reserue onely the skinnes the which they season with salt and earth in certaine vessels made for that purpose for to kepe them for putrifieng and so they carry them into their countrey and therewith they make their Marokins that are so greately estemed with vs. Also they inhabitants of these Ilands are bound to render or pay for tribut for euery one to the King of Portingall the number of six thousande goates wilde and tame being salted and dried the which they deliuer to those that of the parte or for the Kings behoofe make the voyage with his greate shippes to the Easte Indies as to Calicut and other places passing by these Ilandes and these number of goates are bestowed for their sustenance during the voyage which is two yeres long or more for bicause of the distaunce of places and the greate Nauigation that they muste make Moreouer the ayre in these Ilandes is Pestilent and vnholsome so that the firste Christians that beganne there to inhabit were of a long tyme vexed with sickenesse as well to my Iudgement for the vntemperatnesse of the ayre that in such places cannot be good as also the changing of dyet and of countrey Also the burning Agues are there very familier common to the slaues specially and the bloudy flixe of the which neither the one nor the other procéede not but of humors extreme hot bicause of their continuall trauaile and naughty nourishment also of the hotnesse of the air with the water that is next and therfore they receiue excesse of these two Eliments Of the Torterels and of an herbe that they call Orselie Cap. 14. SEing y t in our Nauigation we are minded to write certaine secretes obserued in places where we haue bene it shal not be hurtful to speak of Torterels that these former Ilands doe norishe in as great quantitie as goates There is found four kind of Torterels of y e land of the sea the third liuing in fresh water the fourthe in marishes Of the which I meane not to speake particularly but only of those that are séene on the sea coastes that compasse these Ilands These kind of Torterels wil leape from the Sea to the shore at his appoynted time making with his clawes a hole in the sande wherein after she hath laid hir egges being of the number of eight paire of the which speaketh Aristotle couereth them so well that it is vnpossible to sée them or to finde them vntill that the floude commeth that vncouereth them then bicause of the extreme heate that is there of the Sunne they engender and open as the Henne of hir egge the which consisteth in greate number of Torterels of the greatnesse of Crabbes which is a kinde of Fishe the which the floud returning beareth into the Sea Among these Torterels there are some of suche a greatnesse specially in these partes whereof I speake that foure men cannot almost beare one as of a truth I haue séene and vnderstanded of men worthy of credence Plinie sheweth that in the Indian Sea there are so great Torterels that the shel is bigge inough to couer a meane house and that at the Ilandes of the red Sea they might make therewith vessels Nauigable The sayde author sayeth also that there are the like at the straight of Carmania in the Persian sea There are many wayes to take them Sometimes this great beast of a desire to swim more easily seketh the vpper parte of the water a little before noone when the day is faire where as hauing the backe bare and vncouered out of the water sodainly their shell is so well dried by the Sunne that they cannot descend to the depth of the sea so that they floote aboue
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
Likewise of this most notable riuer which we name Ianaria the circumstances of the places for that they lie in a land discouered and found out in our time there resteth nowe to wright that the which we haue learned knowne for the time that we remained ther. It is most true that this land was not knowne to the writers in times past neither yet to the auncient Cosmographers that haue deuided the earth to be inhabited in thrée parts Europa Asia and Affrica of the which they only had intelligence but I am sure that they had no knowledge therof for if they had knowē it they wold haue noted it for the fourth part of the world for it is much more greater than any of the others This lād by good right is called America taking name of him that first found it out being named Americus Vespucia who was a very expert man in the Arte of Nauigation in other high enterprises But since him diuers men haue discouered the greatest parte lying towards Temistitan vnto the Countrey of the Giants and the straight of Magellan Why it shold be named India I know not but the East countrey that is named India hath taken his name of that notable floud or riuer Indus the which is very farre from America It shall therfore suffice to call it America or Fraunce Antartike It lieth betwene the two Tropikes euen beyonde Capricornus the west side extending towards Temistitan and Moluques toward the South to the straight of Magellan and on bothe sides of the West sea and peaceable true it is that neare to Darienna and Furna this Countrey is very straight for the sea on bothe sides entreth very farre into the land Nowe will I write of that parte which we haue moste knowne and frequented which lieth about the Tropike Brumall and yet beyond that it hathe bene and is inhabited at this day besides the Christians that haue dwelled there since Americus time with a maruelous strange wild and brutish people without Fayth without Lawe without Religion and without any ciuilitie but liuing like brute beasts as nature hath brought them out eating herbes and rootes being alwayes naked as well women as men vntill such time as being more visited and frequented of Christians they may peraduenture leaue this brutish liuing and lerne to liue after a more ciuill and humayne manner And therefore we ought greatly to praise our maker that hath illuminated our hartes not leauing vs so brutishe as these poore wild men As touching the grounde or lande of America it is very fruitfull in trées bearing very excellent fruite without labor or séede And it is not to be douted y t if the land were tilled it wold bring forth very good things considering how it doth lye with fayre mountaynes and dales riuers bearing very good fish fat Ilandes likewise firme and mayne lande At this day the Spaniards and the Portingals do inhabite and dwell in a great part thereof the Entilles on the West sea Moluques on the peaceable sea from the mayne lande vnto Dareiena Parias and Palmaria the others more toward the South as in the land of Bressill so much thought I good to write of this Countrey in generall Of the Americans Religion Cap. 28. WE haue before shewed how that these poore people liue without Religion and without Lawe the which is very true but there is no creature liuing that is partaker of reason so blinded seing the heauen the earth the Sunne the Moone so ordayned the sea the things that are dayly séene but that will iudge these things to be made by the hande of some greater worckemaister than man And therefore there is no Nation be they neuer so brutish but that by their owne naturall reason haue some religion and some cogitatiō of God they all therefore confesse that there is some power and soueraygntie but what a one it is fewe there are that knowe it and that hath caused the diuision of Religion Some haue acknowledged the Sunne for soueraigne others the Moone some others the Starres others otherwise as Histories do recite Nowe to our purpose these wilde men of America make mention and tel of a greate Lorde whom they name in their language Toupan the which they say is aboue and maketh it rayne and thunder but they haue not the meane to praye nor to honor him at one tyme or other neither yet no place appointed If one shew them of God as I haue many times done they will giue an attentiue eare therevnto with an admiration and they will aske if it be not that Prophete that hath taught them to plante their great rootes that they name Hetich And they haue heard say of their fathers that before they had the knowledge of the rootes they lyued but with herbes and wild rootes like brute beasts there was they say in their countrey a great Charaiba that is to say a Prophete y t which came to one of their yong maydēs gaue hir certaine great rootes named Hetich shewing hir that she shoulde cut them in péeces and then plante them in the earth the which she did and since they haue alwayes continued from father to sonne the which roots haue so wel prospered that now they haue so great abundance that they eate little other foode and it is as common with them as breade is with vs. Of this roote I find two kindes of one greatnesse the first when it is sodden or boiled becommeth yellow the other white and these two kindes haue the leafe like to a mallow it neuer beareth séede and therefore these wild men do plant againe this roote being cut in péeces so that they being replanted multiplie excedingly When that this countrey was firste discouered and founde on as before we haue shewed which was in the yeare 1497. by the commaundement of the King of Castilia these wilde men being amased to sée the Christians in the order as they had neuer before sene y e like likewise their maner gesture and doings they estemed them as Prophets and honored them as Goddes vntil they perceiued that they became sicke to dye and to be subiect to the like passions that they were then they began to dispraise them and to intreate them worse than they were accustomed as they that afterwardes went thither Spaniards and Portingals so that if they be angred they force no more to kil a Christian and to eat him than if it were one of theyr enimies but this is in certayned places and specially among the Canibals that lyue with none other thing as we doe here with biefe and mutton Also they haue left calling them Carabes or halfe Gods and nowe they call them as in reproche Mahira the which was the name of one of theyr anciente Prophetes whom they did detest and abhor As touching Toupan they esteme him greate not resting in one place but going about here and there and
theyr countrey so that the Spaniards remained there Lordes and Maisters beside many other lands adiacent that since they haue conquered euen to Moluques in the Ocean to the West of the other coast of America so that at this day they haue in possession a great deale of lande about this fayre Riuer whereas they haue builded Townes holds And some of the wylde men adiacēt are reconciled with them and become Christians True it is that about a hūdreth leagues beyond there are other wylde men that make warre with them being stoute men and of great stature almost like Gyants And they liue with littell other foode than humaine fleshe as the Canibals This kinde of people go so swyftly on foote that they will easely take wilde beastes in their chase they liue longer than any of the other wilde men doe as a hundreth and fiftie yeares and the other lesse they are very prone and subiect to that damnable sinne of lechery haynous before God the which I omit not onely for the respect of this coūtrey of America but also many others These Giants make warre aswell with the Spaniards as the wilde men about them Now to our purpose This Riuer of Platte with the countrey adiacent is now very riche aswell in Siluer as in stones this Riuer swelleth or encreaseth certaine daies in the yeare as doeth Aurelana that is at Perou and Nyll in Egipt At the mouth of this Riuer there are many little Ilands of the which some are inhabited the others not this countrey is very full of Hylls and Mountaines from the Caape S. Mary vnto the white Caape specially that towardes Saint Helenes point distant from the Riuer .65 leagues and from thence to Arnes Govvrdes .30 leagues then from thence to Basseas to the other land so named bicause of the great valleis that there are And from Basseas to the Abbey of Fonda .75 leagues The rest of the countrey hath not ben frequented of christians extending to the Caape Saint Dominik or Caape Blanke and from thence to the Promentary of the eleuen thousand Virgins .52 degrées and a halfe beyond the Equinoctial and thereby is the straight of Magellan of the which we mynde hereafter to speake As touching the flatte countrey it is at this present very fayre by an infinit number of Gardens Fountaines and Riuers of swete fresh water in the which are great plenty of very good Fish And to the said Riuers there haunteth a kinde of beast that the wylde men name in there language Saricouiemia which is as much to say as fine or daintie beastes the which beast remaineth more in the water than on the land and is no bigger than a little Cat. The skynne of this beast which is intermedled with gray white and blacke is as fine and smooth as veluet his féete made like the féete of a water Foule And as for his flesh it is very pleasant and good for to eate More ouer in this countrey toward the straight there are many strange and monstrous beastes but not so cruell as in Africa And to conclude this countrey now is brought to so good a forme that it would not be taken for a strange countrey for the wylde men of the countrey haue inuented of late days by the meanes of Christians artes and sciences very ingeniously so that they may be a very spectacle to many people of Asia and of our Europe I meane of those that curiously obserue and kéepe the damnable law of Mahomet and other fonde and deuilish Doctrine Of the straight of Magellan and of Daryen Cap. 56. SEing that we are come so neare to this notable place it shall not be out of the way to write somewhat thereof Now this straight called in Greke Poeidinos as the West betwene two landes named in Greke Istmas a straight or a pointe of lande betwene two waters as that of Daryen confineth America toward the South and there seperateth with an other land discouered but not inhabited euen as Gebaltar doeth Europe with Africa and that of Constantinople doeth Europe with Asia being named the straight of Magellan by his name that first dyd discouer it lyeng fifty two degrées and a halfe beyonde the Equinoctiall contayning of bredth two leagues by one only height straight East and West two thousand two hundreth leagues from the North to the South furthermore from the Caape of Essead which is at the entring of the straight vnto the other South Sea seuenty foure leagues vntill the first Caape or Promentary which is fortie degrées This straight hath ben long time desired and sought more than two thousand eight hundreth leagues for to enter by this straight into the Sea of Magellan to attayne to the Ilandes of Moluques Americus Vestucia one of the best Pylots that euer was hath coasted almoste from Ireland vnto the Cape of Saint Augustin by the commaundement of the king of Portingale the yeare .1501 And since another Captaine the yeare .1534 sayled vnto the Region named of Gyants In this Region betwene the Riuer of Platte and this straight the inhabitaunts are very mightie named in their language Pategones Giants bicause of their high stature forme of bodies They which first discouered this countrey tooke one of them finely being twelue foote long who was so vneasie to holde that .25 men had inough to doe about him and for to kepe him it behoued them to bynde his féete and hands in their shippe notwithstanding they could not kepe him long aliue but for sorow thought as they saye he died for hunger This Region is of lyke temperatnesse as Canada and other countries néere to our Pole and therefore the inhabitants are clothed with the skynne of a certaine beast named in their speach Su which is as much to say as Water for bicause to my iudgement that this beast for the most part remaineth in the waters and flouds This beast is a rauenous beast made after a straunge maner besides this if she be chased or pursued as the people of the countrey vse to doe for to haue the skinne she taketh hir yong ones on hir backe and couering them with hir tayle that is thick and long saueth hir selfe with running Neuerthelesse the wild men of the countrey vse a policie for to take this beast making a déepe pit in the grounde néere to the place where she maketh hir most residence the which they couer ouer with gréene leaues so that in running knowing not of this pit the poore beaste falleth in with hir yong ones and she seing hir selfe thus taken in hir rage she kylleth hir yong ones and maketh such a terrible noyse that she maketh the wylde men afrayde But for all this in the ende they kill hir with darts and arrowes and then they take hir skinne Now to our purpose This captain Fernandus of Magellan a couragious man being informed of the riches that might be found in the Ilandes of Moluques as great quantitie of spice
aboue ten thousande times but they eate them not as others doe but they burne them vntill they be consumed to ashes Furthermore these women when that they approche to fight they make maruellous cries shootes for to affray their enimies Of the originall of these Amazones in that countrey it is vncertain some thinke that after the warre of Troy for thither they went as we haue before shewed vnder the conducte of Pantasilla they scattered abrode and wandred héere and there Others think that they are come from certain places of Grecia iâ— Affrica from wheÌ„ce a cruell king chased them We haue many histories of their acts and feats of warre and of other women the which I will leaue for to continue our purpose for there are many Histories Greekes Latines and others that shewe thereof at large We haue begon to shewe how that the Spanyardes remained there but a while for to rest them onely and to get victuals for that these women as all amazed to sée suche an aray which vnto them was straunge came together aboue ten thousand of them in lesse space than thrée houres maids and women all naked sauing bowes and arrowes in their fastes beginning to make a great noise as though they had séene their enimies so that they began to loose of their arrowes the which the Spanyards séeing wold make no resistance but retiring wayed their ankers and hoised saile but at their departing saying Adew they saluted them with certaine gunshot among the thickest of them so that these women escaped not without some losse and detriment Hovv the Spanyardes continued their voyage to Morpion and of the riuer of Plate Cap. 64. FRom thence they continuing their way wel a Cxx. leagues they knew by their Astrolobia what height the place was where they were The which is so necessary for the good Nauigation that those that saile into farre Countreys can haue no assurance of their voyage if that this practise faile them wherfore this Arte of the height of the Sunne excéedeth all other artes And this cunning our elders haue greatly commended and practized also Ptolome and other great authors These Spaniardes leauing their skiffes and caruels they sunke them then euery man laded them selues with the rest of the victailes munitions and other marchaundise chiefly the slaues that were there for that purpose they went for the terme of .ix. dayes by and ouer mountaines and dales decked with all sortes of gréene trées herbes floures and fruites In so much that at the last by their iorneys they came to a great riuer procéeding from the highe Mountaines wheras they found other wilde men among the which some for feare fled their wayes others climed vpon trées and there remained in their lodgings none but a fewe olde men to the which in signe of friendship and fauor they made presents with certaine kniues and glasses the which to them were agréeable so that they went and called the others shewing them that these strangers newe arriued were some great Lordes that in no wise would hurt them but make to them presents of their riches The wilde men being moued with this liberalitie went to fetche them victails as fish venison and fruites according as the countrey brought forth The which the Spanyardes séeing were minded there to passe away the winter in the meane time to discouer the commodities of the countrey and to sée if that there might be fouÌ„d any Mine of golde or siluer or any other thing wherby they might gather any profit By this meanes they remained there .vij. months together and séeing things fell not out according to their mind they tooke their iorney forward hauing to guide them .viij. of these wild meÌ„ that brought them on their way about .lxxx. leagues passing alwayes through the midst of other wilde men more rude lesse tractable thaÌ„ they before for the which their guides wer vnto them as necessary as profitable Finally they knew of a truth that they were come to y e height of a place named Morpion then inhabited of Portingals some of them being weary of so long a voyage were determined to repaire to the place before named others to y e coÌ„trary said it were better to perseuer goe forwarde to the riuer of Plate distant farther by land .300 leagues In which for to make agréement according to thaduise of the captain the one part kept their way to Plate and the others drue toward Morpion Néere to which place these poore pilgrims beheld if they could espie any booty vntil that they found a riuer running at the foote of a hill in which they that dranke did perceiue certaine stones shining like siluer of the which they bare a certaine quantitie to Morpion distant froÌ„ theÌ„ce .18 leagues which place after proofe was found to bear good natural siluer And since y e king of Portingall hath had from thence an infinite deale of siluer after that he had souÌ„ded the Mine and brought it to good perfection After that these Spaniardes had rested theÌ„ selues at Morpion with the Portingall their neighbors they set forwarde to folow the others to kepe the way to Plate being distaÌ„t from Morpion by sea .250 leagues and by land .300 wheras the Spanyards haue found many Mines of golde and siluer and haue named it Plate which signifieth in our language siluer And for to inhabite there they haue edified certaine castles and holdes and since some of theÌ„ with other Spanyards newly come to that place not content with this fortune haue enterprised to saile euen to the straight of Magellan so named by him that first found it out which ioyneth with America toward the South And from thence entreth into the peaceable Sea on the other side of America where as they haue found many faire Ilands and in the end they came to Moluques which they kepe and inhabiteâ—t this day By the which meanes there cometh a great tribute of golde and siluer vnto the King of Spaine This muche in effect of this voyage the which I thought good to note by the way being shewed me in my Nauigation by those that of a truthe had bene in the voyage Hovve the landes of the king of Spaine and of Portingall are separated Cap. 65. THe kings of Spaine and of Portingall after that they had obtained many happy and fortunate victories as well in the East as in the West in places by sea and land not before knowne or discouered deliberated for the greater assurance to deuide and limit al the countrey that they had conquered and also to auoide quarels that héere after might rise as they did of the mine of gold that they had at the Cape of thrée points which is in Guiney as also the Ilands of Cape verd and many other places Also euery one may know y t one kingdome wil not haue two kings no more than the world wil receiue two Sunnes So it is
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
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
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
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
like that of Magellan by the which ye may enter from the West sea to the South sea Gemafrigius although he was expert in Mathematike hath herein failed erred for he maketh vs beleue that this Riuer of which we speake is a straight the which is named Septentrionall and so hath he sette it out in his Mappa Mundi If that which he hath written be true in vaine then haue the Portingals bene and Spanyards to séeke a new straight distant from this aboue .3000 leagues for to enter into the South sea to goe to the Ilands of Moluques where as the spices are This Countrey of New found land is inhabited with barbarous men being clothed in wilde beastes skinnes as are those of Canada this people is very frowarde and vntractable as our men can well testifie that goe thither euery yeare a fishing They that dwel by the Sea liue with little kinde of other meate than fishe which they take in the sea wherof they take a great multitude chiefly sea Wolues of which they eate the flesh which is very good With the fat of this fish they make a certaine Oyle that after it is come to his perfection hath a redde colour which they drink at their tables as we do wine or béere Of the skin of this fish which is strōg and thick as if it were of some wild beasts they make clokes garments according to their maner which is a meruellous thing that in a element so moist as that is which is moist of it self cā be norished a beast or fish that hath the skin hard and dry as beasts of the earth haue Likewise they haue other fishes that haue hard skins as y e Grampas the Dog fish and others with strong shels as Torterels Oysters Muscles suche like Besides this they haue great plenty of other good fish bothe smal and great of which they liue daily I maruell that the Iewes Turkes Grekes many other natiōs in the East eat no Dolphins nor of many other kinde of fishes that are without shell as wel in the sea as in fresh waters which maketh me to iudge that these people are more wiser better aduised to finde the tast in meats more delicate than wheras are Turks Arabians and other superstitious people In those parts there is also found Whales I meane in y e hie sea for such fish neuer cometh toward the shore to liue with such little fish Notwithstanding the fish that the Whale doth most commonly eate is no greater than a Carpe a thing almost vncredible considering hir greatnesse the reason therof as some say is for bicause y t the whale hath but a litle throte in cōparison of y e greatnesse of his body therfore he cannot deuour a greater fish The which is a wonderfull secrete vnknowne as well to our elders as to vs although that they haue treated of fishes the female hath but one yōg one at a time which she bringeth forth as a beast of y e earth without egge that which is more wōderful she giueth suck to hir yōg one after y t she hath brought it forth And therfore she hath .ij. rothers vnder hir belly vnder y e nauel which no other fish hath neither in the sea nor in fresh water but only y e sea Wolfe as witnesseth Plinie This whale is dangerous to méete on the sea as the Bayones cā wel tel by experiēce for they vse to take them To the purpose ye shall note when that we wer in America some Marchantes ship y t passed from one lād to another for marchādise was ouerthrown all y t was within hir lost by a whale y t touched hir w t hir tail In the same place wheras the Whale frequenteth there is found moste commonly a fishe that is his mortall enimie so that if she méete the Whale she will pricke the whale vnder the belly which is the softest and tenderest place with hir tong that cutteth like a Barbars raser so that he being thus hurt cannot saue himself but that he dieth as the inhabitants of New found land do shew and the common fisher men In this Sea of Newe found land there is a kinde of fishe that the people of the countrey call Hehec hauing a bil like a Popengay and other fishes with shell There is found in the same place great store of Dolphins that shewe themselues many times aboue water leaping and floting the which some iudge to be foreshewings of tempests and fowle weather from the part or coast that they come from as Plinie sheweth Isidorus in his Etymologies which I haue also knowne by experience the which is more surer than the witnessing either of Plinie or of any other Some haue written that there is fine kindes of signes and forthe wings of tēpests and stormes on the Sea as Polybius being with Scipio Aemilian in Affrica Furthermore there are great plenty of great muscles and as for beastes of the earth there are a great number very wilde and daungerous as great Beares the which are almost all white and bisides beastes there are foules of the aire of which the fethers are all white the which I thinke happeneth bicause of the extréeme coldnesse of the Countrey but these Beares which I spake of are day and night about the houses of this people for to deuoure their Oyle and Fishe As touching these Beares although that we haue treated thereof at large in our Cosmographie of Leuant yet notwithstanding we will speake somewhat thereof by the way howe the inhabitants of the Countrey take them being afflicted with y e importunitie that they make them Therfore they make certaine pittes in the ground very déepe néere to trees and rockes and then they couer them finely with leaues and braunches and this they vse where as are hiues or multitude of Hony Bées which these Beares séeke and follow with all diligence thereof they are very desirous not only so much for to fil them therewith but for to heale their eyes the whiche they haue naturally blemished and all their braine also that being stinged with these Hony Bées there falleth from them a bloud specially from the head wherby their paine is eased so that they are comforted thereby There is also séene a kinde of great beastes like to Buffles hauing hornes very great their skin is grayishe of which they make garments and of many other beasts whose skins are very riche This Countrey is full of hils and mountaines and very barraine as well for bicause of the vntemperatenesse of the aire as of the condition of y e lande smally inhabited and ill tilled As for birds there are not found suche quantitie as in America or at Perou nor yet so faire There are two kinde of Egles of which the one kinde kéepeth the waters and liueth onely with fishe chiefly with shell fishe the which she taketh vp and flieth into the