Battel in revenge of some former Injuries done by the Troquois to the Algovinquins who had the Victory for which cause the French have been so hated ever since by the Nation of the Troquois that none of them durst ever appear in any part of that Lake But their Trade said to be sixteen thousand Beavers yearly is partly sold to the Dutch who Trade with the West-end of the said Lake over Land by Horses from their Plantation upon Hudson's River and another part is conceiv'd to be purchas'd by the Hiroons who being Newters are Friends both to the one and the other and these Hiroons bring down the greatest part of all by the River of Canada The Way over Land to this great Lake from the Plantation of Pascataway hath been attempted by Captain Walter Neale once Governor at the Charges of Sir Ferdinando Gorges Captain Mason and some Merchants of London and the Discovery wanted but one days Journey of finishing because their Victuals was spent which for want of Horses they were enforc'd to carry with their Arms and their Clothes upon their Backs They intended to have made a settlement for Trade by Pinnaces upon the said Lake which they reckon to be about ninety or a hundred Miles from the Plantation over Land The People of the Countrey are given to Hunting of wild Beasts which is their chiefest Food Their Arms are Bowes and Arrows Their Armor is made partly of Wood and partly of a kind of twisted Stuff like Cotton-Wool Their Meat is Flour of Indian Corn of that Countreys growth sodden to Pap which they preserve for times of Necessity when they cannot Hunt This Province of Laconia however known by a distinct Name is included within the Province of Main which offers it self next to our consideration Of the Province of Main All that part of the Continent of New England which was allotted by Patent to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and to his Heirs he thought fit to call by the Name of The Province of Main It takes it beginning at the entrance of Pascatoway Harbor and so passeth up the same into the River of Newichwavoch and through the same unto the farthest Head thereof and from thence North-Westwards for the space of a hundred and twenty Miles and from the Mouth of Pascatoway Harbor aforesaid North-Eastward along the Sea-Coast to Sagadehock and up the River thereof to Kinibequy River even as far as the Head thereof and into the Land North-Westwards for the space of a hundred and twenty Miles To these Territories are also adjoyn'd the North half of the Isles of Sholes together with the Isles of Capawick and Nautican as also all the little Islands lying within five Leagues of the Main all along the Sea-Coast between the aforesaid Rivers of Pascatoway and Sagadehock He no sooner had this Province setled upon him but he gave publick notice That if any one would undertake by himself and his Associates to Transport a competent number of Inhabitants to Plant in any part of his Limits he would assign unto him or them such a proportion of Land as should in reason satisfie them reserving onely to himself some small High-Rent as 2 s. or 2 s. 6 d. for a hundred Acres per Annum and if they went about to build any Town or City he would Endow them with such Liberties and Immunities as should make them capable to Govern themselves within their own Limits according to the Liberties granted to any Town or Corporation within this Realm of England And as for others of the meaner sort who went as Tenants that they should have such quantities of Land assign'd them as they were able to manage at the Rate of 4 d. or 6 d. an Acre according to the nature or situation of the Place they settle in And for the Division of the Province and the Form of Government which he intended to Establish he first divided the Province into several Parts and those again he subdivided into distinct Regiments as East West North and South those again into several Hundreds Parishes and Tythings and these to have their several Officers to Govern according to such Laws as should be agreed upon by publick Assent of the Free-holders with the approbation of himself or Deputy and the principal Officers of the publick State The setled Government for the general State to whom all Appeals were to be made and from whom all Instructions for the welfare of the Publick were to issue were to consist of himself or his Deputy who was to be chosen every three year by himself with the advice of his Council Next a Chancellor for the determination of all Causes A Treasurer to whom the care of the publick Revenue was to be committed A Marshal whose Office was to oversee the Regiments and to provide Men for publick Service An Admiral to take care of all Maritime Affairs to whom a Judge of the Admiralty was to be joyn'd to determine all Maritime Causes A Master of the Ordnance to look to the publick Arms and Ammunition A Secretary to receive Intelligence and to acquaint himself or Deputy therewith To these belong all their several Officers and Ministers for the Execution of all Matters proper to their several Places The chief Town of this Province is call'd Gorgiana which is Govern'd by a Mayor the rest are onely inconsiderable Villages or scatter'd Houses but through Encouragement given to Adventurers and Planters it may prove in time a very flourishing Place and be replenish'd with many fair Towns and Cities it being a Province both fruitful and pleasant SECT II. New Netherland now call'd New York THat Tract of Land formerly call'd The New Netherland doth contain all that Land which lieth in the North parts of America betwixt New England and Mary-Land the length of which Northward into the Countrey as it hath not been fully discover'd so it is not certainly known The breadth of it is about two hundred Miles The principal Rivers within this Tract are Hudson's-River Raritan-River Delaware-Bay-River The chief Islands are the Manhatans-Island Long-Island and Staten-Island The first which discover'd this Countrey was Henry Hudson who being hir'd by the East-India Company to seek a Passage in the Northern America to China set Sail Anno 1609. in the Half-Moon Frigat coming before Terre-neuff he stood about towards the South-West where Sailing up a great River he found two Men Clad in in Ruffelo's Skins and from thence arriv'd safe at Amsterdam New Netherland thus discover'd invited many Merchants to settle a firm Plantation there to which purpose they obtain'd Letters Patents in 1614. granted them by the States in the Hague That they might onely Traffick to New Netherland whereupon they earnestly prosecuting the Design sent out Adrian Block and Godyn who discover'd several Coasts Isles Havens and Rivers NOVI BELâ—â— Quod nune NOVI JORCK vocatur NOVAE que ANGLIAE Partis Virginiae Accuratissima et Novissima Delineatio After His Majesties Restauration His Majesty being truly
act Warlike postures and then they come in painted for War with their Faces black and red or some all black some all red with some streaks of white under their Eyes and so jump and leap up and down without any order uttering many Expressions of their intended Valour For other Dances they onely shew what antick Tricks their ignorance will lead them to wringing of their Bodies and Faces after a strange manner sometimes jumping into the Fire sometimes catching up a Firebrand and biting off a live Coal with many such tricks that will affright rather than please an English-man to look upon them resembling rather a company of infernal Furies than Men. Their sitting in Council When their King or Sachem sits in Council he hath a Company of Arm'd Men to guard his Person great respect being shewn him by the People which is principally manifested by their silence After he hath declared the cause of their Convention he demands their Opinion ordering who shall begin The Person order'd to speak after he hath declar'd his mind tells them he hath done no Man ever interrupting any Person in his Speech nor offering to speak though he make never so many long stops till he says he hath no more to say The Council having all declar'd their Opinions the King after some pause gives the definitive Sentence which is commonly seconded with a shout from the People every one seeming to applaud and manifest their Assent to what is determin'd If any Person be condemn'd to die which is seldom unless for Murther or In cest the King himself goes out in Person for you must understand they have no Prisons and the guilty Person flies into the Woods where they go in quest of him and-having found him the King shoots first though at never such a distance and then happy is the Man that can shoot him down for he that hath the fortune to be Executioner is for his pains made some Captain or other Military Officer They grease their Bodies and Hair very often and paint their Faces with several Colours as black white red yellow blue c. which they take great pride in every one being painted in a several manner Within two Leagues of New York lieth Staten-Island it bears from New York West something Southerly It is about twenty Miles long and four or five broad mosr of it very good Land full of Timber and producing all such Commodities as Long-Island doth besides Tin and store of Iron Oar and the Calamine Stone is said likewise to be found there There is but one Town upon it consisting of English and French but it is capable of entertaining more Inhabitants Betwixt this and Long-Island is a large Bay which is the coming in for all Ships and Vessels out of the Sea On the North-side of this Island After-skull River puts into the Main Land on the West-side whereof there are two or three Towns but on the East-side but one There are very great Marshes or Meadows on both sides of it excellent good Land and good convenience for the setling of several Towns There grows black Walnut and Locust as there doth in Virginia with mighty tall streight Timber as good as any in the North of America It produceth any Commodity which Long-Island doth Hudson's River runs by New York Northward into the Countrey towards the Head of which is seated New Albany a Place of great Trade with the Indians betwixt which and New York being above a hundred Miles is as good Corn-Land as the World affords enough to entertain hundreds of Families which in the time of the Dutch Government of these Parts could not be setled by reason of the Indians excepting one Place call'd The Sopers which was kept by a Garrison but since the Reducement of these Parts under His Majesties Obedience and a Patent granted to his Royal Highness the Duke of York which is about six years by the care and diligence of the Honorable Collonel Nichols sent thither as Deputy to his Highness such a League of Peace was made and Friendship concluded betwixt that Colony and the Indians that they have not resisted or disturb'd any Christians there in the setling or peaceable possessing of any Lands within that Government but every Man hath sat under his own Vine and hath peaceably reap'd and enjoy'd the Fruits of their own Labors which God continue Raritan-River Westward of After-skull River before mention'd about eighteen or twenty Miles runs in Raritan River Northward into the Countrey some scores of Miles both sides of which River are adorn'd with spacious Meadows enough to feed thousands of Cattel The wood-Wood-Land is very good for Corn and stor'd with wild Beasts as Deer Elks and an innumerable multitude of Fowl as in other parts of the Countrey This River is thought very capable for the erecting of several Towns and Villages on each side of it no place in the North of America having better convenience for the maintaining of all sorts of Cattel for Winter and Summer Food Upon this River is no Town setled onely one at the Mouth of it but next to it Westward is a Place call'd Newasons where are two or three Towns and Villages setled upon the Sea-side but none betwixt that and Delaware-Bay which is about sixty Miles all which is a rich Champain Countrey free from Stones and indifferent level having store of excellent good Timber and very well water'd having Brooks or Rivers ordinarily one or more in every Miles travel This Countrey is peopled onely with wild Beasts as Deer Elks Bears and other Creatures so that in a whole days Journey you shall meet with no Inhabitants except a few Indians It is also full of stately Oaks whose broad-branch'd tops serve for no other use but to keep off the Suns heat from the wild Beasts of the Wilderness where is Grass as high as a Man 's Middle which serves for no other end except to maintain the Elks and Deer who never devour a hundredth part of it than to be burnt every Spring to make way for new How many poor People in the World would think themselves happy had they an Acre or two of Land whilst here is hundreds nay thousands of Acres that would invite Inhabitants Delaware Bay the Mouth of the River Delaware-Bay lieth about the mid way betwixt New York and the Capes of Virginia The best Commodities for any to carry with them to this Countrey is Clothing the Countrey being full of all sorts of Cattel which they may furnish themselves withal at an easie Rate for any sort of English Goods as likewise Instruments for Husbandry and Building with Nails Hinges Glass and the like They get a Livelihood principally by Corn and Cattel which will there fetch them any Commodities Likewise they Sowe store of Flax which they make every one Cloth of for their own wearing as also Woollen Cloth and Linsey-woolsey and had they more Tradesmen amongst them they would in a little time
along with him with undaunted courage and resolution marches against Narvaez and such was his good fortune that not onely Narvaez became his Prisoner without much blood-shed but likewise all his Men joyn'd with him in his Design through the favour of the Chancery or supream Court of St. Domingo and by the procurement of the Licentiat Vasquez de Ayllon a Judge of it who was sent with Narvaez to accommodate the Differences With this Recruit Cortesius marches back again to Mexico but at his coming finds things in a very bad condition for the Citizens gather'd together under the Command of one Quicuxtemoc had recourse to Arms and for three days and three Nights vex'd the Spaniards with continual Stormings notwithstanding what-ever Commands they had to the contrary from their imprison'd King who at last looking out of a Window endeavoring to appease them was hurt with a Stone of which he soon after died as they say who would not have the Spaniards thought to have murder'd him as the Mexicans say they did with divers other Noble-men and some of his Children the very Night they fled However it were not long after his Death out of extream necessity and chiefly for want of Victuals the Spaniards were forc'd to leave the City in the night-time and with the loss of four hundred and fifty of their Men who were either slain or taken Prisoners at the passing of a Draw-bridge the rest making a heavy Retreat to their Friends at Tlascalla There is standing at this day in Mexico upon the place where so many of them were kill'd a certain Hermitage which they call Los Martyres or The Hermitage of the Martyrs though but improperly if upon that occasion as one of their own Writers confesses though he alledges no other reason This Retreat of the Spaniards out of Mexico hapned to be upon the tenth of July after mid-night in the Year 1520. which the Spaniards at Mexico call The Doleful Night Nevertheless the undaunted Cortesius being got though with much difficulty and trouble by reason of the pursuit of the Mexicans for a good part of the Way to his sure Friends of Tlascalla neither lost his Courage nor gave over his Resolution of yet gaining Mexico especially the way being now laid open and sufficient occasion given by the Death of Muteczuma and the provocations of the Mexicans themselves to make himself absolute and sole Lord of the Place wherefore having sent for and procur'd a competent Supply of fresh Soldiers from Santo Domingo or Hispaniola Almeria Cuba and other places being in all nine hundred Foot eight hundred Horse and seventeen Pieces of Ordnance he joyns himself with the Auxiliary Forces of Tlascalla which were no less than a hundred thousand Men Arm'd with Bowes and Arrows and with this Army marches again towards Mexico and Besieges it both by Land and Water viz. with the help of thirteen Brigantines or Galliots which he had built upon the Lake and six thousand Canoos or little Boats which his Friends and Confederates had procur'd him By which means and by his Army on Land in a short time he cut off all Provision from the City and after a Siege of full three Months or more and a most stout and obstinate resistance made by the People within in which they are said to have lost above a hundred thousand Men beside those which perish'd by Famine Sickness or otherwise Mexico taken by the Spaniards he took it by Storm upon Tuesday the thirteenth of August 1521. Sackt it first and then burnt it to the Ground yet afterwards he caus'd it to be Re-built again far more Beautiful than at first it was as in due place we shall further see They speak not of above fifty Spaniards slain during the whole Siege six Horses and not many Tlascaltecans In this manner and with so little Charges to the Conqueror there fell to the Crown of Spain the richest and goodliest Kingdom one of them of the whole World viz. the Kingdom of Mexico which the Conquerors presently nam'd New Spain and in reference to which name the Catholick King hath ever since stil'd himself in the plural number Hispaniarum Rex or King of both Spains and all by the Valor Prudence Cortez advanc'd to Honors admirable Resolution and happy Conduct of Cortez who was at first but a private Adventurer in the American Plantations and Discoveries though otherwise a Gentleman of a good Family in Spain born at Medellin in the Country of Estramedura The Emperor Charles the Fifth who was also then King of Spain for his great Services endow'd him deservedly with many great and rich Territories in the Provinces of Tlascalla Mechoacan and other parts thereabouts made him Marquess of the Valley viz. of Guaxata which is his chief Title a rich and flourishing Province of that Countrey Captain General or Commander in Chief of all the Military Forces of New-Spain and General Discoverer of all the Maritime parts and Coasts of America towards the South-Sea assigning him in propriety the twelfth part of whatsoever should be discover'd to him and his Heirs for ever but deny'd him the Government of Mexico out of reason of State though 't is said he much desir'd it Among the famous Havens which lie along the South Sea and Northern Ocean the chiefest is Acapulco before-mention'd The grand Haven Acapulco whither all Merchandize is sent to be transported to China which is above two thousand Leagues distant from thence in which Voyage they generally spend fourteen Months four Sail each of eight hundred Tun appointed for this Trade generally two of them set Sail to China in March and returning in Summer have no sooner drop'd their Anchors but the other two set out from Acapulco from whence the way by Land to Mexico is seventy two Leagues over steep Mountains dangerous Rocks and several Rivers the chiefest whereof are first Del Papagayo or De las Balsas which runs exceeding strong which the Indians cross on bundles of Canes ty'd upon Callabashes Next San Francisco which though the biggest yet hath many shallow places to wade over The Mustichoes are no small Plagues to those that travel this way for their Poysonous Stings are the occasions of many Ulcerated Wounds and oft-times Death it self In this way lies also the Countrey del Valle from which Ferdinand Cortesius receiv'd the Title of Earl PORTUS ACAPULCO The Mouth of the Haven Acapulco gapes a full League North and South and within exceeding large hath a nook call'd Boca Grande where the Ships Ride safe at an Anchor More Easterly appears a Land Inlet by the Spaniards call'd Puerto del Marques secur'd against all Winds near which is the City of San Diego to which belongs a Fort with six Bulwarks lying on a Promontory the main of the City is one large Street consisting of fair and stately Houses and leading directly to the Haven the Church which is of an oblong square hath a high Steeple in the middle
Seas to Sail to it there being not any Islands Rocks or Sands between the Lands-End in England and New-found Land and for the most part it is not above three or four Weeks Sail thither and less coming back and is the most commodiously situated for the discovering of the North-West Passage and other Inlets into the South Sea whereby the ordinary Voyages to China Japan and the East-Indies are much eas'd in the expence of Time and Charge and the most open to Trade to all Parts of any Island of the West-Indies On the East side of the Land are the Bays of Trinity and Conception which stretch themselves towards the South-West Tor-Bay and Capelin-Bay lying also on the East stretch themselves towards the West The Bays of Trespassey St. Mary Borrel and Plaisance on the South part of the Land extend their Arms towards the North. The great Bay of St. Peters lying on the South-West side of the Land and Southerly from the great River of Canada being about twenty Leagues distant the same stretcheth toward the East Trinity Harbour lies in near forty nine Degrees of North Latitude being very commodiously seated to receive Shipping in seasonable Weather both to Anchor in and from thence to Sail towards either the East West or South It hath three Arms or Rivers long and large enough for many hundred Sail of Ships to moare fast at Anchor near a Mile from the Harbours Mouth Close adjoyning to the Rivers side and within the Harbour is much open Land well stor'd with Grass sufficient Winter and Summer to maintain great store of ordinary Cattel besides Hogs and Goats if such Beasts were carried thither and it standeth North most of any Harbor in the Land where our Nation practiseth Fishing It is near unto a great Bay lying on the North side of it call'd The Bay of Flowers to which Place no Ships repair to Fish in regard of sundry Rocks and Ledges lying even with the Water and full of danger The bottom of the Bay of Trinity lieth within four Leagues through the Land South-West Southerly from Trinity as by experience is found and it comes near unto the Bay of Trespassey and the bottom of some other Bays Trespassey in like manner is as commodious a Harbour lying in a more temperate Climate almost in forty six Degrees of North Latitude and is both fair and pleasant and a wholsom Coast free from Rocks and Shelves so that of all other Harbours it lies the most South of any in the Land and most conveniently to receive our Shipping passing to and from Virginia and the Bermuda Islands and also any other Shipping that shall pass to and from the River of Canada and the Coast thereof because they usually pass and so return in the sight of the Land of Trespassey and also for some other purposes as shall be partly declar'd in the following Discourse The Soil of this Countrey in the Valleys and sides of the Mountains is so fruitful Fruitful Soil as that in divers places the Summer naturally produceth without Tillage great plenty of green Pease and Fitches fair round full and as wholsom as ours in England Berries and Fruits Of Berries and Fruits there grows Strawberries red and white and as fair Raspice-berries and Goose-berries as there be in England as also Bilberries which are call'd by some Whortes and many other delicate Berries peculiar to the Countrey in great abundance Likewise small Pears Cherries Filberds c. Herbs and Flowers There are also Herbs for Sallets and Broth as Parsly Alexander Sorrel c. and also Flowers as the red and white Damask Rose with other kinds which are most beautiful and delightful both to the sight and smell And questionless the Countrey is stor'd with many Physical Herbs though their Vertues are not known When Corn was first Sow'n here it was observ'd to grow very fair the increase was great and the Grain very good and several sorts of Kitchin Plants that have been Set here have prov'd very well In divers parts of the Countrey there is great store of Deer Beasts and some Hares many Foxes Squerrils Beavers Martins and Otters yielding excellent Furrs Wolves and Bears with other sorts of Beasts serving as well for Necessity as for Profit and Delight Variety both of Land and Water-Fowl is in this Countrey infinite Birds The chief Land-Fowl besides a great number of small Birds that live by scraping their Food from the Earth in the hardest Winter are Hawks great and small Partridges Thrush and Thrussels abundance very fat as also Filladies Nightingales and such like which sing most pleasantly There are also Birds that live by prey as Ravens Gripes Crows c. For Water-Fowl there is certainly so good and as much variety as in any part of the World as Geese Ducks Pigeons Gulls Penguins and many other sorts These Penguins are as big as Geese but do not flye for they have but a little short Wing and they multiply so infinitely upon a certain flat Island that men drive them from thence upon a Board into their Boats by hundreds at a time as if God had made the innocency of so poor a Creature to become such an admirable Instrument for the sustentation of Man And also Godwits Curlews and such like which Fowl do not onely serve those that Trade thither for Food but also they are a great furthering to divers Ships Voyages because the abundance of them is such that the Fisher-men do bait their Hooks with the quarters of Sea-Fowl on them and therewith some Ships do yearly take a great part of their Fishing Voyages with such Bait before they can get others The fresh Waters and Springs of that Countrey are many in number Springs and withall so very pleasant delightful and wholsom that no Countrey in the World hath better And Fewel for Fireing no where more plentiful In like manner there is great abundance of Trees fit to be employ'd in other serviceable uses Trees There are Fir and Spruce-Trees sound good and fit to Mast Ships with and as commodious for Boards and Buildings as those of Norway and out of these come abundance of Turpentine Moreover the Pine and Birch-Trees here are scarce to be compar'd for heighth and greatness The Rivers also and Harbours are generally stor'd with delicate Fish as Salmons Peals Eels Herrings Mackrel Flounders Launce Capelin Cod and Trouts the fairest fattest and sweetest that ever were seen in these Parts The like for Lobsters Cra-fish Mussles and other variety of Shell-fish The Seas likewise all along the Coast do plentifully abound in other sorts of Fish as Whales Spanish Mackrel Dorrel Pales Herrings Hogs Porposes Seals and such like Royal Fish c. But the chief Commodity of New found Land yet known and which is grown to be a setled Trade and that it may be much better'd by an ordinary Plantation there if the Traders thither will take some better course than formerly they have
Robert Gore Shares 3 11 S. Edwards Sackvile Shares 1 11 S. Iohn Davers Shares 1 12 M. Robert Gore Shares 2 13 M. Iohn Delbridge Shares 1 14 M. Iohn Wroth Esq Shares 1 15 M. Rich. Chamberl. Esq Shares 10 Ad Communem agram in singu lis Tribubus quol attinet in quot portiones dividatur et ibi inceat quemadmodum partim in Mappa Choragraphica exprimitur Ita eti am claribus liquet ex Libre Geo desiae Virginianae Societati tradito After the granting of the Patent aforesaid of 13 Car. 1. Sir David Kirk's great Pains there and constant Endeavours were beyond expectation bless'd with a continuance and preservation of Trade in that Place in the carrying on of which he had always a special regard to the real Advantage of this Kingdom and the particular Service of His Majesty The wonderful Bank of Terra Nova Before this Island right over against Cape Ray at the distance of twenty four Leagues or more there lieth an huge Bank or Ridge of Land extending it self in length out of the Sea above a hundred Leagues but in breadth not above four or five and twenty when it is broadest and in other parts much less sharpning towards each end into a Conus or narrow Point It is accounted one of the Wonders of the Sea which round about at some distance is very deep and hardly to be sounded especially betwixt the Bank for so they commonly call it and Cape Ray but drawing nearer it grows by degrees more and more shallow insomuch that nigh the Land there is not much more Water than is necessary for the Ships to Ride in It runneth out in length as was said from North to South from forty one Degrees of Latitude to fifty two and round about it there lie scatter'd a multitude of lesser Islands which Sir Sebastian Cabot when he first discover'd the Place call'd by one common Name Los Baccaloos or The Islands of Cod-fish The Baccaloos from the great quantity of that sort of Fish he there found which was such that they hindred the passage of his Ships and lay in such multitudes upon the Coasts that the very Bears would come and catch them in their Claws and draw them to Land The Isle of Assumption IN the Gulf of St. Laurence towards the Mouth of the River Canada is another less considerable Island said to have been first discover'd by Quartier and by him call'd The Island of Assumption by John Alphonso The Island of Ascension by the Natives Natistcotec It extends it self from the forty eighth to the fiftieth Degree between the South-East and North-West Quartier makes mention of a strange kinde of Fish found in the River of Canada like unto a Sea-Hog but having the Head of a Hare it is call'd by the Natives Adhothuys Not far from this is a little Island call'd by the French Isle de Sable or The Sandy Island and another on the West of Terra Nova call'd Isle de Bretons or The Island of St. Laurence besides several little scatter'd Islands in the Gulf of St. Laurence as Menego and The Three Islands of Birds in which are found a kind of amphibious Animal call'd by the French Cualrus and by the Russians Morsh somewhat like a Sea-Calf but more monstrous CHAP. XII The Bermudas or Summer-Islands Situation of the Bermudas THe Bermudas or Summer-Islands probably so term'd as to the first Appellation from certain black Hogs by the Spaniards call'd Bermudas which from a Ship bound with them to some other parts of the West-Indies and cast away upon that Coast swam ashore and there increased or as others say from John Bermudes a Spaniard who is said to have been the first Discoverer or as to the second from one George Summers an English-man who there suffer'd shipwrack are situated in thirty two Degrees and twenty five Minutes of Northern Latitude about sixteen hundred Leagues from England twelve hundred from Madera four hundred from Hispaniola and three hundred from the nearest Coast of Virginia The first that endeavour'd to settle Plantations here was a Spaniard nam'd Hernando Camelo being design'd Conductor in this Expedition And this Undertaking was so much the more eagerly prosecuted upon consideration that the Plate-Fleet Sailing from Havana through the Straights of Bahama might here have a convenient Harbour but those who were invited to become Adventurers with proffers of great Advantage shewing themselves very slack in the Business and Charles the Fifth being at that time intangled in War and other troublesom Affairs the Design came to nothing and for above sixty years after no farther Attempt was made by any for the Planting of these Islands till at last the French made a Voyage thither under Captain Barboriere but by Shipwrack were frustrated of their hopes nor made they any more Preparations in this Design In which nevertheless the English were not so easily discourag'd for first Captain Gosnol and Smith set forth at the Charges of Mr. Edward Wingfield next Captain Nelson then successively West Gates Argal and Wyat but all with little or no success till at length in the Year 1612. a Company was establish'd in London by the King's Letters Patents who sent one Mr. Richard Moor with sixty Men to the Bermudas where he spent three years in fortifying those Islands but that which put a little stop to this good beginning was a kind of Misfortune that hapned for the Rats which were gotten ashore from a Shipwrack increas'd so exceedingly that they devour'd all the Plants in the Field and the Provision in the Houses insomuch that a great Famine proceeded from thence all means to destroy the Vermine being in vain till at last Providence sent a Disease amongst them which â—â—ill'd them all in a very short time Mean while Moor went on in the fortification of the Island and was ere long supply'd with fresh People Mr. Barlet was sent over with sixty Men and carried from thence with him eighty Pound of Ambergreece And soon after three Ships more viz. the Blessing the Star and the Margaret convey'd thither four hundred and ten Men and Women As soon as Moor was call'd away Daniel Tuckard coming from Virginia to succeed him bestirr'd himself very much Planting all places full of Trees fetch'd from the West-Indian Islands as also Tobacco with which he fraighted a Ship to London Moreover the Countrey was divided into Acres that every Planter might have an equal share and know his own Lands Anno 1619. Tuckard was succeeded by Nathaniel Butler who in four Ships brought thither five hundred Men and Women to supply the first Plantation which was much decay'd since the Rats had devour'd their Provisions so that it was little look'd after by the Company in London But now they built a Church and erected a Court of Judicature and all things were order'd conveniently for the publick good After which many Noble Persons set Sail thither in the Magazine Frigat and the Planters being now
fifteen hundred in number inhabited twenty Leagues of Land in length Forts built upon the Bermudas On the longest Island call'd St. George for the Bermudas consists of several Islands great and small they built Warwick and Dover Forts with other Fortifications and Towers which had their Denominations from those Noble-men and Gentlemen that were Undertakers in this Plantation as Cavendish Paget Herbert c. from the Earl of Devonshire the Lord Paget the Earl of Pembroke and others â—orts and Havens Amongst the Havens the eminentest are Southampton the Inlet Harrington and the Great Sound All these Islands lying together resemble a Half-Moon and are surrounded with Rocks which appear at Low-water and at High lie but shallow for it seldom Ebbs or Flows above five Foot The Shore for the most part Rocky and hardned by the Sun and Wind receives no damage by the Waves which continually beat against the same Nature of the Soil The Ground it self differs for in some places it is sandy or clayie and in others partly black and partly white or Ash-colour'd Earth which last is accounted the worst and the black the best Three Foot deep under the Ash-colour'd Earth lie great Slates and under the black a white spungie Stone like the Pumice in whose moist Crevises Trees take root The Pits or Wells though they Ebb and Flow with the Sea yet produce a wholsom and sweet Water Temperature of the Air. The Skie is generally serene but when over-cast with Clouds is subject to Lightning and Thunder yet the Air is of a good temper being neither exceeding cold nor excessive hot for which reason the European Fruits grow better there than in their natural Soil Their Harvest is twice a year for that which they Sowe in March is ripe and gather'd in June then what they Sowe again in August they gather in January Productions of the Countrey These Islands breed no hurtful Creatures nay the yellow Spider which spins silken Cobwebs is free from Poyson The Plant Nuchtly which bears speckled Pears grows betwixt the Rocks which are drench'd with Sea-water The Hogs which above a hundred and fifty years since swam ashore out of the Spanish Wrack are exceedingly increas'd there but because of their poorness are scarce eatable they feeding onely on the sweet Berries which fall from the Palmito-Trees About the white and red Mulberries which grow plentifully there breed thousands of Silk-worms which spin Silk according to the colour of the Mulberries The Sea produces some quantity of Pearls and Ambergreece From the beginning of the year till May the Whales are seen to swim not far from the Shore A strange sort of Sea-Fowl breed in Holes like Rabbets and amongst other Birds here are also store of Cranes The Tobacco which the English have planted here grows very well Tortoises Laying of Eggs. Here are likewise great Tortoises which Lay their Eggs in the Sand on the Shore where they are Hatch'd by the Beams of the Sun and are taken after this manner In the Night some are set to watch where they Land and whilest they are digging a deep Hole in the Ground are thrown on their Backs and not being able to get upon their Legs again they lie and groan very pitifully some of them having above two Basons full of Eggs in their Bellies which being about the bigness of a Tennis-Ball have a thin Shell which incloseth a Yolk and White If these Eggs lie buried six years then the young Tortoises breaking the Shell come out of the Sand and instantly creep into the Sea Their Flesh is not onely wholsom but toothsom The Oyl made of them is not inferior to Butter Cedars of an excellent kind Moreover the Bermudas produce Cedars the like of which are not to be found in the whole World The Leaves are douny and prickly at the ends almost like those of the Juniper Tree The Wood hath a sweet smell and the Berries which are like the Myrtle of a pale Red inclose four white Kernels the outermost Skin whereof is sweet the innermost which covers the Kernel sharp and the Pulp tartish The Trees are always flourishing being at the same time full of Blossoms green and ripe Fruit The Berries when grown ripe begin to gape and fall off in rainy Weather leaving a round Stalk on the Boughs which loses not its Rind till two years after half which time the Berry requires before it attains to its perfect ripeness which generally happens in the Winter The Boughs shoot straight upwards and become in time so heavy that they cause the Body of the Tree to bend This most excellent Wood grows in divers places of the Bermudas We shall conclude with the resolute Exploit of five Sea-men Anno 1616. who to the great admiration of all People set Sail from thence in an open Vessel of three Tun through the main Ocean and after having suffer'd terrible Tempests arriv'd in the space of seven Weeks safe in Ireland These Islands are remarkable for divers sorts of Plants unknown in other Parts as the Prickle Pear Poyson Weed Red Weed Purging Bean Costive Tree Red Pepper and the Sea Feather Also several strange Birds as the Egg Bird Cahow Tropick Bird and the Pemlico which presageth Storms CHAP. XIII Hispaniola THe Islands call'd De Barlovento by which are understood Hispaniola Cuba Jamaica and Boriquen as also the Lucaies with the Caribes and lastly the Isles call'd De Sotavento viz. Margareta Cabagua and Tabago are by some comprehended all under the general Name of The Isles Antilles though others reckon the Antilles to be the same with the Caribes onely But leaving this Controversie undecided we shall begin with the Isles De Barlovento the chief whereof is Hispaniola Bounds and Description of Hispaniola Hispaniola or Little Spain as Columbus nam'd it is though not the largest yet the fairest and goodliest of all the American Islands call'd by the Natives anciently Hayti and Quisqueia It lieth about fifteen Leagues Westward of Porto Rico and distant from the main Land of America about one hundred and twenty 't is of a triangular form the sharpest Point whereof is that towards Porto Rico which they call Cabo de Enganno that towards the West inclines to a Semi-circle containing a good and convenient Bay betwixt the two Points viz. St. Nicholas to the North and Cabo de Donna Maria towards the South It is not thought to be less than a hundred and fifty Leagues in length and in breadth from threescore to thirty and to contain in the compass of the whole four hundred Leagues at least lying betwixt eighteen and twenty Degrees of Northern Latitude having an Air somewhat infested with the Morning Heats but well cool'd again in the Afternoon by a constant Wind from the Sea which they call there Virason It is for the fertility of the Soil one of the richest and most flourishing Countreys in the World the Trees and all things else there continually
bold Exploit we shall give a particular Account of it from a late Writer who hath set forth the Life of that brave English Heroe In the Year of our Lord 1580. about the end of February setting Sail from St. Christophers for Hispaniola by the Way they met with a small Frigat bound for San Domingo and the Men of her being Examin'd one assur'd them that the Haven of it was a barr'd Haven and the Shore well fortifi'd so that there was no convenient Landing within ten English Miles of the City whither this Man undertook to conduct them January the first they Landed ten Miles from the City and marching thither under the Command of the Lieutenant General arriv'd about one a Clock in the Afternoon when they came near about a hundred and fifty Gentlemen well Mounted presented themselves against them but the small Shot playing upon them they departed and the English proceeded towards the two Gates of the City that lay towards the Sea both which the Spaniards had Mann'd and planted their Ordnance without the Gates and some small Shot in an Ambush by the Way-side The English being about twelve hundred Men divided themselves the Lieutenant-General leading the one half to one Gate and Captain Powel the other half to the other Gate vowing that with God's assistance they would not rest till they met in the Market-place No sooner had the Spaniards discharg'd their Ordnance doing some little Execution but the Lieutenant-General hasted or rather ran upon them to prevent their Charging again and notwithstanding their Ambush entred Pell Mell with them into the Gate not staying till he came into the Market-place unto whom shortly after came Captain Powel with his Companies This Place they strengthned with Barricado's the City being too large to be guarded by so small and weary an Army And after Mid-night they in the Castle hearing some of the English busie about the Gate quitted it some being taken Prisoners and others escaping by Boats The next day the English enlarg'd their Quarters and fortifi'd themselves and held the Town for a Moneths space During this time the General sent a Negro Boy with a Flag of Truce to the Spaniards who by the Way was met by some Officers of the Galley which the English had taken together with the City who furiously thrust the poor Boy through the Body who returning to the General and having declar'd how barbarously they had us'd him fell down and died in his Presence The General being much mov'd herewith commanded the Provost-Martial to take two Fryers and to carry them to the same place with a sufficient Guard and there to hang them and withal he sent one of the Prisoners to inform the Spaniards why he did it and to tell them that till the Party who had thus murder'd his Messenger were deliver'd to him there should no day pass wherein he would not hang two Prisoners till all were consum'd Hereupon the day following the Murtherer was brought and an Offer made to deliver him to the General who yet thought it more honorable to make them perform the Execution themselves in the sight of the English which was done accordingly During their abode here Commissioners oft pass'd between the Spaniards and them about the Ransom of the City but not agreeing the English spent every Morning till the heat of the Day in firing and destroying the Houses in the outward part of the City two hundred Mariners being employ'd therein for divers days yet were the Houses built so magnificently and strongly of Stone that they could not consume one third part of the Town all that time whereupon the General was contented to accept of twenty five thousand Ducats of 5 s. 6 d. apiece to spare the rest Here his Soldiers met with good Pillage especially of rich Apparel but Treasure they found none for the Spaniards by their Cruelties had so destroy'd the Natives who us'd to work in the Mines of Gold and Silver that they were wholly given over and in that Island they were forc'd to use Copper Money yet they found store of Wine Oyl Vinegar Wheat Woollen and Linnen Cloth some Silks c. which much reliev'd them there was but little Plate found but good store of Porcelane or China Dishes yet some they found and very costly Houshold-stuff PORTO RICO Hispaniola is surrounded with several other Isles as 1. Eastward appears Saona full of pleasant Woods and Pastures with Cattel feeding on them in former times it produc'd much Cazabi for the City Domingo but since the Spaniards murder'd all the Inhabitants Anno 1502. it hath never been inhabited 2. The Rocky Shelf St. Catalina 3. Abaque 4. Navaza 5. Guanabo 6. Tortuga abounding in Hogs and 7. Beata famous for the excellent speckled Wood which grows there and a swift River which oftentimes detains the Ships there whole Moneths CHAP. XIV Porto Rico and Monico Bounds and Extent of Porto Rico. ANother of those call'd The Isles of Barlovento is Boriquen anciently so nam'd but now more generally Porto Rico from St. Juan de Porto Rico its chief Town is an Island fifteen Leagues distant from Santa Crux to the North-West and about as many from Hispaniola to the South-East but from the Continent or main Land of Paria which seems to be the nearest a hundred and thirty or a hundred thirty six as some reckon It lieth almost in a quadrangular Form being suppos'd to contain about thirty Leagues in length and not less than twenty in breadth in eighteen and nineteen Degrees of Northern Latitude The Island on the North which is less fruitful than the South part produces Gold and is generally water'd with many Rivers There is also Silver Tin Lead Quicksilver and Azure us'd by Painters The Rain generally falls there between May and August A little before or in the beginning of Harvest the Hurricanes breaking forth from the Clouds rage in such a manner that it is impossible for any Ships to endure the Sea and a Northern Blast generally doth great damage to the Plants here Twenty three Rivers discharge their Waters also into the Ocean Rivers amongst which the chiefest is Cairabon particularly noted for ten Sugar-Mills which are erected upon its Banks The Hills Trees Plains and Valleys are invested with variety of Trees peculiar to this place as Tabunuco which affords a medicinal Gum good against Lameness and green Wounds it is also of great use to preserve a Ship 's Keel from the Worms Another Tree call'd Maga is everlasting Wood and bears a great Flower like a Rose The Leaves of the Higillo Pintado-Tree cures all manner of Bruises The same power is also in the little Tree Sancta Maria as likewise in another by the Spaniards call'd Balsamo The Body of the Tree Zoyla is so thick that fifteen Men holding Hands together cannot encompass the same The speckled Wood and Cassia Fistula grow also here in great abundance The poisonous Apple-Tree Here is likewise
ashore rang'd up and down in a desolate Countrey where he found no other Food but Roots till at last he met with Olano when the Famine began to increase amongst them in such a nature that being scarce able to carry their Arms many of them were kill'd by the Inhabitants with poyson'd Arrows insomuch that of seven hundred there remain'd scarce ninety Niquesa shipp'd as many of them in a new Vessel which they had made as it could possibly carry and promis'd to fetch the rest off from Veragua as soon as he had discover'd a Place fit to be inhabited The first Place he Landed at was Puerto Bello from whence being necessitated by the Indians who gather'd together to Retreat Aboard not without the loss of several Men he set Sail to the Promontory Mormor beyond which he Anchor'd in a secure Haven where as he was going ashore he call'd to his Men saying Saltiamo in tierra al Nombre de Dios that is Let us Land in the Name of God and casting up a Fort against the Assaults of the Natives call'd it Nombre de Dios. 3. St. Philip or Puerto Bello so denominated by Christopher Columbus from its Haven lying along the North Sea wonderful convenient and secure by reason of the good Ground for Anchoring and a Creek in the same defended from all sorts of Winds and which being surrounded with Woods hath much over-flow'd Land about it as also abundance of good Gravel for Ballast for which and several other Reasons the famous Architect Baptista Antonelli advis'd the Spanish King to build this City for a Staple of Trade in stead of Nombre de Dios which was found unhealthy having pitch'd upon an excellent Situation for it viz. on a Plain at the Foot of a Hill where there are three fresh Rivulets meeting with a fruitful and hot Countrey wherefore his Advice being taken they first built a Fort at the Mouth of the Haven put five Guns into the same to defend the new City and on the Shore a strong Tower with eight Drakes Moreover the Rocks along the Shore and close Woods about the Haven prevent the Landing of an Enemy But at the very time that this City was just begun to be built Sir Francis Drake having burnt Nombre de Dios ran into the Haven Puerto Bello where he found ten Houses besides the Governors Palace and a Castle whose Breast-works which the Spaniards had lately rais'd of Timber Stone and Earth were all demolish'd by the English But the Spaniards have since re-built the same and fortifi'd the Haven with two strong Castles notwithstanding in the Year 1661. it was surpriz'd and taken by the English under the Command of Captain Parker and the Governor Petro Melendez taken Prisoner 4. Nata commonly call'd St. Jago de Nata situated on the West side of this Province upon Mare del Zur or The South Sea about thirty Leagues distant from Panama towards the Borders of Veragua 5. Acla a Town upon the same Coast but lying South-East of Nombre de Dios It was at first onely a Fort built by Peter de Arias but afterwards grew up into a small City of which at present there is nothing remaining but the remembrance of the famous Vasquez Nunnez Beheaded by his Father-in-law Arias 6. Lastly La Crux Real a few Leagues distant from Panama for the most part inhabited by a sort of Negro's call'd Simmerones Along the North Coast of Panama are two small woody Islands call'd Cattiva and Comagre lying low in the Water also the Isle De Pines which rises high out of the Sea near the Main Land The Isles of Pearls On the Southern Coast are Isole de las Perlas or The Isles of Pearls about twenty five in number but indeed rather Rocks than Islands excepting two viz. Taroreque and Del Rios where in former times the Indians took great store of Pearls by diving for them to the bottom of the Sea and they were esteem'd of greater value and excellence than those of Cubagua and great profit was made of them by the Spaniards till by their Cruelties exercis'd upon the Natives through excessive greediness they depopulated the Islands and lost that altogether of which before they were so insatiable they are now onely inhabited by a few Moors and other Slaves who keep Cattel there for their Masters Captain Oxenham's Expedition It will not seem amiss to conclude our Description of Panama with a short Account of the English Captain John Oxenham's Exploits in these Parts He being incited by the Treasure which Sir Francis Drake fetch'd from hence resolv'd to Steer for the Northern Coast of Panama where he hal'd his Ship of a hundred and twenty Tun on Shore and cover'd the same with Trees buried his Guns and march'd with two Field-Pieces and seven Men up into the Countrey and was by the Indians conducted to a River which falls into the South Sea where he built a Pinnace of forty five Foot long and Sailing into the South Sea Landed on Tararequi one of the Islands of Pearls where he soon after took a Peruan Barque with sixty thousand pieces of Gold store of Wine and Bread and the day following another which came from Lima loaden with a hundred thousand Pound in Silver Bars and some Pearls with which being enrich'd he return'd to the Main The Governor of Panama being inform'd of it put a hundred Soldiers into four Barques besides a considerable number of Negro Slaves over which Juan de Ortego having the chief Command was inform'd at Tararequi what Course the English had steer'd whereupon he pursu'd them to the River whither they were gone which falling with three Arms into the Sea they could not have known which way the English went unless they had seen some Feathers of Fowls driving in the Mouth of the least Branch by which they judg'd that they were not far off therefore Rowing up they found after four days Journey the Pinnace hal'd on Shore and watch'd by six Men who were order'd to stand Sentinel whereof one being shot by the Spaniards the other five fled whom Ortega pursuing found half a League from the Shore a Hut made of Boughs wherein the Booty lay which he speedily carried to his Barques but Captain Oxenham inform'd hereof fell with two hundred Indians up-the Spaniards who having a Wood on their Backs made such advantage thereof that eleven English were slain and seven taken and had not the rest fled they had all been either kill'd or taken Prisoners Those that were taken inform'd Ortega that they had been at difference amongst themselves about dividing the Booty which was the reason of their staying so long moreover they discover'd where and how their Ship lay all which the Governor of Panama writ to Nombre de Dios from whence four Sail were immediately sent to find out the Ship and the buried Guns as also to take all such English as they should find preparing of Boats or Barques and bring them to
are several other Isles on which breed good Oysters with little Pearls which stick so fast to great Stones that they can scarce be pluckt off The River Janeiro abounds with Fish Towns and Places of chief note The French once possess'd this Island but were dispossess'd by Emanuel de Sa Governor of Brasile for the Portuguese The City Sebastian which contains three hundred Houses is built on the Southern Point of Janeiro opposite to which on the Northern Point lies the Fort a large Church the Jesuits Cloyster and two Sugar-Mills give no small lustre to the City where the chief Trade consists in Brasile Wood and Cotton The French Storm'd this Town Anno 1581. but march'd off without any success Dirk Ruiters an Eye-witness gives us this Description of Sebastian The Town says he lies two Leagues up the River Janeiro in a Bay about which it is built like a Semi-Circle in a sandy Soil along the Water and is about a Mile long at each end rise steep Mountains besides which it hath neither Walls nor Gates but its strength consists of four Forts the chiefest whereof stands towards the East on a Rock in the Mouth of the River the second towards the West an Isle which on the South-East rises with a Mountain resembling a Sugar-Loaf the third crowns a Rock South-East from the Town and the fourth in the North-West a high Mountain The Natives call'd Tououpinambauti are very serviceable to the Portuguese Besides the fore-mention'd Towns Coligni and St. Sebastian some make mention of another in this Praefecture call'd Angra de los Reyes twelve Leagues distant from St. Sebastian Westward The Burroughs of the Natives are populous but neither strong by Nature nor fortifi'd and so not by any one thought worthy the naming SECT IV. De Spirito Sancto Description of the Lordship De Spirito Santo NExt to Rio Janeiro lies the Lordship or County De Spirito Sancto exceeding fruitful having divers Woods abounding with Venison The Rivers Parayva Manangea Itapemeri Iritibi and Guarapari Several strange sorts of Fish are stor'd with all sorts of Fish and amongst others the Fish Piratiapua which in the Winter Moneths lives in the Rivers and against the Summer returns to the Rocks wash'd by the Ocean This Fish hath a wide Mouth full of Teeth a reddish Tongue little Fins except those on their Backs divers colour'd Scales yet most of a dark Red and generally weighs fifty Pound Here is also the Fish Paru full of yellow Scales like Half-Moons over a black Skin it hath long Fins near the Tail and a little Head No less remarkable is the Guebucu which hath a long Body a sharp bonie Snout the upper Jaw reaching over the other no Teeth a Tail divided in the middle sharp Fins on the Back and a Skin full of Silver-colour'd Prickles This Monster not onely devours great Fishes but also Men when it is hungry it often runs its Snout through the side of a Ship But there is no Fish more deform'd than the Abacatuaja which being oval and flat hath two long Fins underneath and one on the top a divided Tail green Fins a smooth Skin and fiery Eyes as soon as it is taken it cries like a Hog In this County stands a Town of the same Denomination which contains two hundred Houses a Sugar-Mill and a Cloyster of Jesuits and drives a great Trade in Cotton and Brasile Wood. Before the City lies an Inlet full of Isles the Mouth of which is guarded by a Castle The Natives call'd Maigaias are in League with the Portuguese but the Tapuyans and Apiapetangas do them all the mischief they can possibly so that the Portuguese travel in great danger of their lives when any Business calls them through the Countrey of these salvage People But besides these People the Way is pester'd with strange wild Beasts especially on the Mountain Mestre Alvaro which is seen at a great distance off at Sea on which amongst other Creatures breeds the terrible Serpent Boiguacu The Serpent Boiguacu whose length is generally twenty four Foot it is of an Ash colour with great and small black Spots with a little white Speck in the middle when hungry it leaps out of the Hedges or from the tops of Trees raises it self upright on its Tail and winding about either Man Beast or whate're it be squeezes it to death or puts its Tail which ends in a sharp Point or Sting in at the Fundament in such a manner that it kills the Creature on which it seizeth in a moment and then swallows it up This Serpent hath strong Ribs inwardly and more than seventy bonie Joynts wherefore it turns it self with great ease the Joynt-bones near the Head are the biggest and grow smaller and smaller towards the Tail It also feeds on Pismires The Bird Jabicu-guacu This County also breeds the Bird Jabicu-guacu which exceeds the Crane in bigness and hath a long thick Bill but no Tongue on his Head appears a white grifly Crest or Mitre the Wings and Tail are short and the Feathers most of them white except the Pinions which shine like Rubies their Flesh is of a good rellish but somewhat dry Near the River which washes the City Spirito Sancto the Paraibes dwell in Huts not unlike Ovens SECT V. Porto Seguro Description of Porto Seguro NExt to the fore-mention'd County borders Porto Seguro discover'd by Pedro Alvares Capralis who gave this Countrey the Name of Terra de Santa Cruiz but afterwards chang'd it to Porto Seguro because he found a secure Harbor there The Town built on the top of a white Rock gives its Denomination to the whole Countrey and harbor'd long since two hundred and twenty Families and hath five Sugar-Mills The Land on the North side of the Rock rises high but South wardly a smooth Coast runs along the Ocean from which two Leagues off at Sea lie several Cliffs against which the Waves break with a great force The Towns Santa Cruiz and Amaro are left desolate because the Portuguese were continually Invaded by the salvage Aymures whom they were not able by any means to repress Southward from Porto Seguro appear the Shoals Abrolhos twenty six Leagues from the Coast they are of one breadth but one is longer than the other Opposite to the Abrolhos on the Main Coast a plain Countrey extends it self thirty Leagues in length inhabited by the Ouetacates a cruel People who continually either destroy one another or else make sad slaughters amongst their Neighbors The County Porto Seguro belongs to the Spanish Duke of Avero but is very much decay'd The Beast Capybara The Rivers Moucuripe Caruvelas and Lucura breed abundance of Water-Hogs call'd Capybara which have short Feet Bristles and Ears a thick Body and Head with a bearded Snout besides two Tusks and twenty four lesser Teeth in each Jaw but no Tail they feed on Grass and Bushes in whole Herds on the Shore and make a terrible
Ground about the City St. Jago del Estero formerly call'd Vares being the Bishop's See and Residence of the Governors is brackish and sandy The Citizens are most of them Weavers the Natives go Cloth'd and are of an affable Temper and Disposition The River Estera yearly overflows the Countrey which being dung'd with Mud produces abundance of Maiz Barley Wheat and all manner of Fruits The Stream Salado runs the same Course as the Estera from the West to the East through a Plain-Countrey but hath brackish Water and abundance of Fish Between The Expedition of Garcias Loaysa Alcazova and others Magaglianus was follow'd Anno 1525. by Garcias Loaysa who Sailing into the Straights near the Promontory Virgines endur'd great Colds in the Haven St. George he found store of green Cinamon The People he reported to be of so monstrous a stature that they might well be accounted Giants some of whom went naked others wore a Net of Feathers made fast about their Wastes and others a loose Garment all over their Bodies Loaysa gave this Countrey inhabited by Giants the Denomination of Terra del Patagoni He judg'd the Straights of Magellan to be a hundred and ten Spanish Miles long between the two Promontories Virgines at the North Sea and Deseado at the Southern Ocean Within lie three Inlets which have seven Leagues in breadth Simon Alcazova Sailing hither nine years after Loaysa shunn'd the Land on the left-side of the Straights because it lay most under Water and was forc'd by his Men to return to the Haven Leones where he and all his Seamen were put to death Not long after the Bishop of Placentia fitted out three Sail which entring the Straights Anno 1540. lost their Admiral the Vice-Admiral Wintering at the Inlet Las Zorras so call'd because they took many Foxes on a Champain Countrey without Trees return'd to Spain without any farther success the third Ship with much ado arriv'd also at Arequipa The Voyages of Hawkins Drake and Candish The English Captain Richard Hawkins also Sailing hither found the Land on the South side of the Straights most broken and in some places a few Huts Anno 1578. Sir Francis Drake Sailing hither along the Coast of Brasile Landing on an Island in the Mouth of the Straights kill'd above three thousand Birds Sailing from hence he was miserably toss'd in the South Sea and discover'd about the middle of the Straights that the Current out of the Southern and Northern Ocean met at the place where a great Bay bends Southwardly To three Isles he gave the Name of Elizabeth Bartholomew and George and drove three Weeks without making any Sail in snowy misty and rainy Weather falling amongst dangerous Rocks and at last Anchor'd in the Haven Health which he so call'd because his sick and wearied Men being refresh'd there he set Sail from thence and return'd home Captain Thomas Candish following Sir Francis Drake eight years after found near a Creek within the City Philip-stadt built there by the Spaniards to secure the Passage out of the Northern to the Southern Ocean for themselves to which purpose they held four hundred Men in Garrison in the said City which lying near a pleasant Wood was defended by four Bulwarks each fortifi'd with a Brass Gun But the Spaniards not being able to endure the Cold nor get in their Harvest which was continually spoil'd by the Natives were so pinch'd with Hunger that after three years stay many of them dy'd in their Houses which caus'd a filthy Stink and consequently a vile Distemper not unlike the Small-pox at last twenty three of them amongst whom were two Women judg'd it convenient to bury their great Guns and march away with their Musquets a whole Year they travell'd in great want feeding on the Leaves of Trees wild Roots and Fowls which they now and then kill'd at last they resolv'd to travel by Land to Rio de la Plata but never any news was heard what became of them onely one Spaniard call'd Ferdinand being stray'd from the rest was taken by Candish to whom he gave the foremention'd Relation Candish entring Philip-stadt found a Gibbet on which hung a Malefactor in Chains a Church the Houses full of famish'd Bodies and four Brass Guns which he digg'd out of the Ground From hence he ran to a fresh-water River which disembogues into the Straights whose Banks are inhabited by cruel Cannibals and the Countrey all about plain Pasture Grounds whereas most part of the Shore in the Straights is very mountainous Candish Landing found Spanish Knives and Stilletto's amongst the Man-eaters and lay a whole Moneth at Anchor in the western Mouth of Magellanica by reason of great Storms feeding on Mussles Cockles and Fowl and from thence Sail'd about the World returning home at last with a Booty of twenty Tun of Gold Anno 1599. Simon de Cordes Commanding five Netherland Vessels entring the Straights of Magellan found in the green Bay Mussles of a Span long abundance of Ducks and Geese and a great many Trees not unlike Laurel they being onely bigger and had a sharp biting Shell The Wind blew exceeding hard here over the Rocks insomuch that they were sometimes driven from four Anchors A few Moneths after Oliver van Noord follow'd Cordes and Anchor'd near the Pinguyn Isles the biggest whereof is calll'd Castemme and the least Talke the Inhabitants thereof dwell in Caverns under Ground and feed on the Birds Pinguyns of whose Skins they make Mantles These Birds weigh generally fifteen or sixteen Pound have black Backs white Bellies very thick Skins long Bills like Ravens The Bird Pinguyn short thick Necks two plum'd Fins in stead of Wings black Feet like a Goose and delicate Flesh notwithstanding they feed on Fish after which they swim very swift with the fore-mention'd Fins which hang down on each side along their Bodies when they walk upright on the Shore they sit generally four together in their Holes made after such a manner that a Man which knows not of them may ere he be aware sink up to the Knees in the same and be bitten terribly by the Legs Cordes his Seamen got in two hours time above nine hundred of these Birds whilest he discover'd the salvage People Enoo which inhabit the Countrey Cossi and are divided into the Families Kemenetes Kennekas and Caraike the first inhabited the Territory Carray the second Caramay and the third Morine all of them Paint their Cheeks and Forehead Farther into the Countrey dwell the Trimenes a gigantick sort of People eleven Foot high who maintain continual Wars with their Neighbors Great Discoveries of Netherlanders about the Magellan Straights Moreover Noord discover'd several Inlets full of Ice and fresh Water in the Straights of Magellan whither the United Netherlands have since sent the Admirals William Schouten Joris Spilbergen and Jaques le Heremite The common opinion that the Countrey on the South side of Magellan is of the Main Continent Experience hath manifested for
the Stars had a sick Husband who Dreamt that he should be restor'd to his former health so soon as he could but taste of the Fruits which grew on a Tree whereby the Family of Heaven were kept alive but that the Tree must needs be cut down which Ataensic obeying gave onely two blows when the Tree to her great amazement fell out of Heaven down to the Earth there being by this means nothing more left to eat in Heaven Ataensic follow'd the fallen Tree and being big with Child bare a Daughter which growing up to years was Deliver'd of two Daughters viz. Taoviscaron and Jouskeha the eldest of which slew the youngest By these Fables we may discern their obscure knowledge of Noah's Flood Eve's Fall and Cain's Murder No less ridiculous is that which they believe concerning the Creation viz. That the Waters were inclos'd within a Frog which Jouskeha causing to be cut open all Streams and Rivers issuing out had their Original from thence This done Jouskehâ— open'd a Pit out of which came all sorts of Beasts they ascribe a Bodily shape to the Soul As also of the Creation and Souls of the Deceased as also Immortality but that they live together in a great Village towards the West from which removing sometimes they knock at the Doors of their former Friends in the Night and sow deserted Grounds That the Journey towards the Village in which the Souls reside is very strange the High-way thither beginning at a Rock nam'd Ecaregniendi where they first Paint their Faces which done they go to a Hut inhabited by an old Man nam'd Osotrach who takes the Brains out of the Souls Head after which they walk to a broad River which they cross on a narrow Plank or Bridge on which a Dog encountring forces them to leap into the Water which carries them down to the foremention'd Village They acknowledge one Oki for the Governor of the Sea and seasons of the Year Strange Rock They also Religiously Worship the Rock Tsankchi Arasta which they believe some ages ago was once a Man but afterward Transform'd into a Rock in which a Daemon resides who can make their Journies either successful or dangerous wherefore they offer him Tobacco Thunder Their opinion of Thunder is likewise very ridiculous for they say that the Devil endeavoring to vomit a horrible Serpent by straining to evacuate the same rents the Clouds and occasions Thunder Lastly Thakabech Idol They relate of a Dwarf call'd Thakabech who climb'd on the top of a Tree which by his blowing thereon grew so high that it touch'd the Clouds and Thakabech easily stept into them where he found all sorts of delight and pleasure but having a Sister on Earth descended again along the Tree and fetching his Sister conducted her above the Stars mean while Thakabech going in the Night to see if he had taken any thing in his Net which he had pitch'd found it full of Fire and observing the same very narrowly saw that he had taken the Sun but durst not approach the same by reason of its great heat but making a Mouse sent her to gnaw the Net in pieces and set the Sun at liberty Every twelfth year they keep an extraordinary great Funeral-Feast Funeral-Feast for on the Set-time they flock from all parts to the appointed place every one carrying thither the Bodies or Bones of their Deceas'd Friends wrapt up in Clothes and hang them over their Meat which they eat singing such fond and Superstitious Conceits make up the Religion of these poor deluded People SECT V. Accadia or Nova Scotia NOva Scotia or New Scotland formerly call'd Accadia is commonly accounted a part of New France viz. that part which lying on the South side of the River Canada and shooting South-Easterly into a bosom of the Sea forms it self into a Peninsula between the Gulph of St. Lawrence and the Bay Francoise nevertheless because of the different concernments of this part of the Countrey in regard the right of claim to several places in this district most especially of all Nova Francia besides hath been long in dispute between Us and the French it will be most convenient to Treat of it apart and because the Series of Affairs from its first discovery till of late years appears faithfully represented on the English part in a Remonstrance Address'd to the King and Council by Sir Lewis Kirk and his Brother John Kirk Esquire it will not be amiss onely adding some few things upon occasion to follow exactly the Narration of Affairs deliver'd in the said Remonstrance to this effect 1. THe whole Tract or Space of Land in America lying on either side of the River Canada which a long time since were known by the Names of Nova Francia and Nova Scotia were at first discover'd and found out by the English in the time of Henry the Seventh King of England which Expedition was first undertaken at the Command and Charges of that King afterwards further'd and carry'd on by the favorable Aspect of Queen Elizabeth so that in process of time for many years together the said Tract of Ground with absolute Priviledge of free Commerce fell under the Jurisdiction and Power of the Crown of England Neither was it unto any other Christian Princes or their Subjects more clearly known or discover'd untill about the year 1600. some of the French understanding the benefit arising by Traffique in the River of St. Lawrence having formerly seiz'd upon that Tract of Land situate on the North side of the said Floud or River Canada did afterwards in Anno 1604. under the Conduct of Peter de Gua Lord of Monts who in the year 1606. was follow'd by Monsieur de Pourtrincourt Possess themselves of L' Accadie lying on the South side of the said River naming the whole Nova Francia challenging to themselves for many years at least de facto the Possession thereof with sole liberty of Commerce there 2. In Anno 1621. King James of England looking upon the Possession gotten there by the French as upon an Invasion did by his Letters Patents Grant unto Sir William Alexander a Scotchman Created afterwards Earl of Sterling by King Charles the First L' Accadie by the Name of Nova Scotia who in the year 1622 and 1623. after Sir Samuel Argal had driven out Biard and Masse and demolishing their Fort carry'd them Prisoners to Virginia having obtain'd the Possession thereof they Planted a Colony therein and kept Possession for about two years after until such time as upon the Marriage of his Majesty King Charles the First with the Lady Henrietta Maria the said L' Accadie or Nova Scotia was by Order of the King of England return'd into the Possession of the French 3. Afterwards a War arising between his Majesty King Charles the First and Lewis the XIII Anno 1627 and 1628. Sir David Kirk and his Brethren and Relations of England did by vertue of his Majestie 's Commission send to Sea
in the parts of America between the Ocean on the East and the Bay of Chesapeack on the West and divided from the other part thereof by a right Line drawn from the Promontory or Cape of Land call'd Watkin's-Point situate in the aforesaid Bay near the River of Wigcho on the West unto the main Ocean on the East and between that bound on the South unto that part of Delaware Bay on the North which lies under the fortieth Degree of Northerly Latitude from the Equinoctial where New England ends and all that Tract of Land between the bounds aforesaid that is to say passing from the aforesaid Bay call'd Delaware Bay in a right Line by the Degree aforesaid unto the true Meridian of the first Fountains of the River of Patomeck and from thence stretching towards the South unto the furthest Bank of the said River and following the West and South side thereof unto a certain place call'd Cinquack near the Mouth of the said River where it falls into the Bay of Chesapeack and from thence by a streight Line unto the aforesaid Promontory or place call'd Watkins-Point which lies in thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes or thereabouts of Northern Latitude By this Patent his Lordship and his Heirs and Assigns are Created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province Title saving the Allegiance and Soveraign Dominion due to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors so that he hath thereby a Soveraignty Granted to him and his Heirs dependant upon the Sovereignty of the Crown of England The first Seating His Lordship in the Year 1633. sent his second Brother Mr. Leonard Calvert and his third Brother Mr. George Calvert with divers other Gentlemen of Quality and Servants to the number of two hundred Persons at least to settle a Plantation there who set Sail from the Cowes in the Isle of Wight in England on Novemb. 22. in the same Year having made some stay by the way at the Barbadoes and St. Christophers in America they arriv'd at Point Comfort in Virginia on February 24. following from whence shortly after they Sail'd up the Bay of Chesapeack and Patomeck River And having review'd the Country and given Names to several places they pitch'd upon a Town of the Indians for their first Seat call'd Yoacomaco now Saint Maries which the then Governor Mr. Leonard Calvert freely Purchas'd of the Natives there for the Lord Proprietaries use with Commodities brought from England That which facilitated the Treaty and Purchase of the said place from the Indians was a resolution which those Indians had then before taken to remove higher into the Countrey where it was more Populous for fear of the Sansquehanocks another and more Warlike People of the Indians who were their too near Neighbors and inhabit between the Bays of Chesapeack and Delaware there being then actual Wars between them insomuch that many of them were gone thither before the English arriv'd And it hath been the general practice of his Lordship and those who were employ'd by him in the Planting of the said Province rather to purchase the Natives Interest who will agree for the same at easie rates than to take from them by force that which they seem to call their Right and Inheritance to the end all Disputes might be remov'd touching the forcible Incroachment upon others against the Laws of Nature or Nations Thus this Province at the vast Charges and by the unweary'd Industry and endeavor of the present Lord Baltemore the now absolute Lord and Proprietary of the same was at first Planted and hath since been supply'd with People and other Necessaries so effectually The number of Inhabitants that in this present Year 1671. the number of English there amounts to fifteen or twenty thousand Inhabitants for whose Encouragement there is a Fundamental Law establish'd there by his Lordship whereby Liberty of Conscience is allow'd to all that Profess to believe in Jesus Christ so that no Man who is a Christian is in danger of being disturb'd for his Religion and all Persons being satisfi'd touching his Lordships Right as Granted by his Superior Soveraign the King of Great Brittain and possess'd by the consent and agreement of the first Indian Owners every Person who repaireth thither intending to become an Inhabitant finds himself secure as well in the quiet enjoyment of his Property as of his Conscience Mr. Charles Calvert his Lordships onely Son and Heir was in the Year 1661. sent thither by his Lordship to Govern this Province and People who hath hitherto continu'd that Charge of his Lordships Lieutenant there to the general satisfaction and encouragement of all Persons under his Government or otherwise concern'd in the Province The precedent Discourse having given you a short Description of this Province from its Infancy to this day together with an account of his Lordships Patent and Right by which he holds the same we will here speak something of the Nature of the Countrey in general and of the Commodities that are either naturally afforded there or may be procur'd by Industry The Climate is very healthful and agreeable with English Constitutions but New-comers have most of them heretofore had the first year of their Planting there in July and August a Sickness which is call'd there A Seasoning but is indeed no other than an Ague with cold and hot Fits whereof many heretofore us'd to die for want of good Medicines and accommodations of Diet and Lodging and by drinking too much Wine and Strong-waters though many even in those times who were more temperate and that were better accommodated never had any Seasonings at all but of late years since the Countrey hath been more open'd by the cutting down of the Woods and that there is more plenty of English Diet there are very few die of those Agues and many have no Seasonings at all especially those that live in the higher parts of the Country and not near to the Marshes and Salt-water In Summer the heats are equal to those of Spain but qualifi'd daily about Noon at that time of the Year either with some gentle Breezes or small Showres of Rain In Winter there is Frost and Snow and sometimes it is extremely cold insomuch that the Rivers and the Northerly part of the Bay of Chesapeack are Frozen but it seldom lasts long and some Winters are so warm that People have gone in half Shirts and Drawers only at Christmas But in the Spring and Autumn viz. in March April and May September October and November there is generally most pleasant temperate Weather The Winds there are variable from the South comes Heat Gusts and Thunder from the North or North-West cold Weather and in Winter Frost and Snow from the East and South-East Rain The Soyl is very fertile and furnish'd with many pleasant and commodious Rivers Creeks and Harbors The Country is generally plain and even and yet distinguish'd with some pretty small Hills and Risings with variety
there Captain Francis Drake set Sail from Plymouth Anno 1577. and after much hardship getting through the Straights of Magellan arriv'd in the Haven Guatulco having before his coming thither taken as many rich Spanish Ships in the Southern Ocean as he could possibly have wish'd for so that his onely care now needed to have been how to get safe home yet he put on a Resolution not to come short of Ferdinandus Magellanus who Saild about the World Which brave Resolution of Drake's was approv'd of by all his Sea-men whereupon he set Sail along the North of California the fifth of June being gotten into forty two Degrees which was the farthest that Cabrillo went he came on a sudden out of a warm Air into so frigid a Climate that the Sea-men were almost kill'd with Cold and the farther they went the colder it grew wherefore falling down three Degrees more Southerly they got into a convenient Haven where the Natives who liv'd along the Shore brought them Presents which Drake left not unrequited by returning them others that were to them more novel and not unuseful Nature and Habit of the People These People are exceeding hardy for notwithstanding the extraordinary coldness of the Climate the Men go naked but the Women wear Garments of pleited Flags or Rushes which being put about their Middle hang down to their Ancles on their Stomachs hang the ends of a hairy Skin ty'd together which hanging also over their Shoulders cover their hinder Parts They shew great Respect and Obedience to their Husbands Each House is surrounded with an Earthen Wall and all the Corners thereof being close stopp'd and Fires made in the midst of them they are very warm Rushes and Flags strow'd thick on the Ground near the Walls serve them in stead of Beds Drake's Entertainment by the King of the Countrey The rumour of these Strangers arrival spreading all over the Countrey made the Inhabitants far and near desirous to see them the King himself sending Ambassadors to Drake to inform him that he was on the Way coming to see him all which the Agents related at large and desir'd some Presents as a testimony that their King should be welcome which he being assur'd of came with a Retinue of above twelve thousand Men before whom walk'd one of a Gygantick size carrying a costly Scepter on which by three long Chains made of Bones hung a great and a small Crown made of Feathers next follow'd the King himself in a Sute of Cony-Skins then came a great confus'd company of People each of them carrying a Present whereupon Drake putting his Men into good order march'd to meet the King at which the Mace-bearer made a long Preamble and when he had done Danc'd to the Tune of a Song which he Sung himself then the King and his whole Retinue also fell a Singing and Dancing so long till being weary the King went to Drake and humbly desir'd of him that he would accept of the Realm assuring him that all the People should be under his Obedience which said he put the fore-mention'd Crown on his Head and hanging three double Chains about his Neck call'd him Hioh whereupon Drake took possession of the Countrey in Queen Elizabeths Name The King staying alone with Drake his Retinue went amongst the English every one looking very earnestly upon them and to those whom they lik'd best being the youngest they falling down and crying proffer'd Offerings as to Gods and held their Cheeks to draw Blood out of them which the English refusing they desisted but shew'd them great Wounds and desir'd some Plaisters of them which they suppli'd them with The English going up into the Countrey found the same well grown with Woods which abounded with Coneys whose Heads differ'd little from the European but having Feet like Moles long Tails like Rats and in their Sides a Bag wherein when they had fill'd their Bellies they put the remainder They also saw numerous Herds of Deer with whose Flesh having been courteously Entertain'd in several Villages they return'd to the Fleet. Drake just before he weighed Anchor caus'd a Pillar to be set in the Ground with a Silver Plate on the same A Monument erected by Drake before his departure with an Inscription mentioning the Day of his Arrival Name and Arms of Queen Elizabeth and free delivering of that Realm to him by the Indians he also nail'd a Sixpence with the Queens Effigies on the Plate under which he caus'd his own Name to be Engraven THE ISLANDS OF Northern America CHAP. XI Terra Nova or New-found Land with the Island of Assumption HAving treated at large of all the several Regions and Provinces of the North part of the Continent of America we come now to those Islands that lie within the same Degrees of Northern Latitude with that part of the Continent The first is Terre Neuve or New-found Land discover'd together with several other Parts upon the Continent before mention'd by Sir Sebastian Cabott by the Countenance and Charge of King Henry the Seventh of England whereupon a rightful Claim thereunto and Interest therein hath been own'd by the succeeding Kings of England as hereafter shall be more particularly related Situation and bound of New-found Land New-found Land is situated betwixt the Degrees of forty six and fifty three of Northern Latitude and is divided from the Continent of America by an Arm of the Sea in like distance as England is from France The Island is as large as England in length greater in breadth and lies near the Course that Ships usually hold in their Return from the West-Indies and is near the mid-way between Ireland and Virginia INSULAE AMERICANAE IN OCEANO SEPTENTRIONALI cum Terris adiacentibus We shall not much need to commend the wholsom temperature of this Countrey Temperature seeing the greatest part thereof lieth above three Degrees nearer to the South than any part of England doth so that even in the Winter it is pleasant and healthful as England is Nature of the Inhabitants The natural Inhabitants of the Countrey as they are but few in number so are they something a rude and salvage People having neither knowledge of God nor living under any kind of Civil Government In their Habits Customs and Manners they resemble the Indians of the Continent from whence it is to be suppos'd they come they live altogether in the North and West part of the Countrey which is seldom frequented by the English but the French and Biscainers who resort thither yearly for the Whale-fishing and also for the Cod-fish report them to be an ingenuous and tractable People being well us'd and very ready to assist them with great labour and patience in the killing cutting and boyling of Whales and making the Trayn-Oyl without expectation of other Reward than a little Bread or some such small Hire It hath the most commodious Harbours in the World Commodious Harbors and the most safe
is every where good Anchorage the Road being so deep that a Ship of a thousand Tun may lay his sides to the Shore of the Point and load and unload with Planks afloat 4. On the West is Point Megrill a Port very convenient and secure to Windward from which a little North-West is the Seat of the old Town of Mellilla founded by Columbus as afore mention'd The chief Plantations of this Island are 1. Portmorant above the Harbor before mention'd and by the two Rivers that run into it Here are good Plantations of Sugars Cottons Tobacco's c. 2. Hence about ten Miles lieth Morant where a thousand Acres of Land have been taken up for my Lord Willoughby and a Company of Merchants 3. Hence farther Leeward lieth Yallow having good Plantations of Cotton Tobacco and other Provisions excellent Savana's and some store of tame Cattel 4. Thirty Miles hence on the North side of Cagway is Ligonce where are excellent Plantations of Sugar Cotton and Tobacco very pleasant Savana's and some store of wild Cattel 5. Twenty Miles farther West nines Miles from the Harbor of Cagway is Los Angelos having some Plantations of Sugar Cacao and Tobacco all which were old Spanish Plantations and are less considerable than those made by the English in other places 6. Eight Miles from hence North-West is Guanaboa where likewise were some Spanish Plantations since improv'd by the English who have very many excellent Plantations of Sugar Cacao c. 7. Hence West South-West lieth Guatabacoa a most pleasant rich and fertile part of the Countrey abounding with Cattel and excellent Savana's Here the Negro's setled that revolted from the Spaniards who are endeavouring to make some Plantations of Tobacco's and Provisions and with them are setled some few English who have divers Walks of Cacao The several Governors of the English in Jamaica The several Governors of this Island since the taking of it by the English are as followeth General Robert Venables staid upon the Place about three Moneths after the taking of it and at his coming away for England he left the chief Command to Major General Richard Fortescue who liv'd Governor about three Moneths after which Lieutenant General Edward Doyly was by the Army elected President but upon his coming away soon after for England Lieutenant General William Brain was sent over Governor in his room who living in the Government about three quarters of a year did as it were bequeathe it again to Doyly for he was chosen by vertue of a Blank Commission wherein Brain had inserted his Name whom he would have succeed and remain'd Commander in Chief both by Land and Sea till His Majesty's Restauration and then by His Majesty's Letters Patents was confirm'd in the Government and so was the first that was Governor there for His Majesty The next that succeeded was the Lord Windsor upon whose coming away Sit Thomas Muddiford was sent Governor and after him Sir Thomas Linch who remains Governor at present CHAP. XVII The Islands call'd the Lucaies Situation and Description of the Lucaies HAving done with the four Islands of Barlovento as they are term'd viz. Hispaniola Cuba Porto Rico and Jamaica we come next to the Lucaies so call'd as some think from Lucaioneque one of the biggest of them they lie over against Florida Westward from the Bermudas South-West and North of Hispaniola and the rest of the Barloventi and because they are but small ones and lie so near the Continent Geographers sometimes describe them as a part or appertaining to the Continent The chiefest of these Islands are Lucaioneque afore-mention'd Bahama and Guanahani Lucaioneque is accounted the biggest of them all and lieth in twenty seven Degrees between Bahama and Guanahani Bahama lies nearest to the Coast of Florida and gives Name to the Straights so call'd which run between the Cape of Florida and it with such a violent Course and Torrent that although it be above sixteen Miles broad yet many times neither Wind nor Oars can prevail against it that though the Winds be prosperous Ships cannot enter it and if it be cross they go with the Current yet those Straights the Spanish Fleet must pass in their Return from the Havana towards Spain Guanahani was the first piece of American Ground discover'd by Christopher Columbus and therefore by him call'd San Salvador or St. Saviour because that thereby he was deliver'd from the mutinous rage of the Seamen who threatned to throw him over-board if they discover'd not Land in such a time There are besides a number of small Isles scatter'd up and down which are generally comprehended in the number of the Lucaies one is Little Island encompass'd with a company of Shelves call'd the Bimini so that it is hardly accessible there goes a Tradition that it hath been inhabited by very beautiful Women the fame of whom drew many to attempt to Land there and take up their Habitation in which Attempt many were cast away There is said to be a Fountain in the midst of it of such a Vertue that whosoever drank of the Waters of it had their Youth renew'd Also three Islands or rather Rocks call'd Los Martyres lying to the South-East of Cape Florida and cover'd for the most part with a whitish Sand and a few Bushes growing on them they seem at a distance to bear a resemblance of Men impal'd or bound to Stakes as the Martyrs in the primitive Times usually were which occasion'd the Spaniards so to Name them 't is very dangerous to come too near them but to have sight of them is of great use to Men at Sea for by passing these Rocks and leaving them on the South-East they certainly know that they are now entred the Straights of Bahama that is that they have left the Ocean and are fall'n in amongst those many Islands which do as it were Barracado and Block up the Eastern Coasts of America towards Nombre de Dios and Terra Firma as they call it through which the Continent is sometimes dangerous by reason of contrary Winds and always such that it requires the skill and care of an experienc'd Pilot to conduct the Ships well thither The rest are Abacoa twelve Leagues long Yuma twenty Leagues in length and eight in breadth between twenty four and twenty five Degrees Yumeata fifteen Leagues in length between twenty three and twenty four Degrees Jamana seven Leagues every way Yabague ten Leagues likewise and lying between twenty two and twenty three Degrees Magaguana twenty Leagues long and ten broad Quagua ten Leagues every way and lying between twenty and one and twenty Degrees Caycos five Leagues in length and in the one and twentieth Degree Mackre in the twentieth Degree encompass'd with Shelves Abreo environ'd also with Shelves and fifteen Leagues long also Guatao Cigateo Guanima Jabaka Triangulo and several others The Lucales left desolate by the Spaniards On these Islands are no Inhabitants those that did live there were a harmless simple
Pearl-fishing than the other two SECT III. Trinidado Situation of Trinidado THe Island of Trinidado was first discover'd by Columbus Anno 1447. in his third Voyage and by him so call'd as some guess from its three Points or Promontories but that seems not so probable in regard it is otherwise call'd La Trinidad or Insula Sanctae Trinitatis and therefore is likely to have been denominated upon a religious Account It lieth nine Degrees or thereabouts distant from the Line at the Mouth of the River Orenoque and is separated from the Coast of Paria over against which it lies by a Straight that is three Miles over and which for the dangerousness of passing it Columbus the first Discoverer of it call'd Bocca del Draco the length thereof from the most Southern Angle call'd Punta del Andrada to the North-East call'd Punta del Galera is reckon'd twenty five Leagues those that reckon fifty may be suppos'd to mistake Leagues for Miles and the breadth about eighteen Chief Commodities of the Island The Air of this Place is so impure that it is accounted the unwholsomest Island of all the Indies nevertheless the Soil is not unfertile as bringing forth Sugar-Canes Cotton Maize Tobacco of the best kind with other Commodities of the general growth of the West-Indies besides store of good Fruit and Cattel and one part of the Island call'd Terra de Bea produceth great plenty of Pitch but not of the best kind and there have been discover'd several Veins of Gold and other Metals The Natives some say were antiently call'd Cairi or Carai and were distinguish'd into several Clans or Tribes each under the Government of a Casique or petty Prince but most of them dreading the Spaniards Cruelty deserted the Island and Setled themselves in Guiana and at present both this Place Guiana and El Dorado have of Custom one and the same Governor whose Place of Residence here is St. Josephs the chief if not onely Town of the Island it stands Southward upon the Carone Here most of that Tobacco is made which is sold amongst us for Spanish In the Year 1595. Sir Walter Raleigh possess'd himself of it being then but a petty Village of about forty Houses and took Prisoner the then Governor Antonio Berreo who in all probability to ingratiate himself with him gave him some light towards the discovery of Guiana On the North-East of Trinidado and not above eight Miles distant from it Tabago lies the Island of Tabago which hath been already treated of as one of the Caribbees though some will have it one of the Sotavento it is otherwise call'd New Walcheren from a Town of that Name in Zealand from whence a Colony of Netherlanders was sent to Plant it Amongst others of the small obscure Islands hereabouts is Virgin Gorda Virgin Gorda which is sometimes reckon'd amongst the Caribbee Islands but since there is nothing considerable to be spoken of it it is sufficient that it hath been mention'd though not punctually in its proper place CHAP. XX. California California how distinguish'd HAving before made mention of California as it is by some taken for that large portion of Northern America which lies most Southward and also utmost West of all that is known of the New World and having treated of those several Provinces which are generally reckon'd to be comprehended in it excepting California strictly taken as it is generally granted to be an Island viz. Quivira Cibola and Nova Albion lying on the Continent though there want not those who make Nova Albion onely the North part of California we shall close up our Discourse of these Islands that lie Northward of the Equinoctial Line with the aforesaid California specially so call'd which was by many thought and describ'd to be but a Peninsula or half Island by reason that the Bay which divides it from Quivira and New Gallicia towards the North runneth much narrower than it doth Southerly 〈…〉 that some where or other at the North it waâ— joyn'd to the 〈…〉 been â—aid have â—â—und it to bâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—aâ—e from the Continent for about the Yâ—◠〈…〉 upon those Coasts Northward accidentally 〈…〉 fell upon a Straight the Waters whereof ran with such 〈…〉 â—hat they brought them into Mar Vermiglio whether they 〈…〉 no and before they knew it and by that means discover'd that California was an Island and that the Waters which were observ'd to fall so violently unto that Sea towards the North were not the Waters of any River emptying it self into the Bay from the Main Land as was formerly thought but the Waters of the North-West Sea it self violently breaking into the Bay and dividing it wholly from the Continent It lieth North and South extending it self in a vast length full twenty Degrees of Latitude viz. from twenty two to forty two but the breadth nothing answerable The most Northern Point of it is call'd Cape Blanche that to the South Cape St. Lucas memorable for that rich and gallant Prize which Captain Cavendish in the Year 1587. being then in his Voyage about the World took from the Spaniards near to this Place As for the Island it self it is at present little if at all inhabited by the Spaniards whether it be that they want Men to furnish new Plantations or that they find no matter of invitation and encouragement from the Countrey or perhaps that the access thither be not so easie for 't is reported to be wonderfully well peopled by the Natives and that there were found onely upon the Coasts and along the Shore of Mar Vermiglio twenty or twenty three Nations all of different Languages though from the particular Narrations that have been made of the Voyages of several eminent Persons into these Parts it appears that the Spaniards have taken great pains in the discovery thereof and also from the several Spanish Names of Places that they have had Plantations here formerly however neglected at present The Customs and Manners of the Natives The Countrey is abundantly well stor'd with Fish and Fowl as appears partly by the Natives who take a huge pride in making themselves gay with the Bones of the one with which they load their Ears and sometimes their Noses also and with the Feathers of the other which ordinary People wear onely sticking about their Wastes but Great Persons and such as will be fine indeed beset their Heads strangely with them and have commonly one Bunch of them bigger than ordinary hanging down behind them like a Tail Having no knowledge of the true God they worship what the Devil will have them that is the Sun attributing to it onely the increase of their Plants healthful Seasons and most of the other good things they enjoy or are sensible of Their Government is said to be onely Oeconomical Their Government each Father ordering the Affairs of his Family apart without subjection to any other Superior yet so well manag'd that they live in good
being of excellent Mettle and Service if they could be tam'd It affordeth likewise great store of wild Deer and Stags some Lyons Tygers c. nor is it without good Mines some both of Gold and Silver but chiefly as to what is yet discover'd of Brass and Iron and the People altogether salvage The River De la Plata The River De la Plata which as we said before divides this Countrey is one of the largest of the whole World rising as 't is suppos'd out of the Lake call'd De los Xarayes three hundred Leagues or more within Land and falling into the Atlantick Ocean or North Sea in thirty four Degrees of Southern Latitude with an Estuary or Mouth of thirty or two and thirty Leagues over The whole Countrey is usually subdivided into three inferior Provinces which 1. Rio de la Plata properly so call'd 2. Tucuman 3. La Crux de Sierra SECT II. Rio de la Plata properly so call'd Situation of Rio de la Plata properly so call'd RIo de la Plata properly so call'd is that part of the Countrey which extendeth it self on both sides the River in length many Leagues together but not answerable in breadth Towns and Places of note The chiefest Towns of note in this Province are 1. Buenos Ayres by some call'd La Trinidad on the Southern Banks of the River De la Plata sixty four Leagues as they say from the Mouth of it It is seated commodiously at the foot of a little Mountain and fortifi'd with a Mud-Wall a little Castle and some Pieces of Ordnance 2. San Fe in English St. Faiths fifty Leagues above Buenos Ayres upon the same River and a richer Place chiefly by reason of their Cloth of which there is here one of the greatest Manufactures of all these parts of Peru. 3. Nuestra Sennora de la Assumption commonly call'd Assumption onely lying yet higher up the River almost a hundred Leagues a well built and well frequented Town long since inhabited by two hundred Families at least of natural Spaniards besides Mestizos as they call them which are the Breed of Spaniards by the American People Men or Women and Mulattos which are likewise their Race but begotten upon Negro's of both which there are reckon'd to be here some thousands 4. La Cividad Real or more commonly call'd Ontiveros fourscore Leagues Northward from Assumption seated on the Banks of the River Parana in a fruitful Soil as the Countrey generally is about all these Places but the Air hereabouts is not so healthful 5. St. Anne upon the same River and 6. St. Salvador SECT III. Tucuman Situation of Tucuman VVEstward of La Plata lieth the Countrey of Tucuman extending it self as far as the Borders of Chile a Countrey not yet well discover'd either to the North or the South That part of it which lieth towards Chile is well Manur'd and Husbanded and likewise very fruitful but that towards Magellanica neither the one nor the other remaining altogether untill'd and barren The chief Towns and Places of note are 1. St. Jago de Esteco the principal Town of the Province and a Bishop's See seated upon the River Esteco a hundred and fourscore Leagues distant from Buenos Ayres Towns and Places of note 2. St. Michael de Tucuman seated at the foot of a huge rocky Mountain but otherwise in a Soil the fruitfullest and best both for Corn and Pasturage in all this Countrey twenty eight Leagues distant from St. Jago 3. Talavera or Neustra Sennora de Talavera as the Spaniards call it situate upon the Banks of Salado in a good Soil and inhabited by an industrious People grown exceeding rich and wealthy chiefly by their Manufactures of Cotton-Wooll whereof they have great plenty and by which they drive a Trade as far as the Mines at Potosi and other parts of Peru. BRASILIA 5. Chocinoca 6. Sococha 7. Calebinda 8. Morata and others but belonging for the most part to the reduced Natives SECT IV. La Crux de Sierra Situation of La Crux de Sierra LA Crux de Sierra is a little Territory at least in comparison to some others lying towards Peru and reckon'd by some for one of the Provinces of Peru It lieth betwixt the two great Rivers Paraguay and Guapay a hundred Leagues distant as 't is said from Charcas to which yet in some Causes it is subordinate The Soil of this Countrey is abundantly fertile in all sorts of American Fruits besides good plenty both of Wheat and Maiz and scarsity of nothing useful for Man's Life unless it be fresh Water in some places Chief Towns of this Province The chief Towns of this Province are 1. San Crux situate at the foot of a great Mountain or Hill but opeing upon a large Plain whose thirsty driness is well refresh'd by a certain Brook or Torrent which issueth out of a neighboring Mountain and a few Leagues distant from the Town maketh a pretty Lake which supplieth the Countrey thereabouts both with fresh Water and Fish in good plenty 2. Barranea a Town suppos'd to be not above threescore Leagues distant from Potosi 3. Nova Rioia once a Colony of Spaniards buâ—â—sack'd and spoil'd by the Salvages of these Parts about the Year 1548. and the first Discoveror of the Countrey namely Nunno de Chaves treacherously murder'd by a Native since which time 't is said to have been deserted CHAP. VII Brasile Anno 1549. King John the Third fitted out a great Fleet which set Sail from Lisbon under the Command of Thomas de Sosa Jesuits â—â—â—t to Brasiâ—â— by Pope Paulus the Third and Ignatius Also the Jesuits Aspilcueta Antonio Pireo Leonardo Nonno Didaco Jacobo Vincent Roderico and Emanuel Robrega were sent thither by Pope Paulus the Third and Ignatius Loyola whose Fleet came to an Anchor in the Bay afterwards call'd Bahia de Todos Sanctos where Sosa built the City Salvador since which the Portuguese have spread themselves farther and farther over Brasile The United Netherlands also sent Colonies thither with good success for they took several vast Countreys from the Portuguese by force of Arms and built new Forts and Towns in several places But we will first give you a general Description of it Temperature of Climate that so we may the better render a Relation in particular of every Province thereof it being a considerable part of the New World and both pleasant and fruitful and the Sea-Coasts refresh'd by Easterly Winds which begin before Day-break when the North Sea ebbs or flows for then the Wind rises with the Sun and continues till Mid-night Towards the West where the Mountains divide Brasile from Peru it is made temperate by Westerly Winds which though judg'd unwholsom because they seem to arise out of the Moorish Grounds yet they hurt not the Inhabitants along that Coast because they either break against the high Mountains or are driven by the strong Wind which blows from
are exceeding dainty and tender yet so stubborn and sullen that they take pet at the least affront and often pine themselves away and die with hunger The Boyete and other sorts of Serpents The Serpent Boy-ete two Fathoms long without Legs having a bright speckled Skin and four sharp Teeth wounds also mortally with its Tail but is the less dangerous because at the end of the Tail grows a Bladder which moving rattles as if there were Pease in it which gives notice to the Traveller though unwary by which means he makes his escape The other Serpents call'd Jouboy Tara-gouyboy and Tarehuboy serve the Natives for a great Delicacy as also the great Toads or Frogs call'd Tourourou They have also a sort of Flies call'd Ton which exceedingly molest them against which their chiefest Medicine is Palm-tree Oyl and the Roucou with which they colour their Skins The Natives of this Island of Maragnan driven out of the pleasant Countrey Cayete by the Portuguese are a sort of the Toupinambas who Setled here about a hundred and fifty years ago The time of their first coming hither us'd formerly to be solemniz'd with the great Feast call'd Caoven but because a Woman boldly set upon a Commander in his Cups there arose a great Tumult amongst them and ever since the Island hath been divided one Party calling the other Tobaiares that is We are Enemies They are so inveterate against one another that who e're they take Prisoners they unmercifully devour Both are of a middle Stature have flat Noses which the Midwive make at the Birth of the Child they are generally a strong People and many of them living a hundred years without being grey bald or sick they live temperate and under a wholsom Climate Some of their Women bear Children as they say till they are eighty years of age which being born white turn to be of a Tawny colour by being anointed with Suet call'd Roucou and Oyl otherwise they are well proportion'd The Men pluck out all the Hair of their Foreheads but suffer it to hang pretty long over their Ears and behind The Women let their Hair hang down to their Middle and wear woodden Ear-rings but the Men hang green Beads in their Lips and thrust little Bones through their Noses They go all stark naked their Legs are colour'd black with the Juice of the Herb Junipap and upon the other parts of their Body appear Figures of several Representations Those that will manifest their Valor and be accounted hardy gash their Bodies all over with Wounds which they heal in such a manner that the Scars may more plainly appear They never come to their usual Feasts but dress'd up in various colour'd Feathers upon the Crown of their Heads they wear Caps stuck with Plumes which they call Acangoap or Coronets call'd Acangerar about their Necks the Necklaces Aiouacava over their Shoulders the Mantles Assoyave their Garters they call Tabacoura at which they hang hollow Nut-shells full of little Stones which gingle and rattle as they go and about their Arms Armlets call'd Mapouyh-couaychovare all which are curiously checker'd with various colour'd Feathers The Maragnans live not much up in the Countrey but rather on the Sea-Coast because of their Fishing removing every sixth year calling the Village where they Settle by the former Name They take every Man as many Wives as he pleaseth but the Women must stick each to one Man unless she be Divorc'd from him which often happens upon small occasions Their Cotton Hammocks call'd Yu on which they sleep hang between two Stakes in which they lie Singular Friends and Relations Feast one another daily but they are cruel and revengeful against their neighboring Enemies whom when they take any of them they fatten kill and eat The least affront done them or injurious word spoken to them or against their Predecessorss makes them take up Arms which consist of Bowes and Arrows which they call Ouyrapar and Oune Here the French have built the Fort St. Lovis on an Island from whence Westward may be seen the Cape Tapouytapere which at High-water seems like an Island and lies four Leagues from thence at Low-water they can walk over the Sands from the same to the Main Land This fruitful Countrey hath twenty populous Villages Westward lies Comma which gives Denomination to the chief Village the River and the rest of that Countrey wherein are sixteen more handsom Villages better built and more populous than Maragnan or Tapouytapere Concerning the building of the fore-mention'd Fort on Maragnan it hapned as followeth I. TAMAâ—CA A. Castrum Auriaci B. Ostium fluminis ad AustruÌ„ C. Castrum in monte D. Oppidum Scoppiâ— E. Sacâ—llum F. Via quibus ascenditur G. Fluvius qui versus Garasu abit UVIUS GRANDIS A. 〈…〉 B. 〈…〉 C. 〈…〉 D. 〈◊〉 SIARA A. Castrum B. Fluvius C. Via litâ—us versus D. Sylva E. Campestria SECT XI The Lordships Tamarica Rio Grande Siara and Para. Description of the Lordship of Tamarica THe Praefecture of Tamarica not above three Leagues in length and two in breadth so call'd from a little Island lying before it and part of its Precinct is counted the first that is the most ancient Lordship of Brasile having otherwise nothing in it that is very considerable save onely a good Haven or Port with a Castle for the Security or Command of it held to be impregnable and so found by the Dutch who under Peter Heyn and Stein Callenfels in vain attempted the taking of it as shall be mention'd hereafter more particularly but made it useless to the Portuguese by making a Bulwark at the Mouth of the Haven and so blocking it up This Capatania yielded formerly a Rent of thirty thousand Ducats to the Earls of Montesanto whose Right it was Description of the Lordship of Rio Grande THe Praefecture of Rio Grande a small Precinct so denominated as lying on the South-side of that great River which the Portuguese call Rio Grande and the Natives Potingi where it falls into the Sea was once possess'd by the French about the Year 1597. who were outed by the Portuguese and the Place fortifi'd both against them and the Salvages of whom they slew and took Prisoners very great numbers with a Castle which the Dutch in the Year 1631. found an impregnable piece and too hard for them to take Description of the Lordship of Siara THe Praefecture of Siara so denominated from the Haven it hath long been in the possession of the Portuguese but they have therein no Towns of note onely a Castle and some few Houses for those that attend the gathering of Cotton-Wool and Manuring of the Sugar-Canes which are here in great abundance also the Countrey is said to afford some Crystal and other Precious Stones Description of the Lordship of Para. LAstly the Praefecture of Para is the most Northerly part of Brasile bordering upon Guiana so call'd from the River Para which runneth through the
Arcisseusky had taken the Fort Real and given Command thereof to Verdoes he set forth with ten Companies and three hundred Brasilians to joyn with Schuppe who Besieg'd the Fort Nazaretta near the Promontory St. Augustine but the Governor Albuquerque fearing he should be surpris'd fled from thence with three hundred Men and left Peter Correa de Gamba and Lewis Barbalho Bizerra in his stead But Schuppe approach'd so near with his Trenches and Granado's that Correa inform'd of Arcisseusky's coming surrendred the Castle upon advantageous Articles OBSIDIO ET REPUGNATIO PORTUS â—â—â—VT A. Castram paracon B. Vrbi C. Basilica D. Castella duo hosti dâ—relickta A great Fleet of Spaniards appears before Reciffa The Year 1635. being almost expir'd one Morning about Day-break thirty two Sail were seen to Steer directly towards Reciffa two Ships of an extraordinary bigness were follow'd by nine Gallions and these by the rest of the Fleet consisting of Pinks Carvels and Barques all which approaching were known to be Spaniards which struck no small amazement to the Inhabitants of Reciffa most of their Ships being Cruising abroad before the Coast of Brasile and their Men a great distance off in the Field onely five Ships fitted for an Engagement being at Anchor and five more deeply laden Mean while the Spanish Admiral approach'd within a Cannon-shot of the Fame Ketch discharg'd one Gun and stood off to Sea again being inform'd that Real and Nazaretta were taken by the Hollanders On the other side all the Places in their possession had notice of this Fleet which Lichthart follow'd with six Ships and two Ketches carrying two Companies of Soldiers besides Seamen and keeping just within sight of them saw them at last come to an Anchor before Paripuera where a part of the Dutch Forces lay under the Command of Arcisseusky and make preparation to Land their Men Whereupon Lichthart Landed also with the Councellor Carpentier and joyning with Arcisseusky took up a valiant Resolution to Sail close up to the Spanish Fleet with his eight Ships whilest Arcisseusky march'd in the Night with six hundred Men to Jaragoa to prevent the Enemy's Landing but having a Portuguese for his Guide was led a wrong Way wherefore returning he secur'd the Way to Paripuera whilest the Portuguese Inhabitants contrary to their Oath refus'd to carry or bring Provisions to the Dutch Forces and joyning together combin'd with the Spanish Seamen and kill'd all the Hollanders which they could meet either on the High-ways or in their Houses making use of the Negro's to carry the Spaniards what Intelligence they could give them of the Hollanders Proceedings Wherefore they thought it the best way to be rid of such Villains to destroy them all that dwelt in the Countrey between Paripuera and Porto Calvo and for the space of ten Leagues burnt all their Sugar-Canes in the Fields their Mills and Houses Arcisseusky caus'd Edicts to be put upon every Church Door That all the Inhabitants should remove from Porto Calvo where the Dutch Army was to Encamp to keep them from the Spanish Oppression That Summer having been so dry that no man ever remembred the like had dry'd up all the Morasses so that the Spaniards marching over them and high Mountains got a back Way into the Countrey In the mean time John Walbeck made a Fort with five Bulwarks on the Island Caracao near the Haven Santa Cruz. Houtebeen also ran with two Ketches the Otter and Brack to Anchor before Curacao and from thence to the Haven St. Jago de Cuba where the Watch made no Alarm because he carry'd Burgundy Colours by which also several others both Portuguese and Spaniards were deceiv'd Not long after he burnt one Barque with Tortoises sunk another and set a third a Drift after which having refresh'd at Jamaica he Engag'd with several Spanish Men of War and took them besides a great number of Prizes in one of which he found such abundance of Copper Indigo Money Canaster Tobacco and Piece-Goods that the two Ketches were not able to load the same Houte-been taken by Dunkirkers but at at last Steering for Holland he was set upon by seven Dunkirkers Commanded by Colaert and after long and stout resistance was taken Captain Abraham Roosendael setting Sail from the Texel met with a Frigat carrying forty six Chests full of Ryals of Eight being in number eighty six thousand design'd to pay the Forces at Porto Rico besides a quantity of Plate which amounted to a considerable sum of Money with all which he arriv'd safe in his desired Port. Arcisseusky fortifi'd himself along the crooked River Paripuera full of Crocodiles which hurt none unless provok'd This River runs five Leagues to the Northward of Punta de Jaragoa where the Spanish Forces Landed Southward from Jaragoa lie the Alagoas del Nort and Zul distinguish'd by a high Tract of Land where the Spanish General Lewis Rochas Borgia left his Guns and a thousand Men under the Command of the Duke Bagnola whilest with three times as many more he went to Porto Calvo to be there before the time which the Hollanders had in their Edicts set the Inhabitants for their removal Schuppe and Arcisseusky judging it no way convenient to fall upon the Enemy in Porto Calvo Garrison'd Paripuera with four hundred Men under the Command of the Captains Day and Philip Andrews whom they furnish'd with Provisions for five Moneths and left Order to defend the Countrey against the Incursions of the Enemy which done they went aboard with eleven hundred Men and took in two Companies of Brasilians at Barra Grande with whom Landing behind the Isle Alexio they came to Serinhain before Day-light and found all the Inhabitants fled into the Woods fearing they would take Revenge on them for murdering of their Sick which they had left there They were no sooner Encamp'd here but they receiv'd Information from John Talibon that the Spanish Army intended to Besiege the Redoubt in Barra Grande which therefore as lying on an ill place and not able to resist long they slighted After which being furnish'd with Provisions out of some Ketches Commanded by the Admiral Lichthart they return'd with Intentions to take up their Quarters in Serinhain during the Winter Season whilest the Enemy lay in Cockau on one side of Una and Serinhain and kept private Correspondence with some of the Portuguese that had taken the. Oath of Allegiance to the Hollanders but Arcisseusky fell so fiercely upon them that they all fled to Porto Calvo and took three Monks Prisoners who had been the chief Authors of this private Correspondence Soon after twenty eight Ships arriving at Reciffa brought fresh Supplies of Men thither from the Maes and Zealand with Ammunition and Provisions which was much wanted also two Councellors Henrich Schild and Paulus Serooskerken This Fleet was scarce got in when in the Evening news was brought that eight hundred Spaniards were broke in through Poyuca and had taken John Paez Baretto's Sugar-Mill and
Fol. 450 Cusco Fol. 456 Los Charcas Fol. 462 Collao Fol. 466 Chile Fol. 471 Chile properly so call'd Fol. 472 Magellanica Fol. 473 Paraguay or Rio de la Plata Fol. 475 Rio de la Plata properly so call'd Fol. 476 Tucuman ibid. La Crux de Sierra Fol. 477 Brasile ibid. St. Vincent Fol. 495 Rio de Janeiro Fol. 496 De Spirito Santo Fol. 497 Porto Seguro Fol. 498 Los Isleos Fol. 501 Bahia de Todos los Sanctos Fol. 502 Pernambuco Fol. 505 Parayba Fol. 508 Maragnan Fol. 511 The Lordships Tamarica Rio Grande Siara and Para Fol. 517 A Relation of the Proceedings of the Netherland West-India Company in Brasile to the Year 1658. Fol. 518 The Journey of Rodulphus Baron with the Description of the Customs and Manners of the Tapuyans Fol. 595 Grave Maurice his Account of Brasile so far as it concern'd the West-India Company Fol. 600 The Councellor Dussen 's Relation of so much of Brasile as concern'd the West-India Company Fol. 601 A Description of the Palace Freyburgh two Bridges and a Banquetting-house all built by Grave Maurice Fol. 605 Guiana Fol. 607 A Relation of the Journey of Francisco Orellana ibid. Paria or New Andalusia Fol. 620 Cumana Fol. 621 Venezuela Fol. 624 The Islands Margareta Cubagua and Coche Fol. 627 Of the Islands of Southern America Fol. 628 In the Appendix RIo de la Plata Fol. 631 Chili Fol. 634 A View of the Chilesian Language Fol. 635 Magellanica Fol. 649 The Unknown South-Land Fol. 653 Terra Borealis or The Arctick Region Fol. 661 Several Attempts for the discovery of the North-West Passage Fol. 672 A brief View of what Places are possess'd at this day in the West-Indies by the English Spaniards French Portuguese and Dutch Fol. 674 AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA CHAP. I. America unknown to the Antients Description of the Ocean THE Sea that takes several Denominations from the Countreys which it washeth and surrounding the dry Land cuts out and shapes so many winding Bays Creeks and Meandring In-lets seems no where so much confin'd and penn'd into so narrow a Channel as the Straights of Magellan From whence again soon expatiating it spreads it self into two immense and almost boundless Oceans that which opens to the North gives terminaries to the four Regions of the Earth that to the South onely to Asia and America both which indeed are but one continu'd Sea extending it self round the Universal Globe This watry part of the World that almost through all Ages lay Fallow hath in these later times been Furrow'd by several Expert and Stout Captains who now by their Art and Industry have given a good Account of and made clear Discoveries from East to West where-ever the Sun rises or sets The Northern Bounds under the Artick-Zone have been hitherto so obstructed with Ice that the undertakings of such as adventur'd either to find by the North-East or North-West a Passage to India have been utterly frustrate Of the Southern no such pains hath as yet been taken in the Discovery so that for the most part it is yet unknown how far the Water either deep or shallow overspreads the Earth onely thus much Experience hath made out that the Antartick needs lesser Line to Fathom than the Artick-Ocean The Ancients had little knowledge in Navigation The antient Greeks Phenicians and Romans or whosoever that were Renown'd by Antiquity and Listed in the number of their famous Navigators were no less Timerous than Ignorant concerning Maritim Affairs and are not fit to stand in the least degree of competition with our later Voyagers Of old by an inviolable Law made by Custom according to Pliny Vigetius and others the Sea was lock'd up from the eleventh of October to the tenth of March no Ships daring to venture forth dreading short Nights and foul Weather neither in Summer did they so much as once offer unless driven by Storms to attempt the Offin or loose sight of Land yet there is no question but that several Nations in former Ages Navigation is very ancient made it their business spending their whole time and wearying themselves in the Practical Art of Navigation The Sacred Scripture testifies That the Kings of Judea Solomon Jehosaphat Ozias and others prepar'd several Fleets that Sail'd through remote Seas freighting themselves with Gold from Ophir and other Rarities which were Imported to supply and enrich the Holy-Land Geograph lib. 1. And Strabo also tells us That King Solomon being contemporary with Homer then discover'd India And Pliny relates That the Romans in the Reign of Augustus passing the Straights of Gibraltar and sleighting the Ne plus ultra Hist Nat. lib. 2. cap. 67. Coasted Spain France and Belgium leaving not at the Promontory of the Cimbrians now call'd Shager-Riff but also ventur'd into the Northern Ocean which washes Norwey and Lapland But long before this as Athenaeus relates Phileas Taurominites a Grecian Captain and several others pass'd the Herculean-Pillars penetrating the Northern Seas as far as Brittain and adventuring Vltima Thule suppos'd by some to be Ireland Vide Georgic made the first Discovery of Thule And to the Southward the African Coasts without Gibraltar and beyond Atlas were now and then explor'd by several expert Captains But more remarkable is the Voyage of Hanno a Carthaginian The Voyage of Hanno who out-sail'd these and inspected the Coasts of Africa Of Eudoxus Strab. l. 2. as far as the Gorgades And Eudoxus Cyzicenus flying from King Lathyrus set Sail from the Arabian Gulph and passing the Great-Cape came to an Anchor at last in the Mouth of Gibraltar having discover'd all the Eastern Southern and Western parts of Africa Moreover it deserves special observation That an antient Swedish King as Cornelius Nepos relates sent as a Rarity and great Present to the Roman Consul Metellus Celer Strange Voyage of some Indians some Indians who loosing their course hatter'd up and down with perpetual Storms and stress of Weather were at last driven into the Northern Ocean where they suffer'd Shipwrack yet saving themselves Landed on his Coast Of Menelaus Aristonicus Gramaticus relates That Menelaus Sailing from the Sack of Troy became so great a Voyager that leaving the Straights he surrounded Africa and discovering India after eight years re-measuring the same way he went return'd with great Riches in safety to his own Kingdom Which is consentaneous to Homer who saith Odyss l. 4. None must compare Mansions with Jove his Seats Celestial are But with me any may who eight years tost Through Worlds of Miseries from Coast to Coast ' Mongst unknown Seas of my Return small hope Cyprus Phoenicia Aegypt (d) The Commentators on Homer have been very inquisitive to find out Menelaus Voyage into Aethiopia Crates suppos'd that he pass'd out at the Straights doubled the Southern Cape and so arriv'd thither Eratosthenes conjectures that in the time of Homer the Straights Mouth was an Isthmus and
Canada denominated as the Province from the River Hochelai and Hochchelaga giving Name to a Territory about it which Geographers either take no notice of or make some question of the being of such Towns however a late Describer of the West-Indies not mentioning the other two gives this description of the last viz. Hocbchelaga This City saith he said to be the Seat and Residence of a King of this Country whom the Natives at least some of them acknowledge and reverence carrying him sometimes in great pomp upon their Shoulders sitting upon a Carpet of Beasts Skins is situate far within Land at a distance of six or seven Leagues from the River Canada and is a kind of fortifi'd place encompass'd about with a threefold Range of Timber Ramparts one within another of about two Rods high from the Ground with cross Planks or pieces of Timber jutting out on purpose to hinder an Enemy's Scaling or getting up towards the top there is as it were a Scaffold or Gallery fram'd from whence they may throw down Stones of which there is always good store ready or what else to annoy the Assailants It hath one onely Gate for Entrance and that likewise well fortifi'd after their manner There are guess'd to be in it fifty or sixty great Houses built as the maner of the Americans that live in Houses usually is in a square Figure each side being about fifty Foot long or more and sixteen or twenty broad but not many Stories high and in the midst of the Court or void space a place to make their Fire and do other necessary work about it Moreover the Territory round about this Town is both rich in Soil and pleasant in Prospect Besides these three above-mention'd Towns there are several others which are not untaken notice of in the most modern Descriptions and Maps viz. 1. Stadac or Stadacone somewhat Westward of a small Isle call'd The Isle d' Orleance 2. Quebeque which being made a Colony of the French and the Natives expell'd came to be Entituled St. Croix 3. Tadoussac which lies in that part of the Countrey denominated from the River Saguenay and by some call'd at this day Nouvelle Biscaye a delightful place and full of stately Trees and hath likewise a good and safe Haven capable of receiving twenty Ships 4. Trois Rivieris or three Rivers 5. Monreal 6. Sillery 7. Richelieu besides two strong Castles or Forts Franceroy and St. Lewis the First built by Monsieur Robeval at his Landing here about the Year 1540. the other design'd for a Colony in the Year 1611. by Monsieur Champlany but hinder'd by the Invasion of the Iroquois The smaller Rivers that run out of the Gulph of St. Lawrence and the grand River Canada towards the North on which side chiefly lies this Province are 1. Chichesedec 2. St. Margarite 3. Lesquemin 4. Saquenay before-mention'd 5. Montonne and on the South side the River Mary The principal Tribes of the ancient Natives of this Countrey were on the North side of Canada the Canadans the Betisiamites the Hurons the Algoniquins the Quenongebins the Algoingequins the Attagopantans the Atticameques the Nipisiriniens and on the South side the Etechemins and the chief Heads or Princes of these Tribes were call'd Sagamores Jaques Quartier Complementing their King Agouthanna took up his Quarters a whole Winter at St. Croix a Sandy Promontory overflow'd by the River Canada into which falls the Lake de Champlain grown round about with Chestnut Trees in it breeds the strange Fish call'd Chaousarou generally ten Foot long Strange Fish nam'd Chaousaron with Heads like Sharks and two rows of Teeth-in their Mouths their Skins full of strong Scales which are sufficient Shields against Swords and Lances are great devourers of other Fish and Fowls which they take after this manner viz. they swim amongst Reeds or Canes and lie still with their Mouths open whereat the Birds sitting down upon them are immediately swallow'd The Natives of Nova Francia anoint their bodies with Oil in the Summer they go naked and in the Winter mantle themselves in Furs Their Warlike Accoutrements are Darts and Clubs but chiefly great Shields They are revengeful cruel and fraudulent their Women common to all Men from fifteen to twenty after which Marrying they become very Chaste Their Diet is Indian Corn fresh and salt Fish Venison Buffalo's and Beavers flesh wiping their Fingers when greasie on their Heads or their Dogs backs which wait for the Scraps At that season when the Corn covers the ground to any heighth they eat Cockles Dogs dead Caryon and the Skins wherewith they Clothe themselves When they have eaten their fill they tabering on their Bellies cry Tapoue Mikispoun that is Verily I am satisfi'd They give their Sick a speedy Cure either immediately killing them or inhumanely exposing them to the Woods to be devour'd by ravenous Beasts but if they die suddenly they in howling tone pronounce Ove Ove thereby to chase the Souls of the Deceas'd out of their Huts they stick the bodies on Woodden Prongs cover them with Bark and lay their Clothes and Arms by them all what remains of the Funeral Feasts is burnt whereas at other times what e're is brought on their Table they eat though ready to burst They make the first Proofs of their Valour by undergoing a most prodigious Torment in this manner Strange proof of Valor Two by consent tie their naked Arms together on which they suffer burning Sulphur to be pour'd till the flesh starts from the bone if either of them shrink or pull back his Arm he is accounted by them ever after as an ignominious and base Coward They call God Atahocan and believe that one Messou first drowning the world by a general Deluge restor'd it again after a wonderful manner Wonderful opinion of God viz. Messou hunting with Wolves they scented a Deer which being closely pursu'd leap'd into a neighboring Pool the Wolves following it were drown'd Flood Messou coming thither stood amaz'd at a Bird which inform'd him that the Wolves were pluck'd down and held fast in the bottom by horrible Monsters whereupon he diving the Pool immediately began to swell and at last the whole surface of the Earth to be overflow'd Messou afterwards let a Raven flie to fetch a Clod of Earth but in vain for all the Land lay drown'd in Water at last a Rat diving to the bottom brought a lump of Earth out of which Messou restor'd the World shot Arrows into Trees which became fruitful Branches Here also reside an innumerable many Sorcerers Sorcerers call'd Pillotoa's which sometimes being possess'd with a Frenzy scourge themselves in a terrible manner insomuch that the Blood runs down by their sides These People are held in great esteem for they boast themselves to have their Original from Heaven upon this occasion They boast their Extract from Heaven Their strange Relation concerning it viz. Ataensic a certain great Queen or Goddess residing above
which daily lies upon them insomuch that a great Belly hinders no business nor doth a Child-birth take much time but the young Infant being greas'd and sooted wrapp'd in a Beavers Skin bound with his Feet up to his Bum upon a Board two Foot long and one Foot broad and his Face expos'd to all nipping Weather this little Pappouse travels about with his bare-footed Mother to paddle in the Icy Clam-banks after three or four days of Age have confirm'd her recovery For their Carriage it is very civil Smiles being the greatest grace of their Mirth Their Musick is Lullabies in Rocking their Children who generally are as quiet as if they had neither Spleen or Lungs Their Voices are generally both sweet and well order'd so far as pure Nature teacheth them Their Modesty drives them to wear more Clothes than the Men having always a Coat of Cloth or Skins wrapp'd like a Blanket about their Loyns reaching down to their Hams which they never put off in Company Towns buile by the English in New England There are to be reckon'd up forty five chief Towns besides what others there may be of less note built or made habitable by the English since their first arrival in New England till about the Year 1650. First St. Georges Fort where the first Plantation was setled St. Georges Fort. at the Mouth of the River Sagadebock in a kind of Peninsula or half Island The second New Plymouth seated no less commodiously upon a large Bay New Plymouth call'd by the Natives Pautuxed where they first setled that went over out of dissatisfaction to the Church-Government of England The third Salem call'd by the Indians Mahumbeak Salem which stands on the middle of a Neck of Land very pleasantly having a South River on the one side and a North River on the other side This Town seems to have been built in the Year 1628. by a part of that Company who being sent over by the Merchant-Adventurers setled themselves in this Cape The fourth Mashawmut or Charles-town Charles-town situate on a Neck of Land on the North-side of the River Charles The form of this Town in the Frontispiece of it resembleth the Head Neck and Shoulders of a Man through the right Shoulder whereof runs the Navigable River Mistick which by its near approach to Charles River in one place makes the chief part of the Town a Peninsula It consists of a hundred and fifty Dwelling-houses many of them beautifi'd with pleasant Gardens and Orchards Near the Water-side is a large Market-place forth of which issue two fair Streets and in it stands a large and well built Church The fifth Matapan or Dorchester a Fronteer Town Dorchester standing over against the Island near the Sea-side It is water'd with two small Rivers and is built in the form of a Serpent turning its Head Northward it hath Orchards and Gardens full of Fruit-trees The sixth is Boston anciently Accomonticus the Center and Metropolis of the rest Boston built in the form of a Heart and fortifi'd with two Hills on the Front-part thereof the one having great store of Artillery mounted thereon the other having a strong Battery built of whole Timber and fill'd with Earth At the Descent of the Hill lies a large Cave or Bay on which the chief part of this Town is built over-topp'd with a third Hill all three like over-topping Towers keeping a constant Watch to foresee the approach of foreign Dangers The chiefest part of this City-like Town is crowded upon the Sea Banks and wharf'd out with great Industry and Cost the Edifices large and beautiful whose continual enlargement presageth some sumptuous City The seventh Roxbury Roxbury situated between Boston and Dorchester water'd with cool and pleasant Springs issuing from the Rocky Hills and with small Freshets watering the Valleys of this fertile Town The form of it resembleth a Wedge double pointed entring between the two above-mention'd Towns and in the room of those Swamps or tearing Bushes which were there before they have now goodly Fruit-trees fruitful Fields and Gardens The eighth is Lynne Lynne or according to the Indian Name Saugus situated between Salem and Charles-town near a River whose strong Freshet at the end of Winter fills all her Banks and with a violent Torrent vents it self into the Sea This Town is almost square consisting many years ago of above a hundred Dwelling-houses having also an Iron Mill in constant use The Church being on a level Land undefended from the North-West Wind is made with Steps descending into the Earth The ninth is call'd Water-town Water-town anciently Pigsgusset situated upon one of the Branches of Charles-River water'd with many pleasant Springs and small Rivulets running like Veins throughout her Body This Town began by occasion of Sir Richard Saltingstall who arriving with store of Cattel and Servants Winter'd in these Parts In the Year 1633. there was erected between Charles-town and Water-town New-town a Place call'd New-town and by the Indians Amongcangen since nam'd Cambridge being the tenth in order It is in form like a List of Broad-cloth reaching to the most Southerly part of Merrimeck River it hath comely and well order'd Streets and two fair Colledges Harverd Colledge the first call'd Harverd Colledge from Mr. John Harverd who at his Death gave a thousand Pounds to it to the other Mr. John Harnes was the chief Benefactor This Town was appointed to be the Seat of the Government but it continu'd not long The eleventh call'd Ipswich Ipswich or Sawacatuc by the Indians is situated on a fair and delightful River issuing forth from a very pleasant Pond and afterwards breaking its Course through a hideous Swamp of large extent it lies in the Sagamoreship or Earldom of Aggawan now by the English call'd Essex Twelve Miles from Ipswich Newbury near upon the Streams of Merrimeck River is situated the twelfth call'd Newbury The People of New-town Hartford or Cambridge upon their removal of the Plantation of Canectico passing up the River built a Town which they call'd Hartford the thirteenth in number divers others coming in the room of those that departed from Cambridge The fourteenth Concord seated upon a fair fresh River whose Rivulets are fill'd with fresh Marsh and her Streams with Fish it being a Branch of that large River of Merrimeck Allwives is built in the Inland Countrey and call'd Concord It consisted at first of above fifty Families Their Buildings are for the most part conveniently plac'd on one streight Stream under a Sunny Bank in a low Level The People that first set forth to build this Town sustain'd great hardship and misery by reason of the uncouth Ways and extremity of the Weather it being the first Inland Town that was built South-East of Charles-River upon the Sea-Coast Hingham is situated the fifteenth Town Hingham the form whereof is somewhat intricate to describe by reason of
his Majesties Commissioners IN the Year of our Lord 1665. his Majesties Commissioners for the Affairs of New England being in the Province of Mayne the People being much unsetled in Point of Government by reason the Mattachusets Colony or Boston Government did usurp compulsively a Power over them contrary to their wills and the right of Sir Ferdinando Gorges Heir who had his Commission then in the place did unanimously Petition to his Majesties Commissioners to settle the Government upon which the said Commissioners examin'd the Bounds and Right of Mr. Gorges Patent with all the Allegations and Pretensions on both sides and so according to their Instruction from his Majesty did settle a temporary Government under his Majesty's immediate Authority until such time as his Majesty should give his final determination thereof and for that end did Institute Justices of the Peace to Govern the Province according to the true Laws of England Also his Majesty was pleas'd by his Mandamus in April 1666 to the Governors of Boston to signifie that it was his will and pleasure That the Province of Main should stand good as his Commissioners had setled it until he had more leisure to determine it yet notwithstanding after three years quiet possession and exercising of Government by the Kings Justices according to their Commission granted by his Majesty's Commissioners the Bostoners without any Conference with the said Justices did in a hostile manner oppose the King's Power July 1668. which was as followeth The General Court of Boston sent their Warrants to keep Court at York under their Authority and for that purpose Commissionated Magistrates by their own Authority namely Major General John Leveret Mr. Edward Ting Captain Richard Walden and Captain Robert Pike Whereupon the King's Justices did oppose their Warrants and sent Post to New York with an Address to General Nicholas for Advice what to do therein who forthwith dispatch'd away to the Governors of Boston informing them of the danger of their Proceeding it being an open breach of Duty to subvert the Government establish'd by his Majesty's Power also sent the King 's Mandamus April 1666. that will'd to the contrary Notwithstanding the Boston Magistrates in July 1668. in order to their Boston Commission came to York Town in the said Province with several Armed Men Horse and Foot to keep Court under their Authority Opposition was made by the King's Justices and his Majesty's Power was urg'd but little regard thereunto shewn his Majesties Mandamus was likewise much insisted upon and produced by the Justices who ask'd the Bostoners what they thought of it and how they durst act so contrary to the King's Will and Pleasure Major General Leveret told them That he believ'd it might be the King's Hand but he had a Commission from the general Court at Boston which he would follow and observe by the help of God The same day in the Afternoon the said Major General Leveret with the rest of the Boston Magistrates seiz'd and imprison'd the Province Marshal in doing his Office and then forthwith went in warlike posture to the Court-house where the King's Justices sat in Judicature and putting them from their Seats sat down themselves in their Places and Executed their Boston Commission The King's Justices drew a Protest against their Proceedings and so left the Decision to God's Providence and his Majesty's good Pleasure Then they turn'd out all Officers both Military and Civil and Swore others in their Places under their Authority they forc'd the whole Record of the Province out of the Recorders House contrary to his Will by vertue of a Special Warrant from that Court They imprison'd the Mayor of the said Province about three weeks forcing him to give in five hundred Pound Bonds not to act according to his Commission which with some Reservations he was forc'd to deny for the security of his Estate These riotous Proceedings thus acted with such a precipitate fury so incens'd his Majesty that speedy care had been taken to reduce them to reason had they not upon mature consideration bethought themselves afterwards to yield Obedience to his Majesties Orders Having treated at large of all that concerns New England in general both in reference to the Natives and the English Planters we shall conclude with a brief view of the Provinces of Laconia and Main as they are truly Describ'd among other ingenuous Collections and Observations of the Affairs of America and especially these Parts by Ferdinando Gorges Esq Heir to the above-mention'd Sir Ferdinando and thereby sole Lord of the said Provinces onely contracting what hath been by him deliver'd more at large A brief Description of Laconia a Province in New England Among divers Plantations of the English happily Founded in New England is a Province to the Landward nam'd Laconia so call'd by reason of the great Lakes therein but by the ancient Inhabitants thereof it is call'd The Countrey of the Troquois It lies between the Latitude of forty four and forty five Degrees having the Rivers of Sagadehock and Merrimeck on the Sea-Coast of New England Southerly from it into each of which Rivers there is a short Passage frequented by the Salvages inhabiting near the Lakes Also it hath the great Lakes which tend towards California in the South Sea on the West thereof On the North thereof is the great River of Canada into which the said River disgorgeth it self by a fair large River well replenish'd with many fruitful Islands The Air thereof is pure and wholesom the Countrey pleasant having some high Hills full of goodly Forrests and fair Valleys and Plains fruitful in Corn Vines Chesnuts Wallnuts and infinite sorts of other Fruits large Rivers well stor'd with Fish and inviron'd with goodly Meadows full of Timber-trees One of the great Lakes is call'd The Lake of Troquois which together with a River of the same Name running into the River of Canada is sixty or seventy Leagues in length In the Lake are four fair Islands which are low and full of goodly Woods and Meadows having store of Game for Hunting as Stags Fallow-Deer Elks Roe-Bucks Beavers and other sorts of Beasts which come from the Main Land to the said Islands The Rivers which fall into the Lakes have in them good store of Beavers of which Beasts as also of the Elks the Salvages make their chiefest Traffick The said Islands have been inhabited heretofore by the Salvages but are now abandon'd by reason of their late Wars one with another They contain twelve or fifteen Leagues in length and are seated commodiously for Habitation in the midst of the Lake which abounds with divers kinds of wholesom Fish From this Lake run two Rivers Southward which fall into the Eastern and Southern Sea-Coast of New England Into this Lake there went many years since certain French of Quebeck who sided with the Algovinquins with the help of their Canoos which they carried the space of five Miles over the Impossible Falls to Fight a
extent mention'd in the beginning The first Colony to be undertaken by certain Knights Gentlemen and Merchants in and about the City of London The second to be undertaken and advanc'd by certain Knights Gentlemen and Merchants and their Associates in or about the City of Bristol Exon Plymouth and other parts At the first Colonies Request in the seventh year of the same King a second Patent was Granted to several Noblemen and Gentlemen including Sir Thomas Gates and some of his former Fellow-Patentees bearing Date May 23. 1610. whereby they were made a Corporation and Body Politique and stil'd The Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London for the first Colony of Virginia And by this Patent there was Granted to them their Successors and Assigns two hundred Miles to the Southward from a Cape of Land in Virginia call'd Point Comfort and two hundred Miles to the Northward of the said Cape along the Sea-shore and into the Land from Sea to Sea And on March 12. 1612. the said King in the ninth year of his Reign Grants them a third Patent of all Islands lying in the Sea within two hundred Miles of the Shore of that Tract of Land on the Continent granted to them by the said former Patent Jac. 7. In the Year 1615. Captain Smith procur'd by his Interest at Court and the King's Favor a Recommendation from His Majesty and divers of the Nobility to all Cities and Corporations to Adventure in a standing Lottery which was erected for the benefit of this Plantation which was contriv'd in such a manner that of 100000. Pounds which was to be put in 50000. onely or one half was to return to the Adventurers according as the Prizes fell out and the other half to be dispos'd of for the Promotion of the Affairs of Virginia in which though it were three years before it was fully accomplish'd he had in the end no bad Success In the eighteenth Year of the said King's Reign at the Request of the second Colony a Patent was Granted to several Noblemen and Gentlemen of all that Tract of Land lying in the parts of America between the Degrees of forty and forty eight of Northerly Latitude and into the Land from Sea to Sea which was call'd by the Patent New England in America For the better Government whereof one Body-Politick and Corporate was thereby appointed and ordain'd in Plymouth consisting of the said Noblemen Gentlemen and others to the number of forty Persons by the Name of The Council establish'd at Plymouth in the County of Devon for the Planting Ruling Ordering and Governing of New England im America The Patent of Virginia made void The Miscarriages and Misdemeanors of the aforesaid Corporation for the first Colony of Virginia were so many and so great that His said Majesty was forc'd in or about October 1623. to direct a Quo Warranto for the calling in of that former Patent which in Trinity Term following was legally Evinc'd Condemn'd and made Void by Judgment in the Court of the then Kings-Bench as also all other Patents by which the said Corporation claim'd any Interest in Virginia Thus this Corporation of the first Colony of Virginia was dissolv'd and that Plantation hath been since Govern'd and Dispos'd of by Persons Constituted and Impower'd for that purpose from time to time by immediate Commissions from the Kings of England The Patent of Mary-land granted to the Lord Baltem re In the Year of our Lord 1631. the Right Honorable George Lord Baltemore obtain'd a Grant of King Charles the First of Great Britain c. of part of that Land to the Northward which is now call'd Mary-land but this Patent of Mary-land was not perfected till 1632. as you may understand more fully by the precedent Discourse of Mary-land which by express words in the said Patent is separated from and thereby declar'd not to be reputed for the future any part of Virginia The Patent Carolina granted to several Noble Persons And in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second of Great Britain c. on March 24. 1663. Edward Earl of Clarendon then High-Chancellor of England George Duke of Albemarle William now Earl of Craven John Lord Berkley Anthony Lord Ashley Sir George Carterett Knight and Baronet Sir William Berkley Knight and Sir John Colleton Knight and Baronet obtain'd a Patent from His Majesty of the Province of Carolina which lies to the Southward of Virginia in which is included some part of that Land which formerly belong'd to the said dissolv'd Company of Virginia So that Virginia at present extendeth it self onely and is situated between thirty six and thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes or thereabouts of Northern Latitude and is bounded on the North by Mary-land on the South by Carolina on the East by the Ocean and on the West by the South-Seas The Entrance by Sea into this Countrey is the same with that of Mary-land between Cape Henry and Cape Charles plac'd on each side of the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeak Rivers of Virginia on the West side whereof you first meet with a pleasant and commodious River call'd James-River about three Miles wide at its Entrance and Navigable a hundred and fifty Fourteen Miles from this River Northward lies York-River which is Navigable sixty or seventy Miles but with Ketches and small Barques thirty or forty Miles farther Passing hence to the North you discover a third stately River call'd Rappahanock which is Navigable about a hundred and thirty Miles from whence following the Shore to the North you enter into Patomeck-River which is already describ'd in the precedent Discourse of Mary-land to which Province this River belongs whose Southerly Bank gives Bounds to that part of Virginia and Mary-land To these Rivers many other Inland Branches and Rivulets are reduc'd the chief of which are hereafter specifi'd Nature of the Countrey The Countrey is generally even the Soil fruitful the Climate healthful and agreeable with English Constitutions especially since the increase of Inhabitants and accommodation of good Diet and Lodging which the first Planters found great want of heretofore For many years till of late most New-comerâ— had the first Year in July and August a Disease which is call'd A Seasoning whereof many died like to what is mention'd before in the Description of Mary-land though more mortal and common than in Mary-land because Virgina is a lower Countrey and somewhat hotter insomuch that formerly divers ill of that Distemper have come purposely from Virginia to Mary-land to recover their Health but now since the Countrey is more open and clear from Wood few die of it and many have no Seasonings at all This Countrey affordeth generally all such Roots Herbs Gums and Balsoms as are express'd before in the Relation of Mary-land All sorts of Trees for Building and Husbandry Trees Fruit-Trees Vines c. are found in both Countreys equal in goodness
much better success for he Weighing Anchor for Pernambuc with four Frigats three Ketches and a Sloop set Sail to Truxillo where arriving lay close before the City with his four Frigats which fired very fiercely on the Town the Inhabitants of which not being idle kill'd three Men in one Ship forc'd her to fall farther off from the Castle Whilst the Ketches and Sloop went about a Gun shot Westward beyond the City towards the River Antonio where they Landed two hundred and fifty Soldiers which march'd with all speed up the Hill where the Castle lay which they Scal'd at Noon-day the Besieged being provided with seven Guns shot and threw Stones continually amongst them yet were forc'd to Retreat from the Dutch Hand-granado's During the storm the Admiral himself Landed but before he came out of the Boat the foremention'd Soldiers had made themselves Masters of the Fort with the loss of onely eight Men and were busie Pillaging all places they came at and carrying their gotten Booty to a Watch-house near the Castle on the Shore when on a sudden a Fire happen'd in the East part of Truxillo which increas'd in such a manner that in few hours two third parts of the City lay in Ashes every one then had enough to do to save themselves yet for all the haste they made several Hollanders were kill'd at the blowing up of the Magazine and most of the Booty lost by the Fire insomuch that they carry'd but two hundred thirty nine Skins six Bales of Indigo eight hundred and twenty Pounds of Sarsaparilla seven Brass and three Iron Guns four Clocks and some few trifles with them having before made an agreement for twenty Pound of Silver with the Governor Joan de Miranda who inform'd them that they had not the least knowledge of the Hollanders Fleet till the Evening when the Beacon on Punta La Rye was fir'd Moreover that the City was inhabited by two hundred Spaniards and as many more Mulatoes and Moors and that the Trade thereof was much gone to decay because there had been no Gallies there in two years before Twenty seven Leagues from this City lies the Village Jorgo de Olancho where four thousand Spaniards force Tribute from sixteen thousand Indians who possess much Gold SECT IV. Nicaragua Situation and bounds NIcaragua is a County of this Province border'd Northward with Honduras on the East with the Atlantick Ocean and part of Veragua on the South with Mare del Zur and on the West with Guatimala being call'd by Diego Lopez de Salzado The New Kingdom of Leon and comprizing several little Territories as Nicoya Nequecheri Mabyth Deria Masaya Mandigua Cacoloaque Cepeoco Los Micos Madira and the Contales It hath few Rivers in it the want whereof is supply'd by the benefit of a great Lake in the midst of the Countrey call'd by the Spaniards Laguna de Nicaragua containing as is suppos'd above one hundred Leagues in compass It empties it self by the Port of St. Juan into the Atlantick or North-Sea but reacheth as far as the South or Mare del Zur at least within a very few Leagues and from whence some Spanish Captains are said to have made a passage though with much difficulty into the Lake and from thence to the North-Sea It is abundantly well stor'd with good Fish but withal much haunted with Crocodiles and the Countrey about it so plentiful in all things especially Cattel Cotten-Wool Sugars and all kind of Fruits Amongst which the chiefest is the Zeiba which is of so great a thickness that fifteen Men holding Hand in Hand can scarce encompass the same The Callabashes ripen here in fourteen days time The Sea along the Coast breeds Whales and other Sea-Monsters which are often seen above Water Nature of the Inhabitants The Inhabitants of this Countrey except the Chontales which live on the Mountains and maintain their old Salvage Customs have for the most part learnt the Spanish Tongue and Manners and exercise themselves in all sorts of Arts and Siences especially in Working of Silver making of Clothes Wax-Work and the like From the Mountains they gather Balsom Liquid-Amber Turpentine They also drive a great Trade in Cotton Skins and several sorts of Provisions to Panama and Nombre de Dios. The Lake Laguna de Nicaragua which hath a hundred and seventeen Leagues in Circumference and round about inhabited is by three Leagues of Land separated from the South-Sea and discharges its Waters into the River Desaguadero which falls into the Northern Ocean Alphonsus Calera and Diego Machuca de Zuaso were the first that Sail'd out of the foremention'd Lake into the Sea not without many dangers by reason of the great Water-falls call'd Rondales which fall into the River Desaguadero and forc'd them often times to draw their Barques over the Land The chief City is Cities 1. Leon which is surrounded with Woods and lies close by the Lake hath a great Church five Cloysters belonging to the Monks de la Mercede several Houses for the King's Officers and a hundred and twenty thousand Families of Indians which pay Tribute Three Leagues beyond Leon appears a high spiry Mountain from whose top both Morning and Evening rises a mighty smoke and sometimes casts out great sulphurous Stones over the neighboring Fields and on a sudden mighty Flames A Dominican Monk in hopes to get some melted Gold out of its burning Mouth went up the same with four of his Fraternity and carry'd an Iron Chain and a Kettle which were no sooner let down into the hole but they were immediately melted yet not so discourag'd they resolv'd to venture a second time with stronger Materials which nevertheless had the same or rather worse event for the Fire flew out in such a manner that the Dominicans sadly scorch'd had enough to do to escape with Life since which none durst presume to approach the same But besides the Episcopal City Leon Erected by Franciscus Fernandez 2. Granada acknowledges the same Builder and lying also on the shore of Laguna de Nicaragua is adorn'd with a Castle Church and several Sugar-Mills Not far from it lie the small Lakes Masaya and Lindiri the first which is inclos'd between exceeding high Mountains covers the Foot of the burning Mountain Masaya the other falls into Laguna de Nicaragua near which is the smoky Mountain Munbacho surrounded with Fruit-Trees 3. 4. The Towns Jean and Neuva Segovia which are not far from thence are of little consequence 5. Realeio this is as it were the Chattam of America being a place on the South-Sea where the King of Spain hath all his Ships built that are made of American Timber and inhabited by few or none but Shipwrights Mariners and Men of that kind of Profession 6. 7. Nicoya Avarines 8. Cartage forty Leagues distant from Nicoya and lying almost in the midst of the Isthmus or Streight of Darien equally distant both from the North and South Sea on both which it is
after a miserable manner evacuated their Seed that so they might curb all fleshly Desires and met every Night in a spacious place where sitting down they wounded themselves with Lances in their Legs and Arms so long till the Blood gush'd out of the same which gathering in a Cup they anointed their Temples therewith and dipt the Lances in the same and then hung them up before the Temple in Bundles of Straw Of these were a great number and the more because they never us'd their Lances but once But on these Days which were Consecrated to the Idol Tezcatlipuca every one besides the Priests wore a new Rope made of the Hemp Mangey of a Fathom long and a thick Knot at the end with which they beat themselves so miserably on their Backs as if they intended to have broken them After which the Priests stay'd five days in the Temple in which they us'd the like cruelty eating scarce once in twenty four hours Their Prisoners they us'd after a most horrid manner viz. in their Temples stood a round Stage of Stone to the top of which they ascended by a Square Scaffold supported by twenty eight Pillars behind which appear'd thousands of Mens Heads and amongst them the Prisoners that were to be Offer'd sat stark naked and guarded by several Armed Men three Foot from the Steps which led up to the top of the Scaffold stood a pyramidical Stone by the Indians call'd Quauxi-calli and behind it two round Chappels cover'd on the top like Mitres each had four Holes in a large Gate in which sat a horrid Representation worshipp'd by six Priests call'd Chackalmua whereof one call'd Papas or Topilzin whose Office was to pluck out the Hearts of the Prisoners being in greatest esteem wore a red Mantle about his Body not unlike a long Coat with broad Fringe which trail'd after him upon the Ground and also a Crown of green and yellow Plumes on his Head his Ears and under Lip were likewise adorn'd with Precious Stones The other five appear'd in like manner with their Hands and Faces painted red but having Leathern Fascia's about their Heads and white Coats stitch'd with Black on their Bodies they might easily be distinguish'd from the Topilzin who on a sudden ran down the Stairs to the Prisoners and shew'd each of them an Image saying This is your God made of Bledo Paste Maiz and Honey green Beads for Eyes and Grains of Maiz for Teeth whereupon the Prisoners were led up and laid with their Backs on the sharp Stone Quauxicalli then the five Priests took hold of their Leggs Arms and Head put woodden Collars about the Sufferer's Necks whilst the Topilzin shew'd Reverence to the Idol which done with a sharp Stone he cut open the Breasts of the Prisoners who in a deplorable condition lay on the pyramidical Stone and pulling their Hearts out of their Bodies shew'd the same reeking to the Sun and at last threw them toward the Idol and the dead Bodies down the Stairs where some appointed for that purpose carried the same away but every one taking his own Prisoner and roasting and boyling him serv'd him up to his Friends as a great Dainty This kind of Murdering was not onely us'd amongst the Mexicans but also by all the other neighboring Indians and especially in the City Chulula which as we have said before signifies The Sanctity of all the Gods for in this Town six thousand Children were yearly Offer'd The Citizens hereof us'd to drive a great Trade especially in Cochinele Their Habits were several for Persons of Note wore Cotton Coats about the Edges of which hung Feathers and pieces of Cony-skins the meaner sort went in Nequons or a sort of Linnen Coats made of the hairy Leaves of the Tree Maguey 3. The City Tezuco full of handsom Streets and fair Houses is built near the salt Mexican Lake yet hath no want of fresh Water with which it is supply'd by Gutters from the Mountains under Ground according to Anthony Herrera it twice exceedeth in bigness the famous City Sivill in Spain 4. Quitlavaca by the Spaniards call'd Venezuela because it is like Venice surrounded with Water and divided into several Isles boasted formerly above two thousand Families From the Town a Cawsey of twenty Foot broad and half a League long leads through the Lake to the Main Continent 5. Yztacpalapa a very populous Place and lying part of it in the salt Lake and partly on the Main Land where several fresh-water Pools afford store of Fish two Leagues distant from Mexico to which leads a broad Way in the middle of which stands a Fountain surrounded with high Trees which produces excellent Water 6. Mexicaltzingo situate upon the Lake Laguna a Town consisting of four thousand stately Houses 7. Cayocan in a fruitful Plain containing six thousand being but a League and a half from Yztacpalapa to which the neighboring Village Houcilopucho was not much inferior These three Places before they were subdu'd by the Spaniards boasted many brave Temples and high Towers whose lustre appear'd at a great distance but now being turn'd into Cloysters they are inhabited by Monks and Nuns The Salt made here of Earth though not white and onely fit to make Pickle of is Transported to many Places Towns and pleasant Villages about Mexico About Mexico there are also several Villages the chiefest of which are 1. Mastitlan a Town pleasantly seated upon the top of an huge Mountain in the midst of most delicate Groves and shady Woods and reckon'd to contain no less than thirty thousand Inhabitants in all dwelling either in the City or upon the sides of the Mountain 2. Antepecque this is a Town belonging to the Marquess de Valle who is of the Posterity of Cortez and said to be seated in the most delicious place of all New Spain 3. Acapulco a Town seated upon the South-Sea or Mare del Zur yet belonging to this Province It is a haven-Town and one of the most frequented upon the South-Sea situate upon a large and capacious Bay of about a League broad at the Entrance and affording many convenient Stations and Docks for Shipping At the bottom of the Bay Westward lieth the Town with a strong Castle very opportunely built both for the command and security of the Port well wall'd and fortifi'd with Bulwarks and having a constant Garrison of four hundred Soldiers in it or thereabouts The reason whereof I supposâ— may be chiefly this viz. that from this Port there is the greatest Traffick and Entercourse held betwixt the East and West-Indies together with the Philippine Islands Silver Mynes The Countrey hath many rich Mynes of Silver in it and some of Gold the chief of which are by Herera reported to be these viz. 1. Those of Puchuca fourteen Leagues distant from Mexico 2. Of Tasco 3. Talpuiana 4. Cultepeque 5. Zacualpa 6. Zupanguo and divers others The rest of the Villages are Guatitlan Tenyauca Escapusalco Tacuba and Suchimilco Strange
ancient State of the Tlascallans The People of this Countrey when the Spaniards came first amongst them liv'd in the form of a Common-wealth or Free-State refusing to be subject to the King of Mexico with whom they had almost continual War and upon that account as hath been said assisted Cortesius in the Conquest of the Kingdom without whose help 't is most certain he had never been able to do any thing They enjoy therefore many special Priviledges and Immunities more than other Americans do They pay no Tribute but onely a handful of Wheat yearly for every Person by way of acknowledgment otherwise living under the Protection of the Spaniards wholly in the Form of their ancient Government In former times they were great Man-eaters and not onely eat the Flesh of their Enemies but also of one anotther insomuch that Man's-flesh hung in publick to be sold River Zahuatl The River Zahuatl which rushes out of the Mountain Xicoleucalt oftentimes overflows all the Countrey near it and washes away divers Houses Zahuatl signifies Scabby Water because all those especially Children that wash in the same are sure to be Scabby On its Banks the Spaniards have built many Houses the fashion whereof is now also imitated by the Indians of this Province who formerly built quite after another manner for they made low Houses of Earth Wood and Stone with large and strange Chambers some a Stones-cast one from another others close together had narrow crooked Streets that ran betwixt them Tlascallans Language In this Province are two sorts of Languages spoken viz. the Mexican and that of the Ottomons who formerly deserting Mexico chose the Tlascallans for their Protectors They are a toilsom and painful People To the Northward of Tlascalla are Mountains which all the year long except three Moneths are cover'd with Mist and the Woods on the tops of them are a great shelter to Lyons Tygers Wolves and wild Dogs call'd Adives and other wild Beasts which do much hurt to the small Cattel Here are also many Serpents and Adders The whole Province is said to contain two hundred good Towns and Burroughs and more than one thousand Villages all of them exceedingly populous and suppos'd to contain in the whole above a Million and half of Natives besides Spaniards who have some few Colonies in the Countrey for securing of it Towns and Villages The chief Towns of the Province are 1. Tlascalla it self which denominates the whole Countrey as the Metropolis and where the Bishop's See was at first till in the Year 1550. it was remov'd to Puebla de los Angelos It is a fair Town and commodiously seated in the midst of a large and fertile Champain of threescore Miles in compass It consisteth of four large and beautiful Streets or Quarters and in the midst of them where they all meet hath a Piazza or Market-place equal to that of Mexico and able to receive twenty or thirty thousand Persons conveniently to Buy and Sell in it and whose Shambles seldom shew less than fifteen thousand Sheep four thousand Oxen and two thousand Hogs 2. Puebla de los Angelos or The City of Angels a Town built by Sebastian Ramirez a Church-man and he that was the first President or chief Governor of Mexico under the Crown of Castile It was built in the Year 1531. almost in the Road-way from Vera Crux to Mexico and seated in a very delicate and fertile Countrey and of a good Air. It is a Bishop's See and valu'd at twenty thousand Ducats of yearly Rent the City it self suppos'd to contain about fifteen hundred Families where there is abundance of excellent Cloth made and for fineness not yielding to the best of Spain It s chief Edifices are the Cathedral and four stately Cloysters belonging to the Dominicans Franciscans Augustines and Capuchins as also a Free-School for five hundred Indian Children endow'd by Ramirez with a yearly Revenue 3. Zempoallan seated upon a River of the same Name 4. Napalaca in the Valley Ocumba ows its original to an Indian call'd Juan who at first had onely one House and a Herd of Hogs there till upon his invitation all the neighboring People came from the tops of the Hills insomuch that in a short time the place was Peopled by thousands of Families 5. Guaxacingo all hitherto great and ancient Towns of the Natives 6. Segura de la Frontera a Spanish Town built by Cortez presently upon the Conquest of Mexico for the securing of the Confines as the Name importeth 7. Vera Crux a Town built by Cortez and his Companions at their first Landing and where afterwards by a Stratagem and out of a resolution either to Conquer or Die in the Countrey he caus'd all his Ships to be burnt that his Soldiers might not so much as think of returning back from whence they came The Town was at first built five or six Leagues up within Land but the place being found not to be so healthful the Inhabitants in a short time deserted it and seated themselves upon a Bay of the Sea right over against St. John D' Ullua 8. Medellin another Spanish Town built likewise by Cortez in memory of his own Birth-place which was Medellin a small Town of Estramadura a Province of Spain but was afterwards destroy'd by some Spanish Commanders out of malice to Cortez Lastly St. John D' Ullua a noted and the most usual Port to all this Province and likewise to the City of Mexico it self from the North Sea but of difficult entrance especially to such as are not well acquainted with the Passage or want Guides by reason of certain Rocks and Quicksands wherewith the Mouth of the Haven is said to be bar'd but within the station is more safe It hath likewise two strong Bulwarks or Forts rais'd on either side of the Entrance one to defend the Passage besides a strong Castle built since Captain John Hawkins surpris'd twelve Ships richly Laden within the Haven and thirteen others that arriv'd with a new Vice-Roy from Spain valu'd at near sixty Tun of Gold of which he might easily have made Prize had he not trusted to the Vice-Roys Promise to give him all satisfaction he should require by which being deceiv'd he lost all his Fleet but two Ships Between Tlascala and Los Angelos are the Fountains out of which the River hath its Original which gliding by Machaocan and Zacatula falls into the South Sea This River is so exceeding full of Crocodiles Great increase of Grocodiles that they have made several places which formerly were Inhabited on its Banks utterly desolate for the Females laying generally Eggs as big as those of a Goose increase prodigiously and were it not that the Indian Mice call'd Ichneumones destroy'd them they would grow still to greater numbers But this Animal creeping in at the Crocodiles Mouth eats his way out of the Belly again Water-Serpents Hawks Buffeloes and especially Tygers are also their mortal Enemies for they throwing the
insatiable cruelty Conquest of it difficult Before Ferdinand Cortesius Francis de Garay attempted to Conquer this Province but after much pains to no purpose he return'd with but a small remnant of those he carried with him and though Cortesius subdu'd the Countreys Ayotetextetlatan and Chila yet it was not without many considerable Losses for the Inhabitants being valiant and cruel not fearing the Spanish Bullets ran in amongst them and made great slaughter and according to an old Custom in New Spain drank their Blood Strange usage of Prisoners They also dealt strangely with Persons that were yearly to be Offer'd to their Idols for after having wash'd them they put on them the Clothes of the Idol and gave them the same Name every one honouring them as a God were permitted to walk up and down but guarded by twelve Men that they might not escape for then the chiefest of the Guard was to supply the others place Moreover they resided in the chiefest Apartments of the Temple eat of the best were serv'd like Princes and attended through the Towns by Persons of the greatest Quality who led them through the Streets where they no sooner play'd on a little Pipe but all People came running to them fell at their Feet and worship'd them In the Night they lock'd them up in a Cage secur'd with Iron Bars and at the appointed time flay'd them alive Towns and Villages The chief Towns now remaining and inhabited by the Spaniards are 1. St. Lewis de Tampice a Colony of Spaniards situate on the Northern Bank of the River Panuco at the very Mouth of it where it hath a very large Haven but so barr'd with Sands that no Ship of any great Burden can enter or abide in it with safety and yet the River otherwise so deep that Vessels of five hundred Tun might Sail up threescore Leagues at least within Land and thereby visit the rich Mynes of Zatatecas on the one side of it and of New Biscay on the other at pleasure and without fear of much opposition 2. St. Stevan del Puerto on the South side of the same River eight Leagues distant from the Sea or Gulf of Mexico at present the Metropolis or chief Town of the Province built by Cortesius in the place where stood old Panuco which was likewise the Metropolis or Head Town of the Natives before the Spaniards burnt and destroy'd it 3. St. Jago de las Valles which is a Fronteer Place and enjoyeth certain special Immunities and some fair Possessions also for defence of the Countrey against the Salvages It is twenty five Leagues distant from St. Stevan del Puerto lying in an open or Champain Countrey and is fenc'd about with a Wall of Earth Miles Philips his Voyage Miles Philips an Englishman put ashore by Captain John Hawkins in the Bay of New Spain Anno 1568. suffer'd great hardship before he came to Panuco from whence returning he made mention of a City lying along a River of the same denomination which is there not above two Bowe shoots-broad in a pleasant Countrey containing two hundred Spanish Families beside the antient Inhabitants and Negro's which all drive a great Trade in Salt which is made in Pans Westward from the River Philips travelling from Panuco to Mexico saw by the way the Villages Nohete by the Spaniards call'd Santa Maria and a Cloyster of white Monks Next he view'd Mestitlan where some grey Monks had a House and the Town Puchuen Chilton's Journal Another account of this Province is taken from a Journal kept by John Chilton four years after Philips's Voyage he having a Spaniard for his Convoy left Mexico to find out Panuco in three days time they reach'd the City Mestitlan where he observ'd that twelve Spanish Families liv'd amongst thirty thousand Indians The City built on a high Mountain full of Woods is surrounded with Villages through which run many brave Springs and the Air about them is no less wholsom than the Ground fruitful the High-ways are shaded with all sorts of Fruit-Trees The Village Clanchinoltepec four times more Populous than Mestitlan belongs to a Spanish Nobleman who built a Cloyster there for nine Augustin Monks of which Order there also reside twelve in the City Guaxutla Moreover they travel'd over the plain Countrey Guastecan to the Village Tancuylabo inhabited by a tall People with blue Painted Bodies and Pleited Hair hanging down to their Knees going stark naked but never without a Bowe and Arrow They esteem nothing more than Salt as being the onely Cure against certain Worms that grow between their Lips From hence they travel'd to Tampice in which Journey they spent nine days and coming thither were inform'd that of forty Christians which dwelt in the same the Indians had slain twelve whilst they were gathering of Salt From hence they came to Panuco then in a manner deserted because of the Indians oppressing the Spaniards of which at that time there were but ten and one Priest Chilton falling sick here resolv'd nevertheless to change that unwholsom Air and barren place for a better to which purpose getting a Horse he took an Indian behind him for his Guide but loosing his way in a thick Wood happen'd amongst a Company of wild People which dwelt in Straw Huts twenty of them immediately surrounding him brought him some clear sweet Water to drink out of a Gilt Venice Glass which having drunk two naked Men led him into the high-way which ended at the Gate of the Wall'd City Santo Jago de las Valles inhabited by twenty five Spanish Families who inform'd Chilton of the great danger which he had been in for the People which gave him the Water were Man-eaters who not long since had burnt an Augustine Cloyster built on a Mountain had taken away and eat the People of which they had in all likelyhood gotten the Venice Glass and had they not observ'd Chilton to be sickly he had without doubt been eaten by them and his Skin with some of his Hair that being a great Ornament amongst them been hung about their middle During Chilton's stay in St. Jago Frans de Page came thither with forty Soldiers from the Vice-Roy Henry Manriques and took five hundred Indians good Bowe Men out of the Neighboring Villages Tanehipa and Tameclipa with which he design'd to go to the Silver Mines at Zacatecas Chilton joyning with this Company came to the great Rives De las Palmas which separates New Spain from Florida where they spent three days in vain seeking to find a passage over wherefore they at last took pieces of Timber which joyning together and standing upon they were Tow'd over by Swimming Indians being gotten on the other side they March'd over steep Mountains and thick Wildernesses and came at last to Zacatecas on whose Silver Mines the richest in all America work'd above three hundred Spaniards daily SECT VI. Tabasco Bounds and Description of Tabasco THe last Countrey belonging to New Spain
done as shall be declared is the Cod-fishing upon that Coast by which our Nation and many other Countreys are enrich'd Almost incredible is the benefit of the Fish which the French Biscainers and Portuguese fetch yearly from this Coast of New-found Land and the Bank which lieth within twenty five Leagues from the South Cape of that Countrey where the French use to Fish Winter and Summer usually making two Voyages every year thither To which Places and to the Coast of Canada which lieth near unto it are yearly sent from those Countreys more than four hundred Sail of Ships This Island of Terra Nova belongs properly and justly to the Crown of England having been under the sole Jurisdiction of the English from the first Discovery thereof which was by Sir Sebastian Cabot Employ'd by King Henry the Seventh to find out some other part of America than what had been discover'd by Columbus as hath been above declar'd in several places Afterwards King Henry the Eighth continu'd the English Interest there and Employ'd one Rutt into that Island in order to the Plantation thereof Queen Elizabeth no less careful to preserve that Plantation sent Sir Humphrey Gilbert a Devonshire Knight to plant a Colony there the better to secure the same and to increase Trading there and accordingly the said Sir Humphrey with two good Ships and a Pinnace in her Name took possession of that Countrey in the Harbour of St. Johns He Sail'd from thence towards Virginia and by reason of some unhappy direction in his Course the greatest Ship he had struck upon Shelves on the Coast of Canada and was there lost with most part of the Company in her and he himself being then in a small Pinnace of twenty Tun in the company of his Vice-Admiral Captain Hays returning towards England in a great Storm was overwhelm'd in the Sea and so perish'd In the Year 1608. it was undertaken anew by John Guy a Merchant of Bristol and with so good success that the Colony in a short time were well furnish'd with Wheat Rye Barley and other Grain of their own Sowing with Turnips Coleworts and abundance of other necessary things not without some probable hopes of Metals a certain and plentiful Trade of Sables Musk and other rich Commodities The Province of Avalon in New-found Lands In the Year 1620. Sir George Calvert Knight then principal Secretary of State and a Privy Councellor to King James the First of England c. purchas'd a part of New-found Land which was afterwards in the Year 1623. granted to him and his Heirs by Patent from the said King under the Great Seal of England bearing Date the seventh of April in the One and twentieth Year of his Reign by which means the said Tract of Land was erected into a Province and at the Instance of the said Sir George Calvert call'd Avalon from Avalon in Sommerset-shire where Christianity was first Planted in England This Province lies in the forty seventh Degree of Northern Latitude and is thus bounded It begins Southerly from the middle part of a certain Neck of Land or Promontory situate between the two Harbours Fermose and Aquafort and from thence following the Shore towards the North unto the middle part or half way over a little Harbour call'd in that regard Petit Port or Petit Harbour which boundeth upon the South part of the Plantation of St. Johns including the one half of a certain fresh River that falleth into the said Port of Petit Harbour and so tending along the South Border of the said Colony of St. Johns extendeth it self to a certain little Bay commonly call'd Salmon Cove lying on the South side of the Bay of Conception including the one half of the River that falleth into the said Cove as also one half of the Cove it self from whence passing along the Shore of the said Bay towards the South and reaching unto the bottom thereof where it meets with the Lands of the fore-mention'd John Guy nam'd Sea Forrest is bounded with a certain River or Brook which there falleth into the Sea and from the Mouth of the said Brook ascendeth unto the farthest Spring or Head thereof from thence passing towards the South for six Miles together along the Borders of the said John Guy's Plantation and there crossing over Westward in a right Line reacheth unto the Bay of Placentia and the space of one League within the said Bay from the Shore thereof whence turning again towards the South passeth along the Harbour of Placentia with the like distance from the Shore and descending unto New Falkland towards the North and West part thereof stretcheth it self in a right Line Eastward continuing the whole Southerly length upon the Bounds of the said New Falkland unto the middle part or Point of the Promontory or Neck of Land before mention'd between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort at which place is describ'd and finish'd the Perambulation of the whole Precinct whose Extent may be thus computed commencing from the Promontory between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort which is fifty or sixty Miles from South to North distant from Petit Harbour from whence crossing Westward to the Bay of Placentia is judg'd to be sixty Miles more or upwards from East to West And thereby was also granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs all Islands and Islets within ten Leagues of the Eastern Shore of the said Region towards the East together with the Fishing of all sorts of Fish saving unto the English free liberty of Fishing as well in the Seas as in the Ports and Creeks of the Province aforesaid and the Priviledges of salting and drying their Fish upon the Shores of the said Province as heretofore they reasonably us'd and enjoy'd the same so as they do no injury or notable loss or detriment unto the Lord Proprietary his Heirs and Assigns or to the Inhabitants of the said Province in the Ports Creeks and Shores aforesaid and especially in the Woods growing within the said Province And by the said Patent all Royal Jurisdictions and Prerogatives both Military and Civil within the said Province and Islands thereunto belonging were farther granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs and he and they thereby created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province saving the Allegiance due to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors to be held of them in Capite yielding and paying unto them therefore a white Horse when and as often as any of them shall come into the said Province and the fifth part of all Gold and Silver Oar which should be found there Sir George Calvert before the obtaining of this Patent had caus'd a fair House and Fort to be built in the said Province at a place call'd Ferryland and in the Year 1624. having obtain'd a Dismission from his Employment of Secretary of State and being then created Lord Baltemore of Baltemore in Ireland he did in the Year 1627. Transport
who was taken there in the Year 1665. which will give light to the knowledge of the present State not onely of Cuba but of some other parts of America belonging to the Spaniards which is as followeth Maj. Smith's Letter concerning Cuba and other Parts CUba is a very good Island and in it is generally the best Land for so large a Countrey as I have seen in America although I have travell'd the main Continent in several places and have cross'd from the North Sea to the South Sea as also the North side of Hispaniola and most parts of Jamaica Novissima et Accuratissima JAMAICAE DESCRIPTIO per JOHANNEM OGIâ—UIUM Cosmographum Regum I have seen other parts of the West-Indies where the Spaniards might be fleec'd of considerable quantities of Riches as at Panama where their Silver Bars lie pyl'd up in Heaps in the open Streets Day and Night without Guard for five or six Moneths together waiting the arrival of the Armado which when arriv'd in Puerto Bello they Transport it thither with so slender a Guard for so great a Treasure as would be an easie Prey to a thousand resolv'd Men although of extraordinary value for so small a Charge but here is no resting nor long remaining they being so numerous as in all other places of the main Land though of great Wealth and easily gotten with a Catch and away But to my purpose This Island of Cuba hath adjacent to it great Conveniences of Salt and Fishing and in it are very great plenty of Horses Neat Sheep and Hogs both wild and tame of a far larger and better breed than any other parts of America It hath also many very rich Mines of Copper already open and is the onely Place that supplies all the West-Indies with Metal for the infinite number of Ordnance they have in all their Ports and Castles both in the North and South Seas but whether it hath any Mines of Silver or Gold I know not but if there were any such they would not adventure their opening and discovery fearing the Invasion of that Island whereunto is so easie access by Sea and of so great import to their whole Interest in America for which reason also they refuse to work any Mines in Florida that are nigh the North Sea although they have there very many but do rather employ themselves about others farther up in the Countrey although with greater Labor and Cost for conveyance of the Product by Land to Mexico And lastly for its full praise this Island hath many very good Ports and Harbors of great advantage to Ships for safe passing the Gulf and should the Spaniards keep three or four Frigats always plying between the Western end of Cuba and that of Havana off and on it were impossible for any Ships of ours that came from Jamaica to escape them the Scales turn'd would be their Case to all America Neither wants it great Sugar-works which have Water-mills and Horse-mills and very many large Cocoa Walks the most and best Tobacco and in short it produceth all other Commodities that any of our American Islands have knowledge of CHAP. XVI Jamaica Situation and Extent of Jamaica THe Island of Jamaica lieth North from the Southern Continent of America in the Sea call'd Mare del Nort and South from the Isle of Cuba about twelve Leagues and West from Hispaniola twenty in eighteen Degrees of Northern Latitude and beareth from Rio de Hacha North-West a hundred and fifty Leagues from Santa Martha North North-West a hundred and thirty five from Rio Grande North-West a hundred and thirty from Carthagena North fourteen from Porto Bello North-East and by North a hundred and ninety from the Bay of Darien North and by East a hundred and seventy from the Bay of Mexico a hundred and fifty It is of Form something nearly resembling oval being in length from East to West about fifty four Leagues or a hundred and seventy Miles from North to South in the broadest and middlemost part about three and twenty Leagues or seventy Miles over and so groweth narrower and narrower towards each Extream in circumference about one hundred and fifty Leagues or four hundred and fifty English Miles Nature of the Countrey This Island is well water'd with Springs and Rivers and is all over especially in the Western parts full of high Hills and Mountains It is also well Wooded for the North and South parts chiefly abound with tall and large Woods Nor are there wanting every where Savanas or Pastures which are thought to have been Fields of Indian Maiz till the Spaniards arriving here brought in Horses Cows Hogs and Asinego 's to feed Temperature of the Air. The Air in this Place is more temperate and the Heat more tolerable than in any of the rest of the Barloventi by reason of the cool Breezes which constantly blow from the East and the frequency of Showers of Rain and refreshing Dews which fall in the Night This is also the onely Island of the Barloventi which is not subject to violent Storms and Hurricanes and the Diseases which are predominant here are onely bred by Intemperance as Surfets Feavers and Agues or occasion'd by ill Diet or Slothfulness Commodities of the Island The Commodities of this Island are very many and first for Vegetables the Sugars are so good that they now out-sell those of Barbado's 5 s. per Cent. Cocoa of which there are many large Walks and greater plenty by improvement may easily be produc'd Tobacco so good that the Merchants give Six pence a Pound for it and buy it faster than the Planters can make it Indigo is producible in great abundance if there were Hands sufficient employ'd about it The Cotton of this Place is accounted very firm and substantial and preferr'd before any that grows in the neighboring Islands Of Tortoise-shell there is also good store by reason that much of that sort of Tortoise is taken on this Coast Here are also great variety of Dye-woods as Brasiletto Fustwick Red-wood a kind of Log-wood and several others besides divers of those that are accounted the most curious and rich sorts of Woods as Cedar Mohogeney Lignum-vitae Ebony Granadilla and others which are frequently Exported Moreover there are very probable testimonies that there are Mines of Copper here since both there have been those who affirm to have seen the Oar wrought out of one of them and the Spaniards report the Bells that hang in the great Church to have been Cast out of this Island Copper As for Silver the English are said to have been shew'd a Silver-Mine behind the Mountains West of Cagway Ambergreece the Spaniards report to have been often found on this Coast Salt might be made here in great abundance there being three good Salt-pans and Salt-petre hath been found in many Parts Ginger is reported to grow better here than in most of the Caribbee Islands and Cod-pepper very plentifully and also a certain kind of
in Handicrafts and expert in warlike Affairs above all the Americans besides First Discovery of the Island The Island was discover'd by the Spaniards under the Conduct of Columbus who first built there the Town of Mellilla which disliking he remov'd again to Oristana and finding that an incommodious and unhealthy Situation he remov'd again to another Plantation where he built a very fair Town first call'd Sevilla afterwards St. Jago de la Vega consisting of about seventeen hundred Houses two Churches two Chappels and an Abbey being the chief if not the onely Seat of the Spaniards before the arrival of the English for their Estanchas or small Plantations were committed wholly to the custody of their Slaves Attempts of the English upon this Island The first and onely Attempters upon this Island since the Spaniards made themselves Masters thereof have been the English who in the Year 1592. under the Conduct of Sir Anthony Shirley Landed upon it got clear possession thereof none of the Spaniards that were then upon the Place daring to make the least resistance but not thinking it worth the keeping they soon deserted it and made Sail back again for England after which they remain'd unmolested for a long time till in the Year 1654. a Fleet of English was set out for Hispaniola by Cromwell under the Command of Colonel Venables with a Design for the taking of St. Domingo but meeting with ill success in the Enterprize and being forc'd to quit that Island with loss of Men and frustration of their hopes they steer'd their Course for Jamaica and on the tenth of May in the Year abovesaid with little opposition possess'd themselves of it Upon their approach to St. Jago the Inhabitants thereof deserted it and betook them to the Mountains gaining time by a pretence of Treaty to secure their Women and Goods and oftentimes making Incursions upon the stragling Parties of the English slew and took many Prisoners by surprize but being weary of this wild and irregular kind of living they betake themselves at last to the Isle of Cuba where many of them the Grandees especially were permitted by favour to continue the rest being by the Vice-Roy commanded back with promise of speedy and considerable Supplies by that time this remnant of the Spaniards was near tir'd out with hardship and necessity some being very much discourag'd and driven to utter despondence of Mind others destroy'd out-right part of the long promis'd and expected Supply arrives the greatest part being to follow soon after but finding the Islanders so few in number and in so sickly and necessitous an Estate they would not joyn with them but maugre all the Governor's Perswasions or Commands retreat to the North part of the Island and there fortifie at a place call'd Chireras expecting every day fresh Recruits which not coming time enough and their Quarters being discover'd they were set upon by the English and most of them either slain or taken Prisoners not many Moneths after the rest of the Spanish Forces Land being in all about thirty Companies with Ordnance and good store of Ammunition who falling presently to make strong Fortifications at Rio Novo are nevertheless in a short time utterly defeated by the English Upon which and several other ill Successes despairing to re-gain the Island they Ship off their Women and the richest of their Goods and the Negro Slaves grown Masterless by the general either slaughter or departure of their Patrons shake off their Obedience to the Spaniards and constitute a Governor of their own a Black yet submit themselves and own Subjection to the English Government the Spaniards from Cuba both by their Perswasions and monethly Contributions in vain endeavoring to reduce them onely some few there were that stood out whom the rest not onely made it their business to discover but help'd the English to take them insomuch that at last the Spanish General not having above fifty Men left him was forc'd to seek for Peace and offer'd Terms of Accommodation which the English General would not be drawn to accept of unless upon Condition that he should deliver up to Justice as many as were left of those that had barbarously murder'd any of our Men either in time of Treaty or after Quarter given The English in this Island are setled for above a hundred Miles along the Countrey from the Eastward Chief Towns Their chief Towns are 1. St. Jago built by the Spaniards as afore mention'd which lieth six Miles within the Land North-West from the Harbor of Cagway Here the English have built a small Fort. 2. Passage a small Town built also by the English six Miles from St. Jago for the convenience of going to Cagway consisting of about fifty Houses and a Fort whence cross this Harbor about three Leagues distant is the Town of 3. Cagway seated on the Extream end of the Point containing in it above six hundred Houses all built by the English besides the Governor's Palace and the Houses where the Stores for the Army are kept This is counted the most healthful Place in all the Island and the very Scale of Trade where all Merchants Strangers and Sailors reside Here upon the utmost Angle of the Point towards the Sea is a round Tower built of Lime and Stone about which is rais'd a strong and regular Fort containing sixty pieces of Ordnance Port Royal. This Town is now call'd Port Royal and is thought to contain about sixteen thousand Inhabitants A Mile from hence is another Fort Landward call'd Landward which runs from the Harbor to the Sea to defend the Town from any Attempt by Land Off the Mouth of the Harbor towards the Sea lie divers small Islands the most Western of which being within half a League of the Fort and between which and the Fort every Ship that comes into the Harbor is necessitated to pass It is call'd Little Island Little Island where a Fort is likewise rais'd to defend the Mouth of the Harbor containing eight pieces of Ordnance Another Fortification is at Portmorant which we shall make mention of amongst the Harbors Chief Ports and Harbors The chief Harbors of this Island are 1. Port Anthony on the North a very safe Land-lock'd Harbor onely the coming in is somewhat difficult the Channel being narrow'd by a little Island that lies off the Mouth of the Port. 2. On the East of the Island is Portmorant a very capacious Harbor where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water and Ride safe from all Winds 3. On the South is Port Cagway a Harbor wonderfully convenient secure and capacious being five Leagues over in some places in others four and at the narrowerst three it is Land-lock'd by a Point of Land that runs twelve Miles South-West from the Main of the Island having the great River that comes by Los Angelos and St. Jago running into it and divers Springs about it where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water Here
Division of Regions and Territories must give place to the Modern The Nature and Customs of the antient Inhabitants The antient Inhabitants of these Parts were a very warlike People the Women always accompanying their Husbands in the Wars They us'd to hang on the tops of their Standards the Bones of their greatest Heroes thereby to animate their Soldiers Their Arms consisted of poysonous Arrows Stone Swords and Pikes made of the Palm-Trees They also carried with them the Idol Chiapa to whom they Offer'd living Children at the beginning of their Wars and afterwards making Merry with the Flesh anointed the Image with the Blood Moreover if they return'd home Conquerors they spent several days in all manner of Debaucheries as Drinking Singing Dancing Cutting their Prisoners Throats with their Blood also anointing their Image But if they were conquer'd then they invented new Offerings to reconcile themselves with their Idol Towns and Places of chief note The chief Towns and Places which the Spaniards inhabit here are 1. Panama the chief City of the Province being also a Bishop's See which is Suffragan to the Arch-bishop of Lima and the ordinary Residence of the Governor and Courts of Justice for these Parts It is seated likewise upon the South Sea and so near that at High-water the Ships are said to Ride even under the Walls Through this Town the Wealth both of Peru and Spain passeth once every Year from Spain by Nombre de Dios and Porto Bello from whence whatsoever Merchandise or other Commodities come from Spain are Transported to Panama by Land and from thence by Sea to all the Parts of Peru and by Panama whatsoever comes from Peru is sent into Spain It hath commonly a strong Garrison of Soldiers in it and is doubtless a Place otherwise well fortifi'd being of so great importance From the Haven Pericos three Ways lead to Panama the first along a Bridge over a River whose Banks are great Fortifications to the City the rather because the River is deep and next it a Pool over-grown with Weeds The Way from Nombre de Dios plain and without Woods is wash'd by the Brook Levendero The third runs along over a Stone Bridge and Champain Grounds that extend from the Haven Pericos to the City Eastward from Panama appear seven Royal Houses on a Rock wherein the Courts of Judicature are kept Five hundred Rods into the Sea lies an Island resembling a Half-Moon and the Haven wherein the Ships when they unlade cast Anchor there being else not Water enough for laden Barques and all lie dry the Tide being out At the Mouth thereof stands a woodden Sconce The Places Venta de Cruze Chagre Quebrada and Ballano are also fortifi'd against any Invasion where else an Enemy might easily Land But the strictest Watch is kept at the River Chagre which Westward below Nombre de Dios falling into the Northern Ocean brings the Ships up to Venta de Cruze from whence a Way scarce five Leagues long leads to Panama The Spanish Commodities consisting most in Meal Oyl Biskets Cloth and Silk are all brought from Nombre de Dios along the same Way or else in Winter when they cannot stem the Current of the River Chagre then they bring their Goods by Land not without great danger of being taken by the run-away Negro's who set upon them out of the Woods with poyson'd Darts and Arrows and as many Spaniards as they take so many several ways they put them to death because they formerly in the time of their Servitude were us'd with all imaginable Cruelties The Provisions sold here at a reasonable Rate are Maiz Peruan-Meal Poultrey Honey Cattel Swine Oranges Lemmons Cabbage and all manner of Garden Herbs or Plants Round about the fore-mention'd Royal Houses lie Bulwarks with a strong Castle on one side A fair Cathedral denotes the Place to be a Bishop's See And the Franciscans Dominicans and Monks of the Order De la Merced inhabit several fair Cloysters here Two Leagues Westward is the Haven Pericos which being secur'd from all Winds by three high Isles that lie before it is the chief Harbor in which the Peruan Plate-Fleet consisting most in small Barques comes to an Anchor before they touch at Panama The Countrey is for the most part Mountainous and in many places sends forth stinking Damps out of muddy Pools yet in some places are Savanna Grounds for Cattel to Graze in The Air would also be more unhealthful if it were not clear'd by the Winds which blow from the Sea From July to October there fall continual Rains mix'd with terrible claps of Thunder The Inhabitants often recreate themselves in Hunting wild Hogs with Nets made of the Brambles call'd Nequen or Henachen and that after a strange manner for they set on fire the Bushes all about the place where they suppose the Game to lie which to shun the Fire runs into their Nets so that the same Bushes are both their shelter and destruction as affording Material to make the Nets wherein they are taken Besides other Birds the Woods also abound with Pheasants and Turtle-Doves and amongst Beasts those that carry their Young about them in a Bag as also wild Cats The Sea abounds with Fish and produces Crocodiles of a large size by the Spaniards call'd Lagartos The Trees are seldom without Leaves but bear little or no Fruit. 2. Nombre de Dios which hath broad Streets high woodden Houses and a fair Church It extends from East to West along the Northern Ocean in the middle of a great Wood on Moorish Ground having a great Fen on the West being situate under an unwholsom Climate it hath occasion'd the death of many People The Merchants which dwelt here had also Habitations in Panama the rest of the Houses being most of them Inns for Strangers from whence as soon as they had gotten an Estate they went to Spain The Countrey round about lies under Water in many places The Oranges Cassada-Roots and the like which grow here occasion many Distempers to those that eat of them In the Harbor which hath on each side a Ridge of Rocks on which lies decay'd Forts the Sea is often-times so turbulent that the Ships are forc'd to Ride at six Anchors apiece Eastward from the City a fresh-Water River falls into the Haven on whose Banks stand several Garden-Houses and Orchards Anno 1595. Sir Francis Drake arriving here found a Mill beyond the City not far from which on a Hill stood a Watch-house of which having made himself Master he set fire on the Town Nombre de Dios as also on all the Vessels that were in the Harbor The original of the Name Nombre de Dios was on this occasion viz. Diego Niquesa setting Sail with three Ships out of the Haven Carthagena to the Golden Countrey Veragua was surpris'd by a violent Storm in which two Ketches Commanded by Lupus de Olano and Peter Umbria were driven out of sight whilest he suffer'd shipwrack and getting
the Labors of his Subjects for nothing Their several sorts of Tribute from conquer'd Countreys When at any time he conquer'd a Countrey by force of Arms he made them pay three several sorts of Tribute the first was bestow'd in religious Offices Each Guaca or Chappel receiv'd also a Revenue from the late conquer'd Countreys the Fruit of which serv'd for Offerings to their chief God Pachayachachu the Sun their Thunderer Chuquilla and to the Souls of the Deceased and for Food for the Priests The Religion through the whole Realm agreed with that which was observ'd in Cusco But the second Tribute fell to the Inga's Family or Relation and Soldiers Those who Till'd the Inga's Ground Sung before him in Festival Clothes That which could not be spent in the Court was laid up in Store-houses for ten years together against a scarcity should happen Aged People Widows and such as were decrepid paid no Tribute The third part was for the Poor which had every Year a piece of Ground allow'd them to make use of as they pleas'd In unfruitful Years they receiv'd an Allowance out of the Store-houses before mention'd Their Provision for the Poor So likewise the Pasture Meadows and Arable Land was order'd for three several Uses one third for religious Uses a second for the Inga's and the last for the Poor The Sheep being shorn on a certain Day yielded the Poor a certain quantity of Wooll to make them Clothes As soon as any Beast grew Mangy which the Peruvians call'd Carache they burnt them alive so to prevent the spreading of it farther Those that belong'd to the Inga's Family wore all Clothes made of the finest Wooll and the coursest call'd Tabasca was distributed among the Vulgar Their Industry Besides this good Order of Government it is wonderful to observe the Peruvians manner of Living each learning from their Infancy not onely a Trade but all things which they accounted necessary in House-keeping as Weaving Tilling of Land building of Houses and making of Tools requisite for both so that they never made use of one another on any Account Moreover Master Artists who work'd more for Pleasure than Gain dwelt apart being Silver-smiths Painters Musicians and Dancers Their Habits Their Habits were heretofore of one fashion through the whole Realm onely the Covering of their Head were several by which the People of one Countrey were distinguish'd from the other according to an inviolable Law made many Ages since some therefore wore thin Caps others broad Pleits others little Hats others round Bonnets others woven Caps and the like Their Post-Stages Their Post-Stages call'd Chasquis were little Houses each standing a League and a half from one another wherein dwelt certain Officers who with extraordinary speed convey'd the Inga's Letters from one Chasquis to the other after which manner in two days time they convey'd a Letter a hundred Leagues But since the Spaniards conquer'd this Countrey that Convenience was lost till the tenth Peruvian Vice-Roy Martin Enriques re-establish'd the same for he allow'd a Sallary to those Posts that they might with speed convey all Letters and Packets from one to the other being distant according to his Establishment four Leagues Their severe Laws against Malefactors Lastly the Ingas maintain'd strict Laws in criminal Affairs for as they did not neglect to encourage noble Atchievements for whoe're had done a valiant Act in the Wars was made Governor of a Countrey or had a certain quantity of Land given him or Married one of the Inga's Family so likewise they severely punish'd all Malefactors for Murderers Thieves and Adulterers suffer'd Death without Mercy yet they allow'd store of Concubines and it was free for any one to Lie with his Neighbor's Concubine but Death to have to do with any Man 's lawful Wife who were serv'd by the Concubines Their Marriages When a Bridegroom Betrothed himself to his Bride he gave her and put them on himself a pair of Shoes call'd Ajota not unlike those of a grey Fryer which were lin'd with Cotton if she were a Maid but with Leaves if a Widow who nevertheless being generally younger than the Man was to Mourn a whole year in Black for her deceased Husband till the expiration of which time she was not to Marry another Governors of Provinces and other Officers of State receiv'd their Wives from the Ingas who enquiring out the beautifullest and most accomplish'd Virgins they could hear of put the Ajota on their Feet and gave them to such Persons as they most fancied after which if they committed Adultery they were certainly put to death The Marrying of Brothers and Sisters was also forbid till the Inga Topa Yupangui Father to Guaynacava broke that Law by Marrying his own Sister Mamoello and made ah Order that the Ingas onely should have that liberty nay when he lay on his Death-bed he strictly charg'd his Son Guaynacava to take his own Sister Goya Cuissilmay to Wife and this incestuous Marriage produc'd Huascar and Attabaliba though some say Attabaliba was begotten on a Concubine in whose time the Peruvian Kingdom went to ruine Guaynacava also permitted the common People to Marry their Sisters of the Fathers side but not of the Mothers Their manner of living The Peruvian Houses were antiently for the most part light and small and for their Table they made but little preparation satisfying themselves with a little Beer made of Rice Bread bak'd of Maiz dry'd Flesh Fish and Roots In their Wars they us'd Slings Darts Arrows Lances Pikes Halberds Pole-Axes and Shields Their Funerals Their Funerals were also solemnly kept especially those of Persons of Quality the Corps was carried out on a brave Chair from which he was put into the Ground with two of his Concubines whom he best affected and also three Servants Gold and Silver Vessels Maiz and the Liquor Chica which the nearest Relation spurted into his Mouth through a Cane all which they did that the Deceased might make use thereof in the other World But before the Funeral the Relations Mourn'd over the Corps several days and after the Body was Interr'd they plac'd the Picture of the Deceased upon the Grave but the meaner sort of People had the Tools belonging to their Trade and Soldiers their Arms plac'd on the same The various Idolatry of the Peruvians This kind of Idolatry was common to the Peruvians with several other Nations of the antient Heathens as hath been before observ'd which made them mock at the Spaniards when they told them of a Crucifi'd Saviour saying they had a splendid God who appear'd to them in glory every Morning In the third Temple near the River Taciquaque in Peru which exceeded the other two they worshipp'd Thunder by the Name of Chuquilla Catuilla and Intillapa which the Peruvians believ'd to be a Man that Commanded the Air and who being Arm'd with a Club and Sling throws down Rain Hail and Snow from the Clouds
its Head Not long after Donna Paula being Governess of Payta a Lady famous in Peru for her Beauty and obliging Nature sent Cabbages Oranges Cittrons and other Provisions to the Hollanders and requested the Releasement of some of the Spaniards taken in the Engagement against Mendoza but could not obtain her Request from the uncourtly Dutchmen SECT III. Los Quixos Description of Los Quixos THe Province of Los Quixos lieth South and to the South-East of Quito being border'd more directly Eastward with a part of the Province of Guiana call'd by some El Dorada or The Golden Countrey on the South it hath Lima and Cusco The Canela-â—ruit This Province is subdivided into several lesser Territories viz. Canela Pacomores and St. Juan de Salinas Canela is so call'd because it hath many great Woods which produce the Fruit Canela in great abundance the Owners whereof were most inhumanely dealt with by the Spaniards for Gonsalvo Pizarro supposing to get store of Gold there found nothing but Trees bearing a Fruit like Olives by the Natives call'd Canela with which they us'd to drive a great Trade being otherwise poor and simple People living in Huts which Pizarro pulling down caus'd the Inhabitants to be torn in pieces by his Dogs because they could not furnish him with Gold nor direct him where it was to be had The Granadilla-Apple Besides the Canela-Tree this Countrey also produceth in great plenty the Tree which beareth the Apples Granadilla exceeding good against burning Feavers the Leaves are like Ivy the Blossom resembling the Sun and the long Leaves speckled with Red and White open three hours after Sun-rising and close again before the Evening just as if Nature took care to preserve the beauty of the Flower Towns and Places of chief note In this part of the Province the chief are 1. Baeza otherwise call'd Quixos built in the Year 1559. by Ramires de Avila eighteen Leagues from Cusco 2. Archidona twenty Leagues to the South-East of Baeza 3. Avila 4. Sevilla del Oro all of them Spanish Colonies The Territories Pacomores and Yguansongo otherwise call'd The Countrey of Juan de Salinas are said both to extend above a hundred Leagues in length and little less in breadth The Fields afford store of Pasture for Cattel the Plough'd Lands produce Wheat and all sorts of wholsom Herbs and in some places are also rich Gold-Mines The Governor Layola built four Towns here viz. 1. Valladolid 2. Loyola 3. San Jago de los Montanas and 4. Caruma The Jesuit Acosta relates That not far from Caruma he found great Stones some of which were full of Golden Veins but were hard to be cut from the Rock Most of the Gold is found in the Sand of several Rivers the chiefest whereof flow through Quito New Granada Valdivita in Chili and Caravaya in Peru. On the Point of Quito the River San Jago falls into the Southern Ocean the Ground in the Mouth of the River being very uneven for oftentimes the Ships are fast aground at the Stern and on Head they have above eighty Fathom Water yet nevertheless the Shoals are no ways dangerous South-West from St. Jago lies the spacious Inlet Mattheo and the Promontory Francisco known by its Banks and high Grounds which shew red and white at a great distance Not far from hence exactly under the Equinox appears Cape Passao flat and low between which and Mattheo the great Rivers Los Quiximes fall into the Sea Behind Passao rises the high Mountain Quaque and more Westerly the Bay Caraques affords a secure Harbor for all manner of Vessels Next you come to the Town Puerto Viejo before mention'd lying behind the Island Laurenso Five Leagues off at Sea before Laurenoz lies the Island Plata formerly famous for a Peruvian Temple in which the Natives Sacrifis'd Sheep and sometimes Children and painted the Figures of divers Persons with the Blood to which they also Offer'd Jewels Gold Silver Wooll Cotton Shirts and Cloaks Francisco Pizarro arriving here got an invaluable Mass of Treasure but at present it lying desolate affords nothing but Brambles and wild Trees The next which come in view are the Havens Callo and Zalango where there are safe Harbors good Wood and Water The Cape of St. Helena makes also a secure Road on the North and on its Shore hath a Spring on the top of whose Waters swims a certain Gum by the Natives call'd Copey exceeding good to make Ships tight The River Tumbez falls into a large Bay which on its North-East Point near the Main Land hath the Island Puna ten Leagues in circumference The Soyl whereof produces abundance of Maiz Juca and other good Roots besides great Woods full of fruitful Trees and Sarsaparilla The Inhabitants of a brown Complexion and middle Stature wear Cotton Cloaks and Chains of Chaquira and Precious Stones They drive a great Trade and formerly maintain'd Wars with the People inhabiting upon the River Tumbez their great want is fresh Water in the Summer Thomas Candish Landing here Anno 1587. found a Ship hal'd ashore and three Villages in one of which stood a Palace belonging to a Casique surrounded with Stone Galleries and near it a large Store-house full of Tar-pots and Hemp to make Cables of The Village consisted of two hundred Houses and a fair Church with a Steeple in which hung several Bells The Casique Married to a Spanish Woman being fled with the Villagers Candish took many Oxen fat Sheep Pigeons and Ducks the Bells and what else was not convey'd aboard with him and afterwards burnt the whole Town but whilest he was busie in making havock a thousand Spaniards and a considerable number of Peruvians fell upon the English on such a sudden that they kill'd some and took others Prisoners Somewhat farther off at Sea appears the Isle Clara where those of Puna formerly buried their Dead The Inlet into which falls the River Tumbez whose Shores are well inhabited ends Westward at the Promontory Blanco Southward from which lies the Isle Lobos where there are several Springs full of the same Gum or Bitumen a little above mention'd Beyond the Point Agua lie the two Isles Lobos Marinos opposite to a low Coast they are desolate and barren of Grass Trees and all kind of Herbs and destitute of fresh Water but many Pelicans Penguins and other strange Birds The discovering of these Coasts belonging to the Jurisdiction of Quito deserves a short Relation Bevalcazar overcoming Ruminagua takes Quito Whilest Pizarro kept the Inga Attabaliba Prisoner he sent Captain Bevalcazar to the new Fort St. Miguel where eighty Horse and a hundred Foot being arriv'd from Panama and Nicaragua and he being inform'd that there lay a great Treasure in Quito and that the Canares the Spaniards Friends were exceedingly oppress'd by Ruminagua Attabaliba's General immediately march'd thither with the new arriv'd Forces before mention'd to fetch the Booty and to assist the Canares but several things oppos'd him in his Design
from the fine Gold which is found there in great abundance Havens Isles and Points in Peru. Along the Sea-Coast of Peru belonging to the Jurisdiction of Los Reyos lie the following Havens Isles and Points South-East from the Promontory Aguya rises the Isle St. Roque out of the South-Sea Sea surrounded with Rocks and abounds with Birds of prey through the midst of it runs a River which divides the Island The Haven Malabrigo ill defended against the Winds cannot be entred by great Vessels unless in calm Weather Next follow the Harbors Guanape and Santa where the Ships us'd to furnish themselves with Water out of a fresh River Casuya and Guarmay both inhabited by Peruvians Near the Mouth of the Road Guara stands a large Salt-pan the Salt about which is found in great hard Pieces The Island Collao secures the Haven before Lima. Behind Cape Guarco lies the Lobos and not far from hence the Harbor Sangallan being so commodious that the Spaniards consider'd a long time whether they should build the City Los Reyos here The Promontory Nasca affords also good shelter for Ships and the Haven Hacari yields store of Refreshments Moreover the Streams Oconna Camana and Quilca discharge their Waters into the Sea The Haven Arequipa appears at its Mouth like a little Pool surrounded with Mountains Between Quilca and the River Tamboyalla lies the Isle Nuli and a little more Southward the Haven Paracca and Pisca and up in the Countrey the Village Yca where the most and best Peruvian Wine is to be had SECT VI. Los Charcas Situation and Description of Los Charcas LOs Charcas is the farthest Countrey Southward of the Kingdom of Peru reaching up as far as Chile with which on the South it is border'd having on the North Lima and Collao on the West Mare del Zur and on the East some Countreys not yet well discover'd which lie betwixt it and the Province of Paraguay or De la Plata The Countrey is said to be in length about a hundred and fifty Leagues measuring it directly or in a right Line from North to South but measuring it about along the Sea-Coast much about two hundred It is not very rich either in Corn or Cattel although in some parts it wanteth not good Pasturage but of unparalell'd Wealth in respect of the Mines of Gold and Silver which are here digg'd the principal whereof are those of Potosi and Parco The Mountains hereabouts are inhabited by the Cavinas who dwell in Stone Houses Their Neighbors the Canches are a subtile good natur'd and painful People breed many Sheep sowe Corn and catch plenty of Fish out of the Rivers Next comes in view the cold Countrey Conas On the right side towards the Southern Ocean the great Wilderness Parinacocha extends it self a vast way the Mountains round about are continually cover'd with Snow and the Dales have many deep Moors POTOSI 2. Oropesa a place of good Metal as a man may perceive by the Name It lieth in the rich and pleasant Valley Cochobamba twenty Leagues distant from La Plata 3. Potosi eighteen Leagues Westward from La Plata by the Spaniards call'd The Imperial City built at the Foot of a Mountain bearing the same Denomination on a barren Soil under a cold Climate though but twenty one Degrees to the South-ward of the Equinoctial Line the Cold proceeds from the high Lands which lie bare to the bleak and sharp Winds call'd Tomohavi which blow every year very fiercely from May till September But though the barren Countrey produces no Fruit yet no place in Peru hath greater plenty of all Provisions and Dainties than this the Markets being always full of Fruit Salt-Meat Maiz Papas Wheat Sugar Sweet-meats and all things that are requisite for the subsistence of Man-kind which are brought thither from all parts for the Silver which is there in such plenty As to what concerns the famous Mountain Potosi in the Countrey of Charcas it is of an Ash colour and rises above the adjacent Mountains in the form of a Sugar-Loaf on the top of it stands a Chappel to which leads a craggy Path which with a little care may be rid up with a Horse the heighth thereof is a thousand six hundred and twenty four Rods or a quarter of a League at the Foot thereof appears the Mine call'd Guaina Potosi that is The young Potosi near which the City Potosi stands being two Leagues in circumference and is adorn'd with a Church and Cloyster for the Dominicans and exceedingly resorted to by Traders In the time when the Ingas Govern'd Peru the Silver-Mines at Porco were very famous but it was not till after the arrival of the Spaniards that Silver was found in Guaina Potosi and by degrees the Silver Veins which lay hid in the great Potosi the manner of which Discovery was as followeth The occasion of the first Discovery of the Mines in Potosi A Peruvian call'd Gualpa who work'd in the Mines at Porco going a Hunting it chanc'd that the Game ran up the steep Mountain of Potosi which prevented his pursuing of it any farther but the Mountain being overgrown with Trees he got hold from one Bough to another to help himself up and at last taking hold of the Bramble call'd Quinua he pull'd the same out of the Ground and finding it heavy look'd upon it and espy'd a great lump of Silver hanging at the Root of it whereupon viewing the Hole he discover'd a rich Silver Vein of which taking some pieces home and melting them he found that it was the best Silver that ever he had known wherefore he privately got a greater quantity and by degrees grew extraordinary rich but though he carried his Design never so close yet he was at last suspected and especially by his Neighbor Guanca born in the Valley Xauxa who was the more jealous of him because he sold greater Bars of Silver than any were cast at Porco whereupon he resolv'd to speak to him and getting out the Secret it came to this Agreement between them That they should both be Partners and share the Booty Gualpa was to keep the Vein since call'd The Rich Vein and Guanca was to have another at present nam'd Diego Centeno but they agreed not long for Guanca finding much labor upon his Vein by reason of the hardness and that he could get no share in what Gualpa got acquainted his Spanish Master Vilaroel with it who rested not till he had found out the truth thereof for which Vilaroel obtain'd according to the Custom of Porco several Rods to work for himself onely paying the King one fifth part of what he got and so remain'd Owner of the Mine Centeno The Mine Potesi when discover'd This Discovery of the rich Mine Potosi is said to have hapned on the twenty fourth of April Anno 1545. Soon after which they found the Silver Vein Del Estanno which though it was very rich was difficult to be digg'd because of
its hardness The first Vein which Gualpa search'd after stood upright from the bottom of the Mine and contain'd above three hundred Foot in length and thirteen in breadth and continuing good for two hundred Foot in depth after which the Silver begins to lessen The Peruvians relate That the Ingas first began to dig in Potosi but gave it over because the Workmen heard a terrible Voice saying Leave off doing what you are about the Treasures which lie hid here are reserv'd for a People out of foreign Countreys These Mines produce yearly for the King 's fifth part forty thousand Pieces of Silver each valu'd at thirteen Ryals each Ryal being four Shillings besides what he is defrauded of which is perhaps half as much more The Mines of Potosi exceed all other because the Diggers never meet with any Water notwithstanding they work above two hundred Fathom under Ground whereas the other Silver Mines suffer great damage by the Water which was also the reason why the Spaniards left off digging of Silver in Porco because they were not onely forc'd to cut through hard Rocks but ran greater danger or at least bestow'd extraordinary labor to get out the Water which broke in upon them Four Silver Veins with their several Divisions The four Silver Veins of Potosi viz. The Rich Centeno Del Estanno and Mendieta lie on the East-side of the Mountain and extend North and South The great Veins produce lesser not unlike the Body of a Tree from which shoot forth several degrees of Boughs Each Vein is divided into several parts possess'd by several Owners the least part is open'd four Rods and the biggest eighty for none are permitted by the Law to open a bigger Hole In the time of the Jesuit Joseph de Acosta an Eye-witness who Anno 1587. went from Peru to Spain the Rich Vein was reckon'd to contain eighty seven Mines of which some were digg'd two hundred Fathom deep The Spaniards judge that at the Root of the Rich Vein is an incredible Treasure though Experience hath hitherto taught us that the Silver lessens in price and quantity the deeper they dig in the Ground The Socabonos or Trenâ—hes with the manner of Mining For the more easie working in the Mines the Spaniards have digg'd Trenches which they call Socabonos at the Foot of the Mountain towards the West cross through the Mountain to the Mine each of them being eight Foot broad and a Fathom deep and lock'd up with Gates through which the Silver is carried out whereof the Owner of the Socahon receives a fifth part The Socabon which leads to the Rich Vein was begun Anno 1556. and finish'd in twenty nine years extends it self two hundred and fifty Rods in length The Miners work by Candle-light both Day and Night by turns those that work in the Day sleep in the Night and those that work in the Night sleep in the Day The Oar which is as hard as a Stone is cut out with Pick-axes beaten in pieces with an Iron Crow and carried upon their Backs on Ladders made of Leather Each Ladder hath three Fastnings about the thickness of a Cable stretch'd out by Sticks so that one goes up on one side whilest another comes down on the other Each Ladder being ten Fathom long is pitch'd upon its several Floor on which the Laborers rest before they go up higher for they make divers Floors according to the depth of the Mine The Laborers carry the Oar in Bags fastned before oh their Breasts and falling back over their Shoulders three and three together the foremost whereof ties a lighted Candle to his Thumb and thus they help themselves with both Hands It is a wonderful thing to consider how the Peruvians are able to scramble up and down continually a hundred and fifty Fathom But besides many other Inconveniences the Mines often fall in or at least great pieces which bury all the Diggers The Mines also being excessive cold occasion to those that are not us'd to them a Vertigo in the Head and Vomiting The Silver runs for the most part between two Rocks as it were in a long Channel of which one side is as hard as Flint and the other much softer This Silver is of different value the belt call'd Cacilla or Tacana resembles Amber in colour the worser sort is blackish and sometimes of an Ash-colour The pieces of Oar are carry'd on the Backs of the Sheep Pacos to the Mill where being ground to Powder they are put into Furnaces to melt of which there were once above six thousand on the top of Potosi but since the Quicksilver was found to cleanse the same not a third part remains pure In former times the Mines at Porco two Leagues from the little Lake Aulagas produc'd those vast Treasures gather'd by the Ingas which afterwards for the most part fell into the Spaniards Hands Port-Towns Rivers and Havens of Los Charcas As concerning the Sea-Coast of Los Charcas it lies as followeth Southerly from the River Tambopalla puts forth a three-pointed Rock into the Ocean and makes the Haven De Ylo into which falls a fresh River Next follow the round Hill Morro de los Diabolos and the Inlet before the Town Arica secur'd from all except a Westerly Wind where the Silver that comes from Potosi is Shipp'd for Lima. Since the English Admiral Sir Francis Drake took three Barks out of this Inlet it is fortifi'd with a Castle which is stor'd with Brass Guns Nine Leagues Southward the Pissaqua falls into the Ocean and next you come to the little Village Hicahic situate on a high and barren Tract of Land as also the Haven Terrapaca which by an Inland is made very secure Not far from hence appears the Foot of Piqua where the Coast begins to rise very high the Head of Tacama the Stream Lottoya otherwise call'd De Loa whose Banks are inhabited by poor People the River Montelo the Promontory Morro Moreno beyond whose utmost Point opens a Bay secur'd from all Winds by an Island The Inhabitants here feed on raw Fish Next the River Claru comes in view which is taken for a Boundary between Peru and Chili Eastward up into the Countrey you come to Santa Cruiz built at the Foot of a Mountain in a Plain near a Brook which rushing forth from a Rock glides through the City to a Lake full of delicious Fish The Houses of Stone are covered with Palm-Tree Leaves and besides the Church there is also a Cloyster inhabited by the Monks De la Merced In former times the Peruvian Houses were built of Clay and were often destroy'd by their Neighbors the Cheriguanacs and Titanes who made Feasts with as many as they took of them The People about this Place are meek and poor spirited and speak besides four Languages the Diagnitan Tongue common amongst all of them Before the Arrival of the Spaniards they went Cloth'd in Ostritch'es Feathers but since taught to weave Cotton they
to the taste The Toucan another Bird resembles a Turtle-Dove in all parts except the Bill and Breast for the Belly is ten Inches long and three broad the Breast of an Orange colour mix'd with Crimson Spots the remaining part is white the Back red and the Tail and Wings Coal-black The Plant Yarammacarou The Plant call'd Yarammacarou deserves also a peculiar observation viz. It is thicker than a Man's Thigh grows twelve Foot high with three Branches of equal length and thickness which you may easily break it is green without white within and without Leaves leaving red Blossoms streak'd with blue from whence grows a Fruit about the bigness of an Apple crimson without and white within and tasting like a Mulberry The Guara-tereba with other strange Fish The River Parayba produces amongst many other Fishes the Guara-tereba which hath a thick Body flat Head crooked Back split Tail and triangular Scales which laid in the Sun shine like polish'd Gold The Sea also hereabouts affords a strange Fish with a very long and thin Tail the Females whereof Lay every day Eggs like Hens they are full of poysonous Prickles and divided into several sorts amongst which the chiefest are accounted the Naainari and Jabebara Description of the Sea Coast of Brasile THe Sea-Coast of Brasile from St. Vincent to Spirito Santo appears as followeth Before the Coast of St. Vincent lie the four little Isles Queimadas and on one side the Alcatraces and Busios East North-East from which bears the Island Sebastian Before the Inlet Ubatuba lies the Isle Dos Porcos close under a high Shore where the Haven runs far up in the Countrey Fourteen Leagues farther the Island Grande stor'd with fresh Water with Fish-ponds Woods and two good Havens Before the Road of Garatuba appear several broken Isles the chiefest whereof is Morambaya The Ships Sailing along the Brasilian Coast view next the Mouth of the wide River Jenero without fear of Rocks or Shoals Moreover a sandy Ground exâ—ends from the Western Point to Cape Frio which rises out of the Sea like a Rock with white Streaks and crack'd on the top between both which the high Island before Frio makes a safe Harbor Nine Leagues beyond Frio to the Northward St. Salvador opens a large Bay hemm'd in on the South by divers nameless Isles Lastly the several Salt-pans along this Coast are very remarkable as also the Promontory St. Thoma and Parayva the Inlets Manangea and Itapemeri and the River Guarapari famous for the Mountain Pero Cam towards the North and Guapel to the South The Island Salvago round and mountainous lies before the Mouth of the River Guarapari where the Main Coast grows uneven and Hilly On the North-East Point of Spirito Santo a long ridge of Rocks appears above the Sea and near the Inlet rises three black Hills on the South and two Leagues up in the Countrey the broken Mountain Mestre Alvaro which extends along the Sea-Coast The River Des Reyos Magos encompasses three Mountains severally and makes three Isles The Coast on each side of the River Dolce is very plain and even but Cricare hath a mixture of high and low Lands In the Mouth of the River Maranipe lies a great company of white Shelves near together appearing afar off as if all one Parairepe is remarkable by the high Trees growing on it The Mouth of the River Caruvelas lies full of Sand-plats Near the Beacon Tauhaen rises a red Cliff from which a sandy Point reaches to the River Curubabo Before Porto Seguro lie several dangerous Rocks in the Sea to the Southward of which rises the high-High-land Cape Pasqual Not far from hence Santa Cruiz a good Haven for small Vessels from whence the Coast extends North North-East and South South-West to Rio Grande where the Shoals call'd Baxos de St. Antonio making a dangerous Entry force the Ships for the most part to keep three Leagues from the Shore Beyond the Arm of Rio Grande appear three high Mountains cover'd with Trees from whence to Ilheos is a safe Passage free from Shelves Eight Leagues farther the River Dos Contas runs between two broken Cliffs into the Sea in the Mouth of it rises a Rock resembling a high Island Between Ilheos and Contas the Coast rises also but falls low again in a Bay where white Sugar-Mills formerly belonging to Lucas Giraldes are seen at a great distance The Countrey on each side of the River Camanu is plain the Stream it self hath a wide Mouth and respects with its Northern Shore the Isle Cayepa dangerous for the many Shelves which are about the same The River Tinhare is known by the Mountain Morro de Santo Paulo which rises like a Galley on the Southern Shore Twelve Leagues farther opens the Bay of Todos los Sanctos on whose Eaststern Point stands the Castle Antonio and before the Northern Shore the Island Topoam to the East and South-East low and strong The River Das Pedras falls with a wide Mouth into the Ocean Next you pass by the Streams Tapicuru Real Vasabaris and Francisco known by a low Promontory The Rivers Miguel Antonio Camaragili Porto Calvo Formoso and Serinhaem disembogue also into the Sea Next the Stream Das Pedras rises the Promontory St. Augustine all overgrown with Bushes and Brambles Five Leagues Southward lies the small Isle Alexo The Coast from St. Augustine to Pernambuco extends North and by East and South and by West The Island Tamaraca lies in the Mouth of the Stream Gajana and fifteen Leagues farther appears Parayba between which two the Shelf Pedra Furada extends three Leagues along the Coast and another from the Shore of the Promontory Blanco where the Road Porto de Franeses affords Seamen secure Anchorage for Shipping Next to Parayba follow the Havens Treicaon Pipa and Busios the Stream Siara and Maragnan which washes the Western part of Brasile and is taken for the Boundary between the Spanish Indies and the Portuguese according to the Division by Pope Alexander the Sixth Anno 1502. Lastly there belongs to Brasile the Island Fernando de Noronho in three Degrees of Southern Latitude The Capuchin Claude de Abbeville going thither found the same to be six Leagues in circumference and extraordinary fruitful besides good fresh Water Pease Beans Maiz Potato's Melons Cotton Cattel wild Goats and all sorts of Poultrey which this Island affords but it chiefly abounds with great variety of a sort of Birds which suffer themselves to be caught with the Hand There grows likewise a nameless Tree Strange Tree not unlike the Laurel being of a strange Nature for who e're touches the Leaves and afterwards rubs his Eyes loses his Sight for four hours with exceeding pain which pain nevertheless another Tree growing in the same Island cures immediately The French who Landed on Noronho Anno 1613. found a Portuguese there with eighteen Brasilians Men Women and Children banish'd thither from Pernambuco whom Baptizing they carry'd to Maragnan Near Noronho lies the Isle De
reason of the Sickness amongst the Seamen Frambore King of this Place granted Lam and Veron free liberty to Hunt and to gather as many Oranges and Lemmons as they pleas'd with which the Seamen were so refresh'd that they set Sail again and amongst many other things carry'd a Baboon with them from Sierra Leona A strange kind of Baboon which so exactly resembled a Man that it was wonderful to behold having a Body Hands Eyes Ears Feet and Actions like a Man smoak'd Tobacco amongst the Seamen made a noise like a Child when beaten The Inhabitants of Sierra Leona where these Monsters run in great Companies through the Woods believe that the Souls of the Deceased reside in them John de Laet in his annual Journal of the Transactions of the West-India Company affirms That he saw a Female of these monstrous Creatures which usually had her monethly Flowers The Fleet as is before mention'd Sailing from Sierra Leona came to an Anchor at Commany and Landed twelve hundred Men at Poquena besides a hundred and fifty Negro's which Regiment Andries Veron and Arend Jacobszoon carry'd to the Castle Del Mine The Hollanders ill success before the Castle Del Mine whither they before sent a Company Commanded by Hans Gryf to prevent the Sallies of the Enemy The Hollanders tir'd and thirsty Encamp'd themselves near the Fort and whilest some of the Men were seeking for Water others smoaking Tobacco and lying without their Arms and in disorder on the Ground and the Commanders were taking a view of the Fort from a neighboring Hill two hundred Negro's fell upon the scatter'd Army with great rage and fury and so much the greater in regard the Portuguese had promis'd them great sums of Money for every Hollander they kill'd never any Army was in such a distraction they being dispers'd and kill'd like so many Sheep the Admiral Veron and all the Officers slain and in a short time four hundred and forty Men cut off and had not Captain Arend Jacobszoon been in League with the Inhabitants of Commany whither the routed Regiments fled not one Man had escap'd that bloody Slaughter Nor was it to much purpose to Besiege the Castle Del Mine because the Bullets hitting against the Walls of the Castle built all of Rock-stones did no Execution But the four Ships inform'd of this miserable destruction fell down to Commany to fetch those that were left alive and return'd home with the other eleven During the unfortunate Expedition of this Fleet the West-India Company fitted out nine great Ships and five Ketches in the beginning of the Year 1626. under the Command of Peter Peterszoon Hein to Cruise for the Spanish Ships that were expected from New Spain and Honduras The Fox Frigat being sent before to inform Henrickszoon of Heyn's coming reach'd about the latter end of May beyond the Isles Dominico Guadalupa Mevis St. Christophers and by Santa Crux there not finding a Harbor on the South-side because of the Rocks she Sail'd from Mona over to the Main Coast where seven Leagues Westward of Carakess he discover'd a high broken Land whose Mountains seem'd to reach to the Clouds from thence she steer'd to the Promontory Caldera the Isles Margareta and Coche on which last he took abundance of Goats not without the loss of forty six Men kill'd by the Spaniards and Indians Mean while the Admiral Peter Heyn in the beginning of June Sail'd to the Southward of Barbados Island pretty mountainous as hath been formerly mention'd and full of Woods and by Martinino whose Hills are very high and overgrown with Trees Here Peter Heyn could get nothing else but sweet Water and a Fruit resembling a green Grape which grew on a round Leav'd Tree whose Juice cur'd the Scurvey Sailing from hence and Landing on Guadalupa he found a Canoo seven Fathom long and one broad and cut out of one Tree The Inhabitants a well timber'd People went stark naked and desir'd to be excus'd that they could not furnish the Hollanders with more Provisions because the French and English Inhabitants of St. Christophers had pillag'd them Near Mona the Fox Frigat joyn'd with the Fleet with information that he could hear no tydings of Henrickszoon wherefore Peter Heyn judg'd it convenient to Sail along the South-Coast of Hispaniola with a separated Fleet which was to joyn again near the great Caiman Near Cape de Corientes the Dutch took a Spanish Ship laden with Sarsaparilla after that another with Salt and Fish and on the Shelves before Coche before the Promontory Antonio a Fly-boat with Tallow and Hides and at the same places two Vessels more with Ballast the Men whereof inform'd him that the Fleet from New Spain had about a Moneth before weigh'd Anchor from the Haven Juan de Ulva and set Sail to Havana so that without doubt they were arrived there wherefore Peter Heyn steer'd towards Tortugos in hopes if he could to overtake some of the heavy Sailers Before the Promontory De Florida he discover'd seven Sail and coming up nearer above thirty which had Henrickszoon been united with Peter Heyn had without doubt fallen into the hands of the Netherlanders but it being judg'd a madness to set upon so great a Fleet with so small a number of Ships they Sail'd away undisturb'd Peter Heyn steer'd his Course along Florida where he met three Canoos with strange Men in them who came aboard of him their Bodies being naked were painted with several colours onely Mats of Rushes about their Middle and on their Backs long Tassels hanging down their Merchandise consisted of a sort of Gum of little value The Netherlanders in this Place took also a Vessel with Sina Leaves and some pounds of Ambergreece but the Scurvey increasing daily amongst them they Tack'd about and ran to an Anchor at Sierra Leona where they stay'd till the latter end of January 1627. and then set Sail to Brasile and overtook a Vessel from Madera laden with a hundred and fifty Pipes of Wine and other rich Goods and ran into the Inlet Todos los Sanctos with undaunted courage not regarding the Guns that were fir'd from the Fort and Battlements of the City St. Salvador near which lay thirty Sail of Ships to which he making up Success of the Dutch against the Portuguese Fleet. steer'd between the Portuguese Admiral and Rere-Admiral whom sinking he forc'd the Admiral to surrender whilest the Hollandia and Geldria Frigats fell upon the rest which were forsaken by the Seamen who leap'd over-board then several Mann'd Boats of the Hollanders notwithstanding the Enemy's continual firing went and fetch'd off twenty two Sail of the Portuguese Vessels all which they did in three hours time onely with the loss of fifty Men besides some that were wounded amongst whom was the Admiral being shot with a Bullet through the Arm and wounded in the Legs with a Splinter his Ship also was with the Gelria Frigat driven with the Spring-Tide on a Bank whence after the Gelria had
This Bridge being eighty six Rods long of durable Timber was finish'd in seven Weeks His Pleasure-house Bonovista Moreover Grave Maurice built a pleasant Banquetting-house call'd Bonavista at his own Charge before the said Bridge from whence he could see the Palace Freyburgh Olinda the Fort Ernestus Maurice-stadt Reciffa the French Church the Ships in the Harbors and also the Castle Frederick Henrick This Banquetting-house hath at each corner a Turret and in the middle thereof a spacious Room crown'd with a fair Terrace BOAVISTA A. Fluvius Capibaribi B. Domus Boavista sivi boni visus C. Pons D. Palatium Friburgum E. Mauritiopolis F. Templum Gallicum G. Castrum Ernesti H. Castrum Fred. Henrici I. Reciffa K. Reciffa lapidosa L. Naves portu contentae M. Olinda eminus visa CHAP. VIII Guiana Situation and Description of Guiana NOrthward of Brasile over against Maragnan lieth the Countrey of Guiana not improbably suppos'd to be so call'd from the River Wia one of the principal Rivers of the Province which yet is said to have more and fairer than any other part of America besides It is by some call'd The Wild Coast for what reason is uncertain it being found to be a very fruitful and pleasant Countrey It is Bounded on the East with the Atlantick Ocean or Mare del Nordt on the West with some undiscover'd mountainous Countreys which lie on that side of the Andes on the North it hath the great River Orenoque and on the South that of the Amazons or Orellana which last Name as we have said before it derives from Francisco Orellana who is said to have first discover'd it in the Year 1543. It was anciently call'd Tobo Topoi and Tapera This Countrey lieth on both sides of the Aequator extended from the fourth Degree of Southern Latitude to the eighth Degree of Northern yet enjoyeth a temperate and good Air not oppressed with any excessive Heat which is chiefly attributed to the Breezes or Easterly Winds almost perpetually about Noon blowing upon it Towards the Sea-side it is for the most part a flat and level Countrey in the more Inland parts mountainous and swell'd with Hills but in all it is generally of such a rich and fertile Soil that for Fruits or any outward Commodities of the Earth it yields not to any other Province of the New World but rather far excelleth the most having as it were a continual Summer without Winter or Autumn the Trees never uncloth'd or made bare Fruits always ripe or growing to maturity the Meadows and Pastures always verdant and green and as we said so excellently well water'd with Rivers that no Countrey in the World seems comparable to it in this respect But since the several Occurrences of Orellana's Expedition will give much light to the more particular knowledge of these Parts we thought good to insert this following Relation thereof SECT II. A Relation of the Journey of Francisco Orellana ARX NASSOVII The Expedition of Orellana Orellana informing the Spanish Court of his Adventures desir'd the chief Command of the Province of the Amazones which after earnest Sollicitations he obtain'd and accordingly setting Sail from St. Lucar he went to the Island Teneriff with three Ships and five hundred Men where he stay'd three Moneths and two on Cape de Verd. On Teneriff several of his Men ran from him and on Cape de Verd he bury'd ninety eight and left fifty sick behind him yet he Steer'd to Brasile where meeting with contrary Winds he had undoubtedly perish'd for lack of Water if the great Showers of Rain had not supply'd his Wants one of his Ships carrying seventy Men and eleven Horses was never heard of with the other two he Sail'd by Baxos de San Roque and from thence a hundred Leagues Northwardly beyond Maragnan where a great way off at Sea they found fresh Water in which Orellano Steering got between the Isles into the River De las Amazones where he Barter'd for Provisions Sail'd two Leagues up the River and came to an Anchor before a few Huts but slenderly stor'd with Provisions where he spent three Moneths in breaking up one of his Ships and building a Ketch In the mean time fifty seven of his Seamen dy'd Sailing twenty Leagues farther he lost his best Ship whereupon he gave order to build a Barque of the Wreck Thus he spent thirty days in vain to find the fore mention'd Arm of the River Amazones the Barque being finish'd in ten Weeks and going beyond the Isles Maribique and Contan found the three great Rivers to disembogue into the River Amazones which there was twelve Leagues broad but wanting Provisions and the Men being too weak to go farther they came back to the fruitful Island Comao where a hundred Spaniards setled themselves the rest going down with the Barque to find out Orellana who as his Wife inform'd them dy'd with Grief He dies with Grief The English and Netherlanders who Sail'd hither after the Spaniards left off ascribe a Breadth of fifty or sixty Leagues to the Mouth of the Amazone River which discharges its Water with such force into the Northern Ocean that it keeps its colour and taste above thirty Leagues according to the ocular testimony of Captain Harcourt The Western Point by the Netherlanders call'd The North Cape runs with a long Slip of low Land into the Sea into which more North-Westerly fall the Streams Taponnowyny Arowary Arykary Cassepouri and Wiapoca some of them wash great Wildernesses full of Trees others glide between pleasant Meadows Eighty Leagues up the Amazone River the Vlussingers have built a Fort call'd Nassaw on the narrow Island Cogemines which is twenty Leagues long and separated from the Shore by a Creek and seven Leagues farther on another Isle the Fort Orange from which two Forts they Trade with the Natives Arowaccas and Apehous bartering European Trifles for Tobacco Cotton Sugar Gums and several Tinctures Sir Walter Raleigh sends Fisher to discover Cooshebery Province Sir Walter Raleigh Anno 1595. sending Captain Fisher from Wiapoco to Leonard Ragapo some years before Baptiz'd in England and then Governor of the Province Cooshebery lying between the Amazone River and Wapoco he receiv'd Fisher very civilly and conducted him fifty Leagues up into the Countrey to the Mountain Cowob on whose top is a deep Pool full of well tasted Fish and surrounded with the glittering Stones Topaz which Raleigh took the more notice of because the same Ground in the East-Indies where these Stones are found incloses also Diamonds Moreover the Province Cooshebery rises with pleasant Hills but consists most in delightful Fields and Woods The River Arocawo falling into the Inlet Wiapoco disembogues also with the same between the Capes Orange and Comariboo into the Northern Ocean Most of the Rivers in Guiana lie full of Isles and cannot be Navigated far by reason of the great Water-falls The Yayos The Yayos who inhabit on the Banks of the fore-mention'd River are People of
Death but not satisfi'd with that Revenge he over-run all the Countrey of Aromaia took Morequito's Uncle call'd Topiawari Prisoner who bought his Life for a hundred Plates of Gold and some Precious Stones That Listing many Men in Spain for the Gold which he sent thither he Row'd with Barques up the Rivers Barema Pattroma and Dessequebe where he barter'd Trifles for Men Women and Children of whom he made great Sums of Money on the Island Margareta This Information which Sir Walter Raleigh got from his Prisoner Berreo made him desirous to make an Expedition to Guiana to which purpose he sent Captain George Gifford with a Ketch and a Barque to the River Capuri where the Water fell before the Vessels could get beyond the Sands in the Mouth of the River John Douglas had better success being likewise sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh for he with his Boats found that Orinoque had nine Arms to the North Sea and seven to the South which embrace divers Isles of which those on the right side are call'd Pallamos and those on the left Horotomaca The Mouth of the River gapes a hundred Leagues On the fore-mention'd-Isles dwell the Titiriras a modest People who speak a bald Language in the Summer they live under the open Skie upon the bare Earth and in the Winter being there between May and September on the tops of the Trees because during that time the River Orinoque rising thirty Foot higher overflows all the Isles thereabouts which are very high and mountainous But Raleigh himself Rowing up the River Amana endur'd great hardship his Men being most of them sweltred with the Heat and great want of Provisions and had not their Indian Pilot shew'd them another Stream much easier to Navigate he would have been forc'd to return successless but being stor'd with Provision out of a Village built along the Shore he chased four Canoos of which he took one and also an Arwaccas which in fifteen days time brought him into the River Orinoque where he saw the high Mountains of Guiana afterwards Anchoring before a fair sandy Bank which lay near the Mouth of three Rivers he took abundance of Tortoises and was furnish'd with plenty of all sorts of Provisions sent him from the Governor Toparimaca who inhabited the pleasant Village Arowocay built on a little Hill surrounded with delightful Gardens and Fields till'd by the Negro's who accommodating Raleigh with an experienc'd Pilot he set Sail with a fresh Easterly Wind and Westward saw the Isles Assapana twenty five Leagues long and six broad and Iwana of the same bigness The River Orinoque hath here thirty Leagues in breadth and receives the Rivers Arrawopana and Europa He Sail'd next by the Isles Ocaywita and Putayma opposite to which on the Main Land appears the Mountain Oecope whose top reacheth the Clouds on the right side a Plain Countrey discover'd it self a vast way which the Pilot said was call'd The Plain of Sayma extending Northerly a hundred and twenty Leagues to Cumana and Caracas inhabited by four sorts of People viz. the Saymas Assaways Wikeries and Aroras which last being a Coal-black People us'd poyson'd Arrows Raleigh passing between the two Mountains Aroami and Aio came to an Anchor near the Island Murscolima and from thence into the Haven Morequito where the King Topiawari a hundred and ten years of age brought all sorts of Fruit Poultrey Fish and Flesh and gave him an Account of the Condition of Guiana viz. That the whole Countrey from the Mountains Waccarima to Emeria bore the Name of Guiana the Inhabitants calling themselves Orinoque Poni on the other side of the said Mountains lies the spacious Valley Amariocapana where the Guianiatas reside Southerly the Oreiones and Epuremei who coming out of a strange Countrey have destroy'd the ancient Inhabitants leaving onely the Awaaawaqueri and Cassipagoios The Epuremei built the stately City Macurewarai there But Raleigh going on his Journey saw the Island Caiama and came to the Mouth of the River Caroli whose strong Current he was not able to stem wherefore he desir'd Aid from Wanuretona Governor of Canuria who furnish'd him with Provisions and Men to Toe him up the fore-mention'd Stream and inform'd him that the River Caroli which sprung out of the Lake Cassipa was inhabited on one side by the Iwarawakeri and the Lake Cassipa by three powerful People viz. the Cassiapagotos Eparagotos and Arawogotos all mortal Enemies to the Spaniards whereupon Raleigh sent some of his Men thither who return'd with great hopes of finding rich Gold-Mines The fore-mention'd Lake also produces the Rivers Aroi Atoica and Caora near which dwell the Ewaipanoma who have neither Necks nor Chins but their Mouthes just upon their Shoulders Towards the North the River Cari falls into the Orinoque and on the West the Stream Limo between both which the Cannibals reside whose Metropolis call'd Acamacari is very famous for their strange way of Trading for there the Women are brought to Market and bought by the Arwaccas But because great Showers of Rain fell daily and the Stream Caroli glided down wards with extraordinary force Raleigh return'd to Morequito from whence Putima King of Warapana conducted him to a rich Golden Mountain in his Countrey and along the Rivers Mana Oiana and Cumaca to the place where the Orinoque divides it self into three excellent Streams the chiefest whereof call'd Cararoopana washes the Province Emeria out of whose Mountains the Rivers Waracayari Coirama Akaniri and Iparoma glide to the Northern Ocean as also the Araturi Amacura Barima Wana Morooca Paroma and Wyni all Branches of the River Orinoque from whence Raleigh return'd home to England Not long after he sent Laurence Keymes and Thomas Masham back to Guiana Keymes found out all the Rivers between the Amazones and the Orinoque and Masham the Stream Wiapoco from whence both return'd without any farther success Sir Walter Raleigh condemu'd for Treason After this the Business lay still for a while in regard Sir Walter Raleigh being together with Grey Cobham and the Romish Priests Watson and Clark found guilty of High Treason was Condemn'd to die but being Repriev'd by the King was kept a Prisoner in the Tower for the space of fourteen years during which time he wrote a Description of Guiana which the King perusing was so well pleas'd with it especially since he undertook to make out by several Reasons that England might make it self Master of divers Gold-Mines there to which Spain could lay no manner of Claim that he discharg'd him out of Prison He is Repriev'd and sent again to Guiana and permitted him to make a second Expedition Whereupon with ten Ships Anno 1617. he set Sail for Guiana again being toss'd with divers Storms he at last came with five Sail to the River Calliana where he fell dangerously sick and therefore sent Captain Keymes with five Sail to the River Orinoque to conduct the Men to the Gold-Mines each Ship carrying fifty
and Guinee are so cruelly us'd that they oftentimes through despair destroy themselves The whole Countrey of Guiana is by several modern Writers methodically divided into these inferior or lesser Provinces 1. Rio de las Amazones 2. Wiapoco or Guiana properly so call'd 3. Orenoque and 4. The Islands of Guiana Rio de las Amazones Rio de las Amazones or the Countrey of the Amazones contains all that part of Guiana which lieth on both sides of the River Orellano of a rich and good Soil generally abounding with all sorts of Fruits and especially with those which the Americans call Totok and love it extreamly out of an opinion they say that it excites them to Venery whereunto they are of themselves but too much inclin'd and another which they call Pita of a taste far more delicious and pleasing and not so hurtful as the other The Countrey was first discover'd by the fore-mention'd Francisco Orellana a Spaniard from Quito but it was onely by the River Orellana and though he be credibly reported to have Sail'd no less than eighteen hundred Leagues down the Stream and to have discover'd a rich and fair Countrey on both sides the River well peopled with Natives and giving in divers places no small Arguments of greater Wealth and Riches more within Land yet such was the bad success of his second Endeavors and likewise of those that follow'd him as is evident from what hath been before related that as yet there seems no farther Report to be given at least not of any thing special concerning that part of the Countrey Wiapoco or Guiana properly so call'd Wiapoco or Guiana properly so call'd taketh up the middle part of this Province being divided as the other almost into two equal parts by the River Wiapoco which runs through the midst of it The Countrey on both sides of the River is very rich and fertile and so naturally apt both for Sugar-Canes Cotton-Wooll and Tobacco that they are said to grow here all of them very good without Planting or any art of Husbandry In this Countrey likewise should be the famous Dorada as the Spaniards call it or City of Gold if it could be found with the reports and hopes whereof some of our own Nation seem to have been not a little possess'd as well as the Spaniards nor can we much blame them for if the Stories of it had prov'd true it must have been one of the goodliest and fairest Cities in the World not to speak of the Wealth Diego de Ordas the Spaniard of whom we have lately had occasion to make frequent mention of being reported by some to have travell'd one whole day and half another in it before he could arrive at the King's Palace which yet must be suppos'd to have stood but in the midst of the City Places of less Magnificence but more Certainty are 1. Caripo which was once a Colony of English setled there by Captain Robert Harcourt Anno 1608. upon the Banks of Wiapoco and not far from the Mouth of it being a place by the advantage of a Rock which it hath on the one side of it of great strength and very difficult access the Air about it sound and said to be very agreeable to English Bodies 2. Gomaribo Colony formerly of the Dutch on the North-West side of the Bay of Wiapoco but since deserted by them 3. Woyemon 4. Crewinay both of them Towns of the Natives not far distant from the other Orinoque Orinoque or the third Division of this Province comprehendeth the most Northerly parts of Guiana lying upon or towards the Banks of this famous River a Countrey likewise reported to be very rich and comparable to Peru it self for hidden Treasure which they say is not yet discover'd onely for want of diligent and industrious searching The Places in it already known are onely 1. Coniolaba as they call it which seems to be some Town of the Natives lying a few Leagues distant from the Orinoque towards the South 2. Morequito a known Port or Haven-Town upon a Branch of the Orinoque much frequented and of great use to the English when they discover'd these Coasts 3. Wenicapora and 4. St. Thomas the onely Town which the Spaniards hold upon this part of the Continent situate upon the principal Channel of the Orinoque and consisting of two hundred Families or thereabouts It is now a fortifi'd Place and was taken by Sir Walter Raleigh in that unfortunate Action of 1617. above related more at large Islands belonging to Guiana The Islands that belong to and are commonly reckon'd as parts of Guiana are either such as lie scatter'd about the Shore of the Province or such as are found at the Mouth and sometime far within the Channel of those great Rivers which empty themselves at several parts of this Countrey into the Sea viz. Orinoque Wiapoco Rio de las Amazones c. There are many of them but of any great name or esteem onely two viz. Trinidado and Tabago the Description whereof we shall here omit as having already taken notice of them amongst the Sotaventi and Caribbee Islands CHAP. IX Paria or New Andalusia Situation and Description of Nova Andalusia VVEstward of Guiana lieth the Countrey of Paria so call'd from its chief River It hath also the Denomination of New Andalusia but for what resemblance with Andalusia of Old Spain they do not tell us This Countrey lying as it doth brings us back again by the Eastern Coast to the Isthmus or Strait which as we have often said joyns the two parts of the Continent of America together at least to those Countreys that lie next upon it to the South viz. the Kingdom of Granada c. It hath on the East Guiana and those Islands which lie about the Mouth of Orinoque on the West the Gulf or Bay of Venezuela with some part of the new Kingdom abovesaid on the North it is wash'd with the Atlantick Ocean and on the South hath some Countreys yet undiscover'd toward the Andes The whole consisteth partly of Continent and partly of Islands near adjoyning to it and is commonly divided into five several Precincts or Parts which are 1. Cumana 2 Venezuela being upon the Continent 3. Margareta 4. Cubagua two Islands above-mention'd famous for Pearl-fishing and lastly some lesser Islands SECT II. Cumana Bounds and Description of Cumana CUmana is bounded Eastward with the Gulf of Paria and the River Orinoque on the West with Venezuela Northward it hath the Atlantick and on the South those undiscover'd Countreys above mention'd extending along the Northern Ocean over against Margareta two hundred Leagues or more as some say in length and not much less than a hundred in breadth The Coast of this Countrey as well as of the Islands Margareta and Cabagua hath formerly been much fam'd for the rich Trade of Pearls and Pearl-fishing which failing its principal esteem now is for an excellent Vein of Salt which they dig
set ashore on Hispaniola and divided into Companies each Company consisting of twenty Parents separated from their Children and Husbands from their Wives and Lots cast for them those that had either sick decrepid or old People fall to their share us'd to cry as Casas testifies he hath often heard What do I do with this sick decrepid old Dog give him to the Devil I will not put my self to the trouble to kill and bury him But Soto's Death was not left unreveng'd for not long after Jacob Castellon setting Sail from St. Domingo left several Companies on Cubagua to re-build the Town Cadiz and rais'd a Fort at the Mouth of Cumana which hath ever since been kept by the Spaniards who made great slaughter amongst the Natives Hieronymo Ortall deserted by his Men Hieronymo Ortall Sailing up the Stream Negeri sent his Lieutenant Augustine Delgado through the populous Provinces Guacharuco and Parimatuotu to the River Unare where not without a sharp Conflict he took abundance of Provisions in a Village In the mean time Ortall travell'd to Meta acting inhumane Cruelties all the way but approaching Guiana where Delgado was kill'd he was deserted by his mutinous Men who ran over to Nicholas Federman so that he was forc'd to return back to the new Fort Miguel de Neveri and from thence to St. Domingo with ten Soldiers fearing that Antonio Sedenno who judg'd himself wrong'd by Ortall because Cumana belong'd to his Lordship would fall upon him Sedenno being five hundred Men strong discover'd the Sea-Coast all along to Patigutaro where Setling himself he regarded no Discipline which the Natives observing kill'd many a Spaniard and others the Tygers also devour'd especially in the Night they being forc'd to keep lighted Fires about them against the wild Beasts About the beginning of the Year 1537. Sedenno travell'd to the Countrey Anapuya and Orocomay to the Province Goioguaney where the Inhabitants defended themselves very valiantly in a woodden Fort before which many Spaniards were kill'd with poyson'd Arrows and those who were not mortally wounded had no way to escape but by burning the Poyson out with hot Irons yet at last the Defendants were forc'd to flie with their Wives and Children up to the Mountains overgrown with Brambles Sedenno marching through barren Fields and over troublesom Rivers The Death of Sedenno and Juan Fernandez came to the mountainous Countrey Catapararo where he found abundance of Maiz and some little pieces of Gold and was advanc'd about a League and a half in Cumana when dying he made room for his Successor Juan Fernandez who surviv'd him not long yet the Expedition was not left unprosecuted for Sedenno's Men after the Decease of him and Fernandez went farther and discover'd a low Land which in the Winter being overflow'd forc'd the Inhabitants to remove to the Mountains But at last the Spaniards being weary with travelling fell out amongst themselves and dividing into several Parties went several ways some to Venezuela others to Maracapana and the rest to Cubagua SECT III. Venezuela Situation and Description of Venezuela THe principal part of the Province of Venezuela is border'd on the East with Cumana on the West with a great Gulf or Bay call'd The Bay of Venezuela with the Lake Maracabo and some part of New Granada Northward it hath the Ocean or Atlantick Sea Southward some undiscover'd Countreys which as we said lie betwixt the Andes and it It stretches out in length from East to West a hundred and thirty Leagues or thereabouts but in breadth little more than half so much it was nam'd Venezuela or Little Venice by Alonso de Ojeda a Spaniard who at his first discovery of the Countrey fell upon a Town of the Natives which stood like another Venice all upon the Water and having no passage to it but by Boats It is a Countrey extraordinary rich in all sorts of Commodities affords good Pasture for Cattel and abundance of fair Herds of them Oxen Sheep Swine c. plenty of Corn and other Grain great store of Venison in the Woods of Fish in the Rivers Gold in the Mines and therefore not likely but to be well peopled and inhabited especially by the Spaniards whose Towns and Places of chief importance are these Towns and principal Places of Venezuela 1. Venezuela at the most Westerly Confines of the Countrey built upon the Sea with the advantage of a double Haven in a temperate and good Air and the Soil round about it the best in the whole Province It is now a Bishop's See who is Suffragan to the Arch-bishop in Hispaniola and the ordinary Residence of the Governor 2. Caravalleda call'd by the Spaniards Nuestra Sennora de Caravalleda fourscore Leagues distant from Venezuela towards the East upon the Sea 3. St. Jago de Leon in the Countrey of Caracas four or five Leagues Southward of Caravalleda and six or seven distant from the Sea 4. New Valentia twenty five Leagues distant from St. Jago 5. New Xeres a Town but lately built fifteen Leagues Southward of New Valentia 6. New Segovia but one League distant from Xeres 7. Tucuyo a Place well known and frequented for the abundance of Sugar that is made there and in the Countrey round about it 8. Truxillo or Our Lady de la Paz eighteen Leagues Southward of the Lake Maracabo a Place of great resort and much frequented for Trade both by Spaniards and Natives 9. Laguna a Town lying more towards the bottom of the Lake said to be much haunted with Tygers and more than this not much is said of it VENEZUELA cum parte Australi NOVAE ANDALUSIAE When the Emperor Charles the Fifth Marry'd with Isabella Daughter to the King of Portugal Anno 1526. the Welsares being Dutch Gentlemen in Augsburgh made an Agreement with him for a Sum of Money to Conquer Venezuela whither they sent Ambrosius Alfinger and Bartholomeus Sayltar with four hundred Foot and eighty Horse These Forces Landing at Venezuela drove away Juan de Ampues who Sailing from St. Domingo thither had discover'd the Coast along Coriano and already made an Agreement with a mighty Prince of that Countrey call'd Manaure But Alfinger marching to the Lake Maracabo Alfinger's horrid Cruelties upon the Natives destroy'd all the Inhabitants of the Countrey Axaguas though they came to meet him Dancing with rich Presents of Gold which he not regarding kill'd them drove some into a House and there cut them in pieces and burnt those that were got upon the Roof From hence going towards the Pocabuyes who dwelt on the West side of Maracabo amongst high Mountains he was Entertain'd by them a considerable time very courteously and Presented with rich Gifts for which at his departure he shut up both Men Women and Children into a high Wall'd Park where they were all to perish if they did not every one pay a certain quantity of Gold to be releas'd which not being able to raise they all dy'd for want of Food After
Schouten found the same Anno 1616. who Sailing from Porto Desire left the Straights of Magellan on the right-hand and Sail'd Southerly through whitish Water and in fifty four Degrees discover'd a Channel eight Leagues broad through which ran a strong Current The Coast rose with high Mountains whose tops were cover'd with Snow The utmost Point was call'd Mauritius from the Prince of Orange the broken Coast on the other side The States-Island and the Straights it self Le Maire upon the Request of the Merchant Jacob Le Maire whose Father Isaac was chief owner of the two Ships of which Schouten was Commander who found so many Whales here that he could scarce Steer clear of them they swimming by hundreds in a Shoal The Sea-pies much bigger than Swans suffer'd themselves to be caught by the Hands of the Sea-men Moreover he call'd the barren grey Rocks and others lesser lying North-East from the Promontory Hoorn Barnevields Isles Sailing beyond the Point Hoorn he was toss'd by the vast Billows that came rowling out of the West It was no sooner nois'd abroad that the Netherlanders had found the Straights Le Maire but the Spanish King Philip immediately sent two Carvels thither under the Command of Garcias de Nodal who took an exact Account of the Heads Roads and Inlets belonging to the fore-mention'd Straights and return'd without performing any other Exploits Diego Flores his unsuccessful Voyage to the Straigts of Magellan Diego Flores Steer'd four years before Candish to the Straights of Magellan with twenty three Sail of Ships Mann'd with three thousand five hundred Seamen besides five hundred old Netherland Soldiers with which he unhappily weigh'd Anchor from Cales for before he got out of sight of the Spanish Coast he lost five of his Ships and eight hundred Men yet prosecuting his Voyage he stay'd during the Winter Season on the Coast of Brasile and was surpris'd by so vehement a Storm near the Island Catalina that a company of Women sent under the Charge of Peter Sarmiento to Settle in the Straights of Magellan were all cast away with the greatest part of the Ammunition and Provisions The English Admiral Fenton took three Ships of this Fleet from Flores two were cast away in the River La Plata and one ran back to Spain whilest Flores came into the Straights of Magellan on the last day of March at which time the whole Countrey lay cover'd with Snow wherefore seeing no hopes of finding out any place to Settle Sarmiento upon he stood back with eight Sail to Brasile and in his Return burnt three French Ships took two more and Sail'd home But his Lieutenant Diego Ribera and the Governor Peter Sarmiento Landed the Year after Flores his departure with four hundred Men thirty Women and Provisions for eight Moneths in the Straights of Magellan from whence Ribera Sail'd back whilest Sarmiento built on the North side of the Mouth of the Straights the Town Nombre de Jesus and fifty Leagues farther in the narrowest place Philip-stadt with four Bulwarks the Inhabitants of which as is before related were destroy'd by Famine Description of Terra del Fugo Terra del Fuego already mention'd opposite to the Countrey of the Patagones lyin the South between the Straights of Magellan is a broken Countrey with high Mountains full of Trees and wash'd by pleasant Rivulets four Foot deep in the Ground it begins to be all Rocky The Air is troubled with exceeding great Winds out of the West The Inhabitants are pale Countenanc'd but Paint their Bodies with divers Colours they have long thick and black Hair and very sharp Teeth the Men go stark naked the Women cover their secret Parts with a piece of Leather and wear Strings full of Shells about their Necks some also Mantle themselves with the Skins of wild Beasts which affords but little warmth against the Cold that is here in Winter Their Huts consist of Trees and are made round at bottom and sharp on the top like a Tent having onely a Hole for the Smoak to go out at they are digg'd three Foot deep into the Ground and also heap'd round with Earth within the Huts nothing is to be found but Baskets with Fishing Utensils and Stone Hooks Their offensive Arms the Men always carry about with them because they always maintain Wars with their Neighbors They handle a Quarter-staff very dexterously are good Slingers and Bowemen they also use Lances with sharp Stone Points Moreover they make Boats of the Bark of Trees which they first cut out into a Form then sewing it together bow the same after the manner of a Boat which rises before and behind and being fifteen or sixteen Foot long can carry eight Men going exceeding swift These People are not onely beastial in their Practices but also Murderers Lastly besides the Straights of Le Maire Henrick Brewer hath found a new Passage to the Eastward above the States-Island out of the Northern Ocean to the South Sea CHAP. IV. The unknown South-Land THe unknown South-Land extends with several Points to the Southern Ocean which have been more seen than discover'd by divers Nations Opposite to the East-India Island Gilolo lies Terra des Papous to which Jacob Le Maire gave the Denomination of New Guinee The English Commander Richard Hawkins Sailing to the Southward behind Papou found the Inhabitants black like Negro's round about appear several Isles and convenient Harbors Herrera places here on the East the Countrey Agnada the Road St. Jago the Island Los Crespos the Haven Andreas the River Virginum and the little Isle La Vellena before the Mouth of the Stream Augustine Next you meet Easterly with the Rivers St. Peter and St. Paul the Havens Hieronymus the Isles Punta Salida Abrigo Malagente and Maure de Dios inhabited by white People Discoveries in Terra Australis Incognâ—a The first that discover'd New Guinee Anno 1529. was Alvares de Savedra who as also several others besides him suppos'd that some of the Islands Solomons border New Guinee Eighteen of the many Solomon Isles exceed the rest of which some are three hundred Leagues in circumference some two hundred others one hundred and some fifty All that are inhabited have a fruitful Soil producing all manner of Provisions particularly Hogs and Poultrey The Natives differ very much one from another for some are black others white or tawny The fore-mention'd Hawkins in his Voyage towards the Straights of Magellan supposing it by estimation to be fifty Leagues from the Main Coast of America discover'd forty Degrees to the Southward of the Equinoctial Line with a Westerly Wind the unknown south-South-Land which he found to consist of low Land and to be inhabited by reason of the many Fires which he saw ashore in the Night The Spanish Commander Peter Fernandes de Quiro and the Admiral Lodowick Paes de Torres have made a farther Discovery of this Countrey for Landing on the South-Land they met with several People some whereof were
Sugar-Canes and other Fruits on Shore From hence Tasman Sail'd Northerly between many Isles and a Channel that separates New Guinee from Gilolo by Cerani Manipe Bolao and Burro to a narrow Opening where Pangesane being on his Larboard rose with exceeding high Rocks as Botton on the Starboard These Rocks are most of them overgrown with Trees and Brambles In the middle of this Channel also lies a Rock for its shape call'd A Galley by which Tasman Sailing bent his Course homeward and at last on the fifteenth of June Anno 1643. cast Anchor before Batavia CHAP. V. Terra Borealis or The Artick Region HAving spoken something of the Terra Australis Incognita or Unkown South-Land there remains something to be said of the opposite part namely the Terra Borealis or the Artick Region which is call'd Incognita in like manner as the Terra Australis in regard though very much as well of the one as of the other hath been search'd into and in part discover'd by several Voyagers yet doubtless there is a very vast Tract of Land in the Artick Region especially if it be not rather Sea which is altogether unknown and those parts which have been discover'd as Groenland Iseland Nova Zembla Spilbergen Hudson's Straights and Bay c. so imperfectly known that they may well deserve the Title of Unknown The several parts of this Artick Region are 1. Terra Subpolaris Incognita or that part which lies directly under the Pole and is otherwise call'd Orbis Arcticus 2. Groenland 3. Spilbergen or Nieuland 5. Iseland 6. Nova Zembla A Description of Terra Subpolaris The Terra Subpolaris is describ'd by a certain Seaman of Bosleduc to be a great black Rock about thirty five Leagues in compass and of an extraordinary heighth through the Land adjoyning to which the Sea violently breaking makes four great and violent Euripi or Whirlpools whose Waters driving Northward with so forcible a Stream that no Ship though carry'd by nexer so strong a Gale is able to stem the Current are at last swallow'd up in the Earth It is also reported that between two of these Euripi namely that made by the Scythick Ocean and that on the back side of Groenland there lieth an Island Northward of Lappia and Biarmia inhabited by Pygmies Much more to this purpose is related of the Subpolar Region but since it is very improbable that any one could come so near as to make any discovery thereof to say more of this Matter would be but to insist upon things savoring more of Fables than Reality Bounds and Situation of Groenland Groenland is that part of Terra Septentrionalis which winds about from South to East and decline Northward from Cape Faruel in the Deucaledonian Sea however Groenland hath been generally taken for an Island yet many late Navigators think it joyns with the Continent of Tartary and others leave it in doubt whether it be Island or Continent It is bounded towards the East with the Deucaledonian Ocean towards the West with Hudson's Straights and Bay which separate it from America towards the North its Bounds are altogether unknown and is not without reason suppos'd to be the utmost part of the World towards the North Pole There are who believe it to be one Continent with America and that upon this ground because several who have attempted to pass through the Straight commonly call'd The Straight of Davis into the East-Indies affirm that they found it to be a Gulph but one Captain John Monk who was also a great Undertaker in the North-West Passage through this Straight or Gulf of Davis alledges great Probabilities of this Lands being divided by Sea from the Continent of America The Topography of Groenland from the Danish and Iseland Chronicles This Countrey hath anciently been divided into two Regions East-Groenland and West-Groenland answerable to which Division Errick surnam'd The Ruddy the Son of Torvalde is reported by the Danish Chronicle to have built two Forts or Lodges Ostrebug and Westrebug in the Eastern part The first Planters of Christianity built the City Garde which became as the said Chronicle mentions a City of great Repute and Traffick and not long after the Town Albe and towards the Sea-Coast a Monastery dedicated to St. Thomas The City Garde was a Bishop's See to which belong'd a Cathedral Church by the Title of St. Nicholas built in the same City though a certain Iseland Chronicle makes mention of the Church of Strosnes as the chief Metropolitan and Bishop's See of Groenland The Bishop assisted oftentimes in the Assembly of the Estates of Denmark and held of the Bishop of Nidrosia or Drunthen in Norway as the Temporal Estates of Groenland held of the Crown of Norway the Norwegians being the onely known Planters of this Countrey deriving their Original from the aforesaid Errick according to the testimony of Mr. Vormius and also of Angrimus Jonas in his Specimen Islandicum and the Vice-Roy of Norway the Nomophylax as the said Angrimus calls him or Sovereign Judge of the Countrey The Inhabitants of Westreburg or the Western Coast of Groenland are by some call'd Skreglinguers According to the Iseland Chronicle the Towns and Places of chief note are Skageford in the most Eastern part a little farther West the Port of Funchebuder so call'd from a Page of St. Olaus King of Norway who together with several others were cast away upon that place a little higher the Roansen full of white Bears and other wild Beasts In the Western Coast Kindelfiord an Arm of the Sea on the right Shore whereof stands Korsekirk i. e. a Church built cross-ways also the Town Vandalebug and not far off a Monastery dedicated to St. Olaus and St. Augustine the next Place is Rumpesinfiord where there is a religious Convent and divers little Islands in which are Springs of Water warm in the Winter and temperate in the Summer which are accounted Medicinal and of great Vertue in the curing of divers Maladies upon the same Coast lies Etsnatsfiord between which and Rupesinfiord is the Palace Fos and a great Church dedicated to St. Nicholas near the Promontory Clining is another great House call'd Daller and beyond Eynatsfiord a great Island denominated Reynatsen from the abundance of Rein-Deer which breed there In the same Island is a Quarry of the Stone Talguestin not consumable by Fire and yet soft enough to be cut into any form insomuch that Vessels have been made of it containing twelve Tun. More Westerly lies the Island Langen and another Royal House call'd Hellestad then Erricksfford another Arm of the Sea and at the Entrance thereof the Island Herrieven part whereof belongs to the Dome or Cathedral and the other part to the Church of Dunes the principal Church of Groenland next to the Cathedral North-West from Erricksfiord is Midfiord and farther Northward Bondeford near which are several little Isles and Ports Between Ostrebug and Westrebug is a large Desart altogether uninhabited This
the least but that he should take Brasile from the Netherlanders with his fore-mention'd Forces why then should he ruine what he hop'd to posses None knew whither the Spanish Fleet intended to go for setting Sail under the Command of Antonio Oquendo under pretence of falling upon the Netherlands they Steer'd their Course to Brasile and at last from the Inlet Todos los Sanctos to Goyana but four days before they weigh'd Anchor William Corneliszoon Loos who had some time been Cruising before the said Inlet came back to Reciffa with thirteen Sail of Ships which wanted all manner of Necessaries The West-India Company had now been in a mean Condition had there not happily arriv'd first eight next two and at last nine Ships from the Texel the Maes and Zealand with Provisions and a Supply of Men which Maurice had no sooner taken out and unladen the Ships but he fitted them for an Engagement and made up the number of forty one Sail who yet were not to be compar'd to the Spaniards whose smallest Vessels carry'd more Men and Guns than the biggest of the Hollanders which in all had but two thousand one hundred and ninety six Men and one Ship with another under twenty Iron Guns Cornelsizoon Loos with his small Power sets out to Engage the great Spanish Fleet. With this small Power the Admiral William Corneliszoon Loos went to meet the Enemy and before the River Michael took four Spanish Ships which carry'd Ammunition and Provisions for the Army which Lopes Barbalio commanded ashore On the twelfth of January Anno 1640. he descry'd the Spanish Fleet between Itamaraca and Goyana not far from which Mascarenhas thought to Land seven thousand Men at Paomorello and they were already gotten into little Vessels when the Hollanders Fleet made towards them and about three a Clock in the Afternoon began a bloody Engagement for four hours in which Loos Engaging with the Spanish Admiral and four Gallions Admiral Loos slain was kill'd in the middle of the Fight which ended in the Evening Jacob Huigens carrying the Flag the next day in sight of the Promontory Blanco chearing up his Men Huigens chaseth the Spanish Fleet. went to renew the Fight with Mascarenhas and with a few small Ships Engag'd several great ones of which they had an advantage onely in their nimble turning and winding In this Engagement Huigens lost the Ship call'd The Sun which sunk with Colonel Mortimer and forty four Men thirty four being sav'd in the Boat The Hollanders Loss was the less because the Spanish great Gallions fir'd over Huigens's Ships which fir'd in the midst of the Spaniards Vessels Huigens not being tir'd with two days Engagements fell upon them a third time before Parayba and firing at the Spanish and Portuguese Admirals pursu'd their Fleet to the Northermost Coast of Brasile where by a strong Current they were driven Westerly and the Swan Commanded by Jacob Alderick losing her Main-mast was cut off from the Fleet by twelve Gallions and three hundred Spaniards were already Masters of the Deck when Alderick breaking from the Enemy drove towards the Shore Alderick's valiant Exploit and either kill'd the Spaniards that were in his Ship or forc'd them to leap overboard whilest Antonio Cunha de Andrada not knowing that Alderick was aground making up to him ran also aground which occasion'd a new Fight and at last Andrada was made to surrender his Gallion and with it three thousand Pound of coin'd and uncoin'd Silver besides other rich Goods and two hundred and thirty Men who were all sent Prisoners to Pecissa January the seventeenth Huigens ventur'd a fourth Engagement between Rio Grande and Conyaou where approaching the Spanish Fleet a sudden Calm prevented him from coming within shot of them till against the Evening the Wind began to rise but the Night approaching it was not judg'd worth while to Engage for so few hours therefore they referr'd the bloody work till the next day when about Day-break Huigens ran through the midst of the Enemy's Fleet The Spanish Fleet again put to flight by Huigens and fir'd so fiercely on Mascarenhas that he Tacking about stood away right before the Wind and not being able to get beyond the Shelves Baxios de Roachas nor to get Water on the Coast because the Hollanders Ketches guarded the same he Sail'd into the Offin towards the Line with a South-East Wind. After which Huigens lay eight days before Rio Grande to refresh and rest himself and on the first of February he arriv'd at Reciffa where Maurice caus'd a Thanksgiving Day to be kept for this wonderful Victory whilest the Enemy was exceedingly abash'd Several Disadvantages occurr'd towards the overthrow of the Spanish Fleet for first it was much weakned by the Disease which rag'd in the same on the Coast of Africa insomuch that it lay still a whole year in Todos los Sanctos to gather fresh Forces whilest Maurice put himself in a posture of Defence Secondly they lay becalm'd and met with contrary Winds for several Moneths when as the Voyage between St. Salvador and Pemambuco is commonly not above twelve days which tedious Passage occasion'd also a Distemper and faint-heartedness amongst the Spaniards whilest divers Ships arriv'd at Reciffa from the Netherlands without which it had been impossible to have Engag'd with the Enemy in regard till then all manner of Ammunition and Provisions were wanting Huigens also had continually the advantage or benefit of the Wind and lost in the Engagement but two Ships a hundred and twenty four Men besides twelve wounded Moreover but twelve Ships onely of the Dutch Engag'd with this great Spanish Fleet the rest never coming within shot wherefore the two Commanders John Coopman Ryk and Peter Jacob were condemn'd to be Beheaded Cornelis Johnszoon and Peter Dirkszoon had their Swords broke over their Heads by the common Hangman Cornelis Lucifer Dirk Eger and Jacob Clavor were banish'd and others came off by paying great Fines but the Spanish Fleet lost in the four Engagements twenty Ships and some thousands of Men the Joseph alone having four hundred slain in her Lastly anchoring near the Island Margareta the Portuguese Admiral Cosmo de Couto and the Captain-General Francisco Pimentello falling out the Spaniards Steer'd to Tercera and from thence to Cales where there Landed but few Men most of them dying of Hunger and Thirst in their Return home Four Gallions with two Pinks got into the Spanish Harbors the rest being either stranded before New Spain sunk or return'd to the Inlet Todos los Sanctos Before the foremention'd Fleet weigh'd Anchor from St. Salvador two thousand Portugueses besides Tapuyans and other Brasilians march'd under the Command of Cameron Vidal and Barbalio with divided Forces into the Countrey partly to get Provision and partly to do what mischief they could to the Hollanders far and near their Orders were to joyn in the Village St. Laurence seven Leagues beyond Paomarello that there they
might make way for the Seamen to Land if the Netherland Forces should chance to guard the Sea-Coast thereabouts and to joyn with them as soon as they were Landed But Grave Maurice encourag'd by his late Victory at Sea immediately sent the Field-Marshal Coin against Cameron who diviidng his Army into small Companies had distributed them through the Woods Cameron's Forces and Barbalio's put to flight by Coin in which Coin follow'd his Example and with divided Forces pursu'd Cameron's Army and overtook his Captain Tak and two hundred Men at Poyuca whereof Lopes Barbalio was Governor who fled notwithstanding he Commanded six hundred Men. Soon after which the Muster-master Mansveld met him near the Village St. Laurence Engag'd him and putting him to flight found several Papers of Concern that he had left behind Portugueses Plot against the Netherlanders discover'd and amongst others a Letter in which Barbalio was commanded to spare neither Brasilians nor Netherlanders alive but to kill all without regard either to their Age or Quality except the Portuguese Moreover Andries Vidal urg'd the Owners of the Sugar-Mills in the Netherlanders Brasile immediately to take up Arms to regain their ancient Freedom as soon as Mascarenhas appear'd with the Spanish Fleet on the Coast of Brasile Thus Vidal by Letters and private Conferences prevail'd so much that most of the Portuguese were ready against their Oaths to root out the Netherlanders The sign when they should be ready was the burning of some Sugar-Mills Vidal imagining thereby to have drawn the Netherlanders from the Sea-side and so made the Sea-Coast free for the Spaniards to Land securely in But the Garrison under Coin along the Sea-shore near Alexis not ignorant of the Enemy's Plot kept their Stations and suffer'd the Mills to burn The like did Craey at the Promontory of St. Augustine Picard at Paomarello Captain Day at Cantolaria and Donker on Goyana Hoogstraet kept Guard up in the Countrey Tourlon also sent out by Maurice against Francisco Sosa and Henrick Dias who had pillag'd all the Countrey about the River Conajou fell upon them in such a manner that he destroy'd eighty seven of them and wounded a considerable number more of them made the rest flie to St. Salvador Two Moneths before the Spanish Fleet set Sail from Todos los Sanctos three thousand Tapuyans came to Rio Grande with their Wives and Children from an unknown Countrey remote from the Sea Grave Maurice requested their King John de Wy that he would please to keep Watch along the Sea-Coast and prevent the Landing of the Spanish Seamen Whereupon De Wy sent his Son to the Castle Ceulen making solemn Protestations that he was ready to lose his Life and Fortune for the Netherlanders in helping them to drive the Portuguese out of Brasile Maurice also joyn'd two thousand Brasilians and Colonel Garstman with sixty Netherlanders to the Tapuyans that so he might train them up in Martial Discipline whilest the Tapuyans Wives and Children were plac'd on the Island Tamarica About the beginning of the Year 1640. Houte-been and Lichthart brought a considerable Fleet from the Netherlands to an Anchor at Reciffa where a Consutation was held whither these Ships might be sent to do most Service every one had an Eye on St. Salvador not long since Storm'd in vain but Maurice judg'd that they had not Forces enough to undertake so grand a Design but thought it would be better to Land some fresh Forces near St. Salvador that there they might burn the Sugar-Mills and destroy all things they could find in revenge of what the Enemy had done at Parayba Whereupon Tourlon and Lichthart set Sail with twenty Ships Mann'd with two thousand five hundred Men to the Inlet Todos los Sanctos where they burnt all the Portuguese Sugar-Mills Houses and Villages neither did their Swords spare any alive but Women and Infants The Cattel which they found they carry'd aboard of their Ships and burnt all other Provisions In the mean time Houte-been and Coin fell upon Porto Franco where they ruin'd all things to no other end but that the Enemy might call home his Forces out of the Netherlanders Brasile to defend the Province Todos los Sanctos Capt. Brand taken Prisoner But Captain Brand going up too far into the Countrey with his Army was suddenly set upon had a hundred of his Men slain on the Spot and was himself taken Prisoner together with many more Also the Storming of the Town Spirito Sancto by Coin prov'd unsuccessful Coin unsuccessfully Storms Spirito Sancto because he led an undisciplin'd Company and wanted little Vessels to Land in on a sudden for the Enemy having had timely notice immediately rais'd a Sconce about the Town and with five Brass Guns fir'd stoutly on him who endeavor'd to climb up the Hill but was forc'd to sound a Retreat his Men failing in their Courage yet at last breaking into the Town he set some of the Houses on fire which being built of Stone resisted the Flame so burning onely four hundred and fifty Chests of Sugar he left sixty Men kill'd and brought back eighty wounded Lichthart in the mean time made great havock about St. Salvador In this Conjuncture the West-India Company suffer'd much by Robberies and Spoils committed up and down the Countrey by the setting their Woods of Brasile on fire by a company of Negro's Woods of Brasile set on fire by Peter Vist the chief Ring-leader of whom was one call'd Peter Vist who from Caves and almost inaccessible Ways came forth in the Night and set fire on whatsoever places he came to notwithstanding a hundred Negro's of his crew were soon after caught which he at several times had by force taken out of their Masters Sugars-Mills which Grave Maurice prevented as much as possible by keeping Soldiers up and down in Arms. He also us'd the Portuguese very civilly who though they promis'd Obedience because they liv'd under the Jurisdiction of the West-India Company yet were ready on all occasions to shew the contrary wherefore Grave Maurice sending for the chief of them to Reciffa from Pernambuco Itamaraca and Parayba told them before the Privy Council that they might easily see how vainly they expected that the Spanish Crown should take Brasile from the Netherlanders that formerly they depended on the Spanish Fleet Commanded by Mascarenhas but that being destroy'd by a small Force that hope Was lost therefore if henceforward they would Trade on their own Accounts they might be assur'd they should not suffer in the least either in their Goods Religion or Persons Hector de Calce taken Pâ—isoner The Neopolitan Field-Marshal Hector de la Calce setting Sail from the Haven Todos los Sanctos with an old Ship carrying six hundred Men was forc'd to run aground in the Haven of Parayba where he and the chief Commanders were taken Prisoners whilest the Common Soldiers by reason of the scarcity of Provisions were set at liberty Houte-been