the rest and Bahama which lie al north from Câ—ba and saint Doâ—inicâ— The common opinion is that these Islandes were all one land and ioyned to the great Island and by the force of the sea seperated one from the other as it is thought of Iâ—aly and Ciciâ—ia They lie vnder seuenteene and eighteene degrees the people of those Islands are whiter and better proportioned then those of Cuba and Spaignuola specially the women that are verie faire for the which cause many of the firme land went thither to dwel as from Florida Cachora and Iucatan because there they founde more pleasure among the people then in other Islands and great difference in their speech whereupon hath risen the common opinion that in those Islands the Amazons did dwell beeing women that burnt their right breasts the better to shoote in bowes when they went to fight against their enemies and that there was a fountaine that made olde women yong The men go naked onely when they go to wars and when they keepe any feastes or vse to dance then they put on a certaine cotten garment and other garments of diuers coloured feathers finely wrought with a great plume of feathers on their heades Touching the women they haue verie strange customes for the married women or such as haue had the company of a man they couer their priuie members from the Nauel downe to the knees with certaine mantils of cotten made in manner of nets wherein they sticke certaine leaues otherwise they go naked vntil such time as they first perceiue their flowers and then they inuite al their friendes and make a great feast or banket as if they were married with great signes of ioy and then they beginne to hang that kinde of mantle before them wearing the same as long as they are vnmarried They are in great subiection to their maisters in such maner as that if they should command them to throw themselues headlong from off a hil or to do any other thing whatsoeuer they wil not refuse to do it what danger soeuer consisteth therin not once asking wherefore they should doo it but only because the master commandeth it Here also you must note wherein their kings gouernment consisteth which reacheth no further then only concerning sowing or planting the ground hunting fishing for that whatsoeuer is sowed or planted hunted or fished in any respect is onelie in the kings power and done by his commandement which diuideth those kindes of labours among the people directing euerie man what he should do The fruit that is reaped and gathered is brought all into a place appointed and from thence it is yearely deliuered vnto euerie man according as his houshold and necessarie vse requireth so that their Lords are nothing else but kings of Bees stuards distributers of the common goods of the countrey thinke then I beseech you what a golden time those people had where neither this is mine or this is thine was euer heard among them The only wel spring of strife contentioÌ„ Those in the east parts vsing nothing els but playing at the ball fishing and hunting where neither law nor processe was vsed nor decided where onely the kings will was a lawe and in all things were content to obey it They found certaine red stones in shels of fishes much esteemed and accounted of among theÌ„ which they weare at their cares and others more esteemed of which they took out of snakes Hersenen or snailes whereof the flesh is very good to eate of a fire red colour cleare and so like rubies that they could hardly be discerned from them whereof the Snakes in their speech are called Cohoâ—o and the stones Cohibici They gather likewise in the sande vppon the sea side certaine cleare shining stones yellow blacke and other colours whereof they make necklaces and such like Iewels to weare about their necks armes and legs in many places of those Islands they haue no flesh nor eate it not their meate is fish breda of wheate rootes and some fruites The people of these Islands being carried to saint Dominico or Cuba died there with eating flesh it beeing giuen them by the Spaniards In some of those Islands there are so many pigeons other birues which build their nestes in the Trees that many out of the firme land and also from the other Islands come thither and load whole scutes ful and take them with them the trees wherein they breed are like Youngarnet trees the barke hauing a certaine taste like Cinamon and somwhat better and hot like ginger smelling like cloues yet are they not accounted for spices among other fruites they haue a certaine kind by them called Iaâ—â—ma both sauorie and holsome about a span and a halfe long like a fig when it is greene the leafe likewise not much differing from the fig leafe and of the bignesse of a willow tree not close like other trees nor hollow like reedes but fast like Elders the leaues beeing excellent good to heale wounds as the Spaniards haue wel tryed To speake more hereof is needelesse those Islandes of Lucaya are more desolate and not inhabited for because they haue no gold The Spaniards carried many thousandes of them into other places and in seeking for Golde spoyled and destroyed them Hereafter followeth other Islands lying about that coast and first Cuba being one of the principal Islands vnder the Antillas CVba another verie great Islande accounted among the Antillas was by Columbus first foundout and discouered in An. 1492. which he called Fernandinam and Iâ—hannam as also Alpha and Omega as Peter Martin saith and by others the Island is called saint Iacob after the name of the cheefest towne therein which by reason of the great hauen as also the situation therof hath a verie great traffike as hauing on the East side the Islande of Saint Domingo on the West Iucatan on the North the great Cape of Florida and on the South the Island Iamaica all set downe in this Carde It is in forme like vnto a willow leafe because it is longer theÌ„ broad being in length from east to west three hundred miles and from north to south seuenty miles in breadth in some places but fifteene and in some nineteene miles The middle of the Island lieth in longitude 19. degrees and in latitude or height twentie degrees It was long time accounted for firme land because of the greatnesse which is no maruaile for the inhabitants themselues knew no other but that it had no ende and also long after the Spaniards comming thither because the people are poore and naked contented with a little and with their own not seeking any further neither caring what their neighbours did and therefore knew not if there were any other lande vnder the heauens then that wherein they dwelt The ground is high rough and sharpe of hils the sea in many places being white and the riuers small and good water rich of golde and good copper the aire temperate
yet somewhat colde therein is found much Mather seruing to die wooll cloath and leather it is also ful of thicke woods fishponds and faire Riuers of fresh water also of ponds that naturally are salt water In the woods are many hogges and oxen the riuers do oftentimes cast foorth gold in this Island are sixe townes inhabited by Spaniards whereof the first principal is Saint Iacobs the residence and sea of the Bishop but Hauana is the cheefe towne of marchandize and where all their Shippes are made Twoo principal and notable things are by Gonsalo Onetano written of this Island the first that therein is a valley situate betweene two hils in length about two or three Spanish miles wherein nature of it selfe bringeth foorth certaine round balles such as by art cannot possibly bee made rounder and in so great aboundance that they may ballist or loade whole Shippes therewith and are vsed in the shippes in steede of Iron or Leaden bulltes The other is a certaine hil not farre from the sea from whence there floweth pitch in great aboundance and runneth unto the sea where it driueth vppon the shore from place to place as the winde and weather serueth This pitch is vsed by the inhabitants and Spaniards to pitch their shippes The people of the Island are like those of Hispaniola onely differing in speech both men and women go naked and kéepe their bridalles in verie strange manner for that he which is married lieth not the first night with his wife be if it be a Lord he biddeth all the Lordes and one of them doth it for him and if it be a Marchant then Marchants take the paines to helpe him but if it be a countreyman either one of the Lordes or the priest doth ease him of a labour They leaue their wiues for verie smal occasions but the women may not forsake their husbands for any cause whatsoeuer The men are very vnchaste and wicked liuers there are great wormes and snakes in the Island and not venimous but easie to be taken the flesh whereof they eate and are neuer hurt therwith which snakes do liue by eating certaine beastes called Guabiniquinazes whereof many times there are seauen or eight found within their mawes they are in greatnesse like Hares in form like fores onely that their feete are like Conies feete the head like a Wesell a Fores taile long haire like a Badger of colour somwhat red the flesh sauorie and holsome This Islande was verie populous but nowe hath verie few onely certain Spaniards the rest beeing almost cleane rooted out and dead for want of meate Iamaica RIght against Cuba lyeth another Island which stil holdeth the name it alwaies had and is called Iamaica and of the Spaniards saint Iacob it lieth betwéene seuentéene and eightéene degrées on this side the Equinoctiall line on the East side it hath Saint Dominico about fiue and twentie miles distant on the West side the Cape or corner of Iucatana on the north Cubam also fiue and twentie miles distant and somewhat more and on the South another smal Island called Lacerana of fiue and twentie miles distant as the rest This Islande was discouered by Christopherus Columbus in his seconde nauigation into those countreyes and was taken by his son Don Diego gouerning the Island Saint Dominico by one Iohan de Squibel a captaine The breadth of the Islande surpasseth the length for it is from East to West about fiftie miles and from north to south twentie miles it is most inhabited by Spaniards the inhabitants also being burnt and destroyed by them like those of Lucaya The middle of the Island hath the longitude of 191. degrees and latitude or height eighteene degrees and is distant from the line seuenteene degrees on the north side It hath a hill that raiseth it on al sides inward to the middle of the land and so proportionably and euen that it can hardly bee descerned it is verie fruitfull both on the sea side and within the land and in times past verie populous such as were very wittie and subtile more then other of the Islanders thereabouts both in wars and other labours There is likewise gold and verie fine cotten wooll and at this present it is ful of beasts brought thither by the Spaniards and there haue increased The swines flesh is better in that Island then in any other place The cheefe towne in this Island is called Hispalis of Siuilia because of the abby which therein is erected the first abbot being Peter Marti◠borne in Milan an excellent learned man and hee that wrote most concerning this Hystorie Hispaniola or Haiti THe seconde great Islande accounted among the Antillas was by the first inhabitants called Quisqueia or Quisquesia and after that Haiti and then Cipanga Haiti is as much to say as roughnesse or sharpnesse and Quisqueia great land Christopherus Columbus called it Hispaniola and now it is called Saint Dominico after the cheefe Towne in the same Island it was discouered in Anno 1493. on the east side thereof lyeth the Island of Saint Iohn and many others on the West Cuba and Iamaica on the north the Island of the Canibals and on the south the firme land which is the Cape of Vela by Venezuela or little Venice The cōpasse of this Island is 350. miles Benzo saith 400. French miles which is in a manner al one and it is broader then long for in length it is from East to west 150. miles and from north to south 40. miles the middle of the Island lyeth in the longitude of 300. degrees in latitude 19 in it there are verie many and great hauens as Hatibanico Iuua Ozoma Neyua Nizao Nigua Hayna and Iaques which do al runne into the sea There are others that are smaller as Macorix Ciba◠Cotui wherof Macorix is verie ful of fish the other two abounding in gold In this Island are two very strange lakes the one because of the goodnes and profitablenes therof the other by reason of the strangenesse the one comming out of the hilles from whence the Riuer Puizao hath her issue it profiteth no man onely it giueth a feare and a little sinder sulkes The other of Xaragua is salt although many sweete riuers runne into it and hath many fishes among the which are verie great Tortuxes and Tiburones or Hayen it is hard by the sea and is eleuen miles in compasse the riuer sides and shores were much inhabted except the Saline a verie faire hauen and the Riuer Iaques where there is a great salt hil There groweth in this Island great store of very fine blew colour and much brasill wood cotten wooll but they know not how to make any thing of it amber rich mines of gold and is also fished out of lakes and riuers and likewise siluer and other mettals great abundance of sugar it is verie fruitful ground Reddish Lettice and Coleworts beeing sowed therein are within sixteene dayes after ripe and to bee eaten Melons
Cucumbers and Gourdes within sixe and thirtie dayes are also ripe and verie sauory aboue al others whatsoeuer The forme of the Island is like a chesnut tree leafe in the middle of the Island there passeth a stony or rough hil in forme of a mans backe which is called Cibam or Cipangi where in times past much gold was founde out of this hil runneth foure great riuers diuiding the Island into foure partes wherof the one is in the East and is called Iunna the second in the west called Attibunicus the third in the north called Iachem and the fourth in the South called Naxban whereabouts there is much brasile wood and woods of diuers spices but not like our spices which they barter for other wares specially for stooles and dishes of blacke ebanny Vppon the hil of Cibano lyeth the Castle of Saint Thomas There are likewise many townes within this Islande the principall called Saint Dominico made by Bartholomeo Columbo and by him so named because they arriued in that Island vpon saint Dominicks day it lyeth on a plaine ground vpon the sea side and hath aboue fiue hundred houses built after the spanish maner on the West side therof runneth the riuer Ozama or Ozonca into the sea where there is a good hauen in the which manie shippes may anker about this Riuer lyeth verie great and thicke woodes the greatest traffike next their golde is sugar and hides for that al sorts of foure footed beasts being brought thither out of Spaine haue so much increased therein that there are some spaniards in the Isle that haue sixe thousand or eight thousand beastes Isabella and another towne lying on the other side of the same Islande in a valley concerning the situation the people their Religion and customes you may sufficiently reade in the spanish Histories thereof set forth yet will I note some that are verie strange in this Island are certain wormes verie common among them and by the inhabitants called Cuuero in greatnesse as bigge as a ioynt of a mans finger with foure wings two verie little the other two somewhat greater and harder and are as couers to the smaller these wormes shine by night as the sloe wormes here with vs which light doth not onely appeare like a starre casting forth streames and shining out of their eies but also in the whole body so that when they flie and spreade their wings they giue much more light out of their bodyes then when they sitte still in which wormes men may well beholde the great workes and blessings of God by his strange gifts bestowed vpon his creatures for by the light of this little worme the darkest chamber that is in the night time may be made cleare and bright whereby a man may reade write or do any thing not néeding any other light and likewise if a man beare that worme in his hand he shall haue as great a light as if he bore a torch or lanterne and many light others therewith and the more wormes there are the greater will be the light Not farre from Hyspaniola lyeth another small Islande called Mona betweene Hispaniola and Boriquena or Saint Iohns vnder seuenteene degrées on the North side of the line This Islande is small and flatte and euen lande in bignesse about three miles and inhabited by a fewe Indians and Christians it hath verie good water and is ful of fish specially of verie good creuishes Boriquen FRom this Island you come vnto Boriquen now named S. Iohn a rich hauen on the East side it hath the Island of Sancta Croce on the West other small Islandes Northwarde the Islande of Saint Dominico which is fiue and twentie miles distant and on the South the Cape of Paria distant aboue three hundreth thirtie and sixe miles The length of this Islande is more then the breadth for from East to West it is fiftie miles from north to South eighteene miles and is diuided into twoo partes that is the North and the South quarter the middle of the Island lyeth vnder 303. degrees longitude and 18. degrees latitude in forme almost square populous and wel housed hauing many good hauens and woods The inhabitants haue continual warres against the Canibals or such as eate mens flesh This Island was rich of gold on the north side and towardes the south fruitfull of bread fruit grasse and fish it is said these people vsed not to eate any flesh which is to be vnderstood of wilde flesh but they eate many birdes as Pigeons and such like in other things they are like those of Hispaniola onely that they are better souldiers and vse bowes and arrowes in this Islande there is a certaine gumme by them called Taâ—unuo vnholsome and fatty like tallow wherewith and with oyle they dresse their shippes and because it is bitter it preserueth the ships from wormes There is likewise much por wood which is vsed to heale the pore and other diseases This Island was discouered by Chrostopherus Coâ—umbuâ— in his second voyage into India There is a verie strange and notable Historie written of the inhabitants hereof which is that at the first arriual of the Spaniards in that Island they thought the Spaniards to be immortal and neuer died whereof to be assured vppon a time one of their Cariquen or Lords called Vraioa de Yaguara caused one of the Spaniards to be taken and to prooue if he were immortal caused him to be put into a Riuer vnder the water and there holden to see if hee would come foorth aliue but being dead and brought before the king he was thereby assured of their mortalitie whereupon he rose against them and slew 150. of them that were busie in seeking of gold Saint Crus Hay Hay FRom Borequien you come to the Island S. Câ—us in time past by the inhabitants called Hay Hay being inhabited by Canibals or eaters of men as also the next vnto it called Guadalupea by them called Quiâ—ra or Quera which Caribes or Canibales had in short time deuoured at the least 5000. men which they stole and tooke out of the Islandes rounde about them from thence you come to diuers other Islandes which lie like an Archipelago hauing the same name but many of them are likewise called after the forme or fashion that they beare as Anguilla which is an eele as being long and smal Redonda Maria because it is like a spheare verie round Monâ—ratuâ— that is a closed hil because the Island hath high hils round about it ful of people and victuals some of saints as S. Mi 〈…〉 S. Bartholmew S. Barbara Beata â—iâ—gâ— Antigua till you come to the olde Virgin Maryes which lie together in a rowe verie pleasant to beholde some greene others red blew yellow and violet most wonderful to such as saile by them wherof many colours are made Guadalupea BY Antigua lieth Guadalâ—peâ— the cheefe and greatest Islande of Canibals foure degrees distant from the Equinoctiall line it is round aboue 130. miles and diuided by
the poynt is a land which is not ouer lowe where you sée certayne Downes as aforesaide ¶ Here followeth the Nauigation from the Line to the Towne of the Kings called Lyma FRom hence forwarde wee haue declared the coast of Panama in the South sea til you come to the hauen of Quixinus which lieth in the Countrey of Peru now I will goe forward with the course that lieth betweene Quixinus and the towne of Kings so then departing from the poynt de Passos the coast stretcheth south and south and by weast to the hauen called Porto veio or the Old Hauen and before you come thither there lieth the strand called Charaqui wher the ships may put in without any daunger and it is so safe a strand that they may there lay their ships on shoare and mend them if they neede be they neuer so great for it is a good hauen of entraunce onely that in the midle of the entry there lieth certain stones or rugged Islands but the shippes may enter at which side they wil and passe by them without any danger for there is nothing to be shunned but onely that which you sée before your eyes the Olde Hauen lieth vnder one degrée on the south side of the Equinoctiall line and is one of the fiue Townes which the christians or Spaniardes haue built in the flat land of Peru so that Porto Veio signifieth the towne and countrey lying thereabouts which is much ouerrunne wasted because it is a poore vnwholesome country yet it hath certain mines of Sinaragdes which they held long time hidden and by no meanes would discouer them as to this day they yet do They had likewise in times past many golde and siluer vessels which are by the Spaniardes all taken and carried away but now by the kings letters patents being made frée they pay to theyr superiour lords but onely the tenth parte of all their fruits whereby many Spaniards withdrawe themselues from thence séeing their profite to decay The Countrey about Porto Veio was rich of golde where the people made their houses in the trées like birdes nests and because the coast is moorish there is no being for horses whereby it was not so soone subdued by the Spaniardes as also because that out of theyr nests they threw stones iauelines pottes with hot water and whatsoeuer came next to hand whereby they killed many Spaniards wherewith they were forced to couer themselues with boordes and so cut downe the trees before they could ouercome them as also because the Countrey is so rough sharpe and wilde that they could hardely finde prouision for their army there is yet much country thereabouts vnhabited By the Old Hauen two miles within the land is the towne of saint Iacob or Iago which for houses and inhabitants is not inferiour to Porto Veâ—o and thereabouts is the passage of Gainacaua by the Spaniards so called for this occasion that Gaâ—â—acaua the father of Attabalida vpon a certain time sent one of his Captainâ—â— â—â—th a great army to subdue that countrey who minding to passe his people ouer the riuer commanded them to make a bridge of péeces of wood that so they might passe Which being made when his people with their armor and weapons were vppon it the ennemy cutte the ropes wherewith the péeces of wood were fastned together whereby many of them that were vpon it by force of the streame were drowned in the riuer and the rest spoyled by the enemy Which Gainacapa vnderstanding assembled a great number of souldiers and with them departed from Quito and being in the plaine field in open battell he ouercame those people after the which victorie minding to make a passage ouer the riuer that men might passe ouer on foote to the same end he causâ— great numbers of stones and earth to be brought thither and threw them into the riuer being twentie foote broad but whatsoeuer he threw in al wold not preuaile by reason of the great deapth and swiftnesse of the riuer that carried it away by force of the streame which hee perceiuing left off his worke and so departed and therfore the Spaniards haue giuen this place the name of the passage of Gainacaua about the which passage lieth the towne of saint Iacob builded by them About a Spanish mile and a half distant from this town of saint Iacob towardes the south lyeth a round hil by them called Christs Hil. From Porto veâ—o further forward the same course almost foure miles distant in the south lieth the poynt of saint Laurence and two miles and a quarter from thence south-southwest lieth an Island of the same name which is full a mile in compasse wherein the Indians or Peruuians of the firme land in times past vsed to make their sacrifices and offerings killing many lambes shéepe and some children offering their blood vnto their idolles or diuelles whose figures were made and carued in stone to whome they doe vsually pray When Franciscus Pizarius with his thirteene companions trauelled to discouer Peru they entred likewise into this Island where they found certaine iewells of siluer and golde many cloakes and shertes of very faire and fine wooll so that from that time forwards and for the same cause this Island was called Siluer The poynt of saint Laurence lieth vnder one degrée on the south side of the line And as I sayde before Peru beginneth at the line and stretcheth southwarde vnto Chile The people that dwell vnder the line and thereabouts haue the customes and manners of the Iewes Whereby many men are of opinion that they are issued from the Iews or of the race of Cham they speake hoarsely and in the mouth like the Moores and are much giuen to vncleannesse especially that which is wholy against nature whereby they do not well agree with their wiues but rather despise them The women weare neither hayre nor apparell but onely a certaine aprone before their priuities They plant sowe reape and thrash the corne and wheate meale whereof they make breade which wheate in Peru is called Zara the men weare short shertes without sleeues downe to their nauelles their members being vncouered and some goe naked paint their bodies with a black colour their haire being shauen and cut almost like Friars but they leaue no haire neyther before nor behinde their heades but onely vppon the sides it is likewise a common custome with them to weare many Iewels of golde both in their eares and noses specially emerauldes such as are found in those Countries And although the inhabitants will not discouer the mines yet hath it beene perceiued by certaine rough stones on their arms and legs they weare many beades of gold siluer and small tourqueses also of white and red Teekens and Huyzkens but will not haue their wiues to weare anye such touching the situation of the Countrey it is very hote and vnwholesome and there they haue certayne sore biles that issue out vpon their faces and other partes of theyr
of her burthen These beastes are verie profitable and necessary no lesse then Cammels in Egypt Affrica and are fedde with a little Maiz and other meate specially those that they vse to ride vpon to labor and to carry burthens They goe likewise as Cammels doo foure or fiue dayes together without drinking and but little meate some of them called Pachos haue verie fine wool with long fleeces wiâ—h verie good holsome and sauorie flesh like our gammons of Bacon The hauen of Chile or S. Iacomo lieth vnder 32. degrees and 2 â— parts sayling further along the coast in the same course you come to the riuer of Calma distant from Chile eighteene miles it is here also to be considered that all the coast from Tumbez to this place is verie good to sayle by and a calme sea without tempestes or foule weather whereby the shippes may lye at anker where they think good Nine miles from Calma you see the poynt of the riuer called Manque or Mâ—ule in our card Maole and ten miles and a half further there is another riuer called Iâ—ata in our Carde Rio Tatuâ—a and so sailing south and southwest eighteene miles there is another called Biobio lying almost vnder eight and thirtie degrees in the same course kéeping along the shore full eleuen miles distant there is a great Island about foure miles distant from the firme land caled Lucengo and somwhat further beyond this Island is a great broad créeke called Valdiuia in our carde La Baldibia wherein there runneth a great riuer caled Ayntlendo in our Carde Rio Aymlendos this Créeke lieth vnder 39. degrées and â…” Following the same course further by the shore to south southwest you come to the Cape S. Maria lying vnder 42. degrées and 1 â— towards the south and from as the Pilots report the coast reacheth southâ—â—st to the straits of Magellana and betweene them lie many hauens and places needlesse to rehearse as being noted in the carde inwarde in the land there is the Countrey of Patagonen wherein there are Giantes of nine and of tenne foot high that paint their faces with diuerse colours made of hearbs pressing out the sap And heerewith making an end for the rest I referre the Reader to the Carde The end of the second booke THE THIRDE BOOKE The Nauigation of the Portingales into the East Indies containing their trauels by Sea into East India and from the East Indies into Portingall also from the Portingall Indies to Malacca China Iapon the Ilands of Iaua and Sunda both to and fro and from China to the Spanish Indies and from thence backe againe to China as also of al the coast of Brasilia and the Hauens thereof With a description of the Firme land and the Ilands of the Spanish Indies lying before it called Antillas together with the Nauigation of Cabo de Lopo Gonsalues to Angola in the coast of Ethiopia with all the courses Hauens Ilands Depthes Shallowes Sands Drougths Riffes and Cliffes with their situations also the times of the yeares when the winds blow with the true tokens and knowledge of the tides and the weather water and streames in all the Orientall coasts and Hauens as they are obserued and set downe by the Kings Pilots in their continuall and dayly Viages Translated out of Dutch by W. P. IEHOVA I Wolfe excu W Rogers sculp LONDON Printed by John VVolfe 1598. The third Booke The Nauigation of the Portingales into the East Indies containing their trauels by Sea into East India and from the East Indies into Portingall also from the Portingall Indies to Malacca China Iapon the Ilands of Iaua and Sunda both to and fro and from China to the Spanish Indies and from thence backe againe to China as also of all the coast of Brasilia and the Hauens thereof With a description of the Firme land and the Ilands of the Spanish Indies lying before it called Antillas together with the Nauigation of Cabo de Lope Gonsalues to Angola in the coast of Ethiopia With all the courses Hauens Ilands depthes shallowes Sands drougthes Riffes and Cliffes with their situations Also the times of the yeares when the winds blow with the true tokens and knowledge of the tydes and the weather water and stormes in all the Orientall coastes and Hauens as they are obserued and set downe by the Kings Pilotes in their continuall and dayly Viages THE I. CHAPTER Of the courses and Viages of the Portingales into the East Indies FIrst you must vnderstand that all Christendome lyeth on the North side of the Equinoctiall line and Lisbone vnder thirtie nine degrées and a halfe and lyeth with the Iland of Madera Northeast southwest the Viage being 172 Spanish miles and Madera lyeth vnder 32 degrées and is distant from the Iland la Palma which the shippes sayling to India may easily perceiue 63. miles The Iland la Palma lyeth vnder 28. degrées ¼ from thence you must sayle Southward as long as time will permit for commonly when you come vnder fiue or sixe degrées you find south eastwardes and then you must saile south-southwest as much as you can vntill you passe the cape of S. Agustine which lieth vnder 8 degrees ½ on the south side that is vpon the coast of Brasilia from the Ilande la Palma to this Cape of Saint Augustine are 900. miles the course lying Northeast and south-southwest when you are past the point you must sayle south-Southwest because the winde is there commonly south and southeast and from the Ilands of Tristan da Cunlia lying vnder 34. degrées on the south side of the Equinoctial you must hold south-southwest and when you thinke you haue passed these Ilands you must sayle till you come vnder 36. degrées and kéepe Eastward vntill you haue passed the Cape de Bona Speranza and then you must holde Northeast towardes the land and hauing knowne the land according to the place you then haue knowne you shall set your course to Mosambique or outward about the Iland of Saint Laurence from the Cape of Saint Austine to the Cape de Bona Speranza are 1060. miles which Cape de Bona Speranza lyeth full vnder 34 degrées and a halfe on the south side of the Equinoctiall and is East southeast and West Northwest with the Cape Das Agulhas which is 32. miles and Cape das Agulhas is full vnder 35. degrées lying with the Cape do Infante East and West and somewhat East and by North and West and by South the course is 26. miles Cabo do Infante is vnder 34. degrées and 2 â— and lyeth with the Cape Talhado East Northeast and West Southwest 19. miles Cabo Talhado is vnder 34 degrées lyeth with Bahija Fermosa East and West 1â— miles Bahija Fermosa is vnder the same hight of Cabo Talhado and lyeth with the Ilands Chanos East northeast and West Southwest 37. miles and with the first point called Punta Primiera Northeast and Southwest and somewhat Northeast and by East and southwest by West the course is 50.
to say truth there are none Those Islandes being past it is good to take your course Southwest till you come to foure degrees and from thence south southwest to three degrées on the south side of the Equinoctiall from Cochin all the way aforesaid to this place The compasse lieth northwest a strike and a halfe beeing vnder three degrees on the south side of the line then you begin to haue the thunder out of the west and northwest with a stiffe winde and from thence you shall hold south and south by west to ten or twelue degrees in which you shal haue the wind southeast vnder these twelue degrees the compasse holdeth northwestward a strike and â— parts but shall not therfore be made any abatement in your reckoning for it is often found that the water or streame doth there run to the west which would then be two faults for that as I vnderstand it in this course you must account all that is said the ship hath gone because you shall likewise find streames that draw to the southeast being at 12 degrees as I said before til you be vnder 15. degrees theÌ„ you haue the winde sometime south southeast then you must not lie westward for it is not good but rather runne east and east southeast alwaies keeping good watch to the eightéenth degrée vnder the which lieth the droughtes called 〈◊〉 Baxios dos Garagiaus and hauing a south-East wind then it is good to hold your course southwest vntill you discouer the Island of Diego Rodâ—ges and if it lieth right before you then you shall sée some of the birdes called Alcatrases and some hearbes called Saâ— driuing in the water and there the compasse goeth no higher but beginneth from thence againe to diminish or lessen when you are past this Island or the point thereof then runne southwest and southwest and by west to 26. degrees vnder the which height lieth the first point of the Island of S. Laurence as soone as you are vnder this height then you shall hold your course west southwest to 29. degrees and from thence west and west and by south and to know when you are north and by south with the Island of Saint Laurence that is with the middle of the vttermost land on the south side then marke the compasse well and if you bee by the countrey aforesaid then your compasse will bee a strike and 1 â— one from the other northwestward from thence you shall hold your course as winde and weather serueth for being from about the 15. of Aprill till the last of May it is necessary to haue the Firme land on boarde for that there at those times you haue the winde North and northwest and being in the monthes of Februarie and March then the winde is east and south where you must rule your course as the wind serueth and being right with the land north south then the compasse shall leaue a strike rather more than lesse to the Northwest which is a certaine signe to bee right against it but if it be more then assure your selfe you are not by the land then beeing 30. or 40. miles from thence and though you be but 30 miles from the land you shall see gréene water but you finde no ground The compasse that I speake of shall be sixe and euen at the Cape das Agulhas with those that make them leane northeastward in Portingall a halfe strike rather lesse then more and when you come to the Cape das Agulhas and hetherwards as long as you haue not muddie ground you are not at the Cape das Agulhas wherefore spare not often to cast your lead for it will be for your owne good Passing the Cape das Agulhas to the cape de Bona Speranza it is not good to saile northwest as long as you haue ground for that therewith you should not passe the Cape de Bona Speranza but being past it then runne northwest til you come to 16. degrees vnder the which height the Island of Saint Helena doth lie or to 16. degrees and 1 â— and when you come to that height then run west and somewhat southerlie or the first meale tide west and by south because of the compasse of the sea in some streames for I thinke you shall finde no more heights although you should sayle west and by south and sayling on that course you shall continue it 50. miles further but no more and when you perceiue the Island and cannot reach it by day then strike all your small sayles holding about 5. miles from thence in such manner that in the night time you hold west and west and by north there the compasse beareth full northeast halfe a strike and as you make your reckinng well in your course from the cape de Bona Speranza to this Island with the aduantage of the compasse as it ought to be you shall find that it lieth aboue seauentie miles more westward then it standeth in the Sea Card departing from this Iland to saile to Portingall and to sée the Iland called Ascention you shall run northwest and northwest and by west for 70. miles then you shal goe somewhat Easternly as some doe then it wil be needful to saile 100. miles northwest and by west and from thence northwest vntill you come by the generall wind but come no nearer vnto the land for then you should not make a good voiage and although the south winde doth continue longer in this course which bringeth you to twelue fourtéene degrées on the north side yet leaue it not for that neyther put close vnder the coast of Guinea when you haue the general wind although you might more westernly neyther leaue off therefore to follow your course for it will be large enough althougl sometimes it scanteth because you are close by the land It is good to kéepe 150. or 200. miles from the coast for although that by the sea cardes you finde your selfe to bee two hundred miles from the land notwithstanding you are a good way nearer the reason whereof is that you sayle from the point of the Island of S. Helena which lieth in the sea carde and not from the Island that lieth 70. miles westward as aforesaid and although the pointes doe assuredly lie towards the Island Flores it therfore maketh no reason that it is not so as I say for that in the course through the sea where you finde the hearbe Sargosso the winde being there alwaies northeast the sea or streame runneth to the Antilhas or fore Iland of the Spanish Ilandes whereby the ships doe so little multiplie in the course of Sargosso if these waters and streames doe chance to meete the ships when they are in the course of Sargosso it happeneth often times that the ships beare too loofeward but very seldome and it happeneth oftentimes that by Guinea the streame runneth northward and being somewhat neere the land then the water draweth you presently to the land also the
not suddainely vppon you for it by vnaduisednes it should fall forwards vpon you it were not possible for you to find any meanes to keepe your selfe from being ouerwhelmed in the sea without the speciall fauour of God for that they come with most great furie and outragiously but if you chance in the beginning of Februarie to bee by the furthest point of S. Laurence 70. or 80. miles inward to the Sea then take your course to the Cape Das Agulhas for then you shall find the windes alwaies Southeast so you passe not further into the Sea then 36. degrees which Nauigation you shall make departing out of India in the ninth of December you haue ground by the Cape Das Agulhas at twentie and twentie fiue miles from the land at a hundred and a hundred and thirtie Fadome déepe vnder thirtie sixe degrees and a halfe The 9. Chapter The Nauigation or course from Monte Deâ—â—n to Portingal which is the chiefe hill in India and lyeth in the countrie of Malabar sixe miles Northwarde from Cananor and from Goa sixtie one miles Southward DEparting from the hill or Monte Delijn towards Portingall by the way without the Iland of Saint Laurence so set you Northeast south-southwest with the hill Monte Delijn taking your course East and East and by South and then you shall come by an Iland lying vnder 10. degrées and a halfe fiftie miles from Monte Delijn and then you must take your course south-Southwest and Southwest and by West and then you shal come 25. miles beyond this Iland vnder the hight of 9. degrées and frac34 taking care not to goe more southward towardes the Iland of Maldiua from whence halfe a mile it is déep and faire and as soone as you are past this Iland whether it be early or late in the yeare then runne southwest and southwest and by South vntill you haue past the line and if there you finde the wind West then runne South and South and by West if you can if not southward which is a good way and in this course you hold fréely without feare if in this course from 13. degrées vpwards you find diuers Birdes called Garagiaus flying in companies together feare not therefore to follow your course being late in the yeare then alwaies keepe on the South side thereby to auoide the drougthes called Oâ— Baixos de Lopo Soares and Garagiaus lying vnder 16. degrées holding this course you may boldly sayle both by day and night for you shall find no let as I my selfe haue well tryed The 16. degrées not being past you must also passe betweene the drougthes aforesaid and the Iland of Brandaon and comming to the hight there loose a nights sayle to bee the surer and make your account that when you find many Birdes called Garagiaus with other speckled Birdes among them flying in companies together then you are 40. miles beyond the Ilande from whence you shall saile southwest and southwest and by South for certaine meale tides and it being early in the yeare when you set sayle from India then auoide all those Ilands and drougthes and take your course to Sea wards towards the Cape Das Agulhas and if it chance that about the seuenth of Februarie you find your selfe 100. miles little more or lesse from the furthest point of the Iland of S. Laurence that is vnder his hight as I haue béene then runne West southwest vntill you bee vnder the hight of the Cape de Bona Speranza take héede to the streame that might deceiue you because there in Februarie they runne verie swift by reason of the East windes which as then blow verie swiftly so runne your course to the Cape de Bona Speranza till you be vnder 36. degrées and a halfe and when you are by the Cape Das Agulhas then looke when it is noone by the Astrolabe and if as then it is likewise noone by the sunne Diall or not wanting aboue the thicknesse of a thréede then it is a good signe as well outward as comming backe to Portingall for ther the néedles of the Compasse are right and a like and being vpon the one side or the other they will lie either Northeast ward or Northwest ward as you are past the Meridionall line and so much it differeth from equalitie with the Sunne Diall also when you come to the Cape Das Agulhas or further forward then looke vpon the water and if it be gréene then turne backe againe vnder 36. degrées and a halfe and cast foorth your Lead and you shall find 30. fadome deepe and being vnder 36. degrées 2 â— degrées you shall find 90. fadome and then you shall not sée many blacke Rauens with white billes nor Alcatrases but on both sides of the Cape Das Agulhas you shall sée many both on the coast and 20. miles to Sea ward but not further and you shall find the water so that you be not vpon the depthes aforesaid light and gréenish as also some of the Sas-been driuing in the water and as soone as you haue found grounds without séeing the land of Cape de Bona Speranza then runne still along by this ground till you loose it and then bee assured that you are past the Cape Das Agulhaas then holde your course West Northwest and so you shall find 12. miles from the Cape and when you begin to leaue it then you shall begin to sée thicke Reedes swimming vppon the water for the space of ten or fiftéene miles from thence In the course aforesaid and when you sée them it is a good tooken and you may be assured to haue past the Cape de Bona Speranza when you are by the Cape Das Agulhas then marke the Sunne Diall and the water of the ground and they will shew you when you are there for by this Cape the néedles of the Compasses are fix and euen and within or without that Cape they lie either Northeastward or Northwest ward as I said before the Nauigation from the Cape de Bona Speranza to Portingal is without danger to the Equinoctiall for that you alwaies find a Southeast wind and from the line to Portingall it is dayly sayled whereby it is commonly knowne to euerie simple Pilot yet such as are desirous to know it may sée it in this Booke where it is set downe as also in mine owne Viage from India to Portingall where it is particularly declared till you come to the towne of Lisbone The 10. Chapter Of the right tokens and knowledge of the Cape Das Correntes and the Ilands as Ilhas Premeiras and of all the Hauens and coasts of Mosambique THe bankes of Soffala begin at the Cape de S. Bastian and reach to the Ilands Primeras all along the coast and the coast lyeth North and South to Soffala and hath somwhat of North and West South and East herein are some ryuers but onely fit for small shippes the ryuer called Mataca or Monemone lyeth vnder 21. degrées and a
Mossambique Being at Mossambique wee were foure of our Fléete in company together only wanting the Saint Phillip which had holden her course so nere the coast of Guinea the better to shun the Flats of Bracillia that are called Abrollios whereon the yere before she had once fallen that she was so much becalmed that she could not passe the Equinoctiall line in long time after vs neyther yet the cape de Bona Speranza without great storms foule weather as it ordinarilie happeneth to such as come late thether whereby shee was compelled to compasse about came vnto Cochin about two months after we were al ariued at Goa hauing passed and endured much misery and foule weather with sicknes and diseases as swellings of the legs and the scorbuicke and paine in their bellies c. The 4. Chapter The description of Mossambique which lieth vnder 15. degrees on the South side of the Equinoctiall line vppon the coast of Melinde otherwise called Abex or Abexim MOssambique is a Towne in the Iland of Prasio with a safe although a small hauen on the right side towardes the cape they haue the golden mines called Sofala on the left side the rich towne of Quiloa and by reason of the foggie mistes incident to the same the place is both barren vnholsome yet the people are rich by reason of the situation In time past it was inhabited by people that beleeued in Mahoomet being ouercom kept in subiection by the tirant of Quiloa his lieftenant which the Arabians called Zequen that gouerned them Mossambique is a little Iland distant about halfe a mile from the firme land in a corner of the said firme land for that y e firme land on the north side stretcheth further into y e sea theÌ„ it doth before it there lie two smal Ilands named S. George S. Iacob which are euen w t the corner of the firme land and betwéene those two Ilands not inhabited the firme land the ships doe sayle to Mossambique leauing the Ilands southward on the left hand and the firm land â—n the north and so without a Pilot compasse about a mile into the sea to Mossambique for it is déepe enough and men may easily shun the sands that lie vpon the firme land because they are openly séene The ships harbour so neare to the Iland and the â—ortresse of Mossambique that they may throw a stone out of their ship vppon the land and sometimes farther and lie betwéene the Iland and the firme land which are distant halfe a mile from each other so that the ships lie there as safely as in a riuer or hauen The Iland of Mossambique is about halfe a mile in compasse flat land and bordered about with a white sand Therein growe many Indian palmes or nut trées some Orange Apple Lemmon Citron and Indian Figge trées but other kindes of fruit which are common in India are there verie scarce Corne and other graine with Rice and such necessarie marchandizes are brought thether out of India but for beasts and foule as Oâ—en shéep Goats Swine Hennes c. there are great aboundance and very good and cheape In the same Iland are found shéepe of fiue quarters in quantitie for that their tayles are so broad and thicke that there is as much flesh vpon them as vpon a quarter of their body and they are so fatte that men can hardlie brooke them There are certaine Hennes that are so blacke both of feathers flesh and bones that being sodden they séeme as black as inke yet of very swéet taste and are accounted better then the other whereof some are likewise found in India but not so many as in Mossambique Porke is there a very costly dish and excellent faire and swéete flesh and as by experience it is found it farre surpasseth all other flesh so that the sicke are forbidden to eate any kinde of flesh but onely Porke because of the excellency thereof MOssambique signifieth two places one which is a whole kingdome lying in Africa behinde the cape of Bona Speranza betweene Monomotapa Quiloa the other certaine Ilands herafter drawne and described lying on the south side of the Equinoctiall line vnder 14. degrees and a halfe whereof the greatest is called Mossambique the other two Saint Iacob and Saint George These Ilands lie almost in the mouth of a riuer which in Africa is called Moghincats About Mossambique is a verie great a safe hauen fit to receiue and harbour all ships that come and goe both to from Portingal the Indies and although both the Kingdome and the Iland are not very great yet are they very rich and abundant in all kinde of thinges as appeareth in the description of the same Mossambique the chiefe greatest of them is inhabited by two maner of people Christians and Mahometanes the Christians are Portingales or of the Portingales race there is also a castle wherin the Portingales keepe garrison from whence also all other castles and fortes thereabouts are supplied with their necessaries speciallie Sofala where the rich mine of Gold lieth there the Portingale ships doe vse to harbour in winter time when of wind or by meanes of foule weather they cannot accoÌ„plish their voiage The Indian ships doe likewise in that place take in new victuals and fresh water This Iland beeing first discouered by the Portingales was the only meanes that they found the Indies for that froÌ„ thence they vsed to take Pilots which taught them the way touching the manner and customes of these people read the Authors description at large they are good shooters in musket and caliuer and expert Fishermen Sayling along further by the coast towardes the Indies you passe by Quiloa which in times past was called Rapta not great but verie faire by reason of the great trees that grow there which are alwaies fresh and greene as also for the diuersities of victuals it is also an Ilande lying about the mouth of the great Riuer Coauo which hath her head or spring out of the same lake from whence Nilus doth issue This Iland is inhabited by Mahometans and they are all most white apparelled in silk and clothes of cotton wooll their women weare bracelets of gold and precious stones about their neckes and armes they haue great quantitie of siluer workes are not so browne as the men well membered their houses are commonly made of stone chalke and wood with pleasant gardens of all kind of fruit and sweet flowers from this Iland the kingdome taketh his name This point asketh a larger discourse which you shal finde in the leafe following They haue no swéet water in this Iland to drinke but they fetch it from the firme land out of a place called by the Portingales Cabaser and they vse in their houses great pots which come out of India to kéepe their water in The Portingales haue therein a verie faire and strong castle which now about 10. or 12. yeares past was fullie
all the boates being still abord which commonly doe hang at her at the least a mile or halfe a mile within the sea because it is calme This ship called the Arrelikia beginning in this manner to sayle among other romaâ— that stood vpon the hatches there were certaine hennes cages from whence certaine hennes flew out whereupon euery man claimed them for his owne and vpon a Sunday as in such cases it is commonly seene they ranne all on a heape vpon the one side wherby the ship being light of Balast and laden with many chestes aboue the hatches as I said before it swaied so much on the one side that by little and little it suncke cleane vnder the water so that not aboue a handfull of the maste could be seene aboue the water The people leaped into the â—oats that as yet were hanging about the ship which was good Fortune for them otherwise there had not one escaped aliue but by that meanes they were all saued the slaues onely excepted that were bound with iron chaines and could not stirre and so they were drowned God knoweth what riches was lost in her for nothing was saued but some few chestes that stood aboue the hatches which the Duckers got vp and yet the goods in them was in a manner spoyled and the rest vtterly lost by this it may be considered what manner the Portingales vse in lading of their ships and that it is to bee thought that as many ships as are cast away whereof there hath bin heard no newes or tydinges are onely lost by meanes of euill order and gouernment This being so vnluckily fallen out the Marchants vsed all the speed and meanes they could by witnesses to make protestation against the Officers and the Factors of the pepper that they might be punished for taking out the Ballast but they kept themselues out of the way and by prolonging of time it was forgotteâ—â—nd nothing done therein so that the Marchants that had receiued all the losse were glad to put it vp In the same moneth came newes out of Malacca that it was in great danger that many died there for hunger as also that the ship that went from Portingall thether was forced to stay there because they had no victuals to dispatch it away and likewise that the straight of Sumaria was kept by the enemy so that there could no shippes passe that way to China or Iapan This was done by the Kinges of Sumaria that is to say the kinges of Achem and â—or lying by Mâ—lacca vpon the Firme land which rebelled against the Portingales in Malacca vppon a certaine iniurie done vnto them by the Captaine there These newes put Goa in a great alteration for that their principall traffique is to China Malacca and Iapan and the Ilâ—ndes bordering on the same which by meâ—nes of those warres was wholly hindeâ— whereupon great numbers of â—ustes gallies and ships were prepared in Goa to relieue Malacca and all the townes men tasked euery one at a certaine summe of mony besides the money that was brought from other places and men taken vp to serue in the ships for by means of their late ouerthrowes and losse of ships India was at that time very weake of men In the month of May Anno 1587. there came a ship or galley of Mosambique vnto Goa bringing newes that the ship S. Phillip had bin there and taken in the lading of pepper that was in the ship called S. Laurenâ— that had ariued there in her Voyage towards Portingall and was all open aboue the hatches and without mastes most of her goods being throwne into the sea whereby miraculouslie they saued their liues and by fortune put into Mosambique In this ship called S. Philâ—ip were the young Princes the kings children of Iapan as is before declared From Mosambique came the same Galley that brought the newes to Goa the same Galley likewise brought newes of the Army that was sent out of Goa in December 1586. being the yeare before vnto the coast of Melinde or Abex to reuenge the iniurie which they had receiued in the Fléete whereof Ruy Gâ—nsalues da Camara was Captaine as I saide before as also to punish the townes that at the same time had vnited themselues with the Turke and broken league with the Portingales Of this armie was Generall a gentleman called Martin 〈◊〉 de Mello wherewith comming vpon the coast of Abex or Melinde which lyeth betweene Mosambique and the red sea they went on land because the Turks whome they sought for were gone home through the read sea they determined to punish and plague the townes that had fauored the Turkes and broken their aliance with them and to the same end entred into the countrie as farre as the townes of Pate and Bâ— that little thought of them and easily ouerrâ—n them because most part of the people fled to saue themselues left the townes whereby the Portingales did what pleased them burning the townes and razing them to the ground with others that lay about them and among those that fled to saue theÌ„selues they tooke the King of Pate whose head in great furie they caused to bee striken off and brought it vnto Goa where for certaine daies it stood vpon a maste in the middle of the towne for an eâ—ample to all others as also in signe of victorie wherewith the Portingales began to be somewhat incouraged and so they went from thence to Ormus and from Ormus they were to goe help the King of Persia as the Viceroy had commanded them but being at Ormus many of their men fell sick and died among the which their Generall Martin Alfonso da Metto was one whereupon they returned againe vnto Goa without doing any other thing The same armie sayling to the coast of Abex and falling on the Island of Zamzibar which lieth vnder sixe degrees on the south side about 70. miles froÌ„ Pate towards Mosambique about 18. miles from the Firme land there they found the Saint Saluador that came from Cochiin sayling towards Portingall being all open hauing throwne all her goods ouerboard sauing only some pepper which they could not come at and were in great danger holding themselues by force of pumping aboue the water vppon the point to leaue being all wearie and readie to sink which they certainly had done if by great good fortune they had not met with the armie which they little thought to finde in those parts The Armie tooke the shippe with them to Ormus where the rest of the pepper and goods remaining in her were vnladen and the ship broken in péeces and of the bordes they made a lesser shippe wherein the men that were in the great ship with the rest of the goods that were saued in her sailed to Portingall after a long and wearisome voiage ariued there in safetie The 17. of September 1587. a Galliot of Mosambique arriued at Goa bringing newes of the ariual of foure ships in Mosambiquâ— that came
and do ouerflow more then they are in the furder and very drie countries for in Egypt not accounting Alexandria with the places bordering on the same where it neuer raineth it is holden for a verie strange wonderful thing how the riuer Niâ— should grâ—w so high ful of thicke muddie water and alwaies at one time of the yeare not fayling therein thereby refreshing the earth and giuing foode both to man and beast whereby the ancient inhabitants of those countries did vse to offer sacrifices vnto that Riuer calling it as Ptolomeus in his fourth booke rehearseth a good Spirit and yet at this day many Christians esteeme it for a miracle for that without the increase thereof they would die for hunger their liues â—as Iohn Chrisostome sayth consisteth of the increasing of the waters so then the Northwest winds that in our summer time which is their winter blow in our countries are the meanes in those countries to gather cloudes and moystures vpon the high hilles from whence their raine proceedeth which raine is the cause that their countrey is not so colde as ours ingendering in those hot countries a certaine kinde of warme water Those raines then are likewise the cause of the growing ouerflowing of the riuer Niâ—us and other riuers in those countries wherof the inhabitants haue deuised and written to many fables But in their summer which is our winter there bloweth contrary windes as south and southeast which without al doubt are cold as blowing from the contrarie part of the Pole Antarctike and coole those countries as our winds do here in these countries like as with theÌ„ they cause a faire cleare aire so with vs they cause great store of raines by a certain natural disposition of the heauens the climates ruled and gouerned by the high wisedom of God that hath diuided the heauens ordained the course of the sun and other planets in such maner that al parts of the earth by their light brightnes are filled with warmth and coldnes therein do continue with great proportion and equalitie so that for certain if the freshnesse and coldnes of those winds did not refresh the countreyes of Ethiopia Congo and other places bordering on the same it were impossible for the inhabitants to indure the heate The same windes likewise doo refresh and comfort the inhabitants of Grecia the Islands of Candia and Cipies the countries of Asia Mynor and those of Suria and Egypt which liue by the refreshing of those generall Northwest west winds which rightly by the Grecians are called Zoephero that is bringing life those also are the cause that in Ethiopia Congo and other countries bordering thereon it neuer Snoweth no not vpon the highest hilles vnlesse it bee further off towardes the Cape de Bona Speranza or in some certaine places by the Portingales called Snow hilles as in Congo they finde neither Ice nor snow which with them would bee more esteemed then gold therewith to coole their drink so that the Riuers do not increase by the melting of snow but only by means of the coÌ„tinual raine of fiue moneths as I said before But returning to our former matter you may trauel to Congo by two waies one by the main sea to S. Helena and so further ouer or along by the coast of Affrica to the Island of Saint Thomas and so to the Cape of Lopes Gonzales lying vnder one degree vppon the South side of the Equinoctiall line about 21. Duch miles from Saint Thomas Island and from thence they saile with the wind that commeth off the land along the coast euerie euening casting anker in some creeke or hauen vntill they arriue at the place where they desire to be The kingdome of Congo beginneth at the Cape de S. Catharina which lyeth on the South side of the Equinoctial line vnder two degrees and a halfe and passing along the coast you saile by certain hils and strands not woorth the noting till you come to two creekes in forme somewhat like a paire of spectacles where there is a good hauen called Baro D Aluaro Gonzales that is the creeke or hauen of Aluaro Gonzaleâ— not farre from it runneth a little riuer into the sea by reason of the rednesse thereof by the Portingales called Rio de â—as Boreras Râ—slas because the water runneth ouer a certaine redde sande that coloureth the water at that place beginneth a high hill called by the Portingales la Sierra Complida that is a long hill passing further there is another riuer called â—a â—e â—as Almadias which is as much to say as the creeke or hauen for shippes because in that place many bankes are made in the mouth of this riuer there lyeth three Islands wherof the greatest is the middle being inhabited wherein there is a hauen for little ships the other two are not inhabited Parting from thence you come to the great riuer of Congo called Zaâ—e taking his beginning or spring partly froÌ„ the same lake froÌ„ whence the riuer Nylus doth flow This riuer casteth forth so great aboundance of water that it is incredible for that before it runneth into the sea it is at the least 5. miles broad on y e vpper part it is fresh water for 8 10. 16 Duch miles vnto the red sea whereby the pilots sailing ouer it know what place they are in Vpwards into this riuer you may saile with great barks she length of fine miles but not higher by reason of the discending and fall thereof from a steep high ground as the riuers of Nilus Donow and Rhein do in some places which are called Cataraâ—tas that is shedings or fallings of waters making so great a noyse that it may bee heard a great way from it In this riuer at the entry into the sea are many Islands al inhabited and very populous that haue diuers gouernours al subiectes to the king of Congo In tunes past those Islands made warres one against the other in certaine scutes cut out of the bodie of a great tree in their language called Licondo whereof some are so great that sixe men cannot fadome them with height and length correspondent so that one of the greatest being cutte in proportion of a scute woulde holde two hundred men Those scutes they rowe with ores wherwith they make great speede euery man hauing an ore and a bowe and when they fight they lay downe the ore and vse their bowe and to steere and winde those scutes they vse no other ruther than one of those ores In this riuer there are many strange beastes specially Crocadiles that are very great in their language called Carman the sea horse and another that seemeth to haue handes and a taile like vnto a Flaske which they call Ambize Angulo that is a sea hogge because it is as fatte as a hogge it hath a good and sauoury flesh not like fish although it bée a fish which feedeth not of that which is in the riuer but eateth
miles Punta Primiera is vnder 32. degrees and lyeth from the last land called Terra do Natal 50. miles which is vnder 30. degrées and a halfe and lyeth with the land called Terra dos Fumos Northeast and Southwest and somewhat of Northeast and by North and Southwest by South and the course is 75. miles the land of Terra dos Fumos is vnder 27. degrees and a halfe and lyeth with the Cape das Correntes Northeast and Southwest and somewhat Northeast and by East and Southwest and by West the course is 95. miles Cabo das Correntes is vnder 24. degrees and a halfe and lyeth with Insulas Primieras Northeast and Southwest and somwhat Northeast and by North Southwest and by West the course is 132 miles the Insulas Primieras are scarce vnder 17. degrees and a halfe and lye with Mosambique Northeast and Southwest the course is 52. miles Mosambique is vnder 15. degrees and putting forth from Mosambique towards India you must sayle Northeast vntill you come before the Iland of Comora the course is 80. miles till you come vnder 11. degrées and then you must yet take your course Northeast vnto the Iland As Ilhas do Almirante which are vnder thrée degrées and a halfe on the south side being past those Ilands you must take your course Northeast and Northeast and by East wherewith you shal come to the Ilands As Ilhas Queimadas which are vnder 16. degrées vppon the coast of Goa or India here you must remember that at this time the streames in that countrie doe alwaies runne Northwest that is towards the Straights of Mecca or to the red Sea therefore presently when you are vnder 16. degrées to kéepe your right course you shall stil hold your course aforesaid which is Northeast and by East or somewhat more as you finde occasion your Compasse will alwaies shew you what you may doe and thus must you sayle for y e space of 200 miles towards the coast of India being sure you goe no lower then 15 degrées to auoide the drougths called Os Baixos de Pandua which lie vnder 13. degrees Northward also when you thinke to bee vppon the coast of India you must still hold aboue 16. degrées for that the streame and water vpon that coast runneth Southward commonly the wind is there out of the North Northwest and to know when you are vppon the coast of India you shal find these tokens that is 300. miles from the coast you shall see Crabbes and 50. miles from the coast you find Snakes in the water as big as Eales or Lampernes which is alwayes most certain and within 20. miles from the land you haue ground at 80. fadome and 14. or 15. miles from the shore 70. fadome you néed not feare to fall on the coast for it is faire and without danger and hath good Ankeridge and all the Ilands and Cliffes vpon the coast lie close to the Firme land whereby there is no danger and all the coast called India lie North and South and somewhat North and by West and south and by East and you must vnderstand that al the coast of India Persia Arabia the Straights of Mecca or the red sea the coast of Choramandel Seylon Bengalen Pegu Sian Malacca Camboia Cauchinchina China Iapon c. lie on the north side of the Equinoctiall line The 2. Chapter The course or viage to East India made and set downe by the Kings Pilot called Diego Astonso a Portingall SAyling from Lisbone to the Iland of Madera you must set your corse Southwest and make towards the Iland Porto Santo from thence you must passe betwéene the Iland Deserta and Madera shunning the Ilands or Cliffes called Os Saluagiens lying two miles southwestward froÌ„ the Madera for thereabouts are great drougthes which by night are very dangerous you may passe by theÌ„ on the East side so keepe your course to the Iles of Canares and hauing passed those Ilands of Canares you must set your course Southward till you come vnder 14. degrées kéeping 50. miles downwards from Cabo Verde and from thence you must set your course southwest and Southwest and by West till you come vnder 6. degrées and from thence southwest and southwest and by South so y t you hold your course 70. miles from the drougth of the ryuer called Rio Grande 80. miles from Saint Anna alwaies doing your best to get vnder the Equinoctiall line letting your course stil be somwhat about the south and if the wind be South then rather chuse the East then the West side although you be vnder the line and as long as you haue no Southeast wind hold Eastward not once approching the land called I' erra do Mallagetta neerer theÌ„ 50. or 60. miles distant and when you haue the Longitude and Latitude whereby you may know you haue passed the Cape Das Palmas then when you Lauere make short turnings I meane vnder the line or on this side therof least the streame should driue you within the Cape aforesaid but rather stricke all your Sayles then driue in there for otherwise you cannot saue your selfe neither yet get into India I haue before shewed you what you shall do being an hundred fortie myles vnder the lyne then crosse right ouer so to passe before Brasilia for that following the way and course aforesayd you can not fayle but you must néedes passe by Brasilia on the aforesaid coast of Malagetta the streame with a new Moone runneth Southwest therefore as then you shall not set your course towards Brasilia being vnder the lyne but when you set your course South West hold you as long therein as the wynd continueth good and then vse all speed and diligence as I sayd before to passe the lyne ouer the syde of Brasilia thereby to get vnder eyght degrees vnder the which lyeth the poynt called Cabo de S. Augustin and then if vnder those eight degrees you desire to leaue the sight of the land then turne not vpon the other syde but rather cast anker vntill the wynd commeth good to keepe on your course and you must vnderstand that the streame on this syde of Brasilia Cape de S Augustin and that couÌ„trey runneth to the Antillas which are the Ilands of new Spayne wherefore I thinke it not your best way to Lauere for if you do without all doubt you will be forced to turne againe vnto Poâ—tingaleâ— from thence y t shall take an other way vnto the Iland of Martin Vaas hauing past the lyne the righter you keepe this way it is the better From the Iland of Martin Vaas or from the hight vnder which they lie to the Ilandes of Tristan de Cunha hauing a fore wind you shal hold your right course without any racking or abatement of your reckening for those Ilands lie with the others all vnder one longitude and latitude with the difference that the Compasse hath in those Countries that is by the Ilandes of Tristan de
winde comming most out of the northwest and north which letteth you from sayling northwest and being to Seaward you shal rather haue a northeast wind and although you haue many meanes to kéepe you from going close vnder the coast of Guinea I set this downe here because I haue noted it my selfe for that all the ships in what course soeuer they be which presently winde themselues to kéepe aloofe from the coast of Guinea being in the course of Sargosso they haue no full winde but onelie northeast windes and sometimes calmes which sailing to lee ward you find not where you haue the winde east and east southeast All the shippes that come from the Antilhas or Spanish Ilandes the scarsest windes that they finde are out of the East whereby you may vnderstand that when you hold farre off from Guinea it is no cause of hauing a longer Voyage but you shall the sooner finde a better and fuller winde and so when you come vnder twentie degrees and that the compasse keepeth steedie to twentie fiue degrees then you are not to lee ward there you beginne to sée the hearbe Sargosso whereby that hearbe is called Sargosso and make no reckning of being too loofeward or too léeward for there is no certaintie thereof so when you saile north and northeast and that the néedle of the compasse lieth not north westward thē be wel assured that the Iland Flores is right before you continuing so till you come to the Iland of Fayael which is one of the Flemmish Ilands called as Ilhas dos Alcores The compasse that within S. Helena was full halfe a strike Northeastward will be full if you marke it well and when you come vnder thirtie sire or thirtie nine degrees and ⅓ then you shall see the Iland Flores with some Torteaur in the water and being fortie miles from the Iland Flores towardes the coast then you shall sée the birdes Garagiaus and Duckers and the compasse will in a manner be euen and if there be any difference it will bee somewhat northeastward for from the Iland Flores to the Iland Fayael the compasse is full as six as I said before The 8. Chapter The course and Nauigation from India to the Cape de Bona Speranza set downe by another Portingall Pilot. WHEN you depart from Cochiin to sayle for Portingall you must doe your best to get vnder tenne degrees and a halfe till you be 50. miles West south west from it whereby you will bee scarse vnder 10. degrées vnder the which hight lyeth the Ilands Mamales for the streame will alwaies drawe you to the middle of the Channel betwéene these Ilands and the Ilands of Maldiua vnder 9. degrées a halfe you must passe full forward without séeing any of those Ilands and go shoare vnder 9. degrées a quarter although in the Cards they place many false Ilands And if you chaunce to set sayle from Cochin the 20. of Ianuarie little more or lesse then run so that you may passe the Ilands on the southwest and southwest and by south vntill you bee vnder the Equinoctial line because you go late to sayle and it may be that the wind and weather wil not serue you so well to holde to Sea ward from the Iland of Brandaon then you may hold your course betwéene the Ilands called Dos Irmaos lying vnder 4. degrées on the south and from thence you must take your course to the Ilands of Pedro Mascharenhas and so following your way if it chaunce being vnder 4. degrées southward you haue much thunder lightning and rayne because commonly it is found there in the moneth of Februarie as I my selfe haue tryed vntill 14. degrées then doe your best to get vnder 14. or 15. degrées for commonly vnder 15 or 16. degrées you shall find southeast winds and then put no further into the Sea but passe betweene the Iland Brandaon and the Iland of Lopo Soares which is a good course and as soone as you are past the Iland then take your course by the Iland of Ioan de Lisboa betwéene the which Iland and the Iland of Pedro Mascherenhas you haue a good way so that you come to passe 14. or 15 miles from the Iland of Saint Laurence from thence set your course West south-southwest till you come vnder 29. degrées and then run West and West and by South to 34. degrées or as farre as you will by this course running in this sort comming within 50. or 6◠miles of the land called Terra do Natal you shall see many Birdes and the more it stormeth is foule weather the more Birds you shall see and if you see many then be assured you are farre from the land and when you loose the sight of them then looke well to your selfe for the closer you are by the land you loose the sight of them altogether vnlesse it bee the blacke Rauens with white billes the neerer you are to the land the more you shall see of them although they are likewise seene at the least 20. miles from the shore but feare not when you begin to come to the Iland of S. Laurence but hold the course abouesaid and when you beginne to discouer the mouth of the Chanel betweene Saint Laurence and Mosambique then you presently find the runing of the streame towards the Cape de Bona Speranza and feare not in that country to hold your course south-southwest for commonly after you haue the wind south and as much as you haue runne west Northwest so much you haue furthered your way but take heede you keepe still from the coast and so you will make a better Viage for the streame will driue you to the Cape although the wind helpeth you not and this is to bee vnderstoode that when you come late from Cochin you shall alwaies thereabout finde great West windes also you must know that in March and Aprill all the way from the furthest point of Saint Laurence to the Cape commonly there bloweth North and Northeast winds and if for a day or two it bloweth out of the Southeast or South it is a great wonder therefore make no account of it for at those times they blowe verie seldome in all the way aforesaide to the Cape and the néerer you come to the Cape you find the more northerly windes but when the North wind commeth mist and fléet then be sure of West windes for it is the nature of them in those countries and you must vnderstand that if you arriue in those countries in a Schrickel yeare for they are much more dangerous then other years because the coniunction of the heauenly Planets and bodies as then are different as also the inferiour bodies that are subiect to the superiour whereby they are gouerned then you shall finde from 30. degrées vpwards that as soone as you haue a northerly winde with a small or miseling rayne that there followeth great and foule weather then looke well to your selfe and take great héede least it fall
the Sunne and when the Sunne in the rising or setting is red and of a dead couler and so darke that you may sée it round about not casting forth any beames it signifieth calme weather The like doth the Moone In the time of the monson when the Northeast winds doe commonly blowe and that the clouds at the Sun-setting bée red then it signifieth North winds when in diuers places of the sea you sée skumme driuing vpon the water as white as Cotton being about a finger long then it signifieth tempests and foule weather This skum procéedeth of the small waues that breake wherof there are many in y e place In the moneth of Iuly there bloweth other winds in those places then the monson running from one place to the other till in the end they be northeast then it is certain it will be tempest foule weather If from the Island of Lamao to the Cape of Sumbor in the manson of the South and Southwest winds you find an East winde with great heate and same great droppes of water it signifieth foule weather The 48. Chapter In what dayes and moneths you find tempests and foule weather in the coast of China FRom the seuenth to the eleuenth of Iune often and commonly vpon the coast of China there are great tēpests From the beginning of Iuly to the 26. of the same moneth you are neuer frée nor out of danger of tempests and foule weather for that all that time you haue foule stormie weather the wind neuer staying in one place but running round about the compasse From the 12. of August forward in the whole Moone of September to the end of October all that time there is continually foule weather The 49. Chapter Of the times of faire weather vpon the coast of China THe whole moneth of Iune except it be from the seuenth to the eleuenth day there is very litle soule weather for that vnlesse it be vpon the daies aforesaid you haue the windes of the monson with faire and cléere weather without stormes to saile from the Island Pulo Cantao to the Islandes Cantao and Macau without stormes you must set saile on the 26. of Iuly and saile till the 12. of August and all that time you are without tempests In the middle way from the Island of Iapon to the coast and land of Liampo you haue alwaies West windes which blowe in Iapon in the moneths of Nouember and December The 50. Chapter A briefe description of the course from Macau in China to Noua Spaigna with the scituations of the countries PVtting out of the East channell of the Hauen of Macau then you must hold inward to sea as much as you may and hauing a contrarie winde runne as long as the wind giues you leaue to kéep that course but if the winde be scant whereby you may not holde your course Northeast or Northeast and by North then turne on the other side as long as the wind serueth that you may run Southeast for the space of thrée or foure daies for it is better to kéepe Southeast then to run Northward This course you shall holde as the winde serueth you vntill you think you are 300. miles from the land and being there you must run 200. or more miles beyond Iapon and although you holde your course North yet you néed not feare any thing kéeping good account of the wracking or winding of your compasse towardes the West for it might hinder you much running as often as you can Southeast or to Loofeward as also not leauing y e course of Northeast as often as you can vntill you be vnder the height In the gulfe you shal sée certaine great blacke birds which is a signe that you are farre to Seaward and if you sée them about euening that they stretch their legs out along by their tailes then looke to your selfe for it signifieth foule weather When you come within 200. miles or more of the other land then you shall loose the sight of those birdes and if the wind and weather driue you vnder many heights and that you sée many heapes of wéeds driuing vpon the water which are commonly séene when you are 100. and 120. myles inwarde to sea then you must runne on the outside of Iapon Southeastward till you be vnder 31. and 32. degrées and as then knowing the land which will lie hard by whē you see it first you must runne without it and beware you run not vpon the Island called Ilha de Sedros that is the Island of Cedar trées and make no account by the course of the Sea or compasse for the Island of Cedars lyeth by the Cape of S. Lucas béeing verie false in the course because the land if it lay by it doth come more and likelier out then it doth towardes the South The Cape of Saint Lucas is a high land and sheweth when you are hard by it as if it had stonie cliffes sticking out of it the end thereof béeing verie blacke shining and darke the Land thereof presently running inwards towards the North and if you néed fresh water within the cliffes of the said Cape of S. Lucas there is a great sandie strande where you haue a verie good Rode to anker where close by the sea you find great store of fresh water From thence you shall crosse ouer to the other side vpon the Southeast bough without the Marias which is a better course then inward all the coast is faire and good so that you may well runne along by it vntill you come to certaine cliffes lying by the Hauen called El Puerto de la Natiuidad where within the créeke you presently finde the Hauen of Saint Iago de Colima the marks wherof are those On the East side it hath a round houell that descendeth downward if you be forced to put into it you must vnderstand that it hath a great mouth or entrie aboue two or thrée miles wide wherin you haue no cause to feare any thing but that you sée before your eies you must runne into it till you be cleane within the point where you haue a riuer of fresh water that runneth into the Sea where you shall find Spanish Fishermen if you desire to saile further you must frō thence to the hauen of Acapulco run for the space of 80. miles along by the shore for it is verie faire and cleare till you be at the end of the high land that is to the Hauen called El Puerto del Marques which a farre off sheweth like an Island but when you goe so néere it that you may well discerne it to be firme land then on the vpper part thereof you shall sée some white stones which shewe like white Runderen that goe in the way you may fréely runne towardes it till you begin to sée the mouth therof and then put into it This in briefe in my opinion is the best course that you may bold in this voiage which I would likewise haue holden if I
open At the end of the said hill on the South side there is a point of stonie Cliffes called A punto do Tubaron that is the point of the Hedge And on the South side of the Baye there are two or thrée high hilles being there you shall put right ouer to the Bay and so run Westward If you should be in the same course vnder twentie degrées then you shall sée many hilles among the which standeth a high sharpe point called Serra de Guarapari that is the hill of Guarapari it hath likewise another on the North side called A Serra de Pero Can that is the Hill of Peterwood these hils stand on the South side of Spirito Santo From these Hilles southwarde you shall see a hill standing alone called Guape when you sée it then you shall likewise sée thrée small Islandes lying togither on the south side whereof lyeth another small round flat Island and the land lying right against this roūd flat Island hath a great Baye where if néed be you may put in and anker if you desire to goe into it then you shall runne East and west with the hill and so runne in and then the round Island will bée on the North side This Island is called Ilha de Repouso that is the Island of rest it lyeth very close by the land and betwéene it and the land you may well anker From these thrée Islands aforesaid to the bay of Spirito Santo are 12. miles and holding your course Northward to Spirito Santo you shall sée another Island lying alone which you passe running to Seaward by it and being by it you shall presently sée the mouth or Hauen of Spirito Santo this bay or hauen lyeth vnder 20. degrées The 61. Chapter To saile from the Bay or Hauen of Spirito Santo to the Bay of S. Vincent SAyling from Spirito Santo to y e Bay S. Vincent you must runne along the coast about 7. or 8. miles from it to the point called Cabo Frio that is the cold point vntill you come to it in the way you haue a great bay called A Bayho de Saluador the Baye of our Sauiour which is distant from Cabo Frio 12. miles Before you come to Cabo Frio there are two Islands from the which you run to seaward yet if néed be or if you desire it you may passe betwéene them and the land Cabo Frio hath an Island right ouer against it which hath a point where you may anker if néede be on the West side where it is faire and cléere This Cabo Frio lieth vnder 23. degrées from thence to the riuer called Rio de Ianero that is the riuer of Ianuarie are 18. miles this riuer of Ianero hath thrée or foure Islandes in the mouth thereof If you will enter into this riuer you may well goe in taking your way betwéene two of the Islandes that lie in the mouth thereof on the South side of this riuer there is a Hill that sheweth like a man with a Friars Coule or Cape vpon his head When you are vnder the height of this riuer you shall to Landward see certaine high Hilles which shewe like Organs which is a good marke to knowe that you are by the riuer and when you begin to goe néere the lande you shall see a round high and bare Island on the South side the mouth of this riuer lieth vnder 23. degrées and ½ From this riuer to the Rode or open Hauen by the Portingales called Angra are fiftéene miles and there are two riuers in the way but being in that country put not to the land vnlesse you be compelled thereunto From the mouth of this riuer West Southwest and Southwest by West you shall sée a great Island called A Ilha de Sant Sebastian which on the Southwest side hath another small high Island called A Ilha dos Alcatrases that is the Islande of Seamewes before you come at it you must holde your course Westward to shunne certaine Sands that lie by it whereby you shall come to the mouth of the bay of Saint Vincent where you shall see an Island called Ilha da Muda that is the Island of the Dumbe woman and to put into the Bay of S. Vincent you shall leaue the Islandes on the East side The Bay of Saint Vincent lyeth vnder 24. degrées and if you be to leeward from it then you shall sée many Islands whereof some stretcheth outward which are the best markes for this Hauen and being there you are Northwest and Southeast with the mouth of the Bay The 62. Chapter How to saile from Cabo Frio or the cold point to the riuer of Rio de Plata or the riuer of siluer with all the course thereof FRom Cabo Frio to the riuer of Ianero or Ianuarie are eightéene miles and you saile East and West and lyeth vnder 23. degrées and hath these markes First inward to the land it hath certaine high Hilles called Organs but at this time most of them are falne down and on the West Southwest side towards the Sea side it hath the forme of the Mass of a shippe and in the mouth of the riuer lieth foure Islands whereof one is high and round which is a good marke as also the Sugar loafe being a houell that is called so lying in the Hauen although you can not sée it when you are at sea you may saile along this coast without daunger and you need feare nothing but that you sée before your eyes From thence to Saint Vincent the coast reacheth East Northeast and West Southwest and is in length two and fortie miles and all that way there is neither shallowes nor Sandes but there you finde good Hauens for all winds Twelue miles from the riuer lieth an Island called Ilha grande or the great Island which hath verie good Hauens as well on the Southwest as the East sides with very good fresh water and great fishing it is a high lande with many trees and inwarde to the lande it is verie high and sharpe pointed if you desire to put in there you néed not feare to do it for there is no danger From this great Island to the Island of S. Sebastian are eighteene miles and to the Island A Ilha dos Porcos that is the Island of Hogges are fourtéene miles the Isles of Hogges hath a very good Hauen but it is too farre inward Frō thence to the Island of Saint Sebastian are foure miles which is a great high Island full of trees it hath a verie good entrie as well on the one side as on the other it lyeth Northeast and Southwest From thence to the lande about halfe a mile distant lyeth the Rode Southwestwarde there lyeth another long Island called A Ilha dos Alcatrases or the Island of Sea-mewes Close by this Island there lyeth three Cliffes on the South side whereof lyeth an Island which is a verie good marke for the land is sometimes couered with miste and thicke weather whereby you can
had made with the laÌ„d about one houre or more wee perceiued land right before vs and were within two miles thereof which by reason of the darke and misty weather we could no sooner perceiue which put vs in great feare for our iudgement was cleane contrarie but the weather beginning to cleare vp we knew the land for it was a part or bank of the point called Cabo Falso which is about fiftéene miles on this side the cape de Bona Speranza towards Mossambique the cape de Bona Speranza lieth vnder 34. degrées southward there wee had a calme and faire weather which continuing about halfe a day in the meane time with our lines we got great store of fishes vppon the same land at ten or twelue fadoms water it is an excellent fish much like to Haddocks the Portingales call them Pescados The twenty of the same month wee met againe with Saint Francisco and spake with her and so kept company together till the 24. of Iune when wee lost her againe The same day wee stroke all our sayles because wee had a contrarie wind and lay two dayes still driuing vp and downe not to loose anie way meane time wee were against the high land of Tarradonaâ—al which beginneth in 32. degrees and endeth in 30. and is distant from Capo de Bona Speranza 150. miles in this place they coÌ„monly vse to takâ— counsell of all the officers of the ship whether it is best for theÌ„ to sayle through within the land of S. Laurenso or without it for that within the land they sayle to Mossambique and from thence to Goa and sayling without it they cannot come at Goa by reason they fal down by meanes of the streame and so must sayle vnto Cochin which lieth 100. miles lower then Goa and as the ships leaue the cape then it is not good to make towards Mossambique because they cannot come in time to Goa by reason of the great calmes that are within the land but they that passe the Cape in the month of Iuly may well goe to Mossambique because they haue time inough there to refresh themselues and to take in fresh water and other victuals and so to lie at anker ten or twelue dayes together but such as passe the cape in the month of August doe come too late and must sayle about towardes Cochin thereby to loose no time yet it is dangerous much more combersome for that commonly they are sicke of swolen legges sore bellies and other diseases The 30. of Iuly wee were against the point of the cape called Das Corentes which are 130. miles distant from Terra Donatal and lieth vnder 24. degrées Southwarde there they begin to passe betwéene the Ilands The Ile Madagascar otherwise called Saint Laurence The Iland of S. Laurenso is by Marcus Paulus named the great Iland of Magastar by Andrea Theuet it is called Madagascar and is the greatest of all the East Ilandes for it is greater in compasse then eyther of the Kingdomes of Castile or Portingale and lieth on the other side of Africa as we passe the cape de Bona Speranza it containeth in length as Theuet describeth 72 degrees and in bredth eleauen degrees and is in coÌ„passe as some hold opinion 3000 Italian miles and as some write 4000. which should bee sixe or eight hundred Dutch miles This Iland is iudged to be very temperate and therefore well peopled but beleeue in Mahomet Marcus Paulus sayeth that the Iland is gouerned by foure ancient men it is full of wilde beasts and strange foules whereof he writeth many fables not worthie the rehearsall This Iland hath Elephants all kind of beasts which haue but one horn wherof one is called an Indian asse with whole feet vncloueÌ„ an other is called Orix with clouen feet it hath many snakes efftes great store of woodes of redde Sandale which are there little esteemed for the great abundance there the Sea yeeldeth much Amber it aboundeth also in Rice Barley Oranges Lemons Citrons Millons which are so great that a man can hardly gripe them both red white yellow and better then ours and much ginger which they eate greene Hony Sugar in such abundance that they know not whether to send it Saffron many medicinable hearbs and Indian nuts It likewise yeeldeth Siluer and hath manie Riuers beautifull Fountaines and diuers Hauens whether many Sarasins Mores doe bring their Marchandise as clothes of gold Siluer Linnen made of cotton wooll and such like From S. Laurenso to Mossambique which lieth from the firme land of Das Corentes 120. miles and is an Iland of 220. miles long stretching north south and in breadth 70. miles beginning from the first point vntill you come at the cape in 26. degrees and endeth in the North in 11. degrées The people of the Iland are blacke like those of Mossambique and goe naked but the haire of their heades is not so much curled as theirs of Mossambique and not full so blacke The Portingales haue no speciall traffique there because there is not much to be had for as yet it is not very well known The 1. of August we passed the flats called os Baixos de Iudea that is the Flats of the Iewes which are distant from the cape das Corentes 30. miles and lie betwéen the Iland of S. Laurence the firme land that is from the Iland fiftie miles and from the firme land seauenty miles which Flats begin vnder 22. degrées and a halfe and continue to twentie one degrées there is great care to bee taken lest men fall vpon them for they are very dangerous and many ships haue bin lost there and of late in Anno 1585. a ship comming from Portingale called S. Iago beeing Admirall of the Fleet and was the same that the first voiage went with vs from Lisbone for vice Admirall as in another place we shall declare The fourth of August we discried the land of Mossambique which is distant from the Flattes of the Iewes nintie miles vnder fifteene degrées southwards The next day we entred into the road of Mossambique and as we entered we espied the foresaid ship called S. Iago which entered with vs and it was not aboue one houre after we had descried it beeing the first time wee had séene it since it left vs at the Iland of Madera where we seperated our selues There wee found likewise two more of our ships Saint Laureâ—zo and Saint Francisco which the day before were come thether with a small ship that was to sayle to Malacca which commonly setteth out of Portingale a month before any of the ships do set sayle for India only because they haue a longer voiage to make yet doe they ordinarily sayle to Mossambique to take in sweete water fresh victuals as their voiage falleth out or their victuals scanteth If they goe not thether theÌ„ they saile about on the back side of y e Iland of saint Laurenso not setting their course for
two knots or partitions vncarued In those scutes the Indians sit naked at ech end one crosse legged in each hand an oare wherewith they rule the boate and driue her swiftly against the streame specially in the riuer called Cranganor and they are of this opinion that those Scutes are neuer ouerturned by the Crocodiles although they come about them as others are but for these it was neuer heard of The 59. Chapter Of the tree called Arbore Triste THe Tree called Arbore Triste that is the sorrowfull tree is so called because it neuer beareth blossoms but in the night time and so it doeth and continueth all the yeare long it is a thing to be wondred at for that so soone as the Sunne setteth there is not one blossome seene vppon the tree but presently within halfe an houre after there are as many blossomes vppon it as the Tree can beare they are very pleasant to behold and smell very sweet and so soone as the day commeth on and the Sunne is rising presently all the blossomes fall off and couer all the ground so that there remayneth not one to be seene vpon the tree the leaues shut themselues close together so that it seemeth as though it were dead vntill euening commeth againe and then it beginneth to blossome as it did before the tree is as great as a Plum tree and is commonly planted behinde mens houses in their gardens for a pleasure and for the sweet smell it groweth very quickly vp for that many young plantes do spring out of the roote and as soone as those young plantes be aboue halfe a fadome high they haue presently as many blossoms vppon them as the branches on the trees and although they cut the tree down to the ground yet within lesse then halfe a yeare there will branches spring out of the roote and likewise if you breake a branch off from the tree set it in the earth it will presently take root and grow within few dayes after beareth blossoms the blossomes are in a manner like Orange tree blossomes the flowre being white and in the bottome somewhat yellow and reddish which in India they vse for Saffron therewith to dresse their meats and to die with all as wee doe with our Saffron but it is neyther so good nor of so pleasant a taste yet it serueth there for want of the other Some say that the water of this tree being distilled is good for the eyes steeping linnen clothes in it and so laying them to the eyes This tree is found in no place but in Goa and Malacca in some other places where the Portingalles inhabiting haue planted them for that they first came out of Malacca into India but within the land there is none they are called in the Malayan tongue Singady in Decanun Parisatico in Decan Pul of the Arabians Guart of the Persians and Turkes Gâ—l The cause of this name as the Indians say is that a Gentleman â—alled Parisatico had a faire daughter of whom the Sunne became amorous and in the end obtained his pleasure of her but not long after he fell in loue with another forsook her wherupon she falling into dispaire killed herselfe and according to the custome of the countrie her body was burnt of whose ashes they say this tree sprang vp and for the same cause was called Parisaâ—ico and therefore they say by reason of the hatred it beareth vnto the Sunne it neuer bringeth foorth blossome or flowre but hy night and in the day time for griefe they presently fall off The description of this Tree by Christopherus de Costa is set downe in this manner that it is of the greatnes and similitude of a plumme tree with many small branches seperated by diuers knots and partitions the leaues growing two and two together and as bigge as plumme tree leaues soft and rough on the out side verie like to leaues of Sage and inwardlie greene and somewhat sharp but not so vneuen on the sides as plumme leaues neyther yet so full of veines In the middle betweene the two leaues there groweth a little stalke whereon are fiue small heads out of them foure little rough leaues out of the middest wherof there doe spring fiue small white blossomes of the greatnesse and forme of Orange blossomes but somewhat smaller fairer and sweeter The stalke seemeth more red than yellow wherewith the Indians colour their meate as wee doe with Saffron The greene fruite is of the greatnes of a Lupyne and in fashion like a little hart somwhat long and deuided in the middle hauing two places wherein the seed doth lie which is also like a hart and as bigge as the seeds of Saint Iohns bread couered with a greene Skin and somewhat bitter Of all other Trees these are the pleasantest of smell so that they bee not handled for if they be they doe presently loose their sweetnes and smell The Indians are of opinion that these flowers doe quicken and comfort the heart but they are somewhat bitter the Heathens likewise doe account the seede among their medicines that strengthen the hart The flowers may be vsed in meat the seed hath oftentimes bin caried into Portingall and there sowed but neuer would grow what meanes soeuer they vsed the flowers fall off when the sunne riseth as Clusius saith eyther by reason of some contrariety or because of the subtill nature of the sap which the beames of the Sunne doe drie and consume for those wheron the Sunne shineth not stay somewhat longer on the tree These flowers are very carefully gathered whereof a very sweet and pleasant water is distilled which is called water de Mogli some of this seede was brought me out of India by Iohn Hughen which I sowed in the grouÌ„d but it came not forth The 60. Chapter Of the Bettele leaues the fruit Arecca THe leaues called Bettâ—eâ—e or Bettre which is very common in India and dayly eaten by the Indians doe grow in all places of India where the Portingals haue discouerd not with in the countrie but only on the sea coast vnlesse it bee some small quantitie It wil not growe in cold places as China nor in ouer hot places as Mosambique and Sofala and because it is so much vsed I haue particularly set it downe in this place although it is already spoken of in many other places You must vnderstand that this Bettele is a leafe somewhat greater and longer out than Orange leaues and is planted by sticks wherevpon it climeth like Iuie or pepper and so like vnto pepper that a farre off growing each by other they can hardlie bee descerned It hath no other fruite but the leaues only it is much dressed and looked vnto for that it is the dayly breade of India The leaues being gathered doe continue long without withering alwaies shewing fresh and greene and are sold by the dozen and there is not any woman or man in all India but that euery day
with great deuotion promise of other wonderfull things when they came to land at the last God comforted vs and sent vs better weather for that the 19 of Aâ—â—ill the wether began to cleéere vp and therewith we were in better comfort The 20. of Aprill we tooke the hight of the Sunne and found it to be â—6 degrées and againe we saw greene water and some birds which they call Alcatraces and many Sea-wolues which they hold for certain signes of the cape de Bona SperaÌ„za as we thought were hard by the land but yet saw none the same day we had the wind somewhat fuller and were in great hope to passe the Cape so that the men began to be in better comfort by reason of the signes we haue seene All that day we saw greene water till the 22 of Apr. vpon which day twice and in the night following we cast out the Lead and found no ground which is a good signe that wee had passed the Cape called das Agulhas or the cape of needles which lieth vnder 35 degrees and is about 20 miles from the Cape de bona Speranza which lieth vnder 34 degrées a half And because that about this cape Das Agulhas there is ground found at the least 30 or 40 miles from the land we knew wee were past it as also by the colour of the water and the birds which are alwaies found in those countries and the better to assure vs thereof the great high sea left vs that had so long tormented vs and then we found a smoother water much differing from the former so that as theÌ„ we seemed to be come out of hell into Paradice with so great ioy that we thought we were within the sight of some hauen and withall had a good winde though somewhat cold The 23 of Aprill we passed the Cape de Bona Speranza with a great and generall gladnes it being as then 3 months and three dayes after we set sayle from Cochiin not once seeing any land or sand at all but onelie these assured tokens of the said Cape which happened very seldome for that the pilots doe alwaies vse what meanes they can to see the cape and to know the land thereby to know certainlie that they are past it for then their degrees must lessen and there they may as soone make towards Mosambique as to the Iland of S. Helena for although they can well perceiue it by y e water yet is it necessary for them to see the land the better to set their course vnto S. Helena wherein they must alwaies kéepe on the left hand otherwise it were impossible for them to come at it if they leaue that course for if they once passe it they can not come to it again because there bloweth continually but one kind of wind which is South east and thus hauing passed the Cape we got before the wind The 24 of Aprill the Pilot willed vs to giue the Bona viagen vnto the Cape de Bona Speranza according to the custome with great ioy and gladnes of all that were in the shippe for that as theÌ„ they assure themselues that they sayl to Portingal and not to turne againe into India for so long as they are not past the Cape they are alwaies in doubt and as then we were about 50. miles beyond the Cape The signes and tokens whereby they know themselues certainly to haue passed the Cape are great heapes and péeces of thicke réedes that alwaies thereabouts driue vppon the water at least 15 or â—â— miles from the land as also certaine birds by the Portingals called Feyâ—oins somewhat greater then sea mâ—wâ—s being white full of blacke spots ouer al their bodies very easie to be known from al other birds These are certain signes whereby the Pilotes doe certainly perswade themselues that they are past the Cape and hauing passed it they set their course for S. Helena Northwest Northwest by west The 27 of Apr. we were right in the wind and so continued till the next day and theÌ„ we had a calm being vnder 3â— degrees on Portingal side The â—9 of Apr. wâ— gâ—t before the wind which is the generall wind y t alwaies bloweth in those countries al the whole yere vntill y â— come to the Equinoctial line and is a Southeast wind so y t they may wel let their sayles stand lay them down to slâ—ep for in y e greatest wind y t bloweth there they need not strike their maine yard aboue half the mast The 12 of May in the morning betimes we discouered the IlaÌ„d of S. Helena whereat there was so great ioy in the ship as if we had bene in heauen as then we were about 2 miles from y e land the Iland lying from vs West south west whereunto we sayled so close that with a caliuer shot we might reach vnto the shore being hard by it we sayled about a corner of the land that from vs lay Northwest which hauing compassed wee sayled close by the land West North west the land on that side beeing so high and still that it séemed to be a wall that reached vnto the skyes And in that sort we sayled about a mile and a half and compassed about y e other corner that lay westward from vs which corner béeing compassed we presentlie perceiued the shippes that lay in the road which were those ships that set sayle before vs out of India lying about a small half mile from the foresaid corner close vnder the land so that the land as then lieth South east from them and by reason of the high land the shippes lie there as safe as if they were in a hauen for they may well heare the wind whistle on the top of their maine yards but lower it can not come and they lie so close vnder the land that they may almost cast a stone vpon the shore There is good ground there at 25 and 30 fadomes deep but if they chance to put further out or to passe beyond it they must goe forward for they can get no more vnto y e land and for this cause we kept so close to the shore that the height of the laÌ„d took the wind froÌ„ vs the ship wold not steer without wind so that it draue vpon the land wherby our horesprit touched y e shore therwith we thought that shippe goods had all beene cast away but by reason of the great depth being 1â— fadomes water and with the help of the Boats and men off the other ships that came vnto vs we put off from the land without any hurt and by those Boates wee were brought to a place wher the other ships lay at Anker which is right against a valley that lyeth betwéene two high hilles wherein there standeth a little Church called Saint Helena There we found fiue shippes which were the ship that came from Malacca and the S. Mary that had béene there about 15. daies
which came both together to the Cape de Bona Speranza the S. Anthonie and the S. Christopher being Admiral that had arriued there â—0 daies before and the Conception which came thether but the day before vs so that ther wanted none of the Fléet but the S. Thomas and by the signes and tokens that we and the other ships had séene at Sea we presumed it to be lost as after we vnderstoode for it was neuer seene after for the other shippes had seene Mastes Deales Fattes Chestes many dead men that had bound themselues vpon boards with a thousand other such like signs Our Admiral likewise had béene in great danger of casting away for although it was a new ship this the first Viage it had made yet it was so eaten with Wormes that it had at the least 20 handfuls déepe of water within it and at the Cape was forced to throw halfe the goods ouer bord into the Sea and were constrained continually to Pumpe with two Pumpes both night and day and neuer holde still and being before the Iland of S. Helena had ther also sunke to the ground if the other ships had noâ— holpen her The rest of the shippes coulde likewise tell what dangers and miseries they had indured About thrée Monthes before our arriuall at S. Helena there had béene a ship which the yere before set out of Ormus with the goods men that remained in the S. Saluador that had béene saued by the Portingal armie vpon the coast of Abex and brought vnto Ormus as in an other place I haue declared That ship had wintered in Mosambique and had passed verie soone by the Cape so sayled without any companie vnto Portingall hauing left some of her sicke men in the Iland as the maner is which the next ships that came thether must take into them These gaue vs intelligence that about foure monthes before our arriuall there had béene an English ship at the Iland of Saint Helena which had sayled through the Straights of Magelâ—anaes and through the south seas from thence to the Ilands of Phillippinas and had passed through the Straights of Sunda that lyeth beyond Malacca betwéene the Ilands of Sumatra and Iaua in the which way she had taken a shippe of China such as they call Iunckos laden with Siluer and Golde and all kind of Silkes and that shee sent a letter with a small present to the Bishop of Malacca telling him that shee sent him that of friendship meaning to come her selfe and visite him Out of that ship of China they tooke a Portingall Pilot so passed the Cape de Bona Speranza and came to the Iland of Saint Helena where they tooke in fresh water and other necessaries and beate downe the Alter and the Crosse that stoode in the Church and left behind them a Ketle and a Sword which the Portingales at our arriual found there yet could they not conceiue or thinke what that might meane Some thought it was left there for a signe to some other ships of his companie but euerie man may thinke what he will thereof In the ship of Malacca came for Factor of the Pepper one Gerrit van Afhuysen borne in Antwarpe and dwelling in Lisbone who had sayled in the same ship from Lisbone about two yeares before for that they staied in Malacca at the least fourtéene Monthes by reason of the warres and troubles that were in that countrie vntill Malacca was relieued as I saide before whereby they had passed great miserie and béene at great charges And because it is a very vnwholesome countrie together with y e constraint of lying there so long of 200. men that at the first sayled from Lisbone in the ship there were but 18. or 20. left aliue and all the rest dyed so that they were enforced to take in other vnskilfull men in Malacca to bring the shippe home This Gerrard van Afhuysen being of mine acquaintance and my good friend before my departure out of Portingall for India maruelled and ioyed much to find me there little thinking that we should méete in so strange a place and there we discoursed of our trauels past And of him among diuers other things I learned many true instructions as well of Malacca as of the countries and Ilands lying about it both for their manner of dealing in trade of Marchandise as in other memorable things By the pictures following you may sée the true description of the Iland of Saint Helena and of the thrée sides therof as we passed by it and as we sayled about it to the road as also of the Iland of Ascention The description of which two Ilands you may here perceiue and learne as I my selfe could marke the same The 94. Chapter A briefe description of the Iland Saint Helena SANCTA HELENA THe Iland of Saint Helena is so named because the Portingales discouered it vppon Saint Helens day which is the twentie one of May. It is in compasse sixe miles little more or lesse and lyeth vnder sixtéene degrées and a quarter on the South side of the Equinoctall 550. Spanish miles from the Cape de Bona Speranza and from the coast called Angola or Ethiopia 350. miles from Brasilia 510. miles These are the two néerest lands adioyning to it It is a verie high and hillie countrie so that it commonly reacheth vnto the cloudes the countrie of it selfe is verie ashie and drie also all the trees that are therein whereof there are great store grow of themselues in the woodes are little worth but only to burne for it hath no special substance but sheweth as if it were halfe consumed so that it should seeme that some mines of Brimstone hath in times past béene in that Iland as commonly all the Ilands are all much subiect to the same for that in some places thereof they find Sulphur and Brimstone When the Portingales first discouered it there was not any beasts nor fruite at all within the Iland but onely great store of fresh water which is excellent good and falleth downe from the mountaines and so runneth in great abundance into the Valley where the Church standeth and from thence by small chanels into the Sea where the Portingales fill their vessels full of fresh water and wash their clothes so that it is a great benefit for them and a pleasant sight to behold how cleare in how many streames the water runneth downe into the valley which may bee thought a myracle considering the drinesse of the country together with the stonie Rockes and hilles therein The Portingales haue by little and little brought many beastes into it and in the valleyes planted al sorts of fruites which haue growne there in so great abundance that it is almost incredible For it is so full of Goates Buckes wild Hogges Hennes Partridges and Doues by thousands so that any man that will may hunt and take them ther is alwaies plentie and sufficient although there came as many shippes more
meanes we could to saue him yet we could not doe it by reason wee sayled before the winde The same day at night wee saw the Iland of Ascention and lauered all that night because we would not passe the Iland In the Morning the 28. of May we sayled about the Iland to sée if there were any ground to Anker on because the Admirall was so leake that shee could no longer holde out and the men desired the Officers of the shippe that they would lay the goods on land in the Iland of Ascention and there leaue it with good watch and necessaries for them that keepe it and so sayle with the emptie ship to Portingall and there procure some other shippe to fetch the goods thinking it was sufficient to haue it well watched and kept there for that there commeth not a ship in twentie yeares into that Iland because there is nothing in it to be had We went close vnto it by a verie white and faire Sand where the Admirall and all the shippes cast out the Lead and found from eightie to fiftie and 4â— Fadomes water and although they might haue gone closer to the land yet the Officers excused themselues saying that they coulde not goe neerer and that it was too deepe and verie dangerous for them to Anker there Which they said to pacifie the men desiring that they might borow two Pumpes nore of the other shippes and so without doubt they woulde bring the shippe safe vnto Portingall and although it would bee great paine and labour for them to doe it yet they must of force content themselues for that the Admirall and all the Gentlemen that were in the shippe pumped both day and night as their turnes came about as well as the meanest in the shippe onely to encourage the people They borowed one Pumpe of the Saint Mary and sent to desire vs to lend them another and although our ship was none of the best among the Fleet we were of opinion not to lend him any as not knowing what neede wee should haue our selues hauing so long a way to sayle yet in the end seeing the great necessitie they were in we lent them one the rather because they sayd that the Admirals meaning was if it were calme wether to discharge some of their wares into other shippes thereby to lighten themselues but it fell not out as they thought so that with great miserie and labor they ouercame their iournie The 95. Chapter Of the Iland called the Ascention THis Iland was discouered vpon Ascention daye and in shew séemeth as great as the Iland of Saint Hellena but not so high It is ful of hilles and dales lying vnder eight degrées and a halfe on the South-side of the Equinoctiall line and lyeth Northwest distant from Saint Helena 19â— Spanish miles and from the Equiâ—octiall line 140. miles There is not any fresh water in the Iland nor one greene leafe or branch It hath many hilles of a reddish colour which shew like a certaine Earth in Spaine called Almagro and is full of stonie hilles and dryed land it is like Saint Helena There hath beene some shippes there that missed Saint Helena and sought for fresh water in that Iland but could find none It hath certaine faire and white Sandes about it and great store of Fish wherein it surpasseth S. Helena but in it there are no beastes at all onely by reason of the great quantitie of Fishes Ther are so many Birds in it y t it is strange and they are of the bignesse of young Geese came by thousands flying about our ships crying and making great noyse and ranne vp and downe in the shippe some leaping and sitting on our shoulders and armes not once fearing vs so that wee tooke many of them and wrung of their neckes but they are not good to eate because they taste morish I thinke the cause they are so tame is because they see but few men and some desire to goe to them About that Iland and the Iland of Saint Helena vnto the Equinoctiall line there are flying Fishes as great as Herings which flie by great flockes together two or thrée Fadome aboue the water and flie in that manner at the least a quarter of a mile vntill their wings or finnes be drie and then they can flie no longer but fall into the water and there wet themselues and then flie againe aboue the water The cause why they flie in that sort is because they are chased by the great fishes that eate them and to escape from them they flie aboue the water and some times into the shippes for many of them fell into our ship which flew too high for wheÌ„ their wings are drie they must needes fall From that Island of Ascention the shippes held their course Northwest and by West til they be a degree past the Equinoctiall line on the North side where there lyeth a cliffe called Penedo de Sam Pedro which many times they sée and to it from the Islande of Ascention are 300. miles The 5. of Iune we passed againe the Equinoctiall line and then again began we to see the North starre which we had lost vnder ten degrées on this side Cochijn and now began to lose the sight of the South starre and there we had the sun in the South at twelue of the clocke at noone in which on the other side of the line at the same time is in the North. The 8. of Iune being 4. degrées in the North we lost our generall South east winde that had serued vs from the Cape de bona Speranza thether then began the raines and calmes for as then we began to come neare the coast of Guinea which continueth to 9. degrees These calmes and raines helde vs till 11. degrées being the 20 of Iune whereby the ships seperated themselues by reason of the calmes which made them not able to stéerre and in the 11. degrees they met againe and there we had a North east wind which is called the generall winde because it floweth continually in those Countries and holdeth to 30. and â—2 degrées beginning many times at 6. and 7. degrees but wee had it not till wee were vnder 1â— degrées This wind is somewhat scant for wee must of force saile in the wind because our chiefe course is Northwest and by North. The 23. of Iune we passed the point of Capo Verde which is vnder 15. degrées and the 26. of the same month we passed the Islands of Capo Verde which are ten in number They beginne vnder 15. degrées and end in 19. degrées and are distant from the firme land of Capo Verde from 70. to 1â—0 miles inwards to the sea Then wee entred into the sea called Sergasso which is all couered with hearbes so that it séemeth to be like a gréene fielde so thicke that a man can not see the water neyther can the ships passe through them but with great labour vnlesse they haue a strong wind The
wounded both himself and diuers of his men whereby they were forced to depart without hauing any thing there From Tercera North northwest about seuen or eight myles lyeth the little Iland called Gratiosa is but 5. or 6. mile in compasse a very pleasaunt and fyne Island full of all fruites and all other victualles so that it not onley feedeth it self but also Tercera and the other Islandes about it and hath no other kinde of merchandise it is well built and inhabited by Portingales and hath no soldiers in it because it is not able to heare the charge The Earle of Comberland while I lay in Tercera came vnto that Iland where himself in person with seuen or eight in his company went on land asking certaine beastes Hennes and other Victuals with wyne and fresh water which they willinglie gaue him and therewith hee departed from thence without doing them anie hurt for the which the inhabitantes thanked him and commended him for his curtesie and keeping of his promise From Tercera West North West eight or nyne miles lyeth the Iland of S. George It is about twelue myles long but not aboue 2. or 3. myles at the furthest in breadth it is wooddie and full of hilles it hath no speciall traffique but onelie some Woad and yet verie little of it The inhabitants liue most by Cattell and tilling of the land and bring much victuals to sell in Tercera it hath likewise many Cedar trees and other kindes of wood that from thence are brought vnto Tercera and sold vnto the Ioyners which for that occasion dwell onlie in Tercera From S. George West Southwest â— miles lyeth the Iland called Fayael which is 17. or 18. miles in compasse it is one of the best Ilands next vnto Tercera and S. Michaels it aboundeth in all sorts of victuailes both flesh and fish so that from this Iland the most part of victuailes and necessaries commeth by whole Caruels vnto Tercera it hath likewise much Woad so that many English shippes doe traffique thether The principall road and place is the towne called Vitta dotta there the ships likewise doe lie in the open sea vnder the land as they do before al y e other IlaÌ„ds by this town there lieth a fortresse but of smal importance because the inhabitants of themselues do offer to defend the Iland against all enemies the soldiers were discharged from thence which which before that time lay in the fort complayning that they were not able to maintaine nor lodge them The same time that the Earle of Cumberland was in the Iland of Gratiosa he came likewise to Fayael where at the first time that he came they beganne to resist him but by reason of some controuersie among them they let him land where he rased the Castle to the ground and sunke all their Ordinance in the Sea taking with him certaine Caruels and ships that lay in the road with prouision of all things that he wanted and therewith departed againe to Sea Whereupon the King caused the principall actors therein to bee punished and sent a companie of Souldiers thether againe which went out of Tercera with all kind of warlike munition and great shotte making the fortresse vp againe the better to defend the Iland trusting no more in the Portingales In that Iland are the most part of the Netherlanders ofspring yet they vse the Portingales language by reason they haue béene so long conuersant among them and those that vsed the Dutch tongue are all dead they are greatly affected to the Netherlanders and strangers From Fayael Southeast thrée miles and from Saint George Southwest foure miles and from Tercera Southwest and by West twelue miles lyeth the Iland called Pico which is more then fiftéene miles in length It is so named of a high mountain that standeth therein called Pico which is so high â—t some thinke it is higher then the Pico of 〈◊〉 When it is cleare weather it may as perfectly beseene in Tercera as if it were not halfe a mile from thence and yet it lyeth aboue twentie fiue miles from it for it is at the furthest end of the Iland towards Fayael The toppe of it is seene cleare and bright but the nether part is couered with cloudes and with the Horizon whereby the Iland is much spoken of It is verie fruitfull of all kinds of victuals like Fayael and hath great store of woode as Cedars all other kinds and also the costly wood Teâ—xo There they build many Caruels and small ships from thence by reason of the abundance of woode they serue the other Ilands with woode It is also inhabited as the rest are their chiefe traffique being Cattle and husbandrie It hath much wine and the best in all those Ilands and it hath the sauorest and pleasantest Oranges that are throughout all Portingal so that they are brought into Tercera for a present as being ther verie much esteemed and in my iudgement they are the best that euer I tasted in any place And because the towne of Angra in the Iland of Tercera is the chiefe towne and ruler ouer al the Flemish Ilands I thought good to set it downe in this place in the full proportion with all the stréetes Forts and Road or open Hauen together with the hilles called Bresil where the sentinell is holden for all shippes that come into those Ilands al liuely described as in my simple skill I could comprehend and deuise it The 98. Chapter Of the Ilands of Coruo and Flores FRom Tercera westwarde to the Iland named Flores are seuentie miles it is aboute seauen miles compasse it is also inhabited by Portingales and hath no speciall marchandise but onely some wood it is full of Cattle and other necessarie prouisions and lyeth open to all the world and to whosoeuer will come thether as well Englishmen as others for that the inhabitants haue not the power to resist them A myle from thence Northward lyeth a little Iland of two or three miles in compasse called De Coruo The inhabitants are of the same people that dwel in Flores Betwéene those two Ilands and round about them the Englishmen doe commonly stay to watch the ships that come out of the West for those are the first Ilands that the shippes looke out for and descrie when they sayle vnto Tercera wherby the inhabitants doe but little prosper because they are at the pleasure and commaundement of all that will come vnto them and take their goods from them as oftentimes it happeneth Yet for all their pouertie not to loose both landes and goods they must content themselues and Sayle with euerie winde The I le of Tercera lyeth vnder thirtie nine degrees in the same height that Lisbone lyeth and is distant from Lisbone lying right East and West two hundred and fiftie Spanish miles This shall suffice for the description of the Flemmish Ilands called the Azores which by dayly traueling vnto them are sufficiently knowne for that at this time many
vpon Acornes flesh of Darts fish and oysters peacocks and other foules All their meate is broyled vpon coales making it somewhat hard by reason of the smoke and extreame heate among other meate they are verie desirous of Crocodiles flesh which sheweth very white and faire like veale but tasteth like rotten Moschus if any man be sicke in stéed of letting bloud their priests do suck the place where their paine lyeth vntil the bloud doth issue forth The women in Florida are great and verie wise and coloured like men and pinked on their bodies legges and armes putting such colour into the places that will not easily come forth but the women kind when they come first into the world are not so blacke but verie white the blacke yellowish colour is made vpon them by a certaine oyntment as the Tartarians and other heathens vse to do which oyntment they vse to make of a certaine ceremoniall oyle by them vsed Their colour likewise changeth because they go naked and with the burning heate of the sunne The women likewise are verie quicke and subtile like the women of Egypt and can swim ouer great riuers holding their children fast vnder one of their armes and will likewise climbe vppe the highest trees that are in all those countries The chiefe prouinces in Florida which the Spaniards both in the beginning and since at other times haue founde out are these first Panuca lying on the borders of Noua Spaigna discouered by Franco de Gray in An. 1518. who left many spaniards bohind him being slaine eaten and deuoured by the wild people whose skinnes being dryed they hung for a memorie and euerlasting triumph in their Iools Temples Those people are verie vnchaste and helde open stewes where by night they meete and lie together They bore holes in their noses and also in their eares to hang rings at theÌ„ they scrape their teeth to make them cleane and marrie not before they be fortie yeares of age although their daughters are deflowred at the age of ten or twelue yeeres There are in Florida other prouinces as Anauares Albardaosia Iaguasia Apalachia Autia Samouia and diuers others al obseruing one kinde of religion customes wholly without any feare of God pollicie manlinesse or reason The best and fruitfullest part of Florida bordereth on Noua Spaigna to the riuer and prouince of Panuca which riuer runneth with so great a streame into the sea that it is a verie good hauen for ships Here followeth the description of the coast of Florida forasmuch as is contained in the Carde hereunto annexed THe length of the furthest poynt of Terra di Laborador vnto the Cape of Saint Elena lying in Florida is before declared nowe shall follow that which is furder sette downe in the Carde beginning from Saint Elena which lyeth vnder 32. degrees This is a verie faire and broade riuer surpassing al others whatsoeuer in the north coastes wherefore by the Frenchmen it is called Porto Real or kingly hauen hauing found it to be tenne seadom water about this riuer there are many woods of Dakes and Ceder trées wherein are many Harts and other wilde beastes and Peacocks The mouth of the riuer is three miles broade and hath two Capes or hookes of land one stretching West the other North vppon this riuer the Frenchmen haue built a fort called Charles for t some say this riuer runneth vnto the riuer Iordan and so into the other sea Betwéene both these hookes of lande in the mouth of the Riuer there lieth a fayre Island full of trees from Saint Elena to Rio Secco is fortie Spanish miles whereof seuentéene and a halfe make a degree and this Riuer lieth vnder 31. degrees from Rio Secco to Santa Cioce and from thence to the point of Cannaueral which lyeth vnder 20. degrées are forty miles Here I must pause a while follow the Frenchmens rule because this countrey was likewise discouered and also described by them So then the Frenchmen recon from Saint Elena sayling southward along the coast foure French miles where you come to the Riuer Magnus or Grandis that is the great Riuer then Guade or as it is in our Carde Guate and further Bellum or Bellus from thence to Gironda then to Garumna and so to Charenta from Charenta to Ligetim or the Loire sixe miles from Loire to Axona in the mouth whereof lyeth an Island in our Carde called Rio di S. Pero from Axona to Sequana or Seine because it was like the riuer that runneth throgh Paris vnto Roan lieth sixe miles and all these nine riuers lie within the space of sixtie French miles leauing the Seine and sailing southward by the shore you passe certaine small Riuers as Ay Serrauahi then you come to the great Riuer Maius so called by the Frenchmen that is the Riuer of May because it was found by one Landometo vpon the first day of May and is distant from Sequana or Seine 14. miles thereabout grew certaine redde and white mulberie trées vppon the highest branches whereof hung great numbers of silke wormes from this riuer you come to a gulfe that reacheth somewhat inward into the land beeing the place where Landonerius first arriued when hee sayled out of France into those countreyes and there hee saw in the mouth of a certaine riuer many sea Swine or Dolphins wherevpon he called the same Riuer by the name of those Dolphins on the South side of the gulfe lyeth the French Cape about thirtie degrees from the line so called because the Frenchmen did first land there This Cape is not high but a flatte strand al ful of high trees and thick woods From the French Cape you come to Cannaueral another Cape fiue thirtie miles distant taking the name form the reeds that grow thereon The Spaniards and also our Carde doo not set downe many of these Riuers and the greatest parte of them that are described are altered in their names for the Riuer of May by them is called Maranca the Seine Saint Augustin the Gaâ—â—mna S. Matheo the great riuer S. Pero From Cannauerâ—l to the cape of Florida are fortie miles and betweene these two Capes lie many flats The cape of Florida lyeth vnder fiue and twentie degrees and before it lie many cliffes which they name Martires or Maâ—tiâ—s and on the other sides litle Islands called Testudines that is Torteaux because they are in forme like those kindes of beasts The Cape of Florida is in breadth twentie miles and from thence to Ancon Bâ—xo are 100. miles and lieth fifty miles east and west from Rio Secco which is the breadth of Florida The description of some Islands that lie ouer against the coast of Florida FIrst you most note that the whole coast of Florida is ful of Islands cliffes banks flattes and such like dangerous places and as touching the Islandes they are at the least foure hundreth in number besides the great Island called Lucaâ—ae that giueth the name to al
two streames like Englâ—nâ— and 〈…〉 so that it seemeth almost to be two Islands it hath many goodly hauens the naâ—◠〈◊〉 giuen it of our Lady of Guadalupe it is â—ul of villages each of twentie or thirtie houses all wood and rounde made of certaine great okes which they thrust into the earth and those serue for the doores of their houses then they place smaller which hold the rest from falling Their branches on the toppe being bound together like tents which they couer with Palme tree leaues to keep them from the raine within they fasten ropes made of cotten wool or of Bâ—esen wherupon they lay cotten mattresses and hanging beddes therein to sleepe This Island hath seuen faire riuers the inhabitants were called Caâ—ucâ—erum it hath verie great Parrots much differing from others being red both before and behind with long feathers the wings speckled with red some yellow some blew al mixed together whereof there are as great abundance as of Spree 〈…〉 er in our countryes there groweth in this Island a certaine gumme called A 〈…〉 m not much vnlike Amber the smoke or aire of this gumme being let vp into the head driueth out the colde the tree bringeth foorth a fruit like dates but of a spanne and a halfe long which beeing opened hath a certaine white and sweete meale This fruit they keepe for winter as we do chesnuts the trees are like figge trees they haue likewise in this Island al kind of orchard fruit and some are of opinion that al kindes of sweete fruites were first brought out of this Islande into the other Islandes round about it for they are hunters of men which hauing taken they eate them and for the same cause they trauaile abroade many hundreth miles both farre and neare and in their trauell whatsoeuer they finde they bring it home and plant it They are not friendly but fierce and cruell They indure no strangers among them both the men and the women are verie subtile and expert in shooting with their bowes and their arrowes being poysoned when the men are gone abroad the women keepe their places and countreyes most stoutly defending them from al inuasion to conclude al parts of that Islande both hils and dales are verie fruitfull and in the hollow trees and clifts of hilles and rocks they find home Desiada or Desiderataâ— ABout eighteene miles from Guadalupa towards the East lieth Desiada another Island being twentie miles great Desiada or Desiderata that is desire so called by reason of the fairenesse of the Island ten miles from Guadalupa towards the south lyeth Galanta being in compasse aboue thirtie miles it is an euen and faire country wherof the Island hath taken the name for Galanta in Spanish betokeneth faire Therein are diuers sweete smelling trees both in barks rootes leaues There are likewise many great Horsleaches Nine miles from Guadalupa towards the East there lieth six smal Ilands called Todos los Sanctos or al Saints and Barbara spokeÌ„ of before Those Islandes are verie full of cliffes stonie and vnfruitful which the Pilots are to looke vnto to auoyde the danger that may ensue A little further lyeth Dominica taking the name from the day because it was discouered vpon a sunday and also an Islande of Caniballes so ful and thicke of Trees that there is scant an elle of free land Thereabouts also is another Island called Madannina or the womens Islande where it is thought that women onely inhabited in maner of Amazons whither the Canibales often times resorted to lie with them and if they had daughters they kept them but boyes they sent vnto their fathers it lyeth fortie miles from Mons Serratu After that lyeth yet thrée Islands besides other little Islands and diuers cliffes called S. Vincent Granada and S. Lucia Comming further towards the coast of Florida where we left right against it there lyeth certaine smal cliffes called Martires and the little Ilands called Tortugas because they are like a Torteauxes From this poynt of Florida to Ancon Baxo are 100. miles and lyeth fiftie miles distant East and West from Rio Secco which is the breadth of Florida from Ancon Baxo 100. miles to Rio di Nieues from thence to the riuer Flores 20. miles and somewhat more from the riuer of Flores to the bay called Bahya del Spirito Sancto which is likewise called La Culata being in the entrance thereof thirtie miles broade from this Bahya which lyeth vnder 29. degrées are 70. miles to the riuer called Rio del Pescadores from Rio del Pescadores which lyeth vnder 28. degrees and halfe there is 100. miles to the Riuer called Rio de las Palmas from whence Tropicus Cancri beginnneth from Rio de las Palmas to the Riuer Panuco are 30. miles and from thence to Villa Rica or Vera Crus are seuentie miles in which space lyeth Almeria from Vera Crus that lyeth vnder 19. degrees to the riuer of Aluarado by the Island called Papa Doapan are thirtie miles from the riuer Aluarado to the riuer Coâ—zâ—coalco are fiftie miles from thence to the riuer Gritalâ—a are fortie miles The said two riuers lying about eighteene degrées from the riuer Gritalua to Cabo Redondo are eightie miles as the coast stretcheth along wherein are contained Champoton and Lazaro from Cabo Redondo to Cabo di Catoche or Iucatan are 90. miles and lyeth about 21. degrées so that there are in al nine hundred miles in the length of the coast of Florida to Iucatan which is another Cape or hooke which stretcheth from off the land northward and the further it reacheth into the sea the more it crooketh or windeth about and is sixtie miles from Cuba The Island whereof we haue alreadie spoken which doth almost inclose the sea that runneth betwéene Florida and Iucatan which sea by some men is called Golfo de Mexico of others Golfo de Florida and of some others Cortes the sea that runneth into this gulfe entreth betwéene Iucatan and Cuba with a mightie streame and runneth out againe betweene Florida and Cuba and hath no other course A breefe description of Noua Hispania or new Spaine THe second part of America is called Noua Spaigna or new Spaine it beginneth towards the North about the Riuer of Panuco vppon the borders of Florida on the South side it reacheth to the prouince Darienâ— where it is diuided from Peru on the East it hath the maine Sea and on the west the South sea called Mare Australe this whole Prouince was in times past by the Inhabitants called Cichemecan Cathuacan or Coâ—acan which peple came out of the land of Culhua which lieth aboue Xalisco made their habitation about the Moores of Tenuchtitlan where at this present lyeth the towne of Mexico which people hauing neither countrey nor dwelling place chose that for the best and most profitable therein building diuers houses and habitations and in that manner placed both their new and old villages vnder the commaundement of Culhuacan giuing the same name
miles to Câ—uo di Camaron which are accounted in this manner first from the great riuer to the hauen of Higueras are 30. miles from Puerto Higueras to the hauen et Puerto di Caualloâ— other thirtie miles This is the second place by the Spaniards diuided into a colonie a dayes iournie from thence lieth Saint Pedro in a plaine field close to certaine hilles being the third Colonie of the Spaniardes not farre from thence runneth the riuer Vilua and the lake in the middle from whence he certaine hard groundes like Ilandes couered ouer with weedes which as the wind bloweth fleet from place to place From Puerto de Cauallas to Puerto del triumpho de la Crus are thirtie miles betweene the which lieth next to Guamareta Saint Iacob and Truxillo From Puerto del triumpho de la Crus to Capo de Honduras are 30. miles and from thence to Cabo del Camaron 20. miles from thence to Cabo de Gatias a dios lying vnder 14. degrées are accounted 70. miles this is likewise a Spanish colonie or towne builded by them and betweene them on the same coast lieth Carthago also a Spanish towne from Gracias a dios are 70. miles to del Aguadera which springeth out of the lake or sea of Nicaragua and is heere called Aguadaco now againe for a time we will leaue speaking of the coast to declare the Prouince and Countrie of Nicaragua Nicaragua DEparting from Fondura and passing the borders of Chiulutecca you come to the Prouince Nicaragua stretching towardes the south sea which is not verie great but rich fruitfull and pleasant but of so vnreasonable a heate that in Sommer time the heate cannot be indured in the day time but only in the night it raineth there for the space of 6. whole monthes together beginning in Maie The other sixe moneths are exceeding drie the day and night being all of a length honny waxe cotton wool and balsam growe there in great aboundaunce and many kindes of fruites which are not found in other prouinces neither yet in Hispaniola nor any other place and among the rest a kind of apple in forme much like a peare within it there is a round nut almost twice as bigge againe as one of our common nuttes very swéete and pleasant of taste the tree is great with small leaues There are few kine but many hogges which were brought out of Spaine to bréede therein The country is ful of Indian villages all with smal houses made of reedes and couered with strawe they haue no mettall yet at the first entraunce of the Spaniards the inhabitants had certaine common and base gold among them which was brought out of other places thither there are many parrats which doe great hurt vnto the seedes and would doe more were it not that they are driuen away by slings and other meanes The Spaniards at their arriuall in those countries by reason of the great abundance of al things called them the Paradise of Mahomet There are many Ginny hennes and a certaine fruit called Cacauate which they vse insteed of mony it groweth on an indifferent great tree and onely in warme and shadowe places as soone as the Sunne commeth vpon it it withereth and therefore it is sowed in woodes vnder trées and in moyst places and al little enough but the trées whereby it is planted must be higher than it and bound close together that they may defend and couer them from the heate of the sunne the fruit is like almonds and being taken out of their shels are couered with a thinne blacke skinne and the piths being taken out it may be diuided into two or thrée partes hauing browne and gray veines but of a hard taste When they make drinke thereof they drie it in a pot by the fire and then bruise it with stones which done they put it in a cullender or potte made with holes mixing it with water and putting thereto a litle of their pepper and so drinke it This drinke is somewhat bitter it cooleth the body not making them drunke and by them throughout all the country it is estéemed for a most pretious thing which they present to men of great account as we do maluesey or hypocrase The maners of this people are not different from those of Mexico they eate mans flesh their clokes and garments are without sléeues they kindle their fire by rubbing two péeces of wood one against an other which is their common custome throughout al India and although they haue great store of waxe yet they knew not how to vse it for that in steede of candles they vsed lights made of pine trée boughes their speech is diuerse but the Mexican spéech is the best and that is furthest knowen for that therewith men may trauell through the country aboue fiftéene hundred miles and is very easie to learne when they daunce they vse a very strange manner for they are at least three or foure thousand together sometimes more according to the number of inhabitants in the fielde where they wil daunce being all together they make the place very cleane then one of them goeth before leading the daunce commonly going backeward turning in and out all the rest following by three and foure together vsing the like apish toyes their minstrels and drummes singing and playing certaine songs whereunto hee that leadeth the daunce aunswereth and after him all the rest some bearing Wayerkens in their hands some rattles ful of stones wherewith they rattle others haue theyr heades al slucke with feathers some their legs and armes bound about with stringes full of shels some ouerthwart and some crooked turning their bodies some opening their legs some their armes some counterfeiting the deafe man and others the blind man some laughing others grinning with many strange deuises they keep their feasts al that day till night drinking nothing but Cocauate The ships that saile ouer the south sea to Nicaragua passe thorow the narow stream about fiue and twenty miles inwards towards the land til they come to a dorp called Reâ—lâ—gio where there are certaine reed houses inhabited by Spaniardes where the ships anker by reason of the good hauen and because of the wood A dayes iourney from this place eastward lieth Legio or Leoâ— the Bishops sea of Nicaragaa standing vpon the border of the lake of Francisco Fernandez as also Granaten and other Spanish townes lying vpon the same lake fifty miles from each other almost at the other ende where the lake issueth into the northerne sea Those two townes are both scarce fourescore houses part made of lime and stone and parte of reedes and strawe Fiue and thirtie miles from Leon lieth a hill that casteth out fire in such abundance that by night they may beholde at the least 100000. sparks of fire flying into the aire many Spaniards are of this opinion that therin must be gold which giueth the fire a continual essence wherby they haue sought many meanes to trie it but al in vaine
and ninetéene entring vpon the one and twentie day of October and issuing againe in the moneth of December after when as then the dayes were there at the longest and the nights shortest Touching this strait you may reade at large in the histories of India and the nauigations of the EnglishmeÌ„ that also haue passed the same The K. of Spaine in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand fiue hundred eightie and two commaunded a Castle to be made vppon the point or first entry into those straits on the south side towards Peru from whence most part of his treasure commeth thereby to impeach other Nations to enter or passe the same about this strait dwelleth certayne great giantes of tenne or eleuen foote high and higher as some men write Magellanica the sixt part of the worlde MAgellanica is the sixt part of the world which as yet is least knowne but with out al doubt very great and stretcheth farre and wide the prouince in that countrey lying right against the strait of Magellana is called Terra de Fuego Beach another prouince lying in that part of the worlde is esteemed to be rich of golde the furthest Islands thereof are Iaua minor or little Iaua diuided into eight Kingdomes bringing foorth many kindes of spices as yet vnknowen to vs. Iaua maior Timor from whence is brought white and redde sanders wood Banda from whence nutmegges and mace are brought the Islands of Moluco wherin groweth cloues Los Romeros and the Islands Salomonis But hereof I wil leaue to speake vntil a more conuenient time and wil proceede with our description to Peru beginning from Panama right against Nombre de Dios and so containing our description in the briefest maner to Cabo Deleado or the desired Cape lying in the straites of Magellana but before I beginne I wil first make a briefe description of Peru in generall Peru is a common word and signifieth thrée things first a poore small countrey and hauen of the Spaniards discouered by Pizzarro and Almagio lying about Panama vnder two degrées on the north side of the line secondly by this worde is vnderstoode the whole countrey beginning at that hauen and following along the coast within the south seas til you come to Chile containing eight prouinces as Quito Cagnaresia Porto veio de S. Iacomo Cassamalca Cuscoa Cagnasia Calloa and Charcassia Thirdly this word Peru or Peruuia signifieth the sixt parte of the worlde namely that which is diuided southwarde from America which is also seperated from New Spaine by a straight or narrow péece of ground not aboue seuentéene miles in breadth making that Peru which otherwise is wholy coÌ„passed about with the sea is not an Island for that on the south side it hath the sea called the South Sea whereby men passe through the straits of Magelana on the west part lieth the strait it self which diuideth Peru from the land that lieth ouer against it as yet not fully discouered and by some called Terra di Fuegos that is the land of Fire This strait or narrowe passage was found out by Magellanus in the yeere of our lord one thousand fiue hundred and nineteene and as some say in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and twenty one and reacheth right east weast 110. miles and lieth vnder 52. degrees and thirty minutes being in the greatest part but two miles broad the shore on both sides being full of high stone rockes In this part of the worlde are fiue principall great prouinces as Castilia del Orâ— or the Golden Castle Popaiana Brasilia Chile and Peru and is diuided from new Spaine by the prouince of Dariene Beginning from thence and reaching to the straites of Magellana you must then vnderstand Peru to be a whole sixt part of the world which reacheth wide and broade to aboue sixty foure degrees and thirtie minutes namely on the south side of the line to fiftie two degrées and one halfe and on the north side twelue degrees to Saint Martha which is the furthest part of the country northward in the furthest length this part hath fiftie three degrees accounting from the meridian Passing the Cape Saint Augustine which lyeth vnder 8. degrees and thirtie minutes southward to the Meridian and the head of saint Francis lieth vpon the poynt of two parts southward The whole sixt parte of the world is in forme almost like a Hart or a Triangle standing three equall distances or lines being drawne from the three corners or points of the land The first from the Cape Saint Augustine to the straites of Magellana The second from Magellana to saint Martha and the third from saint Maâ—tha again vnto saint Augustine which in this sort may be described for that placing the one corner of the triangle being Cape saint Augustine vnder eight degrees and thirtie minutes southward and the length thrée hundred forty and one degrées the other corner of the triangle being the strait of Magellana vnder fifty two degrees and thirtie minutes southward and the length 303. degrées The line that is betweene these two heades must haue sixtie degrees as the Meridian three hundred sixtie hath so much then or somewhat more hath the line that runneth from Magellana to Saint Marcha which lieth vnder twelue degrees and in length two hundred ninetie foure degrees therefore this land hath almost the forme of a triangle others say it is formed like an egge which on both sides runneth sharpe downewards and is broad in the middle whereof the better to know it I will first beginne with Peru and the course the Portingales helde from Panama to Peru. In tune past by the name of Peru men vnderstoode all the prouinces that lie thereabouts from Pastoa vnto Chile and from the riuer Maulâ— north and south vnto the riuer Anchasmay Nowe the Spaniards by the word Peru mean the land that lieth between the riuer Argiropilis or Villa de la Pâ—atta the prouince Quito which is a fruitful sound populous and wel inhabited countrey being in length from north to south seuen hundred miles and in bredth from east to weast about a hundred miles so that the borders east and south are Argiropolis towards the west sea and towards the north the prouince Pastoa This land is diuided into three partes that is Planitiem Sierras and Andes that is an euen flat land lying on the Sea side with hilles or hilly countrey which passe through the middle of Peru lying eastward ouer the hilles This land is rich with gold and siluer more than any country in al the world which well appeareth by the yeerely quantitie of golde and siluer brought from thence respecting not the boastings brags vsed by the Perunians themselues that say The summes yéerely brought out of that countrey is nothing in respect of the quantitie therein for that it may be esteemed as much as if a man hauing a sack ful of corne should take a few graines out of it it may
miles and a halfe as they come néere vnto this cape they shall perceiue it to be a high hilly land lying vnder seuen degrees and a halfe from this poynt to the Rio de Pinas or Pine trée hauen the coast runneth south west and southwest and by south and is distaunt from the poynt aforesaide foure and twenty miles which are six Spanish miles or sixe degrees and a halfe it is a high land with great hilles and dales on the sea side there groweth very great pine trees and therefore it is called the Hauen of Pine trees from thence the coast lieth southward and south and bywest to Cape de las Correntas that is the cape of Streames which is very small and reacheth into the sea and because of the great and stiffe streame that runneth like a strong fall of waters running eastward like riuers many times the Portingale ships which saile that way are forced to anker in the night and in the morning setting saile it happeneth oftentimes that when they thinke to winde that they are stayed and driuen backe agayne so hang somtimes 15. or 20. dayes about that Cape before they can passe it but passing forward beyond that Cape you come to the Island lying before the Rio de Palmas so called because of the aboundaunce of palme or Indian nut trées that do growe thereon This riuer is in compas somwhat more than fiue miles which is one Dutch mile and a mile and â— Spanish which was once inhabited it is distant from Cabo de Correntes seuentie fiue miles or foure degrees â— Thereabouts are many riuers all very good water and not farre from thence lyeth the land and riuer of Peru where Pizaâ—us arriued and after his name almost all the country is called Peru from the Iland de las Pâ—linas folowing along the coast and the same course you come to the strand of Bonauentura which is distant from the Island aforesaide somewhat more than nine miles which are two Spannish miles ¼ Hard by this strand which is very great lieth a high cliffe or rocke of stone and the entry of the Bay is vnder three degrées 1 â— All this side is full of very great hilles and there runneth into the sea many and verie great riuers that haue their springs out of the hilles by one of those the shippes enter into the land or haâ—â—n of Bonauentura but the â—ilots that puâ—â—h there ought to haue good knowledge of the riuer for that if they be not wel acquainted with it they are like to induâ—e much danger as it happeneth vnto many shippes that had Pilots to whom the riuer is not knowne from this Bay the coast runneth east and east and by south to the Island Gorgona which is distant from the strande seauenty fiue miles which are ninetéene Spanish miles the coast al along this course is very lowe full of trees and other wilde places and hilles from whence there runneth many great riuers whereof the chiefe and greatest is the riuer of Saint Iohn which is inhabited by Barbarians hauing builded their houses vppon great postes and stoopes in manner of houelles where many dwell in one house and some alone by themselues because the houses are very long and broade These Indians are rich of gold and their country is very fruitfull the riuers by force of the streames abounding with much gold but it is so sleeke and moorish that it can hardely bee gotten but with the losse of many people and with great labour This Island of Gorgona is vnmeasurable high wherein for the space of eight moneths yéerely it neuer ceaseth raining and thundering whereby it seemeth the Elements fight and striue one against the other it is in circuite about two miles or sixe Italian miles all high hilles vpon the the trees whereof are seene many peacocks phesants speckled cats great serpents many sea crabbes and night foules seeming as if it were not inhabited it hath likewise much fresh water Summer there beginneth at the end of Maie cleane contrary to Panama whereas then winter beginneth In this Iland Franciscus Pizarius with 13 others that had discouered the countrey of Peru stayed certayne days induring great paine and hunger before they coulde ouercome the countrey This country of Gorgona lieth vnder three degrees and as touching the miles that in this discourse as also in the description of Brasilia and other places I haue obserued they are all Spanish miles whereof seuenteene 1 â— make a degrée from this Iland the coast runneth west southwest to the Iland del Galâ—o or of the Cocke all this coast being lowe and full of vallies from whence there runneth many riuers this Iland is small and in compas scarse a mile or about three Italian miles it hath certayne redde Downes The same coast from the firme land thither lyeth twoo degrees from the Equinoctiall from thence the coast tourneth southwestward till you passe the point called Manglaâ—es which are trees so called and in our Card Manglalos which lieth scarce vnder two degrées and from the Island to the poynt which is sixe Spanish miles little more or lesse or foure and twenty Italian miles the coast is low and ful of vallies and thereabouts runneth certaine riuers into the sea which inwards to the land are inhabited from thence the coast runneth southwest to the strand called S. Iacob or S. Iago and maketh a greate Creeke where there is an open hauen or roade named by the Sardinians and from thence runneth the great riuer of S. Iacob where the gouernement of Pizarro began and this strand is 9. miles ¼ from the point of Manglares and it happeneth many times that the ships haue there at the beake head fourescore fadomes water and at the sterne they touch the ground and also it is often found that sometimes they sayle in two fadomes water and presently they find ninetie fadomes which the strong course and fury of the riuer causeth and although there are such banks yet are they not dangerous neither do the shippes refuse to passe in and out when they will The strand of S. Mathew in our Carde Mathias lyeth full in one degree from thence the coast runneth west to the Cape saint Francis which lieth from the strand thirtie Italian miles that is seuen Spanish miles and one halfe this poynt lieth on high ground and hard by it are certayne red and white Downes that are of the same height This poynt of saint Francis lyeth vnder one degrée on the north side of the Equinoctiall line From thence the coast runneth southweast to the poynt Passao which is the first hauen of Peru ouer the which passeth the Equinoctiall line Betweene these two poynts there runneth foure great riuers into the Sea which are called Liquixinus in Latine Quisinuae and there about there is an indifferent good Hauen where the ships finde good water and wood to burne From the poynt Passao to the firme land are diuers high hilles that are called De Quaque
bodies as bigge as akornes hauing deepe rootes worse and more deformed than por and must be wroong off by binding a threed about them when they are ripe they paynt their mouthes and boare holes in theyr eares nose lippes and cheekes vpon their festiuall dayes wearing iewels and pearles therein the scutes by them vsed in those countries to fish as also to saile in are like drifts made of thrée fiue seuen nine and eleuen light quarters or rafters of wood laid or bound together as men binde mastes and let them driue vppon the water and their manner is to binde the longest in the middle and the rest on both sides shorter than other and as their driftes are long or short so are their sailes proportioned and when they haue brought their drift a good way forwarâ— they throwe bread fruit and such like things into the sea praying for a good winde as being weary and wholly without strength to rowe any more The doores of the Churches in that Countrey stand Eastward hanged with certaine cotton linnen and in euery church there standeth two grauen Images of forme like blacke Buckes and before them there is a fire made of swéete wood which groweth in that countrey which fire burneth continually out of the which wood the barke being taken away there issueth a certaine sweet gumme I thinke it to be Cedar from whence the gumme Elemi is taken which is accounted for the life of the dead and the death of the liuing because it preserueth the dead body from putrifaction There are also in those temples certain Images of great serpents which they pray vnto and besides these common idolles euery man hath his seuerall Idoll each man according to the trade he vseth as the Fishermen a greate fish and the Hunters a hart or the Image of some wilde beast by the Cape Passao in some churches vpon euery piller thereof were placed the bodies of men women and children crucified that were so well kept and dried that by no meanes they could rot or cast foorth any vnswéete sauour there were likewise the heads of Indians set vpon nailes which with some certaine substaunce they had so closed and knitte together that they were no bigger in compasse than a mans fist their houses are made of great thicke réedes which growe in that countrey but for fruite they haue very little Procéeding further to the description of the coast and folowing on south and southweast to Cape saint Elena before you come to that poynt there are two hauens one called Colao the other Calemgo where the shippes anker to take in fresh water and woodde to burne and from the poynt saint Laurence to Cape saint Elena are full nine miles and lieth vnder twoo degrees and from the point towardes the north it maketh a hooke of land which is a very good Hauen about a bowe shoote from thence there standeth a fountayne which by certaine veines runneth into the sea from whence there issueth a certayne Bitumen altogether like pitch and by the Spaniardes is vsed about their shippes insteede of tarre and the Peruuians say that about that point in times past there dwelt great men like Giants but they knew not from whence they came and fedde vppon such meate as their neighbours vsed specially fish Those Giauntes fished likewise vppon drifts and manye times came on foote to land through the water where they had at the least two fadome déepe and somewhat more They went naked and were most cruell killing many of the people thereabouts When the Spaniardes arriued at Porto Vero they found therein two Images of those Giantes a man and a woman and the Peruuians say likewise that the destruction of those Giauntes was done by a boy that came downe from heauen shining like the Sunne that fought against them with fiery flames in such manner that where the flames touched they tare and rent the stones the rents and holes whereof are at this day to be seene and by that meanes the Giauntes ranne into certayne holes to hide themselues where they were all destroyed This tale was not greatly beléeued by the Spaniardes vntill one Iohn de Helmos borne in Truxillio Gouernour of Porto Vero in the yeare of our Lorde God euerlasting one thousand fiue hundred fourtie and thrée caused certayne places to bee digged vppe where they found so great bones and ribbes that it was incredible to bee mens bones but that they found the heads lying by them the teeth thereof being three fingers broad and foure fingers long and fiue quarters square which were sent into diuers places of Peru and from that time the Peruuians tale thereof was beleeued to be true The Spaniards opinions are that because the Giantes were giuen to sinne against the lawes of nature that the most righteous God had destroyed them by his Angel with fire from heauen as he did the Citties of Sodome and Gomorrha Yet is this not certainely to be credited because the Americans haue no histories bookes nor other writings to record the same onely the memories and rehearsalles of menne from time to time and by some tokens and memorialles there made of all sortes of painted cotten ropes which they call Quippos signifying by the number of knottes made of diuers fashions that which they would remember beginning from the bottome and so telling vpwardes from one to tenne and so forth painting the ropes of the same colour that the things were of which they woulde thereby signifie or haue in memorie whereof the Spaniardes by their Barbarian crueltie and negligence haue spoyled great numbers in euery prouince there were menne appoynted for the purpose in that manner to register such things as had happened as you may reade more at large in the Historie of Mexico those that did it were caled Quippo camayos of which cordes there were whole houses full which by such as were acquainted with them could easily be tolde although the things had béene done many yeeres before but returning againe to the description of the coast from the point of saint Elena you saile to the riuer of Tumbez which lieth almost nineteene miles off and from thence about foure miles lieth the Islande Pâ—na otherwise called the Island of Saint Iacob which is more than seuen miles and one half in compasse very rich and inhabited with so many people that they warred continually with the men of Tumbez and the people of the firme land betweene them hauing had many battells in open field but by continuaunce of tune and power of the Spaniardes they were in the ende wholely subdued This Island is very fruitful and ful of al sorts of trees abounding both with wilde beastes and fish also of fresh water for their apparel they vsed shirts and other clothes they fish with drifts of light wood bound vpon two other peeces of woodde as their neighbors do of the which drifts some of them are so great that at the least fiftie men and three horses might sit vpon them
Church and keepe the rest for themselues and you must vnderstand that all the offerings must be wrought with golde and siluer and of such forme and fashion as the thing is which they desire to haue of their Guaca They offer also liuing men and all kindes of beastes looking in the hearts and intrailes of the men or beastes which they did offer for certaine secret tokens which if they founde not vpon the offerings they still offered newe men or beasts vntil they founde the tokens thinking the Idoll not to be pleased with such offrings as had them not When the priests should offer sacrifices then they abstaine from the company of their wiues and ceased not all night to doo nothing but crie out and pray to the diuell running into the fieldes and to the places where the Guacas stande whereof there were so many that euerie man hadde one before his dore and the day before they should speake with the diuell they fasted some binding a thing before their eies and some thrust them cleane out and it hath often bene seene that some of them haue done it of meere deuotion The kinges and noble menne enterprise not any thing before they haue consulted with the Priestes and the Priests with the Idoles in their sacrifices they vse not onely beastes but menne and children but they eate not mans flesh as the Caniballes do When the Spaniardes spoyled their Temples they founde therein many pottes full of the dried bones and flesh of dead children that had bin offered to their Idolles they offer likewise birdes and other beastes and with the bloud of their offerings they annoint the mouthes of their Idolles and the dores of their churches There was likewise among the golde that lay by their idolles certaine staues and myters for Bishops such as our Bishops vse when they are in their robes or as the Painters vse to set foorth Saint Nicholas with his Crosse and Myter and being asked what those things meant they knew not what to answere neyther from whence they came Besides those great temples of the Sunne and Guacas there were in all places of the countrey of Peru many other Churches and Cloysters for yong maides wherein some had one hundred some two hundred and some more al obseruing chastitie or at the least vowing to keepe it and to honour the Sunne like the Vastal virgins in Rome or our Nuns Those they called Mamacomas and were bound to stay in the cloyster during their liues and neuer to depart from thence dooing nothing but spinne weaue and sowe very fine cloth of cotten and wooll apparell and furnitures for their Idolles or as others affirme the clothes by them made were burnt with the bones of white sheepe the ashes whereof as a signe and token of godly honour they threw into the ayre against the Sunne Those maides were verye narrowely looked vnto by certaine Priestes and other men appoynted for the purpose wherof some were gelded because they should not seeke to defile them which if the maides once committed they were eyther put to death or buried quicke but if the maide with childe would take her othe that it was begotten by the Sunne then the childe was free from death and euerye yeere in the moneth of August when they had gathered in their corne or maiz the Perâ—uians that dwelt in the hilles made a great feast they set vp in the middle of their Market place two great hie trees like our Maie-poles and in the top of them they placed certaine Images made like men compassed about with flowers and so in roundes yet in good order comming thither they strike vp drummes throwing and showting one after the other with stones and arrowes at those Images making great noyse with whooping and hallowing and euery man hauing shott and thrown The Priests brought an other Image which was set belowe on the neather part of the trees whereunto they offered either a man or a sheepe annoynting the Image with the bloud thereof and after they perceiued the tokens in the heart or intrailes they certified it vnto the people and the tokens being found the feast was ended eyther with ioy or sadnes most part in drinking wherunto they are much addicted and so daunced turning and passing vnder each others armes each man hauing either a bill clubbe or some other weapon in his hand such as are desirous to know more of their ceremonies and false worshippings of Idoles let them reade the histories of the Spanish Indies The countrey of Peru was first ruled by Iudges which are Kings or Rulers that come from the great lake called Titicara or as some write Titicaca lying in Charcas being foure score miles in compasse which runneth westward through a great riuer which in some places is halfe a mile broad and then runneth into an other small lake fortie miles distant and it is to be wondered at how the abundaunce of water that runneth out of the great lake is comprehended in so small a place where it is not once perceiued to increase The lake beeing so small and the water so great but it is reported that in that lake there is no botome or ground and that the water runneth vnder the ground thorow the earth into another sea or riuer as it is saide of the riuer Alpheus that it runneth from Peioponces or Moica to Cicilia vnder the ground and from this lake or thereabouts the kings of Peru had their originall the petegree of which kings is by Iacob Fernando a Spaniard declared in this manner Frst Mango Capa who according to the Indians report was not borne of a woman but sprang out of a stone which vntill this day is yet shewne by them about the towne of Cusco hee by his wife Mama Guaco had issue one sonne called Sicheroca that ruled after his father and was the second Ingen or king you must vnderstand that the inheritance of the kingdome continueth in the issue sons successiuely and not vnto the children of the sonnes before all the brothers haue raigned one after another but first the eldest sonne is King then after his death his second brother succeedeth in the kingdome and not the eldest brothers sonnes and the second brother dying there being no more brethren the crowne falleth vnto the eldest brothers sonnes without alteration or change this Sicheroca was a valiant souldier like his father and broght many of his neighbours to subiection and by Mama Cura he had issue a sonne called Locuco Pangue the third king who studied rather to holde those landes he had vnder his subiection then to win or increase more vnto them and being aged he married a wife Mama Anauerque by whom he had a sonne called Maita Capa that augmented his kingdome and thervnto ioyned the prouince of Cusco and by his wife Mama Iacchi Dela he had issue a sonne called Capa Cyupangu of whom there is nothing worthy memory onely that he left a sonne by his wife Mama Cagna called Inga
further in the shew of an other thicke Houell with trées and kéeping on your course til you come right ouer against y e riuer theÌ„ the houels séem to be right ouer against the other thicke laÌ„d it sheweth thus when you are about a myle ½ to the sea ward from it froÌ„ this riuer to the first Pagode or Idole there is about three or foure myles and from this Pagode forward you finde no more high hils like that you haue past before and passing straight from thence some of them shew as if they had tables or plaines vpoÌ„ them this Pagode lieth ful vnder 20 degr your best way is alwaies to looke out for it as being requisite for you thereby to make a good voiage beyoÌ„d this first Pagode there staÌ„deth an other Pagode as great as the first with 2 or 3 small Pagodes standing somewhat further from y e first Pagode to y e secoÌ„d is about 4 miles and the coast from the one to the other lyeth East and West here you must not kéepe too close to the shore for you shall hardly put off again because it maketh a créeke likewise before you come to the first Pagode you must kéepe off from the land because two miles before you come at it there lyeth a small drougth stretching a mile into the Sea From the first Pagode to the seconde you sée certaine houels and trées and from the second Pagode to Sataguan it is a lower land all waste and wilde ground being altogether bare to the point called a Punta das Palmerias that is the point of the Palme trees and you run West along the coast from the Pagode aforesaid to a point with a Riffe lying 12. miles from the point of Palmerias there lyeth a riuer the point aforesaide reacheth a great halfe mile into the Sea you runne along the coast Northeast and from the aforesaid Riffe point to the Palmerias the coast runneth Northeast and Northeast and by East and to knowe the Riffe and the lande thereof you must vnderstand that the land of the Riffe is greater and thicker then the other land of the Cliffe and maketh show of an Iland and presently somwhat further you shall see nine or ten trees shewing like round houels from the Pagode to this Riffe are about 12. miles from thence forward you shall runne along the coast at nine ten fadome deepe vntill you come to the said Palmerias whereof the fore part of the land is verie low hauing a bare houel which sheweth it selfe like the Arenas Gordas or redde Downes lying by Saint Lucas de Barameda in the coast of Spaine froÌ„ this donne or houel to the Palmerias it is altogether a low and bare land without any trees or bushes the Palmerias were wont to be ten or twelue Palme trees now there is but one hard by the same Palmerias on the side of Sataguan there stande certaine Houels and from thence forwards you haue no pointes hookes trees nor any more bushes but the land for a mile way is nothing but like a Riffe And when you see the point of Palmerias then you shall holde your course East vntill you bee 12. Fadome deepe and from thence Northeast till you find eight Fadome and a halfe and being in the daye time you shall presently see land which shal be beneath all the Riffes and if the land be couered with any dampes or mistes you shall then not see it before you bee at 4. fadome deepe This course you shall hold with a Compasse that faileth not for if it doth you must make your reckening thereafter this land whereby you shall passe is a flat low land without either bush or tree and passing forward along the coast you shall vpon the East side perceiue a long blacke Houel like a Champana without a Mast which is an Indian Caruell and somewhat further from this Houell there are a companie of trées which are about thrée or foure that shew greater then the houell these trees stand somewhat low and a little from these trees beginneth the Riffe of the countrie of Orixa which hauing seene you shal presently see the water to Seaward breake which is vpon the drougthes of Bengalen for there the Chanell is smalest and behind you leaue many Riffes on the side of Bengalen which doe all lie to Sea ward wherefore you cannot see them and passing by them you approach the Riffe of the land of Orixa for although you sayle close by you neede not feare other then that you see before your eyes the depth is three Fadome with small blacke Sand in the bottome On Bengalen side you shall haue foure or fiue fadome water with muddie grounde on the which side you must not goe for that beyond that muddie ground you should come to a banke of Saâ—â— comming from Bengalen when you find this ground you shall if néed be come Northeast and by North vntil you be at thrée fadome for this is the right way the aforesaid Riffe of Orixa being past you shall presently find more depth and if you desire to runne along by the land of Orixa then set your course right vpon the first point that you sée before you the least depth you shall find is thrée fadome which is the right way vntill you be close by the land where you shal find 5. or 6. fadome déepe and if you néede any wood to burne then goe on the other side of the land of Bengalen for there the wood is better then on the side of Orixa but hauing done you must again put to the side of Orixa vntill you bee past two ryuers lying on the same side of Orixa whereof the first is liker a Créeke then a ryuer the other lyeth about a mile further in which hath a great mouth or entrie two or thrée miles further beyond that Riuer there are some flowing Beken with trees a mile beyond them there is woode or wildernesse full of thicke trees like Palme trees from the beginning whereof you must crosse ouer to the other side of the land called Guinette right vppon a tree standing on the same side which is higher then all the rest and standeth on the left side of the riuer called Chandecan from thence forwarde it is all shallowes wherefore you must passe further therabouts with a ful sea if you desire to passe through the channell of the land you shall take your course as I said before from Palmieras to the Northeast you may runne at fiue fadome and being by day you shall runne at thrée fadomes and running at this depth along by the land although you come sometime to lesse depth yet you néede not feare with the which course you shall sée the Riffe of Orixa and when you sée it you shal make towardes it and make 2 â— parts of the way towards the land and a third part towards the Riffe and so you haue the right way as aforesaid The 12. Chapter An other description of the
find the ground full of bankes for from Coulaon to Batecola that is by Onor not farre from Goa the ground is bankie and you may Anker at 8. fadome without feare from Batecola to Goa the ground in some places deeper whereby you may gouerne your selfe Touching your Ankerage from Cochijn to Cananor you néede not feare onely to take héede of the Iland called Ilha Cagado lying Southward from Cananor seuen miles and thrée miles Northward from the fortresse of Mangalor there lyeth a row of Ilands Cliffes and Rockes along the coast vntill you come to the fortresse of Barcelor from thence to Batecola you haue certaine Cliffes but they are close to the land and the two Ilands of Batecola you may passe betwéene the first of them and the Firme land without feare for it is 15. or 16. Fadome déepe a little further lyeth the Iland of Honor close to the Firme land then followeth the Ilandes of Angediua which reach as the coast doth and if it bee late in the yeare you shal not put farre into the Créeke of Ancola for as then there is no Terreinhos or land winds to driue you out againe therfore it is then better to runne something far from the coast for you haue many times the Viracoins or Sea winds somwhat farre off and being néere the shore they would not much helpe you This must be from the twentie of March forward If you chance to be by Angediua and had néede of a Road or harber you must enter into Angediua on the North side as far from that land as from the Firme land and rather somewhat néerer the Iland then the Firme land where you haue a good Road or harber for there many times diuers shippes doe winter being constrained therevnto within it is sixe fadome déepe a little further from Angediua lie foure or fiue Ilands from the ryuer Sanguisijn close by the Firme land and from thence about halfe a mile further forward lyeth the Iland of Goa Velha that is old Goa and then there are no other Ilands heerein to bee noted You must vnderstand that oftentimes it happeneth that along the coast you shall find the wind Northwest and North Northwest without chāging which bloweth very strong with the which wind I aduise you not to set sayle although it blow out of the North but if it be cleare day then you may hoyse Anker and put to Sea wards and if the wind commeth not about to Northeast being foure miles from the land and before noone about nine or ten of the clocke you shall Anker till it be noone till the Viracoins or Sea winds come therewith to sayle againe towards the land for in this sort you shall get aduantage to loofeward although it bee with paine and labour as likewise the time will shewe you what you shall doe I must further aduertise you that when you are by the coast of Seylon it being about the fifteene of Februarie or past then you néede not sayle further then to the Ilands Verberijn and from thence to the Cape de Comorijn for as then you néede neither to feare water nor streames to driue you outward yet you must not bee negligent therin for some yeares the stormes come later sometimes sooner as the winds blow whereof you must be carefull and being the fiftéene of Februarie or past you must remember not to runne inwards but kéepe out for as then the streames runne inwards which might deceiue you and the later it is in Februarie the stronger they draw inward comming to Cochijn betwéene the 15. and 20. of March you may wel get from thence to Goa although the Viage is some thing doubtfull but being past the twentie of March I would not counsell you to do it for that of late many years together there hath béene vpon the coast of India in Aprill and May diuers blustering stormes of crosse winds blowing towards the coast with darke and cloudie skies which would bring you in great danger therefore against that time it is best to chuse a good Hauen neuerthelesse God can send faire weather winds when it pleaseth him To put into the Hauen of the fortresse of Barcelor in the coast of Malabar aforesaide you must vnderstande that when you see a round Houell vppon the end of the hil of Batecola towards y e Northeast and Northeast and by East then you are right against the fortresse of Barcelor may put in at 7. fadome so you haue the fortresse East and halfe a stricke to East and by North from you and you shall sée all the Cliffes lying along the coast to the Ilands as Ilhas de Saint Maria which are altogether stonie Cliffes but they stand close to the land The 19. Chapter A description of all the Hauens places coastes and Sands vpon the East and South side of the Ilands Seylon with their heights courses stretchings situations with the course from thence to the fortresse of Columbo holden by the Portingales FIrst I will beginne with Trinquanamale which lyeth vnder nine degrées vppon the East side of the Iland Seylon eight myles from thence Southwarde lyeth a smal ryuer and before you come at it putting from Trinquanamale ther are some Ilands that with Birds fileings looke white and in the mouth of the riuer aforesaid lie two smal Ilands full of trées from Trinquanamale to this ryuer the course is North and South and North and by East and South and by West and running along the coast towards this ryuer then you shall leaue the Ilands aforesaid on the land side sayling without thē for that betwéene them and the land are many stones and Cliffes this ryuer and Trinquanamale lie distant from each other eight or nine miles at the furthest From the saide ryuer with the Ilands in the entrie thereof to the ryuer of Mataqualou are 12. myles and lieth vnder the hight of seuen degrées and 1 ◠The course from the one to the other is Northwest and Southeast being past this ryuer comming betwéene the Ilands the mouth therof you may go as néere the shore as you will for it is without danger within a great shotte of the land it is 20. fadome déepe From Mataqualou about fiue or sixe miles the course is North and South till you come to the point or hooke and from this point fiue or sixe miles further you runne along the coast North and South and North and by East and South and by West further forward towards the first Sand about fiue or sixe miles Northward there standeth a woode of Palme trées and comming right ouer against it the coast runneth North Northeast and South southwest and somewhat North and by East and South and by West from those fiue miles to the first sand the course is North East and southwest and Northeast and by East and Southwest and by West and before you come within foure or fiue miles of these Sandes you shall sée some Houels and hillockes of red
a great number of whale fishes and other fish by the Spaniards Atun whereof many are found in the coast of Gibraltar in Spaigne as also Albacoras and Bonitos which are all Fishes which commonly kéepe in Channels straights and running waters there to disperse their séed when they bréed which maketh me more assuredly beléeue that thereabouts is a Channell or Straight to passe through Being by the same course vpon y e coast of new Spaigne vnder seuen and thirty degrées and ½ wee passed by a very high and faire land with many Trées wholy without Snow and foure miles from the land you find thereabouts many drifts of roots leaues of Trées Réedes and other leaues like Figge leaues the like whereof wee found in great abundance in the countrey of Iapon which they eat and some of those that wée found I caused to be sodden with flesh and being sodden they eat like Colewortes there likewise wee found great store of Sea wolues which wee call Sea dogges whereby it is to bée presumed and certainly to bee beléeued that there are manye Riuers Bayes and Hauens along by those coasts to the Hauen of Acapulco From thence wee ranne South-east Southeast and by South and South-east and by East as we found the wind to the point called El Cabo de Saint Lucas which is the beginning of the land of Califfornia on the Northwest side lying vnder two and twenty degrées being fiue hundred myles distant from the Cape De mendosino In this way of the aforesaied fiue hundred myles along by the coast are manye Islands and although they bee but small yet without doubt there are in them some good Hauens as also in the Firme Land where you haue these Hauens following nowe lately found out as that of the Island of Saint Augustine lying vnder thirtye degrées and ¾ and the Island called Ilha de Sedros scarce vnder eight and twentie degrées and ¼ and the Island lying beneath the Saint Martyn vnder thrée and twentie degrées and ½ all this coast and Country as I thinke is inhabited and sheweth to bee a verye good Countrey for there by night wee sawe fire and by day smoake which is a most sure token that they are inhabited From the Point or hooke of Saint Lucas to the South-east side of Calliffornia wee helde our course East Southeast for the space of eightye myles to the point called El cabo de las corrientes that is the point of the streames lying vnder ninteene degrées â…” and running this course Northward about a mile from vs we sawe thrée Islands called las tres Marias that is the thrée Maries running the same course About foure miles from the other Islandes there are other Islands reaching about 2. or thrée miles All this way from the mouth or Créeke of California aforesaid for the space of the said 80. miles there are great streames that runne Westward From the point or Cape de las Corrientes wée ranne Southeast and sometimes Southeast and by East for the space of an hundred and thirtie miles to the hauen of Acapulco In this way of an hundred and thirty miles being 20. miles on the way we had the Hauen of the Naâ—iuidade that is the birth of the Virgine Mary and other eight miles further the Hauen of Saint Iago or Saint Iames and sixe miles further the sea Strand called la Playa de Culyma that is the Strand of Culyma All this coast from California to the Hauen of Acapulco is inhabited by people that haue peace and traffique with the Spaniards and are of condition and qualities like the people of the other places of new Spaine The Conclusion of the Author of this last Voyage ALl this Description and Nauigation haue I my selfe séene prooued and well noted in my Voiage made and ended in the yéere of our Lord 1584. from great China out of the Hauen and riuer of Canton as I will more at large set it downe vnto your honour with the Paralell and Meridian thereof as God shall permit me time and leysour whome I beséech to send you long and happy daies and the same haue I truly translated out of Spanish into low Dutch verbatim out of the Originall coppie that was sent vnto the Viceroy of the Portingall Indies The 55. Chapter The Description of a Voyage made by a Pilot called Nuno da Silua for the Viceroy of new Spaine the 20. of May in the yeere of our Lorde 1579. to the towne of Mexico from whence it was sent to the Viceroy of the Portingall Indies wherein is set downe the course and actions passed in the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake that tooke the aforesaid Nuno da Silua by the Islands of Cabo Verde and carried him along with him thorough the Straightes of Magellanes to the Hauen of Guatulco in newe Spaine where he let him goe againe NVno da Silua borne in Porto a Citizen and inhabitant of Guaia saith that hée departed out of his house in the beginning of Nouember in the yéere of our Lorde 1577. taking his course to Cabo Verde or the gréene point where hée ankered with his shippe close by the Hauen of the Island of Saint Iames one of the Islands of Cabo Verde aforesaid béeing the nintéenth of Ianuarie in the yéere of our Lorde 1578. and lying there there came sixe shippes which seemed to be English men whereof the Admirall boorded his shippe and by force with his men hée tooke him out of his shippe bringing him in the boat aboord the Admirals shippe leauing some of his best men aboord his shippe and although the fortresse of the Island shot foure or fiue times at them yet they hurt not the English men who hauing done seâ— saile from thence to the Island of Braua that is the wild Island taking with them the shippe of the saide Nuno da Silua béeing there they filled certaine vessels with fresh water from thence holding their course inwarde to Sea hauing first with a boat set the men of Nuno da Siluas shippe on lande onley kéeping Nuno da Silua in his shippe as also his shippe with the wines that were therein and Nuno da Silua saith the cause why they kept him on boorde was because they knewe him to be a Pilot for the coast of Brasilia that hée might bring them to such places in those countries as had fresh water Béeing put off from the Island of Braua they helde their course to the lande of Brasilia which they descried vpon the first of Aprill vnder the height of 30. degrées and without landing or taking in fresh water they held on their course to the riuer Rio de la Plata that is the riuer of Siluer lying vnder fiue and thirtie degrées little more or lesse where they went on lande and prouided themselues of fresh water From thence they helde on their course till they came vnder nine and thirtie degrées where they ankered and béeing there they left two of their sixe shippes
or rootes whereof they make bread and because it was late they returned againe vnto their shippe without doing any other thing for that day The next day the said Captaine with the aforesaide twelue men being Harquebushers rowed to land again and set two of their companie on shore with their vessels to fetch fresh water and by the place where they should fill their water there lay certaine Indians secretly hidden that fell vpon the two English men and tooke them which they in the boat perceiuing went out to helpe them but they were so assailed with stones and arrowes that all or the most part of them were hurt the Captaine himselfe béeing wounded with an arrowe on the face and will another arrowe in the head whereby they were constrained to turne backe againe without once hurting any of the Indians and yet they came so neare the boate that they tooke foure of their oares from them This done they set saile againe running along the coast with a South winde sailing so for the space of sixe miles passing by the Hauen called Saint Iago or Saint Iames where they put into a Hauen and there they tooke an Indian that lay fishing in a Scute or Canoa giuing him linnen and Butchers chopping kniues with other trifles and not long after there came an other Indian aboord their shippe called Felippe and hée spake Spanish hee gaue the English Captaine notice of a certaine shippe that lay in the Hauen of Saint Iago which they had left sixe miles behinde them with that intelligence the Indian béeing their guide the next day they set Saile and put to the aforesaide Hauen of Saint Iago and entring therein they tooke the saide Shippe wherein they found a thousand seuen hundred and 70. Bortigas of Spanish pots full of wine other thinges which hauing done they leapt on land where they tooke certaine sackes with meale with all whatsoeuer they could find they tooke likewise the ornaments and other Relickes out of the Church wherewith they departed from thence taking the aforesaid shippe with two menne that they found in her with them and so departed from that Hauen which lyeth vnder 32 degrées and ½ running along by the coast till they came vnder one and thirtie and thirty degrées which was the place where they had appointed to méet and there to stay for each other if by tempest or foule weather they chanced to be seperated and so loose each others company And comming vnder thirty degrées they found a very good Hauen wherein they entred and ankered at sixe fadome deepe the shotte of a great Péece from the Lande which was right ouer against a Riuer where they tooke in sixe Pipes of fresh water and to defend them that fetched the water they set twelue men vpon the Land and being busied in filling of their water they espied a company of men comming towards them wherof halfe of them were Spaniards being about two hundred and fifty horsemē and as many footemen but they had no sooner espied them but they presently entered into the Boat and escaped away loosing but one man The same night they set saile againe with both their Shippes running along the coast about ten miles further where they tooke in some fresh water but because they perceiued certaine horsemen they departed without lading any more water Frō thence they folowed on their course along the coast for the space of 30. myles where they entred into a desert or vnhabited Hauen yet they went not on Land for euery day they sawe people vpon the shore and there they made out a small pinnace the péeces whereof they brought readye framed out of England and hauing prepared it they launched it into the Water wherein the Captaine with fiftéene men entred with the cheefe Boatesman called Ian de Greicke being Maister of the shippe which they had taken in the Hauen of S. Iago wherewith they went to sée if they could finde the two Shippes that they had lost by stormy weather as I saied before and likewise thinking to goe on Land to fill certaine vessels with fresh Water they durst not venture for they sawe people on all side of the shoare so that in the end they returned againe without hearing of the other Shippes being there they tooke all the Ordinaunce out of their Shippe and newe dressed and rigged her which done they put a small péece of Ordinaunce into the Pinnace wherewith they set saile againe following on their course Hauing sayled thirtéene daies they came to an Island lying about the shot of a Base from the Lande where they ankered and there they found foure Indian Fishermen in two Canaos who tolde them that on the Firme Lande they might haue fresh water but they vnderstanding that there was not much and that it was somewhat within the Lande they would not spend any time about it but set sayle againe leauing the Fishermen with their Canaos following on their course along by the shore The next day being somewhat further they espied certaine Indian Fishermen that were vpon the Lande in their houses which the English Captaine perceauing presently entered into the Pinnace and rowed on Land where hee tooke three of the said Fishermen taking with him halfe of the Fish that lay packed vpon the shoare ready to bee laden with the which Indians and booty they came on boord againe The next day following they sawe a Barke laden with Fish that belonged to the Spaniards with foure Indians in it This Barke with the Indians and the Fish they tooke and bound the Spanish Shippe to their sterne and so drewe it after them leauing the said Indians within it who by night vnbound the Barke and secretly made away with Barke and Fish and were no more seene The next day the Captaine went into the Pinnace and because hee sawe certaine houses vppon the shoare hee made thither and beeing on Lande hee found two menne in them whereof one hee tooke leauing the other behinde and there hee found thrée thousand Pesoes of siluer euery Peso being the value of a Ryall of eight and seuen Indian Sheepe Hennes and all whatsoeuer they found wherewith they departed from thence following on their course and two dayes after they came by the hauen called Azijcka where they found two shippes the one laden with goods and Spanish wares out of the which they tooke only two hundred Bottigas or Spanish Pots with Wine and out of the other seuē and thirty Bharas of siluer which are péeces of tenne or twelue pound each Bharre and thinking to leape on shore with two Barkes that they found in the said Hauen with about seuen and thirty Harquebushes bowes they perceiued on the land certaine horsemen comming towards them whervpon they left off their pretence and tooke with them a Moore that they found within the Barkes with whome they retourned aboord The next day in the morning they burnt the shippe that was laden with the Spanish wares and tooke the other with
much different and from the matter taken in hand Touching the orientall parts neuerthelesse because it is vnknowne to our countrimen as also commonly sailed by the Portingales and Spaniards whose voyages and trauels I haue herein onely set downe it will not bee out of the matter but rather very necessary to be ioyned therevnto and as I thinke will bee wel accepted and esteemed off insomuch as that at this time our countrey men doe vse to Trafficke and trauell into those countries hoping it will bee an occasion of further increasing and augmenting of their trauels to the honour praise and glory of the Gospell of Christ and all Christian Princes and to the entiching and welfare of the Low countries The 65. Chapter The Nauigation from the Point of Cabo Verde to Brasilia with the right course and knowledge of the Land and Hauens of Brasilia to the Riuer called Rio de la Plata with the situation thereof SAyling from Cabo Verde that is the greene point to Brasilia you must saile south southeast Southeast and Southeast by South and being vnder fiue or sixe degrées or wheresoeuer you bee you shall take your degrées on the Southside and lessen them as much as you can and you must remember that as soone as you haue the generall winde blowing from the South-east then you shall runne Southwest and West Southwest and if the winde bee South and Southwest you must runne South-east but not too farre for it helpeth you not for that the more you kéepe that course the more way you loose and you shall vse all the meanes you can not to runne vnder the coast of Guinea nearer then sixtie or seuentye fadome from the Sandes called Os Baixos de Sant Anna for the winde will helpe you in such manner that you may sayle towards the Point of Brasilia And if with this course you will sayle to Pernanbuco It being from the Moneth of October forward and that you fall to Loofeward of the Island of Fernan de Noronha being vnder eight eight degrées and ½ You must runne West towards the Lande and if you sée Lande vnder eight degrées they will bee white downes and then you are on the North-side from whence you shall put to the South that is from October forward for as then the Northeast and east Northeast winds doe blowe and if you bee vnder the degrées aforesaid you shall see the said downes and when you see the end of them on the South-side and from thence not séeing any more then you are by Capigâ—aramirini and from thence to Pernanbuco are fiue or sixe myles And so if you bee vnder eight degrées and a halfe then you shall sée a flat Lande till you bee at tenne and twelue fadome déepe and the Lande on the Sea side will bee euen bare which is called Capiragua when you are East and West with this Lande being the Countrey whereof I speake at twelue fadome déepe it beeing in the Moneths of October or after Februarye then you néede not feare any thing but take héed you put not southwards for you must take héede of the Cape of S. Augustine and Northward you shal sée another point called A Punta d Olynda where the Towne of Olynda lieth and the coast of the same North Point is sailed North and South If you be east and West with the cape S. Augustine then you shall sée a Hill inward to the land which sheweth like the backe of a Cammell on the Southside hauing thrée Houels along by the Sea side and the coast will stretch North-east and Southwest From this point of S. Augustine to the towne of Olynda Northward are twelue miles This point lyeth vnder 8 degrées and ½ and Olynda lyeth vnder 8. degrées and â…“ Pernanbuco vnder eight degrées this voyage is thus to bee sayled when you set sayle from Lisbon in the Moneths of October and Nouember But when you saile from Lisbon in February or March then you shall looke for land vnder nine degrées for from y e month of March forward then the Southeast and south Southeast winds do blow and if you chance to bee by the land vnder the height aforesaid you néede not feare any thing but shall hold your course at seuentéene and eightéene fadome for it is faire and cléere and you haue nothing daungerous but the riffes lying close by the land whereon you sée the water breake running Northward if you finde certaine downes along by the sea side then feare not to run northward for therby you shal sée the point of S. Augustine This point lieth on the sea side being euen stéepe land shewing like the muzzell of a Whale in the toppe hauing a round Hill compassed with Trées and being at the depth aforesaid close by the Land you shall sée a small Island called Ilha de S. Alexus From this Island to Cape S. Augustine are fiue or sixe miles and lyeth vnder 8 degrées ¾ The 57. chapter The course and Nauigation to the Hauen called A Bahia de todos os Santos or of all Saints in the coast of Brasilia IF you desire to sayle to the Bahia de todos os Santos that is the bay of all Saints then obserue the course aforesaied taking the times of the yeare From the Month of March forward and from October as I said before This Bay of all Saints lyeth vnder thirteene degrées and being from October forward then you shall looke for Land at 12 and 12 degrees and ½ and being in sight thereof which will bee white sandy strands which shew like linnen that lieth too white then you shall hold your course Southward along by the coast vntill you be at the end of the said strands where you shall sée an Island lying on the Northside within the mouth of the Bay or Hauen called Tapoon From thence you runne along the coast West and West and South And comming to this Bay from the Month of March forward then you must not passe aboue 13 degrées and 1 â— Southward and when you are in sight of Land if it be not the aforesaid white strand then you shall vse all the means you can to run Northward and when you sée the sandye strand at 12 degrées and ½ Then you shall sée a hill standing along by the seaside and if you chance to be so néere the lande that you can find no meanes to get off from it then you shall know the Land well for on the sea side you shall sée a round houel called O Morro de san Paulo from the which houell to the bay are twelue myles along by this houell on the northwest side there is a very great riuer called Tinhare which is very good to put into if néed be and is six and seuen fadome déep and when you are at the aforesaid Point vnder 13 degrées ½ then put not to the Lande for it hath a créeke that is very dangerous And if you desire to saile from the Bay of
all Saints to Pernanbuco or to Portingale then hold your course Eastward and if the wind serue you hold East and East and by North for the space of 30 or 40. miles into the sea and look not for the land of Pernanbuco from ten to nine degrées for if you be vnder 11 degrées you wil fall into the Créeke called A Enseada de vaza Barâ—ys that is the Créeke of emptying of vessels and likewise when you come from Portingall hauing sight of land at eleuen degrées then put not towards it to shorten your way but rather holde your course Southward from it From this Bay of all Saints to Pernanbuco is a hundred miles and you runne along the coast northeast and south-southwest From thence to the Riuer Rio dos Ilhas or the riuer of Islands the coast runneth Southwest and Northeast and Southwest and by West and Northeast and by East The 58. Chapter The course or Nauigation to the riuer Rio dos Ilhas that is the riuer of the Islands in the coast of Brasilia IF you desire to saile to the riuer of the Islands you must vnderstand that the Islands lie vnder 14. degrées and ¾ séeking to finde them from the moneth of March forward then you shall run to the height of 15. degrées and ½ and although you be vnder 15. degrées and 2 â— you néede not feare and séeing the land vnder these degrées then you shall see certaine high hilles called As Serras dos Aymores when you sée those hilles then you shall come along the coast Northwarde not fearing any thing for from thence Northward there are no shallows As soone as you sée the Ilands for there are no other then on the same coast you shall sée a rouÌ„d hill standing along by the Sea side on the North side whereof you put into the Riuer and if you chance to be there at such time as you can not put in then hold your course to Seaward from the Islands kéeping from them and there by the said Islandes you may anker and if you be in that country when the Northeast winds doe blow then looke for land vnder 14. degrées and if you see a flat land then it is the Island called Camamuâ— by the which you shall run southward and being at the end of the flatte land then you shall sée a high land along by the sea side like the other aforesaid all along by the sea side In the place where this lande beginneth to shew high there lieth a small riuer called Rio das Contas that is the riuer of Beads but it is not to be entered and hath a white harde stone for a marke From thence to the Islands are 9. miles Southward and comming where the aforesaid high land endeth then you shall finde a great Créeke and being West Southwest you shall see another high land at the foot whereof which is almost in the middle way to the créeke you shall see certaine white houses which are the Ingenies or Sugar houses where the Sugar is prepared and being there you shal presently see the Islands The 59. chapter How to saile to the Hauen of Porto Seguro that is the sure Hauen lying in the coast of Brasilia IF you desire to saile to the Hauen of Porto Seguro in the time of the Southeast windes which is in March and so forward you shall not put higher then to 16. degrées ½ for there it hath a Reddish sand called Os Baixos dos Abrolhos which are very dangerous and run very far into the sea and when you saile East West you must not be negligent to throw your Lead out often times being by the land that you sée a long high hill like a sharpe point which is called Monte Pasqual froÌ„ thence you shall run Northward west the same hill is westward from you then you must hold towards the land yet with good regard and foresight And when you sée the land and that you perceiue a round Houell then Southward from the saide Houell you shall see a Hill with a great strand on the North side whereof lyeth the Hauen of Porto Seguro and running along by the coast aboue in the lande you find the towne of Porto Seguro This height is a white stonie rocke and on the North side of this stonie rocke there is a great vally when you are East and west with this stonie rocke then Northward you shall sée the water breake which is vpon a sand reaching two miles into the Sea on the South side whereof you are right ouer against the towne of Porto Seguro If you begin this voyage when the winds are northeast come to 15. degrees and â…” not seeing any hills then leaue not running along the coast when you are vnder 15. degrées the first high land you shall sée will be with white sandy strands along the sea coast if vnder that height you see a riuer then make not towardes the land for there it hath certaine dangerous shallowes called Os Baixos de Sant Antonio from thence Southward lyeth Porto Seguro and passing along the coast and séeing the water breake vpon the other sand lying two miles further inward to sea then you shall passe by it kéeping to seaward from it and when you are at the end thereof then the towne will be Westward from you you may well put to it alwaies hauing a care how you goe and anker vnder the height aforesaid Departing from the Islands to Porto Seguro then you must run 10. or 12. miles to Seaward from them to shun the sands lying by the riuer called Rio Grande that is the great Riuer and when you are past Rio Grande then make towards the land againe to know it as aforesaid The 60. Chapter How to saile to the Hauen called Bahia dâ— Espirito Santo that is the Bay of the Holy Ghost lying in the coast of Brasilia SAiling to the hauen of Spirito Santo béeing past the Sandes called Os Baixos dos Abrolhos vnder 19. degrées and ½ then you shall sée lande at 20. degrées for in this coast you haue no monsons or courses of certaine winds If you chance to sée land at 19. degrées and ½ and that it bée on the Northwest side from you being flat land then you are on the North side of the Hauen of Spirito Santo which is the land lying aboue Criquare and aboue y e riuer called Rio Dolce that is the riuer of Swéet or fresh water you shall holde your course along by the land vntill the land beginneth to rise hauing some Hilles but trust not to the first that you shall sée but you shall sée a high round hill which lyeth along by the sea side and is called La Sierra de Mestre Aluaro And when you come to this Hill on the North side you shall sée a riuer called Rio dos Reis Magos that is the riuer of the thrée Kings of Cullen and on the South side then the mouth of the Baye will presently
vnder 16 â…” The vttermost South point of the Island Aynon vnder 18. ½ The Northeast end of the same Iland vnder 19. ½ The Ilands of Sanchoan vnder 21. â…“ The towne Iland of Macau vnder 22. â…“ The towne of Canton vnder 24. ½ Ilha Branco or white Iland vnder 22. ½ Ilha Fermosa or faire Iland vnder 21. ¼ Ilha de Lamon vnder 23. ¼ The hauen of Chabaquea vnder 23. ½ The hauen of Chincheo vnder 24. ½ Enseada dos Camaroins or Créeke of Granaet otherwise called Cayto vnder 25. ½ The Iland Lequeo Pequeno vnder 25. A Ilha dos Cauallos or Iland of horses vnder 25. â…“ Ponto or Cabo de Sumbor vnder 28. ¼ The Ilands as Sere Irmaas or seauen fifte as lying in the way to Iapan vnder 29. â…“ The Ilandes of Sionglean lying on the coast vnder 29. â…” The Ilandes called Liampo lying on the coast vnder 31. The middle of the Iland Meaxuma vnder 30. â— 2. The Iland of Tanaxuma vnder 31 â…” The riuer of Nanquiyn vnder 34. The Ilands of Iapan in all hauing in Longitude 130. miles and the furthest eastward lieth vnder 32. From the Ilandes of Phillippinas otherwise the Lusons or Manillas on the North side of the Equinoctial line THe entrie of the channell betweene the Iland Luson and the Iland Tandaia vnder 12. The Iland Capuly and the Iland Ticao vnder 12. ¼ The Iland Masbate vnder 12. ¼ The Iland of Banton vnder 12. â…” The Iland Rebuian on the north side vnder 12. ½ The Iland de Vireies vnder 12. ¾ The Iland Marinduque vnder 12. ¼ Cabo de Dumarijn in the Iland Mindoro and the Ilandes of Luban vnder 13. The mouth or entry of the bay of Manilla the chiefe towne of the Iland of Lucon vnder 14. ¼ The towne of Manilla vnder 14 ½ The cape of Samballes in the Iland Lucon vnder 14. â…” The Cape Bullinao in the same Iland vnder 16. â…” The Cape de Boiador which is the furthest point on the north-side of the Island Luson vnder 19. The furthest Iland east and north from the Iland Lequeos vnder 29. The Iland a Illas de las Velas otherwise de los Ladrones vnder 13. The countrie of new Spaine lying ouer against the Islands of Iapon THe Iland of Saint Agustine lying on the coast vnder degrées 30. ¼ The Iland de Sedros or of Ceaders vnder 28. ¼ Cabo de saint Lucas the beginning of the land of California vnder 22. Cabo de las Corrientes or point of streams vnder 19. â…” The hauen of Acapulco vnder 17. From the straightes of Magellanes along the coast of Brasilia to the Equinoctiall line on the south side The degrees of the south side of the Equinoctiall THe straight or passage of Magellanes vnder 15. â…› degrées Basyâ— de las Islas or the bay of the Ilandes vnder 49. Rio de la Plata or riuer of Siluer vnder 34. â…” Arreciffe or the Cliffe vnder 34. Bahia Aparcellada or the bankie bay vnder 33. Cabo da Ponta vnder 32. Rio dos Negros or the riuer of the Mores vnder 31. Angra Onde Seuio o Battel that is the hauen where the boate was séene vnder 30 Ilha da Bahya or Iland of the bay vnder 29. Ilha de Santa Caterina vnder 28. ½ Bahia do Repairo or bay of defence vnder 28. Rio do Estremo or riuer beyond measure vnder 27. Rio dos Dragos or riuer of Dragons vnder 26. Ilha de Cananea or Ilands of Réedes vnder 25. ½ Ilha Doropica vnder 25. Bay of Saint Vincent vnder 24. The riuer of Canane vnder 24 The Rio or riuer dâ— Ianero vnder 23. â…“ Cabo Frio or cold point vnder 23. Bahia do Saluador or bay of our Sauiour vnder 22. The sands called os Baixos dos Pargos vnder 21. A Bahia do Espirito Santo or the Bay of the holy Ghost vnder 120. The Iland of saint Barbara vnder the same height of 20. The riuer of S. Luciâ— vnder 19. The riuer of Saint George vnder 18. Porto Sâ—guro or the safe hauen vnder 17. Rio das Santos Cosmos the riuer of Saint Cosmos and Daâ—ian vnder 16. The Iland of S. Helena also vnder 16. Rio da Praia vnder 15. Rio dos Ilhas the riuer of small IlaÌ„ds vnder 14. ½ Porto Real or kingly hauen vnder 14. Bahya de Todos os Santos vnder 13. Rio Real or kingly riuer vnder 12. The riuer of Saint â—â—ancis vnder 11. The riuer of Saint Michael vnder 10. Santo Alexo vnder 9. Cabo or point of S. Augustine vnder 8. ¾ The towne of Olinda vnder 8. 3 â— Pernanbuco and the Iland of the Ascention vnder 8. Saint Domingo vnder 7. Artapica vnder 6. Santo Roque Santa Maria d' Arribada vnder 5. The bay of Saint Lucas vnder 4. The bay of das Tartarugas vnder 3. Rio de Arreciffe vnder 2. From the Antillas or sore Islands of the Spanish Indies some places lying in the Firme Land al vpon the north side of the Equinoctiall line Isla la deceada or desired Iland vnder 15. 1 â— The Iland Marigalante vnder 15 The Iland la Dominica vnder 15. ½ The Iland la Antigua or old Iland vnder 16. ¼ Cabo de Cantina vpon the Firme land vnder 9. ½ The Iland la Serrana vnder 14. ½ The Serranilla or little Serrana vnder 16. Cayman Grande or the great Crocodile vnder 19. Cabo de S. Anton in the Iland of Cuba vnder 22. The riuer of S. Peter S. Paul vnder 21. Los Cambos d'Almeria vnder 20. Villa Rica la vicia or olde rich towne vnder 19. â…” The hauens and places lying vppon the coast called India with the distance situation of the same beginning from the North side along the coast southwestward as the countrie stretcheth And first you must vnderstand that the coast called India hath his beginning from the creeke called a Enseada de Iaquetta at a place called Espero c. FRom Espero to Mangalor are 8. miles From Mangalor to Patana are 8 From Patana to the point called Punta de Diu are 12. FroÌ„ Diu to the Iland a Ilha do Bette are 9. From the Ilha do Bette to Goa a towne lying in the creeke of Cambaia are 20. From Ilha do Bette to the towne of Daman are 26. From Daman to Surratte a towne lying in the creeke of Cambaia are â— From Daman to Danu on the outward part of the coast are 7. From Danu to as Ilhas das Vacas are 7. From as Ilhas das Vacas to the towne of Baccain are 3. FroÌ„ Baccain to the towne of Chaul are 12 From Chaul to Danda are 5. From Danda to the creeke called a Enserda de Pero Soares are 3. From Enseada de Pero Soares to Siffardao are 3. From Siffardao to Dabul are 10. From Dabul to Sanguiserra are 6. FroÌ„ Sanguiserra to the riuer Beâ—cele are From the riuer of Bettele to Seyta Por are 3. From Seyta Por to Carapam are 11. From Carapam to the chiefe towne of Goa are 14. From Goa to Angediua are
before the said king of Spaine had any right in the kingdome of Portingal for the which cause it is not here set downe but shall hereafter follow particularly by it selfe together with the pettigrée of the kings of Portingale brieflie and truly described by coppies receiued from the officers of those countries the whole summe of all the rents reuenewes c. afore specified and set downe doe amount vnto yearely the summe of 47 31 Q. 329. V. 880. Spanish monie which amounteth in English monie to the summe of three millions foure hundreth thréescore and nintéene thousand nine hundreth and seauentéene pounds fiue shillinges and nine pence which is the full summe of all his receites Portingale excepted which now is in the said kinges handes as hereafter followeth The kingdomes that are comprehended vnder the name of Spaine or Castillia are these Leon Arragon Castillia Nauarre Granado Tolledo Valencia Seuillia Cordoua Murcien Iaen Gallicia Gibraltar and Catalonia which are 14. in number and in times past were euerie one a Kingdome apart yet hold the name the Kingdomes Prouinces and Townes which are called to any counsell or assemblie in the Court of Spaine and therein doe giue their voices are the Kingdomes of Leon Seuillia Tolledo Granado Cordoma Murcien and Iaen The townes called chiefe townes or Cities which are Bishoprickes are Burgos Saâ—amanca Segouia Soria Auila Cuenca Toro Zamora Guadalaxara the townes that are no chiefe townes nor Bishoprickes and are called townes whether they lie walled or not of these but two of them haue any voices which are Valla Dolid and Madrid the other kingdomes as Arragon Nauarre Valencia and Catalonia c. haue their Viceroyes Gouernours apart holding Parlements or Courts by themselues alwaies referred to the King of Spaines order and direction as the kingdomes of Naples and Cicilia with the Dukedome of Millan c. The 3. Chapter A briefe discourse of the notablest and memorablest things situation gouernment and reuenewes of the kingdome of Portingale called Lusitanea THe kingdome of Portingale is in coÌ„passe 285. miles that is on the sea coast 135 miles and by land 150. miles There are 1â— Townes in Portingale that are called Citties which title no Towne may beare but such as are Bishoprickes vnles it be by speciall licence from the King himselfe all the rest are called Townes whether they haue walles or not whereof there are many of these townes and Castles There are in Portingale 4â—0 besides villages it hath 3. principall hauens or riuers which are Lisbone Porto and Seruual and other thrée in the land of Algarue which is also vnder the Crowne of Portingale which are Tauilla Lagâ—s and Villa Noua the key or defence of the riuer and towne of Lisbone is the Castle of Saint Iulian by the Neatherlanders called Saint Gilles which lieth on the first enterance of the riuer called Tegio in latine Tagus one of the most famous riuers of all Europe The 4. Chapter Of the Iustice and gouernement in Lisbone and throughout all Portingale FIrst there is the Tribunale called the ciuill Court or Law whereof the chiefe Iudge is the Regidoer that is the ruler in the kinges behalfe with two other Iudges then the Tribunale or Court for criminall causes with two Iudges an Auditor or receauer of the kinges customes called the Alfandega a Iudge of Equitie for euerie mans proprieties or own reuenewes eight Iudges of the Weesen a Iudge of the Hospitals a chiefe Iudge called Correcteur of the thinges and causes of India Guinea Capo verde Saint Thomas and Brasilia from all these Courtes they may appeale to the ciuill law the Tribunale or Court of requests whose Iudges are called Desembargadores which is as much to say as dischargers these are of great authority and credit as the chiefe States and Presidents are in the Low Countries To this Court are brought the appellations that are made vnto the ciuill law their chiefe Iudge is called Correcteur of the requests two Iudges that are called Desembargadores da Fazenda which is as much to say as Auditors and Iudges of the Kinges causes and reuenewes these are they that minister Iustice betwéene the King and particular men and from them there is no appeale the councell of orders Tribunale Supremo or highest Court which are called Desembargadores of the pallace Tribunale or Court of Consciences Tribunale or Court of Veedores da Fazenda that is visitors and ouerseers of the Kinges reuenewes Tribunale or Court of the Kinges Exchequer which is vnder the courts of Veedores da Fazenda the Kinges Councell two Dukes one Marques ten Earledomes The fortresses which the Portingales hold in Africa or Barbaria are these Tanger Zepta Arzilla the Iland of Madera the Flemmish Islandes called as Ilhas dos Acores in those are comprehended Tercera S. Michael Santa Maria Saint Iorgie Pico Fayael Gratiosa the Ilandes of Flores and Coruo the Ilands of Cabo verde are S. Iacob O fogo Mayo Boa Vista S. Antonio and Saint Nicolaes Arguyn a fortresse in the Countrie of Guinea the Myne of Saint Iorgie the Castle lying on the same side of Aethiopia also on the same coast the Iland del Principe Saint Thomas Atâ—bâ—n the Kingdome of Congo and Angola on the same Coast of Aethiopia lieth vnder tribute of the Portingale the Iland Santa Helena on the other side of the cape de Bona Speranza the fortresse of Soffala the Iland of Mosambique the Iland of Ormus lying betwéene Persia and Arabia the towne and fortresse of Diu the towne and fortresses of Daman Bacayn Chaul Goa where the Viceroy is resident all lying on the Coast of India the townes and fortresses of Honor Barcelor Mangalor Cananor Cranganor Cochin and Coulan all lying on the same Coast of India called Malabar a fortresse in the Iland of Seylon called Columbo the townes Negapatan and S. Thomas on the coast of Choramandel the towne and fortresse of Malacca the Iands of Maluco which are Tarnate Tydor Banda and Amboyna the land and coast of Brasilia stretching 500. miles in length and deuided into eight Captaineships or gouernements from whence euery yeare is brought into Portingale about 150. thousand Arroben of sugar each Arroben waighing 32. pound the Hauen called de Todos os Santos or of all Saints where the Gouernour of Brasilia is resident The ordinarie rentes of the Crowne of Portingale are yearely one million of gold 100000. duckets the rents reuenewes of the Mastership of the knights of the Crosse the king being alwaies Master to whom belong the Ilands of Acores or Flemmish Ilands Madera those of Cabo verde Saint Thomas and de Princepe are yearelie 200000. Duckets the rent of the Mine belonging to y e Knight of the Crosse of Christ is yerely worth 100000. duckets Brasilia yéeldeth yearely 150000. Duckets the customes of spices and other goods receiued out of the East Indies is yearely 600000. Duckets the other rents profits and reuenewes of the Indies and their townes are spent and disbursed in
as well imploy their forces there as in the holie land to increase the faith of Christ and ouerthrow the enemies of the same whome if it pleased God to prosper as he doubted not but by their helpes to haue the victorie they might as then fulfill their pretended voiage both to the glory of God their owne honors which in the ende they agréed vnto in the which seruice they so well imployed themselues that they not only holp him to winne Lisbone but many other places thereby placing the king in his kingly seat for which their good seruice the king acknowledging himselfe much bound and beholding vnto them in recompence thereof he indowed them with many priuiledges and fréedomes more than his natural subiects â—nioyed which hee bound both him and his successors kinges of that countrie to kéepe obserue one whereof was that all Dutchmen that would dwell within his Countrie or traffique with in the same should bee free of all impostes and excises for all things that they should vse and haue in their owne houses and for themselues and their familie that they might weare what sort of apparrell and Iewels they would and of what stuffe soeuer with their wiues and families although they were Portingale women which is forbidden to the naturall Portingales for that they haue a law concerning apparrell what kinde of stuffe euerie man according to his estate and qualitie shall weare also to goe by night and at vnaccustomed houres when occasion serued them in all places with fiue or sixe seruants with light or without and with what armes or weapons they would which is not permitted to the inhabitantes themselues that no Iustice should haue power to atach or arest any man in their house or execute any Iustice vpon them for what cause soeuer it were treasoÌ„ only excepted but onlie by their owne law by the king himselfe ordained appointed called Iuis dos-Alemaines or the Dutch law also that their houses might not be taken whether they were hired or their owne fée simples for the kinges seruice or any of his Court as all other his subiects houses are as néed requireth that they might not bee compelled to vse or serue any office in the countrie or for the king as the Portingales doe neyther yet rated to pay any contribution for the common profit of the countrie trauelling through the Countrie should for their monie be serued before any other man with many other such like priueledges which for breuitie I omit onely I haue set downe the principallest of them thereby to shew as their owne Chronicles declare through whome and by whose help the Portingales at this day doe possesse and enioy that which they hold in the said Countrie of Portingale which priuiledges are yet as they haue alwaies béene without anie deniall firmely holden and maintained and by all the kinges successiuely confirmed from time to time with dayly increasing of the same by meanes of the continuall pleasures done vnto the said kings of Portingale by the said Nation as it is well knowne Don Sancho Sonne of the aforesaid king was the second king of Portingale hee was borne in Anno 1154. and crowned king at the age of 31. yeares hee had issue 15. children Sonnes and Daughters and raigned twenty seuen yeares he died in the towne of Coymbra in the yeare of our Lord 1212. being 58. yeares of age and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Santa Crus by his Father Don Afonso the second of that name the third king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 25. yeares he had issue two sonnes in his time liued Saint Dominick Saint Francis and Saint Anthonie he died in anno 1223. lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa Don Sancho Capello his son fourth king of Portingale was crowned at the age of 16. yeres and died in the towne of Toledo in the yeare of our Lord 1247 and is buried in the great Church of Toledo After his death was chose King his brother the Earle of Bolonhien and was the fifth king of Portingale hee raigned 31. yeres and died in Lisbone in the yeare of our Lord 1279. and is buried in the Cloister of Alcobassa Don Deniis his sonne was Crowned in Lisbone the sixt king of Portingale being of the age of 18. yeares he raigned 46. yeres and died in the towne of Saint Arein in the yeare of our Lord 1325. the 20. of Ianuary being 64. yeares of age and lyeth buried in the Cloyster of Oliuellas which is about 2. miles from Lisbone which he in his life time had erected he maried with Donna Isabella daughter to Don Pedro king of ArragoÌ„ she was cannonised for a Saint her Sepulcher is in the towne of Coymbra which shee builded where her body doth many miracles After him raigned his sonne Don Afonso o Brauo which is the valiant hee was crowned in the towne of Arem at the age of 35. yeares and was the seuenth king of Portingale hee died in Lisbone in the month of May Anno 1356. he lieth buried in the high quire of the great Church hee ouercame the Mores in Salado fighting in aide of the king of Castille His Son Don Pedro was the eight king of Portingale and ruled the land with great Iustice temperante and peace died in the yeare of our Lord 1366. and lieth buried in the Cloyster of Alcobassa hee had issue one sonne called Don Ferdinand and before hee maried he had two bastard sonnes by Dona Ines or Agnes de Castro called Don Ioan and Don Denniis After the death of the aforesaid king Don Ferdinand his son was crowned king and was the ninth king of Portingale he maried Dona Lianor Gonsalues Telles whom he tooke by force from her husband called Larenca Vaaz da Cunha to whome shee was maried and banished him the land neuerthelesse he was verie louing to his subiectes and punished all offenders and vagabondes hée raigned 17. yeares and died without issue in the yeare of our Lord 1383. being of the age of 43 yeares and lieth buried in the quier of S. Francis Church in the towne of S. Arein After this kings death Don Ioan king of Castillia with his wife Dona Beatrix came into Portingale by force to possesse the Crowne of Portingale but Don Ioan bastard son of the aforesaid king Don Pedro bastard brother to Don Ferdinand the last king withstood him and fought with the said king of Castille whome he ouercame in the field called S. Ioris where for a perpetuall memorie of his victorie he erected a great rich Cloyster which hee called the Cloyster of the battaile or victorie because he won the field in the same place against the Castilians This bastard Don Ioan was Crowned king of Portingale being of the age of 31. yeares was the tenth king he liued 76 yeres and died in Anno 1433. the 14. of August and lieth buried in the same Cloyster of
the Varella being past the Iland you shall presently be neere the land where you haue a great strande with faire grounde This Varella is a high hill reaching into the sea and aboue on the toppe it hath a verie high stonie rock like a tower or piller which may be seen far off therfore it is by the Portingalles called Varella that is a Cape Backe or marke at the foote of this hill on the South side it hath a verie great creeke reaching northward in all of muddy ground 15. fadome deepe you cannot sée it far off because the one lande runneth through the other but as you passe by the strand aforesaid and beginne to come neere the Varella then the creeke beginneth to open which hath a verie faire entrie and within hath two running streames of verie good fresh water hee that commeth thither with a ship by my aduise shall not put in there because hee shall haue much labour and trouble to bring the ship out again for there the wind is scant you may wel anker without at y e entry or mouth thereof as I haue done or you may seeke for the other places where fresh water is to bee had that stand on the other side of the hill towards the North at the foote thereof where the high lande that reacheth into the sea endeth where you begin to find a verie great strand to get this water you must goe verie neare to the point of this hill and as you run along towardes it when you compasse it about you shall see a small sandie bay with the aforesaid great strand and place of watering where you may anker when you will for it hath good anker grounde but it hath a great inconuenience and mischiefe which is that you lie compassed about by the country people that are great enemies to the Portingalles and sea Rouers therefore you must keep good watch with great care when you fetch fresh water as well within as without because the country people vse to ouer runne and spoile men on the sodaine this Varella lyeth vnder 13. degrées this land of Varella is a hooke and from thence to Pulo Cutuo the course is North and north and by West for the space of 48. miles from thence the land beginneth to be a great deale lower then that you haue past hauing in many places sandie strandes where men may anker ten miles from Varella forward a mile from the land there lyeth a long flat Iland called Pulo Cambir and betweene this Iland and the land are 12. fadome deepe sandie ground in the middle of the Iland on the lande side there is a smal sandie bay that hath fresh water where if need be you may anker for it is good ground and in the middle of the channel betweene the Iland and the land it is altogether faire being a small mile in length from this Island about twelue miles Northward the land maketh a point and from thence to the Island there is a great creeke and inward to the Northwest where the high land endeth which from this point inwarde runneth to the West it is an open or broken low lande where you find a riuer of thrée fadome deepe within the hauen hauing sandie ground with a great mouth or entrie and within it hath a Wel of 13. fadome deepe this riuer runneth further into the land 4. or 5. miles inward from the entrie or mouth there lyeth a great village where you may haue great store of victualles and other necessaries in the mouth of this riuer on the east side there standeth a high houell and on the West side a low sandie strande you must enter right forth in the middle and although it is verie wide yet being within you must make your self sure w c ankers cables specially from the west side for y t if it were earlie in the yeare you shall there finde stiffe West winds which woulde driue you on the other side of the Riuer in this Riuer is much fish also in the land there is much wild flesh with Swine Tigers Rhinoceros and such like beastes the countrey people were of good nature but we haue giuen them cause of suspition by our bad dealing with them fiue miles further forward from this Riuer along the coast there are two Ilands with certaine cliffes about halfe a mile from the land and you may passe betweene them and the lande twelue miles from these Ilandes there lyeth other Ilandes by the lande where there are some places of rounde sande with a sandie strande and there is a small Riuer where you haue much Catte that is Ryce vnstamped in the huskes as it growgroweth and is twelue miles from Pulo Caton wherewith many haue deceiued thēselues that runne crosse ouer when they saw it and tanne on ground Pulo Caton is a long Island with two high hilles at the ende thereof and in the middle low so that farre of it séemeth to be two Islandes it hath a flatte and euen ground of bushes stretching northwest and southeast on the southeast side it hath a Riffe where the water breaketh forth running the shot of a great péece further into the Sea on the land side it hath fresh water and lieth distant from the coast 2. miles and ◠2 the channell betwéene both hath thirtie and thirtie fiue fadome déepe with good ground right ouer against this Island lieth a riuer with a great mouth or entrey being within the Hauen 5. or 6. fadome déepe it is verie well inhabited and built with houses in this Hauen Gomes Barretto entered with his ship this Island lieth vnder 15. degrées and ⅔ and North Northwest a mile and a halfe from it there lieth another small low Island and you may passe betwéene them both North Northwest 14. miles along the coast lieth the Iland of Champello full vnder 16. degrées and ⅔ this Iland Champello is great and high hauing vpon it certaine toppes or heades sticking out it lieth north northwest and south southeast it hath two high hilles with a valley in the middle that in the southeast being much higher then the other it hath likewise many trées on the Northwest side it hath a very high Island with two small Ilandes lying close at the foot thereof on the West side it hath much and verie good fresh water and is distant from the Coast about two miles it is a very low land along the sea strand and West Northwest from thence is the Riuer of Coaynon lying two fadome déepe in the Hauen it is sandie ground where much traffique is vsed but the people are not much to bee trusted from this Iland of Champello Northwest for two or three miles it is full of trées two miles further the Coast maketh a great thicke point full of trees and thrée miles beyond this point lieth a great créeke which in the entrey hath an Iland for a defence or closure and is all cleare ground where you haue much victuals
and Marchandises that come out of the countrie by the Riuer of Sinoha this créeke was called the Enseada or créeke of Saint Don Iorgie it hath much wood verie good to make ships of fiue miles from it along the Ceast lieth the riuer of Sinoha which hath in the Hauen 14. spanne of water all sandie ground in this Hauen is the whole handling and traffique of the goods that come from Cauchinchina and thether and to Champello you runne Northwest This Iland of Champello hath a good road and safe harbour but onely when it bloweth out of the west and southwest and although the wind commeth from the land notwithstanding it troubleth you much by reason of the lownes of the land you must vnderstand that ten miles before you come to Varrella 13. miles within the sea there beginneth certaine Sandes that are verie dangerous which reach as the land doth till you bee vnder 17. degrees and run nearer to the northeast at the end whereof in the way to China there lieth 8. Islandes three great fiue small all full of trées and sandie strandes but without fresh water betwéene them round about it is altogether flat and foule way so that as soone as you let fall the anker the cable is presently fretted in péeces betwéene these Islands there is 4. fadome deepe This information was giuen me by certaine people of Sian that lost their Iunco or shippe in that place by reason of a calme because they ankered and all their cables brake from the ground they saued themselues in the boate run through all those Islandes to find fresh water and could sée none you run from the hooke or point of those sandes to Pulo Caton Northeast and Southwest and Northeast and by east and southwest and by west for they lie like a bow therefore trust not the old description of this Nauigation that saith they haue channels from thence to Pulo Caton running ouerthwart it is thirtie miles but returning againe to the course from Varella to Pulo Caton when you are as farre as where the coast stretcheth Northward then your course shall be two miles off from the land till you come to Pulo Caton for that if you come thether early in the yeare you haue the west windes so strong that if you should be far from the coast they would carrie you by force vpon the sands without any remedie as it happened to the ship called the Santa Crus you shall not passe aboue two or thrée miles at the furthest to seaward from Pulo Caton and if you chance to be on the side of the land you may likewise passe through by the Channell that runneth betwéene the Firme land and the Iland which is two mile and a halfe broad all faire and good ground as I said before Pulo Caton lieth with the south point of the Iland Aynon North and South and North by east and South and by West somewhat more then 50. mile This south point of Aynon lieth scarse vnder 18. degrées and ½ reacheth from the point aforesaid southwestward 12. or 13. miles and from the East side lyeth the way from China which you run Northeast and north east and by north to 19. degrees and ½ and on the side of the Firme land the Island compasseth about to the point or end of 19. degrees and ½ from the Northeast side in such manner that the Iland is in forme foure square the channell betwéene it and the Firme land is in the narrowest part 6. miles where there lieth a hauen called Anchio hauing certaine sandes betwéene thē yet with a channell wherein great ships may passe seuen miles eastward From Anchion lieth a créeke with good harbour and a mile further about thrée miles distant from the land there lieth a great Riffe and sandes but returning againe to the aforesaid South point of the Island which is right before a very high land that surpasseth all the rest of the land in the said Iland at the foote thereof on the north side there is a good Hauen called Taalhio at the mouth whereof lyeth a small round Iland and from this high land aforesaid it runneth 12. miles northwestward and from thence it is altogether low land on the sea side and inward hilles and houels from the end of the land Aynon on the north side vnder 19. degrées and ⅓ to the Iland Pulo Gom in the same course of northeast and northeast and by north are 8. miles and lieth 5. mile from the Firme land it is a high land in forme like a Bell and on the side of the land it hath a road with a good harbour wherein the ship Santa Crus lay from thence you goe to the seauen Ilandes called Pulo Tio in the same course of northeast and northeast and by north being fiue miles Pulo Tio are 7. Ilands great and small seperated one from the other without any Trees from thence the Coast reacheth Northeast and Northeast and by North to the Enseada dos Ladroins that is the Creeke of Rouers from Pulo Tio seauen miles lieth a Riffe which reacheth 5. or 6. miles from the land into the sea and vpon the east side therof about halfe a mile from it there is foure fadome water flat sandie ground and a mile further from thence there lieth a great riuer whether many ships doe saile and put in a little further from this Iland lieth another Riuer wherein I haue béene which hath a good harbour against the monsons of China and with a southwest winde is discouered and threre also runneth strong streames the entrie thereof is close on the east side along by a point of land it is faire and good ground and being about this point of land you shall run till you come to a sand bay where you shall anker for within it is shallow and sandie on the coast betwéene these 2. riuers lieth 2. or 3. Ilands close by the land and from these 2. riuers 6 miles forward lieth the Enseada dos Ladroins which is very great it hath on the west southwest side of the mouth certaine stonie cliffes from the which there stretcheth a Riffe towards the sea wherupon one of the Portingall ships did fall from the aforesaide second riuer to this créeke about halfe a mile from the coast there is 7. or 8. fadome déepe faire ground The land of this creeke on the north northeast side hath a verie high hooke or point of land passing about this hooke for the space of halfe a mile it is shallow but muddie ground you goe to the Hauen of Comhay whereupon the coast is called the coast of Comhay thether the ships of Sion or Sian vsed to come it is like a créeke that is very great hauing another point or end of high land which reacheth North and South and right ouer against this hauen on y e south side lieth the Iland of Sauchoin about 5 or 6 miles from it and is distant from the aforesaid point
the battaile by him erected hee wonne the Castle and towne of Septa from the Mores in Barbaria or Affrica and was Father to the Infant Don Ferdinand that is Canonized for a Saint After him raigned his sonne Don Duarte or Eduart and was the 11. king of Portingale he liued 42. yeares whereof he raigned 5. yeares king hee died in the Pallace of the couent of Thomar in Anno 1438. he lieth buried in the Cloyster of the battaile Don Alfonso his sonne was borne in S. Arein in the yeare of our Lord 1432. and because he was but 6. yeares of age wheÌ„ his Father died his vncle the Infant Don Pedro raigned in his place vntill the yeare of our Lord 1448. Then the said Don Afonso was himselfe crowned king was the 12 king of Portingale he died in S. Arein in y e same chamber where he was borne the 28 of August 1481. and lieth buried by his Ancestors in the Cloyster of the battaile After his death raigned his sonne Don Ioan the great called the seconde of that name being the 13. King of Portingal he was borne in Lisbone the 4. of May anno 1455. hee did openly himselfe being present cause Don Fernando Duke of Beâ—ganca vpon the market place of the towne of Euora to be beheaded on the 22. of Iune in An. 1483. with his owne hand with a Poynyard slew Don Domingos Duke of Begia brother to his wife Dona Lianor presently calling Don Manoel the said Dukes brother gaue him the same Dukedome with all that belonged therunto he liued 40. yeres and died at Aluor in the bath the 25. of October An. 1495. lieth buried in the Cloister of the battaile by his Ancestors died without issue By his last Wil and Testament he gaue the Crowne of Portingale vnto Don Manoel Duke of Viseu who was crowned king of Portingale was the 14. king hée was crowned in Alcacer do Sal the 27. of October An. 1495. he caused all the Iewes in his land eyther willingly or by force to such as refused it to be christened in the yere of our Lord 1499. and caused all the Mores that dwelt at Lisbone without the gate of Moreria to be banished whereof the gate to this day holdeth the name In the â—â—me of this king there happened an insurrection of Portingales in Lisbone against the new Christened Iewes whereby they slew certaine hundereths of them both men women and children burning some of them with a thousand other mischiefes robbing their houses shops and goods for the which the king did great Iustice and finding out the principall beginners of the same caused them to bée punished This king did first discouer and by his captaines souldiers conquered y e Countries and passages into the East Indies and y e orientall countries for spices also the hauens passages in Prester Iohns land hee likewise conquered the towns fortresses of Saffâ—in Azamor in Affrica he died in an 1521. vpon S. Luces day lieth buried in the Cloyster of Bethlehem by the dutchmeÌ„ called Roysters After his death raigned his son Don Ioan the 3. was the 15. king of Portingale he was borne in the month of Iune in Anno 1502. in the citie of Lisbone where he was crowned in anno 1521. he was simple curteous mild and a great friend vnto all religious persons as also to all students he fouÌ„ded the vniuersitie of Coymbra and other colledges died the 11. of Iune An. 1557. lieth buried in the Cloyster of Bethelem or Roysters After his death was crowned Don Sebastian and was the 16. king of Portingale he was son to the Prince of Portingale eldest sonne to the aforesaid Don Ioan that maried with Dona Ioana daughter to the Emperour Charles the fift and Sister to Phillip king of Spaine which Prince dying before his father left his wife great with childe of this Don Sebastian who after the death of his Grandfather was Crowned king of Portingale he was born on Sebastians day in the yeare of our Lord 1553. hee passed with a great armie into Africa to conquere the countrie in the yeare 1578. where hee with most of his Armie was slaine the rest taken prisoners and so died without issue After this ouerthrow and death of the said king Don Sabastian was Crowned Don Henricke a Cardinall vncle vnto the saide Don Sabastian and was the 17. King of Portingale and died without issue in Anno 1580. leauing by his last will and testament for heire of the Crowne of Portingale Don Phillip king of Spaine as lawfull successor vnto the same for that his Father Charles the 5. maried the eldest daughter of the king Don Manoel which was mother to Don Phillip king of Spaine and sister to the grandfather of Don Sebastian and of the aforesaid Don Henrick although there had bin another brother of the said don Henrick named Don Luiis who dying left a son called Don Antonio that was Prior de Ocrato of the order of the knightes of the Crosse of S. Iohns whome the Portingales chose for their king but by meanes of the great power and might of the king of Spaine who by monie had gotten the greatest part of the nobilitie of Portingale to hold with him partly by monie and partly by force he got the kingdome into his hands and subiection driuing Don Antonio out of the countrie so in anno 1581. he came into Portingale in Lisbon was crowned king in the cloyster of Thomar by all the 3 estates of the countrie that is the nobility spiritualtie and commons is the 18. king of Portingale who as yet liueth raigneth ouer the same countrie whereby the Crowne of Portingale is now fallen into the handes of the kinges of Spaine hauing continued in the handes of the kinges of Portingales for the space of 442. yeares which their successors till then inioyed being of the race and progenie of the house of Loraine Thus endeth the fourth Booke FINIS TYPVS ORBIS TERRARVM QVID EI POTEST VIDERI MAGNVM IN REBVS HVMANIS CVI AETERNITAS OMNIS TOTIVSQVE MVNDI NOTA SIT MAGNI TV DO CICERO Exacta acurata deliucatio cum orarum maritimarum tum etiam sororum terrestrium quae in regionibus China Cauchinchinâ— Cambojn siue Câ—ampa Syao Malaca Aracan Pegu una cum omnium vicinarum iusu latum descriptione ut sunt Samatra Java utraque Timora Molucca Philippinâ— Luconja de Leqveos dicta nec non insulae Japan Corece reliquaeque omnes adsacentes ubj etiam adnotauimus scopulos â—reviâ—i omniaque Vadosa loca siquce alia a quibus periculum navigantibus Qvemadmodum singula hoc aeâ—o à Lusitanis nauium gubernatoribus còmperta inaâ—â—gitata in tobulaâ— relaâ—a fuere Equoâ—um recentibus ac emen daâ—is tabulis perqà m studiose haec destribi ex primiâ— curavimus in eorum hominum coÌ„modum quibus ista usvi voluptatia