lost by which disaster being forced again to turn homeward how long he lived or what expeditions he made after this it doth not appear 7. I ought not altogether to forget Sir Sebastian Cabot a Venetian Gentleman yet born and living in England who likewise about this time viz. in the year 1496 at the charge of Henry the seventh King of England set out with two Carvels for the discovery of a North-west passage to Cathay and the East-Indies according to the design which Columbus had first suggested to him In pursuit whereof he is reported to have sailed to 67 degrees of Northern latitude upon the coast of America but finding the Land still to bear Eastward which was contrarie to his purpose he turned sail and coasted down Southward as farre as Florida where with the usual ceremonies he took possession of several places in the name of the King of England as we shall further see in the particular description of the Continent In the way he discovered the Islands Baccaleos or of Cod-fish so named from the great aboundance of that kinde of Fish which they met withall upon the coasts They lie 25 leagues into the Sea over against Cape Raye of New-found land where the English have an extraordinary good Trade for Fishing and also many other rich Commodities But being forced at length to return home again for want of Victuals his business by reason of Warres which we had then with Scotland was wholly laid aside to the great prejudice of the English Nation who in all probability might have made themselves quarter-Masters at least with the Spaniard in the wealthiest parts and Provinces of America if the business had been well followed Sir Sebastian himself went immediatly thereupon into Spain and though he returned again into England and was graced by the King with some titulary dignity viz. of Grand Pilot of England and a pension yet seeing his design was never revived to effect I shall forbear to speak further of him as likewise I shall doe concerning Ferdinand Magellan a Portughese whose name although it be deservedly famous in the History and affairs of the new World and that he had the happiness to discover what so many before him had sought but could not finde namely a passage to the East-Indies by the South Sea and the coast of America called therefore from him ever since Megellans Streits yet because his business chiefly was to discover and not to conquer and that his design upon the Continent failed which was to have planted a Colonie of Spaniards in the middle and narrowest part of the Streits thereby to have secured the Streits to himselfe and prohibited the passage to all Strangers it may suffice to remember him in some other place that is in the description of that part of the Continent which lyeth upon those Streits CHAP. III. Of the Voyage to America or the ordinary course of Navigation which the Spaniards commonly hold to and from the West-Indies 1. THe English Nation have long since bin acquainted with the waies to the West-Indies reasonably well as appears by the many brave exploits gallantly attempted and no less stoutly and successfully performed by them in those parts both at Sea and Land some of which I shall not altogether forget to mention in due place So that this Chapter may seem not so necessarie Nevertheless for the satisfaction of those who are never likely to see America otherwise then in a Map nor to understand the affairs of that rich part of the World but by such reports and relations as this I think it not altogether inconvenient to speak a few words of the particular voyage or course held by Sea to and from America called by the Spaniards commonly Carrera de las Indias 2. Their course is wholly Westward and they reckon commonly from Sevill in Andaluzia which is a Province of old Spain to St. John D' vllua a famous and much frequented Port of the Province of New-Spain in America about 1700 leagues after the Spanish measure which is thrice so much of Italian or common miles and with favorable windes they doe ordinarily dispatch it in two moneths and an half To Nombre be bios or Porto-bello in the Island of Hispaniola they reckon 1400 leagues and doe usually make their voyage in two moneths They set out commonly from St. Lucar which is the Port as it were to Sevill or else from Palos a Sea Town in the same Province with Sevill not many miles distant from St. Lucar Westward and hold their course directly for the Canaries which are certain Islands towards the coasts of Africk under the dominion of the King of Spain well known for the rich Wines yearly transported thence They lye about 200 leagues distant from Spain and the Ships arrive at them commonly in eight or ten daies if nothing hinder making their course through the Bay or Gulf De las yeguas as they call it from the aboundance of Mares which they were transporting into America and were forced thereabouts by a storm to cast over board It is counted the most difficult passage betwixt Spain and the West-Indies especially in the Winter-time being then for the most part dangerously infested with violent and contrary windes At these Islands the Spaniards ordinarily victuall and supply themselves with necessaries the Countrie being rich and affording all things requisite for their journey plentifully especially that called Palma where they use most commonly to touch and furnish themselves From hence they set sail for America by the Islands of Cape Verde which lye in the Atlantick Ocean a few degrees within the Tropiques toward the coast of Africk And hither for the most part they have an easie and certain course seldom wanting some favorable winde or other to bring them within the Tropiques or Torrid Zone as 't is commonly called and being there they have constant windes forward which they call The Brises or Levant-windes These are certain Easterly windes which continually blow within the Tropiques on both sides of the Equator never failing and in the space of fourteen or fifteen daies doe carry the Ships within sight of the Northern Islands as they at the West-Indies call them which are as it were the Suburbs of the New World lying thick scattered upon the coast of America in the Atlantick or North Sea 3. The first which they commonly discover are some of the Caribee Ilands lying toward the coast of Paria viz. Desseada Dominica Guadalupe at which last they alwaies come to Anchor and refresh themselves both going and coming and from hence disperse themselves to the several parts and Ports of America for which they are bound Those that goe for New-Spain take the right hand way towards the Island Hispaniola and having discovered the Cape St. Anthony which is a foreland or Promontorie in the furthest and most Westerly parts of Cuba they sail in sight of the Islands both of St. John de Portrico and also of
little more to be said 4. Terra Nova or New-found land the third part of this Northerly Province of America is a great Island lying on the South of Corterialis from which it is divided by a Frith or narrow Sea which the French call Golf de Chastieux This place is chiefly frequented for fishing of which there is such plenty all along the Coasts of this Island and likewise of Terra Corterialis adjoyning to it that the huge Shoales of Cod-fish doe sometimes stay their Ships under sail besides great store of other fish both of salt water and fresh as namely Herrings Salmons Thornback Smelts excellent Oysters and Muscles that are said to have a kinde of Pearl in them but of what quality or value doth not so well appear The Land within is likewise reported to be a very good Countrie plentifully stored with Deer and other sorts of Venison Phesants Partridges Swans with variety of other good Fowl lastly of a temperate Aire and Soile not barren only the people of it are said to be few and to inhabit chiefly the Western and North-west parts of it But this perhaps may be rather out of fear and to avoid the conversation of Strangers which at first they would not endure but fled at the sight of them being themselves altogether Savage and wilde But since 't is said they grow more tractable and will be hired in time of yeer by the Portugheses and other Nations that fish commonly for Whales in the Bay of St. Laurence and other places thereabouts to help them in the opening of their Whales boyling the fish and drawing out the Oyle wherein they that will be got to it are extremely diligent and ready to take pains They are commonly of but mean stature full eyed somewhat broad-faced and for the most part beardless Their houses are only certain long Poles set an end sloping upwards towards the top where they are fastened together and covered downwards with the skins of Beasts having in the mid'st their hearth or place to make fire upon But that which is most remarkable about this Island is the many and fair Havens which it affordeth on all sides for shipping in which respect it is though for the bigness scarsely to be paralleld by any other Island or Place in the World not indeed beautified with any great Towns or stately buildings as some are but affording commodious and secure station for the tallest ships that come before it the chief whereof are these 1. La Roigneuse or Rennosa as it is called six leagues Northward of the Cape Raye which lyeth at the South-East angle of the Island a place much resorted unto for fishing from all parts 2. Portus formosus or the fair Haven three miles Northward of the other capable of great ships and bearing at least four or five miles within Land or more 3. Thornbay called otherwise by the Portugheses Enseada grande or the great Bay for distinction sake 4. Trinity Bay on the North of the Cape St. Francis called by the Spaniards Baia de la conception This is likewise a very large and capacious Bay five miles over where it is narrowest having diverse great Rivers falling into it and some little Islands lying scatteringly up and down in it yet safe and affording very good Anchorage and riding for ships in most parts 5. Bay Blanche as the French call it or White-Bay on the North of the Cape or Promontory of St. John On the South side of the Island and Westward of Cape Raye there is 1. Port Trespasse an excellent and secure Harbour having alwaies a reasonable deep Sea without shallows or Rocks 2. Port St. Marie six leagues distant from it 3. Port Presenza by others called Placenza on the other side of Cape St. Marie towards the West 4. Port du Basques or the Biscayners Haven and lastly on the West side of the Island after you have doubled Cape Raye there is at Georges Bay all of them secure stations large and of great resort 5. Before this Island right over against Cape Ray at a distance of twenty four leagues or more there lyeth an huge Bank or ridge of Land extending it self in length out of the Sea some hundred of leagues if my Author mistake not but in bredth not above four or five and twenty when it is broadest and in other parts much less sharpning towards each end into a Conus or narrow point It is counted one of the Marveils of the Sea which round about it at some distance is very deep and hardly to be sounded especially betwixt the Bank for so they commonly call it and Cape Ray but drawing neerer it grows by degrees more and more shallow insomuch that nigh the Land there is not much more water than is necessary for the ships riding It runneth out in length as was said from North to South from fourty one degrees of latitude to fiftie two and round about it there lye scattered a multitude of lesser Islands which Sir Sebastian Cabot when he first discovered the place called by one common name Los Baccaleos or the Islands of Cod-fish from the great quantity of that sort of fish hee there found which was such that they hindred the passage of his ships and lay in such multitudes upon the Coasts that the very Bears would come and catch them in their claws and draw them to Land This place I say with the rest was first discovered by Sir Sebastian Cabot upon the English account howbeit the matter happened to be lay'd aside upon the aforesaid occasions till in King Henery the eight his time it was revived again by Thorn and Eliot two Merchants of Bristoll but without success after which the Portugheses French and other Nations resort to it and change the names which the first discoverers had given to the Bayes and Capes thereabouts But the English not relinquishing their pretensions of primier discovery and seisin about the yeer 1583 Sir Humfry Gilbert took possession of it again in the name of Queen Elizabeth and prohibited all Nations the liberty of fishing there without the Queen of Englands leave But he being unhappily wracked in his coming home the business was again discontinued for a time viz. till the year 1608 when it was undertaken a new by John Guy another Merchant of Bristoll and with so good success that the Colony in a short time were well furnished with Wheat Rye Barley and other grain of their own sowing with Turnips Coleworts and aboundance of other necessary things not without some probable hopes of Metals a certain and plentifull trade of Sables Musk and other rich Commodities and such excellent good fishing especially for Codfish and Ling that 't is said some English-men doe ordinarily take two or three hundred of them in the space of three or four houres which from thence they conveigh as a sure and ready Merchandise into most parts of Europe CHAP. III. Of Canada and the Countries belonging to it 1 CAnada or New
voyage onely to Cape Verde themselves sent out a Carvell with instructions to make what discoveries they could of any Land westward But their project had no great success the Carvell after much fowl weather and hardship endured making a difficult return home and discovering nothing Whereupon he applyeth himself to the King of England who was at that time Henry the seventh a Prince that loved treasure well enough but cared not to hazard much to gain it and all that Columbus could promise as yet upon that point was onely that he would discover a shorter way to the East-Indies whereby Christian Princes might procure themselves the wealth of those rich Countries already known in a shorter time and at far less charges than hitherto they had been able to doe But what through the parcimony of this Prince and his cold attention to the business when it was first propounded to him and what through the misfortunes which his Brother Bartholmew Columbus met withall in his way to England which somewhat hindred his addresses to the King there was no answer given till it was too late and that Columbus had engaged his service unto Ferdinand King of Castile who at last viz. after a matter of six or seven years attendance and delayes had yeilded to his request at the earnest entreaty of the Queen Isabella and of the Cardinal Mendoza Archbishop of Toledo It is said that the Queen was become so zealous and earnestly affected to the business as 't is supposed upon some principles of Religion suggested to her by a Religious man Fernando de Talovera her Confessor that she pawned many of hir own Jewels to help to furnish him out and 't is certain the Treasure of Castile was never more exhausted than it was at that time through a long and chargeable warre with the Moors which was not quite ended when Columbus received his Commission So that many humane reasons might seem to have excused that King from undertaking any new charge at that time especially had it not been the will of divine Providence to have that work goe forward and to recompense the liberality and piety of those Princes with such an infinite advantage both of wealth and honour by the means of this man 4. On Friday the third of August 1492 he set out from Palos a Port Town of Andalusia with three Carvels whereof the Admirall Sancta Maria was commanded by himself the Vice-Admirall Pinta commanded by Captain Martin Pincon and the Ninna commanded by Captain Vincent Yannez Pineon having aboard in all of them together about 120 men and among them Americus Vespucius for one On the eleventh of August following they had sight of the Canary Islands and sailing forwards on the 16th day they met with certain quantities of long grass floating upon the water and upon one of them a Gras-hopper alive which grass as it encreased daily more and more for some time so it put them in continual hopes every day of coming to some Land Nevertheless they sailed August quite out the whole Moneth of September following and some part of October without kenning of any land which troubled them extreamly insomuch that his company began to mutiny desperately and to threaten their Admiral that they would throw him overboard unless he would presently return for Spain swearing they were abus'd and that he should not make himself a great Lord as he intended with the perill of their lives They alledged moreover that the Ships were spent and grown so leaky that they thought they would scarce endure the Seas so long as to carry them safely home again Columbus was much afflicted with this behaviour and resolution of his Souldiers yet endeavored to pacify and draw them on as much as he could with good words and to animate them still with hopes of success but at length seeing nothing else could prevail with them much against his will he made them a promise that if within three dayes they descryed not Land he would forthwith return for Spain This was on the 10th of October and the very night following they discovered the Island Guanahani one of the Leucaiae Islands which lye together in the Gulfe of America called afterwards by Columbus St. Salvador This was a great rejoycing to them all especially to Columbus who went on shore and having sung the Te Deum on his knees with tears in his eyes he erected a Cross and took possession of the Island in the name of the Catholique Kings Ferdinand and Isabella all the Spaniards that were with him presently according to his Patent acknowledging him Viceroy of the Countrie There were standing by some few of the Natives wondring to see men cloathed and so acoutred as the Spaniards were themselves being for the most part naked and onely painted upon their bodies with white black red and other colours as their fancie lead them In their nostrils and upon their lips some of them had rings of gold pendant as it were in the way of ornament which the Spaniards quickly espied and inquiring of them by signes where they had such fine things they came to understand that a certain King of that Country who lived a great way further toward the South had aboundance of it This news pleased them so well that they made no long stay there but on the 15th of October they set Sail and fell upon another of those Islands seven or eight leagues distant from this which they called la Conception from thence upon the 17th they came to the Island Fernandina and from thence to Cuba Columbus not suffering his men in any of these places to take ought from the Natives against their will or without giving them something for it which they seemed to desire At Cuba he found that the Natives had some Towns and Villages which they inhabited and were so ordered that in fifty or threescore houses sometimes 2000 or 1500 people of Men Women and Children were contained according to the custome of the Country that all People of the same Linage or Kindred lived together in one house and their houses being built square in the fashion of a Court with long and large sides though but low and of a lamentable Architecture easily contained them all 5. From hence they sailed to Hispaniola where they had sight of the King of the Country named Guacanagari who received him and his company with much shew of kindeness presenting him with the Fruits and other Commodities of the Country and which was better than all the rest giving them more certain information of those golden Provinces which were afterwards discovered in the main Land for as yet they were but upon Islands and had not touched or seen any part of the Continent of America Columbus was so well satisfied with the intelligence which he had gained that he resolved to return for Spain and to make report of his Adventures to the King whereunto the condition of his Ships want of some necessary Provisions to proceed
inhabited or known save onely upon the borders or lower skirts of them The third is a mean Land betwixt both consisting partly of mountains of lesser height yet for the most part running parallel with the Andes through the whole Countrie of Peru Southward and partly of vallies or low-land both which together they call the Sierra or Hill-Countrie And according to this diversity of site or position in the several parts or Provinces of America we are to expect a difference both in the temperature of the Aire and in the qualitie of the Soyle As for example the Plains of America for so they are commonly called that is the flat and lower parts of it which lie upon the Sea Coasts are generally hot and neither so much inhabited nor counted so healthfull yet neither are they scorched with any intolerable heats by reason of the Brises and those other frequent Sea gales which as we said are continually blowing upon them and as it were cooling them from all parts Nor yet are they parched with any immoderate droughts although it never rains upon those parts of the Countrie at any time of the year for instead thereof there falls continually every morning a certain dew which after a time condensates and turns into small pearly drops of water which doth not a little refresh the Countrie Beside that this part of America being a flat and level Countrie it is so farr from being rendred incommodious for want of water that in many places it may seem to partake somewhat too much of that Element as all along the Coast of Brasil and also on the other side of America Westward where the Country for a great part of it is rendred unhabitable by reason of the great aboundance of Waters which falling with such huge Torrents as they doe from the mountains more within Land and finding no convenient passage in those level and flat Countries doe many times drown the Lands on each side of them for a great space together or at least render the Countrie less profitable and usefull by opening so many great lakes or standing waters in all parts of the Countrie and many of them of such vast extent that they seem rather to be pettie Seas within Land and by turning so much of the other Land into marish or fenny ground as upon the Coasts of America is every where to be seen 5. Contrariwise upon the Andes and in many parts of the Province of Chile especially more towards the Streits the Aire is extream cold and not well to be indured and beside so strangely sharp and piercing of mens bodies that for strangers and such whose bodies are not used to it it is not a little dangerous to travell that way They report that in the midst of Land it makes men Sea-sick and causeth the same alterations vomitings and other distemperatures of the stomach and body but much more violent and extream which men commonly feel at their first going to Sea This happens chiefly upon the mountains Pariacaca Lucana and Sora which are part of the Andes In other places viz. about las Punas which are another ridge of mountains though lesser running parallel with the Andes in the Province of Chile the quality of the Aire is such that it takes away a mans life suddenly and before he feeleth any sensible alteration or griefe in himself either from within or without Men drop down dead as they travel in the way without finding any pain or sickness in themselves others lose their hands and feet as they travel or at least some of their fingers and toes which fall and separate themselves from the other parts of the body with no more sense or feeling than when a rotten apple falls from the tree that bare it And this how fabulous soever it may seem yet is it a certain truth Acosta and other Authors of approved credit doe avouch it from their own experience viz. of what they had found and felt in themselves and from what they had observed and seen with their eyes in others and it seems confirmed by Mr. Purchas himself who in the relation of Sir Thomas Cavendish his second voyage to the Streits which to his great misfortune happened to be in the deep of Winter and when the weather there is most intolerably cold and freezing as hath been formerly said reports a like accident namely of one Harris an English-man who going to blow his nose had the ill hap to pull it off and cast it into the fire before he was aware and of one Anthony Knivett of the same company whose toes came off with his stockings in like maner through the extremity of cold in those parts 6. But the Sierra or mean Land viz. betwixt the height of the Andes and the lowness of the Plaines as it takes up the farr greater part of the Countrie so is it generally more temperate healthfull and agreable to mens bodies It is also aboundantly well watered with fair and pleasant Rivers such as for the multitude of them and the largeness of their respective streams are not to be paralleld in any other part of the World It injoyeth constantly its proper seasons of rain and fair weather no less than Spain it self and many other Countries of Europe by reason whereof the Soile is likewise rendred so exceedingly fat and lusty that it is to be admired what they report concerning the goodness and fertility of it They have in many places two Harvests in a year as in the Island of Hispaniola reaping in and about October that which they sow in Aprill or May and in May that which they sow in October yea some say there is no kinde of Grain sown at the West-Indies but in some places or other it will ripen and be fit to reap within four moneths All kinde of hearbs roots or whatsoever fruits of the Garden as Melons Cucumbers c. in sixteen or twenty dayes at farthest In some places a bushel of Maiz sown which is their most ordinary bread-corn yeeldeth two hundred bushels of increase and a bushel of the best wheat threescore and 't is said to be an usual thing there of an acre of ground well husbanded to reap two hundred bushels or twenty five quarters of any Grain whatsoever As for Fruits I mean such as are natural and of the proper growth of the Countrie there is incredible plenty and variety of several kindes and those incomparably fairer larger bigger more luscious and pleasing to the taste than are to be found elsewhere in the World And as for such as have been transplanted thither out of Europe as most kindes of European fruits have been viz. Apples Pears Oranges Lymons Quinces Figgs c. they doe not onely thrive well but in a short time are exceedingly improved and bettered both in bigness beauty and taste onely through the richness and lustiness of the Soile It is said that an eare of wheat hath been seen there as big about as a mans arme in the
some loss himself Nevertheless after this hee took Rio de la Hacha Rancheria which at that time was a rich Town through the Trade of Pearl-fishing and last of all Nombre de Dios but found nothing so much Treasure in it now as he saw the first time And from hence marching by Land towards Panama he had hopes to have surprised that place But Sir Thomas Baskervile who commanded a Party of seven hundred and fiftie Souldiers upon that designe found the passages over some mountains so difficult by reason of their straitness and the passes so well fortified and guarded that he was forced to retreat not without some loss of men which the Spaniards knowing the Countrie better than they and having the advantage of the Woods on both sides of the way as they marched killed in their return By reason whereof they were forced to put to Sea again where not long after the General himself fell sick and partly of a Flux and partly of griefe as 't is supposed that things succeeded no better having been hitherto in all his endeavors acquainted onely with success and victory dyed within few daies before Porto-bello and almost within sight of Nombre de Dios and the Fleet under the command of Sir Thomas Baskervile returned for England Of Sir Thomas Cavendish his voyage 6. The second in renown among Englishmen for the Adventures of America and especially for a prosperous and compleat circumnavigation of the Ocean was my honoured Countriman Sir Thomas Cavendish of Trimley in Suffolk who in the year 1586. with three ships and about one hundred and twenty men set out from Plimouth for the West-Indies upon Thursday the 21. of July having in his company Captain Francis Pretty of Eye Captain Havers Captain Mellis and some other Gentlemen and the 25. of August following fell with the point Sierra Liona on the coast of Guinny and from thence by the 7. of September with the Island Madrabamba which is one of those about Cape verde a place very convenient for the taking in of fresh water and other necessaries for men at Sea but otherwise much subject to sudden claps of Thunder Lightnings and Storms especially in Winter Their designe was for the Streits and the South Sea wherefore declining the Islands and the coast of Terra firma as they call it which is that part of the Continent of America which lyeth West and South-west of the Islands they steer their course more directly South and by the latter end of October they discover Cape Frio on the coast of Brasil and put in with an harbour betwixt the Island of St. Sebastian and the Continent where they stay some time building a new Pinnace and supplying their Ships with such other necessaries as the Country afforded After which they put to Sea again directing their course immediatly for the Streits to which place from the utmost coast of Brasil Southward it s reckoned commonly six hundred leagues December the 18. they enter the harbor called Port desire which is a very good Harbor and hath a safe road for Shipping before it From hence on the 6. of January they put in for the Streits mouth and after a few daies come to Anchor not farre from the place where the Spaniards had a designe to have built and fortifyed a Town for the command of the Streits and the securing of the passage into the South Sea against all Nations but themselves But as it appeared their project took no effect For of four hundred men left there two or three years before by Don Pedro Sarmiento to that purpose by order of the King of Spain there was scarce twenty remaining alive when Sir Thomas Cavendish sailed that way the rest were either starved for want of necessarie Provisions or destroyed by the Natives They had begun their Town which they named St. Philip upon the narrowest passage of the Streits about fourteen leagues within the mouth to the Southward and not above half a mile broad in a place very convenient for their purpose and the Town it self well contrived with four several Forts and every Fort having some piece or pieces of Ordinance to defend it which the Spaniards when they saw themselves left destitute and not able to subsist any longer there had buried in the ground but the carriages of them standing open and in view upon search the pieces themselves were soon found and taken by the English Many of the Spaniards that had been left there as above said were found dead in their houses and lying in their cloaths unburied Those few that were alive which were onely twenty three in all whereof two Women although they were scarce able to goe or to help themselves yet were resolved as they said to travel by land towards Rio de la Plata which is distant some hundred of leagues from the place where they were which they had free leave to doe The English thereupon made no long stay but having named the place instead of St. Philip Port-famin they departed holding their course still along the Streits till upon the 24. of February they entred the South Sea having found the whole course of the Streits to be about ninetie leagues in length and to lie in the same latitude or at least with very little difference at both ends viz. in fiftie degrees and two Terces Southward of the line having good and convenient harbors on both sides almost at every leagues end but otherwise of a most difficult passage by reason of many windings and turnings of the Sea and of so many contrary windes with which from severall coasts the passage is almost continually infested but especially in the deep of Winter at which time by reason of the intollerable sharpness of the cold frequent storms huge flights of Snow their is neither sailing nor abiding upon those Seas nor is it so safe or easie at any time to repass viz. back again out of the South Sea into the Atlantick or Northern as it is to enter by the North Sea 7. Beeing got now into Mare del Zur and as it were upon the back-side of America they ply up and down those coasts visiting and not seldom pillaging the Towns taking such ships as they meet withall and steering their course now so far North-west till at last upon the 12th of June 1587. they double or cross the Equinoctial line back again sailing Northward of it up towards Panama and the coast of New-Spain But whether it were that intelligence had been given to those parts of their being upon the coasts it was sometime before they could spie any ships stirring The first was upon the 9. of July when they took a new ship of one hundred twenty Tuns burthen coming from Puna but newly launched off the Stocks laden chiefly with ropes and other tackling for ships which they took and in her one Michael Saâ—cius a Provencall borne at Marseills who to doe the Spaniards a pleasure gave them information of a great
America are rather grey than red or yellow and have not that long shaggie haire on the fore-parts of their bodie with which they are painted The Tygres are more fierce and cruel but that is only when they are hungry and seek their prey for otherwise viz. when their bellies are full if the report of Maffaeus be true in his historia Indica they are as fluggish and heavie a Beast as any and may be both taken and killed by any body almost that will But by his favour I will not be the first that shall make tryal There is likewise aboundance of Staggs and wild Deer in all parts of the Continent of America but for ought I know in the Islands there are none found 6. These are all Beasts and Creatures of the Land with which and infinite others not here to be mentioned the New World is aboundantly stored Nor doe the Waters afford less variety either of Sea or more within Land viz. in the Lakes and Rivers which are generally so plentifully and well stored with good fish that there is no Countrie in the World comparable to America in that respect Amongst these the Cayman as they call him or Indian Crocodile as the most prodigious and strange deserves to be first mentioned yet is he an amphibious Creature living as well and perhaps as much upon Land as in the water It is a most fierce and ravenous Creature of a vast bulk or bigness being said to be from the fore part of his snout to the end of his tayle seven or eight yards long and of such strength that he hath been seen to take up a living man lying asleep upon the shore in his mouth and to carry him cleer away with him into the water over to another Island or Rock in the Sea where he meant to have devoured him But being shot with a Caliver he lost his prey and the man was recovered but dyed soon after He seeks his prey commonly upon Land which he kills or drowns in the Water yet cannot there eat it by reason of some peculiar disposition of his throat or gullet which is such as that it permits him not to swallow any thing in the water but with hazard to suffocate or drown himself The best is his motion by Land is but slow and his body so unweldy that he cannot turn himself but with much adoe nor his head to either side without turning his whole body Yet doe they much mischief especially about some Rivers in the Provinces of Mechoacan and Tlascalla where there are many of them They say 't is excellent sport to see a Cayman and a Tygre fight as they happen to doe oftentimes endeavouring to prey one upon another The Cayman with his taile cruelly beats and jerks the Tygre endeavouring what he can to hale him into the water The Tygre as stoutly resists him with his paw and labours to pull up the Cayman to land which for the most part he doth and then opens him by the belly which is the only part of him where he can be pierced his whole body otherwise being armed with scales so extremely hard and thick set that no Lance and scarcely an Harquebuz or Musket shot will enter it The Indians fear him not so much by water as land for being themselves excellent Swimmers and Dyvers and the Cayman alwaies swimming above water or very fleet they make no great matter to encounter him hand to hand in his own element for they easily get under his belly and with their knives or short Lances pierce him there as they list and so bring him to Land 7. The Tyburons are a kinde of Shark-fish of large size and extremely ravenous They are commonly ten or twelve foot long and about six or seven spans broad on the back being fashioned like a Soale with huge wide mouths and two rows of teeth on each side of their mouth very sharp and thick set and of so great strength that at one snatch or jerk they will break the bones or pluck asunder the joints of any Beast whatsoever They follow the ships at Sea willingly for the wash and other stuff which the Mariners cast out to them being so ravenous that they receive everything Acosta reporteth that out of the gullet of one of them he saw taken at the same time a great Butchers knife a long iron hook and a piece of a Cows head with one horn still growing upon it Others tell of Hats whole Shirts Leggs and Arms of Men ropes ends with many other things of like nature found in the same manner Yet is the flesh of them counted very good meat when they are well dryed and a principall reliefe in many occasions at Sea where they are taken without much difficultie and so bigge that many times ten or twelve men have somewhat to doe to pull one of them up when they have him upon the hook They come likewise out of the Sea up into the rivers as the Caymans doe and are exceeding dangerous both to men and cattell that are not aware of them or happen to ly or sleep upon the banks of any great river as in America it is not unusuall to doe At Sea they are commonly attended by a smaller sort of fish which they call Rambos which lives by the meat that falls from the Tyburon as the Jaccall is said to doe by the Lion 8. The Manati or Oxe-fish as some call them is another great fish of the Sea bigger by farre than the Tyburon headed like an Oxe or young heifer with two armes or at least stumpes of armes on each side before and those as some say distinguished into severall joynts with nailes upon them not unlike to those of a mans hand This is a gentle and harmeless creature and though of bulk or body not less than a young Oxe or Bullock yet neither of any feirce or horrid aspect but rather amiable and cleerer countenanced as the figure of it in Hernandez and Laet sheweth It cometh frequently upon land and feeds upon hearbs or grasse if there be any neer and being at Sea it swimes commonly above water and is easily taken 'T is counted for meat the best fish in the World being as tender and delicate as any veale or the best young porke and so like it that a stranger would verily take it for veale which it resembles so much every way both for colour and taste that it hath been disputed and questioned by some whither it might be eaten on fasting dayes for that it both eateth hearbs and grasse resembles flesh so much and beareth its young alive suckling them with milk by certain teats which they have as other Land creatures doe They finde in the head of it a certain Stone or hard congelated Substance which being ground to powder they say is very good for the stone in the reins and to provoke urine especially that which is found in the male-fish 9. The Tortoise is a Fish yet greater than any of
there and are well experienced in the Mines will make good by their testimony I shall need to name onely Acosta who in his naturall History of the Indies lib. 4. cap. 12. tels us 't is the opinion of understanding men in those affaires that there are no less than three hundred thousand Quintalls of metal refined at Potozi every yeare and Laet in his discriptio novi Orbis lib. 1. cap. 4. tels me that a Quintall is a measure which with the Spaniards in America containeth one hundred twenty five pound weight Put these together and the summe will be thirty eight Millions five hundred thousand pound weight of silver melted at Potozi yeerly I suppose it will be said he means of Bullion or metall out of the Mine whereof silver when it is refined makes not the third part I grant both being willing to give all the advantage to moderate propositions that I can But let us then suppose that every pound weight of metal out of the Mine yeelds a Pezo or which is less but five Shillings of fine silver which I suppose no man will deny but it doth one with another and it will aboundantly justifie what I say viz. that if we had it it would pay three such Armies as the State maintains and afford a competent revenue for all publick occasions beside For it amounts to little less than ten millions of money viz. to nine millions three hundred and fifty thousand pound by account which under favour I humbly conceive is an Income thrice as great as the State expendeth yeerly one way or other And otherwise they confess comonly that the Kings annuall revenue out of this only Mine which is but the fifth part is above a million one year with another 2. Potozi is a Mountain in the country of Charcas a Province of Peru in the Southern part of America It lieth about sixty or seventy leagues distant from the South-Sea and about twice so many from the Atlantick or Northern of which we shall speak more in due place being of a soil when the Mine was first discovered extreamly dry hard and rocky and every way as unpleasant to the eye as might be and so utterly barren that it yeelded no kinde of commodity or fruit outwardly And though it lie within the Tropiques in the twenty first degree of latitude yet is the aire about it very cold and the place in the moneths of June July and August constantly showred with rain The colour of the Soil is for the most part of a dark red and the whole fashion of the moutain somewhat resembling a pavillion or round Tent with a point sharpening still upwards in the manner of a Sugar-loafe being in height from the plain ground about a quarter of a Spanish league and in the compass at the bottom a full league or more and at the foot of it on the one side there groweth out a lesser hill which the Indians call Guaina Potozi which signifies the little or younger Potozi which hath veines of good metal likewise but stragling here and there in divers parts of the mountain and not fixed or running in continued branches as those of the great Potozi doe It is a place of it self or to outward appearance that would be thought altogether unhabitable by reason of the unpleasantness and barrenness of its outside but its wealth within hath so peopled it round about that there is not any Town at the West-Indies of greater resort than it nor better supplied with all sorts of things either for necessity or delight having Flesh-meat of all sorts Fowle and Venison in aboundance varietie of choise Fruits excellent Wines with all kinde of conserves and other delicates besides The dwellings of the Spaniards and Indians who come thither onely for pleasure or else for the gain and trading of the Mines are said to extend two or three leagues in circuit round about the foot of the hill the Mines whereof were first discovered by a poore Indian about the yeare 1546 accidentally as it might seem in this manner 3. A certain American of Chumbivilca in the Province of Cusco named Gualpa was hunting thereabouts for venison and being forced to use his hands to climbe up a part of the mountain that was rocky and had some few bushes growing upon it by chance laid hold upon a little shrub which grew out of a vein of the silver and strained himselfe so much to get up that he pulled up the branch by the roots perceiving in the hole or place where the root grew some quantity of metal which upon better veiw and some experience he had of the Mines at Porco not above six leagues distant from thence he found to be very good whereupon he began to look better about him and found presently scatter'd up and down on the surface of the earth severall other pieces of the same metall but a little changed in colour by reason they had lain open a long time perhaps to the rain and weather which yet only upon carrying to Porco he quickly found to be good metal and what a brave fortune he had met with by his hunting And for some time he managed his business warily and happily drawing silver continually out of his Mine as much as he could desire But it was not long before a companion or friend of his whose name was Guanca perceived so much of it that he made shift to become Sharer with him in the Mine and so they two enjoyed for a while the richest Mine in the world and might have done so much longer but for their own covetuousness and dissention It happened that the part of the Mine which this New-comer Guanca had chosen proved not so much to his liking as he expected and therefore he desired to share in common with Gualpa in his Mine which was not better metal than the others was but more easie to get forth but Gualpa refused and the other was so much provoked upon it that being but a Servant to one Villaroel a Spaniard of Porco he presently discovers the whole business to his Master who thereupon making search and finding the metall good and the Mine likely to be rich immediately repaires to the Kings Officers makes known the Mine and procures his Servant Guanca to be enrolled first discoverer of it and together with him undertakes the vein as they call it that is procures so much land about the Mine to be marked out and allotted as the Law alloweth unto those that first discover a Mine which is some certain yeards round about the plot and to those that will undertake to dig and search it By this means they become Lords of the Mine having liberty to dig and draw forth the silver as their own paying the King his Tribute which is the fifth part of what they draw forth 4. There were presently upon this three or four other principal veins of the Mine discovered upon this Mountain of which that which is called the rich
their Neighbours especially when they are fairly dealt withall and not provoked into distemper by rough handling The Countrie on the Sea side replenished with very good Havens They report that in the space of 70 miles there are no less than twenty or twenty five good and secure ports some of them capable of five hundred or a thousand sail of ships and fenced from the fury of windes and Sea by the interposition of certain Islets which to the number of two hundred at least are said to lye scattered up and down upon that Coast The places where the English have chiefly seated themselves are 1. St. Georges Fort where the first Plantation was setled at the mouth of the River Sagahadoc in a kinde of Peninsula or half-Island 2. New-Plimouth seated no less commodiously upon a large and spacious Bay called by the Natives Patouxet It consisted at the first building but of nineteen Families only but is now improved into a handsome Town 3. New-Bristoll upon the Sea side also but lying more Northerly than Plimouth 4. Barstable 5. Boston And lastly Quillipiack which by the name seems to have been some old Town of the Natives who upon a great mortality happening among them are said to have diserted these parts of the Countrie but a few years before the English came thither It lyeth upon a Bay called the Bay of the Massachousetts and is at present possessed by the English This part of Virginia was first discovered by Captain Gosnold in the year 1602. Four years after that King James granted it by Letters Patents unto a Corporation of certain Knights Gentlemen and Merchants to be planted by them and managed to the best advantage of the Publique In which Sir John Popham Lord chief Justice of the Common-Pleas being one of the principall by his encouragement and chiefly also at his charge a Colony was sent thither in the year 1607 under the Presidencie of Captain George Popham and Mr. Raleigh Gilbert but the President Popham dying the next year after and not long after him the Lord chief-Justice likewise who was the chief Patron of the work the Colonie returned home and though afterwards it was attempted several times yet never could they finde success in their endeavors nor be setled in any form till the year 1620 When by the building of New-Plimouth and some more particular care had of the business by several incouragements sent from thence to bring on others and by reason of some domestick motives which perswaded many people to leave their Countrie and goe that way it is grown at last to a very probable and hopefull condition of good subsistence for the future being for many temporal respects worthy of all favour and cherishing by the State 3. Novum-Belgium or Niew-Nederlandt hath on the North-East New-England on the South and South-West Virginia properly so called taking its name from the Netherlanders or Dutchmen who began their Plantation there about the year 1614 The Countrie as they said being then void and therefore free for any body that would take possession of it Notwithstanding which pretence they were scarse warm in their Quarters when Sir Sam. Argall Governour of Virginia having first spoyled the French in Accadie as we said disputed the possession with these also And although they pleaded Hudsons right who by Commission from King James and upon an English account had lately discovered those parts and pretended they had not only bought all his Cards and Maps of the Countrie but all his Interest and Right also and had fully contented him for all his pains and charges in the discovery yet the said Hudson being an English man and acting all that he did by Commission from the King of England upon debate it was concluded That the Land could not be alienated after discoverie without the King of Englands consent especially it being but a part of the Province of Virginia already possessed by the Subjects of England So that they were forced to wave that title and the Dutch Governor submitted his Plantation to his Majestie of England and to the Governor of Virginia for and under him Upon which Terms for a good while they held it Afterwards upon confidence it seems of a new Governour sent from Amsterdam they not only failed to pay the promised contribution and tribute but fell to fortifie themselves and to entitle the Merchants of Amsterdam to an absolute Propriety and Dominion of the Countrie independent of any other building Towns as New Amsterdam raising Forts as Orange Fort neer that branch of the Nordt River which they call Hell gates Complaint whereof being made to King Charles and by his Embassador represented to the States they disown the business and declare by publique instrument that they were not interessed in it but that it was only a private undertaking viz. of the West Indian Company of Amsterdam Whereupon a Commission was granted to Sir George Culvert made Lord Baltimore in Ireland to possess and plant the Southern parts thereof lying towards Virginia by the name of Maryland and to Sir Edmund Loyden to plant the Northern parts towards New-England by the name of Nova-Albion Which makes the Dutch the second time seem willing to compound and for the summe of two thousand and five hundred pounds they offer to be gone and leave all they had there But by advantage of the troubles in England which then began to appear and soon after followed they not only goe back from their first Propositions and make higher demands but also most mischievously and wickedly as some report they furnish the Natives with Arms and teach them the use of them as it may be thought expecting to use their help upon occasion against the English An Act questionless of very pernicious consequence not only to the English Adventurers who have since been much damnified and prejudiced by the said Natives in their Plantations but also to the Dutch themselves who as 't is reported were the first or with the first that smarted by it The Savages being thus arm'd and train'd first of all falling foule upon them destroying their Farm-houses and forcing them to betake themselves to their Forts and Fastnesses So that at present there is but little good account can be given further of the State of this Countrie As to the nature and quality of the soil it differeth not much from the parts about it the temperature of the aire and commodities of the Country being generally the same which New-England or Virginia yeeldeth And as for Towns and places of abode it doth not appeare that either the English or Dutch have as yet set themselves much to building in this Country What the English had done before our late troubles at home it may be feared is wholly ruined by the misfortunes which befell them there And for the Dutch although they make large reports of the Country and challenge a huge Circuit of land under the name of the New-Netherlands and title of the States yet I
Satanicall Religion and Motezuma a Prince extremely superstitious and devoted to the service of his gods it is said that he sacrificed commonly one yeer with another twenty thousand men and some yeers upon extraordinary occasions not less than fifty thousand So great and grievous a Tyranny by the just judgement and permission of Almighty God for their great and unnatural sins did the Enemy of Mankinde exercise upon them He was likewise much given to Women but it was only to such as were counted his Wives of which he is said to have had no less than one hundred and fifty with child by him at one time 2. Cortez that fortunate Spaniard who first conquered this rich and mighty Kingdom soon discovered the discontents and ill affections which a great part of Motezumas People bare towards his Government and resolved to make his advantage of it Wherefore being already landed in the Island Acusamil or Cozamul as 't is often called and having gained his first battel at Potonchan and after that another at Cintla where with a handfull of men not above five hundred in all some horse and a few pieces of Ordinance he defeated an Army of fourty thousand Indians he quickly obliged those of Zempoallan and Tlascaella to take part with him against Motezuma and by their means divers others as likewise they did assisting him both in his first march towards Mexico with a competent number of Men and at the siege and taking of it with an Army of an hundred thousand In recompense whereof they enjoy at this day many great Immunities and priviledges above the rest of the Americans and in a manner equall to those of the Spaniards themselves Motezuma was so frighted with the success of Cortez and with the revolt of so many of his own Subjects from him especially upon his gaining a third battel and sacking of the rich town of Chololla that at the first he freely admitted him into Mexico and soon after without much contestation acknowledged himself Vassal to the Emperor and King of Spain presenting him in the nature of a Tribute as much gold as amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand Castlins or pieces of Castile which are said to be nine shillings and seven pence a peece of common money Nothwithstanding not long after upon some differences growing betwixt the Spaniards and People of Mexico and that a Governor of Motezumas in the Country named Qualpopoca had put some Spaniards to death Motezuma was confined to Cortez his house and for the more security of his person a pair of Gives or Fetters put upon his leggs although he utterly disclaimed the fact of Qualpopoca and caused him with his Son and some others that were complices in the business to be publiquely burnt for it in the Market place of Mexico and that by the sentence of Cortez himself The Mexicans provoked with the injurie and indignity offered to their King in the midst of his Royal Citie and in the sight of his People begin to mutiny and take Arms for the rescue of their Prince They besiege the Spaniards in their house together with Motezuma and press so hard upon them that the Fetters are taken off and Motezuma's help used for the allaying of the tumult and quieting the People and although they keep him still under guard yet they permit him to command and dispatch all affairs as freely as if he were at liberty to be attended by his Noblemen and other Servants in the full State and dignity of a King only he went not abroad but some guard of Spaniards were with him 3. About this time there were certain ships come to Vera Crux which was a new Port town of this Countrie that the Spaniards had built since their coming thither and had landed neer upon a thousand men which was an accident that had like to have spoiled the design of Cortez and all his Company at Mexico these men being sent by James Velasquez Governour of Cuba expressly against Cortez and his men upon pretence that they acted not conformably to the Commission which they had received from him and gave him no account of their proceedings which in a great part was true For it must be confessed Cortez and his men finding themselves to have fallen upon an adventure that was certainly rich and good and having got such footing and interest in the Country already by their success and victories and chiefly by their confederacy with so many of the Natives and People of the Countrie revolted to them did almost at first by a general consent renounce their Commission and dependency upon Velasquez and professed to act immediatly from and for the King of Spain What pretences they had for such a resolution seemingly at least irregular is not so well known What ever they were they proceed in it and the whole company excepting only some few who yet went along with the rest choose Cortez anew for their Commander in chief and appoint likewise by common consent all other Officers of Justice both Civil and Military among themselves and to give the better colour at Court to their proceedings they send Portocorrero and Monteio two of their principalls into Spain with a rich and huge present to the Emperour both to make report of the State of the Country and to procure immediate Commission from his Majestie to proceed after which they advance towards Mexico as hath been said Velasquez at Cuba understanding their proceedings labored to intercept both their Messengers and Present but could not and therefore sent Pamphilo Narvaez with eleven ships and about nine hundred or a thousand men to apprehend Cortez and oppose his proceedings This hapned about the time that the differences were but newly calmed betwixt the Spaniards and the People of Mexico and though it obliged Cortez to leave the City in a wavering and unsetled condition yet he took such order that Motezuma still remained under the guard of the Spaniards as before assisted with some thousands of their friends of Tlascalla and he himself taking the rest and some few Spaniards along with him with undaunted courage and resolution marched against Narvaez And such was his good fortune that not only Narvaez became his prisoner without much bloodshed but likewise all his Men joyned with him in his designe through the favour of the Chancery or supreme Court of St. Domingo and by the procurement of the Licentiate Vasquez de Ayllon a Judge of it who was sent with Narvaez to accommodate the differences 4. With this recruit Cortez marches back again to Mexico but at his comming findes things in a very bad condition For the Mexicans were now in an absolute Rebellion and made open warre against the Spaniards had block'd up those in the Citie together with their friends the Tlascaltecans and either stopped up or possessed themselves of all the Avennues by land or water so that it was some time before Cortez could get in with his forces But at last by advantage
Inhabitants are since removed to Porto Bello or St. Philip aforesaid as to a more fortified and securer place 3. Acla a Town upon the same Coast but lying South-East of Nombre de Dios. 4. Nata commonly called St. Jago de Nata situated on the West side of this Province upon Mare del Zur or the South Sea about thirty leagues distance from Panama towards the borders of Veragua 5. Panama the chief City of the Province being also a Bishops Sea who is Suffragan to the Archbishop of Lima and the ordinary residence of the Governour and Courts of Justice for these parts It is seated likewise upon the South Sea and so neer that at high water the ships are said to ride even under the walls Through this town the wealth both of Peru and Spain passeth once every yeer from Spain by Nombre de Dios and Porto Bello from whence whatsoever Merchandise or other Commodities come from Spain are transported to Panama by Land and from thence by Sea to all the parts of Peru and by Panama whatsoever comes from Peru to be sent into Spain It hath commonly a strong Garrison of Souldiers in it and is doubtless a place otherwise well fortified being of so great importance Lastly La Crux Real a few leagues distant from Panama and for the most part inhabited by Negros 3. Darien hath on the North the District or Circle of Panama on the South the new Kingdome of Granada Eastward it is bounded with the Gulf of Vrraba abovesaid and some part of the River Darien which giveth name to the Province and to the West with the South Sea of a more temperate Aire by farre than that of Panama and a Soil so admirably fruitfull and lusty that they say Melons Cucumers and generally all other Fruits of the Garden are ripe and fit to gather within twenty dayes or less after their first sowing The chief and indeed only Town of this tract is Darien called anciently by the first Founders of it St. Maria Antiqua and by others the Antique of Darien being one of the first Towns that were built by the Spaniards on the firm Land 4. Eastward of Darien and the Gulf of Vrraba lyeth the Countrie of New-Andaluzia as some call it though that name be likewise and perhaps more truly attributed to the Province of Paria hereafter to be spoken of on the East it hath the Countrie called St. Martha on the North the main Ocean and New-Granada towards the South It is for the most part a Mountainous Countrie and full of Woods which they say yeeld aboundance of Rosin Gumms and some very good Balsams But the Plains by reason of much rain to which the Countrie is subject especially for some times of the year of but a spewy and cold Soil The Spaniards at their first comming found it a rich Country not so much from the nature and profits of the Soil though it be said to have some Mines in it and those of Gold but by reason of a certain opinion and respect which the Americans of these parts are generally said to have born towards this Country insomuch that they would be brought and buryed therein from other places very remote and according to the custome of the Country not without good store of Gold and other Jewels according to the quality and condition of the Person that was buried of which the Spaniards soon gained intelligence and in ransacking the Graves and Monuments of the Dead are supposed to have found an infinite Mass of Treasure But those Mines are long since exhausted The places of chief impotance here are 1. Carthagena situate upon the North Sea in a sandy Peninsula or half Island well built and for the bigness of it of good wealth and riches as the English well found under Sir Francis Drake in the yeare 1585 when they took the place and having pillaged it carried away beside aboundance of Treasure no less than two hundred and fourty brass peices of Ordinance It is counted one of the best Havens belonging to the firme land of America 2. Tolu by the Spaniards now called St. Jago twelve leagues distant from Cartagena a place memorable for the excellent Balsam which is brought from thence commonly called the Balsam of Tolu 3. St. Crux de Mopox a neate Town seated a little above the confluence of the two Rivers St. Martha and Magdalene which water this Province 4. Baranca de Nolambo a place of great Traffique especially for all Commodities of the new Kingdome of Granada it standeth upon the banks of the Magdelene River and about six leagues distant from the Sea 5. Buena Vista otherwise called St. Sabastian de Buena Vista a Town commodiously seated upon a rising ground not far from the Gulf of Vrraba or the Sound of Darien about a league and half from the Sea and lastly Villa de St. Maria thirty leagues southward of Cartagena 5. St. Martha so called from the cheif City of the Province is bordered on the West with New-Andaluzia on the East with Rio de la Hacha on the North with the Ocean and on the South with New-Granada It is about threescore and ten leagues in length and not much less in breadth a mountainous Country likewise for the most part and the ground not much commended but only for some fruits of the Ordinary growth of Spain viz. Oranges Limons c. which thrive here very well The aire upon the Coasts very hot but more within land as extremely cold viz. upon the Mountaines The Country is well watered with Rivers the chief whereof is Rio Grande as they call it or the great River of Magdalene which rising in the Mountains of New-Granada falleth down into this province empties it self into the Sea betwixt the Cities of St. Martha and Cartegena though at a distance of ten or twenty leagues from either with a double stream and such a violent course that as Acosta testifies it is counted not a little dangerous to attempt the entrance of it sometimes viz. when the Tyde and the stream are contrary The chief Towns are 1. St. Martha seated upon the Sea coast having a safe and very convenient Haven belonging to it and well defended from the windes by the advantage of an high Mountain lying almost right over against it It is no great Town but rich for the bigness at least it was found so when Sir Francis Drake surprised it in the year 1595. What it was the year following when Sir Anthony Shirly called there and in the yeare 1630 when the Dutch took it I cannot say 2. Tenariffe on the banks of the Magdalene fourty leagues distant from St. Martha 3. Villa de las Palmas twenty leagues southward of Tenariff 4. Ciudad de los Reyes in the Valley of Vpar and upon the banks of a large River called Guataporta which a little below this Town falleth into the Magdalene It is a Frontire place and but ill neighboured by reason of certain
the Coasts of the South Sea two hundred and fifty some say full three hundred leagues in length viz. from the Cape del Aguia Northward on the borders of Quito as far as Arequipa towards the South the soil reasonably fertil in all things as being much more equally divided into Hill and Plain Countrie and much better Peopled than some other Provinces The places most observable and important in it are 1. Miraflores as the Spaniards call it a well seated and wealthy Town in the Valley of Zanu five leagues distant from the Sea where it hath likewise a good Haven or Port. 2. Truxillo two or three leagues distant from the Sea the Haven whereof is said to be large but not so safe The Town it self is seated upon the banks of a pleasant River in the Valley of Chicama consisting of five hundred Families or more the Aire very healthfull and the Countrie thereabouts as fruitfull and good as any of these parts of America especially abounding in Corn Sugar-Canes and Cattel 3. La Parilla twenty leagues Southward of Truxillo in the Valley called Santa and well neighboured with rich Mines of silver lately discovered 4. Arnedo seated among the Vineyards of the Valley of Changay ten leagues from Lima northward 5. Lima by the Spaniards commonly called la Ciudad de los Reyes or the City of Kings so named because Pizarro who built it layd the first stone on Twelfth day 1553 which they call The Feast of the Kings It is seated in the Valley of Lima one of the fruitfullest parts of all Peru and so neatly built that all the chief streets of the Citie open upon a fair Market-place or Piazza of such a large square that upon the sides thereof are built in a stately and convenient manner the Cathedral Church and Palace of the Archbishop the Vice-Roys Palace and Courts of Justice with the Exchequer or publique Treasury the Town-House or place where the Citie Magistrates meet and hold their Courts the publique Armory or Magazine and divers other fair buildings of the Nobility and better sort of Citizens The whole City is environed round about with most delicate fields and pleasant gardens and scarse a Citizens house within but by the oportunity of a River which runneth by it is well supplyed with water Briefly as it is the Metropolis of Peru that is the chief and principall Citie for Authority and Dignity so is it likewise the chiefest for delight and wealth 6. Cullao this is the Haven or Port Town to Lima and but two leagues distant from it A Town of six or seven hundred Families all or most of them Sea-men and not a house in it but is well provided of Cellar-room and Stowage for Merchandise which is there received from all parts both coming from and going to the Sea It was with Lima it self surprized by Sir Francis Drake in the year 1579 and their Cellars searched as well as could be done in so short a time whereupon since it is said to be fortified with two strong Bulwarks a wall of earth and about thirty piece of Ordinance planted on the Works 7 Pachacama four leagues Southward of Lima memorable chiefly for Pizarros good fortune here who is reported to have found in one only old Temple of the Natives the quantity of nine hundred thousand Duckets of gold and silver beside what his Souldiers are supposed to have seiz'd on and conveighed away before he came 8. Guarco a Colony of three hundred Spaniards sixteen leagues to the Southward of Pachacama rounded with the best fields for Wheat in all Peru. 9. Valverde a great Town inhabited by five hundred Spaniards and though at sixteen leagues distance from the Sea yet well traded and rich The Valley wherein it lyeth and from which it taketh its name affording the best Vines of America 10. Castro-Verreina threescore leagues distant from Lima to the South East It lyeth in the Valley of Chocolocha and is a rich place by reason of the good Mines of silver which are about it and the aboundance of the best sort of Tobacco 11. Arequipa a pleasant and delightsome town in the Valley of Quilca one hundred and twenty leagues distant from Lima Southward of a temperate and fresh Aire a flourishing Soile and the Town very rich and frequented by reason that through it much of the silver of Potozi and divers other Mines thereabouts that is designed for Spain passeth yearly to be shipped for Panama at a Haven belonging to this Town though at a distance as som say of 10. or 21. leagues 12 Caxamalca more within land towards the North a place chiefly memorable for the imprisonment murder of Atabalipa the last King of Peru whom the Spaniards overthrew and took prisoner neer to this place and afterwards used as hath been said Lastly 13. Leon de Guanuco so called from the Territory wherein it standeth a rich and pleasant place being anciently a Palace of the Kings of Peru very magnificent and stately now likewise much beautified with Houses both of the Spanish and Peruvian Nobility some Convents of Religious men and a Colledge of Jesuites 6. Cusco is the farre greater part of the Province of Peru containing generally all the Sierra or Hill Countries and those parts of the Andes likewise which lye Southward of the little Province or Cantred of Guanuco being coasted Westward and to the North-west with Lima Eastward with Los Quixos and some part of Guiana and on the South with Charcas enjoying for the most part a temperate and good Aire neither over-heated with the scorching Sun in the day nor damped with any cold mists or dews in the Evening as some parts of the Plains of Peru are but well watered with many fresh Rivers which make the Valleys and lower grounds of it good pasturage and to maintain great Heards of Cattel The Woods especially stored with the Coca whose leafe is counted so restorative as we said Chap. 7. and with much excellent Venison The principall Towns and places of Trade in it are first Bombon situate upon a Lake called Chinchacocha said to be ten leagues in compass begirt round about almost with hills and neighboured with many other lesser but pleasant Villages 2. Parcos once a Palace Royall of the Inca's seated on the top of a little hill encompassed with other Rocky and higher Mountains on all sides 3. Guamanga called by the Spaniards St. Juan de la Vittoria a fair and well built City and an Episcopall Sea threescore and ten leagues distant from Lima Eastward 4. Bilcas another Palace of the Inca's now a good Town of the Natives and situate as is supposed in the very midst of the Countrie of Peru. 5. Guancavelica a new Town raised from the condition of a very poor Village to a place of very great importance and traffique only by the Mines of Quick-silver of which we spake Chap. 11. and which were first discovered there in the year 1566. It is now inhabited by two thousand
concerns the belly 3. Dominica an Island of twelve leagues in length very fruitfull of a good sort of Tobacco which the Europeans have of the Natives chiefly in exchange of Knives some Hatchets and other Instruments of Iron which they value much It hath on the West side of it a convenient Harbour for ships but the People being said to continue Cannibals and exceedingly barbarous even to this present no Nations as yet have attempted to inhabit among them 4. La Desseada a small Island but of great use to the Spaniards who alwaies touch at it both coming and going 5. Guadalupe another small Island which they likewise take in their way continually to and from America it serves them chiefly for fresh water and lyeth eight or ten leagues Westward of Desseada 6. Antego as the English corruptly call it rather Antiqua is an Island of about seven leagues in length and almost as much in breadth lying to the North-East of Guadalupe where the English of late years are said to have planted a Colony but wherein their Trade lyeth doth not so well appear 7. St. Christophers This lyeth on the North-west of Guadalupe where the English and French both of them having planted their several Colonies were not many years since outed by the Spainyards yet permitted quietly to pass to their other Plantations The chief Commoditie which the Countrie yeeldeth is Tobacco and in the Easterly parts of it some Salt 8. Barbados This is an Island at the North-East of St. Vincent of an ovall form and of the same bigness or extent with that of St. Vincent that is containing in the compass of the whole a matter of eighteen or twenty miles It lyeth the most Easterly of all the rest of these Islands of a Soil very lusty and good especially for such Commodities as are proper for it On the East side it hath many Angles and Points shooting out into the Sea which consequently make many Bays upon the Coast of it but by reason of certain quick-sands which lye before them not much used or frequented by ships On the South side it hath a large and convenient Harbour capable of the tallest ships and well frequented It is counted now one of the best Colonies of the English but said to have been heretofore not a little at the mercy of the Spaniard Their chief Trade is Tobacco and a kinde of course Sugar which we call Barbados-Sugar and will not keep long not that the Countrie is unapt for better but as 't is rather supposed because the Planters want either skill or stock to improve things to the best The Countrie is somewhat hot and it behoves an English man to be very temperate and wary when he goes first thither 9. Sta. Crux called by the Natives anciently Ayay fifteen leagues distant from Port-rico to the South-East woody and Mountainous having on the West side of it a convenient Harbour for shiping They speak of a certain Fruit of this Countrie not unlike to a green Apple which if a Man eat it causeth such an inflammation and swelling of his tongue that for twenty four hours space at least he looseth the use of it quite but afterwards it asswageth of it self without further hurt And also of certain Fen-waters with which if a Man chance to wash his face before noon it likewise swells so much presently that his eyes will be closed up but in the afternoon no such matter which I mention because they say there is a Colony of English setled there of late years There be many other of these Caribee Islands beside as namely Anguilla Barbada St. Bartholmews Las Nieves St. Lucies St. Martins Montserrat c. but of so little consideration especially to our Nation that it would seem but tedious to mention them further Of Port-rico and Monico 1. POrt-rico is an Island fifteen leagues distant from Sta. Crux as hath been said to the North-west and about as many from Hispaniola to the South-East but from the Continent or main Land of Paria which seems to be the neerest one hundred and thirty or one hundred and thirty six as some reckon It lyeth almost in a Quadrangular form being supposed to contain about thirty leagues in length and not less than twenty in breadth in eighteen and nineteen degrees of Northern-latitude The Aire reasonably temperate and agreeable not scorched with any excessive heats in Summer nor beaten with those continuall rains to which some parts of America are subject in Winter its greatest annoyance being from those sudden and violent tempests which they call Hurricanoes which infest it very much especially in the moneths of August and September The Soil fruitfull enough affording aboundance of Sugar-Canes Ginger Cassia Hides and divers other rich Commodities As concerning the Mines both of gold and silver which were once certainly known to be there some say they are exhausted and spent long since others think that 's but a pretence of the Spaniards to keep strangers from looking into the Country while they themselves are more busied within Land It is divided almost in the midst from East to West with a ridge of Mountains which the Spaniards call Sierra del Loquillo and hath these Towns of chief note and importance viz. first Port-rico it self commonly called St. John de Port-rico a strong and neat Town well built in a little Island by it self but joyned to the other by certain huge piles of Timber-work of vast labour and expence done by command of Philip the second King of Spain It was attempted by Sir Francis Drake in the year 1595 without success but a few years after taken by the Earl of Cumberland as hath been said 2. St. Germans in the West parts of the Island three or four leagues distant from the Sea a place as 't is said to be neither fortified nor much frequented 3. Luysay on the East side a good and well frequented Port some leagues distant from Port-rico 2. Eastward of Port-rico and betwixt it and Hispaniola there lyeth a little but fruitfull Island called Mona and Westward of that another called Monico or Monetta which last the English when time was found so admirably stored with a sort of wilde Fowl that the huge flights of them seemed to darken the Aire over their heads and upon their landing found such plenty of their eggs upon the shore and ground thereabouts that they presently laded two of their boats with them But how Peopled or possessed not so well known Of Hispaniola 1. HIspaniola or little Spain as Columbus named it is if not the largest yet at least the fairest and goodliest of all the American Islands called by the Natives anciently Hayti It lyeth as we said fifteen leagues Westward of Port-rico and distant from the main Land of America about one hundred and twenty of a Triangular form the sharpest point whereof is that towards Port-rico which they call Cabo de Enganno That towards the West inclines to a semi-circle containing a good and