great fertilitie of the same Thinhabitauntes of this mountaine brought to our shyp bread gossampine cotton cunnies sundry kyndes of wyldfoule demaundyng relygiously of thinterpretours if this nation descended not from heauen The kyng of this people and dyuers other sage men that stoode by him informed hym that that lande was no Ilande Shortly after entring into one of the ilandes being on the lefte hande of this lande they founde no body therin for they fledde al at the comming of our men Yet founde they there foure dogges of maruelous deformed shape suche as coulde not barke This kynd of doggs they eate as we do goates Here is great plentie of geese duckes and hearons Betwene these ilandes and the continent he entered into so narowe streyghtes that he coulde scarsely turne backe the shyppes and these also so shalowe that the keele of the shyppes somtyme rased on the sandes The water of these streyghtes for the space of fourtie myles was white and thycke lyke vnto mylke and as though meale had ben sparkeled throughout al that sea And when they had at the length escaped these strayghtes and were nowe come into a mayne and large sea and had sayled theron for the space of fourescore myles they espyed an other exceding hygh mountayne whyther the Admirall resorted to store his shyppes with freshe water and fuel Heare among certayne wooddes of Date trees pyneapple trees of excedyng height he founde two natiue sprynges of freshe water In the meane tyme whyle the woodde was cuttyng and the barrelles fyllyng one of our archers went into the wood to hunt where he espyed a certayne man with a whyte vesture so lyke a fryer of thorder of saynt Marye of Mercedis that at the fyrste sight he supposed it had ben the Admirals priest which he brought with hym beyng a man of the same order but two other folowed him immediatlye out of the same wooddes Shortly after he sawe a farre of a whole company of men clothed in apparel being about xxx in number Then turning his backe and crying out to his felowes he made haste to the shyppes with all that he myght dryue These apparelled men made sygnes and tokens to hym to tary and not to be afrayd but that notwithstandyng he ceassed not to flee The Admirall beyng aduertysed hereof and not a lytle reioycyng that he had founde a ciuile people incontinently sent foorth armed men with commaundement that yf neede should so requyre they shoulde enter fourtie myles into the ilande vntyl they myght fynde eyther those apparelled men or other inhabitauntes of that countrey When they had passed ouer the wood they came into a great playne ful of grasse and hearbes in whiche appeared no token of any pathway Here attemptyng to goe through the grasse and hearbes they were so entangled and bewrapt therein that they were scarselye able to passe a myle the grasse beyng there lytle lower then our ripe corne beyng therefore weeryed they were enforced to returne agayne finding no pathway The day folowyng he sent foorth xxv armed men another way commaundyng them to make diligent search and inquisition what manner of people inhabited the lande Who departyng when they had found not farre from the sea side certayne steps of wyld beastes of the which they suspected some to be of Lions feete beyng strycken with feare returturned backe agayne As they came they founde a wood in the whiche were many natiue vines here and there creepyng about hygh trees with many other trees bearyng aromatical fruites and spyces Of these vines they brought with them into Spaine many clusters of grapes very ponderous and ful of licour but of the other fruites they brought none because they putrified by the way in the shyp were cast into the sea They say also that in the landes or medowes of those wooddes they sawe flockes of great Cranes twyse as bygge as ours As he went forward and turned his sayles towarde certayne other mountaynes he espied two cotages on the shore in the whiche he sawe only one man who being brought to the shippe signified with head fyngers and by al other signes that he coulde deuise that the lande whiche lay beyonde those mountaynes was very full of people and as the Admiral drew neare the shore of the same there met him certayne Canoas hauyng in them many people of the countrey who made signes and tokens of peace and frendshyp But here Didacus the interpretour which vnderstoode the language of thinhabitantes of the beginning of Cuba vnderstode not them one whit whereby they consydered that in sundry prouinces of Cuba were sundry languages He had also intelligence that in the inlande of this region was a king of great power accustomed to weare apparell he sayde that all the tracte of this shore was drowned with water and ful of mudde besette with manye trees after the maner of our maryshes Yet whereas in this place they went alande for freshe water they founde many of the shelfyshes in the whiche pearles are geathered But that coulde not cause the Admirall to tracte the tyme there entending at this viage only to proue howe many landes seas he could discouer according to the kinges commaundement As they yet proceded forwarde they sawe here and there al the way along by the shore a great smoke rysing vntyll they came to an other mountayne foure score myles distant there was no rocke or hyll that coulde be seene but the same was all of a smoke But whether these fyres were made by thinhabitantes for their necessary busynes or as we are wont to sette beacons on fyre when we suspecte thapproche of our enimies thereby to geue warning to theyr neyghbours to be in a redines geather togeather if perhaps our men shoulde attempt any thyng against them or otherwyse as seemeth most lykely to cal them togeather as to a wonder to beholde our shyppes they knowe yet no certentie In this tracte the shores bended somtyme towarde the South and sometyme towarde the West and west southwest and the sea was euerye where entangled with Ilandes by reason whereof the keeles of the shyppes often times rased the sandes for shalownesse of the water So that the shyppes being very sore bruised and appayred the sayles cables and other tackelinges in maner rotten and the vytailes especially the biskette bread corrupted by takyng water at the ryftes euyll closed the Admirall was enforced to turne backe agayne This laste poynte where he touched of Cuba not yet being knowen to be an ilande he called Euangelista Thus turning his sayles towarde other ilandes lying not farre from the supposed continent he chaunced into a mayne sea where was suche a multitude of great Tortoyses that somtyme they stayed the shyppes Not long after he entred into a gulfe of whyte water lyke vnto that wherof we spake before At the length fearing the shelfes of the ilands he returned to the shore of
and many also with slate or other stone The Barbarians them selues confessed that they were that day fourtie thousande men at the battayle which were vanquished of a fewe by reason of the newe and vnknowen kynde of feyght with gunnes and horses For the gouernour had vnbarked .xvi. horses which were also at the battayle and so fyercely assayled the Barbarians on the backehalfe that they brake theyr array and scattered them as it had ben flockes of sheepe ouerthrowing woūding killing them on euery syde Which thing the seely wretches so imputed to a miracle that they had not y e power to occupie their weapones For wheras before they had neuer seene any horses they thought that y e man on horsebacke and the horse had ben all one beaste as the antiquitie dyd fable of the monster Centaurus Our men possessed the towne .xxii. dayes where they made good cheare vnder couert whyle the owners of the houses lay vnder the fyrmament and durst not assayle our men who had placed them selues in the stroungest part of the towne where some kept contynual watch lest the Barbarians shoulde sodenly inuade them whyle other gaue them selues to rest and sleepe The inhabitauntes call this towne Potanchana but our men for the victorie which they obteyned here named it Victoria It is a marueilous thyng to consider the greatnesse magnificence finenesse of the building of certayne palaces they haue in the countrey to the which they resort somtymes for theyr solace and pastyme These are curiously builded with many pleasaunt diuises as galeries solars turrettes portals gutters with chambers boorded after the maner of our waynescot and well floored Foure of our Spaniardes went into one of them of such greatnesse that they wandred in the same for the space of foure houres before they coulde fynde the way out At the length by the interpretours and certayne captiues our men sent for the kyng and suche rulers as were next vnder hym in aucthoritie wyllyng them to submyt them selues and to come into the towne vnarmed geuyng the messengers further in commaundement to certifie them that in theyr so doyng they woulde commune with them as concerning conditions of peace and restore them theyr towne They came gladly and entred euery man into his owne house vpon condition that they shoulde euer thereafter absteyne from such ceremonies and horrible sacrifices of mans fleshe to deuils the mortal enemies to mankinde whose Images they honoured to direct the eyes of theyr myndes to Christ our God y e maker of heauen and earth who was borne into this worlde of a virgin and suffred death on the crosse for the redemption of mankynde and finally to professe them selues subiectes to the Christian kyng of Spayne They promised both and were instructed as farre as the shortnesse of tyme woulde permit Beyng thus restored they recompensed our men with many rewardes supposyng suche men to be sent from heauen whiche beyng so fewe in number durst attempt battayle agaynst so great a multitude They gaue our men also certayne golde and twentie slaues Departyng therefore from hence and coasting styll along by the same shore they came agayne to the gulfe whiche Alaminus the pilot founde before vnder Grisalua This they named Bian Sancti Iohannis that is Saint Iohns gulfe for Bian in the Spanishe tounge signifieth a gulfe Heere the inhabitantes resorted to them peaceably About a myle from the shore was a towne of a thousand and fyue hundred houses situate vpon a hyll They profered our men halfe the towne if they would dwel with them for euer This perhaps they dyd the rather eyther fearyng the example of the inhabitantes of Potanchana the fame whereof myght haue come to theyr eares or els hopyng that vnder the shadowe of suche valiaunt men they myght obteyne ayde and succour agaynst theyr enemies and borderers For as I haue sayde before they destroy one an other with contynuall warre for the desire to enlarge theyr dominions Our men refused parpetuall habitation and accepted theyr frendly proffer for a tyme. As they came alande the people folowed them on euerye syde with bowes in theyr handes whiche they helde ouer our mens heades to defend them from the rayne as though they had walked in a continuall arbour Heere they encamped And lest the residue left in the shyps shoulde in the meane tyme waxe slouthfull with Idlenesse the gouernour gaue commaundement to Alaminus the pilot and Francis Montegius to searche the West partes of that land while he releeued the weeried souldiers and healed such as were wounded To them that went forward on this viage he assigned two brigantines with fyftie men Unto this gulfe the course of the water was gentle enough and moderate but when they had sailed a litle further toward the West they founde the sea running with so swift a course as if it were a great riuer fallyng from the toppes of hygh mountaynes insomuch that in a short space of tyme it caried them fiftie myles from theyr felowes When they were now entred into this violent streame of water they saw on their left hande a large plaine sea which met with the course of the other waters falling from the West And lyke as two great riuers that runne contrarye waies make a vehement conflict where they meete so seemed the waters comming from the South to resyst these waters as enemies that had entred into the ryght or possession of an other On the contrary part they sawe the lande reachyng farre both on the left hande and on the ryght In this stryfe betwene the waters they were so tossed on both sydes and entangled with whirlepoles that they long wrestled without hope of lyfe At the length with muche difficultie turnyng the stemmes or forpartes of theyr shyppes agaynst the streame from whence they came and labouryng all that they myght with theyr ores and sayles they coulde scarsely ouercome the rage of the water insomuche that were as they thought that they had in one nyght sayled two myles they founde that they were dryuen backe foure myles Yet at the length with gods helpe they ouercame this daungerours conflycte They spent xxii dayes in this litle space of sea And when they were nowe returned to theyr felowes declared vnto them that that ende was the lande of Coluacana whiche they adiudged to be part of the supposed continent The lande whiche they sawe a farre of before theyr face they suppose eyther to be annexed to our continent ▪ or to be ioyned to the large North regions called Baccalaos whereof we haue made mention in our Decades in the voiage of Sebastian Cabote This matter is yet doubtefull but we trust it shall once be better knowen While Alaminus and Montegius searched these secretes the kyng of the prouince whose name was Multoxumam sent our men by one of his chiefe officers beyng also his Lieuetenaunt of the sayde towne many ryche and goodly presentes of golde
greater respect to luker and gaynes then diligently to search the workes of nature whervnto I haue ben euer naturally inclined haue therfore with all possible endeuour applyed myne eyes intelligence to fynde the same And this present Summarie shall not be contrary or dyuers from my larger historie wherein as I haue sayde I haue more amply declared these thinges but shal onely more breefely expresse theffect thereof vntyl such tyme as God shall restore me to myne owne house where I may accomplyshe and fynyshe my sayde generall hystorie Whervnto to gyue the fyrst principle I say that Don Christopher Colonus as it is well knowen beyng the fyrst Admirall of this India discouered the same in the dayes of the Catholyke kyng Don Ferdinando and the lady Elizabeth his wyfe graundfather and graundmother vnto your maiestie in the yeere .1491 and came to Barzalona in the yeere .1492 with the fyrst Indians and other shewes and proofes of the great ryches and notice of this west Empire The which gyft and benefite was suche that it is vnto this day one of the greatest that euer any subiecte or seruaunt hath done for his prince or countrey as is manifest to the whole worlde And to say the trueth this shall doubtlesse bee so commodious and profytable vnto the whole realme of Spayne that I repute him no good Castilian or Spanyarde that doeth not recognise the same And as I haue sayde before forasmuche as in my sayde generall historie I haue more largely intreated of these thinges I intende at this present only briefely to rehearse certayne especiall thinges the whiche surely are very fewe in respecte of the thousandes that myght be sayde in this behalfe Fyrst therefore I will speake somewhat of the nauigation into these parties then of the generation of the nations which are founde in the same with theyr rytes customes â–ª and ceremonies also of beastes foules byrdes woormes fyshes seas ryuers sprynges trees plantes hearbes and dyuers other thinges whiche are engendered both on the lande and in the water And forasmuche as I am one of thorder and company of them that are appoynted to returne into these regions to serue your maiestie if therefore the thinges conteyned in this booke shall not be distincte in suche order as I promised to perfourme in my greater woorke I desyre your maiestie to haue no respect herevnto but rather to consider the noueltie of such straunge thinges as I haue herein declared whiche is the chiefe ende that moued mee to wryte Protestyng that in this Summarie I haue written the trueth of suche thinges as came to my remembraunce whereof not onely I my selfe can testifie but also dyuers other worthy and credible men which haue been in those regions and are now present in your maiesties courte And thus it shall suffyse to haue sayde thus much vnto your maiestie in maner of a proheme vnto this present worke whiche I most humbly desyre your maiestie as thankefully to accept as I haue written it faythfully Of the ordinary nauigation from Spayne to the west Indies THe nauigation which is commonly made from Spayne to the west India is from Siuile where your maiestie haue your house of contraction for those partes with also your offycers therevnto parteynyng of whom the captaynes take theyr passeporte and lycence The patrones of suche shippes as are appoynted to these viages imbarke them selues at San Luca di Barameda where the riuer Cuadalchiber entreth into the Ocean sea and from hence they folow their course toward the Ilands of Canarie Of these seuen Ilandes they commonly touche two that is eyther Grancanaria or Gomera and here the shyppes are furnyshed with freshe water fuell cheese beefe and suche other thinges which may seeme requisite to bee added to suche as they bryng with them out of Spayne From Spayne to these Ilandes is commonly eyght dayes sayling or little more or lesse and when they are arryued there they haue sayled two hundred and fyftie leagues whiche make a thousand myles accompting foure myles to a league as is their maner to recken by sea Departing from the sayd Ilands to folow their course the shyppes tary .xxv. dayes or a litle more or lesse before they see the fyrst lande of the Ilandes that lye before that whiche they call La Spagnuola or Hispaniola and the lande that is commonly fyrst seene is one of these Ilandes which they call Ogni sancti Marigalante or Galanta La Desseada otherwise called Desiderata Matanino Dominica Guadalupea San Christoual or some other of the Ilandes wherof there are a great multitude lying about these aforesayde Yet it sometymes so chaunceth that the shyppes passe without the sight of any of the sayd Ilandes or any other that are within that course vntill they come to the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis or Hispaniola or Iamaica or Cuba which are before the other It may also chaunce that they ouerpasse all these lykewyse vntyll they fall vppon the coastes of the firme lande But this chaunceth when the pilot is not well practised in this nauigation or not perfect in the true carde But makyng this viage with experte maryners whereof there is nowe great plentie one of the sayde fyrst Ilandes shall euer bee knowen And from the Ilandes of Canarie to one of the fyrst of these the distaunce is niene hundred leagues by sayling or more and from hence to the citie of sainct Dominike which is in the Iland of Hispaniola is a hundred and fyftie leagues so that from Spayne hitherto is a thousande and three hundred leagues Yet forasmuche as sometymes the nauigation proceedeth not so directly but that it chaunceth to wander euer on the one syde or on the other we may well say that they haue now sayled a thousand and fyue hundred leagues and more And if the nauigation bee slow by reason of some hynderaunce it commonly chaunceth to be fynished in xxxv or .xl. dayes and this happeneth for the most parte not accomptyng the extremes that is eyther of them that haue slowe passage or of them that arryue in very short tyme for we ought to consyder that which chaunceth most commonly The returne from those partes to Spayne is not fynished without longer tyme as in the space of fiftie dayes or a litle more or lesse Neuerthelesse in this present yeere of .1525 there came foure shyppes from the Ilande of San Dominico to sainct Luca in Spayne in .xxv. dayes But as I haue sayde we ought not to iudge of that which chaunceth seldome but of that which happeneth most ordinarily This nauigation is very safe and much vsed euen vnto the sayde Iland And from this to the firme land the shyppes trauerse diuers wayes for the space of fyue sixe or seuen dayes saylyng or more accordyng to the partes or coastes whither they directe theyr viages forasmuch as the sayde fyrme lande is very great and large and many nauigations and viages are directed to dyuers partes of the same Yet to the firme land which
bodyes and haue two rowes of teeth the one somewhat separate from the other of cruell shape and standyng very thycke When they haue slayne this fyshe they cut the body thereof in small peeces and put it to drye hangyng it three or foure dayes at the cordes of the sayle clothes to drye in the wynde and then eate it It is doubtlesse a good fyshe and of great commoditie to serue the shyppes for vitalles for many dayes the leaste of these fyshes are most holesome and tender it hath a skynne muche lyke to the skynne of a Sole whereunto the sayd Tiburon is like in shape Whiche I saye because Plinie hath made mention of none of these three fyshes among the number of them wherof he writeth in his natural hystorie These Tiburons come foorth of the sea and enter into the ryuers where they are no lesse perylous then great Lisartes or Crocodiles wherof I haue spoken largely before For they deuoure men kyne and horses euen as do the Crocodiles they are very daungerous in certayne washyng places or pooles by the ryuers sydes and where they haue deuoured at other tymes Dyuers other fyshes both great and small of sundry sortes and kyndes are accustomed to folowe the shyppes goyng vnder sayle of the whiche I wyll speake somwhat when I haue written of Manate whiche is the thyrde of the three wherof I haue promised to entreate Manate therefore is a fyshe of the sea of the byggest sorte and muche greater then the Tiburon in length and breadth and is very bruityshe and vyle so that it appeareth in fourme lyke vnto one of those great vesselles made of goates skynnes wherin they vse to cary newe wyne in Medina de Campo or in Areualo the head of this beast is lyke the head of an Oxe with also like eyes and hath in the place of armes two great stumpes wherwith he swymmeth It is a very gentle and tame beast and commeth oftentimes out of the water to the next shore where if he fynd any hearbes or grasse he feedeth therof Our men are accustomed to kyl many of these and diuers other good fyshes with their crosbowes pursuing them in barkes or Canoas because they swim in maner aboue the water the which thyng when they see they drawe them with a hooke tyde at a small corde but somewhat strong As the fyshe fleeth away the archer letteth go and prolongeth the corde by litle and litle vntyll he haue let it go many fathams at the ende of the corde there is tyde a corke or a peece of lyght woodde and when the fyshe is gone a litle way and hath coloured the water with his blood and feeleth hym selfe to faynt and drawe towarde the ende of his lyfe he resorteth to the shore and the archer foloweth geatheryng vp his corde wherof whyle there yet remayne syxe or eyght fathams or somewhat more or lesse he draweth it towarde the lande and draweth the fyshe therewith by litle and litle as the waues of the sea helpe hym to do it the more easly then with the helpe of the rest of his companie he lyfteth this great beaste out of the water to the lande beyng of suche byggenesse that to conuey it from thence to the citie it shal be requisite to haue a carte with a good yoke of Oxen and sometymes more accordyng as these fyshes are of byggenesse some being much greater then other some in the same kinde as is seene of other beastes Somtymes they lyft these fyshes into the Canoa or barke without drawyng them to the lande as before for as soone as they are slayne they flote aboue the water And I beleeue veryly that this fyshe is one of the best in the worlde to the tast and the lykeest vnto fleshe especially so lyke vnto beefe that who so hath not seene it whole can iudge it to be none other when he seeth it in peeces then very beefe or veale and is certaynly so lyke vnto fleshe that all the men in the world may herein be deceyued the tast likewise is like vnto the tast of very good veale and lasteth long yf it be powdred so that in fine the Base of these parts is by no meanes lyke vnto this This Manate hath a certayne stone or rather bone in his head within the brayne whiche is of qualitie greatly appropriate agaynst the disease of the stone if it be burnt and grounde into small powder and taken fastyng in the morning when the paine is felte in such quantitie as may lye vppon a peny with a draught of good whyte wyne For being thus taken three or foure mornings it acquieteth the greefe as dyuers haue tolde me whiche haue proued it true and I my selfe by testimonie of syght do wytnesse that I haue seene this stone sought of dyuers for this effecte There are also dyuers other fyshes as bygge as this Manate among the whiche there is one called Vihuella This fyshe beareth in the toppe of his head a swoorde beyng on euery syde full of many sharpe teeth this swoorde is naturally very harde and strong of foure or fyue spannes in length and of proportion accordyng to the same byggenesse and for this cause is this fyshe called Spada that is the swoorde fyshe Of this kynde some are founde as litle as Sardines and other so great that two yokes of Oxen are scarsely able to drawe them on a Cart. But whereas before I haue promised to speake of other fyshes whiche are taken in these seas whyle the shyppes are vnder sayle I wyll not forgeat to speake of the Tunnye whiche is a great and good fyshe and is oftentymes taken and kylde with trout speares and hookes cast in the water when they play and swym about the shyppes In lyke maner also are taken many Turbuts whiche are very good fyshes as are lyghtly in all the sea And here is to be noted that in the great Ocean sea there is a strange thyng to be consydered whiche all that haue been in the Indies affirme to be true And this is that lyke as on the lande there are some prouinces fertyle and fruitfull and some barren euen so doth the lyke chaunce in the sea So that at some wyndes the shyppes sayle fyftie or a hundred or two hundred leagues and more without takyng or seeyng of one fyshe and agayne in the selfe same Ocean in some places all the water is seene tremble by the mouyng of the fyshes where they are taken abundantly It commeth further to my remembraunce to speake somewhat of the fleeyng of fyshes whiche is doubtlesse a strange thyng to beholde and is after this maner When the shyppes sayle by the great Ocean folowyng theyr viage there ryseth sometymes on the one syde or on the other many companies of certayne litle fyshes of the whiche the byggest is no greater then a Sardyne and so diminishe lesse and lesse from that quantitie that â—ome of them are very
whiche tyme there dyed about .xxi. of theyr company whom they cast into the sea And suerly if God of his infinite mercie had not preserued the residue in tyme they had all dyed of famyn In fine beyng inforced of necessitie and halfe of theyr companye dead they sayled to one of the Ilandes of Capo verde called Insula Sansti Iacobi that is sainte Iames Ilande parteynyng to the kyng of Portugale Where as soone as they arryued they sent certayne a lande in the shyppe boate for vittayles declaryng to the Portugales with all loue and fauour what necessitie they were dryuen to and what miseries and trauayles they had susteyned infourmyng them furthermore of theyr marueylous voyage and such thynges as they had seene in both the East and West India with suche other gentle woordes whereby they obteyned certayne measures of Ryse But when afterward xiii of them returned for more Ryse they were deteyned Wheruppon the rest whiche remayned in the shyppe fearyng the lyke chaunce departed with full sayles and the .vii. day of September with the helpe of God entred into the hauen of San Lucar neere vnto Siuile where dischargyng all theyr ordinaunce for ioy they wente immediatly to the great churche in theyr shiertes and barefooted with a torche before them to geue thankes to almyghty God who had brought them safe to theyr owne country and restored them to theyr wyues and chyldren As touching the ende of this voyage Transiluanus wryteth somewhat more largely as foloweth The other shyppe whiche they left behynde them to be repared returned afterwarde by the Archipelagus afore sayde and by the great sea to the coastes of the fyrme of the West India and arryued at a region of the same beyng agaynst Dariena where the South sea of Sur is separate but by a litle space of lande from the west Ocean in the which are the Ilands of Hispaniola Cuba and other Ilandes of the Spanyardes The other shyppe whiche returned into Spayne by compassyng about the whole bowle of the world by the coastes of East India and Affrike departing from the Ilande of Tidore and saylyng euer on this syde the Equinoctial dyd not fynde the cape of Cattigara being about Asia and by the description of Ptolome reachyng many degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall But hauyng sayled many dayes by the mayne sea they came to the cape of Buona Speranza and from thence to the Ilandes of Capo verde where theyr shyppe beyng soore broosed by reason of the long voyage leaked and tooke water in suche sorte that the maryners beyng nowe but fewe in number and those also weake and feeble by reason of long sickenesse hunger were not able both to drie the pompe continually and otherwyse gouerne the shyppe and were therefore of necessitie inforced to go alande at the Ilande of saint Iames to bye them certayne slaues to helpe them But beyng destitute of mony accordyng to the custome of the maryners they profered them cloues for theyr slaues The whiche thyng when it came to the eares of the Portugale that was Captayne of that Ilande he cast .xiii. of them in prison Whereby the resydue that remayned in the shyppe beyng nowe but .xviii. in number were put in such feare that they departed immediatly without rescuing theyr felowes sailed continually both by day by night by the coastes of Afrike came in fine to Spaine y t .vi. day of September in the yeere of our lorde .1522 and arryued at the port nere vnto Siuile the .xvi. moneth after they departed from the Iland of Tidore Maryners doubtlesse more woorthy to be celebrate with eternall memory then they whiche in olde tyme were called Argonauti that sayled with Iason to wyn the golden fleese in the region of Cholchis the ryuer of Phasis in the great sea of Pontus And the shyppe it selfe more worthy to be placed among the starres then that olde Argo whiche departyng out of Grecia sayled to the ende of that great sea For this our marueylous shyppe takyng her voyage from the straightes of Gibelterra and saylyng by the great Ocean towarde the South and pole Antartike and turnyng from thence to the West folowed that course so farre that passyng vnder the great circumference of the world she came into the East and from thence agayne into the West not by returnyng backewarde but styll sayling forward so compassing about the ball of the worlde vnder the whole circumference of heauen vntyll she were myraculously restored to her natiue region of Spayne and house of Siuile ¶ The debate and stryfe betweene the Spanyardes and Portugales for the Diuision of the Indies and the trade of Spyces and also for the Ilandes of Molucca which some call Malucas VVritten in the Spanishe tongue by Francisco Lopes de Gomara THe Emperours maiestie was very glad that the Malucas and Ilandes of the Spycery were discouered and that he myght passe vnto them through his owne countreys without any preiudice or hurt to the Portugales and because also that Almanzor Lusfu and Corala whiche were the lordes of the Spycerie shewed them selues to be his freendes and became tributaries to hym He also gaue certayne gyftes and rewardes to Iohn Sebastian for his great paynes and good seruice forasmuche as he craued a rewarde for the good newes that the Ilandes of the Malucas and other Ilandes rycher and greater then they were found to be in his part of those countreys which parteyned vnto hym accordyng to the Popes Bull. And hereby it came to passe that there was great contention and stryfe betweene the Spanyardes and the Portugales about the Spycery and the diuision of the Indies by reason of the returne of Iohn Sebastian and the information whiche he gaue thereof who also affirmed that the Portugales had neuer any entraunce before that tyme into those Ilandes Hereupon the counsayle for the Indies aduertised the Emperour to maynteyne his fleete for those partes and to take the trade of Spyces into his owne hande forasmuche as it was his owne of duetie aswell for that those Ilandes fell on his part as also that he had nowe found passage and way through his West Indies into those regions and finally to consyder that he shoulde thereby obteyne and geat to hym selfe great reuenues besyde the inrychyng of his subiectes and realmes and that with small cost and charge The Emperour beyng thus aduertised of the trueth tooke it for good counsayle commaunded all thynges herevnto apperteynyng to be furnyshed accordyngly In this meane tyme when kyng Iohn of Portugale had knowledge what the Emperour determined to do and the speedy haste his counsayle made for the perfourmaunce hereof and of the commyng home of Iohn Sebastian of Cane with thinformation he made what of stoutnes of mynde and what for griefe was puffed vp with anger as were also the reste of the Portugales stormyng as though they would haue plucked downe the skye with theyr handes
sooner come thyther by folowyng the course of the Sunne Westward then agaynst the same Of the colour of the Indians ONe of the marueylous thynges y t God vseth in the composition of man is coloure whiche doubtlesse can not be consydered without great admiration in holdyng one to be whyte and an other blacke beyng colours vtterly contrary some lykewyse to be yealowe whiche is betweene blacke and white and other of other colours as it were of diuers liueries And as these colours are to be marueyled at euen so is it to be considered howe they dyffer one from an other as it were by degrees forasmuch as some men are whyte after dyuers sorts of whitnes yelowe after diuers maners of yelowe blacke after dyuers sorts of blackenes how from white they go to yelow by discolouring to browne red and to blacke by ashe colour murry somwhat lighter then blacke tawny like vnto the west Indians which are altogether in general either purple or tawny lyke vnto sodde Quinses or of the colour of Chestnuttes or Olyues which colour is to them naturall and not by theyr goyng naked as many haue thought albeit theyr nakednesse haue somewhat helped therevnto Therefore in lyke maner and with suche diuersitie as men are commonly whyte in Europe and blacke in Affrike euen with lyke varietie are they tawney in these Indies with diuers degrees diuersly inclinyng more or lesse to blacke or whyte No lesse marueyle is it to consider that men are white in Siuile and blacke at the cape of Buena Speranza and of Chestnut colour at the ryuer of Plata being all in equall degrees from the Equinoctiall lyne Lykewyse that the men of Affrike and Asia that lyue vnder the burnt line called Zona Torrida are blacke and not they that lyue beneath or on this syde the same lyne as in Mexico Iucatan Quauhtema Lian Nicaragua Panama Santo Domingo Paria Cape Sainct Augustine Lima Quito and other landes of Peru which touche in the same Equinoctiall For in all the tracte of these coastes certayne blacke men were founde only in Quarequa when Vaschus Nunnez of Balboa discouered the sea of Sur. By reason whereof it may seeme that such varietie of colours proceedeth of man and not of the earth which may wel be although we be al borne of Adam Eue know not the cause why God hath so ordeyned it otherwise then to consider that his diuine maiestie hath done this as infinite other to declare his omnipotencie and wisedome in such diuersities of colours as appeare not only in the nature of man but the like also in beasts byrdes and floures where diuers and contrary colours are seene in one litle feather or the leaues growyng out of one litle stalke An other thing is also greatly to be noted as touching these Indians and this is that their heare is not curld as is the Moores and Ethiopians that inhabite the same clime neyther are they balde excepte very â—ildome and that but litle All whiche thynges may gyue further occasions to Philosophers to searche the secretes of nature and complexions of men with the nouelties of the newe worlde ⧠A most auncient testimonie of the VVest Indies by the writing of the diuine Philosopher Plato PLato in his famous and diuine Dialogue named Timeus where he entreateth of the vniuersall nature and frame of the whole worlde taketh for his principle the moste auncient hystorie of an Ilande in tyme of great antiquitie named Athlantides makyng also mention of the kyng people and inhabitantes of the same and that they kept warre agaynst the Atheniens and were ouercome of them Plato also there inducing the sayde hystorie to be rehearsed by one named Critia who affirmed that he had often hearde it of his Uncle who was in the tyme of Solon one of the seuen sages of the Grekes This Critia declared that when Solon went into Egypt to a certayne citie named Sâ—im situate vpon the riuer of Nilus where the diuision and recurryng of the riuer maketh the Ilande Delta he there spake with certayne learned priestes very skylful in knowledge of antiquities of many worldes past Insomuch that they made mention of manye thinges that were before the flood of Noe or Deucalion and also before the vniuersal conflagration or burning of the worlde in the tyme of Phaeton forasmuche as the warres betweene the people of the sayde Ilande of Athlantides and the Atheniens was long before the general flood and the conflagration aforesayde Plato induceth the priest speaking to Solon in maner as foloweth Thinges most marueylous and true O Solon remayne in auncient writynges and memorie of our predecessours and olde ages long before our tymes But aboue all thynges one exceedeth al admiration for the greatnesse and singularitie thereof whiche is this It is in our recordes of moste antiquities that in times past your citie of Athens hath oftentymes kepte warres agaynst an innumerable multitude of nations whiche came from the sea Athlantike in maner into al Europe and Asia whereas nowe appeareth no suche nation forasmuche as the sayde sea is nowe al ouer nauigable And yet at that tyme had in the mouth and as it were in the entrie where you place the Columnes of Hercules an Ilande whiche was sayd to be much greater then al Africa and Asia and that from thence was passage to many other Ilandes neare thereabout and from the sayde Ilandes to the continent or fyrme lande whiche was right ouer agaynst it neare vnto the sea Yet that within the mouth there was a litle gulfe with a porte the deepe sea without was the true sea and the lande without was the true continent This Ilande was named Athlantides and in it was a kyng of marueylous great power and myght who had the dominion of the sayde Ilande and many other and also a great part of the continent lande whereof we haue spoken and muche more towarde our partes also forasmuche as they were dominatours of the thyrde part of the worlde conteynyng Africa Egypt and Europe euen vnto the sea Tirrhenum The power therefore of them beyng then so great they came to inuade both your countrey and ours and all other that are within the Columnes of Hercules Then O Solon the vertue of your citie shewed it selfe famous in magnanimitie and feates of armes with the assemblance of the other Grecians in resystyng theyr great power vntyl you had driuen them out of our lands and restored vs to our libertie But shortly after that this enterprise was atchiued befel a marueylous great earthquake and exundation or ouerflowing of the sea which continued for the space of one day and nyght In the whiche the earth opened it selfe and inglutted all those valiant and warlike men and the sayde Ilande Athlantides sunke into the bottome of the sea whiche was the occasion that neuer from that tyme forwarde any shyp coulde sayle that way by reason of the great mudde and slyme whiche remayned of the drowned
otherwyse called Cuba was an ilande As they coasted along by the shore of certayne of these ilandes they hearde Nyghtyngales syng in the thycke wooddes in the moneth of Nouember They founde also great ryuers of freshe water and naturall hauens of capacitie to harbour great nauies of shippes Sayling by the coastes of Iohanna from the north poynt to the west he rode litle lesse then eight hundred miles for they cal it a hundred and fourescore leagues supposing that it had ben the continent or fyrme lande because he coulde neither fynde the landes ende nor any token of the ende as farre as he could iudge with his eye wherfore he determined to turne backe agayne beyng partly thereto enforced by the roughnesse of the sea for the sea bankes of the ilande of Iohanna by sundrye wyndynges and turnynges bende them selues so muche towarde the north that the northnortheast winde roughly tossed the shyps by reason of the winter Turning therfore the stemmes of his shyppes towarde the East he affyrmed that he had found the ilande of Ophir whither Solomons shippes sayled for golde But the discription of the Cosmographers well considered it seemeth that both these and the other ilandes adioynyng are the ilands of Antilia This ilande he called Hispaniola on whose north syde as he approched neare to the lande the keele or bottome of the biggest vessell ranne vpon a blynde rocke couered with water and cloue in sunder but the playnenesse of the rocke was a helpe to them that they were not drowned Makyng haste therfore with the other two shyps to helpe them they brought awaye al the men without hurte Here comming fyrst a land they sawe certayne men of the Ilande who perceiuyng an vnknowen nation comming toward them flocked togeather and ranne al into the thycke woods as it had ben hares coursed with grehoundes Our men pursuing them tooke onely one woman whom they brought to the ships where fylling her with meate and wyne and appareling her they let her depart to her companye Shortly after a greate multitude of them came runnyng to the shore to behold this newe nation whom they thought to haue discended from heauen They cast them selues by heapes into the sea came swimming to the shyppes brynging gold with them whiche they chaunged with our men for earthen pottes drinking glasses poyntes pinnes hawkes bels looking glasses such other trifles Thus growing to further familiaritie our men were honorably entertained of the king of that part of the iland whose name was Guaccâ—narillus for it hath many kyngs as when Eneas arriued in Italy he found Latium diuided into many kingdoms and prouinces as Latium Mezeutium Turnum and Tarchontem which were separated with narowe boundes as shal more largly appeare hereafter At the euen tide about the falling of the sonne when our men went to prayer and kneeled on their knees after the maner of y e Christians they dyd the lyke also And after what maner so euer they sawe them pray to the crosse they folowed them in al poyntes as wel as they coulde They shewed much humanitie towards our men and helped them with theyr lyghters or smal boates which they cal Canoas to vnlade their broken shyppe and that with suche celeritie and cherefulnesse that no frende for frende or kynseman for kynseman in such case moued with pitie coulde do more Theyr boates are made only of one tree made holowe with a certaine sharpe stone for they haue no yron and are very long and narowe Many affirme that they haue seene some of them with fortie ores The wilde and myscheuous people called Canibales or Caribes whiche were accustomed to eate mans fleshe called of the olde writers Anthropophagi molest them exceedyngly inuading their countrey takyng them captiue kyllyng eatyng them As our men sayled to the ilandes of these meke and humane people they left the ilands of the Canibales in maner in the middest of theyr viage toward the south They complayned that theyr ilands were no lesse vexed with the incursions of these manhuntyng Canibales when they goe forth a rouyng to seeke theyr pray then are other tame beastes of Lions and Tigers Such chyldren as they take they geld to make them fat as we do cocke chickens and young hogges and eate them when they are wel fedde of suche as they eate they fyrst eate the intralles and extreme partes as handes feete armes necke and head The other most fleshye partes they pouder for store as we do pestels of porke and gammondes of bakon yet do they absteyne from eatyng of women and counte it vyle Therfore suche young women as they take they kepe for increase as we do hennes to leye egges the olde women they make theyr drudges They of the ilandes which we may nowe cal ours bothe the men and y e women when they perceiue the Canibales commyng haue none other shyft but onely to flee for although they vse very sharpe arrowes made of reedes yet are they of small force to represse y e furie of the Canibales for euen they them selues confesse that ten of the Canibales are able to ouercome a hundred of them if they encountre with them Theyr meate is a certayne roote which they cal Ages muche lyke a nauewe roote in fourme and greatnesse but of sweete tast much lyke a greene chestnutte They haue also an other kynde of rootes which they call Iucca whereof they make bread in kyke maner They vse Ages more often rosted or sodden then to make bread thereof But they neuer eate Iucca except it be first sliced and pressed for it is full of lycoure and then baked or sodden But this is to be marueyled at that the iuice of this roote is a poyson as strong as Aconitum so that if it be drunke it causeth present death and yet the bread made of the masse thereof is of good taste and holsome as they all haue prooued They make also another kynde of bread of a certayne pulse called Panicum muche like vnto wheate whereof is great plentie in the Dukedome of Millane Spayne and Cranatum But that of this Countrey is longer by a spanne somewhat sharpe towarde the ende and as bygge as a mans arme in y e brawne the graynes wherof are set in a marueylous order are in fourme somewhat lyke a Pease Whyle they be soure and vnripe they are whyte but when they are ripe they be very blacke when they are broken they be whiter then snowe this kynde of grayne they call Maizium Golde is of some estimation among them for some of them hang certayne small peeces thereof at theyr eares and nosethrylles A litle beyonde this place our men went a lande for freshe water where they chaunced vpon a riuer whose sande was myxed with muche golde They founde there no kindes of foure footed beastes except three kindes of litle conies These ilandes also nouryshe
of .viii. dayes in the which he suffered these extremites onely the fyrst day was fayre but al the other clowdy and rayny yet neuerthelesse feruent hotte Wherefore it oftentymes repented hym not a litle that euer he tooke that way Being tossed in these dangers and vexations eyght continuall dayes at the lengthe an Eastsoutheast wynde arose and gaue a prosperous blaste to his sayles Whiche wynde folowing directly towarde the west he founde the starres ouer that paralell placed in other order and an other kynde of ayre as the Admirall hym selfe toilde me And they al affirme that within three dayes sayling they founde most temperate and pleasaunt ayre The Admiral also affirmeth that from the clime of the great heate and vnholsome ayre he euer ascended by the backe of the sea as it were by a hygh mountayne towarde heauen yet in all this tyme coulde he not once see any land But at the length the day before the Calendes of Iuly the watchman lookyng foorth of the toppe castel of the greatest shippe cried out aloude for ioy that he espied three exceding hygh mountaynes exhorting his felowes to be of good cheere and to put away al pensiuenes for they were very heauy and sorowfull as well for the greefe which they susteyned by reason of thintollerable heate as also that their freshe water fayled them whiche ranne out at the ryftes of the barels caused by extreme heate as we haue sayd Thus being wel comforted they drew to the land but at theyr fyrst approch they could not aryue by reason of the shalownes of the sea neere the shore Yet loking out of theyr shyppes they myght well perceiue that the Region was inhabyted and wel cultured for they sawe very fayre gardens and pleasaunt medowes from the trees and herbes wherof when the mornyng deawes beganne to ryse there proceaded manye sweete sauoures Twentie myles distant from hence they chaunced into a hauen very apte to harborowe shyppes but it had no ryuer running into it Sayling on yet somwhat further he founde at the length a commodious hauen wherin he might repayre his shyppes and make prouision of freshe water and fuel Arenalis calleth this land Puta They found no houses nere vnto the hauen but innumerable steppes of certeyn wilde beastes feete of the whiche they founde one dead muche lyke a goate The day folowyng they sawe a Canoa commyng a farre of hauyng in it foure and twentie young men of goodly corporature and high stature al armed with targets bowes arrowes the heare of theyr heades was long and playne and cutte on the forehead much after the manner of the Spanyards their pryuie partes were couered with fyllets of gossampine cotton of sundry colours enterlaced were beside al ouer naked Here the Admiral consydering with him selfe the corporature of this people and nature of the lande he beleeued the same to be so muche the nearer heauen then other regions of the same paralel and further remooued from the grosse vapours of the vales and maryshes howe muche the hyghest toppes of the byggest mountaynes are distant from the deepe vales For he earnestly affirmeth that in al that nauigation he neuer went out of the paralels of Ethiope So great difference is there betweene the nature of thinhabitauntes and of the soyles of diuers regions al vnder one clime or paralel as is to see betweene the people and regions beyng in the fyrme lande of Ethiope and them of the Ilandes vnder the same clime hauyng the pole starre eleuate in y e same degree For the Ethiopians are all blacke hauing theyr heare curled more like wool then heare but these people of the Iland of Puta beyng as I haue sayde vnder the clyme of Ethiope are white with long heare and of yelow colour Wherefore it is apparant the cause of this so great difference to be rather by the disposition of the earth then constitution of heauen For we knowe that snowe falleth on the mountaynes of the Equinoctial or burnt lyne and the same to endure there continuallye we knowe lykewyse that the inhabitauntes of the regions farre distant from that lyne towarde the north are molested with great heate The Admirall that he myght alure the young men to hym with gentlenesse shewed them lookyng glasses fayre and bryght vessels of copper haukes belles and suche other thynges vnknowen to them But the more they were called so muche the more they suspected craft and deceyte and fledde backewarde Yet dyd they with great admiration beholde our men and theyr thynges but styll hauyng theyr ores in theyr handes redy to flee When the Admirall sawe that he coulde by no meanes allure them by gyftes he thought to prooue what he coulde do with musicall instrumentes and therefore commaunded that they whiche were in the greatest shyp should play on theyr drummes and shawlmes But the young men supposing this to be a token of battayle left theyr ores in the twinclyng of an eye had theyr arrowes in theyr bowes and theyr targets on their armes and thus directing theyr arrowes towarde our men stoode in expectation to knowe what this noyse might meane Our men likewyse preparyng theyr bowes and arrowes approched towarde them by litle and litle But they departing from the Admirals shyppe and trusting to the dexteritie of theyr ores came so neare one of the lesse shyppes that one of them plucked the cloke from the gouernour of the shyppe and as wel as they coulde by signes required hym to come alande promisyng fayth that they woulde commune with him of peace But when they sawe him goe to the Admirals shyp whyther he went to aske leaue that he might commune with them suspecting hereby some further deceyt they leapt immediatlye into the Canoa and fleedde as swyft as the wynde so that to conclude they could by no meanes be allured to familiaritie Wherfore the Admiral thought it not conuenient to bestowe any long time there at this voyage No great space from this Ilande euer towarde the West the Admiral sayth he found so outragious a fal of water runnyng with suche a violence from the East to the West that it was nothyng inferior to a myghtie streame fallyng from hygh mountaynes He also confessed that synce the fyrst day that euer he knewe what the sea meant he was neuer in suche feare Proceedyng yet somewhat further in this daungerous voyage he founde certayne gulfes of eyght myles as it had ben the entraunce of some great hauen into the whiche the sayde violent streames dyd fall These gulfes or streyghtes he called Os Draconis that is the Dragons mouth and the Ilande directly oueragaynst the same he called Margarita Out of these strayghtes issued no lesse force of freshe water whiche encounteryng with the salte dyd stryue to passe foorth so that betweene both the waters was no small conflycte But entryng into the gulfe at the length he founde the water thereof verye freshe and good to drynke The Admirall
hym selfe and they which were his companions in this byoage beyng men of good credit and perceauing my dilygence in searchyng for these matters tolde me yet of a greater thyng that is that for the space of .xxvi. leagues amountyng to a hundreth and foure myles he sayled euer by freshe water insomuch that the further he proceaded especially towarde the west he affirmed the water to be the fresher After this he came to a highe mountayne inhabited onely with Monkeyes or Marmasits on that part towarde the East For that syde was rowgh with rockye and stony mountaynes and therefore not inhabited with men Yet they that went a lande to searche the countrey founde nere vnto the sea many fayre fieldes well tylled and sowen but no people nor yet houses or cotages Parhappes they were gone further into the countrey to sowe theyr corne and applye theyr husbandry as wee often see our husbandemen to leaue theyr stations and villages for the same purpose In the west syde of that mountayne they espyed a large playne whither they made hast and cast anker in the brode ryuer As soone as the inhabitantes had knowledge that a strange nation was arryued in theyr coastes they came flockyng without all feare to see our men We vnderstode by theyr sygnes and poyntynges that this Region was called Paria and that it was very large in so muche that the further it reacheth towarde the weste to be so muche the better inhabited and replenished with people The Admiral therfore takyng into his shippe foure of the men of that lande searched the west partes of the same By the temperatenes of the ayer the pleasaūtnes of the ground and the multitude of people which they sawe daily more more as they sayled they coniectured that these thynges portended some great matter as in deede their opinion failed them not as we will further declare in his place The sonne not yet rysen but beginnyng euen nowe to ryse being one day allured by the pleasauntnes of the place and sweete sauours whiche breathed from the lande to the shyppes they went a lande Here they founde a greater multytude of people then in any other place As our men approched towarde them there came certeine messengers from their Cacici that is the kinges of the countrey to desyre the Admirall in the name of theyr princes to come to theyr palaces without feare and that they and al theyrs shoulde bee at his commaundement When the Admirall had thanked them and made his excuse for that tyme there came innumerable people with theyr boates to the shyppes hauyng for the most parte cheynes about theyr neckes garlandes on theyr heades and braselettes on theyr armes of pearles of India and that so commonlye that our women in playes and tryumphes haue not greater plentie of stones of glasse and crystall in theyr garlands crownes girdels and suche other tyrementes Beyng asked where they gathered them they poynted to the next shore by the sea bankes They signified also by certeyne scornefull iestures whiche they made with theyr mouthes and handes that they nothyng esteemed pearles Taking also baskettes in their handes they made signes that the same myght be fylled with them in shorte space But because the corne wherwith his shyppes were laden to be caryed into Hispaniola had taken hurt by reason of the salt water he determined to deferre this marte to a more conuenient tyme Yet he sent to land two of the shyp boates laden with men to thintent to fetch some garlands of pearles for exchange of our thynges and also somwhat to searche the nature of the Region and disposition of the people They enterteyned our men gentelly and came flocking to them by heapes as it had ben to beholde some strange monsters Fyrst there came to meete our men two men of grauitie whom the multitude folowed One of these was well in age and the other but young They thinke it was the father with his sonne whiche should succeede hym When the one had saluted and embrased the other they brought our men into a certeyne rounde house neere vnto the whiche was a great courte Hyther were brought many chayers and stooles made of a certeyne blacke wood and very cunnyngly wrought After that our men and theyr Princes were sette theyr waytyng men came in laden some with sundry delycate dysihes and some with wyne But theyr meat was only fruites and those of dyuers kyndes and vtterly vnknowen to vs. Theyr wyne was both whyte and redde not made of grapes but of the lycour of dyuers fruites and very pleasaunte in drynkyng After this banquet made in the olde mans house the young man brought them to his tabernacle or mantion place where was a great company both of men and women but they stoode disseuered the one from the other They are whyte euen as our men are sauing suche as are much conuersant in the sunne They are also very gentle and full of humanitie towarde strangers They couer theyr priuie partes with gossampine cotton wrought with sundry colours and are besyde all naked There was fewe or none that had not eyther a coller a chayne or a bracelet of golde and pearles and many had all Beyng asked where they had that golde they poynted to certayne mountaynes seemyng with theyr countenaunce to disswade our men from goyng thither For putting theyr armes in theyr mouthes and grynnyng as though they bytte the same styll poyntyng to the mountaynes they seemed to insinuate that men were eaten there but whether they meant by the Canibales or wylde beastes our men coulde not wel perceiue They tooke it exceedyng greeuouslye that they coulde neyther vnderstande our men nor our men them When they whiche were sent to lande were returned to the shyppes about three of the clocke at after noone the same day bryngyng with them certayne garlandes and collers of pearles they loosed theyr ankers to departe mindyng to come agayne shortlye when all thynges were set in good order in Hispaniola but he was preuented by another whiche defeated him of the rewarde of his trauayle He was also hyndered at this time by reason of the shalownesse of the sea violent course of the water which with continuall tossyng bruised the greatest shippe as often as any great gale of wind arose To auoyde the daungers of suche shalowe places and shelfes he euer sent one of the smallest Carauelles before to trye the way with soundyng and the byggest shyppes folowed behynde The regions beyng in the large prouince of Paria for the space of CCxxx myles are called of the inhabitants Cumana and Manacapana from these regions distant lx leagues is there an other region called Curiana When he had thus passed ouer this long tract of sea supposing styl that it had ben an Ilande doubtyng that he myght passe by the West to the North directly to Hispaniola he chaunced into a ryuer of .xxx. cubits deapth and of suche breadth as hath
sunne begynneth to shine the water is coniealed into most pure and whyte salte wherewith innumerable shyypes myght be laden yf men dyd resort thether for the same before there fale any rayne For the rayne melteth it and causeth it to synke into the sande and so by the poores of the earth to returne to the place from whence it was dryuen Other say that the playne is not fylled from the sea but of certeine sprynges whose water is more sharpe and salt then the water of the sea Thinhabitantes do greatlye esteeme this bay of salt whiche they vse not only for theyr owne commoditie but also woorking the same into a square forme lyke vnto brickes they sell it to strangers for exchaunge of other thynges whiche the lacke In this Region they stretche and drye the dead bodies of theyr kinges and noble men laying the same vpon a certayne frame of woodde muche lyke vnto a hurdle or grediren with a gentell fyre vnder the same by lyttle and lyttle consumyng the fleshe and keping the skynne hole with the bones inclosed therein These dryed carcases they haue in great reuerence and honour them for theyr houshoulde and famylier gods They say that in this place they sawe a man in an other place a woman thus dryed and reserued When they departed from Curiana the .viii. day of the Ides of February to returne to Spayne they had threescore and .xvi. poundes weight after .viii. vnces to the pounde of pearles which they bought for exchange of our thinges amounting to the value of fyue shillinges Departing therfore they consumed threescore dayes in theyr iourney although it were shorter then from Hispaniola by reason of the continuall course of the sea in the west which dyd not only greatly stey the shippe but also somtymes dryue it backe But at the length they came home so laden with pearles that they were with euery maryner in maner as common as chaffe But the master of the shyppe Petrus Alphonsus being accused of his companyons that he had stowlen a great multitude of pretious pearles and defrauded the kyng of his portion whiche was the fifth parte was taken of Fernando de Vega a man of great lerning and experience gouernour of Gallecia where they aryued and was there kept in pryson a long tyme. But he styll denyeth that euer he deteyned any part of the pearles Many of these pearles were as bygge as hasell nuttes and as oriente as we call it as they be of the East partes Yet not of so great pryce by reason that the holes thereof are not so perfecte When I my selfe was present with the right honorable duke of Methyna and was biddē to dynner with him in the citie of Ciuile they brought to hym aboue a hundred and twentie ounces of pearles to be solde whiche surely dyd greatly delyte me with their fayrenes and brightnes Some say that Alphonsus had not these pearles in Curiana being distant from Os Draconis more then a hundred twentie leagues but that they had them in the regions of Cumana and Manacapana nere vnto Os Draconis and the ilande of Margarita for they deny that there is any pearles founde in Curiana But sith the matter is yet in controuersie we wyl passe to other matters Thus muche you haue whereby you may coniecture what commoditie in tyme to come may bee looked for from these newe landes of the west Ocean whereas at the fyrst discouering they shewe suche tokens of great ryches Thus fare ye well ¶ The .ix. booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardinal Lodoutke VIncentiagnes Pinzonus also Aries Pinzonus his neuiew by his brother syde whiche accompanyed the Admiral Colonus in his fyrst vyage were by him appoynted to be maisters of two of the small shippes which the Spaniards call Carauelas being moued by the great ryches amplitude of the new landes furnyshed of theyr owne charges foure Carauels in the hauen of theyr owne countrey which the Spanyardes cal Palos bordering on the west Ocean Hauing therfore the kings licence passeport to depart they loosed from the hauen about the Calendes of December in the yeere .1499 This hauen of Palos is threescore twelue myles distant from Gades commonly called Cales and .lxiiii. myles from Ciuile All thinhabitantes of this towne not one excepted are greatly geuē to searching of the sea and continually exercised in sayling They also directed their viage fyrst to the iland of Canarie by the ilands of Hesperides now called Cabouerde which some cal Gorgodes Meducias Sayling therfore directly toward the south from that ilande of Hesperides whiche the Portugales beyng possessers of the same cal Sancti Iacobi and departing from thence at the Ides of Ianuary they folowed the southwest wynde beyng in the myddest betwene the south and the west When they supposed that they had sayled about three hundreth leagues by the same wynde they say that they lost the syght of the Northe starre and were shortely after tossed with excedyng tempestes bothe of wynde and sea and vexed with intollerable heate Yet sayled they on further not without great daunger for the space of two hundred fortie leagues folowing yet the same wynd by the lost pole Wherfore whether habitable regions be vnder the Equinoctiall lyne or not let these men and the oulde wryters aswel Philosophers as poetes and cosmographers discusse For these mē affirme it to be habitable and meruelously replenished with people and they that it is vnhabitable by reason of the sonne beames depending perpendicularly or directlye ouer the same Yet were there many of the olde wryters whiche attempted to proue it habitable These maryners being demaunded if they saw the south pole they answered that they knew no starre there like vnto this pole that might be decerued about the poynt but that they sawe an other order of starres and a certeyne thicke myst rysyng from the horizontall lyne whiche greatly hyndered theyr syght They contende also that there is a great heape or rysyng in the myddest of the earth whiche taketh away the syght of the south pole vntyll they haue vtterly passed ouer the same but they verely beleeue that they sawe other images of starres muche differing from the situation of the starres of our hemispherie or halfe circle of heauen Howe so euer the matter be as they informe vs we certifie you At the length the seuenth day of the calendes of Februarye the espied lande a farre of and seeing the water of the sea to be trobelous sounding with theyr plummet they founde it to be .xvi ▪ fathames deepe Going a lande and tarying there for the space of two dayes they departed bycause they sawe no people stering although they founde certeyne steppes of men by the sea syde Thus grauing on the trees the stones nere vnto the shore the kynges name and theyrs and the tyme of theyr commyng thether they departed Not farre from this station folowyng
also through the maliciousnesse of the venime consumed and was dried vp by lytle litle While these things chaunced thus they espied Nicuesa the other captayne to whom Beragua the region of the West syde of Vraba was assigned to inhabite He gaue wynd to his sayles to take his voyage toward Beragua the day after that Fogeda departed out of the hauen of Carthago He with his armie that he brought with hym coasted euer along by the shore vntyll he came to the gulfe Coiba whose kynges name is Careta Here he founde theyr language to be in manner nothyng lyke vnto that of Hispaniola or of the hauen of Carthago whereby he perceyued that in this tracte there are many languages differyng from theyr owne borderers Nicuesa departyng from Coiba went to the prouince or Lieuetenauntshyp of Fogeda his companion Within a fewe dayes after he hym selfe entryng into one of those marchaunt shyppes whiche the Spanyardes call Carauelas commaunded that the bigger vessels should folow farre behinde He tooke with hym two smal shyppes commonly called Bergandines or Brigandines I haue thought it good in al the discourse of these bookes to vse the common names of thinges because I had rather be playne then curious especially forasmuche as there do dayly aryse many newe thynges vnknowen to the antiquitie whereof they haue left no true names After the departure of Nicuesa there came a shyppe from Hispaniola to Fogeda the captayne wherof was one Barnardino de Calauera who had stolne the same from Hispaniola with threescore men without leaue or aduice of the Admiral and the other gouernours With the vyttualles which this shyppe brought they refreshed them selues and somewhat recouered theyr strengthes muche weakened for lacke of meate Fogeda his companions whyspered and muttered agaynst hym daylye more and more that he fedde them foorth with vayne hope for he had tolde them that he left Ancisus in Hispaniola whom he chose by the kinges commission to be a iudge in causes because he was learned in the law to come shortly after him with a shyp laden with vyttualles and that he marueyled that he was not come many dayes synce And herein he sayd nothing but trueth for when he departed he left Ancisus halfe redye to folowe hym But his felowes supposyng that al that he had sayde of Ancisus had ben fayned some of them determined priuily to steale away the two Brigandines from Fogeda and to returne to Hispaniola But Fogeda hauyng knowledge hereof preuented theyr deuice for leauyng y e custodie of the fortresse with a certayne noble gentleman called Francisco Pizarro he him selfe thus wounded with a fewe other in his companye entred into the shyppe wherof we spake before and sayled directly to Hispaniola both to heale the wounde of his thygh yf any remedie myght be found and also to knowe what was the cause of Ancisus tarying leauyng hope with his felowes whiche were nowe brought from three hundred to threescore partly by famine and partly by warre that he woulde returne within the space of .xv. dayes prescribyng also a condition to Pizarro and his companions that it should not be imputed to them for treason to depart from thence yf he came not agayne at the day appoynted with vyttuales and a newe supplye of men These .xv. dayes beyng nowe past wheras they coulde yet heare nothyng of Fogeda and were dayly more and more oppressed with sharpe hunger they entred into the two Brigandines which were left and departed from that land And as they were nowe saylyng on the mayne sea towarde Hispaniola a tempest sodaynely arysyng swalowed one of the Brigandines with all that were therein Some of theyr felowes affyrme that they playnely sawe a fyshe of huge greatnesse swimmyng about the Brigandine for those seas bryng foorth great monsters and that with a stroke of her tayle she broke the rudder of the shyppe in peeces whiche faylyng the Brigandine being driuen about by force of the tempest was drowned not farre from the Iland called Fortis lying betwene the coastes of the hauen Carthago and Vraba As they of the other Brigandine would haue landed in the Ilande they were dryuen backe with the bowes and arrowes of the fierce barbarians Proceeding therefore on theyr voyage they mette by chaunce with Ancisus betwene the hauen of Carthago and the region of Cuchibacoa in the mouth of the riuer whiche the Spanyardes called Boium gatti that is the house of the catte because they sawe a catte fyrste in that place Boium in the tongue of Hispaniola is a house Ancisus came with a shyppe laden with al thynges necessarie both for meate and drynke and apparell bryngyng also with hym an another Brigandine This is he for whose commyng the captayne Fogeda looked for so long He loosed anker from Hispaniola in the Ides of September and y e fourth day after his departure he espyed certayne hygh mountaynes the whiche for the abundance of snow which lieth there continually in the tops therof the Spanyards called Serra Neuata when Colonus the fyrst fynder of those regions passed by the same The fift day he sayled by Os Draconis â–ª They which were in the Brigandine tolde Ancisus that Fogeda was returned to Hispaniola but Ancisus supposyng that they had fained that tale commaunded them by thauctoritie of his commission to turne backe agayne The Brigandiners obeyed folowed him yet made they humble suite vnto him that he woulde graunt them that with his fauour they myght eyther goe agayne to Hispaniola or that he hym selfe would bring them to Nicuesa and that they woulde for his gentlenesse declared towarde them in this behalfe rewarde hym with two thousande drammes of golde for they were ryche in golde but poore in bread But Ancisus assented to neyther of theyr requestes affyrmyng that he myght by no meanes goe any other way then to Vraba the prouince assigned to Fogeda Whereupon by theyr conduct he tooke his voyage directly towarde Vraba But nowe let it not seeme tedious to your holynesse to heare of one thyng woorthy to be remembred whiche chaunced to this Lieuetenant Ancisus as he came thyther for he also cast anker in the coastes of the region of Caramairi whiche we sayde to be famous by reason of the hauen of Carthago and of the goodly stature strength and beautie both of men and women beyng in the same Here he sent certayne to goe alande on the shore both to fetch fresh water also to repayre the ship boate which was sore bruised In this meane tyme a great multitude of the people of the countrey armed after theyr manner came about our men as they were occupyed about theyr busynesse and stoode in a redynesse to fyght for the space of three dayes continually duryng whiche time neyther durst they set vpon our men nor our men assaile them Thus both parties keepyng theyr aray stoode styll three whole dayes the one gasyng on the other Yet al
in deede they were Departyng therfore from the large region of Quiriquetana the .xiii. day of the calendes of September when he had sayled thyrtie leagues he found a ryuer within the mouth wherof he drewe freshe water in the sea where also the shore was so cleane without rockes that he founde grounde euery where where he myght aptly cast anker He writeth that the swift course of the Ocean was so vehement and contrary that in the space of fourtie dayes he coulde scarcely sayle threescore and tenne leagues and that with much dyfficultie with many fetches and compassynges fyndyng him selfe to be some tymes repulsed and dryuen farre backe by the violent course of the sea when he woulde haue taken lande towarde the euening leaste perhaps wanderyng in vnknowen coastes in the darcknesse of the nyght he myght be in daunger of shypwracke He wryteth that in the space of eyght leagues he found three great and fayre ryuers vpon the banckes whereof there grewe reedes bygger then a mannes thygh In these riuers was also great plenty of fyshe and great Tortoyses Lykewyse in many places multitudes of Crocodyles lying in the sande and yanyng to take the heate of the sonne besyde dyuers other kyndes of beastes wherunto he gaue no names He sayeth also that the soyle of that lande is verye diuers and variable beyng somewhere stonye and full of rough and craggie promontories or poyntes reachyng into the sea and in other places as fruitefull as may be They haue also diuers kynges and rulers In some places they call a kyng Cacicus in other places they call hym Quebi and somewhere Tiba Such as haue behaued them selues valyantlye in the warres agaynst theyr enemies and haue theyr faces full of scarres they call Cupras and honour them as the antiquitie dyd the gods whiche they called Heroes supposed to be the soules of suche men as in theyr lyfe tyme excelled in vertue and noble actes The common people they call Chiui and a man they call Homem When they say in theyr language take man they say Hoppa home After this he came to an other ryuer apt to beare great shippes before the mouth whereof lye foure small Ilandes full of floryshyng and fruitfull trees these Ilandes he named Quatuor tempora From hence sayling toward the East for the space of .xiii. leagues styl against the violent course of the water he found twelue other small Ilandes in the which because he founde a new kind of fruites much like vnto our Lemonds he called them Limonarâ—s Wanderyng yet further the same way for the space of .xii. leagues he founde a great hauen entryng into the lande after the maner of a gulfe the space of three leagues and in maner as brode into y e which fel a great riuer Here was Nicuesa lost afterward when he sought Beragua by reason whereof they called it Rio de los perdidos that is the ryuer of the lost men Thus Colonus the Admiral yet further continuyng his course agaynst the furye of the sea founde manye hygh mountaynes and horrible valleys with dyuers ryuers and hauens from all the which as he sayth proceeded sweete sauours greatly recreatyng and comfortyng nature Insomuche that in al this long tract there was not one of his men diseased vntyll he came to a region whiche thinhabitantes call Quicuris in the whiche is the hauen called Cariai named Mirobalanus by the Admirall bycause the Mirobalane trees are natiue in the regions thereabout In this hauen of Cariai there came about two hundred of thinhabitantes to the sea syde with euerye of them three or foure dartes in theyr handes yet of condition gentle yenough and not refusyng straungers Their commyng was for none other purpose then to knowe what this newe nation meant or what they brought with them When our men had geuen them sygnes of peace they came swymmyng to the shyppes and desyred to barter with them by exchaunge The Admiral to allure them to frendshyppe geue them many of our thynges But they refused them suspecting some disceyt thereby bycause he would not receiue theirs They wrought all by sygnes for one vnderstoode not a woord of the others language Suche gyftes as were sent them they left on the shore and woulde take no part thereof They are of suche ciuilitie and humanitie that they esteeme it more honorable to geue then to take They sent our men two young women beyng virgines of commendable fauour and goodly stature sygnifying vnto them that they myght take them away with them if it were their pleasure These women after the maner of their countrey were couered from their ancles somwhat aboue their priuye partes with a certayne cloth made of gossampine cotton but the men are all naked The women vse to cut their heare but the men let it growe on the hynder part of their heades and cut it on the fore part Their long heare they bynde vp with fyllettes and wynde it in sundry rowles as our maydes are accustomed to do The virgines whiche were sent to the Admirall he decked in fayre apparell and gaue them many gyftes and sent them home agayne But lykewyse all these rewardes and apparel they left vppon the shore bycause our men had refused their giftes Yet tooke he two men away with hym and those very wyllyngly that by learnyng the Spanyshe tongue he myght afterward vse them for interpretours He considered that the tractes of these coastes were not greatly troubled with vehement motions or ouerflowynges of the sea forasmuche as trees growe in the sea not farre from the shore euen as they doo vppon the bankes of ryuers the whiche thyng also other do affirme whiche haue latelyer searched those coastes declaryng that the sea ryseth and falleth but litle therabout He sayth furthermore that in the prospect of this land there are trees engendred euen in the sea which after that they are growen to any height bend downe the toppes of theyr braunches into the ground whiche embrasyng them causeth other braunches to spring out of the same and take roote in the earth bryngyng foorth trees in theyr kynd successiuely as dyd the fyrst root from whence they had theyr oryginall as do also the settes of vines when onely both the endes thereof are put into the grounde Plinie in the twelfth booke of his natural historie maketh mention of suche trees describyng them to be on the lande but not in the sea The Admiral wryteth also that the lyke beastes are engendred in the coastes of Cariai as in other prouinces of these regions and such as we haue spoken of before Yet that there is one founde here in nature muche differyng from the other This beast is of the bygnesse of a great Monkey but with a tayle much longer and bygger it lyueth in the wooddes and remoueth from tree to tree in this maner Hangyng by the tayle vppon the braunche of a tree and geatheryng strength by swaying her body twyse
beyng enfourmed of the matter appoynted hym two shyppes wherewith he returned to his maister and companions As he founde them so came they to Hispaniola very feeble and in maner naked What chaunced of them afterwarde I knowe not as yet Let vs now therefore leaue these particulers and speake somwhat more of generals In al those tracts whiche we sayd here before to haue been founde by Colonus the Admiral both he hym selfe writeth and all his companions of that voyage confesse that the trees hearbes and fruites are floryshyng and greene all the whole yeere and the ayre so temperate holesome that of al his companie there neuer fel one man sycke nor yet were vexed eyther with extreme colde or heate for the space of fyftie leagues from the great hauen of Cerabaro to the ryuers of Hiebra and Beragua Thinhabitantes of Cerabaro and the nations whiche are betwyxt that the sayde ryuers applie not them selues to the geatheryng of gold but only at certayne tymes of the yeere and are very expert and cunnyng herein as are our myners of syluer and Iron They knowe by long experience in what places golde is most abundantly engendred as by the colour of the water of the ryuers and such as fall from the mountaynes and also by the colour of the earth and stones They beleeue a certayne godly nature to be in golde forasmuche as they neuer geather it except they vse certayne religious expiations or purgyng as to absteyne from women and all kyndes of pleasures and delicate meates and drinkes during all the tyme that their golden haruest lasteth They suppose that men do naturally liue and die as other beastes do and therfore honour none other thyng as God Yet do they pray to the Sonne and honour it when it ryseth But let vs nowe speake of the mountains and situation of these landes From all the sea bankes of these regions exceedyng great and hygh mountaynes are seene towarde the South yet reaching by a continual tract from the East into the west by reason wherof I suppose that the two great seas wherof I haue spoken largely before are deuided with these mountaynes as it were with bulwarkes least they shoulde ioyne and repugne as Italie diuideth the sea called Tirrhenum from the sea Adriatike whiche is nowe commonly called the gulfe of Uenice For whiche way so euer they sayled from the poynt called Promontorium S. Augustini whiche parteyneth to the Portugales and prospecteth against the sea Atlantike euen vnto Vraba and the hauen Cerabaro and to the furthest landes founde hitherto westward they had euer great mountaynes in syght both neere hande and also farre of in all that long rase These mountaynes were in some place smooth pleasaunt and fruitfull full of goodly trees and hearbes and somwhere hygh rough ful of rockes and barren as chaunceth in the famous mountayne of Taurus in Asia and also in dyuers coastes of our mountaynes of Apennini such other of like bygnesse The rydgies also of these mountaynes are diuided with goodly and fayre valleys That part of the mountaynes which includeth the limittes of Beragua is thought to be hygher then the cloudes insomuch that as they say the tops of them can seldome be seene for the multitude of thicke cloudes whiche are beneath the same Colanus the Admiral the fyrst fynder of these regions affirmeth that the toppes of the mountaines of Beragua are more then fiftie myles in heyght He sayth furthermore that in the same region at the rootes of the mountaynes the way is open to the south sea compareth it as it were betwene Uenice and Genua or Ianua as the Genues wyl haue it called whiche fable that theyr citie was builded of Ianus He affirmeth also that this land reacheth forth toward the south and that from hence it taketh the begynning of breadth lyke as from the Alpes out of the narowe thygh of Italie we see the large and mayne landes of Fraunce Germanie and Pannonie to the Sarmatians and Scithians euen vnto the mountaynes and rockes of Riphea and the frosen sea and embrase therewith as with a continuall bonde al Thracia and Grecia with all that is included within the promontorie or poynt of Malea and Hellespontus southwarde and the sea Euzinus and the marysshes of Meotis in Scithia northwarde The Admiral supposeth that on the left hande in saylyng towarde the west this lande is ioyned to India beyonde the ryuer of Ganges and that on the ryght hande towarde the North it is extended to the frosen sea beyonde the Hyperboreans and the North pole So that both the seas that is to meane that south sea which we sayd to bee founde by Vaschus and our Ocean shoulde ioyne and meete in the corners of that lande and that the waters of these seas do not onely inclose and compasse the same without diuision as Europe is inclosed with the seas of Hellespontus and Tanais with the frosen Ocean and our sea of Tyrrhenum with the Spanyshe seas But in my opinion the vehement course of the Ocean toward the west doth signifie the let that the sayd two seas shoulde not so ioyne togeather but rather that that lande is adherent to the firme landes towarde the North as we haue sayde before It shall suffice to haue sayde thus muche of the length hereof Let vs nowe therefore speake somwhat of the breadth of the same We haue made mention before howe the south sea is diuided by narowe limittes from our Ocean as it was proued by thexperience of Vaschus Nunnez and his companions which fyrst made open the way thyther But as dyuersly the mountaynes of our Alpes in Europe are somwhere narowe and in some place brode euen so by the lyke prouidence of nature this land in some part therof reacheth farre in breadth and is in other places coarcted with narowe limittes from sea to sea with valleys also in some places whereby men may passe from the one syde to the other Where we haue described the regions of Vraba and Beragua to be situate these seas are diuided by small distaunce Yet ought we to thynke the region whiche the great ryuer of Maragnonus runneth through to be very large if we shall graunt Maragnonum to be a ryuer and no sea as the freshe waters of the same ought to perswade vs. For in suche narowe caues of the earth there can be no swalowyng gulfes of suche bygnesse as to receiue or nooryshe so great abundance of water The lyke is also to be supposed of the great ryuer of Dabaiba whiche we sayde to be from the corner of the gulfe of Vraba in some place of fourtie fathomes depth and somwhere fiftie also three myles in breadth and so to fall into the sea We must needes graunt that the earth is brode there by the which the ryuer passeth from the high mountaines of Dabaiba from the East and not from the west They
white marble whereby they thynke that in tyme past some straungers haue come to those landes whiche haue dygged marble out of the mountaynes and lefte those fragmentes on the playne There our men learned that the ryuer Maragnonus descendeth from the mountaynes couered with snowe called Montes Niuales or Serra Neuata and the same to be encreased by many other ryuers whiche fall into it throughout all the lowe and waterly regions by the which it runneth with so long a tract from the sayd mountaynes into the sea and this to be the cause of the greatnesse thereof These thynges being thus brought to passe the gouernour commaunded the trumpeter to blowe a retraite Wheruppon they which were sent to lande beyng fiue hundred in number making a great shout for ioy of theyr victory set them selues in order of battayle and so keepyng theyr array returned to the shyppes laden with spoyle of those prouinces and shynyng in souldiers clokes of feathers with fayre plumes and crestes of variable colours In this meane tyme hauyng repaired theyr shyppes and furnyshed the same with all necessaries they loosed anker the .xvi day of the Calendes of Iuly directyng their course to the hauen of Carthagena in the whiche voyage they destroyed and wasted certaine Ilandes of the Canibales lying in the way accordyng as they were commaunded by the kyng But the swift course of the water deceiued both Iohannes Sarranus the chiefe Pilot of the gouernours shippe and all the other although they made their bost that they perfectly knewe the nature therof For they affyrme that in one night they were caried fourtie leagues beyond their estimation The syxte booke of the thyrde Decade HEere must we somewhat digresse frō Cosmography make a philosophical discourse to searche the secrete causes of nature For whereas they all affirme with one consent that y e sea runneth there from the east to the west as swiftely as it were a ryuer fallyng from hygh mountaynes I thought it not good to let suche matter slyppe vntouched The which whyle I consyder I am drawen into no small ambiguitie and doubt whyther those waters haue theyr course whiche flowe with so continuall a tract in circuite from the East as though they fledde to the west neuer to returne and yet neyther the west thereby any whit the more fylled nor the East emptied If we shall say that they fall to theyr centre as is the nature of heauie thynges and assigne the Equinoctiall line to bee the centre as some affyrme what centre shall we appoynt to be able to receiue so great abundance of water Or what circumference shall be founde wet They whiche haue searched those coastes haue yet founde no lyke reason to be true Many thynke that there shoulde bee certayne large straightes or entrances in the corner of that great lande whiche we described to be eyght tymes bygger then Italye and the corner thereof to be full of gulfes whereby they suppose that some strayghtes shoulde passe through the same lying on the west syde of the Ilande of Cuba and that the sayde strayghtes shoulde swalowe vp those waters and so conuey the same into the west and from thence agayne into our East Ocean or north seas as some thynke Other wyll that the gulfe of that great lande be closed vp and the lande to reache farre towarde the north on the backe syde of Cuba so that it embrace the north landes whiche the frosen sea encompasseth vnder the north pole and that all the lande of those coastes shoulde ioyne togeather as one firme lande Whereby they coniecture that those waters shoulde be turned about by the obiecte or resistaunce of that land so bendyng towarde the north as we see the waters turned about in the crooked bankes of certayne ryuers But this agreeth not in all poyntes For they also whiche haue searched the frosen sea and sayled from thence into the west do lykewyse affyrme that those north seas flowe continually towarde the west although nothyng so swiftely These north seas haue ben searched by one Sebastian Cabot a Uenetian borne whom beyng yet but in maner an infant his parentes caryed with them into Englande hauyng occasion to resort thither for trade of marchandize as is the maner of the Uenetians to leaue no part of the worlde vnsearched to obtaine rychesse He therfore furnished two shyppes in England at his owne charges And fyrst with three hundreth men directed his course so farre towarde the north pole that euen in the moneth of Iuly he founde monstrous heapes of Ise swymming on the sea and in maner continuall day lyght Yet sawe he the lande in that tract free from Ise whiche had ben moulten by heat of the Sonne Thus seeyng suche heapes of Ise before hym he was enforced to turne his sayles and folowe the west so coastyng styll by the shore that he was thereby brought so farre into the south by reason of the lande bendyng so muche southwarde that it was there almost equall in latitude with the sea called Fretum Herculeum hauyng the north pole eleuate in maner in the same degree He sayled lykewyse in this tract so farre towarde the west that he had the Ilande of Cuba on his left hande in maner in the same degree of longitude As he traueyled by the coastes of this great lande whiche he named Baccallaos he sayth that he founde the lyke course of the waters toward the west but the same to runne more softly and gentelly then the swifte waters whiche the Spanyardes founde in their nauigations southwarde Wherefore it is not onely more lyke to be true but ought also of necessitie to be concluded that betwene both the landes hitherto vnknowen there shoulde be certayne great open places wherby the waters should thus continually passe from the East into the west whiche waters I suppose to be dryuen about the globe of the earth by the vncessaunt mouyng and impulsion of the heauens and not to beswalowed vp and cast out agayne by the breathyng of Demogorgon as some haue imagined bycause they see the seas by increase decrease to flow reflow Sebastian Cabot hym selfe named those landes Baccallaos bycause that in the seas therabout he founde so great multitudes of certayne bygge fyshes muche like vnto Tunnies which thinhabitants cal Baccallaos that they somtymes stayed his shyppes He founde also the people of those regions couered with beastes skynnes yet not without the vse of reason He also sayth there is great plentie of Beares in those regions whiche vse to eate fyshe For plungeyng them selues into the water where they perceiue a multitude of these fyshes to lye they fasten theyr clawes in theyr scales and so drawe them to lande and eate them So that as he sayth the Beares beyng thus satisfied with fyshe are not noysome to men He declareth further that in many places of these regions he sawe great plentie of laton among the inhabitauntes
of the corner of the gulfe of Vraba as we haue largely declared before The common report is that all the land of his dominions is ryche in gold The pallace of kyng Dabaiba is fyftie leagues distant from Dariena The inhabitantes saye that from the pallace the gold mynes reache to the borders on euery syde Albeit our men haue also golde mynes not to be contemned euen within three leagues of Dariena in the whiche they geather golde in many places at this present Yet do they affirme greater plentye to be in the mynes of Dabaiba In the bookes of our fyrst fruites written to your holynesse we made mention of this Dabaiba wherein our men were deceyued and mystooke the matter For where they founde the fyshermen of kyng Dabaiba in the marishes they thought his region had been there also They determined therfore to send to kyng Dabaiba three hundred choyse young men to be chosen out of the whole army as most apt to the warres and well furnyshed with all kyndes of armour and artyllerie to the intent to go vnto hym and wyll hym eyther frendly and peaceably to permit them to inhabite part of his kyngdome with the fruition of the golde mynes or els to byd hym battayle and dryue hym out of his countrey In theyr letters they oftentymes repeate this for an argument of great ryches to come that they in a maner dygged the ground in no place but found the earth myxt with sparkes and small graynes of golde They haue also aduertised the kyng that it shal be commodious to place inhabitours in the hauen of Sancta Martha in the region of Saturma that it may be a place of refuge for them that sayle from the Ilande of Dominica from the whiche as they saye it is but foure or fyue dayes saylyng to that hauen of the region of Saturma and from the hauen but three dayes saylyng to Dariena But this is to be vnderstoode in goyng and not in returnyng For the returnyng from thence is so laborious and difficulte by reason of the contrary course of the water that they seeme as it were to ascende hyghe mountaynes and stryue agaynste the power of Neptunus This swyft course of the sea towards the west is not so violent to them whiche returne to Spayne from the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba although they also do labour agaynst the fall of the Ocean The cause whereof is that the sea is heere very large so that the waters haue theyr full scope But in the tract of Paria the waters are constrayned togeather by the bendyng sydes of that great land and by the multitude of Ilandes lying agaynst it as the lyke is seene in the strayghtes or narrow seas of Scicile where the violent course of the waters cause the daungerous places of Scilla and Caribdis by reason of those narrowe seas which conteyne Ionium Libicum and Tirrhenum Colonus the fyrste fynder of these regions hath left in wrytyng that saylyng from the Ilande of Guanassa and the prouinces of Iaia Maia and Cerabaro beyng regions of the west marches of Beragua he founde the course of the water so vehement and furious agaynst the foreparte of his shyp whyle he sayled from those coastes towarde the East that he coulde at no time touche the grounde with his soundyng plummet but that the contrary violence of the water woulde beare it vp from the bottome He affyrmeth also that he coulde neuer in one whole day with a meetely good wynde wynne one myle of the course of the water And this is the cause why they are oftentymes enforced to saile fyrst by the Ilandes of Cuba and Hispaniola and so into the mayne sea towarde the North when they returne to Spayne that the North wyndes may further theyr voyage whiche they can not bryng to passe by a direct course But of the motions of the Ocean sea to and fro this shal suffise Let vs nowe therefore rehearse what they wryte of Dariena and of theyr habitation there whiche they cal Sancta Maria Antiqua planted on the sea bankes of Dariena The situation of the place hath no natural munition or defence and the ayre is more pestiferous then in Sardus The Spanishe inhabitours are al pale and yelowe lyke vnto them whiche haue the yelowe iaundies which neuerthelesse commeth not of the nature of the region as it is situate vnder the heauen For in many regions beyng vnder the selfe same degree of latitude hauing the pole of the same eleuation they fynd holsome temperate ayre in such places where as the earth bryngeth foorth fayre sprynges of water or where holsome riuers runne by bankes of pure earth without mudde but most especially where they inhabite the sides of the hyls and not the valleys But that habitation whiche is on the bankes of the ryuer of Dariena is situate in a deepe valley and enuironed on euery syde with hygh hylles By reason wherof it receyueth the Sonne beames at noonetyde dyrectly parpendicular ouer theyr heades and are therefore sore vexed by reflection of the beames both before behynde and from the sydes For it is the reflection of the sonne beames whiche causeth feruent heate and not theyr accesse or neerenesse to the earth forasmuche as they are not passyble in themselues as doth manifestly appeare by the snowe lying contynually vnmoulten vpon certayne hygh mountaynes as your holynesse knoweth ryght well The sonne beames therfore fallyng on the mountaynes are reflected downwarde into the valley by reason of the obiect of the declining sydes of the hylles as it were the fall of a great round stone rowled from the toppe of a mountayne The valley therefore receyueth both those beames whiche fall directly thereon and also those whiche are reflected downewarde from euery syde of the mountaynes Theyr habitation therefore in Driena is pernicious and vnholsome onely of the particuler nature of the place and not by the situation of the region as it is plased vnder the heauen or neare to the sonne The place is also contagious by the nature of the soyle by reason it is compassed about with muddy and stynkyng marishes the infection whereof is not a lytle encreased by the heate The vyllage is selfe is in a marishe and in maner a standyng puddle where of the droppes fallyng from the handes of the bondemen whyle they water the pauementes of theyr houses Toades are engendred immediately as I my selfe saw in an other place the droppes of that water turne into flees in the sommer season Furthermore wheresoeuer they dygge the grounde the deapth of a handful and a halfe there spryngeth out vnholsome and corrupt water of the nature of the ryuer whiche runneth through the deepe and muddye chanell of the valley and so falleth into the sea Nowe therfore they consult of remouyng theyr inhabitations Necessitie caused them fyrst to fasten theyr foote heere because that they whiche fyrst arryued in those landes were oppressed with suche
and whole head besyde being couered therewith and thus entreth hee into the poole euen vnto the chynne For being from theyr infancie exercised in swymmyng and accustomed to the waters they refuse not to continue therein a long space the foules thynking this Gourde to bee one of the other that swymme vppon the water the fouler goeth softly to the place where hee seeth the greatest flocke of foules and with waggyng his head counterfeyting the mouyng of the waueryng Gourdes draweth neare to the foules where softly puttyng foorth his ryght hande he sodainly snatcheth one by the legges and plungeth her into the water where hee putteth her into a bagge whiche hee hath with hym of purpose The other foules supposyng that this dyued into the water of her owne motion to seeke for foode as is theyr maner are nothyng moued heereby but goe forwarde on their way as before vntyll they also fall into the same snare I haue heere for this cause entred into the declaration of theyr maner of huntyng and foulyng that by these more pleasaunt narrations I may somewhat mittigate and asswage the horrour conceyued in your stomake by the former rehearsal of theyr blooddy actes and cruell maners Let vs nowe therefore speake somewhat agayne of the newe and later opinions as concernyng the swyft course of the sea towarde the West about the coastes of Paria also of the maner of geatheryng of golde in the golde myne of Dariena as I was aduertised of late and with these two quiet and peaceable thinges we will make an ende of the tragicall affayres of the Ocean and therewith byd your holynesse farewell So it is therfore that Andreas Moralis the pilot and Ouiedus of whom wee haue made mention before repayred to mee at my house in the towne of Matrite As we met thus togeather there arose a contention betweene them two as concernyng this course of the Ocean They both agree that these landes and regions parteynyng to the dominion of Castile doe with one continual tract perpetual bond embrase as one whole firme lande or continent all the mayne lande lying on the North side of Cuba the other Ilands being also Northwest both from Cuba Hispaniola Yet as touching the course of the water they varry in opinion For Andreas wil that this violent course of water be receiued in the lappe of the supposed continent which bendeth so much and extendeth so farre towarde the North as wee haue sayde and that by the obiect or resistance of the lande so bending and crookyng the water should as it were rebounde in compasse and by force thereof bee driuen about the North syde of Cuba and the other Ilands excluded without y e circle called Tropicus Cancri where the largenes of y e sea may receiue the waters falling from the narow streames therby represse that inordinate course by reason that the sea is there very large and great I can compare his meanyng to nothing more aptely then to the swyft streame commyng foorth of a myll and fallyng into the myll poole For in all such places where waters runne with a violent fall through narowe chanelles and are then receyued in large pooles they are sodeynly disparcled and theyr violence broken So that whereas before they seemed of suche force as to ouerthrowe all thinges beyng in theyr way it can not then be perceyued which way they runne The Admirall him selfe Diegus Colonus sonne and heyre to Christiphorus Colonus the fyrst fynder of these landes who had nowe in commyng and going foure tymes passed through these seas being demaunded of me what he founde or perceyued in saylyng too and fro answered that there was muche difficultie in returnyng the same way by the which they goe But whereas they fyrst take the way by the mayne sea towarde the North before they directe theyr course to Spayne he sayth that in that tract hee felt the shyppe sometymes a lyttle dryuen backe by the contrary course of the water Yet supposeth that this chaunceth onely by the ordinary flowyng and reflowyng of the sea and the same not to bee enforced by the circumflection or course of the water reboundyng in compasse as wee haue sayde But thinketh rather that this mayne lande or supposed continent should somewhere bee open and that the sayde open place should bee as it were a gate entrie or streyght diuyding the North partes of that lande from the South by the which also the Ocean runnyng towarde the West may by the rotation or impulsion of the heauens bee dryuen about the whole earth Ouiedus agreeth with Andreas Moralis as touchyng the continuall adherence and closenesse of the sayde continent Yet neyther that the waters should so beate agaynst the bendyng backe of the West lande or bee in such sort repulsed and driuen into the mayne sea But sayth that he hath diligently considered that the waters runne from the deepest and myddest of the mayne sea towarde the West Also that saylyng neere vnto the shore with small vessels hee founde the same waters to returne againe towarde the East so that in the same place they runne togeather with contrary course as we oftentymes see the lyke to chaunce in ryuers where by the obiect of the bankes dyuers whirlepooles and turnynges aryse in the water By reason whereof if any chaffe strawe wood or any other thyng of lyght substance be cast in any such places in ryuers it foloweth that all suche as runne with the water in the myddest of the chanell proceede well forwarde but suche as fall into the bendyng gulfes and indented margentes of the crooked bankes are caryed ouerthwart the chanell and so wander about vntyll they meete with the full and directe course of the ryuer Thus haue we made you partener of suche thinges as they haue giuen vs and written their dyuers opinions We will then giue more certayne reason when more certayne trueth shal be knowne We must in the meane tyme leane to opinions vntill the day come appointed of God to reueale this secrete of nature with the perfect knowledge of the pointe of the pole starre Hauyng sayde thus muche of the course of the Ocean a briefe declaration of the golde mynes of Dariena shall close vp our Decades and make an ende of our trauayles Wee haue sayde that niene myles distant from Dariena are the sydes of the hylles and the drye playnes in the whiche golde is geathered both on the drye lande and also on the bankes and in the chanelles of ryuers Therefore to all suche as are wyllyng to geather golde there is of ordinarie custome appointed to euery man by the suruoyers of the mynes a square plotte of grounde conteynyng twelue pases at the arbitrement of the chooser so that it be not grounde alredy occupyed or left of other The portion of grounde being thus chosen as it were assigned of the augures to buylde a temple they inclose their slaues within the same whose helpe the
litle these are called Volatori that is fleeyng fyshes they ryse by great companies and flockes in suche multitudes that it is an astonyshment to behold them Sometimes they ryse but litle from the water as it chaunceth continue one flyght for the space of an hundred paces and sometimes more or lesse before they fall agayne into the sea sometymes also they fall into the shyppes And I remember that on an euenyng when al the company in the shyp were on theyr knees syngyng Salue regina in the hyghest part of the Castell of the poupe and sayled with a full wynde there passed by vs a flocke of these fleeyng fyshes and came so neare vs that many of them fell into the shyppe among the whiche two or three fel hard by me whiche I tooke alyue in my hand so that I myght well perceyue that they were as bygge as Sardines and of the same quantitie hauyng two wynges or quilles growing out of theyr synnes lyke vnto those wherewith all fyshes swym in ryuers these wynges are as long as the fyshes them selues As long as theyr wynges are moyst they beare them vp in the ayre but assoone as they are drye they can contynue theyr flyght no further then as I haue sayde before but fall immediatlye into the sea and so ryse agayne and flee as before from place to place In the yeere a thousand fyue hundred and fyfteene when I came fyrst to enfourme your Maiestie of the state of the thynges in India and was the yeere folowyng in Flaunders in the tyme of your most fortunate successe in these your kyngdomes of Aragonie and Castyle whereas at that viage I sayled aboue the Ilande Bermuda otherwyse called Garza beyng the furthest of all the Ilandes that are founde at this daye in the worlde and arryuyng there at the deapth of eyght yardes of water and distaunt from the lande as farre as the shotte of a peece of Ordinaunce I determyned to sende some of the shyp to lande aswell to make searche of suche thynges as were there as also to leaue in the Iland certayne Hogges for encrease But the tyme not seruing my purpose by reason of contrary wynde I coulde bryng my shyppes no nearer the Ilande beyng twelue leagues in length and syxe in breadth and about thyrtie in circuite lying in the three and thyrtieth degree of the North syde Whyle I remayned heere I saw a stryfe and combat betweene these fleeing fyshes and the fyshes named Gylt heades the foules called Seamewes and Cormorantes which surely seemed vnto me a thyng of as great pleasure and solace as coulde be deuised while the Gylt heades swam on the brymme of the water and sometymes lyfted theyr shoulders aboue the same to rayse the fleeyng fyshes out of the water to dryue them to flyght and folowe them swymmyng to the place where they fal to take and eate them sodenly Againe on the other side the Seamewes and Cormorantes take many of these fleeyng fyshes so that by this meanes they are neyther safe in the ayre nor in the water In the selfe same peryll and danger doo men lyue in this mortall lyfe wherein is no certayne securitie neyther in hyghe estate nor in lowe Which thyng surely ought to put vs in remembraunce of that blessed and safe restyng place whiche God hath prepared for suche as loue hym who shall acquiete and fynishe the trauailes of this troublous worlde wherein are so many dangers and bryng them to that eternall lyfe where they shall fynde eternall securitie and rest But to returne to the hystorye these byrdes and foules whiche I sawe were of the Ilande of Bermuda neere vnto the whiche I sawe these fleeyng fyshes for they coulde be of no other lande forasmuche as they are not accustomed to wander farre from the coastes where they are bredde Of thincrease and decrease that is rysyng and fallyng of our Ocean sea and South sea called the sea of Sur. I Wyll nowe speake of certayne thynges whiche are seene in the Prouince or at the least in the citie of golden Castyle otherwyse called Beragua and in the coastes of the North sea of the South sea called the sea of Sur not omitting to note one synguler and marueylous thyng whiche I haue consydered of the Ocean sea wherof hytherto no Cosmographer Pilot or Maryner or any other haue satisfyed me I say therefore as it is well knowen to your maiestie and all such as haue knowledge of the Ocean sea that this great Ocean casteth from it selfe the sea Mediterraneum by the mouth of the strayght of Gibilterra in the which the water from th end furthest part of that sea euen vnto the mouth of the sayde strayght eyther in the East toward the coaste commonly called Leuante or in any other part of the sayde sea Mediterraneum the sea doth not so fall nor increase as reason woulde iudge for so great a sea but increaseth very litâ—e and a small space Neuerthelesse without the mouth of the â—trayght in the mayne Ocean it increaseth and falleth very muche and a great space of grounde from syxe houres to syxe houres as in all the coastes of Spayne Britanâ—â— Flaunders Garmanie and England The selfe same Oâ—ean sâ—a in the firme lande newly founde in the coastes of the same lying towarde the North doth neyther ryse nor fall nor lykewyse in the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba and al the other Ilandes of the same lying towarde the north for the space of three thousande leagues but onely in lyke maner as dooth the sea Mediterraneum in Italy which is in maner nothyng in respecte to that increase and decrease whiche the sayde Ocean hath in the coastes of Spayne and Flaunders But this is yet a greater thyng that also the selfe same Ocean in the coastes of the sayde fyrme lande lying towarde the South in the citie of Panama and also in the coast of that lande whiche lyeth towarde the East and West from that citie as in the Ilande of pearles or Margaritea whiche the Indians call Tarrarequi and also in Taboga and Otoque and in all other Ilandes of the south sea of Sur the water ryseth and falleth so muche that when it falleth it goeth in maner out of syght whiche thyng I my selfe haue seene oftentymes And here your maiestie may note an other thing that from the north sea to the south sea being of such difference the one from the other in rysyng and fallyng yet is the lande that deuideth them not past eyghteene or twentie leagues in breadth from coaste to coaste So that both the sayde seas beyng all one Ocean this strange effecte is a thyng worthy greatly to be consydered of all suche as haue inclination and desyre to knowe the secrete woorkes of nature wherein the infinite power and wysedome of God is seene to be suche as may allure al good natures to reuerence and loue so diuine a maiestie And whereas by y e demonstrations of
learned men I am not satisfyed of the naturall cause hereof I content my selfe to knowe and beleeue that he whiche hath made these thynges dooth knowe this and many other which he hath not graunted to the reason of man to comprehende muche lesse to so base a wyt as myne is They therefore that are of greater vnderstandyng shall search the cause hereof for them and for me forasmuche as I haue onely put the matter in question as a wytnesse that haue seene thexperience of the thyng Of the strayght or narrowe passage of the land lying betweene the North and South sea by the which spyces may much sooner and easlyer be brought from the Ilandes of Molucca into Spaine by the VVest Ocean then by that way whereby the Portugales sayle into the East India IT hath been an opinion among the Cosmographers and Pilottes of late tyme and other whiche haue had practyse in thynges touchyng the sea that there shoulde be a strayght of water passing from the North sea of the fyrme into the South sea of Sur which neuerthelesse hath not been seene nor founde to this day And surely yf there be any such strayght we that inhabite those partes do thynke the same should be rather of land then of water For the fyrme land in some partes thereof is so strayght and narrowe that the Indians say that from the mountaynes of the prouince of Esquegua or Vrraca which are betweene the one sea and the other if a man ascend to the top of the mountaines and looke toward the North he may see the water of the North sea of the prouince of Beragua againe looking the contrary way may on the other syde towards the South see the sea of Sur and the prouinces which confine with it as do the territories of the two Lordes or kynges of the sayde prouinces of Vrraca and Esquegua And I beleeue that yf it be as the Indians say of all that is hytherto knowen this is the narrowest strayght of the fyrme land whiche some affirme to be full of rough mountaynes Yet do I take it for a better way or soo short as is that whiche is made from the port called Nomen Dei whiche is in the North sea vnto the newe citie of Panama beyng in the coast and on the bancke of the sea of Sur whiche way is lykewyse very rough full of thycke wooddes mountaynes ryuers valleyes and very difficult to passe through and can not be done without great labour trauaile Some measure this way in this part to be from sea to sea eighteene leagues whiche I suppose to be rather twentie not for that it is any more by measure but because it is rough and difficult as I haue sayde and as I haue founde it by experience hauyng now twise passed that way by foote countyng from the port and village of Nomen Dei vnto the dominion of the Cacique of Iuanaga otherwyse called Capira eyght leagues and from thence to the ryuer of Chagre other eyght leagues So that at this riuer beyng sixteene leagues from the sayde port endeth the roughnesse of the way then from hence to the marueilous brydge are two leagues and beyonde that other two vnto the port of Panama So that altogeather in my iudgement make twentie leagues And yf therefore this nauigation may be founde in the South sea for the trade of spyces as we trust in God to be brought from thence to the sayde port of Panama as is possible enough they maye afterwarde easely passe to the North sea notwithstandyng the difficultie of the way of the twentie leagues aforesayde Which thyng I affirme as a man wel trauayled in these regions hauyng twyse on my feete passed ouer this strayght in the yeere 1521. as I haue said It is furthermore to be vnderstoode that it is a marueilous facilitie to bryng spices by this way which I wil now declare From Panama to the ryuer of Chagre are foure leagues of good and fayre way by the which cartes may passe at pleasure by reason that the mountaines are but few and litle and that the greatest part of these foure leagues is a playne grounde voyde of trees and when the cartes are come to the sayde ryuer â–ª the spyces may be caried in Barkes and pynnesses For this riuer entreth into the North sea fyue or syxe leagues lower then the port of Nomen Dei and emptieth it selfe in the sea neere vnto an Iland called Bastimento where is a verye good and safe port Your maiestie may now therfore consyder howe great a thyng â–ª and what commoditie it may be to conuey spices this way forasmuch as y e riuer of Chagre hauing his originall only two leagues from the South sea continueth his course and emptieth it selfe into the other North sea This riuer runneth fast and is verye great and so commodious for this purpose as may be thought or desired the marueylous brydge made by the worke of nature beyng two leagues beyond the sayde ryuer other two leagues on this syde the port of Panama so lying in the mydde waye betweene them both as framed naturally in suche sort that none which passe by this viage doth see any such brydge or thinke that there is any such buyldyng in that place vntyll they be in the top thereof in the way towarde Panama But assoone as they are on the brydge lookyng towarde the ryght hande they see a litle ryuer vnder them whiche hath his chanell distant from the feete of them that walke ouer it the space of two speares length or more The water of this ryuer is very shalowe not passyng the deapth of a mans legge to the knee and is in breadth betweene thyrtie and fourtie pases and falleth into the ryuer of Chagre Towarde the ryght hand standyng on this brydge there is nothing seene but great trees The largenesse of the brydge conteyneth fyfteene pases and the length thereof about threescore or fourescore pases The arche is so made of most harde stone that no man can beholde it without admiration beyng made by the hygh and omnipotent creatour of all thinges But to returne to speake somewhat more of the conueying of spices I say that when it shall please almyghtie God that this nauigation aforesayde shall be founde by the good fortune of your maiestie and that the spyces of the Ilandes of the South sea whiche may also be otherwyse called the Ocean of the East India in the which are the Ilandes of Molucca shal be brought to the sayd coast and the port of Panama and be conueyed from thence as we haue sayde by the fyrme lande with cartes vnto the ryuer of Chagre and from thence into this our other sea of the North from whence they may afterwarde be brought into Spayne I say that by this meanes the viage shal be shortned more then seuen thousand leagues with muche lesse daunger then is by the viage nowe vsed by the
way of Commendator of Aysa captayne vnder your maiestie who this present yeere attempted a viage to the place of the sayd spyces and not only the way is thus muche shortned but also a thyrd parte of the tyme is abbreuiate To conclude therefore if any had hytherto attempted this viage by the sea of Sur to seeke the Ilandes of spyces I am of firme opinion that they shoulde haue been founde long since as doubtlesse they may bee by the reasons of Cosmographie Howe thinges that are of one kynde dyffer in fourme and qualitie accordyng to the nature of the place where they are engendred or grow and of the beastes called Tygers IN the firme lande are founde many terrible beastes which some thinke to bee Tygers Whiche thing neuerthelesse I dare not affirme considering what aucthours do wryte of the lyghtnesse and agilitie of the Tyger wheras this beast being otherwyse in shape very like vnto a Tiger is notwithstandyng very slowe Yet true it is that according to the marueiles of the worlde and differences which naturall thinges haue in dyuers regions vnder heauen and dyuers constellations of the same vnder the which they are created we see that some suche plantes and hearbes as are hurtfull in one countrey are harmelesse and holsome in other regions And byrdes whiche in one prouince are of good taste are in other so vnsauery that they may not bee eaten Men lykewyse whiche in some countreys are blacke are in other places whyte and yet are both these and they men Euen so may it bee that Tygers are lyght in some region as they wryte and may neuerthelesse be slow and heauy in these Indies of your maiestie wherof we speake The sheepe of Arabie drawe their tayles long and bigge on the ground and the Bulles of Egypt haue theyr heare growyng towarde theyr heades yet are those sheepe and these bulles Men in some countreys are hardy and of good courage and in other naturally fearefull and bruityshe All these thinges and many more whiche may bee sayde to this purpose are easie to bee proued and woorthy to bee beleeued of suche as haue read of the lyke in aucthours or traueyled the worlde whereby theyr owne sight may teache them the experience of these thinges whereof I speake It is also manifest that Iucca whereof they make theyr bread in the Ilande of Hispaniola is deadly poyson if it bee eaten greene with the iuâ—se and yet hath it no such propertie in the firme lande where I haue eaten it many times and found it to be a good fruit The Bats of Spaine although they bite yet are they not venomous but in the firme land many dye that are bytten of them And in this fourme may so many thinges be sayd that tyme shall not suffice to write whereas my intent is only to prooue that this beast may bee a Tyger or of y e kynd of Tygers although it be not of such lightnesse and swiftnesse as are they wherof Plinie other aucthours speake discrybyng it to bee one of the swyftest beastes of the lande and that the ryuer of Tigris for the swyft course thereof was called by that name The fyrst Spanyardes whiche sawe this Tyger in the firme lande dyd so name it Of the kynde of these was that which Don Diego Columbo the Admirall sent your maiestie out of newe Spayne to Toledo Theyr heades are lyke to the heades of Lions or Lionesses but greater the rest of all theyr bodyes and theyr legges are full of blacke spottes one neere vnto an other and diuided with a circumference or fryndge of redde colour shewyng as it were a fayre woorke and correspondent picture about their croopes or hynder partes they haue these spottes byggest and lesse and lesse towarde theyr bellies legges and heades That which was brought to Toledo was young and but litle and by my estimation of the age of three yeeres but in the firme lande there are many founde of greater quantitie for I haue seene some of three spans in height and more then fiue in length They are beastes of great force with strong legges and well armed with nayles and fanges which wee call dogge teeth they are so fierce that in my iudgement no reall Lion of the byggest sort is so strong or fierce Of these there are many found in the firme lande which deuour many of the Indians doe much hurt otherwyse but since the comming of the Christians many haue been kyld with Crossebowes after this maner Assoone as the archer hath knowledge of the haunt of any of these Tigers he goeth searching their trase with his crossebow with a litle hound or begle and not with a greyhounde because this beast would soone kyll any dog that would venter on him When the hounde hath founde the Tyger he runneth about him baying continually and approcheth so neare him snappyng and grynnyng with so quycke fleeyng and returnyng that he heereby so molesteth this fierce beast that hee driueth him to take the next tree at the foote wherof he remaineth styll baying and the Tyger grynnyng and shewyng his teethe whyle in the meane tyme the archer commeth neare and .xii. or xiiii pases of stryketh him with the querell of his crossebowe in the brest and fleeth incontinent leauyng the Tyger in his trauayle for lyfe and death bytyng the tree and eatyng earth for fiercenesse then within the space of two or three houres or the day folowyng the archer returneth thyther and with his dogge fyndeth the place where he lyeth dead In the yeere .1522 I with the other rulers and magistrates of the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena tooke order in our counsayle a rewarde of foure or fyue peeces of golde to bee giuen to euery man that kylled any of these Tygers by reason whereof many were kyld in shorte space both with crossebowes and also with dyuers snares and ingens But to conclude I will not obstinately stand in opinion whether these beastes be Tygers or Panthers or of the number of any other suche beastes of spotted heare or also peraduenture some other newe beast vnknowen to the olde wryters as were many other whereof I haue spoken in this booke Of whiche thyng I doe not greatly marueyle forasmuche as vnto our tyme this great part of the worlde was vnknowen to the antiquitie insomuche that none of the wryters of that age nor yet Pcolome in his Cosmographie or any other since him haue made any mention heereof vntyll the fyrst Admyrall Don Christopher Colonus discouered the same A thing doubtlesse without comparyson muche greater then that which is sayde of Hercules that he fyrst gaue the entrance of the sea Mediterraneum into the Ocean whiche the Grekes coulde neuer doe before him And heereof ryseth the fable that the mountaynes of Calpe and Abila whiche are directly one agaynst an other in the strayght of Gibilterra the one beyng in Spayne and the
splintes on their armes Lykewyse other peeces which they put on theyr heades and other partes of theyr bodies For they esteeme nothyng so muche as to appeare galant in the warres and to goe in most comely order that they can deuyse glysteryng with precious stones Iewels golde and feathers Of the least of these welkes or perewincles they make certayne litle beades of dyuers sortes and colours they make also litle bracelets which they myngle with gaudies of golde these they rowle about theyr armes from the elbowe to the wrest of the hande The lyke also doe they on theyr legges from the knee to the soles of theyr feete in token of nobilitie especially theyr noble women in dyuers prouinces are accustomed to weare suche Iewelles and haue theyr neckes in maner laden therewith these beades and Iewelles and suche other trynkets they call Caquiras Besyde these also they weare certaine rynges of golde at theyr eares and nostrelles whiche they bore full of holes on both sydes so that the rynges hang vppon theyr lyppes Some of these Indians are poulde and rounded albeit commonly both the men and women take it for a decent thyng to weare long heare whiche the women weare to the myddest of theyr shoulders cut it equally especially aboue their browes this doe they with certayne harde stones whiche they keepe for the same purpose The pryncipall women when theyr teates fall or become loose beare them vp with barres of gold of the length of a spanne and a halfe well wrought and of suche byggenesse that some of them weygh more then twoo hundred Castelans or Ducades of golde these barres haue holes at both the endes whereat they tye two small cordes made of cotton at euery ende of the barres One of these cordes goeth ouer the shoulder and the other vnder the arme holes where they tye both togeather so that by this meanes the barre beareth vp theyr teates Some of these chiefe women goe to the battayle with theyr husbandes or when they them selues are regentes in any prouinces in the whiche they haue all thinges at commaundement and execute the office of generall captaines and cause them selues to bee caryed on mens backes in lyke maner as doe the Caciques of whom I haue spoken before These Indians of the firme lande are muche of the same stature and colour as are they of the Ilands they are for the most part of the colour of an olyue if there be any other difference it is more in bignesse then otherwise especially they that are called Coronati are stronger and bygger then any other that I haue seene in these parties except those of the Ilande of Giantes which are on the South side of the Ilande of Hispaniola neare vnto the coastes of the firme land and likewise certaine other which they call Iucatos which are on the North syde All which chiefly although they bee no Giantes yet are they doubtlesse the byggest of the Indians that are knowen to this day commonly bygger then the Flemynges and especially many of them aswell women as men are of very hygh stature and are all archers both men and women These Coronati inhabite thyrtie leagues in length by these coastes from the poynt of Canoa to the great ryuer which they call Guadalchiber neere vnto Sancta Maria de gratia As I trauersed by those coastes I fylled a butte of freshe water of that ryuer syxe leagues in the sea from the mouth thereof where it falleth into the sea They are called Coronati that is crowned because theyr heare is cutte rounde by theyr eares and poulde lower a great compase about the crowne much lyke the fryers of saint Augustines order And because I haue spoken of theyr maner of wearyng theyr heare heere commeth to my remembraunce a thyng which I haue oftentymes noted in these Indians and this is that they haue the bones of the sculles of theyr heades foure tymes thycker and much stronger then ours so that in commyng to handstrokes with them it shal be requisite not to strike them on the heads with swoords for so haue many swoordes been broken on theyr heades with litle hurte doone And to haue sayde thus much of theyr customes and maners it shall suffise for this tyme because I haue more largly intreated herof in my general historie of the Indies Yet haue I neyther there nor here spoken muche of that part of the firme lande whiche is called Noua Hispania that is newe Spayne whereof the Iland of Iucatana is part forasmuche as Ferdinando Cortesie hath written a large booke therof Of the houses of these Indies I haue spoken sufficiently els where Yet haue I thought good to infourme your maiestie of y e building and houses which the Christians haue made in diuers places in the firme lande They buylde them nowe therefore with two solars or loftes and with loopes and wyndowes to open and shutte also with strong tymber and very fayre boordes in suche sorte that any noble man may well and pleasauntly be lodged in some of them And among other I my selfe caused one to be builded in the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena which cost me more then a thousand and fiue hundred Castelans beyng of such sort that I may well entertayne and commodiously lodge any Lord or noble man reseruing also part for my selfe and my famylie for in this may many householdes be kept both aboue and beneath It hath also a fayre garden with many Orange trees both sweete and sowre Cedars also and Limons of the which there is nowe great plentie in the houses of the Christians On one syde of the garden there runneth a fayre riuer The situation is very pleasaunt with a good and holsome ayre and a fayre prospecte about the ryuer In fine our trust is that in fewe yeeres al thinges in these regions shal growe to a better state accordyng to the holy intention of your maiestie Of the chiefe Ilandes Hispaniola and Cuba THe Indians which at this present inhabite the Ilande of Hispaniola are but fewe in number and the Christians not so many as they ought to be forasmuche as many of them that were in this Iland are gone to other Ilandes and to the fyrme lande For beyng for the most parte young men vnmaried and desirous daily to see newe things wherin mans nature deliteth they were not willing to continue long in one place especially seeing daily other newe landes discouered where they thought they might sooner fill their purses by being present at the fyrst spoyle Wherin neuerthelesse their hope deceiued many of them and especially such as had houses habitations in this Ilande For I certainly beleeue confyrming my selfe herein with the iudgement of many other that if any one Prince had no more seignories then only this Ilande it shoulde in short tyme be such as not to geue place either to Sicilie or England wheras
northerne lande but suche a one that ether is not to be traueyled for the causes in the first Obiection alleaged or cleane shut vp from vs in Europe by Groenland the South ende whereof Moletius maketh firme lande with America the north parte continent with Lapponlande and Norway Thyrdly the greatest fauourers of this voyage can not deny but that if any such passage be it lyeth subiect vnto Yse and snow for the most parte of the yeere whereas it standeth in the edge of the frostie zone Before the Sunne hath warmed the ayre and dissolued the Yse eche one well knoweth that there can bee no saylyng the Yse once broken through the continuall abode the Sunne maketh a certayne season in those partes how shall it be possible for so weake a vessell as a shyppe is to holde out amyd whole Ilandes as it were of Yse continually beatyng on eche syde and at the mouth of that goulphe issuyng downe furiously from the North safely to passe whan whole mountaynes of Yse and Snow shal be tombled downe vpon her Wel graunt the west Indies not to continue continent vnto the Pole graunt there be a passage betwyxt these two landes let the goulph lye neare vs than commonly in cardes we fynde it set namely betwyxt the .61 .64 degrees north as Gemma Frisius in his Mappes and Globes imagineth it and so left by our countriman Sebastian Cabote in his table the which my good Lorde your father hath at Cheynies and so tryed this last yeere by your Honours seruaunt as hee reported and his carde and compasse doe witnesse Let the way bee voyde of all difficulties yet doeth it not folowe that we haue free passage to Cathayo For examples sake You may trende all Norway Finmarke and Lapponlande and than bow Southwarde to sainct Nicolas in Moscouia you may lykewyse in the Mediterranean sea fetche Constantinople and the mouth of Tanais yet is there no passage by sea through Moscouia into Pont Euxine now called Mare Maggiore Agayne in the aforesayde Mediterranean sea we sayle to Alexandria in Egypt the Barbares bryng theyr pearle and spices from the Moluccaes vp the read sea and Arabian goulph to Sues scarsely three dayes iourney from the aforesayde hauen yet haue we no way by sea from Alexandria to the Moluccaes for that Isthmos or litle streicte of lande betwyxt the two seas In lyke maner although the northerne passage bee free at .61 degrees latitude and the West Ocean beyonde America vsually called Mar del zur knowen to be open at .40 degrees eleuation for the Ilande Giapan yea .300 leagues northerly aboue Giapan yet may there bee lande to hynder the through passage that way by sea as in the examples aforesayde it falleth out Asia and America there beyng ioyned togeather in one continent Ne can this opinion seeme altogeather friuolous vnto any one that diligently peruseth our Cosmographers doynges Iosephus Moletius is of that mynde not onely in his playne hemispheres of the worlde but also in his sea carde The French Geographers in lyke maner bee of the same opinion as by their Mappe cut out in fourme of a harte you may perceyue as though the West Indyes were parte of Asie Whiche sentence well agreeth with that olde conclusion in the scholes Quidquid praeter Africam et Europam est Asia est Whatsoeuer land doeth neyther appertayne vnto Afrike nor to Europe is parte of Asie Furthermore it were to small purpose to make so long so paynefull so doubtfull a voyage by such a new founde way if in Cathayo you should neyther be suffred to lande for silkes and siluer nor able to fetche the Molucca spices and pearle for piracye in those seas Of a lawe denying all Aliens to enter into China and forbiddyng all the inhabiters vnder a great penaltie to let in any stranger into that countreys shall you reade in the report of Galeotto Perera there imprisoned with other Portugalles as also in the Giaponyshe letters howe for that cause the woorthie traueyler Xauierus bargayned with a Barbarian Marchaunt for a great sum of Pepper to be brought into Cantan a porte in Cathayo The great and daungerous piracie vsed in that seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to reade the Giaponishe and East Indian historie Finally all this great labour would bee lost all these charges spent in vayne if in the ende our traueylers myght not be able to returne agayne and bryng safely home into theyr owne natyue countrey that wealth and ryches they in forreyne regions with aduenture of goodes and daunger of theyr lyues haue sought for By the Northeast there is no way the Southeast passage the Portugalles doe hold as Lordes of that seas At the Southwest Magellanus experience hath partly taught vs and partly we are persuaded by reason howe the Easterne currant stryketh so furiously on that streicte and falleth with such force into that narrow goulphe that hardely any shyppe can returne that way into our West Ocean out of Mar del zur The which if it be true as truly it is than may we say that the aforesayde Easterne currant or leuant course of waters continually folowyng after the heauenly motions looseth not altogeather his force but is doubled rather by an other currant from out the Northeast in the passage betwyxt America and the North lande whyther it is of necessitie carryed hauyng none other way to maintaine it selfe in circular motion and consequently the force and fury thereof to be no lesse in the streict of Aniaâ— where it striketh South into Mar del zur beyond America if any such streicte of sea there be than in Magellane frete both streictes beyng of lyke breadth as in Belognine Zalterius table of new France and in Don Diego Hermano di Toledo his carde for nauigation in that region we doe fynde precisely set downe Neuerthelesse to approue that there lyeth a way to Cathayo at the Northwest from out of Europe we haue experyence namely of three brethren that went that iourney as Gemma Frisius recordeth and left a name vnto that streicte whereby nowe it is called Fretum trium Fratrum We do reade againe of a Portugal that passed this streicte of whom M. Furbisher speaketh that was imprisoned therefore many yeeres in Lesbona to veryfie the olde Spanyshe prouerbe I suffer for doyng wel Likewise An. Vrdaneta a fryer of Mexico came out of Mar del zur this way into Germanie his Carde for he was a great discouerer made by his owne experience and trauayle in that voyage hath been seene by gentelmen of good credite Now yf the obseruation and remembrance of thyngs breedeth experience and of experience proceedeth art and the certeine knowledge we haue in al faculties as y e best Philosophers that euer were do affyrme truly the voyage of these aforesayd trauaillers that haue gone out of Europe into Mar del zur and returned thence at the Northwest doo moste euidently conclude that way to be nauigable and that
the continuall warres they haue with the Tartars of whom the greatest parte gyue obedience to the sayd great Cam as to theyr chiefe Emperour He made also demonstration in the sayde carde by the Northeast that being past the prouince of Permia and the ryuer Pescora which falleth into the North sea certeine mountaines named Catena Mundi there is thentraunce into the prouince of Obdora whereas is Vecchiadoro and the ryuer Obo whiche also falleth into the sayde sea and it is the furthest border of Th empyre of the Prince of Moscouia The sayde ryuer hath his originall in a great lake called Chethai which is the fyrst habitacion of the Tartars that paye tribute to the great Cane And from this lake for the space of two moneths vyage as they were credybly informed by certayne Tartares taken in the warres is the most noble citie of Cambalu beyng one of the chiefest in the dominion of the great Cane whom some call the great Cham. He also affyrmed that if shyppes should be made on the coastes of the sayde sea and sayle on the backe halfe of the coast thereof which he knew by many relations made to his Prince to reach infinitely towarde the Northeast they should doubtlesse in folowyng the same easily discouer that countrey Unto these woordes he added that although there were great difficultie in Moscouia by reason that the way to the sayde sea is full of thicke woods and waters whiche in the sommer make great maryshes and impossible to be traueyled aswell for lacke of victuals whiche can not there be founde not for certayne dayes but for the space of certayne monethes the place beyng desolate without inhabitauntes neuerthelesse he sayde that if there were with his Prince onely two Spanyardes or Portugales to whom the charge of this viage should be committed he no wayes doubted but that they would folowe it and fynde it forasmuch as with great ingeniousnesse and inestimable pacience these nations haue ouercome much greater difficulties then are these whiche are but litle in comparison to those that they haue ouerpassed and doe ouerpasse in all their viages to India He proceeded declaryng that not many yeeres since there came to the courte of his Prince an Ambassadour from pope Leo named maister Paulo Centurione a Genuese vnder dyuers pretenses But the princypall occasion of his commyng was bycause hee had conceyued great indignation and hatred agaynst the Portugales And therfore intended to proue if he could open any vyage by land wherby spyces myght be brought from India by the lande of Tartaria or by the sea Caspium otherwyse called Hircanum to Moscouia and from thence to be brought in shyppes by the ryuer Riga which runnyng by the countrey of Liuonia falleth into the sea of Germanie And that his Prince gaue eare vnto him and caused the sayde vyage to be attempted by certaine noble men of Lordo of the Tartars confinyng next vnto him But the warres which were then betweene them and the great desartes which they should of necessitie ouerpasse made them leaue of theyr enterpryse whiche if it had ben purposed by the coastes of this our North sea it might haue been easily fynyshed The sayde Ambassadour continued his narration saying that no man ought to doubt of that sea but that it may be sayled sixe monethes in the yeere forasmuche as the dayes are then very long in that clime and hot by reason of continuall reuerberation of the beames of the Sunne and shorte nyghtes And that this thing were as well woorthie to bee prooued as anye other nauigation whereby many partes of the worlde heeretofore vnknowen haue been discouered and brought to ciuilitie And heere makyng an ende of this talke he sayde Let vs now omyt this parte of Moscouia with his colde and speake somewhat of that parte of the newe worlde in whiche is the lande of Brytons called Terra Britonum and Baccaleos or Terra Baccalearum where in the yeere .1534 and .1535 Iaques Cartiar in two vyages made with three great French Gallies founde the great and large countreys named Canada Ochelaga and Sanguenai which reach from the .xlv. to the .51 degree beyng well inhabited and pleasaunt countreys and named by him Noua Francia And here staying a while and lyftyng vp his handes he sayde Oh what doe the Christian princes meane that in suche landes discouered they doe not assigne certayne colonies to inhabite the same to bryng those people whom God hath so blessed with naturall giftes to better ciuilitie and to embrase our religion then the whiche nothing can bee more acceptable to God The sayd regions also beyng so fayre and fruitfull with plentie of all sortes of corne hearbes fruites wood fyshes beastes metals and ryuers of suche greatnesse that shyppes may sayle more then .180 myles vpon one of them beyng on both sydes infinitely inhabited And to cause the gouernours of the sayde colonies to searche whether that lande towarde the North named Terra de Laborador doe ioyne as one firme lande with Norway Or whether there bee any streight or open place of sea as is most lyke there should be forasmuch as it is to bee thought that the sayde Indians dryuen by fortune about the coastes of Norway came by that streight or sea to the coastes of Germanie and by the sayde streight to sayle northwest to discouer the landes and countreys of Cathay and from thence to sayle to the Ilandes of Molucca and these surely should bee enterpryses able to make men immortall The which thing that ryght woorthie Gentleman maister Antony di Mendoza consideryng by the singular vertue and magnanimitie that is in him attempted to put this thyng in practyse For being viceroy of the countrey of Mexico so named of the great citie Mexico otherwyse called Temistitan now called new Spayne beyng in the .xx. degree aboue the Equinoctiall and parte of the sayde firme lande he sent certeyne of his Captaines by lande and also a nauie of shyppes by sea to search this secrete And I remember that when I was in Flaunders in Themperours court I saw his letter wrytten in the yeere .1541 and dated from Mexico wherein was declared howe towarde the Northwest he had founde the kyngdome of Sette Citta that is seuen Cities wheras is that called Ciuola by the reuerende father Marco da Niza and howe beyonde the sayde kyngdome yet further towarde the Northwest Captayne Francesco Vasques of Coronado hauing ouerpassed great desartes came to the sea syde where he founde certaine shyppes which sayled by that sea with merchandies and had in theyr banner vppon the prooes of theyr shyppes certayne foules made of golde and siluer which they of Mexico call Alcatrazzi and that theyr mariners shewed by signes that they were xxx dayes saylyng in commyng to that hauen whereby he vnderstoode that these shyppes could be of none other countrey then of Cathay forasmuch as it is situate on
bryngyng his troonke to his mouth therewith hee helpeth vp his maister or keeper therwith he ouerthroweth trees Besyde his two great tuskes he hath on euery syde of his mouth foure teethe wherewith he eateth and gryndeth his meate eyther of these teeth are almost a spanne in length as they growe along in the iawe and are about two inches in heyght and almost as much in thicknesse The tuskes of the Male are greater then of the Female his tongue is very litle and so farre in his mouth that it can not be seene of all beastes they are most gentle and tractable for by many sundry wayes they are taught and doe vnderstande insomuche that they learne to doe due honour to a Kyng and are of quicke sense and sharpenesse of wyt When the Male hath once seasoned the Female he neuer after toucheth her The Male Elephante lyueth two hundred yeeres or at the least one hundred and twentie the Female almost as long but the floure of theyr age is but .lx. yeeres as some wryte They can not suffer wynter or colde they loue ryuers and wil often goe into them vp to the snoute wherewith they blow and snuffe and playe in the water but swymme they can not for the weyght of theyr bodyes Plinie and Solinie wryte that they vse none adulterie If they happen to meete with a man in wyldernesse beyng out of the way gentelly they will goe before him and bryng him into the playne waye Ioyned in battayle they haue no small respecte vnto them that be wounded for they bryng them that are hurte or weary into the middle of the army to be defended they are made tame by drinking the iuise of barley They haue continual war agaynst Dragons which desire theyr blood bycause it is very colde and therfore the Dragon lying awayte as the Elephant passeth by wyndeth his tayle being of exceeding length about the hynder legges of the Elephant and so steying him thrusteth his head into his troonke and exhausteth his breath or els byteth him in the eare wherevnto he can not reache with his troonke and when the Elephant waxeth faynte he falleth downe on the Serpent beyng nowe full of blood and with the poyse of his body breaketh him so that his owne blood with the blood of the Elephant runneth out of him myngeled togeather which beyng colde is congealed into that substance which the Apothecaries call Sanguis Draconis that is Dragons blood otherwyse called Cinnabaris although there be an other kynde of Cinnabaris commonly called cinoper or vermilion which the painters vse in certaine colours They are also of three kyndes as of the maryshes the plaines and the mountaynes no lesse differyng in conditions Philostratus writeth that as much as the Elephant of Libia in bygnesse passeth the horse of Nysea so muche doeth the Elephantes of India exceede them of Libia for of the Elephantes of India some haue been seene of the heyght of .ix. cubites the other doe so greatly feare these that they dare not abyde the sight of them Of the Indian Elephantes only the Males haue tuskes but of them of Ethiopia and Libia both kyndes are tusked they are of dyuers heyghtes as of xii.xiii and .xiiii. dordantes euery dodrant benig a measure of niene ynches Some wryte that an Elephant is bygger then three wylde Oxen or Buffes They of India are blacke or of the colour of a Mouse but they of Ethiope or Guinea are browne the hyde or skynne of them all is very harde and without heare or brystels theyr eares are two dodrantes brode and theyr eyes very litle Our men sawe one drynkyng at a ryuer in Guinea as they sayled into the lande Of other properties and conditions of the Elephant as of theyr marueylous docilicie of theyr fyght and vse in the warres of theyr generation and chastitie when they were fyrste seene in the theaters and tryumphes of the Romans howe they are taken and tamed and when they caste theyr tuskes with the vse of the same in medicine who so desireth to know let him reade Plinie in the .viii. booke of his natural hystorie He also writeth in his xii booke that in olde tyme they made many goodly woorkes of Iuery or Elephants teeth as tables tressels postes of houses rayles lattesses for wyndowes Images of their goddes and dyuers other thinges of Iuery both coloured and vncoloured intermyxt with sundry kyndes of precious woods as at this day are made certayne Chayres Lutes and Uirginalles They had suche plentie thereof in olde tyme that as far as I remember Iosephus wryteth that one of the gates of Hierusalem was called Porta Eburnea that is the Iuery gate The whytenesse thereof was so muche esteemed that it was thought to represent the naturall fayrenesse of mans skynne insomuche that such as went about to set foorth or rather corrupt naturall beautie with colours and payntyng were reprooued by this prouerbe Ebur atramento candefacere that is to make Iuery whyte with ynke The Poettes also describyng the fayre neckes of beautifull virgins call them Eburnea colla that is Iuery neckes And to haue sayde thus muche of Elephantes and Iuery it may suffice Now therfore I wil speake somewhat of the people and theyr maners and maner of lyuyng with also an other briefe description of Africa It is to vnderstande that the people which nowe inhabite the regions of the coast of Guinea and the myd partes of Africa as Libia the inner and Nubia with diuers other great and large regions about the same were in olde tyme called Ethiopes and Nigrite which we now call Moores Moorens or Negros a people of beastly lyuyng without a God lawe religion or common wealth and so scorched and vexed with the heate of the sun that in many places they curse it when it ryseth Of the regions and people about the inner Libia called Libia Interior Gemma Phrysius writeth thus Libia Interior is very large and desolate in the whiche are many horrible Wyldernesses and mountaynes replenished with dyuers kyndes of wylde and monstrous beastes and Serpentes Fyrst from Mauritania or Barbarie towarde the South is Getulia a rough and saluage region whose inhabitauntes are wylde and wanderyng people After these folowe the people called Melanogetuli and Pharusii whiche wander in the wyldernesse carying with them great gourdes of water The Ethiophians called Nigrite occupie a great part of Aphrica and are extended to the West Ocean Southwarde also they reach to the ryuer Nigritis whose nature agreeth with the ryuer of Nilus forasmuch as it is increased and diminished at the same tyme and bryngeth foorth the lyke beastes as the Crocodile By reason whereof I thynke this to be the same ryuer whiche the Portugales call Senega For this ryuer is also of the same nature It is furthermore marueylous and very strange that is sayde of this ryuer And this is that on the one syde thereof thinhabitauntes are
I entered into the citie I went to their Temple or Meschita where I sawe a great multitude of poore people as about the number of .xxv. thousande attendyng a certayne Pilot who should bryng them into their countrey Heere I suffered muche trouble and affliction beyng enforced to hyde my selfe among these poore folkes faynyng my selfe very sicke to the ende that none should be inquisityue what I was whence I came or whyther I would The Lord of this citie is the Soltan of Babylon brother to the Soltan of Mecha who is his subiecte The inhabitauntes are Mahumetans The soyle is vnfruitfull and lacketh freshe water The sea beateth agaynst the towne There is neuerthelesse aboundance of all thinges but brought thyther from other places as from Babylon of Nilus Arabia Foelix and dyuers other places The heate is here so great that men are in maner dryed vp therewith And therefore there is euer a great number of sicke folkes The citie conteyneth about fyue hundred houses After fyftiene dayes were past I couenaunted with a pilot who was ready to departe from thence into Persia and agreed of the price to goe with him There laye at Anker in the hauen almost a hundred Brigantines and Foistes with diuers boates and barkes of sundry sortes both with Ores and without Ores Therefore after three dayes gyuyng wynde to our sayles we entred into the redde sea otherwyse named Mare Erythraeum Of the red sea and why it can not be sayled in the nyght Cap. 21. IT is well knowen to wyse men that this sea is not red as some haue imagined but is of the colour of other seas We continued therefore our vyage vntyll the goyng downe of the Sunne For this sea is nauigable only in the day tyme and therefore in the nightes the maryners rest them vntyll they come to the Ilande named Chameran from whence they proceede forwarde more safely Why this sea can not be sayled in the nyght they say the cause to be that there are many daungerous sandes rockes and shelues and therefore that it is needefull of diligent and long prospecte from the toppe Castell of the shyppe to foresee the dangerous places The seconde booke entreating of Arabia Foelix That is the happie or blessed Arabia Of the citie of Gezan and the fruitfulnesse thereof Cap. 1. FOrasmuche as hytherto wee haue spoken somewhat of the maners of the people and cities of Arabia Foelix it may nowe seeme conuenient to finishe the reste of our vyage with such thinges as we haue seene in the sayde countrey of Arabia Therefore after sixe dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Gezan It hath a commodious porte and very fayre where we found about fourtie and fyue Brigantines and Foistes of dyuers regions The citie is harde by the sea syde and the Prince thereof is a Mahumetan The soile is fruitful lyke vnto Italie It beareth Pomegranates Quinses Peaches Apples of Assyria Pepons Melons Oranges Gourdes and dyuers other fruites Also Roses and sundry sortes of floures the fayrest that euer I sawe It seemeth an earthly Paradyse The moste parte of the inhabitauntes go naked â–ª In other thinges they lyue after the maner of the Mahumetans There is also great abundance of fleshe wheate barley the grayne of whyte Millet or Hirse whiche they call Dora whereof they make very sweete bread Of certayne people named Banduin Cap. 2. DEparting from the citie of Gezan the space of .v. dayes sayling towarde the lefte hande hauyng euer the coast of the lande in sight we came to the sight of certayne houses where about .xiiii. of vs went alande hopyng to haue had some victuals of the inhabitans But we lost our labour for in the steede of victuals they cast stones at vs with stinges They were about a hundred that fought with our men for the space of an houre Of them were slayne .xxiiii. The rest were dryuen to flyght they were naked and had none other weapons then slynges After theyr flyght we brought away with vs certayne hens and Calues very good Shortly after a great multitude of the inhabitauntes shewed them selues to the number of fyue or syxe hundred but we departed with our praye and returned to the shyppes Of an Ilande of the red sea named Camaran Cap. 3. THe same day saylyng forwarde we came to an Iland named Camaran which conteyneth ten myles in circuite In it is a towne of two hundred houses the inhabitantes are Mahumetans it hath aboundaunce of freshe water and fleshe and the fayrest salte that euer I sawe The porte is eight myles from the continent it is subiecte to the Soltan of Amanian of Arabia Foelix After we had remayned here two dayes we tooke our way towarde the mouth of the red sea in the space of two dayes saylyng This sea may here be sayled both day and nyght For as we haue sayde before from this Ilande vnto the porte of Zida the red sea is not safely nauigable by nyght When we came to the mouth of the sea we seemed to be in maner inclosed for that the mouth of the sea is there very streyght and no more then three myles ouer Towarde the right hande the continent lande is seene of the heyght of ten pases the soile seemeth rude and not cultured At the lefte hande of the sayde mouth ryseth a very hygh hyll of stone In the myddest of the mouth is a litle Ilande vnhabited named Bebmendo and is towarde the lefte hande to them that sayle to Zeila But they that goe to Aden must keepe the way to the lefte hande All this way we had euer the lande in our sight from Bebmendo to Aden in the space of two dayes and a halfe Of the citie of Aden and of their maners and customes towarde straungers Cap. 4. I Doe not remember that I haue seene any citie better fortified then this It standeth on a soyle not much vnequall it is walled on two sydes The reste is inclosed with mountaynes hauyng on them fyue fortresses The citie conteyneth sixe thousande houses Theyr exercise of bying and sellyng begynneth the seconde houre of the nyght by reason of extreeme heate in the day tyme. A stone cast from the citie is a mountayne hauyng on it a fortresse The shyppes lye neare the foote of the mountayne it is certaynely a very goodly citie and the fayrest of all the cities of Arabia Foelix To this as to the chiefe marte the merchauntes of India Ethiopia and Persia haue recourse by sea and they also that resorte to Mecha Assoone as our Brigantines came into the hauen immediately the customers and searchers came aborde demaundyng what we were from whence we came what merchaundies we brought and howe many men were in euery Brigantine Beyng aduertised of these thinges immediately they tooke away our maste sayles and other tackelynges of our shyppes that we should not departe without paying of custome The day after our arryuyng there the Mahumetans tooke mee and put shackles on
in the midde waye I founde an exceedyng hygh and large mountayne where is great pentie of wylde beastes and especially of Monkeys whiche runne about the mountayne euery where There are also many Lions very noysome to men and therefore it is not safe to iorney that way but when a multitude of men goe togeather at the least to the number of a hundred I passed this way with a great companie and yet were we in daunger of the Lions and other wylde beastes which folowed vs for we were sometimes constrayned to fyght with them with dartes slyngs and bowes vsyng also the helpe of dogges and yet escaped hardly When I came to the citie I fayned my selfe sicke and in the day tyme lurked in the temple and went foorth only in the night to speake with the pilot of the shyp of whom I haue made mention before and obteyned of hym a foist or barke to depart thence secretly Of certayne places of Ethiopia Cap. 14. IN the syxt chapter here before I haue made mention howe departing from the queene I went to the citie of Aden where I couenaunted with a certayne pilot to goe with hym into India and that he woulde not go thyther before he had fyrst made a viage into Persia and that at my fyrst beyng in the citie of Aden he coulde not yet for the space of a moneth depart from thence Duryng whiche tyme I traueyled the regions and cityes whereof I haue spoken vnto this my returne to Aden Nowe therfore accordyng to our agreement to trauayle diuers countreys and regions committing our selues to the sea we were by inconstant fortune and sundry tempestes deterred from that viage for whereas we were nowe syxe dayes sailyng on our waye to Persia a sodayne contrary tempeste droue vs out of our waye and cast vs on the coast of Ethiope Our barkes were laden with rubricke that is a certayne redde earth which is vsed to dye cloth for yeerely from the citie of Aden departe fyfteene or twentie shyps laden with rubricke which is brought out of Arabia Faelix Beyng therefore thus tossed with stormes we were dryuen into a port named Zeila where we remayned fyue dayes to see the citie and tarrye vntyll the sea were more quiet Of the citie Zeila in Ethiopia and the great fruitfulnesse therof and of certayne straunge beastes seene there Cap. 15. IN this citie is great freequentation of merchandies as in a most famous mart There is marueylous abundance of gold and Iuerye and an innumerable number of blacke slaues solde for a small pryce these are taken in warre by the Mahumetan Mores out of Ethyopia of the kyngdome of Presbiter Iohannes or Preciosus Iohannes whiche some also call the kyng of Iacobins or Abyssins beyng a Christian and are caried away from thence into Persia Arabia Faelix Babylonia of Nilus or Alcair and Mecha In this citie iustice and good lawes are obserued the soyle beareth Wheate and hath abundaunce of flesh and diuers other commodious thynges It hath also Oyle not of Olyues but of some other thyng I knowe not what There is also plentie of Hony and Waxe there are lykewyse certayne sheepe hauyng theyr tayles of the weyght of syxeteene pounde and exceedyng fatte the head and necke are blacke and all the rest whyte There are also sheepe altogeather whyte hauyng tayles of a cubite long hangyng downe lyke a great cluster of grapes and haue also great lappes of skynne hangyng from theyr throtes as haue Bulles and Oxen hangyng downe almost to the grounde There are also certaine Kyne with hornes lyke vnto Hartes hornes these are wylde and when they bee taken are geuen to the Soltan of that citie as a kyngly present I sawe there also certayne Kyne hauyng only one horne in the middest of the forehead as hath the Unicorne and about a spanne of length but the horne bendeth backwarde they are of bryght shynyng red colour But they that haue Hartes hornes are enclynyng to blacke colour Conye is there good cheepe The citie hath an innumerable multitude of merchants the walles are greatly decayed and the hauen rude and despicable The kyng or Soltan of the citie is a Mahumetan and entertayneth in wages a great multitude of foote men and horsemen They are greatly geuen to warres and weare onlye one loose syngle vesture as we haue sayde before of other They are of darke ashye colour enclining to blacke In the warres they are vnarmed and are of the sect of Mahumet Of Barbara an Ilande of Ethiope Cap. 16. AFter that the tempestes were appeased wee gaue wynde to our sayles and in shorte tyme arryued at an Ilande named Barbara the Prince whereof is a Mahumetan The Ilande is not great but fruitfull and well peopled it hath abundance of flesh The inhabitants are of colour enclynyng to blacke Al theyr ryches is in heardes of cattayle We remayned here but one day and departyng from hence sayled into Persia. The thyrde booke entreateth of Persia and of certayne townes and partes of Persia. Cap. 1. WHen we had sayled the space of twelue dayes we aryued at a citie called Diuobanderrumi that is to say the holy porte of Turkes It is but a litle way from the continent when the sea ryseth with hye tydes it is an Iland enuironed with water but at a lowe fludde or decrease of the sea one may go thyther by land it is subiect to the Soltan of Cambaia The Gouernour is named Menacheas It is a marte of great merchandies There dwell about it foure hundred merchants of Turky it is well walled round about and defended with al sorts of engins They haue barkes and brygantines somewhat lesse then ours we remained here two daies Departyng from hence we came to an other citie named Goa in the space of three dayes iorney this also aboundeth with merchandies and is a mart greatly frequented The soyle is fruitefull with plentie of all thynges necessary the inhabitantes are Mahumetans Neare vnto this are two other fayre cities and portes named Giulfar and Meschet Of the Iland and citie of Ormus or Armusium and of an Iland of Persia where pearles are found Cap. 2. PRoceedyng on our viage we came to a citie named Ormus verye fayre This is seconde to none in goodlye situation and plentie of pearles it is in an Ilande dystaunt from the continent twelue myles It hathe great scarcenesse of freshe water and corne From other regions is brought thyther all victualles that nouryshe the inhabitauntes Three dayes saylyng from thence are geathered those muscles which bryng foorth the fayrest and byggest pearles they are taken as I will nowe declare There are certayne men that get theyr lyuing by fyshyng These hauing small Boates cast into the sea a great stone fastened to a corde and this on both sydes of the Boate to make it as stedfast and immoueable as a shyppe lying at an Anker The Boate
not vnlyke of heare They haue eyes lyke swyne the snout or trunke very long wherwith they put meate and drinke into their mouth and therefore may it well be called the hande of the Elephant The mouth is vnder the throte much lyke the mouth of a Sowe and the trunke is holowe and can therwith holde fast stickes or slaues and them rule as it were with a hande I sawe also the trunke of a tree ouerthrowen by an Elephant which xxiiii men attempting could not doe The two great teeth or tuskes are placed in the highest iawe Ech of their eares are two handfuls byg whether the beast be of the bygger or lesse kinde The feete are like vnto such round thicke trenchers of wood as he commonly vsed The foote conteineth fyue hoofes in roundnesse like vnto great Oysters The tayle is lyke to the tayle of a Bufle foure handfull long and of thyn heare The Females are also bigger then the Males they are of sundry bignes for some are of .xiii. handfuls high and other of .xiiii. handfuls and some also haue been seene of sixtiene handfuls They goe slowly and walowing and therfore some that haue not ben vsed to them are moued to vomite euen as it were on the sea Yet is it a pleasure to ryde on the young Elephantes bicause they goe softly like ambeling Mules When you mount on them they stoope bend their knees that you may easily ascende They are neuer brydeled neyther vse theyr keepers any halters to gouerne them Of the ingendering of Elephantes and of the magnificence riches of the king of Narsinga Cap. 10. WHen they ingender they resorte to the medowes or woods for by a certaine naturall shamefastnesse they doe it not but in secrete places Although some Aucthours haue written that Elephants engender backward Some take it for a great present to giue the king the member or pissell of an Elephant whiche perhappes they doe for the exceedyng great price of Elephantes For some are solde there for fyue hundred peeces of golde and some as they say for two thousande which peraduenture is not for theyr greatnesses of bodie but rather for certayne properties wyt docilitie wherein some farre exceede other euen as among men And I dare well say that I haue seene some men much inferior to Elephants in wyt and sense Therefore the kyng of Narsinga in riches and dominion farre exceedeth all kynges that euer I haue seene or hearde of The citie in situation and fayrenesse representeth the citie of Milane except only that it is in a declining place and lesse equal Other kingdoms which are subiect to this lye round about it as the kyngdome of Ausonia Venice lye about Milane Their Bramini so are the priestes named tolde me y t the king receiueth dayly of that citie for tribute or reuenue the summe of twelue thousandes of those peeces of golde whiche they call Pardios He maynteyneth an army of many thousandes of men for he liueth in continuall warre with his borderers He is an Idolatour and honoureth the deuyl euen as doth the kyng of Calecut They that are of the rychest sorte vse a slender inwarde apparell or peticote not very long and bynde theyr heades with a phillet or broade bande of sundry colours after the maner of the Mahumetans The common sorte couer only theyr priuities and are besyde all naked The kyng weareth a Cappe of cloth of golde of two handfulles long when he goeth to warre he weareth a vesture of bombasine and thereon a cloke adourned with plates of gold hauyng the borderer garde besette with all sortes of precious stones and Iewelles His horse with the furniture is esteemed to bee woorth as muche as one of our cities by reason of innumerable Iewelles of great price When he goeth a huntyng three other kynges beare him company whose office is to be euer neare him and guyde him When he maketh any iourney or rydeth abrode he is accompanyed with six thousand horsemen And therefore it is manifeste that not only for these thynges whereof we haue spoken but also for dyuers other of lyke magnificence hee is one of the greatest Kynges in the worlde He coyneth money and peeces of golde named Pardios Also other siluer money of lesse value whiche they call Fano conteynyng the value of sixtiene of the smallest money of copper Traueylers may here goe safely through all his dominions if they can auoyde the daunger of the Lions Of theyr dyet and order of lyuyng I will speake more largely where occasion shall serue to wryte of Calecut This kyng of Narsinga is a great friende to the Christians and is in great amitie with the kyng of Portugale and besyde him hee knoweth none other Christian Prince and therefore the Portugales are here friendly and honourably vsed When I had remayned in this citie many dayes I returned to the citie of Canonor And after I had remayned there three dayes I entered further into the lande and came to a citie named Trompata about twelue myles from Canonor The inhabitauntes are Idolatours It is neare vnto the sea and therefore there are seene many merchantes Mahumetans They lyue moderately haue in maner none other ryches then nuttes of India but there are very fayre trees to make shyppes There are in the citie aboue fiftiene thousande Mahumetans although the Kyng be an Idolatour Departyng from hence I came to the citie of Pandara and from thence passyng by the citie of Capagot I came at the length to the famous citie of Calecut And to be breefe I haue here ouerpassed to speake largely of many other people and kyngdomes as are these Chianul Dabul Bathecalo Onouè Bangolor Cauonor Cuchin Cacilon and Calonue which I haue done to the ende that I may entreat more largely of Calecut as the chiefest and as it were the head and metropolitane of all the cities of India For it is certayne that the Kyng of Calecut in royall maiestie exceedeth all the kynges of the East and is therefore in theyr language called Samory that is to say God on the earth The fyfth booke of East India and fyrst of the famous citie of Calecut Cap. 1. THe citie of Calecut is situate vppon the continent or firme lande and the sea beateth vppon the houses of the citie There is no porte but on the South syde about a myle from the citie is a ryuer which runneth into the Ocean sea by a narow mouth This runneth by many braunches into the playne feeldes and is of the inhabitantes by diuers trenches dispearsed to water the grounde It is not past the depth of three or foure foote of water The course of it bendeth towarde the citie and runneth into it The citie is not compassed with walles but conteyneth in circuite sixe thousande houses not adherent or ioynyng togeather after the maner of ours but by a
passing from one to an other appeare in the similitude of a lyght candel They are a token of securitie bycause they are litle not slowe or grosse whereby they myght haue ioyned altogeather in one and been thereby more malicious and lasted longer whereas beyng many and but little they are the sooner consumed Hytherto Cardanus But let vs nowe returne to the vyage When they had sayled paste the Equinoctiall lyne they loste the sight of the North starre and sayled by the southwest vntyll they came to a lande named the lande of Bressil whiche some call Brasilia beyng .xxii. degrees and a halfe towarde the south pole or pole Antartike This lande is continuate and one firme lande with the cape of saint Augustine whiche is .viii. degrees from the Equinoctiall In this lande they were refreshed with many good fruites of innumerable kyndes and founde here also very good suger canes and diuers kindes of beasts and other thinges which I omit for breuitie They entered into this hauen on saint Lucies day where the Sunne being theyr Zenith that is the poynte of heauen directly ouer theyr heades they felte greater heate that day then when they were vnder the Equinoctial lyne This lande of Brasile is very large and great and bygger then all Spayne Portugale Fraunce and Italie and is most abundaunt in all thinges The people of this countrey pray to no maner of thyng but lyue by the instincte of nature and to the age of C.xx and C.xl. yeeres Both the men and women goe naked and dwell in certayne long houses They are very docible and soone allured to the Christian fayth Thirtiene dayes after that they arryued at the sayde porte they departed from this lande and sayled to the xxxiiii degree and a halfe towarde the pole Antartike where they founde a great ryuer of freshe water and certayne Caniballes Of these they sawe one out of theyr shyppes of stature as byg as a Giant hauing a voice like a Bull. Our men pursued them but they were so swyfte of foote that they coulde not ouertake them About the mouth of this riuer are seuen Ilandes in the byggest whereof they founde certayne precious stones and called it the cape of sainct Marie The Spanyardes thought that by this ryuer they myght haue passed into the South sea but they were deceyued in theyr opinion For there was none other passage then by the riuer which is .xvii. leagues large in the mouth Thus folowing this coaste by the tracte of the lande towarde the pole Antartike they came to a place where were two Ilandes replenished with Geese and Wolues of the sea which some thinke to be those fyshes that we call Pikes These were in such number that in an houre all the fyue shyppes might haue ben laden with Geese being all of blacke colour and such as can not flee They liue of fish and are so fatte that they could scarsely flay them They haue no feathers but a certayne downe and theyr bylles lyke Rauens bylles These Woolues of the sea are of dyuers colours and of the bygnesse of Calues with theyr heades of golden colour Here were they in great danger by tempest But as soone as the three fyres called sainct Helen sainct Nycolas and saint Clare appeared vppon the cables of the shyppes sodaynely the tempeste and furie of the wyndes ceassed Departyng from hence they sayled to the .49 degree and a halfe vnder the pole Antartike where beyng wyntered they were inforced to remayne there for the space of two monethes all which tyme they sawe no man excepte that one day by chaunce they espyed a man of the stature of a Giant who came to the hauen daunsing and singyng and shortly after seemed to cast dust ouer his head The Captayne sent one of his men to the shore with the shyppe Boate who made the lyke signe of peace The which thyng the Giant seeyng was out of feare and came with the Captaynes seruaunt to his presence into a little Ilande When he sawe the Captayne with certayne of his company about him he was greatly amased and made signes holdyng vp his hande to heauen signifying thereby that our men came from thence This Giant was so byg that the head of one of our men of a meane stature came but to his waste He was of good corporature well made in all partes of his bodie with a large visage painted with diuers colours but for the most parte yelow Uppon his cheekes were paynted two Hartes and red circles about his eyes The heare of his head was coloured whyte and his apparell was the skynne of a beast sowde togeather This beast as seemed vnto vs had a large head and great eares lyke vnto a Mule with the body of a Camell and tayle of a horse The feete of the Giant were foulded in the sayde skynne after the maner of shooes He had in his hande a bygge and shorte bowe the stryng whereof was made of a sinewe of that beaste He had also a bundell of long arrows made of Reedes feathered after the maner of ours typte with sharpe stones in the steade of Iron heades The Captayne caused him to eate and drynke gaue him many thinges and among other a great lookyng glasse In the which as soone as he sawe his owne lykenesse was sodaynly afrayde and started backe with suche violence that hee ouerthrewe two that stoode nearest about him When the Captayne had thus gyuen him certayne Haukes belles and other great belles with also a lookyng glasse a combe and a payre of beades of glasse he sent him to lande with foure of his owne men well armed Shortly after they sawe an other Giant of somewhat greater stature with his bowe and arrowes in his hande As hee drewe neare vnto our men he layde his hande on his head and poynted vp towarde heauen and our men dyd the lyke The Captayne sent his shyppe Boate to bryng him to a litle Ilande beyng in the Hauen This Giant was very tractable and pleasaunte He soong and daunsed and in his daunsing lefte the print of his feete on the grounde He remayned long with our men who named him Iohan. He coulde well speake and playnely pronounce these woordes Iesus Aue Maria Iohannes euen as we doe but with a bygger voyce The Captayne gaue him a shert of linnen cloth a coate of white woollen cloth also a cappe a combe a looking glasse with diuers such other thinges and so sent him to his company The day folowing he resorted agayne to the shyppes and brought with him one of those great beastes which he gaue the Captayne But after that day they neuer saw him more supposing him to be slayne of his owne company for the conuersation he had with our men After other .xv. dayes were past there came foure other Giantes without any weapons but had hyd theyr bowes and arrowes in certaine bushes The Captaine retayned two of these
which were youngest and beste made He tooke them by a deceite in this maner that giuing them knyues sheares looking glasses belles beades of Crystall suche other trifles he so filled theyr handes that they coulde holde no more then caused two payre of shackels of Iron to be put on theyr legges makyng signes that he would also giue them those chaynes which they lyked very wel bycause they were made of bright and shining metall And wheras they could not carry them bycause theyr handes were full the other Giantes would haue caryed them but the captaine would not suffer them When they felte the shackels faste about theyr legges they began to doubt but the Captayne dyd put them in comfort and bad them stande still In fine when they sawe howe they were deceiued they roared lyke bulles cryed vppon theyr great deuill Setebos to helpe them Being thus taken they were immediately seperate and put in sundry shippes They could neuer bynde the handes of the other two yet was one of them with much difficultie ouerthrowen by .ix. of our men his hands boūd but he sodeinly loosed him selfe and fled as did also the other that came with them In their fleeing they shot of their arrowes and slue one of our men They say that when any of them dye there appeare x. or .xii deuils leaping and daunsing about the bodie of the dead and seeme to haue their bodies paynted with diuers colours and that among other there is one seene bigger then the residue who maketh great mirth reioysing This great deuyll they call Setebos and call the lesse Cheleule One of these Giantes which they tooke declared by signes that he had seene deuylles with two hornes aboue their heades with long heare downe to theyr feete and that they caste foorth fyre at theyr throates both before and behynde The Captayne named these people Patagoni The most parte of them weare the skynnes of such beastes whereof I haue spoken before and haue no houses of continuance but make certayne cotages which they couer with the sayd skynnes and carry them from place to place They lyue of raw fleshe and a certayne sweete roote which they call Capar One of these whiche they had in theyr shyppes dyd eate at one meale a baskette of Bysket and droonke a bowle of water at a draught They remayned fyue monethes in this porte of Sainct Iulian where certayne of the vnder captaynes conspiryng the death of theyr Generall were hanged and quartered among whom the Treasurer Luigo of Mendozza was one Certayne of the other conspiratours he lefte in the sayde lande of Patogoni Departyng from hence to the .52 degree towarde the pole Antartike lackyng a thirde parte they founde a ryuer of freshe water and good fyshe Theyr shyppes were here in great daunger They remayned two monethes in this porte where they made newe prouision of freshe water fuell and fyshe Here the Captayne caused all his men to bee confessed Approching to the .52 degrees they found the straight now called the straight of Magellanus beyng in some place a hundred and ten leagues in length and in breadth somewhere very large and in other places little more then halfe a league in breadth On both the sides of this straight are great and hygh mountaynes couered with snowe beyonde the which is the enteraunce into the sea of Sur. This enteraunce the Captayne named Mare Pacificum Heere one of the shippes stole away priuilie and returned into Spaine In this was one of the Giantes who dyed assoone as he felte the heate that is about the Equinoctiall lyne When the Captaine Magalianes was paste the straight and sawe the way open to the other mayne sea he was so glad thereof that for ioye the teares fell from his eyes and named the poynt of the lande from whence he first sawe that sea Capo Desiderato Supposing that the shyppe which stole away had been lost they erected a crosse vpon the top of a hygh hil to directe their course in the straight if it were theyr chaunce to come that way They founde that in this straight in the moneth of October the nyght was not past foure houres long They founde in this straight at euery three myles a safe hauen and excellent water to drynke wood also and fyshe and great plentie of good hearbes They thinke that there is not a fayrer straight in the worlde Here also they sawe certaine fleeing fyshes The other Giant which remayned with them in the shyppe named breade Capar water Oli redde cloth Cherecai red colour Cheiche blacke colour Amel And spoke all his wordes in the throate On a tyme as one made a crosse before him and kyssed it shewyng it vnto him he sodaynely cryed Setebos and declared by signes that if they made any more crosses Setebos would enter into his bodie and make him brust But when in fine he sawe no hurte come thereof he tooke the crosse and imbrased and kyssed it oftentymes desiryng that he myght be a Christian before his death He was therefore baptysed and named Paule Departyng out of this straight into the sea called Mare Pac ficum the .xxviii. day of Nouember in the yeere .1520 they sayled three monethes and twentie dayes before they sawe any land and hauyng in this tyme consumed all theyr Bysket and other victualles they fell into suche necessitie that they were inforced to eate the pouder that remayned thereof beyng nowe full of woormes and stynkyng lyke pysse by reason of the salte water Theyr freshe water was also putrified and become yelowe They dyd eate skynnes and peeces of leather whiche were foulded about certayne great ropes of the shyppes but these skynnes beyng made very harde by reason of the Sunne rayne and wynde they hung them by a corde in the sea for the space of foure or fiue dayes to mollifie them and sodde them and ate them By reason of this famyne and vncleane feedyng some of their gummes grewe so ouer theyr teethe that they dyed miserably for hunger And by this occasion dyed menetiene men and also the Giaunt with an Indian of the lande of Brasile otherwyse called Terra de papagalli that is the lande of Popingayes Beside these that dyed .xxv or .xxx. were so sicke that they were not able to doe any seruice with theyr handes or armes for feeblenesse So that there was in maner none without some disease In these three monethes and xx dayes they sayled foure thousande leagues in one gulfe by the sayde sea called Pacificum that is peaceable which may well be so called forasmuch as in all this tyme hauyng no sight of any lande they had no misfortune of wynde or any other tempest During this tyme also they discouered only two little Ilandes vnhabited where they sawe nothing but birdes trees and therefore named them infortunate Ilandes being one from the other about two
Ilande This is the summe of those thynges whiche olde Critia sayde he had vnderstoode of Solon And certaynely these wordes of Plato of the said Iland haue caused great contention among many great Philosophers which haue written commentaries vpon the sayde Dialogue of Timeus composed by Plato Insomuche that the same in those dayes being vtterly vnknowen many haue taken this narration of Solon for an allegorical fable and haue interpreted the same in diuers senses and meanynges But it may nowe well appeare the true meanyng hereof to be this that Plato intendyng to wryte of the vniuersall frame of the worlde the whiche he knewe to be made an habitation for the diuine best man and also beholdyng therin the great ornament and beautie of the heauen and starres whereby man myght knowe his God and creatour it myght seeme to hym a thyng to farre from reason that only two partes thereof shoulde be inhabited and the other part desolate and depriued of men and that the Sunne and starres might seeme to shewe theyr lyght only halfe theyr course without profite shining only vpon the sea and desolate places destitute of man and other liuing creatures And therefore Plato had in great admiration the hystorie of the sayde Egyptian priest makyng mention of an other part of the worlde besyde Asia Europa and Africa and thought it woorthy to be rehearsed in the beginning of his diuine Dialogue aforesayde We ought therefore certainely to thinke our selues most bounde vnto God that in these our tymes it hath pleased hym to reueale and discouer this secrete in the fyndyng of this newe worlde whereby we are certaynely assured that vnder our Pole starre and vnder the Equinoctial line are most goodlye and ample regions as well and commodiously inhabited as are other partes of the worlde best knowen vnto vs. The testimonie of the Poet Seneca in his Tragedie De Medea where by the spirite of Poetical furie he sayth Venient annis Secula seris quibus Oceanus Vincula rerum laxet et ingens Pateat tellus Typhisque nouos Detegat Orbes Nec sit terris vltima Thyle Whiche may be thus Englished In late yeeres newe worldes shal be founde And newe landes shal then appeare on the grounde When Typhis Nauigation newe worldes shal fynde out Then shal not Thyle for last be left out For then shal the Ocean dissolue his large bandes And shewe foorth newe worldes regions and landes ⧠To the moste noble prince and catholike kynge Charles Peter Martyr of Angleria wisheth perpetual felicitie THe diuine prouidence from the time that he fyrst created the worlde hath reserued vnto this day the knowledge of the great and large Ocean sea In the whiche tyme he hath opened the same chiefely vnto you moste mightie Prince by the good fourtune and happie successe of your grandfather by your mother syde The same prouidence I knowe not by what destenie hath brought me out of my natiue countrey of Milane and out of the citie of Rome where I continued almost .x. yeeres into Spaine that I myght particularlye collecte these marueilous and newe thinges which shoulde otherwyse perhappes haue lien drowned in the whirlepoole of obliuion forasmuche as the Spanyardes men worthy great commendation had only care to the generall inuentions of these thinges Notwithstanding I do not chalenge vnto me only the thankes of the trauaile bestowed herein whereas the chiefe rewarde therof is due to Ascanius vicount Cardinal who perceauyng that I was wylling to departe out of the citie to be present at the warres of Granatum disswaded me from my purpose But seeing that I was fully resolued to departe exhorted required me to write vnto him suche newes as were famous in Spaine worthy to be noted I toke therfore my iourney into Spayne chiefely for the desyre I had to see thexpedition whiche was prepared agaynst the enimies of the fayth forasmuche as in Italye by reason of the dissention among the Princes I coulde fynde nothyng wherewith I myght feede my wytte beyng a younge man desyrous of knowledge and experience of thynges I was therefore presente at the warres from whence I writte to Cardinal Ascanius and by sundry epistles certifyed hym of such thinges as I thought most woorthye to be put in memorie But when I perceiued that his fortune was turned from a naturall mother to a stepdame I ceassed from wrytyng Yet after I sawe that by thouerthrowe of the enimies of our fayth Spayne was pourged of the Moores as of an euil weede plucked vp by the rootes leste I shoulde bestowe my slippery yeares in vnprofitable idlenesse I was mynded to returne to Italie But the singuler benignitie of both the Catholyke kyng and queene nowe departed and theyr large promises towarde me vpon my returne from my legacie of Babylon deteyned me from my purpose Yet doth it not repent me that I drew backe my foote aswel for that I see in no other place of the world at this tyme the lyke woorthy thinges to be done as also that in maner throughout all Italie by reason of the discorde of Christian Princes I perceiued all thynges to runne headlong into ruine the countreys to be destroyed and made fatte with humane blood the cities sacked virgins and matrones with theyr goods and possessions caried away as captiues and miserable innocentes without offence to be slayne vnarmed within theyr owne houses Of the whiche calamities I dyd not onely heare the lamentable outcryes but dyd also feele the same For euen the blood of myne owne kinsfolkes and frendes was not free from that crueltie As I was therefore musyng with my selfe of these thynges the Cardinal of Arragone after that he had seene the two fyrst bookes of my Decades wrytten to Ascanius required me in the name of kyng Frederike his vncle to put foorth the other eyght epistle bookes In the meane tyme also whyle I was voyde of al care as touching the matters of the Ocean the Apostolicall messengers of the byshop of Rome Leo the tenth by whose holsome counsayle and aucthoritie we trust the calamities of Italy shal be fynished raysed me as it were from sleepe encoraged me to proceede as I had begun To his holynesse I wrytte two Decades comprysed in short bookes after the maner of epistles and added them to the fyrst which was printed without mine aduise as shal further appeare by the preface folowyng But nowe I returne to you most noble Prince from whom I haue somwhat digressed Therfore wheras your grandfather by your mothers side haue subdued al Spaine vnder your dominion except only one corner of the same and haue also lefte you the kingdome of Naples with the fruteful Ilands of our seas it is surely a great thing and worthy to be noted in our cronacles But not offendyng the reuerence due to our predecessours whatsoeuer from the begynnyng of the worlde hath been doone or wrytten to this day to my iudgement seemeth but lyttle yf we
to the west they iudged to be a hundred fyftie myle They affirme all these ilandes to be maruelous fayre and fruitefull This last they called Sancta Maria Antiqua Saylyng forwarde and leauyng many other ilandes after they had sayled about fourtie myles they chaunced vpon an other much bygger then any of the rest which thinhabitans call Ay Ay but they named it Insula crucis Here they cast anker to fetche freshe water The Admiral also commaunded .xxx. men to goe a lande out of his owne shyp and to search the ilande Here they founde foure dogges on the shore The Inhabitants are Canibales and maruelous experte in shooting as wel women as men and vse to infect their arrowes with poyson When they had taried there two dayes they sawe a farre of a Canoa in the whiche were eight men and as many women hauyng with them bowes and arrowes They fiercely assayled our men without all feare and hurt some of them with theyr venemous arrowes Among these there was a certayne woman to whom the other gaue reuerence and obeyed as though she were theyr queene Her sonne wayted vppon her beyng a young man strongly made of terrible and frownyng countenance and a Lions face Our men leaste they shoulde take the more hurte by beyng wounded a farre of thought it beste to ioyne with them Therfore with al speede setting forward with their ores the brigandine in whiche they were sette alande they ouerturned their Canoa with a great violence whiche being ouerwhelmed they notwithstanding as wel the women as the men swymming caste theyr dartes at our men thicke and threefolde At the length geatheryng them selues togeather vpon a rocke couered with the water they fought manfully vntyll they were ouercome and taken one beyng slayne and the queenes sonne sore wounded When they were brought into the Admirals shippe they dyd no more put of their fiercenes and cruel countenaunces then do the Lions of Lybia when they perceiue them selues to be bounde in chaynes There is no man able to beholde them but he shall feele his bowels grate with a certayne horrour nature hath endued them with so terrible menacing and cruell aspect This coniecture I make of mee selfe other which oftentymes went with me to see them at Methymna Campi but nowe to returne to the voyage Proceeding thus further and further more then fyue hundred myles fyrste towarde the west southwest then towarde the southwest and at the length towarde the west northwest they entred into a mayne large sea hauyng in it innumerable ilandes marueylously dyfferyng one from another for some of them were very fruitefull and full of hearbes and trees other some very drye barren and rough with high rockye mountaynes of stone whereof some were of bryght blewe or asurine colour and other glysteryng whyte wherefore they supposed them by good reason to be the mâ—nes of mettalles and precious stones but the roughnesse of the sea and multitude of ilandes standyng so thycke togeather hyndered them so that they coulde cast no anker lest the bigger vesselles shoulde runne vppon the rockes therefore they deferred the searchyng of these ilandes vntyll another tyme they were so manye and stoode so thycke that they coulde not number them yet the smaller vesselles whiche drewe no great deapth entred among them and numbred fourtie and syxe ilandes but the bygger vessels kept aloofe in the mayne sea â–ª for feare of the rockes They call the sea where this multitude of ilandes are situate Archipelagus From this tracte proceding forward in the midde way there lyeth an ilande whiche thinhabitantes call Burichina or Buchena but they named it Insula S. Iohannis Dyuers of them whom we had delyuered from the Canibales sayde that they were borne in this ilande affirming it to be verye populous and frutefull hauing also many faire wooddes and hauens Ther is deadly hatred and continual battayle betwene them and the Canibales They haue no boates to passe from their owne coastes to the Canibales but if it be their chaunce to ouercome them when they make incursion into theyr countrey to seeke their praye as it sometyme happeneth the fortune of warre being vncertayne they serue them with like sause requiting death for death For one of them mangeleth an other in pieces and roste them and eate them euen before their eyes They taryed not in this ilande Yet in the west angle therof a fewe of them went a lande for freshe water and founde a great and high house after the maner of their buyldyng hauing .xii. other of their vulgare cotages placed about the same but were all lefte desolate whether it were that they resorted to the mountaynes by reason of the heate which was that tyme of the yeere and to returne to the playne when the ayre waxeth coulder or els for feare of the Canibales whiche make incursion into the ilande at certayne seasons In al this ilande is only one kyng The south syde hereof extendeth about two hundreth myles Shortly after they came to the ilande of Hispaniola being distante from the firste ilande of the Canibales fyue hundreth leagues Here they founde al thinges out of order and theyr felowes slayne whiche they lefte here at their fyrst voyage In the begynnyng of Hispaniola hauing in it many regions and kyngdomes as we haue sayde is the region of Xamana whose kyng is named Guaccanarillus This Guaccanarillus ioyned frendship with our men at the fyrst voyage and made a league with them but in the absence of the Admirall he rebelled and was the cause of our mens destruction although he dissimuled the same and pretended frendship at the Admirales returne As our men sayled on yet a litle further they espied a long Canoa with many ores in whiche was the brother of Guaccanarillus with only one man wayting on hym He brought with him two images of golde whiche he gaue the Admyrall in the name of his brother and tolde a tale in his language as concernyng the death of our men as they prooued afterwarde but at this tyme had no regarde to his communication for lacke of interpretours whiche were eyther all dead or escaped and stolne away when they drewe neare the ilandes But of the ten seuen dyed by chaunge of ayre and dyet The inhabitauntes of these ilandes haue ben euer so vsed to lyue at libertie in play and pastyme that they can hardly away with the yoke of seruitude which they attempte to shake of by all meanes they may And surely yf they had receiued our religion I woulde thynke theyr lyfe moste happie of all men yf they myght therewith enioye theyr auncient libertie A fewe thinges contente them hauyng no delyte in suche superfluities for the whiche in other places men take infinite paynes and commit manye vnlawfull actes and yet are neuer satisfied whereas manye haue to muche and none yenough But among these symple
whole to the kyng in that shyp in the which the gouernour Boadilla was commyng home into Spaine the shyp with all the men beyng drowned by the way by reason it was ouer laden with the weyght of gold multitude of men albeit there were mo then a thousande persons which saw and handeled the piece of gold And wheras here I speake of a pounde I do not meane the common pounde but the summe of the ducate of gold with the coyne called Triens which is the third part of a pounde which they call Pesus The summe of the weight hearof the Spanyardes call Castelanum Aureum All the gold that is digged in the mountaines of Cibaua and Port Regale is caried to the tower of Conception where shoppes with al thinges appertayning are redy furnished to fine it melt it and caste it into wedges That doone they take the kynges portion therof which is the fyfte parte and so restore to euery man his owne which he gotte with his labour But the gold which is founde in saynt Christophorus myne and the regions there about is caryed to the shoppes which are in the vyllage called Bonauentura In these two shops is moulten yeerely aboue three hundred thousand pound wayght of gold Yf any man be knowen deceytfullye to keepe backe any portion of golde whereof he hath not made the kynges officers priuie he forfeyteth the same for a fyne There chaunceth among them oftentymes many contentions and controuersies the whiche vnlesse the magistrates of the Ilande do fynyshe the case is remoued by appellation to the hygh counsayle of the court from whose sentence it is not lawfull to appeale in al the dominions of Castyle But let vs nowe returne to the newe landes from whence we haue digressed They are innumerable diuers and exceedyng fortunate Wherefore the Spanyardes in these our dayes and theyr noble enterpryses do not geue place eyther to the factes of Saturnus or Hercules or anye other of the auncient prynces of famous memory which were canonized among the goddes called Heroes for theyr searchyng of newe landes and regions and bryngyng the same to better culture and ciuilitie Oh God howe large farre shal our posteritie see the Christian religion extended howe large a campe haue they now to wander in whiche by the true nobilitie that is in them or mooued by vertue wyll attempt eyther to deserue lyke prayse among men or reputation of well doyng before God What I conceiue in my mynde of these thynges I am not able to expresse with penne or tongue I wil now therfore so make an end of this perpendiculer conclusion of the whole Decade as myndyng hereafter to search and geather euery thyng particulerly that I may at further leysure wryte the same more at large For Colonus the Admiral with foure ships and a hundred threescore and ten men appoynted by the kyng discouered in the yeere of Christe .1520 the lande oueragaynst the West corner of Cuba distant from the same about a hundred and thirtie leagues in the myddest of whiche tracte lyeth an Ilande called Guanassa From hence he directed his voyage backwarde toward the East by the shore of that coast supposyng that he shoulde haue founde the coastes of Paria but it chaunced otherwise It is sayde also that Vincencius Agnes of whom we haue spoken before and one Iohannes Daiz with diuers other of whose voyages I haue as yet no certayne knowledge haue ouerrunne those coastes but yf God graunt me lyfe I trust to knowe the trueth hereof and to aduertise you of the same Thus fare ye well The ende of the fyrst Decade The fyrst booke of the seconde Decade to Leo Bishop of Rome the tenth of that name of the supposed continent or firme lande SInce the tyme that Galeatius Butrigarius of Bononie and Iohannes Cursius of Florence most holy father came to the Catholique kyng of Spayne the one of your holinesse ambassage and the other for the affayres of his common wealth I was euer for the moste parte in theyr companye and for theyr vertues and wysedome had them in great reuerence And whereas they were greatlye geuen to studie and continuall reuoluing of diuers auctours they chaunced vpon certayne bookes negligently let slyppe out of my handes entreatyng of the large landes and regions hytherto lying hyd and almost West Antipodes founde of late by the Spanyardes Yet being allured and delyted with the newnesse and straungenesse of the matter although rudely adourned they commended the same therewith earnestly desyryng me in theyr owne names and requiring me in the name of your holynesse to adde hereunto al such thynges as were founde after that tyme and to geue them a copie therof to sende to your holynesse that you myght thereby vnderstande both howe great commodities is chaunced to the progenie of mankynde as also encrease of the millitant congregation in these our dayes by the fortunate enterpryses of the kynges of Spayne For lyke as rased and vnpaynted tables are apte to receiue what fourmes soeuer are fyrst drawen thereon by the hande of the paynter euen so these naked and simple people doo soone receyue the customes of our religion and by conuersation of our men shake of theyr fierce and natiue barbarousnesse I haue thought it good therfore to satisfie the request of these wyse men espetially vsyng thaucthorytie of your name wherunto not to haue obeyed I shoulde esteeme my selfe to haue commytted a heynous offence Wherfore I wyll nowe briefly rehearse in order what hyd coastes the Spanyardes ouerran who were thaucthours therof where they rested what further hope they brought and finallye what greate thynges those tractes of landes do promyse in time to come In the declaration of my decade of the ocean which is nowe prynted and dyspersed throughout Chrystendome vnwares to me I described howe Christophorus Colonus founde those ilandes wherof wee haue spoken and that turnyng from thence towarde the left hande southward he chaunced into greate regions of landes and large seas dystant from the Equinoctiall lyne onely from fyue degrees to tenne where he founde brode ryuers and exceeding hygh mountaynes couered with snowe and harde by the sea bankes where were manye commodious and quyet hauens But Colonus being now departed out of this lyfe the kyng beganne to take care how those lands might be inhabited with Christian men to thincrease of our fayth Wheruppon he gaue lycence by his letters patentes to al such as would take the matter in hand and espetially to two wherof Diego Nicuesa was one the other was Alphonsus Fogeda Wherfore about the Ides of December Alphonsus departing fyrst with three hundred souldiers from the ilande of Hispaniola in the which we sayd the Spaniardes had builded a cytie planted theyr habitation saylyng in maner ful south he came to one of the hauens found before which Colonus named Portus carthaginis both because of the iland
of muche better taste and more wholsome then mutton for it is not to be doubted but that diuers kindes of meates doo engender sundry tastes and qualities in such as are nourished therwith The most puissant prince Ferdinandus declared that he had eaten of another fruite brought from those landes being full of scales with keyes much lyke a pineapple in fourme and colour but in tendernes equal to melow pepons and in taste exceedyng al garden fruites for it is no tree but an hearbe much like vnto an archichoke or Acantho The king him selfe gaue the cheefest commendation to this I haue eaten none of these fruits for of a great number which they brought from thence only one remayned vncorrupted the other being putrified by reason of the long voyage Al suche as haue eaten of them newly geathered in their natiue soyle do marueylously commende theyr sweetenesse and pleasaunt taste They dygge also out of the grounde certayne rootes growyng of them selues whiche they call Betatas muche lyke vnto the nauie rootes of Millane or the great puffes or mushromes of the earth Howsoeuer they be dressed eyther fryed or sodde they geue place to no suche kynde of meate in pleasant tendernes The skinne is somwhat tougher then eyther the nauies or mushromes and of earthy colour but the inner meate therof is very white These are nourished in gardens as we sayd of Iucca in the first Decade They are also eaten rawe and haue the taste of rawe chestnuts but are somewhat sweeter We haue spoken sufficiently of trees hearbes and fruites we wyl nowe therefore entreate of thynges sencitiue The landes and desolate pastures of these regions are inhabited and deuoured of wylde and terrible beastes as Lions Tygers and suche other monsters as we nowe knowe and haue ben described of olde auctours in tyme past But there is specially one beast engendred here in which nature hath endeuoured to shew her cunnyng This beast is as bygge as an Oxe armed with a long snoute lyke an Elephant and yet no Elephant of the colour of an oxe and yet no oxe with the hoofe of a horse and yet no horse with eares also muche lyke vnto an Elephant but not so open nor so much hangyng downe yet muche wyder then the eares of any other beast Of the beast which beareth her whelpes about with her in her second belly as in a purse beyng knowen to none of the olde wryters I haue spoken in the fyrst Decade which I doubt not to haue come to the handes of your holynesse Let vs nowe therefore declare what resteth of the flooddes and ryuers of Vraba The riuer of Dariena falleth into the gulfe of Vraba with a narow chanel scarcely able to beare the Canoas or Lighters of that prouince and runneth by the village where they chose theyr dwellyng place but the ryuer in the corner of the gulfe whiche we sayde that Vaschus passed by they founde to be .xxiiii. furlonges in breadth which they call a league and of exceedyng deapth as of two hundred cubits fallyng into the gulfe by diuers mouthes They say that this riuer falleth into the gulfe of Vraba lyke as the ryuer Ister otherwyse called Danubius and Danowe falleth into the sea Pontike and Nilus into the sea of Egypt wherefore they named it Grandis that is great whiche also they affyrme to nouryshe many and great Crocodiles as the old writers testifie of Nilus and especially as I haue learned by experience hauyng sayled vp and downe the riuer of Nilus when I was sent Ambassadour to the Souldane of Alcayâ— at the commaundement of the most catholique kyng What I may therefore geather out of the wrytynges of so many learned aucthours as concernyng the riuer of Nilus I knowe not for they say that nature hath geuen two ryuers of that name to water the lande whether they wyl them to spryng out of the mountaynes of the moone or the sunne or out of the tops of the rough mountaines of Ethiopia affyrmyng one of the same to fall into the gulfe of Egypt toward the North and the other into the south Ocean sea What shal we say in this place Of that Nilus in Egypt there is no doubt The Portugales also which sayle by the coastes of the Ethiopians called Nigritae and by the kyngdome of Melinda passyng vnder y e Equinoctial lyne among theyr marueylous inuentions haue found another toward the South and earnestly affirme the same to be also deriued from the mountaynes of the moone and that it is another chanel of Nilus because it bringeth forth Crocodiles whereas it hath not ben read before time that any other riuer nourished Crocodiles sauing only Nilus This riuer the Portugales cal Senega It runneth through the region of the Nigritas beyng very fruiteful toward the North shore but on the South syde sandie and rough Crocodiles are also engendred herein What shal we then say of this thirde yea I may wel say the fourth for I suppose them also to be Crocodiles whiche Colonus with his company found armed with scales as hard as shelles in the ryuer called Delagartos wherof we haue made mention before Shal we say that these ryuers of Dariena also and Vraba haue theyr original from the mountaynes of the moone wheras they spryng out of the next mountaynes and can by no meanes haue the same original with Nilus in Egypt or that in Nigrita or els that in the kyngdome of Melinda from whence so euer they are deryued whereas these other as we haue sayde spring out of the next mountaynes which diuide another South sea with no great distance from the North Ocean Wherefore it appeareth by experience of such as haue trauailed the world in our tyme that other waters besyde the riuer of Nilus in Egypt may lykewyse bryng foorth Crocodiles In the Maryshes also and fennes of the regions of Dariena are founde great plentie of Phesantes and Peacockes but not of variable colours with manye other kyndes of byrdes and foules vnlyke vnto ours aswel apt to be eaten as also to delyte the eares of men with pleasaunt noyse But our Spanyardes because they are ignoraunt in fowlyng take but fewe Also innumerable popingayes of sundry kyndes are founde chattering in the groues of those fennie places Of these there are some equall to Capons in bygnesse and some as lytle as sparowes But of the diuersitie of popyngayes we haue spoken sufficiently in the fyrste Decade for in the rase of this large lande Colonus hym selfe brought and sent to the courte a great number of euery kynde the whiche it was lawfull for all the people to beholde and are yet dayly brought in like manner There remayneth yet one thyng moste woorthy to be put in hystorie the whiche I had rather to haue chaunced into the handes of Cicero or Liuie then into myne for the thyng is so marueylous in my estimation that I fynde my wytte more entangled in the
grouth Lykewyse whether pearles be harde within the shel or soft our men haue as yet no certayne experience but I trust or it be long to knowe the trueth hereof for our men are euen nowe in hand with the matter Also as soone as I shall be aduertised of the aryuall of Petrus Arias the captayne of our men I wyll desire hym by my letters to make diligent search for these thynges and certifie me therof in all poyntes I knowe that he wyll not be slacke or omit any thyng herein for he is my verye freende and one that taketh great pleasure in consideryng the workes of nature And surely it seemeth vnto me vndecent that we shoulde with silence ouerslyp so great a thyng which aswel in the olde tyme as in our dayes hath and yet doth drawe both men and women to the immoderate desire of superfluous pleasure Spayne therfore shal be able hereafter with pearles to satisfie the greedy appetyte of such as in wanton pleasures are lyke vnto Cleopatra and Asopus So that from hencefoorth we shall neyther enuie nor reuerence the nice fruitefulnesse of Stoidum or Taprobana or the red sea But let vs now returne to our purpose Vaschus therfore determined with the fyshers of Chiapes to proue what myght be doone in his fishe pooles or stations of sea muscles Chiapes to shewe hym selfe obedient to Vaschus his request although the sea were boysteous commaunded thyrtie of his fyshers to prepare them selues and to resort to the fishyng places Vaschus sent onely sixe of his men with them to beholde them from the sea bankes but not to commit them selues to the daunger of the sea The fishyng place was distant from the pallace of Chiapes about tenne myles They durst not aduenture to dyue to the bottome by reason of the furie of the sea Yet of the muscles whiche lye hyghest and of such as were dryuen to the shore by the violence of the water they brought syxe great fardelles in the space of a fewe dayes The pearles of these were but lyttle about the bygnesse of small fytches yet verye fayre and beautifull by reason that they were taken newely out of the fyshe beyng yet rawe And that they should not be reproued of lying as concernyng the bygnesse of these sea muscles they sent many of them into Spayne to the kyng with the pearles the fyshe beyng taken out We thynke veryly that there may in no place bygger be founde These shel fyshes therefore beyng thus founde here in so many places in that sea and gold in maner in euery house doo argue the ryche treasurie of nature to be hydde in those coastes forasmuche as great ryches haue ben founde as it were in the litle fynger of a giauntes hande What then may we thynke of the whole hande of the giaunt for hytherto they haue onlye benne in hande with the confines of Vraba when they shall haue throughlye searched all the coastes and secretes of the inner partes of all that large lande But Vaschus contented with these signes and ioyfull of his good successe in these enterpryses determined by another way to returne to his felowes in Dariena where also they haue golde mynes about tenne myles from the vyllage He gaue therefore kyng Chiapes leaue to depart and to folowe hym no further counsaylyng hym to continue faythful vnto the christian king his lord and maister Thus embracing the one the other ioyning handes Chiapes departed with teares declaring the good minde which he bore to our men Vaschus leauing his sicke men with Chiapes went forward on his iourney with the residue hauyng also with hym for guides three of Chiapes Maryners He conueyghed his armie ouer a great riuer into the dominion of a certayne king called Teaocha who beyng aduertised of the commyng of our men of whose famous actes he had hearde muche before was very glad thereof and enterteyned them honourably so that for a token of his frendly affection toward them he gaue Vaschus twentie pounds weight of wrought golde after eyght ounces to the pounde also two hundred bygge pearles but not fayre by reason they were taken out of the muscles after they had ben sodden After they had ioyned hands Vaschus recompenced him with certayne of our thinges lykewyse rewarding his guides the seruantes of Chiapes he dismissed them with commendations to their lord King Teaocha at the departure of our men from his pallace dyd not only appoynt them guides to conduct them in the way but also gaue them certayne slaues in the steede of beastes to cary theyr vittuals because they should passe through many desartes barren and rough mountaynes and terrible woods ful of Tigers and Lions He sent also one of his sonnes with these slaues lading them with salted and dried fishe bread of those regions made of the rootes of Maizium and Iucca He also commaunded his sonne not to depart from our men vntil he were licensed by Vaschus By theyr conductyng therfore Vaschus came to the dominion of an other kyng whose name was Pacra a cruel tyrant fearefull to the other kynges his borderers and of greater power then any of them This tyrant whether it were that his giltie conscience for his mischeuous actes put him in feare that our men woulde reuenge the same or that he thought him selfe inferiour to resist them fled at their comming Vaschus writeth that in these regions in the moneth of Nouember he was sore afflicted with great heate and intollerable thirst by reason that side of the mountaynes hath little water Insomuche that they were in daunger to haue perished but that certayne of thinhabitantes shewed them of a spring which was in y e secret place of a wood whither Vaschus with all speede sent two quicke strong young men of his companions with theyr gourdes and such water vessels as Teaocha his men brought with them Of thinhabitantes there durst none depart from theyr company because the wyld beastes do sone inuade naked men For in those mountaines and especially in the woods neare vnto the spring they say that they are somtimes taken out of theyr houses in the night except they take good heede that the doores be well sparde It shal not be from my purpose heere to declare a particuler chaunce before I enter any further in this matter They say therfore that the last yeere the region of Dariena was no lesse infested and troubled with a fierse Tiger then was Calidonia in tyme past with a wild Boore and Nemea with a horrible Lion For they affyrme that for the space of syxe whole monethes there passed not one nyght without some hurt doone so that it kylled nyghtly eyther a Bullocke a Mare a Dogge or a Hogge and sometymes euen in the hygh wayes of the vyllage For our men haue nowe great heardes of cattayle in those regions They say also that when this Tyger had whelpes no man myght safelye goe
or thryse to and fro she casteth her selfe from branche to branche and so from tree to tree as though she flewe An archer of ours hurt one of them who perceiuyng her selfe to be wounded leapt downe from the tree and fiercely set on him whiche gaue her the wound in so much that he was fayne to defend hym selfe with his swoorde And thus by chaunce cuttyng of one of her armes he tooke her and with much a do brought her to the shyppes where within a while she waxed tame Whyle she was thus kept and bounde with cheynes certayne other of our hunters had chased a wylde Bore out of the maryshes neere vnto the sea syde for hunger and desyre of fleshe caused them to take double pleasure in huntyng In this meane tyme other which remayned in the shyppes goyng a lande to recreate them selues tooke this Monkie with them who assoone as she had espyed the Bore set vp her brystels and made towarde him The Bore lykewyse shooke his bristels and whet his teeth The Monkie furiously inuaded the Bore wrappyng her tayle about his body with her arme reserued of her victourer helde him so fast about the throte that he was suffocate These people of Cariai vse to drie the dead bodyes of theyr princes vppon hurdels and so reserue them inuolued in the leaues of trees As he went forwarde about twentie leagues from Cariai he founde a gulfe of suche largenes that it contayned .xii. leagues in compasse in the mouth of this gulfe was foure litle Ilandes so neere togeather that they made a safe hauen to enter into the gulfe This gulfe is the hauen whiche we sayde before to be called Cerabaro of thinhabitantes But they haue nowe learned that only the land of the one syde therof lying on the ryght hande at the enteryng of the gulfe is called by that name but that on the left syde is called Aburema He sayth that all this gulfe is full of fruitefull Ilandes wel replenished with goodly trees and the grounde of the sea to be very cleane without rockes and commodious to cast anker lykewyse the sea of the gulfe to haue great abundance of fyshe and the lande on both the sydes to bee inferyor to none in fruitfulnes At his fyrst arryuyng he espyed two of thinhabitantes hauyng cheynes about theyr neckes made of ouches whiche they call Guauines of base golde artificially wrought in the fourmes of Eagles and Lions with dyuers other beastes and foules Of the two Cariaians whiche he brought with hym from Cariai he was enfourmed that the regions of Cerabaro and Aburema were rych in golde and that the people of Cariai haue al theyr gold from thence for exchaunge of other of theyr thynges They tolde hym also that in the same regions there are fiue villages not farre from the sea syde whose inhabitants apply them selues onely to the geathering of gold The names of these villages are these Chirara Puren Chitaza Iureche Aâ—amea All the men of the prouince of Cerabaro go naked are painted with diuers colours They take great pleasure in wearing garlandes of floures and crownes made of the clawes of Lions Tygers The women couer only theyr priuie partes with a fyllet of gossampine cotton Departing from hence coasting styll by the same shore for the space of xviii leagues he came to another ryuer where he espyed about three hundred naked men in a company When they sawe the shyppes drawe neare the lande they cryed out aloude with cruel countenaunces shakyng theyr woodden swoordes and hurlyng dartes takyng also water in theyr mouthes and spouting the same agaynst our men whereby they seemed to insinuate that they woulde receiue no condition of peace or haue ought to do with them Here he commaunded certayne pieces of ordinaunce to be shot of cowarde them yet so to ouershoote them that none myght be hurt thereby For he euer determined to deale quietly peaceably with these newe nations At the noyse therefore of the gunnes and syght of the fyre they fel downe to the grounde and desyred peace Thus enteryng into further frendshyp they exchaunged theyr cheynes and ouches of golde for glasses and haukes belles and suche other marchandies They vse drummes or tymbrels made of the shelles of certaine sea fyshes wherewith they encorage them selues in the warres In this tract are these seuen ryuers Acateba Quareba Zobroba Aiaguitin Vrida Duribha Beragua in all the whiche golde is founde They defende them selues agaynst rayne and heat with certayne great leaues of trees in the steade of clokes Departyng from hence he searched the coastes of Ebetere and Embigar into the whiche fall the goodly ryuers of Zohoran and Cubigar And here ceasseth the plentie and fruitfulnes of gold in the tract of fiftie leagues or there about From hence only three leagues distant is the rocke whiche in the vnfortunat discourse of Nicuesa we sayde was called of our men Pignonem but of thinhabitantes the Region is called Vibba In this tract also about fyre leagues from thence is the hauen whiche Colonus called Portus Bellus wherof we haue spoken before in the region which thinhabitants cal Xaguaguara This region is very populous but they goe all naked The kyng is paynted with blacke colours but all the people with redde The kyng and seuen of his noble men had euery of them a litle plate of golde hangyng at theyr nosethrylles downe vnto theyr lyppes and this they take for a comely ornament The men inclose theyr priuie members in a shell and the women couer theyrs with a fyllet of gossampine cotton tyed about theyr loynes In theyr gardens they noryshe a fruite muche lyke the nut of a pine tree the which as we haue sayde in an other place groweth on a shrubbe muche lyke vnto an hartichoke but the fruite is much softer and meate for a kyng also certayne trees whiche beare gourdes whereof we haue spoken before this tree they call Hibuero In these coastes they met sometymes with Crocodiles lying on the sandes the whiche when they fled or tooke the water they left a very sweete sauoure behynde them sweeter then muske or Castoreum When I was sent ambassadoure for the catholyke kyng of Castile to the Soltane of Babylon or Alcayre in Egypt thinhabitantes neere vnto the ryuer of Nilus tolde me the lyke of theyr female Crocodiles affyrmyng furthermore that the fat or shewet of them is equall in sweetnes with the pleasaunt gummes of Arabie But the Admirall was nowe at the length enforced of necessitie to depart from hence aswell for that he was no longer able to abyde the contrarie and violent course of the water as also that his shyppes were dayly more and more putrified and eaten through with certayne wormes which are engendred of the warmenesse of the water in al those tractes neere vnto the Equinoctiall line The Uenetians call these wormes Bissas The same are also engendred in two hauens of the
say that this ryuer consisteth and taketh his encrease of foure other ryuers fallyng from the mountaynes of Dabaiba Our men call this ryuer Flumen S. Iohannis They say also that from hence it falleth into the gulfe of Vraba by seuen mouthes as dooth the ryuer of Nilus into the sea of Egypt Lykewyse that in the same region of Vraba there are in some places narowe streyghtes not passing fyfteene leagues and the same to be sauage and without any passage by reason of dyuers maryshes and desolate wayes whiche the Latines call Lamas but the Spanyardes accordyng to theyr varietie call them Tremedales Trampales Cenegales Sumideros Zabondaderos But before we passe any further it shall not be greatly from our purpose to declare from whence these mountaynes of Dabaiba haue theyr name accordyng vnto thantiquities of thinhabitantes They sayd that Dabaiba was a woman of great magnanimitie and wysedome among theyr predecessours in olde tyme whom in her lyfe all thinhabitantes of those prouinces dyd greatly reuerence and beyng dead gaue her diuine honour and named the region after her name beleeuyng that she sendeth thunder and lyghtnyng to destroy the fruites of the earth yf she be angred and to sende plentie if shee be well pleased This superstition hath been persuaded them by a craftie kynde of men vnder pretence of religion to thintent that they myght enioy suche gyftes and offeringes as were brought to the place where she was honoured This is sufficient for this purpose They say furthermore that the maryshes of the narowe land whereof we haue spoken bring forth great plentie of Crocodiles Dragons Battes and Gnats beyng very hurtfull Therefore whensoeuer they take any iourney towarde the south they go out of the way toward the mountaynes and eschewe the regions neere vnto those perylous fennes or maryshes Some thynke that there is a valley lying that way that the ryuer runneth which our men cal Rio de los perdidos that is the ryuer of the lost men so named by the misfortune whiche there befell to Nicuesa and his company and not farre distant from the hauen Cerabaro whiche diuideth those mountaines toward the south But let vs now finishe this booke with a fewe other thinges woorthy to be noted They say therefore that on the ryght hand and left hande from Dariena there are twentye ryuers in all the whiche great plentye of gold is found Beyng demaunded what was the cause why they brought no greater aboundance of golde from thence they answeared that they lacked miners and that the men whiche they tooke with them from Spayne thyther were not accustomed to labour but for the most part brought vp in the warres This land seemeth also to promise many precious stones For besyde those which I sayde to be founde neere vnto Cariai and Sancta Martha one Andreas Moralis a pilot who had trauayled those coastes with Iohannes de la Cossa whyle he yet lyued had a precious Diamonde whiche he bought of a naked young man in the region of Cumana in the prouince of Paria This stone was as long as two ioyntes of a mans myddle fynger and as byg as the fyrst ioynt of the thumbe beyng also paynted on euery syde consisting of eyght squares perfectly fourmed by nature They say that with this they made scarres in anuylles and hammers and brake the teeth of fyles the stone remayning vnperyshed The young man of Cumana wore this stone about his necke among other ouches solde it to Andreas Moralis for fyue of our counterfect stones made of glasse of diuers colours wherewith the ignorant young man was greatly delyted They found also certayne Topases on y e shore But the estimation of gold was so farre entred into the heades of our men that they had no regarde to stones Also the most part of the Spanyardes do laugh them to scorne which vse to weare many stones specially such as are common iudging it to be an effeminate thyng and more meete for women then men The noble men onely when they celebrate solemne mariages or set foorth any triumphes weare cheynes of gold beset with precious stones and vse fayre apparel of silke embrodered with golde intermixt with pearles and precious stones and not at other tymes They thynke it no lesse effeminate for men to smel of the sweete sauours of Arabie and iudge hym to be infected with some kynde of fylthy lechery in whom they smel the sauour of muske or Castoreum But lyke as by one apple taken from a tree we may perceiue the tree to be fruiteful and by one fyshe taken in a ryuer we may knowe that fyshe is ingendred in the same euen so by a litle gold and by one stone we ought to consyder that this lande bringeth foorth great plentie of golde and precious stones What they haue founde in the porte of Sancta Martha in the region of Cariai when the whole nauie passed thereby vnder the gouernaunce of Petrus Arias and his company with certayne other of the kynges officers I haue sufficiently declared in his place To be short therefore al thynges do so floryshe growe encrease and prosper that the last are euer better then the fyrst And surely to declare my opinion herein whatsoeuer hath heretofore ben discouered by the famous trauayles of Saturnus and Hercules with suche other whom the antiquitie for their heroical factes honoured as gods seemeth but litle and obscure if it be compared to the Spanyardes victorious labours Thus I bydde your holynesse farewell desyryng you to certifie me howe you lyke these fyrst fruites of the Ocean that beyng encouraged with your exhortations I may the gladlyer and with lesse tediousnesse wryte suche thinges as shall chaunce hereafter The fyfth booke of the thyrde Decade AL suche lyuyng creatures as vnder the cyrcle of the moone bring foorth any thing are accustomed by thinstincte of nature as soone as they are delyuered of theyr byrth eyther to close vp the matrice or at the least to be quyet for a space But our most fruitefull Ocean and newe worlde engendreth and bryngeth foorth dayly new byrthes wherby men of great wyt and especially such as are studious of new and marueylous thynges may haue somewhat at hand wherwith to feed theyr myndes Yf your holynesse do aske to what purpose is all this ye shal vnderstand that I had scarsly finished the historie of such thynges as chaunced to Vaschus Nunnez and his companie in theyr voyage to the south sea when sodenly there came new letters from Petrus Arias the new gouernour whom the kyng had appoynted the yeere before with an army of men and a nauy of shyps to sayle to these newe landes He signified by his letters that he with his nauie and company arryued al safely Furthermore Iohannes Cabedus whom your holinesse at the request of the most catholique kyng had created Bishop of that prouince of Dariena and three other of the cheefe officers ioyned in commission
to be his assystantes as Alfonsus de Ponte Diegus Marques and Iohannes de Tauira confyrmed the same letters and subscribed them with theyr names The nauigation therefore of Petrus Arias was in this maner The day before the Ides of Apryl in the yeere of Christe .1514 he hoysed vp his sayles in the towne of saint Lucar de Barrameda situate in the mouth of the ryuer Baetis which the Spanyardes nowe cal Guadalchebir The seuen Ilandes of Canaria are about foure hundred myles distant from the place where this riuer falleth into the sea Some thynke that these are the Ilandes whiche the olde wryters dyd call the fortunate Ilandes but other thynke the contrary The name of these Ilandes are these The two that appeare fyrst in sight are named Lanzelota and Fortisuentura On the backhalfe of these lyeth Magna Canaria or Grancanaria Beyond that is Teuerif and Gomera somewhat towarde the north from that Palma and Ferrea lye behynde as it were a bulwarke to al the other Petrus Arias therfore arriued at Gomera the eyght day after his departure with a nauie of seuenteene ships a thousand and fiue hundred men although there were only a thousand and two hundred assigned hym by the kynges letters It is sayd furthermore that he left behynde hym more then two thousande very pensiue and sighing that they also myght not be receiued proferyng them selues to goe at theyr owne charges He taryed xvi dayes in Gomera to the intent to make prouision of fuel and freshe water but cheefely to repayre his shyppes beyng sore broosed with tempestes and especially the gouernours shyppe which had lost the rudder For these Ilandes are a commodious restyng place for al suche as intende to attempt any nauigations in that maine sea Departing from hence in the Nones of May he sawe no more lande vntyll the thyrde day of Iune at the whiche he arryued at Dominica an Ilande of the Canibales being distant from Gomera about eight hundred leagues Here he remained foure dayes makyng newe prouision of freshe water and fuell duryng whiche tyme he sawe no man nor yet anye steppes of men but founde plenty of sea Crabbes and great Lisarts From hence he sayled by the Ilandes of Matinina otherwyse called Madanino Guadalupea and Galanta otherwyse called Galana of al which we haue spoken in the fyrst Decade He passed also through the sea of hearbes or weedes continuing a long tract Yet neyther he nor Colonus the Admiral who fyrst found these Ilandes and sayled through this sea of weedes haue declared any reason how these weedes should come Some thynke the sea to be verye muddye there and that these weedes are engendred in the bottome thereof and so beyng loosed to ascende to the vppermost part of the water as we see oftentymes chaunce in certayne standyng pooles and sometymes also in great ryuers Other suppose that they are not engendred there but to be beaten from certayne rockes by the violence of the water in tempestes And thus they leaue the matter in doubt Neyther haue they yet any certayne experience whether they stycke fast and geue place to the shyppes or wander loose vpon the water But it is to be thought that they are engendred there for otherwyse they shoulde be dryuen togeather on heapes by the impulsion of the shyppes euen as a beasome geathereth the sweepynges of a house and shoulde also let the course of the shyppes The fourth day after that he departed from Dominica the hyghe mountaynes couered with snowe whereof we haue spoken in the seconde Decade appeared vnto hym They say that there the seas runne as swyftly towarde the west as it were a ryuer fallyng from the toppes of hygh mountaynes although they fayled not directly toward the west but inclined somewhat to the south From these mountaynes falleth the ryuer of Gaira famous by the slaughter of our men at such tyme as Rodericus Colmenares passed by those coastes as we haue sayde before Lykewyse many other fayre ryuers haue theyr original from the same mountaynes This prouince in the which is also the region of Caramairi hath in it two notable hauens of y e which our men named the one Carthago or Carthagena and thother Sancta Martha the region wherof thinhabitants call Saturma The port of Sancta Martha is nerer to the mountaynes couered with snow called Montes Niuales for it is at the rootes of the same mountaines but y e hauen of Carthago is more westward about fyftie leagues He wryteth marueylous things of the hauen of Sancta Martha whiche they also confirme that came lately from thence Of the which young Vesputius is one to whom Americus Vesputius his vncle beyng a florentine borne left the exact knowledge of the mariners facultie as it were by inheritance after his death for he was a very expert maister in the knowledge of his carde his compasse and the eleuation of the pole starre with all that parteyneth therto This young Vesputius was assigned by the kyng to be one of the maisters of the gouernours shyp because he was cunnyng in iudging the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starre by the quadrant For the charge of gouerning the rudder was cheefly committed to one Iohannes Serranus a Spaniard who had oftentymes ouerrunne those coastes Vesputius is my very familier frende and a wittie young man in whose company I take great pleasure and therfore vse hym oftentymes for my ghest He hath also made many voyages into these coastes and diligentlye noted suche thynges as he hath seene Petrus Arias therfore wryteth and he confirmeth the same that thinhabitantes of these regions tooke theyr originall of the Caribbes or Canibales as appeared by the desperat fyersnesse and crueltie which they oftentimes shewed to our men when they passed by theyr coastes Suche stoutnesse and fortitude of mynde is naturallie engendred in these naked Barbarians that they feared not to assayle our whole nauy and to forbyd them to come a lande They fyght with venemous arowes as we haue sayde before Parceyuyng that our men contemned theyr threatnynges they ranne furyously into the sea euen vp to the breastes nothyng fearyng eyther the bygnesse or multitude of our shyppes but ceased not contynuallie beyng thus in the water to cast dartes and to shoote theyr venemous arrowes as thycke as hayle Insomuch that our men had byn in great daunger yf they had not bin defended by the cages or pauisses of the shippes and their targettes Yet were two of them wounded which died shortely after But this conflict continued so sharp that at the length our men were enforced to shoote of theyr greatest pieces of ordinaunce with hayleshoote at the slaughter and terrible noyse wherof the Barbarians beyng sore discomfited and shaken with feare thynkyng the same to be thunder and lyghtnyng turned theyr backes and fledde amayne They greatly feare thunder because these regions are oftentimes vexed with thunder and lyghtnynges by reason
of the hyghe mountaynes and nearenesse of the same to the region of the ayre wherein such fierie tempestes are engendred whiche the philosophers call Meteora And albeit that our men had nowe dryuen theyr enimies to flyght and sawe them disparcled and out of order yet doubted they and were of diuers opinions whether they shoulde pursue them or not On the one partie shame prycked them forwarde and on the other syde feare caused them to caste manye perylles especially consyderyng the venemous arrowes whiche these Barbarians can direct so certaynely To depart from them with a drye foote as sayth the prouerbe with so great a nauie and suche an armye they reputed it as a thyng greatly soundyng to theyr reproche and dishonour At the length therefore shame ouercommyng feare they pursued them and came to land with theyr ship boates The gouernour of the nauie also Vesputius do wryte that the hauen is no lesse then three leagues in compasse beyng also safe without rockes and the water therof so cleare that a man may see pybble stones in the bottome twentie cubits deepe They say lykewyse that there falleth two fayre ryuers of freshe water into the hauen but the same to be meeter to beare the Canoas of these prouinces then any bygger vessels It is a delectable thyng to heare what they tel of the plentie and varietie and also of the pleasaunt tast of the fyshes aswell of these ryuers as of the sea therabout By reason wherof they found here manye fysher boates and nettes woonderfully wrought of the stalkes of certayne hearbes or weedes dryed and tawed and wreathed with cords of spunne gossampyne cotton For the people of Caramairi Gaira and Saturma are very cunnyng in fisheyng and vse to sel fyshe to theyr borderers for exchaunge of such thynges as they lacke When our men had thus chased the Barbarians from the sea coastes and had now entred into theyr houses they assayled them with newe skyrmishes espetially when they sawe them fall to sacking and spoylyng and theyr wyues and chyldren taken captyue Their householde stuffe was made of great reedes whiche growe on the sea bankes and the stalkes of certayne hearbes beaten and afterwarde made harde The floores thereof were strewed with hearbes of sundry colours and the walles hanged with a kynde of tapstry artificially made of gossampine cotton and wrought with pictures of Lions Tygers and Eagles The doores of theyr houses and chambers were full of dyuers kyndes of shelles hangyng loose by small cordes that beyng shaken by the wynde they myght make a certayne rattelyng and also a whystelyng noyse by geatheryng the wynde in theyr holowe places for herein they haue great delyght and impute this for a goodly ornament Dyuers haue shewed me many wonderfull thynges of these regions especially one Conzalus Fernandus Ouiedus beyng one of the magistrates appoynted in that office which the Spanyardes call Veedor who hath also hytherto entred further into the lande then any other He affirmeth that he chaunced vppon the fragment of a Saphire bygger then the egge of a goose and that in certayne hylles where he trauayled with thirtie men he founde many of the pretious stones called Smaragdes Calcidones and Iaspers besyde great peeces of Amber of the mountaines He also with diuers other do affirme that in the houses of some of the Canibales of these regions they found the like precious stones set in gold and inclosed in tapstry or arras if it may so be called wherewith they hang theyr houses The same land bryngeth foorth also many wooddes of brasile trees and great plentie of golde in so much that in maner in al places they founde on the sea bankes on the shores certayne marchasites in token of golde Fernandus Ouiedus declareth furthermore that in a certayne region called Zenu lying fourescore and tenne myles from Dariena Eastwarde they exercise a straunge kynde of marchaundize For in the houses of the inhabitantes they founde great chestes and baskets made of the twigges and leaues of certayne trees apte for that purpose being all ful of Grassehoppers Grylles Crabbes or Crefyshes Snayles also and Locustes whiche destroye the fieldes of corne al well dryed and salted Beyng demaunded why they reserued suche a multitude of these beastes they answeared that they kept them to be solde to theyr borderers whiche dwell further within the lande and that for the exchange of these pretious byrdes and salted fyshes they receiued of them certayne strange thynges wherein partly they take pleasure and partly vse them for theyr necessary affayres These people dwell not togeather but scattered here and there Thinhabitantes of Caramairi seeme to dwel in an earthly Paradise theyr region is so fayre and fruitefull without outragious heate or sharpe colde with litle difference of the length of day and nyght throughout all the yeere After that our men had thus dryuen the Barbarians to flyght they entred into a valley of two leagues in breadth and three in length extendyng to certayne fruitefull mountaynes full of grasse hearbes and trees at the rootes whereof lye two other valleis towarde the ryght hande and the leaft through eyther of the whiche runneth a fayre ryuer wherof the ryuer of Caira is one but vnto the other they haue yet geuen no name In these valleys they found many fayre gardens and pleasaunt feeldes watered with trenches distributed in marueylous order with no lesse art then our Insubrians and Hetrurians vse to water their feeldes Theyr common meate is Ages Iucca Maizium Battata with suche other rootes and fruites of trees and also such fyshe as they vse in the Ilandes and other regions of these prouinces They eate mans fleshe but seldome because they meete not oftentymes with strangers except they goe foorth of theyr one dominions with a mayne army of purpose to hunt for men when theyr rauenyng appetite pricketh them forwarde For they abstayne from them selues and eate none but suche as they take in the warres or otherwyse by chaunce But suerly it is a miserable thyng to heare howe many myriades of men these fylthy and vnnaturall deuourers of mens fleshe haue consumed and lefte thousandes of most fayre and fruitefull Ilandes and regions desolate without men by reason whereof our men founde so manye Ilandes whiche for theyr fayrenes and fruitefulnesse myght seeme to be certayne earthly Paradyses and yet were vtterly voyde of men Hereby your holynesse may consider howe pernitious a kynde of men this is We haue sayde before that the Ilande named Sancti Iohannis which thinhabitants cal Burichena is next to Hispaniola It is sayde that only the Canibales which dwel in the other Ilandes neere about this as in the Ilande called Hayhay or Sansta Crucis and in Guadalupea otherwyse called Queraqueiera or Carucuiera haue in our tyme violently taken out of the sayde Ilande of Sancti Iohannis more then fyue thousande men to be eaten But let it suffice thus muche to haue wandered
by these monstrous bloodsuckers We wyll nowe therfore speake somwhat of the rootes whereof they make theyr bread forasmuche as the same shal hereafter be foode to Christian men in steade of bread made of wheate and in the steade of radyshe with such other rootes as they haue been accustomed to eate in Europe We haue oftentymes sayd before that Iucca is a roote whereof the best and most delicate bread is made both in the firme lande of these regions and also in the Ilandes but howe it is tylled or husbanded howe it groweth and of how dyuers kyndes it is I haue not yet declared Therfore when they entende to plant this Iucca they make a hole in the earth knee deepe and rayse a heape of the earth taken out of the same fashionyng it lyke a square bedde of niene foote breadth on euery syde settyng twelue trunkes of these roots beyng about a foote and a halfe long a peece in euery of the sayd beddes contaynyng three rootes of a syde so layde a slope that the endes of them ioyne in maner togeather in the center or middest of the bedde within the ground Out of the ioyntes of the rootes and spaces betwene the same spryng the toppes and blades of newe rootes whiche by litle and litle encreasyng growe to the bygnes and length of a mans arme in the brawne and oftentymes as bygge as the thygh so that by the tyme of theyr full rypenes in maner all the earth of the heape is conuerted into rootes But they say that these rootes are not rype in lesse then a yeere and a halfe and that the longer they are suffered to grow euen vntyl two yeeres complete they are so much the better and more perfecte to make bread thereof When they are taken foorth of the earth they scrape them and slyse them with certayne sharpe stones seruyng for the same purpose And thus laying them betwene two great stones or puttyng them in a sacke made of the stalkes of certaine tough hearbes and smal reedes they presse them as do we cheese or crabbes to drawe out the iuice thereof and so let them drye a daye before they eate them The iuice or liquour they cast away for as we haue sayde it is deadly poyson in the Ilandes Yet is the iuice of suche as growe in the firme land wholesome yf it be sodde as is the whey of our mylke They say that there are many kyndes of this Iucca wherof some are more pleasaunt and delicate then the other and are therefore reserued as it were to make fyue Manchet for the kynges owne table But the Gentlemen eate of the meaner sort and the common people of the basest The finest they call Cazabbi whiche they make rounde lyke cakes in certayne presses before they seethe it or bake it They say furthermore that there are lykewyse diuers kyndes of the rootes of Ages and Battata But they vse these rather as fruites and dyshes of seruice then to make bread thereof as we vse Rapes Radishes Mushromes Nauies Persnippes and suche lyke In this case they moste especiallye esteeme the best kynde of Battatas which in pleasant taste and tendernesse farre exceedeth our Mushromes It shal suffise to haue sayd thus much of rootes We wyl nowe therefore speake of another kynde of their bread We declared before that they haue a kynde of grayne or Pulse muche lyke vnto Panicum but with somewhat bygger graynes which they beate into meale vpon certaine great hollow stones with the labour of theyr handes when they lacke Iucca and of this is made the more vulgar or common bread It is sowen thryse a yeere so that the fruitefulnesse of the ground may beare it by reason of the equalitie of the tyme whereof we haue spoken sufficiently before In these regions they founde also the grayne of Maizium and sundry kyndes of fruites of trees diligentlye planted and wel husbanded The way betweene the regions of Caramairi and Saturma is fayre broode and ryght foorth They founde here also sundry kyndes of water pottes made of earth of diuers colours in the whiche they both fetche and keepe freshe water Lykewyse sundry kyndes of iugges godderdes drynkyng cuppes pottes pannes dyshes and platters artificially made When the gouernour had geuen commaundement by proclamation that the inhabitauntes should eyther obey the Christian kyng and embrace our religion or els to depart out of theyr countrey they answered with venemous arrowes In this skyrmyshe our men tooke some of them whereof clothyng the moste parte in fayre apparell they sent them againe to their owne company But leading the residue to the shyppes to thintent to shewe them the power and magnificence of the christians that they might declare the same to theyr companions therby to wynne their fauour they appareled them lykewyse and sent them after theyr felowes They affyrme that in all the ryuers of these coast they sawe great argumentes and tokens of golde They founde here and there in their houses good store of Harts flesh Bores fleshe wherwith they fedde them selues delicately They also haue great plentie of sundry kyndes of byrdes and foules whereof they bryng vp many in their houses some for necessarye foode and other for dayntie dyshes as we do Hennes and Partriches Our men hereby coniecture that the ayre of these regions is very holsome forasmuche as slepyng all nyght vnder the fyrmament on the bankes of the ryuers none of them were at any tyme offended with reumes or headache by reason of any noysome humour or vapour proceedyng from the earth ayre or water Our men furthermore founde there many great botomes of gossampyne cotton redy spunne and fardelies of dyuers kyndes of fethers whereof they make them selues crestes and plumes after the maner of our men of armes also certeine clokes whiche they esteeme as most comely ornamentes They founde lykewyse an innumerable multitude of bowes and arrowes Thinhabitants also of these regions in some places vse to burne the carkases of their princes when they are dead and to reserue their bones buryed with spyces in certayne hylles In other places they onely drye them and imbawme them with spyces and sweete gummes and so reserue them in sepulchers in theyr owne houses Somewhere also they dry them spyce them adourne them with precious iewelles and ouches and so reuerently place them in certayne tabernacles made for the same purpose in theyr owne palaces When our men had many of theyr tablets braselettes collers and suche other ouches whiche they call Guanines they founde them rather to be made of laton then of golde whereby they suppose that they haue vsed to exchaunge theyr ware with some craftie straungers whiche brought them those counterfeyt ouches to defraude them of theyr golde For euen our men perceiued not the deceyte vntyll they came to the meltyng Furthermore certayne of our buylâ—ers wanderyng a litle way from the sea coastes chaunced to â—ynde certayne peeces of
thought it most woorthy to be called great as the greatest of all other knowen to them Haiti is as muche to saye by interpretation as rough sharpe or craggie But by a fyguratiue speache called denomination whereby the whole is named by part they named the whole Ilande Haiti that is rough Forasmuche as in many places the face of this Ilande is rough by reason of the craggie mountaynes horrible thicke wooddes and terribly darke and deepe valleys enuironed with great high mountaynes although it be in manye other places exceedyng beautifull and floryshyng Heere must we somewhat digresse from thorder we are entred into Perhappes your holynesse wyll maruell by what meanes these symple men shoulde of so long continaunce beare in mynde suche principles wheras they haue no knowledge of letters So it is therefore that from the begynnyng theyr princes haue euer been accustomed to commit theyr children to the gouernaunce of their wise men whiche they call Boitios to be enstructed in knowledge and to beare in memorie such thynges as they learne They geue them selues chiefly to two thynges As generally to learne thoriginall and successe of thynges and perticulerly to rehearse the noble factes of theyr graundefathers great graundefathers and auncestours aswell in peace as in warre These two thynges they haue of olde tyme composed in certayne myters and ballettes in theyr language These rymes or ballettes they call Areiâ—os And as our mynstrelles are accustomed to syng to the Harpe or Lute so do they in lyke maner syng these songes and daunce to the same playing on Timbrels made of shels of certaine fishes These Tymbrels they call Maguei They haue also songes and ballettes of loue and other of lamentations and mournyng some also to encourage them to the warres with euery of them theyr tunes agreeable to the matter They exercyse them selues muche in daunceyng wherein they are very actyue and of greater agilitie then our men by reason they geue them selues to nothyng so muche and are not hyndered with apparell whiche is also the cause of theyr swiftenesse of foote In theyr 〈◊〉 lefte them of theyr auncestours they haue prophecies of the commyng of our men into theyr countrey These they syng with mournyng and as it were with gronyng bewayle the losse of their libertie and seruitude For these prophesies make mention that there shoulde come into the Iland Maguacochios that is men clothed in apparell and armed with suche swoordes as shoulde cut a man in sunder at one stroke vnder whose yoke their posteritie shoulde be subdued And here I do not maruell that theyr predecessours coulde prophecye of the seruitude and bondage of their succession if it be true that is sayd of the familiaritie they haue with spirites whiche appeare to them in the nyght whereof we haue largely made mention in the nienth booke of the fyrst decade where also we haue entreated of their Zemes that is their Idoles and Images of deuylles whiche they honoured But they saye that since these Zemes were taken away by the Christians the spirites haue no more appeared Our men ascribe this to the signe of the crosse wherwith they defende them selues from suche spirites For they are nowe all cleansed and sanctified by the water of baptisme whereby they haue renounced the deuyl andare consecrated the holy members of Christ. They are vniuersally studious to knowe the boundes and limittes of their regions kingdomes and especially their Mitani that is noble men so that euen they are not vtterly ignorant in the surueying of theyr landes The common people haue none other care then of settyng sowyng and plantyng They are most expert fyshers by reason that throughout the whole yeere they are accustomed dayly to plunge them selues in the ryuers so that in maner they lyue no lesse in the water then on the lande They are also geuen to huntyng For as I haue sayd before they haue two kindes of foure footed beastes whereof the one is litle Cunnes called Vtias and other Serpentes named Iuannas much lyke vnto Crocodils of eyght foote length of most pleasaunte tast and lyuyng on the lande All the Ilandes nooryshe innumerable byrdes and foules as Stockdoues Duckes Geese Hearons besyde no lesse number of Popingiais then Sparowes with vs. Euery kyng hath his subiectes diuided to sundrye affaires as some to huntyng other to fyshyng other some to husbandrye But let vs nowe returne to speake further of the names We haue sayde that Quizqueia and Haiti were the olde names of this Ilande The whole Ilande was also called Cipanga of the region of the mountaynes aboundyng with golde lyke as our auncient poetes called all Italy Latium of part thereof Therefore as they called Ausonia and Hesperia Italy euen so by the names of Quizqueia Haiti and Cipanga they vnderstode the whole Ilande of Hispaniola Our men dyd fyrst name it Isabella of queene Helisabeth whiche in the Spanyshe tounge is called Isabella and so named it of the fyrst Colonie where they planted their habitation vpon the banke neere vnto they sea on the North syde of the Ilande as we haue further declared in the fyrst decade But of the names this shal suffyse Let vs nowe therfore speake of the fourme of the Ilande They whiche fyrst ouerran it described it vnto me to be lyke vnto the leafe of a Chestnut tree with a gulfe towarde the west syde lying open agaynst the Ilande of Cuba But the expert shypmaistier Andreas Moralis brought me the fourme thereof somewhat differyng from that For from both the corners as from the East angle and the West he described it to be indented eaten with many great gulfes and the corners to reache foorth very farre and placeth manye large and safe hauens in the great gulfe on the East syde But I trust shortly so to trauayle further herein that a perfect carde of the perticular description of Hispaniola may be sent vnto your holynesse For they haue nowe drawne the Geographicall description therof in cardes euen as your holynesse hath seene the fourme and situation of Spayne and Italy with theyr mountaynes valleyes riuers cities and colonies Let vs therefore without shamfastnesse compare the Iland of Hispaniola to Italy somtyme the head and queene of the whole worlde For if we consyder the quantitie it shal bee founde litle lesse and muche more fruitefull It reacheth from the East into the West fyue hundred and fourtie myles accordyng to the computation of the later searchers although the Admiral somewhat increased this number as we haue sayde in the fyrst decade It is in breadth somewhere almost three hundred myles and in some places narower where the corners are extended But it is surely muche more blessed and fortunate then Italie beyng for the most part thereof so temperate and floryshyng that it is neyther vexed with sharpe colde nor afflicted with immoderate heare It hath both the steyinges or conuersions
enemies to this kyng of the Ilande got the vpper hande by reason they assayled the kyng sodeinly and vnawares Yet was he determined to assemble a greater power and once agayne to attempt the fortune of warre but that he was otherwyse perswaded by the kynges his borderers whiche counselled him to geue ouer and submit him selfe sometyme by thexample of them selues other threatnyng the destruction of his flooryshyng kyngdome and otherwhyles declaryng vnto him the humanitie and gentlenesse of our men by whose friendship hee might obteyne honour and quietnesse to him and his willyng him furthermore to consider what chaunced vnto them which the yeere before resisted and aduentured the hasarde of the battayle as dyd these kynges Poncha Pocchorrosa Quarequa â—hiapes and Tumacchus with such other By these persuasions the kyng submitted him selfe and came friendly to our men whom he conducted to his palace which they say to bee marueylously adourned and princelyke As soone as they entred into the pallace hee brought foorth a basket of curious workemanshyp and full of pearles which he gaue them The summe of these pearles amounted to the weight of a hundred and ten poundes after .viii. vnces to the pounde being agayne rewarded of our men with such tryfles as they brought with them of purpose as garlandes of Christall and glasse and other counterfet stones of dyuers colours with lookyng glasses also and laton belles and especially two or three Iron hatchets whiche they more esteeme then great heapes of golde hee thought him selfe abuntdantly recompenced They laugh our men to scorne that they will depart with so great and necessarie a thing for any summe of golde affyrmyng an axe or hatchet to bee profitable for many vses of men and that golde serueth onely for wanton pleasures and not to be greatly necessary Beyng therefore ioyfull and glad of the friendship of our men he tooke the captayne by the hande and brought him with certayne of his familiars to the hyghest towre of his palace from whence they might prospecte the mayne sea then castyng his eyes about him on euery syde and lookyng towarde the East he sayde vnto them Beholde heere lyeth open before you the infinite sea extended beyonde the sunne beames then turnyng hym towarde the South and West he signified vnto them that the lande which laye before their eyes the toppes of whose great mountaynes they myght see was exceedyng large then commyng somewhat neerer hee sayde Beholde these Ilandes on the ryght hande and on the left which all obey vnto our empyre and are ryche happye and blessed if you call those landes blessed whiche abounde with golde and pearle We haue in this Ilande litle plentie of golde but the deepe places of all the seas about these Ilandes are full of pearles whereof you shall receyue of mee as many as you will requyre so that yee persist in the bonde of friendshyp which you haue begunne I greatly desyre your friendshyp and woulde gladly haue the fruition of your thinges whiche I set muche more by then millions of pearles You shall therefore haue no cause to doubt of any vnfaythfulnesse or breache of friendshyp on my behalfe Our men gaue hym lyke friendly wordes and encouraged him with many fayre promyses to doe as hee had sayde When our men were now in a readynesse to depart they couenaunted with him to paye yeerely to the great kyng of Castyle a hundred pounde weyght of pearles Hee gladly agreed to theyr request and tooke it for no great thyng nor yet thought him selfe any whit the more to become tributarie With this kyng they founde suche plentie of Hartes and Cunnies that our men standyng in theyr houses myght kyll as many as them lyst with their arrowes They lyue heere very pleasauntly hauyng great plentie of all thinges necessary This Iland is scarsely sixe degrees distant from the Equinoctiall lyne They haue the same maner of bread made of rootes and the graine of Maxium and wyne made of seedes and fruites euen as they haue in the region of Comogra and in other places aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande This kyng is now baptised with all his family and subicctes His desyre was at his baptisme to bee named Petrus Arias after the name of the gouernour When our men departed he accompanied them to the sea syde and furnyshed them with boates to returne to the continent Our men diuided the pearles among them reseruyng the fift portion to bee delyuered to thoffycers of the kynges Excheker in those parts They say that these pearles were maruelous precious faire orient exceeding byg insomuch that they brought many with them bygger then hasell nuttes Of what pryce value they myght bee I consider by one pearle the which Paulus predicessour to your holines bought at the second hand of a marchant of Uenice for foure fourtie thousand ducates Yet among those which were brought from this IlaÌ„d there was one bought euen in Dariena for a thousand two hundred Castellans of gold this was almost as byg as a meane walnut came at y t length to the handes of Petrus Arias the gouernour who gaue it to that noble and faythfull woman his wyfe of whose maner of departure with her husbande we haue made mention before We must then needes thinke that this was very precious whiche was bought so deare among such a multitude of pearles where they were not bought by one at once but by poundes and at the least by ounces It is also to be thought that the Uenecian marchaunt bought his for no great summe of money in the East partes But he solde it the dearer for that he chaunced to lyue in those lasciuious and wanton dayes when men were giuen to such nyse and superfluous pleasures and met with a marchant for his purpose But let vs now speake somewhat of the shelfyshes in the which pearles are engendred It is not vnknowne to your holynesse that Aristotle and Plinie his folower were of dyuers opinions as concernyng the generation of pearles But these Indians and our men rest onely in one assertion not assentyng to them in any other as eyther that they wander in the sea or that they moue at any tyme after they are borne They will therefore that there be certayne greene places as it were meadowes in the bottome of the sea bringing foorth an hearbe much lyke vnto Tyme and affyrme that they haue seene the same and that they are engendred noryshed and growe therein as wee see thincrease and succession of Oysters to grow about them selues Also that these fyshes delyghteth not in the conuersation or company of the sea dogges nor yet to bee contented with onely one two or three or at the most foure pearles affyrmyng that in the fyshyng places of the kyng of this Ilande there was founde a hundred pearles in one fyshe the whiche Caspar Moralis the captayne him selfe and his
fourscore myles for they call it threescore leagues He spent certaine daies heere in idlenesse for he coulde neither by fayre meanes nor by foule allure the kyng of the region to come to hym Whyle he lay thus idelly there came to hym other fyftie men sent from Dariena vnder the gouernaunce of captayne Lodouicus Mercado who departed from Dariena in the calendes of May to the intent to searche the inner partes of those regions When they met togeather they determined after consultation to passe ouer the mountaynes lying towarde the South euen vnto the South sea lately founde Beholde nowe a wonderfull thyng that in a lande of suche marueylous longitude in other places they founde it here to be onely about fyftie myles distant to the South sea for they count it .xvii. leagues as the maner of the Spanyardes is to recken and not by myles Yet saye they that a league consysteth of three myles by lande and foure by sea as we haue noted before In the toppes of the mountaynes and turnyng of the waters they founde a kyng named Iuana whose kyngdome is also named Coiba as is the region of king Careta of whom we haue made mention elswhere But for as muche as the region of this Iuana is rycher in golde they named it Coiba Dites that is Coiba the rych For wheresoeuer they dygged the grounde whether it were on the drye lande or in the wet chanelles of the ryuers they founde the sande whiche they cast foorth myxt with golde Iuana fledde at the commyng of our men and coulde neuer be brought agayne They spoyled all the countrey neare about his palace yet had they but litle golde for he had caryed all his stuffe with hym Here they founde certayne slaues marked in the faces after a straunge sorte For with a sharpe prycke made eyther of bone or els with a thorne they make holes in theyr faces and foorthwith sprinklyng a powder thereon they moiste the pounced place with a certayne blacke or redde iuice whose substaunce is of suche tenacitie and clamminesse that it wyll neuer weare away They brought these slaues away with them They say that this iuice is of suche sharpenesse and putteth them to suche payne that for extreme doloure they haue no stomacke to theyr meate certayne dayes after The kynges whiche take these slaues in theyr warres vse theyr helpe in seekyng for golde and in tyllage of the grounde euen as doo our men From the pallace of Iuana folowyng the course of the water about tenne myles towarde the South they entred into the dominion of an other kyng whom our men named the olde man bycause he was olde not passyng of his other name In the region of this kyng also they founde golde in all places both on the lande and in the ryuers This region is very fayre and fruitefull and hath in it many famous ryuers Departyng from hence in fyue dayes iourney they came to a lande lefte desolate They suppose that this was destroyed by ciuile discorde forasmuche as it is for the most parte fruitefull and yet not inhabited The fyfth day they sawe two men commyng a farre of these were laden with bread of Maizium whiche they caryed on theyr shoulders in sackes Our men tooke them and vnderstoode by them that there were two kynges in that tract the one was named Periquete who dwelt neere vnto the sea the others name was Totonoga This Totonoga was blynde and dwelt in the continent The two men which they met were the fyshers of Totonoga whom he had sent with certayne fardelles of fyshe to Periquete and had agayne receyued bread of hym for exchaunge For thus do they communicate theyr commodities one with an other by exchaunge without the vse of wycked mony By the conductyng of these two men they came to kyng Totonoga dwellyng on the West syde of saint Michaels gulfe in the South sea They had of this kyng the summe of syxe thousand Castellans of golde both rude and artifycially wrought Among those groumes of rude or natyue golde there was one founde of the weyght of two Castellans whiche argued the plentifull rychenesse of the grounde Folowyng the same coast by the sea syde towarde the West they came to a kyng whose name was Taracuru of whom they had golde amountyng to the weyght of eyght thousande Pesos We haue sayde before that Pesus is the weyght of a Castelane not coyned From hence they went to the dominion of this kynges brother named Pananome who fledde at their commyng and appeared no more afterwarde They say that his kyngdome is ryche in golde They spoyled his pallace in his absence Syxe leagues from hence they came to another king named Tabor From thence they came to the kyng of Cheru He frendly entertained our men and gaue them foure thousand Pesos of golde He hath in his dominion many goodly salt bayes the region also aboundeth with golde About twelue myles from hence they came to another king called Anata of whom they had xv thousande Pesos of golde whiche he had gotton of the kynges his borderers whom he had vanquished by warre A great part of this gold was in rude fourme bycause it was molten when he set the kinges houses on fyre whom he spoyled For they robbe and slay the one the other sackyng fyryng theyr villages and wasting theyr countreyes They keepe warre barbarously and to vtter destruction executyng extreeme crueltie agaynst them that haue the ouerthrowe Gonsalus Badaiocius with his felowes wandred at libertie vntyll they came to this kyng and had geathered great heapes of golde of other kynges For what in braslettes collers earerynges brest plates helmettes and certaine barres wherewith women beare vp theyr brestes they had geathered togeather in gold the summe of fourscore thousand Castellans which they had obtayned partly by exchange for our things where they founde the kynges theyr frendes otherwise by forcyble meanes where they founde the contrary They had gotten also fourtie slaues whose helpe they vsed both for cariage of their victualles and baggagies in the steede of Moyles or other beastes of burden also to releeue such as were sick and forweeried by reason of theyr long iourneies and hunger After these prosperous voyages they came by the dominion of kyng Scoria to the palace of a kyng named Pariza where fearyng no suche thing Pariza enclosed them with a great armie and assayled them straggelyng and vnwares in such sort that they had no leasure to put on theyr armure He slue and wounded about fyftie and put the resydue to flyght They made suche hast that they had no respect eyther to the golde they had geathered or to theyr slaues but left all behynde them Those fewe that escaped came to Dariena The opinion of all wyse men as concernyng the variable and inconstant chaunces of fortune in humane things were false if all thynges shoulde haue happened vnto them prosperously For such
the yeere THe landes and regions that are neare about the clymes of the Equinoctiall lyne are naturally hot although they be otherwise temperate by the diuine prouidence therfore such fleshe or fyshe as is taken and kylled in these regions can not be preserued from putrifaction except it be rosted sodden or perboyld the same day that it is kyld And wheras I haue sayd that such regions are naturally hotte and yet temperate by the prouidence of God it is so in deede and therefore not without cause the auncient aucthours were of opinion that the burnt lyne or Torrida zona where passeth the lyne of the Equinoctiall shoulde be vnhabitable by reason the Sun hath greater dominion in that place then in any other of the sphere remaynyng continually betweene the two tropykes of Cancer and Capricorne For when in these regions the earth is opened or dygged from the superficiall parte thereof to the deapth of a mans heyght it is founde temperate and within this space the trees and plants fasten and spread their rootes and no deeper extendyng the same as farre in breadth in the grounde as doe theyr braunches in the ayre and enter no deeper into the grounde then I haue sayde because that beneath the deapth of the sayde space of a mans heyght the earth is very hotte the vpper part beyng temperate and very moyst aswell by reason of the abundaunce of water whiche falleth from heauen vpon that earth at certayne ordinarie seasons of the yeere as also for the multitude of great ryuers brookes sprynges and maryshes whereby the myghtie and supreme Lord which made these landes hath most prudently prouided for the preseruation of the same There are also many rough and hygh mountaynes with temperate ayre and pleasaunt cleare and moderate nyghtes of the whiche particularitie the auncient wryters hauyng no certayne knowledge affirmed the said burnt line or Torrida zona or Equinoctiall to be naturally vnhabitable As touching which thing I am able to witnesse the contrary by testimonie of syght and feelyng as by most certayne senses hauyng lyued many yeeres in these regions by reason whereof better credite ought to be giuen to me then to such as haue grounded their opininion onely vpon coniectures And to speake further of the situation of these regions you shall vnderstand that the coaste of the North sea beyng in the gulfe of Vraba and in the porte of Dariena where the shyps arryue whiche come out of Spayne is in the sixte degree and a halfe and in the seuenth and from sixe and a halfe vnto eyght except a small poynt which entreth into the sea towarde the North. That poynt which of this lande and new parte of the worlde lyeth most towarde the East is the cape of sainct Augustine which is in the eyght degree So that the sayd gulfe of Vraba is distant from the Equinoctiall lyne from a hundred twentie to a hundred and thirtie leagues and three quarters of a league after that accompte of .xvii. leagues and a halfe for euery degree from pole to pole and thus for a litle more or lesse goeth all the coast By reason whereof in the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena and in all that course of the foresayde gulfe of Vraba at all tymes of the yeere the dayes and nyghtes are in maner of equall length and if there bee any difference betweene them by reason of this small distance from the Equinoctiall it is so litle that in .xxiiii. houres makyng a naturall day it can not bee perceyued but by the iudgement of speculatiue men and suche as vnderstande the sphere From hence the North starre is seene very lowe And when the starres whiche are called the guardens of the North starre are vnder the Chariot it can not be seene because it is vnder the horizontall And whereas I haue sayde before that it rayneth in these regions at certayne ordinarie tymes it is so in deed For it is wynter and summer there at contrary tymes to that which is in Spayne where the greatest colde of frost and rayne is in December and Ianuary and the greatest heate of sommer about saint Iohns day at Mydsommer or in the moneth of Iuly But in golden Castile or Beragua it is contrary for the sommer and tyme of greatest drought without rayne is at Christmas and a moneth before and a moneth after the tyme when it rayneth most is about Mydsommer and a moneth before and a moneth after And this season which they call wynter is not for that it is any colder then then at any other tyme of the yeere or hotter at Christmas then at other seasons the tyme in these regions being euer after one maner but for that that in this tyme whiche they call wynter the Sunne is hydde from theyr sightes by reason of cloudes and rayne more then at other times Yet forasmuche as for the most part of the yeere they lyue in a cleare open and temperate ayre they somewhat shrynke and feele a litle colde duryng the tyme of the sayde moyst and cloudy ayre although it be not colde in deede or at the least such colde as hath any sensible sharpenesse Of dyuers particuler thinges as woormes serpentes beastes foules trees c. MAny other thinges might be sayd and much differyng from these wherof I haue spoken But to lette passe the multitude of thinges whiche are as variable as the power of nature is infinite and to speake of such thinges as come chiefely to my remembraunce as most worthie to be noted I will first speake of certayne litle and troublous beastes which may seeme to bee engendred of nature to molest vexe men to shewe them giue them to vnderstand how small and vyle a thing may offende and disquiet them to th ende that they may remember the principall end for the which they were created that is to know their maker and procurer of their saluation by the way whiche is open to all Christian men and all other which will open the eyes of theyr vnderstandyng And although the thinges whereof wee entende nowe to speake may seeme vyle and litle to be esteemed yet are they worthy to bee noted and considered to vnderstande the difference and variable workes of nature So it is therefore that whereas in many partes of the firme lande by the whiche as well the Christians as Indians doe trauayle there are suche maryshes and waters in the way that they are fayne to go without breeches among the hearbes and weedes by reason whereof certaine smal beasts or wormes which they cal Garapates much lyke vnto tykes cleaue fast to their legges These wormes are as litle as the pouder of beaten salt and cleaue so fast that they can by no meanes bee taken away except the place bee noynted with oyle and after that the legges be noynted a whyle with oyle or the other partes where these litle tykes are fastened they scrape the place with a knyfe and so take
them away But the Indians whiche haue no oyle smoke them and burne them with fyre and abyde great paynes in takyng them away by this meanes Of other litle beastes whiche trouble men and are engendred in theyr heades or other partes of theyr bodyes I say that the Christian men which trauayle into these partes haue them but seldome tymes and that not past one or two this also very seldome For passyng by the lyne of the Diameter where the compasse maketh difference of saylyng by the wynde called Greco that is Northeast and Magistral that is southwest whiche is in the course of the Ilandes of Azori they sayle but a litle way folowyng our viage by the west but that all the lyse whiche the Christians cary with them or are engendred in theyr heades or other places of theyr bodyes dye and vtterly consume by litle and litle and are not engendred in India except in the heades of litle chyldren in those partes aswell among the chyldren of the Christians whiche are borne there as also among the naturall Indians who haue them commonly in theyr heades and sometymes in other partes of theyr bodyes and especially they of the prouince of Cueua whiche is a region contaynyng more then a hundred leagues in length and embraseth the one and the other coast of the North sea and of the East When these Indians are infected with this fylthynesse they dresse and cleanse one an other And they that exercyse this are for the most part women who eate all that they take and haue herein suche dexteritie by reason of theyr exercise that our men can not lyghtly attayne therunto There is also another thyng greatly to be consydered and this is howe the Christian men beyng there cleane from this fylthynesse of India aswell in theyr heades as the rest of theyr bodyes yet when they returne to come agayne into Europe and begyn to arryue in that place of the Ocean sea where we sayde before that these lyse dyed and forsoke them sodenly in theyr repassyng by the same clyme as though these lyse had taryed for them in that place they can by no meanes auoyde them for the space of certayne dayes although they change theyr shertes two or three times in a day These lise are at y e fyrst as litle as nittes and growe by litle and litle vntyl they be of the byggenesse that they are in Spayne This haue I oftentymes prooued hauyng nowe foure tymes passed the Ocean sea by this viage Besyde these wormes and vermyn whereof we haue spoken there is another litle myschâ—uous worme whiche we may number among the kyndes of 〈◊〉 this pestilence the Indians call Nigua and is muche lesse then a flea it pearseth the fleshe of a man and so launâ—eth or cutteth the same whyle in the meane tyme it can neyther be seene nor taken that from some it hath cut of theyr handes and from other theyr feete vntyll the remedy was founde to annoynt the place with oyle and scrape it with a rasor In the firme lande in golden Castyle or Beragua there are many vipers lyke vnto them of Spayne they that are bytten of them dye in short space for fewe lyue to the fourth day except present remedy Of these some are of lesse kynde then other and haue theyr tayle somewhat rounde and leape in the ayre to assayle men and for this cause some call this kynde of vipers Tyro theyr bytyng is most venomous and for the most parte incurable One of them chaunced to byte an Indian mayde whiche serued me in my house to whom I caused the Surgians to mynister theyr ordinary cure but they coulde do her no good nor yet geat one droppe of blood out of her but onely a yelowe water so that she dyed the thyrde day for lacke of remedy as the lyke hath chaunced to dyuers other This mayde was of the age of .xiiii. yeeres and spake the Spanyshe tongue as if she had been borne in Castyle she sayde that the viper whiche byt her on the foote was two spannes long or litle lesse and that to byte her she lept in the ayre for the space of more then syxe pases as I haue hearde the lyke of other credible persons I haue also seene in the firme lande a kynde of adders very small and of seuen or eyght foote long these are so redde that in the nyght they appeare lyke burnyng cooles and in the day seeme as redde as bloodde these are also venomous but not so muche as the vipers There are other muche lesse and shorter and blacker these come out of the ryuers and wander sometymes farre on the lande and are lykewyse venomous There are also other adders of a russet colour these are somewhat bygger then the viper and are hurtful and venomous There are lykewyse an other sort of many colours and very long of these I sawe one in the yeere of Christ .1515 in the Iland of Hispaniola neere vnto the sea coastes at the foote of the mountaynes called Pedernales when this adder was slayne I measure her and founde her to be more then .xx. foote long somwhat more then a mans fyst in byggnesse and although she had three or foure deadly woundes with a swoorde yet dyed she not nor stonke the same daye insomuche that her blood contynued warme all that tyme. There are also in the Maryshes and desartes of the fyrme lande many other kyndes of Lysartes Dragons and other diuers kyndes of Serpentes whereof I entende not heere to speake muche because I haue more particulerly entreated of these thynges in my generall historie of the West Indies There are also Spyders of marueylous byggenesse and I haue seene some with the bodye and legges bygger then a mans hande extended euery waye and I once sawe one of suche byggenesse that only her bodye was as bygge as a Sparrowe and full of that Laune whereof they make theyr webbes this was of a darke russet coloure with eyes greater then the eyes of a Sparowe they are venomous and of terrible shape to heholde There are also Scorpions and dyuers other such venomous wormes Whereby we may see that where as naturall causes and influence of the planettes are of strongest actiuitie they ceasse not to engender and bryng foorth both good and badde accordyng to the dispotion of the matter whiche they also doo partly dispose as the philosophers affyrme Furthermore in the fyrme lande there are many Toades beyng very noyous and hurtfull by reason of theyr great multitude they are not venomous they are seene in great abundaunce in Dariena where they are so bygge that when they dye in the tyme of drouth the bones of some of them and especialy the rybbes are of suche greatnesse that they appeare to be the bones of Cattes or of some other beastes of the same byggenesse But as the waters diminishe and the moysture consumeth in the tyme of drouth as I haue sayde they also consume
therewith vntyl the yeere next folowyng when the rayne and moysture encrease at whiche tyme they are seene agayne Neuerthelesse at this present there is no such quantitie of them as was wont to be by reason that as the lande is better cultured by the Christians aswell by the fellyng of wooddes and shrubbes as also by the pasture of Kyne Horses and other beastes so is it apparent that this poyson diminisheth daylye whereby that region becommeth more holsome and pleasaunt these Toades syng after three or foure sortes for some of them syng pleasauntly other lyke ours of Spayne some also whystle and other some make an other maner of noyse they are lykewyse of diuers coloures as some greene some russet or gray and some almost blacke but of all sortes they are great and fylthy and noyous by reason of theyr great multitude yet are they not venemous as I haue sayde There are also a straunge kynde of Crabbes whiche come foorth of certayne holes of the earth that they them selues make the head and bodie of these make one rounde thyng muche lyke vnto the hood of a Faulkon hauyng foure feete commyng out of the one syde as many out of the other they haue also two mouthes like vnto a payre of small Pinsers the one bygger then the other wherewith they byte but doo no great hurt because they are not venomous theyr skynne and bodie is smooth and thynne as is the skynne of a man sauyng that it is somewhat harder theyr coloure is russet or whyte or blewe and walke sydelong they are very good to be eaten insomuche that the Christians trauaylyng by the fyrme lande haue been greatly nouryshed by them because they are founde in maner euery where in shape and fourme they are muche like vnto the Crabbe whiche we paynt for the signe Cancer and like vnto those whiche are founde in Spayne in Andalusia in the ryuer Guadalchiber where it entreth into the sea and in the sea coastes there about sauyng that these are of the water and the other of the lande they are sometymes hurtfull so that they that eate of them dye but this chaunceth only when they haue eaten any venomous thyng or of the venomous apples wherewith the Canible archers poyson theyr arrowes whereof I wyll speake hereafter and for this cause the Christians take heede how they eate of these Crabbes yf they fynde them neare vnto the sayd apple trees Furthermore in these Indies aswel in the fyrme lande as in the Ilandes there is founde a kynde of Serpentes whiche they call Y. V. anas whiche some cal Iuannas these are terrible and feareful to syght and yet not hurtful they are very delicate to be eaten and it is not yet knowen whether they be beastes of the lande or fyshes because they lyue in the water and wander in the wooddes and on the lande they haue foure feete and are commonly bygger then Connies and in some places bygger then Otters with tayles lyke Lysartes or Eutes theyr skynne is spotted and of the same kynde of smothnesse or barenesse although of dyuers colours vpon the rydge of theyr backes they haue many long prickes theyr teeth are very sharpe and especially theyr fanges or dogge teeth theyr throtes are long and large reachyng from theyr beardes to theyr breastes of the lyke skynne to the resydue of theyr bodyes they are dumbe and haue no voyce or make any noyse or crye although they bee kept tyed to the foote of a cheste or any other thyng for the space of .xx. or .xxv. dayes without any thyng to eate or drynke except they geue them nowe and then a litle of the bread of Cazabbi or some suche other thyng they haue foure feete and theyr fore feete as long as a mans fynger with clawes lyke the clawes of a byrde but weaker and suche as can not grasple or take holde of any thyng they are muche better to bee eaten then to beholde for fewe that see them wyll haue desyre to eate of them by reason of theyr horrible shape except suche as haue ben accustomed to the beastes of these regions whiche are more horrible and feareful as this is not but onely in apparence theyr fleshe is of muche better tast then the fleshe of Connies and more holsome for it hurteth none but onely suche as haue had the frenche poxe insomuche that if they haue been touched of that infirmitie although they haue ben whole of long tyme neuerthelesse they feele hurte and complayne of the earyng of these Iuannas as hath been oftentimes prooued by experience There are founde in the fyrme lande certayne byrdes so litle that the whole body of one of them is no bygger then the toppe of the byggest fynger of a mans hande and yet is the bare body without the feathers not halfe so bygge This byrde besyde her litlenesse is of suche velocitie and swyftnesse in fleeyng that who so seeth her fleeyng in the ayre can not see her flap or beate her winges after any other sort then do the Dorres or humble bees or Beetels so that there is no man that seeth her flee that would thynke her to be any other then a Dorre they make their nestes accordyng to the proportion of their bygnes and I haue seene that one of these byrdes with her nest put in a payre of golde weights altogeather hath waide no more then .2 Tomini which are in poise .24 graines with the feathers with out the which she shoulde haue wayed somwhat lesse And doubtlesse when I consider the fynenesse of the clawes feete of these byrdes I knowe not whereunto I may better lyken them then to the litle byrdes whiche the lymners of bookes are accustomed to paynte on the margent of churche bookes and other bookes of diuine seruice Theyr feathers are of many fayre colours as golden yelowe and greene besyde other variable colours theyr beake is very long for the proportion of theyr bodies and as fyne and subtile as a sowyng nedle they are very hardy so that when they see a man clime y e tree where they haue their nests they flee at his face stryke hym in the eyes commyng goyng and returnyng with such swyftnes that no man woulde lyghtly beleeue it that hath not seene it and certaynly these byrdes are so litle that I durst not haue made mention hereof if it were not that diuers other which haue seene them as wel as I can beare witnes of my saying they make their nestes of flockes and heare of cotton wherof there is great plentie in these regions and serueth wel for theyr purpose But as touchyng the byrdes foules and beastes of these Indies because they are innumerable both litle and great I intende not to speake muche heere because I haue spoken more largely hereof in my generall hystorye of the Indies There is an other kynde of beastes seene in the firme lande whiche seemeth very strange and marueylous to the Christian men to beholde and much
as though it were pullyshed and is without of colour inclynyng towarde blacke and shyneth or glystereth very fayre and is within of no lesse dilicatenesse Suche as haue accustomed to drynke in these vesselles and haue been troubled with the disease called the frettyng of the guttes say that they haue by experience founde it a marueylous remedie agaynst that disease and that it breaketh the stone and prouoketh vrine This fruite was called Cocus for this cause that when it is taken from the place where it cleaueth fast to the tree there are seene two holes and aboue them two other natural holes whiche altogeather do represent the gesture and figure of the cattes called Mammoni that is Munkeys when they crye which crye the Indians call Coca but in very deede this tree is a kinde of Date trees and hath the same effecte to heale frettyng of the guttes that Plinie descrybeth all kynds of Date trees to haue There are furthermore in the firme lande trees of suche byggenesse that I dare not speake therof but in place where I haue so many wytnesses whiche haue seene the same as well as I. I saye therefore that a league from Dariena or the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua there passeth a ryuer very large and deepe which is called Cuti ouer the which the Indians had layde a great tree so trauersing the same that it was in the steade of a bridge the whiche I my selfe with dyuers other that are at this present in your maiesties court haue oftentymes passed ouer And forasmuche as the said tree had line long there and by y e great weight therof was so shronke downewarde and partly couered with water that none coulde passe ouer it but were wette to the knee I beyng then in the yeere .1522 the official or Iustice in that citie at your maiesties appoyntment caused an other great tree to be layde in that place whiche in lyke maner trauersed the ryuer and reached more then fyftie foote ouer the further syde This tree was exceeding great and rested aboue the water more then two cubytes in the fall it cast downe all such other trees as were within the reache thereof and discouered certayne vynes whiche were so laden with blacke grapes of pleasaunt taste that they satysfied more then fyftye persons whiche ate theyr fyl thereof This tree in the thyckest part therof was more then syxteene spannes thycke and was neuerthelesse but litle in respect of many other trees whiche are founde in this prouince For the Indians of the coaste and prouince of Cartagenia make barkes or boates thereof which they call Canoas of suche byggenesse beyng all one whole tree that some conteyne a hundred men some a hundred and thirtie and some more hauyng neuerthelesse such voyde space within the same that there is left sufficient roome to passe to and fro throughout all the Canoas Some of these are so large besyde the length that they conteyne more then ten or twelue spannes in breadth and sayle with two sayles as with the maister sayle and the tryncket which they make of very good cotton The greatest trees that I haue seene in these partes or in any other regions was in the prouince of Guaturo the kyng wherof rebellyng from the obedience of your maiestie was pursued by me and taken prisoner at whiche tyme I with my companye passed ouer a very hygh mountayne full of great trees in the top whereof we founde one tree whiche had three rootes or rather diuisions of the roote aboue the earth in fourme of a tryangle or treuet so that betweene euery foote of this triangle or three feete there was a space of twentie foote betwene euery foote and this of such heyght aboue the earth that a laden Carâ— of those wherewith they are accustomed to bryng home corne in the tyme of haruest in the kyngdome of Toledo in Spayne â–ª myght easely haue passed through euery of those partitions or wyndowes which were betweene the three feete of the sayd tree From the earth vpwarde to the trunke of the tree the open places of the diuisions betweene these three feete were of suche â—eyght from the ground that a footeman with a Iauelin was not able to reache the place where the sayde feete ioyned togeather in the trunke or bodye of the tree whiche grewe of great heyght in one peece and one whole bodie or euer it spread in braunches whiche it did not before it exceeded in heyght the Towre of Sainct Romane in the citie of Toledo from whiche heyght and vpward it spread very great and strong braunches Among certayne Spaniardes whiche clymed this tree I my selfe was one and when I was ascended to the place where it begunne to spreade the braunches it was a marueilous thyng to beholde a great countrey of suche trees towarde the prouince of Abrayme This tree was easy to clyme by reason of certayne Besuchi whereof I haue spoken before which grew wreathed about the tree in suche sort that they seemed to make a scalyng Ladder Euery of the forsayd three feete whiche bore the bodie of the tree was twentie spannes in thickenesse and where they ioyned all togeather aboute the Trunke or bodie of the tree the principall Trunke was more then fourtie and fyue spannes in circuite I named the mountayne where these trees growe the mountayne of three footed trees And this whiche I haue now declared was seene of all the companie that was there with me when as I haue sayde before I tooke kyng Guaturo prysoner in the yeere .1522 Many thynges more myght heere be spoken as touching this matter as also howe there are many other excellent trees founde of diuers sortes and dyfference as sweete Cedar trees blacke Date trees and many other of the whiche some are so heauye that they cannot floote aboue the water but syncke immediatly to the bottome and other agayne as lyght as a Corke As touchyng all which thynges I haue written more largely in my generall historie of the Indies And forasmuche as at this present I haue entred to entreat of trees before I passe any further to other thynges I wyll declare the maner howe the Indians kindle fyre only with wood and without fire the maner wherof is this They take a peece of wood of two spannes in length as bygge as the least fynger of a mans hand or as an arrowe well pullyshed and of a strong kynde of wood which they keepe only for this purpose and where they entend to kyndle any fire they take two other peeces of wood of the dryest and lyghtest that they can fynde and bynde them fast togeather one with an other as close as two fyngers ioyned in the myddest or betweene these they put the poynt of the fyrst litle staffe made of harde and strong woodde whiche they hold in theyr handes by the toppe thereof and turne or rubbe it rounde about contynually in one place betweene the two peeces of woodde which lye bounde togeather vppon
the earth whiche by that vncessant rubbyng and chafyng are in shorte space kyndeled and take fyre I haue also thought good heare to speake somewhat of suche thynges as come to my remembraunce of certayne trees whiche are founde in this lande and sometyme also the lyke haue been seene in Spayne These are certayne putrifyed trunkes whiche haue lyne so long rottyng on the earth that they are very whyte and shyne in the nyght lyke burnyng fyrebrandes and when the Spanyardes fynde any of this woodde and intende priuily in the nyght to make warre and inuade any prouince when case so requyreth that it shal be necessary to goe in the nyght in such places where they knowe not the way the formost Christian man whiche guydeth the way associate with an Indian to directe hym therein taketh a litle starre of the sayde woodde whiche he putteth in his cappe hangyng behynde on his shoulders by the lyght whereof he that foloweth next to hym directeth his iourney who also in lyke maner beareth an other starre behynde hym by the shynyng whereof the thyrde foloweth the same way and in lyke maner do al the rest so that by this meanes none are loste or stragle out of the way And forasmuch as this lyght is not seene very farre it is the better policie for the Christians because they are not therby disclosed before they inuade theyr enimies Furthermore as touchyng the natures of trees one particuler thyng seemeth woorthy to be noted whereof Plinie maketh mention in his naturall hystorye where he sayth that there are certayne trees whiche contynue euer greene and neuer lose theyr leaues as the Bay tree the Cedar the Orange tree the Oliue tree with such other of the whiche in altogeather he nameth not past fyue or syxe To this purpose I say that in the Ilandes of these Indies and also in the fyrme lande it is a thyng of muche difficultie to fynde two trees that lose or cast theyr leaues at any tyme For although I haue diligently searched to knowe the trueth hereof yet haue I not seene any that lose theyr leaues eyther of them whiche we haue brought out of Spayne into these regions as Orange trees Limons Cedars Palmes or Date trees and Pomegranate trees or of any other in these regions except onely Cassia whiche loseth his leaues and hath a greater thyng appropriate to it selfe onely whiche is that whereas all other trees and plantes of India spreade theyr rootes no deeper in the earth then the deapth of a mans heyght or somewhat more not descendyng any further into the grounde by reason of the great heate whiche is founde beneath that deapth yet dooth Cassia pearle further into the ground vntyll it fynd water whiche by the Phylosophers opinion shoulde be the cause of a thynne and watery radicall moysture to suche thynges as drawe theyr nouryshement thereof as fat and vnctuous groundes with temperate heate yelde a fast and firme moysture to suche thynges as growe in them whiche is the cause that suche trees lose not theyr leaues as the sayde thynne and wateryshe moysture is cause of the contrarie as appeareth by the sayde effecte whiche is seene onely in Cassia and none other tree or plant in all these parties Of Reedes or Canes I Haue not thought it conuenient in the chapiture before to speake of that wherof I intend nowe to intreate of reedes or canes to thintent that I woulde not myngle them with plantes or trees being thinges of them selues woorthy to be particulerly obserued So it is therfore that in the firme land there are many sorts of reedes so that in many places they make their houses thereof coueryng them with the toppes of the same and makyng theyr walles of them in lyke maner as I haue sayde before and among these kyndes of reedes there is one so great that the canes therof are as bigge as a mans legge in y e knee and three spanns in length from ioynt to ioynt or more insomuch that euery of them is of capacitie to contayne a litle bucket of water In this kynde there are founde some greater and some lesse of the whiche some they vse to make quyuers for arrowes There is founde an other kynde whiche suerly is marueylous beyng litle bygger then a Iauelyn the canes whereof are longer then two spannes these reedes growe one farre from an other as some tymes twentie or thirtie pases and sometymes also two or three leagues they growe in maner in all prouynces in the Indies and growe neere to very hyghe trees whereunto they leane and creepe vp to the toppes of theyr braunches whiche they imbrase and discende agayne downe to the earth Theyr canes are full of most cleare water without any maner of tast or sauour eyther of the canes or of any other thyng and suche as yf it were taken out of the freshest spryng in the worlde nor yet is it knowen that euer it hurt any that drunke therof For it hath oftentymes so chaunced that as the Christian men haue trauayled in these regions in desolate wayes where for lacke of water they haue been in great daunger to die for thirst they haue escaped that peryl by reason that they founde the sayd reedes of the water of whose canes they haue drunke a great quantitie without any hurt thereof ensuing Therfore when they fynde these in any place they make water vessels of the canes thereof and carry as many of them full of water as may suffice for one dayes iorney and sometime they cary so many that they take for euery man two or three quartes of water which may serue them for many dayes because it doth not corrupt but remayneth styll freshe and good There are also certayne plantes whiche the Christians call Platani These are as hygh as trees and become as byg in the trunke as the knee of a man or more From the foote to the toppe they beare certayne long and large leaues beyng more then three spannes in largenesse about ten or twelue in length the whiche when they are broken of the wynde the stalke remaineth whole in the myddest In the myddest of this plant in the highest part therof there groweth a cluster with fourtie or fyftie platans about it euery of them beyng a spanne and a halfe in length and as byg as a mans arme in the small or more or lesse accordyng to the goodnesse of the soyle where they growe they haue a rynde not very thycke and easye to be broken beyng within altogeather ful of a substaunce lyke vnto the mary of the bone of an Oxe as it appeareth when y e rinde or barke is taken from the same This cluster ought to be taken from the plant when any one of the platans begin to appeare yelowe at which tyme they take it and hang it in theyr houses where all the cluster waxeth rype with all his platans This cluster is a very good fruite and when it is
they haue foules and fruite They make theyr houses of tymber whereof they haue great plentie and in the steade of tiles couer them with the skinnes of fishes and beastes It is sayde also that there are Gryfes in this lande and that the Beares and many other beastes and foules are whyte To this and the Ilandes about the same the Britons are accustomed to resort as men of nature agreeable vnto them and borne vnder the same altitude and temperature The Norwayes also sayled thyther with the pilot called Iohn Scoluo and the Englyshe men with Sebastian Cabot The coaste of the lande of Baccallaos is a great tract and the greatest altitude thereof is .xlviii. degrees and a halfe Sebastian Cabot was the first that brought any knowledge of this land For beyng in England in the dayes of kyng Henrye the seuenth he furnyshed two shyps at his owne charges or as some say at the kynges whom he perswaded that a passage myght be founde to Cathay by the North seas and that spyces myght be brought from thence sooner by that way then by the viage the Portugales vse by the sea of Sur. He went also to knowe what maner of landes those Indies were to inhabite He had with hym three hundred men and directed his course by the tract of Islande vpon the Cape of Laborador at fyftie and eight degrees affirming that in the moneth of Iuly there was such cold heapes of Ise that he durst passe no further also that the daies were very long and in maner without nyght and the nyghtes very cleare Certayne it is that at the threescore degrees the longest day is of eighteene houres But considering the cold and the strangenesse of the vnknowen lande he turned his course from thence to the West folowing the coast of the land of Baccallaos vnto the thirtie eight degrees from whence he returned to Englande To conclude the Britons and Danes haue sayled to the Baccallaos and Iaques Cartier a french man was there twise with three Galeons as one in the yeere .xxxiiii. and the other in the .xxxv. and chose the land to inhabite from the .xlv. degrees to the .li. beyng as good a land as Fraunce and all thynges therin commune to suche as fyrst possesse the same Of these landes Iacobus Gastaldus wryteth thus The new land of Baccallaos is a colde region whose inhabitauntes are Idolatours and praye to the Sonne and Moone and dyuers Idoles they are whyte people and verye rusticall for they eate fleshe and fyshe and all other thynges rawe Sometymes also they eate mans fleshe priuilie so that theyr Cacique haue no knoweledge thereof The apparrel of both the men and women is made of Beares skynnes although they haue Sables and Marternes not greatlye esteemed because they are litle Some of them go naked in sommer and weare apparrell only in winter The Britons and Frenchmen are accustomed to take fyshe in the coastes of these landes where is founde great plentie of Tunnies which thinhabitantes cal Baccallaos wherof the land was so named Northward from the region of Baccallaos is the lande of Laborador all full of mountaynes and great woods in which are many Beares wild Bores The inhabitantes are Idolatours and warlyke people apparelled as are they of Baccallaos In al this new land is neyther citie or castell but they lyue in companies like heardes of beastes The discouering of the land of Florida THe gouernour of the Ilande of Boriouena â–ª Iohn Ponce of Leon beyng discharged of his office and very ryche furnished sent foorth two Carauels to seeke the Ilands of Boiuca in the which the Indians affirmed to be a fountayne or spryng whose water is of vertue to make old men young Whyle he trauayled syxe monethes with outragious desire among many Ilandes to fynde that he sought and coulde fynde no token of any suche fountayne he entred into Bemini and discouered the lande of Florida in the yeere 1512. on Easter day whiche the Spaniards cal the floryshing day of Pascba wherby they named that lande Florida And supposyng that great ryches myght be brought from thence he returned into Spayne and couenanted with king Ferdinando as touchyng the trade and by the intercession of Nicolas de Ouando and Peter Nunnez de Gusman the kyng dyd not only make hym gouernour of Bemini and Florida but also sent foorth with hym three shyppes from Sciuile towards his second viage in the yeere 1515. He touched in the Ilande of Guaccana otherwyse called Guadalupea and sent to lande certayne of his men with the Laundresses of the shyppes whom the Canibales lying in ambushe assayled with theyr inuenomed arrowes and slaying the most part caried away the women With this euill beginning Iohn Ponce departed from hence to Boriquen and from thence to Florida where he went alande with his souldyers to espie a place most commodious to inhabite and plant a colonie But the Indians commyng foorth agaynst him to defende the entrance assayled the Spanyardes fiercely and slue and wounded many of them At whiche conflicte also hee him selfe beyng wounded with an arrowe dyed shortly after in the Ilande of Cuba and so endyng his lyfe consumed a great parte of the rychesse hee had before gotten at sainct Iohans of Boriquen This Iohn Ponce had before sayled with Christopher Colon to the Ilande of Hispaniola in the yeere 1493. Hee was a gentle souldyer in the warres of this Ilande and captayne of the prouince of Higuei for Nicolas de Ouando that conquested the same The region of Florida is a poynt or cape of lande reachyng into the sea lyke vnto a tongue beyng a famous and notorious place among the Indians by reason of many Spanyardes that haue been slayne there But whereas by fame this Florida was esteemed a ryche lande many valiant and noble men desyred the conquest thereof among whom Ferdinando de Soto who had before been a captayne in Peru and greatly inryched by the imprisonment of kyng Atabaliba attempted a viage thither with a good bande of men and spent fyue yeeres in seekyng of golde mynes supposyng that this land had been lyke vnto Peru. In fine hee dyed there and was the destruction and vndoyng of all that went with him without inhabytyng that lande in the whiche the conquestours had hytherto neuer good successe forasmuche as these Indians are valiant archers and strong hardy men But the valiant myndes of the Spanyardes not discouraged by these misaduentures after the death of Ferdinando Soto many woorthie gentlemen desyred this conquest in the yeere .1544 among whom was Iulian Samano and Peter de Abumada beyng bretherne and men of sufficient abilitie for such an enterprise But neyther the Emperour beyng then in Germanie neyther the prince Don Philip his son who gouerned all the kyngdomes of Castile and Aragonie neyther yet the counsayle of the Indies would in any
his abode For as many tymes I haue erst sayd all this countrey is full of riuers Desirous to see those Parai we got into some of them where we found some chambers set foorth with gilded beds very richly other furnished with tables and seates all other thinges so neate and in perfection that it was wonderfull Quiacim shyre as farre as I can perceiue lyeth vpon the south On that syde we kept at our first entry thereinto traueyling not far from the high mountaynes we saw there Asking what people dwelleth beyond those mountaynes it was told me that they be theeues men of a strange language And bycause that vnto sundry places neare this riuer y e mountaynes do approch whence the people issuing downe do many tymes great harme this order is taken at y e entry into Quiacim shyre To gard this riuer wheron continually go to fro Parai great small fraught with salt fish poudred with pepper and other necessaries for that countrey they do lay in diuers places certain Parai great barges armed wherin watch warde is kept day night in both sides of the riuer for the safetie of the passage securitie of suche Parai as doe remayne there though the traueylers neuer go but many in company In euery rode there be at the least thirtie in some two hundred men as the passage requyreth This garde is kept vsually vntyll you come to the citie Onchio where continually the Tutan of this shyre and eke of Cantan maketh his abode From that citie vpwarde where the ryuer waxeth more narrow and the passage more daungerous there be alwayes armed one hundred and fiftie Parai to accompany other vesselles fraught with marchandyse and all this at the king his charges This seemed vnto me one of the strangest thinges I dyd see in this countrey Whan we laye at Fuquien we dyd see certayne Moores who knewe so litle of theyr secte that they could say nothyng els but that Machomet was a Moore my father was a Moore and I am a Moore with some other wordes of theyr Alcorane wherewithall in abstinence from Swynes fleshe they lyue vntyll the deuyll take them all This whan I sawe beyng sure that in many Chinish cities the reliques of Machomet are kept as soone as we came to the citie where these felowes be I enfourmed my selfe of them and learned the trueth These Moores as they tolde me in tymes past came in great shippes fraught with marchandise from Pachin ward to a Porte graunted vnto them by the kyng as hee is wont to all them that traffike into this countrey where they beyng arriued at a litle towne standyng in the hauens mouth in tyme conuerted vnto their secte the greatest Loutea there Whan that Loutea with all his family was become Moorysh the rest began lykewyse to doe the same In this part of China the people be at libertie euery one to worshyp and folow what him lyketh best Wherefore no body tooke heede thereto vntyll such tyme as the Moores perceyuyng that many folowed them in superstition and that the Loutea fauoured them they began to forbyd wholy the eatyng of Swines flesh But all this countrymen and women chosing rather to forsake father and mother than to leaue of eatyng of porke by no meanes would yelde to that proclamation For besides the great desyre they all haue to eate that kynde of meate many of them doe lyue thereby and therefore the people complayned vnto the Magistrates accusing the Moores of a conspiracy pretended betwixt them and the Loutea agaynst theyr kyng In this countrey as no suspicion no not one trayterous worde is long borne withall so was the kyng speedily aduertised thereof who gaue comcommaundement out of hande that the aforesayde Loutea should be put to death and with hym the Moores of most importance the other to be layde fyrst in pryson and afterwarde to be sent abrode into certayne cities where they remayned perpetuall slaues vnto the kyng To this citie came by happe men and women threescore and odde who at this day are brought to fiue men and foure women for it is nowe twentie yeeres agoe this happened Theyr ofspryng passeth the number of .200 and they in this citie as the rest in other cities whyther they were sent haue theyr Moscheas wherunto they al resorte euery fryday to kepe theyr holydaye But as I thynke that wyll no longer endure then whiles they do lyue that came from thence for theyr posteritie is so confused that they haue nothing of a Moore in them but abstinence from Swynes fleshe and yet many of them do eate thereof priuilie They tell me that theyr natiue countrey hath name Camarian a fyrme lande wherein be many kynges and the Indishe countrey well knowen vnto them It may so be for as sone as they dyd see our seruauntes our seruauntes were Preuzaretes they iudged them to be Indians many of theyr woordes sounded vppon the Persike tongue but none of vs coulde vnderstand them I asked them whether they conuerted any of the Chinishe nation vnto theyr secte they answeared me that with much a do they conuerted the women with whom they do marry yeldyng me no other cause thereof but the difficultie they find in them to be brought from eating swines fleshe and drynking of wine I am perswaded therfore that if this countrey were in league with vs forbyddyng them neyther of both it would be an easy matter to draw them to our religion from theyr superstition wherat they them selues do laugth when they do their Idolatrie I haue learned moreouer that the sea wherby these Moores that came to China were woont to trauaile is a very great gulfe that falleth into this countrey out from Tartaria and Persia leauing on the other syde all the countrey of China and lande of the Mogorites drawyng alwayes towarde the south and of all lykelyhood it is euen so because that these Moores the whiche we haue seene be rather browne then white wherby they shewe them selues to come from some warmer countrey then China is neere to Pachin where the ryuers are frosen in the wynter for colde and many of them so vehemently that cartes may passe ouer them We dyd see in this citie many Tartares Mogorites Bremes and Laoynes both men women The Tartares are men very white good horsemen and archers confinyng with China on that side where Pachin standeth separated from thence by great mountaines that are betwyxt these kingdomes Ouer them be certaine wayes to passe and for both sydes Castelles continually keapte with souldiers in tyme past the Tartares were woont alwayes to haue warrs with the Chineans but these fourescore yeeres past they were quiete vntyll the seconde yeere of our imprysonment The Mogorites be in lyke maner whyte and heathen we are aduertised that of one syde they border vppon these Tartares and confine with the Persike Tartares on the other syde whereof we sawe in them some tokens
the contrary parte of the sayde lande discouered The sayd maister Antonie wrote furthermore that by the opinion of men well practised there was discouered so great a space of that countrey vnto the sayde sea that it passed .950 leagues whiche make .2850 myles And doubtlesse if the Frenche men in this theyr newe Fraunce would haue passed by lande toward the sayd Northwest and by North they should also haue founde the sea whereby they myght haue sayled to Cathay But aboue all thynges this seemed vnto me most woorthie of commendation that the sayde maister Antonie wrote in his letter that he had made a booke of al the naturall and marueylous thinges whiche they founde in searchyng those countreys with also the measures of landes and altytudes of degrees A worke doubtlesse which sheweth a princely and magnificall mynd wherby we may conceiue that if God had giuen him the charge of the other hemispherie he would or now haue made it better knowen to vs. The which thing I suppose no man doth greatly esteeme at this tyme beyng neuerthelesse the greatest and most glorious enterpryse that may be imagined And heere makyng a certayne pause and turnyng him selfe towarde vs hee sayde Doe you not vnderstande to this purpose howe to passe to India towarde the Northwest wynde as dyd of late a citizen of Uenece so valiant a man and so well practised in all thinges perteynyng to nauigations and the science of Cosmographie that at this present hee hath not his lyke in Spayne insomuche that for his vertues hee is preferred aboue all other pylottes that sayle to the West Indies who may not passe thyther without his lycence and is therefore called Piloto Maggiore that is the graunde pylote And when we sayde that wee knewe him not hee proceeded saying that beyng certayne yeeres in the citie of Siuile and desirous to haue some knowledge of the nauigations of the Spanyardes it was tolde him that there was in the citie a valiant man a Uenecian borne named Sebastian Cabote who had the charge of those thinges beyng an expert man in that science and one that could make cardes for the sea with his owne hande and that by this reporte seekyng his acquayntaunce hee founde him a very gentle person who enterteyned him friendly and shewed him many thinges and among other a large Mappe of the worlde with certayne perticular nauigations aswell of the Portugales as of the Spanyardes and that hee spake further vnto him in this effecte When my father departed from Uenece many yeeres since to dwell in Englande to folowe the trade of merchandyes hee tooke mee with him to the citie of London whyle I was very young yet hauing neuerthelesse some knowledge of letters of humanitie and of the sphere And when my father dyed in that tyme when newes were brought that Don Christopher Colonus Genuese had discouered the coasts of India wherof was great talke in all the court of kyng Henry the seuenth who then reigned insomuche that all men with great admiration affirmed it to be a thing more diuine then humane to sayle by the West into the East where spyces growe by a way that was neuer knowen before By which fame and report there increased in my harte a great flame of desyre to attempte some notable thyng And vnderstandyng by reason of the sphere that if I should sayle by the way of the Northwest wynde I should by a shorter tracte come to India I therevppon caused the kyng to bee aduertised of my diuise who immediately commaunded two Carauels to be furnyshed with all thinges apperteynyng to the vyage which was as farre as I remember in the yeere .1496 in the begynnyng of sommer Beginning therefore to sayle toward Northwest not thinking to fynde any other lande then that of Cathay and from thence to turne toward India But after certayne dayes I founde that the lande ranne towarde the North which was to me a great displeasure Neuerthelesse saylyng along by the coast to see if I could fynde any gulfe that turned I founde the lande styll continent to the .56 degree vnder our pole And seeyng that there the coast turned toward the East dispayring to fynde the passage I turned backe agayne and sayled downe by the coast of that lande towarde the Equinoctiall euer with intent to fynde the sayde passage to India and came to that parte of this firme lande whiche is nowe called Florida Where my victualles faylyng I departed from thence and returned into Englande where I founde great tumultes among the people and preparance for warres in Scotlande by reason whereof there was no more consideration had to this vyage Whervppon I went into Spayne to the Catholyke kyng and queene Elizabeth who beyng aduertised what I had done enterteyned mee and at theyr charges furnyshed certayne shyppes wherewith they caused mee to sayle to discouer the coastes of Brasile where I founde an exceedyng great and large ryuer named at this present Rio della Plata that is the ryuer of siluer into the whiche I sayled and folowed it into the firme lande more then sixe hundred leagues fyndyng it euery where very fayre and inhabited with infinite people whiche with admiration came runnyng dayly to our shyppes Into this ryuer runne so many other riuers that it is in maner incredible After this I made many other vyages whiche I now permyt And wexyng olde I gyue my selfe to rest from suche traueyles bycause there are nowe many young and lusty Pylotes and mariners of good experience by whose forwardnesse I doe reioyce in the fruites of my labours and rest with the charge of this office as you see And this is as muche as I haue vnderstoode of maister Sebastian Cabote as I haue geathered out of dyuers nauigations written in the Italian tongue And whereas I haue before made mention howe Moscouia was in our tyme discouered by Richarde Chanceler in his viage towarde Cathay by the direction and information of the sayd maister Sebastian who long before had this secrete in his mynd I shall not neede heere to describe that viage forasmuche as the same is largely and faythfully written in the Latine tongue by that learned young man Clement Adams schoolemaister to the Queenes Henshemen as he receyued it at the mouth of the sayd Richard Chanceler Neuerthelesse I haue thought good heere to speake somewhat of Moscouia as I haue redde in the booke of Iohn Faber written in the Latine tongue to the ryght noble Prince Ferdinando Archeduke of Austria and Infant of Spaine of the maners and religion of the Moscouites as he was partly instructed by the Ambassadours of the Duke of Moscouie sent into Spayne to Themperours maiestie in the yeere .1525 He wryteth therefore as foloweth I thynke it fyrst conuenient to speake somewhat of the name of this region whereby it is called at this day and howe it was called in olde tyme. Conferryng therefore the moste
in Affrik and the beare in Sarmatia are fierce as in theyr present strength and vigoure but translated into a contrary heauen are of lesse strength and courage The foule called Ciconia which some thynke to be the Storke doth not tary the wynter yet do the Cranes come at that tyme. The Scythian wyll accuse the Romane heauen as inducyng feuers whereas neuerthelesse there is none more holsome Such as haue been tenderly brought vp if they come suddeynely into the campe can not away with hunger watchyng heate passages through ryuers battayles sieges and assaultes But the olde souldier exercised in the warres vseth these as meditations of the fielde as hardened therto by long experience He that hath been accustomed to the shadowe of the citie and wyll attempte the saying of the poet Uirgil Nudus ara sero nudus that is naked and bare without house and home shal to his peryl make an end of the verse Habebis frigora febram that is he shal haue the colde ague Suche thynges therfore as seeme hard vnto vs beyng accustomed by litle and litle become more tollerable Insomuch that this exercise of sufferaunce by such degrees doth oftentimes growe to prodigious effectes farre beyond our expectation And thus we seeme to haue made sufficient demonstration by heauen nature and art wherby it may appeare that no part of the land or sea is denied to liuing creatures The reader may also perceiue howe large matter of reasons and examples may be opened for the declaryng of our opinion wherin we rest Let therfore thauctoritie of the auntient auctours geue place and the consent of the newe writers agree to this history not as nowe at the length comprehended wheras before many hundred yeeres Germanie and Scondia had entercouse of merchandies not seuered by the large gulfe of Gothia but as nowe by our commentaries brought to lyght and hauyng sayde thus muche in maner of a preface we wyll nowe proceede to wryte of the North regions Schondia SCondia Schondania or Schondenmarchia is as muche to saye as fayre Dania or fayre Denmarke Plinie in one place nameth it Scandia and in an other Scandinauia if there be no faute in thexemples It was named Schondia by reason of the fayrenesse and fruitefulnesse thereof And this aswell for that in beneficiall heauen fertilitie of grounde commoditie of hauens and marte townes abundaunce of ryuers and fyshe plentie of beastes great quantitie of metall as golde syluer copper and leade diligent culturyng the grounde with townes and cities well â—nhabited and gouerned by ciuile lawes it geueth place to none other fortunate region This was in maner vnknowen to the olde Greekes and Latins as may appeare by this argument that with one consent they affirmed that in these north regions the colde Zone or clime was condemned to perpetuall snowe intollerable to al lyuyng creatures For fewe of them haue made mention hereof as to be inhabited Among whom Plinie as one of the chiefe saith in his fourth booke that Schondania is of vnknowen biggenesse and onely that portion thereof to be knowen which is inhabited with the nation of the Hilleuiones in fiftie villages Neither yet is Eningia lesse in opinion Other more auncient then Plinie haue placed most fortunate regions with men of long lyfe which the Greekes call Macrobios and of most innocent behauour vnder the tracte of those landes and that there came from thence to Delphos certayne religious virgines with vowes and giftes consecrated to Apollo And furthermore that that nation obserued this institution vntyll the saide virgins were violated of them of whom they were receiued as straungers These are most cleare testimonies of Antiquitie both of the greatnesse of Schondia and the people that inhabite the same although they were since vnknowen as lykewyse the Gothes departyng from these North landes although they obteyned Thempire of the regions about the maryshes of Meotis and the coastes of the sea Euxinus with the realme of Denmarke wherof that is thought to be a portion whiche is nowe called Transiluania and the bankes of the ryuer of Danubius and in fine inuaded the Romane Empire yet were not the regions well knowen from whence they tooke theyr originall Therefore lyke as part of the olde wryters are vnsufficient witnesses to testifie of our narrations as touchyng these landes vnknowen to them Euen so the other parte whiche excluded the same as vnhabitable are to be conuinced leaste theyr authoritie beyng admitted shoulde engender opinions not agreeable or conuenient to the nature of places Sigismundus Liberus in his commentaries of Moscouia writeth thus Scandia or Scondia is no Ilande as some haue thought but part of the continent or firme land of Suetia which by a long tract reacheth to Cothland and that nowe the kyng of Denmarke possesseth a great part thereof But whereas the writers of these thynges haue made Scondia greater then Suetia and that the Gothes and Lumbardes came from thence they seeme in my opinion to comprehend these three kyngdomes as it were in one bodie only vnder the name of Scondia forasmuch as then that part of land that lyeth betweene the sea Baltheun which floweth by the coastes of Finlandia and the frosen sea was vnknowen and that by reason of so manye maryshes innumerable riuers and intemperatenesse of heauen it is yet rude vncultured and litle knowen Which thyng hath been the cause that some iudged al that was called by the name of Scondia to be one great Iland Gronelande GRonelande is interpreted greene land so called for the great encrease and fruitfulnesse of pasture By reason whereof what great plentie of cattaile there is it may hereby appere that at such time as shippes may passe thither they set foorth great heapes of Cheese and Butter to be solde whereby we coniecture that the lande is not rough with barren mountaynes It hath two Cathedrall Churches vnder the Ordination of Nidrosia To one of these was of late yeeres a Byshop appoynted only by the title of a Suffragane in consideration that while the Metropolitane doth neglect the direction of religion for the distance of the place and difficult nauigation the people is in maner falne to gentilitie being of them selues of moueable wittes geuen to magicall artes For it is sayd that they as also the people of Laponia do rayse tempestes on the sea with magicall inchauntmentes and bryng such shyps into daunger as they entend to spoyle They vse litle ships made of Leather and safe agaynst the brusing of the sea and rockes and with them assaile other shyps Peter Martir of Angleria writeth in his Decades of the Spanysh nauigations that Sebastian Cabot saylyng from England continually towarde the North folowed that course so farre that he chaunced vpon great flakes of yse in the Mooneth of Iuly and that diuertyng from thence he folowed the coast by the shore bendyng toward the South vntyll he came to the clyme
and cruell Basilius the Sonne of Iohn was the fyrst that tooke vppon hym the name and title of a kyng in this maner The great lord Basilius by the grace of God kyng and lorde of all Russia and the great Duke of Vuolodimaria Moscouia Nouogradia c. Furthermore wheras nowe this Prince is called Emperour I haue thought good to shewe the title and cause of this errour Note therfore that Czar in the Ruthens tongue signifieth a kyng whereas in the language of the Slauons Pollons Bohemes and other the same worde Czar signifieth Cesar by whiche name the Emperours haue been commonly called For both they and the Slauons that are vnder the kyngdome of Hungarie call a kyng by an other name as some Crall other Kyrall and some Korall but thynke that only an Emperour is called Czar Whereby it came to passe that the Ruthene or Moscouite interpretours hearyng theyr Prince to be so called of strange nations began them selues also to name hym an Emperour thâ—nk the name of Czar to be more worthy then the name of a kyng although they signifie all one thyng But who so wyll reade all theyr histories and bookes of holy scripture shall fynde that a kyng is called Czar and an Emperour Kessar By the lyke errour the Emperour of the Turkes is called Czar who neuerthelesse of antiquitie vsed no hygher tytle then the name of a kyng expressed by this worde Czar And hereof the Turkes of Europe that vse the Slauon tongue call the citie of Constantinople Czargard that is the kyngs citie Some call the Prince of Moscouie the whyte kyng which I thynke to proceede of the whyte Cappes or other tyrementes they weare on theyr heades lyke as they call the kyng of Pertia Kisilpassa that is redde head He vseth the tytle of a kyng when he wryteth or sendeth to Rome the Emperour the Pope the Kyng of Suetia and Denmarke the great maister of Prusia and Liuonia and also to the great Turke as I haue been credibly enfourmed but he is not called kyng of any of them except perhaps of the Liuons Yet by reason of his later conquestes some haue thought hym worthy the name of a kyng or rather of an Emperour because he hath kyngs vnder his Empire To the kyng of Polone he vseth this title The great lorde Basilius by the grace of God lord of al Russia and great Duke of Vuolodimeria Moscouia Nouogradia c. leauyng out the title of a kyng For none of them vouchsafeth to receyue the letters of the other augmented with any newe title as I knewe by experience at my beyng in Moscouia at which time Sigismundus the kyng of Polone sent hym his letters augmented with the title of the Duke of Moscouia wherwith he was not a litle offended They glory in theyr histories that before Vuolodimeria and Olha the land of Russia was baptised and blessed of Sainct Andrewe the Apostle of Christ affirmyng that he came from Grecia to the mouthes of the ryuer Boristhenes and that he sayled vp the ryuer to the mountaynes where as is nowe Chiouia and that there he blessed all the lande and placed his crosse prophesyng also that the grace of God shoulde be great there and that there shoulde be many churches of Christian men Lykewyse that he afterward came to the sprynges of Boristhenes vnto the great Lake Vuolok and by the ryuer Louat descended into the Lake Ilmer from whence by the ryuer Vuolcon whiche runneth out of the same Lake he came to Nouogradia and passed from thence by the same ryuer to the Lake Ladoga and the ryuer Heua and so vnto the sea whiche they call Vuarezkoia beyng the same that we call the Germane sea betweene Vuinlandia or Finlandia and Liuonia by the whiche he sayled to Rome and was at the last crucified for Christ his Gospell in Peloponnesus by the tirranie of Agus Antipater as theyr cronacles make mention The Prince euery seconde or thyrde yeere causeth a muster to bee taken of the Sonnes of the Boiorons and taketh an accompte booth of theyr number and howe manye Horses and men euery of them is able to make and then appoynteth a certayne stypende to suche as are able further to beare theyr owne charges in the warres They haue seldome any rest or quietnesse For they eyther keepe warre with the Lithuanians Liuonians Suetians or Tartars of Casan Or if it so chaunce that the prince keepe no warre yet doth he yeerely appoynte garrysons of .xx. thousande men in places about Tanais and Occa to represse the incursions and robberyes of the European Tartars called Precopites As in other matters euen so in the order of warrefare there is great diuersitie among men For the Moscouian as soone as he beginneth to flye thinketh of none other succoure but putteth all his confidence therin Beyng pursued or taken of his enimie he neyther defendeth hym selfe nor desireth pardon The Tartar cast of from his horse spoyled of all his armure and weapones and also sore wounded defendeth hym selfe with handes feete and teethe and by all meanes he may vntyll his strength and spirite fayle hym The Turke when he seeth hym selfe destitute of all helpe and hope to escape doth humbly desyre pardon castyng away his weapons and armure and reaching forth to the victourer his handes ioyned togeather to be bounde hopyng by captiuitie to saue his lyfe The Moscouites in placeyng theyr armie chuse them a large playne where the best of them pytch theyr tentes and the other make them certaine arbours of bowes fyxt in the grounde bendyng togeather the toppes thereof which they couer with theyr clokes to defende them selues theyr bowes arrowes saddels and other theyr necessaries from rayne They put foorth theyr horses to pasture and for that cause haue theyr tentes so farre in sunder which they fortifie neither with cartes or trenches or any other impedyment except perhappes the place be defended by nature as with wooddes ryuers and maryshes It may perhappes seeme straunge howe he mayntayneth hym and his so longe with so small an armye as I haue sayde I wyll nowe therefore briefely declare theyr sparyng and frugalitie He that hath syxe or sometymes more horses vseth one of them as a packe horse to beare all theyr necessaryes He hath also in a bagge of two or three spannes long the flower or meale of the graine called mille and .viii. or .x. pounds weyght of Swines fleshe poudred He hath lykewyse a bagge of salte myxt with pepper if he be rych Furthermore euery man caryeth with hym a hatchet a fyre boxe and a brasen potâ—e so that if they chaunce to come to any place where they can fynde no fruites Garlyke Onyons or fleshe they kyndle a fyre and fyll theyr pottes with water whereunto they put a spoonefull of meale with a quantitie of salt and make pottage therof wherwith the maister and all his seruauntes lyue contented But if the maister bee very
warres who in theyr language sayde thus vnto me Are you our friende Yea sayde I. Then we pray you in the way of friendship shewe vs that Christian which is muche hygher and stronger then any other of the Christians and kylled in maner euery day about twentie of the Mahumetans and resisted the dartes of fiftie Naeros these are of the garde and escaped without hurte I answered that that Christian was not nowe in the citie but was gone to Cucin to the Uiceroye But when I better considered the matter I sayde thus vnto them Are you my friendes Yea we are sayde they Then sayde I That souldier that fought so valiauntly in the battayle was no Portugale Then sayde they Of what countrey was he then I answered agayne that he was the God of the Portugales and the great God of all the world Then sayde they Uerily you speake the trueth For we heard the Mahumetans say that it was not the Portugales but the Portugales God that gaue them the ouerthrowe and therefore we thynke your God to bee better then theyrs although we know him not And by this meanes it was bruiâ—ed ouer all the countrey that the Mahumetans were ouercome rather by the assistaunce of God then by the strength of men For these people are very simple and ignoraunt and astonyshed in maner at euery thyng For some when they sawe one of our company hauyng a little bell in his hande and hearde the noyse of the bell when he moued his hand and no noyse when he set it downe they tooke it for a myracle saying one to an other doubtlesse theyr God is the greatest God for when they touche the bell it speaketh and when they touche it not it sayeth nothyng They tooke pleasure and admiration to beholde the solemnities of the Masse And when the priest lyfted vp the holy bread or host I sayde vnto them beholde here the God of the Portugales and of all the worlde Then sayde they You say truly but we can not perceyue it This haue I sayde that you may hereby knowe what simple and ignorant people these are yet are they very great inchaunters and can inchaunte Serpentes whose poyson is so strong that they kyll only with touchyng They are also of incredible agilitie and therefore excell in vautyng leapyng runnyng swymmyng tumblyng walkyng on ropes and such other exercises of lyghtnesse and agilitie The seuenth booke entreating of the viage or Nauigation of Ethiopia Cap. 1. THey that will take vppon them to wryte any hystorie had neede to beare well in memorie what they haue promysed and taken in hande lest for theyr paynes and well meanyng they be rewarde with shame and rebuke and therfore whereas in the beginnyng of this booke I promysed to wryte of the Nauigation of Ethiope I will with the description of this viage make an ende of my long traueyle and speake of such thinges as I sawe there by the way in my returne from India into my long desired countrey in the company of the Portugales Of diuers and many Ilandes of Ethiope Cap. 2. THerefore the seuenth day of December we directed our iourney towarde Ethiope trauersing fyrst the great gulfe and saylyng foure hundred myles came to an Ilande named Monzambrich vnder the dominion of the kyng of Portugale But before we arryued there we sawe by the way many townes parteining to the Portugales and also many strong fortresses in the kyngdomes of Melinda and Mombaza The kyng of Portugale hath also certayne fortresses in Monzambrich and Zaphala But if I should here speake of the memorable factes of the valiant knyght Tristan dè Cugna at his returne from India I should take in hande a thyng farre aboue my reache beyng suche as deserue rather the commendations of Homer Uirgil for he inuaded and subdued the great cities of Gogia Pati and Craua with also the goodly Ilande of Sacutara where the kyng of Portugale hath erected certayne fortresses and omit also to speake of many other Ilandes whiche we sawe in the way as the Ilande of Cumeris and sixe other which beare plentie of ginger suger dyuers other goodly fruites and abundance of fleshe also the most fruitfull Iland of Pende likewise subiect to the kyng of Portugale Of the Ilande of Monzambrich and the inhabitantes thereof Cap. 3. THis Ilande as we haue sayde is subiecte to the kyng of Portugale as is also Zaphala From the Ilande of Monzambrich is brought much golde and oyle but is brought thyther from the firme lande The Ilande is not byg and is inhabited with blacke Mahumetans lyuyng in maner in necessitie of all thinges yet hath it a commodious porte They haue no corne but that is brought from the continent where also we went alande to see the countrey where we sawe nothyng but a vagabunde and rascall kynde of blacke men coueryng only theyr priuities with leaues of trees and are besyde naked and the women in lyke maner Theyr lyppes are two fingers thicke theyr foreheades very large theyr teeth great and as white as snow They are fearefull at the sight of euery thyng and especially when they see armed men Therefore seeing theyr fearefulnesse knowing them to be without weapons that can doe any great hurte only sixe of vs well armed â–ª bearyng also with vs Hargabuses and hauyng in our companie a blacke slaue that somewhat knewe the countrey we began to enter further into the lande and when we had gone forwarde one dayes iourney we founde many heardes of Elephantes Here the slaue that was our guyde gaue vs counsayle to take fyrebrandes in our handes bycause these beastes feare fyre aboue all thinges But we once chaunced to fynde three Female Elephants which had very lately brought foorth theyr Calues and therefore feared not the fyre but without all feare folowed vs so farre that we were fayne to flee to a mountayne to saue vs from the beastes When we had entred about tenne myles into the land we found a certayne denne on the syde of a mountayne where some of the blacke inhabitauntes lurked These spake so confoundedly and chatteringly lyke Apes that I am not able to expresse theyr maner of speeche Yet to goe the nearest thereto that I can theyr speach is lykest to the euyll fauored voyce which the Muleters of Sicilia vse when they dryue theyr Mules and suche maner of blabberyng vse these people in theyr speache Heere the Pilot of the shyppe asked vs if wee woulde buye any kyne saying that here we should haue them good cheape But we thinking that eyther he had mocked vs or that agreeing with the inhabitauntes whom he knewe before he woulde haue deceyued vs of our money and wares sayde that we had no money Then sayde he vnto vs These people desire nothyng lesse then money hauyng muche more plentie of golde then we haue which is founde not farre hence
found at the hands of his subiectes and officers in India He entertayned me most gratiously in his courte vntyll I had infourmed hym of all thynges whiche I had obserued in my voyage to India A fewe dayes after I shewed his hyghnesse the letters patentes whereby his Lieuetenante the Uiceroye of India gaue me the order of knyghthod desyryng his maiestie to confyrme the same by his great seale which my petion he immediatly graunted And thus departing from thence with the kynges pasporte and safe conducte at the length after these my long and great trauayles and dangers I came to my long desyred and natiue countrey the citie of Rome by the grace of God to whom be all honour and glory FINIS Of the hygher East India called India Tercera or Treciera IN this India whiche the portugales call Tercera are very great kyngdomes as the kyngdomes of Beugala Pegu Berma Erancangui Dausian Capelam and the great kyngdome of Malacha called of the olde wryters Aurea Chersonesus whose chiefe citie is also called Malacha and was in olde tyme named Tachola Under this kyngdome are infinite Ilandes called Maluche whereof the principall are these Iaua the greater Iaua the lesse Polagua Mendana Cuba Cailon Huban Bur Tenado Anbon and Gilolo with infinite other On the Southwest part from Malacha is the great Ilande of Samotra called in olde tyme Taprobana in the whiche are the kyngdomes of Pedir Biraen Pazer Ardagni and Ham. This Iland al the other called Maluche bring foorth great quantitie of Cloues Cinamome Nuttemegges Maces and all other kyndes of spyces except Pepper whiche groweth in the prouince of Calecut and the Ilande of Ceilam All these sortes of spices are caryed to Malacha to be solde But the greatest part of them is caryed to Cathay and China and from thence to the North partes of Tartarie This kyngdome of China is very great and was in olde tyme called Sina Here is founde great plentie of precious stones The people are very subtile and ryche They are al apparelled eyther in sylke or cloth or vestures of other woorkemanshyppe and are of good ciuilitie They do not gladly permit the Portugales or other straungers to traficke in theyr kyngdome whose most famous place vpon the sea syde is named Cantan and the sea Machiam called of the olde wryters the sea of Sina Of the prices of precious stones and Spices with theyr weightes and measures as they are accustomed to be solde both of the Moores and the gentyles And of the places where they growe FOrasmuche as in dyuers places of this historie mention is made of precious stones I haue thought good to declare somewhat aswell of theyr prices as of the places of theyr generation that we may not vtterly be ignorante of the thynges whiche we so greately esteeme and buie so deare Of the Rubie THe Rubies growe in India and are founde for the most parte in a ryuer named Pegu. These are of the best kynde and finest which they of the lande of Malabor cal Nunpuclo and are well solde if they be fayre and cleane without spottes The Indians to knowe theyr finenesse put them vpon theyr tongues comptyng that to be best that is couldest and most harde And to see theyr finenesse they take them vp with a peece of waxe by the sharpest poynt and lookyng agaynst the lyght espie in them euery small spot or flake They are also founde in certayne dâ—epe fosses or pittes whiche are made in mountaynes that are beyonde the sayde ryuer They are scoured and made cleane in the countrey of Pegu yet can they not square and polyshe them but for this purpose sende them to diuers other countreis especially to Palcacate Narsinga Calecut and the region of Malabor where are many cunnyng Lapidaries And to geue you intelligence of the value of these stones ye shall vnderstande that this woorde Fanan signifieth a weyght somewhat more then two of our Carattes and .xi. Fanans and a quarter is one Mitigal and .vi Mitigals and a halfe make one vnce This Fanan is also a kynde of mony whiche is in value one ryall of syluer and therefore after this accompte I say that Eyght fine Rubies of the weyght of one Fanan which are in all about two carattes are in value Fanan .x. Foure Rubies that wey one Fanan are worth Fanan .xx. Two that wey one Fanan Fanan .xl. One that weyeth three quarters of one Fanan Fanan .30 One that weyeth one Fanan Fanan .50 One that weyeth one Fanan and a quarter Fanan .65 One that weyeth one Fanan and a halfe Fanan .100 One that weyeth one Fanan and three quarters Fanan .150 One that weyeth two Fanans Fanan .200 One that weyeth two Fanans and a quarter Fanan .250 One that weyeth two Fanans and a halfe Fanan .300 One that weyeth two Fanans and three quarters Fanan .350 Of three Fanans Fanan â–ª 400. Of three and a quarter Fanan .500 Of three and a halfe Fanan .550 Of three and three quarters Fanan .600 Of three and three quarters and a halfe Fanan .630 Of foure Fanans Fanan .660 Of foure and a quarter Fanan .700 Of foure and a halfe Fanan .800 Of fyue Fanans Fanan .1000 Of fyue and a halfe Fanan .1200 Of sixe Fanans which are about twelue Carats Fanan .1500 which make a hundred and fyftie crownes of golde And these are commonly the prices of perfect Rubies But suche as are not perfect and haue any spottes in them or are not of good colour are of lesse price accordyng to the arbitriment and estimation of the buyer Of the Rubies which growe in the Iland of Zeilam IN the Ilande of Zeilam beyng in the seconde India are founde many Rubies whiche the Indians name Manecas the greatest part wherof do not arryue to the perfection of the other aforesayde in colour because they are redde as though they were washed and of fleshy colour yet are they very colde and harde The perfectest of them are greatlye esteemed among the people of the Ilande and are reserued onlye for the kyng hym selfe yf they be of any great quantitie When his Iewellers fynde any bygge peece of this Rocke of the best kynde they put it in fyre for the space of certayne houres whiche yf it come out of the fyre vncorrupte it becommeth of the colour of a burnyng cole and was therefore called of the Greekes Anthrax whiche signifyeth a burnyng cole The same that the greekes call Anthrax the Latines call Carbunculus â–ª These they greatly esteeme When the kyng of Narsinga can get any of them he causeth a fyne hole to be bored in the vndermost part of them to the myddest and suffereth none of them to passe out of his realme especially if they haue ben tryed by the sayde proofe These are of greater value then the other of Pegu if they be in theyr naturall perfection and cleanenesse Of these one that wayeth a Carratte whiche is halfe a Fanan is woorth
do bread It hath the taste of an Almonde and is vsed in the steade of bread when it is dryed In the myddest of this carnell is a cleare and sweete water beyng very holsome and cordiale This water sometyme coniealeth and lyeth within the shell lyke an egge When they intende to make oyle hereof the laye it to putrifie in water and boyle it vntyll it be lyke oyle or liquide butter When they intende to make vineger they suffer onely the water to putrifie and then set it to the Sunne where it becommeth vineger lyke vnto that which is made of whyte wyne And when they mingle the carnell with the water whiche is in the myddest of the fruite and strayne it through a cloth they make a mylke thereof lyke vnto Goates mylke These Date trees are lyke vnto them that beare Dates but are not so full of knottes With the iuice of two of these Date trees a whole familie of tenne persons may be mentayned with wyne vsyng one .viii. dayes and the other other .viii. dayes for they shoulde els be dryed and wythered These trees continue for the space of a hundred yeeres This Ilande where they founde this humane and gentle people is called Zuluan and is not very bygge About this Ilande they founde many other Ilandes and therefore named this sea Archipelago di San Lazaro that is the great sea of saint Lazarus beyng tenne degrees aboue the Equinoctiall towarde our pole and C.lxi. from the place from whence they departed The people of this Ilande are Caphranita that is Gentiles They go naked sauyng that they couer theyr priuie partes with a cloth made of the rynd of a certaine tree The chiefest men haue about theyr heades a sylken cloth of needle woorke They are grosse and brode set and of the coloure of an Olyue They annoynt theyr bodies with the oyle of Cocus to defende them agaynst the heate of the Sunne and drynesse of the wynde The .xxv. daye of Marche they departed from hence and directed theyr course beteweene the West and southwest and sayled betweene foure Ilandes named Cenalo Huinanghan Hibusson and Abarien â–ª c. The .xxviii. daye of Marche they came to the Ilande of Buthuan where they were honorably entertayned of the Kyng and the Prynce his sonne who gaue them muche golde and spices The Captayne gaue the Kyng a vesture of red cloth and an other of yelowe made after the Turkyshe fasshion and also a redde cappe and gaue lykewyse to other that came with hym certayne knyues glasses and beades of Crystall After that the Captayne had shewed the Kyng the secretes of his shyp and suche merchaundies as he had therein he caused a peece of ordinaunce sodenly to be shotte of whereat the kyng was greatly amased vntyl the Captayne comforted hym Then the Captayne commaunded one of his men to be armed from the head to the foote and caused three other to stryke hym with theyr swoordes whereat the kyng marueyled greatly and sayde to thinterpretour who was a slaue borne in Malacha that one of those armed men was able to encounter with a hundred of his men But he marueyled much more when the Captayne tolde hym by thinterpretoure howe he founde the strayght by the compasse and lode stone and howe many dayes they were without syght of any lande Then askyng lycence to depart the Captaine sent two of his men with hym of y t which Antonie Pigafetta was one When the kyng sawe Antonie Pigafetta wryte the names of many thynges and afterwarde rehearsed them againe he marueyled yet more makyng sygnes that such men descended from heauen The kyng brought them fyrst to his pallace where he interteyned them honorably and gaue them many gyftes as dyd also the Prince in his pallace beyng in an other Ilande named Caleghan As they syfted a certeyne myne of earth in the kynges Iland they founde peeces of golde some as bygge as Nuttes and other as bygge as Egges All the kynges vesselles were of gold and his house well furnyshed In al the whole nation there was no man of comelyer personage then the kyng he had his heare long downe to his shulders and very blacke with a vaile of sylke rouled about his head and two great rynges of golde hangyng at his eares He had about his myddle a cloth wrought of cotten and sylke impaled with golde and reachyng downe to his knees On his one syd he had a long daggar with a hafte of gold and the sheathe of a fayre kynde of carued woodde He had on euery finger three rynges of golde and had his bodie annoynted with oyle of storax and Beniamin The natural coloure of his face was lyke vnto the coloure of an Oliue and all his body besyde paynted with diuers colours The kynges name was Raia Colambu and the prince was called Raia Siagu The last day of Marche neare vnto Easter the Captayne caused his priest to say Masse and sent to the kyng by the interpretour that his comming a land at that tyme was not to dyne with hym but only to heare Masse The Captayne came aland with fyftie of his men in theyr best apparel without weapons or harnesse and all the residue well armed Before the boates came to lande he caused sixe peeces of ordinaunce to be shot of in token of peace and so came alande where the two kynges imbrased hym and accompanied hym to the place appoynted for Masse to be sayde not farre from the sea syde Somewhat before the begynnyng of Masse the Captayne sprynkled the kynges with Damaske water When the priest was at myd Masse at the offertorie the kinges profered them selues to go to kysse the crosse with the Captayne but offered nothyng At the tyme of sacryng when the priest lyfted vp the body of Christe and the Christians kneeled downe and helde vp theyr handes ioyned togeather the kynges dyd the lyke also with great reuerence In the meane tyme whyle certayne of the Christians were at the Communion a handgunne was shot of to signifie vnto them that were in the shippes to discharge al theyr ordinaunce When Masse was finished the Captayne caused certayne of his men to put on their harnesse and to make a cumbat with theyr naked swoordes whereat the kynges tooke great pleasure This doone the Captayne caused a crosse to be brought foorth with nayles and a crowne of thornes geuyng commaundement to all his men to gyue reuerence therevnto and signifying to the kynges by the interpreter that that banner was gyuen hym by the Emperour his lorde and maister with commaundement to leaue the same in all places where he came to the great commoditie and profyte of al such as woulde reuerendly receyue it as an assured token of frendship and that he woulde therfore leaue it there aswel to accomplishe his lordes commaundement as also that yf at any tyme any ships of Christians shoulde chaunce to come that way myght by seyng that crosse perceyue
distant from Giaua maior Here they were informed that aboue Giaua maior towarde the north is a great gulfe called the gulfe of China in the whiche are trees of exceedyng byggnesse inhabited with foules of such greatnesse that they cary great beastes in the ayre The fruites of these trees are as byg as Cucummers The cape of Malacha is one degree and a halfe aboue the Equinoctiall line toward the pole Artike On the east syde of this cape runneth a very long coast in the which are many regions cities wherof some are called by these names Cingaporla whiche is the cape Also Pahan Calantan Patani Braalin Benu Longon and Odia wherin is the citie in the whiche dwelleth the kyng of Sian named Zacabedera Theyr cities are buylded as ours are and subiect to the kyng of Sian After the realme of Sian are the regions of Iamgoma and Campaa where Reubarbe groweth of the whiche are diuers opinions some supposyng it to be a roote and other a putrified tree affyrming that if it were not putrified it should not haue so great a sauour They call it Calama Next vnto this is founde the great China whose kyng is thought to be the greatest prince in the worlde and is named Santoa Raia Furthermore all that is written hereafter of this kyng and these regions they learned by thinformation of a Moore that was in the Iland of Timor He affirmed that the sayd kyng hath threescore and tenne crowned kynges vnder his empyre and hath a port in the sea named Canthan and two principall cities named Nauchin and Connulaha where he remaineth hym selfe and hath euer foure of his chiefe princes lying about his palace on euery syde towarde the east west north and south geuyng dilygent attendaunce what is done in euery of theyr quarters All the princes of the greater India called India Maior and of that whereof I haue spoken before are obedient to this kyng And in token that they are true subiectes they keepe in theyr palaces which are in the myddest of theyr cities the beast called Linx beyng fayrer then a Lion and is the great kynges signet whiche all such as intende to go to China beare with them sealed in waxe or on a peece of Iuerye for theyr safe conducte without the whiche they may not enter into the hauen When any of his kynges rebell or are disobedient he causeth them to be flayen and salted and dryed at the Sunne then to be stuffed with chaffe and set vp on some hygh thyng in the myddest of the chiefe streate of the citie where al the people may see it He neuer suffereth his owne person to be openly seene to any man But when his noble men of the courte are desyrous to see hym he commeth downe from his palace into a ryche pauilion accompanyed with syxe of his principall concubines apparelled with lyke vestures as he hym selfe is All this way he is not seene by reason of the pauilion When he hath passed through the pauylyon he entereth into a Serpent named Nagha beyng the most marueylous and ryche woorke of the worlde and placed in the greatest courte of the palace When the kyng entereth into this with the women to the intent that he may not be knowen among them he causeth the sayde noble men onely to looke in at a glasse whiche is in the breste of the Serpent where they see the kyng among the women but can not discerne whiche is he He ioyneth in maryage with his syster that the blood royall be not myxte with any other His palace is enuironed with seuen large walles the one beyng farre distant from the other and hath in euery suche circuite tenne thousand men for the garryson of his palace who haue theyr waytyng dayes appoynted them course by eourse with fresshe men in theyr places and thus keepe theyr watche continually both day and nyght In this palace are .lxxix. haules in the whiche is an infinite number of women that serue the kyng hauyng euer lyght torches in theyr handes for the greater magnificence He that woulde see all the palace shoulde spende a whole daye therein Among other there are foure principal haules where somtimes the kyng geueth audience to his noble men Of these one is couered both aboue and beneath with metall an other all ouer with syluer the thyrde with golde and the fourth with pearles precious stones These people of China are whyte men appareled as we are and eate theyr meate on tables as we do They haue the crosse in some estimation but knowe not the cause whye Beyonde the coaste of China are dyuers other nations and people as Cheneby where Pearles and Sinamonie are founde also the people named Lickij where reigneth the great kyng of Mien hauyng vnder hym .xxii. kynges and is subiecte to the kyng of China Here is also founde the great citie of Cathay â–ª in the East and dyuers other nations in the sayde fyrme lande of the which some are bruityshe and beastiall whiche vse to kyll and eate theyr parentes when they be olde thynkyng thereby that they shall reuyue in them All these people are Gentyles The .xi. daye of February in the yeere .1522 they departed from the Ilande of Timos and were ingulfed by chaunce in the great sea called Lantchidol and tooke theyr course betweene the west and southwest leauyng the north coastes on theyr ryght hande fearyng least if they shoulde sayle towarde the firme land they myght be seene of the Portugales who are of great power in Malacha and therefore dyrected theyr course without the Ilande of Sumatra called in olde tyme Taprobana leauyng also on theyr ryght hand vppon the fyrme lande the prouinces and regions of Pegu Bengala Calecut Canonor Coa Cambaia the gulfe of the Iland of Ormus and all the coastes of the greater India And more safely to passe the cape of Buona Speranza beyng aboue Affrike they sayled about .xlii. degrees towarde the pole Antartike remayned seuen weekes about that cape with many fetches compassyng the wynde with theyr sayles continually alofte because they had a west and northwest wynde in the proos of theyr shyppe whiche woulde not suffer them to passe The cape of Buona Speranza is toward the pole Antartike beneath the Equinoctiall line .34 degrees and a halfe and .1600 leagues from the cape of Malacha and is the greatest and most daungerous cape that is founde at this daye in all the worlde When they had by these peryls ouerpassed this cape certaine of them aswell for lacke of vyttayles as also by reason of syckenesse were mynded to sayle to a hauen of the Portugales named Monzambique aboue Affryke But the other answeared that they woulde rather dye then go to any other place then directly to Spayne They folowed theyr course therefore saylyng toward the Southwest two monethes continually without touchyng at any port in
soules rest in Caues and to be that reflexion of the ayre the which we doe call Eccho Dec. 8. c. 9. The contention betwixte Garaius and Cortesius for ambition Dec. 7. c. 5. Dec. 8. cap. 1. .2 The great Cormorantes that deuoure fishe of fyue pounde weight at one morsel Dec. 7. c. 9. The shamelesse daunses of naked women at theyr funeralles and obsequies Dec. 7. c. 10. Theyr woorshipping of the crosse in Saltier .x. Or made thus x vppon theyr newe borne babes to dryue away deuylles as also in the nyght tyme if they feare any thyng imagining with that signe the place to be purified Dec. 8. c. 9. The Chiribikes follies in daunsing whole weekes togeather theyr language full of difficulties for leauyng out some sillables in speech theyr maner of mariage by clippyng the brydes heare Dec. 8. c. 8. The dead bodyes of gentlemen to be rosted so hanged vp to roofe for buttry goddes the bones of other that laye buried a whole yeere to be taken vp againe at the .xii. monethes ende and solempnely buried Decade 8. c. 9. To conclude How Captayne Olitus whom Cortesius feared not a litle therefore sent vnder the pretexte of honour as it were to discouer other landes tooke head him selfe agaynst Cortesius and miserably was murthered in the end Dec. 8. c 6 .10 These with some other the lyke thinges may the curious reader finde in many woordes set downe in the aforesayde .7 and .8 Decades spoken of all for the most parte before in P. Martyr his other doinges or mentioned in Ouiedus Summary or by R. Eden briefly noted or not greatly needfull to be set foorth at large in Englyshe except they were matters of greater weight One speciall thing I obserued amongst other in reading ouer these .6 7. and 8. Decades to wyt the West Indians not onely to be conquered by the Spaniardes but also to be theyr slaues and bondmen the cause why after the conquest made of them the Spanyardes doe in continuall bondage and slauery keepe them vnder is expresly brought foorth by Pe. Martyr Dec. 7. c. 4. in the spanysh tounge as it was read at the Indishe counsayle boorde in Spayne and may thus be Englished These be the Indians qualities in respecte whereof they deserue no libertie IN the continent or fyrme lande they eate mans fleshe they be more gyuen to Sodomye than any other nation of the world there is no order of iustice among them they goe naked they haue neyther loue nor honestie they bee fooles and furious there is no truth in them except it be for theyr owne profit inconstant without all discretion very vnkynde louers of nouelties they delyght to make them selues dronke with wynes made of diuers hearbes fruites and graine as ale and sider to ouercome their braynes as wel otherwise with hearbs as in making drinke thereof or eating them â–ª They are very bruitishe and doe make it a prayse to wallowe in vyces No obedience no reuerence at all sheweth the young man to the olde the childe to his father Neyther teaching nor chastning amendeth them they be traitors cruell so full of reuenge that they neuer forgyue any offence great enemyes vnto our religion They be slothfull theeues of iudgement very grosse and base without all honestie and good order Neither doe the men behaue them selues loyally with theyr wyues nor the wyues with their husbandes they be superstitiously giuen to soothsaying as fearful as Hares filthes eating lyse spiders woormes whersoeuer they finde them they haue no arte nor good condition of men Hauing learned any pointes of Christian religion they are woont to say that to be good in Spayne but in India nothing woorth for that they desire not to alter their maners They haue no beardes for they peele and plucke vp the heare as faste as it groweth They take no pietie on sicke folke suche as bee very sicke they gyue ouer to some one kynsman or neighbour of theyrs or els carry them to the mountaynes to dye there leauing with them some small portion of bread and water and so goe theyr way The elder they waxe the woorse they bee vntyll they be .xi. or .xii. yeeres olde some hope there is that they would prooue ciuil and vertuous when they grow elder they become bruit beasts In conclusion I say that god neuer created so corrupte a people for vice and beastlinesse without any mixture of goodnesse and ciuilitie they are as blockishe as Asses making no accompt at all to kyll them selues In the fyft Decade is written by P. Martyr or geathered rather by him out of Ferd. Cortesius relations the conquest of that portion of the West Indishe continent that lyeth in the hot zone neare the Tropike of Cancer betwyxte our Weste sea and Mar del zur the chiefe prouince wherein is Mexico and the principall citie Themistitan This region after that it was conquered by Cortesius beganne to be called Noua Hispania newe Spayne for the lykenesse thereof vnto the Spanysh kyngdome in nature of soyle greatnesse disposition of the ayre other such lyke thynges as Cortesius him selfe writeth vnto Charles the fifth humbly desiryng his maiestie to allowe of that name Some later wryters haue gyuen the particuler name of one shyre vnto the whole callyng it Mexico and the generall name of that whole shyre to the head citie therein calling Themistitan lykewyse Mexico howbeit in trueth Themistitan is the principal citie in Mexico prouince Mexico the chiefe prouince in all newe Spaigne Of this countrey the commodities it doeth yeelde the nature of the inhabiters partly you haue already seene in Gon. Ferd. Ouiedus historie Fol. 221. and chiefely Fol. 225. The kyng of this countrey bare name Monte Zuma or Muteezuma as Cortesius that conquered him writeth â–ª in P. Martyr his Decades printed in Spaigne An. d. 1530. Meteezuma in his .4 â–ª Decade entituled de insul nuper inuentis to no. orb p. 506. Multoxumam as also in the last edition thereof at Cullen ioyntly with the three first decades the which our Printer in the translation hereof hath folowed in the discourse of the West Indies Ilandes Straunge names are many tymes diuersly written though in effecte they meane all one Henricus say we with the Frenchmen Henry the Almans Henreich the Italians Arrigo the Portugales Henrico as Barros speaking of king Iohn the first his sonne whom Cadamust called in his Nauigation Huric This kyng was so welthie so mightie his dominions so large that the inhabiters knew no other prince in all the worlde of him Cortesius had intelligence by Montegius and Portucarrerius and from him certaine rich presentes for his maister Charles Themperour as in the aforesayd discourse of the west Indish Ilands it hath ben sayde Wherefore the .16 day of August in the yeere of our Lorde .1520 Ferdinandus Cortesius with .15 light horsemen and fyue hundred footemen well appoynted besides three noble men of the citie Cempoal named Teuchius Mamexus
to receyue Cortesius all apparelled a lyke saluting him one by one after theyr countrey maner to wytte touchyng the ground with theyr finger and than kyssyng it in signe of reuerence After all them came the kyng of Mexico Montezuma him selfe in the middle of the bridge accompanyed with two hundred of his nobles orderly two and two in better attyre then the other aforesayd but all on their bare feete though euery body in this countrey otherwise weareth shooes The kyng as he went leaued vpon the shoulders of two noble men the one wherof was his brother not that he needed any such helpe but for that the kynges of Mexico are woont so to be honoured as though they were holden vp by the strength of theyr nobilitie These two noble men Cortesius meeting with king Meteezuma and lyghtyng of his horse to imbrace hym dyd forbyd hym to touche theyr kyng as an vnlawful action in that countrey the rest of the kynges company came orderly to salute Cortesius after theyr maner Cortesius presented the kyng with a chayne of Bugle set with some Diamondes and Rubies of no great value but such as pleased the kyng who rewarded hym agayne with two other chaynes of gold wrought in maner of sea Crabbes Snails so returned into y e citie with Cortesius againe where he lodgyng hym in the royal pallace erected therein for hym a throne and presented hym the seconde tyme with other riche gyftes and prouision of all thynges necessary for hym and his trayne All the bridge length as he went with the kyng stoode on eche syde certayne great Temples wherein were sacrificed slaues and chyldren payed for tribute by kyng Meteezumaes vassalles Neere vnto Cortesius throne kyng Meteezuma had his clothe of estate where vnto the Spaniardes before his nobles there assembled he spake in this sort Noble and valiaunt men of armes in the feelde and mercyfull Capitanes vnto such as do yeelde them selues you are welcome into this countrey Of auncient tyme we haue hearde and in our old Chronicles we do reade that neyther I nor any of this land be auncient inhabiters hereof but aliens and forreyners brought hyther by a great prince vnto whom we were al subiect While this prince leauyng vs heere went home agayne to see his countrey our forefathers maried had issue buylded vp houses and erected certayne cities so that at his returne we neyther woulde go backe agayne with hym nor acknowledge him for our prince any more Wherfore we haue been euer of opinion that his posteritie woulde come to recouer this countrey and make vs his subiectes againe Consyderyng then the place from whence you say that you do come and that which you gyue vs to vnderstand of your great and myghtie lorde and kyng that sent you hyther we be throughly perswaded that he is our true Lorde so muche the more for that as you say he hath long since knowen that we dwelt heere Assure your selues therfore that we wyll all yeelde vnto you and acknowledge you our lordes in his name that sent you in this wyll we not fayle we wyll not deceyue you all my dominions shall you rule for all my subiectes shall obey commaunde all that we haue for you be nowe in your owne prouince and house Be ye mery and refreshe your selues after your long trauayle and many laboures in the warres I am not ignorant what hath happened vnto you all the way I doubte not but that the Campoales and Churultecanes haue said euyl of me vnto you but I pray you geue no credit vnto any mans wordes concernyng me especially vnto my enimies some wherof hauing ben my subiectes at your commyng are gone from me and do report vntruethes of me to purchase therewith your fauour I knowe that they beare you in hande that my seate the furniture of my house the very walles therof are beaten golde Furthermore that I am a God that I fayne my selfe a God and suche lyke toyes but you see all thynges here are made of lyme stone and earth Do you not see that I am made of fleshe and bone mortall and corpulent you see they haue not sayde the trueth I haue in deede certayne place lefte me by my forefathers what soeuer I haue it shall be yours dispose thereof as you thynke good I wyll nowe departe to other of my houses where I am woont to lye I wyll see that neyther you nor your trayne want any thyng be ye of good cheare be gladde for you are in your owne countrey you be in your owne houses Cortesius aunsweared in fewe and to the purpose especially concernyng that poynte the kyng of Spayne to be that prince whom they looked for After syxe dayes spent there ioyfully noyse was brought to Cortesius of certaine murthers and iniuries offered vnto the Spanyardes in a towne of Muteezumaes dominions and that by Muteezuma his consent This occasion tooke he throughly to bryng Muteezuma in subiection And fyrst he caused hym to keepe that house wherein Cortesius laye then to sende for the malefactors whom Cortesius openly executed by whose confession Muteezuma founde gyltie was for a tyme set by the heeles but delyuered agayne by and by confessyng his faulte and promysyng all loyaltie and dewtie chose rather to remayne a trew subiect in Cortesius palace then to lyue abrode at libertie like a kyng as in effect he shewed both in sendyng abrod commission to discouer the golde mynes throughout all his dominions at Cortesius motion in geatheryng togeather great summes of golde and treasure to be presented vnto the Spanyshe kyng in geuyng both counsayle and the meanes howe to conquer crftelie prince Cacamozin Muteezumaes vassall refusyng all obedience vnto the Spanyardes finally in a publike assembly exhortyng all his nobles to acknowledge the kyng of Spaine for theyr soueraigne Lorde and to yeelde vnto hym that obedience and in his name to Cortesius that duetie whiche he hym selfe was woont to looke for at theyr handes The processe was written by publike notaries confyrmed by the nobles and a copie thereof delyuered vnto Cortesius Mexico prouince enuyronned about with hygh and Alpyshe mountaynes standeth in a playne countrey in circuit .70 leagues about the greatest part whereof are two Meres the one of salt water the other of freshe The two lakes go one into the other at a streict caused by litle hylles that runne amyd all the foresayde playne This streict is passed by boate out of the one lake into the other to all the townes standyng on either syde of the aforesayd lakes Our Indyshe wryters name the boates Canoa the Indians call them Aâ—caler troughes as it were all of one peece I haue traueyled in the lyke vpon the ryuer Sone in the edge of France neere hygh Burgundie In the mydst of the salte Mere two leagues euery way from the lande standeth that ryche and welthy citie Temixtitan or Themistitan no lesse in quantitie then Siuilia or Corduba in Spayne From the land
consyder what newe landes and countreys what newe seas what sundry nations and tounges what golde mynes what treasuries of perles they haue lefte vnto your hyghnesse besyde other reuenues The whiche what they are and howe greate these three Decades shall declare Come therfore most noble Prince elected of God and enioye that hyghe estate of thinges not yet vnderstode to men We offer vnto you the Equinoctiall lyne hytherto vnknowen and burnte by the furious heate of the sonne and vnhabitable after the opinion of the olde wryters a fewe excepted but nowe founde to be most replenished with people faire fruiteful and most fortunate with a thousande Ilandes crowned with golde and bewtifull pearles besydes that greate portion of earth supposed to be parte of the firme lande excedyng in quantitie three Europes Come therfore and embrase this newe world and suffer vs no longer to consume in desyre of your presence From hence from hence I say most noble young Prince shal instrumentes be prepared for you wherby al the worlde shal be vnder your obeysance And thus I byd your maiestie farewell to whose taste if I shal perceaue the fruites of this my tyllage to be delectable I wyll heareafter do my endeuoure that you may receaue the same more abundauntly From Madrid the day before the Calendes of October In the yere of Christ M.D.XUI The fyrst Booke of the Decades of the Ocean written by Peter Martyr of Angleria Milenoes counsaylour to the king of Spayne and Protonotarie Apostolicall to Ascanius Sphorcia Vicount Cardinal c. THe reuerende and thankful antiquitie was accustomed to esteeme those men as gods by whose industrie and magnanimitie such landes and regions were discouered as were vnknowen to theyr predecessours But vnto vs hauyng only one God whom we honour in triplicitie of person this resteth that albeit we do not worship that kinde of men with diuine honour yet do we reuerence them and woorthyly marueyle at theyr noble actes and enterpryses Unto kynges and princes we geue due obeysaunce by whose gouernance and furtherance they haue ben aided to perfourme their attempts we commend both and for theyr iust desartes woorthyly extol them Wherefore as concerning the Ilandes of the west Ocean lately discouered and of the auctours of the same whiche thyng you desyre by your letters to knowe I wyl begyn at the fyrst aucthour thereof lest I be iniurious to any man Take it therefore as foloweth Christophorus Colonus otherwyse called Columbus a gentleman of Italie borne in the citie of Genua perswaded Fernando and Elizabeth catholike prynces that he doubted not to fynde certayne Ilandes of India nere vnto our Ocean sea if they woulde furnyshe hym with shyppes and other thynges apparteynyng affyrmyng that therby not onely the Christian religion myght be enlarged but Spayne also enryched by the great plentie of golde pearles precious stones and spices whiche myght be founde there At the length three shyppes were appoynted hym at the kinges charges of the whiche one was a great caracâ—e with deckes and the other two were light marchaunte shyppes without deckes whiche the Spaniardes call Carauelas Thus he departed from the costes of Spaine about the calendes of September in the yeere of Christe .1492 and set forwarde on his viage being accompanied with CC.xx. Spanyardes The fortunate Ilandes as manye thynke them to be whiche the Spaniardes call Canariae found but of late dayes are distaunte from the Ilandes of Gades a thousande and two hundreth myles accordyng to theyr accomptes for they say they are distant three hundred leagues whereas suche as are expert sea men affirme that euery league conteineth foure miles after theyr supputations These Ilandes were called fortunate for the temperate ayre whiche is in them For neyther the coldnesse of wynter is sharpe vnto them nor the heate of sommer intollerable Yet some men are of opinion that those were in olde tyme called the fortunate Ilandes whiche the Portugales call Capo Verde Colonus therfore sayled fyrst to the Ilandes of Canariae to the intente there to refreshe his shyppes with freshe water and fuell before he committed hym selfe to this so laborous a viage And because I haue heare made mention of the Ilandes of Canariae it shal not be muche from my purpose to declare howe of vnknowen they became knowen and of sauage and wilde better manured For by the long course of many yeeres they were forgotten and remayned as vnknowen These seuen Ilandes therefore called the Canaries were founde by chaunce by a frenche man called Betanchor by the permission of queene Katharine protectrixe of king Iohn her sonne while he was yet in his nonage about the yeere of Christe M. CCCC.U This Betanchor inuaded two of these Ilandes called Lancelotus and Fortisuentura which he inhabited brought to better culture He being dead his sonne and heire solde bothe the sayde Ilandes to certayne Spaniardes After this Farnandus Peraria and his wyfe inuaded Ferrea and Gomera The other three were subdued in our time Grancanaria by Petrus de Vera citizen of the noble citie of Xericium and Michael of Moxica Palma and Tenerifen by Alphonsus Lugo at the kings charges Gomera and Ferrea were easily subdued But the matter went harde with Alphonsus Lugo For that naked and wylde nation fyghtyng only with stones and clubbes droue his armie to flight at the first assaulte and slue about foure hundred of his men But at the length he ouercame them And thus all the Ilandes of Canariae were added to the dominion of Spayne From these Ilandes Colonus directyng his voyage towarde the west folowyng the falling of the sunne but declining somewhat towarde the left hande sayled on forwarde .xxxiii. dayes continually hauyng only the fruition of the heauen and the water Then the Spanyardes whiche were accompanyed with hym began fyrst to murmure secretely among them selues and shortly after with wordes of reproche spake euil of Colonus theyr gouernour and consulted with them selues eyther to rydde hym out of the way or els to cast hym into the sea ragyng that they were deceyued of a stranger an outlandyshe man a Ligurian a Genues and brought into suche daungerous places that they might neuer returne agayne And after .xxxiii. dayes were past they furiously cryed out against him and threatned him that he shoulde passe no further But he euer with gentle wordes and large promises appeased their furie and prolonged day after day some tyme desyryng them to beare with hym yet a whyle and some time putting them in remembrance that yf they shoulde attempt any thing against him or otherwyse disobey hym it would be reputed for treason Thus after a fewe dayes with cheareful harts they espied the lande long looked for In this fyrst nauigation he discouered .vi. ilandes wherof two were exceedyng great Of whiche the one he called Hispaniola and the other Iohanna But at that tyme he knewe not perfectly that Iohanna
had been that attempted the first voyage the yeere before At the fyrst they were gentlye receiued and required to resort to the towne but shortly after they repented that they had bydden them and thereupon willed them to stay about a stones cast from the towne and to proceede no further When our men desired that they myght make prouision for freshe water before theyr departure they assigned them to a certayne well whiche they had left behynde them declaring further that it shoulde be lawfull for them to take water there or els no where Our men rested that nyght in the feelde adioyning to the well the whiche thyng the Barbarians suspectyng assembled an army of three thousand men and encamped not farre from them Both partes passed a way the nyght without sleepe they fearyng lest our men shoulde breake into the towne and our men lest the Barbarians shoulde inuade them sodenly on the one part with Trumpettes and on the other syde with the noyse of Tymbrels kept them styll wakyng that were disposed to sleepe At the spryng of the day the Barbarians approched to our mens campe and called for the interpretours of Cuba whose language is much agreable vnto theirs They had deuised to lyght a Torche of franckensence and to place the same betweene both the armies to the intent that yf our men dyd not depart before the Torche were consumed to stand to theyr peryll The Torche was wasted and the matter came to hand strokes They slue only one of our men with an arrowe because his Target failed him but many were wounded After this conflict our men resorted to theyr ordinaunce whiche they had planted neere vnto the wel When they had discharged certayne peeces the Barbarians fled backe into the towne and our men were of fierse and greedie courrage to haue pursued them but that Grisalua the gouernour would not suffer them From thence they proceeded to the last ende of Iucatana which they founde to reach more then two hundred myles from the East to the West Here they founde a commodious hauen and named it Portus desideratus From hence they sailed to other landes came to the region next to Iucatana Westward which they doubt whether it be an Iland or part of the fyrme lande but thinke it rather to be annext to y e continēt in this there is a gulfe whiche they suppose to be incompassed with both the landes but of this there is no certentie The inhabitauntes call this region Caluacam or otherwise Oloan. They found here also a great riuer whiche by his violent course and fall driueth freshe water two myles into the sea this they called Grisalua after the name of the gouernour The Barbarians marueylyng at the huge greatnesse and mouing of our shyps came swarmyng on the bankes of both sydes the riuer to the number of syxe thousande men armed with targettes and brest plates of golde bowes and arrowes brode swoordes of heauie wood and long iauelyns hardened at the endes with fyre Thus standyng in battayle raye to defende theyr coastes and with proude countenaunces forbyddyng our men to come alande both parties watched all that nyght in armes In the dawne of they daye our men espyed about a hundred Canoas whiche we haue sayde to bee theyr boates full of armed men Here also the language of thinterpretours of Cuba agreed well yenough with theirs When they had admitted the peace profered them by thinterpretours al the Canoas staied except one which approched towarde the shyppes A certayne ruler that was in this Canoa demaunded of our men what they sought in other mens landes They answeared Gold and that for permutation of other ware and not of gift or violently The Canoa returned and the ruler certified the king hereof who came gladly to the shippes When he had saluted the gouernor he called his chamberlaine vnto him commaundyng hym to bryng his armur and other ornamentes of gold wherewith he armed Grisalua from the toppe of the head to the sole of the foote insomuche that what so euer any man of armes armed at all partes is among vs accustomed to weare of Iron or steele when he commeth into the fielde all such kynde of furnitures made of golde and wrought with woonderfull art the kyng gaue to the gouernour He recompenced hym with vestures of sycke cloth lynnen and other of our thynges In the begynnyng of this Iucatana when they sayled to Cozumella they chaunced vpon a Canoa of fishermen to the number of niene fyshyng with hookes of golde they tooke them all prysoners One of them was knowen to this kyng who promysed the day folowyng to send the gouernour as much gold for his raunsome as the man hym selfe waighed But the gouernour denied that he could release hym without the consent of his felowes and therefore kept hym styll to proue what he coulde further knowe of hym Departyng from hence and saylyng styll westwarde they founde a great gulfe in the which three small Ilandes were situate Of these they went to the byggest But oh abhominable crueltie oh most corrupted myndes of men and diuilyshe impietie Let euery godly man close y e mouth of his stomake lest he be disturbed They offer young chyldren of both kyndes to their Idoles of marble earth Among their Idoles of marble there standeth a Lion hauyng a hole through the necke into the whiche they poure the blood of the miserable sacrifyce that it may from thence runne downe into a syncke of marble Let vs nowe declare with what ceremonies they sacrifice the blood of these poore wretches They cut not theyr throtes but open the very brestes of these seelye soules and take out theyr hartes yet pantyng with the hot blood whereof they annoynt the lippes of theyr Idoles and suffer the resydue to fall into the syncke This doone they burne the harte and bowels supposyng the smoke thereof to be acceptable to theyr goddes Of theyr Idoles one is made to the shape of a man bowyng downe his head and lookyng towarde the syncke of blood as it were acceptyng the offeryng of the slayne sacrifyce They eate the fleshe of the armes thyghes and legges especially when they sacrifice an enimie taken in the warres They founde a streame of coniealed blood as though it had runne from a boochery For this mischeuous purpose they bring these wretches from the next Ilandes They sawe also innumerable heades and trunkes of bodies thus mangled besyde many other yet remainyng whole and couered with certayne mattes Al the tractes of these regions abound with gold and pretious stodes One of our men wandryng in the Ilande chaunced to fynde two water pottes of alabaster artificially wrought and full of litle stones of dyuers colours They say also that they founde a stone of the value of two thousande Castellans of golde which the sent to the gouernour This Iland they named the Iland of sacrifice Thinhabitauntes are circumcised There
are also other Ilands situate about this Coluacana or Galuacam the which are inhabited onely with women lyuing without the companye of men after the maner of the Amazones But they that ponder the matter more wysely thynke them rather to be certayne women whiche haue vowed chastitie and professed a solitarie life as the Nunnes do with vs or as the virgins called Vestales or Bonae Deae were accustomed to do among the gentiles in olde tyme. At certayne tymes of the yeere men of the other Ilandes resorte vnto them not for thintent of generation but moued with pitie to helpe them to dresse theyr gardens and tyll theyr grounde The reporte goeth lykewyse that there are other Ilandes of corrupt women to whom men resort for carnall copulation and that they cut of one of the pappes of theyr women children lest it shoulde hynder theyr shootyng also that they keepe only the women children and send away the men children Our men therefore drewe neare to the shore of Coluacana where they quietly exercised marchandies with thinhabitantes The king gaue them a great Pot of golde also braselettes chaynes brooches with many other iewels and all of golde Our men agayne on the other part satisfied hym with such stuffe as they had done other before Heere would they gladly haue planted a new colonie or habitation but that the gouernour woulde not permit them wherat they grudged not a litle The houses and other edifices of this prouince are builded lyke vnto Towres It hath also fyfteene great townes in it Of these they affyrme that they haue seene some consistyng of more then twentie thousand houses not ioyning togeather but disseuered with courtes and gardens They haue also certayne large market places encompassed with walles and streates wel paued likewise fornaces ouens made of lime and bricke furthermore al sortes of handie craftes men and very cunning artificers This kynges name was Potanchanus and the region is called Palmaria The towne where the kyng keepeth his court conteyneth .xv. thousand houses When they receyue any straungers make a league of frendship with them they are accustomed with a knyfe made of a sharp stone to let them selues blood in the tongue hande arme or some other part of the bodie and this euen in the syght of them whom they admit to frendship in token that they are redy to shed theyr blood in theyr frendes causes Theyr priestes professe a vertuous lyfe and lyue vnmaried What it is to haue do to w t women no man knoweth before he be maried Fornication and adulterie which seldome chaunceth among them they count abhomination The women are of marueilous chastitie Euery noble man after that he haue had one wife may haue as many concubines as hym lysteth but a maried woman taken in adulterie is solde of her husband but this onely to the prince at whose handes it shal be lawfull for her kynsfolke to redeme her It is not lawefull for suche as are not maried to syt at the same table with them that are maried or to eate of the same dyshe or drynke of the same cup. In the moneth of August and September they absteyne .xxxv. dayes not onely from fleshe whereof they haue great plentie but also from fyshe and all other thynges that lyue by blood and duryng these dayes lyue onely with hearbes and fruites They recken twentie dayes to the moneth and twentie monethes to the yeere Our men consumed certayne dayes heere very pleasauntly When they departed coasting stil by the same shore they came to an other kyng whom they named Ouandus When he had intelligence that our men desired gold he brought foorth certaine plats of molten gold But when the gouernour signified vnto hym by the interpretours that he desired great plentie of that metall the day folowing he brought him a mans image of gold beyng a cubite in length also a fanne of golde and an Idole of one of his domestical gods of curious woorkmanship likewyse garlandes of stones of sundrye colours with many brest plates brooches and other kyndes of ornamentes and all of golde He gaue hym furthermore abundaunce of delicate meates well salted and powdred with spices When he had required our men to come alande he commaunded his seruauntes with all speede to prepare a great multitude of braunches of trees and to wayte vppon our men to his pallace As they went thus in order some behynde and some before on both sydes they seemed so to shadow our men with bowes as though they had gone in a continuall arbour The kyng hym selfe hauyng a Septer in his hande dyd set them in theyr arraye and some tyme stryke suche as were negligent in bearyng theyr bowes They shewed them selues obedient in all thynges and with graue countenaunce humbled them selues to receyue his strypes When he was demaunded where he had suche plentie of golde he poynted with his fynger to the next mountaynes and to the riuers descending from the same They are so accustomed to the riuers and exercised in swymmyng that it is all one to them to lyue in the water and on the lande When they desire togeather golde they plunge them selues in the riuers and bryng from the bottome therof both theyr handes full of sande whiche syftyng from hande to hande they geather out the graynes of golde And by this meanes in the space of two houres they fyll a reede as bygge as a mans fynger Of the sweete sauours of these lands many thinges might be spoken the which bycause they make rather to theffeminatyng of the myndes of men then for any necessary purpose I haue thought best to omit them The kyng also gaue the gouernour a young virgine of twelue yeeres of age adourned with ryche and fayre iewelles Of the stones whiche hee had of this kyng one was valued at two thousande Castellanes of golde Thus at the length they departed from this kyng laden with golde and precious stones Grisalua the gouernour sent one of the Carauelles to his vncle Diego Velasquen gouernour of the Ilande of Cuba with messengers to delyuer him the golde iewelles and other ornaments the resydue in the meane tyme styll folowed the tracte towarde the West One of them in the whiche Frauncis Montegius the vnder gouernour was caryed sayled harde by the shore and the other two kepte aloofe within prospecte of the lande Thinhabitauntes of these coastes also no lesse marueylyng at the shyppes then dyd the other came with twelue Canoas to Montegius desyryng him by thinterpretours to come alande promysyng in the name of theyr kyng that hee should bee honourably entertayned But Montegius answered that hee coulde not assent to theyr request bycause his companions were so farre from him Yet dyd hee gyue them certayne of our thinges straunge vnto them and thankes for their gentlenesse Shortly after espying a great towne they directed their course thither Thinhabitauntes prohibyted them to
differyng from al other beastes whiche haue ben seene in other partes of the world these beastes are called Bardati and are foure footed hauyng their tayle and al the rest of theyr bodyes couered onely with a skynne lyke the coperture of a barbed horse or the checkered skinne of a Lisarte or Crocodile of coloure betwene white and russet inclynyng somwhat more to whyte This beast is of fourme and shape muche lyke to a barbed horse with his barbes and flankets in al poynts and from vnder that which is the barbe and coperture the taile commeth forth and the feete in theyr place the necke also the eares in theyr partes and in fyne al thynges in lyke sorte as in a barbed courser they are of the bygnesse of one of these common dogges they are not hurtfull they are fylthy and haue theyr habitation in certaine hillockes of earth where dygging with their feete they make theyr dens very deepe the hoâ—es thereof in like maner as do Connies they are very excellent to be eaten are taken with nettes and some also kylled with Crosbowes they are likewise taken oftentymes when the husbandmen burne the stubble in sowyng tyme or to renue the herbage for Kyne and other beastes I haue oftentymes eaten of theyr flesh which seemeth to me of better tast then Kyddes fleshe and holsome to be eaten And if these beastes had euer been seene in these partes of the worlde where the fyrst barbed horses had theyr originall no man woulde iudge but that the fourme and fashyon of the coperture of horses furnyshed for the warres was fyrst deuised by the syght of these beastes There is also in the fyrme lande an other beast called Orso Formigaro that is the Ante beare This beast in heare and coloure is much lyke to the Beare of Spaine and in maner of the same makyng saue that he hath a muche longer snout and is of euyll syght they are oftentymes taken only with staues without any other weapon and are not hurtful they are also taken with dogges because they are not naturally armed although they byte somewhat they are founde for the most part about and neare to the hyllockes where are great abundaunce of Antes For in these regions is engendred a certayne kynde of Antes very litle and blacke in the feeldes and playnes where as growe no trees where by the instinct of nature these Antes separate them selues to engender farre from the wooddes for feare of these Beares the which because they are fearefull vyle and vnarmed as I haue sayde they keepe euer in places full of trees vntyll very famine and necessitie or the great desire that they haue to feede on these Antes cause them to come out of the woods to hunt for them these Antes make a hillocke of earth to the heyght of a man or somewhat more or lesse and as byg as a great chest sometymes as byg as a Butte or a Hogshead as hard as a stone so that they seeme as though they were stones set vp to limit the endes confines of certaine lands Within these hillocks made of most harde earth are innumerable and infinite litle Antes the whiche may be geathered by bushelles when the hyllocke is broken the whiche when it is sometymes moysted by rayne and then dryed agayne by the heate of the Sonne it breaketh and hath certayne small ryftes as litle and subtyle as the edge of a knyfe and it seemeth that nature hath geuen sense to these Antes to fynde suche a matter of earth wherewith they may make the sayde hyllocke of suche hardnesse that it may seeme a strong pauement made of lyme and stone and whereas I haue proued and caused some of them to be broken I haue founde them of such hardnesse as yf I had not seene I could not haue beleeued insomuch that they coulde scarcely be broken with pykes of Iron so strong fortresses doo these litle beastes make for theyr sauegard against theyr aduersarie the Beare who is chiefely nouryshed by them and geuen them as an enimie accordyng to the common prouerbe whiche sayeth Non e alcuna persona si libera a chimanchi il suo Bargello that is there is no man so free that hath not his persecutor or priuie enimie And here when I consyder the marueilous prouidence whiche nature hath geuen to these litle bodies I cal to remembrance the wittie sentence of Plinie where speakyng of such litle beastes he sayeth thus Why do we marueile at the Towrebearyng shoulders of Elephantes and not rather where nature hath placed so many senses such industrye in such litle bodies Where is hearing smelling seeing and feelyng yea where are the vaynes and arteries without which no beast can lyue or moue in these so litle bodies whereof some are so small that theyr whole bodies can scarsly be seene of our eyes What shall we then saye of the partes of the same Yet euen among these there are many of such sagasitie and industry as the like is not seene in beastes of greater quantitie no nor yet in man c. But to returne to the history This enimie whiche nature hath geuen to these litle beastes vseth this maner to assayle them When he resorteth to the hyllocke where the Antes lie hid as in theyr fortresse he putteth his tongue to one of the ryftes whereof we haue spoken being as subtile as the edge of a sword and therewith contynuall lickyng maketh the place moyst the fome and froth of his mouth beyng of suche propertie that by contynuall lickyng the place it enlargeth the ryft in such sort by litle and litle that at the length he easely putteth in his tongue whiche he hath very long and thynne and muche disproportionate to his bodie and when he hath thus made free passage for his tongue into the hyllocke to put it easely in and out at his pleasure then he thrusteth it into the hole as farre as he can reache and so letteth it rest a good space vntyll a great quantitie of the Antes whose nature reioyceth in heate and moyster haue laden his tongue and as many as he can conteyne in the holownesse thereof at which tyme hee sodeynly draweth it into his mouth and eateth them and returneth agayne to the same practise immediatly vntyll he haue eaten as many as him lysteth or as long as he can reache any with his tongue The fleshe of this beast is filthy and vnsauery but by reason of the extreme shyftes and necessitie that the Christian men were put to at theyr fyrst commyng into these partes they were inforced to proue all thinges and so fell to the eatyng of these beastes but when they had found more delycate meates they fel into hatred with this These Antes haue thappearance of the place of theyr entraunce into the hyllocke vnder the grounde and this at so litle a hole that it coulde hardely be founde if certayne of them were not seene to passe in and out but by this