these Ilāds of Canaries And the cause why it is there better gathered desired is for that the Ilāds in the sea Meditareum on the cost of gréeke lād as Metelin Rhodes other places bearing good suger before the Turke had the dominiō of them haue ben spoyled by negligence or otherwise And in all the countrey of Leuant I haue sene no suger made but in Egypt y e canes y t beare it growe on the brinke of Nyll the which also is greatly estemed of the people of the marchants y t trade thether as much rather more than Canarie Suger The elders before vs estemed greately the Suger of Arabia for that it was maruellous harty and pleasant specially for medicine to the which vse they did put it to little other But now adayes voluptuousnesse is so incresed specially in our Europe that there cannot be neuer so little a banket made after our maner of liuing but that euery sause must be sugered and also our meates and drinkes The which thing was defended to the Athenians by their lawes as a thing that did effeminate the people the which the Lacedemonians haue folowed by example But of a trueth the great Lordes of Turkie drinke sugered waters for bicause that wine is defended them by their lawe As touching the wine that was inuented by the greate Phisition Hyppocrates it was onely permitted to sicke folke and vnable but at this day it is so common with vs as it is scarce in other countreys So much haue we spoken by the way on the talke of suger let vs nowe returne to our mater As for corne there is sufficient in these Ilands also of very good wine better than the wine of Candia where as they make Malmesies as we will declare intreating of the Ilands of Madera Of flesh also there is sufficient as wilde and tame goates birds of all kindes greate quantitie Oranges Citrons Lemonds Pomegranads and other fruites Palmes and greate quantitie of good Hony There is also about the riuers and floudes little trées named Paper and in the sayd riuers and floudes there are fishes named Silures the which Paulus Iouius in his booke of fishes thinketh to be Sturgion of the which the poore slaues féede on sweating for trauell almost breathlesse and oftentymes they féede thereon for wante of other meate And thus much I will say by the way that they are very hardly intreated of the Spaniards specially of the Portingals yea worsse than of the Turkes or Arabians And I am constrayned to speake thereof for that I haue sene it my selfe Among other things there is found an herb against the hils sides commonly called Oriselia the which they gather with greate diligēce for to dye colour Furthermore they make a kinde of blacke gumme the which they name Bre of the which there is greate abundāce in Tenerif They take thornes of y t which there is great quantitie and breake them and lay them by pece one vpon another like crosses and vnder eche heape there is a little hole of no great depth and then they set fire on this woodē almost at the very top and then it rendereth his gumme that falleth into this hole Others do make it with lesse labor for the hole being made they set fier on y e trée this gumme bringeth them great profit in their trade that they make to Perou of the which they vse to calke ships and other vessels for the sea putting it to no other vse As touching the harte of this trée being somewhat red the poore people that dwel on the hils and moūtaynes cut it by long stickes of the length of halfe a fadome as greate as our thumbe and lighting it at one ende it serueth in stede of a cādel Also the Spaniards vse it after this manner Of the high mountaines of Pike properly called Pikehill Cap. 6. IN one of these Ilands named Tenerif there is a Hil of so wonderful a highth that the mountaynes of Armenia of Persia Tartaria neither the Hyll Lybem in Syria the mounte Ida Athos nor yet the mounte Olympus so much celebrat by the Historiographers ought not to be cōpared to this Hil the which containeth in circuite at the leaste twenty miles from the foote to the top 54. miles This moūtaine or Hil is named Pike at al times snowy mysty and ful of great and cold vapors and also of snow although that it is not easily sene to my iudgement for bicause that it extendeth to the lower Region of the Aire the which is very colde as Philosophers and Astronomers holde opinion so that the snow cannot melt bicause that in that place the Sunne cannot cast hir beames and therefore the superior or vpper part remayneth alwayes colde This mountayne or Hill is so high that if the ayre be cleare it may be sene fiftie Leagues on the water and more the top and the bottome of this hill though one be néere or farre of is made in maner of this Gréeke figure Ω the which signifieth Omega I haue also sene the Hill called Ethna .30 Leagues and on the sea néere to Cypris I haue sene a certayne mountayne of Armenia fiftie Leagues of though I haue not the eye sight so good as Linxius who from the Promontorie of Lylibie in Cicilie did discerne and sée the ships in the porte of Carthage I am sure that some will thinke this strange esteming that a mans eye coulde in no wise sée nor discerne so far of but neuerthelesse this is most true in plainnesse but not in height The Spaniards haue diuers tymes assayed to sounde the height of this hyll and for to doe it they haue many tymes sent a certayne number of people with mulles bearing bread wine other munitions but they neuer returne againe as I haue ben crediblie informed of those that haue dwelled there ten yeres And therefore they holde opinion that in the sayd hill as wel on the toppe as on the circuite there are some reste or remnant of these wilde Canarians that thither are retired and kepe the sayde hyll liuing with Rootes and with wilde beastes the which kill and slaye those that presume to get vp the hill to discouer the toppe thereof Also of this Ptolomeus hath had knowledge saying that beyond the Columnes or pillers of Hercules In a certain Ile there is a hil of a maruellous and wonderful height and therefore towarde the toppe it is alwayes couered with Snowe from the sayde hille there falleth greate aboundance of water that watereth all the Ilande the which maketh it very fruitfull of Canes Sugers and other thinges And there is no other water than that which commeth from that hill otherwise the countreys that are vnder the tropike of Cancer wold remayne barren bicause of the excessiue heate It bringeth forth abundantly great stones like to spunges are very light so that one as great as a mans heade doth
of the shels of Torterels A historie of a Portingal gentleman A Portingall healed of the Leprosie Orselie a herbe The Ile of fire and why it was so named The Hill Pusola Lib. 2. cap. 106. The spreading of Ethiopia Senega floud in times past named Nigritis The description of Ethiopia Miroa an Ilande The realme of Etabecke and Ickthiophages The loue of the Anthropophages towards their King Meroa the chief towne of Ethiopia aunciently named Saba Why the Ethiopians and other are black Indians and Ethiopians vse Magique The Inhabitants of Ginney to the Cape of good hope are all Idolaters Castor and Pollux called the bright starres and lanternes of the sea The maners and order of liuing of those of Ginney The aire of Ginney is vnholesome Maniguetta a fruit much estemed among spices The trade of Iuorie EliphaÌ„t a beast approching to humain reson A riuer or flud bearing Mines of golde and siluer Cania and Rhegium riuers Two sea moÌ„sters like to man and wife The description of the Equinoctiall line From whence commeth the name Equinoctiall The temperatenesse of the aire vnder the Equinoctiall line The Ile of S. Omer or of S. Thomas Abundance of diuers fishes vnder the lyne The sea water is sweet vnder the Equinoctiall Man hath great desire to knewe and se things The opinion of many Philosophers that say all the world is not inhabited Fiue Zones by the which the worlde is measured The cold zone The temperat Zone Zone Torida Another temperat zone Another colde zone The zone Torida and hills Hyperbores are inhabited The zone Torida more coÌ„modious and wholesom thaÌ„ the others Marsouin and why it is so named A fouÌ„taine that sheweth fish lyke golde Aristotle and Plinie of the Dorade Lib. 6. cap. 16. The descriptioÌ„ of the Dorade Dorade the fish hath bene greatly estemed in tymes paste among the Romaines Among these Dorades those were most set by that were brought from Tarenta being made fat at the lake Licryn as witnesseth Martiall in the thirde boke of his Epigrams The Ile of the Ascention an why it was s named Diuers kinds of straÌ„ge birds and in great number Aponars birdes Caape of good hast Ile of Aponards and why it is so named The Ile of thascention not yet inhabited as many others India Meridionall Caape of good hope why it is called Lyon of the sea Rhinoceros or beasts of Ethiopia The spreading of East India Sea Indique A signe to the Nauigants that they drewe neere to America The hills of CroistmouroÌ„ Maqueh Caape de Fria Gekan The maner of these Barbaroê° men is to eate their enimies The fruitfulnesse of the Ile of S. Laurence Chicorin a fruit that we name nuts of India The Ile of Prince Seuen sortes of Palme trees in the Indies of America Spagnin a kind of herbe Pa a straunge birde The Asse of India Orix Gray Amber very cordiall Caape Defria Cahonin a drinke in America The superstition of these Indians in making this drinke A Riuer of salt water Birdes with diuers coloured fethers A gown made of fethers brought from America Arat a red bird Ganabara so called bicause of the likenesse to the lake Manihot a rote that the wilde men vse to eate A pleasant and comfortable Iland in the which the Lord of Villegagnon fortified him selfe A rocke from whence procedeth a lake Oysters hauing pearles The maner of these wild meÌ„ to take fish Panapana a kinde of fish A kinde of thornebacke Ineuonea Trees bering oysters America not known of the Cosmographers in times past Americus Vespucia did first finde out America The lying of America What the inhabitants of America are America is a very fruitfull countrey What parte of America is inhabited by the Spaniards and Portingals The Religion of the Americans Toupan Hetich rootes Charaiba America first discouered in the yere 1497 The Canibals are a people that liue with humaine flesh HoWe these AmericaÌ„s liue Adamians a kinde of heretikes that maintained nakednesse The opinioÌ„ of the Turlupins and the Philosophers of Ciniques coÌ„cerning nakednesse Iulius Caâ—â—â— did weare a cap against the order of the Romaines The stature and naturall coloure of the Americanes The wilde me liue without lawes The Americanes detest and abhorre salte meates The Lezard of America How these Americans kepe silence at their meat Auaty a drink The more delicate a man is nourished the lesse strength he hath A kinde of herbe that cutteth like steele A monstrous forme of a childe couered with scales Abantes a people in Asia The maner of the Athenians Genipat a tree and the fruite The maner how to make colour of this tree Genipat The maner of these wild meÌ„ to colour their bodies Vsub a kinde of Gumme An other tree named Genipat Petun an herb and howe it is vsed A fountaine at Lyncestis and his propertie The discription of a tre named Paquouere Pacoua the fruit A dead Cocodrill Iacareabson A stone of the coloure of an Emerauld Why the Americanes are tormented of wicked sprites Aguan a euill sprite in their language Grigri The opinion of the wilde men as touching their naturall dreames Pages Prophets Pages or Charaibes What these pages and Charaibes are and of their deceit The ceremonies of these Prophetes to cal vpon the wicked spirit What the intorrogations are that they make to the wicked spirit Houioulsira Two kindes of Magike Against those that beleue sorceries and witchcraftes Thurgia a daÌ„nable Magike Zabulus Which is the right Magike What Magus in the Persian toÌ„g signifieth Zalmoxis Zorastria Cherepicouare The opinion of the wilde men on the immortalitie of the soule Pindahouson a King in the wilde couÌ„trey This Toupan is to be vnderstanded the almighty God The superstition of the wilde men Hairi a tree Hornebeame a tree The buckler that they vse The cause why the wilde men fight one against another The wilde meÌ„ obstinate and couragious The custome of the Americans is to eate their enimies A prouerbe The inhabitants of Morpion are enimies to those of Ianaria Almadies made of the barcke of a tree The superstition of the men in taking of the barks of the trees A foolish opinion of the wild men and of the Turkes and Moores Drummes Flutes other Instrumentes do stir vp the spirites How they intreate their prisoners The wilde men feare not death How the women and maiden prisoners are intreated Cerimonies against the execution of their prisoners Cahouin a drinke The Canibals are mortall enimies to the Spanyardes Vengeance is defended to Christians A history of a Portingall being prisoner to the wildemen The faithfulnesse of the wilde men but not to Christians How they of America do marry The deflouring of maids before they be maried A defeÌ„ce made by the Lord of Villegagnon that the FreÌ„ch men shold not acquaint them selues wyth the wilde women The auncient custome of the Lydians Armenians and the inhabitants of Cypris The wyld meÌ„ haue many wiues The maner of the wilde men to burye the dead
opinion wherin to recreate your spirites and to holde me yours for euer Although that already for many causes I feele my selfe greatly bound and holdē to do most humble and obedient seruice to your lordship to whom I besech the creator to giue all good lucke and prosperitie ¶ A Preface to the Reader COnsidering vvith my selfe hovv much the long experiēce of things faithfull obseruation of many countries and nations also their orders and maner of lyfe bringeth or causeth perfection to man although there were no exercise more cōmendable by the which a man may sufficiently decke his spirite with all kinde of Heroicall vertue and science biside my first formal Nauigation into the countrey of Leuant in Grecia in Turkie Egypte and Arabia the which in times paste I haue put to light I haue againe vnder the protection and sauegard of the great gouernor of the vniuersal worlde seing it hath pleased him to shew me so much fauor being left to the discretion and mercy of one of the most vnconstant Elements least assured that is among the rest with small vesselles of wood so fraile that many times there was more hope of death than of life for to sayle toward the Pole Antartike the which was neuer discouered nor found out by the elders in times past as it appereth by the writings of Ptolomeus and others also ours of Septentrion to the Equinoctiall and therefore it was thought to be vnhabited And we sayled so long that at the laste we came to India America aboute the Capricorne a mayn land of good temperatnesse and inhabited as we will particularly more at large hereafter declare the which I haue taken in hande at the instant request of many great personages of whō the gestes more than Heroical high enterprises celebrated by the Histories cause them to lyue for euer in perpetual honor and immortall glory What hath prouoked the great Poet Homer so vertuously to celebrate in his writings Vlysses but onely his long peregrination and far trauell that he made in diuerse places with the experiēce of many things aswel by sea as by land after the spoyle of Troye What moued Virgill to write so worthily of the Troyan Aeneas although that he according to the writing of some Historiographers had most trayterously betrayed his natiue countrey in to the hands of his enimies but onely for that he had vertuously resisted the furie of the raging waues and other inconueniences of the sea he had sene endured many sharpe shoures and finally he came into Italie Euen so as the soueraigne creator hath made man of twoo substāces the one differing or exceding the other the one elementary corruptible the other celestiall diuine and immortall Also he hath put al things in his subiectiō that is contained vnder the scope or circuite of the Firmament to the ende that he might know asmuch as to him was necessary for to attaine to the soueraigne gift leauing him neuerthelesse some difficultie varietie of exercise Man then although that he be a creature maruelously accomplished yet he is neuerthelesse an instrument of vertuous actes of the which God is the original so that he may electe such an instrumēt as pleaseth him for to execute his plesure be it by sea or by land But it may so chaunce as it is cōmonly sene come to passe that some vnder this pretexitie make it a custome to abuse the workemaster by an auarice and an vnsatiable appetite of some particular and temporall appetite ieoparding themselues vndiscretely as wickedly as Horace in his epistles doeth manyfestly shew that he is worthy of prayse that for the beautifiing and eluminating of his spirite in the fauor of the common wealth doth willingly offer and put forth him selfe This rule or meane Socrates the wise Philosopher knew how to practise and after him Plato his disciple bothe the which not onely contented to haue traueled and made voyages into strange countreys for to attaine to the full perfection knowledge of Philosophie but also to declare it openly without hope of any reward or recompense Did not Cicero send his sonne Marke to Athens partely for to heare Cratippus and of him to lerne Philosophie and partly also for to lerne the maners and lyuing of the citisens of Athens Lysander being elected for his magnanimitie worthinesse gouernor ouer the Lacedemonians hath so worthily atcheued so many faire enterprises against Alcibiades a man prewe and valiant and Antiochus his Lieutenant on the sea that what losse or detrimēt so euer did chāce his heart and manly courage did neuer faile him but pursued his enimie by sea by lande so that in the ende he brought Athens to his obedience Themistocles not lesse experte in the feate of warre thā in Philosophie for to shew what a feruēt desire he had to ieoparde his lyfe for the libertie of his countrey persuaded the Athenians that the siluer that was gathered in the mynes the which they were wonte to distribute to the people was turned and bestowed to furnishe and make ships and galleys against Xerxes who for that he had partly distressed him and almost put to flight falling to appointment after this happie victorie against the order of an enimie made him present with three of the beste Cities of his Empire What hath caused Seleucus Nicanor the Emperour Augustus Cesar and many Princes and noble men to beare in their pendens and standarts the Dolphin and the anker but onely to giue instruction to al their posteritie that Nauigation is the first and of al others the most vertuous Here therfore without any long discourse is an example of nauigatiō as al things the more excellent they are the more difficile or harde is the way to attaine to them as after the experience Aristotle witnesseth speaking of vertue And that the nauigation is alwaies folowed with peril as a body is with his shadowe the which in times past was shewed by Anacharsis the Philosopher who after he had demaūded of what quantitie or thicknesse were the plācks or side of a ship it was answered not aboue four fingers so much said he is the lyfe of him from death that sayleth with ships on the water Now gentle Reader in that I haue alleged so many excellent personages it is not to compare much lesse to thinke my selfe equal to them but I am persuaded that the great power of Alexander hath not letted his successors to attempte yea the very extremitie of fortune Also the deepe knowledge of Plato did nothing at all feare or abashe Aristotle but that at his owne pleasure he hath treated of Philosophy For this intent therefore not to be found ydle and slacke among others no more than Diogenes was amōg the Athenians I haue thought good to set out in writing many notable things that I haue diligently obserued in my Nauigation betwene the South and the Weast that is to wit the situation and disposition of places in what
Grecia by the Phenicians that then ruled on the sea being reputed to their great glory as the first finders out of that which they had learned of the Egyptians The men in this parte on the coaste of Europe vse to noynte their ioyntes with Oyle of the which they haue greate plenty before they take in hand any greate exercise for al softe and pliable things are not easy to breake they principallie make warre with the Spanyardes on their borders partly for religion partly for other causes It is true that the Portingals of late time haue ouercome certaine places in Barbaria and edified townes and Castels and planted our Religion specially one faire towne named the holy Crosse for that they ariued stayed there the same day it is at the foote of a faire mountayn But within this twoo yeres the wicked people of the countrey being assembled together haue throwne downe from the sayde mountayne so many greate stones that they had pulled out thereof that in the ende the poore Portingals were constrayned to forsake the place there is alwayes such enimitie or hatred among them that they trade and trafficke together their Suger Oyle Ryce Lether and other marchandise by leauing of pledges and hostages They haue quātitie of good fruts as Oranges Lemōds Citrons Pomegarneds the which they eat for wante of better meate and Ryce in stede of Wheate also they drinke Oyles as we do Wine They liue many yeares more to my iudgement bicause of the sobrietie they vse than otherwise Of the fortunate Ilandes novv called the Canaries Cap. 5. LEauing Barbaria on the left hande hauing alwayes the winde fauorable we knew by our compasse how néere we were to the fortunate Ilandes lying on the borders of Mauritania toward the west being so named by our elders bicause of the good tēperatnesse of the aire frutfulnesse of the same Nowe the first day of September in the foresayde yeare about sixe of the clocke in the morning we had sight of one of these Ilands bicause of the hyght of a great Hill of the which we wil speke more largely and particularly hereafter These Ilandes as some do affirme are .x. in number of which there are thrée that the Authors make no mention of for that they are vnhabited the other seuen which are named Tenerif the Ile of yron Gomeria and the great Iland properly called Canaria are distant from the Equinoctial .27 degrées the other thrée Forteuenturia Palma and Lencelota are .28 degrées so that by this ye may sée that from the first to the last is a degrée the which is .17 Leagues and a halfe reckening from the North to the South according to the opinion of Pillotes But without further talke he that wold finde out by the degrées of the firmament the quantitie of leagues and stades that the earth doth contayne and what proportion there is from league to degrée the which ought to be obserued of him that will write of coūtreys as a true Cosmographer let him reade Ptolomeus the which treateth therof at large in his Cosmography Among these Ilands there is none of them but the greatest that is named Canaria bicause of the multitude of greate Dogs that there are nourished as Plinie sheweth and many others after him that say as yet that Iuba bare away twayne But nowe they are all named the Canaries without any distinction for this onely reason before shewed But in my opinion I thinke they were named Canaries for the abundance of Canes and wild Réedes that growe on the sea brink as for the Canes or Réedes y t beare Suger the Spaniards haue planted a great many since the tyme that they haue there inhabited but ther did inhabite brutish Barbarous men before that there were any Dogs the which standeth by good reason for I knowe well by experience that in all the countreis and Indies y t haue ben discouered and founde out of late dayes they had neuer knowledge of dog or catte as hereafter shal be shewed Yet I knowe well that the Portingals haue brought thether some and kept them for to hunte after wild beastes Plinie therefore speaketh in this maner the first is called Ombrion whereas there is no signe of house nor building In the mountaines there is a fountaine trées like vnto that which is named Ferula both blacke and white out of the which may be wrong or writhen water Of the blacke ones the water is very bitter to the contrary the white ones the water is pleasant to drinke The other is called Iunonia whereas there is but one onely house builded of stone ther is sene another that is next to this but lesse of the sayd name another that is full of greate Lizardes Right ouer against these before shewed there is another named the Iland of Snowe for that it is alwayes couered with snowe The next to that is Canaria so called bicause of the multitud of great dogs y t it engendreth as we haue before shewed wherof Iuba King of Mauritania had two in the saide Ile ther are some apperāce of old buildings This coūtrey in times past hath ben inhabited with wild Barbarous people not knowing God but altogether Idolaters worshipping y e Sūne y e Moone certaine other planets as soueraigne deities of the which they thought they receiued al their benefits but in lesse thā .58 yeres y e Spaniards haue subdued and ouercome them and slayne part of them and the rest they hold and kepe as slaues and captiues and they inhabiting there haue established or set vp the Christian fayth so that at this present ther is none of the ancient dwellers left onely a fewe excepted that are hid in the mountaynes as in the mountayne of Pych of the which we will speake hereafter folowing True it is that that place is the refuge of all the banished of Spaine the which for punishement are sent thither into exile so that there is an infinite number also of slaues the which serue as well to labor the grounde as to do other labors I do much maruel how the inhabitantes of these Ilands and of Afrike for that they are néere neighbors haue so differed in language in colour Religion and in maners Also that many vnder the Romaine Empire haue conquered and subdued the greatest parte of Africa and neuer touched these Ilands as they haue done in the sea Meditareum knowing also that they are very fruitfull seruing as a victualer to y e Spaniards euē as Cicilie serueth to the Romaines and Geneuois This countrey of it selfe is good being so well tilled it bringeth greate profit and the most in Sugers For within these fewe yeares they haue planted many Canes that bring forth greate quantitie of Sugers maruelous good not only in these Ilands but in other places that they hold there Neuerthelesse it is not so good in any part as in
the cause that the séedes cannot bud out nor floure bicause of the extreme heate and drieth So soone as they sée their grounde watered or dewed they begin to sowe and after they haue sowed within thrée monethes the fruite is ripe redy to be cut Their drinke is the Iuice of Palme trées and water Among the trées of this countrey there are founde some of the greatnesse of our Oke trées the which beareth fruite as great as dates with the nut they make Oyle that hath meruelous properties The firste is that it holdeth water in yellowe collour like safferne with y e which they dye or collour their little boulles that they drinke in also there hattes that are made of the strawe of rice Furthermore this Oyle hath a smell like to Marche violets and a sauor or taast like Olyue Oyle therefore many eat of it with their Fish Ryce and other meates that they eate Thus much thought I good to speake of this ryuer and countrey of Senega the which extendeth from the coast of Leuant to the land of Thuensar and from the South parte of the Realme Cambra from the ponent to the Weaste sea keping alwayes our course certayne dayes after we began to enter into the countrey of Ethiopia in that parte that is named the Kingdome of Noby which is of a greate circuite with many Kingdomes and prouinces of the which we will hereafter speake Of the Ilands Hisperides othervvise named Caape verd Cap. 13. AFter that we had lefte our Promentary on the lefte hande for to kepe our course as right as it was possible making the Southwest a quarter of South almost a whole day but about ten or eleuen of the clocke the winde came contrary the which cast vs on the right hande towardes certayne Ilandes the which are called by our carde Marins Ilandes of Caape verd the which are distant from the Canaries about two hundreth leagues and from the Promentarie sixtie leagues by sea and a hundreth leagues from Budomell in Affrica following the coste of Ginnie towarde the pole Antartike These Ilandes are ten in number of the which there are two wel peopled with Portingals that firste discouered them brought them to their obedience one of them which they haue named S. Iames Iland is better peopled than the rest also thither is made greate trading by the Moores as well of those that inhabite the mayne lande as of the others that sayle to the Indies in Ginnie and of Manycongra in the countrey of Ethiopia This Ilande is distāt from the Equinoctiall lyne fiftene degrées an other likewise named S. Nicolas Ile inhabited as the other the others are not so peopled as Flera Plintana Pintoria and Foyon in the which there are a certayne number of people and slaues sent thither by the Portingals to labor the grounde in some places where they finde it beste and chiefly for to get goate skinnes of the which ther is great store therewith make good trade haue thereof a great vent and therefore the Portingals pass twise or thrise in a yere with ships and munitions leading with them dogs and bringing nets and snares for to chase and hunte wild goates the which after they are skinned they reserue onely the skinnes the which they season with salt and earth in certaine vessels made for that purpose for to kepe them for putrifieng and so they carry them into their countrey and therewith they make their Marokins that are so greately estemed with vs. Also they inhabitants of these Ilands are bound to render or pay for tribut for euery one to the King of Portingall the number of six thousande goates wilde and tame being salted and dried the which they deliuer to those that of the parte or for the Kings behoofe make the voyage with his greate shippes to the Easte Indies as to Calicut and other places passing by these Ilandes and these number of goates are bestowed for their sustenance during the voyage which is two yeres long or more for bicause of the distaunce of places and the greate Nauigation that they muste make Moreouer the ayre in these Ilandes is Pestilent and vnholsome so that the firste Christians that beganne there to inhabit were of a long tyme vexed with sickenesse as well to my Iudgement for the vntemperatnesse of the ayre that in such places cannot be good as also the changing of dyet and of countrey Also the burning Agues are there very familier common to the slaues specially and the bloudy flixe of the which neither the one nor the other procéede not but of humors extreme hot bicause of their continuall trauaile and naughty nourishment also of the hotnesse of the air with the water that is next and therfore they receiue excesse of these two Eliments Of the Torterels and of an herbe that they call Orselie Cap. 14. SEing y t in our Nauigation we are minded to write certaine secretes obserued in places where we haue bene it shal not be hurtful to speak of Torterels that these former Ilands doe norishe in as great quantitie as goates There is found four kind of Torterels of y e land of the sea the third liuing in fresh water the fourthe in marishes Of the which I meane not to speake particularly but only of those that are séene on the sea coastes that compasse these Ilands These kind of Torterels wil leape from the Sea to the shore at his appoynted time making with his clawes a hole in the sande wherein after she hath laid hir egges being of the number of eight paire of the which speaketh Aristotle couereth them so well that it is vnpossible to sée them or to finde them vntill that the floude commeth that vncouereth them then bicause of the extreme heate that is there of the Sunne they engender and open as the Henne of hir egge the which consisteth in greate number of Torterels of the greatnesse of Crabbes which is a kinde of Fishe the which the floud returning beareth into the Sea Among these Torterels there are some of suche a greatnesse specially in these partes whereof I speake that foure men cannot almost beare one as of a truth I haue séene and vnderstanded of men worthy of credence Plinie sheweth that in the Indian Sea there are so great Torterels that the shel is bigge inough to couer a meane house and that at the Ilandes of the red Sea they might make therewith vessels Nauigable The sayde author sayeth also that there are the like at the straight of Carmania in the Persian sea There are many wayes to take them Sometimes this great beast of a desire to swim more easily seketh the vpper parte of the water a little before noone when the day is faire where as hauing the backe bare and vncouered out of the water sodainly their shell is so well dried by the Sunne that they cannot descend to the depth of the sea so that they floote aboue
vnconstant with many other vices which wold be to long to reherse therfore I wil leaue this to Philosophers Let vs come to our purpose These Ethiopians Indians vse Magike bicause they haue many herbes other things proper for that exercise And it is certaine true that there is a certain Sympathia in things and hid Antipathia the which cannot be knowen but by long experience And bicause that we coasted a countrey somwhat far in this land named Ginney I thinke good to write therof particularly Of Ginney Cap. 17. AFter that we had refreshed vs at Caape verd it behoued vs to passe further hauing y e wind at Northeast maruelous fauourable for to conducte vs right vnder the Equinoctiall line the which we ought to passe but being come to the height of Ginney lying in Ethiopia the winde became cleane contrary bicause that in that region the windes be very vnconstant with raine tempest and thunder so that the Nauigation on that coast is very dangerous Now the fourth day of September we arriued into this Countrey of Ginney on the West borders But somewhat far within the lande it is inhabited with a very straunge people bicause of their Idolatry darke ignoraunce Before that this Countrey was discouered and the people knowen it was thought that they had liued like the Ethiopians hauing the like manner of religion of those of the higher Ethiope and of Senega but it is found cleane contrary for all they that inhabite or dwel from the said Senega to the Caape of good hope are al Idolaters without the knowledge of god and his law And these people are so blinded and ignorant that the first thing that they méete in the morning be it birde serpent or other wilde or tame beast they take it with them bearing it about them all the day about what businesse so euer they haue as a God or protector of their worke if they go a fishing in any of their litle boates of bark they will put it in one of the endes of the boate well wrapped with some leaues hauing an opinion and beleuing that it wil bring them all the day good lucke be it on lande or on water neuerthelesse they beleue in God alleaging y t he is there aboue immortall but vnknowne for that he will not be knowne to them sensibly The which erroure differeth nothing from the error of the Gentiles in times past that worshipped diuers Gods vnder the coloure of Images and similitudes But yet this is a thing worthy to be noted though it be superstitious and abhominable that these pore ignorant and brutishe men had rather worship corruptible things than to be reputed without a God Diodorus the Sicillian writeth that the Ethiopians had the first knowledge of the fained gods to whom they began to vow and to sacrifice Also Homer signifieth that Iupiter with other Gods went into Ethiopia as well for that they were there honored and sacrificed vnto as for the wholesomnesse of the Countrey The like you haue of Castor and Pollux the which going on the sea at the request of the Greekes against Troy were vanished in the aire and were neuer after séene againe the which giueth opinion to some to thinke y t they were rauished placed among the starres of the Sea also many name them the cleare starres of the sea attributing their names Caster Polux to two fair bright starres The sayd people haue neither temples nor churches nor other places appoynted for sacrifice and prayer Besides this they are without comparison much more wicked than those of Barbarie or Affrica in such sort that the straungers dare not aborde them nor set foote on land but by pledges otherwise they would take them and handle them like slaues These Villaines or wicked impes goe all naked sauing some since the time that their Countrey hathe bene somewhat frequented haue worne a little shirt of Cotten or some suche thing the which is brought them from other places They make not so great trade with beastes as in Barbarie there is very fewe fruits bicause of the drinesse extreme heat for this region is vnder y e signe Taurus they liue a good many yeares and yet séeme not olde so that a man of a C. yeares olde would be iudged with vs not aboue .xl. Neuerthelesse they liue with the fleshe of wilde beasts without séething roasting or wel preparing of it they haue also some fishe and great aboundaunce of Oysters more larger some than halfe a foote but they are more dangerous to eate than any other fishe they cast a liquor like to milke and yet the inhabitants eate thereof without any danger and they vse as well salte water as freshe They commonly make war with other nations their weapons are bowes and arows as the other Ethiopians and Affricans The women of this Countrey frequent the warre as much as the men and they beare for the most part a large buckle of fine gold or other mettal at their eares lips and also on their armes The waters of this countrey are very dangerous and also the aire is vnholesome for that to my iudgement the South winde being very hot and moist and familiar in that countrey is subiect to all kinde of putrefactions the which we féele many times in this Countrey And therefore they that of our Countrey and of other Countreys of Europe that trauaile to Gynney cannot remaine there long without receiuing some sicknesse the which chaunced to vs for many of our companie died and others remained a long time sicke and with great paine they recouered their health For the which cause we remained not there long time I will not omit that in Ginney the fruit that is most rife and common and with the which the straungers of straunge Countreis lade their ships is named Maniguetta being very good and wel estemed aboue other spices with the which the Portingalles make a great trade This fruit commeth vp in the fields like an Onion The other that commeth from Molucquer and Calicut is not so wel estéemed by a great deale This people of Ginney trade with certaine Barbariens adiacent golde and salt after a straunge fashion There are certaine places ordained among them where as eche one of his parte bringeth his Marchandise those of Ginney salte and the others gold molten in lumpes and without any other talke togither bicause of the small trust and confidence one of another as the Turkes and Arabians and some of America with their neighbors they leaue in the place before spoken the golde and the salte of eache part This being done these Ethiopians of Ginney if they finde there golde inough for their salt they take it away otherwise they leaue it and let it lie The which the other séeing that their golde wil not satisfie they adde vnto it vntill that there be sufficient then they beare away that that to eche one doth appertaine You shall vnderstande
furthermore that the Neigers hitherwarde are more ciuill and better nurtered than these of Ginney bicause of the great resorte of Marchantes that trade thither also they prouoke others to barter for their golde for things of smal value as kniues glasses and suche like Also the Portingals trade and bargaine with the Mores of Ginney beside other things for Iuorie that we call Eliphants téethe And one among others shewed me that at one time they haue ladē twelue thousand of these téethe among the which there was one found among the other that wayed a hundred pounde waight for as we haue sayd the lande of Ethiopia nourisheth Eliphantes the which they take at the chase as we doe here wilde Boares and so they eate the flesh which many affirme to be very good the which I had rather beleue than taste or to stand disputing thereof I will not therefore in this place stand to reason or set out the vertues and properties of this beast the moste gentlest and approching to humain reason than any other séeing that this beast hathe bene so muche celebrated of our elders and also by those of our time and knowing that Plinie Aristotle many others haue sufficiently treated thereof and of his fleshe the which some say is medicinable and good against the Leprosie The téethe that we call Iuorie dothe comfort the heart and the stomake and it wil also helpe with all his substance the parte or belly of the mother I will not therefore wryte that which they haue written for that it is not to our purpose Neuerthelesse I will not leaue to speake that which I haue sene the which is if that they can get any yong Eliphantes they teache them many prety knackes For this beast is very apt and of a good vnderstanding Of the Equinoctiall line and of the Ilandes of S. Omer Cap. 18. LEauing therefore this parte of Gynney on our lefte hande after we had stayed there but a while for the infection of the aire as we haue before shewed we kept our course coasting alwayes to the height of the Caape of Palmes and of that which is called the thrée poyntes where as runneth a faire Riuer able to beare great shippes by the reason whereof there is good trade all ouer the Countrey and the which beareth golde and siluer aboundantly in lumpes and therefore the Portingalles haue landed there and being in fauoure with the Inhabitantes they haue builded there a faire Castle the which they haue named the Mine Castle And not w tout a cause for their Golde is without comparison more finer than that of Calicute or of India America It is on this side the Equinoctiall about thrée degrées and a halfe There is founde a riuer that commeth from the Mountaines of the Countrey named Cania and another more lesser named Rhegium the which beareth or bringeth very good Fishe also Cocodrils very daungerous as Nylle and Senega and they eate them as we doe Venson I will not forget what was shewed me to haue bene sene neare to the Mine Castle a sea monster hauing the shape of a man that the floud had left on the shore the which was heard crie In like case the female came with the next floud crying aloud and sorowing for the absence of hir make the which is a wonderfull and straunge thing By this may be knowen that the Sea doeth nourish and bring forthe diuers and straunge kinde of monsters as well as the land Being now by our iourneys come euen vnder the Equinoctiall I minde not to passe any further without noting somewhat This line Equinoctiall or Circle Equinoctiall or else Equator is a trace imagined of the Sunne by the midst of the world the which deuideth in two equall partes two times the yeare that is to wit the fourth of September and theleuenth of March and then the Sunne passeth directly by the Zenithe of the earth and leaueth vs this imagined Circle equall to the Tropicks others that may be iudged betwene the two Poles the Sunne going from the East to the West it is true that the sunne goeth al the yeare by the Ecliptike to the Zodiake sauing on the dayes aboue named standeth directly ouer them that inhabit there Furthermore they haue right course without y e one of the Poles be more erected than the other the day the night are to thē equall therefore they were named Equinoctiall and according as the Sunne doth depart from the one to y e other Pole there is vnequalities of dayes and nights and eleuation of the Pole Then the Sunne declining by litle and litle from this point Equinoctial goeth by his Zodiake almost to the Tropike of Capricorn and passing no farther causeth the Solstice of winter then returning passeth by the sayd Equinoctiall till that he come to the signe of Cancer whereas is the Solstice of Sommer therefore he maketh vj. signes parting from the Equinoctiall to eche one of these Tropikes The elders haue estéemed this countrey or Zone among the Tropikes to be vnhabitable bicause of the extreme heate as those that are neare to the two Poles bicause of the colde Neuerthelesse within these few yeares this Zone hath bene discouered by Nauigations and inhabited for that it was found frutefull and abounding in many good things notwithstanding the heat as the Ilandes of S. Omer and others of the which we will speake hereafter Some vnder this line cōparing the coldnesse of the night with the heate of the day haue taken this argument that in that respect there might be good temperatenesse biside many other reasons y t I omit for this present The heat that is there séemed to me no hotter than it is here at Midsomer Furthermore there is much tempest thunder lightnings and raines therfore at the Ilands of S. Omer as also in a nother Iland named the Ile of Rats there is as much verdure or grenenesse as is possible These Ilands vnder the Equinoctiall line are marked in our cardes Marins S. Omer or S. Thomas inhabited at this day by Portingals although that they be not so frutefull as certain others Also there is gathered a certain suger but they trade with the Barbarians and Ethiopians Golde molten Pearles Muske Rhubarbe Beastes Byrdes and other things according to the countrey Also in these Ilandes the seasons and times are vnequall and differing from other countries the people more subiect to sicknesse than they of the North part the which difference vnequalitie commeth of the Sunne the which sheweth his qualities by the ayre being betwene him and vs. It passeth as euery one knoweth two times the yere customably thereby and then y e Equinoctial descrieth him in the monthes of Marche and September About this lyne is founde such abundance of fishes of sundry diuers kindes that it is a maruelous and a wōderful thing to sée them aboue water and I haue heard them make such a
Indians or wilde men of the Countrey shewing according to their manner euident signes of ioy neuerthelesse we stayed ther but .iij. dayes they welcomed vs one after an other according to their custome with this word Carainbe which is as muche to say as welcome or ye are welcome And for to shew their good wils one of their great Morbicha Onassonb that is to say King feasted vs with a kinde of meale made of rootes and with their Cahonin which is a drinke made of Mill is named Auaty and it is great like a pease there is bothe white and blacke And for to make this drinke they let this Mill boile with other rootes the which after it is boyled hath a coloure like to Claret wine and these Indians finde it so good that therewith they will be dronken as men will be with wine in our Countrey It is thicke like to wine lées Héere I wil shew you a superstition that they vse to make this drink after the straungest maner in the world After that it hath boyled in carthen vessels made for that purpose there shall come certaine virgins or maidens that shall chawe or champe in their mouthes this Mill being so boyled or sodden then they shall put it into a nother vessel therunto appointed or if that a woman be called therto she must first abstain certaine dayes from hir husband otherwise they thinke that this Byuerige or drinke will neuer come to good perfection This being done they will make it boyle againe vntill that it be purged or cleansed as we sée the wine boyling in the tunne then within certaine dayes after they drinke thereof Now after that they had entertained vs after this sorte they brought vs afterwarde to sée a large stone of fiue féete long or there about in the which appeared certaine strokes of a rod or small wand and the print of two féete the which they affirme to be of their great Caraibe whome they haue in as great reuerence as the Turks haue Mahomet for bicause say they that he hath giuen them the vse and knowledge of fire likewise to plant rootes for before they liued but with leaues as doe the brute beastes Being thus guided and led about by their King we forgate not diligently to know and visite the place wheras among other commodities requisite and necessary we founde that there was no freshe water to be had but far from thence the which letted vs to stay ther any long time for y e which we were sorie considering the bounty of the countrey In this place there is a Riuer of salt water passing betwene two hills separated the one from the other about a stones throwe and entreth into the countrey about .36 leagues This Riuer hath great quantitie of good fish of diuers kindes chiefly greate moulets so that whilest we were there we sawe the Indians catche of these fishes aboue a thousand in a shorte space Furthermore there are many birdes of diuers kindes with strange fethers some as red as fine scarlet others white ashey and other colours And with these fethers the wilde men or Indians make hats and garments either for to couer them or for beauty When they goe a warfare or when they haue any skirmish with their enimies Others also make them Gownes and Caps after their maner and for a manifest truth it may be knowen by a gowne that I brought home with the which gowne I made present to Monsieur Troisteux a gentleman of the house of my Lorde the right reuerend Cardinall of Sens. Among these number of birdes al differing from those of our Himisperia there is one which they name in their language Arat the which is a very hearon in proportion sauing that his fethers are red as Dragons bloud Furthermore there are sene trées without number being gréene all the yeare long of the which the moste parte rendreth diuers kindes of gumme as well in coiour as otherwise Also there is growing on the sea bankes little vines which is a kinde of cockle of the greatnesse of a pease the which the wilde men beare or hang about their necke like pearles specially when they are sicke for they say it prouoketh the belly and serueth for a purgation some of them make powder thereof and eate it Moreouer they say that it is good to stay a bloudy flixe the which semeth to me contrary to his purging vertue Neuerthelesse it may haue bothe bicause of the diuersitie of his substances And therefore the women beare it more oftener at their neckes adn armes than the men Likewise there is found in that countrey and on the sea borders on the sande greate plenty and a kinde of fruite that the Spaniards name sea beanes being rounde lyke a Teston but more greater and more thicker of a ruddy colour so that if you sawe them you wold say they were Artificiall the people of the countrey set nought by them neuerthelesse the Spaniards cary them into their countrey and the Womē and Maydens commonly hang them about their necke being set in gold or siluer the which they say hath vertue against the collicke the payne in the head and others To be short this place is pleasant and fruitfull and they that enter farther into that countrey shall finde a flat countrey couered with strange kinde of trées the like are not in Europe being also beautified with fayre Riuers and springs and very cleare waters among the which there is a fish very monstrous for a freshe water fish this fish is of the largenesse and greatnesse of a herring armed from the head to the tayle like a little beaste of the earth named Taton the heade without comparison greater than the body hauing thrée bones in the chyne and very good to eate at the least the Indians eate of them and they name it in their language Tamonhata Of the Riuer of Ganabara otherwise called Ianaria and how that the countrey whereas we ariued was named Fraunce Antartike Cap. 25. HAuing no time to remaine any lōger at Cape de Fria for the reason before shewed it behoued vs to depart so the we wayed our ankers and hoised vp sailes to sail to some other place to the great displeasure of the Indians of that Countrey that thought we wold haue stayed a longer time folowing the promise that we had made them at our first arriuall Therfore we sailed the space of foure dayes vntil the tenth that we found this great riuer of Ganabara being so named of the inhabitaunts of the Countrey for that it is like to the lake or otherwise Ianaria by those that first did discouer it being distaunt from the place from whence we departed .30 leagues and by the way the winde became contrary Now therefore that we had passed many little Ilands on the sea coast and the straight of our riuer being about a gunne shotte brode we were determined to enter in at that place or straight and with
eat no beast nor fish y t is heauy or slow in going but of all other light meats in running flying as Venison and such like for bicause that they haue this opinion that heauie meates wil hurte and anoy them when they should be assailed of their enimies Also they wil eate no salte meates nor yet permit their children to eate any And when they sée the Christian eate salt meats they reproue them therfore as a thing impertinent saying that such meats will shorten their liues their ordinary meates are roasted after their manner as Rats of diuers kinde and great ones a certaine kinde of Toades greater than oures Cocodrils and others that they roast all whole with the skin and the bowels and this they vse without any difficultie yea these Cocodrils and great Lezards as great as a pig of a month old the which is a fine meat as they say that haue eate thereof These Lezards of America are so priuie that they will come neare vnto you and take their repast if that you wil take it without feare or difficultie Their flesh is like a Chickens flesh they kil them with shooting at them with their arrowes The meates that they boile are Oysters and other shell fishe of the sea In taking of their foode they obserue no houre but all times and houres that they féele them selues to haue a stomake or appetite be it in the night after their first sléepe they will rise to eate and then lay them downe to sléepe In their repast they kepe a maruellous silence the which is more to be commended than amongst vs that bable and talke at our tables they doe séethe and roast very well their meate and eate it measurably and not rashly mocking vs that deuoure in steade of eating they will not drinke when they eate nor eate when they drink so that they will forbeare drinke a whole day When they make their great bankets and solemnities as when they haue obtained some great victorie on their enimies then they wil sit drinking a whole day without eating They make drinkes of great Mill white and blacke the which they call in their language Auaty Neuerthelesse after that they haue sate drinking being once departed the one from the other they will eate such as they can finde The poorest sorte liue more with sea fishe other like meates than with fleshe they that are farre from the sea do fishe in riuers Also they haue diuers kindes of fruites as nature bringeth them forthe yet they liue long in health and well disposed Héere you must note that our elders in times past liued with fishe The lawes of Triptolomeus as Xenophon wryteth did defend and forbid the Atheniens the vse of flesh Therefore it is no strange thing for to liue with fish Firste in our Europe and before that the grounde was tilled men lyued more hardly without flesh or fish hauing not the meane to vse them and yet notwithstanding they were stronger and lyued the longer being nothing so feminate as now in our age Now these wilde men vse flesh and fish as we haue before shewed Some lye and eate in their beds at the least they sit and eate in their beds specially the maister or chiefe of the family shalbe in his bed and the others about him doing him seruice as if nature had taught them to doe honor reuerence to the aged Moreouer they haue this honesty that the firste that hath taken any great praie be it on water or laÌ„d they wil distribute to euery one specially to Christians if there be any and they will request and desire them fréely to eate therof esteming it a great iniurie if you refuse it Also so soone as you enter into their lodgings they will aske you in their language Marabisser what is thy name and you may be well assured that if they once knowe it they will neuer forget it their memorie is so good Were it Cyrus the King of Persia Cyneas legate to the King Pyrrhus Metridates nor Cesâ—â— the which Plinie writeth of to haue bene of so good a memorie and after you haue answered them they will aske you Marapipo what wilt thou say and many other things Against the opinion of those that thinke these wilde men to be all heary Cap. 31. FOR bicause that many haue this foolish opinion that those people whome we call wilde men as they liue in the woods and fields almost like to brute beasts so in like maner they are beary all ouer their bodyes as a Lion a Beare or such like Also they are so pictured and painted in their tablets clothes To be short in setting out a wilde man they set him out al hairy euen from the head to the foote the which is altogether false and vntrue I haue knowne some so obstinate that they would affirme it with an othe as those that had séene it of a truth As for me I knowe and affirme the contrary for that I haue séene it The wilde men as well of the East Indies as of America come forthe of their mothers wombe as faire and as well pollished as oures of Europe And if that haire grow by succession of time on any parte of their bodies as it doeth to vs and others in what parte of the body so euer it be they scratche it of with their nailes sauing only the haire of their heads so greatly they doe detest and abhorre it as wel women as men And the hairs that growe on their browes the women doe shaue it of with a certaine herbe that cutteth like a raser this herbe is like to Sage or Iouncke that groweth by the water side As touching the hair Amatory and their beards they pluck it of as wel as of the rest of the body Within these few yeares they haue found the meane to make litle pinsers with the which they pull of their haire for since that they haue bene frequented of Christians they haue learned the way how to forge Iron And therfore beleue not hereafter the common opinion of y e painters nor their doings in this poynt for they haue libertie to paint things to their owne discretion euen as Poetes haue to forge and inuent lies If it should chaunce that a childe should come forth of his mothers wombe hairy that the hairs should grow encrease all ouer his body as the like hath bene séene in Fraunce this were an accident of nature as if a childe should be borne with two heades or suche like These are not things so wonderfull and straunge considering that Physitians can shew the reason I haue séene a childe in Normandie couered with scales like a Carpe These are imperfections of nature according to y e Glose on the .xiij. Chapter of Esay shewing of certaine monsters hauing the shape of men named Satires liuing in the woodes hairy like wilde beastes And of this the wrytings of Poets are full of Satyres Faunes
another and so folowing in order the Auditors sit downe on the earth vnlesse it be some ancient men that lye on their beds the which considering with my selfe commeth to my remembrance the moste commendable custome of the gouernors of Thebes an ancient Citie in Grecia the which for to coÌ„sult together of the affaires of the common welth would alwayes sit downe vpon the ground the which maner of doing is estemed an argument of prudence Furthermore it is a strange thing that these Americans do neuer make amongst them any paction or concorde though that their hatred be great as other natioÌ„s do be they neuer so cruel barbarous as the Turkes Moores and Arabians and I thinke that if Theseus the first inuenter of peace amoÌ„g the Greekes were among them he shoulde be more troubled than euer he was this people haue certaine sleights of warre to trap one another as well as in other places Therefore these Americans haue perpetuall enimitie one against another at all tymes against their neighbors before shewed séeking their enimies and fighting as furiously together as is possible the which causeth eache village to fortifie to make themselues strong with people and weapons They will assemble together on the nights in greate number for to kepe watche and warde For they are wonte to skirmish togethers more on nightes than on dayes if that they haue knowledge therof before hande or otherwise do suspecte the comming of their enimies they wil plante in the grounde rounde about their lodgings the compasse of a bowe shot sharp pointed pins of wood the which are so set in the earth that they are scaÌ„t perceiued this kind of policie they vse to gal pierce the féet of their enimies which are al bare and naked as well as the rest of their bodies to the ende that by this meanes they might intangle their enimies for to kill some others for to take prisoners It is a greate honor to them the which departe out of their countrey for to assayle their enimies on the borders and when that they haue taken many of their enimies prisoners in theyr countries he that hath taken most prisoners is honored and celebrated among others as a great King or a great Lorde when he hath most killed and when they meane sodainly to assayle a towne or village they wil hide them selues in the woodes lyke Foxes lurking there for a certayne tyme vntil they haue espied the tyme and vantage to come forth sodainly to beset their enimies WheÌ„ they be come to a village they know the mene to set fier theron for to make them come forth with their wiues children bag and baggage being come forth they assaile one another shoting of their arrowes also with their Maces Swords of wood that to behold them it is a good passe-time they wil bite one another w t their téeth in all places wheras they caÌ„ take hold shewing sometymes the bones of those whome they haue vanquished and ouercome before times in the warrs and eaten to be short they do y e worst they câ—n to feare anger their enimies Some ye shall sée takeÌ„ prisoners bouÌ„d manacled like theues And when those returne from warre far in their owne countries vanquishers God knoweth the noyse and passetyme that they make The women folow their husbands to the warres not for to fight as the Amazoness doe but for to minister to their husbands foode and other necessaries requisite in the warres for sometymes they make iorneys of fiue or six moneths before they returne he that is greatest among them hath moste wiues to serue him And when they make any greate iorney they set fire on their houses and if they haue any good thing they hide it vnder the ground vntill their returne Their vittels that they haue is such as the lande beareth that is rootes very delicate and pleasant to eate and flesh of wild beastes and fish dried in the smoke their beds of cotton are caried with them the men beare nothing but bowes and arrowes in their handes their weapons are also greate Swordes and Clubs of wood very heauy their bowes are as long as oure bowes in Englande their arrowes are made pointed some of Canes that growe on the sea coast and others are made of a kynde of a woodde named Hayri bearing leafe lyke to a Palme trée the whiche is of the coloure of blacke Marble therefore many say it is hornbeame but it semeth to me otherwise for the right and perfect hornebeame is more shining Furthermore the Hornebeame trée is not lyke this for this is very thorney al ouer The best Hornbeam is to be had in Calicut and in Ethiopia This wood is so heauie that it sincketh to the bottome of the water lyke Iron therefore these wilde men make therewith their swordes and clubs to fight with in the warres It beareth a great fruit somewhat pointed at one of the endes within it a whit kernel of y e which fruit I haue brought home with me a greate many Besides this the wild men make faire collers of this woode also it is so harde and tough as I haue before shewed that y e arowes that therewith are made are so strong that it wil pearce a good corselet or Harneis their third weapoÌ„ or defence is a great buckeler the which they vse in the warres it is very loÌ„g made of the skin of a beast like in colour to the Neate or Oxen in our countrey so diuers in colours The bucklers are of such strength as the bucklers Barcellonoys so that they wil beare out the shot of a handgunne And as touching handguns many of them haue and cary with them to the warres the which the Christians haue giueÌ„ them but they knowe not howe to vse them but oftentymes they shoote them of onely for to fear their enimies Their maner of fighting as well on the lande as on the water Cap. 39. IF you aske me why these wild men make warre one against an other seeing that they are not greater Lords one than another also for y t they do not esteme worldly riches that the earth bringeth forth more than serueth their necessitie you shal vnderstaÌ„d that the cause of their warre is euill ynough grounded it is onely a desire of vengeance that they haue without any other reason or cause but euen like brute beasts that cannot agrée one w t another by no honest meane to conclude they say that they haue bene alwayes their mortall enimies They méete together then as we haue sayde before in greate numbers for to go and finde out their enimies if that they haue receiued any iniurie before hand wheras they méete together shoote one at another after they ioine together taking holde of their heade eares biting one another by the armes yea buffetting one another with their fistes There is no speaking of horse They are very obstinate and couragious in such sorte
that before they ioine to fight being separated one from another the space of gunne shot sometimes for the space of a whole day or two they wil beholde threaten one another shewing angrie cruell and fearefull lookes shouting and making such a terrible noyse that ye could not here God thunder also shewing their affections by signes with their armes and handes holding them vp and shaking their swordes and clubs of woodde at their enimies We are say they valiant and hardy we haue eaten your parentes also we we will eate you with many other threatenings In this they obserue in my iudgement the ancient custome that the Romaynes vsed in their warres who before they entred into battell made greate boastes and crakes with greate cryes and larums the which since hath bene vsed among the Galles in their warres as Titus Liuius rehearseth bothe the which doings I thinke differeth much frō the doings of the Acaians of the which Homer speaketh of for that they being redy to giue battaile to their enimies would make no noyse but kept themselues from speaking The greatest vengeance that these wilde men vse and that semeth to them moste cruell is to eate their enimies When that they haue taken any in the warres if they be not strong ynough to cary them away then if that they can before any succor come they wil cut of their legs armes before they wil leaue them they will eat them or at the least euery one wil cary a piece awaye little or much if they can get any prisoners that they may without danger leade into their countrey they wil in like maner eat them The ancient Turkes Moores and Barbarians vsed in times past almost the like maner so that yet remayneth this prouerbe I woulde I had eaten his harte with salt they vse almost lyke weapons as our wild men do but Christians haue forged for them and haue taught them to forge Armors with the which we our selues are nowe beaten and it is in dout that they will doe the lyke to these Americans and others Furthermore this poore people doe venture them selues vpon the water for to finde out their enimies as those of the great riuer of Ianaria against those of Morpion in which place doe inhabit the Portingals enimies to the Frenchmen as the wilde men of that same place are enimies to those of Ianaria the vessels that they vse on the water are little Almadies or boates made of the barcke of trées without nayles or woodden pins being in length fiue or six fadome and thre foote brode And you shall vnderstand that they couet not to haue them greater thinking that then they coulde not make them rowe faste for to escape or for to folowe theyr enimie They holde a foolish opinion and superstitious to vnbarke these trées that day that they doe take of the barke the which is done euen from the roote to the top they will neither drinke nor eate fearing as they say that otherwise there would happen vnto them some mysfortune on the water These vessels being thus made they will set a floate fiue or sixe score of them and in euery one fortie or fifty men and women the women serue to cast out of these little boats the water that commeth in many tymes with a little dish made of the frute of some trée the men are assured therin hauing their weapons and rowe a long by the banke sides and if they finde a village by the way they will set foote on lande and spoyle it putting it to fire and sworde if that they ouercome it A litle before our ariuall those Americans that are our friendes had taken on the sea a little barcke of Portingals being harde by the shore in some place but what resistence so euer they made aswell with their gunnes as otherwise neuerthelesse they were taken and the men eaten sauing a fewe that we ransomed and bought at our ariuall By this ye may knowe that the wilde men that are resident where the Portingals be are enimies to the wilde men that inhabit where the Frenchmen ariued Well to conclude they fight as well on the water as on the lande if it happen at any tyme the sea to rage and to swell they cast therein Partrige fethers or some other thing thinking by this means to appease the waues of the sea In lyke manner doe the Turkes and Moores being in the lyke danger washing their bodies with the water of the sea Nowe our wilde men returning with victorie shewe all signes of ioye sounding Flutes Trompettes Drummes and singing after their manner the which is pleasant to hearewith their Instrumentes a lyke made of certayne fruites hollow within or with the bones of some beast or els of their enimies their instrumentes for warre are richly decked with goodly coloured fethers as we doe oures in our countrey with banners of silke and such lyke Their Fleutes Drummes and other instruments semeth to relieue the spirits half gone euen as a bellows doeth relieue a fire half dead And to my iudgement there is no other meane to stir vp the spirites of men but only by the noyse of these instrumentes not onely men but also beastes neuerthelesse not making comparison seme to leape for ioy the which hath ben obserued at al times It is of a truthe that these Americans and Barbarous men in their assaultes and combates vse great cries and fearfull noyse as here after shall be shewed of the Amazones Howe these Barbarous and wilde men put their enimies to death that they haue taken in the warre and eate them Cap. 40. NOwe that I haue shewed how that the wilde men of America leade their enimies prisoners into their lodgings after that they haue taken them in the warres there resteth now to shewe how they do intreate them at the last Thus therefore they vse them the prisoners that they take and bring into their countrey shal be very wel intreated a fiue dayes after shal be giuen hym a wife peraduenture his daughter to whome he is prisoner for to minister to him his necessities as well at his bed as otherwise in the meane time he is serued with the best meates that can be founde minding to fatten hym lyke a crammed Capon against he shall dye the which tyme he may easily knowe by a coller made of cotton on the which they hang certaine rounde fruites or the bones of some beast of fishe made in maner of beads the which they hang about their prisoners neck And so many Moones as they are minded to kepe him the like quātitie of these Beades will they hang about their neckes and so take of euery Moone one vntill that y e Moones are expired And some in stead of these Beades will hang as many litle collers about their necks as they haue Moones to liue Furthermore ye shall note that these wilde men doe not recken neuer aboue fiue and they obserue neither
thing very necessary as they doe affirme against these wormes Also sometimes they anoynt therewithall their bodies when they be weary Bisides this the oyle is proper for woundes and sores as they haue knowne by experience Thus much as touching their infirmities and the remedies that these Americans vse The maner hovv to trade among these people of a birde named Toucan and of the spicerie of that Countrey Cap. 47. ALthough that in America there is diuers kindes of people neuerthelesse brutish and of diuers sorts and fashions accustomed alwayes to make warre one with another Notwithstanding they let not to trade trafike as wel among themselues as with the christians and straungers specially those that are néere to the Sea with such commodities as is to be had in the Countrey Their greatest trade is with Estridge fethers garnishings of swords made of fethers other fethers muche set by and estéemed the which are brought from the higher Countrey to the sea side aboue a hundreth or sixe score leagues also great quantitie of coloures white and blacke also of the gréene stones that they beare hanging in their lips as we haue before shewed The others that dwel on the sea coast where as the Christians to trafike receiue certain hatchets kniues daggers swordes and other iron tooles beades of glasse combes loking glasses and other little trifles of small value which they trucke with their neighbors hauing no other mean sauing only to giue one marchandise for an other and they vse after this maner giue me that and I will giue thée this without any further talk On the sea coast the most frequented Marchandise is the fethers of a birde that is named in their language Toucan the properties of which I wil describe séeing it commeth to purpose This birde is of the greatnesse of a Pigeon there is an other kinde like to a Pie of like fethers that the other haue that is to wit bothe twaine blacke sauing that about the taile there are some red fethers among the blacke Vnder the brest the fethers are yellow about foure fingers broade as well in bredth as in lengthe and it is not possible to finde yellow more excellent nor finer coloure than is the fethers of this birde at the ende of the taile there are little fethers as redde as bloud The wilde men take the skin of that parte that is yellow and they vse it to make garnishings of swordes after their maner and certaine garments hattes and other things I the author of this worke brought a hatte of fethers very riche and faire out of America the which was presented to the King of Fraunce Henry by name as a precious iewell And of these birdes there are none founde but in America beginning from the riuer of Platte vnto the riuer of Amazones Ther are some sene at Perou but they are not so great as the others At newe Spayne Florida Messique and newe found lande there is none to be séene bicause the countreis are to cold of the which they stande in great feare Moreouer this birde liueth with no other thing among the wooddes where he maketh his residence but with certaine fruites that the Countrey doeth bring forthe some might thinke that this were a water birde the which is not so for that I haue séene the contrary To the rest this birde is disformed and monsterous hauing the bill more greater and more longer than the rest of the body I haue also broughte one of them from thence that was giuen me with the skinnes of many of diuers couloures some as redde as fine scarlet others yelow blewe and others of diuers colours These fethers be much set by of y e Americans with the which they trafike and trade as we haue before shewed This also is of a truthe that before the vse of money they traded after this sorte ware for ware so that the wealth and richesse of men yea of Kings Princes and Magistrates did consist in beastes shepe goates and Camels of the which ye haue examples in Berosus and Diodorus the which shewe vs by wrytings the maner and vse that the elders before vs vsed to trade one with another the which vse I finde to differ very little from the Americanes order and other barbarous people So that in times past one thing was giuen for an other as shéepe for corne woolle for salte and suche like The trafike of one Countrey with an other if we cōsider it wel is maruellous profitable necessary for by it ciuil societie is kept also it is much estéemed throughout all nations Plinie in his seuenth booke doeth attribute the first inuention and vse thereof to be among the Venicians The trade that many of the Christians vse with the Americanes is brasell woode Popengayes cotten and other things in trucke and chaunge of those things before shewed they bring also from thence a kinde of spice which is the graine of an herbe or little trée of thrée or foure foote highe the fruit is like to our countrey strawberies as well in coloure as otherwise When it is ripe there is within it a séede like to fenell séede Our christian Marchants doe loade this kinde of spice being nothing so good as the spice that groweth on the coast of Ethiopia and in Ginney also it is not to compare to the spice that is had at Calicut or of Tabroban And this ye shall note by the way that though it be named Calicut spice ye must not thinke that it is all of Calicut but commeth a fiftie leagues off from Ilands vnknown and chiefly from an Iland named Corchell Notwithstanding Calicut is the chiefest place whether all the Marchaundise of the East countreys is broughte and there it is shipte and therefore it is called the spice of Calicut the which is better than the spice of America The King of Portingall as euery one knoweth hathe greate profite of the spices that he receiueth from thence but not so muche as in times past for bicause that since the Spanyardes haue discouered the Iland of Zebut riche and of a great compasse the whiche ye shall finde after ye haue passed the straight of Magellan This Ilande beareth a Mine of Golde Ginger and great aboundaunce of white Purselaine Afterwarde they found out Aborney fiue degrées from the Equinoctiall and many other Ilandes inhabited with Neigers vntill they came to Moloqus where as is Atidora Terenata Mata and Machian little Ilandes somewhat neare the one to the other as are the Canaries of the which we haue spoken These Ilandes are distant from Fraunce more than .180 degrées lying to the West they bring forthe many good spices muche better than those of America This much by the way of Moloquus hauing first treated of the trafike and trade that the wilde men vse of America Of birdes most common in America Cap. 48. AMong many kindes of birdes that nature diuersly bringeth forthe setting out
remayne Of Veneson and wilde beastes that these wilde men take Cap. 49. I Thinke it necessarie gentle Reader séeing that I haue treated of strange Foules somewhat to speke as touching the wilde beastes that are founde in the woodes and hills of America and also to shewe how the inhabitantes of the countrey take them for their nourishment I remember that I haue sayde in some place that they nourish no domesticall beasts but there are in the woodes greate quantitie of wilde beastes as Hartes Hyndes wilde Bores and others When these beastes straye abroade to séeke their liuing they will make a déepe hole couered ouer with leaues in the place where the beaste doth most frequent the which is made so cunningly that with greate payne shall he escape And they wil take him aliue or kill him in that hole sometymes with their arrowes The wilde Bore semeth to me more dangerous he is altogether lyke to the wilde Bores in Fraunce but more fiercer and more dangerous and hath the tooth more longer and more apparant he is altogether blacke and without tayle moreouer he beareth a vent on his backe lyke to a sworde fish This wilde Bore will make a fearful noyse also ye shal here his téeth make a noise together when he is féeding or otherwise the wilde men on a tyme brought vs one bounde the which notwithstanding escaped in our presence the Harte and the Hinde haue not their beare so smoth and euen as with vs but more rougher and longer the Hartes haue their hornes more shorte than oures the wilde men set much by these hornes for bicause that after they haue pierced their childrens lippe they put most commonly into the hole a piece of Hartes horne for to increase it thinking that therein is no poyson nor danger but to the contrarie it letteth and kepeth that at that place of the lyppe there will engender no euill Plinie sheweth that a Hartes horne is a remedie against poyson Also Phisitions put thereof among Medicins that are cordiall as a comforte to the stomacke as Iuorie and others the smoke of this horne burned hath power to driue awaye Serpentes Some will say that the Harte hath euery yeare newe hornes and casteth hir olde ones and when he is without his hornes he hideth himselfe The elders haue taken it for an yll signe for a man to méete a Deare or a Hare but we thinke the contrarie also the same superstition is foolish and repugnant to our Religion The Turkes and Arabians are at this day in that error To this purpose if our wilde men take an opinion he thinketh it true and it shalbe harde to perswade them the contrarie the which is hauing taken a Buck or a Doe they dare not beare it into their houses before that they haue cut of the haunches and the legs behinde thinking that if they shoulde beare it with the foure quarters it woulde take from them and from their children the meane to take their enimies in running beside many other foolish opinions whereof their head is ful They haue no other assurance thereof but that their greate Charaibe shewed them so as their Pages and false Seductors doe affirme They will dresse theyr Venison by péeces but with the skinne and after it is ynough it shall be distributed to euery housholde that inhabite vnder one roufe altogether as schollers in colledges they will neuer eate the flesh of no rauening beaste or that doeth féede on vncleane things be he neuer so priuie but they will not force to kepe priuie such a beaste as one which they name Coary as greate as a Foxe hauing the moosell a foote long blacke like a Molle and little lyke the moosell of a Ratte hir heare rough a sclender tayle lyke to the tayle of a wilde Cat spotted white and blacke hauing eares lyke a Foxe This is a rauenous beaste and lyueth of praye or spoyle about the water side Furthermore there is founde kinde of Fesantes as greate as a Capon but blacke fethered onely the heade which is graye hauing a little red combe hanging lyke a Turkie Henne and redde féete Also there are Partriges named in their language Macouacanna that are greater than oures Also there is founde in America greate quantitie of those beastes which they name Tapithire the whiche is much desired for his deformitie Also the wilde men folowe them at the chase not onely for the flesh whiche is very good but also for the skins with the whiche they make bucklers that they vse in the warres and the skinne of this beaste is so strong and tough that a Crosbow can skant pierce it and they take them as they doe the Harte or the wilde Bore of the which we spake euen nowe These beastes are of the height of a greate Asse but they haue a greater necke and the heade lyke the heade of a yong Bull of a yeare olde the téeth sharpe and cutting neuerthelesse he is not dangerous When she is chased she maketh no other resistence but to flée away séeking some conueniente place for to hide hir running more swifter than a Harte she hath no tayle but a very little one of a finger length the which is without haire of such beasts without tayle there are found a great nūber she hath clouen féete with a very long horne almost as much before as behinde his beare is browne colour lyke some Mules and Oxen in our countrey And for this cause the Christians that are there name such beastes Kine not differing much from Kine sauing onely she wanteth hornes and truely to my séeming it is as lyke an Asse as a Cow For there are fewe beastes of diuers kindes that be lyke in al pointes without some greate difference As also fishes that we haue sene in the sea on the coaste of America one among the others had the head like a Calf and the body slender So that in this ye maye sée the industrie of nature that hath altered the beasts according to the diuersitie of their kindes as wel on the lande as on the water Of a tree named Hiuourahe Cap. 50. I Will not by no meanes leaue out for his excellencie and secretnesse a trée named of the wilde men Hyuourahe which is as much to say as rare a new This trée is of a highe stature hauing the barke shining lyke siluer and within halfe redde It hath almost the taaste of salt the which I haue many tymes tasted the barke of this trée hath a maruelous propertie among al others also it is in such reputation among the wilde men as the woode Gaiac also some think it to be very Gaiac y e which I denie for it is not to the purpose that all that hath the like propertie that Gaiac hath is Gaiac Notwithstāding it serueth in stede of Gaiac to the Christians for the wild men are not so subiect to this common disease of y e which we wil speake
haue not séene hir They name hir Hau or Hauthy of the greatnesse of a greate Munky of Afeca hauing a great belly and the head almost in proportion of a Childes head She being takē casteth out sighes lyke a Chyld féeling payne hir skyn colored lyke ashes and rough lyke a litle Beare hauing on each paw three nayles or clawes a foure fingers long and made lyke the fyn of a Carpe with the which she climeth on Trees abyding there more than on the ground Hir tayle is thrée fingers long with lyttel heare thereon Another thing there is worthy of memory that this straunge beast was neuer séene eating for the wylde men of the coūtry haue watched hir to sée if she would féede but all was in vayne as they them selues haue shewed me Bysides this I would neuer haue beleued it if I had not proued it for a captaine of Normandy and the Captaine Mogneuylle borne in Picardy walking on a time in the great thick woods dyd shoote with a Handgunne at two of these beastes which were in the top of a trée so that they fell bothe to the ground the one sore hurt the other onely amased or astonned the which was giuen to me for a present so it was well kept the space of .xxvj. daies and in the meane time it would neuer eat nor drinke but always at one estate but in the ende it was strangled by certaine Doggs that we brought thyther some thinke that this beast lyueth onely with leaues of a certaine Trée named in their language Amahut this Trée is the highest Trée in that countrie bearing leaues very small and thin and for that this beast is commonly in this Trée she is named Haut Furthermore this beast is very louing to man when she is tame coueting to be always on his shoulders as if hir nature were to remayne on high places the which doings the wylde men of the countrey cannot abyde for that they are wicked for this beast hath very sharpe clawes and longer than the clawes of a Lyon or any other beast that euer I saw To these wonders I haue séene by experience certain Chameleons in Constantinople that liued only with the ayre And by this I knew it was of a truthe that the wylde men shewed me as touching this beast moreouer if that this beast be abroade in the greatest raine that is yet she will be always as drie as before By this ye may sée the wonderfull works of nature how that she can make things strange great incomprehensible and wonderfull to mans iudgement Therefore it is a thing impertinent to seke out the cause reason as many daily go aboute to doe For this is a very secret of nature y e knowledge whereof is reserued and kept to the onely creator also of many others that might be héere alleadged but for that it is not my argument I omit it for to finish the rest Hovv these Americans kyndle Fyer of their opinion of the drowning of the World and of their Yron works Cap. 53. NOw y t I haue shewed you of some singular plātes and vnknowne beastes not onely to vs but as I think to all the world for that this countrey was neuer knowne nor discouered but of late daies being minded to make an ende of this discourse of America I will shew you the straunge maner and practise that these Barbarous people vse to get fyre as well as we doe with a flint stone and a tinder boxe the which inuention truely is celestial giuen by diuine prouidēce to man for his necessitie Now these wilde men haue another meane almost vncredible to get fire greatly differing from our vse that smite a flynt stone with an Yron And ye must note that they vse customably fire for their necessities as we doe rather more for to resist the wicked spirit that tormenteth them for thē which cause they neuer lye downe in what place so euer they be but that they haue first fire lighted by their beds side And therefore aswell in their houses or other where be it in the forest or in the fieldes whereas they are constrained to remaine a long time as when they go a warfare or hunte for Venison they beare commonly with them their instrumentes to make fire Therefore they will take two stickes vnequal the one which is the least shalbe a two foote long or thereaboute made of a certaine drie wood hauing a rinde or pith the other somewhat more longer He that will make fire will lay the lesser sticke downe on y e ground pierced through y e middest y e which he holding with his féete wil put the ende of the other sticke into the hole that is in the other with a littell cotton and dried leaues then with turning of the stick there engendreth such a heate that the leaues and cotton begin to burne so that by this meanes they light fire the which in their language they name Thata and the smoke Thatatyn and this maner or way to make fire so subtilly they say came by a great Charaibe more than a Prophete the which taught it to their Elders with other things also of which they before had no intelligēce or knowledge I know wel there are many fables as touching y e inuention of fire Some say y t certaine pastors or shepherds were y e first y t inuēted to make fire after the maner that these wilde men vse with certaine wood being destitute of Yron and flint stone By this we may euidently know fier commeth neither of stone nor Yron as Aphrodisius disputeth in his probleames Dioderus writeth y e Vulcan was y e first inuenter of fier the which for this respect was elected King by the Egiptians Also the wylde men are almost of this opinion the which before this inuention of fier did eate their meates dried in the Sunne And this knowledge was brought to them as I haue before shewed by a great Charaibe one night in their sléepe after a great deluge of waters the which they maintaine to haue ben in times past although they haue not memoriall by writing but onely from age to age so that they wil beare in memory things foure or fiue hundreth yeares past the which is to be maruelled at And by this meanes they are very curious to teach instruct their Children things done and past which are worthy of memory The auncient men after their sléepe in the night doe no other thing but declare auncient stories to the young men so that to heare them you will say they are Preachers or Readers of Lectures now say they the water was so exceding great in this Deluge that it couered the highest moūtaines in that countrey so that all the people were drowned the which they tell of a truthe and beleue as stedfastly as we doe that which was in Noes time that is read of in holy Scripture Neuerthelesse it is easy for them to fayle
considering they know nothing but by memory and as they heaue heard sayd of theyr Fathers Also they number by stones or other lyke things for otherwise they cannot number but onely to fiue and they count y e moneths by y e Moones as we haue before made some mention saying it is so many Moones since I was borne and so many Moones since the Deluge was the which tyme faithfully considered commeth to a fiue hundreth yeares They affirme and stifly stande in opinion of their Deluge And if ye say the contrary they wil efforce by certain arguments to sustaine the contrary They say after that the waters were gon back retired there came a great Charaibe the greatest that euer was among them that brought thither a people from a far countrey that people being naked as they are at this day the which hath since so multiplied that of them they say they are descended It séemeth to me not repugnant to reason that there hath ben countreys drouned since Noes time throughout the whole world but seing we haue none but that the holy Scripture sheweth I will let it passe Therefore let vs returne to these wilde mens fire the which they vse for many things to rost and séeth their meates to burne downe Trées vntill that they founde since the meanes to cut wood with stones and now of late days with Yron the which they haue learned of the Christians that haue gon thether I dout not that Europa and other countreys haue ben without Yron But Plinie writeth in the seuenth booke of his naturall history that Dedalus was the first inuenter of yron work or forge with the which he forged him selfe a wedge an axe a saw nayles Notwithstanding Ouid in the eight booke of his Metamorphosis saith that one named Pedris of the kindred of Dedalus inuented a saw like to the finne of a fishe And of that kinde of fishe passing at our return vnder the Equinoctiall lyne we tooke one that had the fynne vpon y e back aboue a foote long Therefore these wylde men desiring y e vse of yron worke of late days for to serue their necessities haue learned to forge being first instructed by Christians Of the Ryuer of Vases likewise of certaine beastes that are found thereabout And of the lande named Morpion Cap. 54. THis Riuer of Vases being there so much estemed as Charanta Loyre or the Riuer of Sayne being twenty fiue leagues from Ienaria where we did remayne and where as at this day doe inhabit Frenchmen is much frequented aswell for the habundants of good Fish as for the Nauigation and other things necessarie This floud watereth a great countrey aswell the hylls as the plaine In the which is founde a certaine Myne of Golde the which bringeth no great profit to the owner for bicause that by the fire it consumeth almost all into smoke There about are many Rocks and likewise in many other places of America the which beareth great quantitie of wedges shining like fine Golde but not so fine as those of the East countrey also other littell shining stones There are founde no Rubies Diamonds nor other riche stones besides this there is great plentie of Marbell and Iasper stones And in the sayed place I hope may be founde Mynes either of Golde or Siluer the which as yet we dare not vnder take bicause the enimies are neare hand In those hills are séene rauishing beasts as Lybards wilde Stags but no Lyons nor Wolues There is also another kynde of beast that the inhabitants name Cacuycu hauing a beard on the chin lyke a Goate This beast is greatly inclined to lechery Also there is founde another kynde of yellow beast named Sagauius not onely in this place but in other places y e wyld men chase them for to eate them And if they perceiue that they are followed they wil get their young ones on their necks and runne their ways Of the former beasts there are grey and black ones in Barbaria and at Peru lyke to the colour of a Fox There are found no Apes as in Africa but to the contrary there are founde great number of Tattons that are beasts armed of the which some are of the greatnesse and height of a great pigge the others lesse and this much will I say by the way their flesh is tender and pleasant for to eate As touching the people of that countrey they are more warrelyke than in any other place of America bicause they border their enimies the which forceth them to excercise the fears of warre Their King in their language is named Quoniambec the most feared and redouted that is in all the countrey and so is he martial and a worthy warrier â–ª And I think that neuer Menelâ—us King and â—uider of the Grecians Army was euer so feared nor redouted of the Troyans as this King is of his enimies The Portingalls feare him aboue all others for he hath caused many of them to die Ye shall sée his palaces which in a lodging made of purpose but yet like to y e others hanged without rounde aboute with Portingalls heade For it is the custome to cary away the heads of their enimies and to hang them at their lodgings This King hauing knowlege of our comming came straightways to sée vs at the place where we were there remained the space of eightene dayes occupying the most parte of the tyme specially thrée houres to recite and tell his victories and noble actes against his enimies Moreouer threatning the Portingals with certaine iestes and countenances whome he named in their language Peroes This king is the most renoumed of all the countrey his village land is great fortified all about with earth planting therein certaine peces of Artillary as Fauconnets that he hath won from the Portingales As touching townes houses of stone there is none but as I sayd before they haue lodgings very long broade the which at the beginning was not had for the people that then were did so little esteme to be in sauegard y t they forced not for walled Townes nor strong holdes but they wandered abroade as doe the wilde beastes without hauing any certaine place for to take their rest but they rested theÌ„ euen in that place where the night ouertooke them without feare of any theues y e which the Americans doe not though they be very wylde Now to conclude this King of whome we speake thinketh him selfe very great hath nothing else to rehearse but his greatnesse reputing it a great glory honor to haue made to die many people and to haue eaten them by and by yea to the number of fiue thousand as he sayd I cannot remember that there hath ben the lyke inhumanitie as is in this people Plinie sheweth that Iulius Caesar in his battailes as it is iudged hath slaine nintie two thousand eleuen hundreth men And there are shewed of many other
theyr countrey so that the Spaniards remained there Lordes and Maisters beside many other lands adiacent that since they haue conquered euen to Moluques in the Ocean to the West of the other coast of America so that at this day they haue in possession a great deale of lande about this fayre Riuer whereas they haue builded Townes holds And some of the wylde men adiacēt are reconciled with them and become Christians True it is that about a hūdreth leagues beyond there are other wylde men that make warre with them being stoute men and of great stature almost like Gyants And they liue with littell other foode than humaine fleshe as the Canibals This kinde of people go so swyftly on foote that they will easely take wilde beastes in their chase they liue longer than any of the other wilde men doe as a hundreth and fiftie yeares and the other lesse they are very prone and subiect to that damnable sinne of lechery haynous before God the which I omit not onely for the respect of this coūtrey of America but also many others These Giants make warre aswell with the Spaniards as the wilde men about them Now to our purpose This Riuer of Platte with the countrey adiacent is now very riche aswell in Siluer as in stones this Riuer swelleth or encreaseth certaine daies in the yeare as doeth Aurelana that is at Perou and Nyll in Egipt At the mouth of this Riuer there are many little Ilands of the which some are inhabited the others not this countrey is very full of Hylls and Mountaines from the Caape S. Mary vnto the white Caape specially that towardes Saint Helenes point distant from the Riuer .65 leagues and from thence to Arnes Govvrdes .30 leagues then from thence to Basseas to the other land so named bicause of the great valleis that there are And from Basseas to the Abbey of Fonda .75 leagues The rest of the countrey hath not ben frequented of christians extending to the Caape Saint Dominik or Caape Blanke and from thence to the Promentary of the eleuen thousand Virgins .52 degrées and a halfe beyond the Equinoctial and thereby is the straight of Magellan of the which we mynde hereafter to speake As touching the flatte countrey it is at this present very fayre by an infinit number of Gardens Fountaines and Riuers of swete fresh water in the which are great plenty of very good Fish And to the said Riuers there haunteth a kinde of beast that the wylde men name in there language Saricouiemia which is as much to say as fine or daintie beastes the which beast remaineth more in the water than on the land and is no bigger than a little Cat. The skynne of this beast which is intermedled with gray white and blacke is as fine and smooth as veluet his féete made like the féete of a water Foule And as for his flesh it is very pleasant and good for to eate More ouer in this countrey toward the straight there are many strange and monstrous beastes but not so cruell as in Africa And to conclude this countrey now is brought to so good a forme that it would not be taken for a strange countrey for the wylde men of the countrey haue inuented of late days by the meanes of Christians artes and sciences very ingeniously so that they may be a very spectacle to many people of Asia and of our Europe I meane of those that curiously obserue and kéepe the damnable law of Mahomet and other fonde and deuilish Doctrine Of the straight of Magellan and of Daryen Cap. 56. SEing that we are come so neare to this notable place it shall not be out of the way to write somewhat thereof Now this straight called in Greke Poeidinos as the West betwene two landes named in Greke Istmas a straight or a pointe of lande betwene two waters as that of Daryen confineth America toward the South and there seperateth with an other land discouered but not inhabited euen as Gebaltar doeth Europe with Africa and that of Constantinople doeth Europe with Asia being named the straight of Magellan by his name that first dyd discouer it lyeng fifty two degrées and a halfe beyonde the Equinoctiall contayning of bredth two leagues by one only height straight East and West two thousand two hundreth leagues from the North to the South furthermore from the Caape of Essead which is at the entring of the straight vnto the other South Sea seuenty foure leagues vntill the first Caape or Promentary which is fortie degrées This straight hath ben long time desired and sought more than two thousand eight hundreth leagues for to enter by this straight into the Sea of Magellan to attayne to the Ilandes of Moluques Americus Vestucia one of the best Pylots that euer was hath coasted almoste from Ireland vnto the Cape of Saint Augustin by the commaundement of the king of Portingale the yeare .1501 And since another Captaine the yeare .1534 sayled vnto the Region named of Gyants In this Region betwene the Riuer of Platte and this straight the inhabitaunts are very mightie named in their language Pategones Giants bicause of their high stature forme of bodies They which first discouered this countrey tooke one of them finely being twelue foote long who was so vneasie to holde that .25 men had inough to doe about him and for to kepe him it behoued them to bynde his féete and hands in their shippe notwithstanding they could not kepe him long aliue but for sorow thought as they saye he died for hunger This Region is of lyke temperatnesse as Canada and other countries néere to our Pole and therefore the inhabitants are clothed with the skynne of a certaine beast named in their speach Su which is as much to say as Water for bicause to my iudgement that this beast for the most part remaineth in the waters and flouds This beast is a rauenous beast made after a straunge maner besides this if she be chased or pursued as the people of the countrey vse to doe for to haue the skinne she taketh hir yong ones on hir backe and couering them with hir tayle that is thick and long saueth hir selfe with running Neuerthelesse the wild men of the countrey vse a policie for to take this beast making a déepe pit in the grounde néere to the place where she maketh hir most residence the which they couer ouer with gréene leaues so that in running knowing not of this pit the poore beaste falleth in with hir yong ones and she seing hir selfe thus taken in hir rage she kylleth hir yong ones and maketh such a terrible noyse that she maketh the wylde men afrayde But for all this in the ende they kill hir with darts and arrowes and then they take hir skinne Now to our purpose This captain Fernandus of Magellan a couragious man being informed of the riches that might be found in the Ilandes of Moluques as great quantitie of spice
presentes as before and then for the continuance of their voyage it was nedefull to set sayle and to shorten waye From thence they sayled more than a hundreth leagues before they tooke lande beholding about the Riuer side diuers kindes and a multitude of wild people as before the which I wil not staye to describe for to auoide prolixitie but it shall suffice to vnderstand the place where as at the seconde time they aboorded Hovv certaine Spanyardes arriued into a countrey vvhere they found Amazones Cap. 63. THe saide Spanyardes did so much by their iourneys that they arriued in a Countrey where as were inhabiting Amazones the which would neuer haue bene thought for that Historiographers haue made therof no mention bicause they knew not this countrey late found out Some may say that they are not Amazonists but as for me I iudge them suche séeing that they liue euen so as we finde the Amazonists of Asia to haue liued And before passing further ye shall note that these Amazones of which we speake are retired inhabiting in certaine Ilands which are to them as strong holdes hauing alwayes perpetuall warre with certaine people without any other exercise euen as those of whom haue spoken the Historiographers Nowe then these warlike women of our America being fortified in Ilandes are most commonly assailed of their enimies that séeke them on the water with barkes and other vessels and there they fight with bowes and arrowes contrariwise the women defend them with the like couragiously with threatnings noise and countenaunces the most fearfull that is possible they make their bulwarkes of defence with mighty great shelles of Torterels And bicause it commeth to our purpose to speake of the Amazonists we will write somewhat in this place The poore people find no great comfort among these rude and sauage women I finde by the histories that there are .iij. sorts of Amazones all a like differing only in places dwellings The most anciest sort were in Affrica among y e which were Gorgonists that had Meduse for their Quéene The other were in Scythia néere to the riuer of Tanais which since haue raigned in a part of Asia néere to the riuer of Hermodoon and the third sort of Amazones are those which we do treat of Ther is diuers opinions why they were called Amazones The most common is for bicause that these women did burne their brests in their youth to be more apt in the warre The which I finde very straunge and reporte me to medicines whether they can burne those partes without death knowing that they are tender and also néere to y e heart neuerthelesse the most part are of this opinion If it were so I wold thinke that for one that escapeth death there dieth a hundreth Others take the Etymologie of this vowell A. priuatiue and of Maza that signifieth bread for that they liue not with bread but with other things which is as absurde as the others for in that time they might call many that liued without bread Amazones as the Troglodites and many others in like maner all the Indians The others of A. priuatiue Mazos as those that haue bene norished w tout womans milke the which is most likeliest to be true of which opinion is Philostratus or else of a nimphe named Amazoni or of an other named Amazone virgin to Diana and Quéene of Ephesus which I do better beleue thā burning of their paps or brests let them that list dispute of the contrary Wel how so euer it is these women are named warlike and moreouer ye shall note that the Scithians which we name Tartarians being driuen out of Egipt subdued the better parte of Asia and made it all tributary and vnder their obedience In the meane time whilest the Scythians remained in this long cōquest and expedition of Asia their wiues being wearied of their so long absence as the good Penelope of hir husband Vlixes did admonishe them by many gracious letters and messages to returne otherwise that this long vntollerable absence wold cōstraine them to make new aliances with their next neighbors considering that the auncient lignage of the Scithians began to decay Notwithstāding without hauing regarde to the swéete requestes of their wiues kept inhabited Asia with an obstinate corage yea vntil the time that Ninus did deliuer it from this miserable thraldome bondage During which time these women neuer made aliaunce of Matrimonie with their neighbors esteming and thinking that Matrimonie was not a meane of libertie but of thraldome But they with one accord vertuous enterprise consented to take their weapons begin warre thinking y t they were descended of that mighty Mars god of warres which they executed so vertuously vnder y e gouernement of Lampedo Marthesia their Quéenes y t gouerned one after another that they not only defended their coūtrey frō inuasion of their enimies in mainteining their liberty but also made many goodly conquests in Europe in Asia euen vnto y e riuer of which we shewed before In which place specially at Ephesus they caused to be made many castles and holds This being done they sent some of their bāds into their countrey with the riches bootie and spoile of their enimies and the rest remained in Asia Finally these good women for to kéepe their stocke and posteritie did willingly offer them selues to their neighbors without any other kind of mariage And of the fruit that procéeded they killed the male children kéeping alwayes the female for the warres the feat wherof they wold learne them with al diligence they exercise the feats of chiualry and hunting aboue al other things Their weapōs were bowes and arowes with certain bucklers of which Virgill speaketh of in his Aeneidos when that during the siege of Troy they went to helpe the Troyans against the Greekes Some say also that they were the first that begā to ride a horsse and to fight on horsebacke Well now it is time to returne to the Amazones of America and to y e Spanyards In that part they are seperated from men and frequent them very seldome but at sometime secrete in the night or at some appoynted time These women inhabite in litle lodgings and caues against the rockes liuing with fishe and wilde beasts with rootes some good fruits that this land bringeth forth They kil their male children incōtinently after they are deliuered or else they deliuer him to y e mā to whom they think it doth pertain If it be a female they retaine it to them selues euen so as did the first Amazones They make warre ordinarily against some other nation And those whom they take in the warre they vse most cruelly and inhumainely for to make them die they hang them by one leg on a trée and leauing them after this sort they goe their wayes and if it happen that they be not dead when they returne they will shoote at them
out not comprehending them although that they are of no lesse coÌ„passe and greatnesse than Sicilia Corsica Cypris or Candia nor yet of lesse value therefore shall this parte be limitted towards the South to Florida There resteth now only to describe the third parte the which shall begin at Noua Espania or new Spaine comprehending all the prouinces of Anauac Vcatan Eulhuacan Xalixa Thalco Mixtecapan Tezeuco Guzanes Apalachen Pancho Aute and the kingdome of Micuacan from Florida vnto the land of Bacalles which is a great Region vnder the which also is comprehended the land of Canada and the prouince of Chicora which is .33 degrées on this side the line the land of Labrodor newe found land compassed with the frostie Sea on the Northe side This Countrey of the West Indies being thus deuided not specifying many things from the one ende to the other that is to witte many things froÌ„ the one end to the other that is to wit from the straight of Magellan at the which we haue begon vnto the ende of the farthest land of the Indies it is more then .4800 leagues of length and by this ye may descerne the bredthe excepting the straight of Parias before named therfore they are now called y e great Indies being without comparison more greater than the East Indies As touching the rest I desire the reader to take in good parte this little deuision vntil it please God to giue vs meane to make one more greater Likewise to treate more at large of this countrey but thus much I thought néedefull in the meane time to bring to light Of the Iland of Rats Cap. 67. LEauing these Canibals for the small comfort y t there was to be had hauing the winde at South we sailed to a very faire Iland distant froÌ„ the line .iiij. degrées the which is very daungerous in the aboording of it for it is no lesse daungerous to a front thaÌ„ some great Cape or Promentary for that it entreth farre into the sea and for rockes that are about it and ranged on the coast side This Iland was vnluckely found out to the mishappe of those that first did discouer it Some Portingall ship passing by on that coast for default of good gouernment striking against a rocke néere to this Iland brake in pieces and drowned excepting .xxiij. meÌ„ that saued them selues in this Iland in which place they remained the terme of two yeares wheras they died only two excepting which in the meane time liued with Rattes Birdes and other beastes And as on a time there passed by a ship of Normandie that returned from America they set their skiffe out for to rest in that Ilande whereas they found these two poore Portingalls that were onely lefte of this shipwrake the which they brought away with them And these Portingals had named it the Iland of Rats bicause of the multitude of Rats of diuers kindes that there are so that they say that their companions died onely being vexed with these vermin These beastes liue with egs of Torterels that they make on the Riuage of the Sea and with birds egs wherof there is great store Also when we went for to seke fresh water whereof we had such greate nede that some amongst vs were constrayned to drinke their owne water or bryn the which dured the terme of thrée monethes and the famyn foure moneths we sawe there so many birdes and so priuie that we might haue laden therewith our ships neuerthelesse we coulde not recouer fresh water vnlesse we had entred very farre into the couÌ„trey As for the rest it is fayre decked with many fayre trées being gréene the moste parte of the yeare euen like a goodly gréene medowe in the moneth of May although it be within foure degrées of the lyne Though that this Iland is not inhabited yet it is not vnpossible no more than others in the Zone as the Ilandes of S. Homer vnder the Equinoctial others And if it wer inhabited I am wel assured that it would make one of the fairest places in al the Worlde and riche there might be made very good Suger Spices and other things of great value I know well that many Cosmographers haue had this opinion that the Zone betwene the two Tropickes was vnhabited for the extreame heate of the Sunne notwithstanding y t experience sheweth the coÌ„trary without any farther contention euen as the Zones to the twoo Poles bicause of the colde Heroditus and Solon affirmeth that the hils Hiperbores are inhabited and likewise Canada drawing néere to the North and other count yet more néere approching the colde Sea of the whiche we haue alredy spoken Therefore let vs returne to our IlaÌ„d of Rats This place by good right is so named for bicause of the abundance of Rats that lyue there of the whiche there are diuers kindes one kinde among the reste that the wilde men of America eat named in their language Sohiatan and they haue their hayre gray the flesh good delicate like a little leueret There is another named Hiexousou greater than the others but not so good to eat they are as great as those of Egypt called Pharaos Rats Others there are as greate as Wezels that the wild meÌ„ eate not for bicause that when they are dead they stinke like carion the which I haue sene also there are founde diuersitie of Serpentes named Gerara the which are not good to eate but there are others named Theirab that are good for of these Serpentes there are diuers kindes that are nothing venemous nor like to those of our Europe so that their biting is neither mortall nor any thing dangerous there are to be sene redde ones scaled of diuers coloures lykewise I haue sene gréene ones as gréene as the bay leafe they are not so greate of body as the others notwithstanding they are very long Therefore it is not to be marueled at how these wild men there aboutes eate these Rats without daunger and Serpents euen as they do Lezardes as before we haue shewed Likewise néere to this Ilande is founde a kynde of fish and also vpon the coaste of America very daungerous also much feared and redoubted of the wilde men for that she is a rauening fish and as daungerous as a Lyon or a Woulfe famished this fish is named Houperou in their language and eateth other fish in the water excepting one that is as greate as a little Carpe the which foloweth him alwayes as if there were soâ—â—â— Sympathia or secrete loue betwene them or else he foloweth him for to be preserued and kept sure from other fishes So that the wilde men fishing all naked as they do alwayes feare him not without a cause for if he catche them he will either drowne them or strangle them or looke where he toucheth he carieth away a piece with his téethe Also they will take héede how to eate of this fishe but if y t they can take him
aliue as they doe many times for to be reuenged of him they kill him with arrowes Being therefore there a certaine space of time turning héere and there I behelde many straungs fishes that are not in Europe among the which I saw two very monsterous hauing vnder the throte like two Goates dugge◠a thing on the chin that for to sée too was like a Goates beard Beholde how nature the great workemistresse taketh pleasure to varifie hir workes as well by water as by land as the cōning workman beutifleth his work excéeding the common trade of his Arte and science Hovv vve continued our course vvith a declaration of the Astrolabia of the sea Cap. 68. FOr bicause that we found no great consolation nor comfort of our trauails in this Iland It behoued vs without any tarying to hoise sail with an indifferent winde vntill we came vnder the Equinoctiall whereas the sea and the windes are also vnconstant Also the aire is alwayes séene there troubled if one side be faire the other is troubled and threatneth fowle weather so that for the most parte there is raine and thunder which can not be without danger to y e Nauigants Now before they come néere to this line the good Nauigantes Pilots and Mariners being expert take counsel or beholde alwayes their Astrolabia for to knewe the distance and lying of places from thence where they are And bicause this so necessarie an Instrument for Nauigation commeth now in talke I will speake there of lightly by the way for the instruction of those that wil folow the sea being so great that the vnderstanding of man cannot well comprehend it And that which I speake of the Astrolabia as much may I say of the Rule or nedell of the sea by the whiche they may also conduct right the ship This Instrument is so politike that with a little paper or parchement as broade as the palme of my hand and certayne lines marked which signifieth the windes and a little Iron with the which this Instrument is made by his onely natural vertue that a storie giueth him and bloweth in his proper mouing and without any touching sheweth where is the Easte the Weaste the North and the South and also al the thirtie two windes belonging to Nauigation it sheweth them not onely in one place but in al places of the worlde beside other secretes that I omit for this present wherby it plainly appeareth that the Astrolabia the nedell or compasse with the Carde Marin are well made and that there shewing and perfection as is a wōderfull thing for that a thing so great as the Sea is pictured in so little a space and so agreable that by the same men vndertake to sayle rounde about the worlde Then the good and perfect Astrolabia is no other thing than the Sphere pressed and represented in a playn accomplished in his compasse with .360 Degrées that answere to the circute of the World deuided in like number of degrées the which agayne must be deuided into foure equal parts in our Instrument that is .90 in euery parte the whiche afterwarde ye muste parte by fiue and fiue then holding your Instrument by the ring rayse it or hold it towarde the Sunne so that the Sunne beames may enter in at the hole then looking to your declination in what year◠moneth and day ye are in when ye take the height of the Sunne And if the Sunne be towardes the South which is on the coast of America and ye be towards the North ye muste take from your height as many degrées as the Sunne hath declined from the line of y e which we speke towarde the South And if that in taking of the height of the Sunne ye be towardes the South beyonde the Equinoctiall and the Sunne be in the North ye muste in lyke manner take away so many degrées as the Sunne hath declined from the lyne towarde our Pole as for example if ye take your height the Sunne being betwene the Equinoctiall and you when ye haue taken the sayde height ye muste for to knowe the place where ye are be it in sea or lande adde your degrées which the Sunne is declyned from farre from the lyne with your height and ye shall finde that which ye demaunde the which is to be vnderstanded as much of the Pole Artike as Antartike Thus much by the way Gentle Reader of our Astrolabia leauing the rest of the knowledge and vsage of this Instrument to Astronomers and Astrologians that make dayly profession thereof It shall suffice that which I haue spoken the which I knowe to be necessary and nedefull to Nauigation chiefly for those that are ignorant and not yet exercised therein Of the departing of our Equator or Equinoctiall Cap. 69. I Thinke there is no man of Spirite but that knoweth that the Equinoctiall is a trace or circle imagined by the midst of the Worlde from the East to the Weast in equall distance of two so that from the fayde Equinoctiall to eche one of the Poles it is .90 Degrées as we haue at large treated before and of the temperatnesse of the ayre that is there about of the Sea and of the fishes There resteth nowe somewhat to speake in our returne of that which before we left out passing therefore about the firste day of Aprill with a fauourable winde kéeping our right course with sayle spread right to the North neuerthelesse we were molested with one ill commoditie the which was that daye and night it ceased not to raine the which notwithstanding came well to passe for vs to drinke considering our necessitie for the space of two monethes and a halfe enduring thyrst for that we colde get no fresh water And God knoweth whether we drancke not our fill euē with open throte considering the extreame heat that burned vs it is true that the rayne water in those parres are corrupted for the infection of the ayre from whence it commeth for that whereof the rayne engendreth is depraued in such sort that if a body wash their hāds therewith there wil ryse pushes bladders I knowe well that many Philosophers hold opinion that some rayne water is vnholsome they set difference betwene these waters with y e reasons which at this time I wil not allege auoyding prolixitie wel what corruptiō so euer came of it yet neuerthelesse it behoued vs to drink therof though it had cost vs our liues Furthermore this water falling on a clothe woulde stayne it and leaue a spot that scant would be gotten out Nowe therefore after we had passed the lyne it was néedfull for our conduct to beginne to counte our degrees from thence vnto our Europe as much muste be done of them that goe thither after that they are come vnder the sayde-line The Ancient Cosmographers measured the earth the which we may also doe by stades paces and féete and not by degrées as we doe as affirmeth Plinie Strabo
make them better disposed their ioynts to be playable as the Africans doe with oyle of Olyue Within the head of this fish are found certaine stones of the which they make great store for y t they haue proued them to be good against the colyke be it in the Raynes or in the bladder The femals of this fish bring forth their yong ones quick with out egge as doth y e Whale the Grampyn also she hath .ij. rothers lyke beasts on y e earth with y e which they giue suck to their yong ones A Spaniard that had dwelled long time in this Iland shewed to me y t a gouerner of y e coūtrey did norish one in a cesterne y e terme of .30 yeares the which in proces of time became so priuie y t she wold almost suffer one to lay his hand vpō hir The wyld men will take this fish hard by y e shore as she féedeth vpon y e grasse I leue to speake of many byrds clad with diuers rich coloured fethers w t which they make tapissary figurs of mē womē beasts birds other things they trim them vpon some lynnen clothe therewith they garnish hats caps and gounes the which is very fayre pleasant to beholde Of strange foure footed beastes there are none founde but onely those of which we haue spoken Neuerthelesse there is founde two kynde of lyttle beastes as little as Coneys the which they name Hulias and Caris good to eate That which I haue sayde of this Iland I may in lyke maner speake of the Iland of S. Iames before named Iamaica on the east side it hath y e Iland of S. Dominike There is a nother faire Iland named Bouriquan in their countrey spech but in the carde Marius it is named S. Iohns Iland y e which on the East side hath lying the Iland of the holy crosse and other little Ilands of the which some are inhabited the others are deserte This Ilande from the East to y e west containeth aboute .52 leagues of length .300 degrées no minutes and of latitude .18 degrées no mynutes To be short there are many other Ilandes in those parts the which bicause of the multitude I omit Also for that I could haue no particular knowledge of them I will not here forget that in all these Ilandes there are founde no rauening beastes no more than in England and in the Ile of Creta Of the Iland of Cuba and of Lucaiae Cap. 72. NOw there resteth of all the Ilands of Perou to reherse some secrets of the Iland of Cuba of certaine others adiacēt yet to say the truthe there can be little more spoken than that which hath ben alredy sayd of y e Spanish Iland This Iland is more greater larger than the others for it is reckned from the Promontarie that is on the East syde to the other that is on the west syde thrée hundreth leagues And from the North to the South seuenty leagues As touching the disposition of the aire there it is temperate so that there is no excesse of heate nor yet of colde There are found rich mines of Gold siluer likewise other mettals On y e sea side are found faire riuers that procede from the high hills the waters whereof are excellent with great quantitie of good fish Moreouer before it was discouered it was better peopled with wyld men than any others but at this day the Spaniards are lords and masters The myddest of this Ilande hath two hūdreth nintie degrées of longitude no minuts and of latitude twenty degrées no minutes There is a hyll harde by the Sea syde that is all salte more higher than that of Cipris greate number of trées of cotton brasyll hornebeame also salte of the earth proceding out of a nother mountaine very high and brackishe And of this kynde there is founde in lyke maner in the Iland of Cipris named of the Grekes Oryctos the which also is gotten in a mountaine hard by the Sea Furthermore there is founde in this Ilande great store of Azer Vermilion Alume and other things that are taken out of the bowels of the Earth As touching byrds and foules of the Ayre there is a kynd of Partrige very little being of a red color and also of dyuers other colours their fleshe is very delicate The rusticall people of the mountaines do nourish a number of them in their houses as we do here pullein and many other things worthy to be noted and written First there is a valley that is in length thrée leagues betwene two mountaines where as are founde an infinite number of bowles of stone great and little being naturally engendred in that place although some wold iudge them to be made artificially Sometimes there is founde some so great that foure men wold be combered to cary away one the others are lesse and some so little that they excéede not the quantity of a little egge The seconde thing worthy to be noted is that in the same Ilande there is a mountaine néere to the riuage of the Sea out of the which runneth a licor like to that which is made in the fortunate Ilandes named Bre as we haue before shewed the which runneth doune into the Sea Quintus Curtius in his bokes which he hath made of the Iestes of Alexander y e great sheweth that he being come to a citie named Memi was desirous to sée a great pitte or caue in the which there was a fountaine that rendred great quantitie of gumme very strong being vsed with other thinges so that the authour thinketh for this onely reason the walles of Babilon to haue ben so strong for that they haue bene made of such thinges the which is not onely founde in the Ilande of Cuba but also in the countrey of Themistitan and on the coast of Florida As touching the Ilands of Lucaia being so named for that they are many in number they are northward of the Ilande of Cuba and of S. Dominike they are more than .iiij. hundreth in number all little ones and not inhabited vnlesse it be the greatest that beareth the name of all the others named Lucaia The inhabitants of this Ilande commonly goe to trafficke on the maine lande and to other Ilands They that inhabite there as well men as women are whiter and more fairer than in any of those parties or countreis Séeing that I am in talke with these Ilands of their riches I will not forget somewhat to speake of the riches of Potossi the which taketh his name of a highe mountaine y t hath in height a great league halfe a league compasse This mountaine is maruellous riché bicause of the great Mynes of siluer tyn and brasse which hath ben found almost at the top of the mountaine and this Myne of Syluer hath ben found so good that in one quintall of the Mine is found halfe a quintall of pure
aire and so letteth it fall and breaketh it for to get the fishe out this Egle maketh hir nest in great hie trées by the sea side Also in this Countrey there is many faire riuers and a multitude of good fishe This people prepareth for nothing but that which is néedefull to sustaine nature so that they are not curious in meates for they goe not to séeke any thing in farre Countreys and yet their nourishment is healthsome and therefore they know not what sicknesse meanes but they liue in peace and in continuall health so that they haue no occasion to conceiue enuie one against an other bicause of their goods and patrimonie for they are in a maner all equall in goodes and riches being in one mutuall contentation and equalnesse in pouerty Also they haue no place ordained for to minister iustice for bicause that among them they do nothing worthy of reprehension They haue no lawes no more than the worthy Americanes other people but only the law of nature The people that dwell toward the sea as I haue shewed liue with fish and others that are farre from the sea are content with fruits of the earth that commeth forth the most part without labour of mannes hands and after this sorte liued the people in the first age as Plinie witnesseth also we sée in our dayes how the earth bringeth forth fruit without labor Virgill sheweth that the Forest Dodana began to die bicause of his age or else for bicause that it could not satisfie the multitude of people that then did multiply and therefore they began to labor and till the earth for to receiue the fruits therof for the sustainmēt of their liues so that they began husbādry Moreouer these people make not warre vnlesse that their enimies come to séeke them then they put them al to defence like to the Canadians their instruments that giue men corage to fight are beastes skinnes spread in maner of a circle which serueth them in steade of drummes with fluites of bones of Déere like to the Canadians if that they perceiue their enimies a farre of they will prepare to fight with their armors and weapōs which are bowes and arrowes And before y t they enter into battell their principall guide the which they honour as a King shal goe the first being armed with faire skins and fethers sitting on the shoulders of two mighty men to the ende that euery one should sée him and know him also to be ready to obey him what so euer he shall commaund And when they obtaine victory he shall lacke no honor so they returne ioyfull to their houses with their banners displayed which are braunches of trées garnished with fethers of swannes wauering in the aire and bearing the skin of the face of their enimies spred in litle circles in token of victorie Of the Ilands of Essores Cap. 83. THere resteth now nothing of all our voyage but to speake of certain Ilands that they call Essores which we coasted on the right hand not without great dāger of shipwracke For .iij. or .iiij. degrées beyond and on this side there bloweth alwayes a winde so cold contagious that for this respect it is feared of the Pilots Nauigants as the most dangerous place that is in the voyage be it to goe either to the Indies or to America by this ye may know y t the Sea in those parts are neuer calme but alwayes rough growne as we sée many times the winde to blow vp the dust into the aire the which we cal a tempest or fowle weather which is as well vpon y e land as on the sea for in the one and the other it riseth like a poynt of fire that raiseth the water of a heigthe when it plaweth or boileth as I haue many times sene And therfore it séemeth that the wind hath a mouing vpward like a whirle wind of which I haue spoken in an other place For this cause these Ilands wer so named bicause of the great Essor that causeth this winde in the said Ilands for Essores is as much to say to dry or to wipe cleane These Ilands are distant from Fraunce about .x. degrées and a halfe and they are .ix. in nūber of which the best of them are inhabited with Christians Portingalles whether as they did send many slaues for to laboure the ground the which by their great paine and diligence they haue made fruitfull with all good fruits necessary for mannes sustenaunce chiefly with wheat the which groweth there so plentifully that therewith all the land of Portingall is furnished The which they transport in their ships with many good fruits as well naturally of the Countrey as other where but there is one amongst others named Hyrcy the plant wherof was brought from the Indies for there was none thereof found before euen as in the Canaries Likewise in our Europe before they began to labor the earth to plant and to sowe diuers kinds of fruits men were contented onely with that the earth brought forthe of his nature hauing then to drinke nothing but cléere water and for their clothing the barks and leaues of trées with certaine skins of beastes as we haue already shewed In the which we may cléerely sée a wonderful prouidence of our God the which hath placed in the sea great quantitie of Ilands bothe little and great which doeth abide and sustaine the brunt of the waues of the sea that goeth not beyonde their compasse or limits neither hurteth the inhabitaunts for the Lord as the Prophet sayth hath appoynted his limits the which he doeth not ouerpasse Of these Ilands some are inhabited that before were desert and many are forsaken that in times past were inhabited and peopled as we sée hath hapned to many Cities and Townes of the Empire of Greece Trapezande and Egipt such is the ordinance of God that things héere in earth shall not be perdurable but subiect to chaunging The which being considered of our Cosmographers in our dayes they haue added to the Tables of Ptolomeus newe matters of our time for since y e time and knowledge that he hath written there hath happened many newe things Now these Ilands of Essores were desert before that the Portingalls knew them Neuerthelesse they were full of woods of all sorts among the which is founde a kynd of Ceder named in their speach Orcantine with the which they make fyne karued works as tables cofers and many vessels for the Sea This wood hath a very good smel and wil not rot neither be worme eaten be it dry or wette as other wood wil. Of the which also Plinie speaketh that in his time was found at Rome in an old Sepulcher certaine bookes of Philosophy betwene two stones within a lyttle chest made of Ceader wood the which had ben vnder the grounde aboue fyue hundreth yeares Furthermore I remember that I haue read in times
like that of Magellan by the which ye may enter from the West sea to the South sea Gemafrigius although he was expert in Mathematike hath herein failed erred for he maketh vs beleue that this Riuer of which we speake is a straight the which is named Septentrionall and so hath he sette it out in his Mappa Mundi If that which he hath written be true in vaine then haue the Portingals bene and Spanyards to séeke a new straight distant from this aboue .3000 leagues for to enter into the South sea to goe to the Ilands of Moluques where as the spices are This Countrey of New found land is inhabited with barbarous men being clothed in wilde beastes skinnes as are those of Canada this people is very frowarde and vntractable as our men can well testifie that goe thither euery yeare a fishing They that dwel by the Sea liue with little kinde of other meate than fishe which they take in the sea wherof they take a great multitude chiefly sea Wolues of which they eate the flesh which is very good With the fat of this fish they make a certaine Oyle that after it is come to his perfection hath a redde colour which they drink at their tables as we do wine or béere Of the skin of this fish which is strōg and thick as if it were of some wild beasts they make clokes garments according to their maner which is a meruellous thing that in a element so moist as that is which is moist of it self cā be norished a beast or fish that hath the skin hard and dry as beasts of the earth haue Likewise they haue other fishes that haue hard skins as y e Grampas the Dog fish and others with strong shels as Torterels Oysters Muscles suche like Besides this they haue great plenty of other good fish bothe smal and great of which they liue daily I maruell that the Iewes Turkes Grekes many other natiōs in the East eat no Dolphins nor of many other kinde of fishes that are without shell as wel in the sea as in fresh waters which maketh me to iudge that these people are more wiser better aduised to finde the tast in meats more delicate than wheras are Turks Arabians and other superstitious people In those parts there is also found Whales I meane in y e hie sea for such fish neuer cometh toward the shore to liue with such little fish Notwithstanding the fish that the Whale doth most commonly eate is no greater than a Carpe a thing almost vncredible considering hir greatnesse the reason therof as some say is for bicause y t the whale hath but a litle throte in cōparison of y e greatnesse of his body therfore he cannot deuour a greater fish The which is a wonderfull secrete vnknowne as well to our elders as to vs although that they haue treated of fishes the female hath but one yōg one at a time which she bringeth forth as a beast of y e earth without egge that which is more wōderful she giueth suck to hir yōg one after y t she hath brought it forth And therfore she hath .ij. rothers vnder hir belly vnder y e nauel which no other fish hath neither in the sea nor in fresh water but only y e sea Wolfe as witnesseth Plinie This whale is dangerous to méete on the sea as the Bayones cā wel tel by experiēce for they vse to take them To the purpose ye shall note when that we wer in America some Marchantes ship y t passed from one lād to another for marchādise was ouerthrown all y t was within hir lost by a whale y t touched hir w t hir tail In the same place wheras the Whale frequenteth there is found moste commonly a fishe that is his mortall enimie so that if she méete the Whale she will pricke the whale vnder the belly which is the softest and tenderest place with hir tong that cutteth like a Barbars raser so that he being thus hurt cannot saue himself but that he dieth as the inhabitants of New found land do shew and the common fisher men In this Sea of Newe found land there is a kinde of fishe that the people of the countrey call Hehec hauing a bil like a Popengay and other fishes with shell There is found in the same place great store of Dolphins that shewe themselues many times aboue water leaping and floting the which some iudge to be foreshewings of tempests and fowle weather from the part or coast that they come from as Plinie sheweth Isidorus in his Etymologies which I haue also knowne by experience the which is more surer than the witnessing either of Plinie or of any other Some haue written that there is fine kindes of signes and forthe wings of tēpests and stormes on the Sea as Polybius being with Scipio Aemilian in Affrica Furthermore there are great plenty of great muscles and as for beastes of the earth there are a great number very wilde and daungerous as great Beares the which are almost all white and bisides beastes there are foules of the aire of which the fethers are all white the which I thinke happeneth bicause of the extréeme coldnesse of the Countrey but these Beares which I spake of are day and night about the houses of this people for to deuoure their Oyle and Fishe As touching these Beares although that we haue treated thereof at large in our Cosmographie of Leuant yet notwithstanding we will speake somewhat thereof by the way howe the inhabitants of the Countrey take them being afflicted with y e importunitie that they make them Therfore they make certaine pittes in the ground very déepe néere to trees and rockes and then they couer them finely with leaues and braunches and this they vse where as are hiues or multitude of Hony Bées which these Beares séeke and follow with all diligence thereof they are very desirous not only so much for to fil them therewith but for to heale their eyes the whiche they haue naturally blemished and all their braine also that being stinged with these Hony Bées there falleth from them a bloud specially from the head wherby their paine is eased so that they are comforted thereby There is also séene a kinde of great beastes like to Buffles hauing hornes very great their skin is grayishe of which they make garments and of many other beasts whose skins are very riche This Countrey is full of hils and mountaines and very barraine as well for bicause of the vntemperatenesse of the aire as of the condition of y e lande smally inhabited and ill tilled As for birds there are not found suche quantitie as in America or at Perou nor yet so faire There are two kinde of Egles of which the one kinde kéepeth the waters and liueth onely with fishe chiefly with shell fishe the which she taketh vp and flieth into the