continuall thankesgiving for that he hath so extraordinarily compassed and fenced vs from infinite miseries his most vnworthie and vngratefull Creatures Of these Ilands are two pyles the one of them lyeth out of the way of Trade more Westerly and so little frequented the other lyeth some fourescore Leagues from the Mayne and containeth six in number to wit Saint Iago Fuego Mayo Bonavisto Sal and Bravo They are belonging to the Kingdome of Portingall and inhabited by people of that Nation and are of great trade by reason of the neighbour-hood they haue with Guyne and Bynne but the principall is the buying and selling of Negros They haue store of Sugar Salt Rice Cotton-wooll and Cotton-Cloth Amber-greece Cyvit Oliphants teeth Brimstone Pummy stone Spunge and some Gold but little and that from the mayne Saint Iago is the head Iland and hath one Citie and two Townes with their Ports The Cittie called Saint Iago whereof the Iland hath his Name hath a Garrison and two Fortes scituated in the bottome of a pleasant Valley with a running streame of water passing through the middest of it whether the rest of the Ilands come for Iustice being the seat of the Auaiencia with his Bishop The other Townes are Playa some three Leagues to the Eastwards of Saint Iago placed on high with a goodly Bay whereof it hath his name and Saint Domingo a small Towne within the Land They are on the Souther part of the Iland and haue beene sacked sundry times in Anno 1582. by Manuel Serades a Portingall with a Fleete of French-men in Anno 1585. they were both burnt to the ground by the English Sir Francis Drake being Generall and in Anno 1596. Saint Iago was taken and sacked by the English Sir Anthony Shyrley being Generall The second Iland is Fuego so called for that day and night there burneth in it a Vulcan whose flames in the night are seene twentie Leagues off in the Sea It is by nature fortified in that sort as but by one way is any accesse or entrance into it and there cannot goe vp aboue two men a brest The Bread which they spend in these Ilands is brought from Portingall and Spaine saving that which they make of Rice or of Mayes which wee call Guynne-wheate The best watering is in the I le of Bravo on the west part of the Iland where is a great River but foule Anchoring as is in all these Ilands for the most part The fruits are few but substantiall as Palmitos Plantanos Patatos and Coco Nutts The Palmito is like to the Date tree and as I thinke a kinde of it but wilde In all parts of Afrique and America they are found and in some parts of Europe and in divers parts different In Afrique and in the West Indies they are small that a man may cut them with a knife and the lesser the better But in Brasill they are so great that with difficultie a man can fell them with an Axe and the greater the better one foote within the top is profitable the rest is of no value and that which is to be eaten is the pith which in some is better in some worse The Plantane is a tree found in most parts of Afrique and America of which two leaues are sufficient to cover a man from top to toe It beareth fruit but once and then dryeth away and out of his roote sprouteth vp others new In the top of the tree is his fruit which groweth in a great bunch in the forme and fashion of puddings in some more in some lesse I haue seene in one bunch aboue foure hundred Plantanes which haue weighed aboue fourescore pound waight They are of divers proportions some great some lesser some round some square some triangle most ordinarily of a spanne long with a thicke skinne that peeleth easily from the meate which is either white or yellow and very tender like Butter but no Conserue is better nor of a more pleasing taste For I never haue seene any man to whom they haue bred mis-like or done hurt with eating much of them as of other fruites The best are those which ripen naturally on the tree but in most partes they cut them off in braunches and hange them vp in their houses and eate them as they ripe For the Birds and Vermine presently in ripning on the tree are feeding on them The best that I haue seene are in Brasill in an Iland called Placentia which are small and round and greene when they are ripe whereas the others in ripning become yellow Those of the West Indies and Guynne are great and one of them sufficient to satisfie a man the onely fault they haue is that they are windie In some places they eate them in stead of bread as in Panama and other parts of Tierra firme They grow and prosper best when their rootes are ever covered with water they are excellent in Conserue and good sodden in different manners and dried on the tree not inferior to Suckett The Coco nutt is a fruit of the fashion of a Hassell nutt but that it is as bigge as an ordinary Bowle and some are greater It hath two shells the vttermost framed as it were of a multitude of threeds one layd vpon another with a greene skinne over-lapping them which is soft and thicke The innermost is like to the shell of a Hazell nutt in all proportion saving that it is greater and thicker and some more blacker In the toppe of it is the forme of a Munkies face with two eyes his nose and a mouth It containeth in it both meate and drinke the meate white as milke and like to that of the kernell of a Nutt and as good as Almonds blancht and of great quantitie The water is cleare as of the fountaine and pleasing in taste and somewhat answereth that of the water distilled of Milke Some say it hath a singular propertie in Nature for conserving the smoothnesse of the skinne and therefore in Spaine and Portingall the curious Dames doe ordinarily wash their faces and neckes with it If the holes of the shell be kept close they keepe foure or six moneths good and more but if it be opened and the water kept in the shell in few dayes it turneth to Vineger They grow vpon high Trees which haue no boughes onely in the top they haue a great cap of leaues and vnder them groweth the fruite vpon certaine twigs And some affirme that they beare not fruite before they be aboue fortie yeares old they are in all things like to the Palme trees and grow in many partes of Asia Afrique and America The shels of these nuts are much esteemed for drinking cups and much cost and labour is bestowed vpon them in carving graving and garnishing them with silver gold and precious stones In the Kingdome of Chile and in Brosill is another kinde of these which they call Coquillos as wee may interpret little Cocos and are
it into Powder and when they will drinke they mingle a small quantitie of it with water which giueth a reasonable good taste The third and best is baking it as aforesaid and when it is beaten into Powder to seeth it in water after that it is well boyled they let it stand some three or foure dayes and then drinke it So it is much like the Ale which is vsed in England and of that colour and taste The Indians are very curious in planting and manuring of this Yuca It is a little shrubb and carryeth branches like Hazell wands being growne as bigge as a mans finger they breake them off in the middest and so pricke them into the ground it needeth no other art or husbandry for out of each branch grow two three or foure rootes some bigger some lesser but first they burne and manure the ground the which labour and whatsoever els is requisite the men doe not so much as helpe with a finger but all lyeth vpon their poore women who are worse then slaues for they labour the ground they plant they digge and delue they bake they brew and dresse their meate fetch their water and doe all drudgerie whatsoever yea though they nurse a Childe they are not exempted from any labour their Childe they carry in a Wallet about their necke ordinarily vnder one arme because it may sucke when it will The men haue care for nothing but for their Cannoas to passe from place to place and of their Bowes and Arrowes to hunt and their Armes for the warre which is a sword of heavie blacke wood some foure fingers broad an inch thicke and an ell long something broader towards the roppe then at the handle They call it Macana and it is carved and wrought with inlayd works very curiously but his edges are blunt If any kill any Game in hunting he bringeth it not with him but from the next tree to the Game he breaketh a bough for the trees in the Indies haue leaues for the most part all the yeare and all the way as he goeth streweth little peeces of it here and there and comming home giueth a peece to his woman and so sends her for it If they goe to the Warre or in any iourney where it is necessary to carry provision or Marchandize the women serue to carry all and the men never succour nor ease them wherein they shew greater Barbarisme then in any thing in my opinion that I haue noted amongst them except in eating one another In Brasill and in the west Indies the Indian may haue as many wiues as he can get either bought or given by her friends the men and women for the most part goe naked and those which haue come to know their shame cover onely their privie parts with a peece of cloth the rest of their body is naked Their houses resemble great Barnes covered over or thatched with Plantyne leaues which reach to the ground and at either end is the doore In one house are sometimes ten or twentie housholds they haue little houshold stuffe besides their beds which they call Hamacas and are made of Cotton and stayned with divers colours and workes Some I haue seene white of great curiositie They are as a sheete laced at both ends and at either of them long strappes with which they fasten them to two posts as high as a mans middle and so sit rocking themselues in them Sometimes they vse them for seates and sometimes to sleepe in at their pleasures In one of them I haue seene sleepe the man his wife and a childe SECT XXVIII WEe tooke out of this Prize for our provision some good quantitie of this meale and the Sugar shee had being not aboue three or foure Chests after three dayes we gaue the Ship to the Portingalls and to them libertie In her was a Portingall Knight which went for Governour of Angola of the habit of Christ with fiftie souldiers and Armes for a hundreth and fiftie with his wife and daughter He was old and complained that after many yeares service for his King with sundry mishapps he was brought to that poore estate as for the reliefe of his wife his daughter and himselfe he had no other substance but that he had in the Ship It moved compassion so as nothing of his was diminished which though to vs was of no great moment in Angola it was worth good Crownes Onely we disarmed them all and let them depart saying that they would returne to Saint Vincents We continued our course for the Straites my people much animated with this vnlookt for refreshing and praised God for his bountie providence and grace extended towards vs. Here it will not be out of the way to speake a word of the particularities of the Countrie SECT XXIX BRASILL is accounted to be that part of America which lyeth towards our North sea betwixt the River of the Amazons neere the lyne to the Norwards vntill a man come to the River of Plate in 36. degrees to the South-wards of the lyne This coast generally lyeth next of any thing South and by west It is a temperate Countrie though in some parts it exceedeth in heate it is full of good succours for shipping and plentifull for Rivers and fresh waters The principall habitations are Farnambuca the Bay De todos los Santos Nostra Senora de victoria alias Santos the River Ienero Saint Vincents and Placentia every of them provided of a good Port. The winds are variable but for the most part trade alongst the Coast. The Commodities this Country yeeldeth are the wood called Brasill whereof the best is that of Farnambuc so also called being vsed in most rich colours good Cotton-wooll great store of Sugar Balsamom and liquid Amber They haue want of all manner of Cloth Lynnen and Woollen of Iron and edge-Tooles of Copper and principally in some places of Wax of Wine of Oyle and meale for the Country beareth no Corne and of all manner of Haberdashery-wares for the Indians The beasts that naturally breed in this Country are Tygers Lyons Hoggs Dogges Deere Monkeyes Mycos and Conies like vnto Ratts but bigger and of a tawney colour Armadilloes Alagartoes and store of venemous wormes and Serpents as Scorpions Adders which they call Vinoras and of them one kind which the divine providence hath created with a bell vpon his head that wheresoever he goeth the sound of it might be heard and so the Serpent shunned for his stinging is without remedie This they call the Vynora with the bell of them there are many and great store of Snakes some of that greatnesse as to write the truth might seeme fabulous Another worme there is in this Country which killed many of the first Inhabitants before God was pleased to discover a remedie for it vnto a religious person It is like a Magot but more slender and longer and of a greene colour with a red
into obedience till by composition they had a place limmitted them for their freedome where they should liue quietly by themselues At this day they haue a great habitation neere Panama called Saint Iago de los Negros well peopled with all their Officers and Commaunders of their owne saue onely a Spanish Governour By the assistance of these Symarons hee brought to the head of this River by peecemeale and in many iourneyes a small pinnace hee fitted it by time in warlike manner and with the choice of his Company put himselfe into the South Sea where his good haâ— was to meete with a cople of shippes of trade and in the one of them a great quantitie of gold And amongst other things two peeces of speciall estimation the one a Table of massie gold with Emralds sent for a present to the King the other a Lady of singular beautie married and a mother of Children The latter grewe to be his perdition for hee had capitulated with these Symarons that their part of the bootie should be onely the prisoners to the ende to execute their malice vpon them such was the rancor they had conceived against them for that they had beene the Tyrants of their libertie But the Spaniards not contented to haue them their slaues who lately had beene their Lords added to their servitude cruell intreaties And they againe to feede their insatiable revenges accustomed to rost and eate the hearts of all those Spaniards whom at any time they could lay hand vpon Iohn Oxman I say was taken with the loue of this Lady and to winne her good will what through her teares and perswasions and what through feare and detestation of their barbarous inclinations breaking promise with the Symarons yeelded to her request which was to giue the prysoners liberty with their ships for that they were not vsefull for him notwithstanding Oxman kept the Lady who had in one of the restored shippes eyther a Sonne or a Nephew This Nephew with the rest of the Spaniards made all the hast they could to Paâ—amâ— and they vsed such diligence as within fewe howers some were dispatched to seeke those who little thought so quickly to bee overtaken The pursuers approaching the River were doubtfull by which of the afore-remembred three mouths they should take their way In this wavering one of the Souldiers espied certaine feathers of Henns and some boughes of trees which they had cut off to make their way swmming downe one of the Outlets This was light sufficient to guide them in their course they entred the River and followed the tracke as farre as their Frigats had water sufficient and then with part of their Souldiers in their boates and the rest on the bankes on eyther side they marched day and night in pursuite of their enemies and in fine came vppon them vnexpected at the head of the River making good cheare in their Tents and devided in two partialities about the partition and sharing of their gold Thus were they surprised and not one escaped Some say that Iohn Oxman fled to the Symarons but they vtterly denyed to receiue or succour him for that he had broken his promise the onely Obiection they cast in his teeth was that if he had held his word with them hee never had fallen into this extremitie In fine hee was taken and after his shippe also was possessed by the Spaniards which he had hid in a certaine Coue and covered with boughes of trees in the guard and custodie of some foure or fiue of his followers All his Company were conveyed to Panama and there were ymbarked for Lyma where a processe was made against them by the Iustice and all condemned and hanged as Pirates This may be a good example to others in like occasions first to shunne such notorious sinnes which cannot escape punishment in this life nor in the life to come for the breach of faith is reputed amongst the greatest faults which a man can commit Secondly not to abuse another mans wife much lesse to force her both being odious to God and man Thirdly to beware of mutenies which seldome or never are seene to come to better ends for where such trees flourish the fruite of force must eyther bee bitter sweete or very sower And therefore seeing wee vaunt our selues to bee Christians and make profession of his law who forbiddeth all such vanities let vs faithfully shunne them that wee may partake the end of that hope which our profession teacheth and promiseth SECT LXVIII COmming in sight of the Ilands of Pearles the winde began to fresh in with vs and wee profited out selues of it but comming thwart of a small Iland which they call la Pacheta that lyeth within the Pearle Ilands close abourd the mayne and some eight or ten Leagues south and by west from Panama the wind calmed againe This Iland belongeth to a private man it is a round humock conteyning not a league of ground but most fertile Insomuch that by the owners industrie and the labour of some fewe slaues who occupie themselues in manuring it and two barkes which hee imployeth in bringing the fruit it giveth to Panama it is sayd to bee worth him every weeke one with another a barre of silver valued betwixt two hundreth and fiftie or three hundreth pezos which in English money may amount to fiftie or threescore pounds and for that which I saw at my being in Panama touching this I hold to be true In our course to fetch the Port of Panama we pâ—â— our selues betwixt the Ilands and the Maine which is a goodly Chanâ—ell of three foure and fiue leagues broad and without danger except a man come too neare the shoare on any side and that is thought the better course then to goe a sea-boord of the Ilands beâ—ause of the swift running of the tydes and the advantage to stop the ebbe As also for succour if a man should happen to bee becalmed at any time beyond expectation which happeneth sometimes The seaventh of Iuly wee had sight of Perico they are two little Ilands which cause the Port of Panama where all the shippes vse to ride It is some two Leagues west north-west of the Cittie which hath also a Pere in it selfe for small Barkes at full sea it may haue haueÌ„ some sixe or seaven foote water but at low water it is drie The ninth of Iuly we anokored vnder Perico and the Generall presently advised the Audiencia of that which had succeeded in his Journey which vnderstood by them caused bonfires to be made and every man to put luminaries in their houses the fashion is much vsed amongst the Spaniards in their feastes of ioy or for glad tidings placing many lights in their Churches in their windowes and Galleries and corners of their houses which being in the beginning of the night and the Cittie close by the sea shore showed to vs being farre off as
which time I lived in a great perplexitie for that I knew our owne weaknesse and what they might doe vnto vs if that they had knowne so much For any man that putteth himselfe into the enemies Port had need of Argus eyes and the wind in a bagge especially where the enemie is strong and the tydes of any force For with either ebbe or flood those who are on the shore may thrust vpon him inventions of fire and with swimming or other devises may cut his Cables A common practise in all hott Countries The like may be effected with Raffes Cannoas Boates or Pynaces to annoy and assault him and if this had beene practised against vs or taken effect our Shippes must of force haue yeelded themselues for they had no other people in them but sicke men but many times opinion and feare preserveth the Shippes and not the people in them Wherefore it is the part of a provident Governour to consider well the daungers that may befall him before he put himselfe into such places So shall he ever be provided for prevention In Saint Iohn de Vlua in the New-Spaine when the Spanyards dishonoured their Nation with that foule act of periury and breach of faith given to my Father Sir Iohn Hawkins notorious to the whole world the Spanyards fired two great Shippes with intention to burne my Fathers Admirall which he prevented by towing them with his Boates another way The great Armado of Spaine sent to conquer England Anno 1588. was with that selfe same industry overthrowne for the setting on â—ire of six or seaven shippes whereof two were mine and letting them drive with the flood forced them to cut their Cables and to put to Sea to seeke a new way to Spaine In which the greatest part of their best Shippes and men were lost and perished For that my people should not bâ— dismayed I dispatched presently my Light-horsman with onely foure men and part of the refreshing advising them that with the first calme or slent of wind they should come off The next night the wind comming off the shore wee set sayle and with our Boates and Barkes founded as we went It flowed vpon the Barre not aboue foure foote water and once in foure and twentie houres as in some parts of the West Indies at full Sea there is not vpon the barre aboue 17. or 18. foote water The harbour runneth to the South-westwards He that will come into it is to open the harbours mouth a good quarter of a league before he beare with it and be bolder of the wester side for of the Easterland lyeth a great ledge of Rockes for the most part vnder water which sometimes breake not but with small shipping a man may goe betwixt them and the poynt Comming aboord of our Shippes there was great ioy amongst my Company and many with the sight of the Oranges and Lemmons seemed to recover heart This is a wonderfull secret of the power and wisedome of God that hath hiddeâ— so great and vnknowne vertue in this fruit to be a certaine remedie for this infirmitie I presently caused them all to be reparted amongst our sicke men which were so many that there came not aboue three or foure to a share but God was pleased to send vs a prosperous winde the next day so much to our comfort that not any one dyed before we came to the Ilands where we pretended to refresh our selues And although our fresh water had fayled vs many dayes before we saw the shore by reason of our long Navigation without touching any land and the excessiue drinking of the â—icke and diseased which could not be excused yet with an invention I had in my Shippe I easily drew out of the water of the Sea sufficient quantitie of fresh water to sustaine my people with little expence of fewell for with foure Billets I stilled a Hogshead of water and therewith dressed the meat for the sicke and whole The water so distilled we found to be wholesome and nourishing SECT XXII THe Coast from Santos to Cape Frio lyeth west and by South Southerly So we directed our course West South-west The night comming on and directions given to our other Shippes we sett the watch having a fayre fresh gale of wind and large My selfe with the Master of our Ship having watched the night past thought now to giue Nature that which shee had beene deprived of and so recommended the care of Steeridge to one of his Mates who with the like travell past being drowsie or with the confidence which he had of him at the Helme had not that watchfull care which was required he at the Helme steered West and West and by South and brought vs in a little time close vpon the shore doubtlesse he had cast vs all away had not God extraordinarily delivered vs for the Master being in his dead sleepe was suddenly awaked and with such a fright that he could not be in quiet wherevpon waking his youth which ordinarily slept in his Cabin by him asked him how the watch went on who answered that it could not be aboue an houre since he layd himselfe to rest He replyed that his heart was so vnquiet that he could not by any meanes sleepe and so taking his Gowne came forth vpon the Decke and presently discovered the Land hard by vs. And for that it was sandie and low those who had their eyes continually fixed on it were dazeled with the reflection of the Starres being a fayre night and so were hindered from the true discovery thereof But he comming out of the darke had his sight more forcible to discerne the difference of the Sea and the shore So that forthwith he commaunded him at the Helme to put it close a starbourd and tacking our Ship wee edged off and sounding found scant three fathome water whereby we saw evidently the miraculous mercie of our God that if he had not watched over vs as hee doth continually over his doubtlesse we had perished without remedie To whom be all glory and prayse everlastingly world without end Immediatly we shot off a Peece to giue warning to our other Shippes who having kept their direct course and far to wind-wards and Sea-wards because we carried no light for that we were within sight of the shore could not heare the report and the next morning were out of sight SECT XXIII IN this poynt of Steeridge the Spaniards and Portingalls doe exceede all that I haue seene I meane for their care which is chiefest in Navigation And I wish in this and in all their workes of Discipline and reformation we should follow their examples as also those of any other Nation In every Ship of moment vpon the halfe decke or quarter decke they haue a chayre or seat out of which whilst they Navigate the Pilot or his Adiutants which are the same officers which in our Shippes we terme the Master and his Mates never depart day nor
night from the sight of the Compasse and haue another before them whereby they see what they doe and are ever witnesses of the good or bad Steeridge of all men that take the Helme This I haue seene neglected in our best Shippes yet nothing more necessary to be reformed For a good Helme-man may be overcome with an imagination and so mis-take one poynt for another or the Compasse may erre which by another is discerned The inconveniences which hereof may ensue all experimented Sea-men may easily conceiue and by vs take warning to avoyd the like SECT XXIIII THe next day about tenne of the Clocke wee were thwart of Cape Blanco which is low sandie Land and perilous for foure Leagues into the Sea thwart it lye banks of sand which haue little water on them on a sudden we found our selues amongst them in lesse then three fathome water but with our Boat and Shalope we went sounding and so got cleare of them The next day following we discovered the Ilands where wee purposed to refresh our selues They are two and some call them Saint Iames his Ilands and others Saint Annes They lie in two and twentie degrees and a halfe to the South-wards of the lyne and towards the evening being the fifth of November we anchored betwixt them and the Mayne in six fathome water where wee found our other Shippes All which being well Moored we presently began to set vp Tents and Booths for our sicke men to carry them a shore and to vse our best diligence to cure them For which intent our three Surgeans with their servants and adherents had two Boates to wayte continually vpon them to fetch whatsoever was needfull from the Shippes to procure refreshing and to Fish either with Netts or Hookes and Lynes Of these implements wee had in aboundance and it yeelded vs some refreshing For the first dayes the most of those which had health occupied themselues in romeging our Ship in bringing a shore of emptie Caske in filling of them and in felling and cutting of Wood which being many workes and few hands went slowly forwards Neere these Ilands are two great Rockes or small Ilands adioyning In them we found great store of young Gannetts in their nests which we reserved for the sicke and being boyled with pickled Porke well watered and mingled with Oatmeale made reasonable Pottage and was good refreshing and sustenance for them This provision fayled vs not till our departure from them Vpon one of these Rocks also we found great store of the hearbe Purslane which boyled and made into Sallets with oyle and vineger refreshed the sicke stomackes and gaue appetite With the ayre of the shore and good cherishing many recovered speedily Some died away quickly and others continued at a stand We found here some store of fruits a kind of Cherry that groweth vpon a tree like a Plum-tree red of colour with a stone in it but different in making to ours for it is not altogether round and dented about they haue a pleasing taste In one of the Ilands we found Palmito trees great and high and in the toppe a certaine fruit like Cocos but no bigger then a Wallnut We found also a fruit growing vpon trees in codds like Beanes both in the codd and the fruit Some of my Company proved of them and they caused vomits and purging as any medicine taken out of the Apothecaries shop according to the quantitie received They haue hudds as our Beanes which shaled off the kernell parteth it selfe in two and in the middle is a thin skinne like that of an Onion said to be hurtfull and to cause exceeding vomits and therefore to be cast away Monardus writing of the nature and propertie of this fruit as of others of the Indies for that it is found in other parts also calleth them Havas purgativas and sayth that they are to be prepared by peeling them first and then taking away the skinne in the middle and after beaten into powder to take the quantitie of fiue or sixe either with Wine or Sugar Thus they are good against Fevers and to purge grosse humors against the Collicke and payne of the ioynts in taking them a man may not sleepe but is to vse the dyet vsuall as in a day of purging One other fruit we found very pleasant in taste in fashion of an Artechoque but lesse on the outside of colour redd within white and compassed about with prickles our people called them Prick-peares no Conserue is better They grow vpon the leaues of a certaine roote that is like vnto that which we call semper viva and many are wont to hang them vp in their houses but their leaues are longer and narrower and full of Prickes on either side The fruit groweth vpon the side of the leafe and is one of the best fruites that I haue eaten in the Indies In ripening presently the Birds or Vermine are feeding on them a generall rule to know what fruit is wholsome and good in the Indies and other parts Finding them to be eaten of the Beasts or Fowles a man may boldly eate of them The water of these Ilands is not good the one for being a standing water and full of venemous Wormes and Serpents which is neare a Butt-shot from the Sea shore where we found a great Tree fallen and in the roote of it the names of sundry Portingalls Frenchmen and others and amongst them Abraham Cockes with the time of their being in this Island The other though a running water yet passing by the rootes of certaine trees which haue a smell as that of Garlique taketh a certaine contagious sent of them Here two of our men dyed with swelling of their bellies The accident we could not attribute to any other cause then to this suspitious water It is little and falleth into the sand and soketh through it into the Sea and therefore we made a well of a Pipe and placed it vnder the rocke from which it falleth and out of it filled our Caske but we could not fill aboue two Tunnes in a night and a day SECT XXV SO after our people began to gather their strength wee manned our Boates and went over to the Mayne where presently we found a great Ryver of fresh and sweete water and a mightie Marish Countrie which in the Winter seemeth to be continually over-flowne with this River and others which fall from the mountaynous Country adiacent We rowed some leagues vp the Ryver and found that the further vp we went the deeper was the River but no fruit more then she sweate of our bodies for the labour of our handes At our returne wee loaded our Boate with Water and afterwardes from hence wee made our Store SECT XXVI THe sicknesse having wasted more then the one halfe of my people we determined to take out the victualls of the Hawke and to burne her which wee put in execution And being occupied
sounds and creekes and amongst these little Ilands one for the pleasant scituation and fertilitie thereof called Placentia This is peopled all the rest desert on this Iland our Prisoners desired to be put ashore and promised to send vs some refreshing Whereto we condescended and sent them a shore with two Boates well man'd and armed who sound few Inhabitants in the Iland for our people saw not aboue foure or fiue houses notwithstanding our Boats returned loaden with Plantynes Pinias Potatoes Sugar-canes and some Hennes Amongst which they brought a kind of little Plantyne greene and round which were the best of any that I haue seene With our people came a Portingall who said that the Iland was his he seemed to be a Mistecho who are those that are of a Spanish and an Indian brood poorely apparelled and miserable we feasted him and gaue him some trisles and he according to his abilitie answered our courtesie with such as he had The wind continuing contrary we emptied all the water wee could come by which we had silled in Saint Iames his Iland and filled our Caske with the water of this Isla Grand It is a wildernesse covered with Trees and Shrubbes so thicke as it hath no passage through except a man make it by force And it was strange to heare the howling and cryes of wilde Beastes in these Woods day and night which we could not come at to see by any meanes some like Lyons others like Beares others like Hoggs and of such and so many diversities as was admirable Heere our Nets profited vs much for in the sandy Bayes they tooke vs store of fish Vpon the shore at full Sea-marke we found in many places certaine shels like those of Mother of Pearles which are brought out of the East Indies to make standing cups called Caracoles of so great curiositie as might moue all the beholders to magnifie the maker of them And were it not for the brittlenes of them by reason of their exceeding thinnes doubtles they were to bee esteemed farre aboue the others for more excellent workemanship I haue not seene in shels The 18. of December wee set sayle the wind at North-east and directed our course for the Straites of Magalianes The twenty two of this moneth at the going too of the Sunne we descryed a Portingall ship and gaue her chase and comming within hayling of her shee rendred her selfe without any resistance shee was of an hundred Tuns bound for Angola to load Negroes to be carried and sold in the River of Plate It is a trade of great profit much vsed for that the Negroes are carried from the head of the river of Plate to Patosi to labour in the Mynes It is a bad Negro who is not worth there fiue or six hundreth peeces every peece of tenne Ryals which they receiue in Ryals of Plate for there is no other Marchandize in those partes Some haue told me that of late they haue found out the trade and benefit of Cochanillia but the River suffereth not vessels of burthen for if they drawe aboue eight or seaven foote water they cannot goe further then the mouth of the River and the first habitation is aboue a hundred and twenty leagues vp whereunto many Barkes trade yearely and carry all kinde of Marchandize serving for Patosi and Paraquay the money which is thence returned is distributed in all the Coast of Brasill The loading of this Ship was meale of Cassavi which the Portingals call Furina de Paw It served for Marchandize in Angola for the Portingals foode in the ship and to nourish the Negroes which they should carry to the river of Plate This meale is made of a certaine roote which the Indians call Yuca much like vnto Potatoes Of it are two kindes the one sweete and good to be eaten either rosted or sodden as Potatoes and the other of which they make their bread called Cassavi deadly poyson if the liquor or iuyce bee not throughly pressed out So prepared it is the bread of Brasill and many parts of the Indies which they make in this maner first they pare the roote and then vpon a rough stone they grate it as small us they can and after that it is grated small they put it into a bag or poke and betwixt two Stones with great waight they presse out the iuyce or poyson and after keepe it in some bag till it haue no iuyce nor moysture left Of this they make two sorts of bread the one finer and the other courser but bake them after one maner They place a great broad smooth stone vpon other foure which serue in steede of a Trevet and make a quicke fire vnder it and so strawe the flower or meale a foote long and halfe a foot broad To make it to incorporate they sprinkle now and then a little water and then another rowe of meale and another sprinkling till it be to their minde That which is to be spent presently they make a finger thicke and sometimes more thicke but that which they make for store is not aboue halfe a finger thicke but so hard that if it fall on the ground it will not breake easily Being newly baked it is reasonable good but after fewe dayes it is not to be eaten except it be soaked in water In some partes they suffer the meale to become fenâ—ed before they make it into bread and hold it for the best saying that it giveth a better tast but I am not of that opinion In other parts they mingle it with a fruite called Agnanepes which are round and being ripe are gray and as big as an hazell nâ—t and grow in a cod like pease but that it is all curiously wrought first they parch them vpon a stone and after beate them into powder and then mingle them with the fine flower of Cassavi and bake them into bread these are their spice-cakes which they call Xanxaw The Agnanapes are pleasant giue the bread a yellowish colour and an Aromaticall savour in taste The finer of this bread being well baked keepeth long time three or foure yeares In Brasill since the Portingalls taught the Indians the vse of Sugar they eate this meale mingled with remels of Sugar or Malasses and in this manner the Portingalls themselues feed of it But we found a better manner of dressing this Farina in making Pancakes and frying them with butter or oyle and sometimes with Mantâ—ca de Puerco when strewing a little Sugar vpon them it was meate that our company desired aboue any that was in the Shippe The Indians also accustome to make their drinke of this meale and in three severall manners First is chewing it in their mouths and after mingling it with water after a loathsome manner yet the commonest drinke that they haue and that held best which is chewed by an old woman The second manner of their drinke is baking it till it be halfe burned then they beate
Complaints of master Thomas Candish Folio 14 Of master George Raymond ibid Company sicke 38. dismayed Folio 84 Losse of the Edward Cotton Folio 33. Clothes made in Coquimbo Folio 107 Crabby Cove Folio 84 Care of Currants Folio 33 D DEparture from Lyma Folio 103 Devises in sudden accidents Folio 76. Directions to be secret Folio 130 Discipline of the Spanish Folio 67 Cause of their prosperities ibid Discipline neglected by the English Folio 8 Pried into by the Spaniards Folio 134 And by them imitated ibid Vse of Discoueries Folio 1 Discouery on the coast to be avoyded Folio 100 The Dolphin Folio 42 Sir Francis Drake vpon the sothermost part of the world Folio 9â— Providence of the Dutch â—7 Ducks Folio 74 E ELizabeths Bay  Disvse of Engines of Antiquitie Folio 143 The English carry vp their flag Folio 20 English Authours of Sea Disâ—ipline Folio 8 Carelesnesse of the English Folio 127 Exchange of trifles Folio 98 Of sheepe ibid Exercise alwayes necessary Folio 26 F Ed Fenton Folio 85 Iuan Fernandes Folio 100 Danger of Fier 39. By heating of Pitch ibid. By taking Tobacco ibid. By Candle light ibid. By hooping and scutling Folio 40 By nature of waters ibid Strange tree in Fiero Folio 25 Beginning of the Spanish Fight 126. Their intertainment Folio 122 The English 75. The Spanish 130 ibid. pay deere for their rashnes 135. Take a new resolution Folio 1â—6 Flying fishes Folio 44 French and English salute Folio 20 French surprised Folio 57 To know wholsome fruits Folio 55 Fuego Folio 29 End of Fugitiues Folio 135 G GAnnetts Folio 54 God propitions Folio 84 Therefore praised ibid One Shippe and some Gold taken Folio 101 Euery shower a shower of Gold ibid. S R Greenfild at Flores Folio 10 Guls. Folio 73 Deceit of the Gunner Folio 127 H MAster Thomas Hampton Folio 20 Annoyances in Harbours Folio 51 Vse of Havas purgativas Folio 55 Master Wil Hawkins Folio 86 Hawkins Mayden-â—and Folio 70 Helm-man Folio 54 I SAint Iago 29. sacked ibid S. Iames Ilands Folio 54 The Iesus of Lubeck Folio 3 Ienero Folio 77.59 Vnwholsome Ilands 27 Their heat ibid. The breze ibid. The best remedie Folio 28 Inconvenience of Imprests Folio 15 Their true vse Folio 16 Indians howsing 63. and manner of sleeping ibid Indians apparrell Folio 98 Indians poligamy Folio 63 Indians trechery Folio 97 Indians foresight Folio 81 Indians industry 57. dismissed 123. led by a Mulato Folio 124 Consequence of Instructions Folio 17 Isla Graund Folio 60 Planting of Iuca Folio 62 By women ibid L VNknowne Land Folio 69 Care of approch ibid New devise for stopping Leakes without Bourd Folio 104 Best time to paâ—se the Lyne Folio 48 M Madera Folio 24 Who to be accounted a Mariner Folio 128 His knowledge ibid. and materials ibid. for navigation ibid The Mariners revenge Folio 43 Wilfulnesse of Mariners Folio 100 S. Maries Folio 100 Care of the Master Folio 53 Vnskilfulnesse of the Masters Mate Folio 52 Fittest places of meeting Folio 17 Mocha Folio 96 Monkies Parrots Folio 31 Influence of the Moone Folio 28 Mutinies how to be winked at Folio 94 Vnadvisednesse of the multitude Folio 126 O OBiections resolved Folio 141 Office of a Master Folio 129 Of a Pilot. ibid Of the Boteswaine ibid Of the Steward ibid Of the Carpenter ibid Of the Gunner Folio 130 Lawes of Oloron Folio 111 Vertue of Oranges Folio 52 Beds of Oreweed Folio 70 P MOdestie of Sir Hen Palmer Folio 8 Patience of the Earle of Nottingham Folio 93 Parts requisite in a Comâ—â—nder at Sea Folio 8 The Palmito Folio 29.55 Palmito Iland Folio 59 Pearles Folio 88 Iland of Pengwins Folio 72 Described ibid Hunting of Pengwins Folio 73 Kept for store ibid Care of the Pentagones Folio 63 King Philips comming into England Folio 21 Pilats Fishes Folio 44 Challenging of pillage Folio 110 Prevention of vndue pillage Folio 113 What to be reputed pillage Folio 112 Placentia Folio 30 The Plaintaiâ— Folio 30 Dutie of Pynaces Folio 24 Pynace lost Folio 13 Porke good foure yeare old Folio 96 Danger of open Ports Folio 5 Providence of God Folio 53 Corrupt or scantie ProvisioÌ„s Folio 109 Provisions better provided at Pliâ—â—â—outh Folio 5 Puerto Viejo Folio 122 Puma Folio 121 Purgatiues Folio 5â— Purflain Folio 55 Q. BAy of Quintera Folio 105 R. PRevention of Ratts Folio 89 Calamities they bring ibid Long Reach Folio 81 The Repentance Folio 3 Reasons of returne dangerous Folio 87 The Revenge Folio 2 Spare Râ—dders Folio 105 Runnawayes Folio 68 S SAbboth reserved for holy exercises Folio 27 Sailes of Cotton cloth Folio 102 Ilands of Salomon Folio 1â—0 Arrivall at Santos Folio 49 Forbidden to trade Folio 50 Pedro Sarmiento Folio 71 The Scurvy 35. The signes ibid The causes ibid Seething Meat in Salt water Folio 36 Corruption of Victuall ibid Vapours of the Sea ibid The remedies By Dyet ibid By Shift ibid By labour ibid By early eating and drinking ibid. By sower Oranges and Lemmons ibid By Doctor Stevens water ibid By oyle of â—itry ibid By ayre of the Land ibid Abuses of Sea-faring men Folio 14 Seales Folio 75 Setting the Ship vpon a Rocke 83. diligence to free it ibid Shething of Ships Folio 78 In Spaine and Portingall Folio 79 With double Plankes ibid. With Canvas ibidem With burnt Planks ibid With Varnish in Chiâ—â— ibid In England Folio 80 Best manner of Shething Folio 80 The Sharke Folio 43 What requisit in Shipping Folio 2 The honour of his Maiesties Ships Folio 20 Ships of trade Folio 138 The Prince his Ships ibid All Ships of warre are not to be low built Folio 139 Foure Ships taken Folio 10â— Dutie of a small Ship against a greater Folio 141 Shooting at Sea 19. Mischances therevpon ensuing ibid Sloth cause of fancies Folio 82 Care of sounding Folio 32 Spanish discipline Folio 132.133.134 Spanish officers Folio 134 Spanish Admirall commeth to Leeward Folio 131 Spaniards parley Folio 134 Inexperience of the Spaniards Folio 126. Weaknesse of the Spaniards Folio 9 Vain-glory of the Spaniards Folio 142 Severitie of Spaine Folio 144 Care of Steerage Folio 53 Exquisite in the Spaniards and Portingals ibid The Straights Folio 70 Second peopling of the Straights Folio 76. South part of the Straights Ilands Folio 95 Effects of courage in Stormes Folio 10 A cruell Storme Folio 99 Birds like Swans 68. how caught good refreshment Folio 69 Swearing remedied Folio 41 T DEscription of Tenerif Folio 25 The Thunderbolt of London Folio 3. Tobias Cove Folio 83 Concealement hindereth Trading Folio 113 Point Tremontame Folio 70 Entertainment of Time Folio 88 V CAptaine Vavisor Folio 10 Importance of a small Vessell Folio 100. Place of Vice-admirall Folio 9 Considerations for Voyages Folio 4 Voyages overthrowne by pretences Folio 95 Overthrow of the Voyage Folio 66 The cause ibid Infidelitie ibid W ORder of the Flemish Wafters Folio 8. Deteyning of Wages Folio 110 Warehouses sacked Folio 101 Obiection of wast Folio 78 answered ibid
Wast of men Folio 57 Distilling of Salt water Folio 52 Contagious Waters Folio 56 Care of Watches Folio 34 Fruits of good Watch. Folio 58 Concealement of Weakenes Folio 103 Wilfulnesse of Mariners Folio 6 Wine more dangerous then the enemy Folio 103 Spanish Wines and Fevers vnknowne in England Folio 103 Wine consumeth treasure Folio 104 Fight of the Whale Folio 45 With the Sword fish ibid With the Thresher ibid Taking of the Whale Folio 46 By the Indians Folio 47 Warning against Wormes Folio 78 Y YOnkers ever necessary in the top Folio 26 FINIS The necessary vse of Discoveries Of travaile Oâ— Shipping Improper Names for Shipping The Revenge See Mâ—ster Hacâ—uâ—ts Relations The Thunderbolt oâ— London The Iesus of Lubeck The Repentance The Iourney of Spaine Considerations for pretended Voyages Provisions better provided at Plimmouth then at London Note Note The Providence oâ— the Dutch The English Authors of Sea discipline By them againe nâ—glected The modesty of Sir Henry Palmer Parts required in a Commander at Sea The losse of the Burdieux Fleete Anno â—592 The causâ— The weaknes of the enemy The Voyage of Sir Iohn Hawkins Anno 1590. Sir Richard Greenfield at Flores Captaine Vavisor Parts requisite in a good Mariner A cruell Storme And therein the effects of courage and advise The losse of the Pynace Abuses of some Sea-faring men Master Thomas Candish Master George Reymonâ— The inconvenience of Imprests The true vse of Imprests The consequence of Instructions at departure Obiections against meeting in Harbours Answered False Calking For prevention thereof Example Advise for shooting at Sea Sundry mischanâ—es for neglect thereof Obiect Answer Master Thomas Hampto's The French and English Fleete salute one another The English carry vp their flagg in the French Seas The honour of his Maiesties ships Practised at the comming in of Kâ—ng Philip into England And in the passage of Dona Anna de Austria As also in her repasâ—age The dutie of Pynaces The Madera Ilands Canaria Ilands Gorgoshâ— The Description of Tenerif Of a Tree in Fierro The first discoverers of these Ilands Note Exercises vpon the Southwards of the Canaries Cape de Verd. The vnwholsomnesse thereof The heatt The Brezes The remedie The influence of the Moone in hot Countries Saint Iago Sacked by Manuel Serades St. Francis Drake and Sir Anthony Shyrley Fuego Bravo The Palmito The Plantane Platentia The Cocos and â—heir kindes Cyvet-Catts Munkeyes Parrots Note The losse of the Edward Cotton The Scurvey The signes The cause Seething of meat in Salt water Corruption of victuall Vapours of the Sea Azores The remedies By dyet By shift By labour By early eating and drinking By sower Oranges and Lemmons By Doctor Stevens water By oyle of Vitry By the ayre of the land The company sicke and dismayed Brasill Cape S. Augustine Farnambuca Todos Santos De Vitoria Dangers of Fire By heating of Pitch By taking Tobacco By Hooping and Scutling of Caske By natures of waters By Swearing The Dolphin The Bonito The Sharke flying Fishes Alcatrace The fight of the Whale with the Sword-fish and Thresher The taking of the Whale Amber-greece The Beazar stone Amber greece By the Indians Bâ—st times to passe the lyne from the North-wards to the South-ward For prevention of annoyances c. in Harbours The vertue of Oranges Distilling of Salt water Vnskilfulnesse of the Masters Mate Providence of God and the care of the Master Care of Steeridge Exquisit in the Spanyards and Portingalls Cape Blanco Saint Iames Ilands alias Saint Annes Gannets Purslane Cherries Palmitos Purgatiues The vse of Havas purgativas Artechoques or Prick-Peares A good note to take or refuse vnknowne fruits Contagious water Wast and losse of men Industry of the Indians They surprise the French San-sebastian kill the English and discover vs. The events of good watch Palmito Iland Ienero Little Iland Islâ— Grand Shells of mother of pearle Price of Neâ—roes Cassavi meale The preparing thereof for â—ood Agnanapes And for Beveraâ—e The manner of planting Iuca with the labour of the women Polygamy of the Indians Their attire Their manneâ— of housing And sleeping The description of Brasill It s Havens Its Commodities Its wants The bestiall thereof The discommodities Santa Catalina Variation of the Compasse The overthrow of the Voyage The cause Infidelitie Disciplâ—ne of the Spanish the only cause of their prosperities The cunning of Runnawayes and ignoble Captaines verified at their returnes Birds like Swans caught with linâ— and hooke Proue good refreshment Care of the Pentagones A description of the vnknovvne land A caveat for comming suddenly too nere an vnknowne land Poynt Tremountaine Payre Iland Condite head Hawkins-maidâ—n-land Bedds of Oreweed with white flowers Our comming to the Straites Pedro Sarmiâ—nto buâ—ldâ—th San-Philip Note The Ilands of Pengwins Good provision in the Straites The description of the Pengwin Hunting the Pengwin The keeping for store The Gulls Ducks Of Seales or Sea-wolues Devises in sudden accidents The second peopling of the Spaniards Elizabeths Bay The River of Ieronimo Blanches Bay Obiection of wast Answere Warning against wormes Sheathing of Shippes In Spaine and Portugall with double plankes With Canvas With burnt plankes In China with Varnish In England Best manner of sheathing Long Reach Note English Bay Sloth cause of imagination Tobias Cove Setting of the Ship vpon a Rocke The company dismayed Diligence to 〈◊〉 it To the laborious God propitious and thereâ—ore praysed Crabby Cove Voyages â—verthroune by pretences Edward Fâ—nton and master Thomas Candâ—sh Master William Hawkins Danger to hearken vnto reasons of returnâ— The mending of an vnserviceable Anchor Entertainement oâ— time to avoyd idlenesse In gathering of Winterâ— Barke Of Pearles Prevention of Raâ—s The Calamities they bring to a ship Backwardnes in the Companie and the consequences thereof Advertisements â—or Câ—mmanders The advantage of obedience Advertisâ—ments â—or yong Serviâ—ors The patience of the Earle of Nottingham Mutenies not alwayes to be winked at South part of the Straites Ilands Sir Francis Drake imbraceth the Southermost poinâ— of the world Mâ—cha Baldivâ—a Trechery of the Indians Exâ—hanges oâ— tâ—ifles Oâ— Sheepe Their apparell and housing People 〈◊〉 Chily Their weapons Their hate to the Spâ—niards A cruel storme The important losse of a small vessell Saint Maries Citty of Concâ—ption Ivan Fernandes Good to avoâ—d discovery Wilfulnesse of Mariners They seize â—pon 4. Ships And the warehouses They seize vpon another Shippe and some gold Light Anchors brouâ—ht from the North Sâ—a And the first Artillerie Sayles of Cotton câ—oth They depâ—rt from Lyma and concâ—ale their weaknes The noâ—leâ—es of Alonso â—e Soto The enemy lesse dangerous then the Wine Spanish Wines and burning Feavers vnknowne in England And consumeth treasure Description of the Bay A new devise for stopping a Leake without board Spare Rudders Bay of Quintera Nota verum hispanum Coquinbo Arica in Chily much commended For all sorts of fruâ—tes And plenty of Gold The Indians forbid the search of gold Every showre a showre of
yet found that these courrants keepe any certaine time or run so many dayes or moneths one way as another as doth the course of ebbing and flowing well knowne in all Seas onely neere the shore they haue small force partly because of the reflux which the coast causeth and partly for the ebbing and slowing which more or lesse is generall in most seas When the currant runneth North or South it is easily discovered by augmenting or diminishing the height but how to know the setting of the currant from East to West in the mayne Sea is difficult and as yet I haue not knowne any man or read any Authour that hath prescribed any certaine meane or way to discover it But experience teacheth that in the mayne Sea for the most part it is variable and therefore the best and safest rule to prevent the danger which the vncertainty and ignorance heereof may cause is carefull and continuall watch by day and night and vpon the East and west course ever to bee before the shipp and to vse the meanes possible to know the errour by the rules which newe Authours may teach beating off and on sometimes to the west-wards sometimes to the East-wards with a fayre gale of winde SECT XVI BEing betwixt three or foure degrees of the Equinoctiall line my Company within a fewe dayes began to fall sicke of a disease which Sea-men are wont to call the Scurvey and seemeth to bee a kinde of dropsie and raigneth most in this Climate of any that I haue heard or read of in the World though in all Seas it is wont to helpe and increase the miserie of man it possesseth all those of which it taketh hold with a loathsome sloathfulnesse even to eate they would be content to change their sleepe and rest which is the most pernicious Enemie in this sicknesse that is knowne It bringeth with it a great desire to drinke and causeth a generall swelling of all parts of the body especially of the legs and gums and many times the teeth fall out of the iawes without paine The signes to know this disease in the beginning are divers by the swelling of the gummes by denting of the flesh of the leggs with a mans finger the pit remayning without filling vp in a good space Others show it with their lasinesse Others complaine of the cricke of the backe c. all which are for the most part certaine tokens of infection The cause of this sicknes some attribute to sloath some to conceite and divers men speake diversly that which I haue observed is that our Nation is more subiect vnto it then any other because being bred in a temperate Clymate where the naturall heate restrayned giveth strength to the stomacke sustayning it with meates of good nourishment and that in an wholsome ayre whereas comming into the hot Countries where that naturall heate is dispersed through the whole body which was wont to be proper to the stomacke and the meates for the most part preserved with Salt and its substance thereby diminished and many times corrupted greater force for digestion is now required then in times past but the stomacke â—inding lesse vertue to doe his office in reparting to each member his due proportion in perfection which either giveth it rawe or remayneth with it indigested by his hardnes or cruditie infeebleth the body and maketh it vnlusty and vnfit for any thing for the stomacke being strong though all parts els be weake there is ever a desire to feede and aptnes to performe whatsoever can bee required of a man but though all other members be strong and sound if the Stomacke be opprest or squemish all the body is vnlustie and vnfit for any thing and yeeldeth to nothing so readily as to sloathfulnes which is confirmed by the common answere to all questions As will you eate will you sleepe will you walke will you play The answere is I haue no stomacke which is as much as to say no not willingly thereby confirming that without a sound and whole stomacke nothing can bee well accomplished nor any sustenance well digested The seething of the meate in Salt water helpeth to cause this inâ—irmitie which in long Voyages can hardly be avoyded but if it may be it is to be shunned for the water of the Sea to mans body is very vnwholsome The corruption of the victuals and especially of the bread is very pernicious the vapours and ayre of the Sea also is nothing profitable especially in these hot Countries where are many calmes And were it not for the moving of the Sea by the force of windes tydes and currants it would corrupt all the world The experience I saw in Anno 1590. lying with a Fleete of her Maiesties ships about the Ilands of the Azores almost six moneths the greatest part of the time we were becalmed with which all the Sea became so replenished with severall sorts of gellyes and formes of Serpents Adders and Snakes as seemed wonderfull some greene some blacke some yellow some white some of divers coulours and many of them had life and some there were a yard and halfe and two yards long which had I not seene I could hardly haue beleeved And hereof are witnesses all the Companies of the Ships which were then present so that hardly a man could draw a Buckett of water cleere of some corruption In which Voyage towards the end thereof many of every Ship saving of the Nonpereli which was vnder my charge and had onely one man sicke in all the Voyage fell sicke of this disease and began to die apace but that the speedie passage into our Country was remedie to the crazed and a Preservatiue for those that were not touched The best prevention for this disease in my iudgement is to keepe cleane the Shippe to be sprinkle her ordinarily with Vineger or to burne Tarre and some sweet savours to feed vpon as few salt Meats in the hot Country as may be and especially to shunne all kindes of salt Fish and to reserue them for the cold Climates and not to dresse any meat with salt water nor to suffer the companie to wash their Shirts nor Cloathes in it nor to sleepe in their Cloaths when they are wett For this cause it is necessarily required that provision be made of apparell for the Company that they may haue wherewith to shift themselues Being a common calamitie amongst the ordinary sort of Mariners to spend their thrift on the shore and to bring to Sea no more Cloaths then they haue backes for the bodie of man is not refreshed with any thing more then with shifting cleane Cloaths a great preservatiue of health in hott Countries The second Antidote is to keepe the companie occupied in some bodily exercise of worke of agilitie of pastimes of dauncing of vse of Armes these helpeth much to banish this infirmitie Thirdly In the morning at discharge of the watch to giue
every man a bit of bread and a draught of drinke either Beere or Wine mingled with water at the least the one halfe or a quantitie mingled with Beere that the pores of the bodie may be full when the vapours of the Sea ascend vp The morning draught should be ever of the best and choysest of that in the ship Pure wine I hold to be more hurtfull then the other is profitable In this others will be of a contrary opinion but I thinke partiall If not then leaue I the remedies thereof to those Physitions and Surgeons who haue experience And I wish that some learned man would write of it for it is the plague of the Sea and the spoyle of Mariners doubtlesse it would be a meritorious Worke with God and man and most beneficiall for our Countrie for in twentie yeares since that I haue vsed the Sea I dare take vpon me to giue accompt of ten thousand men consumed with this disease That which I haue seene most fruitfull for this sicknesse is sower Oranges and Lemmons and a water which amongst others for my particular provision I carryed to the Sea called Doctor Stevens his Water of which for that his vertue was not then well knowne vnto me I carryed but little and it tooke end quickly but gaue health to those that vsed it The oyle of Vitry is beneficiall for this disease taking two drops of it and mingled in a draught of water with a little Sugar It taketh away the thirst and helpeth to clense and comfort the stomacke But the principall of all is the ayre of the Land for the Sea is naturall for fishes and the Land for men And the oftner a man can haue his people to land not hindering his voyage the better it is and the profitablest course that he can take to refresh them SECT XVII HAving stood to the westwards some hundreth leagues and more the wind continuing with vs contrarie and the sicknesse so fervent that every day there dyed more or lesse my Companie in generall began to dismay and to desire to returne homewards which I laboured to hinder by good reasons and perswasions As that to the West Indies we had not aboue eight hundreth leagues to the Ilands of Azores little lesse and before we come to the Ilands of Cape de Verde that we should meete with the Breze for every night we might see the reach goe contrary to the winde which wee sayled by verifying the old Proverbe amongst Mariners That he hath need of a long Mast that will sayle by the Reach and that the neerest land and speediest refreshing wee could looke for was the coast of Brasill and that standing towards it with the winde we had we shortned our way for the Indies and that to put all the sicke men together in one Shippe and to send her home was to make her their graue For we could spare but few sound men who were also subiect to fall sicke and the misery notwithstanding remedilesse with which they were convinced and remained satisfied So leaving all to their choyse with the consideration of what I perswaded they resolved with me to continue our course till that God was pleased to looke vpon vs with his Fatherly eyes of mercie As we approached neerer and neerer the coast of Brasill the wind began to vere to the East-wardes and about the middle of October to be large and good for vs and about the 18. of October we were thwart of Cape Saint Augustine which lyeth in sixe degrees to the Southwards of the lyne and the 21. in the height of Farnambuca but some fourescore leagues from the Coast the twentie foure in the height of Bayea de todos Santos neere the end of October betwixt 17. and 18. degrees we were in 16. fathomes sounding of the great Sholes which lye alongst the Coast betwixt the Bay of todos Santos and the Port of Santos alias ura senora de Vitoria which are very perilous But the divine Providence hath ordayned great flockes of small Birds like Snytes to liue vpon the Rockes and broken lands of these Sholes and are met with ordinarily twentie leagues before a man come in danger of them It shall not be amisse here to recount the Accidents which befell vs during this contrary winde and the curiosities to be observed in all this time Day and night we had continually a fayre gale of winde and a smooth Sea without any alteration one day the Carpenters having Calked the Decke of our Shippe which the Sunne with his extreame heate had opened craved licence to heate a little Pitch in the Cook-roome which I would not consent vnto by any meanes for that my Cook-roomes were vnder the Decke knowing the danger vntill the Master vndertooke that no danger should come thereof But he recommended the charge to another who had a better name then experience He suffered the Pitch to rise and to runne into the fire which caused so furious a flame as amazed him and forced all to flie his heate one of my Company with a double payre of Gloues tooke off the Pitch-pot but the fire forced him to let slip his hold-fast before he could set it on the Hearth and so overturned it and as the Pitch began to runne so the fire to enlarge it selfe that in a moment a great part of the Shippe was on a light fire I being in my Cabin presently imagined what the matter was and for all the hast I could make before I came the fire was aboue the Decke for remedie whereof I commanded all my Companie to cast their Ruggegownes into the Sea with Ropes fastened vnto them These I had provided for my people to watch in for in many hott Countries the nights are fresh and colde and devided one Gowne to two men a Starboord and a Larboord man so that he which watched had ever the Gowne for they which watched not were either in their Cabins or vnder the Decke and so needed them not The Gownes being well soked every man that could tooke one and assaulted the fire and although some were singed others scalded and many burned God was pleased that the fire was quenched which I thought impossible And doubtlesse I never saw my selfe in greater perill in all the dayes of my life Let all men take example by vs not to suffer in any case Pitch to be heate in the Ship except it be with a shott heate in the fire which cannot breed daunger nor to permit fire to be kindled but vpon meere necessitie for the inconvenience thereof is for the most part remedilesse With drinking of Tobacco it is said that the Roebucke was burned in the range of Dartmouth The Primrose of London was fired with a Candle at Tilbery-hope and nothing saved but her Kele And another Ship bound for Barbary at Wapping The Iesus of Lubecke had her Gunner-roome set on fire with a Match and had