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
Syluer The slaues do no other thing but worke fetch Syluer from the Myne they cary it to the principall and chief towne of that countrey the wich was edifyed at the bottome of the hyll by the Spaniards Synce this Myne was found out all the countries Ilands mayne lands be Inhabited with certaine wylde men all naked as in other places of America Thus much as touching Perou and of his Ilands A description of Noua Espania and of the great citie of Themistitan edified in the vvest Indies Cap. 73. FOr bicause that it is not possible for all men to sée seÌ„sibly all things during his age be it either bicause of the continuall alteration and changing of things that are here in this world or bicause of y e long distaÌ„ce of places countries God hath giuen the meane to represent them not onely by writing but also by picture by the industry labor of those that haue sene them I haue sene set out by figure many auncient as those of Iason of Acteon Eneas Hercules many other things y e which we may dayly sée in their proper forme without figure as are many kynds of wild beasts For this cause I mynd to set forth rehearse vnto you y e great large citie of Thimistitan as nere as is possible being sure certaine y t few among you haue sene it neither can ye well go sée it bicause of the long dangerous nauigation that it behoueth ye to make Themistitan is a citie edified in newe Spayne the which taketh his beginning at the straight of Ariana and endeth on the north side at the riuer of Canuca In times past it was named Anauak and since because it was discouered and inhabited of Spaniardes it hath receiued the name of newe Spaine Among the which landes the first inhabited was Iucathan the which hath a point of lande lying out into y e sea like vnto the lande of Florida notwithstanding that those which make the Cardes Marius haue forgotteÌ„ to make the best the which setteth out their shew or description Now this Noua Espania on the East West and South side is compassed with the west sea and on the North side to the new world the which being inhabited is séene beyond in the same North an other lande not known of the Modernes for the which I will not stand therein Themistitan which is a strong Citie great and very riche in the countrey before named is founded on a greate Lake the way that goeth to this Citie is not broader than the length of two speares being so named of him that laide the foundation named Tenuth sonne to the Kinge Iztacmixcoatz This citie hath onely two gates the one to enter in the other for to come out at And not farre from the Citie is a bridge of wood a tenne foote broad the which was made for the encreasing diminishing of the waters for that Lake riseth and falleth like vnto the Sea And for the defence of the citie there is yet many others like in maner to Venice edified in the sea That countrey is coÌ„passed with very high mountains the plaine cuntrey hath in circuit .150 leagues in the which is fouÌ„d .ij. lakes that occupy a great part therof for bicause y t these .ij. lakes haue of circuit .50 leagues of the which thone is fresh water in the which is many good small fishe and the other is salte water the which besyde his bitternesse is venemous and therefore it can nourish no fish the which is against the opinion of those that thinck it to be but one Laake The playne is separated from the sayd Laakes by certaine mountaynes and at their farthest parte they are ioyned with a straight or narow land by the which men are conducted with barkes and boates euen into the Citie the which is standing on the salt water from thence to the mayne land on the causy side it is foure leagues And I cannot compare the greatnesse thereof better than to Venise For to enter into the sayd Citie there is foure ways made of stones artificially wheras there are two cundits or fountaines of y e greatnesse of two paces and of a mans heigth from one of the which is conducted fresh water into the Citie y e which is of the heigth of fiue foote and the water runneth a long euen to the middest of the Citie of the which they drynke and vse it in their nedeful businesse The other Chanel they kéepe emptie for this reason when y t they will â—lense that same wherein the fresh water is they bring all the filth of the Citie with the other to y e land and bicause that the chanels passe by the bridges by the places whereas the salt water entereth goeth oute they conduct the sayd water by swéete and cleane chanells the heigth of a pace Vpon this Laake y t compasseth the Citie the Spaniards haue made many fayre houses places of pleasure some vpon little Rocks others vpon pyles of woode Moreouer Themistitan staÌ„deth a .xx. degrées of eleuation aboue the lyne Equinoctiall and hath .272 degrées of longitude It was taken by strength by Ferdinand of Cortes being captaine generall for the Emperor in those partes of the yeare of grace .1521 containing than .70000 houses little and great The kings palaice which was named Mutuezuma with those of the lords of y e towne was faire great and large The Indians that then did inhabit this Citie had a custome to kepe euery fyue daies the market in places thereto appointed their trade was fethers of byrds with the which they made diuers and sundry things as gounes fashioned after their maner Tapistry woorke and other things And to these sciences were the oldest sorte occupied When they would go worship their great Idoll the which was erected in the myddest of the Citie lyke vnto a theatre who when they had taken any of theyr enimies in the war did sacrifice them to their Idolls and then eate them holding this for a kynde of religion Furthermore their trade was beastes skynnes of the which they made gounes hose and a kynde of hoodes for to kepe them as well from the colde as from stynging flyes The inhabitans at this daye which before were cruel and vnhumaine by succession of time haue so well changed their maners and conditions that in stead of barbarous and cruell they are ciuill and gratious in such sort that they haue left all theyr former naughtie and wicked doings the which they were wont to vse as in killing one another eating humayne fleshe to haue company with the first woman y t they met without hauing regarde either to kindred or degrée with other lyke vices and imperfections Their houses are sumptuously buylded Among other things there is a fayre palaice where as the Armour of y e Citie is kept the streates and places of this Citie are so straight
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
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
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
néere to the North of the which we haue before shewed are peopled and inhabited although according to the saying of Herodita these hills are directly vnder the Pole The first that founde out the lande contayned vnder the two temperat zones to be inhabited as Plutarche writeth was Parmenides Many haue written that not onely the zone Torida may be inhabited but also wel peopled The which Aueroys proueth by the witnessing of Aristotle in the fourth Chapter of his booke intituled of the worlde and of the firmament Auicen in the like case in his second doctrine and Albertus Magnus in his sixte Chapter of the nature of Regions efforcing to proue by naturall reason that this zone is inhabited yea more profitable for our humaine life than those vnder the tropickes So that by this meanes we will conclude and say that it is better more commodious more wholesome for our humayne life than any others For euen as the colde is an enimie so in like case the heate is friendly to our bodies knowing that our life is nothing but heat and moysture to the contrary death is colde and drinesse By this therfore ye may knewe that all the earth is peopled and is neuer without dwellers neither for colde nor heate but for barennesse and whereas it is vnfruitfull it may be inhabited as I haue sene in Arabia and in other countreys Also man was created of God for that he might dwell and lyue in what parte of the worlde he woulde were it hote colde or temperate for he him selfe sayde to our first parentes Growe increase and multiplie The experience furthermore teacheth as many times we haue sayde howe large the worlde is and commendable to all creatures the which we may sée by the continuall Nauigations on the sea and by the long iourneys on the lande Of the multitude and diuers kindes of fishes being vnder this lyne Equinoctial Cap. 20. BEfore the departing out of our lyne I thinke it good to declare particularly of the fish that is found about seuen or eight leagues on this side and beyonde the lyne of diuers colours and such a multitude that it is not possible to number them or to heape them together the which are as a greate heape of corne in a barne And ye shall note that among these fishes many haue folowed our ships more than thrée hundreth leagues specially the Dorades of the which we will speake hereafter more at large The Marsouins or sea Hogs after that they had perceiued our ship from farre dyd swimme a mayne against vs the which gaue to the Mariners a certayne signe and forshewing of that parte from whence the winde ought to come for these Sea beastes say they will swimme against one and in a greate company as foure or fiue hundreth together This fish is named Marsouin of Marissus in Latine which is as much to say as a sea Hog bicause that he is like almoste to Hogs on the earth for he hath the lyke grunt or noyse and hath the snoute lyke the ende of a Canne and on the heade a certayne cundite or opening by the which he yaunneth or purgeth euen as the Whale The Mariners take many of them with certayne gynnes of Iron being sharpe and pointed at the ende and croked and they doe eate but little thereof hauing other better fish but the liuer and lights is very good delicate being bothe like and also in taste to a Hogs harscelet When they are taken drawing towarde their death they caste greate sighes as we sée our countrey Hogs do when they are let bloude The female bringeth but twoo at a tyme. It was therefore a wonderfull thing to sée this greate number of fish making a maruelous greate noyse without comparison the which some peraduenture wil thinke strange and vncredible but I will affirme it to be so for that I sawe it As I sayd before that there is fish found of al colours red as those whō they named Bonnites the others Azure like golde shining brighter than fine Azure as those named Dorades others gréene gray blacke Yet I will not say that out of the sea they shoulde kepe those colours Plinie rehearseth that in Spaine in a fountayne the fish are of the coloure of golde but out of the fountayne they are lyke to others the which may come of the colour of the water being so betwene our eye and the fishe euen as a glasse being of a gréene or blewe colour representeth the things that ar within of the same colour Now to retourn to our Dorade many as wel Ancients as others haue written of the nature of fishes but very homelie for that they haue not sene but hearde say and specially of the Dorade Aristotle writeth that she hath foure finnes two aboue and two vnder and that she maketh her yong ones in sommer y e female remayneth hyd a certaine time but he telleth not how long Plinie to my iudgement hath borowed or lerned this of Aristotle speaking of this fishe saying that she hideth hir self in the sea a certayne time but in passing further he hath defined this tyme to be when it is extreme hot for that it cannot endure so greate a heate There are founde great ones like Samons others that are lesser from the head to the tayle it hath a creste and all that parte coloured lyke fine Azure in such sorte that it is vnpossible to excogitate or thinke a more fayrer colour the inferior or lower parte shineth like fire golde and for this cause it was named Dorade also of Aristotle in his lāguage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the interpretors call Aurata and it is very fierce on the flying fish the which she foloweth and chaseth in the water as the hounde chaseth a haare in the fieldes for she liueth by pray casting hir selfe hye aboue water after this flying fish and if that she fayleth at one time she recouereth at another tyme. This fish folowed our shippes the space of seuen wekes without once forsaking of them yea night and day vntill that she founde the sea vnsauery or not for hir nature I knowe wel that this fish hath ben much celebrated and estemed in tymes paste among Noble men for that she is very delicate and pleasant to eat For we reade of Sergius that founde the meanes to haue one brought to Rome the which was serued at a bancket to the Emperour whereas it was meruelously estemed And since that tyme hath this fish Dorade bene greatly estemed among the Romaynes so that there was no sumptuous banket but that it was serued for a greate dayntie dish And whereas this fish is scant in sommer harde to come by Sergius the Senator founde the meanes to kepe it with foode aliue to the ende that this fish shoulde not fayle them in no season and for this curiositie it was named Aurata or golden fish This fish is in much better sauor in Winter
our barkes to take land whereas incontinently the inhabitants receiued vs very curteously and as hauing knowledge of our comming they had rered faire Palace according to the manner of the Countrey strewed decked with leaues and boughs of trees and swéete smelling herbes by a manner of honor shewing of their part great signes of ioy inuitating vs to doe the like The most eldest which are as Kings and gouernours receiued vs one after an other and with an admiration they saluted vs in their lāguage according to their maner and then they conducted vs to the place that they had prepared for vs to the which place they brought vs vitailes of all sides as meale made of a roote which they name Manihot and other great little rootes very good and pleasant to eate and other things according to the Countrey So that being there ariued after that we had prayed and giuen thanks as the true Christian ought to do to him that had pacified the Sea and the windes to be short to him that had shewed giuen vs the mean to accomplish this voyage we rested vs vpon the gréene grasse as the Troyans did after so many shipwracks and tempests when that they met with the good Lady Dido but Virgill saith that they had good olde Wine and not faire water After that we had rested there the space of two moneths viewed as wel the Ilands as the maine land the Countrey was named Farre about the which by vs was discouered Fraunce Antartike whereas we found no place so proper and wel standing for to reare or edifie a holde as a litle Iland cōtaining only one league of circuit lying almost at the original beginning of this riuer which we haue before spoken of The which Iland with the holde that we there edified was named Villegagnon This Iland is very pleasaunt for that therein groweth Ceader trées and many swéete smelling Trées that are gréene throughout the yeare In déede there is no fresh water to be had néere hand neuerthelesse the Lord of Villegagnon fortified himselfe there for to be sure and out of danger of the wild men that will be sone offended And also against y e Portingals least they shold at any time make thither so that he strengthened himselfe in the Iland as wel as was possible Now as for vittails the Indians or wilde men brought vs thither suche as the land or countrey bringeth forth As fish or Venison and other wilde beasts for they norish them priuily as we do here a dog or a cat Also they brought vs meale of those rootes of which we haue before shewed hauing neither breade nor wine The which victels we had for a small value as little kniues loking glasses nets to take fish Moreouer amōg other things noted in this riuer nere to y e straight there is a lake that procedeth out of a high stone or rock being of a maruelous height being to loke to as high as the cloudes and very large the which is a thing almoste vncredible This rocke is enuironed or compassed with the Sea Of the fish that is in this great Riuer before named Cap. 26. BEfore that I procede any further I meane to treate particularly of the fish that is founde in the fayre Riuer of Ganabara otherwise named Ianaria which are in great abundance amōg the which there are oysters of which the shell shineth like fine pearles y t which oysters the wild mē do commonly eate with other little fish that the children fish and these oysters are like to those that beare pearles of the which also there are founde in that countrey but not so fine as those of Calicut and other places in the Easte Moreouer these wilde men fish for other great fish of the which there is great plenty Their vse and maner to take them is that they being naked in the water be it fresh or salt shoote at them with their arrowes to the which they are very expert then they draw them out of the water with a corde made of cotton or of the pille of some trée or else the fish being dead floateth of himself aboue the water Among these fishes there is one very monstrous the which they name in their language Panapana lyke to a Dog fish the skin whereof is very rough this fishe hath sixe holes or spurgings on eche side of the throte like to a Lampron the head monstrous and the eyes almost at the ende of the heade so that from the one eye to the other ther is distant a foote and a half this fish is geason notwithstanding the flesh is not so excellēt to eate for it hath the taste of a Dog fish Moreouer there is in this floud or riuer a great multitude of thornebacke skaate fish but not like to ours in Europe they are twise as large and more longer the head flat and long at the ende of which there is twoo hornes being a foote long a péece and betwene these hornes are the eyes and hir tayle is two foote long and sclender like a Rats tayle the wilde men of the countrey will not eate of them for no good neither of the Torterel For they imagin and think that euen as this fish is slowe in swimming it wolde also make them heauie and slowe by the which meanes they might be taken of their enimies so that they coulde not runne nor folow nimbly the course They name this fish in their language Ineuonia The fish of this riuer generally is good to eate so is the sea fish that coasteth that countrey but not so delicate as the fish vnder the lyne in other places of the sea I will not forget nor leaue out now that I am in purpose of fish to shewe a maruellous thing and worthy of memorie In this lande or coūtrey about the riuer before named are trées growing on the sea borders or brinkes couered with oysters alwayes to the very top you shall vnderstande that when the sea swelleth it casteth the floud very high and far on the lande twise in .24 houres so that the water couereth oftentymes these trées so that the oysters being brought in by these springtydes take holde and close against the branches being of an vncredible multitude of the which when the wilde men minde to eat they cut the branches of the trée being so charged and loden with oysters as we doe here a branch of a peare trée being loden with peares the which they eate more commonly than greater oysters that are in the sea for bicause say they that they are more wholesomer and haue a better taste and that they wil not engender feuers so soone as the others Of America generally Cap. 27. NOwe that I haue treated particularly of the places wheras we did most remaine after that we had takē land chiefly of y e wheras the Sieur of Villagagnon doeth inhabite with other French men euen at this day
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
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
doeth more increase Thus far touching Perou which in our retourne we coasted on y e left hand as in sayling thether we costed Africa Of the Ilands of Perou and chiefly of the Spanish Iland Cap. 71. NOw y t I haue shewed of y e lande of Perou seing y t in y e course we haue in oure returne costed certaine Ilands on the Weast Sea called the Ilands of Perou for that they border the lande I thinke it good in lyke case somewhat to write thereof for bicause we were some to the heigth of one of these Ilandes named the Spanish Iland by those that first did discouer it being before named Haiti which is as much to say as sharpe or sower land Also it was named Quisqueia the great and of a truthe it is so faire and great that from the east to the west it is .50 leagues long and of bredth from the North to the South .40 and in compasse or cyrcuit more than .400 and is beyond the Equinoctiall lyne .18 degrees hauing toward the East the Iland of Saint Iohn with many other small Ilands much to be feared and dangerous for Saylers and toward the West it hath the Ilands of Cuba and Iamaica on the North syde the Ilands of the Canibals and toward the South the Cape of Vela planted on the mayne land This Iland sheweth lyke to Sycilly in tymes past that first was named Trinacria for y t it had .3 promētaries very eminēt lyke vnto that of which we speake the which hath thrée standing very farre into the Sea of the which the first is named Tyburon the second Higney y e third Labos which is a syde of y e Iland which they haue named Beata almost full of y e wood Gaiac In this Spanish Iland are found many fayre Riuers among y e which y t chiefest named Orane passeth rounde aboute y e chiefest Citie named by y e Spaniards Sainst Dominick the others are Nequa Hatibonice Haqua full of very good fishe and pleasant to eate the which is bicause of the temperatnesse of the Ayre and goodnesse of the ground and of the water these Riuers runne about into the Sea almost all on the East syde y e which méeting together make a very large Riuer bancked on both sydes before that this Iland was discouered of y t Christiās it was inhabited with wilde men that were Idolaters worshipping the diuel who shewed him self to them in diuers similitudes lykenesse Also they made many sundry Idols according to the visions sights that they had as they do at this present in many Ilands maine land of that countrey the others worship many gods chiefly one aboue the rest the which they esteme to be a maker of all things and they represēt his figure in an Idoll of wood being set in some trée garnished with leaues and fethers Likewise they worship the Sunne the Moone other celestiall creatures the which now the inhabitāts that are there do not vse for that they are reformed to y t Christian faith and to all kynde of ciuilitie I know wel that in times paste there haue ben some y t haue not regarded it We reade of Caius Caligula an Emperor of Rome though he dispraised hated y t diuine power yet neuerthelesse he quaked trembled for feare when y t there appeared any shew or tokē of gods wrath But before y t this Iland of which we speake was brought to subiection vnder the Spaniards as I haue ben enformed of those that were at the conquest the wylde men killed aboue ten thousād Christians vntil y t the Spaniards had fortified thē selues in certain places after which time they killed a great multitude of y e inhabitants y e rest y t were left they led captiue into diuers countreys and made them slaues And after this sort they haue vsed them of y e Ilands of Cuba of S. Iohn Iamaique the holy crosse the Canibals with many other Ilands maine countrys For at the first the Spaniards Portingals for that they would haue the better dominion rule learned to liue after their maner alluring them by gifts and faire woordes always keping them in their fauor vntill that in proces of time they saw how that they were able to mate and ouercome them then they began to reuolte from their former vse taking this rude people and vsing them lyke slaues they prouoked them to labor the earth otherwise they had neuer come to the perfection of their enterprise The mightiest kings of this countrey are in Casco and Apina rich and famous Ilands aswell for the Golde and Siluer that there is founde as for the fruitfulnesse of the land The inhabitāts weare nothing but Golde about them as large bouckles of two or thrée pound waight y e péece hanging at their eares the weight whereof maketh their eares to hang halfe a foote long the which causeth the Spaniards to cal them greate eares This Iland is very rich in Mynes of Golde as are many others of that countrey for there are founde few or none but either hath Mynes of Gold or Siluer Furthermore it doeth abounde with horned beastes as Oxen Kyne Shéepe Goates and an infinit number of Hogs also very fayre Horses the which beastes for the most parte are become wylde as we haue shewed of the maine lande As touching Corne and wyne they haue none but that which is brought from other places and therefore in stede of bread they eate much Cassade made of the meale of Rootes and in sted of wyne they haue very good and swéete drynks made of diuerse fruites as the Syder of Normandy They haue an infinit number of good fish of the which some are very straunge among the which there is one named Manaty the which is taken in the ryuers and also in the Sea but the greatest store are in Ryuers This fish is lyke to a Bucke or Goats skynne being fylled wyth oyle or wine hauing two féete on both sydes of the shoulders with the which he swimmeth and from the brest to the tayle deminisheth of greatnesse his head is lyke to the head of an Oxe hauing a slender face the chyn ful great and very lyttle eyes this fish is ten foote broade twenty foote long hauing a graye skynne heary lyke to an Oxe hyde so that with his skynne the people of the coūtrey make showes according to their maner his féete are all rounde garnished eche one with foure long clawes lyke to the féete of an Oliphant This fish is more disformed and mishapen than any kynde of fish in that countrey Notwithstanding very good to eate hauing a tast more lyke to vele than fishe The inhabitans of that countrey do gather the grease of the sayde fishe for that it is very good for their Goate skyns of the which they make very good marokyns the black slaues or Neigers do anoynt their bodies there with to
clymat zone or paralegie it be aswel of the sea costes Ilandes and mayne land the temperatnesse of the ayre the forme and maner of liuing of the inhabitants the forme and propertie of beasts of the earth and of the sea also of trees and roots with their frutes mines and precious stones shewing it liuely and truely as neare as is possible As touching the reste I wold thinke my selfe happie if that it would please you to accepte and receiue this my little labor with as willing a heart as I doe present it as for the rest I am assured that it wil be agreable if the Reader thinke well and way in his minde the long and dangerous peregrination that I haue taken in hand for to see with the eye to bring to light those things most memoriall that I cold note and gather together as hereafter shalbe sene The first Chapter How the Author tooke shipping ALthough that the firmament and all things that are contayned vnder the Moone euen to the scope of the earth séeme as the veritie is to haue bene made for man yet neuerthelesse it is so that dame Nature mother of all things hath bene and is alwayes such a one that she hath preserued and kept hid within the things that are most precious and excellentest of hir worke yea she hath remised hir selfe contrary to things artificiall the moste expertest workeman that euer was were it Appelles or Phidias euen so as in the outwarde shew remayneth the paynting grauing or decking of the vessel or statue and within it remayneth altogether rude and vnpollished But in nature we sée the contrary Let vs first take example by the humayne body Al the art and excellencie of nature is hidden within also of al other naturall bodies the exterior or outwarde parte is nothing in comparison if that of the interior part it taketh not his perfection The earth sheweth outwardly a sorowful and heauy face being for the most parte couered with stones thornes and thistles or such lyke but if the husbandman minde to open it with the plough he shall finde this vertue so excellent redy to bring him forth abundance and to recompence him a thousand folde Also the vertue of the roote of the plante being without a harde barcke sometimes single sometimes double that part of the frute that is most precious wherein the vertue to bring forth his lyke is hid within as in the surest place or belly of the sayd frute Euen as the laborer or husbandman hauing tylled the earth receiueth thereby greate profit and aduantage others not contented onely to sée the waters would in like case sounde them by the way of this noble Nauigatiō with shippes and vessels and for bicause that thereby they haue founde gathered inestimable riches y t which is not without reason seing al things were made for man the Nauigation is become by little little so frequented and folowed of men that many not continually remaining in vnconstant Ilands haue in the end aborded the mayne land good and fruitfull the which before the experiēce was not thought neither according to the opiniō of our elders Therefore the principal cause of our Nauigatiō was for that Mounsieur de Villegagnon knight of Malta a very expert gentleman as wel in Nauigation as in other honest comely affaires hauing with more deliberation receiued the Kings commaundement for that he was sufficiently enformed of my voyage made into the countrey of Leuant and the good perfect knowledge that I had in Nauigation did most instantly request me yea vnder the Authoritie of the King my soueraygne Lorde Prince to whom I owe all honor obedience charging and commaunding me to assist him in the accomplishing of his enterprise the which I frely graūted as wel for the obediēce that I will giue to my natural Prince according to my capacitie as also for the honestie of the thing although it was payneful And therfore the sixt day of May 1555. after that the sayd Mounsieur de Villegagnon had giuen order for the rigging and trimming of his ships for munitions other things of warre but with much greater difficultie than to an Armie marching on the lād and to the qualitie of his men of al estats gentlemē souldiers and diuers artificers to be short all things being made redy and prepared in as good order as might be the tyme being come for vs to take shipping at new Hauen a porte town the cause why it was so named I will shew before passing further being so named to my iudgement of this worde that signifieth sea or straight or if you say Hauen ab hauriendis aquis lying in Normandie whereas forsaking the lande we hoysed sayle sayling vpon that great sea by good right named Occean bicause of his raging of this Greke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as som iudge being wholy vnder the power and mercy of the winde and waues I know well that in times past according to the superstitious Religion of the Gentiles many made their Vowes Prayers and Sacrifices to diuers Goddes according as their necessitie did shewe then among those that would goe on the water some before hande would caste some péece of money therein as a presente or offering for to cause the Goddes of y e sea to be fauorable and to appease their Ire Others attributing som deuinitie to the windes thought to appease them by strange ceremonies As we find the Calabrians to haue done to Lapix a wind so named likewise the Thurins and Pamphiliens to certayne others Also we reade in Aeneidos in Virgill if it be worthy of credence that notwithstanding the importunate prayer of Iuno to Aeolus King of windes the miserable Troyan remayned on the sea and the quarrell of the Goddes that did folowe By this we may euidently knowe the error and abuse with the which the Antiquitie was blinded being an erronious and damnable opinion attributing to one of the least creatures and vnder the power of man that which appertayneth to the onely Creator to whome I cannot sufficiently giue prayse in this place for his fauor shewed to vs in deliuering vs out of such blinded ignoraunce And for my parte for that of his onely grace he hath so fauoured our voyage that giuing vs a good full winde we haue safely and peaceably passed the streights and from thence to the Canaries Ilands distant from the equinoctial .27 degrées and from our France fiue hūdreth leagues or there about Now for many reasons I thought good to begin this my discourse at our embarkment and shipping as by a more certaine and sure meane the which being done I thinke louing Reader if that you take pleasure to reade it I doute not but to guide you from point to point and from place to place euen from the beginning vnto the end as right as is possible obseruing the longitude and latitude of countries Neuerthelesse whereas I
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
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
water will they or not and by this meanes they are taken It is otherwise sayd that in the night they come out of the Sea seking their repast and after they are full and weary they fall a sléepe on the water neare to the shore wheras they are easily taken for they are heard how they snort in sléeping beside many other wayes and meanes which were to long to rehearse As touching their couer and shell I leaue you to iudge of what thicknesse it may be proportioned to his greatnesse Also in y e coast of the straight of Magelan and of the riuer of plate the Indians make thē shieldes which serue them for to receiue the blowes of arrowes of their enimies Likewise the Amazones on the coast of the peaceable Sea make their Bulwarkes when that they are assailed of the enimies And for my parte I may boldely say that I haue séene suche a shell of a Torterell that a hande gun could in no wise pierce We néede not to aske how many the Insulares or Ilande dwellers of Caape verde doe take and eate as we woulde doe héere Béefe or Mutton Also it is like to Veale and almost of the same taste The wilde man of India America will in no wise eate of them persuading with them selues that it would make them heauy as it is an heauy meat which wold be a great let or hinderaunce to them in the warres for that being heauy they cannot pursue lightly their enimies in the warre neither escape them selues To conclude I wil rehearse a Historie of a Gentleman Portingalls that was a Leper who for the great paine that he receiued of his disease séeking all the meanes he could to absent himselfe from his Countrey as one being in extreame dispaire after he had knowledge of the conquest of these faire Ilands by those of his countrey was bent for recreation to goe thither so that he prepared himselfe in the best order he coulde with ships men and artillery and beastes aliue specially Goates of the which they haue quantitie And in the ende he landed in one of the Ilandes who for the taste that his disease caused him to haue or for that he was weary of eating of fleshe the which they vse customably in their Countrey he had a desire to eate egges of Torterels the which he did for the space of two yeares in suche sorte that in the ende he was healed of his Leprosie Now I would gladly aske whether that by the temperatenesse of the aire he recouered his healthe which he had chaunged or the meate that he eate I thinke verily that bothe the one and the other was the cause As touching the Torterell Plinie who speaking as well for sustenaunce as for medicine maketh no mention that it should be good against the Leprosie Neuerthelesse he sayeth that it is good against many poysons specially against the Salmander by a Antipathia that is betwéene them two and mortall enmitie Whether that this beast hath any hid propertie against this euill I leaue to the Phylosophers and Physitions and so ye may sée that experience hath geuen the knowledge of many medicines Of the which none cā giue any certaine reason wherfore I wold that some wold proue the experience of these of our Countrey the which to my iudgement shold be more better more sure than Vipers so much commended in this affection and of which is cōposed and made the great Theriaque knowing that it is not sure to vse Vipers bicause of the poyson y t they bear what so euer they say the which thing was also firste known by experience It is also sayd that many vpon the example of this Portingall haue gone thither to whom it hath also wel succeded This much therfore shall suffice for Torterels and as for the Goates that this gētleman bare thither they haue there so well multiplied that at this present there are an infinite nūber some holde opinion that their original commeth from thence that before there was none séene Nowe there resteth to speake of an herbe that they name in their lāguage Orselie this herbe groweth on the tops of high and accessible rockes without any earthe of the which there is great aboundaunce and for to gather it they fasten ropes on these Mountaines or rockes then they clime vpwarde by the lower ende of this corde or rope and scraping the rocke with certaine instruments that they haue make it to fall as a chimney swéeper doeth the which they reserue and let it down by a rope in baskets or other vessels The vse of this herbe is for to make coloures as héere before we haue shewed Of the Ilande of Fire Cap. 15. AMong other secretes I wil not leaue out y e ile of fire so named for that it casteth cōtinually a flame of fire suche a one that if the elders had had thereof any knowledge they wold haue written it among other things aswel as of the Mountaine of Vesuue and of the hill Etna of the which for a truthe they rehearse maruels As touching Etna in Sicilie it hath cast the fire sometimes with a meruellous noise as in the time of Marcus Emilius T. Flaminus as writeth Orosa the which many other Historiographers doe affirme as Strabo the which affirmeth to haue séene it and diligently considered The which maketh me to beleue somewhat also in the respecte of these men that haue spoken thereof Also they are not so farre off but y t we may proue whether it be true or no. I know well that some of our writers would say that one of the Ilandes of Canaria casteth continually fire but let him take héede that he take not that of which we speake for the other Aristotle in his boke of maruels speaketh of an Ilande discouered by the Carthaginiens not inhabited which did cast flames of fire beside many other wonderfull things Notwithstanding I cannot thinke that they haue knowen this muche lesse the hill Etna for it was knowen before the raigne of the Carthaginiens As for the hil of Pussola it lieth on the maine land and if any one wil say otherwise I will notwithstand them as for my parte I cannot finde that euer it was found out but since a M. D. and .xxx. with others as well néere as farre There is also an other hill in Hirland named Hecla the which at certaine times casteth stones as thought they had come out of a fiery furnace so that the ground within .v. or .vj. leagues about is barren and vnprofitable bicause of the ashes that procéede out of this hill wherwith the ground is couered This Ilande of which we speake containeth vij leagues compasse by good right called the Ile of fire for the Mountaine hauing of Circuite .679 paces and of height a thousand and fiftie fadome or there about casteth continually fire at the top the which may be séene thirty or forty leagues on the sea much more clearer
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
noyse about the ships side that we could not hear one another speke whether this is bicause of y e heat of the Sunne or for any other reasons I leaue that to the Philosophers There resteth nowe to shewe that euen about our Equinoctiall I taasted the water the which was more swéeter pleasāter to drinke thā in other places wheras it is very salt though that many affirme the contrarie iudging that it shoulde be rather more salter for that it draweth to the lyne whereas the heate is most vehement knowing that from thence commeth the saltnesse of the sea and therfore that shoulde be more swéeter that is towarde the Poles I do verily thinke that from the one Pole to the other euen to the line that as the ayre is not equally temperat so in like case the water is not temperat But vnder the lyne the temperatnesse of the water doeth folowe the temperatnesse of the ayre Therefore there is a good reason why the water in that part is more swéeter than in other places Being passed this line we found the sea more and more calmer and peaceable keping our course towarde the Caape of good hope That not onely all that is vnder the lyne is inhabited but also al the worlde is inhabited contrary to the opinion of our elders Cap. 19. IT is euidently sene howe greate the curiositie of men is either for a desire to knowe things or for to attayne to possessions or else to auoyde Idlenesse that they haue hazarded them selues as the wise man sayth and beside him the Poet Horace sayth in his Epistles to all dangers and trauels for to eschew pouertie to leade a more quiet life without trouble or payne Notwithstanding it might be ynough for them to know and vnderstande that the soueraygne workmaster hath made with his owne handes this worlde al rounde so that the water hath ben separated from the lande to the ende that more commodiously euery one might inhabit in his proper Eliment or at the leaste in that place whereas he thought moste beste Neuerthelesse not content with this they would knowe if it be all ouer inbabited Notwithstanding for such finding out and diligence I esteme them for my parte as much and rather more worthy of prayse than our late writers and Nauigators for that they haue first opened to vs these things Otherwise with greate payne we could not haue knowen them nor comprehended but Thales Pithagoras Aristotle and many others as well Greekes as Latins haue sayde that it is not possible that all partes of the world should be inhabited the one parte for the greate and vnsuportable heate another parte for the great and vehemēt cold Other Authors deuiding the world into two parts called Himisperes one of y e which they say can in no wise be inhabited But the other parte in the which we are muste of necessitie be inhabited And so of foure partes of the worlde they take away thrée so that to their opinion there shoulde rest but two that be habitable And for the better vnderstanding thereof to eche one excepting those that haue knowledge thereof I will declare this more playner minding therefore to proue that al the world is inhabited They suppose that there is fiue zones in all the worlde by the which they will measure and compasse all the earth of the which two are colde two temperate and the other hot And if you wil know how they gather these fiue Zones extende your lefte hande towarde the Sunne rysing being the fingers spredde abroade and by this meane Probus Grammaticus dyd teach or instructe Then when you haue beheld the Sunne thorough the lower parts of your fingers bowe and bende them euery one in forme or manner of a Circle By the thumbe ye shall knowe the colde zone which is the North the which by the excessiue coldenesse as they doe affirme is vnhabited Neuerthelesse the experience hath shewed within fewe yeares that all those partes well néere to our Pole also vnder the Paralezey Artike ioyning to the Hyperbores as Scauia Dacea Swetherlande Gotlande Norway Denemarcke Thilia Lyuonia Pilapea Pruse lande Russia Muscouia Ruthenie whereas there is nothing but Ise and continual coldnesse to benotwithstanding inhabited with frowarde and brutish men The which to our Englishe Marchantes is well ynough knowen Therefore the Ancient writers in this do greatly erre are not to be beleued hauing onely spoken by gesse and thought and not by experience Let vs speake of the other zones the other finger next to the thumbe doeth signifie the tempeperat zone the which is inhabited extendeth to the tropicke of Cancer though y t in drawing néere it be more hot than temperat as that which is iustly in the midst that is to know betwene this tropicke the Pole The thirde finger doeth represent the zone placed betwene the two tropickes named Torrida bicause of the extreme heate of the Sunne the which resteth and burneth vp all and therefore it was iudged vnhabitable The fourth finger is the other zone temperated of the Antipodes a meane betwene the tropicke of Capricorne and the other Pole the which is inhabited The fifth which is the little finger signifieth the other zone colde the which in like case they haue estemed vnhabited for the like reason as they alleged for the former Pole of the which we may say as much as we haue sayde of the North parte for the like reason is of bothe After then that this rule or example is knowen it is easily knowen what partes of the Worlde are inhabited and which are not according to the opiniō of the Auncient writers Plinie diminishing that which is inhabited sayth that of the fiue partes that are named zones we muste take away thrée bicause they are not inhabited the which hath bene shewed by the thumbe the greate finger and the little finger Also he taketh away al that occupieth the Weast sea And in another place he writeth that y e earth that is vnder y e Zodiack is onely inhabited The causes that he allegeth why these thrée zones are vnhabited is the vehement colde which for the farre distance absence of the Sunne is in y e Region of the two Poles and the greate and extreme heate that is vnder the zone Torrida is bicause of the continuall presence of the Sunne As much doe our late Theologiās affirme and write The contrary notwithstanding may be shewed by the writings of these Authors before alleged by the authoritie of Philosophers specially of our tyme by the witnessing of holy Scriptures and then by experience which passeth all the which by me hath bene made Strabo Mela Plinie although that they disproue the zones write neuerthelesse that there are men in Ethiopia in the Ilande named by the elders Aurea and also in the Ile Tabroban Malaca and Zamotra vnder the zone Torrida also that Scandenauia the hills Hyperbores and the countrey adiacent
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
these wilde men of which we speake but the vanitie of this worlde shall cease when it pleaseth God Now to our matter we began to shew that there is a kinde of Magike most damnable that is called Thurgia or Goetia ful of enchantementes wordes ceremonies and inuocations hauing yet vnder hir certaine other kindes of the which as it is sayde was inuenter Zabulus As touching the true and perfit Magike the which is to seke and know heauenly things to celebrate and honor God it hath bene commended of many noble graue personages such had the thrée Kings that went to seke out Christe and such Magike is taken to be perfit and pure wisdome The Persians woulde not receiue any into the dignitie of their Empire vnlesse he had lerned this Magike that is if he were not wise For Magus in their language is wise in oures and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gréeke is Sapiens in Latine Of the which was the inuentor as it is sayde Zalmoxis and Zorastria not he that is so common but he that was sonne to Oromasia Also Plato in his Alcibiades saith that he verily thinketh that the Magike of Zorastria is no other thing but to know and celebrate God the which to know and vnderstande he him self with Pithagoras Empedocles and Democrites hazarded themselues bothe by sea and by lande going into strange countries for to learne and know this Magike I knowe well that Plinie and many others haue enforced themselues to attaine thereto As for me I thought good to speake thus much by the way séeing it commeth now in purpose as touching our wilde men How these Americans beleue the soule to be immortall Cap. 37. THis poore people although they be ignorant erre yet their errour and ignorance is more to be borne with all than the Arians of our tyme which being not content to haue bene created to the image and lykenesse of the eternal God perfit aboue al creaturs against all scripture and miracles they wil shew themselues like brute beastes without lawe or reason and therefore bicause of their obstinate errour they shoulde be handled lyke beastes for there is no beaste be he neuer so wilde and brutish but will obey and serue man as the very image of God the which we dayly sée But it will one day come to passe that these wicked Imps shall well knowe that there resteth somewhat after the death of this worlde that at the later day shall appeare before the maiestie of God there to giue account of their wicked and damnable errour Nowe therefore these poore people do think y e soule to be immortal the which they name in theyr language Cherepicouare the which I knewe in asking of them what became of their soule when they were deade The soules sayde they of them that haue valiantly faught with their enimies goeth with many other soules to places of pleasure goodly woods gardens and orchardes but to the contrarie those that haue not well defended their countrey nor resisted their enimies shall goe with Agnan that is to the wicked spirite that tormented them On a tyme I boldened my self to aske or inquire of a greate King of that countrey as touching the immortalitie of the soule who was come aboue thirtie leagues of to sée vs but he answered me fiercely in his language these words Knowest thou not sayd he that after we be dead our soules go into a far countrey wheras they be founde altogether in fayre goodly places as our Prophets doe say that visit them oftentimes speke vnto them the which opinion they beleue and holde of a truthe Another tyme we went to visit another greate King of that countrey named Pindahouson whome we founde sicke in his bed of an Ague who among other things demaunded of me what became of the soules of our friendes and others when they dyed and I made answere that they went with Toupan the which he dyd easily beleue vpon the which he answered me these wordes come hether sayde he I haue hearde thée speake much of Toupan that can doe all things speake to him for me that I be healed and if I can be made whole I will giue thée many faire giftes yea I wilbe clad and arrayed as thou art beare such a greate bearde and honor Toupan as thou doest And in dede when that he was whole the Lorde of Villegagnon was determined to haue him baptized and therefore he kept him alwayes with him They haue another foolish opinion the which is that being on the water be it sea or Riuer for to goe against their enimies if that in the meane time there arise a tempest or rage on the water as many times ther doth they thinke that it commeth of the soules of their parents or friendes but wherefore they cannot tell and for to appease the tempest they cast some thing into the water in tokē of a present or offering thinking by this meanes to appease the windes Furthermore when any of them die be he King or other before that they lay them in their graue if that there be any that hath any thing belonging or partayning to the dead body they will not kepe it backe but wil bring it and deliuer it openly restore it before them all for to be put into the earth with him otherwise they doe thinke that the soule after that it is separated from the body wil come and molest them that kepe their goodes I woulde to God that many amongst vs were of the lyke opinion I meane without errour then would they not kepe backe deade mens goodes from poore orphelins and others Now they hauing restored to the deade man that which is his he is surely bounde with ropes of cotton and of the pithe of trées so that it is vnpossible as they thinke for him to reuiue and come agayne the which they doe greatly feare saying that to the elders it hath so chaunced and that hath made them since to looke better to it How these wilde men make warre one against another specially against those whome they name Margageas and Thabaiares Also of a tree which they name Hayri of the which they make their weapons for warre Cap. 38. THese people of America are greate quarrellers against their neighbors chiefly against those whome they name in their language Margageas Thabaiares hauing no other meane to appease their quarrell they fight cruelly one with another They gather together vpon a .6000 men sometymes ten or .12000 village against village or otherwise as they do méete the like do those of Perou and the Canibals And before that they execute any greate enterprise be it in warre or otherwise they assemble and come together chiefly the eldest sorte without their wiues or children with such a grace and modesty that they wil speake one after another and be that speaketh shal be heard with attētiue silence who hauing declared his minde giueth place to
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
againste theyr enimies in the iuyce or lykor of this fruite There is yet another of the whiche the lykor that commeth forth is poyson notwithstanding the roote is very good to eate and therewith they make breade as in America although that the truncke the branches the leaues do not greatly differ The reason why this trée shoulde beare bothe sustenance and poyson I leaue to the Philosophers to iudge contemplate Their vsage in warre is as the Americans and other Canibals of which we haue shewed Of the Riuer of Amazones otherwise named Aurelane by the which ye maye sayle into the countrey of Amazones and into Fraunce Antartike Cap. 62. WHilest that I haue pen in hande for to write of places discouered and inhabited beyonde our Equinoctiall betwene the South and the West for to bring things to light and to giue more euident knowledge I am determined to set out in writing a voyage as farre as difficile and hard and most dangerously aduentured of the Spaniards as wel by water as by lande vnto the Territorie of the peaceable sea otherwise called Mare Magellan or the sea of Magellan wheras are the Ilandes of Moluques and others And for that ye shall note this better ye shall vnderstande that the King of Spayne hath vnder his obedience much lande in the West Indies as wel in Ilands as mayn land at Perou America the which by succession of time he hath obtained and gotten by which meanes at this day he receiueth great profit from thence Now among others a Spanish Captayne being in his princes behofe at Perou minded on a day to discouer as wel by lande as by water to the Riuer of Plate the which is distant from Caape S. Augustine 700. Leagues beyonde the line and from the sayd Caape to the Ilandes of Perou about thrée hundreth leagues This Captayne not waying the difficultie that there was in the long way neither in the excessible high mountaines neyther yet in the people nor in the wilde beasts but onely in the executing of this high enterprise beside the wonderfull riches wich being done he should get him selfe an immortall fame for him and all his posteritie This Captayne hauing therefore made all things in a redinesse and in good order as the case required carying with him certayne Marchandise whereby to get vittails by the way and other munitions hauing in his company fiftie Spaniards with a certayne number of slaues for to labor and to doe other seruice with certayne Indians that had bene made Christians as well for to conduct them as for to intreprete the languages set forward with certaine Caruels or smal Skifs on the Ryuer of Aurelana the which I may well testifie is the moste longest and largest that is in all the worlde hys breadth is .59 leagues and his length more than a thousande Many call it the swéete sea the which procedeth from the sides of the high mountaynes of Molubeba with the Ryuer of Marignan notwithstanding their entrie or beginning is distant .104 leagues one from another and they are mixed aboue sixe hundreth leagues within the playne countrey the sea or floode entering in aboue .40 leagues This Ryuer increaseth at certayne tymes of the yere as doeth Nill that passeth by Egypte proceding from the mountaynes of the Moone according to the opinion of some the which also I thinke to be so It was named Aurelana by the name of him that firste made vpon it a long Nauigation Neuerthelesse before it was discouered by some that haue named it in their Cardes the Ryuer of Amazones it is very dangerous bicause of certayne rockes and other inconueniences which cannot be auoyded but with greate difficultie Being entered somewhat farre into the Ryuer there are certayne fayre Ilands of whiche some are peopled the others not Moreouer this Riuer is dangerous all a long for that it is peopled as wel in the Ilandes as on the banckes with many strange and Barbarous people the whiche of a long tyme haue had enimitie and hatred to Spanyardes and others strangers fearing leaste they shoulde aborde theyr countrey and spoyle them Also if that by misfortune they get any they kill them without remission And eate them rosted and boyled as they doe other flesh Therefore taking ship in one of these Ilandes of Perou named the Holy Crosse in the greate Sea for to get the straight of this floode or Ryuer with a fayre winde they set of coasting néere ynough to the lande for to vew and knowe the countrey the people and for many other commodities Coasting then in their Nauigation nowe héere now there as the commoditie did permit the wilde men of the countrey shewed themselues in greate number on the bankes with certayne signes of admiration séeing this strange Nauigatiō and array of people vessels and munitions proper for warre In the meane tyme the Nauigantes were not a little astonyed for their parte for to sée such a multitude of vnciuill people and altogether brutish which by their countenance shewed that they would destresse them the which occasion caused them to sayle rowe a long time without casting anker or setting foote on lande Notwithstanding at the last famine and other necessities caused them in the ende to strike sayle and let fall anker The which they hauing done about a handgunne shot from the lande there rested no other thing but with flattering signes and other meanes to winne the fauor of the wild men for to get some vittails and space to reste their weary bones So that some of the wild men being in their little boates made of the barcke of trées being allured with these fayr shewes did ieopard themselues to approch not without some doubt hauing neuer sene Christiā come so néere to their limites Notwithstanding their feare the Spaniards made signe of more friendship shewing them kniues and other small Iron workes shining the which caused thē to approche And after y t they had made vnto them presentes of small value this wilde people went with al diligence to purchase and get them some vittails so at length they brought them great plenty of fish fruits of maruelous excellencie according as y e coūtrey brought forth Among other things one of these wild men hauing bene the day before in skirmishe had taken foure of his enimies Canibals and presented to them two members rosted the which the Spaniards refused These wild men as they sayde were of high stature fayre bodied and all naked as others are bearing on their stomackes broade péeces of Golde the others greate péeces shining of fine Golde well poolished in forme of rounde looking Glasses Ye nede not demaūde if that the Spaniards change their marchandise for such riches I beleue truely they escaped not so at the least they did their good will Now these poore Pilgrims being thus refreshed and vitteled for that tyme reseruing somewhat for after claps before they tooke their leaue they gaue more
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
and others but Ptolome did since inuente degrées for to measure bothe the Sea and the land which before was not a lyke measured and this is much more easy It is then Ptolome that hath compassed the whole worlde by Degrées as wel in length as in bredth finding 360. Leagues and in euery degrée .17 Leagues a half as I vnderstande of our Pilots that are expert in Nauigation So that the whole world hauing the Firmament and the Elementes in his conference contayneth .360 degrées equally by twelue signes whereof euery one hath 30. degrées for .12 tymes .30 make iust .360 A degrée contayneth .60 minutes a minut .60 thirdes a thirde .60 fourthes a fourth .60 fifthes vnto .60 tenthes For the proportions of the firmament may be parted in so many partes as we haue sayde Then by the degrées we find the longitude latitude and distance of places the latitude from the line to our Pole whereas there is .90 degrées and so much beyonde the longitude is taken from the fortunate Ilands to the Easte Wherefore I saye to conclude that the Pilot that woulde sayle ought to consider thre things the firste in what hight of degrées he findeth himselfe and in what hight the place is that he will goe to secondly the place where he findeth himselfe and the place whether he hopeth to goe that is to know what distance and length there is from one coaste to another Thirdly to knowe what winde or windes wil serue for Nauigation all the whiche he may knowe and sée by his compasse and other Instrumentes of the Sea Folowing alwayes our course sixe degrées at this side our lyne kéeping the Caape on the North of vs vntill the .15 day of Aprill at which tyme we knewe the Sunne to be directly vnder our Zenith the which was not without enduring great heat as ye may wel thinke if ye consider the heat y t is hetherwarde the Sunne being in Cancer whiche is far from our Zenith to vs that inhabit in Europe Nowe afore going any farther I wil speake of certayne flying fishes that I left out when I spake of fishes vnder the lyne It is therefore to be noted that vnder the lyne ten degrées on this side and beyonde there is founde aboundance of flying fish that flyeth hye in the ayre being folowed of another fish that woulde deuoure him So that by the quantitie of him that flyeth ye may easily coniecture the quantitie of the other lyuing by praye Among the which the Dorade of whom we haue before shewed doeth folowe hym aboue all others for that his flesh is very delicate and tender of the which also there are two kinds the one is lyke a herring the which is that which is so chased of others this fish hath foure wings two great ones lyke vnto the wings of a bat and two other little ones néere to the tayle the other is made lyke a Lampron of the which kindes there are fewe found but onely .15 degrées on this side and beyonde the lyne the which to my iudgement is the cause that those that haue set out bookes of fishes haue left them out beside many others The Americans name this fish Pirauena he flieth lyke a Partrige and the little one flyeth much better and higher than the other and sometymes they are so néere chased and folowed specially by night that many tymes they strike againste the ship sayles by heapes and there remayne There is another fish which is called by them Albacore much more greater than the Porpas the which is also a deuourer of the flying fish as wel as the Dorade and he is very good and excellent to eate aboue all other fishes in the sea as well of the Weast as of the Easte He is vneasy to be gotten and therefore they make a counterfet fish of white linnen the which they make to spring aboue water as doeth the flying fish and by this meanes he is most commonly taken Of Perou and of the principal places contayned in the same Cap. 70. NOw kéeping our course hauing the wind very faire we coasted the lande of Perou and the Ilandes being on the coaste of the Weast Sea called the Ilandes of Perou euen to the heigth of the Spanish Ilande of the which we will speake hereafter particularly This countrey as we haue deuided it is one of the thrée partes of the Weaste Indies hauing in length .700 Leagues taking from the North to the South and in bredth .100 Leagues from the Easte to the Weaste being a firme lande from Themestitan passing the straight of Daryen betwene the West and the sea which they name pacifik and it was so named of a Riuer called Perou which is in bredth about a little league as many other prouinces in Africa Asia and Europe haue takē their names of their most famous Riuers as also we haue shewed of Senega This Region is then inclosed with the Weast and the South Sea garnished with thicke forestes and mountaynes the which make the countrey in many places vnaccessible so that we cannot there driue our Cartes and Horses loden there as we do héere In this countrey of Perou there is many faire prouinces among the which the most chiefest towardes the North is Quito the which extendeth in length from the Easte to the Weast aboute 60. Leagues and in bredth .30 Next to Quito is the prouince of the Canaries hauing towardes the Easte the Riuer of Amazones with many mountaynes and hills and inhabited with a Barbarous and wilde people not yet conuerted besides this there is the prouince that the Spaniards haue named S. Iames of olde port beginning within a degrée beyond ▪ the lyne Equinoctiall The fourth which they call in their language Taxamilca extendeth to the greate Citie of Tongilla the which after that their King Atabalyba was poysoned Pizare seing the fruitfull commodities of the countrey caused there to be edified a Town and a Castel There is yet another named Cuzco in the which the Iugies haue long tyme raygned being a people so named whiche haue bene in tymes past mighty Lords And this worde Iugies is as much to say as Kings And in their time their Kingdome limits was so greate and large that it contayned aboue a .1000 Leagues from one end to another Also this countrey beareth the name of the chiefest Citie as doeth Rhodes Metelin Candia other countreys taking their names of the most renomed Townes and Cities as I haue shewed Furthermore being on a tyme at Caape Finistra in Spayne a Spaniarde shewed me that in this countrey of Cuzco there is founde a people that haue their eares hanging downe to their shoulders hauing hanging on their eares greate pieces of fine and pure shining Golde well pollished and better than any other Golde in Perou to whose wordes I will sooner giue credit than to many Historiographers in these daies that writ by heare say reporting to vs
four hūdreth leagues by the said Quartier wheras he foūd the countrey well peopled as well in his second as first Nauigation the people of that countrey is as obediente and as amiable as is possible as familiar as though that alwayes they hadde bene broughte vp together without any signe of yll will or any other rigour And there the sayd Quartier made a certaine hold or castle for to winter him and his likewise for to defend them against the colde weather the which there is very rigorous He was very wel intertained considering the time seson for the inhabitants brought them dayly boates ful of fish as Eeles Lampreys and others like wise fleshe and venison wherof there is great plenty Also they are greate hunters be it either sommer or winter with snares and otherwise they vse a kinde of rackets sette together with cordes of two foote and a halfe of length and one foote broade they were them on their féete in the frost and in the snow chiefly when they go to hunt wild beasts to y e end that in folowing of their chase their féet sinke not into the snow These people ar clad with y e skins of these wild beasts being corried trimmed according to their maner Nowe to take these beasts they wil assēble .x. or .xij. together being weponed with iauelins or boare speares y t are xv or .xvj. foote long and garnished at the ende with the horne of some harte or tooth of some other wild beast the head wherof is at least a foote long the which they vse in steade of yron and Bowes and Arrowes garnished wyth the same Then they follow the footing of the Déere and other wylde beastes in the Snowe the whiche is common all the yeare long and after that they haue founde out their trayne or footyng they wil plant their braunches of Cedre which is gréene there all the yeare long the which they plant in manner of nettes and there they wil hide them being weaponed as before is shewed so that the déere séeing the gréene boughes drawe thytherwarde and then they come forth and cause the déere to quit and forsake that way and enter into the déepe snowes euen vnto the belly where as they can not easily runne nor goe and so by this meanes they are taken and killed and opened in the fieldes and so being wrapt in his skin they drawe him to their houses And after this sort they broughte them to the castle or hold that Iames Quartier did kepe both fleshe and skinne selling them for no other recōpēse than kniues hatchets and other yron tooles Also I will not lette passe one thyng very singular that is when that these people are sicke either of an ague or any other inward disease they take the leaues of a certaine trée which is lyke to a Cedre with the whiche they make a water that they drinke so that there is no disease be it neuer so festred in a mans body but that this drinke will heale within .xxiiij. houres which also Christians haue tried and haue brought the plantes therof into this countrey What religion these Canadians vse with their lyuing and how they resist the cold Ca. 77. THese people in their liuyng and gouerning do not farre differ from the lawe of Nature their matrimonie is that a man may haue two or thrée wiues withoute any other solemnitie as the Americans of whiche we haue alreadie spoken Of their Religion they kéepe no meane nor ceremonie in worshyppyng or praying to God sauyng that they contemplate the newe Moone called in theyr language Osannaha sayeng that Andouagny dothe so call it and then causeth it to spreade by litle and litle Moreouer they doe beleue that there is a Creator more greater than the Sun or the Moone and that hath all vnder his power and it is he whome they call Andouagny and yet they neither knowe what waye to inuocate nor call vpon to praye to him nor to worship him although that in some partes of Canada they worship Idols and wyll haue them sometimes in their lodgings aboue fortie or fiftie the which was shewed me of a truth by a Portingall pylote the which did on a time visite two or thrée villages or hamlettes with the lodgyngs of the inhabitants They beleue that the soule is immortall and that if a man doe euil when he is dead a byrd beareth awaye his soule Contrarywise if that they doe well the soule goeth into a place condecorate wyth goodly faire trees and floures where as there are birds singing melodiously of the which the lord of the countrey of Canada dyd informe vs beyng named Donacoua Aguanna who dyed in Fraunce a good Christian and spake good frenche for he had ben kept there foure yeres And for bicause that I will not be tedious in this historie of these Canadians ye shal note that these people vniuersally are afflicted with continuall colde bycause of the absence of the Sunne as ye may wel vnderstande they inhabite in certaine villages and hamlettes made like to halfe a circle in greatnesse twentie or thirtie paces and ten of breadth couered with barkes of trees some with réedes And God knoweth whether that the colde doth greue them hauing suche yll lodgings yll couered and worse holden vp so that many tymes the pillers with that which vpholdeth the house for the waight of the snowe that most commonly lieth vpon the house falleth down yet notwithstanding this extreme colde they are mightie strong and vnreasonable great trauailers Also all the people that dwell Northe are the lyke some more and some lesse euen as those that dwell towarde the Equinoctiall and south pole are contrary bicause y t the vehement heate of the aire draweth out the naturall heate fo that they are only hot without and cold within the others haue their naturall heate enclosed prouoked to keepe in bicause of y e outward cold which maketh them strong stoute and valiant for the force and facultie of all the parts of the body dependeth of this natural heat The sea that is aboute thys countrey is frosen bicause that it is so farre from the Sun which from the east to the west passeth through the midst of the world And the greater that the naturall heate is the better is a mās appetite and the better doth he brooke and digest meates so that these people towards the north eate more and haue a better stomacke than those in other parts for the which cause oftentimes there is in Canada Famine also for that their fruits rootes and other thinges wherwith they sustaine them is frosen the moste part of the yeare likewise their riuers We haue shewed how that they couer their houses with barkes of trées also they make boates to fish in both for the salt water and the fresh Those of the lande of Labrador their neighbours the which lande was discouered
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
boundance of Rats Sohiatan a kind of Rats Hiexousou another kinde of Rats Gerara a kinde of Serpent Theirab A kinde of straunge fishe The euill disposition of the aire by the Equinoctiall The signification of the Astrolabia How the Author departed from Thequinoctiall Certayne rayne water corrupted The diuision of a degree How ye may know the latitude longitude and distance of places Pirauena Albacore a fish Perou a thirde part of the Spanish Indies Of whence Perou tooke his name The moste renomed prouinces of Perou Quito a RegioÌ„ The prouince of the Canaries S. Iames of olde porte Taxamilca One Cuzco The kingdome of the Iugies Canar a very cold countrey The prouince of Calao Titicata a Lake Laake Carcas a countrey of Perou Platte a large and rych Citie The lande of Perou is lyke the figure of a Tryangle Daryen a straight of land A great superstition of certaine people of Perou Bohitis certaine Priests The Idolatry of these people The Spaniards are lords of all Perou The riches of the Ilandes of Perou Iugas a valiant and riche people Corne wil not prosper nor grow in America Cassade a kinde of sustenance Perou may be thought to be a new Europe The Ilande of Spaine before named Haiti Quisquia The PromeÌ„taries of the Spanish Iland Tiburou Higney Lobos Orane a Riuer Saint Dominic the chiefest citie in that Iland The most renoumed riuers in Noua Espania The auncient Religion of the inhabitans of this Iland C. Caligula Emperour of Rome Casco Apina rich plentifull Ilands The fruitfulnesse of this Iland named Noua Espania Description of Manati a strange fish Stones good for the colyke Diuers fayre workes made by the wylde men with fethers Hulias and Caris a kinde of strange beasts S. Iames Iland S. Iohns Iland The description of the Ile of Cuba A salte hill Salt of the Earth A kinde of Partriges A wonderfull lykor proceding from a hyll Bre a kynde of lykor Why in times past the wales of Babylon were so strong The Ilands of Lucaia The mouÌ„tayne of Potossy very rich in Mynes Themistitan The opinion of two Laake A comparison of Themistitan Ferdinand of Cortes Mutuezuma How they vse to trade The Sea lyke a marishe A starre with a tayle The lying of Florida Why Florida was so named A wylde bull Caape of Baxe Oisters hauing pearles The countrey of Baccalos The poynt of Baccales Baccales a fish The Ilandes of Cortes A voyage by Sebastian Babat Englishman A voiage made by SebastiaÌ„ Babat and Iames Quartier into Canada How the land of Canade lyeth Caape de Loraine or the land of BritoÌ„s The lying of Caape de Loraine Chelogua a ryuer An other region of Canada founde out by Quartier The amiable maners of these Canadiens A kinde of rackets The vse of these rackets How these Canadians doe chase the dere other wilde beastes Howe these Canadians marrie Osannaha Andouagny a God of the Canadians The opinion of the CanadiaÌ„s as touching the immortalitie of the soule Donacoua Aguanna king of the Canadians The extreme colde of the countrâ—y of Canada The Canadians lodgings Why the people toward the north pole are more couragious and hardie than those toward the south A sea that is frosen Oftentimes there is famine in Canada and why The countrey of Labrador founde out by the Spanyards How they labour the earth Myll White beanes Cucumbers and how they vse them A kinde of herbe The vse of this herbe in parfume The Canadians clothing The auncient Galles in the time of Hercules wer like to wylde people The vse of wooll and by whome it was inuented How these Canadiens weare their haire The clothyng that the wiues of Canada vse to weare Howe the Canadians marry Agahanna How they vse their children A superstition vsed by the Turkes The CanadiaÌ„s are warlike people Toutaniens enimies to the Canadians Of Ochelagua and Seguana How they prepare them to make warre These Canadiens vse feates and policie in their warre Another policy How these Canadians march in the warre A kinde of Drummes that they vse Howe they vse to fight Howe our elders in times past vsed to fight Heroditus Virgins vsed to fight one with another at the feasts of the Goddesse Minerua Diodorus The AncieÌ„t custome of the men of Thebes Lacedemonians in fighting How these Canadians treate their enimies The goodnesse of the countrey of Canada The iuyce of a tree hauing a taste like good wine Cotton a tree Naturall vine rootes in Canada Stones like in colour to a mine of golde Mynes of Iron and mynes of Brasse Diamonds of Canada A Prouerbe Opinions on the creation of Crystall Solon Diodorus Crystal of Canada How greatly Cristall was estemed in tymes past of the Ancient Emperours of Rome and to what vse it was put Iasper stones Cassidonies The countrey of Canada is subiect to earthquakes why Hayle rife in Canada Earthquakes are dangerous The opinion of some Philosophers as touching earthquakes What the wind â—â— The inconueniences that folowe earthquakes Seneca Why the TeÌ„ple of Diana was edified on a marish ground Earthquakes in Canada very violent The Ilands of Deuils Cape de Marco Newe found laÌ„d a very cold countrey Oyle of the fat of fishe The superstition of diuers nations in Leuant With what fish the Whale liueth Plinie sheweth that a Whale is dangerous on the sea to mete A fishe that is perpetuall enimie to the Whale Hehec a fishe Foreshewings of tempests Isidorus StrauÌ„ge beasts Two kindes of Egles In his .xvj. boke of his naturall history Virgill Forestof Dodona Howe the men of Newe found land do warre Strange baÌ„ners The Ilandes of Essores why it is so named feared of the Nauigantes Essores The fruitfulnesse of the IlaÌ„ds of Essores Hyrcy Orcantine a kinde of Ceder Plynie A chest of Ceder A ship of Ceder A Prouerbe The Iland of S. Michel Cape Fynistra The Authors conclusion The Authors Cardes contayning the lyeng distances of places