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St, i6 c 7' \ \ ■ J ^ ^.h^ ^ ^ COLLECTION Of Authentic, Ufeful, and Entertaining Voyages and Difcoveries, Digefted in a Chronological Series. Performed by the following celebrated Commander^, viz« •Chriftopher Columbus. j Vafco de Gamj. Pedro Alvarez dc Gabral, Sir Francis Drake. Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir Thomas Cavendifii. 'Oliver Van Noort, George Spilbergen. ^" W. Schooten and J. Le Malre. Captain Monk, The Sufferings of eight Seamen. Al)el Tarman. Dampier. Wafer's Journey acrofs Darlen. Captain Woories Rogers and Courtney, including thcHif- tory of Alexander Selkirk, tsrho was found on the untn> habited Iflandof JuanFernan- des in the South Seas, after four years refidence. Don George Juan, and Don A n« tonio de Ullba. Lord Anfon. Mr. Ellis. Narrative of the Doddingtols Ead-Indiaman. Martinis (and others)Defcrirption of St. Kilda. Ruffian Voyages for the Difcove* ry of a North- Eaft Paflage. By JOHN BARROW, Efq. Author of the Geographical Dictionary. VOLUME I. LONDON, Printed for J. Kn bx, near Southampton-ftrcct, ia the Strand. Mdcclxv. Spitzbrhg-x irate CHART of the ORL.D, lateft Difcoreries. 3\o i\c ■* c A" 3 / Tt\/h.:c rhc TiH^ of T.^futm t^^Tinrt 8 H OI.I.JL39-D ^0 iOO MO JtP J'i J4 (^ihson S.aJ^'. ♦^ c iM Ss7S V.I C.Ji / . f , , ■Ji d^^y <^4^ii^€ //ci' '^ '^Jy '/^M ;.^- '-T^ '.I :> '<■ • * i« if •«. 1 i-' ^■' n(e- K-^ '; ^ ri .». « , ^ J. THE CONTENTS. >»u VOLUME I. * Firft Voyage of Columbus, p. i. _ DISCOVERS the American iflatids, ii— Ac- count of the Indians, 12— Several iflands de- fcribed, 15 — Cuba difcovered, 16 — Lands in Hifpa- niola, 20 — Tortuga dcfcribed, 21— Sails for Spain, 27— —Treachery of the Portuguefe, 19— Arrives at Lilbon, 40-— •Is kindly received in Spain, 32. Second Voyage of Columbus, p. 33. Sails for America, 34 — Arrives at Dominica, 35 — Guadaloupe defcribed, ^6 — Unhappy cataftrophe of the Spaniards at Hifpaniola, 39 — ^The admiral erc&a a new fort, 41 — Sails for Jamaica, 46— Lands in that ifland, ibid.— Is joineJ by his brother, 52 Defeats a large army of Indians, C4 Is oppofed by a body of amazons, 57 — Arrives in Spain, 59. Third Voyage of Columbus, p. 60. Sends three of his (hips to Hifpaniola, 61— Viiita Cape dc Verd iflands, ibid.— Arrives at the ifland of Trinity, 63 — Difcovers the continent of America, ibid — Enters the harbour of Domingo, 66 — Roldan*s rebellion, 67— Treachery of Ojeda, 72 Revolt of Guevora, 73 — Rich gold mine difcovered, 74 An infpedlor general fent to Hifpaniola, 75 — The admi- ral and his brother put into irons, 76 — Is honourably acquitted, 77. Fourth Voyage of Columbus, 78. . % Arrives at Martinico, 7 8 —The remarkable modcfty of the Indians, 8 1-— Enters the harbour of Porto a 3 Bello, THE CONTENTS. Bello, 88— Arrives at Jamaica, loi — His remark- able addrefs, 106 His brother defcBts the rebels» no — His death and epitaph, 112. »' i '.> *' Voyage of Vafco de Gama, j 13. A confpiracy formed againd Gama, 1 16 — Doubles the Cape of Good Hope, ibid. Arrives at Mo- zambique, 1 lo — Is vificed by the governor, 120 Sails to Mombaze, 122— -Gama arrives at Melinda, ibid. — Is vifited by the prince, 124— Arrives at Cali- cut, 125 — Is carried to an Indian temple, 127 — Hat an audience of the zamorin, ibid.- Attacks a large Ihip at the defire of that prince, 148 — Takes an Ara- bian veflel, 150— Many of the Spaniards maffacred, 151— —Ten Arabian veffels taken, ibid Gama canonades the crty of Calcuta, ibid.— Arrives at Lifbon, IC4. Sir Francis Drake's Voyage to the idhmus of Da- ; , rien, 154. Takes the town of Nombre de Dios, 156" -^Views the South Sea, 159— Seizes feveral Spa- nilh mules, 160— —Takes the town of 'Santa Cruz, ibid.— Surpriles three caravans of mules loaded with treafure, 1&2— Arrives at Plymouth, 164. Sir Francis Drake's Voyage round the World, 165. ^ Anchors in Port St. Julian, 169— —Hangs Mr. Doughty for mutiny, ibid.— Enters the South- Sea, 170 Sfizes a rich Spanifh fliip, 171— Takes a large quantity of filver, .72 Takes three very rich (hips, 173— —Plunders the town of Guatulco, 174'. T akes pofTeffion of California, 17^— —An- chors before Tcrnate, 178 Is vifitcd by the king of that idand, 179— Falls in with the ifland of Ba- ratene, 181 Remarkable chara^er of the Javans, 182 Doubles the Cape of Good Hope, ibid. Arrives at Plymouth, 183, " ' \ Sir 1 THE CONTENTS. wi Sir Walter Raleigh's firll Voyage to Guiana, 1^4.. Sir Walter fends captain Whiddon to Guiana, 184 —Sails from Plymouth, 185 Arrives at Trini- dad, ibid.- Takes the town of St. Jofeph, and releafes five Indian caciques, ibid> Vifits feveral rivers in his boats, 187 — Arrives at an Jndian town» f88 Enters the river Oroonoko, ibid., Is vi- -Returns to fited by the king of Oromaia, 1S9 England, Sir Walter Raleigh's laft Voyage to Guiana, ipj. Sails to the Canaries, 19^4 Arrives at Guiana, ip^ Sends his fon in fearch of a gold mine, 196 •— Defeats a body of Spanwrds, 197— .Ar- rives at Plymontb, 198— Is beheaded, 199. Sir Thomas CaveiMlifh's Voyage round the World, 199. Arrives in Brazil, 201— Enters the South-Sea, 202 — Takes Paiia and plunders Puna, 204— —'Burns Naiividad, 206— —Takes the Acapulco (hip, 207 — Is vilited by the cacique of Capul, 208— —Arrives at the iiland of Java, 210— —Arrives at Plymouth, 212. Oliver Van Noort*s Voyage round the World, 212. 1 Arrives atPortDefire, 214 — Enters the South-Seas, 2 16 ' Takes feveral (hips, 217 Defeats the Spaniards at Manila, 219— Vifits the ifland of Bor- neo, 220 Arrives at Rotterdam, 221. Spelbergen's Voyage rund the World, 221. Lands in Brazil, 222 —Enters the South- Seas, 22^— —Defeats a Spanifli fleet, ibid.— Arrives at Ternate, 225 Arrives in Holland, 226. a 3 •Proceeds to fiatavia, 226- Schov* THE CONTENT 5. Scho^ten's and Maire's Voyage round the Globe, 227. Arrive at Peach the ifland of Afcenfion, 228 Poit Def.re, 229 Double Cape Horn, 230 Arrive at Juan Fernandes, -23 1 — •Difcover feve- r.il iflands, 232 — Take a veiy particular bark, 234 — • Are attacked by the favages of Traitor's ifland, 236 — Remarkable vifit of two kings on Horn iHand, 239 -- Enter the road of Soppoy, 245— —Anchor before Maylala, 24^— Their Ihips feized at Bantam, 247— Veaxh of Le Maire, ibid. Capt. Monk's Voyage to the Frozen Sea, 248, Arrives in Hudfon's ftrcights, 248 Winters in Iludiou's Bay, 250— — Lofcs the greater part of hit cjijw, 252— Arrives in Denmark, 253. ,^ , . 7 .■ ii Narrative ef the fulFerings of eight Teamen^ wha p^Hed the winter In Greenland^ 254* I. . ! ♦ I ' , >""i ^Z '. ..,\ 4 .^ ! 71 I i ■ri- > ^ \ i ^ * » ■■; rf . ■» ,,.'-r \ t. I N T R Or »;> > :..,t ,5: • if :>• '1 i r o be, 227. Sirrive at 230 er feve- ' 234-- id, 236 id, 239 r before 247— :48. ten in of hit > who 0. INTRODUCTION. IT is impoflible at this diftance of time to dlfco- ver the name ©f the author to whom we are in- debted for the arts of navigation and building ftiips. Perhaps they were both found out by fuch infenfible degrees, that no fmgle perfon, could, with any pro- priet) , lay claim to either of thefe noble inventions. The firft journies, as we'll as i^e firft voyages, men undertook, were confined within very narrow bound?, a few miles limiting the diftance of the former, and the crofling a river the extent of the latter. But the mutual conveniences flowing from an intercourfc be- tween diftant people, foon rendered travelling eafy, as they could mark out the road by trees, mountains and other fixed objefts* and obtain frefh information • from the people of each country through which they paiTed ; whereas the navigator being denied thefo, and many other advantages, was circumfcribed with-^ in very narrow bounds, and a long feries of yeari paft in the infancy of the world, before voyages out of fight of land were attempted. In this manner the firft inhabitants of the enrth proceeded VC17 llowly in their difcoveries, without knowing either the figure or bounds of the earth.. Perhaps they never furmifed that fuch knowledge was polfible to be attained by human fagacity. In procefs of time, however, long journies became ne- ceiTary to maintain the intercourfe begun, when the inhabitants of the globe were but few, and the dif- trifts they peopled almoft contiguous to each other : but thefe journies could not be performed, without discovering other methods to guide and direft them ^ a 4 througlv INTRODUCTION'. through pathlcfs aed folitary waftes. Inftead of trees and mountains, which at firft ierved to direct them in their courfe, they obierved that while the tar vj;reater part of the ftars turned round them, fome always remained in the fame fituation, and confe- quently might ferve them as fure guides, whenever they happened to lofe fight of their land-marks. They alfo obferved, that every day at noon, the fun, when in his greateft elevation, appeared diredly op- pofite to the place of thefe ftars. And probably this v^as what firft gave rife to that imaginary line in the heavens, called the meridian ; which from the tim& of its firft difcovery, became a fiire guide both to the traveller and navigator. This imaginary line being, difcovered, it was confequently fufilicient for them to know, that to travel into fuch or fuch a country, this line muft be followed, by going either dLeftly to or from the fun ; or to travel into this or that part of the earth, the traveller muft crofs the meri- dian line, la this or that oblique direction. By carefully obferving thofe ftars which ferved to mark out a meridian, and which they at firft took ta be fixed, they were convinced of their error, and perceived that thofe ftars had really a motion like the others, though much flower. They likewife obferv- ed that thefe ftars defcribed circles in the heavens, round one point, which correlponded with their mean elevation, and that to this point, as being really im- moveable, they ought to draw the meridian. Thefe difcoveries naturally led them to the con- ftruftion of inftruments with which they could take the height of the ftars or fun, and the inclination of their angles. With regard to the fixed immoveable point in the heavens, it was extremely eafy to take its height ; for as every ftar performed a revolution a- baut this point every twenty-four hours, each of thefe i of trees Jft them the far n, fOTUQ confe- hencver -marks, the fun, illy op- l)ly this in the e timfr to the being lem to •untry, ILeaiy r that meri- ted tQ ok to and ethc )rerv- vens, nean im« con- take n of able :ake 1 a- of lefe ■ fi INTRODUCTION. thefe luminaries muft be as much below the pole, in its leaft, as above it in its greateft elevation. The dif- ference therefore of thefe elevations gave the diame- ter of the circle the ftar delcribed ; and, confequent- ly by ad ing half this difference to the leaft eleva- tion, they obtained the height of the fixed point or pole, round which the ftars appeared to revolve ; and this height is what we call the latitude of the place. They were now able to redUfy the firft meridians,- which they had traced inaccurately, by diredling them to the ftars near the pole, from an erroneous fup- pofition that they were really fixed. - -»-V|3»>v ^^i • When they had thus far proceeded with regard t<^ the meridian, it muft naturally occur to an inqmfi>> tive mind, that by iuppofing a plane to pafs through the line thus conneded) and to be extended to the earth, it muft cut the horizon, or circle where the iky and earth appear to meet, at right-angles, and. that the fun would be every day at noon, or in his greateft elevation in this plane, as well as aU the itars, when in their greateft or leaft elevation. Li ihort, that they could in every place upon the earth draw the line, in which this plane cut the plane of the horizon ; and that this line was a true meridian. This line being once traced, nothing more was ne- ceffary to be known, than the angle any given place formed with the meridian, in order for the traveller to direft his courfe thither with fafety. But though this was fufficient for the traveller, it was far otherwife with regard to the navigator ; fome mftrument was wanting that would point out this ^ngle, and direft the pilot how he might fteer his ih'ip in that dire<5lion. This inftrument, however ar- dently defired, was not difcovered till many ages af- ter, when the amazing properties of the magnet pointed out a contrivance fmce called the mariner's compafs, I N T R o B ir C T I o N compafs, which has enabled »h» r "tmoft regions of the eil , f """" '° ^'''t ^e yh the ut.„oft ftcili't; and ru'ccfi T ""^u ''" ^-ip ve-y diftant picef iTi J^f tflt '''"''''°- °f known Eveiy fcie„ce approached '^. ''""'^ ''«'' by a flow feries oF diWrS Lr'"''' P^-^^^" One obfervation makes way for ,nnl ""P''*'^*"'^"^'- d.fcovery leads to a fecond l^;""""'?'-. and a firft '"ced. and the poWaV kn^ "l"'''''" «>"ld be never have imagined Jm ^TJ^J ■"" ""^^ -^o-Jd 'eafon. that thf earth th^vth^^T "'^ ■""•««-«» and penflle in the fluid «her f.^ ''=" ^ £'<">«. as a large extended plain oT, • ^J^'''"^ '» them circumference touched "he Lavr"'";'^''"'' '^''ore lone could deliroy this ooinior \-^*P''"«n« a- have occular rfemonft« io?S T r"' '"*«"«' t* * They could nat h i * ^^^'^S- and leaft elevation oF.hrft^J^.*'''. *« 8««eft as they travelled further in th' M-'lf-' '" P«>P°rtion d'an. When their jour^ies t ';J*^°" °^ *« '"eri? . pole, the ftars near'^hat p"wT '''^"' ""^''^''* the both in their greateftaKlteir""- '"°'' "'"«=<'' the contrary, thofe in th^ ''"«'ons ; while, on came mor. Jeprefl" d." SuchTra^'n'r'*"^^^ ^eC ^o«h, observed that the noLVfl '"''' '°'"'"^' the «'hi le thofe in the oppofite'^hl vl" «''="'"^"y ^t, portion : they even Sred " '' a"' '"''' '" P^°- not before appeared above the ho'"' ""•"' '^'^'^hhad ^ But whence could thefe.nn '"" '" 'he fouth. doubtedly from the furface Tr"'" P'""'^*'' ^ Un- They :4s ■f ..^ vi/it the his /hip the pro- the early 5 or di- ould not ation of ve been Jrfediion ements. i a firft ould be / could laffifled globe, o them whofe :nce a* tied to ,f 1 INTRO DUCTtON. They further obfeiTed, that after pafling over equal diftances in the meridian, the greateft and leaft ele- vations of the ftars were equally increafed or dimiii- ilhed ; and, confequently, that the furface of the earth was circular, at leaft on that diredlion, and their meridian line a circle. But they could not by that means know what the figure of the e^rth was in dh-edlions perpendicular to the meridiart,"'* becaufe they could not certainly know that the fhadow which they faw on the dilk of the moon in ecliples, was really the Ihadow of the earth. ' ' '^■' It was probably a long time after, when much greater improvements were made in aftronomy, that ' they obferved in travelling in a direftion perpendicu- lar to the meridian, that though there was no varia- tion in the greateft or leaft elevations of the ftars, yet there was a difference in point of time: thjrt this difference was proportional to the diftanc* they travelled in this perpendicular dire^on ; and that the more elevated the polar ftars were at the place from which they firft fet out, the lefs way they were obliged to traverfe in that diredlion, to caufe an equal difference of time. And this diftance, which may be eaftiy found, if the difference of time and latitude of the places be known, we call the longitude, It was then, and not till then, they were capable of con- cluding, that the earth, which, in the direftion of the meridian, they had already known to be fpheri- cal, was really fo in every other part. They there- fore called it a globe, probably the onlv figure they knew at that time, and which agreed with all the obfervations they were capable of making in thofe days. I'he ancients now knew that the earth was a globe- pen file in the air, round which the heavens, and all the ftars revolved in the fpace of a natural day. Per- haps INTRODUCTION. haps this fpherical figure of the earth, which is the fame with that of the fun and moon, gave the firft occafion to men to reckon it in the number of the planets ; and fbon perceived, that the motion they had imputed to the ftars would be faved, if, inftead of fuppofmg the earth immoveable in the center of mo- tion, they fuppofed that it performed a revolution in twenty-four hours round its own axis, and this axis directed to that immoveable point they had obferved in the heavens. This at once explained all the phac- nomend of motion in the ftars ; for each ftar appear- ing to an obferver, to defcribe a circle in the heavens round the earth, if he fuppofed that every place on the earth defcribed its circle, and that the ftars re^ mained fixed, he might afcribe to the ftars the mo- tion, which was, in reality, only the motion of h*m» hH upon the earth. This idea was no fooner formed, than philofophers and men of genius readily adopted it, and thought it more reaibnable to fiippofe that the earth moved round its own axis, than that the heavens and all the ilars moved round the earth. They afterwards obferved, perhaps they had alrea- dy obferved (for thefe things are independent of one another) that though the fun in its greateft elevation, every day at noon paiTed the plane of the meridian, he did not always pafs at the fame dlftance from the fame ftars. They therefore could no longer fappofe that the fun was fixed in the heavens, with regard to the ftars; and they obferved, that he advanced every day in the direftion of a certain circular zone, fo as to appear to pals every day one degree of it, and at the expiration of a year, to have gone through the whole «one, having returned to his firft ftation over- againft the fame ftar*. ){»!.; ' / ,',; c.j.J In I 4 r« ^ lNTRODtJCTIO>5. as m In order to account for this phaenomcnon, it was neceffary to fuppofe fomething more than a bare re^ volution. A tranflation muil take place ; either the body of the fun itfelf muft change its place in the heavens, and defcribe a circle round the earth, or the earth muft pafs in the fame direction round the fun. Becaufe every apparent motion between two bodies, may be equally explained, by fuppofmg the firfl at reft, and the fecond in motion, or the firft in Hiotion, and the fecond at refl. Several reafons might have inducea them to give the earth this motion of tranflation round the fun, which the fun appeared to have round the earth. By this time aflronomers muft have obferved o- ther bodies in the heavens befides the fun, moon, and fixed flars ; we mean certain wandering ftars, which did not always keep the fame diflances with regard to the other luminaries as thofe did, which they called fixed flars. Thefe wandering ftars were feen in different parts of the heavens at different times, and confequently, while they feemed to be carried round by the apparent revolution of the whole heavens, had another peculiar motion independent of the general one. They had difcovered five ftars of this kind, called planets, namely. Mercury, Ve- nus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn ; and in obferving their motion, they found, that in order to make it regular and equal, it muft be performed round the fun, and not round the earth. The cafe was the fame with the earth as with thefe bodiei : and by placing its path or orbit round the fun, between thofe of Ve- nus and Mars, all the phaenomena of the motion of the ftars would be eafily accounted for, and the fyf- tem of the world rendered uniform and regular. The fun an immenfe globe of fire, was placed in the center of the fyltem, without any other motion than •1F»"»"'.» ' 4 INTRODUCTION. than tliat round its own axis, which was difcovered, but not till a long time after, by the change of fitu- ation in the fpots of the fun. Hence he difFufes light and heat to the planets which move round him in their proper orbits. I'he neareft to the fun is Mer- tury, who "performs his revolution in 87 days, 23 hours, 1 6 minutes ; the next is Venus, who moves round her orbit in 224 days, 16 hours, 49 minutes ; the earth, in 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes ; Mars, in 686 days, 23 hours, 27 minutes ; Jupiter in 4332 days, 2o hours, 20 minutes ; and Saturn in 10,759 days, 6 hours> 36 minutes. This lyfem was well known to the ancients, but continued negleded for many centuries, till Coperni- cus, -a native of Thorn in Polifli Pruflia revived it ; and the many curious obfervatiohs that have been made fmce his time have fo fully eflabliihed it, that it is now received by all the learned in Europe. We have already obferved, that the ancients knew the earth to be of a fpherical figure ; they had alfo determined to divide every circle into 360 equal parts, or degrees, and to fubdivide each of thefe degrees into fixty parts or minutes, &c. Confequently the circumference of the earth was known to be 360 degrees ; but it was ncceffary to find the length of one of thofe degrees in feme known meafure, before this determination could be of any ufe. The anci- ents therefore applied themfelves afliduoufly to this laborious tafk ; but were never able to perform it with that accuracy the importance of the problem re- quired. At laft our countryman Richard Norwood, in the year 1635, folved this ufeful problem, and found by aftual menfuration, between London and York, that about 69 Englifii miles and a half anfwcr- ed to one degree : the circumference of the earth therefore is 25,020 miles, and its diameter about 8000. TMs »_;,■ . , knew alfo >arts, fgrees |y the 360 h of fore :nci- this n it re- )od, md md ^cr- inh mt tils .«*,- / -INTRODUCTION. This determination has enabled us to find the dif- tance in known metfures, between any two places on the globe of the earth, provided the latitudes and longitudes of tnefe places are known. ' The latitude of a place is its neareft diflaiice from the equator, and is meafured by an arch of the me- ridian intercepted between that place and the equa- tor. It can therefore never exceed 90 degrees, or a quadrant ; and is denominated either north or fouth, according as the place is fituated to the northward or fouthward of the equator. This arch of the meridi- an, or latitude of the place, is always equal to the height of the vifible pole, or arch of the meridian contained between the pole and the horizon. The longitude of any place upon the earth is an arch of'the equator, intercepted between the firft meridian, and the meridian pafling through the place propofed ; or it is equal to the angle formed by thefe two meridians. The latitude is very eafily computed from having the meridian altitude of the fun, and his declination given. And as the meridian altitude of the iun can be readily found by Hadley's quadrant, and the decli- nation of the fun eafily calculated, it follows, that the lathude of the place can always be known. But it is very different with regard to the longi- tude, which cannot be computed by fuch ready and eafy methods. It is however known that the diffe- rence of longitude between any two places, is propor- tional to the quantity of time that the fun takes up in pafling from the meridian of one place to that of the other. For as the fun fini(hes his diurnal revolu- tion in 24 hours, it follows, that he mud pafs over 15 degrees every hour ; becaufe 24 multiplied by 1 5, ^ves 360. If therefore it be known, that when it is noon at one place on the earth, it is only eleven o'- clock in the forenoon at another, it will follow that ' . ^ th€ is INTRODUCTION. The latter is 15 degrees of longitude weft of the for^ iner : and if the meridian of the fomner be fuppo&d the firft meridian, the latter, is faid to be fituated in 1 5 degrees of weft longitude. . . - .1 . Whence it follows, that if a tinie>piece can be con- ftiiifled in fo accurate a manner, as to keep equal time during a whole voyage, without being dlforder- ed by the motion of the (hip, or the different tempe> rature of the climate, the longitude may be readily found either at fea or land. For as the greateft, or meridian altitude of the fun can be readily found, and as it is noon when the fun is in the meridian ; it follows, that the difference of the hour from noon pointed out by the time-keeper, will give the diffe- rence of longitude between the fhip and the place where the time keeper was fet. This is what the in- genious Mr. Harrifon has attempted with fuccefs ; fo that there is reafon to hope the longitude may be now found, and confequently the ufefiil art of navi- gation carried to a very great degree of perteAion. fVn yi r. I ERRATA. . Vol, I. Page 154, Line 25, .for 1677, read 1567 273 3j 6 ih. 6 d5. Vol. II, - 0^> 4 '\oAi i;mv ■ y^ c'M;/>j.>:i ; «. aii-i it .' ■* A , , ■» , ,, . [- But thefe attempts were only preludes to the fcheme of Chjiftr)pher Columbus, a native of Ge- noa, who undertook to extend the boundaries which Vol. I. B Ignorance ■Tiri '■,4 s THE FIRST VOYAGE ignorance had given to the world. The juft jacia that this great man had formed of the figure of the earth gave birth to his defi<»n ; but the maps, more -erroneous than his conje^ure, made him miftake the objeft. He propofed to find a pafliige to China and India, by croHing the Wellern ocean. Perhaps he was inlHgated to this difcovery by national jealoufy and refentment, as well as by the glory and advantages that muft attend it. Venice and Genoa were then almoft the onlr trading powers in Europe ; and they had no other fupport of their power but their commerce : this occafioned a rivalfhip, a jealoufy, and divers ivars between them ; but Ven'ce was in trade far fuperior : Ihe had drawn to herfelf almoft the whole commerce of India, always one of the moft valuable in the world, and then carried on only by way of Egypt and the Red-fea. An emulation of this kind might probably put Columbus ^on finding an- other and more direft paflage to the Eaft- Indies, and by that means of transferring this profitable trade to his own country. But neither what he fought, nor what he found, were deftined for Ge- noa ; he however performed the duty of a good citizen, and made his firft propofal at home, where it was rejefted. Difcharged of this obligation, he applied to the court of France, and meeting with no better fuccefs there, he fent his brother Bar- tholemew to Henry the Seventh, who then filled the throne of England. This prince was rather a prudent fteward and manager of a kingdom, than a great king, and one^ of thofe defenfive geniufes who are the laft in tlTe world to relifli a great but problematical defign : it is therefore no wonder that Bartholemew, after fpending feveral years in £ngland, met with very little fuccefs. In the mean time, Chriftopher applied in per- fon to the court of Portugal, where his offers were rejected, and he himfelf infulted and ridiculed 5 h\it he found in thefeinfults and this ridicule, a new ' incite* 'Wt' )er- ^ere •d; lew lite* OF COLUMBUS. 5 incitement to pcrfue his fcheme, urged forward by the ftings oF anger and refentment. *§■ He now repaired to Caflile, and offered his fer- I vice to Ferdinand and IfabcUa, where he exercifed his interell and his patience for eight years. There is a fort of enthufiafm in all projedlors abfolutely neceflary for their affairs, which renders them proof againff the molt fati^'uing delays, the moft (hock- ing infuhs, and, what is feverer than all, the pre- fumptuous judgment pafled by the ignorant OH their defigns. Columbus had a fufiicient (hare of this quality ; but his patience was at laft quite ex- haufted, and he had adually taken his leave of Ferdinand and Ifabella, in order to proceed for Eng- land in queff of his brother, of whofe fate he was entirely ignorant, when he was unexpeftedly re-» called by the queen of Caftile, at the earneft en- treaties and perfuafion of Lewis de Saint Angelo her confe(ror, who prevailed upon her to comply with the demands of Columbus, and even leat her money to promote the expedition. Chriftopher was immediately appointed admiral on the ocean, to enjoy all the appointments, pre- rogatives, and privileges annexed to the flags of Caftile and Leon in their refpe^ive Teas. It was alfo agreed, that all civil employments in the iiflands and continent to be difcovered (hould be wholly at his difpofal ; that all governments (hould be given to one of thofe perfons he (hould name ^ that he (hould appoint judges in Spain for Indian affairs ; that over and above the falary and perqui- fites of admiral, viceroy, and governor, he (hould have the tenth oi all that was bought, -bartered, found, or acquired within t. e limits of his admirai(hip, after the charge of the conqueft (hould be defrayed ; ■ together with an eighth part of all that he (hould bring home in his fleet; in confideration of which, ^ he (hould be at one eighth part of the expence. As foon as thefe pieliminaries were adjufted, and his commiffion and grants confirmed by the hands B ^ and 'i i T H E F I R S T V O Y A G R and fenl of their catholic mnjeilies, he repaired to Pjilos, in order to forward his equipment, which confifted of three fmall veflds, the Santa Maria, ad- miral Columbus, the Ln Pinta, Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and the La Nina with fquare fails, under the command of his brother Vincent Yanez Pinzon, both natives of Palos. This fmall fleet being furnifhcd with provilion, necefTaries, and ninety men, failed on Saturday the 3d day of Auguft ; but next morning the rudder of the La Pinta broke loofe, fo that the admiral was obliged to lie to, though the weather was fo rough that the only affillance he could give, was that of encouraging the crew by his prefence. However, Pinzon the captain, who was an able fcaman, foor repa'**'d the damage, which was fup- pofed to have been c trived by the mafter, who was avcrfe to the voy^-ge ; and they proceeded to- lerably well till Tuefday, when the ropes by which the rudder had been fecured gave way, and they were forced again to lie by, until they had fup- j'lied the dtft d, fo as to (leer the fhip as far as the Canary Jfiands, which they difcovered on Thurfday jibout break of day. Some of the fuperftitious failors interpreted this accident as an ill omen ; but Columbus wifely obfervcd, that no omen could be evil where people were engaged in a good de- fign : and, in order to divert their attention from fuch unmanly trifles for the future, he inflrufted. them in the principles of navigation and geo- ■graphy. Columbus waited a conflderable il*r.3 to pur- ch.ife anoiher veflel ; but, being difappointed, he relbWed to lepair the damaged caraval by furnlfli- ing her with a ne v rudder, and at the fame time to alter thfi fquare fails of the La Nina, that (he •might be the moie able to keep company with her conibrts for the future. Piaving thus refitted and improved his fleet, the .'udmiral left the Grand Canaira on the firfl of Sep- tember, •f .^'^ paired to c, which aria, ad- Alonzo 3, under Pinzon, rovi/ion, rday the rudder admiral was To ve. Was refence. in able as fup- J", who ied to- ' which . id they d fup- as the urfday (litious pmen ; could )d de- 1 from rudled geo. pur- d, he rnifh- timc It flie her , the Sep- nber. ■i, OF COLUMBUS 5- tcmber, and next day arrived at Gomerr, >vhere fome time being fpent in laying in provifions, woo.l, and water, they fet fail on Thurfday the 6th, and Itood away to tl'C welhvard, with very little wind. On Sunday about day-break the admiral found hiinfelfnine leagues weft of the ifland of Terro, where they loft fight of land, and many people on board wept bitterly, from au apprchenfion they fliould never fee it more. Columbus perceiving this defponder.ce, which he was afraid would in- fed the whole company, comforted them with the moft confident afTurances of wealth and profperity, and though tlrey failed eighteen leagues that day, pretended they had made no more but fifteen, re- folving to difguife his reckoning in this manner during the whole voyage, that thofe fpiritlefs mor- tals might not think themfelves fo far as they really were from Spain. • On Wednefday .the 12th of September, being 150 leagues well x)f Ferro, the admiral difcovered the body of a large tree, which feemed to have been a long time floating on the water. Here he found a current fctting ftrongly to the north -eaft ; and when he had run fifty leagues farther well ward, he, on the 13th, in the twilight, perceived the needle varying half a point towards the north- eaft, and at day-break half a point more. He was great- ly furprifed by this variation, which had never been obfcrved before ; but he had reafon to be ftill more amazed, when failing about 100 leagues far- ther, he found the needles varied aboi^t a point to the north-eaft at night, and in the morning pointed direftly north. Being almoft 300 leagues weft of Ferro, on the 15th at night, they faw a furprifing body of light fall from the fky into the fea, at the diftance of four or five leagues from the fhips, to the fouth- weft, tho' the weather was fair, the wind favour- able, the fea fmooth, and the current ftill fetting north-eaft. ^ B 3 V On ;,\f 'i>^ I \? ,- € THEFIRSTVOYAGE On the preceding day, the people on board tho La Nina had been furprifed at iight of a heron and tropic bird : but the next day they were flill more aftoniflied, when they faw the fea, in a manner, covered with green and yellow weeds, which Teem- ed to have been lately wafhed away from fome rock or ifland. This phenomenon gave them reafon to conclude that they were near fome land, efpedally as they perceived a live lobftcr floating among thefe weeds ; and afterwards found the l*ea water grow lefs fait as they advanced : valt fhoals of tunny fifh alfo attended their fleet. The 1 8th of September, Martin Alonzo Pinzon^ captain of the Pinta, being a head, lay-to for the admiral, and informed him, that he had feen a. great number of birds flying to the weftvvard, fo that he expeded that night to difcover land, which indeed he thought was already vifible at about fifteen leagues diltant to the northward. But the admiral was convinced of its being a deception, and therefore would lofe no time in altering his courfe, notwithftanding the folicitations of his peo- ple, who were very well difpofed to credit fuch an agreeable illuflon^ However, as the wind be- gan to freflien, they took in their topfails at night; and on the 19th of September, in the morning, the admiral feeing a number of fea-gulls, began to con- ceive hopes of land, from which he fuppofed thefe fowl would not fly a great way : he therefore found- ed, but found no bottom with a line of 200 fathoms; however, he perceived the current now fet to the Ibuth-weft. Three days after they took a bird like an heron, of a black colour, with a white tuft on the head, and web feet ; faw abundance of weeds, and in the evening were viilted by three land birds flnging, which flew away at day-break, and confirmed the admiral in the opinion that he could not be far from land. Next day, they faw a tropic bird, and fuch a (quantity of weeds, as alarmed the people, wht iM .*!■. E >oard tho eron and ill more manner, 'h feem- me rock ^afon to pedally among a water f tunny ^inzon,. for the (een a. ird, fo land, ible at I. But option, ig his peo- Aich d he- ight; ■, the } con- thefe >und- oms; the ?ron, lead, d in ing> the far and pie, vht OF COLUMBUS, f who began to fear that their courfe would be lin' peded. The wind now blew from the fouth-weft, which tho* contrary, gave Columbus great fatisfadlion, as he could now convince the crew of the va- nity of their fears, in fuppoling, that as the wind had been always right a-ftern, they fhould never have a fair gale to carry them back to their own country. But in fpight of all his reafons and remonllrances, the crew began to murmur, from an apprehenfxon of perifliing at fea, in quelt of a coun- try which in all probability had no exillcnce ; and their difcontent rofeto fuch a height, that a mutiny would certainly have enfued, had not a brifli wind fprung up at weft-north- weft, and ^^monftrated that they would always have a chance for returning, notwithftanding the infinuations of fome, who had affirmed that the firft change was no fettled breeze, but a tranfient pufF, which made no impreUion upoa the furface of the fea. At the fame time their hopes of difcovering land was revived, by the fight of a dove that flew o' r the ftiip, and feveral fnialL birds that came from the weft. But the mortifir^tiGn of the people was greater in proportion as they had been elated by thefe ligns, when they found themfelves difappointed: and now, they not only loudly complained, but even began to cabal againft the admiral, who they faid, from a foolifliand ill grounded notion, had formed the defigia of railing his own family and fortune at their expence. They declared that they had al- ready proceeded far enough to demonftrate their courage and perferverance, and that it was now high time to return to their friends and country, even tho* force ihould be neceftary to obtain the admiral's confent. They were perfuaded that Co- lumbus, who was a foreigner, could not have in-» tereft eno gh at court to punifti them for their dif- obedience and rebellion, efpecially as he had powerful enemies who would embrace every op- B 4 portunity 9 .THEFIRSTVOYAGE portunity of fruftrating his defigns. It was even adually propofed to throw him over-board, and declare at their return, that while he was eagerly employed in making obfcrvations, headually drop- ped into the oceean, , This fpiritofmutlny among th? failors was not unknown to Columbus, who exerted uncommon addrefs in quelling it, fometimes by reprefenting the duty they owed to him, who was veiled with a legal authority, which he was refolved to maintain at the hazard of his life ; and fometimes by reproaching them with their impatience and pufilla- iiimity, which even the moll apparent figns of land could not remove. In a word, he demonftrated the folly of their fears, foothed the anxiety of their minds, and encouraged their hopes, in fuch a manner as prevented them from taking any. refolu- tion to the prejudice of the enterprize they had undertaken. On the 25th day of September, about fun fet- ting, Pinzon, whofe (hip was a-head of the ad- miral, all ©f a fudden, called out, land ! land ! and pointed towards the fouth-weft, where they perceived fomething like an ifland, about twenty- five leagues diilant : this appearance was fo agree- able to the men, that they gave thanks to God with great fervency of devotion ; and tho' Colum- bus was perfuaded it was nothing more than a de- ception, yet, in compliance with their clamorous demand, Hood towards the fuppofed ifland, during the beft part of the night ; but in the morning they faw it vanifli in the clouds, on which their defpondency returned, and they renewed their com- plaints. The admiral however peri-ied in the execution of his purpofe, with a lleadinefs and in- trepidity peculiar to himfelf. Three days after, they perceived the currents were altogether ir- regular ; itnd on the 29th they faw fome gulls, and abundance of flying filh; the latter are about fcven or eight iachcs in length, furnilhed with two I ^as even ard, and s eagerly •ly drop- was ROt common ■efenting with a naintain mes by pufilia. »gns of nUrated of their fuch a refolu- 7 ^ad rn fet- he ad- land ! they I'enty- igreC" God Dlum- a de- orous uring rning their |com. the in- fter, Ir- an d >out vith two OF COLUMBUS'^ - 9 two little membranes or wing?, or rather broad fins, by the help of which they fly above water when purfued by the dolphins, till their wings be- come dry, when they drop into the water, and very often into veflels. , - . On the firft day of O£lober, the pilot of the ad- miral's fliip was by account 578 leagues weft of the ifland of Ferro ; tho* the reckoning of Colum- bus amounted to 707. He however thought pro- per to take no notice of the grofs miftake of his pilot, left the failors ftiould be quite dejefted by knowing exa£lly how far they were from home. On the third, feeing no birds, they conjeftured that they had pafled between fome iflands ; and the men earneftly entreated the admiral to fteer cither to the one fide or the other, in queft of the land they imagined they had left : but he refufed to comply with their intreaties, being unwilling to lofe the favourable wind that carried him to the weftward, which he accounted his fureft courfe, • and would not take any ftep to leflen the reputation of his undertaking, which muft have fuffered in the opinion of his people, had he changed his courfe from that which he had all along alTured them would terminate in the accompli fliment of their wifhes. This fortitude of the admiral they interpreted into obftinacy and madnefs, and were adually on the brink of taking fome defperate ftep to his prejudice, when their fury v/as appeafed by the arrival of above forty fparrows, and fome other land birds that came from the weftward, and flew over their fleet. - On the 7th of Odober, fome imperfedl figns of land appeared in that quarter, but no m.'n on board would venture to mention it^. bccaufe their catholic majefties, who had promifed a jienficn of thirty crowns for life, to him who fliould firft dif- cover land, had likewife decreed, that whofoever fliould cry land ! three days before it was actually made, fliould forfeit the reward, even tho'.irfliould . B 5 * after- ■f to THE FIRST VOYAGE m i afterwards prove that he was r,eally the firft perfon who perceived it. But notwithrtanding this pre- caution, the Nina, which being the btft failer, kept always a head, fired a gun, and hoifted her colours, in token of land ; but the farther they failed, the more they were convinced of their mif- take ; for the appeariance that mifled them totally vanifhed as they advanced. Next day, however, they were in fome meafure confoled for their dif-» appointment, by flights of large fowl and fmall land birds flying towards the fouth-weft : and the admiral being fully perfuadcd that they could not go far to fea, he in imitation of the Portugueze, who had difcovered many iflands by following the di- rection of fuch birds, altered his courfe and flood to the fouth wefl:, having now run 750 leagues to> the weftward of the Canaries, within which fpacG- he had flattered himfelf with difcovering land. On the 8th of Oftober they were viiited by twelve flnging birds, of different colours, and faw a great number of jays, gulls, and ducks, flying^ towards the fouth-weft ; they likewife perceived the air to be frefli and odorjferous, as at Sevil in the jnonth of April ; but 'he crew h^d been fo often, deceived, that even thtfe certain flgns could not fupprefs^ their murmurs, whkh, during the two iucceeding days, increafed to fuch a degree, in fpite of all the efforts of the admiral, that he "would not have been able much longer to withfland the ftorm, which was ready to burft upon his head,, had not fuch evident tokens of their being near the land appeared, as could not be difputed but by the inofl obftinate and incredulous among them. On the nth of Odlober, thofe on board of the admiral faw a green rufli, together with a large rock fifli fwim by the fhip ; the people of the Pinta difcovered a cane floating, and took up a flaff cu- lioafly wrought, together with a fmall board, and abundance of weeds, newly wafhed from the banks •n which they grew* A branch of thorn full of ^Sh M i I II iri^^ perron this pre- ft failer, ifted her Her they leir mif- n totally lowever, heir dh\ d fmaJI and the i not go ;e, who the di- d /lood rues to, I ^ace- 1 ted by nd faw ed the in the often, i not J two e, in tt he /land lead^ r the ' the -■ if OF COLUMBUS. n red berries was alfq at the fame time perceived by the crew of the Nina. Being therefore now aflured of the vicinity of land, the admiral harangued his men at night, after prayers, reminding them of the mercy of God, in granting them fair weather during fuch a long voy- age, and exhorting them to be extremely vigilant for that night, as he firmly expected to fee land next day ; and in order to encourage them, not only mentioned the penfion of thirty crowns, but alfo promifed to give a velvet doublet to him who fhould be the firll difcoverer. After this fpecch, he, about ten o'clock at night, retired to the great cabbin, from whence perceiving. what he imagined to be a light on fhore, he called to one Peter Gu- tierres, who foon plainly faw it, and conjedured it to be a candle or torch belonging to fome fifherman or traveller, becaufe it feemed to move, vanifh, and appear by turns. This increafed their vigilance and caution, tho' they ftill held on their courfe till about two in the morning, when the Pinta being far a-head gave the fignal of land, which was firil difcovered by a failor, called Roderick de Trinna, at the diflance of two leagues : but the penfion was granted to the admiral, who had perceived the light fome hours before. The Hiips now all lay to, and the people waited for morning with the utmolt impatience, that they might feaft their eyes witlx viewing an objedl fo long and fo ardently defired. Nor were they now diiappointed ; for the dawa no fooner appeared, than they perceived an illand, about fifteen leagues in length, almoft one conti- nued plain, covered with trees, fupplled with de- licious ftreams, and having a large lake in the middle. It was inhabited by a number of people, who ran down to the Ihore alloniflied at the fight of the Ihips, which they at firft mifl:ook for living creatures. In the mean time, the Spaniards were inflamed by the moll eager curiofity, to know the B^6 par- t4 THE FIRST VOYAGE particulars of this intcrefting difcovery : and th« veffels were no fooner brought to an anchor, than the admiral went afhore with his boat well armed, and the royal flandard difplayed, attended by the other two captains in their refpedlive boats, with the particular enfigns of this enterprize. They were no fooner landed than they kneeled on the fhore, giving thanks to God for his indul- gence, and kifled the ground with tears of joy. The admiral then ftanding up, called the ifland St. Salvador *, and took poffeflion of it for their ca- tholic majefties, with the folemnity proper on fuch occafions. This ceremony being performed, he was acknowledged as admiral and viceroy, by the Spaniards, who now implored his pardon for the affronts and infults he had fudained from their fear and want of refolution, and readily fwore to obey him as the reprefentative of their catholic majefties. A multitude of the Indians being prefent at the tranfadion, and appearing to be very fimple, quiet» and peaceable, Columbus diftributed among them fome red caps, ftrings of glafs beads, and other things of fmall value, which they received with iranfport, and when he returned to his fhip, fome of them fwam after him, and others followed in canoes with parrots, bottoms of fpun cotton, jave> lins, and other trifles, to barter for beads, bells, and other inconfiderable toys. Few of them feem- ed to be above the age of thirty. They were of a middle ftature, well fhaped, of an olive colour, with thick lank black hair, generally cut ihurt above the ears, tho' fome let it grow down to their Hioulders, and tied it about their head like the trefies of women ; their countenances were open, and their features regular; but their high foreheads gave a wildnefs to their afped. The faces of fome^ and bodies of others, were painted black, white. * it is now town by the mm^ of Cat-iilandi aad ■\^. 5» OF COLUMBUS. - ij and red, tho' in a few the nofes and eyes only were coloured ; and all of them, female as well as male, were ftark naked. So little were they ac- quainted with European arms, that they handled a naked fword by the edge, without fufpefting its mifchievous quality ; they ufed javelins of wood, armed with fiih bone, being totally deftitute of iron. And the Spaniards ob^rving that they had marks of wounds on their bodies, fome of the.ii were afked by figns how thefe fears were acquired ? 7hey anfwered, in the fame kind of language, that they received them in their own defence, again 11 the inhabitants of other iilands, who came with a view to enflave them. They feemed to be an in- genious people, and poffefled a volubility of tongue, fo as to repeat the words they heard with a very diilind pronunciation. I'he next morning, being the 1 3th of Odlobcr, a great number of thefe Indians came aboard in their canoes, which are made by hollowing the trunk of a tree, fome of them being fo fmall as to hold one perfon only, and others large enough to contain forty ; they were rowed with paddles, and fo light, that if they chance to be overfet, the rowers can eafily turn them again, and empty th« water with calabafhes, which for that purpofe they always carried with them. Thefe Indians had neither jewels nor any kind of metal, except fome fmall plates of gold that hung at their noftrils, and as they exprelTed by figns, came from the fouth and fouth-weft, where there were many princes, iflands, and countries. At the fame time they were fo fond of po/Tefling any thing belonging to the Spaniards, that if they could pick up a bit of broken earthern ware upoa the deck, they would leap into the fea and fwim afhore with it. They were ready to exchange any thing they had for the greateft trifles, and fome of them gave five and twenty pounds of well fpua •cotton for three fmall pieces of Portugueze brafi ii**y. COlO • t I jf. THE FIRST VOYAGE coin not worth a farthing ; not that they believed the things they purchafed were of any intrinfic va- lue, but becaufe they were defirous of preferving feme memorial of thofe white men, whom they looked upon as people defcended from heaven. On the 14th of Odtober, the admiral in his boats coafted the ifland towards the north-well, until he found a large bay or harbour, large enough to con- tain all the Ihips of Europe^ He was attended by multitudes of the inhabitants, exprefling their won- der and regard by a thoufand geiliculations. At length the admiral arrived at a peninfula, where he few half a dozen of their houies and plantations, as pleafant as thofe of Caftile in the month of May. . But, finding this was not the land he looked for, . he took feven of thefe Indians to ferve as interpre- ters, and returning to his fhips failed on the dif- covery of other iflands vifible from the periinfula. The next day, after failing feven leagues, he ar- rived at the weft end of one of thefe iflands, about ten leagues in length, which he denominated St, Mary of the Conception ; but, perceiving no dif- ference between the inhabitants of this illand and thofe of St. Salvador, nor any thing worth notice in its produftions, he continued his courfe weft- ward, and anchored upon the coaft of a much lar- ger ifland, extending north-weft and fouth eaft,^ above eight and twenty leagues. Before he reach- ed this pleafant fpot, which he named Fernandina, he took up an Indian in a fmall canoe, furniftied with a piece of their bread, a calabafh full of wa- ter, and a little earth like vermilion, with which, thofe people paint their bodies ; he was likewife provided with fome dry leaves, valued for their agreeable and wholefome fmell ; and a little bafket,, containing a ftring of glafs beads, and two fmall pieces of Portugueze money ; from which circum- Aances it appeared he was bound from St. Salva- dor to Fernandina, with the ftrange news of the admirers arrival | but the voyage being long, he- ■^- *t THE FIRST VOYAGE ^mi wards ikinned and.eat, being the moft delicious food ufed among the Indians, by whom they are called yvanas. - Having made himfelf acquainted with the pro- duce of Ifabella, and the manners of its inhabi- tants, Columbus was unwilling to lofe more time among thofe iflands, and therefore fet fail with a fair wind for a large country, extolled by the In- dians under the name of Cuba, lying towards the fouth, at the north fide of which he arrived on the 28th of Oftober. It exhibited a moft enchanting variety of hills and dales, woods and plains, and appeared to be of great confequence, by the extent of its coafts, and the largenefs of its rivers The admiral, in order to obtain fome intelligence of the natives, anchored in a large river, the banks of which were fhaded by thick and tall trees, adorned with bloflbms and fruit altogether unknown in Europe, and the ground was clothed with grafs of a moft luxuriant growth. The Spaniards enter- ed two houfes which were deferted by the people, who, terrified at the appearance of the (hips, had betaken themfelves to flight. They, however, fu- ftained no damage; for the Chrillians, without touching any of their utenfils, reimbarked., and continued their courfe weftward,, until they arrived at the mouth of another river, which the admiral called de Mares. This being more confiderable than the other, the fhips entered and failed up a good way, and the banks were all along inhabited; but here too the natives fled, with all the efFeils they could carry, to the mountains, which appear- ed round and lofty, covered with verdant and (late- ly trees. Senfible that he (hould never be able to learn the nature of this ifland, if the inhabitants ihould con- tinue to avoid him in this manner, and fearing to increafe their terror by landing a number of men, Columbus ordered two Chrillians, attended by ao Xndiao H-i- .\ .- ^h^ OF COLUMBUS. ' 1^ Indian of St. Salvador, and another of Cuba, who had ventured to come aboard with his canoe, to travel up into the country, and endeavour, by an engaging behaviour, to remove the terror of the people. In the mean time he diredled the fhip to be careened : on which occafion he obferved that all their fuel was maftick wood, of which there was 'great plenty all over the ifland. By the 5th of November the fhip was repaired and ready to fail, when the two Spaniards return- ed, accompanied by two Indians of rank, and in- formed the admiral that they had travelled twelve leagues into the country, where they found a town confining of fifty wooden houfes covered with ftraw, made like thofe in the other illands, which con- tained about one thoufand perfons ; that they were met by the principal men of the place, who led them by the arms to the town, where they were accommodated with a fpacious lodging, and feated upon wooden benches, formed in the fhapes of ftrange animals, with their tails lifted up for lean- ing places, and eyes and ears of gold. Being feated on thefe benches, the Indians took their places round them on the floor, and came one by one to kifs the hands and feet of thefe ftrangers, whom they fuppofed to have come from heaven : they, at the fame time, treated them with fome boiled roots, not unlike chefnuts in tade, and ear- neftly entreated them to Hay fome days, to repofe and refrefh themfelves. After the men had thus fulfilled the rites of hofpitality, they retired and made room for the women, who, with the fameex- preflions of veneration, kifled their hands and feet, and entertained them with their homely fare. This favourable reception they owed to their two Indian attendants, who had reprefented the Spaniards as a humane and generous people, i; Iv When they fet out on their return for the (hip, a great number of people propofed to accompany them; but they Kfuf^d this courteous oj(Fer, and would C^i if 'li-d i^ iS THE FIRST VOYAGE ■would accept of none but the king and his fon, whom the admiral treated with grc.it civility and refpeft. Under the prote^Ion of this cfcorte, the two Spaniards were kindly entertained at feveral petty towns, and met with a great number of th© inhabitants, who always carried lighted brands to kindle their fires, with which they roafted thofe roots which conftituted their chief food, and to perfume themfelves with certain herbs they gathered for that purpc fe. They like wife faw a variety of birds and fowl, among which were partridges and, nightingales, but no quadrupeds, except thofe fi-- lent dogs we have already mentioned : great part of the land was cultivated, and bore, befidcs the bread-rootjand a fort of beans, a kind of grain called maiz, of which was made a very well taded fiour. Their principal manufafture was cotton, gathered from trees growing fpontaneouily, without the Icaft care or culture. The Indians afterwardsxarried great quantities of this cotton on board the (hips, where they exchanged a balket full for a thong of lea- ther; indeed it could be of no great value to them- felves, as they go naked', and make nothing it but hammocks and ihort aprons for the women. They had neither gold, pearls nor fpices, but pointed towards the eall, to a country called Bo- hio, where all thefe particulars abounded. In confequence of this information the ad- miral refolved to fail thither ; but before he de- parted from Cubaj he took twelve Indians, men, women, and children, whom he intended to carry 3nto Spain ; and this feizure was made with fo little diflurbance, that a man who was a hufband io one of the females, came aboard in his canoe, and begged he might accompany his wife and children : the admiral, being very well pleafed with this inftance of natural afFedion, granted his requeft, and treated them \\ith great tendernefs and refpedt. On the 13th of November, he returned to the caftward in feaicli of the ifland of Bohio ; but the wind. d his Ton, yii'ity and "corte, the it feveral >er of the brands to hd thofe t and to gathered ''ariety of dges and, thofe fi-.. eat pare ^dcs the in called, ed flour, gathered the leaft ed great » where of lea- them- ; it but w, but ed Bo- le ad- ^e dc- men, carry ith {o jfband canoe, e and 1 with qiieft, fpea. :o the t the wind. iff OF COLUMBUS. I^^ wiifld blowing hard at north, he was obliged to come to an anchor again, among fome high lands near a large harbour, which he called del Principe : the fea in the neighbourhood of this port, being covered with iflands that lay fo clofe together, that the greatelt diftance between any two of them did not exceed a quarter of a league : they produced a number of green trees,, among others the mailic, aloes, and palm. Columbus on the 19th of November, put to fea, firom Prince's Port, fleered eaftvvard for the ifland •f Bohio or Hifpaniola ; but the wind being con- trary, he was forced to ply two or thr?e days be- tween the iflands of Cuba and Ifabella. During this interval, he was deferted by Martin Alonza Pinzon, who having been informed by fome Indi- ans whom he concealed in his caraval, that Bohia abounded with gold, made ufe of the advantage he derived from his veflel which was a prime failcr, and left Columbus in the night, with a view to anticipate his fuccef-, and engrofs the treafure of that wealthy country.— Thus abandoned by one of his conforts, and the weather growing too rough to keep the fea, Columbus returned to ano- ther harbour in Cuba, which he named St. Ca- therine's ; here while the crews were employed in taking in wood and water, he by accident per- ceived figns of gold on fome Hones in the river, and, farther up in the country, faw mountains co- vered with fuch tall pines as would furnifli mails for the largeft Ihips ; together with plenty of ex- cellent oak for planks. In his run along the coaft, for ten or twelve leagues to the fouth-eafl, he dif- covered many large rivers and excellent harbours, and was fo ravilhed at the beauty of the cormtry, that in mentioning the place, which he called Puerto Santo, he fays he entered the river, where he found from five to eight fathoms of water; and proceed- ing a confiderable way farther up in his boat, he was delighted with the tranfparency of the water* through^ ir*: m ■•'i. M aro THE FIRST VOYAGE through which he could plainly fee the fandy bot- tom, ::nd with abundance and v;.riety of verdant plains and lofty trees, inhabited by b'rds of dif- ferent notes and plumage ; fo that ne was even tempted in this delicious l^ot to fi\ his habitation for life. In this progrefs he faw a canoe drawn upon land, as large as a twelve oar barge, and afterwards faw another canoe, formed out of the trunk of a fir!:;le tree feventy feet in length, capa- ble of containing fifty men. After failing 106 Leagues along the (hore, the ad- miral arrived at the eaft end of Cuba, which he called Alpha ; and on the 5th of December failed again for Bohio, which tho* only fixteen leagues diftant, he was prevented by the currents till the next day, when he anchored in a port, which he called St. Nicholas, in honour of that faint, wHofe feilival it happened to be. This harbour is large, deep, fafe, and encompafled with many tall trees ; tho' the country is rocky, and the trees in geneml not fo large as thofe of Cuba. He could not how- ever eftablifh any intercourfe with the. inhabitants, who fled at his approach, fo that he ran along the coaft to the northward, until he arrived a^ a port which he called the Conception ; and obferving that the country was very extenfive, and refembled the coaft of Spain not only in the trees and plants, but alfo in the fiflies, the admiral bellowed upon it the appellation of Efpannola.— Here he faw numbers of the natives, who fled from his men "^'ith great precipitation ; but having at length caught a young woman, who had a plate of gold hanging at her nofe, Ihe was carried to the ftiips, and pre- fented with feveral baubles, fuch as bells and glafs beads, then without having received the leaft infult, difmilled to the town where fhe dwelt, attended by three Spaniards and as many Indians. The nexi day, eleven men going on fliore well armed, travelled four leagues up the country to a large village confilling of a thoufand houfes, and tho' \ •J V i, ^ndy hot- f verdant is of dif- was even habitation 3e drawn i^ge, and ut of the th, capa- ?, the ad- which he )cr failed i leagues till the 'hich he it, whjfe is large, [1 trees ; genewrf ot how- bitantf, )ng the a port )ferving embled plants, upon ha faw n 'T'ith iight a anging d pre- i ghCi infult, led by e well to a and tho' OF COLUMBUS SI \ %iO* the inhabitants fled as ufual at their approach, t carried on a trade with the natives of Hifpa* nio. who came from the inland part of the coun- try, and bartered gold for points and other trifles. The nature and produdions of this ifland, toge- ther with the manners of the inhabitants, fo highly pleafed the admiral, that he refoived to fettle a co- lony of Spaniards, who, by maintaining a friendly intercourfe with the natives, might learn their lan- guage and cuftoms, and acquire fuch information of the wealth and fituation of the diiferent parts of the ifland, as could not fail of being very ad- vantageous to Spain. He was alfo encouragrd to purfue this refolution, by the behaviour of Sveral of his men, who voluntarily offered to fl^ay, and the cacique was fo far from taking umbrage at their neighbourhood, that he confidered them as valuable allies, who would proted his people from the inva- fions of the Carribee Indians, a favage race of ca- nibals, by whom they were fiequcntly killed and devoured. — Ja order to evince the importance of his friendfliip, in prefence of this prince, he ordered a great gun to be fired againft the fide of the wreck, through which the bullet penetrated, and fell into the water on the other fide, to the amazement of the Indians, who believing that their guefts were in poflTeflion of the thunder of heaven, implored their protei^ion in the moft carnell manner. .1 ■it X • -5 %j:.>:M the O F C O L U M B U S, 25 The admiral therefore, feemingly in compliance Avlth the cacique's requeft, ordered a tower to be built of the timber of the wreck, and being fur- nillied with provifion, ammunition, arms and can*" iion, he left a garrifon of fix and thirty men, un- der the joint command of James d'Arana, Peter Gatierres, and Roderick d'E(ko;'edo, whom he warmly recommended to the favour and good offices of the king and his people. Having provided the fort with all neceffaries, he refolved to return di- reftly to Gallile, left fome other misfortune hap- pening to the only Ihip that now remained, might for ever difable him from giving their Catholic ma- jefties information of the important difcoveries he had already made, and the countries he had annexed to their dominions. Accordingly he fet fail from the port of Nativity, where he had fettled this firft Chri- llian colony, on Friday the 4th day of January at fun- rifing, and ftanding to the north-weft, to get clear of the ftioal water, took fuch marks of the land as would enable him to know the mouth of the har- bour in any future expedition. The wind being contrary, he had made but little way to the eaft- ward, when on Sunday morning he fell in with the caraval Pinta, commanded by Martin Alonzo Pin- zon, who going on board, endeavoured to excufe his defertion, by faying he had loft fight of the ad- miral in the night, and alledging other frivolous reafons, the fallacy of which tho* Columbus plainly faw, he difguifed his fentiments, rather than run r.ny rifque of prejudicing the common caufe, by giving rife to a dangerous diflention. Pinzon had, it feems, failed to a river fifteen leagues to the eaftward of the Nativity, where he fpent lixteen days in bartering with the natives for gold, of which he had obtained a large quantity, and diftributed one half among the crew, in order at cnce to acquire popularity, and kept what re- mained for his own ufe. He therefore care- fully concealed his fuccefs from the knowledge Vol. I, C - of 26 THE FIRST VOYAGE It h: of the admiral. He next anchored at Monte Chrillo, a round hill like a pavilion, about eighteen leagues call of Cape Santo ; but, the weather not permitting him to proceed, he went in his boat up a river to the fouth-weft of the mount, and difco- vering fome ligns of gold duft in the fand, and called it the river of gold ; this place is feventecn leagues to the eaftward of the Nativity. On the 13 th of January, being near Cape Ena- morado, the admiral fent his boat afhore, where there flood fome Indians with fierce countenances, armed with bows and arrows, making a fhow of oppofition, tho' they feemed to be in great confter- nation. They were however, by the mediation of the Salvador linguift, brought to a kind of confe* rence, and one of them venturing to go on board the admiral, appeared fo ferocious, both in his fpeech and afped, which was fmutted with char- coal, that the Spaniards concluded he was one of the Caribbee Canibals, and that the bay parted this place from Hifpaniola : but when the admi* ral inquired about the country of the Caribbees, he pointed with his finger to an ifland farther eaft, and gave him to underfland that there was another near it, wholly inhabited by women, with whom the Caribbees converfed at a certain feafon of the year, and carried off all the male children that fprung from their embraces. Having anfwered all thefe interrogations, partly by figns and partly by means of the Indian interpreter, he was entertain- ed with victuals, and fet afhore, with prefents of glafs beads, and bits of red and green cloth, that he might perfuade his countrymen to bring down gold to barter. At the place where he was landed, fifty men with long hair, adorned with plumes of parrot feathers, had formed a fort of ambufcade, and being armed with bows and arrows, refufed to carry on any trade with the Spaniards, notwithflanding the ex- hortations of their countryman, but, on the con- trary y OF COLUMBUS. 27 trary treated them with fcorn, and even began to commit hoftiiities. The Chriflians, tho* only feven in number, feeing them advance with fury in their looks, met them half way, and charging them with great intrepidity, cut one with a fword on the buttock, and fhot another with an arrow in the breaft, to the terror of the whole party, wh» fled with the utmoft precipitation, leaving their bows and arrows on the fpot. The admiral was not dif- pleafed at this fkirmifh, which he imagined would infpire the Indians with fuch high notions of the valour of the Spaniards, as would hinder them from making any attempts to the prejudice of the fettle- ment at the Nativity. On the 16th of January the admiral, tho' both caravals were in a leaky condition, fet fail for Spaia from the gulph of Samana, and continuing his courfe with a fair wind, made fo much way* that on the 9th day of February they were, accord- ing to the reckoning of the pilots, fouth of the iflands Azores ; but by the admiral's account, which proved to be right, they were one hundred and fifty leagues weft ward of thefe iflands. They had hitherto enjoyed a favourable gale, but the wind now began to rife, and the fea to run mountains high. This continued till the i4tli of February, when they were overtaken by fuch a tempeft, that they could not work their veffels, which were tofled about at the mercy of the ftorm. The caraval Pinta being incapable of failing upon a wind, ran away due north before it, and in the night loft fight of the admiral, who fleered north- caft, in order to fetch the coaft of Spain. In con- fequence of this feparation, the company of each caraval concluded that the other had periftied, and betaking themfelves to afts of devotion, it fell to the admiral's lot to go a pilgrimage for the whole crew to our lady of Guadalcupe: one of the fea- men was deftincd to go to Lorett , and another to watch a whole night at St. Olave of Moguer; but •^ . C 2 the / 1 28 THE FIRST VOYAGE ,v*»i\^ ix^'S ^i^^l H; 1 ? I i H the fury of the wind and the fea ftill incrcafing, the whole company joined in a vow to walk bare- foot and in their /hirts to fome church dedicated to the BlefTed Virgin. Their fiiuation was rendered ftill more deplorable by the fcarcity of provifion, and the want of ballad, by which the fhip was in danger of being overfet. To remedy this incon- venience, the admiral ordered his cafks to be filled with fea water; and that his difcovery might have fome chance of being known, whatever might be the fate of him and his people, he wrote a brief account of it upon two skins of parchment, which lie wrapped in oil cloths, covered with wax, and put into feparate casks, whofe bungs being well iecured were thrown into the fea. The ftorm continued till the 15th of February, when one of the failors from the round-top difco- vered land to the eaft-north-eaft, which the pilot judged to be the rock of Lifbon, tho* the admi- ral fuppoled it to be one of the Azores. Soon after they faw another point of land, which proved to be St. Mary, where after four days fpent in in- ceflant labour, they came to an anchor. The in- habitants of this iiland came on board with frefli provifions, and many compliments from the gover- nor, exprefling their aftoniihment at the fuccefs of the expedition, and feemed to rejoice at the dif- covery of Columbus. They were likewife furpri'^^d to fee he had outlived the rtorm, which, accordin,^ to their account, had lafted fifteen days without in-- termiiKon, adding, that there was in the neigh- b urhood an hermitage dedicated to the BleSed Virgin. The admiral and crew, on receiving this information, refolved to perform their vow, by walking thither barefoot. Accordingly he fent the caraval's boat afhore, with one half of the company, to fulfil this pe- . nance, and return immediatefy, that the reft might fucceed them in the fame fort of devotion : but they had no fooner undreiTed themfelves, and be- gun in- K'i r1 OF COLUMBUS 29 gun their proceflion, than they were attacked and made prifoners by the governor, and a number of people planted in ambufli for that purpofe. Co- lumbus having waited in vain, from day- break till noon, for the return of the boat, began to fufpeft fome treachery ; and as he could not, where he lay, difcover the hermitage, he failed round a point from whence he could fee it, and perceived a good many Portuguefe on horfeback alight and enter the boat, with intent, as he fuppofed, to attack the earaval. He therefore ordered his men to be upon their guard, and hoped the commander himfelf would come on board, in which cafe he would have detained him as an hoftage : but the Portu- guefe not advancing beyond a certain diftance, the admiral demanded their reafon far committing fuch an outrage upon his men, who had gone alhore upon the faith of a fafe-condu£l, and gave them to underfland that the king of Portugal would cer« tainly be oiTended at fuch behaviour to the fubjedls of their catholic majefties, with whom he was in alliance. To this remonftrance, the Portuguefe captain anfwered, that what they had done was by the exprefs order of the king ; fo that Columbus imagining there was a breach between the two crowns, called all his peoole to bear witnefs to what they had heard, and dire£^ing his difcourfe to the Portuguefe, fwore he would never quit the ea- raval, until he Aiould have taken a hundred Portu- guefe, and deflroyed the whole ifiand. He now returned to the port he had left; but the wind in- creaiing, and his riding being unfafe, he was ob- liged to (land out to fea, tho' he had only three able feamen left, the reft being boysj Indians, and landmen, who underftood nothing of fea-affairs. Next day, the weather being mild, he endea- voured to recover the ifland of St. Mary, which he reached on the 21ft, in the afternoon; and foon after his arrival, the boat came ofF with five men and a notary, who upon proper feqjrity went on C 3 board*, Ill 'I 5 •' 30 THEFIRST VOYAGE board, and dcfired to know, in the governor's name, whence the fliip came, and whether or not the admiral had the king of Spain's commiffion. Beintr fatisficd in thcfe particulars, they went a- fliorc, and releafed the Spaniards, who had been informed, that the king of Portugal had fent or- ders to all his governors, to fccure, if poflible, the perfon of the admiral ; but this fcheme mifcarry- ing, they thought proper to difmifs their prifo- iiers. Having recovered his men, Columbus departed from the ifland of St. Mary, on the 24th of Fe- bruary, with a very favourable wind. On the 3d of March, they were expofed to another tem- peft, attended with lightning and thunder, during which their fails were fplit; end they vowed ano- ther pilgrimage to our lady de Cinta at Guelva : they now ran under their bare poles through a ter- rible fea, and were in the utmoft danger of being loft on the rock of Lifbon, which they accidental* ly difcovered at midnight. They however, wea» thered it with great difficulty ; and next day be- ing obliged to come to an anchor in the river Ta- gus, the admiral fent an exprefs to their catholic majcflies with the news of his arrival; and another to the king of Portugal, alking leave to anchor be- fore the city, as his prefent llation was far from being fafe. On the 5th of March, the mafler of a great guardfhip, with a boat full of armed men, came along-fide of the admiral, whom he required to go and give an account of hinifelf to the kina*s offi- cers, according to the practice of all Ihips that en- tered that river. Columbus replied, that as the king of Spain's admiral, he would not degrade himfelf {o hv as to comply with any fuch cuflom, nor would he fend the moft inconfiderable perfon belonging to his fhip upon an errand of that na- ture. The Portuguefe finding him refolute, de- iiisd he would (hew him the king of Spain's letter. OF COLUMBUS. 51 letter, that he might fo far fatisfy his captain ; and this requeil being complied with, he returned to his fliip, and made a fuitable report to his com- mander Alvaro de Acunha, who forthwith came on board the caraval, amended with fifes, drums, and trumpets, and welcomed the admiral with many exprefiions of friendfhip. The nature of the voyage was no fooner known at Lilhon, than fucli multitudes of people came to fee tlie Indians, and learn the particulars of this amazing difcovery, that the whole river was covered with boats. The king having received the ad .ral'i letter, ordered his officers to prefent him with all forti of refrefhment and neceflaries, gratis ; at the faind time, he v/rote to Columbus, congratulating him upon his happy return, and defiring to fee him be« fore he left his dominions. Co'umbiu at lirll fcrupled to accept of this invitation; but, conli- dering that the king of Portugal was at peace with his fovereign, and had treated him vvith uncOiii- mon. hofpitality an^ regard, he refolved to wait upon his Portuguefe majefty, who then refided about nine leagues from Lifbon, at a place called Valparaifo, where the admiral arrived on Saturday the 9th of March. The king ordered all the no- bility of the court to go out and meet him : and when the admiral was conduced to the prefence, he infifted upon his putting on his cap and fitting down ; and having with feemingplealure heard the particulars of the voyage, offered to fupply him with every thing he wanted, tho* he could not help obferving, that the conqueft of right belonged to him, as Columbus had been once in the fervice of Portugal. The admiral modeiUy gave his reafons for being of a contrary opinion ; to which the king replied, *< it was very well ; juftice will douDtlefs be done." This converfation being end* ed, he ordered the prior of Crato to entertain Co- lumbus, who having ftaid all Sunday, and part of Monday, took his leave, after having been treated C 4 hy ■ ..1 «*"« 32 THEFIRSTVOYAGB by his majefty with great honour, and tempted,, by very confiderable offers, to reingage in his fer- vice. In his return, he was attended by Don Martin de Noronha, and many other perfons of rank ; and as he pafled by a monallery where the queen was, (he deflred to fee him, and received hij vifit with great refpeft. That fame night, a gen- tleman came from the king, to tell him, that if he was inclined to go t Caflile by land, he would accompany and provide him with accommodations on the road, as far as the frontiers of Portugah He declined this offer with fuitable acknowledge^ ments, and fetting fail from the river of Lifbon on the 13th of March, arrived on the 15th at Saltes, &nd came to an anchor in the port of Palos, from whence he had departed on the 3d. day of Auguil in the preceding year. On his landing, the admiral was received by r the people in proceffion, giving thanks to God his profperous fuccefs, which, it was hoped, would redound fo much to the advantage of ChriJlianity, and the grandeur of their catholic majefties. By this, lime Pinzon had arrived in Galicia, and defigned to carry in perfon the news of the difcovery to court, when he received orders, forbidding him to come without the admiral, under whofe command he had been fent on the expedition. This morti- fying repulfe made fuch an impreflion upon him> that he fell fick ; and returning to his native plftce,. in a few days died of erief and vexation^ Mean while Columbus fet out for Sevil, in his way to Barcelona, where their majellies at that time reAded; and the roads were crowded by all forts of people, who flocked together to fee him and the Indians in his train. About the middle of April he arrived at Barcelona, where he was re- ceived in the mofl folemn manner, by the whole court and city : their catholic majefiies, who fat in public upon their chairs, under a canopy of cloth of goldy flood up when, he approached to kifs their hands,. in »— »«'»' l» 'i<' o'l;--— .It I . • 1 ^f,"' '..1 II I - '^ '^:;-- J ' V i -i •..s * i'T^\ '-iP, ,'''• ' 1 '^- ''.-•:, ^ K/ h J>.3fi. K ^ ,x OF COLUMBUS. 35 Hands, caufed him'.to be featedin their prefence, and treated him as a grandee of the firft order, who had done the moft important fervice to his country : nay, To highly favoured was he for his merit and fuccefs, that when the king rode about Barcelona, Columbus was always at his fide, an honour whicK. had never been confcried before upon any but the princes of the blood. Nor was their regard confined to unfubftantkl- forms ; he was gratiried with n€w patents, enlarg- ing, explaining, and confirming the privileges which he had before obtained ; and extending his. viceroyalty and s 'miralfhip over all the countries he had difcovered, as well as thofe he fhould dif— cover : for it was refolved, that he fhould return to the Weft-Indies with a powerful armament, to fupport the colony he had fettled, and proceed with other difcoveries : and in the mean time they folicit ed and procured from pope Alexander VI. an ex- clufive tide to all the lands they Ihould find and fub*. doe ill that direction, as far as the Eaft-Indies. W\ Jk n The Second Voyage of Columbus* ^^ AS foon as all the neceflary meafures were taken > at court, for the fuccefs of 'is fecond ex- pedition, admiral Columbus dep rted for Sevil, . where he exerted himfclf with fuch diligence, that jn a little time feventeen veflels of different fizes were ready to fail, well ftored with provifions and other neceflaries, for the improvement of the In- dian colonies. Many handicraftfmen and labourers were engaged for this fervice, while the t'nirft of gold and the fuccefs of the firft adventurers, drew together fuch a fwarm of volumiers, that he found: Cs it: mm ■ '! 1/ , 34 THE SECOND VOYAGE it abfolutely ncceflkry to rejeft a great number, un- til another opportunity Ihould offer, and for the prefent rellri^ himfelf to fifteen hundred perfons of all forts, who adually embarked on this under- takino'. Having taken aboard fome horfes, afles, and other animals, which multiplied, and were after- wards of great ufe in the plantations, and being well furnifhed with all forts of utenfils and com- modities for trade, the admiral failed from the road of Cadiz, where the fleetwas equipped, on the 25th of September I493» an hour before fun-rifing, and flood fouthweft for the Canary iflands, where he intended to take in fome refrelhment. On the 28th, being 100 leagues from Spain, they faw a- bundance of land-fowl, fuch as turtle doves and other fmall birds, paffing from the Azores to win- ter in Africa. On the 2 d of Oftober, he anchored a't Gran Canaria, and at midnight failed again for Gomara, where he arrived on the 5th, and gave orders for fupplying the fhips with all poffible dif^- patch. His direftions being followed, he, on the 7th of October, took his departure for the Indies, after having delivered fealed orders to every (hip, not to be opened unlefs they ihould be feparrted from him by ftrefs of weather. They run 400 leagues weft of Gomara with a profperous gale,and were furprifed that they did not meet with any of thofe weeds which they had feen in their firft voyage before they had made much more than half way. On the 26th at night, the feamen perceived upon the round-top, thofe lights which they call the body . of St. Elmo, to whom they iing litanies and pray- ers, In full confidence that no danger would cnfuc, let the ftorm be never fo violent. * On the 2d of November, in the evening, the admiral perceiving a great alteration, in the winds and fky, that poured down a deluge of rain, con- cluded he was near fonw land 5 and almoft all the faiU OF COLUMBUS. 35 fails being taken in, ordered the crew to keep a (harp look-out. This was far from being a groundlefs precaution ; for as foon as day began to break, they defcried, about feven leagues to the weftward, a high mountainous ifland, which the admiral named Dominica, becaufe it was difcover- ed on Sunday morning. Much about the fame time, they fpied three other iflands ; and the peo- ple aifembling on the poop, fung the Jahe regina, and returned thanks to God for their wonderful fuccefs, in having failed near 800 leagues in the fpace of twenty days. There being no convenient place for anchoring on the eaft fide of Dominica, they ftood over to another, which the admiral called Marigalante, after his own fliip ; and there landing, he, with the ufual folemnity, confirmed the pofleflion he had formerly taken of all the iftands and continent .of the Weft-Indies for the king and queen of Spain. On the 4th of November, he failed from hence to another great ifland, which he denominated Stc Mary of Guadaloupe, in confequencc of a promife he had made to the friars belonging to a convent of that name : at the diftance two leagues from this fhore, they perceived a very ..igh rock, end'iwr in a point, from whence gufhed a lar^^^ ftream of water, which fell with a prodigious noife Some men being fent a-fhore in the boat, went up to a fort of town, which was abandoned by all the in- habitants, except fome children, to vvhofe a' ns the Spaniards tied a few bawbles, in token of friendlhip. They faw geefe like thofe of Europe, abundance of very large parrots, pompionS, am^ pine apples growing wild, of exquifitc taile a- a flavour. They likewife faw different kinds of ftrange fruits, cotton, hammocks, bows and ar- rows, and other things, which they left untouched, that the owners might have the better opinion of their morals. Next day the admiral fent two boats a-fliore, with orders to take if poifiblc, fome of C 6 the if^^hm. ■■i ,-*'■!' ' 11 t J, 'I If fr.! 36 THE SECOND VOYAGE the natives, from whom they might obtain feme important information ; and they returned with two young men, who faid they were of another ifland, and taken pi ifpners by the inhabitants of Guarda- loupe. The boats going aihore again for fome of the people whom they had left, found fix women who had Hed to them, and defired to be carried on board,; thefe the admiral prefented with beads and bells, and difmifled, much againft their inclinations ; and they were no fooner landed, than the Carib- bees robbed them of their ornaments, in fight of the Spaniards, The next time the boat's crew landed, thefe poor creatures leaped into the. boat, imploring protedion from the cruelty of the ifland-. ders, who they fignified, had eaten their hulbands, and kept them in fl^very. They were, therefore brought aboard the admiral, whom they gave to underftapd, that there, were towards the fouth many iflands, and a large continent, from which, in former times, canoes had come to barter ; and they pointed out the fituation of Hifpaniola; whither he would have fteered without delay, had he not been informed, that one Mark, a '•^pum, had, without his leaye, gone a-more before day, with eight men, and was not yet returned ; fo that he was obliged to fl;ay and fend people in queft of him, with trumpets and mufkets, the noife of which might be heard tlirough the woods, that were al- moft impaflible. However this fearch proving fruitlefs, he fent another detachment of forty men, under captain Hoieda, with orders to range through the country, and make obfervations on its produc- tions. They foi iid maftic, aloes, fanders, ginger, frankincenfe, fome trees that refembled cin- namon in tafte and fmell, and abundance of cot^^ ton: theyfaw faulcons, kites, herons, daws^ turtles, partridges, geefe and nightingales ; and affirmed,, that in travelling fix leagues, they crofTed fix and twenty rivers, feveral of which were very deep : this, bowever, mult have been a miitake, into whivh >•« ^. OF COLUMBUS. 37 which, in all probability, they were led by the ruggednefs of the country, that compelled them to erofs the fame river a great many different times. While they were employed in this excurfirn, the ftragglers returned to their (hip of their own ac- cord, and faid they had been bewildered in the woods ; but the admiral puniihed their prefumpti- on, by ordering the captain to be put in irons, and the reft to be curtailed in their allowance of pro- vifion.. This example being made, he himfelf, landed, and entered fome of the Indian houfes,, where h^ found a great deal of cotton, fpun and unfpun, together with abundance of human (kulls and bones hung up in bafkets : and he obferved that the natives here were better accommodated with lodging, neceflaries, and proviiion, than thofe of the iflands which he had vifited in his iiril voyage. On the 10th of November, he weighed anchor,, and failed with the whole fleet towards the north- weft in queft of Hifpaniola, paffed an ifland he called Monferatte, on account of its height, the inhabitants of which, as he learned from the Indi- ans, had been totally devoured by the Caribbees ; coafted along St. Mary Redonda, fo named from. its round figure; failed by Sta. Maria la Antigua,, extending to about twenty eight leagues ; and hold- ing on his courfe, faw, to the north-weft and fuuth- eaft, feveral other high and woody iflands, near one of which, intituled St. Martin, he came to an an- chor, and when they weighed, peices of coral were found fticking on the flukes. Onthe 13th of Novem- ber, he anchored again on account of bad weather, at another ifland, where he ordered fome Indians to be taken, that they might inform him of his true fltu- ation. Accordingly four women and three children^ being kidnapped by the boat^s crew, they put ofF from Ihore, and in their way to the (hip met with a canoe, in which were four men and one woman, who perceiving that they could not make their efcapci ^r*. ■■ i 38 THESECOND VOYAGE cfcape, put themfekes in a pofture of defence, and the female Ihot an arrow with fuch force and dexte- rity, that it actually went through a ftrong target. But the Spaniards endeavouring to board them, overfet the canoe, fo that they betook themfelves to fwimmtng, and one of them ufed his bow in the water as dexteroufly as if he had been on dry land : all the males were eunuchs, who had been cailrated by the Caribbees, as the capons are made in£uropc» with a view to their improvement in fatnefs. The admiral departing hence, continued his courfe well-north -weft, leaving to the northward fifty iflands, the largeft of which he called St. Urfula, and on the reft he beftowed the appellation of the Eleven thoufand Virgins ; then he anchored in a bay, on the weft fide of what he termed St. John Baptift, where the men caught Ikate, olaves, pilchards, and (had, and faw faulcons, and ihrubg like wild vines : to the weftward of the bay they vifited fome well built houfes, with a fquare in their front, from which was a fpacious road down to the fea, flanked on both fides with cane towers, the tops of which were curioully interwoven with greens ; and at the end of it, next the fea, ftood a lofty gallery or balcony, large enough to hold ten or twelve perfons. On the 14th he arrived in the bay of Samana, on the north fide of Hifpaniola, where he fent on ihore one of his Indians, who was a native of that part, and being now converted to the Chriftian faith, undertook forthe fubmiffion of all his coun- trymen : from thence, continuing his courfe for the town of the Nativity, he was at cape Angel vifited by fome Indians, v/ho came aboard to barter j and coming to an anchor in the port of Monte Chrifto, fome of his men difcoveied, near a river, two bodies of men with a rope made of a kind of broom about their necks, and their arms extended upon a piece of wood in f ^m of a crofs ; this circumftance was looked upoa as a bad , , omen. ' OF COLUMBUS. , 39 omen, though it was impofllble to difcover whether they were Chrillians or natives of the country. Next day, being the 26th, a number of Indiana came aboard, with great confidence and appearance of friendfhip, and pronounced feveral Spaniih words they had learned from the fettlers, fo that the admiral was eafed of the apprehenfions he had begun to conceive ; as he could not imagine they would have behaved with fuch freedom and un- concern, had they been confcious to themfelves '^' having injured the Chriftians. Next day, how- ever, put an end to his doubts ; for, when he anchored near the town of the Nativity^ feme In- dians came alcHig fide in a canoe, and enquired for him by name ; and being fatisfied that he was there, went on board with two maiks, and a com- pliment from the cacique Guacanagari. From thefe people he had the mortification to learn, that the greater part of his fettlers were dead, and the reft gone to other countries : and tho'- he fufpei^ed foul play, he concealed his fufpicions for the pre- fent, and that fame night difmifled the meflengers with fome utenfils of fattin and other bawbles for their prince. When he entered the port of the Nativity, he iaw nothing but ruin and defolation ; the town was burnt to the ground^ and not a foul appeared upon the beach ; and when he fent fome of his people on ihore to gather tidings, they found the bodies of eleven Spaniards, who feemed to have been a month dead. While he ruminated with forrcw and refentment on this unfortunate event, he was vi- lited by Guacanagari's brother, who came down attended by fome Indians, and told him, that he fcarce fet fail, on his return to Spain, when thofe he had left behind, began to quarrel among them- felves, every man endeavouring to amafs as much gold as he could find, and taking as many wives from among the natives, as his appetite, or rather his extravagance, feemed to require; that Peter !, , Gutierres f sf i'- f >- 40 T H E S E C O N D V O y A G K Gutierres and Efcovedo having killed one lago',. had with nine others retired into the dominions of a cacique called Caunabo, lord of the mines, who put them all to death, and afterwards came down with a great number of men to deftroy the town. At that time, James de Arana with ten men ■- were left to guard the fort, the reft having difperfed themfelves about the ifland ; and Caunabo, who ftole upon them by night, fetting fire to their hou- fes, they fled into the fea, where eight of them periflied, and the other three were flain on fhore,. while Guacanagra himfelf, who had joined the Spaniards, was obliged to fly, after having receiv- ed a dangerous wound, by which he was then con- fined to his Roufe, fo that he could not wait upon the admiral according to his inclination. This ftory exaflly agreeing with the intelligence he re- ceived from fome Spaniards, who had been fent up the country to reconnoitre, and had aftually feen Guacanagari at his own houfe, the admiral paid him avifit next day, and was received with ah the ap- pearance of cordiality and concern: the cacique repeated the melancnoly tale with marks of un- feigned forrow, (hewed his own wound, and thoft of his men, which had been received in defence of the Chriftians, and appeared to have been mad6 - with Indian weapons. The compliments of con- dolance being paft, he prefented him with eight '^ firings of fmall beads, compofed of white, green,, and red ftones, a flring of gold beads, a regal crown of the fame metal, and three fmall cala* baflies, full of gold duft, weighing about two pounds. In return for thefe valuable prefents, the admiral gave him toys to the amount of three reals, . or eighteen pence, which he prized at a very high rate. Though he was extremely ill, he infrlted on accompanying his gueft to the fleet, where he was courteoufly entertained,, and very much furprized . at fight of fome horfes. He was afterwards in- itrufted in the myileries of the ChriiUan religion, . 5 whicL i' ■ ' **yi(s'*'ii'^^ w 'jL '« t i -i.n«. i»'»i 1 >l I 'I OF COLUMBUS. 41 which he at firft had made fome fcruple to embrace. The admiral being difgufted at this place, which had been thefceneof To many difafters to him and his people, and knowing that in the neighbour- hood there were more commodious places for a fcttlement, {ailed to the eaftward with the whole fleet, on Saturday December 7th, and next day came to an anchor among the fmall iflands of Mon- te Chrifto, which, tho*deftitute of trees, are never- thelcfs pleafant ; for in that winter feafon they abounded with flowers, nefts full of young birds, and every other prod ud ion of fummer. Weighing, however, he failed from thence, and anchored be- fore an Indian town, where he deflgned to plant a colony. With this vieWj all the men defigncd for fettlers, together with provifion and proper utenfils, were landed in a plain, where he built a tower called Ifabella, in honour of the queen. This was judg- ed a very ronvenient/pot, becaufe it was under a rock on which a fort might be eredted : the har- bour was very large^ and at the diftance of a bow- ftiot ran a river of delicate water, from which ca- nals might be drawn through the middle of the town ; and beyond it lay an extenflve open plain,, from whkh, the Indians faid, the mines of Ceboa were not very diftant. From the nth day of De- cember the admiral was eagerly employed in regu- lating this fettlement, which being tolerably well adjufted, he fent Alonzo de Hoieda, with fifteen men, in quefl: of the gold mines ; and on the 2d day of February he diimifled twelve fliips of his fleet to Caflile, under the command of Capt. An- tonio de Torres. Hoieda foon returned, and gave the following account of his expedition. On the fecond day he lay at the pafs of an almoft inacceflible mountain ; at the diitance of every league he found a cacique, by whom he was ho- fpitably received ; and continuing his journey, ar- liyed. on the. iixth day at the mines of Ceboa, where ^IPI s r ■I f }-i i V ,4a T H E S E C O N D V O Y A G E he aftiially faw the Indians take up goM from -a fmall river, as they afterwadrs did from many others of the fame province. This information was ex- tremely agreeable to the admiral, who was juil: re- covered from a fit of illriefs, occafioned by fatigue ; and on Wednefday March 12th he fct out from Ifa- bella for Cebao, attended by the people who were in health, on foot and onhorleback, except a ftrong guard which he left in the two fhips, and three caravals, that remained under the command of his brotherDiego Columbus. This precautionhc took in confequenceof aconfpiracyhehaddetededon board, headed by one Bernardede Pifa, who had embarked from Spain in quality of comptroller to their catho- lickmajefties. Pifa had embraced the opportunity of the admiral's diforder, to tamper with fome of the men, who being difappointed of the gold they ex- peded to find without theleall trouble, and difatisfied with the regulations of the new fcttlement, formed the deiign of revolting from the admiral, and af- ter feizing the Ihips, to return to Spain : but the combination being difcovered, Columbus fecured the ringleader, until he fhould have an opportunity of fending him home to undergo his trial. Having thug prevented the fatal confequences of a mutiny, he departed for Ceboa, with necelfaries to build a fort in that province, for the fecurity of thofe who Ihould be left to gather gold among the Indians ; and that he might the more intimidate and awe thefe favages, hi made a parade of all his people, whom he ordered to march through their villages in rank and file, w;^ith their arras and accoutrements, ; trumpets founding, and colours flying. He march- ed along the river that runs by Ifabella, and crof- fing another not fo large, lay in a pleafant plain, extending to the foot of a craggy hill, and form- ing a pafs, which he called Puerto de los Hidalgos. ' Next day he entered a large plain, and fpent the night near a great river, which the men crofled on ' floats and in canoes : this, which he nam^d the river of OF COLUMBUS. 43 of Canes, falls into the fea at Monte Chrlfto. la his march he pafled by many Indian towns, com- pofed of round thatched houfes, the doors of which were fo fmall, that no perfon could enter without Itooping very low. The inhabitants feemed to have no notion of private property, for they at- tempted to take from the Spaniards any thing that they chanced to like, and were furprifed at meet- ing with a repulfc. The whole way was diverfi- fied with pleafant mountains covered with wild vines, aloes, cafiia, and various forts of trees. On the 14th of March, the admiral fet forwards for the river of Canes ; and having proceeded a league and a half, arrived at the banks of another, which he named the golden river, becaufe here they gathered fome dult and a few grains of that metal. Having with fome difficulty pafled this large body of water, he found a confiderable town, and all the houfes fhut againll him by the inhabitants, who had barred the doors with canes, which they looked upon asaninpregnable defence. On the i6th of March, he entered the province of Cebao, which, though rough and flony, yields plenty of grafs, and is watered by feveral rivers abounding with gold, waflied down from the mountains ; but has few trees, except fome pines and palms on the banks of the rivers. His iirlt care was to ereft a fort in a very ftrong, tho* pleafant iituation, to command the country about the mines, and proted the Chriftian adven- turers. This fortification, which he called the caflle of St. Thomas, was fufHcient to render all the at- tempts of the Indifns abortive. It was garrifoned by fifty-lix men, under the command of Peter Mar* garite, and among thefe were workmen of all forts, to finifh and repair the fort. The admiral, after giving proper dire£lions to the garrifon, fet out on his return for Ifabella, and arrived there on the 29th of March, where he found melons already fit to eat, tho* the feed had not 11 n 1 R 44 THE SECOND VOYAGE not been above two months in the ground. Cu- cumbers came to perfection in twenty days ; and a wild vine in the country, being pruned, produced large and excellent grapes. The next day, a pea- sant gathered ears of wheat, which he had fown in the latter end of January: vetches improved in the foil, and produced a ripe crop in twenty five days after they were fown. The ftones of fruit fprouted out in feven days ; the vine branches put forth in the fame time, yielding green grapes in five and twenty days, and fugar canes budded in he fame fpace ; fo that the admiral was perfectly veil pleafed with the climate, the foil, and the water, which was extremely pure, cool, wholefome and palatable. ' On the ill of April, a melTengcr arrived from St. Thomas, with intelligence, that the cacique Cau« nabo was employed in making preparations for at- tacking the fort : and the* Columbus paid no re*- gard to this report, knowing how little the natives were to be feared, efpecialiy as they were fo much terrified by the horfes, yet intending to put to fea with his three caravals, in order to difcov^r the continent, he refolved to leave every thing quiet behind him ; and for that purpofe fent a reinforce- ment of feventy men to the fort, the greateft part of whom had orders to make the road more pafTable^ and find out the fords of the rivers. In tH« mean time he com pleated his town, which was laid out in regular ftieets, with a convenient market-place, and fupplied it with the river water, conveyed through an artificial canal. He likewife eredled a water mill to grind wheat ; but as his people were not as yet accuftomed to the food of the natives, and provifions beginn'ng to fail, he determined to fend all the fuperfluous mouths to Spain. This fl:ep he was rather induced to take, becaufe the cli- mate difajrreed with many, who were in a fick and languilhing condition : as for thofe who enjoyed health, and were not abfolutely neceffary in the town,, <• ,. fc Itft^MT *.. :h if* I u M town,h might to the habitan X .^^ OF COLUMBUS. 45 town, he fent them out to traverfe the ifland,that they might reconnoitre the ground, accullom themfelves to the Indian diet, and ftrike a terror into the in- habitants : they were commanded by Hoieda, who had orders to march into Cebao, and deliver them to Peter Margarite, who received direftions to lead them round the iflaud, whik Hoieda commanded the fort of St. Thomas. Accordingly four hundred of the Spaniards de- parted on the 29th of April from Ifabella ; and, having crofled the river del Gro, apprehended a cacique, whom, together with his, brother, they fent in irons to the admiral. This punilhment was infiided on the cacique for a breach of trufl. He had accommodated three Spaniards in their way from St. Thomas to Ifabella, with five Indians to carry their cloaths over a river; but the Spaniards were no fooner in the middle of the ftream, than the favages ran away with the baggage, and the cacique, inftead of puniQiing them for the theft, refafed to reitore the booty. Another cacique, who dwelt beyond the rirer, relying upon the fervice he had done the Spani- ards, accompanied the prifoners to Ifabella, in or- der to intercede in their behalf A'th the admiral, who entertained him courteoufly ; but in order to inhance the value of ^he favour he intended to grant, commanded the delinquents to be brought out to execution. The mediator feeing them in this dangerous iituation, Ihed a flood of tears, and begged their lives might be fpared, with the mofl earneft entreaties : i'l confequence of which, they were pardoned and difmiffed. Immediately after their releafe, a man on horfeback, jull arrived from St. Thom-is's, told the admiral, that in his way through the town belonging to the cacique who had bef>n prifoner, he had fingly refcued four Spaniards, whom the Indians had taken by way of reprifals, and chafed about four hundred people, who fled at the very fight of his hoife. Coium* m 46 THE SECOND VOYAGE Columbus having now fitted out his fleet for a new expedition, appointed a council to govern the ifland in his abfence, confifling of his brother Diego as prefident, and five other perfons. Then he fail- ed to the port of Guacanagari, who fled at his ap- proach. On the 26th of April, he touched at the ifland of Tortuga, where, on account of the cur- rent?, he was obliged to come to an anchor, and /flay till the 29th, when favoured by a fair wind, he reached Cape St. Nicholas, from whence (land- ing over to Cuba, he ran along the foiith fide of that ifland, and put into a large bay, which he called Puerto Grande, from its extent and depth of water. On the 3d of May, the admiral failed for Ja- maica, where he was told there was great plenty of gold, and on the 5th, anchored in that ifland, which he thought the moft beautiful of any he had yet feen. An ailonifliing multitude of natives came on hoard in canoes of different fizes, to barter pro- vifions, which they exchanged for the moft incon- fiderabie toys. The next day, he coafted along thefliore; but fending out his boats to found the mouths of fome harbours, they were furrounded by canoes full of armed men, who feemed bent upon committing ads of hoftility. The Spaniards, how- ever, being refolved to enter Puerto Bueno, faluted them with a flight of arrows, by which fix or fe- ven were wounded, and the reft fo intimidated, that they fled with precipitation. In this harbour, the admiral's fliip was reptiired, and on the 14th, he flood over again to Cuba, with full refolution to know v/hether it was an ifland or a continent. The fame day a very young Indian of Jamaica coming on board, defired to accompany the admiral to Spain ; and tho* many of his kindred and country- men came, with tears in their eyes, earneftly en- treating him to return, he perfifted in his refolu- tion, and the admiral gave orders he fliould Le treated with th^e utmoft kindnefs and civility. 6 On Ontl which as he c( ftorm, more d^l andcur^ fails, north-el low, fal above t| vigatioi failed iflands dious tc he ililec they fee that tht ted froi fome of a great of tortc nite nu: was as the fcei In c with fii figns t( they h, fingula the tai taught fo h'^ fity in OF COLUMBUS. 47 On the 1 5th, the admiral reached the point of Cuba, which he denominated Cabo de Santa Cruz ; and as he coafted along, was overtalten by a terrible ftorm, attended with thunder and lightning, the more dangerous as he was entangled among flats and currents, which hindered him from taking in his fails. He found the whole fea, to rlie north and north-eall, interfperfed with a vaft number of little, low, fandy ifl^nds, feme of which fcarce appear above the furface of the water, and render the na- vigation very difficult. Indeed the nearer they failed to Cuba, the higher and plcafanter thefe iflands appeared ; and as it would have been a te- dious tafk to beftow a name upon every particular, he ftiled them the Qaeea's Garden. The next day they feemed to multiply on all hands, infomuch that the men reckoned one hu/idred and fixty, par- ted from each other by navigable channels, through feme of which the Ihips failed. On thefe tliey faw a great number of cranes red as fcarlet, abundance of tortoifes or turile, and their eggs, 2nd an infi- nite number of little fuiging birds. The very air was as fweet as if it hnd been irnpre^gnated with the fcent of rofes, and ail other vegetable perfumes. In one of thofe ch.innels, they found a canoe with fiflurmen, who feeing the boal; approach, made figns to the Spania-ds to lay upon their oars, until they had performed their operation, which was very fmgular and curi-^us. They had tied a firing round the tail of feme fmall fiflies callec reves, that are taught t') ccounter other fifh, to which they cling fo foC\; by means of a certain roujjhnefs and vifco- fity in their fkin, that the filher •um draw them up together: upon this occafion i.hey caught a tortoife; and the reve was wound about its neck, where they generally fallen to fccure themfclves from the teeth of their game ; and in this mannei- they will fonie- times attack fharks of the largefi: fize. Tlie In- dians having drawn their line very quietly, v/ent on board of the admiral; and prefentcd the fifli which 48 THE SECOND VOYAGE which they had caught; for which he gratified them with a few baubles, and held on his courfe : though he now began to be in want of provifions, and his health was very much impaired by fatigue and want of reft, which he would not venture to enjoy amidft fuch a number of unknown iflands, which every night produce a great fog to the eaft- ward, accompanied with thunder and lightning, tho' it vanifhes as foon as the moon is riien. Du- ring the night, the wind generally blows off fliore, but in the day it is almoft always eafterly, and feems to follow the fun in its diurnal courfe. On the 22d of May, the admiral landed on an ifland fomewhat la gcr than the reft, which he call- ed St, Mary, and entered a town abandoned by the inhabitants, where he found nothing but fifli, and fome dogs that refembled maftifi^s. He then direft- ed his courfe north-eaft, where he was ftill perplex- ed and fatigue-l, by failing and founding among an aflonifhing number of flats and iflands ; becaufe, in fpite of all his precautions in founding and keeping a good look-out, the fliip was often a-ground, and there was no poftibility of avoiding this inconveni- ence : this confideration, joined to thofe we have already mentioned, obliged him to relinquifh his defign of failing eaft about until he ihould return Co Spain. The fhips being now in want of water, Colum- bus touched again at Cuba, and one of the failors going up among the trees with a crofs-bow in fearch T'fgame, favv about thirty people armed with fpears and ftaves, called Macanas,and among them a per- fon clad in a white coat or veil that reached down to his knees, and carried by two men in long gar- ments cf the fame ftufF, all three being as white as Spaniards : but he had no converfation with them; becaufe, feeing fuch a number, he called to his companions, and the Indians ran away without looking back. Next day the admiral fent people on Ihore to know the truth of this report^ but the woods : v;oods not pr< Abol they fa| noes, of thei ral, wT as he voyage IndianI to und< or caci jedls, all his was V Next c clofed {liips of wat very 1' tuaily ed by r.nd lig abund: wards, ob ! cm- can iec On wood liila, provi( his c palla^ >vhat ed, a he fa appe: fea f* owln natu V 1 OF COLUMBUS. 49 v;oods and bogs were fo impaflUble, that they could not proceed in their inquiry. About ten leagues to the wed ward of this place, they faw houfes, from which the natives came in ca- noes, with water, and fuch food as they eat ; and one of them was detained as an interpreter by the admi- ral, who promifed to difmifs him in (dfttyf as foon as he fhould have given him proper direftions for his voyage, and a dilhnd account of the country. The Indian was fatisfied with his promife, and gave him to underlland that Cuba was z.n inland ; that the king or cacique of the weftern part never fpoke to his fub- jeds, but mf.de certain figns, in confequenceof v/hicli all his orders were performed ; and that ail the coad tvas very low, and furrounded by fmall iilands» Next day, June the iith, the admiral being in- clofed between two of thefe, was obliged to tow the fliios over a flat, where there was not above one foot of water : and bearing up defer to Cuba, they faw very large tortoifes, in fuch numbers, th^.t they ac- tually covered the fea. Next day the fun v/as darken- ed by a cloud of fca-crov/s that came from fcaward, find lighted upon the illand, where they, likevvifc faw abundance of pigeons and other birds ; and after- wards, fuch fwarms of butterflies, that the day was obfcured from morning till night, when tlicy were cariied away by a deluge of rain. On the 13th of June, the admiral being in want of wood and water, anchored in the ifland of Evange- liila, about thirty leagues in compafs ; and having provided the fiiips vvith what they wanted, dircdled liis courfe fouthward, in hopes of iindinfj Another paflage ; but, after having failed a > jvv leagues thro* what feemed to be a channel, he faw himfcif enibav- ed, and was obliged to return as he entered. Hence he failed on the 25 in, towards fomc fmall ifllands tl»at appeared to the north-welt ; not far from which the fea feemed in diiferent places to be of various colours, owing, in all probability, to the flialiow water, and nature of the bottom feen through it. Tiiencc return- Vol.. 1. P ing s^ THE SECOND VOYAGE i ing to the coaft of Cuba, he flood to the eaftward with fcant winds, and on the 30th day of June, while he was writing his journal, the fnip nm a-grouiid io faft, that flie could not be got off without great difii- culty, and fome damage. Mafs was performed on the 7th of July, during "which they uere vifited by an old cacique of that province, who lillened very attentively to the feivirc, and afterwards fignified his belief of the exigence of a fupreme Being, who rewards virtue, and puniflies vice in a future ft ate : he was acquainted with fome of the chiefs in Hifpaniola, had bten in Jamaica, and at the weft end of Cuba, where the cacique was clad like a priell. On the 16th of July, the admiral put to fea, iho* very much incommoded by the rains and winds, which, as he approached Cape Cruz, fuddenly increafcd to fuch a llorm, that the fhips were almoft overfet be- fore the fails could be lurled, and they (hipped fo much water, that the men were fcarce able to keep ihem clear by pumping, fo much were they reduced by fatfgu^ and want of provifions : a man's allowance being Itinted to a pound of rctten bifket, and h?lf a pint of wine per day, which the admiral himfelf did liot exceed. In this diftrefs, he, on the 18th of July, reached Cape Cruz, where he was very civilly enter- tained by the Indians, who fupplied him with bread called cazabi, made of roots grated, abundance of iifli, and ftore of pleafant fruit. I'hus refreshed, he Hood over to Jamaica on the 22d day of July, and coafting along to the wcflward, found it full of ex- cellent haibours, and abounding with inhabitants, and judged it to be about So miles in compafs. The weather clearing up, he failed to the ealtvard, and on the 20th of Auguft, making the fouth fide of Hifpaniola, called the firft point Cape St. Michael, which is about thirty leagues diftant from the mofl: cafterly part of Jamaica, and at prefent known by the name of Cape Tiburon. On the 23d he was vi*- fited aboard by a cacique, who called him by his name, OF COLUMBUS. 5^ nfime, and pronouncfd fome Spanifh words ; and about the latter end of the month, he anchored in an ifland known by the name oF Alto Velo, after ha vin^T loll fight of the other two fhips that were under his command. Here the men killed eight feals that lay alleep on the fliore, and took abundance of pigeons and other birds, which, being unaccullomed to the cruelty of the huT.an fpecies, flood ftill, and allowed thcmlelves to b '"cUed on the head with ftaves. At the end of P. being joined by the miffing fnipj, they flood for .e ifland Beata, at the diftanco of twelve leagues from Alto Velo : thence coafling; along Hifpaniola, which exhibited a delightful prc- fped of a plain, running up a mile from the fea, fo populous, that for a whole league it feemed to be one continued town, in the neighbourhood of which ap- peared a lake, five leagues in length from eaft to welh Here the natives came aboard in their canoes, and in- formed the admiral, that they had been v if ted by fome Spaniards from Ifabella, where all was well. He was very much pleafed with this information, and immediately difpatched nine men acrofs the ifland to? his colony, with the news of his fafe return, while he and his fliips flill failed along the coafl to the eafl- ward. In this courfe he fent the boats for water, near a great town, from which the Indians came to op- pofe their landing, with bows and poifonous arrows, and produced fome ropes, with which they threatened to bind the Chriflians : but as foon as the boats reach- ed the fliiore, they laid down their arms, and aflced for the admiral, to whom they made a tender of all ihey had. Near this place, they faw in the fea a fifli as big as a whale, with a great fhell, like that of a tortoife, upon its neck : it bore its head, which was as large as an hogfliead, above water, had a very long tail, refcmbling that of a tunny fifli, and two large iins on the fides. From this, and other concurring figns, the admiral prognofticated a change of weather, and feeking fome place where he might ride fecure, it was D 2 hi& f» THE SECOND VOYAGE r w n Ills good fortune to difcover an ifland near the eall part of Hifpuniola, called by the natives Adamanai : between this and Hifpaniola, he came to an anchor clofe under another fmall ifland, and obferved an edipfe of the moon, which was followed by a tem- peft that lafted feveral days ; fo that he was obliged to lie in this fitup.tion till the 20th, not without great apprehenfion on account of the other veil'els which could not get in : however, they weathered the ftorm and joined the admiral, who failed on the 24th to the eaflermoll point of Hifpaniola; from whence he pafled over to a little ifland which the Indians called Mona, and in his paflage from hence to St. John de Borriguen, he was, in confequence of the fatigue he had undergone, feizcd with a peftilential and lethar- gic fever, which deprived him of his fenfes and me- jnory. Ii) this dilemma, it was refolved by his people to defift from the defign he had formed, of discover- ing the Caribbees, and to return to Ifabella, where they arrived in five days ; and on the 29th of Sep- tember, the admiral recovered the vi'e of his reafon, and his fever left him, tho' his weaknefs lalled five months. On his arrival at Ifabella, he found his brother Bartholomew, who, in returning to Spain from the court of England, had been informed of Chriftopher's fuccefs, by Charles king of France, who fupplied him with a hundred crowns for the expence of his journey. Having received this intelligence, he made all the hafi:e he could to overtake the admiral in Spain, but before he arrived in Sevil, his brother had failed on his fecond voyage : however, he foon followed with three fhips, the command of which was given to him by their catholic majeflies. And now the admiral made him governor of the Indies, tho' this title occafioned fome difpute ; becaufe the king and queen alledged, that Chrirtopher had no power to grant fuch an of- fice: neverthelefs this difference was compromifcd, and his place confirmed under the title of adelantado, or lieutenant of the Indies. Though Tho mew V ral, h by th rrodu infteac fing ail hoife* campe| Lilians he fenj cil, o^ it impi the fi the adl his be| for S] depart were at Ub^ fed th their rageS: dians veng< Ti Gual ten ^ elev( in o\ bcr ed i mu< tall len< iha ow cac an OF COLUMBUS. 55 Though the company and aflift ;pce of Bartholo- ir.evv were of great comfort and fo.vice to the admi- ral, lie was involved in infinite trouble and vexation, by the mifcondudl of Peter Ivlargarite, which had produced a revolt among the Indians. This officer, inftead of obeying the orders of Columbus, in traver- fing and reducing the ifland, with 360 foot, and 14 hoife, which were left under his command, en- camped in a great plain, called Vega Real, at the diftance of ten leagues from Ifabella, from whence he fent infolent letters, and even orders to the coun- cil, over which he wanted to domineer : but finding it impradlicable to fucceed in his defign of ufurping the fupreme command, and dreading the return of the admiral, who would call him to an account for his behaviour, he embarked in the firft fhip bound for Spain, without having ailigned any reafon for his departure, or in any fhape difpofed of the men who were under his command ; fo that every perfon being at liberty to follow his own inclination, they difper- fed themfelves in the country, robbed the natives of their women and effedls, and committed fuch out«» rages, as entirely alienated the affedions of the In- dians, and even induced them to lay fchemes of re* venge. The cacique of La Madelena, whofe name was Gualiguana, attacked fmall draggling parties, killed ten Spaniards, and fet fire to an houfe, in which were eleven fick people : the like cruelties were committed in other parts of the ifland, and a much greater num- ber would have peiifhed, had not the admiral return- ed in time to protecfl his colony ; tho' he was very much chagrined to find that the Chriflians were mor- tally hated by the Indians, on account of their info- lence and barbarity. Indeed they might have eafily iTiaken off the Spanifh yoke, had they united in their own defence : for, there were four principal kings or caciques, namely, Caunabo, Guacanagari, Bchechico, and Guarconex, and upon each of thefe 70 or So petty lords depended ; not that thefe vaffals payed D 5 tri- W '-f. ■?'■*•■■ ■ '■■I."!' ,, 'm t; Ni'l 54 THESECOND VOYAGE i\'i V tribute, but were obliged, when called, to afTift ihrni in their wars and agriculture. Guacanagati continued a iirrn Iriend to the Chriilians ; and, vifiting the ad- miral at his return, declared he had been in no Hiapc aiding or aflifling to thofe who had injured the Spani- ards ; but, on tl.e contrary, b';d proie«5tcd and main- tained one hundred of his people, and for that reafon incurred the difpleafure of the other kings. Bche- chio had killed one of his women, and another had been taken away by Caunabo ; (o that he implored tliC afliilar.ce of Coiunibus, to recover her wlio w^s alive, and revenge the other's death. The admiral had fo often experienced the humanity and afledion ot this cacique, that he refolved to redrefs his wrongs, efpccially as it was his intereft to foment and main- tain diflention among the Indian chiefs, who, in be- ing divided, would be the mc; afily fubdued. Ja the mean time, fome of the natives who had mur- dered his men, being apprehended, were punifhed with death, and others lent to Spain in four fhips, which had come out in February, under the com- mand of Antonio de Torres. - On the 24th of March 1495, Columbus, with Gua- canagari, departed from Jfabella, to profecute the war againfl his Indian enemies, who were aflembled to the number of one hundred thoufand, while his forces did not exceed two hundred Chriilians, with tvventy horfes and as many dogs. On the fecond day of his march, being in fight 0/ the enemy, he divided his army into two bodes, giv- ing the command of one half to his brother the lieu- tenant, that by attacking in two places at once, they might increafethe terror and corfufion of the Indians, who were fcattered about the plains. Accordingly, the Spaniards having firft thrown them into diforder, hv a difcharp-e of their crofs-bows and mufkets, fell in among them with their horfes and dogs, charging with fuch fury, that the faint-hearted multitude were routed and fled different ways, with great precipi- tation. Many were llain in the purfuit, and a great • ' nunibcT OF COLUMBUS. 55 mumber made prifoners ; among whom was Caim ibo, with all his wives and children. This Cacique con- feued that he had killed twenty oi' the Chii!l:ians, v/no had been left with Peter dc Arna at the Nati- vity, that his intent'on was to adl in the iaiae manner at tiie town of Ifabella, which he had rcconnoitcred under colour of friend fhip. Such a confefiian, to- geth'jr with his being taken in actual rebjllion, were niait'^rs of'Tuch import mce, that th^ i-dmirirl thought proper to fend him and his who'e family into Spain, where t"aey might be ufed according to th" pleufurc of their Catholic majeliies. The Indians were fo much intimidated by the vidlory which the Spaniards liad obtained, and the captivity of Caunabo, that in the fpacc of a year, the admiral, without drawing a fword, iedu.:cd the whole iHand to obedience, and impofed a quarterly tribute to be payed to the king and queen of Spain. Every inhabitant of Cibao above the age of fourteen, was taxed at a large horfe-bell full of gold dull ; and the reft at twenty-five pound of cotton a head ; and every one who had payed, was prcfented with a brafs or tin ticket, that they might be diftinguiflied from thofe who had failed in the payment. Thus every thing was fettled to the fatisfailiion of all parties, and the people became fo quiet and pacific, that a fmgle Spa- niard could travel in fafety over the v/hole illand, and bereceivedevery where with hofpitality and regard : tho' by this time, the colony wa>, by the difeafes of the climate, and change of diet, reduced to lefs than one third of the number which iirft landed at Ifabella, Daring this interval of peace, the Spaniards by converfing with the natives, became better acquainted with their manners aitd cuftoms, and among other things, learned that the ifland produced copper, a7ure, amber, ebony, cedar, frankincenfe, a kind of bitter cinnamon, ginger, long -pepper, and a great number of mulberry trees which bear lc:avc3 all the year lor the fupport of a fiik manufjidure • •" D \ Wiih I I fc.. 56 THE FIRST VOYAGE i':^ :;l'^ We w ii With regard to religion, the admiral himfelf writer, that every king orcucique, here, as well as in theothtr idands and continent, has a detached houfe fet apart for the lodging and fervice oF certain wooden images called Cemis, beibrc which they perform ceremonies and pray with great devotion. In each of thefe tem- ples is a round table made in form of a diOi, con- taining a certain kind of powder, which being laid on the head of the Ccnu, the devotee fnuffs it up through a hoilow cane, confiiling of two branches, lepcating a fort of jargoH, which i'cems altogetherun- 3ntellij?ible ; and by this powder he is immediately intoxicated. Thcfe images have ditftrcnt name?, which, in all probability, telcn^cd to the ancef.ors cf the cacique who owns them ; and feme of them are in much higher reputation than otiiers ; fo that a Cemi of character is frequently ftolcn. In the cele- bration of thefe rules, they carefully avoid the Cri- ftians, whom they will not fufler to enter the place of their devotion : tho' fome Spaniards once ruflied into ihe houfe, and immediately the Cemi began to cry aloud in the In till the 6th of April, whea finding his provifions falling Hiort, and his men weary and difcou.aged, he flood off more foutiierly^' to the Caribbee iflands, and on Saturday the gth, an- chored at Marigalante, Next day he failed to Gua-.- daloupv°, and fent afhore his boats,, which being op- pofed by a number of women, who rufhed out of a wood with bows and arrows ; tire Spaniards laying- on their oars, ordered two of their Indian women to Ivvim afhore, and tell the iflanders that they wanted nothing but provifions, for which they would give ihem a valuable confideration. When the female warriors underftood the demand', of the ChrilHans, they direfted them to the north- fide, where they would be fupplied by their hulbands : accordingly the fliips coafling round the ifland, a great number of p.eople came down to the Ihore, and let fiy feveral flights of arrows ri£ the boats : but per- ceiving the Spaniards rowed towards the lliore, they D 5 . formed: ^^1 ./ •.. ^•v 5$ T H E S E C O N D V O y A G K formed an ambufcade in the nearclt woods, from whence, however, they were driven by the cannon, of the fnips ; lb thit their houfes and effevho being acquainted with themethod, went to work, anci made a fufiicient quantity of bread to iupply their wants. In ihefe Indian houfes, which, contrary to the pradice of rhe other iilands, were fqnare, they found large parrots, honey, wax, and iron, of which they had hatchets and looms for weaving their tents ; and in one, they perceived a rnan*s arm roaftiug on a fpit. While fome of the people were employed in bakin;;^ bread, the admiral detached forty men to obtain fome intelligence of the country, and next d ly they returned with ten women and three boys, among whom was the wife of a cacique, who had been taken by a Canary man, remarkably Avift of foot. Not- withflanding his nimblenefs, he could not have over- taken her, had no': fhe, feeing him alone, turned back in full confidence of making him her prey. She ac- cordingly feized and threw him on the ground, and he certainly would have been ftifled, had not fome of his compf-nions come to his afTilUnce. ThcfV women, who are exccfiively fat ?nd thick, fwathe their legs with a pitcc of cotton from the ancle to the knee, and wear their hair long and loofe flowing upo:i their fhoulders, but no other part of their bodies is covered. The captive l^dy faid the ifland was inhabited by women only, and that among thofe who endeavoured to oppofc th^ landing, there were but four men, who chanced lo be there by accident ; for, at certain times of the year, they come from ether i (lands, to pro- create the rpecies. This is likcwife the cafe in ano- ther ifiand called Matrimonio, pofilfied by the fame foit of Amazuns, who fcemed to be endued v. iih jnafculine firenf;h ard a cleamefs of underllandiiig which is not found among the men of that country ; for as other Indians reckon the day by the fun, and the night by the moon only, the women are acquaint- ed vvai OF COLUMBUS. non of aban- work-, ihpply >nrrary thcy tent.s ; obtain tht'v back le ac- . and ne of men, ■ nci.% their ied. 1 hy vho n)cs )ro- no- n?e ifh . y \ fid 59 cd with aflionomy, and they mcarur3 their time by the riling and fetting of the itar^. The admiral having furniilicd his ihips vvidi a fup- k\ fet iail fri Guadi ply of bread, wooc Icupe on the 20th of April, af:er having gratified and fent on fliore all the inhabitants, except the chief lady and her daughter, who chof^ to go to Spain along vvich Caunabo, who, thn' a cacique of Hifpanioli, was a native of the Caribuees. By the 20th of May the (hips being about loo leagues welt of the Azores, provifions began ;o fail, fo thjt each man was reftrided ton a allowance of fix ounces of bread, and fomething lefs than a piiit of water per day ; and the admiral found the Duicii compdiil's varied a point, while thofe of Genoa had very little variation. On the 8th of June, feveral days after the reckonings all the pilots had been out, exaCtly according to tae admiral's account, they made tne land of Odenicra, letween Lifbon and cape St. Vincent, which Ibme miiiook for the coall o'^Galicia, while others aflirmed tl'^ey wert in the finglifli channel ; and by this time tne icarcity on board was fo great, that many of the people propofed to eat fhc Indian?., and others were of opinion they ihouk be thrown overboard, in order to leiien the confumpiion of the provifion that re- mained. Bat both ti'.efc cruel expedients r/cre re- jeded by the admiral, vv'ho exjrted his whole au- t'lority and addrefs for the pro':e)n of thofe poor creatures ; and next morning he vvas rewarded for his humanity v>'iih the fight cf land, which agreed fa well with his prcdiclicn, that his men believed he was ai^ually infpired with the fpirit of prophecy. The admiral being landed, fet out for Bjrgo«?, where he was favourably received by their Catholic majellies, who were then celebrating the nuptials of their fon prince John, with Margaret: of Au.'lria,, daughter of Maximilian the emperor. He prefented the king and queer, with farnpks of every peculiar prouuilion of ihe indies, fuch as birds, beafls, trees, D 6 j)lant5rf "■ w '. ■< 1 I'-V rir Mil f 60 THE SECOND VOYAGE ■;1 ^a plants, inllruments, and utenfils, together with fevera? girdles and mafks adorned with golden plates, and a large quantity of gold dull, with grains of that me- tal of various fizes, from the bignefs of a vetch, to that of a pigeon*s egg. Havinor afterwards vindicated his own condu anchor ?Iaga, uelicat tho', i houfes tackle, day be Galer ihe di miral of in Cv. of br his I caftei he V who as w 'MTie taer oth< but of tab Im OF COLUMBUS. 6 J and that nts, nnd make for Hifpanloli, being in great want of pro- vilion aai water. He therefore Hood to the northward, a:id one day about noon, a failor from the round-top f;ivv lindto thevvelhvird, at the diilance of 15 leagues, ftretching towards the north-eatl as fjr as the view cojld extend. Salve regina and other prayers were faid by the feamen, and the admiral dlflinguiihed this land by the name of Trinity, becaufc three mountains on it appeared at the fa mc time. Continuing his courfe due we'l, he anchored five leagues beyond a point, which he called Punta de la Galera, from a rock that at a diftance refembled a g.illey under fail : bjt, iinding no conveniency of taking water, he failed farther v/eft, and came to an anchor at another poiat, v/hich he denominated de la Plag.i, where the people landing, found water \u a delicate brook, without feeing either hat or people ; tho', in coailing along, they had left behind many houfes and towns. They found indeed fome fifhirtg tackle, and the prints of the feet of bealls. The fame day being the firft of Auguft, in failing between Cape Galera and la Plaga, they difcovered the continent at the diilance of five and twentv leagues ; but the ad- miral mitlaking it for another illand, gave it the name of Ifla Santa. Columbus now proceeded to a more weiterly point of land, which he named del Arenal, where he thought his boats would not be fo much incommoded by the eaftorly wind which prevails on this coaft. In his way he v/As followed by a canoe with five and twenty men, who i:r:>pped within mulket fhot, calling very loud ; as v/hat they faid could not be underllood, he ordered ome of liij men to allure th°m to the fliip, by faewing taem fome little brafs bafons, looking giaffcs, and other toys, of which the Indians uled to be enamoured : bur, this expedient proving inef^edua!, he dcfired one of the men to afcend the poop and play upon the tabor and pipe, whilll others danced around him. 7'he Indians no fooner heard the mufick, and faw the pelti* culaiions of the Spaniards, than thinking it a fignal for iV'l 4 II i 64. THE THIRD VOYAGE for war, they put themfelves in a pofture of defence, braced their targets, and ihot their arrows among them ^ and the admiral allowed his people to punifh their in- folence with their crofs bows, which foon compelled the favages to retire ; tho* they went along-fide of another caraval, without apprehenfion, and were civil- ly treated and difmiiled by the captain, who faid they were well ihaped, and whiter than the inhabitants of the other illands, that they wore long hair tied with firings, and covered their nudities with pieces of cotton cloth. After watering his (hips at Punta del Arenal, from trenches which in all probability the fifhermen had made, the admiral proceeded to another mouth or channel towards the north-wed, which he called Boca del Drago, to diftinguiih it from the watering place he had left, which had the appellation of Boca de la Sierpe. Thefe two mouths or channels are made by the two wellermoft points of Trinity ifland, and two others of the continent, lying almoft north and fouth of one another. In the midit of the Boca del Drago,, where the admiral anchored, is a r'^':k, which he cal- kd el GalJo; and through the other the fea ran fo furiouHy to the northward, that it refembled the mouth, of fome great river. As the fiiips lay at anchor, they, were faluted by an increafed Ilream running northward with an hideous noife, which meeting with another current from the gulph of Paria, fwelled up the fea. with terrible roaring, to the aftoriifhment and con- fiernation of the Spaniards, who expeded to be over- whelmed, l^hey however fufFered no other damage than that of feeing one of the fliips drag her anchor, tho' ihe was afterwards brought up by the help of her. fails. 7'his danger being pafled, the admiral weighed anchor, and failed weP.ward along the fouth cor.ll of Paria, which he then believed to be an ifland, and hoped to find a way riorthward to Hifpaniola : but, tho' the coaft abounded with ports, he would not en^ ter any, as all that fea was land-locked, and formed into an harbour by the continent. On the 5th day of Augull, while the fliips lay at II _ ' anchor, ',1 rows, Th( a du{ki Them cotton as wt'V feemec tra£lab partici As few i their 1 taken touch peopl ihoie iflanc wore beiiij foun ware of t jcIVk this tlie^ wh< hoi O F C O L U M B U S. 65 anchor, the boats being Tent on fliore, found plenty of fruit peculiar to that climate, a great quantity of wood, and Tome figns of people who had fled at their approach. Sailing fifteen leagues farther down the coaft, where he dropped anchor, a canoe with three men came aboard the caraval el Borreo, and being carried to the ad.niral, were civilly treated, prefeat.;d v/ith toys, and fent on fnore at a place where ftood a number of In- dl-^us. Thefe no fjoner underftood the p.icific difpofi- ticn of the Chrillians, than they came along-fide in t'uir cinocs, to barter with the fame fort of things vvliich the Spaniards had bought at the other iilands : but the people here had no targets nor poifoned ar- rows, which are peculiar to the Canibals. They drank liquor as white as milk, and another of a dufkifh hue, that tafted like wine made of four grapes. The men cover their heads and middle with well woven cotton cloths of different colours; but the women here, as well as in Trinity ifland, were ftaik naked ; they feemed however, in general to be more civilized and tra;5lai)le than the inhabitants of Plifpaniola, and were particularly fond of brafs trinkets and bells. As nothing of value appeared among them but a few inconfiderable plates of gold that hung about their necks, the admiral ordered fix of them to be taken on board, and proceeding to the vveftward, touched at two other high iflands, well inhabited by people, wl^ feemed to be richer in gold plates than thofe he had left : they faid it was produced in other iflands to the weflward, inhabited by Canibals. They wore firings of beads about their arms, fome of them being very fine pearls, which they fignified were found in oyfters taken to the weilward and north- ward of Paria ; and the admiral having purchafed fome of them, for a prefcnt and fample to their catholic ma- jellies, fent the boats to make further inquiry about this valuable commodity. When the Spaniards landed, they were received in a friendly manner by the natives, who flocked round them, and condu(f\ed them to a houfe, where they were hofpitably entertained with vi(^uals, f ■iP"! ■Iif^'^1 il wit: 1 :' ,-l^ f :f ^|- ! ^ i i i 66 T ME THIRD V O Y A G E vidliials, and tlint fort of wine we have already me;), tioiicd. There Indians were of a fairer complexion, opener countenance, and better l]iape than thole tiie Spaniards had hitherto feen, and wore their hair cut iiiort by the ear'?, accoiding to the Spanifh fafirioa: they faid riuir country was called Paria, exprcflcd a de[ re of living in amity with the Chriftians, and fuf. fered t'- em to return well faiisned to their ihips. Columbus dill continu'n^^ to fail welhvard, found the v.ater growing rr.oic and more Ihallow, fo that be would not ventuie to proceed failhcr in his own fnip, but, anchoring upon the coaft, fent the Imnll caraval el IJorrec to discover whether there uas an outlet to the wtflward among thofe iilands. She re- turned next day, with a report that what feemed iiland.s, was one continued continent : the admiral therefore Hood to the eaftvvard and pafled the ilreights, which he faw between Paria and the ifland of Tii- nity. This paflagc he efiedled with great difficulty and danger, arifmg from three difierent boillerous currents. He now failed to the weftward along the coall of Paria, and after paffing by feveral iilands, entered en the 30th o.f Augufl the harbour of St. Domingo» where his brother had built a city, and called it by that name, in memory of his father, Dominic Co- lumbu='. The admiral was by this time almoll blind with ever- watching, and quite exhaufted v/ith fatigue ; but now flattered himfelf with the profpetSl of en- joying his repofe in the bofom of peace and tran- quillity. He was however, grie'/oufly dlfappointcd in this expedlation, for he found the whole ifland in confufion. The greater part of thofe he had left were dead, above one hundred and fixty miferably infedlcd with the venereal dillemper ; a great num- ber had rebelled with one Francis Roldan, whom he had left as alcalde mayor, or chief julHce ; and his chagiin was completed, when he did not find the three ihips he had dilpatched before him from the Cauaiicii. • ' <^ V/c :^. OF C O L U M B U S. 67 We have already obfcrvctl, that a great deal of lime elapfed before Columbus could obtain from their ciiholic majellies, a fupply for the colony of Hifpa- niola : in this interval, provifions becoliiiiig fhort among the Spaniirds of that iuand, they began to nuirniur, bcci^me dilTatisficd with their fitoation, and even dci'paired of the admiral's return. Roldan, v.hofe poll: gave him confiderable influence, refolved to profit by this fpiiit of difconienr, fo as to center the whole power in his own hands, and with this view encouraged the murmurs of tlie malecontenta ayainll the lieutenant Bartholomew Columbus, and his brother Diego, to w-hofe infolence and tyranny he imputed all their want.s and lulFcrings, and even tam- pered with fome chiefs of the iiland, Vvhom he en- deavoured to attach to his own party. His intrigues met with fo much fuccefs, that a great number of the Spaniards were alienated from the brothers of Co- lumbus, and even made feveral attempts upon their lives: at length Roldan, pulling off the maflc, af- fembled his men to the number of fixty-five, and at- tempted to poffefs himfelf of the town and fort of Conception ; but th'.s fcheme mifcarried, through the vigilance of Ballefter the commandant, who having got intimation of his defign, communicated it to the lieutenant, from vvhom he received a reinforcement. In confequence of this rebellious behaviour, Bartho- lomew ordered Roldan to refign the rod of juftice, and fubmit himfelf to an impartial trial : but thefe commands he rejedled with difdain, and marched with his mutineers to Ifabella, where having in vain tried to launch a caraval then upon the flocks, he plundered the magazines and Itore-houfes, and obliged Diego Columbus to retire into the fort for prote^ion. He afterwards fell upon the cattle in the neighbour- hood, killed a number for provifion, and took all the brails of burthen, to krve his people in their inarch to the province of Xarao-ua, where they intended to iix their habitation, as being the molt pleafant part of the iilund, and abounded with beautiful women. But .. fj. '• .' 'I ■■ ', .* !•■ •I 1 ! t 68 THE T H I R D \' O y A G E But refolved before he iet out fcr this retreat, to make trial of his ftrength, and furprize, ifpofuble, the toun of Conception, where lie purpofed to mur- der the lieutenant, from whom he did not doubt thut he Ihould be able to feduce his men, who were but too fond of an idle and voluptuous life. The lieuie-- nnnt, however, who was a man of equal courage and difcretion, took fuch meafures to prevent this fed ac- tion, that not one of his people would forfake hini, and he m.arched out againft Roldan, who did ncit rh-nk proper to haz:;rd an encounter ; but by ?.rtful innnuaticns to the prejudice of Columbus, engaged Guarlnvex, a powerful cacique in his company. In confequence of his fuggeftions, this Indian chief en- tered into an afibciation with ether lords of the ifland, uho were flattered with the hope of feeing their tri- bute remitted ; and it was refolved, that, at the full moon, the natives fhould furorize and murther the Spaniards, who lived among them in fm.all detached parties. This projedi, however, like the reft mif- carried, through the ignorance of the Indians ; for^ fome of them being miftaken by the appearance of the mo:n, fell upon the Chrillians before the ap- pointed time, and were eafily repulfed : by this at- tempt the confpiracy was difcovered, and the Spa- niards fufficiently on their guard for the future. Thefe repeated mifcarriages greatly mortified Rol- dan, who now thinking himfeh unfafe in any other part of the ifland, retired w ith his followers to Xara- gua, proclaiming himfelf the proteclor of the Indians againil the infolence and oppreiTion of the lieutenant and his brother. Thefe artful mifreprefentations had not only an effcil upon the natives, fome of whom refufed to pay the fettled tribute, but likewife left an imprellion upon the minds of ihofe Spaniards who ftill remained under the government of the lieutenant : many of them were, by the nature and warmth of the climate, difpofed to lead a life of idlenefs, and at the fame time, difcontented at having received no lupplies from Spain, At lail, fuch a fpirit of diu obe- obeillcncel tenant du| of a gcn( Fiom tl ir.eafure r| fcnt out il Thefe bi' fions, to J himfeU' M laged to jTiidated^ fnips bei| towards neceflari^ comers t| activity foie he palTes in| Bat, as find the commoc commar hoftile r refufal. Whil fhips di arrived made t bour far we were > numb The 1 . divifi agree endei Anth land rour Col day OF COLUMBUS. * 69 obetllence diffufed itfelf amonr^ them, that the lieu- tenant durft not venture to punifli the guilty, for fear of a general infurredilion and revolt. Fiom thefe apprehenfions, however, he was in fomo ir.eiifure relic'ved, by the arrival of the firll two (hips, fcnt out in confcquence of the admiral's follicitations. Tht'fe bringing a reinforcement of men and provi- fions, togeth-rr with the afiurance that the admiral hnTifeir would foon follow, the people were encou- ratrcd to perfevere in their duty, and the rebels inti- midated by the profped cf punilhment. The two fiilps being arrived at St. Domingo, Roklan marched towards that place, in order to furniih himfelf with neceflaries, and feducc, if poflible, fome of the new comers to his party : but he was anticipated by the activity of the lieutenant, who reached the place be- fj,e he was within fix leagues of it, and guarded the palfes in fuch a manner, that he could not proceed. But, as he earneftly wifhed that the admiral might find the ifland in tranquillity, fent overtures of ac- commodation to Roldan by Peter Fernandez Coronell, commander of the two fhips, whom he received in an hoftile manner, and fent back with a contemptuous refufal. While things continued in this fituatlon, the three fliips detached by the admiral from the Canary iilands arrived: the winds had been favourable till they made the Caribbces ; but inftead of entering the har- bour of St. Domingo, were driven by the currents as far weftward as the province of Xaragua, where they were vifited by Roldan and his followers, and a great number of iheir people debauched into his fervice. The thiee captains underllanding, that there was a divifion between ^!ie lieutenant and the chief julUce, agreed that Caravaj.d Ihould ftay in Xaragua, and endeavour to e^'cit an accommodation; that John Anthony Columbus ihould conduct the workmen over land to St. Domingo, and that Arana fhould fail round with the fhips. Accordingly John Anthony Columbus landed with forty men, Lut on the fecond day of hi; march, was abandoned by all his fol- lowers, i'i) h •! . ^ ^ ^ w,^ ,^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /> /.. !.0 li.25 lti|2|i BU lij 122 122 !g iia 12.0 ^ ^ '/ /A C PhotDgrapMi Sdences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WIISTH.N.Y. MSM (716) fll-^VXl w JO T H E T H I R D V O Y A G K lowers, except fix or feven, with whom he was ob- liged to return on board, Jifier having in vain exp^. ftulatcd with Roidan upon his treacherous conduit oi\ this occafion. After a tedious voyage, in which their provilions were fpoiled, and Caravajal's vefiel greatly damaged, the fhips arrived at St. Domingo, where the captains found the admiral returned from the difcovery of the continent. He had been informed by his brother f)f Roldan's revolt, and refolved to fend a circumllantial detail of the whole affair to their catholic majellics. In the mean while, that he might not be acculed of havin;> neglccled to take any one ilep that could quiet thefe oiJlentions, he informed Roidan, that he was extremely {ovry for the breach between him and the lieutenant, and very dcfirous of healing it ; that he fhouid be glad to fee him, and, if he thought pro- per, would grant him a fat'e-conduft. At the fame lime, Columbus underllanding that the rebels com- plained of their being detained upon the ifland, by the want of veflels to rcconvey them to their own country, he publirt^.ed a proclamation, giving leave to all who were defirous of returning to Spain, and promifing to fupply them with free paflage and pro- vifions. Roidan, however, treated all thefe advances with indignity and infult, boaliing, that it was in his power either to fupport or fupprefs the authority of the r.dmirvil, with whom he would not treat, except through the mediation of Caravajal, whom he knew to be a man of honour and difcretion. Colun»bu3 had great reafon to fjfped the fidelity of this man, who had adually fiipplied the rebels with arms while the ihips lay at Xaragua ; yet as he was a perfon of confequcnce, and a confiderable (hare of prudence, fent him to Roidan ; who now refufed to treat, on pretence that the admiral had not fet at li- berty fome of his Indian friends, taken in actual re- bellion : he likewife fent an iufolent letter to the ad- miral, fubfcribed by his followers, renouncing all obedience to hi^, authority. At laft he was prevailed . t I'iT '.:. V ' " s > •: upon upon to ac< ral, to wH. the other own ch;ir3 plained hh el a free thoir duty (lays: abo to Spain, diiTenfions At leug the admir well maai him awl 1 gua ; tha their ialai ti:re, rell by his or days froi Oiould le mifed, tl fliips, bi weather ^ fore the) that inte advanta^ people i that wai agree m« went to exhorte a^reemi ings, a where 1 a defin fired a come J mutin< ly foil compl '« OF C O L U M B U 3. 71 upon to accept of a rdtV-condud>, and vifit the admi- rnl, 10 \yhQni he intuie fuch cxtrava.gant propofah, as the other could not ^nibrice without brin-^inw hi» own ch;ira<^er into contempt. He, therefore, ex- plained his reafons for rejtding them, and proclaim- el a free pardon to all thofe who (hould return to their duty and allegiance, within the fpace of thirty days: about the fame time, he difpatched five fhips to Spain, with a particular account of the colony, and diiTenfions. At length, after many difputes, it was agreed, that the admiral Ihould deliver to Roldan two good fnips, well manned, rigged and viilualled, for tranfporting him ami his people to Spain, from the port of Xara- gua ; that he Ihouid iifue an order for the payment of their fahiries and wages, to the day of thrir depar- ture, rellormg fuch of their eftcj^s hs had been feized by ills or the lieuteuant*s order ; and that within fifty days from the ratiiication of this agreement, they. fliould leave the ifland. Matters beiug thus compro- mifed, the admiral gave orders for equipping the Hiips, but, ncceHaries being very fcarce, and the weather extremely boiilerous, fome time clapfed be^ fore they could be brought round to Xaragua, and in that interval, Roldan changed his mind, and taking advantage of the delay, during which he faid, his people had confumed a great part of the provifioa that was intended for the voyage, he renounced the agreement, and refufed to embark. Caravajal, wha went to Xaragua with the (hips, after having in vain exhorted the rebels to comply with the articles of the agreement, entered a proteft againft their proceed- ings, and returned with the fhip to St. Domingo, where he told the admiral, that Roldan fHll e.xpreU'ed a defire of feeine the affair accommodated, and de- fired a fafe-condud, by virtue of which, he would come and treat in perfon. Columbus, knowing the mutinous difpofition of his own people, was extreme- ly foUioitous about healing the divifion, and not only complied with Roldan's demand, but went round with ft THE THIR D VO YAG E with two caravals to the port of Azura, which is near Xaragua, where he had a conference with the rebel chief, in which it was agreed, that the admiral ihould fend home fifteen of Roldan*s followers in the firft ihips bound for Spain; and that he (houM give land and houfes, in lieu of pay, to thofc who remained j that an ad of general amnefty ilxonld be publiflied, and Roldan again appointed perpetual judge. . : Having adjufted this troublefome affair, the admiral appointed a captain to march a body of men round the ifland, in order to pacify, reduce and punifh the rebellious Indians, while he himfeif propoled to re- turn to Spain, with his brother the lieutenant, that no caufe of animofiry might be left in Hifpaniola, (o as to endanger another revolt. While he was em- ployed in making preparations for the voyage, Alonzo deOjeda arrived in the ifland with four fhips, from a Cruize, and putting into Yaquimo, not only commit- ted ads of outrage upon the Indians, but by letters began to tamper with fome of the Spaniards, who were hardly as yet confirmed in their duty after the late troubles ; to thefe he i /inuated, that queen IfabeDa was in a very bad flate of health, and that after her deceafe, the admiral would find no proteftion at court, but, on the contrary, muft fall a viAim to the hatred of Ojeda's kinfman the bifhop, the inveterate enemy of Columbus. The admiral being informed of his proceedings, ordered Roldan to march againll him with one and twenty men ; and accordingly the chief juflicecame upon him fo fuddenly, at the houfe of a cacique called Haniguaba, that finding it impoHible to efcape, and being too weak to make any oppofition, he went out to meet him, exculed his landing, upon pretence of being in want of provifion, and declared he had no intentions to difturb the rcpofe of the ifland. He then told Roldan, that he had difcovered fix hun« dred leagues to the weftward along the coaft of Paria, where he found people who fought the Chriflians hand to hand with fuch valour, that he could make no ad- vantage of the wealth of the country, from whence '^OF COLUMBUS. 73 he had brought Tome {kins of deer, rabbets, tygers, and gaaninis ; and concluded with a promife, that h? would foon fail round to Domingo, and give the ad- miral an account of his voyage. Notwithftanding thffe profeffions, he failed to the province of Xaragua, where he feduced a good num- ber of the people who had been in rebellion, by telling I'.em that he and Caravajal were appointed by their majellies, counfellors and checks upon the admiral, and that as he had not been jud enough to pay them, they Ihould go under his command, and do themfelves juftice by force. This wild fcheme being oppofcd by ibme of the Spaniards, who defpifed the prefumption of Ojeda, a tumult cnfued, in which feveral perfons were killed and wounded ; and Roldan, who had re> jeded his propofals, marching a fecond time againft him, he was obliged to take refuge in the (hips. The chief juftice, perceiving that he was out of his reach, invited him to come alhore and treat of an accommo- dation, and upon his refual, took his boat by ftrata- gem ; fo that he was obliged to fubmit to a treaty, in confequence of which he left theiHarid. Not long after his departure, another commotion was raifed by one Ferdinand de Guevara, who was in difgrace with the admiral, for having been concerned the late feditioa. This man being exafperated m againft Roldan, who would not permit him to marry tne daughter of Canua queen of Xaragua, began to fee up for himfelf, and entered into a confpiracy with one Adrian de Moxica, who had been a chief after in the firft rebellion-; thefe two prajedors engaged many peo- ple in their intereft, and refolved to furprife and mur • der the chief juftice, whom Guevara confidered as his greateft enemy, and the chief obftacle to his de- fign. But Roldan, having got intelligence of their Jefign, concerted his meafures fo well, that he feized the chief confpirators, and being directed by the aa- miral to punifh them according to law, he proceeded to a fair trial ; in confequence of which, Adrian w?s hanged, fome others baniflied, and Ferdinand with n . Vol. I, " E * fcv/ w i K. - r •;■, MS 4i h . »Pi n THE THIRD VOYAGE few confederates fent piifoners tola Viga, where the adrr:iiJil at that time rrfided. Ihis example, which was abfolutely neceflary for the maimcnancc of peace and (ubordination, had fuch an efrld upon all degrees of perfons, that tranquility was rellorcd through the whole ifland, and the Indians fabmittcd without further oppofition. About this time, fuch rich I'old mines were difcovered, that every nan began to dig on his own account, paying to the king cne third of what he found ; and their labour profpercd to fuch a degree, that one roan has been known to gather tbrty ounces in one day ; and one lamp of pure gold was found, that weighed one hun- dred and ninety-fix ducats. While Columbus was thus indefatigably employed in appeafing the troubles of Hifpaniola, and fecuring the property of it for their catholick majellies, he little (dreamed what a dorm was gathering againfl him at home. During the rebellion, a number of complaints had been fent to Spain by the male-contents, who re< prefented him as an infolcnt alien, ignorant of the Liws and culloms of the Spanifh nation, without mode- ration to fupport the dignity to wTiich he had been raifed, opprtflive and cruel in his difpoRtioo, and fo avaritious that he not only with-held the pay from the lervants of the government, but likewife embezzled the riches of the ifland. They inveighed ftill more bitterly againlt his brother the lieutenant ; nor did Diego efcape the utmcll virulence of cenfure. Thefe iiivedtives being fpread by tlie friends of the complain- ers, and encouraged by many perfons at court, who ep.vitd the fucceis and reputation of Columbus, fuch a ciamcur was raifed in Caflile, that the king and queen were every day furrounded in the ilreets, and even in the palace, by people demanding juflice againll that proud and tyrannic foreigner, who had oppreHed fo many Cafiilians, and difcovered a mifchievous coun- try, to be the ruin and grave of the Spaniih gentry. Other methods v/ere taken to influence the favourites at court, who joining the iinportuniiies of the people, their T fet i who OF COLUMBUS. ' 75 their catholic majeflies were prevailed upon to fend an inrpedlor-general to Hifpaniola, with a commifTion empowering him to inquire into the admirars con- dud, and if he fhould be found guilty, to fend him home, while he ihould remain governor of the ifland. The perfon chofen for this office, was one Francis de Bovadilla, a knight of the order of Calatrava, in very low circumftances, who being furnilhed with full powers and authority, arrived at St. Domingo in the latter end of Auguft 15 00, while the admiral was at Conception, With almoit all the people of confe- quence, employed in fettling the affairs of that pro- vince, where his brother had been aiTaulted by the malecontents. The new infpeftor, finding nobody at St. Domin- go who could be a check upon his condudl, took pof- icffion of the admiral's palace, and converted his ef- fects to his own ufe ; then aflembling all thofe whom he found difaiFefted to the brothers, declared himfelf governor ; and, in order to attach the people to his intereft, proclaimed a general remiffion for tweny vears to come. The next ftep he took was to require the admiral's prefence without delay ; and, to enforce this order, he fent him the king's letter, to this efFeft. • To D. Chriflophcr Columbus, o\ir admiral of the ocean. " We have ordered the commendary Francis de " Bovadilla, the bearer, to acquaint you with fome •' things from us : therefore we defire you to yield " him intire credit and obedience." — Given at Ma- drid, May 21, 1499. *' By command of their highnefles, lj| ** M it. Perez de Alamazan. '' ^«^ ' " I tHE KING. ^ ** I THE quEEX. The admiral no fooner received this letter, thaii he fet out for St. Domingo, to wait upon Bovadilla ; \\ho without delayer legal information, fent him and E 2 U% Hi u Lt.1' 1 {m IS jfi THESECOND VOYAGE this brother Dici;o on board of a (hip, where they were put in irons, under a ftrong guard, and entirely excluded from the fpeech of any perfon whatever. Then a procefs was inftituted againil them, and all tiieir, enemies admitted as evidences, who, in their depofitions were fo maiiciour, incoherent, and abfurd, that no perfon, who had not been determined at all events to ruin the accufed, would have paid the leait regard to their allegations. But, fo far was Bova> dill a from doing juftice on this occaiion, that he countenanced the moft flagrant perjury, and even encouraged the rabble to infult the prifoncrs, by read- ing fcandaloys libels in the market-place, and blow- ing horns at the port where the fhips lay at anchor, Perhaps the lieutenant, who was not yet returned from Xaragua, might have refcued his brothers by force of arms, had not the admiral ordered him to fubmlt quietly, and furrender himfelf to the autho- rity of their majellies, now veiled in the perfon of their new governor, who had no fooner fecured their perfons, and laid ^riA injunctions on Andrew Mar^ tin the captain of the (hip, (o deliver the admiral in irons to the bifhop D. John de Fonfeca his old enemy, by whofe direflion he adled, than he began to fquan- der the king's revenues amo^ig his creatures, to em- bezzle the treafure, countenance all manner of pro- fligacy and extravagance, opprefs and plunder the In- dians, and, in fhort, dellroy the wholefome regulati> ons which had been eftabli(ned. With regard to the admiral, he declined accepting the favour of Andrew Martin, who being a(hamed of his fituation, would have knocked off his irons ; but he infilled upon wearing them during the whole paf- jV.ge, faying he was refolved to keep them as a me- niorial of the reward he had obtained for his fervice. Nor did he ever change his opinion in this particu- lar ; for the fetters were always preferved in his own chamljer, and buried in the fame coffin with his body, at his own requeft. On W^B^^^ 1 irm 1 fc- ^ y^,ft . ^uism!^ \fi> „«, 1, 'ft.iss:: ^4'r *^, On the : their catho at Cadiz ; immediate him very their forr behavioui with pro with full his arrivs recej>tior their di( ment, ai fai^ion. to be ex malicioi A new paniola, and obi feized ; to the r miflion mandei cruel) inifes, and th thatC might until Butt! fuch< titud< fron d-'-fir* woul ftfon oft! '^-H'-^Wi^S- OF COLUMBUS. 77 On the 20th oF November 1 500, he wrote a letter to • their catholic majedies, giving an account of his arrival at Cadiz ; and they underftanding his fituation, gave immediate orders that he fliould be releafed, and fent him very gracious letters, in which they cxpreilld their forrow for his fufFerings, and the unmannerly behaviour of Bovadilla, and invited him to court, with promife that he ihould be iliortly difpatched with full reftitution of his honour Accordingly orv. his arrival at Grenada, he met with a very favourable reception from the king and queen, who expreil'ed their difpleafure aeainit: the author of his imprifon- ment, and promifed that he fhould have ample fatis- faif^ion. In the mean time, they ordered his affair to be examined, and the ac:ufation plainly appearing , malicious and frivolous, he was honourably acquitted* A new governor was appointed to be fent to Hif- . paniola, in order to redrefs the admiral's grievances. and oblige Bovadilla to reftore what he had unjullly feized; and to proceed againil the rebels according to the nature of their offences. This power and com- miflion was granted to Nicholas de Obando, com- mandery of laws, a man of abilities, but crafty, ' cruel, and revengeful, who liftened to malicious fur- niifes, and exercifed great barbarity upon the natives and their chiefs. At the fame time, it was refolved, that Columbus fhould be fent upon fome voyage that might turn to his advantage and keep him employed, until Obando could fettle the affairs of ilifpaiiiol;;*^ But the admiral being weary of the fatigues attending i fuch expeditions, extremely chagrined at the ingra- ; titude of Spain, and apprehenfive of futuer difgrace from the indefatigable efforts of his enemies at court,... d<:iired to be excufed from embarking again, and would not engage in the enterprize, until he was flfongly folicited by their, majefties, who affured hirai of their protc6lion. tii kHv IM-.^ ^i . t'^.. . ff .i> The - ;t ??3:?5:?5555:?3f;^'! %>\ -i V ' f . The Fourth Voyjige of Columbus. COLUMBUS, after receiving his inftrudionf, fet out in thf^ year 1501 for Scvil, in order to fu- perintend the equipment of his fquadron, confiding of four fmall Hiips, with one hundred ant/ forty men, including boys. All the neceflary preparations being made, he failed from Cadiz on the 9th of May for St. Catherine's, from whence, on Wcdncfday the 1 1 th Ke departed for Arzilla, in order to relieve the Portu- guefe, who were faid to be in great diftrefs ; but be- fore he arrived, the Moors had raifed the fiege. He therefore filled for the Grand Canaria, where he ar- rived on tht 20th, and took in wood and water for the voyage. On the 25th, in the evening, he proceeded for the Weft Indies, and the wind was (o favourable, that without having handled thefails,he arrived at theidand of Martinico on the 15th of June; and having taken in a frefh fupply of wood and water, be flood to the weflward among the Caribbee iHandt. Thence he fleered his courfc for St. Domingo, where he intend- ed to exchange one of his fliips, which was a b&d failer, hoping to continue his voyage with iDor& advantage, to the coaft of Paria, in qucfl of the ftrait which he fuppofed to be near Veragua and Nombre de Dios. But that the new commendary, whom their majeflies had fent to call Bovadilla to account, might not be furprized at his unexpeftcd arrival, he, on the 29th of June, being near the port, difpatched before him Peter de Terreros, one of his captains, to flgnify the occafion he had for another fliip, as well as for ftielter againft a ftorm which he forefaw ; and on account of which, he defired thq commendary ,r :. . . .-. - vfcrM quit the \ governor \z would ;ind difrcg filling of on th?iif r Roldan, But th( iiifpanio fal temp BovadiUi whole ei faved, w ihelterec On the a pitch forced c wanted had no and d< to be ftiips b other \ in the obfcrv weaih ablef of th( wife was < chag (helt cove Hon enei by: Sps tioi OF COLUMBUS. 79 would not fuft'er ^ fleet that lay ready for falling to quit the harbour. So little inclined was this new governor to afliil the admiT.! with another veflel, that he would not even allow him to enter the port ; and difrcgarding his advice, permitted theflfet, con- filting of eighteen fail, to go to fca without delay, on their return to Spain, having on board Bovadilla, Roldan, and the rerf of the admiral's enemies. . But they had hardly weathered the ead point of Hifpaniola, before they were overtaken by a dread- ful tempeft, in which their admiral foundered witk Bovadilla, an-* almolt all the chief rebels ; and of the whole eighteen fhips, not above three or four were faved, while Columbus, who prognc(lirr*?d the ftorm, flieltered himfelf as well as he could unt' r the land. On the fecond day, however, the win I lofe to fuch a pitch of fury, that his other three vpffels were forced out to fea ; where the Bcrmiida, the (hip he wanted to exchange, muft certainly have perifhed, had not fhe been preferved by the admirable fkill and dexterity of D. Bartholomew, who was alloA ed to be the moil expert feaman of his time. 7 he Ihips being thus feparated, every one concluded the other was loft, until, in a few days, they met aguiu in the port of Azua, where, upon comparing their obfervation^, it appeared that Bartholomew had weathered the ftorm by running out to fea, like an able failor, while Chrillopher had avoided great part of the danger, by lying clofe under fliore, like a wife aftronomer. Indeed the admiral's fatisfaftion was conflderably diminiihed, by the mortification and chagrin he felt, upon refledling, that he was denied fhelter in that very country which he himfelf had dif- covered, and annexed to the crown of Spain. This ftorm, together with its confequences, furnifhed his enemies with a pretence for faying, he had raifed it by magic, for the dcftrudtion of the fleet bound for Spain ; and what added more weight t» this fuppofi • tion, the only ftiip of the eighteen, that arrived in Spain was the Aguja or Needle, on board of which E 4 were Hi *. ■ • mr' Wmi K^^^' Wi 1 i «0 THEFOURTH VOYAGB were 4.000 pefos in gold, belonging to the admiral, vvhilt the other three, which refifted the fury of the llorm, were forced back to St. Domingo in a Ihattered condition. Columbus having refrefhed his men in the harbour of Azua, where tney caught plenty of fifli called faavina and manatee or fea-cow, failed to the port of Brazil, which the Indians call Gracchimo, to ilielter himfelf from another ftorm that was brewing ; and thence departing July 14th, was becalmed in fuch a manner, that inilead of continuing his courfe, he was carried away by the current to certain iflands near Jamaica, which being very fmall and fandy, he na- med Los Poros, or the Wells ; becaufe, for want of frefli fprings, he ordered his men to dig pits in the j'and, from which they drew water for the ufe of the fhip. Then Handing to the fouihward for the con- tinent, he reached the iflands of Guanara, near the ptov nee now called Honduras, where his brother Bartho omew going aihore with two boats, found peo- ple like thofe of the other iflands, a great number of pine trees, and pieces of lapis calamrinaris, which being mixed with copper, fome of the feamen miftook for gold, and concealed accordingly. While he remain- ed in this place, he defcried a canoe as long as a f alley, and eight feet wide, with an awning in the middle, made of palm-tree leaves, not unlike thofe of the Venetian gondolas ; under this cover, the women, children, and all the goods were flieltered from the weather ; and, tho* the vcflel was manned by twenty-five flout Indians, they allowed themfelvea to be taken without oppofition. >. Rejoicing at this opportunity of knowing the com. modities of the continent, without danger, the ad- miral ordered the cargo to be examined, and found quilts and fhirts of cotton, without fleeves, curioufly wrought, and dyed of feveral colours, together with large fheets, in which the women wrapped them^ felves, long wooden fwords, edged on each fide, with flint fixed in a groove, with thread and a bitu- ', H minous ■; OF COLUMBUS. i i 8i mlnous matter, hatchets and bells of copper, with plates and crucibles for melting that metal. The pro- . vifionconfifted of fuch roots and grain as are ufed for in food Hifpaniola, and a fort of liquor, made of maiz, ■ refembling the Englilh beer. They had alfo a good number of cacao nuts, which in New Spain paS for money, and upon which they feemed to put a greaf. . value; for, notwiihftanding the confternation with which they were feized, when they found themfelves- prifoners among fuch a ftrange race of men, they never? failed, when one of thefe nuts chanced to fall upon deck, to ftoop down and take it up with marks of' eagernefs and concern, as a thing of great con- fequence. Nor ought we to omit mentioning their extraordinary modefty, which was fo remarkable^ that when fomc of them were pulled on board by their clouts, which gave way, they immediately covered their nudities with their hands, and the wo- men wrapped themfelves in their iheets, with figns of ftiame and confufion. This fenfe of decorum had fuch an effedl upon the admiral, that he ordered thtm to be well ufed, reftored their canoe, and gave them European commodities in exchange for thofe articles of their merchandize which he thought proper (o re- tain : however, he kept OBe old man called Giumbe, who feemed to be the wifell and chief man of the whole, that from him he might learn fome other mate- ijal particulars of the country, and ufehim as an inter- preter among the other Indians . Thisoffice he chcar- fully undertook, and faithfully difcharged in the courfe of the voyage, as long as it continued, among people who undcrftood his language ; and when he could be no longer ferviceable, he was difmilTed with many valuable prefents, asa reward for his fidelity. The admiral, tho* informed by this Indian, of the great wealth, politenefs, and ingenuity of the f>eople who lived to the weftward in New Spain, yet knowing thefe countries lay to leeward, he could fail thither at any time from Cuba, he refolved at prefent to per- jfiftin hi« defign of difcovering the ftrait in the conti- E 5 . nent,, If $i^ r H E FOURTH VOYAGE ncnt, through which he might penetrate into the South Sea, and reach the fpice country; and accordingly turned to the eaftward towards Veragua and Nombre de Dios, where he was told this ilrait would be found. Nor was the information untrue; for the Indians meant a flrait of land or iflhmus, which hemiAook for a nar- row gulph extending from fea to fca. In queft of this ftraight he failed towards a point on the continent, which he named Cafinus, becaufe there he found great plenty of tre/es, bearing a fruit fo called by the natives of Hifpaniola; and near this cape he faw people who wore painted fhirts or jerkins, and clouts made of cotton, like coats of mail, fo flrong as to defend them againil the weapons ufed in that country, and even againll the ftroke of an European fword. But farther to the eaflward, near Cape Gracious a Dios, the na- tives arc of a fierce afped aqd favage difpofition, go {lark naked, eat human flefh, and fiih raw as it is taken ; and they make fuch holes in their ears, as will admit an hen's egg ; from which circumdance the admiral denominated that coaft, de Las Orejas, or, of the Ears. Turning ftill to windward, on Sunday Au- gufl 14th, 1502, Bartholemew Columbus went afhore in the morning to hear mafs, with the colours, cap- tains, and a good number of men ; and on We Inef- day following, when they went to take poiTeifion of the country for their catholip majefties, above one hundred Indians, loaded with provifions, ran down to the (hore, and on the approach of the boats, on a fudden retired without fpeaking one .wqrd. The lieu- tenant perceiving their timidity, employed the in- terpreter to allure them with horfe bells, beads, and other toySy which pleafed them fo much, that next day they returned in greater numbers, with feveral foris of provifions, fuch as hens of that country, f which are better than thofeof Europe, geefe, roafted- fifli, and red and white beans, refembling the kidney beans of Spain. The country tho' low, was green and beautiful, producing abundance of pines, oaks, ^^alm-trceS| and mirabolans, together with every 1 ■•{ * fort fort of i of Hifp _ and othei iflands, « high ; tV have no lar Ung ornamen Ikin by red and without have \o but on coloursj The leagues becaufe but as t to and land; cape, God, fouth, trade ' On ral ler was U ftrean one o fo th: of D chori in th J is ii a n bo^^ as t OFCOLUMBUS. ' 83 fort of fruit or provifion to be found upon the ifland of Hifpaniola. Here likewife were leopards, deer, and other animals. The people are like thofe of the iflands, except iu their foreheads, which are not fo high ; their nudities only are covered ; they feem to have no religion, and every nation fpeaks a particu- lar language of its own. Their arms and bodies are ornamented with different figures, wrought into the ikin by fire. The better fort, inftead of caps, wc-at^ red and white cotton cloths ; fome have fhort jumps without fleeves, that reach to their middle, and others have locks of hair hauling down on their foreheads: but on a feftival, they paint their faces of various colours, fo as to look very terrible and diabolical. The admiral fpent feventy days in failing fixty leagues from the coad de Las Orcjas> to the eaflward, . becaufe the wind and current were always contrary; but as there was good riding along the coail, he tacked to and fro, and dropped anchor evsry night under the land; and on the 14th of September, he reached a cape, \vhich he called Gracias a Dios, or Thanks to God, becaufe from thence the land trended off to the fouth, and he could profecute his voyage with the trade wind. On the 1 6th, being in want of water, the admi- ral fent the boats into a river, at the entrance of which was fuch a ripling, occafioned by the current of th^ ftream, and the wind from the fea, that in returning, . one of the boats, together with all her men, was lolt ; , fo that it was named, the River de la Defgracia, or of Difafter. Running flill to the fouthward, he an- chored on the 25th., near a town called Cariari, and; in the neighbourhood of a little ifland named Quiri* viri, which in people, foil, and fuuation, excelled ' every place he had yet feen : for the land is high, and^ abounds with pailurage, rivers, and woods. Cariari,: is fituated near a gieat river ; to the banks of which. . a multitude of people refortcd, fomu armed with, bows and arrows, and ttheis with itaves of palm tree, , as black as^ a coab and as hard as hq^n, po^^^cd with E d *t thfrr 84 THE SECOND VOYAGE the bones of fifties ; a third fet were furnifhed with clubs : they feemcd to have afiembled with intention to defend their country from invafion. But, per- ceiving the pacific difpofition of the Chriftians, they exprefled a deiire of barte:'ng their commodities, confiding of arras, cotton jerkins, iheets, and gua- which are pieces of pale gold, worn about ninis, their necks like relics. With thefe articles they fwam to the boats ; for the Spaniards did not go afhore that day or t'le next ; nor would the admiral allow his people to take their goods in exchange, but pre- sented them with feveral trinkets, that they might look upon the Chriftians, as men who defpifed all mercenary views. The lefs the admiral feemed to regard the tra^ck, the more eagernefs they difcover- cd to trade with him, and made figns from the land, inviting his people to come among them ; but thefe proving ineffeftual, they retired, leaving every thing they had received on board in a heap upon the {hore, where th^y were found the Wednefday following, T^hen the Spaniards landed. The Indians, fuppofing the ftrangers did not confide in their finccrity, fent down an ancient man, of an awful prefence, carry- •'ng a flag upon a flafl^, attended by two young girls, with guaninis about their necks : thefe, at his ear- ned requeft, were conduced by the boat*s crew on board the admiral, who ordered them to be clothed, and fed, and fent on Aiore again, where they were received with much fatisfadion, by the old man and fifty natives affembled on the beach. Next day, the admiral's brother going alhore to learn fomething of the country, two of their chief men came to the boat,'and taking him by the arms* made him fit down upon the grafs between them. In this fituatio.7 he b'-gan to interrogate them, and or- dered the fecretary to write down their anfwers ; but, they no fooner faw the pen, ink, and paper, than they were feized with conflernation, and ran away, believing that thefe were implements of fcrcery ; for they had performed foine ceremonies of cxorcifm be- *?- ' ' ' ... fore fore they lomew h their tow ed with c was a dc man car< emitting combs upon it the defu ornamei The quainte manner civilize {even t feemed woo fore gre anc da pel na rai .4 . OF COLUMBUS. ^ /i| fore they approached the Spaniards. D. Bartho- lomew having quieted their apprehenfions, vifited their town, where, in a great wooden palace, cover- ed with canes, he Taw feveral tombs, in one of which was a dead body embalmed ; and in another two hu- . man carcafTes wrapped up in cotton iheets, without emitting the leaft odour : over each of thefe cata- combs was a board, with the figures of beads carved upon it ; and on fome of them were the effigies of the defundl, adorned with guaninis, beads, and other ornaments upon which they fet a value. The admiral was f » defirous of being better ac- quainted with the nature of this country, and the manners of the inhabitants, who feemed to be more civilized than any he had yet feen, that he ordered (even to be taken, and of thefe he chofe two that feemed to be the moft intelligent, fending the reft away with fome prefents, and an aflurance that their companions were detained for no other reafon, than to ferve as guides and interpreters along the coaft, and that in a little time, they would be certainly fet at liberty. Notwithftanding thefe profeffions, they imputed the detention to avarice ; and next day, a number of them coming down to the fhore, fent four ambaffadors on board of the admiral, to treat for the ranfom of their countrymen, with a prefent of two wild hogs, which, though fmall, were very fweet. Thefe deputies were entertained with great civility ; and, tho' he would not comply with their requeft, fent them away well fatisfied, and amply paid for their hogs, one of which was hunted on board by a kind of wild cat, of a greyiih colour, caught in a wood by a feaman, after he had cut off one of its forelegs. This animal, which is as bio^ as a fmall greyhound, leaps like a fquirrel from tree to tree, and not only faftens upon the branches with its claws, but even with its tail, by which it often fuf- perids itfelf, either for reft or fport. The hogs, tho* naturally very ferocious, no fooner faw it, than they ran about the deck in a fright; and the admiral per- ceiving mi tm 1 m m B6 THE FOURTH VOYAGE ceiving their terror, ordered one of them to be brought near the cat, which immediately wound its tail about the hog's fnout, and with the foreleg that remained, faflening upon its pole, would foon have made a prey of it, had not the people interpofed. From thefe circumftances it appeared, that thofe cats hunt like the wolves in Spain. On the 5Jhof Oftober, the admiral failed into the bay of Caravaro, fix leagues in length, and above three in breadth, in which are many fmall iflands ; and between them the (hips fail as it were in ftreets, brufhing the trees on each fide. The veflels being anchored in thj«^ bay, the boats were fent to one of the iflands, where tiie men found twenty canoes, and their people hard by them on the (hore, (lark naked, with little places, or eagles of gold about their necks. They exprefled no fymptoms of fear ; but, for three horfe- bells, gave a gold plate that weighed ten du- cats, and faid, there was great plenty of that metal upon the continent, at a very fmall didance from this pjace. Next day the boat's crew went a(hore upon the main land, where they met with ten canoes full of people, who, refofing to barter away their plates, two of them were taken, that the admiral might have a chance for acquiring fome material intelligence, by means of the Cariari interpreters ; and they confirm- ed what the iflanders had faid of the gold, which was at the diftancc of two days journey up in the country. From this bay, the admiral failed into another hard by, called Aburena; on the 17th he put to fea ; and arriving at the river Guaiga, twelve leagues from hence, commanded the boats to be rowed afliore, where they were violently affaulted by above one hundred Indians, who ran furioufly into the water up to the middle, brandifhing lances, blow- ing horns, beating drums, and throwing fea-water towards the Spaniards, at whom they likewife fpurt- cd chewed htibs, .vith marks of deteitation and de- ii'ance. Notwithllanding thefe menaces. they were appealed OF COLUMBUS. ^7 ^ppeafed by the peaceable behaviour of the Chriftlans, and for a few horfe- bells, exchanged fixteen gold plates, to the value of oae hundred and fifty ducats. Next day>, however, they lay in ambufcade for the boats, and perceiving that no body would venture to land without fecurity, they rufiied into the water, as they had done the preceding day, and evea threatened to throw their javelins, provided the boats, that lay upon their oars, would not return to the (hips. l*he Spaniards, exafperated at their info* lent behaviour, wounded one of them in the arm with an arrow, and at the fame time the admiral fired a cannon, the explofion of which terrified them to fuch a degree, that they fled with precipitation. Then four men landing, invited them to return by figns, in confequence of which they laid down their arms; and coming back, exchanged their plates very peace- ably. Having procured famples of what this part of the country produced, the admiral proceeded to Catiba; and calling anchor in the mouth of a great river, perceived the natives aflembling by the found of drums and horns. They fent two of their number along-fide in a canoe, and thefe having difcourfed with the Carisri interpreters, came on board without any apprehenfion, and gave their plates to the admi- ral, who in return prefented them with fome bauble^'. This canoe was fucceeded by another, with three men, who behaved in the fame manner. And amity being thus eftablifhed, the Spaniards went alhore, and found a great number of Indians wjth their king, who differed in nothing from the refl, but in being covered with one leaf of a tree, becaufe it rained very hard. This fovereign, by exchanging his plate, fet an example to his fubjedls, who bartered to the number of nineteen, of pure gold. Here the Chri- ftians faw a great niafs of wall, feemingly built of ftone and lime ; and as this was the firil part of the Indies where the admiral difcovered figns of Ilruc- ture, he brought away a piece of it as a memorial. Sail- k-' ft" , f: ' 88 THE FOURTH VOYAGE Sailing to the eaftward, he pafled Cobravo ; and the wind blowing frefh, held on his courfe to five towns of great trade, among which was Veragua, where the Indians faid the gold was gathered, and the plates manufa£lured. Next day he arrived at a town called Cubiga, from which he continued his voyage to another, which he called Porto-bello, or the Beautiful harbour ; becaufe it is fpacious, popu- lous, and encompafTed by a well cultivated coun- try. He entered this harbour on the 2d day of No. vember, pafTing between two fmall iflands, within which the (hips lay clofe to the Ihore : and for feven days, during which he continued here, on account of the rain and bad weather, canoes came conftantly on board, with people from the adjacent country, to barter proviiions, and bottoms of fine-fpun cotton, which they exchanged for pins, points, and other fuch trifles. On the 9th, he failed from Porto-bello, eight lepgues to the eaftward; but, next day, was forced* back four leagues by ilrefs qf weather ; and putting in among the iflands near the continent, where now the town of Nombre de Dies ftandsi called the place Puerta de Baftimentos, or the Port of Provifiops, be- caufe all thofa fmall iflands were covered with grain. A boat w«ll manned being fent in purfuit of a ca- noe, the Indiana were fo terrified, that they leaped into the fea, and efcaped, notwichftanding all the ef- forts of the Spaniards ; for when the boat approach* ed any one of them, he dived like a duck, and came up again at the diflance of a bow-fliot from the places Here the admiral continued, refitting the fliips, and mending the cafks, till the 23d of November; when he failed eadward to a place called Guiga, where the boat's crew .being fent on fhore, found above three hundred Indians, ready to trade for fuch provifions they as had, and fbme fmall pieces of gold that hung at their ears and nofes : but without tarry- ing in this place, he put into a fmall port, which he called Rctret^i or Retired, becaufe it could not con- tain W ^^% •r" ; « •'. J ■ it i '»: '■}' (;-' .. 1 fri^e^n^4>^^ G)9hAitPt i/tdcAu^ariit^/refn^ ^e^ ^.yAiJtlP lain abovl not exccej on both monds, fathonicc fined harj were fenf count of the (horc portunitl days in * by bad familiar infolenc aasof creafed, lion, tl the ihi{ to appe abfolut to conv ordcrec they ai trees v which to ter great affeml them, thing with not a were tall \ quen danc fleep •ven< thes ly ' ■fc' • 'OF COLUMBUS.^* " 8^ tain above fix (hips, and the width of the mouth did not exceed fifteen or twenty paces, though the rocky on both fides appeared above water as Iharp as dia- monds, and the channel between them was not to be fathomed. The admiral was decoyed into this con- fined harbour, by the mifreprefentations of thofe who were fent to view it, and who gave a favourable ac- count of it, becaufe here the ihips muft lie clofe to the Ihore, fo as that they would have the better op- portunity of trading with the natives. He lay nine days in this narrow place, to which he was confined by bad weather ; and at firil the Indians came very familiarly to trade, until they were provoked, by the infolence and diflblute behaviour of the feamen, ta a£ls of open hoflility. As their numbers daily in- creafed, their courage rofe to fuch a pitch of refolu- tion, that they came down and threatened to board the (hips ; and the admiral, having in vain attempted to appeafe them by patience and civility, found it abfolutely neceffary to alter his deportment, in order to convince them of his importance. He therefore ordered his people to fire fomc pieces of cannon, and they anfwered this noife with fhouts, threfhing the trees with (laves, as if they Hefpifed the explofion, which they believed to be the effed of thunder, ufed to terrify them. He therefore loaded one of the great guns with ihot, and pointing it at a number affembled on an hillock, the ball fell in the midft i;f them, and foon made them fenfible there was fome-^ thing more than empty noiic : for they inllantly fled with fuch confternation, tl^at for the future they duril not appear even behind the mountains. Thefe people were the bed (haped Indians of any he had yet feen; tall and thin, without thofe prominent bellies, fre- quent in this country. In this harbour were abun- dance of very large crocodiles or alligators, that fleep afhor^, and emit a muiky fcent, and are fo ra- •venous, that they will devour men if they can take them at advantage, tho' they are fearful and coward- ly when attacked. -., . i..x ■ i'--j - -^ - The w 1 i t 4^HJv|h, ■1' WL •ill'^pfi Jl i ■'tt.^e :i:m •I |M||| N mi ■*-it m^\ . - -j 90 THE FOURTH VOYAGE The adjniral perceiving, that the violent wincb from the eaft and north-eall continued to blow with- out ceafing, and that he could no longer trade with the inhabitants of this coali, he refolved to return and fatisfy himfelf of the truth of what was reported, concerning the mines of Veragua ; and therefore, on the 5th of December, failed back to Porto- bello. Next day, the wind fhifted to the wed, but as he did not tftink this was a fettled gale, he bore up again ft it for fome days, during which the weather was fo very unfettied and unruly, that the Tailors could fcarce ftand upon deck ; for the fky feemed to be fink- ing in a deluge of rain, the whole air appeared like a furnace of lightning, and the thunder roared fo incefTantly, that the people miftook it for the firing of guns, as fignals of d."^ -^fs. The men, who were conilantly wet to the ikin, i expofed to thefe dread- ful peals and Hafhes, began to be terrified, and to def- pair, efpecially as the wind fhifted in their teeth whenever they endeavoured to make any harbour ; and in the midil of this danger and diftradlion, they were in the utmofl danger of being overwhelmed by a dreadful water-fpout that rofe from the fea tc the clouds, as thick as an ordinary butt, whir.Ung about, and daihing with a moft tremendous roar. 1 o com- plete their misfortunes, they lofl fight of the fhip Caino, which they concluded was lofl, until they faw her again at the end of three difmal dark days, in which fhe had been obliged to caft anchor, and after- wards was driven to fea, with the Ipfs of her anchor and boat. The fhips were almofl fhattered to pieces by the tempeft, and the men quite fpent with cold, hunger, and fatigue, when they were relieved by a calm that lafted two days ; durirg which they were furrounded by an infinite number of fharks, fo greedy, that they would bite at the hook tho* baited only with a red rag. Many of thefe were caught, and out of the belly of one, was taken an entire tortoife, that afterwards liy^d on board ; and from another, the whole head of OF COLUMBUS. 91 ^ (hark which we had cut off and thrown into the fea : To that the individuals of this fpecies feem to prey upon one another. Tho* fome of the people iooiced upon them as ominous fifh, and all allowed ;hey furnifhed a v-^ry indifferent meal, yet the failors cat them with great eagernefs ; for by this time they had been eight months at fea, and confumed all their provifion, except the bifcuit, which, from the heat and moilture of the climate, was fo full of maggots, that many delayed eating till it was dark, that they might not fee the vermin they were obliged to I'vvallow. On the 17th, the admiral cntcred.an harbour, three leagues eaft of Pennon, wMfch the Indians call Huiva» and there permitted his men to repofe themfelves for three days ; during whrch, they perceived the in- habitants lived in huts, built upon the tops of trees, a (Irange cuflom, which mull have been owing to their fear of wild beafts, land-floods, or enemies of their own fpecies; for alt along that coaft, the diffe- rent nations are at war with one another. From this h{irbour or bay, he failed on the 20th ; but no. fooner was he at fea, than the tempefl began to rage again, and he was driven into another port: fromi whence he took his departure on the 3d, the weather being fome what more moderate. But as if provi- dence had refolved to thwart the expedition, the wind frcfhejicd and became contrary, lb that he was bandied about, to the aftoniihment and terror of every perfon on board, until he made the harbour where he had been before, on the 12th of the fame month. Here he ftaid from December the 26th, till the 3d of January, when, having repaired the fhip Gallega, and taken on board a fuiHcient quantity of Indian corn, wood, and water, he failed back towards Ve» ragua, with contrary winds, and foul weather. In- deed, he was fo perplexed and fatigued with currents, tempefts, and unfavourable gales, between Veragua and Porto-bello, that he called it Cofta 4c Coutralles, or the coaft of Contention. ■0^ 9« THE FOURTH VOYAGE Two days after, he caft anchor near a river which, the Indians called Yebra, and the admiral fiethlem ; becaufe he arrived on the feaft of the Epiphany. To the weftward of this was the nver of Veragua, the water of which was very (hallow, but the boats went up to the town where the gold mines were faid to be. -At firll the Indians ftood upon their guard, and threatened to oppofe the landing of the Spaniards ; but an Indian interpreter going aihore, and giving a favourable account of the Chiillians, they were ap- peafcd, and bartered away twenty gold plates, fome hollow pieces, like joints of reeds, and fome grains that never were melted, whfch they faid they had gathered a great way off, upon uncouth mountains. On the 9th of June, the admirals fhip and the Bifcayna went up the riyer Bethlem, and the Indians came to exchange fuch things as they had, particu- larly fifh, which at certain times of the year, come from the fea up thefe rivers in incredible numbers : they likewife bartered fome gold for pins, beads, and hawks bells. Next day they were joined by the ether two (hips, that could not come in the preced- ing day, for want of water at the river's mouth. On the third d?y after their arrival, Diego Bartholo- mew went up the river with the boats, to the town of Quibio J fo the Indians call their king ; who hear- ing of the lieutenant^s de(ign, came down in his ca- noes to meet him, and they received each other in a very friendly manner. Next day, he went on board to vifit the admiral, who made him fome prefents, and he retired very well pleafed, after a converfa- tion that lafted a whole hour, during which his people exchanged fome gold for bells, and other toys. On the 24th, the river fuddenly fwelled to a fur- prifmg pitch, and rufhed down with fuch impetuo- sity, that the admiraPs (hip parted her cable, and running foul of the Gallega, brought the fore-maft by the board, and both veiTels were in great danger of periihing. This fudden rife of the river, was . fup- OF COLUMBUS. - 93 fuppofed to proceed from fome terrible fhower that that had fallen upon the mountains oF Veragua, Avhich were named St. Chriftopher's, bccaufe the tops of them reached above the clouds. On the 6th of February, the fhips being caulked and refitted, Diego Bartholomew, and fixty-eight men, were fent in boats to the river of Veragua, and rowing up, arrived at the cacique's town, where he (laid a •whole day, inquiring the neareft way to the mines : in confequence of the intelligence he received, they travelled four leagues and an half; and next day, arriving at the place to which they were directed, gathered fome gold about the roots of trees, which were very thick, and of a prodigious height. As the fole aim of this journey was to get information concerning the mines, they immediately returned to the (hips, very well pleafed with the fample ; tho', as they afterwards learned, the mines from which they had picked it were not thofs of Veragua, which lay much nearer, but of Urira, a town belonging to people at war with Qui', lo, who h?td direfted the Spaniards to his enemy's mines infleaa of his own. On the i/|«^h of February 1503, Diego Bartholo- mew, with tirty men, followed by a boat, marched to the river of Urira, feven leagues weftward fromBeth- lem, and next day were met by the cacique, attend- ed by twenty mtn, who prefented him with provifi- ons, and fome gold pla:tes were exchanged. Having refted a while in this place, the Chriftians were con- duced to the town, where they were hofpitably en- tertained with vi6tuals and lodging; and, foon after their arrival, vifited by the cacique of Diwuri, a neighbouring town : he was attended by a great number of his people, who brought fome plates to exchange, and told the lieutenant,- that up the coun- try there were caciques who had abundance of gold, and a great ; amber of men armed like the Spaniards. Next day Diego Bartholomew fent back twenty men to the Ihips, and with the other thirty, proceeded to- wards Zobabra, where he faw above fix leagues of ground Wl r.t: .;■!« m 94 THE FOURTH VOYAGE ground fuli of maiz, and cultivated like corn fields. Here he was kindly entertained by the natives, as well as at another town, called Cateba, where he purchafed fome plates : but having now advanced a freat way from the fhips, without finding any har- our along the coaft, or river larger than that of Beth- lem, where he could conveniently fettle a colony, ac- cording to the intention of the admiral, he returned with a good quantity of gold, to the place from which he had taken his departure, and in which a refolution was now taken, to make a fettlement, with eighty men under his command. Proper difpofitions being made, they began to build houfes, about a cannon's fliot from the mouth of the river Bethlem, the mate- 'rials being timber, and the thatch confilling of the leaves of palm trees that grew along the (hore. Se- veral piece's of cannon, with powder, provifion, and other neceflaries, were lodged in a large magazine 'erefted for that purpofe ; while a quantity of wine, "bifcuit, oil, vinegar, cheefe, and grain, was depofit- 'ed on board of the ihip Gallega, to be left with cor- dage, nets, hooks, and other fifhing-tackle, for the ufe of the colony. Indeed thefe laft could not fail of being fignally ufeful, in a country that abounds with fuch quantities of fi(h. The natives took them with hooks made of tortoife-fhell, which they cut with a thread. Among otiiers, the fea produces a very fmall filh, called titi, which fly up to the furface of the water, where they are caught in little matts, or fmall i)pts, and being wrapped in leaves, are dried in an oven, fo that they may be kept for a long time : they likewife catch abundance of pilchards which being purfued by other fifh, will leap two ortnree paces up- on the dry land; the' tjiey are alfo taken in another manner. In the middle of their canoes, from ftem to ftern, the Indians raife a partition of palm-tree leavesj two yards high, and plying about the river, make a noiTe by beating tlic (hore with their oars, fo as to frighten the pilchards, which, miftaking the leaves for land, leap upon them bi great quantities, V 5 '' . »^* OF COLUMBUS. 9^ ind fall into the canoe. Beiides thefe, they takfc great numbers of other fifh, that pafs along the coaft in ihoals, and bake them, as already obferved. As for liquor, they have plenty of a very palatable kind of beer made of maiiz, and agreeable wine, made of the juice and pith of a certain kind of palm-tree, as well as of a fruit that refembles a pine apple. Every thing being completed for the maintenance of the new colony, the admiral refolved to return to Spain without further delay ; when his voyage was effeftually retarded, by want of water to carry him out of the river, as well as by the terrible furf that beat upon the (hore, threatening immediate de- llrudion to any veffel that (hould approach it. This circumflance was the more unfortunate, as the rains-, which alone could fwell the river, were paft, and the bottoms of the ftiips worm-eaten through and through* To complete the difafter, it was cafually difcovered by means of an interpreter, that Quibio intended tofet fire to the houfes of the Ghriftians, who had made a fettlement in his dommions, contrary to the incli- nations of him and his people. In this dilemma, the admiral concerted meafures with his brother, for ta- king the cacique prifoner, together with his principal - men, and carrying them to Spain as hoftages for the good behaviour of his fubjeds. Accordingly on the 30th of March, the lieutenant, with above feventy men, proceeded to the village of Veragua, confifting of ftraggling houfes ; and at a fmall diftance from it, received a meflage from the cacique, defiring he would come up to his houfe, which flood by itfelf on a hill : notwithftanding this intimation, he refolved to go up with five men only, after having ordered the reft to follow, two and two, at fome diftance, and when they fliould hear a mufket fired, to befet the houfe, that no body might efcape. As he ap- proached the refidence of Quibio, he was met by another meflenger, who begged he would not enter the houfe, for the Cacique himfelf would come out, tho* he was wounded by an arrow. Thefe entreaties were 'M\ ) "1 ^»i scf'M 96 THE FOURTH VOYAGE were the efFeft of jealoufy, which prevails ft) much among the Indians of this coaft, that they will not allow their women fo be feen. Quibio coming to the door, according to his ptomife, was immediately feized by the lieutenant, and the muiket being fired, the reil of the Spaniards furrounded the houfe, in which were about thirty perfons, who feeing their prince taken made no oppofition. Among thefe were the A\ives and children of the cacique, together with fome men of note, who offered to ranfom themfelves with a great quantity of gold concealed in an adjoining wood. Bartholomew, without regarding thefe offers, ordered Quibio and the reft, male and female, to be bound, and carried on board, before the country ihould take the alarm ; and as he himfelf intended to flay, with the greateft part of the men, in order to fecure fome of the cacique's kindred and fubjefts^ whom he had not yet taken, he delivered the prifoners to John Sanchez de Cadiz, an able pilot, and a man of good reputation, who undertook, with great con>. fidence and alacrity, to carry them fafely on board of the admiral. He accordingly embarked with them in the boat ; and Quib' > complaining that his hands were too hard bound, Sanchez, out of compaffion, loofed them from each other, tho* he kept the rope to which he was tied, in his own hand. The Indian prince finding his hands at liberty, took an oppor- tunity, while the pilot looked another way, to plunge into the river, with fuch violence, that Sanchez quit- ted the rope in order to fave himfelf; and as it then began to be dark, and the boat was immediately filled with confufion, it was impoffible to hear or fee how he went aftiore; fo that after a fruitlefs fearch, the pilot was fain to row on board of the admiral, over- whelmed with fhame and vexation. Next day the lieutenant, finding it would be im- pradlicable to overtake the fugitive Indians, returned with his men to the fhips, and prefented the plunder of Quibio's houfe, worth three hundred ducats in plates and eagles, to his brother, who, having de- '■ Ttf^t-rJlW^rr tjlf fl^y, I H^ 1 1** ' ' y]^ ■ OF COLUMBUS. 97 dufted the fifth part for their catholic majefties, di- vided the reil among thofe who went upon the ex- pedition. The colony being now fettled under proper regula- tions, and the river fwelled by the rains, Columbus ordered his ihips to be lightened, and towed by the boats over the bar, on which all the three ftruck, tho' without receiving much damage. They then took in every thing they had been obliged to unftow, and lay waiting for a fait wind to fail for Hifpaniola, from whence fhe admiral propofed to fend fupplies to his new fettlement. In this interval, the boat provi- dentially went aihore, and contributed to the fkfety of many Spaniards, who otherwife mufl have fallen a facrifice to the refentment of the Indians : for Quibio no fooner perceived the fhips at fea, than he refblved to attack the -fettlement ; and the woods, by which it was furrounded, facilitated the enterprife. The In- dians therefore, under his command, ftole unperceived to a fpot within ten paces of the houfes, and from thence rufhed upon the Chriftians, with dreadful ihouts, throwing th »t javelins, not only at thofe they faw, but alio through their flender roofs, fo chat, four or five were dangeroufly wounded, before the Spaniards could put themfelves in a pollure of de- fence. But the lieutenant, who was a man of great refolution, fnatching up a fpear, fallied out upon the enemy, and feven or eight of his people following his example, foon compelled the favages to retire into the wood, juft as the boat reached the Ihore. Tho* the Indians would not engage hand to hand after they had felt the edge of the Eurppean fwords, and the teeth of a dog that fell furioufly upon them, they continued to throw their javelin^ at a diftance, until they were driven from their covert and obliged to fly, tho' not before they had killed a Spaniard, and wounded feven^ among whom was the lieutenant himfelf. During this engagement, captain James Triftan, whom the admiral had fent alhore with the boat, Voi. I. JF would 'i^ 1 «' -98 THE FOURTH VOYAGE would not fufFer his men to land ; but, after the fray was ended, rowed up the river to take in frefti water, at a place that was quite covered with wood. From this grove the Indians poured upon him, in a number ef canoes ; and tho* he fuftained their (hock with great gallantry, it was impofliblc to (belter himfelf or his men from the (bowers of their javelins, by whick he and his whole boat's crew were killed upon the * fpot, except one John deNeina of Sevil, who chan- cing to drop overboard, in the midft of the fray, dived to the bottom, and gaining the (hore, made his way through the thickeft of the wood, to the co- lony, where he gave an account of the difafter. The new fettlers, terrified at this misfortune, would have Telinquifhed their town immediately, and gone oa board of the admiral without orders, had not they been prevented by the lownefs of the water at the mouth of the river, which was not fufficient to float their velTel : nay, the fea beat fo violently in that place, that no boat could be fent with advice of their diftrefs to Columbus, who rode in a very dangerous open road, without a boat, and ignorant of the fate of Triilan and his crew, until he had the morti(ication to fee them driving down the river, covered with wounds, and preyed upon by a number of carrion- crows. Such a melancholy fpcftacle could not fail of creating the utmoft de(pondence among the people, who were now reduced to 3 fmall number, and con- cluded that the whole colony had peri(hed. Nor were thefe prefages without foundation ; for the Indians, elated with the fmall advantage they had gainec, re- turned to the attack of the fettlement, which they carried on night and day without cea(ing ; fo that every Spaniard muft have been killed, had not they removed eaftward to an open (Irand, where they made a barricado of cafks and other lumber, and planted their cannon in fuch a manner as to make great havock among the enemy, who durft not venture to •approach thofe unknown inftruments of deftrudlion. Mean .^ OF COLUMBUS. 99 Mean while the admiral waited ten days for fair weather, that he might fend afhorc the only boat that now remained, for intelligence ; and in this interval, fome of the prifoners who had been confined in the hold, burft open the hatches in the night, and leaped into the fea, and the reft being difappointed in their hopes of efcaping in the fame manner, hanp,ed then*- felves in defpair ; fo that now he had no hoitages, by virtue of whom he could make peace with Quibio, The weather ftill continuing boifterous, and the people being extremely impatient to learn the fate of their companions, Peter de le Defma, a pilot of Se- vil, undertook to fwim afliore, provided he might be carried in the boat to the place where the furf began to run high. His propofal being embraced by the admiral, was put in execution, and he fwam ofFagaia with a circumftantial account of what had happened, including a detail of divisions and difTenilons among the men ; for Diego Bartholomew found it impraftica- ble to maintain authority and fubordination, and they were unanimous in nothing but their refolution to leave the place : they therefore begged the admiral would take them on board without delay, otherwife they would put to fea in their own veffel, rotten as ihe was, and rather truft to the mercy of the waves and weather, than expofe themfelves to the barbarous refentment of the favages. In confequence of this information, Columbus refolved to ftay and take them on board ; and the weather becoming more favoura- ble, they came off, with all their goods and efFefts, in his boat ^and fome canoes lafhed together, fo that in two days nothing was left behind but the bulk of the fhip, which was fo much eaten by the worms, as to be unfit for fervice. The whole company being thus re-afleml)led, to their mutual fatisfaiftion, the admiral failed along tlie coaft to the eaftward, contrary to the opinion of all the pilots, who thought he might have reached St. Domingo, by bearing away to the north ; but he and his brot^pr knew it was requifite to ply up to ** F 2 wirio^ tJ too THEFOURTHVOYAGE windward, before they could ftrike acrofs the gulph that divides the continent from Hifpaniola : and as he confulted his own judgment in this particular, the men began to murmur, from an apprehenfion, that he intended to fail dire6tly for Sp^n, although he had not provifion fufficient for fuoh a voyage. At Porto^ bello he was obliged to leave the fhip Sifcaina, which Was fo leaky and worm-eaten, that fhe could not pro- ceed ; and turning up along the coaft, he pafled port Retrete, together with abundance of fmall iflands, which he denominated las Barbas : thence continuing I his courfc ten leagues, he, on the ift of May, 1503, took his departure from a place on the continent cal- led Marmora, and flood to the northward, the wind and currents fetting frbm the eaft. The pilots and navigators on board affirmed, that he was to the eaft ward of the Caribbees, but he him- felf was apprehenfive, that he fliould not be able to fetch Hifpaniola, and this fear. was verified : for, on the loth, he defcried two very fmall low iflands, which he named Tortugas, from the abundance of turtle found here, and in the neighbourhood ; and on the 1 2th, after a run of thirty leagues northwards, arrived at the iflands called Jardin de la Reyna, that lie ten leagues to the fouthward of Cuba. By this time, the fliips being leaky and crazy, the men were harrafled at the pump, though little able to fupport fuch fatigue, becaufe the proviflons were now redu- ced to a little bifcuit, oil, and vinegar ; and in this jnelancholy fituation, they were overtaken by a dread- ful ftorm, in which the fhip Bermuda ran- foul of the sdmiral, and both had like to have foundered : how- ever, they got clear of each other with much diffi- culty, and dropped all their anchors, though it was the (beet anchor alone that brought them up ; and in the morning there was but one flrand »f the cable uncut, fo that if this had given way, they mufl have periflied upon the (harp rocks. The wind being abated, he failed to an Indian ;own on the coaft of Caba^ called Mattaiai where having \-v OF COLUMBUS. loi having purchafed fome refrelhments, as the winds, currents, and condition of the Ihips would not perm't him to bear up for Hifpaniola, he flood over to Ja- maica, pumping and baling all ihe way. Yet, not- withftanding their utmoft cftbrts, the water rofe up almoft to the deck ; and when day appeared, he put into an harbour called Puerto Bucno, but finding no frelh water in this place, he fleered to the eall.vard in- to another,, called Santa Gloria, which is enclofed by rocks, where finding it impcITible to keep the ft-iips .afloat, he ran them alhore along-fide of each other,, and propping them up on each fTde, fo as to keep them upright, ordered fheds to be made on the poop and forecaftle, under which the men might be feture from the inclemencies of the weather, as well as the attempts of the Indians. This expedient he chofe rather than that of fortifying himfelf on flioie, bc- caufe he fhould be more able to reiVrain his feamen from irregularities, which might have incenfed the natives, on whom he entirely depended for fub- iiftence, his own provifion having been either fpoiled or confumed. As the natives reforted in great num- heh to the fhips with what they hid to barter, he appointed two perfons to fuperintend the iiKukct, and prevent abufes or frauds of either fide, as well as to divide the purchafe equally among the pecpie, that^ nothing might be embezzled or engrcfied. His re-*, gulations were alike agreeable to his o^'n men, who were plentifully fupplied ; and to the Indians, who exchanged two little animals like rabbits, which they, called hutics, for a bit of tin, and cakes of their bread named zabi, for two or three plafs 'beads, tho',. for a quantity of anything, they received a hawk's beii ; and a cacique or ^ great man was fomednr.es prefented with a fmall looking.glafs, red cap, or pair of fciffars. Thefe neecflary fleps being taken, the admiral's next care was, to confult with his officers about the means of tranfporting themfelves to Hifpaniola; and, after mature deliberation, it was refclved, that two F 3 canoes -^- 'I"- I... J .: 4 M fi I \ m I ^ '■«!? 102 THE FOURTH VOYAGE canoes fliould be fent thither, with an account of the misfortune which had happened to the admiral, and a letter to the governor, defiring that a (hip might be fent immediately to his relief. The canoes being chofen for this dangerous expedition, James Mendez iie Scgura, the admiral's chief fecretary, embarked in ore, with fix Chriftians, and ten Indians to row; and Bartholomew Fiefco, a Genoefe gentleman, went on board of the other, with the like number of hand?; thii hifl having orders to return immediately with the rows of their fafe arrival, while Mendez fliould con- tinue his route over land to St. Domingo. Thus dif- poft:d, they rowed to the eaftermoft point of Jamaica, under the conduft of the admiraPs brother, who took care to fapply them with the neceflary provifion for the voyage j and as the diftance between the two iflands amounted to thirty leagues, without any inter- vening land, except one little ifland or rock, about eight leagues from the coaft of Hifpaniola, he very judicioufly waited for a calm, and having difmiHed them on their voyage, llaid till they were fairly out of fight, and then returned to his brother. Jn a little time after the departure of thefe canoes, the men who were left began to grow fickly, in con- fcqucnce of the fatigue they had undergone, and the change of provifion ; and (which is the cafe on all fuch occafions) a fpirit of difcontent diiFufed itfelf among them. They now caballed and murmured in private againft the admiral, faying, he had no inten- tion to return to Spain, where he was in difgracc with their catholic majefties ; nor could he have any hopes of afiillance from Hifpaniola, the governor of which had already refufed him Ihelter in his diftrefs : and lallly, they fuggefted that Mendez and Fiefco were both loft, otherwife the latter would have returned by this tiine, according to his promife. For thefe rcafons, it was their bufinefs to confult their, own fafety, by leaving the admiral, who was now lame in all his limbs with the gout, and follow their com* panions to Hifpaniola, where they would be the bet- ter OF COLUMBUS. 103 tcr received by the commendary Lares, on account of their having abandoned Columbus, whom he hated. Thefe arguments were fuggefted and encouraged by two brothers, called Porras, who aflured them of pro* teftion on their return to Spain, from the bifhop D. John de Fonfeca, as well as from the Treafurer Mo- rales, by whom their filler was kept as a concubine : and /uch efFeft had the insinuations of thefu ring- leaders, one of whom was captain of the Ihip Ber- muda, and the other comptroller of the fquadron, that eight and forty of the men were perfuaded to fol- low them at all events, and to provide themfelvcs with every thing ncceilary for the execution of their purpofe. On the 2d day of January, captain Francis de Por- ras, whom they had chofen for their leader, afcend- ing the quarter-deck, where the admiral lay confined to his bed, *• What is the reafon, my lord, (faid he) *' that you will not return to Spain, hut keep us in " this place to perifh ?" To this infolent interroga-- tion, Columbus, fufpefting the *confpiracy, very calmly replied, that he did not fee how they could return to Spain, until they Ihould be aflifled with a . vefTel from Hifpaniola ; that no man was more de> firous than he to be gone, as well on account of hi 9 own private interefl, as for the fafety of his people ; and that, for their fatisfaftion, he would again fum- mon all his officers to confult about the means of gra- tifying their inclination. This judicious remonftrance had no weight with Porras, who faid, it was now nO;- time to talk ; for that he fliould either embark im- mediately, or ftay there by himfelf : then crying with a loud voice, ** I am going to Spain with thofe that ** will follow me," all his adherents joined in the ex-* clamation, and immediately took poffeflion of the forecaftle, poop, and round-tops, fo that uproar and univerfal confufion enfued. The admiral, the' lame in bed, hearing the noife of this tumult, ftarted up in order to quell the mutiny, but was with-held by. his fervants, who were afraid that he would be mur- F 4. dered ,1^- if, M ] ■fn Ui m 104 THEFOURTH VOYAGE dcred by the confpirators, They likewife difarnicd and confined his brother Diego Bartholomew, who had bravely ruilied out upon the mutineers, with an half pike in his hand, and entreated Porras to be gone, without doing further mifchief, or makine any at- tempt upon the life of Columbus, for which they could not fail of being one day feverely puniihed. Jle did not think proper to regard this caution, but ic'izing ten canoes which the admiral had purchafed iicm tht Indians, embarked with all his followers, uho exprelfcd as much joy as if they had been al- ready landed in Spain. Upon this occaiion, a good number of the rell, who were not concerned in the C(nnbi nation, feeing themfelves abandoned by their ieJlows, and defpairing of relief, defired to be taken on board, to the infinite forrow and mortification q( ihe admiral, and thofe few who remained with the ^fick .and in ail probability, had the people been» in health, he would have been deferted by the whole company, except his brother, and his own faithful fervants. The mutineers in the canoes rowed towards the ealt part of Jamaica, from whence Mendez and I'lifco had taken their departure, and in the way committed all manner of outrages upon the poor In- d']i.r,9, advifing them to apply for redrefs and repay- ment to the admiral, who was the caufe of all the injuries they fuflained, and to put him to death ia caie he fnould refufe to give them fatisfaflion ; for his defign in Haying, was no other than to fubjedand involve them in fuch mifery and opprcflion as he had already entailed upon the inhabitants of the other ifland. Having in this manner done their endeavours to embroil the admiral with the natives, they began their voyage for Hifpaniolat with fome Indians, whom tliey compelled to go on board every canoe as rowers. 1'hcy had not made four leagues from land, when the wind, which was contrary, beginning to frefhen, and the fea to rife, they fhipped fome water, and beinfg unacquainted with the methods of managing thofe veflels, ■■5v4 >»>::■; OF COLUMBUS. 105 vt/Tels, tefolvcd to lighten them, by murdering the Indians, and throwing their bodies into the fca. This inhuman fchcme was execuied on fome, and the refl: leaping over-board, fwam until they were weary ; then hanging by the canoes to breathe a little, the barbarous ruffians cut off their hands ; fo that eighteen of thofe poor wretches perifhed in this deplorable manner, and not one would have efcaped, had not they kept a few to ftcer them back to Jamaica, as they now thought it imprafbicable to profecute their voyage. When they landed, a council was held, ia which fome propofed to take the advantage of the eafterly wind and currents, for running over to Cuba, from whenc* they would have a Ihort cut to Hifpaniola ; others were of opinion, that they flioukl return, and make peace with their admiral, or de- prive him by force of the commodities and arms that were ftill in his pofle/Iion : but by a majority of voices it was agreed, they (hould wait for a calm, and put to fea again directly for Hifpaniola. For ihis oppor- tunity they tarried a whole month, during which they ravaged the whole neighbourhood of Aramaquique, which was the name of that town and difirid, and having made two unfuccefsful efibrts to perform the voyage, marched by land to the weft ward, plunder- ing the defencelefs natives and the weak villages in their way. With regard to the admiral, he exerted all his ad- drefs and induftry to efface the bad impreflions which the mutineers had made among the Indians ; fo that they continued to fupply him with provifions, while he' employed his care and humanity for the relief of the fick, until almofl; all his people were recovered : but as the daily expence of fubfiftence had produced a fcarcity among the Indians, who fow very little more than is juft neceffary for their own occafions, they began to be remifs in their attendance, especial- ly as they were already Itocked with the commodities of the Chriftians. They were likewife influenced by the defertion and malicious infinuaticns of fuch a FS ;*• num^ %: 't-^ ni tl'•^ ' ■' ^ii IV .1-1 '0 mi __. JifiJi i, . m 106 THE FOURTH VOYAGE number or the Spaniards, who had leic their chief in a fttuation which no longer commanded obedience and refped. In this dilemma, Columbu:., with his wonted fagacity, fell upon a very extraordinary ex- pedient for retrieving his character and aifairs with thofe favages. Knowing that in three days there would be an ecliple of the moon, he fent an Indian of Hifpaniola, who was on board, to aiTemble the principal inhabitants of the diftrid, that he might confer with them about .in affair that concerned them nearly ; and they obeying the fummons, he told them by his interpteter, he and his people were Chriftians, sind believed in God, who created the heaven and earth, piotedled the righteous, ^and punifhed the wicked ; and therefore would not permit the rebeU lious Spaniards to pafs over to Hifpaniola, tho^ he had by his providence conduced Mendez and Fiefco to that ifland, becaufe the intent of their voyage was laudable : that the fame almighty and all-juil Being "was incenfed againil the Indians for having neglected Xo fupply his people with provifions, and determined to puniih them with plague and famine ; as a certain ■ a:oken or prefage of which, they would tliat very night fee the moon rife v ith an angry and bloody alpeft, to denote the mifchief that woukl certainly fall upon them. " * This prophecy had difFevenc effefts upon the In- idians, fome of whom were terrified, while others ri- diculed it as an idle flory : but when they perceived the moon in reality eclipfed, and percei/ed the dark- nefs incieaiing as Ihe rofe, univerfal condernation pre- vailed among them, and they came running from all quarters, loaded with proviiion, and entreated the adniir"! >vith louc* cries and lamentations, to ii^tercede with God in their behalf, that his wrath might be averted, and they would for the future, take care to fupply all his wants. In confequence of this pro- mife, Columbus faid he would ufe his iuiluence with God, anjj accordingly Ihut himfelf up, while they remaiiKd without; howlingi an^ unploring his aflTi- ilance$ ,*,*;. ■ vourite of heaven.. Eight months having elapfed fince the departure of Mendez and Fiefco, . of whom there was not yet the leaft intelligence, the people began to be dejeded, fuppofing the melTengers had either periihed at fea, or been killed by the Indians of . Hifpaniola, in their way to Sti Domingo. Thefe fears were confirmed by the information of the natives, who faid they had feen a canoe ovcrfet, driven upon the coaft by the current. Thefe appiehenfions increafed every day,, and at laft produced a fecond confpiracy, at the head . of which war one Bernard, an apothecary of Valencia, who, with two companions, called Zamora and Vil. latoro, formf)d a fcheme fordeff nihg from the admiral, . in imitation of the other mutineers ; but the execu- tion of this projeft was prevented by the arrival of a veflel fcnt by the governor of Hifpaniola. The cap- tain, whofe name was James de Efcobar, having come to an anchor near the wrecks,, vifited the admiral with < compliments from the commendary, who being un- provided with a fhip fufficient to carry off fuch a nun:- ber of m€T\, had fent a cafk of wine and two flitches of bacon in a prefent ; and thefe being delivered, Ef--^ cobar, without waiting for a letter, weighed anchor. And. deputed that fauae evening, Tho' Columbus 4- i'' '' ' ' I ^ mit thcmfelves to his good pleafure ;. and he imme» diately gave them a fte^ paidon, and took them again ix*lo. Off COLUMBUS. Ill into his proteftion : but, in order to avoid futnre ani- mofities, and a fcarcity of provifions on board, he detained Porras in confinement, and appointed a pro- per perfon to rommand and lead them about the iiland, for t^'* convenience of finding fubfiltence, in exchange* for commodities, with which they were fupplied by his diredioB. Among thofe of their fide who luffered in the en- gagement, was Peter de Ledefma the pilot, who fwam alhore at Bethlera. This* man, having received a number of wounds in the fray, fell over the rocks, and was not found till next day in the evening, whea the Indians, to their utter amazement, difcovered him alive. His ikuU was laid open, fo that his brains appeared, his arm was almoft cut off, the calf of one leg hung down to his ancle, and one foot was diced from the heel to the toes. Notwithilanding thefe defperate wounds, he frightened the Indians with curfes and threats in fuch a manner, that they fled from him with the utmoft cpnfternation ; and his condition being known, the admiral ordered him to be carried into an houfe, and attended by the fur- geon, who during the firlt eight days, difcovered feme new wounds at every dre£ing, and yet the man recovered and did well. All dilTentions among the Spaniards being thus re- moved, the Indians grew more cautious of giving offence, and carefully fupplied them with proviiion ; and a year being elapfed iince the Chriftians were wrecked upon the ifland, the ihip we have already mentioned, which Mendez bought with the auAmir^V', money at St. Domingo, arrived in Jamaica, arid Co- lumbus with his wholecompany,embarkingon the 28th of June, fet fail for Hifpaniola, tho' the wind and cur- rent were contrary, and, after a troublefome voyage, reached St. Domingo on the 13th of Auguft 1504, Here he was received with demondrations of uncom- mon civility and regard by the governor, who lodged him in his own houie, and fawned apon him with the Sioft abj<^ fubffliiii^ns -, tho' $hi9 hefpitaHty was al- " - ^ together n tjz THE FOURTH VOY-AGE ^gether afFeftation ; for he fet Porras at liberty, and threatened to punifh thofe who were concerned in ap- prehending that rebel. When the admiral's fhip was refitted, and another hired for the convenience of his friends and followers, he failed for Europe on the 2d of September, and before he was two leagues at fea, the mall of the hired veffel coming by the board, he fent her back into the harbour to be repaired, while he himfelf proceeded on his voyage to Spain. During the paffage, he loft his own main-m«(l in 3 ilorm, and this damage being in fome meafure repair- ed by the Ikill and activity of the lieutenant, (for- the admiral was lame of the gout) they were after- wards expofed to another tempeft, which carried away their foremaft, and in that condition the fhip ar- rived at the port of St. Lucar de Barrameda. Upon his landing, he was informed of the death of his ge- nerous patronefs queen Ifabella, which overwhelmed him with concern ; for the' he was courteoufly re- ceived by. Ferdinand, that prince began to think the advantages he had ftipulated for himfelf were too con- iiderable, and accordingly he propofed new terms^ which, however, did n t take efFei% iif m m ii6 THE VOYAGE OF mies, had recourfe to their arms, confifting of long lances headed with horn, which they throw with great dexterity and execution. With thefe weapons, they fuddenly ruflied out of the woods upon Gama ani fome officers who were employed in taking the fun's altitude, and attacked them with fuch fury, that they were obliged to retreat on board of their fhips, after the admiral had been wounded in the foot. in confequence of this rupture, he fet fail from that place, having given the name of St. Helena to the bay, and that of Jago to the river, becaufe they were discovered on the days dedicated to thefe faints : a rule which they afterwards obferved in all their de- nominations. Between this bay and the Cape, he underwent fuch dreadful l^orms, the weather was fo cold, and the nights fo long, that the people became difpirited and clamorous, furrounding Gama upon deck, and conjuring him with the moft pathetic re- xnonftrances, to change his courfe and fleer home- wards, rather than perAft in profecuting a voyage from which nothing was to be expefted but mifery s^nd deftrudion. All the refolution and addrefs of Gama was now neceifary to refute their fears, to with Hand their im- portunities, and maintain his authority: for when they found h'm deaf to their entreaties, and firmly determined to anfwer the purpofe for which he had embarked, they formed a conlpiracy againft his life, which being difcovered by his brother Paul, he was obliged to exert his whole vigilance and caution to hinder it from taking effect. The ringleaders were put in irons, and among thefe all the pilots, fo that he himfelf and fome other officers, were fain to per- form their fundions. At length, the weather took a favourable turn, and he made the Cape of Good Hope, which was doubled on the 20th day of No- vember, to the inexpreffible joy of the whole com- pany, who thought there was now no obftacle to op- pofe the voyage. Coafling along fhore, they enjoyed Vjic prof^tii of a molt agreeable country, diverfified. VASCO DE GAM A. 117 with \Voods and lawns, abounding with numerous herds of cattle, and well peopled with blacks, who refembled thofe of St Helena bay in colour, features, and proportion : when they fpoke, they feemed to fob ; their privities were inclofed in fmall wooden cafes, the; reil of the body being quite naked ; they played upon pipes, w'th which they made no contemptible mufick. They lived in huts made of clay, hardened in the fun, and covered with draw and clods of earth. Gama having run feventy-three leagues to the north- ward of the Cape, found another bay, which he called Angra de San Bias, in the bend of which was a fmall ifland, where the fhips lay to take in ? ipply of wa- ter. The land hereabouts was very fertile, abounding with large elephants and fine qxen, which the natives ufe as horfes. There was alfo a prodigious number of feals of furprifing fiercenefs, and a multitude of birds called penguins, about the fize of geefe, which have no feathers, nor do their wings, which are mem- braneous, enable them to Hy. After watering the fleet, he failed ag^in, and, on the 8th day of December, was overtaken by a fudden ilorm that drove the fhips out to fea, and overwhelm- ed the people with coniternation ; but when the tem- peft fubfided, they once more apprbached the fhore, Gama being refolved to fail along the coad, as he was altogether unacquainted with the navigation of thofe feas. On the loth of January, when they had pro- ceeded about two hundred and thirty miles from their laft watering pl«ce, they defcried fome fmall iflands, that appeared extremely pleafant, decorated with lofty trees, and interveening meadows of a beautiful ver- dure, in which they faw great numbers of cattle gra- zing : they likewife perceived the black inhabitants walking upon the fhore. The admiral, having an- chored upon the coaft, fent one of his men, who was well verfed in languages, to pay his refpefts to the king, who received him with great civility, and dif- imfTed him withprefents fuck as the country produced. ^ Thefe i I. ' ^ in a their ^iliarly fed to change of good offices between the F Jituguefe and thefe iilanders. But this harmony was not of long continuance ; for the governor no fooner difcovered ihe new comers to be Chrif.ians, than all his friend- ihip was converted into rancour, and he began to lay fciiemes for Gama's deftruftion. The Portuguefe were reviled and infulted by the pcpubce ; the admiral's life was endangered by a plot, which was happily dif- covered ; one of the pilots made his efcape, and iomc of the people, who were fent on fhore to wood and tfater, being attacked by feven veffels, would have loll their lives, had not the other boats come to their affillance, and pour, a in a volley of Ihot among the ag^refibrs, who fled in the utmcft confternation. The admiral, finding he could ftay here no longer with fafety, (leered to another ifland at the diflance of four miles, from whence he fet fail for Quiloa ; but being driven back by contrary winds, and tempeftuous weather, he was foUicited by an Arabian, who begged to be taken on board with his little fon, and fet on Tnoie at fome convenient port, from whence he might repair to Mecca, which was the place of his nativity* Gama was glad of an opportunity to indulge this perfon, who he underftood was an excellent pilot, and his brother P?.ul having, in the fcufHe at Mozambique, carried off another man well (Icilled in navigation, the weather no fooner became favourable, than they went to fea again in three (hips, for t,he ftore-fliip had been emptied and deilroyed by the admiral's order. Their intention was to make Quiloa, which, however, they could not reach ; a difappointment o\s "ng to fome er- ror in their courfe, or perhaps to the fraud of the Mo- ?,ambique pilot, who now auvifed ^Jama to (leer for Mombaze, a city which, he faid, was chlcRy inha- bited by Chriftians, and in all refpeds well adapted for the reception of his Ihips, and the refrefliment oif I he men. The admiral was accordingly perfuac^ed to follow this advice j for his provifions began to fail, a great number of his men were already dead, and the furvivors in a fickly and lingering condition. VoL.L G Mom- '*■ 'ii - iT I \ \r\ «,; i a\ ■•:*lf ■■* '^f^ -.;, T. 122 THE VOYAGE OF Mombaze is lituated in a bay upon an high rock, almoil furrounded by the fea, the harbour being de. fended by a fortrefs furnifhed with all manner of war. iike ftores, and a ftrong garrifon ; the foil is feftile, abounding with all forts of fruits and vegetables ; the country is well (locked with cattle, the water is excel- lent, the climate temperate, the air .healthy ; and the inhabitants livie with tafte, in houfes built after the European manner, and adorned with variety of fine painting. The Portuguefe had hardly dropped their anchors, before they perceived a galley rowing towards the flag ihip, and in her obferved about one hundred men in Turkilh habits, armed with bucklers and fcymetars. They would have come on board without hefitatioii,ba(i not they been prevented by order of the admiral, who denied admiflion to any but four, who by their appear- ance fcemed to be above the common rank, and even thefe were obliged to lay afiJe their arms, before he would fuiter them to mount the (hip's (ide. This cau- tion of Gama they extolled with many encomiums, and told him that their king having been informed of his arrival, had fent them with compliments of con- gratulation, and proffers of alliance, >vhich the ad- miral faid he would embrace with pleafure : next day, other deputies came with a fupply of refre(hments for the men, which his majefty fent as a fmall token of his friend(hip and regard, defiring, at the fame time, that he would approacii the city and come to an anchor in the harbour, where he could more conveniently give the Portuguefe frefii proofs of his good-will. Gama, with all luitable acknowledgement, promifed to com- ply with his requell, and in the mean time, as a mark of his confidence, fent on (hore twO of his exiles, who were treated with the utmoft hofpitality by the king, who ordered fome of his people to accompany them while they ihould take a view of the city, and then defired them to carry afample of fpices to Gama, by which he might be induced to tride with his fuhjefls, rather than proceed farther, and run the rif^ue of a dar.gerous voyage. . ^ " J ' Gama, VASCO DE GAMA. 123 Gama, being overjoyed at their report, immediately oiJered the anchors to be weighed, in order to advance into the harbour ; but his own (hip being by the vio- lence of the tide in danger of running a-ground, he commanded the fails tohQ furled and the anchors to be dropped ; and the other captains followed his example. The Mozambique pilots feeing thefe orders executed^ without knowing the reafon, and being confgious of their own treachery, which they now imagined he had difcovered, threw themfelves into the fea, and were taken up by the people of fome boats, who landed them on the oppofite (hore, notwithftanding the remonftran- ccs of Gama, who called aloud to them, defiringthem to bring the fugitives on board. By this 'providential occurrence, he difcovered the perfidious defign of the king, whofe afFeded civility was no other than ciffimulation ; for having heard of what paiTed at: Mozambique, he had laid a fcheme for deftroyiiig the Portuguefe in the harbour : but his projed being thu» accidentally baffled, he at midnight fent a detachment cf men, in fmall veflels, to cut the cables, which how- ever were preferved by the vigilance and aiflivity of the admiral, who, as foon as he could get clear of the bay, directed his courfe for Melind Jn his pafTage he took an Arabian Ihip, which he Jifmiifed, after having detained fourteen prifoners, and am ng ihefe «i perfon of diiUndion, from whom he received fomc ufeful inftruv^ions concerning his voyage. On Eafter day he arrived at Melinda, which ftands in a delightful plain, furrounded with pleafant gardens, ilocked with a variety of. trees, and in particular the orange, whofe blofToms yielded a mod agreeable and diiFuiive odour. The country was rich and plentiful, abounding not only with tame cattle, but alfo with game of all kinds, which the natives took pleafure in. iiunting. The houfes are built of fquare Hones, in a magnificent tafte. The inhabitants, tho* of a black colour, are not inelegant in their drefs ; their heads are adorned with turbans, the body is naked to the waift, from which a garment of filk d«fcends to the middle of the leg : their arms confift of fmall buck- - ^2 -V krs m It f. o nnd found the ffn;iments of the king ; and at the fame time told him, that there were four iliips rhea in the hurbour, commanded by Chriflians, who hav- ing already tranfaCled their bufinefs at Melinda, would in a little time fet cut for India, whither Gama might have the benefit of their company. The admiral, tho' he did not repofe much confidence in the fincerity of this prifoner, yet, as the advice could be followed without running any rifque, order- ed him to be landed on an ifland oppofite to the city, to which he was immediately tranfported and con- duiled to the king, who was an old man, of a mild «nd gentle difpolition, and fo much pleafed with the charader which the Arabian "■"•:, of the Portu^uefe, that he immediately lent a perfon with his compliments to Gama, and a prefent of fheep and other refrefh- ments. The admiral, unwilling to be outdone in ge nerofity, repaid this courtefy with prefents of greater value, ordered his fliips to move nearer to the Hiore, and fent an invitation to the Chriflians of India, who were tranfported with loy at fight of Grangers who pro- fefled the fame faith, and gave him many ufeful in- ilruftions with regard to the profecution of his voyage. The king, being dffabled by the infirmities cf age from vifiting the admiral in perfon, fent on board his fon, to whom he had delegated the fupreme authority ; and this young prince, royally attired, and attended by hh nobles, came in a gallty that refounded with the mufick of drums and trumnets. Gama, that he mij^ht pay the greater honour to his gueli, went in his barj^e to receive him, and at meeting he was em braced by the young prince with great familiarity and ' . • . - • . alfeilion. ■'J ^~ VASCO DE GAMA. 12$ aiJedlan. He behaved on this occa/ion with uncom- jiion politenefs ; his converfation was fenfible jind fprightly ; he looked upon the admiral with i>ia,rks of pleafure jfnd admiration, examined the /hips at- tentively, and—^xprefled the utmoft friend/hip and regard for th^ Portuguefe : and this good diTpofitioh was improved by the generofity of Gama, who m'i4c him a prefent ci all the prifoners he had taken. Bi?: this cautious ofjicer declined his preiTing invi^^tiqti ro go afhore, altho* he offered to leave his own ions as pledges of his fafety. However, he nexf day or- dered himfelf to be rowed in his barge near,erj])p qjty, that he might enjoy a more diftind profpCicV of i\s beautiful fituation ; and receive another- yjfit fiooi the prince, who furniihcd him with an ai?J)2, pilo,i, T^nd obtained his promife, that on his return )ig Avould take MelinJa in his way, as the king *:xprefled aiv eager defire of fending an ambaHador to his Por- tuguefe majefty, with whom he was very ambitious o*" engaging in the moft friendly alliance and ii>- tercourfe. . ,..,,vU £.^1.^ On the ^2d day of March he fet ftjl, an4 ilcer- jng to the northward, tbey in a few days pafied the line ; then ftanding to the eall, and crofTmg ^ broad fea, the pilot defcried the mountains of Calicut ; at difcovery which was no fooner imp;irted to the ad' miral, than he returned thanks to heaven in a tranf- port of joy, and unfettered all the prifoners, that there might not be one forrowful heart on board. That fame day, the (hips dropping anchor withim two miles of Calicut, were furro^nded by a num- ber of canoes full of Indians, who came to gratify their curiofity. OfthefeGama enquired by his in- terpreters, in what place their king refided : and one of the exiles being fent on Ihore, to obtain intelligencer was environed by a vaft multicud*, who thronged about him in fuch a manner, that he was lifted from the ground, and borne backwards, and forwards like a wave of the fea, until he was at length perceived by two merchants from the city of Tunis in Barbary, , who were not a little aijoniihcd to fee an ^urop'^^iv G 3 in •^^- (t»i:'U i ■'t( »f. 126 THE VOYAGE OF in that place ; and one of them, whofe name was Monzaida, fuppofing him by his drefs to be a Spa- niard, accoHed him in Caililian : but, when he under- ftood the ftranger was a Portuguefe, he exprefled great joy ; for he had been chief contraflor for the warlike ftores which king Ferdinand had purchafed at Tunis : he therefore defired the exile to introduce him to the admiral, and they came on board together. Here he was kindly received by Gama, who finding him a very intelligent perfon, took this opportunity to inform himfelf of many interefling particulars toUthiiig the affairs of Calicut ; and the Moor, after having made a tender of his fervice to the Portuguefe, gave him to underfland, that his arrival would be very agreeable to the king or zamorin, whoie chief care and aim was to extend the commerce of his fub^ jeds : for altho* his dominions are e.xtenfive, and many princes his tributaries, yet the mofl confiderable part of his revenue arofe from duties upon merchant dize. Next day Gama fent two of his officers with Monzaida to wait upon this monarch, whofe irefidence at that time was at Pandarene, three miles from Calicut. Thefc deputies being admitted to his prefence, told him that the king of Portugal, having heard of his fame and dignity, had fent thither one cf his admirals, who would be glad to attend his majdfty, with profTers of friend fliip and alliance in the name of his miller. To this addrefs, the king made a moft gracious reply, affuring them that he would chearfully engage in a league with the king of Portugal, arid for that purpofe take the firft con- venient' opportunity of conferring with the admiral, Whom in the mean time he advifcd to bring the fhips nearerto Pandarene, that they might be the lefs expofed to the tempefts, which were frequent at that feafon of the year J and he accordingly fent a perfon to pilot the fhips into a fafer riding. ^^ One of their raagiftrates whom they callcatual, be- ing foon after fent by the zamorin to conduct Gama • to the palace, the admiral gave the command of the ihips to his brother Paul, with whom and Nicholas Ccrlo, VASCO DE GAM A. 127 Ccelo, he left diredlions, importing, that in cafe he (hould meet with any accident on ihore, they (hoirid give themfelves no concern about his fafety, but fail diredly homewards with an account of the difcoveries they had made j and that they might not be deftitute of hands to navigate the veflels, he chofe only twelve men to attend him in his vifit. When landed, he was put into a fedan-chairby order of thecatual, who was carried in another by his fide, while a number of their nobles, called naires, and all the reft of the company walked on foot to the city, where havl -g dined, they went on board of canoes, and failed dw,»ii the river to a place where they found a great number of men and fedans waiting for their convenience. Thence Gama and his attendants were conduced by the catual into a magnificent temple, at the entrance of which they were met by four men naked from the head to the middle, from whence to the knees they were covered with a kind of filken robe ; over the flionider ot each were three firings tied un- der the left arm. They fprinkled a fort of holy water, and prefented to every individual of the company a ~ powder of a fweet-fcented wood, with which they made the iign of the crofs on their foreheads. The walls of the temple were adorned with curious paint- ing, and in the middle was a little round chapel with a very fmall door made of brafs,,to which they af- cended by fleps. By the wall oppofite to this en- trance flood an image, which could not be diflindlly viewed, becaufe the place was dark, and admittance was denied to every body except the priefts, who ap- proaching and pointing at the figure, called aloud Maria, Maria : then the catual and his attendants ^ prollrated themfelves, and worfhipped with great devotion ; and the Portuguefc, imagining they in- ^ voked the mother of Jefus, adored the blelTed Virgin " in the manner of their country. ^ , After quitting this temple, they entered another of'^"^^ equal magnificence, from which they walked in pro- ceflion towards the palace, through infinite crowds pf people, which prelfed upon them in fuch a manner, „ G 4 that ''<:; .sfii; t fm iwl L.:f M T2f THE VOYAGE OP that the nobles were oblioed to clear the way with their drawn fwords. At th^ palace gate they were deceived byfeveral grandees, whom they call caimaes, . and when they approached the audience chamber, they were met by an elderly man, clothed in a filken garment that reached from his flioulders to his heels, , who embraced Gama in the moft friendly manner. This venerable pcrfon, who was mafter of thebramins, conduded the admiral into a fpacious hall, accom- modated with feveral rows of feats rifing one above another, in the manner of an amphitheatre : the floor was covered wiih rich carpets, and the walls hung with filk tapeftry, curioufly interwoven with gold, The king lay reclined on a magnificent fofa : he was drefTed in. a filken garment fallened with golden clafps ; on his head was a mitre adorned with jewels ; his fingers fparkled with precious Aones : his pcrfcn was graceful, and his deportment noble and majeilic. Gama, having done obeifance in the Portugueie jnanner, was very gracioufly received, and placed on ii feat jull by him, while his attendants were likevvife deiired to fit down ; and in this order t^ey were treat- ted with a collation, after which the zamorin expreffed an inclination to know the particulars of the embaify. To this hint the admiral replied, that the cuftom of his country would not permit him to communicate his inf1:ru6lions in a public afTembly : upon which the king ordered him to be conduced into another apartment, whither he himfelf immediately repaired in perfon, together with the mailer of the bramins, and fome of the chief nobility. Here Gama, in a iludied fpeecli, gave him to underftand, that Emanuel, a prince of great dignity, curiqfity, and an afpiring foul, having heard of the fame of lndia» and in par- ^ ticular of the Calicut empire, was extremely folici- tous to enter into a league of friendfhip with fuch a renowned monarch, for the accompliftiment of which, ' he (Gama) was lent to that country; and he did not doubt that fuch an' alliance would greatly tend to the mutual advantage of both princes : and in confir- .mation of the truth of what he ad/anced, he iiiid he would VASCO DE GAM A. izg would produce the letters of his king at the ntx t aud;ence. The zamerin anfwered in few words, that nothing could be more agreeable to him than fuch an alliance ; and then ordered the catual to attend the admiral to the apartment which was appointed for his refidence, while others were diredled to provide for the accommodation of his attendants. Calicut was at that, time the mod celebrated mart in India, abounding with all forts of merchandipcy part- ly its own produce, and partly imported fiojoa, other countries. The people are bigotted pagans,, hjaye a e-eat number of temples, and pay implicit faith to their priefts or bramins, in divine as well as human aflairs. The king is always inftruded in the myl- teries of their religion by thefe doftors ; whpfe per- sons are accouniecTro facred, that even in time. of war they Have free communication with all parties^ and it would be deemed the greatell impiety to offer them the leaft violence. The three ftrings, which they w^ear over their right ftioulder is a fymbol of the trinity ; and they believe that God came upon earth in humaa form for the redemption of mankind ; dodrincs which in ail probability they learned from Chrif- tian travellers. They ftudy m.atheraaticks and philo- fophy J but their religion is nothing elfebut the vilefi: dillimulation, under the cloak of which, they are guilty of the moll fraudulent pratSlices. They are great obfervers of prodigies and omens^ and keep a ^randfcttival on the 22d day of Oi^ober, when not on- ly the boys, but even men of advanced age, march out and fkirmifli with one another, in fuch a manner, that many die of the wounds they receive,, and fuch a death is greatly coveted as the immediate conveyance to everlafting happinefs. They have likewife other holidays, on which fome devotees are always ready to facrifice their lives in public. Their year begins in the month of September, after the day and hour have been fixed upon as aufpicious by their augurs and aftrologers. The nobility are prohibited from li.u.rying, left a family fliould render them rcmifs, G 5: . atid ... , f ^ i mm M 'i • / 150 THE VOYAGE OF and detach them from the feats of war : neverthelcfi, thcfy may keep miftrefles, provided they be of the fame rank With thenifelves, for it is unlawful to lie with their inferiors ; and when a nobleman is convided of this crime, he is cut in pieces by his peers. Women of quality may indulge themfelves with any number of gallants under the fame reftric- tions, and jealoufy is utterly unknown. A noble- man's fon does not inherit, becaufe this promifcuous comm^ce renders it uncertain who is the father ; he therefore adopts his filler's fon, who is educated at the* king's expence, and inured betimes to danger and fatigue ; yet they are not permitted to ufe their arms in the field of battle, until the king has dif- tinguiihed them by fome military honour : but, as they are furnifhed with proper matters to inttruft them in their exercifes, they are furprizingly expert in the ufe of their arms, confifting of bows and ar- rows, javelins and fcimitars. Their pride foars to fuch a degree of haughtinefs and abfurdity, that they think iheir blood is tainted even by the accidental touch of a commoner, and that nothing can wafh out the rtain but the blood of the offender ; for which reafon, the common people in the ftreets are obliged to call aloud ?nd proclaim their condition, in order to avoid fuch a dangerous encounter. Nobility can- not be forfeited by the fouleft crime, nor can a per- fon of mean birth acquire it by the moft illuftrious adtions. The lower clafs of people rnuft marry with thofe only of their own profcffion ; and no man is permitted to follow any other bulinefs but that by which his father earned his livelihood. Tnftead of paper, they ufe the leaves of a certain tree, upon which all their memorable events are recorded, with a ftyle or fharp-pointed pen ; and thefe leaves being cut into regular forms, are tied up compaftly between two pieces of polifhed wood, , • Calicut is fituated in the middle of the Malabar ■ ccaft, at a little diftance from the fea, and fills up a large extent of ground ; not that the inhabitants are very numerous, but becawf^ the houfcs are detached . V from ^ . VASCO DE GAMA. 131 from one another, and furrounded by gardens : yet they are but meanly built, and make a poor iigun > tho' they lerve as a contraft to the palace, which is the only done edifice in the place, and has a very magnificent appearance. As for the Toil, it is ex-* tremeiy fertile, aud abounds with all the necelTaries, and even conveniencies of life. Gama, after repofing himfelf three days, had a fecond audience of the zamorin, to whom he delivered the letter and prefcnts he brought from Emanuel : the firft was received with great refpeft ; but the admiral perceiving the king looked at the prefenta with contempt^ told his majefly, that he ought not to be furprifed if they did not feem fuitable to his dignity, for Emanuel could not forefee the fuccefs of the voyage ; and, after all, he could not have- brought a more valuable prefent than the friendfliip of his royal mafter, who was defirous of eftablilhing a tiade, which would greatly redound to the advan- ta'^^e of Ctilicut. He likewife, after Monzaida had explained the letter, defired his majefty would not communicate the contents to the Arabians, who he underllood from the Moor, were his profe/fed enemies ; and the zamorin difmilfed him with a friendly caution, to beware of thefe perfidious men. Nor was thij advice unneceJliry or unreafonable ; for thofe mer- clvants, partly through pique to the Chriftian name^ and partly from the profpeft of feeing their trade and p .ofits diminilhed by theinterloping Portuguefe, fpare4 no pains to render them odious and fufpefled. After having prepofleffed the minillry, by dint of bribes, they prefented Gama as a bloody pyrate, who had be- haved in an outrageous manner in every place at which he had touched in theprofecutionof his voyage^ and was come to Calicut in order to carry on his hoftiie intentions, under the cloak of a treaty, which was no other than a meer pretence. By thele means they fecured the intcrell of the catual, \Vho filled ihe ears of his prince with falfe infinuations to the pre- judice of the llrangcrs, and at length obtained an audience for the Arabians, who svent to the palace in a G 6 body i^ ■> '' »s ' '■mi I ■iMI •, 'p.i '^^.iri i 'i 13« THE VOYAGE OF I ■/ Ibody, and by the mouth of an orator, made a very Vehement and artful rcmonftrance, importing, that the Portuguefc were a cruel and perfidious people, inflamed with avarice and ambition ; that they had, ■without the leaft provocation, ravaged the whole CQatt of Africa, and made thcmfelves mailers of a f;reat part of ^Ethiopia ; that Gama himfelf had alien upon Mozambique, made great (laughter at ^ombaze, and taken leveral fhips like a profefled pyrate ; that the cargo he had brought was poor and anconfiderabJt, and the prefents fuch as rather de- moted the contempt than the regard of the fender : that therefore his intcreft could never prompt him to prefer fuch beggarly flrangers, and they too of aif- pedled morals, to his antient friends the Arabian?, who had given fuch repeated proofis of their fidelity, and from whofe commerce the greateft part of his revenue was derived : and, laftly, that if, notwith- standing thefe reprefentations, he was refolvcd to encourage the Portuguefc, they for theif parts would immediately withdraw themfelves into otlTer countries ivhere they could fettle to more advantage. This declaration, fupported by the flander and ad- vice of the c^itual, made an impreilion upon the mind of the zamorin, who was naturally fickle and irrefo- lute ; and Gama, being apprifed of a deiign againft his life, refolved to return to his fhips with all poffible expedition. For this purpofe he retired before break of day, but was overtaken at Pandarene by the catual, who, tho' Hill under the malk of friendfhip, told him, that before the king could grant hia requeft, it would he neceflary for him to return, and acquit himfelf of fime imputations touching the defign of his voyage, and in the mean time, to bring the fhips nearer the ihore, and deliver up their fails and rudders as pledges of his fidelity. Gama replied with great ipirit, that he would fooner forfeit his life than aft fo much beneath the dignity of his charafter ; and fent a letter to his brother, repeating his injundlions to fail homewards, provided he fhould b|l>-derained. Two days being fpeiit in fruitlefs altercation, it was ..J at VASCO DE GAM A. 153 at length agreed that the Portuguefe goods IhouM be s landed with fome merv, to take charge of the ware- houfe, and then Gama was allowed to po en board oi his fhip, from whence he wrote a^Iettcr, complaining of the catuaPs treachery ; and the zamo* rin promifcd to inquire iiuo his condud, and if he ihould be found guilty, to punilh him according to his demerits. "^^ ' " Mean while, he advifcd the adrriiral to fend his goods to Calicut, where they might be fold to great advantage ; and in confequence of this advice, they were conveyed to that city at the king's expence. The ihips were moved nearer the city, and feverai Portuguefe allowed to go on (hore every day,, in or- der to view the country, and make obfervations on the temper and genius of the inhabitants,- Gama took all polTible methods to promote peace and amity ; and by another letter to the zamorin, propofed that a pcrfon Ihould be left at Calicut to tranfaft the affairs of h s Portuguefe majefty. To this mefTage, which in ail probability alarmed thofe Indians, he received fuch a furly and infolent anfwer, tha* he refolved to break off all manner of correfpondence with a prince of fuch levity ; and this negleft incenfed him to fuch a degree, that he ordeied the goods to be feized, and the two Portuguefe fadtors to be thrown into priion* Gama, having in vain demanded reparation for this outrage, refolved to make reprifals by force of arms; and attacking the firll fliip that Hood into the har- bour, made prifoners fix naires, or noblemen, with nineteen fervants ; then ordered his own veiTels to fet fail, in hope that the king would be alarmed at his feeming departure, and reftore the goods and men in exchange for the captives. ' * The fchenie fucceeded to his wifh ; for no fooner were his (hips perceived to be under fail, than the zamorin fent a difpatch on board of Gama, to tell him, he was fuprifed at his having made prifoners thofe noblemen who had never given him the leaft of- fence; and to aflure him, upon his honour, thit he would rellorc the goods, and releafe the two Portu- guefe, I' I,, 1 "r*f, i ,:a i '■ !V'.: H A 1: fj:'. ■■ r-n »34 THE VOYAGE 01? guefe, whom he detained for no other purpofe, but that of carrying the letters which he intended to write to his brother Emanuel. Induced by thefe pro- mifes, the admiral returned to his former Ihtion ; and, ni)Xt day, the two Portugaefe came with letters for the king, togeiher with an officer, who told him, in the name of the zamorin, that he might leave a perfon at Calicut to manage the affairs of Portugal, and fell the goods which he had riot fent on board, becaufe they might be fold to great advantage. To this mefiage Gama replied, that he had altered his re- folution with refpedl to the refidcnt, and that, if the zamorin oi Calicut wanted to fee his fubjeds releafed, he mud fend back the gc^di without delay. Nex'' morning, Monzaida appeared before him in vail pt^rturbation, and earnellly begged he might be carried to Portugal, as the tiiendfhip he had mani- feUed for the admiral rendered it impoflible for him to live in fafety at Calicut : he faid, the Arabians had raifed great commotions in the city, and by various calumnies exafperated the zamorin againfi the Poitu. guefe ; and that he himfelf had efcapci with the ut- moft difficulty. Gama took this man into his pro- tei^ion, and behaved towards him with great friend- ,fhip and geneiofity; and that fame day received his goods, which were ient in ftven boats : but by this time he was determined to carry his prifoners into Portugal ; and therefore told the perfons by whom they were re-demanJed, he had been deluded by fo many low artifices, that he looked upon the people to be altogether void of faith and honour; that all the goods were not reftored, and tho* he had not Ici- im^ to ina^'ir' into the particulars that were wanting, ^° would not releafe the prifoners, but condu6l thein to Portugal, as teftiraonies to convince Emanuel of the infulcs his admijal and ambafTador had fufTered from the zamorin o; Calicut, at the inftigation of the Arabian merchants. Hi'ving made this declaration, he Ordered his cannon to be fired, that he might ftrikc terro. into the hearts of thefe Calicuiians, who imme- oiately fled in the utmcU conftcrnation. The VASCO DE GAM A. '35 The king, tho' enraged at this prefumptuous beha- viour, was obliged to itifle his refentment, becaufe all his ihjps were laid up at that feafon of the year; but as contrary winds detained the Portuguefe for fome time upon the coaft, he fitted out twenty light fhipj, which were well furniftied with men. and arms, and fent them againil Gama. His hope, however, was baffled by a fadden ftorm that fcattered his ihips ; and the Portuguefe, taking an opportunity of a favoura- ble gale, ibon loft fight of Calicut. Yet the admiral difmifrcJ one of the captives from the firft port at which he touched, with a letter to the zamorin, in which he expatiated upon the fnarcs which had been laid for his life by the Arabians : but, notwithftand- ing thefe combinations, he faid, he ftill retained :he utnvoft regard for his majeily, between whom and the King of Portugal he would labour with all his might to eiiablilli fuch a league, as would redound to their mutual advantage ; and as to the nobles v^'ho were his prifoners, he afTured him upon his word and ho- nour, that they fhould be treated with the highell re- fptv'l:, and fent back to their native country. Having takea this ftep. Gam.:, in his voyage homewards, (leered towards the iflands of Anchedivc, and in his courfe thither was attacked by kven fhips, belonging to a pirate named Timoia, a bold intrepid fellow, very much dreaded in thofe fcas. However, his vellels were foon obliged to ftieer off; and one of them, loaded with provifions, was taken by the Por- tuguefe. At one of the Anchcaive iflands, which are five in number, about four miles diltant fr';m the coaft, the admiral touched, in order to refit his j'^ips, which had b^cn fhattered by the violence of the wea- ther; and ci..jong the multitude that crowded to the fhore to-view the ftrangers, was the prime minifter and conndent of Zabaio, king of a neighbouring ifhnd called Goa, an able prince, of great power, courage, and ambition. 'Ihis minifter came toGaina, in nis inafter's name, and, having paid his compli- ments in the Italian tongue, told the admiral, that Zabaio^ having heard of his fame, was difpofed to do , ■ 2 him t:!i n6 THE VOYAGE OF ^U' him all the fervice in his power; and if he fiood in need of provifions, arms, or money, he might demand them with the greateft freedom. -•''Gamawas ftruck with the graceful appearance of this perfon, and admired his fluency of language, as well as the quicknefs and facility with which he an. fwered his interrogations. He faid, he was by birth an Italian ; that he had been taken by pyrates in his youth, during a voyage to Greece with his parents, and, after having undergone a variety of misfortunes, and feen himfelf cut off from all hope of revifitinghis native country, he had been obliged to enter into the fervice of a Mahometan prince. He, in his ■ turn, afked a number of quellions, that feemed to denote an artful and uncommon curiofity ; fo that Gama be- gan to fufpedl him of being a fpy, and was fo ftrong- ly influenced by this conjedure, that he ordered him to be feized, and put to the rack ; an expedient which juftifled his fufpicion : for, by dint of torture, he was fain t6 confefs, that he was by birth a Pole, and by religion a Jew ; and that Zabaio, having a defign to attack the Portuguefe fhips, had fent him on purpofe to difcover their ftrength and manner of fighting. The admiral, in confequence of this con- •fefhon, fet fail immediately, detaining the Jew, who afterwards became a Chriftian, under the appellation of Jafper, and was very ferviceable to Emanuel on many occafions : and the fleet, proceeding on the voyage homewards, was becalmed in fuch a mnnner, that a long time elapfed before they reached tlie coait •of Africa. • • Mbgadoxa, which was the firfl place they defcriecl, being at that time inhabited bj Arabians, Gama b;;i:- tered the city with his cannon, and funk or dcitroy- cd all the fliips in the harbour : he was afterwards at- tacked by eight Arabian iliips, which he defeated, and would have taken, hnJ there been wind enough •to manage his fails; and at length arrived in the amicable port of Melinda, where he again met with a moil friendly reception, and v/as fupplied with rc- freQiments for his men, who were quite cxhaufted by iick« VASCO DE GAMAr 157 ficknefs and fatigue. Being afraid of finding dilH- culty in doubling the Cape of Good Hope, (hould the feafon be advanced, he failed from hence, after a flay of five days only, carrying along with him an ambaflador from the king of Melinda to 2manuel j and, as he had not a fafficient number of men left to navigate three Ihips, he ordered that which his bro- ther commanded to be burnt, becaufe (he was crazy and leaky, and divided the crew between hirafel.f and Nicholas Coelo. On the 27th day of February, he reached the ifland of Zanxibar, about eight leagues from the continent, where he found plenty of cattle feeding on a rich and fertile foil, abounding with fprings of excellent wa- ter, and covered with delightful woods, interfperfed with wild citrons, which diffuied the nioft agreeable odour. The prince of this ifland, tho* a Mahome- tan, having entertained the Portugucfe with stcat hofpitality, and furnifhed his Ihips with a fupply of fruit and frefti provifions, Gama failed from thence along the coafl, and, paiHng Mozambique, took in wood and water, with fome provifions, at St. Bias ; but the wind would not permit him to touch at the^ places where he had left the exiles. On the 26th day of April he doubled the Cape, from whence he fail- ed to the ifland of St. Jago, where the two fliips be- ing feparated by a violent fl:orm, Nicholas Coela fleered diredly for Lifbon ; but Gama was obliged to put in at the ifland of Tercera, on account of his brother, who for a long time had languiihed in a iickly condition, and was now (o ill, that he could not bear the motion of the fhip : he accordingly end- ed his days in this place; and the admiral, having*^ performed his obfequies with all pofTible decency, pro- ceeded on his voyage to I -Hjon, at which he arrived in the year 1499; ^'^^' ^o^'o ^^^ been before-hand with him, and given a full detail of the voyage to his Portuguefe majefty, who received them with equal joy and furprize, and diftinguiflied both commanders with marks of peculiar favour. . F:;il !■!.' ■ iJ i'W^, ■'' 'm The T ■ •■iilft' f 'I'l -i^i '"••' !?'■■ ^^1 _ . <4zi} '•>.; 1 .c, T,v^rr-:ii-v-. v.-.-;ijt 'i ^^>-.' i..,:i r^f :„ i . The Voyage of Pedro Alvarez de ^ ^. ., Cab R AL, . .; , , ENcouraged by the fuccefs of Gama, Emanuel king of Portugal refolved to profecute his dif- coveries, and fettle a trade with India ; and, for that purpofe, e^j[utpped a fleet of thirteen fliips, furnifiied with fifteen hundred men, and all manner of warlike ftores, and beftowed the command of it upon Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, a perfon in whofe courage and abilities he repofed the moft unbounded confidence. This admiral was direded to effedt, if poffible, a treaty of commerce with the zamorin of Calicut, and obtain permiflion from him to build a fort near -the city, for the fecurity of the Poi tuguefe j but, in cafe that prince fliould prove averfe to fuch inter- courfe, and ill-difpofed towards the Chriftians, to de- clare war, and treat him as an enemy. He was like- wife ordered to wait upon the king of Melinda, with Emanuel's acknowledgments of his hofpitality, to teflify that his embafly was extremely acceptable, and that the king of Portugal would do every thing in his power to cultivate the friendfliip of fuch an amiable prince. On board of the fleet were five Fian- cifcan friars, of diftinguiflied piety and zeal for re. ligion, who undertook the voyage with a view to make converts, and perform divine fervice to the Portuguefe who fhould fettle at Calicut, in cafe mat- ters fhould be amicably determined with the zamorin. Thus inftrudted and provided, Cabral fet fail on the 8th of March, in the year 1500, and having paf- fed the ifland of St. Jago, met with fuch a furious tempefl: as fcattered the whole fleet, fo that one fhip kaving loll almoll all her rigging, was driven back to Lilbon ; PEDRO ALVAREZ DE CABRAL. 139 Lilbon ; and Cabral, after the ftorm abated, having waited for her two d-ays, proceeded on his voyage, (leering to the wellward. On the z^th of April, one of the feamen defcried land, to the inexpreifible joy and furprife of the admiral, who never dreamed of making fuch a difcovery ; and who, having approach- ed the coaft, fent his mailer on Ihore in a boat, to examine its nature and fituation. He foon returned with a favourable account of the country, which was clothed with a beautiful verdure, /haded by tall trees, abounding with excellent water, and inhabited by naked people, of a duOty olive hue, with long lank hail a'! black as jet. This account was afterwards confirmed by feveral officers, who went afhore to make obfervations ; but, in the midll of their joy, they were overtaken by a dreadful Ilorm, that drove the fhips from their an- chors, and toffed them for a confiderable time along the coaft ; until at length they found a very fafe and commodious harbour, which the admiral named Porto Seguro. Here alfo Cabral fent on fhore fome ofRcers to reconnoitre, and they returned with two fiihermen whom they had taken in a canoe; but thv»y were fo flow of apprehenfion, that the Portuguefe, by all the figns they could contrive, found it impoffible to make them underftand their meaning. However, Cabral ordered them to be clothed, and prefcnted with fome fniall bells, brafs rings, and looking-glaffes, and then to be fet on fhore. They wer^ extremely pleafed with thefe bawbles, which they lliewed in an often- tatious manner to iheir countrymen, who, allured by fuch trifles, flocked in great numbers to the fleet with fruits and provifions, which they bartered for things of little or no value : in a word, the fliips and the drefs of the Portuguefe, together with almoll every thing they bencld, filled them with the utmoll allionifhment. Cabral himfelf going alliore, ordered an altar to be erefted under the Ihade of a large tree, where fer- vice was performed in prefence of the natives, who liilened with filent admiration, and by their gel^ures . , fecmed i . ;! *a^; i 140 THE VOYAGE OF m Si. '^ feemed to exprefs a deep fenfc of religion. In his rev turn to Lhe heet, they followed him in a tranfport of joy, fingmg aloud, blowing a kind of trumpets, throw- ing arrows into the air, and with uplifted hands feem- ing to thank heaven for the arrival of fuch a godlike people. Some of them ran into the fea, and fwam after his uarge, others attended him in canoes, and could I'l'dly be prevailed upon to return. The admiral having erefted a marble pillar, in commemoration of the difcovery, called the country Santa Cruz, tho* it afterwards acquired the name of Brafil ; and dilpatched one of his oilicerr, called jafycr Lacmio, to Portugal, with an account cf lis nature and fr, nation. Brafil, which lies on the fouth of the line, is very cxtenfive, and in fome parts almoic adjoining to Peru; it is a fertile and plea^nt country, and fo heahhy, that the natives feldom die of any other didemper than old age. It is watered by many large rivers, and a vail numoer of delightful Areams : the plains arc large and fpacious, affording excellent pafturage ; the harbours are extrennely commodious, and eafy of ac- teis ; and the whole country affords a moil beautiful profpcfl, diverfified with hill and dale, fhaded by thick woods, on whicli arf many trees fraught with medicinal virtues. All the natives feem bcardlefs, becaufe they care- fully pluck the hairs from their faces, with an inftru- ment made for that purpofe. They ?.re fliangcrs to letters and religion, bound by no laws, and. ruled by no particular government; but when engaged in war, they chufe him for their general whom they know to be the braved and mofl expert in martial affairs. The people in general wear no cloaths, tho* the nobiliry are covered from the waift to the kuf'es with fkins cf parrots, and other birds of various plumage; their heads are alfo adorned with caps, made of the i^in)e kirid of feathers. The women comb and drefs their hair with a good deal of nicety, while the men are fliaved from the forehead to the crown. Thofe who atfe\ ' i ■'" f,4 iviii * 1^6 THE VOYAGE OF "bral, on the other hand, faluted him with the found Ot" cannon, and ordering all his officers, who ueic drefTed in the moll elegant manner, to attend him in their boats, he put oiF in his own barge, and was rowed up to the king's galley. 'J here he faluted his majelly with great refpcdt, delivered Emanuel's let- ters, written in the Arabian language, and con>muni- cated the particulars of his embafly, which were joy- fully received by the king, who faid he fhould hence- forth confider Emanuel as his brother, and at all times iludy to advance his honour, and promote his inte- reft. It was likewife agreed, that Cabral fliould next day fend on ftiore a ptrfon to confirm this friendfliip . by a folemn league, and every thing feemed to pro. rnifc a lafting and advantageous alliance, vvhen this favourable difpofition was deftroyed by the malicious and artful infinuations of the Arabians, who, adua- ted by jealoufy and pique, reprefented the Portuguese as blood-thirlly pyrates, who, under the cloak of -friendfhip, would Itrip the king of all his poffeflioni, and ravage his whole country with the utmoft cruelty and avarice. Thefe mifchievous calumnies had fuch an efFedl upon the king, that he not only laid afide all thoughts of engaging in a league with the Portu- guefe, but he conceived a rooted averfion to them, or- dered the garrifon to be immediately reinforced, and began to put the city in a polture of defence. 'I'hefe particulars being communicated to Cabral by the king » of Melinda*s brother, who happened to be at Qui- loa, he refolved to wafte no more time in this place, and fet fail for Melinda, where his arrival pfvc inex- preffible joy to the people and their fovereign, who inftantly provided refrefhmcnts for the whole fleet. The admiral, having come to an anchor, fent alhore the ambaflador whom Gama had carried to Portugal, and along with him fome of his own people, with va- luable prefents to the king from Emanuel ; with which his majefty was fo well pleafed, that he next day appeared in public, mounted on a fine horfe rich- ly caparifoned, which among other things was fent by the king of Portugal ; in this manner he proceeded t9 PEDRO ALVAREZ DE CARBAL. 147 to the fea-fide, where Cabral and all his ofHcers waited for him in their boats, and were received by him in the mod courteous and cordial manner. The admiral, however, notwithftanding his prefling folici* talions, made but a very (hort flay in this place ; but left two exiles, with direftions to travel, if poflible, into that part of -Ethiopia which lies above Egypt> where Emanuel had heard there was a Chriftian prince, and to inform themfclves of the manners and culloms of his people. The fieet weighed from Melinda on the 7th of Au- gull, and crofling the Indian Tea with a fair wind^ they on the 2 2d reached the iilands of Anchediva^ where the admiral ftaid a few days to refrefh his men : from thence he fteered for Calicut, where he arrived on the 30th; and the zamorin was no fooner informed of his arrival, than he difpatched two of his naires oi" noblemen, and a confiderable merchant, who v/as a native of Cambaya, to falute Cabral in his name. Thefe were treated with the utmoll refpcdl by the ad** miral, who fent afhore with them John Sala, a gen- tleman who had accompanied Gama, and Jafper Gama, who had been formerly in the fervice of Za- baio, but having embraced the Chriflian faith, was now known by the firname of his patron : together with thefe. went four of the Indian noblemen who had been carried to Portugal, and the fight of them drefled in the Portuguefe fafhion, now yielded the za- morin infinite pleaftire. Refolving to give audience to Cabral in one of hh royal feats near the fea-fhore, he went thither ia grand procefiion, with a number of his nobles, pre- ceded by the found of gold and filver trumpets; and the admiral put off in his barge, attended by feverai ofHcers, after having left the command in his ab- fence to Sancius Thoares. On landing, he was re-* ceived by a body of the nobles, who had provided a fedan, in which he was conveyed to the pa- lace, a magnificent ftrufture, adorned on the infide with filk embroidered tapeftry. Here Cabral having paid his complimenU to the zamorin, who was clad H 2 in m ■ 'i! • ■ 8 f «.4^ THE VOYAGE O P I yr;.'''. in rich attire fparliling with diamnnd.s, he was fcaLed bv jiitn in a filver chair, and Emanuel's htr.ers bfipa ic^^'j and interpreted by Jal'per, the zamorinmade the warm, eft proteftations of friendfhip, gi'antcd to all the Por- tuguefc the liberty of a frte trade in )us dominion., ana adured them of his protedion. He, moreover. afii[;ned them a large hcufe near the fliorc, for the unt and convenience of thofe who m.ip^ht be left to tranfad the affairs of Emanuel ; and as a confir- mation of this grant, ordered it to be jecorded on a golden plate : he likewife directed that a ilandard with the arms of Emanuel Hiould be fixed on the top of the buih'ing, as a tcllimony of its being ap- propriated to the ufe of his Portuguefe majefty. During thefe tranfadions, the zamorin was inforin. ed that a large Ihip, having on board an elephant, had fet fail from Colchin to invade the kinodom of Cam- baya, and in confequence of this intelligence, ccr- jared Cabral to attack this hoftile veiTei j and ihat he might have a particular account of the behaviour of the Portuguefe, he fent fome of his domcltics to obferve the engagement. For this fervice, the ad- miral allotted nne fmall Ihip commanded by Pedro Ataide, affifted by three able officers, Duarte Pachecu, Vafco Sylveria, and John Sala. The zamorin ob- f.rving how light Cabral made of the matter, was ftruck. with aftonifhment, and waited the event with the utnioft impatience. The Portug'iefe were fcarce- ly prepared when the fnip appeared ; however, tht^y liore down upon her, withoiit going fo near as to give the ei'emy an opportunity of availing themfelves of their darts and the fuperior number of their men, and conimued plying her with their cannon, till a great many of her people were killed, when they began to defpair of fuccefs, and endeavoured to fave themfcives by flight: accordingly fiie entered the harbour of Ca- nanor, forty miles north of Calicut, where tour Ara- bian veflels lay at anchor ; but being purfued by the Portuguefe, they put to fea again, and the en- •gagement was renewed till they were thrown into fuch conil-ernauon, that they luffcred themfelves to be driven \V(T ]t^ 'i j' vvariii. he For- '.cover, \for the Idt to CO 111] r- 'J on a tandard ion the tiicv PEDRO ALVAREZ DE CABRAL 149 driven into the harbour of Calicut, to the amazement of the zamorin, who, having heard from his people; with what intrepidity the Portuguefe behaved in the battle, defired to fee the individuals, on whom he bellowed the moft lavifh encomiums and fome valuable prefents, tho* the perfon whom he moft diftinguilhed was Duarto Pacheco, the moft gallant gentleman of. the age in which he lived. But this atchievement, which raifed the reputation' of the Chriftians, excited the envy of the Arabians,. who not only renewed their pri'^-e batteries, infufmg a thoufand groundlefs fufpicions into the mind of the zamorin ; but alfo bought up all the fpices at ex- travagant rates, rather than the Portugufe fhould com-^ pleat their cargoes. Nay, thefe proceedings were- connived at by the king, whofe honour and fincerity Cab^al had already begun to doubt, becaufe fome of the noftages on board, having fwam afhore, he had; forbore making reftitution, or giving any fatisfadioa on that head. He therefore fent an. officer to com- plain of thefe injaries, and'repnefented to vhe zamorin,, hcAv he had engaged his honour, that the Portuguefe fhips (hould be loaded in twenty days ; whereas three months were already elapfed, and their cargoes ftill incomplete, while the Arabian Hiips were fuppli^d with great facility and expedition, contrary to the tfeaty, by vi'hich it- was ftipulated, rhat no nacioii fhould be allowed to purchafe any quantity of fpices before the Portuguefe hid "ceived their full caroo. Upon this remonltrancc, he pretended to be highly Offended at- the behaviour of the Arabians, and denrcd that Cabral v.'ouid do himfelf jaftice by unloading liieir veffels, and puidng the cargoes on board his ovv:i fnips, for which he fhould pay no more than ihi; juft value to the merchants. This permifTion the admiral confidered as a fnare, in confequence of which the Arabians niioht be fo incenfed a^ to fall upon and deftioy the Poraigucfe who were cfhore; and however fatal the event might be, he knew the zamorin could cafily clear himfelf, by throwing the blame upon the Chrillians, as the tl 3 aggreffors •ll 1; , Hi. ISO ' THE VOYAGE OF ♦ggreflbrs and beginners of the difturbance. He therefore debated wi«-h himfelf about the refolution he (hould take on this occafion, when Ayres Correa, who was left on Ihore as chief agent, preiled him by letters to make u"e of the liberty granted by the za- morin, and finding him ftill backward, conjured him to ao prefumed to ai\ in contempt of his majcfty's authority. Tn this reprefentation, the zamorin made fuch a reply ^^ gave him to underftand that he (hould not be dif- pleafed ai ar^y plan of revenge they Ihould ex- ecute ; and, thus aflured, they with feveral naires and their folJovers, amounting to four hundred, repaired in a riotati:'^ manner to the Portuguefe houfe, threaten- ing dellrudVion to Conea, who immediately made a fignal of dillrefs to the fleet, and in the mean time put himfelf in a pofture of defence, tho* the number of his men did not exceed feventy. The admiral, being ill of an ague, fent Sancius Thoares with a detachment in the long-boats to affill their companions, and if poflible bring them fafe on board ; br>, bef'^»'e they could land, the Arabians had forced open the gate, broke down part of the walls and poured in fuccefiive fliowers of arrows, and at lall entered fword in hand to dellroy Correa and his people, who, feeing their deaths inevitable, Uiad? a moil furious \;tf!llai)C<;\ and flied aoundance of blood. PEDRO ALVAREZ DE CABRAL. 151 Wood, until they were overpowered by numbers, and their leader flaiii. Fifty were killed upon the fpot^ ami the remaining twenty forced their way to the lea- fide, and were taken on board, where, however, the greatell part of them died of their wounds. Correi.'s. ion Antonio, a boy about 10 years of age, was con- veyed to the fhore by Nunnez Leitan, a dragoon, whc» defended him with incredible valour; but, in fpite of all his efforts, the child mud have periflied, had not a failor taken him on his flioulders, and fwam with him on board, at the hazard of his own life. Cabral was extremely afllided at this maffacre, which happened on the 17th day of December ; and being enraged againfl the zamorin, who took no no- tice of the event, nor any llep to vindicate his owu charadler, he called a council of his oiKcers, in which it was refolved to revenge the murder of their coun- trymen ; and, in confequence of this determination, they attacked ten large Arabian vellels in the harbour. The battle was maintained for fome time with grcac oblHnacy on both fides ; bur, at lad, the Portuguefe boarded them, and killed above fix hundred of the enemy. Being in want of hands, the admiral rein- forced his complement with the prifoncrs, and finding three elephants in the prizes, killed and falted them for provifion, which began to be fcarce : then the Arabian (hips being plundered, vvere fet on fire; and the flames alarmed and terrified the inhabitants of Calicut to fuch a degree, that they ran up and down in the utmoil dillradlion, howling, and uttering- the mod dreadful imprecations. I'he next day Ca- hral, bringing his guns to bear upon the town, de- molilhed many public as well as private buildings, aiid made great havock among the people ; fo that thtj zamorin was ftruck with a paric, and betook him- ftlf to (light, after having feen one of his deareil friends lard dead at his feet by a cannon-ball. Having thus revenged the maffacre of the Por- tuguefe, the admiral faled for Cochin, about fe- venty miles to the fouthward of Calicut : the city is incircled by the windings of a river, and there is a ii 4 ca^a- :^;4 . 152 THE VOYAGE OF Af capacious harbour, where fhips may ride in fafl'ty. The' the foil is barren, the country yields an aoree. able prorpe<^, bccaufe it is fliaded by a great number of trees, and affords plenty of pepper ; and as for the people, they nearly refemble the Calicutians. Cdbral having heard that the king was well difpofcd towards the Portuguefe, no fooner arrived, thanhefint .'in Ifidian to his majefty, to defire that he might be furniihed with fpices and other commodities at a rea- fonable rate. This mefTenger, whofe name was Ml. chrel, had been one of that religious fc6l whom the Indians call Togues, but was now a fincere convert to the Chriftian faith. He returned with a very civil and polite anfwer from the king, who exprefled his joy at the arrival of the Portuguefe, and chearfully pro- mifed to fupply them with every thing they wanted. Articles of friendfhip were immediately fettled, and the admiral fent feveral p*?rfons afhorc to prefent him with fome filver plate, and purchafe a quantity of fpices : thefe he received in a very hofpitable manner, :ind lodged in a llror.g large houfe, where they refidcd until their bufinefs was finifhed, under the protec- tion of feveral naires appointed for that pur- pcfe. During thefe tranfadions, Cabral received invita- tions from the kings of Cnnanor and Coul'im to come and trade in their pons ; but as he had al- ready engaged to take his goods from the king of Cochin, he thanked them for their kind intention, and excufed himfclf on account of his previous contradl ; prcmifing however to trade with them in cafe he Hiculd r.ot be able to complete his cargo at Cochin. At the fame time, he was vifited by two Indian Chrillians from the city of Cranganor, who having been inftruc- ted in the gofpel, which is faid to have been propa- gated in thofe parts by St. Thomas, intreated Cabral to carry them to Portugal, from whence they niight travel to Rome and Jeiufilcm ; and the ad- miral granted their rcquek without hefitation. The ihiips had already taken in their cargoes, when the kiag received information that the zamorin of PEDRO ALVAREZ DE CABRAL. 53 of Calicut had equipped a fleet of twenty large flupj,, befides a great number of rmall veilels, on board of which were fifteen thoufand foldiers, in order to revenge the lofs and infult he had fuilained in his ca- pital : and this intelligence being communicated to Cabral, he prepared his fliips for an engagement, and failed dire6\ly to meet the enemy; but a contrary- wind hindered him from falling in with them,' and they feeing with what refolution he endeavoured to cnga2;e, were fe'zed with confternation, and declined the adion : fo that, without further obllrudion, he let out on his return to Porcugal, having left Gon- 7.aIo, Barbofa, and Laurence Morena, with fome others, to manage the aifairs of Emanuel at Cochin. When he came upon the coaft of Cananor, he re- ceived another invitation from the king, in con- fequence of which he. entered the port of that city, which is large and fpacious, fituated in a bay, an the arTa- 154c, where »• fn dition es for iread- 'ur of ay of y the >rake eter- I his ; for he TO THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN. i^^ he no fooner declared his intentions officering to the Spanifli fettlements, than he was joined by a TiifTicient number of volunteers, and on the 29th of May 1572, failed from Plymouth in the Pafcha of 70 tons bur- den, accompanied with the Swan of 250 tons, com- manded by his brother John Drake. His company confifted of 73 men and boys, a good flock of am- munition, and a year's proviiions. He had alfo three pinnaces flowed on board, in piecee, that might, upoa occafion, be fpcedily joined together. He made the Canary iilands on the 2d of June, and on the 29th pafled between Guadaloupe and Do- minica, on the fouth fide of which he came to an an- chor, and. finding feveral cottages, that were formed of the boughs of paim-tree?, but no figns of inha- bitants, he inferred that thefe were the occafional re- fidence of fifhermen,. Having llaid there three days he weighed anchor, and ftecrino- towards the main land of America, made I'ort Pheafant, where he put his pinnaces together, and was fVion after joined by James Ravvfe, in a l)ark be- lorging to tlie llle of Wight, with 30 men, on tlieir be-, ing informed that he defigned to furpiize Nombre de Dios. On the 22d of July they left this place, and three days after took two fmall velTelc; from Nombre de Dios, laden with planks, by which they learned, that ibme foldiers were daily exnetfled at that town from the governor of Panama, to protedl the inhabitants from the Symcrons, a people inhabiting the country between that place and Panama. They were defcend- ed from thofe Indians, who, flying from, the cruelty of the Spaniards about eighty years before, had by degrees formed themfelves into :i nation. Capt. Drake having treated thefe people civilly, fet them on fliore, judging it impoirible for them to con- vey any intelligence about him to the town before his arrival, it being at a confiderable dillance by land; then taking 53 men with drums, trumpets, and war- like (tore?, he left the rell of his company with their fhips, under the care of Capt. Rawfe, in g fecure and ii 6 i'eci:e.t .1 % •J-K'i; 156 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE fecret fituation, and proceeded in the pinnaces, keep, ing all day clofc under the fhore, and rowing hard at night, till he entered the harbour. He there got be* tween the town and a rmali fliip jull arrived from Old Spain, which he forced to the other fide of the bay, to prevent her giving the alarm; and then landing without refiftance, marched up to the fort, which made no refiftance. Here he found only fix brafs ^uns, and a few culverins, which he dilmounted. After leaving a few of his men to keep pofTeffioti of the fort, and fome othtrs to guard the pinnace?, he marched to a high ground, where he divided the failors who accompanied him, into two parties of fif- teen men each. One under the command of John Oxenhiim, he ordered to enter the eafl end of the town, near the market-place, while he himfeif, with drums beating and colours flying, led the reft up thq principal ftrect. The inhabitants had drawn ihemfelves up near the governor's houfe, to cover the gate leading to Pa- nama, in order to fecure a retreat ; but were fo terri- fied at the fight of the Englifli, that after firing two or three times, they threw down their arms, and Hed with the utmoft precipitation. The alarm bell ftill continued ringing, but Capt. Drake, having cr- dered it to be lilenced, marched towards the royal trt-aiury, which was then immenfcly rich ; and the door of the ftore-houfe being in the confufion leIC open, he faw a prodigious number of large filver bar?, none of which the men were allowed to meddle with ; but unhappily at this inilant, a violent ftorni of thunder, lightning, and rain, damaged their arms, and filled the men with apprehenficns that their pin^ naces were in danger. 1 his threw them into confu- fion : Drake, however, boldly infifted upon their pro- ceeding, and would doubtlels have executed his de- iign of pKinderine the treafury ; but becoming faint through lofs of blood, occafioned by a wound in his leg, which he had hitherto concealed, he was with much difficulty pcrfuaded to have it drefled, and to be carried on board one of the pinnaces. This ob- liged TO THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN. 157^ ligcd the reft to retire to their veffels, with the lofs of* one man. They retired to a fmall but plentiful ifland about two leagues from the town, greatly mortified at leav- ing fuch immenfe wealth behind them. They there ftaid to refrelh themfelves, and then proceeded to their Ihips, which they reached on the ift of Auguft, when Capt. Rawfe declared he was now determined to leave them, having no hopes of their meeting with fuccefs, fince they were now certainly difcovered all along the CO a It. Having tarried here fix days, Drake failed for Car- thagena, when he foon found, by the firing of the ordnance, and ringing of the bells, that he was dif- covered ; he, however, feized an outward bound fln'p of 240 tons burden, that lay in the road, and tvs'o fmaller veflels, difpatchcd thither from N ombre de Dies, to give notice of his being on the coali; and having treated thoie on board with great civility, he fet ihem on Ihore, at their own requeft. He now refolved to fink the Swan, and knowing that the failors would oppofe it, prevailed upon the carpenter to bore three holes in her bottom, when thm Panama. Here the Capt., fent a Synr.eron in difguife to ad as a fpy, who fooa returned with intelligence, thac the treafurer of Lima was to fet out that very night with his fam'-y foi* •Nombre de Dios, in order to embark for Spain, at- teadi:d mm i i li i ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) y O ^> :/. ^ .« ^ 1.0 1.1 I^IM |25 m ^^ ■■■ ■u liii 122 2.0 M lit 1*0 U& L25 III U 1^ U 6" ► ^ y^ V^^^ ^ '^ 7 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRIIT WIBSTM.N.Y. 14SM (716) •72-4503 '4fS 6 i6o SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE tended by fourteen mules, fome of which were laden with gold, others with filver, and one with valuable jewels ; and that the fame night two caravans would pafs the fame way, with 50 mules in each, laden with provifions and a fmall quantity of filver. This intel- ligence was foon after confirmed by a ccntinel, whom they were fo fortunate as to feize. Capt. Drake now thought proper to conceal himfelf with half his men 50 paces from the highway, while Mr. John Oxenham and one of the Symeron chiefs were ordered to poll themfelves with the other half on the oppofite fide. In this manner things were dif- pofed, when one of the men, who had drank too much, got up to fee what approached, at the inftant when the mules laden with provifions werepaffing by, though the captain had given l\ri6\. orders that not the leaft notice fliould be taken of them ; and this man being- dreflcd in a white fliirt, which was the mark of dillindVion worn by the EngliHi, was per- ceived by a Spaniard, who fpread the alarm ; fo that the treafurer turned his baggage out of the road, and only the mules wiih provifions came for-ward, fome of which they feizcd ; but to their great mortification, got only about the quantity of two horfe-loads of filver. They however mounted the mules, and pn)ceeded tov;ards Santa Cruz, but were met in the road by a party of foldiers, who lummoned them to furrender, and promiftd to give them very kind treatment. The Englilh laughed at this propofal, and received the enemy's fire, which they io cfteftually returned, that they put them to flight ; when brifkly following the purfuit, they entered the town with them, the Syme- lons fupporting them through the whole adion with the greatell bravery. At this time Santa Cruz confuled of about fifty neat houfes, a governor and ot-her officers, warehouies for receiving the Spanilh goods brought thither from Nombre de Dios up the river Chagre, whence they were cirried by mules to Panama. The captain here mado TO THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEM. i6i Tiade an equal divifion of the plunder he found ia ;he town, among his own men and the Symerons. When captain Drake entered Santa Cruz, there vere three ladies, who came thither to lie in, the air being much better than at Nombre de Dios, to which (ity they belonged ; and as it was Mr. Drake's con- ftant prartice to behave upon all occafions with as :nuch humanity and decorum as poffible, he was no iboner informed of their filiation, ihan he gave orders for their being particularly prote£led, and ibon after vifited them himfelf, to prevent their eiitertainiog cny unjuft apprehenfions of his condudt. Drake, tho'herefolvedto ftay feme time longer up- on the coaft, began now to be uneafy for his (hip, from which he had been abfent above a fortnight. He therefore returned with all the expedition pofliole, and to his great joy found every thing in as good or- der as he could defire. A council was now held in order to determine what was next to be attempted, when fome of the Sy- merons propofed making an attack on the houfe of Pe- zoro,an avaricious Spaniard, deeply concerned in the mines, whofe income amounted to above 200 1. a day, which he conftantly locked up in chefts. He lived near Veragua, a town in the well of Nombre de D105 ; and one of the Symerons, who had been his flave, and had fled from his tyranny, promifed to guide them to, his treafures : but having only a fmall Hock of prOf vifions remaining, the captain thought it more pru- dent to obtain a frefli fupply, in order to preferve the health and vigour of the men : Mr Oxenham was therefore ordered to proceed with one of the frigates towards Toulou, and to bring off* all the provifions he could meet with, while Drake refolved tp ply off the Cabezas, in hopes of becoming mafter of fome of the treafure- barks that pafs and repafs between Nicaragua and Veragua. Thus he wifely avoided the expedition againlT Pczoro, which would have been extremely laborious, as his men muft have marched through a gonfiderable tiiatX \jf country. During m'T ,1 Ml i62 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE Diuine t-ius cruize, the captain feized only a fmall vc re!> in which was fome gold, and a Genoefe pilot, who inlbrmed him that the Englifh had every where fpitai an iiniverrf.1 terror. Nor did Oxenham meet wth any better fuccefs ; he tooTt but one frigate, wherein was about 200 coqIcs and hens, 28 hogs," and a conliderahle quantity ol maize. He however learnt from the prifoners, that two gallies had been built .11 No Ttibre de Dios, in order to Tervc as a convoy to the Chagre fleet, the treafurcs of which now principally cngrofled Mr. Drake's attention. While things were in this fituation, they were alarmed by obibrving a fail bearing down upon theiii, which however proved to be only a French (hip ot about 80 tons burden, the crew whereof were in great want of water, with which the Captain ordered them to be fupplied ; and they being informed of his deAgns, de(ired to join him, which, after fome deliberation, was granted. Drake now leaving the two Hiips in a fafe harbour, manned the frigate a .d two pinnaces with 15 Englilh and Symerons, and 26 French, and with this force fleered to Rio Francifco, where, the water being (hal- low, he hh the frigate, with orders to lie clofe, till the return of the pinnaces. In thcfe he proceeded with his forces as far up the river Francifco as was thought convenient ; and then landing, marched for- ward with great regularity and filence, guided by the Symerons, till they came within a mile of the high road, wheie they refreftied themfelves, and took up their quarters. The next day being agreeably furprized by the noife of the bells hung about the mules, they fet out to attack them, and found three caravans, two of which confifted of 70 mules each, and one of 50, all of them richly laden with gold and filver. They had a guard of 45 foldiers, who fired on the approach of the Englilh and French, and then retreated in order to call more aflillancc. By the above fire the French c^ap tain was wounded, and one Symeron killed. The Eoglilh and French now made the bed ufe poifibleof i^eii; p. at/. M I. TO THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN. i6j iheir time, loaded themfelves with as many wedges of gold and filver as they could carry, and having buried the reft in the fand, retreated towards Rio Francifco> leaving behind thfm the French Captain, who had fainted in the woods with lofs of blood, and a French failor who had over-loaded himfelf with gold, and af- terwards dirco"-red to the Spaniards the place where they had buried the treafure. The next day they reached Rio Francifco, where not finding the pinnaces, they began to fear they were loft ; which appeared the more probable, as fevea Spanifti pinnaces appeared hovering at a diftancc ; but a fudden guft at wind attended with rain obliged the Spaniards to iheer off. Drake was greatly concerned at the apprehenfions that if the pinnaces were taken, the poor men would be put to the torture to make them difcover where his frigate and ihips were; but being fenfible it would be fome time before they could reach his (hips, he afiifted his men in making a raft, in order to get on board before the enemy. In this attempt he was accompanied only by one Engliftiman, two hardy Frenchmen, and a Symeron, who generoufly en- deavoured to perfuade him, in cafe his fhips were de- ftroyed, to live among his friends, who would do every thing in their power toferve him. After laftiing the raft pretty fecurely, fixing a kind of ^ rudder, and eredling a fail made of a bifcuit bag, they committed themfelves to the mercy of the waves>, fitting up to the waift, and fometimes up to the arm- pits in water ; and after a fatiguing voyage of about fix hours, obierved the pinnaces lymg behind a point, where Capt. Drake had imagined they would come to an anchor. On making this joyful difcovery he ran the raft on the neareft Ihorc, and went to them by land, where, after keeping them for fome time in fufpence, he in- formed them of his vaftjfuccefs,and the lofs of their Captain and a failor. He was now told, that his. pinnaces were prevented from fleering to Rio Fran- cifco at the time appointed by a hard gale of wind« The/,, at ' '*:. b- iC4 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S; VOYAGE They, however, made a fhifc to reach that river at flight, where they took in their comrades with the treaiure, and then Iteered dirediy for the frigate and the fliips ; whidi having come up with, the captain divided the gold and filver, to their mutual Litis- fadHon, equally between the Bngliih and French. A few days after, Drake fent a detachment of twelve Engliih and fixteen Symeroni to bring away the reft ot the treafure ; but they could find only thirteen bars of fi'ver and fome wedges of gold ; the reft having been difcovered, and even the ground dug up for a mile round. They, however, brought this off, together with one of the Frenchm&n, who had the happinefs to efcape from the Spaniards. Being now determined to return to England, Drake difmifTed the French fhip, and fleered to cape Cabezas, taking feveral Spanifh vefTels laden with proviflons, by the way. At this laft place they ftaid feven days, in which time they took their pinnaces to pieces, and gave the Symerons whatever they chofe to accept, particularly all the iron-work, of which they were- extremely fond. Mr. Drake alfo made them feveral prefents of linen and filks for their wives and fe- male relations ; and giving to one of them a very handfome cutlafs, was, in return, prefented with four wedges of gold ; but he no fooner received them, than he threw them into the common ftock, declaring that he thought it would be unjuft not to ihare with thofe who had affifted in fitting him out, and had "bought the cutlafs, the price for which it was fold; A noble inftance of difinterefted integrity ! They now prepared to leave the friendly Symerons, and fet fail for cape St. Anthony, where they took in a fupply of turtles and their eggs, which proved of great fervicc drring the refl of the voyage. Bein» foon after in want of water, there happily fell fuch a prodigious fhower of rain as afforded them a fufficient quantity, without their touching, as they had intended, at Newfoundland : they therefore ftretched over from Florida to the iftes of Scilly, and came to an ans;hor in Plymouth harbour on the 9th of Auguft, ROUND THE WORLD. 165 Avi^^uH, 1573. The people were at church vvhfn this gallant commander arrived ; but hearing the agreeable news they quilted their devotions and crowded to the Ihore in order to welcome his leturn, and pay him that tribute of thanks his valour and prudence Co jullly dciervt.d. rt H \ i!i\^:!i'k&t^i^^fit^^^^^'&^^^:iiii^iii^^iSf&i&f^ ■. ' •!. The Voyage of Sir Francis Drake Round the WORLD. ON the 15th of November, 1:^73, the o^allant ad- miral Drake failed out of Plymouth Sound, having five (hips under his command ; the Pelican, which he afterwards called the Hind, burthen 100 tons ; the Elizabeth of 80 tons, commanded by captain John Winter; the Marygold, a bark of 30 to:is burthen, commanded by John Thomas; the Swan, a fly-boat of 50 tons, under the command of John Cheft;;r ; and a pinnace of 15 tons, Thomas Moon coma'.ander. Thefe Ihips were manned with 164 able men, furnifKed with a large flock of provifions, »nd had four pinnaces on board, flowed in pieces, to be fet up as occafion required. But this fleet meeting with a violent fi:orm, in which feveral of the fliips weremuchdamaged,and the Pelican, in particular, loit her main-niaH:, they were obliged to put back to Plymouth ; where having refitted, they fet fiiil on the 13th of December, with a favourable wind ; on the 25th they pafled Cape Cantin in Morocco, and on the 27th arrived at the ifland of Magador, 18 leagues more to the fouthward, which had been appointed the place of general rendezvous, in cafe of a feparation at fea. l Magador is fitaated about a mile from the main hnd, between which and that ifland, they found a very m : % *tn iw t i66 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE very fafe and convenient harbour. Here Drake order- ed one of the pinnaces to be put together, and while ihey were thus employed, fome of* the inhabitants ap- proached the (hore, making figns of peace, and two of them ventured on board in the admiral's boat, which was fent to fetch them ; one of the Englifn being left by way of hoilage till their return. Thefe told them by figns, that the reafon of their coming was to make an offer of their friendfhip, and that the next day they would furniih hislhips withprovifions ; the admiral therefore returned their civility by giving them fome linen cloth, ilioes, and a javelin ; upon which thofe on Hiore, on receiving their companions, freely releafed the hoftage left by the Englilh. The next day a confiderable body of the natives ap. peared near the fea-fide; when it being imagined that they came laden with provifions^, the boat was fent to receive them ; but one of the men haftily leap- ing out, was immediately feized, and others of the natives quitting an ambufcade, the failors who were going to attempt to refcue their companion, were glad to recover their boat, and put off with great precipi- tation. The admiral being extremely exafperated at this piece of treachery, landed a body of men, and marched a confiderable way into the country to no purpofe, for the Moors every where avoided him ; he therefore returned to his (hip, and the pinnace being finifhed in four days^ they fet fail from the coall oF Morocco on the 30th of December. The p'^rfon who had been thus made prifoner, was named John Fry. He was carried up into the country, and examined with refpeft to his nation, and the de- ftination of the fleet ; and having declared that they were Englifh fhips bound to the Streights, under the command of admiral Drake, he was fent back with affurances of friendfhip, and fome prefents for the ad- miral ; but he being gone before Fry*s return, he was afterwards fent back in a merchant Hiip to England. On the 17th of January, the admiral arrived at Cape Blanco, where he found a fhip at anchor, which he feized> and ordering her to be taken into 6 the ROUND THE WORLD. 167 the harbour, ftaid there four days to lay in a ftock of trelh provifions. The inhabitants would have C)\d him iome fl.ivcs, and offered him a woman with a Aicking-child at her brea(t ; but Mr. Drake did not chufc* to engage in thib tranic. ile however fupplied them with frelh water, and they gave him ambergreafe ;;nd Tome precious gums in return. On the 22d of January Drake left Cape Blanco, and on the 3 1 It pafled by the ifland of St. Jago, the vallies of which were inhabited by the Portuguefe, while the mountains were poflefled by the Moors. Near this ifland they faw two Portuguele fliips under fail, and as Portugal was then annexed to the crowii of Spain, he took one of them, which proved to be a good prize, laJcn with wine. The famt-* night they came to theiHand Del Fueao, or the burning ifland, fo called from the volcano on its north fide. On the footh fide of Del Fuego they faw a very delightful ifland named Brava, which produced oranges, lemons, cocoas, and innumerable vegetables, while the cooling dreams with which it is watered, in their progrefs to the fea, contribute to its fertility, and improve the landfkip ; but the fea around it be- ing unfathomable, and confequently no poHibility of anchoring, it is avoided by fliij)s ; and to this may be attributed its want of inhabitants, for fome of the ad- miral's people travelling up into the country, met with no fign of a human being, except a poor hermit, who- fled from them, and in whofe cell they found fcarcely any thing befides a crucifix, fome images of rude workmanfhip, and an ill contrived altar. After taking in a frefli fupply of water at Brava, they quitted the Cape de Verd iflands, and on the >7th of February pafled the line. On the 5ih of April they made the coaft of Brazil, and fooa per- ceived large fires lighted up in feveral parts, fuppofed to be the ufual facrifices made by the inhabitants on the appearance of (hips, for imploring the afllflance nf their gods to prevent their landing, or for put- ting the people on their guard againil a foreign in- vafion. . . . , . , ' Two ?.'. ,•■•■1 '1 Ml t68 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE Tuo days after, they parted from the Chriftoplicr jn a norm of rain, thunder, and lightning ; but on the 1 ith they came up with her at a cape, to which the admiral ^'avc the name of Cape Joy. They here found a Imall harbour, where tlie Ihips rode in fafcty, the force of the fea being broken by a large rock, on which ihey killed fevcial fiiils ; thefe they kept for food, and found them wholefcme, though they cid not think them very palat/ible. They here alfo took in fiefli water ; but though the air was mild, and the foil of the country rich and fertile, they could difcerii no other inhabitants than herds of wild deer. On the night of the 27th, they came to an anchor hi a bay, and in the morning Drake took his lort to go on i-iore anid examine the coail ; but was over- taken hyfo tnick a fog, thr^t he i.houf;ht proper to return to his fhip, which he could not have found without great difficulty, if captain Thomas had not wcr'.t in i'earch of him. He however fome time after went on Ihore, and found plenty of wafer and provifions. The inhabitants leaped and danced with all the flgns of mirth snd good humour, and were notaverfe to traffic, though they would receive nothing out of any man's hand, but would have what they purchafed laid on the ground for their examination. The next day the fleet v^cre joined by the Swan, which had been miffing ; and the Marygold and Chr f- topher, that had been fent out in fearch of a fafer harbour, returned with the agreeable news that they had found one, and thither the whole fleet failed ; where being arrived, the admiral ordered the Swan to be burnt as a fuperfluous veii'el, which was done, after they had divided the provifions andiron work among the reft of the fleet. Here thry found fuch multitudes of feals, that they killed above 200 in an hour, and thence called the place Seal Bay. While they were thus employed on fliore, the na- tives appeared at a diflance upon a rifmg ground. They were ftrong, well proportioned, and had aoree- at)le features ; but their faces were painted. They wore fomcthing wreathed about their heads, and their other ■\\ ROUND THE WORLD. 169 other covering was only the fkins of beafls wrapped about their waifts. They had bows of an ell Ion§^, and every one of them bore two arrows, and indeed they feemed to be not altogether delUtute of military diicipline, as appeared from the method obferved by their commander in ordering andarranging them. Some of thele people paint their bodies all over black, except their necks, which they coloured white ; others paint one fhoulder black, and the other white ; and many of them had their legs tinged black, and adorned with white moons. This continual daubing clofes up the pores, and renders thefe people lefs fufceptible of cold and heat. They were at firll extremely fliy of coming near the Englifh ; but the admiral having caufed fome baubles to be tied to a pole iluck in the ground, and left for them to take when they pleafed, they foon after came and removed them, leaving odrich feathers, and other toys in exchange. Upon this the admiral and fome of his men came again, and approached nearer the hill, but retreated on his feeing them give figres of fear, and prepare to retire. This convincing the natives that he had no ill defigns againft them, they boldly advanced towards the Engliih, and two of them, attraded by the lace on the admiral's hat, flily came behind him, and fnatched it off his head, ran away with it, and then divided the fpoil, one keeping the hat, and the other the lace. They now proceeded on their voyage to the fouih- ward, and on the 2©th of June anchored in Port St. Julian, where the admiral, accompanied by fix men^ going on fhore in his boat to take a view of the coun- try, was in fome danger from the natives, who flew his gunner, a man for whom he had a fincere regard ; he nowever revenged his death by killing the murderer with his own hand. Here they found a gibbet, which had been ere«fted by Magellan for the execution of his mutinous company, who had confpired his death, and here alfo admiral Drake caufed Mr. Doughty to be tried and hanged for the fame crime againil himfelf. On the 17th of Auguft they left port St. Julian, and fell in with the freights of Magellan or the 20th. Vol.. I. I Th*. I - (Pf:■^^■■l :* ' 71- ; k% 170 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE 7'he next day they found the paflage (o intricate and winding, that the wind, though fometifnes favourable, was fVequeniiy againll them. This gave ihem much fa- tigue and trouble, elpecially as they had many fudden fqualls, wliich rendered this paflfage very dangerous; for though they found Several good harbours, and plenty of frefli water, yet the fca is fo aeep, that there is no anchoring, except in fome very narrow river or be- tween the rocks. On both fides the llreights are vail ranges of mountains, that rife tar above the clouds, and are covered with perpetual fnow, where they found the air extremely fiiarp, and the men were benumbed with coM. Thefe ftreichts are never narrower than one leaoiie, or broader tli:;n four. On the 24th of Augufl ihey made an idand in the llreights, where there were fiicli multitudes of penguins, that they kill- cd 3000 in lefs than one day. On the 6th of September they entered the South-Sea; but the next clay they were driven to the fouthward by a ftorm, and obliged to anchor among fome iflands, where they found frefli water, and excellent herbs, and roc far from thcrce entered another bay, where tliey faw people ranging; from one ifland to ariOther, in their canoes in fearch of provifions, who traded with them for (ome commodities. Steering northward from hence, on the 3d of Odobcr they lound three iflands, in one Of which v;,'}? an incrcdibi'- riumbcr of birds. On the liLh of Odobcr, they lofl the Elizabeth, ccm- iTic.iided by Capt. Winter, which rhey imagined was iorced l>ack by a llorm into the flrei^hts ; a conjed^ure that proved true, tho' ihcy were mifti'ken in fuppo- fmo her lol^ for the captai •, after having taken poUef- ilon of the llreights and the adjacent territories, in the nsime cf (^^een Elizabeth, was fo happy as to return 10 England. Thev now fleered for the coaft of Ciiili, and on the 29th of November, came to an anchor at the ifle of Mocha, where the admiral, with ten men, going on flnre, were met by fome of the natives, who behaved with great civility, gave them two fat flieep and fome pot.;t. es in return for a few trifles, and alf > ^/romifed . . - -to ROUND THE WORLD. 171 to bring them water, for which they received foms prcfents before-hand. Thefc people had been drivea timber by the cruelty of .ne Spaniards, who had for- ced them to leave their habitations, and retire to this ifland, in order to preferve their lives and liberties. Tlic next day therefore two of the men being fent on fliore with barrels for water-, the natives feeing that they had them at an advantage, and taking them for Spaniards, whom they had refolved never to fpare, in- ftantly dcftroyed them. The admiral now continuing his courfe, met an In- dian in a canoe, who miftaking his people for Spa- riards, told them, that there was at V?lparaifo, a large fliip laden for Peru. Drake rewarded hi.vi for his in- tellig;ence, and he readily agreed to en ju£l them to tlie place where the (hip lay at anchor. Upon their cor.ii' r^ up to this ve/Tel, they found that Ihc had only ciglit Spaniards and three negroes on board, who fup- pofing them friends, welcomed them by beat of drum, and invited them to drink fome Chili wine. With this invitation they immediately complied, and driving the Spaniards under the hatches, took polTeflion, when one of the Spaniards feeing how the others were; fcrved, leaped over board, and fwam to Valparaifo, upon which the inhabitants immediately quitted the town. The admiral having fecured his new prize, in which were found to the value of 3^^,000 Spanifli pilloles of pure gold of Baldivia, manned her boat and his own, and rifled both the town and the chapel, whence he took a filver chalice, the altar-doth, and two cruets, of which he made a p/efent to his chaplain. He likewife found a confiderable quantity of Chili wine, which he fent on board ; and letting all his prifoners on fliore, except one, whom he kept for his pilot, fleered to- wards Lima, the capital of Peru. The fleet continuing their courfe, put into the ha-' ven of Coquimbo, and here fourteen men wern fent on fliore to fetch water, when being dilcover.d by the town, the Spaniards refolved to recover the I 2 gicrv ■^ -A 1,. \..]f .') ■ ■ i/i SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE glory of their nation, by being revenged on (o daring an enemy, and therefore lent out a body of 300 horfc and 200 foot to attack them. The Englifli however retreated, and after fome difpule, reached their (hips, with the lofs only of one man, who was ftior, and whom ihis formidable army beheaded, while the In- dians (luck his body full of arrows. The admiral, however, ordered a party of men the next day on fhorc to bury him, to whom the Spaniards in vain difplayed a flaj; of truce, as if to invite them to a parley ; but the Englifh, believing that their fidelity was no greater than their courage, did not care to truft thern, and having interred their companion, returned to their Ihips. The next port he entered was called Tarapaxa, where landing fome of his men, they found a Spaniard afleep, with eighteen bars of filver lying by him, worth about 4000 Spanifli ducats, which they took, without difturbing the Spaniard's repofe. Soon after landing again, in order to take in water, they met a Spaniard and an Indian driving eight Peruvian (heep laden with very fine filver, each of the Tneep having two leathern bags on his back, in which were 100 weight of that metal ; when delivering the poor ani- mals from their burdens, they lodged the b.gs in the fhips, and then fuffered the Spaniard and Indian to drive away their beafts unmolelled. * Hence they failed to the port of Arica, where they found three fmall barks, in which were 57 wedges of filver, each weighing about 20 pounds ; the men who belonged to them fearing no danger, were all on fhore, by which me^ns ihey took no prifoners. On the 13th of February they entered the port of Lima, where they found a fleet of twelve fhips lying at anchor, with fcarce any perfons left to guard them; the commanders and their crews being all on fhore. On their examining the cargoes of thefe fliips, they *bund a chtft filled with rials of plate, which they took on board, with fome filks and linens ; but being in- formed that another very rich (hip called the Caca- \ V-'' i ROUND THE WORLD. 173 foego, had lately left that harbour, in order to (.'i\ to Paita, the admiral refolved to follow her. On his ar- rival at Paita, he found (he had left that port, and was gone to Panama ; but he fell in with another, that in fome meaiure attoned for his difappoiniment ; Ihe hav- ing on br>ard 80 pounds weight of fine gold, befides a lari?e golden crucifix adorned with erneralds, which he feized, together with fome ufeful cordage. The admiral ftill relolving to continue the purfuitof t^.-; Caca'uego, promiled that whoever firft faw her fliould have the gold chain he himfelf wore about hii mck ; which fell to the (hare of Mr. John Drake, who firil defcried her at about three o*clock in the af- ternoon, and about fix they came up with and board- ed her, after having in three fliots brought her mizen- inaft by the board. They found her cargo full as va- luable as it had been reprefented, (he having thirteen chelU full of rials of plate, 80 pounds weight of gold, 26 tons of filver bnrs, and a large quantity of jewels. Amoug the ma:iy rich pieces of plate were two very large filver bowls gilt, which belonged to the pilot, ons of which the admiral told him he hoped he would allow him to keep by way of remembrance, to which the pilot, who is one of the molt confitlerab'e perfbns on board the SpanifTi Ihips, readily confcnted, and im- mediately prelented the other to the admiral's fleward. Having taken this valuable treafure on board, they dlfmiflV-d the veffel, and allowed her to purfue her courfe to Panama, after having fupplied the captain and his crew with linen, and other neceliares. The admiral Hill continuing his courfe to the weft- warc^, came up with a Ihip laden with china ware, filks of the fame country, aud linen cloth ; and hav- ing taken out of it what was thought moft valuable, and among the rcll a falcon of mafly gold, which had a very valuable emerald let in its breaft, he fet the Ih p and her people at libcny, keeping only the pilot to aflid in navig^iting his ow.' (hip The pilot fleered tiiem into the harbour of Caa- tulco, and informed them, that there were oniyfeven- tcen Spaniards in the town. Having therefore put 1 3 to '1 ■ 1 >i m ,i''<^?' 174 ^^^ FRANCIS DRAKE^S VOYAGE to fhorc, the admiral and fome of his people land- ed, entered the place, and marched dircftly to the public hall, where they found the court fitting, and the judge ready to pafs fentence on a number of poor negroes, who were accufed of conrpiring to burn the town. But the admiral's coming foon chan^^ed ihe fcene of r.lTairs, for without ihewinq^ any reverence to the authority of the court, he ca';fed the judges, wit^ Tieiies, and prifoners, to be carried on board his own iliip, where he obliged the chief judge to write to the townfmen to keep at a diftance, and permit the En- olifli to water in quiet. This being done, the to.va was ranfacked for plunder, but none found, except about a bufiiel of rials of plate. ' ?'^ ' Here the admiral fet on fiiore his SpaniHi priforier?, and an old Portuguefe pilot, whom he had brought from the Cape de Verd illcinds, and then fet fail for the ifland Canno, where they anchored on the i6th of March, in a frefli water river. While they lay here, they feized a Spanifli vefiel bound for the Philippine iilands, which put in here for refrefhment, and hav- ing taken part of her cargo, fuffered her to purfue her voyage. •-' ,? •, " -.i_, t ji ,ti ' The admiral now thinking he had in fome meafure taken revenge on the Spaniards, both for the wrongs his country had fuffered from them, as well as for his own private injuries, began to deliberate on the bell way of returning home. He reflefled that to retura by the ftreights of Magellan, the only pafiage that had been yei difcovered, would be throwing himfelf into the hands of the Spaniards, who might probably wait for him there with more force than he could be able to refill, as he had but one fhip left, and that not firong, though very rich. All things therefore confidered, he refolved to proceed to the Eaft Indies, by failing to the weft, and then to follow the Portu- guefe couife, by pafiing the Cape of Good Hope ; but being becalmed, he found it necefiary to fteer farther to the north, in hopes of obtaining a good wind, upon which he failed at leaft 600 leagues, till he came into 430 of north latitude, where he found IGE Ke land- to the l^ig-, and of |:A,or 'urn the ■'"'-^nce to ;"_s, wit- Ihis ovvti write to the £n- 1^- tO'.vri excepc nToner?, brought Tail for 1 6th of ay heie, liJippine nd hav- purfue meafure wrongs for his he bell » return, :e that himfelf obably uld be d that ;reforc ndies, ^ortu- fope; fteer good , till bund the ROUND THE WORLD. in the air exceffive cold, and on his proceeding farihery the feverity of the weather became more intolerable ; he therefore fteered back towards the fouth, till he came into 380 north latitude, where he found a very good bay, which he entered with a favourable gale. This country on account of its white cliffs, which are feenat a good diilance at fea, he in honour of his native foil, called Nova Albion, tho' it has been fince known by the name of California. There were feve- ral huts near the water-fide, well fenced from the fe- verity of the weather ; a fire was in the middle of each, and round it, the people lay upon rufnes, with nothing elfe between them and the earth. The meii were entirely naked ; but the women wore a covering of bullrulhes, drefled after the manner of hemp, and fallened about their waills, with a deer-flcin flung over their Ihoulders. Thefe people foon fent the ad- miral a prefent of fome feathers, and cawls of net work, and he entertained the perfons who brought them with fuch kindnefs and liberality, that they were highly delighted. They foon after fent him another prefent, that confided of feathers and bags of to- bacco : a confiderable body of them waited upon him, to deliver them, while the reM: were gathered to- ther at the top of a frnall hill, at the bottom of which the admiral had pitched fome tents ; and from this eminence one of them harangued the admiral ; and having ended his fpeech, tuey all laid down their arms, and coming down offered tiieir own prtfents, and civilly returned thofe the admiral had made them: while rhe women who remained above, feenied by their tearing their hair and hovvlings, ta be engaged in ottering facrihces, upon which the admiral oider- ed divine fervice to be celebrated in his tent, and thefc iniiocer.t people uttc\ided with great decency, attention, and amazement. The news of the arrival of thefe Grangers being fpread through the country, there came two perfons, one of whom n ■ ft ii ROUND THE WORLD. 177 to think them more than mortal, and even came be- fore them with facrifices, which they attempted to offer, with the profoundeft devotion ; but the Engliih kept them back, and endeavoured by their figns to render them fenfible, that there was an omnipotent Being, to whom alone thefe honours were due. Some time after, the admiral and his people tra- velled a confiderable way into the country, which they found to be extremely full of large fat deer. There was alfo 'uch vafl plenty of a kind of rabbits, that the whole country feenred one entire warren ; but tho' their heads were like thofe of our rabbits, they had a bag on each fide of their jaws, in which they pre- ferved fuch provifions as they could not immediately devour; their feet refembled thofe of a mole, and their tail was like that of a rat. Their flefh was much elleemed by the natives, and their fkins afford- ed cloathing for the king and his principal fubjefts. The Spaniard J had never been upon this fhore, and it is certain, that Mr. Drake had the honour of firfl difcovering it. He therefore at his departure erefted a pillar, and affixed to it a large plate, upon which were engraven her majefly*s name and picture, her arms, and title to the country, with the day and year in which the admiral, whofe name was alfo in- fcribed, had arrived on the coafl of New Albion. Having taken in a frefh fupply of provifions, and a fufHcient flock of water, the admiral left Cali- fornia on the 23d of July, the inhabitants appearing extremely concerned at his departure, and lighting fires on the highefl hills, as was fuppofed to make fa- crifices to procure the fafety of thefe flrangers, till the fhip was out of fight. Mean while the sdmi- ral flretched forwards to the weft ward, for the Mo- lucca iflands, and on the 13th of Odlober came up with the Ladrones, whenjce a great number of fmall ▼effels came off, bringing fifJi, fruit, and other pro- vifions to fell. Thefe vefTels looked fmooth ana fhi- ning like burnifhed horn, and on each fide of them lay out two pieces of wood, and the infide was horned, with white ihells : the people in thefe veffels . I S, had :•.-(! '% ( '. 't 1 17^ SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE had the lower part of their ears pared round, and. firetched with the heavy pendants that hung in them. Their teeth were as black as jet, occafioned by their chewing an herb with a fort of powder, which they carried about with them for that purpofe, and were elleemed of great fervice in preferving them. And their nails feemed defigned for dcfenfive weapons, by their fuffering them to grow at lead a fuJl inch io. length. Thefe people feemed atfirft to deal very fairly, but foon began to Heal every thing they could lay their hands on ; and it was impoflible to make them part with any thing, on which they had once feized. I'his iifage made the Englilh refu{e to deal with them, and hinder their going on board their fhip, at which tliey " were fo exafperat^d, that they flung ftones ; but on firing a fingle gun, they were fo intimidated, that they leaped into the water, and fkulked for flielter under tJieir vefiels, till the fliip was at fome diftance, when nimbly recovering them, they fleered to the fhore. On the 1 8th they came to feveral other illands, fome of which appeared to be very populous, and continuing their courfe, pafled by the iflandsof Tagulada, Zelon, and Zevvarra ; the firft of which produces great quan- tities of cinnamon, and the inhabitants of molt of them were friends to the Portuguefe. On the Mth of November they fell in with the Mo- luccas, and intending to fail to Tydore, coafted along the ifland Mutyr, fubjeft to the king of T»;rnate ; but were prevented by meeting his viceroy, who feeing tha admiral's fliip, boldly ventured on board, and ad- viled him by figns, not to profecute his voyage to Ty- RAKE*S VOYAGK the caftle, where they found at leaft looo perfons, the principal of whom were the council, wh«ch confifledjof 60 very grave men. Soon after, the king himfelf en- tered guarded by twelve men, with lances, the points inverted. A loofe robe of gold tiflue hung over his ihoulders, feveral gold rings were fattened about his hair by way of ornament, and he had a chain of the fame metal about his neck. He had feveral rings fet with fine jewels on his fingers. His legs were bare, 'and his fhoes were made of red leather, and over him was borne an umbrella richly embroidered with gold. On the right hand of the chair on which he feated himfelf, llood a page, with a fan two feet in length and one broad, adorned with faphires, and fattened to a ftafF three feet long ; the page 'with his fan ftrove to allay the heat occafioned by the warmth of the fun, and the throng of the people. His majetty gave the Englifti gentlemen a very kind reception, and having underftood their meffage, fent one of his council to condud them back to the flbip. The king of Ternate is a very powerful prince, he having feventy iflands under his jurifdiflion. His religion, as well as that of his fubjeds, is Mahometanifm. While theadmiralttaid here, he was vifited Sya perfon. well attended, who was of the blood roya] of China, but baniflied for a term of years, on fufpicion of being guilty of fome crimes againft the ttate, during which time he propofed to travel, in order that, he might, reap fome advantage from his misfortunes. He feemed to be a man of found fenfe, ftrong judgment, and a good me- mory, and having probably acquired the knowledge of fome European language, proved an entertaining companion. He was highly pleafed with the admiral's behaviour, and ftrove to perfuade him to touch at China, but in vain; for having accomplifhed what in- duced him to undertake the voyage, his thoughts were now folely bent on returning to England. Accordingly, he had no fooner fettled all aiFairs at Ternate, thajn he failed from thence, and five days after catt anchor at a fmall uninhabited iiland to the fcuthiward of Celebes, where he ordered forges to be « ^ » fei; ROUND THE WORLD; i8t fct up, to repair the iron^work of the fhip, in which the fmiths were obliged to make ufe of charcoal, as all their fcacoal was now confumed. This ifland was extremely woody, the trees were large and very lofty, llraight and without boughs, except towards the top, where the leaves foraewhat refembled thofc of our Eng- ' li(h broom. Here they obferved- in the night great multitudes of (hining flies, no bigger than the com- mon fly in England, which fkimming up and down in tlie air between the trees andbulhes, made them ap- pear as if- on fire : they alfo found bats as big as hens, and a fort of cray-filh which live upon land, . and are of fo extraordinary a fize, that one of them is fufHcient to fatisfy the hunger of four perfons : thefe burrow in the ground like rabbits. After itaying twenty- fixdays atthis ifland, they weigh-- ed, and again fet fail ; but were foon entangled among feveral fmall iflands, and the wind fuddenly fliifting, they, on the 9th of January 1579, ran upon a rock, on which they fl:uck fall from eight at night till four in the afternoon of the next day. In this dillrefs they lightened the fliip, by taking out three tons of cloaths, eight pieces of ordnance, and fome provifions, and foon after the wind chopping about happily difengaged them. Some time after, having feverely fuffered by the winds and fhoals, they fell in with the fertile ifland of Baratene, where they found great plenty of pro- vifions of all forts, excellent fpices, as nutmegs, long pepper and ginger, with lefnons, oranges, cocoas,, plantains, cucumbers, and particularly a fruit of the fize of a bay-berry, which is hard, but has a plea- fant tafte, and when boiled is foft and eafy of di- geftion. This ifland alfo produces^ gold, filver, cop- per, and fulphur. The natives are far from being difagreeable, but their humanity and integrity render them moft amiable. They are courteous to ftrangers, and trade with an honefty and punctuality that ought to put Chriftians to the blufli. The men have a cover- ing only for their heads, and a piece of linen round their, w^iil y. the women have a garment which reaches. ffora t: :k ■; I' ■ E): i82 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S VOYAGE from the waift to the feet, and have eight or tea bracelets on their arms, made of brafs, horn, or bone^ the leaft of which weighs two ounces a- piece. Leaving Baratene, they failed for Java Major, where they were alfo honourably entertained. The ifland was governed by five kings, who preferved a perfect good underrtanding between each other. .Four of them came at once on board, and the admiral had very often the company of two or three of them at a time. The Javans, who are a ftout and warlike people, go well armed with fwords, targets, and daggers, which they temper very fkilfully. They wear turbans on their heads, and a piece of filk from the waift down- wards, which trails on the ground. Their behaviour, with refpeft -to their women, is very different from that of the inhabitants of the Molucca Iflands, who will fcarcely fufFer them to be feen by a ftranger, while thefe run fo far into the other extreme, that they very civilly offer them as bedfellows. They are alfo very fociable among themfelves, for in every village they have a public houfe, where they meet and bring their fhares of provifions, and joining their flocks together, form one great feall, for keeping up good fellovvlhip among the king's fubjctfts. They have a peculiar way of boiling rice, which they put into an earthen pot of a conical figure, open ac the greater end, and perforated all overj and this is fixed in a large earthen pot full of boiling water, and fet over the fire, when the rice fvvelling and filling the holes of the pot, but a fmall quantity of the water can enter, by which means the rice is brought to a very firm con- fiflence ; of this they make feveral agreeable diflies, by mixing it with fugar, fpices, butter, oil, or what- ever elfe IS moft agreeable to their palate. After caufing the hull of the Ihip to be cleared from the barnacle fhells fhe had gathered in her long voyage, and her bottom new payed, the admiral weighed an- chor on the z6th of March, for the Cape of Good Hope, which he doubled on the i8th of June ; when the few obflru6lions he met with in this part of the voyage fully convinced him, that the Portugue'je . '\ ■ ■ .- bad. IE or tea k bone, where md was \^ good \f them 7 often pie, go » which ans on dovvn- laviour, nt from s, who tranger, ne, that 'hey are ' village 'd bring r flocks p good have a into an greater ed in a et over oles of enter, m con- diihes, what- d from oyage, rd an- Good when art of igueOe had. ROUND THE WORLD. i3.^ had grofly mifreprefented the pafTage, and abiifed the world with falfe reprefentations of the horrors and dangers with which it is attended. On the zzdof July, the admiral arrived at Sierre Leona, where he and the crew faw many elephants, and fome trees, which hanging over the fea were covered with oyfters. Thefe and the lemons, whicK were very plentiful, proved of great fervice to the crew, after the fatigues of fo long a voyage. After ftaying two days, which they fpent in wood- ing, watering, and takingin refrefhments, they weigh- ed anchor, and on the 26th wei'e off the Canaries; but being fufficiently flocked with neceflaries, they continued their voyage to Plymouth, where they ar- rired on Monday the 26th of September 1580, and according to their own account Sunday the 25 th, after having fpent in compalTing the globe, two years ten months and a few days. No private fubjedl was ever more applauded than admiral Drake for this voyage, which gave England the glory of having produced the firfl commander that ever failed round the world ; a commander, whofe vaJour made the Englifn feared, while his hu- manity ihevved that they were worthy of being be- loved. Queen Elizabeth herfelf was fo highly pleaf- ed with his whole condud, that in the beginning of the next year, on the fourth of April 1581, (he did him the honour of dining on board his fliip at Deptford, where he gave her a magnificent entertain- inent, and her majefly there conferred upon him the dignity of knighthood. Tnis fhip was preferved many years at Deptford, as a very great curiofity, and when it was almoll entirely decayed, a chair was made out of it, and fent as a prefent to the Uni:" verfity of Oxford, where it ftill remains. - • i'vf ! I PIJ MM >i.- srr It' ni t 164 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S Sir Walter Raleigh's Firft Voyage to GUIANA., THIS gallant adventurer, equally admired for his abilities and intrepidity, was born at Bude- ly in Devonlhire, A. D 1552, and was for foine time a commoner of Oriel college Oxford. He ferved with great applaufe in the Hugonot army under Co- ligny, and againil the ' els in Ireland. But being defirous of making difcc ^ries, he failed to the con- tinent of America, and there fettled a colony called Virginia : but this plantation was afteiwards aban- doned ; and Sir Walter, well aiTured that the want of immediate profit was the caufe, he refolved to ftrike out the means of fettling a new colony in an- other part of America, that fhould be free from this inconvenience, and transfer the richeft produds of that country to the Englifh, if they had but courage and conduft enough to fetch them. In order to thie, he enquired with the greateft diligence into the ftate 0/ Guiana. He fought from books and papers all the aiTiilance that could be* had of that kind ; and drew from perfonal informations, which were more in his power than perhaps they ever were in any oiher man's, all the notices they were capable of giving. But he drew the greateft lights from hia own profound knowledge and extenfive experience. But caution beiug neceflary in an aifair of fuch importance, he fent one captain Whiddon to take a view of the coaft, that he might be perfeftly informed of every thing, and more able to take the proper mea- fiires. This gentleman performed his bufinefs effec- tually, though he met with fome obftrudlions from tiic force, and much greater inconvenience*, from the frauds'. FIRST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 185 frauds of the Spaniards, who were at that time eideavouring to Tecure to thcmfcives this valuable country. Sir Walter's project being now ripe for execution»^ five (hips were fitted out for this expedition. Sir A^alter, however, left Plymouth on the 6th day of February, 1595, with only one bark befides the vef- fel in which he himfelf failed, and on the zzd of March arrived at the ifland of Trinidad, where he ipent a confiderable time in viewing that iHand, and examining its ports and havens with the grcateli care and accuracy. The Spaniards had built here a new 'city called St. Jofeph, governed by Don Antonio de Berreo, a man of courage and refolution, but very unfit to profecute difcoveries. Sir Walter refolving to punifh this cruel governor, fent Capt. Calfield to attack the main* guard with 60 men, and following with 40 more, ibon "reduced the town of St. Jofeph. He then fet the inhabitants at liberty, and in particular many In- dian captives, among whom were five caciques, who were linked together in one chain, and confined ia a place where tney were al mod liar ved with hunger. Thefe unhappy princes had fufFered the fevereft tor- ments, having been bailed with the fcaldmg fat of bacon, and endured a variety of other cruelties. He kept the governor and his Spaniards prifuners, and afterwards, at the requeft of the Indians, burnt the place : but in other refpeds behaved towards his prifoners, and particularly towards the governor, with. fuch civility, that he drew from him a faithful ac- count of all his adventures in attempting the conqueil of Guiana. Soon after the taking of St. Jofeph, captain Giffard, in the Lyon's Whelp, and captain Keymis, in a galego, arrived with feveral gentlemen and foldiers, and fome ufeful fupplies. But before Sir Walter would proceed on his difcoveries, he fummoned an aflembly of the Indian chiefs of the iiland, who were enemies to the Spaniards, and told them bj^ an Indian, iaterpretcr, whom. - - he. ,4 i 1 r~: 1.86 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S he had brought out of England, that he was the fer- vant of a virgin queen, who was the molt powerful cacique of the north, and had more caciques under her command than there were trees in that ifland; That (he was an enemy to the Caftiliins, on account of their tyranny and opprefllon; and having freed all the coails of the northern world from thv.*ir ferv'- tude, had fent them to free them alfo, and to dhena the country of Guiana from iheir future iuvafions, He then (hewed them the queen's pi6lure, which they greatly admired. By thefe and other fpeeches of the fame kind, both here aiid on the borders of Guiana, he made the people familiarly acquainted with the name and virtues of the queen, and at the fame time llrongly engaged them in his intereft. Having taken this precaution, Sir Walter prepared to proceed towards Guiana, though Berreo ufed many arguments to di(ruade him from engaging in that enterprize. But, notwithftanding thefe remonftran- ces. Sir Walter direded his vice admiral capt. GiiFard and captain CaKield to fteer to the eaftward into the mouth of the river Capuri, and at the higheft flood to pafs over the (hoal : but this they found imprafticable, the water falling before they could accomplilh it. He then fent the mailer of the Lion's Whelp to try ianother branch called Amana, in order to know if either of the fmall velTels could enter ; but he met with no better fuccefs. Sir Walter nov^ caufed his carpenter to cut down an old galcgo boat, and to fit her with banks for oars, in fuch a manner as to draw but Eve feet water. In this vcflel he embarked with (ixty of his people, and was followed by the fliallop and boat of the Lion's whelp carrying twenty; captain Calficld's (haJlop carrying ten, and a barge of his own ten more ; hav- ing in all ICO men well armed, with provifions for a month. Their accommodations were extremely bad, they being expofed to the weather, and obliged to endure the burning heat of the fun and dorms of rain, to lie upon the hard boards, to bear the difagree- able fmell of the wet cloaths of many people crowded together. FIRST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 187 together, and the drefling of their food, which mo(t- ly confifted of ftale fifli. They had, at firft fetting out, twenty miles of an high fea to crofs in their crazy boats, and were driven by the wind into the bottom of the bay of Guanipa, inhabited by a bar- barous nation who ufed poifoned arrows. They af- terwards entered one of the rivers, and after four days got above the force of the tide ; but they were there bewildered by fuch a confluence of Itreams, that they were whirled about by different currents and eddies, fo that after toiling a long time, they were brought back to the place they had been llriving to avoid, or from which they fet out, pafling between iflands and ftreights, fo overfiiadowed with trees, that their fight was bounded by the breadth of the river, and the length of the avenue, while the gloominefs of the profped added horror to the loathfomenefs of the places in which they were confined. At length, on the 22d of May, they entered a river, and not knowing any other name to it, called it the Red-Crofs River • here they put into a creek, which led to a town at a fmall dift-nce, where their Indian pilot going on fhore, was fet upon by his countrymen, who hunted him with dogs. In retura. Sir Walter feized an old man who was paffing that way, and threatened to cut off his head, if he did not procure his pilot's liberty ; but the pilot by his agility foon efcaped and fwam to Sir Walter's barge ; they, however, kept the old man, whom they ufed with the utmoft kindnefs, in hopes of obtaining many ufeful informations from a native who had been long acq minted with thofe parts. Soon after, they had the^ood fortune to gain the Amana, one of the nobleft branches of the Oronoko: the men with i incredible fatigue continued their voyage, and being now within 5^^ of the line. Sir Walter endeavoured to keep up their fpirits by dired- ing his pilots to give them hopes, that their labours would be foon over. At length, the old Indian perceiving that their piovifions weit exhaufted, and that they mull perifh with- 1i'i ' i Tji;!f it '•■ i*'l n . ! i88 &rR WALTER RALElGH^S without an immediate fupply, told them, that if they would venture up a river on the right hand, he would bring them to a town where they mi^ht be fure of refreihments, and be able to return before night. Sir Walter took him at his word ; but he amufed therA all day, and the greateft part of the night, without their feeing any town ; fo that a lefs prudent com* mander might have piinifhed him for impofing upon them. However, about one the next morning they reached this long expeded town, and obtained the fupplics of which they Hood in fuch need. In thij hungry and hazardous voyage, which was fourfcora miles up the river, they obferved many fifhes of afar- priilng fize, and abundance of alligators, one of which devoured a young negro who attended Sir Walter, who leaped into the water to refrelh himfelf byfwim- ming. being again foon after in want of proviflons they took two canoes laden with excellent bread, belong* ing to the Indians called Arwaycas, who ran them on fhore, and took rtrfuge in tiie woods, where his men found a refiner's bafitet, in which were quickfilver, faltpetre, and other things ufed in refining of metals, together with.fome gold duft, extrafted from the ore. Sir Walter then landed more of his men, and offer- ed 500 1. to any of his foldiers who (hould take one of the Spaniards : but this they were unable to per- form. They, however, difcovered the Arwaycas con- cealed in the wood?, who had ferved as pilots to the Spanifli adventurers, and who informed him, that they had been accompanied by two other canoes, la- den with gold ore, which had efcaptd. One of thv'e people he kept for his own pilot, and from him learned the places where the Spaniards procured their gold. ' They now entered the great river Oronoko, and obtained a true account of the nations inhabiting its banks; then ileered by the mountain Aio and a large ifland, and on the 5 th day after their entering the above ! , FIRST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 1S9 above river, came to an anchor at Morequlto, in the .province of Aromaia, 3C0 miles from the fea. A nieflenger was immediately fent to the king of Aromaia, who the next morning came on foot from his houfe, and returned the fame evening, though he v/as no years of age, and his journey twenty-eight nliles. I'his old monarch had a large train of atten- dants of both fexes, who brought great plenty of flefh, filh, and feveral forts of fruits. The old king having refrefhed himfelf a while in a tent, which Sir Walter had caufed to be pitched for him, they enter- ed, by means of the interpreter, into a difcourfe on the murder of Morequito, his predeceflbr, and the other barbarities of the Spaniards. Sir Walter then toldhim the defign or his coming thither, and expa- tiated on the virtues of his queen, whofe greatefl am- bition, he obferved, was to relieve diftrefled nations, and humble the pride of the Spaniards, which were her only motives for fending him to Guiana. The old man lillened to hina with great attention, and on his afKing him many queilions relating to the ftrength, polity, alliances, and government of Gui- ana, with the readieft v/ay of entering into the heart of the country, the king replied in fo clear and fenfi- ble a manner, that Sir Walter could not help being furprized at finding a perfon of fuch judgment and good fenfe, who had received none of the advan- tages of education. Sir Walter, after the king's departure, failed wefl- ward to the river Caroli, becaufe it led to the llron^- eft nations of all the frontiers, who were enemies to the Epuremci, the fubjeds of the Inca or emperor of Guiana and Manoa. Long before he came to it, he heaid the roaring occ^ifioned by the falls of this river; but on his entering it, in order to proceed forty miles up to the Cafiagotos, he found the llream fo rapid, that though the river was as bro id as the Thames at Woolwich, he could not advance with his eight oared barge above a Hone's throw in an hour, tie there- fore encamped on the banks, and fent an Indian to acquaint ihs lords of Canuri, who dwelt in that pro- vince. > I, . i ■J. Ijf,!; n • ji ■■ •' i 1 IM' • '>' I i ■ >i:;i: t- J ■■ ml 190 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S vince, of his arrival. Upon this mefTage, one of the princes named Wanuretona, attended by a numerous train of followers, came to vifit him, bringing great plenty of refrefliments. From thefe Indians he learn- ed that a nation called the Carolians, were enemies both to the Spaniards and the Epuremei, and that there were three mighty nations of the fame difpofi- tion in the neighbourhood. He therefore difpatched a party of between thirty and forty men up the fide of the river, while he him- felf with a few officers, and half a dozen men, arm- ed with mufkets, marched to take a view of the ca- taradls of the river Caroli. in order to which they afcended a high mountain, commanding an extenfive profpedl of the river ; and faw a pro- digious cataraft, between which the water divided into three ftreams, and ran with amazing rapi- dity upwards of twenty miles. In this courfe no lefs than ten or twelve more appeared in view, each as high above the other as a church fteeple, whence the water rufhed down with fuch violence, that the vapours arifing from the fall, were like the thick fmoke hanging ove- well-inhabited cities ; but on their nearer approach, .vhere they could better dif- cern and diftinguifti the effefts, refembled heavy Ihow- crs of rain, while the prodigious roaring of thefe tor- rents equalled the noife of thunder. The vallies were interfperfed with hills, and the waters winding through them in various branches ; the plains free from brambles, were covered with fine grafs ; the foil was a hard fand. fit for either walk- ing or carriage, the deer croffing every path ; and to- wards evening the birds finging on every tree a thou- fand different notes ; while on the banks of the rivers were cranes and herons, white, crimfon, and carna- tion ; the air was rcfrefhed with gentle eaftern breezes, and every flone they ftooped to take up, feemed to be intermixed with gold or filver. Sir Walter after- wards (hewing fome of thefe Hones to the Spaniards of the Caraccas, was told, they weje the .mother of ^ •. gold, FIRST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 191 gold, and though of fmall value themfelves, were a proof of there being mines at no great diftance. \ Several reafons confpired to render any long flay- here improper. The rains were fo heavy, and the floods poured fo fuddenly from the hills, that they were fometimes before night up to the neck in water, upon the very fpots of ground over which in the morning they had marched dryfhod. The men had worn their cloaths above a month without change, tho' the rains frequently waflied them ten times a day on the owners backs. They had befides no inflru- ment with them to open mines, and if they advanced farther, were to aft againft a numerous, civilized, and warlike people. Thefe and many other inconve- niencies made them refolve to make the beft of their way back to the Ihips, from which they had now been abfent above a month, and had in that fpace proceed- ed above 400 miles from the fea coaft. Accordingly they embarked in their boats, and tho' the wind was againft them, arrived in one day at the port of Morequito ; for gliding down the ftream, they went without labour, little lels than a hundred miles a day. Sir Walter, on his coming to an anchor^ was very defirous of having another conference with the old king, who foon arrived with a numerous train, loaded with prefects, when Sir Walter having taken him into his tent, enquired the beft way to the richeft parts of Guiana. The old cacique intimated to him, that he ought not to think of penetrating to Manoa the capital ; for neither the feafon of the year, nor the fmall number of his men, were proper for the enter- prize; that in the plains of Magureguarai, the firft ci- vilized town of Guiana, three hundred Spaniards had been lately flain ; as they had invaded it, without having made any friends among thofe nations, who were ready to join in any attempts againft the kingdom of Guiana, and therefore advifed Sir Walter not to in- vade the ftrong parts of Guiana, without obtaining the affiftance of thofe nations, who were their enemies. The king alfo informed him, that he believed he njight, with his prefent force, feize on the town of Magu* i J.4, III I; Ill P i;' II Is If* If 192 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S Magureguarai, where Al the gold plates difperfcd through the neighbouring nations were made, and which was but four days journey from thence, and of. fered to aflill him with his fubjefts, provided fifty Eng- liihmen were left behind for his guard : but Sir Wal- ter declining the expedition, the king begged him to leave his territories as foon as pofiible, lell the Epu- remei fhould learn that he had given him any aflift- ance, or the Spaniards fhould return and infult him; they having once before taken him prifoncr, and led him feventeen days in chains, till he paid a hundred plates of gold for his ranfom. But if Sir Walter would promife to return early the next year, he would engage all the neighbouring nations to affift himagainft the Epuremei, who had plundered them of their Avives. During Sir Walter's ftay in this place, he obtained many images and plates of gold, not fo much for the value, as to Ihew them as famples ; and to prevent thefe people from entertaining a notion, that he came for gold, he gave among them, more twenty fhilling , pieces of the queen's coin than they were worth. He alfo took with him fome of the fpar and ore, to juflify his report of the riches of the country ; and as the highefl teflimony of his having obtained the con- fidence of the natives, the old king fent over his own fon Cayworaco into England, where he was after- wards baptized, with much ceremony, by the name of Gualtero. On the other hand. Sir Walter at their own requefl: left behind him two of his company, an excellent draughtfman, who undertook to defcribe all thecoui.try very exadlly, and a boy who waited upon Sir Walter, to learn the 1: nguages of the Indian nations, which he did to great pertedion ; but was unfortunately de- voured by a wild beaft. Before the Lnglilh left the country, two caciques ofl'ered to condud them to a gold mine, which they accordingly performed ; but the weather being ex- tremely bad, Sir Walter refolved to return as expedi- tioufly as pofTible to his ihips, and the next day 6 1 reached ^p LAST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 19} reached Curiapan in the ifland of Trinidad, where his ihips lay at anchor. In all this tedious and Airprizing expedition, in which they were alike expofed to the feverity of the weather, and to the attempts of their enemies, abfo- lutely wanting moft of the conveuiencies, and fre- quently the necefl'aries of life, he loll not a fingle man, except a negro devoured by an alligator, and yet took a coniiderable quantity of gold ore, which he brought to England, and proving extreme- ly rich, turned to a very good account. Bat notwithftanding the great fuccefs of this voyage, and the high probability of ealily forming a fettle-- ment in this rich country. Sir Walter's enemies, jea« loas of his great abilities, endeavoured by the moft invidious infinuations todifcourage all attempts againft Guiana, by throwing the moft groundlefs afperlions on his veracity. Some time after the queen's death he was imprifoned and condemned for a pretended plot againft the government ; but was at length fet at liberty, and fufFered to profecute his difcoveries in Guiana. . !: fi:: j •:fc fli i ^^ % 'I ■ • n Sir Walter Raleigh's lad Voyage to GUIANA. IN order to profecute the difcoveries he had made in Guiana, Sir Walter turned the bell part of his fortune into money, which he employed in fitting out Ihips for this expedition, and prevailed on many of his beft friends to follow his example. Several of thefe embarked with him, and among them his eldeft fon. This fleet confifted of feven fail of different fizes, with which Sir Walter left Plymouth harbour in July 161 2, and before he had pafl'ed the coaft of England, he was joined by as many more 5 fo that his Vol. I, K - whoir M*,' 194 «J^R WALTER RALEIGH'S whole fleet cor. filled of fourteen fhips ; but fome of them afterwards deferted and returned home. A few days after the whole fleet joined, they were overtaken by a ftorm, which obliged Sir Walter to put into Cork, from whence he failtd on the 19th of Augufl, and on the 6th of September arrived off the ifland of Lancerota, when he fent to dcfire leave of the governor to purchafe provifions; but tho' that gentleman at firft promifed him a meeting, he defer- red giving it him, and at length refuied to have any dealings with Sir Walter, under the pretence th^t the inhabitants were fo much afraid of him, that he dared not ; and therefore, defired him to draw off fuch of his men as were landed upon the ifland. But tho' he complied with his requeft, they fell upon his men in their retreat, and flew one of them. Of this outrage Sir Walter complained to the governor of the Canaries, who, inftead of fending him an anfwer, faliied out upon his men as they were marching, in order to draw water in a defart part of the ifland ; and had not young Raleigh and fome other officers behaved with great bravery on this occaflon, they would all have been flain. But Sir Walter was (0 careful not to offend the court of Spain, that he did not return thefe adls of hoftility. Sir Walter next vifited Gomera, where the Spa- niards alfo refolvcd to oppofe t.'ie landing of the Eng- lifli. They lined the beach, and ftandiiig clofe to the water, faluted them very roughly, but were foon difperfed by the fl-.ip's-guns . After this treatment, Sir Walter fent a mtffenger on fliore, to let the governor know that he had no holtile intention ; that he only wanted a few necefliiries, for which he would pay very honourably; and that if any of his men fliould attempt the leaft fraud or riot, he would hang them in the market place : and fo well did he keep his word, that the governor wrote a letter for him to de- liver to count Gondamor, the Spanifli ambaffador at the court of London, wherein he acknowledged Sir Walter's polite behaviour, and gave him thecharate he juiUy merited, Many civilities paffcd between Sir / Walier .k LAST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 195 Waller and the governor's lady, who was of Englilh extraction. This lady fent him fugar, fruits, and other ufeful prefents, for which in return, he com- plimented her whh a beautiful pi«Sure of Mary Mag* dalen, a ruff finely wrought, and fome extra<5ts of amber and rofe-water, which were highly valued by the Spaniards. Sir Walter had not long left the Canaries before his people grew very fickly, and himfelf fell dangeroufl/ ill. In this weak and low condition, he arrived off Wiapoco, where he hoped to have been afTifted by Leonard, an Indian who had lived with him three or four years in England ; but finding that he was re- moved too far up into the country, he flood away for Caliana on the coaft of Guiana, where the cacique had been his fervant, and lived with him two years in ^e Tower of London, under the name of Harry. On his arrival he fent to the cacique, his late Indian fervant, who, with other caciques, came and brought him great plenty of cafi'avi bread, plantains, roallcd mullets, pillachios, and pine-pples. Here he landed his fick men, and caufed tents ta be pitched on iliore, by which means both he and his people recovered ftrength daily, from the benefit they received by the land air, and the refrefhments they obtained. He here alfo fet up his barges and Ihallops, which he had brought in pieces from Eng- land, clcanfed his fhips, and took in a frefh fupply of water and provifions. Thefe neceflary employments took up about three weeks, during which Sir Walter was 'very much ca- refied by the Indians, with whom he had been for- merly acquainted, and by the other natives of the place, who daily furniflied him with the bed of pro- vifions the country afforded ; offered him their obe« dience, and even propofed to make him their fove- reign, on condition that he would fettle among them; fo high was the gratitude they flill felt for his former behaviour. Thefe propofals he mentioned in his dif« patches to England with his ufual modefiy. i*.«' r I ■ :■ tgir^. K 2 0« 196 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S On the 4th of December they left this river, and the next day came to an ifland ; but Sir Walter ftill Walter's fon, and a few other gentlemen, with five or fix companies of foot, fhould proceed up the river Oronoko, with a month's provifions, in fearch of the mine, the men being ordered to encamp, fll the depth and breadth of the mine was difcovered. At the fame time Sir Walter defired, that ir they found the Spaniards very llrong, they would be careful how they landed, as a repulfe from them would refled dif. honour on the nation ; and concluded with ( bferving, that if they did not fii d the n)ine well worth their pains of working, they need only bring a fmall quantity of the ore, to convince the king that it was not a mere fidion of his invention. Having received thefe inftrudions, the five fhips fet forward on the 10th of December, and foon reached a new Spani(h town, called St. Thomas, upon the main channel of the Oronoko, where Antonio Berreo, who was taken by Raleigh in the ifland of Trinidad, had planted a fettlement. This town confifted of about -140 haufes flightly built, with a chapel, aeon- vent of Francifcans, and a garrifon. Keym^s and the reft now thought themfelves obliged, through fear of Jeaving the enemy between them and the boats, to deviate from their inftrudlions. by which they had been enjoined, firft, to take a fmall party to make trial cf the mine, under fhelter of their own camp, it was refolved to go on fhore in one body between the mine and the town : but unhappily landing by night nearer the town than they fufpeded, and they intend- ing to reft themfelves by the river- fide till morning, they were attacked by the Spanilh troops, who had been apprized of their coming. This charge was io unexpefted, that the common foldiers were ftruck V/ith fuch confternation, that had not they been ani- mated by their commanders, they had been all cut to pieces; but foon rallying by the example of thefe 6 brave LAST VOYAGE TO GUIANA. 197 brave men, they made fuch a vigorous defence, that the Spaniards were put to flight. However, in the hcac of the purfuit, the Englifli found themfelves at the Spanidi town before they knew where they were. Here the battle was renewed, they being affaulted by the governor himfelf, Don Diego Palameca, and four or five captains at the head of their companies, againft whom captain Walter Raleigh, a brave and fprightly young man of twenty- three years of age, rulhed forwards at the head of a company of pikes, without waiting for the mufketeers, andhaving killed one of the Spanifh captains, was mortally wounded by another : but prefling ftill on with his fword, upon Erinetta, probably the captain wha had fhot him, thr.'c Spaniard knocked him down with the butt-end of his mufket, upon which the brave youth crying, * Lord * have mercy upon me, and profper your enterprize,* expired. But at the fame inilant, young Kaleigh'j fergeant thrull the Spanifii commander through with his halbert. Two ether of the commanders were alfo fla n, and at length the governor himfelf, faint- ing under his wounds, was trampled to de^ah, on which his men difperfed ; fome of them taking ihel- ter in the houfes about the market place, from whence they killed and wounded the En^lilh at pleafure ; who finding it not eafy to diilodge them, fet fire to the houfes, and drove them into the woods and moun« tains. The tov/n being thus reduced, captain Keymis left agarrifon in the place, refolviiig to makit; an attempt upon the mines, fome of which were not far dirtant ; but the Spaniards who iled, had taken poileffion of the paiTes, from whence they killed feverai of his men. Captain Keymis therefore finding the attempt very ha- zardous, the pafTdge being full of thick and impaiTable woods, and thinking that theEnglifh, who were left on Hiore at the Spanifh town, would not be able to de- fend it, efpecially if the enemy fhouid be recruited. Ye gave over the enterprize, and returned to St. Xhomas's, where the Engliih plundered the tov/n, K 3 - and. I- '• 1' ' ! 198 SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S and carried away the moft valuable part of the trca- fare : and the enemy not daring to appear, in order to ranfom the reft, they fet (ire to that part of it \\hich remained unconfumed. Sir Walter, upon the news of his fon*s death, and the ill fuccefs of this expedition, which had difap- pointed him in his hopes, feverely reprimandea cap- tain Keymis, and exclaimed, that he had undone him j cbferving, that if he had only brought an hundred weight of the ore, though with the lofs of a hundred men, it would not only have given the king fatis- faction, and have preferved his reputation, but have fiftbrded the nation encouragement to have returned the next year with a greater force, and to have held the country for his majefty, to whom it belonged. Upon this, Keymis retired in difcontent to his cabin ; and foon after a pillol going off. Sir Walter called out to know the occafion, when the captain anfwered, that it was nothing but a piftol he had let cff, on account of its being long charged : but in about an hour after, his boy found him lying dead, weltering in his blood, with a piflol and long knife lying near him ; and upon examination it appeared, that he had endeavoured firft to (lioot himfelf, but the bullet being fmall, had only cracked one of his xibs, fo that effcdually to put an end to his life, he had thruft the knife through his left pap. Sir Walter nov/ called a council of his officers, who were of opinion, th.;t they ought to retire to Newfoundland, in order to refit and tiike in rtf elli- raents; but many of hi^ men mutinying on the v\ay, be fent them heme direftly to England. On his arrival at Newfoundland, great dillurbances arofe on board his own fhip, which being unable to quell, he joined with the llronger party, who, againll his own inclinations, declared for rtturuing to Eng- land. About the: end of July, Sir Vv^'altcr arrived at Plymouth, where he four.d the king had publilhed a proclamation, requiring him andhii people to appear before the privy-council, for having burut the town of Voyage of Sir THOMAS CAVENDISH, &c 199 of St. Thomas, He was foon after arrelled, and on his being brought to London, was committed prifoner to Ms own houfe*; but endeavouring to efcapc from thence to a veflel which waited for him at Gravefsnd, he was fcized near Greenwich, carried to the Tower, and on the 28th of 0(^ober 1618, brought from thence to the court of King's Bench, where the re- cord of his former fentence being examined, he was ordered to the gate-houfe, and the next morning be- headed in Old I'alace-Yard, aged fixty-fix. He behaved on this occafion like a brave man and a Chriftian ; he made a nervoius and eloquent fpeech in juftification of his condu(5!l, and then feeling the edge of the ax, faid with a fmile, "It is a inarp ** medicine, but a found cure for all woes ;" after which his head was ftruck off at two blows. All Europe was aftonilhed at the injuftice and cruelty of this proceeding ; but Gondamor, the Spanilh AmbafTador, thirAed for his blood, on ac- count of his having been the fcourge of Spain, du- ring the reign of queen Elizabeth ; and kin;^ Janics durll not refufe him the life of a man, who, .is a foldier, a fcholar, and a flatcfinan, was the greatiill ornament to his country. The Voyage of Sir Thomas Cavendish round the WORLD. QUEEN Elizabeth, defnous of fanning the flame of public foirit that then glowed in the breail of private peifons, took every opportunity of honouring thofe who did any fervice to theii country, and by this means excited perfons of fortune to en- gage with the utmoft alacrity in the fervice of the public. Among thefe, Thomas Cavendilh of Trimley in the county of Suffolk, Efq; diftinguiflied h mfelf. His eftate lying near Ipwich, at that time a place of K 4 great fl Pi m I, 1 (* I \un ■yi:l '¥' % h J 200 Voyage of Sir THOMAS CAVENDISH great trade, gave him a natural inclinn.ion to the Tea, and when he came of age determined him 'o fatisfy his curiofity by converting part of his hnds in. to money, and equipping a large Ihip She was called the Tyger, and carried 120 tons; in this fhip lie accompanied Sir Rvchard Greenville to Virginia, in 1585, and fuffered a feries of difficulties without obtaining any profi'. He, however, returned fafe to Falmouth on the fixth day of Odober the fame year ; and determined to make a fecond attempt, ia hopes of better fortune. Daring his laft voyage he had feen part of the Spanifh Weft- Indies, and converfed with fome who had failed with Sir Francis Drake ; and from this information he formed a defign of undertaking a voyage of the fame nature, hoping at once to repair the lofs he had fuftained, and imitate the noble adlions of that, great officer. He accordingly fold the greater part gf his eftate to raife the neceflary fum ; and lifed fuch affiduity, that in the fpace of eight months his little Iquadron was entirely compleated. His ca- pital fhip, named the Befire, carried 140 tons ; and the lefTer called the Content, about 60 tonj. To thefe he added a bark of 40 tons, called the High Gallant. This fleet he fupplied with provifions for two years, and manned it with 126 failors, officers included, fome of whom had before failed with Sir Francis Drake, and the reil were men of courage and ejfperience. Having procured a commiffion from the queen, he left London on the tenth of July, 1586, em- barked at Harwich on board the Defire, and arrired At Plymouth on the eighteenth of July, where he remaineu till the tv e.ity-firft, and then failed on his intended voyage. On the tyth of Auguft, he touched at the ifland of Forteventura, failed from thence to Cape Blanco, and thence to the ccall of Guinea. On the 23d of Auguft they made Sierra Leona, where they plunder- ed a town of negroes, who kiiicd one of their men with a poifoned arrow. On the 3d of September,. they I.'" of the me who om this king a o repair ' adlions greater pi ; and His ca- s ; and •^^ To ' High ons for officers ith Sir ourage gueen, I em- rrifcd re he )n his /land anco, ;d of ider- men ber» :he/ ROUND THE WORLIT. 201. they rowed the boat four miles up the harbour, where they caught plenty of iifh ; and going afliore gather- ed Tome lemons. On the 6th they left this harbour, and fleered fcrone ■ cft-he Cape Verd iflands, which lies ten leagues from the point of Sierra Leona, and anchored about two miles from the Ihore. The fouth-fide of this ifland was deftitute of frefh water, but on the north thsy found plenty in three or four places. Leaving this ifland on the loth of Odlober, they fleered for Brazil ; . and on the ifi: of Novembe»* came to an anchor be- tween the ifland of St. Sebaflian and the main land. Here they ftayed to repair their rigging and build a pinnace, which being completed they failed again j , and on the 27th of November, came to an an- chor in an harbour, which the admiral called Port Defife : during their flay at this place, thfe favages wounded two of their company with arrows made of cane headed with flints ; and the admiral gave this country the name of Patagonia, from the gigantic: appearance of the inhabitants. They left Port Defire on the 28th of December, . and fleering S. S. W. they fell in, on the 2d of January with a large white cape, in 52 deg. fouth latitude, where they had feven fathom of water, within a league of the fhore. On the 3d, they difcovered another large cape, in 52 dcg. 45 min. latitude, under which they anchored ; here they were overtaken by a terrible ilorm which lafted three days, during which they were forced from their flation, with the lofs of one of their anchors. From this cape a large beach extends ^ to the mouth of the Streights of Magellan. On the 6th of January, they entered thefe famous flreights, which in fome places are five or fix leagues wide, and in others very contradted. In the nar- rowell part of ihefe flreights, they took on board . twenty-four Spaniards, the poor remains of ibur < hundred men left there thice years before. The diftance from the mouth, to the narrowefl part of thefe Streights is fourteen leagues, and the courfe wefi by north j and from thence to the iiland of Pen- 3V; i| (Ml ■ M :t. ; .;jf,i ¥i ■ V ■i y-i 202 Voyage of Sir THOMAS CAVENDISH guin the diftance is ten leagues, and the courfe W. S. W. by S. On the 8th, they came to an anchor near that jfland, and kiUrd a great number of penguins. On the 9th of January they left the ifland, and pafled by king Philip's city, built by the Spaniards : it con- fifted of four forts, tao'each had only one fmgle piece of cannon. The city itfelf, as well as the churches, feems to be well laid oux and advantageoully fituated, having the bell coiiveniencies for wood and water of any place in the Streights. It lies in 32 deg. S. lat. The admiral thought proper to call it by the name of Port Famine. They left this place on the 14th, and ran five leagues S. W. to Cape Frowaid ; whence they failed W. by N. five leagues more, and put into a bv called Muflel Cove, from the great quantity of mui- fels found there by the feamen. The 21ft, they failed N. W, and by V/, ten'Jeagues to a large fandy bay, to which the admiral gave the name of Elizabeth. About two leagues from this bay, they, difcovered on the 22d a confiderable river, up which the admiral towed his boat about three miks. The country en each iidc was level and pleafant, but all the other parts of the Streights craggy, mountainous, and in- habited by ftrong, but brutifh favages. Leaving this river, they failed to St. James's channel, about two leagues dlftant: and thence to a cape four leagues to the northward. From this cape to the vveftern mouth of the Streights the courfe is N. VV. and N. W. by W. and th? diftance 34 leagues : To that the whole length of the Streights is 90 leagues. On the 26th of February, they entered the South- Sea ; and on the ift of March were overtaken by a f -rm, in which the High Gallant was fcparated irom the fleet, in 49 deg. fouth latitude, and 45 leagues from land. This vcfTel, during the Itorni. which laded three days, fprung a kak ; but after ex- ceffive labour, had the good fortune to reach the channel between the ife of St. Mary and tic main, en lUe 15th in the morning, where Hie rejoip!?d the admiral ^** „(]_ that . On pa/led it con. je piece lurches, [tuated, water leg. S. ie name n five failed a bj mul- they ■ Tandy zabeth. ired on idmiral try en '■ other nd in- ig this Lit two eagucs ^'eiiern nd N. > that • louth- ^by a iratcd d 45 lOrni r ex- 1 the iiain, the riiraJ ROUND THE WORLD. , 203 admiral and the Content. This ifland lies in 37 deg» 30 min. fouth latitude ; and here they fiirnilhed themfcives with as good wheat and barley as any produced in England j they alfo provided a fufficient number of hogs, common poultry, potatoes, dried dog-filh, and maiz. Leaving St. Mary's ifland on thf i8th in the morn- ing, they lleered N. N. E. about ten leagues, and anchored under the ifland of Crucifixion. On the 30th they failed into the bay of Quintero lying in 33 deg. 50 mini fouth latitude; and the next day fixty of the men, well armed, advanced feven orei^ht miles into the country : in this excurfion they dif. covered vafl: herds of wild cattle, horfes, dogs, hares, rabbets, partridges, and other fowl. On the 5 th of April, while fome of the Englifli were on ftiore, filling their calks with water, they were attacked by two hundred Spanilh horfe, who poured down from the hills upon them, killed fome and took others prifoners ; but a reinforcement of fifteen Eng- lifli coming up, refcued their companions, killed twenty-four of the Spaniards on the fpot, and drove the rcfl: to the mountains. After this encounter, they flayed in the road and watered without the leaft moleflation. ' Leaving this place on the 9th, tl.ey came to a Anall ifland about a league diftant, where they found u-ge quantities of penguins ; and on the ici'h ar- n''ept. 3, they met with, a Fiemifii veffel, which came from * I: ■i . -.it ■ h .. A Nl: t i # ';>'' :i2 OLIVER VAN NOORT'S VOYAGE from Lifbon. September 9, they weathered a vio- lent Itorm, which carried away moll of their fails, and afterwards ^.rrived at Plymouth. Never was voyage of this confequence attend- ed with fuch interrupted fuccefs, nor performed in fo fh Tt a time ; Magellan's having taken up three years and one month ; Sir Francis Drake two years and near eleven months ; and this but two years and two months. r The Voyage of Oliver VanNoopt, the firft Commander among the Dutch, who failed round the WORLD. SOP/IE eminent merchants of the Low Countn'e ariJmated by the fuccefs of Sir Francis Dra Cavendilh, and other enterprizing officers, formed a defign of fending fome able fhips into the South Seas, through the Streights of Magellan, to cruife upon the Spaniards. As the fuccefs of this important expedition depended upon the capacity of the gene. ral, for fo in thofe days, the Dutch, and mod other nations, called the commander in chief either by Jand or fea ; they took care to provide themfelves with a perfon of eflabliftied charadler for condud and courage. This gentleman, whofe name was Oliver Van Noort, was a native of Utrecht, in the flower of his age, and whofe ruling paflion was glory. This man readily came into their fcjieme; and their terms be- ing fettled, they began to equip two ftrong veHels, one named the Maurice, the other, the Henry Fre- derick ; to thefe were added two yachts, called the Concord and the Hope, manned by 248 perfons of ^ all ranks. Oliver Van Noort, the admiral, fdled in the Maurice; James Claafz of Uipenda, was captain of the Henry Frederick, and by title, vice-admiral ; Peter Van l^int commanded the Concord ; and John Huide- "ROUND THE WORLD. 215 Huidfcoopc, the Hope, all of them men of experi- ence, and interelted in the voyage. P>eiy thing being ready, the proprietors prefented a petition to the board of admiralty at Rotterdam, where all the parties concerned were fummoncd to appear. On the 28th, of June, 1598. their regula- tions for their government in this expedition, were approved by the lladtholder, prince Maurice, and pubiickly read to them, and every man fworn to ob- ferve them. September 13, 1598, the Maurice and the Concord failed out of the port of Goree, and the Henry Frederick and the Hope having joined them from Amfterdam, they fteered for Plymouth,- where their Knglilh pilot, Mr. Mellilh, who had been the companion of Sir Thomas Cavendifh*s for- tune, was to take m his (lores. On the 21ft, they left Plymouth, the wind blowing N. E. ; and foon after fome jealoufies arofe, with regard to the con- dudl and capacity of le vice-admiral, which quick- ly encreafed by his K fing a iloop he had in tow with a man in her. '1 his careleiTnefs oc alioned mur- murings among the crews, whieh were not a little aggarvated by the vice-admiral's haughty behaviour, and contempt of advice, tho' no man wanted it more. December 10, they had fight of Princes ifland, which lies in i deg. of north latitude ; and fending in their boat before them with a flag of truce, they were met by a negro bearing the fame token of peace. They only demanded a fupply of provifions, which was granted in friendly terms : but, while this point was fettling, a party of Portuguefe, that lay in ambufcade, furprifed them, and cut ofFfeveral, amongft whom was the brave EngliQi pilot, captain MelliTh ; they afterwards purfued them to their boats, which they brifkly attacked, killing the admiral's brother, and were very near taking all the reft prifo- ners. In revenge for this outrage. Van Noort burnt all their fugar-houfes, and having pr '.vided himfelf with frefh water, fet fail the 17th; and on the 25th, reached cape Gonfalvo. Here they met with two Dutch H ,/(«:',' i'M^ i ; 214 OLIVER VAN NOORT'S VOYAGE Dutch fhips, which informed them, that captain Sleerhagen, with part of his company, were loft oa this ifland ; and that Peter Verhagen, who had bu- ried thirty-eight of his men here, was gone before to Annobon. On the ift of January 1589. they paf- fed the ifland Annobon, lying in 2 deg. fouth latitude. The 28th of the fame month they had the fun in their zenith. The 5th they reached Cape St. Tho- mas, on the coaft of Brazil, in 22 deg. fouth lar'tude. The 6th, they pafTed by the Fair Cape, an'^ in the evening Cape Frio. The 9th, they came to Rio Janeiro. After fome time loft by the treachery of the Portuguefe, they reached St. Sebaftian, where they had the comforts of a good harbour, frefli water, and wood, but no fruits were to be met with at that feafon. On the 14th of March, they were overtaken by a dreadful ftorm, in which the vice admiral and the Hope were feparated from the fleet, but they happily joined their conforts again on the 17th. The fcurvy now increafed among their men wiih the approach of winter, which made them refolve to put in at St. Helena i bat miffing that ifland, they flood away for that of the Afcenflon, where ihey hoped to £nd fome tolerable entertainment; but they had the misfortune to meet with a barren ifland, in 20 deg. 30 min. fouth latitude, where they had only a few fowl, called Malle Mewen, which they knocked down with their clubs. The ift of June, thinking to reach the ifland Afcenflon, they fell in with the con- tinent of Biafll; but the Portueuefe, not fufFering them to land,^ they failed to the ifland of St. Clarn, in 21 deg 15 min. fouth latitude, where they found only a few herbs ; but what it wanted in fooJ, it made up in phyfic, yielding a fcrt of four pluins, which cur<^d all the flck men. June 16, they failed i'or Port Defire, which they reached on the 20th of September, and furniftied themfelves with fifli and penguins, in an ifland three miles to the fouth of that port. Oi^ober 5, they went up the river, and foin<^ aPiore, perceived beafts like ftags, with a num- cr oif oftriches, fome of whofe iiefts they found, in which AGE captain e loft on had bu- ^-e before they paf- i latitude. »e fun ill St. Tho- lar'tude. '^ in the «- to Rio ■ ry of the »ere they fli v\ater, at that overtaken liral and but they the 17th. wiih the ve to put hey ftood hoped to they had Hand, in had only knocked inking to the con- fufFering f. Clan, ey found food, it r plums, y failed 20th of fifh and buth of /er, and a num- und, in w)»ich ROUND THE WORLD. 21^ which were nineteen eggs. The 20th, the admiral went afhoie to view the country, leaving orders, that none of them who guarded the boats, ihould land : but inftigated by curiofity, they rambled from the beach, and fell among favages, who killed three of them, and wounded a fourth. Thefe favages were tall, painted, and armed with bows and arrows point- ed with flint. >' They left this place the 29th, and the 24th of November, made Cape Virgins, where the land is low, plain, and yields a pro(pe6l like England ; but they could not enter the Streights, being driven back by tempefts, and lofmg their anchors and cables, fo far retarded t;ieir voyage, that it was near fifieea months before they could reach the mouth of ihc Sreights. November 25, they faw fome men upon two iflands near Cape NafTau, whom they purfued to a cave, where the favages obllinately defended them- felves, till they were all flain on the fpot. On entering this fubterraneous manfion, the Dutch found their wives and children, who, expeajJ me night before he was chaced ; the whole amounted to 10,200 lb. weight of gold, and from itsfincnefs, was worth about 2,000,000 of pieces of eight. Upon this, the admiral ordered the fliip to be fe^rched, but too late ; for they found only one pound cf gold-du'l, tied up in the SpaniOi pilot's breeches. The jiifon :s owned, that immenfe quan- tities of gold were brouf^ht from the ifland of St. Mary, where the mines were difcovered about three years be- fore ; and that there were not above three or four Spaniards, and about two hiindred Indians armed with Tdov/s and arrows, in the whole ifland. On thf 5 th of September, they reached the ifl.ind Guana, 01. e of the Ludroncs, \ hich is tv/enty miles in extent, producing cocoas, bananas, and fugar- canes, which the Indiaos brought to their Ihips, in two hundred canoes, with four or five men in each, who came hollowing, Hiero, Hiero, that i?, iron, iron. , .1' ROUND THE WORLD. 219 iroti. TKey are a fly fubtle people, and will fell a balket of cocoa Ihells, with a little rice at top, for abafket of rice: and immediately jump overboard. The women are alfo very dexterous at the fame trade, and will fteal with amazing aflurance, and, like their hulbands, dive to conceal their booty. On the 17th, they failed to the Philippines, and, on the i6th of Oc- tober, came to Bayla lay, where pretending to be Spaniards, they acquired plenty of provisions : but being at length difcovered, they made for the Streight of Manilla. Here a fudden guil of wind from S. E. carriM away their malls ; and fome of them going afliore on the 23d, were feized with the bloody flux, after eating palmetoes, and drinking a large quantity of water. The 24th, they entered the ftreight, and on the 7th of November, took a China junk, the maf- ter of which told them, there were then at Manilla two large fliips from New Spain, together with a Dutch Ihip purchafed at Malacca ; that the town was walled, and had two forts j that there was a vaft trade from China thither, no lefs tl^an four hundred vciTels coming every year from Chincheo, with filk and other valuable efFe6\s, adding, that two fhips were iltortly expeded from Japan, with mttal and provi- fions. The 1 5 th they took two barks, laden with hogs and hens, and on the 14th of December they took one of the Japan fliips, in 15 deg. north latitude. She was fifty tons burden, and had fpent twenty-fivw days in the voyage ; the form of her was very fingular, her fore part being like a chimney, her fails were made rf reeds, her anchors of wood, and her cables of (traw. The 9ch they took two barks, one laden with cocoa- wine and aqua vitae, the other with hens and rice. On the 14th, they met the Spanifli fhips returning from Manilla, and a fmart engagement enfued. The Spa- niards who were fup'^Jrior in numbers, boarded the ad- miral ; but the Dutch, animated at once by fear, hope, and defpair, cleared their own fliip, boarded the Spa- iiifli admiral, and funk her. In this adlion five men verc killed, and twenty fix mortally wounded ; (o L 2 that ii m .!!l |- 220 OLIVER VAN NOORT'S VOYAGE that their number was now reduced to thirty-five. From hence they fet fail for Borneo, which they reach- ed on the 26th, and came to an anchor in a large bay three miles in compafs. The admiral, by a mefTen- ger, defired leave of the king to traffick there, which at length was granted ; and a trade was accordingly opened for pepper with the Patanneefe, a people of Chinefe original, Borneo is the largeft ifland in the Eaft- Indies, and the chief city contains three thou- fand houfes, bur. Hands in a marfli, and they pafs in their praws from one houfe to another. All the inha- bitants go armed, from the nobleman to the filhcr- man ; and the very women have fo much of the fol- dier in them, that if they receive an affront, they in- flantly revenge themfelves with a dagger or a javelin. This was experienced by a Dutchman, who having difgufted one of thefe viragoes, fhe inftantly fell upon him with a javelin, and had certainly killed him, if fhe had not been prevented by force. They are all Mahometans, and will fooner die than eat any part of a fwine ; nor will they fuffer any of thofe creatures about them. The better fort have a linen covering from the waift downwards, and a cotton turban : the common people go naked. They chew betel and aracca in this ifland, a fafhion much followed in many other eaftern countries. On the 4th of January, fome Borneans came to the fhip with an intention to cut the cables, that the fhip might drive afliore ; but being difcovered, and pelt- ed with fmall fhot, they abandoned their defign, leaving their praw behind, which the Dutch took in lieu of their own boat loft at Manilla. Leaving Borneo, they crofTed the line a third time, but not without danger, for want of a good pilot. The 16th, they feized a junk of Jor, and in her a fkil- ful pilot, who in all probability faved them from fhipwreck, as they had only one anchor left, and the cable of that almoft worn out : befides, there are fo many fhoals and iflands, that it is hardly poffible for a ftranger to navigate thefe feas with fafety. On the 28th, they reached Jortan in the ifland of Java, 'ihis city ROUND THE WORLD. 221 City contains looo houfes built of wood. The king commands a large part of that end of the ifland, and had lately fubdued Balambuan, a little ifland, lying fouth-eaft of Jortan. In this country they are faid to be Mahometans; but the many pagodas dill in ufe, argue fome mixture of the Indian fuperllition, or at lead a toleration. They pafled the Streights of Balamboa on the 5th of February, on the nth were in 13 deg. fouth i: ^ titude, and directed their courfe for the Cape or Good Hope. The 24th of April, having been long retarded by winds and calms, and reduced to ihort allowance, they faw at night a light like fire, about four miles diflant to the north- wefl. The 27 th, they capie into 34^ 40^ fouth lat. faw again fomething like fire, and foon after land, bearing north-eaft. May 2, they fiw fomething like the end of an ifland, about fix miles off, which they were perfuaded was the Cape, and therefore fleered for St. Helena, where they arrived the 26th. On the 30th they left that ifland, and on the 14th of June pafTed the line a fourth time. July 18, after fuffering great hardfhips, three fhips from Embden met them, and exchanged bread and fifh for rice and pepper. On the 26th of Augufl, they arrived at Rotterdam, where they were joyfully received. m ■ ■ In .>'il !:"1^I m ■ I ; f The Voyage of Geor ge Spilbergen , round the WORLD. THE Dutch Eaft-India company being very de- firous of making a fuccefsful voyage thro* the ftreights of Magellan to the Eafl-Indics, granted a commiflion to George Spilbergen, who was well fkillcd in maritime affairs, for this pu-pofe; and or- Xi 3 ^tifidi . 1 ii i\ 2 22 GEORGE SPILBERGEN^S VOYAGE dered fix /Hips to be fitted out for that fervice, viz, the Grer.c Sun, the Full Moon, the Huntfman, the Sea Mew, the ^olus, and the Morning Star. On the 8th of Auguil, 1614, this fleet failed out of the Texel, and continued their voyage, without any re- markable incident, till the 20th of December, when they anchored in the road of Has Grandes, in Bra- fil. On the 28th, the captain of the Huntfman was ordered to guard the fhallops, that were to go for water to a rivfer two leagues off; with exprefs orders to lie as clofe to fhorc as poifible ; tho* he thought proper to anchor at above a cannon ihot diftance. The 29th, the admiral's fhallop and canoe went to lake in water, and a body of feamen were put on iliore to cut wood, who brought off as much as their vt/iels would contain. In about three hours they went for more; but were obliged to (lay all night un- der a hut, erefted for the fick, who were here fet on Ihore. When they came aboard in the morning, they reported, that during the night they had heard a number of voices, and a trampling of j.."ople in the wood. On the 30th, three other fhallops, with ten foldiers, and the Huntfman were fentto the watering place ; but ihey had not been long from the fleet, before feveral cannon ftiot were fired from the Huntf- man ; upon which the admiral fent three (liallops, well armed, to enquire into the caufe ; and were told, that the Portuguefe, and Meftizos had attacked the three fhallops, and murdered every foul on board ; adding, that two ftout frigates, riding at anchor in the place, to which the Portuguese, &c. retired, pre- vented them from revenging this barbarity exercifed on their countrymen. On the I ft of January, 16 15, two were executed, for being coneerncd with certain mutinous perfons, in 3 confpiracy to run away with the ihip ; and foon after it was refolved in council, that if any captain ihould be feparated from the fleet, he ftiould fet up a mark in De Cordes havi^n, ftay there a limited time, and then fail to La Mocha. March 7, they were overtaken by a violein ftorxn» wbicjti laUed fevc- ROUND THE WORLD. 223 ral days, and feparated the fleet. The 28th, they would have entered the Streight, but were driven back. They however accomplilhed it on the 2d of April ; but could not come to an anchor becaufe of the fhoals, for, on founding for a quarter of a league, they found but three fathom water. Whiia they were examining the Itreight, they perceived on the fouthern fliore, called Del Fuego, a man of a gigantic ftature climbing the mountains to view the mips. On the i6ih they went aihore, and entered into commerce with the lavages, giving them fack and knives for pearls. On the 6th of May they entered the South Seas, and were welcomed into the Pacific ocean by a terrible ftorm. The 2 1 it, they had fight of Chi Hand La Mocha. On the 26th, they fent boats to thefe iflands, to tra- fick with the people ; and the governor and his fori dined with the admiral. Here they exchanged hatch- ets for Iheep, and coral for hens and other fowl?. On the 29th, they came to the harbour of St, t1^:y ; and next morning went afhcre with three en/lgns, ac the fight of which the Spaniards fet their church on fire, and fled. They found here a multitude of hens, and took fix hundred flieep ; but at the fame time received intelligence of three fiiips, manned with a thoufand Spaniards, and fitted out on purpofe to in- tercept them. June 13, at noon, they found them- felves in 32 deg. 15 min. fouth latitude, and towards evening reached the fecure hjirbour of Quintero. Here they catched large quantities of fifli, and found the place very commodious for taking in wood and water, July 2, they came to Arica, and en the i6th, took a Ihip with a fmali quantity of treafure, which was embezzled by the feamen : foon after, they faw eight fail, which the Spanifli mafter of the Ibrmer fliip aflfured them was the royal fleet, fent from Peru in fearch of them, under the command of admiral Don Roderigo De Mendoza, the viceroy's kinfman. July 17, they came in fight of each other, and a bloody battle enfued, wherein the greater part of the Spaniih fleet was funk. In this adtion the Dutch loik L 4 forty I" ■» n i' ■■ U 224 GEORGE SPILBERGEN^S VOYAGE forty men, and had 58 wounded. The next day they filled for Calao De Lima; but finding great piep:.r,i- tions made for their reception, were obliged to rctiie out of the reach of their Ihot. On the 3d cf Auguft, they pafled. between the ifland Loubes and the continent, where they dil'- mifled fome of the Spanifli prifoners. In this ifland ihey took two fowls of a vaft fize ; their wings, beaks, and tnlons, refembled thofe of an eagle ; their necks were like that of a flieep ; and they had combs on their heads like a cock : they were two eils high, and the tip9 of their wings when extended, were three ells diftant. On the 8th they anchored near Paita ; and after battering the town, landed a party of men on the loth ; but they found the place forfaken, the in- habitants having retired with their effedls. The 21/!, they put to Tea; but were greatly diftrefTed with fa- mine and ficknefs, till Odooer ir, when they enter- ed the haven of Acapulco, where hanging out a flag of truce, two Spaniards came on board, and they agreed to exchange pLrifoncrs for fheep, fruits, and provif»ons. The i8th, they again fet fail, and an- chored en the lit of September, before port Sela- gue?; where they procured all conveniencies they wanted, after a fmart engagement with the Spaniards. On the iith, they failed for port Nativity, and left it on the 2Cth. December 3, they faw a new iiland with five hills, which looked like fo many diftindt iflands ; and the next day a vaft rock, in 19 deg, north latitude, fifty leagues from the continent. January 4, 1616, they landed on one of the La- drones ; and reached the Manillas on the 9th of Fe- bruary. On the nth, they went to Capul, where the people bartered fat hogs and hens for trifles, 'J he 19th, they anchored before the ifland of Luconia, in which is the city of Manilla. Here they faw a cu- rious fabric, artfully erefted on the tops of trees, and appeared at a diftance like a palace ; but who were the inhabitants, they could not difcover. On the 5 th of March, they received intelligence of a fleet confifting of twelve Ihips, and four gallics, armed lay they "epr.r.i. to re lire en the iify dii". > beaks, r necks hs on g|i, and ree ells a ; and men on the in- he 2i/f, ith fa- en ter- t a flag id they its, and and an- t Sela- es they iniards. nd left i/land diftinft 9deg. le La- )f Fe- where trifles, conia, acu- >, and were ce of Uus, med ROUND THE WORLD. 225 armed with two thoufand Spaniards, befides Indians, Chinefe, and Japonefe. This powerful armament was intended to drive the Dutch out of the Molucca iflands. On the 29th, they reached the ifland of Ternate, in which the Dutch poflefled a town called Macia, where^ they were very kindly received by the inhabitants. Nothing of any confequence happened till the 1 2th of May, when they were informed by Mr. Caftehon, who commanded four Englifli fhips, that the Dutch general John Dirkfon Lam, who had failed from the ifland of Banda, in the fpring of the year, with twelve men of war, and a body of forces, landed on the loth of April at Pulo Wai, the richeft of all the iflands in thefe parts, and which he eafily conquered. This acquifition being made, he fummoned the inha- bitants of the adjacent ifles, who fubmitted imme- diately, and entered into a treaty with him, very ad- vantageous to the company, as it fecured to them the fole trade of all the beft nutmegs in India; On the 1 6th, the Dutch admiral releafed feven Dutch feamen from the gallies and prifons of the Spaniards,, where they had been confined four years. A few days after, another Dutchman, whofe name was Peter de- Vivere, joined them ; he had been prifoner among the Spaniards feveral years, was at firft confined in the gallies; but being an excellent goldfmith, and hav- ing m^vrried a Spanifll woman, obtained leave to work at his trade, which he fuccefsfully followed, till an opportunity offered for his efcaping with his family. This man was of great fervice, being a perfon of ca- pacity, and thoroughly acquainted with the nature and value of all the commodities in the Indies; and' he accordingly gave the Dutch governors more infor- mation relating to thefe particulars, than it was pof- fible for them to have obtained any other way. On the 30th of May, they failed on a cruize, but were foon after recalled ; and on their reiurn found twelve large Dutch fliips from Amboina, in the road of Malaya, where it was debated, whether they ihottld attack Tidore, or any other of the ene y's fcttlements; but nothing was put in execu.ion. June Li i9> i. ■ km 226 GEORGE SPILBERGEN'S VOYAGE, &c. 19, the council proceeded to the eledion of a gover- nor and general of the Indies, in which command^ the next day, Laurence De Real was inftalled. Soon after Spilbergen received orders to fail with two fhips to the city of Bantam, in the ifland of Java, with inflrudlions to fettle the trade of that place. June 27, they proceeded to Batavia, where they arrived September 7, and careened their fhips. While they were thus employed, they had the fatisfaflion of per- ceiving the vail increate of the Dutch trade ; for during that time, there came in four fliips from the Moluccas, laden with the richeft fpices ; four from Holland with feveral hundred foldiers on board to fupply the garrifon ; alfo a rich ihip from Japan, with a large quantity of rials, uncoined plate, and othes valuable effects. On the 14th of December the admiral failed from Bantam for Holland^ with the Amfterdam of 1400 tons, and the Zealand of 1200 tons, under his com- mand. January 1, 161 7, the Amfterdam loft fight of the Zealand. On the 30th, they arrived at St, Helena, where they found the Zealand, which came in fome days before. July i,. they arrived in Hol- land, having been out two years and eleven months,. The Dutch Eaft-India company may in fome mea-f fure be faid to date their reputation and power fron% this voyage, as the former relulted from Spilbergen 's furrounding the globe ; and the latter from his affitUng in the conqueft of the Moluccas, and bringing home the fiiil account of that important acquifuion^ The ("7> QisB^£i^'.E(^:^'^sSQi^E^'^(^'^^:Sc^r^ The Voyage of William Cornelisom ScHOVTEN of Horn, and J a q^u e s L E M A I R E, round the Globe, by a new Paffage into the South-Seas. SEVERAL rich merchants of Holland, difplea^ fed at the exclufive charter granted by the States General to the Eaft- India company, prohibiting all others from trading beyond the Cape of Good Hope to the eaft, or thro* the Streight of Magellan to the weft, refolved in the fpring of the year 1615, to fit out two (hips for making farther difcoveries. William Cornelifon Schovten was appointed to command the larger, and Jaques Le Maire the firft fupcrcargo. She was called the Unity, carried three hundred and fixty tons, nineteen pieces of cannon, and ten fwi- vels; and was furnilhed with all things neceffary for fo long a voyage. The other Ihip was called the Horn, and carried a hundred and ten tons, eightr cannon, and four fwiveb ; John Cornelifon Schovten was appointed mafter, and Aris Clawfon fupercargo» Every thing being ready, they failed out of the Texel on the 4th of June ; and on the 17th, anchored ia the Downs, in order to hire an Englifti gunner at Dover ; on the 27th, they reached Plymouth, and there engaged a carpenter. The 28th they failed from Plymouth ; and on the 13th of July, pafl*ed be- tween the ifland TenerifF and the Grand Canary : the 15th, they crofted the tropic of Cancer, and the 20th, fell in with the north fide of Cape Verd, where they anchored all night. The 25th, the Moorifti Alcaid came aboard, and they agreed with him for a fup- ply of frefti water. Auguft i, they left the Cape, and on the 21ft of the fame month, faw the high Land of Sierra Leona. On the 30th, they arrived before L d the i ■4 m iV i . •: I 228 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE the village, and anchored in a Tandy bottom, at u little diftanre from the Ihore. The village confifted of eight or nine poor houies, covered with draw. The Moors who dwelt there, were willing to come aboard, provided pledges were left afliore to fecure their return, a French ihip having juft before carried off' two of their countrymen. This requeft appearing reafonable, Aris Clawfon, the mer- chant, went afhore, and llaid among them, trading for lemons and bananas, which they exchanged for glafs beads. On t.h« 4th in the morning they left this place, and on the 5th of the next month, they found themielves in 4 reg. 27 min. fopth latitude. The fame day at noon they were n- rh furprifed with a violent ftroke given to the lower part of one of the ihips, as neither rock nor enemy appeared. While they nmufed themfelves with this phsenomciion, they cbferved that the fea about them appeared of a blood jfu colour; but were ignorant r.f the caufe of either, till after their arrival at port Defire, where, on laying the (hip aground on the ftrand to clean her, they found a large horn, refembling an elephant s tooth, V'hich had pierced through three thick planks of the fhip, and razed one ot her ribs. About fix inches of K had penetrated into the wood, and about the fame length appeared without: whence they concluded, that iome fea monfter had (truck the Ihip, and not be- iinf' able to draw back his horn after the thruft, broke it off, and occafioned that effufion of blood which tinged the fea. Hitherto no perfon on board except the commander knew whither they v/erc bound ; but he now thought proper to d'fcover the trje intention of their voyage, \vh: .1 was to find a new paflage into the Pacific Ocean, On the 2Cth of November, in the afternoon, they fnw the illand of Afcenfion, which lies in 20 deg. fouth latitude ; and on the 2if!: were under the parallel of 38 deg. 23 min. Here the variation of the com- pais was 17 deg. eaflerjy. December 6, they had a profpi-ft of land, ^nd fell in with the north fide of \on Djfire, and on the 7th, entered the haven, which ROUND CAPE HORN. 229 wKicK lies in 47 deg. 40 min. They found at the entrarce very deep water, but not feeing the cliffs defcriDed by Van Noort, they continued their courfe to the fouthward, till they were in the right channel^ and came intoa crooiced bay ,» where at high w.:terthey hadbut four fathomand a half , and at low-water four- teen feet only, io that the ftern of th.e Unity touched the ground ; but the wind blowing frefh from the land, Ihe received very little damage. They found here plenty of eggs among the cliffs, and caught fmelts eighteen inches long, and thence called it Smelt-bay. Their (hallop alfo went to the Penguin ifland?, and brought from thence a hundred and fifty penguins and two fea-lions. The 8th, they failed out of the Smelt-bay, and anchored juft before port Defire, where the Unity ran aground, and was given over for loll. They, however, got her off the next flood, and Hood farther up the river to King's ifland, which they found full of fea-mews, anJ almoft co- vered with eggs. They alfo faw many ollriches here, and a fort of beafts refembling harts, with very long necks, and extremely wild. On the 17th, they laid the Unity down upon King's ifland ; a»:d on the 1 8ch, hawled the Horn on fliore for the fame purpofe. But the next day, the fire which was made of reeds for breaming the fhips, reached the Horn, and notwith. Handing; their utmoft endeavours to quench the flames, reduced her to aflies. On the 20th, at high water, they launched the Unity, and carried on board all the cannon, iron work, anchors, and whatever elfe they were able to fave out of the Horn. On the 13th of January, they failed from port Dt. • fire, and on the i8th, they faw the Sebaldine iflands. The 24th, in the forenoon, they faw land on the ftarboard fide, with very large high hills, covered with ice, and then other land bearing ead from it. They gueffed f'lie lands which this profpeil afforded, lay about eight leagues afunder, and imagined there mighc be a good paffagejietvveen them, becaufe of a brin. fouth cu'-ent, which fet that way. At nooa they found thcmfelves in the lat. of 54 deg. 46 mia il n I;; ' I. 230 ^VILLIAM SCHOVTEN'S VOYAGE min. and faw an incredible number of penguins, t(v gether with fuch large (hoals of whales, that they were forced to fail with caution. The 25th, in the morning, they came clofe to the eaft land, which ex- tended E. S. E. as far as they could fee. This they called States Land ; and that on the weft, Maurice Land. At noon, they were in 55 deg. 36 min. fouth latitude, and fteered S. W. In the evening, they fteered fouth, and were fully fatisfied that the great South Sea was now before them, into which they paf« fed by a paflage of their own difcovery. The fea- mews here were bigger than fwans, and would fit tamely on the (hip's fide, and fuffer themfelves to be taken. The 26th, they were in the latitude of 57 deg. and being driven by a llorm from the W. S. W.. courfe, they flood away north weft. The 27th, they were in the latitude of 56 deg. 31 min. the weather very cold, with hail and rain. The 28th, they fteer- ed W. and W. by S. which brought them into the la- tude of 56 deg. 48. min. On the 29th, they fteered S. W. and difcovered two iflands, which they called Barnevelt's iilands ; and found their latitude 57 deg. fouth. Hence they failed north weft, and in the evening faw land again, which v^as high and hilly, covered with fnow, and lay fouth from the Streights of Magellan,^ ending in a Iharp point, which they called Cape Horn, in 57 deg. 48. min. fouth latitude. They now fteered weft, and found a ftrong current fetting the fame way, which gave them afl'arance, that the paftage was opea into the South-Sea. The 31ft, they failed weft, the wind at north, and came into the latitude of 58 deg. On the 1 2th of February, they plainly faw the Ma- gellanic Streights lying to the eaftward. Being thus convinced, that they had made the happy difco- very, they exprefled their general joy, by every per- fon on board having a cup of wine, which went three times round the company ; and at the fame time they gave this new paflage the name of Streights le Maire. It is obfervable, that during the whole time of their failing through thefe ftreight5, and round about the Couthcra ^1 <1 ROUND CAPE HORN. 2Ji fouthern extremity of Cape Horn, they had a fettled courfe of bad weather, a thick and foggy air, and ftrong currents, which rendered their faihng in thefe ftreights very tedious. On the 28th, they refolved to fail for the ifland of Juan Fernandes, in order to refrefh their crew^ many of whom were fick, and the reft debilitated by fatigue ; they faw thefe iflands on the ift of March. The road of the larger lies on the eaftern fide, and they fliaped their courfe to the weft, by which mean* they could not get near enough the land to anchor. They therefore difpatched their boat to"^ found ^ the depth of the water j and ftic returned with an account of there being good anchoring before a very lovely valley of trees and thickets, refrelhed with dreams of water flowing from the hills. They brought plenty of fifti with them,, particularly lobfters and crabs, and cbferved that they had feen a great many feals. The two following days, they repealed theic attempt to anchor clofe by the land ; but all their en- deavours were ineffedual. Tie men, however, ftiU continued fiftiing with fuch fuccefs, that they took almoft two tons of fifti with only hooks, while fome of the company went to fetch water. But finding it impofiible to land on the ifland, they refolved topur- fue their voyage* On the 14th, continuing their courfe to the weft* ward, they faw a large low ifland, and at fun-fet be- ing about a league from it, an Indian canoe advan- ced to meet them. The men, who were naked, had long black hair, and their bodies were of a reddifl^ colour. They made figns to the Dutch to come on ftiore, and even called to them in their language; but tiio' the Dutch anfwered them in their own, the Spa- nifh, Moluccan, and Javar* iongues, the Indians could not underftand them. 7 he water was here fo deep, that when they came clofe to the ifland, they could find no bottom. They therefore continued their courfe to the fouthward, and having made ten leagues that nighr, failed in the morning clofe along the Ihore, oa which many of thefe naked people were ilanding, and f-'cra* i.:l •1; i^ i ,■ ';1 il, 232 WILLIAM SCH0VTEN*8 VOYAGE feemed casing to them to land. Soon after, one of the canoes put off towards the fhip, but though the men would not come near it, they ventured up to the fhallop, when the Dutch gave them beads and knives, and feveral other things, with which they were highly pleafed ; and this at laft emboldened them to come a little nearer the fhip, though they would not go on board, but got back into the fhallop. They indeed did not feem to have any great reafon /or defiring their company, for they appeared to be in- tirely void of honefty, and were fo fond of iron, that they dole the very nails of the cabbin windows. When the Dutch gave them wine, they drank the liquor and kept the cup, and when they threw a rope to bring them to the fhip, th'^y would neither ufe the rope nor return it. In Ihort, whatever thy laid their hands on, they confidered as their own, nor was there any way of recovering it, without making ufe of force. Thefe people were entirely naked, except wearing a fmall mat round the waift ; and what feemed very fingular, and gave them a very odd appearance, their Ikins were all over painted with the reprefenta- tion of fnakes, dragons, and other reptiles of the poifonous kind. They were defirous of trying whether it was pof- fible to procure any thing on the ifland, and accord- ingly the fhallop with eight mufqueteers, and others of the fhip's company were fent afhore ; but they were no fooner landed, than thirty of the natives rufhed out of a wood, armed with clubs, flaves and flings, and at- tempted to feize the fhallop, but the mufqueteers firing among them they fled. This ifland they called the ifland without ground, from their not being able to anchor near it. It is not broad, but of a confidcrable length, and full of trees, which they fuppofe to be cocoas and palmetto's. It lies in 15 deg. fouth latitude and about a thnufand leagues from the coaft of Peru. They now continued their courfe to the weftward, and on the i6th, came to another ifland. It was very low land, with many trees growing on its fides; but they here found no food except a few herbs like fcuvy- grafs> ROUND CAPE HORN. 235 grafs, with fome crabs and other fliell fiHi. It how- ever afforded them good frefli water, v/hich they found in a pit near the Ihore, and the pottage they made of the herbs gathered here, was of great fervice to thofe who were troubled with the flux. This they called Water Ifland, from its furniihing them with a fupply of water. On the 18th, they reached another iflmd fitaated cfn the fouth-weft about twenty leagues from Water- Ifland, and the boat being fcnt to found the depth, found a bottom by a point of land, near which was a gentle ftream of water. The empty cafks were there- fore fen' in the boat, but after the men had taken great pa'.ns in landing, they were frightened away at fight of one of the natives ; five or fix more of whom prefently after appeared upon the fhore, but finding they were gone off, returned into the woods. The Dutch, however, found, thattho* they had efcaped the natives, they could not avoid other very troublefome enemies, that lluck very clofe to them, of which they brought many millions out of the woods : Thefe were a fort of black flies, in fuch prodigious fwarms, that the men returned covered with them from head to foot ; their very boat and oars were all over in the fame drefs as themfelves ; fb that when they came back, the plague of flies began to rage in the fliip, and every man was employed in defending his face and eyes as well as he could ; for it was difficult for any of them to open their mouths either to fpeak or eat, without taking in a mouthful of them. This dreadful perfecution lafled about three or four days, during which the men were employed in killing them with fly-flaps, which did fuch execution, that tew of the flies were left to torment them. This incident - induced them to call the place FJy- Ifland, and from which they were very glad to efcape as fall as poffible. On the 9^h of May, in 15 deg. 20 rain, fouth lati- tude, and according to their reckoning 15 10 leagues from the coalt of Peru, they perceived a bark failing towards them, which they went to meet, and fired a ^un or two as a fighal for her to flrike ; but thofe in the « ii •m 1 f;i. .:i' s; 234 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE the bark not underftanding the language of the gun«, the Dutch fent their fhallop with ten mufqueteers to take her ; upon which fhe endeavoured to make her cfcape, but the fhallop intercepting her, fome of her men threw themfelves and their goods overboard ; but when the fhallop boarded her, thofe who were left made not the leaft refiflance, but quietly fur- rendered to the conquerors, who ufed them very kind- ly, drefled their wounds, faved the lives of fome who had leaped into the lea, and entertained all of them in the (hip. There ^ere about twenty-three of thefe people, among whom were eight women and feveral chil- dren. They were of a reddifh complexion, and had no covering but round the waiih The men had long curled black hair, while that of the women was fhort, and they all appeared remarkable for their neatnefs and cleanlinefs. Their bark was of a peculiar figure andftrudure; it confided only of two canoes fallened together, with feveral planks laid acrofs from one canoe to the other, hanging over a good way on both fides, and being made very faft and clofe above. At the end of one of the canoes was a mafl, with a fail made of mats. They haJ neither compafs, charts, ncr any other furniture for \\e fea, but a few fifhing hooks, the upper part of which was ftone, and the other tortolfefhell, black bone, or mother of pearl. The Dutch did not kt'ep them long on board their fhip; for after fatisfying their cUriofity in examining fo fmgular a bark, fent them back to their vefTel, where the women exprefTed their joy, by embracing their hufbands. On the » ith, they came up with a very high ifland, and were vifited by another of the fame kind of barks, which failed fo faft, that few Dutch fhips could keep her company. This ifland, which is hiuated in 16 deo;. 10 min. is one entire mountain refemblino; the Moluccas ; and being covered with cocoa trees, they gave it the name of Cocoa Ifland. Near this was another ifland much lower, but of greater length. V^hile they were at anchor there came three large vef- fels, and nine or ten canoes with three or four men in each» ROUND CAPE HORN. 23J cach, Tome of them hanging out white flags, in which they were imitated by the Dutch. Thele canoes were flat at one end, and fharp at the other. They were each of them hewn out of a folid piece of red wood, and remarkable for the fwiitnefs wiih which they failed. Many of the natives, on their approaching the Dutch (hip, leaped into the water with their hands full of cocoas and ubes roots, which they baitered for nails and b ads, giving four or five cocoas for a nail, orafm^-' ••'<» of beads. But this trade inducing (o many of . ^Ives ta come on board that the Dutch could fcarcel) tir, they fent the fliallop to the other ifland in fearch of a more convenient ftation. She was fcarcely out, before (he was furrounded by a vafl number of canoes, filled with people armed with clubs, who immediately boarded her, and attacked the men ; but one of them being fhot through the breaft, they took care for the future to keep at a greater dif- tance. Thefe men were lully and well proportioned, excellent fwimmers, thievifh, and appeared very fan* taflical in the manner of drefling their hair. The next day they came again with their canoes loaden with cocoas, bananas, ubes-roots, hogs, and frefli water, when there arofe lo great a contentioa among them who fhould get firft to the fhip, that thofe who were behind jumped into the water with bunches of cocoas in their mouihs, and diving under their canoes climbed up the fidts of the fhip like fo many rats, in fuch fv^'arms, that ihey were forced to keep them oft* with ftaves. They however bartered with them for twelve hundred cocoas. The king now fent the commander a prefent of a black hog, charging the mefl'enger to take no reward, and foon after came himfelf in a large veilel, jittended with thirty-five canoes : as he approached the Dutch Jliip, he began to call aloud, and his example was followed by all that accompanied him, thib being their manner of bidding ftrangers welcome, fhe Dutch re- ceived them with trumpets and drums, with which they were both pleafed and furprized,when, to fhew their fenfe of thehonour done them, they bowed and clapped their bands ,1 a ! m * fl .:.>i !! 'I 236 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE hands over their heads. The king then fent the Dutch a prefent, which they returned with the gift of an old hatchet, fome rufty nails, glafs beads, and a piece of linnen cloth, which his majelly received with a low bow, and feemed much pleafed with them. He was only to be diftinguifhed from his fubjedls by the reverence they fhewed him, for both he and they being entirely naked, he had no enfign of dignity. He however could not be perfuaded to go on board, though his Ton did, and was well entertained. On the 13th at noon, the Dutch veffcl was fur- rounded with a fleet of twenty-three fhips, and forty- five canoes, in which were no lefs than feven or eight hundred men. The king himfelf commanded the fle«t. But though they at firft pretended to come with a view of trade, and attempted by their figns to make them fail to the other ifland, where they would iind much better accommodations, yet the Dutch fufpedling fome mifchief, put themfelves on their guard, and not indeed without reafon, for the Indians furrounding the fliip on all fides, gave a great cry, and began the attack. The king's veffel was the foremoft in the aftion, and ruflied on with fuch force at the Dutch Ihip, that the heads of two canoes, which lay before it, were daflied to pieces by the violence of the fliock, while the reft came on as well as they could, throwing a fhower of flones ; but the Dutch difcharg- ing their mufquets, and three great guns loaded with mufket fliot and nails, into the canoes, all who lay within reach of the guns were glad to feek for lafety» by leaping into the water, and the reft retired with the utmolt precipitation. From this inllance of treachery, they called the place Traitors Ifland. The nextday they got under fail, and continuing their courfe to the weft ward, came on the i^th to another ifland, 30 leagues diftance from the former. This they called Hope Ifland, from the hopes they enter- „ tained of its fumifliing them with fome refrefliment. This ifland was full of black cliffs, whofe tops were covered with vegetables, and well flocked with cocoa trees. There were feveral houfes along the fea-flde, and tht gift and fived lem, and [nity. )ard. ROUND CAPE HORN. 237 and a large village clofe by the rtrand ; but finding no convenient anchoring place, Mr. Schovten left it, and failed to the fouth-weil. The captain now thought proper to obferve to the officers, they were at leall 1600 leagues to the weft- ward of the coaft of Peru, and as they had not yet difcovered any part of the fouth-land they had ex- peded, there was no probability of their doing it now: That they had failed much further to the weftward then they firft intended ; and if they proceeded in the courfe they had hitherto purfued, they ihould certainly fall to the fouthward of New Guiney, where if they found no paffage they muft inevitably be loft, fince it would be impoflible to fail back to the eaftward, on account of the eafterly winds that blew continually in thofe Teas. He therefore propofed, that they ftiould ftand to the northward, in order to reach the north coaft of New Guiney. This propofal was readily em- braced, and they Ihaped a north north- weft courfe immediately. On the 19th, they obferved two iflands at about eight leagues diftance, which feemed to be a cannon Ihot from each other. On the 21ft being about a league from the land, they were vifited by two canoes, and though they gave them no manner of provocation, were rudely infulted by fome of the people, who be- gan to fhout, and threaten to dart their wooden afla- gayas at them ; upon which the Dutch fired, and kil- ling two of thefe Indians, the reft fled with the ut- moft confufion. . On the 2 2d, more of the Indians came to the ftiip, but behaved in a very friendly and peaceable manner, bringing cocoas, ubes roots, and roalled hogs, which they exchanged for knives, beads, and nails. Thefe people were as expert in fwimming and diving as thofe of Traitors Ifland, and as well verfed in ftealing, which they always praftifed whenever they had an opportunity. Their houfes, which flood along the - ftrand, were covered on the top with leaves, and had a kind of penthoufe of the fame materials, to carry oiF the water, Thefe edifices, which were ten or twelve 238 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE twelve feet high, and twenty-five in compafs, wefe furnifhed with nothing but a bed of dry herbs, an angling rod or two, and a large club j nor had the houfe where the king himfelf refided any other fur- niture. On the 24th, Mr. Schovten fcnt three of his prin- cipal officers to cftablilh a friendfhip with the Indians, and to llay on (hore as hoitages in the room of fix In- dians of dillind^ion, who came on board, and were made very welcome ; while the Dutch on (hore were treated by the king with the higheft refped. He made them a prefent of four hogs, and if any of his people came near the Dutch boat to difturb them, while they were taking in water, lie Avould drive them away himfeif, or order fome of his men to do it ; for his fubjeifts flood in very great awe of him, and were afraid of his being acquainted with any of their crimes, as they were fure of he' ig feverely puniflied. The noife of the guns terrified them fo extremely, that they fled with the utmoft precipitation, whenever they were difcharged. The king, however, had a de- fine to he ir one of the great guns, and for that pur- pofe was feated under a canopy, with fome of his favourites about him in great order; but upon hear- ing the explofion, he leaped from his feat, and ran into the woods with all his courtiers after him, not- wlthftanding all the friendly figns made by the Dutch. On the 25th and 26th, they again went on fhore to barter for hogs, but could obtain none, the Indians having only a few of them left. The king, however, continued to treat ihem with the fame kindnefs and refptd as before, and both he and his principal at- tendants pulled off their caps of feathers, and placed them upon the heads of two of the company. Thefe caps were raade of white, red, and green feathers, furnifhed them by their parrots and doves, which lalt are white upon the back, and black every where clfe except upon the breall. Every member of the king's council has one of thefe doves futing by him upon a flick. On ROUND CAPE HORN. 239 On the 28th, having finiihed their watering, Mr. Schovten and fome of the officers went afliore with the trumpets, the mafic of which afFordeJ the kiiiff know, that if they woulJ go in two days time, he would gi\ e them ten hogs, and a confiJerable num- ber of cocoas ; but notwillanding his fufpicions, he paid them a vifit on board. His men behaved with tlie utmoTt fubmifiion to the Dutch, and with all the tokens of awe and fear, frequently kifTed their feet and placed them upon their necks. On the 30th, the king was vifited by the fove- reign of the other iiland, who came with a train of three hundred naked Indians, having bu;'.ches of green herbs iluck round their waifls, and driving before ti\em fixtejn iiogs, to infure a welcome reception. When thefe two princes came in fight of each other, they bowed, and muttered fomething to themfelves ; and thus meeting both fell with their faces flat upon the ground, and after ufing feveral flrange gellures, walked to the feats prepared for them, v/here again mutterinc^ to them- fv'lves, they bowed to each other, and then fat down un- der a canopy. The prince of the iflandjin order to wel- come the itranger, fent a mefTenger to acquiint tiie Dutch that he fhould be glad of their mufic, which they underftanding, came on fliore with their drums and trumpets, with which the two kings were highly delighted. After this, preparations were made for a banquet, when a company of men came in with a good quantity of cana, an herb of which they make their drink, and each of them having taken a mouth- full, they for fome time chowed it together, and then put it in a wooden tiougli, poured water upoa it, and having (lirred and drained it, preferted this flrange kind of liquor in cups to their two kings, and very civilly offered fome of it to the Dutch, who declined tailing it. The other parts of the entertainment con- filied of ubcs roots roa-ted, and hogs drcffed after the following flrange manner : after ripping np the bellies I and U ■ 1 :; m i' i 240 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE and taking out the entrails, they filled the cavity with hot (tones ; and having finged off the hair on the out- fide, they were without further preparations fit for the king*s table. Two of thefe hogs were alfo prefented to the Dutch, with all the form and ceremony which they ufed to their kings, putting them firft upon their heads, and then kneeling with great humility, left them at their feet. They alfo gave them eleven more of thcfe creatures alive, for which they received a pre- fent of knives, old nails, and beads. Thefe people were of a dark yellow complexion, ftrong and well proportioned bodies, fo tall, that the largeft among the Dutch was not equal in llature to the lead of them. Some wore their hair curled, others had it tied up in knots, and others again had it ftanding upright in bridles. That of the king and fome of his courtiers was very long, hanging down below their hips, but the women were cropped clofe, and were very difagreeable figures ; being fhort and ill-fhaped, with long hanging breafts : both fexes were naked from the waifl upwards. Thefe people live upon what the earth fponlaneoufly produces, without the labour of agriculture, or the care of attending cattle. The Dutch called this place Horn Ifland, and the harbour where they anchored. Unity Bay, On the firft of June, they fet fail, but made no land till the 2 1 ft, when they came to a vefy low illand, in 40 deg. 47 minutes, near which were feveral fand banks, and three or four fmaller iflands full of trees. Here they were vifited by a canoe, the peopk in whirh were blacker than thofe they had ken before, and arm- ed with bows and arrows, which were the firft they had obferved among the Indians of the South Sea. Thefe people told them by figns, that there was more land and good conveniencies [for (hipping to the weftward, where the king dwelt; upon which they again held a welierly courfe, and the next day faw twelve or thirteen idands clofe to each other. On the 24th, they faw three low iflands, lying to the fouth- weft, one of which v/as very fmall, and the others only two miles long. Thefe they called the Green Iflands. S They ROUND CAPE HORN. 241 They were furrounded with clifFa, without any con- venient road where (hips may ride in fafety. The next day being the feaft of St John the Bap- tift, they dilbovered another ifland, which they called St. John's Ifland. They now obferved a very high land to the fouth-weft, which they imagined was the point of New Guiney ; this they reached by noon, and fent a fliallop to found, but no bottom could be difcovered. Here two or three canoes, filled with, a barbarous fort of people, aflaulted the fliallop with flings ; but the Dutch firing upon them, they appear- ed greatly terrified and foon difperfed. They were very black, entirely naked, and fpoke a language quite dififerent from the other. They kept fires upon the coaft all that night, and fome of them in their canoes came lurking about the fliip, which the Dutch foon difcovered ; then they ftrove to oblige them, yet they would underftand none of the figns, by which they endeavoured to let them know that they are in want of provifion ; but ?.ll the anfwer they made conflfted in horrible noifes and outcries. The following evening, the Unity came to an an- chor in a bay furrounded by a lofty green country, which afforded a pleafant profped. This bay they fuppofed to be 1840 leagues diftant from Peru. On the 26th in the morning, they were viflted by three canoes^ filled with favages armed with clubs, wooden- fwords, and flings ; aiM though the Dutch ftill treated them kindly, they foon found that they were to be conquered only by the great guns ; for they aflaulted the fliip with all their force, and continued the attack till ten or twelve of them were killed by the cannon fliot, when they leaped into the water, and began to fwim for their lives ; but the Dutch purfuing them in the fliallop, knocked fome on the head, took three prifoners, and four canoes, which they ufed in the fliip for fire wood. The feverity of this treatment convinced the favages of their miftake, and they now readily brought hogs and bananas to ranfom the prifoner«. ' I 1 ■ I? Vol. I M Ok •S42 WlLI lAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE On the 28th in the evening, they again fee fiii], and the next day law three high i {lands to ^he north of the former. On the 30th in the morninf^^ feveral canoes of very fwarthy Indians came up to the fhip, and being permitted to go on board, broke llavec over the heads of the Dutch, as a fign of peace. Their canoes were neater than the others, and the people appeared moie civil and modeft, wearing a •covering about the vvaill, which the others did not. They alfo rubbed their black hair with chalk, which ^gave it the appearance of being powdered. They pretended to be fo pour that they came to beg, though plenty of cocoas grew on thefe iflands. On the firft of July, in the morning, the Unity came to an anchor between an illand and the main land of New Guiney, and was foon funcunded with twenty five armed canoes, 'i'wo of thefe, faiknirrg girdles round two of the anchors, attempted to draw her afl)ore, while the reft attacked her fides with their fiings and other weapons ; but the Dutch iiring upon them with their great guns, forced them to retire with the lofs '-f twelve or thirteen killed, and a much greater number wounded. Finding there was no hopes of procuring any re- frelhr.ients from fo favage a race of moitals, the •Dutch again fet fail, and on the^th pafTed by twenty- three other iflands, fome of them a leagu.-, and others not more than a cannon (hot dillant from each other. On the 6th, they obfcrved a v'f?ry high mountain to the fouth-weft, which they fuppofed to be Geemc- '~naffi in Banda; but on a nearer approacji difcovered three more lying to the north, at about fix or feven leagues diflance. The next day they perceived fome ■of thefe mountains to be volcanos, ard thence called it Vulcfn's Ifle. It was well inhabited, and full of ^cocoas ; but they found no proper place for anciiOilng : I he people were naked and extremely fearful of the Dutch, and their language fo very different from that of the neighbouring illands, that none of the Indians the Dutch had taken on board could underftand them. There foon aftfr appeared more iflands to the nouh ROUNO CAPE HORN. ^43 north and north-weft ; but they Peered to a very low one to the weftward, which they reached that even- ing. On the 8th of July they came to an anchor before an ifland in 3 deg. 40 min. fouth latitude, which feemed to be an unhealthy place, and yielded nothin ' of any value, except a little ginger. It was in- habited by Papous, a people, whole ridiculous drefs •added to their natuial deformity, made them appear little fliort of monflers. For the greater part of therm had fomething odd and ftrange, either in the bienefs cr pofition of their limbs, vhich added to ftrino-s of hogs teeth hung about their necks, and rino^s fallened in their nofes, with their fhort frizzled hair, and very bad faces, rendered them perfectly difagree- abie. Their houfes were entirely void ol ornament, and fixed upon llakej eight or nine feet from the ground. Though the Dutch had failed fo long by an exten- five track of land, they were unable to determine whether it was New Guiney or not, their charts neither agree! 'ig with one another, nor the land tney jaw before them. On the 13th and 14th they kept failing by the coaft, and on the 15th, purfuing the fame courfe, reached two low iflands, about half a league from the main land ; and in about 2 deg. 54 min. font), latitude, when feeing, the country well llored with cocoas, they difpatched 'he boat and ihal- lop, which was well provided for an attack, with or- ders to land and get fom but the Indians, having obferved their boats, prepaied to receive them at their landing, and gave ihem the warmeit reception with the'r bows and ilings they 'ever met with, wounding al icall fix teen of tiiem, and forcing them to retire, KOtwithHanding their being armed with mufkcts. The next morning, however, they came to an anchor be- tween two iHands, and having landed on the leJfl'er, burnt fome of the Indian houfes, and brought off as many cocoas as amounted to three toevcry man's /liare; when the natives finding themfelves unable to oppofe thefe llraflgers, brought cocoas, bananas, and ginger . M 2 an* !i ' } } ■ in Uh m .iii W lmm £44 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGE and going on board the fhip, a peace was concluded, * and the Indians perfcdlly Satisfied with a few beads and nails. The next day ihey continued bartering for cocoas, bananas, calTave and papade, and obtain- ed fuch a number of the former as amounted to fifty nuts and two bunches ot bananas a man. This ifland the natives called Mofa, the other over againft it Jufan, another which was very highland, and about five or fix leagues from New Guiney, they called Arimea. In all probability this was not the firft v'ifit thefe Indians had received from Europeans, ior ihey had Spanifh jars and pots among them ; were not furprifed like others, at the firing of the great guns ; nor fo curious in examining the fhip as it is natural to think they would have been, had this been the firft they had ever beheld. On the 2 1 ft, they coafted along the main land to the north-weft, and anchored among a clufter of iflands, which they left on the 23d in the morning ; ^on after which they were overtaken by fix large ^anoes bringing dried fifti, cocoas, bananas, and a fmall fort of fruit like prunes, and tobacco. From another iiland, fome Indians brought them provifions and china ware : thefe people, like moft of the bar- barians, were extremely fond of beads and iron woi k ; but dillingniihec' 11 om thofe in the laft ifland, by the Jargenefs of their fize, and their having more of the orange coloured complexion. Their arms were bows and arrows, ar d their principal ornaments glafs ear- rings of fevera! colours, by which it appeared that thefe Dutchmen were not the firft Europeans that they had traded with. » On the 24th, they coafted along a very pleafant ifland, to which they gave the name of Schovten, though it is diftinguiflied in the maps by the name of Horn Ifland, and the weft point of it they called the Cape of Good Hope. On the 26th, they perceived three iflands more, and on the 29th at night, fel fo violent a fliock of an earthquake, that the men ran frightened out of their cabbins, imagining that the fhip had run a ground, or bulged againf a rock ; but .•y-^-v tdecf, kads ?ring Itain- over [land, they It the jeans, were [reat it is been that they but ROUND CAPE HORN. 245 but upon founding could find no bottom, and con- fequently were in no danger of cither rocks or (helves. On the 31ft in the evening, they palTed the Equa- tor a fecond time, and in the three following days' came in fight of feveral iflands, and fuppofed that they had reached the end of the continent of New Guiney, having fiiled 280 leagues along the coalh On the 5th of Auguft, in the morning, feveral canoes came up to the iliip, bringing Indian beans, rice, tobacco, ^nd two birds of Paradifc ; the Diitcii purchafed one of thefe fine birds, v/hich was v.'hite and yellow. Tlicfe Indians fpoke theTernate lan'>uagf , and fome of them the Malayan and Spanifli. 1 hey were all finely cloathed about their v/aill-, forne with ioofe fiiks, and others with breeches. Some ol the company were Mahometans, and^had filk turbans on their heads. They had all in general black l^air, and many gold and fi'ver rings upon their finger'. But though they bartered with the L>utch for beads and other toys, they had a much greater defire for linnen cloth. Thefe people were fo fearful and fuf- picious, that they would not tell tlie Dutch tiie name of their country, though they imagined they were at one of the three eallorly points of Gilolo, and that thelc were natives of Tydore ; v^^hich they afterwards found to be true. On the 6ih in the morning, they v/eiahed and flood to the northwaid, and on the 18th were falutcd by two canoes of Ternateens, who fliev/ed their peaceable diipoHtion by hanging out a v/hite flag, and iniorined them they came from th'^ village of Soppy, where they had lately ften an Englifh O'lip, and a piniiace from Amllerdam, which laid tiitre three months for a lading of rice, and forne of them ciFercd to conducl them the next day into the road oi Soppy, which they accordingly entered on the 19th, and bartered there for poultry, fatoe, rice, and turtle ; when feveral natives coming on board, to'.d them that an Englifli and Dutch fhip had been lately in thofc partes ainl had procured a fuliicient fupply of prox-ifions lor their voyage home. M ^ This 246 WILLIAM SCHOVTEN's VOYAGB This news was extremely agreeable to thefe people^ who had almofl fpent their whole ftore, and there was a kind of public rejoicing among the whole crew^ which now confiiled of eighty-five men, all healthy and vigorous. On the 5th, they anchored oiFthe coaft of Gilolo, where fome of the feamen, on going on fhore unarm- ed, to catch filh, four foldiers of Ternate fud- denly rufhed out of the woods, fword in hand, in^ tending to have killed them while they were draw- ing their net ; but the furgeon calling out Oran Hol- ianda, the Indian foldiers flopped, and throwing ■water on their head, which in thofe countries is a lign of peace, approached them in a civil manner, affuring them, that the reafon of their attempt was their taking them for Spaniards. At the requeft of the feamen, they were perfuaded to go on board, where having beads and other trifles given them, they promifed to bring provifions and other refrefli- ments, which they accordingly did. On the 17th, they came to an anchor before Ma« layla in Ternate, and capt. Schovten and James Lc IViaire going on fliore, were entertained by the ge- neral, the governors of Amboyna, the admiral Verhacen, and the whole council of India, and the next day fold two of their fliallops, with a great deal of what they had faved out of the Horn, which was burnt at King's Ifland; for which they re- ceivedin money 1350 rials: with part of this fum they purchafed two lafts of rice, a ton of vinegar, the like quantity of Spanifli wine, and about three tons of blfcuit. On the 27th, they failed for Bantam, and on the 28th of Odtober, anchored at Jacatra, where they found three Dutch and as many Englidi fliips in the road. But on the laft of Odlober, John Peterfon Koen, prcfident of the Eaft- India company at Ban- tam, arriving in that city, he the v^ry next day fent for the captain and both the fupercargoes before the council of the Indies, and after very little dif* tourfe, required them, in virtue of his commiflion from ROUND CAPE HORN. 247- was Prew^ ihhy [loJo, irm- Ifud- iravv- from the Eaft- India company, to deliver up the (hip and cargo immediately. The captain and fuper- cargoes infifted that the feizure was unlawful, fines they entered the Indies by neither of the forbidden paffages, the Cape of Good Hope, or the Streight? of Magellan, but by a pafTage they themfelves had difcovered, which would be of great advantage to the commerce of their countrymen and to the whole trading world. But all their arguments were to no purpofe, the prefident telling them that they might leek for redrefs in Holland. This happened on Mon- day the firll of November, according to the reckon- ing of thofe who failed in the Unity, and upon Tucf- day the fecond of November, according to the reckon- ing of their countrymen, who had failed diredly from Holland, For as the Unity had failed weftward, and had with the fun fo far encompaiTed the globe, they had one night, or fun-fetting lefs than their coun- trymen who had failed to the eaft. Their fhjp bejng in this manner taken from them, fome of the men entered into the Eaft-India com- pany's fervice, and the reft were put into two fhips, returning to Holland ; but Mr. James Le Maire, was fo fhocked at this difaftrous end of a voyage, which till that time had been fo profperous, that he died of grief and vexation, within a little more than a fortnight after the lofs of the veiTel. The reft of the company had a profptrous voyage to Holland, and arrived at Amfterdam on the firft of July ; their voyage round the world being performed in two years and eighteen days, which confidering the dif- ficulties they met with, and the nature of ihcir courfe, muft appear extremely fingular. But what. repdehs it ftill more furpiizing is, that they loft only four men during this long and dangerous ex- pedition. M 4 Capt* 248 CAPTAIN MONK'S VOYAGE Captain Monk's Voyage to the Frozen Sea. CAPTAIN Monk was one of the moft expert navigators of his time; and a perfon of fuch integrity, that not a finglc falfity in the account he gave of his voyage, has ever been pointed out by any one Vvho has fince vifited the fame, parts. Thefe pcrfonal qiuilifications recommended him To Ihongly to Chriftian IV. king of Denmark, that he fitted out two fhiips, and gave the command to captain Monk, with inilruf^ions to attempt the difcovery of a N. E. pafTa^e to China and Japan. Every thing being ready, Monk left the Sound on the »6i;h of May, 16 19, and on the 20th of June, made Cape Fartwel, a rocky land covered with ice and fnow, and lying in 62 deg. and a half north la- r tude ; ihence Ihering north-weft to Hudfon's Streights, he v.as fome time delayed by the ice, but not damaged, having Tea room enough ; what was more remarkable hereabouts was, that one day the win" blew fo hard, and was fo very cold, that his fails becaniC like a continued piece of ice, and were quite ufelefs ; yet the following afternoon was fo ful- try, that the men were obliged to pull off their tJonrhs, and work in their fhirts. Captain Monk on the 17th, arrived in Hudfon's Streiphts, to which, in honour of his Danilli mrijefty, he gave the name of Chrifiiern's Streights, and landed in an iiland direftly oppofite to Green- land, where fome of his people taking a view of the country, could difcover the footftcps of men, tho* they f^iw no other appearance of them. However, fome came in fight the next day, who feemed fur- priled at the Danes, and advanced towards them m # en )en ich he icfe to bk, TO THE FROZEN SEA. 249 10 a friendly manner, keeping rtill a watchful eye on their arms, wj^ich they had hid beneath an heap of Hones; from which the Danes contrived to cut therrk oiF, a piece of policy that gave the poor fav:^ges great unCafinefs, they begging in a moft fuppliai^c manner, to have them reltored ; and by figns giving to underftand, they had no other livelihood or fubfi- ftance. Their entreaties were at length fuccefsful, the Danes not only reftoring them their arms, but al- fo prefcnting them with fome trifling toys ; for which favours they exprefTed their gratitude, by bringing down to the fliips feveral forts of fifn and fowl. , A fmall looking- glafs being prefented to one of them, he feemed overjoyed at the acquifition, and having viewed himfelf in it two or three times, hiugged it clofe to his bofom, and then lan away as faft as poflible, as if he feared they would take it from him, '^i'hcfe poor people treated with particular marks of refped one of Monk's people, who had long black hair, and was of a fwavthy complexion, not unlike tl emfclves, imagining perhaps that he was a trative of the place, carried thence in his infant )ea;s to Denmark; and this diftindion afforded a goid deal of diverfion to the rell of his brother tars. On the 22d of July, he left this ifland er tire'y; but was obliged, on account of the many ice fl.oais to come to anchor on the zSth, between two IflanJs where there was fome fhelter ; here he brought h s' ihips as clofe to the fhore of one of them as poOiLJe, and even there it required prodigious care to prottdt them from being damaged by the ice, that was hcw- ly driven againll them by the waves, in this place the) found fome good talc, of which they carried oft' fcvcral tons. There were many fmall ifl>ind5 in mcw, but the fea ran too high for them to veiituie at l.ind- ing. Thefe iflands lie in 62 dig. and 20 min. hLchc Jifty leac';ues within Hudfon's Streiohts; and h'loul: cal- le.i the liay wherein he anchored Ilarefcrd, from the |?reat nuinber of harts that wtic to Ic met whh there. , • -Mr Uaviroj 250 CAPTAIN MONK'S VOYAGE Leaving this ftation, on the loth of Auguft, he fleered wtft fouth-weft, with the wind at north- well, and the next day came to the Ibuth of the ftreights of /iflierica, and anchored near a large ifland covered with fnow, which he therefore called Snow ifland. He left this place on the 20th, and fleered north - weft, and well north-well, to Hudfon's bay, till he ar- ri\ed in 63 deg. 20 min. where he determined to winter, calling the place New Denmark, and the part in which he was Moiik's Winter harbour. Here his fliips were hauled up in a little creek, where they were flickered from the inclemency of the wea- ther ; after which precaution his people proceeded ta erefl huts for their winter refidence, near a river that was not froze in Oftober, when all the furrounding leas were bound in ice. On the 7th of Odober, captain Monk made an at- tempt to go up the river in a boat ; but he had not ^one far before he was ftopt by a water wall ; h« therefore made an incurfion of four leagues into the tountry, in fearch of inhabitants, but to no purpofe,, and then returned to his fhips by another road. In his way he met with an image cut upon flone, which had a very frightful appearance, and near it were about eight feet of ground walled in by lefler llones ; on one iide of which lay an heap of fmall flat flones, intermixed with mofs of trees ; and on the other three coals laid acrofs, upon a large flat flone fupported by two others, and fomewhat like an altar : he after- wards found feveral other piles of the fame conftruc- tion ; and near them the marks of human feet ; not- withflanding which, he could not difcover any inha- bitants. It is not improbable, that in thefe places they ofiMBred facrifice, either to or with fire, as many bones lay gen'crally near them, belonging to the vi- ctim perhaps on whofe raw flefh it may be thefa- crificers fed. Here were alfo fome muzzled dogs, and flumps of trees, from examining which they ap- peared to have be^n cut at the roots by iron inftru- ments ; alfo holes in the ground, which had been formed to recdve poks b^cnging to iWh and many pieces ^ he Its of 'tred ^ TO THE FROZEN SEA. 251 pieces of fkins of bears, wolves, fea-calves, &c* which, it is fuppofed, were the cloathing of the in- habitants, who from thefe appearances Monk inferred led a vagrant life, like the people of Tartary and Lapland. Having run up compadl huts, and laid in ftore of wood and wild fowl for the winter. Monk killed a white bear himfelf, upon the flefh of which he and his people fed very hearty ; nor did it difagree wiiK them in the leafl:. They had alfo plenty of hares, partridges, and other fowls, bcfides black foxes and fables. On the 27th of November, they faw what they imagined to be three funs; and on the loth of De- cember, Old Style, about eight o'clock at night, was a lunar eclipfe; foon after which, the moon was fur- rounded by a very bright circle, and interfered by a crofs. This pha^nomenon feemed a forerunner of -the evils that afterwards befel them. The cold began now to grow fo very fevere, that neither beer, wine, nor brandy could refill it, but were frozen up, and the veffels that contained them were fplit into pieces ; fo that before they could ufe the liquors, they were obliged to hew them with hatchets- and diflblve them before the fire : nay, they frvv ice three hundred and fixty feet thick : nor were the Danes able to refift, with all their art, this fe- vere invader ;, for they were carried off, one after- another fo faft, by a griping loofenefs, that in the be- ginning of March, the captain himfelf was obliged ta Jtand centry in his turn, for want of hands. In the fpring, the ficknefs of thofe who furvlved grew worfe ; their teeth loofening, and their gums fwelling, fo that they could take no nourilhment but bread and water ; foon after which malady, a moft inveterate fcurvy added new weight to their affli(5li- ons ; and in May they died fo fall, that there were not hands fufiicient left behind to bury them, and thofe were fcarce able to move, with weaknefs and diforder : to complete their woes, their, bread failed ;hem, in the room of which they dug rjiiberries from under n 252 CAPTAIN MONK'S VOYAGE under the fnow ; but thcfe became ufeleis if not pr- fently confumed. Tjic firll rain they had feen in feven months was on the 1 2th of April ; and about the end of May, they had wild-geefe, ducks, fvvans, fwallows, par- tridges, ravens, fnipes, falcons, and eagles ; but it was not in their power to catch any of them, they were fo debilitated. On the 4th of June, Monk himfelf fell dangeroufly ill, and was four days without taking any fullcnance; during which time he made his will, entreating wliat- foever perfon fhould chance to come that way, to fee him buried, and tranfmit his journal to the king of Denmark ; however, on the 8th he grew ftronger, and crept out of his hut to fee if any of his ftiip's crew were left alive, and he found only two out of fixty-four. Thefe, overjoyed to find their captain had efcaped fo many calamities, carried him to afire, and refrefhed him ; and the three encouraged one another with alTurances of mutual affiftance to the laft moment. The ice now began to melt, and among the fnow they chanced to find a root, which proved a great reftorative, as well as excellent food, ftrengthen- ing them very confiderably ; and they applied them- felves to fifliing and hunting, an exercife which brought them quite to themfelves ; and they now be- gan to think of returning home. The fummer feafon, which approached, brought with it plenty of gnats that peltered them extremely ; neveniii'lefs, they got en' board their fmaller Ihip, leaving the other behind, and hoiiled fail ; but they were greatly incommoded by the ice, and loft their boat and rudder : however, the former they recovered by chance, ten days after, and they fupplied the other Tofs by making a new rudder. They were often en- tangled amohg the ice, but were flill rekafcd by the cha'.j£?eab!enefs of the v^'cather. On the 8th of September, having cleared the fnrtights and Cape F.irewel, and reached the main Oican, they were afiTailed by a violent tcnipeft that Ire^ght their aaaft by the board, and it was not with- out ■4" 11 TO THE FROZEN SEA. 253 out great difficulty they preferved their fails from be- ing waflied into tlie Tea. However, they at laft made fhift to reach the coaft of Norway, where they an- chored in a fmall creek ; and here, as the llorm con- tinued, they would certainly have been dalhed to pieces, had they not luckily put in between the rocks and the land. Having refrelhcd themfelves a few days, they purfued their voyage to Denmark, where they fliortly after arrived ; and captain Monk, whom no body expected ever to fee alive, was recei\ed by the king with great marks of favour, his majelly be- ing well fatisfied with his endeavours. Captain Monk, who was a man of an undaunted fpirit, as well as an excellent mathematician, having always after his return infilled upon the poffibility of difcovering a north-weil paflage, was at length em- ployed by fome of the Danilh nobility, and feveral rich merchants of Norway to attempt it, having raif- ed a good joint (lock to defray the expences of his vovage ; but he was unfortunately prevented, and the defign entirely ruined by an accident not to be fore- fcen. In a conference which Monk had with the king, concerning the misfortunes of his former voyage, and his new enterprize, his majelly obferved, that he had already occafioned the lofs of too many brave fel- lows to hazard it again. This was a farcafm which Monk imagined his perfeverance and Ikill had not ia the leall dcferved ; and he replied in a manner, that the king thought difrefpedful, who thereupon gave him a flight blow on the breall with his Hick, by way of repulfe ; an indignity which aftedkd him fo lliongly, that he went home immediately and pined to death ia three days, duiing which he refufed all manner of nourilhment. Nor do we find that the Danes have made ^iny farther advances towards this difcovery fince that "ime, though indiiputably no nation in Europe is ib wcii adapted to the undertaking as Denmark. * IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ^ III 1.0 I.I 1.25 itt li£ g2.2 ^1^ J^ /: '/ m Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ m <^ 4>\ 22 WIST MAIN STRilT WnSTIR.N.Y. MSM (716)t72-4S03 '^ ^ 254 NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MEN , ^^@@@^®^@©©-^©*^@f©@€^^®@f@© A Succinft Narrative of the Sufferings of eight Seamen, who paffcd the Winter in Greenland. t ( -'I y. IN the year 1630, three fliips were fcnt by the RufTia company of London, to fifli for Vvhale and fea-morfe upon the Greenland coall. One of them was called the Salutation, which having arrived with a fair wind at the place of her deftination, after a few days cruize, fent her fhallop afhore with eight men to catch venifon, furnifliing them with a brace of dogs, a firelock, two Jances, and a tinder-box ; (he at that time riding within four leagues of Black* point, and five of Maiden-paps, a place noted for plenty of excellent deer. On the 15th of June, it being a fine clear day, the fhallop made the land in about four hours ; and her men going aftiore, foon killed fourteen good deer ; after which fuccef?, being quite fatigued, with rowing and with hunting, they fat down to a meal of fuch viduals as they had brought with them; then night coming on, they agreed to reft juft where they were, being all of opinion, it would be dange- rous, and perhaps to no purpole, to feek the vcfTel in the dark. Next morning, the weather being thick, the wind > driving hard at fouth, and much ice betwixt the fhore and the (hip, (he was obliged to fteer farther to fea- ward, out of fight of the(hallop; and this motion, for which the men of the (hallop could not account, giving them fome alarm, they thought it their beft courfe to hunt along the (hore till they came to Green Harbour, where another of the concert (hips was fta- tioned, with whi6h they unanimoudy agreed it v^s beil to ilay till they ihould hear tidings of their owi\ . ^ ihip, PRESERVED IN GREENLAND. 25s Aiip> which they had fome reafon to fear was inclofed among the drift ice. In their way to Green Harbour, keeping clofe to the fliore, they (hot eight more deer, all which they put onboard the Ihallop : but on the 17th, when they reached their intended point, to their great mortifica- tion, they found the other (hip was departed ; a mis* fortune not more unexpeAed than furprifing, as it was certain (he had not a fuiHcient ilock of provifioa for a homeward bound voyage. However, as it wanted but three days of the time limited for the Ihips to depart from the coall, they were extremely uneafy, fully knowing the ill confequences of a de;i lay ; and this determined them to endeavour to reach Bell-Sound, which was a place appointed as a gene ral rendezvous. And to lighten the fhallop, that-Hie might make more way, they heaved all their venifon over-board. From Green Harbour to Bell Sound they computed the dillance to be iixteen leagues, and that night reached the point of Neffe, which they fuppofed to be about half way ; but here they were obliged to come to anchor in a pretty fecure Ilation» between two rocks, there being fo thick a fogabroad^ that they could not fee at above a foot from them. But the weather clearing up, about noon next day> they left the cove, and laboured hard at the oars,^ without coming in fight of Bell Sound, which they overshot at leaft ten leagues to the fouthward, towards Horn Sound: nor will this miftake appear very won- derful, if we confider that they had no compafs oa board, nor one man who knew the land when he faw it. However, after fome deliberation, it was deter- mined that they had gone too far to the fouthward ; upon which, in fpite of the obilinate behaviour of the gunner who fteered the fhallop, they went upoa a northward tack, which was the right courfe, and foon brought them within two miles of the point ; when the weather being clear, the hieh land was very plain, which the gunner narrowly obferving, (tarted up in a pafligni and Wld (its CQmpany, he was fure U ill 256 NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MENT they were upon a wrong courfe, for the land before them had not the leait appearance of Bell Sound ; upon which the boat's crew was once again unhappi- ly perfuaded to fleer away to the fouthward, a ciri cumftance which was the caufe of their fubiequent misfortunes. Having continued a long while in this courfe, th6 people began in earned to think, that Bell Sound could not lie to the fouthward ; for which reafon they refolved again to lleer north, a refolution which irri- tated the opinionated gunner fo much, that he refufed to lleer any longer, and abandoned the guiding oar to the care of another. The (hallop ran before the wind, which was high, and on the 2 id came in fight of the Sound, out of which the wind juft then com- ing about, blew at E. N E. fo that they were forced to take in their fails, and apply to their oars, by the help of which they came two miles within the ihore, where they coved, being obliged to do fo, or drive to leeward. They were all now convinced, not only that this was Bell Sound, but ths it was the very place oa which they had a few days before turned their backs, even the obftinate gunner being obliged co acknow- ledge the fame truth : they firft fought a convenient harbour for the (hallop, in which having fecured her, two of the company were difpatched over to the tent at Bell Sound, which was ten miles from them, to fee if there were any figns of the (hips, of which they had but little hope, as there had been a fair wind for them outward, and the time allotted for their (lay here was expired. The mefTengers retarned without being able to bring any news of the (liips ; however, they refolved to lea\e no place unfearched, where there was a probability of the (liips (laying ; where- fore they agreed to vifit ^^ttl^^Cove, about three lea<>ues di(lacit on the other fide of the Sound, which place they reached the 2 2d, but to no purpole, for there was not the Icall hope of confolation or relief. After a mature and melancholy fcene of delibcra- tion, the rd'ult of which was only a mutual exhorta- tion PRESERVED IN GREENLAND. 2y tion of each other to rely upon the divine proteflion^ and bear undauntedly the diftrefTes that Teemed to threaten them, it was refolved to feek the beil means poHible of fecuring themfelves from the attacks of the winter, and t!ie horrid inconveniencies to which, thus void of all neceiTaries and comforts, they mud necef- farily be expofed. The firft great Hep towards this fccurity vas judged to be laying in a (lock of pro- viiion, for which purpofe it was generally agreed to go to Green Harbour to kill venilon, with the firil fair weather. Accordingly they put out the fhallop, (leering for that place, and on the 25th of AuguH, the wind be- ing very favourable, they arrived at that place in twelve hours. Here fixing their oars fad in the ground, and throwing over them the fail of the fhal- lop, they formed a poor fort of a tent, and repofcd under it for that night, which being very fair and clear, they took but a fhort nap ; but rofe in the morning in order to fet out for Cole's Park, a place well dored with veniCon ; and here they not only kil- led feven deer, but four bears the fame day, all which they intended to dore up for food. But the weather beginning to grow cloudy, and unfit for hunting, they made the bed of their way back to Green Harbour, where they crefted a tent, as before defcribed, of their fails and oars, and hav- ing eat of fuch food as they had, flept pretty well that night. Next morning, it being fair weather, leaving two of the company to take care of the tent, and prepare viduals to refrefli them at their return, they went on board the dial lop, and deered towards Cole*s Park, where they had not been long, before they killed fix deer with the help of their dogs. As the weather was dull, they did not think it proper to advance a great way into the park, but continued to fkirt all day near the Oiore, where they killed fix deers more; but night drawing on apace, with wind and rain, they made what hade they could to their tent for that night, where they daid all the cnfuing day, it being cold, wet, and dorm/. / * i On 258 NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MEN On the (here they found another Ihallop, belonging to the company's fhips, which always leave two or three behind them; on board of this therefore and their own together, having (lowed their provifion, which confined of bears, venifon, and the greaves of the whales that had been boiled here this year, they c!ivided thcmfelves into two companies, intending for Bell Sound, where they had agreed to winter. But the approach of night prevented them from proceed- ing for that time ; and the next day being Sunday, they chofe not to ftir out, but rather to keep the fab- bath with proper r^fpeft, and fet off in the morning with fine weather ; but meeting with a hard gale of wind on Monday, they were detained at Bottle-Cove, till the next day. In the mean time, it blew fo hard, and the fea ran fo high, that their ihallops lafhed to each other, were both filled with water, and part of the provifions waftied over-board ; fo that they were obliged to wade to recover them, as well as their fhal- lops, which by main fti;ength they heaved upon the (hore, where they fattened them with a hawfer and grapnels, and here they refolved to let them lie till the wind fhould favour their expedition to Bell Sound,, which at length they made, without any acci- dent, on the 3d of September. Here their firft care was to unlade their provifion, and lay it up carefully in their tent, that being the place defined for their habitation ; but it is neceffary to inform the reader, that this was a tent very dilFe- rent from that which they had before contrived : for this was a kind of houfe built by the Flemings, for the ufe of fuch of the low country merchant fhips as purfued thefifnery on thiscoafl; it was compofed of timber, pretty fubftantially joined, and covered with Flemifh tiles, it was about eighty feet long, and fifty broad, its principal ufe being to A)elter the coopers, while they were employed in making caiks for the train oil. The weather being now become cold, and the frofls fevere, there was no venturing another voyage to Green Harbour at any rate, left the Sound fhould be fo • PRESERVED IN GREENLAND. 259^ fo frozen as to hinder their return by Tea, and by land it was too rugged and moutainous to be attempt- ed ; fo that they were obliged for this time to give over all farther thoughts of deer hunting, and apply themfelves to making their habitation as warm and compaft as circumftances would admit. For this purpofe, they agreed to make a lefTer tent within the great one, and were fupplied with deal boards, polls, and rafters, from a fmall one built in the neighbourhood of the other, for the reception of the- company's oil. The chimnies of the furnaces fur- niihed them with brick?!, and by good fortune they found four ho^fheads of fine lime, which mixed with the fea fzSu, made an excellent cement. While two of the company were employed in build- ing a wall of the thicknefs of one brick within the 2reat tent againft the inner planks, all the reft la- boured at their different appointments ; for while one pulled down the chinonies, another cleaned the Iricks, and a third carried them in bafkets to the ma** fons ; on the other hand, one was employed in tem- pering the mortar, a fecond forming the boards, and another curing venifon. As their bricks only ferved to raife two fides of the new building, they were obliged to make the otheir two of wood ; accordingly they ereded their pofts, which were a foot in dia- meter, at proper diftances one from another, and nailed boards on each fide, fo that the middle was a hollow, which they filled up with lime and fand ram* med in as hard as pofiible, whereby the air was effec- tually kept out, and the place made furprizingly warm. The whole was covered with deals, interlining each other five or fix times, and leaving not the fmalleft chink open ; the chimney was a vent into the greater tent, which ferved them at the fame time by way of window; for they had removed a few tiles from the top, and made thereby a hole that admitted light, and gave pafTage to the fmoke. The door they lined with deer ikins, that when ic was fhut, quite flopped up all the cracksv . , The 1J il z6o NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MEN The next work they went upon was making four cabins, wherein they coupled two and two, the deer Ikins dried m?.king a very warm and agreeable fort of bed; for firing, they pulled in pieces feven old unferviceable fhallops rhat lay upon the fliore, and piled the pieces, with fome other fuel they had col- le^ed, over the beams, whereby they provided againft the fnow*s coming quite down on them, (hould it by any chance penetrate thro* the tiles. The days now growing cold, or rather nights, for day-light there was fcarcely any, they kept good fires, and in order to make the mod of their fire- wood, when they went to reft, they raked up all the aflies and embers together over a piece of elm, which when opened, after lying perhaps fixteen hours, yielded a very great heat ; and by thefe means, with proper care, their fuel lafted eight months, during which their fire never once went out. On the 1 2th of September, there came a quantity of drifc ice into the Sound, upon one piece ot which, 'they pe ceived two fea horfes fail aileep ; they irnme* jdiately put out the boar, and taking an old harpoon and a rope, approached near enough to them undif- covered, and the gunner made fo excellent a ftroke at the old one, that the harpoon ftuck faft in her, and in a ihort time was killed with a lance, as was alfo the young one. They were foon hauled aihore, and when roafted, afforded a moft plentiful meal. About the loth of Oftober, the cold grew very fe- vere, the feas were frozen as far as they could fee, and as theit cloaths were in a ragged condition, they thought of an expedient, which was to make needles of whale-bone, and thread Out of rope-yarn, with which they did their utmoft endeavour to keep their tattered garments a little longer together. From one of the coolers they got a piece of lead, of which making a fort of lamp, they put into it fome rope- yarn for candlewick, and fupplying it with oil found in the cooper's tent, -made a light which was very comfortable. • *" From mmm PMSERVED IN GREENLAND. 261 , From a neigbou'-ing clifF there ran a conilant ftream of water, which falling into a fort of refervoir near at hand, ferved them for drink, as they took care to clear the ice from it every day ; and this agreeable refrelhment they enjoyed till January, when the froft became fo hard they were deprived of it, and forced to have recourfe to fnow-water melted with hot iron. About the latter end of September, finding there was little probability of increafing their flock of pro- vifions, except now and then with a chance bear, they • flinted themfelves to a reafonable meal of flefh a day, for four days in the week ; and on Wednefdays and Fridays they fed upon the greaves of whales, which are fuch fcraps of fat as are generally flung away, when the oil is prefTed out of them, and this food they continued to eat regularly about three months, when they were obliged to retrench another day from eating ftefh, which began to run fhort ; and for fear their fuel ihould alfo fail, they roafted half a deer every day, and flowed it in hogfheads; however they left a quarter raw to roafl, and eat hot every fabbath day, chrifliliars, Sec, From Odober the 14th, to February the 3d, the ' fun was never once to be feen, but the moon fhone often with very great brightnefs, except when the fky was overcafl ; and indeed the winter here in ge- neral is dull, 'thick, and foggy : there was a fort of twilight from the month of Odober to the 1 ft of December, which was totally eclipfed till the 20th, all that time being one entire night ; but about ' the I ft of January, there was fome viiible appearance * of day again. Pelham, from whofe journal we have taken this account, tells us, that they had no almanack to di« redt them how the feafons part, but that he endeavour- ed to divide the time into hours and days as well at he could } and by adding a fuppofed day to the epatt, he found the moon's age, aad he fays he was fo right in his calculation, that he agreed exadlly in the day of the month that he reckoned with the fleet that came to their relief. I > , By £62 NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MEN By the latter end of January, they found the day eight hours long, but they were fomething difpirited, as on examining, there appeared not more than fix weeks provifions ; however, the third of February, being a fair clear day, and the fun fhining with great hiftrt*, a (he-bear with her cub approaching their tent in fearch of prey, and nothing intimidated by their appearance, advanced upon them and w&s foon killed, but the cub efcaped. Having finilhed this valuable day's work, they re- tired to warm themfelves ; the next day was em* ployed in cutting the carcafe, which being divided into portable pieces, they flowed it in their tenr. On this they lived twenty days, it being good flelh, and far beyond their venifon ; but it was remark- able that the liver made their fcins peel off: and this e.scori.ition, Pelham remarks, was of fpecial fcrvlce to him, fince with a new fkin he acquired new heaUh, and recovered from a bad fit of ficknefs. After this pe\iod they killed many others, among which was one at leaft fix feet high, and they roailed the ile(h upon wooden fpits, or ^ed it in a pan, which they found in the tent ; the flelh they thought equal to any beef ; and now their provifions being plenty, they no longer laid themfelves under any reilridions, but had two or three meals a day,' which made them in a fhort time ftrong, active, a$d healthy. As the days lengthened, and the weather grew fine, they had plenty of fowls ; but on the i6th of March, one of the dogs went out, and never returned : nor could they ever find out what became of him. By this time foxes began to be numerous, for which they laid traps, and caught upwards of fifty, to their great fatisfadtion. The fowl that is commoneft about Bell-Sound comes there to breed from the hills in fpring feafon, it feeds upon fifii, and is about the bignefs of a duck, but the legs are placed fo dofe under its rump; that if it chance to alight upon land, the weight of its body preffes them down, and almoft difables them from the wing ; yet, when in the water, they fcem 6 to fix PRESERVED IN GREENLAND. 263 4o be in in their natural clement ; thefe fowls are caught in a trap made of whalebone, and covered over with bear's-fkin, the He(b fide turned outward ; their fkins were good bait for the fox traps. The weather growing pretty warm in May, they were enabled to go out daily in fearch of proviiions ; and to the latter end of the fame month, they found a large quantity of birds eggs in the hills, thirty of which they brought home for their prefcnt occafiony intending to have fetched more the enfuing morn- ing, but it was fo cold, they were obliged to ftay within, and deprived of their ufual exer- 'f:lfe, which was to climb the top of a neighbouring mountain, to fee if the ice was broke in the Sound. This was now the cafe, and a great part of it was "driven to fea by an eafterly wind. On the 25th of May, the Ihirpnefs of the wcatKer preventing them from going abroad, they were fhut up clofe in their tent, when two ihips from Hull Hood into the Sound ; and knowing that fome men had been left there the preceding year, the mafter manned his boat, and fent her afhore to inquire about their fate. Here the firft thing they found up- on landing was the fhallop, and were greatly aftonifli- ed to find her in (o good a condition, but could ' fcarcely hope that their fellow failors were alive : however, they advanced towards the tent, and cried Hey, as they approached ; nor were they a little furprized at being anfwered ; for one of the company, who happened to be in the inner tent, immediately returned their fignal. The found of voices alarmed and gave new life to thofe that were within ; they ftarted up with great alacrity, and opening the door rufhed out at once in a body, making a moll uncooth appearance, for they were all black with foot and fmoke, and their cloaths hung in tatters : after their deliverers had given way a little to theii' amazement, they em- braced thefe poor wretches with joyful hearts, and ac- companied them to their dwelling, the contrivance •f which was wonderful and pleafing ; and here, out of '■ I 264 NARRATIVE OF EIGHT MEN &c. of civility, they partook of the fare of the houfe, drinking a draught of cold water, and tading a bit of (venifon that had been roafted four months before. When they had refted a little, a.id fatisfied their curiofity in examining the ingenious methods their brethren had put in pmftice to keep out the froft, and preferve the connexion of foul and body, they all joined and went on board one of the (hips together, where they were all treated with great hu- manity and tendernefs. In three days the fhips to which they belonged came into the Sound, and each man after being properly cloathed returned to his former datioo. tf'hey all left this place about the 20th of Auguft, and had a profperous voyage home ; where the Ruflia company, in whofe fervice they had (ailed, made them all fufiicient amends for the diltre(res they had endured. ♦ , « END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. mm