The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

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Title
The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.
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Imprinted at London :: By George Bishop, Ralph Newberie, and Robert Barker,
Anno 1599[-1600]
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Subject terms
Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800.
Discoveries (in geography), English -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A02495.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A02495.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 20, 2025.

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The second part of such commodities as Virginia is knowen to yeeld for victuall and sustenance of mans life, vsually fed vpon by the naturall inhabitants; as also by vs, during the time of our abode: and first of such as are sowed and husbanded.

PAgatow, a kinde of graine so called by the inhabitants: the same in the West In∣dies is called Mayz: English men call it Guiny-wheat or Turky-wheat, accord∣ing to the names of the countreys from whence the like hath beene brought. The graine is about the bignesse of our ordinary English peaze, and not much different in forme and shape: but of diuers colours: some white, some red, some yellow, and some blew. All of them yeeld a very white and sweet flowre: being vsed according to his kinde, it maketh a very good bread. We made of the same in the countrey some Mault, whereof was brewed as good Ale as was to be desired. So likewise by the helpe of Hops, therof may be made as good Beere. It is a graine of maruellous great increase: of a thousand, fifteene hundred, and some two thousand fole. There are three sorts, of which two are ripe in eleuen & twelue weeks at the most, sometimes in tenne, after the time they are set, and are then of height in stalke about sixe or seuen foot. The other sort is ripe in foureteene, and is about tenne foot high, of the stalks some beare foure heads, some three, someone, and some two; euery head cnteining fiue, sixe, or seuen hundred graines, within a few more or lesse. Of these graines, besides bread, the inhabi∣tants mke vituall, either by parhing them, or seething them whole vntill they be broken: or boiling the flowre with water into a pap.

Okindgier, called by vs Banes, because in greatnsse and partly in shape they are like to the beane in England, sauing that they are flatter, of more diuers colours, and some pide. The leafe also of the stemme is much different. In taste they are altogether as good as our English peaze.

Wickonzowr, called by vs Peaze, in respect of the Beaes, for distinction sake, because they are much lesse, although in forme they litle differ: but in goodnesse of taste much like, and are far better then our English peaze. Both the beanes and peaze are ripe in ten weeks after they are set. They make them victuall either by boiling them all to pieces into a broth, or boiling them whole vntill they be soft, and beginne to breake, as is vsed in England, either by themselues, or mixtly together: sometime they mingle of the Wheat with them: sometime also, being whole sodden, they bruse or punne them in a morter, and therof make loaues or lumps of doughish bread, which they vse to eat for variety.

Macocquer, according to their seueral formes, called by vs Pompions, Melons, and Gords, because they are of the like formes as those kinds in England. In Virginia such of seuerall formes are of one taste, and very good, and do also sprig from one seed. There are of two sorts: one is ripe in the spate of a moneth, and the other in two moneths.

There is an herbe which in Dutch is called Melden. Some of those that I describe it vnto, take it to be a kinde of Orage: it groweth about foure or fiue foot high: of the ••••ed thereof they make a thicke broth, and pottage of a very good taste: of the stalke by burning into ashes they make a kinde of salt earth, wherewithall many vse sometimes to season their broths other salt they know not. We our selues vsed the leaues also for pot-herbs.

There is also another great herbe, in forme of a Marigolde, about sixe foot in height, the head with the floure is a spanne in breadth. Some take it to be Planta Solis: of the seeds hereof they make both a kinde of bread and broth.

All the aforesayd commodities for victuall are set or sowed, smetimes in grounds apart and seuerally by themselues, but for the most part together in one ground mixtly: the maner thereo, with the dressing and preparing of the ground, because I will note vnto you the fertility of the soile, I thinke good briefly to describe.

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The ground they neuer fatten with mucke, dung, or any other thing, neither plow nor digge i as we in England, but onely prepare it in sort as followeth. A few dayes before they sowe or set, the men with woodden instruments made almost in forme of mattocks or hoes with long handles: the women with short peckers or parers, because they vse them sitting, of a foot long, and a∣bout fiue inches in breadth, doe onely breake the vpper part of the ground to raise vp the weeds, grasse, and olde stubbes of corne stalks with their roots. The which after a day or two dayes dry∣ing in the Sunne, being scrapt vp into many small heaps, to saue them labour fo carying them away, they burne into ashes. And whereas some may thinke that they vse the ashes for to bet∣ter the ground, I say that then they would either disperse the ashes abroad, which wee obserued they do not, except the heaps be too great, or els would take speciall care to see their corne where the ashes lie, which also wee finde they are carelesse of. And this in all the husbanding of their ground that they vse.

Then their setting or sowing is after this maner. First for their corne, beginning in one cor∣ner of the plot, with a pecker they make a hole, wherein they put foure graines, with care that they touch not one another (about an inch a sunder) & couer them with the molde againe: and so thorow∣out the whole plot making such holes, and vsing them after such maner, but with this regard, that they be made in ranks, euery ranke differing from other halfe a fadome or a yard, and the holes also in euery ranke as much. By this meanes there is a yard spare ground betweene euery hole: where according to discretion here and there, they set as many Beanes and Peaze; in diuers pla∣ces also among the seeds of Macocquer, Melden, and Planta solis.

The ground being thus set according to the rate by vs experimented, an English acre contei∣ning forty pearches in length, and foure in breadth, doth there yeeld in croppe or of ome of corne. Beanes and Peaze, at the least two hundred London bushels, besides the Macocquer, Melden, and Planta solis; when as in England forty bushels of our Wheat yeelded out of such an acre is thought to be much.

I thought also good to note this vnto you, that you which shall inhabit, and plaint there, may know how specially that countrey corne is there to be preferred before ours: besides, the mani∣fold wayes in applying it to victual, the increase is so much, that small labour & paines is needful in respect of that which must be vsed for urs. For this I can assure you that according to the rate we haue made proofe of, one man may prepare and husband so much groun (hauing once borne corne before) with lesse then foure and twenty houres labour, as shall yeeld him victual in a large proportion for a twelue moneth, if he haue nothing els but that which the same ground will yeeld, and of that kinde onely which I haue before spoken of: the sayd ground being also but of fiue and twenty yard squre. And if need require but that there is ground enough, there might be raised out of one and the selfesame ground two haruests or of comes: for they sow or set, and may at any time when they thinke good, from the midst of March vntill the end of Iune: so tha they also set when they haue eaten of their first croppe. In some places of the countrey notwithstanding they haue two haruests, as we haue heard, out of one and the same ground.

For English corne neuerthelesse, whether to vse or not to vse it, you that inhabit may doe as you shall haue further cause to thinke best. Of the growth you need not to doubt: for Barley, Oats, and Peaze, we haue seene proofe of, not being purposely soen, but fallen casually in the woorst sort of ground, and yet to be as faire as any we haue euer seene heere in England. But of Wheat, because it was musty, and had taken salt water, we could make no triall: and of Rie we had none. Thus much haue I digressed, and I hope not vnnecessarily: now will I returne againe to my course, and intreat of that which yet remaineth, apperteining to this chapter.

There is an herbe which is sowed apart by itselfe, and is called by the inhabitants Vppooc: in the West Indies it hath diuers names, according to the seuerall places and countreys where it groweth and is vsed: the Spanyards generally call it Tabacco.* 1.1 The leaues thereof being dried and brought into pouder, they vse to take the fume or smoake thereof, by sucking it thorow pipes made of clay, into their stomacke and head; from whence it purgeth superfluous fleame and other grosse humours, and openeth all the pores and passages of the body: by which meanes the vse thereof not onely preserueth the body from obstructions, but also (if any be, so that they haue not bene of too long continuance) in short time breaketh them: whereby their bodies are noably pre∣serued in health, and know not many grieuous diseases, wherewithall we in England are often times afflicted.

This Vppowoc is of so precious estimation amongst them, that they thinke their gods are maruellously delighted therewith: whereupon sometime they make hallowed fires, and cast some of the pouder therin for a sacrifice: being in a storme vpon the waters, to pacific their ods, they

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cast some vp into the aire and into the water: so a weare for fish being newly set vp, they cast some therein and into the aire: also after an escape of danger, they cast some into the aire likewise: but all done with strange gestures, stamping, sometime dancing, clapping of hands, holding vp of hands, and staring vp into the heauens, vttering there withall, and chattering strange words and noises.

We our selues, during the time we were there, vsed to sucke it after their maner, as also since our returne, and haue found many rare and woonderfull experiments of the vertues thereof: of which the relation would require a volume by it selfe: the vse of it by so many of late men and women of great calling, as els, and some learned Physicians also, is sufficient witnesse.

And there are all the commodities for sustenance of life, that I know and can remember, they vse to husband: all els that follow, are found growing naturally or wilde.

Of Roots.

OPenauk are a kinde of roots of round forme, some of the bignesse of Walnuts, some farre greater, which are found in moist and marish grounds growing many together one by ano∣ther in ropes, as though they were fastened with a string. Being boiled or sodden, they are very good meat, Monardes calleth these roots,* 1.2 Beads or Pater nostri of Santa Helena.

Okeepenauk are also of round shape, found in dry grounds: some are of the bignesse of a mans head. They are to be eaten as they are taken out of the ground: for by reason of their drinesse they will neither rost nor seethe. Their taste is not so good as of the former roots: notwithstanding for want of bread, and sometimes for variety the inhabitants vse to eat them with fish or flesh, and in my iudgement they do as well as the housholde bread made of Rie here in England.

Kaishucpenauk, a white kinde of roots about the bignesse of hennes egges, and neere of tha forme: their taste was not so good to our seeming as of the other, and therefore their place and maner of growing not so much cared for by vs the inhabitants notwithstanding vsed to boile and eat many.

Tsinaw, a kind of root much like nto that which in England is called the China root brought from the East Indies. And we know not any thing to the contrary but that it may be of the same kinde. These roots grow many together in great clusters, and do bring foorth a brier stalke, but the leafe in shape farre vnlike: which being supported by the trees it groweth neerest vnto, will reach or climbe to the top of the highest. From these roots while they be new or fresh, being chop into small pieces, and stampt, is strained with water a iuice that maketh bread, and also being boi∣led, a very good spoonmeat in maner of a gelly, and is much better in taste, if it be tempered with oile. This Tsinaw is not of that sort, which by some was caused to be brought into England for the China root; for it was discouered since, and is in vse as is aforesayd: but that which was brought hither is not yet knowen, neither by vs nor by the inhabitants to serue for any vse or pur∣pose, although the roots in shape are very like.

Coscushaw some of our company tooke to be that kinde of root which the Spanyards in th West Indies call Cassauy, whereupon also many called it by that name: it groweth in very mud∣dy pooles, and moist grounds. Being dressed according to the countrey maner, it maketh a good bread, and also a good spoonmeat, and is vsed very much by the inhabitants. The iuice of this root is poison,* 1.3 & therefore heed must be taken before any thing be made therewithall: either the roots must be first sliced and dried in the Sunne, or by the fire, and then being punned into floure, will make good bread: or els while they are greene they are to be pared, cut in pieces, and stampt: loaues of the same to be layd nere or ouer the fire vntill it be sowre; and then being well punned againe, bread or spoonmeat very good in taste and holesome may be made thereof.

Habascon is a root of hote taste, almost of the forme and bignesse of a Parsni: of it selfe it is no victuall, but onely a helpe, being boiled together with other meats.

There are also Leeks, differing little from ours in England, that grow in many places of the countrey; of which, when we came in places where they were, we gathered and eat many, but the naturall inhabitants neuer.

Of Fruits.

CHestnuts there are in diuers places great store: some they vse to eat raw, some they sampe and boile to make spoonmeat, and with some being sodden, they make such a maner of dough bread as they vse of their beanes before mentioned.

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Walnuts. There are two kinds of Walnuts, and of them infinite store: in may places, where are very great woods for many miles together, the third part of trees are Walnut trees. The one kinde is of the same taste and forme, or little differing from ours of England, but that they are har∣der and thicker shelled: the other is greater, and hath a very ragged and hard shell; but the kernel great, very oily and sweet. Besides their eating of them after our ordinary maner, they breake them with stones, and punne them in morters with water, to make a milke which they vse to put into some sorts of their spoonmeat; also among their sodde wheat, peaze, beanes and pompions which maketh them haue a farre more pleasant taste.

Medlars, a kinde of very good fruit; so called by vs chiefly for these respects: first n that they are not good vntill they be rotten, then in that they open at the head as our Medlars, and are about the same bignesse: otherwise in taste and colour they are farre different; for they are as red as che∣ries, and very sweet: but whereas the chery is sharpe sweet, they are lushious sweet.

Mutaquesunauk, a kinde of pleasant fruit almost of the shape and bignesse of English peares, but that they are of a perfect red colour aswell within as without.* 1.4 They grow on a plant whose leaues are very thicke, and full of prickles as sharpe as needles. Some that haue beene in the In∣dies, where they haue seene that kind of red die of great price, which is called Cochinile, to grow, doe describe his plant right like vnto this of Metaquesunnauk; but whether it be the true Cochi∣nile, or a bastard or wilde kinde, it cannot yet be certified, seeing that also, as I heard, Cochinile is not of the fruit, but found on the leaues of the plant: which leaues for such matter we haue not so specially obserued.

Grapes there are of two sorts, which I mentioned in the merchantable commodities.

Strawberies there are as good and as great as those which we haue in our English gardens.

Mulberies, Applecrabs, Hurts or Hurtleberies, such as we haue in England.

Sacquenummener, a kinde of erries almost like vnto Capers, but somewhat greater, which grow together in clusters vpon plant or hearbe that is found in shallow waters: being boiled eight or nine houes according to their kinde, are very good meat and holesome: otherwise if they be eaten they will make a man for the time frantike or extremely sicke.

There is a kinde of Reed which beareth a seed almost like vnto our Rie or Wheat: and being boiled is good meat.

In our trauels in some places we found Wilde peaze like vnto ours in England, but that they were lesse, which are also good meat.

Of a kinde of fruit or berry in forme of Acornes.

THere is a kinde of berry or acorne, of which there are fiue sorts that grow on seuerall kinde of trees: the one is called Sagatemene, the second Osamener, the third Pummuckoner. These kinde of acornes they vse to drie vpon hurdles made of reeds, with fire vnderneath, almost after the maner as we dry Malt in England. When they are to be vsed, they first water them vn∣till they be soft, and then being sod, they make a good victuall, either to eat so simply, or els bring also punned to make loaues or lumps of bread. These be also the three kinds, of which I sayd be∣fore the inhabitants vsed to make sweet oile.

Another sort is called Sapummener, which being boiled or parched, doth eat and aste like vnto Chestnuts. They somet••••e also make bread of this sort.

The fift sort is called Mangummenauk, and is the acorne of their kinde of Oake, the which be∣ing dried after the maner of the first sorts, and afterward watered, they boile them, and their ser∣uants, or sometime the chiefe themselues, either for variety or for want of bread do eat them with their fish or flesh

Of Beasts.

DEre, in some places there are great store: neere vnto the Sea coast they are o the ordinary bignesse of ours in England, and some lesse: but further vp into the countrey, where there is better food, they are greater: they differ from ours onely in this, their tailes are longer, and the snags of their hornes looke backward.

Conies. Those that we haue seene, and all that we can heare of are of a gray colour like vnto Hares: in some places there are such plenty that all the people of some townes make them mantles of the furre or flue of the skinnes of those which they vsually take.

Saquenuckot and Maquowoc, two kinds of small beasts greater then Conies, whic are very good meat. We neuer tooke any of them our selues, but sometime eat of such as the inhabitants had taken and brought vnto vs.

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Squirels, which are of a grey colour, we haue taken and eaten.

Beares, which are of blacke colour. The beares of this countrey are good meat. The inhabitants in time of Winter do vse to take & eat many; so also someime did we. They are taken com∣monly in this sort: In some Islands or places where they are, being hunted for, assoone as they haue spiall of a man, they presently run away, and then being chased, they clime and get vp the next tree they can; from whence with arrowes they are shot downe starke dead, or with those wounds that they may after easily be killed. We sometime shot them downe with our calieuers.

I haue the names of eight and twenty seuerall sorts of beasts, which I haue heard of to be here and there dispersed in the countrey, especially in the maine: of which there are only twelue kinds that we haue yet discouered; and of those that be good meat we know only them before mention∣ed. The inhabitants sometime kill the Lion, and eat him: and we sometime as they came to our hands of their Woolues or Wooluish dogs, which I haue not set downe for good meat, least that some would vnderstand my iudgement therein to be more simple then needeth, although I could alleage the difference in aste of those kinds from ours, which by some of our company haue bene experimented in both.

Of Fowle

TVrkie cocks and Turkie hennes, Stockdoues, Partridges, Cranes, Hernes, and in Winter great store of Swannes and Geese. Of all sorts of fowle I haue the names in the countrey language of fourescore and sixe, of which number, besides those that be named, we haue taken, ea∣ten, & haue the pictures as they were there drawen, with the names of the inhabitants, of seuerall strange sorts of water fowle eight, and seuenteene kinds more of land fowle, although we haue seene and eaten of many more, which for want of leasure there for the purpose, could not be pictu∣red: and after we are better furnished and stored vpon further discouery with their strange beasts, fish, trees, plants, and herbs, they shalbe also published.

There are also Parrots, Faulcons, and Marlin hauks, which although with vs they be not vsed for meat, yet for other causes I thought good to mention.

Of Fish.

FOr foure moneths of the yeere, February, March, April and May, there are plenty of Stur∣geons. And also in the same moneths of Herings, some of the ordinary bignesse of ours in England, but the most part farre greater, of eighteene, twenty inches, and some two foot in length and better: both these kinds of fish in those moneths are most plenifull, and in best season, which we found to be most delicate and pleasant meat.

There are also Trouts, Porpoises, Rayes, Oldwiues, Mullets, Plaice, and very many other sorts of excellent good fish, which we haue taken and eaten, whose names I know not but in the countrey language: we haue the pictures of twelue sorts more, as they were drawen in the coun∣trey, with their names.

* 1.5The inhabitants vse to take them two maner of wayes; the one is by a kinde of weare made of reeds, which in that country are very strong: the other way, which is more strange, is with poles made sharpe at one end, by shooting them into the fish after the maner as Irish men cast darts, ei∣ther as they are rowing in their boats, or els as they are wading in the shallowes for the purpose.

There are also in many places plenty of these kinds which follow:

Sea-crabs, such as we haue in England.

Oisters, some very great, and some small, some round, and some of a long shape: they are found both in salt water and brackish, and those that we had out of salt water are farre better then the o∣ther, as in our countrey.

Also Muscles, Scalops, Periwinkles, and Creuises.

Seekanauk, a kinde of crusty shel-fish, which is good meat, about a foot in bredth, hauing a cru∣sty taile, many legges like a crab, and her eyes in her backe. They are found in shallowes of wa∣ters, and sometime on the shore.

There are many Tortoises both of land and sea kinde, their backs and bellies are shelled very thicke; their head, feet, and taile, which are in appearance, seemeougly, as though they were mem∣bers of a serpent or venimous beasts: but notwithstanding they are very good meat, as also their egges. Some haue bene found of a yard in bredth and better.

And thus haue I made relation of all sorts of victuall that we fed vpon for the time we were in Virginia, as also the inabitants themselues, as farre forth as I know and can remember, or that are specially woorthy to be remembred.

Notes

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