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SECT. XLVII.
HAving visited our prises, and finding in them nothing but fish, we tooke a small portion for our victualing, and gaue the bigger shippe to the Spaniards againe, and the lesser wee kept, with purpose to make her our Pinnas. The In∣dians (which wee tooke in her) would by no meanes depart from vs,* 1.1 but desired to goe with vs for England; saying that the Indian and English were brothers, and in all places where wee came, they shewed themselues much affectionated vnto vs, these were Natiues of Moremoreno, and the most brutish of all that ever I had seene; and except it were in forme of men and speech, they seemed alto∣gether voyde of that which appertained to reasonable men. They were expert swimmers; but after the manner of Spaniels, they diue and abide vnder water a long time, and swallow the water of the Sea, as if it were of a fresh River, except a man see them, he would hardly beleeue how they continue in the Sea, as if they were Mer∣maides, and the water their naturall Element.
Their Countrey is most barren, and poore of foode; If they take a fish aliue out of the Sea, or meete with a peece of salted fish, they will devoure it without any dressing, as savourely as if it had beene most curiously sodden or dressed, all which makes me be∣leeue, that they sustaine themselues of that, which they catch in the Sea.
The Spaniards profit themselues, of their labour and trauell, and recompence them badly, they are in worse condition then their slaues, for to those they giue sustenance, house-roome, and clothing, and teach them the knowledge of God; but the other they vse as beastes, to doe their labour without wages, or care of their bodies, or soules.