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Of the isles of Cabo verde.
NExt vnto Cape verde it selfe stand The Barbacene which are seuen small isles replenished with greene trees, and full of strange birds vn∣knowne to vs; and yet are they vtterly voide of inhabitants. But those that are called the isles of Cape verde (which by ancient authors are thought to haue bin named Gorgones, or Gorgades, or Hesperides) are nine in number, and are fituate betweene Cabo verde and Cabo blanco. They were first discouered by Antonio di Nolli a Genoway, and began in like sort to be peopled, in the yeere of our Lord 1440. Albeit there are none of them now inhabited, but onely the isle of Sant Iago, and Isla del fo go or The bur∣ning isle. The principall of them all is Sant Iago being seuentie miles long,* 1.1 whereon the Portugals haue a faire and strong towne called Ribera gran∣de, with a riuer running through it, and a commodious and secure hauen: it is very strongly seated betweene two mountaines, and consisteth of fiue hundred families at the least. The riuer (which springeth two leagues from the city) is beautified vpon the bankes thereof with Cedars, Orenge-trees, and diuers other plants, amongst which the Palme tree of India that beareth nuts, prospereth exceeding well. The hearbes of Europe grow here as natu∣rally as in their original soile; howbeit the seeds thereof must euery yeere be brought out of Spaine. The isle is generally vneuen and mountainous: but the valleis are passing fertile, and throughly inhabited: and here is sowed abundance of rice and Saburro, which groweth to ripenes in fortie daies. Howbeit the soile will beare no wheat. Here is store of cotton also, the cloth whereof is dispersed along the coast of Africa. The shee-gotes here, as like∣wise in all the isles adiacent, bring forth three and more kids at a birth, euery foure moneths. When the sunne is in Cancer, it raineth here in a manner without ceasing.
To the west of Sant Iago stand the isles of Fogo and Braua being but of small importance (albeit that of Fogo is in some parts thereof inhabited) and to the North of the same is situate the isle of Maio, where there is a lake of two leagues long, which is full of salt; the which is a common thing in all these islands; but in one, more then in any of the other, in that it is full of such like salt pits, and is therefore called The island of salt, being destitute of all other liuing things, saue onely of wild gotes. The isle of Buena vista hath a name contrary to the quality; for it is without all shew of beauty. Of the others I haue nothing woorthie the obseruation.