The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

¶ Of fysshes and of the maner of fysshynge.

IN the sea coastes of the firme lande, there are dyuers and sundry kyndes of fysshes muche differynge in shape and forme. And althoughe it be impossible to speake of all, yet wyll I make mention of sum. And fyrst to begynne at sardynes, yowe shall vnderstande that there is founde a kynde of these fysshes very large and with redde tayles, beinge a very delicate fysshe. The beste kyndes of o∣ther fysshes are these: Moxarre, Diabace, Brettes, Dahaos, Thorn backes, and Salmons. All these and dyuers other which I donot now remember, are taken in great quantitie in ryuers. There are lykewyse taken very good creuysshes. There are also founde in the sea, certeyne other fysshes: as soles, macke¦relles, turbuttes, Palamite, Lizze, Polpi, Chieppe, Xaibas, Locustes, Oysters, exceadynge great Tortoyses, and Tiburoni of mar∣uelous byggenesse:* 1.1 Also Manates,* 1.2 and Murene, and manye other fysshes which haue no names in oure language. And these of such diuersitie and quantitie as can not bee expressed without large wrytynge and longe tyme. But to let passe to intreate particulerly of the multitude of fysshes, I intende to speake chiefely and sumwhat largely of three sortes of moste notable fysshes: wherof the fyrst is, the great Tortoyses,* 1.3 the seconde is cauled Tiburon, and the thyrde Manate. And to begynne at the fyrste, I saye that in the Ilande of Cuba, are founde great Tortoyses (which are certeyne shell fysshes) of such byggenesse that tenne or fyfteene men are scarsely able to lyfte one of them owt of the water, as I haue byn infor∣med of credible persons dwellynge in the same Ilande. But

of that which I my selfe haue seene, I can testifie that in the firme lande in the vyllage of Acla there are of this sorte sum taken and kylled of suche byggenes that sixe men with much difficultie coulde scarsely drawe them owt of the water. And commonly the least sort of them are as much as two men may cary at a burden. That which I sawe lifted vp by syxe men, had her shell a yarde and a quarter in length, and in breadth more then fyue yardes. The maner of takynge them, is this. It sumtymes chaunceth that in theyr greate nettes (whiche they caule shoote ne••tes) there are founde certeyne Tortoyses of the common sorte in great quantities. And when they coomme owt of the sea and bringe foorth theyr egges and go togyther by coompanies from the sea to feade on the lande, the Christians or Indians folowe theyr steppes whiche they fynde in the sande, and soone ouertake them bycause they are very heauy and slowe in goynge, although they make all the haste they can to return•• to the sea as soone as they espie any boddie. When they that pursewe them haue ouertaken them, they put a stake or staffe vnder theyr legges and ouerturne thē on theyr backes as they are yet runnynge, so that they can go no further nor yet ryse ageyne or turne. And thus they suffer them to lye styll whyle they folowe after the reste which they ouerturne in lyke maner: And by this meanes take very ma∣nye at suche tymes as they coome furth of the sea as I haue sayde. This fysshe is very excellent and holsome to be eaten, and of good taste. The seconde of the three fysshes wherof I haue spoken, is the Tiburon.* 1.4 This is a very greate fysshe and very quicke and swyfte in the water, and a cruell deuourer. These are often tymes taken, as well when the shippes are vn∣der sayle in the Ocean, as also when they lye at anker, or at any other time, and especially the leaste kynd of these fisshes. When the shippes are vnder sayle, the biggest sorte are taken after this maner. When the Tiburon seeth the shippe sailinge he foloweth it swymmynge behynde. The which thinges the mariners seeinge, caste furthe all the fylthe of the shippe into the sea for the fysshe to eate, who neuerthelesse foloweth thē with equal pase although th••y make neuer suche haste wyth full wynd and sailes, and waloweth on euery syde and about the shyppe: And thus foloweth it sumetyme for the space of a hundreth and fyftie leaques and more. And when the ma∣riners

are disposed to take them, they cast downe by the sterne of the shippe, a hoke of yren as bigge as the biggest finger of a mans hande of three spannes in lengthe and crooked like a fysshehooke with beardes accordinge to the bignesse thereof, and fastened to an iren chayne of fyue or syxe linkes neare vn∣to thende, and from thense tyed with a greate rope, fastening also on the hooke for a bayte, a piece of sum fisshe, or hogges flessh, or sum other flesshe, or the bouwelles and intralles of an other Tiburon wh••che they haue taken before, whiche may easely bee doone, for I haue seene nyne taken in one day. And if they wold haue taken more, they myght also. Thus when the Tiburon hath pleasauntly folowed the ship a longe viage, at the lengthe he swaloweth the baite with the hooke. And a••well by his stryuinge to flye or escape, as also by the swyfte passage of the s••yppe, the hooke ouerthwarteth and catcheth hold of his chappes. The which fisshe whē it is takē, it is of suche huge b••ggenesse that twelue or fyfeteene men are scarsely able to drawe it owt of the water and lifte it into the shyppe: Where one of the mariners gyueth it many knoc∣kes on the headde with a clubbe or beetle vntil he haue slaine it. They are sumtymes founde of tenne or twelue foote long, and of fyue, syxe, or seuen spannes in breadth where they are brodest. They haue very greate and wyde mouthes to the pro¦portion of the reste of theyr boddies, and haue two rowes of teethe the one sumewhat separate from the other, of cruell shape & standing very thicke. When they haue slayne this fysshe, they cutte the boddy therof in smaule pieses, and put it to drye, hangynge it three or foure dayes at the cordes of the sayle clothes to drye in the wynde, and then eate it. It is doubtlesse a good fysshe and of greate commoditie to serue the shippes for vitalles for many dayes. The leaste of these fysshes are moste holsome and tender. It hath a skinne much like to the skynne of a sole, whervnto the sayde Tuberon is like in shape. Which I saye bycause Plinie hath made men∣tion of none of these three fisshes among the number of them wherof he wryteth in his natural historie.* 1.5 These Tiburons coomme furth of the sea and enter into the ryuers, where they are no lesse perelous then greate lisartes or Crocodiles wher∣of I haue spoken largely before.* 1.6 For they deuoure men, kine, and horses, euen as doo the Crocodiles. They are very daun¦gerous

in certeyne wasshynge places or pooles by the ryuers sydes, and where they haue deuoured at other tymes. Dy∣uers other fysshes both greate and smaule, of sundry sortes and kyndes are accustomed to folowe the shyppes goynge vn∣der sayle, of the which I wyl speake sumwhat when I h••ue wrytten of Manate which is the thyrde of the three whereof I haue promysed to entreate.* 1.7 Manate therefore, is a fysshe of the sea, of the byggest sorte, and muche greater then the Tiburon in length and breadth: And is very brutysshe and vyle, so that it appeareth in forme lyke vnto one of those great vesselles made of goates skynnes wherin they vse to ca¦ry newe wyne in Medina de Campo or in Areualo. The headde of this beast is lyke the head of an oxe, with also lyke eyes. And hath in the place of armes, two great stumpes wherwith he swymmeth. It is a very gentle and tame beaste: And cōmeth oftētymes owt of the water to the next shore where if he find ny herbes or grasse, he feedeth therof. Owre men are accusto¦med to kyl many of these and dyuers other good fysshes with theyr crossebowes, pursuinge them in barkes or Canoas, by∣cause they swymme in maner aboue the water. The whiche thynge when they see, they drawe them with a hooke tyde at a smaule corde, but sumwhat stronge. As the fysshe flyeth a∣way, the archer letteth go and prolongeth the corde by lyt∣tle and lyttle vntyll he haue lette it go many fathams. At the ende of the corde, there is tyde a corke or a piece of lyght woodde. And when the fysshe is goone a lyttle way, & hathe coloured the water with his bludde, and feeleth hym selfe to faynt and drawe towarde thende of his lyfe, he resortethe to the shore, and the archer foloweth gatherynge vp his corde: wherof whyle there yet remaine sixe or eyght fathams or sum¦what more or lesse, he draweth it towarde the lande, and draweth the fysshe therwith by little and lyttle as the waues of the sea helpe hym to doo it the more easely. Then with the helpe of the reste of his companie he lyftethe th••s greate beast owt of the water to the lande, beinge of such hygnesse that to conuey it from thense to the citie, it shalbe requ••site to haue a carte with a good yoke of oxen, and sumtymes more, accordyng as these fysshes are of byggenesse, sum being much greater then other sum in the same kynde as is seene of other beastes. Sumtymes they lyft these fysshes into the Canoa or

barke, withowt drawynge them to the lande as before. For as soone as they are slayne, they flote aboue the water. And I beleue verely that this fysshe is one of the best in the world to the taste, and the lykest vnto flesshe. E••pecially so lyke vnto biefe, that who so hath not seene it hole, can iudge it to bee none other when he seethe it in pieces then verye biefe or veale. And is certeynly so lyke vnto flesshe, that all the men in the worlde may herein bee deceaued. The taste lykewyse, is lyke vnto the tast of very good veale, and lasteth longe yf it bee poudered. So that in fine, the base of these parties, is by no meanes lyke vnto this. This Manate,* 1.8 hath a c••rteine stone or rather bone in his headde within the brayne, which is of qualitie greatly appropriate ageynste the disease of the stone,* 1.9 if it bee burnte and grounde into smaule pouder, and taken fastynge in the mornynge when the payne is felte, in such quantitie as may lye vppon a penye with a drawght of good whyte wyne. For beynge th••s taken three or foure mor¦nynges, it a••quieteth the grefe as dyuers haue toulde me whi¦che haue proued it trewe. And I my selfe by testimonie of sight, doo wytnesse that I haue seene this stone sought of dyuers for this effecte.

There are also dyuers other fysshes as bygge as this Ma¦nate:* 1.10 Emonge the which there is one caule•• Vihuella. This fy••he beareth in the toppe of his headde, a swoorde beinge on euery syde full of many sharpe teeth. This swoorde is natu∣rally very harde & stronge, of foure or fyue spannes in length and of proportion accordynge to the same byggenes. And for this cause is this fyshe cauled Spada: that is the swoord fyshe. Of this kynde sum are found as lyttle as sardines: and other so greate, th•••• two yokes of oxen are scarsely able to drawe them on a carte. But whereas before, I haue promysed to speake of other fysshes which are taken in these seas whyle the shyppes are vnder sayle, I wyl not forget to speake of the Tunnye which is a great and good fysshe,* 1.11 and is oftentymes taken and kylde with troute speares and hookes caste in the water when they play and swymme aboute the shyppes. In lyke maner also are taken many turbuts which are very good fysshes as are lyghtly in all the sea.* 1.12

And here is to bee noted, that in the greate Ocean sea, there is a straunge thynge to bee considered, whiche all that

haue byn in the Indies affirme to bee trewe. And this is, that lyke as on the lande there are sum prouinces fertile and frut∣full,* 1.13 and sum barren, euen so dooth the lyke chaunce in the sea: So that at sum wyndes the shyppes sayle fiftie or a hun∣dreth, or two hundreth leaques and more, withowt takyng or seinge of one fysshe. And ageyne in the selfe same Ocean, in sum places, all the water is seene tremble by the mouynge of the fysshes, where they are taken abundauntly.

It commeth further to my rememberaunce to speake sum∣what of the flyinge of fysshes,* 1.14 which is doubtlesse a straunge thynge to beholde, and is after this maner. When the shyp¦pes sayle by the greate Ocean folowynge theyr vyage, there ryseth sumtymes on the one syde or on the other, many coom∣panies of certeyne lyttle fysshes, of the which the byggest is no greater then a sardyne: and soo diminisshe lesse and lesse from that quantitie that sum of them are very lyttle. These are cauled Volatori: that is, flyinge fysshes. They ryse by great coompanies and flockes in such multitudes that it is an asto∣nysshement to beholde them. Sumtymes they ryse but lyttle from the water: & (as it chaunceth) continew one flyght for the space of a hundreth pases and sumtymes more or lesse be∣fore they faule ageyne into the sea. Sumtymes also they faule into the shyppes. And I remember that on an euenyng when all the company in the shippe were on theyr knees syngynge Salue regina in the highest parte of the Castel of the poope, and sayled with a full wynde, there passed by vs a flocke of these flyinge fysshes: and came so neare vs that many of them fell into the shyppe, amonge the which, two or three fell hard by me which I tooke alyue in my hande: so that I myght well perceaue that they were as bigge as sardynes and of the same quantitie, hauynge two wynges or quylles growyng owt of theyr fynnes, lyke vnto those wherwith all fysshes swymme in ryuers. These wynges are as longe as the fysshes theym selues. As longe as theyr wynges are moyste, they beare them vp in the ayer. But as soone as they are drye, they can continewe theyr flyght no further then as I haue sayde be∣fore, but faule immediatly into the sea, and so ryse ageyne, and flye as before from place to place.

In the yeare. A thousand fyue hundreth fiftene. when I came fyrst to informe your maiestye of the state of the thynges Indya, and was the yeare folowynge in Flaunders in the tyme of youre moste fortunate successe in these youre kynge∣domes of Aragonie and Castyle, wheras at that vyage I say¦led aboue the Iland Bermuda otherwyse cauled Garza,* 1.15 beynge the furtheste of all the Ilandes that are founde at thys daye in the worlde, and arryuynge there at the deapthe of eight yeardes of water, and dystant from the land as farre as the shotte of a piece of ordynaunce, I determined to sende sume of the shyppe to lande as well to make searche of suche thynges as were there, as also to leaue in the Ilande certayne hogges for increase. But the tyme not seruyng my purpose by reason of contrarye wynde, I could bryng my shyppes no nearer the Ilande beinge twelue leaques in lengthe and syxe in breadth and about thyrty in circuite, lying in the thyrtie thre & degre of the northe syde. Whyle I remayned here, I sawe a stryfe and combatte betwene these flyinge fyshes and the fyshes na∣med gylte heades, and the foules cauled seamewes and cor∣morauntes, whych suerlye seemed vnto me a thynge of as greate pleasure and solace as coulde bee deuysed, whyle the gylte heades swamme on the brymme of the water and sum∣tymes lyfted their shulders aboue the same to rayse the swym¦mynge fysshes owt of the water to dryue them to flyght, and folowe them swymming to the place where they faule to take and eate them sodaynlye. Agayne on the other syde, the sea∣mewes and cormorantes, take manye of these flying fysshes: so that by thys meanes theye are nother safe in the ayre nor in the water.* 1.16 In the selfe same perrell and daunger doo men lyue in thys mortall lyfe wherin is no certayne securytye ne∣ther in hygh estate nor in lowe. Which thynge suerlye ought to put vs in rememberaunce of that blessed and safe restynge place whych god hath prepared for such as loue hym, who shall acquyete and fynyshe the trauayles of thys troubelous worlde wherin are so manye daungyours, and brynge them to that eternall lyfe where they shall fynde eternall securytye and reste. But to returne to the hystorye: these byrdes and foules whych I sawe, were of the Ilande of Bermuda nere vn∣to the whych I sawe these flyinge fysshes. For they coulde bee of no other lande, forasmuche as they are not accustomed

to wander farre frome the coastes where they are bredde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tiburons.
• * 1.2

  Manates
• * 1.3

  G••eat Tortoy¦••es.
• * 1.4

  Tiburons.
• * 1.5

  Plinie.
• * 1.6

  Crocodyles.
• * 1.7

  Manates.
• * 1.8

  The fysshe Manate.
• * 1.9

  A remedy a∣geynst the stone.
• * 1.10

  The swoorde fysshe.
• * 1.11

  Tunnye.
• * 1.12

  Turbut,
• * 1.13

  Note,
• * 1.14

  Flyinge fys∣shes.
• * 1.15

  The Iland of Bermuda.
• * 1.16

  Not to hie for the pye nor to lowe fro: the crowe.