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.

¶ The nynth booke of the seconde Decade, of the supposed Continent.

BEragua therfore, they cauled Castella Aurea, that is golden Castile: And Vraba they named An∣daluzia Noua, that is, newe Andalusia.* 1.1 And lyke as of many Ilandes which they subdu∣ed, they choose Hispaniola for the chiefe place of theyr habitacion, soo in the large tract of Paria, they appoynted theyr coloine or bydyng place in the twoo regions of Vraba and Beragua,* 1.2 that all suche as attempte and vyages in those coastes, may resorte to them as to safe portes to bee refreshed when they are wery or dry∣uen to necessitie. All owre seedes, and plantes,* 1.3 do nowe mar¦uelously encrease in Vraba. Lykewyse blades, settes, slippes, graffes, suger canes, and suche other as are brought from o∣ther places to those regions, as also beastes and foules as we haue sayde before. O maruelous frutefulnes. Twentie dayes

after the seede is sowne, they gather rype cucumers, and such lyke, But colwortes, beetes, Letuse, Borage are rype within the space of ten dayes. Gourdes, melones, and pompones, within the space of .xxviii. dayes. Dariena hathe many natiue trees and frutes of dyuers kyndes with sundry tastes,* 1.4 & hol∣some for the vse of mē:* 1.5 of the which I haue thowght it good to descrybe certeyne of the best. They noorysshe a tree which they caule Guaiana,* 1.6 that beareth a frute much resemblynge the kynde of citrous which are commonly cauled limones, of taste sumwhat sharpe myxt with swetenes. They haue also abun∣dance of nuttes of pynetrees, and great plentie of date trees,* 1.7 whiche beare frutes bygger then the dates that are knowen to vs: but they are not apte to bee eaten for theyr to much so∣wernes. Wylde and baren date trees, growe of them selues in sundry places, the branches wherof they vse for biesommes, and ea••e also the buddes of the same. Guarauana,* 1.8 being higher and bygger then the orange tree, bringeth furth a great frute as bygge as pome citrous.

Ther is an other tree much lyke to a chestnut tree whose frute is lyke to the bygger sort of fygs, beinge holsome & of plesant taste. Mameis,* 1.9 is an other tree that bringeth foorthe frute as bygge as an orange, in taste nothynge inferioure to the beste kyndes of melones. Guananala,* 1.10 beareth a frute lesse then any of the other, but of sweete sauoure lyke spice, and of delectable taste. Houos,* 1.11 is an other tree whose frute bothe in shape and taste, is much lyke to prunes, but sumwhat bygger. They are surely persuaded that this is the Myrobalane-tree.* 1.12 These growe soo abundantely in Hispaniola, that the hogges are fedde with the frute therof as with maste amonge vs. The hogges lyke this kynde of feadynge soo well, that when these frutes wax rype, the swyneherdes can by no meanes keepe them owte of the wooddes of these trees: by reason wherof, a greate mul∣tytude of them are becoome wylde. They also affirme, that in Hispaniola, swynes flesshe is of much better taste and more hol∣some then mutton.* 1.13 For it is not to bee doubted, but that dy∣uers kyndes of meates do engender sundry tastes and quali∣ties in suche as are noryshed therwith. The moste puissaunte prince Ferdinandus, declared that he had eaten of an other frute browght from those landes, beinge full of scales with keyes mu••h lyke a pine apple in forme and coloure, but in tendernes equal to melopepones, and in taste excedyng al garden frutes.

For it is noo tre, but an herbe much lyke vnto an archichoke, or Acantho. The kynge hym selfe, gaue the cheefest commenda¦tion to this. I haue eaten none of these frutes. For of a great number which they browght from thense,* 1.14 only one remayned vncorrupted, the other being putrified by reason of the longe vyage. All suche as haue eaten of theym newely gathered in theyr natyue soyle, doo maruelou••ly commende theyr swete∣nes and pleasaunt taste. They dygge also owte of the ground certeyne rootes growynge of theim selues, whiche they caule Betatas,* 1.15 much lyke vnto the nauie rootes of Mylayne, or the greate puffes or musheroms of the earth. Howe soo euer they bee dressed, eyther fryed or sodde, they gyue place to noo such kynde of meate in pleasant tendernes. The skyn is sumwhat towgher then eyther of nauies or mussheroms, and of earthy coloure: But the inner meate therof, is verye whyte. These are noorysshed in gardens, as we sayde of Iucca in the fyrste Decade. They are also eaten rawe, and haue the taste of rawe chestnuttes, but are sumwhat sweeter. Wee haue spoken suf∣ficiently of trees, herbes, and frutes. Wee wyll nowe there∣fore entreate of thynges sencitiue. The laundes and desolate pastures of these regions, are inhabited and deuoured of wild and terrible beastes, as Lions, Tygers,* 1.16 and such other mon∣sters as we nowe knowe, and haue byn descrybed of owlde au¦toures in tyme past. But there is especially one beast engende¦red here,* 1.17 in which nature hath endeuoured to shewe her cun∣nyng. This beaste is as bygge as an oxe, armed with a longe snoute lyke an Elephant, and yet no Elephant. Of the colour of an oxe and yet noo oxe. With the houfe of a horse, and yet noo horse. With eares also much lyke vnto an Elephant, but not soo open nor soo much hangyng downe: yet much wyder thē the eares of any other beaste. Of the beast which beareth her whelpes about with her in her seconde b••lly as in a purse (beinge knowen to none of the owlde wryters) I haue spokē in the fyrst Decade which I doubte not to haue coome to the handes of yowre holynes. Let vs nowe therfore declare what resteth of the fluddes and ryuers of Vraba.* 1.18 The ryuer of Dariena fauleth into the goulfe of Vraba with a narowe chanel,* 1.19 scarsly able to beare the canoas or lyghters of that prouince, and run¦neth by the vyllage where they chose theyr dwellynge place. But the ryuer in the corner of the goulfe which we sayde that

Vaschus passed by, they found to bee .xxiiii. furlonges in bredth (which they caule a league) and of exceadynge depthe,* 1.20 as of twoo hundreth cubettes, faulynge into the goulfe by dyuers mouthes. They say that this ryuer fauleth into the goulfe of Vraba, lyke as the ryuer Ister (otherwyse cauled Danubius,* 1.21 and Danowe) fauleth into the sea Pontike, and Nilus into the sea of Egypte: wherfore they named it Grandis,* 1.22 that is great: whi¦che also they affirme to nooryshe many and great Crocodyles,* 1.23 as the owld wryters testifie of Nilus, and especially as I haue lerned by experience, hauinge sayled vp and downe the ryuer of Nilus when I was sent ambasadoure to the Soldane of Al¦cayr at the commaundement of the moste catholyke Kynge.

What I may therfore gather owte of the wrytynges of so ma¦ny lerned autours as concerninge the ryuer of Nilus, * 1.24 I knowe not. For they say that nature hath gyuen two riuers of that name to water the lande, whether they wyll them to sprynge owte of the mountaynes of the moone or the soonne,* 1.25 or owte of the toppes of the rowgh mountaines of Ethiopia:* 1.26 Affirming one of the same to faule into the goulfe of Egypte toward the Northe, and the other into the South Ocean sea. What shall wee saye in this place? Of that Nilus in Egypte, there is noo doubte. The Portugales also whiche sayle by the coastes of the Ethiopians cauled Nigritae,* 1.27 and by the kyngedome of Me∣linda passinge vnder the Equinoctiall lyne, amonge theyr m••r¦uelous inuentions haue founde an other towarde the South, and ernestly affirme the same to bee also deriued frō the moun¦taynes of the moone: And that it is an other chanell of Nilus, bycause it bryngeth foorth Crocodyles, whereas it hathe not byn reade before tyme that any other ryuer noorysshed Croco∣dyles sauinge onely Nilus. This ryuer, the Portugales caule Senega.* 1.28 It runneth throwgh the Region of the Nigritas, beinge very frutefull towarde the north shore: but on the southe syde sandie and rowghe. Crocodiles are also engendred herein. What shall wee then say of this thyrde: ye I may wel say the fourth.* 1.29 For I suppose them also to bee Crocodiles which Co¦lonus with his coompany founde armed with scales as harde as shelles in the ryuer cauled Delagartos wherof wee haue made mention before.* 1.30 Shall wee say that these ryuers also of Darien and Vraba, haue theyr originall frome the mountaynes of the moone, wheras they sprynge owte of the nexte mountaynes,

and can by noo meanes haue the same originall with Nilus in Egypte, or that in Nigrita,* 1.31 or els that in the kyngedome of Me¦linda, from whense soo euer they are deryued. Whereas these other (as we haue sayde) springe owt of the next mountaines whiche deuyde an other southe sea with noo greate distaunce from the North Ocean. Wherfore it appeareth by experience of such as haue trauayled the worlde in owre time, that other waters besyde the ryuer of Nilus in Egypte,* 1.32 maye lykewyse brynge foorth Crocodiles. In the marysshes also and fennes of the Regions of Dariena, are founde greate plentie of Phe∣sauntes and peacockes, (but not of variable coloures) with many other kyndes of byrdes and foules vnlyke vnto owres,* 1.33 as well apte to bee eaten, as also to delite the eares of menne with pleasaunt noyse. But owre Spanyardes, bycause they are ignorant in foulynge, take but fewe. Also innumerable po¦pingayes of sundry kindes are found chattering in the groues of those fenny places. Of these there are sume equall to Ca∣pons in byggenes, and sume as lyttle as sparowes. But of the diuersitie of popingayes,* 1.34 we haue spoken sufficientely in the fyrst Decade. For in the rase of this large lande, Colonus hym selfe browght and sent to the courte a greate number of euery kynde,* 1.35 the which it was lawfull for all the people to be¦holde, and are yet dayly browght in lyke maner. There re∣mayneth yet one thynge moste woorthy to bee put in hystorye: The which I had rather to haue chaunced into the handes of Cicero or Liuie, then into myne. For the thynge is soo maruey∣lous in my estimation, that I fynde my wytte more entange∣led in the description hereof, then is sayde of the henne when shee seeth her younge chekyn inwrapped in towe or ••laxe. The breadth of that lande from the North Ocean to the south sea is only syxe dayes iourney by relation of thinhabitantes.* 1.36 The multitude therfore and grea••nes of the ryuers on the one side and on the other syde the narowenes of the lande, brynge me into suche doubte howe it can coome to passe, that in soo little a space of three dayes iourney, measurynge from the hygh top¦pes of those mountaynes, I doo not vnderstande howe soo many and soo great ryuers, may haue recourse into this north sea. For it is to bee thought that as many doo flowe towarde thinhabitantes of the southe. These ryuers of Vraba are but smaule, in comparison of many other in those coastes. For the

Spanyardes say, that in the tyme of Colonus, they founde and passed by an other ryuer after this,* 1.37 whose goulfe faulynge in to the sea, they affirme to bee lyttle lesse then a hundreth my∣les in the fyrste coastes of Paria, as wee haue sayde elsewhere. For they saye that it fauleth from the toppes of hyghe moun∣taynes with soo swyfte and furious a course, that by the vio∣lence and greatnes therof, it dryueth backe the sea althowgh it bee rowghe and enforced with a contrary wynde. They all affirme lykewyse, that in all the large tracte therof, they felt noo sower or salte water, but that all the water was fresshe, sweete, and apte to bee droonke. Thinhabitantes caule this ryuer Maragnonum:* 1.38 And the regions adiacent to the same, Ma∣riatambal,* 1.39 Camamorus,* 1.40 and Paricora.* 1.41 Besyde those ryuers whiche I haue named before, as Darien, Grandis, Dabaiba, Beragua, Sancti Ma∣thei, Boius ga••ti, Delagartos, & Gaira, they which of late haue searched those coastes, haue founde many other. Deliberatinge there∣fore with my selfe, from whense these mountaynes beinge soo narowe and nere vnto the sea on bothe sydes, haue such great holowe caues or dennes of suche capacitie, and from whense they are fylled to cast foorth such abundance of water, hereof also askynge them the opinions of the inhabitantes, they af∣firme them to bee of dyuers iudgementes herein: Alleagynge fyrst the greatnes of the mountaynes to bee the cause, whiche they say to bee very hygh, which thynge also Colonus the first fynder therof affirmeth to bee trewe: Adding there vnto that the Paradise of pleasure is in the toppes of those mountaines whiche appeare from the goulfe of Paria and Os Draconis,* 1.42 as he is fully persuaded. They agree therfore that there is greate caues within these mountaynes: but it resteth to consy••er frō whense they are fylled.* 1.43 If therefore all the ryuers of fresshe waters by thoppinion of manye, do soo flowe owte of the sea as dryuen and compelled throwghe the pa••sages or pores of the earth by the ponderous weyght of the sea it selfe, as wee see them breake furth of the sprynges and directe their course to the sea ageyne,* 1.44 then the thynge is lesse to bee marueyled at here then in other places. For wee haue not redde that in a∣ny other place twoo such seas haue enuironed any lande with soo narowe lymittes. For it hath on the right syde, the great Ocean where the sonne goeth downe on the lefte hande: And an other on the other syde where the sonne ryseth, nothynge

inferioure to the fyrst in greatenes, for they suppose it to bee myxte and ioyned as all one with the sea of East India.

This lande therefore being burdened with so great a weight on the one syde and on the other (yf this opinion bee of anye value) is enforced to swalowe vp such deuoured waters, and ageyne to cast foorth the same in open springes and streames. But if wee shall denye that the earth draweth humours of the sea, and agree that all fountaynes or sprynges are engende∣red of the conuersion or turnynge of ayer into water distilling within the halowe places of the montaynes (as the most part thinke) we wyll gyue place rather to thautoritie of them whi∣che stycke to those reasons, then that owre sense is satisfyed of the full truth therof. Yet doo I not repugne that in sume caues of mountaynes, water is turned into ayer.* 1.45 For I my selfe haue seene, howe in the caues of manye mountaynes in Spayne, in maner showers of rayne doo faule continually: And that the water gathered by this meanes, doth send furth certeyne ryuers by the sydes of the mountaynes, wherwith al suche trees as are planted on the s••iepe or foote of the moun∣taynes, as vines, Oliue trees, and suche other, are watered. And this especially in one place: As the ryght honorable Lo∣douike the Cardinall of Aragonie moste obsequious to yowre holynes, and twoo other byshoppes of Italy, wherof the one is Siluius Pandonus, and the other an Archebysshop (whose name and tytle I doo not remember) can beare me wytnes. For whē wee were togyther at Granata, lately delyuered from the domi∣nion of the Moores, and walked for owre pastyme to certeine pleasaunte hylles (by the whiche there ranne a fayre ryuer) Whyle Cardinall Lodouike occupied hym selfe in shutynge at byrdes whiche were in the bushes nere vnto the ryuer, I and the other twoo bysshops determined to clime the mountaynes to searche thoriginall and springe of the ryuer: for wee were not farre from the toppes thereof. Folowynge therefore the course of the ryuer, wee founde a greate caue in which was a continuall faule of water as it had byn a ••houre of rayne:* 1.46 the water wherof, faulyng into a trenche made with mans hand, encreaseth to a ryuer, and runneth downe by the sydes of the mountaynes. The lyke is also seene in this famous towne of Valladoleto (where we nowe suiorne) in a certeyne greene close, not past a furlonge distant from the waules of the towne. I

graunte therfore that in certeyne places by conuersion of the ayrie dewe into water within the caues of suche mountaynes, many sprynges and ryuers are engendred. But I suppose that nature was not sollicitate to brynge furthe suche greate fluds by this so smaule industry. Twoo reasons therfore, do sound beste to my iudgement: whereof the one is, the often faule of rayne:* 1.47 The other, the continuall autumne or sprynge tyme which is in those regions beinge soo nere vnto the Equinocti∣al that the common people can perceaue no difference betwene the length of the day and the night throwgh owt al the yeare whereas these two seasons are more apte to engender abun∣dance of rayne then eyther extreme wynter or feruent summer An other reason in effect much lyke vnto the fyrst,* 1.48 is this: If the sea bee full of pores, and that by the pores therof beinge opened by the Southe windes,* 1.49 wee shal consent that vapours are lyfted vp wherof the watery cloudes are engendred, this lande must needes bee moysted with moo shoures then anye o∣ther, yf it bee as narowe as they saye, and enuironed with twoo mayne seas collaterally beatinge on the same. Howe so euer it be: I can not but gyue credit to the report of such wor¦thy men as haue recourse to those regions: And can noo lesse then declare the same albeit it may seeme incredible to sume ig¦norant persons not knowynge the poure of nature to whome Plinie was persuaded that nothynge was impossible.* 1.50 Wee haue therfore thought it good to make this discourse by the way of argument, least on the one syde, men of good lernyng and iudgement, and on the other syde, suche as are studious to fynde occasions of quarelynge in other mens wrytynges, shulde iudge vs to bee so vndescreete lyghtly to gyue creditte to euery tale not beinge consonant to reason. But of the force and greate violence of those fresshe waters,* 1.51 which repulsinge the sea make so greate a goulfe (as wee haue sayde) I thinke the cause therof to bee the greate multitude of fluddes and ry¦uers, which beinge gathered togither, make so great a poole: and not one ryuer as they suppose. And for as muche as the mountaynes are excedynge hyghe and stiepe,* 1.52 I thinke the vi∣olence of the faule of the waters to be of such force, that this conflicte betwene the waters, is caused by thimpulsion of the poole that the salte water can not enter into the goulfe. But here perhappes sume wyll marueyle at me why I shulde mar∣ueyle

soo muche hereat, speakynge vnto me scornefully after this maner. Why dothe he soo marueyle at the greate ryuers of these Regions? Hathe not Italye his Eridanus,* 1.53 named the kynge of ryuers of the owlde wryters? Haue not other regi∣ons also the lyke? as wee reede of Tanais,* 1.54 Ganges,* 1.55 and Danubius,* 1.56 which are sayde soo to ouercoome the sea, that freshe water may bee drawne fortie myles within the fame. These menne I woolde satisfie with this answere. The famous ryuer of Padus in Italye (whiche they nowe caule Po,* 1.57 and was of the Greekes cauled Eridanus) hath the greate mountaynes cauled Alpes diuidinge Fraunce,* 1.58 Germanie, and Pannonie from I∣talye, lyinge at the backe therof as it were bulwarges agger, full of moysture: And with a longe tracte receauinge Ticinum with innumerable other great ryuers,* 1.59 fauleth into the sea A∣driatike.* 1.60 The lyke is also to bee vnderstode of the other. But these ryuers (as owre men were enformed by the kynges) faul into the Ocean sea with larger and fuller chanels nere hand. And sume there are which affirme this lande to bee very large in other places althowgh it bee but narowe here. There com¦meth also to my remembrance an other cause: the whiche al∣thowgh it bee of no greate force,* 1.61 yet doo I entende to wryte it. Perhappes therfore the length of the lande reachyng far from the Easte to the weste, if it bee narowe, may bee a helpe hereunto. For as wee reade that the ryuer Alpheus passethe through the holowe places vnder the sea from the citie of Elis in Peloponoso,* 1.62 and breaketh foorth at the fountayne or sprynge Arethusa in the Iland of Sicilia,* 1.63 so is it possible that these moun¦taynes may haue suche longe caues perteynynge vnto theim,* 1.64 that they may be the receptacles of the water passing through the landes beinge farre distante: And that the same waters commynge by soo longe a tracte, may in the way bee greately encreased by the conuersion of ayer into water, as wee haue sayde. Thus muche haue I spoken freely, permittinge bothe to them whiche doo frendely enterprete other mens doinges, and also to the malicious scorners, to take the thynge euen as them lysteth. For hetherto I can make no further declara¦tion hereof. But whē the truth shalbe better knowē, I wyl do my diligence to commit the same to wryting. Nowe therefore, forasmuche as we haue spoken thus muche of the breadth of this land, we entēd to describe the length & forme of the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Beragua, cau¦led Castella aurifera, and Uraba, Anda¦luzia noua. Sum caule Peru, Noua Castilia.
• * 1.2

  Beragua and Uraba, regi∣ons of Paria▪
• * 1.3

  The fruteful∣nes of Uraba
• * 1.4

  The frutfu••∣nes of Dari∣ena.
• * 1.5

  Dyuers hol∣somy frutes of ••rees.
• * 1.6

  Guaiana,
• * 1.7

  Pine trees. Date trees.
• * 1.8

  Guarauana
• * 1.9

  Mameis,
• * 1.10

  Guananala.
• * 1.11

  Houos.
• * 1.12

  Mirobalani, Hogges fed with miroba∣lanes
• * 1.13

  Swynes fle••she of bet¦ter tast and more holsum then mutton.
• * 1.14

  Frutes putri∣fyed on the sea.
• * 1.15

  Betatas,
• * 1.16

  Lions and Tygers.
• * 1.17

  A straunge beast.
• * 1.18

  The ryuers of Uraba.
• * 1.19

  The ryuer of Darien fau∣leth into the goulfe of Uraba.
• * 1.20

  A league is xxiiii furlōges
• * 1.21

  Danubius.
• * 1.22

  Grandis or Rio grandis.
• * 1.23

  A crocodile is much lyke an eute, but of excedyng big¦nes.
• * 1.24

  The autoure of this booke was in Egipt The riuer Ni¦lus in Egypte
• * 1.25

  Montes,
• * 1.26

  Lunae.
• * 1.27

  The Portuga¦les nauigaci∣ons.
• * 1.28

  The ryuer Senega▪ an o¦ther chanell of the ryuer of Nilus.
• * 1.29

  Crocodiles. The thyrde & fourth Nilus.
• * 1.30

  Delagartos.
• * 1.31

  The ryuers springe owt of the moun∣taynes
• * 1.32

  Crocodiles en¦gendred in o∣ther ryuers besyde Nilus ••n Egypte.
• * 1.33

  Byrdes and foules.
• * 1.34

  Popingayes.
• * 1.35

  A philosophi∣cal discourse as cūcerning thoriginal of springes and ryuers.
• * 1.36

  The breadth of the ••ande at Uraba frō the North O∣cean to the South sea.
• * 1.37

  A ryuer of maruelous byggenes loke the first decade the ix. boke.
• * 1.38

  The great ry¦uer Maragno¦nus. l••ber. i••. decade i.
• * 1.39

  Mariatambal.
• * 1.40

  Camamorus.
• * 1.41

  Paricora.
• * 1.42

  Paradice. Loke .vi, ••oke fyrst decade.
• * 1.43

  The sea.
• * 1.44

  The land en∣closed with two seas.
• * 1.45

  Conursion of ayer into wa∣ter in the ca∣ues of moun∣tayn••s.
• * 1.46

  Showers of rayne in the caues of mon¦taynes
• * 1.47

  The often fal of ra••ne and cont••nuall sprynge time.
• * 1.48

  The Equinoc¦••iall.
• * 1.49

  The pores of the sea & the South wynd.
• * 1.50

  Nothinge im∣possible to the poure of naure.
• * 1.51

  The cause of the greatnes and force of the goulfe.
• * 1.52

  hygh and stiepe hylles
• * 1.53

  The fludde Eridanus.
• * 1.54

  Tanais.
• * 1.55

  Ganges.
• * 1.56

  Danubius.
• * 1.57

  Padus.
• * 1.58

  Alpes.
• * 1.59

  Ticinum.
• * 1.60

  The sea Adri¦atike, sume caule the go••lfe of Uenes.
• * 1.61

  An other rea∣son
• * 1.62

  The ryuer Alpheus.
• * 1.63

  Arethusa
• * 1.64

  Longe caues in the moun∣taynes.