THis 〈…〉〈…〉 that the Portugals discouered it on S. Thomas day; it is 〈…〉〈…〉 is of a round forme: it hath in Diameter for∣tie miles 〈…〉〈…〉 it was full of great trees whose branches gr••w 〈…〉〈…〉 the plague. The ayre is hot and sound, yet there are few Christian•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 liue to the age of fiftie yeares, and it is a wonder to see any one with a [ B] white 〈…〉〈…〉 the Negros and they that are borne in the countrie come vnto a hun∣dred and more. The daies and nights are equall. In March and September it raines con∣tinually, and in the other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there fa••••s a thicke mist. In the middest of it there is 〈…〉〈…〉 a cloud, which doth so moisten the trees (whereof this 〈…〉〈…〉 of water, which doth refresh their fields of 〈…〉〈…〉 no wheat, vines, or any trees whose fruit hath hard stones: 〈…〉〈…〉 cucumbers, pompions, figges, ginger, and especially sugar: so as 〈…〉〈…〉 accustomed to lade fortie ships of sugar yearely in this Island, for the which they gaue in exchange wine, cheese, wheat, hides and other things necessarie: but this aboundance hath ceased, since that certaine wormes haue gotten into the roots of [ C] their sugarcanes: so as at this day, they doe not lade yearely aboue six ships with sugar. This Island doth also beare millet, rice, barley, lettice, cabbage, parsley, and all other kind of small hearbes. There grows also in this Island an ••earbe which the inhabitants call Ignaman, they hold it for excellent, to be of great vertue and necessarie for their liues; it is blacke on the out side, and white within, and is long like vnto a great turnup, and hath many braunches in the root: it hath the ta••t of a chestnut, but it is more deli∣cat and pleasing: they eat it most commonly rosted in the ••mbers, and sometimes raw. The Spaniards which dwell there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 transported oliue trees, peaches, almonds, and other trees which make a faire she•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue neuer carried any fruit. There are in this ••••land a kind of Cre••••ces, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the earth like vnto moles, which turne vp the [ D] ground and eat eue••iething. There 〈◊〉〈◊〉 also found in this Island great store of partridges, black birds, starli••gs, and parr••t••. The sea about this Island is full of fish, and it is a won∣derfull thing to see the 〈…〉〈…〉 of whales which are towards the maine land. They that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 newly, are surprised with a feauer which continues verie dangerously for twentie daies, so as they draw bloud without reckoning the ounces. The inhabitants are some white, some blacke▪ and as for the blackes, they say they are wonderfully tor∣mented with fleas, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and punei••e••; whereas the white men haue not any one in their be••s.
The Portugals when they discouered this Island, found it desart: There is now a Co∣lonie, and they 〈…〉〈…〉 a towne which they call Paucasan, in which there are about [ E] seuen hundred 〈…〉〈…〉 the Bishop and Clergie men. It hath a verie good port, and a little riuer of excellent water.