A true and faithful account of the four chiefest plantations of the English in America to wit, of Virginia, New-England, Bermudus, Barbados : with the temperature of the air, the nature of the soil, the rivers, mountains, beasts, fowls, birds, fishes, trees, plants, fruits, &c. : as also, of the natives of Virginia, and New-England, their religion, customs, fishing, hunting, &c. / collected by Samuel Clarke ...

A DESCRIPTION OF THE BERMUDAS, OR Sommers Islands: THE FIRST DISCOVERY, AND PLANTATION of it by the ENGLISH. (Book Bermuda)

The Temperature of the Aier; The Nature of the Soil, Trees, Plants, Fruits, Hearbs, Fishes, Fowls, and other Commodities thereof.

THese Islands were first Discovered by one Bermudas, from whence they received that name; and afterwards from Sr. George Sommers an English-man, they were called Som∣mers Islands. They lie in the Western Ocean, and in that part of the World commonly called America, and vul∣garly the West-Indies. Their Latitude, or Elevation is 32. Degrees, 25. Minutes, which is almost the same with the Madaeraes.

They are environed round about with Rocks, which North-ward, and

Westward, and Southward extend far, by reason whereof they are very strong, there being only three places whereby Ships can come into them, which places also are well fortified. But within there is room to enter∣tain a great Fleet: In most places the Rocks appear at a low water, and are not much covered at an high water, for it Ebbs and Flows there not above five Foot.

The Shoar for the most part is a Rock,* 1.1 so hardned by the Sun, Wind, and Sea, that its not apt to be worn by the Waves, whose violence also is broken by the Rocks before they come at the Shoar. The mould is of diverse colours, neither Clay nor Sand but betwixt both: The red which resembleth Clay is worst: The white resembing Sand, and blackish is good: the brown betwixt them both is best.

Under the Mould two or three foot deep, is a kind of white substance which they call Rock: the Trees usually fasten their roots in it, and draw their nourishment from it; neither indeed is it Rock or Stone, nor so hard, though for the most part harder than Chalk; not so white, but like a Pumice, and Spongy, easily receiving and retaining much water; and in some places Clay is found under it: The hardest kind of it (which is commonly under the red ground) is not so spongy, nor retains much water, but lies in the ground like Quarries, as it were thick slates, one upon another.

Most of their fresh water (whereof they have good store) comes out of the Sea, drayning through the sand, or thorow the aforesaid substance which they call the Rock, and leaving its saltness behind it, in the passage becometh fresh. Somtimes they dig Wells of fresh water within four or five paces of the Sea-side: and usually they Ebb and Flow as the Sea doth.

The Air is most commonly clear,* 1.2 very temperate, moist, with a mo∣derate heat, very healthful, and apt for the Generation, and nourishing of all things: so that there is scarce any thing that is transported from England thither, but it yields a far greater encrease: and if it be any liv∣ing thing, it becomes fatter and better liking then in England: By which means the Countrey was so replenished with Hens and Turkeys, within the space of three or four years not being looked after, many of them forsook the Houses, and became wild and so encreased abundantly. the like encrease there was of Hogs and other Cattle according to their kinds.

There seems to be a continual Spring, which is the cause that some few things come not to that maturity and perfection as were requisite. And though the Trees do shed their leaves, yet are they always full of green.

Their Corn is the same which is used in most parts of the West-Indies:* 1.3 to wit, Maiz which, to such as are used to it, is more hearty and nourish∣ing than our English Wheat, and yields a far greater encrease, as some∣times a pound of one or two graines: Of this Corn, and divers other things without either plowing or diging the ground, they have two Harvests every year: For they set about March which they gather in July: and again in August which is ripe in December. And little slips of

Fig-Trees, and Vines do usually bear fruit within a year after they are planted, sometimes in half a year: the like fertility they have in other things.

There is scarce at any time to be perceived either Frost or Snow,* 1.4 nor any extream heat, for there is alwayes some wind stirring which clears and cools the Air: Their Summers and Winters observe the same times with ours, but their longest dayes and nights are shorter than ours in England by almost two hours and an half: as also their shortest dayes and nights are as much longer then ours: For their longest dayes are about four∣teen hours, and their shortest ten. When its noon with us, its morning with them, and when its about five a Clock in the evening with us, its noon with them; so that while the Sun declines with us it rises with them, as also it doth in Virginia, its apt to Thunder and Lighten all the year long, and oft times more terrible than in England, yet never any are hurt by it.

There is no Venemous Creature in this Country:* 1.5 the yellow Spider which is there making her Webb as it were of Silk, and bringing forth her young of Eggs, like little drops of quick-silver, neither is it percei∣ved to be Venemous, yet there is a plant that climbs Trees like our Ivy, the leafe like that of a Vine, that is somewhat venomous, but of no great force.

There is great store and variety of Fish,* 1.6 and so good as these parts of the World afford not the like, which being mostly unknown to the English, they gave them such names as best liked them: As Rock-Fish, Groops, Porgie-Fish, Hog-Fish, Angle-Fish, Cavallies, Yellow-tailes, Spanish-Makerels, Mullets, Bream, Cony-Fish, Morrayes, Sting-Rays, Flying-Fish,* 1.7 &c. The like they did by the Fowl, as Cohoos, Sand∣birds, Hearns, Duck, Teal, Pemblicoes, Castle-Boobies, Hawks, &c.

At the first Plantation of this Country by the English it was all over grown with Woods,* 1.8 and Plants of several kinds; and to such as were unknown to them they gave such names as best pleased themselves: such as were known retained their old names; as Cedars, Palmitoes, Black-wood, White-wood, Yellow-wood, Mulberry-trees, Stopper, trees, Lawrel, Olive-trees, Mangrowes, Pepper-trees, Yellow-berry-weed, Red-weed, &c. These and many others they found of Natures Plant∣ing: But since they have Inhabited it, there have been brought, as well from the Indies as from other parts of the World, sundry other Plants, as Vines of several kinds, Sugar-canes, Fig-trees, Apple-trees, Oranges, Lemons, Pomgranates, Plantanes, Pines, Parsnips, Raddishes, Artichocks, Pottatoes, Cassavie, Indico, &c. In so much that its now become like a spacious Garden, or Orchyard of many pleasant, and profitable things.

There are many Tortoises,* 1.9 which they call Turtles: they are in the shape of their bodies like Crab-Fishes, and have four fins, they are as big as three or four men can carry, the upper part of them in covered with a great shell, weighing about half a hundred weight, the flesh that cleaves to the inside of it being roasted against the fire, is almost like the

marrow of Beef, excellent good; but the shell of it self harder than horn: She hath also a shell on her belly, but not so hard as the other, for when its boiled it becomes soft like the gristles of Beef, and is good meat: These live in the Sea, spending the Spring, and Summer time about these Islands, but where they spend the rest of the year is not known; they are like to Fowl in respect of the smallness and shape of their heads, and necks, which are wrinkled like a Turkey, but white, and not so sharp bil'd; they breed their young of Eggs which they lay, in their Flesh they resemble beasts, for it eats like Veal, but more hard and sollid: They alwayes feed upon grass growing at the bottom of the water, neither can they abide any longer under the water then they hold their breath, which the old ones will do long, but the young ones being chased to and fro cannot continue two minutes without coming up to breath.

Shortly after their coming to those Islands the Male and Female cou∣ple, which they call Cooting, this they continue about three dayes toge∣ther, during which time they will scarce separate though a Boat come to them, nor hardly when, they are smitten. Not long after, the she Turtle comes up by night upon some sandy Bay, and further up than the water uses to flow, where she digs a hole with her Fin upon the sand about two foot deep, and coming up several nights there layes her Eggs, about half a bushel (which are about the bigness of a Hens Egge, but as round as a ball) and each time covers them with sand very cu∣riously, so that a man can hardly find the place: These Eggs in time are hatched by the heat of the Sun, and so creep out of the Earth, the Dam coming no more at them. They are no bigger than a mans hand at first, which some Fish will devour: they grow slowly and seem to live long; they will sleep on the top of the water, and used to sleep on the Land till the Countrey was Inhabited. They will live also out of the water about three weeks, and that without meat, but then they mourn, and pine away. Being turned upon their backs when they are on the Land, they cannot without help, or some disadvantage reco∣ver themselves; by which means, when they come a shore to lay their Eggs, they are easily taken; as also they are when they are Cooting. Otherwise they are taken mostly by night, by making a great Light in a Boat to which they will resort, so that a man standing ready, with a staff in his hand wherein is a sharp Iron, four square with a line fastned to it, This Iron he strikes into the upper shell of the Turtle where it sticks fast, and after she hath tired her self a while with swimming about, she is easily taken: the head being cut off they will live twenty four hours, so that if you cut the flesh with a knife, or touch it, it will tremble, and shrink away; there is no meat that will keep longer, either fresh or salt.

There is a Fruit called a prickled Pear,* 1.10 growing in such places as are scarce fit for any thing else, namely, upon Rocks and Cliffs, and common∣ly by the Sea-side, as if the Salt water did something help to the gene∣rating and nourishing of them: The Tree grows certain years before it bears Fruit, and then it continues bearing very many years, having almost

all the year long fruit upon it. Though it be called a Tree it hath scarce any body or branches, but consisteth in a manner wholly of leaves and fruit soft and brittle; many of these Pears grow upon and about a leaf without any stalk at all, and having some prickles about the top; being opened the juyce is of a crimson colour, and they are full of seeds with∣in.

There are gray and white Hearns,* 1.11 gray and green Plovers, wild Ducks and Mallards, Coots, Redshanks, Sea-widgeons, Gray-Bitterns, Cormo∣rants; many smal Birds like Sparrows and Robbins, Wood-peckers, Crows, Falcons, Jerfalcons, Hobbies, &c. The Cohow, is so called from his voice, a night bird, being all day hid in the Rocks. The Egge-Bird which comes constantly in the beginning of May, when they begin to lay Eggs almost as big as Hens, and continue laying till Midsummer, and are very tame, their young are excellent meat, their Eggs are white, and the Cohows, speckled like a Turkeys Egg, as big as Hens. The Tro∣pick Bird hath his name from the place where he is most seen. The Pemblico is seldom seen by day, and by her crying foretells Tem∣pests.

For Plants.* 1.12 The poison Weed, in shape like our Ivy, with the touch of it causeth Redness, and itching, but after a while pass away of themselves, without farther hurt. The Red Weed is a tall Plant, whose stalk is co∣vered with Red Rind. The Root steeped, or a little of the Juice drank alone, is a strong vomit, and effectual against Distempers of the sto∣mach. There is a kind of Woodbind near the Sea, that runs up about Trees likk a Vine: The Fruit is somewhat like a Bean, but flatter, which eaten, purges strongly, yet without harm: There is another small Tree that causeth Costiveness. There is also a Plant like a Bramble, that bears a long yellow Fruit with a hard snell, and within is a hard Berry which purges gently. Red Pepper is a Fruit like our Barberries, which bruised with the teeth sets all the Mouth on a heat, for the time violent, but swallowed whole have the same operation with pepper.

The Sea-Feather is a Plant growing on the Rock in the bottom of the Sea, in form of a Vine-leaf, but far larger, with veines of a palish Red, interlaced, and weaved each into the other. There are also store of Indian Pompeons, the water Melon, and the Musk-Mellon, the most delicate Pineapple, Papawes, &c. Ambergriece is many times found up∣on the shoar.

The most troublesome things in these Islands are the Winds,* 1.13 especi∣ally in the Spring and Autumn. The Hurricanes have sometimes done much hurt: Muskito's are very troublesome: There is a certain Bugg which creeping into Chests, by their illsented Dung defile all, besides their eating. There are Pismires or Ants in the Summer times so trouble∣some that they are forced to dry their Figgs upon high Frames, anointing their feet with Tar which stops their passage. Worms in the Earth are destructive to their Corn, and Tobacco, causing them much labour eve∣ry morning to destroy them, which else would derstoy all. There have bee•• large Lizards which are now destroyed by Cats. Spiders are large by of beautiful colours, as if adorned with Silver, Gold, and Pearl.

Their Webs in Summer woven from tree to tree are perfect raw silk, both in substance and colour, and so strong, that Birds bigger than Black∣birds are snared in their Nets.

Of these Bermudus Islands there are many,* 1.14 some say five hundred, if we call all them Islands that lye by themselves compassed with the Sea, of which some are larger and others less, they lye all in the Figure of a Crescent, within the circuit of six or seven Leagues at most; the greatest of them is about sixteen miles in length from the East North-East, to the West South-West, standing in thirty two Degrees and twen∣ty Minutes.

About these Islands are seen many Whales,* 1.15 attended with the Sword-Fish and the Thresher. The Sword-Fish with his sharp and needle-like Fin pricking him into the belly when he would dive and sink into the Sea, and when he starts up from his Wounds, the Thresher with his Club Fins beats him down again.

Here is also a kind of Web-footed Fowl,* 1.16 of the bigness of our green Plovers, which all Summer are not seen, but in the darkest nights of November and December (for in the night only they feed) would come abroad, making a strange hollow and harsh howling; their colour is in∣clining to russet, with white bellies, and the long feathers of their wings are russet and white, they breed in those of the Islands that are farthest in the Sea, and there in the ground they have their burrows, like Conies. Of these, the English at their first coming, with a lighted bough have taken three hundred in an hour. Afterwards they found out this devise to take them, by standing on the Rocks or Sand by the Sea-side, they would hollow, laugh, and make the strangest noise that possibly they could, with which noise these birds would come flocking to the place, and settle upon the very Armes and Head of him that so cryed, still creeping nearer and answering that noise themselves, by which means our men would weigh them in their hands, and those that weighed heaviest and were best they took, the other they let go, and thus they have taken twenty dozen of the best of them in two hours space; they are fat and plump like a Partridge, and very well relished.

In January they gat great store of their Eggs which are as big and as well relished as our Hen Eggs;* 1.17 These they call Sea-Owles, because of their hooting, they have crooked Bills and will bite shrewdly.

Not long after the English had planted in this Island, which was about the year 1620. it pleased God to send a great Plague upon them by rea∣son of a few Rats that came in a Meal Ship, which though at first few in number, yet within the space of two years they multiplyed so ex∣ceedingly, that they did not only fill those places where they first land∣ed, but swimming from place to place they spread themselves all over the Country, insomuch, as there was no Island though severed by the Sea from all others, and many miles distant from the place where they first began, but was pestred with them; they had their nests almost in every Tree, and in all places had their Burrows in the ground, like Co∣nies to harbour in: they spared not the Fruits of either Plants or Trees,

nay, nor the Plants themselves, but eat all up. When the Planters had set their Corn, they would come by troops the night following, or as soon as it spict, dig it up again and eat it. If by diligent watching any of it escaped till it came to easing, it would very hardly scape them: yea, it was a difficult matter when they had it in their Houses to save it from them, for they became noysom even to the persons of Men.

They used all diligence for the destroying of them, nourishing ma∣ny Catts, wild and tame; they used Ratsbane, and many set the Woods on fire, so that the fire ran half a mile or more before it was extinguish∣ed.

Every man in the Country was enjoyned to set twelve Traps, and some voluntarily set neer an hundred, which they visited twice or thrice in a night. yea, they trained up their Dogs to hunt them, wherein they grew so expert, that a good Dog in two or three hours space would kill ••••rty or fifty Rats. Other means they also used, yet nothing would prevail, finding them still to encrease upon them.

This was a cause of great distress to the Planters; for by this means they were kept destitute of bread for a year or two, so as when they had it afterwards again, they were so weaned from it, that they would easily forget or neglect to eat it with their meat. By this means they were so destitute of food that many died, and the rest became very fee∣ble and weak, whereof some being so, would not, and others could not stir abroad to seek relief, but dyed in their Houses. And such as did go abroad were subject through weakness to be suddenly surprized with a disease called the Feages, wherein they had neither pain, nor sensible sickness, but as it were the highest degree of weakness, depriving them of power and ability to execute any bodily exercise, as working, walk∣ing, &c. Being thus taken, if any body was present that could mini∣ster to them any relief, they would strait wayes recover, otherwise they died there.

About this time there came to these Islands a company of Ravens which continued with them all the time of this mortality and then departed from them. Never any being seen there before or since: But it pleased God at length, that the extremity of their distress began to abate, partly by supplies sent them out of England, and partly by some rest and ease that they got thereby. Yet the Rats continued for some time after, notwithstanding all the devises and industry that they used to destroy them. But suddenly it pleased God, (by what means was not known) so to take them away, that the wild Catts and Dogs that lived upon them were famished, and many of them leaving the Woods came down to the Houses, and to such places where they used to gar∣bish their Fish, and so became tame.

Here are many wild Palm-Trees growing,* 1.18 in fashion, leaves and bran∣ches resembling the true Palme: The Tree is high and strait, sappy, and spungious, having no branches but in the uppermost part of it, and in the top grow leaves about the head of it: (the most inmost part whereof they call the Palmeto, and it is the heart and pith of the

Tree, so white and thin as that it will pill off pleats, as smooth and de∣licate as white Sattin, into twenty folds in which a man may write, as in Paper) where they spread and fall downwards about the Tree like an over-blown Rose: The leaves are as broad as an Italian Vmbrello, under one of which a man may well shelter his whole Body from rain, for being stiff and smooth, the rain easily slides off. The Pal∣mito, or soft top roasted, tastes like a fried Melon, and being sod, it eates like a Cabbage, but is far less offensive to the Stomach.

From under the broken Rocks they take forth Cray-Fishes oft times greater than any of our English Lobsters.

They have also aboundance of Crabs,* 1.19 Oisters, and Wilks; at one draught they have taken small and great about a Thousand Fishes,* 1.20 as Pilchards, Breams, Mullets, Rock-Fish, &c. Every Cave and Creek be∣ing furnished with aboundance of them, which lie there sucking in the water which falls from the high Hills mingled with the juyce of the Palms and Cedars, and such other sweet woods, whereby they become both fat and wholsome.

There are Sparrows fat and plenty; Robbins of diverse colours green and yellow, &c.

Many of the Turtles before mentioned,* 1.21 be of a mighty bigness, insomuch as one of them will suffice Seventy, or eighty men at a meal, especially, if she be a she Turtle, which will have five hundred Eggs in her, being as many as fifty or sixty men can eat at a meal, they are very good and wholesome meat.

There are Mulberry Trees, Olive Trees, Cedars of colour red, and very sweet, which bear a kind of berry that is very pleasant to eat. The top of the Palmito Tree is in season, and good all the year, if you take but an Hatchet and cut it, or an Augur and bore it, it yields a very pleasant Liquor, much like to our sweet wines: it bears like∣wise a berry in the bigness of a Prune, and in taste much like it.

Anno Christi 1609. Sr. Thomas Gates, and Sr. George Sommers, as they were going to Virginia suffered Shipwrack at these Islands, where they continued till May, 1610. in which time they built there a Ship and a Pinace of Cedar, in which they departed to Virginia, leaving only two men behind them: and shortly after some of them came back to the Sommer Islands, where Sr. George Sommers dying, his men (contrary to his last charge given unto them) went for England, leaving behind them three men who stayed vo∣luntarily, who shortly after found in Sommerset Island a very great Treasure of Ambergreece valued at nine or ten thousand pounds Sterling.

The discovery of these Islands being made known in England to the Virginia Company by these men that returned, they sold it to One hundred and twenty Persons of the same Company, who ob∣tained a Charter from His Majesty: and in April 1612. sent thither a Ship called the Plough, with about Eighty men and women in it, who arrived there in safety in July, where they found the three men that had voluntarily stayed there before as you heard. These men

had Planted Corn,* 1.22 great store of Wheat, Beans, Tobacco, and Melons, with many other good things for the use of man: Besides they had wrought upon Timber, in squaring and sawing Cedar Trees &c.

They were no sooner come within a League of the Land but a com∣pany of Fish met them, and never left them till they came to an An∣chor within the Haven, of which with Hooks and Lines they took more than their whole Company was able to eat. Two dayes after they went out with their Net and Boat, and if they would have loaded two Boates they might have done it, which also they might have daily, there was such plenty of them. The day after they went to the Bird Islands, where with their hands they took up as many Birds as they pleased, they were so tame. They took up three for every Boy and Girl, and four for every Man. Then sent they out some for wild Hogs, who brought home some, that did eat as well as our English Mutton.

Anno Christi, 1612.* 1.23 Mr. R. Moor was sent over thither Governour for three years, who spent the greatest part of his time in fortifying the Country, and training the people to Martial Exercises. He built nine or ten Forts, and planted Ordnances upon them. To him succeeded Captain Tucker, Anno Christi 1616. who spent his three years in Hus∣banding the Country, Planting, and nourishing all such things as were fit either for Trade, or for the sustentation, and use of the Inhabitants. He also added to the Fortifications, and made some inclosures. The The Country also was then divided, wherein every Adventurer had his share allotted to him, whereupon the Planters built them substantial Houses, cleared their ground, and Planted all things necessary, so that in a short time the Country began to approach near unto that happiness wherein it now floweth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The na∣ture of its soil.
• * 1.2

  The tem∣perature of the air.
• * 1.3

  Its fertili∣ty.
• * 1.4

  Their Summers, and Win∣ters.
• * 1.5

  No veno∣mous Crea∣ture there.
• * 1.6

  Fish
• * 1.7

  Fowl
• * 1.8

  Trees and Plants.
• * 1.9

  Tortoises or Turtles described.
• * 1.10

  The prickl Pear.
• * 1.11

  Fowls and Birds.
• * 1.12

  Plants.
• * 1.13

  Things offensive.
• * 1.14

  Their number & bigness.
• * 1.15

  Whale-fight.
• * 1.16

  Strange Birds.
• * 1.17

  Rat-plague
• * 1.18

  Palm Trees.
• * 1.19

  Shel-Fish.
• * 1.20

  Other Fish
• * 1.21

  Birds.
• * 1.22

  More Planters sent over.
• * 1.23

  Of Gover∣nours.