The history of Caledonia, or, The Scots Colony in Darien in the West Indies with an account of the manners of the inhabitants and riches of the countrey / by a Gentleman lately arriv'd.

CHAP. VII. Of their return to Fort St. Andrews.

AFter they had dressed and re∣freshed themselves with some of the Peccary Barlecued, or broil∣ed upon a Wooden Grate, they walked up and down those plea∣sant Groves, and passed two Days more with almost the same Enter∣tainment and Ceremonies as at first. The third day Early in the Morn∣ing they had their Audience of Con∣ge; and several young Boys of the Chief Nobility, were recommend∣ed to the Deputies to be Educated, and to Learn the Scottish Lan∣guage, who were kindly received by them; who were glad to have so many Pledges for the observa∣tion of the Treaty, and which was the greatest mark imaginable of

their sincerity, they were re-condu∣cted down the Hills with almost the same Ceremonies and Dancings they had at their coming up. All was pleasant and gay, onely the mothers of the young boys made at first a mighty howling, and beating of their Breasts; but they were com∣forted by their Husbands, who told them, It would onely be for a while, and that the Deputies would send some Boys of their Nation to be trained up in their stead.

In our return we met with a sort of Wild Hog, called Warree by the Indians: It is very good Meat; it has little Ears, but very great Tusks, and the Hair, or Bristles, is covered with a long and thick Set. It's a fierce Creature, and dreads no Beast whatsoever: But one of the Com∣pany quickly dispatch'd it with a Slug shot out of a Fowling Peice. The Noise of the Shot rouzed at the same time a stately horned Buck, who made his escape.

We saw abundance of Rabbets, which are as ••••••ge as Hares, which have no Tai••s, but little short Ears, with huge large long Claws: They have no Burroughs, but lodge in the Roots of Trees. Several of them were Killed. They are excellent Meat, and eat much moister than European Rabbets.

We met with whole Droves of Monkeys, most of them black, some few white; some with large Beards, others Beardless, which were then fat, the Fruits being ripe, and are very agreeable meat.

We saw many other sorts of Ani∣mals, of which a further Account will be given in a particular Trea∣tise, by an ingenious Gentleman who designs the Natural History of these parts. But we neither saw Bullock, Horse, Ass, Sheep, Goats, nor so much as a Cat, tho they be much troubled with Rats and Mice. So that one may make their Fortunes

by Cats, as Whittington did, who was twice or thrice Mayor of Lon∣don, which confirms that common Tradition of his sudden acquiring of great Riches.

The Countrey we returned thro was very Woody, onely here and there were some pleasant large Sava∣nals, where grows great plenty of Maiz, which makes a substantial strong Bread, but it eats something dryer and harsher than our Wheat. It produces a wonderful increase, a∣bove a Thousand for One. The Planting and Gathering of it is the Work of the Women. The mens Employment is only hunting and fi∣shing.

There are infinite quantities of Cedar, very high and large. The Wood is very Red, of a curious Grain, and of a very fragrant smell The onely use they make of them is for Canoa's and Periago's, the first being much less than the second; which latter sometimes, tho all of

one Tree hollowed, will conveni∣ently carry fifty or threescore men.

There are great store of Plantains which produce an excellent Fruit: The Indians set them in Rows, and they make very delightful Groves.

Bonano's grow here in great plen∣ty: They are a sort of Plantains; the Fruit is short and thick, sweet and mealy; it eats excellently well raw; but the Plantain eats best when it's boiled.

But the Crown of all is that De∣licious Food which we call the Pine-Apple, shaped something like an Ar∣tichoak, as big as a man's head. It grows like a Crown on the top of a stalk, about the thickness of an or∣dinary man's Arm, and a Foot and a half high. The Fruit is common∣ly 7 pound weight, inclosed with short prickly Leaves. This Fruit has no Kernel in it. 'Tis very juicy, and seems to taste of all the Delicious Fruits together. It ripens at all times

of the Year, and is raised from new Plants. The Leaves of the Plant are broad, about a Foot long, and grow from the Root. Some of the Company would have called it, The Vegetable Manna, which would have been no improper Name; for it has a thousand Delights in its Taste, and may supply the Defects of all sorts of Fruits. Its Leaves serve for cov∣ering of Houses, and Bed-cloaths o∣ver the Hammocks. Two or three of them will defend one from the Sun and the Rain.

We saw Sugar-Canes in abund∣ance; but the Indians know not how to make Sugar; they will carry them as they walk, under their Arms, and now and then take a peice of one of them and chew it, and suck out the Juice.

Bastard Cinnamon Trees grow in most places, which bear a sort of a Cod something shorter than a Bean Cod, but much thicker. It's thought if they were transplanted, the Bark

might in time be little inferior to the fam'd Cinnamon of Ceilon.

There grows plentifully two sorts of Pepper, the one called Bell-Pep∣per, the other Bird-Pepper, which are both much used by the Indians; both sorts grow on a shrubby Bush, about a Yard high. The Bird-Pepper has the smaller Leaf, and is much more esteemed by the Indians, and is capable of great Improvements.

Red Wood, fit for Dyers, is no less plentiful than the former. The Trees are commonly about 40 Foot high, about the thickness of ones Thigh. The Indians with this, and a Kind of Earth, dye Cottons for their Hammocks. It makes a bright lively Red.

The Tobacco that grows here is not so strong as that in Virginia, which we attributed to their want of Skill in managing it; for they raise it onely from Seed, and never transplant it, as they do in all the

Tobacco-Countries. When it's cu∣red, they strip it from the stalks, and laying 2 or 3 Leaves upon one ano∣ther, they roll up all together side∣ways, into a long Roll, leaving a little hollow; round this they roll other Leaves, closed hard, till it be as big as ones Wrist, and 2 or 3 foot long: They smoak it in Company thus: A boy lights one end of the Roll, and burns it to a Coal, wetting the part next it, to keep it from wa∣sting too fast. The end so lighted he puts into his mouth, and blows the smoak thro the whole length of the Roll into every body's Face in the Company. Then they sitting in their usual Posture upon Forms, make with their hands held hollow toge∣ther, a kind of Funnel round their Mouths, and Noses, they snuff it up greedily, and are extreamly plea∣sed, and look on it as the greatest of Refreshments.

These were the most remarkable things we observed in our going and returning, besides great variety of

Fowl, which deserve a more particu∣lar Account; which is lett to the Au∣thor of the Natural History, here being no room for such large Ac∣counts.

As soon as we were come within sight of St. Andrews Fort, we all fell down on our Knees to give God most hearty thanks for our Success, and happy Return, and were presently met by a great part of the Garrison. Never were People so caressed, tears of Joy standing in every bodies eyes; and there was great striving among them about getting the Education of the Indian Boys, who in so short a time had most of them learned a great many words of our Language. So that it's not doubted but in a short time they will attain the Perfection of it, as some of our Little ones will do of theirs, who are speedily to be sent to remain with the Indians, accor∣ding to the Agreement in the League, which it's hoped will ptove as advan∣tageous to Scotland, as that made be∣tween Charlemain and King Achaius.