Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. II. Of the Ocean that inuirons the Indies, and of the North and South Seas, their ebbing, flowing, Fishes, fishing, Lakes, Riuers, and Springs.

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AMong all waters the Ocean is the principall, by which the Indies haue beene discoue∣red, and are inuironed therewith; for either they be Ilands of the Ocean Sea, or maine Land, the which wheresoeuer it ends, is bounded with this Ocean. To this day they haue not discouered at the Indies any Mediterranean Sea,* 1.1 as in Europe, Asia, and Affrica, into the which there enters some arme of this great Sea, and makes distinct Seas, taking their names from the Prouinces they wash: and almost all the Mediterranean Seas continue and ioyne together, and with the Ocean it selfe, by the straight of Gibraltar, which the Ancients called, the Pillers of Hercules, although the Red Sea being separated from the Mediterranean Seas, en∣ters alone into the Indian Ocean; and the Caspian Sea ioynes not with any other: so that at the Indies we finde not any other Sea then this Ocean, which they diuide into two, the one [ 60] they call the North Sea, and the other the South; for that the Indies which were first discouered by the Ocean, and reacheth vnto Spaine, lies all to the North, and by that Land thereafter dis∣couered a Sea on the other side, the which they called the South Sea, for that they decline vn∣till they haue passed the Line: and hauing lost the North, or Pole-articke, they called it South.

For this cause they haue called all that Ocean the South Sea, which lyeth on the other side of the East Indies, although a great part of it be ••eated to the North, as all the coast of new Spaine, Nuaragna, Guatimala and Panama. They say▪ that he that first discouered this Sea, was called Blascowunes of Bilbo, the which he did by that part which we now call Maine Land,* 1.2 where it growes narrow, and the two Seas approach so neere the one to the other, that there is but se∣uen leagues of distance:* 1.3 for although they make the way eighteene from Nombre de Dios to Pa∣nama, yet is it with turning to seeke the commoditie of the way, but drawing a direct line, the one Sea shall not be found more distant from the other. Some haue discoursed and propounded to cut through this passage of seuen leagues, and to ioyne one Sea to the other, to make the pas∣sage [ 10] from Peru more commodious and easie, for that these eighteene leagues of Land betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama, is more painefull and chargeable then 2300. by Sea, whereupon some would say, it were a meanes to drowne the Land, one Sea being lower then another. As in times past we finde it written, that for the same consideration,* 1.4 they gaue ouer the enterprize to winne the red Sea into Nile, in the time of King Sesostris, and since, in the Empire of the O∣thomans. But for my part, I hold such discourses and propositions for vaine,* 1.5 although this incon∣uenience should not happen, the which I will not hold for assured. I beleeue there is no humaine powerable to beate and breake downe those strong and impenetrable Mountaines, which God hath placed betwixt the two Seas, and hath made them most hard Rockes, to withstand the furie of two Seas. And although it were possible to men, yet in my opinion they should feare [ 20] punishment from heauen, in seeking to correct the workes, which the Creator by his great pro∣uidence hath ordained and disposed in the framing of this vniuersall world.

Leauing this discourse of opening the Land, and ioyning both Seas together, there is yet another lesse rash, but very difficult and dangerous to search out. Whether these two great gulfes doe ioyne in any other part of the world, which was the enterprize of Fernando Magellan a Portugall Gentleman, whose great courage and constancie in the research of this subiect, and happy successe in the finding thereof, gaue the name of eternall memory to this straight, which iustly they call by the name of the discouerer Magellan, of which straight we will intreate a little, as of one of the greatest wonders of the world. Some haue beleeued, that this Straight which Magellan had discouered in the South Sea, was none, or that it was straightned, as Don [ 30] Alonso d'Arsile writes in his Auracane: and at this day there are some that say, there is no such Straight, but that they are Ilands betwixt the Sea and Land,* 1.6 for that the maine Land ends there, at the end whereof are all Ilands, beyond the which the one Sea ioynes fully with the other, or to speake better, it is all one Sea. But in truth it is most certaine, there is a straight and a long and stretched out Land on either side, although it hath not yet beene knowne how farre it stretcheth of the one side of the straight towards the South. After Magellan, a Shippe of the Bishop of Plaisance passed the straight, Don Guitieres Caruaial (whose Maste they say is yet at Lima, at the entrie of the Pallace) they went afterwards coasting along the South, to disco∣uer the Straight, by the commandement of Don Garcia of Mendoca, then Gouernor of Chille, according to that which Captaine Ladrillero found it and passed it. I haue read the discourse and [ 40] report he made, where he saieth, that he did not hazard himselfe to land in the Straight, but hauing discouered the North Sea, he returned backe, for the roughnesse of the time, winter be∣ing now come, which caused the waues comming from the North, to grow great and swelling, and the Sea continually foming with rage. In our time, Francis Drake and Englishman,* 1.7 passed this Straight. After him, Captaine Sarmiento passed it on the South side. And lastly, in the yeere 1587. other Englishmen passed it, by the instruction of Drake, which at this time run along all the coast of Peru.

Euen as Magellan found out this Straight vpon the South, so some haue pretended to disco∣uer another Straight, which they say is in the North, and suppose it to be in Florida, whose coast runnes in such sort, as they know no end thereof. Peter Melendez, the Adelantade, a man very expert at Sea, affirmeth for certaine, that there is a Straight, and that the King had comman∣ded [ 50] him to discouer it, where in he shewed a great desire:* 1.8 he propounded his reasons to proue his opinion, saying, that they haue seene some remainders of Ships in the North Sea, like vnto those the which the Chinois vse, which had beene impossible, if there were no passage from one Sea vnto another. Moreouer, hee reported, that in a certaine great Bay in Florida (the which runs 300. leagues within the Land) they see Whales in some season of the yeare, which come from the other Sea.

One of the most admirable secrets of Nature is the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, not onely for this strange property of rising and falling, but much more for the difference there is thereof in diuers Seas, yea in diuers coasts of one and the same Sea. There are some Seas that haue no daily [ 60] flowing nor ebbing, as we see in the inner Mediterranean, which is the Thyrene Sea, and yet it flowes and ebbes euery day in the vpper Mediterranean Sea, which is that of Venice, and iustly giueth cause of admiration, that these two Seas being Mediterranean, and that of Venice being no greater then the other, yet hath it his ebbing and flowing as the Ocean, and that other Sea of Italie none at all. There are some Mediterranean Seas, that apparantly rise and fall euery

moneth, and others that neither rise in the day, nor in the moneth. There are other Seas, as the Spanish Ocean, that haue their flux and reflux euery day; and besides that, they haue it mo∣nethly, which commeth twice, that is to say, at the change, and at the full of euery Moone, which they call Spring-tides. To say that any Sea hath this daily ebbing and flowing, and not monethly, I know not any. It is strange, the difference we finde of this subiect at the Indies, for there are some places whereas the Sea doth daily rise and fall two leagues, as at Panama, and at a high water it riseth much more. There are other places where it doth rise and fall so little, that hardly can you finde the difference. It is ordinary in the Ocean Sea to haue a daily flowing and ebbing, and that was twice in a naturall day, and euer it fals three quarters of an houre sooner one day then another, according to the course of the Moone: so as the tide fals not [ 10] alwaies in one houre of the day. Some would say, that this flux and reflux proceeded from the locall motion of the water of the Sea; so as the water that riseth on the one side, fals on the other that is opposite vnto it: so that it is full Sea on the one side when it is a low water on the opposite, as we see in a Kettle full of water, when we mooue it, when it leanes to the one side the water increaseth, and on the other it diminisheth. Others affirme, that the Sea riseth in all parts at one time, and decreaseth at one instant: as the boyling of a Pot, comming out of the centre it extendeth it selfe on all parts, and when it ceaseth, it fals likewise on all parts.

This second opinion is true, and in my iudgement, certaine and tried, not so much for the reasons which the Philosophers giue in their Meteors, as for the certaint experience wee may make. For to satisfie my selfe vpon this point and question, I demanded particularly of the [ 20] said * 1.9 Pilot, how he found the tides in the straight, and if the tides of the South Sea did fall when as those of the North did rise. And contrariwise (this question being true) why the in∣crease of the Sea in one place, is the decrease thereof in another, as the first opinion holdeth. He answered that it was not so, but they might see plainely, that the tides of the North and South Seas rise at one instant, so as the waues of one Sea incountred with the other, and at one instant likewise they began to retire, euery one into his Sea, saying, that the rising and falling was daily seene, and that the incounter of the tides (as I haue said) was at threescore and tenne leagues to the North Sea,* 1.10 and thirtie to the South. Whereby we may plainely gather, that the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean is no pure locall motion, but rather an alteration: whereby all [ 30] waters really rise and increase at one instant, and in others, they diminish, as the boyling of a Pot, whereof I haue spoken. It were impossible to comprehend this point by experience, if it were not in the Straight, where all the Ocean, both on th'one side, and on th'other ioynes together: for none but Angels can see it, and iudge of the opposite parts: for that man hath not so long a sight, nor so nimble and swift footing as were needefull, to transport his eyes from one part to another, in so short a time, as a tide will giue him respite, which are onely six houres.

There are in the Indian Ocean, an infinite number of fishes, the kindes and properties where∣of the Creator onely can declare.* 1.11 There are many such as we haue in the Sea of Europe, as Shads, and Aloses which come from the Sea into the Riuers; Dorads, Pilchards, and many other. There [ 40] are others, the like I doe not thinke to haue seene in these parts, as those which they doe call Cabrillas, which doe somewhat resemble the Trowt, and in new Spaine they call them Bobos, they mount from the Sea into the Riuers. I haue not seene any Besugues there, nor Trowts, al∣though some say there are in Chille. There are Tonins in some parts vpon the coast of Peru, but they are rare, and some are of opinion, that at a certaine time they doe cast their spawne in the Straight of Magellan, as they doe in Spaine at the Straight of Gibraltar, and for this reason they finde more vpon the coast of Chille, although those I haue seene there, are not like to them in Spaine.* 1.12 At the Ilands (which they call Barlouente) which are Cuba, Saint Dominicke, Port¦rique, and Iamaique, they finde a fish which they call Manati, a strange kinde of fish, if we may call it fish, a creature which ingenders her yong ones aliue, and hath teates, and doth nourish [ 50] them with milke, feeding of grasse in the fields, but in effect it liues continually in the water, and therefore they eate it as fish; yet when I did eate of it at Saint Dominique on a friday, I had some scruple, not for that which is spoken, but for that in colour and taste it was like vnto morsels of Veale, so is it greene, and like vnto a Cowe on the hinder parts. I did wonder at the incredible rauening of the Tiburons, or sharkes, when as I did see drawne from one (that was taken in the Port) out of his gullet, a Butchers great Knife, a great Iron hooke, and a piece of a Cowes head with one whole horne, neither doe I know if both were there, or no. I did see in a creeke made with that Sea, a quarter of a horse for pleasure hanging vpon a stake, whither presently came a company of these Tiburons, at the smell thereof: and for the more plea∣sure, this Horse-flesh was hung in the ayre, I know not how many hand breadth from the wa∣ter; [ 60] this company of fish flocke about it, leaping vp, and with a strange nimblenesse cut off both flesh and bone off the Horse legge, as if it had beene the stalke of a lettuce; their teeth being as sharpe as a rasour. There are certaine small fishes they call Rambos, which cleaue to these Tibu∣rons, neither can they driue them away, and they are fed with that which falles from the

Tiburons. There are other small fishes, which they call flying fishes, the which are found within the tropickes, and in no other place, as I thinke: they are pursued by the Ducades;* 1.13 and to escape them they leape out of the Sea, and goe a good way in the ayre, and for this reason they are called flying Fishes: they haue wings as it were of linnen cloath, or of parchment, which doe support them some space in the ayre. There did one flye or leape into the Ship wherein I went, the which I did see, and obserue the fashion of his wings.

In the Indian Histories there is often mention made of Lezards or Caymans (as they call them) and they are the very same which Plinie and the Auncients call Crocodiles, they finde them on the Sea side, and in hot Riuers, for in cold Riuers there are none to be found. And therefore they [ 10] finde none vpon all the coasts of Peru vnto Payra, but forward they are commonly seene in the Riuers. It is a most fierce and cruell beast, although it be slow and heauie. Hee goes hunting and seekes his prey on the Land, and what he takes aliue, he drownes it in the water, yet doth he not eate it, but out of the water, * 1.14 for that his throate is of such a fashion, as if there entred any wa∣ter, he should easily be drowned. It is a wonderfull thing to see a combat betwixt a Caymant and a Tigre, whereof there are most cruell at the Indies. A religious man of our company told me that he had seene these beasts fight most cruelly one against the other; vpon the Sea shoare the Caymant with his taile gaue great blowes vnto the Tygre, striuing with his great force to carry him into the water: and the Tigre with his pawes resisted the Caymant, drawing him to Land. In the end the Tigre vanquished, and opened the Lezard, it seemes by the belly, the which is most [ 20] tender and penetrable, for in euery other part he is so hard, that no Lance, and scarce a harquebuze can pierce it. The victory which an Indian had of a Caymant was yet more rare: the Caymant had carried away his yong childe, and sodainely plunged into the Sea, the Indian moued with choller, cast himselfe after him, with a knife in his hand, and as they are excellent swimmers and diuers, and the Caymant swimmeth alwayes on the toppe of the water, hee hurt him in the belly, and in such sort, that the Caymant feeling himselfe wounded, went to the shoare,* 1.15 lea∣uing the little infant dead.

But the combat which the Indians haue with Whales is yet more admirable, wherein appeares the power and greatnesse of the Creator, to giue so base a Nation (as be the Indians) the industrie and courage to incounter the most fierce and deformed beast in the world, and not onely to fight [ 30] with him, but also to vanquish him, and not to triumph ouer him. Considering this, I haue often remembred that place of the Psalmes, speaking of the Whale, Draco iste quem formasti ad illuden∣dum eum: What greater mockerie can there be, then to see an Indian leade a Whale as bigge as a Mountaine, vanquished with a cord?* 1.16 The manner the Indians of Florida vse (as some expert men haue told me) to take these Whales (whereof there is great store) is, they put themselues into a Canoe, which is like a barke of a tree, and in swimming approach neere the Whales side, then with great dexteritie they leape to his necke, and there they ride as on horse-back expecting his time, then he thrusts a sharpe and strong stake (which he carries with him) into the Whales no∣strill, for so they call the hole or vent by which they breathe, presently he beates it in with an∣other stake as forcibly as he can; in the meane space the Whale doth furiously beate the Sea, and [ 40] raiseth Mountaines of water, running into the deepe with great violence, and presently riseth againe, not knowing what to doe for paine: the Indian still sits firme, and to giue him full pai∣ment for this trouble, hee beates another stake into the other vent or nosthrill, so as he stoppeth him quite, and takes away his breathing, then he betakes him to his Canoe, which he holds tied with a cord to the Whales side, and goes to Land, hauing first tied his cord to the Whale, the which he lets run with the Whale, who leapes from place to place, whilest he finds water enough: being troubled with paine, in the end he comes neere the Land, and remaines on ground by the hugenesse of his body, vnable any more to moue; then a great number of Indians come vnto the Conquerour, to gather his spoiles, they kill him, and cut his flesh in peeces, the which is bad enough: this doe they dry and beate into powder, vsing it for meate, it doth last them long: wherein is fulfilled, that which is spoken in another Psalme of the Whale, Dedisti eum escam po∣pulis [ 50] Aethiopum. Peter Mendez the Adelantade did often speake of this kinde of fishing. Where∣of Monardes makes mention in his Booke.

There is another fishing which the Indians doe commonly vse in the Sea, the which, although it be lesse, yet is it worthy the report. They make as it were faggots of bul-rushes or dry sedges well bound together, which they call Balsas: hauing carried them vpon their shoulders to the Sea, they cast them in, and presently leape vpon them: being so set, they lanch out into the deepe, rowing vp and downe with small reedes of either side: they goe a league or two into the Sea to fish, carrying with them their cords and nets vpon these faggots, and beare themselues thereon. They cast out their nets, and doe there remaine fishing the greatest part of the day [ 60] and night, vntill they haue filled vp their measure, with the which they returne well satisfied. Truely it was delightfull to see them fish at Callao of Lima, for that they were many in number, and euery one set on horse-backe, cutting the waues of the Sea, which in their place of fishing are great and furious, resembling the Tritons or Neptunes, which they paint vpon the water, and being come to Land, they draw their barke out of the water vpon their backes, the which they

presently vndoe, and lay abroad on the shoare to drie. There were other Indians of the Vallies of Yca, which were accustomed to goe to fish in leather, or skins of Sea-wolues, blowne vp with winde, and from time to time they did blow them like bals of winde, lest they should sinke. In the va••e of Canete, which in old time they called Guaroo, there were a great number of Indian fishers; but because they resisted the Ingua, when he came to conquer that Land, hee made shew of peace with them, and therefore to feast him, they appointed a solemne fishing of many thou∣sand Indians, which went to Sea in their vessels of reeds: at whose returne, the Ingua (who had laid many Souldiers in ambush) made a cruell butcherie of them, so as afterward this Land remai∣ned vnpeopled, although it be aboundant and fertile. I did see another manner of fishing, where∣unto Don Francis of Toledo the Viceroy did leade me, yet was it not in the Sea, but in a Riuer [ 10] which they call great in the Prouince of Charcas, where the Indians Chiraquanas plunged into the water, and swimming with an admirable swiftnesse, followed the fish, where with darts and hookes (which they vse to carry in their right hand, onely swimming with the left) they wound the fish, and so hurt they brought them forth, seeming in this more like vnto fishes then men of the Land. But now that we haue left the Sea, let vs come to other kinde of waters that remaine to be spoken of.

* 1.17In place of the Mediterranean Sea, which is in the old world, the Creator hath furnished this new with many Lakes, whereof there are some so great, as they may be properly called Seas, see∣ing the Scripture calleth that of Palestina so, which is not so great as some of these. The most fa∣mous is that of Titicaca, which is at Peru, in the Prouince of Callao, the which as I haue said in the former booke, containes neere fourescore leagues in compasse, into the which there runs ten [ 20] or twelue great Riuers. A while since, they began to saile in it with Barkes and Ships, wherein they proceeded so ill, that the first Ship was split with a tempest that did rise in the Lake. The water is not altogether sower nor salt, as that of the Sea, but it is so thicke, as it cannot be drunke.* 1.18 There are two kindes of fishes breede in this Lake in great abundance, the one they call Suches, which is great and sauorous, but phlegmaticke and vnwholesome: and the other Bogos, which is more healthfull, although it be l••sse and fuller of bones: there are great numbers of wilde-ducks and Wigens. When as the Indians will feast it, or shew delight to any one that pas∣seth along the two bankes,* 1.19 which they call Chuouyto and Omasugo, they assemble a great num∣ber of Canoes, making a circle and inuironing the fowle, vntill they take with their hands what [ 30] they please: and they call this manner of fishing Chaco. On the one and the other banke of this Lake, are the best habitations of Peru. From the issue thereof there growes a lesser Lake, al∣though it be great, which they call Paria, vpon the bankes whereof, there are great numbers of cattell, especially Swine, which grow exceeding fat with the grasse vpon those bankes. There are many other Lakes in the high Mountaines, whence proceede Brookes and Riuers, which after become great flouds. Vpon the way from Arequippa to Callao, there are two Lakes, vpon the Mountaines of the one and other side the way, from the one flowes a brooke, which growes to a floud, and fals into the South Sea; from the other, they say the famous Riuer of Aporima takes her beginning; from the which some hold that the renowned Riuer of Amazons, otherwise called Maragnon proceedes, with so great an assembly and abundance of waters, which ioyne in these [ 40] Mountaines. It is a question may be often asked, why there is so many Lakes in the tops of these Mountaines,* 1.20 into the which no riuer enters, but contrariwise, many great streames issue forth, and yet doe we scarce see these Lakes to diminish any thing at any season of the yeare. To ima∣gine that these Lakes grow by the Snow that melts, or raine from heauen, that doth not wholly satisfie me: for there are many that haue not this abundance of Snow, nor raine, and yet wee see no decrease in them, which makes me to beleeue they are Springs which rise there naturally, al∣though it be not against reason, to thinke that the Snow and raine helpe somewhat in some sea∣sons. These Lakes are so common in the highest tops of the Mountaines, that you shall hardly finde any famous riuer that takes not his beginning from one of them. Their water is very cleere and breedes little store of fish,* 1.21 and that little is very small, by reason of the cold which is there [ 50] continually.

Notwithstanding, some of these Lakes be very hot, which is another wonder. At the end of the Vallie of Tarapaya neere to Potozi, there is a Lake in forme round, which seemes to haue beene made by compasse,* 1.22 whose water is extreamely hot, and yet the Land is very cold; they are accustomed to bathe themselues neere the banke, for else they cannot endure the heate being farther in. In the midst of this Lake, there is a boiling of aboue twentie foote square, which is the very Spring, and yet (notwithstanding the greatnesse of this Spring) it is neuer seene to increase in any sort: it seemes that it exhals of it selfe, or that it hath some hidden and vn∣knowne issue, neither doe they see it decrease; which is another wonder, although they haue drawne from it a great streame, to make certaine engines grinde for mettall, considering the great quantitie of water that issueth forth, by reason whereof, it should decrease. [ 60]

* 1.23But leauing Peru, and passing to new Spaine, the Lakes there, are no lesse to be obserued; especially that most famous of Mexico, where we finde two sorts of waters, one salt Lake like to that of the Sea, and the other cleere and sweete, by reason of the Riuers that enter into it.

In the midst of this Lake, is a rocke very delightfull and pleasant, where there are bathes of hot water that issue forth, the which they greatly esteeme for their health. There are Gardens in the middest of this Lake, framed and fleeting vpon the water, where you may see plots full of a thousand sorts of hearbes and flowers, & they are in such sort as a man cannot well conceiue them without sight. The Citie of Mexico is seated in the same Lake, although the Spaniards haue filled vp the place of the scituation with earth, leauing onely some currents of water, great and small, which enter into the Citie, to carrie such things as they haue neede of, as wood, hearbs, stone, fruites of the Countrie, and all other things. When Cortez conquered Mexico, hee cau∣sed Brigandins to be made, yet afterwards he thought it more safe not to vse them: therefore they vse Canoes, whereof there is great store. There is great store of fish in this Lake, yet haue [ 10] I not seene any of price: notwithstanding, they say the reuenue of this Lake, is worth three-hundred thousand Duckets a yeere. There are many other Lakes, not farre from this, whence they bring much fish to Mexico. The Prouince of Mechonacan is so called,* 1.24 for that it aboundeth greatly with fish. There are goodly and great Lakes, in the which there is much fish, and this Prouince is coole and healthfull. There are many other Lakes, whereof it is not possible to make mention, nor to know them in particular, onely wee may note by that which hath beene discoursed in the former Booke, that vnder the burning Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes, then in any other part of the world.

There is at the Indies as in other parts of the world, great diuersitie of Springs, Fountaines,* 1.25 and Riuers, and some haue strange properties. In Guancauilica of Peru (where the Mines of [ 20] Quick-siluer be,) there is a Fountaine that casts forth hot water, and in running, the water turnes to rocke, of which rocke or stone, they build in a manner all the houses of the Village. This stone is soft, and easie to cut, for they cut it as easily with Iron as if it were wood,* 1.26 it is light and lasting. If men or beasts drinke thereof, they dye, for that it congeales in the very entrailes, and turnes into stone, and for that cause some Horses haue died. As this water turnes into stone, the which flowes, stoppes the passage to the rest; so as of ne∣cessitie it changeth the course, and for this reason it runnes in diuers places, as the rocke increaseth. At the point of Cape Saint Helaine, there is a Spring or Fountaine of Pitch, which at Peru, they call Coppey.* 1.27 This should be like to that which the Scripture speakes of the sauage Valley, where they did finde pits of Pitch. The Marriners vse these Fountaines of Pitch or [ 30] Coppey, to pitch their ropes and tackling, for that it serues them as Pitch and Tarre in Spaine. When I sailed into new Spaine by the coast of Peru, the Pilot shewed me an Iland, which they call the Ile of Wolues, where there is another Fountaine or Pit of Coppey or Pitch, with the which they anoint their tackling. There are other Fountaines and Springs of Gouliranrozen, which the Pilot (an excellent man in his charge) told me he had seene, and that sometimes sailing that waies, being so farre into the Sea, as he had lost the sight of Land, yet did he know by the smell of the Coppey, where he was, as well as if he had knowne the Land, such is the fauour that issues conti∣nually from that Fountaine.

At the Bathes, which they call the Bathes of Ingua, there is a course of water,* 1.28 which comes forth all hot and boiling; and ioyning vnto it, there is another whose water is as cold [ 40] as Ice. The Ingua was accustomed to temper the one with the other; and it is a wonderfull thing to see Springs of so contrarie qualities, so neere one to the other. There are an infinite number of other hot Springs, specially in the Prouince of Charcas, in the water whereof, you cannot indure to hold your hand the space of an Aue Maria, as I haue seene tried by wager. In a Farme neere to Cusco, springs a Fountaine of Salt, which as it runnes turnes into Salt, very white and exceeding good,* 1.29 the which (if it were in another Countrie) were no small riches, yet they make very small account thereof, for the store they haue there. The waters which runne in Guayaquel, which is in Peru, almost vnder the Equinoctiall Line, are held to be healthfull for the French disease, and other such like, so as they come from many [ 50] places farre off to be cured. And they say the cause thereof is, for that in that Countrie there is great aboundance of rootes, which they call Salepareille,* 1.30 the vertue and operation whereof is so knowne, that it communicates her propertie to the waters wherein it is put to cure this dis∣ease. Bilcanota is a Mountaine the which (according to common opinion) is in the highest part of Peru, the top whereof is all couered with Snow, and in some places is blacke like coale. There issueth forth of it, two Springs in contrary places, which presently grow to be very great brooks, and so by little and little become great flouds, the one goes to Calloa, into the great Lake T••••caca; the other goes to the Lands, and is that which they call Yucay, which ioyning with another runnes into the North Sea, with a violent and furious course. This Spring, when it comes out of the rocke Bilcanota, as I haue said, is of the colour of lie, hauing an ashie colour,* 1.31 and casts a f••me as a [ 60] thing burnt, the which runs far in this sort, vntil the multitude of waters that run into it, quench this smoak and fire which it drawes from the Spring.* 1.32 In new Spain I haue seene a Spring as it were Ink, somewhat blew, in Peru another, of color red like blood, where vpon they cal it the red Riuer.* 1.33

Amongst all Riuers, not onely at the Indies, but generally through the world, the Riuer Ma∣ragnon, or of Amazons, is the chiefe, whereof we haue spoken in the former Booke. The Spa∣niards

haue often sailed it, pretending to discouer the Lands, which by report are very rich, especially those they call Dorado and Paytiti, Iean de Salnies, the Adelantade, made a memorable entrie, though of small effect. There is a passage which they call Pongo, one of the most dange∣rous in all the world;* 1.34 for the Riuer being there straightned, and forced betwixt two high steepe Rocks: the water fals directly downe with so great a violence, that comming steepe downe, it causeth such a boyling, as it seemeth impossible to passe it without drowning: yet the courage of men durst attempt to passe it, for the desire of this renowmed Dorado: they slipt downe from the top to the bottome, thrust on with the violence and currant of the floud, holding themselues fast in their Canoes or barkes: and although in falling they were turned topsie turuie, and both they and their Canoes plunged into the deepe, yet by their care and industrie they recouered [ 10] themselues againe; and in this sort the whole armie escaped, except some few that were drow∣ned.* 1.35 And that which is more admirable, they carried themselues so cunningly, that they neither lost their Powder nor Munition. In their returne (hauing suffered many troubles and dangers) they were forced, in the end, to passe backe that same way) mounting by one of those high Rocks, sticking their Ponyards in the Rocke,

Captaine Peter d'Orsua made another entrie by the same Riuer, who being dead in the same Voyage, and the Souldiers mutinied; other Captaines followed the enterprise, by an arme that comes into the North Sea. A religious man of our company told vs, that being then a secular man, he was present in a manner at all that enterprise, and that the tides did flow almost a hun∣dred leagues vp the Riuer, and whereas it enters into the Sea (the which is vnder the Line, or [ 20] very neere) it hath seuenty leagues breadth at the mouth of it, a matter incredible; and which ex∣ceeds the breadth of the Mediterranean Sea, though there be some others, who in their descripti∣ons giue it but twenty fiue or thirty leagues breadth at the mouth.

* 1.36Next to this Riuer that of Plata, or of Siluer holds the second place, which is otherwise called Paraguay, which runs from the Mountains of Peru, into the Sea, in thirty fiue degrees of altitude to the South: it riseth (as they say) like to the Riuer of Nile, but much more without comparison, and makes the fields it ouerflowes like vnto a Sea, for the space of three moneths, and after re∣turneth againe to his course, in the which Shippes doe saile many leagues against the streame. There are many other Riuers that are not of that greatnesse, and yet are equall: yea they surpasse the greatest of Europe, as that of Magdalaine, neere to Saint Marthe, called the great Riuer, and [ 30] that of Aluarado in new Spaine, and an infinite number of others. Of the South side, on the Moun∣taines of Peru, the Riuers are not vsually so great, for that their current is not long, and that ma∣ny waters cannot ioyne together, but they are very swift, descending from the Mountaines, and haue sodaine fals, by reason whereof they are very dangerous, and many men haue perished there. They increase and ouerflow most in the time of heate. I haue gone ouer twenty and se∣uen Riuers vpon that coast, yet did I neuer passe any one by a foord.

* 1.37The Indians vse a thousand deuises to passe their Riuers. In some places they haue a long cord that runnes from one side to th'other, and thereon hangs a basket, into the which he puts himselfe that meanes to passe; and then they draw it from the banke with another cord, so as he passeth in this basket. In other places the Indian passeth, as it were on Horse-backe, vpon a bottle of [ 40] straw, and behinde him he that desires to passe; and so rowing with a peece of a boord, carries him ouer. In other places they make a floate of gourds or pompions, vpon which they set men with their stuffe to carry ouer, and the Indians hauing cords fastned to them, goe swimming before, and draw this floate of pompions after them, as Horses doe a Coach: others goe behinde thrust∣ing it forward. Hauing passed, they take their barke of pompions vpon their backe, and returne swimming: this they doe in the Riuer of Saint at Peru. We passed that of Aluarado in new Spain vpon a table, which the Indians carried vpon their shoulders, and when they lost their footing, they swamme. These deuises, with a thousand other wherewith they vse to passe their Riuers, breede a terrour in the beholders, helping themselues with such weake and vnsure meanes; and yet they are very confident.* 1.38 They doe vse no other bridges but of haire or of straw. There are [ 50] now vpon some Riuers bridges of Stone, built by the diligence of some Gouernours, but many fewer then were needefull in such a Countrie, where so many men are drowned by default there∣of, and the which yeeldes so much Siluer, as not onely Spaine, but also other strange Countries make sumptuous buildings therewith. The Indians doe draw from these flouds that runne from the Mountaines to the Vallies and Plaines, many and great Brookes to water their Land, which they vsually doe with such industrie, as there are no better in Murcia, nor at Mil∣lan it selfe, the which is also the greatest and onely wealth of the Plaines of Peru, and of many other parts of the Indies.

[ 60]

Notes

• * 1.1

  No Mediterra∣nean Sea of great note in America.
• * 1.2

  Terra firme.
• * 1.3

  Straight of land but eight leag. betwixt North & South Seas.
• * 1.4

  Herodotus.
• * 1.5

  Iouius▪
• * 1.6

  Experience in Drakes and Maires voyage haue found them no straights but broken Ilands to the South, contrary to our Author here.
• * 1.7

  See of this Sir Francis Drakes Voyage. to. 1. l. 2 I haue omit∣ted Sarmientoes voiage. &c. The supposed Straight in Florida.
• * 1.8

  Of the ebbing and flowing of the Indian O∣cean. Chap. 14. The Philoso∣phers in search¦ing the cause of ebbing and flowing haue easily erred, following the Greekes and La∣tines which knew not the Ocean, and could not ther∣fore know the cause.
• * 1.9

  Hernando A∣lonso which with Sarmiento had gone to the Straights to seeke Cap∣taine Drake.
• * 1.10

  At the Downes on our coast two tides meet one from the Westerne Sea or slewe, the other from the North, which there cause much varietie.
• * 1.11

  Of sundry Fishers, and their manner of fishing at the Indies.
• * 1.12

  The Manati a strange fish. The Whales also bring forth their yong aliue, and nourish them with their brests, being in that huge crea∣ture scarce twice so big as the breasts of a woman, and farre lesse then those of many women. Their foode is also Sea weedes. Sharking sharkes.
• * 1.13

  They haue rough heads whereby they cleaue and sticke fast to the Sharke, which thus are forced to ca••ry them with their swift motion, of whose off all also they liue. Crocodiles.
• * 1.14

  Yet so as euer and anon hee dips it in the water his tongue being so short, that otherwise he could not swal∣low it.

  Tigre kils a Crocodile.
• * 1.15

  Indians exploit on a Crocodile
• * 1.16

  Whale killed by the Sauages
• * 1.17

  Of Lakes and Pooles that be at the Indies. Chap. 16.
• * 1.18

  Thicke water.
• * 1.19

  Fishes and fishing.
• * 1.20

  Originall of Lakes.
• * 1.21

  Greatest riuers flow from Lakes.
• * 1.22

  Hot Lake, and many wonders thereof.
• * 1.23

  Lakes of Mex∣ico salt and fresh.
• * 1.24

  R••ch Lake.
• * 1.25

  Of many and diuers Springs and Fountains Chap. 17.
• * 1.26

  Hot Spring turning into Stone.
• * 1.27

  Fountaine of Pitch.
• * 1.28

  Cold and hot Springs toge∣ther.
• * 1.29

  Salt Spring which yeeldes Sal•• without boiling.
• * 1.30

  Pocke-••pring.
• * 1.31

  Smoak Spring.
• * 1.32

  Inke, &c.
• * 1.33

  Of Riuers. Chap. 18.

  Maragnon or Amazons.
• * 1.34

  Water-fall.
• * 1.35

  Golden thirst.
• * 1.36

  Riuer of Plata, increasing as Nilus.
• * 1.37

  How they passe their Riuers.
• * 1.38

  Haire and Straw Bridges.