Purchas his pilgrimes. part 4 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.

§. I.

A most dreadfull Tempest (the manifold deaths whereof are here to the life described) their wracke on Bermuda, and the descrip∣tion of those Ilands.

EXcellent Lady, know that vpon Friday late in the euening, we brake ground out of the Sound of Plymouth, our whole Fleete then consisting of seuen good Ships, [ 60] and two Pinnaces, all which from the said second of Iune, vnto the twenty three of Iuly, kept in friendly consort together not a whole watch at any time, loo∣sing the sight each of other. Our course when we came about the height of be∣tweene 26. and 27. degrees, we declined to the Northward, and according to

our Gouernours instructions altered the trade and ordinary way vsed heretofore by Dominico, and Meuis, in the West Indies, and found the winde to this course indeede as friendly, as in the iudgement of all Sea-men, it is vpon a more direct line, and by Sir George Summers our Ad∣mirall had bin likewise in former time sailed, being a Gentleman of approued assurednesse, and ready knowledge in Sea-faring actions, hauing often carried command, and chiefe charge in ma∣ny Ships Royall of her Maiesties, and in sundry Voyages made many defeats and attempts in the time of the Spaniards quarrelling with vs, vpon the Ilands and Indies, &c. We had followed this course so long, as now we were within seuen or eight dayes at the most, by Cap, Newports recko∣ning of making Cape Henry vpon the coast of Virginia: When on S. Iames his day, Iuly 24. be∣ing Monday (preparing for no lesse all the blacke night before) the cloudes gathering thicke vp∣on vs, and the windes singing, and whistling most vnusually, which made vs to cast off our Pin∣nace [ 10] towing the same vntill then asterne, a dreadfull storme and hideous began to blow from out the North-east, which swelling, and roaring as it were by ••••ts, some houres with more vio∣lence then others, at length did beate all light from heauen; which like an hell of darkenesse tur∣ned blacke vpon vs, so much the more fuller of horror, as in such cases horror and feare vse to ouerrunne the troubled, and ouermastered sences of all, which (taken vp with amazement) the eares lay so sensible to the terrible cries, and murmurs of the windes, and distraction of our Com∣pany, as who was most armed, and best prepared, was not a little shaken. For surely (Noble Lady) as death comes not so sodaine nor apparant, so he comes not so elui•••• and painfull (to men especially euen then in health and perfect habitudes of body) as at Sea; who comes at no time so [ 20] welcome, but our frailty (so weake is the hold of hope in miserable demonstrations of danger) it makes guilty of many contrary changes, and conflicts: For indeede death is accompanied at no time, nor place with circumstances euery way so vncapable of particularities of goodnesse and inward comforts, as at Sea. For it is most true, there ariseth commonly no such vnmercifull tempest, compound of so many contrary and diuers Nations, but that it worketh vpon the whole frame of the body, and most loathsomely affecteth all the powers thereof: and the manner of the sicknesse it laies vpon the body, being so vnsufferable, giues not the minde any free and quiet time, to vse her iudgement and Empire: which made the Poet say:

Hostium vxores, puerique caecos Sentiant motus orientis Haedi, & Aequoris nigri fremitum, & trementes [ 30] Uerbere ripas.

For foure and twenty houres the storme in a restlesse tumult, had blowne so exceedingly, as we could not apprehend in our imaginations any possibility of greater violence, yet did wee still finde it, not onely more terrible, but more constant, fury added to fury, and one storme vrging a second more outragious then the former; whether it so wrought vpon our feares, or indeede met with new forces: Sometimes strikes in our Ship amongst women, and passengers, not vsed to such hurly and discomforts, made vs looke one vpon the other with troubled hearts, and pan∣ting bosomes: our clamours dround in the windes, and the windes in thunder. Prayers might well be in the heart and lips, but drowned in the outcries of the Officers: nothing heard that [ 40] could giue comfort, nothing seene that might incourage hope. It is impossible for me, had I the voyce of Stentor, and expression of as many tongues, as his throate of voyces, to expresse the outcries and miseries, not languishing, but wasting his spirits, and art constant to his owne prin∣ciples, but not preuailing. Our sailes wound vp lay without their vse, and if at any time wee bore but a Hollocke, or halfe forecourse, to guide her before the Sea, six and sometimes eight men were not inough to hold the whipstaffe in the steerage, and the tiller below in the Gunner roome, by which may be imagined the strength of the storme: In which, the Sea swelled aboue the Clouds, and gaue battell vnto Heauen. It could not be said to raine, the waters like whole Riuers did flood in the ayre. And this I did still obserue, that whereas vpon the Land, when a storme hath powred it selfe forth once in drifts of raine, the winde as beaten downe, and van∣quished therewith, not long after indureth: here the glut of water (as if throatling the winde ere [ 50] while) was no sooner a little emptied and qualified, but instantly the windes (as hauing gotten their mouthes now free, and at liberty) spake more loud, and grew more tumultuous, and malignant. What shall I say? Windes and Seas were as mad, as fury and rage could make them; for mine owne part, I had bin in some stormes before, as well vpon the coast of Barbary and Al∣geere, in the Leuant, and once more distresfull in the Adriatique gulfe, in a bottome of Candy, so as I may well say. Ego quid sit ater Adriae noui sinus, & quid albus Peccet Iapex. Yet all that I had euer suffered gathered together, might not hold comparison with this: there was not a moment in which the sodaine splitting, or instant ouer-setting of the Shippe was not expected. [ 60]

Howbeit this was not all; It pleased God to bring a greater affliction yet vpon vs; for in the beginning of the storme we had receiued likewise a mighty leake. And the Ship in euery ioynt almost, hauing spued out her Okam, before we were aware (a casualty more desperate then any other that a Voyage by Sea draweth with it) was growne fiue foote suddenly deepe with water

aboue her ballast, and we almost drowned within, whilest we sat looking when to perish from aboue. This imparting no lesse terrour then danger, ranne through the whole Ship with much fright and amazement, startled and turned the bloud, and tooke downe the braues of the most hardy Marriner of them all, insomuch as he that before happily felt not the sorrow of others, now began to sorrow for himselfe, when he saw such a pond of water so suddenly broken in, and which he knew could not (without present auoiding) but instantly sinke him. So as ioyning (one∣ly for his owne sake, not yet worth the sauing) in the publique safety; there might be seene Ma∣ster, Masters Mate, Boateswaine, Quarter Master. Coopers, Carpenters, and who not, with can∣dels in their hands, creeping along the ribs viewing the sides, searching euery, corner, and liste∣ning in euery place, if they could heare the water runne, Many a weeping leake was this way [ 10] found, and hastily stopt, and at length one in the Gunner roome made vp with I know not how many peeces of Beefe: but all was to no purpose, the Leake (if it were but one) which drunke in our greatest Seas, and tooke in our destruction fastest, could not then be found, nor euer was, by any labour, counsell, or search. The waters still increasing, and the Pumpes going, which at length choaked with bringing vp whole and continuall Bisket (and indeede all we had, tenne thousand weight) it was conceiued, as most likely, that the Leake might be sprung in the Bread∣roome, whereupon the Carpenter went downe, and ript vp all the roome, but could not finde it so.

I am not able to giue vnto your Ladiship euery mans thought in this perplexity, to which we were now brought; but to me, this Leakage appeared as a wound giuen to men that were be∣fore [ 20] dead. The Lord knoweth, I had as little hope, as desire of life in the storme, & in this, it went beyond my will; because beyond my reason, why we should labour to preserue life; yet we did, either because so deare are a few lingring houres of life in all mankinde, or that our Christian knowledges taught vs, how much we owed to the rites of Nature, as bound, not to be false to our selues, or to neglect the meanes of our owne preseruation; the most despairefull things a∣mongst men, being matters of no wonder nor moment with him, who is the rich Fountaine and admirable Essence of all mercy.

Our Gouernour, vpon the tuesday morning (at what time, by such who had bin below in the hold, the Leake was first discouered) had caused the whole Company, about one hundred and forty, besides women, to be equally diuided into three parts, and opening the Ship in three pla∣ces [ 30] (vnder the forecastle, in the waste, and hard by the Bitacke) appointed each man where to at∣tend; and thereunto euery man came duely vpon his watch, tooke the Bucket, or Pumpe for one houre, and rested another. Then men might be seene to labour, I may well say, for life, and the better sort, euen our Gouernour, and Admirall themselues, not refusing their turne, and to spell each the other, to giue example to other. The common sort stripped naked, as men in Gallies, the easier both to hold out, and to shrinke from vnder the salt water, which continually leapt in among them, kept their eyes waking, and their thoughts and hands working, with tyred bodies, and wasted spirits, three dayes and foure nights destitute of outward comfort, and desperate of any deliuerance, testifying how mutually willing they were, yet by labour to keepe each other from drowning, albeit each one drowned whilest he laboured. [ 40]

Once, so huge a Sea brake vpon the poope and quarter, vpon vs, as it couered our Shippe from stearne to stemme, like a garment or a vast cloude, it filled her brimme full for a while within, from the hatches vp to the sparre decke. This source or confluence of water was so violent, as it rusht and carried the Helm-man from the Helme, and wrested the Whip∣staffe out of his hand, which so flew from side to side, that when he would haue ceased the same a∣gaine, it so tossed him from Star-boord to Lar-boord, as it was Gods mercy it had not split him: It so beat him from his hold, and so bruised him, as a fresh man hazarding in by chance fell faire with it, and by maine strength bearing somewhat vp, made good his place, and with much clamour incouraged and called vpon others; who gaue her now vp, rent in pieces and absolutely lost. Our Gouernour was at this time below at the Capstone, both by his speech and authoritie [ 50] heartening euery man vnto his labour. It strooke him from the place where hee sate, and groue∣led him, and all vs about him on our faces, beating together with our breaths all thoughts from our bosomes, e••••e, then that wee were now sinking. For my part, I thought her alreadie in the bottome of the Sea; and I haue heard him say, wading out of the floud thereof, all his ambition was but to climbe vp aboue hatches to dye in Aperto coelo and in the company of his old friends. It so stun'd the ship in her full pace, that shee stirred no more, then if shee had beene caught in a net, or then, as if the fabulous Remora had stucke to her fore-castle. Yet without bearing one inch of saile, euen then shee was making her way nine or ten leagues in a watch. One thing, it is not without his wonder (whether it were the feare of death in so great a storme, or that it pleased God to be gracious vnto vs) there was not a passenger, gentleman, or other, after hee beganne to [ 60] stirre and labour, but was able to relieue his fellow, and make good his course: And it is most true, such as in all their life times had neuer done houres worke before (their mindes now helping their bodies) were able twice fortie eight houres together to toile with the best.

During all this time, the heauens look'd so blacke vpon vs, that it was not possible the eleua∣uation

of the Pole might be obserued: nor a Starre by night, not Sunne beame by day was to be seene. Onely vpon the thursday night Sir George Summers being vpon the watch, had an ap∣parition of a little round light, like a saint Starre, trembling, and streaming along with a sparke∣ling blaze, halfe the height vpon the Maine Mast, and shooting sometimes from Shroud to Shroud, tempting to settle as it were vpon any of the foure Shrouds: and for three or foure houres together, or rather more, halfe the night it kept with vs, running sometimes along the Maine∣yard to the very end, and then returning. At which, Sir George Summers called diuers about him, and shewed them the same, who obserued it with much wonder, and carefulnesse: but vpon a sodaine, towards the morning watch, they lost the sight of it, and knew not what way it made. The superstitious Sea-men make many constructions of this Sea-fire, which neuerthelesse is vsu∣all [ 10] in stormes: the same (it may be) which the Graecians were wont in the Mediterranean to call Castor and Pollux, of which, if one onely appeared without the other, they tooke it for an e∣uill signe of great tempest. The Italians, and such, who lye open to the Adriatique and Tyrrene Sea, call it (a sacred Body) Corpo sancto: the Spaniards call it Saint Elmo, and haue an authentique and miraculous Legend for it. Be it what it will, we laid other foundations of safety or ruine, then in the rising or falling of it, could it haue serued vs now miraculously to haue taken our height by, it might haue strucken amazement, and a reuerence in our deuotions, according to the due of a miracle. But it did not light vs any whit the more to our knowne way, who ran now (as doe hood winked men) at all aduentures, sometimes North, and North-east, then North and by West, and in an instant againe varying two or three points, and sometimes halfe the Com∣passe. [ 20] East and by South we steered away as much as we could to beare vpright, which was no small carefulnesse nor paine to doe, albeit we much vnrigged our Ship, threw ouer-boord much luggage, many a Trunke and Chest (in which I suffered no meane losse) and staued many a Butt of Beere, Hogsheads of Oyle, Syder, Wine, and Vinegar, and heaued away all our Ordnance on the Starboord side, and had now purposed to haue cut downe the Maine Mast, the more to ligh∣ten her, for we were much spent, and our men so weary, as their stengths together failed them, with their hearts, hauing trauailed now from Tuesday till Friday morning, day and night, with∣out either sleepe or foode; for the leakeage taking vp all the hold, wee could neither come by Beere nor fresh water; fire we could keepe none in the Cookeroome to dresse any meate, and carefulnesse, griefe, and our turne at the Pumpe or Bucket, were sufficient to hold sleepe from [ 30] our eyes.

And surely Madam, it is most true, there was not any houre (a matter of admiration) all these dayes, in which we freed not twelue hundred Barricos of water, the least whereof contained six gallons, and some eight, besides three deepe Pumpes continually going, two beneath at the Cap∣stone, and the other aboue in the halfe Decke, and at each Pumpe foure thousand stroakes at the least in a watch; so as I may well say, euery foure houres, we quitted one hundred tunnes of wa∣ter: and from tuesday noone till friday noone, we bailed and pumped two thousand tunne, and yet doe what we could, when our Ship held least in her, after tuesday night second watch) shee bore ten foote deepe, at which stay our extreame working kept her one eight glasses, forbearance whereof had instantly sunke vs, and it being now Friday, the fourth morning, it wanted little, [ 40] but that there had bin a generall determination, to haue shut vp hatches, and commending our sinfull soules to God, committed the Shippe to the mercy of the Sea: surely, that night we must haue done it, and that night had we then perished: but see the goodnesse and sweet introduction of better hope, by our mercifull God giuen vnto vs. Sir George Summers, when no man dreamed of such happinesse, had discouered, and cried Land. Indeede the morning now three quarters spent, had wonne a little cleerenesse from the dayes before, and it being better surueyed, the ve∣ry trees were seene to moue with the winde vpon the shoare side: whereupon our Gouernour commanded the Helme-man to beare vp, the Boateswaine sounding at the first, found it thirteene fathome, & when we stood a little in seuen fatham; and presently heauing his lead the third time, had ground at foure fathome, and by this, we had got her within a mile vnder the South-east point of the land, where we had somewhat smooth water. But hauing no hope to saue her by [ 50] comming to an anker in the same, we were inforced to runne her ashoare, as neere the land as we could, which brought vs within three quarters of a mile of shoare, and by the mercy of God vn∣to vs, making out our Boates, we had ere night brought all our men, women, and children, about the number of one hundred and fifty, safe into the Iland.

We found it to be the dangerous and dreaded Iland, or rather Ilands of the Bermuda: whereof let mee giue your Ladyship a briefe description, before I proceed to my narration. And that the rather, because they be so terrible to all that euer touched on them, and such tempests, thunders, and other fearefull obiects are seene and heard about them, that they be called commonly, The Deuils Ilands, and are feared and auoyded of all sea trauellers aliue, aboue any other place in the [ 60] world. Yet it pleased our mercifull God, to make euen this hideous and hated place, both the place of our safetie, and meanes of our deliuerance.

And hereby also, I hope to deliuer the world from a foule and generall errour: it being coun∣ted of most, that they can be no habitation for Men, but rather giuen ouer to Deuils and wicked

Spirits; whereas indeed wee find them now by experience, to bee as habitable and commodious as most Countries of the same climate and situation: insomuch as if the entrance into them were as easie as the place it selfe is contenting, it had long ere this beene inhabited, as well as other Ilands. Thus shall we make it appeare, That Truth is the daughter of Time, and that men ought not to deny euery thing which is not subiect to their owne sense.

The Bermudas bee broken Ilands, fiue hundred of them in manner of an Archipelagus (at least if you may call them all Ilands that lie, how little soeuer into the Sea, and by themselues) of small compasse, some larger yet then other, as time and the Sea hath wonne from them, and eaten his passage through, and all now lying in the figure of a Croissant, within the circuit of sixe or seuen leagues at the most, albeit at first it is said of them that they were thirteene or fourteene [ 10] leagues; and more in longitude as I haue heard. For no greater distance is it from the Northwest Point to Gates his Bay, as by this Map your Ladyship may see, in which Sir George Summers, who coasted in his Boat about them all, tooke great care to expresse the same exactly and full, and made his draught perfect for all good occasions, and the benefit of such, who either in distresse might be brought vpon them, or make saile this way.

It should seeme by the testimony of Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus, in his Booke intituled, The Summary or Abridgement of his generall History of the West Indies, written to the Emperor Charles the Fift, that they haue beene indeed of greater compasse (and I easily beleeue it) then they are now, who thus saith: In the yeere 1515. when I came first to informe your Maiesty of the state of the things in India, and was the yeere following in Flanders, in the time of your most fortunate successe in [ 20] these your kingdomes of Aragony and Casteel, whereas at that voyage I sayled aboue the Iland Bermu∣das, otherwise called Gorza, being the farthest of all the Ilands that are yet found at this day in the world, and arriuing there at the depth of eight yards of water, and distant from the Land as farre as the shot of a Peece of Ordnance, I determined to send some of the ship to Land, as well to make search of such things as were there, as also to leaue in the Iland certaine Hogges for increase, but the time not seruing my purpose, by reason of contrary winde I could bring my Ships no neerer: the Iland being twelue leagues in length, and sixteene in breadth, and about thirtie in circuit, lying in the thirtie three degrees of the North side. Thus farre hee.

True it is, the maine Iland, or greatest of them now, may bee some sixteene miles in length East North-east, and West South-west the longest part of it, standing in thirtie two degrees and [ 30] twentie minutes, in which is a great Bay on the North side, in the North-west end, and many broken Ilands in that Sound or Bay, and a little round Iland at the South-west end. As occasions were offered, so we gaue titles and names to certaine places.

These Ilands are often afflicted and rent with tempests, great strokes of thunder, lightning and raine in the extreamity of violence: which (and it may well bee) hath so sundred and torne downe the Rockes, and whurried whole quarters of Ilands into the maine Sea (some sixe, some seuen leagues, and is like in time to swallow them all) so as euen in that distance from the shoare there is no small danger of them and with them, of the stormes continually raging from them, which once in the full and change commonly of euery Moone (Winter or Summer) keepe their vnchangeable round, and rather thunder then blow from euery corner about them, sometimes for∣tie [ 40] eight houres together: especially if the circle, which the Philosophers call Halo were (in our being there) seene about the Moone at any season, which bow indeed appeared there often, and would bee of a mightie compasse and breadth. I haue not obserued it any where one quarter so great, especially about the twentieth of March, I saw the greatest when followed vpon the eues eue of the Annuntiation of our Ladie, the mightiest blast of lightning, and most terrible rap of thunder that euer astonied mortall men, I thinke. In August, September, and vntill the end of October, wee had very hot and pleasant weather onely (as I say) thunder, lightning, and many scattering showers of Raine (which would passe swiftly ouer, and yet fall with such force and darknesse for the time as if it would neuer bee cleere againe) wee wanted not any; and of raine more in Summer then in Winter, and in the beginning of December wee had great store of hayle [ 50] (the sharpe windes blowing Northerly) but it continued not, and to say truth, it is wintry or summer weather there, according as those North and Noth-west windes blow. Much taste of this kind of Winter wee had; for those cold windes would suddenly alter the ayre: but when there was no breath of wind to bring the moyst ayre out of the Seas, from the North and North-west, wee were rather weary of the heate, then pinched with extreamitie of cold: Yet the three Win∣ter moneths, December, Ianuary, and February, the winds kept in those cold corners, and indeed then it was heauy and melancholy being there, nor were the winds more rough in March, then in the foresaid moneths, and yet euen then would the Birds breed. I thinke they bredde there, most monethes in the yeere, in September, and at Christmasse I saw young Birds, and in Februarie, at which time the mornings are there (as in May in England) fresh and sharpe. [ 60]

Well may the Spaniards, and these Bis••ani Pilots, with all their Traders into the Indies, passe by these Ilands as afraid (either bound out or homewards) of their very Meridian, and leaue the fishing for the Pearle (which some say, and I beleeue well is as good there, as in any of their other Indian Ilands, and whereof we had some triall) to such as will aduenture for them. The

Seas about them are so ful of breaches, as with those dangers, they may wel be said to be the stron∣gest situate in the world. I haue often heard Sir George Summers, and Captaine Newport say, how they haue not beene by any chance or discouery vpon their like. It is impossible without great and perfect knowledge, and search first made of them to bring in a bable Boat, so much as of ten Tun without apparant ruine, albeit within there are many faire harbours for the greatest English Ship: yea, the Argasies of Venice may ride there with water enough, and safe land-lockt. There is one onely side that admits so much as hope of safetie by many a league, on which (as before de∣scibed) it pleased God to bring vs, wee had not come one man of vs else a shoare, as the weather was: they haue beene euer therefore left desolate and not inhabited.

The soile of the whole Iland is one and the same, the mould, dark, red, sandie, dry, and vncapa∣ble [ 10] I beleeue of any of our commodities or fruits. Sir George Summers in the beginning of August, squared out a Garden by the quarter (the quarter being set downe before a goodly Bay, vpon which our Gouernour did first leape ashoare, and therefore called it (as aforesaid) Gates his Bay, which opened into the East, and into which the Sea did ebbe and flow, according to their tides, and sowed Muske Melons, Pease, Onyons, Raddish, Lettice, and many English seeds, and Kitchen Herbes. All which in some ten daies did appeare aboue ground, but whether by the small Birds, of which there be many kindes, or by Flies (Wormes I neuer saw any, nor any venomous thing, as Toade, or Snake, or any creeping beast hurtfull, onely some Spiders, which as many a〈…〉〈…〉rme are signes of great store of Gold: but they were long and slender legge Spiders, and whether veno∣mous or no I know not, I beleeue not, since wee should still find them amongst our linnen in our [ 20] Chests, and drinking Cans; but we neuer receiued any danger from them: A kind of Melontha, or blacke Beetell there was, which bruised, gaue a sauour like many sweet and strong gums pun∣ned together) whether, I say, hindred by these, or by the condition or vice of the soyle they came to no proofe, nor thriued. It is like enough that the commodities of the other Westerne Ilands would prosper there, as Vines, Lemmons, Oranges, and Sugar Canes: Our Gouernour made triall of the later, and buried some two or three in the Garden mould, which were reserued in the wracke amongst many which wee carried to plant here in Virginia, and they beganne to grow, but the Hogs breaking in, both rooted them vp and eate them: there is not through the whole Ilands, either Champion ground, Valleys, or fresh Riuers. They are full of Shawes of good∣ly Cedar, fairer then ours here of Virginia; the Berries, where of our men seething, straining, and [ 30] letting stand some three or foure daies, made a kind of pleasant drinke: these Berries are of the same bignesse, and collour of Corynthes, full of little stones, and verie restringent or hard building. Peter Martin saith, That at Alexandria in Egypt there is a kind of Cedar, which the Iewes dwelling there, affirme to be the Cedars of Libanus, which beare old fruite and new all the yeere, being a kinde of Apple which tast like Prunes: but then, neither those there in the Bermudas, nor ours here in Virginia are of that happy kind.

Likewise there grow great store of Palme Trees, not the right Indian Palmes, such as in Saint Iohn Port-Rico are called Cocos, and are there full of small fruites like Almonds (of the bignesse of the graines in Pomgranates) nor of those kind of Palmes which beares Dates, but a kind of Si∣merons or wild Palmes in growth, fashion, leaues, and branches, resembling those true Palmes: [ 40] for the Tree is high, and straight, sappy and spongious, vnfirme for any vse, no branches but in the vppermost part thereof, and in the top grow leaues about the head of it (the most in most part whereof they call Palmeto, and it is the heart and pith of the same Trunke, so white and thin, as it will peele off into pleates as smooth and delicate as white Sattin into twentie folds, in which a man may write as in paper) where they spread and fall downward about the Tree like an ouer∣blowne Rose, or Saffron flower not early gathered; so broad are the leaues, as an Italian Vmbrello, a man may well defend his whole body vnder one of them, from the greatest storme raine that falls. For they being stiffe and smooth, as if so many flagges were knit together, the raine easily slideth off. Wee oftentimes found growing to these leaues, many Silk-wormes inuolued there∣in, like those small wormes which Acosta writeth of, which grew in the leaues of the Tunall Tree, of which being dried, the Indians make their Cochinile so precious and marchantable. With these [ 50] leaues we thatched our Cabbins, and roasting the Palmito or soft top thereof, they had a taste like fried Melons, and being sod they eate like Cabbedges, but not so offensiuely thankefull to the sto∣macke. Many an ancient Burger was therefore heaued at, and fell not for his place, but for his head: for our common people, whose bellies neuer had eares, made it no breach of Charitie in their hot blouds and tall stomackes to murder thousands of them. They beare a kind of Berry, blacke and round, as bigge as a Damson, which about December were ripe and l〈…〉〈…〉ous: being scalded (whilest they are greene) they eate like Bullases. These Trees sh••d their leaues in the Winter moneths, as withered or burnt with the cold blasts of the North winde, especi∣ally those that grow to the Seaward, and in March, there Burgen new in their roome fresh [ 60] and tender.

Other kindes of high and sweet smelling Woods there bee, and diuers colours, blacke, yellow, and red, and one which beares a round blew Berry, much eaten by our owne people, of a stiptick qualitie and rough taste on the tongue like a Slow to stay or binde the Fluxe, which the often

eating of the luscious Palme berry would bring them into, for the nature of sweet things is to clense and dissolue. A kinde of Pease of the bignesse and shape of a Katherine Peare, wee found growing vpon the Rockes full of many sharpe subtill prickes (as a Thistle) which wee therefore called, The Prickle Peare, the outside greene, but being opened, of a deepe murrie, full of iuyce like a Mulberry, and iust of the same substance and taste, wee both eate them raw and baked.

Sure it is, that there are no Riuers nor running Springs of fresh water to bee found vpon any of them: when wee came first wee digged and found certaine gushings and soft bublings, which being either in bottoms, or on the side of hanging ground, were onely fed with raine water, which neuerthelesse soone sinketh into the earth and vanisheth away, or emptieth it selfe out of sight in∣to [ 10] the Sea, without any channell aboue or vpon the superficies of the earth: for according as their raines fell, we had our Wels and Pits (which we digged) either halfe full, or absolute ex∣hausted and dry, howbeit some low bottoms (which the continuall descent from the Hills filled full, and in those flats could haue no passage away) we found to continue as fishing Ponds, or stan∣ding Pooles, continually Summer and Winter full of fresh water.

The shoare and Bayes round about, when wee landed first afforded great store of fish, and that of diuers kindes, and good, but it should seeme that our fiers, which wee maintained on the shoares side draue them from vs, so as wee were in some want, vntill wee had made a flat bottome Gundall of Cedar with which wee put off farther into the Sea, and then dai∣ly hooked great store of many kindes, as excellent Angell-fish, Salmon Peale, Bonetas, [ 20] Stingray, Cabally, Senappers, Hogge-fish, Sharkes, Dogge-fish, Pilcherds, Mullets, and Rock-fish, of which bee diuers kindes: and of these our Gouernour dryed and salted, and barrel∣ling them vp, brought to sea fiue hundred, for he had procured Salt to bee made with some Brine, which happily was preserued, and once hauing made a little quantity, he kept three or foure pots boyling, and two or three men attending nothing else in an house (some little distance from his Bay) set vp on purpose for the same worke.

Likewise in Furbushers building Bay wee had a large Sein, or Tramell Net, which our Go∣uernour caused to be made of the Deere Toyles, which wee were to carry to Virginia, by draw∣ing the Masts more straight and narrow with Roape Yarne, and which reached from one side of the Dock to the other: with which (I may boldly say) wee haue taken fiue thousand of small [ 30] and great fish at one hale. As Pilchards, Breames, Mullets, Rocke-fish, &c. and other kindes for which wee haue no names. Wee haue taken also from vnder the broken Rockes, Creuises oftentimes greater then any of our best English Lobsters; and likewise abundance of Crabbes, Oysters, and Wilkes. True it is, for F••sh in euerie Coue and Creeke wee found Snaules, and Skulles in that abundance, as (I thinke) no Iland in the world may haue grea∣ter store or better Fish. For they sucking of the very water, which descendeth from the high Hills mingled with iuyce and verdor of the Palmes, Cedars, and other sweet Woods (which likewise make the Herbes, Roots, and Weeds sweet which grow about the Bankes) become thereby both fat and wholsome. As must those Fish needes bee grosse, slimy, and corrupt the bloud, which feed in Fennes, Marishes, Ditches, muddy Pooles, and neere vnto places [ 40] where much filth is daily cast forth. Vnscaled Fishes, such as Iunius calleth Molles Pisces, as Trenches, Eele, or Lampries, and such feculent and dangerous Snakes wee neuer saw any, nor may any Riuer bee inuenomed with them (I pray God) where I come. I forbeare to speake what a sort of Whales wee haue seene hard aboard the shoare followed sometime by the Sword-fish and the Thresher, the sport where of was not vnpleasant. The Sword-fish, with his sharpe and needle Finne, pricking him into the belly when hee would sinke and fall into the Sea; and when hee startled vpward from his wounds, the Thresher with his large Fins (like Flayles) beating him aboue water. The examples whereof giues vs (saith Ouiedus) to vnderstand, that in the selfe same perill and danger doe men liue in this mortall life, wherein is no certaine se∣curity neither in high estate nor low. [ 50]

Fowle there is great store, small Birds, Sparrowes fat and plumpe like a Bunting, bigger then ours, Robbins of diuers colours greene and yellow, ordinary and familiar in our Cabbins, and o∣ther of lesse sort. White and gray Hernshawes, Bitters, Teale, Snites, Crowes, and Hawkes, of which in March wee found diuers Ayres, Goshawkes and Tassells, Oxen-birds, Cormorants, Bald-Cootes, Moore-Hennes, Owles, and Battes in great store. And vpon New-yeeres day in the morning, our Gouernour being walked foorth with another Gentleman Master Iames Swift, each of them with their Peeces killed a wild Swanne, in a great Sea-water Bay or Pond in our Iland. A kinde of webbe-footed Fowle there is, of the bignesse of an English greene Plouer, or Sea-Meawe, which all the Summer wee saw not, and in the darkest nights of Nouember and December (for in the night they onely feed) they would come forth, but [ 60] not flye farre from home, and houering in the ayre, and ouer the Sea, made a strange hollow and harsh howling. Their colour is inclining to Russet, with white bellies, as are likewise the long Feathers of their wings Russet and White) these gather themselues together and breed in those Ilands which are high, and so farre alone into the Sea, that the Wilde Hogges

cannot swimme ouer them, and there in the ground they haue their Burrowes, like Conyes in a Warren, and so brought in the loose Mould, though not so deepe: which Birds with a light bough in a darke night (as in our Lowbelling) wee caught. I haue beene at the taking of three hundred in an houre, and wee might haue laden our Boates. Our men found a prettie way to take them, which was by standing on the Rockes or Sands by the Sea side, and hol∣lowing, laughing, and making the strangest out-cry that possibly they could: with the noyse whereof the Birds would come flocking to that place, and settle vpon the very armes and head of him that so cryed, and still creepe neerer and neerer, answering the noyse themselues: by which our men would weigh them with their hand, and which weighed heauiest they tooke for the best and let the others alone, and so our men would take twentie dozen in two houres [ 10] of the chiefest of them; and they were a good and well relished Fowle, fat and full as a Par∣tridge. In Ianuary wee had great store of their Egges, which are as great as an Hennes Egge, and so fashioned and white shelled, and haue no difference in yolke nor white from an Hennes Egge. There are thousands of these Birds, and two or three Ilands full of their Burrowes, whe∣ther at any time (in two houres warning) wee could send our Cock-boat, and bring home as many as would serue the whole Company: which Birds for their blindnesse (for they see weak∣ly in the day) and for their cry and whooting, wee called the Sea Owle: they will bite cruelly with their crooked Bills.

Wee had knowledge that there were wilde Hogges vpon the Iland, at first by our owne Swine preserued from the wrack and brought to shoare: for they straying into the Woods, an [ 20] huge wilde Boare followed downe to our quarter, which at night was watched and taken in this sort. One of Sir George Summers men went and lay among the Swine, when the Boare being come and groueled by the Sowes, hee put ouer his hand and rubbed the side gently of the Boare, which then lay still, by which meanes hee fastned a rope with a sliding knot to the hin∣der legge and so tooke him, and after him in this sort two or three more. But in the end (a little businesse ouer) our people would goe a hunting with our Ship Dogge, and sometimes bring home thirtie, sometimes fiftie Boares, Sowes, and Pigs in a weeke aliue: for the Dog would fasten on them and hold, whilest the Hunts-men made in: and there bee thousands of them in the Ilands, and at that time of the yeere, in August, September, October, and Nouember, they were well fed with Berries that dropped from the Cedars and the Palmes, and in our quarter wee made styes for [ 30] them, and gathering of these Berries serued them twice aday, by which meanes we kept them in good plight: and when there was any fret of weather (for vpon euery increase of wind the bil∣low would be so great, as it was no putting out with our Gundall or Canow) that we could not fi••h nor take Tortoyses, then wee killed our Hogs. But in February when the Palme Berries be∣gan to be scant or dry, and the Cedar Berries failed two moneths sooner. True it is the Hogs grew poore, and being taken so, wee could not raise them to be better, for besides those Berries, we had nothing wherewith to franke them: but euen then the Tortoyses came in againe, of which wee daily both turned vp great store, finding them on Land, as also sculling after them in our Boate strooke them with an Iron goad, and sod, baked, and roasted them. The Tortoyse is reasonable toothsom (some say) wholsome meate. I am sure our Company liked the meate of them ver••e [ 40] well, and one Tortoyse would goe further amongst them, then three Hogs. One Turtle (for so we called them) feasted well a dozen Messes, appointing sixe to euery Messe. It is such a kind of meat, as a man can neither absolutely call Fish nor Flesh, keeping most what in the water, and feeding vpon Sea-grasse like a Heifer, in the bottome of the Coues and Bayes, and laying their Egges (of which wee should finde fiue hundred at a time in the opening of a shee Turtle) in the Sand by the shoare side, and so couering them close leaue them to the hatching of the Sunne, like the Manati at Saint Dominique, which made the Spanish Friars (at their first arriuall) make some scruple to eate them on a Friday, because in colour and taste the flesh is like to morsells of Veale. Concerning the laying of their Egges, and hatching of their young, Peter Martyr writeth thus in his Decades of the Ocean: at such time as the heate of Nature moueth them to generation, they [ 50] came forth of the Sea, and making a deepe pit in the sand, they lay three or foure hundred Egges therein: when they haue thus emptied their bag of Conception, they put as much of the same a∣gaine into the Pit as may satisfie to couer the Egges, and so resort againe vnto the Sea, nothing carefull of their succession. At the day appointed of Nature to the procreation of these creatures, there creepeth out a multitude of Tortoyles, as it were Pismyers out of an Ant-hill, and this on∣ly by the heate of the Sunne, without any helpe of their Parents: their Egges are as big as Geefe Egges, and themselues growne to perfection, bigger then great round Targets. [ 60]

Notes

• 2. Iune. 1609.
• Sea-course al∣cered.
• Sir G Summers a good mari∣ner and tried Souldier.
• A terrible storme expres∣sed in a pathe∣ticall and reto∣ricall descrip∣tion. Black-darknes.
• Feare of death at Sea more featefull.
• Con••in••nce and increase.
• Swelling Sea set forth in a swelling stile.
• Compared with the Au∣thors former experiments.
• Leake added to the stormes t••riour.
• Leake cannot be found, which cannot but be found.
• Their labour for life three dayes and ••o••re nights.
• Sea breakes in.
• The Gouer∣nours care.
• Remero is fa∣bled to be a small fish able to withstand a Shippe in her course. God in ableth whom he will saue to saue themselues.
• Vtter darknes.
• Light on the Shrouds.
• See Tom. 1. l. 9. c. 12. §. 1.
• No sleepe or food from tues∣day till friday.
• 1200. Barricos an houre, be∣sides 3. Pumps, acquitting 100 tuns of water euery 4. houres
• Summer Ilands descried by Sir George Summers
• They go a land
• Bermuda Ilands supposed the Diuels, &c.
• Bermuda Ilands described.
• Sir George Sum∣mers dil••gent suruey: his draught which we haue not. M. N〈…〉〈…〉gaic hath since published an exact Map.
• Orfadams braccia. In his Gen hist. li. 2 c. 9. he reci∣teth the same historie more particularly he saith it hath two names, Garza, of the ship which first discouered it, being so called, and Bermudez of the Captain of that ship, na∣med Iohn Ber∣mudes. Note that he placeth it more to the North, then that which is by ours inhabi∣ted, & say som∣time they see it, somtime not as they passe. The Spaniards (as I haue heard) which were wracked there in Cap. Butlers time, were of opini∣on that ours are not the Bermudas: Yea some of ours affirme, they haue seen such an Iland to the North of ours, and haue offe∣red to discouer it; sub iudice lis est; veritas temporis fi••a. Halo, the circle seen about the Moon, of great compasse.
• Experience hath bet∣ter shewed since, as we af∣ter see, both for fruits, wormes, &c. those that dwell there finding more then these, which tooke there Inne or lodging. Yet the dawning & Aurora yeeld a delightsome light, though not all so cer∣taine as the Sun: for which cause I haue not omitted these first dis∣coueries. Spiders. Beetle very sweet. Hogs. Cedars. Cedar-drinke, American Ce∣dars, are not the same kind with those of Libanus, as by the historie of them in our former Tome, pag. 1500, &c. Palmetos. Many sorts of Palmes, the Coco, the Date-Palme, the Wine-Palme, or tad∣die, &c. besides these Reed-Palmes. Silke-wormes.
• Other Trees.
• Prickle-peare.
• Waters. No Springs then found, since Wells haue bin there digged which ebbe and flow with the Sea. &c.
• Fish.
• Salt made there.
• 5000. fishes taken at a hale
• Cause of their wholsomnesse.
• No vnscaled fishes.
• Whale and Sword-fish.
• Cater-tray beare the bell away. Medio tutissimus ibis. Fowles.
• Wild Swans.
• Web-footed Fowle. They call it of the cry which it maketh a Cohow.
• Wild Hogges how first found out and taken,
• Tortoises,