Convenient Havens of New Gallicia.
This Countrey hath many convenient Havens, viz. San Jago, Navidad, Malacca, Chacalla, below the Promontory Corientes, the Bay Xalisco, the Road Massatlan, and Chiametla, so call’d from a Town about eleven Leagues from the Ocean.
Here, and in several places of New Gallicia, grow Lillies, Roses, Violets, Jessamins, and many other Flowers; amongst which the Floripondium deserves peculiar observation, because it flourishes the whole Year; and its white Blossoms, which are bigger than Lillies, opening in the Morning, yield an exceeding sweet smell.
The Flower Granadilla.
In no less esteem is the Murucuia, by the Spaniards call’d Granadilla, which will not grow, if bereav’d of any of its Leaves: it bears a Flower from the resemblance of our Saviour’s Suffering, call’d The Passion-Flower, which exceeds the biggest Rose in circumference; the uppermost Leaves green, those underneath of a purple colour; on the top hangs a round Bush of a thousand interwoven threds of divers colours, distinguish’d by white and red Specks; the pale Stalk which sticks in the middle of the Flower, is divided into five others, that bend downwards with a yellow Button-like Knob; on the middlemost Stalk stands a pale yellow Flower, which appears three hours after Sun-rising, and closes again a little before Sun-set; the Fruit, which is very round, smooth, and of a pale Green, hath white Specks, a thick Rind, Saffron-colour’d Pulp, which is wholsom, of a good rellish, and hath abundance of black Seeds inclos’d in little Husks.
CHAP. VIII.
New Mexico.
Bounds of New Mexico.
New Mexico (as ’tis call’d for distinction’s sake) is bounded on the South-West with New Biscay; more directly Westward, with some parts of Quivira; the Countreys Northward of it not yet discover’d; Eastward it extends it self as far as Florida.
This Province doubtless for largeness may compare with New Gallicia, having been search’d and discover’d by the Spaniards above a hundred, some say two hundred Leagues directly Eastward, and to the North-East: and they report Wonders of it, if we may believe them, at least in respect of what was generally found in these Northern parts of America at their first Discovery; as namely, That they have Towns fairly and well built of Lime and Stone, Houses of four Stories high, and most of them provided with Stoves for the Winter Season, as well as any in Europe; the Streets fair and broad, and the People as curious and expert in divers Arts and Manufactures as any of theirs. More particularly they tell us of a Town call’d Chia, of the Province of Cuames, so big, that it is said to contain eight several Market-places. Another call’d Acoma, a great Town, but seated on the top of an high Rock, without any ordinary way of access to it, but by a pair of Stairs hewn out of the hard Stone, or else by certain Ladders, which the Inhabitants let down and take up as they please. And likewise of a third, which they call Conibas, containing, as they say, no less than seven Leagues in length, and about half so much in breadth, seated upon a Lake, but scatteringly built, and much of the space taken up with Mountains and many fair Gardens, in the midst of which the Town standeth; of all which more hereafter. This is certain, that the Countrey to which they give the Name of New Mexico, is of a vast extent, reaching from the Mines of St. Barbara in New Biscay Eastward, and to the North-East, above two hundred Leagues already discover’d, but doubtless taking up no small part of those Countreys which are sometimes assign’d to Florida, if not of the Confines of Virginia also.