Moreover, the Bermudas produce Cedars, the like of which are not to be found in the whole World: The Leaves are douny and prickly at the ends, almost like those of the Juniper Tree: The Wood hath a sweet smell, and the Berries, which are like the Myrtle, of a pale Red, inclose four white Kernels; the outermost Skin whereof is sweet; the innermost, which covers the Kernel, sharp, and the Pulp tartish: The Trees are always flourishing, being at the same time full of Blossoms, green, and ripe Fruit: The Berries, when grown ripe, begin to gape, and fall off in rainy Weather, leaving a round Stalk on the Boughs, which loses not its Rind till two years after; half which time the Berry requires, before it attains to its perfect ripeness, which generally happens in the Winter: The Boughs shoot straight upwards, and become in time so heavy, that they cause the Body of the Tree to bend. This most excellent Wood grows in divers places of the Bermudas.
We shall conclude with the resolute Exploit of five Sea-men, Anno 1616. who, to the great admiration of all People, set Sail from thence in an open Vessel of three Tun through the main Ocean, and after having suffer’d terrible Tempests, arriv’d in the space of seven Weeks safe in Ireland.
These Islands are remarkable for divers sorts of Plants, unknown in other Parts, as the Prickle Pear, Poyson Weed, Red Weed, Purging Bean, Costive Tree, Red Pepper, and the Sea Feather. Also several strange Birds, as the Egg Bird, Cahow, Tropick Bird, and the Pemlico, which presageth Storms.
CHAP. XIII.
Hispaniola.
The Islands call’d De Barlovento, by which are understood Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Boriquen, as also the Lucaies, with the Caribes, and lastly the Isles call’d De Sotavento, viz. Margareta, Cabagua, and Tabago, are by some comprehended all under the general Name of The Isles Antilles; though others reckon the Antilles to be the same with the Caribes onely. But leaving this Controversie undecided, we shall begin with the Isles De Barlovento, the chief whereof is Hispaniola.
Bounds and Description of Hispaniola.
Hispaniola, or Little Spain (as Columbus nam’d it) is, though not the largest, yet the fairest and goodliest of all the American Islands, call’d by the Natives anciently Hayti and Quisqueia: It lieth about fifteen Leagues Westward of Porto Rico, and distant from the main Land of America about one hundred and twenty; ’tis of a triangular form, the sharpest Point whereof is that towards Porto Rico, which they call Cabo de Enganno: that towards the West inclines to a Semi-circle, containing a good and convenient Bay betwixt the two Points, viz. St. Nicholas to the North, and Cabo de Donna Maria towards the South. It is not thought to be less than a hundred and fifty Leagues in length, and in breadth from threescore to thirty, and to contain in the compass of the whole, four hundred Leagues at least, lying betwixt eighteen and twenty Degrees of Northern Latitude, having an Air somewhat infested with the Morning Heats, but well cool’d again in the Afternoon, by a constant Wind from the Sea, which they call there Virason. It is, for the fertility of the Soil, one of the richest and most flourishing Countreys in the World; the Trees and all things else there continually clad, as it were, in their Summer Livery, the Meadows and Pastures always green, and of such an excellent Herbage, that Cattel both breed and thrive there beyond belief; both great Cattel and small, as Kine, Sheep, Hogs, &c. brought thither out of Spain, having multiply’d to such numbers, that they live wild now in Herds in several places, and are both hunted and kill’d, like Stags or other Venison, onely for their Hides, which they send yearly into Spain and other parts of Europe, as a great Merchandize and Commodity of huge profit to them.
Wild Hogs also have been formerly seen to feed in the Woods in great multitudes, but the Dogs since they were brought over hither, have made great havock amongst them.