The chief, and indeed the onely Town of this Tract is Darien, built as aforesaid by Encisus, a Spanish Adventurer, and by him call’d St. Maria Antiqua, and by others The Antique of Darien, being one of the first Towns that were built by the Spaniards on the firm Land; though there are who make mention of two other small Towns or Villages, the one nam’d at least, if not built by the Spaniards, viz. Los Angelos, scarce inhabited at present by any but the Salvages; the other an antient Town of the Natives, call’d Bizu.
Sect. IV.
New Andaluzia.
Description of New Andaluzia.
Eastward of Darien and the Gulf of Urraba, lieth the Countrey of New Andaluzia, otherwise call’d Carthagena, from the Name of its principal City: On the East it hath the Countrey call’d St. Martha; on the North, the Main Ocean; and New Granada towards the South. It is for the most part a Mountainous Countrey, and full of Woods, which they say yield abundance of Rozen, Gums, and some very good Balsams; also a sort of Long-pepper, much sharper than that of East-India. But the Plains, by reason of much Rain, to which the Countrey is subject, especially for some times of the year, of but a spewy and cold Soil. The Spaniards at their first coming found it a rich Countrey, not so much from the Nature and Profits of the Soil (though it be said to have some Mines in it, and those of Gold) but by reason of a certain Opinion and Respect, which the Americans of these Parts are generally said to have born towards this Countrey, insomuch that they would be brought and buried there from other Places very remote; and according to the Custom of the Countrey, not without good store of Gold and other Jewels, according to the Quality and Condition of the Person that was buried; of which the Spaniards soon gain’d Intelligence, and in ransacking the Graves and Monuments of the Dead, are suppos’d to have found an infinite Mass of Treasure: but those Mines are long since exhausted.
Nature and Customs of the antient Inhabitants.
The Inhabitants of old suffer’d great prejudice by Tygers and Serpents; yet nevertheless this Countrey was very populous before the Spaniards arrival here; the Natives wore Cotton Aprons before, and Golden Rings about their Arms and Legs, as also Strings of Pearl, and the like. The Women here, as in the rest of these Parts, went with their Husbands into the Wars, and behav’d themselves valiantly, shooting poyson’d Arrows, insomuch that Martin Ambesus took a Maid, Anno 1509. who had kill’d twenty eight Spaniards.
The Countrey Urraba.
To the Province Carthagena belongs also the Countrey Urraba, which is so fruitful, that all kind of Spanish Trees and Seeds grow better here than in Spain: Besides which it hath its own Fruit, as also abundance of Pine and Palm-Trees, whose Leaves serve for Brooms. The Guaiana-Tree bears a sharp kind of Fruit like a Lemmon, the Guaravana a kind of Cittrons, the Mameisa a Fruit not unlike an Orange, but tasting like a Melon, and the Hovos a great Plum.
Their Gardens abound with the Root Batata, whose Leaves send forth several Strings, which over-spreading the Ground fasten in the Earth, and take new Roots; it is yellow without, and whitish within, and bears pale green Flowers, which at last turn to a Cod full of Seed. These Roots roasted in hot Ashes, exceed our European Turnip; and beaten and put in Water till it works over, makes a Drink, with which the Indians Drink and Carouse till they are Drunk.
