Thunder and Lightning rages here many times after a terrible manner from Midnight till Morning. In January there falls also abundance of Rain, which gliding from the Mountains swells the River exceedingly.
Sect. V.
St. Martha.
Description of St. Martha.
St. Martha, so call’d from the chief City of the Province, is border’d on the West with New Andaluzia; on the East, with Rio de la Hacha; on the North, with the Ocean; and on the South, with New Granada; It is about threescore and ten Leagues in length, and not much less in breadth: It was antiently distributed into several little Seignories, Govern’d by Casiques, or petty Princes, viz. Pozigueica, Betoma, Buritaca, Chimola, inhabited by valiant Men and beautiful Women, and above all the rest, Tairona, (whose People for a long time maintain’d War against the Spaniards) lying at the Foot of the high Mountains Sierras Nevadas, whose snowy Crowns are seen thirty Leagues off at Sea, and run along in a continu’d Ridge through Peru and Chili to the Straights of Magellan.
This Countrey was Discover’d, and part of it Planted, Anno 1524. by Roderic de Bastredas, who afterwards was murder’d in his Sleep by his own People.
The Nature of the Climate, and Commodities of the Countrey.
The Sun shines so exceeding hot near the Sea-coast, that there is no enduring of the same; but up in the Countrey the snowy Mountains occasion great Cold, and in Harvest and October it Rains exceedingly, whereas at other times it is very dry Weather, and the Winds blow generally out of the East or North-East, yet the Land-Breezes coming out of the West bring sometimes Rains with them. From the Mountains, which are stony and barren, fall many Brooks and Rivers, which water divers Plains, the Grass and other Plants of which are often blasted by violent Storms; nevertheless Oranges, Lemmons, Granates, and all sorts of Spanish Garden Fruits grow here in great plenty. The Woods afford likewise Pigeons, Partridges, Venison, and the like; the Rivers all manner of Fish, which are seen to swim in great numbers twenty Yards under the Water, especially in the Haven St. Martha, near which formerly liv’d many Fisher-men, who with Nets made of tough Twigs pleited together, caught such plenty of Fish, that they furnish’d all their Neighbors. The High-ways are made dangerous by Lyons, Tygers, and Bears.
Great plenty of Precious Stones in these Parts.
Peter di Lugo his Treachery to the Natives.
The Welsares Journey.