A.D. 1623.
The clime, temper and fertility.
The aire is most commonly cleere, very temperate, [V.170.] moist, with a moderate heat, very healthfull and apt for the generation and nourishing of all things, so as many things transported from hence yeeld a farre greater increase, and if it be any living thing it becomes fatter and better; by this meanes the country is so replenished with Hens and Turkies, within the space of three or foure yeeres, that many of them being neglected, forsake the houses and become wilde, and so live in great abundance; the like increase there is in Hogs, tame Conies, and other Cattle according to their kindes. There seemes to be a continuall Spring, which is the cause some things come not to that maturity and perfection as were requisite; and though the trees shed their leaves, yet they are alwaies full of greene; the Corne is the same they have in Virginia, and the West-Indies: of this and many other things without plowing or much labour, they have two Harvests every yeere, for they set about March, which they gather in July; and againe in August, which they reape in December; and little slips of Fig-trees and Vines doe usually beare fruit within the yeere, and sometimes in lesse; but we finde not the Grapes as yet come to any perfection; the like fertility it hath in Oranges and Limons, Pomgranates, and other things. Concerning the serenity and beauty of the skie, it may as truly be said of those Ilands as ever it was said of the Rhodes, that there is no one day throughout the 12. moneths, but that in some houre thereof, the sun lookes singularly & cleere upon them: for the temperature it is beyond all others most admirable; no cold there is beyond an English Aprill, nor heat much greater then an ordinary July in France, so that frost and snow is never seene here, nor stinking and infectious mists very seldome, by reason of the maine Ocean, there is some wind stirring that cooles the aire: the winter they have observes the time with ours, but the longest daies and nights are shorter then ours almost by two houres.
Trees and Fruits.
The Prickell Peare. {MN-1}
The Poison weed. {MN-2}
The red weed. {MN-3}
We found it at first all overgrowne with weeds, and plants of severall kinds, as many tall and goodly Cedars, infinite store of Palmetoes, numbers of Mulberies, wild Olive-trees store, with divers others unknowne both by name and nature, so that as yet they become lost to many usefull imployments, which time and industry no doubt will one day discover, and even already certaine of the most notorious of them have gotten them appellations from their apparent effects, {MN-1} as the Prickell-peare which growes like a shrub by the ground, with broad thick leaves, all over-armed with long and sharpe dangerous thornes, the fruit being in forme not much unlike a small greene Peare, and on the outside of the same colour, but within bloud red, and exceeding full of juice; with graines not much unlike the Pomgranat, and colouring after its nature. {MN-2} The poysoned weed is much in shape like our English Ivy, but being but touched, causeth rednesse, itching, and lastly blisters, the which howsoever after a while passe away of themselves without further harme, yet because for the time they are somewhat pain-full, it hath got it selfe an ill name, although questionlesse of no ill nature. {MN-3} Here is also frequently growing a certaine tall Plant, whose stalke being all over covered with a red rinde, is thereupon termed the red weed, the root whereof being soked in any liquor, or but a small quantity of the Juice drunke alone, procures a very forcible vomit, and yet is generally used by the people, and found very effectuall against the paines and distempers of the stomacke.
The purging Beane. {MN-1}
The costive tree. {MN-2}
Red Pepper. {MN-3}
The Sea Feather. {MN-4}
Fruits transported. {MN-5}
{MN-1} A kinde of Wood-bind there is likewise by the Sea very commonly to bee found, which runnes upon trees twining it selfe like a Vine: the fruit somewhat resembles a Beane, but somewhat flatter, the which any way eaten worketh excellently in the nature of a purge, and though very vehemently, yet without all perill. {MN-2} Contrary to this, another small tree there is, which causeth costivenesse; there is also a certaine Plant like a bramble bush, which beares a long yellow fruit, having the shell very hard, and within it a hard berry, that beaten and taken inwardly purgeth gently. {MN-3} There is another fruit much like our Barberies, which being beaten or brused betweene the teeth, sets all the mouth on an extreme heat very terrible for the time, to avoid which they are swallowed downe whole, and found of the same or better operation then [V.171.] the red Pepper, and thence borroweth the name. {MN-4} In the bottome of the Sea there is growing upon the Rocks a large kinde of Plant in the forme of a Vine leafe, but far more spread with veines in colour of a pale red, very strangely interlaced & woven one into another, which we call the Feather, but the vertue thereof is altogether unknowne, but only regarded for the rarity. Now besides these naturall productions, providences & paines since the Plantation, have offered divers other seeds & plants, which the soile hath greedily imbraced & cherished, {MN-5} so that at this present 1623. there are great abundance of white, red and yellow coloured Potatoes, Tobacco, Sugar-canes, Indicos, Parsnips, exceeding large Radishes, the American bread, the Cassado root, the Indian Pumpian, the Water-millon, Musk-millon, & the most delicate Pine-apples, Plantans, and Papawes, also the English Artichoke, Pease, &c. briefly whatsoever else may be expected for the satisfaction either of curiosity, necessity or delight.
Birds.
Egge-birds. {MN}
Neither hath the aire for her part been wanting with due supplies of many sorts of Fowles, as the gray and white Hearne, the gray and greene Plover, some wilde Ducks and Malards, Coots and Red-shankes, Sea-wigions, Gray-bitterns, Cormorants, numbers of small Birds like Sparrowes and Robins, which have lately beene destroyed by the wilde Cats, Wood-pickars, very many Crowes, which since this Plantation are kild, the rest fled or seldome scene except in the most uninhabited places, from whence they are observed to take their flight about sun set, directing their course towards the North-west, which makes many conjecture there are some more Ilands not far off that way. Sometimes are also seene Falcons & Jar-falcons, Ospraies, a Bird like a Hobby, but because they come seldome, they are held but as passengers; but above all these, most deserving observation and respect are those two sorts of Birds, the one for the tune of his voice, the other for the effect, called the Cahow, {MN} and Egge-bird, which on the first of May, a day constantly observed, fall a laying infinite store of Eggs neere as big as Hens, upon certaine small sandie baies especially in Coupers Ile; and although men sit downe amongst them when hundreds have bin gathered in a morning, yet there it hath stayed amongst them till they have gathered as many more: they continue this course till Midsummer, and so tame & feareles, you must thrust them off from their Eggs with your hand; then they grow so faint with laying, they suffer them to breed & take infinite numbers of their yong to eat, which are very excellent meat.
Cahowes. {MN-1}
The Tropicke Bird and the Pemblicos presagements. {MN-2}