This great River lieth under the Line, the two chief Head Lands North and South, are about three degrees asunder, the mouth of it is so full of many great and small Isles, it is an easie matter for an unexperienced Pilot to lose his way. It is held one of the greatest Rivers in America, and as most Men think in the World; and cometh down with such a fresh, it maketh the Sea fresh, more than thirty Miles from the Shoar. Captain North having seated his Men about an hundred Leagues in the Main, sent Captain William White, with thirty Gentlemen and others, in a Pinnace of thirty Tun, to discover further, which they did some two hundred Leagues, where they found the River to divide it self in two parts, till then all full of Islands, and a Country most healthful, pleasant and fruitful; for they found food enough, and all returned safe and in good health: In this discovery, they saw many Towns well inhabited, some with three hundred People, some with five, six, or seven hundred; and of some they understood to be of so many thousands, most differing very much, especially in their Languages: Whereof they suppose by those Indians, they understand are many hundreds more, unfrequented till then by any Christian, most of them stark naked, both Men, Women and Children, but they saw not any such Giant-like Women as the Rivers name importeth. But for those where Captain North hath seated his Company, it is not known where Indians were ever so kind to any Nation, not sparing any pains, danger or labour, to feed and maintain them. The English following their Buildings, Fortifications and Sugar-works; for which they have sent most expert Men, and with them all things necessary for that purpose; to effect which, they want not the help of those kind Indians to produce; and many other good Commodities, which (God willing) will ere long make plain and apparent to this Kingdom, and all the Adventures and Well-willers to this Plantation, to be well worthy the cherishing and following with all alacrity.
CHAP. XXV.
The Beginning and Proceedings of the new Plantation of St. Christopher by
Captain Warner.
Master Ralph Merifield and others, having furnished this worthy Industrious Gentleman, {MN-1} he arrived at St. Christophers, as is said, with fifteen Men, the 28th of January 1623, viz. William Tested, John Rhodes, Robert Bints, Mr. Benifield, Sergeant Jones, Mr. Ware, William Ryle, Rowland Grascock, Mr. Bond, Mr. Langley, Mr. Weaver, Edward Warner, their Captain's Son, and now Deputy Governour, till his Father's return, Sergeant Aplon, one Sailor and a Cook: At their arrival, they found three French Men, who sought to oppose Captain Warner, and to set the Indians upon us; but at last we all became Friends, and lived with the Indians a Month, then we built a Fort, and a House, and planting Fruits, by September we made a crop of Tobacco; {MN-2} but upon the nineteenth of September came a Hericano and blew it away, all this while we lived upon Cassada Bread, Potatoes, Plantanes, Pines, Turtles, Guanes, and Fish plenty; for drink we had Nicnobby.
{MN-1} 1623.
{MN-2} A Hericano.
{MN} The 18th March 1624 arrived Captain Jefferson, with three Men Passengers in the Hopewell of London, with some Trade for the Indians, and then we had another crop of Tobacco, in the mean time the French had planted themselves in the other end of the Isle; with this crop Captain Warner returned for England in September 1625.