A TRUE AND EXACT
HISTORY
OF THE ILAND OF
BARBADOES.
HAVING been Censur’d by some (whose Judgements I cannot controll, and therefore am glad to allow) for my weakenesse and Indiscretion, that having never made proofe of the Sea’s operation, and the severall faces that watry Element puts on, and the changes and chances that happen there, from Smooth to Rough, from Rough to Raging Seas, and High going Billowes, (which are killing to some Constitutions,) should in the last Scene of my life, undertake to run so long a Risco as from England to the Barbadoes; And truly I should without their help conclude my selfe guilty of that Censure, had I not the refuge of an old proverb to fly to, which is, (Need makes the old wife trot:) for having lost (by a Barbarous Riot) all that I had gotten by the painfull travells and cares of my youth; by which meanes I was stript and rifled of all I had, left destitute of a subsistance, and brought to such an Exigent, as I must famish or fly; and looking about for friends, who are the best supporters in so staggering a condition, found none, or very few, whom griefs and afflictions had not deprest, or worne out, Banishment absented, or Death devour’d; so that in stead of these neere and Native comforters, I found my selfe a stranger in my owne Country, and therefore resolv’d to lay hold on the first opportunity that might convoy me to any other part of the World, how far distant soever, rather then abide here. I continued not many weekes in this expectation, when a friend, as willing to shift his ground as I, gave me an Overture which I accepted, and so upon the sixteenth day of June 1647. we embark’d in the Downes, on the good Ship called the Achilles; a vessell of 350 tunnes the Mr. Thomas Crowder of London; and no sooner were we all aboard, but we presently weighed Anchor, and put to Sea; in so cold weather as at that time of the yeere, I have not felt the like; and continued so till wee came to Falmouth Harbour: where wee put in, and rested for a night, but in our passage thither, were very uncertaine upon what Coast wee were, by reason of the unsteadinesse of the windes, and cloudinesse of the weather; so that I perceived more troubles and doubts in the Seamen in that short passage, than in all the voyage after. But, the weather clearing up, the Master and Mates drew out severall plots and Landscapes: which they had formerly taken upon the Coast of France and England, (which are of great use in the narrow Seas,) by which they were well assured where they were; for there they seldome use Loggline, or Backstaffe, but attend onely the Tides Compasse, and Card; nor is there any use of other directors in so narrow a roome. We were (as I remember) about 10. dayes sayling to Falmouth, and had with us a small ship of about 180. tunnes, called the Nonesuch; of which Captaine Middleton was owner, a very good seaman, and a Planter in Barbados: but himselfe then remaining in London.
The next day we put to Sea, and continued our course to the Southwest, (with somewhat a Scant wind,) partly to avoid the high going Billowes of the Bay of Biskey: but chiefely to stand aloofe from Pirats and Pickaronoes: which are very frequent upon the Coasts of Spaine, and Barbarie; and as we past along, I perceiv’d a difference in the way of our Ships: for in slack windes, our consort the Nonesuch would runne us out of sight in foure or five houres sayle; but in strong and stiffe windes, wee did the like with her. So that I guest the larger the sayles, the swifter the waye; provided, they were alike built in the modell of their keeles, but I leave that to be resolved by the Seamen, or that Admirable Architect of Moving-Horses, Mr. Pett.
About the Latitude of 45. degrees, wee met with a Ship comming from Guinny, but bound for London; the Captains name was Blague, a very civill Gentleman who halde us, came aboard us, and invited divers Gentlemen that were there aboard his ship: which was a Friggot of about 400. tunnes, her loading Gold and Elephants teeth; the Man was exceeding civill to us, and gave to every Gentleman of our Company, a present of such rarities as he brought from Guinny, and Binny. We stayed together almost a whole day, the weather being very calme, and almost no wind at all; in the evening, a fresh breese began to blow, which serv’d us both in our severall wayes, and so saluting each other with our ordinance wee took leave.
About this time, our Consort the None-such parted with us, she directly for the Carribby Ilands, we for St. Jago, one of the Ilands of Cape Verd; where wee were to trade for Negros, Horses, and Cattell; which we were to sell at the Barbados. So, keeping our course about 80. Leagues from the Coast of Spaine and Barbarie, the first land wee discovered, was the Ile of Porto Santo; which lyeth in 33. degrees to the Noreward; which wee left of our Larboard side: When presently after, we had sight of the Maderas, which we sayld close by, and had a full view of the place; so Rocky, and Mountainous, and the ground so miserably burnt with the Sun, as we could perceive no part of it either Hill or Valley, that had the least appearance of green, nor any tree bigger then a small Hathorne and very few of those. Between this and three inconsiderable Ilands called the Deserts, which appeared to us like the tops of large buildings; no unevennesse or risings and fallings, but levell as the toppe of a large Church or Barne; but burnt worse then the other, so that instead of the fresh and lively greenes, other Countreys put on at this time of the yeare: these were apparell’d with Russets, or at best Phyliamorts. But it fell out that this yeere the summer was there hotter then usually, and the Sea men that were with us, gave us to understand, that they never had seen it so burnt as now, and that the Leeward part of it was, at other times, exceeding fruitfull and pleasant, abounding with all sorts of excellent fruits, Corne, Wine, Oyle, and the best Sugars; with Horses, Cattell, Sheep, Goates, Hogges, Poultrey; of all sorts, and the best sorts of Sea fish. These Ilands lye neere 33. degrees to the Noreward.
Having past between these (leaving the Maderas on of our Starboard side) wee found a constant trade-wind to carry us to the Southward, When the next Iland that came in our view, was Bona Vista; but at such a distance, as we could hardly discerne colours, but the generall Landscape of the hills seemed to us very beautifull, gently rising and falling, without Rockes or high precipices.
This Iland is famous, for excellent Salt, and for Horses, which in one property, excell all that ever I have seene; their hooves being to that degree of hardnesse, and toughnesse, that we ride them at the Barbados, downe sharp and steepie Rocks, without shooes; and no Goates goe surer upon the sides of Rockes and Hills then they; and many of them very strong and clean limb’d.