In one house are sometimes ten or twentie households: they have little household stuffe, besides their beds, which call hamacas,[139] and are made of cotton, and stayned with divers colours and workes. Some I have seene white, of great curiositie. They are as a sheete laced at both ends, and at either end of them long strappes, with which they fasten them to two posts, as high as a mans middle, And sleeping. and so sit rocking themselves in them. Sometimes they use them for seates, and sometimes to sleepe in at their pleasures. In one of them I have seene sleepe the man, his wife, and a childe.
SECTION XXVIII.
We tooke out of this prize, for our provision, some good quantitie of this meale, and the sugar shee had, being not above three or foure chestes: after three dayes we gave the ship to the Portingalls, and to them libertie. In her was a Portingall knight, which went for governour of Angola, of the habit of Christ, with fiftie souldiers, and armes for a hundreth and fiftie, with his wife and daughter. He was old, and complained, that after many yeares service for his king, with sundry mishapps, he was brought to that poore estate, as for the relief of his wife, his daughter, and himselfe, he had no other substance, but that he had in the ship. It moved compassion, so as nothing of his was diminished, which though to us was of no great moment, in Angola it was worth good crownes. Onely we disarmed them all, and let them depart, saying that they would returne to Saint Vincents.
We continued our course for the Straites, my people much animated with this unlookt for refreshing, and praised God for his bountie, providence, and grace extended towards us. Here it will not be out of the way to speake a word of the particularities of the countrie.
SECTION XXIX.
The description of Brasill.
Brasill is accounted to be that part of America, which lyeth towards our north sea, betwixt the river of the Amazons, neere the lyne to the northwards, untill a man come to the river of Plate in thirty-six degrees to the southwards of the lyne.
This coast generally lyeth next of any thing south and by west; it is a temperate countrie, though in some parts it exceedeth in heat; it is full of good succors for shipping, Its havens. and plentifull for rivers and fresh waters; the principal habitations are, Farnambuca, the Bay De todos los Santos, Nostra Senora de Victoria, alias Santos, the river Ienero, Saint Vincents, and Placentia; every of them provided of a good port. The winds are variable, but for the most part trade[140] along the coast.