Pilgrimage, Book 9 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Of Hispaniola: and a touch homewards at Bermuda.
HIspaniola or Spagniola aOrtel.Theat.is Eastward from Cuba. It was of the first Inhabitants called Quisqueia, afterwards Haiti, & by Columbus bColumbus called it Cipanga, thinking it to be that Island which Marcus Paulus call, by that name in the East. Ens, l.2. He called it also Ophir, thinking it to be that whēce Salomon had his Gold. Mart.Dec.3.l.7.Cipanga and Ophir. The Spaniards call it as we first mentioned, & also S.Dominike or Dominge of the chiefe Citie an Archiepiscopall Sec. It containeth in compasse fiue hundred and fifty leagues. They called the Iland Quisqueia, which signifieth Great & All, thinking that the Sunne gaue light to no other world then this and the other Ilands adioining. Haiti signifieth Craggie, and such is the Iland in many places, with high Craggie Hilles, ouerlooking the deepe and darke Valleys. But in many places it is most beautifull and flourishing. It seemeth to enioy a perpetuall spring, the trees alway flourishing, and the medowes cloathed in greene. The aire and the waters are holsome. It is in manner equally diuided with foure great Riuers descending from high mountaines, whereof Iunna runneth East; Attibunicus, West; Na…iba, to the South; and Iache, Northward. Some diuide it into fiue Prouinces, Caizcimu, Hubaba, Caibabo, Bainoa, Guaccaiarima. In the first of these there is a great Caue, in a hollow Rocke, vnderunder the root of a high Mountaine, about two furlongs from the Sea; the entrie is like the dores of a great Temple. Many Riuers stole their waters from the sight of the Sunne, the vse of men, and the ordinarie officers of Neptunes Custome-house, and by secret passages came and hidde themselues in this Caue. So the Islanders imagined, seeing diuerse Riuers swallowed vp of the Earth, after they had runne fourescore and ten myles, and such a Sinke or Channell of waters in the Caue.
The Islanders beleeued, That the Island had a vitall Spirit, and that there it doth breath: and a hole therein is the female nature thereof (for of that sexe they deeme it) euen as Antiquitie conceited the ebbing and flowing of the Sea to be the breath of Demogorgon.
Andreas cDec.7.8.Moralis entred in with his Shippe, which was almost swallowed with the Whirle-pooles, and boyling of the water. Cloudes, engendred of those waterie conflicts, and Darkenesse, layed hold on his eyes; terrible noyse, as of the falls of Nilus, made deafe his eares, that when with labour he had gotten out, he seemed to hauehave escaped the barkings of Cerberus, and the obscure Vaults of Hell. VponUpon the toppes of high Mountaines, the same Moralis saw a Lake, three myles in compasse, into which many little Riuers ranne, without any other apparant issue.
In Bainoa is a Lake of Salt water, notwithstanding it receiueth foure great fresh Riuers, from the East, West, North, and South, and twentie smaller: and within a furlong of the Lake, on the North side, are two hundred fresh Springs. It is thought to hauehave a large entercourse with the Ocean, because there are Sharkes (great Seafishes, which deuoure men) in the same. Here are stormes and tempests, which seeme to be the Caters and Purueyors for those Fishes, in drowning many. Diuerse other Lakes are mentioned in this Island; one whereof, partly salt, partly fresh, is fiue and twentie myles long, and eight broad. They are all in a large Plaine, a hundred and twentie myles in length and breadth, betweene eighteene and fiue and twentie. There is another Vale two hundred myles long, and broader then the former: and another as broad as that, which is a hundred and fourescore myles long.
Bart, de las C…sas telleth of a Kingdome in Hispaniola, called Magua, which signifieth a Plaine, compassed about with Hills, which watered the same with thirtie thousand Riuers and Brookes; twelue of them were very great: and all which come from the West (twentie thousand in number) are enriched with Gold.
Cotobi is a Plaine on the toppes of Hills, so high, that it is subiect to the foure seasons of the yeare. There is also another Region of the same name, most barren, and yet most rich; full of Mines, otherwise vnfruitfull; a thing common in Nature, that great Mines vndermine fertilitie; and not strange amongst men, that the greatest hoorders of Treasures are the most vnfruitfull, and barren in good workes. The Gold (they say) is as a liuing Tree, which rooting in the centre of the Earth, sendeth forth branches vntounto the vppermost face of the Earth, and there sheweth forth certaine beautifull colours in stead of Flowers, round stones of golden Earth in stead of Fruits, and thinne plates in stead of Leaues. From this Island dDec.3. l.4.was yearely brought foure or fiue hundred thousand duckats of Gold yearely. They imagine some diuine nature to be in Gold, and therefore neuer gather it, but they vse certaine religious expiations, abstaining from women, delicate meates and drinkes, and all other pleasures.
There is an Island a little from Hispaniola which hath a Fountaine in it, comming by secret passages vnderunder the Earth and Sea, and riseth in this Island: which they beleeue, because it bringeth with it the leaues of many Trees, which grow in Hispaniola, and not in this Island; the Spaniards call the Isle, Arethusa
The Isle cR.Tomson ap. Hak.to.3.of Hispaniola is much infested with Flyes, or Gnats, whose pricking causeth wonderfull swelling: also there is a Worme which creepeth into the soles of mens feet, and makes them grow as bigge as a mans head, with extremitie of paine; for which they hauehave no remedie, but to open the flesh sometimes three or foure ynches, and so digge them out. The Gnats fMart.dec.7.9.are so troublesome, that the inhabitants doe therefore build low houses, and make little dores, which they keepe close, and forbeare to light Candles. Nature hath to this disease ordained a remedie, namely, certaine creatures, called Cucuij, which is a kinde of Beetles. These hauehave foure lights, which shine in the night; two in the seat of his eyes, and two which hee sheweth when he openeth his wings. The people get these and bring them to their houses, which there doe them a double seruice: they kill the Gnats, and giuegive so much light, that men may see to reade letters by the light of one; and many of them seeme as so many candles. They had but three sorts of foure-footed Beasts, & those very little. Now men are exhaust, and Beasts multiplied, in so strange manner, that one Deane, of the Conception, carrying a Cow thither, she was aliue six and twentie yeares after, and her fruitfull generation was multiplied in the Island to eight hundred. They are now growne wilde, as their dogges also. They kill their Kine for the Hides: fiue and thirtie thousand were transported to Spaine when Acosta returned 1587.
Before the discouerie of this Island by Columbus and the Spaniards, these Ilanders of Hispaniola were fore-warned thereof by Oracle. Their gMart. Dec.1.l.9.Cacikes and Botritij (that is, their Kings and Priests) reported to Columbus, That the father of Garionebius, the present King, and another Cacike, would needes be importunate demaunders of their Zemes, or Gods, of future euents, and therefore abstained fiue dayes together from all meat and drinke, spending the time in continuall mourning. The Zemes made answer, That there would come, not many yeares after, vntounto that Island a strange Nation, clothed, bearded, armed with shining swords, that would cut a man asunder in the middle; which should destroy the auncient Images of their Gods, abolish their Rites, and slay their children. To remember this Oracle, they composed a mournefull Dittie, which they call Are…to, which on some solemne dayes they vsed to sing.
Now concerning these Zemes (which could fore-tell that which they could not auert) and the superstitions of Hispaniola, hMart.ibid.the Spaniards had beene long in the Island before they knew, that the people worshipped any thing but iThey worshipped the Sunne, and prayed to it at Sunne-rising.the Lights of Heauen; but after, by further conuersing and liuing amongst them, they came to know more of their Religion, of which, one Ramonus, a Spanish Heremite, writ a Booke, and Martyr hath borrowed of him to lend vsus. It is apparent by the Images which they worshipped, that there appeared vntounto them certaine illusions of evill spirits. These Images they made of Gossampine cotton hard stopped, sitting, like the pictures of the Deuill, which they called Zemes; whome they take to be the mediators and Messengers of the Great God, which they acknowledge One, Eternall, Infinite, Omnipotent, Inuisible. Of these they thinke they obtaine raine, or faire weather, and when they goe to the Warres, they hauehave certaine little ones which they bind to their foreheads. EueryEvery King hath his particular Zemes, which he honoureth. They call the eternall GOD by these two names, Iocauna, and Gua…aonocon, as their predecessors taught them, affirming, That he hath a father called by these fiue names, Attaberra, Mamona, Guacarapita, Liella, Guimazoa.
They make the Zemes of diuerse matter and forme: some of Wood, as they were admonished by certaine Visions appearing to them in the Woods: others, which had receiued answere of them among the Rockes, make them of Stone: some of Rootes, to the similitude of such as appeare to them when they gather the Rootes, whereof they make their bread, thinking, that the Zemes sent them plentie of these Rootes. They attribute a Zemes to the particular tuition of eueryevery thing; as sometimes the Pagan and now the Popish Romanes: some assigned to the Sea, others to Fountaines, Woods, or other their peculiar charges. When the Boitij consult with the Zemes, they goe into the house dedicated to him, and with the poulder of the hearbe Cohobba, snuffed into their nosthrills, are distracted; after which, returning as out of a traunce, he telleth, That the Zemes had spoken to him, and vttereth his reuelations. They say, That a certaine King, called Guamaretus, had a Zemes, whose name was Corochotum, which often vsed to descend from the toppe of the house, where Guamaretus kept him close bound: the cause of his breaking loose was either to hide himselfe, or to goe seeke for meat, or else for the act of generation: and that sometimes being offended, that the King Guamaretus had not honoured him diligently, hee was wont to lye hid for certaine dayes. In this Kings Village were some children borne with two Crownes, which they supposed to bee the issue of this Zemes. And when this Village was burned by the enemie, this Zemes brake his bands, and was found a furlong off, without any harme. Hee had another Zemes, called Epileguanita, made of Wood, being in shape like a foure-footed Beast, which went often from the place where he was honoured, into the Woods. When they perceiued that he was gone, a great multitude gathered together to seeke him, with deuout prayers: and when they had found him, brought him home religiously on their shoulders, to the Chappell dedicated vntounto him. But after the Spaniards comming into the Island, he fledde for altogether, and could neuer be found, whereby they diuined the destruction of their Countrey.
They honoured another Zemes, in the likenesse of a woman, on whome waited two other, like men. One of these executed the office of a messenger to the Zemes, that had authoritie of Clouds, Windes, and Raine, and are at commaund of this woman: the other performed the like to the Zemes of the Waters, that fall from the Hills, that being loosed, they might breake into Flouds, and ouerflow the Countrey, if the people doe not giuegive due honour to her Image.
Let vsus adde to this relation of the Zemes of Hispaniola an accident in kMart.Dec.2.l.6.Cuba. A Mariner being sicke, was there left on shore, who recouering, grew into fauour with the King, and was employed in his warres with great successe against the enemie: He attributed his victories to the Virgine Marie, whose picture he had in his bosome. The King by his persuasion reiected his Zemes, and dedicated a Chappell and Altar to this Picture, whither he and all his familie resorted a little before the Sunne-set, bowing their heads, and saying, Aue Maria, Aue Maria, further they could not say. They be…et the same with Iewels, and many earthen pots, some with sundry meates, some with water, round about the Tabernacle, which they offered in stead of sacrifice, as before they had done to their Zemes. Being demaunded, why they did thus, they answered, least it should lacke meat, for they beleeue, that Images may hunger, and doe eate and drinke.
They told of this picture, That being carried with them into the Warres (as they vse to bring their Zemes with them into the battaile) this made the Zemes of the enemie turne his backe, yea, a woman (a lye, or a Deuill) descended in the sight of them all to play the Bellona for her followers; and in a contention betwixt them, whether the Zemes or this Ladie were more excellent, two young men of each side were bound, and whether Deitie should loosen her partie, that should be their God. Both inuoke, the Deuill appeared in vgly shape, and by and by a faire Virgin, whereat the Deuill vanished (doe you beleeue it?) and the Virgine with touch of a rod loosed her mans bands, which were found on the other aduerse partie, being now double-bound. Thus can the Deuill transforme himselfe into an Angell of Light at Loretto, in Hispaniola, and where else soeuer he can be entertained; the name of Saints, and promise of Heauen, shall further his hellish designes.
They had festiuall Solemnities in Hispaniola lDec.7.10.to their Zemes, whereunto the Kings summoned their subiects by publike Criers: and they, neatly dressed after their manner, and painted with diuerse colours of hearbes, resorted thither, with their armes, thighes, legges, adorned with shells, to make Musicke in their dauncing. Thus they presented themselues before the King, who sat drumming at the entrance of the gate. When they were to sacrifice, they purged themselues first, thrusting downe a sacred hooke into their throat, and by vomit emptied their bodies. After, they went into the Kings Court, and all sate in a ring about the Idoll, crosse-legged like Taylors, and wrynecked for reuerence, praying, that their sacrifice might be accepted. The women in another place, when the Priests gaue warning, fell to dauncing and singing the prayse of their Zemes, and offered Cakes in baskets, concluding with Songs in praise of their ancient Kings, & prayers for future prosperitie. After this, both sexes kneeled downe, and offered their Cakes; which the Priests receiuing, cut in peeces, giuing to eueryevery man a portion, which he kept vntouched the whole yeare, for a holy Relique, esteeming that house in danger of Fire and Whirlewinds, that is not preserued with this reserued peece of Cake. They seemed sometimes to heare a voice from their Zemes, (whether by the illusion of the Priests, or the Deuill) which the Priests interpreted by their behauior: for if they daunced and sung, all was well: but if they went sorrowfully, the people went forth sighing, and gaue themselues to fasting, euen to extreame faintnesse with weeping, vntill they thought their Zemes reconciled.
Touching the originall of Man, thus they fable. There is in the Iland a Region called Caunana, where they faine that mankind came first out of two Caues of a Mountaine called Cauta: and that the biggest sort of men came forth of the mouth of the biggest Caue, and the least sort out of the least Caue: this Caue they name Amaianna, the greater, Caziba…agua. Before men might come out of the Caue, the mouth thereof was kept and watched nightly, by a man whose name was Machoshael, who departing further to looke abroad, was by the Sunne (the sight of whom he was forbidden) turned into a stone. They faine the like of others turned into trees, for going so farre a fishing in the night, that they could not returne before the rising of the Sunne. A certaine Ruler also, called Vagoniona, sent one forth of the Caue a fishing, who by the Sunnes surprisall, was turned into a Nightingale, which therefore in the night bewaileth his misfortune. Vagoniona sore troubled with this losse, leauing the men in the Caue, brought forth the women and sucking children, and leauing the women in an Iland of that Tract, called Mathinine, carried the children away with him, which being oppressed with famine, fainted; and remained on the bankes of a certaine Riuer, where they were turned to Frogges, and cried toa, toa, as children with them vse to crie for the dugge. And hence also come those pitifull cryings of the Frogges in the Spring-time. As for Vogoniona, he by speciall priuiledge was not transformed: wandering in diuers places, he descended to a certaine faire woman, whom he saw in the bottome of the sea, and receiued of her bright plates of Laten, and a kinde of stones which their Kings greatly esteemed. Another Caue they had (for the former tale is endlesse, as superstition commonly is) called Ionana boina, adorned with pictures of a thousand fashions. In the entrance were two grauen Zemes, whereof one was called Binthaitel, and the other Marohu. Out of this Caue they say the Sunne and Moone first came to giuegive light to the world. They made religious concourse to these Caues, as men goe on Pilgrimage to Rome, Compostella, or Ierusalem.
They had a superstitious conceit of their dead: who (they thought) walked in the night, and eat the fruit Guannaba (which is like to a Quince) and that they would deceiue women, in taking the shape of men; making, as though they would hauehave to doe with them, and suddenly vanish away. If any feeling a strange thing in his bed, made doubt whether it were a dead body, he might be resolued by feeling on his belly, because these ghosts could take all other members of mans body, but not the nauell (as some with vsus imagine that the Diuell can take the whole shape of a man, onelyonly his clawes excepted): these dead men, they say, often met them by the way, and if a man were not afraid, they vanished; but if he were afraid, they would assault him, and many hereby hauehave beene taken with the losse of their limbes. These superstitions were left them by tradition in rithmes and songs from their forefathers, which it was lawfull for none to learne, but onelyonly the Kings sonnes. They sung them before the people on solemne Feasts, playing on an instrument like a Timbrel. Their Boitij or Priests instruct them in these superstitions: these are also Physicians, making the people beleeue that they obtaine health for them of the Zemes. They tie themselues to much fasting, and outward cleanlineffe and purging; especially where they take vponupon them the cure of great men: for then they drunke the powder of a certaine herbe, which brought them into a fury, wherein they said they learned many things of their Zemes.
Much adoe they make about the sicke partie, deforming themselues with many gestures, breathing, blowing, sucking the fore-head, temples, and necke of the patient; sometimes also saying that the Zemes is angrie for not erecting a Chappell, or dedicating to him a Gro…e or Garden, or the neglect of other holies. And if the sicke party die, his kinf-folkes by witchcraft enforce the dead to speake, and tell them whether he died by naturall destiny, or by the negligence of the Boitij, in not fasting the full due, or ministring conuenient medicine: so that if these Physitians be found faultie, they take reuenge of them. They vsed in ministring their Physicke, to put certaine stones or bones in their mouthes, which if the women can get, they keepe religiously, beleeuing them to be profitable for them in trauell, and honor them, as they doe their Zemes.
When their Kings died, they buried the best beloued of their concubines with them, who also had other women buried for their attendants, together with their iewels and ornaments. They had in the sepulchre beside them a cup full of water, and some of their Casaui-bread.
Hauing thus wearied you with this long stay in Hispaniola (by which ye may guesse of the neighbouring Ilands) we will hast homeward, and not touching in any Iland by the way (for we could but touch and away) we may aduenture, notwithstanding the wonted danger, vponupon Bermuda. Danger hath made it now not so dangerous: nocuments hauehave beene documents. For while some hauehave bin wracked there, they hauehave made vertue of Necessity, and so well obserued the coast, that skill hath almost secured that which Nature had seemed to set there in defiance, both of Habitation and Nauigation, to both which it is now subiected by our Nation. It was called Bermuda of that ship which first discouered it: mBoter….it is also called the Iland of Diuels, which they suppose inhabit there; and the Inchanted Iland: but these are inchanted conceits. Sir George Sommers hath deserued that it should beare his name, by his endeuours thereabouts testified in life and death. He with Sir Thomas Gates, as before is said, were wracked on the Iland, which losse turned to some gaine, as if GOD would giuegive them this into the Virginia-bargaine. Before in the yeare 1593. Henry nHenry May ap.Hak. tom.3.May, an Englishman, in a French ship was wracked thereon, and hath giuen vsus some discourse therof: more fully hath Syluester oSyl. Iourdan.Iourdan, one of that Virginian Company, one of the company of those worthy Knights, in a Treatise of that ship-wracke, and the discouery of Bermuda. The commodities whereof he reckoneth, variety of fishes, plenty of hogges (which it seemeth hauehave escaped out of some wracks) diuers fruits, Mulberies, Silke-wormes, Palmitos, Cedars, Pearles, Amber-grife: But the most strange thing seemes the variety of fowle, of which they tooke a thousand of one sort in two or three houres, being as bigge as a Pigeon, and laying speckled egges, as bigge as Hens egges, on the sand, where they come and lay them daily, although men sit downe amongst them.. When Sir Thomas Gates his men hauehave taken a thousand of them, Sir George Sommers men hauehave staid a while by them, and brought away as many more. Another fowle there is, that liueth in holes like Cony-holes; their egges like in quantitie and qualitie to Hen-egges. Other birds were so gentle, that whistling to them, they would come and gaze on you, while with your sticke you might kill them. Other egges they had of Tortoises, a bushell in the belly of one, very sweet: they tooke fortie of them in a day: and one would serue fiftie men at a meale. Two were there borne, and other two married, to take the most naturall possession thereof for our Nation; which now in hope of good successe hath there planted an habitation. That wracked company built there a shippe and a pinace, and set saile for Virginia. From hence and thence I am now passing in an English ship for England, where to passe away tediousnesse of the Voyage, I will entertaine my Reader with a discourse of the more then tedious and fastidious Spanish cruelties.