A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 195 – Subpart 197
Virginia described.
Virginia, is seated between four and thirty, and four and forty degrees of Northerly latitude: Its bounded on the East with the great Ocean; with Florida on the South: New-France on the North: and the Western limits are unknown. The Summer is as hot as in Spain; the VVinter is as cold as in France, and England.
It was discovered by the English by the direction, and at the charge of Sir VValter Rawleigh, Anno Christi 1584. and in honour of our Virgin Queen called Virginia. It yeelds store of Tobacco, and now they get Silk-worms, and plant store of Mulberry trees, which is like to bee a good commodity.
There is but one entrance by Sea into this Country, at the mouth of a goodly Bay: The Capes on both sides are named Henry, and Charles: The water floweth in this Bay near two hundred miles, and hath a Channel for one hundred and forty miles, between seven, and fifteen fathom deep, and ten, or fourteen miles broad. At the head of the Bay, the land is mountainous, from which proceed great brooks, which make five navigable rivers: the mountains have in them Milstones, Marble, and some peices of Christal: The earth is generally black, and sandy. The river neer to the mouth of the bay is called Powhatan, the mouth whereof is neer three miles broad, and it is Navigable one hundred miles: Hence their Emperor is called Powhatan. In a Peninsula on the North side thereof, is placed James Town.
No place in Summer affords more Sturgeons, whereof threescore and eight have been caught at one draught. In Winter they have abundance of Fowl. Fourteen miles from Powhatan is the River Pamaunk, seventy miles navigable with big vessels. Then Toppahanock, which is Navigable one hundred and thirty miles. Then Patawomeck, one hundred and twenty miles navigable. At the mouth of Powhatan are the Forts Henerico, and Charles; forty two miles upward, is James Town, seventy miles beyond that, the Town of Henerico, ten miles higher are the falls, where the River falls down between Mineral rocks, twelve miles beyond that, there is the Crystall Rock, wherewith the Indians head their Arrows.
The Commodities are silk-grass, Hemp, and Flax, surpassing ours; A certain Sedg, which by boiling yeilds skeines of good strength, and length, some like silk, some like flax, and some like hemp. There is also Allom, Terra Sigillata, Pitch, Tar, Rozen, Turpentine, Sassafras, Cedar, Grapes, Oil, Iron, Copper, &c. Sweet Gums, Dies, Timber, Trees of sweet wood of fourteen kinds: Besides, plenty of Fowl, Fishes, Beasts, Fruits, Plants, Hearbs, Berries, Grains, espec…ally Maiz, whereof one acre of ground will yeild two hundred Bushels of Corn, Roots, &c. Their chief Beasts are Bears, Deer, a beast like a Badger, but living in trees like a Squirrel: Flying Squirrels. another beast headed like a Swine, tailed like a Rat, as big as a Cat, and hath under her belly a Bag, wherein shee carrieth her young: Their Dogs bark not, their Wolves are little bigger than our Foxes, their Foxes like our silver haired Conies, and smell not as ours. They have Eagles, Hawks, wild Turkies, &c. The People are cloathed in Deer skines about their middles, else all naked.
Their houses are round, of small poles fastened at the tops; and covered with bark, or mats: they are good Archers, so that they will kill birds flying, fish swiming, and beasts running. Their chief God is the Devil, which they call Oke, whose Image is made ill-favouredly.
On the North of it lyes New-England, planted with many English Towns, especially New-Boston, an haven Town, and a place of good trading: The other Countryes in this tract of ground have little that is remarkable in them.
Florida Described.
The length of Florida extends to twenty and five degrees: It runs with a long point into the Sea, and into land it stretches Westward unto the borders of New-Spain, and to those Countries which are not yet fully discovered: On other parts its washed with a dangerous sea. It is very rich with Silver, Gold, and stones of great value. In it are great variety of Trees, fruits, fowls, Beasts: as Bears, Leopards, Ounces, Wolves, Wild Dogs, Goats, Hares, Conies, Deer, Oxen, &c. Their Towns are paled about with Posts fastened in the ground, having no more entrance than for two men to passe at a time, where stand two watch Towers for defence: their houses are round, their apparrel nakedness, except a skin about their secrets: they paint and rase their skin curiously, which they rub over with the juice of an herb, that cannot bee gotten out: they let their nailes on their fingers and toes grow long, they are tall, nimble, and comely.
When the King dieth, they bury him with solemnity, and upon his grave they set the cup wherein hee was wont to drink, and about it they stick many Arrows: for six months certain women are appointed to bewail his death: His house, and goods they burn together.
They sow, or set their Corn as in Virginia, and have two seeds times, and two harnests, their meat is Venisons, Fish, and Crocodiles dried in the smoak for preservation.
Peruana Described.
The other part of this new World, is called Peruana, being in compasse seventeen thousand miles, comprehending in it Golden Castile, Guiana, Peru, Brisile, and Chili. The first is so called from the abundance of gold in it, lying in the Northern parts of Peruana, and part of the Istmus, which is but seventeen miles broad between sea and sea: Its admirably stored with silver, Spices, Pearls, and medicinal herbs, and is divided into the Provinces of Castella del oro, Nova Andaluzia, Nova Granata, and Carthagena.
Castella del Oro is in the very Istmus, an unhealthful Countrey: the chief Cities are Nombre de dios on the East, and Panama on the West side: Through which two places comes all the traffique between Spain, and Peru. The commodities from Peru being unladen at Panama in the South sea, and thence carried by land to Nombre de dios, in the North sea, and thence shiped to Spain.
In Guiana is the great River Orenoque, which is Navigable with ships of burthen for one thousand miles, and with Boats, and Pinnasses almost two thousand more: It was discovered by Sir Walter Rawleigh, and the River Margnon, called the River of the Amazons, which is Navigable almost six thousand miles, and towards the sea two hundred miles broad.
Peru, lieth under the Aequinoctial line, and stretcheth for the space of eight hundred leagues, upon six hundred whereof, viz. from Atacama, to Tumbez it never raineth… and yet it is as fruitful a land for all sorts of necessaries for the life of man, as is in the world: On the West frontire, is a mighty ridg of high Mountains that are always covered with Snow, from whence issue great store of Rivers into the South sea, with the water whereof, being led by sluces, and channels, they moisten their vineyards, and Corn fields, which makes them exceeding fruitful: Besides, Mines of gold and silver, there are mines of Copper, and Tin, there is also abundance of Salt-peter, and Brimstone. It is now well replenished with horses, kine, sheep, goats, and Wheat.