Quivirais the next Region accounted ofCalifornia, largely taken; yet appearing by some Charts to lie so vastly remote, that allNew Mexico,Gallicia, and other Provinces already mention’d, lie between that and the Island. And whereasNew Granadais by several made a part ofNew Mexico; yet most certain it is, that by some it is confounded with this Countrey, or at least accounted a part thereof, as hereafter shall more plainly appear, according to the Account of those that have most fully and particularly describ’d it.
Situation ofQuivira, and Description of the Inhabitants.
Quiviratakes up the most Northern and unknown part ofAmericatowards the West, reaching as far as the supposedStraightofAnianaforesaid (if there be any such) or else joyning to the Continent ofTartary. It is likewise the least fruitful of all theWest-Indies, especially for Corn. Cattel it hath good store, and Pasturage indifferent good, the Countrey being for the most plain and level, and nothing else but Pasturage. The Natives are few and salvage, living in Hoards or great Companies together, after the manner of theTartars, to whom they are Neighbors, and (as it is not improbably thought) of their Race. The Men Clothe themselves most commonly in that kind of Oxes Hide, elsewhere spoken of under the Name ofTaurus Mexicanus. The Women wear little else but their Hair, notwithstanding the Countrey, especially for one half of the year, is excessive cold. Their Cattel, though they are much less than the ordinary Kine ofEurope, are the chief Sustenance and Employment of the Natives; by Pasturing huge Herds whereof from place to place, the People live, and maintain a Traffick with other Parts. Yet some of them inhabit Towns, the chief whereof, as yet discover’d, seem to be these which follow:
Towns of chief note.
1.Acus, orAcuco, a small Town, but seated in a strong defensible place, and being a great Staple for Cotton, the Territory about it hath been taken for a distinct Province, and by some call’dThe Kingdom of Acuco.
2.Tignes, a Town seated upon the Banks of a River bearing the same Name, and inhabited, it seems, by a stout and resolute People, and whom theSpaniards, coming amongst them in the Year 1540. had much ado to master: for they endur’d a Siege for the space of six Weeks; and at last finding themselves so strongly begirt by their Enemies, that there was no means to escape but by Death, or yielding up themselves, rather than they would fall alive into their hands, they first buried and spoil’d all such Treasure as they had (which were chiefly Saphires, and a few other Gems, that the Countrey afforded) and after that setting on fire their Housholdstuff, they took their Wives and Children with them, and made a desperate Sally out upon theSpaniards; wherein although they were most of them slain, and trod under the Horses Feet, or drown’d in passing the River, yet was it not without some loss to theSpaniardsthemselves: nor would those few that were left behind deliver up the Town, till it was fir’d about their Ears, and that they could no longer abide in it. This Town, by all Circumstances, must needs be the same with that before mention’d inNova Granada, which makes good what we have said above,viz.ThatNew Granadais by some confounded with, or at least taken for a part of this Region.
3.Cicuic, another small Town, four days Journey fromTignes. The Countrey about this place, although generally it be all good Pasturage, and maintains abundance of Cattel, yet is it so open and plain, that for almost a hundred Miles together, theSpaniards, in their March hither fromNew Spain, found neither Stone nor Tree, nor any thing else that could serve them for a Land-mark; so that they were forc’d, as they march’d along, to raise up Heaps of Cow-dung, to serve them for direction in their coming back, which was not long after: for not finding the Commodities they sought for, and fearing to be surpris’d by Winter in those cold Countreys, where they had no kind of accommodation, they made somewhat a hasty Retreat, leaving behind them onely some few Religious Men, of the Order ofSt. Francis, whose Endeavours to do the People good by Converting them to the true Knowledge and Worship of Almighty God, procur’d them not long after, the Crown of Martyrdom, being murder’d all of them, except one, by the Natives, and he not without much difficulty escaping their Hands.
Nova Albion.
Nova Albionwas so denominated by SirFrancis Drake, when he was there Entertain’d by the King of that Countrey; but whether it were inQuivirathat he was thus Entertain’d, and left that Denomination, or in the Island ofCalifornia, appears not either from the Relation, or from the common Consent of Cosmographers, since some there are, who will haveQuiviraandNova Albionto be one and the same Province; others reckon it to be the utmost North-West part ofCalifornia; others make it distinct fromQuivira, yet determine it not to the IslandCalifornia, seeming rather to make it an adjoyning Countrey toQuivira: wherefore finding little else that concerns the Description of the Place, except the said Voyage ofDrake, we shall here set it down, and leave the farther Disquisition concerning the Situation of the Place, till we come to describe the Island ofCaliforniait self.
SirFrancis Drake’s Arrival there.
CaptainFrancis Drakeset Sail fromPlymouthAnno 1577.and after much hardship getting through theStraightsofMagellan, arriv’d in the HavenGuatulco, having before his coming thither taken as many richSpanishShips in the Southern Ocean as he could possibly have wish’d for, so that his onely care now needed to have been how to get safe home; yet he put on a Resolution, not to come short ofFerdinandus Magellanus, who Saild about the World. Which brave Resolution ofDrake’s was approv’d of by all his Sea-men; whereupon he set Sail along the North ofCaliforniathe fifth ofJune; being gotten into forty two Degrees, which was the farthest thatCabrillowent, he came on a sudden out of a warm Air into so frigid a Climate, that the Sea-men were almost kill’d with Cold, and the farther they went, the colder it grew; wherefore falling down three Degrees more Southerly, they got into a convenient Haven, where the Natives who liv’d along the Shore brought them Presents; whichDrakeleft not unrequited, by returning them others, that were to them more novel, and not unuseful.
Nature and Habit of the People.
These People are exceeding hardy; for, notwithstanding the extraordinary coldness of the Climate, the Men go naked; but the Women wear Garments of pleited Flags or Rushes, which being put about their Middle, hang down to their Ancles; on their Stomachs hang the ends of a hairy Skin ty’d together, which hanging also over their Shoulders, cover their hinder Parts. They shew great Respect and Obedience to their Husbands. Each House is surrounded with an Earthen Wall, and all the Corners thereof being close stopp’d, and Fires made in the midst of them, they are very warm. Rushes and Flags strow’d thick on the Ground near the Walls, serve them in stead of Beds.
TheIndianscoming a second time to Visit theEnglish, brought them Plumes ofFeathers, Neckbands of Net-work, and store of Tobacco:Drakepleas’d with this their kindness, built Tents on the Brow of a Hill, on the top of which theIndiansstood that brought the Presents, whil’st one of them with a loud voice maintain’d a long Discourse; which he had no sooner ended, but every one laid down his Bowe and Arrows, and walk’d unarm’d down to the Tents to proffer their Gifts: their Wives staying behind on the top, pinch’d their Cheeks, and made sad lamentation; whichDrakesuppos’d was because they made Offerings there: whereupon he also caus’d all his Men to kneel down and say their Prayers, which made theIndiansto look very earnestly upon them, and to return him the Presents which the day before they had receiv’d of him.
Drake’s Entertainment by the King of the Countrey.
The rumour of these Strangers arrival spreading all over the Countrey, made the Inhabitants far and near desirous to see them; the King himself sending Ambassadors toDrake, to inform him that he was on the Way coming to see him; all which the Agents related at large, and desir’d some Presents, as a testimony that their King should be welcome; which he being assur’d of, came with a Retinue of above twelve thousand Men, before whom walk’d one of a Gygantick size, carrying a costly Scepter, on which, by three long Chains made of Bones, hung a great and a small Crown made of Feathers; next follow’d the King himself in a Sute of Cony-Skins; then came a great confus’d company of People, each of them carrying a Present: whereuponDrakeputting his Men into good order, march’d to meet the King; at which the Mace-bearer made a long Preamble, and when he had done, Danc’d to the Tune of a Song, which he Sung himself; then the King and his whole Retinue also fell a Singing and Dancing so long, till being weary the King went toDrake, and humbly desir’d of him, that he would accept of the Realm, assuring him, that all the People should be under his Obedience; which said, he put the fore-mention’d Crown on his Head, and hanging three double Chains about his Neck, call’d himHioh: whereuponDraketook possession of the Countrey in QueenElizabethsName. The King staying alone withDrake, his Retinue went amongst theEnglish, every one looking very earnestly upon them, andto those whom they lik’d best, being the youngest, they falling down and crying, proffer’d Offerings, as to Gods, and held their Cheeks to draw Blood out of them; which theEnglishrefusing, they desisted; but shew’d them great Wounds, and desir’d some Plaisters of them, which they suppli’d them with.
A Monument erected byDrakebefore his departure.
TheEnglishgoing up into the Countrey found the same well grown with Woods, which abounded with Coneys, whose Heads differ’d little from theEuropean, but having Feet like Moles, long Tails like Rats, and in their Sides a Bag, wherein when they had fill’d their Bellies they put the remainder. They also saw numerous Herds of Deer, with whose Flesh having been courteously Entertain’d in several Villages, they return’d to the Fleet.Drake, just before he weighed Anchor, caus’d a pillar to be set in the Ground with a Silver Plate on the same, with an Inscription, mentioning the Day of his Arrival, Name and Arms of QueenElizabeth, and free delivering of that Realm to him by theIndians: he also nail’d a Sixpence with the Queens Effigies on the Plate, under which he caus’d his own Name to be Engraven.