Bounds and Extent ofPorto Rico.
Another of those call’dThe Isles of Barlovento, isBoriquen, anciently so nam’d, but now more generallyPorto Rico, fromSt. Juan de Porto Rico, its chief Town, is an Island fifteen Leagues distant fromSanta Crux, to the North-West, and about as many fromHispaniolato the South-East, but from the Continent or main Land ofParia(which seems to be the nearest) a hundred and thirty, or a hundred thirty six, as some reckon. It lieth almost in a quadrangular Form, being suppos’d to contain about thirty Leagues in length, and not less than twenty in breadth, in eighteen and nineteen Degrees of Northern Latitude.
The Island on the North, which is less fruitful than the South part, produces Gold, and is generally water’d with many Rivers. There is also Silver, Tin, Lead, Quicksilver, andAzure, us’d by Painters. The Rain generally falls there betweenMayandAugust. A little before, or in the beginning of Harvest, the Hurricanes breaking forth from the Clouds, rage in such a manner, that it is impossible for any Ships to endure the Sea, and a Northern Blast generally doth great damage to the Plants here.
Sierra del Loquillo.
Ten Leagues towards the South-East beyondPorto Rico, appearsSierra del Loquillo,being a continu’d Ridge of Mountains which runs through the whole Island from East to West, extending both ways to the very Sea-shore.
Rivers.
Twenty three Rivers discharge their Waters also into the Ocean; amongst which the chiefest isCairabon, particularly noted for ten Sugar-Mills which are erected upon its Banks.
Trees.
The Hills, Plains, and Valleys, are invested with variety of Trees peculiar to this place, asTabunuco, which affords a medicinal Gum, good against Lameness, and green Wounds: it is also of great use to preserve a Ship’s Keel from the Worms.
Another Tree call’dMaga, is everlasting Wood, and bears a great Flower like a Rose.
The Leaves of theHigillo Pintado-Tree cures all manner of Bruises.
The same power is also in the little TreeSancta Maria; as likewise in another by theSpaniardscall’dBalsamo.
The Body of the TreeZoylais so thick, that fifteen Men holding Hands together, cannot encompass the same.
The speckled Wood, andCassia Fistulagrow also here in great abundance.
The poisonous Apple-Tree.
Here is likewise Apple-Trees, which grow by Rivers sides, or on the Sea-shore, whose Fruit is rank Poyson, and who-ever sleeps under the shadow of them, will certainly be Lame: The Fruit eaten generally causes Death; or if Nature be so strong in him that eats of it, to overcome the same, yet he is certain to lose his Hair.
As hurtful is the prickly HerbQuibey, which bears white Flowers like Violets.
The TreeGuiaba.
But this Island receives the greatest prejudice by the TreeGuaiaba, because it grows in most places, and over-runs Plains and Hills, so spoiling all the Grass, between which and the fore-mention’d Tree there is such an antipathy, that none will grow near it. The Tree bears a brown Apple full of Kernels, which are eaten by Beasts and Fowls, and from which falling on the Ground when ripe, grow up in new Trees, which makes the Countrey a meer Wilderness: The Body of it is smooth and of a pale colour, the Leaves hard, and glittering, and grow two andtwo over one another; the Flowers have also five Leaves, in the middle of which rises a Crown like that on a Peacock’s Head: The Fruit, which is cover’d with a soft Doun, and somewhat longer than theEuropeanApple, when cut through, hath a pale red Pulp, full of eatable Kernels: before it is ripe, it is of a sharp taste, yet good boyl’d, but when ripe, of a most delicious and pleasant rellish; nevertheless too much of it causes a Lask: The Roots, which are red without, and white within, are juicy, sweet, and very long, the Leaves sallow and sowre of taste.
The BeastJavaris.
Amongst the strange Beasts theJavaris,Opassum, andTatoware the most remarkable. TheJavarisare taken for a sort of wild Hogs, and have short Ears and a Navel on their Backs, little Tails, some black, and some spotted white.
TheOpassum.
TheOpassumis as big as a Cat, hath a sharp Mouth, the upper Jaw-bone hanging over the lower, long, straight, and broad Ears, and a very long Tail, bald at the end, which winds in a Circle; on its Back black Hair sprinkled with grey Spots, and with its sharp Claws climbs up the Trees, where it feeds on Fruit, and sometimes preys on Fowls. Nature hath furnish’d this Beast with a strange Bag under its Belly, whereof the in-side hath a far softer Doun than the out-side, in which the young ones lie and suck, after which the Bag opening, they creep out upon the Ground. The Males have also a Bag, which serves onely to carry their Young in, for they and the Females carry them by turns.
TheTatow.
TheTatow, which is arm’d with sharp Scales, hath the Mouth of a Hog, and at each Foot five sharp Nails: when it is Hunted, or goes to sleep in the Night, it draws its Head, Legs and Tail under its scaly Coat of Mail, like a Tortoise, and in that manner lies secure against all manner of danger.
The Venison taken here is very delicate, but difficult to be got; for this Beast having a breathing-place in its Back, never tires with running, and when encompass’d by the Dogs, falls valiantly on those that are nearest to it, and often tears them in pieces.
Chief Towns and Cities.
The chief Towns in this Island, are 1.Porto Ricoit self, commonly call’dSt. John de Porto Rico(so term’d byChristopher Columbus, as being the first Land discover’d by him in the Year 1493. at that time when he could not perswade his Seamen, wearied out with continual hardship, from returning, if they discover’d not Land in two days) a strong and neat Town, built by the Command ofPhilipthe Second, King ofSpain: It was attempted by SirFrancis Drakein the Year 1595. without success, but a few years after taken by the Earl ofCumberland.
2.St. Germans, in the West part of the Island, three or four Leagues distant from the Sea.
3.Arrecibo, Westward fromPorto Rico, where the most noted Haven is of those Parts, for all the others are full of Rocks and Sands.
The antient Inhabitants of this Island maintain’d continual Wars with the Cannibals (probably the Natives of the Islands so call’d) who us’d every year to come thither: those that were conquer’d, as well of the one side as of the other, were eaten by the Conquerors, so that in effect, both sides were but a different sort of Cannibals.
ColumbusLanding here, found a great House surrounded with twelve others, but all of them empty and desolate.
This Island (which formerly is said to have been under the absolute Power of one sole King) theSpaniardsnot much regarded at first, having enough to do withHispaniola, where they found more Gold than onPorto Rico.
The building ofSt. Germans.
Anno 1510.John Ponce de Leonobtain’d a Commission from the Court ofSpain, to be chief Governor of this Island, and builtCaparra, which Place was inhabitedtwelve years, notwithstanding it stood behind a scraggy Mountain, in a desart place far up in the Countrey; but their thirst after Gold, of which some Veins were discover’d there, made them dispence with all other inconveniences: yet at last beginning to be weary of this desolate and barren place of Settlement, they remov’d toGuanica, water’d by many Rivers, whose Sands had great quantities of Gold-dust. Not staying long there, they went four Leagues farther, and call’d their new PlantationSoto Major. Lastly, returning again, they setled themselves in the former ValleyGuanica, and built the fore-mention’d TownSt. Germansby the RiverGuaorabo, which makes an inconvenient Haven.
The Situation, Description and Fate ofSt. Juan de Porto Rico.
Juan de Porto Ricostands Eastward at the beginning of the North Coast, on a smallPeninsula, joyn’d to the Island by an highIsthmuscall’dPuente de Aguilar. Near the Mouth of the Haven lies on a rising Hill the FortMorro Empinado, built triangular byJohn de TexilaandBaptista Antonelli(who also planted there forty Guns), and surrounded with the Sea, which renders it a well fortifi’d place. The GovernorDiego Mendez de Valdezhad in it fifteen hundred Men and eighty Horses, when the fore-mention’d valiant Duke ofCumberlandwith a far less number fell upon him in the Year 1597. and not onely took the CityPorto Rico, but several other Fortifications; and besides an invaluable mass of Treasure he carried away eighty Guns. Sometime before this Defeat theSpaniardsunder the Government ofChristopher, Son to thePortugueseDuke ofCamigna, were Invaded by the Cannibals, and all that were then upon the place utterly destroy’d, none of them escaping but the Bishop and his Servants, who betimes fled away with the Church Ornaments; so that the Islanders from that time were put out of doubt that theSpaniardswere mortal, for they suppos’d them immortal when first they saw their great Ships, and heard the noise of their thundering Cannon.
The CasiqueYaguara’s Experiment.
Hugh Linschotrelates, That the CasiqueYaguarathrew aSpaniardinto the Water, to try whether he would drown or not, and seeing him wholly depriv’d of Life, he concluded by consequence that the rest of them were mortal, and thereupon he set upon them when they were seeking for Gold, and kill’d above a hundred and fifty of them.
Peter Martyrrelates farther, That these People, though very expert in Arms, yet were oftentimes beaten by the Cannibals, who at one time carried above five thousand People out ofPorto Ricofor their Winter Provisions.
The Avarice and Cruelty of theSpaniards.
Nor was their Condition better’d after theSpaniardsconquer’d the Island, for those that could not furnish them with Gold, were certain of Death: Nor were their Cruelties in other places undivulg’d to this People before their Arrival; whereupon (as is related byPeter Ordonnez de Carellos) the CasiqueHatveybeing inform’d of theSpaniardsApproach, took an Oath from his Subjects, That they should never discover where the Gold lay, though they should be put to death for it;For(said he)Gold is their God, for which they make so many cursed Blood-baths where-ever they come; therefore throw the Gold into some very deep Waters, for when theSpanishGod is sunk, theSpaniardswill lose their Courage, and not plague us so much for it.
Ceremonies of the old Natives.
Many were the Idolatrous Ceremonies of the old Natives of this Place, which would be too tedious to relate; but amongst the rest, they annually kept a great Feast, at which theCasiquessummon’d all their Subjects to a Temple appointed for that purpose, where the Priests had prepar’d an Idol ready set forth in all its Pageantry; near which theCasiqueplac’d himself, when upon the beating of a Drum all the Commonalty came also into the Temple; the Men painted with divers Colours, having on their Heads Plumes of Feathers, about their Necks, Legs, and Arms, Strings of Sea-shells. The Married Women had a light Covering abouttheir Middle, but the Maids went stark naked, all of them Dancing and Singing Songs in praise of the Idol; after which having saluted theCasique, they thrust little Sticks down their Throats, so to bring up all they had upon their Stomachs; which done, and sitting down with their Legs under them, they began to Sing anew, often bowing and shewing Reverence to theCasique; whilest some Women carried Baskets of Bread amongst those that Sang, and utter’d certain Prayers, which were answer’d by some of the Men; the Bread being bless’d by the Priests, they gave every one a piece, with which they return’d home very merry and jocund.
But the God of this Island, whoever he was, hath been a long time left without Worshippers; for those that were left by the Invading Cannibals, were cruelly massacred by theSpaniards, insomuch that they have been thereby necessitated to furnish themselves withNegro’s to work in their Mines and Sugar-Mills; and these also not able to endure such hard Entertainment, ran most of them away; for when aNegrodid not bring Gold enough home at Night, his Master tying him naked to a Stake or Post, and beat him with Rods or Switches so long, till the Blood ran down his Back, then pour’d boyling Oyl into the Wounds, and then threw Pepper and Salt into them, and so let him lie, or else put him into a Pit, out of which his Head appear’d onely. But those that fled gathering together, sometimes met with theSpaniards, and paid them in their own Coin.
The IslandsMonaandMonico.
Eastward ofPorto Rico, and betwixt it andHispaniola, there lieth a little, but fruitful Island call’dMona; and Westward of that, another call’dMonico, orMonetta; which last theEnglish, when time was, found so admirably stor’d with a sort of wild Fowl, that the huge Flights of them seem’d to darken the Air over their Heads, and upon their Landing found such plenty of their Eggs upon the Shore and Ground thereabouts, that they presently laded two of their Boats with them. But how peopled or possess’d, not so well known.