Birds.
Moreover,Guianaproduces Teal, Geese, Crains, Phesants, Partridges, Pigeons, Marlins, Snipes, Falcons, Plovers, and Parrots of all sorts, besides many other strange Fowls; amongst which the chiefest are a sort whose Feathers glitter like Scarlet, and walk along in Rank and Fyle like Soldiers.
Fish.
The Sea produces abundance of Turbots, Soals, Thornback, yellow Salmon, Sturgeon, Black-fish, Gurnets, Crabs, and Oysters.
Amongst other Fishes, theCassoorwa, which is somewhat bigger than an Eel, is very strange, having two Sights in each Eye, of which it always holds one above, and the other underneath the Water when it swims.
Here are also the great Fishes call’dManatiandNum-eel, by which if any part of a Man be touch’d, it immediately becomes stiff.
Vermin.
There are likewise divers Vermine, which trouble the CountreyGuiana, among which are Serpents, of thirty Foot long, that come out of the Water and feed on the Land; they do little hurt, as not being poysonous: but there are many of a lesser size, whose biting is so venomous, that it causes the Flesh of a Man to rot in twenty four hours time: others there are which have forked Tails, and Tusks in the Roof of their Mouthes.
The Crocodiles here also devour abundance of Cattel.
Strange kind of Scorpions.
The Scorpions, which are black, and resemble a Lobster, breed under dry Wood or Corn; their Stings are hid in their Tails, with which if any one be touch’d, he is sure to endure an intolerable pain, but without danger of losing his Life for the present, yet nothing can perfectly cure the same, except the Scorpion kill’d and laid on the Wound.
The Bats here are as big as Pigeons, and they suck the Blood of Men and Beasts so gently, that they seldom perceive the same.
The Pismires also do great mischief, especially in sandy Grounds; and likewise theMusketo’s, whose Stings cause painful Swellings; but these most of all trouble them that inhabit near the Sea side on low Lands, insomuch that the Fisher-men bury themselves in the Night in Sand, leaving onely Holes to breathe at.
Frogs and Toads also make a terrible noise here, and especially after Rain.
Commodities of the Countrey.
The Soil is inferior to none in the World, for the production of Sugar; but the general Commodities of the Countrey are Flax, Cotton, Hemp, the BerryAnnoto, which Dyes an excellent Orange colour, another Berry which Dyes a deep Blue, a Tree whose Leaves Dye a Red, and the Wood of another Tree whose Juice Dyes a Purple and Crimson.
Moreover,Guianaproduces the GumsLemnia,Barattu, andCarriman, which being black and prickly, smells very pleasantly, and cures the Head-ache, Bruises, Pains in the Limbs, Gouts, and green Wounds. The same operation hath the GumBaratta.
Here are also goodSena,Bolus Armenius,Cassia-Fistula,Terra-Lemnia, the BerryKelette, very effectual against the Bloody-flux, the Juice of the LeafUpee, which cures the Wounds of poyson’d Arrows, and a sort of somniferous Apples, whereof the least bite occasions a deadly Sleep.
There is also a Tree, generally growing about the Houses of the Natives, the Boughs whereof bruis’d between two Stones, and thrown into the Creeks of deep Water full of Fish, cause them to swim above Water upon their Backs.
TheLetter-Wood call’dPira timinere, turns also to a good account, much more the excellent Stones, Jasper and Porphyr.
Nor are there wanting Gold and Silver-Mines, which doubtless would yield great profit, were they open’d.
The Grain of the Countrey grows on Stalks seven Foot long, on the tops whereof hang two Ears full of Kernels as big as Pease, which ripens in four Moneths.
The Sugar-Canes, being of the bigness of a Man’s Arm, and about six Foot long, are at the years end cut off, broken and press’d in a Mill; after which the Juice boyl’d in Copper Kettles to a certain Substance, is put into woodden Tunnels, square at the top, and narrow at bottom, with a small Hole, which is open’d as soon as the Sugar is sufficiently hardned, to let out the Syrrup; after which it is put into Hogsheads, and so Transported.
TheNegro’s which are brought fromAngolaandGuinee, are so cruelly us’d, that they oftentimes through despair destroy themselves.
The whole Countrey ofGuianais by several modern Writers methodically divided into these inferior or lesser Provinces, 1.Rio de las Amazones.2.Wiapoco, orGuiana, properly so call’d. 3.Orenoque; and 4. The Islands ofGuiana.
Rio de las Amazones.
Rio de las Amazones, or the Countrey of theAmazones, contains all that part ofGuianawhich lieth on both sides of the RiverOrellano, of a rich and good Soil, generally, abounding with all sorts of Fruits, and especially with those which theAmericanscallTotok, and love it extreamly, out of an opinion, they say, that it excites them to Venery, whereunto they are of themselves but too much inclin’d; and another which they callPita, of a taste far more delicious and pleasing, and not so hurtful as the other. The Countrey was first discover’d by the fore-mention’dFrancisco Orellana, aSpaniardfromQuito, but it was onely by the RiverOrellana; and though he be credibly reported to have Sail’d no less than eighteen hundred Leagues down the Stream, and to have discover’d a rich and fair Countrey on both sides the River, well peopled with Natives, and giving in divers places no small Arguments of greater Wealth and Riches more within Land; yet such was the bad success of his second Endeavors, and likewise of those that follow’d him, as is evident from what hath been before related, that, as yet, there seems no farther Report to be given, at least not of any thing special, concerning that part of the Countrey.
Wiapoco, orGuiana, properly so call’d.
Wiapoco, orGuiana, properly so call’d, taketh up the middle part of this Province, being divided, as the other, almost into two equal parts, by the RiverWiapoco, which runs through the midst of it. The Countrey on both sides of the River is very rich and fertile, and so naturally apt, both for Sugar-Canes, Cotton-Wooll, and Tobacco, that they are said to grow here (all of them very good) without Planting, or any art of Husbandry. In this Countrey likewise should be the famousDorada, as theSpaniardscall it, orCity of Gold(if it could be found) with the reports and hopes whereof some of our own Nation seem to have been not a little possess’d as well as theSpaniards: nor can we much blame them; for if the Stories of it had prov’d true, it must have been one of the goodliest and fairest Cities in the World (not to speak of the Wealth.)Diego de Ordas, theSpaniardof whom we havelately had occasion to make frequent mention of, being reported by some to have travell’d one whole day, and half another in it, before he could arrive at the King’s Palace; which yet must be suppos’d to have stood but in the midst of the City. Places of less Magnificence, but more Certainty, are 1.Caripo, which was once a Colony ofEnglish, setled there by CaptainRobert Harcourt, Anno 1608. upon the Banks ofWiapoco, and not far from the Mouth of it; being a place, by the advantage of a Rock, which it hath on the one side of it, of great strength and very difficult access; the Air about it sound, and said to be very agreeable toEnglishBodies. 2.Gomaribo, a Colony formerly of theDutch, on the North-West side of the Bay ofWiapoco, but since deserted by them. 3.Woyemon.4.Crewinay, both of them Towns of the Natives, not far distant from the other.
Orinoque.
Orinoque, or the third Division of this Province, comprehendeth the most Northerly parts ofGuiana, lying upon, or towards the Banks of this famous River: a Countrey likewise reported to be very rich, and comparable toPeruit self for hidden Treasure, which, they say, is not yet discover’d, onely for want of diligent and industrious searching. The Places in it already known are onely 1.Coniolaba, as they call it, which seems to be some Town of the Natives, lying a few Leagues distant from theOrinoque, towards the South. 2.Morequito, a known Port or Haven-Town upon a Branch of theOrinoque, much frequented, and of great use to theEnglishwhen they discover’d these Coasts. 3.Wenicapora: and 4.St Thomas, the onely Town which theSpaniardshold upon this part of the Continent, situate upon the principal Channel of theOrinoque, and consisting of two hundred Families, or thereabouts: It is now a fortifi’d Place, and was taken by SirWalter Raleigh, in that unfortunate Action of 1617. above related more at large.
Islands belonging toGuiana.
The Islands that belong to, and are commonly reckon’d as parts ofGuiana, are either such as lie scatter’d about the Shore of the Province, or such as are found at the Mouth, and sometime far within the Channel of those great Rivers, which empty themselves at several parts of this Countrey into the Sea,viz.Orinoque,Wiapoco,Rio de las Amazones, &c. There are many of them, but of any great name or esteem, onely two,viz.TrinidadoandTabago, the Description whereof we shall here omit, as having already taken notice of them amongst theSotaventiandCaribbeeIslands.