Chapter XXXVII: Section I

_The first Voyage of Americus Vespucius_.

As already mentioned, we set sail with four ships in company from Cadiz on the 20th May 1497[1], shaping our course with the wind at S.S.W.[2] for the islands formerly called the _Fortunate_, and now named the Grand Canaries; which are situated in the western extremity of the then known habitable world, and in the third climate, the elevation of the pole being twenty-seven degrees and two thirds. These islands are 280 leagues distant from Lisbon, where this work was written. After spending about a week there, taking in wood, water, and other necessaries, commending ourselves to GOD, we set sail with a fair wind towards the west, one quarter south-west[3], and made such progress that in about twenty-seven we arrived at a country which we believed to be a continent, about a thousand leagues distant from the Great Canaries, in 16° north latitude, and 75° west longitude from the Canary islands[4]. Our fleet cast anchor at this place, a league and a half from shore, to which we went in some boats well armed and full of men. On nearing the beach, we could plainly see great numbers of naked people going about, at which circumstance we were much rejoiced. The natives, however, were astonished on seeing us, on account of the unusual appearance of our dress and manners, so that as we advanced they all fled to a hill in the neighbourhood, whence at that time we could not allure them by any signs of peace and friendship. On the approach of night, considering that the place in which our ships were anchored was altogether unsafe in the event of any storm arising, we determined to quit this part of the coast in the morning, for the purpose of seeking out some harbour where our ships might ride in safety. We accordingly made sail along the coast, and in sight of the shore, on which we could always see the natives, and after two days sail we found a convenient anchorage for the ships at the distance of half a league from the shore. At this place we saw a great multitude of people, and being anxious to examine them, and to establish a friendly intercourse, we landed that same day with about forty of our men in good array. But the natives shewed themselves extremely averse to any communication with us, and could not be allured to a conference by any means. At length a small number of them were induced to come near by presents of bells, small mirrors, glass beads, and similar toys, and a friendly intercourse was thus established. As night came on, we left them and returned to the ships. At dawn of the following day, we saw immense numbers of the natives on shore, men, women, and children:, and could observe that they had all their household stuff along with them, of which an account will be given hereafter. On our approach towards the shore, many of the natives threw themselves into the sea, being most expert swimmers, and came to meet us with much appearance of kindness, and joined us in perfect confidence of security, as if we had been old acquaintances, which gave us much pleasure.

The whole of these people, men as well as women, went entirely naked. Though of rather small stature, they are exceedingly well proportioned, their complexion being reddish brown, like the hair of lion; but if they were always clothed, they would in my opinion become as white as our people. They have no hair on any part of their bodies, except on the head, where it is long and black; especially the women, who wear their long black hair in a very comely manner. Their faces are by no means handsome, being broad like the Tartars, and they allow no hair to remain on their eyebrows or eyelids, nor on any other part of their bodies, as already mentioned, it being esteemed by them quite beastly to have hair remaining on their bodies. Both men and women are amazingly agile in walking and running, as we frequently experienced, the very women being able to run one or two leagues at a stretch with the utmost ease, and in this exercise they greatly excelled us Christians. They are likewise wonderfully expert swimmers, in which the women excel the men and we have seen them swim two leagues out to sea without any aid whatever. Their arms are bows and arrows, which are more craftily made than ours; and, being destitute of iron or any other metal, they arm the points of their arrows with the teeth of wild beasts or fishes, often hardening their ends in the fire to make them stronger. They are most expert archers, hitting any thing they aim at with wonderful precision; the women also, in some places, being excellent archers. Their other arms are a kind of very sharp lances or pointed stakes, and clubs, having their heads very nicely carved. They are chiefly accustomed to make war against their neighbours speaking a different language; and as they give no quarter, unless to such as are reserved for the most horrid tortures, they fight with extraordinary fury. When they go to battle they are accompanied by their wives, not to assist them in fighting, but on purpose to carry their provisions and other necessaries; and one of their women will carry a greater weight on her back for a journey of thirty or forty leagues, than a strong man is able to lift from the ground, as we have often seen. They have no regular captains or commanders in their wars; and although any one may assume the office of leader, they always march onwards without any order whatever. Their wars do not originate in any desire of extending their power or territory, neither from any inordinate lust of dominion, but from ancient enmities, transmitted from one generation to another; and when asked the cause of these enmities, their only answer is that they are bound to revenge the death of their ancestors. These people living in perfect liberty, are not subjected to any kings or rulers, and are chiefly excited to war when any of their tribe happens to be slain or made prisoner. On such occasions, the elder relations of the slain person or of the prisoner go about among the huts and villages, continually crying out, and urging all the warriors of the tribe to make haste and accompany them to war, that they may recover their friend from captivity, or revenge his death. All being moved to compassion and revenge by these incitements, immediately prepare for war, and march away in haste to the assistance of their friends.

These people have no laws, or any idea of distributive justice, neither are malefactors ever punished among them. Parents even neither teach nor chastise their children. We have sometimes seen them conferring together among themselves in a strange manner. They seem very simple in their discourse, yet are they very cunning and shrewd. In speaking they are neither loud nor loquacious, using accents similar to ours, but squeezing as it were most of their words between the teeth and the lips. They have a great number of dialects, as at every hundred leagues distance we found a different language, the different tribes not understanding each other. Their manner of feeding is very barbarous, as they have no fixed periods for eating, but just as inclination or opportunity offers, whether by day or night. When taking food they recline on the ground, using neither table-cloths nor napkins, as they have no linen or any other kind of cloth. Their food is put into vessels of earthen ware, manufactured by themselves, or into half gourd shells instead of dishes. They sleep in large net hammocks made of cotton, suspended at some height; and however extraordinary or disagreeable this custom may appear, I have found it exceedingly pleasant, and much preferable to the carpets which we use. Their bodies are very clean and sleek, owing to their frequent bathing. When about to ease nature they are at great pains to conceal themselves from observation, yet are very indecent in discharging their urine, which they would do at any time, both men and women, while conversing with us. They observe no law or covenant in regard to marriage, every man having as many wives as he pleases or can procure, and dismissing them at pleasure, and this license is common both to men and women. They are little addicted to jealousy, yet much given to lust, in which the women far exceed the men. From motives of decency I here omit describing the expedients they put in practice for satisfying their inordinate desires. The women are very prolific, and do not shun labour or fatigue while pregnant. Their deliveries are attended with little pain, so that they are able immediately afterwards to go about their usual occupations in perfect health and vigour; going in the first place to wash themselves in the nearest river. Yet such is their proneness to cruelty and malignant spite, that if exasperated by their husbands, they take a certain poison in revenge, which kills the foetus within them, so that they afterwards miscarry, by which abominable practice vast numbers of their children are destroyed. Their bodies are so elegant and well proportioned, that hardly is any the smallest deformity to be seen among them. Though they go entirely naked among the women, their appearance is tolerably decent[5], yet are they no more moved by this exposure than we are by shewing our faces. It is rare among them to see any women with lax breasts or shrivelled bellies through frequent child-birth, as they are all equally plump and firm afterwards as formerly. Their women were extremely fond of our men.

We could not perceive that this nation had any religion, nor ought they on that account to be accounted worse than the Jews, or Moors, since these nations are much more reprehensible than the pagans or idolaters. We could not discover that they performed any sacrifices or sacred rites of any kind, neither had they any temples or other places for worship. Their way of living, which is exceedingly voluptuous, I consider as epicurean[6]. Their houses, which are common to all, are built in the shape of a bell, firmly constructed of large pieces of timber, and covered over with palm leaves, so strong as to be able to resist winds and storms; some of them so large as to be able to contain six hundred persons. Among these we found eight that were exceedingly populous, as in them there dwelt ten thousand souls[7]. Every seven or eight years they change their place of residence; and when asked the reason of this, they said that through the heat of the sun, the air would become infected by a longer residence in the same place, which would occasion various diseases. Their riches consisted in the various coloured feathers of different birds, in certain stones resembling those called _pater-nosters_, in plates, or beads made of fish bones, or of green or white stones, which they hang by way of ornaments on their cheeks, lips, and ears. They likewise consider as valuable several other trifling things which we despise. They employ no medium for sale or barter, being satisfied with those things which are offered spontaneously by nature. Gold, pearls, and precious stones, and others of like nature, which are considered in Europe as riches, they hold in no estimation, or rather despise them as of no use. They are extremely liberal of every thing they possess, so that they never refuse any thing that is asked from them; but are equally greedy in their demands, after they have entered into friendship with any one. As the greatest mark of friendship, they give their wives and daughters to their friends; and every parent thinks himself much honoured when any one asks from him his virgin daughter, which cements the firmest friendships among them. They use various rites and customs in burying their dead. Some deposit them in the earth, accompanied with victuals and water at their head, which they believe are used by the deceased. After this no farther mourning or ceremonial is customary. In other places, their mode of sepulture is very barbarous and cruel. When any person is considered to be near his end, his relations carry him out into a large wood, where they suspend him in a hammock from two trees; and having danced round him for a whole day, they place at night as much water and provisions as may suffice him for four days, and every one returns to his own home. After this, if the sick person is able to eat and drink, and is so far restored to health as to be enabled to return to his habitation, he is received back by his relations with much ceremony. But very few are able to do so, as no one ever visits the sick person after his suspension. Should any of these leave the hammock and die in the wood, they get no other burial. They have several other barbarous customs, which I omit mentioning, to avoid being prolix.

They use various medicines for curing their diseases, which are so totally different from those used among us, that it is wonderful any one should recover by their means. When any one is ill of a fever, they plunge the patient at its heighth in the coldest water, after which he is forced to run round a large fire for two hours till he is all over in a violent perspiration, and is then taken to bed. By this strange remedy we have seen many restored to health. They will sometimes refrain from food for three or four days. They draw blood, not from the arms, but from the loins and the calves of the legs. They excite vomiting by means of certain herbs which they chew, and keep in their mouths. They use likewise various other remedies and antidotes, which it were tedious to enumerate. They are subject to different sanguineous and phlegmatic humours, occasioned by the nature of their food, which consists of fish, with various roots, fruits, and herbs. They use no meal of any kind of corns or other seeds; but their chief food is made from the root of a certain tree, which they bruise down into a tolerably good kind of meal. This root is called by some _jucha_, by others _chambi_, and by others _igname_. They scarcely eat of any kind of flesh except that of men, in the use of which they exceed every thing that is brutal and savage among mankind; devouring their enemies, whether slain or taken prisoners, both men and women indiscriminately, in the most ferocious manner that can be conceived. I have often seen them employed in this brutal feast, and they expressed surprize that we did not eat our enemies as they did. All this your majesty may be assured is absolutely true; and that their customs are so many and barbarous, it were tedious to describe them all. Having seen many things during my four voyages exceedingly different from our manners and customs, I have composed a book in which all these are particularly described, but which I have not yet published.

In this beginning of our course along the coast, we did not discover any thing from which any great profit could be derived, probably because we did not understand the language of the natives, except that we observed several indications that gold was to be found in this country, which in all other repects is most admirably situated. It was therefore agreed upon to continue our voyage, always keeping as near as possible to the shore, which occasioned us to make many tacks and circuits, keeping up frequent intercourse with the natives as we proceeded. After several days sailing, we arrived at a certain port, where it pleased God to rescue us from very imminent danger. Immediately on entering this harbour; we descried a town built in the water, as Venice is, consisting of about twenty large bell-shaped houses, founded on solid wooden foundations, and having draw-bridges by which the inhabitants could pass from house to house. As soon as the inhabitants of this place saw us they drew up their bridges for security, and retreated into their houses. Soon afterwards we perceived twelve almadias or canoes, each of them hollowed out of the trunk of a large tree, which advanced towards us, surrounding us on all sides at some distance, their crews admiring our dress and appearance. We likewise continued looking at them, endeavouring by friendly signs to make them come towards us without fear, which however they declined. We therefore steered towards them, on which they all hastened to land, giving us to understand that they would soon return. They went in all haste to a certain mountain, from whence they brought sixteen girls, whom they took into their canoes, and brought towards us, putting four of them on board each of our four ships, to our great surprize. After this they went about among our ships with their canoes, and conversed with us so peaceably that we thought them in every respect friendly disposed. About this time likewise a vast number of people came swimming towards our ships from the town before-mentioned, and we did not in the least suspect any evil intention. By and by we beheld several old women at the doors of the houses, who set up violent outcries, tearing their hair in token of great distress, by which we began to suspect some evil was intended towards us. The young women who had been put on board our ships leapt all of a sudden into the sea, and those in the canoes removing to some distance bent their bows and plied us briskly with arrows. Those likewise who were swimming towards the ships were all armed with lances, which they concealed under water. Being now convinced of their treachery, we stood on the defensive, and in our turn attacked them so hotly that we destroyed several of their canoes and killed a considerable number of the natives. The survivors abandoned the remaining canoes, and made for the shore by swimming, after twenty of the natives were slain and many wounded. On our side only five men were wounded, all of whom are restored to health by the blessing of God. We took two of the before-mentioned young women, and three men, after which we visited the houses of the natives, where we only found two old women and a sick man. We returned to the ships, not choosing to burn the town, and put the five prisoners in fetters; but the two girls and one of the men made their escape from us next night.

Leaving this harbour on the day following, we sailed eighty leagues farther along the coast, when we found another nation quite different from the former, both in language and behaviour. We agreed to anchor at this place and to go ashore in our boats, when we saw a crowd of near 4000 people, who all fled into the woods on our approach, leaving every thing behind them. On landing we proceeded about a gun-shot along a road leading into the woods, where we found many tents which the natives had erected for a fishing station, and in which we found fires on which abundance of victuals were boiling, and various kinds of wild beasts and fishes roasting. Among these was a certain strange animal very like a serpent, without wings, which seemed so wild and brutal that we greatly admired its terrible fierceness. As we proceeded farther among the tents, we found many more serpents of this description, having their feet bound, and their mouths tied to hinder them from biting. They had so hideous and fierce an aspect that none of us dared to touch them, from fear of being poisoned. They were equal in size to a wild goat, and about a yard and a half long, having long and strong feet, armed with strong claws. Their skins were variegated, with many colours, and their snouts and faces resembled those of real serpents. From their nostrils to the extremity of their tails, a line of rough bristles extends along the ridge of the back, insomuch that we concluded they were actually serpents, yet they are used as food by this nation[8]. Instead of bread, these Indians boil the fish, which they catch abundantly in the sea, for a short time, then pounding them together into a cake, they roast this over a hot fire without flame, which they preserve for use, and which we found very pleasant food. They have many other articles of food, which they prepare from various roots and fruits, but which it would be tedious to describe. Finding that the natives did not return from the woods to their dwellings, we resolved not to take away any of their effects, lest they should be afraid of us, and even left many trifling European articles hung up in their huts, after which we returned to the ships.

Going on shore early next morning, we saw a vast number of people collected on the shore, who were at first very timid on our approach, yet mingled freely among us, and soon became quite familiar, shewing great desire to enter into a friendly correspondence. They soon made us understand that they did not dwell in this place, to which they resorted merely for the purpose of fishing, and solicited us in a most friendly manner to go along with them to their villages. Indeed they conceived a great friendship for us on acccount of the two prisoners whom we had in custody, who happened to belong to a nation with whom they were at enmity. In consideration of their great importunity, twenty-three of us agreed to go along with them well armed, with a fixed resolution to sell our lives dear if necessity required. Having remained with them for three days, we arrived after a journey of three leagues inland at a village consisting of nine houses, where we were received with many barbarous ceremonies not worth relating, consisting of dances, songs, lamentations, joy, and gladness, strangely mixed together, and accompanied with plentiful entertainments. We remained in that place all night, on which occasion the natives pressed their wives upon us as companions with so much earnestness that we could hardly resist. By the middle of the following day a prodigious number of people crowded to see us, shewing no signs of fear, and we were entreated by their elders to accompany them to their other villages, farther inland, with which we complied. It is not easy to describe the multiplied attentions which we received from them during nine days, in which time we visited a great number of their villages, on which occasion those who remained at the ships were exceedingly anxious at our long absence. On our return to the ships we were accompanied by an incredible number of men and women, who paid us every possible attention. If any of us were fatigued with walking, they were eager to carry us in one of their hammocks. As we had to pass a great many rivers, some of which were large, they contrived to carry us over with perfect safety. Many of the natives who were in our train carried in hammocks great quantities of their own commodities which they had given us, such as the many-coloured feathers which have been already mentioned, many of their bows and arrows, and great numbers of variegated parrots. Others of them carried all their household goods and animals. They were so eager to serve us, that he who happened to carry any of our company over a river, seemed transported at his good fortune. When we came to the boats which were to carry us on board our ships, such numbers pressed in to accompany us, that they might see our ships, that our boats were ready to sink under the load. We accordingly carried as many of them to the ships as our boats could possibly accommodate, and vast numbers followed us by swimming, insomuch that we were somewhat alarmed at their numbers, though naked and unarmed, more than a thousand of them being on board at once, admiring the prodigious size of our ships as compared with their own canoes, and astonished at every part of the tackle and artillery. A ludicrous scene took place on occasion of firing off some of our guns, for immediately on hearing the prodigious report, the greatest part of the natives jumped overboard; just as frogs are apt to do when, sunning themselves on a bank, they happen to hear any unusual noise. We were a good deal concerned at this incident, but we soon reconciled the natives and removed their terror, by explaining to them that we used such weapons for destroying our enemies. Having entertained the natives on board our ships the whole of that day, we advised them to go on shore at night, as it was our intention to depart on the day following, and they all took leave of us with every demonstration of friendship. While here, we observed many singular customs among these people, which I do not propose enlarging upon at present, as your majesty will be afterwards more particularly informed of every thing worthy of attention, when I shall have completed the geographical relation of my four voyages, which still requires revision and enlargement.

This country is exceedingly populous, and abounds everywhere with many animals of different kinds, few of which resemble ours, and even these differ in some measure from ours in shape and appearance. They have no lions, bears, deer, swine, roes, or goats; neither have they any horses, mules, asses, or dogs; sheep likewise and cows are not to be found among them. Their woods, however, abound with great numbers of different kinds of animals, which I cannot easily describe, as they are all in a wild state, none of them being domesticated by the natives. Their birds are so numerous, and so different from ours in colours and species, as is quite surprising to the beholders. The country is extremely pleasant and fruitful, abounding everywhere with beautiful groves and extensive forests, consisting of trees which are verdant during the whole year, and never lose their leaves, producing innumerable fruits entirely different from ours. This land is situated in the torrid zone, directly under the parallel described by the tropic of _cancer_, and in the second climate, where the pole is elevated 23 degrees above the horizon[9]. While there, a prodigious number of people came to see us, wondering at our colour and appearance, and inquiring whence we came. We answered, that we had come down from heaven to visit the earth, and they believed us. We constructed several fonts in this place, at which a prodigious number of people came to be baptized, calling themselves _charaibs_, which word in their language signifies _wise men_. The country is by them named _Parias_.

Leaving the before-mentioned harbour, we sailed along the coast, which we kept always in sight for the space of 860[10] leagues, during which we had to make many tacks and circuitous courses, always holding intercourse with the numerous nations on the coast. We procured gold in many places, but not in any considerable quantities, as our principal object was to discover and explore these regions, and to learn whether they produced any gold. Having employed thirteen months already in our voyage, and nearly expended our stores and provisions, and our men being worn out with continual watching and fatigue, we determined to take measures for repairing our ships, which let in water on all sides, that we might return into Spain. For the purpose, therefore, of repairing our ships, we entered one of the best harbours in the world, where we were received in a most friendly manner by the natives, who were here very numerous. Having constructed a raft or lighter from the remains of our old boats and casks, we carried all our guns and stores ashore. After completely unloading our ships, we hauled them upon the beach, where we repaired them effectually. In this laborious employment we were materially assisted by the natives, who likewise most liberally supplied us with provisions, so that we consumed very little of our own sea stores during our stay at this place. This circumstance was of singular importance to us, as our own provisions were much diminished, and we should hardly have been able to reach Spain without this assistance, unless upon short allowance. We remained thirty-seven days at this port, going frequently along with the natives to their villages, where we were always received with much respect. When ready to resume our voyage, the natives complained to us of a certain very savage nation which was in use at certain times of the year to invade their territories by sea, sometimes falling upon them by surprise, and at other times by main force, who killed many of their people and devoured the slain, carrying away others into captivity. They told us that this nation, against whom they were hardly able to defend themselves, inhabited a certain island at about an hundred leagues from their country; and as we sympathised in their distress, we engaged to revenge them upon their cruel enemies. They greatly rejoiced at this intelligence, and offered to accompany us in the expedition, which we declined for substantial reasons, and only agreed to take seven of them along with us by way of guides, who were to go in one of their own canoes, as we could not engage to bring them back to their own country; with which arrangement they gratefully acquiesced, and we parted from them in great friendship.

Having repaired our ships and taken every thing belonging to them on board, we put to sea, and sailed seven days with the wind at E.N.E. beating to windward, after which we fell in with several islands, some of which were inhabited and others not, near one of which we came to anchor, called _Ity_[11] by the natives, on which we saw a great crowd of people. Arming our boats with a good number of picked men and three pieces of ordnance, we approached the shore at a place where there were at least 400 men and many women. All of these, as noticed in formerly visited places, went entirely naked, of strong bodies, and warlike appearance, and were all armed with bows, arrows, and lances, many of them having round or square shields for their defence, which did not at all impede them in discharging their arrows. All of them had their bodies painted of many colours, and were adorned with the feather's of various birds; and the friendly Indians who had accompanied us from the continent assured us that their painting and adornment were sure indications that they were prepared for battle. Accordingly, when we had reached to within an arrow-flight of the beach, they all advanced into the sea towards us, and began to let fly a vast number of arrows, using their utmost efforts to prevent our landing, insomuch that we were constrained to make several discharges from our artillery against them. Oh hearing the reports of our guns, and seeing a good many of their companions slain, all the rest retreated to the shore. Having called a council of war, it was resolved, that forty-two of us should land and attack them boldly. We accordingly leaped from the boats with our arms in our hands, and were so manfully opposed, that the battle lasted almost two hours, till at length we gained a complete victory, killing a considerable number of the natives, and taking some prisoners. The enemy then fled into the woods, several of them being slain in their flight by our hand-guns[12], but we did not pursue far, as we were already much fatigued. We returned therefore to our ships, the seven friendly natives being greatly rejoiced at our victory.

Next day we saw an immense number of the islanders collecting on the shore, sounding horns and other instruments used by them in war, all painted and adorned with feathers, so that it was wonderful to behold them. It was again determined in council that we should go on shore in force, and should treat the natives as enemies if they rejected our friendship. We accordingly landed in a body, unopposed by the islanders, who seemed afraid of our cannon. Our force consisted on this occasion of four bodies of fifty-seven men, each under its proper commander, and we had a long and severe engagement with the natives hand to hand. After many of them were slain, they at length took to flight, and we pursued them to one of their villages, where we took twenty-five prisoners, and burned the village; and we killed and wounded a great many more on our return towards the ships. On our side one only was slain in this fight, and twenty-two wounded, all of whom, by the blessing of God, recovered from their wounds. It was now determined to return into Spain: wherefore the seven men who had accompanied us from the continent, of whom five were wounded in the battle, embarked in a canoe which we seized at this place, and returned to their own country, very joyful for the vengeance we had taken of their cruel enemies, and full of admiration at our war-like prowess. On this occasion we gave them seven of our prisoners, three men and four women. Proceeding from this place in our voyage to Spain, we arrived at Cadiz on the 15th October 1498, carrying with us 222 prisoners whom we had taken during the voyage, all of whom we sold. These are all the circumstances worthy of notice which occurred during our first voyage.

[1] It is highly probable that the date is here falsified by error, or
rather purposely to give a pretext for having discovered the continent
of the New World before Columbus; for we are assured by Harris, II. 37,
that the real date of this voyage was 1499. Alonzo Hojeda and Americus
Vespucius were furnished by Fonseca, bishop of Burgos, with charts and
projects of discovery made by Columbus, whose honour and interest the
bishop was eager to destroy by this surreptitious invasion of his
rights as admiral and viceroy of the West Indies.--E.

[2] In the original, having the wind between south and south-west. It is
often impossible to ascertain, as here, from the equivocal language of
the original, whether the author intends to express the course of the
voyage or the direction of the wind. The course of the voyage from
Cadiz to the Cananaries, whither Americus was now bound, certainly was
towards the direction expressed in the text, and to this course the
wind indicated is adverse.

[3] In the original, _per Ponentem, sumpta una Lebeccio quarta_. _Ponente_
is the West in Italian, and _Lebeccio_ the south-west; but it is
difficult to express in English nautical language the precise meaning
of the original, which is literally translated in the text.--E.

[4] The latitude and longitude of the text would indicate the eastern
coast of Yucutan, near the bay of Honduras; but from other
circumstances, it is probable the coast now visited by Americus was
that of Paria or the Spanish main, between the latitudes of 10° and
12° N. and perhaps twenty-five degrees less to the west than
expressed in the text. But the geographical notices in this work of
Americus are scanty and uncertain.--E.

[5] Praeterquam regiuncula illa anterior, quam verecundiore vocabulo
pectusculum imum vocamus.

[6] The author appears to mean here that they were entirely destitute of
religious belief.--E.

[7] The expression of the author seems here ambiguous. He probably means
towns or collections of huts as containing such large numbers; and it
is hard to say whether he meant to say that these eight populous
_habitations_ had 10,000 each, or altogether.--E.

[8] The expression of the original _serpens_, here translated serpent, had
been better expressed, perhaps, by the fabulous term _dragon_.
The animal in question was probably the _lacerto iguana_, or it may
have been a young alligator.--E.

[9] This is a most singularly mistaken account of the situation of the
coast of Paria, now Cumana or the Spanish main; which, beginning on
the east at the island of Trinidad, about lat. 10° N. joins Carthagena
in the west about the same latitude, and never reaches above 12° N.
Were it not that the author immediately afterwards distinctly names
the coast of Paria, the latitude of the text would lead us to suppose
that he had been exploring the northern coast of Cuba.--E.

[10] Even supposing Americus to have coasted along the whole northern
shore of South America, from Trinidad to Costa-rica, the distance does
not exceed twenty-three degrees of longitude, and the coast of Paria
or Cumana is scarce 15 degrees. The number of leagues, therefore, in
the text is greatly exaggerated, unless we suppose them only to have
been Italian miles.--E.

[11] The relation of this voyage is so exceedingly vague that we have no
means of determining any of the places which were touched at. From the
resemblance of the name in the text to Haiti, or Aiti, this island may
possibly have been Hispaniola.--E.

[12] The author affects classical names for modern fire-arms, naming what
we have translated hand-guns _balistae colubrinae_. Cannon are
sometimes called _tormenta bellica_, and at other times _machina
saxivoma_--E.