A.D, 



1581-83. 



ISIew Mex'ia. 

 Woods of 

 poplar and 

 zvalnut trees. 

 Vines. 



Houses of 1. 

 stories high. 



[HI. 393-] 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



people, in whose poore cottages covered with straw they 

 found many deeres-skinnes as well dressed as those of 

 Flanders, with great store of excellent white salt. They 

 gave our men good entertainment for the space of two 

 dayes while they remained there, after which they bare 

 them company about twelve leagues, unto certaine great 

 townes, alwayes travelling by the river called Rio del 

 Norte abovesayd, till such time as they came unto the 

 countrey called by them New Mexico. Here all along 

 the shore of the sayd river grew mighty woods of poplar 

 being in some places foure leagues broad, and great 

 store of walnut trees, and vines like those of Castillia. 

 Having travelled two dayes thorow the said woods 

 of Poplar and Walnut trees, they came to ten townes 

 situate on both sides of the sayd river, besides others 

 which they might see further out of the way, wherein 

 there seemed to be great store of people, and those 

 which they saw were above ten thousand persons. In 

 this province they received them very courteously, and 

 brought them to their townes, whereas they gave them 

 great plenty of victuals and hennes of the countrey, with 

 many other things, and that with great good will. 

 Here they found houses of foure stories high, very 

 well built, with gallant lodgings, and in most of them were 

 Stooves for the Winter season. Their garments were 

 of Cotton and of deere-skinnes, and the attire both of 

 the mien and women is after the maner of the Indians 

 of the kingdome of Mexico. But the strangest thing 

 of all was to see both men and women weare shooes 

 and boots with good soles of neats leather, a thing 

 which they never sawe in any other part of the Indies. 

 The women keepe their haire well combed and dressed, 

 wearing nothing els upon their heads. In all these 

 townes they had Ca9iques which governed their people 

 like the Ca9iques of Mexico, with Sergeants to execute 

 their commandements, who goe thorow the townes pro- 

 claiming with a loud voice the pleasure of the Ca9iques, 

 commanding the same to be put in execution. In this 



194 



