AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1558. 



broadest or longest part thereof not above a bow shoote 

 over, and standeth within two furlongs of the firme land. 

 In my time there was but one house, and a little Chappel 

 to say Masse in, in all the Island : the side to the land 

 wards is made by mans handes, with free-stone and 

 gravel, and is 4. fadome deep downe right, wherfore 

 the great ships that come in there do ride so neere the 

 shoare of the Island, that you may come and goe 

 aland upon their beake noses. They use to put great 

 chaines of yron in at their halsers, and an ancker to 

 the landward, and all little ynough to more well their 

 shippes for feare of the Northerly winds, which come 

 off the coast of Florida, that sometimes have caried 

 ships, & houses, and all away to the shoare. The king 

 was wont to have 20. great mightie Negroes, who did 

 serve for nothing else, but onely to repaire the said 

 Island, where the foule weather doeth hurt it. The 

 Countrey all thereabout is very plaine ground, & a mile 

 from the sea side a great wildernes, with great quantitie 

 of red Deere in the same, so that when the mariners 

 of the ships are disposed, they go up into the wilder- 

 nes, and do kil of the same, and bring them aboord to 

 eate, for their recreation. 

 T/ie zvay and From this port to the next towne, which is called 

 TaTjmnl ^^^^ ^^^^' ^^^ ^- leagues almost by the Sea side, till 

 Ullua to Vera 7°^ come within one league of the place, and then you 

 CrwL, is five turne up towards the land, into a wood, till you come 

 leagues, to a litle river hard by the said townes side, which 



sometimes of the yere is dry without water. The 

 towne of Vera Cruz in my time, had not past 300. 

 housholds, and served but for the folke of the ships, 

 to buy and bring their goods aland, and deliver it to 

 their owners, as also the owners and their factors to 

 receive their goods of the Masters of the ships. This 

 towne standeth also in a very plaine on the one side the 

 river, and the other side is environed with much sande 

 blowen from the sea side with the tempest of weather, 

 many times comming upon that coast. This towne alsa 



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