SIR JOHN HAWKINS a.d. 



1565. 

 day, and when they are at the Spanyards finding, they 

 give them nothing but sodden herbs & maiz : and in 

 this order I saw threescore of them feed, who were 

 laden with wares, and came fifty leagues off. The 

 Floridians when they travell, have a kinde of herbe Tobacco^ the 

 dried, who with a cane and an earthen cup in the end, f'^^^ ^^^'^^^ 

 with fire, and the dried herbs put together, doe sucke ' 

 thorow the cane the smoke thereof, which smoke satisfieth 

 their hunger, and therwith they live foure or five dayes 

 without meat or drinke, and this all the Frenchmen 

 used for this purpose : yet do they holde opinion 

 withall, that it causeth water & fleame to void from their 

 stomacks. The commodities of this land are more then 

 are yet knowen to any man: for besides the land it [III. 519.] 

 selfe, whereof there is more then any king Christian 

 is able to inhabit, it flourisheth with medow, pasture The variety of 

 ground, with woods of Cedar and Cypres, and other ^^J^^f^^^^^^-^ ^« 

 sorts, as better can not be in the world. They have 

 for apothecary herbs, trees, roots and gummes great 

 store, as Storax liquida, Turpintine, Gumme, Myrrhe, 

 and Frankinsence, with many others, whereof I know 

 not the names. Colours both red, blacke, yellow, & Colours. 

 russet, very perfect, wherewith they so paint their bodies, 

 and Deere skinnes which they weare about them, that 

 with water it neither fadeth away, nor altereth colour. 

 Golde and silver they want not : for at the Frenchmens 9^^*^^ ^^^ 

 first comming thither they had the same offered them ^^*^^^- 

 for little or nothing, for they received for a hatchet 

 two pound weight of golde, because they knew not 

 the estimation thereof: but the souldiers being greedy 

 of the same, did take it from them, giving them nothing 

 for it : the which they perceiving, that both the French- 

 men did greatly esteeme it, and also did rigorously deale 

 with them, by taking the same away from them, at last 

 would not be knowen they had any more, neither durst 

 they weare the same for feare of being taken away : so 

 that saving at their first comming, they could get none of 

 them : and how they came by this golde and silver the 



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