A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



^578. 



thereof forbidden by the kings Edict : yet the next day 



our Generall sent to view the Island, and the likeli- 

 hoodes that might be there of provision of victuals, 

 about threescore and two men under the conduct and 

 government of Master Winter and Master Doughtie, 

 and marching towards the chiefe place of habitation in 

 this Island (as by the Portugall wee were informed) 

 having travailed to the mountaines the space of three 

 miles, and arriving there somewhat before the day 

 breake, we arrested our selves to see day before us, 

 which appearing, we found the inhabitants to be fled : 

 but the place, by reason that it was manured, wee 

 found to be more fruitfull then the other part, especially 

 the valleys among the hils. 

 Ripe grapes in Here we gave our selves a litle refreshing, as by very 

 Winter. j.jpg ^^^ sweete grapes, which the fruitfulnesse of the 



earth at that season of the yeere yeelded us : and that 

 season being with us the depth of Winter, it may 

 seeme strange that those fruites were then there grow- 

 ing : but the reason thereof is this, because they being 

 betweene the Tropike and the Equinoctiall, the Sunne 

 passeth twise in the yeere through their Zenith over 

 their heads, by meanes whereof they have two Summers, 

 & being so neere the heate of the line, they never lose 

 the heate of the Sunne so much, but the fruites have 

 their increase and continuance in the midst of Winter. 

 The Island is wonderfully stored with goates and 

 wilde hennes, and it hath salt also without labour, save 

 onely that the people gather it into heapes, which 

 continually in great quantitie is increased upon the 

 sands by the flowing of the sea, and the receiving 

 heate of the Sunne kerning the same, so that of the 

 increase thereof they keepe a continuall traflique with 

 their neighbours. 

 The descrip- Amongst Other things we found here a kind of fruit 

 tion of the tree called Cocos, which because it is not commonly knowen 

 ^Cocos^^^^^ with us in England, I thought good to make some 

 description of it. 



104 



