THE POTATO TETICENTENABY. 167 



from Guinea. Tlio first of these voyages was begun in 

 1562, and ended in 1503 ; tlie second was accomplished 

 in 16G4-5; and the tiiird, commenced in 15G7, was iiniahed, 

 as the narrator says, in January, 15G8, or as wo should say, 

 in January, 1569, the new year at that date being con- 

 sidered to begin in March. If Sir John Hawkins brought 

 homo potatoes in 15(5:5, as alleged in the books, it mu.st 

 have been on his return from his first voyage ; but that 

 is rendered improbable by the fact that his first voyage 

 included no visit to tlic mdinland of America. In Hakluyt's 

 collection there are narratives of all three of Hawkins's 

 voyages, and a perusal of the second of those discovers 

 plainly the origin of the statement referred to, which, at all 

 events, will be seen to involve an error of date. I extract 

 the following from the account of Hawkins's second voyage 

 in the black-letter edition of Hakluyt, vol. iii., p. 507 : — ■ 



" Here perceiving no trafficko to be had witli tliora, nor yet water for 

 the rofresliing of our men, we were driven to depart the twentioth day, 

 and the 2 and twentioth wo oamo to a place in the maine called Cumana, 

 whither the Captaine going in his Tinnisso, apalie with oertaine Spaniards, 

 of whom he demanded trafficlco, but they made him answero, they were 

 but souldiers newely come thither, and were not able to buy on [? one] 

 Negro : whereupon hee asked for a watring place, and they pointed him 

 a place two leagues off, called Santa Fe,* where we found marveilous 

 goodly watering, and commodious for the taking in thereof : for that the 

 fresh water came into tho Sea, and so our shippos'had aboord the shore 

 twentie fathome water. Neerc about this place, inhabited oertaine 

 Indians, who the next day after we came thither, came down to us, pre- 

 senting mill and cakes of breade, wliioh they had made of a kiude of 

 cornc called Maiz, in bignesse of a pease, the earo whereof is much like 

 to a teasell, but a apanne in length, having thereon a number of granes. 

 Also they brought down to us Hennos, Potatoes and Pines, which we 

 bought for beades, pewter whistles, glasses, knives, and other trifles. 



" These Potatoes be the most delicate rootes that may be eaten, and 

 doe farro exceed our passenops or carets." 



Santa F6, near Cumana, in Venezuela. 



