^ 





7> 



Ptt$r Audi his Voyage, 

 and Fight in the Haven 

 St. Martha. 



Strange Houfcs 

 Houfhold-ftuff. 



and 



What ufe the Amtricans 

 make of the Root Manii- 

 bok*. 



a M E ^ 1 C A. Chap. III. 



like in the Countrey of Cbiorifus, both having a little before been pillag'd by 

 their more powerful neighboring Enemies, But although they could not fur- 

 nifli Nu?me% with Provifions, they prefented him with weighty Ingots of Gold : 

 but this rich Metal not able to purchafe the lead morfel of Bread, drove them 

 into a great ftrait 5 and indeed they had without doubt been all famifhed, 

 had not Toccborofa, another King, fed them forty days together with ftamp'd 

 Roots. Thusrefrefri'd, and inftigated by Toccborofa, they broke by ni^ht in 

 Tubunamas Palace , and' took him Prifoner with eighty Concubines, who 

 fearing to be put to death, gave an incredible Treafure of Gold to purchafe 

 his Ranfom. 



Nunne^ thus enriched came at laft to his People which he had left on the 

 River 7)aria, where two Ships fent from HiJpaniolarodc at an Anchor. 



Whilft things were thus carry'd in America, Peter Arias Sail'd with fifteen 

 Ships, Mann'd with fifteen hundred Men, to New Andalufni, by the Iflands 

 Martinina, Guadalupe, and Galanta, all in America : a confiderable time he SaiFd 

 through the Sea overgrown with Weeds. Afterwards anchoring in the" Haven 

 St. Martba, hereceiv'd a great repulfe from the Natives, who no ways daunted 

 at the bignefsofthe Ships, waded up to their Breads in the Sea, and (hot many 

 great flights of poifonous Arrows at the Spaniards, or whom two being wound- 

 ed immediately died. Arias fending fomcof his Men afhore, they found ma- 

 ny Boats lying full of Nets, made of tough Weeds, and Ropes pleited of 

 Ru(hes. 



In the Haven St. JMartba, being three Leagues wide, arc abundance of Fifh, 

 which may be Ccen under Water twenty Fathom deep. 



But now the Spaniards that were afhore breaking into the Houfcs, and taking 

 Women and Children Prifoners , the Americans prepared for another Fight, 

 which at the beginning was very fierce 5 but at laft they were fore'd to quit the 

 Field. 



Their Houfcs and Furniture in them are worthy of obfervation : their Cie- 

 lings being covcr'd with Shells ftrung on fmall Thrcd, which make a pleafing 

 noife, when mov'd by the lcaft breath of Wind. The Walls are hung with fine 

 Stuffs, woven full of Imagery, as Cranes, Lyons, Tygers, and fomc Figures of 

 Men • the Floors are cover 'd with parti-colour'd Mats, made of Sea-Reeds, 

 and feveral tough Roots - y and their Carpets befct with Pearl add alfo a great 

 beauty to their Rooms. 



In the Valleys the Spaniards found feveral precious Jems, as Saphires, Jaf- 

 per, Emeralds, and great pieces of Amber, and in fome Huts, Baskets, and 

 Chefts full of dry'dLocufts, and Crabs. 



Here alfo grows the Root Tuca,a.s alfo on feveral other Weft-Indian Coafts, of 

 which they make their beft Bread, and is call'd in Hifpaniola and Angola, Tuca ; 

 by the -Brafihans, Mandiba and Mandiboka ; by the Mexicans, QuauhcamoiU : it 

 grows with a thick or midling Body, according to the fruitfulnefs or barren- 

 nefs of the Soil 5 the Leaves are like thofe of a Tulip, and have fmall Flowers 

 and Seed, but no ways ufeful • the Root, not unlike Horfe*Raddifh, hatha 

 milky Juice, which fwclls it exceedingly . the Sprigs, which in the eighth and 

 tenth Moneth fhoot out of the Root, ferve for new Plants 5 and if at any time 

 it happen, that either by a moift Seafon, or by Worms, or Pifmires, the Plant 

 is fpoii'd, then it occafions fuch an inconvenience amongft the Inhabitants 

 that half of them in that year die of Famine. 



The Leaves of the Mandiboka fcrve them for Sallads. Out of the Root, 



which 



