Nature of 

 the Country 



Temperature 

 of the Air. 



338 A M E K I C A. Chap! XVI. 



from North to South in the broadeft and middlemoft part, about three and twenty 

 Leagues, or feventy Miles over, and fo groweth narrower and narrower towards 

 each Extream . in circumference about one hundred and fifty Leagues, or four 

 hundred and fifty Englijb Miles, 



This Ifland is well water 'd with Springs and Rivers, and is all over, efpecially 

 in the Weftern parts, full of high Hills and Mountains : It is alfo well Wooded . 

 for the North and South parts chiefly abound with tall and large Woods : Nor arc 

 there wanting every where Savanas, or Pafturcs, which are thought to have been 

 Fields of Indian Mai^, till the Spaniards arriving here, brought in Horfes, Cows, 

 Hogs, and Jfimgos to feed. 



The Air in this Place is more temperate, and the Heat more tolerable, than in 

 any of the reft of the BarloVenti, by reafon of the cool Breezes which conftantly blow 

 from the Eaft, and the frequency of Showers of Rain, and reftefhing Dews which 

 fall in the Night. 



This is alfothe onely Ifland of the SarloVenti, which is not fubjecT: to violent 

 Storms and Hurricanes 5 and the Difeafes which are predominant here, are onely 

 bred by Intemperance, as Surfets, Feavers, and Agues, or occafion'd by ill Diet or 

 Slothfulnefs. 

 ^JJ™^" The Commodities of this Ifland are very many ; and firft for Vegetables, the 

 Sugars are fo good, that they now out-fell thofe of Sarbado's 5 5. per Cent. 



Cocoa, of which there are many large* Walks . and greater plenty by improve- 

 ment may eafily be produe'd. 



Tobacco, fo good, that the Merchants give Six pence a Pound for it, and buy it 

 faftcr than the Planters can make it. 



Indigo is producible in great abundance, if there were Hands fufficient em- 

 ployed about it. 



The Cotton of this Place is accounted very firm and fubftantial, and preferred 

 before any that grows in the neighboring Iflands. 



Of Tortoife-fliell there is alfo good (lore, by reafon that much of that fort of 

 Tortoife is taken on this Coaft. 



Here are alfo great variety of Dye-woods, zsBrafeletto, Fujl^ick, Red- wood, a 

 kind of Log : wood, and feveral others, befides divers of thofe that are accounted 

 the moft curious and rich forts of Woods, as Cedar, Mohogeney, Lignum-YtU, Ebony, 

 Granadilla, and others, which are frequently Exported. 



Moreover, there are very probable teftimonies, that there are Mines of Copper 

 here, fince both there have been thofe who affirm to have feen the'Oar wrought 

 out of one of them, and the Spaniards report the Bells that hang in the great Church, 

 to have been Caft out of this Ifland Copper. As for Silver, the Englift are faid to 

 have been flhew'd a Silver.Mine behind the Mountains, Weft of Cagbay. 



Ambergreece the Spaniards report to have been often found on this Coaft. 



Salt might be made here in great abundance, there being three good Salt-pans } 

 and Saltpetre hath been found in many Parts. 



Ginger is reported to grow better here than in moft of the Caribbee Iflands 5 and 

 Cod-pepper very plentifully . and alfo a certain kind of Spice call'd <Piemete, being 

 in the form of Eafi-India Pepper, of a very aromatical and curious tafte, partaking 

 as it were of divers ipecies together ; it grows wild in the Mountains, and is very 

 highly valu'd amongft the Spaniards. 



Of Drugs and medicinal Plants there is here a very great abundance, as Gnat** 

 cum, Qina-Koot,Cafiia>Fijlula, Veu'iftard, Achiotes, Tamarinds, ContrayerVa, Operas, Adi* 

 antum Nigrum, Jloes, Qucumis Agrefiis, Sumach, Acacia, Mijfelto, with feveral others, 

 both Drugs, Balfoms and Gums. CocbincU 



