5." 



m AMERICA. Chap. XVII. 



The next that fucceeded was the Lord Wmdjor, upon whofe coming away Sir Tho- 

 mas Muddiford was fent Governor, and after him Sir T})omas Lincb, who remains 

 Governor at prefent. 



CHAP. XVII. 



Situation and 

 Defcription 

 of the Luc aits 



The Iflands call'd the Lucaies. 



HAving done with the four Iflands of BarloVento, as they are term'd, vi^. Hi- 

 fpaniola, Cuba, Torto <Sjco, and Jamaica, we come next to the Lucaies, fo call'd, 

 as fome think, from Lucaioneque, one of the biggeft of them ; they lie over 

 againft Florida, Weft ward from the Bermudas, South-Weft and North of Hifyaniola, 

 and the reft of the BarloVenti ; and becaufe they are but fmall ones, and lie fo neat 

 the Continent, Geographers fometimes defcribe them as a part, or appertaining to 

 the Continent. The chiefeft of thefe Iflands are Lucaioneque afore- men tiond,Babama, 

 and Guanabani ; Lucaioneque is accounted the biggeft of them all, and lieth in twenty 

 feven Degrees between <Babama and Guanabani. Bahama lies neareft to the Coaft of 

 Florida, and gives Name to the Straights fo call'd, which run between the Cape of 

 Florida and it, with fuch a violent Courfe and Torrent, that although it be above 

 fixteen Miles broad, yet many times neither Wind nor Oars, can prevail againft it ; 

 that though the Winds beprofperous, Ships cannot enter it 9 and if it be crofs, they 

 go with the Current j yet thofe Straights the Spanifl) Fleet muft pafs in their Return 

 from the Havana towards Spain. Guanabani was the firft piece of American Ground 

 difcover'd by Chriflopber Qolumbus, and therefore by him call'd San Salvador, or St. Sa- 

 viour, becaufe that thereby he was deliver'd from the mutinous rage of the Sea- 

 men, who threatned to throw him over-board, if they difcover'd not Land in fuch 

 a time. There are befides a number of fmall Ifles fcatter'd up and down, which are 

 generally comprehended in the number of the Lucaies ; one is Little Ijland, encom- 

 pafs'd with a company of Shelves call'd the Bimini, fo that it is hardly acce/fible ; 

 there goes a Tradition, that it hath been inhabited by very beautiful Women, the 

 fame of whom drew many to attempt to Land there and take up their Habitation ; 

 in which Attempt many were caft away : There is faid to be a Fountain in the 

 midft of it, of fuch a Venue, that whofoevcr drank of the Waters of it, had their 

 Youth renew'd. Alfo three Iflands, or rather Rocks, call'd Los Martyres, lying to 

 the South-Eaft of Cape Florida, and covered for the moft part with a whitifh Sand 

 and a few Bufhes growing on them : they fecm at a diftance to bear a refemblance 

 of Men, impal'd, or bound to Stakes, as the Martyrs in the primitive Times ufu* 

 ally were, which occafion'd the Spaniards fo to Name them ; 'tis very dangerous to 

 come too near them, but to have fight of them is of great ufe to Men at Sea ; for by 

 paffing thefe Rocks, and leaving them on the South.Eaft, they certainly know, that 

 they are now entred the Straights of Bahama, that is, that they have left the Ocean, 

 and. are fall'n in amongft thofe many Iflands, which do, as it were, Barracado and 

 Block up the Eaftern Coafts of Jmerica, towards T^pmbre de'Dios and Terra Firma, as 

 they call ir, through which the Continent is fometimes dangerous,by reafonof con* 

 trary Winds ; and always fuch, that it requires the skill and care of an experiene'd 

 Pilot to conduct the Ships well thither. The reft are Abacoa, twelve Leagues long ; 

 luma, twenty Leagues in length, and eight in breadth, between twenty four and 



twenty 



