37° 



A M EX^IC A. 



Chap. XVIII. 



Terrible 

 Hurricane*. 





Situation of 

 Anttg9. 



The Sword- 

 Fifii. 



Defcription 

 of AUntfo- 

 rat. 



quakes, that rend the Ground, the Inhabitants are exceedingly troubled in Augufi t 

 and September with the Winds, which in twenty four hours blow from all Points of 

 the Compafs with fuch mighty Gufts, as if they would turn all things into their 

 firft Chaos. The Car'ibbeeans callthefe Tempefts Hurricanes, which formerly us'd to 

 happen but once in feven years, but of late every two years, and fometimes twice 

 in a year. What damage thefc Winds caufe is fcarce to be exprefs'd ; the Sea rai- 

 ling its turbulent Waves up to theSkyes, cafts the Ships on the Shore, which though 

 in Harbor, are certain to be wrack'd, whileftthe Land feems to labor under a ge- 

 neral Ruine, whole Woods being rooted up by the fame, or at leaft bereav'd of 

 Boughs and Leaves ; the Corn is beaten down, the Plants blaftcd, Houfes turn'd 

 topfie-turvy, Mountains rent afunder, and forrtetimes pieces of Rocks blown into 

 the Sea. Before the Hurricanes there are feveral fore-runners, which give notice of 

 their fudden approach, Yt^. the Sea on a fudden is fo calm, that the leaft motion is 

 not perceived 5 the Birds flye from the Mountains into the Valleys, where they 

 lay themfelvesflat on the Ground ; and the Rain which falls is bitter and fait. 



Charles de<%ockfortobktv'd y that in his time fome Ships laden with Tobacco be- 

 ing loft in a Hurricane before St. Chrijlophers , foon after the Tempeft ceafed, thou- 

 fands of Fifhes were fecn fwimming with. their Bellies upwards, intoxicated no 

 doubt with the Tobacco. 



Sect. XIII. 



Antego. 





BEtween I^evii and Montferrat, at fixteen Degrees and eleven Minutes, lies 

 Mtego, being fevea Leagues long, and about fix broad • It is dangerous to 

 come at with great Ships, becaufe of the many Rocks which lie before it, 

 and remain'd the longer uninhabited, becaufe of the want of frefli Water; yet at 

 laft the Englijh taking pofleflion of it, digg'd Pits, and made Troughs to catch and 

 preferve Rain- water in, fo that it is now inhabited by at leaft eight hundred Peo- 

 ple, who live on Plants, Venifon, and Fifli. 



Upon the Sea-fliore appears often-times the Sword-fifh, which hath no Scales, 

 but a grey Skin, and white Belly, rough like a Fyle, a flat Head, two Fins on each 

 fide, two on the Back, and one in ftead of a Tail, with which it makes a fwitft mS 

 tion : the Sword of it is a long Bone, arm'd on each fide with twenty feven whi^e 

 and ftrong Teeth. ThisFifh ftriving to be Chief of the Sea, Encounters with all 

 other Fiflies whatfoever, even with the Whale himfelf, whofe Belly he often rends 

 open ; near his Eyes arc two Noftrils, out of which he blows the Water he drinks 

 into the Air, 



Sect. XIV. 



Montferrat. 





MOntferrat, lying juft at the feventeenth Degree, is fo call'd from a Sfamfh 

 Hill beyond Barcelona, whofe fiiapc this Ifland reprefents off at Sea 5 It is 

 about three Leagqf s in length, and almoft as much in breadth, and is 

 very Mountainous, except a little towards the Eaft, and as much Weft ward. 



The Englifl) have a Church here, iln'd in the in-fide with Cedar, which this 

 Ifland produces in great abundance. 



Alfo 



