The Fly Ci- 

 Jtuytu. 



37 g AMERICA. Chap. XVIII. 



amongft which the %cucou is one, with ftmp Leaves, white Carnation Flowers 

 like Stars, which hang by Cluftersatthe end of the Boughs, and after a while turn 

 to a Cod full of vermilion Kernels : The Juice dry'd in the Sun and kneaded into 

 Balls, is of a great value. Of the Bark of this Tree they make ftrong Ropes ; and 

 the Root is very wholfom, and of a pleafant tafte. 



Moreover, amongft the Infers that breed here, there are a fort of Flyes worthy 

 of a fhort Defcription \ the Caribbeeans call them Cayouyou, being about the bignefs 

 of a Beetle ; they have two ftrong Wings, and under them thinner, which they ne- 

 ver fpread abroad but when they flye, and then they carry fuch aluftre in them, 

 that they give as much Light in the Night as a lighted Candle, (their Eyes alio 

 at the fame time glittering like Fire) making no noife when they flye ; they 

 feed on the Juice of Flowers, and are fo fmooth, that they are very apt to flip 

 through ones Fingers, and when they find themfelves to be taken, they hide their 

 glittering Wings under the other. 



The Indians tie thefc Flies to their Hands and Feet, fo to have the benefic of their 

 Light in the Night; and anoint their Bodies all over (at certain Solemnities where- 

 in Candles are forbiddenj.with the Juice fqueez'd out of them, which caufes them 

 to fliine like a Flame of Fi?e : They catch them with a piece of Wood which they 

 move in the Air, whereupon the Flyes going to fit, are taken with a Hat ; but their 

 Light vaniflies if they are kill'd. 



But as to what may farther be added concerning this Ifland, being one of the 

 chief of bur Plantations, we cannot better fatisfiethecuriofity ofchofe whodefire a 

 true Information of all things that concern that Place, than by inferring verbatim a 

 Letter from an intelligent Perfon who hath been long refident there, ¥fifc Colonel 

 Robert <I(icb, of no older Date than May 31. i6>o. by which the prefent State and 

 Condition of the Ifland, the Buildings and other Improvements made there by the 

 Planters fince they firft poflefs'd it, in what Commodities of the Growth of the 

 Countrey their chief Trade confifts, their Strength, Militia, Government, and flou. 

 rifhing Commerce, and what-ever elfe is material to be imparted, may be clearly 

 underftood. 



SIR, 



f Have lately feat your Propofal concerning an Englifli Atlas, and having read Dr. Hey- 



SIR, 



Colonel Kith 1 T Have L.. 



JtftfjSf X Has <Book of the Chorography and Hiflory of the whole World, his third Edition QorreHed 

 and Enlarged, Printed Anno 1666. 1 find him Very fhort and erroneous in his Defcription of 

 the Caribbee I/lands, efpecially of this Ifland of Barbados, therein I have been an hhabi 

 tant more than eleven years. He faith, 



1. The Ifland is feventeenor eighteen Miles incompafs. 



2. On the South 'tis furnifh'd with a large and commodious Harbor. 



3. The chief Commodities are Tobacco, and a kind of courfe Sugar, call'd Bar- 

 bados Sugar, which muft be quickly fpent, or 'twill melt to nothing. 



4. That this Ifland is worth all the Plantations made by the Englip, and yet that 

 we hold it at the Courtefic of the Spaniard, without whofe Leave and Liking, 

 not of Force to hold it. 



This Defcription of Dr. Heylin'*, in it felf Very falfe , is alfo much to the Diflwnor of the 

 Englifli Nation, which makes me prefume to trouble jou with my oTun ObferVations , wherein ha- 

 ying onely aim'd at the Truth, yon fl'all not have caufeto doubt of being mif guided. 



This Ifland of Barbados is fated in thirteen Degrees and twenty Minutes, in length twenty 



two Miles, and in breadth fourteen and an half; It is naturally fortifi'd with fyck and Shoals 



on the North and E.ifl fide of it, where no Ship may fafely Anchor, onely in tT»o or three places 



- J J j ma ll 



