Their Go- 

 vernment. 



note. 



?9 o AMERICA. Chap, XX. 



and New GaUicia, towards the North runneth much narrower than it doth Sou. 

 therly, which made them think, that fome where or other at the North it wasjoyn'd 

 to the Main Land of America ; But later Difcoveries, as hath been faid, have found 

 it to be a perfeft Ifland, and altogether feparate from the Continent: for about 

 the Year 1620. fome Adventurers beating upon thofe Coafts Northward, acciden- 

 tally, and before they were aware, fell upon a Straight, the Waters whereof ran with 

 fuch a Torrent and violent Courfe, that they brought them into SMar Vermiglio, 

 whether they would or no, and before they knew it, and by that means difcovet'd 

 that California was an Ifland, and that the Waters which were obferv'd to fall fo 

 violently into that Sea towards the North, were not the Waters of any River cmp. 

 tying it felf into the Bay from the Main Land, as was formerly thought, but the 

 Waters of the North- Weft Sea it felf, violently breaking into the Bay, and dividing 

 it wholly from the Continent : It lieth North and South, extending it felf in a 

 vaft length, full twenty Degrees of Latitude, l>i<. from twenty two to forty two ; 

 but the breadth nothing anfwerable : The moft Northern Point o f it is call'd Cape 

 {Blanche- that to the South,Cape St. Lucas , memorable for' that rich and gallant Prize 

 which Captain CaVendiJb, in the Year 1587, being then in his Voyage about the 

 World, took from the Spaniards near to this Place, As for the Ifland it felf, it is at 

 prefent little, if at all inhabited by the Spaniards j whether it be that they want Men 

 to furnifli new Plantations, or that they find no matter of invitation and encou- 

 ragement from theGountrey, or perhaps that the accefs thither be not fo cafie : for 

 'tis reported to be wonderfully well peopled by the Natives, and that there were 

 found oncly upon the Coafts and along the Shore of Mar Fermiglio >twcnty or twenty 

 three Nations, all of different Languages ; though from the particular Narrations 

 that have been made of the Voyages of feveral eminent Perfons into thefe Parts, 

 it appears that the Spaniards have taken great pains in thedifcovery thereof, and alfo 

 from the feveral Spanijb Names of Places, that they have had Plantations here for- 

 merly, however negle&ed at prefent. 



The Countrey is abundantly well ftor'd with Fifli and Fowl, as appears partly 

 by the Natives, who take a huge pride in making thcmfelves gay with the Bones 

 of the one, with which they load their Ears, and fometimes their Nofes alfo 5 and 

 with the Feathers of the other, which ordinary People wear onely flicking about 

 their Waftes . but Great Perfons, and fuch as will be fine indeed, befet their Heads 

 ftrangely with them, and have commonly one Bunch of them bigger than ordi- 

 nary hanging down behind them like a Tail. 



Having no knowledge of the true God, they worfhip what the Devil will have 

 them, that is, the Sun, attributing to it onely the increafe of their Plants, healthful 

 Seafons, and moft of the other good things they enjoy, or are fenfible of. 



Their Government is faid to be onely Oeconomical, each Father ordering the Af- 

 fairs of his Family apart, without fubje&ion to any other Superior . yet fo well 

 manag'd, that they live in good Peace one with another 5 not without many good 

 Laws and Cuftoms, vi^. That they allow but one Wife to one Man 5 That they 

 punifli Adultery with Death ; That they fuffer not Maids to talk or converfe with 

 Men till they be Married ; That Widows may not Marry till they have Mourn'd 

 at leaft one half year for their Husbands deceafed ; and divers others of like 

 nature, which perhaps, if the truth were known, do more properly belong to the 

 Natives of Utopia,ot Jfyw Atlantis , than to thefe. of Qalifornia. 



The Places therein, as yet obferv'd, are onely upon the Sea*coafts, 1. The Capes 

 of St. QlaraznA Sf.L«c^,theoneat the South*Eaft end of the Ifland Jooking towards 

 New Gallicia, the other at the South* Weft, looking into the Sea, and towards Jjh. 



a, St. 



Hut Cuftomi 

 and Manners 

 of the Na 

 eives. 



of 



