+9 8 AMERICA. Ghap. VII. 



Beaft, or whate're it be, fqueezes it to death, or puts its Tail, which ends in a fliarp 

 Point or Sting, in at the Fundament in fuch a manner, that it kills the Creature on 

 which it feizeth in a moment, and then fwallows it up. This Serpent hath ftrong 

 Ribs inwardly, <md more than feventy bonie Joynts -, wherefore it turns it fclf 

 with great eafe ; the Joynt-bones near the Head are the biggeft, and grow fmaller 

 and fmaller towards the Tail : It alfo feeds on Pifmires. 



This County alfo breeds the Bird Jabicu-guacu, which exceeds the Crane in big- 

 nefs, and hath a long thick Bill, but no Tongue ; on his Head appears a white grifly 

 Creft or Mitre ; the Wings and Tail are Abort, and the Feathers moft of them white, 

 except the Pinions, which (hinc like Rubies * their Flefh is of a good rellifli, but 

 fomewhatdry. 



Near the River which waflies the City Spirit* Santto, the Paraibes dwell in Huts, 

 not urtlike Ovens, 



.The Bird /» 

 licn-guucM. 



Sec 



t. V. 



Defcri prion 

 of Pmo Se~ 



Rctnakable 

 "Wreck of the 



Porto Seguro. 



NExt to the fore-mention'd County borders Porto Seguro, difcover'd by Pedro 

 Alvares Caprdis, who gave this Countrcy the Name of terra de Santa Crui%, 

 but afterwards chang'd it to Porto Seguro, becaufe he found a fecure Harbclr 

 there. The Town, built on the top of a white Rock, gives its Denomination to 

 the whole Countrey, and harbor'd long fince two hundred and twenty Families,' 

 and hath five Sugar-Mills. The Land on the North fide of the Rock rifes high,but 

 Southwardly a fmooth Coaft runs along the Ocean, from which two Leagues off 

 at Sea lie feveral Cliffs, againft which the Waves break with a great force. 



The Towns Santa (Vwi^and Amaro are leftdefolate, becaufe the Portuguese were 

 continually Invaded by the falvage Aymures, whom they were not able by any 

 means to reprefs. 



Southward from Porto Seguro appear the Shoals Abrolbos, twenty fix Leagues from 

 the Coaft • they are of one breadth, but one is longer thaa the other. 



On this Coaft the Ship Batavia was caft away Anno 1629. which Accident is the 

 sbip*M«M more remakable for the Murdersxommitted by the Fa&or, Hieronymus^ Cornelif- 

 %pon, who with fome Confederates refolv'd to run away with the Ship, and to Sail 

 to fome Spanifh Haven, or Dunkirk, and fo to pillage the Hetherland Veflels ; but their 

 Defign was fruftrated by the Ships running againft the Abrolhos : Francis Pel/aert, 

 chief Commander, firft caus'd the Sick, with the Women and Children, to be put 

 onanlfland, or elfe on two Rocks about three Leagues diftant from the place 

 where the Ship lay, in which remain'd feventy Men, whom Pelfaert in vain endea- 

 vored to carry away ; for the Sea was fo rough that a Boat was not able to abide 

 in the fame, and alfo the Storm beginning to increafe, beat the Ship more and more 

 againft the Sands, and the Seamen venturing towards the Ifle on pieces of Timber, 

 were fome drown'd, others by thoWaves,were driven afliore, amongft whom was 

 Hieronymus Cornelfzpon, who preferv'd his Life twenty four hours on the Boltfprit 

 after the Ship was ftav'd • but not terrifi'd with fuch an Accident, he continu'd in 

 his fore-mention'd Refolution. On one of the Cliffs were forty Perfons with 

 eighty Cans of Water, but on the Ifland a hundred and eighty with much lefs ; 

 upon which Pelfaert, who when the Storm ceas'd, thought tofave fomewhat more 

 out of his Wrack, was neceffitated to feek for frefli Water on one of the faid Cliffs, 

 but not finding enough,trimm'd up his Boat and fet Sail homeward,from thence to 

 r. " fetch 





