20 



A True and "ExaB Hijlory 



diftance, is, that the Moon being near the full ("at which time it gives 

 a plentiful light) I have obferv'd in the night, the having been for two 

 hours or thereabouts, and atfoch a time as the clouds being in a fit 

 pofition to refledthe beams which the Moon then gives to the place 

 where you are, you (hall fee a perfeft Rainbow in the night 5 but this 

 does not happen at all times, though there be cloudsfbr the beams to 

 reft on , but only fuch as are in an angle where thefe beams refled and 

 meet in a juft point. Divers new conftellations we found to the South- 

 ward, which in our Horizon are never feen , and amongft them one 

 which we call the Cruferos^ which is made up of four Stars, which ftand 

 almoft (quare, or rather like the claws of a birds foot, and the Seamen 

 told us, that two of them point at the South pole, as the Painters of 

 the Charles Wain do to the North Star, but the South pole cannot be 

 feen by us that come from the Northern parts, till we be under the Line, 

 and then we fee both North and South, as we do the Sun in morning 

 and evening, at fix and fix. And thus much for pleafiire. 



Now for bufinefs it was only this,to inform my lelf,the beft I could, 

 of the accompt the Matter and his Mates kept of the Ships way , both 

 for Compafs, Card, and Log-line, together with the obfervations at 

 NoOn,by that excellent and ufefiil inftrument the back-ftafF, by which 

 we know to a mile the Latitude we are in , and if we had an inftru- 

 ment to find out the Longitude, as perfedly, every man might guide 

 a Ship, that could but keep an account. 



To the knowledge of this great fecret of the Ships courfe , divers 

 Gentlemen of our Company applyed themfelves very diligently , for 

 the Mafter was not forward to communicate his skill to all that were 

 ofhisMels. And to fuch a proficiency we were grown , as to lay a 

 wager with the Boatfwain, a very good Seaman, upon the firft fight of 

 the Ifland oiBarbadoes : he would lay we (hould not fee it till the af- 

 ternoon, or late in the evening ^ we, that we fhould make it before 

 noon 5 whether it were chance, or our skilfulnefs, I know not, but 

 we won the wager, which was a couple of very fat Hens, which we 

 caufed to be drefs'd, and eat them in fight of the Ifland, with a double 

 joy 5 firft, that we had won the wager, next, that we were grown fo 

 near our wilhed Harbour. 



Being now come in fight of this happy Ifland, the nearer we came, 

 the more beautiful it appeared to our eyes , for that being in it (elf 

 extreamly beautiful, was beft difcern'd and beft judged of, when our 

 eyes became full Mafters of the objeft, there we ^w the high large and 

 lofty trees, with their fpreading branches and flourifhing tops, feem'd 

 to be beholding to the earth and roots that gave them fiich plenty of 

 (ap for their nourilhment, as to grow to that perfedion of beauty and 

 largenefs, whilft they in gratitude return their cool ftiadetofecure and 

 {belter them from the Suns heat, which without it would (corch and 

 dry away 5 fo that bounty and goodnefs in the one, and gratefulnefi 

 in the other,ierve to make up this beauty,vvhich other wife would lye 

 empty and waft 5 and truly thefe Vegetatives may teach both the fen- 

 fible and reafonable creatures5vvhat it is that makes up vvealth,beauty, 

 and all harmony in that Leviathan,a well governed Common-wealth, 

 where the Mighty men and Rulers of the earth by their prudent and 

 careful protection , (ecure them from harms , whilft they retribute 



