Cap. III. The Caribby-Iflands. 



Salt-pits, where the Sea- water is converted into Salt , as in fe- 

 veral other Iflands, by the force of the Sun, without afliftance 

 of Art. 



That part which is inhabited hath in feveral places, eipeci- 

 ally towards the middle of it, divers high Mountains, whereof 

 fome are full of bare and dreadful Rocks, riling out of a Bot- 

 tom , encompaffed with many inacceffible Precipices 5 others 

 are cover d with delightful Trees 9 which are to them at all 

 times a kind of pleafant Garland. At the foot of thefe Moun- 

 tains there are feveral Plains of a vaft extent,which are refrefh'd 

 by a great number of plealant Rivers , which occafioned here- 

 tofore the Spanifi Ships to touch there, to take in frefh water 

 for the continuance of their Voyage. Some of thefe Rivers 

 when they are overflown bring down pieces of Wood that 

 have pafs'd through the Sulphur-mines, that are in one of the 

 moft remarkable Mountains in the Ifland , which continually 

 cafts up fmoak, whence it is called the Sulphur-Mountain. There 

 are alio in it Springs of hot water , which have been found by 

 experience good for the Dropfie,and all Indifpofitions proceed- 

 ing from a cold caufe. There are between thefe two parts of 

 the Land two great Gulphs, whence thofe Inhabitants who 

 delight in Fiftiing may at any time take Tortoifes, and feveral 

 other excellent Fifh. 



The French firft planted themfelves in this Ifland in the year 

 M. DC. XXXV. M. M. du Plejjis and I' Olive were the firft Go- 

 vernours of it, with equal authority 5 but the former dying 

 feven moneths after his arrival, and the other becoming unfit 

 for Government by the lofs of his fight, there was fent over 

 ( Monf. Auber , one of the Captains of St. Chrifiophers , who 

 chane'd to be then at Paris. This Colony owes its confervati- 

 011 and welfare fince to the prudence and conduct of this wor- 

 thy Governor, who fignaliz'd his entrance into that Charge by 

 the Peace he made with the Carribians, and feveral good Con- 

 fritutions in order to the welfare of the Inhabitants, whereof 

 we {hall give a more particular account jn the fecond Book of 

 this Hiftory. 



Monfieur d' Ho ml is now Lord and Governor of this Ifland. 

 which is yet better fince his eftablifhment, for the number of 

 the Inhabitants is much encreas'd, and they have built very fair 

 Houfes, and brought fuch Trading thither, that now it is one 

 of the moft flourifhing and moft confiderable Iflands of the 

 Caribbies. 



There are in it very fair Plains, wherein the ground is or- 

 dered by the Plough, a thing not to be feen in any of the other 

 Iflands. Andafterthe Plough, it bears Rice, Turky-wheat, 

 the Manioc, whereof CajJ'ava is made, Potatoes, nay, in fome 

 places Ginger and Sugar-canes, with great increafe. " 



The reformed Jacobins , or White-Friers , are poffefs'd of 



D fome 



