Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/100

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Cassada Seeds for Bait. The Cane-Rats are numerous, of a gray colour, cheap, large, and very good Victuals.

I was inform'd that Sarsaparilla is very frequent and cheap up Rio San Pedro, in the Bay of Honduras, where are several Indian Towns. There is brought into Jamaica great Quantities of Sarsaparilla, by Trade with the Bay of Honduras, New Spain and Peru. It grows in all these places on the Banks of the Rivers, and in moist Grounds: The Spaniards think it makes the Water of those Rivers, where it grows wholesome. It is a sort of Smilax aspera, and comes very near to that common in Spain, France and Italy, though it differ from it. It is also very near akin to China, the Strings or Sarments of the Roots of Sarsaparilla, taking their Original from a knobby Tuberous Root, like that of China, and going very deep into the Ground. It is moderately warm, used to promote an easie Sweat, and open Obstructions. There is an Account and Figure of it published in a Book printed at Mexico in the year 1570. in Latin, written by Franciscus Bravus, a Physician, who lived there, whither I refer the Curious.

I went from Port-Royal in a Boat to House Key and Gun-Key, or Cayo, so called from the Tryal of Guns from the Fort; they shooting thence at a Cask set up here. They were defended by Coral and Astroites Rocks to the South, and were very small Islands, with some few Bushes on them. Such places are called by the Spaniards Cayos, whence by corruption comes the English word Keys, used to signifie such places in those parts.

A Master of a Vessel from Barbados, bound to seek a new Wreck, came into Jamaica, and told me he had been in Crab-Island near Porto Rico, so called by our Seamen, from the great number of Land-Crabs on it: in the Charts 'tis named Borrinquem. A little before his being there, two Ships appear'd before the Island with English Colours, but coming nearer put out Spanish-Colours, and sent five Englishmen on Shore with a Flag of Truce, who enticed the Commander in Chief on board the Ship. When there they forc'd him to write on Shore for the Inhabitants he had left, to tell them of his civil Treatment, who all went on board likewise, and were carried to Santo Domingo Prisoners; they were reported to be one hundred and fifty in all, Men, Women, and some few Negros. They burnt all the Houses, which were of Timber. A Negro lying in the Woods, made his escape to the North side of that Island, and embarq'd in a Sloop which lay there for the Windward Islands, where he gave this Relation; the like escape had five other white Men in a Sloop, that lay in another place, where they were cutting Timber to carry to the Windward Islands.

The Inhabitants had been there several years, and had come from the Leeward Islands, chiefly Anguilla, to settle Borriquem. Anguilla is