Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/84

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In the North-side of this Island, in the month of January when the Norths blow, they have great Rains, so that the Roads are scarce passable at that time.

I returned from the North-side to the South-side, by a Road on the ridge of Hills called Archers-Ridge, and by the Banks of Orange-River. Afterwards I came to Rio d' Oro, which I saw sink into the Earth, and rise up again out of it in two or three several places.

I went to Guanaboa, where are large Settlements and Plantations, and observed that tract of Ground called the Red Hills between Guanaboa and the Town. The dust of these Hills is red, apt to fly, and sticks fast to Travellers, the Soil being claiy and barren. Guanaboa, or as the Spaniards wrote it, Guainabo, is a fine Valley, very well planted, having rain almost every day.

On these Red Hills, four Miles from Town, lived Mr. Barnes a Carpenter, who used to cut and bring Wood to the Town. He told me that prickly yellow Wood which grows in great plenty here, and is describ'd hereafter, was good for nothing but to burn. He likewise assured me that the day before I was there (which was Sept. 9. 1688. when at Town I observed a North-Wind) at his Plantation here, there happened a thing extraordinary, viz. with the North came Hail and fell about his House, as big as Pullets Eggs, of various shapes, some corner'd like cut Diamonds, some shap'd like a Heart, &c. he tried to keep them in Flower, but they soon melted. This Hail beat down his high Cassada to the Roots, his other things were laid flat by it, it also beat down Orange-Trees. He carried me half a Mile up his Plantation, shew'd me the Woods wherein the Spaniards had usually planted their Cassada for the Town, after felling of the Woods. The Trees were grown, from the time the Spaniards had quitted the Island, to the time I saw them, to be at least forty or fifty Foot high, long small, and straight. They often in those Woods meet with Palisadoes, Orange-Walks, Limes, and other marks of formerly planted Ground. He once, ten years ago, in the Mountains in a natural hole in a Rock, found a Coffin partly corrupted, with a Body in it, he suppos'd it to have been some Spaniard thrown in there in hast.

Half a Mile from his Plantation, ten years ago, he found a Cave in which lay a human Body's Bones all in order, the Body having been eaten by the Ants. The Ants Nests we found there, the rest of the Cave was fill'd with Pots or Urns, wherein were Bones of Men and Children, the Pots were Oval, large, of a redish dirty colour. On the upper part of the Rim or Ledge there stood out an Ear, on which were made some Lines, the Ears were not over an Inch square, towards the top it had two parallel Lines went round, being