Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/226

 some such other trash, as merchandise for their Indians trades. But there was not found any treasure at all, or anything else of worth besides.

The situation of S. Iago is somewhat strange, in forme like a triangle, hauing on the East and West sides two mountaines of rocke and cliffe, as it were hanging ouer it, vpon the top of which two mountaines were builded certaine fortifications to preserue the towne from any harme that might bee offered, as in a plot is plainely shewed. From thence, on the South side of the towne is the maine sea, and on the north side, the valley lying betweene the foresayd mountaines, wherein the towne standeth: the said valley and towne both do grow very narrow, insomuch that the space betweene the two cliffes of this end of the towne is estimated not to be aboue 10. or 12. score ouer.

In the middest of the valley commeth downe a riueret, rill, or brooke of fresh water, which hard by the sea side maketh a pond or poole, whereout our ships were watered with very great ease and pleasure. Somewhat aboue the towne on the North side betweene the two mountains, the valley waxeth somewhat larger then at the townes end, which valley is wholly conuerted into gardens and orchards well replenished with diuers sorts of fruites, herbes and trees, as lymmons, orenges, sugar-canes, cochars or cochos nuts, plantans, potato-rootes, cucumbers, small and round onions, garlike, and some other things not now remembered, amongst which the cochos nuts, and plantans are very pleasant fruites, the saide cochos hath a hard shell and a greene huske ouer it, as hath our walnut, but it farre exceedeth in greatnesse, for this cochos in his greene huske is bigger than any mans two fistes: of the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and set in siluer as I haue often seene.

Next within this hard shell is a white rine resembling in shewe very much euen as anything may do, to the white of an egge when it is hard boyled. And within this white of the nut lyeth a water, which is whitish and very cleere, to the quantity of halfe a pynt or thereaboutes, which water and white rine before spoken of, are both of a very coole fresh tast, and as pleasing as any thing may be. I haue heard some hold opinion, that it is very restoratiue.

The plantan groweth in cods, somewhat like to beanes, but is bigger and longer, and much more thicke together on the stalke, and when it waxeth ripe, the meate which filleth the