Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/234

 for hee should finde more then inough to doe to keepe that which hee had alreadie, as by the present example of their lost towne they might for a beginning perceiue well inough.

Now to the satisfying of some men, who maruell greatly that such a famous and goodly builded Citie so well inhabited of gallant people, very braue in their apparell (whereof our souldiers found good store for their reliefe) should afoord no greater riches then was found there: herein it is to be vnderstood that the Indian people, which were the naturals of this whole Island of Hispaniola (the same being neere hand as great as England) were many yeeres since cleane consumed by the tyrannie of the Spaniards, which was the cause, that for lacke of people to worke in the Mines, the golde and siluer Mines of this Island are wholy giuen ouer, and thereby they are faine in this Island to vse Copper money, whereof was found very great quantitie. The chiefe trade of this place consisteth of Sugar and Ginger, which groweth in the Island, and of Hides of oxen and kine, which in this waste countrey of the Island are bredde in infinite numbers, the soyle being very fertile: and the sayd beasts are fedde vp to a very large grouth, and so killed for nothing so much, as for their Hides aforesayd. Wee found heere great store of strong wine, sweete oyle, vineger, oliues, and other such like prouisions, as excellent Wheate-meale packed vp in winepipes and other caske, and other commodities likewise, as Woollen and Linnen cloth, and some Silkes: all which prouisions are brought out of Spaine, anll serued vs for great reliefe. There was but a little Plate or vessed of Siluer, in comparison of the great pride in other things of this towne, because in these hotte Countreys they vse much of those earthen dishes finely painted or varnished, which they call Porcellana, which is had out of the East India: and for their drinking, they vse glasses altogether, whereof they make excellent good and faire in the same place. But yet some plate we found, and many other good things, as their houshold garniture very gallant and rich, which had cost them deare, although vnto vs they were of small importance.

From Saint Domingo we put ouer to the maine or firme land, and going all alongst the coast, we came at the last in sight of Cartagena, standing vpon the sea side, so neere, as some of our barks in passing alongst, approched within the reach of their Culuerin shot, which they had planted vpon certaine platformes. The Harbour mouth lay some three miles toward the Westward