The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part II — John Shaqi
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part IIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part II
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
And first to bend my speech to the noblemen and gentlemen, who doe chiefly
seeke a temperate climate, wholesome ayre, fertile soile, and a strong
place by nature whereupon they may fortifie, and there either plant
themselues, or such other persons as they shall thinke good to send to bee
lords of that place and countrey: to them I say, that all these things are
verie easie to be found within the degrees of 30 and 60 aforesaid, either
by South or North, both in the Continent, and in Islands thereunto
adioyning at their choise: but the degree certaine of the eleuation of the
pole, and the very climate where these places of force and fertility are
to be found, I omit to make publike, for such regard as the wiser sort can
easily coniecture: the rather because I doe certainly vnderstand, that
some of those which haue the managing of this matter, knowe it as well or
better then I my selfe, and do meane to reueale the same, when cause shall
require, to such persons whom it shall concerne, and to no other: so that
they may seat and settle themselues in such climate as shall best agree
with their owne nature, disposition, and good liking: and in the whole
tract of that land, by the description of as many as haue bene there,
great plentie of minerall matter of all sorts, and in very many places,
both stones of price, pearle and christall, and great store of beasts,
birds and fowles both for pleasure and necessary for vse of man are to be
found.
(M24) And for such as take delight in hunting, there are Stagges, Wilde
bores, Foxes, Hares, Cunnies, Badgers, Otters, and diuers other such like
for pleasure. Also for such as haue delight in hauking, there are haukes
of sundry kinds, and great store of game, both for land and riuer, as
Fezants, Partridges, Cranes, Heronshawes, Ducks, Mallards, and such like.
(M25) There is also a kinde of beast much bigger then an Oxe, whose hide
is more then eighteene foote long, of which sort a countreyman of ours,
one Walker a sea man, who was vpon that coast, did for a trueth report in
the presence of diuers honourable and worshipfull persons, that he and his
company did finde in one cottage aboue two hundred and fortie hides, which
they brought away and solde in France for fortie shillings an hide: and
with this agreeth Dauid Ingram, and describeth that beast at large,
supposing it to be a certaine kinde of Buffe; (M26) there are likewise
beasts and fowles of diuers kinds, which I omit for breuities sake, great
store of fish both in the salt water and in the fresh, plentie of grapes
as bigge as a mans thumbe, and the most delicate wine of the Palme tree,
of which wine there be diuers of good credit in this realme that haue
tasted: and there is also a kind of graine called Maiz, Potato rootes, and
sundry other fruits naturally growing there: so that after such time as
they are once settled, they shall neede to take no great care for
victuall.
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