The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
[Sidenote: Pedro Morales and Nicolas Burgignon write the like of
Copalla.] They haue understanding of another city which they call
Copalla: and in like maner, at my beeing in the countrey, they haue vsed
much labour and diligence in the seeking of it: they haue found the lake
on which it should stand, and a canoa, the head whereof was wrought with
copper curiously, and could not finde nor see any man nor the towne,
which to their vnderstanding should stand on the same water, or very
neere the same.
[Sidenote: The strange oxen of Cibola.] There is a great number of
beasts or kine in the countrey of Cibola, which were neuer brought
thither by the Spanyards, but breed naturally in the countrey. They are
like vnto our oxen, sauing that they haue long haire like a lion, and
short hornes, and they haue upon their shoulders a bunch like a camell,
which is higher then the rest of their body. They are maruellous wild
and swift in running. They call them the beasts or kine of Cibola.
[Sidenote: Cibola abandoned.] This Cibola is a city which the Spanyards
found now of late, without any people in the same, goodly buildings,
faire chimneys, windowes made of stone and timber excellently wrought,
faire welles with wheeles to draw their water, and a place where they
had buried their dead people, with many faire stones vpon the graues.
And the captaine would not suffer his souldiers to brake vp any parte of
these graues, saying, he would come another time to do it.
[Sidenote: A great riuer near Cibola.] They asked certeine people which
they met, whither the people of this city were gone: and they made
answer, they were gone downe a riuer, which was there by, very great,
and there builded a city which was more for their commodity.
This captaine lacking things necessary for himselfe and his men, was
faine to return backe againe, without finding any treasure according to
his expectation: neither found they but fewe people, although they found
beaten wayes, which had beene much haunted and frequented. The captaine
at his comming backe againe, had a great checke of the gouernour,
because he had not gone forwards, and seene the end of that riuer.
They haue in the countrey, farre from the sea side, standing waters,
which are salt: and in the moneths of April and May the water of them
congealeth into salt, which salt is all taken for the kings vs and
profit.
[Sidenote: Dogs of India described.] Their dogs are all crooked backt,
as many are of the countrey breed, and cannot run fast: their faces are
like the face of a pig or an hog, with sharpe noses.
In certeine prouinces which are called Guatimala, and Soconusco, there
is growing great store of cacao, which is a berry like vnto an almond:
it is the best merchandize that is in all the Indies. The Indians make
drinke of it, and in like maner meat to eat. It goeth currently for
money in any market or faire, and may buy an flesh, fish, bread or
cheese, or other things.
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