richly valued, By the description of the main land of Florida, her next neighbour: Out of the foure yeeres continuall trauell and discouerie, for aboue one thousand miles East and West, of Don Ferdinando de Soto, and sixe hundred able men in his companie. Wherin are truly obserued the riches and fertilitie of those parts, abounding with things necessarie, pleasant, and profitable for the life of man: with the natures and dispositions of the Inhabitants. Written by a Portugall gentleman of Eluas, emploied in all the action, and translated out of Portugese by RICHARD HACKLVYT. AT LONDON Printed by FELIX KYNGSTON for Matthew Lownes, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bishops head in Pauls Churchyard. TO THE RIGHT others the cheerefull aduenturors for His worke, right Honourable, right Worshipfull, and the rest, though small in shew, yet great in substance, doth yeeld much light to our enterprise now on foot: whether you desire to know the present and future commodities of our countrie; or the qualities and conditions of the Inhabitants, or what course is best to be taken with them. Touching the commodities, besides the generall report of Cabeça de Vaca to Charles the Emperour (who first trauelled through a great part of the Inland of Florida, next adioyning vpon our Virginia) That Florida was the richest countrie of the world; and, that after hee had found clothes made Chap. 35. of cotton wooll, he saw gold and siluer, and stones of great value: I referre you first to the rich mines of gold reported to be in the prouince of Yupaha, and described in the twelfth Chapter of this Treatise to come within our limits: And againe, to the copper hatchets found in Cutifachiqui, standing upon the Riuer of Santa Helena, which were said to haue a mixture of gold. It seemeth also that the last Chronicler of the West Indies, Antonio de Herrera, speaking of the foresaid Riuer of Santa Helena, which standeth in 32. degrees and an halfe, alludeth to the prouince of Yupaha, in Decad. 3. these words: Y el oro, y plata, que hallaron, no era de lib. 8. cap. aquella tierra, sino de 60. leguas, adentro al norte, de 8. los pueblos dichos Otapales y Olagatanos, adonde se intiende, que ay minas de oro, plata, y cobre. That is to say, That the gold and siluer which they found, was not of that countrie (of Santa Santa Helena) but 60. leagues distant toward the North, of the townes called Ota pales and Olagatanos, where we understand that there are mines of gold, siluer, and copper. By which reckoning these rich mines are in the latitude of 35. degrees and an halfe. 1 desire you likewise to take knowledge of the famous golden province of Chisca, stretching further to the Chap. 15. North, whereof the Cacique of Coste gaue notice to Ferdinando de Soto in the towne of Chiaha, affirming, that there were mines of copper, and of another mettall of the same colour, saue that it was finer, and of a farre more perfect lustre, and farre better in sight, and that they vsed it not so much, because it was softer. And the selfesame thing was before told the Gouernour in Cutifachiqui: who sent two Christians from Chiaha with certaine Indians which knew the countrie of Chisca, and the language thereof, to view it, and to Chap. 23. make report of that which they should finde. We likewise reade not long after, that the Gouernour set forward to seeke a prouince called Pacaha, which hee was informed to be neere vnto Chisca, where the Indians told him, that there was gold. And in another place hee saith; Chap. 24. That from Pacaba hee sent thirtie horsemen and fiftie footmen to the prouince of Caluça, to see if from thence he might trauell to Chisca, where the Indians said, there was a worke of gold and copper. So that here is foure times mention, and that in sundrie places, of the rich and famous golde mines of Chisca, and that they lie beyond the mountaines toward the North, ouer which they were not able to trauell for the roughnes thereof. But what neede I to stand vpon forren testimonies, since Master Thomas Heriot, a man of much iudgement in these causes, signified vnto you all, at your late solemne meeting at the house of the right honourable the Earle of Exeter, how to the Southwest of our old fort in Virginia, the Indians often informed him, that there was a great melting of red mettall, reporting the manner in working of the same. Besides, our owne Indians haue lately reuealed either this or another rich mine of copper or gold in a towne called Ritanoe, neere certaine mountaines lying West of Roanoac. Another very gainfull commoditie is, the huge quantitie of excellent perles, and little babies and birds made of them, that Chap. 14. were found in Cutifachiqui. The abundance whereof is reported to be such, that if they would haue searched diuers graues in townes thereabout, they might have laded many of their horses. Neither are the Turkie stones and cotton wooll found at Guasco to be forgotten, nor passed ouer in silence. But But that, which I make no small account of, is, the multitude of Oxen, which, from the beginning of the 16. to the end of the 26. Chapter, are nine seuerall times made mention of, and that along from Chiaha, Coste, Pacaha, Coligoa, and Tulla, still toward the North, to wit, toward vs, there was such store of them, that they could keepe no corne for them: and that the Indians liued vpon their flesh. The haire of these Oxen is likewise said to be like a soft wooll, betweene the course and fine wooll of sheepe: and that they vse them for couerlets, because they are very soft and woolled like sheep: and not so onely, but they make bootes, shooes, targets, and other things necessarie of the same. Besides the former benefits, their young ones may be framed to the yoke, for carting and tillage of our ground. And I am in good hope, that ere it be long we shall have notice of their being neerer vs, by that which 1 reade in the Italian relation of Cabeça de Vaca, the first finder of them; which writeth, That they spread themselues within the countrie aboue foure hundred leagues. Moreouer, Vasques de Coronado, and long after him, Antonio de Espejo (whose voiages are at large in my third volume) trauelled many leagues among these heards of Oxen, and found them from 33. degrees ranging very farre to the North and Northeast. A fourth chiefe commoditie wee may account to be the great number of Mulberrie trees, apt to feede Silke-wormes to make silke: whereof there was such plentie in many places, that, though they found some hempe in the countrie, the Spaniards made ropes of the barks of them for their brigandines, when they were to put to sea for Noua Hispania. A fifth is the excellent and perfect colours, as black, white, greene, yellow, and red, and the materials to dye withall, so often spoken of in this discourse: among which I have some hope to bring you to the knowledge of the rich graine of Cochonillio, so much esteemed, and of so great price. 1 speake nothing of the seuerall sorts of passing good grapes for Wine and Raisons. & 32. Neither is it the least benefit, that they found salt Chap. 31. made by the Indians at Cayas, and in two places of the prouince of Aguacay: the manner also how the Inhabitants make it, is very well worth the obseruation. One of the chiefest of all the rest may be the notice of the South Sea, leading vs to lapan and China, which I finde here twice to be spoken of. Whereof long Chap. 31. since I haue written a discourse, which I thinke not fit to be made ouer common. & 32. For |