[71]After the reading and delivering unto us a Coppy of this Relation,
then proceeded he on in his discourse.
My Grandfather when he wrote this, was as you hear eighty yeares of age,
there proceeding from his Loyns one thousand seven hundred eighty nine
children, which he had by them four women aforesaid: My Father was his
eldest son, and was named Henry, begotten of his wife Mary Sparkes, whom
he apointed chief Governour and Ruler over the rest; and having given
him a charge not to exercise tyranny over them, seeing they were his
fellow brethren by Fathers side (of which there could be no doubt made
of double dealing therein) exhorting him to use justice and sincerity
amongst them, and not to let Religion die with him, but to observe and
keep those Precepts which he had taught them, he quietly surrendred up
his soul, and was buried with great lamentation of all his children.
My father coming to rule, and the people growing more populous, made
them to range further in the discovery of the Countrey, which they found
answerable to their desires, full both of Fowls and Beasts, and those
too not hurtful to mankinde, as if this Country (on which we were by
providence cast without arms or other weapons to defend our selves, or
offend others,) should by the same providence be so inhabited as not to
have any need of such like weapons of destruction wherewith to preserve
our lives. {{17 }}
But as it is impossible, but that in multitudes disorders will grow, the
stronger seeking to oppress the weaker; no tye of Religion being strong
enough to chain up the depraved nature of mankinde, even so amongst them
mischiefs began to rise, and they [72]soon fell from those good
orders prescribed them by my Grandfather. The source from whence those
mischiefs spring, was at first, I conceive, the neglect of hearing the
Bible read, which according to my Grandfathers proscription, was once a
moneth at a general meeting, but now many of them wandring far up into
the Country, they quite neglected the coming to it, with all other means
of Christian instruction, whereby the sence of sin being quite lost in
them, they fell to whoredoms, incests, and adulteries; so that what my
Grandfather was forced to do for necessity, they did for wantonness; nay
not confining themselves within the bound of any modesty, but brother
and sister lay openly together; those who would not yield to their lewd
embraces, were by force ravished, yea many times endangered of their
lives. To redress those enormities, my father assembled all the Company
near unto him, to whom he declared the wickedness of those their
brethren; who all with one consent agreed that they should be severely
punished; and so arming themselves with boughs, stones, and such like
weapons, they marched against them, who having notice of their coming,
and fearing their deserved punishment, some of them fled into woods,
others passed over a great River, which runneth through the heart of
our Countrey, hazarding drowning to escape punishment; But the grandest
offender of them all was taken, whole name was John Phill, the second
son of the Negro-woman that came with my Grandfather into this Island.
He being proved guilty of divers ravishings & tyrannies committed by
him, {{18 }} was adjudged guilty of death, and accordingly was thrown
down from a high Rock into the Sea, where he perished [73]in the waters.
Execution being done upon him, the rest were pardoned for what was past,
which being notified abroad, they returned from those Defait and Obscure
places, wherein they were hidden.
Now as Seed being cast into stinking Dung produceth good and wholesome
Corn for the Indentation of mans life, so bad manners produceth good
and wholesome Laws for the preservation of Humane Society. Soon after my
Father with the advice of some few others of his Counsel, ordained and
set forth these Laws to be observed by them.
1. That whosoever should blaspheme or talk irreverently of the name of
God should be put to death.
2. That who should be absent from the monethly assembly to hear the
Bible read, without sufficient cause shown to the contrary, should for
the first default be kept without any victuals or drink, for the space
of four days, and if he offend therein again, then to suffer death.
3. That who should force or ravish any Maid or Woman should be burnt to
death, the party so ravished putting fire to the wood that should burn
him.
4. Whosoever shall commit adultery, for the first crime the Male shall
lose his Privities, and the Woman have her right eye bored out, if after
that she was again taken in the act, she should die without mercy.
5. That who so injured his Neighbour, by laming of his {{19 }} Limbs, or
taking any thing away which he possesseth, shall suffer in the same kind
himself by loss of Limb; and for defrauding [74]his Neighbour, to become
servant to him, whilst he had made him double satisfaction.
6. That, who should defame or speak evil of the Governour, or refuse to
come before him upon Summons, should receive a punishment by whipping
with Rods, and afterwards be exploded from the society of the rest of
the inhabitants.
Having set forth these Laws, he chose four several persons under him
to see them put in Execution, whereof one was of the Englishes, the
Off-spring of Sarah English; another of his own Tribe, the Sparks; a
third of the Trevors, and the fourth of the Phills, appointing them
every year at a certain time to appear before him, and give an account
of what they had done in the prosecution of those Laws.
The Countrey being thus settled, my father lived quiet and peaceable
till he attained to the age of ninety and four years, when dying, I
succeeded in his place, in which I have continued peaceably and quietly
till this very present time.
He having ended his Speech, we gave him very heartily thanks for our
information, assuring him we should not be wanting to him in any thing
which lay in our powers, wherewith we could pleasure him in what he
should desire, and thereupon preferred to depart, but before our going
away, he would needs engage us to see him, the next day, when was to be
their great assembly or monethly meeting for the celebration of their
Religious Exercises.
Accordingly the next day we came thither again, and were courteously
entertained as before, In a short space there was gathered such a
multitude of people together as made us to {{20 }} admire; [75]and first
there were several Weddings celebrated, the manner whereof was thus. The
Bridegroom and Bride appeared before him who was their Priest or Reader
of the Bible, together with the Parents of each party, or if any of
their Parents were dead, then the next relation unto them, without whose
consent as well as the parties to be married, the Priest will not joyn
them together; but being satissied in those particulars, after some
short Oraizons, and joyning of hands together, he pronounces them to
be man and wife: and with exhortations to them to live lovingly towards
each other, and quietly towards their neighbors, he concludes with some
prayers, and so dismisses them.
The Weddings being finished, all the people took their places to hear
the Word read, the new married persons having the honour to be next unto
the Priest that day, after he had read three or four Chapters he fell
to expounding the most difficult places therein, the people being very
attentive all that while, this exercise continued for two or three
hours, which being done, with some few prayers he concluded, but all the
rest of that day was by the people kept very strictly, abstaining from
all manner of playing or pastimes, with which on other dayes they use to
pass their time away, as having need of nothing but victuals, and that
they have in such plenty as almost provided to their hands.
Their exercises of Religion being over, we returned again to our Ship,
and the next day, taking with us two or three Fowling-pieces leaving
half our Company to guard the Ship, the rest of us resolved to go up
higher into the Country for a further discovery: All the way as we
passed the first morning, we saw abundance of little Cabbins or Huts of
these inhabitants, made under [76]Trees, and fashioned up with boughs,
grass, {{21 }} and such like stuffe to defend them from the Sun and
Rain; and as we went along, they came out of them much wondering at our
Attire, and standing aloof off from us as if they were afraid, but our
companion that spake English, calling to them in their own Tongue, and
giving them good words, they drew nigher, some of them freely proffering
to go along with us, which we willingly accepted; but having passed
some few miles, one of our company espying a Beast like unto a Goat come
gazing on him, he discharged his Peece, sending a brace of Bullets into
his belly, which brought him dead upon the ground; these poor naked
unarmed people hearing the noise of the Peece, and seeing the Beast lie
tumbling in his gore, without speaking any words betook them to their
heels, running back again as fast as they could drive, nor could the
perswasions of our Company, assuring them they should have no hurt,
prevail anything at all with them, so that we were forced to pass along
without their company: all the way that we went we heard the delightful
harmony of singing Birds, the ground very fertile in Trees, Grass, and
such flowers, as grow by the production of Nature, without the help of
Art; many and several sorts of Beasts we saw, who were not so much wild
as in other Countries; whether it were as having enough to satiate
themselves without ravening upon others, or that they never before saw
the sight of man, nor heard the report of murdering Guns, I leave it to
others to determine. Some Trees bearing wild Fruits we also saw, and
of those some whereof we tailed, which were neither unwholsome nor
distasteful to the Pallate, and no question had but Nature here the
benefit of Art added unto [77]it, it would equal, if not exceed many
of our European Countries; the Vallyes were every where intermixt with
running streams, and no question but the earth {{22 }} hath in it rich
veins of Minerals, enough to satisfie the desires of the most covetous.
It was very strange to us, to see that in such a fertile Countrey which
was as yet never inhabited, there should be notwithstanding such a free
and clear passage to us, without the hinderance of Bushes, Thorns, and
such like fluff, wherewith most Islands of the like nature are pestered:
the length of the Grass (which yet was very much intermixt with flowers)
being the only impediment that we found.
Six dayes together did we thus travel, setting several marks in our way
as we went for our better return, not knowing whether we should have the
benefit of the Stars for our guidance in our going back, which we made
use of in our passage: at last we came to the vast Ocean on the other
side of the Island, and by our coasting it, conceive it to be of an
oval form, only here and there shooting forth with some Promontories.
I conceive it hath but few good Harbours belonging to it, the Rocks in
most places making it inaccessible. The length of it may be about two
hundred, and the breadth one hundred miles, the whole in circumference
about five hundred miles.
It lyeth about seventy six degrees of Longitude, and twenty of Latitude,
being scituate under the third Climate, the longest day being about
thirteen hours and fourty five minutes. The weather, as in all Southern
Countries, is far more hot than with us in Europe; but what is by the
Sun parched in the day, the night again refreshes with cool pearly dews.
The Air is found to [78]be very healthful by the long lives {{23 }} of
the present inhabitants, few dying there till such time as they come to
good years of maturity, many of them arriving to the extremity of old
age.
And now speaking concerning the length of their Lives, I think it will
not be amisse in this place to speak something of their Burials, which
they used to do thus.
When the party was dead, they stuck his Carkass all over with flowers,
and after carried him to the place appointed for Burial, where setting
him down, (the Priest having given some godly Exhortations concerning
the frailty of life) then do they take stones (a heap being provided
there for that purpose) and the nearest of the kin begins to lay the
first stone upon him, afterwards the rest follows, they never leaving
till they have covered the body deep in stones, so that no Beast can
possibly come to him, and this first were they forced to make, having no
Spades or Shovels wherewith to dig them Graves; which want of theirs we
espying, bestowed a Pick-ax and two Shovels upon them.
Here might I add their way of Christening Children, but that being
little different from yours in ENGLAND, and taught them by GEORGE PINES
at first which they have since continued, I shall therefore forbear to
speak thereof.
After our return back from the discovery of the Countrey, the Wind not
being fit for our purpose, and our men also willing thereto, we got
all our cutting Instruments on Land, and {{24 }} fell to hewing down of
Trees, with which, in a little time,(many hands making light work) we
built up a Pallace for this William Pines the Lord of that Countrey;
which, though much inferiour to the houses of your Gentry in England.
Yet to them which [79]never had seen better, it appeared a very Lordly
Place. This deed of ours was beyond expression acceptable unto him,
load-ing us with thanks for so great a benefit, of which he said he
should never be able to make a requital.
And now acquainting him, that upon the first opportunity we were
resolved to leave the Island, as also how that we were near Neighbours
to the Countrey of England, from whence his Ancestors came; he seemed
upon the news to be much discontented that we would leave him, desiring,
if it might stand with our commodity to continue still with him, but
seeing he could not prevail, he invited us to dine with him the next
day, which we promised to do, against which time he provided, very
sumptuously (according to his estate) for us, and now was he attended
after a more Royal manner than ever we saw him before, both for number
of Servants, and multiplicity of Meat, on which we fed very heartily;
but he having no other Beverage for us to drink, then water, we fetched
from our Ship a Case of Brandy, presenting some of it to him to drink,
but when he had tasted of it, he would by no means be perswaded to touch
thereof again, preferring (as he said) his own Countrey Water before all
such Liquors whatsoever.
After we had Dined, we were invited out into the Fields to behold their
Country Dauncing, which they did with great agility of body; and though
they had no other then only {{25 }} Vocal Musick (several of them
singing all that while) yet did they trip it very neatly, giving
sufficient satisfaction to all that beheld them.
The next day we invited the Prince William Pines aboard our [80]Ship,
where was nothing wanting in what we could to entertain him, he had
about a dozen of Servants to attend on him he much admired at the
Tacklings of our Ship, but when we came to discharge a piece or two
of Ordnance, it struck him into a wonder and amazement to behold the
strange effects of Powder; he was very sparing in his Diet, neither
could he, or any of his followers be induced to drink any thing but
Water: We there presented him with several things, as much as we could
spare, which we thought would any wayes conduce to their benefit, all
which he very gratefully received, assuring us of his real love and good
will, whensoever we should come thither again.
And now we intended the next day to take our leaves, the Wind standing
fair, blowing with a gentle Gale South and by East, but as we were
hoisting of our Sails, and weighing Anchor, we were suddenly Allarm'd
with a noise from the shore, the Prince, W. Pines imploring our
assistance in an Insurection which had happened amongst them, of which
this was the cause.
Henry Phil, the chief Ruler of the Tribe or Family of the Phils, being
the Offspring of George Pines which he had by the Negro-woman; this
man had ravished the Wife of one of the principal of the Family of the
Trevors, which act being made known, the Trevors assembled themselves
all together to bring the offender unto Justice: But he knowing his
crime to be so great, as extended to the loss of life: fought to defend
that {{26 }} by force, which he had as unlawfully committed, whereupon
the whole Island was in a great hurly burly, they being too great Potent
Factions, the bandying of which against each other, threatned a general
ruin to the whole State.
[81]The Governour William Pines had interposed in the matter, but found
his Authority too weak to repress such Disorders; for where the Hedge
of Government is once broken down, the most vile bear the greatest rule,
whereupon he desired our assistance, to which we readily condescended,
and arming out twelve of us went on Shore, rather as to a surprize
than fight, for what could nakedness do to encounter with Arms. Being
conducted by him to the force of our Enemy, we first entered into
parley, seeking to gain them rather by fair means then force, but that
not prevailing, we were necesitated to use violence, for this Henry
Phill being of an undaunted resolution, and having armed his fellows
with Clubs and Stones, they sent such a Peal amongst us, as made us at
the first to give back, which encouraged them to follow us on with great
violence, but we discharging off three or four Guns, when they saw some
of themselves wounded, and heard the terrible reports which they gave,
they ran away with greater speed then they came. The Band of the Trevors
who were joyned with us, hotly pursued them, and having taken their
Captain, returned with great triumph to their Governour, who fitting in
Judgment upon him, he was adjudged to death, and thrown off a steep Rock
into the Sea, the only way they have of punishing any by death, except
burning.
And now at last we took our solemn leaves of the Governour, and departed
from thence, having been there in all, the space of three weeks and two
dayes, we took with us good store of the flesh of a Beast which they
call there Reval, being {{27 }} in taste different either from Beef
or Swines-flesh, yet very delightful to the Pallate, and exceeding
nutrimental. We took also with us alive, [82]divers Fowls which they
call Marde, about the bigness of a Pullet, and not different in taste,
they are very swift of flight, and yet so fearless of danger, that they
will stand still till such time as you catch them: We had also sent us
in by the Governour about two bushels of eggs, which as I conjecture
were the Mards eggs, very lusious in taste, and strenthening to the
body.
June 8. We had a sight of Cambaia, a part of the East Indies, but; under
the Government of the great Cham of Tartary here our Vessel springing a
leak, we were forced to put to Chore, receiving much dammage in some
of our Commodities; we were forced to ply the Pump for eighteen hours
together, which, had that miscarried, we had inevitably have perished;
here we stai'd five dayes mending our Ship, and drying some of our
Goodss and then hoisting Sail, in four days time more we came to
Calecute.
This Calecute is the chief Mart Town and Staple of all the Indian
Traffique, it is very populous, and frequented by Merchants of all
Nations. Here we unladed a great part of our Goods, and taking in
others, which caused us to stay there a full Moneth, during which space,
at leisure times I went abroad to take a survey of the City, which I
found to be large and populous, lying for three miles together upon
the Sea-shore. Here is a great many of those persons whom thy call
Brackmans, being their Priests or Teachers whom they much reverence. It
is a custome here for the King to give to some of those Brachmain, the
handelling of his Nuptial Bed; for which cause, not the Kings, but the
Kings sisters sons succeed in the Kingdom, as being more certainly known
to be of the true Royal blood: And these sisters of his choose what
Gentleman they {{28 }} please [83]on whom to bestow their Virginities;
and if they prove not in a certain time to be with child, they betake
themselves to these Brachman Stalions, who never fail of doing their
work.
The people are indifferently civil and ingenious, both men and women
imitate a Majesty in their Train and Apparel, which they sweeten, with
Oyles and Perfumes: adorning themselves with Jewels and other Ornaments
befitting each Rank and Quality of them.
They have many odd Customs amongst them which they observe very
strictly; as first, not knowing their Wives after they have born them
two children: Secondly, not accompanying them, if after five years
cohabition they can raise no issue by them, but taking others in their
rooms: Thirdly, never being rewarded for any Military exploit, unless
they bring with them an enemies Head in their Hand, but that which is
strangest, and indeed most barbarous, is that when any of their friends
falls sick, they will rather chuse to kill him, then that he should be
withered by sickness.
Thus you see there is little employment there for Doctors, when to be
sick, is the next wan for to be slain, or perhaps the people may be of
the mind rather to kill themselves, then to let the Doctors do it.
Having dispatched our business, and sraighted again our Ship, we left
Calecute, and put forth to Sea, and coasted along several of the Islands
belonging to India, at Camboia I met with our old friend Mr. David
Prire, who was overjoyed to see me, to whom I related our Discovery of
the Island of Pines, in the same manner as I have related it to you; he
was then but newly recovered [84]of a Feaver, the Air of that place not
being agreeable to him; here we took in good store of Aloes, and some
other Commodities, and victualled our Ship for our return home. {{29 }}
After four dayes failing we met with two Portugal Ships which came from
Lisbon, one whereof had in a storm lost its Top-mast, and was forced
in part to be towed by the other. We had no bad weather in eleven
dayes space, but then a sudden storm of Wind did us much harm in our
Tacklings, and swept away one of our Sailors off from the Fore Castle.
November the sixth had like to have been a fatal day unto us, our Ship
striking twice upon a Rock, and at night was in danger of being fired by
the negligence of a Boy, leaving a Candle carelesly in the Gun-room; the
next day we were chafed by a Pyrate Argiere, but by the swiftness of our
Sails we out ran him. December the first we came again to Madagascar,
where we put in for a fresh recruit of Victuals and Water.
During our abode here, there hapned a very great Earthquake, which
tumbled down many Houses; The people of themselves are very Unhospitable
and Treacherous, hardly to to be drawn to Traffique with any people;
and now, this calamitie happening upon them, so enraged them against the
Christians, imputing all luch calamities to the cause of them, that
they fell upon some Portugais and wounded them, and we seeing their
mischievous Actions, with all the speed we could put forth to Sea again,
and sailed to the Island of St. Hellens.
Here we stayed all the Chrismas Holy-dayes, which was vere much
celebrated by the Governour there under the King of Spain. Here we
furnished ourselves with all necessaries which [85]we wanted; but upon
our departure, our old acquaintance Mr. Petrus Ramazina, coming in a
Skiff out of the Isle del Principe, or the Princes Island, retarded our
going for the space of two dayes, for both my self and our Purser had
Emergent business with him, he being concerned in those Affairs of which
I wrote to you in April last: Indeed we cannot but {{30 }} acknowledge
his Courtesies unto us, of which you know he is never sparing. January
the first, we again hoisted Sail, having a fair and prosperous gail of
Wind, we touched at the Canaries, but made no tarriance, desirous now
to see our Native Countrey; but the Winds was very cross unto us for
the space of a week, at last we were savoured with a gentle Gale, which
brought us on merrily; though we were on a sudden stricken again into a
dump; a Sailor from the main Mast discovering five Ships, which put us
all in a great fear, we being Richly Laden, and not very well provided
for Defence; but they bearing up to us, we found them to be Zealanders
and our Friends; after many other passages concerning us, not so much
worthy of Note, we at last safele arrived at home, May 26. 1668.
Thus Sir, have I given you a brief, but true Relation of our Voyage,
Which I was the more willing to do, to prevent false Copies which might
be spread of this nature: As for the Island of Pines it self, which
caused me to Write this Relation, I suppose it is a thing so strange
as will hardly be credited by some, although perhaps knowing persons,
especially considering our last age being so full of Discoveries, that
this Place should lie Dormant for so long a space of time; Others I
know, such.
Nullifidians as will believe nothing but what they see, applying that
[86]Proverb unto us, That travelers may lye by authority. But Sir, in
writing to you, I question not but to give Credence, you knowing my
disposition so hateful to divulge Falsities; I shall request you to
impart this my Relation to Mr. W. W. and Mr. P. L. remembring me very
kindly unto them, not forgetting my old acquaintance, Mr. J. P. and
Mr. J. B. no more at present, but only my best respects to you and your
second self I rest,
Yours in the best of friendship,
Henry Cornelius Fan Sloetten.