_A Commentarie of the New World._
[45] Nearly the whole of this chapter is entirely different from the
original Spanish, and is translated by Parke from the French of Luc de
la Porte. The following is translated from the original Spanish of
Mendoza.
"The itinerary of Father Martin Ignatius, guardian of the order
of the blessed S. Francis, who went to China with others of the
same order, and of the province of S. Joseph, by command of our
lord, King Philip, with his return by the East Indies and other
realms, making the circuit of the world; wherein are treated of
the most remarkable things that he heard and saw in the journey,
with the rites, ceremonies, and customs of the people, the
riches, fertility, and strength of many kingdoms through which he
passed, and the description drawn up according to the notice he
took of them.
"CHAP. I.
_"Of the reason of his Majesty's commanding these friars to
proceed to the kingdom of China; of their embarkation and arrival
at the Canary Islands._
"Our sovereign, King Philip, having been informed of the matters
relating to the great kingdom of China by certain friars of the
order of the blessed Doctor, S. Augustine, who came to his court;
and having seen the two accounts which they brought him from
thence, of the entry of the Augustine and Franciscan fathers (as
may be seen more largely in those accounts), and the letters of
his governors of the Philippine Islands, and of the provincials
of the Orders, in which they begged him, as has already been said
in the first account, to send his embassy to the sovereign of
that great kingdom, with friars and ministers for the conversion
of the natives of the islands already discovered, and of the many
others which were being discovered every day; and that, by the
king of China giving opportunity for the preaching of the Gospel,
they might be enabled easily to succour and assist the Augustine
fathers, who were the first who entered those islands; his
Majesty having sent forty friars of the said order of Augustine,
and many others of the order of the blessed S. Francis: and
moreover, the embassy (which they had begged of him with so much
earnestness), in order that there might be no want of ministers,
in the year eighty, he determined to send forty barefooted friars
of the province of S. Joseph, whose commissary was Miguel de
Talavera, with instructions and orders to proceed to New Spain,
thence to the Philippine Islands, and thence to the great kingdom
of China, in case there should be an opportunity of introducing
the Holy Gospel. According to the order of his Majesty, there
were to have been fifty of these friars; but from the prevalence
of the plague of universal catarrh in Spain, not more than
thirty-four could be assembled. These then were despatched and
set forward by the order of the royal council of the Indies, and
of Monsignor Sega, the Apostolic Nuncio. And arriving at Seville
without the requisite licence to depart for the Indies, his
Majesty's commercial officers, who were about to despatch the
fleet, would not allow them to embark for want of the document;
they had been told at Madrid that it would be sent without fail.
On account of this carelessness they found themselves in a most
unpleasant position; for the fleet was departing, setting its
sails, and leaving the bar of S. Lucar, and they could not go in
it for want of the licence; nor could they return to their
convents, because in Castile, whence they had come, they refused
to admit any one from Seville, which was infested by the plague.
The ships having got beyond the bar, there arose a sudden storm,
in which one of the largest vessels of the fleet was lost, and
another had its main-yard broken. The commander of the fleet,
seeing that the damage could not be remedied in a short time,
sailed in three days, leaving the ship which had its yard broken
to refit, with orders to follow immediately. During this time,
his Majesty's licence for the passage of the friars arrived at
Seville, with an order to the officers that, at all events, they
were to be furnished and despatched with the greatest possible
celerity. This order arrived at 10 o'clock at night; and the
friars were immediately informed that they were to embark in the
said ship, which was ready to sail, having procured another yard.
They appointed the day, immediately following which was Sunday,
at three o'clock in the morning, and twenty-eight friars
embarked, all preachers. God granted them such favourable weather
that they overtook, at the Canary islands, the fleet which had
sailed from S. Lucar some days before them. This course was
always southwest; and, although the distance is two hundred and
thirty leagues from S. Lucar to the islands, they reached them in
seven days. These islands are in nearly twenty-eight degrees
latitude, and are seven in number, all well provided with the
necessaries of life: there is much corn and wine, and various
kinds of pulse, with abundance of sugar, sheep, fowls, and
camels, and all at much less prices than in Spain. They are all
inhabited by Spaniards, who live comfortably. In one of them is a
bishop, with prebendaries, a cathedral church, and convents of
friars. In short, there is but little difference between these
islands and Spain."
[Sidenote: Canarias.]
Saint Lucas de Barrameda, and the citie of Cadiz, from whence ordinarily
goeth foorth all such fleetes and shippes that go vnto the occident, or
West Indias, are distant the one from the other onely fiue leagues, and
in thirtie seuen degrees of altitude; from whence vnto the ilandes
called the Canarias is two hundred and thirtie leagues, and alwayes doo
rut to the southwest, and is ordinarily sailed in eight or ten dayes.
The seas are rough, which causeth great waues; for which cause it is
called the gulfe of the Jeguas.
[Sidenote: Fortunadas.]
[Sidenote: The names of the Canarias.]
These ilands, which in ancient time were called Fortunadas, are at this
day called by the Spaniards the Canarias, which is derived of _canes_,
or dogs; for that there was in them at such time as the Spaniardes did
discouer them, great quantitie of dogges, very bigge, fierce, and braue.
There are of them seuen ilands, which are called Gran Canaria, Tenerife,
Palma, Gomera, Yerro, Lancarote, and Forte Ventura; and are in altitude
twentie-eight degrees, lacking very little, and haue in them many
particular thinges, of which I will declare some of them in briefe.
[Sidenote: Much snow.]
[Sidenote: Great quantitie of brimstone.]
In the Iland of Tenerife, at the farther part thereof, towards the
northwest, there is a mountain called El Pico de Tereyra, which, unto
the iudgement of them who haue seene it, is the highest in all the
worlde, and is plainely seene before you come to it three score leagues:
so that a ship going from Spaine vnto those ilandes, doth discouer that
mountaine first. None can ascende or go vp that mountaine but in the
moneths of July and August, for that all other moneths of the yeare
there is very much snow on it, although in all those ilandes it doth
neuer snowe, and to mount the height thereof is three daies worke; on
the top of the same there is a round and plaine place, and being thereon
at such time as it is faire weather, and the seas calme and in quiet,
you may see all the seuen ilands, and euerie one of them will seeme but
a small thing in respect; yet some of them are distant from that more
than fiftie leagues, and it hath as much more in compasse as that. In
the two monethes aforesaid, they do gather in the toppe thereof all the
brimstone that is brought from that iland vnto Spaine, which is much in
quantitie. This mountaine belongeth to the Duke of Maqueda, by
particular gift of the king.
[Sidenote: The dropping from a tree doth serve the whole iland with
water.]
In one of these seuen ilands aforesaid, called the Hierco,[46] there is a
continuall woonder, which in my iudgement is one of the greatest in all
the worlde, and worthie to be knowen amongest all men, whereby they may
exalt the mightie providence of God, and giue him thankes for the same.
This iland being the greatest amongest the seuen, is a countrie very
asper and vnfruitfull, and so drie that there is no water to be found in
all the iland, but on the sea side, and that in fewe places, but very
farre distant from the inhabitance of the ilande. But there naturall
necessitie is remedied by the diuine prouidence of heaven (as
aforesaide), and by a strange meanes, which is, there is a great and
mightie tree (vnknowen, and the like hath not beene seene in any part of
the whole world), whose leaues are narrowe and long, and are continually
greene like iuie, vpon the which tree is seene continually a small
cloud, which neuer augmenteth nor diminisheth, with the occasion that
the leaues continually, without ceasing, doth distill drops of water,
very cleere and fine, which doth fall into certaine sesternes, which the
inhabitantes of the townes haue made for the conseruation thereof, to
remedie their necessities, and to sustaine thereby not onely themselues,
but also their cattell and beastes, and is sufficient for them all: yet
doo they not knowe the originall and beginning of this continuall and
strange miracle.[47]
[46] Misspelt for Hierro, the Spanish form for Ferro.
[47] The following is a translation of what Leopold von Buch says of
this tree in his "Description Physique des Isles Canaries, traduite de
l'Allemand, par C. Boulanger." Par., 1836, 8vo., fo. 122.
"There was formerly in the Island of Ferro a gigantic til
(_Laurus F[oe]tens_), whose pulpy leaves extended their thick
foliage to a great distance. Every day, two or three hours after
sunrise, the leaves of this tree began to condense the water,
which falling from leaf to leaf, like drops of rain, collected
together at the foot of the tree, in a very pure stream. The
inhabitants of the island, being altogether destitute of spring
water, used to go towards midday to draw this water, and return
to their homes in the evening with their pitchers full. The tree
being regarded as sacred passed for a wonder of the world: a
keeper appointed by the inhabitants had it in charge to collect
the water in cisterns, and presided at its distribution among all
those who came to draw. This remarkable tree was still existing
in 1689, and was situated to the east, above the little town of
Valverde. Father Galindo, who saw it, has given its description
in detail. It survived long after that period; but its leaves
were diminished, and it lost its beneficent properties. Necessity
compelled the inhabitants to find some other means of supplying
themselves with water, and the tree was forgotten. Meanwhile,
travellers going to the new continent of America, never forget
(whatever may be the number or variety of objects that strike
their imagination in those countries) to speak of the tree of the
Isle of Ferro. It has therefore preserved a great reputation in
Europe."
[Sidenote: Opinions of this iland.]
One hundreth leagues distant from these ilandes, towards the right hand,
there is an other thing of little lesse admiration then the other that
we haue spoken of, which is, that many times there is seen an iland,
which they cal S. Borandon. Many being lost at the sea haue chaunced
vpon the same iland, and do say that it is a very fresh and gallant
iland, with great abundance of trees and sustinence, and inhabited with
Christian people, yet can they not say of what nation or language. The
Spaniards many times haue gone with intent to seeke it, but neuer could
finde it, which is the occasion that there be diuers opinions touching
the same. Some doo say that it is an inchanted iland, and is seene but
certaine daies assigned or appointed: and others say that there is no
other let or impediment for the finding therof, but because it is so
little, and is continually couered with great cloudes, and that there
runneth from it riuers which haue so great a current that it maketh it
difficult to come vnto it. My opinion is (if it be any thing worth) that
being true, that which so many haue spoken of this iland, according vnto
the common opinion which they haue in all the seuen ilands of Canaria,
it can not be without some great mysterie: for he which can cause it to
be all in a cloud, and the swift current of the riuers to be an
impediment to the finding therof, can find remedie for the inhabitants
to come forth (if it be so for them that be without at the sea not to go
into it), yet can it not be for them within the iland, but at some time
there should haue some come foorth by chance, and haue bin seene of some
there abouts, and declared vnto them the secret of that mysterie: from
whence I do gather, that either this iland is imagined or inchaunted, or
else there is in it other some great mysterie, for the which to giue
credite vnto it, or to varie from the truth, it shal be wisdome not to
proceed any further, but to conclude in that which toucheth the Ilandes
of Canarias aforesaid.[48]
[48] For a very interesting chapter on this imaginary island, see No. 23
of the Appendix to Washington Irving's "Life and Voyages of Columbus."
[Sidenote: Camelles.]
The clyme and temperature of them all is excellent good, and hath
abundance of al necessary sustenance for mans life. There is gathered in
them verie much wheate and other seedes, and wine: there is also made
verie much sugar: there is nourished and brought vp great store of
cattel, and that verie good. But in especiall camelles, whereof there is
great store. Also all kinde of sustenance is better cheape there then in
Spaine.
All these ilandes are inhabited with Spaniardes, whereas they doo liue
verie pleasantly, amongest whome, at this day, there be some that be
naturall of the Guanchas aforesaid, who be verie much Spaniarde like.
The principall of all these seuen ilandes is the Gran Canaria, in the
which is a bishoppe and a cathedrall church, and counsell of the
Inquisition and royall audience, from the which dependeth the
gouernement of all the other sixe ilands.