precious Stones: He saw the Silver Mines of _Pachma_, 11 Leagues from
the City of _Mexico_: One of ’em he says is 225 _English_ Yards deep,
the other 195: He adds, that in the Space of 6 Leagues there are about
1000 Mines, some laid aside, others still in use. There are many
thousands of People imploy’d to dig ’em, from some the Metal and the
Water is brought up by Engines, and from others the Metal is brought up
on Mens Backs to the great Danger of their Lives, besides Numbers that
are lost by the falling in of the Earth, and pestilential Damps: They go
down to them by notch’d Poles, which being wet and slippery, the poor
_Indian_ Slaves many times fall, and break their Necks. Our Author says
he was in danger of doing the like, when he went to see them. He adds,
the Workmen inform’d him, that from one of the Veins, where near 1000
Men work’d _per diem_, they had in 10 Years Dug 40 Millions of Silver,
that 2 Millions had been laid out in Timber-work to support it, and that
it became so dangerous, as the Owner stop’d it up. I refer to him for
the Manner of separating the Metal from the Oar. Every Discoverer of a
Mine must pay the 5_th_ of the Product to the King, who allows him only
60 _Spanish_ Yards round from the Mouth, or all on one side, if he
pleases. _Gemelli_ says there’s 2 Millions of Marks, of 8 Ounces each,
entred at _Mexico_ in a Year from those Mines, besides what is stole,
and 700000 Marks of it are coin’d annually into Pieces of Eight there,
for which the King has a Ryal _per_ Mark. There being Gold mix’d with
the Silver, they make use of _Aqua Fortis_ to separate them. The
Officers of the Mint have very profitable Places, but I can’t insist
upon their Sallaries.
’Tis needless to be particular in describing the Birds and Beasts of
this Country; they having been so often done by others, I shall only
say, they have enough for Provisions,
[Sidenote: _Mexico Described._]
and many of both sorts unknown to us. ’Tis the like as to their Fruits
and Plants, which serve them for Food and Physick; but I have not room
to be particular.
_Mexico_ is the Capital City of this vast rich Country, and lies in N.
Lat. 19. 40. in the Middle of a Valley, which is 14 _Spanish_ Leagues
long, and 7 broad, encompass’d by a Ridge of Mountains. The City is
surrounded by a Lake, and is square, with long, wide, and well pav’d
Streets, cross one another. ’Tis 2 Leagues round, and the Diameter half
a League. There are 5 Causeys or Banks through the Lake into the City,
which vies with the best in _Italy_ for noble Structures and beautiful
Women, who prefer _Europeans_ to their own Country-men; this occasions
irreconcilable Prejudices betwixt them, so that an _European_ can scarce
pass the Streets without being insulted. The Inhabitants are about
100000, the major part Blacks, and Mulatto’s, because of the vast Number
of Slaves carried thither. _Europeans_ seldom marry there, because
finding no way to get real Estates, they generally become Clergymen,
which takes up most of those that come from _Old Spain_. There are 22
Nunneries and 29 Friaries of several Orders within the City, and all
richer than they ought to be, says _Gemelli_. The Cathedral is exceeding
rich, maintains 10 Canons, 5 dignify’d Priests, 6 Demi-Canons, 6 half
Demi-Canons, 1 Chief Sacristain, 4 Curates, 12 Royal Chaplains, and 8
others chosen by the Chapter, besides many others nam’d by the King. The
Revenue of the Cathedral is 300000 Pieces of Eight _per Annum_. The
Climate here is uncertain, as through all the Country, being for most
part both cold and hot at the same time, _viz._ cold in the Shade, and
hot in the Sun, but is never excessive either way; yet the Inhabitants
complain of the Cold in the Mornings, and of the Heat from _March_ till
_July_; from thence to _September_ the Rains cool the Air, and from that
time till _March_ the Rains are but small. The _Indians_ reckon those
Nights cold, but the _Europeans_ like the Climate well enough. Their
Water is very cool. The neighbouring Country produces 3 Harvests _per
Ann._ one in _June_, the 2_d_ in _October_, and the 3_d_ uncertain, as
the Weather proves. Maiz or _Indian_ Corn is their chief Grain, the
earliest being sow’d in _March_, the latest in _May_. It yields a
wonderful Increase, and other Provisions being plentiful, one may live
well here for half a Piece of Eight _per_ Day, and all the Year round
there’s Fruit and Flowers in the Market. There’s no Brass Money here,
and the least Piece of Silver is Three-pence; so that they buy Herbs and
small Fruit with Cocoa Nuts, 60 or 70 of which, as the Time goes, are
valu’d at 6_d._ I cannot insist on the particular Description of the
Churches and Monasteries. The Archbishop has 11 Suffragans under him,
whose Revenues in all amount to 5160000 Pieces of Eight. The Cathedral
founded by _Fernando Cortez_, who conquer’d this Country, was not
finished in 1697. ’tis carried on at the King’s Charge. They have
admirable Conveyances to let the Water run out of the Lake by Canals, to
prevent its overflowing the City, as sometimes it has done. The Expence
of these Canals is so prodigious, that it seems incredible; the Curious
may find it in _Gemelli_, as also an Account of the Royal Palace and
other Structures. I say nothing of the fabulous Accounts which the
Natives give of the Foundation of this City.
The present Habit generally wore by the Natives of this Country is a
short Doublet and wide Breeches, a Cloak of several Colours on their
Shoulders, which they cross under the Right Arm, and tye on the Left
Shoulder by the 2 Ends in a great Knot: Some wear Sandals, the rest go
bare footed and bare-legg’d, and all wear their Hair long, which they
will by no means part with. The Women wear a fine white Cotton Cloth,
and under it a thing like a Sack; they wear another upon their Backs,
with which they cover their Heads when abroad or in Church. The Natives
adorn their narrow Coats with Figures of Beasts, Birds and Feathers.
Both Sexes are of a dark Colour, but endeavour to make themselves fair
with pounded Herbs. They daub their Heads with thin Clay, to refresh
them, and make their Hair black. The Mestizzo, Mullatto, and black
Women, are most in Number, but not being allow’d to wear Veils, or the
_Spanish_ Habit, and despising the _Indian_ Garb, they wear a thing like
a Petticoat a-cross their Shoulders, or on their Heads, which makes ’em
look like so many Devils. The Blacks and Mullattoes are very insolent,
and so much increas’d, that if it ben’t prevented, they may at one time
or other endanger the Country. The _Indians_ of most Parts of _Mexico_
are nothing so industrious as formerly, and the _Spaniards_ say they are
cowardly, cruel, Thieves, Cheats, and so beastly, that they use Women in
common, without regard to the nearest Relations, lie on the bare Ground,
and are nasty in their Way of living, which perhaps may proceed from the
Slavery they are kept under, being worse treated than those
[Illustration: CAPTURE OF THE ACAPULCO GALLEON OFF THE COAST OF
CALIFORNIA
_From a copper-plate engraving._]
[Sidenote: _Mexico Described._]
in the Mines. He adds that there’s scarce one fair dealing Man to be
found among 100 Mullattoes.
_Acapulco_ lies in Lat. 17. bating some few Minutes, he says it is
rather like a poor Village of Fishermen, than fit to be the chief Mart
of the _South Sea_, and Port for _China_. The Houses are mean, built of
Wood, Mud and Straw, it is cover’d by high Mountains on the East side,
and very subject to Distempers from _November_ till the End of _May_,
during which time they have no Rain, or very little. ’Tis as hot here in
_January_, as in our Dog-days; they are much pester’d with Gnats and
Earthquakes. He observes that it never rains in _New Spain_ in a
Morning. This Town is dirty, and ill furnish’d with Provisions, so that
a Man can scarce live for a Piece of Eight _per_ Day. Most of the
Inhabitants are Blacks and Mullattoes, for the _Spanish_ Merchants are
gone as soon as their Business is over at the Fair, for Goods brought
hither from _China_ and _Peru_. It has nothing good but the Harbour,
which is surrounded with High Mountains, and the Ships are moar’d to
Trees that grow on the Shore. It has two Mouths, the small one at N.W.
and the great at S.E. The Mouth is defended by 42 Brass Cannon. The
Castellan, who is chief Magistrate during the Fair, has 20000 Pieces of
8, from the Duties paid in the Harbour, and the Comptroller and other
Officers as much; the Curate has 14000 _per Ann._ tho’ the King allows
him but 180, but he exacts terribly on Baptisms and Burials, so that he
will scarce bury a rich Merchant under 1000. The Trade of this Place
being for many Millions, every one, in his Profession gets a great deal
in a short time; for a Black will scarce work for less than a Piece of 8
_per diem_, All the Dependance of the Inhabitants is on the Port, which
also maintains the Hospitals, Monasteries and Missionaries.
During the Fair, this Town resembles a populous City, because of the
great Concourse of Merchants from _Peru_ and _Mexico_; then the
miserable Huts, in which there was nothing before but a few nasty
Mullattoes, are fill’d with gay _Spaniards_, and rich Merchants, and the
very Porters do generally earn 3 Pieces of 8 _per Diem_, by loading and
unloading of Goods, _&c._ but when this Trade is over, the Porters make
a sort of a Funeral, carry one of their Number about upon a Bier, and
pretend to bewail his Death, because their Harvest for Gain is then at
an End, till the next Year.
I shall not here say any thing further of the Seaports of _Mexico_,
because the Reader will find them in the Appendix, which gives a full
Account of all the noted Harbours in the South Sea, but shall add, that
the Trade of _Mexico_, on this Coast, is very little, compar’d with that
of _Peru_, because those of the former have their Goods brought to their
chief Ports in the N. Sea, directly from _Europe_; so that except when
the two Ships come yearly from _Manila_ to _Acapulco_, they have little
Commerce in this Sea. I must here observe, that the Ships which come
from _Manila_ use to be much richer than our Prize; for she waited a
long time for the _Chinese_ Junks to bring Silk, which not arriving, she
came away with a Cargo mix’d with abundance of coarse Goods. The
Prisoners told me, that the _Manila_ Ship did often return from
_Acapulco_, with 10 Millions of Dollars, and that the Officers never
clear’d less than from 20 to 30000 Dollars each in a Voyage; and the
Captain, whom they call General, seldom got less than 150 or 200000
Pieces of 8; so that it would have been an extraordinary Prize, could we
have met with them at the Time.
I think it proper to observe here, because it belongs to the Subject,
that when we arrived at the _Texel_ in _Holland_, there were two
_Spanish_ Ships there, bound for _Cadiz_, and on board of one of ’em a
Sailor, who told us he was aboard the large _Spanish_ Ship from
_Manila_, when she arriv’d at _Acapulco_, very much disabled by the
Engagement she had with us off of _California_; that ’twas the Gunner
who made them engage us so resolutely at first, and forced them to
continue the Fight by keeping in the Powder-Room himself, and having
taken the Sacrament to blow up the Ship in case we had boarded and
over-power’d her. I was the more apt to believe this Man had seen the
Ship, and this Story might be true, because he related almost every
Passage of the Fight, as I have given it before in my Journal.
[Sidenote: _Mexico Described._]
I shall also take Notice here that Capt. _Stradling_, who was taken
Prisoner in _America_, when his Ship stranded, and came off Prisoner in
a French Ship, some Months after we left the South Seas, inform’d me,
that the Corregidore of _Guiaquil_ sent an Express to _Lima_, upon the
first Notice of our being in those Parts, that they then apprehended us
to be part of a Squadron of Men of War, and therefore lay still until
they had certain Advice of our Strength, and in about 3 Weeks after we
took the Town, they fitted out 3 _Spanish_ Men of War, which was all
their South Sea Strength, against us; the biggest carried not above 32
Guns, but they were join’d by 2 _French_ Ships, one of 50, and the
other of 36 Guns, and all well Mann’d. They stop’d at _Payta_, till Mr.
_Hatley_ and his 4 Men, who lost Company with us at the _Gallapagos_
Islands, being in want of Provisions, and having had no Water for 14
Days, stood in for the Main, and landed near Cape _Passao_, almost under
the Equinox, among a barbarous sort of People, who are a mix’d Breed of
_Negroes_ and _Indians_. They voluntarily surrendered themselves, being
in a starving Condition, yet those Brutish People, instead of giving
them Food, tied their Hands, then whipp’d them and hang’d them up, so
that they must unavoidably have lost their Lives, had not a Padre, who
liv’d in the Neighbourhood, came time enough by good Providence, to cut
’em down, and save them. There are several Letters from Mr. _Hatley_
since, which signify that he is a Prisoner at _Lima_. Capt. _Stradling_
likewise told me that the _French_ Ship, which brought him to _Europe_,
was the very Ship that we chas’d in sight of _Falkland_ Island, before
we passed Cape _Horn_. She had before attempted to sail round Cape
_Horn_, to the South Sea; but it being the wrong Season, she met with
bad Weather, and was forc’d to bear away to recruit at the River of _La
Plata_, and there wait for a more proper Season to go round _Terra del
Fuego_, into the South Sea. When we chas’d her, she had not above 100
healthful Men on board, so that had we been able to come up with her,
she must certainly have been our Prize.
Capt. _Stradling_ told me they ran their Ship on an Island, and
afterwards surrendered Prisoners to the _Spaniards_, to save their
Lives, she being ready to sink; so that the Report I formerly mention’d,
that part of their Crew was drown’d in the Ship, proves a Mistake.
In _Mexico_, the Prisoners who are employ’d in cutting Logwood, have no
way to escape the Cruelty of the _Spaniards_, but to turn Papists, and
be baptized after their Manner; then they have the Liberty to chuse a
Godfather, who is generally a Man of Note, and they serve him as
Liverymen, _&c._ One _Boyse_, who fled to us at _Guiaquil_, was baptized
thus by an Abbot, in the Cathedral of _Mexico_, had Salt put in his
Mouth, and Oil poured upon his Head, and small parcells of Cotton, which
rub’d it off, were distributed as precious Relicks among the Penitents,
because taken off the Head of a converted Heretick, as they call them.
The native _Spaniards_ enjoy all the Posts in the Church and
Monasteries, and admit no _Indians_, nor any mix’d Breed, to those
Preferments; which they think a necessary Piece of Policy, that they
may the better keep the Country in Subjection to _Spain_. Some of these
Prisoners who are forced to be pretended Converts, do now and then make
their _Escape_, tho’ it be dangerous to attempt it, for if taken they
are generally confin’d to the Workhouses for Life. There are several
_Englishmen_ who were Prisoners in this Country, that, by Compliance,
have obtain’d their Liberty, with the Loss of their Religion in exchange
for Riches; particularly one _Thomas Bull_, who was born in _Dover_, and
taken in _Campeche_; he is a Clock-maker, has been 18 Years there, is
about 45 Years old, lives in the Province of _Tabasco_, and grown very
rich. One Capt. _James Thompson_, born in the Isle of _Wight_, has been
there about 20 Years, is about 50 Years old, grown rich, and commanded
the Mullattoes who took Capt. _Packe_, at the Beginning of the War. The
Person who told me this was a Comb-maker, and endeavour’d to escape from
_La Vera Crux_, but was taken, and sent Prisoner to _Mexico_, where he
came off to _Peru_, after he had his Liberty, by pretending he went to
buy Ivory to make Combs; he gave me a long Account of his Ramble amongst
the _Indians_, and says, he was at the Mouth of the River _Missisippi_,
which falls into the Gulph of _Mexico_, but could not pass it: He adds,
That the _Indians_, on the Bay of _Pillachi_, have murder’d several of
the Padres, out of an Aversion to the _Spaniards_, but show a great
Inclination to trade with the _English_. There are other _Englishmen_
who now live near the Bay of _Campeche_, as I was inform’d; one of ’em
is _Tho. Falkner_, he was born at the Hen and Chickens in _Pall-mall_,
where his Friends kept an Alehouse. He is married to an _Indian_ Woman.
Such of them as won’t comply to turn Papists are kept in miserable
Slavery, either in the Mines or Workhouses at _Mexico_, which City he
says, is about as large as _Bristol_. Those that are put in Workhouses
are chain’d and imploy’d in carding Wool, rasping Logwood, _&c._ They
have more Manufactures of Woollen and Linnen in _Mexico_ than in _Peru_.
Abundance of raw Silk is brought from _China_, and of late Years worked
up into rich Brocades equal to any made in _Europe_.
[Sidenote: _Mexico Described._]
The _Mullattoes_ and _Indians_, on light Occasions, are put into the
Workhouses, and kept there, till they pay their Debts or Tribute; but no
_Spaniards_, except for the worst of Crimes: There are many
_Englishmen_, who were taken cutting Logwood in the Bay of _Campeche_,
in several of these Workhouses, kept at hard Labour, and will end their
Days in Slavery, unless their Liberty be demanded by her Majesty at the
general Peace.
There’s abundance of Sheep in this Country, which yield excellent Wool,
of which, I am inform’d, the _English_ Prisoners have taught them to
make Cloth, worth about 15_s._ a Yard in _England_, which there yields 8
Pieces of 8; They have also taught them to make Bays and other coarse
Woollen.
At _Chopa_ in _Mexico_, about Lat. 12. N. there’s a great River which
sinks into the Earth at once, runs under the Mountains, and rises
_bigger_ about 15 Leagues from the Place where it sunk. ’Tis twice as
large as the _Thames_. This River afterwards joins that of _Tabasco_,
and falls into the North Sea, as most of the great Rivers of this vast
Continent do, he told me, about this Place. There are high Mountains,
with Plains on the Top, where the Air is very temperate, and all our
_European_ Fruits grow; whereas at the Bottom of these Mountains they
have none but the Fruits of hot Climates, tho’ ’tis not above 5 Leagues
asunder.
There are also Woods of Pines, _&c._ on those Mountains, among which
there are Flocks of harmonious Birds, which sing together in an
agreeable Consort, that resembles a fine Organ, so that Strangers are
amaz’d to hear such Musick strike up of a sudden in the Woods. There’s
also a strange Creature in those Woods, call’d by the _Spaniards_ an
Ounce, much of the Form and Size of a Woolf-dog; but it has Talons, and
the Head is more like that of a Tyger: It kills Men and Beasts, which
makes travelling through the Woods dangerous; ’tis said to eat nothing
but the Heart of its Prey.
I had many more Relations from this Man, who had been 7 Years a Prisoner
in this Country; but they being too tedious, I shall add nothing more
concerning _Mexico_, but that the Worm is larger, and eats the Bottoms
of the Ships more on its Sea-Coasts, than any other Place where we were.
All the Coast from _Guiaquil_ in _Peru_ to the Northward, as far as the
Latitude of 20 in _Mexico_, ’tis reckon’d unhealthful, but the contrary
from _Guiaquil_ to the Southward.
Peru _Described_.
I Shall not trouble the Reader with the History of its Conquest by the
_Spaniards_, nor the fabulous Stories of its _Incas_ or Princes, the
Curious may find them in the _Spanish_ Writers, and for the Natives,
they are much the same as those I have described in other Parts.
* * * * *
_PERU_, properly so called, is about 1000 Leagues long, but the Breadth
various, from 100 to 300 Leagues. The best known Part of it lies on the
_South Sea_, and is divided into the 3 Audiences of _Quito_ in the
North, _Lima_ in the Middle, and _La Plata_ in the South. The Air of
_Quito_ is temperate enough, tho’ under the Line; the Soil is fruitful,
abounds with Cattle and Corn, and they have Mines of Gold, Silver,
Quick-silver and Copper; they have also Emeralds and Medicinal Drugs.
The Audience of _Lima_ is most noted, because of its Capital of the same
Name, being the Residence of the Viceroy of _Peru_. This Country abounds
with Mines of Gold, Silver, Quicksilver, Vermilion, and Salt. The
Audience of _La Plata_ I have already described in my Account of that
River. I shall only add, that tho’ the Silver Mines of _Potosi_ be much
decay’d, yet some say the King of _Spain_ has annually about 2 Millions
of Crowns _per Annum_ for his Fifth; and that those of _La Plata_ and
_Porco_, in the same Province, which were, upon discovery of the Mines
of _Potosi_, less used, may probably be open’d again to advantage; now
Goods are sold so cheap by the continual Supplies from _France_, that
the _Indians_, who were imploy’d in the Manufactures, must again work at
the Mines, their own coarse Goods being brought thither cheaper than
they can make ’em.
[Sidenote: _Peru Described._]
The _Spanish_ Writers in general say, that for 500 Leagues in Length,
from _Tumbez_ to _Chili_, it never thunders, lightens nor rains, which
agrees with the Informations that I had from our Prisoners, _viz._ that
from Cape _Blanco_ in S. Lat. 4. to _Coquimbo_, Lat. 30. it never rains,
but the Want of this is supply’d by great Dews, so that they have as
good Corn and Fruit, particularly Wheat, about _Truxillo_, as any in
_Europe_. In the Vallies near the Sea the Climate is hot, but temper’d
with Breezes from the Ocean and Mountains. In the Hilly part, far into
the Country, ’tis Winter, and very rainy, when ’tis Summer in the
Plains, though in the same Latitude. The Product, Beasts and Birds,
being much the same with other Parts of the _South Sea_ Coast, I shall
not insist upon ’em.
They have their Cordage, Cotton, Cloth, Pitch and Tar from _Chili_ and
_Rio Lezo_ in _Mexico_, and tho’ the Country abounds with Provision,
’tis always dear near the Mines, because there Husbandry is neglected.
The Cordage they use is made of coarse Silk Grass, which is very tough,
draws small when strain’d, but grows twice as big when slack’d.
Capt. _Stradling_ told me he travel’d the great Road from _Quito_
towards _Cusco_, in his way to _Lima_, which has Piles of Stone on each
side for some hundreds of Miles. When he and his Men were brought
Prisoners to _Lima_, the _Spaniards_ put them in a close Dungeon, used
them very barbarously, and threaten’d to send them to the Mines, because
he attempted his Escape, and sail’d in a Canoe from _Lima_ towards
_Panama_, near 400 Leagues, intending to cross the Isthmus, and to get
to _Jamaica_ by some of our trading Sloops, but was taken and brought
back to _Lima_. Before he came thence he saw several of the _Spaniards_,
who had been our Prisoners, and said, they all own’d we had treated them
very civilly, which has in part taken off the bad Impression they had
conceiv’d of the _English_ in those Parts; for not being used to War,
they account all alike that come to cruize, because of the unheard of
Cruelties and Debaucheries which were committed about 25 Years ago by
the Buccaneers in those Parts, which their Priests did improve to give
them an ill Idea of all those they think fit to call Hereticks, not
considering that most of those Disorders were committed by _French_
Buccaneers of their own Religion.
Having said so much of _Peru_ in several Parts of my Journal, I need not
enlarge upon it here; the Spaniards extend it from _Panama_ to
_Coquimbo_, which is about 800 Leagues, but the Breadth various. The
Gold Mines are most of ’em in the North Parts, betwixt _Panama_ and the
Equinox.
Before the _French_ traded hither round Cape _Horne_, there was a
considerable Commerce from _Panama_ to all the Ports of the _South Sea_,
as I noted before; but now they have supplied the Country so much with
_European_ Goods, and so cheap, that this Trade is in a manner sunk; so
that from hence forward there will be little sent over Land from
_Panama_ to the North Sea, but the King’s Revenue. The _Spaniards_ have
a great many Ships and small Vessels belonging to the several Ports of
_Peru_, which are chiefly imploy’d in carrying Timber, Salt, Salt-fish,
Wine, Brandy, Oil, and other Commodities, from one part of the Coast to
another, without which they could not well subsist; for this Country is
laid to be more populous and better inhabited than _Mexico_. They make
Woollen Cloth here of several sorts; I have seen some made at _Quito_
worth about 8_s._ _per_ Yard, that is sold here for 5 Dollars. The
_Indians_ do likewise make a coarse sort of Cotton Cloth; but since the
_French_ furnish them better and cheaper, those Manufactures will come
to nothing, and the People must betake themselves to digging of Mines,
or what other Imployment they can get.