_The proceedings and present estate of the_ Summer Isles, _from_ Anno
Dom. 1624, _to this present_ 1629.
From the _Summer Isles,_ Mr. _Ireland,_ and divers others report, their
Forts, Ordnance and Proceedings, are much as they were in the Year 1622.
as you may read in the General History, Pag. 199. Captain _Woodhouse_
Governour. There are few sorts of any Fruits in the West Indies, but they
grow there in abundance; yet the fertility of the Soil in many Places
decayeth, being Planted every Year, for their Plantains, which is a most
delicate Fruit, they have lately found a way by Pickling or Drying them,
to bring them over into _England,_ there being no such Fruit in _Europe,_
and wonderful for increase. For Fish, Flesh, Figgs, Wine, and all sorts of
most excellent Herbs, Fruits and Roots they have in abundance. In this
Governour's time, a kind of Whale, or rather a Jubarta, was driven on
Shoar in _Southampton_ Tribe from the West, over an Infinite Number of
Rocks so bruised, that the Water in the Bay where she lay, was all Oily,
and the Rocks about it all Bedasht with Parmacitty, congealed like Ice, a
good quantity we gathered, with which we commonly cured any Boil, Hurt or
Bruise; some burnt it in their Lamps, which blowing out, the very snuff
will burn so long as there is any of the Oil remaining, for two or three
days together. {MN}
* * * * *
{MN} _The present Estate of the_ Summer Isles.
The next Governour was Captain _Philip Bell,_ whose time being expired,
Captain _Roger Wood_ possess'd his Place, a worthy Gentleman of good
desert, and hath lived a long time in the Country; their Numbers are about
2 or 3000 Men, Women and Children, who increase there exceedingly; their
greatest Complaint is want of Apparel, and too much Custom, and too many
Officers; the Pity is, there are no more Men than Women, yet no great
Mischief, because there is so much less Pride: the Cattle they have
increase exceedingly; their Forts are well maintain'd by the Merchants
here, and Planters there; to be brief, this Isle is an excellent Bit to
Rule a great Horse.
All the Cohow Birds and Egbirds are gone; seldom any wild Catts seen; no
Rats to speak off; but the Worms are yet very troublesome; the People very
healthful, and the Ravens gone; Fish enough, but not so near the shoar as
it used, by the much beating it; it is an Isle that hath such a Rampire
and a Ditch, and for the quantity so manned, Victualled, and Fortified, as
few in the World do exceed it, or is like it.
{MN} The 22d of March, two Ships came from thence; the
_Peter-Bonaventure,_ near 200 Tunns, and sixteen Pieces of Ordnance; the
Captain, _Thomas Sherwin;_ the Master, Mr. _Edward Some,_ like him in
Condition, a Goodly, Lusty, Proper, Valiant Man: The _Lydia,_ wherein was
Mr. _Anthony Thorne,_ a smaller Ship, were chased by eleven Ships of
_Dunkirk;_ being thus over-match'd, Captain _Sherwin_ was taken by them in
_Torbay,_ only his Valiant Master was slain; the Ship with about seventy
_English_ Men they carried betwixt _Dover_ and _Callais_ to _Dunkirk;_
but the _Lydia_ safely recovered _Dartmouth._
* * * * *
{MN} _An Evil Mischance._
These Noble Adventures for all thole losses patiently do bear them; but
they hope the King and State will understand it is worth keeping, tho' it
afford nothing but Tobacco, and that now worth little or nothing, Custom
and Fraught pay'd, yet it is worth keeping, and not supplanting; tho'
great Men feel not those losses, yet Gardiners, Carpenters and Smiths, do
pay for it.
From the Relation of _Robert
Chestevan_ and others.
* * * * *