T HE sea has always been the cradle of the English race, and over six hundred years ago an old chronicler wrote of our great sea tradition that “English ships visited every coast,” and that “English sailors excelled all others both in the arts of navigation and in fighting.” In this respect, the west of England has probably played a greater part in our maritime development than any other portion of the United Kingdom, and the names of her most famous seamen—Drake, Raleigh, and Hawkins among othe

To the Worthy Gentlemen my surviving Owners, the Worshipful Christopher Shuter Esq. , Sir John Hawkins Kt. , John Romsey Esq. ; Capt. Philip Freake, Mr. James Hollidge, Francis Rogers, Thomas Goldney, Thomas Clements, Thomas Coutes, John Corsely, John Duckinfield, Richard Hawksworth, William Saunders, John Grant, Laurence Hollister, and Daniel Hickman, Merchants in Bristol. Gentlemen , A S you did me the Honour to approve my Proposals for the following Voyage, and generously fitted out two Ships

’T IS the Metropolis of its Province, about a Mile and half long, and divided into Old and New, joined by a wooden Bridge above half a Mile in Length, but passable only by People on foot. There are some Houses at a distance on each side the Bridge, and those of both Towns may be about 4 or 500 in the whole, besides 5 Churches, and the Inhabitants about 2000 in all. Their chief Church is that of St. Jago or St. James the Apostle, which has 7 Altars, and before it a handsom Square; the others are

T HE City or Town of Guiaquil is the Metropolis of a Province of that Name in Peru , govern’d by a President with 5 or 6 Orderes, which makes a Royal Audiencia or chief Court of Judicature, accountable only to the Viceroy in military Affairs. Every Province has a Government of the same Nature. These Governors are commonly appointed, or, to speak more properly, purchase their Offices in Old Spain , for Life, or good Behaviour; and in case any die, or misbehave themselves, the Vice-roy may name an

I T is not yet certainly known whether it be an Island, or joins to the Continent, nor did either our Time or Circumstances allow us to attempt the Discovery. I heard from the Spaniards , that some of their Nation had sail’d as far up betwixt California and the Main, as Lat. 42 N. where meeting with Shoal Water, and abundance of Islands, they durst not venture any further: So that if this be true, in all Probability it joins to the Continent, a little further to the Northward; for Shoal Water an

I Shall next give a brief Account of Mexico from the best Information and Authors. This Country lies betwixt Lat. 8. and 50 or 55 North, but it is little known or inhabited by the Spaniards to the Northward of 35. ’Tis divided into Old and New, and the former is also called New Spain , The Country in general includes all the West Side of Northern America , as far as ’tis known. ’Tis divided into the Audiences , or Jurisdictions of St. Domingo , Mexico properly so call’d, Guadalajara or New Galli

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 Mid

I come next to the Kingdom of Chili , which lies nearest to those who shall think fit to attempt a Trade from England into the South Sea . Father Ovalle , a Native of this Country, and Procurator for it at Rome , agrees with our Maps, that it lies farthest South of any part of America on that call’d the South or Pacifick Sea . He bounds it with Peru on the North, the Straits of Magellan on the South, Paraguay , Tucuman , and Patagonia on the East, and the South Sea on the West. He begins it at S

T His Island is about 40 Leagues round; the Anchoring Place is on the W. Side, and about the Middle there’s a large Cove, with several Houses built after the Spanish Mode, with Accommodations for the Officers and Crew of the Acapulco Ship, the Settlement being made here on purpose for that Ship to recruit at, in her Way to Manila . There are about 300 Spaniards on this and the Neighbouring Islands; most of the Natives are their Converts. They told us they have 8 Fathers, 6 of whom teach School,

T HE Island of Bouton is in Lat. 05. 20. S. and near about 30 Leagues long; the King, they say, can raise fifty Thousand Men, and has all the adjacent Islands under him; they boast of not valuing the Dutch , but I am satisfied, their Poverty is their greatest Security; they speak the Malayan Language, which is universal amongst all the Islands of India . They are a well-set People, of a middle Stature, or rather small, of a dark Olive Colour, with the most indifferent Features of any People, tha

Altho’ this Place is well known, and has been so frequently describ’d, yet being such a noble Settlement, and a Proof of the Industry of the Dutch in these Parts; I can’t omit giving the following Account of it. The Town lies on the N. W. side of the Island of Java , Lat. 5°. 50´´. S. The Time we were here it was not very healthy. The East and West Winds blow all the Year along the Shore, besides the ordinary Land and Sea Winds, which qualifie the Air, and makes it pleasant, otherwise it would b

I Shall not trouble the Reader with what has been writ by others concerning this noted Place: And since I had neither Time, Health, nor Permission to ramble the Country, I can relate no Adventures that we had with Bears, Tygers or Hottentots ; but what I shall say is from my own Observation. The Dutch have here a well built small Town, containing about two hundred and fifty Houses, with a Church, and several fine Gardens and small Vineyards near it. There are divers Villages in the Country, from