By this , under 13. degrees we are parrellel with Sierra Leon a Cape land upon the Lybian shoare , by old Geographers improperly cal'd Deorum currus , Frons Africae , Tagazza and Zanguebai in Thevet and Marmolius : strengthned by a Castle built by the Spaniard , famoused for refreshing our English Neptune , Drake , at his returne from circumnavigating the body of the whole Earth : and that thence to Bab-mandel , ( the entrance into the red Sea ) Africk is no where broader .

The Inhabitants here along the Guinea coast , Bynnin , Cape Palmas , Lopez Gonzalvo , &c. know no God , nor are willing to bee instructed by Nature . Scire nihil , jucundissimum . Howbeit , the divell ( who will not want his ceremony ) has infused demonomy and prodigious idolatry into their hearts , enough to rellish the divells pallat and agrandize their owne tortures , when hee gets power to fry their soules , as the raging Sunne has scorcht their bodies .

A Ship of ours coasting along and landing for discovery , was so admired at by the Salvages , as if they never had seene men nor Ship afore . Two of our men adventured the shoare , ( some hostages kept in the boat till they return'd ) and are welcom'd by thousands of those naked black skind Aethiopians , who were so farre from injury , that they loaded them with Flowers , Fruits , Toddy and what they judged acceptable : after immeasurable admirations returning them safe aboard all contented .

Cape Verd. April the 18. wee had 15. degrees , and ere morne were in height of Cape Verd in 14. degr. so named by Florian Hesperion cornu & Surrentium in Pliny , Lybiae promontorium in Strabo , of old cald Arsinarium , at this day by the Negroes Mandangan , Hacdar by the Alfarabes . Discovered by Dio Fernandezo , or Antonio di Nolle a Genoan , Hesperidae . Anno 1445. at the charge of King Alphonsus 5. Famoused especially in the Hesperian Garden , enricht with Golden Apples , robd by Alcides in despight of that hundred-headed Dragon , engendred by Typhon on Echydna . 'T was a Greeke fable : who surpast for lyes . The morall this . The garden was a spacious , greene and pleasant Field ; the apples of gold , good sheep worth gold ( such sheep and fleece as Iason had ) the errour partly arising from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , admitting a double construction , sheep and apple . The Dragon , no other than a meare or fluxe of the Sea , in forme or nature of a Dragon or Serpent invironing it , swelling in 100 armes or sluces : which Hercules ( to enrich Spaine ) passed over and exported . The three faire daughters of Hesperus , were three honest Ilands in the West , adjoyning this garden ; their names Aeglae , Arethusa , and Hesperthusa ; now new named , Mayo , Sal , and Bonavista : three other neighbouring them , the Atlantiades , which we have no leisure now to treat of , the magnifique Fabrick of Anthaeus calling us away to look upon , but alas we find nothing extant save memory ; a pallace doubtlesse brave and capacious , the Lord of it being no meane nor little man : he grew 70. cubits high ( a dozen ordinary mens proportion ) a proper man , and an excellent log for Hercules to smite at : yet ( the Greekes perswade us ) his sword could not conquer , nor was he overcome when by prodigious force Ioves sonne threw him thrice upon the ground , the Earth his mother still reanimating him ; till being perceiv'd , he strangled or choakt him in the helplesse Aire .

Extreame heat April 21. Aeolus was a sleep , one breath of Ayre not comforting us , the Sunne over-topping us and darting out such fiery beames that the Ayre inflamed , the Seas seemed to burne , our Ship sulphureous , no decks , no awnings nor invention possible able to refresh us , so that for 7 dayes ( 70. are better endured in a zone more temperate ) wee sweat and broyle , unable to sleep , rest , eat or drink without much faintnesse ; in this space our Ship making no way ( no current is felt in the vast Ocean ) till the fift day the billowes began to rowle and the Ayre troubled , travelling with an abortive cloud , which suddenly fell downe in forme of an inverted Piramid , wonderfull and dangerous . A cloud ( as I apprehend ) exhaled by the Sun ( a powerfull Magnet ) not agitated by the wind , and missing the retentive property in the lowest region , distills not in sweet drops , but diffudes or falls hideously the whole cloud together , so impetuously into the Ocean , Spouts of raine . that many great ships ( as if a thousand milstones or cataracts had fallen ) have beene dasht and sunke past all recovery ; and what 's little lesse formidable , the stinking raine is no sooner in the Sea , but ( as a fearefull farwell ) a whirlewind circles with such violence as helps the cloud to lash the murmuring Seas so furiously that oftimes the waves or surges rebound top gallant height , as if it meant to retaliate the Ayre in another region : God be praised , we mist the rage of raine , the gust somewhat affrighted us ; but it contraried Seneca's Philosophy . Finis alterius mali , gradus est futuri : a pleasant Breese first , increasing into a happy gale , cooled the Ayre and posted us out of those exuberances of nature : so that on May day we crost under the Aequinoctiall , Aequator . a circle imagined to divide the world into two equalls , from either Pole ninety degrees , and where we lost sight of the Sydus salutare , the Pole-starre , of a third magnitude , fixt in the tip of the little Beares tayle : the Sunne at this time was in the 19. degree of Taurus ; in Artick declination 17. degrees , 31. minutes .

May 6. We had some thunder and lightning or corpo sanctos , such as seeme good Omens to the superstitious Portugalls ; and at night , past by Santo croix , the holy crosse , every houre expecting the Monzoon , Monzoons . an anniversary wind that blowes one way six moneths , and the other halfe yeer the contrary way constantly ; which if Sea-men neglect they lose their happy passage into India .

But how preposterous the yeere and wind proved elsewhere I know not , doubtlesse it is the Emblem of inconstancy , experience taught it us ; so long time proving our Antagonist that our passage to the Cape of good Hope became sixe weekes longer than we looked for , forc't to runne into much more longitude than we desired .

Nothing commendable in them but their Archery , in which they excell ; shooting a dozen shafts ere the first touch ground ; their Amazonian neighbours forcing their care and diligence . The only ornament they have , is slashing and cutting their skinne and faces ; the Sunne and Moone are man and wife , the Starres their children , in their religion ; the divell is their Oracle .

May 24. We had 19 degrees and a halfe , from whence to the thirtieth degr. the wind was large and prosperous , nothing in that great distance observable , save that on the 26 day , our Admirall the Mary ( in which one Hall commanded ) early discryed a saile , which he made after with his barge , long boat , and 80. men ; at two leagues distance they perceived her a Carrack of 1500 Tun , who durst not adventure her hulk against our shot , and therefore made all sailes draw and that night escaped ; tho to grapple her , our fleet divided all night , but saw her not till the 27. day , and but saw her , her velocity so much excelled ours ; till the 7. of Iune she againe deluded us , after two houres chase as a phantasma vanishing towards God .

Vpon May day we crost the line , and last of May the Tropick of Capricorne , Tropicus . Capricorni . the utmost limit of Apollo's progresse towards the Antartick ; and 53 dayes we swet within the burning Zone ere we past under both the Tropiques . The first of Iune , our observation was in 24 degrees 42 minutes South latitude , Iunij . 1. the Sunne then in 23. degrees , 8l. North , in the 20. degree of Gemini . In which height , we had many sudden and violent gusts and stormes , contrary to our desires , unable thereby to direct our course , being driven to Lee-ward 100 leagues upon the coast of Brazeel , to 25. degr. latitude and 27. of longitude from the Lizard . Howbeit , post multos sequitur una serena dies , for on the 13. day , in the first watch , our long lookt for Favonius blew sweetly upon us .

At which time , some Boobyes , weary of flight , made our Ship their pearch , an animall so simple as suffers any to take her without feare , as if a stupid sense made her carelesse of danger , which to sympathize I have as simply for your sport depicted .

T is not long , since I told you how favourably Aeolus entertained us , but his other adjunct is inconstancy ; for , veering into another quarter , he began to puffe and bluster , yea so furiously , that Neptune sweld with rage in such impatience , that the Tritons ( Marriners ) grew agast , not without reason , the Cape land thought ( not neere enough , and yet ) too neere us : for foure dayes and nights not daring to beare any saile , but lay ahull , driving whither the storme compelled us , all that while the sea surges so sublime and impetuous , that wee were tost up into the Ayre , and forth with throwne downe as into an Abisse , sometimes dancing upon the liquid ridge of a dreadfull wave , and anon inveloped with many others all seeming to swallow us , heaven and sea roaring and commixing in an undivided manner ; yet the Lord be praised ( having Sea roome and good tite Ships ) his providence saved us ; in 16 dayes more , meeting together joyfully at the Cape of good hope : and I confesse ingeniously , not till then did I feele that Ironic Satyre of Iuvenal biting us .

Iune 24. Wee rais'd the Pole Antartick six and thirty degrees , our longitude from the Meridian of the Lyzard five and twenty degrees , wanting three to the Cape ; variation three degrees ; our course E. S. E. the Sunnes declination , two and twenty degrees , twenty sixe minutes , and as many seconds North , in the 17. degree of Gemini . The same time mid-summer in England , and mid-winter with us in those South clymats . The 7. of Iuly , betimes wee descried land and tho threescore miles distant ( from its height ) seemed very nigh us , proving the place wee aimed at , that famous promontory ( now no longer Tormentozo , but ) of good Hope . Howbeit , we could not flie upon the wings of desire , the wind withstanding our hast , wherby we let fall our Anchor ( 14 leagues short of the Bay of Soldania ) and went a shore upon a little Ile ( 3 miles round ) corruptly cal'd Cony I le , from the Welsh Cain-yne or white Ile , where we kil'd many Conies ( or Cats rather ) great and rammish , bad and waterish , commended for dainty meat by hungry Sailers , Ie junus raro stomachus vulgaria temnit : It also superabounds with Seales ( piscis marinus ) as big as Lyons , and though doggedly visaged , can out barke them , yea bellow like Bulls , and from such as not till then see any , may challenge wonder . They turne to oyle , and give their skins for buffe coates , soft and serviceable . Here are also birds cal'd Pen-gwins ( white-head in Welch ) like Pigmies walking upright , their sinns or wings hanging very orderly downe like sleeves , a creature , fish and flesh , participating sea and shore , feeding in the one , breeding in the other ; easie to be caught on land ( but that their undermining the sandy ground for habitacles makes the passage bad , ) at sea , diving like a Duck , swift as a Dolphin ; fat , but oylie ; some dare eat them , curiosity may invite a taste , but to make a meale on , unsapory and offensive : to which May-game of nature I may inculcate that , made on her acquaintance .

For whose further satisfaction the Idaea I present you , not drawne by Phydias .

Pen-gwin I le is 6 or 7 leagues from the continent , which when wee got afterne we grew becalm'd , land-lockt in a sort , and were sported all the way ( till we dropt anchor ) by Whales , the Seas Leviathan , who after their manner thundred our welcome into Aethiopia , fuzzing or spouting part of the briny Ocean in wantonnesse out of their oylie pipes bored by nature a top their prodigious shoulders , like so many floating Ilands concomitating us .

The 1. of Iuly wee anchor'd with safety in the Soldania Bay , 12 leagues short of the utmost Cape : a Road worthily cald good Hope , by King Iohn 2. of Portugall rejecting that of Tempestuous first imposed by Gama ; in that if any attaine hither , their Indian voyage is halfe done , and the other part lesse solitary , so many excellent Ilands entertaining them .

The Soldania Bay is of a semi-lunary forme ; large and safe ; high , 5 or 6 miles from the sea ; towards the shoare , low and fruitfull . Where we pitch our Tents , is a small streame of Chrystallin water , exceeding sweet , trickling from a mighty mountaine 4 miles from the Sea ; and in a perpendicular eleven thousand eight hundred and sixty foot ; from its resemblance , commonly cald the Table ; the ascent uneasie , but most pleasant at the top , discerning thence 100 miles into the Ocean , and looking S. S. W. we see the Cape or extreame point of Africk 12 leagues off , whose character in the inhabitants seemes long since to be drawne in this same distich .

And from this Table , or from Herberts mount ( a Piramid adjoyning , like the Sugar loafe , another hill so named ) we see Cape Falso S. and by E. ten leagues ; either of these great Promontories are divided by a Bay , but inconvenient to ride in : the distance of each Cape is 10 miles from North to South ; either side environed with mountaines so lofty as seeme to penetrate the middle region with their aspiring foreheads , where they find sufficient moysture to coole their ambition : another river cal'd Iaquelina , streames upon the N. side of the roade , halfe a league from our Tents ( under King Iames his mount we usually pitch them ) broader than our rio dulce : but by a low course and too long sporting with the briny Ocean it tasts brackish and insalubrious ; it is foordable without boate or Elephant , and gives variety of Shell-fish , as Tortoises , Limpits , Mussels , Cockels , Crabs , Rock-fish , and Mullets , Crafish , Thornback , Gudgeon , Eeeles , &c. The Earth abounds with roots , herbs and grasse aromatique , redolent and beneficiall : such as I took notice of , I may dare to name ; Agrimony , Mynt , Calamint , Betony , Plantain , Ribwort , Spinage , Sorell , Scabious , Holy Thistle , and ( of which beware ) Coliquintida : all the yeer long , nature roabing the fruitfull earth with her choisest Tapistry , Flora seeming to dresse her selfe with artlesse Garlands ; Alcinoe and Tempe serving as Emblems to this Elysium . Quamvis enim montosa appareat , & collibus multis distincta , interim tamen multis vallibus , silvis , pratisque decorata est , gramina & flores suavissimè olentes , magna copia producit . Cervosque & faeras & leones multo numero nutrit , quae omnia visu & aspectu longe jucundissime existunt : preterea , limpidissimis fontibus scatet quamplurimis , qui non sine gratissimo susurro , de montibus altis prorumpentes , fluminibus sese passim insinuant , & cum eis postmodum in mare exonerantur .