They wither and come to nothing, as I have frequently experienced; but
when ripe, they separate from among the flesh, except that they then
merely stick to it, and these, are always the best.
After a stay of forty-seven days at this place in great friendship with
the natives, we took our departure, and went to the island of Antilia[6],
which was discovered a few years ago by Christopher Columbus, where we
remained two months and two days repairing our vessels and procuring
necessaries for the voyage home. During our stay there we suffered many
insults from the Christian inhabitants, the particulars of which are here
omitted to avoid prolixity. Leaving that island on the 22d of July, we
arrived at the port of Cadiz on the eighth of September[7], after a voyage
of six weeks, where we were honourably received; having thus, by the
blessing of God, finished our second voyage.
[1] This latitude of 5 deg. S. would lead to Cape St Roquo on the coast of
Brazil; but the indications given by Americus during his several
voyages are exceedingly vague and uncertain. - E.
[2] The sun on the 27th of June has just passed to the south side of the
equator, and is in the tropic of cancer on the 23d of March. - E.
[3] Called in the text myrrh-apples, Poma myrrhae, perhaps meant to
imply mirabolans. - E.
[4] This appears to refer to chewing tobacco, and gives a strong picture
of that custom carried to excess. - E.
[5] This person was probably a noted giant, or remarkably tall man, then
well known in the south of Europe: Or it may refer to a colossal image
of St Francis. - E.
[6] The island of Hispaniola is certainly here meant, to which Americus
has chosen to give the fabulous or hypothetical name of Antilia,
formerly mentioned; perhaps with the concealed intention of
depreciating the grand discovery of Columbus, by insinuating that the
Antilles were known long before his voyage. - E.
[7] Though not mentioned in the text, this date must have been of the year
1500; or at least intended to be so understood by Americus - E.
SECTION III.
The Third Voyage of Americus Vespucius.
While I was at Seville recovering from the fatigues of my late voyages,
and intending again to visit the Land of Pearls, it happened that
Emanuel king of Portugal chose, for what reason I know not, to send me a
letter by a messenger, earnestly desiring my immediate presence at Lisbon,
where he engaged to do much for my advantage. I signified by the messenger
that I was entirely disposed to comply with the commands of his majesty,
but was then ill, and should certainly evince my obedience if I recovered.
The king of Portugal afterwards sent Julian Bartholomew Jocundus from
Lisbon, with orders to use his endeavours to bring me with him to the
royal presence; and as all my acquaintances urged me against attempting
another voyage on account of my bad health, I was obliged to comply, and
immediately departed from Spain, where I had been very honourably
entertained, the king even having conceived a good opinion of me, and so
great was the urgency that I set out without taking leave of my host. On
presenting myself to Emanuel, I was graciously received, and strongly
urged to go along with three of his ships which had been fitted out for
discovering new countries; and as the requests of kings are equivalent to
commands, I consented to his desire.
I accordingly departed from Lisbon with the three ships belonging to his
majesty on the 10th of May 1501. We steered, in the first place, for the
Canaries, after which we proceeded for the western coast of Africa, where
during three days stay we took a prodigious number of certain fishes which
are called Phargi. From thence we went to that part of Ethiopia which is
called Besilica[1], which is situated in the torrid zone and first
climate, in 14 deg. of north latitude. We here remained for eleven days,
taking in wood and water to enable us to continue our voyage through the
southern Atlantic. Leaving this port with a S.E. wind, we arrived in about
sixty-seven days at a certain island which is 700 leagues to the S.E. of
the before-mentioned port. During this voyage, we suffered prodigiously,
owing to the tempestuous weather which we encountered, especially near the
equator. At that place it was winter in the month of June, the days and
nights were of equal length, and our shadows were always towards the south.
At length it pleased the Almighty to conduct us to a new country on the
17th of August, where we came to anchor about a league and a half from the
shore, to which we went in our boats to see whether it were inhabited. We
accordingly found that it was full of inhabitants, who were worse than
beasts; though at our first landing we could not see any of the natives,
we yet saw by numerous traces on the shore that the country was very
populous. We took possession of this land for the king of Castile[2],
finding it in all appearance fertile and pleasant. This place is five
degrees beyond the equator to the south. After the ceremony of taking
possession, we returned to our ships; and as we required a supply of wood
and water, we went on shore next day for that purpose. While employed on
that service, we saw some natives on the top of a hill at some distance,
who could not be prevailed on to come towards us.
