some English soldiers. The discommodities these streams ingender are allegators, which, farther up in the country, are in too great plenty.

The whole land (except some hills of great ascent, is certainly very fruitful, which although it produce not such fruits and corn as England doth, and other more temperate climates (the scorching heat of the sun depriving it of that happiness) yet of sugar-canes, oranges, lemons, bonanoes, bonuist, plantanes, pine-apples, potatoe and cassadra roots (whereof they make their bread), with divers other roots and fruits, there is no scarcity.

It is also replenished with store of oxen and cows of good magnitude, as well wild as tame. Sheep there are some, not many, and abundance of hogs, and fair horses, which last are there of little use and service in war, by reason of the exceeding thick woods. But, beyond all, the inestimable mines of rich gold and silver, hid within the bowels of that land, make amends for all other defects. The north and west parts of the island are scarcely at all inhabited, except by some few cow-killers, rogues that have been thither banished for murther, or some other villainy, who make it their labour to kill and destroy many cattle, and that only for their tallow and hides, which are sent in to the Spaniards. As for the towns and villages in, the habitable parts, they are neither fair nor many, the chiefest whereof I have already mentioned; which, doubtless, at the time of the English army's being there, was very rich; for, the neighbouring villages and plantations being alarmed by their landing, they had the leisure to convey themselves, with much treasure, plate, and jewels, thither, as to a place of their best strength and refuge.

And thus much of Hispaniola. The island of Jamaica must now be the subject of my following discourse, whither the fleet approached. The seventh of May was observed as another day of humiliation, for all such, whom hunger, thirst, and the sword of the enemy had not yet given a feeling sense of their presumptuous wickedness, and disobedience towards God. And, considering the great cowardice that had lately possessed them, it was also proclaimed to the whole army, that whosoever should be found to turn his back to the enemy, and run away, the next officer, that brought up the rear of that division, should immediately run him through, which, if he failed to perform, himself was to suffer death without mercy. Which strict order might have wrought better effect at Hispaniola, there being little probability of engaging with an enemy in this place.

The ninth of May, they drew nigh the island, and, having sailed about sixtech leagues within the south-side thereof, the day following came to an anchor in a spacious harbour, called 'also Jamaica, where there was good ground, and deep water; and, manning all their small vessels and boats with soldiers, soon landed the army in a bay, that lay yet farther within the harbour, and that without the loss of one man; for the Spaniards, having only three or four small and slight breastworks, with some few guns, and sceing so numerous an army with readiness to land, made not many shot, but fled in haste to the town of Oristano, which was altogether unfortified, and distant from thence six English miles, from whence they conveyed away all things of value and

concernment, together with their families, and departed farther into the country; for such was their weakness, and disability for resistance, that their number (on that part of the island) exceeded not five-hundred men, besides some negroe slaves; but, what they could not act by force of arms, they did by policy; as too soon will appear.

The English army, being possessed of the breast works, and guns that commanded the landing-place; the forlorn-hope was drawn forth, and sent towards the town, who, that night, would not adventure to enter therein, until the morrow following; at which time they found it destitute of inhabitants, or any thing else necessary for their entertainment, or accommodation, except bare walls, bedsteads, chairs, and cow-hides. Soon after, the general, with the whole army, consisting of about seventhousand men, marched up thither; where there then came in divers Spaniards, which seemed to be of quality, to treat, bringing with them, as presents for the general, wine, poultry, divers sorts of fruits, and other rarities that the country yielded, promising also to send in beeves, sufficient for the maintenance of the army, with other large overtures, and high compliments.

This treaty being continued for certain days, the enemy had free egress and regress as well into the town, and English quarters, as elsewhere, continuing their welcomed presents, bringing cattle for the use of the army, and behaving themselves with such civil and kind, although feigned, deportment, that they invited divers soldiers of the army to visit them in their quarters, where they had wine given them, and were much made of; by which means they gained knowledge, by some overcome with liquor, that they had been at Hispaniola, and how they were there dealt withal, as also the extremities and wants they were driven to in their marches, for want of water and other necessaries, in those hot countries, whereby they were much disabled. The Spaniards understanding this, and viewing the present weak condition of the army (by which they guessed at the future, if their wants were not supplied from time to time) were now animated to put in practice their uttermost endeavours for prcservation of their goods and estates, and not to stand to any articles of agreement, to depart the island, with some few cloaths only to their backs, as was expected; notwithstanding, they fairly dissembled the matter, and, to avoid all suspicion, sent their governor, as they pretended, an old decrepid seignior, full of the French-disease, and brought in betwixt two in a hammock, to sign the articles of agreement, which he, with some others, accordingly did.

In the mean season, these subtle and sly Spaniards had conveyed far away in the woods all their riches and best goods, which, in some days after the army was possessed of the town, remained in the Spanish quarters near at hand, and might have been soon intercepted; they also gathered up all the ablest and best horses,during the treaty,as well in the English quarters, as their own; and, the time limited for their departure from the island, according to the articles signed, being near expired, they drove away most of all the cattle near the town, and, following after their goods, wives, children, and servants, which were gone before at least three days journey, swept and cleared the country, as they went, of all vital provisions, leaving their old pocky governor as a hostage for their return.

And thus were they overcome by the subtlety and deceit of the Spaniards at Jamaica, as well as they had been lately vanquished by their lances at Hispaniola; and all the redress, that could be now thought on, was to send a party in pursuit of them. Colonel Bullard, with two-thousand men, was employed on the business, part of which number were shipped in small vessels and shallops, and so conveyed by water unto a bay, seventeen leagues to the eastward of that where the fleet lay, where the fleet lay, where they came in conjunction with the rest that had marched thither on foot. The politick intent of this grand design was to surprise the Spaniards and their luggage, betwixt both parties, as they were shipping off for the main, which was supposed would be at that place; but in that they deceived themselves, for the enemy had no such intent, but rather directed their passage through by-ways, thick woods, and over high hills and large mountains, of which there are plenty, having scouts and sentinels abroad, in each passable way and path, to discover the approach of any; it being almost an impossible thing for an army, except well acquainted with the country, to follow or find them out; and again, the excessive heat of the sun, the want of water in many places, with other defects and impediments, naturally incident to the place, and disagreeing to English constitutions, did more weaken and disable them in ten miles march there, than forty in their own country. But I shall now leave this pursuing party, to wander in the woods a while, and there kill cattle, if any they find, to preserve life, rather than hazard it at so great disadvantages against the Spaniards, and shew in what posture and condition those in the town were in, who, after the departure of the Spanish cators, were in so great want, that dogs and cats were the best part of their diet, with such sort of food as they had formerly tasted at Hispaniola, as horses, assnecoes, and such like; there being a strict order, that, on pain of death, none should presume to kill any cows or oxen; and, if at any time there went forth, by especial order, some small party that brought in beeves, they were distributed among the superior officers of the army, the inferior men having only inferior meat; the often use whereof made them somewhat participate of the nature of the beasts, sometimes living the life of dogs, and, at other times, bearing the burthen of asses; and what other encou ragement or comfort could they have, than to ponder in their minds thus, Solamen miseris socios habaisse doloris.

Jamaica harbour, May the twenty-fourth, it was resolved, at a council of war, that the general of the navy, and rear-admiral, in the ships Swift-sure and Paragon, with most of the Flemish ships, should return for England, orders being given for their speedy fitting, and recruit with fresh water and other necessaries.

May the twenty-fifth, there happened an ill accident in the ficet. The ship called the Discovery, of the States, a vessel of good force and burthen, was unhappily fired by filling brandy-wine in the steward-room; the flame of the candle, taking hold of that combustible liquor, so vehemently increased the fury of the fire, that there was no prevention. Wherefore, to avoid further danger, most of the ships boats, that could be had in readiness, towed her off on a bank of sand, some distance from the fleet, where, after she had consumed about four hours, her ma

gazine of powder blew up, and did no more harm; the ship Swift-sure, being then ready to careen, had most of her best guns there on board, which were all afterwards, by industry and art, taken up, notwithstanding that they lay in above three fathom water.

June the first, Colonel Bullard, after a long march to little purpose, returned with his party to the town, bringing with him some cattle, and giving notice of great abundance that are in the more remote parts of the country; since which time there have gone forth divers parties, who have also brought in droves of cattle, and, amongst the rest, a Spanish lady, with some attendants, who, were she but as good as great, as virtuous as ponderous, and as fair as fat, certainly she would far exceed any three ladies in England, in worth, weight, and beauty.

June the sixth, the ship Cardiff set sail for England, as the harbinger of the rest of the fleet, which were to follow after.

And, the ninth following, a general muster was taken of the land army, whose number was found to be so much diminished of late, not so much by any pestilential or violent disease, as for mere want of natural sustenance, which, in common reason, may seem strange, that, of all men, soldiers should starve in a cook's shop, as the saying is, or perish for want of food in a country so abounding with flesh, fish, and other vital provisions; but it is to be hoped, that, for the future, they may have an allowance of better and more wholsome diet than yet they have had, if the tyranny of their commanders, or slothfulness of themselves, or both, prevent not.

There lately arrived at Jamaica divers victuallers with provisions for the fleet, also arms and ammunition for the army; but hoes and hatchets were fitter for them.

June the twentieth, there came in hither three small vessels, prizes, which were taken by the Selby and Grantham frigates, who were ordered to lie plying to and again off the island of Hispaniola; some Spaniards, in them taken, reported, that, at the first appearance of the English fleet before the town of Domingo, the inhabitants deserted the place, and went all into the woods, where they continued for three days, lea ving their magazine of powder behind, which they had once intended to have blown up; but, perceiving that, in that time, neither the ships approached the harbour, which they much dreaded, nor any else came to molest them, they re-entered the town; and being much encouraged and strengthened by those of the country, who daily came in thither, fortified what they might, and, blocking up the mouth of their harbour with some vessels which they there sunk, resolved to use their uttermost endeavours to maintain the place.

Oristano, June 24. There was this day a rumour that General Ve pables was departed this life, which was but a rumour, not real; but his excellency hath not been current, since his being at Hispaniola. The grand business, that the army is now upon, is to settle each regiment in the several quarters, where they have parcels of land, equally proportioned unto them, which being subdivided amongst the officers according to their respective places, some small share is like to fall unto the common soldiers; but what improvement may be made thereof, or how it will pleasc Almighty God farther to deal with this army, let

time and truth manifest; the good hand of providence having taken me from amongst them, that so, according to my earnest desires, I might no longer be a spectator or recorder of their actions. I shall therefore

now conclude, only including a brief description of the island of Jamaica, by comparing it, in divers respects, with Hispaniola, together with some few passages by the way homeward.

The island of Jamaica is situated betwixt the main and the isle of Cuba, distant from the one 96 leagues, and from the other 20, the center whereof lieth directly in the same lat. with the town of Sancta Domingo, in Hispaniola, already described, and hath, longitude west from thence, 2 deg. 18 min. Its magnitude is scarcely one third of the said island, being in length 46, and breadth 14 leagues. Notwithstanding, for the quality and quantity of land, it is no less fruitful, and altogether as plentiful in fish, fowl, and cattle of all sorts; it is more mountainous and less woody; rivers there are divers, but the spring heads of some arising from copper mines, the water is somewhat unwholsome, and unsavoury, unless corrected by boiling, which the Spaniards used. Its chiefest defects and impediments are these: it produceth not any mines of gold and silver, as doth Hispaniola, and other parts of the Indies. It is also ill situated for traffick, lying such a distance to leeward, that it is a most difficult thing for vessels to turn up so far to windward as to get clear of the islands and rocks, which are therefore necessitated to make their passage through the Gulf of Florida, which is accounted dangerous, except at some seasons of the year.

June 25. The fleet, bound for England, set sail from Jamaica, viceadmiral Goodson, in the Torrington frigate, being left admiral of that squadron, ordered to remain in the Indics, they consisting of all the English frigates of this fleet, also three of the best sailing Flemish ships, which compleated the number of twelve sail, besides victuallers and prizes there remaining.

July 8. The fleet gained the length of Cape St. Antonio, being the westermost cape of the isle of Cuba, and the thirteenth following, they plying to windward, having a fresh gale easterly, came near under the tropick, and short of the Cape of Florida, about thirty leagues, where there happened another sad disaster. The Paragon Navy, a ship of the second rank, and, at that time rear-admiral, took fire, and consumed to her powder-room, and so blew up; the rear-admiral Dakins, and some others, with much danger and difficulty escaped, divers ships boats, which were nearest, coming in to their assistance, notwithstanding there perished about one hundred and forty men. By what means this lamentable accident was first occasioned, is not yet certainly known; but too certain it is, that the chief neglect was in the steward's room, from whence the fire broke forth, violently increasing, past remedy, as the people were assembled together at divine exercise in the forenoon.

July 19. Having hitherto had the weather variously inclined, many calms, aud some storms, with diversity of winds, but all of short continuance, the fleet now entered the Gulf of Florida, and the twentysecond following, passed forth of the same, the extent thereof being, in length, from the Cape of Florida, to the uttermost islands north of