a Cloud to be feen, but all is clear and bright. In going down to the Eastward alfo, there are fewer Fountains and Rivers, those muddy, and the Face of the Land melancholy, without fo much as one green Tree to recreate the Sight, nor any pleasant Verdure; But, on the Weft of the Mountains, it is quite otherwife; for as foon as the Traveller begins to defcend, he meets with lovely Springs; the Trees are green, and Groves fragrant and pleafant; and the little Valleys are like fo many Resting-places in that great Stair-cafe. From the very Foot of the Mountains one may feel the Mildness of the Sea-air, and a Traveller is charmed with the Harmony of the Birds, and other delightful Objects. The Valleys allo are full of odoriferous, beautiful Flowers, produced by Nature without human Art or Induftry; and there are amongst them extraordinary phyfical Plants. The little Hills afford good Pasture, and, in their Valleys, Olives, Almonds, and all Sort of Fruit-trees, thrive extremely well; in the Plains alfo are Vineyards, of which are made excellent Wine. With the first Rains of the Winter, which are about the middle of May, the Andes begin to be covered with Snow, and continue fhut up, or impaffable, five or fix Months. But, in fpeaking of the Seafons of Chili, it is neceffary to have regard to the Divifions of the Country, which are comprehended under that general Name: 1 Chili Proper, which lies between 25 and 45 Degrees of South Latitude, and between the Mountains of the Andes and the South-Sea. In this Divifion the Spring begins in the middle of Auguft, and lafts to the middle of November, when the Summer begins, and lafts till the middle of February; and then follows Autumn, which lafts till the middle of May, when they enter upon their Winter. The Trees in the Winter are all bare of Leaves, and white Frofts cover the Ground in a Morning, which are ufually diffolved, however, within two Hours after Sun-rifing; and 'tis feldom that any Snow falls in the Valleys, or low Grounds. Neither the Heat or the Cold are fo great here, as in other Countries of the fame Latitude; but that Part of the Country which lies next the Sea, is warmer than that which is, contiguous to the Mountains: Nor' is there fo much cloudy or rainy Weather here, as in Countries that lie in the fame Latitude either North or South. In Summer they have conftant ferene fettled Weather without Rain; nor have they Occafion for any, the Country is fo well watered by the Rivers of melted Snow, which, in the Beginning of Summer, defcend from the Mountains of the Andes. 2. In the Province

of

of Cuyo, which lies Eaft of the Andes, extending from Paragua, or La Plata, to 45 Degrees, on the contrary, the Winter is extreme cold; it freezes in the House; and their Cattle die, if left abroad; and the Heats are equally intolerable in the Summer: Thunder, Lightning, and Tempefts, are frequent here alfo in Summer, and fuch Deluges of Rain in the Spring, as overflow the Country. 3. I

comprehend the Country, called Magellanica, or Magellanica. Patagonia, under the general Name of Chili.

This is a cold, uncomfortable Country; and, according to our Seamen, the Cold is more intense here, than in other Countries in the fame Latitude in our Northern Hemisphere, Certain it is, that none of our European Adventurers have been invited hither by the Air or Soil, to plant Colonies, either in the Eaft or Weft Side of Patagonia, or

Magellanica. Terra del Fuego, like the Continent Terra del Fuego. over-against it, is mountainous and woody, the

Paragua.

Tops of the Mountains always covered with Snow; but it has feveral good Bays and Harbours on the Coaft, to fhelter Shipping from the Storms and Tempefts that reign in thofe Seas. Paragua, or La Plata, confifts of large Plains, extending two or three hundred Leagues in Length, without any Trees, at leaft any thing that looks like Timber, and fcarce a Hill, or Stone, to be seen in them; but in the Country to the Eastward of the great River Paragua, that borders on Brafil, there is a Variety of Hills and Valleys, Woods and Champain. As to the Seafons, the North Part of this Country has, in November and December annually, when the Sun is vertical, very heavy Rains, Storms, and Tempefts. But directly contrary, in that Part of the Country that lies to the Southward of the Tropic of Capricorn, it is their Summer, (their fair Season when the Sun is nearest them, viz.) in November, December, and January; and thofe Rivers which rife within the Tropics, particularly La Plata, Paragua, and Parana, after the Rains are fallen within the Tropics, fwell and overflow their Banks, and the flat Countries, as they pafs through the South Part of this Country, rendering it as fruitful at the Nile does Egypt; and indeed this is the Cafe in almost every Part of the World, where the Rivers rife within the Tropics. The Country of the Amazons enjoys a cooler Air, than Amazons. could be expected fo near the Equator; which proceeds from the heavy Rains, that occafion the numerous Rivers to overflow their Banks one half of the Year; from

the

the cloudy Weather; from the Shortness of the Days, which are never more than twelve Hours long; and from the brifk Eafterly Wind, that blows frequently from the Atlantic Ocean quite through the Country, fo ftrong that the Vessels are enabled thereby to fail against the Stream, and perform the Voyage almoft as foon up the great River Amazon, as down it; which I perceive is a Voyage of eight or ten Months, where no ill Accidents interrupt the Paffage. Travellers also observe, that they have moft terrible Thunder and Lightning great Part of the Year; but this is no more, than what is ufual in other Countries, that lie under the Equinoctial And it may properly be faid, they have two Winters and two Summers every Year; that is, fair Weather when the Sun is at its greatest Distance from them in either Tropic; and foul Weather when it is vertical, as it is at the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox. In Cuba there is

Cuba,

a Ridge of Mountains, which runs almost through the Ifland from East to West, well replenished with Timber; but the Land near the Shore is generally a plain Champain Country. They have no Winters here, but great Rains and Tempefts ufually when the Sun is vertical in July and Auguft; which cools the Air, however, and renders the Climate tolerable. The fairest Seafon is, when the Sun is fartheft from them; and then the Morning is much the hotteft Part of the Day; for, towards Noon, the Sea-breeze begins to blow pretty brifkly, and continues to do fo till the Evening. From October to April they have brifk North or North-weft Winds in thefe Seas at the Full and Change of the Moon; and, in December and January, they frequently increase in Storms, though this be their fair Seafon. The Trade-wind, in thefe Seas, blows from the North-eaft, As to

Hifpaniola, the Face of the Country in Hifpaniola, there are Mountains in the middle of it well planted with Foreft-trees: and other Mountains more barren, in which formerly were Gold Mines, that feem to be entirely exhausted at this Day. On the North and South Sides of the Inland are fine fruitfulPlains well watered with abundance of pleasant Rivers, which fall from the Mountains. The Air and Seafons are much the fame in this as in the land of Cuba. Barto-Rico. The Ifland of Porto-Rico is pleasantly diversified with Woods, Hills, and Valleys; but there are few large Plains. As to the Gold Mines that Travellers relate there gre in this Ifland, there are none wrought at this Day; nor were there ever any that were confiderable. The Soil is very. ich, producing Variety of Fruits, and all things neceflary

for

Florida.

for Life. As to the Air, &c. of Spanish Florida, fee Carolina. I have omitted the particular Produce of the Spanish Empire in America, in order to treat of them more fully under the Head of Trade in this Chapter.

TRADE.] The Value of the Merchandize in the City of Mexico is not to be computed; this City being the Mart for all Goods brought from the Eaft-Indies, or Europe: Thofe of the Eat-Indies they receive from Acapulco, a Sea-port in Mexico, on the South-Sea; and those of Europe from La Vera-Cruz, fituated in the Bay of Mexico ör the North-Sea: And their own native Treafures, Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, &c. added to the former, make the Shops and Markets of Mexico the richeft that are to be found in any Town upon the Face of the Earth. It feems, the Spaniards employ but two Ships annually in the rich Trade between Acapulco and the Philippine Illands near the Coaft of China; they do not go together in Company, but make the Voyage alternately: One of them fets out from Acapulco the latter end of March, or the Beginning of April and arrives at Manila, in the Philippine Inlands, fome time in June, when the other is ready to fail from Manila to Acapulco. It is reckoned about 8000 Miles from Acapulco to Manila; and these the Spaniards fail in ten Weeks, or three Months, in going from Mexico to Manila, having a constant Trade-wind from the North-eaft, and ferene Weather in 18 or 12 Degrees of North Latitude, which they get into as foon as they can, and have fcarce any Occafion to alter their Sails till they arrive at the Ladrone Inlands, about 400 Leagues fhort of the Philippines, where they touch, and take in fresh Provifions and Water. And, in this Latitude, the South-Sea may well be filed Pacific; for they fcarce ever meet with Storms, or bad Weather, all the Way. The Cargo of this Ship confifts chiefly of Silver. The Voyage from Manila to Acapulco is performed with incredible Hazards and Hardfhips, which no Gain would induce a wife Man to undertake twice; for, when they leave Manila, they are forced to abandon the Pacific Part of the Ocean, and ftand away to the North, till they come in about 35, or perhaps 40 Degrees, before they can meet with Wefterly, or even variable Winds! And here they are toffed by the mountainous Waves, and their Patience tried by unconftant Weather. This Voyage may be looked upon as the longest and most dreadful of any in the World; as well becaufe of the vaft Ocean to be crcffed, the Wind always a-head, as for the terrible Tempefts, which happen one upon the back of another, in the Courfe they

are

are obliged to take, and for the defperate Difeafes that feize People, and many other fhocking Calamities. The Spaniards, in failing from the Philippine Islands to America, always take Advantage of the Southerly Monsoon, which fets-in about May or June, on the Coast of China, and blows till September or October; this carrying them as high as Latitude 30 Deg. North, where they begin to meet with variable Winds, it being very difficult for them to fail Eaft: And, it seems, they ufually arrive at the defired Port of Acupulco about Christmas. The Merchants, 'tis faid, ufually get 150, or 200 per Cent. by this Voyage; the Pilot may make about 20,000 Pieces of Eight (45. 6d. each.) his Mates 90co each; the Captain of the Galleon 40,000; the Boatswain, who has the Privilege of taking feveral Bales of Goods on board, gets an Eftate in one Voyage; and the Wages of every Sailor is about 370 Pieces of Eight, amounting to about 847. Sterling. The Cargo of this Ship from Manila confists of Diamonds, Rubics, Sapphires, and other precious Stones, found in the Eaft-Indies; Cinnamon, Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, and Pepper; rich Carpets of Perfia, the Camphire of Borneo, the Benjamin and Ivory of Pegu and Cambadia; Silks, Muflins, and Calicoes of the East-Indies; the Goldduft, Tea, China-ware, Silk, Cabinets, &. of China and Japan: All which amount to a prodigious Sum; this one Ship having more Riches in it than fome whole Fleets. These Ships, employed to carry on this rich Trade, are usually Ships of good Force, and commonly 800, or 10co Tons Burden. At the time this Ship arrives at Acapulco from Manila, there come in two or three Ships from Lima in Peru, very little inferior to the former in Value, being laden with Silver, Quickfilver, Cocoa-nuts, and other rich Merchandize of South America, with which they purchase the Merchandize of Europe, and the Eaft-Indies: For, in the Months of January and February, a great Fair is held at Acapulco; and a vaft Concourfe of Merchants come from Mexico to vend the Goods of Europe, and buy thofe of China, the East-Indies, and Peru. There is very little Trade carried on by the Coaft of Mexico; all Goods are carried from Acapulco to the City of Mexico, by Mules and Pack-horses; and from thence to Vera-Cruz in like manner, in order to be fhipp'd for Europe. This laft Town is of great Importance, on account of the Flotilla reforting thither, to receive the Gold and Silver found in the Mines of Mexico; and its being a Mart of all manner of rich Merchandize, that are brought hither from China, the Eaft-Indies, Peru, and Europe;