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Page 59
wind and rain. There is no doubt that they would build stately
edifices if they had workmen as skilful as ours, for the whole sea-
coast abounds in shining stones, crystals, and alabaster, and for
the same reason it has ports and retreats for animals. They change
their habitations from place to place as circumstances of situation
and season may require; this is easily done, as they have only to
take with them their mats, and they have other houses prepared at
once. The father and the whole family dwell together in one house in
great numbers; in some we saw twenty-five or thirty persons. Their
food is pulse, as with the other tribes, which is here better than
elsewhere, and more carefully cultivated; in the time of sowing they
are governed by the moon, the sprouting of grain, and many other
ancient usages. They live by hunting and fishing, and they are long-
lived. If they fall sick, they cure themselves without medicine, by
the heat of the fire, and their death at last comes from extreme old
age. We judge them to be very affectionate and charitable towards
their relatives--making loud lamentations in their adversity, and in
their misery calling to mind all their good fortune. At their
departure out of life, their relations mutually join in weeping,
mingled with singing, for a long while. This is all that we could
learn of them. This region is situated in the parallel of Rome,
being 41 degrees 40' of north latitude, but much colder than
accidental circumstances, and not by nature, as I shall hereafter
explain to your Majesty, and confine myself at present to the
description of its local situation. It looks towards the south, on
which side the harbour is half a league broad; afterwards upon
entering it, the extent between the east (oriente) and north is
twelve leagues,[Footnote: See ante, p.51, note] and than enlarging
itself it forms a very large bay, twenty leagues in circumference,
in which are five small islands, of great fertility and beauty,
covered with large and lofty trees. Among these islands any fleet,
however large, might ride safely, without fear of tempests or other
dangers. Turning towards the south, at the entrance of the harbour,
on both sides, there are very pleasant hills, and many streams of
clear water, which flow down to the sea. In the midst of the
entrance there is a rock of freestone, formed by nature, and
suitable for the construction of any kind of machine or bulwark for
the defence of the harbour.
Having supplied ourselves with every thing necessary, on the sixth
(sei) of May we departed from the port, and sailed one hundred and
fifty leagues, keeping so close to the coast as never to lose it
from our sight; the nature of the country appeared much the same as
before, but the mountains were a little higher, and all in
appearance rich in minerals. We did not stop to land as the weather
was very favourable for pursuing our voyage, and the country
presented no variety. The shore stretched to the east, and fifty
leagues beyond more to the north, where we found a more elevated
country, full of very thick woods of fir trees, cypresses and the
like, indicative of a cold climate. The people ware entirely
different from the others we had seen, whom we had found kind and
gentle, but these were so rude and barbarous that we were unable by
any signs we could make, to hold communication with them. They
clothe themselves in the skins of bears, lynxes, seals and other
animals. Their food, as far as we could judge by several visits to
their dwellings, is obtained by hunting and fishing, and fruits,
which are a sort of root of spontaneous growth. They have no pulse,
and we saw no signs of cultivation; the land appears sterile and
unfit for growing of fruit or grain of any kind. If we wished at any
time to traffick with them, they came to the sea shore and stood
upon the rocks, from which they lowered down by a cord to our boats
beneath whatever they had to barter, continually crying out to us,
not to come nearer, and instantly demanding from us that which was
to be given in exchange; they took from us only knives, fish books
and sharpened steel. No regard was paid to out courtesies; when we
had nothing left to exchange with them, the men at our departure
made the moat brutal signs of disdain and contempt possible. Against
their will we penetrated two or three leagues into the interior
with, twenty-five men; when we came to the shore, they shot at us
with their arrows, raising the most horrible cries and afterwards
fleeing to the woods. In this region we found nothing extraordinary
except vast forests and some metalliferous hills, as we infer from
seeing that many of the people wore copper ear-rings. Departing from
thence, we kept along the coast, steering north-east, and found the
country more pleasant and open, free from woods, and distant in the
interior we saw lofty mountains, but none which extended to the
shore. Within fifty leagues we discovered thirty-two islands, all
near the main land, small and of pleasant appearance, but high and
so disposed as to afford excellent harbours and channels, as we see
in the Adriatic gulph, near Illyria and Dalmatia. We had no
intercourse with the people, but we judge that they were similar in
nature and usages to those we were last among. After sailing between
east and north the distance of one hundred and fifty leagues more,
and finding our provisions and naval stores nearly exhausted, we
took in wood and water and determined to return to France, having
discovered 502, [Footnote: see ante. p. 58, note.] that is 700 (sic)
leagues of unknown lands.
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