Pedro Fernandes de Queirós - Terra Australis Incognita; Or, A New Southern Discovery, containing A Fifth Part of the World

Sir,

I am called Captain Peter Ferdinand De Quir, a most humble Servant and Subject of your Majesty's, who in all Submission do shew unto you, that this is the Eighth Petition, which by me hath been presented to your Majesty's View, to perswade the Conduction of some Colonies, unto the Land which your Majesty hath commanded to be discovered in the Country of Terra Australis incognita: And yet to this Hour no Resolution is taken in this Affair, neither have I received any Answer or Hope, whereby I might rest assured to obtain my Dispatch, although I have attended Fourteen Months in your Court, and have employ'd Fourteen Years in this Discovery, unto the which I have been induced by the meer Goodness of the Cause, and in the Assuredness of the same have obdurated my self against all Difficulties and Contradictions whatsoever. I have desperately exposed my self to a thousand Perils both by Sea and Land, I have diminished and sunk my Estate, I have been travailed with many Afflictions in my Person, and suffered such strange and extraordinary Crosses, that they seem almost incredible to my self; and all, that so Religious an Undertake should not unworthily be abandoned. In regard whereof, I do most humbly beseech your Majesty in the Bowels of the Divine Charity, that you would be pleased to take Order, that I be not deprived of the Fruits of this Design, which with such Instance I do desire, and which with so much Justice are due unto my continual Pains and Travel: Nor that I be debarr'd from the Effects of so considerable and well-grounded a Request, whose principal Scope is the Glory of God, and of your Majesty, and from whence infinite Benefits are likely to issue forth, which will live as long as the Fabrick of the World shall subsist, and after the Dissolution thereof, will remain to all Eternity.

Touching the Extent of these Regions newly discovered, grounding my Judgment on that which I have seen with mine own Eyes, and upon that which Captain Lewes Paez de Terres Admiral of my Fleet, hath represented unto your Majesty, the Length thereof is as great as all Europe and Asia the Less, unto the Sea of Bachu, Persia, and all the Isles, as well of the Ocean, as of the Medeterranean Sea, taking England and Island into this Account.

This unknown Country is the Fifth part of the Terrestrial Globe, and extendeth it self to such Length, that in probability it is twice greater in Kingdoms and Seignories, than all that which at this Day doth acknowledge Subjection and Obedience unto your Majesty.

These Regions know no Neighbourhood either of Turks or Moors, or of any other Nation which attempteth War upon confining Countries. The Land which we have discovered is all seated within the Torrid Zone, and a great Tract thereof reacheth unto the Equinoctial Circle, which is elevated unto them to 90 Degrees above the Horizon, and in some Places a little less. And if the Success prove answerable unto the Hopes, there will be found Antipodes unto the better part of Africk, unto all Europe, and to the greater Portion of Asia. But you must observe, that as the Countries which we have discover'd in 15 Degrees of Latitude, are better than Spain, so the other which are opposed to their Elevation, must by Proportion and Analogy prove some Terrestrial Paradise.

All those Quarters swarm with an incredible Multitude of inhabitants, whereof some are white, others black, and in Colour like unto those which the Spaniards call Mulatos, or half Moors, and others of a mingled Complexion. Some! wear their Hair long, black, and scatter'd, others have their Hair crisped and thick, and others very yellow and bright. Which Diversity is an apparent Argument, that there is Commerce and Communication amongst them. And this Consideration, together with the Bounty which Nature hath bestowed on the Soil, their Inexperience of Artillery and Guns, and their Unskilfulness in labouring in Mines, with other semblable Circumstances, doth induce me to infer, that all the Country is rich and well-peopled. It seemeth they know little what belongeth to Artificial Trades; for they have neither Fortifications nor Walls, and live without the Awe of Kings or Laws. They are a simple People, canton'd into' several Sects, and Factions, and exercise much Disagreement amongst themselves. The Arms which they use are Bows and Arrows, which are not poisoned or steeped in the Juice of venomous Herbs, as the Custom is of many other Countries: They do also carry Clubs, Truncheons, Pikes, Darts, to hurl with the Arm, all which ate framed only of Wood. They do cover themselves from the Waste of Girdling-place down to the half of their Thighs; they are very studious of Cleanliness, tractable, gleeful, and wonderously addicted to be grateful unto those that do them a Courtesie, as I have experienced many times. The which doth build in me a belief, that, with the Assistance of God, if they may be gently and amiably intreated, they will be found very docible and easie of Manage, and that we shall without much Work accommodate our selves unto them. And it is most necessary to observe this way of Sweetness, especially in the Beginning, that the Inhabitants may be drawn along to this so holy and saving an End, whereof we ought to take a particular Care and Zeal, as well in small things, as in Matters of more Importance. Their Houses are built of Wood, covered and tiled with Palm-tree Leaves; they have Pitchers and Vessels made of Earth, they are not without the Mystery of Weaving, and other Curiosities of that kind. They work on Marble, they have Flutes, Drums and Wooden-Spoons, they set apart certain Places for Oratories and Prayers, and for Church-yards. Their Gardens are artificially severed into Beds, bordered and fashioned with distinct Limits; Mother of Pearl, and the Shells which contain Pearl, they have in much use and Estimation, of which they make Wedges, Razors, Saws, Cutters, and such like instruments; They also do make thereof Pearls and great Beads to wear about their Necks; they that do dwell in the Islands have Boats very artificially made, and exceedingly commodious for Sailing, which is a certain Argument that they confine upon other Nations that are of a more polished and elegant Behaviour. And this also they have of our Husbandry, that they cut Cocks and geld Boars.

Their Bread is usually made of three Sorts of Roots, which grow there in great abundance. Neither do they employ much Labour in making this Bread, for they do only roast the Roots until they are soft and tender. They are very pleasant to the Taste, wholsome and nourishing, they are of a good Length, there being of them of an Ell long, and the half of that in Bigness.