A Voyage to the Islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica/Volume 1/Preface
THE
PREFACE.
It is now Eighteen Years since I went Physician to the Duke of Albemarle to Jamaica. I had from my Youth been very much pleas'd with the Study of Plants, and other Parts of Nature, and had seen most of those Kinds of Curiosities, which were to be found either in the Fields, or in the Gardens or Cabinets of the Curious in these Parts. The Accounts of these strange Things, with which I met with in Collections, and, was inform'd, were common in the West-Indies, were not so Satisfactory as I desired. I was Young, and could not be so easy, if I had not the pleasure to see what I had heard so much of, especially since it has been a great contentment to me, to see many things cultivated in English Gardens which I had seen grow wild in other countries, whereof I conceived my self afterwards to be better appris'd, than I was of such as I had not seen common in the Fields, and in plenty. I thought by that means the Ideas of them would be better imprinted in my Mind, and that, upon occasion, both the knowledge of them and their Uses might be afterwards more familiar to me. These Inclinations remain'd with me some time after I had settled my self to practise Physic in London, and had had the Honour to be admitted a Fellow of the College of Physicians, as well as of the Royal Society. These unmerited Favours did not at all alter my mind, but rather incited me to do what I could to be no useless Member, but to cast in my Mite towards the Advancement of Natural Knowledge, and the Faculty of Physic, and by that means endeavour to deserve a Place amoungst so many Great and Worthy Persons: This Voyage seem'd likewise to promise to be useful to me, as a Physician; many of the Antient and best Physicians having travell'd to the Places whence their Drugs were brought, to inform themselves concerning them.
His Grace the Duke of Albemarle having obtain'd the supreme Command of the Island of Jamaica, and other Parts of English-America, where he should arrive, employ'd Dr. Barwick, who was his Physician, to look out for one who could take care of Him and his Family in case of Sickness; Dr. Barwick spake to me in this matter, enquiring if any Physician of my Acquaintance would undertake it. This seem'd to me to be such an Opportunity as I my self wanted, to view the Places and Things I design'd, and at the same time to prosecute the Practice of Physic; wherefore I desir'd he would give me time to think of it, and after due consideration I resolv'd to go, provided some Preliminaries and Conditions were agreed to, which were all granted.
I intended so soon as on board to have made several Experiments and Observations in the Voyage, but was prevented by a very long and tedious Sea-Sickness, unless in some particulars, of which I have given an Account in the ensuing Voyage. His Grace the Duke of Albemarl's Commission and Instructions requiring he should muster all the Forces of the English-Caribe-Islands, in his way to Jamaica, made him stop some days at most of them, which gave me an opportunity of spending some time in looking after the Curiosities of those Places, which are taken Notice of in the Voyage thither. I have left out most of whatever is related by any Author I had perused, unless what they mention of the Uses of Plants, or such particulars wherein I thought, they were mistaken.
Upon my Arrival in Jamaica, I took what pains I could at leisure-Hours from the Business of my Profession, to search the several Places I could think afforded Natural Productions, and immediately described them in a Journal, measuring their several Parts by my Thumb, which, with a little allowance, I reckoned an Inch. I thought it needless to be more exact, because the Leaves of Vegetables of the same sorts, Wings of Birds, &c, do vary more from one another, than that does from the exact measure of an Inch; as to Colours, 'tis certain they are very hard to describe: There are so many Varieties of them, that they require new Names to express them. I observed in describing of them, that the Leaves of most, if not all, Plants are Greenest on their uppermost sides, or that exposed to the Sun-Beams; and Lighter and more Whitish underneath. This is not only so in Jamaica, but in all places where I have been; when the Leaves or Tops of Plants have not been exposed to the Light and Sun, they are not only whiter, but tenderer, and often digestible by our Stomachs. This appears by the Tops of the Palm [in Jamaica and the West-Indies] call'd Cabbage-Trees the Germen, Sprout, Top, Bud or unexpanded Leaves of which, are boil'd, and eat like our Cabbage, or pickl'd. The tops of the Ghamæriphe or Dwarf-Palm (of the Leaves of which are made Brooms) are likewise eaten in Spain and Italy. Thus Hops, White-Briony, Smilax aspera, Sparagus, just sprouting, common Cabbage naturally, Seleri, Lettuce, Fennel, Chardons and several Herbs, are render'd White and tender by only being cover'd with Earth from the Sun and Light. I have seen a common Bramble whose Twigs accidentally grew through the chink of a Window into a dark Room, which, because not exposed to the Light or Sun, were white and tender. 'Tis not only so, as I believe, in Greens, but also in other Colours which are heightned by the Sun: for the great variety of Colours observ'd in Tulips, at, first sprouting out are all whitish, then greenish, and when the Sun and Light has farther acted upon them, they arrive at that variety we observe in them with pleasure. This I take notice of, because the same Plants I describe, may have in European Gardens different Colours, from what they are in their native Soil, and a warmer Sun.
After I had gather'd and describ'd the Plants, I dried as fair Samples of them as I could, to bring over with me. When I met with Fruits that could not be dried or kept, I employ'd the Reverend Mr. Moore, one of the best Designers I could meet with there, to take the Figures of them, as also of the Fishes, Birds, Insects, &c. in Crayons, and carried him with me into several places of the Country, that he might take them on the place. When I return'd into England, I brought with me about 800 Plants, most whereof were New, with the Designs before-mention'd, &c. And shew'd them very freely to all lovers of such Curiosities: I gave my very particular and intimate Friend Mr. Courten whatever I brought with me, that he wanted in his extraordinary Museum. Amongst other Persons who saw them, was Sir Arthur Rawdon, who observing the great variety of Plants I had brought with me, sent over Mr. James Harlow, a Gardener, (who had formerly gone to Virginia for Mr. Watts) to bring the Plants themselves alive to him, for his Garden at Moyra in Ireland. This Mr. Harlow perform'd, and there they grew and came many of them to great perfection. He not only brought over with him a Ship almost laden with Cases of Trees, and Herbs, planted and growing in Earth; but also a great number of Samples of them very well preserv'd in Paper; and knowing that he that went over on purpose, might meet with some things I had not observ'd, and seen others in different Seasons from me, I wrote to Sir Arthur Rawdon and my very learned Friend Dr. William Sherard, who then was with him, to desire the favour of them, that in order to the perfecting my Account of Jamaica, I might have a sight of what of that kind he brought over with him. This Sir Arthur Rawdon and Dr. Sherard not only granted, but also made me a Present of such Samples as had been brought over which I wanted. The Reader will find these taken notice of, in several Places of this History. After I had perused them, they were, together with abundance of other rare Plants, by Dr. Sherard's Direction sent to Oxford, where Mr. Jacob Bobart has made very good use of them in the History of Plants he lately publish'd there; and lest there might from dry Samples, come any Confusion in Natural History, Dr. Sherard afterwards at my Request gave me the View of such Plants as Mr. Bobart had describ'd, which has enabled me to put the Synonymous Names of the aforesaid History of Plants, publish'd by Mr. Bobart, which the Reader will likewise find taken notice of in their due places. These were not the only Favours I had of Dr. Sherard; for he furnished me with many scarce Books he bought in his Travels beyond Sea.
Many Persons were desirous I should publish an Account of what I met with towards the forwarding Natural History, I consented to this, provided the Observations I had made, should be thought worthy of Publication. I thought the greatest Judge I could advise with, in these Circumstances, was Mr. Ray, who for his Probity, Learning, Language, &c. seem'd to me the properest to advise with: I therefore waited on him, shew'd him Some of the Plants, and transmitted to him my Observations on them. I desired him to correct them and add his Emendations. He was pleased to approve of them, and think much better of them than I my self did, or do; so that the Emendations I expected, are wanting. I am afraid his Kindness, and favourable Opinion of me, may be the cause; for I am sensible there are herein a great many faults, not only in Hypotheses or Opinions, which I propose only as Conjectures, and shall easily part with; but there are likewise many imperfections in the Language, and in the Observations themselves, which were generally written in haste, and by me, who know too well how unduly qualified I am for such an Undertaking. However, such as they were, when I was resolv'd to publish them, I thought it necessary to look into the Books in several Languages, which treated of these Subjects either designedly or accidentally. Some Men seem to have a great desire to be the first Authors of discovering such or such Plants, and to have them carry their Names in the first Place, but I endeavour'd rather to find if any thing I had observ'd was taken Notice of by other Persons; I therefore look'd into most Books of this Nature, and the greatest part of what I found, is publish'd in the Catalogue of Jamaica Plants I printed about ten Years since, wherein I endeavour'd to do right to the first Authors and the Publick; It is a Catalogue of the Plants I met with at Jamaica, &c. Which I think, for Synonymous Names of the Plants therein mentioned, is somewhat more Copious and exact than any other before it: And which may be of some Use to inquisitive Persons, especially when they shall have this History of the things therein contain'd. I have not reprinted in this Book those Names or Titles, because 'twas great Labour, and is done there already, but have only added the Synonymous Names I found in such Books as are since Publish'd or come to my Hands. The looking after the Observations of Others, to make this more Exact and Useful, has given an Opportunity to several People to anticipate me, by either Publishing such Things as I have shewn them, told them, or communicated to Mr. Courten, from whom they had them; wherein they have committed some Mistakes, for want of full Information or exact Memory.
I have been sometimes short, in giving the Uses of these Plants, but I hope I may be understood, and the Author whose Name is set down (Abbreviated,) may on any Ambiguous or Obscure Passage be consulted, for those Notes were written to bring to my Mind what they said, to be perused at leisure, and modell'd after, which I have never yet had time to do. The principal Design of them was, that the Inhabitants of those Places, might understand what Uses the Plants they have growing Sponte or in Gardens with them, are put to in any of the Countries wherever they grow, that so they may have recourse to them in Cases that require them. It is very hard to carry thither such European Simples as are proper for the Cure of all sorts of Diseases, and People are put to it to find such as are effectual in some of them, and yet will keep their Vertues. This puzzl'd me several times, as may be seen in the following Medical Observations.
The first Volume contains an Introduction, giving an Account of the Situation, Temperature, Diseases, &c. of the Island, which seem'd necessary to be premis'd to the History itself. After this, follows the Voyage thither, and then the History of the Plants that grow there, in which I have followed mostly the Method of Mr. Ray in his History of Plants, joining his Genera or Tribes together by the Method of Rivinus, or Number of the Petala or Leaves of the Flowers; As thofe which are Monopetalous first, those Dipetalous next, then the Tripetalous, Tetrapetalous, Pentapetalous, Hexapetalous, and such as have no exact Numbers of Coloured Leaves in their Flowers. When this History was begun, and near finished, I wanted many considerable helps, the Method of the great Botanist Dr. Tournefort was not printed, much less the Book of new Kinds of West-India Plants, lately publish'd by Mons. Plumier, who, since my Return from the West-Indies, went into the Caribe-Islands, and there observ'd and design'd himself many of the Plants very accurately. He has engrav'd them himself, and printed a Book, which consists chiefly of Ferns; And has sav'd me a great deal of Trouble, finding his Figures so Good, that I did not judge it necessary the same Plants should be engraven again, but be only referr'd to, in my History.
In the Second are contained the Trees, the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Testaceous and Crustaceous Animals, and Insects, &c.
It may be ask'd me to what Purposes serve such Accounts, I answer, that the Knowlege of Natural-History, being Observation of Matters of Fact, is more certain than most Others, and in my slender Opinion, less subject to Mistakes than Reasonings, Hypotheses, and Deductions are; And on this Occasion I have heard it reported of Gabriel Naude, That he used to say he Acquiesc'd in the Ecclesiastical History, Doubted the Civil, and Believ'd the Natural. These are things we are sure of, so far as our Senses are not fallible, and which, in probability, have been ever since the Creation, and will remain to the End of the World, in the same Condition we now find them: They afford great Matter of Admiring the Power, Wisdom and Providence of Almighty God, in Creating, and Preserving the things he has created. There appears so much Contrivance, in the variety of Beings, preserv'd from the beginning of the World, that the more any Man searches, the more he will admire; And conclude them, very ignorant in the History of Nature, who say, they were the Productions of Chance.
Another Use of this History may be, to teach the Inhabitants of the Parts where these Plants grow, their several Uses, which I have endeavour'd to do, by the best Informations I could get from Books, and the Inhabitants, either Europeans, Indians or Blacks. Jamaica had been, before it was taken by the English, in the possession of the Spaniards, almost from the time the West-Indies were discover'd: They had brought many Fruit-Trees from the Main-Continent, where they are Masters, and suffer no other Europeans to come; which throve wonderfully, and now grow as it were Sponte: These they made use of for Food, Physic, &c. And were forc'd to leave with their Habitations, to the English, and the Skill of Using them remain'd with the Blacks and Indians, many of whom came, upon a Proclamation that they should be Free, submitted peaceably, and liv'd with the English after the Spaniards had deserted it. There were among these, several which made small Plantations of their own, wherein they took care to preserve and propagate such Vegetables as grew in their own Countries, to use them as they saw occasion: I made search after these, and what I found, is related in this History. Besides these Helps, some of the Dutch who had liv'd in Brasil, came hither, and others of the Dutch and English from Surinam, where they had observ'd the Effects of some Plants they met with in Jamaica, and used them for the same Purposes they had done in Brasil and Surinam, towards the Relief of the Inhabitants. For this Reason the Reader will find herein, many of the Vertues of Plants to agree with the Observations of Authors, writing of other Parts of the West-Indies.
There is another Use to be made of this Book, which is this; In reading Voyages, and talking with Travellers to the West-Indies, &c. one shall meet with Words, and Names of Things, one has no Notion or Conception of: by looking for such Names in the Index of the Catalogue of Jamaica Plants, you are referr'd to the Page where you find a List of such as have treated of it; And in this History under the first Title of it in the Catalogue, is the History of it. If on the other hand, any Person desires to know who has written of such or such a Plant in Jamaica, let him look into the Catalogue, and under the first Title of the Plant, he will find Citations to direct him to the Pages of most of the Books wherein it is spoken of.
Another Advantage, the Knowlege of what is produced there naturally brings, is a Consideration of the Causes of some very strange, but certain, Matters of Fact. It has puzzl'd the Philosophers of all Ages, to give an Account how Parts of Vegetables and Animals, Real Sea-Shells and Substances should be found remote from the Seas, wherein they seem to have been produced and bred. This Phænomenon will appear stranger, when it is made out, that many of the Substances, as for instance, Corals, Echini marini, the Palats and Tongues of Fishes hereafter described, and which now live and breed in the Seas, adjoining to Jamaica, and no nearer than some few Degrees on this side, are found in as great plenty in the Inland Parts of England imbedded in the Earth, Clay, Sand, Chalk, or Stone, as if it had once been the natural Place of their Production and Increase. This I was very much surprisd to find.
These matters of Fact being certainly laid down, may perhaps afford some Hints for the more clear Reasonings and Deductions of better Heads; And I know not but that the several Species of new Ferns, and Some Plants by me found there, and here describ'd and figur'd, may be discover'd upon some of the Stones or Slates called Werk, which lie in plenty in the Strata over the Cole-pits in many Places of England. These Plants and their Impressions are of several Kinds, and many of them are not to be reduced to the Ferns or Plants, found in England or the adjoining Countries. His Grace the Duke of Beaufort has done me the honour to give me some of these Slates he had in Glocestershire; Dr. Richardson from Yorkshire has communicated several of them to me; as has also Mr. Beaumont from Somersetshire.
Upon the first Discovery of the West-Indies, several People went thither on the Account of observing its Natural Productions. The first that I read of is one Codrus an Italian, who went from Spain for that purpose. The Discoveries he made were but few, or not communicated to the World: The only Account we have of him, is in Peter Martyr's Decads, wherein that Elegant Writer acquaints the Pope, what News they then had in Spain, from the West-Indies. Hernandez was sent by the King of Spain, to search after Natural Productions about Mexico; He design'd and describ'd many of the things he met with, at the Expence of 60000 Ducats; his Papers were put into the hands of Nardus Antonius Recchus, from whose Manuscripts they were by the Lyncei Publish'd at Rome, Anno 1649. They were chang'd from their first order, as appears by the Spanish-Copy, Printed at Mexico; and 'tis pity that they were alter'd, and are so short and obscure: Meeting with many of the Plants he describes in Jamaica, I had a great mind to be satisfied about them, and being told that the Original Draughts were in the King of Spain's Library, in the Escurial near Madrid, I wrote to Mr. Aglionby when he was Envoy from the late King William to the Court of Spain, to procure a Sight of that Work, and give me an Account of it. He was so obliging as to take the Pains to go thither, and was told that the Book was there, and that he should some time or other see it; which, tho' he endeavour'd several Times, yet he could never effect. Neither had other curious Travellers, better Fortune; for when they had heard of this Book, and (knowing of what importance it would be to see these Originals) did endeavour to procure a Sight of them, the Library-Keepers were so ignorant, to produce to them, some other Book, no ways to the Purpose. Upon the whole matter, I am apt to think the Originals were carried to Rome, where the History was Publish'd, and that they remain'd there with Recchus his Nephew; where, If my Memory fail me not, Fabius Columna says he saw them, and that they are either to be found there, or at Naples, where Columna liv'd, that wrote Notes on them, or that they are lost. However, it went with the Manuscript, from which that at Rome was publish'd; there was a Copy printed at Mexico in Spanish, in the Year 1615. Francisco Ximenes, one who attended the Sick of the Hospital in that City, publish'd it then, with Emendations, Notes, and the Additional Observations he had made of several Simples he had found in Espaniola, or Sto. Domingo, and other Islinds of the West-Indies. John de Laet mentions this Book in Latin, and from him Vander Linden, in his Book de Scriptis Medicis has, I suppose, taken its Title, but I verily believe it was never printed in any other Language than Spanish. John de Laet takes many things out of him, and puts them very often in a wrong Place, as additional to the Observations of Marcgrave in Brasile, in the Edition of that Author, publish'd by him in 1648. But that Fault may be easily pardon'd, in one who was no more than a Collector and Editor of Books wherein he did not pretend to any great Knowlege.
The first I have seen among the French, who made any Natural Observations in the West-Indies to Purpose, was John de Lery; He went to Brasile, which Voyage he wrote, and gives a good and pleasant Account of many Things he met with. The next was Andre Thevet, who publish'd an Account of Brasile, under the Name of France Antartique; he went the same Voyage, I think, the Year after de Lery, and writes of the same things, in such a manner, that one would be apt to suspect he had seen Lery's Papers. The next upon this Argument, was Jaques Bouton, who wrote of the Island Martinico, which was the first settl'd of any of the French Islands. His Accounts are but very short; however, from him the other French Writers, I think, took many of their Names of Natural things. J.B. du Tertre wrote of the Caribe-Islands. His Work was pretty Large and Useful; and was contain'd at first in one Volume, printed in in 1654, in 4to and afterwards came out in 3 Vol. in 1667–71. There are therein many Remarks and Observations upon the French-Islands, and for Natural History, many things are figured, which, tho' not very accurately, yet are truer than those of any before him. Mons. Rochefort printed a Book of the Caribes, after du Tertre; he seems to me to have taken many things from the first Edition of du Tertre, and to agree with him in most things: The Figures he gives, I suppose were not drawn upon the Place, but by Memory, and are, for that Reason, not to be regarded. This Book is printed in English, in Folio, under the Title of the History of the Caribe-Islands.
According to the Division of the New-discover'd World, between the Spaniards and Portuguese, the last possess'd themselves of Brasile; Amongst others of that Nation who went thither, was one, suppos'd to be a Jesuit of Elvas, whose Name is ghess'd to be Tr. Manoel, who had the care of the Sick of the College of Baya, made Observations of that Country, and wrote them in a Book in the Portuguese Language: This Book was taken by Mr. Cook of Dartmouth, translated and publish'd by Purchas, p. 1289. Pilgr. part. 4. Tho' this was in itself a very short Relation, and little more than the Names of things, yet falling into the Hands of the Dutch, by being taken Notice of by de Laet in his America, (who had it out of Purchas's Collections,) it gave them occasion to enquire after many things therein mention'd; when they had conquer'd the greatest Part of Brasile: Piso who was a Physician, and Marcgrave an Industrious Scholar, going out of Holland thither, were very curious, and took great care to observe what they thought worth Notice, and had Marcgrave liv'd to have publish'd his own Observations, that Work would have been much more considerable; but his Papers falling into the Hands, first of John de Laet, who, tho' a Learned Man, yet was ignorant of Natural History; and then of Piso, who, tho' he was a Practical Physician, yet had no great Knowlege of Natural things; are not so much to be depended on as one could wish: The Figures and Descriptions are transpos'd, as I have found by examination, and the first Edition is preferable to the Second, wherein Piso hath taken too much Liberty of ascribing the Vertues of European Herbs to those of the same Tribe in Brasile. 'Tis very evident the Vertues of all Plants of the same Tribe, are not always found to correspond; we need go no farther than this History, wherein the Spanish Patata eaten commonly in Jamaica, is a true Convolvulus, the most part of which Family purge; the Cassada, of the Root of which Bread is made, is a true Ricinus, the Tribe of which, generally speaking, vomit and purge with great Violence, &c.
It may be objected, that 'tis to no purpose to any in these Parts of the World; to look after such Herbs, &c. because we never see them; I answer, that many of them and their several Parts have been brought over, and are used in Medicines every day, and more may, to the great Advantage of Physicians and Patients, were People inquisitive enough to look after them. The Plants themselves have been likewise brought over, planted, and throve very well at Moyra, in Ireland, by the Direction of Sir Arthur Rawdon; as also by the Order of the Right Reverend Dr. Henry Compton, Bishop of London, at Fulham; at Chelsea by Mr. Doudy; and Enfield by the Reverend Dr. Robert Uvedale; and in the Botanic Gardens of Amsterdam, Leyden, Leipsick, Upsal, &c. but especialty at Badminton in Glocester-shire, where they are not only rais'd some few handfuls high, but come to Perfection, flower and produce their ripe Fruits, even to my Admiration; and that, by the Direction of her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort, who at her leisure Hours, from her more serious Affairs, has taken pleasure to command the raising of Plants in her Garden, where, by means of Stoves and Infirmaries, many of them have come to greater Perfection, than in any Part of Europe.
It may be objected, that there is no end of such Discoveries, that every Country, and distant Climate, has different Plants, not to be found in England. I answer it is not so, for tho' England be very remote, both in Longitude and Latitude, from Jamaica, yet I found there many Plants, which grow Sponte, which also I found to grow wild in England, and more I observ'd to be common to that Place, and the South Parts of France. By Collections sent to the very Industrious and Skilful Botanist Mr. Petiver, others, and my self, from Spain, Portugal, Barbary, Guinea, and the East-Indies, as well as by the Hortus Malabaricus, I find a great many Plants common to Spain, Portugal and Jamaica, more common to Jamaica and the East-Indies, and most of all common to Jamaica and Guinea; so that the following History may reasonably be suppos'd, not only to describe most of the Natural Productions of Espaniola, Barbados and the other hot American Isles, but also many of those of Guinea and the East-Indies, and therefore may be thought to contribute to the more distinct Knowlege of all those Parts.
I have been so conversant in Matters of this nature for several Years, that I know 'tis impossible to escape the Censure of several sorts of Men, as the Envious and Malitious, who will, I am sure, spare no Pains to find Faults; those who strive to make ridiculous any thing of this kind, and think themselves great Wits, but are very Ignorant, and understand nothing of the Argument. These, if one were afraid of them, and consulted his own Ease, might possibly hinder the Publication of any such Work, the Efforts to be expected from them, making possibly some impression upon, Persons of equal Dispositions; but considering: that I have the Approbation of Others, whose Judgement, Knowlege, &c. I have great reason to value; And considering that these sorts of Men, have been in all Ages ready to do the like, not only to ordinary Persons, and their Equals, but even to abuse their Princes, and blaspheme their Maker; I shall, as I have, ever since I seriously consider'd this Matter, think, of and treat them with the greatest Contempt.