He was here in great distress, and his Men had mutiny'd. Some of the sent in a Canoe to Hispaniola, the others remained with him at Porto Buono, in the North-side of Jamaica, being an extraordinary good Port, and the place which was afterwards called by the Spaniards Sevilla, and at this day St. Anns. The Indians murmured, thinking one Christian eat as much as twenty of them, and would not support them, till Columbus ‖‖ Col. c. 103 took the advantage of an Eclipse was to be the next night, viz the 29th of February, 1504. He told them the God of the Christians was angry with them, and would send them Pestilence and Famine, if they did not relieve his Men. As a sign of the truth of it, next night they should see the Moon eclipsed. The Indians brought him Victuals, when they saw the Prediction fulfill'd, desiring he would intercede for them, and promise to fight their Enemies. This he engag'd to do, and came out of his Closet at the time when he knew the Eclipse was to end, saying his Prayers were granted. He liv'd by the effects of this Eclipse till Boats came from Hispaniola, and carried him and his Men thither. This Story is the more Authentic, because the Author ** Fernan Col. Galvanos, 1679. was there present with his Father. †† Oviedo, Cor. cap. 49. This Island was conquered under Don Diego Colon by Juan de Esquivel, and other Captains. In some small time the Indian Inhabitants, to the number of sixty thousand ‖‖ Bart. de las Casas. were all destroyed by the Severities of the Spaniards, sending to Mines, &c. I have seen in the Woods, many of their Bones in Caves, which some people thought were of such as had voluntarily inclos'd or immured themselves, in order to be starved to death, to avoid the Severities of their Masters.
However the Spaniards planted here as at Hispaniola, and from hence ** Galvanos, p. 1084. Garay Governour of it in 1523. went in three Ships and discover'd Florida from the Cape of that name to Vera-cruz, and would have planted it, had he not been hindered by Cortes. This Island had in it, in the North side †† Laet. p. 20. Sevilla now called St. Anns, the Ruins of which are now to be seen. In this Town were large Houses, and a Cathedral Church, of which the famous Peter Martyr was Abbot. ‖‖ Ib. p. 9 The Abbot of this place was Suffragan to the Archbishop of Santo Domingo in Hispaniola. On the same side of the Island, about eleven Leagues to the East of Sevilla was Melilla, and fourteen Leagues from it on the South side was Oristan. It was very meanly inhabited by the Spaniards, ** Chilton. had no Money †† Alex. Ursine. 1419. and only fifty Persons in one Town, but they had ‖‖ Earl of Cumberland, p. 1147. Sir Anthony Sherley, p. 596 and 601. Crawles and Stancias, where was planted Cassada. It had Beeves wild, and so consequently Hides and dry'd Beef, &c. and was reckoned the most pleasant and fruitful Isle in the West-Indies, and a Store-house for the Main. Notwithftanding thisit
