Isles of St. Thomas

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

The Iland of S. THOMAS. (Book St. Thomas)

THE Iland of S. Thomas is next to be described, which the Portugals discoverd on S. Thomas day, and upon this occasion they called it the Iland of S. Thomas. It is situate under the Aequator, being almost round. The Diameter of it is 60. miles. When this Iland was discoverd it was full of great Trees, whose boughes did grow upward. It hath never any plague, the Ayre is warme and wholesome, but few Christians doe live here to 50. yeeres of age, so that it would be a wonder to see one there with a white beard. But the native Inhabitants doe live untill they be an hundred yeeres old. The dayes and nights are alwaies equall. In the Moneths of March and September they have many great showres of raine, which doe moisten the ground, but in the other moneths the fruits are watered, and refresht with the dew that falls upon them. This Iland hath a stiffe clommy soile, of a red duskish colour. It doth not beare Corne, Vines, or any Tree that hath stone fruit: but it beareth Mellons, Cowcumbers, Gourds, Figges, and great store of Ginger, and especially Sugar, for which they doe bring in Wine, Cheese, Corne, Hides, and other necessaries. But this traffick hath ceased since that certaine wormes began to eate the rootes of the Sugar-canes, so that now scarce 6. Ships doe goe from thence loaded with Sugar. It hath also great store of Millet, Rice, and Barley, and great plenty of Lettice, Colworts, Cabbages, Rape-rootes, Beete, Parsley, or wilde Alexander, and other Garden hearbs. And besides it hath a roote which groweth in the West-Indies in the Iland Hispaniola, which is there called Bata. The Negroes of this Iland doe call it Ignama, and doe plant it as a very choise and speciall hearbe. The outermost barke is black, the innermost white, and it is long like a Rape-roote, and hath many branches spreading from the roote. It tasteth like Chesnuts, but more pleasant and sweete. They commonly rost them in the ashes, and sometimes they eate them raw. The Spaniards have brought hither Olive-trees, Peach-trees, Almond-trees, and other kindes of Trees, which being planted were faire and pleasant to behold, but they never beare any fruit. There is in this Iland a strange kinde of Crab, which liveth in the Earth like a Mole, of a Sea-water colour, which casteth up the Earth, and doth gnaw and consume all things neere it. There are also in this Iland great store of Birds, as Partridges, Starlings, Blackbirds, greene singing Sparrowes, and Parrots. The Portugals built a Citty in it which they called Pavosa, by the River, in which it is thought that there 700. Families, besides the Bishop and other Clergie men. It hath a good Haven, and a wholesome River, and the Sea affoordeth good fishing. And which is wonderfull, there are great store of Whales, which are sometimes found on this shore, and on other shores of Affrick. In the middle of the Iland there is a wooddy Mountaine, which is alwaies coverd with such thick Clouds, in so much that water doth runne out of the woods, and water the Sugar-canes: and the higher the Sunne is, the Skie round about that Mountaine is the more cloudy. The Inhabitants are partly white, and partly black. And it is very strange that the black people are very much troubled with Gnats, Lice, and Fleas: but the white people have neither Lice, nor Gnats, nor Fleas in their Beds.

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of the Iland of Saint Thomas. Saint Thomas Iland lieth just under the Equinoctiall Line; the prime Citie is Povoasan, inhabited principally by Portugals and Negro's, abounding onely in Sugar, which here groweth in Canes, and are made so that yearely 50 great Ships are heere laden with that Commoditie for Spaine and Portugall, whereto I am not able to adde any other materiall point of Trade, because of my ignorance therein.

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome

Between Guiny and the Lower Aethiopia, is a Guph, where are the Isles of St. THOMAS, Princes Island, Fernand Poo, Annobon or Bon Anne; and farther in the Great Sea, St. Matthew, the Ascention, St. Helena, &c. These Isles have their names from the day whereon they were discovered: That of the Prince, because its Revenue was designed for the Prince of Portugal; that of Fernand Poo, from him that discovered it.

But of all these Islands that of St. THOMAS is by much the greatest, and the best: Its form is almost round, it is thirty, others say forty; others, and with more apparent truth 60000 Paces Diameter; which are 180000 Paces, or 65 Leagues circuit, seated under the Aequator; and by reason of the excessive heats which are there predominant: The Air is found very prejudicial and unhealthful to strangers, especially to the Europeans, who scarce ever reach to the age of fifty years, and the Women much less: Yet the Natives of the Countrey live commonly 100 years, and without sickness. They have no Rain but only in March and September, yet by reason of the Dews, which at all other times of the year falls, the Earth is well moistned, so that it brings forth all sorts of Fruits, Roots and Pot-Herbs; but their principal riches is their Sugars, of which, they have sometimes exported 150000 Arrobes, each Arrobe being 32 l. weight, which is five Millions of pounds yearly: Also Ginger, &c. there is carried them in exchange for their Commodities, Wines, Oyls, Cheese, Stuffs, Beads, Drinking-glasses, Corn-Flower, and little white Shels which serve for Money in Aethiopia, as in Guiny, &c. They Trade in the Neighbouring Coasts, where are the Rivers of Barca, Campo, St. Benito, St. Juan, and the Isle of Corisco: Those Grains and Vines which they would have sown and Planted, have not thriven, the Earth being too fat. They make their Bread of divers Roots; have their Wood from Palm-Trees: They feed much Fowl, have abundance of several sorts of Fish, both great and small, among others, Whales. They have also great store of four-footed Beasts, among others, their Hogs bear the Bell; which being fed with Sugar-Canes, after the Juyce is drawn out, grow fat, and become so excellent, that their Pullain is accounted for no value to them, even for sick people. The middle of the Isle is filled with Mountains, which are loaden with a great number of Trees, which are always covered with Clouds, which so moisten the Trees, that from them •alls so much fresh water, as makes many little streams, which waters all parts of the Island. The Portugals have built the City Pavoasan, containing about 〈◊〉 or 800 Houses, and some Forts, to defend the Port: They have erected a Bishoprick, and do allow of no Religion, but the Christian. This Town is vell frequented by Portugal Merchants, who trade in the Commodities aforesaid. The Inhabitants are Negroes, and very black.

PRINCES ISLAND hath a little City, and the Inhabitants live conveniently; the Isle being fruitful, yielding Fruits, Sugar, some Ginger, &c. Once taken by the Hollanders, who for some reasons soon abandoned it.

The Island of ANNOBON yields Sugars, Cottons, Cattle, and excellent Fruits especially large Oranges. In this Isle there is a Town of 100 or 120 Houses of Blacks, who are governed by some few Portugals.

The Island of St. HELLENA was first discovered by the Portugals upon the 21 of May; on which day, is celebrated the memory of St. Helena, the Mother of Constantine the Great; from whom it took its name. This Isle is so fertile, that it is observed no place in all Europe yields the like plenty; for with manuring and cultivating the Earth, it produceth excellent Fruits, which are here found all the year: It hath great store of Barbary Hens, Feasants, Partridges, Pigeons, Quails, Peacocks, with several sorts of small Birds in great plenty; it hath also Goats, Swine, &c. Yet this Isle is not inhabited, but serves for the English, Portugals, Spaniards and Hollanders, to refresh themselves in going, but for the most part in returning from the Indies; it being sufficient to furnish Ships with Provision for their Voyage; here being Salt to preserve the Meat from stinking; and besides, the Air is so healthful, that they often leave their sick people there, who in a short time are restored to perfect health; and by the next Ships that put in there, are taken in again. During which time, they find wherewithal to feed them: But some years ago, the Hollanders ruined all that was good, only to spite the Spaniards, who afterwards did the same, that the English, Hollanders, &c. might have no profit by it. This Island is well furnished with good Waters, which alone is a great refreshment to Ships.

The Islands of FERNAND POO, St. MATTHEWS, and ASCENSION, are also not inhabited, and of no great account, nor much known; which we shall pass by, saying only, that they have some Fowls, Wild Beasts, and their Seas yield Fishes.