Malabar Pirates as they take at Sea All such Vessels as come to Goa betwixt the 20th day of May and the last of August are obliged to enter the River by the Southern Channel where lies the Fort of Mourmougon no body being permitted to pass during that time through the North Channels near the Fort of Agoada which however is open for all the rest of the Year Those Ships that Arrive at Goa in a proper Season of what bulk soever may without the least danger go up as high as the City and ride at another just before the Vice-Roy's Palace CHAP. X. Of the City of Goa THIS City was once one of the most flourishing of all the Indies but has lost much of its former greatness in the last War betwixt the Portugueses and Dutch It is the most considerable the Portugueses are Masters of in all the Eastern parts being the Residence of their Vice-Roy of the Indies and where they keep their highest Court of Justice One half of it is Built upon an ascent upon the very Bank of the River the other part lies in a bottom where the heat is very excessive which makes the Inhabitants retire into the circumjacent Country Villages during the violence of the Hot Season Description of the City of Goa For the rest the Market-places and Streets of Goa are very fine it is surrounded with a Wall but of little Strength the Avenues tending to the City being so well guarded as not to stand in need of any other Works to defend it against any Attempts of an Enemy The High Court of Justice is kept in the Vice-Roy's Palace this Court is by the Portugueses called Ralacam and it is to this Court that all the other Subaltern Courts of Goa and other parts of the Indies under the Jurisdiction of the Portugueses may bring their Appeals The Houses of Goa are generally very handsomely Built Houses of Goa but somewhat Dark at their Windows being made out of certain Oister-shells very thin cut The Cathedral is Dedicated to St. Catharine and is a vast Structure but rudely Built Next to it is the Arch-Bishop's Palace and the Bishops or rather the great Vicar's House who is not inferiour to any Bishop and is called by the Portugueses Bispo d'Anelt Not far from this you see the Prison called Atiouvar where no body is Committed but upon the account of Ecclesiastical concerns Just opposite to the Cathedral in a great Square stands that Famous House whose very Name makes many thousands Tremble in those parts this is the Court of Inquisition called by the Portugueses Santa Casaou Casa d'o santo Officio There is also a Nunnery in the City where the Nuns live with a great deal of Austerity without making use of the same liberty as they do in Portugal and it is to their Capacity and that of the holy Inquisition the Portugueses own themselves chiefly indebted for the great affluence of their Fortunes and other conveniencies they enjoy at Goa Besides their Parish Churches there are many Monasteries of several Orders The Jesuits have here 3 fine Churches in one of which the Corps of St. Francis Xavier is deposited besides which they have 3 most Magnificent Houses each of them being fit for the reception of a King with abundance of the best Lands round the City from whence they draw a vast yearly Revenue All their Churches are very finely Built but the Hospital exceeds the rest The Church of the Thâ—otins tho' not the most Magnificent yet is the neatest and most regular of all the Churches in Goa this Church is Dedicated to Nossa Sen Hora de Divina Providentia The Church called de Misericordia has nothing remarkable beyond the rest The Charitable Society but the Society for whose sake this Church has been erected and has derived its Name deserves particularly to be taken notice of here This Society is by the Portugueses called Irmandal de Misericordia and its Members Irmaous da Misericordia the chief Citizens of Goa and persons of the best Quality not excepting the Vice-Roy himself are Ambitious of being Members of this Fraternity who Celebrate two great Feasts every Year The Holy-Thursday because on that day our Saviour gave to the World the most evident proof of his Humiliation when he wash'd the Feet of the Apostles and the other is Celebrated on the day when the Virgin Mary came to visit her Cousin this last is performed with more Solemnity than the first and as they go in Procession they wear a kind of Black Surplice The next day after the last Feast the whole Society meets Officers belonging to this Society when they choose their Officers First they have a Prior whom they call Prouvedor formerly none but Noblemen were chosen to that Dignity but of late the Rich Merchants are chosen as well as the Noblemen All the Contributions here are made for the Advantage of the Poor and there is scarce a Prouvedor who at the Years end does not contribute 20000 Livres of his own Besides the Prouvedor there is a Treasurer and Steward a Prouvedor or Overseer of the Prisoners all which are chosen out of the Members of this Society The Treasurer disposes of the Alms among the Poor as the Overseer of the Prisoners sollicites their Business in causes both Civil and Criminal and often procures their Pardon The Prouvedor General 's Office is to manage the Business of the whole Society to assist underhand Widows Orphans and all others that are in a low Condition The Members of this Society are obliged to visit the Poor and Sick as also the Prisoners to Bury the Dead to assist Criminals when they go to Execution and to give them what Comfort they can even to the last Gasp and to cause Masses to be said for them after they have suffered the Law They choose every Year new Officers by which means every one of the Members is in a probability of bearing his share and tho' all these Offices are chargeable there 's very few but what are very eager after them Charity is the whole foundation of this Noble and most Glorious Society and there is scarce a City no not a Burrough of note under the Jurisdiction of the Portugueses but what has a Church Dedicated to the same use with some Revenues to be applied to the same purpose with this Society tho' for the rest they have no dependance on one another CHAP. XI Of the Inhabitants of Goa THE Inhabitants of Goa may conveniently be divided into several kinds The first are the true Portugueses whom they call Reinots the second are the Mestices Several sorts of Inhabitants in Goa begotten betwixt a Portuguese and an Indian Woman or a Negroe the last of these too much exceed the others in number There are besides this abundance of Indians who having Abandon'd their Superstitious Idolatry are turn'd Roman Catholicks The Slaves they call Cafres who are most Indians There are also at Goa
Physician who formerly came with me in the same Ship from Madagascar to Suratte and being since that time Married and settled in this place gave me all the real demonstrations of a most sincere Friendship The City of Bassaim lies twenty Leagues South of Daman The City of Bassaim and is about four times longer Their Churches here are very Rich and most magnificently Built their private Houses very neat and Commodious the Market places very large and handsome and the Streets very clean and regular It is surrounded with a Wall but the Fortifications are but slight The greatest conveniency belonging to this City is the River which washes its very Walls and is a safe Harbour for Ships of the greatest Burthen at all Seasons which draws thither the Merchants from all parts It s Harbour and renders the City one of the most considerable the Portugueses are masters of in the Indies There live more Gentry in and about this place Inhabitants than at Goa from whence comes the Portuguese Proverb Fidalgos de Bassaim that is to say Gentlemen of Bassaim the Grounds hereabouts are extreamly fertile and produce great store of Rice Just without the Gates of the City is that famous Church called by the Portugueses Nossa senhora de remedio which being formerly a noted Pagan Temple is since turned into a Christian Church where due Reverence is paid to the true God Upon the great Altar is to be seen the miraculous Image of the Holy Virgin They relate that a Thief having cast his Eyes upon the rich Crown she wears upon her Head An Indian Miracle had hid himself in the Church with an intention to steal it as soon as the Church should be shut up Accordingly the Villain approaching the Image was going to take off the Crown but by a most surprizing Miracle both the Robber and Crown became immoveable in the same instant in which posture he was found so soon as the Church doors were opened There is a part of the Fore-head which they say is the place where he fix'd his Thumb which at a distance shines as bright as a Star and as you draw nearer and nearer it disappears by degrees so that when you come to touch it you find nothing extraordinary in the matter This Image is in such Veneration in those parts that not alone the Christians but also the Mahometans and Pagans make their Vows to it before they undertake any thing of Moment and as these Vows commonly consist in some offerings or other this Church has gathered vast Riches We staid at Bassaim about five or six days and then set sail for Goa where we arrived on the fourteenth day of January towards Night I went on shoar the next day and by the advantageous offers made by my Friends was prevailed upon to stay near three whole Years in this great City of which I have given you a Description before After this some Affairs of moment happening which required my presence in my Native Country I was obliged to quit the Indies in order to my speedy return into Europe I took therefore the conveniency of a Portuguese Galeon which being ready to set sail for Lisbon I with the permission of the Governour embark'd my self in the said Vessel towards the latter end of January CHAP. XXIII My departure out of the Indies THE ship which was to carry me to Lisbon was called the San Pedre de Ratel of above 1500 Tuns commanded by Captain Simon de Sousa It was the seven and twentieth day of January when we sailed from the Bar of Goa towards Lisbon So soon as we were got under sail the Captain desired to speak with me and having told me that being sensible of my Capacity he had not taken with him any Chirurgeons but only a Barber to Trim and let Blood upon occasion and therefore he hoped I would not refuse the offer he would make me to take care of the Ship as a Physician and that I should be honourably rewarded for my pains I return'd him thanks for his good Opinion and having accepted his offer I was considered in the quality of the Physician of the Ship We went on with a favourable Gale till we came under the Equinoctial Line where we were becalmed for a few days when the Winds proving again to our satisfaction we continued our Voyage with all the imaginable success till we came under the thirteenth degree of Southern Latitude There it was that the Winds began to change continually but as it did not blow hard so we advanced something every day in our Voyage We passed a great way to the East of the Isle Dauphin and towards the end of the Month of March came to the height of the Cape of Good Hope where our Pilots had a mind to sound the Coast for their better Instruction when they should happen to come this way another time the Wind being then in the East and consequently very fair for us blew very briskly in the beginning of the Holy Week and on the Holy Wednesday grew so violent that we were forced to take in'most all our sails and to make use only of our fore-mast Sail. The Sea runs so terribly high that our ship was tossed most violently notwithstanding which we continued our course knowing-our selves to be far enough from the shoar to stand in fear of any sinister accident from thence But on Thursday Morning the Wind chop'd about to the West Are overtaken by a violent Storm and blew so terribly that we began to be afraid of our Ship which though one of the strongest that ever I saw let in so much Water that two Pumps were scarce able to throw it out as fast as it came in We changed our course and run it before the Wind which continued with so much violence that even the most expert and most courageous of our Seamen began to be afraid but after a Storm which lasted four and twenty Hours the Wind veering about to the East we altered a second time our Course and with a moderate Gale stood it in towards the Cape which we discovered on the Holy Saturday early in the Morning We were again becalmed for some days till the next day after the Holy Days when with a North East Wind we doubled the Cape of Good Hope but were not within sight of it being afraid of being becalmed again if we did not keep out at Sea We saw hereabouts several wracks of Ships which we believed to have been lost in the late Tempest Towards Night we discovered a Vessel which steered a quite contrary course to us but as they are constantly upon their Guard at Sea our Captain ordered every thing to be got in readiness if there should be any occasion of Engaging an Enemy but the next Morning at break of day we found them at so great a distance from us that we had all the reason to believe there would be no occasion for fighting at this time
arrival of some Vessels 128 CHAP. XLIII Our departure from Tilcery 130 THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS PART II. CHAP. I. OUR Journey to Tanor with a Description of Mealy Bargara and Cota Pag. 138 CHAP. II. A Description of Calicut and the English Factory there 140 CHAP. III. A Description of the Kingdom and City of Tanor 143 CHAP. IV. Our Departure from Tanor and a Description of Chali 145 CHAP. V. Our Journey to Batiepatan and the English Factory there 147 CHAP. VI. The Return of the Sieur de Flacour and the Commodities brought from Sirinpatan 149 CHAP. VII Our Departure from Tilcery a Description of Mangalor and the Kingdom of Canara 151 CHAP. VIII Our Departure from Mangalor and Meeting with Monsieur de la Haye 155 CHAP. IX Our Arrival at Goa with a Description of the River and Forts of Goa 157 CHAP. X. Description of the City of Goa with an Account of the Charitable Society 160 CHAP. XI Of the Inhabitants of Goa 163 CHAP. XII Concerning our stay at Goa 167 CHAP. XIII Our Departure from Goa 168 CHAP. XIV Our Arrival at Suratte and of the Ship called The Holy Ghost 171 CHAP. XV. Of the Death of Mr. Blot and his Funeral 173 CHAP. XVI Of the City of Bandar Abassy or Gameron and of Ormus 176 CHAP. XVII Our Departure from Gameron 179 CHAP. XVIII Our Departure from Suratte a Description of Dawan and the Fort of St. Jerome 182 CHAP. XIX Concerning our stay at Daman 185 CHAP. XX. Description of Trapor 187 CHAP. XXI 〈◊〉 Return to Daman 190 CHAP. XXII Departure from Daman a Description of the City of Bassaim 192 CHAP. XXIII My Departure out of the Indies 194 CHAP. XXIV Our Arrival on the Coast of Brasil and its Description 197 CHAP. XXV A further Account of the Commodities and Products of Brasil 198 CHAP. XXVI Of the Inhabitants of Brasil and particularly of the Portugueses 200 CHAP. XXVII A Description of the City and Port of the Bay 〈◊〉 All-Saints 20â— CHAP. XXVIII The Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants 〈◊〉 Brasil 20â— CHAP. XXIX Our Departure from Brasil a Description of the Isle of Ferdnand de Narogna of the Isles of Tercera and St. Michael 20â— CHAP. XXX The pursuit of our Voyage and our arrival at Lisbon in Portugal 21â— CHAP. XXXI Of the Port and River of Lisbon the Fort of Câ—scais with two other Forts 21â— CHAP. XXXII A Description of the City of Lisbon 21â— CHAP. XXXIII My departure from Lisbon and return into France 21â— THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE Treatise relating to the Distempers peculiar to the Eastern Countries CHAP. I. OF Vomiting and how best prevented at Sea 223 CHAP. II. Of the Scurvy called by the French the Land Evil its Causes Symptoms and Cure 230 CHAP. III. Of the Colicks of Madagascar their Causes Symptoms and Cures 230 CHAP. IV. Of the Venereal Distemper in the Isle Dauphine and how cured by the Negroes 231 CHAP. V. Of the Distempers of the Indies and first of their Feavers and how cured by the Pandites or Pagan Physicians 232 CHAP. VI. Of the Distemper called by the Indians Mordechi and in what manner its Cure is performed 237 CHAP. VII Of the Bloody Flux and the Erroneous Practice of the Pandites in respect of this Distemper 239 CHAP. VIII Of the Distemper'd Persons call'd by the Portugueses Esfalfados and how best to be cured 242 CHAP. IX Of the Small-Pox and the barbarous usage of such as are afflicted with them among the Malabars 243 CHAP. X. Of the Bitings of the Adders and the marvellous Effects of the true Adder-stone 244 CHAP. XI Of the Distemper called by the Portugueses Bicho its several Kinds and Cures 246 THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE Supplement CHAP. I. A Description of the Isle of St. Hellens 3 CHAP. II. 〈◊〉 Description of the Isle of Teneriffe and its Products 5 CHAP. III. 〈◊〉 Description of the Cities of Fernambouque and Olinda on the Coast of Brasil 7 CHAP. IV. â—f the Isle of Ceylon and the Forts the Dutch are Possess'd of in that Island with a Description of the Cities of Portugal Colombo and Battacalo 9 CHAP. V. 〈◊〉 Description of the City of Cochin and how the Dutch made themselves Masters of this Kingdom 11 CHAP. VI. Some Particulars concerning the Cape of Good Hâ—… of the Dutch Fort at Table-Bay and of the Saldaigne â—… CHAP. VII Of the Arrival of the Sieur de la Hay Viceroâ—… the East-Indies for the most Christian King the Isles of Madegascar and Mascarcigne â—… CHAP. VIII The taking and loss of the Isle of St. Thomas by Sieur de la Hay â—… CHAP. IX Of the City of Suratte its Inhabitants Tâ—… and what 's else Remarkable thereabouts â—… CHAP. X. Of the Empire and Riches of the Great Mogul â—… CHAP. XI Of the Musk and from whence it comes â—… CHAP. XII Containing some propositions made by the Sieâ—… Rennefort for the improvement of the Fâ—… East-India-Company and the resetling themselves in the Isle of Madagascar â—… A VOYAGE TO THE EAST-INDIES By Mr. Dellon M. D. PART I. CHAP. I. Our Departure out of France ALL Mankind have a certain Natural propensity to Curiosity but Young people have commonly a greater Inclination to satisfie their own Fancies taken up for the most part with Novelties than those who are arrived to a ripe Age. For my part having always been inflamed with a most ardent desire of Travelling after I had finished the course of my Studies I left Paris with no other resolution than to leave France and by the Conversation with Foreigners to make my self acquainted with their Genius and Manners Being informed that the Royal East-India Company was Equipping some Ships at Port-Royal I directed my course thither and entred my self into their Service in a Ship of 400 Tuns called the Strong Commanded by Captain Merchand and left that Harbour within 14 days after in the Company of the Golden-Eagle But we had scarce been a few Hours under Sail when a Calm obliged us to come to an Anchor near the Isle of Groy about 2 Leagues from the French Shoar where we remain'd till the next Morning when with a fresh Gale of North-East Wind we soon lost sight of our Native Shoar The first inconveniency I was sensible of in this Voyage was my being Sea-Sick as well as all the rest who were most acquainted before with the Watery Element but a little time cured us of that Distemper For 8 days together we saw nothing but the Sea and the Skies when at last our Sentries discovered 4 Sails to the Windward of us and we being at that time engaged in a War with Spain our Captain was getting every thing ready in case there should be any occasion of engaging the Enemy ordering the Golden-Eagle who was a nimbler Sailer than we to endeavour to come up with them first But having soon discovered them to be French Ships bound for Newfoundland we continu'd our Voyage without any
Rocks which surrounded this Island where we must have infallibly perished if the Calm had continued a little longer but there arising a Gale we continued our Voyage without pursuing our design of refreshing our selves for feat of a new Accident We passed pretty near the Isle of Socotora Isle of Socotora Situate not far from the Red-Sea from whence we have the best Aloes Here we were again becalmed for some days which being followed by a furious Tempest carried away our Main Top-Mast Thus we pursued our Voyage without any remarkable Accident till the 18th of September where we met with the St. John Hoy on the Indian Coast We were parted from her the first day of our Voyage and being in want of Provisions she furnished us with some and so we continued our Voyage together to Suratte The Indian Shoar about Suratte being very low we were very careful in sounding frequently the depths notwithstanding which precaution we passed over the Sand Banks lying betwixt Diu and Daman belonging to the Portugueses of which we shall have occasion to speak hereafter from the 18th to the 20th of September being misguided by the unskilfulness of our Pilot Our Vessels being but very small and not heavy Laden we escaped this danger without receiving the least damage Towards Night we discovered the Ships riding at Anchor in the Road of Suratte before we could discover the Land and as the late danger we had so narrowly escaped made us act with more circumspection we cast Anchor till break of Day The 21st we Arrived in the Road about two Leagues distant from the Rivers Mouth Arrive in the Road of Suratte and about 5 from the City of Suratte We sent immediately several Chaloups to give notice of our Arrival But scarce had we lost sight of them but a violent Tempest arising from the West we did not imagine otherwise but that they must infallibly be lost before they could reach the Shoar The fury of the Winds encreasing every Minute we cast out all our Anchors they being the only hopes we had left without which we must have been cast upon the Sand and destroyed immediately this Hurricane being one of those the Indians call the Elephant A Hurricane by reason of its violence We had at last once more the good fortune to escape this danger the Winds having abated their fury and to add to our good fortune all our Messengers Arrived safely at Suratte to the no small astonishment of all that beheld them Monsieur Carva immediately sent us some Provisions Pilâ—ts and Sea-Men to assist us in making the River but they did not come on Board of us till the 23d The St. John Hoy having been driven in the last Storm upon a Sand Bank had also the good fortune to get clear by the help of the Tyde With the assistance of those sent us from Suratte we made the River which however by reason of the swiftness of the Current we did not enter without much difficulty Arrive near the City of Suratte but at last Arrived safely near the Garden of the Company which is not above a quarter of a League on this side of the City of Suratte The Vessel in which I came was immediately ordered to be Careened and being freighted for Masusipatan departed towards the end of November the St. John returned to the Isle Dauphine and the Mazarine Frigat which Arrived not till a considerable time after being an Old Ship and no longer able to endure the Sea was broke to pieces The Ship called the Crown which had brought me to Suratte being as I told before ordered to go to Masusipatan a City upon the Coast of Cormandel I left her expecting further Orders at Suratte so that pursuant to my design I will give an exact account of what I found most remarkable in that City CHAP. XIV Of the City of Suratte THE City is Situate under the one and Twentieth Degree of North Latitude and is one of the most considerable Ports in the Empire of the Great Mogul It is very large and populous Built upon the Banks of a fair River which runs under its Walls and about 3 Leagues from thence disembogues into the Sea When I Arrived near the City the Gates were not shut up the Inhabitants were obliged for their Security to a neighbouring Prince called Sevagi who by his frequent Incursions has caused them to surround their City with a good Wall and to be constantly upon their Guard The Sand Banks which are at the Entrance of this River are very uncertain being by the violence of the Current frequently transposed from one place to another so that they are rarely to be met withal two Years together in the same place which renders the passage of Ships both very troublesome and dangerous The Streets of Suratte are handsome enough but they have this inconvenience Streets of Suratte that they are very dusty during the dry Season which the Indians call their Summer tho' all the time the Sun is at the greatest distance from them To remedy this they continually water the Streets especially in those parts where the better sort Inhabit The Houses are here but one Story high those of the common people are covered with Tiles but people of Fashions Houses are flat at Top with Terrace Walks made with a certain sort of Plaster which appears as beautiful as White Marble and keeps out the Rain they have only a little rising in the middle for the better convenience of conveying the Water into the Streets abundance of people pass whole Nights upon these Terraces to enjoy the benefit of the cool Air. All Houses of people of any Fashion have their Gardens surrounded with fine Arbours Their Gardens bearing Grapes twice a Year Besides which they have great store of all sorts of Flowers but especially those they call Mougrin which being not unlike our Jassamin Flowers are in great request among the Indians They have also certain Trees bearing Flowers which open at Sun-Rising and fall off at Sun-Set and others of which the Flowers open at Sun-Set and decay at Sun-rising and the whole Year being but one continued Spring Season in this Climate furnishes them always with all sorts of Fruits and Flowers People of Quality nay even those of an Inferiour Rank have their Bathing places which being made all of Stone are extreamly neat They make use of them partly upon the account of their Religion partly to allay the violence of the heat of the Climate The French English and Dutch Inhabit the best Houses in Suratte those of the Armenians are no less Sumptuous and all of them are very pleasantly Seated Suratte is a place of great Commerce Their Diamonds are brought thither out of the Kingdom of Golconda Their Commerce which is Tributary to the Great-Mogul the Pearls are fish'd near the Cape of Comoria and in several places of the Persian Golf Amber-greaâ—e is brought from the Coast beyond the
Cape of Good-Hope as Musk and Civet come out of China the last of which is taken from a certain Creature bearing the same Name There is besides this at Suratte a great Trade in Silk and Gold and Silver brocados in the finest Cottons in the World in Indico and all sorts of Druggs which are the products either of the Indies or Arabia Their Spices they have from the Indies Malaca furnishes them with Nutmegs Macasar with Clove-Gilly-flowers the Isle of Ceilon with Cinnamon all the Coast of Malabar with Pepper so that there is nothing so precious or rare but the Ware-Houses of Suratte are sufficiently provided with it The Governour of the whole Province The Governour 's Court. which is of a very large extent has his Residence in this City He keeps a very Splendid Court is attended by a strong Guard Consisting of several Companies both Horse and Foot when he goes abroad he is carried by an Elephant upon whose Neck is fastned a Tent big enough to contain 12 or more persons according to the bigness of the Beast Sometimes he is carried in a Palanquin which is a certain sort of a Bed covered with very rich Tapestry carried by 4 Men which being much easier than our Sedans are used by most people of Fashion at Suratte For you may hire 4 such Chair-Men for 20 Livers per Month without being oblig'd to provide them with Victuals unless you go into the Country Those that cannot afford a Palanquin go on Horse-back and the Indians have very Fine Horses which are brought thither out of Arabia The Place of the Governour of Suratte is not Hereditary and is seldom continued for above 4 or 5 Years to the same Person On the West side of the City The Castle there is an Old Castle surrounded with a very deep Ditch There is always a strong Garrison kept here under its own Governour who has no dependance on him of the City All the Europeans keep some Canons near their Houses wherewith they defend themselves against the Insolency of the Rabble when they are in a Mutiny which happens very often among so many Barbarous Nations They have a great many publick Bagnio's Their Bagnio's and Hot-Houses at Suratte besides which there are some others for the use of such as would Bath in private in the first you pay no Money being Erected for the publick good CHAP. XV. A further Description of Suratte ABout a quarter of a League from Suratte there is a great Tancke or Cistern made of Free-Stone It was Built by a Rich Banjan and is of a great Circumference you go into it by a fair pair of Stairs and in the middle you see a little Temple Consecrated to their Gods unto whom they offer their Prayers after they have Bathed themselves The Walks leading to it are very finely Planted with Trees and are look'd upon as the most pleasant of the whole Country There are also about Suratte Publick Gardens publick Gardens which being very neatly kept want nothing that may recreate the Eye and are of free access for every Body The Banjans Inhabiting Suratte are indeed the Richest and have the chief management of the Traffick throughout the Indies nevertheless the Moors or Mahometans live in much more splendor If a person of Quality happens to pass through the City upon any Solemn occasion he has his Trumpets before him which being 8 or 10 Foot long and proportionable in bigness make a pleasant and Warlike Harmony After the Example of these Foreigners who bear any considerable Office have the Arms of the Princes or Common-wealths whom they serve carried before them and have likewise their Trumpets which attend them where ever they go At about a League distant from the City there is a Village which is inhabited only by Persians or Parsis A Village inhabited by Persians who adore the Sun and Fire hither the Inhabitants of Suratte come frequently to drink Palm-Wine which they call Tary It is a most delicious sort of Liquor how it is made I shall have occasion to mention hereafter All round the City is a fair champagne and fertile Country they Sow towards the end of September when the rainy Season is over abundance of Wheat which they reap in January The Air of Suratte is very good it is never cold here and the heats are pretty tolerable The Port of Sovaly is about four Leagues to the North-West Harbour of Suratte this is the place where all Foreign Ships come to Anchor but they can scarce abide there longer than from October till May the rest of the Year being very dangerous for Ships by reason of the frequent Tempests and changeableness of the Winds There are a great many fair Villages round the Harbours among which Sovaly has communicated its Name to the Port is the most considerable Here most of the European Companies have their Ware-houses and Offices which they adorn with the Arms of their Principals to whom they belong The Great Mogul's Subjects are not permitted to enter the Port or Sovaly for fear they should defraud him of the Customs none but the Europeans enjoy this Privilege These draw to this Village great number of Banjans Moors and Persians who during the time that the European Vessels tarry in this Port set up their Booths which being put in good order and divided into several Streets make up a kind of a moveable Village where they sell every thing which may be useful to the Foreign Mariners There hapned some years before my arrival an unlucky accident to a Frenchman in this Port which had been likely to have proved of very ill consequence A Mahometan came on board a French Vessel to cheapen some things and amongst the rest asked them whether they had any Pistols to sell Several pair having been shew'd him he went to discharge one of them out of a Window in the Cabin but he who was the Seller finding him very unexpert in handling of Fire-arms took one and discharged it himself but the Pistol being charged with three Bullets he unfortunately shot a young Child which was playing a shoar through the Breast of which it died instantly The news of this unfortunate accident was soon spread not only through the Village but in Suratte it self where the Rabble began to be mutinous and to declare publickly that they would not rest satisfied till they had Sacrificed all the French in Suratte and had revenged the Death of the Child upon a Nation who made killing and slaying their Pass-time so that for several days together no Frenchman durst stir out of the Doors At last the Person who by his carelessness had been the occasion of this unfortunate accident having by some of his Friends convinced them of his innocence the matter was accommodated and the Tumult ceased For it hapned that the Child that was killed belonged to Pagan Parents so that they were appeased by the means of a Sum of Money under
That he should be very Proud of employing his Pencil in the drawing the Picture of so Excellent a Person without any hopes of further Rewards Then reply'd the Indian go to Work as soon as you please and make use of your utmost Skill to do it to perfection I will answer'd the Painter but you must take care to have me brought into the presence of the Person whose Picture I am to draw How said the Governor interrupting his Discourse angrily would you pretend to have a Sight of my Wife And how is it possible for me to draw her Picture without seeing her answer'd the Painter Away with you reply'd the jealous Indian you have no business here if you cannot draw her Picture without seeing her I will rather deny my self the satisfaction of having her Picture than that she should be exposed to the Sight of any Man Living By this you may see to what an excess of folly the Mahometans carry their Jealousie notwithstanding which the Women don't want ingenuity and dexterity to please themselves upon certain occasions in spite of all the care and watchfulness of their Jealous Husbands The Women of the Parsis and other Pagans wear nothing else but close Bodice fastned behind Pagan Women the Sleeves reaching only to the Elbow For the rest they make use of a piece of Stuff either of Cotton or Silk according to their Quality which they wind about their middle They are generally very handsome much addicted to Venery unless it be those of the Banjans who are something more Modest They affect a great deal of Magnificence in their Jewels and besides their Necklaces and Bracelets wear on their Feet Golden-Rings hollow within and fill'd with Gravel or any other thing that will make a noise Their Heads are adorned with small Golden Coronets richly beset with Precious Stones They have holes in their Ears in which they wear their Pendants and in their Nostrils which are bored through they hang Gold and Silver Plates of that bigness as almost to cover their Faces They are very clear Limb'd and well proportion'd the richer sort Bath themselves every day at home the rest abroad in the Rivers where you meet with some of them from Sun-rising till late at Night where the Bramans are employed to Pray for them and to take care of their Cloaths I mean those which they put on after they have wash'd themselves for they go with their Cloaths into the River and afterwards change them which they do with so much dexterity that the standers by tho' never so attentive and quick-sighted cannot see the least thing which favours of immodesty They are very Religious in observing their Ancient Laws and Customs but withall extreamly addicted to Voluptuousness After 3 Months stay at Suratte I Embark'd in the Port of Sonaly on Board a Vessel called the Mary which in Company of another Vessel called the Strong was going to Batiepatan to take in there the rest of her Cargo in Spices CHAP. XIX Our Departure from Suratte for Malabar WE set Sail from the Port of Sonaly the 6th of January with a very favourable Wind which thus continued till our Arrival at Rajapour where we left the Strong and continued our Voyage to Mirscou and some other places in the Indies of which we shall have occasion to speak anon but because I have been at other times at Rajapour I will here insert what I found most worth taking notice of in this place It is Situate in the Territories of Sevagi Description of Rajapour a famous Rebel who for a considerable time has been in Wars with the Great Mogul and the King of Visapour his Liege Lord. It lies exactly under the 17th Degree of North Latitude on the Coast of Malabar about 20 Leagues North from Goa and you come to it by a River which runs with a very gentle Current Near the Mouth of it on the right side of the Shoar you see a small Village Inhabited only by Fisher-Men and 4 Leagues beyond it is the City of Rajapour which has Communicated its Name to the said River You may go up with a Vessel of 100 Tuns as far as to a small Island which is about half way betwixt the City and the Mouth of the River afterwards you make use of Chaloups and Barges to carry the Merchandice to the City where the River is so shallow that at low Water it is fordable in some places The English had here formerly a Factory but the Indians have dislodged them from thence The French Company has not many years ago got a Settlement there where they have a fine House and Garden near a great Cistern from whence arises a Spring of Hot-Water Natural Bath of Rajapour not inferiour in vertue to any in Europe The Adjacent Mountains and Forests are full of Apes which are much reverenced by the Pagans Inhabiting the Territories of Sevagi no body being permitted to kill them without running the Hazard of his Life The chief Commodities at Rajapour are Saltperer and Callicoes but especially Pepper which grows thereabouts in great quantity This Sevagi is a very Potent Prince Prince Sevagi who has managed his Affairs with so much Prudence as to have Establish'd himself in spite of his Potent Enemies in all the Territories Situate betwixt Suratte and Goa unless it be some few Sea-Ports belonging to the Portuguese He has made himself so dreadful to his Neighbours as to have made the City of Goa it self Tremble at his Approach and has several times made those of Suratte feel the direful effects of his Fury by Plundering all the Country round about and carrying away great Riches without sparing either Mosques or the Pagan Temples But it has been observed of him that he always used a great deal of moderation towards the Europeans perhaps for fear of being called to a severe account by their Principals which Motive might induce him to shew 〈◊〉 favourable to them without which it 〈◊〉 have been no difficult matter for him to have Plundered their Houses like those of the Indians In the Year 1671. he made such an inroad into the Territories of Suratte when he made so terrible a havock in the circumjacent places that the damage could not be repair'd for many Years after All his Strong holds are Built among the Mountains His Subjects are Pagans like himself But he Tolerates all Religions and is look'd upon as one of the most Politick Princes in those parts The Strong being entred the River of Rajapour met there with another French Ship called the Golden-Eagle which was Arrived there but a few days before coming from Achem the Capital of the Isle of Sumatra and the ordinary Residence of their Queen the Island being Governed by Women Before she touch'd at Achem she had been at Masusipatan a City belonging to the Kingdom of Golconda on the Coast of Coromandel from whence come the best Painted Indian Callicoes the Colour of which is as lasting as
and it being a misty Morning we took it for that of Ormus but we were soon undeceived as we came nearer and passed betwixt the two Islands of Areque and Cevichemiche near the last of which we were forced to come to an Anchor by reason of a tempest that surprised us hereabouts This proved a most terrible Night to us the Tempest being so violent as to put us in fear of losing our Anchors which if it had happened we must have infallibly split against the Rocks No sooner did day appear but we left this dangerous place and came to an Anchor in the Road of Baudar Abasty otherwise called Gameron where we found the St. Francis riding at Anchor she having been there but two days before us she came last from Bassora a City of Arabia Situate upon the River Euphrates and was taken by the Turks in the Year 1669. CHAP. XVI Of Gameron and of Ormus BAudar Abasty is a City belonging to the King of Persia The City of Gameron having received its name from their King Shach Abas who caused this City to be Repaired and Beautified It was formerly called Gameron and is Situate under the twenty seventh degree of North Latitude it is one of the largest and best peopled Cities in those parts where there is always a great concourse of Merchants as well Persians as Foreigners Most of the Indian Ships touch in this Port it being look'd upon as the staple of such Indian Commodities as are consumed in Persia their Houses are built two Stories high being flat and Tarrassed on the top with Summer Houses the better to enjoy the benefit of the fresh Air. The Streets are here very narrow and their Market-places not extraordinary large People of Quality divert themselves in their Country Houses built among the Mountains from April to September during which time few others but Merchants and those depending on them are to be seen in the City The Situation of this place is such as to contribute not a little to the inconveniencies occasioned by the excessive heats For just without the Walls of the City to the East there are several high Rocky Hills from whence the burning rage of the Sun reflecting upon the City and the Port It s Situation makes the heats almost insupportable Besides which the hot South Winds lay so continually upon the Port which choaks up the Foreign Mariners not used to the Climate abundance of whom die very suddenly Upon these Hills there are vast quantities of the Roses we call Roses of Jericho which open as soon as they are put in Water and shut again as soon as taken out The Mountains of Arabia lie on the other side of the Gulph which is not above eight Leagues broad hereabouts There is not one fountain in this great City some Wells they have but the Water is brackish So that they fetch all their fresh Water at a Leagues distance from the Town They have a certain kind of Earthen Vessels in which they keep their Water as cool as if it had been lately drawn from the Spring The Ground about Baudar Abasty is very Sandy and consequently not very fruitful but some Leagues from thence there grows most excellent Wine which they call Chiras Wine They use also another sort of White Wine which is made in the Isle of Quichemiche where the Grapes are without Stones Several of the European Nations have their Factories at Gameron this City being a free Port for all Foreigners to Trade in The Persians are all Mahometans and so is their Prince but as there are abundance of Pagans also in Persia they allow them the free Exercise of their Religion in their Temples and their publick Bathing places I met near this place with some of these Trees of which I have spoken before to wit that they turn their Branches down-ward and when they touch the Ground they take root immediately I saw here one of this kind under which 6000 Men might have been placed with good conveniency I also met with a Pagan whose hair was above fifteen foot long he was one of that Sect they call Faquirs I must confess I did not stay long enough at Gameron to make particular observations concerning all their Manners and Customs but thus much I took notice of Inhabitants of Gameron That the Men are generally very Civil and Complaisant and the Women as Amorous as they are Handsome They are not very scrupulous in granting a favour to Strangers many of them looking upon it as a meer piece of Gallantry About three Leagues distant from the Continent of Gameron are three Islands The first and the biggest of all extends it self all along the Coast to the North of Congo a place about fifteen Leagues distant from Gameron where the Portugueses share the Customs with the Persians The first of these Islands is called Quichemiche Quichemiche The second is called Areque Areque situate more to the South being uninhabited by reason of the lowness of the Grounds It has not above three Leagues in compass We were in no small danger of being cast away as we passed betwixt these two Islands as we were going to Baudar Abasty The Island of Ormus is not above a Mile distant from Areque to the South Ormus This Isle is much of the same bigness with the former but the Grounds are not so low Here are whole Mountains of Salt which by reason of their Whiteness are seen at a great distance at Sea The ground is quite unfit to produce any thing for the conveniency or sustenance of Mankind neither does it afford any fresh Water which they are obliged to carry thither from the Continent and to keep it in Cisterns The Portugueses built formerly in this Island a very strong Fort which remains entire to this day with all its Artillery They were droven from thence by the Persians with the assistance of the English who in recompence of this piece of service had granted them the one moity of all the Customs of Baudar Abasty by the Persian King The Portugueses nevertheless enjoy the freedom of the Port as well as other Foreigners Formerly they used to fish for and catch very fine Pearls betwixt this Island and the Continent but at present they catch most small ones and those not very often CHAP. XVII Our Departure from Gameron WE having no other business in Persia than to convoy the St. Francis from thence to Suratte we staid no longer at Baudar Abasty than was necessary for the Officers of the Ships to dispatch their Affairs We therefore set sail out of the Road of Gameron on the 10th day of December but the Winds almost chopping about every moment in the Persian Gulph it was not without a great deal of trouble we got out of the Gulph Some days after we discovered four sails of Ships which we believing to be Hollanders put us under some apprehensions of danger for which reason we made a Merchant
to September Whales how taken there are very few so ignorant but what know that this prodigious Creature is taken by the help of a Dart tied to a strong Cord. The Fishermen Cruise about the Bay in their Boats to watch the coming of the Whale so soon as she finds her self Wounded by the Dart she flies away and the Fishermen follow her at a distance letting the Cord go after her till such time that being quite spent by the loss of Bloud she dies and Swims upon the surface of the Water Then they draw her to the Shoar at high Tides and cut her to pieces The Oil which is drawn from this Fish is much used in Lamps all over Brasil and the Negroes and some of the poorer sort eat the substance of the Fish with a good Appetite After you are come about 2 Leagues within the Bay you see the City which directly faces its Entrance just before you where you may safely ride at Anchor at about half a League 's distance from the Shoar The City of All Saints The City it self is Built upon a high Mountain stretching on both sides of it from whence it comes that most of the Streets lie upon an ascent It is the largest the Portugueses are Masters of in Brasil and the residence of the Governour in chief of the Brasil Coast 'T is true the Governor of the City has no Authority over the rest yet is he considered as the chief because he takes place of all the rest It was strongly discoursed whilst I was in Brasil that there was to be sent thither a Vice-Roy with the same Prerogative and Authority as the Vice-Roy of the Indies residing at Goa and they also expected a Bishop out of Portugal to fill up that See which had been rack'd for several 〈…〉 â—â—fore and they were of Opinion thâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—vernment of Brasil should happen 〈…〉 into a Vice-Royalty this Church would also be made a Metropolitan Church There is a kind of Parliament Parliament of Brasil or High Court of Judicature in Brasil whose Jurisdiction extends over all that Coast but their Power is limited ther lying an Appeal from them in all Criminal Causes to Lisbon and in Civil Causes if the matter in Contest exceeds the value of 100 l. Sterling The City it self is very large and Populous their Churches are very Magnificent as is likewise the Palace of the Governour which is Built on the very top of the Mountain where the Parliament also dispatch their Business The Houses are generally very well Built there being a great concourse of all Nations here who are drawn hither by reason of the great conveniency of the Port and Trade this being the Staple of all sorts of Commodities to be met with in these parts CHAP. XXVIII The Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants I Am not very well assured whether Debauchery is so common all over Brasil as it is at the Bay of All-Saints where even Women who pretend to a reasonable share of Reputation look upon it as a piece of Gallantry to dress up their Female Slaves in their own Cloaths Are very Debauch'd to give them the better opportunity of vending their hidden Commodities at a dearer rate from whence it may easily be concluded that there is scarce any other place where Debauchery has got such an ascendant as here The Women are generally great Admirers of all Strangers but especially of the French the worst is that they are not so acceptable to the Men who being naturally Jealous to a degree of Madness this infirmity of theirs proves sometimes the occasion of great mischiefs as may appear out of the following relation A Young French Man who practised Physick in Brasil was sent for to a Lady that was very ill this Lady being Young Handsome and Rich the Young Physician made use of his best Skill to recover her as soon as possible he could He had the good Fortune not only to restore her to her Health in a little time but also to insinuate himself by his constant attendance into the Affection both of the Mother and Daughter so that soon after he was Privately Married to the Young Lady tho' with the consent of the Mother Some Enemies of the Young French Man who envy'd his good Fortune took an opportunity to set a certain Gentleman who had Married his Wife's Eldest Sister against him representing to him how unbecoming and little suitable it would be to his Quality to have a Brother-in-law that was no more than a Chirurgeon tho' he had assumed the Title of a Doctor of Physick and who perhaps besides all this might be a Heretick The Gentleman who had more Wealth than good Sence being over-perswaded by these Malicious Fellows began to exclaim in the presence of the rest of their Relations against the indignity put upon the whole Family by so scandalous a Match not forgetting any thing which he thought might exasperate them against this New Brother-in-law but finding them not to agree with him in their Sentiments he came one Night with a select number of Ruffians into the City where they found means to get into the House of his Sister-in-law and to cut to pieces a certain Young Man who bearing some resemblance to the Young French Man they sought for and who had saved himself by flight pay'd dearly for it by the mistake of these Villains who took the flight after they had satisfy'd their revenge as they believed for fear of being taken in the Fact by the Neighbouring Inhabitants who were drawn thither by the most lamentable outcries of the Women This Bloudy Action being come to the Judge's-Ears he ordered some Guards to be put in the Young French Man's House to prevent a second Attempt which they were resolved to make as soon as they had got notice that they had missed their aim The Young French Man finding himself thus in danger of being Assassinated took a resolution to leave Brasil and to go to Lisbon which he did accordingly never appearing abroad without a good Guard till his departure when I was afterwards in Lisbon I understood that he was Petitioning the King to grant him his Warrant for the bringing over his Wife with all her Effects from Brasil to Lisbon CHAP. XXIX Our departure from Brasil THE Grand Fleet which goes every Year from Lisbon to the several places on the Coast of Brasil arrived there in the Month of June The Admiral being to convoy some Ships to Rio de Janeiro went thither in person whilst we were getting every thing ready against his return which we did not expect to be till towards the end of August Being ready loaden and provided with all necessaries for our Voyage we only staid till the Ships that were come in with the Admiral could take in some fresh Provisions and so set sail together from the Bay of All-Saints on the 3d. day of September in the Morning being in all thirty Sail two and twenty of
December towards Evening our Sentinels discovered a stout Ship making up towards us which we believing to be an Algerine we were getting every thing in readiness for a vigorous defence in case we should be attacked by these Corsairs We continued in this Posture the approaching Night having robbed us of the satisfaction to be rightly informed whether this Ship were an Enemy or not as she put out her Lights all the Night long so we did the same to give them to understand that we were not afraid of them Thus we kept in sight of one another till next Morning and each of us having done the best we could to come up with one ather we soon found our mistake the Ship proving to be one of our Fleet that had lost our Company Thus we sailed in Company together all that day and the next following being the Thirteenth of the same Month came in sight of the Porâ—â—guese shoar and towards Night advanced pretty near to the River but could not enter it by reason of the contrary Winds we cruised up and down at its Entrance till the Fourteenth without coming to an Anchor when being joined by the rest of the Fleet that were separated from us in the last Storm except two that came in two days after us We entred the Port on the Fifteenth in the Morning with a satisfaction much easier to be felt than to be expressed We came to an Anchor just opposite to the King's Palace who did us the Honour to be a Spectator of our Entrance from a Balcony both sides of the River being lined with an infinite number of People who by their Joyfull Acclamations gave us sufficient demonstrations of the Joy they conceived at our happy Arrival in the Port of Lisbon CHAP. XXXI Of the Port of Lisbon I Stay'd six whole Months at Lisbon to satisfie my Curiosity in taking a full view of this large and Beautiful City I had the honour to be acquainted with the Sieur Fabre chief Physician to the Queen of Portugal who is in great esteem not only with this Princess but also among all the Grandees of the Kingdom He was so obliging as to offer me his House and I must freely acknowledge that I received during my stay in this City so many kindnesses and obligations from his hands that the only way left me to repay them is to confess ingeniously that they are so many as to put me into despair of ever being able to retaliate them unless it be by a perpetual acknowledgement I am not ignorant that Lisbon is much frequented by Strangers and that such as have not had the opportunity to go thither in person may easily be instructed concerning this great City out of several Books that treat of it in particular nevertheless I hope it may not be unacceptable if I say something here as it were en passant of a City where I stay'd six whole Months The River Tagus The River of Lisbon by the Portugueses called Tejo is very famous both for its largeness and the Gold which is drawn out of its Sands It waters several goodly Provinces and runs directly under the Walls of the City of Lisbon where is one of the best Harbours in the World This River is Situate under the 39th and 40th Degrees of North Latitude It s Entrance is to be seen far off at Sea by the Mountain called by the Portugueses La Roqua As you pass the Bar you must be very careful to avoid the Sand Banks that are on the South side Before you come up to the City of Lisbon you see the strong Fort and Town of Cascais The Fort of Cascais This place is about 5 Leagues distant from the Capital City is always provided with a good Garrison and has a Port capable of containing Ships of a great Bulk but they don't ride very safely here if the Wind blows hard at West or South West Cascais is dignified with the Title of a Marquisate belonging to one of the greatest Lords of the Kingdom Near this place is the Bar of Lisbon where it is dangerous passing if you are not provided with a good Pilot abundance of Ships having been lost here for want of such guides as were well acquainted with this passage About two Leagues beyond Cascais there are two Forts Two other Forts one whereof is Built upon Piles in the midst of the River the Portugueses call it a Torre de Bougio the other is the Fort of St. Gian or St. Julian both these Forts are provided with good Garrisons and a good Artillery all the Ships that either enter or go out of the Port of Lisbon being obliged to pass within the reach of their Cannon Half ways betwixt these two Forts and the City is the Castle of Belem or Bethlehem It is Built in the River which is but narrow in this place This Castle is as carefully guarded as the rest and here it is that the Officers of the Custom-House visit all the Ships going out of the Port to see whether they are discharged at the Custom-House before they come away Near this Castle upon the very Banks of the River there is a very large Town where the Shâ—ps as they are going out are forced to come to an Anchor to stay for their last discharge from the Officers of the Custom-House within the Adjacent Castle It is a very Populous place and affords all manner of refreshment to such Ships as come there to an Anchor There is in this place a Convent belonging to the Bernardin Friars one of the finest in the whole Kingdom It is called Bethlehem having given its Name to the Adjacent Castle and the Town it self being Consecrated to the Memory of the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ It was Founded by Don Manuel King of Portugal under whose Reign the East-Indies were first discovered by the Portugueses In the Church are to be seen several Tombs and very Magnificent Mausolaeum's of the Kings and Queens of Portugal On the other side of the River directly opposite to the Convent of Bethlehem you see a very large Structure where such Ships as come from any places suspected to be infected with the Plague are obliged to unload their Goods and to keep their Quarantain all along the River side Betwixt Bethlehem and the City you see very pleasant Country Houses which afford a very delightful Prospect to such as pass along the River CHAP. XXXII Of the City of Lisbon THE City of Lisbon is the ordinary Residence of the Kings of Portugal City of Lisbon is one of the finest and richest Cities in all Europe which affords every thing that is most rare and precious in Foreign Countries It contains 7 Hills within the Precinct of its Walls on one of these Hills is Built the Castle There are abundance of fine Churches in this City among which that of the Jacobin Friars excels all the rest In one of the Chapels of this Church is an Altar Its
And hard by upon a Hill you see a Fort or Castle belonging to the King where there is no Garrison tho' when the Princes come that way they always there take up their Lodgings There runs a very fair River on one side of the Basar or Market-Place which falls into the Sea not above 100 Paces below it This River is very broad but so shallow that a Ship of above 100 Tuns cannot enter it without great hazard At its Entrance at a League 's distance from the Shoar are abundance of Rocks and a small Island without any Inhabitants where there is however very good Hunting besides which it serves very often for a shelter to such Vessels as in Tempestuous Weather cannot make the River there are no Corsairs at Tremapatan but those who Cruise this way from the Neighbouring Coasts frequently lie perdue under this Island and wait for such ships as they intend to surprize at their going into or coming out of the River CHAP. XXXIX Our Departure from Batiepatan BEfore I say any thing more of Tilcery you must know that the Sieur de Flacour and de la Terine being gone with the Prince Onitri to take possession of the place assigned for our new Settlement I staid behind at Batiepatan to take care of the Transportation of our Moveables and Effects to our new Habitations in such Vessels as were appointed for that purpose under the Convoy of a certain number of Nahers We passed the Fort of Cananor and the Town of Carla without meeting with any Pirates but as we made towards Tremapatan we perceived one to appear from behind the abovementioned Island making the best of his way towards us Those that knew them by the Bulk and Shape of their Vessel assuring me that they were Pirates I to avoid the danger of meeting with them ordered our Vessels to get into a small River thereabouts and leaving them to be guarded by the Nahers I Travell'd my self by Land under the Conduct of two of these Nahers to Tilcery where I met with the Ship called the City of Marseille Commanded by Captain Perotin who was formerly Lieutenant in the same Ship which carried me out of France as far as the Fort Dauphine in the Isle of Madagascar Having told the Captain how our Ship was beset in a small adjacent River by a Pirate he sent out an Armed Chaloup with 20 Men and 4 Patarero's who in sight of the Pirate carried off our Vessels without the least obstacle The Ship the City of Marseille having immediately received her Cargo of Pepper Cardamom and Cinnamon was sent away into Persia leaving with us the Reverend Father Gabriel de Chinon a Capuchin who by the Order of the Reverend Father Ambrosius de Previlly of the same Order and Superiour of the Missionaries in the Indies was sent in Quality of a Missionary to the Coast of Malabar That part which Prince Onitri had given Tilcery or rather Sold us for our Settlement is Situate at 11 Degrees and a half North Latitude a League distant from Tremapatan 3 Leagues from Cananor and 4 from Batiepatan to the South There is a House Built according to the Indian Fashion of Wood and Earth upon a rising Ground in the midst of an Orchard containing betwixt 2 and 300 Cocoe-Trees and something lower there is a large inclosure full of Cocoe and other Fruit-Trees surrounded with a small Ditch To the Land side there is a small Market-Town Inhabited by Mahometans who have there a Mosque which is pitifully Built and as pitifully maintain'd where the Mahometans say their Prayers On the Sea-Shoar there are several Habitations of the Moncovas or Pagan Fisher-Men and all round about it are very fair Grounds belonging to some of the Richest Nahers of the Country Tilcery it self Tilcery as I have told you before belonged to the Prince Onitri who Sold it to the Royal French East-India Company there being not another such a convenient place for their purpose in the whole Kingdom No sooner were the French put in possession of the place but they caused a House with Commodious Watch-Houses for their Merchandizes to be Built out of such Materials as the Country afforded all which they fortified with all possible diligence to serve them for a defence against any surprize About the same time Father Gabriel whom we mentioned before fell very dangerously ill of a Dysentery and being of Opinion that the Indian Physicians might be better Skill'd in the Distempers of their own Country he sent for a Paudite thus they call their Physicians who notwithstanding the violence of the Symptoms which to me were no good Presages promised to Cure him in 3 days time and in part he made good his Word for having given him a certain Medicine which as far as I could judge was a Composition of Opium by the Indians called Amphion of Oyl and of Jagra or Sugar of the Cocoes of which he was to take a Spoonful every Night and Morning he put an end to his Distemper and Life on the 27th of June By the loss of so good a Man we were deprived of the greatest Spiritual Comfort we so much stood in need of in a Barbarous Country Inhabited by Idolaters but as we were forced to submit to Providence so the Memory of a person highly venerable for his Age and other rare Endowments which begot a great respect in the Mahometans and Pagans ought always to be Sacred among his Friends The better to secure our selves and the Effects of the East-India Company at Tilcery we were obliged for a considerable time to entertain 50 Nahers in our Service there passing scarce a day but that we were Alarm'd by the Neighbouring Indians who having conceived a Jealousie at our Buildings and Fortifications openly threatned to take the first opportunity to cut our Throats which obliged us to make our Application to Prince Onitri and to desire his Protection but he being at that time not at leisure to come in Person the Neighbouring Indians would not permit their Workmen to assist us in finishing our Settlement at last after various obstacles to be surmounted and great Intreaties Prince Onitri appearing among us and declaring that he would Protect us against all that should dare to oppose us he caused several of those who had been most troublesome to us to be severely chastised which put such a Terror among the rest that they did not disturb us for some time after especially when they saw that Prince Onitri tarried thereabouts for full 6 Months the better to keep these mutinous people in awe by his presence CHAP. XL. A Voyage of the Sieur de Flacour into the Kingdom of Samorin THE Dutch who are in continual Broils with one or other of these Indian Princes War betwixt the Dutch and Samorins did about the same time renew the War with the King of Samorin being the most Potent among all the Malabar Princes For some time the War was carried on without
any considerable advantage on both sides till the Dutch having got the better of the Indians made a great havock where-ever they came demolishing their Towns and pillaging their Temples and at last laid Siege to a certain Castle called Batacota or Trianvaca Catota Batacota The Fortress being very strong and of no small consequence and the Samorins having provided the place with every thing necessary for its defence stood it out bravely at first against the Dutch but their heavy Artillery having disheartned the Nahers who defended the place and the King having sought in vain for Succours among his Neighbours who durst not break with the Dutch judged it most advisable to have recourse to the Europeans The Portugueses were not in a condition to assist him neither was he perhaps willing to give them an opportunity of re-settling themselves in his Dominions wherefore he made his Application to us desiring our Assistance against his Enemies 'T is true the War was not then declared betwixt France and Holland but considering that this crafty Nation had all along thwarted our Designs in the Indies we resolved to embrace the party of the King of Samorin For which reason the Sieurs de Flacour and de Coche were sent thither from Tilcery with full power to conclude an Alliance with that King They were received with all imaginable Demonstrations of Joy and respect The French side with the Samorins and the King of Samorin among other Articles granted to the French East-India Company a tract of Ground in his Kingdom called Aticote with all its dependencies and the Sovereignty it self for the more convenient settlement of our Company This place is not far distant from Cochin near a River capable of bearing Vessels of a moderate Bulk The Dutch having got scent of the Treaty concluded betwixt us and the Indians Attack'd the place more furiously than before and the Prince putting all his hopes in the French relief the more to encourage them to hasten to his assistance promised to put the Castle into their Hands as soon as relieved which he caused to be Published near the Enemy's Camp But these were so far from being frightned at it that they push'd on their Attacks so vigorously that the Sieur de Flacour who was constituted Governour of the Fort after a brave Defence found means to get out of the place and the Nahers discouraged by his departure soon delivered it to the Hollanders who caused it to be Demolished The King of Samorin finding himself incapable to sustain alone the Burthen of the War Peace betwixt the Dutch and Samorins and being disappointed in his hopes of a powerful succour from Suratte propos'd certain Articles of Peace to the Dutch which being accepted of by them the Peace was Concluded and the Sieur de Flacour returned to Tilcery having in vain endeavoured to serve a Prince who had given him many Demonstrations of his good will and favourable inclinations to our Nation But as the King had been forced by an unavoidable necessity to clap up this Peace with the Hollanders so all his thoughts were bent upon revenging himself against them as soon as the French succours promised by their East-India Company should Arrive in those parts For which reason he desir'd the Sieur de Flacour to leave the Sieur de Coche with him who accordingly staid at his Court in expectation of the succours promised by the East-India Company CHAP. XLI New Troubles arisen at Tilcery IN the mean time our Enemies who by the presence and threats of Prince Onitri had for some time been kept in awe being afresh encouraged by his absence began to be very troublesome to us The worst of all was that we did not only stand in fear of the Neighbouring Nahers and other Pagans but the Corsairs of Bargara and Cognaly also threatned to come and Plunder us and if they found any resistance to cut us to pieces For which reason we were forced to entertain a good number of Nahers and to put our selves in a posture of Defence as much as possibly we could with a resolution rather to sacrifice our Lives than to submit to an intolerable Slavery among these Barbarians Some time after the departure of the Sieur de Flacour for Samorin there appearing a Vessel to the South of our Shoar with a White Flag we also set up ours and an Ensign of theirs being sent on Shoar satisfied us that it was the St. Francis a Ship belonging to our Company Commanded by Captain Vimont having on Board the Sieur Pilavene a Merchant of Paris who was sent into the Indies in Quality of a Director This Vessel was bound for Suratte and after its departure out of France having met with no Disaster till after she had doubled the Cape of Good-Hope was Attack'd by so furious a Tempest that she lost her Masts and some of her Ships Crew and became very Leaky which obliged the Chief Officers there to make a Vow that if they happened to escape so imminent a danger they would go to pay their Devotions before the Corps of St. Francis Xavier at the place where it is deposited at Goa After the Hurricane was abated they refreshed themselves at Batavia the Capital City of the Isle of Java belonging to the Hollanders the biggest of all they are Masters of in the Indies Having provided themselves there with what necessaries they wanted they were steering their course towards Goa to discharge their Vow and from thence to continue their Voyage to Suratte This Ship did not continue above four and twenty Hours in our Road in which time we took care to send them on Board all manner of refreshments and the French Officers on board her having understood how we were kept in continual fear by the Indians presented us with some Cymetars Musquets and Gun-powder besides a quantity of Brandy The sight of this Vessel and the Arms which they sent us wrought no small effect for our safety which we improved to our best advantage by giving it out among them that we expected daily more ships with Arms Men and Ammunition from France which struck such a terror into our Enemies that they proved less troublesome afterwards The Sieur Deshayes Embarked in the Ship called the St. Francis having for some time before desired to be dismissed the Air of Malabar not being very agreeable to his Constitution After the Sieur de Flacour's return from the King of Samorin's Court we gave Notice to the Dutch residing at Cananor of the donation made to us by that Prince which they regarded as little as did those inhabiting Cochin CHAP. XLII The Arrival of several Vessels A Little after the Ship called the City of Bourdeaux which came from Suratte and was bound for Mascate Mascate a City of Arabia in the Persian Gulph arrived in the road of Tilcery The Portugueses had formerly settled themselves in that Port and for their security built a new strong Fort but the Arabians chased them
the Portugueses These having sent to his assistance a Fleet he Besieged them by Land as they did by Sea but with very ill success for the Portuguese Ships having most of them been tost by a Tempest the King was forced to withdraw his Army not without great loss without being able to reduce the Corsairs to their Devoir But the next year proved less favourable to them for the Portugueses being resolved to revenge the Affront received the year before made a Descent Is carried to Goa and Stoned to Death routed them and took their Chieftain Prisoner whom they led loaden with Chains to Goa where the populace being highly incensed against these Barbarians on account of the Cruelties exercised by them upon their Country-Men and other Europeans he was stoned to Death by the Boys One of his Nephews after having submitted himself to the King of Samorin succeeded him both in his Estate and Employment who has ever since continued to Cruise upon the Merchant Ships with such success that he is dreaded all over the Indies The Fort which has given the Name to the Basar or Market-Town is Built at a small distance from it on the utmost confines of the Kingdom of Samorin From thence they count it seven Leagues to Calicut where you meet with nothing but 3 or 4 small Towns so inconsiderable as not to deserve to be mentioned here CHAP. II. Of Calicut CAlicut Calicut or Coi-Cota is in the Malabar Tongue called Coi-Cota deriving its Name from two different Words the first whereof signifies as much as a Cock and the last a Fort because as it is related among the Malabars the Kingdom of Samorin was in former Ages of no greater extent than you might hear a Cock Crow And tho' this Kingdom be considerably augmented since yet the City of Calicut the principal of the Country retains the same Name to this day It is Situated under the Eleventh Degree of North Latitude about 11 Leagues distant from Tilcery Formerly it was the Chief place of Commerce of all the Indies and though it be much declined from its Ancient lustre yet its Inhabitants are generally very Rich and most of them Merchants This was the place where the Portugueses first set foot on Shoar after their first Discovery of the East-Indies Their King who at that time kept his Residence in that City received them with a great deal of kindness and respect granting them a considerable settlement in his Territories but they were so far from making a suitable return to his Civilities that they began to Lord it both over him and his Subjects so that the King thought himself obliged to rid his Hands of these bold Guests whom the Samorins drove out of their Territories and never suffered them to re-settle there since All about Calicut there are very low Grounds subject to frequent Inundations there being scarce a year but some part or other of this Kingdom is laid under Water by the overflowing of the Rivers The Fort which the Portugueses formerly had Built at a good distance from the Shoar may now be seen 2 Leagues deep in the Sea above half under Water The Portuguese Fort. so that you may frequently see small Vessels pass betwixt that and the Shoar These Inundations are ceased by the strong South West Winds which blow on that Coast continually from May till September Whilst I was there I was an eye-witness of the Disaster that befel the English whose Habitations which had not been Built many Years before were entirely swallowed up by the Waters The frequent mischiefs occasioned by these Inundations has been one of the main reasons why the Foreign Trade has in a great measure removed from Calicut to Goa which City has laid the foundation of its greatness upon the Ruins of that of Calicut Goa is the most considerable City of all the East-Indies in the Possession of the Portugueses who wallowing in Riches by reason of the vast Commerce of the Foreign Merchant's Trafficking in the East-Indies grew at last so insolent and insupportable to them that they Transported their Effects and Traffick to Suratte which is now the chief Trading place of all the Indies Calicut is notwithstanding all this accounted a very good Market-Town having 4 or 5 large and handsome Streets besides the Suburbs which are Inhabited by Fishermen and Tives all which joyned together make up a City of a pretty large Bulk Since the Kings of Samorin have removed their Court to another place there resides here a Governour whom they call Bajador in the Royal Palace where there is as yet to be seen a very large Bell and some Brass Cannon which were brought thither after they had chased the Portugueses out of their Fort. Among the Sands of the Shoar there is good store of Gold Dust Gold Dust which is very fine and every Body has the freedom to gather it at pleasure the biggest piece that ere I saw was not worth above 15 Pence and commonly they are not worth above 4 or 5 Pence apiece abundance of people get a livelihood by it and with consent of the Governour which is to be purchased by a certain set Price for the maintenance of 100 Poor people you may have as much Sand as you please carried to your Dwelling-places in order to separate it with the most conveniency It is a considerable time since the English have been settled at Calicut English Factory but their Habitations having been ruined as we said before by the overflowing of the Waters they Built another House in a rising and consequently less dangerous piece of Ground As in those far distant places the Europeans tho' of different Nations pay a great deal of Civility to one another upon all occasions and as it would have been look'd upon by them as an Affront if we had not stopp'd at their Habitation as we pass'd that way we took up our Lodgings with the English who Entertain'd us with all the Civility imaginable and we staid with them much longer than we at first intended by reason that a Paros of the Cosairs waited for our coming out of the Port to surprize us Having staid for some time in hopes of his going out of the Road his Obstinacy at last overcame our Patience and being resolved to run the hazard we rowed out of the Port in the middle of the Day but kept near the Shoar in order to Land if they should come to Attack us But as these Cowardly Barbarians seldom Attack any but whom they believe either not to dare or to be able to cope with them our resolute Behaviour put them to a stand so that imagining us to be stronger than we were they had not the Courage to come near us But this was not the only danger that threatned us for we had not gone much further when espying another Vessel riding at a good distance from us near the Shoar put us into a great consternation our Nahers and
Europe with Rice besides which there are great quantities of Rice exported from hence to Achem Bantam Socotora Moqua Mascate Balsora Mosambique Bombase and to several other places in the Indies CHAP. VIII Our Departure from Mangalor WE set Sail from Mangalor the next day after the Pink Commanded by the Sieur the Barbot and after we had Sailed 24 Hours passed in sight of Barcalor but did not enter the Port being resolved to come to an Anchor that Night if possible in the Road of Mirscou Immediately after our Arrival we went to pay our respects to the Governour Cojabdalle of whom we have had occasion to speak before who since we saw him last had been involved in great Troubles He had been accused of Extorsions and other Malversation whereupon having been Summon'd to appear before his Prince he was Condemn'd to a Prison where he suffered great hardships for some time but having at last found means to justifie himself against these Aspersions the King his Master had restored him to all his Offices and Dignities he enjoyed before his Disgrace The discontent occasioned by his late Troubles might easily have been read in his Face when we saw him notwithstanding which he received us with a great deal of Civility telling us that it was a great dissatisfaction to him to see our East-India Company to Abandon the place where he was Governour and to see them transport it to any Port where he had no Authority and consequently was not in a Capacity to serve them We return'd him Thanks for his Kindness with assurance that we were not without hopes of returning thither in a little time and to settle the concerns of the Company upon a more solid foundation than before under his Government at which he was extreamly pleased and writ a Letter to the Directors of our Company at Suratte to Invite them to Mirscou with great promises of all the assistance he was able to give them After two days stay we set Sail again from Mirscou and the next Morning early discovered a Squadron of 13 Ships They meet with Monsieur de la Haye which proved to be the French Squadron Commanded by Monsieur de la Haye of which we have made mention before The Admiral with another Ship coming up with us informed our Captain that the Sieur de Caron one of the Directors of our Company in the Indies was on Board one of these Vessels he went in a Chaloup to pay him a Visit and after his return told us that the French Squadron was bound to the South and that there was a discourse among them of creating Factories for the French East-India Company in the Isle of Ceylon so we left them Steering our Course towards Goa We came the same Night within sight of the Forts which are at the Entrance of the River of Goa but being not very well acquainted with the Coast which is accounted very dangerous we did not come to an Anchor till early in the Morning the next day being the last of January CHAP. IX Our Arrival at Goa THE City of Goa is Situate under the 15th Degree of North Latitude it formerly belonged to the King of Visapour but is now in the possession of the Portuguese The River of Goa is one of the finest in the whole World no Ships of what Burthen soever but may go up without the least danger to the City This River is as it were divided into two Branches The River of Goa Isle of Goa by an Isle called Goa which has given its Name to the City which is Built upon it The Isle is of an Oval Figure about 7 Leagues in Circuit the most narrow point of the Island extends it self into the open Sea Parallel with the two Capes of the Continent which makes a double Harbour equally Commodious for Vessels on either side The Southern point of the Continent is called by the Portugueses Cabo de Rama where they have a strong Fort Fort Mourmougon called Fort de Mourmougon which being always provided with a good Garrison and Artillery proportionable to defend the Entrance of the Harbour on that side On the utmost point of the Island which separates the two Harbours there is another Fort which has taken its Name from a Monastery of the Recollects a sort of Franciscan Friars who have Dedicated their Church to the Virgin Mary and is by the Portuguese called Nossa Senhora Docaba On the Northern Cape of the Continent lies the Fort of Agoada Fort of Agoada so called because there is most excellent Water thereabouts which furnishes all Ships that come into that Port. The Fort of Agoada is the most considerable both for its strength and bigness this being the most convenient Harbour of the two for Anchorage where Ships cannot pass the Chanel but within Cannon Shot of the Fort as they are either going or coming from Goa The Governours of Goa have here a House so Magnificently Built that it would pass for a fine Palace even in Europe where they divert themselves frequently About 3 Leagues from the City there are several other lesser Forts where they keep no Garrisons and on both sides of the Shoar you see abundance of fine Country Houses belonging to the Inhabitants of Goa and several very large and stately Villages by the Portugueses called Aldea's the vast number of Gardens which are seen near the City being the whole Year round stored with several sorts of Fruits Flowers and Leaves afford a very pleasant prospect There is about a League from the City of Goa a very large Village or Aldea called Pangim surpassing in Beauty many goodly Cities where persons of Quality have their Palaces to shelter themselves here against the heats of the Sun and the Gardens being in all respects suitable to the Grandeur of the edifices appear very surprizing to Strangers Half way betwixt Pangim and Goa is the Church called Notra Senhora de Ribaudar concerning which the Portugueses relate the following History A Portuguese Ship from Lisbon being come as far as the Cape of Good-Hope was there surprized towards Night by a most violent Tempest so that the Mariners expected nothing but Death every Moment but the next Morning by break of day they found their Ship riding at Anchor in the River of Goa just opposite to the place where in Memory of the Miracle the abovementioned Church is Built on the River side To perpetuate the Memory of so surprizing an Adventure there is a Ship Painted upon the Church-Door and upon the very Banks of the River are to be seen 2 large Crosses made of Stone which they say are of the same length with the Ship that performed this Miraculous Voyage which without question was the nimblest Sailer that ever was known since she Sailed 2000 Leagues in one Night La Casa de Polvera or the Powder-House is without the City where they keep their Criminals Condemned to Imprisonment which is also the Prison of all such
de Goeron Director General of the French East-India Company and his Son and had been near nine Months in her passage from France having been droven by tempestuous Weather among the Maldive Islands from whence few Ships escape The Scurvy was got so desperately among the whole Ships Crew that they had scarce hands enough left to manage the Sails So soon as the Directors were advertised of her arrival they furnished her with skillful Pilates which conducted her into the Port of Sovaly The sick Mariners being brought on shoar were committed to my care and what with the help of the Land-Air and other proper Remedies very few of them but what recovered in a little time Orders being come in the mean while from the Directors to get every thing in readiness for her Voyage to Bantam as also for the Parl which being a Ship of less Burthen and loaden with Wheat and Soap did set sail on the beginning of May and the Ship called the St. Francis being sent before in April to the Persian Coast I had orders sent me to get my self in readiness to go in the Ship the Holy Ghost We were just ready to set sail expecting only our last dispatches when our Ship notwithstanding she was but lately built sprung a leak and drew abundance of Water so that she was forc'd to be unloaden and being judged unfit for so great a Voyage all her Cannon was taken out and ordered to be laid up in order to be refitted but as she was entring the River she struck upon the Sands and was staved to pieces in less than four and twenty Hours The loss of so fine a Ship put us all out of humour and the Directors being willing to save some of her Rigging several were imployed for that purpose but to no effect some of them being drowned in the attempt CHAP. XV. Of the Death of Mr. Blot I Staid as long as the rainy Season lasted at Suratte where there happened at that time some differences betwixt the Directors which however did not hinder us from taking our pleasure our selves as well as we could but it was not long before our Jollity was turn'd into Grief by the sudden death of the Sieur de Blot one of the most considerable Persons of our Nation in those parts who being seized with a violent Fever died after nine days sickness According to the custom of the Europeans in the Indies Mr. de Blot's Funeral we invited all the chief Men of the English and Dutch to the Funeral who appeared there with all their attendance as did also abundance of other Merchants both Armenians and Mahometans All the Frâ—nch there present were in Mourning some on Horse-back some in Palanquins who accompanied the Corps which was carried in a Mourning Coach to the Church-Yard belonging to the French which was at a Miles distance from the City The Rains being more violent than usual this Winter Season were followed by most terrible inundations which caused the Rivers to swell to an extraordinary degree so that abundance of Ships were forced from their Anchors by the violence of the Current some of them run a Ground others were staved to pieces A Ship belonging to the Great Mogul was forced with only one Man in her out of the River and was never heard of since Another Ship of 1800 Tuns belonging to the same Prince was carried by the violence of the Waters so far upon the Land that after the Waters were sunk she was found a League from the River side Much about the same time we received intelligence Mr. de la Haye makes a descent at St. Thomas That the Sieur de la Haye had touch'd in the Isle of Ceylon in order to establish a French Factory there but having been disappointed in his design he was sailed from thence to St. Thomas in the Kingdom of Golconda to furnish himself with necessary Provisions but some of his Men who were sent on shoar for that purpose having been very ill treated by the Inhabitants he had landed his Forces and taken their Capital City which he deâ—ended with great Bravery against all the Indian Forces thereabouts that he laid Seige to the place This surprising News would scarce have found credit among us if it had not been confirmed by several Letters About the beginning of October the Sieur Fermanel who was Captain of the Ship called the St. James received orders to get every thing ready for his departure and I being commanded to go on board the same Ship we departed from Suratte without knowing whither we were bound our orders being sealed up and not to be opened till we were twenty Leagues at Sea of off Suratte It was our Opinion that the French Directors having received secret intelligence that we were come to a rupture with Holland and knowing our selves much inferiour in strength to them in the Indies they were afraid for the Ship called the St. Francis which being of no small consequence to the Company they had ordered our Ship to convoy her in her return to Suratte The orders being opened at the appointed place we found our selves to have been pretty near the Mark for we were commanded to stop and search all such Ships as we met that were weaker than we and to take all the Dutch Ships we could The Winds proved very changeable notwithstanding which our Voyage proved pretty successful We came within sight of the Cape of Rasalgate situate on the South-side of the entrance into the Persian Gulph and after we had doubled the Cape The City of Mascate we sailed all along the Arabian Coast and passed in sight of the City of Mascate very considerable for its most advantageous Situation Here it was that the Portugueses had formerly a strong Fort which being judged impregnable made them Masters of the whole Persian Gulph this so advantageous place the Portugueses lost by the avariciousness of him who commanded in the Fort who having sold the Provisions laid up for the use of the Garrison to the Arabians at an excessive price in hopes of receiving fresh supplies in a little time the King of the Country took hold of this opportunity streightly Besieged the place and forced the Portugueses to surrender at Discretion The Portugueses remain ever since at Enmity with these Arabians but have hitherto not been able to recover the Fort. From hence we coasted it along to the Cape of Mosandan where the Gulph begins to be so straight that the Land appears on both sides Not far from this Cape we discovered a Vessel after which pursuant to our orders we made all the sail we could to come up with her But finding that she avoided our Company we gave her a Cannon Ball and put up our Flag when the Captain came on board of us and shew'd us his Pass from the French East-India Company by which it appear'd that she belonged to some Merchants of Suratte We came afterwards in sight of the Isle of Areque
by the Portugueses 〈…〉 of Daman who remain in possession of it to this day it is about 20 Leagues from Suratte and 80 from Goa it is not very large but strong and neatly kept the Streets are not Paved but very straight and regular The Houses are all handsome Buildings and the Churches very Magnificent especially the Parish Church and the Chappel of the Charitable Society Besides which there are 4 others belonging to the Jesuits to the Jacobin and Austin Friarâ— and to the Recollects The Inhabitants of Daman are look'd upon as the best Horse-Men in the Indies Itâ— Inhabâ—tanâ—s they having once defended themselves with great bravery against an Army of the Great Mogul consisting of 40000 Men who had Besieged the place This Government is one of the most considerable the Portugueses are Masters of in these parts He that was Governour there at that time was one Manuel Furtado de Mendoza a Bastard Cousin German of the Portuguese Vice-Roy The River washes the Walls of the City where there is a very safe Harbour for Ships unless it happen sometimes that by the violence of the Current occasion'd by the overflowing of the Waters they are sometimes forced from their Anchors if they be not carefully look'd after The City lies not above a good Cannon Shot from the Sea side and on the opposite Shoar of the River is the Fort of St. Jerom The Fort of St. Jerom. which is a great addition to the Strength and defence of Daman for which reason it is that the Portugueses are more careful of this Fort than of any other they are Masters of in the Indies they not allowing any Negroes to be received among the Soldiers of the Garrison which always consists of 400 Men at least Every one of these are obliged to lie every Night within the Fort and if any one chances to do otherwise without special leave from the Governour who never grants it but upon extraordinary occasions they lose their Pay for that day for the first offence and the second time they are Cashier'd The Governour of this Fort has no dependance on the Governour of the City they are never above 3 Years in the same post a Custom observed by the Portugueses with all the rest of their Governours The Air about Daman is very pleasant and the principal Inhabitants of the City pass the greatest part of the Year at their Country Houses CHAP. XIX Concerning our stay at Daman NOT long before my Arrival at Daman the Sieur de St. James Son of a French Physician and another young French Man were Married there The last of these two had Married the Bastard Sister of a Lady of Quality called Donna Petronilla de la Cerda who after she was a Widow had Married a person of the first Rank among the Portugueses The Sieur de St. James had Married the Daughter of this Lady whose Name being Donna Rosa de Mello was in all respects answerable to her Youth and Beauty I having heard much talk of them at Suratte I thought my self under an indispensible obligation to pay them a visit But the first thing I did was to deliver my recommendation to the Rector of the Jesuit College who receiv'd me with all the Civility imaginable and conducted me to the Governour who after he had treated me according to his Quality proposed to me to stay at Daman where there was at that time no other Physician but some Pagan Indians whose Practice consisting only in a few Receipts they apply them indifferently to all Patients I return'd his Compliment desiring some time to consider of the matter and the Rector of the Jesuits observing my inclination to Travelling to be more prevailing with me than the Prospect of present advantages urged me to accept of the Governour 's offers assuring me that he would make use of all his interests for my further advantage The next following day I paid a visit to my two Country-Men of whom I spoke just now they were overjoyed to see me and Treated me with a most Magnificent Collation in the mean while the Sieur de St. James had spoke in my behalf to his Mother-in-law to desire her permission to let me Lodge in their House which she having easily granted they had without my knowledge sent for my Trunks so that when after some Hours stay I was going to take my leave they intreated me to accept of their House which at their reiterated intreaties I could not refuse to my two generous Country-Men I was not ignorant of the Custom of the Portugueses with whom you can scarce meet with sufficient circumspection in respect of the fair Sex I did not as yet mention one word concerning their Ladies but the next day they were the first that mentioned and proposed a visit to them I seem'd to be careless in the matter and having spent the greatest part of the day in visiting some of my Patients in the City at my return towards Night they introduced me to them in their Apartments where I entertained them with the same freedom as we do in France whereat they seem'd not at all displeased They did ask me many Questions which I answered as well as I could and Donna Petronilla Addressing her Discourse to me above the rest we did not part till late at Night I did not fail afterwards to visit them at least once a day and Petronilla treated me always with more than ordinary Civility She was of about 39 years of Age notwithstanding which she had sufficient Charms being of a very pleasing Aspect of an admirable Shape delicately featured and agreeable in all respects she had a very lively Eye and her Humour was the sweetest and most Complaisant in the World We diverted our selves together for some Hours every Night and I must confess that I never passed three Weeks more pleasantly than these in all my life time CHAP. XX. Of Trapor DOnna Petronilla's Seat was at Trapor she being only come to Daman about some particular Business she was to be at home with her Husband before Easter and desired me to conduct her Home being not above 10 Leagues from Daman Having first asked the Governour 's Leave I accepted of their kind offer and Travelled with their whole Family towards Trapor On the Monday of the Holy Week we laid at a place called Danou a Lordship belonging to the Eldest Son of Donna Petronilla near to this is the Mountain called the Picque of Danou resembling in shape a Sugar Loaf which lying betwixt Suratte and Bassaim serves for a guide to the Ships that Sail near this Coast there is here a small River which bears no Ships of any Burthen but only some small Craft Donna Petronilla's Husband met us at Danou and received me with all imaginable Civility and the Wednesday following we came to Trapor or Tarapour This is a small City Built on the Sea side half ways betwixt Daman and Bassaim belonging to the Portugueses who have here
Churches where a Crucifix of an inestimable value of Relieve is enclosed in an Iron Grate with the Wound in our Saviour's Side it is daily exposed to publick view there being constantly kept 6 white Wax Candles and 7 Lamps burning before it The great Chapel belonging to the Cathedral is also a most magnificent Structure In a Convent called a Madre de Deos there is to be seen the Handkerchief of our Saviour Jesus Christ which most precious Relick is shew'd to the people every Holy Friday in the Afternoon The Streets of Lisbon are generally very narrow there being very few but such as have been lately Built which are passable for Coaches and I suppose it is upon this account that Chairs and Litters are so much used in this City The Royal Palace is Built upon the very Bank of the River The grand Place-Royal faces this Castle called by the Portugueses Tereriro de Paco where they run at the Ring and keep their Bull-fightings There are in Lisbon several good Market-places and other large and fine Squares abundance of stately Buildings and a great number of Fountains which are to be seen all over the City and serve both for an Ornament to the City and for the conveniency of the Inhabitants The Portugueses are very cautious in following the French Fashion in their Dresses The Portuguese Women are very little but well shap'd Ladies of Quality appear abroad with their Faces uncovered the rest wear Veils but they have a way of opening them when they have a Mind to be seen CHAP. XXXIII My Departure from Lisbon and return into France AFter I had made the best Observations I could concerning every thing I thought worth taking notice of in Lisbon I took Shipping in a Vessel which was bound to Bayonne in France We weighed Anchor from before the Castle of Bethlehem on the 22d of July and the next day got out to Sea but the Wind turning about and it blowing very hard all the following Night our Mizen Mast Split so that we were forced to make towards the Shoar to refit We came to an Anchor the next day in the Port of Cascais where the Sieur Du Casso an Inhabitant of Bajonne and I went a-shoar we continued there till the 28th of the same Month when we took Shipping again and got out at Sea a second time But the Wind Steering about soon after we were fain to keep at a great distance from the Shoar so we doubled the Cape of Finistre the 4th of August and Sailed along the Coast of Spain till the 15th of the same Month when we got sight of our Native Shoar and at the same time of a Vessel that was making all the Sail she could towards us We having no more than 25 Men and 6 Guns on Board we thought it our best way to change our Course but whilst we were flying from our supposed Enemy we soon got sight of another which made us alter our Resolution and to pursue our former course which we did accordingly but so near the Shoar that we might have an opportunity of running our Vessel on Shoar if we should be constrained so to do Thus we Sailed all the Night surrounded with terrible apprehensions both of the danger of the Shoar and our Enemies but by Day-light seeing but one of the Ships that were in pursuit of us the day before and finding our selves not far off of the River of Bayonne we made all the sails we could and happily entred it the same Night Thus after 10 Years Absence and a Thousand dangers and fatigues the necessary consequences of long Voyages I had the satisfaction to set once more foot on Shoar the 16th day of August in my Native Country France The End of the Second Part. A TREATISE OF THE DISTEMPERS Relating in Particular to the Eastern Countries AND Such other DISEASES as commonly happen in the VOYAGES into those PARTS with their proper REMEDIES By M. C. D. D. E. M. Translated from the French LONDON Printed for D. Browne at the Black-Swan without Temple-Bar A. Roper at the Black-Boy and T. Leigh at the Peacock both in Fleet-Street 1698. OF THE DISTEMPERS Peculiar to the Eastern-Countries AND THEIR REMEDIES CHAP. I. Of Vomiting VOmiting is the first inconveniency Travellors are afflicted with at Sea it is caused partly by the motion of the Ship partly by the change of the Air. Vomiting as common as it is is sometimes not without danger I have seen some people of a tender Constitution weakned by it to that degree that they were in no small danger of their Life by the great loss of Spirits Others I have seen who for 3 or 4 Months together have not been able to stir out of their Beds To prevent in some measure the violent Vomitting at Sea it is very convenient to take 2 or 3 proper Purges a little before you go to Sea especially if you have not lived very regularly before When you are at Sea you may mitigate the violence of it if you keep your self quiet betwixt Decks for the first 4 or 5 days of your Voyage but not to abstain from Eating and Drinking tho' you should bring it up again immediately after for if you Vomit with a full Stomach you don't strain so violently as you do when it is empty when violent Vomitings cause often very dangerous Haemorrhagies It is of great moment to feed at first upon nothing but what is of very easie Digestion and good nourishment to drink but little Wine and to abstain as much as possible can be from Brandy or Aqua vitae it having been found by Experience that strong Liquors are so far from fortifying the Stomach upon this occasion that they are rather very hurtful CHAP. II. Of the Scurvy call'd by the French The Land-Evil THE Scurvy call'd by the French Mariners the Land Evil is the most dangerous and troublesome of all those Distempers which are incident to those that undertake great Voyages it being not only contagious but also scarce ever to be cur'd till you get ashoar The general Causes of this Distemper are Causes of the Scurvy 〈◊〉 Sea the Sea Air the Salt Provision both which cause great alterations in the Blood Melancholy occasioned by the tediousness and other Inconveniencies of long Voyages Thirst the common Companion of those who are to pass into the Eastern-Parts and that commonly at such a time when they stand most in need of Refreshment And last of all the Nastiness of the Mariners who seldom keep themselves clean and neat For which reason it is that the Officers and others above the common Rank on board these Ships are not so much subject to the Scurvy as the common Sea-men because they are better provided with change of Linen and feed upon such things as are of a better Digestion and Nourishment The first Symptoms of the Scurvy appear most commonly in the Mouth and Gums which swell grow black and emit a very ill Scent so that
Town call'd Vera Cruz where is the safest Landing in the whole Island Towards the North on the Sea-side there are three other small Forts and on the South-side another Fort built in the nature of a Castle with round Towers Betwixt the Sea-side and the Town there are two small Forts which defend the Passage that leads to the City There are in the place three Monasteries belonging to the Jacobines Carmelites and Austin Friars as many Nunneries and a Cathedral very handsomly built About two Leagues from Lagona there issues out of a Mountain a very large Spring on both sides of which are very high Trees who by the thickness of their Leaves keep the Sun-beams from heating the Water which is extreamly cool near the Spring The circumjacent Hills were stor'd with Orange Citron and Pomegranate Trees the Fruits of which cover'd the Grounds where they stood on the foot of the Mountain is seen a very pleasant Wilderness near one side of which the Water of the Spring fell from the descent of the Hill with a pleasing noise and gathering below in a Channel run with an easie current for a League and a half thro' the adjacent Plains From hence it was by a large Aqueduct about half a League in length conveâ—â—â—d till within two hundred Paces distance of 〈◊〉 which was furnished with fresh Water by 〈◊〉 very large Cisterns with Cocks for the use of the Inhabitants There is also near the City 〈◊〉 a Hill a small Lake surrounded with other Hills where the Cattle belonging to the Inhabitants are furnished with Water The People of Quality in the Isle of Teneriffe are very obliging But the Vulgar are here as all over Spain very proud and lazy there being scarce a Handycrafts-Fellow but what has his great Sword on his side whether at home or abroad and will rather starve at home or at the best rather be contented with Pulse and Roots than to go to fetch it from abroad there being great store of Wild-Fowl here The Women wear Veils but have a way of squinting through it with one eye Their Wheat is not unlike the Turkey Wheat The Products of Teneriffe Malvasier Wine they have in great plenty A whole Pipe cost commonly not above twenty Ducats They pay seventeen Reals for Custom when it is exported so that in all it does not amount to above fourscore and nine French Livers A Pipe containing four hundred and fourscore pints of Paris measure which is above a hundred English Gallons They have here great plenty of Money for which reason your Foreign Merchants Trade hither with very great advantage The chief Commodities to be vended here are Swords Pistols Knives Combs Cloths Clokes Black and Grey Broad Hats Ribons and Linen-Cloaths Just opposite to Santa Cruz there is another Harbour which they call La Rota the rest of this Island being environ'd by unaccessable Rocks The Famous Picque of Teneriffe which is two Leagues distant from Lâ—gona is 47812 Feet high The top of it is never without Snow CHAP III. Of the Cities of Fernamboucq and Olinde on the Coast of Brasil THE City of Fernamboucq is built upon a Point of Land having on one side the Ocean and on the other a small branch of the Sea which they call the River Sallee The City of Fernamboucq It s figure is Circular containing not above three hundred edifices which deserve the name of well built houses the rest being rather cottages not above one story high The Parish-Church stands in the Center of the Town There is a small Island which being separated by the abovementioned Branch of the Sea from the City is joyned to it by a long narrow Bridge sustained by forty five Arches whereof some are of Stone the rest of Wood the last are built for the conveniency of the Tide and the first to serve as a solid foundation of the whole Fabrick It is called St. Anthony's Island it contains about a hundred Houses besides three Monastries one belonging to the Recollects which is a fine structure the other to the Jefuits and the third to the French Capucines There is all along the Coast of Brasil a vast tract of Rocky Mountains which run all along the Southern Coast of America even as far as the Streights of Magellan being above seven hundred Leagues in length They are called the Recif in their Language This Congeries of Mountains has its large Breches in several pâ—aces which most of them make convenient Harbours as all Fernamboq which is counted one of the best Ports in all America At the entrance of this Port you see two very strong Forts Forts near Fernambouq one of which is built upon some of the Rocks of the Recif lying Perpendicular with the surface of the Water at High-Tide Just on the point of Land upon which is the City of Fermambouq opposite to that of the Recif is a Fort-Royal Surrounded with very strong Pallisadoes Two other Forts are Erected on the Land side for the defence of the City one of which lies on the West the other on the South side of the Town About a League and a half North from Fernambouq The City of Olinda is the City of Olinda formerly a very handsome City approaching in bigness to the City of Orleans in France before it was ruined by the Hollanders It was built upon four Hills which afford a very delightful prospect There are as yet remaining a few goodly Houses but the ruins of the old ones are sufficient testimonies of its former lustre The remains upon one of these Hills standing to this day the house belonging to the Jesuits which has cost a Hundred thousand Pounds building Besides which there are several other Monasteries belonging to the Benedictines Capuchines the Carmelites and Grey-Friars CHAP. IV. Of the Isle of Ceylon and the Forts the Dutch are Possess'd of in that Island THE Hollanders have several Colonies in the Isle of Ceylon among which the Cities of Portugal and Colombo are the chiefest The City of Portugal Portugal lies in a very convenient Bay about three Leagues distant from a very high Mountain which appears at Sea in the shape of a Pique like that of Teneriffe and serveâ— as a guide to the Mariners Near the City is a very regular Fort which defends the entrance of the Harbour To the South of Portugal betwixt that City and Colombo there is another goodly Plantation upon an Eminence near the Sea-side called Barberin About twenty Leagues distant from Portugal is the City of Colombo it 's situate in a very fair plain near the Sea-shore The City of Colombo being surrounded with a vast number of fine Trees which afford a very delightful Prospect Just by is a very large Castle very considerable for its strength Besides which they are Masters of Negombo and Japhnepatan two very considerable Cities and have Fortified all the Western Nothern and Southern Coasts of this Island as for the Eastern parts they have
again he was at last forced to capitulate and return'd from thence in a Dutch Ship to France where he afterwards behaved himself with great bravery upon several occasions and being made Lieutenant-General was kill'd in an Engagement near Thionville CHAP. IX Of the City of Suratte its Inhabitants Traffick and what else is remarkable thereabouts THE City of Suratte in the Kingdom of Gusuratte It s bigness under the Jurisdiction of the Great Mogul comes in bigness near to Roan in France its Inhabitants are Indians some of whom are Mahometans some Pagans Besides which there are Persians Inhabitants Arabians Turks Armenians French English Portugueses Dutch and several other European Nations who have setled themselves here for the conveniency of Commerce There are among the other several Sects of the Pagans some who call themselves Persis who being descended from the race of the Ancient Persians that were driven from their native Country by the Mahometans do in Imitation of their Ancestors Adore the Fire to this day The Pagan Priests or Doctors are called Bramans The Braman some among them pretend to some knowledge in Philosophy They are clad in Cotton of a light reddish colour but so full of slashes and cuts that they appear half naked We saw one march at a certain time thus through the streets who being followed by a great number of Women some among them who seemed to be more devout than the rest wouâ—d run before him and kneeling down take hold of his Privy parts to cure them as we were informed of their Barrenness The Banjans are Pagans who apply themselves chefly to trade The City of Suratte is Surrounded with a strong Brick Wall twelve foot thick each Gate being defended by two Towers Houses of Suratte The Houses of the common People are built only with Canes and Branches of the Palm Tree Those of the Richer sort are of Wood and stone but at the best not above two stories high flat on the top with Terrasses adorned with flowers and water-works for the better conveniency and diversion of its Iahabitants especially among the Mahometans Their Houses have very few windows towards the streets most of them looking into the Court they being extravagantly jealous of their Wives for fear they should be too much taken with strangers of whom there is here always a great number of all Nations They are no less careful of their Treasure for which purpose they have as they have in Persia secret deep wells which being covered very artificially with large stones and strengthned with thick Iron Bars they hide in them all their most precious movables over which they put their Beds and make them their ordinary sleeping places At one end of the City of Suratte upon the very Banks of the River called Tapty The Castle of Suratte you see a very fair Castle with four large Towers of Free-stone with a broad Ditch always full of Water It has a very good Garrison no body being permitted to enter it but those belonging to the Garrison Every hour in the day and night they sound the Trumpet The Governour has no dependance on the Governour of the City and never remains in the same station above three years when he is re-called by the Great Mogul They are so careful in preventing any body from approaching near the Castle that they keep constant Centries at fifty paces distance round about it for that purpose The Prince Sevagi who has several times attack'd and Plundered the City of Suratte could never make himself Master of this Castle The chief Secretary The Civil Officers at Suratte who depends immediaâ—eâ—y on the Great Mogul and is entrusted with all the Registers and Accounts of what is imported at Suratte of which he sends from time to time Copies to Court is the next in Dignity to the two Governours to wit of the City and Castle There is also a Mufti whose Office is to take cognisance of all Religious concerns A Cadi for the interpretation of the Law A Judge Criminal who is invested with an Authority to punish Criminals nevertheless under this limitation not to inflict a Capital punishment upon any without giving an Account of the nature of the Crime to the Great Mogul and receiving his approbation When he appears abroad he is surrounded by his Archers well Armed he is Captain of the night Watch and Patroles round the City every Night from nine till three in the Morning He ought to be responsible for all Robberies committed within the Precincts of this great City but it is very rarely known that he gives satisfaction for any very few of the Inhabitants daring to encounter him upon such an occasion The Provost who is to take care of the Circumjacent Country on the same account is also liable to make satisfaction for all Robberies committed upon the High-ways but he so closely follows the footsteps of the Judge Criminal in this point that he seldom makes any reparation to the losers The Mahometans all keep their Heads shaved but the Pagans look upon their hair as their chief Ornament The Dress of the Indians All the Subjects of the Great Mogul of what Religion soever wear Turbants and Wast-coats not unlike our Cassocks over their shirts The Mahometans make use of streight Drawers which reach down to their Ancles the Pagans wear a kind of a Petticoat neither of them trouble themselves about Shooes or Stockings unless that some of them wear Sandals not unlike our Slippers which among the richer sort are finely embroidered with Gold When they go abroad they wrap about them a kind of a Toilet in the nature of a Cloak some of which are very rich and amount to a great price The Mahometan Women wear very fine Wast-coats under their Shifts which are made of Muslin and reach only to the Wast round which they wrap a piece of Stuff which comes down quite to their Feet one corner of it turning upwards all along the Back over the Head Some of these Ladies who are of a freer Carriage than the rest make use of the same Dress with the Men except that their Smock-Sleeves come but just to the Elbow their Arms being for the rest adorn'd with Bracelets of Diamonds and Gold and Silver Locks and Chains which they also wear round their Ankle-bones they seldom walk without Pattins because they judge it a great advantage to appear tall They have Holes both in their Ears and Nostrils in which they put Rings They wear also many of them on their Fingers and among the rest one with a small Looking-glass in it which serves them to contemplate themselves The Pagan Women go with their Faces uncovered but the Mahometans never without a Vail The Indian Women are generally very neat but especially in their Hair which are always very fine and dress'd with rich Perfumes The Pagan Women but especially among the Parsis are much more careless in their Dress than the Mahometans but they
exceed them in the richness of their Jewels their Necklaces and Bracelets they wear also a kind of Cornets upon their Heads are for the most part very handsom and extraordinary agreeable in Conversation which is so Charming that they seem to be made for the enjoyment of Love I don't know any place where Heremophrodites are more common Heremophradites than at Suratte they are obliged to wear besides their Female Dress a Turbant for distinction's sake All the Burying-places are without the Walls of Suratte Those belonging to the French English and Dutch are surrounded with Brick-Walls The Mahometans have their Sepulchres in an open Field without any enclosure and are sometimes in form of a Pyramide Their Sepulchres sometimes of a Cupola made of Plaister or Brick the worst sort being of a square figure of Stone not unlike those which are near Arles and Nismes in France The Pagan Clergymen have their separate Burying-places their dead Carcasses being not to be burnt no more than those of Children that die under two years of Age. The rest of the Pagan-Indians are burnt after their Decease after they have been well wash'd in the River Tapty which they look upon as sacred Such Wives as do not burn themselves with their deceased Husbands are not regarded among the Pagan-Indians because they have betray'd their weakness in shunning Death wherefore they always remain Widows unless they renounce their Religion and turn either Christians or Mahometans The Parsis neither burn neither interr their dead Bodies The Parsis they lay them upon an Iron-Grate and thus expose them to the Sun till their Flesh being consum'd the Bones fall through the Grate into the Hole that is underneath the Grate These Parsis have no Temples every Fire-place being their Altar where they pay their Devotion The Mahometans have several goodly Mosques in Suratte besides which they have many others in the circumjacent places which tho' entitled with the names of Mosques are no more than so many Arches with a â—ole in them towards the side of Mecha and a small Cistern near it for the Conveniency of bathing The Pagan Temples are all without the City tho' some of the richer sort by the powerful Intercession of good Presents obtain leave to have private ones in their Houses It is in these Temples they exercise their Devotion where they adore and bring their Offerings to their idols which sometime resemble some living Creatures but for the most part are very strange and ridiculous Postures the Offerings serve for the maintainance of the Bramans Without one of the Gates of Suratte A large Cistern near Suratte there is a great Tanke or Cistern of sixteen Angles containing in compass two thousand Paces it is pav'd at the bottom with Freestone having at every Angle a pair of Stairs to go down into it except three which are reserv'd for watering-places This Cistern is during the rainy Season fill'd with Water which being conveyed thither by a Canal formerly supply'd the whole City with Water till of late years the Inhabitants are more commodiously furnished with it from five very large and fine Wells In the very center of this Cistern is a magnificent Structure of Freestone whither you must go to in a Boat On the same side of the City where this Cistern is but at some miles distance is the Princesses Garden so call'd because it belongs to the Sister of the Great Mogul it has several fine Chappels beautified with Walks on both sides About a Musket shot from thence The sacred Tree is to be seen that Tree call'd by the Pagan Indians The sacred Tree of such a bigness that its Branches spread two hundred and fifty Paces round The Banians have a particular Veneration for this Tree and adorn it with Banners under its shadow is a Pagan Temple resembling a Grotto dedicated to a certain Idol which they call The Mother of Mankind At the Gate there is constantly attending a Braman who receives the Offerings and marks the Fore-heads of such as come to pay their Devotion with a red Stroke All round about Suratte are many large Wells of about 36 Foot Diameter for the conveniency of Passengers to squench their Thirst provided with very commodious Steps They draw the Water out of these Cisterns or Wells in great quantities by Oxen How they water their Grounds who perform this service by the help of certain Wheels The Water being afterwards by small Channels or Ditches conveyed all over the neighbouring Grounds renders them very fertile so that they bear Wheat notwithstanding the violence of the heat of the Climate and it seems not improbable that the like Invention might be put in practise in the Isle of Madagascar with the same advantage The delicious Gardens about this City Gardâ—â—â— near Sâ—ratte are the most delightful in the World affording among other Fruits of all sorts great store of Grapes nevertheless they don't make any Wine here because both the Mahometans and Pagans rather admire the Tary or Palm-tree Wine which is altogether like the same which is drawn at Cape-Verd All the Ships coming to Suratte out of the Territories belonging to the Great Mogul as all other Mahometan or Indian Vessels enter over the Bar of the River Tapty six Leagues from Suratte as all the European and other Christian Vessels come to an Anchor in the Port of Sovaly at five Leagues distance from the City All Ships are visited by the Commissioner-General of the Custom-house assisted by his inferior Officers you pay two and one half per Cent. for all coin'd Silver or Gold the Mahometans and Indians pay five per Cent. Custom for all Merchandises but the Christians no more than four per Cent. As you go from Sovaly by Land to Suratte The Port of Sovaly you cross a most delicious Champion Country where there is great plenty of good Pastorage till you come to a Ferry-boat which transports you to the other side of the River There are scarce any Houses at Sovaly unless a few for the conveniency of foreign Seamen Besides which there are here three great Factories to wit of the French English and Dutch East-India Companies each of which are distinguished by their Banners of their respective Nations which are to be seen on the top of their Houses But when any European Ships arrive in this Port the Persians Indians Armenians and Turks plant here their Tents or Booths in such numbers as to give it the resemblance of a very handsom Fair. The City of Suratte may well be accounted the Staple of the Indies and all Asia and may contend for the Superiority for its Commerce with any City in the World For here they trade with Pearls Diamonds Ambergreese Civet Musk Gold Silk Stuffs Calâ—icoes Spices Indigo and in short all the Commodities which are brought thither from all parts of the World CHAP. X. Of the Empire and Riches of the Great Mogul THE Empire of the Great Mogul