it but he told them the plain truth that it was not customary there to release white Men. For saying which they railed at him calling him Popish Dog and Iesuitical Rogue supposing he spoke as he wished it might be But afterward to their grief they found it to be true as he told them Their entertainment was excellently good according to the poor condition of the Countrey but they thought it otherwise very mean and not according to the King's order Therefore that the King might be informed how they were abused each man took the Limb of an Hen in his hand and marched rank and file in order thro the Streets with it in their hands to the Court as a sign to the great Men whereby they might see how illy they were served thinking hereby the King might come to hear of their misusage and so they might have order to be fed better afterwards But this proved Sport to the Noblemen who well knew the fare of the Countrey laughing at their ignorance to complain where they had so little cause And indeed afterwards they themselves laughed at this action of theirs and were half ashamed of it when they came to a better understanding of the Nature of the Countreys Diet. Yet notwithstanding being not used to such short Commons of Flesh tho they had Rice in abundance and having no Money to buy more they had a desire to kill some Cows that they might eat their Bellies full of Beef but made it somewhat a point of Conscience whether it might be lawful or not to take them without leave Upon which they apply themselves to the old Father abovesaid desiring him to solve this Case of Conscience Who was very ready to give them a Dispensation And told them That forasmuch as the Chingulayes were their Enemies and had taken their Bodies it was very lawful for them to satisfie their Bodies with their Goods And the better to animate them in this design bid them bring him a piece that he might partake with them So being encouraged by the old Father they wen ton boldly in their intended Business Now if you would have an account of the Metal and Manfulness of these men as you have already had a tast of ours take this passage The Iack Fruit the Kings Officers often gather wheresoever it grows and give to the Kings Elephants and they may gather it in any mans grounds without the Owners leave being for the Kings use Now these English men were appointed to dwell in an house that formerly belonged unto a Noble man whom the King had cut off and seized upon it In the ground belonging to this House stood a Iack Tree full of Fruit. Some of the Kings men came thither to gather some of them to feed the Elephants But altho the English had free liberty to gather what they could eat or desire yet they would permit none but themselves to meddle with them but took the Officers by the shoulders and turned them out of the Garden altho there were more a great many than they could tell what to do with The Great men were so Civil that notwithstanding this Affront they laid no Punishment upon them But the Event of this was that a few days after they were removed from this house to another where was a Garden but no Trees in it And because they would not allow the King a few they lost all themselves I mentioned before two Lads of this Company whom the King chose out for his own service their Names were Hugh Smart and Henry Man These being taken into his Court obtained great Favour and Honour from him as to be always in his presence and very often he would kindly and familiarly talk with them concerning their Country what it afforded and of their King and his Strength for War Thus they lived in his Favour for some time Till at length Hugh Smart having a desire to hear news concerning England privatly got to the Speech of a Dutch Embassadour Of which the King had notice but would not believe it supposing the information was given him out of Envy to his Favorite but commanded privately to watch him and if he went again to catch him there Which he not being aware of went again and was catched At which the King was very angry For he allows none to come to the speech of Ambassodours much less one that served in his presence and heard and saw all that passed in Court But yet the King dealt very favourably with him For had it been a Chingulay there is nothing more sure than that he should have dyed for it But this English mans Punishment was only to be sent away and kept a Prisoner in the Mountains without Chains and ordered him to be well used there Where indeed he lived better content than in the Kings Palace He took a Wife here and had one Son by her and afterwards dyed by a mischance which was thus As he was gathering a Iack from the Tree by a Crock it fell down upon his side and bruised him so that it killed him Henry Man the other yet remained in Favour and was promoted to be Chief over all the Kings Servants that attended on him in his Palace It happened one Day that he broke one of the Kings China Dishes Which made him so sore afraid that he fled for Sanctuary into a Vehar a Temple where the Chief Priests always dwel and hold their consultations This did not a little displease the King this Act of his supposing him to be of Opinion that those Priests were able to secure him against the Kings displeasure However he shewing Reverence to their Order would not violently fetch him from thence bâ—t sent a kind Message to the English man bidding him not to be afraid for so small a matter as a Dish And it is probable had he not added this fault he might have escaped without Punishment and that he should come and Act in his place as formerly At which Message he came forth and immediatly as the King had given order they took hold of him and bound his Arms above the Elbows behind which is their fashion of binding men In which manner he lay all that Night being bound so hard that his Arms swelled and the Ropes cut throw the Flesh into the Bones The next day the King Commanded a Nobleâ—man to loose the Ropes off his Arms and put Chains on his Legs and keep him in his House and there feed him and cure him Thus he lay some Six Months and was cured but had no Strength in his Armes and then was taken into his Office again and had as much Favour from the King as before Who seemed much to lament him for his folly thus to procure his own ruine Not long after he again offended the King Which as it is reported was thus A Portugueze had been sent for to the City to be employed in the Kings Service to which Service
was his Majesties pleasure to grant us our choice with many Thanks and Obeisance we chose to go with the Dutch Embassadour fearing the Boats insufficiency she having as we were well sensible laid there a great while and if we had chosen the Boat the danger of going that way might have served them for a Put off to us and a Plea to detain us still out of care of us And again had we refused the Embassadours kindness at this time for the future if these things succeeded not with us now we could never have expected any more aid or friendship from that Nation In the next place they told us It was the Kings pleasure to let us understand that all those that were willing to stay and serve his Majesty should have very great rewards as Towns Monies Slaves and places of Honour conferred upon them Which all in general refused Then we were bidden to absent while they returned our answers to the King By and by there came Order to call us in one at a time where the former promises were repeated to every one of us of great Favours Honours and Rewards from the King to those that were willing to stay with him And after each one had given his answer he was sent into a corner in the Court and then another called and so all round one after another they inquiring particularly concerning each mans trade and office Handycrafts-men and Trumpetters being most desired by the King VVe being thus particularly examined again there was not one of us was tempted by the Kings rewards but all in general refused the Kings honourable employment choosing rather to to go our Native Countrey By which we purchased the Kings Displeasure After this they told us we must wait at the Palace gate dayly it being the Kings pleasure that we should make our personal appeaâ—ance before him In this manner we waited many days At length happened a thing a thing which he least suspected viz. a general Rebellion of his People against him VVho assaulted his Palace in the Night but their hearts failed them daring not to enter into the Apartment where his Person was For if they had had courage enough they might have taken him there For he stayed in his Palace until the Morning and then fled into the Mountains and escaped their hands but more thro their cowardliness than his valour This Rebellion I have related at large in the second Part whither he that desires to know more of it may have recourse Only I shall mention here a few things concerning our selves who were gotten into the midst of these Broils and Combustions being all of us now waiting upon the King in the City It was a great and marvellous mercy of Almighty God to bring us safe thro these dangers for it so happened all along that we were in the very midst Before they gave the Assault on the Kings Palace they were consulting to lay hands on us fearing lest we might be prejudicial to their Business in joyning to the help and assistance of the King against them For tho we were but few in comparison yet the Name of White men was somewhat dreadful to them Whereupon at first their Counsels were to cut us off But others among them advised that it would be better to let us alone For that we being ignorant of their Designs as indeed we were and at quiet in our several Lodgings could not be provided to hurt or indanger them But otherwise if they should lay hands on us it would certainly come to the Kings Ears and Allarm him and then all would be frustrated and overthrown This some of their own Party have related to us since These Cousels were not given out of any secret good will ny of them bore to us as I believe but proceeded from the over ruling hand of God who put those things into their hearts for our safety and preservation The People of the City whence the King fled ran away also leaving their Houses and Goods behind them Where we found good Prey and Plunder being permitted to Ransack the Houses of all such as were fled away with the King The Rebels having driven away the King and marching to the City of Cande to the Prince carried us along with them the Chief of their Party telling us that we should now be of good cheer for what they done upon very good advisement they had done the Kings ill Government having given an occasion to it Who went about to destroy both them their Countrey and particularly insisted upon such things as might be most plausible to Strangers such as keeping Embassadours discouraging Trade detaining of Forainers that come upon his Land besides his cruelties towards themselves that were his natural People All which they told us They had been informed was contrary to the Government â—f other Countries and now so soon as their business was settled they assured us They would detain none that were minded to go to their own Countreys Being now at Cande on Christmas-Day of all the days in the year they sent to call us to the Court and gave us some Money and Cloths first to make us the more willing to take Arms which they intended then to deliver unto us and to go with them upon a Design to â—all upon the old King in the place whither he was fled But in the very interim of time God being merciful unto us the Prince with his Aunt fled Which so amazed and discouraged them that the Money and Cloths which they were distributing to us and other Strangers to gain us over to them they scattered about the Court and fled themselves And now followed nothing but cutting one anothers Throats to make themselves appear the more Loyal Subjects and make amends for their former Rebellion We for our parts little thinking in what danger we were fell in to scramble among the rest to get what we could of the Monies that were strewed about being then in great necessity and want For the allowance which formerly we had was in this Disturbance lost and so we remained without it for some three Months the want of which this Money did help to supply Having gotten what we could at the Court we made way to get out of the hurly burly to our Lodgings intending as we were Strangers and Prisoners neither to meddle nor make on the one side or the other being well satisfied if God would but permit us quietly to sit and eat such a Christmas Dinner together as he had prepared for us For our parts we had no other dealings with the Rebels than to desire them to permit us to go to our Native Countrey which Liberty they promised we should not want long But being sent for by them to the Court we durst not but go and they giving us such things as we wanted we could not refuse to take them But the day being turned put us into great fear doubting how
Land was very successful against this present King He run quite thro the Island unto the Royal City it self which he set on Fire with the Temples therein Insomuch that the King sent a Message to him signifying that he was willing to become his Tributary But he proudly sent him word back again That that would not serve his turn He should not only be Tributary but Slave to his Master the King of Portugal This the King of Cande could not brook being of an high Stomach and said He would fight â—o the last drop of Blood rather than stoop to that There were at this time many Commanders in the Generals Army who were natural Chingulays with these the King dealt secretly assuring them that if they would turn on his side he would gratifie them with very ample Rewards The King's Promises took effect and they all revolted from the General The King now daring not to trust the Revolted to make tryal of their Truth and Fidelity put them in the forefront of his Battel and commanded them to give the first Onset the King at that time might have Twenty or Thirty thousand Men in the Field Who taking their opportunity set upon the Portugueze Army and gave them such a total overthrow that as they report in that Countrey not one of them escaped The General seeing this Defeat and himself like to be taken called his Black Boy to give him water to drink and snatching the Knife that stuck by his Boy 's side stabbed himself with it Another General after him was Lewis Tisséra He swore he would make the King eat Coracan Tallipa that is a kind of hasty Pudding made of Water and the Coracan Flower which is reckoned the worst fare of that Island The King afterwards took this Lewis Tisséra and put him in Chains in the Common Goal and made him eat of the same fare And there is a Ballad of this Man and this passage Sung much among the common People there to this day Their next General was Simon Caree a Natural Chingulays but Baptized He is said to be a great Commander When he had got any Victory over the Chingulays he did exercise great Cruelty He would make the Women beat their own Children in their Mortars wherein they used to beat their Corn. Gaspar Figari had a Portugueze Father and Chingulays Mother He was the last General they had in this Countrey And a brave Soldier but degenerated not from his Predecessors in Cruelty He would hang up the People by the heels and split them down the middle He had his Axe wrapped in a white Cloth which he carried with him into the Field to execute those he suspected to be false to him or that ran away Smaller Malefactors he was merciful to cutting off only their right hands Several whom he hath so served are yet living whom I have seen This Gaspar came up one day to fight against the King and the King resolved to fight him The General fixed his Camp at Motaupul in Hotteracourly And in order to the King 's coming down to meet the Portugueze Preparation was made for him at a place called Cota coppul which might be Ten or Twelve miles distant from the Portugueze Army Gaspar knew of the place by some Spies but of the time of the Kings coming he was informed that it was a day sooner than really it happened According to this information he resolved privatly to march thither and come upon him in the night unawares And because he knew the King was a Polititian and would have his Spies abroad to watch the Generals motion the General sent for all the Drummers and Pipers to Play and Dance in his Camp that thereby the Kings Spies might not suspect that he was upon the March but merry and secure in his Camp In the mean time having set his People all to their Dancing and Drumming he left a small party there to secure the Baggage and away he goes in the night with his Army and arrives to Catta coppul intending to fall upon the King But when he came thither he found the King was not yet come but into the Kings Tents he went and sits him down in the seat appointed for the Kâ—ng Here he heard where the King was with his Camp which being not far off he marched thither in the morning and fell upon him and gave him one of the greatest Routs that ever he had The King himself made a narrow escape for had it not been for a Dutch Company which the Dutch had sent a little before for his Guard who aâ—ter his own Army fled turned head and stopped the Portugueze â—or a while he had been seized The Portugueze General was so near the King that he called after him Houre that is Brother stay I would speak with you but the King being got a top of the Hills was safe And so Gaspar retyred to his Quarters This Gallant expert Commander that had so often vanquished the Chingulays could not cope with another Europaean Nation For when the Hollanders came to beseige Columbo he was sent against them with his Army They told him before he went that now he must look to himself for he was not now to Fight against Chingulays but against Soldiers that would look him in the Face But he made nothing of them and said he would serve them as he had served the Chingulays The Hollanders met him and they fought but had before contrived a Stratagem which he was not aware of they had placed some Field-pieces in the Rear of their Army And after a small skirmish they retreated as if they had been worsted which was only to draw the Portugueze nearer upon their Guns Which when they had brought them in shot of they opened on a suddain to the right and left and fired upon them and so routed them and drove them into Columbo This Gaspar was in the City when it was taken and himself taken Prisoner Who was afterwards sent to Goa where he died And so much of the Portugueze The Dutch succeeded the Portugueze The first occasion of whose coming into this Land was that the present King being wearied and overmatched with the Portugueze sent for them into his aid long ago from Batavia And they did him good service but they feathered their own nests by the means and are now possessed of all the Sea-Coasts and considerable Territories thereunto adjoyning The King of the Countrey keeps up an irreconcileable War against them The occasion of which is said to be this Upon the beseiging of Columbo which was about the year MDCLV it was concluded upon between the King and the Dutch that their Enemies the Portugueze being expelled thence the City was to be delivered up by the Dutch into the Kings hands Whereupon the King himself in person with all his Power went down to this War to assist and joyn with the Hollanders without whose help as it is
above two â—oot in bigness but built upon a Pillar three or â—our â—oot from the ground wherein they do place certain Image of the Buddou that they may have him near them and to testifie their love and service to him Which they do by lighting up candles and lamps in his house and laying â—lowers every morning before him And at some times they boyl victuals and lay it before him And the more they perform such ceremonious service to him here the more shall be their ward hereafter All blessings and good success they say come from the hand of God but sickness and diseases proceed from the Devil not that of himself he hath such absolute power but as servants have power licence and authority from their Masters so they from God But the Gods will require some to wait at their Altars and the Temples men to oâ—â—iciate in them their Priests therefore fall under the next consideration Oâ— these there are three sorts according to the three differences of Gods among them And their Temples are also called by three different names The first and highest order of Priests are the Tirinanxes Who are the Priests of the Buddou God Their Temples are styled Vehars There is a religious house in the City of Digligy where they dwell and assemble and consult together about their affairs which being the meeting place of such holy men they call it a Vihar also they admit none to come into their order but persons of the most noble birth and that have learning and be well bred of such they admit many But they do not presently upon their admission arrive unto the high degree of a Tirinanx For of these there are but three or four and they are chose out of all the rest of the order unto this degree These Tirinanxes only live in the Vihar and enjoy great Revenues and are as it were the Superiors of all the Priests and are made by the King Many of the Vehars are endowed and have Farms belonging to them And these Tirinanxes are the Landlords unto whom the Tenants come at a certain time and pay in their Rents These Farmers live the easiest of any people in the Land for they have nothing to do but at those set times to bring in their dues and so depart and to keep in repair certain little Vehars in the Countrey So that the rest of the Chingulais envy them and say of them Though they live easy in this world they cannot escape unpunished in the life to come for enjoying the Buddou's land and doing him so little service for it All the rest of the order are called Gonni The habit is the same to the whole order both Tirinanxes and Gonni It is a yellow coat gathered together about their wast and comes over their left shoulder girt about with a belt of fine pack-thread Their heads are shaved and they go bare-headed and carry in their hands a round fan with a wooden handle which is to keep the sun off ther hands They have great benefit and honour They enjoy their own lands without paying scot or lot or any Taxes to the King They are honoured in such a measure that the people where ever they go bow down to them as they do to their Gods but themselves bow to none They have the honour of carrying the Tallipot with the broad end over their heads foremost which none but the King does Wheresoever they come they have a mat and a white cloth laid over upon a stool for them to sit upon which is also an honour used only to the King They are debarred from laying their hands to any manner of work and may not marry nor touch women nor eat but one meal a day unless it be fruit and rice and water that they may eat morning and evening nor must they drink wine They will eat any lawful flesh that is dressed for them but they will have no hand in the death of it as to give order or consent to the killing of it They may lay down their order if they please which some do that they may marry This is done by pulling off their coat and flinging it into a River and washing themselves head and body and then they become like other lay-men A Tirinanxy or Cheif Preist Some of these Priests against whom the King took displeasureâ— were beheaded afterwards cast into the River Which thing caused amazement in all the people how the King durst presume to do it towards such holy and reverend persons And none hereâ—oâ—ore by any â—ormer Kings have ever been so servedâ— being reputed and called Sons of Boddon But the reason the King â—lew them was because they conspired in the Rebellion They threw aside their Habits and got their swords by their sides The second order of Priests are those called â—eppuâ—â— Who are the Priestâ— that belong to the Temples of the other Gods Their Temples are called â—â—walâ— These are not distinguished by any haâ—bit from the rest of the People no nor when they are at their worship only they wear clean cloths and wash themselves before they go to their service These are taken out from among the Hondrewâ— They enjoy a piece of Land that belongs to the â—ewal where they officiate and that is all their benefit unless they steal somewhat that is dedicated to the Gods They follow their Husbandry and employments as other men do but only when the times of worship are which usually is every morning and evening oftner or seldomer according as the Revenue will hold out that belongs to that Templeâ— whereof each is Priest The service is that when the boyled rice and other vicâ—uals are brought to the Temple door by others he takes it and presents it before the Idol Whence after it hath â—â—ood a while he brings it out again and then the drummers pipers and other servants that belong to the Temple eat it These Gods have never any flesh brought in sacrifice to them but any thing else The third order of Priests are the Iaddeâ—es Priests of the Spirits which they call Dayaâ—taus Their Temples are called Coâ—els â— which are inâ—erior to the other Temples and have no revenues belonging to them A man piously disposed builds a small house at his own chargeâ— which is the Temple and himself becomes Priest thereof Therein are Bills and Swords and Arrows and Shields and Images painted upon the walls like â—ierce men This house is seldom called Gods house but most usually Iacco the Devils Upon some extradinary festival to the Iacco the Iaddese shaveâ— off all his heard When they are sick they dedicate a red Coâ—k to the Devil Which they do after this manner They send for the Iaddese to their house and give him a red Cock chicken which he takes up in his hand and holds an Arrow with it and dedicates it to the God by telling him that if he restore the party to his health
time there are Dancers playing and shewing many pretty Tricks of Activity before him To see the which and also to shew themselves in their Bravery occasions more People to resort hither than otherwise their Zeal and Devotion would prompt them to do Two or thee days before the Full Moon each of these Gods hath a Pallenkine carried after them to add unto their honour In the which there are several pieces of their superstitious relicts and a Silver Pot. Which just at the hour of Full Moon they ride out unto a River and dip full of water which is carried back with them into the Temple where it is kept till the year after and then flung away And so the Ceremony is ended for that year This Festival of the Gods taking their Progress thro the City in the year 1664. the King would not permit to be performed and that same year the Rebellion happened but never since hath he hindred it At this time they have a Superstition which lasteth six or seven days too foolish to write it consists in Dancing Singing and Iugling The reason of which is lest the eyes of the People or the Power of the Iacco's or Infernal Spirits might any ways prove prejudicial or noisom to theaforesaid Gods in their Progress abroad During the Celebration of this great Festival there are no Drums allowed to be beaten to any particular Gods at any private Sacrifice In the Month of November the Night when the Moon is at the Full there is another great solemn Feast called in their Language Cawtha Poujah Which is celebrated only by lighting of Lamps round about the Pogada At which time they stick up the longest Poles they can get in the Woods at the Doors of the Pagods and of the King's Palace Upon which they make contrivances to set Lamps in rows one above the other even unto the very tops of the Poles which they call Tor-nes To maintain the charge hereof all the Countrey in general do contribute and bring in Oil. In this Poujah or Sacrifice the King seems to take delight The reason of which may be because he participates far more of the Honour than the Gods do in whose name it is celebrated his Palace being far more decked and adorned with high Poles and Lights than the Temples are This Ceremony lasteth but for one Night And these are their Anniversary Feasts to the honour of those Gods whose power extends to help them in this Life now follows the manner of their Service to the Buddou who it is they say that must save their Souls and the Festival in honour of him To represent the memorial of him to their eye they do make small Images of Silver Brass and Clay and Stone which they do honour with Sacrifices and Worship shewing all the signs of outward reverence which possibly they can In most places where there are hollow Rocks and Caves they do set up Images in memorial of this God Unto which they that are devoutly bent at New and Full Moons do carry Victuals and worship His great Festival is in the Month of March at their New-years Tide The Places where he is commemorated are two not Temples but the one a Mountain and the other a Tree either to the one or the other they at this time go with Wives and Children for Dignity and Merit one being esteemed equal with the other The Mountain is at the South end of the Countrey called Hammalella but by Christian People Adam's Peak the highest in the whole Island where as has been said before is the Print of the Buddou's foot which he left on the top of that Mountain in a Rock from whence he ascended to Heaven Unto this footstep they give worship light up Lamps and offer Sacrifices laying them upon it as upon an Altar The benefit of the Sacrifices that are offered here do belong unto the Moors Pilgrims who come over from the other Coast to beg this having been given them heretofore by a former King So that at that season there are great numbers of them always waiting there to receive their accustomed Fees The Tree is at the North end of the King's Dominions at Annarodgburro This Tree they say came flying over from the other Coast and there planted it self as it now stands under which the Buddou-God at his being on earth used as they say often to sit This is now become a place of solemn worship The due performance whereof they reckon not to be a little meritorious insomuch that as they report Ninety Kings have since reigned there successively where by the ruins that still remain it appears they spared not for pains and labour to build Temples and high Monuments to the honour of this God as if they had been born only to hew Rocks and great Stones and lay them up in heaps These Kings are now happy Spirits having merited it by these their labours Those whose Ability or Necessity serve them not to go to these Places may go to some private Vihars nearer For this God above all other they seem to have an high respect and Devotion as will appear by this that follows Ladies and Gentlewomen of good Quality will sometimes in a Fit of Devotion to the Buddou go a begging for him The greatest Ladies of all do not indeed go themselves but send their Maids dressed up finely in their stead These Women taking the Image along with them carry it upon the palms of their hand covered with a piece of white Cloth and so go to mens houses and will say We come a begging of your Charity for the Buddou towards his Sacrifice And the People are very liberal They give only of three things to him either Oyl for his Lamps or Rice for his Sacrifice or Money or Cotton Tarn for his use Poor men will often go about begging Sustenance for themselves by this means They will get a Book of Religion or a Buddou's Image in a Case wrapping both in a white Cloth which they carry with great reverence And then they beg in the name of the Book or the God And the People bow down to them and give their Charity either Corn or Money or Cotton yarn Sometimes they will tell the Beggar What have I to give And he will reply as the saying is as much as you can take up between your two fingers is Charity After he has received a gift from any he pronounceth a great deal of blessing upon him Let the blessing of the Gods and the Buddou go along with you let your Corn ripen let your Cattle increase let your Life be long câ— Some being devoutly disposed will make the Image of this God at their own charge For the making whereof they must bountifully reward the Founder Before the Eyes are made it is not accounted a God but a lump of ordinary Metal and thrown about the Shop with no more regard than any thing else But when the Eyes are to be made the
is no difference between the ability and speech of a Country-man and a Courtier When any hath a favour to beg of a Noble-man or any business with him they do not abruptly speak their desires or errand at first but bring it in with a long harangue of his worth or good disposition or abilities and this in very handsom and taking stile They bring up their Children to speak after this manner and use them to go with errands to great men and they are able to tell their tale very well also In their speech the people are bold without sheepish shame facedness and yet no more confidence than is becoming The King they call by a name that signifies somewhat higher than a man and next to God But before the Wars they stiled him Dionanxi which is a Title higher than God by the addition of Nanxi This Title the King took before the Rebellion but since he forbad it When they speak to the King concerning themselves they do not speak in the first person and say I did so or so but Baulagot the limb of a Dog did it or will do it And when they speak of their Children unto the King they call them Puppies As if he ask them how many Children they have they say so many Puppy-dogs and so many Puppy-bitches By which by the way we may conjecture at the height of the King and the slavery of the People under him They have certain words of Form and Civility that they use upon occasion When they come to another mans house he asks them what they come for which is his civility and they answer Nicamavâ— I come for nothing which is their ordinary reply tho they do come for something And upon this they have a â—able A God came down upon earth one day and bad all his Creatures come before him and demand what they would have and it should be granted them So all the beasts and other Creatures came and one desired Strength and another Legs and another Wings c. And it was bestowed on them Then came the White men the God asked them what they came for And they said they desired Beauty and Valour and Riches It was granted them At last came the Chingulays the God required of them what they came for They answered Nicamava I come for nothing Then replyed he again do you come for nothing then go away with nothing And so they for their complement fared worse than all the rest When one proffers something as a gift to another altho it be a thing that he is willing to have and would be glad to receive yet he will say E eppa queinda No I thank you how can I be so chargeable to you And in the same time while the words are in his mouth he reacheth forth his hand to receive it Neither are they free or forward to requite them from whom they have received a gift or good turn otherwise than with words and windy protestations the which shall not be wanting But forwards they are to receive yet very backward to part with anything And if one neighbour asketh ought of another or to borrow any thing which the other is unwilling either to give or lend they never will plainly deny by saying I cannot or will not but with dissembling they will excuse themselves saying They have it not or is it lent abroad already altho it be with them in the house at the same time Their usual manner of swearing in protestations is by their Mother or by their Children or by their two Eyes oftner than by their Gods But their protestations be they never so deep and seem they never so serious they are not to be regarded as proceeding more from custom than truth Some of their words of Reproach or Railery are such as these One brother will say to another and that in presence of their Mother Tomotowoy go lye with your Mother the other replyes go you and lye with your Mother And the Mother will say to the Daughter Iopi oppota audewind go lye with your Father intimating she is good for nothing They will commend their Children when they can use their tongues in their own defence by scolding and say Haerri oppana Well said valiantly spoken They will say also in reproach Creep between my legs cut your Nose off If you have five hundred lives you shall be damned The worst railery they can give a woman is to tell her she has laid with ten sorts of inferior ranks of People which they will rather dye than do If any thing be stole out of their grounds or Plantations fruit or the like they will cry out a loud This was done by some low-cast begotten Rogue or She was a whore to some inferior rank who dressed it and this Language they will continue for half an hour together tho they know not who hath done it The worst word they use to Whites and Christians is to call them Beaâ—-eating Slaves I shall conclude this Discourse of their Language by giving you a tast of their Proverbs some hints of the strain of their Speech Miris dilah ingurah gotta I have given Pepper and got Ginger Spoken when a man makes a bad exchange And they use it in reference to the Dutch succeeding the Portugueze in their Island Datta horrala Badda periâ—d Pick your Teeth to fill your Belly Spoken of stingy niggardly People Caula yonawa ruah atti To eat before you go forth is handsom and convenient Which they therefore ever do Kiallah tiannah Degery illand avah oppala hanguand mordy As the saying is if I come to beg Butter-milk why should I hide my Pan. Which is ordinarily spoken to introduce the business that one man comes to speak to the other about Hingonna wellendam cor cottonwat geah par wardenda netta A Begger and a Trader cannot be lost Because they are never out of their way Atting mitting delah hottarah harracurnowah To lend to another makes him become an Enemy For he will hate you if you ask him for it again Annuna min yain ecka ourowaying younda eppa Go not with a Slave in one Boat It signifies to have no dealing or correspondence with any ones Slave For if any dammage should happen it would fall upon your head and by their Law you must make it good Issara otting bollanowa pos cotting First look in the hand afterwards open the mouth Spoken of a Iudge who first must have a Bribe before he will pronounce on their side Take a Ploughman from the Plough and wash off his dirt and he is fit to rule a Kingdom Spoken of the People of Cande Vda where there are such eminent Persons of the Hondrew rank and because of the Civility Understanding and Gravity of the poorest Men among them No body can reproach the King and the Beggar Because the former is above the slander of the People and nothing can be
These men can certainly foretel Eclipses of the Sun and Moon They make Leet that is Almanacks that last for a Month. They are written upon a Tallipat leaf a little above a foot long and two fingers broad In them are told the Age of the Moon and the good Seasons and times to begin to Plough or to Sow or to go a Iourney or to take any work in hand On this precise time they will be sure to sprinkle their first Seed tho they sow all their Field it may be a Month after And so they will begin to set forth at the very moment tho possibly they will not go till some days after These Astronomers tell them also when the old year ends to the very minute At which time they cease from all work except the Kings which must not be omitted They acquaint them also with the good hour of the New year they are to begin to work At which time every Man and Woman begins to do somewhat in their employment they intend to follow the ensuing year They have also another season directed them by their Astronomers that is when to begin to wash their heads which is assigned to every one according to the time of their Nativities which Ceremony they observe very religiously These Astronomers or rather Astrologers are skilful in the Knowledge of the Stars and Planets of which they reckon nine 't is supposed they may add the Dragon's Head and Tail By which they pretend to foretel all things concerning the health and recovery of Sick Persons also concerning the fate of Cildren born about which the Parents do presently consult them and save their Children or kill them according to the fortunate or unfortunate hour they tell the Parents they were born in VVhen a Person is Sick he carries to these men his Nativity which they call Hanna hom pot upon the perusal of which they tell his destiny These also direct â—it times for beginning Iourneys or other undertakings They are likewise consulted concerning Marriages by looking upon the Man and Womans Nativity They reckon their Time from one Saccawarsi an ancient King Their year consists of 365 days They begin their year upon our Eight and twentieth day of March and sometimes the Seven and twentieth and sometimes but very seldom on the Nine and twentieth The reason of which I conceive to be to keep it equal to the course of the Sun as our Leap year doth They call the year Quredah This they divide into Twelve Months named Wasachmaha Pomaha Ahalamoha Micheneha Bochmoha c. They divide their Months into Weeks each consisting of seven days called Fridah Sandudah Onghorudah Bodadah Braspotindah Sâ—couradah Henouradah The first of which they account a good and a fortunate day to begin to do or undertake any thing and it falls our upon our Sunday On their Wednesdays and Saturdays they open their Churches and perform their Ceremonies Their day which they call Dausack they divide into Thirty Pays hours or parts and begin their account from the Sun rising and their Night also into as many and begin from Sun-setting So that the Fifteenth Pay is Twelve a Clock at Noon They have a Flower by which they judge of the time which constantly blows open seven Pays before Night They have no Clocks Hour-glasses or Sun-Dials but keep their time by guess The King indeed hath a kind of Instrument to measure time It is a Copper Dish holding about a Pint with a very small hole in the bottom This Dish they set a swimming in an Earthen Pot of water the water leaking in at the bottom till the Dish be full it sinks And then they take it out and set it empty on the water again and that makes one Pay Few or none use this but the King who keeps a man on purpose to watch it continually The People will use it upon some occasions as if they are to sow their Corn at any particular hour as being the good lucky Season then they make use of the Copper Pan to know the time exactly Thâ—y do practise Magick Whereof take these two remarkable instances of many that might be given The Countrey of Neurecalava formerly brought forth great plenty of Corn occasioned by reason of its large waterings A Neighbour Kingdom the Kingdom of Cournegal which lyes in Hotcourley in those times was brought to a great dearth At which the King sends to the People of Neurecalava that they would bring a supply of Corn to his Countrey which they did in great store upon Beasts in Sacks and arrived at the King's City and there for the more expeditious measuring out every Housholder his proportion of Corn they made a hole in the Sacks and let it run out still driving on the Beasts before them and all that was shed before every man's House was to be his share This exceedingly gratified the King Afterward the King to requite them asked what they most needed in their Countrey They answered They had plenty of all things only they wanted Cahah mirris that is Turmeric and Pepper The King to gratifie them sent them such a quantity of each as his Country could afford As soon as this was brought to the People of Neurecalava they went to measure it out to every man his Portion but finding it of so small a quantity they resolved to grind it as they do when they use it with their Victuals and put it into the River to give a seasoning to the water and every Man was to take up his Dish of water thus seasoned From whence Neurecalava had its denomination viz. from Neur signifying a City and Cahah that signifies Turmeric and Lava as if it were Lalla put into the River The King hearing of this Action of theirs was offended in that they so contemned his gift but concealed his displeasure Sometime after he took a Iourney to them and being there desired to know how their Countrey became so very fruitful They told him it was the water of the River pent up for their use in a very vast Pond Out of which they made Trenches to convey the water down into their Corn Grounds This Pond they had made with great Art and Labour with great Stones and Earth thrown up of a vast length and thickness in the fashion of an half Moon The King afterwards took his leave of them and went home and by the help of his Magicians brake down this vast Dam that kept in the water and so destroyed the Pond And by this means this fruitful Countrey wanting her water is become as ordinary Land as the rest having only what falls out of the Sky When a Robbery is committed to find the Thief they Charm a Coker-nut which is done by certain words and any one can do it that can but utter the Charm words Then they thrust a stick into it and set it either at the Door or hole the Thief went out at Then one holds the
of a Bible For I neither had one nor scarcely could ever think to see one Upon which I flung down my Angle and went to meet him The first place the Book opened in after I took it in my hand was the Sixteenth Chapter of the Acts and the first place my eye pitched on was the Thirtieth and one and Thirtieth Verses where the Iailor asked S. Paul What must I do to be saved And he answered saying Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house The sight of this Book so rejoiced me and affrighted me together that I cannot say which Passion was greater the joy for that I had got sight of a Bible or the fear that I had not enough to buy it having then but one Pagoda in the World which I willingly would have given for it had it not been for my Boy who dissuaded me from giving so much alledging my Necessity for Money many other ways and undertaking to procure the Book for a far meaner price provided I would seem to slight it in the sight of the old Man This counsel after I considered I approved of my urgent Necessities earnestly craving and my Ability being but very small to relieve the same and however I thought I could give my piece of Gold at the last cast if other means should fail I hope the Readers will excuse me that I hold them so long upon this single passage For it did so affect me then that I cannot lightly pass it over as often as I think of it or have occasion to mention it The sight indeed of this Bible so overjoyed me as if an Angel had spoke to me from Heaven To see that my most gracious God had prepared such an extraordinary Blessing for me which I did and ever shall look upon as miraculous to bring unto me a Bible in my own Native Language and that in such a remote part of the World where his Name was not so much as known and where any English Man was never known to have been before I looked upon it as somewhat of the same nature with the Ten Commandments he had given the Israelites out of Heaven it being the thing for want whereof I had so often mourned nay and shed tears too and than the enjoyment whereof there could be no greater joy in the world to me Upon the sight of it I left off Fishing God having brought a Fish to me that my Soul had longed for and now how to get it and enjoy the same all the Powers of my Soul were employed I gave God hearty thanks that he had brought it so near me and most earnestly prayed that he would bestow it on me Now it being well towards Evening and not having wherewithal to buy it about me I departed home telling the old Man that in the Morning I would send my Boy to buy it of him All that Night I could take no rest for thinking on it fearing lest I might be disappointed of it In the Morning as soon as it was day I sent the Boy with a knit Cap he had made for me to buy the Book praying in my heart for good success which it pleased God to grant For that Cap purchased it and the Boy brought it to me to my great joy which did not a little comfort me over all my Afflictions Having said all this concerning my Father and my Self it will be time now to think of the rest of our poor Countreymen and to see what is become of them They were carried into the County of Hotteracourly Westward from the City of Cande and placed singly according to the King's Order aforesaid some four some six Miles distant one from the other It was the King's Command concerning them that the People should give them Victuals and look after them So they carried each man from house to house to eat as their turns came to give them Victuals and where they Supped there they Lodged that Night Their Bedding was only a Mat upon the Ground They knew not they were so near to one another a great while till at length Almighty God was pleased by their grief and heaviness to move those Heathen to Pity and take Compassion on them So that they did bring some of them to one another Which joy was but Abortive for no sooner did they begin to feel the Comfort of one anothers Company but immediately their Keepers called upon them to go from whence they came fearing they might consult and run away altho Columbo the nearest Port they could fly to was above two days Iourney from them But as it is with wild Beasts beginning to grow tame their Liberty encreaseth So it happened to our Men so that at length they might go and see one another at their pleasures and were less and less watched and regarded And seeing they did not attempt to run away they made no matter of it if they stayed two or three days one with the other They all wondered much to see themselves in this Condition to be kept only to eat and the People of the Countrey giving it unto them daily expecting when they would put them to work which they never did nor dared to do For the King's order was to feed them well only and to look after them until he pleased to send for them This after some time made them to change their minds and not to think themselves Slaves any more but the Inhabitants of the Land to be their Servants in that they laboured to sustain them Which made them to begin to Domineer and would not be content unless they had such Victuals as pleased them and oftentimes used to throw the Pots Victuals and all at their heads that brought them which they patiently would bear And as they lived here longer they knew better what Privileges they had in belonging unto the King and being maintained by virtue of his Command And their Privileges they made use of to no purpose as I shall relate an instance or two by and by and shewed their English Metal Victuals was the only thing allowed them but no Cloths By this time the Cloths they had were almost worn out This put them to a study what course to take to procure more when those on their backs were gone The readiest way that they could devise was this that whereas they used to take their Victuals brought to them ready dressed they should now take them raw and so to pinch somewhat out of their Bellies to save to buy Cloths for their Backs And so accordingly they concluded to do and by the favour that God gave them in the sight of the People by alledging the Innocency of their Cause and the Extremity of their present Condition having not the least ability to help or relieve themselves they consented to give them two Measures of Rice a day each man One of which is as much as any man can eat in a day
so that the other was to serve for advance towards Cloths For besides Rice they gave them to eat with it Salt Pepper Limes Herbs Pumpkins Coker-Nuts Flesh a little These and such like things were their constant fare And thus they made a shift to live for some years until some of them had an insight in knitting Caps by whom all afterwards learned and it proved to be the chief means and help we all had to relieve our wants The ordinary price we sold these Caps for was Nine pence a piece in value English Money the Thread standing us in about three pence But at length we plying hard our new Learned Trade Caps began to abound and Trading grew dead so that we could not sell them at the â—ormer price which brought several of our Nation to great want The English began now to pluck up their hearts and tho they were entred into a new Condition they kept their old Spirits especially considering they were the King's Men and quartered by his special order upon the People When they had obtained to have their Allowance raw if any brought them not their full due they would go in and Plunder their Houses of such Goods as they found there and keep them until they came and brought them their compleat allowance to redeem their Goods back again Some of our English men have proceeded further yet One for example went to buy Pots of a Potter Who because he would not let him have them at his own price fell to quarrel in which the English man met with some blows Which he complained of to the Magistrate as being a Person that belonged unto the King and therefore claimed better usage And the Magistrate condemned the Potter as guilty in lifting up his hand against him and sent some of his Soldiers to bind him and then bad the English man go and content himself by paying him in the same Coin again as he had served our Countrey-man which he did until he was satisfied and moreover ordered him to take the Pots he came to buy and pay nothing But the Law was not so satisfied neither for the Soldiers laid on many blows besides Another time at a certain Feast as they were drinking and wanting Wine they sent Money to buy more but the Seller refused to give it them for their Money Which they took so hainously that they unanimously concluded to go and take it by force Away they went each man with his Staff in his hand and entred the House and began to Drink which the People not liking of gathered their Forces together and by blows began to resist them But the English men bravely behaved themselves and broke several of their Pates Who with the Blood about their Ears went to the City to complain to the great Men. They demanded of them If they had ever sold them Wine before They answered Yes They asked them again Why then did they refuse to sell them now And that they were well served by the English for denying them drink for their Money and so sent them away laughing at them Our Men got two or three black and blew Blows but they came home with their Bellies full of Drink for their pains But to return unto my self It was a full year after my Father died before I had sight of any of my Countreymen and Fellow Prisoners Then Iohn Gregory with much ado obtained leave to come and see me which did exceedingly rejoyce me For a great Satisfaction it was both to see a Countreyman and also to hear of the welfare of the rest But he could not be permitted to sâ—ay with me above one day Until then I knew not punctually where the rest of my Countreymen were but having heard that they were within a days Iourney of me I never ceased importuning the People oâ— the Town where I dwelt to let me go and see them Which tho very loath yet at last they granted Being arrived at the nearest English man's House I was joyfully received and the next day he went and called some of the rest of our Countreymen that were near So that there were some seven or eight of us met together We gave God thanks for his great Mercies towards us being then as we did confess in a far better Condition than we could have expected They were now no more like the Prisoners I left them but were become House-keepers and Knitters of Caps and had changed their Habit from Breeches to Clouts like the Chingulays They entertained me with very good chear in their Houses beyond what I did expect My Money at the same time almost gone and Cloaths in the same condition it was high time for me now to take some course in hand to get more Therefore I took some advice with them about Knitting my Boy having Skill therein Likewise they advised me to take my Victuals raw wherein they found great Profit For all this while here being no signs of releasing us it concerned me now to bethink my self how I should live for the future For neither had I any more than my Countreymen any allowance for Cloths but Victuals only Having stayed here some two or three days we did take leave of one another hoping to see one another oftner since now we knew each others Habitations and I departed to my House having a Keeper with me By this time I began to speak the Language of the Countrey Whereby I was inabled the better to speak my mind unto the People that brought me my Victuals Which was henceforward not to boil my Rice but to bring it raw according to the quantity that the other English men had This occasioned a great deal of disputing and reasoning between us They alledged That I was not as they being the Captain 's Son and they but his Servants and therefore that it was ordered by the great Men at Court that my Victuals should be daily brought unto me whereas they went always from house to house for theirs Neither was it fitting for me they said to imploy my self in such an Inferior Office as to dress my own Meat being a Man that the King had notice of by Name and very suddenly before I should be aware of it would send for me into his Presence where I should be highly promoted to some Place of Honour In the mean time they told me as pretending to give me good counsel That it was more for my credit and repute to have my Provisions brought unto me ready Dressed as they were before Altho I was yet but a Novice in the Countrey and knew not much of the People yet plain reason told me that it was not so much for my good and credit that they pleaded as for their own benefit Wherefore I returned them this answer That if as they said I was greater in quality than the rest and so held in their Estimation it would be but reason to demand a
my refuge was Prayer to God whose hand was not shortned that it could not save and would make all things work together for good to them that trust in him From him only did I expect help and deliverance in this time of need In this manner I lodged in an English mans house that dwelt in the City about ten days maintaining my self at my own charge waiting with a sorrowful heart and daily expecting to hear my Doom In the mean time my Countrey men and Acquaintance some of them blamed me for refusing so fair a Profer whereby I might not only have lived well my self but also have been helpful unto my Pooâ— Country-men and friends others of them pittying me expecting as I did nothing but a wrathful sentence from so cruel a Tyrant iâ— God did not prevent And Richard Varnham who was at this time a great man about the King was not a little scared to see me run the hazard of what might ensue rather than be Partaker with him in the felicities of the Court. It being chargable thus to lye at the City and hearing nothing more of my business I took leave without asking and went home to my House which was but a Days distance to get some Victuals to carry with me and to return again But soon after I came home I was sent for again So I took my load of Victuals with me and arrived at the City but went not to the Court but to my former Lodging where I staid as formerly until I had spent all my Provisions and by the good hand of my God upon me I never heard any more of that matter Neither came I any more into the Presence of the Great-men at Court but dwelt in my own Plantation upon what God provided for me by my Labour and Industry For now I returned to my former course of life dressing my Victuals daily with mine own hands fetching both Wood and Water upon mine own back And this for ought I could see to the contrary I was like to continue for my life time This I could do for the Present but I began to consider how helpless I should be if it should please God I should live till I grew old and feeble So I entred upon a Consultation with my self for the providing against this One way was the getting of me a Wife but that I was resolved never to do Then I began to enquire for some poor body to live with me to dress my Victuals for me that I might live at a little more ease but could not find any to my mind Whereupon I considered that there was no better way than to take one of my poor Country-mens Children whom I might bring up to learn both my own Language and Religion And this might be not only Charity to the Child but a kindness to my self also afterwards And several there were that would be glad so to be eased of their charge having more than they could well maintain a Child therefore I took by whose aptness ingenuity and company as I was much delighted at present so aâ—terwards I hoped to be served It was now about the year M DCL XXIII Altho I had now lived many years in this Land and God be praised I wanted for nothing the Land afforded yet could I not forget my native Countrey England and lamented under the Famine of Gods Word and Sacraments the want whereof I found greater than all earthly wants and my dayly and fervent Prayers to God were in his good time to restore me to the enjoyment of them I and my Companion were still meditating upon our escape and the means to compass it Which our pedling about the Countrey did greatly forward and promote For speaking well the Language and going with our Commodities from place to place we used often to entertain discourse with the Countrey people viz. concerning the ways and the Countreys and where there were most and fewest inhabitants and where and how the Watches laid from one Countrey to another and what Commodities were proper to carry from one part to the other pretending we would from time to time go from one place to another to furnish our selves with ware that the respective places afforded None doubted but we had made these inquiries for the sake of our Trade but our selves had other designs in them Neither was there the least suspition of us for these our questions all supposing I would never run away and leave such an estate as in their accounts and esteem I had By diligent inquiry I had come to understand that the easiest and most probable way to make an escape was by travailing to the Northward that part of the Land being least inhabited Therefore we furnished our selves with such wares as were vendible in those parts as Tobacco Pepper Garlick Combs all sorts of Iron Ware c. and being laden with these things we two set forth bending our course towards the Northern Parts of the Island knowing very little of the way and the ways of this Countrey generally are intricate and difficult here being no great High-ways that run thro the Land but a multitude of little Paths some from one Town to another some into the Fields and some into the Woods where they sow their Corn and the whole Countrey covered with Woods that a man cannot see any thing but just before him And that which makes them most difficult of all is that the ways shift and alter new ways often made and old ways stopped up For they cut down Woods and sow the ground and having got one Crop off from it they leave it and Wood soon grows over it again and in case a Road went thro those Woods they stop it and contrive another way neither do they regard tho it goes two or three miles about and to ask and inquire the way for us white men is very dangerous it occasioning the People to suspect us And the Chingulays themselves never Travail in Countreys where they are not experienced in the ways without a guide it being so difficult And there was no getting a guide to conduct us down to the Sea But we made a shift to travail from Cande Vda downwards towards the North from Town to Town happening at a place at last which I knew before having been brought up formerly from Cooswat that way to descend the Hill called Bocaul where there is no Watch but in time of great disturbance Thus by the Providence of God we passed all difficulties until we came into the County of Neurecalava which are the lowest parts that belong to this King and some three days journey from the place whence we came We were not a little glad that we were gotten so far onwards in our way but yet at this time we could go no farther for our ware was all sold and we could pretend no more excuses and also we had been out so long that it might cause our Towns-men to
eat These Elephants were a very good Guard behind us and were methought like the Darkness that came between Israel and the Egyptians For the People we knew would not dare to go forwards hearing Elephants before them In this Security we pitched our Tents by the River side and boiled Rice and roasted flesh for our Supper for we were very hungry and so commending our selves to God's keeping laid down to sleep The Voice which we heard still continued which lasting so long we knew what it meant it was nothing but the hollowing of People that lay to watch the Corn Fields to scare away the wild Beasts out of their Corn. Thus we past Monday But nevertheless next Morning so soon as the Moon shone out bright to prevent the worst we took up our Packs and were gone being past all the tame Inhabitants with whom we had no more trouble But the next day we feared we should come among the wild onesâ— for these Woods are full of them Of these we were as much afraid as of the other For they would have carried us back to the King where we should be kept Prisoners but these we feared would have shot us not standing to hear us plead for our selves And indeed all along as we went by the sides of the River till we came to the Malabar Inhabitants had been the Tents of wild Men made only of Boughs of Trees But God be praised they were all gone tho but very lately before we came as we perceived by the Bones of Cattle and shells of Fruit which lay scattered about We supposed that want of water had driven them out of the Countrey down to the River side but since it had rained a shower or two they were gone again Once about Noon sitting down upon a Rock by the River side to take a Pipe of Tobacco and rest our selves we had almost been discovered by the Women of these wild People coming down as I suppose to wash themselves in the River Who being many of them came talking and laughing together At the first hearing of the noise being a good distance we marvailed what it was sitting still and listning it came nearer a little above where we sat and at last we could plainly distinguish it to be the Voices of Women and Children Whereupon we thought it no boot to sit longer since we could escape undiscovered and so took up our Bags and fled as fast as we could Thus we kept travelling every day from Morning till Night still along by the River side which turned and winded very crooked In some places it would be pretty good Travelling and but few Bushes and Thorns and in others a great many So that our Shoulders and Arms were all of a Gore being grievously torn and scratched For we had nothing on us but a clout about our Middles and our Victuals on our Shoulders and in our hands a Tallipat and an Ax. The lower we came down this River the less Water so that sometimes we could go a Mile or two upon the Sand and in some places three or four Rivers would all meet together When it happened so and was Noon the Sun over our head and the Water not running we could not tell which to follow but were forced to stay till the Sun was fallen thereby to judge of our course We often met with Bears Hogs Deer and wild Buffaloes but all ran so soon as they saw us But Elephants we met with no more than that I mentioned before The River is exceeding full of Aligators all a long as we went the upper part of it nothing but Rocks Here and there by the side of this River is a world of hevvn Stone Pillars standing upright and other heaps of hevvn Stones vvhich I suppose formerly were Buildings And in three or four places are the ruins of Bridges built of Stone some Remains of them yet standing upon Stone Pillars In many places are Points built out into the River like Wharfs all of hewn Stone which I suppose have been built for Kings to sit upon for Pleasure For I cannot think they ever were employed for Traffick by VVater the River being so full of Rocks that Boats could never come up into it The VVoods in all these Northern Parts are short and shrubbed and so they are by the River side and the lower the worse and the Grounds so also In the Evenings we used to pitch our Tent and make a great Fire both before and behind us that the wild Beasts might have notice where we lay and we used to hear the Voices of all sorts of them but thanks be to God none ever came near to hurt us Yet we were the more wary of them because once a Tiger shewed us a cheat For having bought a Deer and having nothing to salt it up in we packed it up in the Hide thereof salted and laid it under a Bench in an open House on which I lay that Night and Stephen layd just by it on the Ground and some three People more lay then in the same House and in the said House a great Fire and another in the Yard Yet a Tiger came in the Night and carried Deer and Hide and all away But we missing it concluded it was a Thief VVe called up the People that lay by us and told them what had happened Who informed us that it was a Tiger and with a Torch they went to see which way he had gone and presently found some of itâ— which he let drop by the way VVhen it was day we went further and pickt up more which was scattered till we came to the Hide it self which remained uneaten We had now Travelled till Thursday Afternoon when we crossed the River called Coronda oyah which was then quite dry this parts the King's Countrey from the Malabars VVe saw no sign of Inhabitants here The VVoods began to be very full of Thorns and shrubby Bushes with Cliâ—ts and broken Land so that we could not possibly go in the VVoods but now the River grew better being clear of Rocks and dry water only standing in holes So we marched along in the River upon the Sand. Hereabouts are far more Elephants than higher up by Day we saw none but by Night the River is full of them Friday about Nine or Ten in the Morning we came among the Inhabitants For then we saw the footing of People on the Sand and tame Cattel with Bells about their Necks Yet we kept on our way right down the River knowing no other course to take to shun the People And as we went still â—orwards we saw Coracaâ— Corn sowed in the VVoods but neither Towns nor People nor so much as the Voice of Man But yet we were somewhat dismayed knowing that we were now in a Countrey inhabited by Malabars The Wanniounay or Prince of this People for fear pay Tribute to the Dutch but stands far more affected towards