December Ianuarie and Februarie such as are borne in Europe can very hardly walke or mooue themselues for faintnes and all the rest of the yeere once in eight or ten daies they seeme to be taken with an hot and a cold fit of an ague which continueth vpon them for tow howers togither They are thrice or oftner let bloud euerie yeere and few of them liue aboue fiftie yeeres but their Negros remaine more then an hundred yeers aliue They which newly arriue there are commonly surprized with a most dangerous feauer which holdeth them for twentie daies togither And these are let bloud without any reckoning of ounces Heereblow no windes at all but onely from the southeast south and southwest which windes stirre not in the moneths of December Ianuarie and Februarie and therefore these moneths are most extremely hot But in Iune Iuly and August they blow a fresh gale In this isle the French euill and the scuruies are verie rife The soile is of a meane colour betweene red and yellow being clammie like claie and by reason of the continuall nightly dewes as soft and pliable as waxe and of incredible fertility Besides diuers other good ports it hath one principall among the rest belonging to the chiefe towne or citie called Pauoasan consisting of aboue seuen hundred families and inhabited by Portugals and into the saide port runneth a little riuer of excellent water To euery of the Ingenios or sugar-houses which in all may amount to the number of seuentie do belong Negro-slaues for the planting of their canes and the dressing of their sugars to some two hundred and to others three hundred a piece who liue vpon Maiz or Ghiny-wheat the number of which slaues is so great that oftentimes they rebell to the great domage of the Portugals They haue good sustenance also by meanes of a root called there Igname but in the west Indies Batata Wheat that is heere sowen groweth not to any ripenes or graine but is resolued altogether into grasse They make wine of the Palme-tree Vines prosper nothing kindely in this place except it be heere and there one planted by an house-side and attended with great diligence They bring forth clusters at the same time some ripe some greene and some blossomes onely and they beare fruit twice in the yeere as doe the fig-trees likewise They haue sugar-canes ripe all the yeere long but melons onely in Iune Iuly and August No tree that beareth fruit with a stone or kernell will fructifie or prosper in this place 〈◊〉 are found all ouer the Isle certaine crabs or creuises like vnto them of the sea heere be likewise gray parots and infinite other birds of diuers sortes and in the sea are mightie store of whales especially toward the firme land The principall riches of this isle consist in sugars whereof there groweth great abundance The sugar-canes are planted and cut euery moneth and in fiue months they grow to ripenes but by reason of the moistnes of the ayer they neither prooue hard nor white but are of a reddish colour The tenths which belong to the king amount to the number of 12. or 14. thousand Arrouas euery Arroua being one and thirtie Italian pound-weight In times past there were fortie ships yeerely laden therewith but now of late certaine wormes which eat the roots of the canes or as others think white antes or mise haue so mightily impaired the growth of this commodity that now there are not aboue sixe ships laden therewith The sugar-canes after they be once ground they giue vnto their hogges wherewith they prooue fat and their flesh is very sauory For returne of sugars the merchants of Europe carry thither meale wine swordes oile cheese hides drinking-glasses and certaine shels which there and in the countries adioining they vse insteed of mony Of the coniunction betweene the men of Europe and the Negro women are bred a generation of browne or tawnie people This Isle of Saint Thomas together with the principal towne and castle was in October 1599 taken by part of the same fleet of Hollanders which not fullie foure moneths before had sacked the isles castles and townes of Gran Canaria and Gomera Of the Isle del principe and that of Fernando Po. THe Isle del principe or of the prince situate in three degrees of Northerly latitude and one hundred twentie miles on this side the isle of Sant Thomas is little in quantitie but excellent in qualitie for which cause it is throughly tilled and manured The reuenues thereof which consist the greatest part in sugars were in times past allowed vnto the prince of Portugale whereupon it was named The isle of the prince This Isle was in the yeere 1598 taken by certaine ships of war sent forth vnder the conduct of Iulianus Clerehagen at the charges of Balthasar Musheron of Camphere in Zeland merchant who had the conquest thereof giuen him by patent from Prince Maurice and the States generall of the vnited prouinces That of Fernando Po hath no other matter of speciall note saue onely a certaine lake which is the originall of sundry freshets of sweete and holesome water which make the island to be most pleasant It seemed so beautifull to the first discouerer thereof that he termed it Ilha fermosa or The faire isle To the west of these two isles are situate the isle of Sant Matthew and that of Santa Cruz and afterward hauing passed the Equinoctial you come to the isle of Sant Paule and the isle of conception both which were discouered by Pedro Aluarez Cabral in the yeere 1501. Of the isles of Cabo verde NExt vnto Cape verde it selfe stand The Barbacene which are seuen small isles replenished with greene trees and full of strange birds vnknowne to vs and yet are they vtterly voide of inhabitants But those that are called the isles of Cape verde which by ancient authors are thought to haue bin named Gorgones or Gorgades or Hesperides are nine in number and are fituate betweene Cabo verde and Cabo blanco They were first discouered by Antonio di Nolli a Genoway and began in like sort to be peopled in the yeere of our Lord 1440. Albeit there are none of them now inhabited but onely the isle of Sant Iago and Isla del fo go or The burning isle The principall of them all is Sant Iago being seuentie miles long whereon the Portugals haue a faire and strong towne called Ribera grande with a riuer running through it and a commodious and secure hauen it is very strongly seated betweene two mountaines and consisteth of fiue hundred families at the least The riuer which springeth two leagues from the city is beautified vpon the bankes thereof with Cedars Orenge-trees and diuers other plants amongst which the Palme tree of India that beareth nuts prospereth exceeding well The hearbes of Europe grow here as naturally as in their original soile howbeit the seeds thereof must euery yeere be brought out of Spaine The isle is
Romans and as some others suppose by the Africans was at length destroied by the Mahumetans albeit Ibnu Rachich affirmeth the Romans to haue sacked it But now there is nought remaining but onely a few ruines of the wall Of the region of Berdeoa BErdeoa a region situate in the midst of the Libyan desert and standing almost fiue hundred miles from Nilus containeth three castles fiue or six villages abounding with most excellent dates And the said three castles were discouered eighteene yeeres agoe by one Hamar in manner following the carouan of merchants wandering out of the direct way had a certaine blinde man in their companie which was acquainted with all those regions this blinde guide riding foremost vpon his camell commanded some sand to be giuen him at euery miles end by the smell whereof he declared the situation of the place but when they were come within fortie miles of this region the blinde man smelling of the sand affirmed that they 〈◊〉 not farre from some places inhabited which some beleeued not for they knew that they were distant from Egypt fower hundred and eightie miles so that they tooke themselues to be neerer vnto Augela Howbeit within three daies they found the said three castles the inhabitants whereof woondering at the approch of strangers and being greatly astonied presently shut all their gates and would giue the merchants no water to quench their extreme thirst But the merchants by maine force entred and hauing gotten water sufficient betooke themselues againe to their iournie Of the region of 〈◊〉 ALguechet also being a region of the Lybian desert is from Egypt an hundred and twenty miles distant Here are three castles and many villages abounding with dates The inhabitants are black vile and couetous people and yet exceeding rich for they dwell in the mid way betweene Egypt and Gaoga They haue a gouernour of their owne notwithstanding they pay tribute vnto the next Arabians Here endeth the sixth booke IOHN LEO HIS SEVENTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein Wherein he intreateth of the land of Negros and of the confines of Egypt OVr ancient Chroniclers of Africa to wit Bichri and Meshudi knew nothing in the land of Negros but onely the regions of Guechet and Cano for in their time all other places of the land of Negros were vndiscouered But in the yeere of the Hegeira 380 by the meanes of a certaine Mahumetan which came into Barbarie the residue of the said land was found out being as then inhabited by great numbers of people which liued a brutish and sauage life without any king gouernour common wealth or knowledge of husbandrie Clad they were in skins of beasts neither had they any peculiar wiues in the day time they kept their cattell and when night came they resorted ten or twelue both men and women into one cottage together vsing hairie skins in stead of beds and each man choosing his leman which he had most fancy vnto Warre they wage against no other nation ne yet are desirous to trauell out of their owne countrie Some of them performe great adoration vnto the sunne rising others namely the people of Gualata worship the fire and some others to wit the inhabitants of Gaoga approch after the Egyptians manner neerer vnto the Christian faith These Negros were first subiect vnto king Ioseph the founder of Maroco and afterward vnto the fiue nations of Libya of whom they learned the Mahumetan lawe and diuers needfull handycrafts a while after when the merchants of Barbarie began to resort vnto them with merchandize they learned the Barbarian language also But the foresaid fiue people or nations of Libya diuided this land so among themselues that euery third part of each nation possessed one region Howbeit the king of Tombuto that now raigneth called Abuacre Izchia is a Negro by birth this Abuacre after the decease of the former king who was a Libyan borne slue all his sonnes and so vsurped the kingdome And hauing by warres for the space of fifteene yeeres conquered many large dominions he then concluded a league with all nations and went on pilgrimage to Mecca in which iournie he so consumed his treasure that he was constrained to borrow great summes of money of other princes Moreouer the fifteene kingdomes of the land of Negros knowen to vs are all situate vpon the riuer of Niger and vpon other riuers which fall thereinto And all the land of Negros standeth betweene two vast deserts for on the one side lieth the maine desert betweene Numidia and it which extendeth it selfe vnto this very land and the south side thereof adioineth vpon another desert which stretcheth from thence to the maine Ocean in which desert are infinite nations vnknowen to vs both by reason of the huge distance of place and also in regarde of the diuersitie of languages and religions They haue no traffique at all with our people but we haue heard oftentimes of their traffique with the inhabitants of the Ocean sea shore A description of the kingdome of Gualata THis region in regarde of others is very small for it containeth onely three great villages with certaine granges and fields of dates From Nun it is distant southward about three hundred from Tombuto northward fiue hundred and from the Ocean sea about two hundred miles In this region the people of Libya while they were lords of the land of Negros ordained their chiefe princely seate and then great store of Barbarie-merchants frequented Gualata but afterward in the raigne of the mighty and rich prince Heli the said merchants leauing Gualata began to resort vnto Tombuto and Gago which was the occasion that the region of Gualata grew extreme beggerly The language of this region is called Sungai and the inhabitants are blacke people and most friendly vnto strangers In my time this region was conquered by the king of Tombuto and the prince thereof fled into the deserts whereof the king of Tombuto hauing intelligence and fearing least the prince would returne with all the people of the deserts graunted him peace conditionally that he should pay a great yeerely tribute vnto him and so the said prince hath remained tributarie to the king of Tombuto vntill this present The people agree in manners and fashions with the inhabitants of the next desert Here groweth some quantitie of Mil-seed and great store of a round white kind of pulse the like whereof I neuer saw in Europe but flesh is extreme scarce among them Both the men the women do so couer their heads that al their conntenance is almost hidden Here is no forme of a common wealth nor yet any gouernours or iudges but the people lead a most miserable life A description of the kingdome of Ghinea THis kingdome called by the merchants of our nation Gheneoa by the natural inhabitants thereof Genni and by the Portugals and other people of Europe Ghinea standeth in the midst betweene Gualata
are certaine mightie lakes by the benefite whereof a great part of Nubia is watred and made fruitfull The Isle of Meroe MEroe called at this time by the names of Guengare Amara and Nobe being the greatest and fairestisle which Nilus maketh and resembled by Herodotus to the shape of a target containeth in bredth a thousand and in length three thousand stadios or furlongs It aboundeth with golde siluer copper iron Eben-wood palme-trees and other such commodities as are in Nubia Some write that there growe canes or reeds of so huge a bignes that the people make botes of them Heere also you haue minerall salt and lions elephants and leopards This island is inhabited by Mahumetans who are confederate with the Moores against Prete Ianni Strabo affirmeth that in old time the authoritie of the priests of this island was so great that by a meane and ordinarie messenger they woulde command the king to murther himselfe and woulde substitute an other in his roome But at length one king hauing in a certaine temple put all the saide priests to death quite abolished that monstrous custome And heere as Nilus vnfoldeth himselfe into two branches to embrace this Islande he receiueth from the east the riuer of Abagni and from the west the riuer Sarabotto which haue likewise other smaller riuers falling into them The Abassins are of opinion that the Queene of Saba which trauelled so farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon was mistresse of this isle Paulus Ionius saith here are three kings one a Gentile the second a Moore and the third a Christian subiect vnto the Prete From Meroe to Siene it is accounted fifteene daies iourney by water Abassia or the empire of Prete Ianni THe Abassins are a people subiect to Prete Ianni whose empire if we consider the stile which he vseth in his letters hath most ample confines For he intituleth himselfe emperour of the great and higher Ethiopia king of Goiame which as Botero supposeth is situate betweene Nilus and Zaire of Vangue a kingdome beyond Zaire of Damut which confineth with the land of the Anzichi and towards the south he is called king of Cafate and Bagamidri two prouinces bordering vpon the first great lake which is the originall fountaine of Nilus as likewise of the kingdomes of Xoa Fatigar Angote Baru Baaliganze Adea Amara Ambea Vaguc Tigremahon Sabaim where the Queene of Saba gouerned and lastly of Barnagaes and lorde as farre as Nubia which bordereth vpon Egypt But at this present the center or midst of his Empire as Iohn Barros writeth is the lake of Barcena For it extendeth eastward towarde the Red sea as farre as Suaquen the space of two hundred twentie and two leagues Howbeit betweene the sea and his dominions runneth a ridge of mountaines inhabited by Moores who are masters of al the sea-coast along except the porte of Ercoco which belongeth to the Prete And likewise on the west his empire is restrained by another mountainous ridge stretching along the riuer of Nilus where are founde most rich mines of golde amongst which are the mines of Damut and of Sinassij wholie in the possession of Gentiles which pay tribute vnto the Prete Northward it is bounded by an imaginarie line supposed to be drawen from Suachen to the beginning of the isle Meroe aboue mentioned which line extendeth an hundred and fiue and twentie leagues From thence the Abassin borders trend south somewhat crookedly in manner of a bowe as farre as the kingdome of Adea from the mountaines whereof springeth a riuer called by Ptolemey Raptus which falleth into the sea about Melinde for the space of two hundred and fiftie nine leagues next vnto the which borders inhabite certaine Gentiles of blacke colour with curled haire And heere the 〈◊〉 empire is limited by the kingdome of Adel the head citie whereof called Arar standeth in the latitude nine degrees So that all this great empire may containe in compasse sixe hundred threescore and two leagues little more or lesse It is refreshed and watered by two mightie riuers which conuey their streames into Nilus called by Ptolemey Astaboras and Astapus and by the naturall inhabitants Abagni and Tagassi the first whereof taketh his originall from the lake of Barcena and the second from the lake of Colue Barcena lieth in seuen degrees of north latitude Colue vnder the verie Equinoctiall The first besides Abagni ingendereth also the riuer of Zeila and the second besides Tagassi giueth essence to the riuer of Quilimanci Between Abagni and the Red sea lieth the prouince of Barnagasso betweene Abagni and Tagassi are the kingdomes of Angote and Fatigar and more towards the bay of Barbarians the prouinces of Adea and of Baru and somewhat lower that of Amara In briefe beyond the riuer of Tagassi ly the regions of Bileguanzi and of Tigremahon The Abassins haue no great knowledge of Nilus by reason of the mountaines which deuide them from it for which cause they call Abagni the father of riuers Howbeit they say that vpon Nilus do inhabite two great and populous nations one of Iewes towards the west vnder the gouernment of a mighty king the other more southerly consisting of Amazones or warlike women whereof wee will speake more at large in our relation of Monomotapa Throughout all the dominion of the Prete there is not any one city of importance either for multitude of inhabitantes for magnificent buildings or for any other respect For the greatest townes there containe not aboue two thousand housholds the houses being cottage-like reared vp with clay and couered with straw or such like base matter Also Ptolemey intreating of these partes maketh mention but of three or foure cities onely which he appointeth to the south of the Isle Meroe Howbeit in some places vpon the frontiers of Abassia there are certaine townes verie fairely built and much frequented for traffique The Portugales in their trauailes throughout the empire haue often declared vnto the Abassins how much better it were for auoiding of the outragious iniuries and losses daily inflicted by the Moores and Mahumetans both vpon their goods and persons if the emperour would build cities and castles stronglie walled and fortified Whereunto they made answere that the power of their Neguz or emperour consisted not in stone-walles but in the armes of his people They vse not ordinarily any lime or stone but onely for the building of churches saying that so it becommeth vs to make a difference between the houses of men and churches dedicated to God and of their Beteneguz or houses of the emperour wherein the gouernours of prouinces are placed to execute iustice These Beteneguz stand continually open and yet in the gouernours absence no man dare enter into them vnder paine of being punished as a traytour Moreouer in the city of Axuma esteemed by them to haue beene the seate of the Queene of Saba stand certaine ruinous buildings like vnto pyramides which by reason of their greatnes
not so well inhabited and manured Situate it is beyond the Equator in seuenteene degrees and stretcheth from thence to sixe and twentie degrees and an halfe of southerly latitude It is plentifully endowed with all things needfull for mans vse for it yeeldeth cotton Millet Rice Potatos sweete orenges sugar-canes and sundry kindes of pulse as likewise amber Iette siluer copper red sanders saffron a spice somewhat like vnto cloues and some quantitie of ginger Moreouer heere are lions leopards stags roe-deere goates kine sheepe and other beastes both tame and wilde Heere are likewise innumerable elephants so that from hence is conueied great quantitie of iuorie They haue also great store of camels whose flesh the inhabitants eate for the holesomenes thereof The people except some few Moores vpon the coast are idolaters of colourblack with curled haire very barbarous and in fashions resembling much the Cafres They go naked all saue their priuities which they couer with cloth of cotton and they vse in the warre certaine crooked staues headed with bone The Iesuits in their letters report that in one part of this island there are white people found who as they affirme are descended from the people of China whereby may be gathered the great length of the Chinians nauigations and the largenes of their empire The Portugals sailing towards India in due time do passe betweene this great isle and the firme land but if the season groweth towards winter they holde on their course as themselues report on the backe side thereof In these two courses of nauigation they haue found and daily do discouer sundrie isles but of small account part whereof we haue mentioned before Amongst others as it were ouer against Moçambique lieth on a certaine strand or shold an isle called Langane of a reasonable bignes with a great riuer therein being inhabited by Moores And the farthest toward the west are those isles which the Portugals call Os Romeros On the northeast part of this isle is the Bay of Antogill being one of the safest and most commodious harbours in the world Of the Isles of the Ethiopian sea about the cape of Buena esperança THis sea I take to be most exceeding deepe because it hath fewer Isles then the former and those few which it hath are but little ones The first that was discouered on this side the cape of Buena Esperança is that of Don Aluarez situate in thirtie degrees and an halfe And to the northwest of that is the Isle of Tristan d' Acunna beeing distant 〈◊〉 miles from the cape and beyond the Equinoctiall eight and thirtie degrees which beeing of a round forme containeth in compasse fiftie leagues It is full of birdes and especially of sea-crowes or cormorants and round about it lie foure other small islets The marriners hold that neere vnto this isle as vnto that of Bermuda there are continual stormes and tempestes Not far from the main are certaine dry and rockie isles and others of none account The Isles of Santa Helena and of the Ascension NExt followeth in the height of sixteene degrees of southerly latitude the isle of Santa Helena discouered by Iuan da Noua being so fitly and commodiously situate for such as returne home from the east Indies into Europe as it seemeth there of purpose to haue beene planted by God for the furtherance of this voiage and for the refreshing and comfort of nauigators In compasse it containeth nine miles hath a most perfect healthfull 〈◊〉 and sundry freshets of excellent water The soile is of a red colour and like vnto ashes it giueth way to ones footing like sand and a man may shake euery tree vpon the isle Heere the kings of Portugall haue enacted that none may remaine to inhabite except it be sometime two or three 〈◊〉 persons for the recouerie of their health to the end that the fleets may heere plentifully and of free cost furnish themselues with fresh victuals fruits and water So that when they arriue they vsually plant or sow some one thing or other which presently springeth and groweth to ripenes and then the seed falling into the earth it multiplieth of it selfe Heere are woods of Ebà n and Cedar with infinite store of 〈◊〉 orenges and all sorts of fruits as likewise hogs geese hens partridges feasants Guinie-cocks and other like creatures brought thither by the Portugals out of Europe or from other countries In sailing from Portugall toward India it is not so easily found but in their returne home they do heere in fewe daies cure all their diseases and relieue their wants and heere to their 〈◊〉 solace and recreation they hunt foule and fish and prouide themselues of water wood and all things necessarie To the west thereof appeere in the sea the isles of Santa Maria and of the Trinitie which serue for signes vnto the mariners To the northwest of this isle towards the coast of Brasil are the isles of Ascension so called bicause they were first discouered by Tristan Acunna in his returne from the Indies vpon Ascension day in the yeere 1508. They are all vnhabited and desert and haue vpon them infinite swarmes of a kinde of fowles of the bignes of duckes Of the Isles of Loanda Nobon and Saint Thomas HArd vpon the firme land of the south part of Congo is situate the isle of Loanda before mentioned And ouer against the cape of Lopo Gonsalues in a manner lieth the small isle of Nobon being a rockie and desolate place but of great importance for fishing for which cause it is frequented by the inhabitants of Saint Thomas isle This isle of Saint Thomas being an hundred and fower-score miles distant from the maine is of a round forme containing threescore Italian miles from side to side and an hundred and fower-score miles also in compasse of which isle bicause it is situate iust vnder the Equinoctiall so that the horizon thereof passeth by both the poles it will not be from our purpose to intreat somewhat at large to the end we may the better vnderstand the qualitie and temperature of such places as are seated in that part of the world This isle when it was first discouered was nothing else but a woode of vnprofitable trees with their boughs turning crookedly vpward The aire is extremely hot in the moneths of March and September when the sunne passeth perpendicularly ouer it raineth heere out of measure and in other moneths heere falleth onely a moist dewe which watereth the ground In the verie midst it hath a woodie mountaine which is continually ouershadowed with a thick cloud which cloud so moistneth the trees that grow in great abundance vpon this mountaine that from hence droppeth water sufficient for the watering of al their fields of sugar-canes By how much the sun is more perpendicular ouer this isle by so much is the aire more cloudie darke and contrariwise the farther it is distant from perpendicularitie the cleerer and brighter is the skie In the moneths of
are two opinions the first is this namely because this part of the worlde is diuided from Europa by the Mediterran sea and from Asia by the riuer of Nilus Others are of opinion that this name Africa was deriued from one Ifricus the king of Arabia Foelix who is saide to haue beene the first that euer inhabited these partes This Ifricus waging warre against the king of Aslyria and being at length by him driuen out of his kingdome passed with his whole armie ouer Nilus and so conducting his troupes westward made no delay till he was come vnto the region lying about Carthage Hence it is that the Arabians do imagine the countrie about Carthage onely and the regions lying westward thereof to comprehende all Africa The borders of Africa AFRICA if we may giue credite vnto the writers of that nation being men of learning and most skilfull Cosmographers beginneth southward at certaine riuers issuing foorth of a lake in the desert of Gaoga Eastward it bordereth vpon the riuer Nilus It extendeth northward to that part of Egypt where Nilus at seuen mouthes dischargeth his streames into the Mediterran sea from whence it stretcheth westward as farre as the streites of Gibraltar and is bounded on that part with the vtmost sea-towne of all Libya called Nun. Likewise the south part thereof abutteth vpon the Ocean sea which compasseth Africa almost as farre as the deserts of Gaoga The 〈◊〉 of Africa OVR authors affirme that Africa is 〈◊〉 into fower partes that is to say Barbaria Numidia Libya and the lande of Negros Barbaria taketh beginning from the hill called Meies which is the extreme part of all the mountaines of Atlas being distant from Alexandria almost three hundred miles It is bounded on the North side with the Mediterran sea stretching thence to mount-Meies aforesaid and from mount-Meies extending itselfe to the streites of Gibraltar Westward it is limited with the said streites from whence winding it selfe out of the Mediterran sea into the maine Ocean it is inclosed with the most westerly point of Atlas namely at that Westerne cape which is next vnto the towne called Messa And southward it is bounded with that side of Atlas which lieth towards the Mediterran sea This is the most noble and worthie region of all Africa the inhabitants whereof are of a browne or tawnie colour being a ciuill people and prescribe wholsome lawes and constitutions vnto themselues The second part of Africa is called of the Latines Numidia but of the Arabians Biledulgerid this region bringeth foorth dates in great abundance It beginneth eastward at the citie of Eloacat which is an hundred miles distant from Egypt extendeth west as far as the towne of Nun standing vpon the Ocean sea Northward it is inclosed with the south side of Atlas And the south part thereof bordereth vpon the sandie deserts of Libya All the Arabians doe vsually call it The land of dates because this onely region of Africa beareth dates The third part called of the Latines Libya and of the Arabians Sarra which word signifieth a desert beginneth eastward at that part of Nilus which is next vnto the citie of Eloacat and from thence runneth westward as far as the Ocean sea Northwarde it is bounded with Numidia southward it abutteth vpon the land of Negros eastward it taketh beginning at the kingdome of Gaoga and stretcheth westwarde euen to the land of Gualata which bordereth vpon the Ocean sea The fourth part of Africa which is called the land of Negros beginneth eastward at the kingdome of Gaoga from whence it extendeth west as far as Gualata The north part thereof is inclosed with the desert of Libya and the south part which is vnknowen vnto vs with the Ocean sea howbeit the merchants which daily come from thence to the kingdome of Tombuto haue sufficiently described the situation of that countrie vnto vs. This lande of Negros hath a mightie riuer which taking his name of the region is called Niger this riuer taketh his originall from the east out of a certaine desert called by the foresaide Negros Seu. Others will haue this riuer to spring out of a certaine lake and so to run westward till it exonerateth itselfe into the Ocean sea Our Cosmographers affirme that the said riuer of Niger is deriued out of Nilus which they imagine for some certaine space to be swallowed vp of the earth and yet at last to burst foorth into such a lake as is before mentioned Some others are of opinion that this riuer beginneth westward to spring out of a certaine mountaine and so running east to make at length a huge lake which verily is not like to be true for they vsually saile westward from Tombuto to the kingdome of Ginea yea and to the land of Melli also both which in respect of Tombuto are situate to the west neither hath the said land of Negros any kingdomes comparable for beautifull and pleasant soile vnto those which adioine vnto the bankes of Niger And here it is to be noted that according to the opinion of our Cosmographers that land of Negros by which Nilus is said to run namely that part of the world which stretcheth eastward euen to the Indian sea some northerly parcell whereof abutteth vpon the red sea to wit the countrie which lieth without the gulfe of Arabia is not to be called any member or portion of Africa and that for many reasons which are to be found in the processe of this historie set downe more at large The said countrie is called by the Latines Aethiopia From thence come certaine religious Friers seared or branded on the face with an hot iron who are to be seene almost ouer all Europe and specially at Rome These people haue an Emperour which they call Prete Gianni the greater part of that land being inhabited with Christians Howbeit there is also a certaine Mahumetan among them which is said to possesse a great dominion A diuision of the fower forenamed partes of Africa BArbarie is distinguished into fower kingdomes the first whereof is the kingdome of Maroco which is likewise diuided into seuen regions or prouinces namely Hea Sus Guzula the territorie of Maroco Duccala Hazcora Tedles The second kingdome of Barbarie called Fez comprehendèth in like sort seuen regions within the bounds thereof to wit Temesne the territorie of Fez Azgara Elabat Errif Garet and Elcauz The third kingdome is called Telensin and hath three regions vnder it namely the mountaines Tenez and Algezer The fourth kingdome of Barbarie is named Tunis vnder which are comprized fower regions that is to say Bugia Constantina Tripolis in Barbarie and Ezzaba which is a good part of Numidia Bugia hath alwaies beene turmoiled with continuall warres because sometimes it was subiect vnto the king of Tunis and sometimes againe vnto the king of Tremizen Certaine it is that euen vntill these our daies this Bugia was a kingdome of it selfe and so continued till
vsed amongst them weigheth almost an ounce No fruites take plentifully vpon their soile but onely figs grapes peaches and dates Neither oile nor oliues are here to be found except such as are brought from certaine mountaines of Maroco A measure of oile is sold at Sus for fifteene duckats which measure containeth an hundred and fiftie pounds Italian waight Their peeces of golde because they haue no certaine nor proportionable money doe weigh seuen of them one third part one ounce Their ounce is all one with the Italian ounce but their pound containeth eighteene ounces and is called in their language Rethl and an hundred Rethl make one such measure of oile as is aforesaid For carrying of merchandize from place to place their custome is to pay for a camels load that is for 700. pounds of Italiā waight 3. peeces of gold especially in the spring time for in sōmer they pay somtimes 5. somtimes 6. pieces of gold as the time requireth Here is that excellent leather dressed which is called leather of Maroco twelue hides where of are here sold for sixe duckats and at Fez for eight That part of this region which lieth toward Atlas hath many villages townes and hamlets but the south part thereof is vtterly destitute of inhabitants and subiect to the Arabians which border vpon it In the midst of this citie standeth a faire and stately temple which they call The greatest and the chiefest through the very midst whereof they haue caused a part of the foresaid riuer to runne The inhabitants are sterne and vnciuill being so continually exercised in warres that they haue not one day of quiet Each part of the citie hath a seuerall captaine and gouernour who all of them together doe rule the common-wealth but their authoritie continueth neuer aboue three moneths which being expired three other are chosen in their roume Their apparell is some what like vnto that of the people of Hea sauing that some of them make their shirtes and other of their garments of a certaine kinde of white stuffe A Canna which is a measure proper to this region containing two elles of course cloth is solde for halfe a peece of gold but fower and twentie elles of Portugall or Neatherlandish cloth if it be any thing fine is vsually sold there for fower peeces of their gold Likewise in this towne are many iudges and priests which are conuersant onely in matters of religion but in ciuill matters he that hath most friends obtaineth greatest fauour Whensoeuer any one is slaine all the friends of the slaine partie doe foorthwith conspire to kill the murtherer Which if they cannot bring to passe then is the malefactor by open proclamation banished out of the citie for seuen yeeres vnlesse he will in despight of all men continually defend himselfe by maine force They which returne from exile before the time prefixed are punished in such manner as we will hereafter declare in place conuenient But he that returnes after the seuen yeeres are once expired maketh a feast vnto the Burghmasters and so is restored againe to his former libertie In this citie dwell many Iewes and many notable artificers who are not compelled to pay any yeerely tribute or taxation at all except it be some small gratuitie vnto the principall citizens Of Tarodant a towne of Sus. THE 〈◊〉 of Tarodant built by the ancient Africans containeth about three thousand housholds It is distant from Atlas Southward about fower miles and fiue and thirtie miles Eastward of Teijeut For the fruitfulnes of the soyle and manners of the people it is all one with Teijeut sauing that the towne is somewhat lesser and the people somewhat more ciuill For when the family of Marin 〈◊〉 at Fez part of them also inhabited Sus and in those daies Sus was the seat of the King of 〈◊〉 his Vice-roy There is to be 〈◊〉 euen at this present a certaine rocke lying vpon the 〈◊〉 which was there placed by the foresaid king But the said family of Marin decaying the inhabitants recouered their former estate Their garments are made partly of linnen and partly of woollen and they haue manie artificers of all sorts All authoritie is committed vnto their noble or principall men who gouerne fower by fower sixe moneths onely They are wholy giuen to peace neither doe I read that euer they endamaged any of their neighbours Betweene this towne and Atlas are many villages and hamlets but to the south of this towne lye the 〈◊〉 desert The 〈◊〉 pay large yeerely tribute to the ende that merchants may haue safe and secure passage to and fro This towne in our time waged warre against the Arabians which that they might the more prosperously bring to 〈◊〉 they yeelded themselues vnto 〈◊〉 Lord the Seriffo in the yeere of the Hegeira 920. which was in the yeere of our Lord 1511. Of the castle of Gartguessem THE castle of Gartguessem is built vpon the top of Atlas in a most impregnable place oueragainst that part of the Ocean whereinto the riuer of Sus dischargeth his streames the soyle is most profitable and fruitfull This place about twentie yeeres sithens the Portugals surprised which caused the inhabitants of Hea and Sus foorth with to arme themselues to the end they might recouer the castle by maine force which was by force taken from them Wherfore leuying a mightie army as wel of home-bornes as of strangers they chose for their Captaine a certaine Mahumetan 〈◊〉 being a man descended of the family of Mahumet and so besieged the castle But they had vnhappie successe in this their enterprise for they which came to the siege seeing that they could not preuaile and that so many of their companie were slaine left the castle and returned home Except some few which remained with the Seriffo to the end they might maintaine warre against the Christians euen till the last hower The inhabitants of Sus not being desirous to liue in warfare allowed the Seriffo money for the maintenance of fiue hundred horses Who hauing with his money hyred a great number of souldiers and growing famous ouer all the region at last vsurped the gouernment thereof This I know for a certaintie that the Seriffo when I came from his court had aboue three thousand horsemen and such numbers of footemen and summes of money as were almost innumerable Of Tedsi a towne of Sus. TEdsi being a very great towne and built many yeeres agoe in a most pleasant and fertile place by the Africans containeth moe then fower thousand families it is distant from Tarodant Eastward thirtie miles from the Ocean sea sixtie miles and from Atlas twentie Heere groweth great abundance of corne of sugar and of wilde woad You shall finde in this citie many merchants which come out of the lande of Negros for trafiques sake The citizens are great louers of peace of all ciuilitie and they haue a flourishing common-wealth The whole citie is gouerned by sixe Magistrates
them likewise which was a cause that the merchants of both partes trauelled more securely Of the towne of Gerseluin THis ancient towne was built by the Africans at the foote of one of the foresaid mountaines not farre from the riuer of Ziz. It is enuironed with an impregnable and stately wall the founder whereof was a certaine king of the Marin-familie In regard of the walles and bulwarks it is a most beautifull towne But being once entred thereinto you shall see most base and beggerly houses and scarce any inhabitants dwelling in them and that by the iniurie of certaine Arabians who when they reuolted from the Marin-familie tooke this towne and grieuously oppressed the citizens Their drie and barren fields lie open to the north Vpon the riuer are diuers mils and by the side thereof are many gardens replenished with grapes and peaches which they vse to drie in the sunne and to keepe an whole yeere They haue great scarcitie of cattell which causeth them to liue a most 〈◊〉 life This towne was built by the familie of Zeneta in stead of a fort to the end it might be a place of refuge onely in their iournie to Numidia but afterward it was surprised and vtterly destroied by the familie of Luntuna Here also are great store of such domesticall serpents as we reported to be in the mountaines of Ziz. Here endeth the third booke IOHN LEO HIS FOVRTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein A description of the kingdome of Telensin THis kingdome beginneth westward from the riuers of Zha Muluia eastward it bordereth vpon The great riuer southward vpon the desert of Numidia and northward vpon the Mediterran sea This region was called by the Romanes Caesaria and was by them inhabited howbeit after the Romanes were expelled it was fullie possessed by the ancient gouernours thereof called Beni Habdulguad and being a generation of the familie of Magraua And it remained vnto them and their successors three hundred yeeres vntill such time as a certaine mightie man called Ghamrazen the sonne of Zeijen tooke possession thereof His posteritie changing at length their ancient name were called Beni Zeijen that is the sonnes of Zeijen and they enioied this kingdome for the space almost of 380. yeeres At length the kings of Fez of the Marin-familie greatly molested them so that those ten kings which succeeded Zeijen were some of them vnfortunate in battell some slaine some taken captiue and others expelled their kingdome and chased to the next mountaines Neither were they free from vexation of the kings of Tunis howbeit the kingdome of Telensin remained still to this familie and they continued in peace for almost an hundred and twentie yeeres being endammaged by no forren power sauing that one Abu Feris king of Tunis and his sonne Hutmen made them to pay tribute for certaine yeeres vnto Tunis till the decease of the said Hutmen This kingdome stretcheth in length from east to west 380. miles but in bredth from north to south that is from the Mediterran sea to the deserts of Numidia not aboue fiue and twentie miles which is the occasion that it is so often oppressed by the Arabians inhabiting the Numidian deserts The kings of Telensin haue alwaies endeuoured by great gifts to gaine the good will and friendship of the Numidians but they could neuer satisfie their insatiable couetice A man shall seldome trauell safely through this kingdome howbeit here are great store of merchants perhaps either because it adioineth to Numidia or else for that the way to the land of Negros lieth through it It hath two most famous frequented hauen-townes the one called Horam and the other Marsa Elcabir whither vse to resort great store of Genoueses and Venetians But afterward both these townes were taken by Don Ferdinando the Catholike king to the great inconuenience of all this kingdome for which cause the king then raigning called Abuchemmeu was expelled his kingdome and put to flight by his owne subiects afterward Abuzeijen was restored to the kingdome who had for certaine yeeres been imprisoned by his nephew Abuchemmeu howbeit he enioied the kingdome but a very short space For he was at length miserably slaine by Barbarossa the Turke who conquered the kingdome of Tremizen by force of war Whereof Abuchemmeu that was expelled by his owne subiects hauing intelligence sent to craue aide of the emperour Charles the fift whereby he hoped to recouer his kingdome Which request being granted he leuied a puissant armie and made warre against Barbarossa and hauing driuen him out he recouered his kingdome and seuerely punished them that had conspired his banishment And then he gaue the Spanish soldiers their pay sent the captaines home with great rewardes and allowed Charles the emperour a large yeerely reuenue so long as he liued After his decease succeeded his brother Habdulla who neglecting the league made before betweene the emperour and his brother and relying vpon Soliman the great Turke refused to pay any more tribute vnto the emperour Charles and hath kept possession of the kingdome till this present The greater part of this region is vntilled drie and barren especially towards the south Howbeit the sea coast is somewhat more fertill The territorie adiacent to the citie of Telensin is full of woods sauing that the westerne part towardes the sea is mountainous Likewise the regions of Tenez and Alger containe mountaines abounding with all kinde of commodities In this part ate but few cities and castles howbeit it is a most fruitfull and blessed place as we will hereafter declare in particular Of the desert of Angad THis barren drie and vntilled desert being vtterly destitute of water and wood is situate vpon the westerne frontire of the kingdome of Telensin and extendeth in length fowerscore and in bredth almost fiftie miles Here are great store of roes deere and ostriches Such merchants as trauell from Fez to Telensin passe ouer this desert not without great danger by reason of certaine Arabians which liue onely vpon theft aud robberie especially in winter when as the soldiers appointed to defend the said desert from those lewd vagabonds doe vsually retire themselues into Numidia Many shepherds there are in this desert who are daily vexed with multitudes of fierce lions which sometime seaze not onely vpon cartell but also vpon men Of the castle of Temzegzet THis castle standing in the same place where the foresaid desert adioineth vnto the territorie of Telensin and built by the Africans vpon a rocke was in times past very strong and often annoied by the people ofFez for it standeth in the high way from Fez to Telensin Through the fields adiacent runneth a certaine riuer called in their language Tefme The said fields adiacent sufficiently abound with all things necessarie for the sustenance of the inhabitants Heretofore being subiect vnto the kings of Telensin it well deserued the name of a citie but since the Arabians got
Numidian desert two hundred and fiftie miles eastward of Segelmesse and an hundred miles from mount Atlas hath fower castles within the precincts thereof and many villages also which stand vpon the confines of Lybia neer vnto the high way that leadeth from Fez and Telensin to the kingdome of Agadez and to the land of Negros The inhabitants are not very rich for all their wealth consisteth in dates and some small quantitie of corne The men of this place are black but the women are somewhat fairer and yet they are of a swart and browne hue Of the region of Tegorarin THis great and large region of the Numidian desert standing about an hundred and twentie miles eastward of Tesebit containeth fiftie castles and aboue an hundred villages and yeeldeth great plentie of dates The inhabitants are rich and haue ordinarie traffique to the land of Negros Their fields are very apt for corne and yet by reason of their extreme drouth they stand in neede of continuall watering and dunging They allow vnto strangers houses to dwell in requiring no money for rent but onely their dung which they keepe most charily yea they take it in ill part if any stranger easeth himselfe without the doores Flesh is very scarce among them for their soile is so drie that it will scarce nourish any cattell at all they keepe a few goates indeede for their milks sake but the flesh that they eate is of camels which the Arabians bring vnto their markets to sell they mingle their meate with salt tallow which is brought into this region from Fez Tremizen There were in times past many rich Iewes in this region who by the meanes of a certaine Mahumetan preacher were at length expelled and a great part of them slaine by the seditious people and that in the very same yeere when the Iewes were expelled out of Spaine and Sicily The inhabitants of this region hauing one onely gouernour of their owne nation are notwithstanding often subiect to ciuill contentions and yet they do not molest other nations howbeit they pay certaine tribute vnto the next Arabians Of the region of Meszab THis region being situate vpon the Numidian desert 300. miles eastward from Tegorarin and 300. miles also from the Mediterran sea containeth sixe castles and many villages the inhabitants being rich and vsing traffike to the land of Negros Likewise the Negro-merchants togither with them of Bugia and Ghir make resort vnto this region Subiect they are and pay tribute vnto the Arabians Of the towne of Techort THe ancient towne of Techort was built by the Numidians vpon a certaine hill by the foote whereof runneth a riuer vpon which riuer standeth a draw-bridge The wall of this towne was made of free stone and lime but that part which is next vnto the mountaine 〈◊〉 instead of a wall an impregnable rocke opposite against it this towne is distant 〈◊〉 hundred miles southward from the Mediterran sea and 〈◊〉 300. miles from 〈◊〉 Families it containeth to the number of fiue and twentie hundred all the houses are built of sunne-dried brickes except their temple which is somewhat more stately Heere dwell great store both of gentlemen and artificers and bicause they haue great abundance of dates and are destitute of corne the merchants of Constantina exchange corne with them for their dates All strangers they fauour exceedingly and friendly dismisse them without paying of ought They had rather match their daughters vnto strangers then to their owne citizens and for a dowry they giue some certaine portion of lande as it is accustomed in some places of Europe So great and surpassing is their liberalitie that they will heape many gifts vpon strangers albeit they are sure neuer to see them againe At the first they were subiect to the king of Maroco afterward to the king of Telensin and now to the king of Tunis vnto whom they pay fiftie thousand ducats for yeerely tribute vpon condition that the king himselfe come personally to receiue it The king of Tunis that now is demanded a second tribute of them Many castles and villages and some territories there be also which are all subiect vnto the prince of this towne who collecteth an hundred and thirtie thousand ducates of yeerely reuenues and hath alwaies a mightie garrison of soldiers attending vpon him vnto whom he alloweth very large paie The gouernour at this present called Habdulla is a valiant and liberall yoong prince and most curteous vnto strangers whereof I my selfe conuersing with him for certaine daies had good experience Of the citie of Guargala THis ancient citie founded by the Numidians and enuironed with strong wals vpon the Numidian desert is built very sumptuously and aboundeth exceedingly with dates It hath some castles and a great number of villages belonging thereunto The inhabitants are rich bicause they are neere vnto the kingdome of Agadez Heere are diuers merchants of Tunis and Constantina which transport wares of Barbarie vnto the lande of Negros And bicause flesh and corne is very scarce among them they liue vpon the flesh of Ostriches and camels They are all of a blacke colour and haue blacke slaues and are people of a courteous and liberall disposition and most friendly and bountifull vnto strangers A gouernour they haue whom they reuerence as if he were a king which gouernour hath about two thousand horsemen alwaies attending vpon him and collecteth almost fifteene thousand ducates for yeerely reuenue Of the prouince of Zeb ZEb a prouince situate also vpon the Numidian desert beginneth westward from Mesila northward from the mountaines of Bugia eastward from the region of dates ouer against Tunis and southward it bordereth vpon a certaine desert ouer which they trauaile from Guargala to Techort This region is extremely hot sandie and destitute both of water and corne which wants are partly supplied by their abundance of dates It containeth to the number of fiue townes and many villages all which we purpose in order to describe Of the towne of Pescara THis ancient towne built by the Romans while they were lords of Mauritania and afterward destroied by the Mahumetans at their first enterance into Africa is now reedified stored with new inhabitants and enuironed with faire and stately wals And albeit the townesmen are not rich yet are they louers of ciuilitie Their soile yeeldeth nought but dates They haue beene gouerned by diuers princes for they were a while subiect vnto the kings of Tunis and that to the death of king Hutmen after whom succeeded a Mahumetan priest neither coulde the kings of Tunis euer since that time recouer the dominion of Pescara Here are great abundance of scorpions and it is present death to be stung by them wherefore all the townesmen in a manner depart into the countrey in sommer time where they remaine till the moneth of Nouember Of the citie of Borgi ANother towne there is also called Borgi which standeth about fowerteene miles eastward of Pescara Heere are a great many of
trauelled to wit Arabia deserta Arabia felix Arabia Petrea the Asian part of Egypt Armenia and some part of Tartaria all which countries I saw and passed through in the time of my youth Likewise I will set downe my last voiages from Fez to Constantinople from Constantinople to Egypt and from thence into Italie in which Iourney I saw diuers and sundry Islands All which my trauels I meane by gods assistance being returned forth of Europe into mine owne countrie particularly to describe decyphering first the regions of Europe and Asia which I haue seen and thereunto annexing this my discourse of Africa to the end that I may promote the endeuours of such as are desirous to know the state of forren countries IOHN LEO HIS NINTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things therein contained Wherein he entreateth of the principall riuers and of the strange liuing creatures plants and minerals of the same countrey Of the riuer of Tensist THe riuer of Tensist that we may begin in Barbarie from the westerne part of Africa springing foorth of the mountaines of Atlas which are next vnto the citie of Hanimmei to witte about the east part of the territorie of Maroco and continuing his course northwarde ouer the plaines receiueth many other riuers thereinto and at Azafi a towne of Duccala dischargeth his streames into the maine Ocean Into this mightie riuer of Tensist fall two other great riuers called Siffelmel and Niffis the one whereof springeth out of Hanteta a mountaine of Maroco and the other issuing foorth of mount Atlas neere vnto Maroco and winding it selfe along the plaines of that region disemboqueth at last into the saide mightie riuer And albeit the riuer Tensist be for the most part of an exceeding depth yet may it in diuers places be waded ouer where the water reacheth vnto the stirrups of an horseman but a footeman must strippe himselfe naked to passe ouer the same Neere vnto Maroco there is a bridge of fifteene arches builte by king Mansor vpon this riuer which bridge is accounted one of the most curious buildings in all Africa Three of the saide arches were demolished by Abu Dubus the last king and patriarke of Maroco to the ende he might hinder the passage of Iacob the first Fezsan king of the Marin familie but this attempt of his was to none effect as it sufficiently appeered by the successe thereof Of the two riuers called Teseuhin THe two riuers called by this one name springing each of them three miles asunder out of mount Gugideme and running through the plaines of Hascora exonerate themselues into the riuer called Lebich These two riuers as I haue said haue one onely name being either of them according to the African language called Teseut in the singular number and in the plural Teseuhin which signifieth listes or borders Of Quadelhabid that is to say the riuer of seruants QVadelhabid taking his original among the high and chill mountaines of Atlas and runniug through certaine narrow and vneeuen valleis holdeth on his course by the confines of Hascora and Tedle and then stretching northward ouer a certaine plaine falleth at length into the riuer of Ommirabih In Maie when the snow melteth this riuer increaseth to some bignes Of the riuer of Ommirabih THe mightie riuer of Ommirabih issuing also forth of the lofty mountaines of Atlas where the prouince of Tedle bordereth vpon the kingdome of Fez passeth through certain plaines called Adachsun and being afterward streitned among the narrow valleis it runneth vnder a stately bridge built by Ibulhasen the fourth king of the Marin family from thence trending southward it watereth the plaines situate between the regions of Duccala and Temesne and lastly disburdeneth it selfe vnder the wals of Azamor into the maine Ocean About the end of Maye they take great store of fishes in this riuer called by the Italians Lasche wherwith all Azamur being sufficiently stored they salt the said fishes and send many ships ful of them into Portugall Of the riuer of Buregrag BVregrag arising out of one of the mountaines of Atlas and continuing his course by sundrie vallies woods and hils proceedeth on ouer a certaine plaine and neere vnto the townes of Sala and Rabat being the vtmost frontiers of the Fezsan kingdome it falleth into the Ocean sea Neither haue the two foresaid townes any other port or harbour but within the mouth of the said riuer onely which is so difficult to enter that vnlesse the pilote be throughly acquainted with the place he is in great hazard of running his ship vpon the shoulds which shoulds serue instead of bulwarkes to defend either towne from the fleets of the Christians Of the riuer of Baht THis riuer issuing foorth of mount Atlas stretcheth northward by the woods and mountaines and running among certaine litle hils disperseth it selfe vpon the plaines of the prouince of Azgar and from thence it falleth into certaine fens lakes and moist valleies where they take great store of eeles and of the foresaid fishes called Lasche The inhabitants liue vpon cattell and fishing and by reason of the plentie of milke fish and butter which they eate they are much subiect vnto the disease called in Italian Morphia This riuer may continually be waded ouer except it be much increased by abundance of raine and melted snowe Of the riuer of Subu THe riuer of 〈◊〉 beginneth vpon mount Selilgo standing in Cheuz a prouince of the Fezsan kingdome And it springeth out of a great fountaine in the midst of a vaste and solitarie woode and runneth by diuers mountaines and hils from whence extending vpon the plaines it approcheth within sixe miles of Fez diuideth in sunder the regions of Habat and Azgar and at length about Mahmora a place not farre from Sala exonerateth it selfe into the Ocean sea Into this riuer fall diuers others two of which namely Guarga and Aodor spring out of the mountanes of Gumera and the residue from the mountaines of the territorie of Teza And although Subu be a large riuer yet may it in sundry places be waded ouer except in winter and the spring when as it cannot be crossed but in certaine dangerous and small boates The same riuer also which runneth through the citie of Fez called in the language of that countrey The riuer of perles entreth into the foresaid riuer of Subu This riuer of Subu aboundeth exceedingly with fish and especially with the foresaid fishes called Lasche which are there of no reckoning The mouth thereof neere vnto the Ocean sea being very deepe and broad is nauigable for ships of great burthen as the Portugals and Spaniards haue found by often experience and were not the inhabitants so slothfull it might vsually and commodiously be sailed vpon yea if the corne which is carried by the merchants of Fez ouer land through the region of Azgar were conueighed by water vp this riuer it might be solde at Fez for halfe the price Of the riuer of Luccus LVccus issuing
diuision of Africa I described the riuer called by Ptolemey Niger it would here be superfluous to make any repetition thereof wherfore let vs now proceede vnto the description of Nilus Of the mightie riuer of Nilus THE course of this riuer is in very deed most admirable and the creatures therein contained are exceeding strange as namely sea-horses sea-oxen crocodiles and other such monstrous and cruel beasts as we will afterward declare which were not so hurtfull either in the ancient times of the Egyptians or of the Romaines as they are at this present but they became more dangerous euer since the Mahumetans were lords of Egypt Meshudi in his treatise of the memorable thinges of his time reporteth that when Humeth the sonne of Thaulon was lieutenant of Egypt vnder Gihsare Mutauichil the Califa of Bagdet namely in the yeere of the Hegeira 270. there was a certaine leaden image about the bignes of a crocodile found among the ruines of an old Egyptiā temple which in regard of the Hieroglyphick characters constellations engrauen theron serued instead of an inchantmēt against all crocodiles but so soone as the saide lieutenant caused it to be broken in peeces the crocodiles began then to inuade men and to doe much mischiefe Howbeit what the reason should be why the crocodiles betweene Cairo and the Mediterran sea are harmelesse and those aboue Cairo towards the maine land should deuoure and kill so many persons it goeth beyond my skill to determine But to returne vnto the description of Nilus it increaseth as we haue saide for the space of fortie daies beginning from the seuenteenth of Iune and it continueth iust so long time in decreasing For whereas in the higher Ethiopia it raineth most abundantly about the beginning of May the course and inundation of the water is hindred all the moneth of May some part of Iune before it can attaine vnto the plaine countrey of Egypt Concerning the originall fountaine of this riuer there are manifold opinions and all of them vncertaine Some there are which affirme the same to spring out of the mountaines called by themselues The mountaines of the moone and others say that it beginneth vpon certaine plaines situate beneath the foote of the saide mountaines and issueth out of sundrie fountaines being a great way distant one from another Howbeit the former of these two auouch that Nilus with great violence falleth down from the saide mountaines into certaine deepe caues vnder the ground and commeth foorth againe at the foresaide fountaines Both of which opinions are false for neuer did any man as yet see where Nilus taketh his originall The Ethiopian merchants which resort for traffike vnto the citie of Dancala affirme that Nilus towards the south is enlarged into such a mightie lake that no man can perceiue which way the course thereof trendeth and that afterward being diuided into manifold branches running in seueral chanels and stretching themselues east and west it hindereth the passage of traueilers so that they cannot compasse those intricate windings and turnings Likewise diuers Ethiopians inhabiting vpon the plaines in manner of the Arabians say that many of them traueiling fiue hundred miles southward to seeke their camels which were straied away in the heate of their lust found Nilus to be in all places alike that is to say dispersed into manifolde armes and lakes and that they discouered sundry desert and barren mountaines where the foresaide Meshudi affirmeth emraulds to be found which seemeth more probable then that which the same author affirmeth concerning sauage men which wander vp and downe like wilde goates and feede vpon the grasse of the deserts in manner of beasts But if I recorded all the fables which our writers report concerning Nilus I shoulde seeme ouer tedious vnto the Reader Of the strange beasts and other liuing creatures of Africa MY purpose is not in this discourse to make a cōplete history of all the liuing creatures in Africa but only of such as are either not to be founde in Europe or such as differ in any respect from those that are founde And heere I intend to describe in order certaine beasts fishes and foules omitting many things reported by Plinie who was doubtlesse a man of rare and singular learning notwithstanding by the default and negligence of certaine authors which wrote before him he erred a little in some small matters concerning Africa howbeit a little blemish ought not quite to disgrace all the beautie of a faire and amiable bodie Of the Elephant THis wittie beast keepeth in the woods is found in great numbers in the forrests of the land of Negros They vse to go many in one cōpany and if they chance to meet with any man they either shun him or giue place vnto him But if the Elephant intendeth to hurt any man he casteth him on the groūd with his long snout or trunk neuer ceaseth trampling vpon him till he be dead And although it be a mightie and fierce beast yet are there great store of them caught by the Ethiopian hunters in manner folowing These hunters being acquainted with the woodes and thickets where they keepe vse to make among the trees a rounde hedge of strong boughes and raftes leauing a space open on the one side therof and likewise a doore standing vpon the plaine grounde which may bee lift vp with ropes wherewith they can easily stoppe the said open place or passage The elephant therefore comming to take his rest vnder the shady boughes entreth the hedge or inclosure where the hunters by drawing the saide rope and fastening the doore hauing imprisoned him descend downe from the trees and kill him with their arrowes to the end they may get his teeth and make sale of them But if the elephant chanceth to breake through the hedge he murthereth as many men as he can finde In Ethiopia the higher and India they haue other deuises to take the elephant which least I should seeme ouer-tedious I passe ouer in silence Of the beast called Giraffa THis beast is so sauage and wilde that it is a very rare matter to see any of them for they hide themselues among the deserts and woodes where no other beasts vse to come and so soone as one of them espieth a man it flieth foorthwith though not very swiftly It is headed like a camell eared like an oxe and footed like a neither are any taken by hunters but while they are very yoong Of the Camell CAmels are gentle and domesticall beasts and are found in Africa in great numbers especially in the deserts of Libya Numidia and Barbaria And these the Arabians esteeme to be their principall possessions and riches so that speaking of the wealth of any of their princes or gouernors he hath say they so many thousand camels and not so manie thousand ducates Moreouer the Arabians that possesse camels liue like lords and potentates in great libertie bicause they can remaine with their camels in barren deserts
rich men he bestoweth vpon them some gouernment or charge with prouision Wherefore for feare of confiscation after death euery one coueteth to 〈◊〉 his wealth or to remoue far from the court and the kings sight For which cause the citie of Fez commeth far short of hir ancient glorie Besides his reuenues haue beene augmented of late yeeres by mightie sums of gold which he fetcheth from Tombuto and Gago in the lande of Negros which gold according to the report of some may yeerely amount to three millions of ducates His Forces THe Xeriffo hath not any Fortresses of great importance but only vpon the sea-coast as Cabo de Guer Larache and Tetuan for as the Turks and Persians do so he placeth the strength of his state in armed men but especially in horse And for this cause he standeth not much vpon his artillerie although hee hath very great store which his predecessors tooke from the Portugals and others in Fez Maroco Tarodant and in the foresaide 〈◊〉 causing also more to bee cast when neede requireth for he wanteth not masters of Europe in this Science He hath an house of munition in Maroco where they make ordinarily six and fortie quintals of powder euery moneth as likewise also caliuers and steele-bowes In the yeere of our Lord 1569. a fire tooke hold on these houses with such furie that a great part of the citie was destroied therewith But for the Xeriffoes forces they are of two sorts the first is of two thousand seuen hundred horse and two thousand harquibuziers which he hath partly in Fez but most in Maroco where he is resident being as it were of his daily guard The second is of a roiall squadron of sixe thousand gentlemen being all of noble parentage and of great account These men are mounted vpon excellent horses with furniture and armes for varietie of colour most beautifull and for riches of ornament beyonde measure estimable for euery thing about them shineth with gold siluer pearle iewels and whatsoeuer else may please the eie or satisfie the curiositie of beholders These men besides prouision of corne oile butter and flesh for themselues their wiues children and seruants receiue further in wages from seuentie to an hundred ounces of siluer a man The third sort of forces which he hath consisteth of his * Timariotti for the Xeriffo granteth to all his sons and brothers and other persons of account or authoritie among the people of Africke or to the princes of the Arabians the benefite of great Lordships tenures for sustentation of his Cauallarie and the Alchaides themselues till the fields and afterwardes reape rice oile barly butter sheepe hens and monie and distribute the same monethly to the souldiers according to the seuerall qualitie of their persons They also giue them cloth linnen and silke to apparell themselues armes of offence and defence and horses with which they serue in the warres and if they die or be killed they allow them other A thing which was also vsed in Rome towards them that serued on publike horses Euerie one of these leaders contendeth to bring his people into the fielde well ordred for armes apparell and horses besides this they haue betweene fower and twentie and thirtie ounces of siluer wages euery yeere His fourth militarie forces are the Arabians who liue continually in their Auari for so they call their habitations each one of them consisting of an hundred or two hundred 〈◊〉 gouerned by diuers Alchaides to the end they may be readie in time of need These serue on horse-backe but they are rather to be accounted theeues then true soldiers His fift kinde of forces militarie are somewhat like vnto the trained soldiers of Christian princes and among these the inhabitants of cities and villages of the kingdome and of the mountaines are enrolled It is true that the king makes but little account of them very seldome puts armes into their hands for feare of insurrections and rebellions except in the warres against the Christians for then he cannot conueniently forbid them For it being written in their law that if à Moore kil a Christian or is slaine by him he goeth directly into Paradise a diabolicall inuention men women and those of euery age and degree run to the warres hand ouer head that at least they may there be slaine and by this meanes according to their foolish opinion gaine heauen No lesse zeale to our confusion may we perceiue in the Turks especially for defence of their sect for one would thinke they went to a marriage and not to the warre scarcely being able with patience to attend their prefixed time of going thither They repute them holy and happie that die with armes in hand against their enimies as on the contrarie those men vnhappie and of little woorth that die at home amidst the lamentation of children and outcries of women By the things aboue set downe we may easily comprehend what numbers of men the Xeriffo can bring into the field but yet we may learne better by experience For Mullei Abdala in the yeere 1562. besieged Mazagan with two hundred thousand men choaking the ditch with a mountaine of earth and beating downe the walles thereof with his Artillerie but for all this he was enforced by the valour of the Portugals and the damage which he receiued by their mines to giue ouer his siege Besides this Prince can not continue a great war aboue two or three moneths and the reason hereof is because his forces liuing on that prouision which he hath daylie comming in as well for sustenance as for aparrell and not being able to haue all this conducted thither where the war requireth it followeth of necessitie that in short time they must needs returne home for their maintenance of life and further it is an euident thing that no man can protract a war at length except he be rich in treasure Molucco who ouerthrew Sebastian king of Portugal had in pay vnder his ensignes fortie thousand horse and eight thousand foote besides Arabians and aduenturers But it is thought he could haue brought into the field seuentie thousand horse and more foot then he did Of the dominions and fortresses which the king of Spaine hath vpon the Isles and maine landes of Africa and of the great quantity of treasure and other commodities which are brought from thence BEsides Oran Mersalquibir Melilla and Pennon which the king of Spaine possesseth within the streights as likewise çeuta Tanger and Arzil which by the title of Portugal he holdeth very neere the streights of Gibraltar and Mazagan in like sort without the streights mouth twentie miles to the southward of Arzil he hath along the coast of Affrick from Cape de Guer to that of Guardafu two sorts of states for some are immedidiately vnder him and others are as it were his adherents The Ilands of Madera Puerto Santo the Canaries the Isles of Arguin of Cabo Verde the isle Del Principe with that of Sant
Iewish Mahumetan and Gentilish religions there 〈◊〉 The Princes of greatest account either inhabiting or at least possessing large territories there are first The grand Neguz or Christian Emperour of Abassia or the higher Ethiopia commonly called Presbyter Iohn or as Zagazabo his owne ambassadour would haue him Pretious Iohn but bicause 〈◊〉 all the Ethiopick relation of Francis Aluarez being the best that euer was written of those parts he is continually named Prete Ianni in imitation of him I also most commonly call him by that name And so likewise though Zagazabo for the more magnificent reputation of his prince will haue his dominions called Ethiopia yet with the consent of some approoued authors and also to distinguish the country of this emperour from many other regions situate both in the higher Ethiopia and in the lower I haue set it downe in my mappe and in my discourses do most vsually speake thereof vnder the name of Abassia The other great Princes intreated of in the said relations are The K. of Spaine The Turkish Emperour The Xarifo otherwise called The Miramonin or the king of Maroco Sus and Fez and the emperour of Monomotapa My methode in the discourse before Leo is after a generall preface of Africa to begin at the Red sea where Leo endeth and thence as well in the description of the maine lands as of the isles by him vntouched to proceed on southerly to the cape of Buena esperança from which cape we returne toward the north describing all along the westerne countries and isles of Africa till we haue brought our whole descriptions to an end vpon the most southwesterly parts 〈◊〉 Barbarie where our author Iohn Leo beginneth his Et quoniam as one saith turpe non est per quos profeceris agnoscere my principall authors out of whom I haue gathered this store are of the ancienter note Ptolemey Strabo Plinie Diodorus Siculus c. and amongst later writers I haue helped my selfe out of sundrie discourses in the first Italian volume of Baptista Ramusio as likewise out of Iohn Barros Castanneda Ortelius Osorius de reb gest Eman. Matthew Dresserus Quadus Isolario del mundo Iohn Huighen van Linschoten out of the Hollanders late voiages to the east Indies and to San Tomé but I am much more beholding to the history of Philippo Pigafetta to the Ethiopick relations of Francis Aluarez of Damianus a Goez and beyond all comparison both for matter and method most of all to the learned Astronomer and Geographer Antonius Maginus of Padua and to the vniuersall relations written in Italian by G. B. B. And heere before I surcease I must admonish the Reader of certaine faults escaped in some copies as namely in the description of the isles in the Barbarian bay Açotatado for Açotado in a marginall note ouer against the description of Tombuto in the seuenth booke of Iohn Leo Money for Gold in the relation of the Christianitie of Egypt Hypostasis twise togither in stead of Hypostases and in the discourse of the Christianitie of Congo Paulo Aquitino for Panso Aquitimo Other literall faults if there be any will not be hard for the Reader himselfe to amend AFRICA A generall description of all Africa togither with a comparison of the ancient and new names of all the principall countries and prouinces therein THat part of inhabited lande extending southward which we call Africa and the Greeks Libya is one of the three generall parts of the world knowen vnto our ancestors which in very deed was not throughly by them discouered both bicause the Inlands coulde not be trauailed in regard of huge deserts full of dangerous sands which being driuen with the winde put trauailers in extreme hazard of their liues and also by reason of the long and perilous nauigation vpon the African coasts for which cause it was by very few of ancient times compassed by nauigation much lesse searched or intirely known Of which few the principall were Hanno a Carthaginian captaine sent by the gouernours of that commonwelth for discouerie of the saide lande and one Eudoxus that fled from Ptolemaeus Lathyrus the king of Alexandria Howbeit in these latter times it hath beene often by the Portugals sailed round about and diligently searched especially along the shore euen from the streights of Gibraltar to the enterance of the red sea but the first Portugall that euer doubled the cape of Buena esperança and coasted the south and southeast parts of Africa in former 〈◊〉 vnknowne was Vasco da Gama in the yeere 1497. who from hence sailed to Calicut in the east Indies to the vnspeakeable gaine of the Portugals To omit Iohn Leo his etymologies of this name Africa Festus will haue it to be deriued from the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth horror or colde and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the particle priuatiue as who shoulde say Africa is a place free from all horror and extremitie of colde bicause it lieth open to the heauens and is sandie drie and desert Others say that it is called Africa quasi Aprica that is exposed and subiect to the scorching beames of the sunne the most part there of lying betweene the Tropicks Iosephus wil haue it so called from 〈◊〉 one of the posteritie of Abraham and others from Afer sonne to Hercules of Libya But it was by the Greekes called Libya bicause it was in old time conquered by Libs the king of Mauritania In the holie Scriptures it is called Chamesis by the Arabians and Ethiopians 〈◊〉 and by the Indians Besecath In situation shape this land of Africa is almost an islle being by a very small and narrowe neckland passing betweene the Mediterran sea and the gulfe of Arabia 〈◊〉 the red sea conioined to Asia and in extension of ground being almost twise as bigge as Europe albeit for inhabitants it is not halfe so populous Wherefore though in longitude from west to east Africa be shorter then Europe in some places yet extendeth it so farre vnto the south that Europe in that respect is nothing comparable vnto it for Africa containeth almost seuentie degrees in latitude whereas Europe stretcheth but fiue and thirtie degrees moreouer Africa is more vniforme and spacious but Europe is of a more distracted and manifolde shape being in sundry places dispersed restrained by the sea Howbeit notwithstanding Africa hath farre greater extension of ground then Europe yet is it not so populous nor so commodious to inhabite for the lande of Africa is in many places vnhabitable the principall causes whereof are the scarcitie of water the barrennes of the soile being either couered with 〈◊〉 sande dust or ashes or else being subiect to extreme heate of the sunne also there are certaine dangerous heapes of sande which being raised by the winde are driuen vp and downe like the waues of a tempestuous sea In briefe there are such abundance of venemous and hurtfull
seuerallie and thinketh Niger to be that which is now called Rio grande This riuer taketh his beginning as some thinke out of a certain desert to the east called Seu or springeth rather out of a lake and after a long race falleth at length into the western Ocean It increaseth also for the space of fortie daies like Nilus and is for so long space decreasing about the verie same time by which inundation it bringeth such fruitfulnes vnto all the land of Negros certain mountaines onely excepted as no place in the world can be imagined more fertile Senaga or Canaga a most notable riuer called as some thinke Baratis by Ptolemey and for the length therof and manifold strange creatures therein contained comparable to Nilus seuereth by his winding chanel the barren and naked soile from the greene and fruitefull Moreouer it maketh a separation betweene nations of sundrie colours for the people on this side are of a dead ash-colour leane and of a small stature but on the farther side they are exceeding blacke of tall and manly stature and very well proportioned howbeit neere vnto the riuer on either side they are of a meane colour complexion and stature betweene both the aboue mentioned It falleth into the sea by two mouthes the principall whereof is about a mile broad vp into the which the sea entreth almost 60. miles It springeth according to Iohn Barros out of two lakes the greater whereof is now called the lake of Gaoga but heretofore by Ptolemey Chelonidae paludes and the lesser Ptolemey calleth Nubaepalus as also out of a riuer named by Ptolemey Ghir This riuer of Senaga hath great variety of strange fishes and other creatures that liue in the water as namely sea-horses crocodiles winged serpents and such like neere vnto it also are great store of Elephants wilde bores lyons and leopards Gambra or Gambea a very great riuer lying betweene Senaga and Niger and esteemed by Sanutus to be that which Ptolemey called Stachir fetcheth his originall from the lake of Libya and from the fountaines which Ptolemey assigneth to the riuer of Niger this riuer in greatnes and depth exceedeth Senaga and hath many vnknowne riuers falling thereinto and bringeth foorth all kindes of liuing creatures that Senaga doth In the midst of this riuer standeth the Isle of Elephants so called in regarde of great numbers of those beasts The riuer Zaire beginneth out of the same lake from whence Nilus springeth this being one of the greatest riuers of all Africa and vtterly vnknowne vnto ancient writers containeth at the mouth eight and twentie miles in bredth hauing a very safe harbour for ships to ride in also there are many and great Islands in the chanell thereof and sundrie riuers do fall thereinto the principall whereof are Vumba Barbela Coanza and Lelunda in briefe this riuer Zaire running through the kingdome of Congo disgorgeth it selfe into the maine Ethiopian sea Out of the same lake which is the very fountaine of Nilus springeth another notable and famous riuer which after a long race toward the south and east is diuided into two branches the northerly branch which is exceeding great for it 〈◊〉 fixe great riuers thereinto and is nauigable for the space of seuen hundred miles being properly called Cuama and the other branch more southerly which is verie great also being named Manich or Magnice or Rio del spirito santo The promontories capes or headlands of Africa be verie many the most famous and principal wherof are The cape of Buena esperança or good hope Cabo verde and Cabo de los corrientes The cape of Buena esperança or good hope is the extreame southerly point of all Africa being a most renowmed and dangerous promontorie which in the yeere one thousand foure hundred nintie seuen was the second time discouered by Vasco da Gama at the commandement of Don Emanuel king of Portugal this cape the mariners were woont to cal the lion of the Ocean and the tempestuous cape by reason of the ruffling and roring of the windes which they found there for the most part very boisterons for the sea thereabout is exceeding rough by reason of the continual fury of the windes neither will any nauigatours touch vpon the cape except they be enforced by meere necessitie Cabo verde or The greene head-head-land is esteemed by some to be the same which Ptolemey calleth Promontorium Arsinarium is compassed on either side by the riuers of Senega and Gambra Cabo de los corrientes otherwise called the cape of San Sebastian stretcheth foorth it selfe right ouer against the south ende of the great Isle of Madagascar it is a cape well knowne by reason it is so dangerous to double which the Moores durst not passe for a very long time And heere as concerning the strange beasts fishes serpents trees plants and roots of Africa as likewise touching the diseases whereto the African people are most subiect and the varietie of languages excepting the Chaldaean Egyptian Turkish Italian and Spanish toongs which are now and haue beene of ancient times spoken in Africa I refer the Reader to the first and last bookes of Iohn Leo and to other places where they are at large and purposely intreated of Moreouer this part of the worlde is inhabited especially by fiue principall nations to wit by the people called Cafri or Cafates that is to say outlawes or lawlesse by the Abassins the Egyptians the Arabians and the Africans or Moores properly so called which last are of two kinds namely white or tawnie Moores and Negros or blacke Moores Of all which nations some are Gentiles which worship Idols others of the sect of Mahumet some others Christians and some Iewish in religion the greatest part of which people are thought to be descended from Cham the cursed son of Noah except some Arabians of the linage of Sem which afterward passed into Africa Now the Arabians inhabiting Africa are diuided into many seuerall kinds possessing diuers and sundrie habitations and regions for some dwell neere the sea shore which retaine the name of Arabians but others inhabiting the inland are called Baduini There bee likewise infinite swarmes of Arabians which with their wiues and children leade a vagrant and roguish life in the deserts vsing tents in stead of houses these are notable theeues and very troublesome both to their neighbour-inhabitants and also to merchants for which cause trauellers and merchants dare not passe ouer the African deserts alone but onely in Carouans which are great companies of merchants riding and transporting their goods vpon their camels and asses who go very strong and in great numbers for feare of the said theeuish Arabians Ptolemey in his fourth booke of Geography diuideth Africa into twelue regions or prouinces namely Mauritania Tingitana Mauritania Caesariensis Numidia Africa propria Cyrenaica Marmarica Libya propria AEgyptus superior AEgyptus inferior Libya interior AEthiopia sub AEgypto AEthiopia
which the same author nameth Aromata Promōtorium Being about threescore miles long and fiue and twentie miles broad it is diuided with a rough and exceeding high ridge of mountaines and is subiect vnto most terrible and boisterous windes which do out of measure dry and parch the same For which cause and in regard of the slothfull rudenes of the inhabitants it is very scarce of victuals for it yeeldeth neither wheate rice wine nor hony In the vallies and places of shelter it affoordeth some quantitie of Millet of dates and of sundrie kinds of fruits neither is it altogither destitute of pasture for cattell It is frequented by merchants for Cinabre Sanguis Draconis and the most excellent Aloës of the world It hath no hauen of importance The Portugals are heere possessed of two small townes one called Coro and the other Benin and here in times past the king of Fartac A countrey of Arabia Foelix had a castle a garrison of soldiers vpon this isle which castle being taken by the Portugals was afterward by them abandoned bicause it quited not the cost The inhabitants being of a browne colour and of a good constitution are in religion a kind of Christians They hold an opinion that Saint Thomas suffred shipwracke vpon this isle and that of his ship was built a most ancient church which as yet is to be seene walled round about with three allies or partitions and three doores Furthermore they liue for the most part in caues or in cabins made of boughes very farre from the sea They go apparrelled in course cloth or in the skins of beastes In war their weapons are slings and swordes made of base iron and the women are as good soldiers as the men They are much addicted vnto Magick and inchantments and doe bring to passe matters incredible They haue no vse at all of nauigation nor of traffique and yet forsooth they esteeme themselues the most noble and worthy people vnder the heauens as also they are vtterly voide of learning which I doe note because that such as are learned make but small account of their wisedome To the North of Socotera are two small Isles which are called the two sisters the inhabitants whereof being of an oliue-colour liue without lawe and haue no conuersation with any other people The commodities of these Islets are Iuorie amber Sanguis draconis Aloës and a kind of pretious stones called Nizzolij Likewise ouer against Socotera are two other Islets one called the Isle of men and the other the Isle of women being distant thirtie miles asunder and fiue miles from Socotera They are so termed because that in the one dwell men onely and in the other women Howbeit they visite one another at certaine seasons but they cannot stay one in the Isle of another aboue three moneths in regarde of a secret qualitie of the ayer which is contrary to either sexe A matter if it be true most strange and admirable Of the Isles lying in the sea called Sinus Barbaricus ouer against the Easterne and Southeasterne shore of Africa ALl along from the cape of Guardafu to the cape of Buena Esperança are found sundry Islands partly dispersed heere and there in the sea and partly adioining vpon the firme land Such as are far into the sea are the greatest part vnhabited as namly the Isle of Don Garçia The * three and The * seuen brethren As rocas partidas the Isles of Sant Brandan and those of Mascarenha of Sant Francis of Santa Apollonia of Iohn de Lisboa of Cosinoledo and betweene the great Isle of Saint Laurence and the maine the Isles Do Natal or of the natiuitie as likewise the three Isles of Comoro with those of Alioa of Spirito Santo and of sant Christopher But of those which the vicinity of the firme land hath made more noble and frequented the first that offereth it selfe to our consideration is the Isle of Mombaza in foure degrees of southerly latitude cut out by a certaine chanel or arme of the sea which deuideth the same from the maine of Africa in compasse it containeth twelue miles and at the entrance of the saide chanel vpon a downe standeth the city of Mombaça built very handsomely after the Arabian fashion Somewhat farther from the continent are situate the Isles of Pemba Zanzibar and Monfia inhabited by Negros the greatest of which is Zanzibar the prince whereof is called by the name of a king and it lyeth vnder sixe degrees of south latitude being from the main ten leagues distant But the soueraigne of all these Isles was Quiloa inhabited like the rest with Mahumetans of little bodies and abiect mindes It aboundeth with rice millet cattel woods of palme-trees limons orenges sugar-canes where of notwithstanding they are ignorant how to make sugar The city standeth vpon the sea-shore ouer against the firme 〈◊〉 it is built of pure marble and the streetes are very narrow a thing common among the Arabians whereby they vse to defend themselues after the enemie hath once entered their townes From this Isle to Moçambique are about an hundred leagues Without the porte lieth Misa and three miles off Songo and Canga inhabited by Moores Next follow As Ilhas do Açotatado or The isles of the scourged bicause here a certaine pilot that was a Moore who had determined to wracke the whole fleete of Vasco da Gama receiued punishment Concerning Moçambique called by Ptolemey and other ancient writers Prassia we haue intreated before Fower miles from thence lie the desert isles of Saint George and then the isles of Angoscia inhabited by Moores These are stored with indifferent quantitie of victuals and here vpon an east winde they gather plentie of Ambergrise An hundred and fiftie miles from Cabo dos corrientes lieth A Ilha das vacas or The isle of Cowes with a castle thereupon and store of good water As Ilhas llanas or The plaine isles are not woorth the speaking of A Ilha da cruz otherwise called Ilha das fontanhas was the farthest limite of Bartholomew Diaz his nauigation who was the first Portugale that euer doubled the cape of Buena esprança and hauing doubled it returned backe without discouering any farther Of the Isle of Saint Laurence otherwise called Madagascar THis isle called by the Portugales The isle of Sant Laurence by the naturall inhabitans Madagascar by Paulus Venetus Magastar by Ptolemey Menuthias and by Plinie Cerne is accounted one of the greatest noblest and richest in the whole world About the midst thereof it approcheth towards the maine of Africa in forme of an elbowe being distant from thence an hundred threescore and ten miles The extreames of this isle are very farre separate from the saide maine and especially that which stretcheth toward the northeast The whole isle containeth in bredth fower hundred and fowerscore in length one thousand two hundred and in compasse fower thousand miles so that in bignes it farre exceedeth Italy though it be
coniecturing thereby that we were not farre distant from some habitation of people Wherefore out of hand we directed our course thitherwards being constrained to leade our horses through thicke woods and ouer steepe and craggie rocks to the great hazard and perill of our liues And at length after many labours wee found shepherds in a certaine caue who hauing with much paines brought their cattell in there had kindled a lustie fire for themselues which they were constrained by reason of the extreme cold daily to sit by Who vnderstanding our companie to be Arabians feared at the first that we would do them some mischiefe but afterward being perswaded that we were driuen thither by extremitie of cold and being more secure of vs they gaue vs most friendly entertainment For they set bread flesh and cheese before vs wherewith hauing ended our suppers we laid vs along each man to sleepe before the fire All of vs were as yet exceeding cold but especially my selfe who before with great horrour and trembling was stripped starke naked And so we continued with the said shepherds for the space of two daies all which time we could not set foorth by reason of continuall snowe But the thirde day so soone as they saw it leaue snowing with great labour they began to remooue that snowe which lay before the doore of their caue Which done they brought vs to our horses which we found well prouided of hay in another caue Being all mounted the shepherds accompanied vs some part of our way shewing vs where the snowe was of least depth and yet euen there it touched our horse bellies This day was so cleere that the sunne tooke away all the cold of the two daies going before At length entring into a certaine village neere vnto Fez we vnderstood that our cartes which passed by were ouerwhelmed with the snowe Then the Arabians seeing no hope of recompence for all the paines they had taken for they had defended our carts from theeues carried a certaine Iew of our companie with them as their captiue who had lost a great quantitie of dates by reason of the snowe aforesaid to the end that he might remaine as their prisoner till he had satisfied for all the residue From my selfe they tooke my horse and committed mee vnto the wide world and to fortune From whence riding vpon a mule within three daies I arriued at Fez where I heard dolefull newes of our merchants and wares that they were cast away in the snowe Yea they thought that I had beene destrosed with the rest but it seemed that God would haue it otherwise Now hauing finished the historie of mine owne misfortunes let vs returne vnto that discourse where we left Beyond Atlas there are certaine hot dry places moistened with very few riuers but those which flow out of Atlas it selfe some of which riuers running into the Libyan deserts are dried vp with the sands but others do ingender lakes Neither shal you finde in these countries any places apt to bring forth corne notwithstanding they haue dates in abundance There are also certaine other trees bearing fruit but in so small quantitie that no increase nor gaine is to be reaped by them You may see likewise in those partes of Numidia which border vpon Libya certaine barren hils destitute of trees vpon the lower parts whereof growe nothing but vnprofitable thornes and shrubs Amongst these mountaines you shall finde no riuers nor springs nor yet any waters at all except it be in certaine pits and wels almost vnknowen vnto the inhabitants of that region Moreouer in sixe or seuen daies iourney they haue not one drop of water but such as is brought vnto them by certaine merchants vpon camels backes And that especially in those places which lye vpon the maine road from Fez to Tombuto or from Tremizen to Agad That iourney likewise is verie dangerous which is of late found out by the merchants of our daies from Fez to Alcair ouer the deserts of Libya were it not for an huge lake in the way vpon the bankes whereof the Sinites and the Goranites doe inhabite But in the way which leadeth from Fez to Tombuto are certaine pits enuironed either with the hides or bones of camels Neither doe the merchants in sommer time passe that way without great danger of their liues for oftentimes it falleth out when the south winde bloweth that all those pits are stopped vp with sande And so the merchants when they can finde neither those pits nor any mention thereof must needes perish for extreame thirst whose carcases are afterward found lying scattered here and there and scorched with the heat of the sunne One remedie they haue in this case which is verie strange for when they are so grieuously oppressed with thirst they kill foorthwith some one of their camels out of whose bowels they wring and expresse some quantitie of water which water they they drinke and carrie about with them till they haue either found some pit of water or till they pine away for thirst In the desert which they cal Azaoad there are as yet extant two monuments built of marble vpon which marble is an Epitaphe engrauen signifying that one of the said monuments represented a most rich merchant and the other a carrier or transporter of wares Which wealthie merchant bought of the carrier a cup of water for tenne thousand ducates and yet this pretious water could suffice neither of them for both were consumed with thirst This desert likewise containeth sundry kinds of beasts which in the fourth part of this discourse concerning Libya and in our treatise of the beasts of Africa we will discourse of more at large I was determined to haue written more cōcerning those things which happened vnto my self the rest of my company trauelling through the Libyan deserts vnto Gualata For somtime being sore a thirst we could not find one drop of water partly because our guide strayed out of the direct course and partly because our enemies had cut off the springs and chanels of the foresaid pits and wels Insomuch that the small quantitie of water which we found was sparingly to be kept for that which would scarce suffice vs for fiue daies we were constrained to keepe for ten But if I should commit to writing all things woorthy of memorie a whole yeare were not sufficient for me The lande of Negros is extreme hot hauing some store of moysture also by reason of the riuer of Niger running through the midst thereof All places adioining vpon Niger doe mightily abound both with cattle corne No trees I saw there but only certain great ones bearing a kind of bitter fruit like vnto a chestnut which in their language is called Goron Likewise in the same regions grow Cocos cucumbers onions and such kinde of herbes and fruits in great abundance There are no mountaines at all either in Libya or in the land of Negros howbeit diuers fennes and lakes
corne in May and in October they gather their dates but from the midst of September they haue winter till the beginning of 〈◊〉 But if September falleth out to be rainie they are like to lose most part of their dates All the fields of Numidia require watering from the riuers but if the mountaines of Atlas haue no raine fall vpon them the Numidian riuers waxe drie and so the fields are destitute of watering October being destitute of raine the husbandman hath no hope to cast his seede into the ground and he despaireth likewise if it raine not in Aprill But their dates prosper more without raine wherof the Numidians haue greater plentie then of corne For albeit they haue some store of corne yet can it scarcely suffice them for halfe the yeere Howbeit if they haue good increase of dates they cannot want abundance of corne which is sold vnto them by the Arabians for dates If in the Libyan deserts there fall out change of weather about the midst of October if it continue raining there all December Ianuarie and some part of Februarie it is wonderful what abundance of grasse and milke it bringeth foorth Then may you finde diuers lakes in all places and many fennes throughout Libya wherefore this is the meetest time for the Barbarie-merchants to trauell to the land of Negros Here all kinde of fruits grow sooner ripe if they haue moderate showers about the ende of Iuly Moreouer the land of Negros receiueth by raine neither any benefite nor yet any dammage at all For the riuer Niger together with the water which falleth from certaine mountaines doth so moisten their grounds that no places can be deuised to be more fruitfull for that which Nilus is to Aegypt the same is Niger to the land of Negors for it increaseth like Nilus from the fifteenth of Iune the space of fortie daies after and for so many againe it decreaseth And so at the increase of Niger when all places are ouerflowen with water a man may in a barke passe ouer all the land of Negros albeit not without great perill of drowning as in the fift part of this treatise we will declare more at large Of the length and shortnes of the Africans liues ALl the people of Barbarie by vs before mentioned liue vnto 65. or 70. yeeres of age and fewe or none exceed that number Howbeit in the foresaide mountaines I sawe some which had liued an hundred yeeres and others which affirmed themselues to be older whose age was most healthfull and lustie Yea some you shall finde here of fowerscore yeeres of age who are sufficiently strong and able to exercise husbandrie to dresse vines and to serue in the warres insomuch that yoong men are oftentimes inferiour vnto them In Numidia that is to say in the land of dates they liue a long time howbeit they lose their teeth very soone and their eies waxe woonderfully dimme Which infirmities are likely to be incident vnto them first because they continually feede vpon dates the sweetnes and naturall qualitie whereof doth by little and little pull out their teeth and secondly the dust and sand which is tossed vp and downe the aire with easterne windes entring into their eies doth at last miserably weaken and spoile their eie-sight The inhabitants of Libya are of a shorter life but those which are most strong and healthfull among them liue oftentimes till they come to threescore yeeres albeit they are slender and leane of bodie The Negros commonly liue the shortest time of al the rest howbeit they are alwaies strong lustie hauing their teeth sound euen till their dying day yet is there no nation vnder heauen more prone to venerie vnto which vice also the Libyans and Numidians are to too much addicted To be short the Barbarians are the weakest people of them all What kindes of diseases the Africans are subiect vnto THE children and sometimes the ancient women of this region are subiect vnto baldnes or vnnaturall shedding of haire which disease they can hardly be cured of They are likewise oftentimes troubled with the head-ache which vsually afflicteth them without any ague ioined therewith Many of them are tormented with the tooth-ache which as some thinke they are the more subiect vnto because immediately after hot pottage they drinke cold water They are oftentimes vexed with extreme paine of the stomacke which ignorantly they call the paine of the hart They are likewise daily molested with inwarde gripings and infirmities ouer their whole body which is thought to proceede of continuall drinking of water Yea they are 〈◊〉 subiect vnto bone-aches and goutes by reason that they sit commonly vpon the bare ground and neuer weare any shooes vpon their feete Their chiefe gentlemen and noblemen prooue gowtie oftentimes with immoderate drinking of wine and eating of daintie meats Some with eating of oliues nuts and such course fare are for the most part infected with the scuruies Those which are of a sanguine complexion are greatly troubled with the cough because that in the spring-season they sit too much vpon the ground And vpon fridaies I had no small sport and recreation to goe and see them For vpon this day the people flocke to church in great numbers to heare their 〈◊〉 sermons Now if any one in the sermon-tile falles a neezing all the whole multitude will neeze with him for companie and so they make such a noise that they neuer leaue till the sermon be quite done so that a man shall reape but little knowledge by any of their sermons If any of Barbarie be infected with the disease commonly called the French poxe they die thereof for the most part and are seldome cured This disease beginneth with a kinde of anguish and swelling and at length breaketh out into sores Ouer the mountaines of Atlas and throughout all Numidia and Libya they scarcely know this disease Insomuch that oftentimes the parties infected trauell foorthwith into Numidia or the land of Negros in which places the aire is so temperate that onely by remaining there they recouer their perfect health and 〈◊〉 home sound into their owne countrie which I sawe many doe with mine owne eies who without the helpe of any phisitian or medicine except the foresaide holesome aire were restored to their former health Not so much as the name of this maladie was euer knowen vnto the Africans before 〈◊〉 the king of Castile expelled all Iewes out of Spaine after the returne of which Iewes into Africa certaine vnhappie and lewd people lay with their wiues and so at length the disease spread from one to another ouer the whole region insomuch that scarce any one familie was free from the same Howbeit this they were most certainly perswaded of that the same disease came first from Spaine wherefore they for want of a better name do call it The Spanish poxe Notwithstanding at Tunis and ouer all Italie it is called the French disease It is so called likewise in
the inhabitants are either weauers or graziers of cattell or such as turne wooden vessels wherewith they furnish the whole kingdome of Tunis When the Mahumetans first woon that prouince this towne was the seate of the vice-roy whose palace is as yet remaining A most stately towne it is enuironed with strong walles and situate vpon a most beautifull plaine It was in times past well stored with inhabitants and with faire buildings whereof some together with a goodly temple are as yet extant But now it containeth very few people and but fiue shops in all by reason of the kings continuall exactions I my selfe was constrained to stay in this towne for fower daies in regarde of the danger of the time Of the towne of Monaster THe ancient towne of Monaster built by the Romans vpon the Mediterran sea and distant almost twelue miles from Susa is enuironed with most impregnable and stately walles and containeth very faire buildings but the inhabitants are most miserable and beggerly people and weare shooes made of sea-rushes most of them are either weauers or fishers their fare is barlie bread and a kinde of foode mingled with oile which we called before Bezzin which is vsed in all the townes thereabout the soile will yeeld no other corne but barlie The territorie adiacent aboundeth with oranges peares figs pomegranates and oliues sauing that it is continually wasted by the inuasion of the enemie Of the towne of Tobulba THis towne built also by the Romaines vpon the Mediterran sea standeth about twelue miles eastward of Monaster For certaine yeeres it was very populous and greatly abounded with oliues but afterwarde it was so wasted by the Arabians that now there are but fewe houses remaining which are inhabited by certaine religious men these religious men maintaine a faire hospitall for strangers trauelling that way where they courteously entertaine euen the Arabians themselues Of the towne of El Mahdia otherwise called Africa EL Mahdia founded in our time by Mahdi the first patriarke of Cairaoan vpon the Mediterran sea and fortified with strong wals towers and gates hath a most noble hauen belonging thereto Mahdi when hee first entred into this region fained himselfe in an vnknowne habite to be 〈◊〉 of the linage of 〈◊〉 whereby growing into great fauour of the people he was by their assistance made prince of Cairaoan and was called El Mahdi Califa afterward trauelling fortie daies iourney westwarde into Numidia to receiue tribute due vnto him he was taken by the prince of Segelmesse and put in prison howbeit the saide prince of Segelmese being presently mooued with compassion toward him restored him to his former libertie and was for his good will not long after slaine by him Afterwarde tyrannizing ouer the people and perceiuing some to conspire against him he erected this towne of Mahdia to the end he might there finde safe refuge when neede required At length one Beiezid a Mahumetan prelate whom they called the cauallier or knight of the asse bicause that riding continually vpon an asse he conducted an armie of fortie thousand men came vnto Cairaoan but Mahdi fledde vnto his new towne where with thirtie saile of ships sent him by a Mahumetan prince of Cordoua he so valiantly encountered the enimie that Beiezid and his sonne were both slaine in that battaile afterward returning to Cairaoan he grew in league and amitie with the citizens and so the gouernment remained vnto his posteritie for many yeeres But an hundred and thirtie yeeres past this towne was taken by the Christians and was after recouered by a certaine Mahumetan patriarke of Maroco called Abdul Mumen but nowe it is subiect vnto the king of Tunis by whom it is continually oppressed with most grieuous exactions The inhabitants exercise traffike with forraine nations and they are at so great dissention with the Arabians that they are scarce permitted to till their grounds Not many yeeres ago Pedro de Nauarra assailing this towne onely with nine ships was defeated of his purpose and constrained to returne with great losse of his men This hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1519. Of the towne of Asfachus THis towne was built by the Africans vpon the Mediterran sea at such time as they waged warre against the Romaines It is compassed with most high and strong wals and was in times past very populous but now it containeth but three or fower hundreth families at the most and but a fewe shops Oppressed it is both by the Arabians and by the king of Tunis All the inhabitants are either weauers marriners or fishermen They take great store of fishes called by them Spares which worde signifieth nought in the Arabian and Barbarian much lesse in the Latine toong This people liue also vpon barly bread and Bezin their apparell is base and some of them traffike in Egypt and Turkie Of the great citie of Cairaoan THE famous citie of Cairaoan otherwise called Caroen was founded by Hucba who was sent generall of an armie out of Arabia deserta by Hutmen the thirde Mahumetan Califa From the Mediterran sea this citie is distant sixe and thirtie and from Tunis almost an hundred miles neither was it built they say for any other purpose but onely that the Arabian armie might securely rest therein with all such spoiles as they woone from the Barbarians and the Numidians He enuironed it with most impregnable walles and built therein a sumptuous temple supported with stately pillers The saide Hucba after the death of Hutmen was ordained prince of Muchauia and gouerned the same till the time of Qualid Califa the sonne of Habdul Malic who as then raigned in Damasco this Qualid sent a certaine captaine called Muse the sonne of Nosair with an huge armie vnto Cairaoan who hauing staied a fewe daies with his armie not farre from Cairaoan marched westward sacking and spoiling townes and cities till he came to the Ocean sea shore and then he returned towards Cairaoan againe From whence he sent as his deputie a certaine captaine into Mauritania who there also conquered many regions and cities Insomuch that Muse being mooued with a iealous emulation commanded him to staie till himselfe came His said Deputie therefore called Tarich encamped himselfe not far from Andaluzia whither Muse within 4. months came vnto him with an huge armie From whence both of them with their armies crossing the seas arriued in Granada and so marched by lande against the Goths Against whom Theodoricus the king of Goths opposing himselfe in battaile was miserablie vanquished Then the foresaide two captaines with all good successe proceeded euen to Castilia and sacked the citie of Toledo where amongst much other treasure they founde many reliques of the saints and the very same table whereat Christ sate with his blessed Apostles which being couered with pure gold and adorned with great store of precious stones was esteemed to be woorth halfe a million of ducates and this table Muse carrying with him as if it had beene all the treasure in
of the whole Island and his retinue haue their abode Not farre from hence there is a certaine village where the Christian Mauritanian and Turkish merchants haue their place of residence in which place there is a great market or faire weekely kept whither all the merchants of the Island and many Arabians from the maine land with great store of cattle and wooll doe resort The inhabitants of the Isle bring cloth thither to sell which they themselues make and this cloth togither with great store of raisins they vsually transport vnto Tunis and Alexandria to be solde Scarce fiftie yeeres sithence this Isle was inuaded and conquered by Christians but it was immediately recouered by the king of Tunis And presently after newe colonies being heere planted the foresaide castle was reedified which the kings of Tunis afterwarde enioied But after the death of king Hutmen the Islanders returned to their former libertie and presently broke the bridge from the Island to the maine lande fearing least they shoulde be inuaded by some land-armie Not long after the said Islanders slaying the king of Tunis his gouernours of the Isle haue themselues continued gouernours thereof till this present Out of this Island is gathered the summe of fowerscore thousand Dobles euery Doble containing an Italian ducate and one third part for yeerely tribute by reason of the great concourse and resort of the merchants of Alexandria Turkie and Tunis But now because they are at continuall dissension and controuersie their estate is much impaired In my time Don Ferdinando king of Spaine sent a great armada against this Island vnder the conduct of the duke of Alua who not knowing the nature of the same commanded his soldiers to land a good distance from thence but the Moores so valiantly defended their Island that the Spaniards were constrained to giue backe and so much the greater was their distresse in that they coulde not finde water sufficient to quench their extreme thirst Moreouer at the Spaniards arriuall it was a full tide but when they woulde haue returned on bourd it was so great an ebbe that their ships were constrained to put to sea least they shoulde haue beene cast vpon the sholdes The shore was drie for almost fower miles togither so that the Spanish soldiers were put vnto great toile before they coulde come to the waters side And the Moores pursued them so eagerly that they slew and tooke prisoners the greatest part of them and the residue escaped by shipping into Sicilia Afterwarde the Emperour Charles the fift sent a mightie fleete thither vnder the conduct of a Rhodian knight of the order of Saint Iohn de Messina who so discreetly behaued himselfe in that action that the Moores compounded to pay fiue thousand Dobles for yeerly tribute vpon condition of the Emperours league and good will which yeerely tribute is payde vntill this present Of the towne of Zoara THis towne built by the Africans vpon the Mediterran sea standeth eastward from the Isle of Gerbi almost fiftie miles The towne wall is weak and the inhabitants are poore people being occupied about nothing but making of lime and plaistring which they sell in the kingdome of Tripolis Their fields are most barren and the inhabitants haue continually beene molested by the inuasions of the Christians especially since the time that they woon Tripolis Of the towne of Lepide THis ancient towne founded by the Romans and enuironed with most high and strong walles hath twise beene sacked by the Mahumetans and of the stones and ruines thereof was Tripolis afterward built Of the olde citie of Tripolis OLde Tripolis built also by the Romans was after woon by the Goths and lastly by the Mahumetans in the time of Califa Homar the second Which Mahumetans hauing besieged the gouernour of Tripoli six moneths together compelled him at length to flee vnto Carthage The citizens were partly slaine and partly carried captiue into Egypt and Arabia as the most famous African Historiographer Ibnu 〈◊〉 reporteth Of the new citie of Tripolis in Barbarie AFfter the destruction of old Tripolis there was built another city of that name which city being inuironed with most high and beautifull wals but not verie strong is situate vpon a sandie plaine which yeeldeth great store of Dates The houses of this citie are most stately in respect of the houses of Tunis and heere also euerie trade and occupation hath a seuerall place Weauers here are many They haue no wels nor fountaines but all their water is taken out of cesterns Corne in this citie is at an exceeding rate for all the fields of Tripoli are as sandie and barren as the fields of Numidia The reason whereof is for that the principall and fattest grounds of this region are ouerflowed with the sea The inhabitants of this region affirme that the greatest part of their fields northward are swallowed vp by the Mediterran sea the like wherof is to be seene in the territories of Monaster Mahdia Asfacos Capes the Isle of Gerbi and other places more eastward where the sea for the space of a mile is so shallow that it will scarce reach vnto a mans nauell Yea some are of opinion that the citie of Tripolis it selfe was situate in times past more to the north but by reason of the continuall inundations of the sea it was built and remooued by little and little southward for proofe whereof there stand as yet ruines of houses drowned in certaine places of the sea In this citie were many faire temples and colledges built and an hospitall also for the maintenance of their owne poore people and for the entertainment of strangers Their fare is verie base and homely beeing onely the forenamed Besis made of barley meale for that region affoordeth so small quantitie euen of barley that he is accounted a wealthie man that hath a bushell or two of corne in store The citizens are most of them merchants for Tripolis standeth neere vnto Numidia and Tunis neither is there any citie or towne of account between it and Alexandria neither is it farre distant from the Isles of Sicilia and Malta and vnto the port of Tripolis Venetian ships yeerly resort and bring thither great store of merchandize This citie hath alwaies beene subiect vnto the king of Tunis but when Abulhasen the king of Fez besieged Tunis the king of Tunis was constrained with his Arabians to flee into the deserts Howbeit when Abulhasen was conquered the king of Tunis returned to his kingdome but his subiects began to oppose themselues against him and so that common-wealth was afterward grieuously turmoyled with ciuill dissensions and warres Whereof the king of Fez hauing intelligence marched the fifth yeere of the said ciuill warre with an armie against the citie of Tunis and hauing vanquished the king thereof and constrained him to flee vnto Constantina he so straitly besieged him that the citizens of Constantina seeing themselues not able to withstād the king of Fez opened their citie gates
artificers but more husbandmen And bicause water is very scarce in this region and yet their fieldes stand in neede of continuall watering euery man may conueigh water into his field by a certaine sluce for the space of an hower or two according to the bredth or length of his ground and after one hath done watering his ground his next neighbour beginneth which oftentimes breedeth great contention and bloudshed Of the towne of Nefta NEfta is the name of the towne it selfe and also of the territorie adiacent which territorie containeth three castles the greatest whereof seemeth by the manner of building to haue beene founded by the Romains Inhabitants heere are great store being very rusticall and vnciuill people In times past they were exceeding rich for they dwell neere vnto Lybia in the very way to the land of Negros howbeit by reason of their perpetuall hostilitie with the kings of Tunis the king of Tunis that now is destroied their towne and themselues he partly slue and partly put to flight Likewise he so defaced the wals and other buildings that now a man woulde esteeme it to be but a base village Not farre from hence runneth a certaine riuer of hot water which serueth them both to drinke and to water their fields withall Of the towne of Teolacha IT was built by the Numidians and compassed with slender wals and hath a riuer of hot water also running thereby The fields adiacent yeeld plentie of dates but great scarcitie of corne The miserable inhabitants are oppressed with continual exactions both by the Arabians and also by the king of Tunis Yet are they extremely couetous and proud and disdainfull vnto strangers Of the towne of Deusen DEusen a very ancient towne founded by the Romains in the same place where the kingdome of Bugia ioineth to Numidia was destroied by the Mahumetans at their first entrance into Africa bicause of a certaine Romaine captaine which endured the Saracens siege for a whole yeere togither the towne being at length taken this captaine and all the men of the towne were put to the sword but the women and children were carried away captiue Howbeit after the towne was sacked the wall thereof remained entire by reason it was built of most hard stone and that a woonderfull thicknes though in some places it seemeth to be ruined which I thinke might be caused by an earthquake Not farre from this towne are diuers monuments of antiquitie like vnto sepulchers wherein are founde sundrie peeces of siluer coine adorned with certaine letters and hieroglyphicall figures the interpretation whereof I could neuer finde out Of the prouince of Biledulgerio FRom the territorie of Pescara this prouince extendeth it selfe vnto the Isle of Gerbi and one part thereof in which Cafsa and Teusar are situate is almost three hundred miles distant from the Mediterran sea It is an extreme hot and drie place bringing foorth no corne at all but great plenty of dates which bicause they are speciall good are transported vnto the kingdome of Tunis Here are diuers townes and cities which we will describe in their due place Of the towne of Teusar THis ancient towne built by the Romans vpon the Numidian desert neere vnto a certaine riuer springing foorth of the southren mountaines was enuironed with most stately impregnable wals and had an ample territorie thereunto belonging but it was since so destroied by the Mahumetans that now instead of the woonted sumptuous palaces thereof it containeth nought but base cottages The inhabitants are exceeding rich both in wares and money for they haue many faires euerie yeere whereunto resort great numbers of merchants from Numidia and Barbarie The foresaid riuer diuideth the towne into two parts one whereof being inhabited by the principall gentlemen and burgo-masters is called Fatnasa and in the other called Merdes dwell certaine Arabians which haue remained there euer since the towne was destroyed by the Mahumetans They are at continuall ciuill wars among themselues and will performe but little obedience to the king of Tunis for which cause he dealeth alwaies most rigorously with him Of the towne of Caphsa THE ancient towne of Caphsa built also by the Romans had for certaine yeeres a gouernour of their owne but afterward being sacked by one Hucba a Captaine of Hutmen Califa the walles thereof were razed to the ground but the castle as yet remaineth and is of great force for the wall thereof being fiue and twentie cubits high and fiue cubits thick is made of excellent stones like vnto the stones of Vespasians Amphitheatre at Rome Afterward the towne-walles were reedified and were destroyed againe by Mansor who hauing slaine the Gouernour of the towne and all the inhabitants appointed a new Gouernour ouer the same place Now this towne is verie populous all the houses thereof except the temple and a few other buildings being verie deformed and base and the streets are paued with blacke stones like vnto the streets of Naples and Florence The poore inhabitants are continually oppressed with the exactions of the king of Tunis In the middest of the towne are certaine square large and deepe fountaines walled round about the water whereof is hot and vnfit to bee drunke vnlesse it be set an hower or two a cooling The ayre of this place is verie vnholesome insomuch that the greatest part of the inhabitants are continually sicke of feuers People they are of a rude and illiberall disposition and vnkinde vnto strangers wherefore they are had in great contempt by all other Africans Not far from this towne are fields abounding with dates oliues and pome-citrons and the dates and oliues there are the best in all the whole prouince here is likewise most excellent oyle The inhabitants make themselues shooes of buckes leather Of the castles of Nefzaoa THree castles there are of this name being well stored with inhabitants but verie homely built and oppressed with the king of Tunis his continuall exactions And they are distant from the Mediterran sea about fiftie miles Of the region of Teorregu THis little territory belonging to the kingdome of Tripolis bordering vpon the desert of Barca containeth three castles of the same name which abound greatly with dates but haue no corne at all The inhabitants being farre distant from other townes and cities lead a most miserable life Of the territorie of Iasliten IT lieth vpon the Mediterran sea and containeth many villages abounding with dates The inhabitants because they dwell so neere the sea haue great traffique with the people of Sicilie and Egypt Of the region of Gademes THis large region hauing many castles villages therin standeth southward of the Mediterran sea almost three hundred miles The inhabitants being rich in dates and all other kinde of merchandise and trafficking into the land of Negros pay tribute vnto the Arabians albeit for a certaine time they were subiect vnto the king of Tunis and the Prince of Tripolis Corne and flesh are maruellous scarce here Of the region of Fezzen THis
on the north Tombuto on the east and the kingdome of Melli on the south In length it containeth almost fiue hundred miles and extendeth two hundred and fiftie miles along the riuer of Niger and bordereth vpon the Ocean sea in the same place where Niger falleth into the saide sea This place exceedingly aboundeth with barlie rice cattell fishes and cotton and their cotton they sell vnto the merchants of Barbarie for cloth of Europe for brazen vessels for armour and other such commodities Their coine is of gold without any stampe or inscription at all they haue certaine iron-money also which they vse about matters of small value some peeces whereof weigh a pound some halfe a pound and some one quarter of a pound In all this kingdome-there is no fruite to be found but onely dates which are brought hither either out of Gualata or Numidia Heere is neither towne nor castle but a certaine great village onely wherein the prince of Ghinea together with his priestes doctors merchants and all the principall men of the region inhabite The walles of their houses are built of chalke and the roofes are couered with strawe the inhabitants are clad in blacke or blew cotton wherewith they couer their heads also but the priests and doctors of their law go apparelled in white cotton This region during the three moneths of Iulie August and September is yeerely enuironed with the ouerflowings of Niger in manner of an Island all which time the merchants of Tombuto conueigh their merchandize hither in certaine Canoas or narrow boats made of one tree which they rowe all the day long but at night they binde them to the shore and lodge themselues vpon the lande This kingdome was subiect in times past vnto a certaine people of Libya and became afterward tributarie vnto king Soni Heli after whom succeeded Soni Heli Izchia who kept the prince of this region prisoner at Gago where togither with a certaine nobleman he miserably died Of the kingdome of Melli. THis region extending it selfe almost three hundred miles along the side of a riuer which fâ—lleth into Niger bordereth northward vpon the region last described southward vpon certaine deserts and drie mountaines westward vpon huge woods and forrests stretching to the Ocean sea shore and eastward vpon the territorie of Gago In this kingdome there is a large and ample village containing to the number of sixe thousand or mo families and called Melli whereof the whole kingdome is so named And here the king hath his place of residence The region it selfe yeeldeth great abundance of corne flesh and cotton Heere are many artificers and merchants in all places and yet the king honorably entertaineth all strangers The inhabitants are rich and haue plentie of wares Heere are great store of temples priests and professours which professours read their lectures onely in the temples bicause they haue no colleges at all The people of this region excell all other Negros in witte ciuilitie and industry and were the first that embraced the law of Mahumet at the same time when the vncle of Ioseph the king of Maroco was their prince and the gouernment remained for a while vnto his posterity at length Izchia subdued the prince of this region and made him his tributarie and so oppressed him with greeuous exactions that he was scarce able to maintaine his family Of the kingdome of Tombuto THis name was in our times as some thinke imposed vpon this kingdome from the name of a certain towne so called which they say king Mense Suleiman founded in the yeere of the Hegeira 610. and it is situate within twelue miles of a certaine branch of Niger all the houses whereof are now changed into cottages built of chalke and couered with thatch Howbeit there is a most stately temple to be seene the wals whereof are made of stone and lime and a princely palace also built by a most excellent workeman of Granada Here are many shops of artificers and merchants and especially of such as weaue linnen and cotton cloth And hither do the Barbarie-merchants bring cloth of Europe All the women of this region except maid-seruants go with their faces couered and sell all necessarie victuals The inhabitants especially strangers there residing are exceeding rich insomuch that the king that now is married both his daughters vnto two rich merchants Here are many wels containing most sweete water and so often as the riuer Niger ouerfloweth they conueigh the water thereof by certaine sluces into the towne Corne cattle milke and butter this region yeeldeth in great abundance but salt is verie scarce heere for it is brought hither by land from Tegaza which is fiue hundred miles distant When I my selfe was here I saw one camels loade of salt sold for 80. ducates The rich king of Tombuto hath many plates and scepters of gold some whereof weigh 1300. poundes and he keepes a magnificent and well furnished court When he trauelleth any whither he rideth vpon a camell which is lead by some of his noblemen and so he doth likewise when hee goeth to warfar and all his souldiers ride vpon horses Whosoeuer will speake vnto this king must first fall downe before his feete then taking vp earth must sprinkle it vpon his owne head shoulders which custom is ordinarily obserued by them that neuer saluted the king before or come as ambassadors from other princes He hath alwaies three thousand horsemen and a great number of footmen that shoot poysoned arrowes attending vpon him They haue often skirmishes with those that refuse to pay tribute and so many as they take they sell vnto the merchants of Tombuto Here are verie few horses bred and the merchants and courtiers keepe certaine little nags which they vse to trauell vpon but their best horses are brought out of Barbarie And the king so soone as he heareth that any merchants are come to towne with horses he commandeth a certaine number to be brought before him and chusing the best horse for himselfe he payeth a most liberall price for him He so deadly hateth all Iewes that he will not admit any into his citie and whatsoeuer Barbarie merchants he vnderstandeth to haue any dealings with the Iewes he presently causeth their goods to be confiscate Here are great store of doctors iudges priests and other learned men that are bountifully maintained at the kings cost and charges And hither are brought diuers manuscripts or written bookes out of Barbarie which are sold for more money then any other merchandize The coine of Tombuto is of gold without any stampe or superscription but in matters of smal value they vse certaine shels brought hither out of the kingdome of Persia fower hundred of which shels are worth a ducate and sixe peeces of their golden coine with two third parts weigh an ounce The inhabitants are people of a gentle and cherefull disposition and spend a great part of the night
checked and prouoked vnto furie for then they will flie vpon a man laying holde vpon his visage with their talents and plucking off so much flesh as they can catch insomuch that sometimes they will crush his braines in peeces They inuade not any flockes or droues of tame cattell but are at deadly feude with dogs whom they will kill and deuoure The mountainers of the region of Constatina hunt them on horsebacke stopping all passages where they might escape The Leopard ranging vp and downe and finding euery place so besette with horsemen that he cannot get away windeth and turneth himselfe on all sides and so becommeth a fit marke for the hunters to discharge their darts and arrowes vpon But if the Leopard chanceth to escape that man that lets him passe is bounde by an vsuall custome to inuite the residue of the hunters vnto a banquet Of the beast called Dabuh THis beast called by the Arabians Dabuh and by the Africans Iesef in bignes and shape resembleth a woolfe sauing that his legges and feete are like to the legs and feete of a man It is not hurtful vnto any other beast but will rake the carkeises of men out of their graues and will deuour them being otherwise an abiect and silly creature The hunters being acquainted with his denne come before it singing and playing vpon a drum by which melodie being allured foorth his legs are intrapped in a strong rope and so he is drawne out and slaine Of the 〈◊〉 Cat. THese Cattes are naturally wilde and are found in the woods of Ethiopia The merchants taking their yoong whelps or kittes feede them with milke branne and flesh and keepe them in cages or grates But their odoriferous excrement which is nought else but their sweat they gather twise or thrise euery day in manner following first they driue them vp and downe the grate with a wande till they sweate and then they take the saide sweate from vnder their flankes their shoulders their necks and their tailes which excrement of sweate is commonly called ciuet Of the Ape OF Apes there are diuers and sundrie kindes those which haue tailes being called in the African toong Monne and those which haue none Babuini They are found in the woods of Mauritania and vpon the mountaines of Bugia and Constantina They represent the shape of man not onely in their feete and hands but also in their visages and are naturally indued with woonderfull witte and subtiltie They liue vpon grasse and corne and go in great companies to feede in the corne fieldes and one of their companie which standeth centinell or keepeth watch and ward vpon the borders when he espieth the husbandman comming he crieth out and giueth as it were an alarme to his fellowes who euery one of them flee immediately into the next woods and betake themselues to the trees The shee apes carrie their whelpes vpon their shoulders and will leape with them in that sort from one tree to another Such of them as are taught will do woonderfull feates but they are angrie and curst notwithstanding they will soone be appeased Of the Conies of Africa THere are great store of wilde Conies in Mauritania and vpon the mountaines of Gumera which albeit they are accounted wilde yet in my opinion they seeme tame for their flesh differeth neither in taste nor colour from the flesh of tame conies Of the strange fishes of Africa and first of the fish called 〈◊〉 THe fish called Ambara being of a monstrous shape and bignes is neuer seen but when it is cast vp dead vpon the sea-shore and some of these fishes there are which containe twentie fiue cubites in length The head of this fish is as hard as a stone The inhabitants of the Ocean sea coast affirme that this fish casteth foorth Amber but whether the said Amber be the sperma or the excrement therof they cannot well determine Howsoeuer it be the fish may in regard of the hugenes be called a whale Of the sea-horse THis creature is commonly found in the riuers of Niger and Nilus In shape it resembleth an horse and in stature an asse but it is altogether destitute of haire It liueth both in the water and vpon the lande and swimmeth to the shore in the night season Barkes and botes laden with wares and sayling downe the riuer of Niger are greatly endangered by this sea-horse for oftentimes he ouerwhelmeth and sinketh them Of the sea-oxe THe sea-oxe being couered with an exceeding hard skinne is shaped in all respects like vnto the land-oxe saue that in bignes it exceedeth not a calfe of sixe moneths olde It is found in both the riuers of Niger and of Nilus and being taken by fishers is kept a long time aliue out of the water I my selfe sawe one at Cairo led vp and downe by the neck in a chaine which they say was taken at the city of Asna standing vpon the bank of Nilus about foure hundred miles from Cairo Of the Tortoise THis might benumbred among the land-creatures because it liueth for the most part in the deserts In the Libyan deserts are found 〈◊〉 many as big as a tunne And Bicri the Cosmographer in his booke of the regions and Iourneis of Africa reporteth that a certaine man being wery of trauelling ascended to his thinking vpon an high stone lying in the desert to the end he might free himselfe from the danger of serpents and venemous beasts who hauing slept soundly thereupon all night found himselfe in the morning remooued three miles from the place where he first lay downe and thereby vnderstood that it was not a stone but a tortoise wheron he reposed himselfe which lying still all the day long creepeth for foode in the night-season but so slowly that her pace can hardly be perceiued I my selfe haue seen some of these tortoises as big as a barrell but neuer any so huge as the last before mentioned The flesh of a tortoise not aboue seuen yeres old being eaten seuen daies together is said to be a perfect medicine against the leprosie Of the Crocodile THis cruell and noisome beast commonly frequenteth the riuers of Niger and Nilus and containeth in length twelue cubites and aboue the taile thereof being as long as the whole bodie besides albeit there are but fewe of so huge a bignes It goeth vpon fower feete like a Lizard neither is it aboue a cubite and an halfe high The taile of this beast is full of knots and the skin thereof is so exceeding hard that no crossebowe will enter it Some praie vpon fishes onely but others vpon beastes and men Which lurking about the bankes of the riuer do craftily lay waite for men and beastes that come the same way about whom suddenly winding their tailes they draw them into the water and there deuour them Howbeit some of them are not so cruell by nature for if they were no inhabitants coulde liue neere vnto the riuers of Nilus and Niger In eating
or shoulders so hard they strooke against vs as if we had beene beaten with stones and cudgels and in this sort they went towards the sea The men women and children remaining at home were gotten vpon the tops or tarrasses of their houses giuing God thankes that the locusts were going away some afore and others followed In the meane while towardes the sea there arose a great cloude with thunder which met them full in the teeth and continued for the space of three howers with much raine and tempest that filled all the riuers and when the raine ceased it was a fearefull thing to behold the dead Locustes which were more then two yardes in height vpon the bankes of the riuers and in some riuers there were mightie heapes of them so that the morning following there was not one of them found aliue vpon the earth The people of the places adioining hearing this came in great numbers to enquire how this matter was effected many of the inhabitants said these Portugals be holy men and by the power of their God they haue killed and driuen away the locusts others saide especially the priests and friers of those places neere about that we were witches and by power of enchantments had driuen away the saide creatures and that for this cause we feared neither lions nor any other wilde beast Three daies after this effect there came vnto vs a Xuum that is a captaine of a place called Coiberia with men priests and friers to request vs that we woulde for the loue of God helpe them saying that they were in a manner destroied by the locustes and that place was a daies iourney off towards the sea They came to vs about euening and at the same instant I and fower other Portugals departed awaie with them we went all night and came thither an hower within daie where we found that all those of the countrey with many of the other places adioining were assembled togither for they were also molested by the locusts And assoone as we were come we went our procession rounde about the land which was seated vpon an high hill from whence we might discerne manie countries and places all yellow by reason of the multitude of locusts Such inuocatious and ceremonies being ended as we performed in the other place we went to dinner the men that were borderers requested vs to goe with them promising vs great rewardes It pleased god that as soon as we had dined we saw all the earth so cleared that there was not soe much as one locust to be seene The people seeing this and not being satisfied with the fauour and grace receiued they requested vs to goe and blesse their possessions for they were yet afraid least the locusts would returne and so wee departed Of the dommage we sawe done in another prouince by the Locustes in two sundrie places Chap. 33. AN other time also we sawe the Locustes being in a towne called Abuguna Prete Ianni sent vs to this towne which is in the kingdome of Angote and distant from Barua where we continued thirtie daies iourney to the ende that there we might be furnished with victuals Being come 〈◊〉 I went with the ambassadour Zagazabo who came into Portugall and fiue Genoueses towards a certain towne a moūtaine called Aguoan we trauailed fiue daies through places all desert destroied which places were sowen with Maiz hauing stalkes as great as those props which we vse about our vines and we might see them all broken and troden vnderfoote as if there had beene a tempest and this had the locusts done Their wheate barley and Taffo da guza were so eaten as it seemed they neuer had beene either tilled or sowne The trees were without leaues and their barkes all gnawne eaten and there was not so much as a spire of grasse for they had deuoured euery thing and if we had not beene aduised and foreseene the same for when we departed we laded our mules with victuals we and our beastes had died togither for hunger The countrey was couered all ouer with winglesse locustes and they saide that those were the seede of them which had deuoured all and that when they had gotten wings they would go seeke out the rest the number of these was so great as I am loath to report bicause I shoulde not perhaps be credited but this I may well affirme that I sawe men women and children sit as it were amazed amongst these locusts and I saide vnto them why sit you thus halfe dead and doe not kill these creatures and so reuenge your selues of the wrong that their fathers and mothers haue done you or at least that those which you kill may be able to doe you no more harme They answered taht they had not the hart to withstand the scourge of God which hee had sent vpon them for their sins And all the people of this place departed hence so that we found the waies full of men and women on foot with their children in their armes and vpon their heads going into other countries where they might finde victuall and it was great pittie to behold them We being in the saide prouince of Abuguna in a place called Aquate there came such swarmes of locustes as were innumerable which one day began to fall vpon the grounde about nine of the clocke in the morning and ceased not while night where they lighted there they staide and then the next day in the morning went away so that at three of the clocke in the afternoone there was not one of them to be seene and in this short time they left the trees vtterly destitute of leaues On the same day and hower there came an other squadron and these left neither tree nor bough vngnawen and eaten and thus did they for fiue daies one after an other they said that those were yoong ones which went to seeke their fathers and they did the like as those we sawe without wings the space that these locustes tooke vp was nine miles for which circuit there remained neither barke nor leaues vpon the trees the countrey looked not as though it had bin burnt but as though it had snowed thereupon and this was by reason of the whitenes of the trees which were pilled bare by the Locustes and the earth was all swept cleane It was Gods will that the haruest was alreadie in wee coulde not vnderstande which way they afterwards went bicause they came from the sea warde out of the kingdome of 〈◊〉 which belongeth to the Moores who are continually in warre as also we coulde by no meanes knowe the ende of their iourney or course Thus much out of Francis 〈◊〉 Of the minerals And first of miner all salt THe greater part of Africa hath none other salt but such as is digged out of quarries mines after the maner of marble or free stone being of a white red and graie colour Barbarie aboundeth with salt and Numidia is indifferently furnished
therewith but the lande of Negros and especially the inner part of Ethiopia is so destitute thereof that a pound of salt is there solde for halfe a ducate And the people of the saide regions vse not to 〈◊〉 salt vpon their tables but holding a crum of salte in hands they licke the same at euery morsell of meate which they put in their mouthes In certaine lakes of Barbarie all the sommer time there is faire and white salt congealed or kerned as namely in diuers places neere vnto the citie of Fez. Of the minerall called Antimonie THis minerall growing in many places of Africa in the lead-mines is separated from the lead by the helpe of brimstone Great plentie of this minerall is digged out of the bottome of mount Atlas especially where Numidia bordereth vpon the kingdome of Fez. Brimstone likewise is digged in great abundance out of other places of Africa Of 〈◊〉 EVphorbium is the iuice or gumme of a certaine herbe growing like the head of a wilde thistle betweene the branches wherof grow certain fruits as big in compasse as a greene cucumber after which shape or likenes it beareth certain 〈◊〉 graines or 〈◊〉 and some of the said fruits are an elle long and some are longer They grow not out of the branches of the herbe but spring out of the firme ground and out of one flag you shall see sometimes 20. and somtimes 30. of them issue foorth The people of the same region when the said fruits are once ripe do prick them with their kniues and out of the holes proceedeth a liquor or iuice much like vnto milke which by little and little groweth thick and slimy And so being growen thick they take it off with their kniues putting it in bladders drying it And the plant or herb it selfe is full of sharp prickles Of pitch OF pitch there are two kindes the one being naturall and taken out of certaine stones which are in fountaines the water wherof retaineth the 〈◊〉 smell and 〈◊〉 of the same and the other being artificial and proceeding out of the iuniper or pine-tree and this artificiall pitch I saw made vpon mount Atlas in manner following They make a deepe and round furnace with an hole in the bottome through which hole the pitch may fall downe into an hollow place within the ground being made in form of a little vessel and putting into the said furnace the boughes of the foresaid trees broken into small pieces they close vp the mouth of the furnace and make a fire vnder it by the heate wherof the pitch distilleth forth of the wood through the bottome of the furnace into the foresaide hollow place and so it is taken vp and put in bladders or bagges Of the fruite called Maus or Musa THis fruite growing vpon a smal tree which beareth large and broade leaues of a cubite long hath a most excellent and delicate taste and springeth forth about the bignes of a small cucumber The Mahumetan doctours affirme that this was the fruite which God forbad our first parents to eat in Paradise which when they had eaten they couered their nakednes with leaues of the same fruit as being of all other leaues most meete for that purpose They grow in great abundance at Sela a towne of the kingdome of Fez but in farre greater plenty in the land of Egypt and especially at Damiara Of Cassia THe trees bearing Cassia are of great thicknes hauing leaues like vnto the mulberie-tree They bear a broad and white blossome and are so laden with fruits that they are constrained to gather great store before they be ripe least the tree should breake with ouermuch waight And this kinde of tree groweth onely in Egypt Of the fruit called Terfez TErfez is to be called rather by the name of a root then of a fruit and is like vnto a mushrom or toad-stoole but that it is somewhat bigger It is enclosed with a white rinde and groweth in hot and sandy places Where it lyeth it may 〈◊〉 be perceiued by the swelling and opening of the ground Some of them are as bigge as a walnut and others as a 〈◊〉 The phisicians which call it Camha affirme it to be a refrigeratiue or cooling fruit It groweth in great plenty vpon the Numidian deserts and the Arabians take as great delight in eating of the same as in eating of sugar This fruit being stued vpon the coles and afterward made cleane and sodden in fat broath they esteeme for great dainties Also the Arabians seeth it in water and milk and so eat it It groweth likewise plentifullie in the sandes neare vnto the towne of Sela. Of the date or palme-tree because we haue 〈◊〉 spoken in our description of Segelmesse in Numidia we will here in this place say nothing at all Of the Egyptian figg called by the Egyptians themselues Giumeiz THe tree of this figg resembleth other fig-trees both in outward forme and in leaues but it is of an exceeding height neither doth the fruit grow among the leaues or vpon the ends of the twigs but out of the very body of the tree where no leaues at all grow These figs tast like vnto other figes but they haue a thicker skin and are of a tawnie colour Of the tree called Ettalche IT is an high and a thornie tree hauing such leaues as the iuniper hath and bearing a gum like vnto mastick wherwith the African apothecaries vse to mingle and adulterate their mastick because it hath the same colour and yealdeth some smell also There are found likewise such trees in 〈◊〉 Numidian and Lybian deserts and in the land of Negros but the trees of Numidia being cut in the midst consist of white wood like vnto the trees beforenamed and the Lybian trees of a browne or tawnie wood but the trees of the land of Negros are extreame black within And that black pith or hart of this tree wherof musical instruments are made is called by the Italians Sangu That wood which is of the browne or tawnie colour is vsed by the African phisicians for the curing of the French poxe wherupon it is commonly called by the name of pock-wood Of the root called Tauzarghente THis root growing in the westerne part of Africa vpon the Ocean sea shore yeeldeth a fragrant and odoriferous smel And the merchants of Mauritania carry the same into the land of Negros where the people vse it for a most excellent perfume and yet they neither burne it nor put any-fire at all thereto for being kept onely in an house it yeeldeth a naturall sent of it selfe In Mauritania they sell a bunche of these rootes for halfe a ducate which being carried to the land of Negros is sold again for eightie or one hundred ducates and sometimes for more Of the roote called Addad THe herbe therof is bitter and the root it selfe is so venemous that one drop of the water distilled therout will kill a man within the space of an hower which is commonly knowen
also to embrace it In times past Ethiopia was gouerned by Queenes onely Whereupon we reade in the history of the old testament that the Queene of the south came to King Salomon from Saba to heare his admirable wisedome about the yeere of the world 2954. The name of this Queen as the Ethiopians report was Maqueda who from the head-city of Ethiopia called Saba which like an Isle is enuironed on all sides by the riuer Nilus trauelled by Egypt and the Red sea to Ierusalem And she brought vnto Salomon an hundred twenty talents of gold which amount to 720000. golden ducates of Hungarie that is seuen tunnes of gold and 20000 Hungarian ducates besides This mightie sum of gold with other things of great value she presented vnto Salomon who likewise requited her with most princely giftes She contended with him also in propounding of sage questions obscure riddles Amongst other matters as it is reported by Cedrenus she brought before him certaine damosels and yoong men in maides attire asking the king how he could discerne one sexe from another He answered that he would finde them out by the washing of their faces And foorthwith he commanded all their faces to be washed and they which washed themselues strongly were found to be males but the residue by their tender washing bewraied themselues to be damosels The Ethiopian kings suppose that they are descended from the linage of Dauid and from the family of Salomon And therefore they vse to terme themselues the sonnes of Dauid and of Salomon and of the holy patriarkes also as being sprung from their progenie For Queene Maqueda say they had a sonne by Salomon whome they named Meilech But afterward he was called Dauid This Meilech as they report being growen to twentie yeeres of age was sent backe by his mother vnto his father and instructor Salomon that he might learne of him wisedome and vnderstanding Which so soone as the said Meilech or Dauid had attained by the permission of Salomon taking with him many priests and nobles out of all the twelue tribes he returned to his kingdome of Ethiopia and tooke vpon him the gouernment thereof As likewise he carried home with him the law of God and the rite of circumcision These were the beginnings of the Iewish religion in Ethiopia And it is reported that euen till this present none are admitted into any ministry or canonship in the court but such as are descended of their race that came first out of Iury. By these therfore the doctrine of God in Ethiopia was first planted which afterward tooke such deepe root as it hath since remained to all succeeding ages For the Ethiopians did both retaine the bookes of the Prophets and trauailed also to Ierusalem that they might there worship the true God reuealed in the kingdome of Israel Which manifestly appeereth out of the Historie of the Ethiopian Eunuch whose name was Indich which was a principall gouernour vnder Queene Candaces properly called Iudith For he about the tenth yeere after the death and resurrection of our blessed Sauiour trauailed for the space of two hundred and fortie miles to Ierusalem Where hauing performed due worship vnto God returning homeward as he sate in his chariot he read the prophet Esaias And by the commandement of the holy Spirit Philip one of Christ his disciples was sent vnto him And when they were both come to the citie Bethzur three miles distant from Ierusalem the Eunuch at the foote of a mountaine espied a certaine water wherein he was baptized by Philip. And being returned into Ethiopia this Eunuch baptized the Queene and a great part of her family and people From which time the Ethiopians began to be Christians who since that haue continually professed the Christian faith They beleeue also that Philip sent into Ethiopia a disciple of his called Lycanon who as they suppose ordained the verie forme of religion which they now holde Now these beginnings aswel of the Iewish as the christian religion among the Ethiopians being thus declared we are next to intreat of the doctrine religion it selfe togither with the rites ceremonies vsed at this present in the Ethiopicke church so far foorth as we can gather out of the ambassages which haue bin performed from these parts thither backe againe Besides which there is no historie nor discourse of any worth to be found which entreateth of the religion maners and customes of the Ethiopians So as it is a matter very strange that for so many hundred yeeres togither Ethiopia was so barred from our knowledge that we had not so much as any report thereof Vntill about the yeere of our Lord 1440. certaine ambassadours sent from thence to Pope Eugenius returned backe with his letters and Papall benediction to their king Which letters are most charily kept among the records of this Ethiopian king and are preserued for perpetuall monuments From which time also as though Ethiopia had beene againe quire debarred from the knowledge and conuersation of our men there were not any Europeans that went into Ethiopia nor any Ethiopians that came into Europe till the yeere of our Lord 1486. what time Iohn the second king of Portugall sent Pedro de Couilham and Alonço de Paiua to search out Ethiopia This Pedro was a man very learned eloquent skilfull in sundrie languages painfull in his endeuors fortunate in his attempts and most desirous to finde out new countries and people both by sea and land He therefore in the yeere aboue mentioned togither with his companion Alonço de 〈◊〉 who died in the voiage trauailed first to Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt from whence in the companie of certaine Mores of Fez and Tremizen he proceeded on to El Tor an hauen towne vpon the Arabian shore of the Red sea and thence to Aden situate without the entrance of the Arabian gulfe Where hauing embarqued himselfe in a ship of Mores he trauailed to Calicut Goa and other places of the east Indies and being fully informed of the state of the Spiceries he crossed ouer the maine Ocean to çofala sailed thence to Ormuz and then returned backe to Cairo From whence hauing dispatched letters vnto his king in the company of Rabbi Ioseph a Iew he made a second voiage to Ormuz and in his returne he tooke his iourney towards Ethiopia the Emperour whereof at that time was called Alexander Vnto whom when he had deliuered a letter and a mappe of the world sent from king Iohn he was most kindly entertained and rewarded with many rich gifts And albeit he most earnestly desired to returne into his owne countrey yet could he neuer obtaine leaue but had wealth honour and a wife of a noble family bestowed vpon him to asswage his desire of returning home Wherefore in the yeere 1526. which was fortie yeeres after his departure out of Portugall hee was left by Rodrigo de Lima the Portugall ambassadour still remaining in the court of Prete Ianni In all this meane
length into Congo with two friers and fower priests and ordered matters reasonablie well In the meane while Don Aluaro died and his sonne of the same name succeeded him who failed not to sollicite both Don Sebastian and Don Henrie kings of Portugall and the king of Spaine also that they would send him some competent number of preachers and ecclesiasticall persons for the augmentation of the Christian faith in his kingdome and amidst these determinations he died and a sonne of his called also Don Aluaro succeeded him During these tumults certaine other Portugall Priests went into Congo labouring to prune that vine which had beene long time giuen ouer and forsaken These men haue built them an house in the island of Loanda where do remaine sixe or seauen of their companie that are readie to goe sometimes hither and sometimes thither as neede requireth In the yeere of our Lord 1587. king Aluaro who bicause hee was not borne of lawfull matrimonie was but little esteemed by his people would needes haue one of these priests about him by whose meanes and authoritie he came to reputation and credite And God himselfe fauoured his proceedings for meeting a sister of his by the fathers side and one of her brothers with a great armie in the fielde he gaue him battaile and bore himselfe therein with such valour as he did not onely ouerthrow the forces of his enime but further slew the ring-leader and generall thereof and in the place where he was slaine he would needs build a church to the honour of Christianitie And the more by his owne example to mooue others himselfe was the very first man that put hand to this worke and likewise with edicts and fauourable proclamations he furthered and doth still aduance the preaching of the Gospell and the propagation of religion Who so is desirous to be more fully instructed concerning the Christianitie of this kingdome let him read the third and eight bookes of Osorius de Reb. gest Eman. the second booke of Philippo Pigafetta his story of Congo most properly and decently translated by the iudicious master ABRAHAM HARTWELL Of the Christian religion in the kingdome of Angola THose Portugal priests that remaine in the Iland Loanda as aboue we declared bend themselues more to the conuersion of Angola then of Congo The reason is as I suppose because the enterprise is new and more neerely concerneth the Portugals who there make war vnder the conduct of Paulo Diaz to get possession of the mountaines of Cabambe which abound with rich mines of very fine siluer It seemeth that god hath fauoured the amplification of his holy name in those parts with some myraculous victories For first in the yeere 1582 a fewe Portugals in an excursion that they made put to flight an innumerable companie of the Angolans And by this victory they brought in a manner the halfe of that kingdome into their handes and many Princes and nobles of the land vpon this were moued to request and make suit to be baptized Among whom was Songa prince of Banza the kinges Father in law whose brother and children were baptized already Tondella also the second person of Angola was conuerted many Idols were throwne to the ground and insteede thereof they erected crosses and built some churches And within this little while all the Prouince of Corimba is in a manner conuerted Also in the yeere 1584 an hundred and fiftie Portugals together with such succors as were conducted by Paule Prince of Angola who was not long before conuerted discomfited more then a million of Ethiopians In an other place we declared the readie meanes and oportunities that the Princes of Ethiopia and of India haue to assemble and bring togither such infinite armies They say that certaine Ethiopians being demaunded by a Portugal how it came to passe that so great a multitude turned their backes to so few men they answered that the Portugals strength did it not which with a blast they would haue confounded but a woman of incomparable beawty apparelled in shining light and brightnes and an old man that kept her company with a flaming sword in his hand who went aloft in the ayre before the Portugals and ouerthrew the squadrons of the Angolans putting them to flight and destruction In the yeere 1588 were conuerted Don Paulo Prince of Mocumba and with him a thousand persons more The Christian religion of Monomotapa IN the dominions of the Monomotapa the light of the faith being with incredible ease kindled was also as suddenly 〈◊〉 by the deuises of the Mahumetans For some Portugals going to the court of that monarche and giuing himselfe with some of his Princes and vassals a taste of the gospel were an occasion afterwards that Gonsaluo de Sylua a man no lesse famous for the integrity of his life then for his bloud and parentage went ouer thither from Goa in the yeere 1570. This man arriuing with a prosperous voiage in the kingdome of Inambane conuerted and baptized the king his wife children and sister with his Barons and nobility and the greatest part of his people Through whose perswasion Gonsaluo left his companions prosecuting his voiage towards the Monomotapa onely with sixe Portugals Thus hauing passed Mozambique and the mouth of the riuer Mafuta and of Colimane they came to Mengoaxano king of Quiloa where they were courteously receiued entertained And though they had licence in this place to preach the gospell yet would not Gonsaluo here stay iudging that vpon the cōuersion of the Monomotapa that of the neighbor kings would follow without delaie Embarking themselues therefore vpon the riuer Cuama they sailed along the coast of Africa eight daies till they came to Sena a very populous village where Gonsaluo baptized about fiue hundred slaues belonging to the Portugal merchants and prepared for the receiuing of the gospel the king of Inamor one of the Monomotapaes vassals In the ende Antonio Caiado a Portugall gentleman came from the court to guide Gonsaluo towardes the same place Whither being in short time come he was presently visited on the emperours behalfe and bountifullie presented with a great summe of gold and many oxen But he returning back these presents gaue the Monomotapa to vnderstand that he should know of Caiado what he desired The emperour was astonished at this his magnanimity receiued him afterwards with the greatest honor that could possibly be deuised And causing him to sit vpon the same carpet whereon also his owne mother sate he presently demaunded how many women how much ground and how many oxen thinges mightily esteemed of in those countries he would haue Gonsaluo answered that he would haue no other thing but himselfe Whereupon the emperour turning to Caiado who was their interpreter said that surely it could not be otherwise but that he who made so little account of thinges so highly valued by others was no ordinary man and so with much courtesie he sent him back to his lodging Not long time after
is recorded to be the brother of Chus and the sonne of Cham. Chibith The towne of Pharao The 〈◊〉 of Ioseph Extreme pestilence The French maladie most rife in Egypt The increase of Nilus Ancient traffique of the 〈◊〉 vnto Alexandria Alexandria surprised and sacked by the king of Cyprus The water of Nilus brought by a sluce into Alexandria Certaine Christians called Iacobites Iohn Leo was at Rasid the same time 〈◊〉 Selim the great Turke passed that way The fruits called Mose Sugar Great abundance of Sugar * 1526. Delicate drinks made of all kind of fruits 〈◊〉 Ghauri A stately 〈◊〉 These asses are somewhat like to Banks his curtall that plaid his prizes all England ouer Soothsaying birds Saint 〈◊〉 The place where balme groweth The manner of measuring the increase of Nilus This piller is called by Plinie Niloscopium The attire of the women of Cairo The libertie of the women of Cairo Birds hatched after a strange manner in Egypt The reward of new and ingenious deuises Fower seuer all sects of the Mahumetan religion permitted in the citie of Cairo An horrible kind of execution The nauel being cut is present death Women 〈◊〉 Iohn Leo was thrise in Egypt The 〈◊〉 The originall of the Mamaluks * There is such an officer in the court of England called The Maister of the Reuells The 〈◊〉 The citie of 〈◊〉 Egyptian 〈◊〉 Store of the graine called Sesama Most excellent hempe Crocodiles The place where Ioseph was buried * It is otherwise read in the x. chap. of Genesis verse 6. * Dubium Emralds Antonio Galuano maketh large mention of this citie The hauen of Chossir Suachen * Bugiha are those which in 〈◊〉 time were called Troglodytae The great trauels of Iohn Leo. * Or 〈◊〉 * Or Muluia A riuer of hot and salt water * Or Guartguessen Sundry opinions concerning 〈◊〉 The manner of taking elephants in 〈◊〉 * Here is a word wanting in the originall * In all parts of the world which the author at that 〈◊〉 knew The African 〈◊〉 are the best Three kinds of camels Camels of a woonderfull swiftnes otherwise called Dromedaries The camels great abstinence from drinke How the Camels of 〈◊〉 learne to dance Morses fedde with camels milke Targets made of a skin The manner of gathering ciuet Amber A medicine for the leprosie The craft of the Crocodile in taking both men and beasts Little birds flying into the crocodiles mouth to picke wormes from betweene their teeth The manner of taking the crocodile How the camelion killeth the serpent A strange narration A strange 〈◊〉 * Or fathomes * That is in Barbarie Numidia Libya the lande of Negros and Egypt * Of this mountaine read in the discourse before the beginning of Leo. 〈◊〉 most 〈◊〉 in gold The kings armes A 〈◊〉 course A recrely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 fire from the 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 princes * Described by Leo in his fifth booke vnder the name of Lharais * Or Miramonin The maner how the Xeriffos aspired to the kingdomes of Maroco Sus and Fez. * Or the kingdomes of Maroco and Fez. * Or Abnet * Or Azaphi Artillerie cast by French Renegados Caruuen the principall Mahumetan temple in Fez being a mile and an 〈◊〉 about Read Leo lib. 3. These are a militarie order like vnto them which hold land 〈◊〉 vs vnder the 〈◊〉 of knights seruice * Mine author heere much mistaketh the matter * Or Emina * Or Haly. G. B. B. Rel. vn part 1. lib. 2. dell ' Asia With this frier Ascelline was sent Iohannes de Plano Carpini whose voiage is put downe in the first volume of the 〈◊〉 voiages Or Olouchali * Or Coptitae * As the church in all the hither parts of Europe hath beene called the western and that of Greece and Asia the 〈◊〉 church * Whātsoeuer Dresserus think eth yet diuers other authors of good note do hold the dominions of Prete Ianni to be nothing so large * These Mores are called Dobas Acts of the Apost cap. 8. verse 26. Matthew the first ambassador sent from Aethiopia to Portugall * This ambassage was at the first vndertaken by Odoardo Galuano who dying at the isle of 〈◊〉 in the Red sea it was performed by Rodrigo de Lima. Zagazabo the second ambassador sent from AEthiopia to Portugall * Whereas the Iewes circumcised the males 〈◊〉 * Yet in the time of Pope Paule the 4. were sent certaine priests with a new created Patriarke and two 〈◊〉 who notwithstanding when they went 〈◊〉 about to bring in the 〈◊〉 religion and the supremacie of the Pope were crossed by the Emperour in all their proceedings The Emperour of Ethiopia wil by no meanes admit the supremacie and religion of the Romish church Adamas a new Emperour of Ethiopia Fartac a countrey of Arabia Felix the king whereof subdued the isle of Zocotera 1482. * So are the inhabitants of Congo called * So called by Osorius lib. 3. de Reb. Gest. Eman. But by Phil. Pigafetta lib. 2. Cap. 2. Mani-Pango * Osorius de Reb. Gest. Eman. lib. 3. * Called by Philippo Pigafetto 〈◊〉 Concerning these Giacchi otherwise called Agag read the discourse of Mohenemugi before the beginning of Iohn Leo. * Not Mazagan vpon the coast of Barbarie
ample region containing great store of castles and villages and being inhabited with rich people and bordering vpon the kingdome of Agadez the Libyan desert and the land of Egypt is distant from Cairo almost threescore daies iourney neither is there any village in all that desert besides Augela which standeth in the bounds of Libya This region of Fezzen hath a peculiar gouernour within it selfe who bestoweth the reuenues of the whole region according to his owne discretion and payeth some tribute vnto the next Arabians Of corne and flesh heere is great scarcitie so that they are constrained to eate camels flesh onely A description of the deserts of Libya and first of Zanhaga HAuing hitherto described all the regions of Numidia letvs now proceed vnto the descriprion of Libya which is diuided into fiue parts as we signified in the beginning of this our discourse We will therefore begin at the drie and forlorne desert of Zanhaga which bordereth westward vpon the Ocean sea and extendeth eastward to the salt-pits of Tegaza northward it abutteth vpon Sus Haccha and Dara regions of Numidia and southward it stretcheth to the land of Negros adioyning it selfe vnto the kingdomes of Gualata and Tombuto Water is here to be found scarce in an hundred miles trauell being salt and vnsauorie and drawen out of deepe wels especially in the way from Segelmesse to Tombuto Here are great store of wilde beasts and creeping things whereof we will make mention in place conuenient In this region there is a barren desert called Azaoad wherein neither water nor any habitations are to be found in the space of an hundred miles beginning from the well of Azaoad to the well of Araoan which is distant from Tombuto about 150. miles Here both for lacke of water and extremitie of heat great numbers of men and beasts daily perish Of the desert inhabited by the people called Zuenziga THis desert beginneth westward from Tegaza extending eastward to the desert of Hair which is inhabited by the people called Targa northward it bordereth vpon the deserts of Segelmesse Tebelbelt and Benigorai and southward vpon the desert of Ghir which ioineth vnto the kingdome of Guber It is a most barren and comfortlesse place and yet merchants trauell that way from Telensin to Tombuto howbeit many are found lying dead vpon the same way in regard of extreme thirst Within this desert there is included another desert called Gogdem where for the space of nine daies iourney not one drop of water is to be found vnlesse perhaps some raine falleth wherefore the merchants vse to carrie their water vpon camels backes Of the desert inhabited by the people called Targa THis desert beginneth westward vpon the confines of Hair and extendeth eastward to the desert of Ighidi northward it bordereth vpon the deserts of Tuath Tegorarin and Mezab and is inclosed southward with a certaine wildernesse neere vnto the kingdome of Agadez It is a place much more comfortable and pleasant then the two deserts last described and hath great plentie of water also neere vnto Hair The ayre is maruellous holesome and the soyle aboundeth with all kinde of herbes Not farre from Agadez there is found great store of Manna which the inhabitants gather in certaine little vessels carrying it while it is new vnto the market of Agadez and this Manna being mingled with water they esteeme very daintie and pretious drinke They put it also into their pottage and being so taken it hath a maruellous force of refrigerating or cooling which is the cause that here are so few diseases albeit the ayre of Tombuto and Agadez be most vnholsome and corrupt This desert stretcheth from north to south almost 300. miles Of the desert inhabited by the people of Lemta THE fourth desert beginning at the territorie of Ighidi and extending to another which is inhabited by the people called Berdoa bordereth northward vpon the deserts of Techort Guarghala and Gademis and southward vpon the kingdome of Cano in the land of Negros It is exceeding drie and verie dangerous for merchants trauelling to Constantina For the inhabitants chalenge vnto themselues the signiorie of Guargala wherefore making continuall warre against the prince of Guargala they oftentimes spoile the merchants of all their goods and as many of the people of Guargala as they can catch they kill without all pitie and compassion Of the desert inhabited by the people called Berdoa THE fift desert beginning westward from the desert last mentioned and stretching eastward to the desert of Augela adioyneth northward vpon the deserts of Fezzen and Barca and trendeth southward to the desert 〈◊〉 Borno This place is extremely drie also neither haue any but the Gademites which are in league with the people of Berdoa safe passage through it for the merchants of Fezzen so often as they fall into their enimies hands are depriued of all their goods The residue of the Libyan desert that is to say from Augela to the riuer of Nilus is inhabited by certaine Arabians and Africans commonly called Leuata and this is the extreme easterly part of the deserts of Libya Of the region of Nun. THis region bordering vpon the Ocean sea containeth many villages and hamlets and is inhabited with most beggerly people It standeth betweene Numidia and Libya but somewhat neerer vnto Libya Here groweth neither barley nor any other corne Some dates here are but verie vnsauorie The inhabitants are continually molested by the Arabians inuasions and some of them traffique in the kingdome of Gualata Of the region of Tegaza IN this region is great store of salt digged beeing whiter then any marble This salt is taken out of certaine caues or pits at the entrance wherof stand their cottages that worke in the salt-mines And these workmen are all strangers who sell the salt which they dig vnto certaine merchants that carrie the same vpon camels to the kingdome of Tombuto where there would otherwise be extreme scarcitie of salt Neither haue the said diggers of salt any victuals but such as the merchants bring vnto them for they are distant from all inhabited places almost twentie daies iourney insomuch that oftentimes they perish for lacke of foode when as the merchants come not in due time vnto them Moreouer the southeast winde doth so often blind them that they cannot liue here without great perill I my selfe continued three daies amongst them all which time I was constrained to drinke salt-water drawen out of certaine welles not far from the salt-pits Of the region of 〈◊〉 AVgela beeing a region of the Libyan desert and distant fower hundred and fiftie miles from Nilus containeth three castles and certaine villages Dates heere are great plentie but extreme scarcitie of corne vnlesse it be brought hither by merchants out of Egypt Through this region lieth the way by the Libyan desert from Mauritania to Egypt Of the towne of Serte SErte an ancient towne built according to the opinion of some by the Egyptians of others by the