Sequemir as you may say Holy Lord for his goodnesse and clemency because he puts none to death except prisoners of warre but when a person hath committed a crime he keeps him fetter'd in prison during life without debarring him from the sight of the Sunne saying that God hath liberally distributed that light to all persons without exception there have been twenty thousand prisoners in irons at one and the same time His Court is stately and magnificent he hath a great number of men devoted to his service who freely offer up their lives for him at his command believing they go streight to heaven dying for their Prince They relate of a Turkish Emperour returning home from the Persick war through this country desired the sight of the Prince Sequemir and of his Salsidas or Saldridas for so his devotes were called having visited him in his towne of Samacara capital of that country after many Caresses and a Princely entertainment he desired the sight of his Salsidas and a proof of that great love and fidelity they bore unto their Prince Sequemir called some of them in and only spoke these words Amissi Barou and instantly four of them threw themselves out of the window and more of them attempting it were hindred by the Grand Seignior satisfied with the proof he had already made which he held so admirable that he demanded twelve of them to take back into his Country which the Sequemir willingly granted and being asked whether they would have as great an affection for a new Master and if they would as willingly dye for him as for their old Lord one of them made answer to the Turk if our Prince commands us to dye for thee we are from this very instant ready to obey him The Turk told them in time he should have need of them and that he would preserve them and esteem them his best friends and taking them away with him he maintained them handsomely and near his person but after the death of the Turkish Emperour they all returned back to their old Master esteeming it the greatest happinesse and safety to be near unto that Prince They accompany him yearly to Meka upon the three and twentieth of May to celebrate their great feast of Romadan Sequemir wears alwayes a sheeps-skin before and behind in imitation of Saint John Baptist who is there in great respect and honour he travels a foot with his whole Court yet his Courtiers go as they please carrying their wives and other trains upon able and good horses This King is Lord of the Soltania's of Fertac Siligni Dâ—efar and other places he was once Master of the entire happy Arabia but the Turk and the Persian have got several Provinces from him his chief residence is at Almacarama or Samacara a town very strong and impregnable scituate upon the top of a high hill but two wayes leading unto it and those craggy and easily maintained against the foe the town is big and well peopled and full of Nobility and Gentry there he keeps his treasure and his women this Prince cannot be made King but by the consent of the Califf of Bagdet likewise as the Prince of Mefra in pursuance of an ancient Law for that Califf though at present retaines nothing but the bare name yet keeps his ancient and undoubted right to elect and confirm the Kings of Assyria Arabia and others and Soliman himself passing through Babylon for form-sake was installed by his hand Next unto the Sequemir are severall Officers as the Gouvera Armicahir Almiracher the Cayet the Sidibir the Admimia the Bosoldar Amiseriech the Tababait and several others the Tacay Pacou is Master of the house CHAP. VIII Of Babylon the red sea Homerites Aden a strong Town and famous Haven Cameran and other places in the red sea WE travel'd stil through Arabia from town to town venting and trucking our commodities with an earnest desire to reach Persia all the towns of Arabia are fair ones and yield a great revenue to the Sequemir between Zidem and Zibit there are several and well peopled and from thence to Aden many more Zibit is not so near Aden as by some shee is said to be as they relate Dalatia in Aethiopia to be opposite to Meka and they stand three hundred leagues asunder This Arabia joynes to Persia Northward and the way thither lyes through Taeza Sanna Soufar Erit Almacara and other towns Almacara stands upon a hill but Eastward upon Gaza a bigge town and well inhabited where there is weekly a Fair or Market kept by night by reason of the heats and there all sorts of Merchandizes are exposed to sale perfumes especially The Nobility of the Country affect much to eat Ambar Musk and other sweets the Soudan of Aden subject to Sequemir spends yearly six thousand Duccats therein for his self wife and family their kitchins may be taken for perfumers shops so sweet and odoriferous The Red Seas coast towards Aden is thick of good towns and well traded and among the Merchants are many thieves which you must have a care on you see the towns called Ahra Damican Coubita Erit Aridan Magora Rabon Salta and others with many villages subjects to the Sequemir who commands six Soltania's or kingdomes all fill'd with good towns upon the Sea side grow store of reeds or Canes which in time make little Islands rendring the landing difficult and from thence the Hebrewes call that Sea Souf which signifies a reed Caravanes come to a town called Albir or Debir and there load their wares they carry unto Babylon as we found several travelling thither I intreated one of them to furnish me with as many Maps of the chiefest cities he could conveniently for I was very desirous of them and amongst the rest he procured me the Mappe of Babylon or Bagdet printed upon a Cotton which Mappe is made in a kinde of ceremony when the Sequemir receives his Crown and blessing from the Califf of Bagdet as the most ancient of Meka and to instruct him in his way they delineate Samacara from whence he sets forth for Babylon he goes through Byr then in twelve dayes reaches Falouchia in a flat boat from thence to Babylon in one day more As we were making sale of our commodities with intention to visit the East India's amongst other things we got some pieces of Velvet which we had in exchange for our wares I shall by the way advise those who intend to make the voyage of Arabia to store themselves with great horse bits for that is a commodity goes off there at a good rate you may make your own price not exceeding ten Duccats a piece Thus we travelled through Sanna passing through many fine towns as Adimar one of the fairest of all Arabia with intention to passe over into the Isle of Cameran where were three Portugais vessels bound for Calicut but we had so ill a passage that we altered our resolutions and sailed
come by the streights of Hudscas Davis Forbisher and others which are thought to crosse to the Orientall and Tartarian sea but here they appear rather gulphs and arms of the Sea then streights Then we come to the Lands of Estotiland Labrador Cortereal New France or Canada and Bacaleos Norembeck Virginia New Nideoland or the New-Low-Countries Florida and New Spain or Mexico as well the old as new and the lands above new Granada Mar Vermeio California Quiuira or new Aâ—bion and Anian to the famous Streight of land or sea of the same name which joynes or divides North Asia or high Tartarie from this part of America And 't is probable that this way for many Ages men and beasts have passed who have peopled this new World whether from China Tartarie Moscovia and other places or as farr as Scandia or from elsewhere carried by the windes cast up by shipwrack or coming upon designe or for ease of people alwayes growing onward But this dispute I leave to be decided by better abilities being out of my reach and no part of my design South America from Jucatan Honduras and Nicanagua to the Streight of Panama proceeds by Vraba Dariena Castilia Dor Venesusla Paria Cabagna Cumana Curibana and further up into the famous Land of Guinea then comes the vast Territory or Coast of Brasile of above 1000 leagues Patagona and Chica to the Streights of Magellan and Maire and at last ascending towards the South-sea by Chila and Peru to the Isthmus of Mannama As for the Parts southward beyond the Streights towards the Land of Fou or Queinos to the Isles of Salomon new Guinea and others 't is not yet knowne what they are As to the Discovery of this New World leaving that common question If our Ancestors had any knowledge of it t was first made by Columbus in the yeare 1492. afterwards successively by Americus Vespasius Cabot Cortercall Cupral Verazan Cortez Pisarra and at last by Sir Francis Drake Sir Walter Rawley Forbisher Davis Hudson and others Towards the Lands of Labrador and Canada one Captaine Velasco a Spaniard passing that way entred the river of Canada or St. Laurens and taking it for an Arme of the Sea having a faire winde sayl'd up about 200 leaugues where he found many Townes and Villages inhabited by people called Piperones of an extraordinary stature as ten foote high or more people kinde enough and tractable spending their time only in hunting and fishing their ordinary diet milke and cheese Upon a Sunday coming on shore to celebrate Masse there came innumerable Savages to admire our Sevice and Ceremonies as a thing altogether new to them They presented the Spaniards abundance of sheep Kids and goats and they might have taken off the common what Cows and Cattel they would A people otherwise not very Military but exceeding simple and use Barkes like the Brasilian Canoes The Captaine in gratuity gave to the cheife of them a handsome sword and dagger who by signes let him understand he had nothing to returne him but 50 Cows and 200 sheep desiring him to accept them for accomodation for his company Part of them he took and gave him a Coate of Azure Tafeta which he highly esteemed and admir'd and went confidently abord them with a score of his men and at severall times came little boats loaded with fruit which this Lord had provided to present the Captain with at his departure he fired some Cannons which strangely amazed these poor people who thought the World at an end they go cloath'd with skins commodiously sew'd together In the Land of Labrador and beyond Northward are abundance of Mountains and Forrests where there are numbers of wilde beasts and amongst others huge beares and great Griffins all white which are nothing like those of the East or Africa which are gray only a little red under the belly but both of them have but two feet and not foure as they are painted They have also Partridges and other sorts of birds all white A little higher lies the frozen sea which some say is not a sea frozen but land covered with ice An Indian one Irica told me that in his youth he had been in the Land of Labrador which the Natives call Vchacara which borders on a Countrey called Alfringa and that crossing from Province to Province he saw seas of Vast extent all frozen and the people assur'd him t was not a Sea but Land covered with fresh water-ice a thing hard to be credited They have not any Townes but Villages where on little hills they live in timber houses covered with hides of Beifes and other beasts The people are Whites kinde and affable This Coast extends to the space of 400 leagues there is a large river they call de tres Hermanos which some Spanish were about to crosse but could not for snows Some imagine here is a streight that goes into the Orientall sea others that t is an Arme of the sea only Some take this for the river Rio Neuado which on one side coasts this Countrey for 200 leagues on the other side to the Bay of Maluas and by the Gulph Merosco lyes the Isle of Devills so called because they hold it to be haunted with spirits as many of the eastern Islands are as I observed in another place There are Tawnies amongst them they weare in their eares rings of gold and silver their cloaths lin'd with Martins and other furrs amongst them there live some Britains and English men Next lies the Countrey called Bacaleos or Bacca-Lao so called from our fishing for Codds there to which the Seamen give that terme That place is so thronged with this sort of fish that sometimes they cumber a Vessell in sayling The coast from thence to Florida is about 900 l. The Country is cold like Flanders and under almost the same climate The people are Idolaters and bruitish void of civility except along the shore where the French inhabit there they live better and eat not mans flesh as the rest round about them do They live in obedience to one they elect out of the most potent amongst them many Islands adjacent are possessed by the French Not far from thence lyes the Countrey called Chicora the people whereof are of extraordinary size they wear their hair down to their girdle the women much longer They believe the immortality of the soule and that after death they transmigrate to a better Countrey than their own They keep stocks of tame Deer which they drive to pasture as we do Cows and Oxen from them they make excellent cheese which mingled with a sort of clouted cream is a very delicate dish The English say the land of Bacalaos was first discovered by one Cabor sent thither by Henry the 7. King of England to which the Spaniards consent not much lesse the French who trafick'd here long before any other Nation Chicora lyes upon the Continent a little above Bacalaos and according to some is
Anauas by the Inhabitants it holds dominion from Panuco to Dariene which divides it from Peru. The principal Provinces are Guatemala Xalisco Chalcos Taica Mechoachan Tlascalan Acapulco Culiacan Tezuco Tescuco Huaca-chalque Huacachala Claortomaca Maxalcinco Gistecapan and others New Spaine is one of the most excellent Provinces of the New World fully inhabited pure ayre abounding in corne and all sorts of graine Cattle Mines of Gold and chiefely of Silver wanting nothing but oyle and wine The principal and capital town is Temistican or Temoxtitlan or Temuistican upon a Lake of thirty Leagues in circute is contained threescore thousand Houses at the time the Spaniards took it under the famous Ferdinand Cortez The lake is of two waters salt and fresh by reason of the rivers that enter it There are many other great Townes but less then Mexico Before they received Christianity they were all great Idolaters and given to strange superstitions many whereof they continue still Their Sacrifices were formidable Fathers not scrupling to make their own children victims The Mexicans are an ingenuous people and of experience in all sorts of workes particularly in Tapestry of feathers where they have things artificially drawne to the life The Soyle abounds in all sorts of fruits and commodities for livelihood as well naturall as adventitious even vines whereof they have very good notwithstanding the prohibition to plant any True in many parts the grapes come not to perfect maturity by reason of the abundant rains in June and July when the grapes begin to ripen so as they soake raine and corrupt wherefore they are forced to eat them halfe green Some have try'd to make wine but it proves sharp and more like wine of quinces then grapes They have planted olive-trees which come to good growth and full of leaves but without fruit All sorts else grow well and plentifully The wine they drink comes all from Spaine and is very deare for it cost five of us three crowns a day for our parts and a good bargaine the plenty of mony making all things deare for a bed 12 realls a night In Peru t is yet dearer though they get very good wine and figs as likewise in the Isles of Barlouento and Cuba There are many Forrests by the Indians called Arcaboucos store of Ebony Guâ—acum or Lignum Sanctum wide and thick Forrests of Cedars Laurells Dates Pines Oaks and hearbs of all sorts proceeding from the nature of the Climate being hot and moist The greater part of the ground lies notwithstanding uncultivated for want of Labourers of which they have none but some Blacks of Maniconga and Guinea lazy people and no good workers The Country is not very populous many more women then men by reason warr and labour consumes them The extent of these Regions is admirable nay infinite in respect of the few Inhabitants and less agriculture for this late discovered Mexico contains above 15 Provinces of above a thousand leagues in circuite where there are as faire Towns and buildings as in Europe Good part speak the Mexico Tongue Farther on there succeed severall unknowne Nations without number Some Religious went thither to Preach the Faith but the Savages devoured them 'T is not yet found out what Territories border with Cape Mendocino California high Florida new Mexico and others towards the North Pole no more then what is beyond the Streight of Magellan higher by 56. or 57. degrees The Inhabitants of old Mexico do intirely apply themselves to the Trades and wayes of the Spaniard being grown good Weavers and make all sorts of silke stuffs in like manner they are docile and judicious and such as are become Christians follow the Doctrine most religiously The Countrey is of such a scituation that you ascend wherever you go from the sea Coast but so easily you perceive it not So coming from the middle of the land to the Sea-ward you descend on which side soever but so as afterwards one admires how they ascended mounted so high or came so low all the Mexican Territory is of this quality and scituation The Mexicans derive themselves originally from other parts the Ancient Inhabitants were barbarous and eat nothing but venison which they called Chichimeques and Otomies then the Navatalks came from the North from Provinces which since are joyned to New Mexica who peopled cultivated and civiliz'd the soyle and Nation But withall they introduced their strange Idolatries and horrible sacrifices of men and infants whereof they perpetrate abundance every yeare Whereby 't is very probable that not only this but all the other Countreys are inhabited with people deriv'd from the North whither the Asians and Europians may have passed by little and little by the Streights either of Sea or Land as we have already demonstrated These Mexicans being well setled chose a King to Govern them who was one Acamipixtsi a Mexican Lord who had married a daughter of the King of Cublivacan an ancient people of the Country since which time they have ever had Kings not by succession but Election continued to the ninth and last King Montezuma taken by Cortez under which Kings they had diverse Warrs and tooke in many neighbors augmenting it to a great state The King was not Elected by the Commons but by 4 Principall of the Court and had the Crowne from the hands of the Tescaio But the King Elect before he receives his Crown is obliged to go fight the Enemy and bring such a number of Prisoners to their Sanguinary sacrifices If he faile in the first expedition they excuse it but if the second time they poyson him and choose another If he returne victorious they conduct him with great ceremony to the Temple where they make the great sacrifice with processions and musick through the Town He was crowned with a Crown like a Miter and every one made oath to serve him to the last drop of bloud then was conducted with great magnificence to the Pallace-Royal the Electors called Laceocal marching first that is Princes of the Lance then the Lacaterret or Thunder-bolts of men who are the gallantest of the Cavaliers then Hazeuocal that is bloud-shedders and the Lilbancalqui Knights of the black lance These four orders were his Majesties privy Council in the Town they had other Councils for administration of Justice When the King went to the Temple an hundred men marched before him with great bows taller than themselves then 100. more with long staves with a hardbroad keen stone in the end with which he will cut off a horse-head I have seen one cut a sheep in two with it those they call a la a tilpeo The Kings Pallace is sumptuous and magnificent a Parke by it stored with wilde beasts of all sorts ponds full of fish with boates of rich worke and cages for Birds The Pallace is composed of separate apartments and severall habitations for the Courtiers every one according to his dignitie and degree The Mexican Kings had high esteem for men
of souldiers her faire Structures many sword knife-cuttlers other expert Artists in steele who give a delicate temper with muske and Amber-greese There I saw a Marseillian Cutler who spent near a hundred Zequins in forging one blade which was by many admired I met him ten yeares after at Paris he told me he sold the same blade to Collo Dornano for three hundered crownes Damas is scituate in a faire plaine her soyle well watered and fruitfull with plenty of Gardens and Orchards round about her she is surrounded with two mountains the one called Amon the other Sahanir There are many grots and caves as 't is said formerly inhabited by the Christians in time of persecution there is one can contain 4000. persons and without doubt are fairer and larger than those at present to be seen at Saragosa in Sicily towards the East there is a lake 7. or 8. leagues about through which run two sweet streams the one called Aman or Amma which runs by the foot of the wall towards the South the other Farfar and threds through the middle of the Town she is also adorned with many fountains the water being brought by pipes from Chrysoran The houses are built of the Moresco modell with galleries do almost cover the whole streets as at Aleppo The Town is strong and begirt with good ditches well flank'd and man'd in time of war A Bassa or Governour keeps it for the Turk who hath a strong life-guard of horse The Suburbs are greater and more populous than the Town There are twenty thousand Mulberry planters for the trade of silk and an infinite number of cutlers and other Artists in steel and iron On the East there stands a Tower where you may yet see the Flour de luces the arms of France which must have been set there when the French were Lords of the Holy land there in a little enclosure is to be seen Zacharies tomb Father to St. John Baptist a place of great veneration the Mahometans themselves celebrating the feast day with solemn rejoycings they yet shew the place where S. Paul persecuting Christians fell from his horse and the place of his imprisonment and where he was let down in a basket They shew you the place where 't is said Cain killed his Brother Abel There is an Alablaster mine affords them great store of fair vessels and other peices From thence commonly are set forth the Caravans or land convoys for Medina and Meca and to many other places of Arabia and the east The Towne is farr fairer without then within by reason of the commodious scituation and beautifull aspect but the streets are not so well contrived the Market place or Baiar is ample and faire built with Piatzza's as at Bolonia most of the houses in Town are served with fountains derived from Chrysorrhoas the graffs are planted with Mulbery trees There is a Citadell said to be built by a Florentine Renegado who then commanded it While we staid at Damas one day walking the Market place we saw an Executioner surrounded with a great crowd of people upon a tall horse and dragging a Malefactor tyed with a rope by the leggs to the place of Execution and enquiring the reason of this Justice we were told he was a Christian and had killed a judge of the Country This poore sufferer as we since understood by attestations and letters he carried about him in a box was a Frenchman and born in Saintonge his name was Roubie returning from Jerusalem where he received the Cross from the hands of the Patriarch and passing thorough this Town met a judge who according to the insolent custome of the sworne enemies to Christians with one blow struck Roubie at his feet which for the present he seemed to take very patiently dissembling the affront with resolution nevertheless when opportunity should serve cruelly to revenge it he absented himself for three whole yeares and in that time having perfected himselfe in the Turkish Language disguised in the habit of a Dervis a sort of Religious in great esteeme amongst them he weares a Cimitere by his side and a dagger hanging at his girdle to see the commands of their Prophet Nabi strictly observed this supposed Dervis begirt with his hanger returned to Damas and assisted dayly in Court the judge his enemy whose diligence to justice was held a good Omen this he practised for three whole years and more not omitting one audience in all that time dayly expecting an opportunity to revenge himselfe Upon a time hearing the judge give Sentence against an Orphan who was sued for some inheritance suddenly stept up to him and with a mortall wound on the forehead laid him dead at his feete took his place and said that the judgement newly pronounced against the Orphan was unjust and that it was fit to repeate the Evidence which without the least interruption in respect to the supposeâ— Dervis was immediately done by Councill on both sides and a Herauld openly declared that he thought it Justice the Orphan should enjoy one moity of the land in question this was spoken to the satisfaction of the Auditory but especially of the Dervis who gave his opinion and approbation in few words and at the same instant judgement was pronounced to the great content of those were cast by the former sentence his body was carried home to his house and the Murtherer highly commended for his great act of Justice Reubie satisfied in his revenge by degrees retired himself to Tripoli where by misfortune being reproached by a certain countrey-man of his who had seen him in the habit he inconsiderately confest it and the reason that moved him so to do and some Turks hearing of it they presently caused him to be apprehended and upon search found uncircumcised he was brought back to Dama where he was thus arraigned and executed and his body cast to the dogs to be devoured Not farre from Damas and the Jordan springs is the town of Philippa whence the woman was that our Saviour cur'd of the flux Belinas sometime Dan Paneas or Caesarea it lyes not far from Libanus and between her and Gallilean or Tiberiade Sea is a great vale where is a Lake swell'd with the snow that falls from the Mount Libanus through this Lake runs the Jordan and is called Es-mal-maron formerly the waters of Merac there did Joshuah overthrow the Kings of Chananee the Lake is in Summer almost drye and from thence unto Jope is a very fruitful country called Charon Towards the Tiberiade Sea there is another vale very hollow between two hills where the Sun is hardly ever seen This hill rises not far from the Sea side and reaches to Sidon or Sayette and of the other side they both reach the Arabian hills near Damas and there lyes the Country formerly called Palmyrena CHAP. III. Of the Deserts of Arabia of Spirits or Apparitions there of the Sea
of Sodome of the Hills of Sina and Oreb and the three Arabia's AFter some few dayes stay we left Damas and passed through Benin from thence we came to Macharaib or Macherib and Masarib three dayes journey from Damas 't is a small town of Palestina not very pleasant formerly called Misor one of the Levies Cities sometime belonging to King Balsan near the torrent of Arnon in the tribe of Reuben At our arrivall there having discharged our Chioas or guide which cost us six Duckets a man my companion Cassis took a little boy for his guide and brought me first to a fair house in the Turkish quarter and inhabited by a Turk instead of going to the place inhabited by Christians which I not a little wondred at because the difference in Religion breeds a discrepance between them and us as I was entring the house a Turkish Dame well fashioned with a child in her armes briskly asked me in the Syriack tongue Achibi Nazarini che senti achelect Christian what do you here I streight made answer Mnaar Jenesay ana cardas amisi antina that my Camarade was within to speak with some body but she with indignation thrust me out of the Porch young as I was I had the wit to present her with a pair of corall pendants which she liked well and said in her language Thou art a good lad but the other is a knave that gave me nothing and as I was retiring my self she courteously invited me in where I saw my companion take some small things out of his bagge which he presented to several women who had every one of them a sucking child at their brest they wore rings in their ears of twice hand compasse richly set with Diamonds and Pearls every one of them made choice of some Venetian curiosity which though of small value they set great esteem upon as we were thus entertaining these Ladies in came a grave Moore Counpayniors brother who upon notice that two strangers were entered his house came presently home fir'd with jealousie a passion most of them are infected with as was easily seen in the rage and distraction of his countenance but after he perceived his brother he ran to his embraces with many caresses took me by the hand in French said we were most welcome and told us he was the Renegado Murat called Silvester compelled thereto by force but resolved to leave Turkisme and become a Christian again as we were after many complements invited us to eat then a cloth of leather delicately dressed being spread upon the ground they brought in boyled mutton rice and their melted butter called Manteque we made a good dinner drinking Ragui their common drink composed of water figges and Dates and is a sort of strong water for wine they have not any At dinner I seriously observed the Renegado Murat a man of graceful personage well proportioned and taller by the head then my fellow-traveller and nothing like him and I observed women with what content they listened to our manner of discourse At dinner the two brothers discoursed of their affaires and design in Arabick conceiving I understood them not but during my eight moneths residence at the Grand Caire I had learnt enough to understand their discourse and heard my fellow relate this shipwrack and the manner thereof and that he came to crave his assistance to recover his losses the Renegado told him that in few dayes he should take a journey for Meka and that he could procure him so many Cherafs or Duckets by the month and at his returne from that voyage he would give him a summe of money if he returned not himselfe home with him to this my camarade made answar he had undertaken to conduct me to Jerusalem and that it would be a shame to him to leave me so young the Renegado replyed that I should go along with them and that he would furnish me with a Camell for the journey and that coming back we should see Jerusalem All this I understood and though not pleased to see my intention crossed yet I durst not take the least notice for feare they should put some trick upon me considering they might leave me behind or sell me or exchange me for some peeces of wine which in those Countreys is both rare and deare sold onely by the Apothecaries for the sick or by Christian Merchants Thus I heard them advise how to be rid of me but at last pittying my tender age they resolved to know my will and then my Camarade freely spoke his brothers intention and that in that journey we should see the great Desart the Mount Sinai and Oreb the Townes of Medina La Meyur and many other remarkable places and that returning we should see Jerusalem I shewed my selfe most willing to what they should resolve finding no other way to save my selfe and upon my fellowes promise coming back to shew me the place I so much desired Thus resolved they provided six fat sheep prize two ducats together with other meat which they boyled in a great chaldron till the flesh came from the bones then put flesh only with a good proportion of salt butter in the same Chaldron and fryed it well and potted it up for our journey This we loaded upon two Cammells with store of onyons bisket three large bottells of strong water with others full of fresh water and other necessaries and my camarade and self had a camell betwixt us Having staid eight dayes at Macherib we set forth with the Caravane composed of great numbers of Merchants and of above twenty thousand camells loaden with all sorts of wares and commodities reaching two leagues in length The Captain of the Town accompanied us with five hundered horse unto the desert but further he could not go by reason of the heat of the sands that burne their horses hoofes and founder them and besides in the desert there is extreme scarcity of water which we carried along with us in leather vessells to make use of in the desert of Arabia where very scarcely any fresh is found We crost a part of the Holy Land leaving Jerusalem on the right hand with a very sensible regret to be within a dayes journey of that place and not to see the City The nights we rested in our Tents which we pitched with ease fastning wooden poles thorough the middle with ropes which by the helpe of pegs struck into the ground susteined the rest drawing towards the south into some vales in search of fresh water we perceived upon an eminent peece of land the ruines of some Towns and a little lower a Lake called Sodom and Gomorra or the Dead Sea anciently called the Lake Asphaltite which to this day doth witness the just judgement of God we tasted some of this water which although very brackish yet refresht us for the present From thence after seven or eight houres rest we took our way thorough the
Wards and in time of war or troubles the four States or Councels withdraw themselves into their respective limits and call their Councels and he that hath best advised makes it out to the Councel that his advice is most necessary and useful injoyes royal liberty of freedom without paying taxe assessement or imposition what lands soever he be possessed of He is much esteemed and respected by the Prince being ever after freely admitted unto the general Councel which is held annually for the kingdomes good and welfare This is also an observation as in many townes in Persia which inclines the people very much to the study of Astronomy divination and all sorts or kinds of Philosophy that may make them wise and prudent and understanding they are much given to vertues chastity only excepted being a large and lascivious people the women in these countries are the fairest and the sweetest in the whole world which verifies the Proverb a Persian woman and horse CHAP. XII Of the Town of Tauris Sumachia Bachat Casbin and some of the chiefest places of Persia FRom Babylon we passed through all the other towns of Persia the chiefest whereof I will only mention as Tauris in Media a great town and full of Merchants some take her for the ancient Ecbatanes a Royal town belonging to the primitive Kings of Media it hath been several times taken and retaken by the Turks and Persians untill 't was strongly maintained by the Persian since the last battailes given by the Persian to the Turk she was lost when the King of Persia assisted Prince Zagathay which occasioned the revolt of a good part of his country contrived by his eldest son This King to recover his country and to ensnare his son devised a stratagem which was to report himself dead and caused his obsequies publickly to be celebrated concealing himself in the place his treasure was kept in hither his abused Son streight repaired was seized on and ended his dayes in prison after this the King with a great Army went to regain what he had lost of his dominions as Sequetpee Aremnia the towns of Siras and divers others upon the Euphrates Tigris and Araxes The town of Tauris hath been several times burnt and plundered in the several conquests she yielded unto she may be very near as great as London The Prince receives yearly great revenues by trade as well as from the Inhabitants for they are all tributary as also all artificers are acccording to their faculties and callings The Merchants that only passe through the town without making any stay pay for their commodities at the rate of five per centum for toll or custome or the rights of passage and if they are minded to stay in town they pay ten per centum but notwithstanding the height of the custome thither resort very many Merchants with all sorts of wares from all places as it were in spight they come from the Indies Africa Aethiopia Baldec Mosul Cremesol Cambalec Melusia Vaouta Decherin Saltamach Chelmodate Cotestan and from other parts of the world which brings an inestimable treasure to the Sophy Besides the many other towns that pay the like gabels and customs as Giac Soltania Jaban Comer Casera Erget all very rich Towns Then towards Cusistan the great City of Guerd upon the River Bindamar Virgan Marout Asana with Nain all iunumerably peopled Sidan Reib Estrana Barbarihen Samachir and in other parts Maluchia Sengan Sio Meson Ere and many more the Country being five hundred leagues over from Babylon to Corozan and from the Persick to the Caspian Sea all inhabited by people civilized yet most of them Mahometans of the Sect of Hali. A little above Tauris drawing towards the North and the bounds of Media stands Arbena or Derbent which they say was built and so named by Alexander the Great formerly called the Port of Caucase or Iberia because it is a strait of land or narrow passage between the Caspian Sea and the hills which hindred the Scythians entry upon Media since she is called Temircapi or Iron gate and Derbent which signifies a Strait and there be many Iron gates with a strong garrison to stop the Northern peoples passage as the Circassians Albanians Tartars and others Beneath Derbent stands Sumachia a rich Town and full of gentry then Bachat or Bacha another Town of great commerce upon the Caspian Sea and a most famous one being the nursery of the fairest women of all Persia and the Persian dames do far excell in beauty sweetnesse graces and are more taking than any Ladies in that part of the world and they have a proverb in Persia that he that hath a mind to see a fair and handsom woman must go to Bachat They are visited from all parts for they are of amiable complexions and there is a certain place in the Town called Gezempee whither most of the Curtizans do retire and are frequently visited by strangers The Jewes that inhabit this Town do carefully take up all the poor girles that have in any measure received natures favour they cloath them richly and lodge them in a large street near to that quarter called Machif which signifies a stews and make a great benefit of them they are all sumptuously lodged apparelled like Princesses and although they are poor yet they find friends that provide for them you spy them at the windows as at Rome their keeping open houses gives a free access unto all persons to trade with them yet for the most part they are married to rogues or mean conditioned people as Porters Car-men Butchers or Hangmen who often interrupt your entertainments or conversation with their rudenesse shewing themselves to be masters there I saw a Marseillian dame named Louysa Campane brought hither by her husband to keep a house she became so haughty and proud of her gallantry that a certain Merchant desirous to buy her favour at ten crowns price she threw it him out at the window very scornfully and yet was not of the ablest to live amongst them neverthelesse she maintained her husband in silks and satins who was but a poor Seaman ugly and ill behaved but it is rare if this sort of women become not most miserable at last by reason of their vaste and continuall expenses they will thorough vanity give a crown or two at a time to a beggar in the street This Marseillian had lived five or six years in a great heighth in Tauris where by her trade she had got above a thousand crowns which through her pride and vanity she wholly consumed being banisht the Town for braving and giving a box on the ear to a Lord that kept her for a time since she retired to Bachat There are many more fair Towns in Persia as Spahan Casbin Siras Royall Towns at Spahan is kept one of the Sophy's Courts well peopled and rich there are made many silke stuffs and is plenty of a certain
draughts of the principal townes in the Indies Persia and Tartary and had leave of the Vice-roy to draw the plots of as many more as he would his design being to compile them in a large volume and present it to the King of Spain but I understood afterwards that returning for Europe he died upon the sea of Scarbut and for that his Comerade had disgusted him he would not give him his memorials and draughts but by Testament bequeathed them to the Captain of the ship he was in Joseph Grogne a Portuguese esteemed a Jew though he dissembled the Christian The Memorials was a great losse for besides the draughts there was abundance of remarkable singularities he had noted in his travailes whereof the Captain made small account for that he had written them in French which he understood not and withall in an imperfect and bad character But the plots and draughts were excellently done and besides the deliniation of the towns he had drawn the inhabitants and their garments to the life I drew some my self though rudely which is not hard to compasse THE SECOND PART OF THE TRAVAILES OF VINCENT le BLANC IN AFRICA CHAP. I. A generall Description of AFRICA HAving left the East Indies as I said in the former part of this work towards the end and having taken the road of Africa Westward the first land we came on was the Isle of S. Laurence Before I relate the particulars either of this Isle or other places I have seen in Africa I conceive it not improper to draw a general Description of this third part of the Universe as well for that I have traversed it from one end to the other in three severall voyages as to shew the errour of modern Geographers who in their Maps of Africa have left out more then fifty kingdoms or Provinces of note as I sometime made appear to the late Mr. du Vair then chief President of the Province and afterwards Keeper of the Great Seale of France And first to take it from the streight of Gibraltar or rather from Porto Farina towards Tunes to the Cape Bona Esperanza the greatest extent from North to South there is found to be seventy degrees which are above two thousand leagues And from Cape-Verd to Cape de Guardafu or Guardafy from East to West there is near upon eighty Degrees which are about two thousand five hundred leagues of Teritory comprehending a space most prodigious such as our Europe is a very small matter in comparison of the greatest part lying betwixt the two Tropicks the rest on this side and beyond For from the kingdom of Budonell passing through the Negres lyes Eastward the Empire of Tombut or Tombotu by the Arabians called Iza containing thirteen large kingdomes watered by the famous River Nigrite or Niger with Senega a part of Guinee Melli and many other Countreyes as far as the Cape Verdi The people here so savage they scarce know how to speak so sordid they eat beast-entrailes uncleansed and so brutish they are more like ravenous dogs then men of reason The people toward the Western Coast are better civilized in the Provinces of Gavaga Azemay Galata by the Arabians called Abugazai or Zenaga and Azanaga and on the Coast of Cape-blanc where they drive a great trade in white salt Senega where the River Niger waters large territories abounds in Crocodills and fish with which it furnishes Budonel Meli Gago Guber Agades Cano Gazena or Cassena Zegzog Zanfara Burneo or Borno Gangara Gaoga and others where it reaches The kingdome of Gangara contains seven others as that of Borneo nine who to gain a single dominion have often come to Battell but in the end satiated with blood were constrained to agree again Then have you the kingdomes or Temian Daouma Medra Benin Gorbani Giafiar or Biafar Amas or Amasen which towards the South fronts Damula and Vangue lying towards the Zaire From Senega towards the North we find Scombaya Musmuda Zenera or Havia Gumea Guzula Hea Sus with others called the Whites of Africa who speak not Arabian but use the tongue of Songay as they term it Likewise the usuall Language in Nueâ—edia through the kingdomes of Terga Gaziga Lemta and Berdoa These people have a black or gray cloth hanging from their Turbith over their face that while they eat their mouth may not be seen which were a great incivility There are moreover the Countries of Guzulan Belu Benin Belbee Toga Afar Alates Crin Beni Gumi Muzali Abubenam Zuir Cazai Dura Zinzaler and others The vast kingdome of Fezor Morocco contains Agar or Agal Elebat Eris Geres Elcanus Elegazar or Elgezair with the kingdomes of Tâ—nes Bugie Constantine â—ipoli Telensin Tremesen Telche Teâ—esâ—e c. There is here a River which issuing from the bowels of Africa passes through many countries and threads Fesse where it seâ— three hundred and threescore mill-wheels of extraordinary compasse at work and gliding from thence under Miquinâ— and Elcassour throwes it self in sea at Mamocre under Arache little distant from Arzille Towards Tombut and Meli on the other side Senega lyes the wide-stretcht kingdome of Gago the King whereof is highly potent compelling in a manner adoration from his people who how great soever speak not to him but on knees holding in their hand a cup of sand which they cast on their head while they prostrate before him and retire without tergiversation He affords not audience to his subjects but at certain houres morning and evening and when they are found guilty in any crime he chastises them with confiscation of goods and sale of their wives and children for slaves to strangers The two great Rivers Niger or Gambra and Senega Wash a very great part of the country overflowing in the same sort and times as Nile doth Budomel which is in like manner a River of the same denomination as the country it travailes through unites it self with Gambra and the kingdome of Melli is upon a branch of Senega environed with dismal deserts and impenetrable Forests This river on the North and South is banked with the Deserts of Gilolef and Jalofel on the West it hath the vast Forest of Abacara and Gago on the West Next you come to Guber Mount Chigi or Gigi or Sierra de Meleguete then Guinga or Guinee or Guinoy These people are all black like quenched coles Salt in the kingdome of Gago is more precious then gold which there abounds as likewise Fruit and Cattle Guber abutts Northward on Cano Eastward on Zeger or Zegzeg a woody and desert country peopled with an infinite heard of beasts In these Deserts you meet with Cassena then drawing towards the Cape of bona Esperonza You enter upon the kingdomes of Benin and Zanfara under the Equatour well inhabited containing in length two hundred and forty leagues where from mid May to the middle of August it rains for the most part and almost constantly from noon till mid-night as I have
submissions to a very boy contest every evening for your lodging run every hour to the drudgery of the ship and depend on a Captain more cruell then a Comet finding my self in this distresse I resolved to disbark at what rate soever and I took my time when I saw them putting some Hogs-heads in boat to put in a little chest of mine also covered with red leather and locked pretending I went to fell some commodities Being now on land I followed a path towards a village called Git Bulgara with my mantle on my shoulders where meeting by the way with a country-man who understood me not because I spoke Indian he only apprehended some Arabian words and made signes to me that at the next village I should be understood and helped me himself to carry my Baggadge Being come to a Fishers house we found him mending his nets who at first accost cryed to me Afartas as to bid me I should not be afraid I took him by his countenance to be an honest man he had many children and amongst the rest two tall girles who gazed upon me with wonder at the strangenesse of my habit which was Persian with long Bases a Cassock and a vest like a Honger-line over all of a neat stuffe I opened my chest and took out some bracelets made of Venetian Beads of several colours wherewith I presented them which they accepted with much content even ravished with the prettinesse of these little toyes of glasse but the Father restored them to me again and rebuked them sharply for having taken them conceiving them to be precious stones till with entreaties I prevailed with him to take them and gave them back to his daughters who had never before seen themselves so richly deck'd This good man having hidden my chest and given me notice by signes that I should not speak a word of it to any one lest it should be enquired after caused a Moor to be brought to me who had on his arme a Crosse by whom I understood he had been at Tunis and what was more content to me told me I might travell throughout Africa as far as Cair and Alexandria going from town to town and from dwelling to dwelling with security I had a curiosity to know why he bore that crosse upon his arme he replyed his Father lived at Magadeli and was a Mahometan but that he and the rest to exempt themselves from paying tribute to the Nâ—gus imprinted this mark that they might be known for Christians In the mean while my courteous Host killed a kid and made ready plenty of fish to entertain me adding that though I should stay a twelve moneth entire in his house he could not make satisfaction for the present I had given his daughters who would get husbands much the sooner And really all the neighbours near at hand flocked to behold and admire them with these splendid bracelets and christall pendants red and garnisht with guilt which I hung at their ears when we rose from table notwithstanding their fathers opposition who was ashamed and confounded at my prodigality Some three houres after or thereabout the boat belonging to our ship came to shore where I presently saw my Comrades arrive who had been at sharp words with the Captain for that he permitted me to leave the ship and importunely entreated me to return rather then to expose my self single to the hazard of being devoured by wild beasts till being satisfied by the Moore that we might securely travel through the midst of Africa they took my design themselves and resolved to go strait to Alexandria by the River Cuame which is a branch of Zaire as I said before which falls very gently and the sea at full tide comes in and goes above twenty five leagues upward upon this design we bought two Almadies wherein we stowed our carriage Sieur de la Courbe Cassis my companion and I with our Moore and one Ismaro who came aboard with us at the Cape of Courantes to go for Lisbon we took our leave of our Hoste whose name was Adilau and going along up the River we arrived the first evening at a Town called Alzizir the Lord whereof whom we presented with a paire of knives treated us with much humanity and having feasted us with good cheer lodged us upon cotton quilts On the morrow we took the tyde and in our Almadies going up the river he met two men one of which spake Arabian to us which was much comfort to us he embarked with us promising to wait on us three Moones that is three moneths for a Capos which I gave him At night we landed at Aiasita a convenient town but meanly built whose situation my companion took with his Astrolabe and found it distant from the Line twenty four degrees Being arrived although there were no danger for the rest of our journey we thought best to go together to Belugara to visit the Lord of the place and get a passe from him He was very glad to see us and much the more for a present we made him of a little neat basket a diverse coloured glasse and a pair of knives which he so highly esteemed that he caused us to dine at his own table and gave us a piece of Parchment of Azure colour about the bignesse of a card for play with a writing for our passage gave us a favour two Gazells and two Pea-Birds and caused four small Elephants be made ready to carry us to our Barks which lay some two leagues from thence and he himself bore us company for a quarter of a league mounted on a another little Elephant decently trapped with cotton cloth of several colours The rest of the day we traveld not far by reason the tide was spent as also for that we went a shooting in the woods with our Guns where we found such abundance of white rabbets that they were troublesome and great store of tame Partridges and went through no other then onely the town called Langada belonging to the Prince of Atasinga The Candi came himself to visit us inviting us to stay that night there but in respect the day was far spent we held on our way and arrived something late at a town called Suguelane subject to the Subacchi whither we sent one of our men before to take a lodging for us On a sudden behold a company of young girles who came to us with Pipes and Tabors made of the bark of a tree of one entire piece drawn over with certain fruit which sound much like Cimballs danceing and tripping to the musick of these instruments Sieur de la Courbe gave them a piece of money which on one side had certain characters on the other a crown'd head with a kind of Nosegay in the form of a Pyramid with a great many flowers round about They beheld this piece with much curiosity and one of them holding it aloft to the view of the party the rest fell to dancing
company being composed of persons of divers interests according to their affaires there arose some dispute but at last 't was determined we should go by Gayuelle whither we had seven long dayes journey to avoyd the danger of robbers who are very infestuous to those parts as also the Tigars whereof there is store throughout all Ethiopia and so at length gaine Zuama or Bagamidri where we left our vessels and part of our goods Then we travailed along the river through diverse wild and disinhabited places being ever ready upon our guard for robbers that might way-lay us to ransack what we had and so crossing Areal and Chaussabir two Provinces we met with Heardsmen of exceeding bignesse who kept tame goats which furnished us with milk and cheese and venison as much as we would have for a small quantity of salt in exchange being of opinion we had given them something of high price Not long after we beheld Gazuelle and other small Townes where the greater part are Christians though they hold something of Judaism as I said before As we thought to go take our dinner at Moradar about a league from Almina a stormy wind under a cloak of thick black clouds pursued us at the heels which made us keep near our boats that if the rain should surprize us we might have shelter at hand At the instant two men and a Priest in a gray habit accosted us the Priest with his hat in his hand saluted us in Italian saying he was of Cagliari in Sardaignia and that 't was his desire to return for his Countrey whence he came into Ethiopia with a Roman Bishop who passed to the other world at Magadeli and understanding of some Italians that were travailing through Ethiopia for Egypt he had sought us out to be admitted into our company intending to take ship at Alexandria and steer the course for Italy and so for Rome The two men that were with him gave us high commendations of him assuring us he would pay well for his passage for that the Bishop had left him threescore Doublons for his voyage We made little answer but at the same time two Noblemen overtaking us in Palanquins or Littars born by slaves on their shoulders this Priest made to them and asked an alms and one of them gave him a piece of silver then presently returned to us and as familiarly as we had been acquainted all dayes of our life told us by asking one could loose nothing but the deniall At length we came to Moradar where we stayed our boats as we had often done since the losse of Monsieur de la Courbs man in hope to find the body for he had rich things about him Being at our Inne we smelt a strong sent and found 't was some musk cats this Priest carried with him which he would have trucked with us for other commodities but we were loth to be troubled with such unwholsome things There they brought us to table a dish of raw flesh well seasoned with salt and spices which was of delicate taste and an excellent meat After dinner we observed certain people looking stedfastly in a bright shining bason and asking the reason they told us they were looking to see a troop of Devils that were going to a battail that was presently to be fought We replyed if it might be without danger we should be very glad to participate with them and would content them with a piece of money which they accepted of and the Sieur de la Courb gave them what we promised Hereupon one of them cast a kind of grease upon a chafing dish of burning coals which flamed and went out again and there arose a thick smoak then they perfumed the bason and oyled it with a sort of oyl and in an instant a formidable darknesse involved us and we saw passing in the air as it were great swarms of knats not being able to discern directly what likenesse they were of we desired the Magician he would stay them and ask these Demons or hags whither they went with such celerity then renewing the fumigations and muttering I know not what incantations betwixt the teeth we saw as 't were swarms of Ants which removing on his command in imagination we saw the form of a body covered with linnen without being able to distinguish more but this Phantasme drawing near us such horrour seized us that for my part the hair of my head so started up that it threw my cap on the ground and strait a most loathsom stink as 't were of carrion filled the room this thing gabbled something which the Magician understood and told us he learnt by these demons there was a battaile at hand to be fought by the king of Barma and thither they were travelling to receive the souls of the slaughtered that they had crossed a Sea of darknesse and horrour and the confines of a land where the Sun never shone nor Creature lived and things of the like kind which this man related At last all vanished leaving a scene of such lovely trees that from thence-forward we were bewitched with no such unlucky ambition to see Diabolicall delusions But to our businesse after many daies travaile we arrived at Bagamidri where we learnt the rest of our Company who would not come along with us stayed for us at Zambera or Zambre a gentile Town upon the lake of Zuame We were thirteen dayes travelling this shore where we found many villages or hamlets but few good dwellings from Zets to Casera which are the best Towns 't is three dayes journey and from Abiari which is the Bishoprick of St. Abiblicano three more and to Cafata four we had extraordinary rains all this way which neverthelesse hindered not our journey We made five dayes from Cafate to Girat and two to Gisara in the Province of Ambian from thence in six dayes we reached to Samodera a very neat Town betwixt two Rivers and in two and a half to Cosiana where we found the Princesse of Bilibranos with eight Almadies in whose Company we reached in three dayes to Cabestane in two more to Cabesera and in a day and a halfe to Ambadara or Ambadora From thence we went to Albias or Albian a small Town but full stocked with people here we lodged at a Dragoyan merchants house who was married there and he let us want for nothing At this Town in the River were abundance of tame ducks and a number of displumed geese as likewise most part of the ducks were the rest frizeled which caused a laughter amongst us to see these poor birds so ill apparelled which some of the Town observing and amongst them some of the Consuls or Magistrates themselves called the Abiari they told us when these should come to our table they would bring us a double pleasure both in eating and sleeping and at last we understood 't was usual to pull their fowle alive to stuffe their beds with the feathers making little cases
himself to his bed whence he never rose again Thus was the good man abused by the knavish cheats To second this I shall tell you of an exploite was put upon me in this very voyage I intended for Naples to buy some horses for which purpose I had a good handsom sum of money I had taken for pearls I brought from Lisbone and sold to the Marquesse of Oraison which I had put in two bags whereof one I ever carried about me One day passing through the market Colonna I observed a Goldsmith well furnished with jewels and having cheapned a good diamond of about four or five carrats weight and a good luster by reason the Bishop of Marseills desired me to buy him one if I met with a good bargain we agreed for threescore and odd pistols which I laid down but he recanting and demanding more I withdrew my money Upon this comes in a man in good fashion his beard white and a black velvet cap and told me in private if I would buy a good diamond or other jewels he would shew me those were good and at a reasonable rate I took the man for some Senatour or person of quality and followed him though the Goldsmith pulled me by the sleeve to come into his shop again As we went along my Gentleman entertained me with discourse of severall jewels he had at his Chamber without Port Popolo at last he had brought me to a place out of all wayes near the Palle Malle by the wall side I began to suspect some mischief when I heard a Faquin by the way bid farewell such a one calling him by his name and as I was thinking to take my leave of him and go back again I was seized upon by four or five Ruffians who set a dagger to my breast and made me deliver my purse and the bag I had about me and my guide vanished so as I could see him no more In this miserable condition I came back to Rome full of shame and sadnesse and though I spoke not a word of it yet my misfortune was immediately divulged through all Rome how I had been cheated by one in such cloaths who was known and famous for such a one he was not long after apprehended and meeting me I knew him not at all having cut his hair and changed his cloathes and stoutly denyed the fact They shewed me some pieces of gold which I claimed as my own but that was all I could get Notwithstanding he was within few dayes after with two of his Comrades hanged convicted of divers other robberies Being upon return to Marseills I made a digression towards the river Genes and Malta and by reason the plague was at Martigues I could not without difficulty be admitted into Ville Franche to take a bill of health to crosse the River Genes where they are exceeding severe upon such occasions The day after I arrived coming abroad two houres before day to take fresh ayr I heard a doleful voyce coming as I thought from Capo Ferino that cryed Alas kill me not and take all I have and after some profound groanes cease The day brought the matter to light and it appears a poor man was murthered by some of Nice persons of quality and free from suspition For these people with the Castle-Frigot went aboard a Bark and having put all to the sword and pilladged sunk it but God for his just judgement permitted him who sate at helme to leap into the water and being ignorant of swimming they say a Dolphin came betwixt his legges and carried him to shore then knocking at the Castle Gate he was brought wet as he was before the Governour to whom he related that some with the Castle Frigot had boarded their vessell and used them as I told you The Governour amazed at the matter called for him who had charge of the Frigot to know to whom he had delivered it who told him that such and such had taken it without asking because he had ever allowed them the priviledge The Governour put on his clothes and went to the shore where he found his Frigot drawn on land and a boy washing away some blood which was in it for it seems one of the Bark endeavouring to escape they took him killed him and threw him into the sea The Governour quietly asked what he was doing he cunningly answered they had in the night taken a great Fish and that he was washing away the blood In the instant came he who had taken away the Frigot to give good morrow to the Governour whom the Marriner immediately knew and cryed out that was he who had done the fact whereupon the Gentleman with two others were brought to the Castle and upon triall executed two more escaped but being taken afterwards paid the same rates confessing many more murthers and vessels sunk amongst others one wherein were 22. Religious Jesuits and Capucins whom they wrapt all in a saile and cast into the sea having pilladged what they had Thence we went to the Town of Genes in company of one Alari who had brought Hawkes to the King and was going towards the Dutchy of Vrbina and being at Vay about three or four miles from Savona they would not suffer us on any conditions to passe further and of necessity we must turn our course to the mountains of Mountferrat a country pester'd with Bandits and such other in which passage we were rob'd and poor Alari lost above two thousand franks which he had in his Valice We met with many difficulties in this passage crossing through narrow passages fill'd up with snow by Alcare to Casoanta Alexandria Placenta Parma Bolonia Florence and Rome where we arrived against the canonization of some Saints I got Letters from Sieur Guileo Falio Embassadour of Malta for some of the money owing me by the Grand Master Thence we came to Naples where such a famine raigned that the women in mutiny threw stones at the Governour in his Coach the Cardinal and Sapata whose heeles saved his life Then we took a Frigot for Messina and by edict we were to take no more bread aboard then for half a day I brought halfe a crowns worth which I hid under the Planks we had been undone if it had been found and the souldiers were exact searchers we suffer'd some hardship when we had no bread to our meat yet so we passed two dayes intire and putting in at the Pouilla we could not amongst all the Fisher-men for any money buy a morsel nor could have any thing amongst them but fish which we afterwards trucked with a youth for bread he had in reserve coming to Asilla there we got bread thence to Messina through the Straight so dangerous for three or four leagues where violence of the winde cast us on the Rocks I got as well as I could to land but seeing some women left in the Bark and ready to perish I perswaded a young shoomaker to assist me nnd in
days we came to Cape Nona where we took in fresh water and seven dayes after we arrived at the white Cape a main shelter in the winter season where the fish lye so thick the ship brushes and rubbes upon them as 't were sayling through a shelf of sand There we found two vessels a Fleming and a Marseillian the Master whereof was John Baptista le vust called Servat who for his Merchant employed Aurigues the 15. of November we were upon a River of Guinea called Senega I ever carried with me a little memorial or diurnall where I set down all the curiosities I met with for which purpose I informed my self of the scituation of the countrey the quality of the Prince and government of which I will make a brief relation Guinea on the West is bounded with the River Senega which ingulfs into the Ocean at sixteen degrees to the North and the borders of Angela are at thirteen Guinea is divided into the high and the low the high Guinea inclines to the North the lower lyes along the Senega which they call Jeni and reaches to the kingdome Manicongo that begins at the first degree of the Line Upon the coast of Cape Verde are many Islands of one appellation the principal is of S. James in the hands of the Portuguese since the year 1446. where they have a well-fortified town and a Bishoprick stil'd Civitad an Island of 60. miles in length and 36. in breadth a mountanous country where they have never rain but in September and October which comprehend their winter The valleyes are fertile and afford excellent Melons the year round Dates and Sugar-canes in abundance flesh of all sorts Fowle and Venison with beards of horses and special good 'T is inhabited as that of S. Thomas by a conflux of all nations and the ayre being unwholesome they transport their infirm to an Island two leagues distant called Praya under a fine climate the ayr healthful and a commodious Haven betwixt two fair Rivers which compose two gulphs for harbours one whereof is capable to containe many vessels in security having before the mouth of it a little Island which guards it from the Maritime gusts and the land lying high defends it from windes by shore The other Islanders affect to land at this Port for that the rest are pester'd with sands and chiefly Borlouento and S. Thomas where there is ever some vessel cast away This Isle lyes close upon the Isle of Mago otherwise called Barlouento and near to Bona Vista Saint Nicholas Saint Anthony Saint Vincent Saint Lucie and Fell Islands plentifull of Cattle and Venison the inhabitants applying themselves onely to the chase powdering the flesh to sell to strangers as the skinnes likewise A little Eastward lyes the Isle del Fuego where they get as good wine as in the Canaries next is the Isle of Braua full of Venison and wilde Beeves whereof the Hydes are much sought after as being thick and tough But to Guinea the kingdome of the Jalofes is the first which beginnes Northward at the River Senega hath the Ocean on the West the Jalofes called Fonlogageias on the East and the kingdom of Barbessin on the South 't is above a hundred and fifty leagues in length of several commodities there is abundance as gold and silver which the natives conceale with all care from strangeers though in dealing with them 't is plain they have store for that by whiles they produce some unfined Taboucaton is their chief town They are Blacks but of good shape the women comely round-faced with eyes lively and attractive The men are martial dextrous in throwing a Javelin which they will throw with as exact arm as we shoot with our Gunnes They ride on good horses clothe as the African in short breeches a large Harnus like a sheet of wollen covers them from head to foot shod with Date-tree Sandals Vpon the coast they have the good and well-fortified Haven Beziguche whose entrance is skreen'd with a fair Island much frequented with strangers trading for the Indies Here are many Portuguese setled amongst them some married others who think of nothing but to heap up gold living something after the Barbarian Many of the Blacks go naked painted with dissolved gold their bodies carved and drawn with a various tincture as azure red and yellow which hold their life-time There are amongst them maids adorned in the same manner with great pendants in their ears and their lips pierced like the Brasilians they are generally libidinous and given over to luxury They who are thus engraved and inlay'd with paints or juyce of hearbs most commonly do it for want and this curiosiry is their attire Throughout the coast we find abundance of leather wax gold silver ivory and Amber-gris which is the reason the English Hollanders and Flemings visit them so oft The Jalofes are easie of belief and inclined to Christianity when they behold the Moon they make strong ejulations with sorts of adoration They adore yet some other Idols which neverthelesse fixe not their faith the Mahometans on one side who impugne them with their law on the other the Portuguese preaching ours and their own Priests charming them with their delusions and Idolatries They make their sacrifices in the woods making large hollow trees their Temples where they keep many Idols to which they sacrifice pulse Mill Rice and the blood of beasts whose flesh they eat The countrey of Bracala confines upon the rapide River of Gambra which in the mouth is five good leagues over ships cannot enter it without a direct wind with which they may advance three hundred leagues within the Countrey This River cuts the great kingdome of Mandinga in the middle peopled with Blacks Idolaters and abundance of Sorcerers wicked treacherous and base people When they hold a counsel t is in a cavern under ground to secure them from the prying of strangers They have store of Brasil wood as good as they of America and upon the river many townes and villages where they mantain many vessels of Warre to encounter with any whatsoever but upon advantage This countrey ends Southward at the Cape of S. Mary 30. leagues from the river Chougala by the Portuguese called S. Dominick There are two nations of the same quality the Barbachins called Ariates and Falupes who trade in nothing but fish and cattel They have an excellent way to take the sea-oxe the skins whereof they make great use of They apply themselves to till the soyle and get Mill Rice Pulse and other graine Out of this countrey comes the River Casamanca bounded Northward with the Jabundos on the South with the people of Bemum who on the East have the Casangas Of late yeares the Portuguese have discovered a way by an Arme of the Sea to Casangas and for this purpose have erected a good Fort upon the cheek of it called S. Philips This kingdome reaches Northward to Jaren and together do homage to the Sultanship
must be the dog or Medusa's head Six Poles with the Indians The Zodiack St. Basil in Exameron The Earth square with the Chinesses The opinion of the Gâ—eek Philosophy of the forme of the Earth Antripodes by whom not believed Virgill Bishop of Strasbourg Sinabo Drogomania may be Dragoian or Turcomania Deserts of Tartary Persian Asses Serpents good meat fierâ—e dogs Volmous This must be the great Mogor A History of an Incubus Phlegon Trallianus The adventures of Amador a Painter Maps of Africa defective The extent of Africa See Pliny l. 5. c. 1. of the Cavarianâ— of Affrick Leon of Africa lib. 1. cap. 11. Majesty of the King of Tombut Africans who adore the Sun The Empire of the Abissins The prodigious greatnesse of Africa The division of Africa Read Andrew Corsals letter of this Island A Topography of the Island S. Laurence Chreumain or Indian Safron Garcias l. 1. c. 39. Igname or Inhame a root The occupations of the Inhabitants of Madagascar Birds of Paradice Crocodils and the manner how to take them Janiharou a Town and River Isles of Theives The Coco tree The root Joguia Belugara Windes which preserve bodies incorruptible Lib. 11. c. 2. Christians in Bâ—lugara The town of Monbaze A merry passage see the like story in the first part The manner how they receive Embassadors Melinde Town and Kingdom Melons of excellency The Prince of Mâ—linde a gâ—ave Justiciar Quiloa Zanguefar Zanzebar The river Humes Mozambique Salomons gold Zinguebar Abassins The Isle Zunan The lake Zaflan Magnice a river Zaire and Zembre Rivers in Suama Divers rivers in Couama Goldmines Alvarez testifies that in the mines of Chaxumo there are stones of 64 fathoms six in breadth and three height The author changes the design of his first voyage The courtesie of savages The Abifsins imprint a Crosse on their flesh Suguelane agisimba Monopotapa Mines of salt Madrogan the chief town of Monopotapa Subjects zealous to their Prince Lions skins Land Tortoises The extent of the Abissins country Manzua Câ—dignus others Kingdomes Tributes paid to Preste John Ethiopia double The Abissins religion See Aluarez ch 41. The reverence they bear to sacred places Causes of the flowing of Nile Abba Licanus who some say baptized Candace the Queen Aluarez ch 14 Amazons People black and white Aranuhi A hundred weight Calscenas Pâ—este Jâ—hns messengers Aluaca 141. Aua. c 8. Betudete a grear officer Al. c. 69. Tabuto the altar stone Ariates The triumphall entrance of the Negus into Barra Ganfrila and Drafrila Al. calls it Gauete Mongibir Romarins Christians Strange prostitution of wives See Al. cap. 58. and 59. This is Domine miserere nobis Aluarez cals them Debiteres The cannons of Ethiopia Of this Abraham See Al. ca. 54. Israelites is as much as Princes of the blood-royal or officers descended from those Jews who came thither in the daies of Salomon Al. c. 61. 138. Alu. saith the Priests Cannons are single Monkes married Instituted since Al. time who speaks not of them Look Al. Gâ—es Godagne and the modern relations of the Jesuites Abiblicains Bilibranos the name of a Monastery Dragoyan or Doragila in sum See Mark Pol. l. 3. â— 17 Or Zabano as the Persians call them See the first part c. 37. which must be Medusa's head or the dog or one of Orion Al. sayes they call it Berenegus c 46. Sabalete a river Al. ca. 52. Saba called Sabin by Al. c. 41. May be the Monastery of Abba Gariman Bernusse a sort of African cloth Tamatan Lacque sanguine colour for Painters The same we read in the History of Ganfredi See if this may be in S Aug. l. 18. c. 18. De civitate Dei See Leon. Afr. l. 8. Truebalm Pe Mar. in his Lega babil l. 3. who sayes 't is in the year 1502 this plant was lost See Monardes Hieroglyphicks Mummie Alexandria Seques Sbelus heretofore Syrtes Ermin a Judge Leon. Abr. l. 3. Mahazin Zaira The Turks Religion Turkâ—sh justice A descriptiâ—n of the Seraglio Bashaw Abrahor the master of horse A History The fortunate Island A violent tempest Aroucaneâ— Cuba an Island Espaniola Magana The History of Bibical King Biblical The Isles of the Antilles Canibals hunt men and women Cruelty of the Spaniards Indians aversion to the Spaniard Coast of Mexico Admirable windes The Torrid Zone A mystical fruit Three regions of America South America The frozen Sea Bacalao Codfish Military dogs Unfortunate love A prodigious lightning French hanged in Florida The temperature of Mexico The Ancient Mexicans People of Mexica A stratagem The Mexicans sacrifices The Mexicans Idoâ— The Mexican year month Chicora The Mexican wheel Ceremonies and Prayers Their dances Burning Mountains A History of a covetous Priest Montezama King of Mexica Ferdinand Cortez conquered Mexica Spanish vanity A tree yielding all necessaries Fruit used for mony Jucataen Panama The extent of Peru. Qâ—ito Casio Plata A wind of the use of rain Munkeys Temper of Peru. Mines in Potossi Earthquakes A discovery Amazonâ—â— Strange beasts Birds of prodigious greatness Tabala Plumes in use A good bargain Fish of Mexico Mines of silver Mines of gold and silver The manner of their working in the Mine Quicksilver Pearle-fishing Men divers Emeralds enemies of incontinency Peru by whom discovered By whom civilized Calander of Peru. Incas or Kings of Peru. Presage of the Spaniards arrivall Cruelty revenged The strait of Magellan Paragows Chica a Countrey Wingless birds The river Orellanâ— Brasile Brasile by whom discovered In 1533. Villegagnon Customes of the Brasilians Brasilians man-eaters Prisoners of War Savages indued with reason