some Beads with which they decked their Bodies and in their Ears they had long pieces of Wood and round Stones They had brought a thousand Trifles as Gumbs Egrets Feathers and Parrots Tobacco and other Things which the Country afforded I did my Duty in Exchanging and took as much of their Merchandize as I possibly could We made our Bargains without speaking Merchandize of the Country shewing by signs what we would have or give The King of this Country of Yapoco named Anacajoury was then making ready Cannoe's to go against the Caribes This was the cause that we could not then make much Bartering in thâ—s place For they were all busie at work some at the Cannoes others to make Arms for their Visage and others to prepare Victuals which was the Women's Province we saw all those People mighty busie at that Wine of the Country Amongst others they made a certain Wine or Drink of Fruits which inebritates like Beer or Citre They chaw a certain Root then Boil it and after Strain it There is another sort of it more thick which is made of Fruits and Palms as big as a Gall-Nut they bruise only the Bark which is upon them it 's as yellow as an Orange for they make nothing of the Nut after that they Boil and Strain it They have another sort which might be taken for clear Milk mixed with soft Cheese I had a great mind to Taste of it besides being desired by them to Drink I would not refuse for fear they should have thought that I intended 'em any harm insomuch that they were mightily pleased to see me Drink of it They do not love Melancholly and green Persons and if you make sport with them in Jest it must be Nature and Manners of those Indians in Laughing I clapped them sometimes upon the Back with my Hand in Jest but they would always return again the like in Laughing They are very hardy and warlike courteous and liberal and have very cheerful Looks The Caribes are not so for they would give us as the saying is not so much as a * Patato Patatte This is a Root like a Turnip but longer and of a red and yellow colour It is of a very good taste and they Eat it boiled or roasted upon the Coals but if it is often Eat of it is very Disrellishing and Windy As for Fruits they have several Fruits sorts of 'em good to Eat but wild and unknown to us except the Ananana's or Figs which are very long and as big as a great Pudding They have Plantanes or Fig-Trees which the Spaniards call Plantins They make small thin Cakes of Casavâ— which is a Root that they Grate upon a Stone or a piece of Wood made in the form of a File not having any Mortar to bruise it in Then they put 〈◊〉 it into a great Basket made of little Twigs like Willows These Roots also yield a juice which is poisonous After having well pressed it dried it and sop'd it in Water they make it 〈◊〉 into a Paste spread it upon a great flat Stone that is upon the Fire which gives it the form of a very thin Cake When it is done so it may be kept three or four years or more so it be laid in a dry place I tasted of it but it did not relish as our Bread and I believe that one would soon be weary of Eating it often They make several other sorts of things to Eat but very course and grosly which is not very pleasant to those who are not accustomed vvith them I saw them make their preparations in the Lodgings of their King Anacajoury to Victual the Cannoes which were to go to the War but they put all these Casaves or Cakes which I spoke of into a Pile in the middle of the House and their Drink in Gourd Bottles which hold more than a Pail For these Gourd Bottles are of a wonderful greatness in comparison to ours I saw at the House of this King a Caribe-Slave whom they made to work to get ready these Victuals for the War This little Naval Army was about 35 Cannoes with 25 or 30 men in each But to return again to our arrival in this place of Yapaco as soon as we King Anacajoury were entered into this Country the King Anacajoury gave us two of his Nephews in Hostage if by chance any of ours should there loose himself or his way The Grandchild of this King led me about the Woods for all the Coast is covered with Trees and there was some Indians with him This little Boy was very brisk and mighty witty for a Savage and shewed me the Fruits which Mancenille Fruâ—t were good to Eat and which not Amongst others they have a Fruit called Mancenille of the bigness of an Orange very yellow and beautiful to look upon but yet so venomous that they say if it is put never so little to the Mouth it kills immediately and the Fish themselves which are all along the Coast who suck this Fruit are carried by the Sea to Land for the Tree which bears it is near to Sea which comes up into these Woods and drags along with it a thousand sorts of Fruits as we saw in the River of the Amazons The Fish who suck this Fruit peel and loose their Scales Whosoever Eats of this Fish loose all their Epiderme or Upper-Skin like the Lepers who Eat the Flesh of Vipers As soon as any one finds himself seiz'd with such an accident they presently conjecture they have Eat of the Poison of Mancenâ—lle as the Spaniards have named it who inhabit these Indies This King's Grand-Child shewed me several Herbs which they make use of and one amongst others which Antidote against Poison serves them for an Antidote when they are struck with Poisoned Arrows I took some of the Leaves of this Herb to compound an Unguent which is an excellent remedy for Wounds and other Sores I would also have plucked up some of the Root but this little Boy would not suffer it And besides the Indians who were with him seemed to be very angry he had shewed me this Plant which they prised and esteemed above all others I would not insist any more thereupon for fear his Grand-Father should be displeased with me After I had gathered a great quantity of Plants Fruits and other Rarities I returned on board the Ship to lock them up On Tuesday the 11th of April I went to their Habitations to see if I could get any more Curiosities taking some Knives and other Pedlars-Ware to exchange with them Our Piloâ— being with me we went into a Cabin where there were a great number of Indians Men and Women and there were amongst the rest some about 17 or 18 years of Age pounding in a Mortar made of a hollow piece of Wood with a long Stick I also took a Stick to help her to Pound of which she was very
arrived the next day towards the Evening and cast Marguerite Island Anchor near to a little Habitation on the East-side Then we sent our Boat on Land with Arms to discover the place They found Fire still in the Houses but no Body within all being fled into the Woods at the sight of us We found a Cannoe which came from Fishing of Pearls not having any thing in it but Shells The Master's Mate was sent to a rising Ground in the Island to see if he could discover any thing He espied 3 or 4 Blacks who run away into the * Thorn-Bushes as soon as they saw him and it was impossible to find 〈◊〉 them out tho' very diligent search was made We had a great mind to take some one of the Islanders to shew us the place where they Fish for Pearls which is in certain places along by the Isle but it was impossible to find any one of them The third of June in the night time we had so violent a Tempest that our Ship was in danger to have run aground but leaving an Anchor in the Sea to save the Ship we were preserved from this imminent danger The fourth day of the same month seeing we could not find any sweet Water we weighed our Anchors and bore towards Cumana and arriving 2 or 3 Leagues on this side we perceiv'd Cumana a Fleming Ship in a Bay or Gulf lading with Bay-Salt which is there in abundance We cast Anchor on the Starboard-side of her and put out our Boat into the Sea to Board them and so to ask them where we might find some fresh Water After having saluted us with their Cannon they told us that bearing towards the River of Cumana we should find some and that we should by the way meet their Shalop which they had sent there which we did accordingly but the Men therein would come near us by no means they were so afraid needlesly We continued our Course towards Cumana where coming near the River Extream Thirst we espied along the Coast two Ships at Anchor not knowing what they should be Nevertheless we proceeded on for it was necessary to have Water and could not live without Drinking We found that of these two Ships the â—encounter with the English one was a Fleming and the other English The Fleming Traffick'd there underhand with those of Cumana where the Spaniards are And the English Patache came there to seek some fresh Water for their Admiral whom she had left along by the Margueritta 〈◊〉 After several Guns for Salutation the English came on Board our Ship Feasting our English Pilot and 5 or 6 others of their Countrymen which we had in our Ship Our Trumpeter shewed me their Strange History of â—n English 〈◊〉 Pilot and told me that he some years before being in an English Vessel as they were upon the Coasts of the West-Indies towards St. John de Love the first place of the Indies to go to Mexico where the Spaniards are then their Sworn Enemies a great Storm overtook them which cast them upon the Coast where they were all lost except this Pilot who saved himself by Swiming to Land carrying with him a little Sea-Compass and went thus wandring about to return by Land to the Newfound Countries Upon that he had found an Indian-Woman of whom he was Enamoured making her fine Promises by Signs that he would Marry her which she believed and conducted him through these Desarts where she shewed him the Fruit and Roots good to Eat and served him for an Interpreter amongst the Indians which he found she telling them that it was her Husband After having been thus 2 or 3 years continually wandering about and that for above 800 Leagues without any other Comfort but this Woman At last they arrived at the Newfoundland guiding himself by his Compass They had a Child together and found there an English Ship a Fishing He was very glad to see himself escaped from so many Dangers and gave these English an account of all hiâ— Adventures They took him on Board their Vessel to make him good chear but being ashamed to take along with him this Indian-Woman thus Naked he left her on Land without regarding her any more But she seeing her self thus forsaken by him whom she had so dearly Loved and for whose sake she had abandonned her Country and Friends and had so well guided and accompanied him through such places where he would without her have been dead a thousand times After having made some Lamentation Strange and Cruel Acts of an 〈…〉 full of Rage and Anger she took her Child and tearing it into two pieces she cast the one half towards him into the Sea as if she would say that belonged to him and was his part of it and the other she carried away with her returning back to the Mercy of Fortune and full of Mourning and Discontent The Seamen who took this Pilot into their Boat seeing this horrible and cruel Spectacle asked him why he had left this Woman but he pretended she was a Savage and that he did not now heed her which was an extream Ingratitude and Wickedness in him Hearing this I could not look upon him but always with Horrour and great Detestation After then that we had Feasted one another the English Convoyed Water found us to get some Water All the night long I went to Drink in full Streams to compense the former Thirst I endur'd filling the empty Vessels of my Chest for the time to come In the morning before we set Sail two Spaniards with an Indian-Woman came from Cumana on Board to exchange Pearls with some of our Merchandize but we had nothing fit for them We weighed then our Anchors and took our Course the 5th of June and repassing along by the Isle of Margueritta and the White Island we went to get out of the Channel by the Virginies But having Virginia seen there a great Ship at Anchor we could not imagine what she should be whether English or Spanish we passed close by her without perceiving any one upon the Deck And bearing a little further we perceived a great Ship in form of a Galley coming full sail upon us We kept our selves to the Wind as much as we could nevertheless we were prepared to receive them but the night coming on when they were near us and at such time when we thought to come to handy-Blows this great Ship that we had left at Anchor made a Fire on Land which made them leave of Chasing us We bore all night along by Portorico and Portorico the next day at night the 12th of July passed all the Island We saw our selves at break of day out of the Channel and very joyful that we were in the main-Main-Sea holding our Course about the height of the Isle of Bermuda We had tarried a long time without making any way because Bermude-Isle of the Calms And visiting our
in Syria where they use a certain Vessel pierced with holes at the bottom and make their Tears run down from thence right upon the Sepulcher which is environed with all kind of Flowers I will add to this that all the Moors are nothing else but Captives Slaves Moors Slaves to their King of their King for they dare not so much as stir out of the Country and Kingdom without his express Licence and Command as I have taken notice of several times at Saffy I remember one day a young Man a Moor having by chance cast himself into a Boat of the Christians out of curiosity or to play and Fish the Haquin seeing him caused him to be taken by his Serjeants then to be laid upon the Ground and cruelly Bastinadoed Whilst I was at Saffy waiting for my departure I went about the Fields and Desarts to look for Plants and delicate Flowers to carry to the King I gathered a great many of them which I laid up and having caused Biscuit to be made for my Voyage with other Refreshments we set sail the 24th of Jan. 1607. and having contrary Winds Departure for France towards the South Line Having been driven from one side to the other we arrived in the end near the Coast of England in very tempestuous weather having been so beaten by contrary Winds we knew not well how far we had to any Land in regard that we were scarce able to take the heighth of the Sun or Stars But thereupon seeing a Ship coming much about the bigness of ours streight to us we lowred our Sails to tarry for her making signs for her to come up which they did telling us that the South Line was very near South-line us and what Wind was best for us to take We were very glad at this news and a little after we saw the South-Line but the Weather was very tempestuous and I believe that without this advice we should have gone near to have lost our selves on the Rocks which are low and in great numbers Being entered into the Channel we descried a Ship making full sail upon us and believing that it was a Fleming we prepared our selves to receive her but the night coming on which was very Stormy we lost her bearing more to the N.E. The next morning we saw the Isle of Wight imagining Wight-Island it was the Land of England But approaching nearer we sound out our mistake and Coasting it a little we perceiv'd the Land of England which lay to the N. E. of us and went to cast Anchor in a Bay which advanced into the Land and where there was a little Village Those of the place seeing us Anchor there came on board us and told us that when the Sea went out we should be a-ground and that it behoved us to set sail in all haste to go to a Port not far from thence so they helped and conducted us to the said Port near the * Ports-mout Poulle in a Creek not far from a Tower where we were at Harbour But the night being come we had the strangest and most horrible Storm that had been heard of of a long time insomuch that Horrible â—â—mpest we were forced to cast 3 or 4 Anchors which were all little enough to hold our Ship This happened on Shrove-Tuesday the 27th of Feb. and in this Storm two Ships were lost near the Isle of Wight the one a Fleming who was lading and the other a French who seeing themselves near being lost put out the Boat to save themselves leaving nothing in the Ship save a Cat But these People approaching near Land a Wave came which oâ—erturned the Boat and they were all lost The Ship in the mean time went with a right Winds towards Plimouth a Town and Port of England Some People from the Coast seeing this Ship thus sail towards Land where there was no Port ran to give them notice thereof But calling out aloud and no Strange Accident one answering they knew not what to think judging they might be Pirates who had not a mind to be known In the end seeing the Ship like to be cast away they resolved to Board her and entering they found nothing but this Cat at which they were mightily astonished and took the Ship into Port It was laden with Corn and after having heard that the People were lost near the Isle of Wight they left it in the hands of the Justice until it might be restored to the right Owners This great Storm the cause of all these Accidents was such that it caused a great distraction and loss of People along the Coast of England as we heard since When we came to Portsmouth we found out the Truth of this and how the Sea had overwhelmed certain places a good way within Portsmouth which is a pleasant Sea Port Portsmouth Town After having been some days at Portsmouth to refresh our selves and to wait for a Wind to carry us to Havre-de-Grace where our Ship was to go to leave there some Merchandize of Barbary When the Wind was favourable to us we set sail the 16th of March and the nexâ— day in the evening we arrived at the Haven for which I praised God for having delivered me from so many Perils and Dangers and going by Land to Roan I there tarried for my Materials which were brought in the Hoy and having received and laded them in a Boat upon the River I went straight to Paris where I arrived the 25th of March From thence I went to Fontainebleau to give the King an account of my Voyage and to present him with the Plants and Rarities which Ihad brought with which his Majesty was mighty well pleased enquiring of me several things to which I answered him in the best manner I could And desiring to know further of me what it was that Muley-Zidan did I answered him that he had encamped in the Desarts with his Army and amongst other things I gave him account of 3 Cavalliers belonging to Muley-Boufairs his Brother with whom he had War the which being come into his Almahalle to render themselves to him he demanded of them if they came to him of their own Free-Will and having answered him they did and that they had quitted Muley-Boufairs because they had been falsly accused of a Robbery in the Juderie at Morocco Zidan hearing this asked them if they took him for a Receiver of Robbers and thereupon commanded them to be Beheaded shewing thereby a great Act of Justice for a Barbarian and Mahometan Having finished this Discourse and several others to the late King and presented him with the Plants and Rarities and the White Honey of Africa exceeding clear and excellent of which his Majesty tasted and caused me to lay it carefully up I went back to Paris to think in good earnest of the Voyage that I had a mind to make to the East-Indies A Description of the following Cutts The First The manner
to lie along upon the ground as the Portugals do to their Slaves and others then caused him to have three blows with a Cane slâ—t in two and then was let go Now when there arrives any Ships in the Ports of China to put off their Merchandise the Chineses coming for the custom take the length and the breadth of the Ship then after that they know within a very small matter what the Ship carries they pay accordingly without regarding what the Merchandize is As for the Chineses at their meat they eat like Gluttons and with an ill grace as I have often taken notice of in eating and drinking with them They have this custom never to touch the meat they eat but have two little spatules of hard wood very neatly made like forks which they hold betwixt their fingers they eat the flesh of Dogs which is a great dish amongst them they are also mightily used to Rice and little Bread As for their Houses they are very sumptuous and adorned with all sortâ— of pretty Devices They also are very Voluptuous as well Men as Women But to return to Goa I think it not much amiss to relate what a Portugal Gentleman told me of their Adventures which was that once going to War towards the South Sea with the Naval Army of Galiots which every year go out against the Malabars about the middle of September when their Winter is past and at the same time another Army goes out to the North Sea which is towards the Red Sea The Captains of the Army held Council together to go into a Habitation of the Gentiles along by the Coast near to Cochin to take away by force a Golden Pagod very great with other little ones who were in a certain Temple there But forasmuch as these Gentiles were Confederates with the Portugals they would not do this enterprise in the day-time but went one night to go ashore in this little City not far from the Sea where the Pagod was and setting foot on Land they set Fire in every place to fright these poor People and so went straight to the Pagod but the Fire passed so quickly that before they had Power to take the Idol it forced them to retire a little faster than they came and had no more time than only to snatch the Pendants and Rings from the Ears and Fingers of these poor Religious Women who were shut up Dancing all the night in their Pagod according to their Custom They were near 500 and seeing the Enemy entering they all assembled themselves together fastening their Legs and Arms one within another that 't was impossible for the Portugals to draw so much as one of them out But seeing the Fire at their Heels they only snatched away the Jewels from their Ears their Fingers they cruelly cut off to have the Rings and they made such a lamentable noise that 't was a great pity to hear them The Portugals flying away from the Iâ—ire left all these Religious young Women to be Burnt none being able to succour them and thus cruelly do the Portugals treat their best Friends and Confederates He who related to me this pitious History was named Don Louts Lobe who was of this enterprise and told me that this uproar moved him from his very Heart to Pity As for what concerns the City of Goa and the Country round about I pretend not here to make an exact and ample Discription yet I desire the Reader to take notice that that little which I speak is no more than what my Memory was able to furnish me withall for being upon the places I was so carefully watched as are all Strangers and especially the French that I could put nothing in Writing And this was the principal cause of my Imprisonment at Mosambique being accused of having made a Ruttier of the Sea which thing the Portugals fear the most not being willing that the French English or Hollanders should know any thing of those Countries I will say of Goa in a few words that it is a City excellent well scituated in an Island environed with the River some part level and other mountainous and may be about as big as Tours but Peopled with all Nations of India It is very well built in its Churches Hospitals Colleges publick Palaces and particular Houses of the Portugals and Natives which are of a reddish Bastard Marble and Free-Stone The other Houses of the Indians are like Cabins built with Earth and some Stone They have a great number of Gardens with Tanques or great Ponds to Bath in and many Fruit Trees The Country is good and fertile bearing Rice twice a year The Gentiles have liberty of their Religion but are not suffered to have any Pagod or Temple within the City but only in the main-land and out of the Isle When these Gentiles and Idolaters come to Die if they leave little Children the Jesuits are careful to take and bring them up and instruct them in the Faith and therefore for their Pains they seize upon their Lands Inheritances and Goods My Host a Christian Indian told me that he had been served after this manner without being a jot the better instructed As for the Men of War they are about 1500 or 2000 according as the Fleets arrive I saw a General-Muster of all the Inhabitants bearing Arms as well the Portugals as Natives and Indians and were sound to be about 4000 They did that being that time in fear of the Hollanders who scowered the Sea with a great number of Vessels I neither knew nor met with any Frenchman there but a good Father Jesuit named Estienne de la Croix Native of Roan of whom I received no small kindness I also saw 3 others who had escaped from the Maldives amongst whom was one named Francois Pirard a Briton who has Writ the History of his Voyages I was told that 3 Months before I arrived at Goa there went away from thence a French Gentleman named de Feynes ho caused himself to be called the Count of Monsert He was mighty skillful in the Art of Blowing up places which was the cause of his Misfortune for coming from Persia to Ormus as he was discoursing there that he knew the way of Blowing up a Fortress was it never so strong he was presently laid hold of as a Prisoner and carried to Goa where he was kept in Prison for fear he would observe the Fortresses and the first Fleet that returned to Portugal he was sent therein and kept Prisoner at Lisbon until Monsieur du Mayne went into Spain who obtain'd his Deliverance As for what concerns the Fertility of the Land of Goa and what it produces I remit you to what has been written by the Portugals only I say that the Fruit most necessary for the life of Man is that of the Palm This Tree is Spongy having little Strings or Veins environed with a Pellicule and draws its substance from the Sandy-Earth from which it also draws
Jacob 's House From thence we passed through Deserts where was a great Number of Tents of the Arabs on each side and began to mend our pace for the great Fear we were in without resting or refreshing our selves at all and I was very angry with my Turk who would not give me time to eat a bit of Bread being very weak having set out a little after Midnight and made so much way and besides our evil Fortune was not to find the least drop of Water to drink When we had passed all these Habitations of Arabs we went to pitch along by a Rock where it was exceeding hot and there seeking for Water we found some though very little which was Rain-water kept there a long time We had a mind to taste of it but it was so bitter and stinking that it was impossible to swallow the least drop thereof tho' I formerly had drank that which had been very bad and fancied that the Lizards Serpents and other venomous Creatures which are there in abundance had come to drink and to plunge themselves therein Our Turks though they are exceeding dry and are rustical and rough in their manner of living could not drink the least drop thereof By good Fortune I had still a Pomegranate or two left of which I gave to every one a little bit to refresh their Mouths not daring to eat any thereof before them without giving them some tho' I had very great need of it my self But it behoved me so to do if I had a mind to live quietly my endeavour being to humour them as long as I was with them Thus passed we this troublesome Way as far as the Cistern of Joseph Cistern of Joseph where we drank some of the Water which is very good and fresh and filled also our Teronques therewith This Cistern is a little Place raised up where there is a Building in which live certain Arabs It is covered with a Cupolo sustained with Four Pillars of White Marble but at present there is but Three entire the other being broken Having drank enough we went on our way but these Arabs striving to force us to give them something for this Water my Turk ran to hinder them from taking my Bread which I had brought from Damascus where I was furnished with Provision for several Days but at last it behoved us to give them something And thus escaped we from their Hands passing along Valley of the Five Loaves by the Valley of the Five Loaves where our Lord wrought that famous Miracle From thence we came to the Sea of Tiberias the 18th of April Sea of Tiberias and found the Chec-Marabou who was going to Jerusalem to the Temple of Salomon accompanied with 4 or 5000 Persons of all sorts The Place where we were was then called Lameny there we pitched our Baggage hard by Lameny a Bush and in the mean time I went to bathe in this Sea to ease and refresh my self a little I found the Water thereof very sweet and still and excellent good to drink having a very soft Sand at the bottom The River of Jordan passes with a very swift course just through the middle without mixing it self therewith and from thence runs into the dead Sea near Jerusalem from whence it is plainly to be seen from Mount Olivet for it is in a Valley having the Land of Arabia very high and Desart on the other side as I saw from Mount Olivet This Place of Lameny hath Cafars but I met with none of them I there saw all these Marabouts Santons who dance before the Chec's Tent and it is a fine sight to see them perform their Ceremonies and Follies ranging themselves Strange Dancâ—s all into a Ring as in a Dance then clapping their Hands and crying Nila Nilala then bowing and heaving themselves up with a great force There was a Sanâ—oâ— that led them by Signs of his Hands Gestures and Motions like a Master of Musick and who was in the middle of the Dance following with his Face towards them It would be impossible to represent all the great Follies and silly Tricks which they shew in these Dances for there are some of them who going out of the Dance cast themselves all along upon the Ground then two of these Santon-Marabouts take him one by the Head and the other by the Feet and stretch him out as far as they can after that this Man pretends himself dead and makes as tho' he had great Convulsions and Tremblings shaking himself mightily two or three times then seems as if he gave up the Ghost the Marabouts seeing that he neither stirs nor takes his Breath look upon him as a dead Man he who is at the Head takes his Right Hand and puts it upon his Face then does as much to his Left and after that puts them upon his Belly he who is at the Feet plucks him very hard and the other holding him by the Head raises him upon his Feet whereupon presently this dead Man reviving runs to dancing with the others They employ themselves thus 4 or 5 at a time one after another going to this fine Sport As I was beholding these Fooleries there was a Moâ—â—ish Woman hard by me who seeing all this entred into such a Fransie that she fell to shaking and crying out like the rest so that they had much adoe to quiet her making as if she had been ravished into an Exâ—asie The Evening being come they all fall to their Sala or Prayers and light a great Number of Lamps before the Tent of the Chec-Marabou who is the Captain of the other Santons and Marabous placing before his Tent all the Standards where there is writ in Arabick Letters something of the Law of Mahomet Afterwards in the Morning when the Caravan comes to decamp all these Santons take every one one of these Ensigns and go singing before the Chec who is encompass'd about with these Standards then he mounts upon a fine Horse with some other Cavaliers that accompany him and march thus in great Ceremony before the Caravan As we thus parted from Lameny my Turk took me out of the way of the Chec telling me That in the way where the Chec was to pass there was abundance of Water which my Ass could not pass over He thus deceived me on purpose to make me pay the Cafars with whom I believe he participated We went over Mountains very high and almost inaccessible with no small trouble and there was also some Turkish Men and Women with us who had taken this way as the best At Night we arrived at Eonjar Eonjar which is a place some two Musquet-shot from Mount Tabor We thought Mount Tabor the Chec would have come there also but he came not that Day which those of the Campo seeing they caused us to enter into the Court for fear of the Arabs and there I accommodated my self in the middle with my Ass close by me
very fertile in Corn Wines Oil and all sorts of Fruit and produces also those excellent Horses call'd Gennets When I was there I was told how that the Judge of that Place whom the King of Spain had established there not having a mind to do a piece of Injustice as the Gentlemen and Hidalgo's of the City desired him they had invited him to a Supper with an Intention to put an Affront upon him but he doubting of their Ill-will would not go to them At which they being vexed made his Image and burnt it in a Fire before his own Door in a Bravado and in the mean time he not daring to stir out of his House which was as it were besieged by them Upon which his Wife went strait to Court to make her Complaint to the King and to demand Justice of him which was granted her For the King of Spain commanded these insolent Hidalgo's or Gentlemen to come before him and ordered their Process to be drawn immediately and condemned them every one to have their Heads chopp'd off But when they said for Excuse that they were drunk when they put this Affront upon the Judge they were pardon'd and had his Grace except Two Brothers who never would confess themselves to be drunk when they play'd this Prank and were so glorious that they chose rather to have their Heads cut off than to confess the same as the rest had done And hereupon came the Proverb That Los Hidalgos di Xerez Son Borrachos The Gentlemen of Xerez are Drunkards After having tarried some Days at Xerez I returned to the Port St. Mary expecting to find an occasion for my Embarkment But being there I could not by my utmost Endeavour procure License to pass to the Indies in regard of the rigorous Injunction not to suffer any Strangers to go to the Indies but especially the French yet if I had had Money to give perhaps I might have had this Permission but I had not so much as a Maravedis nor Hopes to meet with any there besides that I found my self somewhat indispos'd All this with the bad Entertainment which I receiv'd amongst these People so Uncharitable and Discourteous gave me cause to desire my Return and thought to embark my self in some Aulonnoâ—â— Ships to return with them to France and indeed I gathered together some rare Plants which I put into a Vessel with some other things of which I never since could hear any notice but that they had cast all into the Sea In the mean time I wondred why this Ship did not set sail but she was hindred by the Decrease of the Moon for the Sea does so follow the course of this changing Planet that it is taken notice that the Ebbing and Flowing is in the heighth when the Moon is in Conjunction This Ship of Aulonne which I waited for was called the Gift of God and belonged to one Peter Bled In the mean time the Vessel departed without taking me in and I remain'd there in no small trouble and misery and had no other Recourse but to put my self into a Boat which I found going to Calix not far from thence and nevertheless we had no small Trouble in our Passage because of the contrary Winds We at last went on shoar in a desart Place about a League from Calix to which Place I went on foot along by the shore I there found Acquaintance but I could not stay there long because the City was filled with Soldiers belonging to the Army of Dom Lous de Fajardo Admiral of the Spanish Fleet who was just returned from Mamorre which he had taken from the Moors and had there found a great Number of Pyrates of whom some he had hanged and put the rest to the Oar the rest were partly sunk and some burnt themselves in despair rather than thoy would yield This Ciâ—y of Calix or Cadis was Calix the Gades so famous in ancient times Gadis where 't is said that Hâ—rcules after having overcome the Gerions planted his memorable Pillars as being the end and utmost Bounds of Navigation at that time but since in these last Ages the Pâ—rtugals and Spaniards have happily found the Plus Vltra which has given them Passage at their Pleasure through all the Orient and Occident These Gad tanâ—an Pillars were upon the Two Mountains Abyla and Calpe placed upon the Extremities of the Straights one in Africa and the other in Europe side now Ceuta and Algezira or else the true Ceuta Pillars compos'd of Tin Gold and Algezira Silver mixed together which were by Hercules put into the Temple of the Parques and afterwards in the Temple Parques dedicated to him in the City of Gades This Straight has since been called Gibraltar or Gabel-Tarif which signifiâ—s Mount of Tarif in Memory of that Renowned Captain who commanded in Chief in the Sarazâ—n War which began the Conquest of Spain The City of Gades in ancient times was not very Populous and is at this Day a little City celebrated for the Salt-pits and Almadraves or the Fishing for the Tonny This was formerly an Isle distant above 700 Paces from the main Land but at present there is only a little Causey which separates it therefrom Seeing then that I could not conveniently tarry at Calix I went into the Fields towards an old ruined Tower which they call the Tower of Hercules not far distant from the Straights I found there some rare Plants which I loaded my self withal and saw this Tower into which I entred though not without a great deal of trouble because the Sea beats against it and besides there came such a furious Wave that I thought it would have carried me away This Building is so well wrought and appears so entire that it seems not to have been 20 Years since it was built Now as I was amongst these Ruines I saw a great Wolf approach towards me which I thought at first to be an Ass but after having known what it was I kept my self still and let it pass along by me without stirring a Foot for I saw that it was looking for Food Not far from these Ruines I found a Temple where I enter'd and it looked like an Azoy or Mosque after the Turkish manner yet there is an Altar set up where sometimes they say Mass As I was returning towards Calix I found the Sea mightily risen so that I was a little wet in repassing the same and had I stayed but a little longer I had had a bad Nights Lodging there At last I passed over and found in my way a good old Man who discoursed a great while with me about all these Antiquities and how that in those Days there was more Men morally Good than now though they and from thence I came to a Place named Chipione where having gotten some Money by certain Cures I returned to San Lucar and from thence to Sevillia where I was forced to continue for some time and joined
Magazines for that purpose I saw the Gentlemen and Cavalliers coming to look every one for his weight of Biscuit and measure of Corn which is ordinarily allowed them by the King of Spain One of these Cavalliers received and lodged me in his House for there is no Inn nor resting place for Strangers I ordered the Business so that our Captain and Master were lodged there also causing Beds to be prepared for them to lie in As for me I received a thousand Courtesies from this Cavallier whom I cured of an Humour he had in his Eyes which he finding remov'd knew not how to treat me For in this place was neither Physician nor Apothecary but only one Surgeon who was very well skâ—ll'd in the Latin Tongue but wanted the knowledge of Medicines and Experience The Corâ—igidor or Judge of this place invited me one day to Dine with this Surgeon who discoursed very readily in Latin yet for all that he could not give Ease to a Patient that he had The most part of the People of the City came to ask for me at my Lodging to give them Physick and made me great Offers But I had not leisure to give Satisfaction to all forasmuch as we were to return in a short time as we did not long after As for the rest this City of Mazagan Mazagan described is very strong and the Walls so thick that six Cavalliers may walk abreast round about 'em The Houses there are very low and over-topped by the Walls There is a great many Cannon very large and long and line almost all the Wall but ill mounted There may be about forty Cannoniers with some 600 Soldiers viz. 200 Horse and 400 Foot the most part Married They make Incursions upon the Arabians whom they take Prisoners and drive away their Cattle They have hard by them a City called Azamor which makes hot War upon 〈…〉 them and not above two Leagues one from the other Every morning there goes out 40 Horse to discover what they can see and tarry out till noon In the afternoon 40 others go out who stay till night And there are about six of these Cavalliers whom they call Atalayes that is to say the Watch Atalayes who are far distant one from the other and keep Centinel every where and when they discover any thing they Post back and then the City Watch who sees them strikes 2 or 3 blows upon a Bell with that the others presently mount their Horses and run to the place of the signal For in every place where these Atalayes are there is a long Pole like a Mast and when they perceive any thing they with a little Cord heave their sign on high which is the signal to all those who Salley out of Mazagan When they have a mind to make an Incursion every one arms himself each of 'em carrying Forage for their Horses whom they give Corn to out of the Allowance and Pension which is sent them from Porâ—â—gâ—â— They Eat there abundance of Caricols Caricalâ— which are little Snails in Shells who â—â—â—d upon the Plants and there the Plants are of an exceeding force and virtue The Bees there make White Honey of Africa Honey and of an excellent Taste Their Hives are upon the Houses which after the African manner are covered with Sotees like to Cieling after the Moresque and one may easily go from one House to another This City of Mazagan is nothing Country of Mazagan else but a Fortress being about half a League in compass and is inhabited by none but Men of War who have every one their piece of Land round about the City where they Sow Corn as Barley Pease Beans and other Gâ—ains but very often the Moors Villanies of the Moors come and cut it up in the night time and spoil it The rest of the Country is Uncultivated The Moors do them a thousand Injuries even to Poisoning a Well which they have out of the City in a Garden by casting in Carrion with other filth and nastiness Within the City there is a full Cistern and upon the Ciloe's Festival-Day the watch is set It is very high and large and is capable of holding above 20000 Pipes of Water I was near being left to tarry in this City For the day before we were to set sail our Captain and the Master came ashore for me for I never budged from the City minding nothing else but the Cure of these People Now as I was gone to walk along by the Sea-side to gather some Sea Crist which is there in abundance being returned to the City to take my rest I was sent for in great haste to go see a Patient upon which our Captain went away and left me there all alone Knowing this I went presently towards the Sea-shore but he was already far enough from thence so I was forced to go back again to the City to wait till the next day In the mean time the Ship finding the Wind good set Sail and a Soldier who was a Centinel upon the Wall knowing that I was still in the City came presently to give me notice thereof At which all astonished I run presently to the Wall to see if it was true and being in great perplexity how to get out from thence â— went to the Captain of the Foot Soldiers to desire him to cause the Gaâ—e to be opened which he did and gave the Key to the Porter but I must stay till the Cavalliers were ready to go out This time seemed to me an Age. At last the Gate being opened I desired the Pilot-Moor to get me a Boat ready to carry me on Board our Ship and by good fortune I found some Soldiers who were going a Fishing one of whom had brought us from Portugal They did me that favour as to take me into their Boat Had we wanted that little Wind which was weak enough I had been forced to have tarried there for which I should not have been much perplexed had I but had my Cloaths my Medicines and my other Things but I had unhappily been in my Doublet without comfort or any other thing These Soldiers then did their utmost to overtake the Ship which was already got far off besides the Sea began to rise insomuch that these Men would not go any further telling that if the Wind should rise but never so little they should not be able to recover Land by their utmost Efforts but run the risque of their Lives Hereupon they left of Rowing and and held Council amongst themselves what was best to be done and having resolved to return they began again to handle their Oars upon which I being much vexed endeavour'd to urge them by Prayers and Promises that I would certainly Content them to return again towards the Ship and by strength of Oars we made our way so that we arrived there This was no small fortune for me considering in what trouble they live in there Besides
This was the time that they fasted their Ramadan and would not Eat any thing till night 'T is a great pity to see these People how poor and miserable they are without Bread or-any other Food They Eat nothing but Ostrich Eggs and some dried Fish besides some Flesh of the same He that had stayed alone on Shore was Son to one of these other two and came to receive his Father's coming out of the Boat prostrating himself before him and kissing his Hand Then his Father gave him some of the Bisquet that we had given him of which he was exceeding glad for he was very Hungry and had supped but badly in these Desarts for the most part inhabited by Wild Beasts which are continually there And from our Ship we heard sometimes in the night terrible Cries and Roaring In all this Coast we could not find any fresh Water nor before in the River where we sent our Boat to look for some but in vain all the Country being Desart and quite Barren This Island where we had cast Anchor was directly under the Tropick of Cancer Now having fitted up and put out again our Patache to Sea we set fail the 10th of March and having born South West towards the Isles of Cape Verd Isles of Cape Verd. Sal Santiago Fogo Brava we roved all along by the Isles of Saâ— Santiago and Fogo to go to Anchor at that of Brava where we tarried until the 22th of the same month All these Islands are much subject to Storms and Boisterous Winds as it happened to us at this Isle of Brava where we lost an Anchor being oblig'd to weigh and drop Anchor so frequently there when the Wind would drive us sometimes towards Land presently again to the Sea 'T is supposed that these Winds are shut up there in some Gulf as they come out at certain hours of the day And what is more strange is that a League from thence the Sea was calm and without Wind which made me believe that these Winds being so shut up and come out with such violence have not the force to penetrate far being struck back and repulsed by the Winds which come from the Sea We could not find out the Habitations of these Islanders who are Portuguese Mestices and Blacks The Island bears Tobacco abundance of Mace and other Fruits The Country is very Mountainous and there are some Fig-Trees to be seen with Mulbery-Trees and others After we had well refreshed our selves with sweet Water dried Fish and other things which the Islanders sold us we weighed Anchor to Steer our Course and had the Wind so favourable that we arrived at the Mouth of the River of the Amazons on Palm River of the Amazons Sunday about three hours before day There are great Streams there about the Sea side which run with a strange swiftness and horrible noise carrying along with them Trees and Plants which they pluck up by the Roots along the Coast We seeing our selves as soon as it was morning intangled amongst these roaring Streams and Currents having scarce any Wind they who were up on the Watch began to cry out that we were all lost thinking we had been upon the the Shelves At this noise every one began to stir himself to look out for help and I hearing this word Lost mounted presently upon the Deck to see if there was any way to swim and if we were near Land having no other way to save our selves but by Swiming till day hoping to have sight of Land from which according to our Heights we were not far off Hereupon the Pilot well advis'd took the Plummet in Hand and found in Sounding 25 Fathom whereof being very glad he cried out that we were in the River River of the Amazons of the Amazons which is almost one Degree on this side the Line We made but little Sail in expectation of the day that we might see Land which we saw the next morning and Sounding again we found but nine Fathoms and so lessening to three or four and yet we saw no Land which was a great trouble to us On Monday we descried Land very low towards the South West and by little and little we appâ—oached the Coast to have knowledge of the Country but with fear to run a ground for there the bottom is nothing but Mud which we touched every moment As we were thus wandring about by good chance we perceived a Canoe Encounter with Indians with 17 Indians who came towards us and went to our Patache which was before us after that they came on board us They were all naked and Painted as they go in these Countries with their Crowns of Feathers and told us that they came from War off the Cape of Caypour one of the Capes near to the River of the Amazons and they had some Booty in their Canoe Their Captain seemed to be a Man of good fashion yet he was stark naked and had only a Langoutin which is a little piece of painted Cotton to cover his Privities He spake with such a Grace that he might have been taken for a Man of Counsel for he spake softly and gave a grace to all his Words and Gestures After we had discoursed with him Country of Yapoco about the Country and where we should Anchor he left us two Indians for Guides who conducted us to the Land of Yapaco in the Mouth of the River or very near and caused us to shelter our Ship in a private corner so that when the Tide went out she stuck upon the Mud but the Tide coming in again raised her up Arriving then in this Country of Yapaco we left the River of the Amazons on the left Hand on the other side of which towards the South is the great Country of Brasil and on this side towards the North are the Caripons and Caribes Thirty or forty Leagues off from this great River we found along the Coast a certain Rock which had Veins of the colour of Slate with some silver mixed amongst it out of which I took a little Stone I since lost We saw there also the marks of some English or Dutch Ship that had passed by that way We arrived there on Monday night Arrival in the Land of Yapoco and afterwards on Tuesday morning the 10th of April desiring to know what profit we might make in this Country we went on Shore to Exchange Hatchets Bills Knives and Glass-Beads of several colours with divers other such like things We saw these Indians with two Wood to strike Fire little pieces of Wood strike fire I made the Experiment of it since to the late King Henry the Great at Fontainbleau in the year 1605. All the Indians were run there from their Habitations and had trimed up their Hammocks or hanging Beds made with Wreaths of Palm-Trees and were in great numbers Men Women and Children all as naked as when they came out of their Mothers Bellies except
against their Enemies he made made a hole in the Ground pronouncing some certain Words and then came something up with a horrible thundering noise which spake to him and instructed him giving him notice what their Enemies were doing at that time And indeed when Camaria and his Brother Yago came on board our Ship they told us that they knew very well that their Enemy Anacajoury King of the Caripous was preparing himself to come to attack them that which he could not have known so readily but by such means But to return to the Caripou-Yapoco of whom I have spoken before that Yapoco Camaria King of the Caribes had instantly desired me being at his Habiration to order the business so with our General that he might have him in his power to Eat him in Revenge of the mischief that his Uncle Anacajoury had done them before VVhen I was returned back to our Ship I spoke to the General about it who told me that I did very well to promise but he would take care to avoid such VVickedness Thus Camaria was promised to have Yapoco given him of which he was mighty Joyful and sent about all his Country to all his Friends and Confederates that they should prepare themselves to come to this Feast The next morning hoising our Sails and weighing Anchor to go away presently comes Camaria with a great many Indians to have Yapoco who being refused him in good earnest went away so affronted and vexed that I had not a mind to return to be his Guest for I believe they would have done the same to me they designed to do to the poor Yapoco This Camaria had but one Eye and was mighty Crafty and Treacherous As for Yapoira the Brother of Atoupa the Caribe who had tarried all night in our Ship as I have said before Atoupa did all that ever he could to persuade us to let go his Brother but seeing he could not obtain that of our General he said that he would also willingly go with us into France and that he would either kill or drown himself rather than leave him The General told him that he was content and that he should come betimes in the morning and whilst he was in such a good Humour This being thus resolved upon as soon as we began to set sail we saw the Mother of these two Caribes who came towards us in a Cannoe crying and howling after the most pittiful manner that could be imagined She brought along with her the Bow and Arrows the Paintings and the Amica of Yapoira which is all their Wealth Yapoira was mighty sorry to see his Mother keep such a mourning for him and desired our General to give her a Hatchet to appease her a little which was done yet she returned again thus Disconsolate After that we set sail the 18th of Departure from the Country of the Caribes May and passed by a little Island very pleasant near to the Coast of the Caribes holding our Course to go to the Isle of Santea-Lucia but we Santa-Lucia were deceived by the Currents which come from the South-East having made according to the Estimation of our Pilot in one night above seventy Leagues without scarce any Wind. We went to touch at the Isle of Tabuco which remained Northwards of us Tabaco Isle Then leaving the Isle de-la-Trinadad towards the South we discovered Isle de la Trinadad the Testigues of the Isle Blanche which Blanche-Isle are 5 or 6 Peninsula's very near to one another and passed through the middle of them then seeing Land of some places above We were a long time considering if it was Land or thick Clouds because it was very low and thereupon several Wagers were laid whether it was Land or not At last bearing directly towards it we found out that it was really Land but unknown to us since deceived by the Currents As we approached it we saw Animals running in great Companies Wild-Goats along the Coast Some of us not knowing what they were said at first they were Bands or Cavalliers but these Cavalliers proved to be Wild-Goats of which this Isle is full Taking down then our Sails very low we went as near to this Island as we could our Patache going continually before to discover if there were any Rocks as indeed we had gone directly upon one had not the Patache given us notice thereof with a signal at the end of a Pike and took the way that she shewed us leaving this Rock about a little Stones cast off us It was not covered with above a Foot or two of Water so that we going so swift with a light Gale of Wind had without doubt split and been all lost in such a place without help or succour and besides it being in the night but God by his mercy preserved us there from and being there was not much clear Water to be seen we could not find the bottom to Anchor but at last we found but 30 Fathoms of Water where we cast Anchor for this night The next morning the 29th of May Voyage into the Isle we caused our Boat to be Equipped to go on Shore and to seek some Water Our Men after Breakfast went thus away with their Muskets and Pikes without the least drop of Water along with them but they payed dear for it For after having gone a good way up into this Island with the heat of the Sun and running after the Goats they were so wonderful dry and thirsty that they thought they should all have Died for want of a little Water and returning again with great Trouble and Fatigue they were forced to carry the weakest upon their Shoulders They brought along with them a great many Pelicans and coming confusedly one after another very weak and discomforted and not minding any thing but Drinking and then our General 's Brother of Friendship coming on board our Ship said aloud that they looked for Pearls but he had rather have a Barrel of Water than of Pearls for the great Thirst that he had endured with the rest The next morning we went sixteen The Author visites the Isle Men to discover the other side of the Island and if there was any Water and coming on Land we saw before us a great number of Wild-goats who came running along the Sea side and began to enter into a Valley where we with Harquebuss and Musket killed five or six upon the place These Creatures not being used to be Hunted after this manner made a horrible noise and bellowing and though they were Shot quit through the Body yet they did not fall for that but fled away with a light pace We left there a Man to order these we had killed I never thought then to look for the Besoart-Stone which these Besoart-Stone Beasts carry in their Ventricle but to follow the others about this Isle to find out Water and some curious Things We went thus three or
four Leagues without finding any Water at which our Companions were mightily astonished and deceived as well as those the day before For we had nothing at all to quench our Thirst amidst such excessive heat of the Sun As for me I had carried in my Pocket a Coco's or Palm-Nut full of Liquor which was no small help to me at this time and I believe without that I should had much ado to have returned Our Carpenter was forced to stay behind earnestly desiring me to tarry with him But it was not my intention to lie in these Desarts besides the Ship was to set Sail the next morning which gave me the more courage to return the same day After having thus rambled about and run from one side to the other at last we came under a great Tree where we sat down in the Shade to take our rest And as it is certain that there is no better Remedy to quench the Thirst than Sleeping all our Men who were a little harrassed and fatigued as much with Thirst as by the way and having run after the * A sort of Spanish Kid. Cabrettes fell presently a Sleep But I not being at all sleepy laid down upon my Back with my Face upwards to suck in the Air and upon this I espied a great Lizard full and very high the Tail very long and about the bigness of a Cat I Hunting of the Lizards presently rose up without awakening our Men and having taken a Pike I gave the branch of the Tree therewith such a blow that there tumbled down two of them which the Indians call Gouyana's I run after them Guyana's or Lizards trailing along my Pike which broke in two pieces and made such haste that I overtook one which was creeping under a Rock and I took it by the Tail plucking it with all my force but it being very strong stretched it self in such a manner against me having very long Paws that it saved its Body but the Tail remained in my Hands and was alive above three hours after continually moving As soon as our Men were awake I gave them an account of what had happened and made so many Courses about this Island that I caught two of these Lizards whereof I made very good chear for the Flesh thereof is pretty good I kept their Skins to carry away with me This Creature is of a very hard Life for after having taken and leaving them for Dead yet they from time to time come to move and start up so that carrying them in a Napkin I thought to let them fall every moment After we had reposed our selves a little under this Tree we took our way towards the other side of the Sea finding a little beaten Path which went towards these Cabrettes thinking that it was the way where they went to look for Water to Drink but after having gone about a League of this way we found in a flat ground a great place where these Cabrettes came to take their rest for the place was mightily beaten We saw there another Path which went from this place and hoping that it would lead us to some Water we found it brought us to the Sea-side where we saw some Sea-Water upon a Rock which was high and flat it made us glad thinking it had been fresh but tasting of it we found the contrary and that it was nothing but the Waves of the Sea which broke against this Rock where there always remains some little of it besides the Sun had Congeled it into Salt exceeding clear and pure Seeing then that we found no Water it behoved us tho' with great regret to take again the way to our Ship each one seeking the nearest he could for we went confusedly striving who might arrive first to quench his Thirst but the allowance we had was not sufficient not being more than a little Cupfull of Drink which was sower Citter with two parts Water but some had provided Liquor for themselves I arrived the third at the Ship and Bathed my Body in the Sea to refresh my self sopping also a little Bisket in the Sea to Eat and swallowing some Mouth-fulls thereof The rest of our Men were tarried behind and being come there with the Fleming and Scotchman we called the Boat But the Ship being above a League and a half from Land which was a great hinderance to us for the Boat would not carry us back without the others who were still far enough off and kept one another up by the Arms But at last I persuaded the Mariners to carry me on Board where as soon as I came I went to visit my Chest and my Bottle and remained full three days without being able to quench my Thirst The rest of our Men returned very late and were wonderful weary and fatigued But the poor Carpenter tarried behind to keep company with the Cabrettes Lizards and Parrots who were there in abundance and very beautiful Our General seeing that he was wanting said he would not part from the Road until he had News of him and sent Seamen all the Night with the Trumpet Adventures of the Carpenter to Sound all about the Island to call him but all to no purpose for he was far enough from thence The morning being come his Seamen was commanded to take a Shovel with other Mariners who knew pretty nigh the place where they had left him and went thus seeking about these Desarts for it is a flat Island having very few Trees At last they found him trailing along his Musket as well as he could for he was very Sick and being come to the Ship he was taken with a Fever accompanied with a Frenzie continuing 3 or 4 days and did nothing but cry out for Drink and it was almost impossible to satisfie him He told us afterwards how he had lain under a Tree quite full of Parrots which he could easily take with his Hand and that the Cabrettes came to smell upon him in the night time but that he never stirred from his Musket which he always kept close by him The moisture of the night had a little quenched his Thirst He was also forced to Drink his own Water Being parted from this Isle the first of June to go to the Margueritta as we were under Sail very late at night we descry'd two Ships coming full sail upon us We had sunk our Patache in this Desart Island We got the Wind a little upon them and being very near one to the other their Trumpets began to Sound and ours to answer them As we were prepared to receive them having put out our Cannons and ready to come to handy Strokes the Wind being very savourable for us and the night very dark they would not come on board without having first known who we were We got the Wind of them as much as we could and in the end during the dark and stormy night we escaped and made towards the Isle of Margueritta where we
Bread and finding it very short we were forced to come to parting and my part fell to about 8 or 10 pound as well good as mouldy But having a great many Parrots to feed I was in perplexity what to do being this Animal is very Gluttonous At last I was resolved to â—kill the greediest and Rost him which I did and Eat him up before I came to want more Bisquet In the mean time seeing the Wind was not favourable for us we began already to Extream Council hold Council that if this Weather continued any longer we should be constrained to cast Lots who should Eat his Companion We had in our Ship 3 or 4 Indians who would have passed the first But in the midst of these Perplexities it pleased the Divine Goodness to visit us a little after St. John's Day and to send us a fair Wind which carried us to the Isle de Flores one of the Asores where we took a little Refreshment but not being able to have as much as we desired we crossed the Coast in waiting for the Wind but as it came good in the night we quitted the Isle and happily took our Course as far as Conâ—ale in Britagne where we arrived the 15th of August 1604. for which all Praise and Glory be to the Most High The End of the Second Book A Description of the following Cutts First The manner of the Fights betwixt the Caribes and the Caripous Secondly The Indian Woman go thus about the Woods looking Fruits to Eat A Description of the following Cutts The First How the Caripous are Euiqpped going to War against the Caribes How the Caribes take Fish The First The manner of the Dances of the Caribes Amazons going to the Wars A Description of the following Cutts The First The manner of the Cannoes or Boats of the Caripous and other Indians The Second How the Caribes Roast and Eat the Flesh of their Enemies A Description of the following Cutts The First How the Caribes Eat the Flesh of the Caripous and Feast together therewith The Second Amaca 's or Hanging-Beds of the Caripous THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO MOROCCO And other Places of AFRICA BOOK III. THE Voyage that I had made the former year to the West-Indies had left me such a desire to see also the rest of the World that I was resolved to go to the East-Indies if I found any fit opportunity For this effect I parted from Paris the 12th of April 1605. and taking my way straight to Britagne I went to Embark at St. Lezer St. Nazare in a Ship of Poligain where we were not above twenty Persons in all We were at the beginning of this Voyage so beaten with contrary Winds that we were forced to the Coast of Galice a little below Cape dâ— Vere Having continued there for some time we set sail with the Wind and arrived at Lisbon in Portugal at such time as they were Rejoycing for the Birth of an Infant of Spain which was a very fine sight For after having Rejoycing at Lisbon a long time run the Bulls according to their manner of Pastime where there was a great many Horses maimed and Cavalliers overturned Lamed to the Ground they laded a Bull with Crackers but there was such a great number of them on him that he fell down under the Burthen and they were forced to fetch a strong Ox to carry them and yet he stoop'd under so heavy a Load These Crackers were fastened one to another so that they covered all the Body of this Ox then there was others tied to his Horns When the Feast was ended fire was put to these Crackers and then you would have said that the Ox flew in the Air with such an Impetuosity which looked like Lightning for Ten Thousand Muskets would not have made so great a noise each Cracker answering one another so that the Ox remained quite roasted I made some stay at Lisbon upon the hopes that I should as I have said Dutch Army towards Lisbon find passage to the East-Indies if the Fleet had gone there that year But as it was ready to part the Dutch Fleet came to cast Anchor about the Bar of Lisbon where they stayed a long time waiting for the said Fleet but the Portuguese were not so foolish as to venture out After that Don Louis Fajardo General of the Army knowing that the Hollanders were now retired riged out a Fleet of 35 sail to follow after and went a good way out into the Sea sending a little Ship before called the Pearl taken from the Rochellers to discover'em But this Vessel meeting with the Hollanders was taken by them and all the rest returned to the Haven of Lisbon without doing any thing Having then lost this occasion of passing to the East-Indies at that time I was resolved to go to Barbary and for this Cause Embarked at Cascais in a Vessel belonging to Captain Poulâ—t of Rochelle We bore South East and passed Voyage into Barbary along by Azamor near to the City of Lions which is a place ruined having still very high Towers On Wednesday the 8th day of the month we cast Anchor in the Road of Saffy Saffy where I tarried some time without going on Shore at all But Cidi-Hamet Talbe or Secretary to the King of Morocco Mulei-Boufairs being come to Saffy with his Almahalle or Almahalle little Army to conduct the Caravan which was come to Morocco and to reconduct the other which was going there he sell Sick and having heard that there was a Tabibe or a Physitian on board our Ship he sent some Moors immediately to fetch me I went with them on Land not knowing what they would do with me and coming there upon the Port I found this Cidi-Hamet sitting with a great number of Moors along the Walls of the Castle and as soon as he saw me he rose up and taking me by the Hand led me into his Camp which was without Saffy into his Tent being very fine and curiously Embroidered with Figures after the Moresque There I found a Jew which served for Interpreter in the Gemique which is Spanish or corrupted Portuguese which I understood and having discoursed with me about his Disease I resolved upon that which I thought best for his Cure and for this cause went on board our Ship to look for Drugs fit for this purpose In short I Purged him so that I caused him to Vomit up Worms like little Serpents which made me not a little admire for they were so very great and long that it was almost impossible to imagine that such odious and horrible things could be in Human Bodies Since that he was very well and was my great Friend and he and his Alcades shewed me all the kindness imaginable He gave me a Horse to go to Morocco making very much of me by the way Thus we parted from Saffy to go to Morocco the 28th of August and went
thus Die with a wonderful Constancy speaking in the Fire to the very last Those who do not this are held Infamous so long as they live not daring to shew themselves before others nor to appear before their Friends and Kindred Such as have a weaker Courage Poison themselves seeing their Husband Dead and are Burnt together with him T is remarkable that the Body of the Woman hath such an Oyley Property that one Body will serve like Oil or Greese to consume the Bodies of 5 or 6 men The Moors and Mahometans who inhabit the main-Main-Land of Goa towards Pichelin do not allow this sort of Cruelty in the Women but when they see they cannot obtain this favour they Poison themselves This Custom of Burning themselves hath continued as they say ever since a certain Gentile King who reigned amongst them who seeing how all the Men of his Kingdom died and knowing that it was their Wives which Poisoned them to have other Husbands and that those who had Children should continue alive to take care of them but without Power ever to Marry again instituted this They observe this very strictly and do nothing but Groan Weep and Lament during the rest of their Life and at certain hours of the day and night howl and lament after so strange a manner that 't is a great pity to hear them As for my part I was sometimes Deafened with the clamours and noise of some or other who had lost Husband or Children I have heard a Bramin say who had turned Christian that they who have lost a Child mourn and lament 20 years entire He told me also that a certain Woman of those who us'd to serve the Pay-gods that after being retired into a House where they pass their time with Men she entertained one who heated himself so with her that he Died upon the spot Resolution of a Lover at which she was so afflicted that when they Burnt his Body she Burnt her self with him seeing he had Died for Love of her tho' she was no other than a good Friend As I returned from my little Voyage I passed by a Valley where there was a very neat and pleasant Fountain which came out from a â—ock flat and hollow and the Water which came out run through little holes in the Rock 'T was impossible to empty it though there was but very little Water therein For in taking out that which was there more runs out like a strong and active Spring After this I went to Embark at a Paygod which is in a certain place along by the River it being so deep that 't is impossible to find the bottom They have made there large and spacious Foolish Opinions of the Indians Steps along by the side and there the Gentiles come every year 2 or 300 Leagues distant to wash themselves at certain times and sometimes there are assembled there above a 100000 Men Women and Children casting abundance of Fruit in this River who believe that at the end of the year it comes again upon the Water Thus Satan deceives them for there are always some or other who tarry theâ— for security who sometimes drown themselves out of a Pond Devotion As I Embarked by these Steps I Another Voyage of the Author returned to the Madre di Dios from whence I set out about Dec. Then I made another little Voyage to the main-Main-Land of Pichelin to procure some Pichelin Drugs and other Rarities of the Country and took again my Truch-man with the Almadie and the Mariners which the Captain of the Passage had given me who having expresly commanded them to Obey me and to conduct me where I had a mind to go We departed in a very fine evening and travelled all night the Moon shining insomuch that we arrived at Pichelin a very pleasant City where is a great number of Gentile Merchants and belongs to Dealcan it being some 4 Leagues from Goa We went to the Lodging of one Manate a Gentile who received us kindly upon the Acquaintance he had with our Truch-man and put me to lie under a little Pent-House where an Indian Woman brought her Daughter to lie with me as this Manate had counselled her but this Girl not above 13 years of Age seeing I would not touch her sell to Weeping and Groaning thinking to force me to have to do with her and her Mother did all she could to appease her I understood not the ground of all this Mystery The next morning I saw a Jogue-Gentile who was all perfumed with Incense and stark Naked squat upon his Tail before a Fire of Cow Dung and with Ashes thereof all bepowered his Body having long Hair like a Woman which he held on the top of his Shoulders This was the most hideous and monstrous Spectacle that Strange fashion of the Jogues ever was seen For he remained still looking on the Fire without so much as turning his Head These sort of People are sometimes 4 or 5 days without any meat and use extraordinary Abstinence All these Gentiles and especially the Bramins never Eat any living thing or that has had life and will not taste of Red-Herbs saying that they have Blood in them They Eat Rice and Milk and call the Cow their Mother-Nurse About the Desarts they have Hospitals where they Feed the Pilgrims that pass that way When some rich Men Hospitals amongst the Indians Die they leave something to the Hospitals To this purpose I will relate what happened to one of my Friends coming from the Kingdom of Pegu to Cochin This was a Fleming who was Married at Lyons and had two Brothers Cochin Married at Goa to the Metices of Cochin These 3 were taken in the Ship Good Jesus by the Hollanders who put them on Shore And as they came along by the Sea-side they had but one pair of Shoes amongst them three the which they wore by turns He who wore the Shoes went upon Land and the two others bare-footed went in the Water along by the Shore not enduring the Soles of their Feet upon the Ground it was so hot and burning at that time They were ready to Die with Hunger and Thirst not finding any thing to subsist upon in these Desarts And being very weak and in great Distress they espied two Gentiles who ran towards them crying out to them to stay a little but they not knowing what they meant feared at first that it was to Rob them but having nothing to lose they resolved to tarry and these Gentiles being come to them courteously offered them Meat Courtesie of the Indians and Drink for which they thanked them saying they had no Money to pay for it They spake by Signs not being able to make them understand otherways But these Gentiles pointed towards Heaven as if they would have said 't was God who commanded them to do thus so that these 3 easily consented thereto and afterwards pursued their Voyage This shews how
could catch about the Fields the strongest Killing and Massacring their Companions to have a share of them insomuch that they went to hunt after Men as some Savage Beasts and made Parties and Assemblies for this end During this horrible Famine the People of the Kingdoms round about being advertised of this extream necessity equipped a quantity of Vessels laden with Rice and other Victuals which they brought to Pegu and sold it there for what they pleased Amongst the rest there was a Merchant of Goa who arriving there with a Boat laden with Rice as he went Sad History of a Peguan Damsel from House to House to put off his Merchandize taking for payment Money Slaves or other things they could give him He happened upon a House where they had not wherewithall to Buy so much as a Measure of Rice and yet ready to Die with Rage and Hunger but they shewed this Merchant an exceeding Beautiful Woman whom her Brethren and Sisters had a mind to sell for a Slave for certain Measures of Rice the Merchant offered 2 Measures or Bushels and they would have 3 Remonstrating that if they killed this Girl the Flesh would last them and nourish them much longer than his Rice At last when they could not agree the Merchant went his way but no sooner was he gone than they killed this young Woman and cut her to pieces But the Merchant being not a little enamoured with this Maid and besides having Compassion of her mightily desired to save her life soon returned again to give them for her what they demanded But he was mightily astonished and sorry when they shewed him the young Woman in pieces telling him that not thinking he would return they did it to satisfie Hunger Such was the end of this Peguan Damsel and many others had the same Fate This Merchant-related this Tragedy to one of my Friends who passed from Portugal to the East-Indies in the Galion of Good-Jesus Now to return to those of Siam the cause why the King of Siam so barbarously uses the Portugals is that they Cruâ—lties of the Portugals use the same Treatment towards his Captive Subjects I have seen one of them at Goa above 90 years of Age a Joyner by Trade and Slave to a Portugal Gentleman to whom this poor Man was forced to render every day to the value of two Tangues whether he wrought or no and went thus to seek work about the City with his Tools My Host having one day called him to make something for him he told me all the Cruelties which was used against him For when he failed to pay his two Tangues his Master tied him like a Beast to a Stair-Case and gave him so many Blows with a Stick that he left him bruised and maimed and told me that he had been a Slave for above 40 years and had gained his Master good Money and yet he gave him to live upon but a measure of Rice raw every day without any other thing as they do to all the other Indians and sometimes two Baseruques which are some two Deniers to have some Caril to put Miseries of the Slaves amongst the Rice Thus you may see how these Slaves live withoâ—â— either Bread or any other Meat but 〈◊〉 boiled in Water insomuch that several die with Hunger and Work They lie upon the Ground on little Esteres or Matts made of Bull-rushes or the Bark of Trees The Portugals acquire much Reputation of making good Christians for having caused them to be Baptized they thus make them Die miserably Also the Japans knowing their Letchery and insatiable Avarice seem to have had some reason for their rising against them For these who are a subtile and wary People seeing that the design of the Portugals after having made them Christians was to dispossess them of their Lands and Goods by all Inventions therefore they did not care for their Amity much less did they desire 'em to Domination of the Portugals what Govern and this perhaps was one of the causes that they have Martyred so many Jesuits who were utterly innocent of all this For these Japans are mightily Jealous of their Wives and the Japans jealous Portugals had no other aim but to gain them especially those of the greatest with whom afterwards they do what they please which was the reason that moved these People to so much Cruelty I have found out in the Indies that the Whoredoms Ambition Avarice and Greediness of the Portugals has been one of the chiefest causes why the Indians become not Christians so easily This is the Reason why the People of the Portugal Churches who are in those parts mightily desire some French Dutch or Scots to be with them because these People lead a life less impure and scandalous which is the thing that most chiefly maintains and upholds Religion in that part of the World I Religion how and by what maintained have there known a Father Jesuit of the Country of Artois who lived in Salsete which is a little Isle not far from the main Land depending upon Goa he was there as Curate in a great Parrish and understood very well the Indian Tongue But afterward the Jesuites took him from thence to send him to Chaoul and I then saw the poor People of his Parish who mightily lamented that they had lost him some saying that they had rather have had their Arms cut off than have seen him taken away from them For they feared to have some Portugal who would Tyranize over them Thus ye may see what honest Men can do amongst the very Infidels who know how to discern the good from the bad As for the Father Jesuits they pass as far as China to make there some fruit Jesuits in China and fit their beards and hair after the Chinese manner and have their Cloaths made after the same fashion and Learn the Language to Accommodate themselves the more easily thereto but they dare not Preach the Gospel there but in private for fear of being put to Death I have been told at Goa that they have Converted great Numbers of them yea the very Mandarins themselves and Governors of Provinces They have a Church and Colledge at Macao an Isle and City of China and there they Learn the Chinese Language This is about 45 Leagues from Canton one of the greatest Cities in all China Canton a great City where they go through a great River much bigger than the Sene at Roar and is joyned with the Sea At the Port of Canton are continually above three or four thousand very large Boats and there a great Number of Birds of the River retire themselves 〈◊〉 which they leave in the Morning to go into the fields to seek their Living some on one side and some on the other then when the Night comes the Chinese sound a little horn which is heard at a great distance and then these Ducks return every one to his Boat where
great abundance of moisture which is necessary for the greatness of the Fruit it bears and the quantity of Esura or Wine which this Fruit renders Of the Nut of this Palm-Tree so celebrated in the Indies they draw abundance of Meat and Drink There aâ—â— plenty of these Coco's or Maldives but amongst others they remark one sort thereof which comes from the bottom of the Sea the Fruit is bigger than the common Palm 't is also very dear amongst the Portugals who suppose it to have a great Virtue for the Disease of the Lungs and for the Astmatiques or Shortness of Breath and against Poison The Nut thereof is very great long and black in form of a Gondale The Tree that bears this Fruit is not to be seen growing at the bottom of the Sea but when the Sea is agitated the Fruit is born from the bottom to the top and is found upon the Shore I come now to my return when the Senior Andre Furtado de Mondoso returning to Portugal sent for me to go with him We parted then from the Bar of Goa the 2d of Jan. 1610. Being Embark'd in a Ship called Nostra Segniora di Beigna di Francia which was very heavily laden and cumbered insomuch that 't was no small confusion to be there Andre Furtado was very sick when he Embark'd At last we set sail with a great deal of trouble because the Ship had Cinnamon almost as far as the middle of the Mast every day taking care to put by so much out of the way The 16th of January we saw the Desarts of Arabia and sailed with a very good Wind as far as the Land of Crimbe or Country of the Abassins and passed along by the Coast the 9th of Feb. But the 11th we feared to be lost by a contrary Wind the Ship beating upon the Sea and drawing in much Water The Senior Andre Furtado sick as he was seeing this extremity got upon the Deck to order the Ship to be lightned and pumped and about 300 Black Slaves with some Mariners were 3 days and nights and had much ado to empty it The 15th of Feb. we saw the Isle of St. Lawrence mightily covered with Fog and bearing about to pass the Cape of Good-Hope with a favourable Gale of Wind we passed it the 16th of March. Being at the height of the Isle of St. Helens we were in great doubt whether we should go on Shore to take there some fresh Water and the Passengers and Mariners disputed stifly against the Master and Pilot but they put it all to the Sieur Andre Furtado who was then mortally Sick and who said that he had no Orders from the King of Spain to go to the said Isle except it was in case of great necessity and that he feared to find there some Enemies who might give them trouble it being the place where they commonly came Thereupon he commanded a review to be taken of the fresh Water that remained to know if it would hold out for every one to have half a Pint a day for 4 Months for we reckoned we had so long to sail This enquiry exactly made 't was found within a very small matter of this measure so that we made the best of our way the Wind being favourable We could not persuade Senior Andre Furtado tho he was sick to repoâ—e himself in this little Isle of St. Helen so that in the end this poor Gentleman being weakened and overcome with sickness died the first of April His Body was Embalmed that it might be carried to Portugal for in the Ships there is never want of Camfre Benjoin and Aromatical Things for that purpose There was a Portugal Barber who knew only how to Shave and let Blood and having a mind to make Balm in causing the Benjoin to be melted and to fill the Body therewith I releived him from this trouble and apparent Error and made him acknowledge his Fault and so having Embalmed the Body and put it in a Coffin It was laid up in the Guard-Robe of the Chamber with a lighted Lamp by it and we carried it without any smell or inconveniency as far as Lisbon We passed close by the Isles of the Aâ—ores and along by them were great debates betwixt those of the Ship some were resolved to go on shore by force which the Captain the Master and Pilot would by no means yeild too This came all from the passenger Souldiers who came to dispatch their business in Portugal for Recompence of their Services in the Indies For then the King gives them some Captain-ships of Fortresses in the Indies But the Captain caused some of the most Mutinous to come before him for they were ready to lay hold upon their Arms and made no small stir and ado thinking themselves still in the Indies but he soon made them to know their duty and persuing our course with a very good wind we arrived at Cuscais the 2d of July and the next day I went on shore leaving all my things on Board which were there above a Month without being able to get them out there being Guards which stole them all away At the Months end the Kings Duty being paid the small things were brought on Shore and there was several who found their Chests fast shut but nothing within them I was one of those also but it was small loss to me not having brought back any thing of value from those Countries where I had nothing but bad fortune and was very well content that I was safely returned tho I was not a little indisposed in my person because of these salt and spiced waters which I had then been forc'd to drink till they so heated my Stomack that my mouth cast out burning Vapours and I could scaree quench my thirst At length being restored to my health by cooling remedies and seeing my self strong enough to reassume the way to my dear native Country where I had a great desire to see my self again after so many satigues and dangers I embarked the 17th of August in a Ship belonging to one Picare Simon of Rochelle and in our Company was another Ship called also the Dauphin of Rochelle But being in the Sea we were so beaten with Storms that the Dauphin mightily desired us to keep by them but one Night in a very great Storm her Sails split and tore to pieces they were forced to bend their main Top Sail in stead of their main Sail insomuch that in the Morning we saw her at above 3 Leagues of us and had put abroad their Ensign to cause us to come up to her which we did as soon as might be and coming near her we saw them crying out for Misericorde or mercy for they were sinking We boarded them at the Poop and they saved themselves who could in our Ship it was a great pity to see them in this extremity I saved one of them along by the side who fell from the Stern of our Ship
which he did with a great deal of trouble for in his return he was well scorched and tauâ—â—â—d with the Sun in passing these deserâ—â— He caused this Pinnace to come and caâ—â— Anchor in the Moule of the Cape hard by us In the mean time I had a mind to go on shore to get some Ostrich eggs by the means of the King of Baze-Alforme which is a place hard Baze-Alforme by where we were But walking about these sandy-deserts I was in danger to have been taken and carried away captive by these Moors who were holding Counsel thereupon but escap'd the danger by casting 〈…〉 my self into the Sea and got into a boat that was coming towards Land These Barbarians seeing this sell presently together by the ears and the King Baze endeavoured to appease them And thâ—â— I escaped from these People who without doubt had carried me away and sold me at some plâ—â—â—â—ar distant from thence All this County of 〈…〉 Thirty or Forty Leagues off Caâ—â—-blane is nothing but Sands and 〈◊〉 serts and those of the Country are forced to seek for water a far off which they carry in Goat-skins upon Camels they get this water at the Fort of Arguin which is abouâ— Arguin-Fort Seven or Eight Leagues from Cape-blane and is scituated in a little Island where there is some Portugaâ— Souldiers and a Captain Theâ— are great friends to the Moors of the Country who are not quite black but tauny yet there is some amongst them black and are all Mahometans They Traffick in Ostrich-feathers and Fish which they call Hallebranches As for the rest the Ostriches which are there in abundance Lay their eggs in the sand and there they bury them so that it is a very hard matter to find them out but when the wind blows they are discovered These eggs are very good to eat and the Blacks live upon them for the most part Now about Five or Six days after there Arrived a French-Pirate who would have entred into the Haven but we would not suffer him He desired of us to let him take this Portugal-Pinnace but because she was under our Protection we defended her Seven or Eight days after Arrived Spanish-Ships Five Spanish-Ships belonging to the Duke of Adelantade which made us to bestir our selves a little and to stand upon our Guard and to hinder them from entring into the Haven sending out the boat of the Portugal Pinnace to know who they were that if they were friends they might hang out their white Colours and we would let them enter into the Haven which they did and put some of their men in the said boat to come on board us to let us know that they would do us no displeasure Being all Arrived and Anchored in the saâ—d Haven we visited one another after that each one returned on board his own Ship Three days after the Spaniards being Anchored round about us at their case they command us to depart out of the Haven telling us that it was not 〈…〉 permitted to the French to take any Fish there the which we were forced to do and took a Moor along with us to guide our Ship to Cape-veille This Moor was called Hisse one who very well knew this Coast we not being far from the Fort of Arguin where there were Portuguese and Bâ—acks We found this place very good for Fish and having staid there for some time a Spaniard coming from the Fort of Arguin came towards us desiring us to give him some Nails and wood which they had occasion for for their Ship which was in the Cape from whence we were come We gave him what he ask't but this Traitor came only to spy us and to know what we were doing and if we had our Lading saying that they found no Fish in their Haven and that they should be forced to come and seek it on our side And all this to deceive us as they did For about three or four days after Treachery of the Spiniards they came with three boats to force us and they made use of this trick that is they put their Nets into their Boats and hid their Arms under neath then seeing that all our men were on Shore busie about the Fish they sent two of their boats to take our men and the other came on board our Ship as friends and their Arms being hid we suspected nothing we being but three on board the Captain the Carpenter and my self with one Black The Captain commanded me to make ready a Collation for them but they saved me that labour by seising upon our Captain and the Room where the Arms were One of the Duke 's Ship-boy's taking a naked sword in his hand set himself against the Cabine-door to hinder any of us from entering then they weighed the Anchors and set Sail and made towards the Mole where their Ships were Being arrived there they took away all our Arms our Pouder and our Sails then putting again all our men into our Ship to compleat the Lading of Fish they kept good watch all the night continually mistrusting us But Christmas being come which was almost the time to depart from hence to return with the Fish against Lent They took all our men out of our Ship and put them in theirs placing Spaniards in ours leaving some of our men there to help about the Fish Of three Ships that remained there two set Sail and ours made the third to return into Spain But being in the open Sea holding the Master of our Ship in theirs they gave the command to the Spanish-Captain which was in ours and the Duke's Cabin-boy being left there for Master the others then held their Course and left us alone But being about Porto-Santo near to the Isle Port-Santo or Holy I le Madera of Madera we were beaten with contrary winds in so much that we were forced to make towards the Isle where having cast Anchor a good way off from the City of Madera we had a mind to go on Shore to refresh our selves But the Portuguese that lived there would not suffer us saying we had the Plague and therefore set Guards at all the Avenues In so much that we were forced to get down behind the Rocks where we had bread and wine brought us for our money which was from a wall let down to us with a rope yet not without great intreaty We remained Fifteen days in this misery at the end of which the Spanish Ships our companions which we had left in the Sea Arrived in the said Isle with their Main-mast cut down by reason of the bad weather And their General of the Ship made such a doe by words and remonstrances that he obtained leave to enter into Madera upon condition to take the habit of the City of Madera he and his servants a little after this General being somewhat indisposed sent to seek me out in this place where we were in Custody and took the
all this that they might be thought not to Sleep for they mightily fear their Enemies the Caripous Now our Ship being laden with Another Voyage of the Author as many Commodities as we were well able to procure and being ready to set Sail I took a Resolution the 17th of May to go once again towards their Habitations with some small Ware as Knives Combs and other Things and gave all these to an Indian to carry in a little Basket who was wonderfully pleased to follow me but he being subtile and sly would not march before me saying that it did not belong to him to go first which made me not a little wonder that this Indian could know what Honour was due to another But the Rascal did it that he might the more easily put his Hand into my Basket and sharp something out I perceived it happily turning my self about and so caught him in the very act upon which I shewed him gently that that was neither handsome nor well done He excused himself as well as he could and then went before me until he found in the Wood a little Way or Path on the right Hand which went straight to his Habitation and then he returned me my Basket not being able to retain him for all I could do I gave him a Comb for his Labour of which he was very glad I do not know but that he had cast something aside of what he had taken out of my Basket I proceeded on my way untill I came to a high Mountain where there were a great number of Caribes with their Wives and Children There by chance I found the Indian our Interpreter who helped me mightily in making my Bargains for what I wanted as well for Parrots as other kind of Animals Having exchanged what I desir'd these Indians led me into another Habitation where I saw Yapoira the Brother Caribe of Atupa who was in our Ship He was upon Yapoira the top of one of their Houses of Palm and as soon as he perceiv'd me he cast himself down and came to embrace me remembring that I had given him a Hatchet when he had broke his own in our Service He spoke to me of his Brother Atoupa and that his Mother had no more than this little Boy who was all her Comfort That the Caripous had killed all his Brothers and Sisters and that if our General would let him return to his Mother he himself was content to go with us into France I told that he should go along with me to make his Remonstrances which he did I asked him for some Water which they call Tonna and presently he caused his Wife to bring me some who was of an extraordinary sweet Nature and very handsome though she was stark Naked Having drank they caused me to enter into a great Hall made of Palms where they keep themselves in the day time with their Amaca's to hold Counsel concerning the Affairs of War Then they led me into a certain House where there was a great many Women and Girls stark naked and put some Patato's upon the Fire for me to Eat and having made some exchange as well for Mace and Patato's as Gums which is a black Bitume which they Chaulk Gums their Cannoes with I laded 2 or 3 Indians and so we returned towards the Port to our Ship I had a great deal of trouble in returning back because these Savages led me through the Wood where there was a great many Waters to pass besides it rained and was very bad Weather After we had gone 2 or 3 Leagues of this bad way we came to the end of a little River and found a Cannoe on Land that wanted only to be set a Float but we had no Oars yet these Indians looked so long amongst the Herbs that at last they found out some that were hid These Oars are very little and like to a Battle-dore which they beat Hemp withall Being thus Embark'd we Rowed so hard that we soon arrived at our Ship where they waited for me with great earnestness not knowing where I should be kept out so late and they were to have set sail the next morning as we did But before we come out of this Country I will not forget that amongst other Rarities that grow there there are certain Gums to be found called Copal and Anime and certain Animes Gums Bitum or black Gum very Odoriferous when it is put upon the Fire It is also good for the Rhume by receiving the Smoak of it the same is also the Anime which is a Gum yellow and transparent like the Gums of Arabia and is found in great Tears As for the Copal it hath not this quality but it serves for * Swellings Aposthumes to ripen and heal them so they come from a cold Cause and Phlegm For as for those which come from Heat and Blood the Copal is not so proper to apply being it is hot This Copal is a White Gum enclining to gray The Tree which bears it is like to a Lawrel in its Leaves but 't is bigger in the Trunk and hath also young ones I picked out some of this Gum by making an Incision in the Tree then the next morning or two days after I found the Gum pure and clear upon the slit The Anime is gotten after the same manner and its Tree also resembles the other As for the Bitum or black Gum it comes from a place where there are Springs of Water and it is gathered mixed with Earth at the foot of certain Trees amongst Green Moss The Indians make use of it instead of Pitch to Chalk their Cannoes As for the Language of these People I will only say that it is of Language of the Caribes several sorts and that of the Caripous is something different from that which the Caribes speak and have much ado to understand other although they are not far distant These Caribes were mighty desirous to know of us what it was that we Worshipped in Heaven whether it was the Sun which they call Occayou or the Moon which they name Nona the Stars Cherica Heaven Capa the Clouds Canopa as for the Fire they call it Ovato Water Tonna the Sea Parano the Woods Vropa the Mouth Pota the Eyes Onou and the Hair Omchay Now as for the Religion of all these Religion of these People People of Brasil and amongst others the Caripous and Caribes they live without Faith and Law and without any certain Belief of a Divinity true or false not Worshipping Idols nor any thing whatsoever only they believe some kind of an Immortality of the Soul They speak much of a God which they call Toupan which is some Caribes deal with the Devil Toupan Devil with whom they have Familiarity and exercise several sorts of Divination and Witchcraft And I remember we were told that when Camaria King of the Caribes had a mind to know any thing concerning their Wars
look for so far and besides there is but little to be found the Weather being so excessive hot for all their Matamores were dried up at that time Having a little refreshed our selves we went to rejoyn the Camp of the Almahalle and pitched our Tents near the River Tensif a little days Journey from Morocco We met a great Tensif â—iver many Arabians all on Horseback with their Launces who came about us to Salute their General Abdassis and others of their Friends who were in our Company I saw them again come with great Humility to Kiss the Hands of this their Chief Abdassis as before There we quenched our Thirst a little with this Water though it was very hot All the Land in these Countries is various some part good and others bad but for the most part Incultivated except that which is near some Water which they Till This River Tensif Breeds the most excellent Trouts of any in the World being very little and their Flesh red but of an excellent Taste and are mightily esteemed at Morocco The next morning going a little Morocco further we discovered Morocco in a great Campagne and this City seems to be situated near to Mount Atlas Mountain Atlas though it is above 7 Leagues distant VVe found by the way some Christians who came about us These are People that Traffick there and when they hear that any other Christians come with the Casile they are very glad and meet them by the way They bring with them a little Mule laden with Victuals Now the most part of the Christians of this Casile were English Prisoners with Irons upon their Feet and had been English Prisoners at Morocco Arrested at Saffy upon the account of an Alcayde named Abdelacinthe who was a Portuguese by Nation but a Renegado And for his Capacity and VVorth he had given him the Command of the Casile who returned from Morocco to Saffy with about 500 Soldiers under his Charge Now it happened by chance that Abdelacinthe and 〈…〉 to him Antonio de Soldaigne and Petro Caesar Portuguese Gentlemen had been both taken at Tangier in Africa and brought to Morocco and being there detained Captives 13 or 14 years until such time that they were Released by the Sieur de l' Isle a Physitian and at that time Agent there for King Henry the Great As these two Portugueses were returning in liberty this Alcayde Abdelacinthe had Negotiated with them to save himself in their Vessel wherein they were to Embark For this cause he went to Pitch his Almahalle towards the place where they come to take Water for the Ships near to the Cape of Cantin and being Cape of Cantin there one night he told his Men that he had caused a Moorish-Woman to be brought him with whom he desired to speak in Secret a good way off from the Camp and took none along with him but a Slave of his When he was near to the Sea-side he fired a Fuzee which was the signal that he had given to those of the Ship As soon as they heard this presently the People of Boat who were hid in the Bushes came to seize upon his Person and took him and carried him away in their Vessel by which means he saved himself The Slave fled to the Almahalle to give them notice of the taking of his Master at which they were mightily astonished and presently retired to Saffy But as the People of an English Boat at the same time were come on Shore for some things they had then occasion for they were Arrested and had Irons clapt upon their Feet as I saw them in the Castle of Saffy in very poor Equipage and were since carried to Morocco where the Merchants paid for them I don't know how many Ounces of Gold which was very near the Ransom of the Alcayde Abdalacinthe who had escap'd For those Kings will not loose any thing it being the Custom at Marocco that when a Slave runs away all the others assemble together and pay for him cautioning one another to go freely about Cautioning of the Slaves at Morocco the City without Irons which is meant of the poorer sort But as for the Rich they are put into the Sisane which is the Kings great Prison Sisane where they are well guarded as these two Portuguese Gentlemen vvere of vvhom I have already spoken To return to the Christians of Morocco who met us by the way they made us very good chear in a Garden along by a pleasant Water running some two Leagues from Morocco The Almahalle entered not into Arrival at Morocco Morocco this day but I left it where it was pitched and went to lie within the City in the House of the Christians paying for my entrance to the Talbe or Register This was the 2d of September 1606. As soon as I was arrived I failed not to go visit the Sieur de l'Isle Physitian who was lodged in a very fine House in the Juderie or Jews-Place The Sieur de l'Isle was a long time near to the Person of the King of Morocco in Quality of an Agent for our King Henry the Great And there had been since sent the Sieur Hubert the King's Physitian in the room of the Sieur de l'Isle Then both went into France but since that the said Sieur de l'Isle returned there again The Sieur Hubert lived about a year at Morocco practising Physick near the King and there following his principal design that is the Learning the Arabick Tongue so that since he rendered himself very expert therein as he hath made publick Profession thereof at Paris it self with great Solemnity He contented himself to depart out of this Country more laden with Science and Arabick Books than with Riches or any Commodities in which the Sieur de l'Isle was more happy than he Being then in the Juderie I was there conducted by a Jew who Cozened me of some Rials giving me falsly to understand that I was to pay some at the Door of this place where we were to enter and indeed he brought one who came to demand it and I was forced to Content them This Juderie or Jews-Place is above Juderie of Morocco a good League from the Douane where the Christians inhabit and near the King's Palace and is like a City by it self encompassed with good Walls having but one Gate guarded by the Moors It may be as big as Meaux There the Jews inhabit to the number of above 4000 and pay Tribute There is also some Christians And in this place also live the Agents and Ambassadors of strange Princes As for the rest of the Christians Trafficking and others they live in the Douane The City of Morocco is very great Desâ—â—iâ—tion of the City of Morocco and is much bigger than that at Paris which is called the City being wonderful populous containing above 400000 Inhabitants of all sorts of Religions and such Streets that for the great multitude
Lovende At last we approached the Cape of Good Hope seeing Cape de Bonne Esperance Alcatraz Mangues de Velours the signal of Alcatraz and Mangues de Velours Alcatraz are Birds like Sparrows Mangues de Velours are Birds like Cranes having the bottom of their Bellies and Backs white and the end of the Wings Tail and Neck black and these Birds continually keep above 80 Leagues round about the Cape These Signals did a little chear us up and encouraged us to come nearer to this so dangerous and tempestuous Furious Tempest place For coming there we had the most furious and greatest Storm that I ever saw Our Carrack was about 2000 Tun one of the Gallantest Ships in all Portugal having been built above 30 years and yet seemed to be but like a simple Boat amongst these high and dreadful Waves We needed little Fore-Mast to the Wind and 30 or 40 Mariners at the Stern In this Stormy Weather we could not keep our Ship with Wind and were about a 100 Persons 50 on each side to Devise how to get again before the Wind which we had lost Our Deck was covered all over with Water and it was impossible to get any farther than the Planks of the Ship either behind or before Amongst these Miseries and Calamities we expected nothing but Shipwrack committing our selves to the Divine Mercy and made a General Procession Praying Devoutly to God that he would preserve us from this imminent Danger besides we could no longer resist because of the weakness and sickness of our Men But God of his Goodness heard our Prayers appeasing by little and little this great Tempest which we had so long endured so that having passed this dangerous place we descried the Cape of Aiguâ—lles which made us judg Cape de Aiguilles that we had passed that of Good-Hope and from thence we arrived at the Land of Natall where it was very Natall tempestuous and almost as dark as night We found there boisterous Winds and we were forced to labour day and night to avoid the Baixos ds los Judios or da Judia that is the Baixos de los Judias Shelves of the Jews in the Channel of the Coast of Sofala where there is a great many Ships lost and where amongst others happened that no less lamentable than memorable Ship wrack of the Ship called the St. James in the year 1585. who going to Goa in the East-Indies split upon these Rocks and of 250 Persons not above 90 escaped by different manners with as much or more misfortune and miseries on Land as they had enjoy'd on the Sea There was some Fathers Jesuits and Dominicans cast away there and others saved themselves The strange and lamentable circumstances of the Accidents have rendered this Shipwrack the most remarkable that ever happened in these Seas which is the reason that these Rocks are so much feared which are like great heaps of sharp Stones and spikes of White Coral and commonly covered with Water so that they are not perceived until you are upon them and the Ship splitting but we by the help of God escaped them so that having taken the height and seeing our selves escaped we made the best of our way towards this Harbour where we found the two Gallies as I have said before and knowing them again we bore towards them and cast Anchor 4 Leagues from the Isles sending the Boat to Land to hear news from Mosambique which is about 25 Leagues from thence There came on board us a Pangais who told us how Mosambique had been Besieged by the Hollanders and that it was not above 15 days since they had raised the Siege and had taken the Galley of Good Jesus which they burnt and Hollanders at Mosambique having known by this Gallion that we were coming they presently retired for those of the Gallion knew nothing of the Death of the Count de la Fera nor of the dispersing of the Fleet they being separated from us hard by the Isle of Madera We weighed Anchor from thence not finding above 5 or 6 Fathoms Water As the Wind began to clear it behoved us to cast our Anchors and the next day to raise them again this was the 15th of Sept. but the Currents of Water which run towards the Islands of Angoche were like to have swallowed us up We endured a world of Hardships in casting and weighing Anchor which left me some Blisters upon my Hands and as weak as I was I laboured with all my might to be rid of these dangerous passages In the end we cast and weighed our Anchors so that we arrived at Mosambique the 29th of Sep. and Anchored near the Isles of St. George Arrival at Mosambique which is 3 or 4 Leagues distant The next morning we Anchored near ths Fortress As soon as we arrived at Mosambique we understood how our Vice-Admiral had passed the Cape of Good-Hope immediately after us when the Storm was a little allayed and how they had seen a Sea-Monster passing Sea Monster along by the Ship which was of a strange form and wonderful greatness He blowed and snored with a great noise and kept his Body in a round like a Pillar carrying a thing like a Shield before his Head and a Saddle upon his Back As he passed close by the Ship he made so terrible a noise that they thought themselves all lost but he left them and they saw him no more Being then arrived at Mosambique we were mightily astonished to find there nothing to Eat being then so fallen away by the fatigue of the Sea We went on shore having Anchored the St. Bartholomew St. Anthony St. Jerome and our own which was the Admiral They were there full five Months waiting for the Muesson of VVinds to convey us to Goa VVe endured there not a little for as I have said we could find nothing to live upon there not being any Bread The Sick were put in Cabins of Palm some in the Fortress and others in the City but they Died by 10 and 15 aday and there remained 735 Buried Number of the Dead as the haplain of our Ship told me who kept a List of them I went also on Shore scarce able to go and walked about the Streets looking for something to Eat but I could find nothing save some little Fishes fryed which these Ethiopian VVomen sell about the Streets with some Cakes of Meal Baked upon the Coals which Mocates they call Mocates I bought some of this Fish fryed in the Oyl of Gerselin a little Seed like Carraways which they make Oil Rape-Seed of which has a very ill Taste Then retiring alone to make a Feast and comforting my self the best I could relying wholly upon God I demanded a little Water of these VVomen who gave me some but it was so Salt that I could scarce drink any of it for they had drawn it out of a nasty VVell which was hard by the
place where I was But they fetch the good VVater out of the Continent at a place called Cabassie There is indeed a little Spring but it was little better than nothing After that I went again on Board the Ship Then the next day I returned again to Land to look for some to lodge in because the Hollanders had burnt all the Houses and by chance I found a Soldier who took me into his Lodging within the Fortress where I carried all my Materials But after having been there some days as well to Purge my self as to be cured of my Disease comes some of the Servants of Captain Mor to look for me and commanded me to follow them to speak with their Master I followed them in abundance of pain and they hastning me forward which I did after the best manner I could through these Sands towards the Sea-side in the end they laid me upon the Back of an Ethiopian to carry me into his Almadie which is a sort of a Almadie little Boat of the Country made of a hollow Tree They cast me within it as if I had been a Log of VVood and one of the Serjeants Embarked with me The Tide being come he made the Blacks row to bring me on board the Vice-Admiral St. Jerome I was a long time in this Almadie du ring the excessive heat of the Sun a-Noon-Day and I expected to Die with Heat and Thirst and bought a Lagne or Nut of Palm of these Ethiopians to drink of the Water of it giving half to him who kept me Prisoner When I came on Board he put me into the Hands of the Merigne or Serjeant of the Ship who demanded of him how he would have me fastened to which he answered by the Neck the Merigne opened the Collars of Iron Imprisonment of the Author and his Misery and caused me to lie down all along and shut my Neck betwixt two pieces of Wood But seeing me Sick he had some Compassion upon me and gave me a Pillow to put under my Head I was in this miserable Condition from the 7th to the 28th of October at which time I was set at liberty I being then thus taken and shut up about 4 in the evening comes the Ovydor or Judg of the Army with the Register and demanding of me my Name and from whence I came and who gave me Licence to pass into the Indies They knew it very well but made as though they were ignorant thereof For they hnew that I had Embarqued in the Service of the Count de la Fera and besides at such Nature of the Portugals time when they themselves had been Sick I had served and assisted them for which they said then they were mightily obliged to me But these Portugals being for the most part of the Race of the Jews are by Nature Cruel and Ungrateful When they had enquired concerning my Person and writ it down they demanded of me where my Chest and Utensils were and to give them the Key Their design was to Rob me of that little Money and other concerns which I had They had taken a little before one John Baptisto a Geneueâ—e who had been Secretary to the late Viceroy and had made much enquiry after him â—eâ—ing him that he had some Papers and Memorials against the State of the Indies The Captain Mor had deceived him For he had caused him to come on Shore from the Pangais where he was Embarked with Don Louis Alves Brother to the Count de la Fera desiring him to go with him to the Conquest of Cumana This Don Louis carried Voyage to Cumana 200 men to the assistance of Monomoptata one of the Kings of the Lower Ethiopia against another King his Neighbour who made War upon him and the said Monomoptata had promised the Portugals to give them all they could Conquer Now when this John Baptisto was come on Shore upon the Faith of the Captain who John Baptisto taken promised him that he should not have any harm done he was immediately sent as a Prisoner to the Vice Admiral and presently after I was taken as I have before given account and found the said John Baptisto Prisoner under Deck not having then any Irons upon his Feet He was mightily astonished to see me fastned so as I was and endeavoured to render me what Consolation he could that I might take it patiently But this was not all my Misery to be thus fastened by the Neck for Hunger Thirst and the Disease of my Gums tormented me much more for they would not so much as give me a little Water to Drink And by ill fortune I had taken no Money along with me not knowing where they would lead me and had not in all above two Rials one of which I was Robb'd of and with the other I prayed the Merigne to buy me some little Fishes if any passed by our Ship when the Blacks come from Fishing abroad who commonly pass by asking in their Language if any one had occasion for Somba that is to say Fish and Macacoua or Fish dried in the Sun I had still my Instrument Case and a Gold Ring upon my Finger which I pawned for Victuals The evening being come after the Inquest was made concerning the said John Baptisto and me the Captain Mor sent Soldiers to guard us and ordered Irons to be fastened also upon John Baptisto's Feet then caused him to be put at the bottom of the Ship and to shut the Hatches upon him and the Keys to be brought to him and continued thus five days without having any thing given him to Eat As for me the Merigne in the evening took the Collars from about my Neck and put Irons upon my Feet and caused me to lie upon a Chest in his Cabbin As for Don Louis d'Alves Brother to Don Louis d'Alves the Count de la Fera when he saw how Captain Mor had served his Secretary such an ill Trick by thus falsifying his Faith he was mightily troubled thereat besides he had before fallen out with this Captain and would have fought him upon a difference about the Sea-Provision of the Count de la Fera which was worth very near 10000 Ducats in Victuals as well Flesh Biscuit Wines Oil as other Refreshments for the Sea and this Captain who was before Vice-Admiral and since the Death of the Count Admiral himself had made use of some of them and carried the rest to Mosambique and there sold them Don Louis seeing that he could obtain no Restitution of this wicked Man he Embarked to go on his Voyage to Cumana to the Conquest of the Gold which this King Enemy to Monomopata had and Captain Mor thinking that Don Louis upon his setting Sail would board the Ship where we were Prisoners sent a great number of Soldiers and Cannoniers with charge to fire at and sink the Pangais of Don Louis if he made the least shew to Board them In the morning
and never went on Land but when the Female Wonderful-Bird laid her Eggs she mounts up out of sight and so lays her Eggs one at a time as she mounts up after this Egg comes down tossing in the Air which is very hot in that Country before it falls into the Sea 't is Hatch'd after which the Sea nourisheth it which I found to be very wonderful and rare in Nature The 26th of May 1609. we arrived Arrival at Goa in the Indies at Goa the Old as they call it and the 27th went on Land being Ascension-Eve to Dine at Pangin before we should come to Goa As soon as the Fleet arrived there the Kings Packet was published which Andre Furtano Elected Vice-roy was to be opened no where but at Goa containing that in case the Vice-roy chanced to Die by the way Senior Andre Furtado de Mandoze should be Elected and if he was not there at that time they should send for the Governor of the Isle of Seilan Andre Furtado having thus been received Reys-Magos or the Church of the three Kings for Vice-roy I went to Reys-Magos which is the Church of the Cordelieres where the Vice-roys commonly reside whilst Preparations are made for his Reception to speak with him and desire him to help me in my necessity He made me answer that I should come to him when he was setled in his Government But all this signified nothing for I could never speak with him until such time as he sent for me to go with him to Portugal being relieved of his Charge by Ruy de Talbe who came the next year to Goa He sent for me then by his Cup-Bearer to come and speak with him at the Pass of Madre de Dios half a League from Madre de Dioâ— or the Mother of God Goa the which I did and told me if I would go along with him to Portugal he would content me to which I willingly agreed I went to live in his House till we Embarkt which was in January following It was in November when he sent for me to this Pass where there was a Captain who kept the Passage so that none could go into the Main-Land without being marked in the Hand except those of the Country and the Portugals who must have the Licence of the Coregidor I desired then this Captain from Andre Furtado to give me an Almadie with Mariners and a Naique for Guide which he willingly did and recommended me mightily to this Naique telling him that I went to look for Herbs for Andre Furtado which was true and accordingly brought some which served him for Fomentation of the Opelation of the Spleen Passing then to the main-Main-Land we went by these Places in the Habitations of the Gentlemen Bramenis and having demanded some Water to drink at the House of one of these People he gave me some but stayed to see if I drank without touching the sides of the Cup the which I knew not and Drank without any Ceremony which the Son of this Gentleman seeing cried out as loud as he could to his Father who was in a little place behind the House who presently came running in great Ange so that I was constrained to march of and make clean the Cup by my Naique to appease them After that I passed by a Pagod or Temple very well built and entering therein I found one of the Natives stark-naked adorning their Idol with Flowers which had a Head like a Calf when presently an old Woman amongst them cried out to me Why I came in there with my Shooes my Naique excused me in telling her that I knew not the Custom As for the Pay-gods they have several Paygods sorts of them Some for War others for Peace and for Love where the Maids coming to be Married are brought to be Desâ—oured and their Idol hath the Privy Parts like a Man The Damsels who serve these Pay-gods like the Vestal-Virgins continue there from 10 to 20 years of Age and Dance all night long carrying lighted Lamps in their Hands and go to Sleep round about their Idols I saw there very beautiful Girls and Women They Marry their Daughters at 8 or 9 years of Age when they are once past 12 or 13 they are not regarded because they believe them to continue no longer Maids considering the heat of the Country At the end of 20 years these Religious Women that Indian Women Religious have thus served the Pay-gods are kept in a certain place the rest of their Lives After I had gathered some Herbs which I had occasion for we went to a little Habitation of Gentiles where I demanded by my Truch-man if they had any Victuals to give us for our Money for there is no Inns or Taverns there but there were some little Shops where they sold Fruit and other things fit to Eat These Gentiles having Compassion on me there was a Woman who put me under a Gallery of her House where there was a Napkin full of Leaves and Plantane accommodated with Thorns then she threw me some Rice thereupon with a certain Sauce which they call Caril I Eat all this and when I was about to Drink out of a little Vessel of Copper that they had given me full of Water they began to cry out upon me because I touched it in Drinking for they never touch the Cup in Drinking only heaving it up with the Server whereon it stands and so Drink The Floor and Pavement of their Houses are composed with Cow-Dung Ants troublesome which they make look exceeding bright and think that it keeps away the Ants which are there in abundance and they can keep nothing free from being destroy'd by these little Animals to prevent which they have also Cupboards bore upon Piles set in Vessels full of Water where the Ants drown themselves by thinking to mount up Near to this Habitation I found a great Tree laden with Tamarins of which I gathered a few Tamarins They had yet nothing but a sower Taste I carried away the Husk which are almost like French-Beans but larger and greater Now as I returned by a very Desart Place I saw some of these Gentiles running in great haste and having caused my Truch-man to ask what ailed them they answered that their Father was gone to Drown himself a little after I saw them return bringing back their Father and Comforting him after the best manner they could He was troubled for some Misfortune that had happened to him It is a common thing with these People to Drown or Poison themselves or to Indians subject to Dispair Die after some such way when any Accident happens to them As for the Women 't is the Custom that when the Body of their Dead Husbands are Burnt they cast themselves into the Funeral Pile and Burn Women who burn themselves themselves after being first adorned with their richest Accoutrements and Jewels Dancing at the Sound of Instruments and
to be sliced with a Razor then rub it with Salt and Vinegar for fear it should Fester They have another sort of punishment which they call Pingar Viue which Cruelty of the Portugals is to drop Lard put into a red hot Pelle upon the Body of the poor Patient stark naked and lying upon his Belly The Parents of these miserable Wretches are sorry they brought them into the World to feel such Torments which pierces them to the very Entrails I have sometimes seen part of these Barbarous Cruelties which afflicted me so much that I have still a horrour when I think thereof There was one day a poor Indian Girl who came running to my Lodging crying out for help and praying me to be a means to obtain Mercy but I could not save her to my great Sorrow For she was taken and laid all along on the Ground and Bastinadoed without pity There was a Metice Woman who had by these horrible Chastisements killed 5 or 6 Slaves which she caused to be Buried in her Garden And one day as she ordered another to be thus punished he who gave her the Blows going to leave off the miserable Creature in the mean time Died and when 〈…〉 i.e. â—ive it her â—ive it her 〈◊〉 an old â—â—x he told his Mistriss that she was Dead no no she answered she counterfeits Daly Dalyes Rapose Veille that is to say Lay on lay on 't is an old Fox Another had a Slave who was not vigilant enough and ready to rise when she called her her Mistress caused an â—â—heard of 〈…〉 Horse-Shooe to be nailed upon her Back insomuch that the poor Creature died some time after the place thus abus'd being invaded by a Gangreen Another for not being nimble enough had her Eye-Lids sowed to her Eye-brows which had like to have cost her her life her Face being swell'd so One day I heard another young Indian or Chinese Woman who was Chastised after the same manner the blows sounding very loud but she did nothing but groan so low that one could scarce hear her very cry saying Ja Ja Me Signoe I then demanded of Ja ja mi Senior my Host's Brother what it was who told me 't was a Slave a Chastising and that she would have three times as much if she complained and that this was nothing to what others endured and that there was another of them who was hanged in a Chamber by the Hands for 2 or 3 days together and that for a very small matter as for letting fall some Milk as he thought Portugals without Compassion for they would have made him believe he drank it And having asked him if they ever let him down to give him any thing to Eat he told me no but some times as a great favour would let him a little lower just to give him a little Rice sopt in Water and presently hoise him up again But that this would not be all for after that he would be well Bang'd and that they only tarried for his absence that they might begin again this cruel Chastisement He told me also how his Brother who was Master of the Lodging having one day bought a Japan Slave a beautiful Girl and how in Dineing with his Wife he happened to say in Jesting that this Slave had exceeding White Teeth fallâ— it So that I was forced to let them alone For 't is not the custom there to 〈…〉 succour such except one has a mind to â—ight and be killed by them afterwards so mischievous and perverse is this Nation Insomuch that a Portugal-Gentleman being in bed with his Wife in the Night Dreamed that she commited Adultery with one of his Friends after he was awaked he was so Transported with Rage and Jealousy that he killed her at that instant with his 〈…〉 Portugal Poynard as she slept and then fled away to the main Land of Goa and from thence to the Court of Dialcan in whose service he put himself in the City of Isapor For this King seeing him a Cavallier of good fashion received him into his service giving him means to entertain himself and to be Lodged near his own person and also hoping to make him deny the Law of Jesus Christ and embrace that of Mahomet he gave him one of his Sisters in Marriage but for all that the Portugal would never Apostatize whatsoever Dialcan or his Sister could do which this Prince seeing was resolved to put him to Death But she having notice of it advertised her Husband thereof advising him to save himself with all possible speed and he asking her if she would follow him she made Answer that she willingly would with all her heart so that one Night having provided a great Number of precious stones and other Riches with two good horses they set out upon the high way and made such haste that they soon arrived at Pichelin and from thence passed to Goa where this Cavalter so ordered the business by Friends and Money that he had his Pardon for the Murder he committed upon his first Wife excusing himself to the Justice that she had dishonoured her self In the mean time Dialcan seeing the next Morning that neither this Portugal nor his Sister came to â—isit him as they were wont to do soon doubted of the business and having understood that they were fled sent a great Number of Horsemen after to catch them but all in vain for they were already out of his reach This mightily vexed Dialcan an Enemy to thâ— Portu the Prince and caused him to be a greater Enemy to the Portugals than ever he formerly was For they have no greater Adversary than he who hath several times befieged them at Goa but at present they have made truce together and I saw an Ambassador from him at Goa when Andre-Furtado commanded there who Marched about the City in great Pomp and Magnificence after the Moorish Indian manner I saw also other Ambassadors from 〈…〉 Goâ— Pegu and Calicut and it was a very fine sight to see them March in order with their Guards about the streets who carried Bows and Arrows in their Palanquns going with this Ceremony to find out the Vice-Roy in behalf of the Kings their Masters to confirm the Peace in their Ports and Coasts as far as their power permitted 'em to do But Andre-Furtado being Exasperated against the King of Pegu would not so much as read his Letters but tore them telling the Ambassadour that he would come and visit him within a few days and that he remembered how he had given Port and entertainment to the Hollanders their Enemies 〈◊〉 of Andre-Furtado against what had been concluded upon by the Peace and accord made betwixt them And that he had also an intention to visit the King of Achin in Sumatra for he had also received the Hollanders into his Ports to Traffick tho he at the same time knew that they were their Sworn Enemies
Thus was the Ship lost and all the Merchandise that was in her and afterward we arrived at Rochelle the 3d of Sept. from thence I came to Paris the 23 of the same Month when our young King Lewis XIII whom God preserve and prosper was gone to be Crowned at Rheims I had heard no News of the unhappy accident happened in the Person of King Henry the Great my good Master untill we were in sight of Lisbon for then according to the custom there came a Caravel from the Port to see and know who we were who told us that sad History which I could scarcely believe but coming to Land it was too much confirmed to my Eternal regret and sorrow THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO Syria and the Holy Land BOOK V. HAving return'd to Paris from so many long and troublesome Voyages after the Death of King Henry the Great whom I can never sufficiently lament and all other good French Men I had a desire to make a Religious Voyage into the Holy Land there to go pay like a good Christian so many Vows I had made to God for the innumerable Perils and Dangers from which it hath pleased him mercifully to preserve me so often In this Resolution I parted from Paris the 19th of July 1611. and took Coach to Marseilles where I arrived Embarkment at Marseilles the 14th Day of August and tarried there for some Days to wait for passage which at last I found in a Ship of Toulon called the St. Francis belonging to Ode Bergue and Vander Strate Merchants of Toulon and Marseilles There embarking the 8th of September we set sail and the 12th saw the Isle of Sardania which Sardania we left on the North-East and the 15th we saw the Coast of Barbary passing near the Isle of Guerite which Guerite Isle is a little Island not far from the main Land where the Robbers and Pyrates lurk as well Turks as Christians we had this Isle towards the South-West The 17th we passed along by Malta Malta then by Sicilia where we found a Sicilia Ship in the fashion of a Galiot who came directly towards us to know if they durst engage us but when they had perceived our Strength they tacked about taking their course towards Barbary seeking other Prey more easie to surprize The 21st we passed along by Candia Candia where there is a little Island called Agose Isle Agose which advances into the Sea with a Point towards the South Then the 27th we went to the Isle of Cyprus towards the City of Bafe Cyprus not far from the Coast and went to pass the Cape de Gate designing to go to Famagusta But having a sharp Gale and good for our Voyage we continued our course bearing towards Tripoly in Syria where we arriv'd Arrival at Tripoly the last Day of September the next Morning the 1sâ— of October I went on shore to lodge in the City in a Campo near the Juderie or Jews-Place Campo These Campo's are great Houses with large Courts and Fountains where Strangers retire themselves for shelter like Inns. These belong to some great Person who letts them out and he who is the Porter thereof whom they call Boabe receives the Money of the Passengers and gives it to the Master of whom he holds it upon Rent Having tarried some time at Tripoly Voyage to Mount Lebanon I had a mind to see Mount Lebanon and for this effect took a Turk with an Ass to carry our Victuals We left the City the 11th of November and went over very high Mountains and troublesome to pass and in the end arrived at the Lodging of a Chaldean Archbishop called Father George who received us after the best manner he could His House is right above Mount Lebanon his Church is under his Habitation and a Water-mill underneath his Church I saw a good Father a Chaldean Priest and Kinsman to this Archbishop who came from grinding his Corn as he shewed us by his Visage all white with Meal and seeing him in this case we knew him not to be of the Church until the next Morning which was Sunday when I saw him go with the Host in his Hand from thence to a Village there to sing Mass The Father George lived there with his Mother Sisters and Nieces making one and the same Family altogether He shewed me a Chapel above his House upon a little Rock right under Mount Lebanon and told methere was there a Hole out of which every Year upon the 1st Day of May only gushes an abundance of Water at such time as they sing Mass in the Chapel The Mountain is covered all over with Cyprus-Trees The Place is very agreeable but the Winter is there very troublesome because of the excessive Cold and great Snows which mightily afflicts these good Fathers so that they are constrained for that cause to pass the Winter near Tripoly and return there again in the Spring The next Morning after we had heard Mass we set forward towards the Place where the Cedars are about Cedars Three Leagues from thence where being come we had such a cold blast of Wind that my Turk blew his Fingers I order'd him to get upon a Cedar-Tree to break me off some Branches but he tarried there not long for the Cold soon made him to descend that he could not get me so much as I desir'd But I feared he would tumble down being half frozen and besides he had not eaten his Breakfast because of their Romadan Romadan or Fast in the which they fast till Evening not daring to eat any thing upon pain of Death except it be in private and those who observe not strictly their Law and when I saw him tremble in good earnest I presently made him come down fearing to lose him From thence we reassumed our way to return to Canibi which is a Place Canibi belonging to the Chaldean Patriarch and had very bad Weather of Rain so that we arrived there late in the Evening after having passed many little Habitations situate for the most part upon the side of inaccessible Rocks and are almost all Chaldean and Greek Christians with some few Moors amongst them We were there very well received and drank excellent Wine which grows in these Mountains The next Day having heard Mass we returned to Tripoli where I passed a very troublesome Winter because Inundations of the great Inundations of Water which came from the Mountains and so swelled a little River which runs through the middle of the City that it bore down part of the Houses with great loss of Merchandise and Water-mills which it carried quite away with the Stone-bridge This was the cause that Bread was there very scarce and dear that we had much adoe to get a little black Biscuit half spoiled which was sold me by weight and at what rate they pleased and that by halves and the People already
Race of Infidels After having tarried some time at Tripoly I parted from thence the 18th of May and embarked to return to France We passed along by the Isle of Cyprus the 21 st and the 25th we saw the Coast of Turkey then the Mounts of Phenico and Sately and not The Mounts of Phenico and Sately Rhodes Candia far from the Isle of Rhodes which we left towards the North-West After that we passed by the Isle of Candiae where we espied Two Turkish Caramousins driving full sail upon us but when they saw themselves too weak for our Vessel they tacked about again We chased them with our Shot but Night coming on they escaped us they being in great Fear and using their utmost endeavour with Sails and Oars to get themselves out of our reach From thence we passed along by the Isle of Malta and the 12th Malta of June faw the Isle of Sardania which Sardania we left to the North-East and in the end by the Grace of God arrived at Arrival in France Marsailles the 19th of June I made not long stay there but only to carry a Letter which I had for Monsieur the First President of Varix at Aix from whence I returned again to Marsailles and from thence came streight to Paris where I arrived the 24th of July 1612. For which God be Praised for evermore END of the FIFTH BOOK THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO SPAIN Being design'd to travel to other Places and the Causes which made him desist there from BOOK VI. BEING returned from Syria and the holy-Holy-Land with quantity of curious Plants and other rare things which by my diligent Search in several Places I had procured to present to the King and Queen-Regent I failed not so soon as I came to Paris to go do my Reverence to Their Majesties who were very glad to see my Rarities and commanded that a fit Place should be given me in their Palace of the Thuilleries Cabinet in the Thuilleries there to frame a Cabinet of all sorts of Rarities and other curious things which I had gathered together in all my Travels throughout the World But after having so well begun what I had at that time in hand I judged that to pursue it according to my Desire it would be necessary for me to undertake some more Voyages and I had no less design than to encompass the whole World first by way of the Occident and from thence by the Orient to return again into our Occident an Enterprize I must confess so great that the only Presumption of so much as ever having it in my Mind I believe would have gained me Glory enough and yet I hoped that by the Grace of him who had always conducted me every where I should have been able to have brought it to pass But I was defeated of these my Purposes by the Occasions following With this Intention then I left Paris and followed Their Majesties to Tours in the Voyage which they made there in the Year 1614. in July From thence I embarked upon the River Loir to go to Nantes and to St. Leiger to wait for occasion and conveniency to pass to Portugal from whence I was to pursue my Designs But having put out to Sea the Wind turned so contrary that we were forced to draw back to St. Leiger tho' not without a deal of Trouble and there hearing that the King was at Nants I took the Occasion to go there to furnish my self with some Passports which I had forgotten and which I judged needful for my Voyage This being done I returned to St. Leger but I found that the Vessel in my absence had set sail having a right Wind and which was worse had also carried away all my Provisions which I provided for the Passage with some other things which I never could hear of since This was a great Hindrance to me and also an unlucky Presage for my grand Design Yet it hindred me not from embarking as well as I 〈◊〉 into Spain could in another Ship of Aulonne which was going to Andalusia The Ship was called the Florisand and the Master Franchois Michaâ—d We first of all put in at Aulonne then with a right Wind we set out Seven or Eight in Consort for so many Ships we were in all bearing to wards Spain and having continued some time upon the Sea and given chase to some Cruisers we arrived in the Cape of St. Vincent and taking Cognizance of the Cape we ran along by the shore near the Port des Algerves where some of our Ships anchored to Traffick and the rest bore to San Lucar de Baramede where our Ship was bound being laden with Cloth Being arrived in this Place I began to think of some way how to transport my self to Sevilia to get Knowledge as well in Physick and the Art of Apothecaries of which the Practise is something different from ours as also to find means to pass to the East-Indies and accomplish the Voyage which I had proposed to my self Design of the Great Voyage which was to go streight to Mexico and from thence to embark for the Coast of the South-Sea and so to follow the Coast of the East-Indies along by China Camboja Siam Malaca Peru Bengall Coromandel Malabar Goa Diu Ormus and from thence to return by Land through Persia and Babylon to Aleppo and from thence by Sea repair to France my own native Country thus to accomplish so great a Voyage and by the Example of those famous Heroes Magallan Drake Cavendish and Oliver Van dâ—r Nort to encompass the whole Universe But God had otherways disposed thereof and for my own Good his Pleasure being always Just for his own Glory and our Salvation Parting then from San Lucar following the Mareme along by the great River Guadalquivir I came to Seville Seville and immediately placed my self in the Shop of the most famous Apothecary of the whole City in the Street called di los Francos The Master was named Alonso Rodrigo a Portuguese with whom I continued for some time both to learn the Language of which I had already some Knowledge and to have also some Knowledge of Drugs of which this Man made the greatest Traffick For he had Two or Three great Magazines in his House and as much or more in other Places of the City where his Children put off the Drugs After having tarried some time with him I left him for the great Desire I had to find an Occasion to embark but I was still detained by another named Juan Sancha who had also dwelt with this Rodrigo and was Apothecary to the Army and the Frontier Cities in Africa for the King of Spain He was to have a Shop at Marmorre a Place which the Spaniards had newly taken in Barbary and laboured mightily to perfect this Shop which he was to send to this Fortress I tarried then to help him and continued there from the 3d.