them when their keeper speaks to them they will moove their great ears to understand what he sayes They are decently lodg'd and as at Pegu fed in silver vessels The better sort of people live after the Persian way their houses ennobled with gold and azure They have onely one lawfull wife but divers concubines who go richly apparelled their face vail'd in the streets as in Spain and Italy but within door their faces are uncovered and are very sociable They are Gentiles and Idolaters and easie to be dealt withall If a Merchant make stay in Town he shall have a couple of young women will furnish him with a house and all necessaries and serve him like slaves nay 't is lawfull to beat and chastize them if they do not what they are commanded having once submitted to it They go well apparelled and decent as may be are very affable dance and sing well preserve a Merchants goods with great care Larceny amongst them being held a notorious ignominy Almost all the women are clothed in white as all the Inhabitants men and women in Arabia Felix We lay in the Town of Canarena at one Chamuts a Brokers house who had two Unicorns horns one whereof had half the head remaining to it We put the end in water to see if 't would make it boyle as the horn doth but I thought it boyled more vivaciously and it came out like pearle I asked him if he ever saw of these creatures alive he told me he never saw but two which were very young and not come to have hornes That the King going a hunting took one of them but they could not take the damme whatsoever they could do because as they say they shun and fly from the aspect and presence of a man and the places where the Serpents haunt whereof we spoke before who make a cruel warre upon them for greedinesse of their blood which is said to be of excellent scent as it hath been divers times proved particularly when one was sent by their Prince to the King of Pegu which stung by a fly the bloud which issued out was put in a bottle and brought to the King who made no great esteem of it not finding the scent agreeable though notwithstanding he found it more odorous then Civet This the Sensal or Broker told us I my self saw a perfect Unicorn in the King of Regues Seraglio who had the tongue differing from other beasts very long and jagged the head more like a horse then a hart and there are of several haires The Keeper said 't is but an uncleanly beast delights in his own soyle and that having often seen him drink he never observed him to put his horn in the water The Indians report many other things of them but so strange and various there is no great assurance as that they breed but once in their life-time and like Elephants go two yeares with their young and the like A Bramin an order Kings themselves hold it an honour to be of told me once with a protestation laying his hand on the wreath of his order that he was present with the King of Casubi at the taking of one of these Unicorns which was all white and very old the chops so hanging down all her teeth were seen that she was so fierce in her owne defence she broke her horn amongst the boughs that being taken they brought her bound to the Kings Pallace but being so bruised with blowes for having hurt the Kings Nephew she would not eat and so died within five dayes which shewes she is a cholerick and sullen beast The Queens had bracelets made of the bones as Indian Ladies have a curiosity in wearing bracelets of Ivory and the like The King of Casubi reserved the horne of this beast to himselfe about five moneths after being at this Princes Court who was both courteous and curious I desired the Sieur de la Courb one of our own company to request the favour we might see this horne which he did and the King immediately sent for it and gave it him and the Sieur in requital gave him a delicate watch This horne was of different colour to those I had seen in the Sultan of Mecaes Serallio and other places for this drew neare a white gray whereas the other were of a black gray I have been told that Lewis de Bartheme in his travailes recounts how he saw at the Seldans of Meca in Arabia two of these Unicornes which were sent him by the King of Aethiopia high as a two year old colt of a dark colour the head like a Hart the horne three fathome long a little Mane small legges cloven feet and a Goats cley likewise the English and the Hollanders report that in their last voyage towards Spiteberg in a place called Horendsond they found Unicornes hornes not knowing of what beast they were The Prince of Casubi moreover shewed us his Ladies bracelets made of the other piece of this horn which had a very sweet scent He shewed us likewise the bones of an intire head which one of his Princes kept in a Cabinet and divers other curiosities amongst the rest an Estrif that which we call a Griffin but the head was wanting because at the time it was killed it fell amongst brakes so thick and thorney they could not finde it till the morrow by which time the Marmosets had eaten the whole head the feet were of strange length and the Tallons would well have seized a bushel his plume was white and reddish upon the brest they have but two feet and a Tallon is a good halfe ell long from one end to the other I have seen of them of prodigious strength and furiously ravenous that would have carried away a calfe of six moneths old and eaten him There are abundance of them about the lake Chiammay whereof we spoke before From Canarana we made some dayes to Mandranella a fair Town fifty leagues from Tasatay upon Zingis a large and deep river that bears great vessels They traffick with the Tabins or Chineses and the people of Bugazan come thither for all necessaries This is the residence of the grand Caleferech of Pegu whereof we spoke before All persons of quality that passe this way go kisse the Princes buskin who is as affable and courteous as may be There is another Town of the same name in Indostan towards Persia above six hundred leagues from this In this countrey there is a sort of domestical fowle they call Bouiagui which live for the greater part in the water and feed on what is thrown them such as have house and lands upon the river keep abundance of them being of little charge and great profit he who can get two hundred of them thinks himself wealthy for he needs no more then one little lad to drive them a field with a basket to gather up the eggs whereof he will not loose one for they sit down to
losse of their lives and having thus spent near two moneths we put to sea for France and two or three dayes had a prosperous winde which on a sudden turned to the North-East and immediately to a furious violent North-wind that drove us upon the coast of Turluru an Island near Canee which is a Haven and Town in Candia where we cast anchor to ride out the tempestuous weather Here another sad accident befell us by the malice of some of our Merchants and Seamen who reduced to great necessitieâ— by reason of their immoderate and vain expenses in Candia resolved upon a desperate course by sinking the ship to satisfie all their Creditors at a cast and sliding the Anchor on one side betwixt two waters in lesse than a quarter of an hour our ship struck on ground and they having prepared the cock-boat for their refuge about eleven at night got into it leaving some thirty of us behind them to the mercy of the waters of which our ship was already full thus we were reduced to the very brink of despair nothing but confused cryes and groanes amongst us accompanied with prayers to God whose just Judgement left not unpunished the Authours of their own and of our unexpected shipwrack for their boat being overturned within a hundred paces of the ship they were all drowned in an instant And it is worth observation that the greatest part of our company were reprobate persons and absolute Atheists for some of our Marriners seeing themselves in this imminent danger their vessel being filled with water secured some cans of wine which they pour down their throats amongst the rest one Honoratus a Marseillian put on his best apparell and with some French coin threw himself into the Sea those rascals endeavoured to prevent him inviting him to drink saying 't was better to dye full than empty but the poor creature not able to swim sunk immediately his body was within few dayes cast upon the shore the Clark of the ship stript him took his clothes and money and buried him since being sent into France to be impowered by the Merchants to receive four or five thousand Zequines which the goods and commodities saved from shipwrack were sold for he carried the news to Honoratus widow but I doubt whether he restored her his goods as he told us he did This while the greatest part of us perished on the shallowes for of sixty five persons that we were in all but five escaped whereof praised be God I was one and every man shifting for himself by the help of a planck I got to shore after I had been fifteen hours in the water and thus I saved my self together with the Clerk of the vessel After rest and victuals had a little recovered us and our Secretary returned to the sea side to view the remaines of the wrack the Consul of the French Nation residing in a Town in Canee eight leagues distant upon notice repaired with speed to us with twenty Souldiers to preserve what was saved who took good order to see the commodities dryed and restored to the right owners having taken his due fees and leaving our Secretary with the Souldiers in charge with the goods he took me home to his house and provided me clothes after the Greek fashion and other necessaries that I wanted I stayed six or seven months with the Consul who gave me noble and free entertainment for my Fathers sake whose friend and acquaintance he was expecting some ship bound for Jerusalem for I had vowed a pilgrimage to the holy Sepulcher to give God thanks for my preservation in the last great danger At the seven moneths end here arrived a Venetian ship bound for Jerusalem the Master of the ship a Marseillian by name Guillem de Cassis who stood amazed at sight of me saying he had attended at my Funeral at Marseilles and that my Parents heard I was cast away with the rest of the company and that they bore my loss heavier then that of the ship wherein my Father had halfe share as I shewed before that which losse broak my fathers partner Robert Pontoine and forced him to live privately at home then I agreed with William Cassis who was to bring me to Hierusalem and the Consul advanced me a hundred Zequines towards my journy advising me to keep my money private CHAP. II. Of the Townes of Tripoli and Damas with the relation of a Murther LEaving Canee in the moneth of August wee steered out course towards Syria a famous and renowned countrey by the Hebrews called Aram since Halad and Sabal formerly of great extent and conteined the Provinces of Comagene Caelesyria Phenicia Palestina or Judea Mesopotamia and one part of Arabia and others In the time of our Holy Warres it reached from the Tigris unto Egypt from Cilicia or Caramania unto the red sea formerly Antioche was the chief town in Caelesyria The first place we landed at was Tripoli in Syria where Monsieur Toureau a Marseillian most generously entertained us Upon the Mount Libanus two leagues distant from Tripoli you may see snow all seasons of the year you may find the Manna or Celestial dew which I often walking the fields took for snow untill tasting it I found it sweet as sugar and undeceived my self when the natives perceived me gather any they would say Nazarini coul sacor va la Tayhon which signifies Christian eat of the Manna for 't is good The river Chrysorrhoas famous for her waters rises out of Libanus and runnes through Damas there rises also another river called Magora and loses her self in Tripoli In this mount is the Prophet Josua's tombe visited by Christian pilgrims and by Turks I have heard from the Inhabitants and labourers of the Mountain that Vines bear there twice a year to which I give little credit From Tripoli we travelled to Aman three dayes journey thence this Town was formerly called Emitus by the Arabians Camahale by the Turks Amcus and by the Indians Amsa 't is a Country of Mulberries and silke wormes full of Gardens and most excellent fruits The Town is peopled with Grecians Turkes Mores Armenians and Jewes it is very ruinous nothing left entire save the Market exchange for Indian Arabian Aegyptian French Italian English Dutch Merchants they trade there in Cottons Silkes Linnens Carpits Woollens and Pot-Ashes the land is very fruitfull in all sort of fruit Corne wines and Oyles From thence 3. days journey to Aleppo some time Hierapolis a Town of the same and greater trade then Tripoli amongst others in jewells spices and perfumes my Camarade having learnt here what he looked for we went to Damas the Capitall Towne of all Syria She is one of the fairest and greatest Traders in the Countrey remarkeable cheifely for delightfull scituation healthfull ayre fruitfull Soyle abundance of waters fruites and of all sorts of commodities necessary to livelihood her vast treasures trade and number
Desert marching in rank and file following a Jurabi who undertook to guide the Caravane making use of the Seamans compass Upon our March we were from hand to hand advertised that some one of our company was missing that strayed from the rest 't was the companion of an Arabian Merchant very sad for the losse of his freind part of the Caravane made an halt and foure Moores were sent in quest of him and a reward of a hundered duckets was in hand paid them but they brought back no tidings of him and 't is uncertain whether he was swallowed up in the sands or whether he met his death by any other misfortune as it often happens by the relation of a Merchant then in our company who told us that two yeares before travelling the same journey a camarade of his going a little aside from the company about his necessary occasions saw three men who called him by his name and one of them to his thinking favoured very much his companion and as he was about to follow them his reall companion called him to come back to his company and the strength of his voice found himselfe deceived by the others and thus was saved And all Travailers in these parts hold that in the Deserts there are many such fantasms and goblins seen that strive to seduce the Travellers and cause them to perish with hunger and despaire having travelled fifteen dayes thorough the Desert drawing still towards Medina we were seized with a great drowth whereupon the word was given for hand to hand through the company that some whose Camells were not hard loaden should go seek out fresh-water amongst others I and my companion offered our selves three score of us then drew out who waited for us not farr off ready to assist us upon the least notice or signall given we were guarded by a strong Troope assigned us by the Captaine to defend us against the Arabian theeves who have no other livelihoods then the robberies they commit upon the Caravannes we came unto the side of a little sandy hill where we found great store of little trees called Salicor of which they make their pot ashes for glasses a little further we discovered an Indian cane with a flagge at the end of it which is the sign they put upon a spring in those parts and groaping with our hands in the sand we found a great piece of Camels leather that stopt the mouth of a well we drew up some water to drink our selves and some to carry back to our Camarades which we thought pretty good though very salt and brackish a piece of money was given to him that first found out the well and having stayed there some ten houres at least we went back towards our company with whom we joyned and distributed our water among them That night we rested near a hill and left our lodging an hour before day entring into very white sands and so small that the dust troubled us very much We had then entred the stony Arabia and the desert and proceeding in our way we came to the foot of Mount Sina called by the Arabians Lurle or Tur so famous in the Holy Scripture Exod. 19. being the place where God gave the law to Moses and is therefore to this day called Gods Mountain and joyned to Oreb now called Saint Catherines Mount because 't is believed that Saint Catherines shryne reposes there The Arabians pay great reverence to Mount Sina and do not suffer beasts to feed thereon They yet remark the Rock Moses miraculously drew water out of Exod. 17. but there is none there for the present although there be plenty in several other places of the Hill for both the Priests Caloires and Mahometans that inhabit the hill have several good springs Some hold Sina and Oreb to be two Hills others hold them to be but one divided onely in two Copps Sina on the East and Oreb on the West and is not so eminent as the former at the foot of this Hill Justinian the Emperor founded a Monastery called Saint Catherines possessed by the Caloires Monks of the order of Saint Basil as those are at Mount Athos or Mount Santo in Greece this Mountain abounds in herbage and pasture The three Arabia's are commonly called Petrea Deserta and Faelix this is properly Petrea or the stony Arabia through which the children of Israel went into the land of Promise thus called not from the stones or rocks but from Petra a very ancient town since called Herac or Arach which was the chief town of that division of Arabia also called by some Nabathea in this Arabia were the several countries or Provinces of Amalec Edom Moab and Madian containing several deserts as that of Sin Sur Cedat Cadez and others it begins near the Jordan and ends Southward towards the desert Arabia with great hills interposed and the desert of Benascali of great extent where for the benefit of passengers are wells built with bones of dead men and beasts for want of stones The desert Arabia hath great want of water and is called by some Estreiemin by others Soball the Sarasens call it Barraab it contains Meka and Medina The happy Arabia towards Ader is called Ayman The stony hath been peopled with Sarasens or Aragenes the spring of Mahometanisme The desert is chiefly possessed by robbers cut-throats and rogues The happy called Sabea part of it is subject to the Turk part of it to the Sophy of Persia the rest hath Kings and particular Lords and Masters The stony is surrounded with great hills and is well stored with water having West-ward Egypt and the other two Arabia's Northward Judaea and Syria and from Syria through the stony the chiefest part of the desert is least on the left hand This desert hath vast wildernesses utterly uninhabited except in few places where there are small rivers and hath onely the towns of Medina and Meka and the Castle of Metar where some say Mahomet writ his Alcoran the great desert of Benhali or Benaseali of which I late spoke of runnes quite through her is twelve dayes journey over covered with white sand and small as dust The happy called by the Arabians Rahahac is divided from the desert at the Haven Ziden and hath very fair Provinces as Aden Agias and others unto the Isles of Maera and Mazira towards the Cape Rosolgate CHAP. IV. Of the town of Medina and the false Prophet Mahomets successors FRom Mount Sina we came in few dayes to a little hill where there stands a Village called Jusoreh inhabited allmost by Jews onely and a well of the best water can be drunk those Jews hide their secret parts with a linnen cloth and are naked for the rest of their bodies they are naturally crafty and malicious much given to stealing which is esteemed a vertue amongst them They once cunningly stole my Camarades Cassock which he wore one
Mordesin that begins with vomiting and pains in the head and is infectious There is another disease very common amongst the natives called Scorbus and other diseases proceed from the enchantments of bad women They are no sooner sick but are carried to the Hospital where remedies are presently used for their recovery they are lodged in well-furnished and pleasant chambers and have very fine gardens The Churches of Goa are fair and well adorned the Windores of Mother of pearl very curiously carved At Pegu they are made of Tortoise shells of diverse colours and are the fairest of the world the Lanthornes belonging to the Hospital are made of the shell of a fish a kind of Mother of pearl They burn nothing but wax in the Churches nor little else in the town it is so well provided therewith This town being some eight thousand paces about may be of the bignesse of Roan or Avignon built and tyled as the fashion is in Europe Goa is an Archbishops See and hath four Bishopricks depending to her and her jurisdiction reaches unto Mosambick There are many magnificent Churches and Monasteries of Jesuites Franciscans Austin Friars discalceate and many Nunneries of Virgins and penitents There is great commerce of all wares and merchandise of slaves especially both males and females 't is but a peccadillie for a Master to lye with his slave but if she proves with child the law enfranchises her and she may go whither she pleases The waters are good and well tasted and although the tyde goes up beyond the town yet there remaines not the least brackishnesse in the water the best is fetched halfe a mile from the town from a place called Banquenin which is sold The Portugais are richly clad with breeches like Sea-men very rich buttons coats and Cassocks pretty short and broad hats they have their Parasols carried by them with bottles full of Colos and other pleasing drinks and they weare very rich swords and in a word they are very vain and proud as the Prophet speaks them Pocos y Locos The Haven is very good onely there is a shelf of sand as at Larack in Fez they have an inquisition or Court of Parliament which is their Judicature The Viceroy is removed every third year The profit there accrues to the Governours and officers and little comes to the King that depends much upon his Armies besides the pay of three thousand officers The Isle is mountainous sandy and reddish yet very fertile being well water'd with many springs and rivers of this red earth or clay are made many sorts of cups and vases white some gray others red and as clear and fine as glasse as Bolarmeni They have two crops a year of Rice and French Wheat and it is green all the year long this land is scituate under the Tropick Cancer near to the Equinoctial There grow many Date-trees and ships come daily into the Haven laden with Cocos and other commodities vented in the town The ships stay at the barre or mouth of the Haven wanting water to bring them up They hold it two miles from the town to the mouth of the river where are two strong Block-houses or Forts to defend the ships that sayle in the middle Then a league higher there is another called Pangari where dwells the Captain Major that grants the Cartacoes to trade both within and with out but since many have written of the Judicature Government Nobility souldiers the manner of life of both the Sexes of this town as well Portugais as Indians I will say no more I will onely relate a sad accident happened to some poor French-men that had stolne a ship laden with pepper but having suffered shipwrack some twelve leagues from Goa upon a shelve of sand the ship was taken and saved belonging to a Portugal Merchant of Goa the poor men arraigned and condemned to be hanged for the Pyracy committed as well as for their murdering the Captain the chief of these Malefactors was called Raymondin they were assisted at the time of their suffering by some good Fathers of the Church of the five wounds of our Saviour near to the publick place of execution and the fathers of our Ladies of Mercy cloathed them all in white according to their custom with white caps and a crosse in their hands they died very couragiously and penitently fully contrite and sorry for their sin and shame some were hanged at Saint Katherines key others in the Corne-Market Six of them were hanged there whereof the youngest broak two ropes and fell down from the Gibbet the good father that assisted at his death obtained his pardon and caused him to be taken back to the prison he turned Franciscan to the great contentment of the whole order and was visited by all the Nobility of the town he was born at Diepe his name Ratelin and fell into Raymondins company with no intention to Pyracy but to see the world and thus God gave him grace miraculously to escape I remember that being in Provence a young man borne at Aubayne was upon suspicion of a certain crime cast in prison and arraigned at Aubayne and being convicted thereof was condemned to be hanged he broak two new halters and fell without the least harm from the Gallows to the ground which accident caused the multitude to cry out for pardon for the poor man which was immediately granted him but miserable as he was ignorant of his own happinesse he ended his life by the Gibbet for some detestable crime by him committed in another place A Sicilian Gentleman was accused by thirty false witnesses to have intended the sale of Messina to the Turk and sentenced for that offence to be hanged and his children to be decapited protesting his own innocency upon the ladder the Rope breaking they tyed another to him newer and stronger which broak also the people saved him and his proces was reviewed the false witnesses examined condemned and executed the wronged Innocent with his children undertook a pilgrimage to our Lady of Loretto where I saw him At Goa as also at the other townes in the Portugais possession the Merchants may trade with great security with leave from the Viceroy or Deputy and paying the rights and customes otherwise their goods are confiscated CHAP. XVII Of Baticola Decan Amadiva and of the Kingdome of Cananor FRom Goa unto Comorin which is properly the Coast of Malabar are many Forts belonging to the Portugais as at Onor which is distant 14. degrees at Barcelor 13. degrees called by the Indians Barcelan at Mangalor 12. at Mosiri or Cananor 2. at Cranganor 10. the natives call it Cagnanora then at Cochin 8. degrees distant and at Coulan which is called Cosmans and at other places From Goa we came to Baticola which is a kingdom the town is large rich and plenteous in all commodities scituate upon a pleasant and deep river which yields her accesse easie the haven is a quarter
and Tapacura under the obedience of Bengale Westward is Orixae where is the Diamond mine and the deserts of the Kingdom of Deli Southward the maine Indian sea The Kings of Bengale were able to conquer the Kingdom of Deli were not the great deserts of Damida and the Inpenetrable Forrests of Sacara interposed the two limits Southward on the one side is the Cape Sogora or Sagagora and of the other that of Castigan or Catigan at the third mouth of the Ganges over against the Kingdom of Verma where are the mines of Chrysolites Sardonix and Topases Verma hath formerly belonged unto the Kingdom of Bengale the people are very civill and given to trade And all Nations have free traffick as Persians Greekes Abyssins Chineses Guserates Malabares Turkes Moores Jewes Ruffes or Georgians and many others There is great commerce of Jewells and other Merchandises brought by the Mouth of Ganges streight to Bengale going up six miles by land but above twenty by water by reason of the ebb and flow which as I have already said is different from other seas the smallest tides falling out at the full of the Moone but when the water is at the lowest 't is three fadome deepe round the Walls of the Town so that ships safely enter the Haven and are there very numerous 'T is thought there are fourty thousand families in the Town and the King dwells in a stately Pallace built of brick with faire gardens unto it The Town is pleasantly seated The King keepes a great Court followed by a gallant Nobility and his chiefest guard consists of women as the custom is in Jave Sumatra and Fransiane they put more trust in them then in men they march very gravely are very valiant and expert horseriders and vaulters use the Cimitere and buckler and battle axes very dexterously you must take a care to come neer them in their March for they will abuse you calling you Gueriaer which signifies bold villain the King maintains a great many of them in his Pallace and the handsommest are richly attired The Sun once set 't is forbidden to any man to come neere the quarter the Seraglio is kept in it lookes upon a faire garden on the side of a pleasant river where the Ladies walke at night and 't is death for any man to be found there The Captain of the guard carries in his hand a poysoned nosegay which as it were by chance he puts to the nose of any person he hath a mind to kill and he dies within two houres or thereabouts or else he causes his hands and feet to be cut off This customary law is with more rigour executed upon the inhabitants then upon strangers If the women are surprized in their amours they run no danger and men are very seldom exempt from punishments One of those women being caught with a slave was brought before the King weeping to excuse her fault she said that had she not consented to that act the strangling of her matrix had killed her which the King took for an excuse and sentenc'd the slave to death who was a Knight of Malta and married his wife richly to a Lord of his Court. The King of Bengale is an Idolater as generally all the Eastern are he is valiant of Person and can draw into the field a great Army both of horse and foot wanting not wherewithall to maintain them for his Countrey is rich in gold silver and jewels he can draw forth two thousand Elephants caparison'd their teeth are shodd with steele and they will carry as many men as those of Narsingue they use hand-guns muskets swords javelins hallebards and pikes The Bengalians are the gallantest Persons of the East both men and women both sexes go richly apparel'd and perfumed All other Nations of the Indies flock thither to spend their money and chiefly to buy young slaves to attend and guard their women and manage their businesse they are bought and sold as horses are here they buy them young the safer to geld them the Parents being poore do not scruple to sell their children to strangers for three score four score and a hundred Ducates more or lesse for they are sure their children run no hazardous fortune they being instructed in all manner of Vertues The Law is that if a slave return to his father they are both enslaved to the master untill redemption The King of Bengale hath many Kings tributary to him as the King of Apura who payes him fifty Elephants yearly twelve pearls of the weight of a Miticale he yields this for the ransome of six Towns this King had taken of him in open war he made the King of Dimali tributary to him also for assisting his enemy King Apura and makes him pay 50. horses with 50000. cherats or crowns yearly The King of Orixa payes him tribute too and many more Gentiles and Mahometans although he himself in some manner acknowledges the great Mogull he hath an Army ever ready to draw into the field upon an instant the Nobility being generally tributary and released from that duty are obliged to serve their Prince upon his first summons with a certain number of horse and other necessaries And when they are engaged and obliged to it the war once ended the King rewards them with money and favour imbracing them as his children and after a solemn feast prepared for them dismisses them home to repose The Kings benign and gratefull entertninment so highly obliges them that they spare nothing for their Princes service The Climate is very temperate and well air'd that makes them live long witnesse the Moor of Bangale aged three hundred and thirty years in 1537. the oldest of the Countrey never knew him but old and of the same growth and remembred Cambaye without a Mahometan his hair chang'd colour four times from black to white and he lost his teeth as often and still they came again he had about 700. wives in his life time he was an Idolater for a 100. years together and was the rest of his time a Mahometan he was maintained by the Soldan of Cambaye since by the Governour of Diu although the Bengaliens lye under the Torrid Zone they are cooled with much rain that falls from May to mid August it rains from mid-day to mid-night the other twelve hours there falls none and that 's the time they have to travell and trade in Such is the disposition of the air under the Torrid Zone otherwise she would be dis-inhabitable for the great heats as the Ancients believed being not acquainted with the Countrey nor the rains besides many other reasons as the nights being of the same length with the dayes the winds and other causes daily observed The Bengalians are curious and delicious in their diet they feed much upon preserves and sweet-meats for having all sorts of spices green they confect of all sorts the husk of the nutmegs makes an excellent conserve so doth the long
of a marvellous height that cast most pleasant and delicious shades The River Caypomo runs thorough one end of the garden westward and at the other end there is a large and long walk whence you discover fair pastures for Cattle that are very numerous under the shade of those trees that bear variety of fruit and great plenty There are many Monkeys Pea-birds both wild and tame paâ—rats white partridges and other birds There are many other gardens and Palaces nearer hand built of marble and Porphyry and a lake a mile about One of thee Palaces is allotted the Queen and her Court not far unlike the Escurial which joyns to a Park stored with exquisite and rare beasts as Agouari that give the musk civets girafs the Sindero like the Stags are bred in Swedeland and are put to the same use as Horses and are called Arsinga Abada or Rhinocerot There is an Unicorn called Drougala and the head of another with the horn in the midst of the upper part of the forehead set fast upon a fountain side with many more curious rarities In the Sultanes garden there is a cage of birds we call birds of Paradise the Portuguais Saxaror Dell Sol and the Indians Manucodiata some of our Europeans believe those birds have no feet but certain nerves or strings onely but 't is a falshood for I am certain they have feet which they use as other birds They hold to that they never light upon the ground but that they build their nests upon their males backs but 't is apparent by those that are brought into our parts that their feet are dexterously cut that they may seem more strange and admirable I saw one at Goa which a Portuguais fed with the sweetest flowers as Jasemin Gilly-flowers and others which the bird delighted in In those parks or gardens are Besouarts and swine that breed the same stone within them In that cage there are other birds of strange shapes one hath the bill long and sharp and is ravenous feeds on flesh and is called Tanarif Another called Tiscan white all over the body and upon the breast hath a bunch of feather like a dried Rose his bill strong and thick like an Eagles but bigger and blacker can break a sheeps bone in two I think 't is the Griffin though it hath but two legs for I never could hear of any four leg'd as they are represented unto us This bird is an enemy to the Tanarif and are therefore separated There are many more strange birds brought from Molukes Maldives Java Sumatra and other Isles in the Indian Sea there are Ostriches which they call Zangir from the name of the Isle whence they come of a prodigious bignesse In the Lake belonging to the Sultan's Palace are seen all sorts of water-fowle of many different colours they feed on fish and a slime bred therein that is very sweet and when once they have tasted it they never leave it but breed often There are Connills or water-Rats without tayles they feed about this lake under the shades they delight to dive into the slime or mud There live little Apes their hair or down softer than silk of a violet colour admirable pretty There was in this lake a Crocodile brought from the river of Pegu but because â—e committed great spoyl upon these birds and beasts the King commanded him to be killed and with much ado they took him although wounded in many places under the belly We happened to be there at his death a month after the King had given order for it he gave many loud groanes and sighs at his death it was flead and the flesh distributed amongst the Courtiers and is as sweet as musk which occasioned one of our gang to say he thought Ambergris proceeded from those creatures as he was informed in Portugall for my part I am not of that opinion for in the Isles Ambergris is gathered there was never known any Crocodiles and as I have learn't in my travells it rather appeares to be bred in the bottom of the seas as some Islanders that have gathered it have remarked like a bitume or thick mud I much lesse believe it proceeds from a whale having often both seen and helped to take of them we have made diligent searches into their bowells but could never find out any such thing A Portuguais Don Jamo informed us that he had seen many taken at Malaca or Tacola where five or six were taken in two years of an immense bigness their entrails were all searched into nothing near Ambergreece was discovered Near this Palace there is another Park stored with tame beasts and birds as Francolins Pea-birds Turkeys their ordinary Poultry for the use of the Court kept and look't to by young slaves to gather their eggs c. There are many white red and gray Partidges which are fed once a day with a small grain called Naver like unto buck wheat but much blacker There is a park for Lions Tigers and other fierce beasts called Siparo and 't is a sad and dayly sight to see criminalls devoured by them There was a Church founded there in memory of a miracle that happened to a Christian in the year 1572. who was exposed to the Lions next to the Elephants and thirdly to the Tigars the siercest of the three and came off from them all safe and intire none of the beasts would touch him he was presented to the King who gave him a pension during his life and inquiring who he was he replyed he was a poore Christian pilgrim come out of France with intention to visit the Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem that since he had travelled unto Mount Sinay with the Caravane whence he thorough devotion came to the Town of St. Thomas to visit the shrine of that glorious Saint there he was bidden go to Caranganor where that St. suffered Martyrdom and that then he had a curiosity to see the Court of that great Monarch so famous throughout the Indies and was not permitted to crosse the river of Pegu without money which he was but slightly stored withall but cast himself into the water to swim it over and being re-taken was condemned to the beasts After this worthy miracle some French Jesuites at San-Thomas obtained leave of the King of Pegu to build a Church in remembrance of the miracle Those Fathers go on cheerfully and successfully in the conversion of those parts There are in those Parkes ponds of clear water where they feed Tortoyses of a middle size Their shells are a mixture of many colours as black red tawny yellow and others and there are none fairer in the world They work up many things therewith as Cabinets Trunks Boxes and other furniture 't is very neat work for the shells are polished like diamonds and are transparent which make a fine show and would be much valued here but he hazards his life that adventures for them This Prince makes it
for what concerns Zinguebar or Zanzibar which ancients called Agezymba and which they placed above the high and interiour Ethiopia 't is as it were an Island environed with seas and rivers 't is a plentifull country of all kinds of commodities for livelihood The town of the same appellation in twenty four degrees and a half hath a good Port well frequented upon a lake excellently well built of stone lime and sand after the manner of the Italian Towns embellished with pleasant gardens entirely beguirt with water as Meroc is but there is no drink but the draw-well The Princes Palace seems very lofty which defends the mouth of the haven before which there is a convenient place for calking vessels 'T is scituate in the best part of Monomotapa and fronts Eastward with the Province of Simen or Simis which joynes with the land of Melinde The Inhabitants are well civilized and 't is thought this is the same Monomotapa which lies upon the river of the Holy Ghost where all the houses are flat roofed as they are at Naples and the Palace royall like that at Calicut there is not one but hath his Alfongi which is a boat of one peice The Presterian or Natahachi and Abassi hath often attempted to take in this country but failed only he plundered it taking away a number of slaves to make Christians of his kinde Amongst his other warres he took the Region of Canfild which Geographers place where they should not This country stretches very far even to the lake of Zaflan which makes the faire Island of Zunan or Zanan near which is Garga or Gorga the capitall town of the countrey beautified with pleasant gardens and abounding in fowle and cattle rice and other commodities for livelihood This lake of Zaftan is as 't were a wide and vast sea of sweet water lying close upon the great Province of Gazasele which confines upon Cafates Cara Esaui Noua Ambian all which meet at Agag scituate between the two Cataracts called by the Inhabitants Zembra with the entire kingdome of Aygamar As to Cofala 't is likewise a reasonable large country rich and fertile at least from the lake Gourantes to the Cuama for the rest of the Coast from the River Magnice to the Cape is but barren This Magnice or the River de Espiritu Sancto as the Portugalls call it rises from one of the lakes whence Nile takes its Origine called Zembra or as others will have it more probably from Zachaf and crossing the mountaines of the Moon and the great Empire of Monomotapa deliver themselves in the Meridian Sea in twenty three degrees and a halfe forth of the same lake Cuama or Couesme takes his birth which disgorges it selfe at seven mouthes a little above the Cape of Courantes in sort that this kingdome of Sefala is invironed with two great Rivers which towards Mid August make exceeding inundations and fatten the soyle as Nile by its overflowes fertilizes the countries of Egypt Beniermi Nubie Tamatas Soba Bugamidei Goyame and others These two rivers then launch out of the lake Zaire and Zembre or Goyame as some think and moderne writers say from a lake called Zuman or Zuama or Sachaf as two great branches one whereof which is Magnice runnes into the sea as at a place by the Portugalls called Punca or Labras del Spiritu sancto The other is called Fuama that is faint because it failes at threescore and fifteene miles from Cefala and is lost in the sand whence it rises again afterwards The large lake of Zembre bears great vessels and some report they have sailed upon it above two hundred and fifty leagues It receives other rivers as the Paname sixty leagues beneath Cefala others about twenty leagues as the Libia Mariancia called by the Abissins Eshusula and Sancola both great inundations laying the whole country under water and in Marshes of difficult passage The soyle of Cefala is exceeding rich in gold and the river Cuama brings it ready fn'd in small threads which are found in the sand so as this river passes through mines of gold for which reason the Portugals by permission of a Mahometan Prince who rules the Country have here built a Fort to facilitate their negotiation with the Inhabitants Before they arrived here some Mahometans of Quiloa and Magadoxo built the town of Sefala in one of the Islands made by Geuesme this river augmented by Paname which takes birth near the town Amara and swelled by Laanga who leads with it the Arrouia and joyns with Monoua at the Ruenia and the Inedita called Iradi by the Ethiopians which together water many countries making vast inundations and Marshes which render the land so dangerous to passe that there needs well experienc'd guides and to make Mount Masima by the natives called Manica the way to Ethiopia there are many fair Provinces rich in ore of gold and silver They term the gold mine Manica the country Matuca or Mataca and those which get the gold Bothones There is another an exceeding rich one in the Province of Torta or Toroa and in that of Gag or Agag one of silver as there is also at Bocaua or Batua Boror Tacouir and other places and the soyle is universally very fertile as likewise at Potozzy and Perou To avoid these immense Marshes as I said one is forced to take the way of Mount Manica bending towards Ambea and Sabaim where at this day are seen huge ruines of ancient structures which resemble the greatnesse and magnificence of those of the ancient Romanes chiefly in the kingdomes Batua and Toroa where are the most ancient mines of gold in Africa There you finde likewise store of stones of excessive bulke so excellently pollished they never lose their lustre fixed together without Cement so fine it is not perceivable In like manner we finde there Remainders of walls of above twenty five handfulls thick with certain hieroglyphick characters engraved not to be read as the like is observed in Persia among the ruines of the town Persepolis Many do conceive 't was from hence Salomon fetcht his gold as I said elsewhere and these great ruines to have been of that Ages building and by the same King Howsoever we took not this road by the Mountain for being come from the Cape Gourantes with a Portugall Captain called Baccheo a fiery and insolent person with whom we had contracted for our passage with design to come for Spain by the Cape of Bona Esperanza and along the coast of Africa we were constrained to go on shore at Agoas de san Biasio by some called the coast of S. Rafuel to avoid the tyranny of this Captain 'T is scarce credible what discommodities one suffers in these Portugal vessels for though he shift his clothes and linnen a hundred times the day he is eaten up with lice have you need but of a glasse of water you must make insupportable
Isle full of lovely gardens This part may be of eighty or ninety thousand fires inhabited by the wealthiest merchants About two miles from thence there is another part of little lesse extent by the Inhabitants called Mubacar Next is the ancient Town which the Inhabitants call Bezuela whereof we spoke before where there is magnificent and stately edifices and Mosquees and amongst others one very fair hospitall This part consists of about twenty thousand fires stretching it self about half a league towards the West towards the South touches the Palace of the Sultan or Bascha and toward the North a little Suburb which they call Bebesor which runs bending towards the East to another of like greatnesse Jemet Taulon the name of the Soudan who founded it In this part there is a spacious Palace and a sumptuous Colledge well founded whither they resort from all parts to study the sciences About two miles from thence there is another well-built part Carafa The ancient Town Bezuela or Bazieles otherwise called Mifuletif or Mifruletif is that where the famous Sepulcher of their pretended St. Nassisse the neice of Mahomet by his son in law Haly stands On this side lies the garden which bears the plant of the true Balm so much renowned there which they call Almatria and Christians Materea This plant hath a leaf like Lentisk or Mastick tree which they prune every year as a vine as a Gardener told me who kept it 't is but small and there is but little of it Ethiopians say the Queen of Saba carried this plant to Salomon who caused it to be set in the gardens of Jericho and afterwards was transplanted to this place by the Sarazins but others say that 't was first brought from Arabia the happie where all the balm that grows there at this day is of like vertue and quality About the end of May they slit the bark not with iron but something else and the liquor distills out which they receive in a glasse They adde that this plant will prosper with none but Christians and that it dyes in the hands of Infidels In some places of the West Indies in Nova Hispania and Carthagenia there is some of no lesse esteem than this of Egypt it grows in the middle of a fountain which is like a draw-well The Mahometans say when the blessed virgin was in Egypt she rested at this fountain and here washed the linnens of her child Jesus A little on one side is an Island with a fair Palace where the Bascha goes sometimes for recreation 't is called Michial Here lies the head of the Channell or Aqueduct on which there stands a Column to foreknow the fertility or sterility of the year according to the heighth of the inundation of Nile The Part of Caire which lies upon Nile is very large called Boubacon or Bebesoe and Boulac here land the vessels which come from Rosete or Alexandria and other parts In sum this Town consists of many more Towns or Burroughs or Suburbs full of people and I believe in this Town there are as many souls as in all the rest of Egypt throughout and he had need of a good horse that would survey all these habitations in two nay in three dayes The Basha's Palace is the same where the Soudans was and that while the Empire was in glory was one of the most rich and magnificent in the Universe as a French Authour describes it who was there in those times There being many Courts every one with a guard Porches Galleries and Columns of Martle guilt vaults various-coloured pavements of Mosaick work frets carvings and sculptures pleasant large gardens fountains viviaries bird-cages and other singularities All sorts of rich moveables stones gold and silver The Calife or Soudan had a throne of massy gold and rarely was seen to any except Embassadours The Ladies for the greatest part are attired in white with coats and a mask of the same colour a silk smock of diverse colours a little bonnet on their head of some rich stuffe with a band or wreath about it and over all a large vest or huke which covers the whole body Touching the Inundation of the River Nile it advances moderately not doing any dammage and when it comes they make a generall triumph then they run at the vest a certain game of prize amongst them and prepare ditches expresly to receive the water certain persons being substituted of purpose who ascend four or five dayes journey towards the Channell to see if the waters flow with vigour and violence and thence return with poste-haste and acquaint the Basha to what degree and when there is notice that 't is arrived within half a dayes journey the Bascha with the whole Nobility mounts on horseback clothed in their apparell with the robe of Mahomet born by a Marabou in great triumph before them and by the way running the Masse shooting with a Bow at a golden apple upon the end of a Pike First they ride three or four rings then running at high speed in a full career they let fly at the apple and he who do's best bears away the prize And so they solemnize the arrival of the flood every one cleanses and prepares their cesterns to store up water for the whole year for they have neither draw-wells nor fountains that ever I saw and it never rains there only every evening there falls a dew such as if one should sleep abroad he should be as wet as if he came out of the River The like is in Peru where they never have rain But instead thereof they are visited with a wind that fannes and moystens The Paraguary or the River de la Plata at Brazill hath the like inundations as Nile but with more violence and rapidity and lodges full three moneths upon the land it waters whereas Nile comes quietly and retires with the same civility not staying before any town above 15. or 20. dayes They contrive to build their houses upon hills and rising grounds to secure themselves from waters and humidity In the countrey the houses for the greater part are built of loom of beast-dung and earth and there are some which have no other then tents of strong cloth of a reddish colour but they who live near the silver River by reason of the impetuous stream of the water which overturns and carries all before it are constrained to forsake their houses and for a time betake themselves to their Canoes where they lead the Ducks life till the flood retiring within its bounds leaves their dwellings to their possession again But I am not certain if this happen by a constant annual course as in Egypt The custome of triumphs at the arrival of the inundation of Nile we finde to have been amongst the ancient Egyptians amongst others they celebrated the great feast of Niloa towards the Summer-Solstice holding the River for a God whom they worshipped under the names of Osiris and Orus giving him the appellations
of souldiers her faire Structures many sword knife-cuttlers other expert Artists in steele who give a delicate temper with muske and Amber-greese There I saw a Marseillian Cutler who spent near a hundred Zequins in forging one blade which was by many admired I met him ten yeares after at Paris he told me he sold the same blade to Collo Dornano for three hundered crownes Damas is scituate in a faire plaine her soyle well watered and fruitfull with plenty of Gardens and Orchards round about her she is surrounded with two mountains the one called Amon the other Sahanir There are many grots and caves as 't is said formerly inhabited by the Christians in time of persecution there is one can contain 4000. persons and without doubt are fairer and larger than those at present to be seen at Saragosa in Sicily towards the East there is a lake 7. or 8. leagues about through which run two sweet streams the one called Aman or Amma which runs by the foot of the wall towards the South the other Farfar and threds through the middle of the Town she is also adorned with many fountains the water being brought by pipes from Chrysoran The houses are built of the Moresco modell with galleries do almost cover the whole streets as at Aleppo The Town is strong and begirt with good ditches well flank'd and man'd in time of war A Bassa or Governour keeps it for the Turk who hath a strong life-guard of horse The Suburbs are greater and more populous than the Town There are twenty thousand Mulberry planters for the trade of silk and an infinite number of cutlers and other Artists in steel and iron On the East there stands a Tower where you may yet see the Flour de luces the arms of France which must have been set there when the French were Lords of the Holy land there in a little enclosure is to be seen Zacharies tomb Father to St. John Baptist a place of great veneration the Mahometans themselves celebrating the feast day with solemn rejoycings they yet shew the place where S. Paul persecuting Christians fell from his horse and the place of his imprisonment and where he was let down in a basket They shew you the place where 't is said Cain killed his Brother Abel There is an Alablaster mine affords them great store of fair vessels and other peices From thence commonly are set forth the Caravans or land convoys for Medina and Meca and to many other places of Arabia and the east The Towne is farr fairer without then within by reason of the commodious scituation and beautifull aspect but the streets are not so well contrived the Market place or Baiar is ample and faire built with Piatzza's as at Bolonia most of the houses in Town are served with fountains derived from Chrysorrhoas the graffs are planted with Mulbery trees There is a Citadell said to be built by a Florentine Renegado who then commanded it While we staid at Damas one day walking the Market place we saw an Executioner surrounded with a great crowd of people upon a tall horse and dragging a Malefactor tyed with a rope by the leggs to the place of Execution and enquiring the reason of this Justice we were told he was a Christian and had killed a judge of the Country This poore sufferer as we since understood by attestations and letters he carried about him in a box was a Frenchman and born in Saintonge his name was Roubie returning from Jerusalem where he received the Cross from the hands of the Patriarch and passing thorough this Town met a judge who according to the insolent custome of the sworne enemies to Christians with one blow struck Roubie at his feet which for the present he seemed to take very patiently dissembling the affront with resolution nevertheless when opportunity should serve cruelly to revenge it he absented himself for three whole yeares and in that time having perfected himselfe in the Turkish Language disguised in the habit of a Dervis a sort of Religious in great esteeme amongst them he weares a Cimitere by his side and a dagger hanging at his girdle to see the commands of their Prophet Nabi strictly observed this supposed Dervis begirt with his hanger returned to Damas and assisted dayly in Court the judge his enemy whose diligence to justice was held a good Omen this he practised for three whole years and more not omitting one audience in all that time dayly expecting an opportunity to revenge himselfe Upon a time hearing the judge give Sentence against an Orphan who was sued for some inheritance suddenly stept up to him and with a mortall wound on the forehead laid him dead at his feete took his place and said that the judgement newly pronounced against the Orphan was unjust and that it was fit to repeate the Evidence which without the least interruption in respect to the supposeâ— Dervis was immediately done by Councill on both sides and a Herauld openly declared that he thought it Justice the Orphan should enjoy one moity of the land in question this was spoken to the satisfaction of the Auditory but especially of the Dervis who gave his opinion and approbation in few words and at the same instant judgement was pronounced to the great content of those were cast by the former sentence his body was carried home to his house and the Murtherer highly commended for his great act of Justice Reubie satisfied in his revenge by degrees retired himself to Tripoli where by misfortune being reproached by a certain countrey-man of his who had seen him in the habit he inconsiderately confest it and the reason that moved him so to do and some Turks hearing of it they presently caused him to be apprehended and upon search found uncircumcised he was brought back to Dama where he was thus arraigned and executed and his body cast to the dogs to be devoured Not farre from Damas and the Jordan springs is the town of Philippa whence the woman was that our Saviour cur'd of the flux Belinas sometime Dan Paneas or Caesarea it lyes not far from Libanus and between her and Gallilean or Tiberiade Sea is a great vale where is a Lake swell'd with the snow that falls from the Mount Libanus through this Lake runs the Jordan and is called Es-mal-maron formerly the waters of Merac there did Joshuah overthrow the Kings of Chananee the Lake is in Summer almost drye and from thence unto Jope is a very fruitful country called Charon Towards the Tiberiade Sea there is another vale very hollow between two hills where the Sun is hardly ever seen This hill rises not far from the Sea side and reaches to Sidon or Sayette and of the other side they both reach the Arabian hills near Damas and there lyes the Country formerly called Palmyrena CHAP. III. Of the Deserts of Arabia of Spirits or Apparitions there of the Sea
of Sodome of the Hills of Sina and Oreb and the three Arabia's AFter some few dayes stay we left Damas and passed through Benin from thence we came to Macharaib or Macherib and Masarib three dayes journey from Damas 't is a small town of Palestina not very pleasant formerly called Misor one of the Levies Cities sometime belonging to King Balsan near the torrent of Arnon in the tribe of Reuben At our arrivall there having discharged our Chioas or guide which cost us six Duckets a man my companion Cassis took a little boy for his guide and brought me first to a fair house in the Turkish quarter and inhabited by a Turk instead of going to the place inhabited by Christians which I not a little wondred at because the difference in Religion breeds a discrepance between them and us as I was entring the house a Turkish Dame well fashioned with a child in her armes briskly asked me in the Syriack tongue Achibi Nazarini che senti achelect Christian what do you here I streight made answer Mnaar Jenesay ana cardas amisi antina that my Camarade was within to speak with some body but she with indignation thrust me out of the Porch young as I was I had the wit to present her with a pair of corall pendants which she liked well and said in her language Thou art a good lad but the other is a knave that gave me nothing and as I was retiring my self she courteously invited me in where I saw my companion take some small things out of his bagge which he presented to several women who had every one of them a sucking child at their brest they wore rings in their ears of twice hand compasse richly set with Diamonds and Pearls every one of them made choice of some Venetian curiosity which though of small value they set great esteem upon as we were thus entertaining these Ladies in came a grave Moore Counpayniors brother who upon notice that two strangers were entered his house came presently home fir'd with jealousie a passion most of them are infected with as was easily seen in the rage and distraction of his countenance but after he perceived his brother he ran to his embraces with many caresses took me by the hand in French said we were most welcome and told us he was the Renegado Murat called Silvester compelled thereto by force but resolved to leave Turkisme and become a Christian again as we were after many complements invited us to eat then a cloth of leather delicately dressed being spread upon the ground they brought in boyled mutton rice and their melted butter called Manteque we made a good dinner drinking Ragui their common drink composed of water figges and Dates and is a sort of strong water for wine they have not any At dinner I seriously observed the Renegado Murat a man of graceful personage well proportioned and taller by the head then my fellow-traveller and nothing like him and I observed women with what content they listened to our manner of discourse At dinner the two brothers discoursed of their affaires and design in Arabick conceiving I understood them not but during my eight moneths residence at the Grand Caire I had learnt enough to understand their discourse and heard my fellow relate this shipwrack and the manner thereof and that he came to crave his assistance to recover his losses the Renegado told him that in few dayes he should take a journey for Meka and that he could procure him so many Cherafs or Duckets by the month and at his returne from that voyage he would give him a summe of money if he returned not himselfe home with him to this my camarade made answar he had undertaken to conduct me to Jerusalem and that it would be a shame to him to leave me so young the Renegado replyed that I should go along with them and that he would furnish me with a Camell for the journey and that coming back we should see Jerusalem All this I understood and though not pleased to see my intention crossed yet I durst not take the least notice for feare they should put some trick upon me considering they might leave me behind or sell me or exchange me for some peeces of wine which in those Countreys is both rare and deare sold onely by the Apothecaries for the sick or by Christian Merchants Thus I heard them advise how to be rid of me but at last pittying my tender age they resolved to know my will and then my Camarade freely spoke his brothers intention and that in that journey we should see the great Desart the Mount Sinai and Oreb the Townes of Medina La Meyur and many other remarkable places and that returning we should see Jerusalem I shewed my selfe most willing to what they should resolve finding no other way to save my selfe and upon my fellowes promise coming back to shew me the place I so much desired Thus resolved they provided six fat sheep prize two ducats together with other meat which they boyled in a great chaldron till the flesh came from the bones then put flesh only with a good proportion of salt butter in the same Chaldron and fryed it well and potted it up for our journey This we loaded upon two Cammells with store of onyons bisket three large bottells of strong water with others full of fresh water and other necessaries and my camarade and self had a camell betwixt us Having staid eight dayes at Macherib we set forth with the Caravane composed of great numbers of Merchants and of above twenty thousand camells loaden with all sorts of wares and commodities reaching two leagues in length The Captain of the Town accompanied us with five hundered horse unto the desert but further he could not go by reason of the heat of the sands that burne their horses hoofes and founder them and besides in the desert there is extreme scarcity of water which we carried along with us in leather vessells to make use of in the desert of Arabia where very scarcely any fresh is found We crost a part of the Holy Land leaving Jerusalem on the right hand with a very sensible regret to be within a dayes journey of that place and not to see the City The nights we rested in our Tents which we pitched with ease fastning wooden poles thorough the middle with ropes which by the helpe of pegs struck into the ground susteined the rest drawing towards the south into some vales in search of fresh water we perceived upon an eminent peece of land the ruines of some Towns and a little lower a Lake called Sodom and Gomorra or the Dead Sea anciently called the Lake Asphaltite which to this day doth witness the just judgement of God we tasted some of this water which although very brackish yet refresht us for the present From thence after seven or eight houres rest we took our way thorough the
is there the best of the world This Island was discovered by Fernand Bereyta a Portuguese and Aristotle sayes that Alexander conquered this Isle in his return from the India's and peopled it with Grecians purposely to plant aloes Before Portugall had here any Interest the Indians trade both of spices and other precious commodities came from Malaca by Ormus and Aden and from thence by Caravanes to the Leuante some by the Persick Sea Balsera and the mouth of Euphrates thence through Armenia into Trebisonde by the Majorka sea into Tartaria or by Damas Barut or Aleppo where the Venetians the Genovais and the Catalonians fetched them others by the red Sea the Grand Caire and Alexandria as we have already said others by the rivers Indus and Oxus from thence thorough Caspia into our Western regions but they have taken another road round Africa which is kept to this very day CHAP. X. Of the Island and Kingdom of Ormus of the King and his Government of the trade there and of his severall Conquests HAving sayled thorough the Arabick Gulfe and those Coasts we returned to Aden where we spent some dayes trading and exchanging our commodies then we embarked our selves for Ormus to pay custome for some Persian horses we had shipt with us because they pay no tax thorough the cheifest part of the Indies taking a Cartaco or passe which the severall Governors upon demand are bound to give Thus sayling from Aden by the Coast of Arabia and the Cape Taratque Rosolgate and Moncadon or Moalandaon unto the mouth of the Persick Gulfe or the Streight of Bazora at length we arrived at Ormus The name of a Town an Island and Kingdome winding to and fro into the Continent of Persia and Arabia In Ormus we lodged with a Portuguais who took state upon him his man still carrying after him a guilt sword and a dagger with a silver cup to drink in scorning to touch anothers yet nevertheless he kept an Inn common to all passengers The Town of Ormus is scituate in an Isle in the 26 or 27 th degree 9 miles distant from Persia thirty from Arabia the Isle is between 35 and 40 miles compass wholly barren the Town is faire and hath a strong Fort begirt with high walls and eight turrets in the forme of Castles one halfe of the Town is incompast with the sea and hath foure large cisterns or conduits of fresh water brought in pipes from the Continent The Inhabitants are some Christians some Mahometans and others Idolaters There Reigned a Potent King here for 300 yeares since this state was established 'T was in the Raigne of Ceyfadin that Alphonsus Albuquerque reduced both the King and Country to the obedience of the King of Portugall and ever since the Kings of Ormus were tributary to that King who yet meddles not with his Lawes and Rights the native King hath vast Revenues both in the Island and in the Continent of Persia and Arabia He is onely sworne to keepe league and fidelity with Portugall and the Vice-Roy acknowledges him honours him and visits him frequently in his Palace The Isle onely at this day payes tribute to the Portugais The King lives most splendidly and magnificently amongst his Subjects The confines of his State towards the north are the Kingdom of Dori toward Persia and reaches unto the Cape of Rosolgate at the very Gulph from thence unto the Cape Moncadon containing the Isles called Gedri from a great river that runs into another named Dale that separates Persia from Carmania or Chirmania In the Gulph is Baharen an Isle famous for the fishing of the rarest and most pretious Oriental pearls where the Portugais have a Factor the Inhabitants of Ormus are very voluptuous walking the streets they have carryed after them a Cuppe or Box full of Araca a dainty very delicious and much used amongst the Indians They have little Cabans in the Sea covered with boughs and leaves where they refresh and shelter themselves against the wind Abrazador so named by the Portugais which blowes in the afternoon This wind is so subtle and stirres up so small a dust that it choaks people and if a stranger be ignorant of the custom of the countrey he is in very great danger the people are courteous and ready to advertize strangers Their greatest inconvenience is the scarcity of fresh water which they fetch nine or ten mile out of the firm land They have two or three wells nearer at hand five or six miles from the town in a place called Terrabaguen The Isle hath two good Havens one in the East the other in the West the others are not secure There is near the Town a sulpher Myne and a little salt-hill of the like goodnesse to that of Cardonne in Catalonia from which they draw great profit it is used in many places and the Prince receives a Gabel out of it in the town of Ormus there is a Mart of all commodities from the Indies Persia Arabia and Aethiopia in which places the Indians trade as well as Persians Levantins Turkes Abyssins Venetians Portugais and others the Caravane or Casile arrives here twice a year by land from Aleppo the first in April the second in September From Aleppo they travell through Babylon to Balsora guarded by the Janissaries from thence to Ormus They travel seven or eight thousand in a company at Aleppo there are English French and Venetian Consuls From hence they trade in spices perfumes pearles precious stones Carpets Silks Chamlets horses conserves and several sorts of sweet meats We came hither opportunely to see the Creation or Election of their new King which is performed with many ceremonies to which the Viceroy of Portugal contributes great summes for the Honour and State of his Master A Prince of the Royal Mahometan Blood is elected and sworne to maintain his kingdom under the King of Portugals obedience and although all his Lands and Lordships are scituate in the Continent of Persia and Arabia where no Christian can reach them yet neverthelesse the King is sworne to this Fealty and obedience by the Viceroy that delivers him his Scepter in the Fort and accompanies him with a great train and magnificence into his Royal Palace where having made his submission and obeysance takes his leave and returns unto his Citadell This King amongst other things is sworne never to hold a great Assembly without giving notice to the Viceroy and thus they live peacefully and keep a good correspondence some yeares since the King of Persia by the help of the English and Hollander hath regained Ormus and reduced it to his obedience as formerly CHAP. XI Of Persia her confines and provinces Of Babylon and the Lake of Pitch LEaving Ormus we resolved to travel through all Persia before we begun our East-Indian voyage as we first had designed 'T was occasioned by a Merchant I have already spoken of having travelled to and
differ in Religion from the Turks that follow the feast of Hamar another of Mahomets disciples and successor which occasions mortall hatred and continuall Warre betwixt them The Persians Hali was by Mahomet chosen Calife and hiâ— successor after his death but was supplanted by Ebubeker Homar and Otman from whence this Sect was divided Hali was buried at Cufa not far from Bagded this place is much esteemed by the Mahometans and the Turkish Emperours are crowned by the Calife near unto his tomb called Massadali or rather house of Ali The Turks hold the Persians hereticks and the Persians have the same opinion of the Turks the one following their Prophet Hali's interpretation upon the Alcoran the other following Hamars The Persians since the destruction of their Kings and Califes were governed by the Sophy's of the race of Ismael This Ismael pretends himself descended from Hali by a prophet named Sophy and since they retain the title of Sophy In their Sect they have many orders among others one called Sacar people using great austerities and abstinencies and are exceeding indigent they carry about the barren places and the Forest vessels of water which in charity they distribute unto the passengers in the name of Hali without exacting any thing therefore onely taking what is freely given them There is another order called Jcorma consisting of pilgrims they are cloathed in a long Cassock bare-foot and bare-legged begirt with rich girdles hung round with silver bells and are called Jonabam which means Religion of love There are others called Calenden as among the Turks those vow chastity and have places appointed for their prayers called Tachie or Tachiat upon their gate these words are written Caeda Normac Dilersin Cousionge Al cachercuir which signifies who ever enters here must preserve virginity and for this purpose they are rung with silver rings to prevent carnal copulation Next are the Deruis they wear rich rings in their ears are clothed in sheep skins and wear hangers with which they cut and mangle themselves when they feel the emotions of the flesh having eaten of a certain herb that renders them frantick and furious then they cure themselves with Nicotiane Some of them dye of those wounds which they place in the number of their Saints These Deruis are rogues and thieves kill all they meet upon the road that are not of their religion thinking they do their Prophet good service they ask an almes in the name of Hali saying Ferdaxtiay Malday Chinaila Eli this order hath not been in so great esteem amongst the Turks since Amurath was killed by one of them and that they endevoured to murther Bajazeth the second and in Persia the Sophy One of them killed a Bassa at Babylon in the voyd place called Sambacarayma which signifies a place of liberty and was not prosecuted because he was esteemed the Minister of God one of them disguised killed a Judge at Damas as I have before related There is another Sect called Durmisar and they are sooth-sayers and casters of nativities they are called Durmisarnari which signifies Prophets and Fortune-tellers they deal with the devil and the eldest of them are esteemed Saints the younger obey them as their Charif or high Priest They are abominable Hypocrites and make strange faces some of them are very skilful in Astronomy others learned in the countries lawes and others great Preachers they talk extravagantly in their Sermons and speak predictions which sometimes come to passe much credit is given to them by the vulgar as also of those of the best note nay if the Sophy himself happens to passe by the place they are preaching in he steps with all his house to hear him they have a house in Bagdet near the Royal Palace they seem to be remainder of the ancient Chaldeans or Persian Mages so famous Amongst the Persians there is a sort of people called Erade which are wrestlers they are often exposed to wild beasts armed with shining leather liquored and very slippy hard to be taken hold of there are others called Pluviander armed in another fashion these people are welcome to the King from what place soever they come be they but strong and valiant they are exercised in publick Schools and great use made of them in war the strongest amongst them commands the rest and is called Barcas and some of them will carry ten men upon their arms like kids and they will strangle a man with grasping their strength is such others are like the Arabian Salsidas that will obey their King to death it self hold their King a God and think their chiefest happinesse and salvation depends upon the execution of his command and hold it unlawful the King only excepted and their General to be subjected to the power of any man There are Aussares persons still attending upon the King like unto Xerxes his immortals In the Sophy's Court there are many places or offices as Amicabir or Captain General who keeps a great Court leads on and drawes the Army into battalia appoints the Governours to towns and places and fils up several offices using the publick treasure as he needs There is next the Naibessan or Nabassan as Lord Treasurer of the Kings Exchequer his place is next unto the Amicabir and hath a good number of Cavalry under his command Next there is the Estodar or Ostader who guards the Palace and finds persons capable for the Royal Army There is likewise L' Amirachor or Amiracher who is Master of the horse hath charge of all the horse and other cattle of carriage belonging to the Army The Caidsidibir or Field-Master and he manages or orders the battle The Cassandera Pay-Master general receives the Kings revenues to pay off the Army The Amiseralif takes a care of the Sophyes armes the Testacane or Master of the Wardrobe then the Zebedare Farassin Tabucaina and other Commanders they march in great pomp and order There are four sorts of troops severally paid viz. the Cachias persons slightly armed all gentry and very active the Athesia's that wear a Cymeter only the Caraniza or Archers armed with bowes and arrowes and Cymeters the Ageleps or renegats which are slaves Armenians Russians Guserates and of other nations all warlike and stout men keeping good order never breaking their ranks CHAP. XIV Of the East Indies the conquest of them Sects and Religion of the East and other particulars of the country HAving travel'd the chiefest part of Persia and Arabia backward and forward we returned to Aden from thence to Ormus to fall into the East-India road according to our first intention At Aden we agreed upon 't and embarked our selves with our commodities and sailed along the coast of the Indian Sea as far as Carmania Deserta Rasigut and Guzerate passing through the Cape Jacobo Guadel and others we landed at Cambay at Diu neare the
Myraboian-Citterns a most excellent fruit and very common amongst them their leaves are like unto our prune leaves they preserve of them and use them often there growes the tree of Ebony which growes to the bignesse of an olive tree the leaves like unto sage but as smooth as Mastick leaves and the blossomes like white roses the wood is black and very hard when 't is dry and seasoned they have great store of trees that bear Areca those of Malaca call it Faoufell the Portugais Araguerou in other places 't is called Pinan the leafe is of the bignesse of a palm leafe the stalk is full of strings which are very usefull the nut or fruit is huskt up when the husk pills off the nut hangs upon the tree of an orange colour and is very juycy and savoury and the vertue of Succory cold and dry and hath another quality astringent the shell or nut is not of the bignesse of the other palm fruit but lesse as the peach and ovale nothing like a nutmeg being mingled with white and red streaks and of this fruit the Areca is made excellent against the tooth-ach they have abundance of other palm-trees that bear Dates CHAP. XVIII Of the Kingdom and Samorin of Calicut of the Natives of that Countrey and of their horrible superstitions FRom Cananor to Calicut in the 9. degree although the ancients hold it in the 2. Before our arrivall three upon a Sunday morning drawing towards the East before Sun rising we heard a Marriner cry out Jasan Jasan Malabar but we were not so near it as he thought for they were the mountains of Calicut which are discovered afar off for we put into the haven not till night Calicut is a great Town one of the fairest richest and of the greatest commerce of all the India's some will have it anciently called Barygaze yet the Mores hold she hath been built many years since and that six hundred years agone Asarama Perimel was Emperour of Malabar and the Natives reckon upon the years since his reign which is their most famous Callander He kept his Court at Coulan where was the chiefest trade of spices and gave the Countrey of Calicut to the Arabians who frequented it very much for commerce they made this King a Mahometan who went through devotion to end his dayes at Meka distributing his estate to divers Lords leaving them the Title of Kings as of Cananor Coulan and others Calicut fell unto a Nephew of his named Samorin which signifies soveraign Emperour over all the rest in temporall affairs as he of Coulan was chief in Spiritualls surnamed Cobritin viz. high Pontife of the Bramins Samorin built this Town the Metropolitan of Calicut inhabited by the Meres where was the greatest trade of groceries since removed by the Portugais to Cochin The Prince is an Idolater at this present although the Town be peopled by all Religions Gentils Mahometans Jewes and Christians The building is very good though the houses are very low because they stand upon an ill foundation the Sea water appearing if you dig but a little depth yet they have by art and industry raised the Temples and Pallaces whereof there are four Royal ones inhabited by the Kings wives and concubines there stands one of them without the Town fair to the sight and high Their Temples are so too and built round the first of that form I saw in those parts they adore the Devil and put his picture upon their coin in most horrid postures They put two Demons embracing with cloven or cocks feet at one side on the other a certain Character which signifies think upon this people The King is impiously devout and every Wednesday performs a most strange adoration of Satan he is pictured sitting in a chair with a Crown upon his head in the middle of many little Devils most strangely and terribly represented after the King hath offered him incenses he prostrates himself on the ground in sign of submission then begins his prophane prayers then he stretches himself at length upon a rich carpet leaning his head upon his left arm thus he dines inviting the Devil to his repast four Bramins assist him in this impious sacrifice and hearken very attentively to the discourse or Sermon the King makes during his dinner representing to them the service they owe to their Idol they answer him not in words at that time but give him Betel and Areca mingled together which he drinks without touching the cup according to their superstitious custom because that day his mouth is sacred and filled with the praises of Sathan when he hath ended his repast the meat he leaves is carried into a garden near at hand to be devoured by Crows that there expect it in so great numbers that they hardly get two bits a piece Calicut I conceive is as big as Millan but not so well built nor ordered The Strangers and Merchants are upon their arrivall put to a great inconvenience to buy houses to dwell in which troubled us very much being forced at our departure to leave it for half it cost us you buy women for your service and put them off again but not without some losse The Port is a pretty way distant from the Town there is but one channell which the ships cannot reach by a mile and a half by reason of the shelves of sand and therefore they use flat bottoms which do great services upon the River The King keeps a frigate or pinnace called Jonques for his pleasure which he treats the Ladies in as the Venetians do in their Gondola's all the houses in the Towne are covered with palm-leaves the Kings onely excepted that are tyled because no private person may have means to fortifie himself the town is very subject to fires and therefore the houses are built farre asunder 'T is surrounded with pleasant fields and pastures but they never eat beef they are so superstitious esteeming them holy and sacred cattle that their Dume hath appointed them to cultivate the land onely which makes them hard to be bought and sold this superstition is only publickly observed for some of the Bramins treated us with beef who borrowed a christian Cook and entertained us with a whole calf the head and intrals stewed and the rest rosted as we use He feasted us because one of the company had cured him of a certain disease and refused any reward and thus they do like the Turkes who abstain from wine in publick but drink it privately neverthelesse these Bramins have the devil pictured open mouthed red and flaming ready to devoure the law-breaker and when they have offended the sacrifice to him a white cock which is derived from a very ancient and superstitious Idolotry of the Pagan who offered a white cock to Hercules to the night to Aesculapius and to Annubis thus the devil renews these old superstitions and appears visibly unto them some believing him to be God some a
creature of Gods some hold him good others bad these serve and adore him for fear he should do them harm Not far from Calicut is an ancient Temple or Bagode which they call Dumana where there is a general pardon to be gained certain dayes of the year they have fifteen dayes of liberty and freedom which time the thieves and banisht persons may appear with safety to sacrifice the Temple is built in a Marsh held up by great pillars with many trees of diverse sorts growing about it each pilgrim chuseth himself one for his rest and to hang his cloaths in There are many burning lamps which the pilgrims offer up to be purified of their sins The Bramins say prayers aloud and sprinkle them with water in expiation of their crimes and after this ablution they present themselves to the Idol and adore it from thence they return to their trees having provided their lamps with oyle and wick to burn at night 'T is pleasant to see so much light The next morning they bathe themselves all together in a Lake men women boys and girles without the least shame of their nakednesse then dresse themselves in their best clothes and return to the sacrifices which ended the Bramin makes them a short Sermon clothed in a white surplice reaching down to the kneees and bare-foot the legs rounded with bands wrought and hung round with silver bels and standing thus before the picture of the devil represented gaping ready to swallow the spectators crowned and with sparkling eyes Thus the Bramin begins his sacrifice casting himself upon the ground murmuring something and beats himself so furiously that he seems enraged then he turnes himselfe to the people who are very attentive shewing them the Devil at which sight they begin to howle and cry for mercy with so furious and horrid a noyse as Gods thunder could scarce be heard Next he takes a white cock and wrings off his head and mingles his blood with water which he sprinkles upon the multitude who retire as contented as if they had gained an Empire In the mid-way they meet a man of good presence but distracted with the devils picture about his neck and clothed in a white Tunick or Albe At the head of the people the devils picture is carried by eight devotes clothed in cotton robes followed by four Bramins and many others frantick-like running leaping singing and dancing before the devil stabbing themselves into the faces and arms and he is esteemed the holyest that hath given himself the deepest wounds of which many dye when they come before the distracted person who is exposed upon theatre they stand still to fulfill the ceremony of the sacrifice and having burnt some perfumes the Choourt or Bramin sprinkles him with the bloud and water the people offer him their charities and dedicating their clothes and lampes to him they enter the Temple at another gate leave their Idol in the place they found him and thus they end their Idolatrous procession From thence they go to dinner which they sprinkle with the same water and feeding upon the Vyands they sacrificed and of others they brought thither the sacrifice is ended These Bramins and other religious never eat any thing that hath received life in publick although we eat flesh with them in private they keep company with none but their fellowes They wear white Turbants Cotton gownes that reach to their heeles red shooes under this they wear a long linnen cloth or towel that goes twice or thrice round about them a fine girdle long haire their eares bored and pearles hanging at them they wear next to their flesh certain strings the badge of their order which are given them with great ceremony there are of them of several sorts some of them go to the warres with the Naires others trade and are rich Merchants and they are generally peaceable and meek natured The King himself is of the order wearing the string in a scarf they are much esteemed throughout the Indies and some of them are very able Physicians When they affirm any thing to be a truth they lay their hand upon their string or upon their Cabaye or gown The Portugais did live pretty peaceably amongst them but the Moores have set them together by the eares Some of the Moores are permitted to weare the Aspagates or habit of of the Bramins but 't is to favourites only that such leave is given When they eat they strip themselves stark naked they tye a cloth only to hide their privie members the women affect to have their noses bor'd wirh wyars either silver or gold There is another sort of Bramins in Surate Guzerate and Cambayes not so austere and are under the obedience of the Grand Mogull Those delight to eat flower of Mandel that comes from Brasil and live very abstemiously CHAP. XIX Of the Kingdome of Cochin the goodnesse of the soyle customes of the Inhabitants with a strange History of certain French Pyrates FRom Calicut we went to Cochin about the eighth degree and twelve leagues from Calicut This kingdome is confederate with Calicut professing the same religion the town is scituate in a sweet and temperate ayre the country abounds in cattle and fruit grain is scarce but is plentifully supplyed from Cambaye Pepper growes there of three sorts of the long excellent conserves are made throughout the coast of Malabar which reaches from Goa to Comori grows the white and black pepper The Ginger whereof much is confected for their use in all seasons is called Aliah in the Malaicke tongue The Portugueses are in good esteem at Cochin the King being their friend and allye Since Triumpara shewed himself constantto them against Calicut since when the Kings of Cochin have never broken their promises whatever made to them but have inviolably kept their Articles viz. to give unto the King of Portugal a tribute of twelve pearles of the weight of a Miticale a piece which is about a crown and a halfe The Portugais do chiefly trade in pepper which they transport to all parts of the world that which they transport into Arabia Suria Persia Babylon and other places along those coasts is farre better then that they carry into Portugal because much of its strength and vertue is lost in the long navigation and the price falling they put off the worst and often most of it green which neverthelesse the Portuguese carry into Spain Besides they load their vessels with refuse and never bagge any of it whereas the Mores that are bound for the red sea the Persick Gulph and other parts of the Levant give a good price for it and therefore deserve the best The Pepper tree doth not resemble any tree I ever saw growing in Europe 'T is a faire and great tree the leafe pretty long and large full of strings she beares her fruit as our vines do grapes or rather like the Provence wilde grape in abundance I have seen of severall sorts one which
stories of the beast and actions worthier a rational then an irrational creature I was told most strange things of the animal That Agarida had five sonnes by him all gallant men without the least shape or resemblance of the beast That they left the woods at ten years of age and built themselves a Cabbin or house to dwell in But one of Agarida's Brothers hunting in the woods kild Sagistan with a dart She enraged with disdain sent her sons to her fathers Palace to revenge him and accordingly they kild their two Uncles Ismahan their Grand-father endeavoring to have them seized on and ignorant who they were was slain also with two of the five brothers The other three escaping made themselves so Formidable that none durst meddle with them and hearing of the King of Bisnagar's wars they offered him their service bearing for arms the figure of Sagistan their father The King informed of their strange birth and adventures gave them great commands in his Army their behaviour shewed their desert for they exploited so high and unconceivable actions that one of them married the Sultane of Bisnegar the other the Sultanes daughter from whence sprung that illustrious family of the Sagistans that hath given the name to that town whereof those two brothers were the first founders This was related me of this history or fable rather held for a verity in those parts to this day all Peoples States Townes and illustrious families have their springs and beginnings fabulous and Romantick I have heard a story affirmed of a Spanish Captains wife caught in adultery with another by her husband for punishment he was satisfied to expose them both into a desert Island the man presently dying the woman was accosted by a great Monkey or Drill by which she had two children and at the three years end a ship sayling by discovered this miserable creature liker a phantasme then a human creature she naked with teares in her eyes begged to be released from this horrid and cruell captivity which they did and reembarking the Monkey perceiving full of rage in her sight tore his whelps in pieces and threw them at her she was carried to Lisbon where the Inquisitors informed of her case caused her to be apprehended and had been proceeded against had not Cardinal Cayetan the then Popes Nuntio taken her cause in hand and setting forth the violent necessity she was forced to to yield to that beast that had found her sustenance for three whole yeares saved her from the execution and she ended her dayes in all holinesse and sanctity of life and repentance There are many ancient and modern histories to this purpose all which I refer to Naturalists and Divines CHAP. XXII Of the kingdome of Bengala and Ternassery of musk some rare remarks of the River Ganges of the Torrid Zone and the conversion of a young Prince Idolater to Christianisme FOllowing the coast of Coromandel and the gulph Bengale you come to Ternassery which is held to be between the Cosamba of Ptolome a kingdom lying between Bengal Narsingue Orixa and the sea the Capital town bearing the same name is scituate upon the side of the sea and a fair River called Zayta making a little Island where stands another town of the same name She hath plenty of all things necessary to life Their cowes are low and their horns grow only skin deep The sheep have neither horns nor wool their skin as smooth as a calves there grows great store of long Pepper called Casay they preserve of it and eat it all the year long with sugar vinegar which gives it a pleasant taste in the middle of the Isle is a Lake that breeds good fish better then any the River affords it is called Ademas It affords you Trouts the most savory fish of the East Pykes and Shads taken in March only are Sea-fish They never eat the head because there is a worm found in it which makes that fish chuse the rapid waters and swim aloft by the streams affording him much refreshment The Town of Ternassery is large and pleasant well built not walled on the River side but strengthned by some Forts well fortified and provided she is scituate in a plain with a Castle on the North with an inclosure or Parke fenced with a great ditch where the Queen keepes a breed of stately Mares given her by her Father who recovered them of an Indian Prince that owed him money which he could no otherwise recover for in that Country horses beare a great value The King of Ternassery is provided with good Cavalry which renders him potent and formidable he is of Person strong and Robuste and wars continually with the King of Narsingue and Bengale The Narsinguer would indamage him much did he joyne with the other but he is so generous he scornes it This King is a Gentill and hath above a thousand Elephants trained up to Warr and of the largest size of the East covered to the very ground with beefes hides and severally trapped those hides are fastned underneath the belly with iron chaines and are hardly got off four men may fight on their backs at a time without the least incumbrance to one another bearing broad bucklers made of Tortoyse shells taken in that River he that rides the trunk to guide the beast is the best Armed of the five because he lies open to the enemy their darts have three very sharp points or heads with a ball of iron upon the middle which serves for counterpoise 'T is a warr-like Nation yet curteous civill and voluptuous they have fair women which they Court and Treat in gardens full of rare fruits They have Cattell Poultry and fowle of all sorts they delight much in perfumes in their meates and dresses and chiefly in Musk called Sagay The best Musk is not drawne from the codd nor blood of the beast but from a certain swelling or rising upon the lower part of his belly at the full of the Moone and that is the sweetest of all for there gather the humors mixt with the blood and Impostume-like rise and break which dryed cast so lively and searching sent that it drawes blood from the very nose The codds and skin with some of the flesh are tyed fast together from which they draw their ordinary Musk mingling therewith a little of the better sort I quartered at a Jewes who confest to me he had drawne thirteen or foureteen codds or bunches from one beast They are of the bignesse of a Goate and have foure teeth bigger then the rest two ascending streight upward and the other two oppositely descending Their childrenweare of those teeth about their necks set in silver gold as in some places of France they wear wolve's Persons of Quality set them in a wood called Betell that hath a strange vertue against poyson called by the Aethiopians Euate whereof they make dishes and trenchers of severall sorts much esteemed and
sought for by the Great Ones studded and garnished with gold and silver jewells ivory and hart's-horn which they hold to be an antidote against poyson which I have experienced in many other diseases as the green sicknesse in women taken in the juyce of a reddish cich pea boyled with harts-horn poudred mingled with steel the weight of half a Crown with the double quantity of sugar taken every morning for twelve or fifteen dayes together This is an approved and infallible remedy against the green-sickness and jaundize yellow or black they have a beastly custome to betray the virginity of their young daughters to any strangers that are not tawny be they Christians or Mahometans but not to Gentiles nor Idolaters the women burn themselves after the decease of their husbands From Fernassery we passed to Ausly a Town upon the North of Narsingue on the east of Bengale and lyes southward to the main sea Governed by a Mahometan Prince Potent by sea and Land and sworn enemy to the Portuguese with whom they make Warr. The Town is provided with all necessaries for Warr and hath a large Harbor of capacity to contain a good Fleet the mouth thereof Southward which is chained in in case of necessity He is Master of another Town called Quelba since Maturane strong and well furnished with shipping and small Frigates wherewith they scowr that sea to the damage of the Portuguese they often fight on both sides reduced to streights This Kings Treasure chiefly consists in three Diamond Rubies and Jacynth mines besides all sorts of Groceries and Spices Their frigats or Busses are caulked with a certain hearb and Mastick is used in stead of Pitch They are built in such a manner they can hardly sink and saile with much security The Vice-Roy of Indies being upon a time informed of that Kings intentions to send his fleet to the Grand Jave to wait for the Spice fleet he set forth two great men of warr with two more St. Maloes men who drawing towards that Haven feigned an escape from shipwrack and the better to play their game tore all their sayles in peeces hiding their Canon and Soldiers under Deck They met with those Busses loaden and returning home desired their assistance to hale and tow them along unto Maturane that there they might mend their sayles and they promis'd a reward for their service the Mahometans enemies to the Christians resolved to conduct them thither and there to use them at will and having tow'd them two nights and a day to that Haven suddenly the others plaid with their Canon and seizing unawares of the place made great slaughter amongst those miserable creatures burnt their fleet sack't the Town and full fraught with rich plunder they retired The two French ships not satisfied with the pillage let the Town all on fire which was easie to effect as I have said of other places the houses were all thatched with palme returning homeward not victualled sufficiently for so much company their thoughts having been wholly taken up with Treasure they cast the men over Decks and landed the women in an Isle The mean time two Portuguais ships sayling by and seeing the Town a fire the Inhabitants fled seized of the Haven plundered the rest of the Town at leisure and loaden with rich prises they found in a Magazine untouched They retired with their booty ignorant of the cause and manner of the destruction of the Town such are the good and bad fortunes of sea-faring men Leaving the Coast of Coromandell we came to the Kingdom of Bengale the chiefe Town whereof beares the name or at least so called by the Portuguese and other Nations by the Natives Batacouta one of the greatest antiquity in the Indies Some would have it to be old Ganges a Royall Town upon the River Ganges This Kingdom of Bengale was 300 years since subdued by the great Cham of Tartary freed her selfe since and after that conquerred by the Parthians or Patates and is at last and remains stil subjected to the great Mogull Prince of Tartary and Supreme Lord of all Indostan and yet there remaine some Lords in that Countrey that are Soveraignes and obey the Mogull in a Noble manner This Kingdom reaches 200. leagues upon the sea side and containes the Kingdomes of Sirapu Chandecan Bacal Aracan or Mogor and others The Inhabitants of Bengale are Idolaters Mahometans and some Christians for there are Portuguaises and Fathers of the Society The Town is scituate upon one of the mouthes of Ganges whereof there are two Principall in regard that river as some persons believe with what reason judge ye is one of the four rivers of the Terrestriall Paradice called Whiton or Giho The opinions of the Antient and modern Authors do not agree whether 't is the true Ganges of the Antients or whether old Ganges be not rather a Canton in China or some more Eastern then this is I leave to be decided by the most curious and shall only say that the Portuguese take this for the true one relying chiefly upon the name Guenga or Gangen which she retaines to this day and 't is confirmed by many relations from the great Kingdom of Tebet or Tibet and Cathay and the Fathers of the Society say they have followed that River a great way since their leaving of Lahir The Moors and Gentills hold there is much holiness and vertue in that River-water and wash themselves therein thorough Ceremony and Superstition as you shall hear hereafter They say 't is the best and the wholesomest water in the World and sent for 500. leagues off Forty or fifty thousand persons bathe themselves therein at a time and many Kings come disguised thither her head springs out of the great hill Inde not far from Indus the Natives think she springs out of the Terrestriall Paradise at the mouth of the River is the Gulfe Gangetick or Bengale 500. leagues in circumference containing the Coasts of the Kingdomes of Narsingue Orixa Ternessari Bengale Pegu Sian and others unto Malaca I have been told that a Frenchman named Malherbe Breton a great traveller had taken a particular view of this River and had gone 400. leagues up the River and that she hath three Mouths or places she disgorges her self into the sea the one toward Pegu the second in the middle that makes some Islands and the third in the Country of Chingara and each eight or ten leagues over That at Labas a Royall Town of Mogor and fourty dayes journey from Bengale towards the North This River is a league over her mouth towards Bengale is in the three and twentieth degree The Kingdom of Bengale borders Northward upon Tartary or Mogor and is bounded by the River Hieropec sometime Hyphasis that looses her self in the Indus the bounds of Alexander the great 's Conquest 's in the East Eastward is the Province Edaspa that joynes to the Kingdom of Aracan on an other side is the Province of Mien
women are clothed in mantles of the Spanish fashion which reach lower then their girdles and of a purple colour and beneath that have skirts of blew cotton that trayle upon the ground and ten or twelve of them are dressed after this manner The corps this while is laid forth in some great room covered with a rich cloth or pall according to the quality of the person with four of those women waiting whilst the rest of them are sent abroad the town to deplore and lament the dead person the last whereof a little separate from her fellow-sisters declares the name quality and life of the defunct that all persons may prepare themselves to assist at the funerals They ejulate weep and lament with exotick gestures and tortions and in these postures having walked round the town they return to the corps with numbers of people and when the body is borne to the Temple then they raise yet lowder cries and ejulations One of these women makes a Panegyrick of the dead setting forth the great losse he is to his wife children friends and kindred then the multitude expresse their sadnesse acknowledging the losse they howle and cry out so hideously all together that you would think them distracted or at least at the brink of despaire when the body is carried out of the house Flutes Kettles and other Instruments play to the Church whither the Parents Kindred and Friends follow a most pitiful and sad sight CHAP. XXIII Of the Isles of Archi-Pelagus of S. Laurance of the Island of Sumatra of Elephants and other particulars AT the opening of the Gulph Bengale are many Isles great and small which make the Archi-pelagus called S. Lazarey and near 80. leagues in length and end about the Philippines and the Japon the chiefest thereof are Sumatra Javes Boraco Banda the Molukes the Philippines and others Towards Sumatra are the Isles of Andreman or Andemaon which signifies golden mynes inhabited by Antropophayes who warre with one another and eat their prisoners They make the like provision of humane flesh as we do of beef or bacon each of those Isles have their Kings It happened once to a Portuguese vessel having passed the Canall of Micobar and Sombrero called by the Indians Jenibra lying between Sumatra and the Continent the Portuguais call it Call or Canall of Sombrero because the place is covered by the winding and shade of the Isle as it were with a great brimmed hat One night by a sudden storme she was cast upon the Isles of Andreman otherwise Maduca within two leagues whereof is a shelf or bottome of white rock very dangerous hardly possible to sayle by without shipwrack The Portuguais call the place Pedra bianca Those in the shippe foreseeing the danger they were in threw over-board all their Artilery and all other things of weight they had therein and threw away their main Mast and by this means they escaped the shelve and rock being suddenly thrown out of that narrow passage by a great wave but behold their greatest misfortune escaping one danger they fell into another for seeing their ship begin to fill with water having sprung a leake they were forced to commit themselves to the mercy of their fiercest enemy The Captain Don sano Mendo advised them to prepare for land and to resolve to sell their lives dear since there was no hopes for a handful of people to escape the cruelties of so many barbarous villaines they suddenly cut and broak the ship to flitters every one snatching a planck endeavouring to reach the shore which was about halfe a league off and having put themselves in the best order could be expected in the like disorder or confusion with such arms they could carry as swords and axes as they were ready to land these barbarous insularies met them with their bows and arrowes and truncks and killed some 20. at the first onset the remainder of them about sixty having got footing on land by force made a great slaughter amongst the Infidels and seized of two Merchants houses where they fortified themselves the best they could untill their bloody irritated enemy fell upon them and besieged their sconce The Portugais reduced to this sad extremity resolved to sally forth with firebrands in their hands and to fire the adjacent town or village which being built with reeds and covered with palme was presently consumed then they thought to have escaped in boats belonging to the Isle but knowing not how to use them they returned back again and fortified themselves in the Caselba or Temple where with certain provisions they brought thither and others they found they maintained the place eleven or twelve dayes at the end of which time seeing there was no hope of a composition to be made with that furious people they resolved to dye gallantly with their weapons in hand and after a mutual and unanimous preparation and resignation of themselves they threw themselves amongst those barbarous infidels killed double or trebble their number but at last yielded all to the same doome and were eaten and salted by those sanguinary Barbarians Sumatra is one of the fairest Isles in the world sometime Taprobane and Palesimonde some would have it to be that which in old time was the Chersonese of gold and Ophir most renowned for Salomon It is called by some Tasan which signifies a great Isle because she hath 800. leagues compasse The Inhabitants of Malaca say it was formerly joyned to their continent but divided by an earthquake lyes directly under the Equinoctial lyne in the first climate her dayes and nights are all of a length is divided into many Provinces which make three kingdomes the chiefest whereof is Sougar commonly called Pedir and have all mynes of gold silver and other mettals and of the best sorts of Drugges and Spices the Pepper that growes there is larger and more biting then any other growing under the Torrid zone which causes the country to be the most temperate and best inhabited in the world for the reasons I have already spoken of The ayre is very wholesome and people live there very long and with good health the natives are very tractable but of little truth so 't is not safe trading with them for they will falsifie their word for their profit The kingdom of Assy is the richest in gold which is the finest of the world and Achen is the most potent The Isle is inhabited by Gentiles Moores and Jewes Many Turks have of late planted there for the goodnesse of the country and purity of the ayre The Idolaters only are natives all others come from other parts The earth is strangely fruitful in all products the onely inconvenience is the great flouds from rain which incessantly falls from Mid May untill Mid August and from mid-day to mid-night onely as at Bengale and as it happens in most of the countries under that Zone The King of the country discovering his subjects falshood which
Island assured us those Insularies eat the dead bodies but we have found the contrary for we have seen them buried they believe that the soules of the deceased enter into other bodies as Pythagoras held and therefore they welcome strangers they raise them brave monuments and tombes of stone and in honour to their bodies accompany them with winde-musick to their graves Parents exceedingly lament and abstain for a time from Areca and Betell They use a pretty recreative manner of fowling Their country abounding in many sorts of fruit which near unto their full ripenesse are easily corrupted by the raines they gather such as are rotten as they may not spoyle the rest and cast them into rivers or into the Sea These fruits being of many sorts as Melons Pumpions Pomegranates and others they are not sooner throwne into the water but great number of birds flock to them and feed upon the fruit the fowler stripping himself and hidden behind a tree with his head in a hollow Pumpion that covers his very shoulders they throw themselves thus into the water with a bagge under their arm the silly birds not discovering the men perch upon those fruits and come so neare to them that with ease they catch them by the legges and ring off their necks and put them in their bagge in this manner they take great store which makes fowl little worth There are birds sometimes too bigge and strong for a man to master and they get away not without a hideous noise thaâ— alarms the rest for that day that they are hard to be caught but the next day hunger banishes their fear and thus they are taken again The Kings of this Isle live in a most miserable condition being daily in danger of being slaine by the first person shall have courage and resolution to undertake it for such a person shall be esteemed a God and by all acknowledged their King crying God save our lawfull prince and naturall Lord. He that raigned at Pedir during our travels was called Arioufar and had been a poor fisherman overcharged with children who used to carry fish to the Kings Pallace and being known had free entrance He having on a time lost his nets came straight to the Pallace towards the King who had reigned many yeares and was very good to his people and finding him alone the guards not mistrusting him because he was beloved of the King and finding free egresse murthered the King and assisted by one of his sons he seized of all the treasure and the people received him for their King saying 't was the will of God The Assassin by force of money having raised a potent Army conquered the whole kingdom of Pedir and most of the other States of this Isle Thus the Kings establish themselves then and to such misfortunes are subject From Sumatra we went to Java the great CHAP. XXIV Of the Isle of Java of the Inhabitants their conditions and of the riches of the Countrey JAva the Great lies Eastward from Sumatra and is distant from her five and fourty miles only and the streight between them is called Sunde whence all those Isles in general take name the Isle is of good compass and unknown containing many Dominions or Kingdomes whereof the chiefest is Bentan or Bantan the Clymate sweet and temperate They say it is 150 l. long the breadth is undiscovered and some think it reaches the Continent Southward runs from East to West and South the Inhabitants are Idolaters grosse and brutish and some are Anthropophager it containes severall Kingdomes as Drasima Dragoyan Lembri Falec Sumara Balambua Bavarucam Passeruan Andrageda Auri Sandacanda Bacani Javara and others The Javanians say they came from China being oppressed with slavery they left that place and planted here they were for a time Tributary to the great Cham of Tartarye the Kingdom of Falec abounds in gold silver spices and all sorts of cattell the capitall Town is Bismari two dayes journey from an Island called Cambahar where is Basma a Town scituate upon the Sea towards the East where are bred Elephants Monkeys and Unicorns Dragoyen produces the Camphire as Borneo the Brasill and all Groceries neer this place are the Isles of Bombe Bacheli and Java the lesse The King of Passeruan is a Mahometan he demanded the daughter of the King of Balambua in Marriage and obtained her and having enjoyed her murthered her and all her train because she was not of his Religion Sandacanda and Bacani afford good store of spices their Kings are Mahometans they were infected with that imposture by a famous Pyrate named Mahomet Chap who left them two of his ships full of men to instruct them there are still some Idolaters amongst them who have not left their old error of strangling their neerest kindred when they think them taken with incurable diseases I was told of one named Basaram being sick and ready to be thus dispatched desired a slave of his to bear him company to death which he durst not deny and being tyed together were both cast into the Sea and the slave a lusty strong fellow striving for his own life drag'd his Master to shore untied him and put him to bed and conspired with another slave to save themselves from the Alerir or Magicians when they should come as the custom was to devour them and indeed as they came to strangle the poore men they cudgelled them so lustily that they left the sport and the man recovering his health lived many years after and thus was discovered the roguerie of those Magitians who thorough an insatiate thirst of blood when a man was the least indisposed made him believe he could not live advising him to hast to their fathers God Then the poore patient with teares in his eyes desired them to cleanse their bones when they should have consumed their flesh believing that their soules would not be at rest til their flesh were wholly consumed that then they would reunite to the body and to remain in peace for all eternity Meanwhile the King understanding what had happened to Basaram and his slave caused him to be brought before him and laughing told him that if he would not devour the Magitian he would put him to death The other most willing replyed he was ready to obey his Prince and that if the Magitian were brought him he would eat him up raw in his very sight The Judges had already condemned him and others for their deceipts and villanies to be banished and he others were fled into the I le of Camorre for safety but was taken brought to Basaram who with his slaves made a plenteous feast of him Thus for the most part live those brutish Islanders and although they have Rubarbe Scammone Agric and many other very Soveraine Medicinall druggs at command yet they seldome use them for when they are sick they wholly pin themselves upon the advice of those Magitians who tyrannize over them and
happened to another whose wife was by a Christian perswaded to shut out the Magician that had given his opinion of her husband he recovering was satisfied of the abuses and falsehoods of their Magicians Pagodes and Castigais and of their false Priests and was also instructed in the truth and purity of our Religion that he might leave his own Idolatries but Alas the poor creatures heart being hardened replyed I believe said he that thy God is great and more powerful then ours and that being so great and Majestical he will not vouchsafe to make himself known to such miserable simple creatures as we are and it would be very unfit to believe a God were not willing to command us Ours said he makes his will known to us which we all submit unto and obey but I shall never more trust the Baneans for they are false Prophets and upon these accidents many of them remove their habitations It were easie to perswade them to the truth they being simple and very credulous and besides they bear a great respect to the memorie of Saint Thomas but opportunities to destroy their Idols are wanting that they might see they have neither force nor motion 'T were dangerous to attempt it without a considerable strength Those deceitful Baneans do so enslave the people that they believe things strange and absurd beyond relation In their festivals when their Idols are carried in state upon chariots some of them through zeal throw themselves under the wheels and are broken in pieces Others thrust their heads into steel hoops keen as razers and cut their own throats putting their feet in a rope fastened thereunto and such are afterwards esteemed Saints and registred in their Temples others cut a hole in their sides and fasten a rope thereto and are dragged by the Chariot after their Idol then their friends say to them remember that I have ever been thy friend and believe he hath power to save them Parents are reverenced and if poor they are assisted upon the publick account They have a solemn feast wherein they reckon up the twelve moons or moneths with the twelve signes and make great jollity when they draw their Idols upon Chariots another of Virgins is drawn off one hand to incense and perfume it At Martaban there growes a fruit which opened represents the perfect figure of a Crosse At Martaban some years before we made our travels there a rich and potent King as the Portuguais relate named Chaubaina was besieged by Bramaa of Pegu and reduced to extremity he implored the assistance of Portugal offering great treasures which for some considerations was denied and the distressed Prince forced to deliver up himself wife and children to that inhumane Tyrant of Pegu who contrary to his promise put them all to cruel deaths and sack't that flourishing town and the Portuguais were much blamed for refusing their assistance There was a vast treasure and they say six and thirty thousand Merchants all strangers that repaired thither from fourty several nations of the Indies and other remoter places as Portuguais Greeks Venetians French English Abyssins Turks Jewes Arabians Armenians Tartars Mogors Corozans Persians Malabarians Javans and many others This Town had 24. gates We went from Martaban to Pegu four small dayes journey distant by land and no more by sea although 't is much further but their Frigates fleet sayling bring all to one and putting forth with the tyde if your ship strikes upon a Rock and is able to bear the shock it glides over like a Balon for no arrow flyes fleeter I have shot seven or eight times through the streight of Gibraltar against tyde but with full sayles and so you may stop in those seas without casting Anchor in expectation of better weather but in Macaraou the road to Pegu 't is impossible with the strongest winds against tyde to make a stand for the waves there over-powre the winds I have not seen the like fury of the seas in any place of the world as in Martaban and Pegu for there is a gulph of water and the tyde taking her course meets with those waters the one roling against the main body of the sea there is a terrible conflict they withstand each other for a time at length the weakest must yield the two bodies separate with such swiftnesse and vehemency that it seems a great hill overturned nor is there a courage so great it daunts not and where before a hollow was seen empty and dry covered over with ships on a suddain the Surges are so violent you would believe the infernal powers were all united to tosse those ships I never yet heard a reason given for it a search worthy the labour of the greatest wits in the world I remember that some yeares after meeting with a most famous Sea-Captain at Calis or Cales I related him this wonder of Macaraou saying that I should not be credited if I made any such relation in print he answered me that the words or little faith of ignorant persons could not prejudice the experience of knowing men and that he himself had he not seen could not have believed the impetuous and most violent encounter of two seas from the North and South in the streight of Magellan from the North the water entred 60. leagues within the streight from the South forty where meeting with an unconceivable fury they strike horrour and amazement into all beholders which made him believe the discourses and opinions of all natural Philosophers to be uncertain since his own experience so often contradicted them He told me he was very desirous to go witnesse what I related of Macaraou at Cambay and Pegu but since I have discovered that there is nothing liker to what I have said of Macaraou then the Mascaret of Bourdeaux That is well known to be a mountain of water gathered together in the River of Dourdonne while the waters are all quiet that mountain is framed on a sudden and rolles down the river overturning what boats soever are in the way which every man endeavours to avoyd making with all haste to the shoare I have asked the reason of the Inhabitants who have told me it proceeded from the height of the Seas meeting with the ebbe of the River and by that encounter this water gathers together but others agree not to this for if so the like would happen in the Garonne and in other places which I never heard of so that with more reason they attribute the cause to some ayre inclosed in some channel or spring under ground running from Garonne to Dourdonne which raises this mountain of water when the Sea flows but I know not whether the same reason might be given for Macaraou The Kingdom of Pegu is one of the largest richest and most potent of the Indies next to Mogor and China but to the two last are lately happened strange revolutions they are extremely fallen off from their state
and have been dismembred by the Kings of Tangu and Aracan who had in my time the possession of the white Elephant that bred so much contention in Siam This kingdom in my days contained many others viz. two Empires containing 26. crowned States Southward Pegu confines upon Martaban and Siam Eastward upon Brama Cambay and Cochin China Northward upon Ava Tazatay Aracan Westward upon Bengale and the gulf The Town of Pegu is very large and square 5. gates at every square or side encompassed with a deep work or trench full of Water-Crocodils and other dangerous Serpents The walls are built of wood with Watch-towers of rich work and gilt repaired every tenth year The houses are stately edifice At new Pegu the King keeps his Court the streets are exactly streight and large about the heart of the town you discover almost all the streets which is a gallant curiosity old Pegu is built after the same model and there the Merchants inhabit In new Pegu the streets are set with Palm-trees and Cocos loaden with fruit the new was framed and built by the line near a forest of Palmes towards the North in a large field in the trenches filled with water by the river that washes that coast there are certain baths accommodated purposely and very safe from Crocodils otherwise swimming were very dangerous The Town is as bigge as Fez whereof there is the old and new as Pegu. The King of Pegu is so potent that he never goes to war without a million and a half of men well armed with Arquebuses and other Guns they are the best Gunners in the world but not many of them and their Guns are far better then ours being made of better iron better temper'd and better wrought They have a 100000. good souldiers they live of little and for need upon leaves and roots and are gallant and resolute men His guard consists of 30000. horse either Turk or Persian and to have them plenty at a pinch there is an edict or law that what Merchant soever brings 20. horses to be sold shall have the rest of his commodities free which make them furnisht from all parts of the Indies Persia and Soltania in Arabia where are the best of the world the souldiers exercise themselves much at marks and often the King gives rewards to the best marks-men He may have 5000. Elephants and many other beasts Merchants follow the Armies upon bulls and oxen The country is rich in Mynes of Gold and Silver Rubies Saphyrs Garnets and other stones These daily augment the Kings treasures his Magazines may passe for the treasure of the East In one Court of his Pallace at new Pegu there is such store that 't is little esteemed not one man to guard it nor the dores kept shut There stands the figure or statue of a proper tall man all of beaten gold a crown upon his head of the same enriched with rubies of inestimable value and round it four statues more of youths all of gold which seem to be Idols yet they say they were made for delight In another Court is represented a Gyant sitting of silver with a Crown of the same but far richer set with Jewels in â—ther Courts stand statues made of Ganze a mixture of many mettals whereof their Byzes are made a sort of coyn but not royal The Crowns of these latter are richer then the others with rubies and Saphyrs the biggest I ever saw The Peguans go all cloathed alike in Cottons linnens and silks the best and all are barefoot ever whether walking or riding the country abounds in Sugars which they make great and many uses of they cover their houses with it and mingle it with ciment Their buildings are costly carved and wrought sparing neither Gold nor Azure When the King or any Noble-man builds a Pallace he provides himself with the purest gold to guild it For there as in many other places of the Indies Gold is not coyned but is merchandize at Tahaba or old Pegu are many refyners and gold and silver beaters they work it into leaves as we do for the ease and benefit of the Gilders without committing much waste for they gild as I have said the very walls and towers and their houses after the Persian fashion New Pegu is almost all so built and nothing spared to make up a sumptuous splendid structure they cover them with tortoise shell which they place and joyn very neatly There is a certain place where Coaches Litters Trunks Boxes Saddles Harness for Elephants and horses are only made covered with gold and silver I saw there a saddle and furniture for an Elephant bought at a very high rate for their King What is most remarkable of their buldings is that those that live of their own rents or estates are contented with the meanest and poorest houses they are convenient but like country houses and thatch'd with straw and only able to preserve them from the injuries of the weather The Merchants and other tradesmen and shop-keepers who have something to lose out of their shops or warehouses they live in strong houses well built of stone brick close shut with strong gates and locks and call those houses Godons Throughout all the Towns of Pegu there are the Taregha or persons sworn to see good measure and weight made of commodities to the Merchants they have charge of and if a bad bargain be made the fault is laid on them with discredit and reproaches which they escape sometimes very narrowly so you take much pleasure to trade with them they are so faithful and sincere and a most excellent order is observed both in buying and selling and whatever is either bought or sold is put in a lump into the Sensals who gives notice of the number and sets a price upon them and sets a rate of what they ought freely to get over and above all charges whatever if the price be liked the mony is payed and the Sensal keeps an exact account for they are able chosen men There is no danger of any deceit besides they do all to the advantage of those that refer themselves unto them and in case the price doth not please buyer and seller they have the whole day to confirm or avoyd it although 't is to the Sensals discredit and infamy CHAP. XXVII Of the Kingdome of Pegu of a bloody war for a white Elephant of Crocodiles and the nature of Elephants THe Empire of Pegu is provided with all things necessary and commodious to life and vyes with others as rich and good as her self as Cochinchine Siam Tangu Marsin Jangoma Bengale Ava Aragan and others It is cut through in many places by that great river called by the higher Indies Amoucherat and the natives the river of Pegu or Caipumo or Martaban that runs by several branches through the level and fertilizes the soyle This River abounds in Fish and Crocodiles which they
feed on in the Indies mean while our Geographers are mistaken who say that the river that runs through Tangus is the same that waters Pegu although they be different countries and remote This River rises at the Lake Chiammay passes through Brema or Brama washing in with her waves refined gold which she drawes from several mynes the country is full of She runs through the kingdom of Prom where are the famous towns of Milintay Calamba and Amirandou Those territories joyn to Alva then to Boldia called by the high Indians Siami where they are very courteous and it passes for a Proverb courteous as a Siamite Siami is a vast kingdom called the Empire of Siammon Then to Berma or Verma whereof the capital is Carpa and butts upon Tazatay and the kingdomes of Pandior and Muantay The King of Pegu subjugated the kingdom of Berma two years after he conquered Siam then there are Vilet Abdiar and Caypuma whereof the chief is Canarane of which more hereafter The King by his Talcada or Lieutenant hath conquered many other countries who subdued all the Provinces of Siam Berma Javay Manar and others unto the kingdom of Perperi Tarnasseri Maragoura Guertale Langoura Nigrane and Joncolan that touches Malaca Winning Siam he got Ban Ploan Odian Macaon and others conquered before by the King of Siam This Prince is a great lover of strange beasts and hath of divers sorts brought him from all parts of the world and land at several places as at Dagon two dayes journey from Pegu Martaban which is four at Guzan two dayes journey from Caponin where beginnes the great Gulph of Saharic at the mouth of Caypumo This River with that of Ava and Siam overflows like the Nile from Mid May to Mid August which improves the Country very much she draws refined gold by wyres wherewith the King enriches his Temples and Idols for gold and silver in those parts are but merchandizes their coin of brasse lead and pewter called Ganze or Ganza and any man coins with the Lieutenants leave who is Generall That coin is currant thorough the kingdom of Tauay the last of the territories of Pegu in the middle of the Province of Manar watered by that famous River of Marsina or Menan Pegu is so temperate that 't is green all the year long the people are rather whites than blacks and well shap'd women amiable gay and neatly dressed There are many hermaphrodites as at Sumatra There is plenty of pepper vermillion mercury cloves They make Chamlets hangings of feathers silk stuffs have store of rice and beasts for chase They want nothing but good horses which the Prince is curious to procure from other parts bating merchants their imposts to bring of them in The Kings Palace stands at the farther end of new Pegu sheltered from the Northwind by a little hill there grow all sorts of trees five sorts of palm trees inclosed with a wall like a park where they keep all sorts of beasts you can meet with in any part of the world which the King carefully seeks after never regarding each price as it appeared by that long war made by him and the King of Siam who refused him the white Elephant to put into his Calachar or park 'T was Aleager or Chaumigrem King of Pegu begun this cruell war with an Army of a million of martiall men two hundred thousand horse five thousand Elephants and three thousand Camels The Vaunt-guard was composed but of 50000. horse he sack't and ruined his principall Town Lagi or Siam which was reputed to be twice as big as Paris and thrice as Fez. The siege lasted 22. months From Pegu to Siam 't is sixty five dayes journey by camels he took all his treasure wife and children and brought them prisoners into Pegu with the white Elephant This deplorable King reduced to extremities cast himself down from the highest turret in his Palace and broke himself in pieces some of his daughters and Princesses made themselves away with a hoop or circle of iron edg'd about that closed it self when they thrust their necks therein with their feet in a noose hung thereunto which strangles them immediately and if Adigola and the other Ladies had had time they would never have been brought away alive there was but one Lady saved wife to the Grand Mogull's Son This Prince followed the Peguan Army to recover his wife was taken prisoner and by his frequent prayers and desires he obtained leave to visit his wife and mother-in-law The King himself gives them much comfort by his visits representing unro them the change and revolution of affairs he gave them freedom and remitted them ransomlesse sent them all back again with many and rich presents and married the young Prince to his Lady who were before but affianced conducted them to his confines with great honour and magnificence whence grew the greatnesse of the Mogor Mogoz or Mogull tributary to the King of Pegu who hath since broke his faith making himself a Soveraign You hear for what reasons the King of Pegu waged this war that bred so much ruine and desolation for a white Elephant onely a fatal and unhappy beast as Sejans horse hath proved to all that ever possessed him and hath cost five Kings their lives and whole Estates as it happened to the last King of Pegu who had it lately taken from him by the King of Aracan by the treachery of the King of Tangus his Brother-in-law White Elephants are very rare yet they are so besotted as to adore them at Siam festivals were kept in his honour called Quinday Pileu which is to say honest mens delight The King of Pegu drew four in his coach and I believe that in the rest of the East there were not more to be found The Kings Palace called Chalousbemba was built square with a Dosme at every corner stands the statue of a Gyant of polisht marble who Atlas-like upheld this goodly fabrick and are represented with such tortions of face you would think they complain of their load The stone 't is built with is smooth and resplendent as glasse for the adjacent forrests and gardens are therein perfectly discovered 'T is inviron'd in with a deep trench you enter over a draw bridge thorough a gate of excessive heighth and strength where are the figures of a Gyant and his wife each of a piece and of a mixt coloured marble the pavement is of the same and represents like the Sea this massy structure They spare neither gold nor azure and in Galleries you shall see carved the Histories of all the wars those Kings have made against their enemies From thence you descend some steps of marble into a lower Court encompassed with ballisters or railes where there is a pleasant fountain whence the water is conducted into severall gardens by pipes the gardens fenced with strong walls one of them is three miles long where grow various sorts of trees
his only pastime every January when their summer drawes near for at Pegu and all other places under the Tropick and the Torrid Zone winter begins in May because of the disordinate raines which fall from that Moneth to the end of August that is their winter their Summer begins with our Autumne and lasts all our winter moneths for other reasons and 't is the same in Cochin-China where they have three moneths winter and nine summer to visit his Tortoyses which he calls Elisar he drawes out of the ponds those of the highest colours and he keeps fishermen to that purpose only and which case them so gently of their shells that they do not die and within three yeares their shells are as well grown and as bright as before and thus they last 15 or 20 yeares at that age they turned red and their shels are of a good colour for three yeares when the King hath a mind to eat of them they cut off their heads and five dayes after they are prepared and yet after those five dayes they are alive as we have often experienced In those ponds there is a certain male animall whose skin is gray and silver coloured wherewith they cover their furniture This animal is a great multiplyer and is called Asoufa like our sea Calfe and as bigg as a small mule and much esteemed amongst them They have another kind whereof they make bucklars and coats of Armor no steele will pierce them they are so strong and hardned The King himself and his foure white Elephants in war time are Armed with those skins but covered over with slight silke stuffes Those Elephants are exceeding strong the King takes great content to be drawn upon a Telanzin which is a kind of litter but with four wheeles One day I heard him command his Nangin or chiefe Coachman to make his Telanzin ready desirous to take the aire Two of the Elephants being brought forth to be shewen the Prince Souac he praised them to be two of the strongest in the World he let one of them loose out of his hand that took up the litter with all belonging thereunto as wheeles and draughts in his teeth and carried it before the Prince and set it softly down as if it had been a small weight and yet it was 500. weight This action so highly pleased pleased the King that he commanded that ten pound of sugar should be added to his dayly allowance Their chiefest food is rice boiled in milk made up in balls and they have dayly fifty pounds to their portions besides they are turned into the fields and feed upon sycamore leaves and other pleasing leaves they love cooleness and bathe in those ponds they are subject to the bloody flux and heat is very troublesom to them When the waters are not high enough to cover them they lie down and tumble their naturall discretion is such that they never mingle with females before company they go two years with their young and live two hundred 'T is a beast highly valued by all Easterne Princes and are very serviceable They are taken thorough the whole Empire of Pegu and beyond the river Savara at Bremu Ava Bengala and Malaca The King of Pegu because he hath such a number of Elephants is surnamed Quiber Sencal Jasel that is the grand Monarch of Elephants In the palme Forrest neer to new Pegu they set their snares to catch those beasts 'T is a very pretty sight to see a tame female lead a wild male thorough the streets when he sees himself fast and caught he condoles himself with many fearfull cries and emulations and sometimes striking furiously upon pillars wherewith the houses are susteined breaks his teeth and having sufficiently tormented himself all in water being sensible of the heat of that water which lies in his belly he thrusts his trunk into his mouth or throat and drawes up all the water that smells extreamly and is boyling hot Then with goades and pricks they force him into a dungeon where in five or six dayes he is tamed with the female When they are tame they are lodged in a Princely roome painted over with imagary and forrest work and are fed in silver the King esteems them the strength of his Army they are richly attired and eat bread they are fed with severall sorts of corn or grain boyled as barly rice lupins and others they love fruit but care neither for flesh nor sish The King delights himselfe to see them monthly exercised in Battalia richly harnessed marching ten of breast the Captain marches in the head armed with a Crocodile skin covered over with a cloath of gold his forehead peece of the same the riders cloathed in cloath of gold upon a green ground with a lance and a lyons skin hanging thereat even with the Captain march twelve Negroes women young and cloathed in Indian gownes of many colours with drums handsomely painted they leap and dance before the Elephants making many grimoces and ridiculous gesticulations their faces painted red and violet when the Elephants go to war they weare the skin onely with bars of steele over their trunks and are richly trapped upon their festivalls a squadron of a thousand Elephants well managed follow the Captain next the Kings Throne or State with his children thereon high and exalted like a Ganopy drawn by those famous white ones followed by many Nobles mounted on others with silken bridles all this is accompanied with Trumpets flutes and other instruments at which sound they leap and dance and seeme to take great content and between times they march with a gravity becoming a rationall creature I remember that in this solemnity a base fellow crossed the street before the Royal Throne the beasts stopt suddenly and could not be driven on till the Criminal was brought unto them who expected death a tosse or two at the least They gazing upon one another scorned to touch him one of the riders beat the fellow sorely with his bridle Their Governour told them with fair words that they had done an act worthy themselves the beasts satisfied continued their march I saw a mighty big one presented to the King of Pegu by him of Siam his Tributary The King immediately commanded meat to be brought him to know his breeding for the best bred eat with great modesty but he that brought him said that if he had drink he could live without food he that had the charge of the rest either for scorne or to disparage the beast's nature brought him water in a foule vessell the Elephant gave him a disdainfull look and putting his tronk into his mouth spouted a great quantity of stinking and hot water upon the Masters head who returned him a blow with a staff upon the head the Elephant immediately killed him with his tronk The King admired his prudence and caused him water to be brought in a clean silver vessell and bought him harnesse most rich and magnificent they are
their houses mingling it with pounded shells whereof they make a mortar that being dryed becomes firm as marble They are a numerous people but were they more they could find meanes to employ them for every man labours and you see no man in want and if they see one in poverty their charity is such that if he be able he is immediately employed or his necessities relieved For account of the Medicinall Drugs of this Country the river Pegu with the inundation brings in the fruit of Cocos of great esteem amongst the Indians of great vertue to purge all humours and proper for all diseases For my part I never used it for we used a method of Physick approved of by Persons of Quality in those parts That is about the entrance of summer which there begins early with the going out of January whence Debla or Scammony thrusts forth it's buds and a sort of little birds feed upon them when we would purge we got of these birds that go in flights like our Snipes and eating three or foure we find the same effect as if we had taken a physicall medicine another sort they have likewise easie enough that is to take the husk of a certain chich pease a grain like Palma Christi of wonderfull operation Likewise Scammony water which they draw like rose-water to make it more operative at the same time they take the root of Rubarb when the leaves are on which are large as the great Lunary and bitter as gall when t is first pulled up t is full of juice near orange colour though the root new gotten be violent you need but break it and the water within distills by little and little Others pound it and distill it with Scammony and take the quantity of half a spoonfull For purging they use likewise the water of Jelac and Mechouacan and other drugs the substance whereof they know how to draw very exquisitly as they can the quintessenece of cinamon and cloves which they put up in Borrachoes and skins and with other drugs load them for the red sea so to Meca thence to Suria where the Venetians fetch them who know sufficiently how to choose them leaving the worst to the Sensall who distributes them to Provence and thence to the other parts of France where in stead of good drugs they have nothing oft-times but pieces of wood and things of small value CHAP. XXXI The Election of the King of Pegu their Officers the Homages and presents of the Subjects to their new Prince FOr account of this Great King of Pegu his creation and Militia I will say in few words what I there learnt A Prince of high Quality in the Empire called the Califerech is as it were Constable and grand Master who by prescription assists at the Election and Coronation of the Prince which cannot be done without him His Residence is in the Town of Mandranelle towards Tazatay When a new King is to be Crown'd this Caleferech comes to Pegu in barks of war and at his arrivall the Prince goes to receive and entertain him kissing his shoulder the other bowes to the very ground and kisses his leg then the people cry out Este lansar that is God be praised then they both ascend into the Princes Chariot no one presuming to approach near them and returning in gracefull order to the Town a thousand sorts of fireworks play the Fortress Cannon is fired and all in good order to receive them Being arrived at the Pallace abundance of Clarions and Trumpets sound and a Noble man sayes with a loud voice The Califerech commands you all to joyn in prayers that if our Prince be not worthy he may die before his inauguration and the people cry out aloud God grant it Immediately after a repast they create Officers being necessary they should be chosen with the good liking of the Prince The better part of the Officers have Arabian names in imitation of Sechemir of Arabia and the Court of Persia to which almost all the Princes of the East conform themselves as the most magnificent The first that is made is the Gadalaro who disposes and rules all that belongs to the Empire and keepes a magnificent Court The second is the Amicassen or Generall of the Army who commands all that have conduct of any Souldiers commissioning Governors and disposing the Kings Treasure in all things necessary to war Then there is the Libaganir and Libasan joynt officers one whereof administers the Revenewes of the Provinces the other the tributes imposts gabells and rents Royall they have both a good strength of Souldiers to assist them and these attend the Prince every where never leaving him There is the Ostades or Captain of the Pallace who takes order for the Provision The Amiracho or Master of horse that disposes of the Kings horses mules elephants camels dromedaries The Amural that governs the Elephants The Cansidibir Master of the Pages and Eunuches The Madrecon that drawes forth the Army and ranges it in battalia The Amiraf Agitant Generall The Armermirac that beares the Kings Poleax The Casandera who gives order to the Captains and distributes the troops where he thinks necessary The Ostender the Treasurer of the Army The Bicassen Master of the Wardrobe The Testacavir Master of the Robes and divers others all Noble Men belonging to the Palace Royall Persons of Honour and well attended Besides these there are abundance of inferiour Officers and Honourable Persons of War who receive pay by the moneth according to the occurrence of Affaires to which the Merchants many times contribute for convoy of their free Commodities Strangers are there exceedingly respected and honoured and if one have use of an Amersent who are as the Chaoux in Turki or the French Exempts they will bear him company every whither with the Kings provision whereof they have the weekly disposall and a reasonable matter is satisfaction to them Then there are the Cachi men of war armed with Cassocks quilted with agglet holes expert horsemen and dextrous at their bow or the Zanfart or Zagaye with three pikes which in full speed they will most actively cast and catch again These I take for the Captains of Forts and Sconces and Governours of holds There is another sort of souldiers called Atefiar who are paid by Country rents not of the Kings Demesus but things left by Heroes and Persons of Armes the Souldiers right after their decease They weare no other Armes then the Alfange or Cimeterre with the steel ring and are skilfull wrastlers The Caranizi leads the souldiers who have nothing but meat and clothes being a Conquered people and obliged to serve the King When one dies another succeeds from father to son The Archilet is a conflux of people of all qualities and religions like the Grand-Seniors Spai These have no pay till they have done some signall service as also they are placed in
the filth out of town and when he muttered or grumbled he gave him the cudgel soundly so as he got his Master a livelyhood who was a poor man newly come out of slavery We often met upon the way with several of these savage beasts but we never met with any so safe as are the Lyons who will not rise at the approach of men be they never so few They seem to look for nothing from passengers but if they are sought for and assaulted they defend themselves in a furious manner and are light and strong runners One day as we went from Casubi to Transiana with a numerous convoy of all nations Moores Gentiles Malabates and others because there is no other travailing through these forests repleat with such beasts and every water and river swimming with Crocodiles or Caymans a youth who waited on de la Courb in his chamber a Frenchman one of our company of a daring spirit had a desire to shoot at a Lyon he had spy'd for which purpose he left the way some twenty paces and had with him an Indian called Talmassac a person of courage likewise a Bramin advised them as soon as they had given fire to make all haste with the best speed of their horses for fear of mischief The Lyon lay along under a tree and though he received two shots at the same instant one in the head the other in the left shoulder notwithstanding finding himself wounded he sprung so vigorously after them that though they made good haste he overtook one of them in going two hundred paces and caught his horse by the Crouper which he killed like lightning though his strength was spent Poor Talmassac was so astonied with a blow he gave with his head on the side that he fell sick and we were fain to send him back to Casubi in a Palanquin or Litter with four Camalous or Porters yet for a further mischief he was stript by the way The Naires with leave of the hunters took the Lyon and presented it to the King of Transiana who admired his growth having teeth great and thick as a pullets egge The King recompensed Talmassac with another horse in lieu of that he had lost which was looked upon as a great liberality for the esteem they make of horses in that country and our Frenchman had a gown of razed cloth of gold and the King caused us all to be treated and entertained in his Palace enquiring diverse things of Sieur de la Courbe amongst others the state of our King and because I understood something of the country language I was called to the conference and I know not if he were pleased with my discourse but he called one of his grooms of his chamber to bring him a handful of gold which he gave me telling me if I would stay with him he would give me every Moon as much and that I should have care of his person for the Sieur de la Courbe had intimated to him that I applyed my self to Physick I made him an humble reverence and acknowledgement saying I was of such a humour I should never serve Princes for their money but I should be sufficiently satisfied with the honour to be near his Majesty he was exceedingly pleased with my answer saying the French are the flower of the world and I am delighted with your conversation Afterwards he shewed us two Culverins given him by a Captain of Diepe well wrought and upon either of them a Dragon for Armes The Sieur de la Courbe presented him with a steel sword of Damis which he had gotten in the Indies a thing the Prince highly prized and instantly taking a ring off his finger with three rich Rubies would have given it him but the Sieur would not receive it rendring thanks and saying 't were a great indiscretion in him to acccept of such a rarity that was worth a thousand times more then his present and that it was a full satisfaction and ample recompence that his Majesty would vouchsafe to accept so poor a thing with many more respects and compliments which gained the Kings esteem much more saying 't was apparent there was something of great amongst the Christians because their discourse was more elegant and polite then the ordinary language of other Merchants and if he would stay at Court he would conferre upon him any office in his Palace he should like of and would tender him as his brother the Sieur rendring his acknowledgement with reverence and submission In brief we were obligingly treated by this Prince on whom we waited to chases which is a thing truly royal and magnificent In this country there is another kinde of savage beast exceeding fierce that indifferently falls on all things come before her She hath four teeth that cut like a razor About the size of a midling oxe a head like a Bear and a taile like a hogge These beasts are naturally black they hunt them for their hydes which are of admirable strength to resist blows the flesh is good and spends like Pork though it be something red This chase is exceeding dangerous and some alwayes perish for she flyes most furiously on the first that attempts her and failes not to strangle him though a hundred should come to his rescue if they kill her not at the first stroake She is exceeding licorous of a fruit they call Coeoma which is of excellent taste and great refreshment so as in Summer 't is much sought after for one shall no sooner eat of it but he perceives an entire refreshment nay a chilness if he eat a quantity The Indians make hollowes in great trees near this fruit and hide themselves within to wait for this beast and kill her when she comes to feed but when she findes her selfe surprized She enters into such rage that she tears up the tree for spight There are so many other sorts of savage beasts that it were too troublesome to rehearse them all They have divers birds of delicate plumage whereof they make divers works the most quaint and lively in the world and birds so great they will take a calf up into the ayre They have Griffins which in my opinion are no other then that they call a Tofon of white plumage and reddish under the belly but they have not four feet as our Painters draw them but two only long and great as likewise Tallons like a Falcon but large and exceeding strong the beake like an Eagle but much thicker they are cruel creatures They have here likewise those we call the birds of Paradise the Irico they cut the feet off and sell them so to Merchants as I said in another place They have abundance of Turkies and wild ones that go in flocks as Peacocks white Partridges and other birds and fowles of divers kinds CHAP. XXXVI Of Transiana the valour of their women THe Town of Transiana which is likewise the name of the kingdome lying
say the earth were higher then the heavens which notwithstanding must needs be if we allow Antipodes That the Poles held immovable are not so but that these two starres turn within two degrees round the Pole That 't is an errour the Sun should by night go hide himself under us that the two Poles are not diametrically opposite since as they say they may be seen at the same time upon sea and land though very low neverthelesse That if there were Antipodes that must be the bottom of the earth and all rivers would naturally run thither contrary to experience and a thousand other opinions as strange as absurd for want of knowledge in the spheare and Astronomy So they laugh as at a thing childish and fabulous at the opinion of the Ancients and Moderns on this side of the rotundity of the earth in the middle of the world and the Ubiquitary habitation and that the Sun turns quite round from East to West They hold for certain that the Sunne rises in all other points as they observe in Tazatay where they imagine it to rise as 't were North and North-West They think to prove their phantastical imaginations when they describe the Iliaca a bright starre in the West and opposite to that Biliaca which appears beyond the Line and is that the shepheards fear so much by the Persians called Zobona so mortiferous to cattle for which cause they house them while that starre raignes and the better to preserve them they make them turn tayle to the starre for if they face it it makes them languish and dye in the end They say that these two opposite starres may be seen in a Line at the same time through a trunck and that each moves about his Pole in twenty four houres but that these are not the same as the North and the Crusero The North being no more distant from the Pole then two degrees and a quarter and one of the other two a degree and a half onely And whereas the ancients observed onely two Poles each in his Hemisphere they make six Poles in the same Hemispheare which are Casara the pole of the World that of the Zodiack the Artick and Antartick and these two starrs and a thousand other fancies as incomprehensible as they are farr from the sence of reason and experience And that which confirmes them in their errors is that they can discerne the two polar starrs from the same place as in Japaca seven degrees beyond the Line in Java and the like in Sumatra and other parts and accordingly in travell they make a strange calculation of the distances of places They jeer likewise at the frame of our spheare and the division of the Zodiack into twelve signes some to the North some to the South and understand not this but after their own way They call the Zodiack Cazatoni that is Significator The signes they call Ant Ronia Amiessem Emisen Courpsa Cheoser Irat Metrias Escorgat Tamasee Besir Bizihir Azourac Persan the highest spheare Birquen Emine the Ecliptick Zoberna that is obscurity because Ecclipses proceed thence That the Zodiack is an oblike circle and that from thence and the Region of fire the Sun takes his course and thence makes generation of all inferiour things Like some of the ancients likewise they hold that the Heaven stands like a vault over the earth and floates and swimmes upon the waters In breife I shewed them the work of Paul Rao the Italian who speakes of all this Astronomy of the Ancients which supposes the Equinoctiall divides the Zodiack in two parts South and North at which they scoffed and grew cholerick saying so base a book was fit for the fire that held nothing but errors and wondered our Prince would suffer such frauds and impostures as they called them to be published in his Dominions they believing as well the lands inhabited from East to West as from South to North are in view of the pole Artick and that it is false there should be any part of India under the Antartick since as they think they have the North as much elevated as we in Europe and many extravagancies hereupon which I leave to be argued and confuted by the learned in Astronomy and Cosmography Hearkning to these Indian opinions I have been told that the Chineses that speculative Nation hold the Heavens to be round but the Earth square and the Empire of China stands punctually in the middle as being the excellence and Principality of the World other parts being but as the skirts and accessaries so as they were a little cholerick when they saw our cards designe their Countrey in the extremity of the East as an indignity to the Grandeur and Majesty of their Country and King whom they call the sonne of the sun And truly these poore Indians wanting the knowledg of sciences and experience are not so much to be blamed for their opinions since in the middle of sage and learned Greece there were of the ancient Philosophers that maintained almost the same that the earth was not round but some as Lucipus that it was like a drum others that it was hollow like a barke as Heraelitus others like a Cilinder or Roler as Anaximandrus and Democritus others that it was absolutely flat as Empodocles and Anaximines some have wandered as far as this Paradox to release it from the center and make it run in the heavens about the immovable sun which with no less extravagancy hath been renewed in our times But for the Antipodes they who held the rotundity of the earth allowed them not for all that holding those parts inhabitable either for being covered with innavigable seas or for the insupportable heats of the Torrid Zone even some of the ancient fathers have for other considerations been taken with this opinion as Lactantius St. Augustine and others and they say a learned Germane Bishop was accused of Heresie for maintaining there was Antipodes But besides the reasons of science experience of Navigation and modern voyages shewes sufficiently the truth of this matter whereof I leave the large discourse to the more learned CHAP. XXXVII Of Tartary Frightfull deserts fierce dogs a strange History of two lovers the Empire of the Tartars and their Religion OF Grand Tartary which lies on the North of all the Provinces I have spoken of I know nothing but by the relation I received in these parts and by the Memorialls of a certain Hollander who was at Pegu. The Inhabitants of these Countreys then tould me that beyond the Kingdom of Tazatay Mandranella Transiana and Casubi towards the North are vast solitudes and sandy deserts which you must travell for many dayes before you can arrive at a Kingdom called Sinabo which at one end towards the East confines with Cochinchina subject to the great King of Tabin or China To passe these vast sands there must be made good provision of victualls water and beast for as
a Merchant of Drogomania told me a Country confining Eastward upon these Kingdomes the deserts of Arabia are little in comparison to them and when I told him the fourty tedious days it cost us betwixt Suria and Medina through the deserts of Arabia he answered this was nothing in respect since by the help of guides they might here and there find a well whereas in the deserts of Asia in two and twenty dayes journey together nothing was to be found but sand and that one day as he travailed along with the convoy by misfortune one of the jarrs of water broke which was a great mischiefe to them and a very important losse being forced for want of it to kill one of their Camells to drink the loathsome water within him and eat his flesh He told me then for more commodious passage above all things it was necessary to provide good beasts and chiefly Persian Asses the best beast the world affords for carriage and the most proper for those wayes and are worth as much as a good horse That after these sands they came to huge Mountains absolutely barren which in my opinion must needs be mineralls but they try them not they are so far distant and the way so troublesom I observed in my East and Western voyages that where the Mines of gold silver and precious stones where the Mountains were ordinarily barren having nothing growing about them as they observe of the Calanfour or clove which suffers no plant near it The Merchant observed likewise that in these Mountains which must be those the Ancients called Juac dividing high and low Asia there are abundance of serpents of prodigious bignesse but are more advantage then damage to them for being free from venom and of an excellent substance and nourishment they eat there nothing else As I remember I saw in the Mountains of Syr in Africa For passing these Mountains and lodging with the Arabians under their tents 't was our admiration to see huge serpents play with children who would give them morsells of bread But to return to our Tartarian Merchant he told me that having passed this Mountainous Country they came to another desert of twenty dayes over void of all food where he was constrained to stray a good dayes journey to hunt for water and other commodities and this too with weapon in hand because there lives a certain Horde or nation of Shepherds or Tartars Nomades who keep huge Mastifes the most fierce and bloody in the world which indeed have more of the wolf then the dog they keep these dogs to destroy passengers on the way to which they train them for diet for themselves He told me that about three yeares before this breed of Rascals were almost all devoured by their own dogs after their cruell usage of certain Merchants who passed that way these to revenge themselves made an Ambush and having taken them served them as they had done others He told me many other curiosities of this country and amongst others that about twenty years before he passed by the Isle of Volmous or Ayman near to Cauchinchina and the country of the Meores that the people are haughty great souldiers well clothed and very civil lovers of honour and vertue and of complexion rather white then black that the land is full of impenitrable Forests but well stor'd with Venison and betwixt the Mountains good pasturadge that they had there a potent King by the title of Emperour on the day of his birth wearing on his head three Crowns in form of a Tiara for the three kingdomes he possessed that this Prince was King of Sinabo the Magers and Patanes Amongst other particulars of this country he related to me a strange History if it be true Thus that in a mountanous country vulgarly called Ismanca very fertile where there are clownes very wealthy in cattell whereof they drive a great trade as also in skins of divers beasts there was a rich shepherd called Ismahan who amongst other children had a daughter of excellent beauty who according to the custome of the country kept her fathers flocks This maid of twenty yeares of age loved a young shepherd her neighbour and kinsman but poor and to whose Father the rich shepherd had sent some corn who seeing he could not be paid and being aware of his daughters affection he told his debtor that on condition he would send his son to live in some remote parts he would forgive the debt which the other did the young man being thus banished by force the maid was extremely afflicted and as one day she walked alone in the fields lamenting the absence of her beloved Liza so he was called a Fiend in the same shape appeared to her and demanded for whom she was so much tormented since she had him assuredly present and that he loved her more then the world besides Some say this poor young man being banished the presence of his dear Mistresse sought out a Magician who promised he should see and enjoy her but bringing into a room to him a spirit in the form of the maid as the spirits of joy and love made him fly to embrace her the Demon strangled him afterwards taking the shape or rather the body of the dead youth continued his visits a long time to the maid whereof her Father and Brothers having notice resolved to surprize him and in effect breaking up her chamber door they found a stinking carcasse in bed by her at which both she and the rest were extremely frighted and the King of the country having notice of it sent for the maid to know the truth which she related as it was The King sent her to live with an Aunt of his where they say the Devil still frequented her and would visit her publickly in the shape of her friend wherein she took extreme content nor could she be disswaded from his conversation How I know not but they say she conceived and was delivered of two children who grown up became the most valiant and strong in the country so as since spirits are incapable of generation as the best Divines conclude we may suppose this was the youth himself who by the Magicians means enjoyed the maid and was afterwards killed by the devil that abused him and indeed some authentick authours mention such another History of one Phillinnion and Machetus and others But let us come back to Tartary where I learnt many other things of one Amador Baliora a Limner with whom I met coming back from Pegu and saw good part of his Memorials He had been in the Indies twelve or thirteen years and had drawn the plots of several Towns excellently well insomuch as having escaped shipwrack and arrived in health at Diu when all his company was hanged for his qualification the Governour saved his life and he drew him many exquisite pictures for which he gave him five hundred Croysades He had about fifty
Priest in our company and being brought to one called Chaousandre who afterwards became a Capchin he confessed to him and told us that he had formerly travailed three hundred leagues to finde one to confesse to but at that time he was not in capacity for voyages of that length being guide of a family that he had but one single wife though fully as perverse as she was faire and deprived of the light of Religion as the rest of his houshold were He feasted us at his home with great kindenesse and we presented him with a Roman Primmer which he held in high esteem for the pictures onely for our characters were unknown to him nor did he understand our language He bestowed upon us a Girafe and a sheep all white but the head which was black as they are all in that countrey For Girafes they are docile beasts white and spotted with red their fore-feet very short in proportion to the hinder with a Deers head and very short horns there is great store of them in the land of Cefala CHAP. IV. The Country of Monbaze Melinde and Quiloa the nature of the Inhabitants and the respect they bear their PRINCE HAving left Bulgara we run all along that stretched forth coast of Ethiope where we visited Melindo Monbaze Quiloa Mozambique Cefala and other Townes for truck of our commodities The country of Monbaze takes name from a Town and Island so called which on the East hath the vast Indian sea on the North Melinde on the South Quiloa and Westward the spacious lake of Zaflan and the kingdome of Xoa belonging to the King of Abyssins Heretofore this kingdome was subject to a great Prince styled the King of Monemuge neighbouring to Ethiope Monatapa and Mozambique As for Monbaze 't is a Town about the rate of Monpellier built almost after the Italian model the people are of Olive colour affable courteous and well apparelled specially the women who delight in rich apparel There is a good Sea-port strong and much frequented by the Indians who drive a great trade in spices drugges and precious stones which much enriches the place and brings a great conflux of people from Zanzbar Penda Agair and other parts of Africa There is gold silver precious stones and Ivory in great quantity The country abounds in good fruit of all sorts particularly in Citrons and Oranges of prodigious bignesse and of excellent taste whereof the rind is sweet and good to eat There are likewise Peaches without stones but of little savour Pomegranates exceeding large and above all excellent waters fresh and light herein surpassing Quiloa which is defective The People are of a sweet disposition contrary to other Maritime places where the natives are ordinarily mutinous and litigious We had there an Host called Francesco Cosmel of complexion between black and white as he were born of a Father black and a Mother white he gave us testimonies of a generous soule and seemed to be of good extraction He lodged us in the chief chamber of the house hanged with Matte both walls and floore with abundance of well-wrought cushions with an artificial fountain on one side which water'd little trees where was a whole flight of birds of Paradise male and female which contrary to the common opinion had feet as I said elsewhere whereupon I shall relate a pleasant passage which befell us My companion resolving to go to a jolly town not far thence to put off some Safron which he had was taken with an extreme cholick which made him go to stool oftner then he would in our chamber there was a little Cistern full of pure water he finding himself pressed and conceiving this Cistern to be a place of purpose for discharge seats himself on it By misfortune there was a young maid washing clothes who finding this nasty showre fall upon her began to cry out and I that knew what the matter was immediately went out pretending I had something to buy so as my companion who suspected nothing was amazed when he saw two slaves fall upon him with cudgels who cured his disease with a new sort of Cataplasme Returning up again I saw this lucky adventure and my companion as well as he could defending himself In fine after many excuses the matter was taken up by mediation of twenty seven Miticales each being in value four French Livers which my companion was forced to pay for mundifying the Cistern True it is he was cured of his cholick but so ashamed of the accident he had not confidence to suppe with us The Territory of Monbaze is of no great extent confining on one side on the Town of Orgaba or Orgabea seated on the river Onchir which runs to powre it self into Nile near Mount Amara where the kingdome of Melinde begins having Amara on the North and Monbaze on the East The common diet of the country is honey and rice their drink Areta Fatigar and Belinganze which they keep in great Oxe hornes cut in severall figures that they may be the more useful This sort of vessel is much used in the Ethiopian Court as well for their capacity as their not being liable to break especially with the Monbazians who neverthelesse will make no use of any but of a beast that had his throat cut deriving this custome from the Jews In their traffick with Merchants they apply charms to force them to their intent a thing I never observed in any other nation When notice comes that some neighbour Prince hath sent Embassadours to their King upon affaires of importance they doe then much more They take a wilde goat by them called Machorati and having laid some charmes upon it mounted upon his Elephant the Prince passes three times over him with most horrible cries and imprecations which their Labis or Priests pronounce against their Singiscan or Demon Then having made three cries more in manner of prayer they require to know if this Embassadour comes for Peace or Warre if it be answered for Peace they march before him with abundance of perfumes and signes of joy and being arrived at the Town the perfumes are cast into the water to shew that all this was only to do him honour and to endear him But if it be for Warre they testify the plain contrary I have heard since my return that the town and Port of Monbaze is by the Portugals taken and demolished For a draught of Melinde which is a kingdom lying above Monbaze and subject to the same King the Capitall Town of the same name is scituate on the sea in two degrees and a halfe beyond the Line the Port is at some distance by reason that on the water side 't is pester'd with many craggy rocks which render the landing dangerous The country abounds in all sorts of Fruits and Viands bread excepted instead whereof they make use of Parates which are both good and wholesom They have likewise variety of flesh which they roast and
after their fashion till such time as perceiving a troop of about fifty men wrapt in woollen cloth which covered their whole bodies we made a soft retreat to our Barks Then we saw in the middle of the company one raised above the rest borne on a Palanquin having on his head a Miter enriched with stones who being come near our boates descended and having said Afrares which signifies come nigh entered affably into one of our Barks and saluted us with the word Ergaâ—i which is welcome The Sieur de la Courbe understanding this to be the Lord of Suguelane kissed his hand and by an Interpreter delivered him the occasion and design of our voyage This whole night was divided into good chear and dancing with the wives of this Potentate the Principall of whom The Sieur de la Courbe presented with a chain of various colour'd glasse beads which caus'd as much wonder and envie in the other Ladies as contentment in the Prince who reciprocally gave him a cup of Euate filled with Pepitaian gold which he forced upon our country-man by the strength of entreaties but in retribution out of the civility naturall to his country he presented a guilt Cimeterre with hangers of China work I likewise presented the Ladies with some rare pendants of red Pausell christall and very glittering who immediately cast off their upper garments and fell to dancing To conclude having seen Jerma and Simbada a great and huge Town erected in the water where is the right country of Agisimba staid fifteen dayes at Rifa where we became known to the Chanubi or Governour who gave us good instructions for our journey and brought us better then half the way to Cheticoura in a boat of his The Sieur de Courbe and I who had a particular curiosity to see the country resolved there to go render a deference to the great Taboqui or Monomotapa who was at his capital Town of Zanguebar or Monopotapa who bestowed many indulgements on us while we staid our boats being left with the rest of our company who had no such curiosity with order to meet all together at a certain place called Calboute without parting any more thenceforward I cannot give a particular account of the distance of places I may be excused by reason of the deviations and turnings we were forced to make returning sometimes the same way we came notwithstanding I shall speak precisely enough of what concerns Monopotapa CHAP. VI. Of Monopotapa the Princes estates and Government his way of living and the singularity of his Country THis Prince is by some called the Benemotapa or Benemataxa and by the native people the Grand Tahaqui he possesses so large an Empire that 't is given for a thousand leagues in circuit invironed with seas and great Rivers which render it inaccessable and inexpugnable for on the North it hath the vast lake Zembré or Zembaré on the South the Cape of Bona Esperanza and on the other sides the Eastern and Western seas Towards the Siroch it stretches it self as far as the Mountaines of Manice where the kingdome of Toroca or Toroa takes beginning whereof the principal town is Zenebra next is Tatuca rich in gold silver and ivory Then there are the kingdomes of Agag and Boro which on the Blacks side face towards the Beche on the West towards Tacui which goes as far as Mozambique Likewise within this Empire the Province of Butua lyes as also that of Simbage or Simbatni plentiful in Ivory by reason of the great multitude of Elephants in salt of the rock whence good part of Africa is furnished though at dear rates in some places by reason of the great distance and difficulty of the roads These people for the greatest part are Idolaters stiling their chief God Maziri the maker of all things others call him Atuno In great reverence they have likewise a Virgin by name Peru and have Monasteries where live recluse maids moreover they are grand magicians as they are through the whole country of Guynee There came a certain one who reported he had passed the kingdomes of Candabar Couzani Transiani Vsbeque and many other countries of the East as China San Pegu Bengale Besnagari Calicut and the wide sea of Alondon to have runne through all the dominions of Preste John to have been in the floods of the Torrid without wetting himselfe clothed with a meer Sattin walking upon the clouds to have passed the Zember upon the back of a devill and to have arrived in the kingdome of Sahama to finde the Monopotapa to declare his Religion to him having in few dayes gone thirteen thousand leagues He added far more the particular satisfaction he received after so long a travell in that the Prince caused four Christians their hateful enemies to be massacred and engaged in honour of their God to pray at the Temple five times the day under pain of the scourge The King building a faith in this sorcerer made an ordinance that all should yield obedience to this Mulila and his associates whom they named the Jubacumba For the first time the people presented themselves at their ceremonies but being absent the second time these impostor Priests coming forth fell upon them with scourges made of Elephants hyde and beat them most rudely persevering in this harsh way of treatment till on a day a young Portugues called Francisco Sanche who lived in the Fort of Safala being come to the town for trade and to visit a Mistresse he had a Merchants daughter received some lashes in the street from these magicians whereupon being sensible of his injury le ts flye his cimeterre at one of them and lays him dead on the ground without much trouble confiding in the Kings favour to whom he had brought a present from the Governour of the Fort Henrique Mendez and they joyning in their defence he killed four and wounded four more then mounted on horse and went safe off The King being told of it fell into laughter and praised the Portugues for his courage which ingratiated him with his Mistris so as she after married him True it is this Prince had not long before put some Jesuits to death but he made them ample satisfaction by putting to death all the Mahometans who gave him such councell whereupon the Fathers of Cochin being advertised of it sent others presently who declared to the King the benefit they were to all mankind in instruction and salvation of souls and gain'd so highly upon his grace that besides other particular favours which he did them he granted free liberty to his people to be converted and embrace the Christian faith So it is that Christian faith was introduced by the fathers of the society where to this day 't is preserved and practised by them and the Dominicans and though the Prince be an Idolater he is a well-wisher to the Christians He holds a stately gravity allowing audience to none but on the knee nor tergiversation in
with wooden clappers which yield a very sweet sound They have very little iron and very few fountains I remember not I saw above five or six throughout the countrey where I was Their pictures are very course Statues ill proportioned without any figures of relief There are Monasteries of all sorts more or lesse austere yea they have Religious that marry but no more then once In the Church they never sit down but stand upright leaning at certain times on a kind of Crosiar or Crutch They consecrate the Sacrament in a piece of bread according to the Greek rites and then in imitation of David before the Ark they use a motion in a manner of dancing in time of prayer then bow themselves very low When they go forth of the Church they hang those Crutches out of the Gate in a place covered for that purpose and every one knowes his own again Their Priests live very exemplarly and in great austerity In the Church they never demand any thing every man gives to whom he pleases They have some amongst them who never eat flesh nor drink wine living on nothing but fruits hemp-seed such as we feed birds with here and other seeds unknown to us and on certain roots Others there are of an order not so austere but every one upon pain of most rigorous correction observes the rule he hath made choyce of There are Icronimites who ever go barefoot and bare-headed sleep upon the boards wear hair-cloth never taste wine nor flesh and are as 't were continually in prayer Their Convents are in woods where with leave of superiours they walk at liberty without any communication but at confession Their office holds from Mid-night till an hour before day then it rings to prayer then they repose an hour and return to sing the office of the Church which done they say Masse with extraordinary devotion then take their Sandals and sit down to a very innocent meal They confesse not at all have commonly their eyes fixt on the ground and are much in solitude A man when his wife is departed loses the repute of honesty if he become not religious They rebaptize as often as they please and ever after confessions they go to a Priest in a corner of the Church to be baptized and you shall see those of the greatest age go to the Font like little infants Some have said that they baptize in fire but 't is nothing so for they use water onely as we do though their words are something discrepant They have long precept-fasts and keep lent very strictly dispensation being allowed neither to Soldier nor Infant therefore this is the time the enemy chooses to invade them supposing they shall finde them weak At Easter they communicate after the Greek rites and force the sucking infants to receive it giving them the Teat after it so that the Church is filled with the cries and bawling of children Obstinate Hereticks they condemn to the fire but this hath not often occurred but with Moores who dissembled Christians In summe the Ethiopians though Christians retain many ceremonies superstitions and heresies both of the Jewes and Grecians as Circumcision Purification the Sabbath abstinence from Swines flesh from Hare from blood from all things strangled and from certain fish With the Grecians they deny the Procession of the Holy Ghost the two-fold will of Christ repeat Baptisme condemn the Councel of Calcedon in favour of Eutiches and Dioscorus hold that the soul freed from the body enters not into heaven till the dissolution of the world and many other errours attributed to them denyed by some of them but of this the Modern relations of the Jesuites afford better information who live amongst them and bring in a plentiful harvest to the Church by the conversion of these people to the Catholick and Roman Faith Concerning the Prince he hath divers appellations as Senap and Negus which signify Emperour and King Belulgian or Beldigian that is excellent or precious Lord and with the vulgar the Presteian whether the name came from an ancient Persian word which signifies Apostolical or whether in imitation of a King who sometime raigned in Tartary called the Presteian of India a Nestorian Christian who was vanquished and cast out by the Tartars and had this name from having a Crosse borne before him when he appeared in publick Afterwards the Portuguese by the same name called the King of the Abissins either for a parity or because they apprehended him the Presteian of Asia and India so high in history for these three or four last Ages But of all I have said and of all other particulars of the Empire of the Abissins their Manners Religion Speech and Power I referre my selfe to the more ample discourses of such as have written expressely whose residence and observation was of higher growth then mine content onely to have touched upon that little I observed passing through the Countrey and now I will revert to the Town of Barua which I left for this short digression CHAP. XV. Of the Town of Barua Bagamidri and others Stories of Sorcerers BArua is a Town that for bulk and scituation may stand in Parallell with Samacara in Arabia the happy whereof I spake in the first part It is raised upon a Mountain at the Foot whereof slides a lovely River called the Arabic Arat by the Abissins Morato which yields abundance of fish but chiefly store of Crocodiles which are excellent meat and they eat them chiefly in lent at which season there comes more plenty then at any time of the year besides They come up from Nile and so disperse themselves through all the Rivers of Ethiope that fall upon it This creature lives both on land and water is a great destruction of cattell chiefly of sheep whereof he is very licourous and will devour one at a morsel for want of them will break into gardens and eat the fruits This creature is so subtle that he will hide himself near to houses and vent most heavie sighs to entice people to him and devoure them as it had fortuned to a poor woman at Barua who had been so taken and devoured but for the timely rescue of her husband howsoever was mutilated The like happened to us going by night from Alexandria to Roussete for we saw one which we took for a block and as a servant belonging to the Consul of Alexandria stept before to take it up he was caught by this beast who with his tayle drew him under water and was never seen more In fine having wandered to and fro amongst these townes of Ethiopia selling or trucking our Merchandizes we resolved to fall again upon our way to our country In the company there were some Nubian Merchants of the town of Casas civill persons and good Christians We consulted together of our way if we should take towards the River Falucia or make to Gayuelle along the River Morabon which runs to Barua But our
nothing for the terrour our late danger had left in us and the affliction for our great losse but for the men above all For the Sieur de la Courb lost a servant that had serv'd him twenty years besides a thousand Spanish doublons and a pound of pearles by estimation of great value with great store of other rich commodities and curiosities Notwithstanding 't was our duty to embrace all with patience with praises to God that preserved our persons and in this misfortune the Sieur de la Courb had a bason full of gold of Pepitas as the Spaniard calls them or seeds given him by one of the Lords in our travaile which was in another Almadie with the rest of his people and now stood us in good stead On the morrow we went to Carsiane and lodged at her house who was saved when our bark was lost she made us a free entertainment and upon her account we were visited by all the principall of the Town There we rested our selves two daies and the good woman in acknowledgement of her obligation thought no treaty sufficient for me taking so much care for me that next morning she brought me a clean shirt and gave me other presents as she was able amongst the rest a peice of very sine cloth of Calicut to make me shirts Thence we went to Saraboma or Saraboesun that so famous Island which the Ancients called Meroe and now Caeguere between the line and the Tropick Some say 't was originally called Saba and took the name of Meroe from a sister of Cambyses king of Persia This Island is embraced by the two arms of Nile the one anciently called Astaboras the other Astupus or Astusapes which is on the west side Saraboma standing betwixt two rivers like Saba is quite hidden in trees very pleasantly There we saw not so much as one Trades-man or publick shop but every man in his own house works by himself The greatest part spin wool or silk and dames of the best quality make stuffs of silk In brief they all work except those of base repute They are a people of honest and religious life where there is not a Malefactor nor a person in the hands of justice no Lawyers nor no Pettyfoggers They celebrate Masse after the Georgian rites with some ceremonies of the Jew or Abissine Through all the churches they say but one Masse a day as through the rest of all Ethiopia and all men women girls and infants must hear every day one there cannot be a people better nor more devout They generally observe lent and the greater part fast it entirely They give the Communion to sucking infants use extream austerities are of very reserved life timorous to offend God in the least grounding themselves on the words of the Evangelist who saith Hardly shall the just man be saved From thence we passed by many habitations of tents composed in the form of Tremisen or Ducalia where throughout the people were very large of person and stoutly armed and waited on with fierce dogs Then we travailed five dayes not meeting with any Town but Guelba a place inconsiderable nor durst we lodge there for fear of some injury but lay in our barks As we passed along we enquired stil of the Country-men if they saw by the banks the bodies of any drowned men but in vain for we could learn no tidings The fifth day we came to a fair Town called Essere in the same Isle of Meroe seated on a soyle covered with dates oranges and other fruit trees They have likewise Coloquintida but make no account of it We had sight of a wild Rhinocerot that was crossing a thick wood that with breaking the boughs as he went made the woods ring afterwards we saw the female follow him The people of the Country venture not to destroy them for that he is so dangerous and his natural armour impenetrable From Essere we made towards Bigan having taken in provision because we had four dayes journey thither The way is something dangerous by reason of certain Cafies assassines who murther the passengers and live onely upon pillage There they call them Tammatans because they are of the kingdom of Tamatas They can subsist three or four dayes together without eating any more then a little butter and two dates a day They are of a large size by a good span taller than the ordinary but very megre and lean and they never lie down As we passed we saw vaste Countries but few inhabitants except some shepherds But before we arrived at Bigan we came to a great hamlet called Carfouran where we went on shore to refresh and recreate a little There we bought a barrel of wine of honey which barrel was made of a cane of one piece all but the ends They have of these barrels that are wonderful large towards the West we saw a great field covered over with capers of which they make little account we boiled a young calf which they gave us I think for fear we should do them some harm seeing us go in company and well appointed and every where we took passes of the Princes and Lords Neverthelesse when we came away we gave them some few dragmes which are little square pieces of silver currant all along Nile up into high Egypt and are taken by weight Thence we came at night to Bigan and we neglected not as soon as we landed to go visit the Governour whom they call the Basira we shewed him the Negus's pasports which with great ceremony in token of reverence he laid upon his head shewed us great kindnesses and invited us to supper He sent us to our lodging four great hornes of date-wine exceeding strong and searching for drinking it without water one would think himself on fire and I believe it passes through some distillatory We kept it to take in mornings in the manner of strong-water We returned the Governour some sweet-meats in exchange which were very acceptable and he gave us besides certain birds which are good meat in Province we call them Fransons with six turkeys and four white partridges Departing from Bigan we came in one day as far as Casima directly over against the desert of Goran which lies on the East and South of it This was a day of great pleasure to us passing still by Lawrels and other sorts of lovely and wholsom fruit-trees and meeting with many Towns and hamlets where they have horses in abundance We saw there a great troop of Munkies passing by a lake in the middle of a Plain and a Gentleman fishing with Hawkes which took great store of good fish and carried them to their Master The sight of this fishing retarded us above an houre though we had seen the like in several places in India When the people saw we were delighted with their sport they brought us a good part of their fish as Eels Trouts Carps and Barbels and we returned them two fine horns excellently wrought full of Date
Straight conquered by the Portuguese as Arzile and others and joynes to the Province of Errif which beginnes at the Straight and Eastward stretches as farre as the River Necor Northward to the Mediterranean The principall town of it is Targa or Terga upon the said sea who traffick with the People of Tunnis and Bisette There are besides the Townes of Jelles Gebba and others Garet joynes to this Province which reaches as farre as the Deserts of Numidia and the Cities there are Mazelle Megger and others where there are many Mines of Iron This Countrey joynes upon the Region of Chaus which Westward runnes to the River Barnagara that goes to the borders of Lybia with her townes of Teurere Besornin c. It extends as farre as the Kingdome of Telesin exceeding rich which on the West bounds upon the Rivers Moluia and La South upon the deserts of Numidia comprehending from West to East near four hundred miles environed with many great deserts confining on the blacks and hath two remarkable Havens Marzalquibir and Oran besides the townes of Gualdida Hauan the great City of Nodroma and Telesin the capitall where the King resides who keeps a magnificent Court There is also Constantina the Walls whereof are black stone polished scituate upon a Mountain at the foot whereof the River Sufamar runnes About it are other Provinces whereof some joyn to the desert of Barqua which borders upon Tenez a City of Numidia and on the North embraces the Province of Daro which joynes upon Sequelme or Segelmesse taking name from the capitall towne and extends to the River of Zez which confines on the Deserts of Lybia All these countries are inhabited by severall barbarous people as Zonetes Azonagia Zabara Egilefe and runnes to the Province of Chenega which joyns to the Mountaine of Atlas This Mountaine reaches to the Deserts of Numidia amongst which there is one countrey terminates upon the kingdom of Bugia called Zeb on the North having Biledulgerib or Numidia Lybia is of great extent and Numidia larger In Lybia are the vast Deserts of Zonzaga and Zuenziga almost all inhabited on the skirts with Arabians who have the blacks on the West and South called Galata confining upon Tombur In the middle is the Desert of Zarat which is two hundred miles over without any habitation but the desert of Aroboan affords some comfort and it joynes upon Tombur Then next are the deserts of Hair over which lyes the passage from Tombur to Telensin We leave the Desert of Gosde on the right hand for the numbers of fierce beasts that resort thither then to the desert of Gir which on the North confines on Tuas Tegerin and Damesab which hath the kingdome of Agades on the South a countrey plentifull of Herbage Fountaines and Manna which they use much in their Diet and Pottages they have such abundance of it it renders them exceeding strong and agile they likewise boyled with water make drink of it They are subjects to the King of Tombur and border upon Cano another kingdome tributary to Tombur The people are all black as pitch Near the Town of of Masar in Arabia Salban there was once a Gulph of the Sea There was formerly a Temple dedicated to Venus where maids did prostitute themselves for pleasure or profit they report but a famous Courtisan beautiful and rich by name Ameliga being courted by divers Princes and great persons would accept of nothing from them only obliging them to give something to the poor using these words Honour the Goddesse Ameliza to whom you offer this which made her famous through all Africa so as they came from very forrain parts to see her and the King of Bodumal sued to have her to wife which she refused amongst others there was a Maraban who visiting her erected a magnificent Temple to her which was immediately frequented with a concourse of people and everyone repair'd thither to obtain their desire provided they were able of member otherwise 't was not to be looked for The People of Guiner Tombur and others were of this devotion The Priests of the Temple received the word and render'd them at certain houres For the kingdome of Melli 't is very wealthy by reason 't is cut through with the black river or Senega or a branch of it or rather a channell made by hand so as 't is very fruitfull in Dates Raisins Cotton and other commodities for 't is said this River flowes as Nile does and at the same houres They have abundance of Canoes or boats of one piece in which they travaile upon their little negotiations passing from kingdome to kingdome moved out of the History of Jonas who they say came on shore there They make great benefit of Whales and believe no Whale can passe that way without bursting An ancient Gentleman of Siban told me that in the yeare one thousand five hundred seventy one walking on the shore he saw three great Whales which being entered the Gulph made a most horrid noyse and on the morrow one of them was cast up with his belly slit as it had been done with a knife the other two were carried away with the streame of the water Whether this be a miracle or magick I will not judge Melli borders upon Gago and Gago is the better countrey of the two and though Melli have the better townes yet the other is of much more esteem for many things but chiefly for the quantity of gold brought thither by the Moores from all parts and this gold is very exquisite whereof they make most part of their pieces of a crown and halfe which they call Miticales But Melly hath the glory from all her neighbours for a fair Colledge of their Prophet Haly where all the other kingdomes come to study the Sciences there being many learned Doctors of their kind Thither for this purpose repaires the youth of Cambre the chief town of Tambur as also from Gago and other place Gago is a Town of great traffick where there is a great Mart for pepper and slaves of all parts of Christendom whom they employ in Mines there being some who for avarice bring their own children for this purpose Gago borders Eastward on Cober and the capital towns of these two countries are 200. leagues distant They are also under the inundation of Niger which manures the countrey and makes it plentifull in cattle and provisions the reason the people apply themselves more to husbandry then study and so are grosse and rustick Westward from thence lyes the great Cape Serrelyonne on the East the kingdome of Agades then Cano Zegeg which breeds such store of horse then Zanfara and Guangara Northward whose King hath a Guard of 7000. men foot and horse with bowes and Cimeterres Then comes Borro which runs above five hundred miles Eastward having on the South the Deserts of Get and on the North those of Barea They are a brutish people and entertain their wives in common Towards the Piroc are the
theirs and betake themselves to their Canoes or Piragoâ—a upon the water like Ducks and returne not till the floud is sunk so that the extreamest heats of the Torrid produce their rains and when the heate slackens it rains not at all But out of the Torrid and the Tropick these qualities change their raine coming together with the cold of winter as here with the heat of summer For the Sun where 't is most forcible exhales vapours in more abundance which breaking fall in plentifull showers They who live in towns and plantations built on grounds of advantage pass these flouds and rains with satisfaction and their fruits of the earth no more than in Egypt are not destroyed and lost But the more vulgar and savage sort who live in the Countrey that can neither sow nor plow retreat to their barks with a heap of roots and such fruit as the earth affords them naturally They have abundance of Cattle likewise which they feed with the Josni they call Tortora which they eat also themselves cover their houses with it make their boats and fewell of it True the air throughout the torrid is not of one quality there being some places burnt for want of lakes fountains or rivers or by reason of the huge barren mountains as in other parts of Ethiopia Guiney deserts of Africa the Andes mountains of Peru and other places And hence it comes that according to the diverse constitutions under the same line you have blacks in one place and whites in another and as the extremity of these qualities hot and dry render some places dis-inhabitable so the abundance of water lakes marshes and great rivers with their constant inundations render others as little habitable as in the greatest part of America where this inconvenience is such that the rivers swel'd with the summer rains at every turn break out of their limits with such impetuosity and violence they force and carry all before them nor can one travaile for dirt and mud of marshes CHAP. V. Of South and North America The Qualities and Discovery AMerica for the greatest part is not inhabited by reason of the huge barren and cold mountains and little plain for a long way abundance of sandy and barren forrests as in Egypt and Lybia where there is neither habitation nor commodity of living huge trees bearing nourishment neither for man nor beast onely in some parts there are trees yeild some refreshment to passengers with a leaf like the vine and fruit like the Quince but more soft and in taste like the apples of Italy called Mele Rose but sweeter The tree is high and fair like a mulberry The fruit never heats upon the tree and very little being gathered but quenches thirst and refreshes more than any fruit in the world wherefore the Indians will go fifteen or twenty leagues to look it and being extream hot lay pieces of it on their forehead and cheeks which refreshes as well as eating it be the heat never so violent But 't is exceeding dangerous for strangers for the Indians are so jealous of this fruit that they will suffer no others to eat it but beat their brains out as they did at Curaufour where they killed a number of Spaniards for eating them which they after eat themselves To conclude the fruit how long soever it continues in the sun looses not its freshnesse Of the three Regions America may be divided into there are the two outmost the high and the low and the interiour The lower is along the Sea coast hot and moist having few or no rains in many places unpeopled by reason of the deep sands marshes and standing waters which make the Countrey unwholsome But the plains from Peru to Chila are more temperate by reason of the fresh and fruitfull vales whereof there are store The second is the land of Hamen cold and dry well peopled plentifull in herbage and rich in mines The interiour is the best and 't was the Spaniards kind fortune or rather Providence that landed them there at first for had it been any where else they had never or with more difficulty attained their design for the scarcity of commodities to live upon after their diet very different from that of the Natives But at the very first they fell upon the best parts as the Isles of Hispaniola and Cuba and on the continent on the one side new Spain on the other Peru and many other all good Countries full and temperate which yeilded them such plenty of commodities for livelihood and rich mettals For this middle division abounds corn fruit cattle pastures and forrests the air wholsome and the Countrey pleasant and commodious They have cattle in great abundance as sheep goats beeves horses and others They preserve a stock of wild beeves for their hides wherewith they lade ships for Europe and make a good traffick of them to supply our vanity for coaches boots and other uses of leather The soyle in some parts is proper enough for vines but the Spaniards will admit no plantation of them for taking away the profit of the wine brought from Spain for which they carry back good gold and silver But notwithstanding their prohibitions in New Spain they have planted them for ease of their burthensome tributes for they made no conscience to impose fifty or sixty crowns upon a tun of Spanish wine which they get at a better rate upon the place where they prosper excellently well Mexico or New Spain where one still ascends unperceivably is a good and fruitful Countrey rather better than Peru towards Cusco and Gouamanga and Aroquipa which is likewise very fertile but this is without comparison and would be yet better if the Mountaines were nearer to mitigate the excessive heat Notwithstanding the Spanish women affect it so much that they will come two thousand leagues by sea leaving their Native Countrey to settle here and this in no small number For in the Fleet that went one thousand five hundred ninety two they reckon that in thirty vessels that were cast away there perished above 800. women and many small infants Some were going with their husbands others with their friends and others of their own inclination and not a year but they transport a great number And 't is no wonder they expose themselves to this danger living exceeding miserably in Spain where there are abundance of single women that work or worse for their living America the new world is divided into two principall parts North and South both as 'twere Peninsula's fastened to by the streight or neck of land of Nombre di dios and Panama and betwixt them is comprized the great Archipelagus of all those Islands Antillias Luccaes Barlouente Sotauente and others whereof we spoke already towards the great Mexican gulph The North part might be taken to begin very near the North pole and according to some at Groenland which they will have to be upon the Continent of America from thence we
Anauas by the Inhabitants it holds dominion from Panuco to Dariene which divides it from Peru. The principal Provinces are Guatemala Xalisco Chalcos Taica Mechoachan Tlascalan Acapulco Culiacan Tezuco Tescuco Huaca-chalque Huacachala Claortomaca Maxalcinco Gistecapan and others New Spaine is one of the most excellent Provinces of the New World fully inhabited pure ayre abounding in corne and all sorts of graine Cattle Mines of Gold and chiefely of Silver wanting nothing but oyle and wine The principal and capital town is Temistican or Temoxtitlan or Temuistican upon a Lake of thirty Leagues in circute is contained threescore thousand Houses at the time the Spaniards took it under the famous Ferdinand Cortez The lake is of two waters salt and fresh by reason of the rivers that enter it There are many other great Townes but less then Mexico Before they received Christianity they were all great Idolaters and given to strange superstitions many whereof they continue still Their Sacrifices were formidable Fathers not scrupling to make their own children victims The Mexicans are an ingenuous people and of experience in all sorts of workes particularly in Tapestry of feathers where they have things artificially drawne to the life The Soyle abounds in all sorts of fruits and commodities for livelihood as well naturall as adventitious even vines whereof they have very good notwithstanding the prohibition to plant any True in many parts the grapes come not to perfect maturity by reason of the abundant rains in June and July when the grapes begin to ripen so as they soake raine and corrupt wherefore they are forced to eat them halfe green Some have try'd to make wine but it proves sharp and more like wine of quinces then grapes They have planted olive-trees which come to good growth and full of leaves but without fruit All sorts else grow well and plentifully The wine they drink comes all from Spaine and is very deare for it cost five of us three crowns a day for our parts and a good bargaine the plenty of mony making all things deare for a bed 12 realls a night In Peru t is yet dearer though they get very good wine and figs as likewise in the Isles of Barlouento and Cuba There are many Forrests by the Indians called Arcaboucos store of Ebony Guâ—acum or Lignum Sanctum wide and thick Forrests of Cedars Laurells Dates Pines Oaks and hearbs of all sorts proceeding from the nature of the Climate being hot and moist The greater part of the ground lies notwithstanding uncultivated for want of Labourers of which they have none but some Blacks of Maniconga and Guinea lazy people and no good workers The Country is not very populous many more women then men by reason warr and labour consumes them The extent of these Regions is admirable nay infinite in respect of the few Inhabitants and less agriculture for this late discovered Mexico contains above 15 Provinces of above a thousand leagues in circuite where there are as faire Towns and buildings as in Europe Good part speak the Mexico Tongue Farther on there succeed severall unknowne Nations without number Some Religious went thither to Preach the Faith but the Savages devoured them 'T is not yet found out what Territories border with Cape Mendocino California high Florida new Mexico and others towards the North Pole no more then what is beyond the Streight of Magellan higher by 56. or 57. degrees The Inhabitants of old Mexico do intirely apply themselves to the Trades and wayes of the Spaniard being grown good Weavers and make all sorts of silke stuffs in like manner they are docile and judicious and such as are become Christians follow the Doctrine most religiously The Countrey is of such a scituation that you ascend wherever you go from the sea Coast but so easily you perceive it not So coming from the middle of the land to the Sea-ward you descend on which side soever but so as afterwards one admires how they ascended mounted so high or came so low all the Mexican Territory is of this quality and scituation The Mexicans derive themselves originally from other parts the Ancient Inhabitants were barbarous and eat nothing but venison which they called Chichimeques and Otomies then the Navatalks came from the North from Provinces which since are joyned to New Mexica who peopled cultivated and civiliz'd the soyle and Nation But withall they introduced their strange Idolatries and horrible sacrifices of men and infants whereof they perpetrate abundance every yeare Whereby 't is very probable that not only this but all the other Countreys are inhabited with people deriv'd from the North whither the Asians and Europians may have passed by little and little by the Streights either of Sea or Land as we have already demonstrated These Mexicans being well setled chose a King to Govern them who was one Acamipixtsi a Mexican Lord who had married a daughter of the King of Cublivacan an ancient people of the Country since which time they have ever had Kings not by succession but Election continued to the ninth and last King Montezuma taken by Cortez under which Kings they had diverse Warrs and tooke in many neighbors augmenting it to a great state The King was not Elected by the Commons but by 4 Principall of the Court and had the Crowne from the hands of the Tescaio But the King Elect before he receives his Crown is obliged to go fight the Enemy and bring such a number of Prisoners to their Sanguinary sacrifices If he faile in the first expedition they excuse it but if the second time they poyson him and choose another If he returne victorious they conduct him with great ceremony to the Temple where they make the great sacrifice with processions and musick through the Town He was crowned with a Crown like a Miter and every one made oath to serve him to the last drop of bloud then was conducted with great magnificence to the Pallace-Royal the Electors called Laceocal marching first that is Princes of the Lance then the Lacaterret or Thunder-bolts of men who are the gallantest of the Cavaliers then Hazeuocal that is bloud-shedders and the Lilbancalqui Knights of the black lance These four orders were his Majesties privy Council in the Town they had other Councils for administration of Justice When the King went to the Temple an hundred men marched before him with great bows taller than themselves then 100. more with long staves with a hardbroad keen stone in the end with which he will cut off a horse-head I have seen one cut a sheep in two with it those they call a la a tilpeo The Kings Pallace is sumptuous and magnificent a Parke by it stored with wilde beasts of all sorts ponds full of fish with boates of rich worke and cages for Birds The Pallace is composed of separate apartments and severall habitations for the Courtiers every one according to his dignitie and degree The Mexican Kings had high esteem for men
Dominion in North America as Peru in the South Betwixt both lyes Jucatan Hondura Nicaragua Veraga or Nombre de Dios Panama which chain them together Jucatan is a point of land which extends to the 21. degree like a peninsula being in the streightest place from Xicalanco to Chotemal some hundred leagues over the country was first discovered by one Fernandez in one thousand five hundred and seventeen afterwards by Grisalua who came from Cuba to the Isle of Cosumel or Saint Crois thence to Campechia Champatron and Tauasco Hondura was first discovered by Columbus in his last voyage 1502. last by one Casan who setled the Plantation of Tucillo in 1515. Pedrarias d' Avila in 1519. planted the Colonies in Nombre de Dios and Panama towards the South Sea the first discoverer of that sea was Vasco Muntz coming from Dariana in 1513. who with great joy rendred thanks to God and took possession for the King of Spain Betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama 't is 17. or 18. leagues of Marshes Mountains and craggy asperous rocks full of fierce wild beasts of all kinds and a multitude of Apes that make a very troublesome noyse They transport their Merchandise from sea to sea either by land with convoyes or by the river Chagra to about five leagues from Panama and then by land with Convoy They have often thought of cutting this Isthmus in the streightest place but the difficulty of the Rocks and Mountains by the way besides the doubt if the seas are levell as at the Egyptian Isthmus hindred the proceeding A Colony at Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariana displanted for the unsoundnesse of the ayre for but throwing warm water on the ground toads and other venemous creatures would engender Advancing towards the East we came to the Provinces of Vraba S. Martha Cartagena Popayan Dorado new Estramadora new Granada Venecuela Castilia Doro Bagota new Andolousia Paria Cahaqua Cumana c. South lyes Dariana then the great kingdome of Peru then Chila to the Streight Dariana was planted by one Anchisa there are Cowes with feet like Mules and hornlesse Peru according to some extends from Dariana to Chila others clipping it from Popayan North to Chila South It took name from the River Peru in two degrees Northward the Provinces thereof are Quito Quixos Popayan Canela Pacamores Gualsonge then Collao Carchas Anedas Tecuman to Chila Popayan is about two hundred leagues in length and forty in breadth lying upon new Granada towards the East The Provinces are Antioch Tataho Anserma Arma Pacoura Catapa Quinhaya Calix and Pasto Anserma 70. leagues from Antioch is called by the Indians Ombra but the Spaniards seeing the Inhabitants hold salt in their hand and call it Anser thought the town had been so called and continued that name there is a passage over the river Saint Martha at that town Arma is of note for rich Mines Parmoura hath also silver Mines the Province of Arbi extends to the Mountains of Cordilleras which runs a thousand leagues Southward on that side which stretches to the sea they never have raines by reason the South and South-West winds blowing continually drive the clouds away whereby this part is barren without tree fruit or grasse but the other side onely a league distant by reason of the rains abounds in fruits and all commodities In Quinbaya at the end of the Cordilleras over against Andes there is a famous burning mountain In the Province of Pastro there is a large valley called Arris ever cold both winter and summer All these parts are well peopled and the Inhabitants not so bloody nor man-eaters as in other parts living under a government and obedience to their Prince and believe in the resurrection after death and that they shall live in fields of peace with all sorts of delights Peru extends from Pasto to Chila ends Southward at the River Manto North at Augar Mayo here are vast sandy Plains as far as the Indies where the heat is extreme while snow lyes on the Mountains and the like diversity of the seasons I remember when I went to Sicily walking on the coast of Calabria in the beginning of March winter was so sharp there was not the least sprout of a Vine to be seen whereas in Sicily I found them a span high young beanes good Artichocks and they mowed green corn to give the blades to horses In this part between the sea and the Codilleras called Sanaria for want of wood they get a certain earth out of the water which they dry and make turfes like those in the low countreys the Mountains are the most desert and arduous in the world of long extent running from Panama to the streight they throw down divers Rivers and compose very fertile Valleys At the point of Sagotta at the entrance into those vast plains betwixt the Mountains and the Sea lyes a wide countrey covered with nothing but sand like the deserts of Arabia but not so white some shrubs there are or rather stalks strong as the Caper sprigges in the deserts of Palestine the same we call salt grasse which refreshes the passengers exceedingly and continues till May. The seasons differ but little in Quito Cagnales Santiago de porto Vieio Cusco Cagnata Collao Charcas The Province of Quito is called by the Spaniards Poblada de San Francesco and the capitall town S. Francis of Quito The length of Peru from Quito to Chila is some six hundred leagues the breadth about fifty The countrey is divided into three parts the Plaines upon the sea side about ten leagues over the Mountains and Valleys twenty leagues the Forests and Lawns twenty leagues within which little space of fifty leagues there is such difference that it rains as 't were alwayes in one part in another not at all and in the middle upon the mountaines seldome The Cordileras which run from Pole to Pole by the names of Andes and Sierra are very different though in the same elevation one side covered with woods where it rains and is ever hot the other side bare and cold winter and summer These mountains go for a thousand leagues in view of one another dividing at Cusco where they inclose the Province of Collao a Champaign countrey full of Lakes and Rivers Next Collao lyes Charcas a mountanous countrey rich in Mines Quito is under the Equinoctial abounding in all sorts of fruit whereof they make two harvests in the year The spring lasts from Aprill to November and from October to March their rains which they esteem their winter Here they have of those famous sheep called Pacos which serve as properly for carriage as horses of the height of an ordinary asse long legges deep belly long and risen neck and the head like ours in Europe They draw and do any work the flesh is wholesome and savory fresh or salt these beasts are tame and apt to be brought to labour Out of the Province of Cognata towards the
till the Spaniards time This is the richer and yields most At the first they drew forth every week above two thousand Weighs or Castillans whereof the gain came to forty thousand They fish for pearle in the South sea neare Paâ—ama and in the North sea in divers places as in the Isle Margareta towards the coast of Paria where the Oysters feed upon Cubuca and surname it so There are very large and precious of them I have seen one no bigger then a nut sold for three thousand duckets there are of higher price The Master of the South fishing assured me he saw one as bigge as an indifferent egge There were three brought to Lisbone that paid a duty of sixteen thousand duckets to the King as is to be seen in the Register of Contracts There is a sort they call stars another demi-stars others Cadenetas Pedreria c. Allofat or minute-pearls and seed-pearls and those of greater price Quilates or Carats For this fishing they choose the best winded men and such as can contain longest under water At Barlouento Cula and Hispaniola I have seen them stay three quarters of an hour under water and I was told they have had some have continued the whole houre The General of Margaita keeps many of these men who are slaves to him called Bouze and are ready enough to pilfer the best and sell them though 't is forbidden upon life to buy them The Master must use all fair means to get them out of their hands with something else otherwise they will sooner return them to the sea then let him have them if he give them not wine and good cheer The Incas make no use of pearls unwilling out of benignity to expose their subjects to so much danger but the Spaniards are nothing so scrupulous they make their poor slaves dive ten or twelve fathom deep to tear oysters from the rock and to fortify their lungs for retention of breath they keep them fasting and hold them to a diet One was brought to the King bigge as a Pidgeons egge valued at 14000. duckets by some at a hundred thousand and 't was called a Peregrina The Negro that extracted it from the oyster had his liberty for it and the Master was made Arguazilmaior of Parama For Emeraulds there is a Mine in Mexico at new Granado in Peru near Manta and Porto Vieio I bought an excellent one of an Abissin Merchant which surpassed in hardnesse and lustre any of Mexico and Peru Being in company with a friend he desired it of me and I gave it him but two dayes after I perceived it broken upon his finger whereat he much admired and I told him the reason which was he had had familiarity with a woman but he was ashamed to acknowledge it there being none but Idolaters which is a great basenesse Another time being in an Indian Town Inhabited by the Spaniards I had an Emerauld which a Lady daughter to the Lalcayde or Governour of the place desired to buy but on the morrow she sent for me complaining I had sold her a broken stone which I disavowed at last I asked her if her husband were in town and answering no I whispered to her smiling she had then been kinde to some friend whereat she stood amazed and in the end acknowledged the truth taking me to be skilled in divination The like happened another time to another friend of mine who acknowledged the like truth for such is the vertue of this stone if it be good and fine and of the old Mine There are very fair ones and of great price did not the plenty of them make them lesse esteemed I once saw one weighed four ounces sold for 6000. realls The Emerald incorporated within a rock is like the mettle contained and while 't is imperfect the rock will be vein'd with green and white and opening the rock the Emerauld lyes there imperfect of the colour of the rock green and white so as to have it come to maturity they leave it there till nature bring it to perfection and go digge another place for riper The Mexicans had a custome to peirce the nose and chin of their Idols to put Emeraulds in them one of their kings himselfe had his nose so bor'd and adorn'd with an Emerauld and from thence was surnam'd Nose-borâ—d CHAP. XIV Of Peru Of the Kings or Incas and of the Country of Chila PEru was first discovered by Vasco Munes de Balbon in the year 1515. and the first Haven knowne was Porto Vieio under the Equinoctial The Dominions of Peru under the Incas reached from Quito to Charcas 700. leagues then to Chila 500. leagues By tradition 't is about 500. yeares since the Natives of Peru living barbarously without civility law or policy some amongst them esteemed descended from heaven and a generation of the Sun civilized the rest and modelized the government The first King was called Maâ—ca Capac all his Progeny and successors Incas Kings as Manco Capac sole King This first instituted adoration of the Sun amongst them with their Temples and Sacrifices Their Priests or Sages are called Amantas who believe the immortality of the soule after death rest for the good and torment for the wicked with resurrection of bodies These Kings or Incas enacted good lawes and by degrees extended the Empire to the state the Spaniards found it in And like as the Roman Empire was as the hand of providence to reunite and sweeten the rude and savage on this side so in a manner the Monarchy of the Incas in Peru did the same amongst these grosse and wilde Idolaters living like bruites to modelize and regulate them and at last lead them to the knowledge of the true God as now it hath Notwithstanding 't is to be admired that in such darknesse and ignorance of all moral and and natural sciences their Amantas or Sages should have a sort of knowledge of the courses of the Sun and Moon and other stars for they knew in some kinde the annual motion of he Sun and the vulgar counted their yeares by the harvests They likewise understood the Solstices observing them of eight days in the East at Cusco and another number in the West they reckoned the moneths by Moons allowing twelve in the year adding though grossely the eleven dayes over-plus at the points of Solstice observed the Equinoctials whence in September they made the principal feast of the Sun The Equinoctial they found by the shadow of a pillar and the Eclipses in like manner during which time they think the Sun angry with them and the moon sick The king took the Rainbow for his Arms and device They kept all accounts by knots upon strings of various colours and they had some harmony of Musick in songs and Instruments of Canes fastened together four and four in the nature of Organs whereon they could expresse their passions of love content or sorrow They had also some
Saint Vincent Upon the North-side the streight of Magellan are abundance of winglesse birds that live in holes in the ground fat and good meat they called Pinguins Sir Francis Drake found many good Harbours in the Streight where good fresh waters came but they are not easy to enter for the strong and turbulent windes that raigne there The Land on both sides lies exceeding high and banked with inaccessible Mountains particularly on the South and East where they are ever covered with snow The breadth in some places is of two three or foure leagues in the narrowest of one or of two musket shots 'T is excessive cold and never without snow and ice the trees notwithstanding ever green and laden with fruit From this Streight by Cape Foendo and the White Cape they ascend again into the silver river where begins Brasile in 35 degrees beyond the line reaching to the River of Amazons under the Line This silver river or Paravai Parana and Paraguay disgorging altogether like Cordillera de serra Muada in Peru and Charcas over-flow the whole Countrey so as the Inhabitants for that time live in Canoes fastned to Trees till the floud be retired within the banks At the mouth t is about 35. leagues over but further within the Land fifty being streightened towards the Mouth by reason of the Mountains and compassing a number of Islands this River rises near the Town of Plata towards Potossi whence it takes name Others derive it from the great lake called Eupania where the other Rivers take birth as Maragnon but it should rather be Parana which afterwards falls into the silver River The first that came within the mouth of this River was Americus Vesputius sent by the King of Portugall to discover Brasile in the yeare fifteen hundered and one and supposing it a passage from the South sea to the Moluccas satisfied himselfe and returned without looking farther After that in the yeare fifteen hundered and twelve the King of Spain sent one John Solis who named it Solis In fifteen hundered twenty five Sebastian Ganor made a farther advance up the River and by reason of the silver he found amongst the people or rather because the head of it lies near the Town Plata towards Potossi called it the silver River or Plata The Inhabitants along the River are of large stature long-lived light and nimble of foot use bows and slings in warr and speak the Patagonick Language or the Chicaan of later times the Spaniards have ascended this River as farr as Charcas and Colao The other river I mentioned is above fifty leagues in the mouth and rises amongst the Mountains of Cuntisuya near Cusco the Indians call it Apurimac principall and Capacmaya the Prince of Rivers It runs from South to North above five hundred leagues from his source at the equinoctiall Then it turns to the East for 650. leagues in a right line and goes with windings and turns for above a thousand five hundred leagues two miles to the league This is the greatest River upon the earth which at his infusion keeps the Sea fresh for many leagues first discovered by the Pinsons of Siville in the year 1500. then Orellana sailed it from the source almost to the end in 1543. 't is filled with severall Islands and the Tide mounts above a hundred leagues They find Meragnon to be seventy leagues Southward distant from Orellana that rises from the great Peruian lakes which descend from the Mountains covered with snow others put them both in one it may be falling so close together into the Sea they may joyn waters and Orellana bear the name of both CHAP. XVI Of Brasile the Conquest of it and of the Brasilians c. BRasile is a large Province of America appertaining to the Crown of Portugall extending from 25. degrees to the second from North to South some ten degrees in breadth from East to West from fort Para in the mouth of the great River of Amazons to Plata Maragnon bounds it Northward in two degrees Plata South in thirty five on the East the excelse and inaccessible Mountains of Peru and on the East the Ethiopian or Atalantick Sea as likewise on the North. For the Country the benignity and sweetnesse of the air and water and the fertility of soyle is a miracle in such a Climate and temperature which renders the Inhabitants of so healthfull and long life and though the Climate be under the Torrid there come freshgales from the Sea that moderate it so as it becomes a delicate habitation having every morning some mists and dews which the Sun afterwards dissolves into air Here you meet with nothing but fair open fields pleasant hills fertile mountains fresh valleys green meadows abundance of woods rivers and fountains of excellent waters with infinite plenty of all sorts of trees plants fruits grain cattle sugar balm In a word 't is for necessaries and delights the fullest Country on the earth Of strange Creatures there is the Cerigon in shape and bigness like a Fox betwixt yellow and gray whose belly is like a purse or pocket wherein she saves her young ones when she is hunted another the Portuguese call Pereza for his slow gate in fifteen dayes not going a stones cast nor can any force drive him faster he feeds on nothing but leaves of trees and 't is some dayes work for him to climb up and come down There are Camelions whereof I have spoken in another place Betwixt Brasile and the Cape of bona Esperanza there is a Gulph of 1200. leagues formidable and furious for winds and tempests The Countrey is divided into nine Governments or Captainships wherein are 7. Colonies of Portugueses along the coast that is Tamaraco Pernanbuco Todos santos or San Saluador Puerto seguro espiritu santo Paraibi Genero and others the Capes of S. Augustine and St. Vincent the River St. Francis c. The first discoverers were Vespusius the Pinions Lopez and Cabral about 1500. Pedro Aluarez Cabral made the principall discovery in 1500. being sent by King Emanuel for the East Indies but a tempest cast him here and he named it the countrey of St. Chrosse and the place he landed on Porto Seguro Cabral for that time contented himself with taking possession and the Kings of Portugall being full of concernments in Africa and the East neglected new conquests till Emanuell not long before his death sent thither one Gonzalo Cotello who sailed on along the coast not without trouble and danger and returned without any advantage Afterwards King John the â— sent Christopher Jago who discovered about 1100. leagues upon the coast amongst others the Bay of Todos Santos where in the River Paraguasu he found two French vessels traficking with the Natives which shewes the French men traded with this Nation before the Portugueses had any knowledge of it This Jago barbarously sunk their vessels and murthered all the men done like the Spaniard who though he cannot
tastes like turned milk but in some places for a dainty the maids chew the root then boyle it and make a most exquisit drink In some parts there is a sort of root called Elcout of the taste of a nut which I hold the best amongst them 't is of great vertues but the excesse dries infused with another called Monqueil it purges without violence they have an herb that growes low with leaves a hand-broad that cures all sorts of soares and wounds of which I had once a triall For falling from a rock I got seven or eight very troublesome hurts and an Indian with this leafe cured me in three dayes I have seen the same in Egypt in Italy also and believe 't is in France Another root they have called a Jehearit that purges like Rhubarbe but more gently I believe 't is the same that comes from new Spain called Mechouacan Another that purges being laid Emplaister-wise on the stomack women lay it on the heads of their daughters to emit their Mestruits making them stand with their feet together upon a stone and a sleight incision to draw that blood without pain Brasilians and chiefly the Toupinaâ—ba are kinde to strangers specially the French and freely part with their victuals to them A woman when she would be kinde or entertain one she seats her self on the ground and weeps as she had been beaten then on a suddain addresses her self with a thousand blandishments inviting him freely to the pleasure of her daughters I have knowne some so base amongst us that buckled with these idolatrous girles a thing most detestable They are absolutely without letters or characters and in pronunciation use not F. L. R. So as we may thence derive they are without Faith without Law and without Royalty They are addicted to Divinations and superstitions and their Priests are sorcerers by an ancient tradition they have some obscure knowledge of the deluge some believe reward and punishment of good and evill after death others not but all believe the immortality of the soule and that they shall remain the same they were in this life and at the houre of their death they interre their dead and for several dayes lay meat in the Sepulcher with a cotton bed they have no King nor superiour to command them every linage living apart in a several valley and change their habitation according to fancy many families living under the same roof great hunters fishers and swimmers exceeding vindicative of a turbulent spirit and inclined to Warre the same in prosperity and adversity endure hunger with patience when they have nothing to eat and when they have they gourmandize and drink drunk after their fashion The good or evill that befalls them some attribute to destiny others to fortune or chance They are divided into several nations and for the most part enemies as the Sourons and the Carmils and the Tapus whom they call Savages who are enemies to all as more wilde and bloody then the rest The Cariges are more soft and humane who inhabit beyond the Winter Tropick two leagues from the Sea they inhabit on high ground and sow the Mandior then there are the Oeuetacas Margaiars Toupinanbas and others these last are those our French have had commerce withall of whom we have ample printed relations and there might have had good plantations had we made use of our time and moderated our passions CHAP. XVII The Isle of S. Thomas according to a description made to the Authour by Sieur de la Courb and Cassis THis Island is under the Equinoctiall between the Isles of Prince and Anchan discovered by the Portuguese in their first navigation to the East The Isle of Saint Thomas hath fifty leagues of sound land was discovered on Saint Thomas day that gave name of it It beares little more then Sugar-Canes planted by the Portuguese but the trees are ever green The Portuguese built here the town Pauoazan The Haven whereof looks towards Ethiopia At first all Nations inhabited there but at present the Portuguese will have none but themselves and the French who are exceedingly beloved for a French Jesuite who propagated Religion exceedingly in this Isle The natives are some white some black and marry still in their own colour The town is pleasant and the whole land is full of Sugar-Canes which fill the Island with flyes as Arabia is infested with the same creatures by reason of the Cassia there Sugar is so cheap that for eight Realls you may have a hundred weight but it has this fault 't will not easily dry in exchange they carry thither Wines Cheese Leather Clothes because neither Vine nor Corne will prosper there Upon a Vine there the grape will be green on one side and ripe on the other and blossoms at the same time Their Gardens produce all sorts of herbes and fruit but stone-fruit but above all Figges and Melons The root Igname growes there in abundance very wholesome boyled or raw Likewise Millet which they call Zaboucou whereof they make excellent things with Sugar the soyle is strong inclining to a yellow and in some parts reddish where the dew of the night tempers it like waxe so as it never comes to dust They bend their Sugar-Canes to the East and say they prosper best then they may have there some seventy Sugar-mills These Engines or Mills resemble the Samaritane at Pont-neuf in Paris easily rising and falling That which displeases is they pour it into great caldrons and it is like honey then they make it in loaves hardly dry you never seeing any so solid from thence as from Madero nor is it worth so much though they use all possible art to refine it They purify it with cindars At the plantations far from water the Blacks fetch water to set the mills at work The sugar being drawn they give the canes to the swine which fattens them and makes the flesh of excellent taste and wholsome from mid-May to mid-August they have Eastern winds wherewith they dry their Sugars without which they could never do it for all other windes are adversaries to them because of the raines they stirr up in the other months The Island is unhealthfull by reason of the corrupted ayr their houses are good built and covered with timber out of the abundance of huge high trees All nations heretofore went thither by reason of franck traffick but now they must pay tribute all but the French who enjoy the same immunities as the Portuguese They have many slaves from Guinea brought by the Corsairs to be sold Captain Ribaut Diepois took a vessell with diverse whole families men women and children whom he set free on land but caused two Blacks to hang the Master and five Marriners 'T is a cruell inhumanity to carry the Father away by violence into perpetuall slavery while his poor family is exposed to misery and starving They marry the slaves amongst themselves for breed like a race of horses who continue slaves by inheritance
whereas in the East at ten yeares end they are made free-men they have but one day in the weeke free to themselves which they employ industriously in making themselves fine to be acceptable to their Mistresses The Portuguese of St. Thomas following the humour of their Nation have a vanity to have their slaves grow rich and walke with gravity like them and will give them a hundred or two hundred Crownes to buy Turks for their gain and ease They bring the greater part to be baptized and marry together providing them of a livelyhood They celebrate certain feasts like the Basks with drums beaten by hand and songs to them and have their meetings under the shade of trees The slaves yearly choose one amongst them for their Prince to command and govern at their meetings who seats himself in the middle and then they give him one of these drums and with both hands above his head he makes a most harmonious musick together with flutes and other instruments looking on their Mistresses with a thousand munkey tricks while they dance and trip Moresco Sarabrands to them again They go together to fetch their Prince at his Masters who first makes them a collation then bringing forth the Prince decked with flowers a scepter in one hand and a nosegay in the other they carry him on their shoulders in a Palanquin to the place of dancing where their Mistresses meet them The Prince first dances with his Mistresse then the others follow The Prince de la ' amour called the Arcadit salutes his Lady and then with gravity presents her the Posie which she receives and dances with amorous smiles and simpers Afterwards they all attend the Prince to his Masters house where the nuptials are consummated provided they become Christians At that time Sieur de la Courb was there there was a Portuguese Lady widow of a Merchant called Bornauente rich fair and young to whom the chiefest of the Island sued for marriage and she would give ear to none because she would not put her self under subjection She kept divers slaves and there arriving a vessel laden with slaves she bought some and one amongst the rest of so handsome garb and addresse she judged him to be of good extraction whereupon asked whence he was he told her he was of Danieta the Son of a wealthy Nobleman who had intelligence of his captivity and would shortly free him that he was taken fishing in a small boat and enquiring further of his religion she perceived he was an Idolater But the Lady taken with his gracefull behaviour used him with all possible kindnesse and one day her lust bearing her away she resolved to call him to her Chamber and receive a satisfaction from him for which purpose having sent for him in expectation she lay down upon her bed fell fast asleep and in a dream thought something came that rudely pulled the sheet from under her waking affrighted she called her maid and related the vision to her the maid wished her to lay by such troubles and commend her selfe cordially to Almighty God On the morrow she rose early and went to her Confessor to whom she related the whole and he gave her for penance to sell this slave and never to see him more promising he would be her chapman and buy him to be his boatman when he went to take the aire The Lady made her advantage of his proffer and doubting the slave to be some Demon or Magician sent him to the Priest who bought him to his sad misfortune for rowing along by the shore to take the air there came a sudden gust from the land that overturned the boat Now the Priest swimming well made to shore but the slave with a pole dashed his brains out and himself was never heard of after In this Island the Rats do great mischief eating their Sugar loaves whatsoever they can do to prevent it Here upon a Mountain there are certain trees that distill water continually as in the Isle of Iron in the Canaries these trees are ever hooded with a thick cloud which moystens them in such sort that they yield sufficient to water all their fields of Sugar-canes whereas that in the Isle of Iron distills but at certain hours FINIS A Table of the principal and most remarkable things contained in this Book A. ALexandria Page 2. Aleppo Page 30.5 Aman a town ibid. Aman a river ibid. Antioche Page 4 The Authour preserved Page 3 Amon a mountain Page 5 Arnon a torrent Page 8 A sad accident in the deserts Page 10 Apparitions in the deserts ibid. Arabian robbers ibid. The three Arabia's Page 11 Aden Page 13 Arabia the happy Page 18 Alibenali Page 18 Albacoure a mountain Page 23 Aden how fortified Page 24 Asses of Dalascia Page 26 Amarous dames Page 56.30 Reca Page 28 Abrazador ibid. Amurath slain by a Tribullian souldier disguised like a Deruis Page 39 Amicabir Page 40 Amiracor ibid. Ageleps Page 41 Areca a fruit common in the Indies Page 45 An accident Page 47 Anthropophage Page 65 a vast Army Page 72 a prodigious age Page 86 Andreman an Island Page 90 a sad accident ibid. Amber Gris. Page 99 admirable obedience Page 121 Adultry punished Page 141 Accidents to the Authour Page 143 Armies in the East vast Page 148 Apes Page 149.159 Adventures of Amador a Limner Page 176 Asia Page 182 Africa described Page 177 Africans that adore the Sun Page 180 Africa prodigious in greatnesse Page 181 Africa as 't is divided ibid. Aquiloa a Kingdom Town and Island Page 191 Abyssins imprint a crosse upon their flesh Page 196 Agisimba a country The history and strange adventure of Prince Alfondi Page 204 A history of the amours of Princesse Abderane Page 206 The Authours voyage into Ethiope Page 211 The country of the Abyssins known anciently by the name of Ethiope under Egypt Page 212 The Abyssins reverence to sacred places Page 216 Saint Abiblicanus venerable in Bagamidri Page 218 Amazons Page 219 Arietes Apostles Page 226 Amara a mountain Page 238 Archers excellent Page 257 an unfortunate accident to the Authour ibid. Attire of the Ladies in Caire Page 276 Ammon an Oracle Page 279 Alexandria Page 281 The Authours arrival at Marseils Page 284 The Authour taken by the Spaniards Page 287 The Authours hard usage by the Turks Page 288 Alcahir a town in Morocca Page 297 Asgar a country ibid. Bashaw Abrahor Master of the horse to the Sultan Page 311 The Authours sufferings at Sea Page 313 The Authours affront at Gandia Page 314 The Authour cheated Page 316 The Authours voyage for Guinea Page 320 America described the length and distances Page 327 The Americans upon Saint Laurenzo their habit and diet ibid. Antilles Isles of Canibals Page 339 America how divided Page 344 South-America Page 346 A corruptive ayre Page 370 Arma of â—ote for rich Mines Page 371 Amazons Page 379 A peculiar motion of the Sea in the strait Magellan Page 393 B. BUrning sands
Trade of Tauris ibid. Principall towns of Persia Page 35 Thais Alexanders Curtisan Page 36 A miraculous tyde Page 45 Toumacant a Western wind Page 63 Treason punished Page 73 Saint Thomas his shrine Page 76 Ternassery Page 80 Tydes from North to South meet in the strait of Magellan Page 109 Tahaba Page 111 Trienniall governments Page 120 The martyrdom of S. Thomas Page 126 A tempest calm'd by charms Page 124 Testimonies of love Page 142 Tygars hunted Page 159 The King of Transiana his curiosity and affability Page 161 Transiana a town and the valour of the women there Page 163 Tazatay a kingdom Page 169 Tartary Page 163 The Tartars conquests Page 180 The King of Tombut 's majesty Page 179 Trees that yield drink and thread Page 184 The Isle of thieves Page 186 The Talmassaca a garment of difference for nobility in Monopotapa Page 202 Land Tortoyses Page 211 Tributes to the Emperour of the Abyssins Page 213 A magnificent triumph Page 228 Titles of Preste John Page 246 Tortoises useful for travel Page 256 Tamatans pillagers Page 251 Triumphs at the inundation of Nile Thebaida and the deserts Page 279 Turkish proceedings against the Authour Page 290 Temesne and the people thereof Page 300 The Turks Religion Page 307 Turks have religious of several orders Page 307 Turkish Obsequies Page 308 Turkish Justice Page 309 Taboucaton the chief town in the kingdom of the Jalofes Page 321 A miraculous tree that continually distills water Page 332 A terrible tempest called an Aroucane and remarkable passages in it Page 335 Temistican the capital town in New-Spain Page 356 A tree yielding linnen and all necessaries Page 368 Balsom from a tree of soveraign vertue Page 369 Fruit used for money ibid. Temper of Peru. Page 374 V. UNicorns horns Page 15 The Virgin Peru. Page 199 Virginia by whom discover'd Page 352 Description of Virginia ibid. Vnknown lands Page 357 A remarkable vision foreshewing the arrivall of the Spaniards in Peru. Page 389 Vanity of the Portugals Page 405 W. WIne sold by Apothecaries Page 9 A draw-well at Outor Page 18 Spanish Wax Page 26 Women chosen Page 38 Women bought and sold Page 47 Wives in common Page 62 A war for a white Elephant Page 103 113 White Elephants adored Page 114 Winds called Monsouns cold in extremity Page 150 Widows married Page 155 Wood to strike fire Page 158 Women swimmers ibid. A furious wind called Tafon Page 182 Winds that preserve bodies incorruptible Page 187 Wine in Oxe horns Page 230 Walking mountains Page 280 A Whale Page 283 A remarkable accident of Whales Page 299 Singular windes Page 342 A wind of the use of rain Page 373 Water boyling hot by nature Page 377 Winglesse Birds Page 394 Z. ZAcharies tombe Page 6 Zibit Page 13 Zagathy Page 34 King of Zeilan Zinguebar Page 192 Zunam an Island Page 293 Zaflan a Lake ibid. Zaire and Zambre two rivers ib. Zuama a river by the Portugals called Rio del spiritu santo Page 218 Zio Marina Christos a Monastary Page 239 The torrid zone and the quality of the climat Page 342 FINIS Alexandria Caire His return and shipwrack in Candia Turluru Isle Canee A maâ—icious shipwrack Just punishment of the persidious The Author preserved Antioche Libanus Manna Chrysorrhoas Aman. Aleppo Damas. A Fâ—ench Cutler Amon and Sahanir Mounains Grots of persecuted Christians Aman and Pharphar Rivers Silkes Zacharies Tomb St. Pauls Imprisonment A fatall Execution A Dervis Armin. Dan Caesarea Benin Macharib foâ— Misor The Torrent Arnor Morets entertainment Wine sold by Apothecaries Provisions for the deserts Caravane Burning sands Want of water Dead sea of Sodome Jurabi a Guide uses the Compass Sad accidents in the deserts Apparitions in the deserts Arabian Robbers Montsina called Lurle or Tur. Oreb called Saint Cather-mount The three Arabia's the desert the stony and the happy Mâ—ka Medina Metar Alcoran Zidem a Haven Jâ—soreh Jewes â—hieves A cheat Medinat al. Nabi Jesrab Cassis deceived his brother Zibit Aden Ormus Description of Medina Mahomets tombe Caravan of Aleppo Dumas and Grand-Cair Books of the lives and Sects of Mahomets successours Surazins Saraca or Elfarabk Mahomets birth Mahomets law Alcoran Medina taken by Mahomet Iubara Abrahams Mountains Marabouts sacrificators Mahometan ceremonies Cassis his treachery Ferragous Outor A draw well at Outor Arabia the happy Zibit Alibenali Black sand Frankinsence Storax Benjamin Sabea Aloes Ladanum Cinamon Cassia Mazari Chicali Pecher a Haven Myrrhe Cosan or Cosara River His state Salsidas devotes Romadan S. John Baptist Dalata Debir Trade in Arabia Cameran Isle Red sea King Erithreus Sabeans Homerites Aden Abacoure or Bacoure The trade of Aden Spices and the trade from time to time Aden how fortified Cameran Dalascia Mezua Ibrani Camera Suachan Camelots Lacca Spanish wax Ginger Santall Dalascia Asses Caymans or Crocodile A strange dispute and a tempest ensuing Duma the Peguans false god Lucifer Strange tempest Amorous dames Socotora Ormus Ceyfadin Albuquerque King of Ormus Gedri Baharen Areca Abrazador Alep Trade from Oâ—mus King of Ormus Ormus regained by the Persian Persia and her bounds Cymits of Persia The Provinces of Persia Rivers Towns of Persia Benmir Babylon Bagded Pitch or Bitume Balsora Bagded Tauris or Tabris formerly Terva or Gerva Zagathy Xabas or Abas and Mirza Trade of Tauris Principall Towns of Persia Derbent Sumachia Bacchat Gezempee Machif Marseilian Curtizan Bezap or Bezouart casbin and Siras Thais Alexanders Cuâ—tizan Samarcant Sorismell Sinderate The Powerful state of the Kings of Persia Delicacies Seleris Women chosen Hunting Forrests Sophy signifies wise Hali. Hamar Cufa Ismael Sophy Sorts of religious orders amongst the Turks Sacar Icorma Calender Deruis cut-throats Nicotiane Some say that Amurath was killed by a Tribullian soldier guised inhabit of a Deruis Durmisar Erade Pluviander Barcas Salsidas Amicabir Nabassan Ostader Amirachor Caidsidibir Cassanderâ— Ageleps Archilep in Pegu. Inhabitants of Genua Places in the Indies The Portugais conquests in the East Christianisâ—e in the Indies Batinisir and her Carpets Diu assaulted by the Tuâ—k Areca a fruit common in the Indies Cambaye Town A miraculous tide The King at this time is tributary to the Grand Mogull Prodigious food Women bought and sold Ivory Children sold by Parents An accident Deli-Decan Sano sararadin Malabar Mandova Goa Guari Rivers Bâ—nactaru Isle of Goa Idolatry Dinary The Virgin Mary Honoured by the Indians Purcelains Mordesin diseases Scorbus Churches at Goa A sad fate of Pirats Provence a Province in France Aubaynea town in France A miraculous discovery of innocence Barcelor Baticola Presumption of the Portugais The strength of Cananor Naires are Gentlemen A most admirable medicine Ebony Areca Calicut Samorin Jonque Gondola Cochin Pepper of all sorts Miticale weight of a crown and a half Cochins scituation severall Christians at Cochin Women are common Toumacaui a western wind in force towards Potereau and Peru. Jenibaronâ— Portuguais go from Cohin into Portugall Aâ— strange History of a Portuguais Captain and certain