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A70052 A new discovery of Terra incognita Australis, or, The southern world, by James Sadeur, a French-man, who being cast there by a shipwrack, lived 35 years in that country and gives a particular description of the manners, customs, religion, laws, studies and wars of those southern people, and of some animals peculiar to that place ... translated from the French copy ...; Terre australe connue. English Foigny, Gabriel de, ca. 1630-1692. 1693 (1693) Wing F1395; ESTC R20648 83,070 196

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other Shipwrack had given me Experience and Faith I had sought for a light Plauck during the dangers of the Tempest and I will say it to my shame that being far enough removed from the approaches of death I always appeared very indifferent as to my Life but in this evident danger I could think of nothing else but how to save my self I floated for many hours by the means of my Plank with such a tossing and turning over and over that I can't now think of it without horror The Waves did so often plunge me under and overturn me that tho I held out as long as I could yet at last I lost both knowledge and thinking and truly I knew not what became of me nor by what means I was preserved from death I only remember that coming to my self I opened my eyes and found a calm Sea I perceived an Isle very near and I felt my hands so clencht to the Plank that I could hardly loose them and my singers were so crooked that I could not by any means bring them to themselves the sight of this Island encouraged me very much and infine being come on shore I drag'd my self under a Tree without thinking of any thing but languishing and expecting death in a little time I found under this Tree two fruits about the bigness and like in Colour to our Pomegranets with this difference that their tast appeared to me much more delicate substantial and nourishing having eaten the first my spirits recovered and my heat grew light and having eaten the second I sound my self sufficiently satisfied but I was so bruised that I was in great pain to bear my self up so I lay down and fell into so deep a sleep that I was at least 24 hours before I awakt after this sleep I found that I was not in the least a weary I saw that my Cloaths were dry and the Sun shone and inspired me with a courage and hope I found two other fruits which I did eat and having applyed my self to find out the Elevation of the Sun I judged that I was 33 deg Lat. South but I knew not the Longitude having rested my self again I resolved to advance into the Isle to discover if there were any Inhabitants I plainly saw the appearance of some ways but they led into very thick Bushes where I could not pass without stooping which gave me very strange thoughts having found a tree much higher than the rest I thought that if I climbed to the top of it I might discover some place or other but as I got up I heard a great noise and I saw two prodigious flying Beasts which came to the top of the tree obliged me to get down a little faster than I got up Be not surprized at the name of Beast which I here gave to the Birds for they were so very large that I was frighted at them and speak then as I thought I got down with all the speed imaginable but I was no sooner down but heard so frightful a Cry that I expected every moment to be devoured In fine coming to my self I reflected upon the misery I saw my self reduc'd to I concluded that it were better to dye forthwith than to seek to languish any longer after all I said there 's a necessity that I dye by some means or other and I cannot shun one danger but run into a greater I then made a resolute preparation for death and remembring that my Father and Mother expir'd upon the Sea shore I made thither where I had left my Plank I had scarce left my place but I was followed by a great number of Animals which I could not distinguish from one another nevertheless I had my judgment as ready as could possibly be expected upon such an occasion I thought I saw certain kinds of Horses but with pointed Heads and claw-footed I can't tell whether these were not of those Beasts which came to light upon the tree where I was but they had Wings and Feathers I saw certain kinds of great Dogs and many other sorts of Animals which don 't at all resemble any that we have in Europe they made great Crys so soon as they perceiv'd me and as they approacht nearer and nearer they redoubled the Noise I resolved to defend my life and took my Plank and began to exercise it in turning and returning it which made 'em very attentive till two of the largest Beasts approacht to come in with me I turned to one of them and struck it so roughly that it ran back to the other Animals which set 'em all on howling I was seized with an extreme fear at the redoubling of these terrible cries and in great hast took three fruits of the Tree which I have spoken of and cast my self into the Water with my Plank after having swam such a distance as it was reasonable enough for me to believe I was out of all danger I turned my eyes toward the Isle and I saw upon the shoar all that great number of Animals which I fled from part of them put themselves readily to swim and pursued me with that vigour and hast that they were not long before they came up to me when I saw that I could not escape I turned towards them and presented the end of my Plank to them with success happy enough for as they prest on to take and bite the end they made me advance as fast as themselves this management continued till I arrived at a small kind of a little Isle which floated upon the Water and which carried me away swift enough to remove the means of my Enemies joyning me they followed me nevertheless with a Courage or rather with an encreased Rage till they dispaired of being able to come at me again but at last my Isle happening to stoop on a sudden they had time of coming up to me again I scarce knew what to think and began to make unprofitable reflections in devising the cause of the Immobility of the Isle whose motion had been so favourable to me I saw four of those great flying Animals which I have spoken of which came to the assistance of the others when they were ready to fall upon me I covered my self with my plank to avoid their first attacks which were so rude that with a stroak with their Beak they pierc'd it thro' 't was then that my Isle raising it self suddenly with an extreme impetuosity shakt me and threw me more than 50 Paces from it I believed that it was a kind of Whale which Naturalists mention For one of these monstrous Birds placing her self upon its back thrust her Talons into its flesh it lifted it self up as I thought above one hundred Cubits out of the Water with a noise as terrible as that of Thunder This toss wholly conquer'd my spirits so that I knew not what became of me then but my crooked fingers were the cause that I quitted not my Plank being a little come
have no place in our Northern Countries whither none would be transported but tame ones and where there would be no wild ones at all These are the most considerable Remarks I have made upon the Animals of the Southern Countries Next as for the Fruits it bears they surpass all imagination in beauty and deliciousness The Fruit which they call the Fruit of Rest or Repose is indued with some properties that to us would appear miraculous It s faculty in procuring Rest when we please and the vertue of its Juice in healing in very little time all manner of wounds induce me to believe there 's no Ail or Distemper in Europe for which it would not prove a soveraign Remedy I was informed afterward that it was with that all my wounds were cured I had received at my coming and though I afterward received in several Fights many sore blows more some whereof made great wounds in my body and some broke and shattered my bones yet by vertue of that only Juice I was always cured in three days which if known and used in Europe would cut short that numherless number of Drugs and Remedies that cost so dear among us and which yet after all kill more Patients than they cure While I lived in Portugal I was subject to several Infirmities and the terrible shocks I had suffered by my disasters upon the Sea had very much weakned me and yet when I came into Australia and began to live upon the Fruits of the Earth that are the only Food there I can boldly affirm That I felt not the least Indisposition nor Infirmity and tho' my absence at such a dreadful distance from my own Country and the extraordinary odd and strange Customs of the People I conversed with and which I was obliged to conform to gave me no small cause to be Melancholick and tormented me with many a bitter reflection yet as soon as I tasted but one of the Fruits of Repose all my Resentments were calmed and my Courage and usual briskness came to me again my Blood danced in my Veins and I found my self in such a disposition both of body and mind that there was nothing I could desire to render my Contentment more compleat than it was Of what inestimable price would such Fruits be in Europe where grief and vexation kill the greatest part of mankind and troubles cause languishments far worse and far more formidable than Death But can there be any thing imagined more desirable than to live splendidly and fare very delicately without being at any charge since for that end one need not have any greater Provision than three or four of those Fruits which are incomparably more delicate and of a much richer Relish and Nourishment than our most succulent Meats and most artfully seasoned Dishes nor any other Drink than a sort of natural Nectar that is found running in streams in that Country where every one may eat and drink his fill with the greatest Pleasure in the World without being obliged either to Till the Earth or cultivate any Trees I have admired an hundred times how Nature comes to be so partially liberal to that Country to give away as 't were in sporting and with a careless prodigality those things she is so nigardly of in our Regions But among other things I cannot pass in silence that abundance of fine Crystal that is there to be found and which the Australians know how with such admirable Skill and Symmetry to cut and put together that it is very hard to find where the Stones joyn so exactly they seem to be all of a piece This Crystal is so transparent that 't were impossible to distinguish any Po●es in it if the rich Figures Nature forms in it of divers colours did not convince us it had some But that which in my Opinion surpasses all the most prodigious Rarities in the World is a Hab which is to be seen in the Seizain or district of Haf which is made all out of one entire piece of Crystal which could not be done but by cutting it out of a great Rock of the same matter This wonderful Hab or Temple surpasses all the rest in height and breadth for it is 200 Foot high and 150 Foot wide the Figures with which this Crystal is interspersed are bigger than those observed in the other and it is visible that they are all entire without being patched up with any inlaid pieces They assured me that it had been oftentimes debated among them whether it would not be better to destroy it than to keep it standing because it tempts the curiosity of those that dwell afar off and causes distraction of Thoughts in them that assemble in it However it is yet standing and I can hardly believe that ever they can find in their Hearts ' to vote the demolition of so rich and rare a piece as that The greatest difficulty I find in procuring a Traffick in these Commodities between Europe and Australia consists in finding out some way either to force or otherwise to dispose of such a Communication for after having well considered the whole matter there appear to me unsurmountable difficulties in such an enterprise for the Australians being a People that neither cover any thing there is no likelihood of bringing them to a Compliance by the allurements of Gain of Rewards or of Pleasure nor any practicable means left for us to overcome that strange aversion they have for us which is so great that they cannot endure to hear us mentioned without declaring the passion they have to destroy us And then besides all those things that we usually carry into the new discovered Countries and which procures us access to their Inhabitants pass in the esteem of the Australians for Childrens Play-things and meer trifles and bawbles they look upon our Gawdy Stuffs and richest Silks as Spiders Webs they know not so much as what the names of Gold or Silver signifie and in a word all that we count precious appear in their esteem to be but ridiculous and therefore there remains no other way to introduce our selves among them but by open force and in that matter they have a great advantage over us which would frustrate all our attempts that way for the Sea in those parts is so very shallow that it will hardly carry a Boat at two or three Leagues distance from their Shoars unless it be in certain particular Creeks where there are some Veins of Water which cannot be known but by long experience Besides all which obstacles they keep so exact a Guard upon all their Coasts that it is impossible to surprise them nor yet to attack them with any hopes of Success as will appear by the following Relation of some of their Wars CHAP. XII Of the ordinary Wars of the Australians IT is by a constant Decree establish'd in the World that we should possess no happiness without some pains nor be able to keep it without some difficulty
always exposed to the rigours of bad seasons The natural inclination which I always had to know the wonders of Nature gave me a very sensible pleasure at the relation of them and as I sometimes desired of our Merchants to go abroad into the Country and examin the truth of these things which were told us so I shall give this Abridgement of them as follows This Country has not half the Inhabitants in it that Portugal has I know not whether it may happen from the little Inclination and the great difficulty there is to engender The Men there are entirely naked only within these few years there are some that begin to imitate the Europeans and cover what we call Shameful 'T is certain that the abundance of their Countrey renders them negligent slothful simple and stupid after having considered them sometimes I was forced to acknowledge that Man naturally becomes slothful when he has nothing to do and that Idleness transforms him to a Beast The Soil of these Regions which is watered throughout with the Rivers of Zair and Cariza produces Fruits in Abundance without any Labour and these Fruits are so delicate and nourishing that they fully satisfie those which eat of them even the very Water of certain Fountains has I know not what delicacy and juice which satisfies those that drink thereof We staid there a considerable time but without any expense because the People despise Gain the Countrey furnishing in abundance all that one can wish There 's so little need of Houses in this Countrey that no body goes into them and as the Nights have all the sweetness that one can desire so 't is better to sleep abroad than under a covering they know not how to make use of Beds yet they have their Reserves of some Mattresses for the weaker sort to lye upon tho there is no body that sleeps not upon the Ground All these Considerations gave me an Idea of a People who being not obliged to Labour lived with some justice in the midst of Idleness which rendred them dull negligent sleeping disdainful without Exercise and without Action Our Captain gave Liberty to me and three more of our Company to go by the River Zair to a Lake of the same Name we had all the Pleasure and Satisfaction possible in this Voyage Take one part of the most considerable Remarks which I then made as far as my Memory will assist me We arrived in twenty four days at the mouth of the Lake we went about it in ten and we came back again to the Fleet in twenty more the River Zair is not rapid and as we had four good Oars we could easily make fifteen and eighteen Leagues a day nevertheless 't is certain we never made above eight in going whence we may easily see how much our Geographers are deceived that place the Lake of Zair three hundred Leagues from the Sea that which obliged us to such little Journeys was the number of Curiosities which continually presented themselves to our Eyes in Fruits Flowers Fishes and tame Animals we could scarce remark a place in the vast Meadows of sixty and eighty Leagues long which was not enriched with a Marvellous Tapestry of Flowers which would pass for rare in the finest Cardens in Europe I could scarce see my Feet tread upon so many Miracles of Nature without Indignation but the vast quantity of them was the cause that they were no more esteemed then our Field Dazies there is scarce a Tree which does not bear some precious Fruits and such as are incomparably better than all that we know and Nature hath so accommodated them to the Constitution of the Inhabitants that they might be gathered without incommodety and danger we lived not upon any other Nourishment nor did we desire any more Our Master Pilot Sebastiano Deles a Man of great Experience seeing that we were admiring why we should go to the East-Indies for their Delicates and Curiosities and never brought back none of those things that we saw in this Countrey said That 't was with these Fruits as with Viands well baked and seasoned which could not be preserved four days with their ordinary Gust this obliged me to make the Experiment and I saw that indeed they would not be kept long without Corruption 't is true that in eating them we find 'em perfectly digesting nourishing and conformable to the Stomach very different from our Fruit and which brings at last as much Indisposition to the Body as Pleasure to the Taste For this Cause they may be preserved since their Crudity strives with their natural heat whereas those at Manicongo being perfectly ripe are spoiled in a little time and as nature has provided that some are always dying so the Trees are always laden with Flowers Buds and Fruits some green some rotten and others proper to Eat Amongst the great quantity of Fishes which I remarkt in the River Zair I saw two sorts which surprized me I may call the one Amphibious since they are something like our Water Spaniels and come as easily out of the Water they leap almost like Foxes with this difference that their Paws are as large as the Feet of our Drakes and those before are twice or thrice as short as those behind they have so great an Inclination for a Man that they will seek him out and offer them selves to him as so much Sacrifice it happens sometimes that they will even leap into Boats and come to the Feet of the Watermen to fawn upon them like Dogs this I saw with my Eyes and I wish not over well to a Water man that struck one of 'em down at my Feet the Natives of the Countrey call them Cadzeick and their Flesh resembles that of our Spanish Otters The other that I admired were slying F●shes and we might well call them Sea Peacocks but much more fine and of a brighter Colour than those at Land 't is rarely that they swim at the bottom of the Water but they are almost always seen at the top their Feathers appear just like the Scales of Fishes but with a diversity of Green Blew Yellow and speckled with Red which ravishes the Eyes of such as behold them these which I saw out of the Water appeared like great Eagles with two Wings every one with five or six Feet one would believe that they affected to be seen and admired sometimes did they gather together in a Circle round the Boat sometimes they placed themselves right against those who lookt upon them turning and returning after all manners with Trains which dazelled our Eyes The Shores were full of many sorts of Animals but the most common and the most charming resembled our Sheep at Leira excepting that we saw some of almost all Colours I mean Red Green Yellow and a Blew so shining that our Purple and best prepared Silks come not near them I askt why no one traffickt in such glistering rarities and 't was answered that these Natural