of Mandinga rich in gold and silver having excellent mines The Prince keeps his Court in the Town of Senrigo more Eastward by a hundred leagues then the Cape of Palmes all the Blacks as well of high as low Guinea acknowledge this King whereas the inhabitants along the Rivers Faraca Nigrate and Budomel obey the King of Tombut Lord of three kingdomes of Blacks This countrey is called by the Protuguese Mandimanca where they adore the Moon called by them the Bariamari that is the God of night or darknesse and offer sacrifices to it in the most obscure woods in hollow trees at midnight as they do likewise at Cassanga who have one China for their principal Idol in whose honour they goe on procession the twenty ninth of November about Midnight One of their Priests or Magicians with them called Acacani bearing a banner of silk with a faggot of Vine branches and divers bones of dead men I believe they are bones of such as have made voluntary sacrifice of themselves to this Demon who appeares to them after divers manners this Ensign weares a garment of woven twigges at which there hang divers heads of little dogs Munkeys and other small creatures Procession ended they repose the Idols within the same tree and burne most sweet perfumes to it sacrificing Mill then make their prayers and depart In their dealings these people are lawlesse trading in slaves with the Portuguese and others which they rapine from all parts and make their Market of them to a miserable slavery The Cassangarians neighbour upon another Nation called Lebouramos who live along the River Saint Domingo by the natives called Jarin full of fish but a dangerous Haven for the Sands and Rocks which lye before it Towards the North is Guinalla another River in the mouth whereof the Portuguese have built a Fort they call Sancta Cruz and the Haven Guinalla They are Negroes which they term Beafares abominable thieves making prey of one another to sell to the Portuguese The King of Guinalla keeps a great State hath a numerous guard of Archers besides fifty huge strong dogges all armed with skin of sea-oxe dressed for the purpose and made of proof to every one a keeper In Townes by night they have no other guards then such dogges who once turned loose spare no man so as there is no stirring out of dores without danger of being worried This they do to defend themselves from such as by night come to break their houses which are onely turfe covered with leaves to carry away Negroes for the Market The King hath a mutiplicity of wives and believes that such wives as dye with him for company meet him in the other world and become his wives again but since they heard the true doctrine by some Fathers of S. Francis who shew'd them their folly they have not been so extravagant Some of them were baptized and went along with the Portuguese At the side of Guinala comes out a branch which runnes to Port Begama and a few leagues higher divides again in two and upwards delivers it self to the Sea The Portuguese hold this Port which they call Balola and the people on this branch are called Lansados Both these are good Havens joyntly inhabited by the Portuguese and the Natives For from the Meridionall point of this River to Cape Vergas there are three nations mingled with the Portuguese the Malus Ebagas and Cosolins Now from the South of that Cape begins a fair well-peopled Province they call Gatulia and the Portuguese Serellionna that is a point throwing it self into the sea by the side of a great river of the same appellation by reason of a hollow concavity roaring like a Lyon This is a very pleasant country full of Groves of Brasill trees and Vines which they have not knowledge to dresse abundance of Midian Figges which they call Bancanes Sugar-canes grow without planting Besides they have good conveniences as Mills and Engines to make their Sugar for they have Mines in all parts There is Rice Cotton Cattle innumerable Fish Pepper in abundance and more keen and pure then other but there is prohibition upon life to carry any to Spain or Portugal for spoyling the sale of that which comes from India Likewise there are Mines of Gold and Silver Ivory Amber-gris white and black in brief 't is absolutely a land of promise and delights This Pepper the Portuguese call Dimienta de cola one would take it for a Chestnut it growes in a shell though without prickles Other strangers who come to traffick for it lade with it but the Spaniard dares not take a grain In this country there is variety and abundance of Birds a sort of Ape they call a Baris he is great and strong the inhabitants take them with nets traps and other engines entrapping the sire and dam with the young ones set in cages They use them but rudely and beat them till they cry like children make them walk upon two feet tying the foremost in their pole to a stick besides make them do many offices as fetch water in a pitcher wash dishes blow the fire draw wine fetch meat from the Butcher and any other domesticall charre But amongst all they will still be committing their petitlarcenies for meat and drink but are well corrected for it The sport is when they turn the spit to see how he will smell the meat and turning his great shaggy head with hanging hair flyly watch if any body see him and they must be very vigilant or he shews them a trick for the roast As it happened to a Portuguese who had invited certain Merchants but when they came to take up dinner Mr. Jack-turn-spit had made use of one of the legs of a Turky-cock His Master for the present beat him not for the necessary use they had of him who filled them wine and washed their glasses and still at last took his cup when it came to his turn and with his rogueries made them very merry To proceed the Portuguese make a good time with these Negroes who bring them unrefined gold for things inconsiderable and to facilitate their traffick upon a point of the Sea called Corco five degrees North they have built a Fort near a Town inhabited by the Natives and Portuguese together The whole Countrey of Serri Lionna is exceeding populous and watered with fair Rivers bounded with tall dates and great orange trees The first River from Capo Verga the Countreymen call Piterones the Spaniards di Pietro dividing into many branches which interweave the land and compose many Islands by the Negroes called Cagasian where at an ebbing tide they find Amber-gris for which cause the Portuguese built a good Town there co-inhabited by Portugueses and Negroes where they live so strangely 't is hard to know a Christian from a Pagan nor is it easie to judge who lives the better there are at least two thousand Christians onely by name living and dying like Pagans After this River there
Poetry and verse in measure with Meetre and called their Poets Harauee that is Inventors Their Temples were of stone magnificently built sumptuous for gold and silver The statue of the Sun was massy gold which a Spaniard took and gam'd away in a night whereupon one said by way of jeâ—r that he had plaid away the Sun before he was up Of precious stones they have none but Emeraulds and Torqueses the country yields neither Diamonds nor Rubies In their golden garden were all sorts of hearbs and plants trees flowers fruits animals of massy gold and silver to the life In short the Spaniard found there unspeakable wealth yet all was nothing in comparison of that the Natives concealed or cast into the Sea or Lakes which could never be recovered There were Monasteries of maids dedicated to the Sun bound to perpetual virginity and never beholding other person the superiours called them Mamacunes The last of these Incas was Atahualpa the 14 from Manco Capac Leon the 7. Inca called Viracocha was a great souldier and Conquerour who saw in a vision one of their Gods Viracocha a Phantasm with long Mustachoes and a long gown of the Spaniards fashion whom for this cause they call Viracocha the Indians having no beard and wearing short garments They say this Phantasme foretold the arrival of the Spaniards an unknown people who should take away their Estates and Religion Tapangui the tenth King atchieved great conquests and extended his Empire to Chisa above 1000. leagues and built the fortification of Cusco that seems rather rocks grafted together by enchantment than an edifice built by industry and strength of men for the vastnesse of the stones of 38. foot long and 18. broad when they had use neither of Iron Waggons Oxen Cranes nor Pullies but fetched all from remote parts by humane strength The 12. Inca Huaina Capat by the Spaniards called Guainaecauan that made the famous roads with the monumentall stones and Innes from Quito to Cusco for above 500. leagues the one by the Mountains the other along the Sea shore upon the plain works far surpassing all the Romans boast of for length art labour and cost besides the rich and prodigious chain of gold every link wrist thick made for a sort of dance never found by the Spaniards This King was capable of the true Religion for he would reason that the Sun could not be the Soveraign God but that there must be one more powerful that commanded his perpetual circulation because were the Sun his own master he would sometimes rest for his pleasure not for necessity whereas the Soveraign God ought to enjoy the most perfect tranquillity without perturbation which was not seen in the Sun King Huiana now in peace at his palace of Tamipampa in 1515. had intelligence of certain strangers not altogether unknown that coasted the shore of his Dominions First Nunez Balboa discovered it in 1513. afterwards Pizarra and his Company who first gained it in 1531. The news much disturbed the King calling to mind an ancient oracle amongst them how a forraign bearded people should conquer and destroy their Empire besides in 1512. they had divers presages that portended the same For which reason the King dying advised his Sons with the white men with beards that were to be their Masters and the Indians in excuse that they no better defended themselves against such a handfull of Spaniards say 't was not for want of courage but in obedience to the orders and premonitions of their Prince Huiana had by all his wives above 300. children yet but one legitimate called Hilascar by his wife who was his Sister and one other by his dear Concubine called Acabalipa to whom he left the kingdom of Quito and Huascat reigned soveraign at Cusco But Acabalipa to throw off his homage to his Brother invaded him with a bloudy war defeated him and took him and put to death all the Incas and Princes of the blood-Royal that he might reign sole King though according to the Sanctions of the State not capable his Mother being Daughter neither of Coya that is a Queen nor of Palla a Princess of the blood He gave death to above two hundred of his Brothers then to as many of his alliance as he could lay hands on as well men as women with cruell torments and extended his tyranny upon the very servants and officers royal with fire violations and other villanies In the Province of Canares alone he put to death sixty thousand men because they had held with his Brother and covered the land with carcases and horrible desolations In recompense this villain was justly punished by the Spaniards more wicked than himself and they afterwards by themselves not finding any that could exceed them again in villany In the year 1526. Francisco Pizarra and Diego Almagro being at Panarma having lived a long time in the Indies and assisted at the conquest of Vraba Cartagena and other places resolved upon the expedition and discovery of Peru where they met with ill-favoured entertainments at their first landing Then Pizarra going to Spain obtained the chief command in the designed conquest and with four of his Brothers Diego Almagro and others made their invasion in the year 1531. with most fortunate success Acabalipa they took who paid a ransom of gold and silver neverthelesse they gave him an ignominious death by the hands of the Hangman Thus was this mighty and opulent Empire conquered by a handfull of Spaniards divine providence in inscrutible councels making the avarice cruelty and other vices of these Victors instrumentall to bring these people to the knowledge of the true God Now is the time the Spaniards glut their avarice and cruelty perpetrate all insolencies and truculencies imaginable which have been so fully represented observed and exaggerated by their own histories and Authours I shall not need to paint them in any other colours but they all or the greatest part paid dear for it when by intestine discord envy and amutinies amongst themselves they butchered one another and so revenged the nefarious treatment of the poor Indians and those who overstood this self-destruction were justly executed by the command of Charles the fifth who commissioned certain Licenciados Vacca de Gastro and Gasca to pronounce severe justice upon these seditious Mutineers there the Pizarras Almagros and others all perished The fifth Viceroy established in Peru was Blasius Nuez 1544. Lima or the Town of Kings was founded at this time first by Pizarra in 1533. afterwards the residence of the Viceroys the seat of Parliament Inquisition University and the Metropolitan Church of the whole Countrey As to Chila that wide Countrey which the Incas could never subdue Almagro first discovered it then in 1540. oâ—e Valdiâ—ia entred and over-run it but he found such opposition of the Araucans a small people of this great Territory that he breathed his last there was slain and eaten and from that time for 50. years they
of a league distant for the most part full of vessels that yield great commerce The Inhabitants are partly Gentiles partly Mahometans but much civilized of complection between fair and brown of good statures and dispositions both Sexes The town is invironed with many good Barroughs that reach unto Decan some five leagues off the town is strongly wall'd and frequented by Jewes who drive a great trade and inhabited by all nations she is tributary to the King of Marsingue they are carried in littars by Cammels of horses they have very few we served our selves sometimes with oxen which they harnise and ride they eat bread made of Rice which is more savory then wheaten there grows no grain but the Country beares most excellent fruit their drink is wine of dates About 3. Musket shot from the town there is an Isle named Amadiva which hath a large haven on the continent side inhabited by Moores and abounding in pastures and cattle The inhabitants are the Portugaises mortal and irreconcilable enemies but their Island being small not above 8. leagues about they are not capable to trouble them The town is rich and is called Centacola subject to the King of Baticola there are some Jews amongst them that may easily be distinguisht by the complexion the Moores be tawny the Jews clearer women use waters and other washes that make them very beautiful and they are held the prettiest of all the East the fairest are Jews and they very chaste and strangers can only obtain to visit them in certain assemblies of fair girles but they go meanly clad contrary to the customes of all other towns they sing certain songs like K. Davids Psalms gracefully pronouncing their words and mingling instrumental musick with their vocal and thus they entertain their gallants They refuse no present is made them but if you offer none they are never a whit displeased The doores of those places of Assemblies are alwayes open there they keep their Synagogues every one professes his Religion at liberty in the middle of this Isle is a Lake called Vecharin which breeds good store of fish of severall sorts but causes the ayre to be a little unwholesome to those are not accustomed to the Clymate from thence fish is transported into diverse places for a sort of good lasting fish They have great store of poultry which they feed with grosse rice called Jeracoly Baticola hath lost much of her trade since the Portuguais took Goa for according to the Chafa's or the Clark of the Customes account the Revenew is half diminished which keeps the Princes far in the Continent for fear of being surprised by the Portugais who wage open warr with them exacting great ransomes for the liberty of the prisoners they take neverthelesse the Portugais trade much amongst them endeavouring to draw them to an alliance but they are not so soon driven out of their fears and jealousies those of Baticola say they formerly inhabited Sian in this Kingdome is the Town of Onor that furnishes all the Countrey with rice From Baticola we came to Cananor Mosiri a great Town unwalled under the subjection of a particular King where the Portugais have two Forts and is inhabited by many new Christians who observe the rules and precepts of our Religion stricter then the old ones the Portugais have built about their Fort many dwellings for Merchants and others which make up a Burrough called Cananon where they trade securely and when the Indians have a mind to trade with them they must have the Vice-Roy of Goa's Cartaco yet the Portuguais never kept so good intelligence with the Natives as to prevent many dissentions and disorders as is often seen in other places as at Pegu and Calicut which occasioned the ruine of the Castle and the death of many Christians which the Portugais have since sufficiently revenged for they are of a very cruell nature and revengefull for which reason they maintain a fleet well armed at sea to resist those of Portugall who wage a warr against the Indians not alwayes to their success It happened on a time to Don Alanso De Comera to pursue with two men of warr a Mahometan Frigate richly laden and bound from some part of the India's for Gaza a sea Town in Arabia There were many families with the goods they had gathered in many years abode there making homewards accidentally falling into the hands of this Portugais they hoised saile and thinking themselves too weak offered a composition to the value of two hundred duckats Don Alonso eager and covetous of the prey which he held himself sure of gave her a broad side with many great shots and boarded her she reduced to desperation put her self in a posture of defence and resolved to sell both life and liberty at a deare rate and the very women spared them not so their Alonso got nothing but blowes but lost an eye and many of his men and thus was forced to retreate and the Frigat by a favourable wind got away without any losse this shewes the damage presumption brings with it and that the Portugais are not unjustly accused of vanity and folly which often costs them deare and makes them hated by the Indians as it hapned to them at Calicut where the peoples rage was so raised against them that in an instant they demolished them a fair Castle not leaving one stone upon another and whoever could present the King with any of the ruines was rewarded which hath caused the spilling of much blood amongst them The King of Coulan hath often besieged their Forts but after long Warres they now enjoy a peace The King of Cananor is very potent and elected out of the Princes of the blood as at Ormus He can send 100000. men into the field armed with targets and swords they wear red bonnets turned up on one side and go almost naked the third part of them are Naires or Gentlemen very resolute and valiant they weare red hats and are not niggards of their lives in their Princes service The Portugais have a strong Castle on the side of the Town and another on the sea side both well provided with Amunition and Artillery and have done them good service having often been assaulted by the Naires very gallant Persons Many of them are since Baptized and grown so devout that if they hear the Ave Maria bell though they are in their Coaches or Litters they are set on ground and say certain prayers on both their knees At Cananor they have a quarry of a stone called Azazimit which is much esteemed amongst the Indians and hath many vertues it cures feavers stops fluxes and causes digestion and is a preservative against poyson they use it in their cures against the pox and it is very neere as Soveraigne as that famous Eastern wine that if a man be so rotten as to fall in peeces yet bathed therein for one month he will infallibly be cured This Countrey produces
lay and are very fruitfull They have a custom every evening to stay an houre in the water then to call them out to seat they have an usual signe which they readily observe They are very good meat and delicious The nature of them is that turn them into a ground sowed with Mil or Rice they will most strangely pull up all the weedes by the root without touching the grain The grain they call Taffin is like our Millet and hath a leaf like a reed which these birds will in no sort meddle with whether for aversion or other cause They are very cheap we had two for a halfe fanon which is no more then two pence with us and are as big as a hen and very fat We found them to be excellent meat we bought more of them my Companion and I for our recreation walking by the river side to turn them into such grounds to see them cull and pluck up the no cent hearbs We were considering how to transport of the eggs into France and specially to Arlids a corn Countrey where they are at so great charge in weeding but making tryall of them in a ground sowed with Chiza which in other places is called Moussa a sort of round beanes but twice as big as ours and of the same taste only the skin more thick and hard of chesnut colour the leaf flat but we found they eat the corn and let the weeds stand so we learnt of the Indians these birds are not weeders for all grains For two Fanons which in our money amounts not to eight pence one may sometimes buy a hundred they take paines from morning till night without intermission and cost little the keeping In other parts of India we saw another sort of a different colour drawing towards green and gray called Artipan serving for that use and others For in November they Mue and cast all their feathers with which the Inhabitants stuffe cushions and pillowes of Coco mats to sit and sleep upon to cover their Country houses for lattices and diverse other things they are so large they eat all sorts of vermin flesh and fish In this Town of Mandranella an Indian of good quality frequented our company and often eat with us bringing of his Countrey fruits with him of whom I demanded one day if he made no scruple we being Ramata so they call the Portugues and all Christians on this side to eat with us since the greater part of the Indians esteem themselves polluted by it But he told us no and that their three headed God Fotoco was esteemed a friend to the Franques Ramata and that one of them had brought a Sanacarin or image of the Virgin as they terme it which their great Oysima had honoured with such high vertues and attributes that it had the priviledg to make the third head of their Fotoco for which reason this God hath ever since been the most accomplished the greatest and highest of all to whose excelsitude none can attain and that the day will come when he shall judge all the other Gods for abusing his faithful people but for being cruell to the wicked that they shall be quit of In Cambaya likewise they adore a triple headed God and say the God the first cause of all things had three children on whom he conferred his Divinity and that they had all but one will In Tazatay likewise they have the same God with three heads which they say is three Gods united in one In other places they adore a fowle which they hold to be the Holy Spirit of God and many things of like sort by which may be seen these poore Indians have heretofore had some Doctrine of the blessed Trinity and other Mysteries of our Religion but they have confounded all with fables and imaginations The Bramins themselves to signify this weare three cords tyed on one knot and a cross on others CHAP. XXXIV Of the Kingdom of Casubi their Religion FRom Mandranella we went to Casubi both a Kingdom and a Town sometime subject to the King of Bengala where we first discovered a most high mountain and then the Town and drawing nearer we perceived abundance of lighted torches and a multitude of people We stayed to observe the matter and saw some bring the body of a Tree which immediately was laid in the ground with lime and ciment attended with women clothed in red jackets as low as the girdle and a cotton skiâ—t thence to the foot in which colour they likewise were cloathed that carried the Tree in which was enclosed a Corps wrapt in linnen and aromatically imbalmed with mastick and other drugs that prevent corruption then laid in this Coffin and covered with the same timber and fastned with pins of the same all pargetted over within and without with mastick frankincense and bitumen Forty dayes they spend in feasting over the sepulchre near to which there is a booth built of purpose to dress and season the Viands with Aromaticks that they say the soule of the deceased may sent the prefume They go then before their Pagode or Idol without weeping because they think the dead all go streight to heaven These fourty dayes terminated they employ fourty more in erecting a Piramis made sillily enough of earth and water but as high as a Tower proportionable to the elevation of the person This done the wife of the deceased all alone retires to her house for fourty dayes more incessantly weeping for her husband her kindred mean while supplying her with all necessaries for she would sooner be her own death then go forth to demande any thing During these six score dayes there is continual treaty of a new marriage for the widow who is led forth in a delicate virgin garment accompanied with other delicate young dames that make a set to play at tennis or ball made of a spungy Ciment that bounds higher then one filled with wind The women affect it much more then men and use this game to get them husbands by their agility and addresse While we were in this Country there was one who after she had ended her widow Ceremonies was found dead in her bed by having slept upon an hearb called Sapony absolutely mortall to such as lie on it The Town of Casubi is faire great and of good traffick The men are of good stature something tawny the women very beautiful and kind well apparelled of blith and jolly humour their garments are something lascivious for being cut and open their skin is seen and discovered the aire there is likewise temperare enough The Town is environed with high mountains garnished with pure fountains and fruit of all sorts chiefly quinces of the largest size and the most kindly of any other part of the east they call them Goncha here grew likewise excellent grapes the same as at Aleppo which they bag up in sacks made of Coco cloth and load and
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
observed it to do in other countries under the same line In fine so fertile are these countries that like those water'd by the river Nile they yield two harvests annually and each harvest of sufficiency to furnish the people with provision for five years Whence it comes that storing up their corn in Cavernes under ground which the Moores call Mattamorres calked against moysture with a cement made of Sea-shels where being first dryed in the Sun they keep it what time they please they never think of sowing more while they have any thing to live on so as the land being thus laid up at rest becomes more fertile Their sheep breed twice a year and often two or three lambs at a time The Cape of Palmes is in the territory of Isma towards Guinnee with the Castle of Mina which the Portugues built upon this coast drawing towards the Cape de bona Esperanza the kingdom of Manicongo extends it self from the River Val de Biraco or da Borca as far as the River of S. Paul This River da Borca otherwise called Rio de Los Reyes is a quarter of a dayes journey from that of Agina or Asicera True it is there are Maps which place it near to Biafar though it be distant thence more then five hundred leagues Biafar lying near to Amasan and Medra the cause of this errour is that they take it for the River called the Infanta of Portugal which on the East hath the River Angra which waters the Town of Masire or Maciera directly over against the Isle of S. Thomas and fronts the great kingdome of Damute through the middle whereof passes the River of Bancara Vibris and Vamta with a branch of Noir all which conjoyne in Zaire Zaire overflowes like Nilus and runs through many countries some Mahometan some Pagan who adore the Sun and about the break of day compose themselves on some eminent place to make their Salema that is their prayer at his Rising casting themselves covered with a large cloth a hundred times to the ground and kissing it most devoutly Some say that these two great kingdomes Damute and Monicongo bound upon Goyame or Guiame which by reason of their great distance is most incredible It is rather on one side for on the South and West side Monicongo is divided by the River Bancara which lyes three degrees on the other side the line and two from Cape de Lopo or Loubo at his disgorging near the river Gouan or Gabam not far from the Cape Gonzal and the Cape St Catherine directly opposite to Cape Primaco something near the Torrent of Fremo which the Natives call Gouira The last Cape of Damute is Almada or Almadias into the Gulph whereof one branch of Zaire and the River of Saint Helen issuing forth at the same place do cast themselves having on the North Abidara which joynes it self to the Cataracts On the West the land of Jair and Gubara on the East Cogira where begins the Cape de Corrientes twenty four degrees from the South Next we come to the great Empire of the Abissins containing more then thirty five kingdomes insomuch as some would have it equall with all Europe The people for the greatest part are grosse and bruitish clothed with beasts skins though the country abound with gold which the Rivers wash in with their streams The women carry their Infants at their back in Goat skins and never go into the field without their staffe and victualls and cast their hanging breasts over their shoulders for their children to suck For the generality they are a very wretched people subjects to the great Neguz who Commissions certain Deputies for administration of Justice amongst them But these Deputies finding them so voyd of reason retire themselves to Townes twenty or thirty leagues distant and the others will not afford the paines to go so far so as when any difference happens they entreat the next Passenger to decide it and in case he refuses they way-lay him with bow and arrows and by force oblige him to give sentence which be it good or bad is observed most religiously for recompense presenting him with some beast to carry his baggadge most commonly with a Dent which is much like to a little Mule only it hath a hogs taile and little horns which grow only skin deep which it moves as the eares and is much more swift travelling on the sands his hoof will burn and cleave so as 't is impossible to get him wag a foot then their only way is to make meat of him his flesh being exceeding delicate though without salt not long to be kept from corrupting to worms The greatnesse of this part of the world is particularly seen in that we find within it a hundred and fifty large kingdoms without reckoning many more of lesse quantity which people this vast Peninsula of above two thousand leagues in length and latitude It is water'd with many fair rivers some whereof have their overflowes like the River Nile and as beneficiall others role before them sands of gold besides Lakes Marshes and impenetrable Forests rich gold mines numerous heards of cattle double harvests the horrible monsters the diversity of people some civilized others so bruitish they know neither religion nor articulate language some christians of various Sects others Mahometans and a great part Gentiles and Idolaters under the dominion of several Princes of which the chiefest are the Grand Seigniour who possesses Egypt wholly with great part of the Coast of Barbary The great King of the Abissins who holds almost all the intestine Africa with both the strands of Nile The great Monomotapa Lord of almost all the Southerne Verges even to the Cape de bona Esperanza The potent King of Fez and Marocco and a multitude of other Kings and particular Princes as those of Tombut Ganga Borno who possesse many kingdomes Of this so spacious and populous Africa the Ancients had discovered but some few countries under the name of Egypt Cirenaica Numidia Libia Mauritania Ethiopia Nigrites Garamantes Atlantes and very few more The Arabians at this day make a quadrupart division of it notwithstanding that it is not intirely known by reason of the dismal deserts which shut up passages and deprive us of discovery The first begins at the Cape of Babouchi or Guardafuni where they insert many countries out of Africa taken in by a Prince named Tramurat who subdued Arabia Felix and went in Arms as far as Carmanio to which they call Erac and amongst these are the kingdomes of Macran and Guadel which are contained herein The second called Biledugerid heretofore Numidia terminates Egypt at the Town Eleocat The third is a vast and horrid wildernesse which stretches it self to the bounds of Lible by them called Saria or the Desert because it takes beginning at Nile and ends at the Desert of Saria The fourth begins at the kingdome of Gonaga and ends at the kingdome of Galata Some
or falls amongst the Mountains which so compresse it that it seems a shot or lightning in quicknesse and thunder in horrid noyse till having crossed Egypt and entertained some Rivers of Nubia branching it self into many streams which compose the so much celebrated fair and fertile Countrey of Delta comes to render it self into the Mediterranean at mouthes and sluces which our Ancestors took for seven others nine at this day the most known and remarkable are those of Damiete Rosete heretofore called Heracleotique and Pelusiaque which compose the two sides of the triangle As to the surfluxes and inundations which fertilize all Egypt and serve instead of fructiferous rains from June to September laying the Countrey like an Archipelagus covered with innumerable little Islands wherein stand their habitations more excelse then the rest which is a piece of water I leave to Philosophers to search the causes who in all ages were much perplext and much divided some attributing it to the dissolving of snows from the Ethiopian mountains where snow never fell others to anniversary winds forcing the waters to remount and so overflow others with more probability to the continual rains of the torrid Zone in this season as I my self have seen it happen all along this Zone to the Indies both East and West Yea there are some who go further for a cause and will have it proceed from winds and furious tempests which at this season rage about the Cape of good Hope swelling the Sea which by certain secret Subterranian channels communicates it self with the Ethiopian Lakes which makes Nile and other Rivers taking birth from thence to surfeit But howsoever it is and whencesoever it proceeds certainly the effect is altogether admirable the encrease lasting fourty daies as likewise the decrease and some say the River Noir or Cambra or Senega do the same The course of this River from birth to dissolution is esteemed to be nine hundred leagues in right line and windings and bosomes considered to be above two thousand which is the longest course of any River in the Universe except the Plate and Maragnon in Brasile CHAP. IX Of the Town of Bagamidri and the coronation of their Kings TO return to our voyage I shal tell you that Bagamidri is a Town in Ethiopia in three degrees of altitude beyond the line in a fair champion upon the River Zuama which disbanks as Nile do's For the kingdom of Bagamidri it reaches to the Tropick watered by Zuama called by the inhabitants Zimbada which crosses the deserts of Manica where are dismal Mountains and goes til it ingulphs it self in the Oriental and Meridian sea composing a most commodious shore where vessels take in fresh-water and fuel Here are abundance of wild goats and small Buls and Cows so fierce that he must be very skilfull that takes them they have little horns which grow but skin-deep mooving them as their ears as I observed in another place This River of Zuama is by the Portugalls called Rio del Spiritu sancto for the content they receive who saile upon it Moreover in passing or bathing in this River there ought great caution to be had and to be well arm'd against the Crocodiles which are here in great numbers nor is the danger on land much lesse for the Tigars of which there are great Troupes and will very sawcily dismount you either from Horse or Mule Towards the West the Countrey borders on Mancigonge Eastward on Cafates to the North it lyes on Gidada which some call the Countrey of Amazons South-ward on Monopotapa The Town of Bagamidri is called Imperial by reason the King of Tigrai or Tigremahon having received his first Crown at the place of his election receives the second here This Ceremonie was first instituted in the time of St. Abiblicanus who lived in a cave near the Town in so high repute that the King who then reigned would have the honour to be crown'd by so great a Saint since which time there is an Ordinance that all the Kings of Tigray shal be crown'd here as the several Crowns of our Emperours were received at Aix Milan and Rome and the third he receives from the hand of the Grand Negus his Soveraign who hath onely a crown of silver whereas the King of Tigray hath his of inestimable value Here I shal tell you by the way that in Tigramahon I saw a Church of one intire piece wrought in a Rock near to Tecassin which they call the Church of Creatures for that 't is dedicated to the four Evangelists In the lower Ethiopia there is the like which they call the Maiant Calassen that is the Seat of Eternity For the Kingdome of the Amazons they report it to be betwixt the country of Damut and Gorage or Goraga and Gongara where they recount many things not unlike the stories of our Ancestors as that the women have the authority are exceeding valiant and excellent Archers that they cut off their right breast to draw a how the better with other things of that kinde There is mention made of the like women in many other parts of the world Some say the word Amazon is derived from a country belonging to the Negus or Monopotapa near Mancinconge where the women are of great courage though the men are Masters and Preste John makes use of them in his warres In this country stands the faire city Felucia or Falacia where they say is a sumptuous Tombe of a Princesse called Agagina built all of a black marble clear and transparent as glasse The people of these countries are of severall complexions according to the place that gives them breath For under the line they are neither white nor black but of a swart tawny colour though the world affords not a more temperate climate then they are under They who live Westward from the countrey of Agagne to Ambian are intirely black and four degrees from the Line troubled with excessive raines for three moneths together But they of the Province of Zembre are more white and very docile especially the women who are passably beautifull and gracefull and good Christians though they were the last that received the faith since the Eunuch baptized by Saint Philip planted it in the better part of the Provinces of Ethiope and as some will have in Arabia the happy it self and as far as Tuprobane CHAP. X. Of the Mansion of Preste John and his Justice A History upon this subject BEing at Bagamidri some of us more curious then the rest of our company agreed to go see the Court of the Grand Negus or King of the Abissins and to this purpose leaving them that had no such desire we took a side-way towards the towns Barra and Barua where we were told the Prince most commonly resided Following on this road and having crossed many Provinces and Kingdomes at length we arrived at Barra the chief town of the Country where we found a numerous multitude of people
Deserts of Goran towards Ethiopia there are people in abundance and a party of Giloses who come thither by reason of a sedition and a party from Zenega who came thither by reason that a daughter of the king of Azangues being married to the King of Gambra finding she was no maid repudiated her whereof arose great warres amongst them The people of Temesne say they were the Founders of Marocca they use a finer language then others which they call Aquela Marig that is the noble language the other kingdomes of Africa speaking but a rude language in comparison Another called Sigay which goes in the kingdomes of Galatas Tombut and Guinée Meli Gago different from the rest another at Juber which cannot be written because of the gutturall pronunciation and goes as far as Cana and Casena Again at Hea Gangara Borne they use other languages At Sena Terga Gueziga and Lenta they expresse themselves well something like the African and pronounce in the throat but distinctly They are much contented to see a stranger learn their language I was acquainted with a Physician learned in all these Languages as likewise in Latine Greeke and Italian and French reasonable well One night being in bed in the same Chamber with him and Captain Thomas Martin on a suddain enters a Moor mine Host having brought him in with a slave carrying a Torch cover'd from head to foot with woollen cloth who saluted us in French seeing him so black I blessed my self taking him for a devill whereat he laughed bidding me I should not be afraid for there was no danger He kissed his hand and took mine with many kindnesses and expressions that he could not have slept if he had not seen me entreating me to come to him on the morrow to communicate to me a matter of importance Asking how he came so perfect in our tongue he told me he was once servant to one Charbi at Marseills that he had had businesse with my father whom he named and my brother that he had been a slave 9 years then redeemed himself On the morrow he was with us at our first stirring and we took a walk together and then he invited us to dinner to his house which was very noble I demanded of him how a person of such quality had remained so long in slavery he told me that for five years his ransom being a thousand duckets was lost He had four horses in his stable his lodging chamber was gilt and had many other very fair rooms He had one wife only and he would never marry other but would live like a Christian His wife was fair in perfection He gave me high commendations to his wife that she might be courteous to me and she was therefore very civill to us He shewed us all his house and a fair Library of well-bound books and shewed me how the Africans had been Lords of a great part of the world shewing me a Book titled Albazer full of curiosities and histories of the renowned Africans as Hannibal Massinissa Septimus Severus Emperour and many other Kings Princes and Bishops as St. Augustine and others I asked him why he followed not the Law of so many holy Bishops He told me he was not so far divided and that in their Alcoran Mahomet confesses that Jesus Christ was greater than he that he met him in the sixth heaven and humbled himself to him beseeching him to pray to God for him which he never did to other Prophets who all beg of Mahomet to pray to God for them So as this man wanted nothing of a Christian but Baptisme and told us that having paid his ransom if his Master Churbi the Consul had not pressed him to marry a young widow whom he dearly lov'd he had willingly become Christian He was a man very upright wise and vertuous and if he would marry other wives of the chiefest in Town he might have plenty He told me as a secret that the Governour of Arzille who was in heart of the Spanish opinion would have given his daughter in marriage if he would have become Christian he had likewise a particular affection for Christians This is that Arzille which in the year 1421. was conquered by Cordoue the Moor which Don Alphonso King of Portugal regained from him But to return to Marocca I shall speak of what I have often seen in Mountains of Ziz that is how the people have a familiarity with serpents and very infants will play with them The Mahometans having it by precept of Law to kill none of these pernicious creatures insomuch as I was once reproved by one of them for throwing a stone at a toad Being departed from Sequeline we crossed the Mountains of Ziz which takes beginning at the skirts of Mezetazu towards the West and terminates at Telde towards Numidia The Arabians call it Segelmesse which are fifteen Mountains where these Serpentine people inhabit which the people call Zanaga who keep company with serpents and have their gardens full of toads 'T is true there are amongst them Magicians of divers kinds whereof some can charm these reptile Creatures as in the Indies they charm the Caymanes and Tiburons that these fish-monsters devour not them who fish for pearls they call these Magicians Malurman In these Mountains of Ziz there are other Magicians who boast they can cure all diseases them they call Mahazin and are in great esteem Another sort called Zairan conjure tempests lightenings hails and other Meteors which are hurtfull to fruits I remember I there saw a Magician who perceiving a horrid tempest approaching in a thick black cloud which would quite destroy their Seytume or olives then in flower he made a hole in the ground and with certain words urined in it which diverted the storm to another part yet they have another sort they call Machabell who say they can cure all diseases in cattle Others called Sadahachar who have power over devils and can compell them to any place they command them They have alwaies one amongst them and they call them white devils Others very skilfull in Geomancy who can shew spirits in a bright bason like a looking-glasse which represents what is desired Others they have that cause beasts or men to languish and die but this last sort is not onely amongst Infidels I have seen them likewise amongst Christians For being once at Seville in Spain I knew a Flemish Limner excellent in his art who languisht by this means betwitch'd by a famous strumpet called Segnora Maria de Villara who would have served a Comrade of his in like sort with certain biskets wherewith she entertained him whereof one was charm'd and the other not but he suspecting some villany cunningly conveyed it to her own plate and took another Afterwards she doubting nothing gave him one to present to his wife with a curious purse But he returning home made triall on a dog who immediately fell to howling and dyed Mean while the Bisket which