the River the town is ill built The ayr is good on Coromandel side and is divided but by a little streight not much longer then Gibraltar but more dangerous because the waves raise banks of sand which make it the more dangerous for vessels of great burthen forced to enter the Isle on the other side called Betala or the pearl-fishing Zeilan is held to be the ancient Taprobane and others with more reason say she was anciently called Sumatra however this Isle hath ever been potent formerly governed by one King of the race of the Sun or at least from thence he pretended himself descended This King was dethroned by one of Jafanapatan and since the country hath been divided into several kingdomes The Portuguais warred with the King of Jafanapatan who overthrown was constrained to deliver up the Isle of Manar which they fortified and inhabit to this day the Christians were grievously oppressed by the Badages their neighbours barbarous people great thieves but the Portuguese subdued them at last In this invasion the Portuguese amongst other things took that famous Idol made of the tooth of a Monkey adored by all the Indians of those parts and enriched with Jewels The King of Pegu so highly esteemed it that he sent yearly Ambassadours thither to take the print of it upon Amber Musk and other perfumes which he had great reverence unto and since it was taken he offered to redeem it at a great rate but they christian-like chose rather to destroy that Idolatry then to reap a profit thereby and so they burnt it and from it there came a most stinking and black smoak They relate many fables of that white Monky named Hanimam that he had been a God expelled heaven for some fault committed and Metamorphosed into a Monkey coming from the land of Badages or thence into Ceitan where after his death he was adored and his tooth kept as a relique The sea between the Cape Comori the lower Chilao and the Isle Zelan was called Pescaria Delle Perse a place of pearl-fishing which lasts about 50. days and at the point where they begin to fish upon a sudden many Cabbins and Booths are erected to last during the fishing onely then they that can dyne and fill their bagges with oysters and by a rope tyed about their middle are pulled up again and every fisher makes his own heap The seasons are not alwayes favourable alike some more some lesse and some seasons very dangerous by reason of several fishes that devour the fishers and other fishes will crop off a thigh or arme of a man as close and even as a hangar and those the Portugais call Poccaspada this fish hath two rowes of teeth very sharp and long and therefore to prevent the danger they have Magicians that charme the fishes upon a time a fisher-man ready to be devoured by a fish had his mouth open and within two fingers of reaching him suddenly the Wisard who was present cryed out Veruas which signifies come out or charm and the fish left him and the man having a sword in his hand struck a blow or two and the fish swam away leaving the Sea dy'd with his blood At night when they go to rest they dissolve their charmes because no one should venture to fish There are certain Commissioners to set a rate upon the pearle according to the season and there are of fine sorts of pearls some like stars others half stars others called Pedrati which are much esteemed and divided into five parts The Merchants stand in order to buy them The Portugese have those of greatest price which they call Quercos the Bengalians the seconds the Canaranians the thirds the Cambayans have the smallest and the last which are of little worth fall to the Jewes there which they polish for deceit It is a gallant sight to see so many Merchants together and so many heaps of pearles before every Cabbin which within few dayes are all pull'd down The best pearl is fished in the Channel of Setin near to Zeilan where they use flat-bottome boats called Tune because they have little bottome some are gotten at the other side of Chilao between Manar and the Continent There is no pearl to be found in all the East except in this place and at Baharem in the Persick gulph and the Isle Aynan near China those taken at Baharem are bigger but they are taken here in greater number The whole Coast of Malabar from Comori fifty leagues in length or thereabouts inhabited by people called Paravians is much frequented for this fishing where fifty or three score thousand Merchants resort to that purpose The Paravians are Christians and were instructed by St. Francis Ilaverius and live under the protection of the Portuguesse who have protected them from the Tyranny of the Mahometans their neighbours South-west of the Isle of Zeilan are the Maldives many in number dangerous to Saylers for the shelves of sand and rocks I will say no more of them because my knowledge is but small besides they have amply and exactly been described by others but I will say something of a wonderfull Isle on the Coast of Malduce Southward some ten degrees remote from the Line and called Patovi or Polovis now deserte though formerly inhabited and flourishing which as I learnt since at Pegu was Governed by a Prince called Argiac a Potent King of many Ilands and Kingdomes he having many children by severall wives gave this Island to one of the gallantest amongst them called Abdenac for his portion with several Treasures this Abdenac was possest of it peaceably for five yeares space his elder brother called Argiac after their Father and King of Achez in Sumatra refused him the share of Treasure his father had left him the other enraged craved the assistance of the King of Bengala who furnished him with ships with which he invaded his brother burnt his Townes and put to death most part of his followers but received a mortall wound himself and returning into his Island with the Treasures he had regained of his brother and finding himself near death distributed his wealth and bequeathed his Island to be inherited by his Duma or evill spirit intreating him to preserve it till the day of Judgement and that he then hoped to return into the World This Will made he dyed and had no other sepulchre then the bowells of his Alliance and Friends according to the Custome of that Countrey where in many places they eat the dead flesh of their Kindered and near Relations perswading themselves the Soule to be sooner at rest then if they permitted the corpes to putrifie and to be consumed by the wormes and that there could be no Sepulchre so Honourable as the bowells of a deare friend This Island falling to the devils share he became so turbulent that from the very time he took possession the Island was not
dresse in several manners the fruits excell and chiefly the Melons called there Dormous admirable in taste which they eat not but in Summer because they are excessive cooling and as it were freeze the stomack being neverthelesse not ill of digestion or causing chollicks what quantity soever one eats They are for the most part Idolaters except some Mahometans who dissemble their Religion for which cause the Prince hath but a sinister look for them This Prince hath a high veneration from his people who subjugate their shoulders for his support burn perfumes to him when he appeares in publick as they do likewise for all Princes or Potentates who come to visit them But indeed this Prince is most laudable in this particular that he himself will take cognizance of whatsoever is acted by his Governours and Magistrates and if any one impleads other before him it behoves him on the price of his head to be assured of the fact When a complaint is made to him immediately he sends for the party accused If he be a Noble man when he arrives at the Palace gate he gives notice to the Officers of his presencce by the sound of a Cornet who cause him to ascend single before the Prince who with great patience hears hoth parties in presence of his Council If â—oth are found culpable the inferiour is remitted to the ordinary Justice who punisheth him with stripes of cudgell the Grandee is punished by fine But if the Noble-man prove only guilty the King leads him to his chamber where being disrobed prostrate on the ground craving pardon he receives from the Kings own hand certain stripes with a cudgell more or fewer in proportion to the crime and services he hath done Which done he revests kisses the Kings feet and with all humility thanks him for the favour received Then without further shew of any thing attends the King to his Hall who in presence of all the Court gives him a dismission and recommends â—o him administration of Justice to his people causes him to be accompanied out of town with ordinary ceremony so as what hath passed is not perceived by any and this Grandee returns as well content as if he had received a rich treasure The charges of suit are defrayed out of the Kings Coffers or if he please by the criminall without the knowledge of any one When as this King who by his subjects is esteemed a Saint makes a progresse into the Country he is mounted on a horse richly trapp'd and going out of his Palace passes over a new kill'd heifer where the people raise a loud outcry and instantly go view the entrails of the beast to judge by sorcery if this voyage shall be successeful or no. When he makes entrance into any town all the fairest Ladies walk before him with censers of perfumes burning in their hands some singing his encomiums others melodiously playing on Basons with fine nods endeavouring to render themselves as complaisant as possibly they can To conclude their territories confine upon the country of Zangueliac and Ethiopia Aquiloa is a Kingdome with an Isle and a Town of the same appellation where the Portugals have a Fort the Governour whereof drives a main trade by means of the vessels he sends for the Indies The King of Quiloa was Lord heretofore of Mozambique All these are countries of Zanguebar or Zanzibar which comprehends that large extent of ground which lyes between the Oriental and Occidental seas of the people called Cafres Zanzibar properly speaking is an Island which faces directly Monbaze but the country I intend to speak of is Zanguebar named so by the Arabians because in their language this word Zangue signifies black and this country for the greatest part is inhabited by Blacks Mark Pol esteems it an Island of above a thousand leagues in circuit being water'd with many rivers making as it were an Island Concerning the Town of Quiloa 't was built as Tradition sayes above six hundred years past by one Hali son of Hocen King of Siras in Persia who came to live there Women here go exceeding well arrayed richly adorned with Jewels and Ivory bracelets quaintly wrought which upon death of husband and allies they break in signe of sorrow as the men forbear to eat and shave their hair as I before recounted of the East Indies CHAP. V. Of Mozambique the nature of the Inhabitants Cefala Mines of gold in Ophir Belugara HAving passed by Viada where the people for the best part dwell upon the river Dumes or Humes since the vast inundation of this and other rivers in the country upon the day of Saint Abiblicane we entered the kingdome of Mozambique this River runs towards the East passing by the foot of the Mountain Zet out of which issues one of the heads of Nile the other from the Mount Betzoan which ancients called the Mountains of the Moon streaming towards the points Maestro and Tramontanus The branch which runs Southward is divided not far from the head by a rock into two streams the one watering the land of Sefala the other running to disgorge it self in the sea right over against the Isle of Saint Laurence Mozambique is a small Island hard upon the firm land with a Haven and a Fort of the Portugals within fifteen degrees of the Line 'T was subject to the King of Quiloa till the Portugals became Masters where now in their voyages from Portugal to the Indies is one of their securest harbours to rest and refresh themselves The greatest part of the Inhabitants who are all Blacks professe Mahometisme the rest Idolatry They upon the firm land are absolute brutes going stark naked their privities only covered with a cotten cloth Adorers of the Sun like them of Sephala speaking the same language as they their traffick is Gold Ivory and Ebony their chief food the flesh of Elephants They delight much to parget their bodies with a reddish earth perswading themselves that so dawb'd the world shewes not finer men The better sort paint themselves with a certain Folliage which to make azure they use Indico and other compounds There are amongst them who bore their lips like the Americans enchasing some delicate stone Some say this countâ—y in times past depended upon Ethiopia and and 't was hither Salomon sent his Fleets for gold and that the Queen of Saba stil'd her self likewise Queen of Mozambique and Melindo moreover that their speech resembles in some sort that of Senega Though to speak truth 't is more likelihood Salomon fetched his gold from the mines of Sefala which are not farre thence or may be from the East Indies Touching the country of Cefala or Sefala and Zinguebar which takes up in a sort the whole breadth of that end of Africa even to the Cape of Bona Esperanza which coast is inhabited with Blacks called Cafares or Cafres they appertain to the great Empire of Monomotapa of which we are to speak presently In particular
souldiers Some say the Bishop of Conimbria dreamed the night before that the battel was lost and that they were all slaves as it came to passe and that upon this alone he sent his treasure and all things he had of value to Arzille which served for his ransom afterwards Malouco the same day about eleven in the fore-noon left his Littar and mounted on horse-back vested in a rich robe of cloth of gold wrought with a folliage a Cimeterre at his side his saddle set over with precious stones and thus went from rank to rank encouraging his men to combat His Army marched in good order like a half-cressent drums of the Morisco very small beat and the Fifes founded a shriller sound then the Trumpet 'T was thought the battels should have been given on Sunday the third but 't was defer'd to the fourth and Sebastian and Mahomet were advised to stay battel till the approach of night because the Arabians promised to come over to them and leave Malouco which proved false and they were so disappointed King Sebastian was armed as the day before in green Armes upon a white horse one of the best in Portugal The Moores Army was rampar'd on the left hand with the River Sebastian thought himself sure of the Arabians assistance and specially of Melouco's Van-guard which was all of Arabians and for this reason stayed till night that they might not be perceived 'T was in a field of above two large leagues every way without either tree or stone Before the Van-guard marched the Light-horse-men mounted on the Arabians horses composing the point of the Cressent and were wholly cut off with the Cannon The Arabians seeing this rout thought good to do the like but not perceiving a man of the other Battalia's fall they set a good face on it by force Muley Hammet being at hand to instigate them The battail at length grew hot and the Arabians performed nothing of what they had promised Molouco employed the remaining houres of his life in giving order for victory The King of Portugal and the Moor remained on the ground as well as Molouco the one slain the other drowned and the third dead of infirmity in his Littar Hamet remaining only victorious and heire of all Don Sebastian did wonders in his own person but overpowred with number he hung his handkercher on the point of a lance in token of yeilding but the rascally Moores ignorant of this practice run upon him and those that stood with him and put them all to the Sword The slaughter was great but chiefly of those who went along with the baggage who were as many or more then all the Army There were some mingled themselves amongst the dead to save their lives 'T was sad to see 200. sucking children and above 800. women boyes and girles who followed father and mother thinking to inhabit this country who had loaded chains and cords to fetter the Moores and served for the Christians themselves of whom there are 17. thousand prisoners the two hundred infants and the eight hundred women not reckon'd As to the kingdom of Fez or Marocca heretofore Mauritania or Tingitania 't is of vast extent and amongst others hath the two potent towns of Fez and Marocca Fez is the Capitall of the kingdom strong in scite and people seated on two great hills being able upon occasion to raise sixty thousand horse of sumptuous edifice of the Persian building embellished with Folliages of gold and azure their walls strong streets cleanly kept being a Captain for every one with strong gates at the ends for their security and crossed with chaines a fair river called also Fez passes through the middle This River is divided into two channels one towards the South which waters Fez the new the other towards the West watering Fez the old besides divers fountains which creep through Subterranean channels The houses for the greatest part are of brick with Towres and Tarrasses where the women prune themselves in the evening for they seldom stirr abroad There are Mosquees of fair building with their Marabouts for their service the Principall called Cairimen is of as large circumference as the Town of Arles with 31. principall gates sustained by 38. large Arches in length and 20. in breadth every night 900. lamps are lighted and on festivall dayes as in their Romadan the feast of S. John the Nativity of our Lord more Lamps without number upon brasse candlesticks where after Mid-night they sing Mattens Sixty leagues from hence is Marocca chief of all other kingdomes under that Empire as Hea Ducalea Gusula Hascora and Trelle as Fez hath under it Tesmenia Asgar Flabat Errif Garet Escaus c. This Town was built or rather augmented by a Prince called Mansor in the year 1024. scituate in a Plain invironed with Date-trees He built there a Magnificent Mosquee there is the high tower with three Spires on which stand three balls of gold of twenty thousand Miticales or two hundred and twenty five pounds weight a piece Muley Malouco would have had them for his warres but the Inhabitants would not permit him whereupon the Janissaries that came from Constantinople to assist Malouco made some Musquet shot and pierced them in divers places He promised them that after a time he would set the like there again but the others answered if he should dye all was lost as his great Grand-father who sold the foundation rents of the Hospitall of Fez and dyed before he could restore them so as 't was lost to the poor CHAP. XXIII Of the Kingdome of Marocca and Fez. MArocca stretches it selfe very farre and the parts Northward joyn upon the countrey of Asgar crossing the Mountaines of Gouraigoura thirty leagues from Fez whence there flowes a lovely River which runnes Westward and joynes with the River Bar where there are vast Plaines and Pastures without stone like the Camargue of Arles The Arabians call this countrey Suambiz a countrey abounding in Cattell and fronts upon another Nation of the Arabians called Aluzar and betwixt these two people there is ever a mortall warre and hatred The People of Asgar confine Northward on the Ocean Westward on the River Buragray which cuts through Forests full of Celoquintida and Oranges rendring a most pleasant odour Southward on the River Bonazar inhabited by those wealthy Arabians called Alalur whence come a brave company of Cavaliers Here there are many faire Townes as Argac Larais and Casar Alcahir or Elcabir that is the Grand Palace built by the great Mansor upon an encounter hee had being lost a hunting and Northward the countrey of Habar The Region of Habat or Elbabat ends also on this side the Ocean beginning from the South to the River Gonarga or Orga and Suerga and from the East to the Straight The Principall City is Azaget or Ezageu which stands upon the hanging of a Hill neare to the River Gourga and hath many other good Townes as Agla Tonser Merga Omar and others upon the
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
days we came to Cape Nona where we took in fresh water and seven dayes after we arrived at the white Cape a main shelter in the winter season where the fish lye so thick the ship brushes and rubbes upon them as 't were sayling through a shelf of sand There we found two vessels a Fleming and a Marseillian the Master whereof was John Baptista le vust called Servat who for his Merchant employed Aurigues the 15. of November we were upon a River of Guinea called Senega I ever carried with me a little memorial or diurnall where I set down all the curiosities I met with for which purpose I informed my self of the scituation of the countrey the quality of the Prince and government of which I will make a brief relation Guinea on the West is bounded with the River Senega which ingulfs into the Ocean at sixteen degrees to the North and the borders of Angela are at thirteen Guinea is divided into the high and the low the high Guinea inclines to the North the lower lyes along the Senega which they call Jeni and reaches to the kingdome Manicongo that begins at the first degree of the Line Upon the coast of Cape Verde are many Islands of one appellation the principal is of S. James in the hands of the Portuguese since the year 1446. where they have a well-fortified town and a Bishoprick stil'd Civitad an Island of 60. miles in length and 36. in breadth a mountanous country where they have never rain but in September and October which comprehend their winter The valleyes are fertile and afford excellent Melons the year round Dates and Sugar-canes in abundance flesh of all sorts Fowle and Venison with beards of horses and special good 'T is inhabited as that of S. Thomas by a conflux of all nations and the ayre being unwholesome they transport their infirm to an Island two leagues distant called Praya under a fine climate the ayr healthful and a commodious Haven betwixt two fair Rivers which compose two gulphs for harbours one whereof is capable to containe many vessels in security having before the mouth of it a little Island which guards it from the Maritime gusts and the land lying high defends it from windes by shore The other Islanders affect to land at this Port for that the rest are pester'd with sands and chiefly Borlouento and S. Thomas where there is ever some vessel cast away This Isle lyes close upon the Isle of Mago otherwise called Barlouento and near to Bona Vista Saint Nicholas Saint Anthony Saint Vincent Saint Lucie and Fell Islands plentifull of Cattle and Venison the inhabitants applying themselves onely to the chase powdering the flesh to sell to strangers as the skinnes likewise A little Eastward lyes the Isle del Fuego where they get as good wine as in the Canaries next is the Isle of Braua full of Venison and wilde Beeves whereof the Hydes are much sought after as being thick and tough But to Guinea the kingdome of the Jalofes is the first which beginnes Northward at the River Senega hath the Ocean on the West the Jalofes called Fonlogageias on the East and the kingdom of Barbessin on the South 't is above a hundred and fifty leagues in length of several commodities there is abundance as gold and silver which the natives conceale with all care from strangeers though in dealing with them 't is plain they have store for that by whiles they produce some unfined Taboucaton is their chief town They are Blacks but of good shape the women comely round-faced with eyes lively and attractive The men are martial dextrous in throwing a Javelin which they will throw with as exact arm as we shoot with our Gunnes They ride on good horses clothe as the African in short breeches a large Harnus like a sheet of wollen covers them from head to foot shod with Date-tree Sandals Vpon the coast they have the good and well-fortified Haven Beziguche whose entrance is skreen'd with a fair Island much frequented with strangers trading for the Indies Here are many Portuguese setled amongst them some married others who think of nothing but to heap up gold living something after the Barbarian Many of the Blacks go naked painted with dissolved gold their bodies carved and drawn with a various tincture as azure red and yellow which hold their life-time There are amongst them maids adorned in the same manner with great pendants in their ears and their lips pierced like the Brasilians they are generally libidinous and given over to luxury They who are thus engraved and inlay'd with paints or juyce of hearbs most commonly do it for want and this curiosiry is their attire Throughout the coast we find abundance of leather wax gold silver ivory and Amber-gris which is the reason the English Hollanders and Flemings visit them so oft The Jalofes are easie of belief and inclined to Christianity when they behold the Moon they make strong ejulations with sorts of adoration They adore yet some other Idols which neverthelesse fixe not their faith the Mahometans on one side who impugne them with their law on the other the Portuguese preaching ours and their own Priests charming them with their delusions and Idolatries They make their sacrifices in the woods making large hollow trees their Temples where they keep many Idols to which they sacrifice pulse Mill Rice and the blood of beasts whose flesh they eat The countrey of Bracala confines upon the rapide River of Gambra which in the mouth is five good leagues over ships cannot enter it without a direct wind with which they may advance three hundred leagues within the Countrey This River cuts the great kingdome of Mandinga in the middle peopled with Blacks Idolaters and abundance of Sorcerers wicked treacherous and base people When they hold a counsel t is in a cavern under ground to secure them from the prying of strangers They have store of Brasil wood as good as they of America and upon the river many townes and villages where they mantain many vessels of Warre to encounter with any whatsoever but upon advantage This countrey ends Southward at the Cape of S. Mary 30. leagues from the river Chougala by the Portuguese called S. Dominick There are two nations of the same quality the Barbachins called Ariates and Falupes who trade in nothing but fish and cattel They have an excellent way to take the sea-oxe the skins whereof they make great use of They apply themselves to till the soyle and get Mill Rice Pulse and other graine Out of this countrey comes the River Casamanca bounded Northward with the Jabundos on the South with the people of Bemum who on the East have the Casangas Of late yeares the Portuguese have discovered a way by an Arme of the Sea to Casangas and for this purpose have erected a good Fort upon the cheek of it called S. Philips This kingdome reaches Northward to Jaren and together do homage to the Sultanship
these unfashionable Doctors had mind on nothing but to satisfie their insatiable avarice and ambition CHAP. IV. Of the coasts of new Spain of the torrid Zone and winds which blow there HAving staid some dayes in Cuba to recruit we took ship again to continue our voyage Noguera Captain of the vessel we came in was very sorry to part with us and made large profession to one of our Company for the service he had done him and gave him three hundred Reals offering if he would return to Sicily with him he would give him the command of a vessel share equally what was gained and ever esteem him as a brother Our comrade engaged himself at his return accepting but the half of his money and that upon importunity which he presented to a Lady the Captain had brought with him from Spain and she returned him a Crucifix set with emeralds and so they parted with much resentment the Captain protesting he had perished but for God and the Levantisks with particular acknowledgment of what we did in Domingo at their going for water He recommended us to a Captain who was very civil to us and would accept of nothing for our passage We came to the Cape of St. Anthony and thence with good advice steer'd the course towards Foudora or Houduras 't is not the ordinary way for Fleets when they go directly to St. John de Loua in new Spain having seven hundred miles to crosse sayling in view of fruitful Campeche in the land of Jacatan The Port of St. John is a well-fortified Town and amply provided of artillery in 19. degrees from thence to Mexico they hold it seventy leagues and fifty to vera Cruz a place hot and unhealthfull but plentifull in provisions about two hundred miles from Mexico This quarter is called La Vega a shallow not a haven these two places so neere neighbours differ exceedingly in the ayre for at Vera Cruz 't is extraordinary bad and at St. Johns t is excellently good as indeed thoroughout all Mexico a good Country and well inhabited both by Natives and Spaniards temperate enough and contains sixteen great Provinces Then there is the new Mexico lately discovered and whereof there is further discovery every day and is of wonderfull extent as likewise the Mexican language goes very farre From St. John de Loua Coasting along by Jucatan Hunduras and Nicaruga we came to Nombre de Dios in the Northern sea and on the other side in the southern to Parama and thence to Peru c. Now t is necessary to understand there commonly blowes a winde they call Brizes which carries Vessells by the Poope from the east to the Indies which winde rises in 28 degrees of Artick altitude towards the Torrid following the Minense and rapid motion of the Heavens in that Hemisphere more like a gentle blast or a breathing of the ayre then a winde so quietly it beares vessells along without any alteration or contrary violence as in other Parts among the Tropicks where the strongest carries it his way and where diverse Raigne according to the diverse times and seasons The other windes are Tramontone or north south east west south-east north-west north-east south-west The Brizes come east-ward and serve very well from the Canaries to Cuba from Spain to the Canaries the voyage is more difficult by reason of the diverse windes which blow in the Gulfe de Las Yequas and betwixt that and the Continent are other windes which blow opposite and often force to lye along in the Haven in expectation of a faire gale But as these Brize windes in going afford a delightfull accommodation so in returne they prove our vexation for we must go without the Tropicks to fetch the south-west otherwise we have the Brizes in our teeth which force us to beare up higher for others and be perpetually tacking about to the roade of Terretta In so much that one may sooner go twice then return once from the Indies the return is so labourous I meane for them who come from new Spain to Seuille for from Peru they have the same Navigation as the ships that go by the Brizes from the Canaries to the Indies and by the south sea Coming from Peru they have the winde in the Poope as farr as Lima in twelve degrees which carries them to 17 to the Port Guatulio in new Spain Then they must go fetch the south-west in the elevation of 27 degrees above nor is there any certainty of it for sometimes these windes raigne there sometimes the north-west and Tramontane invade the Regions They call them neverthelesse Brizes as coming from the motion of the same Hemisphere sometimes they bring along with them so exceeding a frigidity that though the sea ever naturally yeild a certain warmth of it selfe I never felt so much cold as in these parts and but for the Wines we laid in at our return we had suffered much more 'T is then certain that they who go to the Indies must make use of these prosperous windes and to gaine them must keep in the lowest elevation possible for the neerer they come to the Equinoctiall the more certaine and constant are these Brize windes as nearer to the motion For this reason the sea from the Canaries is called the Ladies sea from this benigne Winde as is also the southerne sea beyond Peru and so along westward Notwithstanding this rule is not so generall but in the Torrid of the East Indies there are two anniversary principall windes east and west which by turnes raigne six moneths together more or lesse called the Mousons or Mnessons as I said in another place As to the quality of the Torrid Zone contrary to what Antiquity delivers that it is impenetrable and absolutely disinhabitable for the excessive heaâ—e of the perpendicular rays of the sun I have spoken sufficiently in another place and shewed it to be the most temperate place of the world and best inhabited full of large lakes rivers and showers at certain seasons and houres and windes which refresh and fertilize in an admirable manner According to naturall Philosophy there was reason to believe these parts disinhabitable and scorched with the fervour of the sun who is verticall to them but experience had not acquainted them with the lakes and rivers that lye almost all along this same Zone and chiefly in America so cooling and moistening that they allay the heats to a moderate temper and by a mystery at the extremity of winter produce drynesse and in summer rains and humidity so as in many places they are forced to retire to their Canoes to avoid the emanations of the rivers Orlano Plata Paraguay and others which lay the circumjacent Countreys like seas to which the spacious lakes are a second meanes like as the Egyptians in time of Niles inundations retire to their field-houses of dung loome and straw set upon the highest points But the people upon Portogay and Plata they quite abandon
part of it as likewise the Country of Hari The Spaniards say that Licenciado Ayllon going from Hispaniola run along all these coasts and amongst others visited Chicora They feed here on the roots of Jucca Casabe and Potataes They have variety of Idolatries and Idols with a thousand ceremonies superstitions and feasts Their great God they call Mateozunga the lesser Quexuga and fancy a Mahometan Paradise of all sorts of pleasures musick dancing feminine embraces c. They believe the rotundity of the earth and that 't is in the middle of the Universe and that by consequence there are Antipodes Their Priests abuse them with a thousand prodigies and impostures widows if their husbands died naturally marry not again but if by Justice or other violence they may No man hath more than one wife except the King who may have two They compose their year of 12. moons all their commerce is in exchange They have excellent remedies for all diseases by means of their patriot herbs wherein they have good knowledge amongst others they have one called Guachi against choler The Spaniard Ayllon recounted many other particulars of Chicora that 't was of great extent and contained many Provinces CHAP. VI. Of Canada or new France CAnada or new France was discovered and frequented by the Brittains and Normans in the yeare 1504 and before that also since again by Verrazâ—n who took possession of the Coast and Continent for King Francis the first which hath continued from time to time to this day The Countrey hath not any Mines of gold as they know of but white Corall it yeilds called Esurqui and some Jasper and cassidone stones with abundance of Beavers wherein consists their traffick They have discovered a tree called Aneda or Zuaboya much like our nut-tree the decoction whereof is a soveraine and present remedy for a disease common in this Country which infects them like a plague from head to foot with a violent contraction of the sinews stinking breath and mouth running with purtefication as at Scurbut and at last seizes on the vitall spirits and with extreme torments finishes their lives but Providence hath furnished them with this remedy Aneda as Carter in his Voyages observes All these Countreys of Bacaleos Caneda Hochelaga are comprised under the name of New-found-Lands or new France frequented these many yeares by the French for fishing of Cods For in the exact description I refer myselfe to Histories and published Relations only I will repeat what severall who have travailed it have told me Canada extends it selfe by a point south-west within the Countrey of Goulmaran coming up to the River Diquero where there is a spacious Town of the same name otherwise called Sougoubal where the King keepes his Court towards the sea it joynes with Baraleol and the New-found-Lands the Natives of extraordinary stature favoured like them of new Mexico heavy like a gilt Morian they are of a cruell nature warring upon their neighbours and there are of them that eat Mans flesh they inhabit up as farr as the great river Hochelaga and use boats made of the barke of a tree at the getting of this barke they use particular ceremonies and prayers to their Idols to protect them in warr in which they are assisted with Virgins dedicated to the Gods as our Religious Some amongst them are of more humanity and assasibility addicting themselves only to fishing which they will willingly do for strangers The King derives himselfe from the first stock which peopled world after the deluge whereof they have some light They bear great reverence to the Sun for the light and benefit they receive They feed on bread made of fish and the like as in Florida live in common and diverse families under a roof Men have several wives whom they marry with little ceremony and leave them when they please Their King they call the great Sagamos or Sahagama that is the great King whom they carry upon a Sindela of cotton mixt with feathers very curious and artificiall women wait at his table nor will he trust men with any thing of his diet as he passes by all bow with great respect none is capable of succession but the eldest Son all the other Children are subjects for which cause the other wives rather choose abortion then to live to see it After the Kings decease they live perpetual widows and in signe of mourning immediately put on the Singaye make incisions in their face then laying gum on a fire hold over their faces that smoak may colour the scarifications with this gum and oyle of date-stones the meaner sort make their face black and orange-tawny their hair hangs loose about their shoulders having nothing about their head but the Singaye which they wear as the Moors do their hair appearing both under and over it This is made of feathers of a bird they call Tanaps the Americans esteem this bird ominous when they meet it The vulgar women wear other plumes with cotton but they neither marry the second time The men wear apparel of Deer-skins usefully contrived one arm uncovered and so they wear their garment like a scarf their breeches like the Egyptians but not so long The Countrey is exceeding cold and lyable to earth-quakes for which they sacrifice to their Idols whereof they have one in figure half a man and half a serpent which they call Andouagni and adorn him in a rich habit and their Country diamonds which are not so good as others They have mines but none very good fruits of many sorts and amongst others a tree called Coltan which yeilds an excellent liquor that they make drink of their King drinking nothing else Vines grow there in abundance naturally without labour exceedingly loaded with grapes but they have not the skill to make wine of them except they have been lately shewed they have pumpions and gourds which they eat roasted oyle out of Date-stones very sweet and soveraign in diseases One tree there is which takes away any feaver in few hours They are great hunters and wear engines like raquets on their feet whereby they go the lighter on the snow in pursuit of their chace Of late years the English have changed the appellations the French gave these Countries of New France and Canada to New England New Scotland and New Brittanny above before called Labrador and Estotiland Goulmaran is the name of a river and a country where the savages chief food is fish of which they have abundance and drying it in the sun make flower which they eat without other baking they eat the flesh of their enemies they house in caverns or cabbins of straw without either apparel or houshold-stuffe more then Gourds which the soyle produces in abundance great store of cattle which fatten themselves without further care they live in common and admit no strangers to inhabit amongst them Their mortal enemies are the Siniga neighbouring Mountaneers covered at halfes with beast skins and these nations as professed enemies eat
the coast of Avisa then to Mount Bacour where we sold our Camels upon condition they should carry our goods in to Aden within two leagues of that place The Red Sea from Suez to the Cape Cardafu is in the eighteenth degree in length four hundred leagues and in breadth fifty is navigable but not without great danger especially by night because 't is full of shelvy rocks reeds and Isles and by day besides the common Pilot they have a man placed upon the Mast to discover and direct the ship from Cameran 't is not so dangerous but we were forced to make this voyage by land to escape the dangers at Sea the water to my thinking was of the colour of other Sea-water both in her Superficies and bottom the name of red onely excepted which was given her by allusion to the name of King Erithreus who named it so or because of the sands which in some places are of a reddish colour The Moors call it Babar Corzum which signifies an inclosed sea the havens upon it are at Babel-Mandel which is in the twelfth degree 't is called by some the sea of Meka Arabia upon the red sea side was formerly inhabited by several people principally the Sabaeans since called the Homerites they received the Christian Faith in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius and some will have it that rather from thence then Aethiopia came Queen Saba and since Queen Candaces Eunuch At the end of this Sea in the Streights of Babel-Mandel is the town and Haven of Aden called by those of that countrey Adedoun a town of the greatest fame in all the East and one of the strongest of Arabia and of greatest importance by reason of the trade and concourse of all the Nations of the Indies Persia Tartary Arabia Aethiopia and the Levant she was formerly subject to Sequemir since conquered by the Portugais and now in the possession of the Turk on the land side stands that famous Mountaine Albacoure or Dartzira which must be travell'd over to reach hither the passage is streight and difficult defended by two strong Castles on each side of the way one from the top of the hill you discover Aden standing in a large plain her Haven is great and good butting upon the Cape Gardafu the Town is grown famous since the Portugais set footing in the East Indies for the Merchants leaving the red sea for feare of the Portugais rest here in their journy to the Indies whereas before they went throughout without landing here Here are unladen from the Indies and other places the Spices Aloes Brasil Pearles and pretious stones Myrobolan Safron Wax Steel Sugars Rice Purcelaines Linnens Quick-silver Vermillions Cottons Silks Scarlets Chamlets Musk Amber Beniamin Storax Azure and other Commodities vented in several places Here time out of mind were the Spices landed and from hence by the red sea and the Nile transported into Alexandria formerly they say that the Soudan Governour of this place was so puissant as to send an Army of thirty thousand horse and forty thousand Cammels to assist the Soudan of Egypt against the Christians and waged ordinary warre besides against the Abyssins Aden is well walled and fortified with several Castles on the East side on the North stands Bacoure which divides her from the Happy Arabia and on all other sides she is incompast with the sea Westward the sea enters the land so far through a gulf that you would think the Mountaigne were an Island the Haven is Eastward and large scituate under the foot of the Hill coming from Arabia you would take the towne to stand upon the top of the hill whereas it stands in a plain almost surrounded with the Sea guarded by a strong Block-house in a little Isle adjacent that defends the Towne and the mouth of the Haven as by the side of the Hill there are severall Forts that command those passages The opposite to Aden of this side of the Isle and streight of Babel-Mandel is in Aethiopia subject most of it to the grand Neguz with a creek of Sea and a fair Haven and the Cape called Foubical or Guardufu anciently the Promontory called Aromata from one side to the other the streight is forty thousand paces over and in the midst stands this little Island in length some two leagues the mouth is very dangerous to enter at low water by reason of Shelves Rocks and Reeds and a number of Isles of different bignesse some of them inhabited some not wee travelled most of them and the chiefest I saw was Cameran near the coast of Arabia in the fifteenth degree of Elevation fifteene miles round or thereabouts she hath plenty of fresh water and her Haven is of the continent side but two leagues off or thereabouts the Town is small but increases dayly subject to the Sequemir and inhabited by Moores On the other side in Aethiopia is Dalascia or Dalaca a faire Town inhabited by an Idolatrous King tributary to the King of the Abyssins since the conquest that Alexander the Preste John made of it which hath ever since obeyed his Lawes together with Rocca or Eroca where there is a faire Haven inhabited by Christians Abyssins very good people they weep for joy to see any Christians of these parts they call them Romatas or Roume make very much of them and distribute what they have amongst them according to the charitable practise of the Primitive Church They have a little higher another faire Isle called Mesua or Mezuan peopled with Christians where there is a good Haven that saves many good ships from shipwrack sayling in this dangerous sea a little above Mesua is another Isle called Ibrani on Aethiopia side where there is a good Haven and most of the Inhabitants fishermen beyond that is the Isle of Camera subject to the Preste John she hath two Havens one southward the other eastward hath good water and a good well two hundered paces from the Sea in an orchard called Magodu or Magot conteyning twenty or thirty houses and every house a boate ready to take the water to fish which is their onely livelihood CHAP. IX Of Dalascia Town belonging to the Grand Neguz of the Isle of Socotora with a description of a prodigious tempest THe Caravans that come from the Abyssins Countrey are imbarked at Dalascia or Dalaca or at the Isle of Suachen belonging to the Grand Neguz and bound from thence for the Holy Land most of these places are inhabited by Christians Suachen is an Island in the eighteenth degree of latitude drawing from east to south within a bow shoote off the Continent Dalascia belongs to the Neguz governed by a Mahometan tributary to him and allowes liberty of conscience They have fair Churches their Priests marrying as the Grecians do who are subordinate to the Abuma or Patriark of Ethiopia The air is exceeding benign and productive of all excellent fruits
stone called Besouart which they say goats breed in their stomacks The Turky-stone mine is not far from thence 't is a very amorous Town both men and women thinking of nothing but their pleasures and coolness during the heats fruit is there very plentiful most excellent of all sorts Casbin is another big and Royal Town well inhabited then there is Siras the most delicious and most pleasing of all Persia which affords you fair gardens fountains and other refreshments during the great heats there are many stately and good horses some imagine this Town to be built upon the ruines of old Persepolis the City-royal of the ancient Persian Monarchs scituate near the Araxes now called Bradamir and not far from thence are to this day seen the admirable ruines of that famous pallace of the Persian Kings which Alexander caused to be burnt to please his Thais of Siras more hereafter Going on our Journey we went from place to place without keeping a streight rode to put off our commodities at a better rate drawing right upon the Cusistan of that side we found all the keyes or passages of Persia bad and difficult for which reason the Turk effected not his design in those parts we found it a strange Countrey and all that part of Persia but a vaste solitude unpeopled and very dangerous travelling The Mountains were inhabited by harbarous or insolent persons then we met with great fens or bogs very deep and forrests impenetrable which renders the passages so uncertain and arduous that the merchants have much ado to find them although they are well guided and have often travelled them when you have met with the guide that undertakes to conduct from one kingdom to another he must give account to the Belierbeit or Governour what persons he carries out of his dominions for you may not return into the same country without producing good license and discharge with a certificate or note of the places you have travelled which is a laudable order of the Princes for having such a care both of strangers and of his own Subjects that he wills and endeavours their free and secure trading in all his Territories We went towards Vacharin to enter upon Tartary and raught unto the Province of Samarcant where is a Town bears the same name famous for having been the seat of Tamberland the Great so much mentioned in our Histories these two or three hundered yeares We being sensible of the hardship and inconveniencies in travelling further this way besides the best experienced Merchants disswaded us from it for we discovered that that Countrey coyne was not of any value being neither gold nor silver but of some other base metall and some of the barke of trees as Marke Pole remarkes of Tartarye Li. 2. Cap. 18. we turned back again into Persia from thence by great dayes journey to the happy Arabia and Ormus we now had associated our selves to a jolly company of Merchants and my companion privately acquainted me he had resolved to see the east Indies and that if I were unwilling to take so long a journey he would recommend me to some French Merchant at Ormus that should safely reconduct me into Europe I willingly resolved to go along with him or whither else he would but not to leave him this resolution taken we came back thorough many Towns of Persia as Sorismell twelve leagues thence Sinderate upon the river Adalout where we were lodged at a Renegades that gave us good entertainment his house was built halfe upon the water the Armenian Merchant that desired to go thorough Pegu to buy rubies resolved Cassis to passe thorough Indostan we advised together to regain our way and to escape the excises or payments are paid towards Samarcant and Corozan we had much recreation in this voyage CHAP. XIII Of the Kings of Persia their Power pleasures of the Sophy Hali and of some Sects of Religious Pericans of the antient Mages and other Officers of the Kingdome THe King of Persia is one of the greatest and most Powerfull Princes of the World as well in the extent of Territory treasure and riches as in number of men of warr he can ordinarily set forth a hundered thousand Cavalry and of infantry foure score thousand The state of his Court is most ample and Magnificant his people warlike with a great number of generous Nobility the King is served and attended by the greatest Lords of the Land He is Cheif or Head of the Religion or his Church throughout his whole Empire and leades a very lascivious and voluptuous life keepes many women Royally clad he uses the most exquisite perfumes not in his apparrell and furniture only but also in his meate he weares Jewells of an inestimable value and he hath leave to marry as many wives as he pleases as the Grand Seignior hath He keepes Seleris persons well qualified whose duties are to travell thorough the whole Empire to see and chuse the fairest and rarest women having leave to enter all places nay their very bed-chambers to view them in what postures they please but chiefely to know whether they snore or stir much in their sleepe or whether they sleepe quietly and having made choice of them as they ought to be qualified they carry them in a littar to the Princes service and their parents are much honoured and esteemed When the King hath seen them and hath chosen which please him most he presents the others to the greatest Lords and favourites of his Court which are much happier then those remain with the Prince for so great store he hath of them that few of them have the Honour to enjoy his Person they are kept or guarded by Eunuches as they are in Turky Those are most in his favour the King takes often a hunting with him they are not seen of any although they can see others he goes a hunting as to the Wars his men carry severall sorts of Armes as bowes and arrowes cymiters axes marching in rank carefully guarding their Kings Person whom they adore as a God Their Military discipline is very exact and they suffer much in their exercises they eate nothing untill their chase be ended then they drive heards of savage beasts before the Concubines litters to recreate and delight them killing those the Ladies have most minde unto sometimes they cause of them to be taken alive and restore liberty to the rest this Countrey is fuller of great and pleasant Forrests then all the rest of the east The Prince is called Sophy rather for his Religion then for any other reason he maintains the Law of Hali son in Law to Mahomet and therefore weares a woolen cap and a red turban flock't with white from whence he is called Sophy which signifies a red flock't cap and Caselbas signifies read head although some would have it an Arabick word and to signifie a man purer in Religion then the rest They
strength and importance of the place drawing both hatred and envy from the Indians The King of Cambaye and other neighbouring Kings indeavoured to recover it by meer strength but all in vain for the gallant opposition and defence of the Portugall hath kept them masters of it to this day The Indians had some reason for what they did for from thence depended the whole Trade of the Kingdom and adjacent Countreyes and the Portuguais keep all that Countrey in subjection from Diu to Goa and the Cape Comarin 270. leagues in length The chiefest part of the East is furnished with commodities from hence a place very rich well peopled and full of good Townes and of great trade In the adjacent parts to Diu upon the Continent are the Kingdomes of Circan and Reytenbura where stands the Royall Town of Ardanat then Campanell capitall Town of Cambaye stands beyond the River Indus and the Townes of Albiran Casdar Masura Sudustan Abedit all great Townes rich and well traded and inhabited by many Merchants Gentills Mores Jewes and Christians in this Town Malefactors are put to death by poyson only and not by the sword Beyond the River Araba stand many fair Townes viz. Savadir Barca Bermen Patenisir a fair haven where divers of the rarest and richest Carpets of the World are made in silke and figured which are transported to Bengale Malaco and Pegu and other places there are also made Calicoes stained of divers colours which is the chiefest and ordinary cloathing the Natives use and there is brought of it into all parts of the world Halfe a dayes journey from Batenisir stands Diu upon a creek of land separate by a river from the Continent there are paid great Customes upon all sorts of commodities which brings in a great profit to the Inhabitants the King of Spain having the least share in it and what he hath imployed to the maintenance of the Garrisons most of those payments fall to the Officers and receivers shares who agree very well with the Vice-Roy The King is often of a mind to quit the Countrey but his Councill is not of the same opinion the Countrey being too considerable to their Prince for strength and reputation and besides 't would indanger the losse of Christianity that is so hopefully rooted in those parts for the Turkes assault them often and took and sack't the Castle of Diu twice and had reduced the rest of the Town but for the help of three ships that came into their assistance from Cochin that preserved the rest and beat the Turks out of what they had already got The Portuguais in defence of them and the Nations have built two strong Forts the one in the sea the other that commands all passages by Land but the Natives having often fallen upon them to their own losse are now the Spaniards good friends according unto Articles and Agreements made between them The Inhabitants of Cambaye are strict observers of many superstitious customs they will not eat with a Christian although they visit them often if you touch their meat they think themselves polluted and this they have from the Guzerates in which they are more rigidly superstitious than the Jews themselves Those of any quality eat upon silken carpets diversly colour'd and to preserve their silks serve the dishes upon green leaves they are temperate in their diet and drink of severall sorts of liquors and they mingle some Areca to them all a fruit very common in the India's it is also held very wholesom preserves them and cures them of several diseases it preserves the teeth strangely for the Inhabitants are never troubled with any pains or aches in them women are there in very great esteem especially the great Ladies who never stir out of their houses some delight themselves never to see day light and are served all by candle light The whole Countrey is inhabited by Gentills and Guzerates The justest the most reasonable and religious of the East according to the ancient Pythagorean rule they never feed upon any living Creature whatever their chiefest food is rice white and black milk cheese garden stuffe and the like they do wrong to no persons nay they spare the bloud and lives of their mortallest enemies the Countrey towards Rasigut produces great store of Turkey stones of Storax Cornelians red and white This Kingdom extends it self towards South-east and the Sea Southward Westward it buts upon Guzerate Eastward are the lands of Mandao and Paleucate and Northward it reaches unto Sangan Dulcinde and the Territories of the Grand Mogull Through this kingdom runs the famous River of Indus called Indus Inder or Schind and hath given her name to the whole Countrey and chiefly to Indostan and other neighbouring Countries which make up the India citerior her head springs forth of the Mountain Caucasus Paropamisus called at this day Naugracot and Vssonte and taking her course thorough many great Kingdoms is swel'd by many great Rivers that lose themselves in her and at last discharges her self into the Indian Sea at two several mouths near unto the Town of Cambaye Cambaye is a large and flourishing Town seated upon a River called by the Inhabitants Amondoua and separates the Provinces of Guzerate and Cambaye both making one Kingdom This Town stands a league from the Sea and about the same distance from the River Indus which affords her a haven in two places the chiefest is in a corner of the Town Northward and is so narrow that in case of necessity the ships may be chained in the harbour the ships come and go with the ebbe and flow and are often very numerous and 't is to be noted that the tides are weakest at the full of the Moon which is wonderfull and contrary to ours the reason thereof is not yet found out by any Naturalist The same happens in Pegu as we shall speak of hereafter This Town is one of the richest of the Orient built very stately at the Italian model and the passages leading to her strengthened by many forts The Portuguais have often endeavoured to possesse themselves of it being plentifully furnisht with all things necessary to mankind and here are most excellent fruits Here Diu provides her self with what she wants at home Cambaye and she being Confederates she produces the best Turbith Galanga Nardus Assa foetida and other drugs is rich in silks cottons rice and all sorts of seeds and abounds in precious stones and Jewels The Prince that governs is a Mahometan gives liberty of conscience to all his Subjects to the Christians Jews Idolaters his guard consists of 2000. horse and 3000 foot armed with bows and cimeters He keeps fifty Elephants taught to reverence him dayly and are sumptuously trapped and caparisoned upon dayes of publick shews or festivals their stable well and neatly furnished painted and well set forth and are fed in silver vessels and their grooms or Governours dresse them with great respect and humility
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
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
between the Towns of Sian and Tinco is the last in subjection to the Empire of Pegu towards the North having Westward the Province or kingdome of Tazatay Northward the kingdom of Carforan South Pegu and Eastward Cauchinchine situate upon a pleasant river that comes from the lake Daracan The countrey is temperate enough except in the extreme heats of Summer when they must of necessity travel by night Here they have a Myne of Diamonds which they call Geay besides those of Gold and Silver in abundance and of the purest in the East abundance of grain and fruits of all sorts and Palm-wine which they call Serolle The people are insolent and proud of make and fashion like the Persians the women exceeding beautiful more then in other parts but something lascivious and affecting the coversation of strangers They love to dance to the musick of their Pan and delight much in melody and banquets they wear their hair at length in knots and platted with silk ribbands very quaintly in divers manners with rings and jewels according to their quality For none but Princesses and Ladies of the better rank may wear Diamonds set in gold rubies and other stones are for the rest of the nobility whom they call Canubi amongst whom are comprehended the whole Militia of the King For the vulgar they wear bracelets and rings of silver tin brasse and Ivory neatly made and enamel'd with all colours and they hold the same custom I have observed in other places to break them all in token of mourning at the death of their kindred If any one will wear jewels above his degree he must agree with the Kings Officers to be rank'd in the Nobility for there as in other places all is carried by money The women affect to be courted wear their gowns slash'd like the French and go habited like our Europeans quite different from the other Indians Women of what degree or condition soever are obliged to nurse and suckle their own children Adultery is there punished with death for which cause there are divers will never marry that they may live with more liberty for maids and widowes are subject to no law without any dishonour neverthelesse and having taken their pleasure they may marry without any mark of infamy and if she have had children by any others each Father is bound to take his own and breed it When the King goes into the field whether to chase or war he hath a Van-guard of a hundred women who carry Crosse-bowes wherein they will shoot so directly they will hit the breadth of a peny they call them Memeytas and succeed one another for their portion Royal which is great and honourable which they gain'd for a signal service they performed for King Bugunda great Grandfather to Amaous who reigned in our time They have this place for their valour and fidelity and are excellent in all things they keep slaves and may wear jewels as the nobility of the first rank They attend the Prince in his wars as well as the gallantest Cavaliers of his Court and they are more welcome to the Prince at his Table then any other esteeming them for their magnanimity Sometimes for his recreation armed with skins of beasts covered with scales they will enter the Palace four and four and present the King with a civil combat with sword buckler and cask of wood and all with such grace that the King will leave both meat and drink to judge of the blowes and addresse for they combat in order and measure without missing a single step to the purpose like a dance well consorted And they have their Masters to instruct them in the use of all sorts of arms which they practice diligently When they have performed any noble act of dexterity or feat of arms they are assured of a chain of gold from the King they are all lodg'd in the Kings Palace There was one that performed a combat once with such grace boldnesse and dexterity that the King could not forbear but taking off her cask upon the field he kissed her before all the Court and put about her neck a chain he wore himself of rubies pierced in form of pearls and garnished at the ends with fauset diamonds of inestimable value opinion was that after the King had so blandished her and given her such a gift without doubt he would marry her She was indeed one of the most amiable Ladies of the Indies of twenty years age her skin admirably white her hair dis-shevel'd black as jet her name was Langir and I asking mine host who the maid was and if 't were probable the King would marry her smiling he told me in my ear 't was surmis'd she was sister to the Prince himself so passionately his Father Amaycan lov'd her Mother Acosrias who was so gallant and valiant that at wrastling she had not her match and that she threw all the strangers she wrastled with and if they took it with disdain she would strangle them in the place she was a Lady of perfect beauty and was unfortunately slain by a Lion whereupon the King her lover was violently grieved he buried her with royall obsequies and mourned with solemnity a long time abstaining some dayes from eating Areca or Betel being shav'd in sign of grief and sorrow In his huntings the King takes great pleasure to see these women shoot in their crosbows whence they will discharge three arrows at a time with such celerity and vigour that lighting upon a tree they strike themselves so deep that they are not to be drawn out They use also fire-locks and other arms wherein they are well exercised These women are not at liberty to marry without the Princes license who allows them not but to Favourites who at the same time have charge or office at Court or some other place for they never displace any There are other guards called the Viluaires who bear no more before the King than the bow made of Indian cane or Palm-wood which never breaks The servitors and domestick Officers of the Palace are called the Lambri who are for carriage of all necessaries to the Palace and serve likewise in war being honourably habited and armed with great Indian canes which they know how to manage very well and these take orders from the King The Prince is very powerfull both in Foot and Horse being provided alwaies of a thousand Elephants and fifty thousand Horse which are lesse but stronger than the Persian whereof he keeps divers races for the Country hath the fairest and most fertile herbage of the world and abounds in all sorts of commodities This King is tributary to the great Emperour to whom he payes yearly so many horses the best in the Indies being indefatigable in travaile he is likewise exceeding carefull and breedes them of an extraordinary manner getting Mares from Persia when there is a number of foles of foure or five moneths old
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
draughts of the principal townes in the Indies Persia and Tartary and had leave of the Vice-roy to draw the plots of as many more as he would his design being to compile them in a large volume and present it to the King of Spain but I understood afterwards that returning for Europe he died upon the sea of Scarbut and for that his Comerade had disgusted him he would not give him his memorials and draughts but by Testament bequeathed them to the Captain of the ship he was in Joseph Grogne a Portuguese esteemed a Jew though he dissembled the Christian The Memorials was a great losse for besides the draughts there was abundance of remarkable singularities he had noted in his travailes whereof the Captain made small account for that he had written them in French which he understood not and withall in an imperfect and bad character But the plots and draughts were excellently done and besides the deliniation of the towns he had drawn the inhabitants and their garments to the life I drew some my self though rudely which is not hard to compasse THE SECOND PART OF THE TRAVAILES OF VINCENT le BLANC IN AFRICA CHAP. I. A generall Description of AFRICA HAving left the East Indies as I said in the former part of this work towards the end and having taken the road of Africa Westward the first land we came on was the Isle of S. Laurence Before I relate the particulars either of this Isle or other places I have seen in Africa I conceive it not improper to draw a general Description of this third part of the Universe as well for that I have traversed it from one end to the other in three severall voyages as to shew the errour of modern Geographers who in their Maps of Africa have left out more then fifty kingdoms or Provinces of note as I sometime made appear to the late Mr. du Vair then chief President of the Province and afterwards Keeper of the Great Seale of France And first to take it from the streight of Gibraltar or rather from Porto Farina towards Tunes to the Cape Bona Esperanza the greatest extent from North to South there is found to be seventy degrees which are above two thousand leagues And from Cape-Verd to Cape de Guardafu or Guardafy from East to West there is near upon eighty Degrees which are about two thousand five hundred leagues of Teritory comprehending a space most prodigious such as our Europe is a very small matter in comparison of the greatest part lying betwixt the two Tropicks the rest on this side and beyond For from the kingdom of Budonell passing through the Negres lyes Eastward the Empire of Tombut or Tombotu by the Arabians called Iza containing thirteen large kingdomes watered by the famous River Nigrite or Niger with Senega a part of Guinee Melli and many other Countreyes as far as the Cape Verdi The people here so savage they scarce know how to speak so sordid they eat beast-entrailes uncleansed and so brutish they are more like ravenous dogs then men of reason The people toward the Western Coast are better civilized in the Provinces of Gavaga Azemay Galata by the Arabians called Abugazai or Zenaga and Azanaga and on the Coast of Cape-blanc where they drive a great trade in white salt Senega where the River Niger waters large territories abounds in Crocodills and fish with which it furnishes Budonel Meli Gago Guber Agades Cano Gazena or Cassena Zegzog Zanfara Burneo or Borno Gangara Gaoga and others where it reaches The kingdome of Gangara contains seven others as that of Borneo nine who to gain a single dominion have often come to Battell but in the end satiated with blood were constrained to agree again Then have you the kingdomes or Temian Daouma Medra Benin Gorbani Giafiar or Biafar Amas or Amasen which towards the South fronts Damula and Vangue lying towards the Zaire From Senega towards the North we find Scombaya Musmuda Zenera or Havia Gumea Guzula Hea Sus with others called the Whites of Africa who speak not Arabian but use the tongue of Songay as they term it Likewise the usuall Language in Nueâ—edia through the kingdomes of Terga Gaziga Lemta and Berdoa These people have a black or gray cloth hanging from their Turbith over their face that while they eat their mouth may not be seen which were a great incivility There are moreover the Countries of Guzulan Belu Benin Belbee Toga Afar Alates Crin Beni Gumi Muzali Abubenam Zuir Cazai Dura Zinzaler and others The vast kingdome of Fezor Morocco contains Agar or Agal Elebat Eris Geres Elcanus Elegazar or Elgezair with the kingdomes of Tâ—nes Bugie Constantine â—ipoli Telensin Tremesen Telche Teâ—esâ—e c. There is here a River which issuing from the bowels of Africa passes through many countries and threads Fesse where it seâ— three hundred and threescore mill-wheels of extraordinary compasse at work and gliding from thence under Miquinâ— and Elcassour throwes it self in sea at Mamocre under Arache little distant from Arzille Towards Tombut and Meli on the other side Senega lyes the wide-stretcht kingdome of Gago the King whereof is highly potent compelling in a manner adoration from his people who how great soever speak not to him but on knees holding in their hand a cup of sand which they cast on their head while they prostrate before him and retire without tergiversation He affords not audience to his subjects but at certain houres morning and evening and when they are found guilty in any crime he chastises them with confiscation of goods and sale of their wives and children for slaves to strangers The two great Rivers Niger or Gambra and Senega Wash a very great part of the country overflowing in the same sort and times as Nile doth Budomel which is in like manner a River of the same denomination as the country it travailes through unites it self with Gambra and the kingdome of Melli is upon a branch of Senega environed with dismal deserts and impenetrable Forests This river on the North and South is banked with the Deserts of Gilolef and Jalofel on the West it hath the vast Forest of Abacara and Gago on the West Next you come to Guber Mount Chigi or Gigi or Sierra de Meleguete then Guinga or Guinee or Guinoy These people are all black like quenched coles Salt in the kingdome of Gago is more precious then gold which there abounds as likewise Fruit and Cattle Guber abutts Northward on Cano Eastward on Zeger or Zegzeg a woody and desert country peopled with an infinite heard of beasts In these Deserts you meet with Cassena then drawing towards the Cape of bona Esperonza You enter upon the kingdomes of Benin and Zanfara under the Equatour well inhabited containing in length two hundred and forty leagues where from mid May to the middle of August it rains for the most part and almost constantly from noon till mid-night as I have
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
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
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
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
come by the streights of Hudscas Davis Forbisher and others which are thought to crosse to the Orientall and Tartarian sea but here they appear rather gulphs and arms of the Sea then streights Then we come to the Lands of Estotiland Labrador Cortereal New France or Canada and Bacaleos Norembeck Virginia New Nideoland or the New-Low-Countries Florida and New Spain or Mexico as well the old as new and the lands above new Granada Mar Vermeio California Quiuira or new Aâ—bion and Anian to the famous Streight of land or sea of the same name which joynes or divides North Asia or high Tartarie from this part of America And 't is probable that this way for many Ages men and beasts have passed who have peopled this new World whether from China Tartarie Moscovia and other places or as farr as Scandia or from elsewhere carried by the windes cast up by shipwrack or coming upon designe or for ease of people alwayes growing onward But this dispute I leave to be decided by better abilities being out of my reach and no part of my design South America from Jucatan Honduras and Nicanagua to the Streight of Panama proceeds by Vraba Dariena Castilia Dor Venesusla Paria Cabagna Cumana Curibana and further up into the famous Land of Guinea then comes the vast Territory or Coast of Brasile of above 1000 leagues Patagona and Chica to the Streights of Magellan and Maire and at last ascending towards the South-sea by Chila and Peru to the Isthmus of Mannama As for the Parts southward beyond the Streights towards the Land of Fou or Queinos to the Isles of Salomon new Guinea and others 't is not yet knowne what they are As to the Discovery of this New World leaving that common question If our Ancestors had any knowledge of it t was first made by Columbus in the yeare 1492. afterwards successively by Americus Vespasius Cabot Cortercall Cupral Verazan Cortez Pisarra and at last by Sir Francis Drake Sir Walter Rawley Forbisher Davis Hudson and others Towards the Lands of Labrador and Canada one Captaine Velasco a Spaniard passing that way entred the river of Canada or St. Laurens and taking it for an Arme of the Sea having a faire winde sayl'd up about 200 leaugues where he found many Townes and Villages inhabited by people called Piperones of an extraordinary stature as ten foote high or more people kinde enough and tractable spending their time only in hunting and fishing their ordinary diet milke and cheese Upon a Sunday coming on shore to celebrate Masse there came innumerable Savages to admire our Sevice and Ceremonies as a thing altogether new to them They presented the Spaniards abundance of sheep Kids and goats and they might have taken off the common what Cows and Cattel they would A people otherwise not very Military but exceeding simple and use Barkes like the Brasilian Canoes The Captaine in gratuity gave to the cheife of them a handsome sword and dagger who by signes let him understand he had nothing to returne him but 50 Cows and 200 sheep desiring him to accept them for accomodation for his company Part of them he took and gave him a Coate of Azure Tafeta which he highly esteemed and admir'd and went confidently abord them with a score of his men and at severall times came little boats loaded with fruit which this Lord had provided to present the Captain with at his departure he fired some Cannons which strangely amazed these poor people who thought the World at an end they go cloath'd with skins commodiously sew'd together In the Land of Labrador and beyond Northward are abundance of Mountains and Forrests where there are numbers of wilde beasts and amongst others huge beares and great Griffins all white which are nothing like those of the East or Africa which are gray only a little red under the belly but both of them have but two feet and not foure as they are painted They have also Partridges and other sorts of birds all white A little higher lies the frozen sea which some say is not a sea frozen but land covered with ice An Indian one Irica told me that in his youth he had been in the Land of Labrador which the Natives call Vchacara which borders on a Countrey called Alfringa and that crossing from Province to Province he saw seas of Vast extent all frozen and the people assur'd him t was not a Sea but Land covered with fresh water-ice a thing hard to be credited They have not any Townes but Villages where on little hills they live in timber houses covered with hides of Beifes and other beasts The people are Whites kinde and affable This Coast extends to the space of 400 leagues there is a large river they call de tres Hermanos which some Spanish were about to crosse but could not for snows Some imagine here is a streight that goes into the Orientall sea others that t is an Arme of the sea only Some take this for the river Rio Neuado which on one side coasts this Countrey for 200 leagues on the other side to the Bay of Maluas and by the Gulph Merosco lyes the Isle of Devills so called because they hold it to be haunted with spirits as many of the eastern Islands are as I observed in another place There are Tawnies amongst them they weare in their eares rings of gold and silver their cloaths lin'd with Martins and other furrs amongst them there live some Britains and English men Next lies the Countrey called Bacaleos or Bacca-Lao so called from our fishing for Codds there to which the Seamen give that terme That place is so thronged with this sort of fish that sometimes they cumber a Vessell in sayling The coast from thence to Florida is about 900 l. The Country is cold like Flanders and under almost the same climate The people are Idolaters and bruitish void of civility except along the shore where the French inhabit there they live better and eat not mans flesh as the rest round about them do They live in obedience to one they elect out of the most potent amongst them many Islands adjacent are possessed by the French Not far from thence lyes the Countrey called Chicora the people whereof are of extraordinary size they wear their hair down to their girdle the women much longer They believe the immortality of the soule and that after death they transmigrate to a better Countrey than their own They keep stocks of tame Deer which they drive to pasture as we do Cows and Oxen from them they make excellent cheese which mingled with a sort of clouted cream is a very delicate dish The English say the land of Bacalaos was first discovered by one Cabor sent thither by Henry the 7. King of England to which the Spaniards consent not much lesse the French who trafick'd here long before any other Nation Chicora lyes upon the Continent a little above Bacalaos and according to some is
East comes the great River Maragnon and on the West lyes the Province of Gouacabilcas the capital whereof is Guayaquil then Porto Veio where are good Mines as I shall relate hereafter The Province of Santiago is South under the Equinoctial containing Porto de Passao the River S. Jaques Tamebamba point S. Ellen Valley of Chaga Mount Christo Cheramica Manta Sapil and other towns Their houses are of timber covered for the best part with Tortota a fort of reeds whereof they make many uses Then comes the Province of Caxamolca from the town of Traxillo to Gouancabanca and it may be fifty leagues over In this country Pizaro took King Atabalipa Then followes the Province of Casio with a town-royall of the same name fenced with divers walls 13. degrees to the South the Countrey is cold and mountainous but the valleys fertile The principal Nobility of the Empire resided here who held long ears for a grace and beauty for the hanging of many jewels whence the Spaniards called them Oreiones the most magnificent in Peru. East lye the mountains of Andes There are the Canches and Ayauires great Souldiers The chief Towns are Houtoncana Chicano Cachahurara The Inhabitants of all these parts go cloathed and neighbour upon the Province of Collao the largest of all having the Andes on the East on the South Suchiabo The principal Towns are Culy and Chilane Acos Pamoura Pomata Cepita and Tiquanaco and reaches to Carocoles 'T is a flat Countrey and hath many rivers and the great lake of Titicata that is the Isle of Lead because within it is an Island that yeilds lead 't is 80. leagues in compasse and in some places is so many fathoms deep many rivers fall into it and it again discharges into another called the Oulagas The last Province of Peru neighbouring to Chila is called Charcas in which as the Town of Plata the Capital where the famous mines of Porco and Potossi are Potossi of four or five houses built at first to fine their mettal by degrees is grown a fair Town in 2â— and 22. degrees where notwithstanding the sterility of the Countrey all commodities abound by reason of the rich mine of such power and attraction is wealth Next to Charcas is the Province of Chila which they hold to be 500. leagues over to the Streight 'T is an admiration to observe the quality of Peru on this side For here there is but one wind not that which in the Torrid universally blowes Eastward as we said but this is South and Southwest without which 't were not to be inhabited for the drynesse of the place but this wind renders it very healthfull for 't is to be observed that in this Countrey it never rains snows or thunders nor any thing that may refresh it but this wind alone effects it On both sides of the Countrey are the high Mountains Cordilleras productive of fair trees and there as in other places they have variety of weather hot cold rain snow and on both sides the mountains are bare and cold in extremity This Countrey is long and narrow composed of plains mountains and valleys The plains are by the Sea-coast on the other side the Mountains are reasonable good but some hungry enough The plain may be of thirty or fourty miles broad from West to East and holds the length from North to South And 't is strange that in some parts they never have any rain and in others more than they wish for being but fourty or fifty Leagues distant In the plains then it never rains all they ever have is a dew which is so slender it never wets at all Their houses are covered with straw or reeds In the mountains they feed on those wild-goats that have the Besar stone They have likewise store of sheep and cows which they call Guanacos and Pacos abundance of Apes and Munkeys making most exotick faces upon passengers some you shall see chattering their teeth others scratching their bellies here one running with three or four young ones under her armes there another upon a tree that stirs nor at all but the mischief is if we carry them out of their own air they die immediately Besides there are infinite Parrots upon the trees that never shun the passengers but the young ones for fear thrust the head under the Mothers wing and if we take one of these without the Mother they dye immediately Some valleys are better than others as those of Yneay Andagaylas and those that run up to Cusco the Town-Royall heretofore great and populous now ruined by the Spaniards The Cordilleras mountains of a thousand leagues long where they divide and separate compose the large Campania of Collao The Countrey towards Titicata is barren without either bread or wine but the inhabitants live upon a root called Papas which they dry and make a course bread of it called Choignos the Countrey neverthelesse populous for the heards of cattle goats and sheep it breeds There is abundance of venison partridges and other sorts of game The vales of Charcas yield good ground and the Mountains are rich in Mines The reason they have no rain in some parts is want of matter for exhalation there being nothing but sand and neither Rivers nor Fountains There are some draw-wells of excessive depth it being impossible to derive water from other parts for the interposition of the mountains Besides there blowing no wind but one without any other to oppose it that can engender no vapours Where the Mountains are not so very high there they have sometimes rains as at Arica Arequipa and some other places Notwithstanding the other parts where it rains not by means of the wind are fertilized even to wonder and grasse grows through the sand which feeds the Cattle exceedingly as it doth near Lima where grasse grows on a Mountain entirely sand In May when we first begin to feel heats in Europe in Peru they are extream cold where the Toumacaui reigns as at Potossi and through all the Countrey of Charca as 't were the heart of Peru a wind more cold and piercing than any in Flanders and at Potossi is indurable though the Mountain be higher than Nostre Dame de la garde at Marseills or Mount Martre at Paris there is a lesse Mountain at the side of it called Guayna Potossi or young Potossi both of a colour red without any verdure The air is very intemperate either hot or cold in extremity so as an hermit would scarce live there yet the ambition of gold and silver makes it pleasant to every one The Mines were first discovered by Indians amongst whom one acquainted his master Villaroel a Spaniard who became Lord of it paying the fifth to his King about 1545. One of the wonders of Peru nay of the whole earth is the Mountain Perlaca where the air is so cold thin and piercing that it causes passengers to vomit to that extremity they bring up bloud and
held the Spaniards in play with good order and military discipline they had learnt of one Lanearo an Indian sometime page to Valdiuia and afterwards revolted against him This Arauco is a small division in Chila not above ten leagues in length and seven broad upon the Sea-side and breeds the most warlike people of the Indies upon which account the Spaniards stiled it El estado in domito wherein are contained the vales of Ponco Purto Tucapol Angol Cauten c. and the Towns of the Conception and the Imperiall In 1599. the Arucans took and demolished the Town and Fort Valdiuia and others putting all the Spaniards to sword man woman and child and sacked and burnt all and had repossessed the rest of the Country had they not been repulsed This constant war with the Araucans gave occasion to the famous Poet Alonzo de Ercilla to make his Poem the Auracana where he describes the Countrey and their war with the Spaniard and begins with this vanity truely poetical and Romantick Spaniard-like No Las damas Amor no gentilezas Di cavalieros canto enamorados Ni las Maestras regales y ternezas De amorosos a feijos y cay dados Mas el valor los huecos las proesas De aquelles Espagnoles esbercadòs Que a la cermi de Arauco no do madae Pasieron duro y ago per la espada Here I observe a singularity amongst these people in election of their Chief or Captain Generall who is the man that can carry longest a great tree like a date tree upon his shoulders as one Canpolican who was chosen did for three dayes together without the least rest CHAP. XV. Of the streight of Magellan FRom Chila the next is the streight of Magellan of about 100. leagues in length and not much more in breadth or any waies which is not to be survey'd till you are well within the land The tides are strong and dangerous principally from the South sea by reason of the narrow entrance in the mouth and a multitude of rocks and mountains before the mouth of it which render the passage hard to find and being but a little out at sea one can perceive nothing of it so as you must go cast about with the cock-boat though otherwise you know the way and the true heighth which is about 52. degrees There is one very high Mountain hard upon the mouth called la campana being in form like a bell The shallowest place is fifteen or twenty fathoms and a very good bottom The South sea enters thirty leagues within amongst very high Mountains covered with snow the North sea enters it seventy leagues on the other side where they find bottoms in many places as on the contrary on the South side the depth is such no ship can ride at anchor On the North side there are expatiate plains and champians upon the firm land and divers Rivers that fall into this streight shaded with odoriferous trees which shews the goodnesse of the soyle It containes some Islands not to be ventured on without discretion The Inhabitants on the South side are exceeding little on the North of Gyants stature whom in Magellan they call Paragous for their great feet they clothe with skins of sheep and other beasts for the rigidnesse of the Climate These are a people without civility law or policy wandring up and down without any certain abode reposing in Cabins and no other arms than bow and arrows when we speak to them and they understand not the language they lift their eyes to heaven They live upon flesh dried in the Sun enemies to none but give themselves wholly to chase and fishing This Streight is vexed with forcible tides from both sides which like two Cells encounter with a most obstreperous fragour where the danger is great and chiefly in winter when the winds rage there with more violence for the Streight is never free from winds no not in summer divers vessels perish in crossing the Rocks which seem an Archipelagus of Islands both those on the South-sea-side and those which come from Lima. The immense depth on the South side renders the sea more navigable and on the North the length of the fall breaks the force of the waves so as there is no great danger but in the narrowest and in some places of not above a musket shot In the winter the Sea is higher than in Summer and the passage wider notwithstanding the sailing is nothing more secure by reason of the crosse winds and colds Some are of opinion that the Tides do not meet at the same time but as it flowes on one side it ebbs on the other by a locall remotion of the sea but they are deceived for 't is certain that the floud comes in and goes out on both sides at the same time like as the boyling of a pot rising from the center disperses to all parts and cooling ceases all together this hath been proved by experience that at the same time the floud came thirty leagues form the South and seventy from the North the Sea swelling from both parts as the Pilots observed following the course of the Moon the Tides augmenting or diminishing according to her state the Tide and Ebbe coming sooner or later by three quarters of an hour daily conformable to the course of that plannet The Spaniards call the high-tide at the new-moon Cabeza de aguas the tide at the full Aguas viuas the low tides in the wane Aguas muertas This so admirable motion of the Sea seems rather a combat or like the boiling of water in a pot over a fire then a locall remotion which neverthelesse I refer to Naturalists The streight begins Northward at the Cape of eleven thousand Virgins as Magellan called it and ends Southward at Cape Victoria in the middle stood the Towne and Fortresse of St. Philip which afterwards the Inhabitants perishing with hunger and cold was called the Port of Famine The first that passed this streight was Ferdinand Magallanes a Portuguese who had both heard and seen something of it in their cards 'T was in 1519. when he went to find a road to the Moluccas that way for Charles the fifth Afterwards one Pedro Sarmicates passed the streight from North to South from South to North few passe for the danger and difficulty to find the way Since that the famous Argonautes who went round the world by Sea as Sir Francis Drake in one thousand five hundred seventy nine Candish in one thousand five hundred eighty five Oliuier de Nort in one thousand five hundred ninety nine and of fresher memory Spilberg le Maire Hermita and others But le Maire in 1618. a little further in some fifty six or fifty seven degrees towards the South found the new Streight called by his own name much shorter and much easier than the other not being above eight leagues in length and the breadth wide and facile the Spaniards came thither afterwards and gave it the name
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
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
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
from him and safely accomplish my intended journey Thus we took our way for Zibit accompanied with severall Christians and other Merchants we Inn'd the first night at a little village called Ferragous where we were but ill accommodated the next day we came to Outor a Castle noted by some travellers not far remote from the red Sea There is a deep well whence they draw water with a wheel turned round by a yoke of Bulls the water was sharp and hard but nothing brackish necessity made us like it at two leagues from Outor we left the most part of our company they took the right hand the ready way to Ziden and we followed our tract for the Happy Arabia and reached a Town called Gaza and thence to Zibit Thus we left the desert to enter the Happy Arabia which is a Peninsula between the red and the Persick Sea scituate under the Tropick Cancer her length is from the Soltania of Sanna towards the red Sea unto Agior towards the Persick gulf or the Elcatif Sea so called by the Arabians I have often travelled there for trade sake and have visited most of her Towns this Arabia is of large extent divided into fair Provinces and Kingdoms We arrived at Zibit a Town of Soltania in the Company of a Jewish Merchant native of Alibenali a great Province of Arabia and married at Zibit he lodg'd us in his own house finding he could make a gain of us accompanying us where ever we would go carrying with him on horse-back things to refresh us being a man versed in the customs of the Countrey and some reason he had to be kind to us for I am sure my camarade was so to his wife she advised her husband to be thus familiarly assistant to us and he offered me a Daughter of his in marriage beleeving my Camarade to be my Father Zibit is five leagues from the red sea there is a Haven where ships are laden and unladen and from this place commodities are transported from the India's to Ziden Suez and other places From Ziden we went to Aden from thence thorough all the Provinces of Arabia trading and visiting the chiefest and fairest Townes and Kingdomes Although there be but one great Prince named Sequemir or Sechemir chief Commander of the fairest Provinces of the Happy Arabia yet there are severall Lords that acknowledge some the Persian others the Turke The King of Bacharin or Bescharin the nearest to Persia was not many yeares since subdued by the Sophy and was likely to have given Lawes unto Elcatif had not the Inhabitants of Erit and other Neighbours opposed him with a considerable Army composed of the people of Massa or Maffa Fartac Mascalat Amazarit Jurmalamam Gubelaemam Machyra or Macyra Suza and others This army had for their General the Sultan of Sanna that commanded the Van the Sultan of Elcatif the rear and gave a notable blow to the Persian with whom since they have made a peace and have thus preserved themselves The Soltania of Tabubari is not now governed by the Sechemir but by the Turk that subdued it in the last warre against the Persian this countries sand is very different from that I have seen in other places being as black as a coale and not so troublesome to travellers being something heavier and firmer upon this countries hills you find great store of Frankincense of Storax and Beniamin growing upon trees and other sweet gummes and persons are purposely appointed to gather them all this country is properly called Sabaea so famous in ancient times There growes great store of Olive trees Myrrhe Aloes Cinnamon and Cassia trees in abundance Falcons Sparhawkes and other birds feede thereupon and an innumerable company of flies bred out of the corruption of the Cassia causes so great an inconvenience as the Arabians are forced to burne part of it and in some other places they gather it not because being remote from the sea the Portage would stand them in more then the value of the Commodity though in many great Towns they use much of it where by reason of their greate heats they distill or melt the juice out of the canes and drink it I observed that the inhabitants of Arcora Ara Teza Samacara and of other Townes and places delighted much in this kinde of drinke which not only refreshed them but loosened them also and in the Townes of Andrivara Lagi and Dante it is the ordinary drinke used the summer time The fruite of this tree being ripe hath an unsavory sweet tast Apes and Squirells flock to it to feed and another beast called Masari those of Fez call it Chicali not much unlike a Fox a beast that unburies the dead to feed upon their carcasses they creepe up the trees shake down the fruit and make a great spoyle it is that sweetnesse that engenders those flyes we have already mentioned which were no small trouble to us passing by This Arabia is full of faire great Townes whether by reason of Traffick Merchants come from all parts as are Taesa Cana Asigni and Kada where is kept the Sequemirs principall Magazine or store house The chiefest haven and the nearest to this side of the Countrey is Pecher in the Soltania of Fartac whither those of Bangale Baticala Dabul Cambaye and Malabar bring their commodities to Bartar for Aromatick Drugges which in that Countrey are most excellent but the Jewes that inhabit those places are such cheates they sophisticate all that comes thorough their hands it is a particular trade to gather the Frankinsence Storax Benjamin and Mastick that harvest is got in July during the dog-dayes for then the trees are in their perfect ripenesse they gather some in other seasons but by a different manner making an incision in the tree towards spring from those holes runs forth a licquor or gumme which thickens of it selfe and is of a reddish colour but not so strong nor good as the other nor of so great a value the gumme that issues from the young trees is whiter then that is gathered from the old ones they have Myrrhe trees too but what of that is brought in to our parts is compounded and falsified all the Myrrhe that the Kingdom of Ciussimi or Elcatif affords is for the Sequemirs own use being the most perfect and the purest what the Prince uses not he sells and is therefore called Sequemir Pure and is sold at Naban Quesibi Naziri Carmon Liva-Orba Lanua-Orba Costague Manabon Batan Caybir Jague Aloron and in other places in the furthest parts of Arabia in the kingdom of Anna through which runs the river Cosan or Cosara very swift and loses her self in the Persick sea near the mouth of Euphrates CHAP. VII Of the state of Sequemir Prince of the Happy Arabia of his Salsidas and of the Califf of Bagdet SEquemir whom we have spoken of is supreme Lord of almost the whole Arabia Felix and is called
Sequemir as you may say Holy Lord for his goodnesse and clemency because he puts none to death except prisoners of warre but when a person hath committed a crime he keeps him fetter'd in prison during life without debarring him from the sight of the Sunne saying that God hath liberally distributed that light to all persons without exception there have been twenty thousand prisoners in irons at one and the same time His Court is stately and magnificent he hath a great number of men devoted to his service who freely offer up their lives for him at his command believing they go streight to heaven dying for their Prince They relate of a Turkish Emperour returning home from the Persick war through this country desired the sight of the Prince Sequemir and of his Salsidas or Saldridas for so his devotes were called having visited him in his towne of Samacara capital of that country after many Caresses and a Princely entertainment he desired the sight of his Salsidas and a proof of that great love and fidelity they bore unto their Prince Sequemir called some of them in and only spoke these words Amissi Barou and instantly four of them threw themselves out of the window and more of them attempting it were hindred by the Grand Seignior satisfied with the proof he had already made which he held so admirable that he demanded twelve of them to take back into his Country which the Sequemir willingly granted and being asked whether they would have as great an affection for a new Master and if they would as willingly dye for him as for their old Lord one of them made answer to the Turk if our Prince commands us to dye for thee we are from this very instant ready to obey him The Turk told them in time he should have need of them and that he would preserve them and esteem them his best friends and taking them away with him he maintained them handsomely and near his person but after the death of the Turkish Emperour they all returned back to their old Master esteeming it the greatest happinesse and safety to be near unto that Prince They accompany him yearly to Meka upon the three and twentieth of May to celebrate their great feast of Romadan Sequemir wears alwayes a sheeps-skin before and behind in imitation of Saint John Baptist who is there in great respect and honour he travels a foot with his whole Court yet his Courtiers go as they please carrying their wives and other trains upon able and good horses This King is Lord of the Soltania's of Fertac Siligni Dâ—efar and other places he was once Master of the entire happy Arabia but the Turk and the Persian have got several Provinces from him his chief residence is at Almacarama or Samacara a town very strong and impregnable scituate upon the top of a high hill but two wayes leading unto it and those craggy and easily maintained against the foe the town is big and well peopled and full of Nobility and Gentry there he keeps his treasure and his women this Prince cannot be made King but by the consent of the Califf of Bagdet likewise as the Prince of Mefra in pursuance of an ancient Law for that Califf though at present retaines nothing but the bare name yet keeps his ancient and undoubted right to elect and confirm the Kings of Assyria Arabia and others and Soliman himself passing through Babylon for form-sake was installed by his hand Next unto the Sequemir are severall Officers as the Gouvera Armicahir Almiracher the Cayet the Sidibir the Admimia the Bosoldar Amiseriech the Tababait and several others the Tacay Pacou is Master of the house CHAP. VIII Of Babylon the red sea Homerites Aden a strong Town and famous Haven Cameran and other places in the red sea WE travel'd stil through Arabia from town to town venting and trucking our commodities with an earnest desire to reach Persia all the towns of Arabia are fair ones and yield a great revenue to the Sequemir between Zidem and Zibit there are several and well peopled and from thence to Aden many more Zibit is not so near Aden as by some shee is said to be as they relate Dalatia in Aethiopia to be opposite to Meka and they stand three hundred leagues asunder This Arabia joynes to Persia Northward and the way thither lyes through Taeza Sanna Soufar Erit Almacara and other towns Almacara stands upon a hill but Eastward upon Gaza a bigge town and well inhabited where there is weekly a Fair or Market kept by night by reason of the heats and there all sorts of Merchandizes are exposed to sale perfumes especially The Nobility of the Country affect much to eat Ambar Musk and other sweets the Soudan of Aden subject to Sequemir spends yearly six thousand Duccats therein for his self wife and family their kitchins may be taken for perfumers shops so sweet and odoriferous The Red Seas coast towards Aden is thick of good towns and well traded and among the Merchants are many thieves which you must have a care on you see the towns called Ahra Damican Coubita Erit Aridan Magora Rabon Salta and others with many villages subjects to the Sequemir who commands six Soltania's or kingdomes all fill'd with good towns upon the Sea side grow store of reeds or Canes which in time make little Islands rendring the landing difficult and from thence the Hebrewes call that Sea Souf which signifies a reed Caravanes come to a town called Albir or Debir and there load their wares they carry unto Babylon as we found several travelling thither I intreated one of them to furnish me with as many Maps of the chiefest cities he could conveniently for I was very desirous of them and amongst the rest he procured me the Mappe of Babylon or Bagdet printed upon a Cotton which Mappe is made in a kinde of ceremony when the Sequemir receives his Crown and blessing from the Califf of Bagdet as the most ancient of Meka and to instruct him in his way they delineate Samacara from whence he sets forth for Babylon he goes through Byr then in twelve dayes reaches Falouchia in a flat boat from thence to Babylon in one day more As we were making sale of our commodities with intention to visit the East India's amongst other things we got some pieces of Velvet which we had in exchange for our wares I shall by the way advise those who intend to make the voyage of Arabia to store themselves with great horse bits for that is a commodity goes off there at a good rate you may make your own price not exceeding ten Duccats a piece Thus we travelled through Sanna passing through many fine towns as Adimar one of the fairest of all Arabia with intention to passe over into the Isle of Cameran where were three Portugais vessels bound for Calicut but we had so ill a passage that we altered our resolutions and sailed
fro through very many towns and countries of Persia I could not so exactly remark the dayes journies nor the distances order or proceed of the voyage by reason of my youth I will content my self to discover a view of the country as faithfully and exactly as my memory will serve And first I will affirm that Persia called Azemia Azimir and Farsi is a vast Empire extending from the confines of Turky towards Armenia betwixt the River Tigris and the Persick or Elcatiff Sea The Caspien or the Bachu the Indian and the river Chesel anciently Jaxartes Westward 't is bounded by the Turkish Empire Eastward it lyes upon the kingdome of Samarcant the Empire of the Grand Mogul and Cambaye Northward upon the Caspian Sea Southward upon the great Indian Sea towards the desert Carmania and Guzarate This Empire containes many great Provinces or rather kingdomes and a great number of fair and flourishing Towns and Cities having ever continued famous since the first settlement under the Grand Cyrus two thousand two hundred years since untill it was possessed by the Grecians and Parthians and since she returned unto the natural Persians about the year of Grace two hundred they kept it many ages untill about foure hundred years since the Sarasins and Mahometans obtained it and have kept it ever since by many changes and diverse races of Kings and Lords Arabians Sarasins Parthians Turks and natural Persians and by the last settlement of the Sophyes not many yeares since The chiefest Provinces are Sequel pech formerly Susiania Chirmania or Carmania Struan or Media Corozan Zagathay or Hircania and the Bactriane Jex or Parthia Guzerat or Gedrosia then Arac Podel Iselbas Sigestan Sablestan Chabul Candahar and others The chiefest rivers are the Euphrates or Aforat the Tigris Araxes or Arasse Oxus and others Euphrates hath upon her banks many fair towns as Babylon where inhabit a great number of Christians as likewise at Mazestan Astmosia Artasara Tunisse perbent and elsewhere who freely exercise their religion being tributary to the Prince Northward are the famous town of Giett six days journy from Solstania Saban Comer Cozan Egex Jelli Sengan Maluchia Scio Mesen Ere Then towards the Persick gulph stands Guerdi upon the river Bindinimar or Bindamach and going up the river you discover Marous Viegan Maain Sana in Media are Tauris Rip Sidan Estrana Barbariben Bacchat Madranelli Samachi and others then the Royal townes of Soltania Espahan Casbin Siras without reckoning many other towns upon the river Benmir called by the Russes Bragadet where they trade much in cloth of gold silver and silk Thither they repair from all parts of the world for that trade as from the Indies Aethiopia Arabia Aegypt Turkie Tartary and other countries which yields a great profit to the Sophy of Persia We ran through most of these towns making but short stayes but better profit of our small commodities Babylon or Bagdet so famous and formerly the eye and marvail of all the Eastern towns scituate upon the great Euphrates Erat and Aforat which was fifty miles about there is nothing remaining at this day of that ancient town but the ruines since a total destruction given her by the Sarazens about 900. years since and instead of her upon the other side of the Euphrates some four leagues distant upon the current of the Tigris and Euphrates is built the town of Bagded or at this day the new Babylon whither the remains of the ancient were transported into a town formerly named Seleucia by the Califf Almanzor or Elmantzur It lyes Northward upon Armenia Westward upon the desert Arabia upon the happy Southward and Eastward upon Persia the Tigris washes her walls upon the other side is a pleasant village with a bridge of boats rising and falling with the flow and ebbe in this Burrough is the Fair kept and here inhabit most of the Merchants who trade freely The town is large and full of Merchants well rounded both with walls gardens and Arable land There was a strong Castle well provided with Artillery where a Bassa then Lieutenant General for the Turk lived but since the Persian regained it of the Turk having ever been subject to the Persian untill it was reduced by Soliman the magnicent who caused himself to be crown'd King by the Califf living there at this present day but without any power retaining the name onely and some rights to receive and crown the Emperours of Assyria There goes from this town monethly Caravaneâ— to all parts of the world In lieu of floats they transport their commodities down the river upon goat skins blown then they load the skins upon Camels for service again at need They say that the tower of Babel so much spoken of stood in a plain some two leagues off that she was three thousand paces about and that her foundation is onely at this day seen upon a hill covered with her ruines a Merchant that had seen the place related unto me that the Tower was built with a clay or earth so strongly cimented that endeavouring to take up a piece he could not and that there was a bed or course of that earth first laid then another of reeds platted like a matte not at all decayed but strong beyond imagination He told me he had passed over the lake of pitch proceeding from a great precipice which they trade withall into diverse places and that the great town of Nineve and the walls of Babylon were built with this Bitumen they burn of it in Holland instead of Turf for it casts a great light this lake or river of pitch is between Babylon and another town called Nane whence springs this pitch distilling out of a rock in several clefts and so plentifully especially at the full of the Moon that it is both strange and terrible from thence those springs disgorge themselves into this lake of their own composing Marriners thereabouts make use of it to calk their ships The inhabitants believe it to be Hels mouth 'T is the Bitumen or soft sulphurous mould so much spoken of by the ancients which they made use of and do to this very day instead of chalk I remember I have seen the like in Albema a Region in the Indies which the Inhabitants and neighbours thereunto burn in Torches which yields so black thick and ill-sented a smoak that the very birds flying over are giddyed therewith and fall down dead In Cuba an Isle in the West-Indies is such pitch towards the Cape Magdalen in the country of Aute and Province of Apalihen which Bituminous liquor flows upon the water with such a stink that often ships lost in their road by means of the sent retrive their way Euphrates and Tigris incorporate near Babylon and both run into the Persick sea near Balsora a town of great trade fifteen miles distant from the main sea The Town of Bagded or Babylon is divided into four quarters Precincts or
Wards and in time of war or troubles the four States or Councels withdraw themselves into their respective limits and call their Councels and he that hath best advised makes it out to the Councel that his advice is most necessary and useful injoyes royal liberty of freedom without paying taxe assessement or imposition what lands soever he be possessed of He is much esteemed and respected by the Prince being ever after freely admitted unto the general Councel which is held annually for the kingdomes good and welfare This is also an observation as in many townes in Persia which inclines the people very much to the study of Astronomy divination and all sorts or kinds of Philosophy that may make them wise and prudent and understanding they are much given to vertues chastity only excepted being a large and lascivious people the women in these countries are the fairest and the sweetest in the whole world which verifies the Proverb a Persian woman and horse CHAP. XII Of the Town of Tauris Sumachia Bachat Casbin and some of the chiefest places of Persia FRom Babylon we passed through all the other towns of Persia the chiefest whereof I will only mention as Tauris in Media a great town and full of Merchants some take her for the ancient Ecbatanes a Royal town belonging to the primitive Kings of Media it hath been several times taken and retaken by the Turks and Persians untill 't was strongly maintained by the Persian since the last battailes given by the Persian to the Turk she was lost when the King of Persia assisted Prince Zagathay which occasioned the revolt of a good part of his country contrived by his eldest son This King to recover his country and to ensnare his son devised a stratagem which was to report himself dead and caused his obsequies publickly to be celebrated concealing himself in the place his treasure was kept in hither his abused Son streight repaired was seized on and ended his dayes in prison after this the King with a great Army went to regain what he had lost of his dominions as Sequetpee Aremnia the towns of Siras and divers others upon the Euphrates Tigris and Araxes The town of Tauris hath been several times burnt and plundered in the several conquests she yielded unto she may be very near as great as London The Prince receives yearly great revenues by trade as well as from the Inhabitants for they are all tributary as also all artificers are acccording to their faculties and callings The Merchants that only passe through the town without making any stay pay for their commodities at the rate of five per centum for toll or custome or the rights of passage and if they are minded to stay in town they pay ten per centum but notwithstanding the height of the custome thither resort very many Merchants with all sorts of wares from all places as it were in spight they come from the Indies Africa Aethiopia Baldec Mosul Cremesol Cambalec Melusia Vaouta Decherin Saltamach Chelmodate Cotestan and from other parts of the world which brings an inestimable treasure to the Sophy Besides the many other towns that pay the like gabels and customs as Giac Soltania Jaban Comer Casera Erget all very rich Towns Then towards Cusistan the great City of Guerd upon the River Bindamar Virgan Marout Asana with Nain all iunumerably peopled Sidan Reib Estrana Barbarihen Samachir and in other parts Maluchia Sengan Sio Meson Ere and many more the Country being five hundred leagues over from Babylon to Corozan and from the Persick to the Caspian Sea all inhabited by people civilized yet most of them Mahometans of the Sect of Hali. A little above Tauris drawing towards the North and the bounds of Media stands Arbena or Derbent which they say was built and so named by Alexander the Great formerly called the Port of Caucase or Iberia because it is a strait of land or narrow passage between the Caspian Sea and the hills which hindred the Scythians entry upon Media since she is called Temircapi or Iron gate and Derbent which signifies a Strait and there be many Iron gates with a strong garrison to stop the Northern peoples passage as the Circassians Albanians Tartars and others Beneath Derbent stands Sumachia a rich Town and full of gentry then Bachat or Bacha another Town of great commerce upon the Caspian Sea and a most famous one being the nursery of the fairest women of all Persia and the Persian dames do far excell in beauty sweetnesse graces and are more taking than any Ladies in that part of the world and they have a proverb in Persia that he that hath a mind to see a fair and handsom woman must go to Bachat They are visited from all parts for they are of amiable complexions and there is a certain place in the Town called Gezempee whither most of the Curtizans do retire and are frequently visited by strangers The Jewes that inhabit this Town do carefully take up all the poor girles that have in any measure received natures favour they cloath them richly and lodge them in a large street near to that quarter called Machif which signifies a stews and make a great benefit of them they are all sumptuously lodged apparelled like Princesses and although they are poor yet they find friends that provide for them you spy them at the windows as at Rome their keeping open houses gives a free access unto all persons to trade with them yet for the most part they are married to rogues or mean conditioned people as Porters Car-men Butchers or Hangmen who often interrupt your entertainments or conversation with their rudenesse shewing themselves to be masters there I saw a Marseillian dame named Louysa Campane brought hither by her husband to keep a house she became so haughty and proud of her gallantry that a certain Merchant desirous to buy her favour at ten crowns price she threw it him out at the window very scornfully and yet was not of the ablest to live amongst them neverthelesse she maintained her husband in silks and satins who was but a poor Seaman ugly and ill behaved but it is rare if this sort of women become not most miserable at last by reason of their vaste and continuall expenses they will thorough vanity give a crown or two at a time to a beggar in the street This Marseillian had lived five or six years in a great heighth in Tauris where by her trade she had got above a thousand crowns which through her pride and vanity she wholly consumed being banisht the Town for braving and giving a box on the ear to a Lord that kept her for a time since she retired to Bachat There are many more fair Towns in Persia as Spahan Casbin Siras Royall Towns at Spahan is kept one of the Sophy's Courts well peopled and rich there are made many silke stuffs and is plenty of a certain
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
Mountains of Gates one to the West the other to the East they have contrary seasons for in that that reaches from Cambaye to Comori they have their winter from Aprill to September with rains tempests thunders and windes and the same time in the other appeares a summer most pleasant and benign and in the other moneths the contrary and this contrariety in the same degree and elevation which is a wonder puzles all Astronomers and naturall Philosophers CHAP. XX. Of the Isle of Zeilan where they fish for pearles and charme certain great fishes an Idole of a Monkeyes tooth an Isle deserted for the intestation of spirits and of the Isles Maldives LEaving the Coast of Malabar and the Cape Comori that discover the Isle Malaberi or Zeilan and Geilan one of the best in all India extending from North to South Southward lies the Cape Berebeli or Berbert opposite to Comori on an other side lies the Coast of Coromandell divided from the other by a Gulfe South-west lie the Maldives Northward the Gulfe Bengala and the Indian and Sumatian sea Eastward The Inhabitants call her Tenarisin well peopled hath many great Towns faire and navigable rivers large and safe harbours this Isle yeilds such plenty both of riches and pleasures that the Inhabitants grow very grosse and corpulent and as if their bellies were blown up The aire is temperate the soyle fruitfull in all things and chiefly in wood cinamon called Esquisde the best and finest of the East it abounds also in pepper ginger and nutmeggs they gather the cinnamon in March and Aprill which cleaves with much ease then lay it a fortnight a sunning which increases it's strength and vertue They gather it but every second year because the bark of one yeares growth is little worth yet they distill it with certain juices and Ladies use them with the water to make them smell sweet mingled with orange flowers and other perfumes This tree is of the height and shape of a laurell tree bearing kernells or berries the trunk or body is longer and streighter the leafe larger and fuller of strings hath no smell at all and full ripe and ready to pill the leaves fall which tast and smell like the barke but without any vertue This cinnamon or barke newly pilled hath no tast more then any other common wood but laid in the Sun fifteen dayes gets so great a a strength that it is impossible to eat above the bignesse of a good pea such is the heat and vigour I have seen of this spice at Zeilan onely and in another country of the West-Indies 26. degrees off this side the lyne called Cheit where the Inhabitants burn more then eat of it they use it in their sacrifices and to burn their treasure in The Arabians call the Cinamon Quirsa the Persians Darchini the Zeilaners Cardo in Malabar 't is called Camea and by the Malayans Caysmon That country abounds in most excellent fruits pasture and all sorts of beasts in Elephants and all sorts of fowl which are very cheap Most of the Inhabitants plant Cinamon and make great esteem of the oyle they draw from it which is very odoriferous and useful for many things There are gold and silver mynes but they have great want of workmen For the Islanders are slothful and vicious The country is well stored with butter and hony but not in sugar which is brought them from their neighbouring countries There are many mynes and precious stones and jewels whereof the most in esteeme is one of Rubies which is at one end of the Isle towards the East and although they are not of the best in the world yet they are passable There are Chrysolites Topazes Jacinthes and Granatts At one side of the Isle called Betala Batecalon there is a fishing of pearls dangerous for the Turbets a fish that devoures both fishermen and nets yet they have an art to charm them and make them uncapable of doing harm They fish for pearl only in April in other places in May and in some others in June The King receives great profit from this fishing taking the tenths of the fairest for his share 'T is said that the King hath the fairest and largest Ruby in the world called Matouca and that a Prince of Tartarge offered him a fair and rich Province in exchange In a word this Isle is one of the richest of the world and of great commerce in all commodities which renders the King both wealthy and potent for from the Ruby myne alone he deduces a vast treasure though he hath sold a corner of it which is of great value yet all those that surpasse four or five Abir or Carrats belong unto him The Rubies of Pegu are something high coloured and the finest of the East The Master workmen can adde to their colour and make them finer in which they shew much experience In this Isle the Portuguese have a Fort on India side without the town of Columbo by which means they keep the town in subjection All this Isle for the most part is governed by a King elected like him of Ormus but this King is not tributary to Portugal as the other is so that he stands but in a voluntary subjection having permitted that Fort for commerce sake esteeming the Portuguese valiant and faithful to their allyes This King hath formerly possessed great territories and kingdomes in the continent He is a Gentill in religion magnanimous and liberal Governs his subjects in peace and quietnesse and keeps good correspondence with his neighbour Princes The Isle is held to be 500. miles about The people are rather fair then Brown there dwell no Jewes but many Mahometans Both men and women are richly apparelled begirt with girdles of jewels of value Women do but overcharge their eares with pearles Rubies and Diamonds The country language is the same as is spoken at Malabar There grow great store of Oranges in this Isle and the Inhabitants delight in eating the rinde which is as good as those of Lemmons They drink Areca and other delicious drinks mingled with sugar and cinnamon They make some drinks will inebriate like wine both men and women drink of it and when they are intoxicated they go to sleep They have five sorts of Date trees which augments their trade there grows a herb called Nabuc whereof they make oyle as well tasted as that of Palmes the cinnamon oyle is too strong The Inhabitants of Bengale and Coromandel trade much in this Isle whither they come to truck Indian rarities but they go as much to make merry and carrouze with them as for commerce they eat Rice-bread as they do throughout the Indies Trees are green throughout the year and one fruit extrudes another the soyle is so fertile the trade of Cinnamon belongs to the King onely as do the mynes gemmes gold and silver the best haven of the Isle is Camouch or Cosmuche at the mouth of
habitable and all the Inhabitants forced to retire into the adjacent Isles ever since this place remained desert yet there are great store of birds and beasts sometimes the Maldivians have landed there by chance but have been forced immediately to retreate the evill spirits do so perplex them they raise great tempests on that sea Being at Pegu I heard a Magitian had promised the King to bring him some birds and the Treasures of Abdena out of the Country but the Demons did so perturb him he could not effect his promise for as he was taking footing in the Isle and beginning his conjurations he had writ upon a leafe and put into the hands of one of his boldest disciples they were by the illusions of the devill so suddenly terrified that the miserable disciple fell dead upon the place and the Master Magician was so horridly beaten and dragged by the devills to the ship side that his companions had onely time to reembarke him and hoist sayles for Pegu. All the rest were strangely tormented and beaten except the Masters Mate and the Seamen that were wiser for knowing the condition of the place they would not put foot on land which afterwards they were very glad of Thus was the Magitian soundly beaten and 't was almost past his skill to recover himselfe but more of him another time CHAP. XXI Of the Kingdom of Bisnegar or Narsingue of the King his Bramins or Priests of Melia-par where they say reposes the body of St. Thomas the Apostle with a strange History of a Beare UPon the Coast of Coromandell in the East of Malabar are the Kingdomes of Bisnegar Orixa Mandao and others Besnaga or Marsingue hath a King formerly the most puissant of the India's amongst the Gentills and was esteemed their Emperour and gave his Lawes from Gemora to Orixa and Bengale to Goa Onoe and Baticola and many other places were under his Dominion but at this time he is much weakned yet he esteemes himself very potent and assumes very superbous and high Titles as God of the great Provinces King of Kings and Lord of the whole Universe 'T is reported that in an expedition against Italca he Mustered seven hundered thousand of Infantry forty thousand Cavalry horse-armed and seven hundered Elephants Bisnegar is the name of the Kingdom and cheife Town Negapatan her Haven the Towne of Bisnegar is faire and large lying in the 17. degree 10. dayes journey from Narsingue and eight from Goa we came for trade and to put off our commodities that paid 4. per cent viz. those that came from the West as cloaths scarlets paper saffron all sorts of Iron and Lary ware except horse-bits that pay but two per cent in the India's Horses are very small here as in Swethland but very high prized the Persian horses are the dearest because they are the biggest and strongest The Prince of Bisnegar is stiled Benganera or Vente cupati which signifies great King and most magnificent in his State potent in Elephants and Horses which he maintaines with the Gabells of the Countrey and the easier to procure horse to strengthen himself against his enemies the toles are abated Some few years before we came to this Town of Bisnegar it was assaulted and sack't by four Kings of the Mores all very potent and united to ruine this Prince These Kings were Idalcan Nisamulaco Cotamulaco and a Brother-in-law of his called Sultan Jordas Prince of the Kingdom of Viridi or Var Their hatred was that this King of Bisnegar was an Idolater and they Mahometans Two Moorish Captains were corrupted to betray their Masters and the day the battle was fought they turned about and proved the destruction of the Town that was that day sack't and taken by the confederate Kings and the King thereof put to flight into another strong Town called Panigont or Panicota where there stood a strong Castle surrounded with a great River and deep trenches ten dayes journey off Bisnegar The enemies pursued him thither and gave him a second battle where this Prince met with better successe and defeated them and had utterly dispersed them without the auxiliaries lent them by the King of Transiane a mortall enemy of this Prince There he took prisoner one of the perfidious Captains made him an example causing him to be nailed on a Crosse and to be shot to death with arrows having rallied a puissant Army to recover his Town of Besnegar he boldly resolved to fall upon Transiane and to seize of Timeragi's Countrey who had given his enemies their greatest assistance there he made great spoyle sacking and burning all before him before Timeragi could resist him He destroyed 22. Towns being advanced unto Gondariane Capitall of that Kingdom he put all to fire and sword and burnt Timeragi's sumptuous pallace his wife and children before Timeragi could stop his cruelties passing thorough Lazaray leaving all places desolate where ever he past untill he returned to Panigoni having spent but three months in this expedition He returned not soon enough to recover Bisnegar for his enemies had strongly fortified it and every one had their post assigned them Dealcan on Panigont side the others at other places the mean time these four Kings enjoyed this Countrey which they plundered and to strengthen themselves against the Inhabitants most affectionate and faithfull to their Prince they commanded all Merchants and other persons of estate in that Isle to bring in horse and Elephants promising payment They were brought in in great numbers but when they had possession of them they turned back the right owners without any satisfaction which was no small losse to them The Town of Bisnegar otherwise called Chandegry is eight leagues about and is so populous and powerfull that she finds her Prince a hundred thousand horse Narsingue the Capitall of the Country is of the compass of Florence stately built but their covering takes much from their beauty being not permitted to use tyle which otherwise they have great store of This Town is partly scituate upon a hill pretty eminent 3. leagues round There is a most sumptuous pallace covered with tyle where symmetry and uniformity is exactly observed the Town is bounded on one side with the Sea the other side with a great River the Town is well peopled and thatched with a course straw reed or rush The King maintaines a numerous Militia that makes him formidable to all the East No man can inhabit there without expresse leave from the King and no person is admitted that appears not an honest and candid person Merchants strangers and passengers have commodious habitations allotted them paying the ordinary duties They live quietly for justice is impartially dispensed and the lawes are so well observed that none breaks them for fear of punishment The Citizens are obliged by oath to serve the king when ere he commands upon pain of life or amputation
this great Saint and amongst the Panaims many are devout unto him It was revealed to one he was not in the true way and that he should go into Aethiopia towards Albana to be instructed in the true faith which he did accordingly and was baptized and by his piety and holy life succeeded in the charge of Albuna The Christians of this place do yet retain some of the instructions left them by Saint Thomas but are very ignorant of the principle Articles of faith they do not understand prayer and there is great difficulty to reduce them to the right way they have left the Idolatries they yearly practised sacrificing yearly to this S. at Coulan a youth either slave or Freeman voluntarily offering himself When a person of quality desires to dye in honour of this Saint he makes it his request to the King he instantly referres it to his Councel They considering of the importance of the person and the service he may do his country present another request that he may not be permitted to dye for the use the State can make of him the last being granted four of the chief of the Councel are deputed to apprehend him and bring him before the King who embraced him and shewes him that both the State and himself stand in need of him and that 't was necessary to preserve him and promise him in marriage one of his favourites making him many rich presents he is easily altered by the Kings perswasions acknowledges many thanks for those great favours and returns with his new bride very well pleased and contented I have heard of many more ridiculous superstitions which are at present totally abolished The Town of Calamine or Meliapur since Santhome is a good haven town on the coast of Coromandel 53. degrees from the Gulph Bengale subjected to the King of Bisnegar or Narsingue They relate many miracles wrought by the intercession of this Saint a certain Princesse of Narsingue daughter to King Zamaluco or Nizamaluco was shut up by her husband King of Narsingue in a fair and rich Seraglio she was faire vertuous and discreet and reputed a Christian before her marriage she was sought for by another Prince her neighbour after three years imprisonment in this stately Palace upon a time the guards through some illusion saw at a window the lively image of the Prince her first lover the place being extremely well fenced begirt with double ditches almost impossible for any person to make surreptitious entrance the guard was much astonished the King her husband being made acquainted moved with anger and jealousie accused the Princesse of adultery and condemned her to drink off a glasse of poyson no excuses her modest innocence could make prevailing she begged of her husband she might dye neare unto Saint Thomas his shryne 't was granted and she immediately led to the place of execution where a fire was kindled to consume her body she cloathed all in white her hair hanging over her eares covered almost all her body took the golden bowle and made her prayer to God and Saint Thomas to vouchsafe to grant her mercy and to discover her innocency which done she drunk the poyson and threw her self into the fire where without the least harme either to her person or cloathes she remained upon her knees continuing her prayers to almighty God untill all the wood was consumed she safely came out of it to the great astonishment and admiration of all the admiring spectators and being helped into her litter was carried to Narsingue brought into her chamber and was never since in the power of the King her husband she spent the remainder of her dayes recluse in great abstinence and austerity There are many Christians in Meliapur and some Churches as Saint Paul belonging to the society Saint Bartholomew Saint Thomas the most honoured and reverenced in the Indies The ships arriving here of the Christians Idolaters and Mahometans too give great charities in honour of this Saint From Paleacate and other places they come hither on pilgrimage The Portuguese that inhabit here are imployed in making Indian or earthen vessels diversely and prettily painted they do it with the juyce of a root called Saya and the more you wash them the livelyer the colours appear There is a good harbour and great trading they resort hither from all parts of the Indies The people of Sandanes exchange their Nutmegs for that earthen ware and other commodities are brought from Malaca and Goa They trade much in Clove-Gilliflowers which are cheap But before I leave Bisnegar you shall hear what I learnt at a town called Sigistan or Sagistan near that country being upon a time in one of the Inhabitants houses who are very civill and courteous and much taken with our conversation By chance I spyed the picture of a Bear playing with a young girle and inquiring the meaning thereof a most prodigious story if true which I question much was related me A Prince named Ismahan that raigned many Moones for so they reckon their years in the Province of Bozari since Sigistan going a hunting took a female Beare and her cub that followed her which he preserved till on a time one of the Lords servants bitten by the Dam killed her then the cub was kept alone run up and down the house and in time grew tame This Prince had a daughter about eight yeares of age that delighted much to play with the Cub fed him with her own hands the young Bear was continually at her heeles The young Lady Agarida was her name fell sick the Bear lay under her bed and refused all food that came not from her own hand she recovering continued her care in keeping of him sweet and clean teaching him many tricks which he readily learnt and most dexterously performed The Lady-Mother one day perceiving the Bear to pull up her daughters coats to lick her feet angry to see such familiarities and carresses commanded a servant to beat Sagistan for so was the Bear named the beast of an immense growth though but 15. months old flew upon the man armed with a cudgel onely very furiously and strangled him and another servant came to help him upon the place this set a strange Alarum through the house all running headlong to kill the beast that made a most strange slaughter and got into the wood and of three years there was no tidings of him The unfortunate Lady Agarida took a walk by a little Rivers side accompanied with many Ladyes more The Bear suddenly appeared soon scattered the company snatched up Agarida in his pawes and made away with her so swiftly 't was impossible to rescue her nor could she be found for any search they made The Bear carried her to a remote and obscure cave where he kept her many years and stole another girle to attend her These two women made a shift to get food and other commodities and have since related strange
pepper and ginger bruised together They compound an admirable drink with Areca mingled with the confection of the leaves of Bettel they preserve Tamur which is a sort of palm called Tamarindi myrabolans or plums the roots of a certain Bul-rush Clove Gillyflower tops or buds another root called Cucuma and many others They are of complexion more fair than black their cloathings are stuffs of cotton silk damask satin and velvet Their breeches cassocks or coats are almost of the Italian mode especially when they visit Ladies as at Ormus Their chiefest drink is milk with Sugar and Cinamon they make it of three sorts Sugar and Cinamon are still added and sometimes pepper Durions Mancoustan and Bananes The Banane tree is fifteen handfull high the trunk juycy and covered with a bark and leaves growing like the scales of fish two foot large and five foot long of a light green her root growing in the ground casts out sprouts that in time grow up to trees when this tree is come to full growth she puts forth from the middle of her stock a flower of a reddish colour about the bignesse and shape of an artichoke whence springs a bough hung with fruit to the number of a hundred each a handfull in length and four fingers large and bears but once a year which is held a wonder From incisions made into the tree there flowes good store of juyce or water very pleasant and gustfull in some places of the Indies they are called Masa in others Pican and say 't is the tree that bears the fruit of life In that Country Partridges are all white and bigger than ours there is plenty of all other fowle We went from Bengale in the company of many Merchants to trade at Castigan where were arrived some Portuguese ships and in those meetings much is got by the trade of gold and silver and in the exchange of our own commodities Castigan or Catigan belongs to the kingdom of Bengale which reaches over 400. leagues of land and the Lordship of Aracan a Kingdom between Bengale and Pegu stronger by Sea than land and wages often war with Pegu and some years since they say hath swallowed up Pegu but ruined by neighbours and therefore the King is called King of Aracan Tiparat Chacomas Bengale and Pegu. This King hath entertained the Fathers of the society at Chandecan his Royal Town and his whole state is strangely altered on a suddain as all the East is subject to innovations and changes the strongest still overcomming the weaker Catigan is a good Haven Town in the Mogor or Mogull's Country a great Kingdom and rich in all sorts of cattle in fish rice white and black spices especially pepper myrabolans and ginger which they candy and preserve and is better than any grows at Cananor the Prince of this Town called Banastarin his Son Achamu was converted by the Fathers of the society and obtained leave of the King his father to have a Church built for them he married the Princesse Cassubi a Christian Lady newly baptized he followed herein the advice of those holy Fathers for otherwise he intended to have ended his dayes in Celibat They relate many miracles of him amongst others that the first night they were bedded offering both their prayers to God upon their knees they were suddenly enlightned by a glorious light and smelt many sweet perfumes whereupon they mutually resolved to abstain from enjoyment and dedicate the remainder of their lives to chastity and sanctity He left his kingdom to his Brother Agazima desiring justice might be preserved in his Kingdom and that he would follow the advice of Father Philip of the society Agazima promis'd a performance but those Princes are all so jealous of our religion holding that the Christians adore one God great above the rest that wil not suffer any others disdaining to communicate himself to any and that he sets a greater esteem and value upon innocent poor and simple people then upon the rich Kings and Princes and that Princes had need to preserve to themselves the affections and obedience of their subjects to reign with more ease these were the seeming reasons Agazima offered his Brother and 't is those poor abused creatures ordinary discourse and opinion and the difficulty they find in our religion ignorant of the true and pure grounds thereof that teach subjects their obedience and subjection to their temporall Kings and Princes above all others Of Cassubi or Chasubi subject to Aracan I will hereafter speak In the kingdom of Bengale is the Town of Sartagan or Sartogan scituate upon a River that runs and loses her self in Ganges where the Portuguese have a fort There are great plenty of rice fine linnen cloaths sugar myrabolans and many other drugs The people are Gentils and in their Temples adore many Idols strangely and horridly shap'd others adore the first they meet my Camarade and I being lodg'd at a Brokers house who was happy in a sweet disposition'd a modest wife as we accompanied her one day from the market some of those Idolaters prostrated themselves at our feet and begun to make their prayers to us and were extreamly incensed when they saw we only endeavored to disabuse them and to laugh them out of their fopperies and idolatries they answered they were thus instructed by their parents and therefore thought it just and equitable They told me they were not of the Guzerates religion but were absolutely opposite to Mahometanism They esteem it a happiness to be near the Ganges believing that water purifies them from all filth and sin and therefore are carried thither both in health and sickness some leave orders that after their deaths their bodies may be burnt and their ashes cast therein that so they may go strait to heaven others hold the same of Euphrates and for this reason the Portuguese and other Christians abominate these rivers and never make anyuse of the water but of force and necessity which is a little superstitious on the other side the water of Ganges being the sweetest the wholsomest in the world and many drinking of it have been cured of great paines of the stomach which hardly afforded them any rest before 't is soveraign against many other pains aches and diseases The Indian Priests sing in their Temples from break of day to noon and after dinner they have other prayers which last till night when they hear this service they wash their hands feet and faces then walk barefoot upon stone laid on purpose to the Temple which is matted and there they stand upright without the least motion and after awhile they sit crosse-legged like Taylors There are two Altars one for the rising the other for the setting Sun and so they turn their faces ever to the Sunne They bury their dead in their Churches as we do and maintain women to lament and weep over the dead according to the ancient Roman fashion These
strength consisted in certain Souldiers called Anoco which signifies resolute and despisers of their lives persons who used to anoint themselves with certain oyls to shew their forwardness to dye with these men he besieged the King of Pasaruan who stood gallantly upon his defence but probably had in time bin overcome had a favourable accident to him and a most unfortunate one happened to the Emperour who during the Siege was stab'd by one of his young pages incensed with a blow given him by his Master upon his head in jest which is one of the greatest affronts can be given there The boy taken and put upon the rack confessed no other reason was staked through with his father brothers and 60. of his kindred and his whole generation according to their laws and thus by this strange accident the King of Pasaruan was freed and the Empire of Demaa reduced to confusion The most signall thing in Java is the bone of a fish found no where else called Caball that stops bleeding as 't was experienced upon a Captain of Malabar called Neoboada Beguea who killed in a fight against the Portuguais in the time of Albukerke his bloud never issued at his wounds untill that bone was taken away which he wore about him That rarity was lost by shipwrack as it was carried to King Emanuel The Isles of Sumatra Java and others more remote are very temperate rich and fruitfull in most of them they live very long without any infirmity the air is so healthfull in other places if any person fall sick he is left by kindred and friends as defiled with sin and visited by God for expiation whereupon many hide themselves when they are sick and die in holes without any help some live to seven-score years active and jolly and for that reason many strangers come thither to inhabit Others resort thither for the trade of spices which are extream cheap there As in other parts there is such plenty of Cattle that they will give you four Cowes for an old shirt a dozen of sheep for a pewter spoon a Sea-man once shewed an old brazen dish to a Shepherd who asked the price the Sea-man said his whole flock the other wondred not much at it onely replyed 't was something too dear I remember that in the Isle of S. Laurence I saw a sheep given for a counter and as much for a sheet of paper this shews the goodnesse of those Countries and the Inhabitants simplicity most of them are civilized living in the fear of one onely God and believe that in the next world the good will be rewarded and the bad punished some have no religion yet they hold naturally the immortality of the soul and one providence As touching the spices that grow in these Isles The nutmegs grow chiefly in the Isle of Banda the tree that bears them is like a peach tree the leaves onely bigger the nut is enclosed in a slender shell like an almond or as when a peach opens it self and shews the stone the nut is inclosed with a red husk which they preserve at Malaca when this fruit comes to ripenesse the shell opens and the nut drops out if it 's left upon the tree beyond the time of maturity They sell these nutmegs by a measure called Touman about a pint they are called Cani by those of Banda Palla the places they grow in are unwholesom These trees grow naturally in the deserts and who ever please may gather them some are planted and kept by particular persons The Calenfour or carnation Clove-tree growing in the Melukes is a shrub leafed like to the almond but is larger and longer and bears Gillyflowers like wild grapes it needs a prop to bear it up for 't is weak they grow naturally and from every flower that falls a tree or plant springs up in a short time and they suffer no other trees to grow about them In Sumatra the stalk is bigger and can subsist alone having the collar and trunk like a quince tree but very upright and casts forth great store of white blossoms that become yellow then red and thickning they become of a blackish colour as they do here they preserve them green and are excellent for the stomach they are gathered from September to January The Cocuma that grows in Java is a root like to Ginger her blossoms like Lillies broken off green draws near to the yellow and dried is easily broken is sharp and quick and is used thoroughout the Indies to season meats thought better than other spices what they have left of their store they preserve or pickle and vent thoroughout the East where 't is much in request There grows great store of ginger in the East-Indies and chiefly in Nova Hispaniola whence they transport yearly for Seville a hundred thousand weight this root is best if removed every third year and best of all if removed yearly when they gather it they take away the earth and cull the young root from the old ones which they replant and do easily take root in the west 't is little worth for in the Isles of Barlovento a Spaniard may have seven hundred weight for a crown The Betell which we have so often spoken of is a tree very common in all the Easterne parts and also in the West-Indies where are many as at Caramell and called Escarucou There are some also growing at Souac in Aethiopia 't is the onely tree I know bears a leaf better than the fruit she is almost of the heigth and shape of a pear-tree the leaf is thicker and not so full of strings The Arabians and Syrians call it Bamboni this leaf hath an excellent taste but makes the teeth black There are of them in the Preste-Johns Country and are kept for the Kings own use where er'e they grow and 't is death for any tradesman or Merchant to eat of it and he that watches the tree may kill any such person and not be questioned for those trees belong to the King and none dare touch them but the Siramis who are Lords and gentry Those that feed of it have very black teeth a thing held honourable because they are occasioned by a Royal food There are severall sorts of fruit in the East Malaca produces Durions in great plenty and few of them grow in the West-Indies 't is a fruit like a Melon but whiter and covered with a very tender rind or skin 'T is firm and tasts rather better than the Melon within are many little holes wherein lye their seed and is very carefully kept the leaf is of an exceeding bignesse as that of the vine or figge The tree is pretty high her boughs like those of the cherry the wood is well sented they provide it against their womens lying in and then sacrifice it to their Idols I have seen much of it at the Grand Caire and in Alexandria CHAP. XXV Of the Kingdomes of Malaca and Siam
with a prodigious History of Serpents LEaving all those Isles to return into the Continent over against Sumatra Northward stands the Town and Kingdom of Malaca where is that so famous a spot of land with her Cape and Streight called Sicapura at one degree northward Malaca is a potent kingdom formerly the golden Chersonese as some yet hold and the Ophir of Salomon because much gold is found in many places of Sumatra contiguous to the other the Ancients believed her joyned to the Continent as you have heard already This Country obeyed the King of Siam untill a Lord of Java subjected her and by the assistance of some fishermen and Pyrates built the Town of Malaca Since the Malacans became Mahometans trading with the Persians and Guzerates and at last Alphonsus Albukerke surprized the Town for the King of Portugall it is the center of the East for trade and the mart for all Merchandizes of the East-Indies which improves her in grandeur treasure and power The language is esteemed the smoothest most elegant and copious of the Indies as the mother of all their other tongues which they diligently study they are much addicted to Poetry Amours and other Gallantries Malaca is scituate upon a pleasant river called Crisorant alluding to Chrise or land of gold which others rather believe to be China and Japan this river is not altogether so big as the Thames and divides the Town in two parts coupled by fair bridges stately built as is the rest of the Town The people are very civill of a good stature but a little tann'd the Country abounds in fruit subject to the King Siam though the Town belongs to the Portuguese where they have a strong Fort and a Haven that brings in great Revenues by reason of the customes imposed upon the infinite number of Merchandizes are imported from forreign parts Those imposts or customes were formerly paid to the King of Siam The Captain hath two good ships well rigged and man'd with which he scowres those seas and sailes into China loaden with wedges of gold and silver cloves pepper cinamon linnen and woollen cloth scarlets saffron corrall mercury vermillion and all other exquisite commodities of the Indies and brings back from thence silks purcelaines satins damask harts-horn musk rubarbe pearles salt-peter iron ivory boxes and fanns These two places are eight hundred l. distant and a great river upon which they say ships are drawn by Elephants to Quinsay capitall of Tabin or China where the ships arriving salute the King with three peeces of Canon and the Town with one if they think good then the Captain setting foot on land is sworn upon the Kings Picture that he comes Bona Fide to negotiate and then he is admitted The ayre of Malaca is not very wholesom to strangers nor natives From Malaca we went to the Kingdom of Siam very potent formerly containing many Kingdomes Their neighbour the King of Pegu got many of them in a Warr he maintained against Siam for a white Elephant which the Peguans adore and ever since the Kingdom of Siam hath been weak and divided into many Provinces or Dominions where the King is hardly acknowledged formerly it contained sixteen or seventeen Kingdomes or Principalityes and did reach from Tanansterin or Tarnatsery unto Champaa above 700. leagues from Coast to Coast between Malaca the Isles Pacanes Passiloco Capimper Chiammay the Lahos and Guttâ—s 'T is called the Empire of Sornao the King Prechau Saleu who kept his Court at the great Town of Odiva whither the Kings were tied to come yearly to acknowledge the Princes and pay their tribute kissing the Cimiter at his side Then by reason of the great distance and the many Rivers which lengthen their journeys and render them difficult he remitted this kind of acknowledgment to be made to a Lieutenant or Vice-Roy in the Town of Lugor neerer and more commodious This Country confines upon Pegu westward northward upon Chiammay southward towards the Province of Caburi and the main sea and eastward upon the Gulfe of Cambaye 't is one of the plentifullest and best Isles in the world abounding in all fruits victualls silver mines iron lead pewter salt-peter sulphure silkes honey wax sugars sweet-woods benjamin cottons rubies saphyres ivory and great plenty of all spices and other commodities imported from other parts The inhabitants are not warlike The women are very lovely and well disposed they are richly adorned with Jewells their coates tuck 't up to their knees their feet and legs bare to shew how they are decked and loaded with gemms they weare jewells upon their armes also their haire is platted and covered therewith in imitation of the Peguans They are carried in chariots richly covered their gownes open before discover their naked breasts their smocks being likewise slit when they walke they hold both their hands before them to hide their nakedness and yet so as t is plainly seen They say that custom was first brought up by Queen Tirada the wisest of her time and her bones are to this day kept with great reverence perceiving her Subjects to be besotted or violently addicted to Sodomie she thought by such charming allurements to withdraw them from that bestiality as indeed they are since wholly taken off from that abominahle sensuality and in truth that Countrey women are very faire and well shaped they play upon certain Musicall instruments which they are diligently instructed in from their infancy the men may marry two wives but they pay double customes for the second and most of them therefore are contented with one the women are very tractable humble and discreet their greatest care is to be beloved of their husbands They cruelly sacrifice Virgins and their manner of burying the dead is as inhumane for as soone as one of their alliance is deceased they erect him a Monument in the fields according to their conditions and abilities then they shave their whole body in signe of mourning Women cast off their jewels and are cloathed in white the doleful colour there all the deceased's friends and alliance are invited solemnly to attend the Corps to the Interment The Corps is clothed in a rich habit exposed upon a Chariot in a bed of state and drawn by six of his nearest kindred of the best of his family and six more of his best friends covered with an ash-colour canopy and of the same colour his Relations are cloathed before the Corpes go six flutes who with two kettle drums or tabors make so lamentable a noise that it drawes teares from the Assistants The slutes are hired and discharged by the Publick drawing neer to the buriall place they throw perfumes upon the Chariot This done they all retire the parents and kindred only excepted who strip the body and make it clean multiplying their cries and lamentations then roast it with their sweet woods gather round about it and with many sad groanes
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
honest and serviceable They have no wages yet never want money for all that have occasion at Court still give them something Two hundred slaves more there are who have no other office then to hunt the Woods and Marshes for triple-coloured tortoises for the Kings Vivary likewise they gather the silk Cottons which the trees bear naturally whereof they gather sufficient and leave enough for the year following They have another sort of silk called Fongi gotten in December it proceeds from the great Erpo which we call Alove whence there comes a silk More short but stronger and better then the rest I made trial if the like could be produced here by drawing threads out of the leaves and found it might be done there being no defect but want of experience For though the Climats differ nevertheless nature is every where assisted by art and labour All these silks come to the benefit of the people though the King takes a good share by reason of his slaves employed in it besides abundance of Orphanes and poor girles brought up at his cost under the tuition of matrons and ancient women to govern and correct them for their neglects and the same for men all with great order and policy When one hath committed a haynous crime 't is best if he communicate it to some friend that may acquaint the King before the Justice is informed of it for the King is most clement and supremely absolute then the King being informed the quality of the crime person and matter it may be that without hearing the parties he may grant his pardon The custom of the country is that as soon as one hath perpetrated a crime he layes by his apparel puts on a white shirt that drawes on the ground like persons doing pennance with us goes bare-head and bare-foot lies stretched out upon the ground and so attends his sentence Some there are sit down others stand upright according to the nature of the offence Many that presume upon the Princes grace are deceived and meet their death They who are condemned are immediately given to the Elephants who with their trunks lift them on high then let them fall and so they are broken in pieces then the bodies are given to the Lions and Tigars whereof there is a great number Adulterers are severely punished as well men as women and especially if they are of a good family One was taken on a time with his slave who were both bound together and buried alive For account of their marriages when persons of quality will marry they consult their Divines and Magies to know the successe when children are born they have their nativity cast to know if good or ill shall befall them whereof I shall rehearse a remarkable example hereafter When these Grandees lose their affection to their first wives they are allowed to espouse another without any injustice to the first who must suffer till her husband pleases to call her back this happening most commonly for dislike and change of diet Where the husband and wife preserve a perfect amity all their life when the husband dies if the wife will do according to the custom of the country the obsequies ended she remains with her friends for a certain time to bewaile his death then makes them a great feast in token of rejoycing distributes her jewels and chiefest goods to them who are dearest to her and having embraced and kissed her Parents Kindred and Friends they conduct her with Flute and Hoboys to her husbands monument under a Tent adorned with Folliage and covered with flowers where they drink eat dance and make merry and the poor woman takes a potion that makes her as it were frantick then dancing and carowsing she sacrifices her self to her husbands ghost throwing her selfe into a fire having distributed to her friends the rest of her rings and jewels Their Priests and Magicians confirm them in these abominable customs which they observe in divers other parts of India as at Narsinga Cambaya Coromandel and other places But they take diligent care in these marriages of the great ones that the women have free choyce with the consent of their kindred to the end it may be the vehemence of affection that obliges them to so cruel a testimony Likewise men to assure their affection to their Mistresses use strange testimonies some with a Torch will burn their Arms before them others will cut and stab themselves with poniards others taking a cloth dip'd in oyle will light it and have the patience to let it burn out and extinguish upon their arm which obliges a woman to the like love and to render the like proof at his death But that truculent sacrifice they immolate to their Gods of their poor and wretched daughters is no lesse strange and truculent for in a part of this vast Empire to celebrate the feast of their great Crocouatas they bring up their daughters in the Temple Virgins devoted to prayer and fasting who are consecrated and preserved for the solemn sacrifice in such sort as when Father Mother or kindred visits them they do it with reverence and adoration as to Saints and celestial persons and entreat they would be mindful of them when they have the honour to come before their great God for this consideration they bring them for an offering all sorts of dainties Every year they sacrifice one of these poor girles In the front of the altar stands a marble stone very radiant and of various colours where they imagine they behold the figure of that furious Demon they adore The maid devested of her rich attire beholds her God and observes if he yet call her for they say the Demon calls her by name and invites her to union then their Palpes or Priests vested in their garments sacerdotal take her and setting her stark naked upon this stone after divers incensings both to the Demon and the maid they strangle her in the presence of father and mother who observe well if she be dead that she may not suffer a second martyrdom and having with a stone sharp as a razor ripped up her body they tear out her heart which they throw in their Demons face burn it and sprinkle the ashes mingled with water upon their Idols the rest of the body they burn at leisure with aromatick woods for the use of the Temples In other places the Priests eat the Victim The sacrifice ended they go to dinner the congregation assists at the service and prayers made by the Priests with many incensings the Priests then change their vestments and take others of a horrible form and mounting upon a Scaffold as soon as the Musick playes begin to dance They begin in a low key then they rise with prayers and imprecations mingled til healed with keeping time to the cadence of the musick they become franick some falling to the ground others continue dancing holding bells which accord with the
Pegu they called him the Bramaa of Tangu a great Tyrant and a Potent Prince who by force of Armes joyned many Kingdomes to his Empire as Pram Melintay Calani Bacam Mirandu Aua Martaban and others He afterwards was put to death by a Peguan Lord called Xemin of Zatan who made himself King but was defeated and slain by another called Xemindoo who likewise being made King was not long after defeated and put to death by Chaumigren of near aliance to Bramaa who became one of the most Powerfull Kings hath raigned in Pegu who brought totally under the Empire of the Kingdom of Syan with twelve great Kingdomes more They report that in the War of Syan he led into the field seventeen hundered thousand Combatants and seventeen thousand Elephants whereof nine thousand were for fight the rest for carriage To which the immense Armies brought heretofore by the Persian Kings against the Grecians may induce us to give credit the cause is that in all these Eastern Countreys the greater part of the people go to the wars and that there are not amongst them so many Ecclesiasticks Lawyers Clarks Book-men and idle Persons as are with us The King that raigned in Pegu in our time called the Brama was as I think the son of this Chaumigren afterwards hard enough dealt with by the Kings of Tangu Aracan and Syan as I said before But it is time to advance to the Provinces and Towns of high India subject or confining and neighbours to Pegu as Abdiare Vilep Canarane Cassubi Transiane Tasata Mandranella Tartary and others CHAP. XXXIII Of Abdiare and Vilep Towns of Pegu Fismans Apes Unicornes and other animalls Fotoque an Idol with three Heads PErsevering constantly in our trafick thorough the Towns and Provinces of this great Empire of Pegu and the Countreyes adjacent amongst others in the Town of Abdiare and Vilep a Kingdom in high India subject to the Peguan and having traded with certain Merchants whom we found open and reall treating with the Sensall or factor not by words but by fingers and joynts of the hand the practise of all the Indies to conceale the price of Merchandises We parted from Vilep with good company and within three houres came to the descent of a hill exceeding shady upon the hanging whereof was a pleasant fountain where the whole company stayed for refreshment but we had not been long there when there came about us an extraordinary number of Apes the greater part black as jet some small ones black and white very lepid one of them addressed himself to me as it had been to crave something of that I was eating and thinking to fright him away he was not scared at all as if he were accustomed to passengers I cast a piece of bread to him which he took very modestly and divided with his company and two young ones he had with him presently there came three more which seemed to crave their share I gave them something and they eat very quietly but on a sudden part of our company arose and took their Armes by reason of a heard of Fismans or wilde dogs they discovered making towards us which with one musket shot were all scared away in our sight they fed on grasse like sheep Proceeding on our way we met with abundance of other sorts of strange animalls as likewise of fruits some whereof of growth much to be admired some that bore rosin that smell like Mastick others a red berry wherewith they dye carnation which never fades but dayly becomes more lively Having thus travelled ten or twelve dayes through diversity of soyles meeting with many rivers animalls trees and other things unknown to us amongst others abundance of civit Cats whereof they have some domesticall which you may buy foure for one Pardai but they are stinking and their dung smells like Mans. At length we took to the River Jiame and in three dayes came to the Village called Tanza on the morrow to Canarane a faire Town rich and flourishing as any Town in India the Capitall of a Kingdom bearing the same name confining eastward on the Country of Tazatay south on Carpa and northward on Moantay another great Kingdom The Town is seated betwixt two great rivers Jiame and Pegu it is in circuit about foure leagues magnificently built in customes and conditions the people differ much from those of Pegu for they never go barefoot as the others do Princes and Noble Men weare rich buskins and sandalls set with gold The King of Canarane is Potent and Wealthy in Mines of gold and silver He hath also one of Emerald the finest in the east whence he drawes great profit This Prince was never known to diminish but augment his Treasure Likewise they have Mines of Turkesses When a King dies they interr all his Treasure with him and sweare his Successor not to meddle with it For the first year he and his Court are maintained at the Subjects charge and all the Nobility by obligation come to make their acknowledgment with rich presents and sue to be establisht in their Estates Offices Seniories for the King hath right to sell estates of all sorts then vacant and hereupon all his people high and low are tied with petition in hand and with presents to sue for their offices and vacancies which raises him in this year a marvellous treasure No one can wear shooes rings nor girdles of gold without the Kings license which brings him in a great gabel a share whereof belongs to the King of Pegu as soveraign who granted him the grace because the Countrey is colder than Pegu and I have heard it of Merchants that in the winter here rage certain in windes or Mounsons which come from the North so cold that travellers lose their toes the cold is so sharp and rigorous Their custom is if a Merchant will oblige himself he obliges likewise all his goods wife and children and failing at the day promised the Creditor may seize on all for slaves The usual money is called Canza and all the Peguan is currant there which the King stamps in gold or silver through the Indies called Jamis besides what every particular Prince coins of his own They have another sort of silver money called Pardain and Tazifo They make some likewise of tin mixt with copper which being no coyn royal is lawfull for any man to stamp as also another sort called Bise wherewith they may buy any thing one must be carefull in taking it or he may be deceived The King keeps abundance of slaves for his Elephants and stables In their structures they use ciment mixt with sugar as in Pegu which mixt with calcin'd shels becomes very firm the shels are dear and sold by measure They have many plantations of sugar the canes whereof they give their Elephants who love them exceedingly so as when they commit any fault they deprive them of that food and so easily chastize and instruct
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
unload upon the ground as they were nuts without hurting the least grain upon the trees there is abundance of Manna which they gather diligently before sun rising for it dissipates and vanishes so soon as the sun rayes come upon it They sell it very cheap though it is very purgative I remember that gathering some once of a tree that resembles our salleyes I thought I had taken Scammony In these parts people live long sometimes above a hundered and fifty yeares and they who retire beyond the Mountain live yet longer The Town is crossed with the great river Paroget stored with Merchandizes of all sorts and a good company of Merchants There is a vast space incircled with walls as at Goa in the middle whereof stands the Pallace Royall where there is kept a great market and where every Saturday all sorts of Marchandizes are brought chiefly ermyn skins and Martins of three kinds very exquisite The mountains round about are stocked with cattle and venison the inhabitants being great hunters and given to nothing but to husband their land and make profit of their commodity women when they work wear buskins and the Otoyac shooes They make in their houses great store of cloth for their use and decent living Likewise they make a thousand delicates and artificers of Cocos as flaskets baskets boxes mats of diverse colours singularly wrought this fruit serving them for meat drink and all other humane necessities They are exceedingly addicted to Idolatry and fond superstitions testifying much religion and devotion in their ceremonies and affectionate to their Priests who are married they have a sort of remarkable confession which holds something of Christianism Before the great day of jubily which they make at their Oyzima they go to a lake to wash themselves where they stay some part of the night then wrap themselves in sheets of cotton they call Bambou and retire under trees where there hangs abundance of lights The day of confession being come they go to their Catibe or Priest and falling on their knees throw off their mantle which they wear on the bare shirt then presenting some small matter to the Priest confesse their sins and the Priest with a small ball made of a root beats them often repeating Gazay that is speak speak Confession ended he enjoyns them a penance and again they go to wash in the lake and after all they go in procession together with their Idols which they bear along likewise in procession when they have gone quite round the Town the Priests cry out Go eat in the name of our God and his peace be upon you all then kissing in sign of peace and such as have had any difference or animosity betwixt them embrace and kisse weeping as heartily as for the greatest matter that could befall them Whereupon their friends and kindred come to comfort them telling them they must forget all so as thus reconciled they go dine together and continue ever after perfect friends They take not easily offence one of another never using bad language one of another These Priests esteem us polluted people and I remember that some of them once conferring with us washed their garments and would not eat of the meat we had touched All the people are much addicted to sciences and manual arts The soyle is good and fertile and their land bears twice a year as their sheep do likewise Being there we came acquainted with a Christian Merchant born at Aracan expert in Greek in the Abissine Syriack and the Spanish language who was converted at Diu. He took much satisfaction in our company and told us how his mother was an Abissine and that his Father dying young she bred him up to Greek and Abissine and shewed me a Greek Author he ever carried with him where he met with many worthy Histories amongst others how the Christian faith was brought into the Indies and particularly into this Countrey of Casubi That St. Thomas was to preach to the Parthians and at Bengala St. Matthew in Ethiope and St. Bartholomew in the further India towards the Kingdome of Verma Aua Pegu and other places Since that about three hundred yeares after a Christian Philosopher Native of Tyre in Phenicia by name Meropius came into the Indies with two young Children his Nephews called Edesius and Frumentius out of curiosity onely to see the Country at the example of another Philosopher called Metrodorus some years before and that having well view'd and considered those Countries about to return his vessel was assaulted by the barbarous Idolaters and he and all his slain except the two young youths who were brought to the King of Casubi and he taken with their Gentilesses caused them to be brought up carefully afterwards made Aedesius his Cup-bearer and the other Frumentius Steward of his houshold whereof they did both acquit themselves very worthily and to the Kings content who loved them exceedingly as also the Queen Arsinda and her onely son The King dying the Queen became Regent with her onely son who had a speciall favour for the two Christians to whose charge the King had committed his Son for instruction till he came to age wherefore the Queen had a speciall regard of them and they behaved themselves laudably in their office all this while continuing in the right Religion reaping still some benefit amongst such Christians as came into those parts who were Merchants or Roman negotiators whom they ever confirmed in their faith and by permission royall they built a kind of Church or Oratory to meet and make their prayers in Notwithstanding wanting such freedome as they desired and inclining to their naturall Countrey the young King being now of age to reign they requested his license and whatsoever the King or his Mother could say to disswade them they could not prevaile they aiming to carry neither gold silver nor other wealth with them So they both came back into the Roman Empire and the Aedesius retired to Tyre his native Countrey where he became Priest We staid some time at Casubi to sell and truch our Marchandises where we made good profit and amongst other things of some safron we had of which they make no other use then to die their nailes mingling it with brasill whereby they make a dainty colour There are men and women that make incisions in their Armes with a pointed piece of wood out of which wood they get fire putting the end of one of these sticks in the cleft of another and turning it hard about till smoak and fire come In these incisions they then paint what they list in severall colours and ordinarily cover it with a pole-cat skin newly flawed which makes the colours more lively without ever fading CHAP. XXXV Of Macharana the hunting of Tigars and other wild beasts a History of a Rhinocerot of the Escuriall The esteem they have for the French there FRom Casubi we took our way
Corpes again that nothing as they say may be wanting at the day of Resurrection For this purpose there are six men engaged who buy their offices of the King and whosoever will cut a Tombe there must pay great rates to the King Their burialls are so considerable to them that so soon as they are marrried they provide for it By the way I shall tell you they are much inclined to divorces which they may make three severall times and accept again but not the fourth time for he must stay till the wife be married to another and after divorce she may marry with her first husband and the children stay with the father As to the dead bodies they who order them cleanse them exceeding carefully putting within them a perfume like Mastick then the ashes put in again as I told you the Nubis or Priests in their Ceremonies recommends them to their God with severall prayers and having dined with their kindered six women approach the corps with loud cries and lamentations which last till evening meanwhile six sworne men put the body in a sheet of Chantli or cotton the better sort have Taffeta with cotton under or over so disposing the hands that one lies on the eare the other stretched down by the thigh Then having watched by it all night they restore it to the kindred to be laid in a coffin and thence to be borne to a Tomb at the foot of the mountain where they remain incorruptible as well by reason of these drying winds as a composition they apply There are abundance of them in this place and if any through fatnesse which causes humidity and by consequence putrefaction chance to be consumed by worms they hold the soule that left this body lost and condemned to darknesse amongst the Devils When they bear the body to the Tomb they go all bare-headed and the women their hair dischevelled weeping and lamenting but wear no sort of mourning onely their nearest kindred will be shaved and abstain from eating Betel In this Mountain there are intire dryed bodies which they say are of seven or eight hundred years and this is the right Mummy brought into severall parts of the world For that Mummy that is taken out of the sands is a meer fable since there is nothing but bones to be found there the rest being eaten by the worms CHAP. XXXVII Of the Kingdom of Tazatay and the Philosophy of the Indians WEst of Transiana lies the kingdom of Tazatay or Tasatail otherwise called the red kingdom or the land of Liarrean or Hiarcan and the Kingdome of the Sun for the severall apparitions the Sun makes there during his twenty four hours course as they say While we were in Transiana a Country appertaining to the Empire of Pegu hearing speech of Tazatay and the wonders of a Mountain there I prevailed with my companion to go thither so with an Interpreter two small Elephants and two Hacambals or Camels we parted thence leaving all our goods and Merchandizes with our Host having registred them in the Casa de la contration in the Indies thoroughout there being such order that a Merchant can loose nothing though he should dye all being faithfully kept and restored to his heirs paying onely the dues of custome and impost After three dayes travaile we came on the top of a mountain where there was a small Town called Brasifir here we had convenient accommodation that night in the morning going down we crossed a River and came to the other great Mountain we so much desired to see that appeared exceeding high and arduous neverthelesse having ascended about two good leagues we met a man mounted on a Dromedary coming down the Mountain and asking him if we had far to the next habitation he answered we had but the tenth part of one Sun as through the Indies they count Suns that is by dayes journies Then travailing about an hour we came to Tambo and alighting from our beasts that were all in a water for the difficult travaile we found there plenty of provision for our refreshment There was a good old man and his wife that gave us freely what they had and amongst other things Areca the best methought I ever drunk At the same time there arrived a man we took by his carriage to be a fool he sate down with us at table neverthelesse would eat nothing but what we entreated him to and while we were at meat he told us severall stories answerable to the opinion we had of him Our Host asked us if we would not go see the Lord of the place at his Chabacaran or Palace to which we agreed and went this visit on foot for 't was on the top of the next mountain not far off Being arrived we went to make our respects to him and he returned us great civilities and discoursing of our voyage he told us 't was truth that at the top of the Mountain the Sun rose three severall times in four and twenty hours as we might easily perceive if we ascended whereupon out of curiositie I requested my companion we might go thither early in the morning and hereupon I asked the Lord being there two houres before day if I should see the rayes of the Sun he told me for this purpose I must be on the top of the Mountain upon a structure we saw some two leagues and a half above us in a bending of the Mountain and that below where his Castle stood it was not seen but twice a year that is once three houres before day and another time an hour and a quarter before Sun rising and seeking to be informed by the most ancient Inhabitants they all told me the same thing But I found my companion so incredulous of this matter as he had reason that we desisted and on the morrow took the way to return whence we came and since meeting with a Gentleman of great curiositie he told me he had been in a Countrey beyond Swedeland where for four moneths together the Sun continually appeared which must needs be in Lapland in seventy eight degrees from May to August And a Merchant of Sabooram assured me that in his Countrey the longest dayes were one and twenty hours of Sun with little or no night which is in about sixty four or sixty five degrees Hereupon I will say something of the Astronomy used amongst these East Indians their opinion is the earth is not round but flat and that there are not nor can be Antipodes else say they there must be two suns one to lighten us the other them that there is but one Hemisphere for the Sun and Moon to move in that the sun is not of the bignesse we make it nor so great as the earth whereof it is but the sixtieth part that the Sun never leaves our Hemisphere no not by night but then conceales himselfe behind certain Mountains That 't were a great folly to
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
retiring No man hath accesse but upon extreme submissions and prostrating himself on the ground on six paces distance the Princes answers are briefe He delights at be decked with chains and stones as women are bestowes little and loves to be presented with all curiosities possible He keeps a great Pack or Seraglio of wives and some say he hath a guard of armed Ladies like Amazons and a number of fierce great dogges The capitall town where he keeps his Court is called Madrogan where he hath a stately Palace the houses are good building the materialls are wood and loome which being well tempered and whitened over are sufficiently gracefull and inhabitable The King must not go robed but after the manner of his Ancestors that is a Cassock of his own country silk for stuffes brought from forrain parts he wears not for fear of poyson over this a large and long scarfe like a womans mantle which comes betwixt his legs and is brought up to be tucked under his girdle with a rich handcherchief over his shoulders he hath buskins embroydered with gold and rich carkanets on his neck with a band about his hat interwoven with big pearles rubies and emeralds He makes great use of Elephants and of a beast called an Alsinge seldome ridden on which resembles a hart never using horses for that rhere are so few What is most remarkable in this place is that there is no sort of prison the reason because all matters of justice are finally concluded upon the place Here as in other parts 't is a crime capitall to deflowre a maid before her years of maturity because she ought to be capable of bearing children The Kings wives are most richly and artificially attired who live separate in several apartements without any knowledge of one another unlesse when through speciall grace he convokes them 'T is pain of death for him that but goes about the lodgeings of these Ladies Many Colledges likewise where youth is instructed in vertue The Ladies of quality held it an honour to dresse the Princes meat and wait by turnes taking charge of his diet at meals at which time he hath Musicians for his alacrity but they are hoodblinded that they may not view his face and when he drinks a great person calls out aloud Pray for the Kings health His drink is wine of distilled Dates with Manna Ambar and Musk. His odours and perfumes for each day come to two pound weight of gold provided him by certain Merchants The Tapers for his service are compounded with odours When he goes forth in a morning if the Sun with his rayes have not refined the ayre he hath four great perfumed torches borne before him himself being carried by foure Gentlemen in a Chaire Richly adorned with a Curtaine or Canopy over it an Umbrella enriched with jewells and a numerous Attendance of Nobility Before him goes a Guard of two hundered Mastiffs each lead by his keeper and amongst these for his desport a Buffon Upon the way he never gives audience to any one and goes not out of his Pallace whether on foot or mounted either on Horse Elephant or Alsigne but he bestrides some new-killed beast as I related of Monbase and being pas'd they raise a loud cry making inspection on the intralls to know if there be good or bad towards the Prince whereof their Flamins make report His Chaire-bearers are dawb'd all over with a red earth wherin they work folliage of divers sorts after the manner of the Mozambiques The Royall Pallace is very commodious flank'd with Towers without within furnish'd with cotton cloth of diverse colours gold tissue the floore costly pav'd with plates of gold cut in figures with great Candlesticks of ivory hung in chaines of silver Seats enriched with gold Folliage properly beautified with colours and Transparent Ennamell and foure Principall Gates sumptuously wrought and Guarded by those they call Sequender His Family is by a number of Officers very orderly govern'd who observe him with a most profound silence While he sits at Table you heare not a whisper nor the least noise His Vessell is Purcelan garnish'd and set round with sprigs of gold fashion'd like Corall The Captain of the Gate is called Cadira The Captain of the Guard Acar The Treasurer or he who disposes the Revennues Cabacada The Seniglaren is as 't were Constable or Lieutenant Generall who are all in array of Honour of cotton cloth or silke of diverse colours girdles inrich'd with stones guilt falchions or swords with hilts of Massie gold carv'd and enammell'd which is for ordinary on high dayes of Diamonds Rubies and other stones of inestimable price I saw there the pommell of an Alfange or cimeterre made of one fausell Ruby of extraordinary bignesse of one peice entire which was given for the Ransom of a Province For the Father of Tabachi who reigned at the time we were there having disburs'd a Masse of gold-ingotts to releive the King Vidarati the other gave him a Province for security and when he came to redeem it Tabachi chose rather this gorgious sword then all the gold they would restore him which was a great quantity When this King Marches to the Warr in Magnificence he weares a Robe of silke with hanging sleeves a girdle enchas'd with stones of peculiar vertues as the Magicians make him beleive a Poniard at his girdle and his sword borne before him by a Prince with a small casket of jewells Himself in a Littar born by Gentlemen called Singaro one Page marches before him with his Umbrella another with a fan of Austrich feathers which are here in abundance some as large as oxen The Princes and Gentry habited in the Turkish dress saving that for a Turban they weare little round bonnets all bravely mounted on Elephants or Horses which are bred and suckled by Cowes and train'd by Jaloses so expert at it that running at high speed they will throw a dart and riding catch it again so dexterously and with such agility that without stop they will stooping take a stone off the ground He hath with him a hundred Elephants caparison'd with the skins of Sea-oxen unpeirceable by any dart each carrying foure Eunukes with cross-bowes of farther reach then long-bowes Upon the neck sits the Besâ—gu who guides and commandes him and during the clamour and confusion layes his mouth to his eare hollowing to him that he may understand him and so docile is this creature that he will turn back his long eare to hearken and obey what he bids him This Besigu beares a bow and quiver a short sword and a coat of Sea-oxe In the Van of the Elephants march great Mastiffs cap'd in the same manner to each a keeper who hath him linked to his girdle with an iron chaine In summe t is of Faith with all of them that he who dies for his King gains salvation though in other points they embrace all sorts of Religions telling you they cannot be damn'd for that
of more then three moneths travell True it is he is not at instant of such power as heretofore by reason the neighbouring Mahometans and amongst others the King of Adel with the Zeilan by a continual war have deprived him of many territories even of the best part of the towns and havens he held about the red Sea the chief whereof are Zuachim Manzua anâ— Ercoco So as at present this Empire is much diminished both in extent strength and dominion only that by the assistance of the Portugues of the East he hath regained some places of late years And though at this day he is very ample so must we not give credit to many things of Grandeur and Magnificence we finde in Spanish Authours tasting somewhat of the fable published in a Romantick way which are sufficiently refuted by the Fathers of the society in their more authentick works extracted from the very notes of those who were and are constantly in person there from whom we have exact information both for the spiritual and for the temporal The countrey of the Abissins was known to our Ancestours by the name of Ethiope under Egypt afterwards the lesser India This Ethiopia is divided into the Eastern the Western and the middle The bounds at this day are the red Sea on the East Egypt on the North the Mountains along Nile Maniconge the Black River and Nubia on the West and Southward the Mountains of the Moone and the Lakes where the Nile rises or rather the borders of the Empire of Monopotapa Some afford it fifty kingdomes and more others are satisfied with five and thirty or lesse For absurdly some would make this Empire greater then all our Europe and that it should hold out from Egypt to the Promontory of Guardasu and to Babelmandel and Mogadoxo and of another side to the Southern or Ethiopian Ocean the Cape of Good Hope allowing for Tributaries many Moorish Kings to Monomotapa it selfe with the S. Laurence Islanders though at this day he hath his hands full to defend himself against the Mahometans the Gales or Galois and the Agays a people that are Blacks by whom for these threescore years he hath been rudely jostled till the Prince was constrained to supplicate the aid of the Portugals who brought effectuall assistance and by degrees have restored him to a recovering condition As you go from the red Sea Westward lye these Kingdomes Tigrai Dancaly Angote Xoa Amara Leca Baga Midai Dambea Datali Fatigar Ambra Anogotera Bernagas Belinganza Damure Edear Guiame there are the Cataracts of Nile Vangui Masmude Cafates Gilama and others some whereof Christians inhabit the rest Mahometans and Gentiles The people of these kingdomes when they bring their Gibre or tribute to the Prince They have wound a rope about their head and proclaim with a loud voice The Revenue of such a Province My Lord I am here present Then doth the Negar distribute this Gibre or revenue to three uses the first to relieve the poor of the Nation and support the Church a second for pay and maintenance of his army and the third to his Coffers for the exhibition of his houshold Now is the Revenue small for they have trees of which we finde many growing upon the high ways loaded with silk not by the work of art but nature whereof the gatherers pay a fift to the Prince as they do of their gold and silver mines where they employ their slaves as sometimes they do the children of them who have not paid the King dues for their harvest of silk Of Benjamin Storax and other Aromaticks 't is the same thing for the gathering whereof they make choyce of young lads as concerning their smell to be more exquisit and more firm and indeed the Merchants have a speciall regard for these gatherers and the younger the more they give them They who get Safron pay the same rates but they observe not the like niceness in the gathering The Farmers of these customes have a set day to bring it in to the Prince himself who receives it in person who so much delights in odours that whatsoever used in Court even to the Flambeaus is perfumed But when these are brought in they are attended with Drums Hoboyes with other instruments and consorts of musick which the towns are by duty to provide The same Prince hath likewise his fift out of the souldiers booty in time of warre as the Spanish King hath out of the Merchants mines but that he exacts an impost from thieves or Curtizans is a mistake This State was known to all Antiquity but upon uncertainty enough till about 120. years since the Portuguese gave us a better information of it and specially since these last threescore years that the Fathers of the society came thither The soyle in some part is exceeding fertile in others not It abounds in mines of gold silver brasse lead sulphure fruits of all sorts as citrons oranges but vines are scarce The air is temperate enough though under the torrid Zone the people there are black for the greater part and of long life Their principall traffick is salt which they carry very deep into the Provinces and sell dear making it serve as 't were for their money trucking it for all sorts of commodities whereof they have square pieces of severall proper weights as we have gold and silver In the sacred History the land of Ethiope is called Chuz or Phut from the two sons of Cham. who lived there 'T is said the name of Abassie or Abissine came from the Arabians who called them Elbabassi and Abex Others say 't was given by the Egyptians who by this name understand all such as inhabit a Countrey encircled with deserts as we find this is But the Ancients made ordinarily two Ethiopes the one East on the other side the red sea in Sabia or Arabia the happy the other west on this side or under Egypt And indeed the Homerists a people of Arabia along the coast of the red sea are called Ethiopians and there is some evidence that heretofore Kings of Ethiopia reigned on both sides the Gulph also some do opinion the Queen of Saba came from Arabia others from the true Ethiopia The west Ethiopia was either the lower from Egypt to Meroe or the high from Meroe to the Mountains of the Moon Some there are again who confound the Eastern with the Abissins place the Western towards the Atlantique sea then will have tho interiour towards Zanzibar Some hold the Ethiopians to have been the first Idolaters as descending from Chus the son of Cham and that they first received Judaisme and circumcision upon the Queen of Saba's voyage to Salomon and after Chritianisme by the Queen Candace's Ennuch Times past the Ethiopian Kings were very potent and brought under yoke Egypt it self and being by Semiramis and Cambyses assaulted defeated their armies nor durst Hercules and Bacchus those famous Victors invade them The Poets had this land
weighed besides such a proportion of diet every day for their livelyhood as in Italy Cardinals Princes and the Nobility use to do CHAP. XIV Of the kingdom and policy of Mongibir of the Mountain Amara where the Abissin Princes are BEcause I have made mention of Mongibir I shall inform you that this Countrey the capitall Town whereof is called Scanfourin is subject to the Negus and neighbour to the Province of Calasen The Natives are of a middle size and olive colour which makes them affect strangers exceedingly esteeming them more beautiful than themselves though very few come amongst them for they are wretched base and timorous beyond imagination trembling at the report of a gun which they say is the Devils handycraft and call him Hocalsic that is a good man who carries none of these fire cudgels Neverthelesse they maintain a continuall war upon the Calasens who are Christians and they Idolaters worshipping the sun the Negus never being able to reconcile them nor introduce Christian religion amongst them Amongst other heresies they believe that after death the soule enters into another body which makes them indulge strangers so highly upon opinion they may be of their alliance yet they hold they cannot enter into the Calasenians nor the Suecans because they are Romarins that is Christians nor delight to inhabit a body of a contrary Religion and so ceremonious and austere as ours is The earth say they was made for our sustenance and 't were indignity to the Maker not to make use of all which it produces When one speaks to them of the kingdom of Heaven they say 't is the mansion of the Gods and Lights and not of men and that God will have no communication with sinners who are unworthy to approach a thing so holy which shews they once had better knowledge of our mysteries though in the whole time of our travaile there we saw not any book or the least record of the true religion They will invite Passengers to lodge with them and command their wives to keep them company while they go to the wood or river for entertainment for their guests their wives caresse them and esteem it a happinesse if they prove with child by a stranger which when they bring into the world they call it Gilchaquillan that is a child of the sun who being grown up the Prince takes him to his service saying this is the way to multiply his Nation with vertuous people And what is more the wife is the better esteemed of her husband and the Prince if it be a male child sends him a little snake of gold or silver in form of an ear-pendant which renders him so qualified that the time may come he may be capable of the charge of Benchaye who is the person next to the King if it be a girle she shall be married to a person of high degree Though they want not mines of baleys rubies and of silver besides other mettals as tin and copper whence they get an earth which makes the most pure violet colour in the world wherewith they make their houses very gracefull to the eye neverthelesse their fancy is to paint their arms and legs specially the nails and hang pieces of old iron in their ears A Portuguese one day shewed them a piece of gold against the sun which charmed them so that they immediately made it known to their king who resolved to have it at any price to hang in his ear as a thing miraculous and sacred and gave for it half a tun-weight of cinamon As concerning the Articles of their Faith they have no Idols in their Temples but on solemn feasts being assembled they dance round and sing hymns in honour of the sun abstaining from sustenance till his setting They acknowledge a place where sinners are tormented after death and some more grievously than others proportionably to their offences Further they have no speculation being Masters neither of literature nor characters a simple people easie to deceive content with a bare sufficiency for livelyhood not studying how to make use of their national commodities to the best advantage besides so kind they give freely to one another whatsoever they are possessed of and so grosse there are many things amongst them they know no name for and are absolute forrainers at a mile distance Their onely traffick is for honied wine which is brought them from Suechan and Calasen in truck for wild beef-hides and Elephants which they sell to Biguen They are of such fidelity in their commerce that they are really ignorant what 't is to lye and keep their promise with religious observation 'T is true the Ingresses to the Countrey are very dangerous by reason of robbers of diverse nations who rendezvous there but the King executes most severe justice on them that are apprehended condemning them to the jawes of wild beasts which he keeps in Parks This Princes court is governed with good policy and is most commonly attended with four hundred tall men at arms drawn out of his Provinces called Marac which on the South confine on the kingdom of Couran small Countries but the Inhabitants have a particular renown for their fidelity Besides he hath constantly near him 400. horsemen well mounted and in his stable a thousand able horses at rest because being generally bare-foot they are apt to batter their hoofs To march before him he hath 50. Cavaliers whom they call the Joarmamir that is the chief Guard cloth'd in cotton cloth with bow and arrow in hand then follow fifty Cavaliers more in cotton Cassocks variously painted with a short silk Cloak not unlike Meca Tapistry wearing on their head a cap in fashion like a Miter at their girdles hang little balls of steel with three pikes wherewith they seldom misse when they strike and at their Saddle bow a sharp'ned iron like the head of a lance These they call the Kings Champions These two troops march in the field about a bow-shoot before the Prince having between them fifty Elephants richly trapp'd with Tapistry of silk each bearing three or four men with strong bows and arrows three ells long Ethiopian bonnets on their head and Alparyates or open shooes on their feet them they call Jourles that is Archers Then 50. Cavaliers mounted on white horses bearing balls of silver richly wrought in white short cloaks with silver buckles on their head a red bonnet hanging over their shoulders like a Chapperoon they term these Gouaique Soumimara that is the Princes Councell of strangers Then a hundred more well mounted stuck with abundance of feathers their horses covered with cases of Beares Lions or other beasts skins fringed with little coloured feathers a bow in a scarfe and a club in their hand of a sufficient length In the last place comes up the troop which is called Mameiteque Ebaulbic or the Guard of the Body armed with long lances pointed with certain stones keen as any razor which next fire-pikes is
Pyramid upon which there is the statue of a King named Soualin who once rescued this Town out of an enemies hands by the ayd of the Towneswomen who in the action attested an un-heard of Magnanimity for a monument whereof he enacted a Law in their favour that they may have three husbands but the men for their basenesse onely one Wife Some few dayes journey from thence we entered the kingdome of Couran a good and fertile countrey but full of Forests infested with very dangerous wilde beasts and amongst others with a sort of fierce and ravenous dogges by which many Passengers are devoured as by the way we met with sufficient evidence in bones apparel and bagges of Pearles and Emeraulds Afterwards we passed through divers countries as Souchalbi Choucay and others In all these parts we far'd at a cheap rate for it cost us not in two dayes the value of a farthing the good people bringing us share of what prey they had in hunting came themselves to eat with us for our exhilaration they used certain strange instruments which they played on The women are reasonable faire very chast but ill apparelled The maids at twenty yeares of age may marry whom they will without hinderance of either Father or Mother When they solemnize matrimony they go to the Temple where the Father sayes to the young man I give thee my daughter for thy spouse and the other Father sayes the like to the maid Then they take two sheeps hearts male and female and present them to the Priests who saying certain prayers burn them on the Altar then kisse the married couple and joyn them in mutuall embraces then they feast with musick and deprive the maid of a lock of haire growing on the hind-part of her head as is the custom for all maids and widowes they religiously observe marriage all their lives in perfect peace and concord To give account of the Mountain Amara whereof I made mention before which is in four degrees and a halfe of the Meridian where all the Princes of the blood are enclosed and carefully guarded 't is a large Province adjacent to Belequanze Zoa and Ambian containing a good number of Towns Villages and Castles and is above 150. leagues in circuit Much about the middle there is a high risen mountain of the same name directly under the Equinoctiall line which is the proper Mansion of the Princes There are some who relate wonders of the height extent beauty and richnesse of it making it a terrestriall Paradise but there is more probability in what I learnt of some inhabitants beyond it who say the Mount is round of but few leagues compass at the top exceeding high constituted of a rock cut like a wall of difficult ascent but onely by one certain way There are Palaces and Gardens for accommodation of the Princes and their People besides a Monastry of S. Anthonies Order with corn fruit and cattle for their sustenance without any other water then rain which they preserve in Cesterns Franciscus Aluarez neverthelesse saith this mountain is not to be rounded in lesse than fifteen dayes but I suppose he means at the very bottom and that upon this huge mountain where 't is exceeding cold there stand lesser which compose valleys where there are both Rivers and Fountains with some hamlets and habitations but having not been an eye-witnesse I report but what I have heard for 't is death to a stranger to come there and the natives to have their hands and feet cut off The Monastery is called Zio marina Christos the religious whereof employ themselves wholly in the service of their order which some report to be of huge number others lesse All of them betake themselves to labour every one having his little cell apart for his devotions not entring the Church but on Festivals when they celebrate but one Masse onely Their fasts are stupendous and incredible The women receive the Communion in the porch or entrance not within the Church it self except on the feast of the Visitation when they have priviledge to enter The chief of the Monastery is called the Barnagaz and by another name the Lebetera which means a Devote or Sage as 't is called also the Church of Sages Here the Princes of the blood are kept secured since the dayes of a king called Abraham who having many children received a vision in his sleep to this purpose for prevention of civil wars in the State 'T is forfeit of life for these Princes to come out of their enclosure except him who is immediately to succeed when time falls then he comes forth and takes with him one who is most in his favour presenting gifts to all the rest to whom he sends a rich Crown set with stones which is given to him whom by unanimous consent they acknowledge chief and next to succession who is honoured next to the Negus himself for there the succession goes by proximity of blood except power carry it as it hath often happened Some say they call all of the blood-royal by the name of Israel For the rest of the Province of Amara 't is very mountainous and very fruitfull the air good and temperate enough without discommodity but excesse of rains from mid May to the middle of August according as other Countries all along the line We had most of this relation from the Spanish Embassadour I mentioned who had great familiarity with Prince Gabriel who came out of the Mountain when David the last of that name deceased at the election of Nabur his confident friend who freed him from that Princely confinement and admitted him to live in his presence so long as in no sort he medled not in affairs of the State Many other particulars of the Mountain we learnt of one of the Religious of the Monastery there who amongst other things told us how he once attended the Negus against the King of Geret assisted with the Kings of Abat and Eri who denied the customary tribute whom this Prince invaded as far as the Countries of Ganfrila and Drafrila who otherwise the Negus had absolutely lost for the Barnagaz who was Governour was then come to Court to do homage to the new Prince who understanding that his Countrey was seiz'd on with all possible expedition repaired thither with fifteen or sixteen thousand men and brought a seasonable relief assisted by a Prince called Lulibella Abelicano esteemed a Saint and in effect with a handfull of men in comparison of the Enemy they got but little lesse then a miraculous victory This religious man told us many more very remarkable things of the death of the late Negus father to him who reigned when we were there a Prince so vertuous and so beloved of his people that after his death many of his chiefest Noblemen left their Fortunes and stately mansions and becoming recluse religious spent the remainder of their dayes in pennance Amongst others a Prince who had espoused
wine They walked by us upon the River Bank and desired us we would stay and drink with them mean while one of them wrote a note to the Lord of Casima whereupon when we were arrived he ordered us very noble accommodation sent us divers sorts of fruits and a dozen of rabbets black and white exceeding small but of excellent taste With great courtesie he offered us any thing we had use of and on the morrow he invited us to dinner in his garden called the Motochon which word is vulgar Greek though used in Nubia This garden was made at the Princes charge with great art full of abundance of trees graffed with several kindes one above another which to the eye is delightful to see several variety upon the same stock as amongst others two several sorts of figs. The like I have seen in the Isle of Chio and at Zaure at the Convent of S. Francis for there on the one side I have seen fruit ripening on the other side fruit decayed and rotten out of which corruption certain knats take life which immediately go and peck the others which makes them presently perish which otherwise would endure for ever an admirable thing in nature neverthelesse most true There were besides certain trees which bear nuts as bigge as Estridge egges full of cotton as fine as silke There were other sorts of fruit which I never saw but there and one amongst the rest leav'd like the Siccamore with fruit like the golden apple but no gall more bitter and within five kernels as big as Almonds the juyce whereof is sweet as sugar betwixt the shell and the nut there growes a thick skin of Carnation colour which taken before it be throughly ripe they preserve with Date-vinegar and makes an excellent sweet meat which they present to the King as a great curiosity Another tree bears of the finest sort of Lacque for Painters Also they sow here Orient Auil or Indico an hearb that makes a dye of great price whereof they make great traffick and profit Besides they have another grain from which they draw an excellent oyle beyond that of Cinamon which they use for restoration of the spirits Then they have a tree like a Pomegarnat which bears a most soveraign balme as I have had the experience for I brought one of these nuts from thence which I had of this Governour in truck for a Turquese wherewith I did great cures amongst my friends I should never conclude if I should write but half the curiosities of this garden where there is a collection of all the Oriental singularities But that which seemed of all most rare and artificial was two hands of transparent Marble at the Fortal which held a bow bent when any one knock't at the gate the hands discharged arrowes upon them but the arrovves had no piles and the danger vvas not great all this done by springs dexterously set on vvork The beauty and excellence of this garden stay'd us tvvo vvhole dayes here in contemplation of the rarities In fine we took our leave of this worthy Lord whom they called Lebetera and bent our course for Misan through which vve vvere to enter Nubia a kingdom vvhich confronts the Deserts of Goran Egypt Ganga and Borno the bounds of Preste Johns Empire vvhich confines on that side on Nubia and Egypt We crossed many countries in a short space because Nile is more rapid and svvift here then in any other part for having reunited all his vvaters and meeting sometimes vvith open plain countries vvhere he spreads himself at length and breadth sometimes vvith rocks and mountains vvhich gird and straighten him he cannot so properly be said to glide or run as to precipitate himself headlong with falls that make such noyse it deafens the people round about There are the Cataracts so celebrated in antiquities the great and the lesse not far above the ancient Townes Elephantina and Siena or Asna CHAP. XVIII A prodigious History of a young Abissin Prince by name Joel by enchantment transformed into an Ape AS we passed along Nile in our Bark entertaining the day with various discourses one shewed me a book of many prodigious histories and amongst others this of Prince Joel of whom I had heretofore heard at Pegu where the story is represented in a Tapistry of the Kings after this manner In Janamira a Province of Ethiopia there lived a Prince called Rostan Sofar otherwise Fafarin who by a first wife had a son named Alarin Sofar but usually called Joel and by a second wife two Aman Sofar and another whose name I know not Not long before his death he made his will and left to Joel his eldest sonne his principial dominion and all his treasure betwixt the other two he divided the rest of his dominions The guardian-ship of young Joel he committed to a friend to whom he discovered the place where the greatest part of his treasure lay hid which he had inclosed in a stone that was laid in the bowels of a wall Three dayes after his decease this friend dyes with grief so as the treasure together with Joels person were left in the power of Rostans widow Joels step-mother who ambitious the succession should come to her own children out of a frantick malice resolved to send Joel upon a specious pretence far enough from his Palace to a sister of hers a most powerful Magician who to raze out all remembrance of him should by vertue of charms transform him to an Ape giving out that he was lost and could by no means be heard of They say the work was executed after this manner This Sorceresse was blind but on the Sabbath that darknesse left her and she could see as others do a On a Sabbath day she took Joel with her to sacrifice to Sathan and do him such homage as his professed servants use to do But he refusing to perpetrate such abhominable duties to the Prince of darknesse she resolved to dispatch him by murther but again moved to compassion by the gracious sweetnesse in his face she changed her designe She composed a Bath wherein she put him and by power of her inchantmens transformed him to an exceeding pretty and tractable Ape superinducing an Apes skin over his humane shape so abstracting his reason and sence that little more remained in him then was proportionable to a meer sensual creature notwithstanding which a knowledge was something more perfect though he had not the use of articulate speech and with a marvellous addresse to render those little services to them of the family who cherished him and fancied him exceedingly The deplorable Prince lived divers years in this condition at length he made his escape into the woods where he suffered great acerbities and often perplexed with illusions of the devill but was still assisted by an extraordinary flame of grace and the vigilancy of his guardian Angell who for his consolation appeared to him sometimes in the form of a dove
from a mountain of sand of excessive height I saw since near the Town of Lima or of Rois in Poru which exalting to an extraordinary height amongst many other hills never alters or diminishes for any wind or storm that can assault it a thing much admired by all men and for this the Indians adore it as divine but of this we shall with Gods leave speak in another tract of a voyage to the West-Indies But returning to the sands of Egypt 't is thence the greatest part of Mummy or flesh buried and rosted in the sand is gotten which the wind uncovering the next passenger brings to town for trade it being very medicinable Here you see a dead man is often more serviceable to the living then the living themselves yet some approve not of the physick But howsoever embalmed flesh is prefer'd before it for the Aromatick drugs the Egyptians used for preservation of dead bodies wherein they were at great charge and study whether for their hope of resurrection or for the opinion of some Philosophers that soules should so long live after departure as the bodies remain intire and incorrupt for which cause they seasoned and embalmed them with Bitumen Salt Frankincense Myrrhe and other Aromaticks and bodies thus embalmed and preserved for many ages by the Arabians are called Mummies To proceed the land of Egypt is highly renowned for a very potent and wealthy kingdom where some say heretofore have been reckoned 20. thousand wall'd towns to entertain the infinite multitude of Inhabitants she had in those dayes but now there remaines but little of all this The first Kings of the world were their Rulers from whom they derive their lines of so many thousand fabulous years Their first and kings were called in the Scripture by the generall name of Pharoes then the Persians became their Masters afterwards the Greeks then at last the Romans till the Saracins got them under their Califes and Soudans and the Turks for this last age The ayre is good and temperate the soyle fertile and abounding in all commodities but so plentiful of corn that 't was held the Granary of Rome in her chiefest glory in medals of antiquity Egypt was still figur'd with ears of corn The country about Caire they call Sabida heretofore Sais and Egypt taken together Chibib in Heibrew Mitfraim by the name of the son of Chus who first possessed it thence the Arabians at this day call it Mesre The region called Delta from the triangular form is the fertile part of it because 't is water'd and cut through by seven branches or armes of Nile This country is exceeding fertile throughout but the rest from Caire to Ethiopia is not so but only along the Nile for three or four leagues on each side where the river flows the rest is sandy parched and waste except some places where the river comes in channels which they say were heretofore the work of Joseph son of Jacob. CHAP. XXI Of the Town of Alexandria the Isle of Malta and the Authours return to Marseils WE staid some dayes at Grand Caire where in the advance of my voyage I staid many moneths but before I go away I will tell you how we met there with a brother of my companion Guillen Cassis whom he had so basely abused at our coming from Meca as I said in another place when he cheated him of seven Cammels under colour to go to traffick in the red sea and Ethiopia and we passed into Arabia the happy to Persia the East Indies and Affrica where in all we were forth in our travailes six years and a halfe But as soon as he perceived at a distance his brother Marat he got slily into a company that his brother might not take notice of him at length he passed by us with a fixed eye but said nothing no one thinking of him for my part I knew him not yet me thought I had seen him before till at last I called him to mind and told the whole story to our company who condemned it for an unworthy action In fine the good fellow by this means scap'd a bad encounter Being departed from Grand Caire we went to embarke in our Almadies which staid for us at Boulac which is the Rendezvous of all Merchants Christians and others who are bound for Alexandria Thence we came in a day and a half to Auas where we met with my friend who had made all speed for fear of his brother From Auas we came in a day and a half to Rousette called by the natives Raschill a town by the ancients called Metilis or Canapus upon an arm of Nile called Heraclettick which Historians call Rexi At Roussetta we sold our Almadies and imbarked by night in a Germe and the next day were in Alexandria Alexandria is a town half ruinate of little pleasure a most remarkable example of the inconstancy of worldly things that this town should now be brought to so lacerate a condition that was for many ages one of the most ample fair populous rich and flourishing towns of the world chiefly renowned for excellent and commodious scituation for her Founder Alexander the great for having been the Seat-royall of the Ptolomiâ—s for her so famous and frequented Haven for her proud buildings amongst the rest Pharoes tower one of the wonders of the world for her Academy renowned for all Sciences for being the mother of so many famous Philosophers great Doctors and holy Patriarcks who kept the christian faith so long flourishing in those parts briefly for so many ornaments of art and nature from which glory she fell after she was taken with the rest of the country by the Sarasins and their third Calife Homar so as after this consternation she never recovered any thing of her pristine splendour But she remains a good Haven and a good landing place for all Merchandizes of the Levant and Indies where all Levantine Merchants Africans and Europians come to traffick Heretofore the Romans afterwards the Ptolemies made it the greatest Mart in the world by the means of the sea and Nile drawing thither all sorts of drugs spices and other Arabian commodities from India by the red sea then by land to Nile and so to Alexandria Since again under the Soudans this course was continued where the Venetians and all Europians fetched their spices till the Portuguese found out another way as we said in another place I will say no more either of this town or Caire as places sufficiently understood in these parts by the ample relations of divers accurate travailers only I shall observe that in this town when the Nile flowes they preserve sweet water in their Cesterns and make Channels to water their gardens There is resident a Consul for the French Nation Le sieur de Rhode was then the person who shewed us much kindnesse and much admired our tedious and painful peregrination He had his wife there with him by whom he had two twin daughters
leagues from Tecoantepee to Colima 100. leagues by the way is Escapulio and Zacatula from Colima to Cape Coruentes 100. leagues 20. degrees betwixt them is the Porto de Nativitad thence to Chiamelan 60. under the Tropick where are the Havens Calisto and Vanderas from Chiamelan to the deep River or R. de Miraslores 250. leagues 33. degrees In this space of 250. leagues they passe the River of S. Michael Logagaual Porto del Remedio Cape Vermego the Port of Ports the Passe of Miraflores to the point of Balenas 200. leagues or California going to Porto Escondido By the way you come to Belen Port del fuego the gulph of Canoas the Isle of Pearles called Tarrarequi from the point of Balenas to Cape Courantes 't is 80. leagues where comes in the sea of Cortez like to the Adriatick being something coloured from the point de Valenas 100. leagues to the point of Abad and as much to the Cape Lingano 30. degrees from thence to the Cape of Bruz fifty leagues and one hundred and fifteen to the Port of Sardinia On this coast is the Crick S. Michael and the gulf de los fuegos and the white coast resembling the coast of Brasile so as one would think white linnen hung there from Sardinia to Terra Nevada 150. l. passing by the Port of Todos santos Cape Gabeca Cape Nevado Golfo Primero Sierra Nevada in 40. d. This is the last country which runs North to Labrador Thus we find the South sea to contain 3375. l. and the Notth 5960. l. together 9300. l. new Mexico 1000. l. in circuit comprehending 15. large inhabited Provinces CHAP. II. The Authours Departure Particulars of Demingo FRom the Port of Sancta Maria in 37. degrees we steer'd the ordinary course of the Canaries whither 't is 590. miles the gulf de las Yegas lying in the way The Canaries heretofore called the Fortunate had that appellation from some terrible and sanguinary dogs which were there going in packs like sheep and at this day there is abundance of them exceeding fierce and dangerous Of these Islands there is the grand Canari Tenerif Palma Gomora du Fez Fortaventura and others lesse to about 28. degrees They afford divers curiosities amongst which Mount Pic in Tenerif which I esteem to be one of the highest on the earth Libanus it self is not so high by halfe much lesse Mount Gibel in Sicily for it may be discovered at 120. miles distance and is the first land the Marriners discover at sea when they come from Spain This is not to be ascended but two moneths in the year July and August for the extreme colds and because 't is commonly covered with snow which cooles the ayre to such a degree that one cannot breath upon it without iminent danger of life From the top of this the rest of the Islands are all discoverable and amongst them one which seems rather an illusion then a reality For one plainly views the Isle and go to the place you find nothing They have three names for it the Fortunate the Inchanted and the Not to be found and there is no more to be learned of it only the common people say 't is an Island inhabited by Christians and that God prohibits they should be discovered for my part I have seen it as I have the others and I believe 't is conceal'd with clouds which are exhal'd from the abundance of fresh water there which render it so obscure to be found out In the Isle of Tenerife there is a cave in a firm Rock where the heardsmen in bad weather shelter their cattle 't is some 5. leagues from St. Christophers They report that heretofore there was an apparition of extraordinary splendour with an image of the blessed virgin which wrought many miracles and was the reason of a Church built by the title of Nuestra Sennora de la candelaria where there is a monastary of Dominicans In the Island of Iron is that miraculous tree the leaves whereof distill water which suffices the inhabitants for drink The tree is alwaies hooded with a thin cloud of colour between gray and white and never extenuates for wind nor tempest nor suffers any motion whence is deduced all the liquor which the tree emits so plentifully into cesterns placed for the purpose that it waters both the Inhabitants and the heards of the whole Island there being no other water at all so as without this 't would lye waste and desert and by this is rendered inhabitable and fruitfull Having taken in provisions at the Canaries we continued our course towards the Desseada crossing the great pacifick gulph which may be said one of the calmest Seas of the world for during the fourty dayes we were upon it we perceived not the least alteration but an air or gentle gale blew equally and constantly without ceasing so as vessels are there almost alwaies driven by the Poupe without scarce ever using saile for above two thousand four hundred and ninety two miles to Desseada which takes name from the desire they have to get thither there being no other land betwixt that and the Canaries passing the gulph the voyage taking up sometimes thirty two dayes sometimes thirty five as it happens Desseado one of the Antillaes was the first Columbus discovered in his second voyage where from the Canaries he arrived in twenty dayes 't is in 15. degrees towards the North. Thence they come to Domingo a good and a fertile Island in eighteen degrees The inhabitants are sanguinary and man-eaters practising all sort of guile to betray strangers to their broach They are dextrous archers and seldom misse their mark their bowâ— ten or twelve foot long and their arrows will pierce a corselet good sword proof they are made of a hard and strong wood they call Sourgar whereof they poyson the pile They live upon venison grapes and fruit both men and women go absolutely naked adore the Sun have little stock more than a few garden utensils a bed made of cotton in the manner of netting hanging from one side of the house to the other which is round made of straw called Tortora Their goods are all in common and what they have they eat together They are not injurious to one another are very Martial their armes clubs of eight foot long made like Bel-clappers which they will mannage very effectually but they affect their bow more than their club They have some Priests in their Gentilism whom they call Chaouris who solemnize certain ceremonies and feasts There being a necessity of taking in fresh water some of the ship of Cape Moulini would needs go on shore and but that some of the Company disswaded him the Captain himself had gone with them howsoever he sent the Masters mate with twenty resolute men and twelve Musqueteers Our Captain Noguena seeing this rash enterprize knowing the humour of the Countrey immediately sent a shore thirty of his men whereof twenty were musqueteers to assist them but
businesse then to be merry They are a strenuous people docile and capable of religion were it not for the unsufferable Tyranny of the Spaniard who of four hundred thousand soules found on this Island have left scarce the hundreth part which is the cause you meet scarce with any thing but desolation and dead mens bones The first of these kingdomes is called Mangna a fertile soyle with many good and large rivers in length 80. leagues from the South sea to the North invironed with mountaines amongst which are these Cibar where are gold mines of 23. Carats and a half the second kingdome is Sigouaya the third Magana or Magnane the fourth Xantiga the fifth Hegay Magana abounds in gold and sugar and different from the rest the King is created by election The King dead foure Tabusamin who are principal Peeres assemble the people at the Palace of Bibical a Conquerour and establisher of the state This Bibical was the miracle of his time for strength who came hither from Mecheoarin on the Continent in Mexico to visit his brother servant to the King of Mangna and one of his chief dancers being here would needs see the other dominions of the Island at Sigouaya where the exercise of wrestling is much in request he made some stay as indeed in war it self the matter is decided as much or more by vigour of arm as weapon and being very perfect he entered lists with the best amongst them and in the Princes presence came off with such advantage that he gained the honour of a Lions skin a matter so considerable with them that in warre 't is worne by none but persons of quality Invited by the King he stayed at Court but the King of Mangna with whom his brother was having notice he sent expressely to have him return and that he would find an honourable employment for him withall sent him an ample present not in wealth but Mexican curiosities as Jewels to hang in the ears and lips and the like the people not prizing so much gold as innocent and simple gaity and with great reason liberty above all All the Kings civilities nor his brothers entreaties could draw him from the Prince of Sigouay who had designed him to march with a hundred Indians into the kingdom of Magana and take a strong town called Saalan for that it maintained it self a free town and would submit to no Prince With much joy Bibical received the Commission and by his valour reduced the place to his Princes obedience with many famous gallantries putting numbers to the sword and the rest to flight Their Bastion called Courcoumeca barrocadoed with timber twice mans height he took by assault By this means not the town alone but the whole countrey was subjugated to the King of Sigouaya who repayed Bibical with collation of honours and erected him monumental trophies of stone with this inscription Aray jourcoumac Bifical that is a man worthy of principality Gibbeleca the Kings sister became so passionate a lover of him that she resolved to marry him though her brother in displeasure secur'd her in a secret prison Biblical freed her married her and carried her to Magana where he made himselfe King of the Countrey which so incensed the brother he used all meanes to destroy him for which purpose he suborned an Indian who from an ambush shot him on the high way with a poysoned shaft this so moved Biblical that he invaded him with a vigorous and violent warre assisted by his brother Gouayquibal and at last overthrew him but the venome of the wound he had formerly received by degrees so prevailed over him that he dyed swelled and black as a coale leaving no child behind him The people petitioned the Dowager she would marry again that they might have a Prince to govern them whereto though with difficulty she at last condescended and called a Councel where 't was ordered that the most strong and active should succeed and marry the Queen Then they proclaimed an Assembly at all exercises of strength as leaping wrestling and Clubbe-fight in which amongst them all one Calips prov'd eminent and was made King For his chief Councel he elected the deceased Kings brother to whom he gave his sister in marriage and since that time the Kings have been elected by strength which custome continued to Moulsamberc who died at the Spaniards invasion This Island was heretofore exceedingly vexed with the Canibales of the Antilles and other neighbour-Islands who come to hunt men and women as others do savage beasts the men to eat them and the women for procreation This Island though under the torrid Zone enjoyes a temperate ayre and almost a perpetual spring by meanes of Mountains which shelter it from the North and refresh it as in most parts under the Zone The Fecundity of the soyle is such that corn sowed produces most great and long eares of above a thousand cornes in an ear Besides it yields Gold Mastick Aloes Cotton Silk Sugars Spices Pepper and Ginger with Jucan and Cassaue whereof they make their bread 'T was from hence the Spaniards first took and brought into Europe the Morbus and remedy Guaicum Here chiefly raign the furious winds called Vracans or Foracanes furies that rend trees dash the waves against the sky destroying Navies and other prodigies But as these people were delivered from the cruelty of the Canibales they fell under that of the Spaniards a hundred times worse who laid the Island with the rest of her neighbours desert and depopulate though the Natives at their landing used them with all humanity but they fell presently to bloudy butchery carrying them slaves to other Countries and reduced them to such despair that the wretches thought better to use violence on themselves and children then to be led slaves under these Salbins thieves and tyrants As one of these miserable Kings was going to be burnt a Father of St. Francis exhorted him to baptism he liked well of all he told him of eternal life and heaven but understanding the Spaniards went thither also he lost his vocation saying in his language Heiti siltiba Salbin Spaniards in heaven and I with them fie fie adding he had rather live with the Yares the Devil and so dyed they destroyed all generally being glutted weary with slaughter they made markets of the rest as of Cattle to toyle and carry burthens not regarding any countermands of the Spanish King to keep them slaves These new guests at first they called children of the Sun but afterwards they changed their stile and called them Solbins and Devils and with good reason when these new-comes would lay insupportable burthens on them and when they failed or fainted cut off their heads to save a labour of unlocking an iron collar about their neck to put upon another Notwithstanding they were a people very capable of religion and doctrine as appeared in such as were converted who proved very pious Christians but
one another For arms they have staves bows and slings wherein they are very effectual being strong and good wrestlers They lead into the field troops of fierce and strong dogs and fling them the head hands and feet of an enemy for reward they only spare their wives to whom they yield all honour and marry with them There is not amongst them any sort of Science Learning or Character they believe the soul immortal and that the Sun created the world whom they call Courcourant and the Moon Beleida live like brothers without any Law of property every man hath his wife and with her is satisfied no distinction of sin amongst them vice nor vertue all equal onely a particular reverence to one chief as their King whom they call Caraybalan They shave their head and beard with a root called Meite which dryed at the Sun they make into powder and apply it plaister-wise all night Maids deflowr'd before Matrimony never marry though the fact is no dishonour to them Their Singay by the advantage of their mountains often fall upon them they have a sort of trunks through which they will blow their poysoned arrowes with strange vigour and wound incurably They are of admirable Footmanship and will fly like Grayhounds before a pursuing enemy and on such occasions their dogges stand them in good stead They scatter about the fields certain poysoned paste for the enemies dogges and lest their own should be taken with it they hold them up tyed he that hath two with him thinks himself secure When the dogge winds any thing if the Master cryes Taip the dogge stayes till his Master hath viewed his prey they carry burthens like horses Their houses are of straw and their burrowes are fortified with Timber-Palizadoes which they poyson against the invading enemy Of the same straw they cover their houses they make bridges and never make bridge of stone which straw-bridges are of good firmnesse They have some houses made of earth mingled with chopt straw The Charaybalan or King walks through the country with no attendance but dogges and allowes no man to approach him These dogges are his guard being very fierce and when they find any thing they first look on their Masters face to understand if they should eat it or not and stand for good servants the enemy hath strong apprehension of them These dogges have great tayles like Bulles and it hath been knowne that they have assaulted and defeated a good body of men so as the race of them is prized at a high rate CHAP. VII Of Virginia and Florida Fountains of youth dangerous love ON the South and East of all these parts lyes Virginia discovered by Sir Walter Rawleigh and the English and Florida first found by Sebastian Cabot an English Navigator in the yeare 1496. as he looked for another matter and more perfectly afterwards discovered by John Ponce of Lyons who so christened it because he arrived on Palme-Sunday in French called Flowre-Sunday or else because he found the land fragrant and spread with flowers This is a country of wide circuit towards 34. degrees having on the East the Channel of Bahama the Lucays and Virginia on the West Mexico and the gulph Panuco on the South it looks upon Cuba or Jucatan and on that side extends above 200. leagues to the 24. degree on the North lyes Canada New France and the Auanares towards this point or tongue of land in form of an Isthmus 't is dangerous sayling for the opposite winds and currents of water The natives are strong and turbulent eat their enemies of war but their friends and confederates never not for any extremity The men eradicate their beards to appear more lovely and pleasing to the women pierce their nose and ears and hang in rings and jewels they marry not till 40 years of age and the woman 25. holding that the children will be more robustious Women before matrimony observe not chastity and without dishonour but after marriage they will forfeit life as soon as their fidelity North they border on the Aunares and beyond them the Abardaos a cruell and wicked people continually in warre and use a thousand subtleties to ensnare their enemies but especially by night first laying their Engines or Caltrops then give the Alarme and seem to flye so the enemies pursuing are often taken in these trappes as they likewise take wilde beasts as they on the other side make conceal'd pits for them to fall in There are also the Jagares a people so swift they boast they can take a Deere in plain running and indeed the Deere there are not so wilde For they feed in fields in Heards like Cows whereof they make their ordinary sustenance Ponce de Leon sayes he sent one of these people with a letter and some provision to his company and in few houres he went and came thirty 1. They are cloathed with skins of beasts but cheifly Deere which they dresse very artificially Then there are the Apalchen and Chahamo people intirely barbarous and brutish who adore and sacrifice to devills that appeare to them in diverse formes The whole Countrey abounds in all Commodities as flesh of all sorts and fish and they say there are Mines of Gold and Silver whereof they make no great account They have a King whom foure of the Principall amongst them beare in the skin of a Saliabe a beast like a Hart apparrelled with skins and set with feathers they adore the Sun and believe the immortality of the soule and that some go to Heaven and others to the bowells of the earth Towards the Promontory of Baxos there is a fishing of ordinary pearles neither so fine nor great as in the River of Palmes and Margarita nor do the Natives much esteem them and value more a measure of Sperma Caetae then a handfull of pearles The people of Canada maâ—â— a greater account of them for the women weare them in their eares In many places they build their houses in forme of a Cressant in Honour of the Moone and cover them with barkes of trees or sea reeds For Armes they use Bows and poysoned Arrowes as doth the greater part of America They are much given to Hunt and Fish For more of the description of the Country and the manners of the people I refer my selfe to the French and Spanish relations I will only make mention of one miracle in the Countrey attested by the Licentiados Ayllon Figuerra and other Spaniards of Quality 't is a fountain of Youth whereof the water being drunke not only mitigates all maladies but makes the old young again restoring decayed strength and vigour whereof they saw the experience in an old decrepid man quite worne out who became vigorous and lusty that married and got children The Spaniards advanced not into the Country finding the People Martiall bloody and violent enemies to them which I suppose proceeded rather from cruelties they themselves exercised then the inclinations of the people whom the
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
kils them with intolerable gripings and if the travailers make not all possible speed 't is no scaping for in this short passage of four or five dangerous leagues men loose their senses and often their horses or what they ride on will stand immoveable without sense either of spur or whip so as they are constrained to run on foot and drive their beasts before them Some cover their eyes others stop their ears and their nose others muffle and lap their head and whole body Others put their head in a bag of herbs and aromatick drugs others carry cordials to eat others eat not of all day that they may not have so much matter to vomit but oftentimes this serves not the turn when one is in this pernicious place where there is nothing to be heard but laments and vomitings and notwithstanding that the Sun shine never so clear this vapour hath still its force some go other wayes a side off but they still find the same inconvenience and the danger sometimes more great all the wayes are exceeding bad and the worst by the Sea side The whole extent of this quarter is not above five and twenty leagues without people beasts trees or grasse so desert is the place and beyond the Countrey extends 500. leagues At the foot of these Mountains there are some rascally Innes they call Tambos where one finds but wretched entertainment This is the high-road from Peru to Chila At the foot of the Mountain towards the Sea one would think the passage more benign but there reigns a wind chiefly in May June July and August which cools and penetrates with extremity so as fingers and toes freeze and fall off with cold the greatest part perish in passing and the wind renders them incorruptible Of burning mountains we have spoken sufficiently in Mexico some there are in Peru towards Arequipa which throw forth stones others onely smoak others flaming pumice stones some vomiting flames and cinders others scalding winds In Mexico near a place called la Peubla de los angelos there is a hill five and twenty leagues high answerable to another on the top of a Mountain where when it thunders it makes an Echo that shakes the whole Countrey a formidable thing to those that are not used to it Near Guatimala in 1586. for six moneths this hill casts out flames and cinders followed with earthquakes that they have thought the Countrey had been ruined All Mexico and Peru are subject to these earth-quakes and chiefly on the Sea-coasts from Chila to Quito For above 200. leagues the Sea-men with astonishment beheld flames rising from these mountains and afterwards learnt that the Town of Guatimala was almost entirely swallowed in the earth-quake In 1587. it reached 200. leagues distance and at St. Croix the Refectorian of the Dominicans was beaten dead and twenty of the religious killed under the vaults The Inhabitants of Guatimala having notice made a timely retreat There are of these Mountaines near Lima and another at Arequipa to which you must ascend two dayes in sand Most parts of this India are subject to these furnaces and earth-quakes and chiefly near the Sea Near Leon de Nicaragae there is a terrible one where sometimes by night the flames may be discerned 25. leagues in discourse whereof Benzoni relates the same of a Jacobin as Acosta of a Priest at Guatimala In the Province of Seiron near the Town of Bousan is mount Malat where is one of the most conspicuous furnaces of the Indies next that of Guatimala for the hill at the bottom hath five mouths and at the top one which is more formidable than the other five for casting out fire with miraculous fury but this is by intervals sometimes nothing but smoak appearing at other times throwing up burning stones specially when the wind Tourmacaui reigns during which time there is heard a most hideous tumult and tempest within One King went about to quench it with water but in vain the fire encreasing the more on which design divers perished and amongst the rest a near Allie of the Kings in whose memory he made a statue adorned with plumes mounted on an Elephant and armed with skin of Crocodile All that passed by it prostrated before it with great humility believing the Prince happy as being deify'd by their God this fire which they adore as a Divinity The Mexicans call these furnaces Popocatepech Popoca signifying smoak and tepech a Mount The Neighbouring Inhabitants in their Armes and Ensignes bear a flaming Mountain CHAP. XII Of certain Fountains Lakes Rivers c. in this Countrey NEar Potossi at the bottom of the vale Tarapaye there lyes a Lake round as 't were drawn with a compasse and the water so hot that but at the brims there is no enduring it but thirty paces forward 't is impossible notwithstanding the Countrey round about is excessive cold In the middle it boyles and runs round that you would think some tempest were underneath From this Lake they draw a Channell that sets certain Leather-Engines at worke usefull for the Mines without any waste of the water Titicaca in Collao is famous for largenesse and bearing vessels of burthen fish abounds in it whereof the Inhabitants round about take great quantity very sweet good and commodious for passengers to whom they freely give part of their fish taking them with certain hand Engines If a Priest come that way they will present him a thousand civilities and he is happy with whom he will lodge One is in perfect security amongst them not understanding what theft meanes and you may trust them with all the treasure of the world while you live like good Christians Throughout the Countrey there are abundance of other Lakes as that of Eupama in Brasile whence so many Rivers issue and amongst others the great Paraguay or Plata which make inundations like Nile but not so moderately for Nile comes without any injury but on the contrary with all commodity whereas Plata breaks with fury into the Countrey for three months together coursing from the Cordilleras in Peru to the South Sea They have a way to passe rivers upon floats of gourds or pumpions fastened together which they use for all sort of carriage in some places they have bridges of straw The Spaniards have built stone bridges which the Indians much admire and at first had no confidence to trust themselves upon bridges in the air Now for their Fountains near the cape St. Helen in Peru there is a Fountain of liquor burns like oyl 't is a certain Bitumen or Gum which they call Copey or Copal that never decreases how much soever is taken out Marriners use to liquor their cordage with it The like is in the Isle of Lobos in Mexico which the Marriners can smell three miles at Sea and more if the wind â—it right In Cusco there are Fountaines the water whereof immediately congeals into white salt in which Peru abounds In Guancauesica there are hot
Page 9 Books of the lives and sects of Mahomets successors Page 13 Benjamin Page 19 Biharen Page 30 Benmir Page 32 Babylon ibid. Bagded Page 32 33. Balsora ibid. Bacchat Page 35 Besoart stone Page 36 Barcas Page 40 Batinisar and her Carpets Page 44 Baticola Page 54 Bisnegar Page 72.74 A History of the King of Bisnegar Page 73 Bramins high Priests Page 75 Barrs of gold Page 94 Ball-play Page 99.155 Betell a tree Page 101 Birds of Paradise Page 115 Beasts trained up to hunt Page 166 A bloody battell Page 178 Birds of strange nature ibid. Belugara a town in Monopotapa Page 186 Butua a Province Page 198 Bagamidri a town in Ethiopia Page 218. Bagamidri called Imperial and why ibid. Bagamidri a kingdom ibid. Bagamadri how bounded ibid. Barua a town Page 241.227 Biguen a strong town Page 235 Bridges of straw Page 236 Baza a pleasant town Page 256 Beniermi a desert Page 271 Bazuelle a fair town Page 273 Natural Balsome and how it growes Page 275 Barua an Isle Page 321 Bracala a country Page 322 Baris an Ape very serviceable Page 325 Bread made of fish Page 333 Beseé espada a dangerous fish Page 336 A History of Bibical Page 338 Breezes winds Page 341 Bacaltos why so called a coast annoyed with fish Page 347 Bacaltos discovered by an English man Page 348 Strange beasts Page 380 Birds of prodigious greatness ib. A good bargain Page 380 Brasile described Page 395 Brasile a fruitful and for pleasure a miraculous country ibid. Strange beasts in Brasile Page 397 Brasile divided ibid. Brasile by whom discoverrd ibid. Brasilians their nature their weare and ornaments Page 397 Brasilians Religion Page 398 Brasilian ceremonies at marriage ibid. The Brasilian customes Page 399 The Brasilian way of traffick ibid. Brasilians man-eaters Page 400 Brasilians their arms and wars ibid. Brasilian usage of prisoners at war ibid. Brasilians kind to strangers Page 402 Brasilians given to divinations and superstitions ibid. C. CAire Page 2 Candia ibid. Chrysorrhas Page 4 Carauane Page 9 A cheat Page 12 Cassia Page 19 Cinamon ibid. A Cutler Page 5 Cassis deceived his brother Page 13 Carauanes from Aleppo Damas and the grand Cair ibid. Cassis his treachery Page 17 Chicali Page 19 Cosan or Cosara a River Page 20 Camaran an Island Page 23 Camara Page 25 Camelots Page 26 Caymans or Crocodils ibid. Ceyfadin Page 29 Cimites of Persia Page 31 A Marseillan Curtisan Page 35 Casbin Page 36 Cusa Page 39 Calander ibid. Caidsidibir Page 40 Cassandera ibid. Christianisme in the Indies Page 42 Cambaye a town Page 45 46. Children sold by Parents Page 47.85 Calicut Page 57 Cochins scituation Page 62 Cinamon Page 67 Circles of poysoned iron Page 75 Christian faith preached in the Indians and by whom Page 76 Ceremonies Page 89 Cruelty of the Javans Page 98 Chiamay a famous Lake Page 105 Castigay an Idoll Page 107 Chaubanoys disaster Page 108 Caipomo a River Page 112 Confession amongst Idolaters Page 124 Communions extravagant Page 129 Cannons in the Indies from all antiquity Page 132 Cock-fights Page 138 Ceremonies Page 143 Casubi a kingdom Page 154 Casubi a town Page 155 Cocos and the benefit Page 156 The Cape of Palmes Page 180 Cape of Natall Page 183 where Christianity first planted in Africa ibid. Crocodiles and how taken Page 185 Christians in Belugara Page 187 Courtesy of savages Page 195 Courtesy of the Prince of Belugara ibid. Suguelane a town and the entertainment of that town with their customes Page 197 The Court of Abissina under tents in the field Page 215 Combats of savage beasts Page 222 Couzan a kingdom Page 238 Ceremonies at matrimony ibid. Crown revenues of the grand Negus Page 243 Churches and Church-service in Ethiopia Page 244 Candace Queen Page 252 Caraman a town Page 254 A Church cut out of the natural Rock founded by Candaces Eunuke ibid. The Chair of Saint John Babtist ibid. The celebrated cataracts Page 261 Christians delivered from Infidels by miracle Page 272 Caire built upon the ruines of Babylon and Memphis Page 274 Crocodiles and their nature Page 277 Constantina a town in Morocca Page 298 Constantinople the scituation and founder Page 306 A stupendious rock of Christal Page 325 Canaries why so called Page 331 A Cave in a rock once a Church Page 332 Cuba the most fruitful Island of America Page 336 Crocodiles good meat Page 337 Canibals hunt men and why Page 339 Cruelty of the Spaniards Page 340 Coasts of Mexico Page 341 Canada or New-France by whom discovered Page 349 the King of Canada whence extracted Page 350 the Canadans nature religion laws habit and customes ibid. An example of covetousnesse Page 365 Cordileras vast extended mountaines of wonderful scituation Page 372 Cosca a Province ibid. Charcas a Province in Peru. Page 373 the Calandar of Peru. Page 388 Cruelty revenged Page 389 Chica a country Page 392 D. DAmas Page 5 A Deruis Page 6.39 Dan Caerea Page 7 Dalatia Page 22 Dehir ibid. Dalascia a town Page 25 A strange dispute Page 27 Derbent Page 35 Delicacies Page 38 Durmisar Page 39 Diu assaulted by the Turk Page 44 Delidecan Page 49 Dinari Page 50 Country dames Page 74 A declaring of war Page 75 Diamond mines Page 83 the Devill adored Page 99 Dead bodies eaten Page 104 How drugges are brought into Europe Page 133 Documents for Princes Page 136 The devil's dance Page 143 A dance in Armes Page 164 Deserts frightfull Page 174 Dumes a river Page 191 King Davids robe Page 254 Dangala a town Page 272 Delusion of a Mahometan Priest Page 274 Deserts of Caire and how travailed Page 279 a difference ingeniously reconciled Page 319 Domingo an Island Page 332 Inhabitants of Domingo their Nature Lawes Customes and Religion ibid. Discovery of the new World Page 346 The Devil Gods ape Page 361 Dancers on the rope in Mexico Page 365 a discovery Page 379 Diving men Page 386 F. A Fatall execution Page 6 Erithreos a King Page 23 Ecade Page 40 Ebony Page 56 Euate a precious wood Page 81 A story of an Elephant Page 117 The manner of their keeping Page 118 Exorcisms Page 150 Number of Elephants in Pegu. Page 135 Extent of Africa Page 178 The Empire of the Abissins Page 180 Extent of the Abissins country Page 212 Ethiopians descended from Chus the sonne of Cham the first Idolaters Euate a precious vessel that endures no poyson Page 216 An entertainment Page 255 Ermin a Judge with the Turks Election of the King Page 327 Encrease of corn admirable Page 339 Election of the King of Mexico Page 358 Earthquakes Page 375 Emerald enemy to inconstancy Page 386 F. FErragous Page 17 Frankincense Page 19 Forests Page 38 Prodigious food Page 46 The French pox in Indies Page 51 Fish charmed Page 72 A fortunate escape Page 96 Two Franciscans eaten Page 98 Strange funerals Page 104 Faithful trading Page 111 Fraternal amity Page 145 Faith of the Indians Page 154 French highly esteemed in the