which amount to seventy five French Pistols But coming afterwards to the Crown he caus'd him immediately to be redeem'd and with the quality of Sulthan bestow'd on him the Government of Katschan The Persians put this City of Katschan at 84 degrees longitude and at thirty four distant from the Line After an exact Observation of three days I found that it is distant from it thirty three degrees and 51 minutes that is nine minutes less The City is of a great length reaching from East to West above half a German League Its Walls and bastions are of a kind of Potters day and it lies in a great Plain the ground of which is good enough for Tillage and there may be discover'd from it on the right hand Mount Taurus which the ' Porsians call Elwend As you come to the City you pass through a place appointed for tilting and running at the Ring which hath on both sides several Pillars and in the midst a high Pole for shooting at the wooden Parrat On the left hand of that place or Carriere you leave the King's Garden wherein there is one Summer-house standing in the midst of it and another near it upon the High-way We were told that the former hath a thousand Doors belonging to it comprehending in that number the Windows through which they pass into the Galleries and Balconies It is to be observ'd withall that there is no Door but hath its Counter-door in regard the Wall being above two foot thick there is a Door on each side of it so that the number is not so great as it seems to be at first In this House the King is Lodg'd when he comes to Katschan The City is no doubt one of the most populous and most eminent for Trading of any in Persia and the best Built of any we were yet come to whether in regard of its private Houses or its Palaces and Caravansera's but the Basar and Maidan and the other publick structures which have all their Store-houses Galleries and Rooms for the Merchants as well such as live within the Kingdom as Foreiners are the noblest I met with in all my Travells into those parts There is in this City at all times a great number of forein Merchants and above all Indians who are assigned there a particular place for their Habitation and Traffick as are also all the other Merchants Tradesmen especially such as make Silk-stuffs and Weavers of Gold and Silver Brocadoes work in open places where all the World may see them The Valleys are very fruitfull in Wheat Wine and Fruits which grow in such abundance there that I find no difficulty to acknowledge what Cartwright sayes of these parts to wit that the poorest and most indigent of the Inhabitants have not only what is requisite for their subsistence but also somewhat of delicacy and that what they most stand in need of is fresh water For there is not any to be had without digging very deep into the Earth and what there was so got we thought very distastfull to the Palat and so corrupt that had there not been an extraordinary necessity we should have been much troubled to swallow it I must withall confess that I could not observe that excellent order and commendable policy which Cartwright sayes he had seen there in the Institution of Youth nor that they are more carefull there than in other places to accustom it timely to pains-taking so to avoid idleness and the inconveniences consequent thereto True it is that the great number of Children which are ordinarily to be found there in Families which by reason of Polygamy are very numerous obliges the Parents to be the more carefull for their subsistence but the Persians for the most part are so little inclin'd to pains-taking that commonly you shall either see them walking in the Maidan or discoursing in the Shops while they leave most of their work to be done by their slaves Which happens hence that being themselves very temperate and content with little and on the other side Provisions being very cheap they conceive they ought not to take much pains for what is superfluous and those things whereof there is no great necessity So that there are even in these parts idle Persons and Beggers as well as in other places What the same Cartwright sayes concerning the Scorpions and other venemous Creatures is very true For of these there are about Katschan more than at any other place of Persia and such as are so dangerous that they have occasion'd that Malediction Akrab-Kaschan be destet senet may the Scorpion of Kaschan pinch thee by the hand We found some of them in our Lodging as black as cole about the length and compass of a man's finger and we were told that these were the most dangerous of any sort of them They are somewhat like our Crabs or Crevisses save that their Bodies are shorter they go faster and they have their tails alwayes sticking up Whence it comes that the Inhabitants never lay their Mattresses or Beds upon the ground as they do in other places but they set them upon a kind of Trevets or Frames which they call Tzarpay They affirm also that these Beasts have a certain respect for strangers and that to prevent their stinging they are only to pronounce these words Menkaribem I am a stranger But for my part I am of opinion that strangers who stand more in fear of them than the Inhabitants are only the more oblig'd to themselves for the care they have of their own safety though I never could hear that those who are stung by them dye of it For they have a present and easie remedy against this kind of poison by applying a piece of Copper to the place affected for which Cure they ordinarily make use of that Money which they call Pul and thence it comes that they carry some of it alwayes about them and having left that piece for the space of 24. hours upon the part stung they take it off and put on the Wound a Plaister made of Honey and Vineger It was my misfortune to be the only man of all our retinue that had occasion to make triall how venemous this Creature is For lying down upon my Bed at Scamachie in our return from Ispahan a Scorpion stung me in the throat where it made immediately a swelling about the length of my finger which was attended with insupportable pain As good fortune would have it our Physician who lay in the same Chamber immediately apply'd thereto the Oyl of Scorpion gave me some Treacle and put me into a sweat which deliver'd me from the greatest of my pains at the end of three hours but I had still some pain for the two dayes following but by intervals and it was as if I had been prick'd with a Needle nay indeed for many years afterwards I have been troubled with the same pains at certain times especially in Autumn much about the
of their refreshments at this place In the Isle of Teneriffe there is a Mountain called El Piâ—o de Terraira It is certainly the highest Mountain in the World since that a man cannot get it up in less then three dayes and that must be too either in Iuly or August in as much as all the year besides it is covered with Snow though there never fall any in those Islands It is so high that it may be seen at the distance of sixty Leagues and from the top of it a man may discover and easily count all the other Canary Islands though some of them be above fifty leagues distant from this The Island of Fierro is also one of the most considerable of all the Canaries and I conceive that name to be given it upon this account that its soil not affording so much as a drop of fresh water seems to be of Iron And indeed there is in this Island neither River nor Rivulet nor Well nor Spring save that towards the Sea-side there are some Wells but they lie at such a distance from the City that the Inhabitants can make no use thereof But the great Preserver and Sustainer of all remedies this inconvenience by a way so extraordinary that a man will be forced to sit down and acknowledge that he gives in this an undeniable Demonstration of his Goodness and infinite Providence For in the middest of the Island there is a Tree which is the only one in its kind in as much as it hath no resemblance to those mentioned by us in this Relation nor to any other known to us in Europe The leaves of it are long and narrow and continue in a constant verdure Winter and Summer and its branches are covered with a Cloud which is never dispelled but resolved into a moisture which causes to fall from its leaves a very clear Water and that in such abundance that the Cisterns which are placed at the foot of the Tree to receive it are never empty but contain enough to supply both men and beasts Some affirm that above a hundred leagues West of the Canâ—ries there is sometimes seen an Island called St. Borondon which they say is very delightful and fertile and inhabited by Christians yet can it not be said what Language they speak nor how the Island came to be peopled The Spaniards of the Canaries have often endeavoured to find out the said Island but whether it be that it is alwayes covered with a thick mist which hinders it from being discovered or that the current of the water thereabouts was so strong that it is a hard matter to land thereat certain it is that as yet it subsists only in the opinion wherewith most Sea-men are prepossessed that certainly there is an Island in those parts The 30th of November the wind South-south-west we got 31. leagues to the North-east and were at noon got to 40. degrees 32. minutes Latitude December 3. With the same wind we got 34. Leagues taking our course North-east The 4. The wind North-east carried us twenty seven Leagues to East-north-east The 5. The wind came to South-west and continuing the same course we got 34. leagues This day it was just eleven moneths that we had been tossed up and down the Sea for we left Surat the 5. of Ianuary though our Voyage had been prosperous enough ever since our departure from the Island of Madagâ—â—ear The 6. The same wind was heightned into a tempest but having it Easterly we got 50. leagues that day When a man is once come to the Azores he may assure himself all the year after of a West-wind which will bring him into England and never almost turns to South or North though it may sometimes vary some points of the Compass from one side to the other The 7. The wind came to the North-west and we got 39. Leagues to East-north-east The 8. The wind turn'd to South-west and was so high that we got 47. leagues keeping on the same course The 9. The wind South-south-west we got 31. leagues to North-north-east We were this day at 49. degrees 13. minutes It was very cold and we found bottom at 68. fathom the Sand very white In the evening we founded again and found some change in the Sand which was yellower then that in the morning at fifty three fathom water The wind changed at night and coming to North-east was just in our teeth The 10. About noon the wind came to South-west and we found we had got 22. Leagues The 11. At break of day we saw two English Vessels and soon after we discovered on our left hand that point of England which is called The Lands end and in the County of Cornwal The wind was against us which oblig'd us to endeavour doubling the point by Laveering We made shift to get that day 16. Leagues The 12. The wind still contrary we continued Laveering We saw another English Vessel but could not come near it The 13. The wind South-west and South-south-west we continued our course to East-south-east and to East with a point towards the South We got that day 64. Leagues and were at 49. degrees Latitude Then we chang'd our course taking it to East-north-east to get into the channel which divides England from France The 14. we saw two Scotch Ships and a Dunkirker We came somewhat near them but the Sea made such a noise that we could not possibly hear one the other The 15. We continued our course to East-north-east and met three Dutch Ships bound for Brâ—sil That day we passed in sight of the Isle of Wight which lies at 50. degrees 36. minutes Latitude and at 19. degrees and 4. minutes Longitude The 16. About 10. in the morning we passed in sight of Dover-Castle and at noon came to the Downs We cast Anchor near three men of war which lay at Anchor in the same Road and thus we compleated our Voyage in the 12. month after our departure from Surat There were in the same Road above a hundred other ships lying at Anchor in expectation of some change of weather which was then so boystrous that for two days we could not get out of our Ship The Lord Admiral who commanded the Men of War ventured to send his Shallop to our Ship to congratulate the Presidents safe return The 19. The wind being somewhat laid the Admiral invited the President to dinner I went along with him and participated of the civility wherewith he received him I must confess I was somewhat surprised to see upon the Sea such a prodigious quantity of silver Plate and a Table as well furnished as that I may boldly say the King was not better served at London then the Admiral was in his Vessel We were so well treated there that night began to draw on ere we got away Our Ship was not above a Musket shot from the Admiral 's but we were no sooner got into our boat
arrival at Suratta I found my health perfectly recover'd though I must also acknowledge as much contributing thereto my using of Thé to which I had so accustomed my self that I ordinarily took it twice or thrice a day The contrary wind prevented our departure the day that we came aboard so that we lay at Anchor all the night following and the next day being the seventh we set sail taking our course towards the Isle of Ormus but towards night there rose so great a tempest together with a West-wind that to avoid running upon the shore we were forced to cast Anchor in sight of the Isle Sunday being the eighth we laveer'd it with a West-wind endeavouring to pass between the Isles of Ormus and Kismich which are four Leagues distant one from the other About two in the afternoon we cast over-board the body of a young Sea-man who died of the Bloudy-flux two dayes before This Ceremony which I had not seen before put me into so much the greater fright in that being still troubled with the same disease I imagined they would shortly do as much by me The night following we pass'd in sight of the two Islands we spoke of last to wit Ormus and Kismich and the next day being the ninth we discovered the Continent of Arabia taking our course along the Coast which is thereabouts without any danger Tuesday 10. A calm staid us at the same place and the 11. we put off from the Coasts of Arabia to make towards those of Persia which we still kept in sight of till Thursday night April 12. Then a good West-north-west wind rising we took our course towards the East-south-east at 25. degrees 50. minutes elevation Friday morning we could perceive no Land but had sight of a Pirate who by his making ever and anon more or less sail discover'd he had somewhat to say to us One while he came somewhat near us another he kept at a great distance but at last perceiving we made it our business to get the wind of him he made towards the Isle of Zocotora This Island is seated at 21. degrees 40. minutes at the entrance of the Red-sea having towards the South-west and North-east the Country of Melinda or Aethiopia and towards the South Arabia from which it is distant about sixteen Leagues It is about 25. Leagues in length but not above ten in breadth having on all sides very good riding for Ships and safe Harbours It is indifferently well peopled and is subject to the King of Arabia under whom it is governed by a Sulthan The Inhabitants are of low stature and rather lean then fat of a duskish complexion and very laborious Their only sustenance is Fish and Fruits living very temperately They treat their Wives whom they buy in Arabia with much civility and have a certain respect for them but will not permit Strangers to see them They are very crafty in their trading and delight much in it though they have but few things to sell. And whereas they adulterate almost all their Commodities they are accordingly distrustful of those which are brought to them They reduce Dates into a paste and it serves them instead of Bread The Island affords very few Oranges and those not very good Tobacco and Citruls There are also some Cocos-trees but not many the fruit not coming to ripeness there by reason the ground is very full of stones Their main wealth consists in Aloes the juyce whereof they gather in bladders or Goats-skins and dry it in the Sun They have also the gummy juyce called Dragons-bloud and Civet which may be bought there at about three or four Crowns an Ounce but those who are not very well skill'd in that Drug are many times cheated for the Inhabitants of the Island put Grease and other nasty stuff into it They keep abundance of Civet-cats about their houses but they have very little tame Fowl wild none at all They have Camels Asses Oxen Cows Sheep and Goats whose hair about the thighs is curl'd much after the manner that Satyrs are painted The Town where the Sulthan hath his residence is called Tamary and hath in it a Fort which is distant from the Sea about a Canon-shot with four Guns Their Arms are a kind of broad Swords whereof the hilt is very large but without any guard In their Girdles they wear also Poniards the blades whereof are above three fingers broad towards the handle but very sharp towards the point They are so curious as to have something of Silver or Copper about the handles but their Fire-arms are not well kept and yet they are very expert at the handling of them as they are also in mannaging those little Bucklers wherewith they defend themselves in fight Ships may take in fresh water there without any trouble for the waters which come from the Mountains fall into the Sea like a River They have no other Boats then such as are absolutely flat-bottom'd which they make use of in their fishing which is very good thereabouts They have this common with the Arabians and other Mahumetans that they eat no Swines flesh but even in Tamary it self there is no Mosquey nor any other place for them to meet at to do their Devotions These they do morning and evening at the rising and setting of the Sun to which they make very low reverences and mutter certain words between their teeth this they do also three or four times a day besides The 14. of April we were at 23. degrees 24. minutes The 15. at 22. degrees 40. minutes The 16. at 22. degrees 40. min. The 17. at 21. degrees 55. minutes This day the Captain of our Ship fell sick of a burning Feayer The 18. at 21. degrees 8. minutes The 19. at 20. deg 42. min. The 20. at 20. deg 50. min. The 22. at 29. deg 50. min. The 23. at 20. degrees 18. minutes latitude The 25. of April we came before the City of Surat and cast Anchor two Leagues from Land by reason it being the Captains intention not to stay there above three or four dayes he would be sure of the convenience of parting thence when he pleas'd Besides there is no Road along that Coast where Ships can lye with any safety from May to September by reason of the continual Tempests and furious winds which reign there during that time whereas on the Eastern Coast of the Indies in the Gulf of Bengala it is fair and calm at that time The year is divided into three very different seasons for in the moneths of February March April and May it is extreamly hot weather in Iune Iuly August and September there is nothing but continual Rains with Thunder and Lighting and the moneths of October November December and Ianuary are cold at least as far as is consistent with the Climate April 26. The Captin sent one to the President of the English at Surat to give him notice of his Arrival The
out They are not eaten and are hunted only for recreation or to cleanse the Sea of them The Fish which the Portuguez call Pesce puerco and whereof there is abundance in these Seas is no bigger then a Bream and is so called only because it grunts like a Pig There are also about those parts great store of Tortoises which lie on their backs and commonly sleep upon the water when the weather is calm The Sea-men when they see them in that posture get near them cast out a hook which fastning in the shells they draw them into the Boat Their meat is as delicate as Veal and it is one of the greatest refreshments the Seamen meet with in these great and dangerous Voyages February 21. We were at one degree and twenty minutes of the Line the weather being rainy and tempestuous and continuing so much longer then we expected it should at that place for it is so unconstant there and changes so of a sudden that many times they have hardly leisure to take in their Sails to avoid the violence of the Winds which the Portuguez call Travados that is Whirlewinds The 23. died one of our Seamen who having got the Pox at Surat neglected the taking of timely Remedies for the cure of it The 24. being Sunday the President treated all the Officers of the Ship and among other dishes had the Biggel dressed and some of the Country Fowl which the Viceroy of Goa had presented to him The 25. We were surprized by a Calm which kept us in the same place all that day but the night following there rose a Tempest that put us out of our course which we could not well have kept had that not happened in regard that having the Sun in the Zenith ever since the 22. we could not take the altitude but only in the night by the Stars This inconvenience continued till the fifth of March having had the twenty seventh and twenty eighth of February the wind at South-west which put us in hope we should soon have the Manson-wind whereof we stood in need to bring us to the Cape of Good Hope But the continual changes of the Wind and Tempests which obliged the Sea-men to be alwayes about the Masts lest they should be surprized by the Travados retarded our progress very much March 5. We began to make our Observations by the Sun and found we were at eight degrees six minutes Latitude Our Ship was encompassed by a great number of all sorts of Fish which seem'd to be our protection against the Whales by whom they were pursued March 10. We were at ten degrees fourteen minutes the Wind at West which turned to a Storm that lasted ten hours March 12. and 13. We had a great Storm accompanied with Lightning and Thunder But what we thought most strange was that though we were not come to the 13. degree yet we found nothing of the ordinary Wind of the season which is commonly perceived about the eight or ninth For the South-wind which blew constantly not only retarded the prosecution of our Voyage but also forced us so much back Eastward that we were in in some fear we might be constrain'd to return upon the Coast of the Indies March 15. The Wind changed and came to the South and at Night we had it South-east so that not doubting but it was the Manson we put out all the Sail we could and made two Leagues an hour taking our course South-west During the time the Wind was thus fair for us we saw a great number of Dolphins which followed our Ship and we took as many of them as found us three good Meals March 20. We were surpriz'd by a Calm which took off much of our courage in regard our store of fresh Water being somewhat low at a time when we knew not what to hope of our Voyage we were forced to assign every Man his allowance and to make it last the longer it was resolved that for some dayes there should be no salt Meat eaten but that the Swine and some other Creatures whereof having good store some had died that day upon the eating of Mustard-seed should be kill'd and consum'd Being about this time at sixteen Degrees we found that the Compass declined thirty Minutes to the West and it continued so to the four and twentieth Degree But when the Cape of Good Hope is once doubled the Loadstone draws towards the Earth The 21. While we floated up and down without so much as a breath of wind our Ship took fire which might have proved to the ruine of us all The Butler going to remove a Vat which he had filled with Aqus vitae set it on fire whereat he was so startled that he turned it out about the Cellar where the fire took in one of the great Vessels and was going to set thirty more into a flame ahd it not been timely prevented with Coverlets The Ship was so loaden with all sorts of Gums and other fat Drugs that it would have been impossible to quench it had there not been a care taken to smother it at the beginning After that day we began to made use of the invention of drawing fresh Water out of the Sea but it was fit only to dress Meat withall in regard it had so untoward a taste that the Sea-men would not take it for their ordinary drink March 22. We made a good dayes sail by the help of the Manson getting above two Leagues an hour The same Wind continued the 23. 24. and 25. This last day a Sea-man was whipt at the Main-mast for offering to debauch two young Boyes March 26. The Wind continued still fair but in regard we had some reason to fear that in case the wind should fail us as it was likely to do we should be put to great inconveinences for want of fresh water a Councel was call'd at which it was resolv'd that we should indeavour to make for Maurice Island and there take in fresh water This resolution very much rejoyced the company The same night we discovered the Island called Diego Roiz or Diego Rodriguez at twenty degrees forty five minutes in so much that we were in hopes the next day to reach Maurice Island as being but sixty Leagues further This Island which the Portuguez call Ilha do Cerno and the Dutch have named Maurice Island from the Prince of Orange who was Admiral of the Vnited Provinces at the time of their first Voyage into the Indies lies at 20. degrees 27. minutes and is abour 15. leagues in compass The Haven of it is very good as well in regard that at the entrance of it there is a hundred fathom water as that it is able to contain above fifty great Vessels sheltred from all winds It hath some Mountains which reaching up to the Clouds are seen at a great distance and are extreamly delightful to the eye in as much as Nature maintains them in a constant verdure
35. degrees Latitude We took in all our Sails and let down the Yards preparing our selves by that means against the Tempests which are very frequent and in a manner unavoidable about the Cape of Good hope and we hover'd up and down in that posture all the next day April 20. We perceiv'd that the Water was somewhat more whitish then it is in the main Sea and saw abundance of those Birds which the Portuguez call Mangas de valeudo and are a kind of Sea Mews being white all over the bodies and having black wings They have also this in particular that in their flight they beat their wings one against the other whereas the common Sea-Mews seldom do it but glide through the Air in an uninterrupted and even flight It is observed that where these Birds are seen there is ground within a hundred or hundred and fifty fathom at most Accordingly upon trial we found it at eighty fathom We saw also the same day a sort of Black-birds that had only â—â—â—ttle white upon the breast The Englishâ—ffirm â—ffirm they are Birds presaging misfortune as being the infallible fore-runners of a great Tempest The same day we had one with the West-north-west wind which on the 24. turn'd to a North-west During that time we were forc'd to go before the Wind the Water coming into the Ship with such violence that it took off our Carpenter but he was so fortunate as to lay hold on a Rope was cast him by which he was got aboard again We found ground at eighty fathom and in regard the Earth which stuck to the Plummet was â—lack we inferred thence that we were not far from the Cap d' Agulhas which is sixty Leagues from that of Good hope The 15. The Tempest increased so that we began to despair of escaping in regard the current of the Sea forced us towards the Coasts where we had inevitably been wrack'd if it had continued We were at thirty six degrees twenty minutes beyond the Line and this day we had like to have been destroyed by fire occasioned by a Lamp in the Presidents Chamber but it was soon put out The Storm continued all the next day Our Sea-men seeing about the Ship many of those Fish called Pesce Puercos would thence perswade us that it would not be long ere the weather changed and that the Wind would blow from the same quarter that those Fishes came Accordingly about two in the afternoon the Wind came to the North-west and the Tempest ceased so that we could spread our Sails The 27. We had no Wind at all but in the afternoon it came to the North-west which obliged us to take our Course to the North-north-west failing two Leagues an hour We saw that day a great number of Trombas from which we inferred we were not far from the Cape of Good hope These Yrombas are a kind of great Canes about the bigness of a mans arm and three or four foot long which flote upon the water with their roots as if the Sea had forced them away from the neighbouring Coast yet can it not be said whence they come nor that they are seen any where but about that Cape April 28. We discovered the Coast which before us reach'd from North to West Some thought at first it was Gabo-Falso or the Cape of Good hope but finding ground at forty Fathom and at thirty four degrees forty minutes they were soon convinced that it was the Cap d' Agulhas whence it came that we went all that day laveering with a North-west wind The 29. The Wind came to the South-east so that we continued our course to the North-west keeping still in sight of the Land That day we took as many Fith as found the whole company two or three good meals The night following the Wind changed and came to the North-west obliging us to laveer but being in a manner directly contrary we advanced but little Taking the Altitude of the Sun that day we found our selves at 34. degrees 27. minutes and consequently that we wanted 24. Leagues of being at the Altitude of Capâ—d ' Agulhas April 30. We continued laveering along the Coast the Wind being still contrary May 1. The wind coming to the North-east by East we kept along the Coast and perceived a very high shore which was at last known to be Cabo Falso which is within seven Leagues of that of Good hope It is called Cabo Falso because it is seen at a great distance extending it self into the Sea much after the same manner as the other though it be not so high The 2. A North-east wind brought us in sight of the Cape of Good hope but turning immediately to the North-west we could not possibly enter the Bay which obliged us to make off the Coast and get into the main Sea taking our course towards the South The next day with a North-west wind we had a great tempest which yet hindred us not from getting somewhat nearer the Coast. That day we cast one of our Sea men over-board with the ordinary Ceremonies used at funerals upon such occasions This was the third man died out of our Ship since our departure from Goa May 4. We doubled one of the points of the Cape of Good hope which is about ten Leagues distant from the Road or Bay and much about the same time we discovered the Mountain which the Dutch in the year 1601. named the Tafelherg it being flat and square at the top like a Table It was our intention to get into the Bay which is at the foot of the Mountain and at 34. Degrees four Minutes within fifteen Leagues of the Cape but the wind being contrary obliged us to keep along the Coast endeavouring to make the best advantage we could of it The 5. At Sun-rising we were out of sight of Land whereupon we changed our course taking it North-east and turning the prow of the Ship towards the Coast which we discovered about noon About two in the afternoon we passed in sight of the Island called St. Elizabeth which is inhabited and at night we got into the Bay and cast anchor at seven fathom water This Promontory of the Continent of Africk which extends it self into the Sea towards the South at 36. Degrees beyond the Line was named Cabo de bâ—n ' Speranza by Iohn II. King of Portugal under whom it was discovered by Bartholomew Dias about the year 1493. That Prince would needs call it so out of the hopes he conceived to discover afterwards the wealth of the East-Indies and other Nations have continued that name upon this account that having once doubled the Cape there is some assurance of compleating the Voyage whereof the Cape makes one half as lying in a manner at the equal distance of two thousand five hundred Leagues between Europe and the most Easterly Coast of the Indies Most Ships take in refreshments at this place and the Dutch are wont
at which they met with as great difficulties as the Portuguez had done Their design was only to refresh themselves there upon this account that in those first Voyages they had so little knowledge of the disease called the Scurvy and the remedies now used for the cure of it that most of their men being not able to perform their labour they were forced to touch there in order to some relief for their diseased but ere they could meet with any refreshment there died above 70. persons out of the four Vessels whereof their Fleet consisted whom they buried in a little Island which upon that occasion they called The Dutch-Church-yard The description they make of this Island is very short and for the most part taken out of the Relation of Mark Paulo Vâ—netâ— which is none of the most exact That of Francis Couche of Rouen Printed by the means of the late M. du Puy is so exact that that of the Dutch cannot compare with it What these last relations have in particular is that the Inhabitants of Madagascar are circumcised though there be nothing otherwise that evinces them to be Mahumetans since they have no Mosques nor any exercise of Religion nor appearance of Devotion in all their Demeanour Having passed over the Winter on the other side of the Aequinoctial Line we began to set things in order for the prosecution of our Voyage and bought the 19. of August of King Masiar and two other neighbouring Princes Tsebich Tanga and Andiam Palola twenty five fat Oxen more and about a hundred Sheep and Goats besides the hundred and fifty Oxen we had bought during our aboad in the Island all which we put aboard the 20. that we might not want fresh meat during our Voyage The same day we embarked our baggage and the next day we got out of the Bay of St. Augustine and left the Island of Madagascar with a South-west wind which continuing all the night following we soon got out of sight of the Island The 22. The Manson which we could not yet have hoped for came unexpectedly upon us and advanced our progress very much taking our course to West-south-west The 23. The wind came to the East so that having it full behind us we went on merrily taking our course the more towards the South to avoid the Cape of Good hope where we intended not to touch at all The 24. and 25. the wind was somewhat abated but the 26. it blew so fresh a gale that we made a great progress We were that day at 27. degrees 27. minutes Latitude and the 28th at 28. degrees 12. minutes The 29. We had the wind East-south-east with those storms which the Portuguez call Travados They were immediately over We saw that day being at 31. degrees 15. minutes Latitude a great number of the Fishes called Pesce puercos which leaped three or four foot above water as if it had been their design to find us sport The next day we had a Tempest yet such as hindered not our getting somewhat forward so that the last of August we were at 33. degree 34. minutes September the first the wind grew so violent that we were forc'd to take in part of our sails yet we made a shift to get 50. Leagues in 24. hours The next day we got but 30. the wind being South-west The 3. The Sea being very calm we kill'd one of the Cowes we had bought in Madagascar and found three Calves in the belly of it as also a Goat that had four young Kids within it from which a man may judge of the fruitfulness of the Country At night we saw up and down certain Lights like flames but we could not judge whether they were the Fishes which the Spaniards call Doradâ—s and the English Blubbers or those Meteors which the Spaniards call Cuerpos sanctos In ancient time when there appear'd two they were called Castor and Pollux Dioscures and Tyndarides and when but one it was called Helene Some have not shaken off the superstition of believing that their fire presages a Tempest But on the contrary we had a great calm the next day and saw infinite multitudes of little Sea-birds About two in the afternoon we had a North-east wind which continuing fair all the next day we failed above two Leagues an hour September 6. We had a great tempest It continued all night and shook the Ship so that the water coming in at several places we were forc'd to pump four times an hour The same day we came 35. degrees Latitude The 7. The weather was somewhat fair so that we made use of our Sails taking our course West-north-west The Sea was very rough and forc'd us towards the Coast from which we thought our selves fourty Leagues distant and from the Cape of Good hope 130. The 8. and 9. the wind South and it proved rainy weather The 10. We had but little wind yet got 40 Leagues in 24 hours we saw many of the Mangas de Valudo whence it was inferred we could not be far from the Cape d' Agâ—lhas The 11. We made but a small progress with an East wind Casting the plummet and finding a sandy bottome one hundred and twenty fathom water we are confirmed in the opinion we had before of our being near Cape d' Agulhas The 12. The contrary wind forc'd us to laveering to the North-north-west and Southwest going either further from or neerer to the Coast which yet they could not discover In the afternoon we resumed our course to the West-north-west with a Southwest wind and at night we found a yellowish sand at 190. fathom water The 13. Our course was to the West-north-west with a South-east wind About 10. we saw a dead Whale floating upon the water and being then at 35. degree latitude we conceiv'd we might be at the altitude of the Cape of Good hope where many of these creatures are ordinarily seen The 14. we found at Sun-rising that the Compass declin'd four degrees 50. minutes to the East whence we inferr'd that we had compass'd the Cape of Good hope The next day we had the wind so full a Stern that had it been contrary it would have forc'd us once more to think of putting into some place or at least put us to the same extremities we had been in before near the Cape We therefore found the declination of the Load-stone to be one degree fifty minutes and presently after the declination of it near the Cape of Good hope is four degrees though otherwise it doth not decline so much Assoon as the Cape is past the Compass still varies towards the East in regard the Needle draws to the Earth where no doubt there is Iron and other Load-stones that draw it but the declination on that Coast never exceeds eight degrees About 20. Leagues on this side the Cape of Good hope and at 33. degrees 15. minutes lies the Island of St. Elizabeth It is not above two Leagues distant
from the Coasts of Africk and hath a very good Haven towards the Continent at 16. fathome water The Coast of the Isle is but one continued Rock but there grows such abundance of delicate Herbs in the Island that it may be presum'd it would afford as great conveniencies and refreshments as that of St. Helene if it were planted with Citron-trees and Orange-trees and stock'd with Cattle 'T is true it hath no fresh water but what falls from the sky which in all likelihood is the reason that seldom any touch at it though there come thither such store of Sea-wolves that in a few dayes there might be as much fat gotten as would load a Vessel of 600 Tun. These creatures are called Sea-wolves though they are more like Bears both in colour and the making of their heads save that the snowt of these is somewhat sharper They have only two paws under the breast and draw the lower part of the body after them as if it were a taile yet are they so swift that it is as much as a man can do to overtake them running It is a cruel and fierce beast which fears not to set upon two or three men together and his teeth are so close and strong that he can therewith easily break the handle of a Patizan There is also in the same place a kind of Badger the flesh whereof is as delicate and wholsome as that of Lambs the birds call'd Pinguins are there better and more tender then any where else and in regard few Ships come thither these birds and some others are so tame and so little afraid of a man that he needs only put out his hand to take them The 16th The wind was contrary we being at 32. degrees Latitude The next day and the 18. with a North-north-west and South-west wind we got 64. Leagues and came to 29. degrees 16. minutes Latitude The 19. With a good South-south-west vvind vve got 40 Leagues to the North-west and were at 28 degrees Latitude The 20. With a South-east wind we got 34 Leagues continuing the same course to the North-west The 21th 28 Leagues with the same wind and keeping on the same course The 22th 20 Leagues with the same wind and in the same course The 23th 24 Leagues with the same wind taking our course West-north-west The 24th We got with the same vvind 30 Leagues continuing our course to the West-north-vvest The 25th We had so great a calm that vve advanced not any thing at all The 26th We got but 20 Leagues vvith a little East-south-east vvind continuing the same course The 27th We got 36. Leagues vvith a North-east vvind pursuing the same course and vvere come to 21 degrees Latitude The 28th With the same vvind and holding the same course vve got 46. Leagues and vvere at 20 degrees Latitude 29th With an East-north-east vvind vve got 20 Leagues continuing the same course The 30. Keeping the same course to the North-vvest vve advanced 25 Leagues October the first a South-vvest vvinde put us forvvard 25 Leagues keeping our course to North-vvest and vve got that day to 17 degrees Latitude The 2. With the same vvind vve got 25 Leagues keeping on in the same course till vve vvere come to sixteen degrees sixteen minutes Latitude The 3d. With the same vvind and in the same course 28 Leagues The 4th With the same vvind taking our course to the vvest 20 Leagues The 5th In the same course 16 Leagues The 6th We got 15 Leagues vvith a South-east vvind and came that day to the Island of St. Helene This Island lies at 16. degrees 12 minutes beyond the Aequinoctial and vvas so called by the Portuguez upon its being discovered the one and tvventieth of May on vvhich day is celebrated the memory of Saint Helene Mother to Constantine the Great It is distant from the Coast of Angola 350. Leagues from that of the Cape of Good hope 550. and from that of Bresil 510. So that it is somevvhat strange that at so great a distance from the continent the Sea should start out an Island about 7 Leagues in compass It is so fertile that there is not any Province in Europe affords such plenty of excellent fruits and breeds so many creatures as this Island Some affirm it afforded neither vvhen it vvas first discovered by the Portuguez and that the fevv Trees they planted and the little stock of Cattle they left there hath so furnished it that it is able sufficiently to refresh all the fleets that come thither At this place a man may have at any time of the year Figs Pomegranats Citrons and Oranges and there are Goats Swine Barbary-Hens Feasants Partridges Quailes Peacocks Pigeons and great store of all sorts of Birds as also salt for the keeping of them so that Ships might be sufficiently provided with all things if they would stay there any time The Sea supplies it with more Fish then can be consumed and the Earth brings forth so many excellent Herbs that the Portuguez unwilling to retard their Voyage leave at this place their sick men who recover their health within a few days and having only a little Oyl Rice Bisket and Spice make a shift to live there till the Ships come thither the next year Its Mountains are so high that they reach above the Clouds and are seen at Sea at the distance of 14 Leagues The Trees wherewith they are covered bring forth no Fruit and are fit only for firing but the Valleys are extreamly pleasant The King of Portugal would not have any establishment to be made there upon these reflections that all Ships passing that way might find refreshment there and that it would be a hard matter to keep the said Island against all the other Nations who are concerned in its being still free inasmuch as were it not for that Vessels many times would be forc'd upon the Coasts of Guiny where water is not to be had at all times and where they should be obliged to stay for Rain which would be so great an inconvenience that many of the men would in the mean time droop and die The fertility of this Island proceeds chiefly from the daily rain which falls there but they are transient showrs soon over so that the Sun shining presently after and that by intervals it must needs very much advance the maturation of all things There are three places where fresh water may be taken in to wit where the three Rivers which come out of the Mountain fall into the Sea They breed abundance of Snakes but the Dutch eat them and prefer them before Eels At 190 Leagues North-west of the Island of Saint Helene is that of the Ascension so called by the Portuguez upon its being discovered upon ascention-Ascention-day It lies at 8. degrees 30. minutes South of the Line and hath also very high mountains but it affords no fresh water nor any other refreshment nay it hath not so much as
any verdure only what may be particularly said of it is that upon the Coasts of it there are more Fish then upon those of Saint Helenes which occasions the coming thither of abundance of Birds that live only upon the said Fish These Birds are somewhat like Geese at least as the Relations describe them Assoon as a Vessel comes near there flie such numbers thereof into it that they are easily kill'd with sticks but the meat of them is not good The Earth of its Mountains is of a reddish colour much like that which the Spaniards call Almagro from the name of a City where there is much of it found October 9. The South-east wind continued but so weakly that we got that day but 15. Leagues holding our course to the South-west and we were at 16. degrees 11. minutes Latitude The 10. We had a great calm with insupportable heats so that we got that day buâ— 8. Leagues keeping the same course The 11. With an Easterly wind and keeping on the same course we got 15. Leagues The 12. We got 21. Leagues with the same wind taking our course to the North-north-west The 13. The wind came to North-east and helped us forward 25. Leagues to North-north-west to 14. Degrees 25. minutes Latitude The 14. With the same wind keeping on the same course we advanced 22. Leagues The 15. The wind came to South-east and keeping on the same course we advanced 44. Leagues The 16. The wind continued South-east and we got 46. Leagues we had that day the Sun in the Zenith so that we could not observe the Elevation The heats were very great The 17. We got 40. Leagues with the same wind The 18. With the same wind we got 42. Leagues to the fifth degree of Latitude That day we saw Millions of flying fishes and abundance of those birds the Portuguez call Mangas de Veludo The heats were excessive The 19. With a South-east wind we got 40. Leagues and got to 3. Degrees 19 minutes Latitude The 20. With the same wind we got 40. Leagues further and at one degree 18. minutes Latitude The 21. VVith the same wind we got 35. Leagues and passed under the Aequinoctial Line At one degree beyond the Line lies the Cape de Lope Gonsales upon the Coasts of Guiny the Road whereof is very good There Vessels take in refreshments in case they had not done it at Saint Helene's Island The Island of Saint Thomas so called by the Portuguez from its being discovered on 21th of December lies under the Line Though there be no talk of any Plague at that place yet is the air thereof very unwholsome and prejudicial to strangers who cannot well bear the excessive heats predominant there Whence it comes there are few gray-beards seen there and few Christians reach 50. years of Age though the Inhabitants of the Country live to above a hundred Day and Night are of an equal length there all the year long and it rains only in March and September but all the remainder of the year the Earth is moistened by a certain Dew which brings forth all sorts of fruits They who discovered the Island found it overgrown with a kind of trees the branches whereof were all streight Heretofore there grew Sugar there in such quantities as that there was enough to load thence yearly above forty Ships but it is now sometime since that there bred there a kind of Worms which so gnaw the Canes that the Island can hardly furnish six Ships therewith It affords much Wheat and Wine Millet Rye Barley Melons Cowcumbers Figs Ginger red-Parsnips Cabbages Navews Lettice Parsly all sorts of Roots Pulse and Pot-herbs and among others a certain Root named Ignaman accounted a very delicate dish by the Inhabitants It is a kind of Toad-stool the rinde whereof is black and the meat white about the bigness and not unlike the French Navew save that it casts forth several branches below It is baked in the Embers and tastes somewhat like but much better then a great Chesnut The Spaniards have planted Olive-trees there as also Peach-trees and Almond-trees which grow well enough but bear no Fruit. Among the living Creatures particularly to this Island there is a kind of Crevisses which live within the ground and work like Moles There is also abundance of Partridges Quails Black-birds Parrats and other Birds but particularly great store of excellent fish especially VVhales which are of a monstrous bulk upon the Coasts of this Island In the midst of the Island there is a Mountain covered with Trees and over-spread with a Cloud which supplies it with fresh water and that abundantly enough to water the Sugar Canes but what is most remarkable is that the higher the Sun comes over the Horizon the more water falls from the said Cloud The natural Inhabitants of it are Negroes but Forreigners continue white to the third and fourth Generation and it is reported that the lice and fleas wherewith the Negroes are extreamly troubled meddle not with the white people inasmuch as the skins of the former are much more delicate then those of the latter VVithin 35. Leagues of St. Thomas Island South-ward there is another Island which the Portuguez call Rolles Island wherein there are Oranges Citrons Bananas Ananas Ginger Poultry Swine and other refreshments in such plenty that having besides a very good Haven at ten Fathorn water it is a more commodious place then the Cape de Lope Gonsales The Island of Carisco which lies 30. minutes on this side the Line hath no other refreshment but fresh-water and is so neer the Continent that seldome any Ships Anchor there but in great extremity October 22. VVith a South-west wind we got 33. Leagues and about noon were at one degree 35. minutes Latitude North from the Line having very fair weather The 23. The same wind brought excessive heats and advanced us 26. Leagues and 3. degrees one minute Latitude The 24. VVe got but 22. Leagues having continual thunder and lightning which lasted till night The 25. The same South-east wind carried us 32. Leagues taking our course North-North-west The weather was rainy with storms and those winds which the Portuguez call Travados which are very ordinary towards the Coasts of Guiny from which we conceived our selves to be then distant about 150. Leagues The 26. The wind continuing South-east we got 25. Leagues and were at seven degrees Latitude The heat was much greater here then it had been on the other side of the Aequinoctial though the Sun were ten degrees further from our Hemisphere in as much as the Sun which had so lately warmed the Septentrional Hemisphere had not yet had time to warm the Meridional The 27. The wind changed and came to North and by East which obliged us to change our course We got that day but 13. Leagues and about noon were at seven degrees 50. minutes Latitude And as we came further off from the Coasts of
Guiny we accordingly removed out of the bad weather which had much incommodated us before The 28. The wind came to North-east which is ordinary in those parts within the 10th and 20th degrees whereas from thence it changes as it does on our Seas on this side We got that day 30. Leagues The 29. The same wind carried us 31. Leagues and at noon we were got to 10 degrees Latitude The next day with the same wind and keeping on the same course we got 28 Leagues to 11. degrees 13. minutes Latitude The next with the same wind the weather rainy 23. Leagues November 1. The same wind continuing we advanced 26. Leagues The 2. The wind North-east we got 24. Leagues holding our course to the North-west The 3. We kept on with the same wind the same course and were about noon at 14. degrees 40. minutes and consequently near the Latitude of Capo Verde which is a point of the Land reaching from the Continent of Africk into the Sea between the Rivers of Gambea and Sanaga by Ptolomy called Promontorium Arsinarium The Inhabitants are black bulky and well-shaped but mischievous and dangerous They are for the most part Pagans whereof some invocate the Moon and others adore the Devil whom they call Cammaté Some among them profess themselves to be Mahumetans but all they have of that Religion is only the name and Circumcision They are in perpetual wars with their Neighbours and are expert enough at the mannagement of their Horses which are brought them out of Barbary and very swift Their Arms are the Bow and a kind of Lance or light Pike which they handle very advantagiously The most illustrious marks of their Victories are the Privy parts which having cut off from their Enemies they present them to their Wives who dispose them into Neck-laces and account them a greater Ornament then Pearls They marry several Wives whom they force to work like Slaves as well in the fields as at home where the Husband is served up alone with what his Wife hath provided for him and as soon as he hath din'd he reassumes his Arms and goes either a hunting or about his business The Women are accustomed to such hardness that as soon as they are delivered they go and wash the Child either in the Sea or the next River The Men are for the most part much subject to drunkenness and such lovers of Wine that some have been seen to take off a Bottle of Aqua vitae at a draught Their times of debauches are at the Funerals of their Friends at which they spend four or five dayes together in weeping and drinking by intervals so that they seldom part ere they get their Skins full of Drink The Entertainments are performed with the Drum and Pipe and there is set at the head of the deceased a Pot of Wine or Water which is changed twice a day and that for several years afterwards They believe the dead will rise again but that they shall be white and trade there as the Europeans do The French Spaniards and Dutch trade much there in the Hides of Oxen Bufflers and Elks Elephants teeth Wax Rice Ambergreece which is excellent there Here it was that Peter de la Brouck a Dutch Merchant bought in the year 1606. a piece of Amber of eighty pound weight We shall here say by the way that the Portuguez began their discoveries of this Coast of Africk in the year 1417. in the reign of Iohn I. who had been Master of Avis under the direction of the Infanto D. Eurique his third Son These first Voyages had not the success he expected till that in the year 1441. Anthony Gonsales having discovered the Cape del Câ—vellero brought away with him certain Negroes whom the Infanto sent to Pope Martin V. desiring him to promote the Zeal he had for the advancement of Christian Religion and to bestow on him the places he should discover upon those Coasts which he pretended were prossessed by such as had no right thereto The Pope was pleased to make him a Present of what cost him nothing and gave him all he should discover in Africk especially in those parts towards the Indies upon condition that at his death he left them to the Crown of Portugal The Infâ—nte had discovered all the Coast between Capo de Naom as far as a hundred Leagues beyond Cabo Verde and died in the year 1453. King Alfonso V. in the year 1457. bestowed all these Conquests on D. Ferand Duke of Viseo Heir to the Infanto D. Eurique and in 1461. the same King ordered the building of a Fort in the Island of Arguin for the safety of Commerce by Suero Mendez which the King D. Iohn II. caused to be rebuilt before his coming to the Crown as Lord of those Conquests and the Commerce of Guiny by gift from the King his Father This Prince in the year 1461. farm'd it out to one named Ferdinand Gomez upon condition he should every year discover a hundred Leagues of the Coast so that in the year 1479. they had discovered the Islands of Fernando del Po St. Thomas Anno Bueno those of del Principe and the Cape of St. Katherine The wars which happened between the King D. Alfonso and the Crown of Castile hindred him from spending his thoughts on these Conquests but the King D. Iohn II. being come to the Crown sent away in December 1481. Diego d' Azambuja who came to Mina Iannary 19. 1482. to a place called then Aldea de dos partes and where reigned at that time a King or Prince named Caramansa This place on which the Portuguez bestowed the name of Mina by reason of the abundance of Gold found there is seated upon the Coast of Guiny five degrees forty minutes South of the Aequinoctial Line between the Kingdoms of Axen and Cara where within the space of fifty Leagues is carried on the trade of almost all the Gold in those parts It hath on the North-west Comana and on the North-east Afuto small Countries subject to those of Abarambues The Fort is built upon an ascent which the scituation of the Country makes by little and little at the end of a skirt of Land which advances into the Sea like a Peninsula having on the North-side the Aethiopian Sea and on the South a little River which serves it for a Ditch It may be easily kept by five hundred men and the Town which is at the foot of the Fort hath about eight hundred Inhabitants But this place is so fenny and barren that such as have settled themselves there upon the account of Traffick are forc'd to buy Provisions of those of Camana and Afuto The Inhabitants are docile enough and better natured then the Negroes though not so rational as to matter of Religion They make Divinities of all they see that 's new and and extraordinary They had at that time enclosed with a Wall a great
wind we got 24. Leagues keeping our course to the North-north-west and were got to 16. Degrees one minute Latitude The 5. With the same wind 31. Leagues to 17. degrees 27. minutes The 6. With the same wind and in the same course 34. Leagues to 19. degrees 10. minutes The 7. The wind continuing North-east we got 36 Leagues Not that we had still the advantage of the Manson at the Latitude but it is to be observed that the North-east wind reigns in those parts all the year long and brings Vessels as far as the Artick Tropick The 8. The wind came East-north-east and we run 32. Leagues and were got to 22. degrees 35. minutes Latitude Here we met with abundance of Sargasso which I really found like Cresses save that it was of a more yellowish green and had little seeds like those of green Goosberries Some are of opinion that the wind forces it from the Rocks upon the Coasts of the West-Indies but this is the more unlikely in that the North-east wind reigns there all the year long as we said before The 9. The same wind continuing we got 33. Leagues taking our course to the North and were at 24. degrees 32. minutes Latitude The 10. With the same wind 25. Leagues taking our course to North-north-west at 25. degrees 40. minutes Latitude The 11. The wind came to East-south-east and afterwards to South and towards evening to North-west with a great Calm so that we got that day but eight Leagues changing our course from North to West at twenty six degrees forty minutes Latitude That day we took one of those Fish the Dutch call Haye which are very common in the Indies but our Sea-men affirmed they had never seen any of them in that Sea The 12 We got 11 leagues with a North-east wind keeping our course to the North-west The 13. With a North-north-east wind we got 21. leagues taking our course West-north-west The 14. With the same wind and in the same course we got 22. leagues The 15. The wind North-east we got 20. leagues to North-west at 27. degrees 30. minutes latitude The 16. and 17. With the same wind keeping the same course we got these two dayes 32. leagues The 18. The wind South-east we run 21. leagues to the North-west at 29. degrees 20. minutes latitude The 19. The wind chang'd and came to South-south-west and brought with it Rain which lasted all day yet so as we advanced 37. Leagues taking our course North-east The 20. The wind North-west we got 12. Leagues in the same course The 11. The same wind carried us 22. Leagues The 22. The wind West-south-west we got 40. Leagues to North-north-east at 35. degrees 20. minutes Latitude The 23. With a South-west wind we got 34. Leagues to the East-north-east The 24. the same wind and course 35. Leagues The 25. With a North-west wind we got 33. Leagues to North-east and were at 38. degrees minutes Latitude The 26. Being calm weather we got but 13. Leagues The 27. We got but 12. Leagues taking our course East-north-east at 38. degrees 48. minutes Latitude The 28. The wind came to South-south-east and carried us 27. Leagues taking our course East-south-east The 29. The wind South-south-east we were at noon at 33. degrees 30. minutes We saw the Islands of Corvo and de Flores which some number among the Assores and we got that day 24. Leagues taking our course East-south-east The Islands of Corzo and Flores are not to be numbred among those which the Spaniards call the Assores by reason of the many Hawks found there when they were discovered The Dutch call them the Flemmings Islands hence that the first Inhabitants of the Island of Fajal which is one of the seven Assores were Flemmings either born in Flanders or some other Province of the Low-Countries where they speak Low Dutch The Posterity of those Flemmings live there still and observe the Customs of their own Country and have their habitations on the little River rising out of the Mountains which the Portuguez upon that occasion call Ribera dos Flamenâ—os The seven Islands called the Assores are Tercera St. Michael Santa Maria Soâ— Georges Gratiosa Pico and Fajal Tercera is the biggest of them all as being fifteen or sixteen Leagues in compass The Country is mountainous and all the Island is so encompassed with Rocks that it is in a manner inaccessible It hath no Haven but that at the City of Angra which is the Metropolis not only of Tercera but also of all the other Islands and that no Rode where Vessels might safely ride The Port of Tercera is like a Crescent between two Promotories whereof one hath two Mountains advancing so far into the Sea that they seem to be quite loosned from the Island They are called Bresil and so high that a man may from thence discover twelve or thirteen Leagues into the Sea The Governours of the Assores and the Bishop of all those Islands live in the City of Angra within three Leagues whereof lies that which they call Villa da Praya which is well built but not very populous in as much as it is a place of no Commerce by reason of a flat shore or strand thereabouts which occasioned the name of the City The City of Angra is so called from the manner of its scituation it being a term whereby the Portuguez would express the Figure of the Mount when it is half open or the New-moon It hath two Forts whereof one which is towards the Mountains serves it for a Cittadel and the other called the Castle of Saint Sebastiant is built upon one of the points which shut up the Port which it defends with the Artillery On the other point which is forked there are two Towers whence they give the signal as soon as they discover any Vessels at Sea either from Fresil-side or from Europe These Islands belong to the Crown of Portugal but during the last troubles of that Kingdom there was a Castilian Garrison there under the Command of D. A. Alvaro de Vizeros from whom the Portuguez soon took the Castle of Saint Sestastian but he kept the Cittadel till famine and the utmost extremity forced him to deliver it up on composition May 6. 1642. After the relief which had been sent from Saint Lucars Corogno and Dunkâ—rk had proved ineffectual partly through the treachery of the Portuguez who served in the Fleet and partly by their vigilance who had possess'd themselves of the Avenues of the Island The soil of it is very good nay the very Rocks yield Wine though they are in some places so steepy that it is almost a miracle how the Rock should thrust out of its Veins which are not covered with Earth the Vine-stock which does not thrive so well in the best parts of the Valley 'T is true the Wine is none of the most excellent and that such as are able to get better have it brought from Madera
fasten'd in a Tree that was in the bottom the Cable broke ere it could be had up again The River is very full of those Trees which it brings down with it when it overflows and these accidents happen so frequently that the bottom of the River is so lay'd with Anchors that the Muscovites say there are as many as would purchase a Kingdom The 13. before noon we saw as we pass'd two Cabaques or Taverns and a Village named Wesoska on the right hand and came afterwards before the City of Suiatski It is seated on the ascent of a hill on the left hand having a Castle and some Churches built of stone but all the other buildings as also the Towers and Rampiers of the City are of wood We cast Anchor there by reason of a Sand-bank which we were to pass by The people in the mean time came in multitudes to the River side to see us and by reason that a little sandy Hill hindred their having a full sight of us many came in Boats to the Ship side others swam over to the Hill Having pass'd by certain white Mountains whereof some were of Chalk others of Sand we came at night before the City of Casan 20. werstes from Suiatski We there found the Caravan of Persia and Circassia and with it a Coptzi or Persian Merchant who had been sent Ambassador to Moscou There was in this place also a Tartarian Prince of Terki whose name was Mussal who had succeeded his Brother in the Principality and had then been doing homage to the Czaar at Moscou which he had left some dayes before us The City of Casan is seated in a plain 7. werstes from the Wolga upon the River Casanka which gives it the name as it does to the whole Province I found the elevation there to be 55. degrees 38. minutes It is of a considerable bigness but all its Houses as also the Towers and Rampiers are of wood Only the Castle and its Fortifications are of stone being well mounted with Canon and having a strong Garrison in it The River is instead of a Ditch to it and makes it a very considerable fortress The Castle hath its VVeywode and the City its Governour who commands and administers Justice to the Inhabitants who are Muscovites and Tartars But in the Castle they are all Muscovites and the Tartars are prohibited entring into it upon pain of death The Province of Casan lies on the left side of the River of VVolga reaching Northwards as far as Siberia and Eastward as far as the Tartars of Nagaja It was heretofore subject to the Cham of Tartary and so populous that it could send 60000 men into the Field The conquest of it cost the Muscovite much blood and the story of its reduction is so remarkable that I think fit here to make a short digression to give an accompt thereof Basili Iuanouits Father to the Tyrant Iuan Basilouits having obtain'd a famous Victory over these Tartars made Chief over them one named Scheale a Tartar by birth but one so ill shap'd as to his Person that his Subjects who soon conceiv'd an aversion for him joyning with the Tartars of Chrim who are Mahumetans as they also are made an insurrection surpriz'd him and ejected him This success gave the Chrim-Tartars who had got a considerable Army together the courage to enter Muscovy under the conduct of two Brethren Mendligeri and Sapgeri who forc'd the Muscovite with certain Troops which he had made a shift to get together and were encamped upon the River Occa to retreat to Novogorod The consequence of this was the besieging taking and plundring of the City of Moscou nay they reduc'd the Castle to that extremity that the Muscovites were forc'd to sue for a Peace The Tartars were willing to hearken to an accommodation and having got very considerable Presents from those who kept the Castle who maintain'd it with more courage than success they made a Peace whereof this was one Article That the Great Duke and all his Subjects should ever after be Tributaries to them Basili was loath to submit to such dishonourable Terms but forc'd to comply with necessity he accepted them and confirmed the agreement by his Letters Patents Mendligeri to make it appear he was Sovereign Lord of Moscou caused a Statue of his to be erected in the heart of the City and would needs oblige the Great Duke to express his subjection to smite the ground with his head before that Statue as often as he paid Tribute to the Tartars After this Victory the Brethren parted Sapgeri establish'd the Seat of his Government at Casan and Mendligeri as being the Elder-Brother his at the City of Chrim But the later desirous to add to his former conquest that of the City of Resan resolv'd to lay siege to the Castle thereof and to that end he sent word to the Weywode Iohn Kowar who commanded it that it was madness in him to think to maintain the place and that he should make no difficulty to deliver it up since the Great Duke was become his Subject The Weywode sent him answer that it was a thing so extraordinary that he could not believe it unless he sent him such assurances thereof as should put him out of all doubt Mendligeri imagining there could not any thing be more convictive in that case than the Letters Patents sent them to him by certain Officers just as he had receiv'd them from the Great Duke But the Weywode not a little glad to have the Original of those Letters in his hands sends Mendligeri word that he would keep them as safely as he would do the place he was in which he resolv'd to maintain to the last drop of blood There was in the Castle an Italian Canoneer named Iohn Iordan well known in those parts upon the accompt of his Wife who would needs have her Husband express his affection to her by beating her with a Bull 's pizzle This man did the Weywode very great services and kill'd so many Tartars that Mendligeri perceiving one day that a Canon-bullet had taken off a piece of his Garment was frighted and proffered to raise the Siege upon condition they would return the Great Duke's Letters But the Weywode would hearken to no such thing and having oblig'd Mendligeri to retreat he sent the Letters to his Prince's Court where they were received with the general joy of all the people who immediately thereupon pull'd down and broke to pieces the Statue of Mendligerâ— Nay the Great Duke himself took such courage from that Action that having rais'd an Army of 25000 men he proclaim'd open War against Sapgeri Prince of Casan sending him word that he by surprising and assaulting him without declaring any War had proceeded like a Murtherer and a Robber but that himself as Soveraign Lord and Conservator of all the Russes proceeded therein as a person of Honour should do and sent
the Country of Nagaia The 14. We were stay'd by a contrary wind and a tempest coming from the South-East so that we could hardly advance two werstes ere we were forc'd to cast Anchor and to continue there till the next day We lay at 80 foot water The Tartarian Prince sent us a Present of Beer Hydromel and Aquavitae with notice that if we liked it we might have more Sept. 15. the wind changing we set sail by four in the morning taking our course Southward and betimes in the morning came before the Isle of Busan 25 werstes from Astrachan and afterwards to a sixth Branch of the River Wolga called Baltzick within 15 werstes of the City The plain which reaches from that place to Astrachan gave us the sight of the City by 8 in the morning Three werstes lower and 12 from the City there is a seventh Branch of the Wolga called Knilusse which makes the Island of Dilgoi within which Astrachan is seated and having compass'd the Isle it falls into the Caspian Sea by many several chanels or ostiaes We came to Astrachan about noon and whereas the City lies on the other side of the River which in that place divides Europe and Asia we may say that as we departed out of that part of the World which we may in some manner call our Country we made our first step into the other We made some stay before the City in the midst of the River and saluted it with a Volley both of all our great Guns and small shot whereat the Inhabitants who were come in great numbers to the river-side were the more surpriz'd by reason they were not accustomed to hear Thunders of that kind It will not be amiss in this place by a short digression to give an account of the situation of Astrachan of the qualities of the Country and the life of the Inhabitants The Antient Geographers as Ptolomy Strabo and others who follow them had no knowledge of these Tartars no more than their neighbours and have not made any mention of them but only under a general name of Scythians aud Sarmatians though they should indeed have been distinguish'd into so many different Nations suitable to the diversity there is in their Names their Language and manner of Life in all which they have nothing common one with the other Mathias de Michou a Physician and Canon of Cracovia who liv'd at the beginning of the last age says that those who confound the Tartars with those Nations which the Antients called Getae Scythae and Sarmatae are much mistaken in as much as the Tartars have not been known but since the thirteenth Age. For in May 1211. there appear'd a Comet which having its tail towards the West and menacing the Don and Russia presag'd the invasion which the Tartars made into those parts the year following They were certain Indian Lords who having kill'd their King David got away first towards the Euxine Sea near the Palus Meotides where lived the antient Getae whence they afterwards advanc'd towards the Don and thence to the river Wolga where they live to this day The same Author distinguishes them into four species to wit the Zavâ—lhenses whom he also calls Czahadai Precopenses Cosanenses and Nohacenses and says they are the Tartars who live along the river Wolga which he calls Volha those of Precop those of Casan and those of Nagaia who are those of whom we are to treat of at present Alexander Guagnin of Verona divides them into eight Colonies and gives them other names but it is our design to entertain the Reader only with what we have seen and to discover that part of Tartaria through which we travel'd We say then that they call Nagaia that part of Tartary which lies between the rivers of Wolga and Iaika as far as the Caspian Sea whereof Astrachan is the principal City It is reported that a Tartar-King named Astra-chan built it and gave it his own name So that the Baron of Herberstein is very much mistaken when he says in his Relation of Muscovy that it is some days journey distant from the River whereas it is seated on the river-side and in the Isle of Dolgoi made there by two branches of the said River After several very exact observations I found the Elevation of the Pole there to be 26 degrees 22. minutes and the Climat so hot that in the Months of September and October the heats were still as great as they are in Germany in the height of Summer especially when the wind blew from-wards the Wolga East or North-East 'T is true the South-wind was there somewhat colder and brought with it the inconveniences nay indeed the scent of the neighbouring Sea wherewith it infected the whole Air. At our return that way our stay there happened to be in Iune Iuly and August and yet the heats were not absolutely insupportable in regard they were moderated by the coolness which the South-wind continually brought along with it But what is to be most admir'd is that in this hot Climat the Winter which lasts but two months is so exceeding cold that the River is frozen up and bears Sledges Which is contrary to what other Authors say of it yet the Reader may take it for most certain The Island of Dolgoi is sandy and barren insomuch that some Gardens and Lands cultivated by the Inhabitants of Astrachan excepted it produces nothing at all no more than does the Continent on the right hand but on the left towards the river Iaika there are very good pastures On this side the Wolga West-ward lies a long Heath of above 70. German leagues reaching as far as the Euxin Sea and towards the South another of above 80. leagues along the Caspian Sea as we found at our return from Persia when it was our chance to measure it by eleven very tedious dayes journeys Yet are not these Deserts so barren but they produce more Salt than the marshes in France and Spain do The Inhabitants of those parts call them Mozakofski Kainkowa and Gwostofski which are ten fifteen and thirty werstes from Astrachan and have salt veins which the Sun bakes and causes to swim upon the face of the water about a finger thick much like Rock-Christal and in such abundance that paying an Impost of a half-penny upon every Poude that is forty pound weight a man may have as much as he pleases It smells like that of France and the Muscovites drive a great Trade with it bringing it to the side of the Wolga where they put it up in great heaps till they have the convenience of transporting it elsewhere Petreius in his History of Muscovy sayes that within two leagues of Astrachan there are two mountains which he calls Busin which afford such abundance of Rock-salt that if thirty thousand men were perpetually at work about it they would not be able to exhaust the pits But I could learn nothing of
send us a Pilot we might confide in But the merry Companion was no sooner got to his own ship but he set sayl and left us in the lurch I think what troubled him was that we had not made him some present according to the custom of the Countrey but he regarded so little the slur he had put upon the Ambassadors that he had the impudence to come and Visit them in their ship in the company of several other Tartarian Lords after our arrival at Terki and made no other answer to the reproaches he receiv'd upon that occasion than ja wi nouat a great business indeed to be talk'd of Finding our selves thus abus'd we sent to the Master of the Persian ship to entreat his assistance He though Masâ—â—â— of the ship and owner of all the goods in it came aboard us to proffer us his service as a Pilot with more kindness and civility than we could have expected from a Christian and having recommended his own ship to his servants stay'd with us He was a very understanding man and was not only acquainted with the Navigation of those parts but also with the Compass much beyond what the Persians ordinarily are vers'd in who do not willingly venture very far into the Sea but for the most part keep in sight of Land So that finding the wind serv'd he caus'd the Anchor to be weigh'd about eleven at night taking his course towards the South with an East wind We observ'd it was the same day that we left Travemunde the year before and accordingly we had the same success in this second Voyage We had all that night but ten foot water but towards day we had eighteen The Countrey on our right hand which is called Suchator had four Hills which made a great Promontory reaching a great way into the Sea and from that Cape to Astrachan are counted 100 werstes and to Terki 200. but on both sides they are very short ones The 29. The weather fair we kept on our course in the morning Southward and with a South-East wind and in the afternoon South-west-ward having about twenty foot water and finding the bottom gravelly and full of little shells We could discover no Land that day and the night following we cast Anchor Here the Needle declin'd twenty degrees from North to West Octob. 30. We set sayl at the break of day and soon after Sun-rising we discover'd the Countrey of Circassia which lies all along the Sea-Coast from the South-West to North-East compassing it about much after the form of a Crescent and making a spacious Bay It was our design to get beyond the point of the Gulf but the wind coming to South-East had almost forc'd us into it which oblig'd us to cast Anchor about noon at the entrance of the Gulf at three fathom and a half water finding at the bottom a kind of fat earth about six Leagues from Terki We discover'd in the Bay about 20. or twenty five Boats and upon the first sight thereof it run into our imagination that they were the Cosaques but we were soon undeceiv'd and found them to be Tartarian Fisher-men belonging to Terki and were then coming to bring us fish to sell. For those we bought of them we gave them fifteen pence a piece but they were very great ones and we found in their bellies a great number of Crabs and Lobsters among which there were some alive The remainder of the day we spent in giving Almighty God solemn thanks for all his mercifull deliverances of us particularly that which happen'd on the very same day the year before when we were in so great danger amidst the Rocks and Shelves of Ocland Our Persian Pilot went that day to his own ship which was at some distance behind us to give his men Order what they should do leaving us somewhat of an opinion that he would shew us such another trirk as the Muscovite had done before but he afterwards made it appear that those of his Nation are not only made up of Complements for he return'd very betimes the next morning having sent his Boat before us to serve us for a Guide The last day of October we had in the morning a thick Mist with a great Calm The Sun having dispell'd the one about noon and the wind being come to the North we endeavour'd to get out of the Gulf and with much ado by laveering got the point near which we stayd at Anchor till after midnight and came very betimes in the morning on the first of November before the City of Terki We cast Anchor about a quarter of a League from the City because we could not come any nearer by reason of the shallowness of the water The night before the Cosaques had a design to set upon us but happily miss'd us in the dark and met with the little Fleet which brought the Tartar-Prince but the noise of the Strelits or Muscovian Muskettiers having discover'd to them that they were mistaken and imagining they should find a vigorous resistance they drew back but made it appear they were the Germans that they look'd for Intelligence coming in the morning to the City of this attempt of the Cosaques rais'd a verry hot Alarm there in regard it was known that Mussal their Prince was coming and that he might be in some danger The Inhabitants were confirm'd in that opinion when they heard the going off of our great Guns a noise they are not accustomed to in those parts insomuch that they began to get together and look on us as Enemies but they were put out of all fear by the arrival of their Prince who having given us a Volley as he pass'd by and invited us to honour him with a Visit at his Mother's satisfy'd the Inhabitants that there was no danger either to him or them The City of Terki lies somewhat above half a League from the Sea upon the little River Timenski which issues out of the great River Bustro and facilitates the correspondence there is between the Sea and the City to which there is is no other way to come by reason of the Fens which encompass it on all sides for a quarter of a League about It is seated in a spacious plain which is of such extent that the extremities thereof cannot be discover'd by the eye whence may be corrected the errour of the Map drawn by Nicholas Iansson Piscator alias Vischer though in all other things the best and most exact of any I could ever meet with who places the City of Terki upon a Mountain but by a mistake confounding the City of Tarku in the Province of Dagesthan with that of Terki in Circassia The Elevation of the Pole is here at 43. degrees 23 minutes It is distant from Astrachan sixty Leagues by Sea and seventy by Land and is the last place under the Jurisdiction of the Great Duke of Muscovy It is in length 2000. foot and in breadth 800. all
in the Persian and Turkish Languages but all excellently painted richly bound and cover'd with Plates of Gold and Silver carv'd and branch'd The books of History were enrich'd with several representations in colours In the Neeches of the Vault there were above three or four hundred Vessels of Porcelane some so large as that they contain'd above 40. quarts or Liquour These only are used at the entertainments which are brought from the Sepulchre to the King and other great Lords who pass that way for the holiness of that place permits not that they should make use of any Gold or Silver Nay it is reported of Schich-Sefi that he out of an excessive humility made use onely of Woodden Dishes Thence we were brought to the Kitchin the Door whereof was also cover'd with Plates of Silver and all things within it were so handsomly ordered that it was not a little to be admire'd The great Cauldrons were all set in a row and seal'd within the Wall along which pass'd a Pipe which by divers Cocks supply'd all the Kitchin with water The Cooks of all degrees had every one his place according to their functions and employments This Kitchin maintains every day above a thousand persons accompting those belonging to the house and the poor among whom they distribute thrice a day Pottage Rice and Meat to wit in the morning at six at ten and in the after-noon at three The two morning-meals are upon the accompt of Schich-Sefi who to that end lay'd a foundation of fifty Crowns per diem and the third is an Alms bestow'd there by order from the King of Persia. Besides these there are so many Alms distributed there upon the accompt of private persons that there is not only enough to maintain the poor but there is much over and above which is sold to those who are asham'd to beg At the time of these meals or distributions they sound two Timbrels which as they say were brought from Medina with the Banner of Fatima by Schach Sedredin Going out of the Kitchin we entred into a very fair Garden where we saw the Sepulchres of Sulthan Aider Schach-Tamas and several other Kings of Persia which were in the open air and without any thing over them but a smooth stone The principal Lords whose Sepulchres are to be seen in this Meschaich are 1. Shich-Sefi the son of Seid-Tzeibrail 2. Schich-Sedredin the son of Sefi 3. Schich-Tzinid the son of Sedredin whom some Europaean Authors erroneously call Guined 4. Sulthan Aider the son of Tzinid who was flead alive by the Turks 5. Schich Aider the son of Sulthan Aider 6. Schach-Ismael the son of Schich Aider 7. Schach Tamas the son of Schach-Ismael 8. Schach-Ismael the second of that name the son of Schach-Tamas 9. Schach-Mahomet Choddabende son of Schach-Ismael 10. Ismael Myrsa brother of Choddabende 11. Hemsa Myrsa 12. Schach Abas sons of Choddabende Schich-Sedredin ordered his Sepulchre to be built after the death of his Father by an Architect whom he had brought along with him from Medina and according to a Model which he drew of it himself by Miracle for the Persians affirm that both he and his Father wrought many which was that having commanded the Architect to shut his eyes he ravish'd him into an extasie during which he gave him a sight of the Model according to which he would have that Structure built and according to which it was afterwards done Schich-Tzinid adding thereto the great Court and several Houses augmented it so as that now it seems a very noble and spacious Castle whither there comes every day so great a number of persons to Discourse or Walk that there are few Princes Courts where there are more seen The foundations of several Kings its vast Revenues and the Presents which are daily made thereto do so augment the Wealth of it that some conceive its Treasure amounts to many Millions of Gold and that in case of necessity this Mesar might raise and maintain a very powerfull Army and that it would furnish more ready Money than the King could himself Besides the Farms and Dairies which depend on it it hath within the City of Ardebil two hundred Houses nine publick Baths eight Caravanseras or Store-houses that great Vault which is called the Kaiserie all the Meydan with its Vaults and Shops a hundred other Shops in the Basar and the Market-places where Cattel Wheat Salt and Oyl are sold. The Astasnischin or Regraters and Hucksters and those who sell Commodities in open Market having neither Shops nor Stalls pay certain duties thereto It is possess'd about Ardebil of thirty three Towns or Villages and in the Province of Serab of five Villages In the City of Tauris it hath sixty Houses and a hundred Shops and two Villages without the City several Caravanseras and Baths in the City of Casuan as also in the Province of Kilan and Astara The duties of Abschur and Eleschur in the Province of Mokan belong to it and one moyety of those of Chalchat Kermeruth and Haschteruth not accounting what the Tartars and Indians who make profession of the Persian Religion send thither nor the Presents which are brought from all parts in consequence of the Vows which they are wont to make in great Journeys in their Sickness nay indeed in any business of Importance which they very Religiously perform Besides all these there are so many Gifts Donations and Legacies made to it that there passes not a day but a man shall see going thither Horses Asses Camels Sheep Money and other things All these things are receiv'd by two Persons who are oblig'd by an Oath to be faithful to that sacred place and they are called Nessurtzchan from the word Nesur which signifies a Vow and they have an allowance out of the revenue of a fair Village which is within half a League of the City called Sultanabath which was granted by Schich Ismael to that purpose These Commissaries are every day in an apartment on the left hand as a man goes into the Metzid Tzillachane and are set on both sides of a Chest or Box cover'd with crimson Velver into which they put the Money that is brought them as they do also that which arises by the sale of those Horses Camels and Asses which are bestow'd on the Sepulchre for the Oxen and Sheep are kill'd and distributed among the poor They give those who bring them a small Present which is a handful of Anniseed and they are given to understand thereby that their Souls shall enjoy serenity and blisse in the other VVorld They also give the Pilgrims who come thither to do their Devotions a Certificate of their being there and of the Prayers they said there which serves not only for a Testimony of the profession of their Religion but also for a protection against several disgraces and misfortunes nay which is more for the saving of their Lives Accordingly our Interpreter Rustan having resolv'd to leave us and
places to conduct Strangers at their departure with the same Ceremonies as they had receiv'd them withall it being according to their perswasion an incivility to bring such as they had before kindly entertain'd out of their Lodgings Accordingly after we had travell'd about a League we met him in the fields and with him a Sulthan of Tabris who being Marshal in the Persian Army had about him a considerable number of people who were all cover'd with Tygres and Lynx's skins and by their countenances discover'd the quality of their Master The Governour carried the Ambassador Crusius into the Ottaks or Huts of the Tartarian shepherds not much out of the High-way whither he had brought abundance of cold Meat Fruits and Conserves Having taken leave of him we prosecuted our journey over a high and craggy Mountain till we came to the Village of Busum which lies in a bottom four Leagues from Ardebil There we over-took our Baggage and our Artillery but the Wheels of the Carriages were so spent that the Ambassador Brugman was with much ado perswaded that it were more convenient to leave the six greater Pieces there upon the promise made by the Mehemander that he would get an order from the King to the Governour of Ardebil to have them sent after us and to that end he took the bore and size of them We took along with us the two little brass Pieces weighing each of them 300. weight and four murchering Pieces Iune the 13. we continu'd our journey through very bad way and over Mountains with such dreadfull precipices that not thinking it safe to trust the Beasts with the Litter wherein the Ambassador Brugman lay we had it carried by men In the Vallies we found many great Villages and Huts and excellent Meadows all cover'd with fair Cattel Having travell'd five Leagues or better that day we came at night to a Village called Sengoa where we found a Melik or Receiver general of the whole Province of Chalcal which begins at that Village and reaches as far as the River Kisilosein His name was Baindur and he had succeeded his Father in that employment who had been so much in favour with Schach-Abas that with one of the VVomen of his Seraglio whom he married he gave him two or three great Lordships The 14. our way lay still over high Mountains yet in our way we pass'd through three Villages where our Mehemandar fail'd not according to his custom to take up Horses pretending they were for us that the Countrey people might be oblig'd to redeem them Having travell'd four farsangs or leagues we came into a very pleasant Valley where we lodg'd near a delightfull Spring And whereas we had some occasion to stay there till the next day at noon I had the leasure to observe the height of the Sun there and found that we were at thirty seven degrees and twenty minutes of the Line In this place we saw green Grass-Hoppers which were above three Inches in length and one and a half in compass The 15. presently after Dinner we set forward on our journey and the Ambassador Brugman finding himself a little more hearty got on Hors-back with the rest Before we got to the dreadful Mountain Taurus which the Persians call Perdelis we came to a bottom which presented it self to our view like an Abyss We were two hours in getting down to it and above three in getting out of it though between the points of the Mountains there seem'd not to be half a League distance It is a most dangerous passage for Travellers who are oblig'd to come in strong parties for fear of falling into the hands of Robbers who discover at a distance the number of passengers and accordingly judge whether they can engage them or must let them alone There runs through the bottom the River Kisilosein which falls into it through Rocks and Precipices with an inconceivable swiftness and a noise that stuns the passengers The waters of it are whitish whence it comes that in the Province of Kilan where it falls into the Caspian Sea it is in Talisman called Isperuth Schach-Tamas built a very fair Bridge over it of Brick containing nine Arches The way was planted on both sides with wild Almond-Trees Cypress and Sena-Trees Having cross'd the River we came to the Ascent which was very steepy though it went still winding till it came to the top of the Mountain and it was so hard to get up that to advance ought we were many times forc'd to step up as if we got up a pair of stairs having in the mean time on our left hand Precipices and Abysses so dreadfull to look on that the Mule of a Muscovian Ambassador falling down there was never after seen or heard of insomuch that thinking it not safe to ride it up we alighted and led our Horses By that time we were got to the top of the Mountain it was night and that so dark that we lost our way in the absence of our Mehemandar who had stay'd behind in some Villages in the bottom We were gotten into very dangerous wayes and went still a-foot though the trouble we had been at which had put us all into a sweat weariness and the cold which beat into our faces might well have prevail'd with us to make use of our Horses We were three whole hours ere we overcame the darkness of the night and all other imaginable inconveniences but at last about midnight we got to the Village of Keintze four Leagues from our last Lodging We stay'd there all the next day as well in expectation of our Mehemandar and to give our Horses a little rest as to refresh our selves after the precedent day's weariness with the Divertisement which Wine our Musick and the noise of our Artillery could afford us We intended to give our Mehemandar a sharp reprehension and reproach him with his negligence but he soon stopp'd our mouths telling us that he could not but acknowledge himself oblig'd by his charge to wait on the Ambassadors and that he should not have neglected their service but that he had not the heart to hear the injurious and blasphemous expressions which fell every foot from the Ambassador Brugman which yet should not hinder him from taking order that we should be plentifully supply'd with Provisions wherein to give him his due he failed not and contributed much to the good Cheer we made that day The 17. we left Keintze after the mid-day's great heat was a little over but our Mehemandar instead of Conducting us along the High-way made us turn on the right hand and Lodg'd us in a Village called Hatzimir seated in a bottom which was of all sides encompass'd with Rocks The Melik or Receiver of the place treated us with certain Basins of fruit Apricocks and Grapes which were not fully ripe and a sack of Wine wherewith we made a Collation which serv'd us for a Supper for our Cook
his Stomack maintaining his proceedure by this general Maxim that a Disease is to be Cur'd by what is contrary thereto When Women or Children are troubled with any Disease or Indisposition they do not send for a Physician but for the Midwife whence it comes that Midwives have some skill in Medicine The Books which treat thereof have this extraordinary that the remedies they prescribe are as fit for Horses as Men. Our Physician who had joyned to Galen's method certain Maxims of Paracelsus and us'd Chymical remedies with very good success grew so famous in Persia that the King himself proffer'd him very considerable allowances to engage him to continue in that Court Nay he grew into such repute after he had recover'd some persons who had been given over by others that the people began to look upon him as an extraordinary man insomuch that they brought to him some that were lame and blind from the Birth to recover their limbs and sight who never had had them It is not of late that the Persians have apply'd themselves to the study of Astronomy Heretofore they who made profession thereof were called Magi and now they call them Minatzim and they do not busie themselves so much in observing the motions of the Heavens and Stars and the pure contemplation of that Science as in Prognosticating the effects which their influences may produce and to fore-tell those things the contingency whereof they imagine to themselves may be read in the course of the Heavens So that it is rather Judiciary Astrology than Astronomy that they now Study in regard the one would bring them no advantage at all whereas the other is the more beneficial to them in this respect that most of the Persians have this superstition that they never undertake any thing of consequence but they first consult the Minatziâ— To that end the King and Great Lords have alwayes one of these about them who perpetually observes the Heavens and fore-tells whether the time be fortunate or unfortunate for the business they would undertake And out of that reflection it is that they say themselves that Astrology who is dependent on Astronomy is a rich Daughter but comes from so poor a Mother that she is forc'd to preserve her Life from whom she receiv'd her own These Astrologers are never without their Astrolabe which they carry in their Bosoms that they may erect a Scheme at any time but their skill is not great about Nativities especially those of persons of mean condition which proceeds hence that having no Clocks they cannot get the precise hour much less the minute of the Birth which great persons have exactly observ'd by means of the Astrolabe For the teaching of Astronomy they have neither Sphear nor Globe insomuch that they were not a little astonish'd to see in my hands a thing which is so common in Europe I ask'd them whether they had ever seen any such before They told me they had not but said that there was heretofore in Persia a very fair Globe which they call Felek but that it was lost during the Warrs between them and the Turks They haply meant that which Sapor King of Persia had caus'd to be made of Glass so large that he could sit in the Centre of it and observe the motions of the Stars and must no doubt be like that of Archimedes whereof Claudian speaks in the Epigram which begins thus Iupiter in parvo cum cernerct aethera vitro Antiquity might haply admire these works but what miracle would it be thought if they saw the Globe which his Highness the Duke of Holstein hath ordered to be made in his City of Gottorp It is a double Globe made of Copper ten foot and a half Diameter so that within it ten persons may sit at a Table which with the seats about it hangs at one of its poles There a man may see by means of an Horizontal Circle within the Globe how the Stars and the Sun it self coming out of its Centre moves of it self through its Ecliptick degrees and rises and sets regularly The motion of this Globe exactly follows that of the Heavens and derives that motion from certain Wheels driven by the water which is brought out of a Mountain hard by and let in as it requires more or less according to the swiftness of the Sphears The Persians regulate their year according to the Moon as well as the Sun so as that they have both Solar and Lunar years to wit the latter for their Festivals and Religious Ceremonies which are appointed on certain dayes of the Moneth and these Moneths beginning and ending with the Moon make their year shorter than ours by twelve dayes Their Solar year is of 365. dayes and was so accounted even in the time of Alexander the Great as Q. Curtius expressly observes in the 7. Chap. of the 3. Book of his History where he sayes speaking of Darius's Retinue that after the Magi follow'd three hundred sixty five young Men compleating the number of the dayes of their year which consisted of so many dayes that is to say twelve Moneths of thirty dayes a piece and five dayes over and above It begins at that very minute that the Sun entring into Aries makes the Equinox and brings in the first day of the Spring That day they call Naurus or Neurus that is the new day They count the years of their age according to the course of the Sun so that to express how old they are they say they have liv'd so many Narus's that is so many years It is one of the principal functions of the Minatzim to observe by the Astrolabe the happy minute in which the Sun comes to the Aequator and as soon as he declares it is they all begin to rejoyce Their Epoche is the Hegira or flight of Mahomet which falls on the 10. of Iuly in the 622. year of our Saviour The Persians had heretofore their Almanack or Takhuim which was particular to them and every day of the Moneth had its name from some of their Kings or Heroes as Oromasda Behemer Adarpahascht Scharias c. as we find it in Scaliger in his incomparable Treatise de Emendatione Temporum and in the Ephemerides of Origanus but they are not used now no more than the Epoche of Iesdetzird or as Scaliger calls him Iesdegird who was the Son of Schaherjar and Grand Son of Chosroes who was kill'd by Otman the Son of Ophan a Sarasin on the 16. of Iune in the 632. They had no other till the year 1079. at which time Albu Arsalan King of Chorasan Mesopotamia and Persia a Sarasin having brought together eight Astronomers very Learned Men reform'd the year of Iesdegird and constituted another Epoche which they began on the 14. day of the year and which is called Tzelalee or Sulthance or in the Arabian Tarich altzelalit that is the Era or Epoche of Augustus from the word Tzelaf which signifies Majesty or Highness
own Sister thinking not her self secure thought it her best course to prevent her own destruction by attempting the King's Certain it is he dy'd a violent death on the 24. of November 1577. and that Periaconcona was the Contriver and Instrument of it but this was done so secretly that it is yet not known how Persia came to be rid of this Tyrant Ismael II. being thus remov'd out of the way they made a shift so far to satisfie Mahomet Chodabende his elder Brother of the danger whereto he expos'd his Person and the Country if he suffered the Crown to come to a strange Family that at last he resolv'd to accept of it but upon condition that before he were oblig'd to make his entrance into Caswin they should bring him the head of Periaconcona who had imbru'd her hands in the bloud of two of his Brethren and in whose power it was in some respects to dispose of the Kingdom She prostituted her self to several of the Grandees about the Court but particularly to Emeer Chan whom she had raised into some hopes of enjoying the Crown As soon as Chodabende came to the Government which was in the year â—578 he seem'd not to mind any thing so much as to imitate those among his Predecessors who had contributed most to the preservation and glory of the Kingdom of Persia. This is the Testimony given of him by F. Bizarrus but the Persian Authors affirm on the contrary that never any Prince manag'd a Scepter with greater negligence and pusillanimity in so much that finding himself not fit for the carrying on of any Military design he spent all his time within the Palace in Gaming and diverting himself with the Ladies That he was unfortunate to his Wars and that the common Enemy tasâ—ing advantage of his poorness of spirit and effeminacy made incursions into Persia to wit the Turks on one side and the Vsbeques Tartars on the other That both these Nations possess'd themselves of several Provinces belonging to that Crown and were not dispossess'd of them as long as Mahomet Chodabende liv'd Minadous observes among other passages that the Turks kill'd in one battel five thousand Persians and took three thousand prisoners whom the Turkish General ordered to have their heads cut off and having heap'd them up together he sate down upon the heap and gave audience to a young Prince of Georgia who was come to give him a Visit. Mahomed Chodabende dy'd in the year 1585. leaving three Sons Emir Hemse Ismael and Abas The former as being the eldest of the three Brethren was Crowned King of Persia but Ismael troubled to see the Crown on his Brother's head manag'd his affairs so well and insinuated himself so much into the affections of the chiefest Lords of the Kingdom that they conspir'd the death of Emir Hemse Ismael got him kill'd in the eighth moneth of his reign by a sort of people disguiz'd in VVomens Cloaths who being cover'd with Veils according to the custom of the Countrey came to the Schach's Chamber door and told the Guards that they were the VVives of some of the Chans whom the King had sent for and that they waited there in obedience to his commands The Murtherers were no sooner got into the Chamber but they fell upon the King and kill'd him But this death was soon after reveng'd upon the Contriver of it as we shall relate Abas Myrza that is to say Prince Chodabende's third Son was Governour of Herat and was come thence with an intention to see Emir Hemse his Brother but hearing in his way of the Murther committed upon him and having some reason to fear that the Murtherer might be advis'd to secure himself in the Throne by a double fratricide return'd back into his Government The year following Abas Myrsa being advanc'd as far as Caswin while the King was at Kâ—â—abach there happened such frequent differences between the people belonging to the two Brothers that they heightned the reciprocal distrust they had one of another Abas Myrsa had about him a Lord of great quality named Murschidculi-Chan who had acquir'd so great reputation by his prudence and courage that Chodabende had entrusted him with the conduct and education of that young Prince This Murschidculi knowing that Ismael who had express'd but too much animosity against his Brother would never pardon him and that his life absolutely depended on that of his Master and considering withall that if he prov'd the occasion of raising that Prince whom he had Govern'd from his youth to the Throne he would have a great share in the Government resolv'd to prevent the King who was already come into the Province of Karabach purposely to march in person against his Brother To effect this some of the great Lords of the Court who hoped to get into favour with Abas Myrsa corrupted one of Ismael's Barbers named Chudi who coming to trim him cut his Throat The Lords who were present at the execution and thought it concern'd them to justifie themselves kill'd the Barber cut his body into little bits and reduc'd it to ashes Thus dy'd Schach Ismael III. in the eighth moneth of his reign Abas Myrsa had already so for gain'd the affections of the Persians by his vivacity of spirit and the moderation they had observ'd through the whole course of his life that he ascended the Throne with the general satisfaction of all the people But the favour of Murschidculi-Chan who had most contributed to his advancement continu'd not long for assuming to himself the same authority over the King which he had had before while he was onely Myrsa or Prince he became troublesome and insupportable and that in so high a degree that one day the King desirous to give his opinion upon an affair of great importance which had been propos'd Murschidculi-Chan had the insolence to tell him before a full Council that he was not fit to speak of affairs of that nature they being such as were above the reach of his age and understanding The King dissembled for the present his Resentment thereof but considering that that Authority of Murschidculi-Chan would eclipse his own and expose him to the contempt of his Subjects he resolv'd to rid his Governour out of the way He complain'd of his Favorite's insolence to three Lords of his Council named Mehediculi-Chan Mahomed Vstadscahi and Aliculi-Chan of whom he thought he might be most confident but finding they demurr'd upon the business and being not too well assur'd what resolution the King would take in a business which to them was of the greatest consequence of any in the World that they endeavour'd to disswade him from it he told them it was his will that Murschidculi-Chan should die by their hands and that if they made any scruple to do it he should find means to be obey'd as on the contrary he should not be backward in requiting their services who upon that occasion should implicitly execute
We intended to take up our quarters that night at Tzauat but understanding that Areb Chan of Scamachie was lodg'd there with his whole Court and that he would stay there all the next day we also resolv'd to continue the 16. at the place where we were We had some reason to be distrustfull of Areb-Chan by reason of what had happen'd between us at our first passage but he made it appear that the Persians have this also common with all Generous minds that they can forget injuries For he did us no unkindness nay on the contrary as long as we were in his Government he let slip no occasion of obliging us laying the cause of our misunderstanding one the other on the Interpreter Rustan who had forsaken us and as he said had made him several bad reports of us not doubting but he had said as much to us of him and protesting that if he had him his head should go off for it He order'd us to be receiv'd by a Person of Quality of his retinue upon the first news were brought him of our being come to the River Aras and made us a Present of three baggs of Wine which came to us very seasonably in as much as that day and the day before we had been but poorly treated Aetzebeg who had been our Mehemandar at our former passage came also to visit the Ambassadors and presented them with an excellent Greyhound-bitch The 17. we cross'd over the famous River Araxes near Tzauat where they had made a Bridge of Boats which they call Tzissi The antient Historians and Geographers speak so differently of this River that I conceive it will not be amiss I said somewhat here of it by the way True it is most of them put it in the Province wherein it really lies but they are mistaken in the description of its Course in as much as they do not well understand Q. Curtius who speaks of it in two several passages but in a different sense For in the 5. Book he puts it in Persida and sayes its course is Southward and in the 7. Book he makes it pass through Media and to fall into the Caspian Sea Nor does Strabo express himself more clearly Raderus in his Commentaries upon Q. Curtius thinks to make these passages very clear by saying that the River Medus into which the Araxes fall hath its course at first from North to South and that it falls into the Caspian Sea But he is mistaken for it is impossible that River should make its way through the dreadfull mountain Taurus which is many leagues in breadth and which runs through all Persia nay indeed all Asia and pass from Persepolis towards the Caspian Sea But the truth is there are two Rivers of the same name of Araxes in Persia one in Media the other in Persida As to that which passes by the walls of Persepolis now known by the name of Schiras Q. Curtius calls it Araxes as he gives to the Iaxartes which passes to the Frontiers of the Scythians the name of Tanais and that of Cancasus to the Eastern part of the mountain Taurus for which it would much gravel him to shew any reason The Persians call that which is in Persida Bend-Emir by reason of a great Miracle which they believe Aly did there and it falls into the Ocean near the Persian Gulf. That which we cross'd over in the Heaths of Mokan still keeps its name which is deriv'd if we may credit Eustathius from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to pluck in as much as when it overflows it plucks up and carries along with it whatever lies in its way It rises out of the mountains of Armenia behind the great Ararat and receiving into its Chanel the waters of many other Rivers the chiefest whereof are Karasu Senki Kerni and Arpa it goes near Karasu a great way into the Land and falls soon after near Ordabath with such a noise as is heard above two leagues thence in the Plain of Mokan which lies very low in comparison of Armenia and Schiruan It s course there is very slow and after it is joined viz. 12. leagues above Tazuat with the River Cur or Cyrus which is as big as it self and comes Northwar'd out of Georgia or Gurtzistan it falls into the Caspian Sea Whence it appears that Ptolomy and those who follow him are mistaken when they affirm that the Araxes and the Cyrus fall into the Caspain Sea by two different chanels as also when they say that the City of Cyropolis was that which is now called Scamachie This is inferr'd by Maginus from the degrees of Latitude which Ptolomy gives him But if it were so we must put these two Rivers not above but below the City towards the South in as much as we found their Conflux or meeting together which the Persians call Kanschan at thirty nine degrees fifty four minutes and Scamachie at forty degrees fifly minutes that is thirteen leagues thence and under another Meridian And indeed we found such a distance between them when we travell'd those parts Nor is there any other River eminent enough or big enough within nineteen dayes journey of Scamachie on either side of it to deserve that name The 17. we took up our Quarters at Tzauat where we were receiv'd and magnificently treated by the Mehemandar whom the Chan had sent to us This Villâ—ge derives its name from the Arabiau word Tzauat which signifies a passage in regard that at the crossing of this River people are oblig'd to shew their pass-port which is done to prevent the entrance of the Turks into the Kingdom The 19. we travell'd eight leagues for the most part over barren Lands and a desert Country cover'd with Reeds and lodg'd that night at the foot of the mountain of Scamachie in three Matzuchs or round Hutts which had been purposely set up there for us That day dy'd our Painter whose name was Tâ—ierry Nieman after he had been shaken several months together by a quartane ague whereto a flux joyning carried him away in four dayes He died by the way in a Wagon and in ill weather We had him buried the 22. before the City of Scamachie in the Church-yard belonging to the Armenians with the ordinary Ceremonies of our own Country The 20. we were upon our way betimes in the morning that we might in good time pass over the mountain of Scamachie which extends it self in those parts like a Crescent towards the East from the Sea along the River Cyr and it is called there Lengebus tachi by reason of a Village named Lengebus which is upon the op of the mountain The rain which was then so cold that we thought Winter coming on again had so broken the high-wayes that this was one of the saddest dayes journey we had ever since our first setting forth The Ambassadors and such others as were well mounted got to the City ere day-light was shut
the Christian Religion but he had no sooner made his first acquaintances at Surat ere he understood that an Uncle of his by the Mother-side could raise him to great fortunes at the Mogul's Court where he was Master of the Horse Upon this intelligence he soon took a resolution to leave me and to desire the protection of the Sulthan who kept him a while at his own house and afterwards sent him to Agra I was the more startled at this departure of the young fellow the more it run in my thoughts that knowing all the particulars of our engagement with the Indian Embassadour at Ispahan his design might be to betray me into the hands of my enemies And certainly had I known of his going to Agra I should not have had the confidence to take that place in my way though it might appear by what happened afterwards that God sent him to that place expresly to save my life since had it not been for him I might have lost it there In May there came news to Surat that the Chan who commanded at Candahar for the King of Persia had revolted and had rendred the place to the Mogul upon this account that the Scach had threatned to put him to death The Mogul sent immediately 500000. Crowns to the place as a requital for the Governours service and to pay the Garrison which had revolted along with him Alymerdan-Chan Governour of the same place had done such another trick at the beginning of Schach-Sefiâ—s â—s Reign who would needs oblige him to bring his head to Court which if he had done he had never carried it away again upon his shoulders Soon after Scach recover'd Candahar again and it was partly upon this account that the Mogul had sent to him the Embassadour I spoke of before though among his other Instructions he had order to demand the Myrsa Polagi his Nephew Iune 16. I went out a hunting with a young Dutch Merchant and another English Merchant with whom having cross'd the River they brought me to an old ruin'd City called Reniel where the Dutch have a Ware-house The Inhabitants of this City are called Naites and are for the most part either Mariners or Trades-men and of the Mahumetan Religion The streets of it are narrow and the houses so rais'd from the foundation that there is not any but hath one step to get up to it There we staid all night and were nobly treated by the Merchants who had the management of the Trade there The next day we went to a Village called Bodick and in our way let fly at a wild Duck and a Heron there we saw about twenty Deers Their skins which were somewhat greyish were checkquer'd all over with white spots and they had fair Horns with several Brow-ancklers There was among them a sort of creatures about the bigness of our Ro-Bucks the Skins whereof were inclining to a dark brown checkquer'd also with white spots having very graceful Horns Some are of opinion that these are the same that Aldrovandus calls Cervi-capras and that it is from this kind of Beast that we have Bezoar We went thence to another Village called Damre where we saw abundance of wild Ducks in the Rice whereof there grows great store in those parts All the fields have a little ascent raised about them to keep in the water the Rice requiring much moisture In this Village we found some Terry which is a Liquor drawn out of the Palm-trees and drunk of it in Cups made of the leaves of the same Tree To get out the Juyce they go up to the top of the Tree where they make an incision in the bark and fasten under it an earthen pot which they leave there all night in which time it is fill'd with a certain sweet Liquor very pleasant to the taste They get out some also in the day time but that corrupts immediately and is good only for Vinegar which is all the use they make of it The City of Surat or Suratta lies at 21. degrees 42. minutes upon the River Tapta which rises near Barampour and falls into the Sea four Leagues below the City It lies all along the River side and is built four-square It hath no wall to the River side but on the Land side it hath a good Rampier of Stone and a Castle all of Free-stone The City hath three Gates whereof one goes towards the Village of Brion where those who go to Cambaya and Amadabat cross the River another goes to Barampour and the third to Nassary All the Houses are flat as those of Persia and most have very fair Gardens The Castle which they say was built by the Turks upon an Invasion which they made into this Country hath but one Gate which looks into a spacious Plain which serves for a Meidan to the City Not far thence and at the entrance of the City stands the Governours Palace and the Custom-house and near them the Bazar as well for forreign Merchants as those of the City The Governour of the Castle hath no dependance on him of the City whose business it is to look after the administration of Justice and the payment of the Customs at the Exportation and Importation of all Merchandises which pay three and a half in the hundred except it be Gold and Silver whether coined or in wedges or made into bars which pay but two in the hundred The Dutch and English have their Houses there which they call Lodges and are spacious and well built consisting of many fair Appartments Lodgings Chambers fair Halls Galleries and Chappels The Haven of Suratta is two Leagues from the City at the Village of Suhaly whence the Dutch and English call it the Kom of Suhaly There Ships are unladen of their Commodities which are brought thence to Suratta by Land This Road lies at 21. degrees 50. minutes upon the course of North-east and South-west The entrance into it is not very broad since that at high-water there is but seven fathom water and at low but five The Haven it self is not above 500. paces broad before the Village sandy at the bottom and most of the banks are bare and dry at low-water and so sharp and steepy that sounding there is to no purpose at all 'T is very safe riding there being no danger of any wind but that of the South-west But from May to September there is no staying on those Coasts by reason of the winds and tempests accompany'd by extraordinary thunder and lightning which reign there during all that time The Inhabitants of Surat are either Benjans Bramans or Moguls These last are Mahumetans and much better look'd on then the others as well upon the account of their Religion which they have common with the Great Mogul and the chiefest Lords of the Country as upon that of the profession they make to bear Arms. They have an aversion for Trades and Merchandise and had rather serve
small Caravan so that confident I night undertake this journey without any danger which it had not been safe for me to attempt without this convenience by reason of the Rasboutes and their robberies upon the high-way I took the Presidents advice and put my self into their company These Rasboutes are a sort of High-way men or Tories who keep in the Mountains between Brodra and Broitscheia which are called Champenir where they have their fortifi'd places and retreats wherein they sometimes make their party good against the Mogul himself Not long before he had taken in one of their strongest places and by that means kept them a long time in subjection but they revolted again and exercised their robberies with greater cruelty then ever We left Suratta the last of September being accompany'd by the President and some English Merchants who having brought us a League out of the City there took leave of us We took our way towards Broitschia and came to the Village of Briou or Briauw where we cross'd the River Then at four Leagues distance from Briou we pass'd by Cattodera which is a ruin'd place seated upon a River of the same name and then by Enklisser where we soon made a shift to take above thirty wild Ducks and many other Water-fowl wherewith we feasted our people We also kill'd a Roebuck and met with so many Deer and wild Boars that it was no hard matter for us to get us a good supper since the Dutch and English never travel without their Cooks who dress the Fowl and what else their Masters kill which they never fail to do in abundance The next day we cross'd a River which is more broad then deep before we came to the City of Broitschia into which we were no sooner entred but the English Secretary sent to us to dine with him which we did The City of Broitschia is at 21. degrees 56. minutes 12. Leagues from Suratta and 8. from the Sea upon a River falling out of the Mountains which divide the Kingdom of Decar from that of Balagatta It lies upon a pretty high Mountain having its Walls of Free-stone and so well built that it may be numbred among the strongest places of all the Indies On the Land side it hath two great Gates and two small Gates towards the River by which is brought abundance of Timber for building which none dare unload without the Governours express permission There is a Guard kept in it as well upon account of the place it self which is very considerable as upon this that they exact there two in the hundred upon all Merchandises that pass through it The City is sufficiently well peopled as also its Suburbs which are divided into two quarters which they call Poera though very few persons of Quality live therein most of the Inhabitants being only Weavers who make of those kinds of Cottons called Bastas which are finer then any made in the Province of Gusaratta All the fields about this City lie flat and even unless it be that about five or six Leagues from it towards the South-west may be seen the Mountains called Pindatshce which reach as far as Barampour and beyond it and are very fertile as is also all the rest of the Country which brings forth Rice Wheat Barly and Cotton in abundance It is out of these Mountains that the Agat is gotten whereof are made such noble drinking Cups Seals Handles of Knives and Daggers and several other rarities which are commonly to be bought at Cambays The jurisdiction of the City of Broitschia extends it self over 84. Villages the Demesne whereof belongs to it but heretofore its territory comprehended three other Cities who have now their particular Governours Four Leagues below the City the River divides it self into two branches which there make an Isle near half a League about below which it falls into the Sea by two several channels It hath no Port but only a Road which is so much the more dangerous in that the Ships which may indeed anchor there at seven fathom water lie open to the mercy of all Winds Eight Leagues from Broitschia upon the way of Cambaya there is a great Village called Ianbaysar or Iambouser where abundance of Indico is made and upon the Road to Amadabat there is to be seen the Sepulchre of a Mahumetan Saint named Pollemedory whither the Moors or Moguls go in pilgrimage with so great devotion that some of them put Padlocks on their mouths to keep them from speaking and never take them off but only when they are to eat Others fasten Iron chains to their arms and it is reported that the Padlocks are opened and the Chains loosed by some supernatural power as soon as they have accomplish'd their Vows at the Sepulchre We left Broitschia in the Evening accompany'd by the Secretary who would needs bring us half a League out of the City He return'd thither but it was to the end he might overtake us five Leagues thence for being entrusted with the management of the Commerce of Brodca as well as of that of Broitschia he thought fit to go along with the Caravan We travell'd all night and the next day till the extraordinary heat forc'd us to encamp near a Fish-pond where we pass'd away the rest of that day and some part of the night following our recreation being to set a dancing the Women that were among the Benjans in the Caravan We went thence after midnight I intreated the Secretary to come into my Coach where I learnt of him several particulars of the Country which by reason of my small stay in those parts it was impossible I could have observed We pass'd through the Village of Karawanet and Kabol where they made us pay a certain passage-Toll Being come within some Leagues of the City of Brodra the English Secretary went on before to take order for our lodging and entertainment We met him with his Second about half a League from the City whither we came the seventh of October The Kaffila pass'd through the City to be lodg'd on the other side of it and the English Merchants carried me into a pleasant Country-house without the City purposely built for a Mausâ—leum to a person of Quality of the Country whose desire it had been to be there buried with all his Family Having taken two or three turns in the Garden we went to the Lodge belonging to the English where they made the greatest entertainment imaginable and to come to the height of that Countries endearments they sent for some Benjan women who were very desirous to see my cloaths which I still wore after the German fashion though the English and Dutch who are settled in the Indies go ordinarily according to the mode of the Country and would have oblig'd me to put them off but perceiving I was unwilling to do it and withall that I made some difficulty to accept of the proffers they made
which differs from the Soveraign only in time as that the King of Spain hath many Lords to gratifie with an Employment which enriches them sufficiently in that time For besides that his whole Court lies at the Kings charge he hath the disposal of all his Revenue and every year makes a Visit for sixty or eighty Leagues about which is worth to him very much But the Presents which the neighbouring Princes and the Governours and under Officers make him are not to be valued He hath his Council of State and his Courts of Law and Equity He is absolute Judge in all civil Causes the most important only excepted wherein there may appeal be made to the King Criminal Sentences are executed there notwithstanding the Appeal but it is not in the Viceroy's power to indict a Gentleman but he is oblig'd to send him with the Informations brought in against him to Portugal unless the King order some other course to be taken with him The Viceroy at his arrival into the Indies lands in the Island of Bardes or some other Haven on that side whence he immediately sends his Agents to Goa to take possession of his charge and what ever depends on it His Predecessour makes way for him upon the first news he receives of his Arrival unfurnishes the Palace and leaves him only the Guards and the bare walls Thus much we thought fit to say of the City of Goa Ianuary 22. about noon the President sent away the two Ships which came along with us from Surat and were to carry thither the money which had been received at Goa and after he had dismiss'd certain Iesuits and several other persons of quality of Goa who were come to visit him aboard we hoys'd sail yet expecting to come aboard our Ship the General of the Dutch Fleet whose name was Van Kenlen who had intreated him to convey some Letters to his Superiours But he came not In the Evening we saw all the Dutch Fleet under sail whence we imagin'd that the General intended to give us a visit but with the night we lost sight of them and having a reasonable good wind kept on our course Ian. 23. At break of day we had a sight of the Dutch Fleet again and then we conceiv'd they were going to relieve the King of Ceylon who had intreated the General to assist him against the Portuguez who had declar'd war against him About noon we were at thirteen degrees latitude and out of sight of land But in regard we intended to go towards the Coast of Malabar upon intelligence brought us that an English Ship coming from Bantam richly loaden with Spices had been set upon and spoil'd by the Malabar Pyrates the next day we chang'd our course and took it more Eastward so to get towards the land The Malabars had taken their advantage of the condition that Ship was in which was so over-burthen'd that she could make use of but six Guns they found indeed no great difficulty to enter her but they were no sooner in ere the English sent above six hundred of them with the upper Deck into the Sea They dispatch'd as many with the second but afterwards being themselves forc'd to go to the Stern to avoid the fire they yielded to the Malabars who with the Ship took the Captain the Masters Mate the Clark and fourteen others whom we intended to redeem About noon we pass'd in sight of Monteleone a high mountain from which the Malabars discover at a distance the Vessels they conceive they may set upon with advantage and at night we came to the Haven of Cananor where we found three English Vessels the Dragon the Catharine and the Seymour commanded by Captain Weddell one of the most experienced Sea-Captains of his time one that had been at the taking of Ormus and was then entertain'd into the service of a new Company erected not long before in England for the trade of the Indies Having fired some Guns to salute the Castle we sent to Captain Weddell to know what condition the English prisoners were in and hearing they were most of them set at liberty we would stay no longer on that Coast. The Portuguez have a Garrison in the Castle of Cananor but the City is inhabited by Malabars They call by that name all those people who live upon that Coast from the City of Goa as far as the Cape of Comory or Comorin The Country is very fertile and brings forth abundance of Spices but particularly the best Pepper in the Indies which is most esteem'd because the grain of it is bigger then it is any where else even then that which grows in Sumatra and Iava The Inhabitants go stark naked covering only those parts which Nature would not have seen even in Beasts They make holes in the tips of their Ears and are black but have not such great Lips as the Moors of Africk They tye up their Hair together upon the Crown of the Head and let their Beards grow to the full length without any ordering or trimming in so much that they are not unlike those figures under which we would represent the Devil Nor is their disposition unsuitable to this pleasant external shape for they understand nothing of civility nor are capable of any Commerce or Conversation They are for the most part Pyrates and Souldiers who may be said to have rashness rather then courage and are expert enough in the handling of their Armes which are Sword and Buckler Bows and Arrows They make also a kind of Muskets themselves and use them with advantage They obey neither the King of Cuncam nor the Viceroy of Goa but they have their particular King or Prince who also performs the functions of High-Priest and is of the Sect of the Bramans These were the most considerable enemies the Portuguez met with at the beginning of their establishment in the Indies but ever since they made a Treaty with them they have liv'd in very good correspondence Their Prince whom they call Zamorin is also King of Calicuth upon the same Coast. In the year 1604. the Dutch made a Treaty with him for the freedom of Trade but the Portuguez coming to be more powerful in those parts and the Dutch finding it easier to settle themselves in other places where they continue their Trade with greater advantage they have neglected the friendship of these Barbarians I observ'd at Cananor that there were some men among them who never par'd their Nails and that there were others who wore Bracelets and Rings about their Armes These are the Gentry of the Country whom they call Nayres that they may be distinguish'd from Persons of meaner condition whom they call Polyas The Nayres are very proud and conceited of themselves and permit not the Polyas so much as to touch them They alwayes go with their Sword and Buckler wherewith they make a noise in the Streets as they go and perpetually cry out Po Po that people
the Soldans of their Commerce and the Portuguez continued Masters of it while they kept that Sea but after the Hollanders appeared there they were constrained to give place and to lose an advantage which no other durst have disputed with them In the year 1511. the Portuguez discovered the Molucques Francisco Serano who first set foot on shore found so much simplicity there that Boleyfe King of Ternate and Almansor King of Tidor made it their earnest request to have the advantage of the Fort the Portuguez were about to build to secure the possession of these Isles 'T is true these two Princes were declared enemies and thought to make use of these Strangers Forces in their particular quarrels but 't is to be believed their jealousie was grounded on other principles for that Cachil Laudan King of Bachiam made the like request to Tristan de Meneses who went to relieve Serrano 'T was now some time since Pope Alexander the sixth had divided the two Indies betwixt the Kings of Castile and Portugal in so much that of the three hundred sixty degrees which compose the Globe the Spaniards were to possess what they conquered within one hundred and eighty degrees counting from the thirty sixth degree of Lisbone Westward and the Portuguez the other hundred and eighty degrees Eastward by vertue of which division the Emperour Charles the fifth pretended the Molucques belonged to the Crown of Castile by reason Ferdinand Magellanus who had done very advantageous Service in the Indies under Alphonso Albuquerque and had with little satisfaction deserted the Portuguez to serve under Charles computed by Ptolomies authority upon a false supposal that between Indus and Ganges there were thirty degrees whereas there are scarce ten that the Molucques being distant six hundred Leagues which make about thirty six degrees from Malacca Westward they belonged to the Crown of Castile He was commissioned by the Emperour to go take possession of them and upon this design parted from Saint Lucars the 21. of September 1519. and having wrought to 53. degrees and passed the Streight called to this day by his name the Streight of Magellan he came almost to the height of the Molucques but by contrary Winds and the Sea-currents he was forc'd down to the Manelles where he was slain with thirty five of his company Gonzalo Gomez d' Espinosa and Sebastian del Cano made afterwards some establishments for the Emperour taking an Oath of Fidelity of Sutrau Carala King of Ternate Predecessour of Sultan Bongue of Sultan Almanzor King of Tidor and Sultan Iusuff King of Gilolo But the possession of these Isles was of such importance to the Portuguez for continuation of their Spice trade that they did what was possible to keep them wherein they found the less trouble because the Emperour had his hands full in Europe and was but imperfectly informed of the Affairs in Asia as well by reason the Portuguez hindred the Castilian Ships passing by the Cape of good hope as that the passage by the West was so dangerous that hitherto it is not used Notwithstanding all Acts of Hostility passing between these two Nations in the Indies 't was thought convenient that Commissioners for both Kings should meet at Segovia in the year 1525. but not agreeing the meeting was removed the year following to Sevil where likewise they came to no result so as the business continued in this state till the Treaty at Saragossa in the year 1529. at which the Emperour engag'd these Islands to the King of Portugal for three hundred and fifty thousand Ducates Ever since the Portuguez have injoyed them till by the union of the Kingdom of Castile and Portugal they were confounded in Philip the Second After this the Hollandersâ—ut â—ut in there and the revolution that happened in Portugal in the year 1640. hath so changed the face of Affairs that the Spaniards must first conquer that Kingdom before they think of the Appendages belonging thereto Ternate is the first and largest Isle of the Molucques scituate twenty eight Leagues from the Isle of Banda and forty degrees on this side the Line It is about eight Leagues in compass and no bad Country yet yields but little Provisions besides Poultry and Goats It produces likewise Almonds excellent good and bigger then ordinary though there be three or four in every shell which is so hard 't is not easily to be broken with a Hammer but they make so strong a fire that Smiths and Forgemen use it instead of Coal The Inhabitants likewise plant Tobacco but 't is far short of that comes from the West-Indies The chief Town called Gamma lamma stands on the Sea-side and is but one Street about 2500. paces long Their Houses are built of Canes or Timber as are also the Masquites and Palace Royal. The Road is of no use for that the bottom being nothing but Stone and Rock an Anchor cannot fix The Holland Vessels ride before a Village called Telingamma between the Islands of Ternate and Tidor within half a League of Malay The most precious thing in these Islands is the Clove I know not if it be the same Pliny calls Garyophylla though the Persians call it Calafur and these two words seem to have the same Etymology The Spaniards sometimes called it Girofe but at present they call it Clavos by reason of its likeness to an ordinary Nail The Molucques call the Tree that bears them Siger the Leaf Varaqua and the Fruit Chamque The Tree is much like the Laurel only the Leaves something less and narrower like the Almond-tree and shoots forth its branches at the top as Myrtle doe When 't is in flower it persumes the Air round about it and the Fruit is at first white in time grows green and so brown but not black till it be gathered Some beat them down with Poles but commonly they fasten a Rope to the branch a little above the boal and drawing it to them force away the Fruit and leaves with much violence and so it is when the Inhabitants sell it and so the Chineses and Indians transport it The Trees grow of themselves as the Chesnut-trees do without planting or any cultivation In the eighth year they bear and last a hundred years bringing forth every two years for besides the injury done the branches in getting off the fruit as we said before the Inhabitants break off the young buds which shoot forth the first year that they may be sure of a better crop the next It is at its full ripeness from August till Ianuary and when it is gathered it is laid in the Sun and in two or three dayes it is sufficiently dried Avicenna affirms that the Gum of this Tree is like Turpentine but he is mistaken it being certain that it does not produce any at all For it is so hot that it does not only drink up all the Water Heaven is pleased to send it but it also
though some Cocos-trees and Date-trees only excepted all the other Trees are wild In the Vallies there are some Fruit-trees but such as bear no Fruit are not the less esteemed for that for these are they which yield the fairest Ebony in all the East Some oâ— it is as black as any Jet and as smooth as Marble but the yellow and red is of greater value then the other as being more rare There is as well in the Rivers of it as the Sea about it such abundance of Fish that at one casting of the Net as many may be taken as will fill two or three Tun falted The Hollanders in their Relations affirm that they took a Thornback which found all in the Ship two good Meals and that they saw there Tortoyses so big that four Sea-men sitting on the back of one of them it went as well as if it had had no burthen at all Whereto they add that they were so large that ten Men might sit upon ones Shell The Island is not inhabited whence it comes that the Birds are so tame that a man may take them with his hand and they are commonly killed with Cudgels especially the Turtles whereof there is such abundance that the Dutch in less then two hours took above a hundred and fifty and might have taken more if they could have carried them There is also great store of Herons and a kind of Birds of the bigness of a Swan which have neither Wings nor Tail but so hard a flesh that no heat can either boyl or roast it There is no four-footed Creature in all the Island but for other refreshments and particularly for the taking in of fresh water there is not a fitter place any way near it When the Dutch came thither in September 1601. they found there a French Souldier who had left his Country some three years before with three English Ships which were the first in those parts that attempted failing into the Indies upon the account of Pyracy Of these three Ships one was cast away near the Cape of Good hope and sickness having consumed most of the men they that remained set fire on the second in regard for want of men they were not able to govern it The third was wrack'd upon the Coasts of the Indies where all the men were lost seven only excepted to wit four English men two Negroes and a French Souldier who attempted to return with some booty which they disposed into a Cannow wherein they set to Sea and made a shift to get to Maurice Island The two Negroes had a design there to rid themselves of their Camerades but being discovered they cast themselves into the Sea and were drowned The four English men would prosecute their Voyage but the French Souldier chose rather to continue in the Isle then double the Cape and expose himself to the mercy of the Sea in so small a Vessel Accordingly of the English men there was no more news heard The French man had been twenty moneths in the Island when the Dutch came thither He was stark naked in regard that having been in a burning Feaver which heightned into a degree of madness he had torn his clothes so that having not had any thing about him ever since his sickness nor fed on any thing but the raw Tortoyses he took they were not a little surpriz'd at the sight of him and conceived it would be no easie matter to restore him to his Senses though he behaved himself well enough otherwise and was in very good health We got so near Maurice Island that we clearly saw it but in regard the wind continued fair the President called together the chief Officers and represented to them that if they put into the Island they should lose at least ten dayes time whereas if the wind continued fair as it then was we might in that time reach the Cape of Good hope and so avoid the inconveniences of wintering in the Island of Madagascar whereupon it was resolved we should prosecute our Voyage which we did and the same day got out of sight of Maurice Island March 29. After Sermon the President acquainted all the men with the reasons which had obliged him to change his resolution of taking in Water at Mourice Island and made it appear that if they had gone to refresh themselves in the Island they must have lost the convenience of the Wind and the fairest Season of the year and so the means of finishing their Voyage exhorting all to take courage and execute his Orders and to be content with their allowance which should be equal to what those had who sate at his own Table March 30. We passed the Tropick of Capricorn continuing our course towards West-South-West April 1. We were at 26. degrees three minutes The Wind began to abate and towards the night it rain'd and blew not at all yet ere we were so becalm'd we had made a shift to get forty Leagues in twenty four hours The next day we saw several Whales and night the Wind rose and in a short time grew into an absolute Tempest Our course was still to the West-south-west in order to our gaining the South which was to bring us to the Cape of Good hope The 3. We altered our course a little taking it more towards the West We were then at 28. degrees 30. minutes and in 24. hours we got 50. Leagues April 5. We had but little Wind and in regard the Compass still varied and declined we took our course towards the West instead of taking it to the South as we should otherwise have done In these two days we made 73. Leagues The next day we were at 30. degrees Latitude The 7. We began to perceive that we should not long enioy the good Wind had attended us some dayes before Accordingly the next day we had a great calm at 32. degrees Latitude The 9. The Wind rising again put us into some confidence that within a few dayes we should reach the Cape of Good hope from which we could not be above three hundred Leagues distant From that day to the 14. we still advanced somewhat That being Easter day the President made a great Entertainment whereof all in the Ship participated The 15. The North-west-wind grew to a great Tempest and our Sea-men assirm'd that they smelt Land being confirm'd in their perswasion by those Birds which the Portuguez call Pintados and which alwayes keep within the distance of fourty Leagues of the Land The Tempest ceased with the morning of the 16th and our Sea-men persisted in affirming we were near the Coast in regard many Birds were seen about the Ship The 17. Towards night there blew a fresh Gale of wind but the next day and the night following we had no wind at all yet was the Sea as rough as it proved to be afterwards in the Tempest which surpriz'd us the 19. at night with the South-west wind at
to leave there under a Stone at the entrance of the Haven some Letters wherein they acquaint the Ships that are coming after them with whatever had hapned to them in their Voyage and the course they take at their departure thence The water there is excellent good and so easie to come at that the taking of it in is without any trouble Cattle are very cheap their Oxen are large and have bunches on their back as those of the Indies and there are some Sheep whose flesh is extreamly delicate they have long ears and their tails are as big and weighty as a good hind quarter of Mutton They have also all sorts of wild Fowl and those Creatures that are hunted Deer wild Boars Partridges Quails c. and among the rest a kind of Geese which they call Pinguins which have no wings but stumps and consequently cannot raise themselves off the ground It is an amphibious Animal and with those stumps makes a shift to swim A man may take them up with his hands but the flesh of them is not edible it is so hard and insipid There are also Dogs or rather Sea-bears Camels Tygres Lyons and Lynxes The Inhabitants are of low Stature ugly and ill-shap'd living more like Beasts then men Their faces are wrinkled their hair full of grease and nastiness and they stink so that they are smelt assoon as they are seen which proceeds not only hence that they rub their bodies with train Oyl but also from their constant eating of raw flesh They never kill a beast in order to the eating of it but feed on them only when they die of any disease A dead Whâ—le cast up by the Sea upon the shore is an excellent dish of meat with them as is also the hot entrails of some beast which they eat with all the filth about them having only taken out the excrements wherewith some rub their faces They go naked save that both men and women cover their privy parts with a triangular piece of skin which they fasten with leathern girdle about the waste Some of the men cover their buttocks and thighs with a Lyons skin or Oxe hide drawing up the taile between their legs so that it covers not what they intend should not be seen Nay there are some who wear a skin which comes down from the shoulders to the waste and cut their faces arms and thighs in which they make divers strange incisions and characters which though they were ugly enough before adds somewhat to their deformity The women wear about their Arms and Leggs rings of Iron or Brass which they receive from strangers for their Cattle They who live near the Sea-coast feed only upon Oysters Fish such Herbs as Nature produces thereabouts and the Whales cast up by the Sea but such as inhabit further within the Countrey and are called Soltanimans live a little better though they are no less barbarous and savage then the others They do not cultivate the Ground though it be excellent good and very fertile nor do they understand any thing of improving and ordering the fruit which Nature bestows on them They all live in little Huts or in the same place with their Cattel without Beds Stools or any such superfluous pieces of houshold stuff Their way of resting themselves is to sit upon their heels They are never seen near the Sea but only when they think to drive some Trade in trucking their Cattle Ox-hides Lions Leopards Tigers-skins and Ostritch Feathers for Kâ—ives Looking-glasses Nailes Hammers Hatchets and other pieces of old Iron to their great advantage who come thither They have no knowledg at all of God nor never heard any talk of the Devil but all the mischief they fear is what may be done them by the Lyons against whom they are forc'd to fortifie themselves in the night time by great fires which they make all about their quarters May 10. Having fill'd all our Vessels with fresh water and bought ewo Oxen of the Soltanimans who were unwilling to sell any more we reimbarked intending to get ouâ— of the Bay that day but the contrary wind would not permit us The next day we sent our Boat to bring aboard us fifteen persons to wit four men eight women and three children to be transported into the Island of Pingui which is at the entrance of the Bay where those poor people were in hopes to live more at their ease upon the Carcasses of Whales which the Sea is wont to cast ashore there and to be free from the persecutions of the Soltanimans The Boat returned in the Evening loaden with all sorts of Birds especially Pinguins which had been all kill'd with sticks May 12. Being Sunday we weighed Anchor before day and got out of the Bay with a North-east Wind taking our course Westward The next day it came to North-north-east and afterwards to the North and in the afternoon we had not any at all So that we continued all the remainder of the day in sight of the coast At night it came to the South but in less then two hours it returned again to the North and about midnight we had such a Tempest that we were forc'd to take in all our Sails The 17. The Tempest which had continued ever-since the 12. grew so high that had not our Ship been very sound and of great burthen it could not possibly have resisted the violence of the winds and waves which so covered it sometimes that all upon the Deck were wet to the skin The next day the Skie cleared up and the wind was something allayed but still contrary We took the elevation and sound our selves at 34. Degrees 40. Minutes whence we concluded that we were between Cabo Falso and the Cape of Good hope and consequently that the Wind had forc'd us back 25. or 30. Leagues yet in the evening we had in a manner recover'd what we had lost but the night following the wind was so violent as if the Elements had been near their resolution into their first Chaos These extraordinary winds are called Hurricans and they come not with such fury but once in seven years though the Sea in those parts be ordinarily tempestuous We lost in that tempest two of our best Sea men who fell from the Scnttle into the Sea where one was immediately swallowed up the other had so much strength as to lay hold 〈◊〉 the rope was cast out to him and got into the Ship but falling on the sides of the Ship he had so bruised himself that he died within an hour after The contrary wind forced us into the main Sea and reduc'd us to such extremities that we were not so much concern'd in the prosecution of our Voyage as the saving of our lives in as much as had the Sea made the least breach in the Ship it had been impossible for us to escape The next day the contrary wind continuing in the same violence
we were still in the same danger having no other hope but what the next change of the Moon gave us But though she appeared the next day above the Horizon yet the tempest was nothing abated till the rain somewhat allay'd the wind the 22. so that we could make use of our sails indeavouring to keep our course Westward May 23. VVe had a calm during which the Ship stirr'd not from the same place VVe discovered the Coast North-east of us and in regard we were then at 37 Degrees six Minutes we imagined our selves to be in the same Altitude with the Coast which lies between Cabo Palso and that of Agulhas In the evening the wind increased and brought with it a tempest from the West-north-west which forc'd us to put off from the Coast. The 24. The wind continued strll contrary and in the evening there rose such a tempest as forced us to go all night before the wind The 25. We resum'd our course with a West wind taking it South-west We were that day at 36. Degrees Latitude The 26. With the Sun-rising we had the North-east wind which made us put out all our Sails taking our course West and sayling after the rate of two Leagues an hour But in the evening the wind turned to the North-west with so great likelyhood of a tempest that it was thought fit to take in part of our Sails Accordingly the wind increased so by degrees that we were forc'd to take in all but the main Sail which was not taken in till the wind grew so violent as if it would have confounded all the Elements to have swallowed us up in the disorder Nay its fury was such that our Ship which had resisted all before as a Rock was tossed by the waves like a little boat I must confess it was through Gods infinite mercy to us that we escaped that danger wherein we were in all likelihood to perish since it was a kind of Miracle that the Masts stood considering the violence of the winds was such as might have rooted up the strongest Trees This dreadfull Tempest continued the 28. and 29. with so little intermission that we began to despair of prosecuting our Voyage inasmuch as the first quarter of the Moon had brought no change of weather whereupon it was taken into consideration whether it were not our safest course to go and pass over the Winter in the Island of Madagascar It was urged that the Ship having been much batter'd by the waves would not be able to hold out much longer and that though it should our provisions would not and so it would be impossible for us to compleat our Voyage This proposal was generally approved but when it was considered on the other side that that delay which must have been at least six moneths would be an inconvenience equal to the imminent danger we were in it was thought the best course to prosecute the Voyage But May 30. The President having called all the Officers together and represented to them the condition of the Ship and the little likelihood there was of compleating the Voyage Nay on the contrary that the wind might be more violent as the Moon increased and that coming in September or October upon the Coasts of England the dangeâ— would be as great as that they were then in upon those of Africk it was resolved that to preserve the Ship we should put into the Island of Madagascar and stay there till September inasmuch as within that time there would come thither some English Vessels which might supply us with things necessary for the prosecution of our Voyage According to this resolution we tack'd about at two in the afternoon the weather so tempestuous that we could beat but two Sails We saild two Leagues an hour but the Sea was so rough that many times the waves came over the Ship This tempest continued till the next day but about noon it ceased Iune the first We faild on with a VVest wind taking our course East-ward VVe put out all our Sails so that in 24. hours we got forty Leagues The next being Whitsunday the Tigre we brought from Surat bit the President in the hand and had forc'd it off had not I and some others come seasonably in About 11. at night the wind changed and came to South-south-east which was the best point we could have wiâ—hed it in for our return insomuch that we immediately chang'd our resolution and set things in order to our return to the Cape of Good hope with an intention to take in fresh water at the Island of Saint Helene The same wind continued the third of Iune insomuch that about noon we were got to 35. Degrees 8. Minutes Iune 4. VVe saw abundance of the Manga's de Valudo but the wind changed so that we had much ado to keep on our course to South-south-west and afterwards to North-north-west towards the Coast. VVe saw also abundance of Trombas whence we inferred we were not far from the Cape of Good hope The 6. VVe had no wind at all so that we spent the day in fishing We found sometimes 43. and 48. sometimes 54. and 63. fathome water Towards night we had a good North-west wind The 7. The wind came to West and at night we had so great a tempest that we were forc'd to take in all our Sails Iune 8. The Tempest continuing with the same violence we could advance but little About midnight it came North and we took our course Northwest The 9. The wind ceased and having taken the Altitude we were at 35 Degrees 30. Minutes In the afternoon we had a North-west wind with a dreadful Tempest which forced us to take in all our Sails and go before the wind in some danger of running upon the coast This was the saddest night we had in all our Voyage For the Master of the Ship fearing the reproaches of his superiours if he came not to England within the year endeavoured all he could to prosecute the Voyage but finding at last all was to no purpose he acknowledged there was no other way to save the Ship and the persons in it but to put in somewhere Whereupon it was immediately resolv'd we should go and winter in Madagascar and so we presently changed our course The 11. The weather was fair but about midnight the sky was so overcast that it was not doubted but a Tempest was coming as indeed it did and continued the three next dayes The 15. It ceased and the wind being VVest-north-west we took our course to the North-east and in 24. hours got 33. Leagues The 16. We got 44 Leagues The 17th 50. with an East-south-east wind taking our course to the North-east The 18. VVe got 30. with a VVest-South-west wind the 19th 40. and the 20th having failed 30. Leagues we were at 31. Degrees 15. Minutes Latitude The 23. At break of day we discovered a Vessel which soon came up to us It was a Ship belonging to the