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A70735 Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ... Ogilby, John, 1600-1676. 1670 (1670) Wing O163; Wing D241; ESTC R22824 857,918 802

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up with the Hand and gaze at their Surprizers till knock'd on the head with Sticks From the Salt-Water beating against the Cliffs a Froth or Scum remains in some Places which the heat of the Sun so purifies that it becomes white and good Salt Some of the Mountains yield Bole Armoniack and a fat Earth like Terra Lemnia The Sea will answer the pains of a patient Fisherman who must use an Angle not a Net because of the foul Ground and beating of the Sea The chief are Mackrels Roaches Carps but differing in colour from those among us Eels as big as a Mans Arm and well-tasted Crabs Lobsters Oysters of as good a rellish as our English and very good Mussles Yet all these Conveniences have not brought thither any setled Colony the King of Portugal as they say not permitting any of his Subjects to dwell there lest they should appropriate it to themselves The Cape de Verd or Salt-Islands THe Cape de Verd Islands are so call'd for their nearness to Cape Verd on the Main Coast of Africa but the Portuguese name them Ilhas Verdes Green Islands because the Sea thereabouts is always cover'd with green Weeds so thick that one can scarce discern the Water and the Ships can hardly Sail through them They are also commonly known by the name of the Salt-Islands because of the many Salt-Pans especially in Ilha del Sal Boavista Mayo and St. Jago Some take them for the Gorgons in the Atlantick Sea spoken of by Mela others for the Gorgades of Pliny an ancient Dwelling-place as the Poets feign of three Sisters the Daughters of Forkus viz. Medura Sthenio and Euryale and some stick not to believe that they were antiently call'd Hesperides from the neighboring Cape of Hespiere mention'd by Ptolomy They lie over against the Main Coast of Africa Situation between Cabo Blank and Cabo Verd from the nineteenth to the fifteenth degree of North-Latitude about two and forty Miles from the Shore Writers differ about their number very frequently Number for some reckon them twelve others eleven some nine but most agree upon ten generally known by the corrupt Portuguese names as follows Ilha del Sal Ilha Bovista Ilha Mayo Ilha del St. Jaga Ilha del Fogo Ilha del Brava Ilha del St. Niklaos Ilha del St. Lucie Ilha del St. Vincent and Ilha del St. Antonio besides some other nameless Islands The most Westerly is St. Antonio next those of St. Vincent and St. Lucie and the most Easterly Boavista All these or at least some of them are said to have been discover'd in the Year Fourteen hundred and forty by a Genoes call'd Anthonio Nolli thou Jarrik affirms the Portuguese had that honor six years after whereas Sanutus gives it to a Venetian call'd Lovis Extracted out of the House of Cadamosto sent abroad by the Infanta of Portugal to discover new Countreys The Salt-Island Salt-Island or Ilha del Sal lies with its South end on the North-Latitude of sixteen degrees and eight and thirty minutes and with the South-East Point in sixteen degrees and forty minutes It shews coming out from the Canaries or out of the North afar off very high like a Hill but nearer appears low On the North side runs a River and in the South-West a small Haven and close by that another small Island A Musket shot to the Southward of the West Point where by a long Sandy Valley fresh Water cometh out of the Mountains is a good Road for Ships Buena The Island Boavista or Boavista that is a pleasant sight perhaps for its pleasant appearance afar off at Sea they make its North Point eight Miles and its South seven Miles from the Salt-Island It may be distinguish'd at Sea from the Salt-Island by the many white Banks on the North Coast which the other hath not on that side twenty Miles some have guess'd but none know certainly its circumference There is a long River which runs from the North end North-East and North-East and by East a whole Mile and some hold that it runs into the Sea with mighty Breaks to the great hazard of adventuring Ships without a skilful Pilot. IN SULE PROMONTORII VIRIDIS Nispanis ISSAS DE CABO VERDE Belgis DE SOUTE EYLANDEN There shoots also another Rieff from the South-Point with some Rocks above and some under Water about a Mile and a half long East and East and by North from the Point Under the South-West Point where the Shore spreads West South-West and East North-East is a good Haven wherein Ships may Ride in fifteen or sixteen Fathom Water very good ground Mayo lieth eight or nine Miles South South-Westward from Boavista being the least of all and not above seven Miles in circuit It hath within some sharp Mountains and on the North side a Plain a Mile broad where a Rieff at the north-North-East Point shoots a good way from the Shore and likewise another to the Westward both which make a dangerous passage for Ships The common Harbor stands at the South-West side of the Shore where Ships Ride in fifteen or sixteen Fathom Water with a Sandy bottom and have the West Point of the Island North and by West and the South end of the Island St. Jago South-West On the North side lieth behind a black Point a convenient Harbor neighbour'd on the East side by a Village of ten or twelve houses The Island of St. Jago the famousest and biggest of all those of Cape de Verd Island St. Jago contains in length about twelve Miles spreading North-West and South-East at the South-East Point you come into the Road of the Island Mayo being five Miles broad From the South-East Point the Shore spreads two Miles South-West where the City Praya signifying The Strand hath its scituation on a convenient place between two Mountains on a little rising Summit surrounded with two Rivers which falling into the Sea make two Harbors one call'd Porto de Praya a spacious Bay where a hundred Ships may Ride at Anchor in fourteen Fathom Water within Musquet Shot of the Shore with a defence from the Winds Beyond Porto de Praya towards the City lieth an Out-Point in Portuguese call'd Cabo de Tubarao and North-Westward from this Cape the other Haven by the Portuguese call'd Porta Riebeirra Korea very convenient because lying between two Mountains whose middle shoots thorow by a River which takes original two Miles from thence and falls into the Sea by a Mouth a Bowe shot wide not far off which more Northward appears St. Maries Haven Jarrik places in this Island a City call'd St. Thomas seated conveniently but that 's uncertain yet the Town of St. Jago may be seen being the Metropolis of this and the other Islands and the residence of the Portugal Bishop Somewhat more Westerly on a Point a Fort or Castle shews it self two Miles from Porto de Praya and North-Westward from thence you come to Porto de Canisos
with Horses and Asses intermixt and contrary to most in these parts their Women go with their Faces bare SUS THE Territory of Sus or Sous Its Borders formerly a Kingdom took name from the River Sus which bounds on the West as far as the Great Bay of * That is of great Cattel Juments or de la Yeguas Northward it reaches to Mount Atlas where touching on the Side of Hea on the South lyes the sandy Desart of Biledulgerid on the East bordering upon Guzula In this Territory on the Sea-shore lye three small Cities all known by one common name Messe being indeed rather one City divided into three parts each separated and surrounded with a Wall This was heretofore call'd Temest being seated on the shore of the great Ocean at the foot of Atlas or Aidvacal as they call it The River Sus running through the Messe A strange Temple at a place call'd Guertesen falleth into the Sea on whose shore a Temple appears whose sparrs rafters and beams are said to be the bones of the Whale which swallowed the Prophet Jonas who was thrown up again in this place The learned among them stick not to affirm That this our Minor Prophet shall appear in this Temple being so declared by their great Prophet Mahomet for which Reason they all highly reverence and preserve it with extraordinary care Hereabout are many large Whales often begrounded which the common People fancy happeneth by an occult quality of that Temple which kills all those Monsters coming that way and endeavouring to swim by it Teceut Teceut an antient City a Mile from Messe Triangular and contains four thousand Families In the middle of it stands a fair Temple through which runs an Arm of the River Sus. The Countrey hereabout is full of Hamlets and Villages but more Southerly is not inhabited but over-run by the wilde and wandring Arabs One Mile from Teceut lyeth Gared Gared founded by the Cerif Abdala about the Year Fifteen hundred on a Plain by a great Spring call'd Ayn Cequie Here is a sort of excellent * Moroquines Kids-Leather which in such great quantities is transported into Europe that the Custom of it yearly to this City produceth Thirty thousand Ducats The Principal City of all is Tarudant by the Moors call'd Tourant Tarudant twelve Miles East from Teceut and two Miles South from Atlas in a pleasant Valley eighteen or twenty Miles long This City water'd by the River Agur was formerly the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom and the Royal Seat and Chamber of the Kings of Sus. Half a Mile from Tarudant stands Faraixa built by Mahomet Cherif Taraixa before he was King of Morocco Tedsi twelve Miles Eastward of Tarudant twenty from the Ocean Tedsi and seven to the South of great Atlas was in former times very rich containing above four thousand Families but is now by their Civil Wars almost ruined Togoast the greatest City of this Territory twenty Miles from the Atlantick Togoast eighteen from Atlas and three from the Sus contain'd in former times six thousand Houses which at present are reduced to a far smaller Number Volateranus says this was the Birth-place of the antient and famous Doctor St. Augustine On the Westerly shore of the River Sus lyeth Cape Aguar Cape of Aguar taken by Ptolomy for the Cape Usagium This place in former times belong'd to the Portugues who erected there a very strong Castle by them call'd Santa Cruce and by the Moors Darumnie that is Christian-House Afterward the Portugals founded a strong City in the same Place which they possess'd a long time but at last were driven out of it by the Cherif in the Year Fifteen hundred thirty and six On a cutting Skirt of Atlas by the great Ocean Gantguessen at the Mouth of the River Sus stands Gantguessen a very strong place and more Southerly on the Sea-Coast these places Aguilon Alganzib Samotinat with the Capes of Guilon and Non or Nun in twenty seven Degrees Northern Latitude ¶ THe Mountains of Sus are Henquise The Mountains reaching from West to East twelve Miles in length Ilalem or Laalem Guzula beginning at the end of Henquise and stretching Eastward to Guzula South to the Plains of Sus Ilde the Western boundary between Guzula and Sus. All the Inhabitants of Messe maintain themselves by Husbandry The Nature of the ground of the Territory Sus. encouraged thereto for that in April and September the River Sus rises and overflows its Banks which causes a plentiful Harvest whereas if it fail in one of the aforemention'd Moneths then generally follows a Scarcity or dear Year On the shore by Messe is found very good Amber in great plenty All about the City of Teceut the Grounds abound with Wheat Barley and many other sorts of Grain as also Sugar-canes besides Dates Figs and Peaches Mount Henquise is cold and continually cover'd with Snow Mount Laalem abounds with Horses and holds in her bosom a rich Vein of Silver From Tarudant is brought Ostridge Feathers and Amber and so transported into Europe The People of Tedsi live orderly and behave themselves with great Trust and Civility The like do the Inhabitants of Tagoast whose Women for the most part are white and Handsom nevertheless there are Blacks and Tauny-Moors among them They of Messe are Husbandmen but those of Teceut ill natured proud and pervicacious Those of Henquise and Ilalem are Valiant and Generous but maintain old Feuds about their Silver Mines Lastly The Mahumetans themselves living in this Territory shew great Honor to the Body of St. Augustine which they report lyeth Buried near the City of Tagoast DUCALA THE Territory of Ducala hath for Borders Limits of the Territory of Ducala on the East the River Umarabea or Omni●abih and the Country of Temesne on the East the Tenzift and Cape of Cantin with part of Hea on the North the great Ocean and on the South the Province of Morocco and the River Habid The greatest length from West to East is Thirty It s Bigness and the breadth according to Marmol Twenty four Miles The Cities and Places of Note in it are First Azamor Azamor a City lying at the Mouth of the River Umarabea three Miles from Mazagan In the Year Fifteen hundred and thirteen Emmanuel King of Portugal to revenge himself of the Injury which Zeyam the Governor of this City had done him Was won by the Pertuguese in disappointing of his Marriage sent a Fleet of two hundred Ships with great Forces who coming to this City begirt it with a strong Siege and compell'd the Inhabitants to surrender The Portuguese who entred Ruin'd and Plunder'd it and not so contented proceeded further and took and wasted divers other Places The Town before this War contain'd above Five thousand Houses and is still large and populous being subject to the Moors who keep a strong Garrison in
the Rivers Maguibba or Rio Nova Mava Plizoge and Monoch in Portuguese call'd Rio Aguado In five Degrees and three and forty Minutes of Northern Latitude lies Kaboc Monte twelve miles Eastward whereof rises a high Mountain call'd Cape Mesurado adjoyning to which is the River Saint Paulo and ten miles from it Rio Junk or Siunk and Saint Johns River empty their Waters into the Sea six miles East from this River stands the Village call'd Tabe-Kanee Petit-Dispo and Diepe by the Blacks nam'd Tabo Dagroh Six miles from Little Diepe the River Sestus falls into the Sea And here begins the Grain-Coast being a Tract of forty miles in Length on the Easterly Part of which lieth Little Sestus and five miles farther Cabo Baixos and then Zanwiin a small Village distant thence three miles passing on toward the East you come to Bofou or Bofoe and so to Setter and Bottowa Cape Swine appears next in order with a Village of the same name and then at little distances you come to Crow Wappen or Wabbo Drowyn Great Setter Gojaurn Garway Greyway or Grouway and lastly Cabo de Palmas or Palm Cape Here at the Village of Grouway begins Tooth-Coast so call'd from the abundance of Elephants Teeth there to be had beginning two miles Eastward of Cape Palm and ending at Cape de la Hou making a Tract of fifty miles within which are not many inhabited Towns for the first is four and twenty miles from Cape Palm and call'd Tabo the next Petiero a mile farther and close by the Sea then Taho five miles from thence and at the like distance from that Berly in four Degrees and a half of Latitude close by which St. Andrews River enters the Sea where it makes a great imbowed Reach to the South-East towards Red-Land so call'd from its red Cliffs Beyond the Red Cliffs appears Cape'de la Hou the utmost limit of Tooth-Coast from whence Quaqua-Coast commences and extends to the Village Assine the first place of Gold-Coast a mile and a half upward in a barren place void of all shelter or Trees stands a little Township call'd Koutrou or Katrou and not far from thence Jakke La-Hou within five miles of which Jak in Jakko from whence you go directly to a place adjoyning to the Sea and commonly intituled The Pit or Bottomless Lake About sixteen miles Eastward of La-Hou lieth a place call'd Kerbe La-Hou in the Bants-Coast before which place the Sea is very deep for a Stones-throw from the Shore they have forty or fifty Fathom Water Eight and twenty or thirty miles from Cape La-Hou lieth Assine where the Guinee Gold-Coast begins being twelve miles Eastward of Kerbe La-Hou and ends at the plentiful Golden Village Akera making in all a Tract of fifty miles The Kingdoms upon the Sea-Coast are Atzin Little Inkassan Anten Guaffo Fetu Sabou Fantin Aghwana Akara Labbede and Ningo In Atzin are three Villages one of which is call'd Akombene but the chiefest is Atzin Little Inkassan contains no place worthy remark save Cabo-Das-Tres-Puntas Anten reckons within it self these following Villages Bothrom Poyera Pando Takorary or Anten Maque Jaque Sakonde and Sama. Three miles from Takorary Guaffo shews it self first then Aitako or Little Commendo two miles Eastward of Sama afterwards Ampea Kotabry Aborby and Terra Pekine In Fetu on the Shore there lieth a little Hamlet which the Natives call Igwa but the Merchant corruptly Cabo Cors from its near neighborhood to Cabo Curso On the Borders of this Kingdom of Fetu stands the famous Castle of Saint George or Del Myne built by the Portuguese on whose West-side lieth Dana or Dang where the Salt River Bensa entreth the Sea as the Sweet River Utri doth half a mile more to the East In Sabou you first discover the Township of Moure and by it the Castle of Nassau built by the Hollanders Fantin shews it self Cormantine Ville two miles Eastward of Moure then Anemalo and a Cannon-shot Westwards thereof Adja In Agwana are these places of name viz. Craggy Point Soldiers Bay The Devils Mountain New Biamba Old Biamba Great Berku Jaka the principal Sea-Town Corks-brood and Little Berku all which Places have strong Rocks before their Havens In Akara on the Sea-Coast stand Soko Orsaky and Little Akara being fifteen miles Eastward of Cormantine and the last place of the Gold-Coast Two miles Eastward of Akara in the Kingdom of Lebbade stands a Town of the same Name Lastly in Ningo are four chief Ports viz. Ningo four miles from Akara and two miles from Lebbede Temina a mile from Ningo Sinko the like from Temina and Pissy all naturally fortifi'd with high Cliffs Seven miles East of Akara on the Shore Sinko comes in view from whence Journeying on still to the East you arrive at a Village where the River Rio Volta runs into the Sea between these lieth Fishers Town and not far distant Cabo Montego in a Low-land with several small Woods about it From thence Eastward to the Village Popou the Countrey is very plain and even four miles below Popou begins the Kingdom of Ardez and ends at the Town Aqua within which Tract are contained the Hamlets of Foulaen and Ardre Southward of which lies Oost a Tract of Land eight miles long boasting a handsom City call'd Jackeyne three days Journey from thence stands Jojo another good Town and a quarter of a mile farther a City named Ba. Sixteen miles Eastward of Little Arder Rio Lagas runs into the Ocean and eighteen miles farther the River Benin with a broad and wide Mouth loses it self in the Sea Four and twenty miles beyond Rio Forcado having visited the Eastern Borders of the Kingdom of Ouwerre falls into the Sea by Cape Formoso in four Degrees and eight Minutes North Latitude Fifteen miles from Cape Formoso runs the River Reael or Calberine between which Cape and River seven others have their course into the Sea the first is call'd Riotton half a mile Eastward of Formoso the second Rio Odi in the Latitude of four Degrees and ten Minutes the third fourth and fifth are call'd Rio Saint Nicholas the sixth Rio de tres Irmaus the seventh Rio Sambreiro a mile beyond which is the little Territory of Bani Two miles from the Easterly Point of Calbarine the River Loitamba so call'd by the Inhabitants but by Seamen Rio Sant Domingo has its course all about which the Countrey is very plain even and full of Trees This Coast extends it self East South-East sixteen miles Rio del Rey a very wide and great River comes next in view then Camerones Pickereen very narrow both which have on each side plain Ground but full of Bushes Between these two last named Rivers lies the High-land of Amboises by the Spaniards call'd Alta Terra de Ambosi on whose West-side lies several Villages and among others Bodi or Bodiway otherwise Tesge and three small Islands call'd The Islands of Amboises In the next place come these following Rivers viz. Monoka Borba
where some few Houses are erected From hence all Ships that arrive there plentifully furnish themselves both with fresh Water and Wood. Next in order comes the high Point Cabo das Palmas or Cape Palm Cape de Palm in four Degrees and fifteen Minutes North Latitude on whose Westerly Corner are three round Hills and a little farther within Land a round Grove of Palm-Trees which may be seen far at Sea from whence this Point took the Name of Cabo das Palmas Near to this in Sandy-Bay arriving Ships finde a convenient Harbour A mile Easterly of which up into the Countrey appears a long Mountain looking like double Land From the first Point of Palm Cape a ledge of Rocks shoot South South-East a mile into the Sea and before them a great Shelf two miles long between them the Tide runs very strong to the East having ten or eleven fathom Water Two miles more Eastward Gruway the Village Gruway stands seated at the end of the Grain-Coast This whole Shore is very full of Rocks for which reason the Ships which Ride there are in no little danger In February March and April here is fair and clear Weather with cooling Breezes and gentle Westerly Winds In the middle of May there begin South and South-East Winds The Air. which bring with them not onely stormy Gusts as Hericanes but also Thunder Lightning and great Rains that continue June July August September October November December and to the latter end of January During part of this time the Sun being in the Zenith or Vertical Point of the Heavens sends down its Beams perpendicular The Land here yields great plenty of Mille Cotton Rice Grain of Paradise or Melegette good Palmeto-Wine besides divers sorts of Grain especially that call'd of Paradise or Melegette The Plant that bears Melegette hath thick Leaves better than three inches long and three broad with a thick rib in the middle out of which shoot many Veins which have a Spicie-taste like those of the Seed The Fruit is but little of size cover'd with a poisonous tough Russet-colour'd or rather Pale-brown Shell and under that a Film fill'd with many smooth and pointed small Seeds white within biting as Pepper and Ginger The unripe Grains are red and pleasant in taste The greatest smoothest and Chess-nut-colour'd are the best and the blackest the worst No kind of Beasts are here wanting by which means there is all necessary Provision to be had for Seamen The Blacks in these Parts are very envious to all Strangers The kind of the Inhabitants and steal from them what ever they can lay their hands on so that it behoves all Dealers to have a circumspect eye over their Goods And in some places they must be careful of themselves for being Cannibals they eat whomsoever they can get into their power 'T FORT TACARAY ofte WITSEN and about half flood a fathom and a half deep but within very dry and narrow that it gives little advantage either to the Natives or Seamen At the West-side of it rises a Rocky and steep Hill full of Brambles and Trees but on the East-side a Sandy Bank by which as it were split it runs in two small Vills one to the North-west into the Countrey and the other North-east but as we said both dry and not Navigable Near St. Andrew's River the Sea-Coast bellies out to the South-east as far as the Red-Land Between the fourth and fifth Cliff some high Trees grow in a Valley whose edge is remarked with two little Vills the one named Tabattera the other Domera Having left behind you the Red Cliffs you come to Cape La-Hou Cape de Labou the utmost limit of this and the beginning of Quaqua-Coast which spreads it self to Assine the whole Land hereabouts low and poor over-grown with Brambles and Trees yet a mile and a half Eastwards lyeth a Village call'd Koutrou Koutrou or Katrou Five miles from this Cape stands the Village Jakke La-Hou in a very barren spot five miles farther Jak in Jakko and six miles beyond that the Bottomless-pit so call'd from its unfathomable deepness for the Seamen having Sounded with their longest Lines and Plummet could never reach the bottom This Hole is in the Sea not above a Musquet-shot from the Shore so that the Ships which come about this Pit must come to an Anchor betimes to prevent danger Three miles from this Pit on the Shore runs a small River Eastward into the Countrey From Cape de La-Hou to the aforesaid Pit the Coast spreads Eastwardly with double Land Sixteen miles Eastward bi La-Hou takes place Corbi Labou before which the Sea runs very deep for a stones cast from the Shore it has forty and fifty Fathom water Eight and twenty or thirty miles from the Cape La-Hou Assine is seated the Village Assine where the Guinny-Gold-Coast begins full of high Woods but the Land low the houses such as they are stand on the Sea-shore so that they may easily be seen in the passing by Two miles from Assine stands a Hamlet call'd Abbener or Albine Albine a little to the West of a four-square Wood. Then follows in order Taboe and two miles farther Cape Apolony Taboe being a rising ground and seeming to Sailers like three great Hills In Jernon a little Village scituate on the side of this Promontory the Netherlanders have a Storehouse All along this whole Coast grow many Palm-Trees nor is it destitute of other Conveniences yielding extraordinary variety both of Fruits and Plants The Inhabitants as we mention'd before are call'd Quaqua's because when they see any Trading-Ships approach they declare their welcome by crying aloud Quaqua These People by their Aspect seem the unseemliest of all the upper Coast but are indeed the modestest and honestest and most courteous for they esteem it a great shame either at meeting to Salute or at parting to take leave with a Kiss When they come to the Ships to Trade they put their Hands in the Water and let some drop into their Eyes by which they testifie as by an Oath their uprightness and hatred to all Cheatings or Knavish actions Drunkenness they not onely abstain from They shun Drunkenness but abominate for the avoiding which they will drink no Palmito-Wine but a smaller sort call'd De Bordon or Tombe and that also mixt with Water alledging that from Drunkenness proceed many Quarrels the two frequent occasions of Murders and other inconveniencies which are all prevented by Sobriety and Temperance The chief Merchandise to be had here Merchandise are Elephants-Teeth of a larger size than usually elsewhere but withall dearer Some Cloathes also sold here which the Europeans and other Traders from the Name of the Coast call Quaqua-Cloathes being of two sorts the one bound with five Bands or Strings the other with six from the number of the bindings giving denominations to the Places they are sold in Cape Lahou yields many of
and Pride The King's State though falling short of Congo whose Princes have been instructed to bear a Majestick Port by the Portuguese so long resident among them The Treasure and Riches of this great Prince consists chiefly in Slaves The King's riches Simbos of Lovando Boesies or small East-India Horns and some Clothes things with the Whites of a small value but by them esteem'd more than the best Gold or Silver He keeps continually a mighty and very numerous Army upon his borders His power to prevent the Innovation of an implacable Enemy call'd Mujako who lives Northward from him of whom we have as yet no other knowledge than to guess him powerful in regard he could never be subdu'd by Makoko In the Desarts of this Kingdom inhabit those little men mention'd before to shoot and kill the Elephants and sell their Teeth to the Jages as they again to those of Congo and Lovango who exchange them for other commodities with the Portuguese and other Europeans The Kingdom of GIRIBUMA or GIRINGBOMBA THis Principality hath its scituation to the North-East of Makoko The Kingdom of Giringbo●nba and the King thereof very powerful holding as his Tributaries fifteen other great Lords yet willingly never drawn to quarrel with his neighbours especially of Makoko with whom he holds a firm allyance which is the easier maintain'd because they all agree in their heathenish Superstition East South East from the great Makoko you arrive at another mighty Kingdom call'd Monimugo and by others Nimeamay whose Jurisdiction reaches to the borders as some say of the Kingdoms of Mombase Quiloe Soffale as in the Description of those Countreys shall be more spoken of at large POMBO THe Countrey properly call'd Pombo lieth more than a hundred Leagues from the Sea Coast and as some say touching upon Aethiopia superior Abysine Others divide Pombo into divers Kingdoms stretching themselves as far as a great Lake perhaps the Lake Zambre between both the Seas But the certain place where this Lake arrives is altogether unknown which no White ever yet heard of or hath seen onely the Portuguese relate that a certain Kaffe of Mosambique which travel'd cross through the main Land of Saffola to Angola came by it Both the Portuguese and Blacks that live in Lovango The trade of the Portuguese to Pombo Congo and Lovando Saint Paul drive a great trade here by their Servants sent thither with Merchandize who chiefly for Slaves Which is drove by Slaves or Fombo's Elephants Teeth and Panos Limpos barter and exchange Canary Malago or Medera-Wines great Simbos Boxes and other Commodities These Servants or Pomberos have yet other Slaves under them sometimes a hundred or a hundred and fifty which carry the Commodities on their heads up in the Countrey as we have heretofore related Sometimes those Pomberos stay out a whole year and then bring back with them four five and six hundred new Slaves Some of the faithfullest remain oftentimes there sending what Slaves they have bought to their Masters who return them other Commodities to trade with anew The Whites are necessitated to drive their Trade in this manner Why the Whites cannot go to Pombo by reason according to their relation it is impossible for them to wade through the badness of the ways and undergo so great hunger and trouble as attends that Journey besides the unwholesomeness of the Air which causes extraordinary swellings in the heads of the Whites Their journey from the Sea-Coast out of Lovango and Lovando Saint Paul to Pombo proves very toilsome to the Blacks themselves because there be many Rivers which sometimes after the Rain grow so deep but they stop the other hazards often arising by the barbarous Jages This Province owns for its supream Lord and Governor the great Makoko The Dukedom of AMBUILLA or AMBOILLE EAstvvards of Quingengo one days Journey The Dukedom of Ambuilla begins the Dukedom of Ambuila or Amboille in the North and North-East divided by the River Loze from Oande On the East side this Dukedom hath the Territory of Quitere Quiandange and to the South Kanvangombe where the Rivers Danda and Loze as some say take their original This Principality hath many pleasant Fields Trees and Fruits and abounds with Cattel as Goats Sheep Hogs and Cows It was never subject to Congo It is not subjected to the Kingdom of Congo but vies with it for wealth and magnitude holding in subjection above fifteen Domi●ions whereof the five chiefest are Matuy-Nungo Pingue Hoiquyanbole Ambuibe and Lovando the other not nam'd This Countrey affords many Slaves and the Trade driven there is in Pombo The Kingdom of ANGOLA or rather DONGO THis Countrey by the Portuguese call'd Angola Angola is the name of the Governors and not of the Countrey lies between the River Danda and Quansa the name of Angola belongs not properly to the Land but is the Title of the Prince who assum'd and continues it from the first King thereof who fell off from Congo to whom it belong'd by right of inheritance the right name being Dongo although formerly It is rightly call'd Dongo and still by some call'd Ambonde and the Inhabitants Ambond's It spreads in the West to the Sea Coast and then from Danda or Bengo Borders to the River Quansa a tract of about fifteen miles but runs about a hundred miles up into the Countrey Jarrik gives it for borders in the North the Kingdom of Congo in the South that of Mataman in the East Malemba or Majemba and in the West the Sea where it spreads saith he from the River Quansa about ten degrees South Latitude and ends at the Sea near Cowes-bay a tract of five and thirty Leagues Pigafet adds to it all the Countreys from Cowes-bay before-mention'd to Cabo Negroe a tract of about fifty more This Kingdom of Angola for so we shall stile it is water'd by divers Rivers as Bengo Quansa Lukala and Kalukala The River Quansa for Danda and Bengo are included before in Congo The River Quansa lying in nine degrees and twenty minutes South-Latitude four miles and a half Southward off The Sleepers-Haven or six miles from Cape de Palmarinko and five to the Northward of Cape Ledo It s original hath an uncertain original for it is reported that no Whites have ever been so far as where the same rises But the common opinion holds that it comes out of the great Lake Zambre by many made the head of the Rivers Zaire Nyle Niger and many others It hath been liken'd to the River Lukar Course in Spain being at the entrance about half a League wide and at the Northside deepest to come in with Ships It carries but twelve foot in depth at high-water ebbing and flowing about four foot but within they find water enough yet Navigable no higher than the Village Kambambe by reason of the strong water-falls It runs up from the East to the West very
who had served the Malteses were put to the Sword and most of the Knights of Malta sent to the Galleys and the rest the Bashaw took and made Slaves After this Victory Sinan appointed Morat Aga to be Vice-Roy and ever since the Grand Seignior sends from Constantinople every three years a Beglerbeg or Bashaw thither to support his Conquests About the Year Fifteen hundred ninety eight Sidi Haga a Marabout or Priest designing to make himself a Master of the City and Kingdom with the assistance of the meaner sort began a notable Rebellion upon the first intelligence whereof Asan Bassa Admiral at Sea Sailed thither with sixty Galleys and some Souldiers from Tunis and Algier on a sudden fell into the Marabout's Quarters whose own Men finding their error in some measure to mitigate the fury against themselves set an end to their Mutiny by presenting their Captains Head to Sinan who sent it to the Grand Seignior De Stadt TRIPOLIS THE TERRITORY OF TRIPOLI NEar the Lesser Africa and Asfatus over against the Island Querquene The Borders of the Territory of Tripoli call'd by Ananie Ceraunia the River Capez takes its Course antiently call'd Triton Westerly of which this Province takes its beginning and ends at that of Mezellata in the East so that it hath for Borders on the West Tunis and on the North the Mediterrane on the South Numidia or Biledulgerid and Lybia with the Wilderness of Zara and in the East Mezellata a large Tract of Ground but altogether waste and unfruitful The chiefest Places thereof are Old and New Tripoli Kapes Machres Elhamma and Zoara Old Tripoli by some taken for the Antient City Naples in Barbary Old Tripoli and the Great Leptis of Ptolomy This was the Birth-place of the Emperor Severus first built by the Romans afterwards possessed by the Goths and at length destroy'd by the Mahumetans in the time of Hamor their second Kalif and ever since as Sanutus saith little inhabited New Tripoli or Tripoli in Barbary New Tripoli to distinguish it from a City of the same name in Syria call'd by the Turks Terabulus and by the Moors Trebeliz or Tarabilis seated on the Sea-side is not great but full Peopled with Turks Moors The Scituation and Jews surrounded with high and defensible Stone-Walls strengthened in several places with Sconces and Bullwarks yet having but two Gates one on the South-side going out to the main Land and one on the North by the Haven adjoyning to which Gates are two Forts that on the North securing the Haven which is very pleasant and beneficial and of capacity enough to contain many Ships The Houses like those of Tunis and the Streets very well pav'd with one large Prison or Masmora for Christian Slaves whereof there are always some here though much fewer than at Tunis or Algier besides divers Mosques and some Hospitals but for the greatest part sorely decay'd through the Cruelty of the Wars Kaps Kaps or Kapis or Kapis or Kafis by Marmol call'd Kasce and by the Moors according to Mercator Kabez being the Takape of the Antients stands near the Midland-Sea environ'd with lofty Walls and strengthened with a Castle Machres Machres or Mahara a Village about thirteen miles from the Isle of Zerby with a Castle for the defence of Kaps Bay Elhamma Elhamma a Roman Platform three miles from Kapes having Walls of Hewen Stone and Gates whereon in Marble Tablets may yet be read Latin Inscriptions Zoara Zoara or Zoarat taken by the Antients for the Haven Pisidon is an antient Town by the Mediterrane thirteen miles to the East of the Island Zerby There is one more little inhabited Rasalmabes and of as little fame onely for the Name controverted by Authors some making it Gichtis others Rasalmabes and Simlerus the Gita of Antoninus The Syrtes are two a greater and a lesser the lesser is an ill Neighbour to the Gulf of Kaps near Tripoli being very dangerous by reason of the Shelves Banks and Quick-sands lying round about But the great Syrtes in the Maps are call'd The Shoals of Barbary and in Spanish Baxos de Carthage which is the same over against Ezzab Syrtes is properly a Greek word The Syrtes signifying Shifting Sands sometimes having much and then little Water and sometimes almost none at all The greater of these Syrtes is in Nine and twenty Degrees North Latitude and Forty eight Degrees of Longitude but the smaller in Two and thirty Degrees Latitude and in Three and forty Degrees Longitude The Lake Tritonis The Lake Tritinis famous in Antiquity and often mention'd by Historians and Geographers lies in the very heart of Little Africa Volateranus says there are there of the said Name viz. this of Lybia thought to be the Birth-place of Minerva another of Boetia and a third in Thessalia Ptolomy places here two that is Tritonis by Marmol call'd Kapis and the other the Lake of Pallas Diodorus after all makes mention of another near the Atlantick Ocean ¶ THe Rivers of this Kingdom The Rivers are Karsarnaker Rasalmabes and Magro otherwise Cenifes all which take their originals from Mount Atlas and discharge their Waters into the Midland-Sea near the places from which they take their Names ¶ THe Countrey is all Sandy The Soyl. and so Barren that no kind of Corn by the best Husbandman be produced there so that the Inhabitants would almost perish with Hunger if Corn were not Transported thither from other places to supply their defective Harvests ¶ THere is in this City no fresh Water Their Scarcity of Water but that which runs from the tops of the Houses through Gutters Not far from Elhamma rises a great Spring to the Southward whose Waters being exceeding hot are conveyed by Pipes into the Bathes there which notwithstanding it s so distant Current yet retains the Heat so powerfully that few will adventure to go into it yet sometimes for pure necessity the Inhabitants are compell'd to drink thereof though in regard of its Sulphurous Quality it operates little towards the quenching of their thirst Lastly not far from the City is a Standing-Water call'd The Lake of the Melatson by reason of having a strange power to Cure the Leprosie Sanutus places here the Lotus-Tree which by some are call'd Mikakoliers or rather Alsiers of which Fruit being sweeter than Dates the Inhabitants make very pleasant Wine Lemmons Oranges and Dates grow here in great abundance but no other Fruits except Halbhazis which groweth under Ground to the bigness of a Bean it tastes like an Almond but is never chew'd onely sucked ¶ THe Inhabitants of Tripolis live chiefly upon Weaving and Merchandising Those of Kapes being poor Their Employment are generally Husbandmen and Fishers paying Tribute of all their Labors to the Bashaw Those of Elhamma are lazy poor and very Thieves The Zoarers burn Lime which they carry to Tripolis But all live hardly their Food being so scarce that he is
Woods The Buildings not contemptible especially the Houses of the Gentry yet cover'd with Palm-Leaves and made up of gray Earth The King's Palace is built after the method of that in Benyn but much less The Air proves very unhealthful Unwholsom Air. not onely by reason of the great Heat but also from bad and unwholsom Mists whereof Strangers Trading in the River being ignorant and carelesly lying and sleeping in the Evening or in Moon-shine oftentimes die suddenly The Soyl is so barren Plants that Grass and Corn are strangers to it but it yields many fruitful Trees as those bearing Coco-Nuts sowre and sweet Grapes with divers others also a little Pepper Baranasses in great numbers and Mandihoka of which they make Farinha or Bread By reason of the barrenness of the Fields there are neither Horses nor Cows but Poultrey they have in abundance and very large being roasted eat well Fish also and Sea-Calves whose Flesh dress'd yields a pleasing relish Both Men and Women are of comely Stature and fair Countenances according to the account of Beauty in that Countrey and all marked with three Cuts each something more than an Inch long that is one in the Forehead above the Nose and one on each side of their Head by the Temples and may wear their Hair long or short as they please Their Habit resembles those of Benyn Habit. as to Fashion but commonly made of Silk which the other may not wear fastned under their Arm-pits with a curious Girdle Every one here Marriage as in other parts of Africa may take as many Wives as he will or as he can get and sometimes the King bestows some Widows as a mark of his Favor The Whites come and Trade in the River Forkado Trade with the same sort of Wares as in Benyn which they exchange for Slaves Jasper-Stone and Akori but they hold them in great esteem and will not sell them but above the value They are no quick nor expert Dealers but cheapen a Commodity a whole Moneth onely to beat down the Price but to little purpose because the Merchant rates his Goods according to the value set by the Natives upon their Commodities which he never recedes from The Portuguese us'd in former times to trust them always which the present Traders never do so that they now bring the Slaves when they fetch their Goods The King of Owerre Government though Tributary to Benyn Governs notwithstanding his People with full Power as an absolute Prince and hath a Council consisting of three great Noble-men whose Power and Command none dare oppose The King which Govern'd in the Year Sixteen hundred forty four was a Mulato by the Portuguese and other Europeans call'd Don Anthonio de Mingo whose Father by Name De Mingo was Married to a Portuguese Maid which he brought with him out of Portugal where he had been himself in Person and had this Son born by her He goes like a Portuguese wearing always a Sword or Ponyard by his Side Their Religion comes near that of Benyn Religion onely they do not sacrifice so many Men but esteem it a great abomination and delusion of the Devil so that by a little instruction they might be brought to the Christian Faith They alllow neither Conjurers nor Witches among them In brief both the Inhabitants and the King himself maintain in some measure the Roman Religion There is a Church with an Altar in the City Owerre and on it stands a Crucisix with the Pictures of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles and two Candlesticks besides them into which the Blacks come with Beads like the Portuguese and Read their Prayers They are in general very zealous and can Write and Read and are desirous of Books Pens Ink and Paper The Coast of the Cape of Formosa to the Highland of Amboises AT the east-East-end of the Kingdom of Owerre Cape of Formosa shoots a prominent Point into the Sea by the Whites call'd Cabo Formosa that is The Fair Cape perhaps for its fair and pleasant appearance at Sea It lieth in the heigth of four Degrees and eight Minutes North Latitude so low and plain that they can discern no Land at five and twenty Fathom Water The Countrey between the River Benyn and Cape Formosa appears a very low Land but full of Trees About a Mile to the Westward a small River takes its course and upon the Banks of the Sea stands a Village call'd Sangma and a sandy Bank Sangma dry at Low-water Between this Cape and Rio Reael or Calabare lie seven small Rivers with broken Land The first little and narrow call'd Rio Non Rio Non. about half a Mile Eastward of Cabo Formosa The second Rio Odo in the heighth of four Degrees and ten Minutes Rio Odo four miles from Formosa and three and a half from Rio Non. The third and fourth of a like bigness and not far distant from each other The fifth Rio St. Nicholas Rio St. Nicholas The sixth Rio de tres Jermaus Rio de tret Jermaus The seventh Sambreiro the next to Calabare and spreads North-West Rio Sambreiro All these Rivers are passable onely with Boats and that in the Good Time Are not Navigable as they call it viz. from October to June yet enter the Sea such force that they discernably penetrate it above half a mile In divers Maps and Sea-Cards some others are named as Rio di Tilana Rio de St. Barbara and Rio de St. Bartholomew The Territories of Calabare Krike Moko Bani c. THe Countrey of Calabare lieth near the River of the same Name The Countrey of Calabare and the next Westward to Sambreiro or Sombreiro being about sixteen miles from Cape Formosa This River in some places very shoal The River of Calabare and therefore onely Navigable for small Ketches spreading Northerly and hath within its second Point at the Western-shore a Hamlet Wine-Village call'd by the Whites The Wine-Village from the abundance of Wine there but by the Inhabitants Fokke Then dividing into two Branches one at the Westerly-end the other at the Easterly-shore In the Eastern you find a Road or Haven for Ketches which put into this River for Trade of about two miles and a half in bigness At the North-side of the aforemention'd Branch appears the Village Calabare The Village Calabare the chiefest Place of Trade surrounded after the Countrey manner for Defence with Pallisado's and on the North having a Moorish Ground Southward of this you discover a long low Island full of Trees separated from the Continent onely by a small Pool Eight miles Westward hereof lieth a Hamlet named Belli Govern'd by a Captain Fourteen miles Westward runs the Easterly Branch whose Banks are garnish'd with divers Villages Northward of Calabare Krike a Territory call'd Krike shews it self bordering upon another named Moko Moko Southward of which last Bani at
Valetta Citta Vecchia or Old Malta Burgo St. Angelo or Citta Vittoriosa and the Town of St. Michael besides 60 good Villages Comin and Cominot Onely one Fort. Goze or Gozo One Castle and a good Fort and about 5000 Inhabitants Lampadowze Altogether desolate Linose Lies desolate Pantalaree Towns Pantalaree An Abyss call'd Fossa AN EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE AFRICAN ISLANDS AS Madagascar or Saint Laurence Saint Thomas the Canary-Islands Cape de Verd Malta and others With their Names Scituations Cities Rivers Plants Beasts Manners Habits Languages Riches Religions and Dominions AFter the Description of the Main Land of Africa the Subjected Islands belonging to the same must be taken notice of and they are found partly in the Atlantick Ocean partly in the Mid-Land and partly in the Red-Sea The Isles in the Atlantick on the East of Africa are these Zokotora Madagascar or St. Laurence the greatest of all Nossihibrahim or St. Mary Bouebon or Maskarenhas or Maskareign Almirante St. Francis As Sete Jemanas Os tres Irmanas Roque Piz do Natal do Arko Don John of Miz Pemba Monfia Zanzibar Anisa Quezimba Mozambike Don John of Castro Cosmoldo As doze Ilbeos John da Novo Ilhas Primuras Angoxas Galaga Comoro or Thieves Island Aliola St. Spirito St. Christophano Mazare dos Gorajos St. Brandaon St. Apolonu Mauritius or do Ciene Diego Rois John of Lixbon dos Romaros dos Castellianos By the Cape of Good Hope lieth the Island St. Elizabeth Korwli or Robben and Dassen Island South-Westward from the Cape of Good Hope lieth the Island of Tristano Kunha but more Southerly are the Islands dos Pikos Martyn Vaz St. Maria de Agosta de Trinitad Ascension St. Helen New St. Helen Annoban St. Thome Rolletjes Princes Island Carakombo Ferdinando do Po St. Matthias Ferdinand Noronho Penedo de St. Paulo the Salt or Cape de vard Islands the Canary Islands the Islands of Borodon Madera Porto Santo The Islands in the Mediterrane are Galatha Tabarka Pantalerce Malta Goze c. In the Red-Sea Primeiras Delacca Masuan Magot Mirt Suachen c. But here we must observe that some of these being close by the Main Land of Africa are already describ'd in the foregoing part such be Zokotora Quirimba Zanzibar Mozambike Robben and Dassen Islands Corisco the Islands Amboises Bisegos De los Idolos Bravas c. The Island of MADAGASCAR or St. LAURENCE THe Island commonly by Geographers call'd Madagascar and in the Countrey Language Madecase by Theuck Albazgra by the Persians and Arabians Sazandib by the Portuguese Ilha de sam Lourengo from the first Discoverer Laurence Almeide Son of Francois Almeide Viceroy of the East-Indies for the King of Portugal who in the Year Fifteen hundred and six put with eight Ships first of all into this Island of St. Laurence Gaspar de St. Bernardino in his Journey through India by Land affirms That in the Year Fifteen hundred and eight with whom agrees Damianas de Goez it was discover'd on the outside and a little afterwards the inside scarifi'd by one Ruy Pircira de Kontinho and afterwards by Tristano da Kunha who Sail'd quite round it upon the Command of Alfonso d' Albuquerque There are that report this Island was known to the Antients Merkat Magin Ortel and that Pliny call'd it Cerne Ptolomy Menuthias and Diodorus The Island of Merchant Jol but this cannot be because they never had any knowledge of the Countreys lying Southward above Serre-Lions It spreads in length North north-North-East Situation Flakkourt Fraxscis Canche and South South-West Southward of the Equinoctial Line and begins with its North end from the eleventh or twelfth degree and odd minutes or according to Pyrad from the fourteenth degree and ends with its South end in the six and twentieth that is from the Cape of St. Sebastian to the Cape of St. Mary Linschot places it a hundred six and twenty Leagues from Cabo das Corinthas on the Main Coast of Africa a hundred and ten from Sofala and four and forty from Mozambike It is one of the greatest Islands in the World for the length from South to North hath been reckon'd to twelve hundred Spanish or two hundred Dutch Miles though Linschot says two hundred and twenty the breadth seventy and the Circumference nine hundred The Sea between the Island and the Main Land towards that side of the Cape of Good Hope sets with a strong Current and goeth with a mighty Tide of Ebbing and Flowing making a Channel at the Westerly entrance eighty five Miles broad and in the middle where it is narrower over against the Island Mosambike four and forty Dutch Miles but it grows wider again towards the East The Ships which go from Europe to the Indies and from thence back again Sail commonly through this Channel unless Storms and Tempests force them to Steer another course This Island hath been Canton'd into many Divisions Divided into Territories whose names we will endeavor to give you viz. Anossi or Karkanossi Manatensi or Manapani the Valley of Amboulle the Countrey of Vohitsbang Itomampo Ikondre Vattemahon Manamboule INSVLA S. LAVRENTII vulgo MADAGASCAR Anachimonssi Gringdrane Vohitsanghombe Manakargha Matatane Antainare Galemboulou Tametavi Sahaveh Vouloulou Andouvoche Manghabei Adcimoi Mandrerci Ampatre Karemboule Mahafalle Houlouve Siveh Ivoronheok and Machicore All large Territories but the biggest is Machikore being seventy French Miles long and forty broad and the most populous are Vohitsanghombe and Erindrane We will give you a particular account of each with what is remarkable therein Beginning first with Carkanossi and from thence will run up Northward to the Bay of Antongil so turn back to the South from Carkanossi to the River Ongelahe To the Northward of this great Island two or three smaller as Nosey Ibrahim or Abraham's Isle by the French nam'd St. Mary and another to the South call'd Maskarenhas or Maskareigne and by the French Bouchon The whole Coast of this Island on the East-side The spreading of the Coast spreads due North North-East and South South-West that is from the Cape of Itapere otherwise call'd Fitorah in five and twenty degrees and six minutes South-Latitude to the Bay or Inlet of Antongil and from thence to the Lands-end due North from the Cape of Itapere to the Island of Karenboule Westerly From Karemboule to the Mouth of the River Sakalite the Coast runs North-West and from thence to the seventeenth degree South-Latitude North North-East and thence to the fourteenth degree being the Road of the Island due North. The whole extent comprehends many beneficial and large Rivers that having their heads within the Land irrigate the same to a rich fecundity and at last emit their Waters into the Sea by which means there appear divers fine Bays which make convenient and safe Roads for Ships The South-side from the Cape of Itapere to Karemboule the People of Europe best know by most of whom frequented but especially by the French who have to the chief Bay assign'd the Name of Dauphin
they use odd Postures and all the by-standers keep time by clapping of hands which they call Manghovah that is Keeping as if they should say they would keep time Men and Women when they have any sickness in their Eyes or Head they anoint their Faces sometimes with white sometimes with black red or yellow Colours But old Women use that kind of Painting to make them seem the more lively and youthful The Women and Maids have an observant and strict eye held over them so that a man cannot without difficulty be permitted access to them They are very diligent in Husbandry In the morning before Sun-rise Employment going to the Rice-Fields from whence they return not till Sun-set The Men cut up Canes call'd by the Indians Bambu and here Voulou which being dry'd they set on fire and then lay the ashes as Compost upon the ground to inrich it after that the Women and Girles set the Rice Grain by Grain making a hole in the Earth with a Stick into which the Grain being cast they fill it up The Seed-time as we may call it being over they sever the Rice from the Weeds and carry the ripe Corn from the Field into the Barns In the mean time while the Women are busie at their labour the Men begin in other places to cut up and burn for as soon as they see the first Sown Rice come up they set another Crop immediately so that they continually labour and have the whole year through Rice in the Leaf in the Blossom and in the Ear. The same they do with all other Dressings and Plantings Here you must take notice that the Canes or Bambu beforemention'd in burning makes so great a noise that may be heard at a great distance as if a multitude of Ordnance Muskets and Pistols were shot off together The Merchandize which the French sell to the Galemboulle Riches serveth them not for Ornament or wearing but they keep it up as a Treasure and buy Cattel with it in the Countrey of Ansianackte and the Mountains of Ambohitsmene They find little Gold among those of Galemboulle but some quantities of Silver and that reddish course and unrefin'd or of a base allay These people Religion and all the Zaffehibrahims keep the Saturday holy as we hinted before They do not acknowledge Mahomet but call all the Mahumetans Caffers they reverence Noah Abraham Moses and David but take no notice of the other Prophets nor of Christ and hold Circumcision They observe no Fasts nor have any Law or Worship neither know what it is to pray to God though nevertheless they offer Sacrifices of Oxen Cows and Goats They have no Temples or other places of Worship or Assembly but Amounouques or Burying-places of their Fore-fathers to whose memory they shew great reverence by all which they seem to have some little Reliques of Judaism They are so greatly addicted to their own Customs that they will rather die of hunger than eat of a Beast or Fowl kill'd by any Christian or one of the Southern Coast All the Children born on a Tuesday Thursday or Fryday they bring into the Woods and lay down as untimely Fruits for to perish by cold or hunger or be devour'd by the wild Beasts although sometime by one or other of the Women out of tenderness and compassion taken up and suckled Every Village hath a peculiar Lord Government in the Countrey Language call'd Filoubei who administers Justice to the People and the eldest takes upon him as a Judge to decide all differences They assist and aid one another in the Wars but if any of the Filoubei quarrel all the rest interpose as Mediators who take up and moderate the Controversie but if they will not hearken they leave them to decide it by Arms sitting neutral Spectators These people use their Slaves more like Children than what they are insomuch that they esteem them as Sons admitting them to eat at their Tables and not seldom bestowing their Daughters upon them for Wives The Hollanders have formerly frequented this Bay to buy Rice and Slaves and some years ago began to grow numerous till the unwholesomness of the Air kill'd many and the Lords of the Countrey either by open force or clandestine practises weary'd out and destroy'd the rest This is all that hitherto could be known concerning this Island at the South East and East side for from the Bay of Antongil to the North end little discovery hath yet been made by the people of Europe onely we have heard of a Territory call'd Vohemaro and in the Portugal Sea-Cards set down by the name of Boamaro inhabited by White People According to the relation of a Goldsmith whose Ancestors were the off-springs of Vohemaro In this Territory much Gold hath been found On the East Coast of this Jurisdiction appears the Bay of Vohemaro or Boamaro lying in South-Latitude It remains yet that we describe the Coast and the adjacent Countreys lying at the Mouth of the River Franshere as you pass to the West and North to the Bay of Zonghelabe so call'd by the Inhabitants but by the Europeans St. Augustin and Mansiatre The Coast of the Territory of Carcanossi to the River Mandreri BEyond the Mouth of the River Franshere to the Cape of Monkale lieth a Sandy way of four great French Leagues and from thence to the Bay of Ranoifoutchy otherwise call'd the Bay of the Galliones two Leagues Upon this Sandy Coast stand some Bushes between two Lakes call'd The Pools of Ambouve upon whose more fertiliz'd Banks grows abundance of Aloes in the Countrey phrase named Tetech Beyond Monkale and Ranoifoutchi you pass through a way call'd Mozambike but the chiefest Village call'd Italy The Bay of Ranoifoutchi hath a good coming in for a Bark or Sloop but not for a great Ship it lieth open to the South and South-East Winds the worst that blow in these Countreys never arising but accompany'd with Thunder and Tempests Five Miles from thence glides the River Mandreri upon whose Banks they make abundance of Salt with little labor and cost The Soil here cannot produce Rice by reason of the two much Sandiness but Cotton they have in abundance and Oil made of the Plant Ricinus good for many sicknesses and other uses Ever since four hundred and twelve the Portuguese had at the Bay a Habitation under a Captain of their own call'd Macinorbei by the Natives but by the Portuguese Miosignor with the addition of the word Bei that is Lord. The Territory of Ampatre Mananghare and Caremboule AMpatre hath in the East the Territory of Carcanossi with the River Mandreri between both it spreads in length by the Coast twenty French Miles in the breadth twelve from the Sea to Machicore The Countrey within hath neither Rivers nor Water onely by chance some Ditches or Ponds yet boasts an exceeding fertility being full of Wood with which the Inhabitants erect their Villages surrounded with Poles and Thorns so that it is
they relate the manner of the Fall with subtilty and treachery went to Adam and said Why eat ye not of all these good Fruits Why do you not drink of that good Wine and Milk and taste this delicious Honey and Oil Whereupon Adam answer'd That God had forbidden him which he durst not disobey The Devil thus driven away staid about two hours then came again to Adam and said to him That he came from God to give him leave to eat of all that he had a mind to Adam thus tempted to taste thereof eat and satisfi'd himself to the full but after the digestion of the Food he had a provocation and desire to ease himself which of necessity he must do in Paradise whereupon instantly the Devil went and complain'd to God against Adam's bewraying of his Eden so that God for that cause drave him out of Paradise and sent him into the Countrey where he gat a swelling in the Calf of his Leg which continu'd six Moneths and when the swelling brake there came forth a young Maid whereupon he sent the Angel Gabriel to God to ask what he should do with that Maid and the Angel return'd answer That he should bring her up and when she came to years of maturity should Marry her which he did and nam'd her Rabouna that is Eve After the current of some time she lay In of two Sons which being grown to a man-like stature the Devil who hath a thousand Tricks betray'd them in this manner He gave them an Assagay or Javelin in their hands arm'd with Iron at both ends and rais'd a quarrel betwixt them two so that they both took hold of the Assagays and each took one end to pull it out of the others hands but the Irons not fast Rivetted by hard pulling came off where each of them now having one they stuck one another in the Belly and both died of their Wounds These two Brothers were Cain and Abel They add moreover That Adam had many Children which multiply'd exceedingly but because Men were evil and would no more know God he sent a Floud or Deluge upon the Earth having before commanded Noah to build a great Ship to save himself with all his Friends and Family Women and Children and many Beasts a Male and Female of every sort then God overwhelm'd presently the whole face of the Earth and all the remainder of Beasts except four Mountains that is to say the Mountain Zaballicaf in the North Zaballicatoure in the South Zaballiraf in the West and Zaballibazani in the East whereupon nevertheless none could preserve their lives After the ending of the Floud Noah came out of his Ship went to dwell at Jerusalem and came from thence to Mecha God say they gave four sorts of Writings to Noah who embraced the Law The first call'd Alifurcan or Alcaron was for Noah The second Soratsi for Moses The third Zonboura for David And the fourth Alindzini for Christ whom they call Rahitsa They say also That Jesus Christ was sent by God into the world without being begotten by any Man but Born by the Virgin Mary which brought him forth without pain and remain'd a Virgin calling her Ramariamia That Christ was a Man and God That he was Crucifi'd by the Jews but that God did not permit that he should die but would have the Body of a Malefactor found in his place They observe the Saturday like the Jews and not the Friday like the Mahumetans If they would take in hand a Journey or matter of consequence they take council of their Squilles that is of Geomancy or Black-Art or rather of Auli which they carry about with them in small Boxes They offer great Sacrifices of Beasts call'd Mitaha at the entrance upon new Built Houses at the Harvest of their Fruits of the Field their Wives being with Child at the lusty growing of their Plants the Burial of their Dead and Marriage Fast-Days by them call'd Ramahana or Miafauthe and by the Turks Ramedan which they observe with great Ceremony but not in any set Moneths but now in one and then in another according to the position and order of the year They Circumcise their Children with great Formality commonly in May Circumcision when it is Fridays Year for by the days of the Week they reckon their Years especially the People of Anossy and Matatane for all the other Circumcise at all times To the performance whereof come all the Friends in Consanguinity and Alliance of the Child to the Circumcision into the Town to which the Parents bring Wine and present an Ox or Heifer for every Infant but poor people less The Men play and exercise with Assagays or Lances among which the Drums whom they stile Ompivango beat the Azontake or Drums made of a hollowed Trunk of a Tree cover'd over with two Skins the one of an Ox and the other of a Goat upon which they Tabor at one end with a Stick and at the other with their Hand the Female Relations Dance round about those who exercise with Assagays and use divers Gestures and strange Postures These Pranks finish'd all the young Company Dance and Sing again then the Master of the Town who must celebrate the Circumcision beginning to drink of the Wine of Honey or Meath follow to guzzle as much as possible for they that Drunk most are the greatest honor to the Assembly In the Evening Oxen are kill'd to eat in the day sometimes to the number of two hundred The next Morning the Feast-day every one remains quiet but the Fathers and Mothers sometime make their Children ready in the mean time and the Mothers sleep that night with their Children in the Lapa that is the Church being a place erected a Moneth before with divers Ceremonies by the Fathers and Uncles of the Children to be Circumcised No Father may approach the Mother that night nor know any woman and no Woman Maid or Man who have used incontinency must dare to joyn himself in person at the Circumcision for they are possess'd with this Superstitious Opinion that then the blood of the Fore-skin of the Child will not stench but the Child die Neither may any person present wear any red thing on his body at that time or if they do it must be very close from sight Early at break of Day Men Women Maids and all others Bathe themselves and beating their Drums at Sun-rise chop up some short Prayers and the Circumciser himself utters aloud Salama Zahanhare Zahomissabots Anauhanau Nambouatsitangho amini Tombuc Zahomitoulou bouzonhamiuau c. Which is Be thou Magnified O my God I draw near with my Prayers to thee thou hast Created our Hands and our Feet I beseech thee forgiveness of our Sins I kneel down before thee I do Circumcise these Children this day c. Afterwards they bring the Children into the Lapa adorn'd and dress'd with Corals and Bracelets Pretious Stones and other Ornaments about their Necks Here they stay till the tenth
in-sides are adorn'd in very good Order with all sorts of Defensive Arms as Cuirasses Coats of Mail Caskets Head-pieces Shields Back-swords Halberds Pikes Half-Lances Muskets Dags Ponyards Pistols Snap-hances and such like Above hang many Bowes and other Weapons us'd of old by the Knights of Rhodes In brief there are sufficient of all sorts to equip six and thirty thousand Men. There are three or four compleat Suits of Armor Cap-a-pe the middlemost being that which the Grand Master De la Valette in the Siege in the year Sixteen hundred sixty five us'd There is also a Piece of Cannon upon the Carriage made of Leather but with so great Art and Curiosity that it seems verily an Iron Piece All these Arms are kept very clean and bright by Officers to that onely purpose appointed Every Knight notwithstanding all this Provision hath his Arms by himself in his own House as have also the Citizens and Countrey People The Banjert is a large House or Prison wherein many Slaves of all Nations are bought and sold They have a Custom-house Treasury Chancery and Magazine for Wine and Corn a Castle for the Courts of Justice Princely Stables for Horses and a separate Field with all Conveniences for the Founding of Great Ordnance The Castle of St. Elmo built upon a Rock on the Out-point of Valette towards the Sea is as it were encompass'd with several fair and large Havens three on the right side and five on the left all guarded by the Castle of St. Angelo built on the Point of Burgo or Citta Vittorioso Between this Castle and Valette are Corn-pits hewn in the Rocks In the great Haven over against Valette are two long slips of Land Fort St. Angelo with their Points in one whereof seated upon a Rock lieth the Castle St. Angelo and besides it nothing remarkable but an old small Church built first by the Clergy of this Order wherein you may see the Tomb of the Grand-Master Philip de Villiers d' Isle Dam who there with the Order after the loss of Rhodes in the year Fifteen hundred and thirty the six and twentieth of October took his first Residence after eight Years Adventures It was formerly strengthen'd with many Bulwarks and Walls provided with Wells of Water a Magazine of Arms together with a Palace for the Knights but since the Siege of the Turks in the Year Sixteen hundred fifty five greatly decay'd Here stands also an Hospital for sick and poor Diseased Mariners who are serv'd by the Junior Knights with Silver Vessels in good order Lastly A Yard or Dock for the Building of Galleys with Barrakes or Store-houses adjoyning neighbor'd by the stately Mansion of the General of the Galleys Beyond this upon the same Rock stands Citta Vittorioso so call'd because of the foremention'd Siege which it endur'd from the Turks It was built by the Grand Master Philip de Villiers d' Isle Dam when the Knights had first the Possession of this Island given them and at this day conveniently Fortified It contains in Circuit half a Mile wherein about twelve hundred Houses and these following Churches viz. St. Andria Maria della Carne St. Spirito Santo St. Laurenzo by the Market La Muneiata St. Scholastique a Cloyster of Nuns and Grecian Church The Inquisitor hath there also a Palace for his Residence On the other Slip of Land Fort St. Michael more inwards lieth the City call'd La Isula at the East end whereof stands St. Michaels Fort parted only from the main Land by a deep Trench the whole erected about the year Fifteen hundred and six by the Grand Master Claudius de la Sangle and now strongly Fortified according to the Modern way It hath in compass about a small Mile and chiefly inhabited by Mariners who continually keep Vessels abroad against the Turks Between Burgo and La Isula lies a Haven wherein all the Capers and Galleys of Malta harbor with their Prizes as well Turks as Christians The Entrance at the coming of the Turkish Fleet was chain'd up In La Isula are four Churches Maria Porto Salvo Madama de Victoria St. Philippo Nere and St. Julian At the end of the Haven beyond the City on the East side lieth Burmola as being without the City inhabited by Strangers together with two Havens one call'd La Marza and the other La Marza Picciola that is The Small Haven Citta Vecchia Old Malta or The Old City which Ptolomy call'd by the Name of the Island Melite and others Old Malta is said to have been built by the Carthaginians but the Inhabitants know it by the Name of Medina deriv'd from the Arabick Language in memory of the Arabians who so call'd it from a City of the same denomination in Arabia the Sepulchre of Mahomet The principal Church is that of St. Peters being the first which the Christians built in this Island after the Preaching of the Apostle St. Paul Without the City stands another dedicated to St. Agatha where upon the Altar sits a white Marble Image of St. Agatha Preaching Under this Church is a Grot with two or three Entrances yet few People venture into it because of the several strange Meanders and dismal narrowness of the place and therefore one of these Entrances being more dangerous than the rest was closed up by Command They go in by a Rope made fast above by which they slide down carrying with them burning Torches Towns Towns in Italian call'd Casals and by the Inhabitants in Arabick Adhamet Jerome of Alexandria in his Siege of Malta computed to be about five and forty Bosio to forty others scarce to six and thirty but the Knights themselves according to Davity reckon them sixty The Parish (a) Or Nasciaro Naxarro for this Island the Knights have divided into several Parishes hath under it according to Bosio the Towns of Gregoor (b) Or Mossa Musta and Muslimet the Parish Bircarcara the Towns Tard Lia Balsan Bordi and Man Then followeth the Parish of Cordi but without any annexions The Parish of St. Mary of (c) Or Di Loreto Birmiftuch contains the Towns Luka Tarcien Gudia Percop or Corcap (d) Or Saf Saphi (e) Or Mechabib Mikabiba and Farrugh That of (f) Or Siggo Siguiau the Towns (g) Or Gighibir Quibir (h) Or Scilia Siluch and Cidere That of (i) Or Sabbug St. Catherine the Towns Biscatia Zakar Asciak Gioanni and Bisbu The Parish of Zarrik takes in (k) Or Grendi Crendi Leu (l) Or Miliers Meleri (m) Or Bukkaro Bukakra and Maim Then the Parochial Towns of Zabugi Muxi and Alduvi and lastly that of Dingli comprehending some small Villages Two or three Miles Northward of Valetta appeareth Nasciaro grac'd with a very fine Church to which adjoyns a Garden of Pleasure call'd by the name of the Grand Master St. Anthony being very large and divided into several Quarters all full of Vines Oranges Lemons Pomegranates Citrons Olives and other