Apartments are Hang'd after the European manner with Hangings of Mats made with exquisite curiosity within the innermost Fence are some Gardens plenteously stor'd with variety of Herbs and Planted with several sorts of Trees within these are some Banquetting-houses whose Building though mean and sleight yet they esteem rich and costly The City boasts ten or eleven Churches that is one great one Churcher being the chief of all then the Seven Lamps Church the Church of the Conception the Church of the Victory or Triumph a fifth dedicated to St. James a sixth to St. Anthony and a seventh to St. John the other three stand within the Court-Walls viz. the Church of the Holy Ghost of St. Michael and St. Joseph The Jesuits have here a Cloyster Cloyster where they Teach and Instruct every day the Blacks in the Christian Faith in an easie and winning method Here are also Schools Schools where Youths are brought up and taught the Latine and Portuguese Tongues All these Churches and other publick Erections except the Jesuits Cloyster have the Foundations of Stone but cover'd with Straw and very meanly provided with Utensils for celebrating Divine Offices There are also two Fountains one in St. James Street Fountains and the other within the Walls of the Court both yielding good and sweet Fountains of Water A small River or rather a Branch of Lelunde call'd Vese The River Vese affording very good and well tasted Water flows in the East at the Foot of the Mountain close by the City to the great benefit of the Inhabitants for from thence the Slaves both Men and Women fetch Water daily to serve the Town The adjacent Fields by this River are made very pleasant and fruitful and therefore the Citizens have all their Gardens upon its Banks What Cattel they have are Pastur'd and kept for the most part in the City as Hogs and Goats a few Sheep but no Cows which lie in the Nights closed in with Fences joyning to their Houses Rivers which water this Kingdom Rivers descending from North to South are first Rio de las Borrenas Roxas that is The River of red Sand another at whose Mouth lieth a Street call'd in Portuguese Bacas de las Almadias that is The Gulf of Canoos Here lie three Islands the greatest and middlemost of them inhabited and provided with a convenient Haven for small Barques but the other without People harbouring onely Beasts After these The River Zair Southwards you may see the great River of Zair which according to Pigafet derives its Head out of three Lakes the first by the same Pigafet and others entituled Zambre the second Zair and the third a great Lake from whence the Nyle is supposed to draw his Original as out of the second Rise out of which the Lelunde and Coanze run but Zambre is the principal Head that feeds the River Zair being set as it were in the middle Point of Africa and spreading it self with broad Streams into the North whither according to common Opinion it sends forth Nylus to the East the great River Cuama and Coavo to the South those of Zeila Manice or Manhessen and lastly to the West this of Zair which dividing it self into several Branches moisten and pinguifies the Western part of South Africa Congo Angola Monopotapo Matamam Bagamadiri Agasymba and so to the Cape of Good Hope whereas the Nyle Cuama Coavo Zeila Manice spread over the whole Abyssine Countreys and all others on the Sea-Coast from the Mouth of the Red-Sea to the River Cuama and therein the Kingdoms of Melinda Barnacassus Quilor Mombaza Mozimba Mombara Membaca Mozambico and other strange Lands The River of Zair breaks forth with an opening above three Leagues in breadth in the Elevation of five Degrees and forty Minutes and with so great force and abundance of Water runs into the Sea that the fresh Stream coming out West-North-west and north-North-east and by North makes an impression therein above twelve Leagues and when you are out of sight of Land yet the Water appears black and full of heaps of Reeds and other things like little floating Islands which the force of the Stream pouring from high Cliffs tears out of the Countrey and throws into the Ocean so that the Sea-men without a stiff Gale of Wind can hardly Sail through it to get into the Road within Padron on the South-side of the River This violent and precipitate descent carries the Stream against you fourteen or fifteen miles It sends forth on both sides many Branches or Rivers to the great convenience both of the Inhabitants and foreign Tradesmen who thereby in Boats and Canoos pass from one Town to another In the Towns seated on these out-stretched Arms dwell People small of Stature probably Pigmies The Islands Bomma and Quintalla lie in the Mouth of this River In Zair Le several Islands and others higher upwards exceeding full of People who rebelling against the King of Congo set up peculiar Lords of their own That of Bomma has Mynes of Iron The Island of Bommo and though boasting many Inhabitants yet shews few or no Houses because of the Morassness of the Countrey which for the most part lieth under Water so that the Blacks with Canos go from Tree to Tree among which they have raised some places made of Leaves and Boughs on which they reside and rest themselves without any Coverture These Islanders appear strong yet well set live very beastially The Manners of the Islanders are great Sorcerers speak ore tenus with the Devil in doing of which at first they come together all on a heap and afterwards one of them runs about with a Vizard on this continues three days which expir'd they use another Ceremony and then the Fiend speaks through the vizarded Man They live in peaceable Times by bartering in time of Wars they deal in nothing but Weapons Arrows Bowes and Assagays or Lances They have no Marriages or Betrothing Marriage but from their Youth up go one to another as their Affections or Lusts lead them commixing meerly like Beasts without any Solemnity for they know Laws of no Chastity but take as many Concubines as they please nevertheless the first being the eldest hath the command and supervising over all the rest In the Island Quuntalla is an Idol made of Money which none dare approach An Idol of Money in Quuntalla but the Servants or Minister appointed to attend and take care to secure the Way to it from being discover'd themselves being obliged as often as they go thither to take a peculiar Path that no other may find Many Kings and People sacrifice to this Idol especially in Sickness several of their most costly and highest priz'd Goods which none are permitted to make use of but by length of time decay and rot for as soon as they are dedicated the Attendant carries them into a great Plain where the Idol stands surrounded with a
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-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-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
call'd The Ornament of the World But soon after the Vandals under their King Genserick in the Year after Christ's Nativity Four hundred forty two reduced it to great misery which yet once more it recovered and remained a City of good estimation till suffering under the Gothish Devastations but at length finally destroy'd by the Arabians and made a heap of Ruines as it still continues The chief and greatest remaining Antiquity of this once so famous Place is a Water-course Vaulted over with high Arches through which it runs into the City although many remainders of the old Fortifications may yet be seen and some ruined Structures The Village Marsa which we mention'd before is the onely place that keeps up the memory of Carthage being built in part of its Ruines and a poor piece of the Skeleton of that once so glorious Body so true is that of the antient Poet Sic patet exemplis Oppida posse mori ¶ THe Valleys lying round about have a very sweet Air The Condition of the Countrey because continually cleared by fresh Breezes that come from the Sea and are full of Orchards Planted with great variety of Fruit of a pleasant taste and very large especially Peaches Pomegranates Olives Figs Citrons Lemmons and Oranges wherewith the Markets of Tunis are plentifully furnisht the rest of the Ground also being exceeding Fertile though circumscribed in narrow Limits for on the North lieth the Mountain Thesea and the Lake of Goletta and on the East and South the Plain of Byserta the rest between Carthage and Tunis for almost three miles dry and barren Land ¶ THe Ground about Arriane produceth some Wheat and St. Johns Bread Plants or Vegetables but about Naples nothing but Flax and about Kammart many Sugar-Canes ¶ SOme wild Beasts are found hereabouts as also a sort of Gray Partridges Beasts and others with black Feathers on their Breasts and Wings the remaining part Ash-coloured with the Bill and Feet much shorter than the Partridges here with us In the Lake of Goletta are Birds by the Moors call'd Louze and by the Turks Kalckavensi having Legs two Foot and a half long and all their Feathers Milk white THE DOMINION and CITY OF BYSERTA or BESERTA SOme take Byserta now a small Village for that Ituqua of Ptolomy or Utica of Caesar and Titus Livius famous by the Death of Cato who having in behalf of the Pompeyan Faction undertaken the Defence of this City when he could no longer hold it chose rather to lay violent hands on himself than fall into the Power of Caesar Marmol takes it for Porto Farnia which he says the people of Barbary call Garelmetha although some stick not to say that it hath been and is known by the Name of Mazacharus or Kallefort as being a Member of the French Garrisons in Africa However it is the Moors give it the Name of Bensart or Benserth that is Son of the Lake for Ben signifies Son and Serte A Lake from whence it is easily corrupted to Byserta It stands on the Mediterranean-Sea between Razamuza by the Antients call'd The Point of Apollo and The Mouth of the River Bagrada ten French miles from Tunis where there is a great Lake much frequented by Fishermen formerly containing within the Walls six thousand Families but now Garrison'd by the Turks who keep there two great Prisons for Slaves besides Store-Houses for Merchandise and two strong Fortifications or Sconces for the Security of the Haven Westward of the Lake lies a great Plain call'd Mater Plains of Water belonging to Byserta but bordering on Goletta Not far distant is Choros formerly call'd Clypea or rather according to Davity Kurobis because Clypea is the true Quippia and the modern Kalibbie seated on the River Magride about two miles from Tunis formerly in the Civil Wars of the Countrey laid waste but re-built and peopled by a sort of Alarbes call'd Benicheli intermixt with others so that at present it shews the face of a well-inhabited Town The Haven of Farine is famous onely by the fatal Wreck of St. The Haven of Farine Lewis King of France in his return back from the Holy Land and two great Rocks lying at its Mouth ¶ THis Countrey hath abundance of fresh Water in all Quarters The Constitution of the Countrey which afford great variety of Fish in the Lake are usually taken Dorads or Dolphins of five or six pound weight and from the end of October to the beginning of May great quantities of a Fish call'd by the Natives Elft by the Spaniards Jachas and by the Moors of Barbary Giarrafas The great Plain of Mater is a fat and marly Soyl which would yield a good Return to the painful Husbandman if he might reap the Profits free from the Incursions and Thieveries of the Arabs Choros also is not backward in a Fertile Return according to the quality of its Soyl which yields vast and lofty Groves of Olive-Trees for the great benefit of the Inhabitants ¶ THe People go almost naked Their Cloathing wearing onely a Barrakan or short Apron a half Turban a Cloth about their Necks but bare-footed and bare-legg'd ¶ THeir Food is a kind of Couscous made of Meal Their Food Eggs Salt and Water which they dry and can keep a whole year Their Bread is a sort of Cakes call'd Obs Baked on the Hearth and their Drink made of Raisins and Wine Lees boyl'd together The poorer sort have no Beds but sleep upon Mattresses of Sedge laid on the Ground The more noble have in their Chambers long and narrow Divisions higher than a Man made fast to the Walls with very fine Wicker-work which they climb up to by a Ladder when they go to sleep ¶ THe Houses and Churches are whited once a year on the out-sides Their Houses but the in-sides are slovenly enough In their Kitchins if so we may call them Fire is a stranger all their Victuals being drest and boyl'd in a sort of moveable Ovens They are much inclined to Sorcery wearing Papers Written with small Characters Sticht in Leather on their Necks and on the Heads of their Horses when they draw into the Field to Fight believing that they will free them from all Diseases and Mishap URBS and BEGGIE URbs and Beggie two several Territories comprehend these Cities Urbs Beggie Hain-Sammin and Kasba with some great Plains The City Urbs formerly Turridis The City Vrbs founded by the Romans on a delightful Plain eight and thirty miles on the South of Tunis shews yet many Remainders of Antiquity as Marble Images Borders upon the Gates with Latine Inscriptions and Walls of thick Square-hew'd Stone together with a Castle betwixt which and two adjacent Villages runs a River of fresh Water convey'd in a Trench of pure white Stone to the City Beggie also built by the Romans about six miles from the Mediterrane Beggie and twenty to the Westward of Tunis by a High-way leading from
their Plough'd-Lands These as other Arabs rove up and down changing Pasture as far as Yguid they have store of Cattel and Dates and are so numerous that they have brought under their Contribution a great part of Biledulgerid They have other great Arabs Assisters as the Garfa and Esbeh which are looked upon as Nobles descended from famous Ancestors whom the Kings of Barbary have often courted desiring to make Alliance with them The Desart of Hayr or Terga THe Desart of Hayr The Desart of Hayr so call'd from a populous Town there yet by some call'd Terga from the Tergans of Little Africa hath for its Western Borders the Wilds of Zuenziga in the East that of Yguid in the North Its Borders the Wilderness of Tuat Teguirin and Mezzeb in Biledulgerid on the South conterminates with the Desarts near the Kingdom of Agade in negro-Negro-Land spreading it self in some places the breadth of sixty mile that is from Biledulgerid to the Negroes Countrey The Air of this Desart is so temperate that in many places there is abundance of Grass and though other parts be very sandy yet nothing so bad to travel in as that of Zanaga or Zuinziga because it hath store of Springs and deep Wells with sweet and fresh Water but more especially on the Verges of Zuenziga On its Southern Limits near Agadez they find great store of Manna which early in the Morning the Inhabitants gather and carry to the Markets of that City which the Negroes mix with Water making it their Food being as they suppose very much refreshing and wholesome So that Strangers are not so often sick in Agadez though the Air be not so healthy as at Tombut this Cordial not being there so frequent ¶ THis Desart hath also wilde Arabs call'd Uled Huscein Arabians of Hayr which though they belong to the Numidian Countrey fetch in Winter larger Rovings with their Cattel as far as the Desart and sometimes to the Skirts of Atlas though they have few Laws yet they are all under one Government and these great Arabians have a meaner sort of little Arabs under them which live in the condition of Subjects or Servants some of which settle in Fenny Places and follow Tillage But the general business of the foremention'd is to steal and spirit away poor Negroes from thence carrying them to Barbary and Biledulgerid there selling them for great Rates as Slaves The Desart of Iguidi or Lemta THe Desart Iguidi or Lemta The Desart of Lemta taking its Name Iguidi from its chiefest Seat and Lemta from the Name of the Inhabitants The Borders borders in the West on the Wild of Hayr Eastward on that of Berdoa Northward on the Desart of Tekort Guerguela and Gademez in Biledulgerid and to the South Verges with a Desart near Kano in Negro-Land Between this and that of Sugulmesse lieth the Countrey of the Morabitins or Morabites which others call Almoravides Here is dangerous travelling for Merchants which pass from Constantine to the Negroes Countrey the Inhabitants being rude savage and beastial robbing all theymeet and taking all they lay their hands on They have also an antient feud and hatred against those of Guergula a Territory in Biledulgerid which they cruelly massacre putting to death when and where they come within their power In this Desart dwell also certain Arabians call'd Hemrum Kayd and Yahya mingled among the Lempta's The Desart of Berdoa THis Wild hath on the West for Borders the Wilderness Lempta The Desart of Berdoa The Borders on the East that of Augele on the North Fessa in Numidia and Barka and on the South it conterminates with a Desart bordering on the Kingdom of Borno a hundred ninety eight miles from Nylus it contains three fortifi'd Towns and six Villages It is very dry Plates and dangerous for travelling yet convenient for those of Gadamez or Numidia Allies to the Berdoaners The inhabited places have good Water and plenty of Dates The VVilderness of Augele BY some taken for the Countrey Augiles The Desart of Augele described by Mela hath for its Western Borders the Wild of Berdoa on the North the Desart of Barka and Marmarica and spreads in the form of a Towel to the Mediterranean-Sea opposite against Syrtes on the East the Wilds of the Levetans which reach to the Nyle It compriseth three inclosed Towns and many Villages a hundred and twenty miles distant from Nylus Their abundance of Dates answers all which supplies them with Corn and other Necessaries This Countrey is molested also with deadly biting Serpents The Desart of Serte and Alguechet THe Sertan Wild The Desart of Serte and Alguechet divided from the five other more eminent hath for its Western Borders the Desart of Augele on the South the Kingdom of Gaogo on the East Egypt There are yet to be seen the Ruines of the City Serte Also on the South of Serte four and twenty miles from Egypt the Countrey of Alguechet with three inclosed Towns and many Villages and whole Groves of Dates The Inhabitants are black and though stored with Dates yet are poor and Covetous and Tributary to a Xeque or King In this Dominion live eminent Arabians call'd Uled Yahaia Uled Said and Uled Sumeir being able to raise an Army of thirty thousand Horse and an innumerable number of Foot Yet they possess no fortifi'd Towns but live in Tents and are Masters of the Campaigne NIGRITARUM REGIO Negro-Land 3.5 contains In the Inland Gualata Towns Three very large and populous besides the Metropolis Gualata Rivers Zenega or Niger Mountains None of any remark Guinee or Genoua Neither Cities Towns nor Fortresses but one single village the Seat of the King and a University Melli The Village Melli with some Desarts and barren Mountains Tombut Towns Tombut Cabra or Kambre Rivers Niger Guber Towns Guber besides a great Number of Villages and Hamlets Agadez Towns Agadez Kano Towns Cano the head City and some Mountains Kassene Nothing but slight Huts in the manner of Villages Zegzed Towns Zegzed a City with some excessive cold Mountains Zanfara Some Villages consisting of mean Huts Gangara Some Villages consisting of mean Huts Borno Towns Borno the principal about which many smaller Cities Hamlets and Villages Gago Towns Gago the Metropolis standing by the River Zenega the rest of the inhabited Places are Villages and Hamlets Nubia Towns Tenepsus Kondari Dangala Nubia the Metropolis Kusa Ghatua Dankala Jalake and Sala besides Villages Bito Towns Onely Bito Temiam Towns Temikan alone Dauma Each one poor Town Madra Each one poor Town Gorhan Each one poor Town Semen A Countrey little known and less convers'd with Upon the Sea-coast about Cape-Verde Towns and Villages Refrisko Camino Punto Porto Novo Ivala Rivers De la Grace Barsala Garnba Rha St. Domingo Katcheo Rio de les Iletas Rio Grande Danalves Nunno Tristan Tabito Rio das Piedras Pechel Palmas Pagone Kagranka Kasses Karokane Kaper Tambefine Tabarim Rio de
and such like Labors however want not courage or skill in Arms to defend themselves and offend their Enemies their Complexion black as Pitch their Language as their Colour peculiar to their Climate but all their Publick Devotions are performed in the old Coptick Tongue ¶ THeir Government is Monarchical Their Government and Religion Their Religion seems to relate to Christianity for in above a hundred and fifty Churches yet among them is to be seen the Image of Christ the Virgin Mary and many Saints and Martyrs Painted upon the Walls but much decayed by time and want of new Colourings Some affirm them to be neither Christians Turks Moors nor Jews but Hathen averrs they are yet Christians which Brokard confirms reporting that they Baptize one the other wherein they use hot Irons like the Abyssines with burning a Cross on some part of their Bodies and as a proof of their once being such the Patriarch of Alexandria hath Jurisdiction over them in all affairs Ecclesiastical whom they yet own using as we said before in all their Church-Services the Coptick Tongue BITO THis Kingdom hath for Borders on the West The Kingdom of Bito Guberion on the North Kano and Zegzeg on the East Temiam The chief City also call'd Bito lies in eight Degrees and ten Minutes of Northern Latitude The Inhabitants are governed by a Prince of their own TEMIAM THe Kingdom of Temiam lies neighbored in the West by the last mention'd Bito The Kingdom of Temiam in the North by Guangara the Eastern Limits are the Desart of Seth and Seu A. Anâ—u Trast 3. on the South washed by the great River Niger The chief City is Temikan The Head City Temikan scituate in eight Degrees and thirty Minutes of North Latitude where the Inhabitants are Cannibals or Anthropophagi DAUMA THe Kingdom of Dauma lies surrounded on the East by Medra The Kingdom of Dauma on the North with the Desart of Seth to the West hath the Wildes of Seu and on the South the Jews Countrey or the Kingdom of Semen The Inhabitants are very rich and govern'd by a Prince of their own Countrey who is an absolute Sovereign and when seen in publick carried up from the ground which he may not touch Sanut lib. 7. and if by chance at any time he do it is accounted ominous and he is purg'd with many Solemnities and Sacrifices MADRA MAdra also is a Kingdom conterminate in the East by Gorhan The Kingdom of Madra in the West with Dauma on the South by the Jews Countrey and on the North with Borno The chiefest Town thereof lies in eleven Degrees and twenty Minutes of Northern Latitude GORHAN GOrhan lies encompassed on the East with the Nile The Kingdom of Gorhan on the West with Medra hath Goago on the North and divided on the South by several great Mountains from jewen-Jewen-Land The People are as bruitish as wilde Beasts struggling with a thousand kindes of miseries and calamities in the Desart there being none that can understand their Language however they have a kind of Government and that too absolutely Monarchical The Countrey of the Jews or Kingdom of SEMEN SAnutus calls this Countrey in Italian Terre Giudei the Abyssines Xionuche but divers Europeans a little altering the pronunciation Semen in stead of Ximench or Ximen It lieth inclosed with Mountains and Desarts on the East extending themselves to Nile on the South to Congo and the Equinoctial-Line in the West to the Kingdom of Benin and on the North over against Davina and Medra a Countrey but little known and less conversed with and under the Domimon of the Abyssines The Desart of SETH and SEU THe Desart of Seth borders in the North on Borno in the East on that of Medra in the West on some Countreys where Gold is found in great plenty and in the South on the Kingdom of Dauma The Desart of Seu hath for Limits in the North the aforemention'd Golden Countreys in the East Dauma in the South vaste Mountains in the West the Kingdom of Benin From this Desart some affirm the great River Niger takes its beginning ¶ THus much we thought fit briefly to mention of the In-land Parts we will now lead you by the Sea-Coasts beginning at Cape Verde the farthermost Westerly Point of Negro-Land and so come to the Cape of Lopez Gonzalves and Saint Catharine The Coast of the Negro's Countrey THe furthermost Point of Negro-Land to the West is Cape Verde lying in fourteen Degrees and one and twenty Minutes Northern Latitude Three miles Southerly off which lieth a Village call'd Refrisko one mile from that another nam'd Kamino two miles further to the South-East Eudukura and a mile and a half beyond that Punto and then Porto d' Ale to the Westward of which is Punto d' Porto Ale that is The Point of the Haven of Ale On the same Shore not far from Porto d' Ale lies Cabo de Maste Porto Novo or New Haven and Punto Sereno or Bright-Point then Punto Lugar neighbors with the Village Juala on whose Southern side flow the Rivers De la Grace Barsala and Garnba on a Point of this last lies the Cape St. Mary from hence you pass to the Eastern River and that of Rha or Kasamanka and so to Cabo Roxo and the two greater and lesser Points Then appears the River Sante Domingo call'd also Jarim betwixt which and Cape Saint Mary live people known by the Names of Arriareos and Faluppos Two miles from the small rough Point the River Katcheo falls into the Sea Then Rio de les Iletas or The River of the small Islands and Rio Grande flowing into the Sea over against the Island Bisegos or Bigiohos More Southerly the River Danaluy discharges his Waters into the Sea the like do Nunno Tristan and Tabito or Vergas near Cape Virgen in the Kingdom of Sere-Lions or Bolmberre so passing to Rio das Piedras The River of Stone Pechel Palmas Pagone Kagranka Kasses Karokane Kaper and Tambasine Tagarim or Metombo and lastly Rio de Sere-Lions and Bangue which last disembogues his Stream on the South-side of Sere-Lions into the Sea as Metombo doth on the North. Upon the Coast of Sere-Lions divers Islands appear as the Bisegos De los Idolos or Idol-Isle Banannas or Bravas and the Sombreras between which last mention'd the Land makes a great Point call'd Furna de Sant Anna where four Rivers intermingle with the Sea from whence it is but a short passage to Cape Tagrin or Ledo the outermost Southerly Point of Serre-Lions Here begins Guinee extending all along to the Cape of Lopez Gonzalvez and the River Benin a large Maritime Countrey and divided into the Grain-Coast Tooth-Coast Quaqua-Coast Bants-Coast and Gold-Coast The first thing we meet with in Guinee worth taking notice of are the Rivers Rio das Palmas and Ria Galhinas running through the Countreys of Bolm Cilm and Quilliga where begins the Kingdom of Quoia wherein are
and Sonquay in the North by the Kingdom of Aquumboe and the Countrey of Abonce in the East at Great-Akara and in the South spreads along the Sea-shore Agwana hath divers Villages and Mountains near the Sea as the Rough-Point a Village of Fisher-men Souldiers-Bay and The Devils-Hill New-Abrembee Old-Abrembee Great-Berku scituate on a Mountain four Miles from Akara Jako-Kox-broot and Little-Berku where Water'd by a small River All these places have Stony Cliffs before their Havens From Cormantin the Coast reacheth East and by South The spreading of the Coast to The Devils-Mountain about six Miles from thence to Berku a Tract of five Miles East and by North from Berku one Mile Westward to Akara a Tract of five Miles East north-North-East Beyond Kox-broot lieth low Land replenish'd with small Trees but the Countrey within is high and Mountainous In Berku breed many Hens sufficient to eat among themselves and to sell cheap to strangers and their Drink call'd Pitouw is like our small Beer The Inhabitants have the repute of Stout and Warlike People The Nature and Maintenance of the Inhabitants but in Peaceable times maintain themselves by Husbandry and Fishing Yet some of them are good Artists both in Iron and Gold of the first making good Arms and of the second curious Gold-Chains and other neat Pieces of Workmanship In this Territory is but a small Trade for European Wares There is little Trade and therefore little frequented the best dealing is for Slaves of Berku with the Akerasche Merchants which come thither who exchange them for Serges viz. a Piece of Serge for a Slave or else two ounces of Gold THE KINGDOM OF AKARA THis Kingdom contains in Circuit The Borders of the Kingdom of Akara ten or twelve miles having on the West Aguana and the Countrey of Abonce on the North the Dominion of Aboura and Bonoe on the East that of Labbeda and Ningo and on the South the Sea Near whose Shore are three Villages viz. Soko Little Akara fifteen miles Eastward of Kormantyn and Orsaky Having gone four miles into the Countrey you come to Great Akara where the King keeps his Residence Provision here is very scarce especially Fruits and Bread-Corn so that whatever Whites put into this Place to Trade must upon necessity provide themselves well with all necessary Provision The King hath and not without cause the repute of a Potent Prince The Kings Power being able in time of War to bring fifteen or sixteen thousand Men into the Field He hath a more absolute Soveraignty over his Subjects than any of his Neighbors so that he is an unlimited Monarch and for the more sure confirming his Jurisdiction keeps good Correspondency with all Whites without shewing more favour to one than another The Little Akara has been many years the chiefest place of Trade upon the Gold-Coast next Moure and Kormantyn Trade where Foreign Merchants carry Iron and Linnen which they exchange in Barter for Gold with much greater gain than on the other places of the Gold-Coast but the Linnen must be finer than ordinary otherwise the Blacks will not meddle with it While Trading here was free to all that is till the Hollanders West India Company had ingross'd it to themselves the Haven of Akara produced a third part of the Gold that was to be had on all the Gold-Coast which was brought thither to sell from the Countreys of Abonce and Akamen All the Wares which the Inhabitants buy they sell again at the Market of Abonce two hours Journey beyond Great Akara which they hold three times a Week with great resort of People out of all the neighboring Territories The King of Akara suffers none out of Aquemhoe and Aquimera to come through his Countrey and Trade with the Whites but reserves that freedom to his own Subjects onely who carry the Wares brought from the Europeans to Abonce and exchange them there with great profit Neither would this King suffer the Whites to set up a Store-house on Shore for Trade but forc'd to ride with their Ships Ketches and Sloops before the Haven yet some few years since he sold to the Dutch a piece of Ground whereon he hath permitted them to build a Store-house Adjoining to this they have so far incroached The Store-house of Akara as to raise a little Fort of Stones sixty two Foot long four and twenty broad and flat above overlay'd with thick Planks strongly mortis'd together and strengthned round about with high Breast-works Port-holes and defensive Points for keeping off an Enemy At Great Akara the King hath appointed a Captain over the Merchants Overseer of the Trade with full power to set a Tax or Price for Selling to prevent all Quarrels Differences and Controversies which might otherwise arise of whom the Merchants stand in greater awe than of the King himself for he not onely punishes Offenders according to his pleasure but in case that any Dissentions happen he stops up all the Ways if they do not pay him according to his Amercement THE KINGDOM OF LABBEDE LAbbede a small Territory hath on the West Great Akara The Borders of the Countrey Labbede on the North and the East the Kingdom of Ningo on the Sea-Coast two miles Easterly from Little Akara lies one and the onely Village call'd Labbede a delightful place Wall'd and fortifi'd with Cliffs by the Sea-shore The Countrey hereabouts has plain and many well-water'd Meadows convenient for Pasturage of Cattel The Trade of the Inhabitants consists chiefly in Cows Maintenance whereof they breed some up themselves and others they fetch over-Land from Ley a Place eight or ten miles lower which they then sometimes sell again to the Akraman Blacks and to those of the uppermost Places The Government of this Countrey belongs to a petty Government yet absolute Prince THE TERRITORY OF NINGO OR NIMGO THe Countrey Ningo hath on the West Borders of the Kingdom of Ningo Great Akara on the North Equea and Little Akara On the Sea-Coast in this Territory are four places Ningo three or four miles from Akora and two from Labbede Temina one mile from Ningo Sinko a mile from Temina and Pissy all with Cliffs before the Walls in the Sea Ningo abounds with Cattel which the Akarians buy and carry to sell with Canoos to Moure Within the Countrey stands another fair City call'd Spicei where grow many good Oranges The Inhabitants generally support themselves by Fishing Maintenance which they do in a strange manner and with as uncouth Implements being like Baskets or Coops such as they put Chickens under with which going along the Shore in the Night with Lights they throw them over those Fishes which they get sight of Ningo Sinko Pissy some years since Places of good Trade but having now for a long time given out no Gold they are not visited by the Merchants who for that cause go no lower than Akara where as it is before
related the Gold-Coast is reckon'd to end Thus much we have thought fit to speak of the Maritime parts of the Gold-Coast want of knowledge not affording farther Discoveries We now go to the In-land Countreys beginning with Igwira lying on the West of the Gold-Coast THE KINGDOM OF IGWIRA THe Kingdom of Igwira borders on the South The Kingdom of Igwira on Atzin and Small Inkassia on the North upon Great Inkassia and on the East on that of Mompa It is reported to yield great quantities of Gold for the Blacks say It is full of Gold that the Gold which comes from Assine and Albine fifteen miles Westward of Cape de tres Puntas is all Igwira's Gold At Little Commendo liv'd for some years two Citizens which had with a small stock of Merchandise so manag'd their affaris that they return'd back very Rich but the Ways are somewhat dangerous by reason of Thieves In this place the Portugals had a Fortification wherein they Traded and brought their Merchandise in Canoos up the River which flows through Igwira but after the Netherlanders began to frequent it the Portuguese soon deserted the place THE KINGDOM OF GREAT-INKASSIA OR INKASSAN GReat-Inkassia or Inkassan hath on the South Igwira in the East Great Inkassia Wassa and Wanquy These People are little esteem'd for Trade There is little Trade but they come sometimes and take their way throw the Kingdom of Adom and bring some small quantity of Gold especially if there be no Shipping before Assine and Albine The DOMINION of INKASSAN-IGGYMA THis Territory hath on the South great Inkassan Inkassan-Iggyma and on the East Wassa and Wanqui Little Commerce have the Whites in matter of Trade with these People The LORDSHIP of TABEU TAbeu a small Tract Tabeu borders on the South at the Kingdom of Anten lying at the Sea on the West and North on that of Adom and on the East on Guaffa where a small River makes a Boundary to both Men Women and Children drive altogether a Trade with Hens Mille and other Wares to Sama where the Hollanders have a Fort formerly all this used to be brought up by the Portuguese and sent to the Myne THE KINGDOM OF ADOM ADom lies Eastward of Tabeu and Guaffo Adom to the North of Wassa on the East North-East of Abramboe The Inhabitants come sometimes and bring Gold on the Shore by Small-Commendo to the Merchants there Dealing but this onely if the ways of Ante be not obstructed by Wars Mompa MOmpa hath on the West Igwira Mompa on the North Great-Inkassia Wassa and Adom and on the East Anten towards the Shore VVassa THe Countrey of Wassa hath for Borders on the North Wanque Wassa in the East Abramboe and Kuiforo on the West Great-Inkassia on the North-West Inkassia-Iggoma Full of Gold It hath the repute to yield great quantity of Gold insomuch that the Inhabitants are always at Work upon it neither caring to Till or Ear their Land that single Commodity bringing from their Neighbours store of Provision Most of these People come with those of Adom to Traffick there for Gold at the Sea-shore with the Whites for European Wares VVanquy WAnquy hath on the West Kassa Iggyma on the South Wassa Wanquy and on the North Bonoe It hath Gold and good Cloth which the Inhabitants who drive a Trade with the Akanists in the Countrey know how to make very Artificially Abramboe THis Territory borders on the West at Adom and Wassa Abrambe in the South at the Kingdom of Guaffa or Commendo lying at the Sea in the North at Kuyforo in the North-East at Akamy in the East at Atti and in the South-East on Fetu It is a very populous Countrey Trade and most of the Inhabitants maintain themselves by Husbandry yet many come also every Week to Moure to the Whites to barter Gold for Cloth and Linnen but especially Iron They are a Warlike People and no great friends of the Akanists because long since in the Wars with them many of them were Slain and most of their Towns Burnt yet they were afterwards united again in a new League of Friendship Kuyforo IT hath for Borders on the West Wassa on the South Abramboe Kuyfora on the North Bonoe and in the East Akany The Land wholly without Wood and the People mean and simple with whom Forreigners have little Commerce Bonoe BOnoe lies encompass'd on the West with Wanquy Bonoe on the South with Kuyforo on the East with Akany and Inta A Place little known and of small Trading Atty THe Territory of Atty is circumscribed in the West by Abramboe Atty on the South by Fetu Sabou and Fantyn and in the North by Dahoe The Inhabitants maintain themselves most by Tillage but us'd before the Wars with those of Sabou to trade with Forreign Merchants which the Akanists have taken from thence Here is held a great Market or Fair extraordinarily crowded with a full concourse of People from far distant places who come thither to Purchase Iron and other Wares bought of the Whites Akanien THis Kingdom Akanien whose Inhabitants are known to Traders by the name of Akanists hath for Boundaries in the West Kuyforo and Bonoe in the South Dahoe Atty and Abramboe on the North Inta and in the East Akim or Great-Akamy The Akanists are a plain-dealing people The Custom and Nature of the Inhabitants just and honest in point of Trade and to defend their Priviledges stout in the Wars knowing well how to use both Shields Azagians and Swords Their Language holds great affinity with that of Fetu Language Atty Sabou Commendo Abramboe and Attyn but more pleasant and consequently more acceptable Such as Trade on the Sea-shore besides their own usually speak Portugals They are Rich in Gold They are rich and great Traders and Slaves and so great Traders that two Thirds of the Gold which the Whites fetch yearly from the Gold-Coast comes from their hands For they come to the Sea-shore to Little-Commendo Kormantyn and Moure where many of them dwell with their Wives and Children They shew great Industry and Diligence Travelling with the Goods they Buy from the Whites carry'd by their Slaves to divers Markets up in the Countrey and passing through the countreys of Atty Sabou and other Neighbouring Regions without hindrance enjoying every where much Freedom and for their Merchandise are courteously entertain'd by the People Inta and Ahim. INta hath in the South Akany in the West and North Unknown Land Inta in the East Ahim and Akam Little can be said of this Place as to matter of Trade Ahim otherwise call'd Great-Akany hath on the West for Limits Akany on the South Aqua and Sonqua on the North Inta Akam Kuahoe and in the East Aqumboe The Inhabitants are naturally Stately and Proud Their Nature which proceeds from their Wealth consisting chiefly in Slaves These come very seldom to
cold Next Adel to the side of Mombaza you arrive at Bahali or Bali Daâ—ali or Bali then to that of Oecie shooting inwardly to the Main-Land then to Ario or Aro limited in the North by Dunkala and in the West by the Territory of Oifate Fategar hath in the North the River Aoaxe in the West Fategar the Kingdom of Oge and in the South the Territory of Gamat Sanutus places at the utmost borders hereof Adel and adds also Xaoa In this Kingdom on the Borders of Adel stands the Ague-Mountain near a place by the people of Europe call'd The Market because the Inhabitants of both Realms come thither to Trade Then you come to the Mountain of the Lake whose sides boast the Ornament of many Churches and Cloysters and the top shews a Lake three miles in circumference Zengero comes next and after that Rozenagus Zengero from thence travelling Northerly into the Countrey you come to Roxa or Boxa bordering upon Zingero and Eastwards on Goiame Close to Narea lieth Zeth or Zesta deep into the Countrey upon which the Kingdom of Konche borders as that upon Mahaola Faskulon takes place between two Branches of the Nyle Eastward of Goiame and Dambea and Southward of Bizamo Jarrik reckons from Dambea to Faskulon five days journey Thus we have handed you through the Kingdoms we will now set out the Provinces remaining and so proceed to other matter The Territory of Magaza the Northern part of this Kingdom Territories scituate between the River Mareb and Takasa borders towards the North upon Nengini and in the West touches Fungi or Bugihe Seguede the next borders north-North-East upon Magaza North with Fungie West at Olkait and South at Semen and Salait Olkait conterminates in the East Sequede in the North Fungie in the West Dambea and in the South Salait Salait hath for limits to the North the Territory of Seguede in the West that of Seinen and the Kingdom of Dambea and in the South Abargale Cenen or Semnen so call'd by Balthazar Tellez in stead of Ximench or Ximen but by Sanutus Terra di Giudei jewen-Jewen-Land and by the Abyssines themselves Xionenche borders in the North at Seguede in the East at Salait Sanutus saith this Jews Countrey lieth Inclos'd between Mountains and Wildernesses which in the East spread towards the Nyle and Abyssine and South to the Equinoctial from whence they shoot to Congo in the West are unknown Mountains and Wildernesses towards Benin and in the North a ridge of great Hills over-topping the edges of Dauma and Medra Abargale stands bounded in the North by Salait in the East by the River Takara and in the South by the Territory of Salaoa The limits of Salaoa are in the North at Abargale in the East at the foremention'd River Takaze in the South Bagameder and in the West Dambea Ozeka hath the neighborhood of Amaza North Marabett East Upper-Xaoa South and in the West Goiame Doba lieth in the middle of Bagameder all the other Southern Territories formerly belonging to Abyssine the Gala's possess as the Turks do the Eastern Countreys towards the Red-Sea Most Geographers have plac'd in Abyssine two Arms of the Nyle The Island Meâ—â—e anciently by Ptolomy nam'd Astapus and Astaboras The first of these two at present Niger calleth Abani Barros Abansi and Vossius Mareb The other being Takaze or Takassen lies in fifteen Degrees and twenty Minutes Northern Latitude and fifteen days Sail from Siena wherein lies the Island Meroe often remembred by ancient Greek and Latin Writers Diodorus thinks it took that Name from Meroe the Mother of Cambyses King of Persia But Strabo from his Sister which died there The Inhabitants denominate it Naulebahe that is The Mother of Good Havens and Marmol Neuba Some differ from all before and will have it nam'd in the Countrey Idiom sometimes Saba then Bed Amara and anon Tevet Many others intitle it Gueguere which Jovius denies maintaining Gueguere to be the same with Syene Sanutus reckons the length of this Island to be three hundred and fifty Italian Miles or seventy Dutch Miles But Jovius makes it bigger than England though without any Reason and contrary to the Vogue of all Ages and Authors Some Modern Writers seem to make the Kingdom of Goiame Balthazar Tellez almost surrounded by a Branch of the Nyle to be this Island Meroe but Vossius contradicts both the first and last Opinions affirming That the Ancients never had any true knowledge of this Island but have made one in Imagination where never was any contrary to Strabo and many others The City Meroe situate by Ptolomy at the North end of the Island Pliny and others set seventy thousand Paces more to the South and Vossius thinks that 't is the same at this day call'd Beroa or Baroa the Head-City of Barnagas and adds moreover That the Netherlanders have greatly mistaken in setting it so far from the Red-Sea an Error caus'd as he imagines by the tedious uncouthness of the Way For the whole Coast lies so full of craggy and high Mountains as makes it almost unpassable and their Backs so chain'd together that you have no way to it but by the Haven of Ercocco and Suachem and that so troublesom that Travellers can scarce ride above three or four thousand Paces in one day And therefore saith he it is no wonder Ancient Geographers who in a few known Countreys were necessitated to take the Distance of Places by the Days-Journey should extend the Countrey between Meroe and the Red-Sea so far This Empire of the Abyssines may justly claim the advantage of divers good Rivers especially the middlemost and principal Channel of the Nyle Rivers and other fertilizing Branches thereof as Mareb or Morabo Tacaze Anquet and Malegh The River Mareb takes its Rise in the Kingdom of Tigre The River Mareb two small Miles from Baroa on the West-side and runneth on to the South passing into the dry Countrey of the Caffers where one Branch burying it self under ground for a while and afterwards re-appearing with an inverted Course turns back towards its Head till at last it shoots in a direct Line to the Kingdom of Denghini and so at last unites with the River Tacaze Tacaze which Mercator according to Tellez holds to be the Assabaras mention'd by Ptolomy hath its Head-Fountain in the Borders of Angote The River Tacaze in the Mountains of Axgua near Bagameder from three Head-springs about a stones cast one from another whose Waters conjoyn'd make this River It takes a Course a days Journey to the West between the Precinct of Dagana and Hoaga running from thence beyond the Kingdom of Tigre then cuts through the Territory of Sire having on the East-side Fruitful and Tilled Grounds and on the West the Wilderness or Desart of Oldeba formerly boasting many Cloysters like Egyptian Thebes from thence taking a view of Holcait it falls through the Caffers Countrey with a great contribution of Water
Shores just the contrary yet both scituated alike under the Torrid Zone in which Season happen great Floods both from the Ocean and sudden Falls from the Mount Gatis not far distant The like is found also at Cape Rosalgate and Guardafuy the utmost Eastern Point of Africa ¶ BUt to make a deeper and more exact Disquisition is that all Arabia towards the East of Africa lies enclosed with Mountains whose Rocky Battlements appear above the Clouds their swoln Ridges extending themselves in a long continued Wall reach from the bottom of the Arabian Gulf to the Islands of Curiamurie these towery Hills of so prodigious height not onely put to a stand all Windes and Rain but turn them in their hurrying Eddyes so dispersing every way as well as in the two out-stretching Capes of Mosamde and Rosalgate though they lye much lower than the rest of the Sea Coast On these Rocky Ascents appearing to Sea-ward rough and rugged the poor Arabians in a very sad condition make their residence These people have Winter with those of Coromandell for their remoter Suns brings them Cold and Wet but those who dwell on the other side of the Mountains towards the Coast of Frankincense have the same seasons with those of Malabar so these Mountains work the like effect on the Arabians as Gatis on the Indians their Winter falling in June July and September both in the Land of Frankincense Arabia Felix and the whole Coasts of the Curiamurian Isles unto the Lake Babalmandab Near the Arabian Gulf in Ethiopia you will meet there also the like alterations and the same seasons of the year as at Guardafuy and the Kingdom of Adell and all along the Ethiopick Coasts to the Mouth of Babalmandab as we have or those of Coromandell finding in December and January their hardest weather Then they which live betwixt twenty and thirty miles off the Coast have their Colds more milde and their Rains so temperate and harmless they seem rather a comfort than a disturbance Nature conferring on them such refreshing Coolness but if you venture farther up into the Countrey then the Scene changing you are tormented with excessive Heat for at the same instant while Winter smiles on the Shore it rages farther up and their gentle Rains below so unequal to their deluging Showres above that then there is no travelling any way all Passages being obstructed with Floods so sudden and violent that many perish there with extream Cold meerly from the raw Defluxes of chilling waters such alterations the Mountain Dabyri Bizan causes The Portugees and Hollander have also discovered many more such places in Congo and Angola where their Winter and violent Rains commence in the Vernal Equinox and continue March April and May their milder showres in the Autumnal September and October so that in some places they have two Seasons their former and later Rain for those steep Mountains whence Zaire Coansa Bengo and other great Rivers descend obstruct the course of the Air and the Land-windes being hot and dry but the South-west winde coming from Sea brings Rain hence it is manifest that Africa under the Torrid Zone is for the most part Habitable ¶ AMongst the Ancients Ancient Discoveries of it Hanno a Carthaginian set forth by that State discovered long since much of the Coasts of Africa but pierced not far the Inland Countrey nor did his Voyage give any great light that they might after steer by though translated from the Punick Language into Greek and published by Sigismund Gelenius at Bazill in 1533. and in the Reign of Necho King of Egypt some Phenicians from the Red-sea sayl'd by the Coast of Africa to Gibraltar from thence returning the same way they came Of which * Herodotus wrote nine Books of History according to the number of the Muses entituling them in order by one of their Names Herodotus in his †Fourth Book Melpomene says The Phenicians sayling from the Red-sea came into the Southern Ocean and after three years reaching Hercules Pillars return'd through the Mediterranean reporting wonders how that they had the Sun at Noon on their Starboard or North-side to which I give little Credit and others may believe as they please Nor did Sataspes Voyage in the Reign of Xerxes King of Persia in the year of the world 3435. give us any better Hints of which thus Herodotus in the same Book Sataspes Teaspes son ravishing a Virgin and Condemned to be Crucified by the Mediation of his Mother Darius Sister was to suffer no more than to undertake a Voyage round Africa which he but sleightly perform'd for passing Gibraltar he sayl'd to the utmost Point called Siloe * Perhaps Bon Speranza or Cape de Verd. from thence sayling on Southward but being weary returning the same way he came made a strange Relation to Xerxes how he had seen remote Countreys where he found few People in Tyrian Purple but such as when they drew near Land forsook their Abodes and fled up into the Mountains and that they onely drove some of their Cattel thence doing them no further Damage Adding also that he had sayl'd round Africa had it not been impossible To which the King giving small credit and for that Sataspes had not perform'd his Undertakings remitted him to his former Sentence of Crucifying ¶ AS little avail'd that Expedition of the * A People inhabiting Tunis Nasamones to this Discovery who as Herodotus relates in his †Second Book Euterpe chose by lot five young men of good Fortunes and Qualifications to explore the African Desarts never yet penetrated to inform themselves of their Vastness and what might be beyond These setting forth with fit Provision came first where onely wilde Beasts inhabited thence travelling west-ward through barren Lands after many days they saw a Plain planted with Trees to which drawing near they tasted their Fruit whilest a Dwarf-like People came to them about half their stature neither by speech understanding the other they led them by the hand over a vast Common to their City where all the Inhabitants were Blacks and of the same size by this City ran towards the East a great River abounding with Crocodiles which Etearchus King of the Ammonians to whom the Nasamones related this supposed to be the Nile This is all we have of Antiquity and from one single Author who writ 420 years before the Incarnation which sufficiently sets forth the Ignorance of the Ancients concerning Africa ¶ BUt what they knew not and thought almost impossible to be known is common for the secrets of the Deep and remotest Shores are now beaten and tracted with continual Voyages as well known Roads are since Vasques de Gamma a Portugees Anno 1497. first opened the Discovery and finish'd to the no small Honor of the Nation his intended Design for that People having got ground upon the Spaniard widening the bredth of their commodious Sea-coasts first fell on the Moors in Africa taking several of their best
having under subjection two hundred and seventeen Villages The Kessiffe of Benesuef is adjacent to Manfelout in the way to Cairo exacting obedience from three hundred and sixty Villages The Kassiffe of Fium lyes next to Benesuef Westwards of Cairo and commands three hundred or according to Zanton Zeguessi three hundred sixty Villages all whose Territories yield abundance of Line or Flax with great variety of pleasant Fruits especially Grapes The Kassiffe of Gize Neighbouring to that of Fium lyes close by Cairo towards the West divided onely by the River which in regard of its low scituation is generally at the overflowing of the Nile covered twenty foot deep but this is recompenc'd with exceeding fertility both of Flax and Grain and a convenient stock of very good Cattel The Kassiffe of Bouhera or Baera next stretching from the Nile to the Cape Bon Andrea a large Dominion ruling three hundred and sixty Villages whose greater part lying high looses the advantages of the inundating River so becoming less fruitful wherefore those High-landers are watchful of all opportunities of Plowing and Sowing when any rain happens however they have store of excellent Sheep-walks abounding with numerous flocks Among the inferior governments subservient to this Kassiffe Tarrana wherein lyes the Wilderness of Makairo boasts of about sixty three Hermits Cells To the East of the Nile on the Island of Damiata the Kassiffe of Garbia appears all Champaigne Mantled and Checquer'd with variety of Herbage The greater part of the Land is well manured and planted with Sugar-Canes Rice Corn and Flax having three great Cities viz. Maala call'd from its extention Medina Demanoour and Sabin The Kassiffe of Menoufia lyes on the same Island divided between this and that of Garbia and although this Jurisdiction hath not so many Towns and Villages yet the extent of its Territories stands in equal competition The Kassiffe of Mansoura on the Eastern bank of Nile as Cairo containeth a hundred and ninety Villages produceth great store of Sugar and is very fertile in the growth of Flax and all kind of Grain The Kassiffe of Kallioubieh on the same bank of the River bordering upon Mansoura gives Law to a hundred ninety six Villages The Kassiffe of Minio on the same side of the Nile opposite to Girgio and Manfelout hath a vast extent but scatteringly inhabited shewing onely a hundred and four Villages occasioned from the rising of the Land being incapable to receive the Niles Annual Tribute unless it rise above two and twenty foot which happens so rarely that the greater part lyes uncultur'd and indeed the fertilest yields no greater reward to the Husbandman than the pitiful returns of Fennel and Cummin The Kassiffe of Cherkeffi lyes on the same shore but over against Benesuef having onely forty two Villages scarcity of Corn some small quantities of Fennel and Cummin Sugar and Rice denyed them from the infertility of the soil The Kassiffe of Kattia last and indeed controverted whether a Kassiffe or not for the Divan or Councel of Grand Cair will not allow it to be numbred with the rest because it contains but three Forts or Castles of Defence and is so unfruitful and sandy that excepting a few Dates nothing is found But Zanto Zeguessi Here but ten allowed allows onely ten of these Kassiffes viz. Saet Baera Garbia Menufia Mansura Giza Fium Ebenesuef Manfelat and Minio to each of which excepting Saet he allots three hundred and sixty Villages To these principal ten he subjoyns divers lesser ones viz. Galiup Mesela Fazackur Eloua Kattia Terrana Ensy Aceut and Brin ¶ BEsides the former Egypt divided in two parts some onely will divide as the Nile cuts it into two almost even parts of East and West Egypt to which others have added the Nether-Egypt call'd also Delta Δ from the form of the Greek letter which the Nile by branching into a right and left arm makes and the upper Egypt which is that tract of Land from the South-angle of Delta to the Cataracts But another sort of Writers make an Upper Middle and Lower whose first part takes in Thebes the second Heptapolis the seven Towns and the third Delta This Justinian sub-divided into the first and second and Ptolomy into the greater the lesser and the third Triangle Haythen makes it have five Provinces Five Provinces named 1. Sahyf 2. Demesor 3. Alexandria 4. Resint and 5. Damiette or Damiata Strabo says that of old it was divided into thirty seven parts by the Greeks termed Monoi Ptolomy enlarges to forty and Herodotus reduces it to twenty eight Thirty seven parts but thirty seven seems the most convenient as agreeing with that * On the Senthside of the City of Alexandria near the Lake Mareotis wherein the Sepulchres of King Maeris and his Wife were Pyramidally built with a Colossus of Stone on each side and adjoyning thereto was the Labyrinth so sam'd in the midst whereof were thirty seven Palaces belonging to the thirty seven Jurisdictions of Egypt whereof ten in Thebais ten in Delta and seventeen in the middle Region unto which resorted the several Presidents to celebrate the Festivals of their Gods who had therein their particular Temples Moreover fifteen Chappels containing each a Nemesis and also to advise of matters of importance concerning the general welfare The passages thereunto were through Caves of a miraculous length full of dark and winding pathes and Roomes within one another having many doors to confound the memory and distract the intention leading into inexplicable error now mounting aloft and again reâ—descending not seldom turning about Walls insolded within one another in the form of intricate Mazes not possible to thred or ever to get out without a Conductor The building more under the earth than above being all of Massy Stone and layâ—d with that Art that neither Cement nor Wood was imployed through the Universal Fabrick The end at length attained to a pair of Stairs of ninety sleps conducted into a stately Portico supported with Pillars of Theban Stone the entrance into a spacious Hall a place for their general Conventions all of Pollish'd Marble adorn'd with the Statues of their Gods and Heroes with others of monstrous resemblances The Chambers were so disposed that upon their opening the Doors did give reports no less terrible than thunder The first entrance was of white Marble within throughout adorn'd with Marble Columns and diversity of Figures Dedalus was said to have imitated this in that which he built at Crete yet expressing hereof scarce the hundredth part Who so mounted the top should see as it were a large plain of Stone and withall those thirty seven Palaces environed with solid Pillars and Walls consisting of Stone of a mighty proportion At the end of this Labyrinth there stood a square Pyramis of a marvellous bredth and answerable altitude the Sepulchre of King Ismandes that built it See Herodotus There were four very eminent Labyrinths one in Egypt another in Lemnos a
Ammianus like Livy who said that it was a work becoming the most Excellent Wise and Provident Kings And Ammianus pathetically Among all the Buildings the Serapeum bad the pre-eminence wherein was that invaluable Library containing all antient Records of Memorable Transactions in seven hundred thousand Books by the diligence of the Ptolomies Kings of Egypt gathered together but in the Wars of Alexandria and Destruction of the City burnt by that most Pernicious destroyer * Caesar being the most eminent for Arms and Acts accounted this his greatest misfortune that he so great a Lover of Books should be the cause of such an irrepairable destruction Agellius Julius Caesar All the Books says Agellius were burnt in the fore-mentioned Wars of Alexandria when the City was destroyed not wilfully nor of set purpose but perhaps by the multitude of helpers to save it He excuses not onely Julius Caesar but also the Romane Souldiers and lays the fault upon the unruly crew of assistants But Dio and Plutarch speak clean otherwise Dio and Plutarch as may be read more at large in their Writings Thus had this never to be parallel'd Library its end in the hundred eighty and third * Not much above forty years before the Incarnation Olympiade after it had continued an hundred and twenty four years Another Library was after re-erected by Cleopatra in the Serapeum It is again rebuilt by Cleopatra which by the help of Mark Anthony who obtained the Attalian and Pergamenian Libraries was greatly adorned and enriched and in being to the time of Primitive Christianity and was there preserved so long as the Serapeum which was a Building of great Entertainment and wonderful Art continued And at last with the Serapeum utterly subverted which at length the Christians in the Reign of the Emperor Theodosius the Great as a Harbor of Infidelity threw to the ground Over against Alexandria stands the renowned Island Pharos The Island Pharos by the Inhabitants call'd Magraf or Magragh and by the Arabians Magar Alexandri that is Pharos of Alexandria and by Ortelius Pharion from the Lanthorn Tower which stands upon the Island and now call'd Garophalo In the time of Homer Alexandria and this Island were severed by a Part of the Sea about a days sayling from the Land whereof himself thus speaks Od. lib. 4. Pharos an Isle amidst the swelling Deep ' Gainst Egypt lyes from whence a nimble Ship May sayl 'twixt Sun and Sun with Sayls a trip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Od. 1ib 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But now it is part of the Main Land the reason whereof is because the river Nile by his evomition of Soyl and Mud has constantly gained upon the Sea To this place of Homer Lucan alludes in his tenth Book thus Tunc claustrum Pelagi cepit Pharon Insula quondam In medio stetit illa mari sub tempore vatis Proteos at nunc est Pelleis proxima muris Then he took Pharos circled with the Main Where Fate fore-telling Proteus once did reign But now to Alexandria joyn'd Pinetus and others will have nothing lye between this City and Island but a Bridge but Villamont who hath searcht more narrowly saith Piuetus it is now united to the Continent and the Walls of the City in such manner Villamont that the Island makes two Points one Eastward another West 'T is united to the Main Land which almost meet in two other Points running from the Main Land into the Open Sea But makes two Haven leaving two Passages into the Havens one of which is call'd Porto Vecchio that is The Old Haven and hath no Defence as it is said but the Castle of the old City by the Italians nam'd Castel Vecchio But the other Haven hath two opposite Forts yet not so far distant but that they can answer and defend each other Two Castles nor can any Ship go in and out between them without leave The greater Fort is much the stronger having high Walls fenced with Towers besides a quadrangular Work of Defence And in it beneath is a Watch or Cour du Guâ—â—d for Security and above are Lights that give direction for Ships coming in to finde the Channel This great Castle on the right hand the Italians call Pharzion and that on the left Castelletto or The Little Castle Both of them are subject to great inconveniences by the want of fresh water which they are compell'd to fetch from the City every day on Camels backs The Soyl hereabout The nature of the Soyl in and about Alexandria as we said already is sandy bearing neither Bush nor Vine and so barren that it is unfit to be sown all the Corn that serves the City comes about forty miles off down the Artificial Channels of Nile There are some small Orchards but they onely produce Fruits so unwholesom that they commonly bring such as eat them into dangerous Feavers and other malignant Distempers They have abundance of Capers and Tamarisk-Plants and Hamala which is a Root they make Wine of like the Herb Anthillis by the Arabians named Killu or Kalli Kalli a Plant. and is of three sorts the two first are found in Europe but the third is peculiar to Egypt having few Leaves and very like Field-cypress but longer The Stalk is single and somewhat crooked out of which two or three small Branches shoot forth and grow upright each of which hath a Blade furnisht with five bending Leaves or more as appears ABOVE ENGRAVEN Venice Glasses made with the ashes thereof and other ingredients Out of these three sorts first dried in the Sun and then burnt Ashes are made from thence transported to Venice wherewith and a mixture of Soap and other Ingredients they make those most clear and chrystaline Glasses The Physical use of the Leaves and Juice so well known through Europe for their rarity It is also said that the Leaves beaten and taken in a convenient Vehicle cleanse Flegm and a dust Choller The same vertue is attributed to the strained Juice of them Thus much we have thought fit to say of Alexandria the Seat of the Antient Egyptian Kings and Birth-place of Ptolomy the Prince of Geographers and Astronomers from whence it must be concluded that all the state and ostentation of this City by Historians mentioned is to be understood of the time before its first destruction A great Staple of rich Merchandize still and therefore there are Consuls at Alexandria or Scanderoon at this day however notwithstanding the several desolations thereof yet always hath it driven on Trade and Merchandize by the continual coming in of Ships from several Countreys insomuch that divers European Princes have their Consuls there for the Management of Affairs and Deciding Controversies that may arise between their inhabitants and their Subjects to this day ¶ NExt Alexandria in the East lyeth the wasted City
Sea whereas Heliopolis lyes up within the Land many Miles from the Sea Damiata lyes in a bottom Damiata about two Miles from the Mediterranean on the shore of Nile which runs through and waters it on both sides on whose Banks there stands a Fort upon one side but on the other are onely Houses for having no Walls the lowness of its scituation makes it strong and tenable enough by reason thereof it becomes also most delightful and fertile the Inclosures and Gardens abounding with Trees of Cassia Limons Vines Musae and all manner of other delicious Fruits which here according to their several kinds are more delighted with the soil than all the rest of Egypt for by the Trenches here which is so no where else after the retreat of the Nile the waters are let in to moisten the thirsty Lands in the time of Drowth In these Trenches grows a Weed that moves to and fro upon the water resembling that we call Ducks-Meat or Ducks-Madder without Stalk or Root shooting downward onely many small strings and threds The Leaves are of a pale green like those of Dogs-tongue but shorter broader thicker whiter more bristly and stinging This Plant is the true Stratiotes Milfoyl or Souldiers-Herb of the Antients having Leaves like Houseleek Water House-leek and is therefore call'd by the Egyptians Hay-alem-Emovi that is Water House-leek The juice or powder good to stop Blood It has no smell and in taste is choaky and dry The Egyptians use the Leaves for the same Diseases The juice or powder good to stop Blood for which we take Mallows The Bedori or Countrey-women use the Juice or Powder of the dry Leaves daily a quarter of an Ounce The Leaves cure wounds against all immoderate Fluxes of Blood The Countreymen cure all Wounds with the Leaves The Leaves cure wounds which they apply stamped or crushed in a strange manner Next in the East stands Tenez Tenez or Tenex by Burchard call'd Taphnis and taken for Tanis in Holy Scripture The Lake Stagnone being in the Land of Goshen Adjacent thereto is the Lake by Mariners as Pinetus reports call'd Stagnone or Barathra by the Inhabitants Bayrene and by Montegarze in his Travels Marera This Lake is very dangerous because of the Sands whereof some appear above and others treacherously sculking underneath The next in course is Arrise Arrise formerly Ostracine and in many old Maps Ostraca and Ostraci then comes Pharamide by some stil'd Pharamica and formerly Rhinocura and by Strabo placed on the Coast of Egypt and Syria Burchard thinks it is Pharma which he saith is large and well built but in a manner deserted by the Inhabitants overpowr'd by the encrease of Serpents From thence passing Southward by the point of Nile towards Cairo Seru. Rascaillis there are two antient places call'd Seru and Rascaillis near Neighbors There is here Masura or Masur Masur formerly Miscormus near a branch of Nile call'd by the Inhabitants Batsequer Here Lewis the Ninth King of France was taken Prisoner in the Battel which he fought against the Soldan of Egypt After Masura followeth Demanora and many other places of which the most worthy of note is Fustatio or Fostat Fustat that is A Pavilion It is a small place lying on the Nile and call'd by the Inhabitants Misreatichi that is The Old City which name by good right it challenges in respect of Cairo whose Founder was an Arabian Commander named Hanier sent thither by the Califfe his Master on the side of Chargni Mevy Cambri lyes Mevy Cambri betwixt Damiata and Grand Caire after which may be reckon'd Caracania Bulgaite Abessus and Souba Having passed the forementioned places we now come to enter the third part of Egypt call'd Sahyd otherwise according to Sanutius Thebes from Thebes once the Court and Seat of the Egyptian Kings who afterwards removed to Memphis and from thence to Alexandria and afterwards to Cairo This Province extends it self from the borders of Buchieri to Cairo and so to Assue The City CAJRVS De Stadt CAIRUS Cairo then taken for Memphis The various names of Cairo which was reputed the most antient of all Cities is call'd by the Egyptians or Coptists Monphta by the Armenians Messor by the Chaldeans Cabra by the Hebrews one while Moph otherwhile Noph or Migdal that is Wrath then again Maphez but commonly Mizraim which last name also the later Hebrews as we have said have given to the whole Countrey The Turks call it Mitzir or Missir and Alcaire Marmol Marmol and others say that Cairo is deriv'd from the Arabian word Elcahira which signifies a Society or Cloister some will have it from the Arabian and Persian Mercere or rather from the word Mesre adding moreover that an Egyptian King nam'd Mohez on the highest place of Mercere made a Bulwark and built a Castle to strengthen it against all incursions of Enemies and call'd it by his Daughters name Caireth This place at length grew so great that the first name Mercere was utterly forgotten and the name Caireth received and now known to us in Europe by no other name than that of Grand Cairo Leo Africanus Leo. Afr Marmol and others Marmol and others consent in one opinion that this City is not antient being founded by Gehoar-El-Quitib the Subject of a nameless Caliph from all which it may be concluded that the old Memphis is either quite ruin'd or had another scituation Memphis is an Egyptian word and has its derivation from Monphta The Original of the word Memphis as we said which in the Egyptian Tongue signifies The Water of God and by the Grecians chang'd into Memphis For what cause or how the City got this denomination Opinions are various one not improbable may be this Kircher Chorogr Egypt p. 27. When the Sons of Cham began to send Colonies into these parts some say they pitched their first Tents upon the Memphian Hills the Lower parts generally as afore-mentioned lying under water as a Lake but afterwards as the Ground became more dry the City was Built by Mizraim the Son of Cham upon the Shore of Nilus calling it by his own name Mizraim afterwards the Countrey and City by the fruitful overflowings of the River becoming more fertile they conceive it was call'd Monphta that is The Water of God and by variation of Dialect corrupted to Memphis Herodotus affirms in his second Book Herodot Enterpe that Memphis was Built by the first Egyptian King Menes who is held to be the same with Mizraim This Memphis now Cairo was divided into four parts viz. Bulach Charaffa Old Cairo and Grand Cairo the two first were generally accounted among the Suburbs of Grand Cairo but are now as also Old Cairo so ill furnish'd with Houses that they seem rather Villages than Cities It containeth in its circuit Beauvau the mentioned places with their Suburbs according to Beauvau is thirty Leagues though
after a long Northern passage Marries the Sea Eastward of Metafuz near the Village of Beni Abdala Hued el Quibir Hued el Quibir by the Spaniards and Portuguese named Zinganor and taken for the Mazabath of Ptolomy shoots from the beforementioned Mount and falls into the Sea near the City Bugie Sufgemar Sufgemar the Ampsago of Ptolomy rising in Mount Auras having watered several dry and thirsty Plains gives a Visit to Constantine afterwards augmented by contributary Water of Marzoch empties it self into the Midland-Sea Yadoch Yadock or Ladoch proceeding from Atlas Eastward of the City Bona unites with the Mediterrane ¶ THe Constitution of the Air in this Climate is so temperate The Air or Climate that the greatest Heats doth not parch the Leaves of the Trees nor do they fall off with the Cold. In February they commonly Blossom and in April the Fruits have a visible greatness so that in the beginning of May they have ripe Cherries and Plumbs and towards the end Apples and Pears in June Grapes fit to be gathered but in August all later Fruits viz. Figs Peaches Nutts and Olives attain a perfect maturity ¶ THe Land here is for the most part barren dry and rugged The kind of Land full of great Desarts onely the Plains Northward between Tremecen and the Midland-Sea produce good Pasturage and Feeding for Cattel and great quantities of Fruit and some Corn. ¶ THe Desarts breed Lions Ostriches Hedg-hogs Wild-Swine Harts The Beasts Camelions Leopards and Apes besides great quantities of Wild-Fowl ¶ THe Cities here are but small and thinly peopled yet conveniently seated and inhabited chiefly by Merchants who live in very noble Equipage by Trafficking into Guinee Biledulgerid and several parts of Negroe-Land The People of this Region come from several Nations The several sorts of People in Algier and therefore each differing from other both in Religion and Customs The first are Native Turks which out of Poverty remove hither out of the Levant or the East for Profit and Gain where they become Souldiers of Fortune The next are high-High-Land Moors called Kabaylees and Asaguen constantly following the Turks Colours both in War and Peace Then Jews and Moriscoes Exiles of Andaluzia Granado Aragon and Catalonia Besides Slaves of all Countreys dispersed every where especially in the City of Algier Without the Cities dwell none but Moors and Arabians commonly called Larbusses Arabians and Larbusses who usually make their Residence by the Rivers sides in Hutts or Tents two or three hundred together which they call Douar and one single Tent Baraque as we mentioned at large in our General Description Other Arabs range through the Desarts in great numbers not fearing the King of Algier by whose Armies if at any time overpowered they fly to the Wilderness of Biledulgerid whereinto they cannot be pursued so that the most of them at all times live in freedom Therefore Algier it self did give them a general Pension to live peaceably but now most of them pay Tribute to Algier fetched from them yearly by the Janizaries In Tremecen is another sort of Warlike People named Galans of Meliava and divided into five Tribes viz. Uled Abdala Uled Muca Uled Cacix Uled Suleyman and Uled Hamar who command and enslave the Brebers both of Algier Tenez Brebers and Bugie TREMECEN or TELENSIN THe Jurisdiction of Tremecen or Telensin formerly a distinct Government Trenecen was formerly a particular Kingdom but now incorporated to Algier of which we shall first treat though somewhat improperly in regard it is not the chief Province but because of its Neighbourhood to Fez Marmol p. l. 5. Gramay l. 7. Sanut l. 5. and for the more orderly viewing the Goasts of Barbary It derives the Denomination from the principal City named by the Affricans Telimicen but by the Europaeans corrupted into Telensin comprising formerly the Cities of Tremezen Teuzegzet Zezil Guagida Ned Roma Teberrit Ona Haresgol Hubet Tefezara Tezela Agobel Barha Marka Elquibir Oran Canastel Arzeo Mazagras Mostagan and Beni-arax together with the Desart Angued or Angad and the Mountains Beninezeten Matagara Beniguernid Tarara Agbal and Magarava but now circumscribed in narrower Limits The Cities yet left are Tremecen Hubet Tefezre and Tezele with the Mountain Beniguernid Tremecen Tremecen or Telemicen the supposed Timisi of Ptolomy by some call'd Telesin or Tremisen and by Marmol Tlemisan five small miles from the Midland-Sea Abu Texifien who Ruled about the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty raised the Walls of Hewen Stone forty Cubits high and strengthened with many Cittadels or Redoubts where-through the Citizens pass five Gates with Draw-Bridges the whole overlooked by one great Castle erected according to the Modern Architecture with many Chambers Dining-Rooms and Apartments besides Gardens and Lodgings for the Janizaries Within the City are five Colledges built Quadrangular after the Italian manner yet scarce eight Mosques remaining of an hundred and fifty whereof the City formerly boasted each having a Tower built after the Dorick method and beautified with Marble Pillars four great and eminent Baths all that are left of fifty two Inns for Strangers Venetians and Genoueses and four eminent ones for the Moors the best remains of six and thirty in former time set apart for entertainment of Travellers and relief of the Sick Most of the Streets spacious and large wherein are ten fair Market-Places where the Merchants have Ware-houses and whither the Neighbouring Countrey with Commodities come twice a Week The Houses there are much more stately and larger Their Houses than in the City of Algier having Gardens Planted with Flowers and all sorts of Fruit-Trees In the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty they reckoned six thousand Houses and in sixty two Five and twenty thousand but at this day the number by the Tyranny of the Turks is very much abated the Merchants in general removed to Fez. The Jews had there ten great Synagogues which yet were not capable of their multitudes but since the Year Fifteen hundred and seventeen their number and strength is wonderfully decreased Hubet is a Walled Town Hubet a small half mile Southward of Tremecen said to be built by the Romans and called Minara by Ptolomy placed in thirty two Degrees and ten Minutes North Latitude famous onely among the Moors for the stately Sepulchre of Sidi Bu Median a Morabout in the great Meskiet and an adjoyning Colledge and Hospital Tefzare Tefzare or Tefesre Scituate upon a Plain four miles Eastward of Tremecen surrounded with strong and high Walls and taken for the Astacilis of Ptolomy Tezele Tezele formerly Ariane destroyed by King Abuhascen and never since either re-built or inhabited Beniguernid The Mountain Benigueuid an Arm or Limme of the Great Atlas and full of Villages and People ¶ THis Countrey The Quality of the Countrey by means of the great plenty of Water both in Rivers and Wells yields abundance of Grain all sorts of
the Summer to eat in the Winter There grow also Figs Apples Pears and very much other Fruit but above all yielding great store of good Cattel as Oxen Calves and Sheep call'd by the Arabians Nedez sufficient to give Supplies of Butter and Milk not onely to the City Bona but also to Tunis and the Island Zerbes ¶ THe Mountains for the most part lie destitute of People yet full of pleasant Springs having Water enough to give a Current to several Rivers which afterwards take their course through the Plains between the Hills and the Midland Sea The Coast hereabouts yields much Coral both white red and black being a kind of Plant or Shrub growing in the Water between the Rocks ¶ THis City and Province were-Governed by Xeques and peculiar Lords of their own It s Government till the King of Tunis having subdued them built a strong Castle on the East side of the City to keep it in awe but afterwards Aruch Barbarossa in the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty coming with two and twenty Galleys and Ships into the Haven forced the Citizens to acknowledge him by which means they became Subjects to the Kings of Algier and so have ever since continued excepting for a short space that the Emperor Charles the Fifth in the Year Fifteen hundred thirty five made himself Master of it THE FORT OF FRANCE SIx Miles to the East of Bona between the Kingdoms of Algier and Tunis Peter Davity Estat Ture on Affique and between the Black and Rosie Cape you may see a Fort Commanded by the French and call'd Bastion de France that is French-Fort Formerly near this Cape of Roses stood another Building erected in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty one by two Merchants of Marseiles with the Grand Seignior's consent call'd a Fort but indeed was onely a Flat-rooft Ware-house for a residence of the French who come thither and employ the Natives Diving for Coral and under that pretence Exported all sorts of Merchandise as Grain Hides Wax and Horses which they bought there with more liberty and for less Price than in the Island Tabarka because no Turks lay there to hinder them But many years since this Structure whose Ruines yet appear was beaten down by the Algerines oppressed with a great scarcity of Provisions which the Moors reported was occasioned by the French Exporting their Corn. Afterwards in the Year Sixteen hundred twenty eight by order of Lewis the Thirteenth French King Mounsieur d'Argen Lieutenant of Narbone and chief Engineer of France was sent thither to re-build the razed Fort who took with him all Materials necessary for the Work from Marseiles and with great speed and diligence erected this Bastion But the Work was scarce begun when the Moors and Arabians came down Armed in great numbers and forced the Mounsieur to a Retreat and at present to Fortifie himself in a Half-Moon newly cast up from whence with the first opportunity he took Shipping At length the same King employed one Samson to re-attempt the same design who brought it to some perfection and was Governour of it Since which another was formed upon the Island Tabarka in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty and three This Bastion de France hath two great Courts the one to the North where the Store-Houses for Corn and other Merchandise are with many convenient Ground-Rooms for the Officers and Chief Commanders The other being more large and spacious than the former stands on a Sandy Beach where the Ships usually come to trade for Corall as we mention'd before To this adjoyns a fair and great Vaulted Chappel call'd St. Catharina in which they Celebrate their Mass and Preach having convenient Lodgings above for the Chaplains and Priests Before it there is a Church-yard and a little on one side a Garden-house set apart and us'd onely for sick and wounded Souldiers Between these two Courts towards the South standeth a great Quadrangle built all of Stone which is the Fort or Strength with a flat Roof wherein stand mounted two Mortar-Pieces and three other Brass-Pieces supply'd with a sufficient Garrison TUNIS THe Kingdom of Tunis The antient Borders at this day subject to the Great Turk compris'd formerly the Countreys of Constantine Bugie Tunis Tripolis in Barbary and Essab and by consequence the greater part of Africa the Less together with Carthage Old Numidia and other Countreys extending above a hundred and twenty miles along the Sea-Coast But now the greatest part of Bugie Constantine and Essab are wrested from it by Arms and annexed to Algier The Kingdom of Tunis then It s present Borders taken within these narrow Borders begins at the River Guadelbarbar formerly call'd Tuska dividing it on the West from Constantine as on the East the River of Caps or Capes by the Lake of Melaetses separates it from Tripolis and on the Southern Limit is the Modern Numidia Peter Dan in his Description of Barbary joyns it on the West to Algier to Barka Bona and Tripolis on the East So that by his account the Southern Part of Tunis lies Westward of negro-Negro-Land containing but few places of note ¶ THe Rivers which run thorow and water this Countrey Its Rivers are chiefly four Guadelbarbar Magrida Megerada and Caps or Capes Guadelbarbar Guadelbarbar which Sanutus and Marmol call Hued d' Ylbarbar takes its Original out of a Hill lying a quarter of a mile from the City Urbs or Jorbus being serviceable onely to the Citizens in driving their Mills for the Current runs in so many crooked Meanders that such as travel from Tunis to Bona are necessitated with great trouble there being no Boats nor Bridges to help them to wade over five and twenty times Lastly it disembogues into the Sea by the forsaken Haven Tabarka seven miles from Bugie Magrida Magrida formerly call'd Catadt seems to be a Branch of the former flowing thorow Choros and then entring the Mediterrane near to a place call'd Marsa Megerada Megerada or rather Maggiordekka formerly Bagradag on whose Shore Pliny Gellius and Strabo say that when Attilius Zegulus was Consul for the Romans in these parts during the Punick Wars was found a Serpent of a hundred and twenty Foot long kill'd by Attilius and his Army with Arrows It rises according to Sanutus out of a Mountain bordering on the Countrey of Seb call'd by others Ursala whence giving a friendly Visit to the City Tebesse it runs Northward till discharging its Water into the Mediterrane-Sea about ten miles from Tunis This River swells up an unusual heighth when any great Rains fall so that the Travellers sometimes are compell'd to stay three days till that the Water abates that they may wade over for there are neither Bridges nor Boats for Ferry Tâ—UNIS ¶ MOuntains in this Kingdom are Zogoan Guislet Benitefren The Mountains and Nefuse besides some others on the South Zogoan lies six miles Southward of Tunis upon whose Side and Foot may be seen the
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-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-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
or Quarts to drink in the Morning and not at any other time In the mean time they conjure and perswade themselves that if the Captive be guilty of the Crime he will die or else not At last vomiting the Quony he is held to be quit but if he cannot do that though at first he brings up a little Froth he dies and the Body is either burnt or else cast into the River But if it happen that they cannot receive any answer or but such as is uncertain and Amphibological resting thereon though with much dissatisfaction they forthwith without farther enquiry interre the Corps Yet nevertheless they go to a Jakehmo or Soothsayer a vagrant sort of People who have no certain Dwelling-place but rove up and down and before they answer any question run about distractedly one with a certain kind of Pots or Cups another sounding a Horn the rest with Tabers or little Drums making a great noise and hurliburly seeking and calling for the Sovahmo from whom when they have received any information concerning the guilty person then they proceed to the trial with the Quony in the manner aforesaid ¶ IN Right of Inheritance or possessing of Goods this method is observed The Inheritance When the Man dies and leaves behind him some Children that are under Age the elder Brother takes the possession of all the Slaves Wives Children moveable and not moveable Goods of his Father except his own Mother Thus taking upon himself the government of the Family after time of mourning finished he draws to the place of Exercises before the King in presence of all his acquaintance with his Father's Bowe in his hand and his Quiver of Arrows at his back one end of the Bowe he sets upon the Ground holding the other end in his hand in that posture he declareth openly that resolving to be valiant and to follow his Father's course he will now give a proof before all the Spectators After he hath shewed his skill and activity he presents himself before the King in the same posture as before saying He is resolved to bear the burthen of his Family to give the Children under Age an Example to Till the Ground to defend the Right of his Family and what else befits him After the Decease of this Son the next eldest Brother takes all But if the eldest Son live and have Children then his younger Brothers and their Children have onely so much of the Estate as shall keep them till they come to Manhood and maintain the Slaves or Slavesses given him in his Father's life-time for it is the custom in that Countrey that people of ability bestow upon their Children as well Sons as Daughters from their Infancy some Slaves But if the Father dies leaving onely Daughters either his Father's Brother if living or else his Father's Brother's Son that the Name may not be extinct shall inherit But if there be no Male-issue of the Father's side the King is Heir and takes as well Slaves as Goods and Women to him allowing a sufficient maintenance to some trusty Person for the bringing up of the Children ¶ THe Quoia's speak not onely their own Timnian Their Language Hondian Mendian and Folgian Languages but also those of Gala and Gebbe The People of Gebbe and Folgia differ in Speech but little however the Folgian being the smoothest and the noblest is call'd Mendi-ko The Lordly-Tongue partly as we said for its Elegancy and Smoothness partly because of the Dominion the Folgia's hold over the Quoia's and Gebbe-Monou that is the People of Gebbe for Monou in that Idiom signifies People They of Konde-Quoia or High-Quoia differ in Dialect from the Quoia's near the Sea ¶ IN the Head of the Constellation Taurus Signs of their Summer and Winter-Seasons are five Stars near the Pleiades which they call Manja-Ding that is Lords-Childe upon which they look to know whether it be Midnight They have no Hours or past Midnight but know not how to divide Time into Hours nor how to reckon the Age of the Moon Those that dwell in Daula look upon these five Stars appearing in the Evening to the West as a Sign of a Raining-time ¶ THe Authority and Greatness of Quoia Their Strength and Power is at present supported more by Wisdom and Policy than by Power because the subjected Countreys of Cilm Bolm and Bolmberre are accounted more powerful than it This the Parable of King Flamboers Brother nam'd Cia-Haddo seem'd to hint to Flamboere's eldest Son threatning Massakoey Lord of Bolm to take his Countrey There was said he in antient time a Fowl with a very fine red Head and Neck but beyond that thin of Feathers and a small Train but for his beautiful out-side appearance was by other Birds chosen King This Bird sensible of his own defects kept in a Bottel and when the Council of Fowls was assembled put the Head and Neck onely out till at length by course of time the great Sacrifice was to be made to the Idol Belli in the Wood which none but the King in Person might perform at which time compell'd to dissert his Bottle his poverty and wants were discover'd to his great damage Thus far Cia-Haddo And without doubt he discover'd a great Prudence in that witty Apothegm for to prevent discovery it is not permitted to the People lying Northwards to pass through the Easterly Countreys nor for those of the East to go with their Ambassadors or Merchants through the West Countrey and this as we said that they should not discover the Secrets and Conveniences or Inconveniences of the State therefore they of Quoia keep them at distance and traffick for Eastern Wares at reasonable Rates which they vent to the West in Exchange for such as are fit for Barter and Exchange with European Merchants for such Commodities as yield ready Truck with those of the East In like manner also the People of the Upper Countreys prohibit the Quoians to travel through their Land for it is a particular favour that the King of Quoia may take to Wife the Daughter of the King of Manou and at his pleasure pass through the Folgian Territories ¶ WE will next proceed to their Government The Government and first begin with Quoia-Bercoma at present Commanded by a King with the Title of Dondagh his Name Flamboere the Fourth Grandson of one Bokwalla formerly Prince of the Karou's who by the assistance of the Folgians conquering the Veyes after a tedious War laid here the Foundations of a Potent Monarchy to his Successors invited thereto by the fertility of the Soil and an innate ambition and thirst of Soveraignty This acquired Grandeur hath been supported with such Policy that the Inhabitants at all publick Meetings and Solemnities to this day Sing He descended from above This King like his Ancestors holds in subjection Folgia The King of Quoia holds subject the Folgia's the Region of Cape de Monte and the adjacent places formerly
lying in a Lake of the River Plyzoge whither the Dogo-Monou with Fleets following to Attaque him were in a manner totally subdu'd by Flansire's people The Coast from Cape de Mesurado to the Grain-Coast ABout twelve miles Eastward from Cape de Monte lieth Cape de Mesurado Cape de Mesuâ—ado a high Mountain at the North Point A mile and a half The River St. Paul or two mile Eastward of which the shallow River of St. Paul falls into the Sea passable onely with Boats and Sloops The Land about Cape de Monte and this River containing about ten miles and a half is low over-grown with Bushes and Brambles but the Cape a high Mountain and runs with the South Point steep down in the Sea and seems to Sea-men coming from the South an Island because the low Grounds on the other side cannot be seen The Countrey about the Cape de Mesurado is call'd Gebbe Gebbe and the People Gebbe-Monou subjected and conquered as in the manner newly related Nine or ten miles from Cape Mesurado lieth Rio Junk Rio Junk also in Portuguese call'd Rio del Punte having a violent Stream yet at the deepest not above eight Foot Water by which impediment made passable not without great labour and difficulty The Land hereabout over-grown with Bushes and Brambles yet standing higher may be farther seen to the Sea On the South-end of Rio Junk some little Groves appear upon a rising Ground beyond which to the In-land three swelling Hills raise heads to a heighth discernable far off at Sea Eight miles from Rio Junk St. Johns River empties its Streams into the Sea The River St. John being shaded with lofty Trees The Coast reacheth betwixt both South-East Easterly Eastward of this River within the Countrey a high Mountain shews it self in the shape of a Bowe being high in the middle and low at both ends Six miles from it lieth a Village call'd Tabe Kanee and a little forward to the Sea a Cliff where the Land begins to grow low and so continues to Rio Sestos In the mid-way between Tabe Kanee and Sestos stands a small Village call'd Petit Dispo with an adjoining Cliff like the former Three miles from Del Punte you meet with the Brook Petit or Little-water by the Blacks call'd Tabo Dagron perhaps from the Name of the King who has the Command there The Grain-Coast THe Grain-Coast so call'd by the Europeans The Grain-Coast from the abundance of Fruits and Grain there growing the chief of which named by Physicians and Apothecaries Grain of Paradise takes its beginning at the River Sestos and reaches two miles beyond Cape de Palm being a Tract of forty miles though some make it begin at Cape de Monte or Serre-Lions and end as before Divers Geographers make this whole Coast one Kingdom The Kingdom of Melli. and name it Mellegette or Melli from the abundance of Grain of Paradise there growing which the Natives call Mellegette And they not onely give it the Grain-Coast but further include within it the Jurisdiction of Bitonen But Leo Africanus circumscribes it with other Limits Other Borders of the Kingdom of Melli. for in the North he bounds it with Geneva or Genni below Gualata on the South with certain Wildernesses and Mountains in the East Gago and in the West divers great Woods adding further that the chiefest City named Melli lying thirty days Journey from Tombute contains above six thousand Houses and gives Name to the whole But we will not farther dispute this matter but proceed to set before you the Places and Rivers lying upon and within this Coast Six miles from Petit Brook The River Sestos and nine from Rio Junk the River Sestos glides with a smooth strong Current between high Cliffs on either side Westward of which the Countrey appears woody Here the Grain-Coast takes its beginning Three miles up this Water stands the King's Village where commonly the Ships lie at an Anchor to Trade A mile and a half Eastward you come to Little Sestos Little Sestos a Village neighbor'd by a Cliff extending into the Sea and having one Tree upon it as a Land-Mark Five miles forward lieth Cabo Baixos Cabo Baixos that is Dry Head by reason of the Shelf lying before it in the Sea It is a round Hill a mile and a half from the Main Land Eastward of Cabo Baixos you may see a white Rock appearing far off coming by Sea out of the South like a Ship with a Sail. And farther into the Sea many others which threaten great danger to the ignorant Sea-man and the rather because most of them are cover'd with Water Three miles from hence the Village Zanwyn shews it self Zanwyn with a River of the same Name on whose Banks stands a great Wood where are many tall and lofty Trees A mile Easterly lies the Hamlet Bofow and half a mile thence Little Setter distant from which three miles you may view the Village Bottowa seated on the rising of a high Land near the Sea-Coast opposite to Cape Swine and to the Southward a Village of the same Name by a small Rivers side Four miles more Eastward you discover the little Town Sabrebon or Souwerobo then to a place named Krow which directs you presently to a prominent Cape with three black Points From Bottowa the Coast reaches South-East and by East for five miles with low and uniform Land little known to Sea-men onely before Setter and Krow some high and bare Trees raise themselves into the Air like Masts of Ships laid up Passing four or five miles from Krow you come to a Village call'd Wappen Wappen or Wabbo in a Valley with a Stream of fresh Water adjoining and five or six streight Trees on the East-side Before Wappen lieth an Island and by it the greatest Cliff in all this Coast besides many smaller and farther on the right hand another Cliff united on the East with the Land at whose Edge lieth a Pond whereinto the fresh Water falls out of the Woods Hither the Sea-men bring their Casks commonly into the Village which the Blacks fill with Water receiving for their pains Cotton-Seed or Beads The like Pond is by Krow behind the Cliffs whither also the Sea-men commonly go with their Boats to fetch fresh Water which the Blacks bring them in Pots out of the Woods and receive the like reward From Wappen you come next to Drowya thence to Great Setter Great Setter by the French call'd Parys adjoyning to which rises a large Pool of fresh water This Tract runs South-East and by South About three miles from Great Setter you may discover the Township of Gojaven and two miles more forward Garway Goaven Garway Greyway close by Cape de Palm and two miles to the East another Village call'd Greyway or Grouway Here a small River passes but full of Rocks and Sandy Banks yet passable enough with Boats along the Southern Shore
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-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-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
Priviledges for now he may buy Slaves and Trade for other things which before he had no permission to do They take great care therefore about it although perhaps the acquiring cost them all they are worth and thereby are much poorer than before but he soon gets it up again by Presents brought him from others each according to his ability And now as soon as he hath gain'd an Estate again he bestows it upon Slaves wherein their Riches and Reputation consists These keep one among another a yearly time of Feasting where they make good Cheer new Paint the Cows Head and hang it about with Ears of Mille. Besides this the Nobility in general keep one Feast upon the sixth day of July where they Paint their Bodies with Stripes of red Earth and wear on their Necks a Garland of green Boughs and Straw as a Badge of their Nobility In the Evening they all come as Guests to the House of the Braffo where they are entertain'd with exceeding Mirth and Feasting even to Excess and Drunkenness These People are so conceited of their old Idolatrous Customs Religion or Worship that they deride as it were the Religion of the Whites under what Name or Notion soever Several times have the Portuguese and French by Jesuits sent thither endeavour'd to convert them to the Christian Faith yet never have been able hitherto to effect any thing worth relating And thus have we travell'd through the Gold-Coast The Coast from Rio Volta to Arder SEven Miles Eastward from Akara The River Rio da Volta on the Shore lieth a Town call'd Sinko twelve Miles from that the River Rio da Volta falls into the Sea Coming with Ships before this River the Entrance seems very little because of a Shelf which lies before it and closeth it up yet more within Land it may be discern'd to run with an open and wide Channel Between Sinko and Rio Volta standeth a Town call'd Ley whose Inhabitants maintain themselves by selling Cows wherewith though at a dear Rate they furnish themselves with Meat Three Miles from Rio Volta lieth a Point call'd in Portuguese Cabo Montego a low Countrey having little Wood and the Shore spreading East South-East From Cabo Montego Eastwards the Coast shoots out with a great Belly so that from one Corner to the other Observe Spanish Miles or Leagues as we said before such as twenty five make a Degree it is ten Miles Sailing The Countrey seems Craggy yet water'd with a small River whose Mouth is stopp'd with Sand and hath Trees on the East Quarter Beyond all the Land lies flat as far as Popo or Popou and shadow'd with good Boscage THE KINGDOM OF ARDER THis Kingdom of Arder contains about twelve Miles in length The Kingdom of Arder beginning four Miles Eastward of Popou and ending at Aqua Three Miles Eastward of Popou on the Shore appears a Town named Foulaen The Town Foulaen five Miles Eastward of which on the same Coast you come to Little Arder Little Arder three hundred Rods in length beyond which about fifty Rods from the Shore runs a River of brackish Water From Popou the Coast reacheth East and by South to Arda and for eight Miles low Land spotted here and there with Trees Two Miles Westward of Arder stand four Woods A Mile to the North North-East of Arder Jakkeins you may see Jakkein a Town so call'd from the Governor thereof The City is encompass'd fifteen hundred Rod about with an Earthen Wall and includes a stately Palace the Residence of the Governor and water'd with a small Rivulet Three days Journey from Jakkein lieth the Jojo Jojo and a quarter of a Mile farther a Town call'd Ba surrounded with a Mud Wall Ba. over which a Fidalgo Commands in the King's Name On the Sea-Coast stand two Gates and on the Land-side runs a fresh River which reacheth to Benyn About twelve Miles to the North North-East up in the Countrey lieth Great Arder an open Village and straglingly built but containing in circuit as the Natives report above three Miles They may conveniently Ride to Arder on Horseback or be carri'd in a Litter or Waggon there runneth so straight a Way thither from the Shore In the mid-way stands a Retiring place for Travellers where they brew Beer of Mille. The King hath his Residence in this Village and two Palaces but he dwells onely in one the other being reserv'd as a Retirement upon casualty of Fire Both these Palaces are environ'd with an Earthen Wall of four or five Foot thick with Coverings of Reeds and have several Chambers and Apartments within Here are no Wall'd Cities but open Villages in abundance fitly scituate for Merchandise and defensible for the Inhabitants The Air proves unhealthy to the Whites The air unhealthy for the greatest number of them that go to Land are quickly seiz'd by a Sickness which for the most part kill 's whereas the Natives are very fresh and sound and attain a great Age. This Tract of Land is every where plain and fruitful thin of Woods The conditions of the Land but full of fine Villages the Ways very convenient to Travel in and several full-stream'd Rivers that irrigate and with their Waters fertilize the Ground The Valleys are enricht with divers Fruits throughout the whole year Their Fruits as Injames Potato's Oranges Lemons Coco-Nuts Palm-Wine and such like The Injames are eaten either boyl'd broil'd or roasted with Butter for Sawce In the Marshes of Arder they make much Salt which those of Kuramo buy and carry away with great Canoos Here breed many Horses The Houses are meer Mud-walls two or three Foot thick Houses and cover'd with Straw Their Houshold-stuff no other than that before described on the Gold-Coast Houshold-stuff and as there also for Ornament hang on the Walls their Arms viz. Shields Assagays or Lances Bowes and Arrows In Places of retirement or as we may call them Inns Beer of Mille. between the Shore and Great Arder and in the Town Offer they brew Beer of Mille in this manner First they steep the Mille in Water till it shoots afterwards dry it in the Sun then stamp it to Meal in great Mortars and poure upon it boyling hot Water They know also to make this Mash Work with Yeast and to make it thick or thin as they please But this Beer by the heat of the Mille will soon sowre and drinking of it causeth the Scurvey but mixed with Water makes a good wholsom Drink Their Bread made of Mille they call Kanties and their other Victuals Kade Food being green Herbs Rice Beef Pork Cabrietes or Mutton Dogs and Hens The Men have three Habit. sometimes four Garments hanging about their Middles one shorter than another so that part of them all may be seen but the upper part of the Body and Feet up to the Knees remain naked The better sort have very sumptuous Cloathing of
the Sea-Coast comes the Lordship of Bani wherein is seated a pretty large Town by Name Kuleba the Residence of a Deputy-Lieutenant who Commands over eight or ten adjacent Townships All the Blacks inhabiting the Easterly-shore of the greater Calabare Those of Calabare are Cannibals towards the North are Cannibals for they eat up whatever Enemies they kill but their Prisoners they sell for Slaves The Number One they call Barre Two Ma Three Terre Four Ni Five Sonny c. The Women here have a peculiar way of Circumcision with Pismires as before related in Arder and therefore we shall not repeat it In Moko they have Coin'd Money made of Iron in form of a Roach the Rundle as big as the Palm of a Hand with a Handle about an Inch long The Whites give here in Barter for Slaves Trade great Copper Armlets long-fashion'd and with a round Bowe very neatly made else the Blacks who are very curious therein will not buy them also red and smooth Copper Bars the smoother the better every Piece of a Pound and a quarter weight and about an Ell long for fourteen of those they purchase a good Slave The Blacks fashion these Bars longer and thinner which they divide into three parts and then bray'd or twist them together like a Rope made of three Strings which they fashion into great and small Armlets and Collers or Neck-bands for the Armlets term'd Boctu brought thither by the Whites they use onely in stead of Money The Blacks in this River use great Canoos Canoos wherein twenty Row on each side can carry sixty or eighty Men and are cut out of the entire Body of a Tree by burning and cutting it hollow and some near sixty nay seventy Foot long sharp before and behind but wide in the middle having Planks laid cross from side to side and fastned which lie a hand-breadth over on which Planks and on the edges of them such as manage the Boat sit which they drive forward not with Rowing but with Padling On each side hang two great Shields How they are Arm'd with some Bowes and Wooden Assagays or Launces to defend themselves against the Assaults of their Enemies Every Canoo hath also a Hearth near which the chiefest of the Boat have their Sleeping-places When they stay out a Nights with their Canoos How they make Tents over their Canoos they make a Tent over them with Mats hang'd upon Polls set up in holes of the sitting-Planks under this covert they lay small flat Sticks bound together with Rushes whereupon they lie down to rest and sleep but the Slaves lie dispers'd about the bottom of the Boat The Slaves brought by the Blacks to sell at the River Calabare From whence the Slaves come which the Netherlanders buy come most from the East and are the same which they take Prisoners alive in the Wars for those that are kill'd they eat as we said before Eastward of Great Calabare about two miles from its East Point The River Loitomba glides the River Loitomba otherwise Rio Sante Domingo whose East corner a petty Town shews it self large and full of Merchants who Travel into the Countrey to buy Slaves which they sell again to the Whites After Loitomba follows Old Calabare by some stil'd Old Kalhorgh The River of old Calabare passing through a Plain but Woody Countrey from the East Point of Rio Reael to this the Coast spreads East South East sixteen miles Next you come to Rio del Key a very great and wide River Rio del Key with three Fathom Water and a Muddy Ground neither troubled with Sandy Shoales nor Rocks At the Northerly Shore thereof lieth a Township over which some years since one Samson had the Command but driven out by those of Ambo he hath ever since maintain'd himself by Robbing for his Village was so wasted by Fire that very few Houses remain'd and those all made of Palm Canes from the top to the bottom as well the Sides as the Roof The Countrey far and near is all low and marshy Ground Constitution of the Countrey so that there is no fresh Water but that which runs from the Village or gathered from the Roof of the Houses The People living up higher call'd Kalbongos are very subtil and cunning Nature of the Inhabitants so that a White must look well to himself Both Men and Women go naked onely a small covering before their Privacies and so barbarously cruel that the Parents sell their Children the Husband his Wife and one Brother and Sister the other and as to decency or order scarce a degree above Beasts The Men tie the top of their Virile part with a piece of Bark Apparel or else put the same in long Callabashes the rest of their Bodies remain Naked onely Painted with Red Colours They wear their Hair Pleited in several Fashions and many have their upper Teeth fil'd as sharp as Bodkins or Needles chiefly supporting themselves by catching Fish When any amongst them stands accus'd Oath he clears himself by taking an Oath in this manner He cuts himself in the Arm and sucks up his own bloud and this they repute a sufficient Purgation and this custom those inhabiting the high Land of Amboises in Ambo and Botery also observe This River affords many Slaves for Copper Bars Trade and likewise for counterfeit Corral Beads and Copper Basons which on the Gold-Coast for their sleightness cannot be sold Akori also and Elephants Teeth against Knives and Assagayes or Lances the Teeth generally so large that three pieces make a hundred weight Between Rio del Key and that of Kamarones narrow but deep Rivers Little Kamaroms makes his way from whence the Coast spreads East South East about three miles with low and Woody Land and a plain Shore The Trade here agrees in all points with that at Rio del Rey Trade but differ in speech for here they call the number One Mo Ba Two Melella Three Meley Four Matam Five The Territory of AMBOSINE or the High Land AMBOISES THis Lordship of Amboisine The Territory of Amboises by the Europeans call'd the High Land of Amboses because they suppose it to be as high as the Pick of Tenariffe and by the Spaniards therefore nam'd Alta Terra de Ambosi takes place between Rio del Rey The Village Bodi and Kamarones At the West side thereof lie divers Villages among others Bodi or Bodiwa otherwise Cesge The Countrey produces great plenty of Grain Nature of the Countrey but no Palm-Wine which want the Inhabitants supply by a Root call'd Gajanlas which they boile in water and make a Drink of pleasant in taste but hurtful for the belly if taken in excess Other Provisions they have in such quantities that Seameâ— esteem it a good and desirable place to refresh in The Islands of AMBOISES FOur miles to the South East of this High Land The Islands of Amboises
they lay him naked upon the earth and cruelly beat him with a Rope full of knots which punishment the Judges themselves are subject to and the greatest Lords and Magistrates besides the Confiscation of their Estates and Offices If the Judges have any difficult business whereof they can find no proof they give the suspected person the Bark of a Tree cut small in Water and if he can keep that potion without Vomiting they clear him otherwise they condemn him to death These People are for the most part Pagans they call their chiefest God Maziry that is The Creator of all things They shew great reverence to a certain Maid call'd Peru in whose honor they shut up their Daughters in Cloysters as Recluses Moreover Religion they set apart as Sacred some days of the Moon and the Birth of their King but the innumerable number of Erroneous Opinions darkens all the Splendor of their Belief which they should have to God the Creator of Heaven and Earth But the earnest endeavour of the Portuguese Jesuites hath converted many to Christianity and brought them to receive Baptism In the Year Fifteen hundred and sixty the King himself with his Mother and above three hundred Nobles and chiefest Lords of the Realm were Baptiz'd by the hands of the Jesuit call'd Gonzales Sylveyra but afterwards at the instigation of some Mahumetans he was slain by the King's command with the imputation of a Sorcerer but a little time discovering their malice they made satisfaction for his undeserv'd death with the loss of their own Heads The Kingdom of AGAG and DORO with the Territory of TOROKA or BUTUA AMongst the substitute Dominions of Monomotapa are Agag and Doro bordering in the East on the new-New-Land and in the West at the Kingdom of Takua Toroka or Torea by some call'd Butua or Buttua takes beginning according to Linschot and Pigafet at the Fish-Cape and so to the River Magnice or Sante Esprit having in the South the foot of the Mountains of the Moon and the aforemention'd Cape in the North the River Magnice and in the West the Stream of Bravagull The chiefest Cities are Zenebra and Fatuka In this Countrey far to the In-land on a Plain The building Simbaoe in the middle of many Iron-Mills stands a famous Structure call'd Simbaoe built square like a Castle with hew'n Stone of a wonderful bigness the Walls are more than five and twenty Foot broad but the heighth not answerable above the Gate appears an Inscription which cannot be read or understood nor could any that have seen it know what people us'd such Letters Near this place are more such Buildings call'd by the same name signifying a Court or Palace and for that all the places where the Emperor at any time makes his abode are call'd Simbaoe this Building is guest to be one of the King's Houses The Inhabitants report it a work of the Devil themselves onely Building with Wood and aver that for strength it exceeds the Fort of the Portuguese at the Sea-shore about a hundred and fifty miles from thence The Emperor keeps a Garrison in it as well for the safeguard of the place as of several women he maintains there A little way from the Sea-shore are many beautiful places richly Verdur'd with Grass and stockt with Cattel but destitute of Wood so that the Inhabitants use the dry'd Dung of Beasts for Fuel They have many rich Gold-Mines whereof Boro Gold Mines and Quitici are the names of two lying about a mile and a half from Sofala The Habit of the People is but mean Clothes being onely the rough Skins of Beasts The Wealth of the Countrey besides the beforemention'd Mines Riches consists in Elephants-Teeth whereof they sell infinite numbers and Salt which they send abroad into most parts of Africa to their no small advantage The City Fatuka boasts great abundance of Gold Silver and Pretious-Stones beyond all her neighbors They have a Prince of their own but a Vassal to the Emperor Government his name Buro The Countrey of INHAMBANE and INHAMIOR THis Kingdom lies a little within the Countrey under the Torrid Zone Jarrik lib. 5. c. 9. having for its Metropolis a City call'd Tonge The heat is so great that the people of Europe residing there for Trade are not able to endure it but are discommoded by several strange and troublesome diseases The Inhabitants generally keep to their ancient Idolatry though many by the diligence of the Portugal Jesuites have embrac'd the Christian Religion and in particular as we told you Gonzalves Silveyra in the year Fifteen hundred and sixty Baptiz'd the King and his whole Court The place where the King keeps his Court lieth about half a mile from the Town Sema the residence of many Portuguese The Kingdom of MONOE-MUGI or NIMEAMAYE THe great Kingdom of Monoe-Mugi The borders of the Kingdom of Monoe-Mugi Pigafet lib. 2. c. 9. Conge Jarrik lib. 3. c. 3. or Mohememugi by others call'd Nimeamaye scituate over against Mombaza Quiloa and Melinde hath for Northern borders Abyssinies or Prester-John's Countrey and the Kingdom of the great Makoko in the South Monomotapa and Mosambique in the East Mombaza and Quiloa in the West on the River Nyle on the North-side between that and Prester-John's Countrey lie some small Kingdoms which being weak of Forces sometimes pay Tribute to the King of Monoe-Mugi and sometimes to the Abyssines These Countreys abound with Gold Silver Copper and Elephants The Inhabitants said to be white Skin'd and of bigger stature than the Europeans go naked on the upper part of their bodies Cloathing but over their nether parts wear Silk or Cotton They use also for Ornament Chains or Bracelets of Chymical Stones which glister like Glass and are brought from Cambaye These Beads serve them also in stead of Money Gold being of no value with them This King holds an amicable correspondence with Quiloa Melinde and Mombaza by which means Silks Cotton-Stuffs the aforesaid Beads of Cambaye and many other Commodities are brought into the Countrey and barter'd for Gold Silver Copper and Ivory He liveth also in a League of Peace with the great Makoko whereby from hence some Black Merchants have Converse and Trading with the Portuguese that keep their Markets in the Kingdom of Fungeno as also in Pombo d' Okango At the end of this Kingdom on the East by information of some Black Merchants of the Kingdom of Nimeamaye given to several Portuguese lieth a great Lake out of which many Rivers by them unknown take their Original adding moreover that in this Lake are abundance of Islands inhabited by Blacks and that on the East-side of these Lakes Land may be seen where sometimes they hear the sound of Bells perhaps brought thither by the Abyssines and discern some Buildings which they suppose Churches from this East-side sometime in Boats there came Tauney-Men and by chance Blacks yet the sides of the Lake are possess'd by persons
impossible to come into them but through the Gates The Natives addict themselves extraordinarily to Robbing and Pillaging of their Neighbors not onely of Goods but also of their Wives for which reason great Feuds arise amongst them which oftentimes break into an open Hostility This Province can bring three thousand men into the Field Every Village here as in the former hath a Lord amongst which one hath the preheminence of Command over the other The River of Mandrery parting Carcanosse and Ampatra glides very swift but lies for the most part stopt up It takes original out of the same Mountain with that of Itomampo and falls at the last by the South into the Sea Many Rivers bring hither their tributary Streams as Maropia taking his course by Icondre Manamaboulle and Mananghare Manamboulle descending from the Mountain Hiela and Mananghare issuing from the same on the South-west side Mananghare is inhabited with a People so unaccustom'd to War that every Great Man appropriates his Neighbors Countreys to himself as if he were the rightful Owner whereupon none will either Till or Manure the Land but let it lie waste and become a shelter for wild Hogs and Oxen. The Mountain Hiela towres up with a lofty heighth sending from its sides the River Manampani This Hill boasts a great number of Inhabitants and divides the Valley of Amboulle Machicore and the Carcanossi one from another Westward of which last appears a Territory call'd Encalidan between which also and the Valley Amboulle a small Tract styl'd Caracarack Caremboulle The Territory of Caremboulle a small Countrey about six Miles in length and three or four in breadth borders in the South on the Sea Westwards on the Bay of Caremboulle and East at Ampatre where also the River Manambouve gives it a limit The River Manambouve hath a full Stream about thirty French Miles from that of Mandrerey beginning in Machicore and running to Caremboulle a Course of fifteen or twenty Miles Twenty French Miles Westward the small Rivulet Manamba joyns with the Sea Menerandre another small River two Miles from Manamba poures down out of Machicore and runs South-South-west Four Miles from that are two other little Brooks that fetch their original out of a small adjacent Mountain The Coast of Caremboulle the outermost South-side of Madagascar stretcheth East and West but beginneth from the River Manamba to run North-west to that of Manerandre and from thence to Manamba and Machicore The Land of Caremboulle is dry and parched yet hath some few good Pastures stock'd with Cattel In Ampatre grows abundance of Cotton whereof they make Clothes and some Silk The Territory of Mahafalle Houlouve Siveh and Youronhehok MAhafalle seated farther to the West with the Sea-coast reacheth to the Salt-River call'd in Portuguese Sacalite about fifteen French Miles from Manomba and Hachicore This River lying in five and twenty Degrees South-Latitude cometh out of the Region of Houlouve beginning at the Mouth of the said Sacalite and shooteth into the Countrey two days Journey Siveh runneth along the Sea-coast about four Miles in length After Siveh followeth Youronhehok wherein appears the Bay of St. Augustine Yonglahe a great River receiveth on its North-side The River Yonglahe besides many petty Brooks the Water of three larger Streams viz. Ranoumanathi Ongehahemassei and Sacamare It riseth out of the Mountain of Manamboulle and runs to the West having its outlet Southerly into the Sea by a very fair Bay call'd by the Portuguese St. Augustine but by the Inhabitants Ongelahe It lieth in three and twenty Degrees South-Latitude defended from hurtful Winds and from the South to the North-west passable for great Ships yet hath some Cliffs lying on both sides dangerous for their coming in On the South-side of the Bay the French have erected a Fort resembling four small Bulwarks surrounded with Stakes or Pallisado's and a Trench of three Fathom broad and two Foot deep in Water having on one side a Way in the Trench above ten Foot broad by which they enter into the Fort. About the Year Sixteen hundred forty and four the English Landed here four hundred Men but near three hundred with the Captain dy'd by the Feverish malignity of the Air and Hunger at last the remainder were deliver'd from the jaws of Death by means of a Ship that Touched at this Place and carry'd them from thence for all usually in their Voyages to the East-Indies make some stay here for refreshing and bring their Sick there to Land to recover their health The Territory of Machicore THe Territory of Machicore a great Countrey stretcheth the whole length of the River Yonghelahe that is East-North-East and West-South-west seventy French Miles and the like difference from East to West but from the North to the South not above fifty that is from the aforesaid River to Ampatre and Mahafalle but lies utterly waste This Province as also those of Concha Manamboulle Alfissach and Mahafalle stood formerly under the Government of one Lord call'd Dian Balonalen that is Master of a hundred thousand Parks Then was the whole in Peace and flourished in happiness and Riches even to excess But after the death of Balonalen who left several Sons they fell into Wars for the Inheritance in such a measure that they were all extirpated From Onghelahe right Northwards appear two great Rivers the one call'd Ranoumanithi spoken of before and Ranoumene which comes out of Anachimoussi and poures its Water in two and twenty Degrees South-Latitude into a Bay near the Sea and a third less known by the name of Ranoumanithi running towards the West-South-west into a Bay in twenty Degrees South-Latitude This Countrey the Portuguese call Terra del Gada that is The Countrey of Cattel from the vast Herds thereof breeding in it There are three other Rivers run towards the West the one Sohavianh the other Soumada and the third Manatangh all flowing into a great Bay in nineteen Degrees Higher to the Northward the French have hitherto little knowledge of this Island and the Portuguese have for these many years discover'd all upon the Sea-coast except some few Places as the Countrey or Bay of Paxel of St. Andrew Cabo di Donna nostra Cunha Rio de St. Andreas Rio de Diego Soares and lastly the Cape of St. Sebastian the uttermost North-west Point of this Island We will proceed now to give you some account of the general state of the Island They find Iron and Steel in great abundance which they work and cleanse with more ease and less labour than with us for the Smiths take a Basket full of the Mineral as they find it ready and lay it upon red hot Coals between four Stones set and closed about with Clay and blown up with a pair of Bellows made in manner of a Wooden Pump with which blowing the Mineral within an hours time melts and so drawn off and forced into Bars or Staves of three or four pound There are also as they say Mynes
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