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-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-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
Serre-Lions This River taking its course Northward of the Point of Serre-Lions is at the Mouth twelve miles broad but on the North-side half way choaked up with divers Shelves of Sand which divide it into three Channels one runs along the North-side the other in the midst but the great Channel Coasts by the South which is the deepest of all The Portugals pass onely in the two small Channels with Boats for in the third or great Channel they dare not venture Also between the Island Tasso lying in this River and the South there be many small Currents passable with little Vessels but not with great Ships Another call'd Bangue glides on the South-side of Serre-Lions into the Sea as Mitombo on the North-side so that the Mountain by these two Rivers lieth inclosed in manner of a hanging Island and maketh the prominent Point call'd The Cape of Serre-Lions as we have often said Cabo de Serre-Lions but so narrow that the Blacks take their Canoos upon their Shoulders and carry them over On both Shores of this River lie several Towns and Countreys those to the North-side are call'd Bolm which signifies Low but they on the South are in their Language named Timna On the outermost Point to the Mouth stands the Town Serboracasa and on another Point lying on a yellow sandy Bay a mile and a half distant they have the first place where the Ships which frequent this Coast take in fresh Waters The Countrey about Serboracasa is call'd Serbore Serbora extending from the Sea to the Town Bagos A mile Eastward of Serbore beginneth another Dominion Observe the Miles on these Coasts are all Spanish or Potugal either formerâ—â— mention'd or hereafter following govern'd by one Semaura an ill natur'd man and for every small trifle picks a quarrel with the King of Serbora Eight or ten Paces within the Shore is the second Watering-place The second Watering-place where the Water drills easily down the side of a little rising Ground About two miles farther lies a flat Shore full of Trees and between them a small open place through which a Brook descends from above which at low Water runs away over the Beach A Musquet-shot distance thence into the Land stands a Town where Don Andreas Brother of the King of Bolm-berre resides here the River hath a strong Current which two miles and a half upwards splits it self into three Branches one to the North-East having red Sand hath Water enough to bear great Ships but the middlemost by reason of the shallowness Shelfs of Sand and Cliffs may onely be passed with Skiffs and small Boats Three miles from the first Watering-place appears Bagos Bagos a Town seated under the shadow of a little Wood and a mile and half Eastward upon a prominent Point you see Tomby a pleasant Seat Tomby where the English usually lie with their Ships at Anchor After that the Island Tasso is seen a far off seeming to be firm Land Thirty two miles up the River lieth the Kingdom of Mitombo The Kingdom of Mitombo on whose South-side the Village Os Alagoas is scituate Os Alagoas whither the Blacks will let no White People besides the Portugals come all others they anticipate with Skiffs and Floats The Islands De los Idolos Bravas c. ALong the Coast of Serre-Lions lie several Islands particularly twelve miles and a half Southward of the Cape de Virgen those of Tamara and Veu Usvitay commonly call'd Los Idolos which West and by South from the Point appear as joyn'd to the Continent but afterwards shew themselves as they are in truth Islands which afford all sorts of fresh Provisions to the Seamen and good Tobacco The people are self-will'd and mistrustful and will not suffer any Dutchmen to come into their Towns The most advantageous Commodities vented there are Salt and Brandy to for which they have in Exchange Elephants-Teeth and Gold To the South end of Serre-Lions near the Islands Banannes appears to Ships sailing by a very high Mountain raising his Head into the Clouds call'd Machamala whereof we shall have occasion to speak more largely in a short space Near the South-end of Serre-Lions half a mile in the Sea lie the Islands Bravas being a high Land full of Trees the biggest having a Spring of fresh Water Five miles from hence lie on the South-East against the Point three other little Islets call'd Sombreras Between the Sombreras and Bravas is the place where Jacob le Maire in the Year Sixteen hundred and fifteen found four Rivers among which the Westermost having large Banks had depth and breadth enough for great Ships The next running in between the Trees they might stand on either side of the shore and not be able to see Land on the other thereabouts it was wild and waste without any signs of inhabiting but they saw many wild Beasts as Elephants Buffles Boars Civet-Cats and such like The third had a Bank that hinder'd the coming in of Ships Three or four miles upward lay a low Land full of Lemon-Trees whose Fruits notwithstanding it was in the time of the Rain hung most of them ripe upon the Trees The fourth was a small River within the Point of the Island Sombreras whose Water is deep and Salt where the Sea-men coming on Shore found Crocodiles Turtles and Oisters on the Trees The afore-mention'd Bay here and there hath Shole-water Furna de Sante Anna. about five six seven or eight Fathom and muddy Ground which runs between the sombreras-Sombreras-Islands Easterly and Furna de Sante Anna whence come many Rivers amongst which the chiefest is Gambea Twelve miles upward of Gambea being as far as it is Navigable with small Vessels lies a Place call'd Kancho in the height of seven Degrees being very low Land whereto adjoyn some Islands ¶ THis Countrey of Serre-Lions according to the Description of Jarrick many take for the healthfullest place of all Guinee and the Air much wholsomer than that of Portugal so that seldom any die by other infirmity than that of Old Age. The same Air as Jarrick adds is much better for a mans health than in many places of Europe being neither too cold nor too hot by reason of the cool Winds which blow there continually which is worth observation considering the nearness of its scituation to the Equinoctial And truly under the favor of that Author we may question his Assertion seeing in the Summer viz. in June and July it is there dark and close rainy Weather with South and South-West Winds as also because the Rain-water in all the neighboring parts of Serre-Lions and along the Sea-Coast is of so unwholsom a quality that where-ever it falls on the bare Body it causes Swellings and Blotches on the Skin and breeds a sort of strange Worms in the Cloathes besides the River-water in April is very offensive and dangerous to drink by reason the Ground through the Summer excessive heats and the stench of
Soldanha-Bay Memoires de Thomas Roe where the Soldanhars have their chief Residence Some would make the Countrey lying at this Bay an Island contrary to the receiv'd Opinion of all Geographers and to support their Fancy aver That it is divided from the Main Land of Africa by a deep Bay at the South-East side and on the East side by a small River below Table-Mountain and inhabited by five or fix hundred People CABO DE BONE ESPERANSE At Table-Bay and the foot of the Table-Mountain The Fort or strength of the Netherland West-India Company the Netherlanders have a Fort for the defence and shelter of their Shipping in their Voyages Built in a Quadrangular form Fortifi'd with a great many Pieces of Ordnance and a convenient Garrison of Souldiers strong enough to repulse any Army of native Assailants By which they have a Garden of fifteen Acres of ground Planted with several Trees and Fruits besides the Plantation on the other side of Table-Mountain full as big again A Governor Commands this Fort assisted by two Merchants a Book-keeper or Clerk Accomptant some Assistants and a Serjeant over the Souldiers all which are chief Men and Councellors Without this Fort divers free people of several Nations have their residence transported out of Holland and maintain themselves chiefly by Tillage and Planting but they pay for their Priviledge a part of their Harvest to the Governor for the Benefit and Advantage of the Company In the Latitude of four and thirty degrees and forty minutes Eastward of the Needle-Cape lieth another Bay first call'd Flesh-Bay Flesh-Bay by reason of the abundance of Cattel to be had there This Bay wherein lyeth a small Island standing open to all Winds except on the North and at the West-side runs a Brook of fresh Water from the Mountain yielding no small refreshment to Sea-men Eight or ten miles Eastward you arrive at Fish-Bay Fish-Bay so nam'd from its abundance of Fishing Fifteen or twenty miles Eastward hereof in the elevation of four and thirty degrees and thirty minutes you discover Muscle-Bay so call'd by the Dutch Muscle-Bay but by the Portuguese Seno Formoso that is Faire-Bay Next Seno Formoso follow Seno del Lago that is The Bay of the Lake Faire-Bay because the Sea hath wash'd into the Shore in such a manner that it seems to be a great Lake rather than a Bay containing many Islands and Havens and amongst others Ilehos Ctaos Between these are three Capes plac'd in the Maps viz. Cabo de Sante Fransisko Cabo das Sorras and Cabo do Aregito and an Isle call'd The Island of Content Somewhat higher Northerly the River St. Christopher glides along Rio de Santo Christian the Portugnese call it Rio de Sante Christian and the Inhabitants Nagoa in whose Mouth three Islands are seen Next this River appears a Tract of Land by the Portuguese call'd Terra de Natal that is The Land of the Nativity of Christ so call'd from the day of its first discovery The Southermost Countrey of these parts is water'd by three known Rivers besides many other unknown Rivers viz. The Sweet and Salt River and Rio de Jakquelina Just about the foot of Lion-Mountain flows the Sweet River Sweet-Rivers which takes its beginning out of the descent of Table-Mount and runs down very swiftly through not above knee-deep Pigafet will have this River take its Original out of the Lake Gale between the Mountains of the Moon on the West-side and to fall into the Sea by False-Cape whereas the common African Maps place there the River Kamissa To the East beyond Terra de Natal opposite to this little River in the year Sixteen hundred forty and four some few Dutchmen erected a Fort or Bulwark with four Angles for the defence of this fresh water but they never finished it Half a mile Eastward runs the Salt-River so call'd from its plenty of Salt for on a great place of Sand three or four miles upwards by heat and drought so much fine and white Salt continually grows that a Ship might soon be Laden therewith Rio de Jackquelina hath its Original within the Countrey and its Out-let about half a mile Eastward into Table-Bay As to the Air quality of the Soyl Plants Beasts Customs Food Cloathing Arms Language Religion and Worship of this people in general we cannot say much that little we shall speak will have onely relation to the Hottentots lying close to the Cape as the Garouchouquas Goringhuiquas Goringhaiconas Cochoquas or Saldanhans great and little Cariguriquas and Hosaas for of the rest viz. the Vanouquas Cabonas Sonquas Mamaquas Heusaquas Brigoudys Hancumquas hitherto little or no information hath been had other than that in general they agree with those that lie nearest to the Cape The Air about the Cape of Good-Hope is always Serene Air. Clear and Temperate and by consequence very Healthy because neither the Heat parches nor the Cold pierces too much In June and July blow the stiffest and sharpest storms of Wind from the Southerly Points which continue till December mix'd with Mists Snow and Frost so that the waters in June and July are often Frozen the thickness of the back of a Knife The Vale-Winds Wind. or Hurricans blow sometimes so terribly from the Mountains which are commonly cover'd with thick Clouds which hover there and break with that violence as if all above ground would be rent to pieces At this time when the Winds bluster and tear so horribly they make a hollow Sea at the Point which too often proves dangerous for Ships It Rains there in the Winter that is in May or June so extreamly as if it did almost pour down whereby the low grounds are laid under Water yet without any prejudice for after the falling away of the Water the ground appears more fresh and flourishing The Soyl about the Cape is in some places very rich and ferile fit to be Husbanded and to produce all manner of Fruits although other parts be full of Clay Stony Gravelly or Sandy some Trees grow here and there but so hard and knotty as makes them fit onely for Fuel yet the natives report that in the Countrey there grow such Trees that a hundred men may shelter themselves under one of them perhaps the Indian Fig-Tree by Linschot call'd Arbar de Rais. There grow in the Winter Plants especially among the Saldanhars certain little roots which they eat some of them have a taste like Anniseeds others like Jerusalem-Artichokes others as Acorns The Valleys and Plains under lie verdur'd with Grass and sweet Herbs which being boyl'd with fresh Meat make a pleasant Sallet Close by the Fort of Good-Hope on a Mountain call'd The Vineyard the Netherlanders have Planted forty thousand Vine-stocks which all at this day send forth lusty Sprouts and Leaves and bear Grapes in such abundance that sometimes they press Wine of them They have there also Peaches Apricocks
which Seamen pull up and fetch for Fuel and Coloquintida which grows in so great quantities that it cannot be destroy'd There are many Tortoises very good in taste and so big that the Sea-men who touch at this Island for fresh Water are compell'd to hale them Aboard with Ropes They come every night in June and July out of the Sea to the Land when the Inhabitants casting them upon their backs by reason of their weight they cannot turn themselves again The Countrey hath many Rocks but little Water The Goats they kill for their Skins which they send yearly to Portugal in great quantities Their Inhabitants are Blacks who live there very soberly without Recreation fetching their Water in Leather Sacks made of Goats Skins in the Year Sixteen hundred twenty three they were onely nineteen persons eight Men seven Women and four young Girls Ilha de Mayo a Rocky and dry Land with little Grass affords onely some few Figg-trees which by the heat of the Climate and dryness of the Ground never bear any ripe Fruit for though the Figgs have a promising colour yet they are insipid or tastless But Goats or Cabriets or Sheep breed so numerously that above five thousand Skins are carry'd thence yearly They have also some little Horses Asses Oxen and Cows Turkeys and Hens of the bigness of a Pheasant with white and black mix'd and speckled Feathers but all wild and in a manner untameable There are many Salt-Pans which after they have let in the Salt-Water being shut up the heat of the Sun consolidates and brings to a Gray-Salt but 't is a toilsome work to gather it and yet more troublesome to get on Ship-board because the Boats are not without great danger of being swallow'd up by the Whirlpits The Inhabitants are Whites and Blacks usually sent thither from St. Jago In the Year Fifteen hundred and five they were two hundred and five and twenty Whites and Blacks Old and Young Exiles and Slaves but in the Year Sixteen hundred twenty and eight there were onely fifty besides Women The Inhabitants have neither Corn nor Clothing unless brought them from St. Jago but there are many Goats which the Portuguese and Blacks there resident catch up with Dogs partly for the Skins and partly for the Flesh St. Anthonio has many Woods and therein several sorts of Fruits as Oranges Lemons Dates Pomegranates Sugar-Canes Bakovens and Melons One Orchard lieth in this Island of which nothing can be seen from Sea but a high Palm-Tree which the people of the Ships in the Bay of St. Vincent discern plainly and commonly send their Boats to barter Knives and other such small Toys for Fruit with the people who have a Portuguese Governor their number generally about five hundred most of them Blacks who from another Orchard bring the Fruits upon Asses to the Shore side to sell to the Sea-men In the latter end of December they have great ripe Citrons Lemons and Oranges many Bananoes but unripe Potatoes and Melons very large and singular good The Island Goree THe Island Goree lieth in fourteen degrees and fifteen minutes North-Latitude about a Stones throw from the firm Land of Cape de Verd in South South-East about half a Canon shot in length and a Musket shot in breadth This Island hath one little Bay with a Road for Ships from whence the Sea-men go Ashore no other place affording that conveniency neither hath it any Brooks or Rivers of fresh Water but fetch all they use from Cape Verd. In the Year sixteen hundred and seventeen King Biram of Cape Verd gave it to the Netherlanders who in a little time erected a Fort there The Fort SNASSAO ORANGE upon the Island GOEREE Het FORT NASSOU van Binnen met ORANJE op â— EILANT GOEREE INSULAE CANARIAE alias FORTUNATAE dictae In the Year Sixteen hundred sixty three both these Forts together with the whole Island were taken by Captain Holmes so the Royal African English Company but the year following on the four and twentieth of October by Admiral de Ruyter regain'd It was at that time possess'd with about sixty English Souldiers under Sir George Abercromy Chief Governor of the Island all which with convenient Boats for their hire were carry'd to the River Gamboa Then both the Forts together with the whole Island was left possessed with about an hundred and fifty Hollanders Commanded by Johannes Cellarius who presently caus'd the fall'n Batteries to be made up raising the upper Fort with a Breast-Work of three Foot higher and fully repairing the lower The Canary Islands or Islands of the Canaries THe Canary Islands by the consent of most eminent Geographers are held to be the Insulae fortunatae or Fortunate Islands of Ptolomy and Pliny though Ptolomy placeth them not far enough to the North setting the most Northerly part of them but at sixteen degrees North-Latitude whereas they extend to the thirtieth degree and therefore we may suppose that they mistook them for the Islands of Cape Verd last before mention'd Some will that the Canaries receiv'd that name from the Spaniards who attributed to all the proper Denomination of the most Eminent which they call'd Canary from the many Dogs found at the first discovery thereof Can signifying a Dog in Spanish whereas the name of Canary was known a long time before by Pliny and Ptolomy the Moors of Barbary call it Elbard from the Pike-Mountain of Teneriff Ptolomy computes the number of these Islands to six and names them Gramage lib. 9. c. 3. Apropite Here or Autolala Pluitalia Casperia Canaria and Centuria Pliny makes the same number but differences their names thus Ombrio great and small Junonie Capraria Niraria and Canaria There are that make Ombrio and Junonie the same with Porto Santo and Madera Pluitalia for Lancerote Casperia or Capraria for Fuerte-ventura Canaria for the Grand Canary which still holds its name At this day the Canary Islands the Holy Haven and Madera being included are seven and known to all by the same names viz. As the Island of Palma Fierro or Ferro Gomere Teneriff Grand Canary Fuerta-Ventura Lancerota or Lanceroto to which number Purchas adds Lobos Rocha Gravosa Santa Clara Alegranca and Inferno by Sanutus reckon'd in this order Vecchio Marino Sante Clare Rocho Gravosa and Alegoranca Ortelius brings among them one that he calleth Selvaia or Savage the most Northerly of all plac'd in the same rank with that of Alegranca and besides Gravosa and Coro which Thevet calleth the Heart Island But these small Spots are of such little concern that many do not so much as name them These Canary Islands whereof Lasaretto Fuerte-Ventura Grand Canary Situation and Teneriff are the chiefest they have their scituation between six and twenty degrees and thirty minutes and twenty degrees and thirty minutes North-Latitude opposite to Cape Nun in Morocco seventy or eighty Miles from the main-Main-Land of Barbary and nine or ten distant from each other They were for many
Cities near the Atlantick Henry Duke of Viseo yongest Son of Henry the I. encourag'd by this good Success resolved to make this his Business and sparing no Cost invited from Spain and Italy expert persons for his purpose skilful in Navigation and Mathematical Sciences by whose help and diligence in 1420. he found Madera in 28. the Isle * These Names were all given by the Portugees at their first Discovery of the places Porto Sancto in 40. Cape de Verd and in 52. the Coasts of Guinee After this Prince laid open thus a new Way for Discoveries having gotten the honor to be the first that made the Portugees Sea-men being of a great Age he dyed in 1463. after whose death those Seas lay fallow twenty years which King John the Second afresh furrowed then up again and first discovered Angola and Congo St. Georges Isle conducted by Diego Cou in 1486. next year resolving to try further hoping to sayl round Africa and so finde a new Way to the East-Indies and assisted by Bartholomew Diar passing Cape Verd first found the Princes Isle thence steering South-ward reach'd the Great Southern Cape from thence either daunted by cross Windes rough Seas or mutinous Mariners they returned leaving the honor of this Great Enterprize to the fore-mentioned Vasques de Gamma for which imploy'd by Emmanuel King of Portugal after the Discovery of St. Johns Isle and St. Hellens he attempted the same Cape which Diar durst not then first calling it Cabo de Bona Esperanza there being first encouraged with hopes of finding the much desired way to the East-Indies Thence doubling this Great Point they steer'd northward Africk on their * The Left hand or north-side Larboard reaching the Coasts of Quiloa Mozambique Mombara and Melinde contracting an Amity with the Melindian King by whose assistance he found the Port Caliculo in the East-Indies from thence returning with unexpressible Joy and eternal Honor to Lisbon in 1500. The next year after Alvares Capralde with twelve Ships and fifteen hundred men prosecuted the Design but suffering Shipwrack on the Coast of Brazil desisted but the following year the former Vasques and his brother Stephen reassum'd the Undertaking with greater zeal and vigour afterward by Ferdinand Almeida and Alfonso de Albukerque and so from time to time by several of that Nation and last of all by the English and Hollanders By this means the Moderns were exactly informed of the particulars of Africa when the Ancients knew no more than the Limits of the Roman Empire and some parts belonging to Egypt hearing strange Stories of Beasts and Monsters whence arose this Adage Africa semper aliquid apportat novi Strange Monsters Africk always breeds ¶ THe Romans divided this Region into six Provinces The Roman Division first the Sub-Consulship in which were Carthage and Tunis called properly and especially by them Africa Next the Consulship of Numidia wherein was Cyrte now Constantine Bysacena being a part of that proper Africa which contained Adrumetum last the Tripolitan Consulship Tripoly being the Head City and two Mauritania's one Imperial containing Algier and Telesin the other Mauritania Tingitana the Realms of Morocko and Fez and Egypt which they also possess'd and these Inhabitants made no further discovery than what was known before so pinching up Africa that all was comprehended within Barbary excepting Egypt and some fragments of Numidia yet Plinie though a Roman mentions many other Nations as the Murri subdued by Suetonius Paulinus and Garamantes by Balbas the Romans also possessed Cyrenaica which they joyned to Creta Mela bounds Africa with the Nile and so also Dionysius scarce mentioning farther than Mauritania Numidia and Cyrenaica placing Egypt in Asia Strabo so shrinks Africk that he pities their ignorance that made it a third part of the World saying that Africa joyn'd to Europe would not both quadrary with Asia but Ptolomy knowing further did better swelling it to twelve Provinces as the two Mauritania's Numidia Cyrenaica Marmorica the inward and proper Lybia upper and lower Egypt Ethiopia under Egypt inward or south Ethiopia For by his Maps may be plainly seen that what lyes five or six degrees beyond the Equator he knew nothing of saying expresly that 64 degrees under the Southern Elevation were all Terrae Incognitae so the Ancients did not what they should in its Description Marmol p. 1. l. 2. cap. 2. 3. but what they could they contracting its Limits much more than Ptolomy taking Egypt and all betwixt the Nile from Africk conferring it on Asia Leo Africanus their most Eminent Author and curious Searcher of his Native Countrey in 1526. boasted that he had been through all yet makes no more than four Provinces as Barbarie Numidia or Biledulgerid Lybia and Negro-land giving Nile for its bounds not the Arabian Gulf with the Streights of Sues to the Mid-land Sea so bestowing a great part of Egypt upon Asia Eastward and as Marmol says not once mentioning upper Ethiopia or Abyssine nor the nether nor many other places discovered by the Portugues since besides all that is now called New Africa extending from the sixteenth degree of Northern Latitude to the Great Southern Cape discovered by Vasques de Gamma ¶ THe most apt and usual Division of Africk Africa as now divided with the unanimous consent of late Geographers is as we shall here in a short Survey present ye The Main Land not reckoning the Isles they divide into * Provinces seven Parts Egypt Barbarie Biledulgerid the Desart Sarra Negro-land Inner or Upper Ethiopia or Prester John and the Outward or Nether Ethiopia Egypt is divided into the Upper Middle or Lower Barbarie makes six Divisions as the Kingdoms of Fez Marocco Tunis Tremesa and Dara and Barka onely not Monarchical Biledulgerid contains three Realms Targa Bardoa and Gaoga The Land of Locusts and four Wildernesses Lempta Haire Zuenziga and Zanbaga the Desart Sarra makes no Division Negro-land boasts nineteen Kingdoms Gualate Hoden Genocha Zenega Tombuti Melli Bittonnin Guinee Temian Dauma Cano Cassena Bennin Zanfara Guangara Borno Nubia Biafra and Medra Upper Ethiopia makes also nineteen Dafela Barnagasso Dangali Dobas Which seven Regions contain in all fifty Kingdoms and but one Re-publick Trigemahon Ambiaucantiva Vangue Bagamadiri Beleguance Angote Balli Fatigar Olabi Baru Gemen Fungi Tirut Esabella and Malemba Nether Ethiopia contains Congo Monomotapa Zanciber and Ajan The Isles belonging to Africa in the Straights are Malta opposing Tripoli Islands belonging to Africa in number twenty four in the Ocean Porto Sancto the Maderas Canaries the Isles of Cape de Verd or the salt-Salt-Islands the Isles of Ferdinando Poo the Princes Island St. Thomas St. Matthews Ascension Anbon St. Helens the Isle of Martin Var Tristan de Cunha the Island Dos Pikos St. Marie de Augosta and the Trinity all which lye west from the Main Land Northward from the Cape of Good Hope and towards the East of Africk are the Isles of Elizabeth
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
City are many old Buildings and some Ruines signs of its former Greatness and about half a mile distant from it a Triumphal-Arch built after the Roman fashion From the City they go to the River by steps cut out in a Rock within which is a Vault whose Roof Columns and Floor are all of the same Piece Not far off rises a Fountain of warm Water a little Eastward of which by a little Rill of fresh Water is a Structure of Marble garnished with Carved Images which the Common People imagine to have been an Academy and that the Master and Scholars for their wickedness were metamorphos'd into those Statues Sanutus placeth the City Chollo Kollo formerly call'd Kullu and now by some Alkol by others Kol and Kollo near Constantine being built by the Romans at the edge of the Mediterrane-Sea adjoyning to a high Mountain but open and without Walls It hath a Castle founded upon a Rock with a convenient Road for Ships formerly much frequented by Genouese and French Merchants Sukaicada Sukaicada about thirty miles from Constantine hath also a Haven full of Trading and a Street-way running from it a mile and a half in Length Five or six miles from Constantine The Village Estore not far from the Cape of Gigeri lieth the Village Estore famous for its Antiquity and a small but convenient Haven ¶ THe Mountains are many The Mountains of Constantine covering the whole Coast from the North to the West and so to the East beginning at the Mountains of Bugie and reaching alone the Mediterranean-Sea about thirty miles from whence arise many Fountains and Rivers that taking their Course through the Plains by their fertilizing Streams greatly enrich the Places through which they pass Here also appear scatter'd up and down many Ruines of Streets and Castles built by the Romans ¶ THe Land about Constantine is bountiful to the Countreyman rendring to his labour a thirty-fold return nor are the Mountains much behind yielding good Corn besides plenty of Olives Figs and other Fruits yet nevertheless through the insolency of the Arabians are but thinly inhabited In the beforemention'd warm Bath there is abundance of Snails with shells which the silly Women cried out upon for Evil Spirits and Devils attributing to them the cause not onely of all Diseases but other evil Occurrents As a remedy of all mishaps coming by them they use to kill a white Hen and thrust it with their feet into a Dish so bringing it with a Wax-Candle to the Bath and leaving it which is soon conveigh'd away and eaten I hope you will not think by the Snails ¶ THe Inhabitants of the City Constantine are rich proud and clownish but withall couragious those of Kollo friendly and courteous great Traders and Lovers of Arts and Sciences The Mountaineers are much Civiler here than in Bugie but ignorant in all parts of Literature however they learn and use many Handicraft Trades and without doubt would much improve themselves if they would leave off those continual Wars they manage among themselves about their Wives which often run over from one Mountain to another to get change of Men. By this means generally the Men are Souldiers so that they can bring into the Field forty thousand Men of the which perhaps four thousand Horse The Citizens of Constantine Kollo and Gigeri yea and the Alarbs come to their Weekly Markets to whom without exception they equally sell what Fruits or other Commodities they have ¶ THe whole Government is Commanded by a Provincial Lieutenant It s Government Residing in Constantine Heretofore they had Kings of their own but in the Year Fourteen hundred and twenty becoming subject to Tunis the Kings thereof bestowed it as a Principality on their eldest Sons but at last in the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty after Cheredine Barbarossa had taken Kollo those of Constantine weary of the Trunsian yoke voluntarily yielded themselves up into the hands of Barbarossa since which they have remained free from Tunis BONA PLiny and Ptolomy call'd this Countrey The Royal Hippon Its Borders for distinction from Diarrython Hippon but the Inhabitants in the Moorish Tongue name it Bederna now a Member of Algier though heretofore computed under Constantine It lies encompassed with Mountains on the West and South and which reach about twenty miles that is from Bona to Begge and in breadth eight miles ¶ THe City Bona famous for having been the Episcopal See of St. Augustine The City Bona. is said to be built by the Romans upon sharp and very high Cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea having both within and without many Wells and Springs Sanutus and John Leo say that Bona lieth at present waste and depopulate and another City call'd Beldelhuneb or Beledel Ugneb built out of its Ruines whereas yet Marmol a Writer worthy of belief averrs that the City which the Europeans call Bona got the Name of Beledel Ugneb from the Moors so making them both one as indeed they are The compass thereof is small and the Streets very narrow so that it hath kept nothing of the former Beauty and antient Glory which it boasted of in the time of the Antient Father St. Augustine having been several times destroy'd by the Moors and Saracens particularly in Four hundred and Forty the very year wherein St. Augustine died A small Quarter of a Mile Southwards from the City lieth a remarkable Plain where yet are to be seen the Marks and Monuments of the Monastery and Cloyster which that Father caus'd there to be built which by the Foundation may be judg'd to have contain'd about an hundred Paces in Length and thirty in Breadth Near the Ruines of this Structure is a very fair and large Fountain which the Moors of this place do to this day call Saint Augustines Well Eastward of Bona lieth a handsome Cittadel built by the King of Tunis wherein the Governor keeps his Residence it is strongly fortifi'd and well provided with great Cannon and other Ammunition as well for fetching the Revenue from the Alarbs as to keep the Countrey in awe The usual Garrison two hundred Janizaries Mele or Mile Mele. formerly Tenare stands also near the Sea yielding Obedience at present to the Algerines but before subject to Constantine from which distant three miles The Walls are old and ruinous the Houses sometime three thousand now very few and those thinly inhabited yet the great Conduit in the very heart of the place is no little advantage to such as dwell there Tabarka Tabarka seated on the Sea-Coast and famous onely for the Coral-fishery close by it opposite thereto lies an Island of the same Name between which and the main Land is the distance of a mile and half ¶ THe Soyl of this Territory well deserves the Attribute of Bona The Soil of the Country Good abounding with fresh Valleys rich in Grain and delightful in the shadow of Jujuben-Trees whose Fruit the Inhabitants gather in
harrasing he erected this onely for a convenient Retreat for the Army and a Repository for his Booty for the security whereof he environ'd it with impregnable Walls Within he erected a stately Mosque supported with Marble Pillars two of which were of an unvaluable worth being of a red Colour and glistering intermixt with small white Spots like Porphiry but notwithstanding this Strength and Beauty yet is it destitute of water being scituate on a dry and sandy Plain Tobulte or Tabulta Tobulte according to Bertius and by some taken for Adrimentum boasts it self a Roman Foundation standing on the edge of the Midland-Sea three miles Eastward of Monaster One Elugleb being chief Magistrate there by the consent of the Inhabitants erected another goodly Pile of Buildings which they nam'd Recheda adjoyning to it for a Palace for the Prince and his Retinue both which in the Civil Wars of Barbary were greatly defac'd and never since recover'd their former Lustre Arfachus Arfachus otherwise Esfakos or according to Marmol Elfachus thought by some to be Rhuspe of Ptolomy and by others Tafrute built by the Moors at the Mediterranean-Sea heretofore handsomely Wall'd and very Populous but now can shew not above four hundred mean Houses ¶ THe Sandy-Plain about Kayravan bears neither Trees The Constitution of the Countrey Corn nor Fruit so that all Necessaries are fetcht by them from other places They have no Wells nor any Springs onely Rain-water which with great diligence they preserve Nor is that of sufficiency for that also after the going out of June fails them so that they are reduc'd to great extremity About Arfachus and Tobulte there grows some Barley and Olives but the greatest part of the Land lies waste because of the Arabians pillaging ¶ THe Inhabitants of Kayravan are generally Skinners and Tanners The Nature of the Inhabitants which send their Leather to Biledulgerid and there barter and exchange it for European Cloth ¶ KAyravan is eminent for the Residence of a Mahumetan Pope Their Religion or Worship or High Priest of great esteem among them for his Sanctity and strict Observance of the Alcoran The Arabians ascribe to this place extraordinary Veneration for that their Kasiz or Priests continually here exercise their Priestly Functions maintaining that the Dead there buried cannot be damn'd because they participate so constantly of the Prayers of the Kasiz and Pope and this Belief has so far prevail'd that many great persons coming thither out of Reverence pull off their Shoes when they enter into the City as if it were a Mosque and build there Mesquites which they endow with great Revenues believing by such meritorious Works they shall go directly to their Paradice THE ISLAND OF TABARKA AND GALITA ABout six Miles from the Cape of Maskarez lieth the Island Tabarka Peter Davity Estats du Turkin Africa severed from the main Land by a Foordable Passage a Musquet Shot broad Now possessed by the French who have built there a Fort furnished with all Necessaries of War and a Garrison of Two hundred Souldiers as a Conveniency for defence and support of the Trade which they drive there with great advantage Transporting thence Hides Grain Wax and other Merchandise yet are obliged or rather compelled for that Licence to pay to the Bashaw of Tunis Four thousand Crowns and to the Bashaw of Algier Two thousand and yet for all this there is a Band of Janizaries always thereabouts to supervise their Actions and give a Check to them if they suspect any incroachment Here the French get Coral as we mentioned before Opposite to this but two Miles distant you may see the Island Galita or Galata TRIPOLIS TRipolis a Member of the Turkish Empire bears at this day the Title of a Kingdom not so much for the Largeness of its Extent or that it had peculiar Lords as that having a Bashaw from Constantinople it is nam'd out of ostentation to encrease the swelling bulk of those Titles which makes that Empire seem so Gigantick But be it one or other now it is so reckoned and containeth the Territories of Tripolis Essab Mezellata Mesrata The Partition or Cyrenaica and Barka with some Islands extending The Borders according to Peter Dan's Account Eastward along the Sea-Coast of the Island Zerby or Gerby to Egypt and Southerly to the Negroes Countrey ¶ THis City and State hath from the beginning had Lords of greatest eminency Tripoli under the Romans as first the Romans to whom it did Homage and Fealty when they were Masters of Africa but as their Strength and Glory declined shrowded themselves under the Protection of the Kings of Morocco Fez and Tunis which have possessed it by right of Birth But when the Inhabitants saw themselves oppressed by the Tyranny of Mukamur Under the Moors Son of Hesen King of Tunis they threw this yoke off their Necks first by a general Revolt then expelling the King's Lieutenant and all other his Officers and at last electing from among themselves one whom they made their Ruler or Magistrate putting all the Revenue and Support of the State into his hands In the beginning this new Lord rul'd with all gentleness but afterwards degenerating into all kinds of Tyranny his Brother in Law revenged the Cause of the City by killing him Freed from this Viper of their own breeding they impowered a Courtier of Prince Abubacer who had been a Recluse or Hermit who held the Command a few moneths till Ferdinand Vanquished by Ferdinand King of Arragon and Castile sent Don Pedro de Navarre thither with an Army who surprizing the City made all the Inhabitants Slaves and brought them away together with their Governor and his Son whom he sent first to Messina from thence to Palermo where the Emperor Charles the Fifth set him at liberty dismissing him home to Tripoli which the Christians as we said had dismantled and made untenable in all parts except the Castle which they fortifi'd with a brave Wall whereon they Planted divers great Cannon The young Prince being come to Tripoli re-peopled it in the name and on the behalf of the Emperor Charles but in the Year Fifteen hundred thirty and three together with Tunis Byserta Susa Monaster and the Island of Zerby was re-gained by Barberossa Re-gained by Barberossa who was scarcely warm in it before the Emperor Charles re-assaulted and took it By the Empetor Charles forthwith making a Present of it to the Knights of Malta who possessed it till the Year 1551. when under the Reign of Solyman the Magnificent Sinan Bashaw came and Besieged Tripoli to whom after a short time it was delivered upon honourable Articles It was brought under the Turks among which one was That the Garrison should march out with Bag and Baggage and be provided of convenient Shipping to Malta by Sinan but contrary to the Conditions most of them were plundered of their Goods two hundred of the Moors
unsafe Road not onely lying open to the Sea-winds but full of blind Rocks and shifting Sands and a sprinkling of small Isles like Warts upon the Sea Beyond this Southward The Islands of Arguin opens another Bay in which are the Isles of Arguin and the Seven Cliffs which had once peculiar Names but now call'd onely Arguins from a Fort built on the chiefest of them by Alphonso first King of Portugal Its Names Anno 1441. But these were their former Names The White Island that the Portugals call Blanca because of the white Sands The Island of Skins by the In habitants call'd Adeger lying about two miles from the main Land Ilheo or Little Island otherwise call'd The Island de Las Garcas or Crane Isle not far from the main Land Nar and Tider two more near the Coast and lastly Arguin which now gives the denomination to all the rest long since possessed and fortifi'd by the Portugals Castle of Arguin whose Fort lies on a commanding Point strong built all of Stone four hundred and five and twenty Foot in circuit defended on the Land-side with a Wall or Out-work of eleven Foot thick and four and twenty high It hath also three Batetries two towards the Land and one to the Sea This Fort hath more than ordinary accommodation sixteen handsom Rooms of State and Address with their Apartments a large Kitchin good Cellars and other Offices and close by accommodated with a Fountain of fresh Water But in Sixteen hundred thirty and three on the nine and twentieth of January onely with three Ships of the Netherland West-India Company though so defensive the Portugals surprized with a pannick fear delivered it up to the Hollanders The Main Land Coasting this Bay is dry and barren but about five miles there are some Shrub and Heathy Grounds from whence those of Arguin fetch their Fewel Formerly there dwelt upon this Isle some Moors call'd Sebek-Moors who liv'd by Fishing and some Trade giving the fifth part of their Gain to the Castle Also the French Fisher-men yearly in December January and February using large Nets above fourscore Fathom long Fish up and down this Bay for Grampos's which they cut up at Land and dry in the Sun making Train-Oyl of them And also hereabouts the Portugals drive a notable Trade with the wild Arabs and the Whites bartering their Woollen and Linnen Cloth Silver course Tapestry but most of all Corn for Blacks Gold and Ostrich-Plumes They bring thither also Horses which yielded them a dozen or fifteen Slaves Under the Desart of Zannaga is also contained The Wild of Azoat The Desart of Azoat so call'd because of the general dryness and infertility reaching from the Pool of Azoat to that of Azoan near thirty miles distance from Tombut Here are to be seen two Stone Monuments with Inscriptions upon them signifying who were there Interr'd and the cause of their lying there which was thus One of them a wealthy Merchant travelling through those Defarts over-power'd by invincible Necessity suffering strangely by Thirst met by chance with a poor Carrier who had not yet spent all his Water though under the same calamity with whom he contracted at no less Rate than ten thousand Ducats which he laid down upon the Spot for the Moiety thereof but so it happened that neither of them had any great purchase for the Water being divided was soon exhausted and proved not sufficient to save either so that languishing with extream drought they both lost their lives and were there Interr'd The Desart of Zenega inhabited by the People Zanaga's is wondrous hot and hath little or no Water but what is bitter and brackish and those Pits or Wells are at least twenty miles one from another But the Wild of Zenega is destitute of all Water seldom or never raining there having but one Pit in all the way of thirty miles This Soyl is all Sandy and utterly unfruitful being a vast Plain so flat and level that the Traveller hath no mark to find his way or know where he is but is forced to steer his Coast by the Sun and Trade-Winds which blow always Easterly and other little knowledges they gather by former Prints from the Claws of Fowl as Crows Ravens and such like which always wait upon the Caravans as on great Armies expecting Prey for none ever travel through this Desart but with great Company This Countrey produces a kind of Grain like Wheat Plants or Vegetables which grows of its own accord without Sowing But those near the Banks of the River Zenega reap Barley not wanting Dates having also good store of Camels Goats and other Cattel The Inhabitants of these Desarts are Breberians Ludays Duleyns and Zenega's or Zanaga's by Sanutus call'd Azaneghes and some Arabs Sanutus who live upon others sweat and labour stealing their Cattel which they convey to Dara and elsewhere there bartering them for Dates Sometimes the Arabians of Beni-Anir pillage this Countrey between Nun and the City Tagaost Tegaza THe Desart of Tegaza so call'd from the chief Town Tegaza The Desart of Tegaza which hath also this denomination from the great quantity of Salt which is brought thither and from thence convey'd through this Wild to other Countreys This populous Dominion Borders Eastward on Zanaga's This Countrey though well inhabited is vexed in Summer with a dangerous South-Wind whose scorching blast strikes many blind and it hath also great scarcity of fresh Water Here are many Pits of pure white Salt round about which the Salt-boylers The Salt Pits being Strangers pitch their Huts and Tents and their business being done return with the Caravan to Tombut and there sell that Commodity being there very dear Those of Dara also send their Tivar Gold to Tombut The Gold of Tioar dispersing it from thence to Taragbel and Morocco Zuenziga THe Desart of Zuenziga Zuenziga beginning Westward on the Borders of Tegaza reaches Eastward to the Wilds of Haya Northerly confin'd with the Desart of Sugulmesse Tebelbelt and Beni-horai on the South with the Wilderness of Ghor lying near the Kingdom of Huber belonging to Negro-Land The Desart of Gogden is compris'd under that of Zuenziga The Inhabitants of the Desart of Zuenziga are call'd Guaneziries and Zuenziga's The Merchants which travel out of these Parts and from Tremecen to the City Tombut and the Kingdom of Isa must cross this Desart and that of Gogden This Zuenzigan Wild is much dryer and worse to be travell'd through than Zanaga very many being often choak'd for want of Water And that of Gogden hath in nine days Journey no Water except what falls from Heaven in sudden showers and onely in one place where Lading their Camels every one supplies his own private store There grow also many Dates in the Desart of Zuenziga on these Borders of Numidia ¶ AMongst the Inhabitants of this Countrey there are also Arabs call'd Hemrum The Inhabitants who take Tribute of Sugulmesse for
or Boura Rio de Campo Rio Sante Benito and Rio Danger five miles from thence is a great Bay or Haven from which six miles Southward lieth a prominent Point call'd St. Johns Cape Fronted with a Ledge of Rocks About three or four miles Southward of St. Johns Cape lies the Island near the Main Land call'd Ilhas des Korisko that is The Island of Lightning Fifteen miles more Southerly under the Equinoctial Line runs the River Gabon or Gaba as Linschot calls it and not far off Point Santa Clare and eight miles Southward the Cape of Lopes Gonzalvez in six and forty Minutes of South Latitude Lastly the River Olibatta with the Cape of St. Katharine and Ferdinando Vaz Peter Davity Rotiere Jarrik Samuel Bruno Linschoten and other Geographers Limit this Coast of Guinee in this manner From the River Zenega to Cape Verde the East reaches with its Creeks about four and twenty miles Near to the Cape Verde and the Kingdom of Jalofs Rio de Barbazin falls into the Sea adjacent to which are the Barbasins or Berbisins Countreys and the Kingdoms of Ale and Brokallo the last of which lieth by the River Gambea fifteen miles from Cape Verde about which Kadamust and Sanutus place the small Kingdoms of Gambea and Mandinga and Southward of these appears Cape St. Mary from whence to the River Sant Domingo it is reckoned seventeen miles All which places are inhabited by two sorts of People call'd Arriareos and Faluppo's through whose Countrey the River Kaza Manca takes its course till mingling with the Sea having on its Northerly Shore the People Iahundas on the Southerly the Benhuns and in the East the Boramo's Before the Mouth of Rio Sante Domingo lie the small inhabited Islands call'd Byagosar and Bysegos Between these Islands flows Rio Grande or The Great River on the North-side lieth the Kingdom of Guinala whence you go directly to the Haven of Bigubia or Santa Cruix where the Portugals have a Fort All the Territory is inhabited by Negro's call'd Beafers Upon a separate Branch of Rio Grande by the Haven of Bolola live a People which the Portugals call Tangos-Maos or Lancados From the Southerly Point of Rio Grande to the Cape Virgen the Mallus or Malluces Vagai and Korolines inhabit and here begins the Countrey of Serre Lions wherein is Cabo Ledo and Rio Das Gamboas with three Islands call'd De Bravas and the Cape of St. Anne lying in seven Degrees North Latitude From Cabo Ledo to Cape St. Anne is about ten miles after which follows the River Das Palmes and somewhat farther Rio das Gallinas Hen-River From Serre-Lions to this place it is forty miles From hence to Cape de Monte eighteen and from that to Cape Mesurado sixteen and within two miles thereof Mata St. Mary where the Grain-Coast doth begin From Mata St. Mary to the River St. Paul are six miles where the Mountains of the same Name very high and craggy stretch themselves six or seven miles along the Coast From Rio de St. Paulo to Rio Junk are six and from that to Rio Cestos two miles whereto neighbors the Kingdom of Bitonin a Member and Subject to that of Melli. Opposite to these appears the little Island of Palmes close by which are Ilhas Blancos the two white Isles from which to Cabo Formoso is commonly reckon'd five miles Then going forward you arrive at the Cape de Baixas where Rio dos Genueveses and St. Vincents Stream flow into the Sea next which lieth Rio dos Escalvos that is The River of Slaves close by St. Vincents Cape Then Cabo dos Palmas in four Degrees of North Latitude and twelve miles from the Cape of Clement Next we come to the Rivers of Maio Sueryo de Costa Rio Bobra or Cobra and Mancum upon this last stands Fort Agem or Axiem near Akombene Ville at whose side lies the Cape of tres Puntas in North Latitude of four Degrees and a half The Ivory Coast reaches from Cabo de Palmas to the Cape tres Puntas where the Gold Coast begins comprehending many Kingdoms and extending to Rio Volta wherein first appears Anten a place rich in Merchandise Next Jabbe Chama formerly a Castle of the Portugals then the Village Agitaki by others call'd Little Commendo and not far off the Castle of St. George de Mine built by the Portugals as upon the Point of Cape de Curso the Hollanders have erected Nassau Fort in honour of the worthy Family of Aurange so famously Instrumental in raising them from the meanest degree of Distress to make them capable of assuming the High and Mighty Titles they now use Not far from thence lies Moree or Morre the chiefest place of Trade in the whole Kingdom of Sabou then comes the great and famous Fort of Kormentine or Karmandin with the places and Kingdoms thereunto belonging viz. First Biamba then Berku next Akara or Akkra the Principal Town of the Kingdom of that Name having in the North the Kingdom of Akanie whose Inhabitants go to trade for Gold with other Blacks far up into the In-land Rio Lagos comes next in order beyond which to Landward lies the Kingdom of Dauma from Rio Lagos to that of Benin is about twenty and five miles and thence to Cape Formoso as much Afterwards in five Degrees North Latitude you come to the Royal River vulgarly Rio Reeal from whence to Rio dos Kamarones is thirty miles near neighbor to which is plac'd the Territory of Ambosine whereon abuts the Kingdom of Capons that reacheth far into the South and lies one Degree and a half in South Latitude then the Coast shooteth from the East to the South to the River Angra From which to the Stream of Gabon or Gaba lying at the Equinoctial Line are nine miles From the River Gabon to the Cape of Lopez Gonzalvez lying one Degree Southward of the Equinoctial is about five miles and a little Southerly Rio de Pero Diaz or Poeradia wherein breed Sea-Horses and Crocodiles and lastly Rio de Ferdinando Vaz In short the Coast of Guiny as Peter Davity holds reacheth to the Cape of St. Katharine and from thence to two Degrees and a half South Latitude to the Borders of the Kingdom of Lovango Thus having in brief run over the Coast of Negro-Land we shall hereafter describe at large the Kingdoms Countreys and Places lying more into the Land THE KINGDOM OF ZENEGA OR COUNTREY OF JALOFS Together with the Dominions belonging to it of CAYOR BAOOL IVALA ALE c. MArmol names this Countrey Gelofe and the Inhabitants thereof Gelofs Lib. 9. Jarric l. 5. c. 44. Marmol 9. Borders of the Kingdom of Zenega but others call it The Kingdom of Zenega By which Name in the common Maps or Charts it is set down This Kingdom reaching far into the Main-Land and bordering to the North on Guinee lieth between the two Arms of the River Niger the one call'd Zenega the other Gambea but by Ptolomy Darade and Stachiris It bordereth Eastward on the
and by the receiving of many other Streams becomes full of water and gliding also easier by reason of the breadth to the great ease of all Vessels that go up against the Stream By the Village Tinga the River is fordable but none dare venture to wade through it but the Blacks for fear of the Crocodiles however on both its Shores are many Villages and within its bosome divers small Islands Twelve miles upwards of Tondebu half a mile above the Creek Jayre on the left hand lies a little Island betwixt the which and the main Land the Stream is no broader than a Musquet-shot shallow and runs in many Meanders but higher on the left side is four or five fathom deep About two miles about Mansibaer lies another Island that so straightens the passage that without great trouble they cannot go through it Not far from Nabare half way between the Mouth of the River and the Gold place of Cantor or Reskate lieth Elephant-Island so call'd for the great number of Elephants which breed there ¶ THe Air in this Countrey is continually hot The Air. though with some little variation from the beginning of June till the end of September in which time it rains every day at Noon and at Night from the East and South-East continual Lightnings and Thunder But the greatest Rains falls from May till the beginning of August which causes the Rivers to swell and overflow their Banks and that proves a very unhealthful time for the first Rains falling upon the naked people cause blotches and spots and on the Clothes of the Whites it breeds Worms but after a little time that inconvenience vanishes ¶ ALl along the Banks of Gambea and about Cassan Vegetables or Plants Tobacco grows plentifully which the Portugals fetch with Sloops both green and dried without making up in Rolls Cotton also with Mille Rice Lemons Oranges Apples and Ananasses but not in such abundance as some have written On the Sea-Coast are Trees above seventeen Paces in compass and not twenty in height whereas further into the Countrey they are tall and slender ¶ BEasts fit for labour and service breeding here are Camels The Beasts small Horses and Asses But they have besides many Cows and Oxen as appears by their Hides yearly brought into Europe as also Goats Sheep Deer red and fallow with divers others besides the Wilde Beasts found in the Wildernesses viz. Lyons Tygers Baboons Otters Elephants and the like This plenty of Cattel makes Provision in those places so cheap that about Gambea you may buy a Beast of three or four hundred weight for a Bar of Iron although at Cape de Verde they pay four or five Bars for the like ¶ THe people heretofore were savage and cruel but since they have in some sort by the Converse of Christian Merchants received some notions of Religion they are become tractable and courteous The Kings as we said keep a Majestick Port according to their manner of State seldom appearing in publick to their Subjects They are all great lovers of Brandy and will drink thereof even to excess Their propensity to Brandy And if any Forreigner Merchant or other desires Audience of the King he can by no means sooner effect it than by presenting him with a Bottel of Brandy The King of Great Cassan call'd Magro who spoke the Portugal Tongue The King of Cassan a great Sorcerer yet could not be won to Christianity was well skill'd in Necromantick Arts whereof one Block in a Journal of his Travels gives a particular account We will onely instance in one or two of his prestigious actions He commonly wore as many inchanted Chains without trouble as would have over-loaden a strong Man One time to shew his Art he caused a strong Wind to blow but confined it onely to designed limits so that the next adjoyning places were not sensible of any violent motion Another time desiring to be resolved of some questioned particular after his Charms a smoke and flame arose out of the Earth by which he gathered the answer to his demand ¶ MOst of the Wealth of the Inhabitants consists in Slaves Their Riches though some have Gold for among them are few Artificers and those that are onely Weavers and Smiths Artificers who are ill provided of Tools for their Work yet make shift therewith The Smiths make short Swords and knowing how to harden the Iron form the Heads of their Assagay's or Lances Darts or Arrows and all sorts of Instruments with which they Dig the Earth Their Bellows are a thick Reed or hollow piece of Wood in which is put a Stick wound about with Feathers which by the moving of the Stick makes the Wind. The Iron which they Forge is brought over out of Europe thither in Bars in Pieces of eight or ten Inches long and are exchanged with great gain in barter for their In-land Commodities The Weavers make Cloathes of Cotton which by the Merchants are carried to Serre-Lions Serbore and the Gold-Coast and there barter'd for Ivory red Wood and Gold These Cloathes because made also about Cape Verde are call'd Cape de Verde Cloathes being of three sorts the best and chiefest call'd Panossakes are two Ells and a half long and an Ell and a half broad whitened upon the Ground and with Lists commonly of eight Bands sew'd together the second Bontans two Ells long and an Ell and a half broad very neatly Strip'd having six Lifts sew'd together but the third sort named Berfoel are great Cloathes made with blue Stripes all which are commonly bought for Iron that is one Panossakes for one Bar of Iron three Bontans for two Bars and two great Barfoel Cloathes for one Bar. ¶ EVery one Their Tillage be he Spiritual or Temporal old or young must Till his own Ground if he intends to eat the King onely and some chief Nobles and antient decrepid people excepted for the doing whereof they use no Ploughs but dig the Earth with a kind of Mattocks in the time of their Rain because then the Ground is softened ¶ THeir Food is Mille Their Food Shell-Fruit Milk and some Flesh They Bake no Bread but boyl it as we in these Countreys do Puddings which they eat hot Their Drink is Palmito-Wine and for want of that Water but the Priests with their whole Families drink no sort of strong Drink but only Water ¶ THe Houses Their Houses like those in Zenega are onely round Huts with Walls of Reed Lime and Earth covered with Canes and environ'd with a Pallisado or Hedge of Canes ¶ THe Habit of this People Cloathes Sanutu◠as well Men as Women is onely a Shirt that reaches down to their Knees with long wide Sleeves a pair of Cotton Breeches and little white Hats with a Plume of Feathers in the middle The Maidens cut and prick their Breasts Thumbs Arms and Necks with Needles in fashion of Embroidery and burn in these marks that they
than from the Cape of Serre-Lions to the Cape of Lopez Gonsalvez lying about one Degree and a half South Latitude But some yet restrain it more shutting it up between which they include the before-mentioned Cape of Serre-Lions and the River of Benin GVINEA Some Geographers have attributed to Guine the Title of a peculiar Kingdom making it begin at the Gram-Coast and the River of Benin but this cannot be considering the great numbers of several Kingdoms lying between them Again others oppose that making all along upon the Sea-Coast in every eight miles a particular Territory and People to each of whom they set a peculiar King but he forsooth is no better than a Provincial The greatest part of Guine which indeed lies all upon the Sea-Coast Guine is divided into several Coasts has several Names given to it according to the various Commodities they most abound with Some divide it into six or seven Parts others into five but the best and most known Partition is into the Guinee-Coast Ivory-Coast Quaqua-Coast and Gold-Coast The Grain-Coast so call'd from Manigetta or Grain of Paradise Grain-Coast abundantly there to be had taketh beginning from Cabo de Baixos and runs two miles beyond the Palmito Gardine or Cabo de Palmas although some would have it to commence at Serre-Lions Ivory-Coast by others call'd Bad People that is Villanous Vooth-Coast beginneth near the Town Gruwa two miles Eastward of Palmito and ends at Cape de Lahoe containing a Space of fifty miles From whence to Cabo des tres Puntas or Cape Triangle they reckon Quaqua-Coast so call'd from the Cotton Cloathes which are there Traded for Quaqua-Coast but the vulgar acceptation of Quaqua takes original from the Call wherewith the Inhabitants when they come near with their Skiffs to the Merchants Ships as a token and sign of salutation and welcom cry always Quaqua For the Gold-Coast we need not seek for the reason of the Name Gold-Coast because it speaks it self 't is a large spot of Ground extending in length fifty miles from Cape Triangle to Acre though some would stretch it to Rio Volla and others yet farther even to Rio Jagos and Rio de Benni Whence this Name Guine had the first original all Geographers differ The original of the Name Guine but the greatest probability seems to bring it from the Portuguese who being the first Discoverers and finding it to lie even with the before-described Kingdom of Guine or Geneva near the River Niger gave it the same Denomination with its Neighbor In the Description of this Countrey we shall onely set down some of the chiefest and which for the variety of Plants Beasts and Customs of the Inhabitants bear some remarkable difference from others and particularly begin with that of Bolm The TERRITORY of BOLM CILM and QUILLIGA THis Countrey whose Inhabitants are call'd in their Mother-Tongue The Countrey of Bolm Bolm-Monou lies by the Sea-Coast near the River Selbore taking Name from the Prince being very low and watery from whence denominated Bolm Fourteen or fifteen miles up the River on the Left-hand appears the Village Baga Baga where the Prince resides and keeps his Court Ten or eleven miles to the South-East you come to the Province of Cilm The Countrey of Cilm whose Inhabitants are named Cilm Monou Here are seated on the Banks of the River divers good Towns with the City Quanamora containing about five thousand Families The River Selbore or Rio des Palmas the chief of this Region lying in eight Degrees North Latitude towards the Mouth divides into two Branches one running to the Westward the Inhabitants name Torro the other passing to the South the Portugals call Rio de Sante Anna. Torro twice or thrice a year hath little Water and by reason of several Islands can onely be passed with Ketches of eighteen or twenty Last and other small Passage-Boats This River with its Branches produces many amphibious Creatures In the Mouth of it lieth a great Island so made by the two fore-named Arms which from their embraces thereof on each side suddenly fall into the Sea The Island with its Point call'd Sante Anne appearing very pleasant by reason of its shady Groves the Portugals in their Sea-Cards call'd Ferula or Farillons but 't is better known to People by the Title Massokoy according to the Name of the Prince whom the King of Cabo Monte or Quoia hath made his Vice-Roy Before this Island lieth a great Shelf denominated Baxos de Sante Anne and round about it several dangerous Rocks ¶ THe Inhabitants are Blacks of the Town Quanamora The kind of Inhabitants a wicked and faithless people under pretence of Trade coming under the Ships will endeavor to sink them The Land hath Nature for a kind Mother The fruitfulness of the Countrey bearing without or at least with very little Tillage abundance of excellent Rice and other Grain besides Hens Banames Injames Potatoes Bakovers Ananasses and such like by reason of which Fertility many people flock thither to inhabit especially near the River The English have by this River in the Village Bago Their Trade many Tents wherein at certain Seasons they reside for their conveniency of dealing for Red-Wood whereof they purchase and acquire very great parcels and for that very purpose have planted several Families in the circumjacent Villages The Inhabitants of Farrillons and Massakoye Their Customs are affable and courteous behaving themselves in a very orderly manner beyond the ordinary Barbarism of the Blacks and wear a Cotton Coat down to the knees by whose example their Neighbors do the like By St. Annes Rocks Pearl-catching Pearles and Scollop-shells are taken but the Sea is so over-run with devouring Fishes that few dare adventure the catching of them Their Religion Their Religion if any is down-right Paganisme yet use they Circumcision like the Jews and Turks of which their Ignorance is not able to give any reason Having thus travell'd through Bolm and Cilm you go to Quilliga lying by Rio de Galinas The Countrey Quilliga or Hen-River thirty or two and thirty miles upward of which appears Carradobo The River of Hens whose Inhabitants are call'd Carradabo Monou as those of the former Quilliga Monou All this spreads East and by South lying very low but full of Trees having the benefits of several Rivers that water their Plains The first lying twelve miles from Rio das Palmas the Inhabitants call Maqualbary and the Portugals Galinas by reason of the great number of Hens thereabouts bred and takes its Original out of the Region of Hondo The people living on the Shore of this River speak a particular Language that seems harsh and unpleasant but when they go to Quoya Their Language or Cabo Monte to traffick they express their meanings significantly in another Tongue that runs smooth and easie either to be learnt or understood All these Countreys have particular
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
these Clothes which the Inhabitants barter for Salt which they according to their own report send abroad by Slaves or otherwise who with it travel so far into the Countrey till they come to white People that Ride on Mules and Asses and use Lances for Arms but they are not altogether white as the Europeans By this Description we cannot but imagine these Mungrel Whites they mention must without peradventure be Moors of Barbary The Blacks of other Places exchange these Cloathes for yellow Arm-Rings and sometimes but seldom for Beads Heretofore some Gold was to be had but now that Trade is lost here and carried to Akara The Government here is Monarchical Government the present Regnant King call'd Sakkoo of whom all the neighboring Territories stand in great fear because he is a Conjurer firmly believing that if he pleased to put his Arts in practise he could bewitch all his Enemies to death In the beginning of December this Sakkoo sends a Canoo to Atzyn and Little Kommany and all places on the Gold-Coast with Negro's where they throw some compounded Conjuring-stuff into the Sea using some formal words in doing it which is done onely to free it from Hericanes or Whirlwinds and tempestuous Storms So soon as this Canoo returns the Merchants come with their Cloathes to the Gold-Coast but in such order that no more may come off till the first come back for the prevention of the hinderances of one another The five Band Villages have the priority in coming off and after those of the six Band this continues till April or the beginning of May when the Sea begins to run high then the King 's Canoo comes as before using the same formality and returning the Gold-Coast Trade ends for that Year The Quaqua-Blacks have a well-govern'd State according to their Mode As for example those that are Fishers must all so remain without daring to alter their Employment As likewise all Merchants are so preferred there that no other may deal in fair Laces and Garments of Akori but they insomuch that all others who have those Commodities are necessitated to put them into the Merchants hands The method of their Worship Religion if any is Diabolical sacrificing Men to their Idols and thereto so addicted that they will not be won to alter it yet courteous enough to Strangers from whom they endeavour to conceal those abhorr'd Oblations Gold-Coast THe Gold-Coast receiv'd its Name from the abundance of Gold there to be had It spreads to the length of fifty miles from the Village Assine Gold-Coast twelve miles Eastward of Korbi Lahou to the Golden Village of Akara lying at the Sea And although some Gold may be had on the Grain-Coast and Eastward of Akara yet that Tract is not reckon'd under the Gold-Coast because the quantity is but small This although known by this single Name to the European Merchants consists in many rich Villages Kingdoms and Territories yet but small in Circumference the particular Places we will onely name here in brief being these viz. Atzyn Little Inkassan Ygwira Great Inkassan Inkassan Iggina Anten Tabeu Atty Adom Mompa Wassa Wanqui Guaffo Sabou Abramboe Kuyfora Akanien Dohoe Junta Ahim or Great Akany Akan Fantyn Aqua Sanquay Ayhwana Aquamboe Abonce Tafoe Akara Labbede Ningo Abora Quanhoe Bonoe Kammanah Equea Lataby Akaradii Insoka Gaui Aquambou or Aquimena The Kingdoms lying at the Sea are Azin or Atchin Little Inkassan Ante Guaffo Fetu Sabou Fantyn Aghwana Akara Labbede and Mingo all which are commonly visited by the English and Netherlanders chiefly and sometimes by the French which several people have in divers places particular Store-houses and Forts for the keeping of their Wares and for the Conveniency of the Trade which they have built by the permission of the Inhabitants The chiefest Villages lying at the Sea are Atzyn in the Kingdom of Atzyn the Village at Cabo tres-Puntas in Little Inkassan Takorary Botrow Poyera Pando Maque Jakquim Sakonde Sama in the Kingdom of Anten Agitaki or Little Komendo Terra Pequerime or Pekine Dana or De Myn Ampea Kotabry Aborby and two Salt-Villages in that of Guaffo Moure Sabou in the Dominion of Sabou Anemabo Adja Kormantin in that of Fantyn the Rough Poynt Soldiers-Bay Devils Mountain New Biamba Great Berku Inka Koks-bred Little Berku in that of Aywana Akara in Great Akara Labede in Labede The Territory of ATSYN or ATCHIN THe Territory of Atsyn or Atchyn or Aksem The Territory of Atsyn as the Blacks call it hath on the East little Incassan and on the North Igwira the Sea-Coast on the South with Cliffs of Stone Near the Sea three Villages are erected inhabited by Fishers Achombene the one Achorbene three miles from Cape de Tres-Puntas The second Achombene near which the Portugals in the time of King Emanuel built a small Fort but afterwards by agreement with the Blacks they rais'd another greater Castle on the main Land nam'd from the neighbouring Village The Castle of Asyn The Fort Atsyn or Atchin at present possess'd by the Netherlanders who in the Year Sixteen hundred forty two the Ninth of January before the Peace made between them and the Crown of Portugal had dispossess'd the Portugals of what strength they had there Coming at Sea out of the West this Castle in a clear Sun-shiny day yields a pleasant Prospect but coming right against it the sight is hinder'd by an Island lying before it Westward thereof runs a Rivulet which though very poor in Water yet visits several Dominions being supposed to take the original far off in the golden-Golden-Land of Igwira Half a mile from the aforemention'd Fort The River a River passes by some thought to run through the Jurisdiction of Akana but of this no certainty nor any likely to be by reason of its many and strong Water-falls Those of the Myne used to go thither with Canoos which they laded thence with Shells for the burning of Lime but since the like Shells have been found in the Ditches of the Myne that labour is left off The next River bears the name of the Province among Merchant-strangers The Atsyn River but the Inhabitants denominate it Manku whose first sight invited the Traders to search its Channel but they soon had enough of it for they met with so many Shelves and absconded Rocks besides high and precipitious falls that it was impossible to pass them however 't is not altogether waste for the Natives dig out from under the Cliff good store of Gold and fetch it up from under the Water in Trays mixt with Earth Stones and other Rubbish The Territory of Little-Inkassan LIttle-Inkassan hath on the West Atsin The Territory of Inkassan on the North Igwira on the East Ante and in the South spreads with three Points into the Sea and therefore the Portugals have nam'd it Cabo das tres Puntas It lies in four degrees and ten minutes South-Latitude three miles Westward of Atzin Castle and fifteen miles
lie three small Islanâ—â— the Sea call'd also Amboises of which the Eastermost is the biggest almost as Towring as the High Land of Amboises being very populouâ— Within these great abundance of Provision good Palm-Wine and 〈◊〉 may be had but little Trade and for that reason as little frequented 〈◊〉 before it the Ships Ride at Anchor to buy Slaves and Elephants Teeth brought thither from Kamerones The Inhabitants Inhabitants which for the most part speak Portuguese live on the middlemost Island of the three from whence they go often to the main Land 〈◊〉 get Provision and Fruit. About five miles from Amboises River of Kamarones the River Jamoce glides in a narrow Current In the middle of which Buffels Island towards the South Wall a small Island call'd Buffels Island discovers it self from which spreads a Bank of Rocks South Easterly so steep that one side of a Ship touching it on the other side may find six Fathom water Two miles within the third Point Yeeth Hole or Monoka you arrive at a place by the Whites call'd The Teeth Hole but by the Natives Monoka and opposite to that another nam'd The Monombas Hole whereto adjoyns a Village the usual Trading place At the North live the Kalbangas whose Governor nam'd Moneba hath the repute of one of the powerfullest of the adjacent Princes The Town where he keeps his Seat Royal stands scituate on a Hill very neatly Hedg'd about with Trees so that they account it the pleasantest place in all that Tract and not onely so but exceedingly stor'd with abundance of Provision as Injames Bananassen Palm Wine and Bordon Wine both of the same species but the latter the worst as growing in Fenny places The Houses are built in Quadrangular form Little Ivory can be gotten here and less Akori but many Slaves Trade which makes them cheap The Commodities desir'd there and carry'd thither by the Netherlanders are Thin beaten Bosses which they use in stead of Money Bars of Iron Copper Bars Copper Pots Hammer'd Kettles Violet Beads Paste of Oranges and Lemmons Cows Horns And such like The People which live by the River Kamerones are strong fat and lively smooth Skin'd from the top to Toe and generally of as large a stature as the lustiest Englishman Next Kamerones on the Sea Coast follow the Rivers Monoka Borba or Bourn Rio de Campo Rio Sante Benito and Rio Danger Rio Sante Benito lieth in two degrees Northern Latitude Rio Santo Benito and the Coast spreads South and North. Seven miles Southward in one degree and five and thirty minutes you come to another River and four miles farther a third abounding in Water Five miles from the last opens a Bay bearing eight Fatnom Water Six miles below which a prominant Point stil'd Cape St. John Cape of St. John fronted with a ridge of Rocks None of these Rivers are much frequented for Trade except that of Danger in one degree North Latitude The People prove ill Neighbours to each other being never free from Animosities Feuds and Quarrels upon every trifle The Island KORISKO THree or four miles Southward of Cape St. John appears an Island The Island Korisko to which the Portuguese have given the name of Ilhas des Korisko that is The Island of Lightning from the more than usually frequent Lightnings happening there when they first discover'd the place The Land towards the Sea Coast is generally Sandy Nature of the Countrey except on the North West where Stony But more within overgrown with high Trees whose Wood is Redder if Sanutus say true than that of Brasile perhaps it may be the Red Wood which the Inhabitants call Takoel The Road for Ships lieth in five and forty minutes Northward of the Line The Road or Harber and convenient for Shipping According to Sanute the Island not inhabited being indeed not above half a mile in compass but the propriety of the Benyan King The Countries lying about the River Gabon and the Cape of Lope Gonzalvez THe River Gabon The River Gabon by Linschot call'd Gaba and in some Maps Gabam lyeth under the Line The North Point of which the Seamen call the Cape of St. The Cape St. Clare Clare much resembling that of St. John and in a manner differenc'd onely in this that coming out of the Sea and approaching near the Shore they see a white Spot against it as if it were a Sayl which is not to be seen at the Cape of St. John In the Mouth this River is four miles wide but grows afterwards smaller and narrower The Island Pongo so that it is not above two miles over at the Island Pongo It s South Point is low and overgrown with Trees but the North Point almost choak'd up with Flats and Sands At the South Shore about three or four miles inwards another Point discovers it self known by the name of the Sandy Point many Crocodiles and Sea-Horses breed herein to the great damage and hazard both of the Natives and Strangers Five miles more inward you come to two little Islands the one the Inhabitants call Pongo and the Whites Parret Island The King's Isle because he keeps his Court there and the other Parrets Isle from the great abundance of Parrets breeding within it which last yields also great plenty of Bananasses Injames Oranges and other Fruits The King of Pongo hath the report of a powerful Prince they entitle him Manipongo that is Lord of Pongo as the King of Kongo Mani-Kongo 'T is true two other Princes claim a great Jurisdiction near him viz. one at Majombo and another at Gabon yet neither dare resist he Pongian and his Palaces nam'd Goliparta exceed in magnificence and extent all the rest of the Buildings which pretend to Beauty or State The Men naturally incline to Cheating and Thieving The nature of the Inhabitants but not so much among themselves as towards strangers to whom also bloudy barbarous and unnatural but the Women shew great courtesie and affability accounting it an honor to make acquaintance with them In Marriage they have no respect to neerness of Relation Marriages for the Mother may Marry her Son and the Father his Daughter The Houses have no other Walls or Partitions than Reeds Houses very neatly order'd and fastned together and cover'd with Leaves of the Bannana-Tree They lie all along on the ground when they eat Food the common People using Earthen Vessels but more eminent persons Dishes of Tin Their Food chiefly Potatoes and Injames Roasted or Boil'd and many other Roots Also Fish and Flesh mixt together but first either smoak'd or dry'd in the Sun During the Meal they never Drink but having done Eating swallow great Cups full of Water or Palm-Wine or a sort of Mead which they call Melaffo For Apparel they wear Cloth made of Mats Habit. and the Shell of the Matombe-Tree over which some hang the Skins of Apes or Sea-Cats
a Dance by them call'd Quimboara in which they say the Devil certainly enters one of them and out of him informs them of future and answers to past events But now many of them by the endeavour of the Portugal Jesuites The Angolians become Christians have been brought to the Catholick Religion especially in the year fifteen hundred eighty four at which time many thousands receiv'd Baptism insomuch that in Fifteen hundred and ninety there were above twenty thousand Families of Angolians found that were Christians and in the same year fifteen hundred more were converted the Portuguese to this day labour very much in the same good Work Every Sova hath a Chaplain in his Banza or Village to Christen Children and Celebrate Mass which on many works effectually to their confirmation though others in publick appearing Christians yet in private adhere to their damnable Idolatry The Supervising and Command of Lovando Sante Paulo Government of the City Lovando Sante Paulo by the Portuguese and the rest of Angola subject to the King of Portugal in matters of State lies in the hands of a Governor two Bradores or Burgesses and one Ovidor or Chief Justice for matters Criminal and two Judges call'd Jeuses with one Secretary The King of Portugal hath great Revenues from Angola The Revenues of the King of Portugal from Angola partly by the yearly Tributes of the Sovasen and partly by the Customs and Taxes set upon Exported and Imported Goods and Slaves This Revenue for all Rights and free Transportation to Brazil Rio dela Plata and other places is said to amount to a great summe of Money yearly which in Lisbon is Farm'd to one or more by the name of Contractadore who keeps his Factor in Lovando in the nature and with the authority of Consul deciding all matters of Trade and Money-businesses He hath to attend him one Secretary two Notaries and two Porteras or Door-keepers The Church-Government of the Portuguese in Lovando a Bishop manages Church-Government who is Suffragan of him of the Island of Sante Thombe by reason that Island prescribes antiquity and as shewing the first claims to be there the Mother-Church of the Christians The Island of LOVANDO BEfore the City Lovando Sante Paulo in eight degrees The Island Lovando and eight and forty minutes South-Latitude lies the Island of Lovando five miles with its North-Point to the West of the River Bengo making a good and convenient Haven for Shipping The whole being not above seven miles in length but in the broadest place it is not above half a League over insomuch as those that Sail by in a Ship may easily see the Sea run between it and the main Land Pigafet supposes it to have begun from the setlings of Sand and Mud thrown up there in heaps by force of the two greater Waters of Bengo and Quansa The whole spot appears an even Champaign but very dry and Sandy onely in some places may be seen a few Bushes and Brambles and on the North-side here and there some Haw-thorn Shrubs The Land by the Sea-side shoots down so steep and sloaping that the Sea not above a Musket-shot from the Shore hath above seven or eight and twenty Fathom Water and a mile from thence a Line of a hundred Fathom can reach no ground Pigafet places on this Island seven Towns Towns call'd Libar by the Inhabitants call'd Libar or Libata but Linschot will hardly allow them Villages however the Portuguese attribute to the best the title of Sante Esprit Here are two Churches or Chappels for the exercise of Religion and the Portuguese have divers Gardens and Orchards wherein grow Oranges Lemmens Citrons Pomegranates excellent Figs Bananos Coco-nuts Grapes and other Fruits but Corn is so great a stranger to it that they are compell'd to fetch Supply from other places This little Tract produces the great Tree by the Natives call'd Ensada by Clusius the Indian Fig-Tree by Linschot in Portuguese Arbor de Raiz that is the Rooting-Tree It springs up commonly with one thick body to a great height at the top shooting forth many branches from which pendulously descend several small Strings of a Golden colour which once touching the ground take fast root and spring up again like new Plants and in short time increase to a large Bulk from whence as the former fall new Pendulums that rooting again spread and so ad infinitum so that sometimes one single Tree will extend its bounds above a thousand paces and seems like a little Wood or Thicket The great Sprouts with so many close Boughs deny the Sun-beams a peeping place to view the inside of those vaulted Cavities whose redoubled Mazes yield three or four times reiterated Ecchos to such whose retirements draw them thither for divertisement and shadow The Leaves of the young Boughs resemble those of the Quince-Tree being of a whitish green and woolly The Fruit within and without red springs between the Leaves of the young Branches like an ordinary Fig. Very credible eye-witnesses report that under one of these Trees three thousand men may shelter Under its outermost or first Bark Of its Bark Clothes are woven they find somewhat like a Thred or Yarn which being beaten cleans'd and drawn out at length the common People make Cloth of This Tree grows also in Gon and the Indies where the Inhabitants by cutting away the thin Boughs make Arbors under them for cooleness and shade It seems contrary to the ordinary rules of experience Pigafet and therefore strange that digging here two or three hands breadth deep very swift Water rises at the time of the Seas flowing whereas digging at the time of ebb it cometh forth salt or brackish The Islanders use Canoos of the bodies of Date Trees joyn'd together in which they fight at Sea Formerly the Jages abode here but the Portuguese drove them out in the year Fifteen hundred seventy eight and pursu'd them to Massingan at the same time raising a Fort there for their security Under this Island are the Simbos taken up Here is the fishing of Simbos which carry'd to Congo and other places go for current Money so that this place may justly be term'd the Mint of Congo This Island obeys the King of Congo although by report The Island Lovando is under Congo beyond it he doth not possess one foot of ground Southward of Bengo upon the main Land however by that he claims to himself all the Revenue of the Fishery aforesaid and hath his Governor to oversee the same and take the King 's due which is indeed what he pleases and by compute amounts to eleven thousand Duckets Annually And although on all the Shores of Congo these fashion shells are found yet those of Lovando have the highest esteem by reason of their thin and shining black or gray colour This Island makes the Haven before the City Lovando Barra de Korimba where lieth two Entrances one on the South
and in a short time learned the use of it At last the King shewed them a place just without their Hutches to take their Repose in at conveniency The same Year Thirteen more sent cut to the same end on the thirteenth of November were fourteen more sent out and the next Year on the thirteenth of February twelve of them return'd the other having been kill'd by an Elephant These having been above an hundred Miles in the Countrey could find none of those People but at last by some other Negroes were inform'd That the Namaqua's were withdrawn so far that there was no likelihood to come near them that Year By which means both the said Attempts became fruitless These Namaqua's are of a great and gigantick Stature and numerous in People The Women are handsome-bodied and well-shaped but rather by Nature than Art Clothes for they are nothing curious in their Habits all going dress'd in Skins of Beasts wrapp'd about their Bodies Their Ornaments are Glass Cambayan Beads which they buy from the Portuguese about Monomotapa Kortada Bellugarins c. for Cattel The Men wear an Ivory Plate made very artificially before their Privacies and a round Hoop of the same on one Arm besides many Copper Rings Every Namaqua hath always a small handsom Stool made of Wood and Ropes hanging upon his Arm which he carries every where along with him to sit upon The Government consists in a Single Person the present nam'd Akambia Government whose three Sons are of an extraordinary Stature BRYGOUDA'S SOmewhat farther into the Countrey dwell another People call'd Brygouda's Brygouda's of whom little can be said in regard few if any Europeans ever convers'd with them Onely the Namaqua's report them very populous rich Are populous and full of Cattel beyond all that live about the Cape of Good Hope HEUSAQUA'S THe Heusaqua's lie North-West-ward from the Great Cape Heusaqua's but so far distant that little knowledge hath been gained of them and that from bare report none having ever seen their Countrey or been among them the best Intelligence hath been drawn from the Mouths of three of themselves that came to the Fort of Good Hope with the Governor Chainouqua's to sell some Cattel and returned with all convenient speed These Heusaqua's onely maintain themselves with Planting for the rest of the Hottentots neither Sowe nor Plant of a powerful Root Maintain themselves by planting the Root Dacha which they call Dacha sometimes eating it otherwhiles mingling it with Water to drink either of which ways taken causeth Ebriety When they become intoxicated therwith they play many strange and antick Tricks as if they were mad in the middle of which the Women come and strew the dried and pulverized Herb Boggoa on their Heads being of a yellow colour and strong scent and for that onely use fetch'd from the Mountains These People have great skill in the catching both old and young Lions in Snares which they make tame and lead with a Rope about their Necks like a Dog Some of their Lions which they have had along time they frequently carry to the Wars and by that means put their Enemies to flight without any resistance A thing that seems very strange yet most certainly used amongst them All the Places of Kafrarie known by the People of Europe generally lie at the Sea-coast being principally Capes Bays and Havens for Towns or Villages there are none the Savage Inhabitants contenting themselves with the homely Covert of moveable Huts after the manner of the wild Arabs This Countrey shoots very far into the South Cabo de Bona Esperanza or Cape of Good Hope shewing several Capes and Promontories amongst which the cheifest the Cape of Good Hope or Cabo de Bona Esperanza lieth in four and thirty Degrees and one and twenty Minutes South Latitude When this Point was discover'd and why so call'd we have before related The next and most Southerly Point of Africa the Portuguese call Cabo das Anguilhas Cabo das Aiguilhas or Needle-Cape the Needle-Cape or the Head of the Needle situate about twenty Dutch Miles Eastward from the Cape of Good Hope in full thirty five Degrees South Latitude It was so call'd by them from the Compass-Needle which they observ'd to stand due South and North at this Point but several late experienc'd Sea-men affirm it to vary five or six Degrees from the North West-ward Here lieth a great Shelf of Sand full of Fishes which extends eighteen Miles into the Sea beginning in the West by the Sweet River and ending in the East at the Fish-Bay Between these Points Cabo Falso or False Cape in the Height of four and thirty Degrees and a half five or six Miles Eastward of the Hope appears Cabo Falso or False Cape for Sailing out of India and making this Cape in clear Weather they mistook it for that of Good Hope by reason of its near resemblance to the same but coming nearer they found their Error This Cape may be known by three high Hills near adjoyning to each other whereof the two outermost are highest The Cape of Good Hope appears in the form of a hanging Island with a small Isthmus between two Bays joyn'd to the Main Land and contains several high and craggy Mountains of which two more remarkable the Table and the Lion-Mountain The Table-Mountain Table-Mountain or Table-Cape in Portuguese call'd Tavoa de Cabo lieth about an hours Journey from the Shore Southward of the Fresh and Salt River and hath received that name from its shape because it is flat on the top like a Table At the Salt River they climb up this Mountain by a Cliff in all other places not being ascendible by reason of its great steepness and that way asks four or five hours Labor to gain the top And this height makes it visible above ten Leagues to the Offin Against ill Weather two or three Hours before 't is so cover'd with thick Mists and Clouds that they cannot discover the top Close by Table-Mount Fragosos lie those towring Hills in a row which the Portuguese call Os Picos Fragosos The Lion-Mountain Lion-Mountain so call'd either from the abundance of Lions upon it or because it appears out at Sea like a Lion lieth somewhat more Westerly and closer to the Sea than the Table so that its Tail makes the Point at the end of the Bay Between these two appears a pleasant Valley Near the Table riseth another Wind-Mountain call'd Wind-Hill because always troubled with rough Winds Beyond these to the South you come to a Valley over-grown with Brambles other Bushes and Wood. Further up into the Countrey are some standing-Waters over-grown with Bulrushes Canes and Sedg-weeds wherein breed many Wild-fowl Geese Duck Teal Snipes and such like Along the Sea-coast several good Bays or Creeks open themselves affording convenient Havens for Ships Eighteen Miles North-West from the Cape of Good Hope lieth Soldanha-Bay
split Quill at the end which being blowed yields a low sound Conney and badger-Badger-Islands NOrthward of the Great Cape lie three Islands in the Sea viz. Conneys Badgers and Fransh Island The Conneys Island so called from the many Rabbits breeding in the Cliffs and on the Shore lieth before the Mouth of Table-Bay a League or thereabouts from the Land five Miles Southward from Badger-Isle It contains a Mile and a half in compass but more over-grown with Bushes than the Badger which receiv'd its name from the abundance of Rock-Badgers there found Neither of these have any fresh Water Spilber Voyage 1601. and although the Ground be sandy and full of Bushes yet they bear many good Herbs and Flowers and abound with Cattel The Conneys were first brought thither by the Dutch in the year One thousand six hundred and one The Sheep carried thither first by the English grow extraordinary fat and increase exceedingly so that some have been found whose Tails were five and twenty Inches thick and nineteen pound in weight with four and thirty pound of Swet about the Kidneys besides the Fat that came from their Flesh but the Meat gives no satisfaction in the eating by reason of the exceeding fatness There are many Pinguins and thousands of Meuwen and yet for all this plenty they both lie desolate and not inhabited A little Northerly lies the Fransh-Island equal in all things to the aforemention'd and as them without Inhabitants THE EMPIRE OF MONOMOTAPA THis Empire The Empire of Monomotapa by Joseph Barras call'd Benomotapa and by Sanutus Benomotaxa lies up within the Countrey before the Kingdom of Sofale near the Sea inclosed between Rio de Spirito Sancto or Magnice and the great River Quama both which by some are taken for two Branches of Zambere It spreads Southerly towards the Cape de Bona Esperanza Borders having in the North for Borders the Kingdom of Monimuge or Nimeamae and the River Quama in the East the Sea-coast of Sofala in the West and South the River Magnice and the neighboring Mountains Others Cluverius conterminates it in the East South and West with the great Ocean in the North with Congo the Abyssines and Zanguibar It s Length The bigness between the Lake Ro and the Ethiopick Sea together with the Mountains of the Moon Cluverius reckons to be four hundred Dutch Miles and the Breadth between the Head-Fountains of Nilus and the Cape of Good Hope three hundred Dutch Miles For all the little Kingdoms from the River Magnice to the Cape of Good Hope are said to acknowledge the Prince of Monomotapa for their Supreme Lord. But the whole Compass of this Countrey is accounted by many but seven hundred and thirty five French Miles The Imperial and Royal Court being the Chief City is call'd Banamatapa Chief City although by Vincent le Blank Madrogam lying six days Journey from a great House call'd Simbaoe or Zimbaoch and five Miles from Safale towards the West The Houses have almost sharp Roofs very large built of Wood or Earth Houses very finely and whited without and within The Palace of the Emperor carries a vast extent The Kings Palace having four Eminent Gates and very many large Chambers and other convenient Apartments guarded round about with Watch-Towers and within hung with Cotton Hangings of divers Colours wrought with Gold and richly Embossed as also overlaid with Tin gilt or as others say cover'd over with Plates of Gold and adorn'd with Ivory Candlesticks fastned with Silver Chains The Chairs gilt and painted with several Colours The four chiefest Gates of the Court richly Embossed and well defended by the Life-Guards of the Emperor whom they call Sequender The Emperor keeps a great Train of Servants who all attend in good order bowing of the Knee when they speak to him His Meat is serv'd up to his Table in Pourcelane round beset with Gold Branches Other Principal Cities are Zimbas a Mile and half from Sofale Tete where the Portuguese Jesuits have their Residence Sena c. Certain War-like Women like the ancient Amazons The Residence of the Amazones do possess a peculiar Territory appointed for them by the King although Sanutus appropriates to them a particular Kingdom upon the Borders of Damout and Gorage more towards the South Not far from Monomotapa is the Province of Chitambo The Kingdom of Chitambo wherein stands the City Tamburo This Kingdom hath the benefit of a temperate Air Air. and enrich'd with luxurious Valleys which though not Inhabited in all Places affords Provision of Cattel and Fruits sufficient to store both themselves and Neighbours nor is it destitute of pleasant Woods stor'd with variety of Fruit-Trees Plants and in some places abundance of Sugar-Canes that grow without Planting to the increase whereof the Rivers and Brooks that besprinkle the Countrey do not a little help The greatest Wealth of the Countrey consists in Oxen and Cowes Beasts with them more highly esteem'd than Gold or Silver They have no Horses nor other Beasts for Carriage besides Elephants which flock together by whole Herds in the Woods They shew a Beast call'd Alsinge resembling a Stag or Hart and Ostriches as big as Oxen. There grows upon Trees call'd Koskoma a Fruit of a Violet Colour and sweet in taste of which whoever eats plentifully it purges them so violently that a Bloody-Flux and at length Death follows upon it Here are found several Gold Mines in the Bowels of the Earth Gold Mines and also in some of their Rivers for which the Inhabitants dive in the Stream and take it up with the bottom from the Mud and so pick it out which Gold-diving they also practice in divers great Lakes spread far and near in this Kingdom for which cause the King of Monomotapa is not without reason call'd by the Portuguese The Golden King All the Inhabitants have short and black curl'd Hair The Constitution of the Inhabitants and as Linschot saith are of a middle Stature though Pigafet makes them a kind of Giants They are well set of a sound Body of Complexion black very apprehensive and quick of Understanding much addicted to War and apt to make Insurrections upon any trivial cause Their usual Food is salt Beef Milk and a little Verjuyce and Oyl of Sesamos Their Bread made of Rice Mille or of the Root Ignamees which they boyl in Basons The Drink of the Common People Milk but of the King and the Grandees Wine of Honey or Meath which they preserve in Ox-horns or Wine of Palm made delicious with Manna Amber and Musk. The King bestows every day in Perfumes two pound of Gold which certain Merchants furnish him with For the Torches and Lights which he uses are mix'd with sweet Odours which he causes to be born before him in the night being set in a richly Embroider'd Pavilion carry'd by four Noble-men follow'd by a great Train and cover'd over with a Canopy in
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-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
by one of its chiefest Mouths near the Kingdom of Melinde The Portuguese Writers will have this River Quilmanzi to be the same with Zebee which rises out of Maria a Territory in the Abyssynes from a place call'd Boxa and from thence running South with a swift course into the Kingdom of Gingiro Other Portuguese affirm That it lieth no more than a thousand Paces from Melinde being a very great River flowing out of the Abyssine Countrey but that they could never attain the full knowledge thereof because those that were sent to discover it were driven back and assaulted by the Inhabitants The Air is very Unhealthy Feaverish and Corrupt Air. and no less unwholsome are the products of the Earth caus'd partly from the Moorassness of the Grounds and partly from the multitude of Rivers and Lakes which makes this Countrey a great pack of Islands The Inhabitants are black having short curl'd Hair The constitution of the Inhabitants they go from the shoulders down to the middle naked but have their nether parts cover'd with party colour'd Clothes or wild Beasts Skins the Tails whereof especially among people of Quality hang down behind The Blacks on the Sea-Coast and of the near adjacent Islands Food live upon Fruits the flesh of wild Beasts and milk of the Cattel which they breed especially the Moors call'd Beduines who dwell a little deeper into the Countrey and Trade with the Kaffers Gold is none of the least advantages drawn from this Countrey Riches wherewith it so abounds for which onely they get a supply of all other necessaries The Natives of the Main-Land are Idolaters Religion but the Islanders almost all Mahumetans extracted from certain Arabians exil'd from their Countrey for introducing of some Heresie in their Religion as following the Doctrine of one Zaid Nephew of Hocem Son of Haly whereupon they were call'd Emossayders The Islands of QUIRIMBA OVer against Zanguebar L'Ambassade de D. Garvas Figuerra en Perse lie the Islands of Quirimba extending above fifteen miles along the Coast to the out-lying Point call'd in Portuguese Cabo del Gabo They are not all of one equal bigness nor alike distant from the main-Main-land and sever'd one from another by Channels so small and shallow that at low-Water they may be Waded over And although each Island hath its particular name yet the Portuguse call them all Quirinba The Islands were formerly inhabited by the Arabians as may plainly appear by the Ruines of the Houses and Mosques being built by people less barbarous than those that have their Residence there at this day of Lime Stone and Tiles like the Cities of Quiloa Monbaza and Melinde But since the Portuguese began to set forth their Ships to the East-Indies the Souldiers and Mariners out of a natural hatred and antipathy to all Mahumetans thought it not enough to rob them burn their Houses and Mosques and to carry them away for Slaves but with a sweeping Rage sparing neither Age nor Sex destroy'd all of the remainder These Islands many years since lay waste and void of people till some Portuguese from the main-Main-Land wafted themselves over thither and planted them and so became subject to the Governor of Mayambique about three and thirty miles from thence from whence every year cometh a Judge to decide Controversies The Lord of every Island hath his House built of Stone and Lime wherein resides his Wife Children and Slaves of both Sexes as also Friends and Servants whom they hire to have their assistance against the Negro's of the main-Main-Land which by their living so near are ready enough to do them a mischief And therefore both themselves and Slaves are Arm'd with Muskets Pistols and other Weapons Most of these Islands are not above half a mile or a mile in compass but very fruitful full of Palmito-Trees Oranges Figs Grapes Herbs and Pome-Citrons and excellently accommodated with fresh Water They have besides many Oxen Cows Goats and an infinite number of Fowl among which Wild-Pigeons and Turtle-Doves but Corn Rice Drugs dry'd and confected Fruits are brought to them from Ormus The Island of Quirinba is the biggest and was the first Peopled yet hath onely twenty five Houses inhabited by Portuguese and Mesties they stand not close together but lie scatter'd here and there two or three together Every one of these little Islands hath their own Governor which every three year are chang'd From Gou they receive a Dominican Priest who celebrates Mass and performs all other Sacred Duties to which end there stands a Cloyster in the midst of the Houses whither all those of these Islands come to do their Devotion The second of these Islands call'd Oybo Oybo is not so big as Quirinba but the Air more temperate and fresher so that a man may well say that the whole makes one pleasant Garden moisten'd and besprinkled in many places with the best and most wholsomest Waters in the world The other Islands have no Road nor Haven where Ships can come to an Anchor because in the deepest Channel at a low Ebb there is not three Foot water Over this Island Oybo a Portuguese Commands who dwells in a great and handsome House with Chambers below and above and behind it a Garden incompass'd with a Stone-Wall of two Fathom high with Spiers at the top so that it may seem in stead of a Bulwark This with assistance of his Houshold Family who are all Arm'd may be defended against any Incursion of the Blacks from the Main-Land if they should offer to attempt it but they live in good Peace one with another because of their mutual Trade The Kingdom of MONGALO and ANCHE or ANGOS UPon one side of the River Quama lieth Mongalo a Tract of Land inhabited by Mahumetans or Moors They have abundance of Gold brought thither from Monomotapa not far from thence you see the River Ango by Pigafet call'd in Italian Agnoscia by Moquet in French Angoche but by Barbosa Angos The Countrey produces great store of Mille Rice and Cattel The Inhabitants are of a middle Stature but very black they go with the upper part of the body naked but cover'd from the Girdle downward with Cotton and Silk Clothes Some wear Turbants upon their heads and others Caps made of Silk Stuff They use a peculiar form of Speech though many of them speak Arabick Language These Moors of Angos are all Merchants Trading in Gold Ivory Cotton Silk Their Customs Clothes and Kambain Beads or Bracelets The Cotton Silk Cloth and Beads they receive from the hands of the Merchants of Quiloa Mombaze and Melinde which bring them thither in small Baskets or Almides cut out of the whole Wood. They own no Governor unless one who speak their proper Language and by profession a Mahumetan yet all their care doth not keep them from a mixture of Heathenism The Kingdom of MOZAMBIKE A Little beyond Angos appeareth the Kingdom of Mozambike so call'd from the
all other sort of Meat it being a delicate Food pleasant and delightful of taste There are also many excellent Birds with black Feathers and black Flesh either boyl'd or raw yet accounted no unwholsom Food The Haven swarms with Fishes which the Inhabitants call Marraxos and the Portuguese Tintoreas they are very ravenous after Man's-flesh for so soon as they see a Man fall into the Water by chance or go to swim they will immediately catch and devour him The Inhabitants are a mixture of Mestiffs Mahumetans and absolute Heathens yet all subject to the Portuguese The Natives of this Island are black of Complexion The Nature of the Inhatants and low of Stature with short Curl'd Hair like Wool they smell very ranck when grown warm they are by nature barbarous cruel and revengeful but withall timorous Both Sexes go naked Apparel onely the Men have a small Clout before their Privacies and the Women cover their Bodies from their Breasts half way to their Knees with course Cotton-Clothes Their Ornaments consist in three or four Strings of white Omaments green blue and red Beads about their Necks and ten or twelve Copper or Tin Armlets about their Arms. They make holes in their Ears wherein in stead of Pendants they hang pieces of Copper or Lattin cutting and carving the rest of their Skin for an Ornament Their common Food is Fish Food and Rice boyl'd in Water with Honey Their Drink is Palm-Wine and Water and a sort of Liquor call'd Arak made of Rice Their Skiffs Boats or Canoos consists all in one Piece as we often mention'd They speak generaly a kind of broken Arabick Language There are a certain sort of handsom Mats Trade made by the Inhabitants which are sent to Goa The Portuguese drive a smart Trade here with Spanish-Wine Oyl Cotton Skiffs red Beads and such like notwithstanding they have a quick Market at Sena Makuno Sofala Quamma and other places Their Arms are Bowes Armâ— Arrows or Lances but of late they have begun to learn the use of Fire-Arms The Portuguese have many years ago built a Fort supposed the strongest they possess in those Parts consisting of four Bulwarks from whence with their mounted Artillery they can defend and make good the Haven against any ordinary attempts It hath strong and well designed Flankers fortifi'd and surrounded with three double Walls and a broad Trench made about it in the Year Sixteen hundred and thirteen Several vain Onsets have the Dutch made upon this Fort but chiefly in the Year Sixteen hundred and six when after a formal Siege of thirty two days they were compell'd to withdraw first as an effect of their malice having burn'd many Ships Canoos Houses and Churches those two especially of St. Gabriel and St. Domingo beforemention'd Some of the Inhabitants by reason of the Converse and Trade of the Arabians on this Coast are drawn to Mahumetanism others are Christians but the most part of them are Idolaters The Kingdom of QUILOA THe Kingdom of Quiloa derives the Name from an Island Situation Plgaf 2. b. 8. H. lying in eight Degrees and fifty Minutes South-Latitude at the Mouth of the River Kuavo said to spring out of the Lake Zambre and according to Peter Alvarez posited so near the Main Land as if joyn'd to it and hath a stately City by some taken for the Rapta of Ptolomy with lofty Houses after the Spanish fashion all adorn'd with stately Halls Chambers and other Apartments furnished with costly Housholdstuff and accommodated both for Pleasure and Profit with sweet and fertile Gardens There lies on the Main Land of Quiloa another City call'd Old Quiloa Sanut lib. 12. built about six hundred years since by one Haly Son of Hacem King of Cyrus in Persia but yields nothing so delightful a Prospect as that mention'd before This Kingdom before the coming of the Portuguese thither spread it self along the Sea-Coast above a hundred and fifty Dutch miles for he Reigned formerly over Sofalo Quamma Angos and Mozambike but when Francois Dulmanda in the Year One thousand five hundred and five put in for this Coast with the Portuguese Fleet the King though invited to Friendship prepared for a Warlike Defence whereupon seven hundred Portuguese went on Shore who quickly took the City and put him to flight Sanutus saith this Countrey hath such an antipathy to the nature of the Europeans that the Portuguese found themselves necessitated to forsake the same notwithstanding they had built a Fort there and made no doubt but to have been the Masters thereof But later Opinions hold the Air since that to have grown more temperate for that some good and wholsom Fruits have been found growing there Osorius praises it as being water'd with many Fountains so enriching the Soyl that it produces all sorts of Grain and Fruits with little labor especially Maiz Rice Oranges Citrons and Lemons They have great store of Oxen and sheep many Hens Pigeons Beasts Turtle-Doves and several other sorts of unknown Birds divers sorts of wild Beasts in the Woods and on the Sea-shore variety of Fish Some of the Inhabitants draw their Original from Arabia such are brown some black others white Pigafet affirms them to be all white whereas on the contrary Pedro Alvarez maintains them all black Their usual Food is Maiz Rice and other Grains Carrots Food and variety of wild Fruits a fit Diet for such poor People The Merchants and better sort of Men go Habited in Cloth of Gold Apparel Silk or Cotton with Turbants on their Heads The Women wear also stately Apparel with Gold and Silver Chains on the Arms and Legs and costly Pendants in their Ears In brief they go Clothed after the Arabian or rather Turkish Mode They commonly speak Arabick but understand other Languages Language by reason of their Trading with Outlandish Merchants The Riches of the Quiloan Merchants consists in Gold and Silver Riches Ambergreece Pearls and Musk. The Inhabitants are under a peculiar King whom Linschot makes a Vassal or Tributary to the King of Mommugi They are partly Mahumetans Religion and the rest Pagans The Kingdom of Mombaza TO the Northward of Quiloa Borders on the Sea-Coast you come to the Kingdom of Mombaza so call'd from an Island in four Degrees and five Minutes South-Latitude which Sanutus makes in its Circumference to be twelve Italian miles but Jarrik onely a League or thereabouts The City being of the same Name The City Membaza built after the Italian manner bears a considerable bulk being situate on a high Rock The extent of the whole Dominion not very big bordering on one side at the City of Orgaba seated on the Banks of the River Onchit which poures her Waters into the Nyle by the Mountain Amara where the Kingdom of Melinde begins The Turks had formerly thrown up a Fortification at the Shore of this River so that none could come into the City
Arabia carry to Barbara all sorts of Cloth and Beads which they call Maramugos Raisins Dates and many other things which they exchange for Gold Elephants-Teeth and Slaves And those of Quiloa Melinde Brava Magadoxo and Mombaza barter these Commodities for Arabian-Horse The Natives are generally very stout but badly Arm'd Arms. though continually furnish'd therewith both from the Turks and Kings of Arabia and such like Necessaries for which their Prince returns many great Presents of Slaves taken in the Wars for to ingratiate himself with those Mahumetans he makes continually fierce Wars upon the Christians about him especially those of Abissinie for which the Moors esteem him a petty Saint yet all their soothings cannot so save him but that sometimes the Christians send him home soundly beaten teaching him to keep a more mannerly Distance The City of Barbara owns the Dominion of the Great Turk Government as do most of all the famous Places upon the Coast of the Red Sea in Africa to this Kingdom of Adel where they say his Jurisdiction ends at the Haven of Meth although some will have the whole Coast of Barnagas and Barrazan nay all the Places near the Red Sea stand under his Jurisdiction without affording the Abyssines one Haven there So that none can pass out of the Red Sea into Abyssine but through the Turks Dominions The Island of Barbora OVer against the City Barbora in the Red Sea close by the Shore lieth an Island of the same Name exceedingly fruitful and well stored with Cattel The Inhabitants are not White as on the Coast of Magadoxo but Black and exactly Habited as those on the Main Land whereof we lately made mention The Island of Socotora THe Island of Socotora or Sacotora otherwise call'd Sicuthora discover'd by Fernando Bereyra J. Barros Ramusse is by some taken for the Dioscorides of Ptolomy and Pliny and by others for Curia Muria though somewhat improperly because that Isle lies over against the Main Coast of Arabia â— Situation This hath its Situation in twelve Degrees and fifty Minutes North Latitude fifteen Miles Southward from the Cape of Guardafuy formerly call'd Cape Aromata and almost as far from the Mouth of the Red Sea Now the most Geographers include this Island of Socotora under Africa for its nearness to that Coast yet some and those of Nubia have reckon'd it among the Islands of Arabia Felix And as they cannot agree to which it belongs Bigness so they differ no less in its Magnitude some making it swell to sixty Spanish while others straiten it to scarce fifteen Dutch Miles But it seems the first comes nearer to the truth because the latter Discoverers make it fifteen Miles long and ten Miles broad at the narrowest and Pirard reckons it fifteen French Miles in circumference The whole Island stands encompassed with exceeding high Rocks which inclose therein divers fertile Valleys On all sides Ships may find good Anchorage besides the many convenient Bays and Creeks affording safe Roads But it boasts two chief Havens the one call'd Cora and the other Benin Here is but onely one City nam'd Sicuthora seated at the foot of the Cape Treta looking to the South where the Xeque or Turkish Governor makes his aboad Others make Tamary the Chief Place and the usual Dwelling of the Bassa A third sort place here three Towns or Villages inhabited by Arabians But a fourth affirm That the Natives have neither Towns Villages nor Houses but abide in Holes or Caves in the Rocks They have many Temples or Churches Churcheâ— which they call Moquamos but very small and so low that without stooping none can come into the same Every Church hath three Doors and one Altar on which stands a Cross with two Sticks made in form of Flower-de-luces The Situation of the Island so near the Line causes the Air not onely to be exceeding hot Air. but also unhealthy And by reason of this excessive Heat they have great want of Water Yet notwithstanding there falls a great Mist in the Nights from the high stony Cliffs to the great cooling and refreshing of the parched Earth And although a few Rivers may be found yet they lie at such distances from the common Passages and remain so difficult to be found that many Travellers die for thirst onely at the Sea side are Trenches out of which the Arabians drink And the Mountains by reason of their excessive height have their tops continually cover'd with Snow and cloudy with Mists and Fogs The Soil for want of Moisture proves very barren Constitution of the Soil producing nothing as some write but Dates for indeed none take care to Sowe any Corn or Plant Fruits On the contrary Beasts in the Woods and Mountains breed many Bucks Goats Cows Hogs Catamountains Wild Asses Horses Camelions Wild Hens or Pheasants and Turtle-Doves But that which above all things makes this Island famous Aloes Sicotrina is the Plant from which the Aloes Sicotrina cometh and also for the great abundance of Dragons Blood brought thence being no other than a Gum distilling from a Tree the Indians call it Ber and bruise it with an Iron in the growing Bark at a set time of the Year The Sea-shore also produces much Ambergreece The Inhabitants of this Island are Arabians or Native Sicotrians Several Inhabitants which last the Arabians call Beduins and are divided into two Generations The one Nature having Beduinsche Mothers and Arabian Negro Fathers keep at the Sea side are black of Colour curl'd Hair tall of Stature but very ill-favour'd The others are unmix'd Beduins and live within the Countrey being whiter than Native Iudians Some of them seem to have been born in Europe by the tallness of their Statures handsom Bodies soundness of Constitution and the Air of the Face onely differing herein that they let their Hair grow without cutting which they suffer either to hang over their Necks and Shoulders or else tie up or braid the same together behind They are inconstant mistrustful Constitution and cowardly insomuch that a handful of Arabians will awe vast Multitudes of them They have a great fear of all other people which makes them shun converse with Foreigners and are above measure lazy and idle concerning themselves in nothing but Fishing and feeding their Cattel Their common Food is Milk Butter Dates and Flesh Food but chiefly Milk boyl'd with Herbs and serves them both for Diet and Physick In stead of Rie or Wheaten Bread they use Rice brought to them from other Places and for want of that eat Cakes made of Dates They wear certain Clothes by them call'd Cambolins made of Bucks Hair Apparel six Spans long and two broad from their Girdle to their Knees and over that another greater black and white Cloth in form like a Cloke which they wrap about from their Shoulders to their Knees and never pull it off Barbosa on the contrary writeth That
of Turks Mahumetans and Arabians The Haven of Arquico or Ercocco THe Haven of Ercocco otherwise call'd Arquico and by Jarrick held to be the Adule of the Antients lieth against the Island of Mazuan five or six miles from Mount Bisan in fifteen Degrees and a half It was formerly a Port belonging to the Abyssines but since that taken from them by the Turks to whom at present they are subject The heat of the Air causeth an infertility in the Soyl as to Corn and Grain but as well those as the Maritime Parts afford several sorts of Trees as Willows Jujubes and Tamarinds which two last are no despicable Commodity to the Europeans The Inhabitants are Blacks and go all naked with a Skin onely before their Privacies As well Men as Women have upon their Heads Coverings resembling a Coronet and the Hair bound up round The Haven submits to the Commands of a Turkish Bashaw Sanutâ—â— and by that means inhabited principally with Mahumetans taking up the rooms of Christians by them dispossess'd In the Red-Sea lie the several Islands of Mazuan Paimuras Delacca Mayot Suachem and some other The Island of Mazula ON the Coast of Habex in the Red-Sea you discover the Island Mazua or Mazuan possessed by the Turks at this day who in the year Fifteen hundred fifty and seven did take it away from the Abyssines Thevet places it half a French mile distant over against Ercocco in fifteen Degrees and forty Minutes North-Latitude Between Mazuan and Donkale the Turks had formerly a Castle call'd Dafalo which the Abyssines took and sleighted When the South-winds blow hard no Ships without danger can approach the Coast The Islanders are good Soldiers but the Women give themselves over to loose living accounting it no dishonor to have many Gallants while they remain unmarry'd nor is their profession of Mahumetanism a small encouragement thereto the greatest promises of their Prophet aiming at no higher satisfactions The Island of Dalaca THevet calls this Island Dalaca others Dalaccia Delaqua Delalaca Dalaqualacari and Daleck It lies below Mazua a little more Southerly but by Sanutus set opposite to Mazua five miles from the Main Land of the Abyssines in sixteen Degrees North-Latitude saith Andrew Corsali but according to Huez in fourteen Degrees and twenty Minutes Marmol placeth it it eighteen Miles from Mazua and gives it one City of the same Name with the Island Sanutus extends it in compass to eighty Italian miles four reckon'd to one of the Dutch but Corsali accounts it twenty French miles This Island boasts a healthy Air and plenty of fresh Water which happening very seldom in these Countreys invites many People thither 'T is high and barren but pleasant for both the Hills and Dales have lovely Groves of Trees yielding a delightful shadow but no Fruit contrary to Thevet who makes this Island abound with Oranges and Lemons adding moreover that in March the whole Air is perfum'd with a most delicious scent There grows little Corn or Grain but what they have as also Honey Barley and Butter they fetch from the Abyssines yet they have very fair Pastures and full of Grass which feed Cows Camels and many Goats The Inhabitants an expert and Warlike People are either black or tawny of Colour sowre of Countenance treacherous and inveterate Enemies of the Turks against whom they hold Wars continually They speak distinctly bear no regard to foreign Merchants from whom notwithstanding their most serious engagements they steal whatever they can meet with Their Language is more difficult and obscure than the Turkish Persian or Indian but their Habit if so we may call it differs not from the last before-mention'd Their Government seems Monarchical Government one Person giving the Rule both to this and the adjacent Islands Their Religion is as great a mixture as their People Religion of whom most take Christianity from the Abyssines some are Mamalukes fled thither after the loss of Egypt besides Arabian Mahumetans of the Persian Sect and others pretended Musselmans professed Enemies to the other The Island of Bebel-Mandel PAssing from North to South you arrive at an Island now known by the Name of Bebel-Mandel but antiently call'd The Island of Diodorus situate in the midst of the Red-Sea which it divides into two Channels not above a mile from the Main Land of Arabia and the like distance from Abyssinia towards the Cape of Zeila so that the King of Egypt formerly shut up this Passage on his side with an Iron Chain drawn from one to the other Pigafet will have one of the Channels towards the West-side to be five and twenty Italian miles or five Dutch miles wide with a good Bottom and the common Passage for great Ships but the other scarce a large Dutch mile wide full of Rocks Shelves and Banks of Sand. It lieth in twelve Degrees and fifty Minutes North-Latitude Thevet calls it Muim and makes it two French miles in compass having some few Trees but otherwise wholly barren Formerly the Abyssines and Arabians of Aden made great Wars against the Possessors thereof by which it became subject sometimes to the Christians and then to the Moors till at last the Portuguese utterly laid it waste and so left it without hope of re-peopling The Island Suachem or Suaquem by Marmol call'd Suaquum standing according to Thevet East and West contains fifteen or sixteen French miles in compass but Rosaccio makes it much less and divides it almost from the City of the same Name beautifi'd with many fair built Houses Maginus supposeth the Haven of this Place to be the Sebastian Mouth mention'd by Ptolomy Over against Adel in the Red-Sea lieth the Island Barbora already mention'd About Suez inhabit two sorts of Christians one Circumcised nam'd Jacobites the other Uncircumcised commonly call'd Melaquiters The Inhabitants of these Islands and the Places on the Coast of the Red-Sea Trade with the Arabians over against it Sanutus saith that in the Haven of Chessir they have many Huts made with Mats wherein they stow the Wares carry'd from Cairo to Mecha The Moors of Ziden convey to Suez all sorts of Spicery Drugs precious Ambergreece which they bring from the Indies and transport from thence upon Camels to Cairo In like manner the Merchants bring from Cambaya into Asia and from all Arabia to Barbora all sorts of Clothes Beads or Motamugo's Elephants-Teeth and other Commodities The Red-Sea by the Moors call'd Bahar Queizum by others The Arabian Bay Red-Sea Gaspar Sam. Bernardino and Streights of Mecha the Burial-place of Mahomet lieth between the Coast of Ethiopia and Abyssine in Africa so that it parts Asia and Africa At the entrance of this Sea lie two Harbors the one call'd Guardafuy and the other Fartague The breadth between them is sixty Leagues or Spanish Miles and the length five hundred that is an hundred to the Straights of Bebel-Mandel and four hundred from thence to Suez where it ends Geminiano a Jesuit averr'd that
in former times the Red-Sea overflow'd all Egypt and by its Water took away the colour from the green springing Soyl but after the Water began to fall away and lessen it remain'd at length with so little moisture that the Sun-beams which shine down in that place with very great power make a reflexion of the red Sand from the bottom which seeming to give a tincture to the Water from its ruddiness gave the occasion of denominating it the Red-Sea though Pliny will have it from a King who Reigned here and in Greek was call'd Erithreos that is Red. To this Opinion inclin'd Pomponius Mela Aristotle and others But Quintus Curtius is of a contrary Judgment maintaining that this Sea was call'd the Red-Sea from the Egyptians who were drown'd in it when they pursu'd the Israelites in the Year after the Creation Two thousand three hundred fifty and four according to the computation of Michael Zapuler in his Description of the Holy Land Johannes de Castro formerly Vice-Roy to the King of Portugal in the Indies affirms that the red colour of this Sea ariseth from the great quantity of Corral growing at the bottom Others that the Rivers which pour into this in the midst of Winter having flow'd through Countreys of a red colour'd Earth make the Water seem red and consequently gave it the Name Certain it is that all the Water is like that in the great Sea and saltish In this Sea befell the Miracle which the holy Scriptures mention when Moses with his Rod commanded a Way for the passage of the Israelites to the number of six hundred thousand Men Women and Children not reckon'd and wherein Pharaoh in pursuit of them as he supposed flying twelve thousand Foot-Soldiers and fifty thousand Horsemen were swallow'd In this Sea are many strange and remarkable things as Trees growing Branches of Corral Mushroms Meremaids flying Fishes and other wondrous Creatures But how great diligence soever they have used none could ever take any of them although common and at all times seen along the Coast for the Egyptians believe that they and theirs by the killing such a Creature should die within a year as they say they have found by experience And out of that conceit when in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty one one was taken alive in the Nyle by the City Rosetta the Bey or Governor of the City commanded it presently to be put into the Water again though a Venetian had bought it for five and twenty Piasters and rather than incur the hazard return'd him his Money Gaspar de San Bernardino in his Journey to the Indies by Land saith the Entrances into the Red-Sea lie in twelve Degrees and forty Minutes being no other than two Points of Land one on Africa side call'd Rosbel and the other on the Coast of Arabia lying right over against it nam'd Ara. In the midst of the Passage lieth the Island Mium between which and the Main Land of Asia runneth a Channel nine or ten Yards deep and a large League broad as another on Africa side shoots down to the depth of sixteen Yards but useless because it hath no convenient Haven for Ships and many dangerous Shelves and Banks From this Port inwards the Sea widens all along till towards the end where it grows narrower and narrower the broadest part is not above thirty Leagues or Spanish Miles Petrus della Valla a Noble-man of Rome in the second Part of his Travels describes the Red-Sea as followeth In some places of the Red-Sea unpassable for its shallowness they gather up a finer sort of Corral than the common especially useful to be set in deep Caves and Grotts because it represents perfectly the shapes of little Trees with great delight to the Eyes of curious beholders In these Vegetables many times by varying colours or transparency Nature plays and sports it self with great curiosity The Inhabitants of these Parts pass this Sea in little Barques made of Planks joyn'd together not with Nails but certain Pitcht Towe Many Commodities are brought in these Boats to Cairo which the Proprietors take in pieces afterwards and sell the Planks at dear Rates and then return home by Land to their Houses This way of building Boats without Iron-Nails seems to be no Novelty considering Strabo the Geographer many Ages since speaks of Leather-Boats used by the Arabians for pastime in the Red-Sea As also of some other made of Osiers and Brush-wood with which the Egyptians passed over the Nyle I somewhat marvel'd says the foremention'd Petrus della Valla at the Name this Sea beareth for that it is not as the Black-Sea which is so call'd from the blackness or muddiness of the Water For the Water of this is so clear and pure that Men may see to the bottom and shews afar off like other Seas The Sand is also like that of other Seas so that it hath borrow'd its Name no otherwise than from the King Erithreos who as Strabo saith lieth buried in an Island of the South-Sea and hath given the Name of Red to the whole and not onely to the Arabian Gulf but whether so or no we will not dispute but content our selves that the holy Scriptures calleth it so in several places Upper-Ethiopia Or the EMPIRE of ABYSSINE Otherwise call'd PRESTER-JOHN'S-COUNTREY AByssine Name otherwise Prester-John's Countrey is by Marmol call'd The Kingdom of the Abixins or Abexin or rather Abassia or Abaxia and Habas or Elhabas as the Coast of the Red-Sea the Coast of Abex The name Abyssine derives its Original either from the Inhabitants by the Arabians call'd Abassi or Habasschi and by adding the Arabian Particle El comes to Elhabashi as that by the alteration of the guttural Letters makes Abassinia and Abyssines or from the people Abassenos which divers of the Antients among whom Stephanus in his Book of the Cities Davity placeth in Arabia Felix supposing they came from Africa over thither Some imagine that they took denomination from a Territory of Ethiopia nam'd Abyssi lying under the Jurisdiction of Prester-John under that Title including Ethiopia below Egypt mention'd by Ptolomy Terra Cinnamomifera or The Cinnamon Land of the Antients a great part of the Troglodytian Arabia with some of Libya AETHIOPIA SUPERIOR vel INTERIOR vulgo ABISSINORUM sive PRESBITERIIOANNIS IMPERIOR Notwithstanding all these losses and dismembrings the common Vogue stretches it to that vast magnitude as makes it exceed all Europe having in circumference above seventeen hundred Dutch and according to Pigafet four thousand Spanish miles but we dare be bold to aver that at this day it doth not exceed Spain alone in bigness and that in Africa are many other Kings which possess many more Kingdoms and are of greater power than this so much famed Abyssine To reduce then this unsettlement to some certainty Bigness the length taken from Egypt or rather from Bugia and Nubia to the Kingdom of Monomotapa Pigafet reckons to five hundred and Cluverius to five
Fort stand several Habitations among which the House of the French Governor with a great Garden planted with all sorts of Pot-herbs and Fruits But in the year Sixteen hundred fifty six this Fort was burn'd down by accident yet immediately rebuilt and a good Garrison plac'd therein The French maintain great Wars against the Inhabitants of the neighboring Territories marching into the Mountains burning down their Huts and Villages and taking away their Cattel In the year Sixteen hundred fifty one Flacourd being then Commander in Chief for the French King with forty French and as many Negroes arm'd with Shields and Lances destroy'd the Countrey of Franhere and laid all the Huts and Houses in Ashes carrying away many Cows and Oxen and both Men and Women so that by this means all the Glory of the Roandrians came to nothing This cruel Usage rais'd in the Inhabitants a mortal hatred against the French Hatred of the Inhabitants against the French increased afterwards by the selling of some Men and Women Slaves by their Governor Pronis to the Netherland Governor of the Island Mauritius The Territory of MANATENGHA or MANAMPANI and the Valley of AMBOULLE THis Territory of Manatengha or Manampani so call'd from the great River of the same Name running through it lieth in three and twenty Degrees South Latitude being a very delightful spot of Land A little more to the Northward at the Mouth of the foresaid River the Valley of Amboulle shews it self This River The River Manampani lying with its Mouth under the Tropick of Capricorn takes its original out of the Valley of Amboulle and receiveth out of the Mountains Encalida Hiela and Manghaze additional Streams sending its Current afterwards into the East In the Valley of Amboulle stands a great Town also call'd Amboulle This Valley produceth many wholesome Roots and Plants especially white Ignames and Sesamos whereof the Inhabitants make Oyl which they call Menaehil They have very good and fat Oxen and Cows besides some considerable Mines of Iron Near the Town Amboulle rises a Hot Bath whose Water they have reported to bear a heat sufficient to boyl an Egg hard in four and twenty hours and by the Inhabitants accounted a powerful Remedy against the Gout or Sciatica The Natives employ their time in Forgeing and Making Asagayes Employment Lances or Darts and other neat Iron-work The People of Amboulle are Govern'd by a Voadziri that is A great Lord call'd Rabertau being rich in Cattel and all necessary Provision of Victual But his Authority seems small for upon a scarcity of Provision his Subjects will tumultuously force him to supply their Wants But afterwards when the Crop in the Field comes to be cut he repays himself four-fold All the People of this Valley live in so great liberty that their Countrey is a Refuge and Shelter for all Rogues and Vagabonds Westward of Amboulle lieth Izame The Territory of Izame a small place but rich in Iron-Mines and Menachil or Oyl of Sesamos The Inhabitants being about eight hundred are the most undaunted and Warlike of the whole Island yielding Obedience to a Voadziri related in Blood to the forsaid Robertau VOHITSBANG THe Territory of Vohitsbang reacheth from the River Manatengha in three and twenty Degrees and a half to the River Mananghare and Borders upon Anradsahock and Fangaterre containing within it a Lordship call'd Manacaronha lying at the River Mambondrou This Countrey boasts several Rivers as first Manatengha Rivers which with four Mouthes viz. Vinangadsimo Manamaza Sagandacan and Vinangavarats pours it self into the Sea D' Aviboule by the French call'd St. Giles four French Miles from Manatengha D' Andraghinta two Miles higher Sandrivinangha a Mile further issuing out of the Mountain of Viboullo Monambondrou three or four Miles from thence Massianash fifteen French Miles from Aviboulle where they find a good Bay for Barques by the French call'd Ance de Borgne that is The crooked Bay Four Miles more Northerly lies Mananghare which hath seven Mouthes but all stopp'd up with great Rocky Cliffs It cometh out of Itomampo lying towards the West but augmented by three other fair Rivers Janghainou Itamampou and Mangharak all which uniting with this lose their Names This Coast from the River Manhafia to Sandravinangha stands inviron'd with the high Mountains of Viboulle full of Woods Dates and Honey and affording some Gold And indeed the whole Tract though very Mountainous yet produces abundance of Honey Oxen Sugar-canes Ignames Rice and other Provisions for Food besides many Iron Mines The Inhabitants are all Black of Colour The Constitution with bushy curl'd Hair upon their Heads living in a perpetuated Contention upon ancient Feuds or old Quarrels Manners intayl'd both to Memory and Revenge from the Parents to the Children They are so great Thieves that sometimes they will take away the Children and Slaves of their Neighbors and nearest Kindred in Blood to carry and sell them in far distant Places They have an innate Enmity to the Zafferamini as believing That by their Skill in Writing certain Characters they can bewitch bring Sicknesses upon and at last kill them At the Mouthes of Manatengha live none but Ompizees or poor Fisher-men They make their Clothes for the most part of peelings of Trees Cloathing which they call Fautastranou and Avo or else they buy Cotton Clothes in Carnossi or Ampatre Their Arms are Wooden Shields cover'd with an Oxes Hide Arms. and an heavy Assagay or Lance. They have as many Governors as Townships Religion but none of them have any Religion yet they eat no Swines Flesh by Custom and are Circumcis'd The Dominions of ITOMAMPO IKONDRE VATTEMANAHON MANAMBOULE and ANACHIMOUSSI ITomampo lieth in a Valley surrounded with high Mountains Itomampo about three small Miles in compass where they Forge excellent Steel Ikondre Ikondre a small and Hilly Countrey in twenty two Degrees and thirty Minutes South Latitude stands in the East and East-North-East divided by high Mountains from Itomampo and borders in the South upon Vattemanahon and Michicore and on the North and North-West touches Manamboule Vattemanahon borders East and North-East-wards on Ikondre Vattemanahon and on the Head-springs of the River Itomampo and Madreri West and South on the Countrey of Machicore It appears a wild Countrey having been laid waste in the Wars Manamboule hath Limits in the East and East-North-East on the River Itomampo Manamboule in the North on Anachimoussi in the West at Alfissack in the South on the great Mountains where the River Jonglahe takes its Rise from thence running Westwards from Mozambike into the Sea Anachimoussi Anachimoussi a Tract of about four small days Journey in length abutteth in the East at the River Jonghaivou which cuts it through the middle in the South on Manamboule in the West on the great Mountains in the North on the River Mangharak and the Lordship of Eringdrane Several Rivers glide through and
small Rivers lying two Miles distant from each other and take their original out of the neighboring Mountains The Faroan three Miles from the Itapaulominthiranou is a great River and Navigable for a Bark on whose Banks the Whites of Manouffi have seated themselves Lamohorik or Morombei three small Miles from Faraon comes out of the High-Land six or seven Miles towards the West Manataraven a small River lieth about six Miles from Morombei The Territory of Antavare Manouffi and Vobitsmene NOrthward of Matatane followeth Antavare scituate in one and twenty degrees and an half South-Latitude and extending to the Cape Manouffi delightfully Water'd by the Mananzau a large and fair River issuing from the steep Ascents of Ambohitsmene or the Mountains lying North and by East The Territory of Manouffi reacheth from the Cape of the same denomination to the River Mananghourou fifteen Miles more Northerly between which Cape and River lie three other Rivers Andredi Tenasatamamou and Tentamimi Antavane produces plenty of Rice Ignames Bananoes Sugar-Canes Honey Oxen Goats with all sorts of Fowl and Victual The Territory of Ambohitsmene lieth North and by West from Antavare and takes name from the aforesaid high Red Mountain in nineteen degrees and a half or twenty South-Latitude which may be seen fifteen Leagues off at Sea resembling Table-Mount at the Cape of Good Hope This ledge of Hills runs fifteen French Miles to the In-land between which and the Sea the Land appears very low Marshy and full of Lakes among which one of above fifteen Miles long and broad Upon these Mountains the people of Famantara have Zaffarahong for their place of Residence which place abounds with Gold Iron Cattel Rice Sugar-Canes Ignames Silk Clothes and other Necessaries Twelve Miles from Mananghorou Avibaha enters the Sea The River Avibaha being perhaps an Out-let of the aforesaid Lake Three Miles from thence the River Tsatsack and three other Foutchurao and a Mile and half onward Ivorhon pours down into a Bay by the Inhabitants call'd Tametavi but by the French Mariners Port aux prunes that is Plumb-Haven The Territory from Tametavi to the Bay of Antongil that is to the Countrey of Vouloulou the Long-Point the Lordship of Andouvoulhe with the Bay of Manghabei or Antongil THese Countreys begin at the Haven of Tametavi or Plumb-Haven lying in eight degrees and a half and spreading by the Sea Coast to the Bay of Antongil in the Language of the Countrey call'd Manghabei in fifteen degrees South-Latitude to the Land-wards inclos'd with the Mountains of Vohits-anghombe and Ansianach After the Plumb-Haven they have four small Rivers Fautack Faha Faho and Maroharats distant a small mile each from another After that Anacchinquets making a deep Haven with a good Sandy bottom but open to the North-East East and South-East Winds Three small Miles Northerly The Territory of Voulouilou you discover Longue-Point The Countrey about moisten'd by the River Voulouilou Five Miles further The River Ambato lieth the great River Ambato famous for the Rocks and obscure Cliffs but never comes to the Ocean Two small Miles more Northerly you come to Galemboulou in seventeen degrees and an half a large receptacle for Barks but very dangerous because of the blind Rocks and boisterousness of the Sea near which stands a Town call'd Ratsimelone but by the French Mariners St. Mala. Three Miles from Galemboulou a very fair and great River pours its self into the Sea wherein they say the small Island Ambouluossi shews it self The River Manangharou running from West to East The River of Manangharou divides its self near the Sea Coast into four distinct Channels of which it self being one retains its name from the Original to the Mouth The other three are Manansatran the second Marinhou opposite to the Island Nosti Ibrahim or St. Mary and lastly the Stream Jamiami a great and spacious River which at its Outlet into the Sea always holds seven or eight Foot Water After this followeth the River Mananghare fronting the North Point of the Island St. Mary and the South Point of Antongil Bay entring the Sea with so commodious an opening The Countrey of Audouvouche that a great Bark may easily come in or out Following along the Western Coast the Countrey of Andouvouche cometh to view that is The Bay but because of the many other as Antongil by the Inhabitants formerly call'd Manghabei for Antongil is a Portugal name proceeding from a Portuguese Sea-Captain Antonio Gillo who discover'd it It lieth in fifteen degrees South-Latitude stretching Northward and about six Miles broad In the deepest part of the Bay lieth an Island very high out of the Water two large miles about delightfully green fruitful in all sorts of Provision compleatly stor'd with fresh Water Hens Honey and Bananoes Seamen esteem it a most convenient refreshing place At the entrance of the Bay are three or four other small Islands either Sown with Rice or full of Weeds On the North side are three populous Towns with several other along the Shore neighbor'd by a great River which divided into two Arms the one running to the North the other to the West making in the middle at the parting an Island Further on to the North appears another great Town call'd by the Portuguese St. Angelo surrounded with a strong Pallisado Opposite to which on the left hand another which the Netherlanders in their first Voyage to the East-Indies in the Year Fifteen hundred ninety five named Spakenburgh consisting of about a hundred and eighty Houses West South-West from the foremention'd Island glides another River upon which a Town lieth The Grounds are exceeding good and fat well water'd and full of Grass The Condition of the Land but not over-stockt with Cattel the richest Person having scarce a Herd of four and twenty Beasts The Towns here shew more of Architecture than usual in these parts and advantageously Seated either upon the Mountains or along the River Fenced with Stakes with two Entrances or Doors onely the one to the Water the other to the side of a Wood for their flight thither when set upon by the Enemy and worsted All the People from the Plum-Haven to Antongil-Bay Customs observe the same Customs and all name themselves one among another Zaffehibrahim that is The Generation of Abraham or Nossi Abrahim from the Island Abraham whence they are sprung By their keeping holy the Saturday their whiteness of colour and some other particular Customs Flaccourt thinks them to be descended from the Stock of the Jews and Arabians who fled thither many years ago Both Men Women and Children are whiter than those of Matatane and Androbeisaha with smooth Hair hanging down at length being good natur'd mild and hospitable not inclin'd to Robbery or Murther In Dancing and Singing they seem to use some kinds of measures Footing it in pairs sometimes making distinct stops and stretching out their Arms. All their Songs consist of Epithalamiums in the Chanting whereof
differences such as have done others wrong to punish them in their Estates or Goods A Thief must recompence his theft fourfold if he have wherewithal if not he must pay for it with his life or be his Slave which he stole the Goods from The Natural Law or Massinpah concerns every ones particular method in Working Speaking Merchandize Gesture and manner of Life Massintane is the settled Custom of the Countrey not onely there but in more civilized Places held for a firm Law in all Cases This here extends to the way of Planting necessary Provisions Building of Towns Wars publick Rejoycings Dancings Exercises of Arms and many other matters The Antiquity of this Massintane hath so prevail'd that the Law of the Prince stands upon no other foundation so that it cannot be alter'd nor indeed will they alter it for any cause whatsoever That which they have receiv'd from hand to hand by Tradition from their Fore-fathers they esteem more than any thing else that can be taught them As for instance in the manner of Tilling their Ground if any should tell them that the Earth must be digg'd deep or stirr'd and broken with a Plough they would not hearken thereto but instantly reply Their Ancestors us'd no such Custom The Person that is hurt or wrong'd may do himself right without bringing the Offender before his Lord for they make no more of killing a Thief than they do about a venomous Serpent or other Vermin Perjur'd Persons and breakers of their Oath are punish'd with heavy Penalties and the Women sometime kill'd by their Husbands for it When a Marry'd Woman departs from her Husband and hath a Child by another man that Child must belong to the Marry'd Husband till the Woman without consent Marrieth another to which nevertheless he will not agree till his Tacq that is the Brides Portion which he paid to the Womans Father at his Marriage be restor'd to him again These arise also continual quarrels and differences among particular people upon Trifles as either about the Cattel which run into one or others Torraks and spoil or eat up their Rice or Slander and wrong or if one Neger steps over another lying on the Ground or treads upon his Legs without speaking Jossles against another unawares for all which he is liable to be punish'd by the Judge The Island of Saint Mary otherwise called Nossi Hibrahim THe Isle of St. Mary commonly call'd Nossi Hibrahim that is Abraham's-Isle lieth from the sixteenth to the seventeenth degree South-Latitude opposite to the River Manangare and stands the nearest from Madagascar two small Miles and at the farthest four containing in length from South to North about eleven and in breadth from East to West full two Miles To the South of this Island lieth another small one in the shape of a Tre-Angle separated by a Channel of thirty yards broad and two foot deep in some places and in others deeper This Island hath curious Meadows with Grass where the Cattel of St. Maries Isle go to Pasture The Island of St. Mary stands encompass'd with Rocks over which at the time of High-Water the Canoos go but at Low-Tide they are dangerous within a foot or half a foot of the Surface On the Shore are found Rocks of white Corral which the Negro's seek and sell to the French The whole is cut thorow by small Rivers and Springs by which means together with its natural fatness the Ground proves infinitely fertile and all over Sown with Rice whereof sometimes they gather two Crops in a year there are also large Sugar-Canes Pease Bananoes Ananassen and better to Bake than in any place of Madagascar The Air is very moist so that scarce one day in the year passeth without Rain and sometimes it Showres six days together without ceasing The Cattel are very large and fat feeding at pleasure On the Easterly Shore much Ambergreece hath been found of which the Negro's make Burnt-Offerings on the A Mounouques or Burying-places of their Fore-fathers Besides several sorts of Gums which they use for sweet Scents and likewise Taccamahacca in great abundance There grows a Tree by the Natives call'd Thionti and its Fruit Voathions which is no sooner fallen from the same but it Roots in the Earth and makes such a close Thicket that it is impossible to go thorow it There are about ten or twelve Villages Inhabited since the French have had their abode there so that the Governor of Antongil which used formerly to War against this Island continually dare not come thither for fear of the French The whole contains about six hundred Inhabitants which call themselves Zaffe-Hibrahim that is Children of Abraham The Chief Commander hath to name Raignasse or Raniassa Son of Ratsiminon that is Head because onely acknowledged by them as Head of the Stock of Abraham in this Island and Madagascar The Islanders maintain themselves by Planting of Rice Ignames Bananoes Sugar-Canes Pease and Beans and Fishing for Houzites a sort of Fish which they carry to sell at St. Lawrence paying to the Governor the fifth part for Tribute which also they do of Rice and other Plants These Islanders will enter into no League with the Christians yet Trade with them because it seems they have retain'd somewhat of the Antient Judaism The Island of Maskareigne otherwise called BOURBON THe Island of Maskareigne or Maskarenhas so call'd from the first Discoverer a Portuguese out of the Family of Maskarenhas by some call'd Apollime but by the French from the houses of Bourbon Isle de Bourbon who in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty nine by Flakour then Commander of the Island of Madagascar for the French East-India Company took possession of it for them It lieth to the East of Madagascar in one and twenty degrees and a half South-Latitude being fifteen Leagues long and ten broad and full eight days Journey in circumference There is not one convenient Haven by reason of the Rocks on the Shore which makes the coming of Ships to this Island oftentimes dangerous but there are several Roads the best of which lieth West and North-East the next is on the Northside and another on the Southside surrounded with Rocks with an entrance scarce wide enough for one Ship to come in at near which the French have built a Chappel for St. Paul At the Southside of this Island stands a Mountain which continually Burns and Vomits out Fire as another on the Island Del Fuoga one of the Cape de Verd Islands and the Mountain Hekla in Ysland from the South to the Eastside lieth a Tract of Land of twenty Miles quite burnt up by the sultry heat of the Air however this Countrey doth seem to have been very good formerly The Burning begins from the South-Point and takes its course aloft over the Mountains As you travel cross thorow the Countrey from the South to the West you may find a small Tract of Land of about six Miles wherein is a Lake whence issues a small River
ones Fist the longer the Flesh is boyl'd the harder it grows except it be the Breast which is very good to eat The Sea-men that first saw them gave them the name of Loathsom Fowls Bats as big or rather bigger than Pigeons with a Head like a Cat flie there in great numbers hanging in the Trees and doing much hurt to other Fowls Another sort of these are hairy all over their Bodies like Monkies or Cats and therefore some have call'd them Flying Cats for they are as big as a Hen or Goose such as these are found in several places of Asia as in the Kingdom of Mogor in the Territory of Casmir in Suratta and neighboring Islands and likewise in Brasile they keep in the closest Woods and hang with their Claws in the day-time on the Branches of Trees and shew more like hanging Bags than Beasts or Fowls The China's in the Province of Xensi eat their Flesh with a great appetite and report it better and more savoury than that of a Hen in the nights they miserably torment Cows Goats and Sheep by sucking out their Blood Fish may be plentifully taken in the Rivers within the Countrey as without in the Sea with little pains two or three Tubs full at one haling among which the ignorant Sea-men sometimes catch a sort of Fishes of a red colour but so poysonous that he that eats of it hath for some days together a most intolerable pain There are also Sea and Land-Turtles but the best not pallatable and of an uncouth aspect but of the first some have three hundred Eggs in their Bodies as big as Hen-Eggs and Shells wherein ten or twelve men can stand and one of them alive as they say can carry seven men The Island of Diego Rodrigue or Diego Rois and the Islands Primieras Angoxos or Angoises and Veiques THe Islands of Diego Rois and according to the Portuguese Diego Rodrigue or Rodrigo lieth in the Altitude of twenty Degrees two and twenty Miles from Madagascar in the East and not inhabited The Islands in Portuguese call'd Ilhas Primieras that is The first Islands lie over against the Coast of Sofale in sixteen Degrees South-Latitude and the Islands of Angozas to the number of four hard by the Coast of Mozambique Beyond the Cape of St. Sebastian on the Coast of Sofale towards the North in four and twenty Degrees South-Latitude appear several Isles some bigger some less but all call'd Veiques nine Miles from the Continent and eight ten and twelve Miles distant from each other These yield Rice Mille and a great many Cattel The Sea-shore offers Ambergreece which the Moors carry to sell to other Places and likewise great and small Pearls which the ignorance of the finders spoil with boyling The Inhabitants drive a Trade with those of the Main Land and are all Mahumetans The Islands of Comorre or Comarre and Gomara THese by a general Name call'd Comarre or Gomara and by Vincent de Witt taken for the Thieves Island lie between Madagascar and the Main Land of Mozambique Linschot saith there is onely one Sanutus averrs them to be three Pyrard and the foremention'd Vincent five others eight and some for four as Molaloa or Molaile Angazesia or Augazia Ivany or Amtuane Sir Thomas Rot. and Maota or Majotta which last three lie close together but Angazesia somewhat Northerly and Molaloa in twelve Degrees and twenty Minutes Angezia lieth North-west five Miles from Molaloa with its farthest Point in eleven Degrees and five Minutes and with the nearest in eleven Degrees and six Minutes The South-side lieth very high out of the Water Ivanny hath its situation Eastward of Majotta and Molaloa both which have a good Coast All these Islands but chiefly Molaloa have abundance of Cows Oxen Goats Sheep with great and broad Tails Coneys Hens and other Fowls several sorts of Fruits as sowre and sweet Oranges great and small Citrons Coco-Nuts Bananossen Honey Betel-Leaves and according to Sanutus Ginger Sugar and Rice which boyl'd gives a Violet-colour Moors Angazesia which drive a Trade with Beasts and Fruits in many places on the Coasts and the Eastern Islands in exchange for Calico's and other Clothes and Cotton Stuffs Their Bread is made of Chesnuts Baked in an Oven with a little Honey and their Drink Palm-Wine and the Juice of Coco-Nuts They never let their Women be seen with any Strangers but with permission of the Sultan Many amongst them can Speak and Write Arabick some also Portuguese which they learn at Mozambique where they come to Trade with Barks of thirty or forty Tuns apiece The Houses in Molaloa are built of Stone and daub'd over with Mortar with low Roofs cover'd with Boards and Leaves over them Angazesia stands divided among the several Lords that of Ivanny one peculiar Governour claims by the Title of Sultan who gave Molaloa to his Children viz. two Sons and one Daughter each of whom during their lives held their parts severally The Sultan keeps a great Train according to his manner being continually attended by fifty Men and his Habit a red and blew Cloth hanging over his Knees down to his Feet wearing a Turbant from which his Subjects vary little Both the Grandees and meaner sort of People chew continually a mixture of Oysters-shells and Nuts Areka with Betel-Leaves which cleanseth and fastneth the Teeth The Island of Ferdinando Po. NOt far from Guinee lie four Islands viz. of Ferdinando Po Princes Island St. Thomas and Anobon The Island of Ferdinando Po the Name of the first Discoverer who himself call'd it Ilhas das Formosa that is The Fair Island lieth in three Degrees and a half North-Latitude between the high-High-land of Amboyses and Rio des Camarones about four Miles and a half from the Main Land It seems the biggest of all the four although St. Thomas come near it rises very high and produces the Root Mandihoka Tobacco Rice and Fruit-Trees The People are wild barbarous and deceitful Govern'd by seven Lords continually Warring one against another No People of Europe come thither to Trade because the Inhabitants upon their Landing make away with all speed so that they onely put in there for fresh Water The Princes Island THe Princes Island or Ilha de Principe so call'd in Portuguese because a Portuguese Prince did find it out first of all being the smallest of the four it lieth in two Degrees North-Latitude thirty Miles from the Main Land of Africa and about four and twenty Northward of St. Thomas On this Island blows a more serene and wholsomer Air than on that of St. Thomas On the Shore appears a little Town containing about two hundred Houses and defended with Breast-works three Foot high against any Onset within which stand four small Cannon which the Inhabitants have formerly gotten from some Shipwrack The Countrey hath many Trees most of which produce Oranges Lemons Banano's Coco-Nuts and such like There are also Sugar-Canes and Cotton of which the Women Weave their own wearing Clothes
amongst the People who all cry'd Vive le Grand Valette that is Long live the Grand Valette The Charges to the Workmen amounted daily to the Sum of fifteen hundred or two thousand Crowns but to ease the Payment and to make good the Charges the Grand Master caus'd Copper Money to be made One Piece to the value of two Tarins on the one side with the Arms of the Order and the Grand Master and on the other side with the Mark or Ensign of his Dignity with these Words about the Border Non Aes sed Fides that is Not Coyn but Fidelity The Island of Pantalaree THis Island which Mercator holds to be the Cossyra of Ptolomy but others the Pacinia of the same Author lieth between Sicily and the Main Land of Africa or between Malta and Tunis two or three Miles from the City Mahometa right over against Susa a City in the Kingdom of Tunis in five and thirty Degrees North Latitude according to Hues It comprehends in Circuit about seven or eight Miles and in breadth three or four On the Sea-shore toward the North side lieth a City of the same Name with the Island Fortified with an unaccessible Castle built upon a steep and pointed Rock The most part of it appears Mountainous full of great Rocks and Cliffs yielding a glittering black Stone In the midst of the Island may be seen an Abyss or Bottomless-pit call'd Fossa The dryness of the Soil makes it uncapable to bring forth Rain But it affords variety of Pot-herbs abundance of Cotton Annise Capers Figs Melons and excellent Grapes There grow also little Trees by the Moors call'd Ver and by those of Sicily Sinko which bears a round sharp and red Fruit but becoming black in ripening of which the Inhabitants make Oyl useful not onely to burn in Lamps but to eat wherewith the Women anoint their Heads and Hair both for Ornament and to make it grow thicker There are no Horses but Oxen in great numbers with which they Till the Ground These Islanders live hardily and are dexterous in Swimming and although they use both the Arabick Habits and Language yet they have approv'd themselves to be good Christians Thus having penetrated the Center and Inmost Parts of Africa till of late altogether unknown and accurately set forth the Circumference and Coasts of its vast Dominions Describing exactly and by good Authority large Tracts of Land hitherto not so much as once heard of or in the least surveyed by the most Modern Authors Our next Voyage by Gods Conduct we intend for America hoping to receive that good Encouragement that shall enable us to lead you through that New and Golden World where you shall meet with the like or more Variety of Wonders than hitherto hath pierc'd any English Ear. FINIS Directions for placing the Maps and Sculps in AFRICA THe Map of Africa Fol. 2 Aegypt Fol. 35 Alexandria Fol. 55 Cairo Fol. 65 The Caravan Fol. 69 Balzom Boome c. Fol. 74 The Aegyptian Pyramids a whole Sheet Fol. 77 Another half Sheet of the Pyramids ibid. The inside of the great Pyramid ibid. A half Sheet of the Mummies Fol. 84 Datura Cassia Plants Fol. 101 The Map of Barbary Fol. 146 Fez and Morocco Fol. 158 The Royal Palace with part of the City Morocco Fol. 164 Salee Fol. 178 La Rache Fol. 195 Arzilla Fol. 196 Tangier Fol. 197 The Fight and Relation of it Fol. 219 Algier or Alzier ibid. Gigeri or Gigel Fol. 244 Tunis Fol. 251 Tripoli Fol. 273 Nigritarum Regio Fol. 315 Guinee Fol. 376 The Fort Tacaray Fol. 416 Castel del Mina Fol. 424 Castel del Mina as in the Portuguese time Fol. 425 Castle Cormantine Fol. 431 The City of Benyn Fol. 470 Aethiopia Inferior Fol. 489 The City of Lovango Fol. 491 Regna Congo Angola Fol. 522 Bansa or the City Salvador Fol. 524 Lovando St. Paulo Fol. 552 Cabo de Bona Esperanza Fol. 584 The Hottentots and their Clothing Fol. 590 Aethiopia Superior vel Interior Fol. 632 In the ISLANDS INsula St. Laurentii vulgo Madagascar Fol. 660 St. Hellena Fol. 727 Insula Promontorii Fol. 728 The Fort Orange and Nassau upon the Island Goree The Fort Nassau within Fol. 732 Insula Canaria Fol. 733 The Pico of Teneriff Fol. 736 Melete Insula vulg Malta Fol. 745 Disegno della Citta Valette Fol. 746 The half Sheets whereon are two Plates are to be plac'd according to the direction of the first
Cloth about their Loins to keep off the violent beatings of the Snow All the aforemention'd Cities and Towns Strength and Riches of Morocco are by natural Scituation exceeding strong and the inhabitants Powerful and Rich so that if they were reduced under one Head by such a Union his Discretion and good Conduct might effect great matters HEA THe Jurisdiction of Hea Borders of the Territory of Hea. the most Westerly Part of the Moroccian Kingdom joyns to the Great Atlas which the Inhabitants call Aivakall conterminated on the West and North with the great Ocean on the South with Atlas and part of Sus and on the East with the River Eciffelmel which divideth it from Morocco The famousest Places lying in this Territory are Tedoest Tedoest heretofore the chief City of Hea was in the Year Fifteen hundred and fourteen totally ruin'd but is now rebuilt in part by the Jews who have erected there five hundred Houses Agobel Agobel a strong City on a Hill and surrounded with a Wall contains about three hundred and thirty Houses Alguel Alguel scituate also on a Hill hath tolerable Walls and the advantage of two small Rivers running through it Tekuleth Tekuleth a fair City on the side of a Hill eighteen Miles Westward of Tedoest close by the Fort Aguz at the mouth of the River Tekulet which Ptolomy call'd Diure Hadequis Hadequis lying on a Plain three Spanish Miles from Tekuleth before its Destruction by the Portugueze in the Year Fifteen hundred and eleven had Walls of Stone strengthened with Towers The Houses were of the like Materials amounting to twenty thousand but now is thinly inhabited by a few Jewish Merchants So also the next City Texevit Texevit though wall'd and water'd by a pretty large River falling from the neighbouring Hills between which it stands Lusugaguen Leusugaguen or Ilusugaguen a strong City built on a high Hill in manner of a Fort three Mile from Hadis Southward But amongst these Mountain-Cities Tesegdelt is imputed the chiefest four Miles from Texevit having a Wall of sharp Rocks it containeth about a thousand Houses and is moistned with a handsom River Tegteze Tegteze or Tagtesse stands on a high Hill five Miles from Tesegdelt the ascent to it going round the Hill as it were by winding stairs Eitdevet Eitdevet five Miles from Tegteze towards the South an antient City containing about Seven hundred Houses Kuleyhat Elmuhaidin Kuleyhat Elmuhaidin that is a Foundation for Scholars seven Miles from Eitdevet was first built in the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty by an Apostate Mahumetan named Homar Seyef who broached divers new Opinions as to matters of Religion drawing after him many Followers who did much mischief but at length after this Province of Hea had been miserably harrased and wasted he was slain by his Wife for his Incestuous living with his Daughter-in-law and all his Followers when his notorious Dissimulation and odious Debaucheries were discover'd driven out of the Countrey only his Nephew betook himself to a Fort which he defended a whole Year though strictly besieged but in the end surrendred on Articles but carried with him his malice which he wreaked on them in a perpetual enmity Tefethne or Teftane by Gramay call'd Bente but Tamusige by Ortelius Tefethue a strong City on the Coast of the Atlantick at the foot of Mount Atlas hath a Haven four Spanish Miles in length A little toward the West lyes another Gazole Tafalle Zebedech which Marmol supposes to be the same that Ptolomy calls Hercules-Road Then to the Southward Gazole Tafalle and Zebedech all places of small Importance which at last bring us to the Cape of Ozem Northward The Cape of Ozem Magador not far from which appears the Island Magador or Mongador about five Miles from the main Land Here is a strong Castle wherein the Kings of Morocco always keep a good Garrison for defence of his Gold and Silver Mines in the neighboring Mountains Goz or Gozen a safe Haven by some taken to be the Surige of Ptolomy Goz. Kurio descript Regus Morocco Engueleguingil Engueleguingil or according to Sanutus Ichillinghighil is a small City lying two Miles Southward of Eitdevet Those are all the remarkable Towns We will take a short view of the Mountains and so proceed ¶ THe first that lyes in our way is Aidvacal or rather Atlas Mountains of Hea. Aidvacal beginning at the Ocean and reaching along the Shore making a Boundary between Hea and Sus being about three days Journey in breadth Here are many populous Villages Demensere or Tensare begins where Aidvacal ends Demensere and reaches into the East about seven Miles to Nefise in the Province of Morocco it is very populous but hath no City nor inclosed Town but divers small ones and many Villages Mount Giubel el Hand or Gebel el Hadith that is Iron-Hill Giubel el Hand which Ortelius guesses to be the Fokre of Ptolomy begins toward the North near the Ocean and reaches Southward Tenzift running between Hea Morocco and Ducala but cometh not near Atlas This Countrey hath in it many small Rivers great Woods The Nature of the Territory of Hea. and pleasant Valleys yet the Inhabitants have little Corn which proceeds either from their sloth or unskilfulness in Husbandry as appears for that in several places are abundance of Fig-trees Peaches and Nuts Here is also great quantity of Honey which in part they sell but such is their stupidity that they throw away the Wax ¶ ASses Goats Oxen Sheep Deer Hares and Apes run here in great abundance so are the Horses but of a strange shape different from ours and so swift that they will run over the Mountains without Shooes catching hold like a Cat. ¶ THe usual Food of this Province is Barley-Meal unsifted Nature and Customs of the Inhabitants which they Bake with the Bran in an Earthen Pan and eat for Bread together with Elhasid that is Barley-Flower in Winter boyl'd in Water and Oyl put into it but in Summer boyl'd in Milk and sauced with Butter Other-while they eat boyl'd Flesh sometimes divers sorts of Meat together which they call Couscous ¶ THe most People wear only a piece of Woollen Apparel of the People of Hea. by them call'd Elchise made like a Sheet and ty'd about the Body so round about the Head with a piece of the same dy'd Black with the Bark of a Nut-tree But the Elder and such as are in any esteem for Learning wear round double Bonnets Their Matts which they sit on Furniture for their Houses are made of Hair platted thorow with Reeds so also are their Beds and cover'd with Hair-cloths from five to ten Yards long serving both for Blankets Sheets and Coverlid In Winter they put up their Hair under a Cap but let it hang down about their ears in the Summer They Plow their ground
to Salee the fourth of September The sixteenth of June in the Year Sixteen hundred sixty and six Gailand Lord of Alkazir drew into the Field against Muly Resis King of Tafilet Brother to the King of Fez but three Days after came back again to Alkazir About two Days after he drew into the Field again was met by the King of Tafilet routed and put to Flight with the loss of many and revolt of more Soldiers to the Kings side Gailand himself wounded with a Semiter escaping to Alkazir but not daring to trust himself there within an hour fled to Arzile The King without any opposition took in Alkazir whereupon Tituan and Old and New Salee fell to him so that now the City and Castle was once more reduced under the Power of the King of Fez. Once before the Portugues took it but were not able to hold it long ere it returned to the right Owner When Sydan the third Son of Hamet after the Death of his Father and Brothers had possest himself of the Kingdom of Fez though afterwards stripped both of that and Morocco for a time by the several opposite Factions in those Kingdoms commanded by Hamet Ben Abdela a Religious but hypocritical Heremite who hoping to get all for himself was opposed by Sid Hean that took part with Sydan by which assistance the Tumults at last were pacified in some measure yet nevertheless a rabble of Pyrates invested themselves in this chief Port of Fez inabling themselves thereby to do him infinite mischief both by Sea and Land and not to him only but all others whose business of Trade drew them into those infested Seas Many fruitless Attempts he made upon them so that considering his own weakness at Sea for want of Shipping he sent an Embassador unto King Charles the First of England to desire his Assistance Nor did that Pious Prince need much Importuning to put his hand to so good a Work for he soon dispatched thither the requested Aids by whose Assistance Sydan became Master of the Town unroosted and punished the Pyrates and sent Three hundred Christian-Slaves freed for a Present to his Majesty Nor staid he there but raising his thoughts to a higher Pitch of General Good he sent another Embassador with a Letter to His Majesty to give him the like Assistance against Algiers who Roved with as much Cruelty through the Mediterrane as the Salee-Men before had done over the Atlantick The which Letter savouring of more than Mahumetan Piety and much conducing to the King of Great Britains Honour we will Insert for Satisfaction THE King of Moroccos Letter TO KING CHARLES The FIRST of ENGLAND WHEN these our Letters shall be so happy as to come to Your Majesties Sight I wish the Spirit of the Righteous God may so direct your Mind that you may joyfully embrace the Message I send The Regal Power allotted to Us makes Us common Servants to our Creator then of those People whom we Govern So that observing the Duties We owe to God We deliver Blessings to the World in providing for the publick good of Our Estates We magnifie the Honour of God like the Celestial Bodies which though they have much Veneration yet serve only to the Benefit of the World It is the excellency of Our Office to be Instruments whereby Happiness is delivered unto the Nations Pardon me Sir This is not to Instruct for I know I speak to one of a more clear and quick sight than my self but I speak this because God hath pleased to grant Me a happy Victory over some part of those Rebellious Pyrates that so long have molested the peaceable Trade of Europe and hath presented further occasion to root out the Generation of those who have been so pernitious to the good of Our Nations I mean since it hath pleased God to be so cuspicious to Our beginnings in the Conquest of Sale that We might joyn and proceed in hope of like Success in the War of Tunis Algiers and other Places Dens and Receptacles for the inhumane Villanies of those who abhor Rule and Government Herein whilst We interrupt the corruption of Malignant spirits of the World We shall glorifie the great God and perform a Duty that will shine as glorious as the Sun and Moon which all the Earth may see and reverence a Work that shall ascend as sweet as the Perfume of the most precious Odours in the Nostrils of the Lord a Work grateful and happy to Men a Work whose Memory shall be reverenced so long as there shall be any remaining amongst Men that love and honour the Piety and Vertue of Noble Minds This Action I here willingly present to You whose Piety and Vertues equal the Greatness of Your Power that We who are Vicegerents to the Great and Mighty God may hand in hand triumph in the Glory which the Action presents unto us Now because the Islands which You Govern have been ever Famous for the unconquered Strength of their Shipping I have sent this my trusty Servant and Ambassador to know whether in Your Princely Wisdom You shall think fit to assist Me with such Forces by Sea as shall be answerable to those I provide by Land which if You please to grant I doubt not but The Lord of Hosts will protect and assist those that Fight in so glorious a Cause Nor ought You to think this strange that I who so much reverence the Peace and Accord of Nations should exhort to a War Your Great Prophet CHRIST JESUS was the Lion of the Tribe of JUDAH as well as the Lord and Giver of Peace which may signifie unto You That he which is a Lover and Maintainer of Peace must always appear with the Terror of his Sword and wading through Seas of Blood must arrive to Tranquility This made JAMES Your Father of glorious Memory so happily Renowned among all Nations It was the Noble Fame of Your Princely Vertues which resounds to the utmost corners of the Earth that perswaded me to invite You to partake of that Blessing wherein I boast my self most Happy I wish God may heap the Riches of his Blessings on You increase Your Happiness with Your Days and hereafter perpetuate the Greatness of Your Name in all Ages But now to return to the Course of our History Two large Miles from Salee Tefensare there lyeth another antient City call'd Tefensare or according to Sanutus Fansare and by Marmol suppos'd to be Ptolomy's Banasse In the same Place Mahmore at the Mouth of the River Subu stood formerly the City Maamore or Mahmore destroyed in the Moorish Civil Wars Emmanuel King of Portugal sailing into that Countrey pleased with the situation erected a Fort there Anno Fifteen hundred and fifteen which e're made well defensive the King of Fez his Brother came with an Army of Fifteen thousand strong with which defeating the Portugues he utterly raised King Emmanuels new erected Work But the King of Spain in the Year Sixteen
of the Marriage-Portion with Donna Catharina Daughter of the most Illustrious Family of Portugal now our Soveraign Lady and His Majesties Royal Consort who in her Right duly possessed thereof hath not onely much improved the Fortifications but also erected a stupendious Mold a strong and safe Harbour for Shipping from whence he may take cognisance or speak with any that pass the Straits of Gibraltar by which it stands either into the Mediterrane or Atlantick Ocean and the Garrison of English now there fear not at all what the power of the Moors can or dare do by Land ¶ THe Countrey round about yields little Corn The Condition of the Countrey but there are many Gardens which produce Citrons Lemons and other Fruits in abundance The Mountains adjoyning to the City are replete with fertile Vineyards but more toward the Inland the whole is covered with Sand. At the Mouth of the Straits stands Kosar Ezzakir Kosar Ezzachir known vulgarly by the name of Alcacar or Alcaser The Founder was Mansor King of Morocco who built it as a fit conveniency from whence to Embarque for an easie passage to Granada The Passage thence to Granada Alphonsus the First King of Portugal in the Year Fourteen hundred forty and eight took it with a triumphal Victory But in the Year Fourteen hundred and forty nine the King of Morocco twice Attaqued it strongly but was by the Valour of the Portuguese bravely Repulsed In the same Straits stands Ceuta so called both by the Spaniards and Portugals by Melle Septa and by Ortelius taken for the Lexiliss of Ptolomy distant not above three Miles from the Coast of Granada The Straits three Miles over at the narrowest from which separated by that Strait so narrow that Men and Beasts may be seen and distinguished from the one or the other Shore It has had many Masters as the Romans into whose place came the Goths whom the Mahumetans dispossessed as themselves at last were in the Year Fourteen hundred and fifty by John King of Portugal This is a Place considerable and reasonably well built notwithstanding the fatal miseries it three several times underwent both by Fire and Sword first under Habdul-Mumin King of Morocco the second under Mahometh of Granada the third under the Kings of Portugal who the severity of the War passed to encourage others to build beautified it with a strong Castle and Palace A little distant from this lies an inclosed Ground Vinnones called the Vinnones that is Vine-Hill for the great abundance of Vines there growing and indeed that 's all it can boast for the other Grounds are Barren and which is the reason of the extream dearness of all sorts of Grain there ¶ THe Inland Places are these Ezagen Ezagen three Miles from the River Guarga and twenty Miles from Fez having abundance of excellent Springs and Fountains Beni-Teuds Beni Teude or Bani Teud supposed the Baba of Ptolomy or Julia Campestris of Pliny in a pleasant Plain on the same River fifteen Miles from Fez containing heretofore Eight thousand Buildings but now lieth Waste So also Mergo Mergo by Marmol called Amergo by others Tokoloside five Miles from Beni Teude the Ruines of its Walls still shew some Latine Inscriptions though much obliterated Tansor Tansor by Marmol called Tansert and by the Arabians Tehart and Triside two Miles from Amergo between Fez and Mount Gomere Agle Agle or Aguile a Walled City close to the River Guarga or Erguile formerly spoiled by the English but at present recovered and reasonably well peopled Narangia Narangia three Miles from Ezagen on the River Lukkus At the Mouth of which three Miles from the Sea and fifteen from Fez appears the Island Gezire by the Spaniards called Gratiosa and perhaps is the Cerna mentioned by Ptolomy Close by Narangia The Ruines of Bezat but more into the Land may be seen the Ruines of Bezat by some called Lixa and by others Besara or Besra It stood in a Plain between two Mountains three and thirty Miles from Fez and seven from Casar el Kabir boasting of the number of two and twenty thousand Buildings Homam also heretofore a flourishing Pile of Buildings Homam but now a ruinous Heap Tettigin or Tetuan by the Inhabitants call'd Tetuain about seven miles from Ceute and eleven from the Atlantick Ocean The Name signifies An Eye gotten from a crooked Countess who rul'd over this place The banish'd Moors of Granada did it much mischief but it hath recover'd its pristine Beauty having within strong Walls and a deep and broad Trench eight hundred well built Houses ¶ THis Dominion hath eight eminent Mountains viz. Rahone The Mountaint of Habat Benefensecare Beni Aroz Chebib Angera Quadres Beniguedarfeth Rahone or Arahone riseth close by Ezagen extending in Length ten miles and in Breadth four Beni Aroz by Marmol stil'd Beni Maras close to Kasar Elkabir seven miles long and onely three broad Chebib or Beni Telit eight miles from Tangier noted for six or seven small wall'd Villages there standing Beni Hassen a very high Mountain Angera about eight miles South of Little Kasar is three miles long and one mile broad Quadres otherwise Huat Idris and Vateres borders on Beni Aroz lying between Ceute and Tituan And lastly Beniguedarfeth adjoyning to Teteuain ¶ THis Province is well water'd and exceeding fertile The Condition of Habat especially from Ezaggen to the River Guarga being ten miles wherein lye nothing but Gardens Then from Beniteude to the Mountain Gumere containing forty miles as also round about Homam are abundance of Corn-Fields and Pastures well stockt with Cattel Rabone yields plenty of Grapes out of which they press both White and Red Wine Homar and Angere afford Flax. Benefensecare great quantity of excellent Honey Tansor feeds great Cattel sufficient to supply their Neighbors Lions also breed there but so faint-hearted that upon the noise of Women or Children they flye So that they have a Proverb in this Countrey concerning Cowards That they give their Tails to the Cows to eat ¶ THe People of Mergo have a high Conceit of themselves The Manners or Customs of the Inhabitants as being of a frank and generous Nature but are indeed covetous rude and ignorant so are those of Tansor Those of Bafra were formerly very courteous and simple or sincere but with the Change of the State have so alter'd their Manners that now they are quite contrary The Mountaineers are strong of Body very laborious and active but unwillingly submit to any Command being strangers to all Laws and good Order ERRIF ERrif hath on the East the River Nakor The Borders of Errif on the West the Territory of Habat on the North part of the Midland-Sea and on the South the Mountains over against the River Guarga in the Province of Fez Extending in Length from East to West fourteen and in Breadth from North to South eight miles
Constantine thither containing but few Habitations yet ha's preserv'd her Walls firm and undefaced Hain Sammin built by the Kings of Tunis Hain Sammin about seven miles from Beggie Kasba or Kasbat a Roman Structure seated in the middle of a delightful Plain whose Walls are made of great hewen Stone yet stand whole and undefaced but void of Inhabitants by reason of the continual Invasive Rapines of the Arabs ¶ THe Soyl both about Urbs and Beggie fruitful The Conditino of the Kasba yieldeth Corn in great abundance The Arabs notwithstanding the best defence of the Inhabitants are half sharers of it without any recompence so that oftentimes a great part of the Countrey is never cultivated they rather chusing to run the risque of seeking Provision than to sweat and toyl to support the Villanies of such who study nothing more than their mischief Little more can be said of Hain Sammin and Kasba onely their fertility is accompanied with a most healthful serenity and sweetness of the Air excellent Springs of fresh Water and abundance of well-grown Cattel ¶ THe Inhabitants of Urbs have little Civility Their Manners being for the most part Labouring Hinds Those of Beggie have a great insight into Arts Sciences and Mathematick Trades living decently but they of Kasba are lazy and voluptuous chusing rather to die of Hunger than to take pains to Till their Ground SUSA Or SOUSA THis Province containeth the Cities of Sousa Hamameth or Mahometta Heraclia and Monaster Sousa Sousa or rather Susa stands about five and twenty miles on the East of Tunis formerly a great City but now inconsiderable though the chief City of this little Dominion by some taken for the Adrumetum of Ptolomy and by Marmol and others for the City Siagoll which is the more probable It was built by the Romans near the Mildland-Sea on a high Rock before the Cape of Bon or Point of Mercury that shoots out towards the Island of Sicily It may be divided into an upper and a lower City and hath Walls of hewen Stone neat Houses and many Mosques but one excelling all the rest This is the place against which Prince Philibert of Savoy in the Year Fifteen hundred and nineteen had a Design to get from the Turks but they getting some intelligence thereof prevented him with a great Slaughter of his People among which many Knights of Malta and forc'd him to a dishonorable Retreat In the Haven thereof the Pyrate Ships of Tunis generally lye as being convenient for them Hammameth Hammameth or Mahometa or rather Mahometa a Modern City built by the Turks near the Mediterranean by some taken for Ptolomy's Makadama as if raised out of its Ruines Heraclia is a small City upon a Hill Heraclia built by the Romans and destroy'd by the Arabians Monaster Monaster or Monester once a Roman Colony but since got the Name from a Cloyster of Augustine Monks built close by but now included within the Walls which are high and strong as the Houses are neat and commodious Neighbouring hereunto are the Islands Cumiliers The Islands of Kamiliers Querquene Gamelere as also Querquene and Gamelere distant two miles from the main Land Sanutus thinks that in former Ages these were all that one Island which Ptolomy call'd Cercine being so near to the main Land that they could go from the one to the other over a Bridge But Pliny contradicts this Cercine averring Cercine to be thirteen miles in length and three in breadth ¶ THe Soyl of Susa is properly fit for nothing but Barley The Soil yet they have Figs Olives Pears and Pomegranates besides abundance of excellent Grass wherein they feed great Herds of Cattel ¶ THe Inhabitants of Susa are active and industrious The Manners of the Inhabitants behaving themselves towards strangers with great humanity and inclining to Merchandising but such as love to be within the smoke of their own Chimneys are either Weavers Potters or Herdsmen Those of Hamameth are Fishermen Carriers Cole-burners Whitsters living poorly upon Barley Bread and Barley Meal mingled with Oyl and as meanly Habited But the Sussans are in a better condition driving a great Trade both into the Levant and Turky The Governor with a strong Life-guard of Janizaries keeps his Seat in this City from which alone he receives Annually twelve thousand Ducats besides the Tribute of the rest of the Cities and Countrey THE PROVINCE and CITY OF AFRICA Or MAHADIE THis City which the Europeans without distinction call Africa The Name some think was the Aphrodisium of Ptolomy but the Inhabitants Marmol says call it Mahadia or Mehedia Leo Africanus El Mahadia and bestowing on it strong Walls and Gates with a commodious Haven ¶ IT stands scituate on the Sea-Coast or rather encompassed with the Sea The Scituation except where joyned to the Continent by a Neck of Land two hundred Paces in length and that fortifi'd with a double Wall and a great and deep Trench and many Defensive Towers This Strait passed the City grows broader and receives the Sea on both sides afterwards Eastward it becometh narrower and at length runs to a Point so that the whole Place represents the shape of a Tongue And although on the Sea-Coast it 's not defended with such strong Walls as on the Land side yet is it secure enough from any Attempts to be made on it by Ships because of the many Shelves and Sands lying as Out-works before it The Gate of the City on the Land-side is exceedingly strong being fortifi'd with Turrets and Pallisado's but chiefly with several intricated and winding Arched Passages with Doors plated with Iron Plates which past they come to a narrow Vault or Cave seventy Foot long and so dark that it is terrible to Strangers seeming rather a Murdering Den than an Entrance into a City The Haven is very capacious and strongly Walled in whereinto the Entrance or Mouth is so narrow that a Galley Rowing can scarce come in but being once within there is room enough for fifty Galleys to ride with freedom and conveniency This City continued many years subject to the King of Tunis from whom wrested partly through Force and partly through Treachery by Assan Gerbin a Relation by Blood to Barbarossa who was again Outed from the possession thereof by Dorgut or Dragut a Turkish Corsaire and Bassa of Tripoli with the help of some Citizens in the Year fifteen hundred forty five ever since which time it has continued under the Jurisdiction of the Turk KAYRAOAN or KAYRAVAN THis Province contains onely the Cities of Kayravan Tobute and Astachus Kayraoan or Karure The City Kayravan or Karoen lieth seven or eight miles from the Mediterrane twenty from Tunis and eleven from Carthage Its first Builder was Hukba or Okkuba Ben Nasik an Arabian Commander sent out of Arabia Deserta by Hutman the third Mahumetan Kaliff into Barbary and Biledulgerid to pillage the Countrey during which time of his
Substitutes to gather their people together and to meet him at an appointed Rendezvouz but they had made a private confederacy with Gammina their Masters brother by whose instigation they neglected and slighted his Commands Flansire knowing nothing of this Combination between his Brother and his Provincial Governours Flansire draws towards Serre-Lions after he had committed the Lieutenantship of his Kingdom and the care of his Wives and Children to the Protection of his Brother marched forth with his eldest Son Flamboere the present King of Quoia not doubting but that his Provincials durst not have a thought to leave him First therefore he went by Land to the River Galinhas and from thence with Canoos over the Islands Banannes to take with him the People that were driven from Serre-Lions as we lately mention'd and so passed directly to Serre-Lions where Landing with his Forces He comes with his Forces to Land he began a sharp War with Dogo Falma This Dogo Falma had been heretofore a great Man in favour with the King of Dogo or Hondo but had attempted and lay with one of the King's Wives Dogo Falmab punish'd by the King of Hondo whereat the King was so enraged that not contented the offence according to custom should be bought off with Gifts or Slaves he caused his Ears to be cut off and banished him his Presence but length of time so wore out the King's fury that Dogo Falma was admitted again to the Court where he had not long been but he began to shew his insolence His Speech to the King upon his having punishment and at length accosted the King in these terms Sir King considering the wickedness committed against you my Lord and Master I am obliged to thank you for your gracious Sentence by which I am punished that every one that looks upon me derides and scorns me and the rather because the punishment is unusual and the like offence customarily bought off with Goods and Slaves Now as you were pleased to punish me so I desire the like offence in others may be punished in the same manner It may happen that some of the King's Servants or Subjects may fall into the same Lapse but if it be either deni'd or not performed I shall complain against my Lord the King in the Ways and in the Woods to the Jannanen and Belli that is to all the Spirits and Daemons The King having heard this audacious Speech took council upon it and notwithstanding his implicite menace determin'd that the punishment inflicted on him should not follow upon all But nevertheless to pacifie him in some measure and take off his complaint he made him General of an Army He is made General of Serre-Lions to recover Serre-Lyons out of the hands of Kandaqualla who presided there for Flamboere To repel this Invader Flansire as we said was come to Serre-Lyons with an Army and made sharp War at length by the help of some Whites he fell upon the Town Falmaha and with axes cutting down the Tree-wall at last they forc'd an Entrance and set the Houses on fire The Town of Falmah is taken and burnt whose fury soon increased to an impossibility of being quenched Whereupon Dogo Falmah finding himself unable to resist fled whom King Flamboere with the Karou's pursu'd though to no purpose however Flamboere won great reputation at this time for his valour the people crying him up in these terms Dogo Falmah Jondo Moo that is Pursuer of Dogo Falmah Thus Flansire reconquer'd Bolmberre Gammanah stands up against Flansire and settl'd Kandaqualla again in his Lieutenantship and then Retreated with his Company intending to return to his Wife and Children But on the way he receiv'd notice that his Brother Gammanah whom he had given Commission to manage the State and supervise his Family in his absence had usurp'd his Dominion and kill'd all his Sons he could come at and taken his Wives to himself and set up his Residence by Rio de Galinhas as a convenient place to intercept or impede his Brothers return And as commonly fluctus fluctum sequitur one trouble falls in the neck of another so here this Rebellion of his Brother was attended with an Invasion of the Gebbe-Monou who dwell about Cabo Mesurado who fell into Dowala and Cape de Monte The Gebbe-Monou's fall upon Dowala where they burnt the Town and lead away Prisoners all persons they could meet with intending to make them Slaves Flansire understanding these mischiefs marched towards the River Maqualbary with all speed but complaining to the Kanon and Jananie's that is to God and the Angels of his distress in these words To you onely it is known that my Father left me rightful Heir in his Kingdom which falls to me by the Laws of the Land seeing I was the Eldest Son and that my Brother hath rebelled against me and hath set himself up to be Lord be you Judges between him and me in this intended Fight and let it if the Cause be unjust that he manages against me come upon his own head Thereupon he passed with all his Souldiers over the River where the Armies suddenly met and his Brother with great number of his men slain he got a compleat Victory but still kept the Field although no further opposition appeared against him In this time while the King remain'd encamp'd in the Field to be the more ready against any other appearing Rebels his Son Flamboere went with a Squadron of Souldiers into the Woods to hunt Civet-Cats and by his Sports trained far into them they discover'd some of the Rebels busie in burying the dead body of the Usurper but as they perceiv'd Flamboere and his followers immediately they betook themselves to flight imagining he had purposely come with that Force to find them out and left the Corps behind them with three Shackell'd Slaves intended to have been dispatch'd at his Grave according to custom By this means ascertain'd of Gammanah's death when they least expected it they took and brought the three Slaves to Flansire who having understood out of their mouthes all circums tances of what had happen'd and how all things stood in the Countrey he sent them to their fellow-Rebels to admonish them to come to him to ask him pardon and to assure them that he would not think of their misdeeds Which goodness of the Kings though presented by the mouth of these Slaves wrought the desir'd effect for the Rebels immediately submitted and receiv'd their pardon This Rebellion thus quash'd Flansire subdues the People of Gebbe-Monou King Flansire with all his Power march'd to Cape Mesurado to reduce the Gebbe-Monou which he did with great slaughter and the Spoil of the Countrey and then retir'd with his Forces home again taking his habitation in his old City Tomby till the Dogo Monou made a new Insurrection to revenge the losses of Dogo Falmah at first he left the Town and retir'd to Massagh an Island
where some few Houses are erected From hence all Ships that arrive there plentifully furnish themselves both with fresh Water and Wood. Next in order comes the high Point Cabo das Palmas or Cape Palm Cape de Palm in four Degrees and fifteen Minutes North Latitude on whose Westerly Corner are three round Hills and a little farther within Land a round Grove of Palm-Trees which may be seen far at Sea from whence this Point took the Name of Cabo das Palmas Near to this in Sandy-Bay arriving Ships finde a convenient Harbour A mile Easterly of which up into the Countrey appears a long Mountain looking like double Land From the first Point of Palm Cape a ledge of Rocks shoot South South-East a mile into the Sea and before them a great Shelf two miles long between them the Tide runs very strong to the East having ten or eleven fathom Water Two miles more Eastward Gruway the Village Gruway stands seated at the end of the Grain-Coast This whole Shore is very full of Rocks for which reason the Ships which Ride there are in no little danger In February March and April here is fair and clear Weather with cooling Breezes and gentle Westerly Winds In the middle of May there begin South and South-East Winds The Air. which bring with them not onely stormy Gusts as Hericanes but also Thunder Lightning and great Rains that continue June July August September October November December and to the latter end of January During part of this time the Sun being in the Zenith or Vertical Point of the Heavens sends down its Beams perpendicular The Land here yields great plenty of Mille Cotton Rice Grain of Paradise or Melegette good Palmeto-Wine besides divers sorts of Grain especially that call'd of Paradise or Melegette The Plant that bears Melegette hath thick Leaves better than three inches long and three broad with a thick rib in the middle out of which shoot many Veins which have a Spicie-taste like those of the Seed The Fruit is but little of size cover'd with a poisonous tough Russet-colour'd or rather Pale-brown Shell and under that a Film fill'd with many smooth and pointed small Seeds white within biting as Pepper and Ginger The unripe Grains are red and pleasant in taste The greatest smoothest and Chess-nut-colour'd are the best and the blackest the worst No kind of Beasts are here wanting by which means there is all necessary Provision to be had for Seamen The Blacks in these Parts are very envious to all Strangers The kind of the Inhabitants and steal from them what ever they can lay their hands on so that it behoves all Dealers to have a circumspect eye over their Goods And in some places they must be careful of themselves for being Cannibals they eat whomsoever they can get into their power 'T FORT TACARAY ofte WITSEN and about half flood a fathom and a half deep but within very dry and narrow that it gives little advantage either to the Natives or Seamen At the West-side of it rises a Rocky and steep Hill full of Brambles and Trees but on the East-side a Sandy Bank by which as it were split it runs in two small Vills one to the North-west into the Countrey and the other North-east but as we said both dry and not Navigable Near St. Andrew's River the Sea-Coast bellies out to the South-east as far as the Red-Land Between the fourth and fifth Cliff some high Trees grow in a Valley whose edge is remarked with two little Vills the one named Tabattera the other Domera Having left behind you the Red Cliffs you come to Cape La-Hou Cape de Labou the utmost limit of this and the beginning of Quaqua-Coast which spreads it self to Assine the whole Land hereabouts low and poor over-grown with Brambles and Trees yet a mile and a half Eastwards lyeth a Village call'd Koutrou Koutrou or Katrou Five miles from this Cape stands the Village Jakke La-Hou in a very barren spot five miles farther Jak in Jakko and six miles beyond that the Bottomless-pit so call'd from its unfathomable deepness for the Seamen having Sounded with their longest Lines and Plummet could never reach the bottom This Hole is in the Sea not above a Musquet-shot from the Shore so that the Ships which come about this Pit must come to an Anchor betimes to prevent danger Three miles from this Pit on the Shore runs a small River Eastward into the Countrey From Cape de La-Hou to the aforesaid Pit the Coast spreads Eastwardly with double Land Sixteen miles Eastward bi La-Hou takes place Corbi Labou before which the Sea runs very deep for a stones cast from the Shore it has forty and fifty Fathom water Eight and twenty or thirty miles from the Cape La-Hou Assine is seated the Village Assine where the Guinny-Gold-Coast begins full of high Woods but the Land low the houses such as they are stand on the Sea-shore so that they may easily be seen in the passing by Two miles from Assine stands a Hamlet call'd Abbener or Albine Albine a little to the West of a four-square Wood. Then follows in order Taboe and two miles farther Cape Apolony Taboe being a rising ground and seeming to Sailers like three great Hills In Jernon a little Village scituate on the side of this Promontory the Netherlanders have a Storehouse All along this whole Coast grow many Palm-Trees nor is it destitute of other Conveniences yielding extraordinary variety both of Fruits and Plants The Inhabitants as we mention'd before are call'd Quaqua's because when they see any Trading-Ships approach they declare their welcome by crying aloud Quaqua These People by their Aspect seem the unseemliest of all the upper Coast but are indeed the modestest and honestest and most courteous for they esteem it a great shame either at meeting to Salute or at parting to take leave with a Kiss When they come to the Ships to Trade they put their Hands in the Water and let some drop into their Eyes by which they testifie as by an Oath their uprightness and hatred to all Cheatings or Knavish actions Drunkenness they not onely abstain from They shun Drunkenness but abominate for the avoiding which they will drink no Palmito-Wine but a smaller sort call'd De Bordon or Tombe and that also mixt with Water alledging that from Drunkenness proceed many Quarrels the two frequent occasions of Murders and other inconveniencies which are all prevented by Sobriety and Temperance The chief Merchandise to be had here Merchandise are Elephants-Teeth of a larger size than usually elsewhere but withall dearer Some Cloathes also sold here which the Europeans and other Traders from the Name of the Coast call Quaqua-Cloathes being of two sorts the one bound with five Bands or Strings the other with six from the number of the bindings giving denominations to the Places they are sold in Cape Lahou yields many of
the Sea-shore to Trade with the Whites Trade but wholly deal in the Countrey with their Neighbours giving Gold for Clothes and other Wares which most frequently they have from the Countrey of Abonce or else from the Akanists their next Neighbours Akam AKam touches in the West upon Into as the South on Ahim in the North Akam an unknown Land and in the East on Kuahoe and Taffo little known and as little taken notice of because they have nothing fit for Commerce Aqua AQua hath on the West Atty and Dahoe Aqua in the South the Territory of Fantyn lying at the Sea and on the North Ahim. A place of little consequence belonging to Fantyn The TERRITORY of SANQUAY SAnquay lieth in the South on Fantyn in the North on Akim Sanquay and in the East on Agwana The People live hardly being forc'd for supply of Provision to come to the Rough Point to buy Fish which by reason of their remote distance seldom comes home other than stinking It yields obedience to the King of Agwana The TERRITORY of AQUUMBOE AQuumboe hath in the West Aquumboe Ahim in the North Quahoe in the South Agwana in East the Countrey Abonce and Aboera of little farther note or value than onely to be named Abonce THis small Countrey borders on the West Abonce at Aquumboe on the South at Agwana on the North at Amboera on the East upon Great Akara and part of Aboera Here is held the Market of Great Akara though about two hours Journey behind it whither resort out of divers Countreys several sorts of People Kuahoe KUahoe hath on the West Kuahoe Akam on the South Aquumboe and Ahim on the North Tafoe on the East Aboera and Kamana The Inhabitants are deceitful and false and therefore little esteemed by their Neighbors Tafoe THe Countrey of Tafoe lies bounded on the West Tafoe by Aka on the South by Kuahoe on the East by Kammana and Kuahoe 'T is reported to yield great store of Gold which the Natives bring chiefly to Abonce but some small quantities to Moure Aboera THe Territory of Aboera hath on the West Aboera Aquumboe on the North Kuahoe and Kammana on the South Abonce and Great Akara on the East Bonce It possesses much Gold which the Inhabitants of Abonce bring to the Market of Great Akara and there Truck for foreign Commodities Quahoe QUahoe hath on the South Kammana and Small Akara and on the West Quahoe Tafoe From hence also they bring Gold to accommodate and enrich the Market of Great Akara Kammana KAmmana hath on the West Kuahoe on the North Quahoe on the South Kammana Aboera and Bonoe on the East Equea Lataby and Small Akara The Inhabitants follow Husbandry and not onely get their own Living thereby but furnish and feed many of their Neighbors Bonoe BOnoe touches on the West upon Aboera on the North upon Kammana Bonoe on the South hath Great Akara and on the East the Territory of Equea and Ningo The People drive a Trade and carry their Merchandise to sell onely among their Neighbors Equea THe Territory of Equea hath on the West Bonoe on the North Equea Kammana on the South Ningo and Lataby on the North. The Inhabitants maintain themselves by Traffick Lataby LAtaby borders on the West upon Equea and Kammana Lataby on the North and East on Small Akara on the South upon Ningo and Latibo The Natives hold here also a great Fair or Market whither all sorts of Wares are brought but much exceeded by that at Abonce Akarady AKarady hath for Limits in the West Akarady Kammana on the North Quahoe on the South Lataby and Ningo This Countrey abounds with Gold which as likewise all that which comes to Akara is as well cleared of Dross as that brought by the Akarists which the Inhabitants bring for Vent to all the adjoining Markets and Factories The Land hereabouts hath few Trees and those also yielding little profit whereas Kormantyn and other places lying upward have many to be admired for their fertility and usefulness Insoko INsoko lieth Insoko according to the report of the Akarists four or five days Journey from the Sea-shore but that the Countreys between are for the most part unknown to them because they very seldom go to Insoko by reason of the great numbers of Thieves that haunt the Ways The Inhabitants make very fine Cloathes Their Cloathes whereby those which making a safe Voyage return from thence home again may gain vast Riches they are bought for Royals of Eight or other Pieces of Silver and sometimes for fine Linnen but as the same Akanists say know nothing either of Gold or Copper neither have they any Concern in it Thus much as to the Countrey in general we will now proceed to declare a more particular Relation of its Nature Air Plants Beasts Customs and Religions and what else obviously we meet with concerning the same ¶ THe whole Gold-Coast The Nature of the Countrey especially about Myna appears Wild Desolate Mountainous and full of Woods having such narrow Ways that two cannot go together and those so incumbred and over-grown with Brambles and Trees that the Sun can hardly through their density be discern'd in short they are fit hiding-places for Thieves and yet few such found there From Cape de Tres Puntas to Akara it lies high and higher up into the Land the Soil is fruitful intermingled with good Pasturage very convenient for the Feeding of Cattel in as also for Planting of Mille and other Corn the Shore extending East North-East The People here know not what a Frost means There is no Prest so that indeed we may justly say they have no Winter but one continual Summer covered by the continual Heats of the Air and Sun yet notwithstanding this certain warm temperature of the Clime hath distinguish'd the Seasons of the Year attributing some Moneths to Summer others to Winter by peculiar observing the difference of the Weather and accordingly they reckon it Winter when the Sun shines in a Perpendicular Line from the Vertical Point of the Heavens upon their Heads which happens in April and June and they judge it Summer when the Sun is farthest from them which is in October November December and February the reasons whereof we will endeavour briefly to give you In January blow along this Coast out of the South-West hard Sea-Storms but harder in February which sometimes bring with them a Hericane and sometimes Rain In the latter end of March and beginning of April great Tempests a rise both at Sea and Land by the Portuguese call'd Ternados and by the Inhabitants Agombrettou attended with great Rains mixt with Thunder Lightning and Earthquakes which continue to the end of May They foresee the coming of this strange Weather by the clouding of the Skie in the South-East yet then is the Sowing-time for Mille. The Ternados past the
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
a little Meat a Slave was given at that time worth at least ten Crowns nay more thousands sold themselves for Slaves to the Portuguese of the Island of St. Thomas to preserve themselves from starving amongst which were some of the Royal Blood and many of the chief Lords The Congo's King finding himself too weak to withstand his Enemies by the Counsel of the Portuguese sent an Agent to Don Sebastian then King of Portugal praying his Aid who immediately sent him a Supply by Shipping of six hundred Soldiers In which Expedition many Nobles and Reformado's put themselves into the Service under the Command of Don Francis de Govea a Man who had often been in Asia and Africa who after a fortunate Voyage arriving at St. Thomas Isle where by Order they put in for Recruits of Ammunition and to Victual and refresh they went over to Congo and Landed at horse-Horse-Island where the King of Congo then had his abode where the General having received new Supplies of Portuguese and Congo's went over to the Main Land and Fought the Jages beating them in divers Battels insomuch that Alvarez after a year and a halfs exile was restor'd to his Realm The King being thus re-setled in his Throne required for the establishing of the Christian Religion that Priests might be sent thither and as an acknowledgment of this Aid and Assistance he obliged himself by a Written Obligation to send yearly a Present of Slaves and withall to own him as his Lord The King of Portugal refused the same modestly returning That he acknowledged the King of Congo for his Brother at Arms but answer'd his Desire for establishing the Christian Religion At length after four years the General departed onely leaving behind many Portuguese as a Guard to secure the Peace of Congo for the future Thus far we have proceeded in the Affairs of Congo But Eastward of Lovango and North-east of Goy and Cakongo lie divers unknown Countreys as Bokke or Bukkemeale Ukango Sondy Pombo Fungeno Makoko Girituma Combo d' Okango Amboille of which we shall give you some particulars The TERRITORY of BOKKE or BUKKE-MEALE THis Territory whose Inhabitants are Jages lieth according to supposition about a hundred Leagues up in the Countrey to the North-East of Lovango for the Blacks which go thither to Trade are three moneths in their journey going and coming Out of this Countrey cometh most of the Elephants Teeth which the Mouirisen of Lovango buy of the Jages who go higher up in the Countrey to buy them of a sort of little people call'd Mimos who are under the great Makoko's Command and live in the Desarts The Jages report that these Dwarf-like Race can by Enchantment make themselves invisible and so kill or shoot the Elephants whose flesh they eat and sell their Teeth to the Jages which barter the same with the Mouirisen for Salt carry'd from Lovango by Slaves in Matteten or Bakets upon their heads But here we must take notice that all the Teeth which the Mimo's bring are not of Elephants which they Shoot but many are of those which die naturally and are found in the Woods and therefore look of a decay'd colour as if they were rotten The Inhabitants of Bokke-Meale are subject to the Command of the King of Lovango pay him Tribute and serve him in the Wars Government Between Lovango and Bokke-Meale lieth a desolate place full of great Woods six or seven days journey and without other Inhabitants than Elephants Tygers Wolves and such like wild Beasts The Countrey of OKANGO OKango a large and mighty Territory lieth to the East of Kongo Okongo The Inhabitants file their Teeth sharp and lead an idle and shirking life neither able to endure labour or hardship and therefore contemptible among their neighbors and strangers In this Countrey they make Clothes of the Bark of Trees some with Flowers and others without which they send to other Countreys in exchange for such things as they want and submit to the Commands of a Sovasen whom they entitle Mani The Territories of CONDE or POMBO de OKANGO ABout a hundred and fifty-miles North-East from the Dukedom of Batta you come to a Countrey call'd Congo or Pombo de Okango water'd by the swift and deep River Coango which looseth its course by running into the River Zaire The Natives aver that there are found Eastward of the River Coango a white People with long Hair though not so fair as the Europeans THE KINGDOM OF FUNGENO THis Jurisdiction of Fungeno is tributary and subject to the great Makoko The Kingdom of Fungeno and lies between the River Zaire and Coango Eastwards of Konde or Pombo d' Okango The Portuguese Trade here for few Slaves chiefly with a sort of small Pans or Clouts made of the Pith or Bark of the Matombe-Tree pull'd out long-ways These Clouts the Portuguese always us'd at Lovando in stead of Money and every thing may be had in the Markets for them nor do the Portuguese make a small gain out of them The Trade of the Portuguese limits not it self to these people onely but extends further to the Dominion of Nimeamay lying to the South-East of Makoko who travel from their own Countrey thither without any fear or hazard in regard the Kings of Nimeamay and Makoko hold a friendly correspondence and firm league of amity with each other THE KINGDOM OF MAKOKO MAkoko a potent and large Jurisdiction lieth Northward of Zaire behind Congo above two hundred or as others two hundred and fifty Spanish miles from Lovango or Congo The Inhabitants bear one general name of Monsoles or Metica's being also Anthropophagi or Men-eaters like the Jages or rather indeed the right Jages The eminentest place of this Kingdom known to the Whites is Monsol seated about two hundred miles from the Sea-shore This King hath the repute of greater puissance than he of Congo as having ten other Kings Tributary to him This King keeps constantly within appointed places in his Court two hundred Slaves of which part are given him yearly for Tribute and part condemn'd persons all fed by their keepers like stall'd Oxen or fatted Sheep and Hogs being the store to supply the King and his Courtiers with choice Provision for whose use slain and their flesh serv'd up as a delicate Morsel for they eat it rather out of a devilish wantonness than necessity for that almost all sorts of Cattel breed there in infinite multitudes neither is the Land wanting of any other product fit for humane Food In Monsol is kept a great Market of Slaves Trade whither the Portuguese of Lovango send their Pomberoes with Merchandizes which sometimes tarry out a year or two when at last having bought some Slaves Elephants Teeth and Copper they make the new-bought Slaves to carry all on their heads to Lovango so that they are at no charges to bring their biggest Teeth or Copper out of the Countrey The King according to his manner keeps in great State
full of winding Reaches by reason whereof from the Mouth to Motahoama is thirty Leagues Sailing whereas the direct way is but twenty In Sailing by it the opening can hardly be seen at the Sea by means of a black and woody Island lying right before it Several Islands discover themselves herein The Island Massander for about nine miles up it divides into two Arms which include an Island about four miles long and half a mile broad call'd Massander or Massandera This Island produces many sorts of Fruits especially Mandikoka which planted there grows extraordinary thick of which they make great quantities of Tharinka or Maiz also Mille three times a year besides Palm-Trees and a Fruit nam'd Gojaves Ten or twelve miles above this Motchiama lieth another intituled Motihiama three miles long and half a mile broad very low ground excepting two Mountains beset with all sorts of Plants and Herbs and Feeding there are many Goats Sheep Hogs and Hens Some years ago five or six Families of Portuguese liv'd here who had many Slaves and maintain'd themselves chiefly with Mandihoka Lucala The River Lucala by Pigafet call'd Luiola comes out of Amboille having its head near the rise of the River Danda and running South Westward till about six and twenty miles from the Sea joyning with Quansa and by that mixture loosing its name The small River Kalukala runs cross the Territory of Ilamba with such extraordinary Creeks and Meanders that there is hardly one of the two and forty Dominions wherein this Kingdom is divided that lieth above an hours walk from it Some Lakes appear at the corners of Quansa or Bengo the chiefest whereof may be seen in the Lordships of Quihailo Angolome and Chame Angola containeth divers inferior Ditions Territories of the Kingdom of Augola as Lovando Sinso Ilamba Ikollo Ensaka Massingan Embakka Kabamba every one of which comprehends several Provinces rul'd by particular Jovassens or Governors viz. Lovando contains nine and thirty Ilambas forty two Ikollo and Ensaka divers but uncertain Massingan twelve which some bring under Ilamba Kambamba sixty and Embakko sixty In Lovando The City Lovando Saint Paulo stands the City Lovando Saint Paulo on the rising of a Hill by the the Sea-Coast On the Northside of this appears another Mountain call'd Mora Saint Paulo somewhat higher than that of the City and so steep that its with much difficulty ascendable yet on the sides thereof the Jesuites have erected a Cloyster neighbour'd by three or four adjoyning houses LOANDAâ—â— S. PAULâ—â— This City was built by the Portuguese in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight when Paulus Dias de Nevais was sent thither to be the first Governor for them in this Countrey The City takes in a great compass of Ground being built with many fair Houses Churches and Cloysters but neither Wall'd nor Fortifi'd Some Forts are raised at the Water-side for the securing of the Haven Before the subduing of it by the Netherlanders in the Year Sixteen hundred forty one the Portuguese had six Churches there two greater one call'd Saint Maria de la Conception and the other Corpo Santo and four lesser one for the Jesuits nam'd Saint Antonio one for the Blacks stil'd Saint Gosce one Cloyster and Church for the Franciscans and an Alms-house with a Church intituled Misericordia Over this Alms-house besides the Receptions for Poor are four and twenty Chambers for the Governor and other Officers viz. a Steward a Doctor a Barber an Apothecary and others This House hath some Revenues of Land which being but mean hath been augmented by a Rate upon Ships for every Ship which puts in there must pay two Rees to the Treasurers of this House Sinso is the Countrey situate to the North of Lovando Sante Paulo up the River Bengo Ilamba or Elvama a large Tract of Land above an hundred Miles in length Ilamba beginning South-East and East-South-East from the Territory of Ikollo and spreading from the River Bengo to Quansa and from Kalumba to Massinga still growing wider the further you go and every where so well Peopled that in two or three Miles distance is a Village which proceeds from the Negroes separating themselves from each other by peculiar Marks So that the whole stands divided into two and forty Dominions The first of these neighbouring Ikollo is call'd Chonso Dominions of the Territory of Ilamba and afterwards the rest lie one behind another according to their Order viz. Namboa Quolomba Bamba Golungo Makea Kombi Quitendel Etombe Quitalla Kambkaita Andalladongo Quiambatta Nambaquiajamba Kangola Quihaito Chombe Angolome Gumbia Massingan or Massagan Kaoulo Kahango Karanga-Pase Guenka-Atombe Hiangonga Quilambe Quapanga Kabanga Kabuto Kandalla Gongue Kahonda Kunangonga Mossunguapose Kamanga Kalunga Bagolunge Quibilacapose Koslakase Nambua Kallahanga Nimenesolo These are the chiefest which make up Ilamba and wherein may be rais'd ten or twelve thousand Fighting Men arm'd with Bowes and Arrows The Sovasen maintain the Boundaries so exactly that never any Complaint is heard of one wronging or incroaching upon another unless it be in open Wars and then the Conquerer becomes wholly Master of his Enemies Countrey This Territory can shew neither Artificial Forts or Natural Fastnesses of Woods for a Defence against their Enemies some little Groves may be seen upon Hills but so inconsiderable as hardly worth mentioning Yet these People cannot easily be conquer'd because they use such good Discipline shooting their Arrows either lying upon the ground or kneeling From Ilamba North-west and West-north-west lies Ikollo Ikollo Ensaka takes beginning six or seven Miles Eastward of Lovando Saint Paulo Ensaka and situate between the two Rivers Quansa and Bengo 'T is but a small Jurisdiction and may be travell'd through in half a day Here in some few Places the Inhabitants Till their Ground Two or three Miles in the Countrey on the Hills stands a Wood enclosed about with Bushes and Thorns to the great accommodation and strengthening of the whole For if the Inhabitants should retire thither it were impossible to force them out save onely for want of Water there being none but what the Rivers Quansa and Bengo bring thither Nine Miles Eastwards Massingan and above the Island of Motchiama in the Province of Missingan or Massagan stands a small Town of the same Name where the Portuguese have a Fort erected between Quansa and Sunda the last of which environs it on the North as the former on the South And about the distance of two hours walk intermingle their Streams from which Conjunction the Town derives its Appellation Massingan signifying A mixture of Waters It was at first an open but pretty large Village but since augmented with many fair Stone-Houses whereby at length 't is become a City The first Portuguese Governor of Angola in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight by command of his Master erected this City of Lovando Saint Paulo and also the Fort there when by the help of the Congeses he
Their Musick must needs be very mean and harsh having but one sort of Instrument call'd a Cas made Basket-fashion of the Stock of the Palmito-Tree Carved in Flowers and cover'd with a Board which being struck yields a Taboring sound Pigafet says Their Food the Inhabitants have so great a love for Dogs-flesh that they feed and fat them in great multitudes and when kill'd dress them as a dainty Dish Their Clothing comes very near to that of Congo the Ornaments of their Necks and Arms consisting in round Glass-Beads which they call Anzalos The Angolish Tongue differs from Congo's onely in the pronunciation Language yet that makes it seem another Speech The Men as we said before may have as many Wives as they can feed Marriage and the first is accounted the superior of all if Married according to the Christian manner A Woman as long her Children have no Teeth keeps from her Husband but as soon as it hath any all the Friends and Acquaintance both Men and Women carries it in their Arms from House to House Playing and Singing to receive a Gift for it and seldom or never are put off with a denial When any Person dies they wind up the Corps being first washed clean Funeral then Combing out the Hair and putting on new Clothes they carry them to the Grave made like a Vault where they set them upon a Seat of Earth with many round Glass-Beads and other Goods about them Among the better sort Blood is sprinkled upon the Earth and Wine poured out for a remembrance of the Deceased The punishment of Offences is done in one and the same manner that is The punishment of Offences the Offender together with his Wife and Children and their whole Stock are made Slaves to the Sova's But sometimes they accuse not one another but work their own revenge by poysoning of their Adversary In the Enquiry they take no care whether the Party be guilty or punishable indeed but the Saying of the Sova's or Averment of one single person carries the Cause In stead of Money they use as in Lovando Clothes are their Money the small Clothes call'd Libonges and Panos Sambos whereof we gave you there a full account Of these some are single marked with the Arms of Portugal others double marked and some unmarked The single-marked Clothes as also four unmarked ty'd together go for a half Tester and one alone for two Pence but every double-marked Cloth is worth ten or eleven None of the Portuguese may bring those Clothes into Lovando but onely the Factor of the Merchant who dwells at Lisbon and sent thither to buy them up whereof he makes no small Gain Out of Benyn come blue Cotton-Clothes by them call'd Mouponoqua but by the Portuguese Panos res gatto de Berre they are five Clothes together and a a Yard and a half or two yards broad There is another sort in Portuguese call'd Pannos de Komma de Figures of blue and some white mingled with Figures about six or seven Yards long and above a Yard broad Both these sorts the Portuguese Vend in great quantities and at high Prices in Congo Amboille the Kingdom of Gingo and other Places The like small Clothes are brought from the Island St. Thomas but the Dye is not so good and the Stuff courser These they exchange for Slaves to send into Portugal They have two sorts of Simbo's which serve in lieu of Money viz. Simbo's or little Horn-Shells pure Simbo's taken under the Island of Lovando and used for Trade in Punto and impure or Brazile brought from Rio de Janero and used in Songo and Pinda and in the Countreys of Anna Xinga beyond Massingam and among the Jages The Simbo's of Lovando are also of two sorts a finer and a courser separated by Sifting the latter they name Simbos Sisado's the other Fonda and Bomba Both these they send to Congo being carried thither upon the Heads of the Blacks in Sacks made of Straw every Sack weighing two Aroba's that is threescore and four Pound They use also in Lovando in stead of Money the red Takoel Wood of Majumba and Pio de Hikongo brought from Benguella which cut into Pieces of about a Foot long have their set value which every one knows The Fruit Cola is there commonly sold for Clothes four Fruits for one Libongo or unmarked Cloth The chiefest Trade of Portuguese and other Whites Trade consists in Slaves carried from thence by Shipping to several Places in the West-Indies as to the Islands of Porto Rico Rio Plata Santo Domingo Havana Carthagena and to the Main Land especially to Brazile and other Places to labour in the Engines and Sugar-Mills and to dig and work in the Mynes which toyl these Angolian Blacks and no Whites can undergo so that the Portuguese and Spaniards must thank the labour of Slaves for most of their Riches which they possess in the Indies It is certain the Spaniard used heretofore to send over upon his own account to the West-Indies every year above fifteen thousand Slaves for those Works and 't is judg'd that the Portuguese to this day send no fewer All those Slaves the Portuguese cause to be bought by their Pombero's as is before related above a hundred and fifty and two hundred miles up in the Countrey from whence they bring them down to the Sea-Coast These Slaves get but little Food on the Way and lie on the bare Ground every Night under the open Heaven without any other Covering by which means they grow poor and faint but the Portuguese in Lovando before they Ship them away bring them first into a great House which they have built there for that purpose and give them their fill of Meat and Drink and likewise Palm-Oyl to refresh and anoint themselves withall But if it happen that there be no Ships ready or that they have not Slaves enough to send away then they use them for tilling the Ground and to plant or cut Mandihoka but at last when they put them on Board they take great care to preserve them from Sickness and that they may come safe and sound to their intended Port provide Medicines especially Lemons and white Lead to use against the Bitios and if by chance any fall sick they separate him from the rest and lay him alone to be Cured where he is well provided for with warm Diet. In the Ships they have Mats to lie on of which they take great store with them especially when they go over to the West-Indies to give every ten or twelves days a fresh Mat. But the Hollanders take no such care in transporting their Slaves to Brazile but strip them poor and faint without any Provision of Mats or other things by which means many die at Sea In the Village Kambamba the Portuguese deal for many Slaves but not so much as in Massingan and Embakko for there when the adjacent Blacks want any Merchandise they
call'd Barra de Korimba formerly bearing above five Fathom water but is at present almost fill'd up and choak'd with Sand on the other side of this Entrance heretofore the Portuguese had two Batteries but the force of the water hath almost wash'd them away About two miles from Barra de Korimba on the main Land Punto de Palmarinho appears a little Promontory in Portuguese call'd Punto del Palmarinho A mile and a half more Southerly lieth the Sleepers-Haven Sleepers-Haven and also the Clay-Ovens or Lime-Kilns where the Portuguese burn Lime and Oyster-shells Four miles and a half from Sleepers-Haven you come to the River Quansa where formerly stood a Fort of the Netherlanders which we mention'd before call'd Moll 's The Territory of Quisama or Quissamba THe Territory of Quisama or according to Pigafet Quissamba The Territory of Quisama lieth on the South-side of the River Quansa and spreads thence twenty miles upward and more This Countrey as the rest comprehends divers Dominions It is divided into diver Dominiens of all which Motchima claims the rule as chief Lord viz. Zourube Godgo Zautatsa Molunua Katakahajo and Zuino The Natives here need not complain of Nature as a Step-mother the Land without any great labour producing abundance of Mille for Bread besides other useful Plants and Trees as particularly The Alikonda eight or ten Fathom round but very porus and weak Trees Alikenda fit for no use but to make Trays to hold water their innermost Bark some convert into a kind of Thred whereof they make Aprons or Coats to wear about their bodies The Portugueses Quacumburez which the natives call Quisamo Trees Quacumburez never grows bigger than a mans Waste with few Leaves but thick and large the Wood so tender that a strong man with a Sword may cut it quite in two out of the rifts in the body flows a great deal of juyce like Milk but of so poysonous and destroying a quality that if any one should get the least drop thereof in their Eyes they would instantly grow blind The same juyce pour'd into the water will immediately cause the Fish to swim at the top as if they were dead The Blacks hold the shadow of this Tree poyson and will not be perswaded to rest under it for they say that the juyce is so great a corrosive as 't will gnaw their bowels in pieces without possibility of help or Antidote as hath been experienc'd by a Lord that was poyson'd with it by his Slaves The Beasts breeding in these Parts Beasts are Hogs Goats Bucks Sheep wild Cows Elephants Tygers and Leopards In short the same conveniences may be had here as in Ilamba and Enraka Fresh Water they have none Want of Water save such as is gather'd in the time of Rain and preserv'd in Troughs made of hollow Trees and the Places where they keep them are reserved by the Fetisies command with so strict a secrecy that if by misfortune any fall into the Enemies hand he will rather be cut in pieces than be brought to discover them In the Lordships of Zuina Salt-Mynes Gungo and Katta Kabajo great Mountains lift up their Heads whose open'd sides shew many Salt-pits which those Blacks subject to the Sovasen under whose power they are may freely fetch out by their Slaves paying the appointed Custom This they dig out in Pieces of a Dutch Ell long and a Hand broad every one weighing eighteen or twenty Pounds as clear as a piece of Ice or Crystal and as white as our best Salt and of so good a savor that a little Piece put in a Pot or Kettle give both the Liquor and Meat a pleasant seasoning From the bowels they dig Iron Iron-Mynes but enough onely to make Arms and Implements for Tillage or Husbandry The best Trade of these Quisamites consists in the fore-recited Salt and Mille Trade which they exchange for Slaves to be employ'd in the digging of it for they work not themselves out of an opinion of their noble Extract And not onely the Blacks but the Portuguese also buy great quantities of it for their People no other being to be got unless from Lovando The Blacks of Lovando appropriate to themselves the whole Countrey on the South-side of Quansa for twenty Leagues The Island of LIBOLO IN the next place follows The Territory of Libolo towards the South Libolo bordering with one Point to the East on the Empire of Monopotapa but in the South at Rio Longo near Benguelle 'T is parted into many Sub-divisions thirty of which the Portuguese brought under some years ago and keep them still in strict Command and obedience reaping great advantage from Cattel which are the same here as we mention'd before in other parts of Angola and exceeding them in nothing but plenty of Bees and Honey More we cannot inform you of from hence for that they lie as yet undiscover'd to our European Merchants The Countrey of BENGUELA or BEGALA THis Countrey Modern Geographers place at the Sea-Coast and make it spread from the River Quansa to Cabo Negro in the heighth of sixteen Degrees though others will have it go farther than Rio Longo in eleven Degrees and four Minutes South Latitude The Places Rivers Bays and Villages lying at the Sea-Coast within that compass may be these About three miles from the South Point of Quansa lieth Maysotte-Bay before which a small Rock hides it self Three miles and a half forward you arrive at Cabo Ledo And five from thence appears Cabo de tres Puntas Cabo Ledo And two miles yet Southerly Cabo Falso And five beyond that another Six miles and a half from Cabo St. Bras lieth Hens-Bay Hen-Bay so call'd from the abundance of Hens thereabouts and between both Benguella Viella that is Old Benguela a Champaign and very fruitful Countrey The Hen-Bay contains about a mile and a half in breadth holding ten or twelve Fathom Water with muddy Ground On the South-side stands a great Village on a Hill where large Cows Sheep Hens and Elephants-Teeth may be had yet they have no fresh Water Three miles and a half from this Bay lieth Rio Longo Rio Lengo otherwise call'd Rio Moreno in eleven Degrees and four Minutes South Latitude so shallow at the Mouth that a small Boat cannot go in or out without difficulty In former times the Portuguese attempted to enlarge the Entrance into this River but by reason of its shoalness the strong Water-falls and great numbers of Rocks they found it not feasible Five miles from Rio Longo appears a great Village nam'd Manikikongo upon the Ascent a high Mountain where the Portuguese once had a Store-house and bought Cows Hogs and Elephants-Teeth for Linnen and East-India pressed Clothes The Inhabitants here are very earnest for Musquets and Powder Eleven miles from Manikikongo runs the Salt River Katon-belle dividing it self in two or three Branches being free from all Winds
with other Mahumetans coming over-Sea in small Ships call'd Zambuks and bringing thither Silk Stuffs and Ash-colour'd Yellow and Red Kambaian Beads which they exchange for Gold as those of Sofala barter these Wares again with them of Monomotapa for Gold which they receive without weight They have also abundance of Ivory which they sell into Kambaya Voyage of Spilb. and Ambergreece which they get from the adjacent Islands of Usiques When the Inhabitants lying near the Sea see any Out-Landish Ships they declare by kindling of Fires their coming acceptable They weave many white Cotton Clothes For the Art of Dying they have no skill in sometime they unravel the Kambaian colour'd Clothes and Weave that among their white Yarn and make Cloth of several Colours Their Weapons were onely Daggers Bowes and Arrows Arms. Osor lib. 4. Spilber but now they have the use of Guns Powder and Bullets by instructions from the Portuguese Pigafet holds an opinion that the King of this Countrey was a Mahumetan Dominion and Vassal to the Emperor of Monomotapa with whom being at War he entred into a League with the King of Portugal But in the Voyage of Spilbergen we find that the King was a Portuguese by Birth contrary to what Jarich mentions viz. that he is meerly Tributary to the Portuguese but Marmol says that in his time he obey'd the Emperor of Monomotapa The people saith Pigafet have imbrac'd Mahumetanism Religion which Osorus also confirms although Jarick saith they know no Religion at all In the fourth Book of the Expedition of the King Emanuel but are like a piece of Wax fit to receive any Certain it is that for above two hundred years the Mahumetans flourish'd there and have built a City call'd Sofala upon an Island of the River Quama who though but intruders keep under the native Caffers And now it coming just in our way The differences about the right place of Ophir and seeing both Expositors of holy Scripture and Geographers understand this Countrey of Sofala to be the Golden Ophir to which King Solomon sent a Fleet of Ships Man'd with the Servants of Hiram King of Tyrus from Ezion-geber a Haven lying at the Red-Sea returning again after three years Voyage loaden with Gold and Elephants-Teeth We conceive it not unfit in brief to relate the difference of the ancient Contest about this place hitherto clearly decided with the Arguments on both sides Arias Montanus Baftellus Goropius and others are of opinion that Ophir was that part of America commonly call'd Peru and divided North and South Peru therefore they conclude from the word Parvaim in the Hebrew Text being the Plural Number and that this Gold was brought from the two Peru's but many opposite Arguments refel this Opinion First It is probable that Peru in the time of Solomon was not known nor which is more the Voyage to Peru over so wide a space of Seas not possible to be perform'd especially for want of the use of the Load-stone and Compass Secondly There are in Peru no Elephants so that by consequence from thence no Ivory or Elephants Teeth could be brought Thirdly If Solomon were to go with a Fleet to Peru in America it might have been sent more conveniently out of some Haven of the Mediterranean-Sea as being nearer than out of Ezien-geber at the Red-Sea to fetch so long a compass by the Cape of Good Hope and the whole Guinee-Coast St. Jerome an ingenious Expounder of the Hebrew who in the year Four hundred twenty two in the Nineteenth year of his Age departed this world under Theodosius the Emperor by the word Ophir understands good or pure Gold and in his Translation sets down very good Gold and not Gold of Paruaen or of any Countrey but this opinion also is long ago rejected Athanasius Kircher in his Book of the Coptick or Egyptian Language asserts that Ophir is a Coptick or Egyptian word whereby the ancient Egyptians understood the Indies containing the Kingdoms of Malabar Scilon and the Golden-Chersonesus or the descending Countrey of Ptolomy about the River Ganges Eastward of a Bay by him call'd The Great as also Sumattra the Molucca Islands Great and Little Java and other adjacent Islands full of Gold whither King Solomon's Fleet went with King Hiram The Gold of Parvaim Kircherus judgeth was the Gold of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Javim that is of the Islands of Java having read in the Rabbins these two Islands by the same name In setting Ophir in East-Indie as Kircher doth and not in America the chiefest Geographers agree as Ortelius Volaterranus Gramas and others yet divers make Ophir the same with Sofala because it has much Gold and Ivory And if all the main Land included between the Rivers Magnice and Quama and submitting unto Monomotapa be all as Barros Calles or Sofala as well as the rest on the Sea-Coast it may with great reason be judg'd that this Countrey can be no other than the Golden Ophir of Solomon partly because of the Houses there to be found near the Gold-Mines not built after the manner of the Countrey but seem the work of Foreigners and partly because of the Inscriptions in strange and unknown Letters Moreover Thomas Lopez in his Voyage to the Indies affirms that among the Inhabitants of this Countrey there remain Books which shew that Solomon every three year had his Gold thence Besides the Septuagint Interpreters have Translated the word Ophir into the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which agrees very near with Sofala And Josephus the Jewish Historiographer calleth it Indian-Ophir adding moreover that in his time it was call'd The Gold-Countrey A certain Writer call'd Eupolemeus mention'd by Eusebius calleth it Ophir Ureten and saith 't is an Island of the Red-Sea from whence they used to Fraight Ships to Melanis a City in Arabia The Countrey of ZANGUEBAR THis Countrey some will have to be the same which Ptolomy calleth Agysynima and Paulus Venetus calleth Zengibar Jan. Barr. lib. 13. c. 4. but the Persians and Arabians Zanguebar Zangue in their Language signifying Black and the Inhabitants Zanguy or Neorroes Jan de Barros extends this Countrey along the Sea-Coast Lib. 12. Borders from the Cape das Correntas to the River Quilmanzi but Sanutus sets the Southerly borders thereof at Sofala and Monomotapa and the River Quama and the Northerly borders at the River Quilmanzi But Marmol extendeth it from the South to the North to the Cape of Guardaseu in about twelve degrees North-Latitude It contains the Kingdoms of Angos or Angoche Mongalo Mozambika Melinde Mombaze Quiloa and some Islands The River Quilmanzi by Ptolomy with the near adjoyning Cape call'd Rapte The River Quilmanzi and the great River of Africa takes its original out of a certain Mountain in Abyssina which the Inhabitants call Graro as also the River Obi But the Moores lying at the Mouth thereof call it Quilmanzi from the name of a place they possess
Island of that name exceeding those her two neighbors of St. James and St. George living all three near at the Mouth of the River Meginkate Over against St. Georges Island but at the distance of an English mile you may see a Point call'd Cabo Ceira being a hanging Islet joyn'd to the main-Main-Land of Africa by a small Istbmus overflow'd at High-Water but at other times passable on Foot The Countrey of Mozambike is very fertile in producing many sorts of Fruits Plants as Rice Citrons Oranges and Mille which the Blacks are compell'd to guard and defend against Elephants by the kindling of Fires whereof these Beasts are very much afraid There groweth also a certain Plant call'd Pao or Wood of Antak which creeps along the ground and is very like the Herb Aristolachia or Heart-Wort The Fruit is long small with green Seeds or Grains The Roots have a strange vertue in curing a Disease call'd Antak which seizes on the Foreigners by conversing with the Blacks and can be expell'd by no other Medicine The Inhabitants make Wine of Mille which they call Huyembe or Pembe Here is no want either of tame or wild Fowl Animals nor of Stags or Harts wild Hogs Cows Oxen and Elephants which last are so numerous that the Inhabitants dare not travel without fire to defend them from their assaults Wild Hens breed in the Woods being speckled with many small white and gray spots their Heads are much less than our common Hens with a short Comb but thick and of a high colour and not onely the upper part of the Head but also part of the Neck cover'd with a blue Skin like a Turky Many Silver Gold and other Mynes are found in the Countrey The People have short Curl'd Hair The Constitution of the Inhabitants great Lips long Visages and very large Teeth They go stark naked onely a blue little Clout before their Privacies They Paint ther Bodies with divers Colours but account it the greatest Ornament to have streaks of a certain red Earth They make in each Lip three holes in which they hang Bones Jewels and other things But this Fashion and Trimming eminent People onely use They feed in general upon all sorts of Fruit Food and Flesh of Beasts yet they eat also the Flesh of Men taken Prisoners in the Wars but they esteem the Flesh of Elephants as the choycest Dainty They are revengeful and treacherous dull of understanding and inured to labour like Beasts not grutching to be Slaves Every Lordship or Province produces a several Language Language yet it proves no hindrance to their converse one with another Their Riches consist in Gold Riches found in the Rivers Ivory Ebony and Slaves yet are so fearless of any attempts to be made upon them that they debar no Foreigners to come into their Havens the Portuguese onely excepted Their Weapons of War are Arrows Battel-Axes but can neither boast any number of People nor extent of Land The Inhabitants are according to Linschot some Heathens and some Mahumetans but Pyrard averrs they have neither Religion nor Laws but that they are onely Kaffers The Island MOSAMBIKE THe Island Mosambike half a Mile from the Main Land contains about three quarters of a League in length a quarter in breadth the whole compass not exceeding a League and a half with a white Shore It extendeth South and North along the Main Land between which and this Isle and Fort appears the Bay serving for a convenient Haven Land-lockt from all Winds being very large and carrying eight or ten Fathom Water Within a Stones-throw of which the Ships ride at Anchor This Island hath the Main Land on the North and two other uninhabited small Islets on the South the one nam'd St. James or Jago and the other St George but neither affording any conveniency not being inhabited being wholly overgrown with Shrubs and Bushes Some place two Cities upon Mosambike-Isle affirming the one to be plentifully peopled by Portuguese and the other with Blacks but Pyrard makes the whole so fully inhabited that it seems but one Town comprehending within its Circuit a very large and strong Fort together with five or six Churches Chappels and Cloysters From the Description of the Navigation to the East-Indies made by Verhoeven in the Year Sixteen hundred and seven it appears that the City of Mosambike is very large having good Walls fine Houses and some Churches and Cloysters wherewith agrees Paul van Caerden in the Journal of his Voyage to the East-Indies Moquet allots to the City not above two hundred Houses but Linschot leaves all the places open and unwall'd except the Castle where the Portuguese Governor with his Soldiers have their Residence Garias de Silva Figueora in his Persian Embassy comprises in the City an hundred and fifty Houses but most of them built of Wood Straw and Palm-Tree Leaves For the deciding these different Relations we may suppose that the first Writer who placeth two Cities here mistook two Villages for Cities and Linschot himself mentions the Dwellings severally making one part of the old Fort commonly call'd Fortarez a Velha and another of some Houses close by it Others may have taken a great number of Houses standing close together to be a City however it is we may modestly guess that at the time of these Writers things were found thus There is a Cloyster of St. Domingo with a rich Hospital said to have been a Castle in former time built by the Kings of Portugal into which those of that Nation are put coming sick from Sea Besides St. Anthony St. Dominick and St. Gabriel's Church all lying without the Fort they have another Nossa Seniora do Balvarte built close under the Fort. The Air being generally more than warm proves very unwholsom Air. insomuch that few live there any while free from dangerous Distempers which no doubt are much augmented by the want of fresh Water there being onely one small Spring of little consequence in a Thicket of Palm-Trees so that most of them drink salt Water mingled with a little of that fresh This great Drought sufficiently declares that the Land proves barren Unfruitfulness of the Soyl. and unfit to produce any thing Yet provident Nature hath recompenced the want of all other Provision with Coco-Nuts Oranges Citrons Ananassed-Figs and other Indian-Fruits but these onely in manured and well cultivated Gardens They have neither Wheat nor Rice growing but all brought from the Main Land or from Goa and the East-Indies so also Raisins or Grapes and Spanish-Wines with several other Necessaries both for benefit and sustenance so that it is much dearer living here than in any other Place possessed by the Portuguese in this Coast Here breed great Herds of Oxen Cows Sheep Beasts with Tails as big as a fifth part of their Bodies Bucks Goats and Swine whose Flesh hath gain'd such an esteem that the Doctors oftentimes order the Sick to eat it and forbid them
from the River Mareb it visits the Kingdom of Denghini the Moors Bagihos or Fuches and at length pours its Water by the City Jalak into the Nyle The Rivers Anquet and Maleg lying furthest and most Southerly The Rivers Anquet and Maleg arise in Damut so flowing through Bizamo and joyning their Streams make the Westerly Channel of the Nyle yet retain the name of Maleg for eighty Miles till meeting with the middle Current of the Nyle they lose their less known resuming its more famous Name In the South of Abyssinie two other well-known Rivers discover themselves The River Haoax the one call'd Zebe and the other Haoax which latter by Godignus call'd Oara springs out of a vast Mountain upon the united Borders of Xaoa and Ogge whence flowing North-East and increased by the conjunction of the River Machi passeth into Adel or Zeila and so through the midst of Gurrule with a full Stream insomuch that Godignus hath not feared to affirm it to surpass the Nyle in Plenty of Water onely it reacheth nothing near so far for it hath not as the Nyle and other Rivers its Out-let into the Sea but is trencht away by the Husbandmen of Adel into many Brooks and Rivulets for the watering of their Grounds because it seldom raineth in that Conntrey The other call'd Zabee beginneth in the Kingdom of Narea The River Zabee and shoots at the beginning to the West with a strong Current Thence it floweth Southwards and encompasseth the Dominion of Gingiro Afterwards passing to the South and as Godignus will have it by Mombaza floweth into the Sea But Johannes Barros asserts it to be Oby having near Melinde its Out-let into the Sea changing the name into Quilmanzi The before-mention'd Godignus reckons five Lakes of eminency in those Parts Lakes viz. Aicha Dambeabahar or Bar-dambea Zella Zacala and Zoay Aicha the smallest of all lieth in the Kingdom of Angote Dambea-bahar The Lake Bar-dambea or Bar-dambea is so call'd by the Abyssines partly for its bigness and partly from its Situation in the Kingdom of Dambea but Ptolomy stiles it Coloe and Joannes Barros and Mercator Barcena In the common Maps it hath two Names that to the South part Zambre and the North part Zaire where they say the River Zaire which parts Congo and Angola taketh its original lying in thirty Degrees and a half South Latitude and receiveth a great increase of Water out of many several Streams and Brooks which pour down out of the circumadjacent Mountains Plains and Woods It reacheth according to Godignus in length sixty Italian Miles four of which make a German Mile and in breadth five and twenty But Balthazar Tellez a Portuguese Jesuit makes its greatest length on the South-side to be twenty and the breadth taken in the midst and broadest place ten or twelve Spanish Miles They say this Lake can shew eight and twenty Islands viz. Deck which contains twenty Acres of Land the others less Upon seven or eight of which there are Jesuits Cloysters now by length of time much decay'd Most of these little Spots are fruitful producing Oranges Lemons Pome-citrons and other Fruits The Water of the Lake is light very clear healthy to drink and full of Fish besides Sea-Horses which come on Land and devour the Fruits of the Field to the great prejudice of the Husbandmen And therefore there is a Reward appointed to all that kill them who have also a further advantage in selling their Flesh accounted a good Food and their Skins to make Alenga's far more useful to such as ride than Spurs because they jerk hard and strike better But here breed neither Efts Lizards nor Crocodiles though they abound in other places of the Nyle perhaps because these Creatures love not a clear Water and rather chuse troubled and muddy Streams Therefore the Cattel feed in safety upon these Shores and the People inhabit there without any disturbance The Abyssines of these Islands pass this Lake with small Boats made of the Plant call'd Papyrus by the ancient Grecians of which also the Egyptians formerly made Boats and used the Leaves in stead of Paper whereof we have treated more largely before in Egypt This Lake about the Summer Solstice increases for from the vast Mountains of Dambea pour down exceeding many great Streams Dambea whereby it would swell exceeding high if it did not find an Out-let into the greatest Channel of the Nyle Many have thought that the Nyle takes its original out of this Lake but without good ground it being rather a Receptacle for it to pass through However it is certain That this Lake affords it a convenient Supply by the way Into one of these Islands the Emperor banishes Rebels and Out-laws and in another strengthned with a Fort keeps part of the Treasure of the Empire The Lake Zella Zella or Zoay lieth in the Kingdom of Oecie or Ogge on that side towards the Kingdoms of Adel and Mombaza The Lake of Xacala Xacala or Sacala lieth not far from that of Zella and each about a days Journey in length Sanutus sets in the beginning of Amara on the East-side the Lake of St. Stephen two Miles long and half a Mile broad and an Island in it in which stands St. Stephen's Cloyster This Empire hath many and very high Mountains viz. Mountains In the Kingdom of Tigre between Fremona and Dambea one call'd Lamalmon Balthazar Tellez and another adjoyning call'd Guca It is half a days Journey to climb up to the top by an Ascent going always round and turning by steps like a pair of winding Stairs but with very dangerous Precepices and steep falls On the top lieth a great Plain a Mile about where the wearied Travellers and Caravans bait and rest themselves because the next day they have a very troublesom and dangerous way to go through very small narrow and sharp and on each side so steep that the sight cannot reach the depth By these narrow Paths coming to the bottom you meet with Lamalmon three hundred Cubits high like a continaul Hewn Rock which out in the Countrey seems a high and strong Castle where the Passage is narrow and troublesom yet Nature hath provided it with certain Steps in manner of winding Stairs which run up from one side to the other very steep and exceeding dangerous to climb up Aloft upon this Mountain also is a Plain about half a Mile in compass and a Musket-shot broad The People in this Mountain live in safety without fear of being assaulted by their Enemies and richly provided of Fresh-water and Victuals From the top of this Mountain they have the Prospect of the whole Kingdom of Tigre Northwards and North-Westwards lieth a Ridge of Mountains which all together make as it were a great Fence or Inclosure The Kingdom of Amara appears full of craggy steep Mountains among which the Ape-Hills are not the least There are also certain Ports call'd Aquisagi hewn in the
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-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-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
Vourouzi Mice and other Vermine breed here numerously Mandouts are a sort of Snakes as thick as a Mans Arm but not venomous yet much feared by the Inhabitants It feeds upon Rats and small Birds which they fetch out of the Wastes Anakandef a sort of small Snakes which creep through the Fundament into Mens Bodies as they sit to ease themselves upon natural occasions and causeth great pain and in a short time death There are many other Snakes every one having a peculiar name as Menore Save Mere Tsiondiballe Keneutsik and others Sea and Land-Fowls breed here wonderfully Fowâ— all call'd by one general name Vourou but smaller than in Europe There are Hens which Lay Eggs no bigger than Pigeons Also Pheasants with Violet-colour'd Feathers and red Bills which are esteem'd a delicate Food Likewise wild Violet and green Pigeons Turtle-Doves black and dark colour'd red Paraketo's small green ones that Whistle and mock the Notes or Voyces of other Birds Turkycocks white black and gray Cranes with curious Feathers wild Herons with a Tuft on their Heads Teals with red Legs and Feet call'd Halire Lapwings Dish-washers and many others Sambe which signifieth Burning is a Bird with Feathers of a deep red colour Vourondoule the Bird of the Dead they say makes a great Chirping and noise over the House where any one is to die Vouronchontsi white Birds that continually follow Oxen and Cows and live by Muggs and Wasps Mangarent Souifoutehy or Voula a River-Bird like a Sea-mew with a white and long Bill Tahia hath black Quills Feet and Bill and like the Cuckow with us sings this onely Note continually Tahia Televa a River-Bird as big as a Hen with Violet-colour'd Feathers and a red Bill and Feet Haretak hath a round Tuft on his Head with black Feathers and Feet like a Teal Proceed we next to Serpents and other Vermine among which we shall put in the first place Scorpions there generally call'd Hall of which there are divers kinds as the Tsingalaha Huranou a Water-Scorpion because it keeps in Ditches and Standing-waters kills Beasts and Dogs by sucking their Blood Vankoho or Spiders-head having a great round and black Belly is an exceeding dangerous Creature for if any be stung by it they fall immediately into a Swoon remaining faint sometimes two or three days together and as cold as Ice They cure it in the same manner as the Sting of a Scorpion by laying the Sick before a great Fire and giving them wholsom Medicines to dispell the Poyson Anakalife a Reptile breeding between the Barks of rotten Trees It is about a handful long full of Legs flat and thick with a very hard Skin The Sting carries with it a mortal Poyson bringing immediate death unless prevented in the same manner as that of the Vankoko and Scorpion Akolalau a small Vermine in shape like a Wood-Lowse but doth not stink so much at full growth it attains the bigness of a Mans Thumb The lesser sort of them sit in Houses Huts and Chests in great numbers and eat through all things they can come at especially Clothes Vombare a parti-colour'd Creature some of a Gold-yellow and Silver colour intermixt with others Sakondre a sort of Meskito's that sit on the Bark of a small Tree like white Blossoms but afterwards change into several colours as green intermixt with red and the like These make a Honey as sweet as Sugar Herechereche a kind of Glow-worm lies in the Night glistering in the Woods and on the tops of Houses like a spark of Fire Tsingoulou Voulou are of several sorts a small Creature infesting the Houses but do a great deal of hurt by running over and eating the Victuals as Honey Milk and other Provisions There are also Pismires which make Honey like Bees in hollow Trees and heaps of Earth wherein they sit by thousands Worms also breed there of divers sorts Worms as long Earth-worms call'd Saho Wood-worms from eating the Wood nam'd Anakau and others with a Head like a Boar Some with Scales on their Bodies that eat into the Beams and Planks of a Ship sloaping to one side but go not quite through Variety of Silk-worms as Landeve which produce one single Egge with small Thorns Landesaraha lay small Eggs inclos'd in one greater wherein sometimes are found above five hundred The third Landeanakau make their Silk on a Tree call'd Anakui growing on the Sea-shore like a Cypress and their Eggs hang one by one at a small Thred this Silk proves the finest and strongest of all The fourth Landevansaqua makes a fine Silk upon the Tree Vontonquer Land-Turtles An amphibious Creature or Tanou are many and of two sorts the one styl'd Helintsoka and the others Fanou Nor want they Bouchete or great Toads and Saouh Frogs The Inhabitants are either white or black Nature of the Inhabitants The Whites divide themselves into three Tribes Rohandrians Anakandrians and Ondazatsi The Blacks into four sorts Linschot Voadziri Lohavohits Ontson and Ondeves as we before related at large in the Territory of Carcanossi or Anossi In some places they tell of a wild People by them call'd Ompizees which let Hairs of their Heads and Beards grow very long and go stark naked onely with a few broad Leaves before their Privacies They keep in the thickest Woods and shun Converse with any other Blacks living upon Fish Venison Fruits Roots wild Honey and Grashoppers Formerly there lived on the Island Ontaysatrouha lying between the Anachimoussi and the River Ranoumene a People which held conversation with their Neighbors but Warred against them continually and not onely against them but likewise against all others that travel'd through their Countrey They cut the sick Peoples Throats which they thought past recovery and brought their Hands to the King to eat They feed many Cows but neither kill them nor Steers Rams Goats nor Cocks Cows Milk being their chiefest Diet and therefore Heifers Sheep and Goats they bring to sleep upon Mats and after their death bury them under ground They did eat Dogs with a great appetite when no longer fit for Boar-hunting They till'd their Ground in the same manner as the other Blacks on this Island Their Features are frightful and ill-favor'd for they have small Eyes a broad Forehead sharp Teeth Camosie Noses thick Lips with short curl'd Hair russet Skins without Beards great Belly'd and thin Legs These People did eat one another up by which means being reduced to a small number they were all about a hundred and twenty years since destroy'd by their neighboring People and Enemies so that now not one of them remains Some have reported that Giants and Dwarfs have been found on this Island but occular experience hath proved that Assertion but a Fable In a Tract of Land by Itapere are many Stones erected under which the Dwarfs are said to lie buried for say the Learned they came in great numbers and would have committed Spoil in the Countrey of Anossi whence
Jerusalem but after his decease the Knights and Templars govern'd it themselves under the Grand Master Godfrey Rat as Chief Commander About the year Twelve hundred twenty five these Knights overcame the City Damiata in Egypt under the Conduct of the Grand Master Guerin de Montaign In the Year twelve hundred and sixty under the Grand Master Haegues de Revel they took from the Saracens the Castle of Lebion whereupon the Sultan concluded to destroy and root out all the Hospitallers and to that end Besieged and took the Castle of Assur in the Year One thousand two hundred sixty five and the following year the Hospitallers and Templars were beaten by the City Ptolemais or Alkre or Acon three years afterwards they lost the Castle of Krak or Montreol In the Year Twelve hundred eighty two The Knights are drove out of the Holy-Land the Hospitallers obtain'd a great Victory under the Grand Master Nicholas de Orgui against the Turks Besieging the Castle of Margat their chiefest strength which yet was deliver'd up in the Year twelve hundred eighty five to the Sultan Melechsait from whence they went to the City Alkre but stay'd not there for by the loss of Tripoli in Syria and likewise of Sidon and Barut in the Year twelve hundred eighty nine and the before-nam'd Alkre in the Year Twelve hundred ninety one the eighteenth of May to the Sultan Melekseraf all the Christians and by consequence these Knights were utterly expell'd out of the Holy-Land after a possession of a hundred ninety one Years ten Moneths and three days since the winning thereof by Godfrey of Bouillon The Knights betook themselves from thence to the Island of Cyprus under the Grand Master Jan de Villices where the King gave him and the Templars the City and Haven of Timesso for their abode Pope Clement the First granted afterwards to this Order all the Goods and Lands which they took from the Infidels for which cause they gathered a strong Army under the Command of the Grand Master Foulques Villaret and took Rhodes from the Turks with several other adjacent Islands whereupon they remov'd from Cyprus to Rhodes and were since call'd The Knights of Rhodes About this time the Order of Knights Templars was suppress'd and their Goods conferr'd upon these Knights by the Pope A long time they defended Rhodes against the assaults of the mahumetans chiefly in the time of Habusar Sultan of Egypt who Besieg'd it five years and in the Year Fourteen hundred and eight the Grand-Seignior Mahomet or Mihammed attempted with an Army of Three hundred thousand Men but was necessitated to leave it with a great loss of Soldiers but at last the Bassa Ibrahim by the Command of Solyman the Magnificent overcame the City and the whole Island in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty two on the day of St. John Baptist having an Army of two hundred thousand men whereof the Siege devour'd above a hundred thousand whereas the Island was scarce furnish'd with six hundred Knights and five thousand Inhabitants After the loss of this Island they went away from it according to the Agreement made with the Turks and Landed first at Castro in Candia but went thence to Messina in Cicilia and from thence in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty three to Civita Vecchia thence again to Viterbo a City in Tuskani where the Pope entertain'd them a while they went from Viterbo in July in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty seven to Cornetto from thence to Franche and from Franche to Nize in Savoy out of this in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty nine they betook themselves to the City Auguste in Cicilia and from thence to Sarragoa where they remain'd by leave of the Emperor Charles the First who took a great content in them for their Valor which they manifested every where to the destroying of the Turks and Corsairs insomuch that Charles at last in the Year Fifteen hundred and thirty the four and twentieth of March out of a voluntary Donation transferr'd the Tenancy to the Knights of the Islands of Malta and Goza aforemention'd with a Proviso to give every year for an Acknowledgment a Falcon which the Grand Master should bring himself or send to the Vice-Roy of Sicily In the same Year The Knights take their abode in Malta the six and twentieth of October the Knights took possession thereof under the Grand Master Philip de Villiers and have since that been call'd The Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in Malta or singly Knights of Malta The intention of instituting this Order in the beginning was to serve the Pilgrims which travell'd to Jerusalem and to assist them with all their Power to keep the Ways secure for such as travel'd to visit the Holy Sepulchres But at this day their chiefest business is against the Turk and all Infidels and to serve Christendom as a Buckler of Defence against them These Knights glory in themselves A Letter from the Grand Master Lackaris that they are an Order which hitherto hath had no other Foes than those that are Enemies to the Name of Christ being a renown'd as well as an admirable Institution without advantage or any other reward than that of Vertue their probity continually exercising it self in the prudent Education of its noble Posterity even with the hazard of their lives and wishing nothing else but to persevere in the shewing of their Valor in Fighting against the Wicked They manage great Wars against the Turks and all Infidells without joyning or confederating with any Party in the Quarrel of Christendome and are by all Christian Princes known to be impartial being indeed an Order consisting of the flower of the Nobility of all Europe establish'd in the defence of Christian Princes who by their glorious Enterprises of a renown'd and Holy War have five whole Ages approv'd themselves famous and honourable towards Christendom and at all times formidable to their Enemies They have in Services and Warlike Exploits so highly merited of the Roman Emperors Kings and other Christian Princes that they stand in a perpetual League with them and have been receiv'd into the Protection of the Roman Empire according to the purport of the Letters from the Emperor Charles the fifth given and granted at Antwerp the four and twentieth of May in the Year Fifteen hundred and forty where he saith The aforesaid Order many years since and even beyond imagination have been a continual Defence against the Turk that great Persecutor of our Faith and have most valiantly spent their Blood against him for the defence of Religion and performed many excellent Deeds whereupon our Predecessors Roman Emperors and Kings have receiv'd them into singular Protection and Favor The Popes who confirm'd the Institution of this Order held to be Temporal and Secular not onely in respect of their chiefest Employment but for that they stand exempted both in their Persons and Goods from the Power and Authority of the Clergy All