times past bene a kingdom, but now is subdued by Zelabdim Echebar. Great
trade and traffique is here of cotton, and of cloth of cotton. The people
goe naked with a litle cloth bound about their waste. It standeth in the
countrey of Bengala. Here be many Tigers, wild Bufs, and great store of
wilde foule: they are very great idolaters. Tanda standeth from the riuer
Ganges a league, because in times past the riuer flowing ouer the bankes,
in time of raine did drowne the countrey and many villages, and so they do
remaine. And the old way which the riuer Ganges was woont to run, remaineth
drie, which is the occasion that the citie doeth stand so farre from the
water. From Agra downe the riuer Iemena, and downe the riuer Ganges, I was
fiue moneths comming to Bengala, but it may be sailed in much shorter time.
I went from Bengala into the countrey of Couche, [Marginal note: Couche:
this seemeth to be Quicheu, accounted by some among the prouinces of
China.] which lieth 25. daies iourny Northwards from Tanda. The king is a
Gentile, his name is Suckel Counse: his countrey is great, and lieth not
far from Cochin China: for they say they haue pepper from thence. The port
is called Cacchegate. All the countrie is set with Bambos or Canes made
sharpe at both the endes and driuen into the earth, and they can let in the
water and drowne the ground aboue knee deepe, so that men nor horses can
passe. They poison all the waters if any wars be. Here they haue much silke
and muske, and cloth made of cotton. The people haue eares which be
marueilous great of a span long, which they draw out in length by deuises
when they be yong. Here they be all Gentiles, and they will kil nothing.
They haue hospitals for sheepe, goates, dogs, cats, birds, and for all
other liuing creatures. When they be old and lame, they keepe them vntil
they die. If a man catch or buy any quicke thing in other places and bring
it thither, they wil giue him mony for it or other victuals, and keepe it
in their hospitals or let it go, They wil giue meat to the Ants. Their smal
mony is almonds, [Marginal note: In Mexico they vse likewise for small
money the fruit Cacao which are like almonds.] which oftentimes they vse to
eat. From thence I returned to Hugeli, which is the place where the
Portugals keep in the country of Bengala which standeth in 23. degrees of
Northerly latitude, and standeth a league from Satagan: they cal it Porto
Piqueno. We went through the wildernes, because the right way was full of
thieues, where we passed the countrey of Gouren, where we found but few
villages, but almost all wildernes, and saw many buffes, swine and deere,
grasse longer then a man, and uery [sic--KTH] many Tigers. [Sidenote: Porto
Angeli.] Not far from Porto Piqueno south westward, standeth an hauen which
is called Angeli, in the countrey of Orixa. It was a kingdom of it selfe,
and the king was a great friend to strangers. Afterwards it was taken by
the king of Patan which was their neighbour, but he did not enioy it long,
but was taken by Zelabdim Echebar, which is king of Agra, Delli, and
Cambaia. Orixi standeth 6. daies iourney from Satagan, south westwards.
[Sidenote: The like cloth may be made of the long grasse in Virginia.] In
this place is very much Rice, and cloth made of cotton, and great store of
cloth which is made of grasse, which they call Yerua, it is like a silke.
They make good cloth out of it which they send for India and diuers other
places. To this hauen of Angeli come, euery yeere many ships out of India,
Negapatan, Sumatra, Malacca, and diuers other places; and lade from thence
great store of Rice, and much cloth of cotton wooll, much sugar, and long
pepper, great store of butter, and other victuals for India. Satagam is a
faire citie for a citie of the Moores, and very plentifull of all things.
Here in Bengala they haue euery day in one place or other a great market
which they call Chandeau, and they haue many great boats which they cal
pericose, wherewithall they go from place to place and buy Rice and many
other things: these boates haue 24. or 26. oares to rowe them, they be
great of burthen, but haue no couerture. Here the Gentiles haue the water
of Ganges in great estimation, for hauing good water neere them, yet they
will fetch the water of Ganges a great way off, and if they haue not
sufficient to drinke, they will sprinkle a litle on them, and then they
thinke themselues well. From Satagam I trauelled by the countrey of the
king of Tippara or porto Grande, with whom the Mogores or Mogen haue almost
continuall warres. The Mogen which be of the kingdom of Recon and Rame, be
stronger then the king of Tippara, so that Chatigan or porto Grande is
oftentimes vnder the king of Recon.
There is a country 4. daies iourney from Couche or Quicheu before
mentioned, which is called Bottanter and the citie Bottia, the king is
called Dermain; the people whereof are very tall and strong, and there are
marchants which come out of China, and they say out of Muscouia or
Tartarie. And they come to buy muske, cambals, agats, silke, pepper and
saffron like the saffron of Persia. The countrey is very great, 3. moneths
iourney. There are very high mountains in this countrey, and one of them so
steep that when a man is 6. daies iourney off it, he may see it perfectly.
Vpon these mountains [Marginal note: These seeme to be the mountains of
Iamus, called by the people Cumao.] are people which haue eares of a spanne
long: if their eares be not long, they call them apes. They say that when
they be vpon the mountaines, they see ships in the Sea sayling to and fro;
but they know not from whence they come, nor whether they go. There are
marchants which come out of the East, they say, from vnder the sunne, which
is from China, which haue no beards, and they say there it is something
warme. But those which come from the other side of the mountains which is
from the North, say there it is very cold. [Sidenote: The apparel of the
Tartarie marchants.] These Northern merchants are apparelled with woollen
cloth and hats, white hosen close, and bootes which be of Moscouia or
Tartarie. They report that in their countrey they haue very good horses,
but they be litle: some men haue foure, fiue, or sixe hundred horses and
kine: they liue with milke and fleshe. [Sidenote: Cowe tailes in great
request.] They cut the tailes of their kine, and sell them very deere, for
they bee in great request, and much esteemed in those partes. The haire of
them is a yard long, the rumpe is aboue a spanne long: they vse to hang
them for brauerie upon the heades of their Elephantes: they bee much vsed
in Pegu and China: they buie and sell by scores vpon the ground. The people
be very swift on foote.
From Chatigan in Bengala, I came to Bacola; the king whereof is a Gentile,
a man very well disposed and delighteth much to shoot in a gun. His
countrey is very great and fruitful, and hath store of Rice, much cotton
cloth, and cloth of silke. The houses be very faire and high builded, the
streetes large, the people naked, except a litle cloth about their waste.
The women weare great store of siluer hoopes about their neckes and armes,
and their legs are ringed with siluer and copper, and rings made of
elephants teeth.
From Bacola I went to Serrepore which standeth vpon the riuer of Ganges,
the king is called Chondery. They be all hereabout rebels against their
king Zelabdim Echebar: for here are so many riuers and Ilands, that they
flee from one to another, whereby his horsemen cannot preuaile against
them. Great store of cotton cloth is made here.
Sinnergan is a towne sixe leagues from Serrepore, where there is the best
and finest cloth made of cotton that is in all India. The chiefe king of
all these countries is called Isacan, and he is chiefe of all the other
kings, and is a great friend to all Christians. The houses here, as they be
in the most part of India, are very litle, and couered with strawe, and
haue a fewe mats round about the wals, and the doore to keepe out the
Tygers and the Foxes. Many of the people are very rich. Here they will eate
no flesh, nor kill no beast: they liue of Rice, milke, and fruits. They goe
with a litle cloth before them, and all the rest of their bodies is naked.
Great store of Cotton cloth goeth from hence, and much Rice, wherewith they
serue all India, Ceilon, Pegu, Malacca, Sumatra, and many other places.
I went from Serrepore the 28. of Nouember 1586. for Pegu in a small ship or
foist of one Albert Carauallos, and so passing downe Ganges, and passing by
the Island of Sundiua, porto Grande, or the countrie of Tippera, the
kingdom of Recon and Mogen, leauing them on our left side with a faire wind
at Northwest: our course was South and by East, which brought vs to the
barre of Negrais in Pegu: if any contrary wind had come, we had throwen
many of our things ouer-boord: for we were so pestered with people and
goods, that there was scant place to lie in. From Bengala to Pegu is 90.
legues. We entred the barre of Negrais, which is a braue barre and hath 4.
fadomes water where it hath least. Three dayes after we came to Cosmin,
which is a very pretie towne, and standeth very pleasantly, very well
furnished with all things. [Sidenote: Ladders vsed to auoyd the danger of
wild beasts.] The people be very tall and well disposed; the women white,
round faced, with little eies: the houses are high built, set vpon great
high postes, and they go vp to them with long ladders for feare of the
Tygers which be very many. The countrey is very fruitful of all things.
Here are very great Figs, Orenges, Cocoes, and other fruits. [Sidenote:
Dwelling in boats.] The land is very high that we fall withall, but after
we be entred the barre, it is very lowe and full of riuers, for they goe
all too and fro in boates, which they call paroes, and keepe their houses
with wife and children in them.
From the barre of Nigrais to the citie of Pegu is ten dayes iourney by the
riuers. Wee went from Cosmin to Pegu in Paroes or boates, and passing vp
the riuers wee came to Medon, which is a prety towne, where there be a
wonderfull number of Paroes, for they keepe their houses and their markets
in them all vpon the water. They rowe too and fro, and haue all their
marchandizes in their boates with a great Sombrero or shadow ouer their
heads to keepe the sunne from them, which is as broad as a great cart
wheele made of the leaues of the Coco trees and fig trees, and is very
light.
From Medon we went to Dela, which is a very faire towne, and hath a faire
port into the sea, from whence go many ships to Malacca, Mecca, and many
other places. Here are 18. or 20. very great and long houses, where they
tame and keep many elephants of the kings: for thereabout in the
wildernesse they catch the wilde elephants. It is a very fruitfull
countrey. From Dela we went to Cirion, which is a good towne, and hath a
faire porte into the sea, whither come many ships from Mecca, Malacca,
Sumatra, and from diuers other places. And there the ships staie and
discharge, and send vp their goods in Paroes to Pegu. [Sidenote: Coches
caried on mens shoulders.] From Cirion we went to Macao, which is a prettie
towne, where we left our boates or Paroes, and in the morning taking
Delingeges, which are a kind of Coches made of cords and cloth quilted, and
caried vpon a stang betweene 3. or 4. men: we came to Pegu the same day.
Pegu is a citie very great, strong, and very faire, with walles of stone,
and great ditches round about it. There are two townes, the old towne and
the newe. In the olde towne are all the marchants strangers, and very many
marchants of the countrey. All the goods are sold in the olde towne which
is very great, and hath many suburbes round about it, and all the houses
are made of Canes which they call Bambos, and bee couered with strawe
['srawe' in source text--KTH]. In your house you haue a Warehouse which
they call Godon, which is made of bricke to put your goods in, for
oftentimes they take fire and burne in an houre foure or fiue hundred
houses: so that if the Gordon [sic--KTH] were not, you should bee in danger
to haue all burned, if any winde should rise, at a trice. In the newe towne
is the king, and all his Nobilitie and Gentrie. It is a citie very great
and populous, and is made square and with very faire walles, and a great
ditch roundabout it full of water, with many crocodiles in it: it hath
twenty gates, and they bee made of stone, for euery square fiue gates.
There are also many Turrets for Centinels to watch, made of wood, and
gilded with golde very faire. The streets are the fairest that euer I saw,
as straight as a line from one gate to the other, and so broad that tenne
or twelue men may ride a front thorow them. On both sides of them at euery
mans doore is set a palmer tree which is the nut tree: which make a very
faire shew and a very commodious shadow, so that a man may walke in the
shade all day. The houses be made of wood, and couered with tiles. The
kings house is in the middle of the city, and is walled and ditched round
about: and the buildings within are made of wood very sumptuously gilded,
and great workmanship is vpon the forefront, which is likewise very costly
gilded. And the house wherein his Pagode or idole standeth is couered with
tiles of siluer, and all the walles are gilded with golde. Within the first
gate of the kings house is a great large roome, on both sides whereof are
houses made for the kings elephants, which be marveilous great and faire,
and are brought vp to warres and in seruice of the king. [Sidenote: Foure
white elephants.] And among the rest he hath foure white elephants, which
are very strange and rare: for there is none other king which hath them but
he: if any other king hath one, hee will send vnto him for it. When any of
these white elephants is brought vnto the king, all the merchants in the
city are commanded to see them, and to giue him a present of halfe a ducat,
which doth come to a great summe: for that there are many merchants in the
city. After that you haue giuen your present you may come and see them at
your pleasure, although they stand in the kings house. [Sidenote: The king
of the white elephants.] This king in his title is called the king of the
white elephants. If any other king haue one, and will not send it him, he
will make warre with him for it: for he had rather lose a great part of his
kingdome, then not to conquere him. They do very great seruice vnto these
white elephants: euery one of them standeth in an house gilded with golde,
and they doe feede in vessels of siluer and gilt. One of them when he doth
go to the riuer to be washed, as euery day they do, goeth vnder a canopy of
cloth of golde, or of silke carried ouer him by sixe or eight men, and
eight or ten men goe before him playing on drummes, shawmes, or other
instruments: and when he is washed and commeth out of the riuer, there is a
gentleman which doth wash his feet in a siluer basin: which is his office
giuen him by the king. There is no such account made of any blacke
elephant, be he neuer so great. And surely there be woonderfull faire and
great, and some be nine cubites in height. And they do report that the king
hath aboue fiue thousand elephants of warre, besides many other which be
not taught to fight. This king hath a very large place wherein he taketh
the wilde elephants. It standeth about a mile from Pegu, builded with a
faire court within, and is in a great groue or wood: and there be many
huntsmen, which go into the wildernesse with she elephants: for without the
she they are not to be taken. And they be taught for that purpose: and
euery hunter hath fiue or sixe of them: and they say that they annoint the
she elephants with a certaine ointment, which when the wild elephant doth
smell, he will not leaue her. When they haue brought the wilde elephant
neere vnto the place, they send word vnto the towne, and many horse men and
footmen come out and cause the she elephant to enter into a strait way
which doeth go to the palace, and the she and the he do runne in: for it is
like a wood: and when they be in, the gate doth shut. Afterward they get
out the female: and when the male seeth that he is left alone, he weepeth
and crieth, and runneth against the walles, which be made of so strong
trees, that some of them doe breake their teeth with running against them.
Then they pricke him with sharpe canes, and cause him to go into a strait
house, and there they put a rope about his middle and about his feet, and
let him stand there three or foure dayes, without eating or drinking: and
then they bring a female to him, with meat and drinke, and within a few
dayes he becommeth tame. The chiefe force of the king is in these
elephants. And when they goe into the warres they set a frame of wood vpon
their backes, bound with great cordes, wherein sit foure or sixe men, which
fight with gunnes, bowes, and arrowes, darts and other weapons. And they
say that their skinnes are so thicke that a pellet of an harquebush will
scarse pearce them, except it be in some tender place. Their weapons be
very badde. They haue gunnes, but shoot very badly in them, darts and
swords short without points. The king keepeth a very great state: when he
sitteth abroad as he doth euery day twise, all his noblemen which they call
Shemines sit on ech side, a good distance off, and a great guard without
them. The Court yard is very great. If any man will speake with the king,
he is to kneele downe, to heaue vp his hands to his head, and to put his
head to the ground three times, when he entreth, in the middle way, and
when he commeth neere to the king: and then he sitteth downe and talketh
with the king: if the king like well of him, he sitteth neere him within
three or foure paces: if he thinke not well of him, he sitteth further off.
When he goeth to warre, he goeth very strong. [Sidenote: Odia a city in
Siam.] At my being there he went to Odia in the countrey of Siam with three
hundred thousand men, and fiue thousand elephants. Thirty thousand men were
his guard. These people do eate roots, herbs, leaues, dogs, cats, rats,
serpents, and snakes; they refuse almost nothing. When the king rideth
abroad, he rideth with a great guard, and many noblemen, oftentimes vpon an
elephant with a fine castle vpon him very fairely gilded with gold; and
sometimes vpon a great frame like an horsliter, which hath a little house
vpon it couered ouer head, but open on the sides, which is all gilded with
golde, and set with many rubies and saphires, whereof he hath infinite
store in his country, and is caried vpon sixteene or eighteene mens
shoulders. [Sidenote: This maner of cariage on mens shoulders is vsed in
Pegu, and in Florida.] This coach in their language is called Serrion. Very
great feasting and triumphing is many times before the king both of men and
women. This hath little force by sea, because he hath but very few ships.
He hath houses full of golde and siluer, and bringeth in often, but
spendeth very little, and hath the mines of rubies and saphires, and
spinelles. Neere vnto the palace of the king, there is a treasure
woonderfull rich; the which because it is so neere, he doth not account of
it: and it standeth open for all men to see in a great walled court with
two gates, which be alwayes open. There are foure houses gilded very
richly, and couered with lead: in euery one of them are Pagodes or Images
of huge stature and great value. In the first is the picture of a king in
golde with a crowne of golde on his head full of great rubies and saphires,
and about him there stand foure children of golde. In the second house is
the picture of a man in siluer, woonderfull great, and high as an house;
his foot is as long as a man, and he is made sitting, with a crowne on his
head very rich with stones. In the third house is the picture of a man
greater then the other, made of brasse, with a rich crowne on his head. In
the fourth and last house doth stand another, made of brasse, greater then
the other, with a crowne also on his head very rich with stones. In another
court not farre from this stand foure other Pagodes or idoles, maruellous
great, of copper, made in the same place where they do stand; for they be
so great that they be not to be remoued: they stand in foure houses gilded
very faire, and are themselues gilded all ouer saue their heads, and they
shew like a blacke Morian. Their expenses in gilding of their images are
wonderfull. The king hath one wife and aboue three hundred concubines, by
which they say he hath fourescore or fourescore and ten children. He
sitteth in iudgement almost euery day. [Sidenote: Paper of the leaues of a
tree.] They vse no speech, but giue vp their supplications written in the
leaues of a tree with the point of an yron bigger then a bodkin. These
leaues are an elle long, and about two inches broad; they are also double.
He which giueth in his supplication, doth stand in a place a little
distance off with a present. If his matter be liked of, the king accepteth
of his present, and granteth his request: if his sute he not liked of, he
returneth with his present; for the king will not take it.