AN
Historical Relation
Of the Island
CEYLON,
IN THE
EAST-INDIES:
TOGETHER,
With an ACCOUNT of the Detaining in Captivity the AUTHOR and
divers other Englishmen now Living there, and of the AUTHOR'S
Miraculous ESCAPE.
Illustrated with Figures, and a Map of the ISLAND.
By ROBERT KNOX, a Captive there near Twenty Years.
LONDON,
Printed by Richard Chiswell, Printer to the ROYAL SOCIETY, at the
Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1681.
At the Court of Committees for the East-India Company the 10th of
August, 1681.
We Esteem Captain Knox a Man of Truth and Integrity, and that his
Relations and Accounts of the Island of Ceylon (which some of us have
lately Perused in Manuscripts) are worthy of Credit, and therefore
encouraged him to make the same Publick.
Robert Blackbourne, Secretary.
By Order of the said Court.
August 8. 1681.
Mr. Chiswell,
I Perused Capt. Knox's Description of the Isle of Ceylon, which seems
to be Written with great Truth and Integrity; and the Subject being
new, containing an Account of a People and Countrey little known
to us; I conceive it may give great Satisfaction to the Curious,
and may be well worth your Publishing.
Chr. Wren.
TO THE
Right Worshipful
The GOVERNOR, the DEPUTY GOVERNOR, and Four and Twenty Committees of
the Honorable the EAST-INDIA Company, Viz.
Sir Josiah Child Baronet, Governor.
Thomas Papilion Esq; Deputy.
The Right Honorable George Earl of Berkley,
Sir Joseph Ashe Baronet,
Sir Samuel Barnardiston Baronet,
Mr. Christopher Boone,
Mr. Thomas Canham,
Colonel John Clerke,
Mr. John Cudworth,
John Dubois Esquire,
Sir James Edwards Knight, and Alderman,
Richard Hutchinson Esquire,
Mr. Joseph Herne,
Mr. William Hedges,
Sir John Lawrence Knight, and Alderman,
Mr. Nathaniel Letton,
Sir John Moore Knight, and Alderman,
Samuel Moyer Esquire,
Mr. John Morden,
Mr. John Paige,
Edward Rudge Esquire,
Mr. Jeremy Sambrooke,
Mr. William Sedgwick,
Robert Thomson Esquire,
Samuel Thomson Esquire,
James Ward Esquire.
Right Worshipful,
What I formerly Presented you in Writing, having in pursuance of your
Commands now somewhat dressd by the help of the Printer and Graver,
I a second time humbly tender to you. 'Tis I confess at best too mean
a Return for your great Kindness to me. Yet I hope you will not deny
it a favourable Acceptance, since 'tis the whole Return I made from
the Indies after Twenty years stay there; having brought home nothing
else but
(who is also wholly at your Service and Command)
London 1st. of August, 1681.
ROBERT KNOX.
THE PREFACE.
How much of the present Knowledge of the Parts of the World is owing
to late Discoveries, may be judged by comparing the Modern with the
Ancient's Accounts thereof; though possibly many such Histories may
have been written in former Ages, yet few have scaped the Injury of
Time, so as to be handed safe to us. 'Twas many Ages possibly before
Writing was known, then known to a few, and made use of by fewer,
and fewest employed it to this purpose. Add to this, that such as
were written, remain'd for the most part Imprison'd in the Cells of
some Library or Study, accessible to a small number of Mankind, and
regarded by a less, which after perished with the Place or the Decay
of their own Substance. This we may judge from the loss of those many
Writings mentioned by Pliny and other of the Ancients. And we had yet
found fewer, if the Art of Printing, first Invented about 240 years
since, had not secured most that lasted to that time. Since which,
that Loss has been repaired by a vast number of new Accessions, which
besides the Satisfaction they have given to Curious and Inquisitive
Men by increasing their Knowledge, have excited many more to the
like Attempts, not only of Making but of Publishing also their
Discoveries. But I am not ignorant still; that as Discoveries have
been this way preserved, so many others nave been lost, to the great
Detriment of the Publick. It were very desirable therefore that the
Causes of these and other Defects being known, some Remedies might
be found to prevent the like Losses for the future. The principal
Causes I conceive may be these;
First, The want of sufficient Instructions (to Seamen and Travellers,)
to shew them what is pertinent and considerable, to be observ'd in
their Voyages and Abodes, and how to make their Observations and keep
Registers or Accounts of them.
Next, The want of some Publick Incouragement for such as shall perform
such Instructions.
Thirdly, The want of fit Persons both to Promote and Disperse such
Instructions to Persons fitted to engage, and careful to Collect
Returns; and Compose them into Histories; by examining the Persons
more at large upon those and other Particulars. And by separating what
is pertinent from what is not so, and to be Rejected; who should have
also wherewith to gratifie every one according to his Performances.
Fourthly, The want of some easie Way to have all such Printed: First
singly, and afterwards divers of them together. It having been found
that many small Tracts are lost after Printing, as well as many
that are never Printed; upon which account we are much oblig'd to
Mr. Haclute and Mr. Purchas, for preserving many such in their Works.
Fifthly, The want of taking care to Collect all such Relations of
Voyages and Accounts of Countries as have been Published in other
Languages; and Translating them either into English, or (which will be
of more general use) into Latin, the learned Language of Europe. There
being many such in other Countries hardly ever heard of in England.
The Difficulties of removing which Defects is not so great but that
it might easily fall even within the compass of a private Ability
to remove, if at least Publick Authority Would but Countenance the
Design, how much less then would it be if the same would afford also
some moderate Encouragement and Reward?
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, has
not been wanting in preparing and dispersing Instructions to this
end, and is ready still to promote it, if the Publick would allow
a Recompence to the Undertakers. The desirableness and facility of
this Undertaking may, I hope, in a short time produce the Expedients
also. In the Interim all means should be used, to try what may be
obtain'd from the Generosity of such as have had the Opportunities
of knowing Foreign Countries.
There are but few who, though they know much, can yet be persuaded
they know any thing worth Communicating, and because the things are
common and well known to them, are apt to think them so to the rest of
Mankind; This Prejudice has done much mischief in this particular as
well as in many other, and must be first remov'd. There are others
that are conscious enough of their own Knowledge, and yet either
for want of Ability to write well, or of use to Compose, or of time
to Study and Digest, or out of Modesty and fear to be in Print, or
because they think they know not enough to make a Volume, or for not
being prompted to, or earnestly solicited for it, neglect to do it;
others delay to do it so long till they have forgotten what they
intended. Such as these Importunity would prevail upon to disclose
their knowledge, if fitting Persons were found to Discourse and ask
them Questions, and to Compile the Answers into a History. Of this
kind was lately produc'd in High Dutch a History of Greenland, by
Dr. Fogelius of Hamborough, from the Information of Frederick Martin,
who had made several Voyages to that Place, in the doing of which,
he made use of the Instruction given by the Royal Society.
'Tis much to be wondred that we should to this Day want a good
History of most of our West-Indian Plantations. Ligon has done well
for the Barbadoes, and somewhat has been done for the Summer Islands,
Virginia, &c. But how far are all these short even of the knowledge
of these and other Places of the West-Indies, which may be obtain'd
from divers knowing Planters now Residing in London? And how easie
were it to obtain what is Defective from some Ingenious Persons now
Resident upon the Places, if some way were found to gratifie them
for their Performances? However till such be found, 'tis to be hoped
that the kind Acceptance only the Publick shall give to this present
Work, may excite several other Ingenuous, and knowing Men to follow
this Generous Example of Captain Knox who though he could bring away
nothing almost upon his Back or in his Purse, did yet Transport the
whole Kingdom of Cande Uda in his Head, and by Writing and Publishing
this his Knowledge, has freely given it to his Countrey, and to You
Reader in, particular.
'Twas not I confess without the earnest Solicitations and Endeavours
of my self, and some others of his Friends obtain'd from him, but
this uneasiness of parting with it was not for want of Generosity and
Freedom enough in Communicating whatever he knew or had observed, but
from that usual Prejudice of Modesty, and too mean an Opinion of his
own Knowledge and Abilities of doing any thing should be worthy the
view of the Publick. And had he found leisure to Compose it, he could
have filled a much greater Volume with useful and pertinent, as well
as unusual and strange Observations. He could have inrich't it with a
more particular Description of many of their curious Plants, Fruits,
Birds, Fishes, Insects, Minerals, Stones; and told you many more of the
Medicinal and other uses of them in Trades and Manufactures. He could
have given you a compleat Dictionary of their Language, understanding
and speaking it as well as his Mother Tongue. But his Occasions would
not permit him to do more at present. Yet the Civil Usage this his
First-born meets with among his Countreymen, may 'tis hoped oblige
him to gratifie them with further Discoveries and Observations in
his future Travels.
To conclude, He has in this History given you a tast of his
Observations. In which most Readers, though of very differing Gusts,
may find somewhat very pleasant to their Pallat. The Statesman,
Divine, Physitian, Lawyet, Merchant, Mechanick, Husbandman, may select
something for their Entertainment. The Philosopher and Historian much
more. I believe at least all that love Truth will be pleas'd; for from
that little Conversation I had with him I conceive him to be no ways
prejudiced of byassed by Interest, affection, or hatred, fear or hopes,
or the vain-glory of telling Strange Things, so as to make him swarve
from the truth of Matter of Fact: And for his opportunity of being
informed, any one may satisfie himself when he understands his almost
20 years Abode and Converse among them. His Skill in the Language and
Customs of the People, his way of Employment in Travelling and Trading
over all Parts of the Kingdom; add to this his Breeding till 19 years
of Age under his Father a Captain for the East-India Company, and his
own Natural and acquired parts; but above all his good Reputation,
which may be judged from the Employment That Worshipful Company have
now freely bestowed upon him, having made him Commander of the Tarquin
Merchant, and intruded him to undertake a Voyage to Tarquin.
Read therefore the Book it self, and you will find your self taken
Captive indeed, but used more kindly by the Author, than he himself
was by the Natives.
After a general view of the Sea Coasts, he will lead you into the
Country by the Watches, through the Thorney Gates, then Conduct
you round upon the Mountains that Encompass and Fortifie the whole
Kingdom, and by the way carry you to the top of Hommalet or Adam's
Peak; from those he will descend with you, and shew you their chief
Cities and Towns, and pass through them into the Countrey, and there
acquaint you with their Husbandry, then entertain you with the Fruits,
Flowers, Herbs, Roots, Plants and Trees, and by the way shelter you
from Sun and Rain, with a Fan made of the Talipat-Leaf. Then shew you
their Beasts, Birds, Fish, Serpents, Insects; and last of all, their
Commodities. From hence he will carry you to Court, and shew you the
King in the several Estates of his Life; and acquaint you with his
way of Governing, Revenues, Treasures, Officers, Governors, Military
Strength, Wars: and by the way entertain you with an account of the
late Rebellion against him. After which he will bring you acquainted
with the Inhabitants themselves, whence you may know their different
Humours, Ranks and Qualities. Then you may visit their Temples such
as they are, and see the Foppery of their Priests Religious Opinions
and Practices both in their Worship and Festivals, and afterwards
go home to their Houses and be acquainted with their Conversation
and Entertainment, see their Housewifery, Furniture, Finery, and
understand how they Breed and Dispose of their Children in Marriage;
and in what Employments and Recreations they pass their time. Then
you may acquaint your self with their Language, Learning, Laws,
and if you please with their Magick & Jugling. And last of all with
their Diseases, Sickness, Death, and manner of Burial. After which
he will give you a full account of the Reason of his own Going to,
and Detainment in the Island of Ceylon, and Kingdom of Conde-Uda. And
of all his various Conditions, and the Accidents that befel him there
during Nineteen years and an halfs abode among them. And by what ways
and means at last he made his Escape and Returned safe into England
in September last, 1680.
Aug. 1. 1681.
Robert Hooke.
To the Right Worshipful Sir William Thomson Knight, Governor, Thomas
Papillon Esquire; Deputy, and the 24 Committees of the Honorable
EAST-INDIA Company hereunder Specified, Viz.
The Right Honorable George Earl of Berkley,
The Right Honorable James Lord Chandois.
Sir Matthew Andrews Knight,
Sir John Bancks Baronet,
Sir Samuel Barnardiston Baronet,
Mr. Christopher Boone,
John Bathurst Esquire,
Sir Josia Child Baronet,
Mr. Thomas Canham,
Collonel John Clerk,
Sir James Edwards Knight,
Mr. Joseph Herne,
Richard Hutchinson Esquire,
James Hublon Esquire,
Sir John Lethieullier Knight,
Mr. Nathaniel Petton,
Sir John Moor Knight,
Samuel Moyer Esquire,
Mr. John Morden,
Mr. John Paige,
Edward Rudge Esquire,
Daniel Sheldon Esquire,
Mr. Jeremy Sambrook,
Robert Thomson Esquire.
Right Worshipful,
Since my return home to my Native Countrey of England, after a long and
Disconsolate Captivity, my Friends and Acquaintance in our Converse
together have been Inquisitive into the State of that Land in which
I was Captivated; whose Curiosity I indeavour to satisfie. But my
Relations and Accounts of Things in those Parts were so strange
and uncouth, and so different from those in these Western Nations,
and withal my Discourses seeming so Delightful and Acceptable unto
them, they very frequently called upon me to write what I knew of
that Island of Ceilon, and to digest it into a Discourse, and make
it more Publick; unto which motion I was not much unwilling, partly
that I might comply with the Desires and Councels of my Friends,
and chiefly that I might Publish and Declare the great Mercy of God
to me, and Commemorate before all Men my singular Deliverance out of
that Strange and Pagan Land, which as often as I think of or mention,
I cannot but admire and adore the goodness of God towards me, there
being in it so many notable Footsteps of his signal Providence.
I had then by me several Papers, which during my Voyage homeward from
Bantam at leisure times I writ concerning the King and the Countrey,
and concerning the English there, and of my Escape; which Papers I
forthwith set my self to Peruse and draw into a Method, and to add
what more might occur to my Thoughts of those Matters, which at length
I have finished, contriving what I had to relate under four Heads. The
first concerning the Countrey and Products of it. The second concerning
the King and his Government. The third concerning the Inhabitants,
and their Religion and Customs, and the last concerning our Surprize,
Detainment and Escape; In all which I take leave to Declare, That I
have writ nothing but either what I am assured of by my own personal
Knowledge to be true, and wherein I have born a great and a sad share,
or what I have received from the Inhabitants themselves of such things
as are commonly known to be true among them. The Book, being thus
perfected, it required no long Meditation unto whom to present it, it
could be to none but your selves (my Honoured Masters) by whose Wisdom
and Success the East-Indian Parts of the World are now near as well
known, as the Countries next adjacent to us. So that by your means,
not only the Wealth, but the Knowledge of those Indies is brought home
to us. Unto your Favour and Patronage therefore (Right Worshipful)
I humbly presume to recommend these Papers and the Author of them,
who rejoyceth at this opportunity to acknowledge the Favours you
have already conferred on him, and to profess that next unto God,
on you depend his Future Hopes and Expectations; being
Right Worshipful,
Your most obliged and most humble and devoted Servant to be Commanded,
Robert Knox.
Lond. 18th. March, 1680/81.
The CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAP. I.
A General Description of the Island.
The Inland Parts of it hitherto unknown. The chief Places on
the Sea-Coasts. The Names of the Provinces and Counties of the
Inland Country. Which are divided from each other by Woods. The
Countrey Hilly, but inriched with Rivers. The great River
Mavelagonga described. Woody. Where most Populous and Healthful.
The nature of the Vallies. The great Hill, Adams Peaky,
described. The natural Strength of this Kingdom. The difference
of the Seasons in this Country. What Parts have most Rain.
CHAP. II.
Concerning the chief Cities and Towns of this Island.
The most Eminent Cities are Five. Viz. Cande, Nellemby,
Alloutneur. The Country of Bintan described. Badoulf. The
Province of Ouvah. Digligy, the place of the King's
Residence. Gauluda. Many ruines of Cities. Anarodgburro. The
nature of the Northern Parts. The Port of Portaloon Affords
Salt. Leawava Affords Salt in abundance, Described. Their
Towns how built. Many ly in ruins and forsaken. and upon
what occasion.
CHAP III.
Of their Corn, with their manner of Husbandry.
The Products and Commodities of the Country. Corn of divers
sorts. Rice. Growes in water. Their ingenuity in watering
their Corn-lands. Why they do not always sow the best kind of
Rice? They sow at different times, but reap together. Their
artificial Pooles, Alligators harbor in them. They sow Corn on
the mud. A sort of Rice that growes without water. The Seasons
of Seed-time and Harvest. A particular description of their
Husbandry. Their Plow. The convenience of these Plowes. Their
First plowing. Their Banks, and use of them. Their Second
plowing. How they prepare their Seed-Corn. And their Land
after it is plowed. Their manner of Sowing. How they manure
& order Young Corn. Their manner of reaping. They tread out
their Corn with Cattel. The Ceremonies they use when the Corn
is to be trodden. How they unhusk their Rice. Other sorts of
Corn among them. Coracan, Tanna, Moung, Omb.
CHAP. IV.
Of their Fruits and Trees.
Great Variety of Fruits and delicious. The best Fruits where
ever they grow reserved for the Kings use. Betel-Nuts, The
Trees, The Fruit, The Leaves, The Skins, and their use. The
Wood. The Profit the Fruit yields. Jacks, another choyce
Fruit. Jambo another. Other Fruits found in the Woods. Fruits
common with other Parts of India. The Tallipot; the rare use of
the Leaf. The Pith good to eat. The Kettule. Yields a delicious
juice. The Skin bears strings as strong as Wyer. The Wood;
its Nature and Use. The Cinnamon Tree. The Bark, The Wood,
The Leaf, The Fruit. The Orula. The Fruit good for Physic and
Dying. Water made of it will brighten rusty Iron, and serve
instead of Ink. The Dounekaia. The Capita. Rattans. Their
Fruit. Canes. The Betel tree. The Bo-gauhah or God-Tree.
CHAP. V.
Of their Plants, Herbs, Flowers.
Roots for Food, The manner of their growing. Boyling Herbs,
Fruits for Sawce. European Herbs and Plants among them. Herbs
for Medicine. Their Flowers, A Flower that serves instead of
a Dyal, called Sindric-mal. Picha-mais, Hop-inals.
CHAP. VI.
Of their Beasts Tame and Wild. Insects.
What Beasts the Country produceth. Deer no bigger than
Hares. Other Creatures rare in their kind. The way how a
wild Deer was catched for the King. Of their Elephants. The
way of catching Elephants. Their understanding. Their
Nature. The dammage they do. Serve the King for executing
his Malefactors. Their Disease. The Sport they make. Ants
of divers sorts. How one sort of them, called Coddias,
came to sting so terribly. These Ants very mischievous. The
curious Buildings of the Vaeos, another kind of them. The
manner of their death. Bees of several kinds. Some build on
Trees like Birds. The people eat the Bees, as well as their
Honey. Leaches, that ly in the grass, and creep on Travaylers
Legs. The Remedies they use against them. Apes and Monkeys
of divers kinds. How they catch Wild Beasts. How they take
the Wild Boar.
CHAP. VII.
Of their Birds, Fish, Serpents, and Commodities.
Their Birds. Such as will be taught to speak. Such as are
beautiful for Colour. A strange Bird. Water-Fowls resembling
Ducks and Swans. Peacocks. The King keeps Fowl. Their Fish,
How they catch them in Ponds, And how in Rivers. Fish kept
and fed for the King's Pleasure. Serpents. The Pimberah of a
prodigious bigness. The Polonga. The Noya. The Fable of the
Noya ana Polonga. The Carowala. Gerendo. Hickanella. Democulo,
a great Spider. Kobbera-guson, a Creature like an
Aligator. Tolla-guion. The people eat Rats. Precoius Stones,
Minerals, and other Commodities. The People discouraged from
Industry by the Tyranny they are under.
PART II.
CHAP. I.
Of the present King of Cande.
The Government of this Island. The King's Lineage. His
Person, Meen and Habit. His Queen and Children. His
Palace; Situation and Description of it: Strong Guards
about his Court. Negro's Watch next his Person. Spies sent
out a Nights. His Attendants. Handsome Women belong to his
Kitchin. His Women. And the Privileges of the Towns, where
they live. His State, when he walks in his Palace, or goes
abroad. His reception of Ambassadors. His delight in them.
CHAP. II.
Concerning the Kings Manner, Vices, Recreation, Religion.
Spare in his Diet. After what manner he eats. Chast himself,
and requires his Attendants to be so. He committed Incest,
but such as was allowable. His Pride. How the People address
to the King. They give him Divine Worship. Pleased with high
Titles. An instance or two of the King's haughty Stomach. He
slights the defection of one of his best Generals. He scorns to
receive his own Revenues. The Dutch serve their ends upon his
Pride by flattering him. The People give the way to the Kings
foul Cloths. His natural Abilities, and deceitful temper. His
wife saying concerning Run-awayes. He is naturally Cruel. The
Dogs follow Prisoners to Execution. The Kings Prisoners; their
Misery. He punisheth whole Generations for the sake of one. The
sad condition of young Gentlemen that wait on his Person. His
Pleasure-houses. Pastimes abroad. His Diversions at home. His
Religion. He stands affected to the Christian Religion.
CHAP. III.
Of the King's Tyrannical Reign.
His Government Tyrannical. His Policy. He farms out
his Countrey for Service. His Policy to secure himself
against Assassinations and Rebellions. Another Point of his
Policy. Another which is to find his People work to do. A
Vast work undertaken and finished by the King, viz. Bringing
Water divers Miles thro Rocks, Mountains and Valleys unto
his Palace. The turning this Water did great injury to the
People. But he little regards his Peoples Good. By craft at
once both pleaseth and punisheth his People. In what Labours he
employs his People, He Poisons his only Son. The extraordinary
Lamentation at the Death of his Sister. His Craft and Cruelty
shewn at once.
CHAP. IV.
Of his Revenues and Treasure.
The King's Rents brought three times in a year. The first is
accompanied with a great Festival. How the Nobles bring their
Gifts, or Duties. Inferior Persons present their New-years
Gifts. What Taxes and Rents the People pay. The accidental
incoms of the Crown. The Profits that accrue to the King
from Corn-Lands. Custom of Goods Imported formerly paid. His
Treasuries. He has many Elephants. Great Treasures thrown
into the River formerly. The Treasure he most valueth.
CHAP. V.
Of the King's great Officers, and the Governors of the Provinces.
The two Greatest Officers in the Land. The next Great
Officers. None can put to Death but the King. Theso Dissauvas
are Durante bene placito. Whom the King makes Dissauvas. And
their Profits and Honours. Other benefits belonging to other
Officers. They must always reside at Court. The Officers
under them, viz. The Cour-lividani. The Cong-conna. The
Courli-atchila. The Liannah. The Undia. The Monannuh. Some
Towns exempt from the Dissauvas Officers. Other Officers
yet. These Places obtained by Bribes. But remain only
during pleasure. Country Courts. They may appeal. Appeals
to the King. How the Great Officers Travel upon Public
Business. Their Titles and signs of State. The misery that
succeeds their Honour. The foolish ambition of the Men and
Women of this Country.
CHAP. VI.
Of the King's Strength and Wars.
The King's Military affairs. The natural strength of his
Countrey. Watches and Thorn-gates. None to pass from the
King's City without Pasports. His Soldiery. All men of Arms
wait at Court. The Soldiers have Lands allotted them insted
of Pay. To prevent the Soldiers from Plotting. The manner of
sending them out on Expeditions. Requires all the Captains
singly to send him intelligence of their affairs. When the War
is finished they may not return without order. The condition
of the Common Soldiers. He conceals his purpose when he
sends out his Army. Great Exploits done, and but little
Courage. They work chiefly by Stratagems. They understand
the manner of Christian Armies. Seldom hazard a Battel. If
they prove unsuccessful, how he punishes them.
CHAP. VII.
A Relation of the Rebellion made against the King.
A Comet ushereth in the Rebellion. The Intent of the
Conspirators. How the Rebellion began. The King flyes. They
pursue him faintly. They go to the Prince and Proclaim him
King. The carriage of the Prince. Upon the Prince's flight, the
Rebels scatter and run. A great Man declares for the King. For
the space of eight or ten days nothing but Killing one another
to approve themselves good Subjects. The King Poysons his Son
to prevent a Rebellion hereafter. His ingratitude. Another
Comet, but without any bad Effects following it.
PART III.
CHAP. I.
Concerning the Inhabitants of this Island.
The several Inhabitants of the Island. The Original of the
Chingulays. Wild Men. Who pay an acknowledgement to the
King. How they bespeak Arrows to be made them. They rob the
Carriers. Hourly wild Men Trade with the People. Once made
to serve the King in his War. Their Habit and Religion. A
skirmish about their Bounds. Curious in their Arrows. How they
preserve their Flesh. How they take Elephants. The Dowries
they give. Their disposition. The Inhabitants of the Mountains
differ from those of the Low-Lands. Their good opinion of
Virtue, tho they practice it not. Superstitions. How they
Travel. A brief character of them. The Women, their habit
and nature.
CHAP. II.
Concerning their different Honours, Ranks, and Qualities.
How they distinguish themselves according to their
Qualities. They never Marry beneath their rank. In case
a Man lyes with a Woman of inferior rank. Their Noble
men. How distinguished from others. The distinction by
Caps. Of the Hondrews or Noble men two forts. An Honour like
Unto Knighthood. Goldsmiths, Blacksmiths, Carpenters, and
Painters. The Privilege and state of the Smiths. Craftsmen.
Barbers. Potters. Washers. Jaggory-makers. The Poddah,
Weavors, Basket-makers. Mat-makers. The lower ranks may not
assume the habit or names of the higher. Slaves. Beggers. The
reason the Beggers became so base and mean a People. They live
well. Their Contest with the Weavors about dead Cows. Incest
common among them. A Punishment, to deliver Noble women to
these Beggers. Some of these Beggars keep Cattel and shoot
Deer. Refuse Meat dressed in a Barbar's house, and why.
CHAP. III.
Of their Religion, Gods, Temples, Priests.
Their Religion is Idolatry. They worship Gods and Devils. And
the God, that saves Souls. The Sun and Moon they seem to repute
Deities. Some of their Temples of exquisite work. The form
of their Temples. The shape of their Idols. They worship not
the Idol, but whom it represents. The Revenues of the Temples,
and the Honours thereof. They are dedicated to Gods. Private
Chappels. The Priests. The first Order of them. The habit of
these Priests. Their Privileges. What they are Prohibited. When
any are religiously disposed, these Priests sent for in
great Ceremony. None ever used violence towards them before
this present King. The Second Order of Priests. The third
Order. How they dedicate a Red Cock to the Devil. Their Oracle.
CHAP. IV.
Concerning their Worship and Festivals.
The chief dayes of Worship. How they know what God or
Devil hath made them sick; The Gods of their Fortunes,
viz the Planets. What Worship they give Devils. Who eat the
Sacrifices. Their Gods are local. The Subjection of this People
to the Devil. Sometimes the Devil possesseth them. The Devils
voice often heard. Their Sacrifice to the chief Devil. Their
Festivals. Festivals to the honour of the Gods that govern
this World. The Great Festival in June, with the manner of
the Solemnity. The Feast in November. The Festival in honour
of the God of the Soul. The high honour they have for this God.
CHAP. V.
Concerning their Religious Doctrines, Opinions and Practices.
As to their Religion they are very indifferent. If their
Gods answer not their Desires, they curse them. They
undervalue and revile their Gods. A Fellow gives out
himself for a Prophet. His Success. The King fends for one
of his Priests. Flyes to Columbo. Pretends himself to be a
former Kings Son. Flyes from the Dutch. The King catches
and quarters him. The Peoples high opinion still of this
new God. Their Doctrines and Opinion. The highest points of
their Devotion. Their Charity. The Privilege of the Moorish
Beggars. Respect Christians, and why.
CHAP. VI.
Concerning their Houses, Diet, Housewifery, Salutation, Apparel.
Their Houses mean. No Chimneys. The Houses of the better
sort. Their Furniture. How they eat. How the great Men
eat. Discouraged from nourishing Cattel. Cleanly in dressing
their meat; Their manner of drinking and eating. Their manner
of washing before and after meals. None must speak while the
Rice is put into the Pot. Sawce made of Lemmon juice. Their
sweet meats. A kind of Puddings. The Womens Housewifry. How
they entertain Strangers, And Kindred. When they Visit. Their
manner of Salutation. The Nobles in their best Apparel. The
fashion of their hair. The Women dressed in their Bravery.
How they dress their heads. They commonly borrow their
fine Cloths.
CHAP. VII.
Of their Lodging, Bedding, Whoredome, Marriages, Children.
Their Bed, and how they sleep a Nights. They rise often in the
Night. Children taught to sing at going to bed. Young People ly
at one anothers Houses. Nothing so common as Whoredome. They
are guilty of the thing, but love not the Name. The man may
kill whom he finds in bed with his Wife. The Womens craft
to compass and conceal their Debauchery.They do treat their
Friends with the use of their Wives or Daughters. The Mother
for a small reward prostitutes her Daughter. Marriages. No
Wooing The Bridegroom goes to the Brides house. How the
bridegroom carries home his Bride. A Ceremony of Marriage. Man
and Wife may part at pleasure. Men and Women change till they
can please themselves. Women sometimes have two Husbands. Women
unclean. Privileges of Men above Women. Privileges of
Women. They often destroy New-born Infants, But seldom a
First-born. Their Names. They are ambitious of high Titles.
CHAP. VIII.
Of their Employments and Recreations.
Their Trade. Work, not discreditable to the best
Gentleman. How they geld their Cattle. How they make
Glew. Their Manufactures. How they make Iron. How they make
Butter. Shops in the City. Prices of Commodities. Or their
Measures. Their Weights. Measures bigger than the Statute
punishable; but less, not: And why. Of their Coin. Of their
Play. A Play or a Sacrifice: For the filthiness of it forbid
by the King. A cunning Stratagem of an Officer. Tricks and
Feats of Activity. At leisure times they meet and discourse
of Newes. Drunkenness abhorred. Their eating Betel-Leaves. How
they make Lime.
CHAP. IX.
Of their Lawes and Language.
Their Lawes. Lands descend. In case Corn receives dammage by
a Neighbours Cattel. The loss of letting out Land to Till. The
great Consideration for Corn borrowed. A Debt becomes double in
two years. If the Debtor pay not his Debt, he is lyable to be
a Slave for it. Divers other Lawes and Customes. For deciding
Controversies. Swearing in the Temples, The manner of swearing
in hot Oyl. How they exact. Fines. Of their Language. Titles
given to Women according to their qualities. Titles given to
Men. No difference between a Country-man and a Courtier for
Language. Their Speech and manner of Address is courtly and
becoming. Their Language in their Address to the King. Words of
form and Civility. Full of Words and Complement. By whom they
swear. Their way of railing and scurrility. Proverbs. Something
of their Grammar. A Specimen of their Words. Their Numbering.
CHAP. X.
Concerning their Learning, Astronomy and Art Magick.
Of their Learning. Their Books and Arts. How they learn
to write. How they make and write a Book. The Priests
write Books of Bonna. The Kings Warrants how wrapped
up. They write upon two sorts of Leaves. Their Skill in
Astronomy. Their Almanacks. They pretend to know future things
by the Stars. Their Æra. Their Years, Months, Weeks, Days,
Hours. How they measure their Time. Their Magic. The Plenty
of a Country destroyed by Magic. Their Charm to find out a
Thief. The way to dissolve this Charm. Inscriptions upon Rocks.
CHAP. XI.
Of their Sickness, Death and Burial.
The Diseases this Countrey is subject to. Every one a Physician
to himself. To Purge: To Vomit. To heal Sores. To heal an
Impostume. For an hurt in the Eye. To cure the Itch. The Candle
for Lying-in Women. Goraca, a Fruit. Excellent at the Cure
of Poyson. They easily heal the biting of Serpents by Herbs,
And Charms. But not good at healing inward Distempers. They
both bury and burn their Dead. They send for a Priest to pray
for the Soul of the Departed. How they mourn for the Dead. The
nature of the Women. How they bury. How they burn. How they
bury those that dy of the Small Pox.
PART IV.
CHAP. I.
Of the reason of our going to Ceylon, and Detainment there.
The subject of this Fourth Part. The occasion of their
coming to Ceylon. They were not jealous of the People being
very Courteous. A Message pretended to the Captain from the
King. The beginning of their Suspition. The Captain seized and
seven more. The Long-boat men seized. The General's craft to
get the Ship as well as the Men. The Captains Order to them on
board the Ship. The Captains second Message to his Ship. The
Ships Company refuse to bring up the Ship. The Captain
orders the Ship to depart. The Lading of Cloath remained
untouched. The probable reason of our Surprize. The number
of those that were left on the Island. The Dissauva departs.
CHAP. II.
How we were carried up in the Country, and disposed of there, and of
the Sickness, Sorrow and Death of the Captain.
They intend to attempt an Escape, but are prevented. Their
Condition commiserated by the People. They are distributed
into divers Towns. An Order comes from the King to bring
them up into the Country. How they were treated on the way in
the Woods. And in the Towns among the Inhabitants. They are
brought near Cande, and there separated. The Captain and his
Son and two more quartered together. Parted: How they fared:
The Captain and his Son placed in Coos-swat. Monies scarce
with them. But they had good Provisions without it. The Town
where they were sickly. How they passed their time. Both
fall Sick. Deep grief, seizes the Captain. Their Sickness
continues. Their Boys' Disobedience adds to their trouble. His
excessive Sorrow. His Discourse and Charge to his Son before
his Death. His Death, and Burial. The Place where he lies. Upon
the Captain's Death a Message sent from Court to his Son.
CHAP. III.
How I lived after my Father's Death, And of the Condition of the rest
of the English: and how it fared with them. And of our Interview.
His chief Imployment is Reading: He looseth his Ague: How he
met with an English Bible in that Country: Struck into a great
Passion at the first sight of the Book: He casts with himself
how to get it: Where the rest of the English were bestowed:
Kept from one another a good while, but after permitted to
see each other: No manner of Work laid upon them: They begin
to pluck up their hearts: What course they took for Cloths:
Their Fare: What Employment they afterwards followed: How the
English domineered: What Satisfaction one of them received
from a Potter. A scuffle between the English and Natives. The
Author after a year sees his Countreymen. Their Conference and
Entertainment. He consults with his Countreymen concerning
a future livelihood. The difficulty he met with in having
his Rice brought him undressed. He reasons with the People
about his Allowance. Builds him an House. Follows Business and
thrives. Some attempted running away, and were catched. Little
encouragement for those that bring back Run-awayes.
CHAP. IV.
Concerning some other Englishmen detained in that Countrey.
The Persia Merchant-men Captives before them. Plundred by the
Natives. Brought up to the King. They hoped to have their
liberty, but were mistaken. A ridiculous action of these
Men. They had a mind to Beef and how they got it. A passage
of their Courage. Two of this Company taken into Court. The
One out of favour. His End. The other out of Favour. And his
lamentable Death. The King sends special Order concerning
their good Usage. Mr. Vassal's prudence upon his Receit of
Letters. The King bids him read his Letters. The King pleased
to hear of Englands Victory over Holland. Private discourse
between the King and Vassal.
CHAP. V.
Concerning the means that were used for our Deliverance. And what
happened to us in the Rebellion. And how we were setled afterwards.
Means made to the King for their Liberty, Upon which they
all meet at the City. Word sent them from the Court, that
they had their Liberty. All in general refuse the Kings
Service. Commanded still to wait at the Palace. During
which a Rebellion breaks out. They are in the midst of it,
and in great danger. The Rebels take the English with them,
designing to engage them on their side: But they resolve
neither to meddle nor make. The day being turned, they fear
the King; but he justifies them. They are driven to beg in the
High-wayes. Sent into New Quarters, and their Pensions settled
again. Fall to Trading and have more freedom than before.
CHAP. VI.
A Continuation of the Author's particular Condition after the
Rebellion.
At his new Quarters builds him another House. The People
counsel him to Marry, which he seems to listen to. Here he
lived two years. A Fort built near him by the Dutch; but
afterwards taken by the King. He and three more removed
out of that Countrey; and settled in a dismal place. A
Comfortable Message brought hither from the King concerning
them. Placed there to punish the People tor a Crime. Weary
of this Place. By a piece of craft he gets down to his old
Quarters. Began the world anew the third time. Plots to remove
himself. Is encouraged to buy a piece of Land. The situation
and condition of it. Buys it. Builds an House on it. Leaves
Laggendenny. Settled at his new Purchase with three more living
with him. Their freedom and Trade. His Family reduced to two.
CHAP. VII.
A return to the rest of the English, with some further accounts of
them. And some further Discourse of the Authors course of Life.
They confer together about the lawfulness of marrying with the
Native women. He resolves upon a single life. What Employments
they follow. The respect and credit they live in. A Chingulay
punished for beating an English man. An English man preferred
at Court. Some English serve the King in his Wars. Who now
live miserably. He returns to speak of himself. Plots and
consults about an Escape. A description of his House. He
takes up a new Trade and thrives on it. His Allowance paid
him out of the Kings Store-Houses.
CHAP. VIII.
How the Author had like to have been received into the Kings Service,
and what Means he used to avoid it. He meditates and attempts an
Escape but is often prevented.
He voluntarily forgoes his Pension. Summoned before the
King. Informed that he is to be preferred at Court: But is
resolved to refuse it. The answer he makes to the Great Man:
Who sends him to another Great Officer: Stayts in that City
expecting his Doom. Goes home, but is sent for again. Having
escaped the Court-Service, falls to his former course of life:
His Pedling forwarded his Escape. The most probable course
to take was Northwards. He and his Companion get three days
Journey Northwards; But return back again: Often attempt to
fly this way, but still hindred. In those Parts is bad water,
but they had an Antidote against it. They still improve in
the knowledg of the Way. He meets with his Black Boy in these
Parts, Who was to guide him to the Dutch: But disappointed. An
extraordinary drought for three or four years together.
CHAP. IX.
How the Author began his Escape, and got onward on his way about an
hundred miles.
Their Last and Successful attempt. The Way they went. They
design for Anarodgburro: Turn out of the way to avoyd the
King's Officers: Forced to pass thro a Governours Yard. The
Method they used to prevent his Suspition of them. Their danger
by reason of the Wayes they were to pass. They still remain
at the Governors to prevent suspition. An Accident that now
created them great fear: But got fairly rid of it. Get away
plausibly from the Governor. In their way, they meet with a
River, which they found for their purpose. They come safely to
Anarodgburro: This Place described. The People stand amazed at
them. They are examined by the Governor of the Place. Provide
things necessary for their Flight. They find it not safe to
proceed further this way. Resolve to go back to the River
they lately passed.
CHAP. X.
The Authors Progress in his Flight from Anarodgburro into the Woods,
unto their arrival in the Malabars Country.
They depart back again towards the River, but first take
their leave of the Governor here. They begin their Flight;
Come to the River along which they resolve to go; Which they
Travel along by till it grew dark. Now they fit themselves
for their Journey. Meeting with an Elephant they took up
for the second Night. The next morning they fall in among
Towns before they are aware. The fright they are in lest they
should be seen. Hide themselves in a hollow Tree. They get
safely over this danger. In that Evening they Dress Meat and
lay them down to sleep. The next morning they fear wild Men,
which these Woods abound with. And they meet with many of their
Tents. Very near once falling upon these People. What kind of
Travelling they had. Some account of this River. Ruins. The
Woods hereabouts. How they secured themselves anights against
wild Beasts. They pass the River, that divides the King's
Countrey from the Malabars. After four or five days Travel,
they come among Inhabitants. But do what they can to avoid
them. As yet undiscovered.
CHAP. XI.
Being in the Malabar Territories how they encountred two Men, and
what passed between them. And of their getting safe unto the Dutch
Fort. And their Reception there; and at the Island Manaar, until
their Embarking for Columbo.
They meet with two Malabars. To whom they relate their
Condition. Who are courteous to them. But loath to Conduct them
to the Hollander. In danger of Elephants. They overtake another
Man, who tells them they were in the Dutch Dominions. They
arrive at Arrepa Fort. The Author Travelled a Nights in
these Woods without fear, and slept securely. Entertained
very kindly by the Dutch. Sent to Manaar, Received there by
the Captain of the Castle, Who intended they should Sail the
next day to Jafnipatan to the Governor. They meet here with
a Scotch and Irish Man. The People Flock to see them. They
are ordered a longer stay. They Embark for Columbo.
CHAP XII.
Their Arrival at Columbo, and Entertainment there. Their Departure
thence to Batavia. And from thence to Bantam; Whence they set Sail
for England.
They are wondered at at Columbo, ordered to appear before
the Governor. Treated by English there. They come into the
Governor's presence. His State. Matters the Governor enquired
of; Who desires him to go with him to Batavia. Cloths them,
And sends them Money, and a Chirurgeon. The Author writes
a Letter hence to the English he left behind him. The former
Demands and Answers penned down in Portugueze by the Governor's
Order. They Embark for Batavia. Their friendly Reception by
the Governor there; Who furnishes them with Cloths and Money;
And offers them passage in their Ships home. Come home from
Bantam in the Cæsar.
CHAP. XIII.
Concerning some other Nations, and chiefly Europeans, that now live
in this Island; Portugueze, Dutch.
Malabars that Inhabit here. Their Territories. Their
Prince. That People how governed. Their Commodities and
Trade. Portugueze: Their Power and Interest in this Island
formerly. The great Wars between the King and them forced
him to send in for the Hollander. The King invites the
Portugueze to live in his Countrey. Their Privileges. Their
Generals. Constantine Sa. Who loses a Victory and Stabs
himself. Lewis Tissera served as he intended to serve the
King. Simon Careé, of a cruel Mind. Gaspar Figazi. Splits Men
in the middle. His Policy. Gives the King a great Overthrow,
loseth Columbo, and taken Prisoner. The Dutch. The occasion of
their coming in. The King their implacable Enemy, and why. The
Damage the King does them. The means they use to obtain Peace
with him. How he took Bibligom Fort from them. Several of their
Embassadors detained by the King. The first Embassador there
detained since the Author's Remembrance. His Preferment, and
Death. The next Ambassador dying there, his Body is sent down
to Columbo in great State. The third Ambassador. Gets away by
his Resolution. The fourth was of a milder Nature. The fifth
brings a Lion to the King as a Present. The number or Dutch
there. They follow their Vice of Drinking. The Chingulays
prejudiced against the Dutch, and why.
CHAP. XIV.
Concerning the French. With some Enquiries what should make the
King detain white men, as he does. And how the Christian Religion is
maintained among the Christians there.
The French come hither with a Fleet. To whom the King sends
Provisions, and helps them to build a Fort. The French
Ambassador offends the King. He refuseth to wait longer for
Audience. Which more dipleaseth him. Clapt in Chains. The
rest of the French refuse to dwell with the Ambassador. The
King useth means to reconcile them to their Ambassador. The
Author acquaints the French Ambassador in London, with the
Condition of these men. An Inquiry into the reason of this
King's detaining Europeans. The Kings gentleness towards
his White Soldiers. They watch at his Magazine. How craftily
the King corrected their negligence. The Kings inclinations
are towards White men. The Colour of White honoured in this
Land. Their privilege above the Natives. The King loves to
send for and talk with them. How they maintain Christianity
among them. In some things they comply with the worship of
the Heathen. An old Roman Catholick Priest used to eat of
their Sacrifices. The King permitted the Portugueze to build
a Church.
ERRATA.
Besides divers Mispointings, and other Literal Mistakes of smaller
moment, these are to be amended.
Page 1. Line 16. after Parts, strike out the Comma, p. 3. l. 25. for
Oudi pallet read Oudi pollat, p. 7. l. 31, after they dele that,
p. 12. l. 43. for Ponudecarse read Ponudecars, p. 13. after rowling
dele it, p. 22. l. 38. for Out-yards read Ortyards, p. 25. l. 6. for
tarrish read tartish, p. 27. l. 10. for sometimes read some,
p. 29. l. 33. for Rodgerari read Rodgerah, p. 33. l. 15, 25, 29. for
Radga in those three lines, read Raja., p. 35. l. 12. for a read
at, Ibid. l. 51. for being none read none being, p. 39. l. 1. dele
a, p. 47. l. 36. for Gurpungi read Oulpangi, Ibid. l. 43 for
Dackini read Dackim, p. 50. l. 16. for Roterauts read Roterauls,
Ibid. l. 17. after these read are, Ibid. l. 24. after them read to,
p. 51. l. 2. after them a Semicolon, Ibid. Marg. l. 3. for others
read these, Ibid. l. 18. for their read theirs, Ibid. l. 19. dele
and Ibid. l. 49. for Courti-Atchila read Courli-atchila,
p. 58. l. 30. after were read or were, p. 62. Marg. l. 1. for By read
Pay, Ibid. l. 18 after shooting add him; Ibid. Marg. l. 14. for one
read once, p. 69. l. 28. after lace dele the Comma, Ibid. l. 30. for
Kirinerahs read Kinnerahs, p. 71. l. 3. after places add and,
p. 73. 14. dele they say, Ibid. l. 42. for ward read reward,
p. 74. l. 5. dele the Semicolon after Vehar, and place it after
also, Ibid. l. 27. for hands read heads, p. 76. l. 23. for God
read Gods, Ibid. l. 36. after know a Period, p. 80. l. 3. for him
read them, p. 87. l. 27. after Hens a Semicolon, p. 88. l. 35. for
stream read steam, p. 89. l. 7. for a read the, p. 101. l. 28. for
Husband read Husbandman, p. 102. l. 23. after considerable a Comma,
p. 103. Marg. l. 4. for benefit read manner, p. 105, l. 26. for so
read To, p. 109. l. 1. read Heawoy com-coraund, To fight, as much as
to say, To act the Soldier, p. 110. l. 29. after go add their Journey,
p. 111. l. 9. for Friday read Iridah, p. 112. l. 52. after temple
add in, p. 118. l. 41. after and add his, p. 128. l. 51. dele no,
p. 132. l. 38. dele the Comma after Holstein, p. 134. l. 47. For Crock
read crook, p. 138. l. 37. for ny read any, Ibid., l. 47. after they
read had, p. 148. l. 52. for go read got, p. 151. l. 6. for here read
have, p. 154. l. 27. for favors read feavors, p. 155. l. 4. dele the
first [it] Ibid. l. 18. for he read we, p. 161. l. 43. for Diabac
read Diabat. p. 168. l. 4. after before add us, Ibid. l. 7. after
comparing add it, p. 176. l. 22. for the read great, p. 179. l. 21. for
be read beg, Ibid. l. 34. dele what they keep, And instead of Cande
uda thro-out the Book, read Conde uda.
AN
Historical Relation
OF
ZEILON,
(Aliàs Ceylon,)
AN
Island in the EAST-INDIES.
PART I
CHAP. I.
A general Description of the Island.
How this Island lyes with respect unto me Neighbouring Countries,
I shall not speak at all, that being to be seen in our ordinary
Sea-Cards, which describe those Parts; and but little concerning
the Maritime parts of it, now under the Jurisdiction of the Dutch:
my design being to relate such things onely that are new and unknown
unto these Europæan Nations. It is the Inland Countrey therefore I
chiefly intend to write of which is yet an hidden Land even to the
Dutch themselves that inhabit upon the Island. For I have seen among
them a fair large Map of this Place, the best I believe extant, yet
very faulty: the ordinary Maps in use among us are much more so; I have
procured a new one to be drawn, with as much truth and exactness as I
could, and his Judgment will not be deemed altogether inconsiderable,
who had for Twenty Years Travelled about the Iland, and knew almost
every step of those Parts, especially, that most want describing.
I begin with the Sea-Coasts. Of all which the Hollander is Master:
On the North end the chief places are Jafnipatan, and the Iland of
Manaur. On the East side Trenkimalay, and Batticalow. To the South
is the City of Point de Galle. On the West the City of Columbo,
so called from a Tree the Natives call Ambo, (which bears the
Mango-fruit) growing in that place; but this never bare fruit,
but onely leaves, which in their Language is Cola> and thence they
called the Tree Colambo: which the Christians in honour of Columbus
turned to Columbo. It is the chief City on the Sea-coasts where the
chief Governour hath his residence. On this side also is Negumba, and
Colpentine. All these already mentioned are strong fortified places:
There are besides many other smaller Forts and Fortifications. All
which, with considerable Territories, to wit, all round bordering
upon the Sea-coasts, belong to the Dutch Nation.
[A general division of the Inland Countrey.] I proceed to the
Inland-Country, being that that is now under the King of Cande. It
is convenient that we first understand, that this land is divided
into greater or less shares or parts. The greater divisions give
me leave to call Provinces, and the less Counties, as resembling
ours in England, tho not altogether so big. On the North parts lyes
the Province of Nourecalava, consisting of five lesser Divisions or
Counties; the Province also of Hotcourly (signifying seven Counties:)
it contains seven Counties. On the Eastward is Mautaly, containing
three Counties. There are also lying on that side Tammanquod, Bintana,
Vellas, Paunoa, these are single Counties. Ouvah also containing
three Counties. In this Province are Two and thirty of the Kings
Captains dwelling with their Soldiers. In the Midland within those
already mentioned lye Wallaponahoy (it signifies Fifty holes or
vales which describe the nature of it, being nothing but Hills and
Valleys,) Poncipot, (signifying five hundred Souldiers.) Goddaponahoy,
(signifying fifty pieces of dry Land;) Hevoihattay (signifying sixty
Souldiers,) Cote-mul, Horsepot (four hundred Souldiers.) Tunponahoy
(three fifties.) Oudanour (it signifies the Upper City,) where I
lived last and had Land. Tattanour (the Lower City) in which stands
the Royal and chief City, Cande. These two Counties I last named,
have the pre-eminence of all the rest in the Land. They are most
populous, and fruitful. The Inhabitants thereof are the chief and
principal men: insomuch that it is a usual saying among them, that
if they want a King, they may take any man, of either of these two
Counties, from the Plow, and wash the dirt off him, and he by reason
of his quality and descent is fit to be a King. And they have this
peculiar Priviledge, That none may be their Governour, but one
born in their own Country. These ly to the Westward that follow,
Oudipollat, Dolusbaug, Hotteracourly, containing four Counties;
Portaloon, Tuncourly, containing three Counties; Cuttiar. Which last,
together with Batticalaw, and a part of Tuncourly, the Hollander took
from the King during my being there. There are about ten or twelve
more un-named, next bordering on the Coasts, which are under the
Hollander. All these Provinces and Counties, excepting six, Tammanquod,
Vellas, Paunoa, Hotteracourly, Hotcourly, and Neurecalava, ly upon
Hills fruitful and dwell watered: and therefore they are called in
one word Conde Uda, which signifies, On top of the Hills, and the
King is styled, the King of Conde Uda.
[Each County divided by Woods.] All these Counties are divided each
from other by great Woods. Which none may fell, being preserved for
Fortifications. In most of them there are Watches kept constantly,
but in troublesome times in all.
[The Country Hilly, but enriched with Rivers.] The Land is full of
Hills, but exceedingly well watered, there being many pure and clear
Rivers running through them. Which falling down about their Lands
is a very great benefit for the Countrey in respect of their Rice,
their chief Sustenance. These Rivers are generally very rocky, and so
un-navigable. In them are great quantities of Fish, and the greater
for want of Skill in the People to catch them. [The great River,
Mavelagonga described.] The main River of all is called Mavelagonga;
Which proceeds out of the Mountain called Adams Peak (of which
afterwards:) it runs thro the whole Land Northward, and falls into the
Sea at Trenkimalay. It may be an Arrows flight over in bredth, but not
Navigable by reason of the many Rocks and great falls in it: Towards
the Sea it is full of Aligators, but on the Mountains none at all.
It is so deep, that unless it be mighty dry weather, a man cannot wade
over it, unless towards the head of it. They use little Canoues to pass
over it: but there are no Bridges built over it, being so broad, and
the Stream in time of Rains (which in this Countrey are very great)
runs so high, that they cannot make them, neither if they could,
would it be permitted; for the King careth not to make his Countrey
easie to travel, but desires to keep it intricate. This River runs
within a mile or less of the City of Cande. In some places of it,
full of Rocks, in others clear for three or four miles.
There is another good large River running through Catemul, and falls
into that before mentioned. There are divers others brave Rivers that
water the Countrey, tho none Navigable for the cause above said.
[Woody.] The Land is generally covered with Woods, excepting the
Kingdome of Ovuah, and the Counties of Oudipallet, and Dolusbaug,
which are naturally somewhat clear of them.
[Where most populous and healthful.] It is most populous about the
middle, least near about by the Sea; how it is with those Parts under
the Hollander, I know not. The Northern parts are somewhat sickly by
reason of bad water, the rest very healthful.
[The nature of the Valleys.] The Valleys between their Hills are many
of them quagmires, and most of them full of brave Springs of pure
water: Which watery Valleys are the best sort of Land for their Corn,
as requiring much moisture, as shall be told in its place.
[The great Hill Adams Peak, described.] On the South side of Conde
Uda is an Hill, supposed to be the highest on this Island, called
in the Chingulay Language, Hamalell; but by the Portuguez and the
Europæan Nations, Adams Peak. It is sharp like a Sugar-loaf, and on
the Top a flat Stone with the print of a foot like a mans on it, but
far bigger, being about two foot long. The people of this Land count
it meritorious to go and worship this impression; and generally about
their New Year, which is in March, they, Men, Women and Children,
go up this vast and high Mountain to worship. The manner of which I
shall write hereafter, when I come to describe their Religion. Out
of this Mountain arise many fine Rivers, which run thro the Land,
some to the Westward, some to the Southward, and the main River,
viz. Mavelagonga before mentioned, to the Northward.
[The natural Strength of this Kingdom] This Kingdom of Conde Uda is
strongly fortified by Nature. For which way soever you enter into
it, you must ascend vast and high mountains, and descend little or
nothing. The wayes are many, but are many, but very narrow, so that but
one can go abreast. The Hills are covered with Wood and great Rocks,
so that 'tis scarce possible to get up any where, but onely in the
paths, in all which there are gates made of Thorns; the one at the
bottom, the other at the top of the Hills, and two or three men always
set to watch, who are to examine all that come and go, and see what
they carry, that Letters may not be conveyed, nor Prisoners or other
Slaves run away. These Watches, in case of opposition, are to call
out to the Towns near, who are to assist them. They oftentimes have
no Arms, for they are the people of the next Towns: but their Weapons
to stop people are to charge them in the Kings Name; which disobeyed,
is so Severely punished; that none dare resist. These Watches are but
as Sentinels to give notice; for in case of War and Danger the King
sends Commanders and Souldiers to ly here. But of this enough. These
things being more proper to be related, when we come to discourse of
the Policy and Strength of the Kingdom.
[The difference of the Seasons in this Country.] The one part of
this Island differs very much from the other, both in respect of the
Seasons and the Soyl. For when the Westwardly Winds blow, then it
rains on the West side of the Island: and that is the season for them
to till their grounds. And at the same time on the East side is very
fair and dry weather, and the time of their Harvest. On the contrary,
when the East Winds blow, it is Tilling time for those that inhabit
the East Parts, and Harvest to those on the West. So that Harvest is
here in one part or other all the Year long. These Rains and this dry
weather do part themselves about the middle of the Land; as oftentimes
I have seen, being on the one side of a Mountain called Cauragas hirg,
rainy and wet weather, and as soon as I came on the other, dry, and
so exceeding hot, that I could scarcely walk on the ground, being,
as the manner there is, barefoot.
[What parts have most Rain.] It rains far more in the High-Lands of
Conde Uda, then in the Low-Lands beneath the Hills. The North End of
this Island is much subject to dry weather. I have known it for five
or six Years together so dry, (having no Rains, and there is no other
means of water but that; being but three Springs of running water,
that I know, or ever heard of) that they could not plow nor sow,
and scarcely could dig Wells deep enough to get water to drink, and
when they got it, its tast was brackish. At which time in other Parts
there wanted not Rain; Whither the Northern People were forced to come
to buy food. Let thus much suffice to have spoken of the Countreys,
Soyl and Nature of this Island in general. I will proceed to speak
of the Cities and Towns of it, together with some other Remarkable
Matters there-unto belonging.
CHAP. II.
Concerning the Chief Cities and Towns of this Island.
[The most Eminent Cities are Five.] In this Island are several Places,
where, they say, formerly stood Cities; and still retain the Name,
tho little or nothing of Building be now to be seen. But yet there
are Five Cities now standing, which are the most Eminent, and where
the King hath Palaces and Goods; yet even these, all of them, except
that wherein his Person is, are ruined and fallen to decay.
[Candy.] The First is the City of Candy, so generally called by the
Christians, probably from Conde, which in the Chingulays Language
signifies Hills, for among them it is situated, but by the Inhabitants
called Hingodagul-neure, as much as to say, the City of the Chingulay
people, and Mauneur, signifying the Chief or Royal City. This is
the Chief or Metropolitical City of the whole Island. It is placed
in the midst of the Island in Tattanour, bravely situate for all
conveniences, excellently well watered. The Kings Palace stands on
the East corner of the City, as is customary in this Land for the
Kings Palaces to stand. This City is three-square like a Triangle:
but no artificial strength about it, unless on the South side, which
is the easiest and openest way to it, they have long since cast up
a Bank of Earth cross the Valley from one Hill to the other; which
nevertheless is not so steep but that a man may easily go over it any
where. It may be some twenty foot in height. In every Way to come to
this City about two or three miles off from it are thorn-Gates and
Watches to examine all that go and come: It is environed round with
Hills. The great River coming down from Adams Peak runs within less
than a mile of it on the West side. It has oftentimes been burnt by
the Portuguez in their former Invasions of this Island, together with
the Kings Palace and the Temples. Insomuch that the King has been
fain to pay them a Tribute of three Elephants per annum. The King
left this City about Twenty Years ago, and never since has come at
it. So that it is now quite gone to decay.
[Nellemby] A second City is Nellemby-neur, lying in Oudipollat, South
of Cande, some Twelve miles distance. Unto this the King retired,
and here kept his Court, when he forsook Candy.
[Allout-neur] Thirdly, The City Allout-neur on the North East of
Cande. Here this King was born, here also he keeps great store of Corn
and Salt, &c. against time of War or Trouble. [The Country of Bintan
described.] This is Situate in the Countrey of Bintan, which Land,
I have never been at, but have taken a view of from the top of a
Mountain, it seems to be smooth Land, and not much hilly; the great
River runneth through the midst of it. It is all over covered with
mighty Woods and abundance of Deer. But much subject to dry Weather
and Sickness. In these Woods is a fort of Wild People Inhabiting,
whom we shall speak of in their place.
[Badoula.] Fourthly, Badoula Eastward from Cande some two dayes
Journey, the second City in this Land. The Portugals in time of
War burnt it down to the ground. The Palace here is quite ruined;
the Pagodas onely remain in good repair.
[The Province of Ouvah.] This City stands in the Kingdom or Province
of Ouvah, which is a Countrey well watered, the Land not smooth,
neither the Hills very high, wood very scarce, but what they plant
about their Houses. But great plenty of Cattle, their Land void of
wood being the more apt for grazing. If these Cattle be carried to
any other Parts in this Island they will commonly dye, the reason
whereof no man can tell, onely they conjecture it is occasioned by a
kind of small Tree or Shrub, that grows in all Countreys but in Ouvah,
the Touch or Scent of which may be Poyson to the Ouvah Cattel; though
it is not so to other. The Tree hath a pretty Physical smell like an
Apothecaries Shop, but no sort of Cattle will eat it. In this Cuontry
grows the best Tobacco that is on this Land. Rice is more plenty here
then most other things.
[Digligy, the place of the Kings constant Residence.] The fifth
City Digligy-neur towards the East of Cande, lying in the Country of
Hevahatt. Where the King ever since he was routed from Nellemby in
the Rebellion Anno 1664. hath held his Court. The scituation of this
place is very Rocky and Mountainous, the Lands Barren; So that hardly
a worse place could be found out in the whole Island. Yet the King
chose it, partly because it lyes about the middle of his Kingdom, but
chiefly for his safety; having the great Mountain [Gauluda.] Gauluda
behind his Palace, unto which he fled for Safety in the Rebellion,
being not only high, but on the top of it lye three Towns, and Corn
Fields, whence he may have necessary supplies: and it is so fenced
with steep Cliffs, Rocks and Woods, that a few men here will be able
to defend themselves against a great Army.
[Many Ruins of Cities.] There are besides these already mentioned,
several other ruinous places that do still retain the name of Cities,
where Kings have Reigned, tho now little Foot steps remaining of
them. At the North end of this Kings Dominions is one of these Ruinous
Cities, called [Anurodgburro.] Anurodgburro where they say Ninety
Kings have Reigned, the Spirits of whom they hold now to be Saints
in Glory, having merited it by making Pagoda's and Stone Pillars
and Images to the honour of their Gods, whereof there are many yet
remaining: which the Chingulayes count very meritorious to worship,
and the next way to Heaven. Near by is a River, by which we came when
we made our escape: all along which is abundance of hewed stones,
some long for Pillars, some broad for paving. Over this River there
have been three Stone Bridges built upon Stone Pillars, but now are
fallen down; and the Countrey all desolate without Inhabitants. At
this City of Anurodgburro is a Watch kept, beyond which are no more
people that yield obedience to the King of Candy. This place is above
Ninety miles to the Northward of the City of Candy. [The nature of
the Northern Parts.] In these Northern Parts there are no Hills,
nor but two or three Springs of running water, so that their Corn
ripeneth with the help of Rain.
[The Port of Portaloon: It affords Salt.] There is a Port in the
Countrey of Portaloon lying on the West side of this Island, whence
part of the Kings Countrey is supplyed with Salt and Fish: where they
have some small Trade with the Dutch, who have a Fort upon the Point,
to prevent Boats from coming: But the Eastern Parts being too far, and
Hilly, to drive Cattel thither for Salt, Gods Providence hath provided
them a place on the East side nearer them, which in their Language they
call [Leawava affords Salt in abundance.] Leawava. Where the Eastwardly
Winds blowing, the Sea beats in, and in Westwardly Winds (being then
fair weather there) it becomes Salt, and that in such abundance, that
they have as much as they please to fetch. [Described.] This Place of
Leawava is so contrived by the Providence of the Almighty Creator,
that neither the Portuguez nor Dutch in all the time of their Wars
could ever prevent this People from having the benefit of this Salt,
which is the principal thing that they esteem in time of Trouble or
War; and most of them do keep by them a store of Salt against such
times. It is, as I have heard, environed with Hills on the Land side,
and by Sea not convenient for Ships to ride; and very sickly, which
they do impute to the power of a great God, who dwelleth near by in a
Town they call Cotteragom, standing in the Road, to whom all that go
to fetch Salt both small and great must give an Offering. The Name
and Power of this God striketh such terror into the Chingulayes,
that those who otherwise are Enemies to this King, and have served
both Portuguez and Dutch against him, yet would never assist either
to make Invasions this way.
[Their Towns how Built.] Having said thus much concerning the Cities
and other Eminent places of this Kingdom, I will now add a little
concerning their Towns. The best are those that do belong to their
Idols, wherein stand their Dewals or Temples. They do not care to
make Streets by building their Houses together in rowes, but each
man lives by himself in his own Plantation, having an hedg it may
be and a ditch round about him to keep out Cattel. Their Towns are
always placed some distance from the High-ways, for they care not that
their Towns should be a thorough-fair for all people, but onely for
those that have business with them. They are not very big, in some
may be Forty, in some Fifty houses, and in some above an Hundred:
and in some again not above eight or ten.
[Many lye in Ruins, and forsaken; and upon what occasion.] And as I
said before of their Cities, so I must of their Towns, That there
are many of them here and there lie desolate, occasioned by their
voluntary forsaking them, which they often do, in case many of them
fall sick, and two or three die soon after one another: For this they
conclude to happen from the hand of the Devil. Whereupon they all
leave their Town and go to another, thinking thereby to avoid him:
Thus relinquishing both their Houses and Lands too. Yet afterwards,
when they think the Devil hath departed the place, some will sometimes
come back and re-assume their Lands again.
CHAP. III.
Of their Corn, with their manner of Husbandry.
[The Products and Commodities of the Countrey.] Having discoursed
hitherto of the Countrey, method will require that I proceed now
to the Products of it; Viz. their Fruits, Plants, Beasts, Birds,
and other Creatures, Minerals, Commodities, &c. whereof I must
declare once for all, That I do not pretend to write an Exact and
Perfect Treatise, my time and leisure not permitting me so to do;
but only to give a Relation of some of the chief of these things,
and as it were a tast of them, according as they that occur to my
Memory while I am writing. I shall first begin with their Corn,
as being the Staff of their Countrey.
[Corn of divers sorts.] They have divers sorts of Corn, tho all
different from ours. And here I shall first speak of their Rice,
the Choice and Flower of all their Corn, and then concerning the
other inferior kinds among them.
[Rice.] Of Rice they have several sorts, and called by several names
according to the different times of their ripening: However in tast
little disagreeing from one another. Some will require seven Months
before it come to maturity, called Mauvi; some six, Hauteal; others
will ripen in five, Honorowal; others in four, Henit; and others in
three, Aulfancol: The price of all these is one and the same. That
which is soonest ripe, is most savoury to the tast; but yieldeth
the least increase. It may be asked then, why any other sort of Rice
is sown, but that which is longest a Ripening, seeing it brings in
most Profit? In answer to this, you must know, [Grows in Water. Their
Ingenuity in watering their Corn Lands.] That all these sorts of Rice
do absolutely require Water to grow in, all the while they stand; so
that the Inhabitants take great pains in procuring and saving water
for their Grounds, and in making Conveyances of Water from their Rivers
and Ponds into their Lands, which they are very ingenious in; also in
levelling their Corn Lands, which must be as smooth as a Bowling-Green,
that the Water may cover all over. Neither are their steep and Hilly
Lands uncapable of being thus overflown with Water. For the doing of
which they use this Art. They level these Hills into narrow Allies,
some three; some eight foot wide one beneath another, according to the
steepness of the Hills, working and digging them in that fashion that
they lye smooth and flat, like so many Stairs up the Hills one above
another. The Waters at the top of the Hills falling down wards are
let into these Allies, and so successively by running out of one into
another, water all; first the higher Lands, and then the lower. The
highest Allies having such a quantity of Water as may suffice to
cover them, the rest runs over unto the next, and that having its
proportion, unto the next, and so by degrees it falls into all these
hanging parcels of Ground. These Waters last sometimes a longer, and
sometimes a shorter Season. [Why they do not alwayes sow the best kind
of Rice.] Now the Rice they sow is according as they foresee their
stock of Water will last. It will sometimes last them two or three,
or four or five Months, more or less; the Rice therefore they chuse
to cast into the Ground, is of that sort that may answer the duration
of the Water. For all their Crop would be spoilt if the Water should
fail them before their Corn grew ripe. If they foresee their Water
will hold out long, then they sow the best and most profitable Rice,
viz. that which is longest a ripening; but if it will not, they must
be content to sow of the worser sorts; that is, those that are sooner
ripe. Again, they are forced sometimes to sow this younger Rice,
for the preventing the damage it might otherwise meet with, if it
should stand longer. For their Fields are all in common, which after
they have sown, they enclose till Harvest; But as soon as the Corn
first sown becomes ripe, when the Owner has reaped it, it is lawful
for him to break down his Fences, and let in his Cattle for grazing;
which would prove a great mischief to that Corn that required to
stand a Month or two longer. Therefore if they are constrained to
sow later than the rest, either through want or sloth, or some other
Impediment, yet they make use of that kind of Rice that will become
ripe, equal with that first sown. [They sow at different times, but
reap together.] And so they all observe one time of reaping to prevent
their Corn being trampled down or eaten up by the Cattle. Thus they
time their Corn to their Harvest; some sowing sooner, some later,
but all reaping together, unless they be Fields that are enclosed by
themselves; and peculiar to one Man.
[Their Artificial Pools.] Where there are no Springs or Rivers to
furnish them with Water, as it is in the Northern Parts, where there
are but two or three Springs, they supply this defect by saving of rain
Water; which they do, by casting up great Banks in convenient places
to stop and contain the Rains that fall, and so save it till they have
occasion to let it out into their Fields: They are made rounding like
a C or Half-Moon, every Town has one of these Ponds, which if they
can but get filled with Water, they count their Corn is as good as
in the Barn. It was no small work to the ancient Inhabitants to make
all these Banks, of which there is a great number, being some two,
some three Fathoms in height, and in length some above a Mile, some
less, not all of a size. They are now grown over with great Trees,
and so seem natural Hills. When they would use the Water, they cut a
gap in one end of the Bank, and so draw the Water by little and little,
as they have occasion for the watering their Corn. These Ponds in dry
weather dry up quite. If they should dig these Ponds deep, it would
not be so convenient for them. It would indeed contain the Water well,
but would not so well nor in such Plenty empty out it self into their
Grounds. [Aligators harbor in them.] In these Ponds are Aligators,
which when the Water is dried up depart into the Woods, and down to the
Rivers; and in the time of Rains come up again into the Ponds. They are
but small, nor do use to catch People, nevertheless they stand in some
fear of them. The Corn they sow in these Parts is of that sort that
is soonest ripe, fearing lest their Waters should fail. As the Water
dries out of these Ponds, they make use of them for Fields, treading
the Mud with Buffeloes, and then [They sow Corn on the Mud.] sowing
Rice thereon, and frequently casting up Water with Scoops on it. I
have hitherto spoken of those Rices that require to grow in Water.
[A sort of Rice that grows Without Water.] There is yet another sort
of Rice, which will ripen tho' it stand not alway in Water: and this
sort of Corn serves for those places, where they cannot bring their
Waters to overflow; this will grow with the Rains that fall; but is
not esteemed equal with the others, and differs both in scent and
taste from that which groweth in the watery Fields.
[The Seasons of Seed-time and Harvest] The ordinary Season of seed
time, is in the Months of July and August, and their Harvest in
or about February; but for Land that is well watered, they regard
no Season; the Season is all the year long. When they Till their
Grounds, or Reap their Corn, they do it by whole Towns generally,
all helping each other for Attoms, as they call it; that is, that
they may help them as much, or as many days again in their Fields,
which accordingly they will do; They Plough only with a crooked piece
of Wood, something like an Elbow, which roots up the Ground, as uneven
as if it were done by Hogs, and then they overflow it with water.
[A particular description of their Husbandry.] But if any be so curious
as to know more particularly how they order and prepare their Lands,
and sow their Corn, take this account of it. But before we go to work,
it will be convenient first to describe the Tools. [Their Plough.] To
begin therefore with their Plough. I said before it was a crooked piece
of Wood, it is but little bigger than a Man's Arm, one end whereof is
to hold by, and the other to root up the Ground. In the hollow of this
Plough is a piece of Wood fastned some three or four Inches thick,
equal with the bredth of the Plough; and at the end of the Plough,
is fixt an Iron Plate to keep the Wood from wearing. There is a Beam
let in to that part of it that the Plough-man holds in his hand,
to which they make their Buffaloes fast to drag it.
[The convenience of these Ploughs.] These Ploughs are proper for
this Countrey, because they are lighter, and so may be the more
easie for turning, the Fields being short, so that they could not
turn with longer, and if heavier, they would sink and be unruly in
the mud. These Ploughs bury not the grass as ours do, and there is no
need they should. For their endeavour is only to root up the Ground,
and so they overflow it with Water, and this rots the Grass.
[Their first Ploughing.] They Plough twice before they sow. But before
they begin the first time, they let in Water upon their Land, to make
it more soft and pliable for the Plough. After it is once Ploughed,
they make up their [Their Banks, and use of them.] Banks. For if
otherwise they should let it alone till after the second Ploughing, it
would be mere Mud, and not hard enough to use for Banking. Now these
Banks are greatly necessary, not only for Paths for the People to
go upon through the Fields, who otherwise must go in the Mud, it may
be knee deep; but chiefly to keep in and contain their Water, which
by the help of these Banks they overflow their Grounds with. These
Banks they make as smooth with the backside of their Houghs, as a
Bricklayer can smooth a Wall with his Trowel. For in this they are
very neat. These Banks are usually not above a Foot over.
[Their second Ploughing.] After the Land is thus Ploughed and the
Banks finished, it is laid under water again for some time, till they
go to Ploughing the second time. Now it is exceeding muddy, so that
the trampling of the Cattel that draws the Plough, does as much good
as the Plough; for the more muddy the better. Sometimes they use no
Plough this second time, but only drive their Cattel over to make
the Ground the muddier.
[How they prepare their Seed-Corn.] Their Lands being thus ordered,
they still keep them overflowed with Water, that the Weeds and Grass
may rot. Then they take their Corn and lay it a soak in Water a whole
night, and the next day take it out, and lay it in a heap, and cover
it with green leaves, and so let it lye some five or six days to make
it grow. [And their Land after it is Ploughed.] Then they take and
wet it again, and lay it in a heap covered over with leaves as before,
and so it grows and shoots out with Blades and Roots. In the mean time
while this is thus a growing, they prepare their Ground for sowing;
which is thus: They have a Board about four foot long, which they drag
over their Land by a yoke of Buffaloes, not flat ways, but upon the
edge of it. The use of which is, that it jumbles the Earth and Weeds
together, and also levels and makes the Grounds smooth and even,
that so the Water (for the ground is all this while under water)
may stand equal in all places. And wheresoever there is any little
hummock standing out of the Water, which they may easily see by their
eye, with the help of this Board they break and lay even. And so it
stands overflown while their Seed is growing, and become fit to sow,
which usually is eight days after they lay it in soak.
When the Seed is ready to sow, they drain out all the Water, and with
little Boards of about a foot and a half long, fastned upon long Poles,
they trim the Land over again, laying it very smooth, making small
Furrows all along, that in case Rain or other Waters should come
in, it might drain away; for more Water now would endanger rotting
the Corn. [Their manner of sowing.] And then they sow their Corn,
which they do with very exact evenness, strewing it with their hands,
just as we strew Salt upon Meat.
[How they Manure and order their young Corn.] And thus it stands
without any Water, till such time as the Corn be grown some three
or four Inches above the Ground. There were certain gaps made in the
Banks to let out the water, these are now stopped to keep it in. Which
is not only to nourish the Corn, but to kill the weeds. For they keep
their Fields as clean as a Garden without a weed. Then when the Corn
is grown about a span high, the Women come and weed it, and pull it up
where it grew too thick, and transplant it where it wants. And so it
stands overflown till the Corn be ripe, when they let out the water
again to make it dry for reaping. They never use any dung, but their
manner of plowing and soaking of their Ground serves instead thereof.
[Their manner of Reaping.] At reaping they are excellent good, just
after the English manner. The whole Town, as I said before, as they
joyn together in Tilling, so in their Harvest also; For all fall in
together in reaping one man's Field, and so to the next, until every
mans Corn be down. And the Custome is, that every man, during the
reaping of his Corn, finds all the rest with Victuals. The womens work
is to gather up the Corn after the Reapers, and carry it all together.
[They tread out their Corn with Cattel.] They use not Threshing,
but tread out their Corn with Cattel, which is a far quicker and
easier way. They may tread out in a day forty or fifty Bushels at
least with the help of half a dozen Cattel.
[The Ceremonies they use when the Corn is to be trodden.] When
they are to tread their Corn they choose a convenient adjoyning
place. Here they lay out a round piece Ground some twenty or five
and twenty foot over. From which they cut away the upper Turf. Then
certain Ceremonies are used. First, they adorn this place with ashes
made into flowers and branches, and round circles. Then they take
divers strange shells, and pieces of Iron, and some sorts of Wood,
and a bunch of betel Nuts, (which are reserved for such purposes)
and lay all these in the very middle of the Pit, and a large stone
upon them. Then the women, whose proper work it is, bring each their
burthen of reaped Corn upon their heads, and go round in the Pit three
times, and then fling it down. And after this without any more ado,
bring in the rest of the Corn as fast as they can. For this Labour,
and that of weeding, the Women have a Fee due to them, which they
call Warapol, that is as much Corn, as shall cover the Stone and the
other Conjuration-Instruments at the bottom of the Pit.
They will frequently carry away their new reaped Corn into the
Pit; and tread it out presently as soon as they have cut it down,
to secure it from the Rains, which in some Parts are very great and
often; and Barns they have none big enough, But in other places not
so much given to Rains, they will sometimes set it up in a Cock,
and let it stand some months.
[How they unhusk their Rice.] They unshale their Rice from its
outward husk by beating it in a Mortar, or on the Ground more often;
but some of these sorts of Rice must first be boyled in the husk,
otherwise in beating it will break to powder. The which Rice, as it
is accounted, so I by experience have found, to be the wholsomest;
This they beat again the second time to take off a Bran from it;
and after that it becomes white. And thus much concerning Rice-Corn.
[Other sorts of Corn among them.] Besides this, tho far inferior to it,
there are divers other sorts of Corn, which serve the People for food
in the absence of Rice, which will scarcely hold out with many of them
above half the Year. [Coracan.] There is Coracan, which is a small
seed like Mustard-seed, This they grind to meal or beat in a Mortar,
and so make Cakes of it, baking it upon the Coals in a potsheard,
or dress it otherwise. If they which are not used to it, eat it, it
will gripe their Bellies; When they are minded to grind it, they have
for their Mill two round stones, which they turn with their hands
by the help of a stick: There are several sorts of this Corn. Some
will ripen in three months, and some require four. If the Ground be
good; it yields a great encrease; and grows both on the Hills and
in the Plains. [Tanna.] There is another Corn called Tanna; It is
much eaten in the Northern Parts, in Conde Uda but little sown. It
is as small as the former, but yieldeth a far greater encrease. From
one grain may spring up two, three, four or five stalks, according
as the ground is, on each stalk one ear, that contains thousands of
grains. I think it gives the greatest encrease of any one feed in the
World. Each Husbandman sowes not above a Pottle at a Seeds-time. It
growes up two foot, or two foot and an half from the ground. The way
of gathering it when ripe, is, that the Women (whose office it is}
go and crop off the ears with their hands, and bring them home in
baskets. They onely take off the ears of Coracan also, but they being
tough, are cut off with knives. This Tanna must be parched in a Pan,
and then is beaten in a Mortar to unhusk it. It will boyl like Rice,
but swell far more; the tast not bad but very dry, and accounted
wholsome; the fashion flattish, the colour yellow and very lovely to
the Eye. It ripens in four months, some sorts of it in three. There
are also divers other sorts, which grow on dry Land (as the former)
and ripen with the Rain. [Moung.] As Moung, a Corn somewhat like
Vetches, growing in a Cod. [Omb.] Omb, a small seed, boyled and eaten
as Rice. It has an operation pretty strange, which is, that when it is
new it will make them that eat it like drunk, sick and spue; and this
only when it is sown in some Grounds, for in all it will not have this
effect: and being old, none will have it. Minere, a small seed. Boumas,
we call them Garavances. Tolla, a seed used to make Oyl, with which
they anoint themselves; and sometimes they will parch it and eat it
with Jaggory, a kind of brown Sugar. And thus much of their Corn.
CHAP. IV.
Of their Fruits, and Trees
[Great variety of Fruits, and delicious.] Of Fruits here are great
plenty and variety, and far more might be if they did esteem or
nourish them. Pleasant Fruits to eat ripe they care not at all to do,
They look only after those that may fill the Belly, and satisfie their
hunger when their Corn is spent, or to make it go the further. These
onely they plant, the other Fruits of Pleasure plant themselves, the
seeds of the ripe Fruits shedding and falling on the ground naturally
spring up again. They have all Fruits that grow in India. Most sorts
of these delicious Fruits they gather before they be ripe, and boyl
them to make Carrees, to use the Portuguez word, that is somewhat to
eat with and relish their Rice. [The best Fruits, where-ever they
grow, reserved for the King.] But wheresoever there is any Fruit
better than ordinary, the Ponudecarso, or Officers of the Countrey,
will tie a string about the Tree in the Kings Name with three knots
on the end thereof, and then, no man, not the Owner himself, dares
presume under pain of some great punishment, if not death, to touch
them. And when they are ripe, they are wrapped in white cloth, and
carried to him who is Governour of that Countrey wherein they grow:
and if they be without any defect or blemish, then being wrapped up
again in white cloth, he presents them to the King. But the owner in
whose Ground they grow is paid nothing at all for them: it is well
if he be not compelled to carry them himself into the bargain unto
the King, be it never so far. These are Reasons why the People regard
not to plant more than just to keep them alive.
[Betel-Nuts.] But to specifie some of the chief of the Fruits in
request among them, I begin with their Betel-Nuts, the Trees that bear
them grow only on the South and West sides of this Island. They do not
grow wild, they are only in their Towns, and there like unto Woods,
without any inclosures to distinguish one mans Trees from anothers;
but by marks of great Trees, Hummacks or Rocks each man knows his
own. They plant them not, but the Nuts being ripe fall down in the
grass and so grow up to [The Trees.] Trees. They are very streight
and tall, few bigger than the calf of a mans Leg. [The Fruit.] The
Nuts grow in bunches at the top, and being ripe look red and very
lovely like a pleasing Fruit. When they gather them, they lay them in
heaps until the shell be somewhat rotted, and then dry them in the
Sun, and afterwards shell them with a sharp stick one and one at a
time. These trees will yield some 500, some a 1000, some 1500 Nuts,
and some but three or four hundred. They bear but once in the Year
generally, but commonly there are green Nuts enough to eat all the
Year long. [The Leaves.] The leaves of it are somewhat like those of a
Coker-Nut Tree, they are five or six foot long, and have other lesser
leaves growing out of the sides of them, like the feathers on each
side of a quill. The Chingulays call the large leaves the boughs,
and the leaves on the sides, the leaves. They fall off every Year,
and the skin upon which they grow, with them. [The Skins, and their
use.] These skins grow upon the body of the Tree, and the leaves grow
out on them. They also clap about the buds or blossoms which bear the
Nuts, and as the buds swell, so this skin-cover gives way to them, till
at length it falls quite off with the great leaf on it. It is somewhat
like unto Leather, and of great use unto the Countrey People. It serves
them instead of Basons to eat their Rice in, and when they go a Journey
to tie up their Provisions: For in these skins or leaves they can tie
up any liquid substance as Oyl or water, doubling it in the middle,
and rowling it in the two sides, almost like a purse. For bigness they
are according to the Trees, some bigger, some less, ordinarily they
are about two foot length, and a foot and an half in breadth. In this
Countrey are no Inns to go to, and therefore their manner when they
Travel is, to carry ready dressed what provisions they can, which
they make up in these leaves. The Trees within have onely a kind of
pith, and will split from one end to the other, the [The Wood.] Wood
is hard and very strong; they use it for Laths for their Houses, and
also for Rails for their Hedges, which are only stakes struck in the
ground, and rails tyed along with rattans, or other withs growing in
the Woods. [The profit the Fruit yields.] Money is not very plentiful
in this Land, but by means of these Nuts, which is a great Commodity
to carry to the Coasts of Cormandel, they furnish themselves with all
things they want. The common price of Nuts, when there was a Trade,
as there was when I came first on this Land, is 20000 for one Doller;
but now they ly and grow, or rot on the ground under the Trees. Some
of these Nuts do differ much from others in their operation, having
this effect, that they will make people drunk and giddy-headed,
and give them some stools, if they eat them green.
[Jacks.] There is another Fruit, which we call Jacks; the Inhabitants
when they are young call them Polos, before they be full ripe Cose; and
when ripe, Warracha or Vellas; But with this difference, the Warracha
is hard, but the Vellas as soft as pap, both looking alike to the eye
no difference; but they are distinct Trees. These are a great help to
the People, and a great part of their Food. They grow upon a large
Tree, the Fruit is as big as a good Peck loaf, the outside prickly
like an Hedg-hog, and of a greenish colour; there are in them Seeds
or Kernels, or Eggs as the Chingulayes call them, which lie dispersed
in the Fruit like Seeds in a Cucumber. They usually gather them before
they be full ripe, boreing an hole in them, and feeling of the Kernel,
they know if they be ripe enough for their purpose. Then being cut in
pieces they boil them, and eat to save Rice and fill their Bellies;
they eat them as we would do Turnips or Cabbage, and tast and smell
much like the latter: one may suffice six or seven men. When they
are ripe they are sweet and good to eat raw. The Kernels do very
much resemble Chesnuts both in colour and tast, and are almost as
good: the poor people will boyl them or roast them in the embers,
there being usually a good heap of them lying in a corner by the
fire side; and when they go a Journey, they will put them in a bag
for their Provisions by the way. One Jack may contain three pints
or two quarts of these seeds or kernels. When they cut these Jacks,
there comes running out a white thick substance like tar, and will
stick just like Birdlime, which the Boyes make use of to catch Birds,
which they call Cola, or bloud of the Cos. Some will mix this with
the flower of Rice, and it will eat like Eggs.
[Jombo.] Another Fruit there is which I never saw in any other Parts
of India, they call it Jombo. In tast it is like to an Apple, full
of Juice, and pleasant to the Palate, and not unwholsom to the Body,
and to the Eye no Fruit more amiable, being white, and delicately
coloured with red, as if it were painted.
[Other fruits found in the Woods.] Also in the wild Woods are
several sorts of pretty Fruits, as Murros, round in shape, and as
big as a Cherry, and sweet to the tast; Dongs, nearest like to a
black Cherry. Ambelo's like to Barberries. Carolla cabella, Cabela
pooke, and Polla's, these are like to little Plums, and very well
tasted. Paragidde, like to our Pears, and many more such like Fruits.
[Fruits common with other parts of India.] Here are also, of Indian
Fruits, Coker-nuts; Plantins also and Banana's of divers and sundry
sorts, which are distinguished by the tast as well as by the names;
rare sweet Oranges and sower ones, Limes but no Lemons, such as ours
are; Pautaurings, in tast all one with a Lemon, but much bigger
than a mans two fists, right Citrons, and a small sort of sweet
Oranges. Here are several other sorts of Lemons, and Oranges, Mangoes
of several sorts, and some very good and sweet to eat. In this sort
of Fruit the King much delights, and hath them brought to him from
all Parts of the Island. Pine-Apples also grow there, Sugar Canes,
Water-Melons, Pomegranates, Grapes both black and white, Mirablins,
Codjeu's, and several other.
There are three other Trees that must not here be omitted; Which
tho they bear no eatable Fruit, yet the Leaves of the one, and the
Juice of the other, and the Bark of the third are very renowned,
and of great benefit.
[The Tallipot; the rare Uses of the Leaf.] The first is the Tallipot;
It is as big and tall as a Ships Mast, and very streight, bearing
only Leaves: which are of great use and benefit to this People;
one single Leaf being so broad and large, that it will cover some
fifteen or twenty men, and keep them dry when it rains. The leaf being
dryed is very strong, and limber and most wonderfully made for mens
Convenience to carry along with them; for tho this leaf be thus broad
when it is open, yet it will fold close like a Ladies Fan, and then
it is no bigger than a mans arm. It is wonderful light, they cut them
into pieces, and carry them in their hands. The whole leaf spread is
round almost like a Circle, but being cut in pieces for use are near
like unto a Triangle: They lay them upon their heads as they travel
with the peaked end foremost, which is convenient to make their way
thro the Boughs and Thickets. When the Sun is vehement hot they use
them to shade themselves from the heat. Souldiers all carry them;
for besides the benefit of keeping them dry in case it rain upon
the march, these leaves make their Tents to ly under in the Night. A
marvelous Mercy which Almighty God hath bestowed upon this poor and
naked People in this Rainy Country! one of these I brought with me
into England, and you have it described in the Figure. These Leaves
all grow on the top of the Tree after the manner of a Coker. It bears
no kind of Fruit until the last year of its life, and then it comes
out on the top, and spreads abroad in great branches, all full first
of yellow blossoms, most lovely and beautiful to behold, but smell
very strong, and then it comes to a Fruit round and very hard, as big
as our largest Cherries, but good only for seed to set: and tho this
Tree bears but once, it makes amends, bearing such great abundance,
that one Tree will yield seed enough for a Countrey. If these Trees
stand near any houses, the smell of the blossoms so much annoyes them,
that they regarding not the seed, forthwith cut them down. This Tree
is within a [The pith good to eat.] Pith only, which is very good to
eat if they cut the Tree down before it runs to seed. They beat it in
Mortars to Flower, and bake Cakes of it; which tast much like to white
bread. It serves them instead of Corn before their Harvest be ripe.
[The Kettule yields a delicious juice.] The next Tree is
the Kettule. It groweth streight, but not so tall or big as a
Coker-Nut-Tree; the inside nothing but a white Pith, as the former. It
yieldeth a sort of Liquor, which they call Tellegie: it is rarely
sweet and pleasing to the Pallate, and as wholsom to the Body,
but no stronger than water. They take it down from the Tree twice,
and from some good Trees thrice, in a day. An ordinary Tree will
yield some three, some four Gallons in a day, some more and some
less. The which Liquor they boyl and make a kind of brown Sugar,
called Jaggory; but if they will use their skill, they can make it
as white as the second best Sugar: and for any use it is but little
inferior to ordinary Sugar. The manner how they take this Liquor
from the Tree is thus; When the Tree is come to maturity, first out
of the very top there cometh out a bud, which if they let it grow,
will bear a round fruit, which is the seed it yieldeth, but is only
good to set for encrease. This bud they cut and prepare, by putting to
it several sorts of things, as Salt, Pepper, Lemons, Garlick, Leaves,
&c. which keeps it at a stand, and suffers it not to ripen. So they
daily cut off a thin slice off the end, and the Liquor drops down in
a Pot, which they hang to catch it.
[The Skin bears strings as strong as wyer.] It bears a leaf like to
that of a Betel-Nut-Tree, which is fastned to a Skin as the Betel-Nut
Leaves were, onely this Skin is hard and stubborn like a piece of
Board: the Skin is all full of strings as strong as Wyer; they use
them to make Ropes withal. As long as the Tree is growing the leaves
shed; but when the Tree is come to its full growth, they remain many
years upon the Tree before they fall; and when they fall, there are
no new ones come again: The top-bud, as it ripens and withers, other
buds come out lower and lower every Year till they come to the bottom
of the Boughs, and then it hath done bearing, and so may stand seven
or ten years, and then dyeth.
[The Wood; its Nature and Use.] The Wood of this Tree is not above
three inches thick, mighty strong and hard to cut in two, but very
apt to split from top to bottom; a very heavy wood, they make pestles
of it to beat their Rice with; the colour black, but looks not like
natural wood, but as if it were composed of divers pieces. The budds
of this Tree, as also of the Coker, and Betel Nut-Tree, are excellent
in tast, resembling Walnuts or Almonds.
[The Cinnamon Tree.] I proceed to the third Tree, which is the
Cinnamon, in their Language Corunda-gauhah. It grows wild in the
Woods as other Trees, and by them no more esteemed; It is most on
the West side of the great River Mavela-gonga. It is much as plenty
as Hazel in England in some places a great deal, in some little, and
in some none at all. The Trees are not very great, but sizable. The
Cinnamon is the [The Bark.] Bark or Rind, when it is on the Tree it
looks whitish. They scrape it and pull it off and dry it in the Sun:
they take it onely from off the smaller Trees, altho the Bark of the
greater is as sweet to the smell and as strong to the tast. The [The
Wood.] Wood has no smell, in colour white, and soft like Fir. Which
for any use they cut down, favouring them no more than other wild
Trees in the Wood. The [The Leaf.] Leaf much resembleth the Laurel
both in colour and thickness; the difference is, whereas the Laurel
hath but one strait rib throughout, whereon the green spreads it self
on each sides, the Cinnamon hath three by which the Leaf stretches
forth it self. When the young leaves come out they look purely red
like scarlet: Break or bruise them, and they will smell more like
Cloves than Cinnamon. It bears a [The Fruit.] Fruit, which is ripe
in September, much like an Acorn, but smaller, it neither tasts nor
smells much like the Bark, but being boyled in water, it will yield an
Oyl swimming on the top, which when cold is as hard as tallow and as
white; and smelleth excellently well. They use it for Oyntments for
Aches and Pains, and to burn in Lamps to give light in their houses:
but they make no Candles of it, neither are any Candles used by any
but the King.
Here are many sorts of Trees that bear Berries to make Oyl of, both in
the Woods and Gardens, but not eatable, but used only for their Lamps.
There are other Trees remarkable either for their strangeness, or use,
or both. Of these I shall mention a few.
[The Orula, the Fruit good for Physick, and Dying.] The Orula, a
Tree as big as an Apple-Tree, bears a Berry somewhat like an Olive,
but sharper at each end, its Skin is of a reddish green colour, which
covereth an hard stone. They make use of it for Physic in Purges; and
also to dy black colour: Which they do after this manner; They take
the fruit and beat it to pieces in Mortars, and put it thus beaten
into water; and after it has been soaking a day or two, it changeth
the water, that it looks like Beer. Then they dip their cloth in it,
or what they mean to dy, and dry it in the Sun. And then they dip it
in black mud, and so let it ly about an hour, then take it and wash it
in water: and now it will appear of a pale black. Then being dry, they
dip it again into the aforesaid Dy, and it becomes a very good black.
[This water will brighten rusty Iron, and serve instead of
Ink.] Another use there is of this water. It is this: Let any rusty
Iron ly a whole night in it, and it will become bright; and the water
look black like Ink, insomuch that men may write with it. These Trees
grow but in some Parts of the Land, and nothing near so plentiful
as Cinnamon. The Berries the Drugsters in the City there, do sell in
their Shops.
[The Dounekaia] The Dounekaia gauhah, a shrub, bears leaves as broad
as two fingers, and six or eight foot long, on both sides of them set
full of Thorns, and a streak of Thorns runs thro the middle. These
leaves they split to weave Matts withal. The Tree bears a bud above a
span long, tapering somewhat like a Sugar-loaf. Leaves cover this bud
folding it about, like the leaves of a Cabbage. Which leaves smell
rarely sweet, and look of a lovely yellow colour like gold. This
bud blowes into divers bunches of Flowers, spreading it self open
like a Plume of Feathers, each Flower whitish, but very small. The
Roots of this shrub they use for Ropes, splitting them into Thongs,
and then making them into Ropes.
[The Capita.] The Capita gauhah, is a shrub never bigger than a
mans arm. The Wood, Rind and Leaves have all a Physical smell; and
they do sometimes make use of it for Physic. The Leaf is of a bright
green, roundish, rough, and as big as the palm of an hand. No sort
of Cattel will eat it, no, not the Goats, that will sometimes brouze
upon rank poyson. There is abundance of these Trees every where, and
they grow in all Countreys, but in Ouvah. And this is supposed to be
the cause, that the Ouvah Cattle dy, when they are brought thence
to any other Country. They attribute it to the smell of this Tree,
of such a venomous nature it is to Beasts. And therefore to destroy
their Fleas, or to keep their houses clear of them, they sweep them
with Brooms made of this shrub. 'Tis excellent good for firing, and
will burn when it is green. There are no other coals the Goldsmiths
use, but what are made of this wood.
[Rattans.] Rattans grow in great abundance upon this Island. They
run like Honey-suckles either upon the Ground, or up Trees, as it
happens, near Twenty fathom in length. There is a kind of a shell or
skin grows over the Rattan, and encloseth it round. Which serves for
a Case to cover and defend it, when tender. This Skin is so full of
prickles and thorns, that you cannot touch it. As the Rattan growes
longer and stronger, this Case growes ripe, and falls off prickles
and shell and all.
[Its Fruit.] It bears fruit in clusters just like bunches of Grapes,
and as big. Every particular Berry is covered with a husk like a
Gooseberry, which is soft, yellow and scaly, like the scales of
a Fish, hansome to look upon. This husk being cracked and broken,
within grows a Plum of a whitish colour: within the Plum a stone,
having meat about it. The people gather and boyl them to make sour
pottage to quench the thirst.
[Canes.] Canes grow just like Rattans, and bear a fruit like them. The
difference onely is, that the Canes are larger.
[The Betel Tree.] The Tree that bears the Betel-leaf, which is so much
loved and eaten in these parts, growes like Ivy, twining about Trees,
or Poles, which they stick in the ground, for it to run up by: and as
the Betel growes, the Poles grow also. The form of the Leaf is longish,
the end somewhat sharp, broadest next to the stalk, of a bright green,
very smooth, just like a Pepper leaf, onely different in the colour,
the Pepper leaf being of a dark green. It bears a fruit just like
long Pepper, but not good for seed, for it falls off and rots upon
the ground. But when they are minded to propagate it, they plant the
spriggs, which will grow.
[The Bo-gauhah, or God Tree.] I shall mention but one Tree more
as famous and highly set by as any of the rest, if not more, tho
it bear no fruit, the benefit consisting chiefly in the Holiness of
it. This Tree they call Bo-gauhah; we, the God-tree. It is very great
and spreading, the Leaves always shake like an Asp. They have a very
great veneration for these Trees, worshipping them; upon a Tradition,
That the Buddou, a great God among them, when he was upon the Earth,
did use to sit under this kind of Trees. There are many of these Trees,
which they plant all the Land over, and have more care of, than of any
other. They pave round under them like a Key, sweep often under them to
keep them clean; they light Lamps, and set up their Images under them:
and a stone Table is placed under some of them to lay their Sacrifices
on. They set them every where in Towns and High wayes, where any
convenient places are: they serve also for shade to Travellers. They
will also set them in memorial of persons deceased, to wit, there,
where their Bodies were burnt. It is held meritorious to plant them,
which, they say, he that does, shall dy within a short while after,
and go to Heaven: But the oldest men onely that are nearest death
in the course of Nature, do plant them, and none else; the younger
sort desiring to live a little longer in this World before they go
to the other.
CHAP. V.
Of their Roots, Plants, Herbs, Flowers.
[Roots for Food.] Some of these are for Food, and some for Medicine. I
begin with their Roots, which with the Jacks before mentioned,
being many, and generally bearing well, are a great help towards
the sustenance of this People. These by the Chingulays by a general
name are called Alloes, by the Portugals and us Inyames. They are of
divers and sundry sorts, some they plant, and some grow wild; those
that grow wild in the Woods are as good, onely they are more scarce
and grow deeper, and so more difficult to be plucked up. It would be
to no purpose to mention their particular names; I shall onely speak a
little in general of them. They serve both for Food, and for Carrees,
that is, sauce, or for a relish to their Rice. But they make many
a meal of them alone to lengthen out their Rice, or for want of it:
and of these there is no want to those that will take pains but to
set them, and cheap enough to those that will, buy.
[The manner of their growing.] There are two sorts of these Alloes;
some require Trees or Sticks to run up on; others require neither. Of
the former sort, some will run up to the tops of very large Trees, and
spread out very full of branches, and bear great bunches of blossoms,
but no use made of them; The Leaves dy every year, but the Roots grow
still, which some of them will do to a prodigious bigness within a
Year or two's time, becoming as big as a mans wast. The fashion of
them somewhat roundish, rugged and uneven, and in divers odd shapes,
like a log of cleft wood: they have a very good, savoury mellow tast.
Of those that do not run up on Trees, there are likewise sundry sorts;
they bear a long stalk and a broad leaf; the fashion of these Roots
are somewhat roundish, some grow out like a mans fingers, which they
call Angul-alloes, as much as to say Finger-Roots; some are of a
white colour, some of a red.
Those that grow in the Woods run deeper into the Earth, they run up
Trees also. Some bear blossoms somewhat like Hopps, and they may be
as big as a mans Arm.
[Boyling Herbs.] For Herbs to boyl and eat with Butter they have
excellent good ones, and several sorts: some of them are six months
growing to maturity, the stalk as high as a man can reach, and being
boyled almost as good as Asparagus. There are of this sort, some having
leaves and stalks as red as blood, some green: some the leaves green,
and the stalk very white.
[Fruits for sawce.] They have several other sorts of Fruits which
they dress and eat with their Rice, and tast very savoury, called
Carowela, Wattacul, Morongo, Cacorebouns, &c. the which I cannot
compare to any things that grow here in England.
[European Herbs and Plants among them.] They have of our English Herbs
and Plants, Colworts, Carrots, Radishes, Fennel, Balsam, Spearmint,
Mustard. These, excepting the two last, are not the natural product
of the Land, but they are transplanted hither: By which I perceive
all other European Plants would grow there: They have also Fern,
Indian Corn. Several sorts of Beans as good as these in England:
right Cucumhers, Calabasses, and several sorts of Pumkins, &c. The
Dutch on that Island in their Gardens have Lettice, Rosemary, Sage,
and all other Herbs and Sallettings that we have in these Countreys.
[Herbs for Medicine.] Nor are they worse supplyed with Medicinal
Herbs. The Woods are their Apothecaries Shops, where with Herbs,
Leaves, and the Rinds of Trees they make all their Physic and
Plaisters, with which sometimes they will do notable Cures. I will not
here enter into a larger discourse of the Medicinal Vertues of their
Plants, &c. of which there are hundreds: onely as a Specimen thereof,
and likewise of their Skill to use them; I will relate a Passage or
two. A Neighbour of mine a Chingulay, would undertake to cure a broken
Leg or Arm by application of some Herbs that grow in the Woods, and
that with that speed, that the broken Bone after it was set should
knit by the time one might boyl a pot of Rice and three carrees,
that is about an hour and an half or two hours; and I knew a man who
told me he was thus cured. They will cure an Imposthume in the Throat
with the Rind of a Tree called Amaranga, (whereof I my self had the
experience;) by chawing it for a day or two after it is prepared,
and swallowing the spittle. I was well in a day and a Night, tho
before I was exceedingly ill, and could not swallow my Victuals.
[Their Flowers.] Of Flowers they have great varieties, growing wild,
for they plant them not. There are Roses red and white, scented like
ours: several sorts of sweet smelling Flowers, which the young Men
and Women gather and tie in their hairs to perfume them; they tie up
their hair in a bunch behind, and enclose the Flowers therein.
[A Flower that serves instead of a Dial.] There is one Flower
deserves to be mentioned for the rarity and use of it, they call it
a Sindric-mal, there are of them some of a Murry colour, and some
white. Its Nature is, to open about four a clock in the Evening,
and so continueth open all Night until the morning, when it closeth
up it self till four a clock again. Some will transplant them out
of the Woods into their Gardens to serve them instead of a Clock,
when it is cloudy that they cannot see the Sun.
There is another white Flower like our Jasmine, well scented, they call
them Picha-mauls, which the King hath a parcel of brought to him every
morning, wrapt in a white cloth, hanging upon a staff, and carried
by people, whose peculiar office this is. All people that meet these
flowers, out of respect to the King, for whose use they are, must turn
out of the Way; and so they must for all other things that go to the
King being wrapt up in white cloth. These Officers hold Land of the
King for this service: their Office is, also to plant these Flowers,
which they usually do near the Rivers where they most delight to grow:
Nay, they have power to plant them in any mans Ground, and enclose
that ground when they have done it for the sole use of their Flowers
to grow in: which Inclosures they will keep up for several years,
until the Ground becomes so worn, that the Flowers will thrive there
no longer, and then the Owners resume their own Lands again.
Hop-Mauls, are Flowers growing upon great Trees, which bear nothing
else, they are rarely sweet scented; this is the chief Flower the
young people use; and is of greatest value among them.
CHAP. VI.
Of their Beasts, Tame and Wild, Insects.
[What Beasts the Country produceth.] Having spoken concerning the Trees
and Plants of this Island, We will now go on to speak of the Living
Creatures on it, viz. Their Beasts, Insects, Birds, Fish, Serpents,
&c. useful or noxious. And we begin first with their Beasts. They have
Cowes, Buffaloes, Hogs, Goats, Deer, Hares, Dogs, Jacols, Apes, Tygers,
Bears, Elephants, and other Wild Beasts. Lions, Wolves, Horses, Asses,
Sheep, they have none. [Deer no bigger than Hares.] Deer are in great
abundance in the Woods, and of several sorts, from the largeness of
a Cow or Buffalo, to the smalness of a Hare. For here is a Creature
in this Land no bigger, but in every part rightly resembleth a Deer,
It is called Meminna, of colour gray with white spots, and good meat.
[Other Creatures rare in their kind.] Here are also wild Buffalo's;
also a sort of Beast they call Gauvera, so much resembling a Bull,
that I think it one of that kind. His back stands up with a sharp
ridg; all his four feet white up half his Legs. I never saw but one,
which was kept among the Kings Creatures. Here was a Black Tygre
catched and brought to the King, and afterwards a Deer milk white;
both which he very much esteemed; there being no more either before
or since ever heard of in that Land.
[The way how a Wild Deer was catched.] If any desire to know how this
white Deer was caught, it was thus; This Deer was observed to come on
Evenings with the rest of the Herd to a great Pond to drink; the People
that were ordered to catch this Deer, fenced the Pond round and plain
about it with high stakes, leaving onely one wide gap. The men after
this done lay in ambush, each with his bundle of Stakes ready cut. In
the Evening the Deer came with the rest of the Herd to drink according
to their wont. As soon as they were entred within the stakes, the men
in ambush fell to their work, which was to fence in the gap left,
which, there being little less than a Thousand men, they soon did;
and so all the Herd were easily caught; and this among the rest.
[Of their Elephants.] The King hath also an Elephant spotted or
freckled all the body over, which was lately caught; and tho he hath
many and very stately Elephants, and may have as many more as he
pleases, yet he prefers this before them all. And since I am fallen
upon discourse of the Elephant, the creature that this Countrey is
famed for above any in India, I will detain my self a little longer
upon it.
[The way of catching Elephants.] I will first relate the manner of
taking them, and afterwards their Sagacity, with other things that
occur to my memory concerning them. This Beast, tho he be so big
and wise, yet he is easily catched. When the King commands to catch
Elephants, after they have found them they like, that is such as have
Teeth, for tho there be many in the Woods, yet but few have Teeth,
and they males onely: unto these they drive some She-Elephants,
which they bring with them for the purpose; which when once the
males have got a sight of, they will never leave, but follow them
wheresoever they go; and the females are so used to it, that they
will do whatsoever either by a word or a beck their Keepers bid them;
and so they delude them along thro Towns and Countreys, thro the
Streets of the City, even to the very Gates of the Kings Palace;
Where sometimes they seize upon them by snares, and sometimes by
driving them into a kind of Pound, they catch them. After they have
brought the Elephant which is not yet caught together with the She,
into the Kings presence, if it likes him not, he commands to let him
go; if it does, he appoints him some certain place near unto the City,
where they are to drive him with the Females; for without them it is
not possible to make him stay; and to keep him in that place until
the Kings further order and pleasure is to catch him, which perhaps
may not be in two or three or four Years; All which time there are
great men with Souldiers appointed to watch there about him: and if
he should chance to stray a little out of his bounds set by the King,
immediately they bring him back fearing the Kings displeasure, which
is no less than death it self. Here these Elephants do, and may do,
great dammage to the Country, by eating up their Corn, and trampling
it with their broad feet, and throwing down their Coker-Nut Trees,
and oftentimes their Houses too, and they may not resist them. It
is thought this is done by the King to punish them that ly under his
displeasure; And if you ask what becomes of these Elephants at last;
sometimes after they have thus kept watch over them two or three Years,
and destroyed the Countrey in this manner, the King will send order
to carry them into the Woods, and let them go free. For he catcheth
them not for any use or benefit he hath by them, but onely for his
recreation and pastime.
[The understanding of Elephants. Their Nature.] As he is the greatest
in body, so in understanding also. For he will do any thing that
his Keeper bids him, which is possible for a Beast not having hands
to do. And as the Chingulayes report, they bear the greatest love
to their young of all irrational Creatures; for the Shees are alike
tender of any ones young ones as of their own: where there are many
She Elephants together, the young ones go and suck of any, as well
as of their Mothers; and if a young one be in distress and should
cry out, they will all in general run to the help and aid thereof;
and if they be going over a River, as here be some somewhat broad, and
the streams run very swift, they will all with their Trunks assist and
help to convey the young ones over. They take great delight to ly and
tumble in the water, and will swim excellently well. Their Teeth they
never shed. Neither will they ever breed tame ones with tame ones;
but to ease themselves of the trouble to bring them meat, they will
ty their two fore-feet together, and put them into the Woods, where
meeting with the wild ones, they conceive and go one Year with young.
[The damage they do.] It is their constant practice to shove down
with their heads great Trees, which they love to eat, when they be
too high, and they cannot otherwise reach the boughs. Wild ones will
run much faster than a man, but tame ones not. The People stand in
fear of them, and oftentimes are kill'd by them. They do them also
great dammage in their Grounds, by Night coming into their Fields and
eating up their Corn and likewise their Coker-nut-Trees, &c. So that
in Towns near unto the Woods, where are plenty of them, the people
are forced to watch their Corn all Night, and also their Outyards and
Plantations; into which being once entred with eating and trampling
they will do much harm, before they can get them out. Who oftentimes
when by lighting of Torches, and hollowing, they will not go out,
take their Bowes and go and shoot them, but not without some hazard,
for sometimes the Elephant runs upon them and kills them. For fear
of which they will not adventure unless there be Trees, about which
they may dodg to defend themselves. And altho here be both Bears
and Tygers in these Woods, yet they are not so fierce, as commonly
to assault people; Travellers and Way-faring men go more in fear of
Elephants than of any other Beasts.
[Serve the King for Executing Malefactors.] The King makes use of
them for Executioners; they will run their Teeth through the body, and
then tear it in pieces, and throw it limb from limb. They have sharp
Iron with a socket with three edges, which they put on their Teeth at
such times; for the Elephants that are kept have all the ends of their
Teeth cut to make them grow the better, and they do grow out again.
[Their Diseases.] At some uncertain seasons the males have an infirmity
comes on them, that they will be stark mad, so that none can rule
them. Many times it so comes to pass that they with their Keepers on
their backs, run raging until they throw them down and kill them: but
commonly there is notice of it before, by an Oyl that will run out of
their cheeks, which when that appears, immediately they chain them fast
to great Trees by the Legs. For this infirmity they use no Medicine,
neither is he sick: but the females are never subject to this.
[The Sport they make.] The Keepers of the Kings Elephants sometimes
make a sport with them after this manner. They will command an Elephant
to take up water, which he does, and stands with it in his Trunk, till
they command him to squirt it out at some body, which he immediately
will do, it may be a whole paleful together, and with such a force,
that a man can hardly stand against it.
[Ants of divers sorts.] There are Ants of several sorts, and some
worthy our remark.
First of all, there are the Coumbias, a sort of small reddish Ants
like ours in England.
Secondly, the Tale-Coumbias, as small as the former but blackish. These
usually live in hollow Trees or rotten Wood, and will sting most
terribly.
Thirdly, the Dimbios, great red Ants. These make their nests upon
the Boughs of great Trees, bringing the Leaves together in clusters,
it may be as big as a mans head; in which they lay their Eggs and
breed. There will be oftentimes many nests of these upon one Tree,
insomuch that the people are afraid to go up to gather the Fruits
lest they should be stung by them.
A fourth sort of Ants are those they call Coura-atch. They are great
and black, living in the ground. Their daily practice is to bring
up dirt out of the ground, making great hollow holes in the Earth,
somewhat resembling Cony-Burrows; onely these are less, and run
strait downwards for some way, and then turn away into divers paths
under ground. In many places of the Land there are so many of these
holes, that Cattle are ready to break their Legs as they go. These
do not sting.
A fifth is the Coddia. This Ant is of an excellent bright black,
and as large as any of the former. They dwell always in the ground;
and their usual practice is, to be travelling in great multitudes,
but I do not know where they are going, nor what their business is;
but they pass and repass some forwards and some backwards in great
hast, seemingly as full of employment as People that pass along
the Streets. These Ants will bite desperately, as bad as if a man
were burnt with a coal of fire. But they are of a noble nature: for
they will not begin; and you may stand by them, if you do not tread
upon them nor disturb them. [How these Coddia's come to sting so
terribly.] The reason their bite is thus terribly painful is this;
Formerly these Ants went to ask a Wife of the Noya, a venomous and
noble kind of Snake; and because they had such an high spirit to
dare to offer to be related to such a generous creature, they had
this vertue bestowed upon them, that they should sting after this
manner. And if they had obtained a Wife of the Noya, they should have
had the priviledg to have stung full as bad as he. This is a currant
Fable among the Chingulays. Tho undoubtedly they chiefly regard the
wisedom that is concealed under this, and the rest of their Fables.
[These Ants a very mischievous sort.] There is a sixth sort called
Vaeos. These are more numerous than any of the former. All the whole
Earth doth swarm with them. They are of a middle size between the
greatest and the least, the hinder part white, and the head red. They
eat and devour all that they can come at; as besides food, Cloth,
Wood, Thatch of Houses and every thing excepting Iron and Stone. So
that the people cannot set any thing upon the ground within their
houses for them. They creep up the walls of their houses, and build
an Arch made of dirt over themselves all the way as they climb,
be it never so high. And if this Arch or Vault chance to be broken,
they all, how high soever they were, come back again to mend up the
breach, which being finished they proceed forwards again, eating every
thing they come at in their way. This Vermin does exceedingly annoy
the Chingulays, insomuch that they are continually looking upon any
thing they value, to see if any of these Vaeos have been at it. Which
they may easily perceive by this Case of dirt, which they cannot go up
any where without building as they go. And wheresoever this is seen,
no doubt the Ants are there.
[The curious Buildings of the Vaeos.] In places where there are no
houses, and they can eat nothing belonging to the people, they will
raise great Hills like Butts, some four or five or six foot high;
which are so hard and strong, that it would be work enough to dig
them down with Pick-Axes. The Chingulays call these Humbosses. Within
they are full of hollow Vaults and Arches where they dwell and breed,
and their nests are much like to Honeycombs, full of eggs and young
ones. These Humbosses are built with a pure refined Clay by the
ingenious builders. The people use this Clay to make their Earthen
Gods of, because it is so pure and fine.
[The manner of their death.] This sort of creatures as they increase
in multitudes, so they dy in multitudes also. For when they come to
maturity they have wings, and in the Evening after the going down
of the Sun, (never before) all those that are fledged and ripe, will
issue forth in such vast numbers, that they do almost darken the Sky,
flying to such an height, as they go out of sight, and so keep flying
till they fall down dead at last upon the Earth. The Birds that tarry
up late, and are not yet gone to roost, fly among them and make good
Suppers of them.
The People in this Land never feed their Poultry. But they feed upon
these Ants, which by scraping among the leaves and dirt they can never
want; and they delight in them above Rice or any thing else. Besides
all these Ants already mentioned, there are divers other distinct
sorts of them.
[Bees of several kinds.] But we will proceed to a more beneficial
Insect, the Bee. Of which there be three sorts. The first are the
Meemasses, which are the right English Bees. They build in hollow
Trees, or hollow holes in the ground, which the Vaeo's have made. Into
which holes the men blow with their mouths, and the Bees presently
fly out. And then they put in their hands, and pull out the Combs,
which they put in Pots or Vessels, and carry away. They are not afraid
of their stinging in the least, nor do they arm themselves with any
cloths against them.
[Bees that build on Trees like Birds.] The second are the Bamburo's,
larger and of a brighter colour than our English Bees. Their Honey is
thin like water comparatively. They make their Combs upon limbs of
Trees, open and visible to the Eye, generally of a great height. At
time of year whole Towns, forty or fifty in company together will go
out into the Woods, and gather this honey, and come home laden with
it for their use.
The third sort they call Connameia, signifying a blind Bee. They are
small like a Fly, and black. They build in hollow Trees; and their
honey somewhat tarrish: and they make such small quantities of it,
that the people little regard it. The Boyes will sometimes cut a hole
and take it out.
[The people eat the Bees, as well as their honey.] When they meet
with any swarms of Bees hanging on any Tree, they will hold Torches
under to make them drop; and so catch them and carry them home. Which
they boyl and eat, and esteem excellent food.
[Leaches that ly in the grass, and creep on Travellers Legs.] There is
a sort of Leaches of the nature of ours, onely differing in colour and
bigness. For they are of a dark reddish colour like the skin of Bacon,
and as big as a Goose quill, in length some two or three inches. At
first, when they are young, they are no bigger than a horse hair,
so that they can scarce be seen. In dry weather none of them appear,
but immediately upon the fall of Rains, the Grass and Woods are full
of them. These Leaches seize upon the Legs of Travellers; who going
barefoot according to the custom of that Land, have them hanging upon
their Legs in multitudes, which suck their blood till their bellies are
full, and then drop off. They come in such quantities, that the people
cannot pull them off so fast as they crawl on. The blood runs pouring
down their Legs all the way they go, and 'tis no little smart neither,
so that they would willingly be without them if they could, especially
those that have sores on their Legs; for they all gather to the sore.
[The remedies they use against them.] Some therefore will tie a piece
of Lemon and Salt in a rag and fasten it unto a stick, and ever and
anon strike it upon their Legs to make the Leaches drop off: others
will scrape them off with a reed cut flat and sharp in the fashion
of a knife. But this is so troublesom, and they come on again so fast
and so numerous, that it is not worth their while: and generally they
suffer them to bite and remain on their Legs during their Journey;
and they do the more patiently permit them, because it is so wholsome
for them. When they come to their Journeys end they rub all their
Legs with ashes, and so clear themselves of them at once: but still
the blood will remain dropping a great while after. But they are most
annoyed by them when they go out to stool a-Nights, being small and
of the colour of their bodies, so that they can neither see nor feel
to pull them off. And these, tho they be in such quantities in some
of these Countreys, yet in others there are none at all, nor ever
were known to have been. But besides these, there are Water Leaches
the same with ours.
[Apes and Monkeys of divers kind.] Monkeys. Of which there are
abundance in the Woods, and of divers sorts, some so large as our
English Spaniel Dogs, of a darkish gray colour, and black faces,
with great white beards round from ear to ear, which makes them shew
just like old men. There is another sort just of the same bigness,
but differ in colour, being milk white both in body and face, having
great beards like the others; of this sort of white ones there
is not such plenty. But both these sorts do but little mischief,
keeping in the Woods, eating onely leaves and buds of Trees, but
when they are catched, they will eat any thing. This sort they call
in their Language, Wanderows. There is yet another sort of Apes,
of which there is great abundance, who coming with such multitudes
do a great deal of mischief to the Corn, that groweth in the Woods,
so that they are fain all the day long to keep Watch to scare them
out: and so soon as they are gone to fray them away at one end of
the Field; others who wait for such an opportunity come skipping in
at the other; and before they can turn, will fill both bellies and
hands full, to carry away with them; and to stand all round to guard
their Fields is more than they can do. This sort of Monkeys have
no beards, white faces, and long hair on the top of their heads,
which parteth and hangeth down like a mans. These are so impudent
that they will come into their Gardens, and eat such Fruit as grows
there. They call these Rillowes. The flesh of all these sorts of Apes
they account good to eat. There are several sorts of Squirrels also,
which they do eat when they can catch them.
Before I make an end of my discourse of their Beasts, it may be
worthwhile to relate the ways they use to catch them. At which they
are very crafty.
[How they catch wild Beasts.] For the catching of Deer or other wild
Beasts, they have this ingenious device. In dark Moons when there
are drisling Rains, they go about this design. They have a basket
made with canes somewhat like unto a funnel, in which they put a
potsheard with fire in it, together with a certain wood, which they
have growing there, full of sap like pitch, and that will burn like a
pitch-barrel. This being kindled in the potsheard flames, and gives
an exceeding light. They carry it upon their heads with the flame
foremost; the basket hiding him that is under it, and those that come
behind it. In their hands they carry three or four small bells, which
they tingle as they go, that the noyse of their steps should not be
heard. Behind the man that carries the light, go men with Bowes and
Arrows. And so they go walking along the Plains, and by the Pond sides,
where they think the Deer will come out to feed. Which when they see
the light, stand still and stare upon it, seeing onely the light,
and hearing nothing but the tingling of the bells.
The eyes of the Deer or other Cattle first appear to them glittering
like Stars of light or Diamonds: and by their long experience they
will distinguish one Beast from another by their eyes. All Creatures,
as Deer, Hares, Elephants, Bears, &c. excepting onely wild Hogs,
will stand still, wondering at this strange sight, till the people
come as near as they do desire, and so let fly their Arrows upon
them. And by this means they seldom go, but they catch something. The
blades of their hunting-Arrowes are at least a foot or a foot and an
half long, and the length of the staff of their Arrowes is a Rian,
that is about two cubits.
Again, they will observe where a Deers haunt is to break over their
Hedges into the Corn Grounds. There they will set a sharp pole like
a Spear full against the Haunt. So that the Deer when she leaps over
thrusts her self upon the point of it.
If a Tyger chance to come into their Grounds and kill a Cow, they will
take notice of the place thro which he passed, and set a Cross-bow
there ready charged. The Tyger coming that way again touches something
that is fastned to the tricker of the Cross-bow, and so it discharges
upon him.
[How they take the Wild Boar.] The wild Hog is of all other the
hardest to be caught; and 'tis dangerous to attempt the catching of
him. For the people make valour to consist in three things, one is to
fight against the Enemy, another to hunt the Elephant, and the third
to catch Hoggs. Yet sometimes by their art they entrap them. And
that they do after this manner. They dig an hole in the Earth of
a convenient depth, and fix divers sharp stakes in the bottom of
it. Then they cover it over lightly with Earth and Leaves, and plant
thereupon roots which the Hog loves, as Potatoes or such like, which
will grow there. And the pit remains, it may be sometimes months or
half a year, till at last an Hog comes, and while he is rooting his
weight betrayes him and in he falls.
Again, sometimes they will set a falling trap of an exceeding weight,
and under it plant Roots and such like things, which the Hog delights
in. There are contrivances under the weeds and leaves, which when he
goes to eat by touching or treading upon something fastned to the trap,
it falls down upon him. These are made so artificially, that people
sometimes have been caught and destroyed by them. Once such a trap
in my remembrance fell upon three women and killed them. Who having
been stealing Cotton in a Plantation, and fearing to be catched went
to creep out at a hole, where this Trap stood.
And thus I have related some of their ways of taking wild Cattel. They
are good also at catching Birds and Vermin; In fine, they are the
cunningest people in the World for such kind of traps and gins. And
all of them they make onely by the help of their Knives with green
sticks and withs that grow in the Woods. And so much of their Beasts.
CHAP. VII.
Of their Birds, Fish, Serpents, Commodities.
[Their Birds.] In the next place I will entertain you with some
relation of the other living Creatures among them. I begin with their
Birds. In that Land there are Crowes, Sparrowes, Tom-titts, Snipes,
just like these in England, Wood-Pigeons also, but not great flocks
of any sorts, as we have, onely of Crowes and Pigeons. I have seen
there Birds just like Woodcocks and Partridges, but they are scarce. A
great many wild Peacocks: small green Parrots, but not very good to
talk. But here is another [Such as will be taught to speak.] Bird
in their Language called Mal-cowda, which with teaching will speak
excellently well. It is black with yellow gills about the bigness of
a Black-Bird: And another sort there is of the same bigness, called
Cau-cowda, yellow like gold, very beautiful to the eye, which also
might be taught to speak.
[Such as are beautiful for colour.] Here are other sorts of small
Birds, not much bigger than a Sparrow, very lovely to look on, but I
think good for nothing else: some being in colour white like Snow, and
their tayl about one foot in length, and their heads black like jet,
with a tuft like a plume of Feathers standing upright thereon. There
are others of the same sort onely differing in colour, being reddish
like a ripe Orange, and on the head a Plume of black Feathers standing
up. I suppose, one may be the Cock, and the other the Hen.
[A strange Bird.] Here is a sort of Bird they call Carlo, which never
lighteth on the ground, but always sets on very high Trees. He is
as big as a Swan, the colour black, the Legs very short, the Head
monstrous, his Bill very long, a little rounding like a Hawks, and
white on each side of the head, like ears: on the top of the crown
groweth out a white thing, somewhat like to the comb of a Cock;
commonly they keep four or five of them together; and always are
hopping from bough to bough; They are seldom silent, but continually
make a roaring noyse, somewhat like the quacking of a Duck, that
they may be heard at least a mile off; the reason they thus cry,
the Chingulayes say, is for Rain, that they may drink. The bodies of
these Fowls are good to eat.
[Water-Fowls resembling Ducks and Swans.] Here is a sort of Bird
very much resembling a Duck, but not very plentiful. And another
sort of Fowl as big as a Duck, cole black, which liveth altogether
upon Fish. It is admirable to see, how long they will remain under
water, and at what a distance they will rise again. Besides these,
there are many other kinds of Birds, much larger than Swans, which
keep about the Ponds and Marshes to catch Fish, but the people eat
them not: Nature hath endowed them with an admirable understanding,
that they are not to be catched by the Allegators, tho there be many
of them in those waters.
[Peacocks.] The Peacocks in rainy weather are sometimes hunted and
caught by Dogs; for their Feathers being wet, they are uncapable of
flying far.
[The King keeps Fowl.] The King hath Geese, Ducks, Turkeys, Pigeons,
which he keeps tame, but none else may. Turkeys he delights not in,
because they change the colour of their heads: Neither doth he kill
any of these to eat, nor any other creature of what sort soever,
and he hath many, that he keeps tame.
[Their Fish.] They have no want of Fish, and those good ones too. All
little Rivers and Streams running thro the Valleys are full of small
Fish, but the Boyes and others wanting somewhat to eat with their Rice,
do continually catch them before they come to maturity: nay all their
Ponds are full of them, which in dry weather drying up, the people
catch multitudes of them in this manner. [How they catch them in
Ponds.] They have a kind of a Basket made of small Sticks, so close
that Fish cannot get thro; it is broad at bottom, and narrow at top,
like a funnel, the hole big enough for a man to thrust his Arm in,
wide at the mouth about two or three foot; these baskets they jobb
down, and the ends stick in the mud, which often happen upon a Fish;
when they do, they feel it by the Fish beating it self against the
sides. Then they put in their hands and take them out. And rieve a
Rattan thro their gills, and so let them drag after them. One end of
this Rattan is stuck in the fisher's girdle, and the other knotted,
that the fish should not slip off: which when it is full, he discharges
himself of them by carrying them ashore. Nay every ditch and little
plash of water but anckle deep hath fish in it.
The great River, Mavela-gonga, abounds exceedingly with them. Some of
them as big as Salmons. But the people have little understanding in
the way of taking them. [How they catch Fish in the River.] In very
dry weather, they stretch a With over the River, which they hang all
full of boughs of Trees to scare the Fish. This With thus hung they
drag down with the stream, and to Leeward they place Fish-pots between
the Rocks, and so drive the Fish into them. Nets or other wayes they
have few or none.
[Fish kept and fed for the Kings Pleasure.] At a Passage-place near
to the City of Candy, the Fish formerly have been nourished and fed
by the Kings order, to keep them there for his Majesties pleasure;
whither, having used to be thus provided for, notwithstanding Floods
and strong Streams, they will still resort: and are so tame, that I
have seen them eat out of mens hands; but death it is to them that
presume to catch them. The people passing over here, will commonly
feed them with some of their Rice, accounting it a piece of charity
so to do, and pleasure to see them eat it. In many other places also
there are Fish thus fed and kept onely for the Kings Recreation:
for he will never let any be catched for his use.
[Serpents. The Pimberah of a prodigious bigness.] Of Serpents,
there are these sorts. The Pimberah, the body whereof is as big as
a mans middle, and of a length proportionable. It is not swift, but
by subtilty will catch his prey; which are Deer or other Cattel; He
lyes in the path where the Deer use to pass, and as they go, he claps
hold of them by a kind of peg that growes on his tayl, with which
he strikes them. He will swallow a Roe Buck whole, horns and all;
so that it happens sometimes the horns run thro his belly, and kill
him. A Stag was caught by one of these Pimberahs, which siesed him
by the buttock, and held him so fast, that he could not get away,
but ran a few steps this way and that way. An Indian seeing the
Stag run thus, supposed him in a snare, and having a Gun shot him;
at which he gave so strong a jerk, that it pulled the Serpents head
off while his tayl was encompassing a Tree to hold the Stag the better.
[The Polonga.] There is another venomous Snake called Polongo, the
most venomous of all, that kills Cattel. Two sorts of them I have seen,
the one green, the other of a reddish gray, full of white rings along
the sides, and about five or fix foot long.
[The Noya.] Another poysonous Snake there is called Noya, of a grayish
colour, about four foot long. This will stand with half his body
upright two or three hours together, and spread his head broad open,
where there appears like as it were a pair of spectacles painted
on it. The Indians call this Noy-Rogerati, that is, a Kings-Snake,
that will do no harm. But if the Polonga and the Noya meet together,
they cease not fighting till one hath kill'd the other.
[The Fable of the Noya and Polonga.] The reason and original of this
fatal enmity between these two Serpents, is this, according to a
Fable among the Chingulays. These two chanced to meet in a dry Season,
when water was scarce. The Polonga being almost famished for thirst,
asked the Noya, where he might go to find a little water. The Noya
a little before had met with a bowl of water in which a Child lay
playing. As it is usual among this people to wash their Children in
a bowl of water, and there leave them to tumble and play in it. Here
the Noya quenched his thirst, but as he was drinking, the Child that
lay in the bowl, out of his innocency and play, hit him on the Head
with his hand, which the Noya made no matter of but bare patiently,
knowing it was not done out of any malice: and having drunk as much
as sufficed him, went away without doing the Child any harm.
Being minded to direct the Polonga to this bowl, but desirous withal to
preserve the Child, he told him, That he knew of water, but that he was
such a surly hasty creature, that he was fearful to let him know where
it was, lest he might do some mischief; Making him therefore promise
that he would not, he then told him, that at such a place there was a
bowl of water with a Child playing in it, and that probably the Child
might, as he was tumbling give him a pat on the Head, as he had done
to him before, but charged him nevertheless not to hurt the Child,
Which the Polonga having promised went his way towards the water, as
the Noya had directed him. The Noya knowing his touchy disposition,
went after him, fearing he might do the Child a mischief, and that
thereby he himself might be deprived of the like benefit afterwards. It
fell out as he feared. For as the Polonga drank, the Child patted
him on the head, and he in his hasty humour bit him on the hand and
killed him. The Noya seeing this, was resolved to be revenged; and so
reproaching him for his baseness, fought him so long till he killed
him, and after that devoured him. Which to this day they ever do,
always fight when they meet, and the Conquerour eats the the body of
the vanquished. Hence the Proverb among the Chingulayes, when they see
two men irreconcileable, they compare them to the Polonga and Noya,
and say, Noya Polonga waghe, like a Noya and Polonga.
[The Carowala.] There is the Carowala, about two foot in length very
poysonous, that lurks in the holes and thatch of houses. The Cats
will seize these and kill and eat them.
[Gerende.] Other Snakes there are, called Gerende, whereof there
are many but not venomous. Of the former there are but a few in
comparison. These last mentioned the greatest mischief they do, is to
destroy young Birds and Eggs, and young Hares. Rabbets cannot be kept
here to run wild, because of these and other Vermin, such as Polecats,
Ferrets, Weazels, &c.
[Hickanella.] Hickanella, much like a Lizzard, venomous, but seldom
bites unless provoked, these ly in the thatch of the houses.
[A Great Spider.] There is a Spider called Democulo, very long black
and hairy, speckled and glistering. Its body is as big as a mans
fist with feet proportionable. These are very poysonous; and they
keep in hollow Trees and holes. Men bitten with them will not dy,
but the pain will for some time put them out of their Sences.
Cattle are often bit by some of these Snakes, and as often found dead
of them, tho not eaten. Treading upon them sleeping, or the like,
may be the cause of it. When the people are bitten by any of these,
they are cured by Charms and Medicines, if taken and applyed in time.
There are also a sort of Water Snakes they call Duberria; but harmless.
Alligators may be reduced hither: there be many of them. Of which we
have said somewhat before.
[Kobbera-guion, a creature like an Alligator.] There is a Creature
here called Kobbera guion, resembling an Alligator. The biggest may
be five or six foot long, speckled black and white. He lives most
upon the Land but will take the water and dive under it: hath a long
blew forked tongue like a sting, which he puts forth and hisseth and
gapeth, but doth not bite nor sting, tho the appearance of him would
scare those that knew not what he was. He is not afraid of people,
but will ly gaping and hissing at them in the way, and will scarce
stir out of it. He will come and eat Carrion with the Dogs and Jackals,
and will not be feared away by them, but if they come near to bark or
snap at him, with his tayl, which is about an Ell long like a whip,
he will so slash them, that they will run away and howl. This Creature
is not eatable.
[Tolla-guion.] But there is the Tolla guion very like the former,
which is eaten, and reckoned excellent meat. The Chingulays say it
is the best sort of flesh; and for this reason, That if you eat other
flesh at the same time you eat of this, and have occasion to vomit, you
will never vomit out this tho you vomit all the other. This creature
eats not carrion, but only leaves and herbs; is less of size than
the Kobbera guion, and blackish, lives in hollow Trees and holes in
the Humbosses: And I suppose is the same with that which in the West
Indies they call the Guiana.
[The People eat Rats.] This Countrey has its Vermin also. They have
a sort of Rats, they call Musk-Rats, because they smell strong of
Musk. These the Inhabitants do not eat of, but of all other sort of
Rats they do.
Before I conclude my discourse of the Growth and Product of this
Countrey, it will not be improper to reduce under this head its
Precious Stones, Minerals, and other Commodities. Of which I shall
briefly speak, and so make an end of this First Part.
[Precious Stones.] In this Island are several sorts of Precious Stones,
which the King for his part has enough of, and so careth not to have
more discovery made. For in certain places where they are known to
be, are sharp Poles set up fixed in the ground, signifying, that none
upon pain of being stuck and impaled upon those Poles, presume so much
as to go that way; Also there are certain Rivers, out of which it is
generally reported they do take Rubies and Saphires for the Kings use,
and Cats eyes. And I have seen several pretty coloured stones, some as
big as Cherry-stones, some as Buttons, and transparent, but understood
not what they were. Rubies and Saphires I my self have seen here.
[Minerals and other Commodities.] Here is Iron and Christal in
great plenty. Salt-Petre they can make. Brimstone some say, is
here, but the King will not have it discovered. Steel they can make
of their Iron. Ebony in great abundance, with choice of tall and
large Timber. Cardamums, Jaggory, Rack, Oyl, black Lead, Turmeric,
Salt, Rice, Bettel-Nuts, Musk, Wax, Pepper, Which last grows here
very well, and might be in great plenty, if it had a Vend. And the
peculiar Commodity of the Island, Cinnamon. Wild Cattel, and wild
Honey in great plenty in the Woods; it lyes in holes or hollow Trees,
free for any that will take the pains to get it. Elephants Teeth,
and Cotton, of which there is good plenty, growing in their own
Grounds, sufficient to make them good and strong cloth for their own
use, and also to sell to the People of the Uplands, where Cotton is
not so plenty. All these things the Land affords, and it might do
it in much greater quantity, if the People were but laborious and
industrious. But that they are not. For the Chingulays are Naturally,
a people given to sloth and laziness: if they can but any ways live,
they abhor to work; onely what their necessities force them to, they
do, that is, to get Food and Rayment. Yet in this I must a little
vindicate them; [The People discouraged from Industry by the Tyranny
they are under.] For what indeed should they do with more than Food and
Rayment, seeing as their Estates encrease, so do their Taxes also? And
altho the People be generally covetous, spending but little, scraping
together what they can, yet such is the Government they are under,
that they are afraid to be known to have any thing, lest it be taken
away from them. Neither have they any encouragement for their industry,
having no Vend by Traffic and Commerce for what they have got.