RALPH FITCH ad. 



1583-91. 

 1 went from Pegu to Jamahey, which is in the Jamaheyjive 

 countrey of the Langeiannes, whom we call Jangomes ; ^ i^'^nty 

 it is five and twenty dayes journey Northeast from Pegu, ^^^yt^^^ast^'^ 

 In which journey I passed many fruitfull and pleasant zcardfrom 

 countreys. The countrey is very lowe, and hath many Pegu. 

 faire rivers. The houses are very bad, made of canes, 

 and covered with straw. Heere are many wilde buffes 

 and elephants. Jamahey is a very faire and great towne, 

 with faire houses of stone, well peopled, the streets are 

 very large, the men very well set and strong, with a 

 cloth about them, bare headed and bare footed : for in 

 all these countreys they weare no shooes. The women 

 be much fairer then those of Pegu. Heere in all these 

 countreys they have no wheat. They make some cakes 

 of rice. Hither to Jamahey come many marchants out 

 of China, and bring great store of muske, golde, silver, 

 and many other things of China worke. Here is great 

 store of victuals : they have such plenty that they will 

 not milke the buffles, as they doe in all other places. [II. i. 262.] 

 Here is great store of copper and benjamin. In these 

 countreys when the people be sicke they make a vow 

 to offer meat unto the divell, if they escape : and when 

 they be recovered they make a banket with many pipes 

 & drummes and other instruments, and dansing all the 

 night, and their friends come and bring gifts, cocos, figges, 

 arrecaes, and other fruits, and with great dauncing and 

 rejoycing they offer to the divell, and say, they give 

 the divel to eat, and drive him out. When they be 

 dancing and playing they will cry & hallow very loud ; 

 and in this sort they say they drive him away. And 

 when they be sicke a Tallipoy or two every night doth 

 sit by them & sing, to please the divell that he should 

 not hurt them. And if any die he is caried upon a They bume 

 great frame made like a tower, with a covering all gilded ^^^^^ ^'^'^'^• 

 with golde made of canes caried with foureteene or 

 sixteene men, with drummes and pipes and other instru- 

 ments playing before him to a place out of the towne 

 and there is burned. He is accompanied with all his 



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