A.D. 



1579- 



Ternate the 

 chiefest of the 

 Maluco-isles. 



A litle Island 

 to the South- 

 ward of 

 Celebes. 



'Fiery worms. 



Bats. 



C ravishes. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



were great, and one folde double. On his fingers hee 

 had sixe very faire jewels, and sitting in his chaire of 

 estate, at his right hand stood a page with a fanne in 

 his hand, breathing and gathering the ayre to the King. 

 The fanne was in length two foote, and in bredth one 

 foote, set with 8. saphyres, richly imbrodered, and knit 

 to a staffe 3. foote in length, by the which the Page 

 did hold, and moove it. Our Gentlemen having deli- 

 vered their message, and received order accordingly, 

 were licensed to depart, being safely conducted backe 

 againe by one of the kings Counsell. 



This Island is the chiefest of all the Islands of 

 Maluco, and the King hereof is King of 70. Islands 

 besides. The king with his people are Moores in 

 religion, observing certaine new Moones, with fastings : 

 during which fasts, they neither eat nor drinke in the 

 day, but in the night. 



After that our Gentlemen were returned, and that we 

 had heere by the favour of the king received all neces- 

 sary things that the place could yeeld us : our General 

 considering the great distance, and how farre he was 

 yet off from his Countrey, thought it not best here to 

 linger the time any longer, but waying his anchors, set 

 out of the Island, and sayled to a certaine litle Island 

 to the Southwards of Celebes, where we graved our 

 ship, and continued there in that and other businesses 

 26. dayes. This Island is throughly growen with wood 

 of a large and high growth, very straight and without 

 boughes, save onely in the head or top, whose leaves 

 are not much differing from our broome in England. 

 Amongst these trees night by night, through the whole 

 land, did shew themselves an infinite swarme of fiery 

 wormes flying in the ayre, whose bodies beeing no bigger 

 then our common English flies, make such a shew and 

 light, as if every twigge or tree had bene a burning 

 candle. In this place breedeth also wonderfull store of 

 Bats, as bigge as large hennes : of Crayfishes also heere 

 wanted no plentie, and they of exceeding bignesse, one 



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