Book I Travels in India. 



back the Lime that comes from Barocba, which, after it is tempered, and laid on 

 becomes as hard as Marble. 



I come now to the manner of travelling in India, to which purpofe they make 

 u(c of Oxen inftead of Horfes, and there are fome, whole pace is as ealy as the 

 amble of our Hackneys. But yon mult take a care, when you either buy or hire 

 an Ox to ride upon, that the horns be not above a foot in length. For if they be 

 longer, when the flies begin to fting* he will chafe, and tofs back his horns, 'and 

 frrike them into the ftomack of the Rider, as oftentimes it has hapned. Thefe 

 Oxen are rid like our Horfes, and inftead of Snaffles or Bitts, they have only a 

 Rope drawn through the mnfely part of the muzzle or noftrils. In firm ground 

 where there are no (tones, they never fhooe their Oxen ; but only in rough pla- 

 ces, where not only the ftones but the heat will waft and chop the hoof. Where- 

 as in E:.r:>pc we tie our Oxen by the horns, the Indians only put a thick trot's upon 

 their necks, that keeps faft a Coller of Leather four fingers broad, which they 

 have nothing to do but to put about their necks when they faften them to the 

 Waggon. 



They uic alio for Travel little Coaches, but very light, that will hold two 

 perfons ; but generally they ride alone for more cafe, carrying only their ne- 

 cellary Cloak-Bags along with them ; with a (mail Veffel of Wine, and a fmall 

 quantity of Provihons, for which there is a proper place under the Coach, 

 where they tye the two Oxen. Theft Coachr c have their Curtains and Seats 

 like ours, yet are not hung: But in my lait Travels I caus'd one to be made after 

 our manner ; and the two Oxen that drew ir, celt me near upon lix-hundrrd 

 Roupies. Nor is, the Reader to wonder at the price ; for there are fome of 

 thefe Oxen that are very ftrong, and that will travel upon the trot twelve or 

 fifteen leagues a-day for fixty days together. When ihev have gone half the 

 days iournev, they give them two or three Balls,as big as one of our two-penny- 

 loaves of Wheat kneaded up with butter and black-fugar. The hire of a Coach 

 comes to a Roupie a day more or lets. From Snratt to ylgra is forty days jour- 

 ney, and you pay for the whole journey from forty to forty-five Roupies. From 

 Snratt to Gtwonda, being almoft the fame diiiance, the fame price is obferved j 

 •and by the fame proportion you may travel over all the Indies. 



They who have more to Ipcnd, for their ow r n cafe make ufe of a Pallancjun;, 

 wherein they travel very commodiouflv. This is a (brtt)f little Couch ftx or fe- 

 ven foot long, and three broad, with balifters round about it. A fort of Cane, 

 call'd Bambouc, which they bend like an Arch, iuitains the covering of the Pal- 

 QmqMin, which is either of Satin orCloathof Gold ; and when the Sun lies up- 

 on one fide, ; s Slave that goes by the fide, takes care to pull down the covering. 

 Another Slave < arrics at the end of a long ftick a kind of Target of Ofier, cover- 

 ed over with fome gentile ltutf, to preferve the peribn that is in the Palianqmn 

 from the heat of the Sun, when he turns and Hcfi upon his \\\cv. The two ends of 

 the Batnbouc are faltned on both fides to the body of the I AlUutqmin between two 

 fticks ioin'd together like a Saiur or St. Andrmi-ertfsA every one of thole two 

 Sticks being five or fix foot long. There are fome of tbefe )tymb»ucs that coft 

 two- hundred Crowns ; I my (elf have paid an hundred and twenty. Three men 

 for the moit parr apply thcmklves to each of thefe tw r o ends to carry the Pal- 

 Unefttin Upon their (boulders ; (ome on the right,and ibme on the left,and they go 

 fvifter than our Sedan- men, and with a much more eafy pace, as being that which 

 they practice from their youth. You give to every one for all things not above 

 four Roupies a Month ; but it ftands you in above five if the ;ourney be long, and 

 exceed tixty days labour. 



Whether it be in Coach, or P all.inquin , he that will travel honourably in the 

 Indies, mu ft take along with him tw r enty or thirty armed men, with Bows and 

 Arrows Ibme, others with Mufquets"; and they have the lame rate with thofe 

 that carry the Pallaneftin. Sometimes for more magnificence they carry a Ban- 

 ner, as the Englffh and Hollanders do, for the honour of their Companies. 

 Thefe Souldiers are not only for (hew, but they watch for your defence, keeping 

 Centinels, and relieving one another, and are very ftudious to give content. For 

 you mult know, that in the Towns where you take them into fervice, they have 

 a Chieftain, that is refponfible for their fidelity, who for his good word has two 

 Roupies a-piece of every one- * n 



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