24 



Travels in India. Part II 



Town till the next day in the evening, where we obferv'd, that when the Inhabi- 

 tants fetch their water to drink, they ftay till the Sea is quite our, and then dig- 

 ging holes in the Sand as neer the Sea as they can, they meet with fiefh- 

 water. 



The twelth, we departed from Caiicat, and the next morning about ten of the 

 clock we came to Madrcfpatan s othenvife calPd Fort St. George, which belongs to 

 the Englijh, having travell'd not above feven or eight leagues that day. We- lay 

 at the Covent of Capuchins, at what time Father Ephraim, and Father Zctu n 

 were both there. 



The fifteenth, wc went to St. Thomas's Town, to fee the ^///?/>;-Friars, and the 

 Jefuits Church, in thefirft whereof is an Iron-lance, wherewith they fay that St, 

 Thomas wzs martyr'd. 



The two and twentieth, in the morning we departed from Mtdrefpatan, and 

 after a journey of five leagues wc arriv'd at a large Town calTd Serravaron, 



The three and twentieth, after 7 leagues travel, we en me to Oudccot, the whole 

 days journey being over a flat fandy Coimtrey. On each iide there are only Copfes 

 of Bamboos that grow very high. Some of thefe Copfes are ib thick, that it is ini- 

 pofTible for a man to get into them ; but they are pefter'd with prodigious num- 

 bers of Apes : Thole that breed in the Copfes upon one fide of the Way, are ene- 

 mies to them that are bred on the other fide ; lb that they dare not crols from 

 one fide to the other, but they are in danger of being immediately ftrangTd, 

 Here we had good fport in fetting the Apes together by the ears • which is done 

 after this manner. This part of the Countrey, at every leagues end, is clos'd up 

 with Gates and Barricado's, where there is a good Guard kept, and wtere all Pal- 

 fengers are examin'd whither they go, and whence they come 5 (o that men may 

 fafely travel there with their Money m their hands. In ieveral parts of this Road 

 there is Rice to be fold 5 and rhey that would fee the foort, caufe five or i\>: 

 Baskets of Rice to be fet in the Road, fome forty or fifty paces one from the 

 ether, and clofe by every Basket they lay.five or fix Battoons about tw r o-foot-long, 

 and two inches about ; then they retire and hide themfdves : prefently they fliall 

 fee the Apes on both fides of the way defcend from the tops of the Bamboiis, 

 and advance toward the Baskets which are full of Rice : They are about half an 

 hour (hewing their teeth one at the other before they come near the Baskets ; 

 fometimes they advance, then retreat again, being loath to encounter. At length 

 the female-Baboons, who arc more couragious than the males, elpecially thofe 

 that have young ones, which they carry in their arms 3 as Women do their Chil- 

 dren, venture to approach the Basket, and as they are about to put in their heads 

 to eat., the males on the other fide advance to hinder them. Immediately the 

 other party comes forward, and thus the feud being kindled on both fides, they 

 take up the Battoons that lie by the Baskets, and thralli one another in good 

 earneft. The weakeft are conftrainM to the into the wood with their pates bro- 

 ken, and their limbs rnaim'd ; while the Mafters of the Field glut themlclves with 

 Rice. Though it may be, when their bellies are full, they will fuller fome of the 

 female-party to come and partake with them. 



The four and twentieth, we travell'd nine leagues, all the way being like the 

 Road the day before, as far as Nor aver on. 



The five and twentieth, after a journey of eight hours., through a Gountrcv of 

 the fame nature, meeting at every two or three leagues end with Gates and 

 Guards, we came in the evening to Gaz,ci. 



The fix and twentieth, we travell'd nine leagues, and came to lie at Courva, 

 where there was nothing to be found neither for Man nor Beaft, fo that our Cat- 

 tel were fore'd to be contented with a little Grafs, which was cut on purpose for 

 them. Courva is only a celebrated Pagod 5 by which, at our arrival, we faw fe- 

 veral bands of Souldiers pafs by, fome with Half-pikes, (bine with Muskets, and 

 fome with Clubs, who were going to joyn with one of the principal Comman- 

 ders of Mirgimolas Army, who wasencamp'd upon a rifmg : ground not far from 

 Courva-, the place being pleafant and cool, by reafon of the great number of 

 Tree; and Fountains that grace it. When we underftood the Captain was fo neer, 

 we went to wait upon him, and found him fitting in his Tent w r ith many Lords of 

 rhe Countrey, all Idolaters, After we had prefented him with a pair of Pocket- 



Piftols 



