i-6 Travels in India. Part. If. 



C H A P. XX IN. 



Of the Places where ihe\ find then- Gold both in Afia and America. 



JApon, which confifts of feveral Iflands Eaftward of China, bending to the North 

 . fome people believing that Niphon, which is the biggeft, is in a manner join'd to 

 the firm Land, is that Region of all Ajia that yields the greateft quantity of Gold • 

 Though others believe it is found in the Ifland of Formofa, and carri'd thence to 

 fapon. For as long as the Hollanders have had the llland, they could never 

 yet tell what is the Trade of that Coaft, whence they believe the Gold comes. 



There comes alio Gold from China, which the Chinefcs exchange for the Silver 

 which is brought them. For price for price, they love Silver better than Gold - 

 becauie they have no Silver- Mines. Yet it is the coarfeft metal of all the Afi^ 

 tsck Co}d. 



The Ifland of Celebes or Macajfar produces Gold alio, which is drawn out of 

 the Rivers, where it rowls among tie Sand. 



In the Illand of Achen or Sumatra, after the rainy feafon, when the Torrents are 

 wafted, they rind veins of Gold in the Flints, which the waters wafh down front 

 the Mountains that lye toward the North-eait. Upon the Weft-fide of the Ifland 

 when the Hollanders come to lade their Pepper, the Natives bring them great 

 irore of Gold, but very eoarfe metal, if not worfe than that of China, 



Toward the Thibet, which is the ancient Caucasus, in th< Territories of a Raja, 

 beyond the Kingdom ofCachemir,theTe are three Mountains clofe one by another' 

 one of which produces excellent Gold, the other Granats, and the third Laps'- 

 Ziozuli, 



There is Gold alio comes from the Kingdom of Ttpra, but it is eoarfe, almoft 

 as bad as that of China ; and thefe are all the places in Afia that produce Gold, 

 I mail now fay fomething of the Gold of Africa, and the places where it is found 

 in greateft quantities. 



Obferve by the way, that the Vice-Roy of Mozambique has under his Com- 

 mand the Governors of Safala and Chepon-Goura. The firft of thefe two Go- 

 vernments lies upon the River Sene, fixty leagues from the Mouth of the River } 

 and the other ren leagues higher. From the Mouth of the River to thole very 

 places on each fide of the River, great numbers of Negro's inhabit, which are all 

 commanded by one Portuguese. The Portugueses have been Matters of this 

 Countrey for many years, where they take upon them like Lords, and make War 

 one upon another for the flighteft cccafions in the World; fome of them having 

 under them nve-thoufand Cafres, which are their Slaves. The Governor of Mo- 

 zambique furnifhes them with Calicuts, and all other neceffary Commodities 

 which they want, which he fells them at his own rates. When he enters upon 

 his Government he carries with him great quantities of all forts of Commodities, 

 efpecially Calicuts dy'd black. His Correspondents alfo in Goa fend him every 

 year two Veflels, which he fends to Sofala, Chepon-Goura, and even as far as the 

 City of Monomotopa, the chief City of a Kingdom of the fame name, otherwife 

 call'd Vouvebaran, diftant from Chepon-Goura fifty leagues, or there-abouts, He 

 that commands all that Countrey 3 aifumes the name of Emperor of Monomotopa, 

 extending his Dominions as far as the Confines of ?reftcr John's Countrey. From 

 this Countrey of Monomotopa k is, that the moft pure and fineft Gold of all Africa 

 come;- where they dig it with eafe out of the earth, not being put to labour 

 above two or three foot deep. In fome places of that Countrey which are not 

 inhabited by reafon of the fcarcity of water, the people find great pieces of Gold, 

 of feveral forms and weights, upon the furface of the earth ; fome of which 

 weigh an ounce. One I have by me that weighs an ounce and a half, or there- 

 abouts: Being at Sttrat, I went to vifit the Embaflador of the King of the 

 Abyjftns. He fhcw'd us the Prefent which his Mafter had Pent to the Great Mo- 

 gul, confuting of fourteen (lately Horfes, the remainder of 30, the reft dying by 

 the way; and a great number of Slaves of both Sexes, But what was molt 



remarka- 



