Book I. 



Travels in I 



N D I A. 



57 



S are/nefs ; and it was famous for traffick at the time when the Forttiguefes flou- 

 riih'd in India. There are to be fèen at this day, in the Quarter next the 

 Sea, very fair Houles, which they had built, with very rich Furniture, after 

 the Portugal manner ; but now they are uninhabited, and full to decay every day 

 more and more. There were then fuch good Orders oblerv'd in Cambaya, 

 that two hours after day was fhut in, every Street Avas lockt up with two 

 Gates, which are ftill to be fèen ; and ftill they continue to lock up the prin- 

 cipal Streets, as alfo the Streets that lead into the Town. One of the chief 

 reafons why the Town has loft the greateft part of its Trade is,, beeaufe that 

 formerly the Sea run clofe up to Cambaya, fo that little Veifels eafily ancho 'd 

 by it i but afterwards the Sea daily loft in that part, fo that a finall Ship could 

 not ride within five or fix Leagues of the City. 



There are a great number of Peacocks in the Indies, efpecially in the Ter- 

 ritories of Baroche, Cambaya', and Broudra. The flefh of the young ones is 

 white and well-tafted, like ours, and you (hall fee vaft numbers of them ail 

 day in the Fields, for at night they rooft upon the Trees. Tis a hard mat- 

 ter to come near them in the day, for as foon as they perceive themfelves 

 bunted, they fly away as fwift as a Partridg among the Bufhesj fo that it is 

 impofïible for any man to follow them without tearing his Cloaths all to rags -, 

 therefore are they only to be taken in the night time, to which purpofe they 

 have this invention. They approach the Tree with a kind of a Banner, upon 

 which there is a Peacock painted to the life on both fides; at the top of the 

 vftick are faftend two lighted Candles, the brightnefs whereof amazing the Pea- 

 cock, caufes him to ftretch out his Neck toward the end of the ftick., to which 

 there is a Rope ty'd with a Aiding knot, which he that holds the Banner draws, 

 when he finds that the Peacock has put his Neck into it. But you muft have 

 a care of killing either Bird, or any other Animal in the Territories, of which 

 the idolatrous Raja's are Mafters ; which it is nothing dangerous to do in thofe 

 parts of the Indies, where the Governours are Mahometans, and give liberty 

 to Fowl or Hunt. It happen'd one time that a rich Ferfian Merchant, paf- 

 fing through the Territories of the Raja of Damtivar, mot a Peacock upon the 

 road, and kill'd it, either out of rafhnefs, or ignorance of the Cuftoms of the 

 Country. The Bannians incens'd at the attempt , which is accounted among 

 them a moft abominable facriledg, feiz'd upon the Merchant, and all his Mo- 

 ney to the value of 300000. Roupies, and tying him to a Tree, whipt him in 

 fo terrible a manner for three days together, that the man dy'd. 



From C ambaya you go to a little Village diftant fome three Coftes, where 

 there is a Pagod, to which all the Indian Curtifans come to make their Of- 

 ferings. This Pagod is full of a great number of naked Images, among the 

 reft, there is a large Figure of one that feems to refemble Apollo , with his 

 privy parts all uncover'd. When the old Curtifans have got together a good 

 fùm of Money in their youth, they buy young Slaves, whom they teach to 

 Daunce, and fing wanton Songs, and inftrucl in all the myfteries of their in- 

 famous Art. And when thefe young Girls are eleven or twelve years old, 

 their Miftrefles fend them to this Pagod,. believing it will bring them good 

 fortune, to offer and furrender up themfelves to this Idol. 



From this Pagod to Chiidabad you have fix Coftes. This is one of the faireft 

 Houfes of the great Mogul, with, a wide Enclofure, wherein he has vaft Gar- 

 dens, and large Ponds, with all the pleafures and curiofity whereof the Ge- 

 nius of the Indians is capable. 



From Chiidabad to Amadabad you have but five Coftes j and fo I return to 

 Baroche, and the common Road. 



From Baroche to Broudra, Coftes 22 



Broudra is a great City ftanding in a fertil Soil, wherein there is a vaft Trade for 

 Calicuts. 



From Broudra to Neriade, coftes 1 ? 



From Neriade to Awadabat, coftes 20 

 Amadabat is one of the greateft Cities in India ; and where there is a mighty 

 Trade for Silk-Stuffs, Hangings of Gold and Silver, and others mix'd with Silk j 



