Travels in India. 



Part II 



CHAP. XIII. 



Observations upon the prefent State of the City of Goa. 



GO A lies in i j Degrees, 32 minutes of Latitude/in an Ifland fix or (even leagues 

 about, upon the River of Mandoua, ten leagues from the mouth of the 

 River. The Ifland abounds in Corn and Rice, and bears feveral forts of Fruit, as 

 Mango's, Ananas, Adams-Figs, and Coco's. But moft certainly a Pippin is far 

 beyond all thofe fruits. All thofe that have feen Europe and Afia, agree with 

 me, that the Port of Goa, the Port of Constantinople, and the Port of Toulon, are 

 three of the faireft Ports of all our vaft Continent. The City is very large, and 

 the Walls are of good Stone. The Houles are for the moft part very magni- 

 ficently built, efpecially the Viet-Roj\ Palace. There are in it a great number of 

 Apartments, and in one part of the Rooms and Chambers, which are very large, 

 hang lèverai Pictures, wherein are feverally painted by themfelves, the Ships that 

 come from Lisbon to Goa, with thofe that are bound from Goa to Lisbon, with the 

 name of the Veflel, the Captain, and the number of Guns which the Ship carries. 

 If the City were not fo clofely environ'd with Hills, it would doubtlefs be better 

 inhabited, and the air would be much more wholfome. But thefè Mountains 

 keep off the cool winds, which is the reafon that the heats are very exceffive. 

 Beef and Pork is the ordinary diet of the Inhabitants of Goa. They have good 

 ftore of Poultry, and fome few Pidgeons ; but thougti Goa be very neer the Sea, 

 Fifh is very fcarce. They have abundance of all forts of Sweet- meats, and feed upon 

 them very much. 



Before the HoUandsvs had brought down the power of the Portugais in India^ 

 there was nothing to be feen at Gôa, but Magnificence and Riches : but the Dutch 

 having every where got their Trade out of their hands, they have loft their 

 fprings of Gold andSilver,and are|fallen from their former fplendor.In my firft Voy- 

 age to Goa I met with people of fafhion, that had above two-thoufand Crowns 

 Revenue ; at my fécond Voyage the fame perfons came privately to me in the 

 evening, to beg an Alms ; yet abating nothing, for all that, of their inherent pride 

 and haughtinefs : Nay, their Women will come in Pallekfs to the door, and ftay 

 while a Boy, that attends them, has brought you a Complement from his Miftrefê. 

 Then ufually you fend them what you pleafe, or carry it your felf, if you have a 

 curiofity to fee their faces $ which rarely can be done, becaufe they cover them- 

 felves with a veil from head to foot. Moreover, if you go your felf to prefent 

 them your Charity, they will give you a little note, containing a recommendation 

 of fome religious Perfon, who lignifies what lùbftantjal perfons they have been, 

 and how they came to fall to decay. Sometimes, if the perfon be handfbm, Ihe 

 isdefir'd to walk in; and to take a Collation, which lafts moft commonly till the 

 next day. Hadnot the Portugais fb many Fortrenes to keep upon the Land ; or had, 

 not, out of their contempt of the Holla-nder they negle&ed their affairs, they could 

 never have been reduc'd to fo low a condition. 



The Portuguefes have no fooner made the Cape of Good-Hope, but they are all 

 Fidalgues or Gentlemen } and add the Title of Dom to the fingle name of Pedro 

 or feronimo, which they receiv'd at their Baptifm : Ftom whence they are call'd 

 the Fidalgues or Gentlemen of the Cape of Good-Hope. As they change their 

 Names, they alfo change their Nature ; for it may be truly laid, that the Indian- 

 Portugals are the moft revengeful perfons, and the moft jealous of their Wives of 

 any perfons in the World. And when the leaft fufpition creeps into their noddles, 

 they rid themfelves of them either by Poifon or Dagger. If they have an ene- 

 my ,they never pardon hiimbut if he be a perfon of that courage that they dare not 

 grapple with him,theirMafters have attending upon them a fort of blackSlaves,thac 

 if they command them to kill any one, the Slaves will do it with a blind obe- 

 dience ; which they do either with a Dagger, or a Piftol , or elfe by knocking the 

 party on the head with a club, which they always carry, about the length of an 

 Half-Pike. If it happen that they ftay too long before they canmeetwith an op- 

 portunity 



