Travels in India. 



Part II 



Fowl that feem'd to refemble large Geefe, but fo fat, that they had very little 

 lean. The Feathers of thole Birds were very lovely, and thofe upon the belly 

 proper for Beds. One of the Portuguefe Mariners fold me a large Cufhion ftuifc 

 with thofe Feathers, and related to me what had happen'd to them in that 

 Bay, where they ftay'd feven and twenty days. They gave thole Cafres one 

 thing or other every foot, as Knives, Axes, falfe Coral, and falfe Pearls, out 

 of hopes to have difcover'd fbme Trade, and particularly whether they had 

 any Gold $ for they obferv'd that fome of them wore pieces of Gold in their 

 Ears } fome beaten thin upon one fide, and others like the Nails of a Lock. 

 They brought two of the people to Goa ; and I law one of them that wore 

 lèverai of thole pieces of Gold in lèverai parts of each Ear. The Mariner 

 told me, that there were fbme of their women that wore of thofe pieces of 

 Gold under their Chins, and in their Noftrils. Eight or nine days after the 

 Portugais arriv'd in that Bay, thofe Cafres brought them little pieces of Am- 

 bergreefe, fome Gold, but very little -, fome Elephants teeth, but very fmall j 

 fome Oftriches, and other Birds, fome Venifon ; but for Fith, there was abun- 

 dance. The Portugais endeavour'd all they could by figns to know where they 

 found the Ambergreefe, 'for it was very good. The Vice-Roy fliew'd me a 

 a piece that weigh'd not above half an Ounce, but he alfur'd me withal), that 

 he had never feen fo good. They alfo laboured to difcover where they had 

 the Gold. After the Elephants teeth they made no great enquiry, feeing a great 

 number of Elephants that came to drink at a River that threw it felf into the 

 Bay. At length after they had ftay'd three weeks,the Portugais finding it impofliblc 

 for them to dilcover any thing more , becaulè they underftood not one ano- 

 ther, refolv'd to fet fail with the firft Wind. And becaufe they had always 

 fome of thele Cafres aboard, in regard they were very liberal of their Tobacco, 

 Bisket, and ftrong Water, they thought good to bring two of them along in 

 the Veflèl 5 in hopes that they might learn the Portuguefe Language, or that 

 there might fbme Child be found out that might underftand what they faid. 

 The Mariners told me, that when they lèt fail, after the Cafres faw that they 

 had carri'd two of their people away , who perhaps were no inconfiderable 

 perfons, they tore their Hair, ftruck their Breafts as if they had been frantick, 

 and fet up a molt horrible yelling and howling. When they were brought to Goa, 

 they could never be brought to learn any thing of the Portugal Language. So that 

 they could gettout of them nothing of that further difcovery at which they 

 aim'd, of a Country from whence they only brought away two pound of Gold, 

 three pound of Ambergreefe, and thirty-five or forty Elephants teeth. One of 

 the Cafres liv'd but fix months, the other fifteen j but both languifh'd and pin'd 

 to death for grief to be fo trapann'd. 



From Goa I pafs'd to Mingrela, where there fell out an accident not to be 

 forgotten. An Idolater dying, and the Fire being ready prepar'd for the burn- 

 ing of the Body, his Wife who had no Children, by the permiflion of the 

 Governour, came to the Fire, and ftood among the Priefts and her Kindred, 

 to be burnt with the Body of her deceas'd Husband. As they were taking 

 three turns, according to cuftom, about the place where the Fire was kindl'd, 

 there fell of a fudden fo violent a Shower, that the Priefts willing to get out 

 of the rain, thruft the Woman all along into the Fire. But the Shower was 

 fo vehement, and endur'd fo long a while, that the Fire was quench'd, and the 

 Woman was not burn'd. About midnight fhe rofe, and went and knock'd at 

 the door of one of her Kinfmens Houfes, where Father Zenon and many Hol- 

 landers faw her, looking fo gbaftly and grimly, that it was enough to have 

 fcar'd them 5 however the pain that fhe endur'd did not fo far terrifie her, but 

 that three days after accompany'd by her Kindred, (he went and was burn'd 

 according to her firft intention. 



CHAP. 



