" T ; — ; 111 ■ 1 — 1 i s^_3 



Book II. Travels in India. 157 



1 — - ' ■ — " ' ■ A 



remarkable, was a natural Tree, all of Gold, two foot and four inches high, and 

 fix inches about in the itock. It had ten or twelve branches, Come whereof fhot 

 out half a foot in length, and an inch about ; others much finaller. In fome 

 jparts of the great branches appear'd certain bunches that refembl'd buds. The 

 roots of the Tree, which were alio natural, were thick and fhort j the Iongeft not- 

 exceeding four or five inches. 



The Natives of Monomotopa knowing the time of the year that the Commo- 

 dities arrive, come to Scfala and Cbepon-Goura to furnifli themfdves. Thither 

 alfo come the Cafres of other Provinces and Kingdoms for the fame purpofe. 

 Whereupon the Governors of thole places fell them what they want, truiting 

 them till the next year, when they oblige themfelves to bring their Gold, which 

 they are very pun&ual to do, for elfe there could be no Trade between them. 

 The Natives of Monomotopa never live long, by reaibn of the badnefs of the wa- 

 ters in the Countrey : For at the age of five and twenty years they begin to be 

 dropfical ; fo that it is a great wonder if any among them live above fortv years. 

 The Province where the River Sens has its head, is calPd Monkaran_ and is under 

 the Jurifdidion of a certain King, beginning a hunder'd leagues, or there-aboucs, 

 above Cbepon-Goura. The people of that Countrey find great ltore of duft-Gold 

 in the Rivers that fall into the Sw ; but it is much coarfer than the other, though 

 they bring it to Cbepon-Goura and Sofaia. The Countrey is very healthy, and the 

 people live as long as they do in Europe. Some years there are Cafres, that come 

 from beyond the Province of Alonharan, even as far as the Cape cj good Hjpe. 

 The Portuguez* have enquir'd after their Countrey, and the name, buttle, an 

 tell no more, only that it is call'd Sabia, commanded by a King ; and that they 

 are four months generally travelling to Sofaia. The Gold which they bring is 

 very fine, and in pieces like that of Monomotopa, which they lay they ILd in .he 

 • high Mountains, digging only ten or twelve foot in the ground. Thev alfo bring 

 great quantities of Elephants-teeth ; wherewith, by their report, th_ Countrey 

 does fo abound, that you may fee them in herds in the fields j and that all the 

 l>alifàdo's Of their Fortreflès, and the Pales of their Parks, are made of Elephants- 

 teeth. Their ufual Diet is Elephants-flefh ; which four, Cafres will kill with 

 their Ageagayes, or a fort of Half-pikes. The water of their Countrey is very 

 bad, which is the reafon that their thighes are fwell'd, and it is a wonder to fee 

 any one of them free. 



Beyond Sofaia there is a Countrey commanded by a King who is calPd the 

 King of Beroé. In fome parts of his Countrey there grows a Root about an inch- 

 thick, ând of a yellow colour. It heals all forts of Fevers, caufing the Patient 

 to vomit. But becaufe it grows very fcarce, the King ftriélly forbids his Sub/eds 

 to export it. The taft of it is very bitter upon the tongue. 



As for Silver-Mines, there are none in all Afia but only in Japon ; but fome 

 years fince, at Delegora, Sangora, Bordelon and Bat a, have been difeover'd plenti- 

 ful Mines of Tin, to the great damage of the EngUfh, there being now enough in 

 Afia of their own befides. 



CKAP. XXIV. 



The Relation of a Notable piece of Treachery, whereby the Author was 

 abas' d when he Embarfcd at Gonirom for Surat. 



IN the Month of April 1665, being ready to depart from Gomrom for Surat, in 

 a VefTel that belong'd to a Holland-Broaker, commanded by a Holland- Capta in, 

 the Englijh Agent gave me a Packet of Letters to deliver to the F . dent at 

 Surat. The Packet was large, containing not only the Corupanies-Lc. iters, b-.'t 

 lèverai private Letters to particular perlons at Surat and other parts of India* 

 This Packet I receiv'd in the prefence of one Cafembrot, a Hollander, who mform'd 

 another Dutch-man, whofe name was Wamttck., of it. Thereupon they prefenr'y 



contriv'd 



1 



