\ Part II. Travels into the X e v a n t*^ i j 5 
1 I . i jj. 1 — — ' • • " , 
GH AP. IL 
The Continuation of our Voyage from Baflbra 
to the Indies. 
COwgo, a little Town in the Kingdom of Verfia^ lyes twenty feven degrees, and Congo', 
fifteen minutes North Latitude > it ftands upon the Sea-fide, almoft at the 
foot of a blackifti Rock, Which is very near the (hoar, and for fome thoufands 
of paces reaches from^^'e^ to Eaji\ it flieltersall the Town fuom the Nerth Wmà, 
and behind it there is a high white Hill, as all the Hills along the Goa(l of ferfia are 
white. This Town lyes in length from lVe(i^ North-1VeJ% to Eafi, South-Eafi ; 
it is but very fmall, and has a little Caftle defended by three pieces of Cannon. It 
has a fafe Road for Ships, though they be often tofled by high Winds, whilft 
we were there,it blew fo ftrong an Eafi Wind for four days time, that no Boat could 
come or go a (hoar, and all the Ships that were at Anchor drove except ours, 
though they had two Anchois a piece a broad i but they being fmall Anchors, took _ 
no ftrong hold in the ground, but cafily came home : we rode it out very well with 
a great Anchor, and all that we were affraid of, was leaft the other Ships' that 
drove might run foul of us » as indeed it happened one night, when the Wind 
having broken the Cables, and forced a Turkjlh Ship from two Anchors, if (he had 
not had a third, (which they fpeedily let fall,) (he would have put us in danger s for 
ftie was juft upon our Head > neverthelefs, I never heard of any Ship call away in 
that Road, The Territory of this Town is of fmall extent, confifting of a little 
Plain that is to the Eafitvard^ Wefiroard^ and Northward o| the Town, betwixt it 
atvl the Rock i but this fpot of ground produces good Fruits, as Figs, Grapes, 
good Quinces, Pears, Oranges, Limons, very large and good Pomegranats, Me- 
lons, Water-Melons, and plenty of good Turneps: it produces alfo Palm-Trees 
and two kinds of Indian Trees, to wit Mî«gû-Trees, and thofe Trees which are MMgo-Ttct^: 
by the Portuguefe called Mor de Keyzes^ (that is to fay,) the Tree of Roots, be- 
caufe their Branches take Rooting in the ground. They have Scbiras Wine there, 
but it is very dear, and good Brandy made of Dates. There are Sulphur- Hills 
near this .Town, and Ships take in great quantities of it in flat Cakes of two or 
three pound weight a piece, to be Tranfported to the Indiej. It is very hot in this 
Town, but/the Airisgood-, the Water is brackifti, and taken out of Wells, there 
is fome pretty good , but that is only for the richer fort, becaufe it is dear, 
being brought upon AlTes a Parafangue from the Town and after all, it is but Well 
water, and hath always fome bad relifli. This Town depends on the Chan of Lar^ ^ 
in whofe abfence the Schah-Bender^ (that is to fay,) Cuftomer, or to render it word 
for word. King of the Port i for fothey call the Cuftomers in Ferfia^ governs all. 
This Cuftom-Houfe receives a great deal of mony, both for Goods Imported and 
unloaded there,and for the Commodities of Peryî^,that are Exported from that Port 
to the Indies h efpecially wiihin thefe two laft years, that Ships go but very feldom 
to Bender- Abaffi, becaufe of the exadtions and extorfions of the Governour of that 
place, exajfting feven lomans (ot Anchorage, whereas at Congo they pay much lefs: Lefs to be 
which makes Ships from all quarters come thither, when formerly they never J^an "^Bw^fr^" 
touched there, unlefs they had been obliged to put into it for water. One half of ^j^y^_ " 
the profit of that Cuftom-Houfe belongs to the King of Portugal, who after the Half of the 
lofs of OrwK/, ftillfoinfefledtheKingof Ferfia, by his Ships that continually kept Cufloms of 
cruifing along that Coait, that the Perftan was conllrained to make peace with him, '-""^^ belong 
upon Conditions, of which this was one, that he (hould have the half of the pro- p J^;^^^'"^ ° 
htsof thofe Cuftoms, and five Perfian Uoiks every year; and therefore the King 
of Portugal keeps an Agent there, who has the Portuguefe Colours aloft upon his 
Houfe. The Portuguefe Augufiine Monkf have alfo a Convent and Church there. 
The Dutch were accuiiomed to fend a Fador thither yearly, to buy the Pearls of 
Babrm, which are for the mof\ part brought thither, it beingbut fifty Leagues from 
Congo 
1 
