68 Traw/j into I N D I E S. Part HI. 
ney as far as Cahoul , \>y lying down and rifing up again continually , and 
to walk no more at a time but the length of his Body \ ordering his Novices 
to make a mark on the ground at the Crown of his Head , every time he 
lay down, to the end he might exadly regulate the March he was to make -, 
all was pundually performed on both fides : The Fac^uir made a Coffe and 
a half a day , that's to fay, about .three quarters of a League \ and they 
who related the Story, met him a year after his fetting out, no farther 
off than at the utmoil bounds of the Province of Halabas. In the mean 
time, he had all imaginable refped (hewed him in the places he pafTed 
through -, and was loaded with Charity, in fo much, that he was obliged to 
diftribute the Alms he got amongft the Poor ,w ho in hopes of getting by him, 
followed him in his Journey. 
Many Mahometans live there alfo, but they are no better than the Gen- 
tils.The people(for the mofl:part)are extraordinarily voluptuous-,they have 
a captious and fubtil wit , and are much given to pilfring and ftealing : The 
Women themfelves are bold and lafcivious , and ufe all Arts imaginable to 
The inhabi- corrupt and debauch Young Men , and efpecially Strangers, whom they 
rants of Ben- eafilv trapau, becaufe they^ are handfom and wear good Cloaths. 
gala voiuptu- j^j^^ people in this Province live much at their eafe, becaufe of its fruit- 
. fulnefs -, and above Twenty thoufand Chrillians dwell there. The Cèun- 
trey was kept in far better order under the Tatan Kings , (\ mean) before ' 
the Mahometans and Moguls were Mafters of it, becaufe then they had Uni- 
formity in Religion. It has been found by experience, that diforder came 
hSh intîodu- '^^ ^'^^^ Mahometanifm; and that diver(ity of Religions liath there cau- 
ced diforder. ftd cotrruption in Marviers. 
Daca or Daac. ^^i^^:, or Daac^ is properly the capital City of Bengala ^ it lies upon the 
banck of the Ganges , and is very narrow, becaufe it ftretches out near a 
League and a half in length, along the fiae of that River. Moft of the 
Houfes are only built of Canes , covered with Earth : The Englifli and 
Dutch Houfes are more folid , becaufe they have fpared no cofi: for the fe- 
h^*^ f Mona"^ curity of their Goods : The Auguftines have a Monaftery there alfo. The 
^crl\.r: Daca. Tidecomes up as far as D«c^, fo that the Galleys which are built there. 
Galleys of thé may eafîly Trade in the gulf of Bengala -, and the Dutch make good ufe of 
GuXiaiBengaU theirs for their Commerce. 
Towns of Ben- The Countrcy is full of Caftles and Towns -, Philipatan, Satiga», Tatane, 
gala. Philipa- Cafanhaz,ar and Chatigan, are very rich -, and Tatane is a very large Town , 
ta», satigan, lying ou the Weft ndc of rhe Ganges in theCountrey of Vat an , where the 
Pd(?*H^,c^«>«- Dmci^ \\2st a Fadory. Corn, Rice, Sugar, Ginger, long Pepper, Cotton 
gait ^To^ns^' ^'^'^ ^^^^ 3 ^^'■^ fevcral other Commodities, are plentifully produced in 
The' Dutcii Fa- that Country , as well as Fruits \ and efpecially the Ananas , which in the 
SLory^iPatan. out fide is much like a Pine- Apple-, they areas big as Melons, and fome of 
Ananas. them refemble them alfo \ their colour at firft is betwixt a Green and a Yel- 
low, but when they are ripe, the Green is gone -, they grow upon a Stalk 
not above a Foot and a half high^ they are pleafant to the tafte,and leave the 
flavour of an Apricock in the mouth. 
rhc Ganges. xhe G^»gw is full of pleafant Illauds, covered with lovely I«^ww Trees-, 
and for five days Sailing on that River, Paffengers are delighted with the 
beauty of them. In thefe Ifles, and fome other places of Bengala , there is 
Mdna, a bird. ^ kind of bird Called Meinay which is much efteemed ^ it is of the colour of 
a Black-bird , and almoft as big as a Raven,having )uft fuch another Beak, 
but that it is yellow and red -, on each fide of the neck, it hath a yellow 
ftreak which covers the whole Cheek till below the eye , and its Feet are 
yellow -, they teach it to fpeak like a Starling,and it hath the tone and voice 
much like -, but befides its ordinary Voice, it hath a ftrong deep Tone 
which feems ro come from a diftance -, it imitates the neighing of a Horfe 
exadly, and feeds on dryed Peafe which it breaks. I have feen fome of 
them upon the Road from Mafulipatan to Bagnagar. 
The Water of The Heathen Indians efteem the water of the Ganges to be facred -, they 
the Ganges, have Pagods near it , which are the faireft of all the Indies -, and it is in 
Pagods of that Countrey efpecially where Idolatry is triumphant : The two chief 
jaganat, Pagods are that of Jaganat^ (which is at one of the mouths of the Ganges) 
ana '* 
