104 Travels into ^//^ I N D I E S. Part IIL 
• 
die o^Juljj though now and then we had fome fair weather : The reft 
of that month was jjretty fair^ vciAugufi^ SeptetHher znàOBober ^ there fell 
great Rains , but without any Thunder \ the Rivers overflowed fo prodi- 
fioufly that there was no paffingq^erthe Bridges , no not with the help of 
ilephants. The River oi Bagnagdrhosx down ahnoft Twothoufand Houfes^ 
* in which many People periftied. The Air was a little cold in the night- 
time and morning , there was fome heat during the day, but it was as mo- 
derate as it is in France in thefeottth of and the Air continued in this 
temper until February the year following , when the great heats began a- 
gain. 
Thefe Rains render the Land of this Kingdom exceeding fertile, which 
yields all things in abundance , and efpecially Fruits. Vines arc plentifiil 
there, and the Grapes are ripe in January , though there be fome that are 
not gathered but m February, March or April , according as the Vines are 
expofed to the heat \ they make White-wine of them. When the Grapes arc 
gathered , they Prune the Vines , and about Midfummer they yield Ver- 
juice. In this Countrey alfo they have two Crops a year of Rice, and ma- 
ny other Grains. 
CHAP. IX. 
"The Authors departure from Bagmgar for Ma-^ 
fulipatan. 
H 
'Aving ftayed long enough at Bagnagar ^ I had a defign to fee fome 
L Countries of the coaft of Coromandel -, and notwithftanding it was Win- 
ter, I refolved to fet out for Mafulipatan. Seeing there was no Travelling 
neither in Coach nor Chariot, becaufe of the badnefs of the Ways, and the 
frequent over-flowings of the Rivers and Brooks , 1 hired a Horfe for my 
, felf , and two Oxen for my Servant and Baggage , and I parted with fome 
Merchants. We came to a Bourg called Elmas-Kepentch, eight Leagues from 
Diamond- Bagnagar : They who have a mind to go to the Diamond-mines of Gany , 
mines. take their Way by Têw^ïr^ , where the King has a ftately Palace, conlifting 
Tenara,z Aztc- of fout large Piles of Stoue-Buildiug, two Stories high , and adorned with 
]y Palace. Portico's, Halls and Galleries , and before the Palace there is a large regular 
Square ; belides thefe Royal Appartments, there are Habitations for Tra- 
vellers, and unalienable Rents for entertaining the poor, and all PalTengers 
that pleafe to ftop there. 
Having no bunnefs at thefe Diamond-mines,which are fix or (even days 
Journey from Golconda , we went the other way. In all our Journey , we 
found but three fmall Towns, which are Pavguel, Sarchel and Penguetehepoul-^ 
but we met with feveral Rivers, the moft confiderable of which are Kach- 
kna and Money \ we went through fixteen or feventeen Villages , about 
which the Fields are always green and pleafant to the eye , though the way 
be very bad. There I faw Trees of all kinds that are in the hMes.^nd even 
C<T^tf-Trees,though they be fcarce in other Countries of the Indies -, at length 
(in ten days time) we arrived at Mafulipatan , the whole Journey makes a- 
bout fifty three French Leagues , and in fair weather they perform it in a 
weeks time. 
The Road from Mafulipatan lies on the coaft of Coromandel, in fixteen degrees and a half 
ShZll North-Latitude. This Town is Situated upon the Gulf of Bengala Eaft 
timM-§^i- South-Eaft from Bagnagar^ûiOM^ the Town be but fmall, yet it is well Peo- 
fentche, eight pled -, the Streets are narrow, and it is intollerably hot there from Mareh 
Leagues till July. The Houfes are all feparated one from another, and the Water 
is 
