5^4 
A Defcripion of the Coafts of 
rv^Vo The Ornameni: of the Women confifts 
Baldaus. chiefly in Bracelets about their Arms and 
U'-y^^^ Feet, Ear-pendants, Nofe-rings, and o- 
ther Jewels '■, when they are going abroad, 
they cover their Heads with a Veil, with 
federal hair Locks twilted together, hang- 
ing down their backs. 
theh Ell- Thev obferve certain peculiar Cuftoms 
rUls. in their Burials-, for no fooner is the 
Breath out pf 'the Body, but their Wives, 
Children and Neighbours make a moll 
larnentable Outcry, asking ever and anon 
the Deceafed, what made him die, whe- 
ther he wanted any thing in his life- time ? 
This they continue for three days fuccef- 
fively i then they invite his Friends to a 
Feaft in memory of the Dieceafed, whcfe 
Corps being in the mean while well 
waihed, and fowM up in fome white Stuff, 
with all forts of odoriferous Drugs, is 
laid upon a Bier, and accompanied by 
three Priefts (who fmg and read all the 
way) carried by ten or twelve Perfons 
to the Grave : here they lay him upon his 
right fide, with the Feet to the South, 
the Head to the North, and the Face to 
the WeiL This done, they lay Boards 
over the whole Corps to keep the Earth 
from touching it and whilft they are 
filling up the Grave, the Standers-by 
mutter out certain Prayers, and then 
return to the Honfe of the Deceafed,with 
the Priells, who for feveral days after 
pray for his Soul, (horter or longer, ac- 
cording as they are able to pay them. 
During this time no Fire mufc be feen 
in the Houfe, what Viduals they ufe be- 
ing drefs'd without doors. Upon the 
Grave they lay two Stones, one at the 
Head, and another at the Feet, the Inter- 
ftice being of the fame length with the 
dead Corps underneath it: upon thefe 
the Priefts read certain Chapters out of 
the Alcoran^ and difti ibute fome Bread a- 
raong the Poor: Upon the fame at the 
Head, they fet fometimes a Turbant, 
and if a Female be buried there, a kind 
of a Bonnet. Thus much of the Maho- 
metan Subjedts of the Great Mogul-, of 
the Idolatry of the Gentives we fiiall have 
occafion to treat at large in the third 
Book. 
CHAP. VIL 
J Definition of Diu. A Sea-Engdgement of the Portuguefes tvith Jazy arpd 
Hoceous. The fmgfjar Bravery of Laurence d'Almeyda, and Nonnius 
Vafques Peieria. The Harbour of Diu taken by the Portuguefes. The 
Flight of Jazy and Hocenus. Moorijh Colours fent to Portugal. 
T the uttermoll: Southern Point of 
L Gufuratte lies the City of JDiu, the 
Draught whereof you fee here annexed, 
where the Portuguefes have three ftrong 
Fovts. It's comraoniy caii'd Dm, tho its 
right Name is bellev'd to be Tivo^ i. e. 
an iile, in the /t^'^-jX^br Language, as may 
be feen in the Nan' es of Naynativo., An- 
chativo, Maltivo^ or the Maldive Iflands, 
which being in all fixty in number, ex- 
tend from the Cape Commoryn from the 
7 deg. of Northern Latitude, to the third 
deg. of Southern Latitude, a Trad of 
140 or 150 German Leagues. 
»,igm of As to the Origin of Diu, they relate, 
Diu. that one Jamy^ a Native of Sarmatia, did 
fettle in this Ifland ^ but being taken Pri- 
foner and made a Slave by the Mahome- 
tans in thefe parts, he chang'd the Chri- 
ftian Religion for that of the Turh^ and 
being fold into Cambaja, was at laft for 
his lingular dexterity in managing the 
Bow and Arrow, prefer'd to the Service 
of K. Madrafakaon the Father of K. Ma- 
mudm. Ja^y-i to give a Proof of his Sldll? 
fliooting one day a certain Bird of Prey 
flying, he gain'd thereby fo much Credit, 
that the King not long after gave him 
his liberty, and reftor'd to him rhe lOe 
of Diu. 
This Ifle, which at that time had no- 
thing to fiiew but the Ruins and mifera- 
ble Remnants of a once fiourifhing City, 
began to recover part of its former Splen- 
dor under Jazy^ by reafon of its con- 
venient Situation, betwixt the Arabian 
Shoar, and the Kingdom of Decan. Reflofd by 
Having provided for the fecurity of the Jazy, 
place, by erefting divers Forts and other 
Fortifications, and his Wealth increafing 
in a few years, he began to eqi^ip a Fleet, 
in order to attack his Enemies Ships at 
Sea. Hocenus (otherwife named Mir 
Amiraz^em ) a Perfian by Birth, and Com- 
mander in chief of the Ships that were 
to come from Egypt into the Indies., ha- 
ving lately had a fmart Engagemeni with 
the Portuguefes, Laurence and Franc'vs d' 
Almeyda, and coming that way, Jax.y 
thought fit to enter into a Confederacy 
with 
