206 The VOYAGES of Book I, 
the Eaft Indies , and in which they fixed themfelves : 
They were not able to do this without a great Effufion of 
Blood ; nor were they many Years in Poffeffion, before they 
were driven out by the Butch. Thefe laft Conquerors 
found it a very difficult Matter to fupport themfelves 
againfl the Natives, who attacked them with great Spirit, 
and had at firft fo much Succefs, that, if it had not been 
for the Courage and Condubt of Major John Bergman , they 
had infallibly been driven out of this Country, which, 
however, with much ado, he preferred. 
The Coaft of Malabar hath in Extent about an hundred 
and fifty Leagues, and is in Breadth about twenty. The 
Climate, though very warm, is very wholfome •, the Soil 
alio is fertile in Rice, Fruit, and all Sorts of Herbs. 
This Country is divided into abundance of fmall Principa- 
lities ; among which, the following have the Title of 
Kingdoms ; viz. Canaron , Calecut , Cranganor , Couchin , 
Calicoulang , Porcacoulang , and Travankor. As the Ca- 
pital of the Dutch Poffeffions in this Country is the City of 
Couchin , we fhall particularly defcribe that little Kingdom. 
It reaches from Chitwa , about twenty-four Leagues to the 
Southward •, and, on the Coaft, is divided by the Rivulets 
that run from the Mountains of Gatti , into a Multitude of 
fmall Elands ; and thefe Rivers have two great Mouths, 
or Outlets, one at Couchin , and the other at Cranganor e. 
The firft Europeans that fettled in Couchin were the Por- 
, tuguefe , and they built a fine City on the River-fide, about 
three Leagues from the Sea-, but the Sea gaining on the 
Land yearly, it is not now above one hundred Paces from 
it. It Hands fo pl'eafantly, that the P or tuguefe had a com- 
mon Saying, That China was a Country to get Money in, 
and Couchin was a Place to fpend it in -, for the great Num- 
bers of Canals formed by the Rivers and Elands, made Fifh- 
ing and Fowling very diverting, and the Mountains are well 
itored with wild Game. On the Infide of Baypin Eland, 
there is an old Fort, built by the Portuguefe , called Pal- 
liapore , to infpebt all Boats that go between Cranganore 
and Couchin ; and, five Leagues up the Rivulets, is a 
Romijh Church, called Varapoli , ferved by French and 
Italian Priefts ; and, when a Biffiop comes into thofe 
Parts, it is the Place of his Refidence. The Padre, Su- 
perior of Varapoli , can raife upon Occafion 4000 Men, all 
Chriftians of the Church of Rome ; but there are many 
more St. Thomas Chriftians, that do not communicate 
with thofe of Rome. About two Leagues farther up, to- 
wards the Mountains, on the Side of a fmall, but a deep 
River, is a Place called Firdalgo , where the Inhabitants of 
'Couchin generally affemble to refrefh themfelves in the hot 
Months of April and May. The Banks and Bottom of the 
River are clean Sand, and the Water fo clear, that a fmall 
Pebble-flone may be feen at the Bottom in three Fathom 
Water. 
The Water of this Country, from the Sea Coaft to 
1 Cranganore to St. Andreas , which is about twelve Leagues, 
has a very bad Quality of caufing in the Drinkers of it 
•fwelled Legs fome it affebts in one Leg, and fome in 
both, fo that their Legs are above a Y ard about at the 
Ancle it caufes no Pain, but itching ; nor does the thick 
Leg feel heavier than the fmall one, to thofe who have 
them. But the Dutch at Couchin , to prevent that Malady, 
fend Boats daily to Varapoli , to Jade with fmall portable 
Casks of ten or twelve Englifh Gallons, to ferve the City. 
The Company’s Servants have their Water free of Charges, 
but private Perfons pay Sixpence per Cask, if it is brought 
to their Houfes and yet, for all that Precaution, there 
are both Dutch Men and Women troubled with that Ma- 
lady, and no means has been yet found to heal or prevent 
It. J The old Legends impute the Caufe of thefe fwelled 
•Legs to a Curie St. Thomas laid upon his Murderers, and 
then Pofterity, as the odious Mark they fliould be diffin- 
■o-uifhed by. But St. Thomas was killed by the Tilnigue 
Priefts at Malliapore , on Cormandel above 400 Miles 
diftant from this Coaft j and the Natives there have no 
Touch of this Malady. 
Couchin is walked by the greateft Outlet on this Coaft, 
and, being fo near the Sea, makes it ftrong by Nature, 
but Art has not been wanting to (Lengthen it. The City 
built by the Portuguefe was about a Mile and an half long, 
and a Mile broad. The Dutch took it from the Portuguefe 
about the Year 1662. when Heitloff van Ghonz was Ge- 
neral of the Dutch Forces by Land, and Commodore of a 
Fleet by Sea. The Infolence of the Portuguefe had made 
feveral neighbouring Princes become their Enemies, who 
joined with the Dutch , to drive them out of their Neigh- 
bourhood ; and the King of Couchin , particularly, affifted 
with 20,000 Men., The Dutch had not long invefted the 
Town, before van Ghonz received Advice of a Peace con- 
cluded between Portugal and Holland ; but that he kept a 
Secret to himfelf. He therefore, having made a Breach in 
the weakeft Part of the Wall, proceeded to a furious 
Affault, for eight Days and Nights, without Intermiffion, 
and relieved his Affailants every three Hours ; but the Por- 
tuguefe, , keeping their Men continually fatigued, and on 
Duty all the while, and finding the City at laft in Danger 
of being taken by Storm, capitulated, and delivered up the 
Place. In the Town there were 400 Topafes , who had 
done the Portuguefe good Service, but were not compre- 
hended in the Treaty : As foon as they knew of that 
Omiffion, and the Cruelty and Licentioufnefs of the Dutch 
Soldiery in India , they drew up on a Parade within the 
Port that the Portuguefe were to go out at, and the Dutch to 
enter in ; and fwore, that if they had not the fame Favours 
and Indulgence that were granted to the Portuguefe , they 
would maffacre them all, and let Fire to the Town. The 
Dutch General knew his own Incereft too well to deny what 
they defired ; and offered, moreover, to take thofe, who 
had a mind to ferve, into Dutch Pay, which many of them 
accepted. The very next Day after the Dutch had Pof- 
feffion, came a Frigate from Goa , with the Articles of 
Peace made with Holland ; and the Portuguefe complained 
loudly of the General’s unfair Dealings.; but were an- 
fwered, that the Portuguefe had abled the fame Farce to- 
wards the Dutch , at their taking Fernambuco in Brafil a few 
Years before. The Englifh had then a Factory in Couchin , 
but the Dutch ordered them to remove, with their Effebls, 
which they according did, to their Fabtory at Pennany. 
As foon as the Dutch became Mailers of the City, they 
thought it was too large ; and fo contrabled it to what it is 
now, being hardly One- tenth of what it was. It is about 
600 Paces long, and 200 broad, fortified with feven large 
Baftions, and Curtains fo thick, that two Rows of large 
Trees are planted on them for Shade in the hot Seafon. 
Some Streets built by the Portuguefe are ftill Handing, with 
a Church for the Dutch Service, and a Cathedral, now 
turned into a Warehoufe. The Commander’s Houfe, 
which is a {lately Strublure, is the only Houfe built after 
the Dutch Mode, and the River waflies fome Part of its 
Walls. Their Flag-ftaff is placed on the Steeple of the old 
Cathedral, on a Mali of feventy-five Feet high, and a Staff 
at the Top of it about fixtyFeet ; and the Flag may be 
feen above feven Leagues off'. T he Garifon generally con- 
fills of 300 effeblive Men, and from Cape Comer in up- 
wards. They are allowed in all their Forts and Fabtories 
500 Soldiers, and 100 Seamen, all Europeans, befidesfome 
Topaffes , and the Militia. They have their Store of Rice 
from Barfalore , becaufe the Malabar Rice will not keep 
above three Months out of the Hufk, but in the Hulk it 
will keep a Year. The Country produces great Quantities 
of Pepper, but lighter than that which grows more 
Northerly. Their Woods afford good Teak for building, 
and Angelique and Pawpeet for making large Chefts and 
Cabinets, which are carried all over the Weft Coafts of In- 
dia. They have alfo Iron and Steel In Plenty, and Bees- 
wax, for exporting. Their Seas afford them abundance of 
good Fifh of feveral Kinds, which, with thofe that are 
caught in their Rivers, make them very cheap. 
Cranganore lies a League up the River from the Sea, 
and the Dutch have a Fort there. This Place is remarka- 
ble for having been formerly the Seat of a JewiJh Govern- 
ment, that Nation having been once fo numerous there, 
that they could reckon above 80,000 Families, butatpre- 
fent are reduced to 4000. They have a Synagogue at 
Couchin , not far from the King’s Palace, about two Miles 
from the City, in which are carefully kept their Records, 
engraven on Copper-plates in Hebrew Charabters ; and 
when any of the Charabters decay, they are new cut ; fo 
that they can fhew their Hiftory from the Reign of Nebu- 
chadnezzar to this prefent time. Mynheer van Reede , 
about 
