754 
The Remarks, &c. of John Albert de Mandelfloe 
Book I. 
eordingly, and tlie Chapel called Our Blejfed Lady of Vic- 
tory . The Moors, foon after repenting of their Bargain,- 
made feveral Efforts to rid their Hands of thefe unwelcome 
Guefts; but they being conftantly, upon their Guard, not 
only fruflrated all their Defigns, but alfo engrafted all 
the Commerce of thofe Parts to themfelves, only permit- 
ting Saffeddin to live in the Ifle, at a good Diftance from 
the Citadel. Shah Abas being provoked by their Infolence, 
and efpecially by their having given Protection to a cer- 
tain Italian , named Gabrieli, who was fled out of Perjia, 
engaged the Englijh to join with him in reducing this 
Place, which was attacked and carried in 1622, and put 
into the Hands of the Perftans •, the Wall of the City being 
demolifhed, and Gambron raifed upon the Ruins of Ormuz. 
The Englijh, as a Reward for their Service, had not 
only an Exemption from all Duties granted them at Gam- 
Iron, but alfo a Moiety of all the Cuftoms that Ihould be 
received there. By this Time an Englijh Ship, called the 
Swan , Burthen 300 Tuns, carrying twenty-four Guns, 
being arrived in the Harbour of Gambron , bound for Su- 
rat, Mr. Honywood, the chief Agent for the Englifh Com- 
pany, recommended me to the Captain, to carry me, and 
defray all my Charges thither j but what proved very vex- 
atious to me was, that out of eight Horfes which Thad 
brought along with me, and could have fold for an hundred 
and fifty Crowns a-piece at Surat , I could carry no more 
than two, being obliged to fell the reft at Gambron for 
half what they coft me. 
8 . I embarked the 6th of April with Mr. Manley and 
Mr, Hall, two Englijh Merchants, and went from Gam- 
bron to Surat in nineteen Days *, during which Time I 
was very civily entertained by the Captain, who refigned 
his own Bed to me, and being very plentifully provided 
with Fowl, Mutton, good Sack, Englijh Beer, French 
Wine, and other Refreffiments : This with the Ufe of a 
Ptifan made of Cinamon, and the Rhind of Pomegra- 
nates, and of a good Quantity of Tea, reftored me to 
perfect Health. The Wind proving contrary that Day, 
we were obliged to lie at Anchor till the next, when we 
took our Cofirfe towards the Ifle of Ormuz ; but, being 
furprized by a Tempeft from the Weft, were forced to 
come to an Anchor in Sight of this Ifland. The 8th we 
endeavoured, by labouring with a Weft-Wind, to pafs 
between the Ifles of Ormuz and Kifmifch, which are four 
Leagues diftant from each other. The fame Day one of 
our Seamen, who died of the Bloody-flux, being thrown 
over- board, and I being as yet afflicted with the fame Di- 
ftemper, the Sight of it caufed very melancholy Specula- 
tions in me. The next Night having paflfed between the 
two Iflands, we coafted it along the Sea- Shore of Arabia , 
which is very fafe thereabouts. 
The 10th being in the open Sea, we difcovered a Pirate, 
who fometimes came pretty near us, but finding we en- 
deavoured to get the Wind of him, he made towards the 
Ifle of Socotora, fituate in 21 0 40', at the very Entrance 
of the Red-Sea. To the W. and N. E. it has Melinda 
or Ethiopia, and to the S. the Continent of Arabia, from 
whence it is not above fixteen Leagues diftant. Its Length 
is about twenty-five Leagues, and the Breadth ten, hav- 
ing very good Harbours and fafe Anchorage on all 
Sides. The Inhabitants, who are governed by a Sultan, un- 
der the Jurisdiction of a King of Arabia , are of a mean 
Stature, inclining to Leannefs, of a black Complexion, 
but very hardy. They feed chiefly upon Fiffl and Fruits j 
they live very friendly with their Wives, who are chiefly 
Arabians, but do not permit them to be leen by Strangers. 
As they are very crafty in their Dealings, and adulterate 
thofe few Commodities they have, fo they are always mif- 
truftful of others.. They ufe the Pafte of Dates inftead of 
Bread. The Ifland affords fome Oranges,, but none of the 
beft * Tobacco and Citruls, as alfo fome Cocoa-Trees, but 
the Fruit feldom comes to Maturity, by reafon of the 
ftony Grounds. Their chief Commodity is Aloes, the 
Juice of which is gathered in Bladders or Goat-fkins dried 
in the Sun. They are alfo well ftored with the Gum called 
Dragon’s-Blood, and keep abundance of Civit-Cats ; fo 
that Civit may be bought there for three, or four Crowns 
an Ounce *, but the worft is, that they adulterate it with 
Greafe. They have no wild Fowl, and but very little 
tame \ yet are not deftitute of Cattle, fuch as Camels, 
Affes, Oxen, Cows, Sheep' and Goats, the Hair of which 
about the Thighs are curled as our Satyrs are painted. 
The Refldence of the Governor is called Famary, be- 
ing defended by a Fort not above a Cannon-lhot from the. 
Sea-fide. They make ufe of Broad-fwords with large 
Hilts, without a Guard. Their Poiniards, which they 
wear conftantly on their Girdles, have Blades of near three 
Inches broad near the Hilts, but very fharp towards the 
Points. They alfo underftand the Management of Fire- 
arms, but don’t keep them well ; and are very expert in 
the Ufe of their fmall Bucklers, wherewith they defend 
themfelves againft their Enemies. They have no other 
Shipping than a few flat-bottomed Fifhing- boats. Thc : 
Torrents which fall down from the Mountains into the Sea, 
like a River, furnifh all the Ships that come into that 
Road with fufficient Quantities of freffl Water. They 
eat no Swines Flefli any more than other Mohammedans a 
but have no Mofques, or any other publick Places of De-* 
votion, which confifts chiefly in adoring the Sun every 
Morning, and at the riling and fetting of the fame, which, 
they repeat three or four Times a Day, befides muttering, 
out certain Words as they make their Reverence. 
The 14th of April viz were in 23 0 24G the 1.5th at 
22° 40 ; , and the 16th at 22°40 / ; the 17th at 2 1° 55^ 
when our Captain fell Tick of a Fever. The 18th at 21® 
8 y j the 19th at 200 42' ; the 20th at 20° 50G the 22d 
20 0 50* i the 23d at 20° iV, and the 25th arrived fafely 
in the Road of Surat, where we call Anchor within two 
Leagues of the Shore, becaufe the Captain not intending 
to ftay here, would be fure of the Conveniency of going 
away when he pleafed ; befides, that from May to Sep 
t ember there is no fafe riding at Anchor in this Road, by 
reafon of the frequent Tempefts ; whereas on the Eaftern- 
Coafts of the Indies, in the Gulph of Bengal the Seafon is 
very fair and calm all that Time ; for, it is to be ob- 
ferved, that the Year here has only three Seafons. In the 
Months of February, March , April, and May it is excef- 
five hot j in June, July, Auguft, and September, there is. 
nothing elfe but Rain, with Thunder and Lightening 5 
and the Months Qftober, November , December, and J.a- , 
nuary are cold, as far as is confident with that Climate. 
9. April the 26th the Captain having fent Advice of 
his Arrival, the chief Director of the Englijh Company at 
Surat, fent two young Merchants on Board to defire us to, 
come to Surat *, fo that after having teftified my Acknow** 
ledgements to him for his many Civilities by a fmall Pre- 
fent, I left the Ship the 29th, and no fooner entered the 
River Tape or Fynde, upon which Surat lies, but we had m 
very agreeable ProfpeCt to many pleafant Gardens and 
Summer-houfes all white, and furrounded with green 
Trees. It is 10 lhallow at the Entrance, that it will fcarce 
carry a Bark of feventy or eighty Tun. We landed near 
the Sultan’s Palace, and from thence went ftrait away to 
the Cuftom-houfe to have our Things fearched, which is 
done with fo much Rigour here, that they fpare not you? 
Cloaths or Pockets ; and what is worfe, the Sultan, nay, 
and chief Cuftom-houle Officers have a Cuftom to obliges 
Strangers to part with any thing they like beft at fuch a 
Price, as they pleafe ; accordingly the Sultan having feen 
an Amber-bracelet and a Diamond among my Things, 
would needs cheapen them both ; but I telling him that I 
was no Merchant, and intended not to fell them, but ta 
keep them for the Sake of thofe who had prefented them 
to me, I faved my Diamond, but he would needs take the 
Bracelet, under Pretence that he would reftore it to me 
whenever I Ihould honour him with a Vifit. 
By this Time the Englijh Governor, having fent his 
Coach, drawn by two white Oxen, I went to the Houfe be- 
longing to their Company 5 at the Entrance of which I was 
received by the Director himfelf and his Deputy, one Mr. 
Fleming : As the Director underftood Dutch very well, he • 
accofted me in that Language, telling me, that in fuch a 
Country as this, he thought all Chriftians were obliged to 
give Affiftance one to another ; but that to me he was 
obliged to do it more particularly, in return for the Afi- 
feCtion I had expreffed to fome of his Countrymen at If 
pahan. Having returned the Compliment, I was con-* 
ducted into a Room where a Collation was ready for me ; 
