Chap. IL from J . B. T a V e r n i e ft. 835 
The People of this Town having a Mlm Cachi , or Co- 
lonel of a thoufand Foot flain for Sodomy, by his Boy, 
whom he had forced, he juftified the Fad againft the Gover- 
nor, fo that he durft not puniffi him for the Murder, but 
difmifled him after fix Months imprifonment. From Patna 
you fail down the River to Decu , paffmg by feveral Towns 
where you lodge at Night *, viz. Sera-Beconcour , which is 
beyond the River Pomponfou , which comes from the South* 
falls into the Ganges , Sera-Enjah , between which and the 
City Monger four Rivers, viz. the Raoa , Chanan , Erguga , 
and Aquera , fall into the Gaiiges on both Sides. Leaving 
Monger , you fail by the Mouth of the Ganges at a large 
River, and arrive at Zangira , beyond which the Ronova , 
STftZ, and Chanon , empty themfelves into the Ganges . And 
after you arrive at Baquelapour , and palling by the River 
Catare, you come to Pongangol , which lies at the Foot of 
certain Mountains which come down to the Ganges. Be- 
yond this Place you meet with the River Marl-Nardi , 
and by it fail to Rage-Mehale , a City upon the Right- 
hand of Ganges ; if you go by Land to it, the High-way 
is paved with Brick for a League or two before the Town. 
Formerly the Governor of Bengal refided here, partly be- 
caufe it was a Place of great Trade, and partly becaufe it 
is ah excellent Country for hunting, as well as to keep the 
King of Aracan in Awe, and fupprels the Portugueze 
Banditti, who have retired to the Mouths of Ganges , and 
make Excurfions as far as Decu itfelf. 
But the River having left the City above half a League, 
the Governor and Merchants are removed to Decu , 
which, at prefent is a large City and full of Trade. From 
this Town, you come firft: by Water to Donapour , then to 
rautipour , where there are abundance of Crocodiles in the 
River; as alfo at Acer at , which is in the Way. The 
vulgar Report is, that a Mufket-Shot will not pierce the 
Skins of the Crocodiles ; but, upon Trial, it is found falfe. 
Then you fail to Douloudia , and palling the Mouth of the 
River Chativer , you come to Damp our? and fo to Jatra- 
pour , near which the Ganges divides itfelf into three Arms, 
and then by Baga, Maca , and Kajiata ; having palfed the 
Mouth of the River Lapicio two Leagues, you arrive at 
Decu. This Town runs altogether in Length ; befides, 
every one ftrives to have his Dwelling by the Side of the 
Ganges. It is two Leagues long, but the Houfes are but forry 
Huts, made of Bamboos, and daubed over with Earth. 
The Governor’s Palace is a Place enclofed with high 
Walls, in the Midft of which is 'a pitiful Houfe, built of 
Wood : He generally lodges in Tents, which he caufes to 
be fet up in a great Court of that Inclofure. The Hollan- 
ders have here a very fair Houfe, which they have built 
for the Safety of their Goods, and the Englijh have ano- 
ther, but not fo handfome. The Church of the Auguftin- 
Friars is alfo of Brick, and is a very {lately Pile. 
15. There are feveral Roads from Surat to Golconda : 
As by Sea, by Goa , and Vifapour , and by Agra. Thefe 
two Roads by Land meet at Dultabat , and therefore I will 
fpeak firft of the Road from Surat , as the molt common, 
and then of that by Goa and Vifapour. From Surat you 
travel by Gambari , Bar noli? Bear a , Navebour , Rinkula , 
Pipelner , Nainpour , Patane , Secoura , Sequoia, and Difcon 
to Dultabat. This Town is one of the bell Fortreffes in 
the Dominions of the Great Mogul, being feated upon a 
Mountain every Way fteep, the only Way being fo nar- 
row, that but one Horfe, or one Camel, can go at a Time. 
This Town (lands at the Foot of the Mountain, very well 
walled, with a natural fmooth Rock, and has Battlements 
and Towers mounted with Cannon ; but it is the Citadel 
on the Top of the Hill that is accounted the main Strength 
of it ; for in it are a great many excellent Pieces of Can- 
non, and the Cannoneers are generally Englijh or Hol- 
landers. 
From Dultabat you go to Aurenabat , before defcribed, 
and fo through Pipoli , Aubar , Guifernner , AJiin, Sarver , 
and Lefona , to Nadour. Here you crofs a River, which 
runs, into the Ganges , and muft pay for every Waggon* 
load of Goods four Rupees , and have a Pafs from the Go- 
vernor. From Nadour you travel to Patent a , and fo by 
Kaheri, Satapour , Satanag , or Saianagar , where you be- 
gin to enter upon the Territories of the King of Golconda. 
The other Road through Goa and Vifapour to Golconda , 
lies thus ; you may go from Surat to God, partly by Land 
and partly by Sea ; but the Road being very bad by Land* 
Travellers generally go by Sea, and hiring an Aknadire* 
which is a Bark with Oars, fail by the Shore to Goa , and 
fo they pafs by thefe Towns, which are convenient to 
lodge in, or victual at, viz. Daman , Bajfain , Chacul , Da- 
boul , Rejapour , and Mingrela to Goai From Surat to 
Goa is two hundred and Forty Leagues. The great Dan- 
ger in this coafting Voyage is, falling into the Hands of 
the Malabar s , or Indian Pirates, who are furious Moham- 
medans , and very cruel to the Chriftians* whom they put 
to barbarous Tortures if they take them, to make them 
feek their Ranfom the fooner. The Malabars fbrnetimes 
carry two hundred, and fometimes two hundred and forty 
Men, and fail together in Squadrons of ten or fifteen Barks 
to attack a great Ship, for they care not a Rufh for the 
great Guns : They come on Board of a hidden 5 and caft 
fuch a great Quantity of Pots of artificial Fire upon the 
Decks, that if there be not, a fpeedy Remedy applied* 
they do a world of Mifchief. Our Seamen generally know- 
ing the Cuftorn of thefe Pirates, when they come within 
Sight, (hut up the Skuttles, and fill the Deck with Water* 
to hinder the Fire-pots from doing Execution. 
Goa lies in an Ifiand fix or feven Leagues about, upon 
the River Mandoua , ten Leagues from the Mouth of the 
River. This Ifiand abounds in Corn, Rice, and feveral 
forts of Fruit, as Mangas, Ananas, Adam’s Figs* and Co- 
coas, but all of them are inferior to a Pippin. The Port 
of Goa is very commodious, the City is very large, and 
the Walls are of good Stone ; the Houfes for the mod 
part are very magnificently built* efpecially the Viceroy’s 
Palace ; but being clofely environed with Hills, the Air 
is made unwholfome, and fo excefiively hot, that the Inha- 
bitants are not fo many as otherwife they would be. Beef 
and Pork are the ordinary Diet, and they have Plenty of 
Poultry and Pigeons ; but Fifh is fcarce* though they 
are near the Sea : They have abundance of all forts of 
Sweet-meats, and great Plenty of good V/ ater. Before the 
Dutch brought down the Power of the Portugueze in In- 
dia, there was nothing to be feen at Goa but Magnificence 
and Riches : They made vafl Profits without any Lofs 5 
and every Man was a Trader except the Governor. But 
now the Dutch having got the Trade every where cut of 
their Hands, tho 5 they are dill Matters of Goa ; they have 
loft their Mines of Silver and Gold, and are fallen from 
their Splendor. The ‘Natives of the Country, whom they 
call Canarins , or Blacks , are not permitted to bear any 
Offices among the Portugueze, but only in reference to the 
Law, viz. As Advocates, Sollicitors, and Scriveners, and 
they keep them very much under. If one of them hap- 
pen to ftrike a white Man, or European, there is no Pardon 
for him, but his Head muft be cut off. The Spaniards 
and Portugueze make ufe of them to tranfabl their Bufi- 
nels, and receive their Money ; and many of them by that 
means are grown very rich, and have many Slaves to 
attend them in good Habits •, but they all, both Matters 
and Servants, go barefoot; for the Portugueze, though 
they have been offered great Sums to fuffer them to wear 
Hofe and Shoes, yet will not allow it. They are very 
couragious, and good Soldiers, and quick and ingenious 
at learning of Sciences, but they are Idolaters, and wor- 
ftiip fereral forts of Idols, which, they fay, ate the Refem- 
blance of feveral that have done good Works* to whom 
they give Honour by adoring their Portrait. 
There are fome of thefe Idolaters that worfhip Apes, and 
have built Pagods to thofe Bealls. In the Ifiand of Salfet 
there was a Pagod, where the Idolaters keep in a Cheil, 
the Bones and Nails of an Ape that had been ferviceable 
to their Anceftors, by bringing Intelligence when any Prince 
their Enemy fought their Ruin. The Indians c ame in Pro- 
ceffion from feveral Places to this Pagod, and made Offer- 
ings to it ; and when the Clergy of Goa took away the 
Tomb, they offered a great Sum of Money for their Re- 
licks ; but the Clergy not thinking fuch grofs Idolatry fuf- 
ferable, caufed it to be thrown into the Depth of the Sea* 
The River of Mandoua alfo is had in as great Veneration 
by the Bramins and the other Gentiles: as the Ganges, and at 
certain times, and upon certain PeftivaJs, they dock thither 
from their,, feveral Parts to perfqrna their Purifications. The 
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