The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

Of the abundance of fishes, which cast thēselues vpon the shore.

IN this countrey there is one strange thing to be obserued, y^t euery seueral kind of fishes in those seas come swimming towards the said countrey in such abundance, that, for a great distance in∣to the sea, nothing can be seene by y^e backs of fishes: which, casting thēselues vpon the shore when they come neere vnto it, do suffer men, for the space of 3. daies, to come & to take as many of thē as they please, & then they returne againe vnto the sea. After that kind of fishes comes another kind, offering it selfe after the same maner, and so in like sort all other kinds whatsoeuer: notwithstan∣ding they do this but once in a yere. And I demaunded of the inhabitants there, how, or by what meanes this strange accident could come to passe? They answered, that fishes were taught, euen by nature, to come & to do homage vnto their Emperour.* 1.1 There be Tortoises also as bigge as an

ouen. Many other things I saw which are incredible, vnlesse a man should see them with his own eies. In this country also dead men are burned, & their wiues are burned aliue with them, as in the city of Polumbrum aboue mentioned: for the men of that country say that she goeth to accompany him in another world, that he should take none other wife in mariage. Moreouer I traueled on further by the ocean-sea towards the south, & passed through many countries and islands, wherof one is called Moumoran,* 1.2 & it cōtaineth in compasse ii. M. miles, wherin men & women haue dogs faces, and worship an oxe for their god: and therefore euery one of them cary the image of an oxe of gold or siluer vpon their foreheads. The men and the women of this country go all naked, sauing that they hang a linen cloth before their priuities. The men of the said country are very tall and mighty, and by reason that they goe naked, when they are to make battell, they cary yron or steele-targets before them, which do couer and defend their bodies from top to toe: and whomsoeuer of their foes they take in battel not being able to ransom himselfe for money, they presently deuoure him: but if he be able to redeeme himselfe for money, they let him go free. Their king weareth a∣bout his necke 300. great and most beautifull vnions, and saith euery day 300. prayers vnto his god. He weareth vpon his finger also a stone of a span long, which seemeth to be a flame of fire, and therefore when he weareth it, no man dare once approch vnto him: and they say that there is not any stone in the whole world of more value then it. Neither could at any time the great Tar∣tarian Emperour of Katay either by force, money, or poli••ie obtaine it at his hands: notwithstan∣ding that he hath done the vemost of his indeuour for this purpose.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tortoises.
• * 1.2

  Moumoran.