A geographical historie of Africa, written in Arabicke and Italian by Iohn Leo a More, borne in Granada, and brought vp in Barbarie. Wherein he hath at large described, not onely the qualities, situations, and true distances of the regions, cities, townes, mountaines, riuers, and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa; but also the descents and families of their kings ... gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations, and partly out of the ancient records and chronicles of the Arabians and Mores. Before which, out of the best ancient and moderne writers, is prefixed a generall description of Africa, and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. ... Translated and collected by Iohn Pory, lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge

The second testimonie taken out of the 32. and 33. chapters of the Ethiopian historie of Francis Aluarez, which for the satisfaction of euerie Reader, I haue put downe with all particularities and circumstances.

Of the great multitude of Locusts, and the infinite domage that they procure in the dominions of Prete Ianni, Chap. 32.

IN this quarter and throughout all the dominion of Prete Ianni, there is an horrible and great plague, to wit an in∣numerable companie of Locustes, which eate and consume the corne, and trees of fruite; and so great is the number of these creatures, as it is not credible, for with the multitude of them the earth is couered, and the aire so ouerspred, as one may hardlie di∣scerne the sunne: and further I affirme, that it is a thing most strange to him who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not seene it; and if the domage they performe were generall through all the prouinces and kingdomes of Prete Ianni, his people woulde die with famine, neither coulde men possiblie there inhabite: But one yeere they destroy one prouince, and the next yeere another 〈◊〉〈◊〉: as if for example, they waste the kingdome of Portugall or Castile this 〈◊〉〈◊〉, an other yeere they are in the quarters of Lenteio, an other in Estremadura, an other in Beira, or betweene the riuer Dorus and Minius, an other on the mountaines, an other in old Castilia, Aragon or Andaluzia, and other∣whiles in two or three of these prouinces at once; and wheresoeuer they come, the earth is more wasted and destroied by them, then if it had beene all ouer consumed with a fire. These locusts are as bigge as the greatest gras∣hoppers

hauing yellow wings. Their comming into the countrie is knowne a day before: not for that we can see them, but we know it by the sunne, who is yellow of colour, this being a signe that they draw neere to the countrie, as also the earth looketh yellowe, by reason of the light which reflecteth from their wings: whereupon the people in a manner become presentlie halfe dead, saying, we are vndone, for the Ambati, that is to say, the locustes are come. And I can not forbeare to set downe that which I sawe three sun∣drie times, and first in Barua, where we had now beene for the space of three yeeres, and heere we often heard it saide, that such a countrey and such a realme was destroied by the Locusts: and being in this prouince we sawe the sunne and the vpper part of the earth looke all yellow, the people being in a manner halfe dead for sorrow: But the day following it was an incredi∣ble thing to see the number of these creatures that came, which to our iudgement couered fower and twentie miles of lande, as afterward we were enformed. When this scourge and plague was come, the priestes of that place came and sought me out, requesting me to giue them some remedie for the driuing of them away, and I answered, that I could tel them nothing, but only that they shoulde deuoutly pray vnto God, that he woulde driue them out of the countrie. And so I went to the Ambassadour, and told him, that it would be very good to goe on procession, beseeching God that hee woulde deliuer the countrie, who peraduenture in his great mercie might heare vs. This liked the Ambassadour very well: and the day following we gathered togither the people of the land, with all the priests, and taking the consecrated stone, and the crosse, according to their custome, all we Portu∣gals sung the Letanie, and appointed those of the land, that they should lift vp their voices aloud as we did, saying in their language Zio marina Christos, which is as much to say, as Lord God haue mercy vpon vs: and with this manner of inuocation we went ouer a peece of grounde, where there were fieldes of wheate, for the space of a mile, euen to a little hill: and heere I* 1.1 caused many of these locustes to be taken, pronouncing ouer them a cer∣taine coniuration, which I had about me in writing, hauing made it that night, requesting, admonishing, and excommunicating them, enioining them within the space of three howers to depart towards the sea, or the lande of the Moores, or the desert mountaines, and to let the Christians alone: and they not performing this, I summoned and charged the birdes of heauen, the beasts of the earth, and all sorts of tempests, to scatter, destroy, and eate vp their bodies: and to this effect I tooke a quantitie of locusts, making this admonition to them present, in the behalfe likewise of them absent, and so giuing them libertie, I suffered them to depart. It pleased God to heare vs sinners, for in our returne home, they came so thicke vpon our backes, as it seemed that they woulde haue broken our heads, or shoulders, so hard they strooke against vs, as if we had beene beaten with stones and cudgels, and in this sort they went towards the sea: The men, women, and children remai∣ning at home, were gotten vpon the tops, or tarrasses of their houses, giuing

God thankes that the locusts were going away, some afore, and others followed. In the meane while towardes the sea, there arose a great cloude with thunder, which met them full in the teeth, and continued for the space of three howers with much raine, and tempest, that filled all the riuers, and when the raine ceased, it was a fearefull thing to behold the dead Locustes, which were more then two* 1.2 yardes in height vpon the bankes of the riuers, and in some riuers there were mightie heapes of them, so that the morning following there was not one of them found aliue vpon the earth. The peo∣ple of the places adioining hearing this, came in great numbers to en∣quire how this matter was effected; many of the inhabitants said, these Por∣tugals be holy men, and by the power of their God, they haue killed and dri∣uen away the locusts: others saide, especially the priests and friers of those places neere about, that we were witches, and by power of enchantments had driuen away the saide creatures, and that for this cause we feared neither lions, nor any other wilde beast: Three daies after this effect, there came vnto vs a Xuum, that is, a captaine of a place called Coiberia, with men, priests, and friers, to request vs, that we woulde for the loue of God helpe them, saying that they were in a manner destroied by the locustes; and that place was a daies iourney off towards the sea. They came to vs about eue∣ning, and at the same instant, I and fower other Portugals departed awaie with them, we went all night, and came thither an hower within daie, where we found, that all those of the countrey, with many of the other places ad∣ioining were assembled togither, for they were also molested by the locusts. And assoone as we were come, we went our procession rounde about the land, which was seated vpon an high hill, from whence we might discerne manie countries and places all yellow by reason of the multitude of locusts. Such inuocatious and ceremonies being ended, as we performed in the other place, we went to dinner, & the men that were borderers, requested vs to goe with them, promising vs great rewardes: It pleased god, that as soon as we had dined, we saw all the earth so cleared that there was not soe much as one locust to be seene: The people seeing this and not being satisfied with the fauour and grace receiued, they requested vs to goe and blesse their pos∣sessions, for they were yet afraid least the locusts would returne; and so wee departed.

Of the dommage we sawe done in another prouince by the Locustes, in two sundrie places. Chap. 33.

AN other time also we sawe the Locustes, being in a towne called A∣buguna: Prete Ianni sent vs to this towne which is in the kingdome of Angote, and distant from Barua, where we continued, thirtie daies iourney, to the ende that there we might be furnished with victuals: Being come 〈◊〉〈◊〉, I went with the ambassadour Zagazabo, who came into Portugall,

and fiue Genoueses, towards a certain towne & a moūtaine called Aguoan, & we trauailed fiue daies through places all desert & destroied, which places were sowen with Maiz, hauing stalkes as great as those props which we vse about our vines, and we might see them all broken and troden vnderfoote, as if there had beene a tempest, and this had the locusts done. Their wheate, barley, and Taffo da guza were so eaten, as it seemed they neuer had beene either tilled or sowne. The trees were without leaues, and their barkes all gnawne & eaten, and there was not so much as a spire of grasse, for they had deuoured euery thing; and if we had not beene aduised, and foreseene the same (for when we departed, we laded our mules with victuals) we and our beastes had died togither for hunger. The countrey was couered all ouer with winglesse locustes; and they saide, that those were the seede of them, which had deuoured all, and that when they had gotten wings, they would go seeke out the rest, the number of these was so great, as I am loath to re∣port, bicause I shoulde not perhaps be credited: but this I may well affirme, that I sawe men, women, and children, sit as it were amazed amongst these locusts, and I saide vnto them, why sit you thus halfe dead, and doe not kill these creatures, and so reuenge your selues of the wrong, that their fa∣thers and mothers haue done you, or at least that those which you kill may be able to doe you no more harme? They answered, taht they had not the hart, to withstand the scourge of God which hee had sent vpon them for their sins: And all the people of this place departed hence, so that we found the waies full of men and women on foot, with their children in their armes, and vpon their heads, going into other countries, where they might finde victuall, and it was great pittie to behold them. We being in the saide pro∣uince of Abuguna, in a place called Aquate, there came such swarmes of lo∣custes as were innumerable: which one day began to fall vpon the grounde about nine of the clocke in the morning, and ceased not while night; where they lighted, there they staide, and then the next day in the morning went away: so that at three of the clocke in the afternoone there was not one of them to be seene, and in this short time they left the trees vtterly destitute of leaues. On the same day and hower there came an other squadron, and these left neither tree nor bough vngnawen and eaten, and thus did they for fiue daies one after an other: they said that those were yoong ones which went to seeke their fathers, and they did the like, as those we sawe without wings: the space that these locustes tooke vp, was nine miles, for which circuit there remained neither barke nor leaues vpon the trees, & the coun∣trey looked not as though it had bin burnt, but as though it had snowed thereupon, and this was by reason of the whitenes of the trees which were pilled bare by the Locustes, and the earth was all swept cleane: It was Gods will that the haruest was alreadie in: wee coulde not vnder∣stande which way they afterwards went, bicause they came from the sea warde, out of the kingdome of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which belongeth to the Moores, who are continually in warre, as also we coulde by no meanes knowe

the ende of their iourney or course. Thus much out of Francis 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Of the minerals: And first of miner all salt.

THe greater part of Africa hath none other salt but such as is digged out of quarries & mines, after the maner of marble or free stone, be∣ing of a white, red, and graie colour. Barbarie aboundeth with salt, and Numidia is indifferently furnished therewith: but the lande of Ne∣gros, and especially the inner part of Ethiopia, is so destitute thereof, that a pound of salt is there solde for halfe a ducate. And the people of the saide regions vse not to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 salt vpon their tables; but holding a crum of salte in hands, they licke the same at euery morsell of meate which they put in their mouthes. In certaine lakes of Barbarie all the sommer time there is faire and white salt congealed or kerned, as namely in diuers places neere vnto the citie of Fez.

Of the minerall called Antimonie.

THis minerall growing in many places of Africa in the lead-mines is separated from the lead by the helpe of brimstone. Great plentie of this minerall is digged out of the bottome of mount Atlas, especially where Numidia bordereth vpon the kingdome of Fez. Brimstone likewise is digged in great abundance out of other places of Africa.

Of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

EVphorbium is the iuice or gumme of a certaine herbe growing like the head of a wilde thistle, betweene the branches wherof grow certain fruits as big in compasse as a greene cucumber; after which shape or likenes it beareth certain 〈◊〉〈◊〉 graines or 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and some of the said fruits are an elle long, and some are longer. They grow not out of the branches of the herbe but spring out of the firme ground, and out of one flag you shall see sometimes 20. and somtimes 30. of them issue foorth. The people of the same region, when the said fruits are once ripe, do prick them with their kniues, and out of the holes proceedeth a liquor or iuice much like vnto milke, which by little and little, groweth thick and slimy. And so being growen thick, they take it off with their kniues, putting it in bladders & dry∣ing it. And the plant or herb it selfe is full of sharp prickles.

Of pitch.

OF pitch there are two kindes, the one being naturall, and taken out of certaine stones, which are in fountaines; the water wherof retaineth the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 smell and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the same; and the other being artifici∣al,

and proceeding out of the iuniper or pine-tree: and this artificiall pitch I saw made vpon mount Atlas in manner following. They make a deepe and round furnace with an hole in the bottome, through which hole the pitch may fall downe into an hollow place within the ground being made in form of a little vessel: and putting into the said furnace the boughes of the fore∣said trees broken into small pieces, they close vp the mouth of the furnace, and make a fire vnder it; by the heate wherof the pitch distilleth forth of the wood through the bottome of the furnace into the foresaide hollow place: and so it is taken vp and put in bladders or bagges.

Of the fruite called Maus or Musa.

THis fruite growing vpon a smal tree which beareth large and broade leaues of a cubite long, hath a most excellent and delicate taste, and springeth forth about the bignes of a small cucumber. The Mahume∣tan doctours affirme, that this was the fruite which God forbad our first pa∣rents to eat in Paradise, which when they had eaten they couered their na∣kednes with leaues of the same fruit, as being of all other leaues most meete for that purpose. They grow in great abundance at Sela a towne of the king∣dome of Fez; but in farre greater plenty in the land of Egypt, and especially at Damiara.

Of Cassia.

THe trees bearing Cassia are of great thicknes, hauing leaues like vnto the mulberie-tree. They bear a broad and white blossome, and are so laden with fruits, that they are constrained to gather great store before they be ripe, least the tree should breake with ouermuch waight. And this kinde of tree groweth onely in Egypt.

Of the fruit called Terfez.

TErfez is to be called rather by the name of a root then of a fruit, and is like vnto a mushrom or toad-stoole, but that it is somewhat bigger. It is enclosed with a white rinde and groweth in hot and sandy places. Where it lyeth, it may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be perceiued by the swelling and opening of the ground. Some of them are as bigge as a walnut, and others as a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The phisicians, which call it Camha, affirme it to be a refrigeratiue or coo∣ling fruit. It groweth in great plenty vpon the Numidian deserts, and the A∣rabians take as great delight in eating of the same as in eating of sugar. This fruit being stued vpon the coles, and afterward made cleane, and sodden in fat broath they esteeme for great dainties. Also the Arabians seeth it in wa∣ter and milk, and so eat it. It groweth likewise plentifullie in the sandes neare vnto the towne of Sela. Of the date or palme-tree, because we haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 spoken in our description of Segelmesse in Numidia, we will here in this place say nothing at all.

Of the Egyptian figg called by the Egyptians them∣selues Giumeiz.

THe tree of this figg resembleth other fig-trees both in outward forme and in leaues, but it is of an exceeding height: neither doth the fruit grow among the leaues, or vpon the ends of the twigs, but out of the very body of the tree, where no leaues at all grow. These figs tast like vnto other figes, but they haue a thicker skin and are of a tawnie colour.

Of the tree called Ettalche.

IT is an high and a thornie tree, hauing such leaues as the iuniper hath, and bearing a gum like vnto mastick, wherwith the African apothecaries vse to mingle and adulterate their mastick, because it hath the same co∣lour and yealdeth some smell also. There are found likewise such trees in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Numidian and Lybian deserts and in the land of Negros: but the trees of Numidia being cut in the midst, consist of white wood like vnto the trees beforenamed, and the Lybian trees of a browne or tawnie wood, but the trees of the land of Negros are extreame black within. And that black pith or hart of this tree, wherof musical instruments are made, is called by the Ita∣lians Sangu. That wood which is of the browne or tawnie colour is vsed by the African phisicians for the curing of the French poxe, wherupon it is commonly called by the name of pock-wood.

Of the root called Tauzarghente.

THis root growing in the westerne part of Africa vpon the Ocean sea shore, yeeldeth a fragrant and odoriferous smel. And the merchants of Mauritania carry the same into the land of Negros, where the peo∣ple vse it for a most excellent perfume, and yet they neither burne it nor put any-fire at all thereto: for being kept onely in an house, it yeeldeth a naturall sent of it selfe. In Mauritania they sell a bunche of these rootes for halfe a ducate, which being carried to the land of Negros is sold again for eightie or one hundred ducates and sometimes for more.

Of the roote called Addad.

THe herbe therof is bitter, and the root it selfe is so venemous, that one drop of the water distilled therout, will kill a man within the space of an hower, which is commonly knowen euen to the women of Africa.

Of the root called Surnag.

THis roote growing also vpon the westerne part of mount Atlas, is said to be verie comfortable and preseruatiue vnto the priuie parts of man, & being drunk in an electuarie, to stir vp venereal lust, &c. Nei∣ther must I here omit that which the inhabitants of mount Atlas do com∣monly report, that many of those damosels which keepe cattel vpon the said mountaines haue lost their virginity by none other occasion, but by making water vpon the said roote: vnto whom I would in merriment answere, that I belceued all which experience had taught concerning the secret vertue of the same roote. Yea they affirmed moreouer, that some of their maidens were so infected with this roote, that they were not only deflowred of their virginitie, but had also their whole bodies puffed vp and swolne.

THese are the things memorable and woorthie of knowledge, seene and obserued by me Iohn Leo, throughout al Africa, which countrey I haue in * 1.3 all places traueiled quite ouer: wherein whatsoeuer I sawe woorthy the obseruation, I presently committed to writing: and those things which I sawe not, I procured to be at large declared vnto me by most credible and substantiall persons, which were themselues eie-witnesses of the same: and so hauing gotten a fitte oportunitie, I thought good to reduce these my tra∣uels and studies into this one volume.

Written at Rome in the yeere of Christ 1526. and vpon the tenth of March.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A strange 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  Or fathomes.
• * 1.3

  That is, in Barbarie, Nu∣midia, Libya, the lande of Negros, and Egypt.