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

Cafraria the fift generall part of the lower Ethiopia.

CAfraria, or the land of the Cafri we esteeme to be both the coasts and inlands of the extreame southerly point of Africa, beginning from the riuer Magnice, and thence extending by Cabo da pescaria, Terra do Natal, Bahia da lagoa, Bahia fermosa, about the cape of Buena esperan∣ça, by the bay called Agoada Saldanha, and thence Northward along the westerne coast of Africa, as far as Cabo Negro, or the blacke cape, which is situate verie neere vnto eighteene degrees of Southerly latitude. The saide Cape of Buena esperança is deuided into three smaller headlands or capes; The westermost, being called Cabo de buena esperança, or The cape of good hope after the name of the whole promontorie, and being cut from the rest of the firme land: The middlemost is named Cabo falso, because the Portugales in their voiage homewards from the east Indies, haue some∣times mistaken this for the true cape beforementioned; betweene which two capes runneth into the sea a mightie riuer called by the Portugales Rio dolce (where their caraks often take in fresh water) and by the naturall inha∣bitants Camissa, which springeth out of a small lake called Gale, situate among The mountaines of the moon so much celebrated by ancient geo∣graphers: The third and eastermost cape stretching farthest into the sea, is called Cabo das Agulhas, or the cape of Needles, because there the nee∣dles of dialles touched with the loadstone, stand directly North, without any variation either to the east or to the west: betweene this cape and the foresaid westermost cape (which ly forth into the sea like two hornes) is the bredth of this mightie promontorie, containing about fiue and twentie leagues; the length whereof from the riuer of Fernando Poo, where it be∣ginneth to iuttie forth into the sea, along the westerne coast southward, to

the cape das Agulhas, amounteth to two thousand two hundred Italian miles; and from Cabo das Agulhas, along the easterne shore northward, to Cape Guardafu, are three thousand three hundred of the same miles. This cape at the first discouerie thereof was called by Nauigators, The Lyon of the sea; & Cabo tormentoso, or The tēpestuous cape; not so much, as I take it, for the dangerous and stormie seas more about this cape then any other; but partly in regard of the chargeable, dangerous, and long trauels of the Portugals before they could attaine vnto it; and partly bicause of the great compasse which in their voiages outward they are constrained to fetch for the doubling thereof; and partly also in regard of some tempestuous and stormie weather wherewith they haue beene encountered at this Cape; which notwithstanding at certaine times is an ordinarie matter vpon all shores and promontories ouer the face of the whole earth. And albeit some will not come within sight of this cape, but keepe a great distance off, for feare of the dangerous seas beating thereupon (as namely Francis de Almeida who sailed aboue an hundred leagues to the south, in fortie de∣grees* 1.1 of latitude; Pedro de Agnaia in fortie fiue; and Vasco Carualho in fortie seuen, where in the moneth of Iuly eight of his men died for cold) yet we finde by the late and moderne experience of sir Francis Drake, ma∣ster Candish, master Lancaster in his returne from the east Indies, and of the Hollanders in their nauigations thither, begun in the yeere 1595. that those seas are at sometimes not onely free from stormie tempests, but most pleasant also to saile vpon, with faire and gentle weather. And as the Spa∣niards for a long time (that they might discourage all other nations from attempting nauigation vpon The south sea beyond America) blinded all Christendome with a report, that the streights of Magellan were vnrepas∣able: so perhaps the Portugals, to terrifie all others from sailing to the east Indies, and to keepe the gaine and secrets of that rich trade entire vnto themselues, haue in their writings and relations made the doubling of the cape of Buena Esperança, and the crossing ouer those seas, a matter of farre greater difficultie and danger, then it is of late manifestly found to be. The name of Buena esperança or good hope, was giuen vnto this promontory by Iohn the second king of Portugall; bicause that when his fleetes had once doubled this cape, either outward or homeward, they then stedfastly hoped in good time to performe the residue of their voiage; otherwise not. In the midst of this cape lieth a plot of ground of that beautie and delight, as that without any humane industrie it may compare with the most artificiall gardens of Europe. On the top of this place, nature minding as it were to excell her-selfe, hath framed a great plaine, which for beautifull situation, fruitfulnes of herbes, varietie of flowers, and flourishing verdure of all things, seemeth to resemble a terrestriall paradise. The Portugals terme it 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 vnfitly, The table of the cape. And to the end they might not faile of the meanes to enioy so pleasant a place, there is close vnder it a very good harbour which is called The port of Conception.

The people of this place called in the Arabian toong Cafri, Cafres, or Cafates, that is to say, lawlesse or outlawes, are for the most part exceeding blacke of colour, which very thing may be a sufficient argument, that the sunne is not the sole or chiefe cause of their blacknes; for in diuers other countries where the heate thereof is farre more scorching and intolerable, there are tawnie, browne, yellowish, ash-coloured, and white people; so that the cause there of seemeth rather to be an hereditarie qualitie transfused from the parents, then the intemperature of an hot climate, though it also may be some furtherance thereunto. The Hollanders in the yeere 1595. en∣tering the harbour of Saint Bras, somewhat to the east of Cabo das Agul∣has, had conuersation & truck with some of these Cafres, whom they found to be a stoute and valiant people, but very base and contemptible in their behauiour and apparell, being clad in oxe and sheeps skins, wrapped about their shoulders with the hairie sides inward, in forme of a mantle. Their weapons are a kinde of small slender dartes or pikes, some whereof are hea∣ded with some kinde of mettall, the residue being vnheaded, and hardened onely at the points with fire. They couer their priuie parts with a sheepes tayle, which is bound vp before and behinde with a girdle. Their horne∣beasts are, like those of Spaine, verie well limmed and proportioned. Their sheepe are great and faire, not hauing any wooll on their backes, but a kinde of harsh haire like goates. Other particulars by them obserued, for breuities sake, I omit.

Now that we may proceede in describing the residue of Cafraria, hauing sayled about the cape of Buena esperança westward, albeit the coast in re∣gard of the greatnes thereof may seem to ly directly north, yet for the space of seuenteene degrees, till you come to Cabo Negro, (the farthest North∣westerne bound of this fift part of the lower Ethiopia) it trendeth somewhat to the west: along which coast somewhat within the lande appeareth a migh∣ty ranke or ridge of mountaines, called by the Portugales Os picos frago∣sos,* 1.2 that is, the ragged points or spires, being besides their excessiue height, craggie, rough, and steepe, lying bare, desolate, and vtterly voide of all suc∣cour, and seruing for no other end, but for an obiect to the windes, and a mark for the tempests. The residue of the coast, till you come to Cabo Ne∣gro, sometimes lying lowe and sometimes high, sometimes shooting into the sea, and sometimes again gently retiring, containeth many plaines, hils, vallies, and places most fertile and delightful; some of them being alwaies of so fresh and pleasant view, as they seeme to represent a continuall spring.

Notes

• * 1.1

  G. B. B. Rel. vn. dell. Afr. Part. 1. lib. 2.
• * 1.2

  Os Picos fra∣gosos.