CHAP. VIII.
Of the Indian Nations betwixt Cambaia and Malabar, and their Religions.
THe mightie Riuers of Indus and Ganges paying their Fine to the Ledi•• of waters, the Ocean, almost vnder the very tropike of Cancer, doe (as it were) betwixt their watery armes present into that their Mothers bosome this large Chersonesiu; A Countrey, full of Kingdomes, riches, people, and (our duest taske) superstitious customes. As Italy is diuided by the Apennine, so is this by the hills which they call Gate, quite tho∣row to the Cape Comori, which not only haue entered league with many in-lets of the sea, to diuide the soile into many signories and kingdomes, but with the aire and Na∣tures higher officers, to dispense with the ordinarie orders, and stablished statutes of Nature, a 1.1 at the same time, vnder the same eleuation of the Sunne, diuiding to Sum∣mer and Winter their seasons and possessions. For whereas Cold is banished out of these Countries (except on the toppes of some hills) and altogether prohibited to ap∣proach so neere the Court and presence of the Sunne; and thefore their Winter and Summer is not reckoned by heate and cold, but by the fairenesse and foulensse of weather, which in those parts diuide the yeare by equall proportions: at the same time, when on the West-part of this Peninsula, betweene that rige of Moun∣taines and the Sea, it is after their appellation Summer, which is from September till Aprill, in which time it is alwayes cleare skie, without once (or very little) ray∣ning: on the other side the hills which they call the coast of Choromandell, it is their Winter; euery day and night yeelding abundance of raines, besides those terrible thunders, which both beginne and end their Winter. And from Aprill till Septem∣ber in a contra∣rie vicissitude; on the Westerne part is Winter, and on the Easterne Summer; in so much that in little more then twentie leagues iourney in some place, as where they crosse the hills to Saint Thoma••, on the one side of the hill you ascend with a faire Summer, on the other you descend attended with a stormie Winter. The like, saith Linschoten, happeneth at the Cape Rosalgate, in Arabia, and in many other places of the East.
Their Winter also is more fierce then ours, euery man prouiding against the same, as if he had a voyage of so many moneths to passe by sea, their shippes are brought