A relation of two several voyages made into the East Indies by Christopher Fryke and Christopher Schewitzer the whole containing an exact account of the customs, dispositions, manners, religion, &c. of the several kingdoms and dominions in those parts of the world in general : but in a more particular manner, describing those countries which are under the power and government of the Dutch / done out of the Dutch by S.L .

CHAP. V.

Giving an Account of the sundry sorts of Beasts, Fowls, &c. that are in Ceylon; a more particular one of the Ele∣phants, concerning which, many things very wonderful are attested, upon the Author's own Experience. The manner of catching them, their peculiar Qualities, &c. Wild-Bufflars, Tygers, Bears, Jackalls, Bitsche-Ʋergunie, or the Devil of Negombo, very rare; Levers a lazy sort of Beast, Wandura or Apes. Wild Cats. And many other sorts of Beasts. Of Fowls, Parrots, Batts, &c. Crocodiles, will live 300 years. Different sorts of Serpents; of Pismires; Blood-Suckers; Sword-Fishes; Sharks; Sail-Fish; St. Peter's Fish; Sea-Swine; Sea-Devils; Tortoises. The manner of the Malabarians Fishing with their Netts.

I Come now to give a short Account of the Wild and Tame Beasts that are in this Island of Ceylon.

Among the Wild ones, I will speak first of the Elephants. They are finer and more Docile than in other Countries. Therefore they catch a great many of 'em, which they make Tame, and fit for War, and send them to the Kingdoms of Persia, Surrat, the Great Mogul, and several other places; and the Dutch themselves make use of them in the Field.

I have been very curious in Searching into the Nature, Disposition, and Qualities of these Ele∣phants; and for that purpose conversed much with those that Catch them, when they are young, and have my self help'd to catch 'em. I have found in them all a great deal of Cunning, and a good Me∣mory, in which they seem to be almost Rational

Creatures. They never forget a Master's kind Usage; but that of a rough and cruel one, they on the other side, never leave unrevenged. They never Couple together in the sight of Men, but first they search round about the Wilderness to see if no Body is there hidden in any Tree to spy 'em; and if they find any, woe be to them. The Male hath his Testicles inwards, and the Female gives Suck between her fore Legs.

When they are Catch'd and Tame'd, they ne∣ver Couple together. They carry their young ones seven years, and this has often been manifest by the Wild She-Elephants that have been taken, and kept in the Stables which they have for 'em at Gala, and have brought forth their young at seven years end, after they were catcht. The young ones are, at first, about the bigness of a Calf half a year old. They feed on Grass, Figs, Leaves, and Coco-Nuts, Rice, and other Fruits, and Bread if one gives it them. This they reach and hold faste with the end of their Trunk, and then thrust it into their Mouths. Before they Eat any Grass, they throw it and toss it about, to shake out the Pismires, by which they are mightily tormented sometimes. If these little Animals chance to get in their Trunk, they walk about there and tickle them intolerably.

Tho' they have no Hair, except on the Tail and Ears, yet they Swim very well. They'll live above 200 years, as has been seen in some whose Age has been designedly mark'd. They go together in the Woods some 8, 10, or 20 in a Company. They have a sort of King, or Master-Elephant, which they follow; the young ones go in the middle. In the day time, they keep on the Mountains in the shade, but towards the Dusk of the evening, they repair to the Meadows and Water-side. They break their way through the Boughs and Bushes with their Trunk; so that by the Noise they make, one may

hear them coming a Mile off. Then the Inhabi∣tants, and the Keepers of the Fields, cry out to one another for help, to keep them out of their Grounds, where they destroy all when they come. They holloe first, Hu, Hu, and then they cry for help, Alia innuwate, The Elephants are a coming: Therefore, when they come near their Hutts, Or∣chards, or Fields, they light Torches, which they have on purpose made of long dry Wood, and with this they drive them away, making a great deal of Shouting and Noise. Those that watch the Fields of Rice, sit and sing all night in a little Hutt raised upon four Posts; and when they hear the Elephants coming, they holloe and light their Torches.

There is two different ways of Catching the Ele∣phants. Among the Malabars, from Trinconomala to Batacale: There are some that Worship the De∣vil, by whose help they Charm these Creatures, after having Sacrificed to him a Cock for an Offering. After they have Caught 'em with their Hands, they tie them with strong Thongs of Bufflar's Leather, and Tame 'em: But neither the Persians, nor the Moors, care to Buy those that are catch'd this way.

The other way of Catching them, is in a Pound prepared for that purpose, as I have seen one in the Kingdom of Cotta, two Leagues from Columbo, near the Aldee or Village Battalamuda: And I have been my self at the Catching of 50 of them, young and old; which is done thus.

When the Inhabitants have notice where they are, and what place they frequent most, the Governour of Columbo gives a general Order for a Hunting Day; on which every body high and low, even the Nobles themselves, meet at the appointed place: Besides this, the Governour takes all the Soldiers, Drums, and Burghers, along with him; being all met, they spread themselves in a Wing a League or two long.

Thus they go holloing and shooting along the whole day, thro' Woods and over Mountains: At Night they rest, and for fear the Elephants should get out back again, they light Fires all along about a Stone's throw from each other, which the Ele∣phants are very much afraid of. The next day they go on again, and draw the Elephant's into a narrower compass. If any of 'em offer to go back, and break through, they fright them with Drums, and shooting and holloing. If one of them should chance to break through, all the rest would inevi∣tably follow. When all the Hunters have in 3 or 4 weeks time ranged over 20 or 30 miles Ground, these Wild Elephants are at length, by the means of Tame ones that serve to decoy them drove into the Pound, which we mention'd above. Then they tie a Wild one to a Tame one, or if it is a very lusty one, between two. Then they make 'em so Tame by giving them neither Meat nor Drink, that with a certain Instrument they use, a Child may manage them. Notwithstanding there are some which they can never Master, and those they turn out again to Breed and Increase.

The East-Indian Kings and Merchants buy the Elephants by their height, which they measure to an Inch (as we do Horses here) from the Ground to the ridge of the Back. According to their height, they are worth 7, 8, 900 or 1000 Rixdol∣lars. Sometimes they Buy them (when they are of an extraordinary vast Bulk) for shew. Otherwise they use 'em in War, and to draw the Baggage, and great Artillery. The Great Mogul hath fre∣quently with him 4 or 500 in the Field; And we used them in all Expeditions: Each Company had an Elephant, as we shall tell more largely hereafter.

The two Teeth that stick bending so long out of their Mouth, are sufficiently known by the Name of Elephant's Teeth. The Flesh of Elephants is

not fit to Eat, and their Hides are made no use of, by reason of their wanting Men to dress and pre∣pare them. They are extream thick. The Flesh is Spungy, and Rotts in two or three days. The Hair that grows upon the Tail they hold very good against the Cramp, and as an approved Remedy they wear it made up in Rings on their Fingers.

When they are to draw a Load, they go side long and look steadily upon the Waggon, to see that no Body lays any thing more upon't than what is usual; and if one doth, they will not wag a foot further till it be taken off again: But what is more strange then that, is, what I have often seen at Columbo and Jafnapatnam, That these Elephants when they were drawing a Load of Stones for the Fortifications, would stand stock still at 11 a Clock, which is the Dinner time allowed to all the Slaves and Workmen, and would not draw an Inch further, tho' they were just at the place, and the Drivers encouraged 'em never so much.

There is great store of Bufflars in Ceylon, espe∣cially in and about Calpintin. They are about the bigness of a Podolian or Hungarian Ox, but stronger. Their Horns are about two yards long: They are of an ash-colour. In the day time they lie in the Water up to their Nose, and at night they come to Graze in the Meadows. Their Flesh is Eatable, when it hath lain 2 or 3 days in Salt; but very hot, and gives the Bloody-Flux to most People that Eat of it. They are very dangerous to go near, especially to the Europeans, and chiefly if they have any young ones by them.

Tygers are here also in abundance, and very per∣nicious to Man and Beast, and particularly to Stags and Deer. They are about the bigness of a large Ass, but something longer; they are spotted with yellowish and whitish spots, and in their Make ex∣actly like a Cat. Their Flesh is white, and many

People Eat of it. Their Skins serve to make Belts, Holsters, &c. and are much used for covering of Trunks and Boxes. They have so much of the Scent of Musk, that the Huntsmen, if they take the Wind right, will sind them out by it, and so in their pursuit of other Beasts, avoid them.

Bears are likewise found here in several Parts, and are dangerous Creatures: Yet they are not so much fear'd here, as the Wolves are in Germany.

Jackalls are of shape and bigness like a Fox, only a sharper Snout: They keep all day in their Dens, and at night they gather together a hun∣dred of them or more, and come to the outside of the City of Columbo, in quest of Dead Bodies, and fall sometimes upon a Man, if they chance to find him asleep.

There is a sort of Creature here, that is not very well known, because it is rare; it is called Bitsche Vergunie, and by the Dutch, The Devil of Negombo, which Name they have given it, because of its Qualities, as I am going to tell you, and be∣cause they are most frequently about Negombo. It is about a yard high, and three yards long. It hath a sharp Snout, and very sharp Teeth. The Body is as it were Harnass'd over with thick round yellow Shells. When it is pursued, it can winde it self up into a Ball. At night it makes such a dis∣mal frightful Noise, that it hath often scar'd the Centinels from their Posts.

The Lewer is another, called by the Dutch, Luiste Dier; i. e. Slow-Beast. These Beasts are made like an Ape, with Hands and Feet, look very ghastly, and as lean as a Skeleton, wonderful slow in their Eating, Drinking, and Going; tho' Dogs, or any Wild Beasts come towards 'em, they will not hasten their pace in the least; and when they come near 'em, they turn themselves to 'em, and with their glaring Eyes, fright away the fiercest Dog that

can be. Their Eyes stand quite out of their Heads, and appear very terrible: When Men come after 'em, they do the same: But it hath not the same Effect, for Men have a Snare, which they clap on their hinder parts, and so catch them as they do Monkies. After they are catch'd, they are still slow as before, and would not go above a League in a day, if one left 'em to themselves. They are kept in Cities for a Rarity, but they are too ten∣der to transport into other Countries.

Wandura or Apes are here in abundance; they are black, excepting a whitish Ring about the hin∣der part of the Body, and a great gray Beard, which makes them look very much like some of the Old Cingulayans. They are about the bigness of a Mastiff, and have a very long Tail. They skip about the Woods from Tree to Tree, making a great noise, their young ones hanging all the while about 'em. If you shoot 'em, the young ones fall with 'em, and then you take 'em off to keep and breed up: But this is not a true kind of Ape for keeping, so that few People take the trouble to Catch them; for they do not take any thing that's taught 'em, as others will. If a shot wounds them so as to fetch out a part of their Guts, they work out the rest with both their Hands, (if I may so call 'em) and so fall down. Those that are Catch'd will never Couple together, tho' one keeps them ever so long.

Wild-Cats; there are of two sorts: One of which is as large as our common House-Cats, and live upon all sorts of Fowl. The other is as small as our Squirrels, and are called Suri-Cats; because they keep about the Coco-Trees, whence the Suri comes. Their Hair is of a grey colour; and they make a noise like a young Turkey.

Stags are bigger than the Stags in Holland.

Deer, are somewhat less, and full of white spots.

Wild-Goats are a little bigger than our Hares.

The Hares less than with us.

Wild-Boars here as in Africa.

All these are in vast numbers, because but few People Hunt 'em; there being so great a quantity of Wild-Beasts there that are better.

Wild-Horses are very plentyful in the Isle of Ma∣nara, and not far from thence in another Isle towards Jafnapatnam; but they are less than our Horses in Holland. Sometimes they catch some of the finest of 'em, which they Break for the Saddle, or else they use 'em for Carts and Waggons.

Among the Tame Beasts and Cattle, Oxen and Cows are in so great plenty, that one of 'em is not worth above two or three Gulders.

Bufflars are in abundance; the Country Fellows use them in their Rice-Fields: One of them is worth three or four Gulders.

Three sorts of Sheep there are amongst 'em; one which comes out of Persia, which for Wool, &c. are like those in Holland, excepting that their Tails are so vastly big, that some of 'em will weigh 20 or 25 Pound: Another sort comes out of Africa, with Horns about a Span long, but no Wool, only Hair like Calves: A third sort hath Wool like the first, but very long Ears.

Goats are in good store here, and Swine, such as in Holland. One of the biggest and fattest in the Island Manara is not worth above a Rixdollar.

Now for the Wild-Fowl. There are Peacocks of the same colour as here; and besides those, there are many as white as Swans.

Wild-Cocks and Hens are about the bigness of ours.

Water-Fowl, Snipes, Stock-Doves, and others. Two sort of Herons, one of 'em bluish, the other half black. Geese and Ducks in great numbers. I will not make any mention of their small Birds, &c.

I will only give you some Account of the Parrots, which are here of three sorts. The largest are of a green colour, mixt with blue and red, with a black Ring round the Neck, and are accounted the best. A lesser size there is, all green, with a red Ring round the Neck, which is but little valued; and a less than that which is less esteemed too, be∣cause it is the least docile. They Eat Rice and Figs. They are best to be taught when they are young. They are tied to a Cord or Chain, and morning and night, while it is duskish, one talks to 'em half an hour or thereabouts, till they get 'em at last to speak any thing after them.

There is also a great many Birds of Prey; as Falcons, Hawks, and Ravens, with a white Ring about their Neck.

Batts are of two sorts; the one small as ours here, that fly by night; and the other as big as those I have spoken of in Java.

There is another sort of Bird, which is call'd, a Navi, (because it makes a noise which sounds like that word) which when the Portugueses hear, they expect the arrival of some Ships in a short time.

They have but few Geese, except such as are brought hither from the Cape of Good Hope; they have a Bunch growing on their Bill: They cost a Rixdollar a-piece.

Other Tame Fowl is there in such plenty, that one may Buy a Pullet for a Peny, and 40, 50, or 60 Eggs for the same price. Ducks that lay 200 or 300 Eggs after one another, without one days inter∣mission, will cost but Two Pence or Two Pence half peny. Many keep Pigeons likewise, which come from Holland, which they Buy for 10 d. a pair.

Among the four-footed Animals, in the Rivers; There is the Crocodile which devours many Men that live near them, as they are Fishing, Washing, or Bathing themselves, if they do not take an espe∣cial

Care: But I will in short describe something of the Nature of them.

The Crocodile is not so very furious as some Peo∣ple imagine. He seeks his Prey alone; but when he is hungry, he Devours any living thing he can Eat, whether Man, Fish, Beast, Dogs, &c. shews him∣self commonly, and swims any part of the day at the top of the Water, like a piece of Timber. He sets open his Mouth for a certain Bird to pick his Teeth with his Bill, which is about the length of one's Finger. At night he comes upon Land to seek out for Meat. These Animals lay their Eggs upon the bare Sand, and leave the Sun to produce the young ones out of 'em, who as soon as they come out, are about half a yard long; The Egg it self is about twice as big as that of a Goose. They con∣tinually keep growing as long as they live, and come to be some 20, some 25, some 30 foot long: The Body is armed all over with a thick Scale: Their Teeth are exceeding sharp; and so much strength is in their Tail, that they'll kill any Fish or other Animal with a blow of it. Upon Land they can run faster than most Men; but in a short turning, a Man may have the Advantage of 'em, because they must take a great compass; and being so long and thick, without any bending in their Backs, they are forced to take a large turn, which affords a Man fair time to escape out of their reach.

Here is another sort of Beast, much like the Cro∣codile, which is call'd a Caprigoy; but it hath nei∣ther Shells, nor Scales on it, and its Tongue is very long and pointed. The longest I ever saw of these was not above ten foot.

Another not much unlike this, but less yet, call'd a Leguwan, the Flesh of which many People Eat.

Now of Serpents there are several sorts; one of 'em is called Worgers, they are 10 or 15 foot long. They will seize a Man, and clasp themselves round

about him, and squeeze him so that he can't Breath, and falls down Dead: And to be arm'd against these, no Man goes abroad without a good Knife about him, to cut them in two, which makes them let go their hold quickly.

Another sort, which is called, Chapel-Snakes, be∣cause they keep in Chapels or Churches, and sometimes in Houses; These are very mischievous and venomous, and without a timely Antidote, they who are bit by them, die Infallibly. They are com∣monly from 4 to 6 foot long; and they have a sort of Bladder, or spot of white, which shews it self on the top of their Head when they are vex'd.

There is another sort of 'em, which they call Rat-Catchers, which are not so dangerous. They live all in Houses, and destroy the Rats and Mice as much as any Cats would. They are nine or ten foot long, and will never hurt any Body unless one Angers them.

The Green Serpents keep upon the Trees, and when any Man or Beast comes near them, they dart themselves upon them, and with their sharp Tongues endeavour to put out their Eyes. They are about two yards long. The most poisonous of all, are, the two headed ones, which have a Head at each end.

Here are two sorts of Remedies against the Poi∣son of those Animals: The one, which the Inha∣bitants use frequently, is Witchcraft: The other, which I have often used, is a Serpent-Stone. This Stone is laid upon the Wound, and it sticks to it, till it hath drawn to it self all the Venom out of it. When it is come off, it is thrown into new Milk, which fetcheth all the Poison out of the Stone, and grows black and blue with it: Then the Stone is applied afresh to the Wound, and if there be any Poison remaining, it sticks on, if not, it falls off, and the Person is secure.

I have seen many Scorpions here as big as a common Crab, but their Stings are not dangerous, and cause only a smarting for two days, and never prove mortal.

The Hundred-Feet called by the Portugueses Cente-Pe, because it hath a Hundred-Feet, is about half a yard long, and hath two Horns wherewith it Pinches. It is so full of Venom, that it is all over of a blew and yellow colour with it; if one is pinched by 'em, it may prove very dangerous, be∣sides the cruel Smart it causes, unless the place is anointed quickly with Oil of Coco's.

There are three sorts of Pismires, red, black, and white. The first are the biggest, and rid the Houses of other Vermine, as Rats, Mice, and Ser∣pents. The black keep in the Fields; if they touch a Man's Skin, they make it Smart for about half an hour. The white ones live amongst Houshold Goods; they Eat through Chests and Trunks, and damage Cloaths and Linnen very much.

Fleas are here in Shoals, so that Men could not have any rest, if they did not besmear all their Houses with Cow-Dung, to keep them away.

The Air is full of little Flies and Gnats; and in some places People cannot Eat for 'em, but are forced to stay till night when they are settled.

Blood-Suckers, or Leeches, are the worst Ver∣mine on the Island: They are most towards the North between Candi and Columbo. There are of two sorts of 'em, the great and the small; The first are the common Plagues of Bufflers: The other of Men. They keep in the Water, and are made much like our Hedge-Hogs. When any Man or Beast goes into the Water, they hang upon him till they have suckt their fill, and swell three times as big as they were at first, then they fall off. If one goes to strike them off, immediately they break off and leave the Head in the Flesh, which makes the

Wound the more dangerous: But the best way to deal with 'em is to have some green Lemons with one, or good Vinegar and Salt or Salt-Petre, and wet them with it, and they fall off immediately.

The small sort are about the bigness of a Straw, and about three Inches in length, and of a brown colour. They have neither Eyes nor Feet. In dry Weather they are seldom to be seen; but after some Rain, they fill the Ways and Shrubs. They do not creep as Worms do, but raise themselves up an end, and throw themselves upwards. If they lay hold of a Man they are not easily got off again, nor with∣out great danger. Some Cingulayans say, That these things were first brought over into this Country by the contrivance of one Lamammea, one of the Kings of Candi's Sister, (whose Brother the Portugueses had taken away by violence) to be a Plague to them, but how much truth there is in the Story, I leave the Reader to judge.

Amongst the Sea-Fish commonly catch'd here, I place the Sword-Fish; it is from 8 to 12 foot in length: It is called by that Name from a sort of Sword it hath upon his Nose, which is like a Saw, with about 50 Teeth about the bigness of one's Fin∣ger. The biggest of those Swords that I ever saw was an Ell long. The Flesh of this Fish is fit to Eat, but the younger the Fish is, the better. These Sword-Fishes are not of that sort which are so great Enemies to Whales, for they never come so far into the North, it being too Cold for them there: Be∣sides, those that sight with the Whales have their Sword on their Back, and keep about Greenland and Ysland in vast numbers.

Sharks are right Sea-Wolves, and devour the Men they can catch, but they are often catch'd and devour'd themselves.

The Sail-Fish, so called, because it hath a large Finn, which stands upon the Back of it above Water,

and lets the Wind drive it forwards; hath a sharp long Head of about an Ell long, and his Body is twice as long again: tho' its Flesh is but course, yet a great many People Eat it.

There is a Fish which they call Oan-Egbertsen half an Ell long, and very full of Blood. They are in so great plenty, that they pull up 7, 8, or 900 at one Draught. The great time of Fishing for 'em is in February, at which time not the Fish only is very cheap, but all sorts of Meat and other Victuals are at very low Rates.

The St. Peter's Fish, or Five Finger-Fish, is called by some the Leather-Fish, by reason of the thickness of his Skin; Hath five white streaks on the Back in the shape of a Man's Fingers; it is about two yards in length, and very good to Eat: It is most in sea∣son in March, and then they catch likely 2 or 300 of them at once. The old Portugueses will tell you that this mark on the Back came by St. Peter, who drew up one of them in his Net, and left the figure of his Fingers upon it. But this I leave the Reader to believe at Discretion.

Jacks are here of the same kind as in Holland, one, two, or three yards in length, and are to be catch'd with Angles in April or May.

The King's Fish is the best sort that is here, and is something like our Carps.

Cablins are like our Herrings, but a little broader, there is vast plenty of 'em, and one Buys 10 or 20, sometimes 40, for a Peny.

The Sertin is a small lean Fish. They catch some thousands of them at one Draught, because they go together in Shoals.

Sea-Swine or Sea-Hogs, are catcht here in great numbers; their length is five or six yards, and half that about: They have a sharp Snout like ordinary Hogs; The Flesh of 'em is very fat, and the Blood very hot: In the Water they out-swim all other Fishes.

Sea-Devils or Sand-Creepers are 5 or 6 yards long, with a frightful Head, very broad, but not thick, black at top, and white underneath. There is much difficulty in catching of 'em with Angles, because they lie 15 or 20 Fathoms deep.

Scaits are round and flat: Have their Eyes in their Body, and a thin flat Tail about two Yards long; they are very good to Eat.

The Piil-Staert, as they call it, (which signisies Arrow-Tail) is much like it; it is as good to Eat too: But the Tail is of that Nature, that if he wounds a Man with it, 'tis mortal to him: Wherefore great Care is taken to cut that off as soon as they have catch'd 'em.

Tortoises, are catch'd here of 200 pound weight. They lay their Eggs on the Sand, 200 at a time, and leave them to the Sun to hatch; they have no Shell, only are cover'd with a Tough Skin. When they come upon Land, the Indians turn them over on their Backs, from which they cannot rise again, having not the command of their Legs. When they have them thus, three or four Men carry them to Market, and there cut them out. The Shells of these very large ones are not useful, but the small ones are of great use for inlaid Work, Combs, &c.

Sea-Crabs, and Sea-Lobsters: These are here a Yard long, with large Claws; and the other round with a very hard Shell.

Sea-Lice, are made like Lice, cover'd over with a white Shell, about the bigness of a Walnut. They keep in the wet Sand on the Shore, and are Eaten only by the Malabarian Fishermen.

Muscles stick to the Rocks, and when the Sea is at Ebb, they pick them up.

The manner of Fishing, which the Malabarians use, is much like ours. Their Nets are exceeding long, so as to reach about half a mile in compass,

and are buoy'd up with Wood instead of Cork; and in the middle of it, which comes last to shore, they have a great Bag, into which the Fish is all driven.

Fresh River-Fish are these: The St. Pilang, a Fish with a broad Head, as smooth as an Eel, about a yard long, and two Spans about. The Bald-Head is a better sort of Fish, all Scaly like a Carp, ex∣cepting the Head; weighs generally 7 or 8 pound. A Fish called a Fool, because whoever Eats any thing of the Head, becomes stupid: Wherefore the Head is always thrown away, the rest is very good to Eat. The Pager is a black Fish, with a hard thick Head; its Body is round, with very sharp Finns. There is small Fish also in abundance, as we have here, such as Gudgeons, Craw-Fish, &c.

Gurnets are a small sort of Fish like the Craw-Fish, without a Shell, and have only a whitish Scale over their Body. They are most used in Angling, for a Bait to catch other Fish with.