A new account of East-India and Persia, in eight letters being nine years travels begun 1672 and finished 1681 : containing observations made of the moral, natural and artifical estate of those countries ... / by John Fryer ... ; illustrated with maps, figures and useful tables.

LETTER III.

CHAP. I.

Animadversions on the City and Peo∣ple of Surat.

THE Rudeness of the Devotes: And Seamen. The Buildings. The Hea∣then Rites more suppressed here than in Gulconda. Moguls and Chias disagree. Sects of the Moguls. Their Diet. Way of Entertainment. Their Attire is rich. The Women wear Jewels. Strict Observers of the Hours of Prayer. Great Revel∣lers at Circumcisions and Marriages. Quick in Labour. Great Lamentations when any dye. The Duty of their Priests. The Xeriff their High-Priest. Extrava∣gancies of their Fakiers. They make eve∣ry place their home, and all their own. How clad. The Governor not able to quell them. The Villany of the Gover∣nor's Servants, and Tragical Event. Some exemplary Punishments. Delinquents of another nature. The Crime of growing rich. The Sheriff. The chief Customer. The Mint. Markets. The Castle built by Timurlan. The Wall and Gates. Num∣ber of Soldiers. Their Mosques. Cara∣vans. Stables. The Governor quarrels with the Dutch.

CHAP. II.

Shews the Tombs, Outwalks, Cere∣monies, and Austerities of the Gentiles; with the Ships and Ri∣ver about Surat.

THE Rashpoot takes Toll with the Mogul. Dutch and Armenian Tombs. The English Burial-place. The French Tomb. The Burftaes or Heathen Wan∣derers. Pulparra, an Heathen Seminary. Two Pagods of excellent Lome. The burning of their Dead. They carry them

to Pulparra. The Postures and Severities of the Heathen Fakiers. Paunch Augy, or the Penance of Five Fires. Whether it be an Imposture? A Devote that had not sat down in sixteen Years. A great Tank. Gardens. Grottoes. The Cotton-Tree. Bang. Alluh. No great Variety of Flowers. The sensible Plant, and Ar∣bor de Rais. Milk-Bushes. Sugar-Canes and Tobacco. The River commodious for Ships. The Dutch learn the Natives nothing. Their Navy. The Young King of Ba••tam. His Story. Their Junks and Seamen.

CHAP. III.

Of their Solemnities, Sports, and Pastimes; Marriages; of the Parsies; their Strength by Land and Sea; their abundant Wealth, and fitness for Trade.

THeir New-Moons. Ramazan, or Lent. Grandeur of their Gover∣nor and Great Men. The Moors Aede. Their mourning for Hosseen Gosseen. The Emperor a great Zealot for his Religion. How they behave themselves in Eclypses. Ceremonies in Marriage. Dually of the Heathens. The Women have a time of Freedom. Feast of Flies. Hospitable to Dogs. Their Exercise or Recreation. Hunting. Buffolaes and Rams set to fight. The Master-piece of the Banyans. Education of Youth. The Sloth of the Moor a Whet to the Banyan. All the World brings Treasure to India. The Bassa of Bussorah. Their Jewellers may be improved. The City kept nastily. The Diseases. Remedies outward and inward. The Country Physician. The several Tribes how known. The English have the respect of their Ombrahs. Rarities in the English House. Venomous Creatures. The Surat Governor forced to comply with the Dutch. The Parsies. Worship the Sun. They expose their Dead to Ra∣venous Fowls. Their way of living. Large Milk-white Oxen. A Buffola. The Marshes breed Cattel. The Growth of this place. The Colum-Bird. Wine and Strumpets set the Soldiers and Seamen by the Ears. Four Arab Ships. Left Surat and S••••dly. Mahmud Emir Caun, Son of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Governor of the Province.

CHAP. IV.

Brings me with a New Deputy-Governor from Surat to Bom∣baim, and sends me to the Mo∣gul's General at Jeneah.

CAptain Shaxton sent home. A Sea-Tortoise taken. The Fable of its having three Hearts, confuted. The Flesh restorative. Take Boat for Duccan. Land∣ing and Reception at Gulean. Set forward for Intwally. The Countrey all burnt and destroyed. Thence to Moorbar. For∣ced to keep Watch. The Guides lead us about. Come to Dehir, a garison'd Town of Seva Gi's, at the foot of the Gaot. Awaked a Fakier, drunk with Bang. Seva Gi's Horses kept here. His Forts all about. State of the Havaldar. Got clear of Dehir. A troublesome Passage over the Gaot. The Monkeys affrighted. Flurries from the Hill carry Men and Oxen down the Precipice. The height of the Moun∣tains. Alteration of Air on the Hills. Oppa-Gaot a starveling Town. We force our way. Our Escape to Aumbegaun; and Hardship of the Coolies. Our Entrance into Jeneah.

CHAP. V.

Introduces me to the Nabob's Pre∣sence: My Business with him: A Prospect of the Country, &c.

THE Caun receives me publickly. Sycophants encouraged. Several manner of Addresses. The Castle not strong. Good Days consulted. Admit∣ted the Womens Quarters. What hapned while I was in the Haram. Scandal thrown upon the Women. Their Dress is Rich. A Conference about the Affairs of the English. Mischief done by Thun∣der. The Governor's Brother on the Hill descends for Cure. A Strumpet's Bene∣faction. The Emperor's Palace. The Fields no sooner sowed than set a-fire. Dungeness another Heathen Fane. The re∣quest of the Governor on the Hill, for my Ascent. The Hill inaccessible, but by Seven Gates. ••easted by the Governor's

Order. None appear before Great Men without a Present. How strange our Arms and Apparel seem to them. Per∣mitted the Freedom of the Castle. A bold Attempt of Seva Gi's Men. Grana∣ries for Stores now, formerly Religious Cells. A Rajah slain, the occasion of a barbarous Funeral. Took leave of the Governor. This Gurr puts a stop to Seva Gi this way. Jeneah Gur the Birth-place of Seva Gi. The Moors touch'd with the Superstition of the Gentues. Of the Lus∣carry or Army. Its Appearance. The Discipline. The Commanders richly ac∣coutred. I take my leave of the Caun. False Musters the practice of India. The Government and Commodities. Return∣ed by Nunny Gaot. No Army likely to pass this way. Glistering Flies about a Tree scare the Coolies. Their Reflections on the Miseries of the People. Prodigi∣ous great Frogs. The Nure-Tree. Cruelty to their Beasts. Inhumanity to their Sick. The Moor-men Priests follow Trades. A pragmatical Portugueze hindred our em∣barking. A Bombaim Shebar carries us to Bombaim. What Europe Ships I found in the Road. The Conclusion.