The voyages and adventures of Fernand Mendez Pinto, a Portugal, during his travels for the space of one and twenty years in the Kingdoms of Ethiopia, China, Tartaria, Cauchinchina, Calaminham, Siam, Pegu, Japan, and a great part of the East-Indiaes with a relation and description of most of the places thereof, their religion, laws, riches, customs, and government in time of peace and war : where he five times suffered shipwrack, was sixteen times sold, and thirteen times made a slave / written originally by himself in the Portugal tongue and dedicated to the Majesty of Philip King of Spain ; done into English by H.C. Gent.

CHAP. XXXI. The order which is observed in the moving Towns that are made upon the Ri∣vers, and that which further befell us. (Book 31)

* 1.1WEe saw likewise all along this great River a number of Hogs both wilde and do∣mestick, that were kept by certain men on horseback, and many herds of ••ame red Deer, which were driven from place to place like Sheep, to feed, all lamed of their right legs, to hinder them from running away, and they are lamed so, when they are but Calves, to avoid the danger, that otherwise they might incur of their lives: We saw also divers Parks, wherein a world of Dogs were kept to be sold to the Butchers, for in these Coun∣tries they eat all manner of Flesh, whereof they know the price, and of what creatur••s they are, by the choppings they make of them; moreover we met with many small Barques, whereof some, were full of Pigs, others of Tortoises, Frogs, Otters, Adders, Eeeles, Snails, and Lizards, for as I have said, they buy there of all that is judged good to eat; now to the end that such provisions may passe at an easier rate, all that sell them are permitted to make traffick of them in several fashions; true it is, that in some things they have greater Franchises, then in others, to the end that by means thereof no Merchandise may want sale: And because the Subject I now treat of dispences me to speak of all, I will relate that which we further observed there, and whereat we were much abashed, judging thereby how far men suffer themselves to be carried by their Interests, and extream avarice; you must know then that in this Country there are a many of such as make a trade of buying and selling mens Excrements, which is not so mean a Commerce amongst them, but that there are ma∣ny of them grow rich by it, and are held in good account; now these Excrements serve to manure grounds that are newly grubb'd, which is found to be far better for that purpose then the ordinary dung: They which make a trade of buying it go up and down the streets with certain Clappers, like our Spittle men, whereby they give to understand what they

desire without publishing of it otherwise to people, in regard the thing is filthy of it self; whereun∣to I will adde thus m••ch, that this commodity is so much esteemed amonst them, and so great a trade driven of it, that into one sea port, sometimes there comes in one tyde two or three hundred Sayls laden with it: Oftentimes also there is such striving for it, as the Governours of the place are fain to enterpose their authority for the distribution of this goodly commodity, and all for to manure their grounds, which soyled with it, bears three crops in one year. We saw many boats likewise laden with dryed orange pills, wherewith in victualing houses they boyl dogs flesh, for to take away the rank savour and humidity of it, as also to reader it more firm: In brief, we saw so many Vaucans, Lanteaas, and Barcasses, in this river, lad••n with all kinds of provision, that either the sea or land produces, and that in such abundance, as I must confess I am not able to expresse it in words; for it is not possible to imagine the in∣finite store of things that are in this Country, of each whereof you shall see two or three hun∣dred Vessels together at a time, all full, especially at the Fairs, and Markets, that are kept up∣on the solemn festival days of their Pagodes, for then all the fairs are free, and the Pagodes for the most part are scituated on the banks of rivers, to the end all commodities may the more commodiously be brought thither by water. Now when all these vessels come to joyn together, during these Fairs, they take such order, as they make as it were a great and fair Town of them, so that sometimes you shall have of them a league in length, and three quar∣ters of a league in bredth, being composed of above twenty thousand vessels, besides Balons, Guedees, and Manchuas, which are small boats, whose number is infinite; For the Govern∣ment hereof there are threescore Captains appointed, of which thirty are to see good order kept, and the other thirty are for the guard of the Merchants that come thither, to the end they may sail in safety; Moreover there is above them a Chaem, who hath abso∣lute power both in civil, and criminal causes, without any appeal or opposition whatsoever, during the fifteen days, that this Fair lasts, which is from the new to the full Moon; And in∣deed more come to see the policy, order, and beauty of this kind of Town, then otherwise; for to speak the truth, the framing of it in that manner with vessels, makes it more to be ad∣mired then all the Edifices that can be seen upon the land; There are in this moving Town two thousand streets, exc••eding long, & very strait, inclosed on either side with ships, most of which are covered with silks, and adorned with a world of banners, flags, and streamers, wherein all kind of commodities that can be desired, are to be sold; In other streets are as many trades to be seen, as in any Town on the Land, amidst the which they that traffique, go up and down in little Manchuas, and that very quietly, and without any disorder▪ Now if by chance any one is taken stealing, he is instantly punished according to his offence; As soon as it is night, all these streets are shut up with cords athwart them, to the end none may passe after the re∣treat sounded; In each of these streets there are at least a d••zen of lanthorns, with lights bur∣ning, fastened a good heighth on the Masts of the vessels, by means whereof all that go in and out are seen, so that it may be known who they are, from whence they come, and what they would have, to the end the Chaem may the next morning receive an account thereof; And truly to behold all these lights together in the night, is a ••ight scarce able to be imagined, nei∣ther is there a street without a Bell, and a Sentinel, so as when that of the Chaems ship is heard to ring, all the other bels answer it, with so great a noise of voices adjoyned thereunto, that we were almost besides our selves, at the hearing of a thing, which cannot be well conceived; and that was ruled with such good order: In every of these streets, even in the poorest of them, there is a Chappel to pray in, framed upon great Barcasses, like to Gallies, very neat, and so well accommod••ted, that for the most part they are enriched with silks, and cloth of gold; In these Chappels are their Idols, and Priests which administer their sacrifices, and receive the offerings that are made them, wherewith they are abundantly furnished for their living; Out of each street, one of the most account, or chiefest Merchant is chosen to wa••ch all night in his turn with those of his Squadron, besides the Captains of the government, who in Ballons, walk the round without, to the end no thiefe may escape by any avenue whatsoever, and for that purpose these guards cry as loud as they can that they may be heard. Amongst the most remarkable things, we saw one street, where there were above an hundred vessels, la∣den with Idols of guilt wood, of divers fashions, which were sold for to be offered to the Pa∣godes, together with a world of feet, thighs, arms, and heads, that sick folks bought to offer in devotion; There also we beheld other ships, covered with silk hangings, where Comedies, and other playes were represented to entertain the people withall, which in great numbers

flocked thither; In other places, Bils of excha••ge for Heaven were sold, wher••by these Priests of the Divel promised them many merits, with great interest, affirming that without these bils they could not possibly be saved, for that God, say they, is a mortal enemy to all such as do not some good to the Pagodes, whereupon they tell them such fables and lies, as these un∣happy wretches do often times take the very bread from their mouths to give it them; There were also other vessels all laden with dead mens skuls, which dive••s men bought for to present as an offering, at the tombs of their friends, when they should happen to dye; for, say they, as the deceased is laid in the grave in the company of these skuls, so shall his soul enter into Hea∣ven, attended by those unto whom those skuls belonged, wherefore when the Porter of Pa∣radise shall see such a Merchant, with many followers, he will do him honour, as to a man that in this life hath been a man of quality, for if he be poor, and without a train, the Porter will not open to him, whereas contrarily the more dead mens skuls he hath buried with him, the more happy he shall be esteemed; There were many boats likewise, where there were men that had a great many of Cages, full of live birds, who playing on divers instruments of musick, exhorted the people with a loud voice, to deliver those poor creatures of God, that were there in captivity, whereupon many came and gave them mony for the redemption of those prisoners, which presently they let out of the cages, and then as they flew away, the redeem∣ers of them cried out to the birds, Pichau pitauel catan vacaxi, that is, Go, and tell God, how we serve him here below. In imitation of these, there are others also, who in their ships, kept a great many of little live fishes in great pots of water, and like the sellers of birds invite the people, for Gods cause to free those poor innocent fishes, that had never sinned, so that divers bought many of them, and casting them into the river, said, Get ye gone, and tell there be∣low, the good I have done you for Gods sake. To conclude all, the vessels where these things are exposed to sale, are seldom less in number then two hundred, besides thousands of others, which sell such like wares in a far greater quantity.

We saw likewise many Barcasses full of men and women; that played upon divers sorts of instruments,* 1.2 and for mony gave them musick that desired it; There were other vessels laden with horns, which the Priests sold, therewith to make feasts in Heaven, for they say, that those were the horns of several beasts, which were offered in sacrifice to the Idols out of devotion, and for the performance of vows that men had made in divers kind of misfortunes, and sick∣nesses, wherein they had at others times been; And that as the flesh of those beasts, had been given here below for the honour of God to the poor, so the souls of them for whom those horns were offered, do in the other world eat the souls of of those beasts to whom those horns belonged, and thereunto invite the souls of their friends, as men use to invite others here on earth; Other vessels we saw covered with blacks, and full of tombs, torches, and great wax lights, as also women in them, that for money would be hired to weep and lament for the dead; o∣thers there were, called Pitaleus, that in great barques kept divers kinds of wild beasts to be shewed for mony, most dreadful to behold as Serpents, huge Adders, monstrous Lizards, Ty∣gers, and many others such like; we saw in like sort a great number of Stationers, which sold all manner of books, that could be desired, as well concerning the creation of the world, whereof they tell a thousand lies, as touching the States, Kingdoms, Islands, and Provinces of the world, together with the Laws and Customs of Nations, but especially of the Kings of China, their number, brave acts, and of all things else that happened in each of their reigns, Moreover we saw a great many of the light, swift Foysts, wherein were men very well armed, who cried out with a loud voice, that if any one had received an affront, whereof he desired to be avenged, let him come unto them, and they would cause satisfaction to be made him; In other vessels there were old women, that served for midwives, and that would bring women speedily and easily a bed, as also a many of Nurses, ready to be entertained for to give children suck; There were barques likewise very well adorn••d, and set ••orth, that had in them divers reverend old men, and grave matrons, whose profession was to make marriages, and to com∣fort widows, or such as had lost their children, or suffered any other misfortune; In others there were a number of young men and maids, that lacked Masters, and Mistresses, which of∣fered themselves to any that would hire them; There were other vessels that had in them such as undertook to tell fortunes, and to help folks to things lost. In a word, not to dwell any longer upon every particular, that was to be seen in this moving Town, for then I should never have done, it shall suffice me to say, that nothing can be desired on land, which was not to be had in their vessels, and that in greater abundance then I have delivered, wherefore I

will passe from it to shew you that one of the principal causes why this Monarchy of China, that contains two and thirty Kingdoms, is so mighty, rich, and of so great commerce, is, be∣cause it is exceedingly replenished with rivers, and a world of Chanals that have been anciently made by the Kings, great Lords, and people thereof, for to render all the Country navigable, and so communicate their labours with one another: The narrowest of these Chanals have brid∣ges, of hewed stone over them, that are very high, long and broad, whereof some are of one stone, eighty, ninety, nay, an hundred spans long, and fifteen, or twenty broad, which doubt∣lesse is very marvellous, for it is almost impossible to comprehend by what means so huge a masse of stone could be drawn out of the Quarry without breaking, and how it should be transported to the place where it was to be set. All the ways and passages, from Cities, Towns, and Villages, have very large causeys made of fair stone, at the ends whereof are costly pillars and arches, upon which are inscriptions with letters of gold, containing the pray sers of them that erected them; moreover there are handsome seats placed all along for poor passengers to rest themselves on: There are likewise innumerable Aqueducks and fountains every where, whose water is most wholesom and excellent to drink; And in divers parts there are certain Wenches of love, that out of charity prostitute themselves to travellers, which have no mony, and although amongst us this is held for a great abuse and abomination, yet with them it is ac∣counted a work of mercy, so that many on their death-beds do by their testaments bequeath great revenues, for the maintenance of this wickedness, as a thing very meritorious for the salvation of their souls; moreover many others have left lands for the erecting and maintain∣ing of houses, in deserts and unhabited places, where great fires are kept all the night to guide such as have strayed out of their way, as also water for men to drink, and seats to repose them in, and that there may be no default herein, there are divers persons entertained with very good means, to see these things carefully continued, according to the institution of him that founded them for the health of his soul. By these marvels which are found in the particular Towns of this Empire, may be concluded what the greatness thereof might be, were they joyned all together; but for the better satisfaction of the Reader, I dare boldly say, if my testimony may be worthy of credit, that in one and twenty years space, during which time, with a world of mis∣fortune, labour and pain, I traversed the greatest part of Asia▪ as may appear by this my dis∣course, I had seen in some countrys a wonderfull abundance of several sorts of victuals, and provisions, which we have not in our Europe, yet without speaking what each of them might have in particular, I do not think there is in all Europe so much as there is in China alone; And the same may be said of all the rest, wherewith Heaven hath favoured this clymate, as well for the temperature of the air, as for that which concerns the policy, and riches, the magnificence and greatness of their estate; Now that which gives the greatest luster unto it, is, their exact observation of justice, for there is so well ruled a Government in this Country, as it may justly be envied of all others in the world; And to speak the truth, such as want this particular, have no gloss, be they otherways never so great & commendable. Verily, so often as I represent unto my self those great things which I have seen in this China, I am on the one side amazed to think how liberally it hath pleased God to heap up on this people, the goods of the earth, & on the other side I am exceedingly grieved to consider how ungratefull they are in acknowledging such extraor∣dinary favours; for they commit amongst themselves an infinite of most enormous sins, wherewithal they incessantly offend the Divine Goodness, as well in their bruitish and diabo∣lical Idolatries, as in the abominable sin of Sodomy, which is not only permitted amongst them in publique, but is also accounted for a great vertue according to the instructions of their Priests.

Notes

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