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. LXIIII. A continuation of the successe which we had in this voyage, with my departure from Goa to Zunda, and what passed during my abode there. (Book 64)

WE past two daies in this Hermitage, where, as I declared before, we were very well entertained by the Hermite;* 1.1 the third day after betimes in the morning we took our leave of him, and departed from thence not a little afflicted with that which we had heard, and so all the same day and the night following we continued on our way along by the river; the next morning we arrived at a place where were a great ma∣ny of sugar canes, of which we took some, for that we had nothing els to nourish us withall. In this manner we marched still along by this river, which we kept for a guide of our voyage, because we judged that how long soever it were, yet would it at last ingulfe it self in the Sea, where we hoped that our Lord would raise us up some remedy for our miseries. The day ensuing we arrived at a village called Pommiseray, where we hid our selves in a very thick wood from being descried by passengers, and two hours within night we continued our design in following the current of this river, being re∣solved to take our death in good part, if it should please God to send it us, for to put an end to so many sufferings as we had undergone day and night; and without lying, the apprehension and visions of this last end troubled us more then death it self, where∣with we imagined our selves to be already ensnared. At the end of seventeen daies, that this painfull and sad voyage had lasted, God shewed us so much grace, that during the obscurity of a very rainy night, we discovered a certain light little more then a Faulcon shot before us, the fear we were in at the first that we were neer some Town, made us to stand still for a good space, without knowing what to resolve upon, untill we observed that this light seemed to move, whereby we conjectured that it was some Vessell which went from one port to another; as indeed half an hour after we percei∣ved one, wherein there were nine persons, who approaching to the bank of the river, neer to the place where we were, landed all in a Creek that was there in the form of an Haven, and presently making a fire, they began to prepare their supper, which was no sooner ready, but they fell to eating with great demonstrations of mirth, where∣in they bestowed a pretty good time. At length when they were well replenished with meat and drink, it happened that all nine of them, amongst whom there were three women, fell fast asleep; whereupon seeing that we could not find a more favourable occasion to make our benefit of this adventure, we went all eight of us very softly into the barque, that stuck half in the Ouze, and was tyed fast to a great stake, which push∣ing forth with our shoulders we set aflote, and then imbarquing our selves in it with all speed, we began to row down the river with as little noyse as possibly we could make. Now in regard the current of the water and the wind were both very favourable

unto us, we found our selves the next morning above ten leagues from the place vvhence vve parted, namely neer to a Pagode, called Quiay Hinarel, that is to say, the God of Rice, vvhere vve met but only vvith one man and seven and thirty vvomen, the most of them old, and Religionaries of this Temple, vvho received us vvith a great deal of cha∣rity, although in my opinion they did it rather out of fear of us, then any vvill that they had to do ••s good. Having questioned them about many things vvhich served for our purpose, they could give us no pertinent ansvver thereunto, alledging still, that they vvere but poor vvomen, vvho upon a solemn vovv had renounced all things in the vvorld, and confined themselves into this inclosure, vvhere they bestovved all their time in continuall prayer to Quiay Ponuedea, vvhich moves the clouds of heaven, that he vvould be pleased to give them rain, vvhereby their grounds might be made fruitfull to produce them abandance of Rice. In this place vve spent all the day in caulking our barque, and furnishing our selves at these religious vvomens cost, vvith Rice, Sugar, French Beans, Onyons, and some smoak-dried flesh, vvherevvith they vvere sufficiently provided. Being parted from hence about an hour vvithin night, vve continued our course vvith our Oars and Sails for seven vvhole days together, vvithout so much as once daring to touch the Land, so much vvere vve in fear of some disaster that might easily arrive to us from those places vvhich vve savv all alongst the river: But as it is im∣possible to avoid that here belovv vvhich is determined there above, just at the instant, as vve vvere continuing on our course, all confused as vve vvere, and in a perpetuall a∣larm, by reason of the danger that vvas alvvays present before our eys, as vvell for that vvhich vve savv, as for that vve vvere in doubt of, our ill hap vvould have it, that an hour before day, as vve past thorough the mouth of a Channell, three Paraos of Pyrats assaulted us vvith such violence, and vvith so many different sorts of D••rts, vvhich they showred upon us, that within less then two Credoes they had killed three of our com∣panions; as for us five that remained, vve cast our selves into the Sea all bloudy as we vvere vvith the vvounds vvhich vve had received, vvhereof tvvo others died a little af∣ter: When as vve vvere got ashore vve hid our selves in the vvoods, vvhere vve past all that day in lamenting our present mishap after so many fortunes as vve had run tho∣rough before time. Thus vvounded as vve vvere, parting from thence in more hope of death then life, vve proceeded on our vvay by Land, vvith so much pain and irresoluti∣on concerning vvhat vve vvere to do, as vve fell many times a vveeping, vvithout being able to comfort one another, in regard of the small likelyhood there vvas of saving our lives by any humane means. As vve vvere reduced to this deplorable estate, vvith tvvo of our companions ready to die, it pleased our Lord (vvhose succour doth ordina∣rily supply our defects) that in a place vvhere vve found our selves upon the bank of the vvater, there chanced to pass by a Vessell, vvherein there vvas a Christian vvoman, na∣med Violenta, vvho vvas married to a Pagan, to vvhom this Vessell appertained, vvhich he had laden vvith Cotton Wooll to sell off at Cosmin; this vvoman no sooner percei∣ved us, but moved vvith pity at the sight of us, Iesus, cried she, these are Christians which I behold! that said, she caused the Vessell vvherein she vvas to come to the shore, and leaping on Land, together vvith her husband, they fell both of them to imbracing us vvith tears in their eys, and then made us to be imbarqued vvith them; presently where∣upon this vertuous Dame took a care to have our vvounds drest, and provided us of cloaths the best that she could, rendring us many other good offices of a true and chari∣table Christian: Then setting aside all fear, vve parted from this place vvith all speed, & five days after thorough Gods grace vve arrived safely at the Tovvn of Cosmin, vvhich is a part of the Sea in the Kingdome of P••gu, vvhere in the house of this good Christian vvoman vve vvere as vvel looked unto, that in a short time vve found our selves tho∣roughly cured of all our hurts. Now vvhereas there is never any vvant in the grace which God doth to his creatures, it pleased him that at that very time vve met in this Port vvith a ship, vvhereof Luis de Montorrayo vvas Master, vvho vvas upon the point of setting sail for Bengala, so that after we had taken our leave of our Hostess, to whom we rendred many thanks for all the benefits vvhich we had received of her, we imbarqued our selves with the said Luis de Montarroyo, who likewise intreated us exceeding well, and furnished us abundantly with all that was necessary for us. At our arrivall at the Port of Cha••igan in the Kingdome of Bengala, where there was at that time many

Portugals, I instantly imbarqued my self in the foist of a certain Merchant, called F••r∣nando Caldeyra, who was bound for Goa, where it pleased God I arrived in good health. There I found Pedro de Faria, who had been Captain of Malaca, and by whom I had been sent as Ambassador to the Chaiubanbaa of Mar••abano, as I have declared hereto∣fore. To him I rendred an exact accompt of all that had past, for which he shewed him∣self very sorrowfulL, and accommodated me with divers things, whereunto his consci∣ence and generosity obliged him, in regard of the goods which I had lost for his occasi∣on. A little after, that I might not lose the oportunity of the season, I imbarqued my self with an intention to go to the Southward, and once more to try my fortune in the Kingdomes of China and Iapan, to see if in those countries where I had so many times lost my coat, I could not find a better then that I had on.

Being imbarqued at Goa in a Junck that belonged to Pedro de Faria,* 1.2 which was bound in way of trade for Zunda, I arrived at Malaca the same day that Ruy vas Pereyra, termed Marramaque died, who was then Captain of the fortresse there. Being de∣parted from that place to go to Zunda, at the end of seventeen dayes I arrived at Ban∣ta, where the Portugals are accustomed to traffique. And because there was at that time great scarcity of pepper over all the country, and that we came thither of purpose for it, we were constrained to passe the winter there, with a resolution to go for China the year following. We had been almost two moneths in this Port, where we exer••ised our commerce very peaceably, whenas from the King of Demaa, Emperor of all the Islands of Iaoa, Angenia, B••la, Madura, and of the rest of the Islands of that Archi∣pelago, there landed in this country a widdow woman, named Nhay Pombaya, about the age of threescore years, who came as Ambassador to Tagaril▪ King of Zu••da, that was also his Vassall as well as all the rest of that Monarchy, for to tell him that he was within the term of six weeks to be in person at the town of Iapara, where he was then making preparation to invade the Kingdome of Passaruan. When this woman arrived in this Port, the King went in person to the Vessell where she was, from whence he carried her to his Palace with great pomp, and put her into the compa∣ny of his wife for her better entertainment, whilest he himself retired to another lodg∣ing farther off to do her the more honor. Now that one may know the reason wherefore this ambassage was executed rather by a woman then a man, you must note, that it hath alwayes been the custome of the Kings of this Kingdome to treat of the most important matters of their State by the mediation of women, especially when it concernes peace, which they observe not only in particular messages that are sent by the Lords to their Vassalls, such as this was, but also in matter of publique and generall af∣fairs, which is performed by ambassage from one King to another, and all the reason they give for it, is; That God hath given more gentlenesse and inclination to courtesie, yea and more authority to women then to men, who are severe, as they say, and by consequent lesse agreeable to those unto whom they are sent. Now it is their opinion, that every one of those women which the Kings are accustomed to send about affaires of importance, ought to have certain qualities for well executing of an ambassage, and worthily dis∣charging the Commission which is granted to them: for first of all, they say, That she must not be a Maid▪ for fear she chance to lose her honor in going out of her house, because that even as with her beauty she contents every one, so by the same reason she may be a motive of dis∣cord and unquietnesse in matters where unity is required, rather then an accesse to concord, and the peace which is pretended unto. To this they adde, that she must be married, or at leastwise a widdow after a lawfull marriage; that if she have had children, she must have a Certificate how she hath given them all suck with her own breasts, alledging thereupon, that she who hath borne children, and doth not nourish them if she can, is rather a carnall, voluptuous, corrupted, and dishonest woman, then a true mother. And this custome is observed so ex∣actly over all this country, principally amongst persons of quality, that if a mother hath a child which she cannot give suck unto for some valuable consideration, she must make an attestation thereof, as of a thing very serious, and much importing her honor. That if being young too she happens to lose her husband, and becomes a widdow, she must for the better testifying of her vertue enter into Religion, to the end she may thereby shew, that she did not formerly marry for the pleasure which she expected from her marriage, but to have children, according to the pure and honest intention, wherewith

God joyned together the first married couple in the terrestiall Paradise. Furthermore, that there might be nothing to be found fault with in the purity of their marriage, and that it might be altogether conformable to the Law of God, they say, that after a wo∣man is with-child, she ought no longer to have the company of her husband, because the same could not then be but dishonest and sensuall. To these conditions they add many others which I will passe over in silence, for that I think it unreasonable to use prolixity in matters that I hold worthy of excuse, if I do not relate them at length. In the mean time after that Nhay Pombaya had delivered her Embassage to the King of Zunda, as I have declared before, and treated with him about the occasion which brought her thi∣ther, she presently departed from this Towne of Ba••ta; whereupon the King having speedily prepared all things in readinesse, he set sail with a Fleet of thirty Calaluzes, and ten Iuripang••es, well furnished with ammunition and victuall, in which forty ves∣sells there were seven thousand fighting men, besides the Mariners and Rowers. A∣mongst this number were forty Portugalls, of six and forty that we were in all, in re∣gard whereof they did us many particular favours in the businesse of our Merchandize, and publikely confessed, that they were much obliged to us for following them as we did, so that we should have had little reason to have excused our selves from accompa∣nying them in this war.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 1.
• * 1.2

  §. 2.