The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox

CHAP. XII. The Road from Surat to Goa, and from Goa to Golconda through Visapour.

YOu may go from Surat to Goa, partly by Land, and partly by Sea. But the Road being very bad by Land, generally Travellers go by Sea, and hiring an Almadier, which is a Barque with Oars, they go by the Shoar to Goa: though sometimes the Malavares or Indian Pirats are very much to be fear'd all along those Coasts, as I shall tell you in due place.

The way from Surat to Goa, is not reckon'd by Costes, but by Gos, one of which makes four of our common Leagues.

From Surat to Daman, gos 7

From Daman to Bassain, gos 10

From Bassain to Chaoul, gos 7

From Chaoul to Daboul, gos 12

From Daboul to Rejapour, gos 10

From Rejapour to Mingrela, gos 9

From Mingrela to Goa, gos 4

In all from Surat to Goa, gos 61

The great danger which you run along the Coast, is the hazard of falling into the hands of the Malvares, who are violent Mahumetans, and very cruel to the Christians. I saw a bare-foot Carmelite-Friar who had been taken by those Pirats. This Friar, to get his ransom the sooner, they put to that kind of torture, that his right-arm was shorter by one half then his left, and so it was with one leg. The Captains do not give above six Crowns to every Souldier for the whole six months that they are usually out at Sea: Then the Souldiers may return home, and if their Captains will have them stay longer, they must allow'em more pay. They seldom venture out above 20 or 25 leagues at Sea, which is no great hazard of the Vessel. But sometimes the Portuguese's snap them, and then they either hang 'em up presently, or throw 'em over-board. These Malavares carry sometimes 200, sometimes 250 men, and they sail together in Squadrons of ten or fifteen Barques to attack a great Vessel, not caring a rush for the great Guns. They come board and board so suddenly, and cast such a quantity of Pots of Artificial Fire upon the deck, that if there be not speedy remedy appli'd, they will presently do a world of mischief. Generally our Seamen, knowing the custom of these Pirats, when they come within ken, presently shut up the Scuttles, and fill the deck with water, to hinder the Fire-Pots from doing execution.

An English Captain, whose name was Mr. Clark, coming from Bantam to Su∣rat, not far from Cochin, met a Squadron of these Malvares, consisting of 25 or 30 of these Barques. Who came board and board, and vigorously attack'd him. The Captain seeing he could not withstand their first Fury, put fire to some Bar∣rels of Powder, and blowing up the deck, blew a great number of the Pirats into the Sea. Nevertheless, the rest were nothing discourag'd, but boarded the Ship a second time. The English Captain seeing there was no help, put his men into two Shallops, and staying behind in his Cabin, where the Pirats could not enter so suddenly, he set fire to a Train which he had laid, that reach'd to all the rest of the Powder, and at the same time leaping into the Sea, was taken up by his own men. In the mean time the Ship being all a-fire, the Pyrats leapt into the Sea also. But for all this, the two Shallops, wherein there were about forty English, were taken by the rest of the Malvares, that were Fresh-men; and I was then at breakfast with the English President, Mr. Fremelin, when he receiv'd a Letter from Captain Clark, that he was a Slave to Samorin, who is the most considera∣ble King all along the Pirats Coast. The Prince would not leave the English in the hands of those Scoundrels, knowing that they would have been in great dan∣ger of their lives, by reason that above twelve-hunder'd Women had lost their Husbands, in the two times that the Ship had been fir'd. However the King

found a means to appease them, promising to each of them that had lost their Husbands two Piasters, every Piaster being four shillings a piece, which came to above two thousand four hundred Crowns, besides four thousand, which were to be paid for the Ransom of the Captain and the other Sea-men, immediately the President sent the Money, and I saw them at their return, some in health, o∣thers in violent Feavers. The Malavares are a People so superstitious, that they never touch any thing that is foul or soyl'd, with their Right Hands, but only with the Left, the Nails of which Fingers they let grow, and use instead of Combs, for they wear their Hair long like the Women, tying it about their Heads in wreaths, and binding it with a Linnen cloath with three corners.

Since I have mention'd Daman, I will tell you in a few words how that City was besieg'd by Aureng-Zeb the present Great Mogul. Some are of opinion that Elephants do great matters in War; which may be sometimes true, but not alwaws; for very often instead of doing mischief to the Enemy, they turn upon those that lead them, and rout their own party as Aureng-Zeb found by experience, at the Siege of this City. He was twenty days be∣fore Daman, and resolv'd at length to Storm it upon a Sunday, believing that the Christians were like the Jews and would not defend it upon that day. He that commanded the Place was an old Souldier, who had serv'd in France, and had three Sons with him. In the Town were eight hundred Gentlemen, and other stout Souldiers, who came from all parts to signalize their valour at that Siege. For though the Mogul had in his Army above forty thou∣sand men, he could not hinder relief from being put into Daman by Sea, in regard that he wanted Ships. The Sunday that the Prince intended to Storm, the Governour of Daman, as had been order'd at the Councel of War, caus'd Mass to be said presently after Midnight, and then made a Sally with all his Cavalry and some part of his Infantry, who were to fall on upon that quarter which was guarded by two hundred Elephants. Among those Elephants they flung a great number of Fire-works, which so affrighted them in the dark of the Night, that knowing not whither they went, nor being to be rul'd by their Go∣vernours, they turn'd upon the Besiegers with so much fury, that in less than two or three hours half the Army of Aureng-Zeb was cut in pieces, and in three days the Siege was rais'd; nor would the Prince after that, have any more to do with the Christians.

I made two Voiages to Goa the one at the beginning of the year 1641. the second at the beginning of the year 1648. The first time I stay'd but five days, and return'd by Land to Surat. From Goa I went to Bicholly, which is upon the main Land, thence to Visapour, thence to Golconda, thence to Au∣reng-abat, and so to Surat. I could have gone to Surat without passing through Golconda, but my business led me that way.

From Goa to Visapour; costes. 85

Which takes up generally eight days journey.

From Visapour to Golconda, costes. 100

Which I travel'd in nine days.

From Golconda to Aureng-abat, the Stages are not so well order'd, being sometimes sixteen, sometime twenty five, sometimes twenty Leagues asunder.

From Aureng-abat to Surat takes up sometimes twelve, sometimes fifteen, sometimes sixteen days journey.

Visapour is a great scambling City, wherein there is nothing remarkable, neither as to the publick Edifices, nor as to Trade. The Kings Palace is a vast one but ill built; and the access to it is very dangerous, in regard there are abundance of Crocodiles that lie in the Water which encompass it. The King of Visapour has three good ports in his Dominions, Rejapour, Daboult, and Cra∣paten. The last is the best of all, where the Sea beats upon the foot of the Mountain, and you have fourteen or fifteen Fathom Water near the Land. Upon the top of the Mountain there is a Fort, with a Spring of Water in it. Cra∣paten is not above five days journey from Goa to the North. And Rabaque, where the King of Visapour sels his Pepper, is as far distant from it to the East. The King of Visapour and the King of Golconda have been formerly tri∣butary to the Great Mogul: but now they are absolute of themselves.

This Kingdom was for some time disquieted by the revolt of Nair-seva-gi, Cap∣tain of the King of Visapour's Guards; After which the young Seva-gi his Son conceiv'd so deadly a hatred against the King, that he made himself the head of certain Banditi, and as he was both wise and liberal, he got together so many Horse and Foot, as made a compleat Army; the Souldiers flocking to to him from all parts, for the reputation of his Liberality. And he was just about to have led them to action, when the King of Visapour happen'd to dye without Children, so that with little or no trouble he got possession of one part of the Coast of Malavar; taking Rejapour, Rasigar, Crapaten, Da∣boul, and other places. They report that upon his demolishing the fortifica∣tions of Rasigar, he found vast Treasures, which help'd him to pay his Soul∣diers, who were alwayes well paid. Some years before the death of the King, the Queen perceiving no probability of having any Children, adopted a little Boy, upon whom she bestow'd all her affections, and caused him to be brought up in the Doctrine of Haly's Sect, The King upon his Death-bed caus'd this Adopted Son to be Proclaim'd King; but Seva-gi having a nume∣rous Army continu'd the War, and much disturb'd the Regency of the Queen. At length he made the first propositions for Peace; which was concluded upon conditions, that he should quietly enjoy the Territories; which he had subdu'd, that he should become Tributary to the King, and pay him the half of all his Revenue. The young King being thus fix'd in his Throne, the Queen Regent went in Pilgrimage to Mecca; and I was at Ispahan, when she pass'd through the Town in her return home.

When I made my second Voiage to Goa, I embark'd in a Dutch Vessel call'd the Maestricht, which carry'd me to Mingrela, where I landed the eleventh day of January, 1648.

Mingrela is a large Town, extended half a League in length upon the Sea, in the Territories of Visapour. It is one of the best Roads in all India, where the Hollanders take in fresh Provisions every time they sail to block up Goa, as also when they are bound upon Trade for many other parts of India. For at Mingrela there is both excellent Water, and excellent Rice. This Town is also very famous for Cardamoms, which the Eastern people esteem the best of Spices, not being to be had in any other Countrey; which makes that sort of Commodity very scarce and very dear. There is also made great store of course Calecuts, that are spent in the Countrey; besides great quantities of course Matting, that serves to pack up goods. So that both in respect of Trade, as also for the furnishing their Ships with fresh Provisions, the Hol∣lauders have a Factory in the Town. For, as I said before, not only all Ves∣sels that come from Batavia, from Japon, from Bengala, Ceylan, and other places, and those that are bound for Surat, the Red Sea, Ormus, Balsara, &c. both going and coming, come to an Anchor in the Road of Mingrela, but also while the Hollanders are at Wars with the Portugals, and lye before the Bar of Goa, where they have usually eight or ten Sail, they send their small Barks to Mingrela for Provisions. For the Hollanders lye eight Months in a year before the mouth of the Port of Goa, so that there can nothing pass in∣to Goa by Sea all that time. You must also take notice, that the Bar of Goa is also stopt up some part of the year by the Sands which the South and West-winds that precede the great Rains, cast up; so that there is not a∣bove a foot, or a foot and a half Water for very small Boats. But when the great Rains come, the Water swells and carrying away the Sands, opens a passage for the great Vessels.