Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. II. Of Saint AVGVSTINE and SOCOTORA, like Obseruations, with other notes taken out of his Iournall.

[ 10]

THis place is rather a Bay then Cape or Point, not hauing any land,* 1.1 much more bearing out then the rest, it lyeth in twentie three degrees, thirtie eight minutes of South la∣titude, hath variation fifteene degrees fortie minutes, hauing on either side breaches, which make it easie to be discerned, lying some league from the Mayne West South-west. Right from the Bay is deepe water to Sea-ward, but when you are entred, the ground is so sheluie, that you shall haue one Anchor aground on the North in twentie two, and your other in aboue sixtie fathomes, and in some places more inward, not two foot at a low water,* 1.2 and o∣uer that, deepe againe neere the shoare, yet all soft Ozie ground. The land within a mile or two is high, stonie, barren, full of small Woods. In the bottome of the Bay runne two Riuers,* 1.3 the Land about them sunken, sandie Land: forth these Riuers, came so strong a fresh, that the floud [ 20] neuer stils them, although it floweth at least two fathomes, wherewith the water is thicke and muddie. Great store of Canes come downe, of which wee had seene some store, twentie or thirtie leagues off at Sea. It lyeth open to a North-west wind,* 1.4 we caught heere Smelts of a foot long, and Shrimps of ten inches. The best fishing is on the sandie shoare of the low Land, neere which the Natiues catch many with strong Nets. A ledge of Rockes trending alongst, breakes off the force of the Sea. Within the Woods, we found on the low Land, infinite numbers of wa∣ter Melons, which yeelded good refreshing: the Riuers nothing, saue hurt to one by an Allega∣tor, the water not also very good, but wooding plentie.

The place seemeth not very populous. We saw not at any time aboue twentie together:* 1.5 the men are comely, lustie, tall and wel-set, of a tawnie colour, wearing no apparel, but a Girdle made [ 30] of rindes of Trees to couer their priuities: the haire on their beards blacke, and reasonable long; on their head, likewise, which they pleate and frizzle very curiously, neither haue they bad smels on their bodies. Behind on their Girdles are many Trinkets, fastned with Allegators teeth, some hollow to carrie Tallow to keepe their Darts bright, which are their chiefe Weapons (of which each carries a small bundle) and a faire Lance artificially headed with Iron,* 1.6 and kept as bright as Siluer. Their Darts are made dangerously with holes on each side backe-ward. They carry about them certaine Kniues, like Butchers Kniues, artificially made. They therefore regard no Iron, nor will barter for any thing but Siluer, for which we bought a sheepe for twelue pence, a Cow for three shillings and sixe pence, they asked Beads into the bargaine, for which yet alone they [ 40] would giue nothing, saue a little Milke brought downe in gourds, excellent sweet and good.

Their Cattel haue great bunches on their fore shoulders, like a Sugar-loafe in fashion and quan∣titie, which is a grislie substance, and good meat; their beefe not loose, like that of Soldania,* 1.7 but fast and good, little differing from English, as also their sheep, which haue tayles weighing twenty eight pounds a peice, therefore vsually cut off from the Ewes, least it should hinder their bree∣ding. In the woods neere about the Riuer, is great store of beasts, as big as M••nkies, ash-coloured, with a small head, long taile like a Fox, garled with white and blacke, the furre very fine.* 1.8 Wee killed some with Peeces, not being able to take them aliue. There are Bats as big bodied almost as Conies, headed like a Foxe, with a hairie furre in other things like Bats. We killed one, whose wings extended an ell in length: their cry is shrill and loud. Here are Hernes plentie, white, [ 50] blacke, blew, and diuers mixed colours; many bastard Hawkes; birds of infinite varietie of co∣lour, hauing for the most part crests on their heads, like Peacocks. There are store of Lizards and Chamelions, which agree to Plinies description; onely it is aire, that they liue of aire without other meat: for hauing kept one aboord but a day, we might perceiue him to hunt for flies,* 1.9 in a very strange manner. Hauing espied her setting, he suddenly shootes a thing forth of his mouth (perhaps his tongue) lothsome to behold, the fashion almost like a Bird-bol••, wherewith he takes and eates them, with such speed, that a man can ••••arsly discerne what he doth; euen in the twink∣ling of an eie. In the woods on the hils are many great Spiders, which spin their webs from tree to tree, it being very excellent strong silke of a yellow colour, as if it were died by art.* 1.10 I found also here great Worm••s, in manner of our Grubs, with many legges, which are enclosed within a [ 60] double cod of white silke, hanging on the trees.

There groweth great store of herbe Aloes, and also Tamerind trees by the waters side. Here was also store of a very strange Plant, which I deeme a wild Coco-nut,* 1.11 seldome growing to the height of a tree, of a shrubby nature, with m••ny long prickled stalkes, of some two yards long. At the ende of each foot-stalke, 〈…〉〈…〉 ••afe about the bignesse of a great Cabbage leafe, s••ipt round halfe the leafe, like sword grasse. From the tops thereof amongst the leaues, come forth

many woodie branches, as thicke set commonly with fruit as they can stand, one by another (I haue seen fortie together clustering on one branch) about the bignesse of a great Katherine peare, and like it in colour being ripe, at the first greenish, fashioned almost like a sheepes bell, with a rinde bearing forth neere the head, flat at the top, and smooth; within which rinde is contained a hard substance, almost like the Coco-nut-shel, in which is included a round white kernell, of a hard gri••••ly substance, yet to be eaten: and within that (for it is hollow) is about a spoonefull of pleasant sweet water and coole, like milke, or that rather of the Coco-nut.

H••re groweth also another as big as a Peare tree, thicke set with boughes and leaues, like those of the Bay-tree, bearing a great foot-ball fruit (such is the round forme) sticking to a strong 〈…〉〈…〉 by certaine seames into foure quarters. The rind of it beeing cut greene, yeelds a [ 10] cl••mmi•• s••bstance, sauouring like Turpentine. The rind is very thicke, with which I found di∣uers parcels p••••ked together, almost like the substance that groweth on trees, but harder, rather like a piece of browne woody Agarike, being thirteene in number, couched neatly together, with∣in each of which is contained another great kernell of a darkish white colour, hard, bitter, and vnpleasant of tast.

In Socotora, the Guzerats and English build them houses for the time of their stay, sleight with stone•• (the whole Iland seemeth nothing else) and pieces of wood laid ouerthwart,* 1.12 couered with Reed and Date branches to keepe out the Sunne, for raine in that time they feare not. About the head of the Riuer, and a mile further into the land, is a pleasant Valley replenished with Date-trees. On the East side is Dibree a little Towne, little inhabited, except in their haruest of Dates. [ 20] In this Valley the wind bloweth with such violence in Iune and Iuly,* 1.13 that it is strange; yet with∣in a flight shot off towards the Town of Delisha,* 1.14 ouer against the r••ad, you shal not haue a breath of wind.* 1.15 About an hundred yeers since, this Iland was conquered by the King of Caixem (or Cushem, as the Arabs pronounce it) a King of no great force, able to make two or three thousand souldiors: he hath this, and the two Irmanas, and Abba del curia subiect to him. The two Irmanas, or two Brethren, are stonie, small, barren, hauing nothing but Turtles or Tortoises, not inhabited. Abba de la curia is large, hath st••re of Goa••es, and some fresh water, not aboue three or foure inhabi∣tants, as we were certified. The Kings sonne Amor Benzaid resideth at Socotora, which he ruleth during his fathers pleasure. They haue trade to the Iles of Comoro, and to Melinde, for which he hath heere two good Frigats, wherewith they fetch Rice and Melo from the maine, which [ 30] is their chiefe food.

* 1.16The Arabians h••re are in manner slaues to the Snakee or Prince, are all souldiours, and attend on him when he commands; some of them are shot. Moreouer, euery of them weares a kind of wood-knife, or crooked dagger on their left side, without which they dare not bee seene abroad. They haue also thin, broad, painted Targets. Their dagger handles and chapes, the better sort set forth with Siluer, the other with Red Latten. They are tawney, industrious, ciuill in gesture: the women are some of them reasonable white,* 1.17 much like to a Sun-burnned countrey maid in England. The men are of stature like ours, well proportioned in their limmes, wearing their haire most of them long,* 1.18 binding a cloth or Turbant about the same like the Turkes, and a cloath wrap∣ped about their middles, which hangeth downe to their knees; not wearing vsually other appa∣rell, [ 40] except sometimes a paire of sandals on their feet, fastened with thongs; carrying their sword naked on their shoulders, or ha••ging from the shoulder in the sheath by a strap, or else on their arme; and thus they march vp and downe. They loue Tobacco, but are loth to giue any thing for ••t.

Diuers of them fling a Pintado or other cloth in manner of an Irish mantle ouer their shoul∣ders, and others make them shirts and surplesses of white Calico: some weare a paire of linnen breeches vnder,* 1.19 like the Guzerates. But their women goe altogether in these smockes hanging downe to the ground, of red, blew, or for the most part of a light black colour, being died Calicoes: and ouer their heads they put a cloth, with which (when they lust) they hide their faces, making very dainty to be seene, yet are scarsly honest. And though the men be very poore, and haue but [ 50] to defend necessitie, yet their women (whereof some keepe foure, fiue, or sixe, as many as they are able) are so laden with Siluer,* 1.20 and some also with some Gold, that I haue seene one not of the best, which hath had in each eare at least a dozen of great Siluer rings, almost like Curtaine rings, with as many smaller hanging in them: two Carkanets or chaines of siluer about her necke, and one of Gold bosses; about her wrists, tenne or twelue Manillias of Siluer, each as big as ones lit••le finger, but hollow, one about another, on one arme: almost euery finger laden with rings, and the small of her legs with siluer rings like horselockes. And thus adorned, they cannot stirre, but they make a noise like Morris-dauncers. They are kept closely by their iealous husbands. They de∣light in Christ••ll, Amb••r, or Currall beads, but ha••e little to buy them, but will either beg them, or make a swap with you in priuate.* 1.21 The young children (except of a few of better sort) go na∣ked [ 60] till they come to some age. They are married at tenne, or twelue yeares olde. They call themselues Musselmen, that is, Catholikes, or true beleeuers, according to their false faithlesse faith of M••homet: yea they alledge this reason for themselues (let Iesuite-Catholikes acknowledge their owne) the great multitude of them,* 1.22 and the small number of vs, all the world, say they, be∣ing

of our Religion, and but a handfull of yours.* 1.23 They eate their meat on a Mat spread on the ground, but neither vse Spoones nor Kniues (hands are the elder) in vnmannerly manner: they drinke vsually water, yet in secret can be content to be drunke with wine. They make in the time of yeare some wine of Dates, pleasant and strong.

Thus much for the Conquerours. They call the conquered Caffars (misbeleeuers,* 1.24 or if you will heretikes) and subiect them to great slauery, insomuch that some remaine in the Mountaines, li∣uing in a wild liberty like beasts, the other not suffered to haue any weapons. They are well sha∣ped, more swart then the Arabs, weare nothing on their heads, weare their haire long, I suppose neuer cut, staring as if they were frighted. About their middles they weare a cloath wrapped a∣bout [ 10] them, made of Goats haire, or course wooll, wouen by themselues, on their feet slight san∣dals. Their women goe all in smocks of coloured Calico, or course cloth hanging to the ground; on their heads vsually nothing: in imitation of the Arabs,* 1.25 haue Manill as of earth painted or of yron, about their armes and legs, beads in stead of Karkanets, painting their faces with yellow and blacke spots, loathsome to behold. For Religion, they are meere Heathen all of them,* 1.26 as the Arabians certified vs, obseruing no rites of Marriage, but vse their women in common. Their na∣turall language is much different from the Arabique, which yet the most learne. They liue very miserably, and many of them are famished with hunger. Flesh they are not permitted to kill, so that they are forced to liue of fish which they take at Sea, and by their share of Dates, not ha∣uing wherewith to buy Rice, except with the vse of their womens bodies to the Gazerates, while [ 20] they remaine there. Such as haue the keeping of the Cattell, maintaine themselues with the milke.

I could learne of no Merchandise the Iland yeeldeth, but Aloes, Sanguis Draconis, and Dates, and as they say, on the shoare of Aba del curia, blacke Ambergreese. Of Aloes,* 1.27 I suppose they could make yearely more then Christendome can spend, the herbe growing in great abundance, being no other then Semper viuum, in all things agreeing to that description of Dioscorides, in seed,* 1.28 stalke, &c. It is yet all of a red pricklie sort, and much chamfered in the leaues, so full of a rosin∣iuyce, that it is ready to breake with it. The chiefe time to make it, is when the winds blowe Northerly, that is, about September, and that after the fall of some raine, which being then ga∣thered, they cut in small pieces, and cast into a pit made in the ground, well cleansed from filth [ 30] and paued: there it lieth to ferment in the heat of the Sunne, whereby it floweth forth. Thence they take and put it in skinnes, which they hang vp in the wind to dry, where it becommeth hard. They sold vs for twentie Rials a Quintall, which is an hundred and three pound English:* 1.29 but we were after told, that they sold to others for twelue, which considering the abundance and ea∣sie making, may be credible. Their Date trees beare fruit twice a yeare; one haruest was in Iuly whiles we were there. It is a principall part of their sustenance, pleasant in tast: and when they are through-ripe, are laid on a heap vpon a skin lying sloping, whence distilleth a liquor, receiued in earthen pots placed in the earth, and is their Date-wine, reserued for drinke, wherewith they will also be drunke. Those dates beeing thus drained, they take out their stones, and pack them hard into a skinne, which will so keepe long. Another meanes to preserue them, is by cutting be∣fore [ 40] they are through ripe, and taking out their stone, to dry them: these are the best of all, and eate as if they were canded: whole they will not keepe. In haruest time in euery Valley where these trees grow, the King hath a Deputy which seeth all gathered,* 1.30 and brought to a certaine place (none daring to touch a Date vpon paine of death without order, or seuere punishment) where he diuideth them in three equall parts; one for the King, one for the Arabs, and the third for the Caffars: which are after distributed seuerally, but not alike to each.

This Iland hath store of Ciuet cats, which the Caffars take in the Mountaines with traps,* 1.31 and sell them for twelue pence a piece to such as will buy them. Flesh is deare, tenne Rials of eight a Cow, one Goat, or two sheepe for a Rial of eight; their cattell good and fast flesh,* 1.32 like English beefe: their Goats large and good flesh, their sheep small, like our English sheepe, bearing course [ 50] wooll: of Goats and Sheep they haue great abundance. They make very good butter, but it is alway soft like Creame, at foure pence or sixe pence a pound, Goats milke at three pence a quart, store of Hennes, but fiue for a Riall of eight, or twelue pence a piece. In the whole Iland are not aboue one or two Horses, very small of the Arabian breed, and some Camels. At Delisha they take much good fish, Lobsters and others. On the Strand groweth cotton Plants, but few: ther•• groweth also amongst the stones a shrubby Plant, with thicke, round, greene leaues, as big as a shilling, with a fruit like Capers (of which it is a kind) called Eshac, eaten in Sallets.* 1.33 Orenges there are few and deare, exceeding sweet Basil: and on the shoare many faire shels are found, with cuttle bones, and peerle Oystershels, which the people affirme to driue thither: for there are none found, yet shels abundant.

[ 60] They are beggers, buy what they can, beg what they may, yet giue faire vsage. Their best in∣tertainement is a China dish of Coho, a blacke bitterish drinke, made of a berry like a Bay berry,* 1.34 brought from Mecca, s••pped off hot, good for the head and stomacke. And thus much for his discourses of these places, to which I thought good to adde these notes taken out of his Iournall.

Nouember the twenty ninth, 1607. in thirty foure degrees, we saw a monstrous ouergrowne

Whale comming vp close vnder our sterne,* 1.35 and spouting water in great quantitie, hauing much trash growne about his head which we iudged to be Limpets, and other Shel-fi••••. At ••is going downe he turned vp his taile, which we deemed neere as broad as our after Deck, estimating him to be at the least one hundred tunnes in weight.

* 1.36In Socotora at our first landing, the people hauing receiued before iniurious dealings from the Portugals, (which, they said, had carried some of them away) were all ••edde from vs for feare to the Mountaines. Their Towne which they had left is built of stone 〈◊〉〈◊〉 couered with Rafts and Palme-branches, with artificiall doores and woodden lockes. Neere the Sea side stands their Church enclosed with a wall in manner of a Church-yard▪ within it a couple of Crosses and an Altar, with Frankinsence, Wood and Gumme. They said (when we came to speech) that this was not Socotora but Abba del Curia, which wee after found false, wee walked vp two or three [ 10] mile, not seeing so much as a sprig of greene grasse, but many Date trees, and one other tree very strange, about the height of a man, or little better, great at the roote, and lesse and le••e toward the top where it ended almost piked; the trunke smooth, not couered with barke, ••••••ting forth in the top some branches of a Cubite long void of leaues, bringing forth Reddish flowres, which after change into a fruit first greene, in forme and bignesse not vnlike to the Date: within which is contayned many small whitish kernels, bitter, as are also the branches, full of ra••sinous sub∣stance. Whether this be the Mirrhe I leaue to better iudgements. They also saw another * 1.37 Church with a Crosse on the top of it.

[ 20]

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Augustine.
• * 1.2

  Sheluy ground
• * 1.3

  Two Riuers.
• * 1.4

  The fishes.
• * 1.5

  The people. Nea•• naked∣nesse.
• * 1.6

  Weapons.
• * 1.7

  Their cattell.
• * 1.8

  Strange beasts. Capt. Keeling in his Iournall cals it the Beau∣tifull beast. Bats huge. Fowles.
• * 1.9

  Chamelions, they eat flies.
• * 1.10

  Spiders silke weauers.
• * 1.11

  Strange trees.
• * 1.12

  Socotora.
• * 1.13

  Dib••ee.
• * 1.14

  Strange winds
• * 1.15

  The King of Cushem in Ara∣bia ha••h here foure Iles. Irmanas two. Abba del curia. Socolora.
• * 1.16

  The Arabs there.

  Their armes.
• * 1.17

  Persons.
• * 1.18

  Apparell.
• * 1.19

  Their women.
• * 1.20

  Galantry.
• * 1.21

  Their children
• * 1.22

  Popish argu∣ment of faith.
• * 1.23

  Their diet.
• * 1.24

  The Natiue So∣cotorans.
• * 1.25

  Gallant fashi∣ons.
• * 1.26

  Religion and life, most mise∣rable if the A∣rabs their ene∣mies be to bee credited.
• * 1.27

  Their mer∣chandise.
• * 1.28

  Aloes or semper-viuum, the time and making thereof.
• * 1.29

  A hundred & three▪ or a hun∣dred and two pound, fiue ounces and a halfe.

  Dates two har∣uests.

  Wine of Dates
• * 1.30

  Haruest and diuision.
• * 1.31

  Ciuit Cats.
• * 1.32

  Cattell and victuals.
• * 1.33

  Eshac a kind of Capers.
• * 1.34

  Coho. Other notes and remem∣brances.
• * 1.35

  A huge Whale.
• * 1.36

  Barrennesse▪ A strange tr••e.
• * 1.37

  Of these Churches and of this whole Iland, See Iohn d' Ca••tro. For they were in times past Christians, which (as all other not of their Faith) the Mahometa••s cal Cassars: but rude and bru∣tish, the easier pray to these Arabs.