Purchas his pilgrimes. part 2 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.

§. VI. [ 40]

Of their Summer and Winter; And of their manner of Tilling and Sowing the Land; Their Corne, Rents, Raines; Beasts and Hunting: Fowles, Trees, and Fruits.

ALthough it is alwayes warme in those Countries, yet they haue a difference in the time of the yeare, and so they account some monethes for their Summer, and some for their Winter. The difference which they haue therein is the weather; for both [ 50] * 1.1 in Summer and Winter the trees are greene, and some of them haue leaues twice a yeare. In Summer their fields are bare, and in Winter they are full of Corne, and are very greene, so that they haue their Haruest in Winter. The Dayes and Nights are of one length, or else there is little difference: for the Sunne riseth and goeth downe there, commonly at sixe of the clocke, but it is risen at least halfe an houre aboue the Horizon, before it sheweth it selfe, so that you shall seldome see it cleerely rise and goe downe. The Fruits are there as plentifull and a∣bundant in Winter, as in Summer. When the weather is warmest, and that the Sunne is aboue their heads. They esteeme that time to be their Winter, which beginnes in the monethes of April, May, and Iune; because as then it raineth and is very foule weather there with Thunder * 1.2 and Lightning, (which the Portugals call, Trauados, and they Agombretou) which foule wea∣ther and raine followeth the Sunne, and riseth vp with his highth, at that time they are most [ 60] cumbred with raine: but in their Summer they are not so much troubled with it, but then the Earth dryeth and is hard and vnfruitfull, and therefore they shunne that time to sow their Millie and Mais in, but when that time is gone, to beginne their Husbandrie, they goe into the Woods or Fields, and there seeke out a good place, which they thinke fit for their

purpose to sow their Corne in, to serue to maintaine their Wiues and Children. * 1.3

No man hath any Land to himselfe which he can or may keepe to his owne vse, for the King hath all the Woods, Fields, and Land in his hands; so that they may neither sow nor plant therein but by his consent and licence, which, when they haue obtained, and haue a place per∣mitted them to sow their Corne in, then they goe with their slaues and burne the Woods, trees, roots and shrubs with all the rubbish downe to the ground: then they goe with their long chop∣ping-kniues which they call, Coddon, and scrape and raze vp the ground with Colen (and all that serueth them to fatten their ground) about a foot deepe, and let it lye eight or ten dayes, and when all of them haue tilled their ground, euery man makes readie his seed to sow it with∣all, vpon their Sunday, and then they go to their Kings or Gouernors House, of that quarter: for, [ 10] first, they helpe to till his ground, and to sow his Corne, and go all together to his field, and take all the rubbish out of the Earth and cast it into the middle of the field, and then once againe ••ake the Earth and sow their Corne in the field. They begin vpon a Sunday, and first serue their Gouernour or King, and when they haue done his worke, the Captaine sendeth into the field a great number of Pots with Palme-wine, and a sod Goat, with good store of other meat, accor∣ding to the number of Workmen, and there they sit downe together and make good cheare, and at that time they burne the roots, and sit and sing and make a great noise about them, all in the honour of their Fettsso, to the end that he should let their Corne grow well and prosperously vp. When their Captaines or Kings Land is tilled and sowed, the next day they goe to another mans ground, and doe with it as they did with the Kings ground, and there also make good [ 20] cheere as they did before, and are merrie together, and so forth-with the rest whome they helpe. The Corne soone groweth vp, and lyeth not long in the ground: when it is as high as a mans head, and beginnes to sprout, then they make a woodden House in the middle of the field; couered ouer with Reeds, and therein put their Children to watch the Corne, and to driue a∣way the Birds, wherewith they are much cumbred. They weed not their Corne, but let it grow vp weeds and all.

The Millie hath long eares, and is a seed of colour like Hempe-seed, and long like Canarie∣seed, * 1.4 it hath no shels, but groweth in a little huske, and is very white within. This kind of graine they alwayes had, and serue their turnes therewith before the Portugals came thither. It groweth and is ripe in three months, and when it is cut down, it lyeth a month after in the fields [ 30] to dry, and then the eares are cut off and bound in sheases, and so carryed home to their Houses. They vse the straw to couer their Houses withall. This Millie is a verie excellent graine, hath a good taste and is wholsome to eate, it is sweet in your mouth, but gnasheth in your teeth, which commeth of the stone wherewith they grind it. When they haue vsed the Land, and their Haruest done, then they sell part of their Corne to other men, which are no••••able to ••ow it, and by that meanes get a good quantitie of Gold; they giue some to their King for the rent of his Land, and carrie it home to his House, euery one as much as he thinketh good. For there is no certaine summe appointed for them to pay, but euery one giueth according: to his abilitie, and the quantitie of ground that he hath vsed, and bringeth it vnto the King, so that hee hath at least fiue or sixe Bendas of Gold of them at one time, which they carrie altogether to their King, who welcommeth them, and thanketh them for their Dache or Gift, and for their la∣bours [ 40] giueth them their bellies full of meate and drinke, and that they pay to the King for the farme of his Land, and no more.

The Corne by the Indians called Mais, by the Portugals or Spaniards, Indian-wheat, and by the * 1.5 Italians, Turkish-corne, is a Graine almost knowne throughout all the World, and was brought out of West India into Saint Thomas Iland, and they of Saint Thomas (after they had built their Castle) brought it thither for to serue their necessitie withall, and sowed it there, for before the Portugals came into those Countries, the Indians knew it not, but they sowed it first in that Countrey, and dispersed it abroad among the wild Indians, so that now the Countrey is full thereof, and at this present there is great abundance in Guinea. They vse to mixe it with their Millie, and sometimes take halfe Millie and halfe Mais. The Negroes that dwell among [ 50] the Portugals, grind it alone without any Millie, and make excellent bread thereof, where with they sustaine themselues, and sell it to the Portugals: they know how to bake it in such sort, that it will endure good three or foure monethes. The Children also eate it in stead of bread, which they set awhile vpon the fire, and then crush the Corne out of the huskes, such as eate much thereof and are not vsed vnto it, vse to bee Scuruie and Itchie, or else to bee troubled with great bloud Veines, for it increaseth bloud: it is no lesse ••ourishing then Corne in the Netherlands, and in a manner tasteth like our Corne.

The people of the West Indies can make Wine of Mais, which they call, Chicka, wherewith they will make themselues drunke, as if it were of Wine made of Grapes, and for that they know, that Corne sodden or steept in water maketh a kind of drinke, wherewith a man [ 60] may make himselfe drunke. Therefore they lay this kind of Graine to soake in the water till it is soft, and then they brew thereof, as some of the Negroes in Guinea, which deale with the Portugals, also doe, and call it Poitou.

This Mais will grow in a moyst fatty and hot ground, and beares twice a yeere: it is not sowed like other Corne, but it is thrust into the ground, as we vse to doe Beanes in our Coun∣trey: it lieth not long in the ground, but soone springeth vp, and groweth higher then a mans length aboue the ground, like to great Reeds that grow in the water, or in drowned land, where∣with husbandmen vse to couer their shades: euery Reed hath his eares whereon the Corne groweth, and notwithstanding, that they are heauy eares, as big as youg Cucumbers, and sharpe aboue like the top of a Steeple, yet euery Reed hath seuen or eight eares vpon it. I haue told fiue hundred and fiftie Graines vpon one Reed, which came of one Graine alone. They are of diuers colours, as White, Blacke, Yellow, Purple, &c. and sometimes you shall haue three or [ 10] foure colours thereof in one eare. There are two sorts thereof, great and small, the great Graine is stronger then the small. They vse the Reed to couer their houses.

They shun the Raine, and esteeme it to be very ill and vnwholesome to fall vpon their naked * 1.6 bodies, which they doe not without great reason, for wee find our selues to bee much troubled therewith, when we trauell, specially when it raineth much, and maketh great Trauado••, as it doth once a yeere. In those Countries, which is in Aprill, May, and Iune; at which time there * 1.7 are such Tempests of Thunder, Lightning, wind, and Raine, that it is incredible, specially the Raine vnder the Equinoctiall Line, is so vnwholesome and rotten, that if a man hath beene in the Raine, and is thorow wet, and so lieth downe to sleepe in his Cabin, in his wet clothes, with∣out putting them off, he is in danger to get some sicknesse; for it breedeth Feuers: and againe, if you drie not your wet clothes presently in the Sun, but forgetting them, chance to let them [ 20] lie, they will rot with the force of the water, in such sort, that you may plucke them in peeces with your fingers. And they find no lesse vnwholesomenesse therein; for when it begins to Raine, they get them out of the way, and if any drops of water fall vpon their naked bodies, they shiuer and shake, as if they had a Feuer, and cast their armes ouer their shoulders to keepe the Raine from them: which they doe not, because the water is cold, for often times it is as warme as if it were sodden: but because of the vnwholesomenesse for their bodies, which they find thereby. And when they haue troden in the day time in the water with their feet, at night they make a fire, and lie with their soles of their feet against it, which they doe, to draw the moysture of the water, which is gotten into their bodies, out againe at their feet: then they anoint their bodies with Palme Oyle, which they vse also for a beautifying to make their bo∣dies [ 30] shine, and that they doe to shunne the Raine water within those Countreys (as many * 1.8 men write) is very vnwholesome, and thereof many and dangerous diseases are ingen∣dred.

They haue Elephants, Leopards, Tigers, Cats of the Mountaine, Monkies, Foxes, Harts and * 1.9 Hinds; it is said, that in this Countrie there are white Elephants: but I could neuer vnderstand it from the Negros themselues.

There are the greatest and most venimous Snakes that euer was seene, there was one in my time taken there (as the Negroes told me) which was thirty foot long, and as much as sixe men could carrie; There is also a beast like a Crocodile, but it neuer goeth into the water, as the Cro∣codile doth; which is called Languad. [ 40]

There are, Spiders as big as the palme of a mans hand, and great store of them. Camelions and * 1.10 Agtissen a great number, but they esteeme not them to be venimous, for they drie many of them & eat them. There are many Dogs & Cats, such as we haue, but their Dogs haue sharper snowts then ours, and their chaps full of wooll, they cannot barke nor make a noise, they are very faire beasts for colour, as blacke, red, white, and yellow Spaniels, &c. They are also a little smaller foo∣ted * 1.11 then ours, so that they are not much vnlike the Dogs in our Countrey, but they are vnlike to ours in one thing, for when you strike them, they run away, and make no noise, nor once offer to bite you; but when you run away from them, and are afraid of them, they will leape at you, and bite you by the legges: those Dogs they vse for their necessitie, and eate them, and in many places of the Countrey they are brought and driuen to the Market like sheepe or hogges, being [ 50] tied one to the other with strings, they are called Ekia, or Cabra de matto, which is a wild sheepe, it is the first gift which a man of that Countrie giueth when he buyeth his Gentilitie, they make much of our Dogs in these Countries, for when they barke, they thinke they speake; and for that cause esteeme greatly of them.

Cats also are there much esteemed, because they take Mice, wherewith the Inhabitans of the Townes are much troubled, they are called Ambaio, they haue very faire skins, and * 1.12 are very good Mousers, they vse also to eate them, they were first carried hither out of Europe.

If they know where any Elephants are, they vse all the meanes they can to take them, for they eate them also, although they should stinke like a Carrion, and that a thousand Maggots [ 60] * 1.13 crept out of them. Where they know that they vse often times to come, they make great pits, which they couer ouer with straw and foule leaues of trees, which the Elephant knowing no∣thing of, goeth that way as he was wont to doe, and falles into the pit, and cannot get out againe.

The Negroes hearing that hee is fallen into the pit, run thither with their weapons and smite him into the body with Assagaies, and so kill him; which done, they leape into the pit, and cut him in quarters, and euery one may go and fetch his part thereof when he will; of the hide they make ••tooles to sit on: the taile is giuen to the King to beat the Flies from his naked body, and are much esteemed off there; with no lesse subtiltie they take the Leopards, for they * 1.14 doe them more hurt then other beasts: and because it is a cruell beast to spoyle and destroy men, keeping in the way where men should passe along. In euery foure cornered way, or at the end of the street, they make houses with woodden pales, which are like to Rat traps, wherein they put Hens, Sheepe, and other things which he desireth to eate, where the Leopard com∣ming to eate his prey, is taken with the fall of the trap, and kild with an Assagaie; they esteeme much of the skin, whereof they vse to cut Girdles, and to make Caps. There are no Horses in [ 10] that Countrey, and when there were some brought vnto them for a great Present, they kild them, and eate them: because their flesh seemed sweet vnto them.

The Oxen and Cowes that are found in that Countrey are not very great; but of bignesse like * 1.15 great Calues: their hornes stand backeward on their heads, they are not milkt, for they giue none; they can hardly bring vp their yong Calues, by reason of the small moysture that the Cowes giue their Calues, by meanes of the drie Countrey wherein they are, and by reason of the heat of the land.

The Hens and Goats, (which with them are sheepe) that they haue there, were brought them thither by the Portugalls of S. Thomas, the Hens prosper and encrease well there, and are so * 1.16 [ 20] fat with the Millie that groweth there, as if they were Capons; but they are commonly smaller then ours, the Egges which they lay are no greater then Pidgeons Egges. The Doues which * 1.17 they haue there, were also brought them thither by the Portugals, and are called Abranama, which is as much to say, as Birds brought thither vnto them by white men. They are very like to our Pidgeons, but their heads are lesse, like Sea-mewes, there is no great store off, them in the Countrey.

The Hogs also were brought them by the Portugals, and are called Ebbio; they are very little, * 1.18 but very sweet and pleasant to eate, but not so good as the Hogs in Mosambique, where the Hogs flesh is as daintie as Hens flesh: and because it is a very vnwholesome place, they giue their sicke men Hogs flesh to eate, in stead of Hens flesh: they haue also not long since gotten some [ 30] Geese out of a ship of Holland, which they call Apatta, which are there much esteemed off, be∣cause they are but few.

The Countrey is full of Monkies, of diuers formes, for some of them haue white beards, and * 1.19 blacke Mustachoes, with speckled skins, their bellies white, and vpon their backes they haue a broad Tawnie stroke, with blacke Pawes and a black Tayle, and by vs are called Board-men. There are some called white Noses, because no part of them is white but onely their Nose, there is a third sort, called Boertkens, those shun men very much, and stinke filthily, by nature they are very crafty: the fourth, are very like to the Iacken, which are found in the Graine Coast; there are also many Monkies of diuers other fashions, they take the Apes and Monkies with springes * 1.20 which hang vpon the trees, where into the Apes and Monkies leape, and are taken by the Ne∣gros. [ 40] Muske Cats are there in great abundance, the Portugals call them Cato degulia, which is Agalia Cats; the Negroes call them Kankan, those kind of Cats are also found in East India, and in Iaua, but they are not so good as those in Guinea; or of the golden Coast, they are there called Castory, those Cats are much esteemed of by the Portugals, whereby they reape great profit, spe∣cially by their Agaly or Muske, which they take from them, and make them cleane, and then * 1.21 it is put into glasses, and carried into Lisbon, it is a kind of beast much giuen to bite, and to eate flesh; because they giue them flesh (as Hens, Pidgeons, Goats, and other costly meats) to eate. They ease themselues in a place apart, and leaue it; and neuer lie in it; it is almost like a Foxe, but their tayles are like other Cats, their skins are speckled like a Leopards skin: the Negroes take many of them in the woods when they are yong, and so bring them vp: but because they [ 50] haue no skill there how to vse them, they sell them to strangers. The Male Cats are the best, and yeeld the most Agalia, by reason that the Females pisse in the cod wherein the Muske groweth, and pisse it out with their water; when you perceiue that they teare their bagge, you must take their Agalia from them, for they doe it to be rid of it: the wilder and worse they are to rule, so much the costlier and better their Agalia is.

There are Hares also in this Countrey, specially in a place called Akra, in forme like ours, and * 1.22 because that Countrey is low Sandy Ground, therefore they are found more there then in any other part of that Coast: when the Negroes will take them, they goe a great number of them together, to the place where the Hares are, euery one taking with him two or three cudgels of wood, as long as a mans arme, and there they compasse the field round about, and standing about [ 60] their holes, make such a noyse and crying, and clapping their stickes one vpon the other, that the Hares are so feared therewith, that they leape out of their holes, and are by them kild with those Cudgels, which they cast at them, and by that meanes get many of them. Harts and * 1.23 Hinds are sometimes found there also, but in some places more then others, they are of the same

fashion that ours are in the Low-countreyes, but they haue another kind of hornes then ours, they haue no expresse kind of Instruments to take them withall: but when they see them goe to the water to drinke, they strike them into the bodie with an Assagaie and kill them. Hun∣ting to take wild beasts is lawfull for any man to vse in those Countreys, if they can take them, without punishment for doing it: There are many other kinds of beasts of such seueral sorts, that a man cannot tell what to make them, but for that the Netherlanders that vse to Guinea, dare not goe farre into the Countrey to take wild beasts, least they should be taken and intrapped by the Portugals or their adherents, and made slaues all their liues long: therefore there are many wild beasts that are not knowne by vs, and which the Inhabitants themselues know not, nor can not tell by what names to call them. [ 10]

The Birds that are found there, are of diuers sorts, and are little birds like vnto ours; first, there are blew Parrots, whereof there are great store, which being yong, are taken out of their * 1.24 nests, and made tame, hauing not flowne abroad, they are better to teach, and to learne to speake; but they will not prate so much as the greene Brasilian Parrots doe. They haue also an other kind of greene Birds, as big as Sparrowes, like the Catalinkins of West India, but they cannot speake. Those Birds are called Asuront, and by our Netherlanders, called Parokites. They are * 1.25 taken with Nets, as you vse to take Sparrowes. They keepe much in low Land, where much Corne or Millie groweth; for they eate much thereof. Those Birds are very kind one to the o∣ther; for when you put a male and a female in a Cage, they will alwaies sit together without making any noyse. The female is of such a nature, that when she is coupled with the male, she [ 20] respecteth him much, and letteth him sit on the right hand, setting her selfe on the left hand; and when he goes to eate, shee followeth him; and so they liue together quietly, being almost of the nature of the Turtle-doues. They are of a very faire greene colour, with a spot of orange∣townie vpon their Noses.

There are another kind of Parokitan, which are much like them, being of the same nature and condition, but are of colour as red as bloud, with a spot of blacke vpon their Noses, and a black Taile, being somewhat greater then the Parokites. There are other Birds not much vnlike to Gold-finches, all their bodies being yellow, those Birds make not their Nests in the field, for feare of Snakes, and other venimous beasts; but make their nests very craftily vpon the bran∣ches of high trees, and there lay their egges to keepe themselues from venimous beasts. They [ 30] haue other small Birds, not much vnlike to hedge Sparrowes; but they keepe in the Fields a∣mong Corne, those Birds they thrust into their mouthes aliue, and eate them Feathers Bones and all: they haue store of Muschen, with many other kind of small Birds.

The haue a kind of Birds like Eagles, which haue heads like Turkle-cocks, those Birds are hurtfull, and very fierce, and doe much harme to the Negroes, whereby they are much troubled, * 1.26 and therefore they carry them meat vp to the hilles, and call them Pastro de Diago: which is the Birds of their god, and therefore they doe them no hurt, knowing well that they would reuenge themselues well enough: they lie alwayes in myre and durt, and stinke as ill as a prime, and you may smell them afarre off. They haue some water Snites, but not many. And Turtle-Doues, which haue a blacke stroke about their neckes like a crowne. There are many Phesants, [ 40] not much vnlike ours for fashion, but haue not such feathers, for they are speckled blacke and * 1.27 white, and without long tayles as ours haue, they are not of so good a taste as other common Hens are Peake-cockes also I haue soone there, not much vnlike our Peake-cockes; but there * 1.28 is some difference in the Feathers, for some of them are of other colours. Pittoirs I haue seene there, as I said before, which they esteeme for a great Fetisso, and a South-sayer. Cranes also there are many, and Kites also of the same fashion that our Holland Kites are. There is a kind of Birds also there, which are like Storkes, but they haue not so long red Bils, and make not such a noise. Speckled Crowes, and gray Sea-mewes are there in great abundance, with diuers other kinds * 1.29 of Birds, not much vnlike ours, but if you marke them well, there is difference betweene them, as some in their feathers, others in their Bils, the third in their feet, and the fourth in their [ 50] heads, so that there is some difference, although they resemble much; and because Birds are litle taken and shot in those Countreyes, for that they haue no kind of Instruments to doe it withall, there are great store in the Countrey, and by that meanes, both the beasts and the Birds waxe very bold. There are many Owles and Bats which flie by night, and store of great greene Frogs, * 1.30 and gray Grashoppers, and many great land Crabs, which keepe in the earth, and are of a purple colour, which they esteeme for a great present. When I went by night to walke in the fields, I saw things in the grasse that shine like firie coales, which I tooke vp and tied them in my hand∣kercher, which made it show with the light of the beast as if it had burnt: and when I went into the Towne to the Negroes, and shewed it them, they wondered thereat, and the next day [ 60] when I lookt on them, they were small blacke Flies, like Spanish Flies, but were as blacke as Pitch: Flies, Mothes, and Bees are there also to be seene. The Bees make their Hiues vp∣on trees. There are great store of blacke Ants, which make holes in the earth, like field Mice, those Ants doe much hurt to the Bees, and eate vp there Hony and Waxe.

Bannana, in Brasilia, Pacona; and the tree Paguouer, in Malabar, Patan, &c. is the fruite * 1.31 whereof Iohn Huyghen writeth, and calleth it Indian Figs, this tree hath no branches, the fruit groweth out of the tree, and hath leaues at least a fathome long, and three spannes broad. Those leaues among the Turkes are vsed for Paper, and in other places the Houses are couered there∣with, there is no wood vpon the tree, the out-side (wherewith the tree is couered when it be∣ginneth to waxe old) is like the middle part of a Siue, but opening it within, there is nothing but the leaues, which are rolled vp round and close together, it is as high as a man, on the top the leaues begin to spring out, and rise vp an end, and as the young leaues come forth the old wi∣ther away, and begin to drie vntill the tree comes to his growth, and the fruit to perfection: the leaues in the middle haue a very thicke veine, which diuideth it in two, and in the middle of [ 10] the leaues, out of the heart of the tree, there groweth a flowre as bigge as an Estridge Egge, of a russet colour, which in time waxeth long like the stalke of a Colewoort, whereon the Figges grow close one by the other, when they are still in their huskes, they are not much vnlike great Beanes, & so grow more and more vntill they be a span long, and foure thumbes broad like a Cu∣cumber, they are cut off before they are ripe, and are in that sort hanged vp in bunches, which oftentimes are as much as a man can carrie. It also yeeldeth good Trennuelis like Milke (when the tree is cut downe) which commeth out of the bodie thereof, hauing hanged three or foure dayes, they are through ripe, the tree beares but one bunch at a time, whereon there is at least one hundred Figges and more, and when they cut off the bunch of Figges, the tree also is cut downe to the ground, the root staying still in the Earth, which presently springeth vp againe, [ 20] and within a moneth hath his full growth, and all the yeare long no time excepted. The tree beareth fruit, the fruit is very delicate to eate, you must pull off the huske wherein the fruit lyeth, very delightfull to behold, the colour thereof is whitish and some-what yellow, when you bite it, it is soft, as if it were Meale and Butter mixed together, it is mellow in byting, it cooleth the maw, much thereof eaten maketh a man very loose and raw in the throate, it ma∣keth women lecherous if they eate much thereof. Some are of opinion, because it is so delicate a fruit, that it was the same tree that stood in Paradise, whereof God forbad Adam and Eue to eate. It smels like Roses, and hath a very good smell, but the taste is better. The Portugals will not cut it through with a Knife, but breake it, by reason of a speciall obseruation which they haue in the cutting thereof, which is, that then it sheweth like a crosse in the middle of [ 30] the fruit, and therefore they thinke it not good to cut it.

The Bachouens (by vs so called) are very like the Bannanas, for the condition and forme is * 1.32 all one, only that the fruit is smaller, shorter, white of colour within and sweeter of taste, and is esteemed to be wholsomer to be eaten then the Bannanas, but there is no such great quantitie of them, and for that they were first brought out of the Kingdome of Congo, into other Coun∣tries, they haue gotten the name thereof.

The Annanas is also a delicate and pleasant fruit for smell, and of the best taste that any fruit * 1.33 can be, it hath also diuers seuerall names, there are two sorts, the Male and the Female, the Ca∣narians call it, Ananasa; the Brasilians, Nana; those of Hispaniola, Iaiama, and the Spaniards in Brasilia, Pinas, because one of them found that and the Pinas first in Brasilia, it is as great as a [ 40] Mellon, faire of colour, some-what yellow, greene and carnation, when it begins to bee ripe, the greenenesse thereof turneth into an Orange colour, it is of a pleasant taste, and hath a fine smell like an Apricocke, so that it is to be smelt farre off, when you see the fruit afarre off, being greene, it shewes like Artichokes, and is eaten with Wine, it is light of disgesture, but eating much thereof it inflameth a mans bodie. In Brasilia there is three forts thereof, each hauing a seuerall name: first, Iaiama, the second, Boniama; the third, Iaiagma: but in Guinea there is but one sort. The time where they are in their flowre is in Lent, for then they are best, it growes halfe a fathome about the ground, the leaues thereof are not much vnlike Semper Viuum, when they are eaten, they are cut in round f••ices, and sopt in Spanish wine; you cannot eate enough thereof, it is verie hot of nature, and will grow in moist ground, the sops that you take out of the Wine tastes like sweet Muske, and if you doe not presently wipe the Knife wherewith [ 50] you cut the fruit, but forgetting it let it lye halfe an houre, it will bee eaten in, as if there had beene strong water laid vpon it, being eaten in abundance and without knowledge, it causeth great sicknesse.

There are great store of Iniamus growing in Guinea, in great fields, which are sowed and * 1.34 planted like Turnips, the root is the Iniamus, and groweth in the Earth like Earth-nuts, those Iniamus are as great as a yellow root, but thicker and fuller of knots, they are of a Mouse-co∣lour, and within as white as a Turnip, but not so sweet, being put in a Kettle and sodden with flesh, and then peeled and eaten with Oyle and Pepper, they are a very delicate meate, in ma∣ny places it is vsed for bread, and is the greatest meate that the Negroes eate.

The Battatas are somewhat redder of colour, and in forme almost like Iniamus, and taste * 1.35 [ 60] like Earth-nuts, those two kinds of fruit are very abundant in Guinea, they are commonly rosted, or else eaten with a hodge-pot in stead of Parsenips or Turnips.

The Palme-wine tree is almost like the Cocos tree, or a Lantor, with diuers others, and are * 1.36

of three or foure sorts, most of them haue all one kind of leafe, but in manner of wood they are vnlike, for this tree is shorter of wood then the rest, the Wine is drawne out of those trees by boring them, from whence there issueth a sap like Milke, which is very coole and fresh to drinke, at the first when it is drawne, it is pleasant and sweet, hauing stood a while, it is as sowre as Vineger, so that you may vse it in a Sallet, but being drunke sweet and fresh, it causeth a man to void vrine well, whereby in those Countries, there are very few found, that haue the disease of the Stone; drinking much thereof a mans head will soone be light, the lightnesse which a man hath in his head thereby, causeth it not to ake. When it commeth first out of the tree it is sweeter of taste, then when it hath stood awhile, but yet it is esteemed to bee better when it hath stood awhile, and is some-what setled, then presently to bee drunke, for it standeth see∣thing [ 10] and bubling, as if it hung ouer the fire and sod, so that if it were put into a Glasse and stopt vp, without letting any ayre come into it, the force thereof would breake the Glasse in pieces, but being a meale tyde olde, it is nothing worth, because it is so sowre, and then it is of another colour verie waterish, therefore it is much mixed with water, and seldome comes pure to the Market, as it is taken out of the tree, which is done partly to increase their Wine, as al∣so that then it is the sweeter to drinke, and hath the taste of Syder, and the colour of Must, when the tree is old, and will yeeld no more Wine at the top, it is cut downe at the foot, and a fire made at the root thereof, where they set a pot, whereinto the Wine (by meanes of the heate) runneth, the tree beeing changed, and yeelding no more profit, there groweth another tree out of the roote thereof, but it is halfe a yeare old before it giueth any Wine. In the mor∣ning [ 20] betimes an houre before day, the Wine is drawne out and brought to the Market at noone∣time.

The Palmitas tree is not much to be seene in Guinea, but for that a Negro in that Countrey shewed me some of the fruit thereof, I thought good to say something of it in this place, it is * 1.37 a tree without branches, on the top of the tree the fruit groweth, and it is almost like the An∣nanas when it is ripe. It is outwardly of a faire gold colour, and within it hath graines like Pomegranates, they are of a very sweet taste, the other is hard and vnfit to eate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Barren Sum∣mer and fertile Winter.
• * 1.2

  Mysts.
• * 1.3

  Their Husban∣drie.
• * 1.4

  Mille••.
• * 1.5

  Their Mai••.
• * 1.6

  Raine hurtfull.
• * 1.7

  Tempests.
• * 1.8

  Palme Oyle.
• * 1.9

  I haue omit∣ted the fish and fishing: their beasts, &c. Great Snakes.
• * 1.10

  Spiders.
• * 1.11

  Dogges.
• * 1.12

  Ca••••••.
• * 1.13

  Elephants.
• * 1.14

  Leopards.
• * 1.15

  Oxen.
• * 1.16

  Hennes.
• * 1.17

  Doues.
• * 1.18

  Hogges.
• * 1.19

  Monkies.
• * 1.20

  How taken.
• * 1.21

  Musk-cats,
• * 1.22

  Hares.
• * 1.23

  Harts.
• * 1.24

  Parrots.
• * 1.25

  Parokites.
• * 1.26

  Fierce Birds.
• * 1.27

  Pheasans.
• * 1.28

  Pea-cockes. Pittoirs.
• * 1.29

  Specled Crowes.
• * 1.30

  Burning Flies.
• * 1.31

  Bannanas, or Indian Figges.
• * 1.32

  Bachouens, or Bannanas de Congo.
• * 1.33

  Annanas.
• * 1.34

  Iniamus.
• * 1.35

  Battatas.
• * 1.36

  Palme-wine tree.
• * 1.37

  Palmitas tree.