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.

§. IIII.

His returne to the Portugals: inuasions of diuers Countries, abuse, flight from them, and liuing in the Woods diuers moneths: His strange Boate, and comming to Loango.

BEing departed from the Gagas, I came to Masangano, where the Portugals haue a * 1.1 Towne of Garrison. There was at that time a new Gouernor, which was called, Sie∣nor Iuan Continbo: who brought authority to conquer the Mines or Mountaines of [ 10] Cambamba: and to performe that seruice, the King of Spaine had giuen him seauen yeares custome, of all the Slaues and Goods that were carried thence to the West-Indies, Brasil, or whither soeuer: with condition, that he should build three Castles; one in Demba, which are the salt Mines; the other, in Cambamba, which are the Siluer Mines; and the other * 1.2 in Bahia das Vaccas, or The Bay of Cowes. This Gentleman was so bountifull at his comming, that his fame was spread through all Congo, and many Mulatos and Negroes came voluntarily to serue him. And being some sixe moneths in the Citie, he marched to the Outaba of Tombe: and there shipped his Souldiers in Pinnasses, and went vp the Riuer Consa, or Coanza, and landed at * 1.3 the Outaba of Songo, sixtie miles from the Sea. This Lord Songo is next to Demba, where the Salt Mines be. In this place there is such store of Salt, that most part of the Countrey are [ 20] perfect cleere Salt, without any earth or filth in it: and it is some three foot vnder the earth as it were Ice: and they cut it out in stones of a yard long, and it is carried vp into the Coun∣trey, and is the best commoditie that a man can carry to buy any thing whatsoeuer. * 1.4

Here the Gouernour stayed ten daies, and sent a Pinnasse to Masangano, for all the best Souldiers that were there. So the Captain of the Castle sent me down among an hundred Souldi∣ers, and I was very well vsed by the Gouernor; and he made me a Sergeant of a Portugall Com∣pany, and then he marched to Machimba; from thence to Cauo, and then to Malombe, a great Lord. Here we were foure daies, and many Lords came and obeyed vs. From thence we mar∣ched * 1.5 to a mightie Lord, called Augoykayongo, who stood in the defence of his Countrey, with more then sixtie thousand men. So we met with him, and had the victory, and made a great [ 30] slaughter among them. We tooke captiues all his Women and Children, and setled our selues in his Towne, because it was a very pleasant place, and full of Cattle and victuals. And being * 1.6 eight daies in this Towne, the Gouernour sickned and dyed, and left a Captaine in his roome to performe the seruice.

After we had beene two moneths in the Countrey of Angoykayongo, we marched toward Cambambe, which was but three daies iourney, and came right against the Serras da Prata, and * 1.7 passed the Riuer Coanza, and presently ouer-ranne the Countrey, and built a Fort hard by the Riuers side. Here I serued two yeares. They opened the Siluer Mines: but the Portugals did not like of them as yet; because they yeelded small store of Siluer. This new vp-start Gouer∣nour, was very cruell to his Souldiers, so that all his voluntary men left him; and by this meanes [ 40] he could goe no farther. At this time, there came newes by the Iesuites, that the Queene of England was dead; and that King Iames had made peace with Spaine. Then I made a petition * 1.8 to the Gouernour, who granted me licence to goe into my Countrey: And so I departed with the Gouernor and his Traine to the Citie of Saint Paul.

But he left fiue hundred Souldiers in the Fort of Cambambe, which they hold still. Then I went with a Portugall Marchant to the Prouince of Bamba: and from thence to the Onteiro, or * 1.9 Citie standing vpon a Mountaine of Congo: from thence to Gongon and Batta: and there wee sold our commodities, and returned in sixe moneths to the Citie againe. Then I purposed to haue shipped my selfe for Spaine, and thence homewards. But the Gouernour denyed his word, and commanded me to prouide my selfe within two daies, to goe vp to the Conquest againe. [ 50] This Gouernour had serued his three yeares, and the Citizens looked euery day for another out of Portugall. So I determined to absent my selfe for ten or twentie daies, till the other Gouer∣nour came, and then to come to the Citie againe. For euery Gouernour that commeth, maketh Proclamation for all men that be absent, to come with free pardon.

The same day at night, I departed from the Citie, with two Negro Boyes that I had, which carried my Musket, and sixe pounds of Powder, and an hundred Bullets, and that little proui∣sion of victuals which I could make. In the morning I was some twentie miles from the Citie, vp along the Riuer Bengo, and there I stayed certaine dayes; and then passed Ben∣go, and came to the Riuer Dande, which is to the North-ward; purposing to know what newes was in the Citie, for I was neere the high-way of Congo: And one of my Negroes [ 60] inquired of those that passed, and brought me word; That it was certaine, that the new Gouernour came not that yeare. Now I was put to my shifts, whether I would goe to the * 1.10 Citie againe and be hanged, or to stay and liue in the Woods: for I had runne away twice be∣fore. So I was forced to liue in the Wood a moneth, betwixt the Riuers of Dande and Bengo.

Then I went to Bengo again, to Mani Kaswea, & passed ouer the Riuer, and went to the lake, of Ca∣sansa. * 1.11 Here is the greatest store of wild beasts, that is in any place of Angola. About this lake I staid six monethes, & liued only vpon dried flesh, as Buffes, Deere, Mokokes, Impolancas, and Ro-bucks, and other sorts which I killed with my Musket, and dryed the flesh, as the Sauages doe, vpon an * 1.12 Hurdle three foot from the ground, making vnderneath it a great fire, and laying vpon the flesh greene boughes, which keepe the smoke and heate of the fire downe, and dry it. I made my fire with two little stickes, as the Sauages vse to doe. I had sometimes Guiney Wheate, which my Negro Boy would get of the Inhabitants for pieces of dryed flesh. This Lake of Casanze doth abound with fish of sundry sorts. I haue taken vp a fish, that hath skipped out of the water on shoare, foure foot long, which the Heathen call Sombo. Thus after I had liued sixe monethes [ 10] with dryed flesh and fish, and seeing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 end of my miserie, I wrought meanes to get away.

In this Lake are many little Ilands, that are full of trees, called Memba; which are as light as * 1.13 Cocke, and as soft. Of these trees I built a Iergado, with a Knife of the Sauages that I had, in the fashion of a Boat, nayled with woodden pegs, and rayled round about because the Sea should not wash me out, and with a Blanket that I had, I made a sayle, and prepared three Oares to row withall. This Lake of Casanza is eight miles ouer, and issueth into the Riuer Bengo. So I entred * 1.14 into my Gi••gado, and my two Negro Boyes, and rowed into the Riuer Bengo, and so came, downe with the current twelue leagues to the barre. Here I was in great danger, because the Sea was great, and being ouer the barre, I rowed into the Sea, and then sayled afore the wind along the Coast, which I knew very well, minding to goe to the Kingdome of Longo, which is [ 20] toward the North: and being that night at Sea, the next day I saw a Pinnasse come before the wind, which came from the Citie, and was bound to San Thomo, and shee came neere to mee. The Master was my great friend, for we had beene Mates together, and for pitie sake he tooke * 1.15 me in, and set me on shoare in the Port of Longo; where I remayned three yeares, and was well beloued of the King, because I killed him Deere and Fowles with my Musket.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Masangano, a Towne of Portugal.
• * 1.2

  Salt Mines. Siluer Mines.
• * 1.3

  The Riuer Co∣anza.
• * 1.4

  Stone-salt, a speciall com∣moditie. The like is in Poland.
• * 1.5

  Andrew Battle made Sergeant of a Portugall Company.
• * 1.6

  Seignior Iuan de Continbo dieth.
• * 1.7

  Serras da Prata.
• * 1.8

  Newes of the death of the Queene of England, 1603.
• * 1.9

  Bamba. The Onteiro of Congo.
• * 1.10

  The Riuer Bengo. The Riuer Dande.
• * 1.11

  The Lake of Casansa.
• * 1.12

  The manner of the Sauages drying of their flesh.
• * 1.13

  He made a Boat with a Knife.
• * 1.14

  The Lake of Casanza falleth into Bengo.
• * 1.15

  Hee was three yeares in Longo.