The New atlas, or, Travels and voyages in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, thro' the most renowned parts of the world ... performed by an English gentleman, in nine years travel and voyages, more exact than ever.

CHAP. XVII. The Author's Voyage from Boassra, in the Persian Gulf, to East-India, and Things remarkable in the dangerous Passage, par∣ticularly Water-Spouts rising from the Sea, and remarks on them.

STaying at Bassora for a fair Passage to East-India, in a little time it happen'd, as I could wish; I found an Armenian Ship there of 28 Guns, and most of the Mariners were Banians of India, the rest Ar∣menians, except the Master and two more, who were European Christians; the Master an Itallian, and the two Mariners Greeks: This Ship was English built, and very stench, but how it came into their Hands

they declined to tell me, though I afterward under∣stood, they had bought it for 16000 Roupies when it was in a bad condition, and repairing it they put up Armenian Colours, and had 3 Passports to indem∣fie them from the Europeans that have Factories in India. Our Cargo consisted of such things as could not be vended at Bassora, as Indico, Cloth, Dates, Chests of Glass, Venetian Looking-Glasses, and a good quantity of Money to buy Indian Commodi∣ties. I hired a Cabin, and laid in Provision and Water, fearing in so hot a Voyage, the latter might grow scarce; and it was not without precaution, for so it happened. Setting Sail, and getting clear of the Islands, we steered South-west, and had Water, at 5, and 8 Fathom, 2 Men being continually heaving the Lead, least we should fall on Shallows, or Rocks that are under Water near the Shoar.

It will be endless to tell you the often shifting of the Wind, the Calms we had, and the Tackings we made; therefore, let me say with some difficul∣ty we got to the Island of Carek, the first place the Ship designed to Traffick at. This Island reaches in length, from South-east to North-west, is very narrow about 3 or 4 leagues in circumference, and 50 Leagues from Bossara; it is partly Hills, and partly Plains, yielding Grapes, Barley, Wheat, Dates, and good store of fresh Water, which is a precious commodity in those Countries: There are Wells dug on the top of Rocks 10 or 12 Fathom deep, and have Steps to go down, and from the bottom of these Wells the Water passes, and runs under ground into the Plains. Near to the Wells there is a neat Mosque on the Hill, and on the Island is 150 indifferent Houses, and near it a Pearl Fish∣ery. The King of Persia is Lord of it, and great numbers of Boats come to Fish for them in May, June, July, and August. Here we unladed part of our Goods, but sold little, by reason a Dutchman had been there before and forestalled us, giving out this Ship would not touch there, by which means over and above, he took in a great many Passengers, and Lading for India.

Being thus disappointed, we soon weighed An∣chor, and steered away South South east with a ve∣ry gentle Wind, but were soon becalmed for many Hours; then sprung up an Easterly Wind, and we stood away to the South, and soon had the Isle of Rischer on our Larboard, which is very near the main Land, and makes a little Port, called Bender-Rischer, which is guarded by a Fort, and standing away, we came up with the Island of Coucher, and left it on our Larboard; this Island is large, and indifferent Fruitful; and so Sailing on, passed Cape Verdestan at 3 or 4 Leagues distance; and as we Sailed, we had often a faint view of the main Land of Persia, especially where it lay high and Moun∣tainous; but before we came to the Island of Lar we lost our Long-Boat, which was a great disap∣pointment to us.

Lar is a little Desart Island, bearing nothing but a few Trees at the West North-west end of it; we passed by this, and the next that presented was An∣dravia, a little low Island near the main Land; and passing by we had Kies, another Island to the South-West; it is indifferently Inhabited, the Houses ly∣ing up and down in it, but Coasting Paloro, and leaving Mount Sennas on the Main Land to the Larboard, we made Congo, a little Town in the Kingdom of Persia, 27 Degrees, 15 Minutes North Latitude; it stands on the Sea-side, near the Foot of a black Rock that shelter the Town from the North Winds, and behind there is a white Rock, or Hill, and many such along the Coast. The Town lies from West North-west, to East South-east, and is defended by a little Castle, where 3 pieces of Cannon are mounted, and has a safe Road for Shipping to Ride in, though they are very much tossed in high Winds, about it are 5 Gardens reple∣nished with Fruit-Trees, as Figs, Lemons, Quinces, Oranges, Pears, &c. Large Pomgranates, Mel∣lons, and Palm-Trees; there are also the Indian Mangoes; they have Schiras-Wine, and Brandy, made of Dates; there are near it Hills, producing

Sulphur, which is dug and transported to the Indies. The Custom is easie, half of it belonging to the King af Portugal by Agreement, beside five Horses the King of Persia presents him every Year; and to this end there is a Portuguese Agent residing in the Town, who has the Colours of that Nation on the Tarras of his House.

Leaving this place after the sale of some Goods, and taking in others, we set Sail for Sindy, being the first Town of India, where the River Indus dis∣charges it self into the Sea; but here we narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the Zinganes, a sort of Indian Pirates, who lie with their Boats be∣hind the Rocks, to surprize Vessels as they come near them, and if they board a Ship, in the first fury, till they have mastered and secured the Prize, they put all to the Sword, and the rest they Lame, by cutting the Sinew above the Heel, and make them Slaves to keep their Cattle; they so use them to prevent their running away: Their Arms are only Swords, and Arrows, therefore our watchful∣ness, and the fire of our great Guns made them re∣tire again among the Rocks, so soon as they prepa∣red to attack us. But having little to do here, we set Sail for Surat, having now on Board us, by ta∣king in many Passengers 116 Souls, and passing many small Islands, and some Promontories came to Queschimo, a large low Island, so that Sailing by it, one may see the Mountains of the main Land over it; it lies from East to West 20 Leagues in length, but indifferent in breadth. There is a Fort where Ships Anchor at 6 Fathom Water, and this formerly belonged to the Portuguese. On the South East of it lies Nabdgion, or Pilombo, a little low De∣sart Island; and East of it Tonbo, affording little be∣side Antelopes and Coneys; but Ships have here the Advantage of many Wells to Water at, yet the entrance is dangerous, because of the Banks that lie under Water about it; the Portuguese were once Masters of most of these Islands, and exacted Tri∣bute from Ships that Traded there, but their

Strength and Riches decaying at Home, weakned it abroad, so that now they have lost most of their footing on the Coast of Persia, and the Indies.

Sailing from hence, in a little time, we had the Isle of Angom to the North east, and on the South-east a Port of Arabia Foelix, called Julfer, to which many Indian Barks come to buy Dates and Pearl, the latter being fished all along the Coast from Mas∣cat to Babrem, and bring European Money to pur∣chase them. The next that stood with us were the Isles of Salame; these are four Rocks over-against Cape Mosandon, one of them bigger than the rest rising a little into a point, there is a dangerous Cha∣nel passing between them, all Rock at the bottom, so that many adventuring to pass it have been cast a∣way.

Having passed these, we met with great storms of Hail, accompanied with prodigious Thunders and Lightning, insomuch, that the Sea seemed to be all on Fire. This made us furl our Sails, and though the Air on Head of us was as dark as Night, there appeared a Rainbow on our Starboard.

Upon the breaking of this Storm prodigious Spouts began to rise out of the Sea to our Lar∣board, and at length, encreased almost on all sides of us, some being very near, which put us into a considerable fright, least falling on our Ship they should sink it, they being extraordinary large, inso∣much, that all affirmed they had not seen the like in their Lives, so that all Hands were employed to secure the Ship as well as might be, from the threat∣ning danger; for we as good as gave our selves to be lost; however, trusting in the Creator of all things, and taking to my self more Courage than ordinary, I took a view of these watery Prodigies: The first that appeared was about a Musket-shot from us, as we were steering North-east, and before it rose, the Water in that place boiled up prodigiously, more than a Foot above the surface of the Sea, foaming and looking whitish, and over it something repre∣senting a black Smoak (which the Banians foolishly

said was the Devil sucking up Water to drown them.) This made a hurrying noise like a Torrent running in a Valley, mixed with a hissing like that of Ser∣pents, or Gees. A little after appeared a dark puff of steem, this seemed to be a Pipe as big as ones Finger, the noise continuing, this tapered as it were up to the Clouds, and the light put it out of our sight, so that we knew that Spout was spent; but then there was another to the Southward of us, which began in the same manner as the former, soon after another to the Westward, and another to the side of the second, the most remote of the three; and all these appeared like so many bundles of Straw, a Foot and an half, or two Foot above the surface of the Water, smoaking to appearance exceedingly, making the same noise as the first. A little while after I perceived so many Pipes reaching down from the Clouds upon these Risings, and every one of them had a large end joyning to the Cloud, wide∣ning like the end of a Trumpet, and the lower end resembled the Teat, or Dug of a Beast, stretched perpendicularly down by the force of some weight. These Pipes appeared to be of a paleish White, which I conjecture was the Water in them, for no doubt they were formed before they drew it up, and being emptied disappeared; for though the Pipes descended small, swelled with the Water they grew larger, to the thickness of a Man's Arm, or more.

These Spouts are dangerous things, for falling on a Ship they entangle the Sails, and lift her up, then leting her fall again sink her if she be small, but if the Ship be too heavy to be lifted, they split the Sails, and emptying a vast quantity of Water into her with a violent force, sink her, and thus I be∣lieve Ships have been lost, Sailing in those, and o∣ther Seas where Spouts are, and so going down in a Minute or two, have never been heard of. Some that were on Board brought a large black handled Knife, to cut the Spouts at a distance, which Su∣perstitious Fancy is thus put in practice: One of the Ships company kneels down by the Main-Mast,

and holding in one Hand a Knife with a black han∣dle, he Reads the Gospel of St. John, and when he comes to these Words, viz. The Word was made Flesh, and dwells in us, he turns to the Spout and cuts the Air a thwart, and then they hold the Spout, though at a great distance, is cut, and lets down all its Water with a great noise. But the Master looking on this silly fruitless Fancy as a piece of Conjurati∣on, would not let it be put in practice. In the Me∣diterranean they shoot Cross bar shot at them, which hitting is more probable of the two to cut; how∣ever, these spent themselves without doing us any harm; and at length, through infinite Mercy, we weathered the Storm which raged furiously all the time, and kept on our Course having the main Land of Arabia on our Starboard, and on our Lar∣board that part of Persia called Marsan, which bore South-east of us, and we made particularly one Hill of Land shaped like a Sugar Loaf; and here, in November, December, and January, the East Winds commonly Reign, and therefore to go from Persia to India in a short time, the best Season is March, April, and the beginning of May, for then the Mou∣son, or Trading Wind blows. However, we held on with the help of the Current, which from the end of July to January sets towards Ormus from In∣dia, and from January till July from Ormus towards India.

In our Passage another Storm arising, we saw 3 new Spouts, but they were at too great a distance from us to apprehend much dangar. In our way, off Bembaceca, we overtook 3 Ships bound to Surat, as we were, but proving slow Sailers, the Master would not stay for them, but resolved to make the best of his way, so contrary to the mind of the Mate, we left them to Sail at their leisure.