Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

The Island of Mauritius, or Cerne.

THe Island of Mauritius, so call'd by the Hollanders, for the Honour and Memory of Maurice, Prince of Orange, a Branch from the House of Nassaw, not well knowing, and uncertain of its proper Name. Some wrongfully hold it to be the Cerne of Pliny, and placed in eighteen Degrees and thirty Minutes of South-Latitude, whereas, according to Caucha, it is call'd, The Island of Apollonie, and lieth in the Elevation of one and twenty Degrees South-Latitude, close by Mascaronhas.

The Hollanders first touched upon it in the Year Fifteen hundred ninety eight, the eighteenth of September, in their second Voyage to the East-Indies, under the Command of the Admiral Jacob Cornelius van Nek. Its Circumfe∣rence they guess at fifteen Leagues, affording a Haven and convenient Road, but remains void both of Men and Beasts, except Cats.

The Air seems to be good and wholsom; and there is a River found, which takes its orignal out of the Mountains, whereof there are many towards the Sea; yet within the Countrey are very delightful Plains. By reason of the many and high Mountains, the whole lies almost continually cover'd with Snow; and oftentimes there doth such Mists arise from them, that a Man can see no farther than just down before him. The Ground lies very stony, and so overgrown with wild and unfruitful Trees, that it is scarce passable. Among them are found many Palmito's and other Trees, with a green Bark, and Wood underneath as black as Pitch, which some have taken for the right Ebony; and other Trees, whose Wood appears of a deep red, or very yellow, like Wax.

Fowl are here innumerable, and so tame and fearless, that they will suffer a Man almost to touch them, as Pigeons, Turtle-Doves, Cranes, gray and speckled Parrots, and strange Birds as big as Swans, with thick Heads, where∣on are Skins like Lappets: In stead of Wings (for they have none) they have upon their sides onely three or four black Quills, and behind, in stead of a Tail,

four or five small Feathers, or curl'd Plumes, standing somewhat higher than the other: they have large and thick Feet, with a great and ugly Bill and Eyes; and have commonly a Stone in their Maw as big as ones Fist: the longer the Flesh is boyl'd the harder it grows, except it be the Breast, which is very good to eat. The Sea-men that first saw them, gave them the name of Loath∣som Fowls. Bats as big, or rather bigger than Pigeons, with a Head like a Cat, flie there in great numbers, hanging in the Trees, and doing much hurt to other Fowls. Another sort of these are hairy all over their Bodies, like Monkies or Cats, and therefore some have call'd them Flying Cats, for they are as big as a Hen or Goose: such as these are found in several places of Asia, as in the King∣dom of Mogor, in the Territory of Casmir, in Suratta, and neighboring Islands, and likewise in Brasile: they keep in the closest Woods, and hang with their Claws in the day-time on the Branches of Trees, and shew more like hanging Bags than Beasts or Fowls. The China's in the Province of Xensi, eat their Flesh with a great appetite, and report it better and more savoury than that of a Hen: in the nights they miserably torment Cows, Goats and Sheep, by suck∣ing out their Blood.

Fish may be plentifully taken in the Rivers within the Countrey, as without in the Sea, with little pains, two or three Tubs full at one haling; among which the ignorant Sea-men sometimes catch a sort of Fishes of a red colour, but so poysonous, that he that eats of it, hath for some days together a most intolerable pain.

There are also Sea and Land-Turtles, but the best not pallatable, and of an uncouth aspect; but of the first, some have three hundred Eggs in their Bodies, as big as Hen-Eggs, and Shells wherein ten or twelve men can stand, and one of them alive (as they say) can carry seven men.