Ignames, and Cattel, and well water'd with many Streams, replete with Fish: From these Canes an extraordinary profit might be gained, if the people were instructed and fitted with Materials to Extract and Boil the Sugar.
The great men have to the number of fifteen or twenty Women, which live apart in a separate place, surrounded with Hedges, where every one hath a small House to dwell in, into which they dare let none enter, upon forfeiture of their lives.
They have neither Mosques nor Churches,
yet give themselves over wholly to Superstition, and Sorcery, as an effect thereof, giving credit to Charmes and Characters written after the Arabian fashion, which they call Hiridri, Masarabou, and Talissimou. They imagine some of these able to prevent Thunder, Rain, Wind, and Wounds gotten in the Wars; and likewise as Preservatives against Poyson; good Defences against Robbing, and Burning of their Houses and Vil∣lages; in short, infallible Remedies against all Misfortunes. All these Charms the Ombiassen, a Gallimaufry of Priests, Astrologers, and Southsayers, make and sell to the meaner sort of Blacks, which wear the same about their Necks, and sew'd in their Girdles. They cut the same Characters also on Gold, Silver, and small flat pieces of Reed for the same purpose.
The Inhabitants are two sorts, Zaffekasimambou, or Casimambou, the chiefest; and Zafferahmina, both Whites, but the first more deform'd, although generally Priests, and Learned-men.
About thirty or five and thirty years ago, all the Zafferahimina were kill'd, except Women and Children; to whom the Conquerors gave some Islands and Fields to Inhabit; on which they Planted and fed their Cattel, and are ever since call'd Ontampassemaci, which is to say, People of the Sand of Mecha, because they are Arabians of the Red-Sea.
The Casimambou put in for this Island (by their own relation) by the directi∣ons and Command of the Califf of Mecha, to instruct the Islanders in Mahomets Superstition, about a hundred and sixty years ago: At which time, their Chief Governor Married the Daughter of a great Lord, and Prince of Matatam, a Ne∣gro; with condition, that her Issue, Male or Female, should be call'd after his Daughters name Casimambou, as is usual on the South side of this Island, and al∣so in Mactricore.
The Zaffekasimombou are mightily increas'd in number, and teach to Read and Write Arabick, keeping Schools in all the Villages for the Youth.
The Ontampassimaci live by Fishing, wherein they employ their whole time; and have arriv'd to a wonderful dexterity therein.
Next the River Matatam lie along the Sea Coast many others; as Manghasiouts, Manangkare, Mananhane, Itin, Itapaulobei, Itapoulosirire, and Itapaulomaint-hiranou, Fo∣nara, Lomahorik, or Morombei, and the Mantaraven.
Manghasiouts, or Manghasies, is an indifferent River, three small Miles from Matatam; on whose Shore the French have a Factory, but dangerous to come to with a Boat, by reason of the Rocks and Shelves that clog it.
Four Miles from thence passeth the River Mananghan.
The Mananhare, which signifies much Provision; abounds with Fish.
Intin, a Mile and a half from thence; but a small Pool.
The Itapoulobei, Itapolousirire, and Itapaulomain-thairanou, are three small Rivers, lying two Miles distant from each other, and take their original out of the neighboring Mountains.