A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 08Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 08
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
Then came the presents of the king of Jackatra, carried by about 300
women, and attended by about as many soldiers, consisting of rice,
cashes, and many strange beasts and birds, both alive and dead. Among
these was a furious beast, called by them a _Matchan_, somewhat larger
than a lion, and very princely to behold, if he had been at liberty. He
was spotted white and red, having many black streaks from the reins down
under his belly. I have seen one of them leap eighteen feet for his
prey. These _matchans_ often kill many people near Bantam; and often the
king and all the people go out to hunt them, sometimes even in the
night. This _matchan_ was in a great cage of wood, placed on the trucks
of old gun carriages, and being drawn by buffaloes, seemed like a
traitor drawn on a hurdle.[131] There were several other curious
articles in this shew, with many maskers, vaulters, and tumblers,
strangely and savagely attired. Last of all came the youngest son of the
king of Jackatra, riding in a chariot drawn by buffaloes, which had to
me an unseemly appearance. They have indeed few horses in this island,
which are mostly small nags, none of which I ever saw draw; being only
used for riding and running tilt, after the Barbary fashion, which
exercise they ordinarily use every Saturday towards evening, except in
their time of Lent or _ramadan_.
[Footnote 131: This matchan of Java is obviously the tiger.--E.]
The second day after this shew, the king was carried on his pageant to
the mosque, where he was circumcised; his pageant being carried aloft by
many men, four hundred, as the king's nurse told me, but I think she
lied, as in my opinion so many could not stand under it.
* * * * *
§ 6. _Account of Quarrels between the English and Dutch at Bantam, and
other Occurrences_.
Our general returned into the road of Bantam from Ternate on the 24th
July, 1605. As soon as we saw and knew the Dragon, I took a _praw_ and
went on board; when the general recounted all the dangers he had gone
through, and the unkind usage he had received of the Hollanders, though
he had saved some of their lives. He told me that he had procured a
good quantity of cloves towards his loading, though with much pains and
turmoil. For this good news, and especially because our general was
returned in safety, we gave hearty thanks to God, not doubting but we
should soon complete his loading. The 28th of the same month came in the
great Enkhusen of Holland from Ternate; and on the same day the king of
Jackatra came to visit our general.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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