Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to NordenskioldKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to Nordenskiold
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Explorers; Voyages and travels
His Majesty now expressed his wish to return on shore, saying that he
would come back the next day, and before night he sent on board rice,
sugar-canes, and sugar in various forms, fowls, plantains, cocoa-nuts,
and sago, now first known to the English. They might also have obtained
any amount of cloves, but Drake did not wish further to load his ship.
The Admiral was expecting the arrival of the King, when Prince Moro came
with apologies, saying that if Drake would go ashore he himself would
remain as a hostage. To this, however, all the officers were greatly
averse, suspecting treachery, and he therefore determined to send
several of them with Prince Moro, retaining the Viceroy of Motir as a
hostage.
On landing they were courteously received by a large number of persons
of rank in handsome dresses, and were conducted to the palace. This was
a four-sided building, the centre canopied by a cloth of many colours,
such as tents are made of. All the way round it were cushioned seats.
It was the usual council-house, and not used for any other purpose. On
one side was the chair of state, placed on a handsome carpet, having
over it a very beautiful and rich canopy.
As the King did not make his appearance for an hour, the officers had
time to examine things at their leisure. Before he appeared, about
threescore noble, grave, and ancient personages entered and took their
seats round the building, while at the farther end were a large number
of richly dressed young men. Outside stood four fine-looking
white-headed persons clothed in red robes reaching to the ground, having
turbans on their heads similar to the Turks. They were, it was
understood, strangers, but long resident in the country. Two of them
were Turks, one an Italian, and the last a Spaniard, who had been
rescued from the Portuguese.
At length the King appeared, followed by ten grave senators, walking
under a rich canopy embossed with gold, and guarded by twelve men armed
with lances, the points turned downwards.
The officers, accompanied by Prince Moro, rose to meet him. He received
them graciously. He was dressed like his countrymen, but far more
sumptuously. His garments from the waist downward were of cloth of gold
of the richest description; his legs were bare, but on his feet he wore
red slippers; his head-dress was a sort of turban twisted through wide
gold rings, and somewhat resembled a crown. Round his neck he wore a
massive gold chain; on his left hand four magnificent rings, adorned by
a diamond, an emerald, a ruby, and a turquoise; and on his right an
unusually large turquoise in one ring, and in another ring many diamonds
of a smaller size artistically arranged.
While he sat in his chair of state, on his right side stood a page
holding a large fan, richly embroidered and set with sapphires, with
which he constantly fanned his master. The heat was excessive, both on
account of the sun's rays and the number of persons assembled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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