Sir Francis Drake's Famous Voyage Round the WorldPretty, Francis
History
Sir Francis Drake's Famous Voyage Round the World
Pretty, Francis
Voyages and travels; Voyages around the world
After they were departed from us, they came and visited us the second
time, and brought with them feathers and bags of _tabacco_ for presents.
And when they came to the top of the hill, at the bottom whereof we
had pitched our tents, they stayed themselves; where one appointed for
speaker wearied himself with making a long oration; which done, they
left their bows upon the hill, and came down with their presents. In
the meantime the women, remaining upon the hill, tormented themselves
lamentably, tearing their flesh from their cheeks, whereby we perceived
that they were about a sacrifice. In the meantime our General with
his company went to prayer, and to reading of the Scriptures, at which
exercise they were attentive, and seemed greatly to be affected with
it; but when they were come unto us, they restored again unto us those
things which before we bestowed upon them. The news of our being there
being spread through the country, the people that inhabited round about
came down, and amongst them the king himself, a man of a goodly stature,
and comely personage, and with many other tall and warlike men; before
whose coming were sent two ambassadors to our General, to signify that
their king was coming, in doing of which message, their speech was
continued about half an hour. This ended, they by signs requested our
General to send something by their hand to their king, as a token that
his coming might be in peace. Wherein our General having satisfied them,
they returned with glad tidings to their king, who marched to us with a
princely majesty, the people crying continually after their manner; and
as they drew near unto us, so did they strive to behave themselves in
their actions with comeliness. In the fore-front was a man of goodly
personage, who bare the sceptre or mace before the king; whereupon
hanged two crowns, a less and a bigger, with three chains of a
marvellous length. The crowns were made of knit work, wrought
artificially with feathers of divers colours. The chains were made of a
bony substance, and few be the persons among them that are admitted to
wear them; and of that number also the persons are stinted, as some ten,
some twelve, etc. Next unto him which bare the sceptre, was the king
himself, with his guard about his person, clad with coney skins, and
other skins. After them followed the naked common sort of people, every
one having his face painted, some with white, some with black, and other
colours, and having in their hands one thing or another for a present.
Not so much as their children, but they also brought their presents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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