The first voyage round the world, by Magellan : $b translated from the accounts of Pigafetta, and other contemporary writersPigafetta, Antonio
History
The first voyage round the world, by Magellan : $b translated from the accounts of Pigafetta, and other contemporary writers
Pigafetta, Antonio
Magalhães, Fernão de, -1521; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
Continuing along the coast of China, many nations are met with, and
they are these: the Chienchi, who inhabit the islands in which they
fish for pearls, and where the cinnamon grows. The Lecchii inhabit the
mainland: the entrance to their port is traversed by a large rock, for
which reason all the junks and vessels which wish to enter must take
down their masts. The king of this country is called Moni. He has on
the mainland twenty kings under him, and he is subject to the King of
China: his capital is Baranaci, and here is situated Oriental Cathay.
Han is a high and cold island, where there is copper, silver, pearls,
and silk; its king is named Raja Zotra. There is also Miliaula, the
king of which is named Raja Quetischeniga, and Guio, the king of which
is Raja Sudacali. These places are cold and on the mainland. Friagonba
and Trianga are two islands which also produce copper, silver, pearls,
and silk; their king is Raja Ruzon. Bassi is a low land on the
continent. There come afterwards Sumbdit and Pradit, two islands very
rich in gold, where the men wear a large ring of gold round the ankle.
In the neighbouring mountains dwell people who kill their parents when
they are old, so that they may cease from travail. All the people of
these countries are Gentiles.
Tuesday night (between it and Wednesday,) on the 11th of February of
1522, we left the island of Timor, and entered upon the great sea named
Laut Chidol,[416] and taking a west-south-west course, we left to the
right and to the North, from fear of the Portuguese, the island of
Zumatra, anciently named Taprobana; also Pegu, Bengala, Urizza, Chelim,
where are the Malabars, subjects of the King of Narsinga: Calicut which
is under the same king; Cambaya in which are the Guzeratis; Cananor,
Goa, Armus, and all the other coast of India major.
In this kingdom dwell six classes of persons, that is to say: Nairs,
Panicals, Franas, Pangelins, Macuas, and Poleas. The Nairs are the
chiefs; the Panicals are the townspeople; these two classes live and
converse together. The Franas collect the wine from the palm trees and
the bananas. The Macuas are fishermen; and the Poleas sow and harvest
the rice; these last always dwell in the fields, and never enter the
city, and when it is desired to give them anything, it is placed on the
ground and they take it. When they go along the roads they always cry
out, po, po, po, that is take care of yourself; and we were told that a
Nair who had been accidentally touched by a Polea, not to survive such
a disgrace, had himself killed.
In order to double the Cape of Good Hope, we went as far as 42° South
latitude, and we remained off that cape for nine weeks, with the sails
struck on account of the Western and North-western gales which beat
against our bows with fierce squalls. The Cape of Good Hope is in 34°
30′ South latitude, 1600 leagues distant from the Cape of Malacca, and
it is the largest and most dangerous cape in the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account