The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10: Asia, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10: Asia, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
vnto, is called Bellergan, where there is a great market kept of Diamants,
Rubies, Saphires, and many other soft stones. [Sidenote: Bisapor.] From
Bellergan we went to Bisapor which is a very great towne where the king
doeth keepe his court. Hee hath many Gentiles in his court and they be
great idolaters. And they haue their idols standing in the Woods, which
they call Pagodes. Some bee like a Cowe, some like a Monkie, some like
Buffles, some like peacockes, and some like the deuill. Here be very many
elephants which they goe to warre withall. Here they haue good store of
gold and siluer: their houses are of stone very faire and high. [Sidenote:
Gulconda.] From hence we went for Gulconda, the king whereof is called
Cutup de lashach. Here and in the kingdome of Hidalcan, and in the countrey
of the king of Decan, bee the Diamants found in the olde water. It is a
very faire towne, pleasant, with faire houses of bricke and timber, it
aboundeth with great store of fruites and fresh water. Here the men and the
women do go with a cloth bound about their middles without any more
apparell. We found it here very hote.
[Sidenote: Masulipatan.] The winter beginneth here about the last of May.
In these partes is a porte or hauen called Masulipatan, which standeth
eight dayes iourney from hence toward the gulfe of Bengala, whether come
many shippes out of India, Pegu, and Sumatra, very richly laden with
Pepper, spices, and other commodities. The countrie is very good and
fruitfull. [Sidenote: Seruidore.] From thence I went to Seruidore which is
a fine countrey, and the king is called, the king of Bread. The houses here
bee all thatched and made of lome. Here be many Moores and Gentiles, but
there is small religion among them. [Sidenote: Bellapore.] From thence I
went to Bellapore, and so to Barrampore, which is in the country of
Zelabdim Echebar. In this place their money is made of a kind of siluer
round and thicke, to the value of twentie pence, which is very good siluer.
It is marueilous great and a populous countrey. In their winter which is in
Iune, Iuly, and August, there is no passing in the streetes but with
horses, the waters be so high. The houses are made of lome and thatched.
Here is great store of cotton cloth made, and painted clothes of cotton
wooll: here groweth great store of corne and Rice. [Sidenote: Strange
mariages.] We found mariages great store both in townes and villages in
many places where wee passed, of boyes of eight or ten yeeres, and girles
of fiue or six yeeres old. They both do ride vpon one horse very trimly
decked, and are caried through the towne with great piping and playing, and
so returne home and eate of a banket made of Rice and fruits, and there
they daunce the most part of the night and so make an ende of the marriage.
They lie not together vntill they be ten yeeres old. They say they marry
their children so yoong, because it is an order that when the man dieth,
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