The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Vpon the Southe border of Affrike, dwell there menne called of the Grekes
Cynnamie, and of their neighbours Sauluages: Bearded, and that with
aboundaunce of heare. Thei kiepe for the saufegarde of their liues, greate
compaignies of wilde Mastiues: for that from midde Iune, till midde Winter,
there entreth into their countrie, an innumerable sorte of Kine of Inde.
Whether thei flie thether to saue them selues from other beastes, or come
to sieke pasture, or by some instincte of nature vnknowen to manne, it is
vncertaine. Against these, when the menne of their owne force, are not able
to resist: thei defende themselues by the helpe of their dogges, and take
many of them. Whereof thei eate parte whilest thei are freshe, and parte
reserue thei in pouldre, for their aftre niede. Thei eate also many other
kindes of beastes, whiche thei hunt with their dogges.
The laste of all the Affriens Southewarde, are the Ichthiophagi. A people
borderyng vpon the Troglodities, in the Goulfe called Sinus Arabicus:
whiche vnder the shape of man, liue the life of beastes. Thei goe naked all
their life time, and make compte of their wiues and their children in
commune. Thei knowe none other kindes of pleasure or displeasure, but like
vnto beastes, suche as thei fiele: neither haue thei any respecte to
vertue, or vice, or any discernyng betwixte goode or badde. Thei haue litle
Cabanes not farre from the Sea, vpon the clieues sides: where nature hath
made greate carfes, diepe into the grounde, and hollowe Guttres, and
Criekes into the maigne lande, bowting and compayng in and out, to and fro,
many sondrie waies. Whose entringes thenhabitauntes vse to stoppe vp with
great heapes of calion and stones, whereby the criekes serue them now in
the steade of nettes. For when the sea floweth (which happeneth there twise
in the daye, aboute the houres of thre, and of nyne) the water swelleth so
highe, that it ouerfloweth into the maigne shore, and filleth those
crieques with the sea. And the fisshe folowing the tide, and dispersinge
them selues abrode in the maigne londe to seeke their foode: at the ebbe
when the water withdraweth, retiring together with it alway to the dieper
places, and at laste remaining in these gutters and crieques, they are
stopped in with the stone heapes, and at the lowe water lye drie. Then come
the enhabitauntes with wyfe and children, take them, and laye them oute
vpon the rocques against the midday sonne, wher, with the broiling heate of
the same, they be within a while skorched and parched. Then do they remoue
them, and with a litle beating separate the fysshe fro the bones. Then put
they the fisshe into the hollowes of the rocques, and beat it to pomois,
minglinge therewith the side of the whynne Paliurus. And so facion it into
lumpes muche like a bricke, but somewhat longer. And when they haue taken
them againe a litle by the sonne, they sitte them downe together, and eate
by the bealy.
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