FROM thence menne go through many yles by sea unto an yle that men call Melke, and there be full yll people, for they haue none other delyte but to fyght and slee men, for they drinke gladly mans blood, which blood they call good, and they that maye most sleay is of moste name amonge them. And if two men there be at stryfe and after bee made at one, it behoveth them to drink eyther others blood, or else the accorde is nought. From this yle men go to an yle that is called Tracota where all men are as beastes & not reasonable, they dwell in caves, for they haue not wyt to make them houses, they eate adders[1] and they speake not, but they make such a noyse as adders doe one to another, and they make no force of ryches but of a stone that hath forty colours, and it is called Traconyt after that yle, they know not the vertue thereof but they covete it for the great fayreness. [Illustration] [Footnote 1: Pliny speaks (Book 7, cap. 2) of adder-eating people in India and elsewhere, but he says they live to the age of four hundred years, which is supposed to be owing to the flesh of vipers, which they use as food, in consequence of which they are free from all noxious animals, both in their hair and their garments. In book 29, c. 38, he also gives directions for the preparation of viper's flesh for food.] CAP. LXI. _Of an yland named Macumeran, whereas the people haue heads lyke houndes._[1] [Illustration] FROM that yle menne go to an yle that is called Macumeran, whiche is a greate yle and a fayre and the men and women of the countrey haue heads like houndes, they are reasonable & worship an oxe for their god, they go all naked but a little clothe before them, they are good men to fighte, & they beare a great target with which they couer all the body and a speare in theyr hande, and if they take any man in batayle they sende him to theyr King which is a great lorde & devoute in his faith, for he hath about his necke on a cord thre hondred pearles great & orient,[2] in maner of Pater noster, and as we saye Pater noster, and Ave maria. Right so ye King saith euery day three hundred prayers to his god before he eate, & he beareth also about hys necke a ruby, oryent, fine & good, that is neer a foote & five fingers long. For when they chuse theyr Kyng they giue to him that Ruby to beare in his hande, and then they lead him riding about the citie, and then euer after are they subjecte to him, and therefore he beareth that Ruby alway about his necke, for if he beareth not the Ruby, they woulde no longer holde hym for kynge. The greate Caane of Cathay hath much coveted this Ruby: but he might never haue it, neither for war nor for other catell,[3] and this Kinge is a full true & a righteous man, for men may go safely & surely through his lande & beare y^t he will, for there is no man so hardy to let[4] them. And from thence men go to an ile that is called Silo, this ile is more than a hundred[5]