‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎107] (128/508)

y 8 *
: •——T-— — . '• 1 -. " V#!, r-
Into the EAST-INDIES. ^7
out any artificial ornament of buildings or the like 3 isthe^ood-
% lieft Fviver that ever I beheld. Our boats being large, could not
so to the ordinary landing place at Gar fop a > becaufe the River
which is difcharg'd into the Sea with one ftreanij is th ic divided
into many 5 which fall from feveral Springs upon fome neigh
bouring Hills, fo that the water is but little. Wherefore we
landed at fome diftance from Garfopa.which ftands on the South-
bank of the River, and walkt the reft of the way on toot, and
our coods were carry'd upon the Men sfhoulQers, whom wc had
hir dfor that purpofe. Before wegottooui lodging 3 it was
night 3 and we were fain to wade over one of the arms of the
River which took me up to the middle of the thigh 31 le ottom ^ \ V
was ftony, and not fo dangerous to us, C who were free ) in re
ference to falling, as to the poor men who carry d burthens ,
upon their heads ^ fo that I wonder d not he who carry d the
hamper of my clothes tell down with it, and wetted it in the
water. At length we lodg'd not within the compals of Garjopd^
which was lomewhat within land, but near it upon the River,
in a place cover'd with a roofamongft certain iees,where many ^
are wont to lodge , and where the Pepper is weigh d and con- 7
traded for, when the Vortugcds come to fetch it: for this is the
Country wherein greateft plenty of Pepper grovys 5 for which
reafon the Queen of Garjepd was wont to be call d by the Tor-
tugals^ Keyna da. rifnenta, thatis^ G)uecn of Pepper* I he Ri ver
is cail'd by the Fortugals the River ot Garfopa^ but by the Indians
in their own Language, one branch is term d, Amhnnidi^ and
the other, Sark nidi. From the River 8 mouth, where it falls
into the Sea, to Garfopa^ the way, if Imiftake notj is diredtly
Eaft, • ; /1 •
November the firft,After dinner we departed from our itation. III.
and paffing by the Cottages, and the places where the City of
Garjopa fometimes flood, we walkd a good way Southwards,
or rather South South-weft, always through an uneven, woody
Country, irrigated with water and delightful, like the banks ot
the River which I defcrib d. Then we began to climb up a
Mountain, which the Country-people call and divides the
whole length of this part of India^ being wafh'd on the Eaft
with the Gulph of Bengala, and on the Weft with the Ocean or
Sea of Go a. The afcent of this Mountain is not very rough, but
rather ealie andpleafant like the other foil, being thick fet with
Groves of frees of exceflive greatnefs ^ fomeorthem foftrait,
that one alone might ferve for the Maft of a Ship. With all, the
Mountain is (b water'd with Rivulets and t ountains, and fo
cloth'd with Grafs and Flowers, that, me-thought, I faw the
moft delightful place of the Appennine in Italy, If there be any
difference, the Gat of India hath the advantage in this place, be-
caufe the height is much lefs then that of our Appennine , the
alcent moreeafie, the wood more beautiful and thick, the wa
ters not ^fs plentiful and clear 5 If Gat yields to it in any thing,
P 2 'tis
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