‘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’ [‎32] (53/508)

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The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
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jfia^buz alfo into our Europe-Jo that the Engliili and Dutch(which
two Nations have Houles of conftant r.eficience here^ freight
five or fix great (hips therewith every year i and for the better
' imbarking it;, make it up in very great balls, each as big as Ro
man Coach •, and every piece of Cloth, little bigger then one of
our Towels, being carri'd to Aleppo, will not be fold for left
then three or four Piajire, and m Italy zt leaft for fix Crowns.
Whence you may infer, what wealth comes out ot this fmall
City alone, which for compafs and buildings, is not greater then
Siena in fnfeany , although 'tis above three times as populous 3
and you may al(b confider to what fumm the Princes Cuftomes
arife. A few Cos from the City, is a Mine of Calcidonies and
Agates, white and green 5 but thefe ftones are carry'd left into
Barocci then to Cambaia, although it be further from the Mine,
becaufe there is a Sea-port, and a greater concourfe of forreign
Merchants 5 and in Cambaia they are wrought into little Globes,
either round or oval, to make Coronets or Neck-laces, and alfb
little Cups, and divers other curious vellels for ornament. The
Sea comes not up to Barocci even at the higheft tides,but is about
as many miles diftant asVis from Surat, When we paft'd over
the River, our Dutch Trumpeter founding his Inftrument,
gave notice of our coming to his Country men refiding in Barocci j
and they, at the Summons, came immediatly to the bank-fide to
meet us 5 from whence we went with them to lodge in the
Dutch Houfe there. Late in the Evening they carry'd us to fee
a Fatache, or fmall Indian fhip which they were building, and
was not yet finifh'd, in which they treated us till night, drinking
of Tari^ which is a liquor drawn from the Nut-trees of India^
whitifli and a little troubled ^ of tafte, fomewhat fowrifh and
fweet too, notunpleafing to the palate, almoft like our Poignant
or Brilk-vvine ^ yet it inebriates as Wine doth, if drunk immo
derately. The next day, which was Wednejday Feb. 12. we
departed from Barocci late in the Forenoon. SixCWoff, we
made a Collation near a water without lighting out of the
Coach, having brought provifion with us for this purpofe r from
Barocci. Afterwards upon the way we met the Wife and Fami
ly of the Governour of Cawbaia, remov'd from that charge by
the Rebel Sultan chorrom, who had plac'd another there at his
devotion , and this, being driven from thence , return'd to
Surkt^ where his houfe and ufual habitation was. His Wife
was carry'd upon an Elephant, in acover'd and very convement
litter. Three other Elephants follow'd unladen , favingwith
the men upon their necks who guided them 5 then abundance of
Coaches, partly cover'd and full of women, partly uncover'd '
with men in them 5 then a great number of Souldiers, Horfe
and Foot 5 and, in brief, a great train fuitable to the quality of
the perfon and the cuftom of India^ which is to have a very nu
merous attendance whoever it be. After this we foarded a fmall
River, which I believe, was of fait watery which, they fay, is
call'd