‘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’ [‎59] (80/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES. 59
what lefs then Er^^himfelfj and they call them his Wives, ^ ^ />-< K-
and On the left fide of this narrow Temple, ftand ^ ^
two other figures of the fame bignefs 5 being two naked Men with
long Beards 3 whom they pretend to have been two religious per- ; ^ -
fons, [ know not whether Doctors or Difciples of Brahma, or^/ ^ 3
Pythagoras 5 one is call'd Chefcuer, the other Ciavan de Chefcuer. y
On the fame fide downwards are many otHer Idolets 5 as one y, ^
with an Elephants Head 3 and divers others formerly by me /"^
mention'd. All which Idols are ferv'd, ador'd, perfum'd, offer'd^-^ ^ ^ ^
to, and wafh'd every day as for delight, (for the Indians ac-
count it delight to wafli often ) by the Brachmans, who aflift -2^^
their fervice with much diligence. I mutt not forget, that the^^ ^ *
Banians fay,this Town Naghera was the King's Seat and principal p 7
City, anciently the Head of the whole Kingdom otCambaia, and yjr-,
that the City now properly call'd Camhaia^ and rais'd to great- J j
nefs by the ruineofthis old, is a modern thing 5 whence I have
(bmetimes fufpefted that the Indian Character call d Naghr ^,us d
by the learned, was denominated from this City wherein it was
anciently Ub'd 5 but 'tis onely a Conjedture 5 and I have learnt by
long and much experience, that in the derivation and interpre
tation of Names, efpeciallyof Places, thereisno truftingtothe
relemblance of Words 5 becaufe byreaibnof the diverfity of
Languages, and the cafual Conformity of Words which fignifie
things fufficiently different, according to the variety of Places )
grofs errors are eafily admitted. Nagher in the Indian Language ^
.C I C AT strr liV /t T A XX r il ■» m f* ml,'
si & r~
lignifies a Great City. Coming from Naghr a, I faw fome naked ^
and befmeared Men, of deportment aimofl: like the incinerated
Cioghi^ who were of a Race of Indians accounted by themfelves
the moft fordid and vile Race of all in India 5 becaufe they eat
every thing 3 even the uncleanneft Animals, as Rats and the like ; .
whence they are call'd in Perjfan^ Hhalal-chor^ which (ignifies a
Man that accounts it lawful to eat any thing 5 the Indians call ^
them Der, and all people in general abhor not onely to converfe ^
with, but even to touch them. Concerning Religion, I have
heard nothing particular of them, but believe them Gentiles as
the reft, or perhaps, Atheifts, who may poffibly hold every
thing for lawful, as well in believing as in eating. They are all
fufficiently poor, and live for the moft part by begging, orexer-
cifing the mofl: fordid Trades in the Common-wealth, which
others difdain to meddle with s but they, either becaufe their • ^ 3
Rite teaches them fo, or neceffity inforces them, are not at all
fhieof. March the fifth. We vifited the* King's Garden again,
and many other Gardens, where we tafted divers fruits, and be
held feveral Flowers of India unknown in Europe 5 amongft the
reft, one very odoriferous which I kept in a Paper, which they
call Ciompa. Without the City we faw the Saltpits, and alfo the
Field by the Sea-fide, where the Indians are wont to burn the
bodies of their dead 3 which may be known by the reliques of y
many fires and pieces of bones not wholly burnt, which are feen
7 r I 2 fcatter 'd
/