‘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’ [‎68] (89/508)

The Travels of Fcter Delia Valle,
m
the fufpitions they have of the intelligences and converfe with
our Compatriots may have to their prejudice with that Prince.
Wherefore taking leave of Sig: Alberta with many embraces^
of Mafter Rofel^ ( whom I had known in Verjia, and who being
come from thence after me 5 was here fhipt for a Trading Voy-^
age) and of all my other Friends in the two Ships, I came
back to fup and lye on tand in the Tent of the Prefident.
March the twenty fifth. Early in the Morning I put my Goods
into the Shallop of Sobafiian Luis, and alfb going aboard my
felf, whilftthe Prefident went to his own Ships to difpatch them,
fet fail for Daman 5 at night we caft Anchor in a narrow arm of
i;he Sea, which enters far into the Land, of which fort of inlets
there are many all along the coaft of India, which encompafling
good portions of Land make many little Iflands 5 and becaufe
the faid arms of the Sea are long and narrow like Rivers ^ and
fome of them have little Rivers falling into them from the
continent, ( although the water is fait, and they have no current
but the ebbing and flowing of the Sea ) the Portugals term
them in their Language Rios, Rivers 5 which I take notice of^
ESKlv /// / that it may be under ftood that all the Rios , or Rivers,
^ ; siSyc w hich I fhall name in the coaft of India > and not fpecifie that
they are ftreams of frefh water, are fuch arms of the Sea as this,
improperly call'd Rivers. This, where we ftaid this night, is
c&WdRio diColel^, or Cdeque, I have better underftood that
all the aforefaid inlets are not arms of the Sea, but really Rivers
of frefh water ^ and the Tide of the Sea at ebbing and flowing
being here very ftrong and overcoming that of the Rivers 5 hence
it comes to pafs that 'tis hardly perceiv'd whether they have any
ftream or no 5 and the water going far into the Land comes like-
wife to be fait 5 but indeed they are Rivers, and form Iflands
by their entring into the Sea with many mouths. They are
almoft innumerable upon all the coaft of India, and the Tortugals
. very truly call them #70/, Rivers. Wonder not at thefe doubts
and various informations, for I could not underftand things
tnoroughly at firft/or want ofconverfe with intelligent perfons?
nor was it eafiefor me to judge right in the beginning 3 the firft
appearance of things oftentimes deceiving even the wilfeft, as
the faltneis of the water did me,in my judgement of thefe Riversj
making me take them for arms of the Sea 5 which miftake, was
lurthet d by the affirmation of moft of the ignorant Portugals.
who not knowing more of this coaft then the (hore where the
water is lalt, think that the Rivers,are fait water 5 but Time and
tter intormations afiift my diligence in difcovering the truth
ot things* March the twenty lixth. About noon wearriv'd at
Daman, but unfeafonably, theb*/A* and Fleet of the
being gone in the Morning, and we difcem'd them failing afar
ott, but it was not poflible to overtake them, I advertis'd
F. AntomaAlbertino, Redor of the Jefuits Colledge, of my com-
ing> and he very courteoufly came forthwith to the Sea-fide to
receive
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