‘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’ [‎131] (152/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES;
131
A
dnot^. 1 ' good fpace together: during which an old Man with a white
beard and bald head;, who brought her, ftood behind her 5 cry
ing all the while-^4, ^^3 Ahud^ which in their Language
fignifies as much as Good^ Good, Good, The Ambaffador return 5 d
quickly from Audience, but made not a word of any thing. The
Ring frequently fent him things to eat ^ particularly, fruits out
of feafon, to witjbrought to him from far diftant places,amongft
which we had Ziacthe, ( which I take to be the fame with Zatte,
which is a kind of Gourd) a fruit very rare at this time 5 and alfo
Indian Melons, which how good foever, are worth nothing at
any time, the Climate not being for fuch fruits.
' November the twelfth, I took the height of the Sun at
' and found the Meridian Altitude 31. degrees. He was now in
the 19 th degree of Scorpio, and confequently, declin'd from the
iEquinoftial towards the South 17. gr. 29^ 23". which fubftra-
ded from the 31. degrees in which I found the Sun, there remain
13. gr. 30 / . 37 // . and fuch is the Elevation of the Pole at ikferi 5
which muft be alfo as many degrees, towit, 13 .gr. 3o / . 37^*1-
ftant from the iEquinoftial towards the North. At dinner the /^, 3£,37.
Ambaflador told us,that the King of Spain's Letter which he had ^
prefen ted the day before to Venkctapk Naieka concern'd not any
bufinels, but was onely of complement, and particularlyto
give him much thanks for having of late years refus'd to fell
Pepper to the Englifti and Dutch, who had been at his Court to
buy it ^ and alfo for the good Amity he held with the Portugals^
which he defir'd might encreafe every day : That of the affairs
of Banghel, or any others, he faid nothing, referring all to the
Vice-Roy , and the Embaflador whom the Vice-Roy had
fent to him : Wherewith Venk^taph Naiefa was very well
pleas'd, and he had reafon ^ for during the prefent State of
the Portugals affairs, I certainly think they will not fpeak a
Word to him of Banghd y nor of any thing elfe that may be dip
guftful to him.
The fame day the Ambaffador had been at Court ^ being in*
vited to fee folemn Wraftling at the Palace. We did not ac
company him, for want of Horfes and Palanchinoes ^ but at night
he told us, VituU Sinay afk'd much for me, wiftiing I had been
prefent at this Wraftling, which was exercis'd by Perfons very
ftout and expert therein 5 becaufe he had heard that I writ down
what I faw remarkable. However, Caravaglh, Montegro, and
my felf not going thither,wcnt out of ikfen half a League North
wards, to fee another new City which Venkctapk hath begun to
build there. 'Tis call'd Sagher, and is already prety well in
habited ,with Houfes all made of Earth after their manner. The
Palace is finifh'd, and^»^-^^ frequently goes to it 5 as alfo a
Temple built upon a great Artificial Lake , aHoufe for his Ne
phews and other Grandees, with all conveniencies thereunto,
particularly, great Stalls for Elephants, of which he keeps here
above eighty 3 we faw many of them here, fome for War, large
' S 2 and
v' V* .
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