‘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’ [‎175] (196/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES. 175
veral places with little fillets 5 'tis about 60 Palms high, and one
and a half thick from the bottom to the top, with little dimi
nution. On this Pillar are plac'd about feventeen round brazen
wheels, made with many fpokes round about like ftars: they
aretofupport the lights in great Feftivals, and are diftant about
three Palms one from another. The top terminates in a great
brazen Candleftick of five branches 5 of which the middlemoft
is higheft; the other four of equal height. The foot of the Pil
lar is fquare, and hath an Idol engraven pn each fide 5 the whole
Engine isj or at leaft Teems, all of a piece. ^ T. he Temple, to
wit 3 the inner part where the Idol ftands, is likewife all cover'd
with brafs: They told me, the walls of the^ whole Inclofure,
which are now cover'd with leavs, were fometimes cover'd with
large plates of brafs 5 but that Ven^ta^a Naieka carry'd the fame
away, when in the war of his Army pillag'd all thefe -
Countries 5 which whether it be true or no, I know not 4 The
walls of a lefs Inclofure ("wherein according to their cuftoin the
Temple ftandsj are alfo furrounded on the outfide with eleven
wooden rails up to the top, diftant one above another little more
then an Architc&icalPalm} thefe alfo ferve to bear Lights in
Feftival occafions 5 which muft needs make a brave Shew, the
Temple thereby appearing as if it were all on fire. This
Temple is dedicated to an Idol call'd Mogin&to 5 of what form
it is I know not, beeauie they would not iufFer us to enter in to
fee it.
Having view'd the Temple, I afcended the Hill by the flairs,
and palling a good way forward on the top thereof, came to the
habitations of the Gioghi and their King 5 the place is a Plainjand
planted with many Trees, under which are rais d many very
great ftone -pavements a little height above the ground 3 for them
to fit upon in the (hadow. There are an infinite number of little
fquare Chappels with feveral Idols in them, and iomeplaces
cover'd over head, but open round about, for the Gioghi to en
tertain themfelves in. And laftly, there is the King s Houfe,
1 which is very low built 5 I faw nothing of it, ("and believe there
is nothing more) but a fmall Porch, with walls round about
colour'd with red, and painted with Elephants and other Ani
mals: Befides, in one place a wooden thing like a little fquare
^ bed, fbmewhat rais'd from the ground, and cover d with a Cloth
^like a Tent 5 they told me it was the place where the King us'd
to refide, and perhaps alfo to fleep. The King was not here
now, but was gone to a Shed or Cottage in a great plain field, to
fee fomething, I know not what, done. The Soil is very good^
and kept in tillage 5 where it is not plain, by reafon of the
fteepnefs of the Hill, 'tis planted with high goodly Trees, moft
of which bear fruit : And indeed, for a Hermitage fo ill kept
by people that know not,.or cannot make it delightful, it feem d
to me fufficiently handfome. I believe, k was-built^by the Kings
of Banghd whilft they flourifh'd, fork lyes in their Territory^
uh