‘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’ [‎287] (308/508)

Into the E AS T-IN D I E S.
LETTER. XIU
From Malta,November 4. 1625.
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WHen I was thinking of finiftiing the fmall remainder of
my Travels^ with the fame Profperity which God
had hitherto afforded me 5 and fpeedily arriving at
thofe defired Chores, I have been here arrefted at Malta by a little
kind ofmifadventure, Efficient to temper thecourfe offo many
good Fortunes. In regard of the formidable Peftilence ftill con-^
tinning in Conjiantiuople, and other places of Turkie, we have
not been able to^et admittance to anchor, and land in this Ifland
without undergoing a Quarantine. Wherefore finding my felf
at leifure enough here in a Houfe aflign'd me, as a favour, by the
Lords of the Council, and feparated from the little Ifland whi
ther all the reft arefent, I have thought fit to pafs my time in
writing to you what Adventures have befallen me fince my laft,
which was dated from a Ship-board at Cyprus^Sepemher the fixth.
Pe pleas'd therefore to know, that on September the feventh, I
v^ent aftiore again to hear Mafs^ after which, I return da vi-
fit to Sig: Recce Artdreani, a Venetian Merchant, in whofe Houfe
I faw a live Camelion, which a Boy of the family, kept very tjime,
ty'd with a little ftring for his Recreation. They are frequent in
India) and are feen leaping amongft the Trees > but I never faw
any but at diftance, and fodid not well obferve them. Here
therefore holding it in my hand, (for 'tis a gentle and pleating
Animal) lobferv'dit to be as big as a Lizard, and almoft of the
fame fhape, but more unhandfom to behold, having an ill iliapen
head, divided feet, and two paws, in the middle whereof the
legarifeth each of which paws, is divided into two toes or
nails, yet fo as the fiffure is very fmall. Its colour was grey, but
with fome variety, like a dapple. They told me, that it fome-
times changM colour, (not, as is vulgarly reported, according to
that which is lay'd before it, but) according as it hath more heat
or cold , takes pains or repofes, with other like Accidents;
Which event I faw not, though I try'd feveral wayes to pro
cure it.
September the eighth. The Conful carry'd me to another Vil
lage about two leagues, or fix miles diftant horn Larnaca, and
caird to this day^Kiti and anciently a City andBiflioprick,
but is now all deftroy'd faving a few Cottages. We went, par
ticularly, to vifit a Greek Doctor, nam d Sig: Aluije Cz/rr/, who
liv'd there, and had the fame of much knowledg, and ipoke
Italian well-, a? alfo to fee his Garden , which , though halt
tuind, ("as all things areinthe Ifland,fince it fell into the Turk s
hands) is yet one of the goodlieft places in thofe parts. Here
dv*d Cimon the moft valorous and vertuous Athenian Captain,
1 • Son
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