‘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’ [‎384] (405/508)

A Voyage to EAST-INDIA, &c.
ployed for the carrying of burdenSj their ftrength being fo great
as that they will bear a marvellous weight:
The Elephants are all governed with a fmall rod of fteel about
half a yard long, made (harp on the lower end, and towards
that end there is an hook returned, like a Fifh-hook, thaxis very
(harp likewife ^ by which their Riders fitting on thefrnecks 3 pull
them backj or prick them forward at their pleafure.
Thefe vaft Creatures;, though the Countrey be exceeding
fruitful, and all provifions in it cheap, yet by realbn of their
huge bulk, if they well be kept and fed, are very chargeable in
keeping 5 they are kept ufiially under the fhade of great Trees,
where by a ftrong chain of iron upon one of their hind-legs
they fatten them. And as they ftand, the abundance of Flies
vex them,and therefore with their fore-feet they makedufl ? (the
ground ufually being very dry) and with their Trunk caft the
dull: about their bodies to drive away thofe Flies from them.
The King allows every one of thofe great male-Elephants
four femals, which in their language they call their wives. Thefe
brutes (as they fay) will not endure any to behold them when
they are coupling together 5 which may condemn many who
call themlelves men and women, but have fo loft all modefty,
that they are not ajhamed when they commit my a£t of filthinefs^ no
they are not ajhamed^neither can they blujh. The Female Elephants
Cas they further lay) carry their young, one whole year ere
they bring them forth 5 Thirty years expire ere they come to
their full growth 3 and they fulfill the accuftomed age of men
ere they die. And laftly, notwithftanding the great Number
thereof thofe vaft Creaturesj and theexceffive charge in keep
ing them well, they value them at exceeding high rates.
For this people, when as they journey from place to place,the
men of theinferiourfort go all onfoot, their women that can
not fotravel, ride on little Oxen, inured to carry burdens, or
on Afles, which carry their little children with them, the wo
men like the men afh ide. Others that are of better quality ride
on Horfes, Mules, Camels, Dromedaries^relfe in flight Coaches
with two wheels covered on the top and back-end, but the
fore-part and fides open, unlefs they carry women. Thofe
Coaches will carry four perfons befide the driver, but two may
lie at eafe, and at length in them upon quilts, that lie in the bo
dy of them, upheld by girt-web, with which they are bottom'd,
which makes them by far more eafie. Thefe Coaches are cove
red for men of quality with fome thing that is coftly^ much of
our Englijh broad cloth that is died red, is there bought from us
and imployed for that ufe. At the back-end of this Coach they
have a long round bolfter, that reacheth both fides, ftuffed with
Cotten-wool, and covered with Velvet or Sattin, or with fome
other thing that is rich. Thefe Coaches are drawn by Oxe ^one
yoke to a Coach 5 fome of which Oxen have their fhort horns
neatly tipped with filver plate, and fome others with brafs 5 and
they