‘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’ [‎398] (419/508)

39 8
A Voyage E A S T-l N DI A, &c.
at the time they expedt it, otherwife they will be ready to quit
their fervice, as one of them whom we thus hired, left us as we-
were travelling up to the Court 5 the reafon 3 becaule our money
was almoft quite gone (though We were fupplied again a day or
two after) and we could not punftually pay nim at his day^ as
we had formerly done. This fellow led one of our Camels^
and had been with us two moneths before 5 but upon this
little failing him ? would needs leave us: but before he de
parted he made a fpeech to his Camel 3 telling him 5 that he
had led him thus long, and had during that time lived by him ,
but now our money (as he (uppofed) quite failing, he told him
that he muft be gone, defiring God to blefs him 5 and that he
might have fome other to lead him that might not be lefs care
ful of him than he had been. So he took leave of his Camel,
though not of us, and departed. All the reft of his company
were perfwaded to continue with us, and had their pay a day or
andfo we proceeded on our journey, and fo (hall I
two after 5
further in this Difcourfe.
the people, I (hall fpeak
And now I have fpoken fomthing of
SECTION IX.
- - i * » » : i j i
f 9 *, . . f
Of their buildings in Villages^ Towns^ and Cities 5 Hon?
their Houfes arefurnijhed , Of their Sarra's or Honfes
for the entertainment of Paffengers ^ Of their Tents,
If ells> and of their places of pleafnre, &c.
IObferved before the richnefs of their Soil, and how thofe
Provinces are watered by many goodly Rivers, fed with
abundance of Springs , and how their Fields are clothed with
very much plenty of Corn of divers kind, fold there at
fuch low rates that every one may there eat bread without
fcarcenefs.
Now I come to take notice of their Buildings 5 and here I
muft tell my Reader, that this People are not much taken or
infeded with that plague of Building (asthe Italians call it)
wifhing the love of it as a Curfe to poflefs the thoughts of them
they moft hate and therefore, as the ftones in India are not
all precious, fo the Houfes there are not at all Palaces ^ the poor
there cannot ered: for their dwellings fair Piles, and the Gran
dees do not cover their heads under fuch curious Roofs, as ma
ny of the Europeans do j The reafbn, firft, becaufe all the
great men there live a great part of the year, (in which their
Moneths are more temperate, as from the middle of Septetnher,
to the middeft of April) in Tents, Pavilions, or moveable ha
bitations,which^according to their fancies,changing they remove
' from