‘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’ [‎401] (422/508)

A Voyage toEAS T-IN DI A, &€.
btfom
bottom of which Hill, we lodged at a great town called Acha-
where we ferried over a broad River (as we did in
other placesj) for I obferved no bridges made there over any of
their Rivers where their high-ways lie.That Hill on which Man-
^ ftaods, i& ftuck round (Wit were) with fair trees, that keep
their diftatice fo one from and below the other a that there is much
delight in beholding them either from the bottom or top @f that
Hill. / aailfh N'v\ ^ 1 !
In thofe vaft and for extended Woods 3 thete are LionSjTygres,
and other beafts of Prey, and many wild Elephants. We lay
one night in that wood with our CaTriages 3 and thofe Lions came
about us dilcovering chemfelves by their Roarings but we keep
ing a veby good fire aillnight, they came not neer enough to hurt
either cur ielVes 3 or cartel * T hofe cruel Beafts arc night-walkers
for in theiday they appear not.
After when (through Oods moft gracious afliftance) we had
overcome thofe difficulties and dangers, we caftie into a plain
and even Gountrey^in which travelling a few daye« more,we firft
inet with my Lord Athbaflador marching towards Martdoa with
that greatrKihg, with whom I then fetled, and continued with
him, till he was returned home. .>■ ; .
We were in cur ;ourney to the Court from the beginning of cJ
thfe end of iMarch^ Werefting a while at Br amp or e ?
which is a very fpaciou« r and r poptiliemsCity ? wher€ wehad aFafto-
ry. And taftfcr that; we were viciently detained in our iourny by
SHltav Garomsthc Princ^ wfeom we met in his march toWardis
Brampore^ a very marvelous great retinue with him.The reafbn
why he interrupted lis in our courfe was, that h^ might fee the
Prefents we had for his Father the King 5 but we having com
mand from the Ambaffador to tell him^that we durft not open
them, till we came to the King, wb ttioft humbly craved his par
don to fpare Us in that 5 fo prefenting him with a pair of Rich
Gloves (though they be things they Wear not rn thofe hot Coun
tries) and a rich embroidered bag for petfume (which amongft
many other things ofthe like kind were brought itotnlingland to
be given away for Prefents)after that he had carried us back three
days journy 3 he let us go 5 taking further order for our fafe convoy^
And now Reader, thou maift fuppofe us almoft fetled in
Mandea, the place then of the ^^/'s refidence, not much in
habited before we came thither, having more ruins by far about
it, than ftatiding houfes. • But amongft the Piles of building
that had held up their heads above Ruin, there were not a few
unfrequented Mofquits^ or Mahometan Churches 5 yet I ob-
ferved, that though the people who attended the King there,
were marvelloufly ftreightned for room, wherein they might
difpofeof very great numbers of moft excellent horfes, which
were now at that place, they would ^not make ftables of any
of thole Churches, though before that time, fhey had been for-
laken, and out of ufe. u .
F f f One
vMi'''
I Hfel