‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎17] (56/470)

C .h a p. II. The Voyages of Struys, 17
and unapt to be tamed , and fame fo favage that they will rather
ftan e than be fed out of hand. There are alio many Squirrels l648 '
Wefels and Civet Cats. They are likewife annoyed with many
forts of venemous Creatures and Vermin, as Scorpions , Spiders,
Wafps and Millepedes , which are here fo horribly fell, that the
party flung falls immediately into a fwound.
T his Ifland is inhabited both by Whites and Negros , the former
having long and lank hair , the latter alitle curled,and handfom^"^
bodied. There are alfo a fort of tawny People that are not^"^'
fo well civiliz'd as the reft , letting their hair and beards grow,
which the other for the moft part fhave.
They are in general a treacherous and fraudulent people, prone
to Thievery , and greedy of Revenge, which they efteem a lauda
ble vertue, and deem him a man of merit , who knows how to quit
himfelf handfomly in vindication of a Quarrel} but on the contrary
he that puts up an affront or injury done him , is held in great
contempt , and ftigmatiz'd for a Coward. They are by nature
very fluggiih,and inclined to Sloth,much given to Dancing andSing-
ging. Thefe that are willing to take upon them any hard Imploy-
mentor laborious exercife,are fuch as follow Husbandry , Smiths,
Carpenters , Fullers , Spinners , Weevers , Fifhers and Fowlers.
Their Smiths have a good way to temper Iron and Steel, and are
very aftive in making Knives, Javelins, Pile-heads and Flyers to
pull up hair by the roots. They have alfo Silverfmiths, but fuch as
hardly deferve the naming.
Their Houfes are but little wooden T abernacles, of one flory high
and a firm Cieling; yet at the Inauguration ofthofe Cottages they«««/«
make fumptuous Banquets : So foon as the Houfe is completed
the Owner invites all his Relations and Allies, with other acquain
tance to the faid Houfe , where they are entertained in fplendid
manner : Yet this Treat is not at all chargeable to him , but rather
an advantageous mean > for there is not any of thefe Guefts who
dare make his appearance without fome Prefent , which he is to
bring with him as if it were at a wedding ^ Some
bring Gold , Silver , or Steel ; fome great Bowls with Corn , or
perhaps Moveables and Furniture for the Houfe j others Oxen,
Sheep or other Belly-timber. So that in brief, none ever comes
C empty-