'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎335] (358/448)

Coajl of Mallabai 4 .
Summer-, for then upon thiscoaft they have the greateflfigiTof Winter front
the Summer Solltice to the Autumnal iEcjuihox continuing wind and rain, which makes it
exceeding boifterous and unfafe to travel. Thefe extraordinary rains are without doubt
the caufes ot the yearly over-flowing of the Mam in and in = as alfo of
the two great African Rivers Nyger and Ntim ; feeing that like weather at the fame Seafon
is in thtv£chtopia» Mountains. Howbeit, thofe months and Am/?, albeit
they be ftormy in IndU are the fairelt months of the Year, and calraeft weather in the
Mediterranean and thofe Countreys that are about that Climat. But 1 looked upon it
then as a fign of God's dilpleafure. And it is well worth our obfervation. That whereas
all May, June, July and jingufi our Summer, and the like with all or molt parts of Ett-
rofefrom the Pole Ardick to 50 degr. and more towards the iEquator where it begins
the Sky is for the molt part ferene and the Seafon warm and mild i it is Winter in the
Oriental Regions(in fome parts ftretching from the Tropick of Cancer to the /Equinodtial
Line) during thofe four months. Inafmuch as their Summer begins in fuch
time as die Sun enters into Libra. For, from the mouth of the River in 23 degr.
to Cape Comryn in 7 degr. North latitude, all along the Indian Coalt of Decan
and Mallabar, the Weather during thole four months is exceeding ftormy and outragious
through continued rain, wind, thunder and lightning; but is fair Sun-ihine weather all
the other 8 months : Albeit it is not fo in the other Neighbouring parts of India. For
whereas the mighty Mountain Bellaiate (which ! formerly refembled to the Jiyennym) runs
in a continued ledge of Hills crofs from Imam to Cape Cowry#, the utmoft Cape or Pro
montory of India towards the Line, through the middle of the Continent: and, as it
were, in an asquidiftance between the Indian Ocean and Bengalan Gulph: It is obferved
by feveral Travellers, and by Linfcotin amongft the reft. That in croffing the Countrev
betwixt thofe Seas at the fame time,on the one fide that Hill they findUt Summer, and fxnd
it Winter on the other. So as when it rains and blows, with dreadful thunder and flalhes
intermixt, all along the Coaft of Mallabar as far as Din near Indm y ( and all thofe four
months I lately named) no Sun appears: Contrarily on the Coaft otChormandel, in which
are the Kingdoms of Gnlcmda % Narjingaand Fifiapore, all along from the River Games to
Cape Comryn, thofe Countreys on that fide Bellagm have then clear Sun-lhine weather
without mixture of rain, wind or ftormy weather^ and yet from the Hill to either Sea
is not above icq miles: And vice verfa, the feafon varies, which is very rare, the little
diftance duely confidered. Such alfo as fail within the Gulph of find the like dif
ference for the moft part, when they weather ( or as Sea-men phrafe, double ) Cape Ro~
felgate l It being halcyon fair, mild and Sun-ftune weather on that fide of the Happy Ara
bia which relpedls Ferfia ^ when on the other towards the Ocean, the wind and rain
biufter outragioufly during all that Seafon: Which evidences a great influence the Pla
nets have over the Air and Earth, and contrarieties that are in the Upper Regions.
Thence we failed due South, and that evening paffed by Cananor, Montingue^Omr and
Batticala, which fome repute part' of Canara or Decan and then by Mandator, Mandagara
of old, in which as the Jesuits report were feventy thoufand Chriftians, Calickt called
Camanes, and Cochyn Colchin in Ptolomy and the Bay Sinus Colchicus, Cranganore, Cowlam,
and Brin-Johny as far as Cape Comryn the utmoft Promontory of India, in feven degrees
and a half North, variation 14 degrees: A Cape well known of old, for it is by Vtolomy
lib : 7. called Cory, by Strabo Conomencina, by Pliny Calafea, and Comar by Arrhian in his
Periplus, and Comar a extrema by other Geographers-, but by Other Cofinographers Co-
laicum, Calligicpim and Cdingou-, where the Mavo-Calingi are by Tliny feated: Howbeit at
this day by the Inhabitants 'tis called Tuttan-Cory. Where, e're we pafs further, a little
concerning the Cuftom, Habit and Superftition of the Mallabars with fuch as mix among
them: this ferving for caution,
#
To ohferve the mode is fafe *, by moving much, Obfervare modum laus efl; nimiumq; movencb'
Religious faith oft gets a doubtful touch. In dubiura trahitur religiofa Fides.
M ALL AB A'R is at this day a great and famous part of India ftretching along from
Batticala a Port under 14 degr. to Cape Comryn* which is about 7 degrees North from
the iEquinodial: about four hundred miles in length, but in breadth no where above
a hundred, which fome reduce to fifty, that is, from that ridge of Hills we call Bellagate
to the Weftern Ocean: fo populous, that the Samoryn of Calicut is able upon occafion to
take the Field with 200000 Men to oppofe the Narfingan, the Decan, or GulcundanKings,
his powerful Neighbours. His Countrey is moft of the Year verdant and abounding with
Cattel, Corn, Cotton, Silk-worms, Pepper, Ginger, Tamarind, Caffia, Cardajnome,
Rice,