'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.' [‎371] (394/448)

'Borneo.
what right the Tarnatenfian nor Banda Kings have over them: albeit 'tis well known the
Dutch traded thither after the Englijh, and that till the year 1598^ they had no Trade in
any part of the Indies ^ in which year three Ships and a Pinace fet forth from Amfterdam r
being their firft adventure into the Eaft-tndies \ whiclj how they have improved is under-
ftood to the terrour and admiration of the Natives. Near thefeis
BORNEO, (by Ibme luppofed that Jnfnlabona Fort may and Borne we find mention
ed in Ptolemy) is an Ifle Nadyr to the ^Equator, in fhape it refembles an oval Shield : the
major part inclines towards the North •, for her Antartic elevation is not above 3 degrees,
whereas the Artie extends to 7 degrees odd minutes. The firft difcovery of any Chriftian
European is attributed to de Breu-, who in the year of our Lord 1523. accidentally came
to an Anchor at this Ifland. At this day it groans for the moll part under Spanilh fervi-
tude, who where treafure is to be had become ingenious and indefatigable: but what
Artifices they ufe is well known, and that under pretence of facred an infatiate thirft af
ter Gold is too oft difcovered: albeit, they cannot'well be ignorant that Caelum nnlla efi
reparabile ga&a.
It has many Villages, and confequently much people *, but the one, as to outward thi ngs,
are poor, and the other wretched in their Idolatry: So as did not that plenty ot Gold,
Diamonds, and other Merchandife, as Bezar, Lignum Aloes, Musk, Civet, Benjamin,
Amber, Sanguis Draconum, Wax, Rice , and Rattans or Canes make her magnetical, the
place would not be fo attraftive as it is to Merchants and Travellers. Her belt maritim
Towns and Ports are which is in 1 degree 35 minutes South, and from Bantam
N. E. a hundred and fixty leagues or thereabouts j and Bemermajfm: the reft be fcarce
worth th^ regarding.
Be^ar, or as the Perflans call it Penar and Pa-aahar is of two forts *, found both in Jffia
and America : Of Afia the belt is had in Perfia, Pegu and this Borneo \ and is of more va
lue than what is had in the new-found World. It is oft found in the ftomach or maw of
a Goat in Pegn, and upon the Indian Mountains. Some neverthelefs, (how truly I know
\ not) affirm it is no other than the congealed tears of a Stag:, and that fuch as are taken
from Beafts feeding upon Theriacal Herbs are mofl; foveraign and of greateft vertue to
expel poifon, and other noxious difttampers. The fhape alfo is various 5 for fome re-
femble a Plum, fome a Date-ftone, others Doves-egs; and fome are like Chefnuts and
Goats Kidnies 5 but all blunt-ended. No lels different are they in colour \ for fbme are red,
pale green fome, other-fome dark yellow, and fome skye-coloured: the laft are beft, con-
fifting of many fcales which like Onyons circumvolve one another, and in which Nature
has expreft far more curiofity than Arts beft imitation: for, each inferiour fcale (not un
like the Orbs) yields more fplendor than the others and as it diminiflies its quantity in-
creafes its vertue according as it is in tenuity or thicknefs- Many are counterfeit: but to
difcover the fraud, they ufe to pierce them with hot Bodkins; or after they have weigh 'd
them fteeping them in cold water four hours, if they crack not they are held good •, and to
know them for fuch,they firft wipe and ballance them •, obferving, that if they weigh never
fo little above the firft weight 'tis a iure fign they are bale and of fmall value. It is alfo obfer-
ved,that the Bezars of Borneo are not above half the value of thole which are had in Ptffia.
Lignum Aloes according to the Countrey where it grows has diverfity of names. The
Javans and Malayans name it Garroo , the Indians and. Portugueses^ D'Aquillha ; but the
Chynefes and CochinchynefesyCalamha. It is framed of large round fticks of a clouded grain,
tnixed with veins of an afti-colour: pleafantto the eye, and ponderous in the hand i but
of a bitter relifh, and fitter for the fire than tafte: for, hot coals no fooner touch it, but
to the honour of its own Funeral it expires and vapours out an odour fo aromatick and
comfortable as no other is ufedby the Indians y Malayans^ Siamites, Peguansy Cambogians
or Borneansy whQn they burn the Corps of their deceafed Parents, which with them is the
nobleft manner of burial.
Musk is bred in the navel of the Cat, and is either yellow, brown^ or black: the firlt
is held the beft, the laft the bafeft: the choiceft fhews a deep Amber colour not unlike
Spikenard, and is cloathed with a moift skin which fweats out fome briftly hairs, with
out ft ones, lead or like adulterate mixture *, but withal of fo ftrong a fmell that to many
it feems offenilve ^ and tafted, penet r ates a ftrong brain by its fragor: fweet fpices
takes away the fcent *, and put into the mouth if it luddenly diiTolve, or in the hand if it
be long a melting, thofe are the ufual wayes to difcover the quality.
Civet (a fort of Musk bred in a little bladder within the teftieles of a certain Crea
ture not unlike a Cat) is of different colours: deep yellow (as I have been told) is ufu-
ally the beft, and the worft is white, for that is greafie and fophifticate; neverthelefs
when it' is new it's obferved to be pale, and gradually turns yellowifh;
Bbb 2 Benjamin