'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.' [‎378] (401/448)

Funerals of tQhinefet.
they will lend money to be repayed them in the other World: Inter-ludes, Malques, Fire
works and fuch devices wonderfully take them: nor value they what money they expend
in fuch difport, fo their expedation be not fruftrate. Their Houfes are meanly built and
as badly furnifhed: Howbeit, their Meani have no fuch grandeur nor external beauty a<?
in a Country fo peaceful, fo rich, and amongft a people fo ftudious and fuperftitious
might be expeded : yet though their outfides be but or dinary, they many times are lined
with excellent good Porphyre, Serpentine and like Marble. Their Coiledges and Tem
pies exprefs by fome invention or other their infernal Art and familiarity with the old
Magician; to whom they devote enthufiaftick Boyes who with their long fpread Hair pro-
ftrate themfelves afore the Mannada *, and fuddenly as if fome Hag had terrified them
ftart up and vibrate a Spear or other weapon, whiles the Spedators with dejeded look^
warble out a foft Doriq' fort of Mufick, departing not till the vaticinating Youths pro
nounce fomewhat that points at his Worihip and their Obedience.
They celebrate their Natalitia very folemnly, a fortnights time fpending the dayes in
paftime, and the night with feafts: amongft the reft they have choice fruits and wines in
which they take a full liberty. The new Year they begin in March, and is no lefs obfer
ved there: at that time every Manftnves to exceed others in the fancy of their pageants
and adorning their doors refpedively with paper Arches and Images,' and all the niehf
long make them vifible by lights and lanthorns. 5
Their Weddings have more or lefs Ceremony according to the quality of the Perfom.
Their Funerals are after this fort *, when any dyes they firft wafli,then perfume, and laft-
iy apparel the Corps and put his beft cloaths on then cover his head •, and having fet him
in a Chair, his Wife entring the room firft gives him a refped and then kilfes him ^ after
that fhe takes her farewel with as much forrow as can be imagined : fhe is no fooner gone
but his Children enter in order according to their feniorities-, they firft kneel and then
kifs the dead Mans hand, yea ftrive to out-vie each other in their ejaculations, expref-
fing their love by forrowful countenances andgeftures, as beating their breafts and pou
ring out tears in abundance: being withdrawn, next his Kindred ad their parts, and laftly
his friends and other more remote acquaintance: the third day they lay him in a Coffin of
precious wood which they cover with a filk cloath, and over it place his pidure: for fif
teen days in that fort the Corps reft,and each day a Table is fpread with Meat, which nieht-
ly the Priefts have liberty to eat ^ for 'tis they that burn the Incenfe and offerSacrifice: when
they carry it to the Grave,Women are hired to howl,the better to move others to compafR-
on: fometimes upon his Coffin they place the Image of a dead Man whom they exped
fhould fhew him the liireft and readieft way to Elyzium: that done, the Widow and Chil
dren for fome days feclude themfelves*, and when abroad, go doloroufly habited*, for
they put courfe Sack-cloath next their skin *, have their cloaths made long and plain • and
for three years fpace are not feen to laugh or joy in any thing •, but to the utmoft of their
power exercife their love by their continued lamentation, abftinence from feafts and pa-
ftimes^ and in all their Letters fubfcribethertifelves. Such a ones difobedient and unwor
thy Widow, Child, or what may beft fet forth obfervance.
Having launchttoofar, 'tis high time to look homewards: yet not till we have bid fare
wel to lovely Afia •, into which when fome have adventured,this Motto may be remembred.
Peaoribus mores tot funtquotia Orbefigur* ; Mans heart commands as many ways as Starsfindreftim places :
Qm f3p It , mnumeris moribus aptus erit. W h 0 travels muft difgmfe himfdfeach way with Janus faces.
How delightful and how magical the excellencies of the Orient are to moft *, yet Ovid's
Nefcio qua nat ale folum, &c. was ftill the clofe of ray obfervation: So that upon the fe-
yenth of June (after long fail, fome ftorms, and much patience) we again defcried land:
it bore N. N. W. from us, but at the Suns firft blulh the enfuing morning, we knew it
was Digarroysj an Ifle above fifty miles about, and in 20 degrees South latitude: there
we anchored not, knowing that Mawritim was but 90 leagues diftant thence upon a W.
f^rr CO e 5 u I)laCe where we doubted not f ome refreihment. This Bigarroys was
nrit aiicovered by the Portugmfe: but except fome Welchman gave it the name,I know not
whence called Bigarroys, feeing that Bigarrad in the britifh dialed fitly complys with it,
the condition being a defolate Ifland: defolate in human inhabitants, for with other
things tis replenilht, as with Wood, Tortoifes, Dodo's and like Fowl. To Our view it
\x7 V fl- lt j no tv er y high at a league diftance: but this! alfo remember, that at the South-
e i: en(: * are ^oalds, which are long and dangerous. By benefit of a conftant wind
we foon arrived at the Manritm*
MAURI-
378