'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎194] (523/1024)

Travels tn India.
chap. xx. ;
it < ■ ■ ■ ■ • , ,
the Author purfues his travels into the East, and emlarks at Mink,
grela for Batavia. The danger he was in Upon the Sea ; and bn
arrival in the Ijland of Ceylan.
1 departed from Mingrtht, a great Town in the Kingdom of Fifapwr, eight
Leagues from Goa, the fourteenth of Jpril 7 164B, and embark’d in a Dutch
Veflel bound for 'Batavia. The Ship had orders to touch at Bokanonrfto take
in Rice. Whereupon I went afhore with the Captain, to obtain leave of the
King to buy Rice. We found him upon the fhore, where he had about a do
zen Huts fet up, which were cover’d with Palm-leaves. In his own Hut there
was a piece of Per fan Tapeftry fpread under him, and there we faw five or
iix women, fbme fanning him with Peacocks Featheis,. others giving him Betle y >
others filling him his Pipe of Tobacco. The moft confiderable perfons of the
Country were in the other Huts; and we counted about two hundred men
that were upon the Guard, arm’d only with Bows and Arrows. They had alfb
two Elephants among ’em. 5 Tis very probable, that his Palace was not far
off and that he only came thither to take the frefh air. There we were pre-
fented with Tari or Palm-wine } but being new, and not boil’d, It caus’d the
head-achin all that drank it, infomuch that we were two days before we could
recover it. Lask’d the reafon, how the Wine came to do us fo much prejudice}
to which they anfwer’d me, that it was the Planting of Pepper about the Palm-
trees, that gave fuch a ftrength to the W ine . r 1 • ,
Wer- were no fooner got aboard, but a mighty tempelt arofe, wherein the
Ship men, and goods had all like to have been caft away,being near the fhore;
but at length, the wind changing, we found our felves by break of day three
or four Leagues at Sea, having loft all our Anchors; and at length came fafe
to Port in the Haven of Pome de Gaik, the twelfth of May, _ < y
I found nothing remarkable in that City ^ there being nothing but the rums
made by the underminings and Cannon-fhot, when the Hollanders befieg d it,
and chas’d the Portugal* from thence. The Company allow d ground to build
upon, to them that would inhabit there, and land to tilland had then rais d
two Bulwarks which commanded the Port. If they have finifh’d the defign
which they undertook, the place cannot but be very confiderable.
The Hollanders , before they took all the places which the P or turns had
in the Ifland of Ceylan, did believe that the trade of this Ifland would have
brought them in vails fums, could they but be foie Mailers of it ; arid perhaps
their Conjectures might have been true, had they not brbken their words wit
the King of Candy , who is the King of the Country y but breaking faith witii
him,they loft themfelves in all other places thereabouts.^ , .
The Hollanders had made an agreement with the King 01 Candy, that ne
fhould'be always ready with twenty thoufand men, to keep the pafiages ^ a
hinder the Portugal* from bringing any fuccours from Colombo, Negombe,
nar, or any other places which they poftefled upon the CoafL • hi con
lideration whereof the Hollanders, when they had taken Ponte Gdlle , weie
to reftore it to the King of Candy which they not performing, the King en
to know why they did not give him pofleflion of the Town; to
returned anfwer, that they were ready to do it, provided he would detray t
expences of the war. But they knew, that if he had had three Kingdoms m >
fuch as his own,he could never have pay’d fo great a fum.I muft confefs ,
Country is very poor, for I do not believe that the King ever faw htty
fand Crowns together in his life y his Trade being all in Cinnamon and h ep
As for his Cinnamon, he has no profit of it fince the Portugal* coming
the Eaft Indies. And for his Elephants, he makes but little of them ; tor
take not above five or fix in,a year; but they are more efteem t ^
other Country Elephants, as being the moft cofiragious in war. Une ^