THE Golden Coast, OR A DESCRIPTION OF GUINNEY. 1 In its Air and Situation. 2 In the Commodities imported thither, and exported thence. 3 In their way of Traffic, their Laws and Customs. 4 In its People, Religion, War and Peace, 5 In its Forts and Havens. 6 In four Rich Voyages to that Coast. Together with a Relation of such persons, as got wonderful Estates by their Trade thither. Quis nisi mentis inops, Oblatum repuit aurum? Licenced, according to Order. LONDON, Printed for S. Speed at the Rainbow in Fleetstreet. 1665. AN Epistle to the READER. WHen I look upon my Country, and find it an Island, when I consider its Interest, and observe it is Trade; when I survey its honour and Safety, and conclude it is Shipping, and the Dominion of the Narrow Sea, according to that old advice of the Emperor Sigismond, when in England, to Henry the fifth, in these old Verses made 233 years ago. And to the King thus he said, my Brother: When he perceived two Towns, Calais and Dover. Out of an old book, called the English policy in keeping the Sea. Written 230 years ago. Of all your Towns to choose, of one and other, To keep the Sea, and soon to come over, To were outwards, and your Reign to recover. Keep these two Towns sure: and your Majesty, As your twain eyes keep the Narrow See, For if this See be kept in time of were, Who can here pass without danger or woe? Who may escape, who may mischief differ? What Merchandy may foreby be ago, For needs them must take truce every foe. Flanders and Spain, and other trust to m●, Or Ellis hindered all by this Narrow Sea, For four things our Noble showeth to me, King, Ship, and Sword, and Power of the See. When I reflect on former ages, and note the circumnavigators thus; (1 Magellano a Spaniard, 2 Sir Francis Drake, an Englishman 3 Sir Tho. Candish, an English man. 4 Obwer Noore, an Hollander) two of the four our Country men; And when I think of mine own time, and meet with one Prince in his bed sick, another in the field Warlike, a third in Counsel troubled, a fourth in distress submitting, a fifth in his cradle rocked, a sixth in a Kingdom weary of it; and our King only able, knowing, and careful to promote the Honour Commerce, and Naval Glory of his Kingdoms, as his Pleasure, as well as his Interest. And when I add to all these, our successes in Edward the third, and fourth's time, against the French. Our Victories in Qu. Elizabeth's time against the Spaniards; not to mention more modern Conquests of others our Neighbours; I am pleased with an innocent thought, that there is nothing at this time defective to our completeness, save a Lecture of Navigation in Gresham-Colledge in London, answerable to that in the Contraction House in Seville, set up by Charles the fifth, who wisely consid ring the rawness of the Seamen, and the manifold Shipwrecks they sustained, in passing and repassing from Spain to the West-Indies, took this course to remedy it: instead whereof Discoveries and Voyages give no little satisfaction; Particularly this plain Relation of Guinney, wherein I find the Author hath, 1 Allayed men's fears, in his Doscription of the Country. 2 Directed their Courses, in his Account of their Havens, Rivers, Winds, Seasons, Castles, etc. 3 Instructed their Commerce, about their Traffic Commodities, to be carried thither, and had there. 4 Prepared their minds, about their living there in peace and war. 5 Furnished their Experience, by several former Voyages thither. 6 Encouraged their Hopes with particular instances of great estates got there in a little time. 7 Guided their Fortunes, with the way how to be Rich there in four years; and truly made it appear why it is called The Golden Coast. Where a man may gain an estate by a handful of Beads, and his pocket full of Gold for an Old Hat; where a Cat is a Tenement, and a few Fox tails a Manor; where Gold is sold for Iron, and Silver given for Brass and Pewter; The Place that cost Portugal 10000 l. the Discovery; the Place whose Trade that Kingdom farmed out for 150000 l. a year, and ours let out by Letters Patents. In a word, when I consider what is Related in this Book, of Times past, and what is done at present, that of Sallust comes in my mind, Saepè audivi ego Quintum Maximum, Pub. Scipionem praeterea Civitatis nostrae preclaros viros solitos ita dicere cum majorum Imagines intuerentur, vehementissimè animum sibi ad virtutem accendi, Scilicet non ceram illam neque figuram tantam vim in se habere sed memoriâ rerum gestarum flammam eam egregiis viris in pectore crescere, neque priùs sedari, Quàm virtus eorum famam & gioriam adaequaverit. I have often heard (saith he) how Q. Maximus, P. Scipio, and many other worthy men of our City, were wont to say, when they beheld the Images, and Pourtraicture of their Ancestors, that they were most vehemently inflamed unto virtue; not that the said Pourtraicture or wax had any such force at all in its self, but that by remembering their worthy Acts, such a flame was kindled in their noble breasts, as could never be quenched, until such time as their own valour had equalled the Fame and Glory of their Progenitors. So say I, let us imitate our Predecessors, Farewell. THE Golden Coast, OR A DESCRIPTION OF GUINNEY. The Situation of Guinney. IT being very reasonable that the Curiosity of the Subject, should enlarge its self as far as the Empire of the Sovereign, that our Skill should keep pace with his Power; and what he hath Conquered for our benefit, we should understand for our advantage: it is as reasonably inferred, that our pens should go as far as his Sword, and our discoveries for improvement, as far as his acquists for enjoyment: It is his care that we may have power, it's ours that we have skill to traffic over the World, the world that is open to our Trade, and to our service, we being not now as of old, divisi ab orbe Britanni, separatists from the Universe, but commanding the commerce of all Nations; our Negotiation being not limited in a narrower compass than the whole Earth, and our dealing knowing no bounds but those of the world, Europe affording us its Commodities, America its Rarities, Asia its Pleasure, and Africa its Treasures. Our Sugars come from the Canary Isles, Du Bartas le Col●un porley. From Candy Currans, Maskadels and Oils: From the Moluccoes Spices; Balsamum From Egypt: Odours from Arabia come. From India Gums, rich Drugs, and Ivory. From Syria Mummy; Black, Red Ebony, From burning ●hus: from Peru Pearls and Gold, From Rushia Furs, to keep the ri●h from cold. From Florence Silks: from Spain Fruit, Saffron, Sacks: From Denmark Amber, Cordage, Furs and Flax, From France and Flanders, Linen, Wood and Wine. From Holland Hopps: Horse from the Bank of Rhine. From Tangier Beasts: all Lands, as God distributes, To England's Treasure pay their early Tributes. §. The World is divided into two parts, viz. 1 Unknown, or not yet fully discovered. 1 In the Southern Continent. 2 On the North of Africa and America. 2 Known. The Known Anciently into Europe, Asia, Africa, Lately into America. Africa is partly by Nature, and partly by Art divided into six parts, 1 Barbary. 2 Egypt. 3 Numidian 4 Lybia. 5 Aethiopia Superior. 6 Aethiopia Inferior. Guinney is part of that place they call terra Nigritarum, or the Land of Negroes, which is bounded on the East with Aethiopia Superior, on the West with the Atlantic, on the North with Lybia deserta, on the South with the Ocean, and part of Aethiopia Inferior. The People called Nigrita, give the Land its denomination; and the River Niger, that runs through there, gives them theirs; or rather indeed their colour, which they are so much in love with, that they use to paint the Devil white, according to this Stanza. The Land of Negro is not far from thence, Nearer extended toth' Atlantic Main, Wherein the Black Prince keeps his Residence, Attended with his Jeaty-coloured train. Who in their native beauty most delight, And in contempt do paint the Devil white. § This terra Nigritarum, is by that necessity that forceth mankind to pitch upon their Meum and Tuum, to set apart their respective allotments for Society and Commerce, divided into 18. chief Kingdoms; the ambition of those people being rather height than breadth, rather to be Chief of a little place with authority, than grasp at much with uncertainty: thinking their little Sceptres as bright, though not as big, and their Coronets as glorious though not as large as those of greater Princes. Pride we say is the Sin of Youth, and Covetousness, of Old age. The old Kings aimed at the vastness, the new ones only at the Honour of Empire. These eighteen Kingdoms are there, 1 Tombutum, on the further side of Sanaga, which rising out of the Lake Guoga, runs under ground some miles, and losing its name, runs thence under the Notion of Gir, little inferour to Nilus, for the length of its course, the variety of strange creatures bred therein, or the distinction it makes in the face of this Country, the people on the one side of it being Black, and on the other Tawny, the soil on the one side very barren, on the other fruitful, whence it falls into the Atlantic, by two great outlets. Exceeding plentiful is this place of Corn, Cattle, Milk, Butter; destitute of Salt, but what they buy of Foreign Merchants at excessive rates: well watered by the River Niger. 2 Metts, Eastward of Tombutum, on a branch of the River Niger in breadth three: hundred miles, abounding with Corn, Cattle, cotton-wool, together with most witty, civil, wealthy and industrious people, Homagers and Tributaries to the King of Tombutum. 3. Geneoa, betwixt Tombutum and Metts, on the Ocean, lying open without either Town or Castle, to the Traffic or Conquest of Barbary, or any other Coast, that will take the pains for that uncoined Treasure of Gold, that is left on the banks of Niger, upon its monthly overflowings. 4. Gieber (Eastward of Gheneoa) the Country of Shepherds, where those Mountains are whereof the Mariners say, a man may choose whether he will break his heart in going up, or his neck in coming down. 5. Gumbra bordering on the Atlantic, and affording good store of Rice, the receptacle of uncustomed goods, a place of refreshment to Merchants in their passage to the Indies, where they bestow their stock until they are taken off by the next year Fleet. 6. Gialofi, between the Rivers Sanagh and Camb●ca, where the people can leap upon a Horse in full gallop, and stand in the Saddle when he runneth fastest; the King whereof Bemoin by Name, would have been a Christian Anno 1489. had not Pedro de Roy, the Portugal General shamefully murdered him. 7. Ora-Antirota, a long tract of Sandy and barren ground, extended from Cape le Blunci to the River Cornugh where the Portugez in their Fortress Arquin commanded the Trade of Porto de Dio. 8. Gualata, an hundred miles off the Sea, beyond Ora-Antirota, full of Dates, Milk, and Pulse. 9 Agudez, bordering on Targue one of the five Deserts of Lybia, where men's Habitations are only Bowers and their Trade grazing. 10. Canon on this side of the River Canagu full of Rice, Cittorns, Pomgranats and Cotton-wool, well watered and too well wooded, until the Portugez taught the Inhabitants to burn down their Wood, Pantarius. the fire whereof was so dreadful, that all the Inhabitants were forced twelve miles into the Sea; and the Ashes thereof so much, that it enriched that barren Country, so fare, that it yielded in some places sixty, in some places seventy, and in some eighty fold. 11. Catena, on the East of Canon, affording only Milk and Barley; and a people of great Noses, and vast lips, so stubborn, that not one of them ever turned Christian, so well governed, that the Common people have no doors to their Houses, that being the privilege of Nobles; and so civil to Women, Nub. Geog. ch. 6. (a second England) that the little King himself, if he meets any of them in the streets, giveth them the way. 12. Sanagu, on the other side of the River of that name, extended to the Atlantick-Ocean, as far as Caput Find, or Cape Vert, a rich and plentiful Country, that affordeth several Commodities for the several days in the year. 13. Nubia, which hath on the West Garga, on the North Egypt, on the East Nilus, which parteth it from Ethiopia Superior, or the Habastine Empire, formerly Christian, where the Nubian Geography was written, which gives so much light to ancient Customs, but since Mahometan, for want of Ministers to instruct them. It being reported by Alvarez the Writer of the History, that when he attended in Prester John's Court, there came Ambassadors out of Nubia, to entreat a supply of Preachers to teach their Nation, and to recover lost Christianity; but were irreligiously affronted in their negotiation, and rejected in their suit. Besides Mahumetanisme, there is another poison in this Country, P.H. Corm. of which the tenth part of a grain will dispatch a man in a quarter of an hour, and is sold at ten Ducats an ounce; the Customs for which to the King, is as much as the price to the Merchants; But for this one ill Commodity, yielding many good; as Corn, Sugar, Civet, Sanders, Ivory, and maintains a great trade with the Merchants of Cairo and Egypt, in the great City Dongula, that containeth twelve thousand Families and not one House. 14. Guoga, lieth between Berneo and the Deserts of Nubia, extended four square six hundred miles, where a Slave selling Men for Horses, 1420. got up to be a little King, though their Bowers rather than Houses, being tied together, and set on fire once a year, he is burned yearly out of his Territories. 15. Bornue a large Territory, reaching five hundred miles in length, on the West of Guangury Nader to the Aequator, where there is no property of Wives, or of Children, and no differences of Names, but only from the Marks of their bodies; Which saith my Author, Though it may seem strange unto this present Age, yet was the Custom of our Saxon Ancestors; whence have we else the Names of White, Brown, Black, Grace, Green, or those of Long; Short, Low, Course, Crisp, and others, but from such Originals? And yet for all this, this King is so wealthy, that all the furniture of his House, all his Dishes, Cups, Platters, which they eat or drink in; yea the very chains of his Dogs are of fine Gold. 16. Guang●r lieth North of Brenin, wealthy, and well peopled, ragged and meanly Villaged, doing homage to Bornum. 17. Benin directly Eastward of Guinney, whereof it is commonly esteemed a Province, or Kingdom so great, that the King thereof is allowed six hundred Wives, with all which twice a year he goeth out in great State, attended by his Gentlemen with their sixty Wives a piece, and others, with no less than twelve; The more the merrier, though the fewer the better cheer. Next to which place, is 18. Guinney. GUinney I say, is a Sea-Coast-Countrey; extended from Sierra Leona (so denominated, say Geographers, from the Lion-like roaring of the Waves, beating on that promontory) in the Tenth degree of longitude to the borders of Benin in the thirty, though it is observed to my hand that the Portugez who first discovered this Coast, by Drego's directions, 1425. comprehended under this word, the whole Sea-coast of Africa, from Cape-Blance, and the Country of Ora-Antirota, to Angola, and Congo inclusively in the lower Aethiopia, seated under the Tropic, though the Arabic Nubian Geographer translated into Latin by the Moronites, of otherwise, a rare and precious esteem, hath lost himself in the distances of these, partly by mistaking his meridian, and setting it to some, South ward, and not by his guess way, of measuring by Inches. I must confess it is very hot in this place, but the natural heat of the place is much abated, by the cool gales of their trade-windes that customarily blow there, and the equal length of night and days, the one scorching not so much with its Heat, as the other refresheth with its Coolness. The Air of Guinney. THe Air of the place is by most Englishmen judged unhealthful, The Air. neither is the Air of the place we live in, judged less by their People, there being no other inconvenience in removing from our colder Climates to their torrid one, than there is in coming from their torrid one to ours more cold. A prudent preparation of men's bodies, accommodating the inconveniences of both; A bottle of Aquavitae, or, a quart of Brandy, being a Sovereign Remedy in the cure, as recruiting that heat within, that is weakened by a more extreme one without. There are two Guinneas, the higher from Senega to Congo, and the lower containing Congo and Angola. The higher, which we are now most concerned in, although it always complains of a warmth, beyond that of our Country; yet hath a difference, at times of the year, and so the people of it account some months in the Summer, and some in the Winter; two seasons that are there distinguished only by the weather, for both in Summer and Winter the Trees are green, some of them having leaves twice a year: In the Summer their Fields are most bare, in Winter loaded with Corn; that time being their winter when the Sun is most directly over their heads, which is in April, May, and June; for than it Raineth, than it is very foul Wether, Thunder and Lightning (which the Portugez call Travadoes, and the Natives Agom bre tun) following the Sun, and being most usual when it is at the highest. 2 Indeed some People bring a bad report of this Land, as if the Inhabitants were subject to many Diseases, I'll assure you they make themselves little reckoning of any of their maladies: they are troubled with Clapdollars, Botches, Worms, Pains in the Head, and Burning Fevers, but these are the favours of their Women, to whom they are inexpressably addicted, whose foul corruption and sores they pass by as if they ailed nothing, suffering their Wounds to swell and putrify, without any means of remedy applied thereunto; for they neither have, nor use any Physic among them, to ease them in their sickness, nor Surgery to heal their Wounds, but let their Infirmities have their own course; whence I conclude, that if the Art and Skill of Europe did a while dwell in those parts, it would abate their malignancy, and correct their unhealthiness; for now of late, I must needs say for the Pox and Clapdollars, they use much Salsa Parillia, which the Hollanders have furnished them with, and they seethe it in Salt-water and drink. For the Pain in the Head, they make a Pap of green Leaves, and anoint the place affected. If they have any Swelling about their Body which doth not break, they cut two or three slashes therein with a knife, and so give the wound a means to work, heal up, and grow together again; that's the reason their flesh commonly riseth in knobs: Nay, they have of late found out the way of Letting Blood, but it's a barbarous one, for they only make a hole in their bodies with a Knife, to let their blood come out. People so inhuman to themselves, cannot be kind to others; as they will not help themselves, so they will not comfort one another; but if one be amiss, they eat him as it were the Plague, and spurn the sick man like a Dog, and not once help him with a drop of Oil or Water, though he hath never so much need, suffering him to die, as he lived, like a Beast, and starve with hunger, rather than perish with weakness. For all this they live to be Old, though they cannot reckon their own Age, nor tell how many years they have lived; and to speak the truth, cannot endure to think of their decay, growing no less deformed and despicable when passed Thirty, than they do amiable and lovely until they arrive to it; their Skin then hanging lose like old Hog's Bladders, and ill-favouredly wrinkled like Spanish Leather. There is a kind of long Worm, that ariseth in the Legs, Arms, and Thighs of some men that come hither, either before, after, or in their voyages, and but of some; many having gone several Voyages thither, and never knew what they meant, Kissing goeth by favour: About the Castle Aleria, they are very rife, but Twenty five miles lower, very rare, and the very Inhabitants of St. Thome, the unwholesomest place in the world, an Hospital, rather than a Plantation, understand as little what these Worms are, as we do; they have worms sure in their brains that are afraid of them, for there is no more in it than this, There are certain showers called Alvais, that fall at certain times of the year, wherein if you are caught, you must run home and wash your , and making a great straw fire, lie along, and hold the soles of your Feet against that fire for an hour; doing this there is no harm done, but neglecting it, your will rot off of your backs: These Worms will grow in your Legs or Thighs, as if your veins swelled, with a shaking and a , and such pains, as that you can neither sit nor lie sometimes, and sometimes so, as that you are not sensible of them. The Worm appeareth in some like a spot or a flea-biting, in some like a little Blain, and in some with a little Swelling, so that you may often see the Worm between the Skin and the Flesh: There is no remedy against it, till you see it seeking to break out, and hold out it's nose, which you must immediately lay hold of, lest he creep in again; They are most dangerous in the Cod, but the way is, 1 To be quiet, especially when they are in the Legs, and not go much, and to keep the place warm where they begin to appear: when they come forth so far that a man may lay hold of them, they must be gently drawn until they stop, and then you must let them rest, applying some exciting and provoking plaster, till they come forth again, and as much as comes out must be wound upon a stick or pin, or bound close to the orifice with a thread, that it creepeth not in again; if it breaks or draws back, it poisoneth or festereth the part; if it comes out whole, it draweth with it the corruption of the whole body, and makes a man mettle proof against the Malignancy of Guinney; so that I know not whether it be their Disease or Physic, something to heal, or something to punish: This is the common apprehension of these Worms, yet have I known men, that let them have their course, washing the place with Salt water, and though they returned into the Leg, saw them consumed to nothing with ease and safety. But when all comes to all, this is certain, that keep but fresh water of your own, or dig the water of that Country some six fathoms deep, under the salt-water, as they do in Ormus, and you are as sound as a Bell. It's true indeed, that upon some showers of Rain, there is such a stink sometimes, as forceth strangers to go some Leagues off into the Sea; but it is as true that there is such a stink in London, that there was a man I knewupon the Exchange, who could never stay in Town above an hour, insomuch that he rid Twelve miles every day he came to the Exchange, and tied his Horse to a Pillar there, took a turn or two, grew sick, and immediately took his Horse and rid Post out, and this at least three times a week: There are some people that Swoon at the smell of a Rose, and others that die at the very sight of a Violet: The very Dung of some Cats is Musk in England, Fancy governeth the world; and I think there is little here but Opinion, by that time I lived there but three quarters of a year, the most noisome of these smells pleased me; Use they say makes the Master, and Custom is another Nature. Not to spend our breath in the Air of this place; There is nothing more observable in it, but that there are a kind of trade winds, as they call them here, that keep Ships sometimes a quarter of a year from these Coasts, even after they are come within sight of them. The Earth, the Tillage, and the Native Commodities of Guinney. WHatever the Air is, I am sure the Earth is rich and Plentiful; it is called the Coast of Gold, and the Rivers Niger and Sienga, carrying down that Metal, as the Thames doth sand, of which you will see more in the Chapter of Merchandise. No man claimeth any Land to himself; the King keeping all the Woods, Fields, and Land in his hands; so that they neither Sow nor Plant therein, but by his consent and licence, which when they have obtained, and have a place permitted them to Sow their Corn in; then they go with their Slaves and burn their Woods, Trees, Roots, and Shrubs to the ground; after this they take their long Chopping-knives, which they call Coddon, and scrape up the ground about a foot deep, and let it lie eight or ten days. When they have all Tilled their Ground, every man takes his seed upon their Sunday, that is as you shall hear anon, our Tuesday, the better day the better deed; and goeth to the King's house, whom they serve first, and then (after a Treatment of a sod Goat, with Palm Wine, to which they fit and sing about the Roots, in the honour of their Fetisso or God, that their Corn might grow well and prosperously upon the Earth) to their Neighbours, whose allotments they Husband by turns, until the whole Country is sowed, where the Corn soon groweth up, lying not long in the Ground, and sprouts as high as a Man's head, at which time they make a wooden House in the middle of the Field, covered with Reeds, wherein their Children watch the Corn, and drive away the Birds, wherewith they are much cumbered. Their Ground being rank, the Corn is very weedy, yet they weed it not, but let it grow up weeds and all. Their Corn is of two sorts, 1 Milly. 2 Mais. 1 Milly, and that hath long Ears, and is a seed of colour like Hempseed, and long like Canary-seed, having no shells, but growing in a little husk, which is very white within. This Grain groweth ripe in three months, and when cut down, it lieth a month in the Fields to dry, and then the canes are cut off and bound in Sheaves (the straw being reserved for Thatch) making wholesome and sweet Bread; when they have paid the King's Rent, every one according to his ability, and furnished the poor for Gold. 2 Mais, called by the Spanish and Portugez, Turkish Wheat; and brought out of West India into St. Thomes Island, and from St. Thomes hither by the Portugez, is mixed with Milly, and makes excellent Messellan, though it is very good alone; and these Negroes make Bread with it, that will last three or four months; their Children also eating it instead of Bread, which they set a while upon the fire, and then crush the Corn out of the Husk, which breeds the Scurvy and the Itch. But give me Mais, that makes the Wine called Chicha (wherewith the Negroes are dead drunk once a week) by being laid to soak in water till it is soft; and indeed it groweth in a moist and salty ground, as if it were a drunken Grain, bearing twice a year, and being not sowed like other Corn, but thrust into the Ground: It looks like Reeds in a Marsh ground, and every Reed hath his Ears whereon the Corn groweth, and notwithstanding that they are heavy Ears, as big as your Cucumbers, yet every Reed hath seven or eight Ears upon it, insomuch that I have told five hundred and fifty Grains upon one Reed, which came of one Grain alone. Here is also a Tree called Palm, whose Bark they bore, and draw out of it most curious sweet Wine, which mingled with a little water, is the best drink in the world, and excellent Oil, wherewith they make their bodies shine, besides this necessary use of it. In the tempestuous and rainy time of April, May, and June, the rain being sometimes so hot, as if it were warm water, the poor silly people are simply afraid of it, and do what they can that not a drop of it fall on their bodies, and if any happen to do so, they shiver and shake, as if they had a , until they have found the way to Anoint their bodies with this Oil, so that a Negro looks like a Spanish-leather pair of Boots well liquoured. Here groweth Bunnana, or the Indian Fig, not on the Branches, as other Fruit, but on the body of the Tree, covered with leaves a fathom long, and three spans broad, which leaves are used in their houses for paper, the Tree indeed being nothing else but a few leaves patched together; It is as high as a man, on the top the leaves begin to spring out, and rise up an end, and as the young leaves come forth, the old ones whither away and begin to dry, until the Tree comes to his growth, and the fruit to perfection. The leaves in the middle have a very thick vein, which divideth it in two; and in the middle of the leaves, out of the heart of the Tree there groweth a flower as big as an Ostridge-Egge, of a russet colour, which in time waxeth long like the stalk of a Colewort, whereon the Figs grow close one by another; when they are still in their husks, they are not much unlike great Beans, and so grow more and more until they be a span long, and four thumbs broad, like a Cucumber; They are cut off before they are ripe, and are in that sort hanged up in bunches, which oftentimes are as much as a man can carry. CHAP. II. The Wares to be carried to Guinney. FIrst we bring them great store of slight Linen-cloth, whereof there is very much spent in those Countries, for they apparel themselves therewith, and it is the chiefest thing they use for that purpose; besides this, we carry them great store of Basins, Barbers Basins, Basins to drink in, Platters of Copper, flat Basins, great broad Copper-pans, at the least two fathoms about, and small Posnets without edges: The small Basins they use to put Oil in, wherewith they anoint themselves, and the greater sort of them they set in the Graves of the Dead, and use them to carry divers things in; The Barber's Basins they use to wash themselves in, and when they cut their hair; Platters they use to lay over things to cover them withal, to keep dust and filth from falling into their things; The great broad Pans are by them used to kill Goats or Hogs in, and to make them clean therein, instead of a Tub; The Posnets they use to dress their Meat in, which serveth them to very good purpose, they will not have them with stales, as we use them here with us, and many such like Basins of Copper which our Ships bring thither in great quantities; and therewith fill the Countries so full, that by means thereof, they are sold as good cheap to the Negroes, as they are bought in Amsterdam; And although there are so many of these Basins brought thither, and no Ware that weareth so much as Linen, yet you see but few old Copper things there, and therefore you must think that there is a great store of People inhabiting further within the Land, which use so great quantity of such things. We carry thither great store of Kettles, which they use to fetch water in, out of their Pits and Valleys; and some red Copper-pots Tinned within, wherein they use to put Water instead of a barrel of Beer to drink, as also Earthen pots, out of which they use to drink: Iron is used by them to make their Weapons; as Assagays, Cutting-Knives, Poniards, etc. The Assagays and Poniards they use for the Wars, the Cutting-Knives to Till and cut up the Ground, instead of Spades, and some to cut Wood withal, and to use about their buildings, for they have no other Tools; They also buy great store of Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green Rupinish Cloth, which they use for Girdles about their middles, to hang their Knives, Purses, Poniards, and such like things at: They use white Spanish Serges to wear upon their bodies, instead of Cloaks; Rings of Copper and Brass which they wear about their arms, and feet for a great pride; they also use Tin things, as rings about their arms, but not many: they use many Knives which we make with us in Holland, and call them Dock Messen: They also use great store of Venice Beads, of all kinds of colours, but they desire some colours more than others, which they break in four or five pieces, and then grind them upon a stone, as our Children grind Cherry-stones, and then put them upon strings made of the Bark of Trees, ten or twelve together, and therewith traffic much; those ground Corals they wear about their Necks, hands, and Feet: They also use round Beads, and specially great round Counters, which they hang and plait among their hair; and let them hang over their ears: Pins they use to make Fishhooks, Horse-tails they use when they dance, and also when they sit still, to keep the Flies from their bodies; Looking-glasses, and small Copper Milk-pans, with many such like things they likewise make use of. But the chiefest Wares that are uttered there, and most among them, is Linen-cloth, Brass and Copper things, Basins, Kettles, Knives, and Corals. At first we used many times to deceive them, not only in the measuring of Linen, but in delivering them broken and patched Basins, and peeced Kettles for their money; rotten Cloth, through which they might have sifted Beans; Knives that were so Rusty, that they could hardly, without breaking, pull them out of their Sheaths, with such like Wares; but now by use and experience, they have attained to such skill in our Wares, that they are almost able to surpass us therein. For first, when they buy any Linen-cloth, they look if it be not too slight and thin, and whether it be white and broad, for they are very curious to buy white and broad Linen, and respect not the strength so much as the breadth of it; for they use to hang the Linen about their Bodies, especially the Women, which desire to have it hang down from underneath their Breasts, to their Knees. Secondly, They take Woollen-cloth and hold it up against the light, to see if it be thin: They draw the Knives out of the Sheaths, to see if they be not Rusty; they look upon the Basins one by one, to see if they have no holes in them, or whether they be broken, and for the least hole that they spy in them, they lay them away, and desire to have others for them; and also if they be but a little foul or greasy, they will have none of them; and for quantity and quality, they make trial of all other Wares, as curiously as is done in Europe. CHAP. III. The first Voyage from England to Guinney. August 12. 1553. There sailed from Ports-mouth two goodly Ships, the Primrose, and the Lion, with a pinnace called the Moon and sevenscore lusty men, under two expert Pilots and politic Captains; to one whereof the King of Portugal had committed the custody of Guinney against the French; happy was that man that could go with them; in seventeen days they arrived at the Coast of Madera, an Island that standeth thirty two degrees distant from the Aequinoctial line, and seventy leagues from the Isle of Tenariffe, Northwestward, and Southwestward from Hercules Pillars, called Madera, quasi Materia, by Anacham that first discovered it, from the abundance of Trees in the Coast, where they had abundance of Pears, Apples, Plums, wild Dates, Peaches, Melons, Batalas, Oranges, Lemons, Pomegranates, Citrons, Figs, sixteen Sugar-Houses, and incomparable Wines, wherewith they stored their Ships: Here they met with a Man of War, that was ordered to obstruct all Trade on those Coast, but especially to secure the Castle Mina; hence there happening a difference between the two Captains, so that the Mariners cast off one of them, they sailed forward till they came to the Canaries called in old time, the Fortunate Islands, twelve Leagues long, and as many broad; called so, not from the two Dogs wherewith Juba planted it, but from the Canes wherewith it is replenished. Here they saw how Sugar is made: 1 The Fruits brings forth a Bud called Plants. 2 That is laid along in the furrows, so as a sluice may water it, being covered with Earth. 3 This Root springeth into Canes. 4 It groweth two years, whatever the French Geographer Thevet suggested to the contrary. 5 Then are they cut close to the ground, the leaves being lopped off, and the Canes bound into bundles like Faggots. 6 Being carried to the Sugar-House, called Ingenio; these sticks are ground in a Mill, whence the juice of them is conveyed to a great vessel for that purpose. 7 There it is boiled thick, then it's put into a Furnace of Earthen pots, of the mould of a Sugar-loaf. 8 Then it is carried into another House, called a Purging-House, where it is placed to Purge the blackness, with a certain clay that is laid thereon. 9 Of the remainder in the Cauldron is made a second sort, called Escumas; and of the purging liquor that droppeth from the White-Sugar, is made a third sort, and the remainder is called Panela, or Netas', the refuse of all the purging is called Remial, or Malasses, and then of another is made Refinado. When this first-fruit is in this sort gathered, called Planta, than the Cane-field where it grew, is burned over with Sugar straws to the stumps, of the first Canes, and being Husbanded, Watered, and Trimmed, at the end of other two years it yieldeth the second fruit called Zoca, and the third called Tertia Zoca, and the fourth called Quarta Zoca, and so orderly the rest, till age causeth the old Canes to be planted again. Here they went to Civitas Palmarum, as Batutas, Melons, Pears, Apples, Oranges, Lemons, Pomgranats, Figs, and Peaches, especially the Plantano fruits, which groweth like Cucumbers on a tree, which is nothing but folded leaves, black and delicate as any conserve, twenty seven degrees from Aequator. Thence they continued their course to St. Nicholas, where they victualled themselves with fresh Mear, wild Goats, Sheep, Hens, Ducks, great Partridges, etc. From Canary they followed on their course, taking the desert Islands here and there in their way, because they would not come to Guinney when it was too hot. The 19th. day at twelve a clock, we had sight of the Isle of Palms and Teneriffa: The Isle of Palm riseth round, and lieth South east and North west, and the North west part is lowest. In the South is a round hill over the Head land, and another round hill above that in the Land. There are between the South east part of the Isle of Madera, and the North west part of the Isle of Palm, seven and fifty Leagues; The Isle of Palm lieth in eight and twenty degrees, and their course from Madera to the Isle of Palm, was South and South by West, so that they had fight of Teneriffa. The South east part of the Isle of Palm, and the North east part of Teneriffa, lie South east and North west, and between them are twenty Leagues. Teneriffa and the west part of Porteventura, stand in seven and twenty degrees and a half. Gomera is a fair Island, but very ragged, and lieth West, South west of Teneriffa; and whosoever will come between those two Islands, must come South and by East; and in the fourth part of Gomera is a Town, and a good Road in the said part of the Island; and it standeth in seven and twenty degrees, and three terces. Teneriffa is a High Land, with a great high Pike like a Sugar-loaf, and upon the said Pike is Snow throughout all the whole year, and by reason of that Pike, it may be known above all other Islands, and there they were becalmed the twentieth day of November, from six of the clock in the morning, until four in the afternoon. The two and twentieth day of November, under the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun goeth down West and by South, upon the Coast of Barbary, five and twenty Leagues by North Cape-Blank; at three Leagues off the Main, there are fifteen fathoms, and good shelly Ground, and sand among, and no streams, and two small Islands standing in two and twenty degrees and a terce. From Gomera to Cape de las Barbas, is an hundred Leagues; and their course was South and by East: The said Cape standeth in two and twenty and a half, and all that Coast is flat sixteen or seventeen fathom deep: Seven or eight Leagues off from the River Del Oro to Cape de las Barbas, there use many to trade for Fishing, during the month of November, and all that Coast is very low Lands. Also they went from Cape de las Barbas, South, South west, and South West and by South, till they brought themselves in twenty degrees and a half, reckoning themselves seven Leagues off, and there were the least shoals of Cape-Blank. Then they went South till they brought themselves in thirteen degrees, reckoning themselves five and twenty Leagues off. And in fifteen degrees they did rear their Crossiers, and they might have reared them sooner if they had looked for them. They are not right a cross in the month of November, by reason that the nights are short there, nevertheless they had the sight of them the twenty nineth day of the said month at night. The first of December, being in thirteen degrees, they set their course South and by East, until the fourth day of December, at twelve of the clock the same day, than they were in nine degrees, and a terce, reckoning themselves thirty Leagues off the River called Rio Grande, being West, South west of them; the which shoals be thirty Leagues long. The fourth of December they began to set their course South East, they being in six degrees and a half. The nineth of December they set their course East, South East; the fourteenth day of the said month, they set their course East, they being in five degrees and a half, reckoning themselves thirty six Leagues from the Coast of Guinney. The nineteenth of the said month, they set their course East and by North, reckoning themselves seventeen Leagues distant from Cape Mensurado, the said Cape being East, North East off them, and the River of Sesto being East. The one and twentieth day of the said month, they fell with Cape Mensurado to the South East, about two Leagues off; this Cape may be easily known, by reason the rising of it is like a Porpose-head; also toward the South east there are three Trees, whereof the Eastermost tree is the highest, and the middlemost is like a high stack, and the Southermost is like unto a ginet; and upon the main are four or five high Hills, rising one after another, like round Hommocks or Hillocks; and the South east of the three trees Brandiernwise, and all the Coast along is white sand, the said Cape standeth within a little, in six degrees. The two and twentieth of December, they came to the River of Sesto, and remained there until the nine and twentieth day of the said month. Here they thought it best to send before them the Pinnace, to the River Dulce, called Rio Dulce, that they might have the beginning of the Market, before the coming of the John Evangelist. At the River of Sesto they had a Tun of Grains; this River standeth in six degrees lacking a terce: From the River Sesto to Rio Dulce, is five and twenty Leagues; Rio Dulce standeth in five degrees and a half; the River of Sesto is easy to be known, by reason there is a ledge of Rocks on the South east part of the road; and at the entering into the Haven are five or six Trees that bear no Leaves; this is a good Harbour, but very narrow at the entrance into the River; there is also a Rock in the Havens mouth, right as you enter, and all that Coast between Cape de Monte, and Cape de las Palmas lieth South East and by East, North West and by West, being three Leagues off the shore; and you shall have in some places Rocks two Leagues off, and between the River Seste, and Cape de las Palmas. Between the River of Sesto, and the River Dulce, are five and twenty Leagues, and the High Land that is between them both, is called Catreado, being eight Leagues from the River of Sesto; and to the South Eastward of it, is a place called Shawgro, and another called Shyaw, or Shavo, where you may get fresh water: Off this Shyaw lieth a ledge of Rocks; and to the South eastward lieth a Head land called Crotre: between Catreado and Crotre, are nine or ten Leagues: To the South eastward of it, is a Harbour called St. Vincent; right over against St. Vincent is a Rock under the water, two Leagues and a half off the shore: To the South eastward of that Rock, you shall see an Island about three or fourscore Leagues off; this Island is not past a League off the shore: To the East, South East of this Island, is a Rock that lieth above the water, and by that Rock goeth in the River Dulce, which you shall know by the said River and Rock: the North west side of the Haven is flat Sand, and the South east side thereof is like an Island, and a bare plat without any trees, and so is it not in any other place. In the road, you shall ride in thirteen or fourteen fathoms, good Oar and Sand being the marks of the road, to bring the Island and the North east Land together, and there they Anchored the last of December. The third of January they came from the River Dulce. Note that Cape de las Palmas, is a fair High Land, but some Low places thereof by the water side, look like red cliffs, with white statues like High ways, and a Cable length a piece, and this is the East part of the Cape. This Cape is the Southermost part in all the Coast of Guinney, and standeth in four degrees and a terce. The Coast from Cape de las Palmas, to Cape Trepointes, or de Tres Puntos, is fair and clear, without Rock or other danger. Twenty and five Leagues from Cape de las Palmas, the Land is higher than in any place, until you come to Cape Trepointes; and about ten Leagues before you come to Cape Trepointes, the Land riseth still higher and higher, until you do come to Cape Trepointes, also before you come to the said Cape, after other five Leagues to the North west part of it, there is certain broken ground with two great Rocks, and within them in the bite of a bay, is a Castle called Arra, pertaining to the King of Portugal, you shall know it by the said Rocks that lie off it, for there is none such from Cape de las Palmas, to Cape Trepointes: This Coast lieth East and by North, West and by South. From Cape de las Palmas, to the said Castle, is fourscore & fifteen Leagues; & the Coast lieth from the said Castle, to the Westermost point of Trepointes, South East and by South, North West and by North. Also the Westermost point of Trepointes, is a low Land, lying half a mile out in the Sea; and upon the innermost neck to the land-ward, is a tough of trees, and there they arrived the eleventh day of January. The eight day of January they came to a town called Samma, or Samua, being eight Leagues from Cape Trepointes, towards East, North East. Between Cape Trepointes, and the town of Samua, is a great ledge of Rocks, a great way out in the Sea; they continued four days at that Town, and the Captain thereof would needs have a pledge a shore: But when they received the pledge they kept him still, and would traffic no more, but shot off their Ordnance at us, they have two or three pieces of Ordnance and no more. The sixteenth day of the said month, they made reckoning to come to a place called Cape Corea, where Captain Don John dwelleth, whose men entertained them friendly: This Cape Corea is four Leagues Eastward off the Castle of Mina, otherwise called La Mina, or Castello de Mina, where they arrived the eighteenth day of the month; here they made Sale of all their Cloth, saving two or three Packs. The twenty sixth day of the same month they weighed Anchor, and departed from thence to the Trinity, which was seven Leagues Eastward off them, where she sold her Wares; Then they of the Trinity willed us to go Eastward off that eight or nine Leagues, to sell part of their Wares, in a place called Perecow, and another place called Perecow Grande, being the Eastermost place of both these, which you shall know by a great round Hill near unto it, named Monte Rodondo, lying Westward from it, and by the water side are many high Palm-trees: From hence did they set forth homeward, the thirteenth day of February, and plied along till they came within seven or eight Leagues to Cape Trepointes. About eight of the clock, the fifteenth day afternoon, they did cast about to Seaward, and beware of the Currants, for they will deceive you sore. Whosoever shall come from the Coast of Mina homeward, let him be sure to make his way good West, until he reckon himself as far as Cape de las Palmas, where the Currant setteth always to the Eastward. And within twenty Leagues Eastward off Cape de las Palmas, is a River called De los Potos, where you may have fresh water and ballast enough, and plenty of Ivory or Elephants teeth: This River standeth in four degrees, and almost two terces. And when you reckon yourself as far off as Cape de las Palmas, being in a degree, or a degree and a half, you may go West, and West by North, until you come in three degrees; and than you may go West, North West, and North West and by West, until you come in five degrees, and then North West. And in six degrees they met Northerly winds, and great ruffling of tides; and as they could judge, the Currants went to the North, North west. Furthermore, between Cape de Monte and Cape Verde, go great Currants which deceive many men. The twenty second day of April, they were in eight degrees and two terces, and so they came to the North west, having the wind at North east, and East, North east, and sometimes at East, until they were at eighteen degrees, and a terce, which was on May-day: And so from eighteen and two terces, they had the wind at East, and East North east, and sometimes at East South east, and then they reckoned the Island of Cape Verde, East South east of them, they judging themselves to be forty eight Leagues off, and in twenty and one and twenty degrees, they had the wind more Easterly to the Southward than before. And so they ran to the North west, and the North North west, and sometimes North and by West and North, until they came into one and thirty degrees, where they reckoned themselves a hundred and fourscore League's South west and by South, of the Island De los Flores, and there they met with the wind at South South east, and set their course North east. In twenty three degrees, they had the wind at the South and South west, and then they set their course North North east, and so they came to forty degrees, and then they set their course North east, the wind being South east, and having the Isle De Flores east of them, and seventeen Leagues off. In the one and forty degrees, they met with the wind at North east, and so they ran Northwestward, than they met with the wind West North west, and at the West within six Leagues, running toward the North west, and then they cast about, and lay North east, until they came in forty two degrees, where they set their course East North east, judging the Isle of Coruo South and by West of them, and six and thirty Leagues distant from them. A remembrance, that the one and twentieth day of May they Communed with John Raze, and he thought it best to go North east, and judged himself twenty five Leagues Eastward to the Isle De Flores, and in thirty nine degrees and a half. Note, that on the fourth day of September, under nine degrees, they lost the sight of the North Star. Note also, that in forty five degrees, the Compass is varied eight degrees to the West. Item, in forty degrees the Compass did vary fifteen degrees in the whole. gem, in thirty degrees and a half, the Compass varied five degrees to the West. Be it also in memory, that two or three days before they came to Cape de Tres Puntas, the Pinnace went alongst the shore, thinking to sell some of their Wares, and so they came to Anchor three or four League's West and by South off the Cape de Tres Puntas, where they left the Trinity. Then their Pinnace came a board with all their men, the Pinnace also took in more Wares; they told moreover, that they would go to a place where the Primrose was, and received much Gold at the first Voyage to these parts, and told furthermore, that it was a good place; but fearing a Brigantine that was then upon the Coast, they did weigh and follow them, and left the Trinity about four Leagues off from them, and there they road against that Town four days; so that one of the Company, by his own desire, and assent of some of the Commissioners that were in the Pinnace, went a shore to the Town, and there some others went to traffic from them, being three miles off trafficking at another Town: The Town is called Samma, or Samua, for Samma, and Samma terra, are the names of the two first Towns, where they did traffic for Gold, to the North east of Cape de Tres Puntas. Hitherto continueth the course of the Voyage, as it was described by the said Pilot. Now therefore it will be requisite to speak something of the Country and People, and of such things as are brought from thence. They brought from thence at this Voyage, four hundred pound weight and odd of Gold, of two and twenty Carrats, and one grain in fineness; also six and thirty Butts of Grains, and about two hundred and fifty Elephants Teeth of all quantities; of these some were measured, and were nine spans in length, as they were crooked; some of them were as big as a man's thigh above the knee, and weighed about fourscore and ten pound weight a piece. They say that some have been seen of an hundred twenty five pound weight a piece. Others there were, which they call the Teeth of Calves, of one or two or three years, whereof some were a foot and a half, some two foot, and some three or more, according to the age of the Beast. These great Teeth, or Tusks, grow in the upper jaw downward, and not in the nether jaw upward, wherein the Painters and Arras-workers are deceived. At this Voyage was brought from Guinney, the head of an Elephant, of such huge bigness, that only the Bones or Cranew thereof, besides the nether-jaw and great tusks, weighed above two hundred weight, and was as much as could be well lifted from the ground, insomuch that considering also herewith, the weight of two such great teeth, the nether jaw with the less teeth, the tongue, the great hanging ears, the big and long snout or trunk, with all the flesh, brains, and skin, with all other parts belonging to the whole head, it would weigh little less than five hundred weight. This Head divers have seen, in the house of the worthy Merchant, Sir Andrew Judde, and that not only with bodily eyes, but much more with the eyes of mind and spirit, considering by the work, the cunning and wisdom of the Workmaster, without which consideration, the sight of such strange and wonderful things, may rather seem Curiosities, than profitable Contemplations. The Elephant (which some call Oliphant) is the biggest of all four footed Beast, his fore legs are longer than his hinder, he hath ankles in the lower part of his hinder legs, and five toes on his feet undivided; his snout or trunk is so long, and in such form, that it is to him instead of a hand, for he neither eateth nor drinketh, but by bringing his trunk to his mouth; therewith he helpeth up his Master or keeper, therewith he overthroweth trees: Beside his two great tusks, he hath on every side of his mouth four teeth, wherewith he eateth and grindeth his meat; either of these teeth are almost a span in length, as they grow along in the jaw, and are about two inches in height, and almost as much in thickness. The tusks of the Male are greater than the tusks of the Female; his tongue is very little, and so far in his mouth, that it cannot be seen: Of all Beasts, they are most gentle and tractable, for by many sundry ways they are taught, and do understand, insomuch that they learn to do due honour to a King, and are of quick sense and sharpness of wit. When the Male hath once seasoned the Female, he never after toucheth her. The Male Elephant liveth two hundred years, or at the least one hundred and twenty, the Female almost as long, but the flower of their age is but threescore years, as some writ; they cannot suffer winter or cold, they love rivers, and will often go to them up to the snout, wherewith they blow and snuff, and play in the water, but swim they cannot, for the weight of their bodies. Pliny and Soline say, that they use no adultery: If they happen to meet a man in the wilderness, being out of the way, gently they will go before him, and bring him into the plain way; Joined in battle, they have no small respect to them that be wounded, for they bring them that are hurt or weary into the middle of the army to be defended, they are made tame by drinking the juice of Barbary. They have continual war against Dragons, which desire their blood, because it is very cold; and therefore the Dragon lying in wait, as the Elephant passeth by, windeth his Tail (being of exceeding length) about the hinder legs of the Elephant, and so staying him, thrusteth his Head into his Trunk, and exhausteth his breath, or else biteth him in the ear, whereunto he cannot reach with his Trunk, and when the Elephant waxeth faint, he falleth down on the Serpent; being now full of blood, and with the poise of his body breaketh him, so that his blood, with the blood of the Elephant runneth out of him mingled together, which being cold, is congealed into that substance which the Apothecaries call Sanguis Draconis, (that is) Dragon's blood, otherwise called Cinnabaris, although there be another kind of Cinnabaris, commonly called Cinnoper, or vermilion, which the Painters use in certain colours. They are also of three kinds, as of the Marshes, the Plains, and the Mountains, no less differing in conditions. Philostratus writeth, that as much as the Elephant of Lybia in bigness, passeth the Horse of Nysea, so much do the Elephants of India, exceed them of Lybia; for the Elephants of India, some have been seen of the height of nine Cubits; the other do so greatly fear these, that they dare not abide the sight of them. Of the Indian Elephants, only the Male have Tusks, but of them of Ethiopia and Lybia, both of them have Tusks: They are of divers heights, as of twelve, thirteen, and fourteen Dodrants, every Dodrant being a measure of nine Inches. Some writ that an Elephant is bigger than three wild Oxen or Buffs; they of India are black, or of the colour of a Mouse, but they of Ethiopia, or Guinney, are brown; the hide or skin of them all is very hard, and without hair or bristles; their ears are two Dodrants broad, and their eyes very little. Of other properties and conditions of the Elephant, as of their marvellous docilities, of their fight and use in the Wars, of their generation and chastity, when they were first seen in the Theatres and Triumphs of the Romans, how they are taken and made tame, and when they cast their tusks, of the use of the same in Medicines, whoso desireth to know, let him read Pliny in the eight book of his Natural History. He also writeth in his twelfth book, that in old time they made many goodly works of Ivory, or Elephants teeth; as Tables, Tresses, Posts of houses, Rails, Lattesses for windows, Images of their Gods, and divers other things of Ivory, both coloured and uncoloured, and intermixed with sundry kinds of precious woods, as at this day are made certain Chairs, Lutes, and Virginals. They had such plenty thereof in old times, that Josephus writeth, that one of the Gates of Jerusalem was called Porta Eburnea, (that is) the Ivory Gate: The whiteness thereof was so much esteemed, that it was thought to represent the natural fairness of a man's skin, insomuch that such as went about to set forth (or rather corrupt) natural beauty, with colours and painting, were reproved by this proverb, Ebur atramento Candefacere, (that is) to make Ivory white with Ink. The Poets also describing the fair necks of beautiful Virgins, call them Eburnea Colla, (that is) Ivory necks; and to have said thus much of Ivory and Elephants it may suffice. Now therefore to speak somewhat of the People, their manners, and manner of living, with another brief description of Africa also: It is to be understood, that the People which now inhabit the regions of the Coast of Guinney, and the middle parts of Africa, as Lybia the inner, and Nubia, with divers other great and large regions about the same, were in old time called Aethiopes, and Nigritae, which we now call Moors, Moorens, or Negroes, a People of beastly living, without a God, Law, Religion, or Commonwealth; and so scorched and vexed with the heat of the Sun, that in many places they curse it when it riseth. Of the Regions and People about the River Lybia (called Lybia interior) Gemma Phrysius writeth thus. Lybia interior is very large and desolate, in the which are many borrible Wildernesses and Mountains, replenished with divers kinds of monstrous Beasts and Serpents. First from Mauritania, or Barbary, towards the South, is Getulia, a rough and savage Region, whose inhabitants are wild and wand'ring people. After these follow the people called Melanogetuli and Pharusit, which wander in the wilderness, carrying with them great gourds of water. The Aethiopians, called Nigritae, occupy a great part of Africa, and are extended to the West Ocean: Southward also they reach to the River Nigritis, whose nature agreeth with the River of Nilus, for as much as it is increased and diminished at the same time, and bringeth forth like Beasts, as the Crocodile: By reason whereof, it may be thought that this is the same River which the Portugals call Senega, for this River is also of the same nature. It is furthermore, marvellous and very strange, that is said of this River; and that is, that on the one side thereof, the Inhabitants are of high stature and Black, and on the other side of brown or tawny colour, and low stature; which thing also the Travellers in the Voyage confirm to be true. There are also other People of Lybia, called Garamautes, whose Women are Common, for they contract no Matrimony, neither have respect to Chastity. After these are nations of the people called Pyrei, Sathio daphnitae, Odrangi, Mimaces, Lynxamatae, Dolopes, Aganginae, Leuci Aethiopes, Xilicei Aethiopes, Galcei Aethiopes, and Nubi: These have the same situation in Ptolemy, that they now give to the Kingdom of Nubia. Here are certain Christians under the dominion of the great Emperor of Aethiopia, called Prester John: From these towards the West, is a great Nation of People, called Aphricerones, whose Region (as far as may be gathered by conjecture) is the same that is now called Regnum Orguene, confining upon the East part of Guinney; from hence Westward, and somewhat towards the North, are the Kingdoms of Gambra and Budomel, not far from the River of Senega. And from hence toward the inland Regions, and along by the Sea Coast, are the Regions of Ginota, or Guinney, which we commonly call Ginnee: In the West side of these Regions towards the Ocean, is the Cape or Point, called Cabo Verde, or Caput Viride (that is) the Green Cape, to which the Portuguls first direct their course when they sail to America, or the Land of Brasile. Then departing from hence, they turn to the right hand toward the quarter of the wind called Garbino, which is between the West and the South. But to speak somewhat more of Aethiopia; although there are many Nations of People so named, yet is Aethiopia chief divided into two parts, whereof the one is called Aethiopia under Egypt, a great and rich Region; to this pertaineth the Island Meroe, embraced round about with the streams of Nilus. In this Island Women reigned in old time; Josephus writeth, that it was sometime called Sabea, and that the Queen of Saba came from thence to Jerusalem, to hear the wisdom of Solomon. From hence towards the East reigneth the said Christian Emperor Prester John, whom some call Papa Johanner, and others say that he is called Pean Juan, (that is) great John, whose Empire reacheth far beyond Nilus, and is extended to the Coasts of the Red-Sea, and Indian-Sea: The middle of the Region is almost in sixty six degrees of longitude, and twelve degrees of latitude. About this Region Inhabits the People called Clodi, Risophagi, Babylonii, Axiunitae, Molili, and Nolibae: After these is the Region called Troglodytyca, whose Inhabitants dwell in Caves and Dens, for these are their Houses, and the flesh of Serpents their Meat, as writeth Pliny, and Diodorus Siculus; they have no speech, but rather a grinning and chattering. There are also People without Heads, called Blemines, having their eyes and mouth in their breast: Likewise Strucogaphi, and naked Gauphasantes. Satyrs also, which have nothing of men but only shape. Moreover Oripei great Hunters; Mennones also, and the Region of Smyrnophora, which bringeth forth Myrrh. After these is the Region of Azaniah, in the which many Elephants are found. A great part of the other Regions of Africa, that are beyond the Aequinoctial line, are now ascribed to the Kingdom of Melinde, whose Inhabitants are accustomed to traffic with the Nation of Arabia, and their King is joined in friendship with the King of Portugal, and payeth Tribute to Prester John. The other Aethiope, called Aethiopia interior, (that is) the Inner Aethiope, is not yet known for the greatness thereof, but only by the Seacoasts; yet is it described in this manner. First, from the Aequinoctial towards the South, is a great Region of Aethiopians, which bringeth forth white Elephants, Tigers, and the Beast called Rhinocerotes: Also a region that bringeth forth plenty of Cinnamon, lying between the branches of Nilus: Also the Kingdom of Habech, or Habasia; a region of Christian men, lying both on this side and beyond Nilus: Here are also the Aethiopians called Itchthiophagi, (that is) such as live only by Fish, and were sometimes subdued by the Wars of great Alexander: Furthermore, the Aethiopians called Rhapsii, and Anthropophagis, that are accustomed to eat Man's flesh, Inhabit the regions near unto the Mountains called Montes Lunae, (that is) the Mountains of the Moon: Gazaria is under the Tropic of Capricern: After this followeth the rout of Africa's, the Cape of Buena Speranza, or Caput bonae spei, (that is) the Cape of good hope, by the which they sail from Lisbon to Calcutta: But by what names the Capes and Gulfs are called, for as much as they are in every Globe and Card, it were here superfluous to rehearse them. Some writ that Africa was so named by the Grecians, because it is without cold; for the Greek letter Alpha, or A, signifieth privation, void, or without; and Phrice signifieth cold; for indeed, although instead of winter they have a cloudy and tempestuous season, yet is it not cold, but also smothering hot, with hot showers of rain also; and somewhere such scorching winds, that what by one means and other, they seem at certain times to live as it were in furnaces, and in manner already half way in Purgatory or Hell. Gemma Phrisius writeth, that in certain parts of Africa, as in Atlas the greater, the Air in the night season is seen shining with many strange fires and flames, rising in manner as high as the Moon; and that in the Elements are sometime heard as it were, sometimes the sound of Pipes, Trumpets, and Drums; which noise perhaps, may be caused by the vehement, and sundry motions of such fiery exhalations in the Air; as we see the like in many experiences wrought by Fire, Air, and Wind; the hollowness also, and divers reflections also, and break of the Clouds, may be great cause hereof, besides the vehement cold of the middle region of the Air, whereby the said fiery exhalations ascending thither, are suddenly stricken back with great force; for men, common and daily experience teacheth us, by the whissing of a burning Torch, what noise Fire maketh in the Air, and much where it striveth when it is enclosed with Air, as appeareth in Guns, and as the like is seen in only Air enclosed, as in Organ-Pipes, and such other instruments that go by wind: For wind (as say the Philosophers) is none other than Air vehemently moved; as we see in a pair of Bellows, and such other. Some men of good credit that were in this Voyage to Guinney, affirm earnestly, that in the night season, they felt a sensible heat to come from the beams of the Moon; the which thing, though it be strange and insensible to us that inhabit cold regions, yet doth it stand with good reason that it so may be, for as much as the nature of Stars and Planets (as writeth Pliny) consisteth of Fire, and containeth in it a spirit of life, which cannot be without Heat. And that the Moon giveth Heat upon the Earth, the Prophet David seemeth to confirm, in his 121 Psa. where speaking of such men as are defended from evils by God's protection, he saith thus, Per diem Sol non exurat te, nec Luna per noctem; that is to say, In the day the Sun shall not burn thee, nor the Moon by night. They say furthermore, that in certain places of the Sea, they saw certain streams of water, which they call spouts, falling out of the Air into the Sea, and that some of these are as big as the great Pillars of Churches, insomuch that sometimes they fall into Ships, and put them in great danger of drowning: Some feign, that these should be the Cataracts of Heaven, which were all opened at Noah's Flood; But I think them rather to be such fluxions and eruptions, as Aristotle in his book De Mundo saith, do chance in the Sea; for speaking of such strange things as are often seen in the Sea, he writeth thus; Oftentimes also even in the Sea are seen evaporations of Fire, and such eruptions and breaking forth of Springs, that the mouths of Rivers are opened: Whirle-pools, and fluxions are caused of such other vehement motions, not only in the midst of the Sea, but also in Creeks and straits; At certain times also, a great quantity of water is lifted up, and carried about with the Moon, etc. By which words of Aristotle it doth appear, that such waters be lifted up in one place, at one time, and do suddenly fall down in another place, at another time. And hereunto perhaps pertaineth it, that Richard chancellor related, that he heard Sebastion Cabot report, that about the Coasts of Brasile, or Rio de Platu, his Ship, or Pinnace, was suddenly lifted from the Sea, and cast upon Land. The which thing, and such other like wonderful and strange works of nature, while we consider, and call to remembrance the narrowness of man's understanding and knowledge, in comparison of her mighty power, we can but cease to marvel and confess with Pliny, that nothing is to her impossible; the least part of whose power is not yet known to men. Many things more the Travellers observed in this Voyage, worthy to be noted, whereof I thought good to put some in memory, that the Reader may as well take pleasure in the variety of things, as knowledge of the History. Among other things therefore, touching the manners and nature of the People, this may seem strange, that their Princes and Noble Men use to pounce and raze their skins, with pretty knots in divers forms, as it were branched Damask, thinking that to be a decent ornament; and albeit they go in manner almost naked, yet are many of them, and especially their women, in manner laden with Collars, Bracelets, Hoops, and Chains, either of Gold, Copper, or Ivory; their Ivory Bracelets are made of one whole piece, of the biggest part of the tooth, turned & somewhat carved, with a hole in the midst, wherein they put their hands to wear it on their arms: Some have on every one eight, & as many on their legs, wherewith some of them are so galled, that although they are in manner made lame thereby, yet will they by no means leave them off: Some also wear on their legs great Shackles of fine Copper, which they think to be no less comely; they wear also Collars, Bracelets, Garlands, and Girdles, of certain blue Stones, like Beads; likewise some of their women wear on their bare arms, certain fore-sleeves, made of the Plate of beaten Gold; On their fingers also they wear Rings, made of Gold wires, with a knot or wreath, like unto that which children make in a Ring of a Rush: Among other things that our men bought of them for exchange of their Wares, were certain Dogs-Chains, and Collars. They are very wary people in their bargaining, and will not lose one spark of Gold of any value; they use weights and measures, and are very circumspect in occupying the same; they that shall have to do with them must use them gently, for they will not traffic or bring in any Wares, if they be ill used. At the first Voyage that our English men had into these parts, it so chanced, that at their departure from the first place, where they did Traffic, one of them either stole away a Musk-Cat, or took her away by force, not mistrusting that that should have hindered their bargaining in another place, whither they intended to go; but for all the haste that they could make with full sails, the fame of their misusage so prevented them, that the people of that place also, offended thereby, would bring in no Wares; insomuch that they were enforced either to restore the Cat, or pay for her at their price, before they could Traffic there. Their Houses are made of four posts or trees, and covered with boughs. Their common feeding is of Roots, and such Fishes as they take, whereof they have great plenty. There are also such flying Fishes, as are seen in the Sea of the West Indies; our English men salted of their Fish, hoping to provide store thereof, but they would not take salt, and must therefore be eaten forthwith as some say: Howbeit others affirm, that if they be salted immediately after they are taken, they will last uncorrupted ten or twelve days. But this is more strange, that part of such Flesh as they carried with them out of England, which putrified there, became sweet again, at their return to the clime of temperate Regions. They use also a strange making of Bread, in this manner. They grind between two stones, as much Corn as they think may suffice their family; and when they have thus brought it to flower, they put thereto a certain quantity of water, and make thereof very thin dough, which they stick upon some posts of their Houses, where it is baked by the heat of the Sun; so that when the Master of the House, or any of his Family will eat thereof, they take it down and eat it. They have very fair Wheat, the ear whereof is two handfuls in length, and as big as a great Bulrush, and almost four inches about, where it is biggest; the stem or straw seemeth to be almost as big, as the little finger of a man's hand, or little less. The grains of their Wheat are as big as our Peason, round also and very white, and somewhat shining, like Pearls that have lost their colour: Almost all the substance of them turneth into flower, and maketh little bran or none: I told in one ear, two hundred and threescore grains. The ear is enclosed in three Blades, longer than itself, and of two inches broad a piece. And by this fruitfulness, the Sun seemeth partly to recompense such griefs and molestations, as they otherwise receive by the fervent heat thereof. It is doubtless a worthy contemplation, to consider the contrary effects of the Sun; or rather the contrary passions of such things as receive the influence of his beams, either to their hurt or benefit. Their drink is either water, or the juice that droppeth from the cut branches of the barren Date-trees, called Palmitoes; for either they hang great Gourds at the same branches every evening, and let them hang so all night, or else they set them on the ground under the trees, that the drops may fall therein: They say that this kind of drink, is in taste much like unto Whey, but somewhat sweeter and more pleasant: They cut the branches every evening, because they are sealed up in the day, by the heat of the Sun; they have also great Beans, as big as Chess nuts, and very hard, with a shell instead of a Husk. At their return, the Keels of their Ships were marvellously over grown with certain shells, of two inches length and more, as thick as they could stand, and so big, that a man might put his finger in their mouth; out of which some think are generated the Fouls, we call Barnacles. Among other things that chanced to them in this Voyage, this is to be observed, that whereas they sailed thither in seven weeks, they could not return in twenty; the reason whereof is this, that about the Coast Cape Virde, the wind is ever at the East, by reason whereof they are enforced to sail fare out of their course, into the main Ocean, to find the wind at the West, to bring them home, going so far, that they had the Sun North of them at noon. CHAP. IU. Another Voyage to Guinney out of a Captain's Relation. WIth much ado did we get out of the Hope the first of November, ten days after we were in one and thirty degrees of Latitude; the fifteenth of November, we got sight of that bleak place, called Porto Sonto, and Madera; the twentieth being becalmed under Madera, we descried the Pike of Teneriffa, the Isle of Palma and Gomera, twelve Leagues Eastward Palma, and eight Westward from Teneriffa, and the twenty third, notwithstanding the cross-winds, we doubled the Isle Ferro by going something Eastward, the wind continuing there for the most part North East; and South East. The thirtieth after a great Fog, we found ourselves on the Coast of Barbary, which is about sixteen Leagues to the Eastward of the River Del Oro, where we were refreshed by several Fishing Carnets' wee met with, being under the Tropic of Cancer. About twelve a clock, December the eighteenth, we were thwart Cape Blank, and about the two and twentieth, over against the Cape Verde. The six and twentieth we were on the Coast of Guinney, to whose shore we haled, but discovering some Rocks, we went a little Eastward (it is a low Land and full of high trees) and kept along the shore, being gone too far, so that what with the wind, and what with the Currant running always against us, we went to shore there for fresh water and trade; where the first day they slighted our Commodities, and overvalued their own, but the second, they made signs for the Diago, and offered reasonable penny worths, especially when we shown them how our Cats could catch Mice, wherewith they are infinitely troubled; and this was at St. Vincent, under the fourth degree, where the women's breasts are so big, that they lay them by them; thence we sailed among the ill-favoured Rocks and shelves, until Negroes meeting us with grain, and inviting us to Land, by a fire on the Coast: we doubled the Point Das Palmas, under the fourth degree; between which place and De Sesto, is the greatest store of grain. Much ado we had to get into the River, while the Negroes on shore shown, us store of Elephants teeth, good fresh Water, and Goats, which we had in abundance from the two Towns that were of both sides of us; the people whereof esteemed little of any thing we brought, saving Manilivis and Morgarites, for which we had some small Elephant's teeth, ten one day, and thirteen another; after we had sworn by the water of the Sea we would not hurt them: Thence we sailed by some Cliffs Westward, the sixteenth of February we fell with the Cape des Punctos, a very High Land, opening in three bays, or Capes, with Rocks before them, where the winds are cross, and the Currant turbulent, but the people were civil, and summoned by sound of Drum to Trade with us (notwithstanding we were threatened from the Castle of Mina) where we took in five men to learn our Language, and discover to us that Country. At St. John, in a great deep bay, we sold Basins, Cloth, Knives, Horse-tails, Horns, Caps, Daggers, Hats, etc. giving a reward to the Negroes that first boarded us, and shown us their measure and weight, and how much they required of the one for the other, for their bargaining there is by way of weights, which they bring, for so much which we bring, which they stand upon very stiffly, till you threaten to departed; when they have bought what they think enough, they make a general out cry, as a sign to every man to be gone. The sixteenth of March we went a shore to Don Devis, and there came out a Boat with good store of Gold, and having driven off the matter along time, and having brought the measure to a nail less than three els, and their weight to an angel and twenty grains, than they parted their Cloth amongst them upon the shore, which they hide every one in the Wood, until they came to us again, bestowing some three fathoms, with four Basins upon the Portugez of the Castle of Mina for their good will: As we went along the shore, the Towns were thicker and longer, and the Hills blacker; here we miss many Creeks and Havens, where they waved their Flags to us, and we presented their Captain with Basins and Cloth, who made us a sign by the Sun, that the Merchants would be there within two hours, bringing us a Bottle and a Hen, and requiring Hostage from us; after which they offered us the civility of building up a Castle on their ground; and took off most of our Stuffs and Frizes, only a Portugal brigandine watched us all along that shore, while we took every day ten or eleven ounces of Gold, for Belts, Thimbles, etc. At last we returned homeward, observing the North East wind that bloweth off the shore about two a clock at night, until eight a clock in the morning, and that all the rest of the day and night it comes out of the South West; and as for the Tide and Currant upon the shore, it goeth continually with the wind: Within twelve days we got off the Capes Des Palmas, De Monte, Westward of Sesto and De Verde, until we were under the Tropics, dispersed by a Turnade, and twenty days after we found ourselves in the height of the Azores; and forty days after that, we fell upon the Coast of Ireland Southerly, furnishing ourselves with fresh water and sheep, until we arrived in Plymouth, where we blessed God for our good Voyage. CHAP. V A third Voyage to Guinney. THe fifteenth of October we set sail from Plymouth, and the first of December we fell with the Isle of Porto Santo, and next day with Mera: The nineth we fell thwart the Isle of Palm, and Cape-Blank; and the three and twentieth we found ourselves in the height of Serra Leona, where the Currant falling like a Cataract, detained us ten days, so that not before the sixth of January, could we descry the Coast of Guinney, known by three Hills, which lay North east and by East from us, and two great Trees between the Hills: Here we kept about to fetch the River De Sestos, which we found we had over-shot, where lay a Portugez rowing as fast as he could to defend Mina; along this River, and that called De St. Andre, we found abundance of Elephants-teeths, till we came to the Red Cliffs, where we made a league with the French, and thence hovered about Tres Puntos, obliging the Negroes with Margarites, Basins, and other little matters; creeping along the shore by Mina, Shama, Hunta, etc. and the other bays, selling three yards of Cloth for an Angel Ducket all along, which the Negroes liked so well, that they discovered to us all the designs of the Portugez upon us, shooting some pieces, being the sign between us; even the King of Abaan himself, upon a little Present sent him, engaging to command all the Gold in his Country to the shore, in so much that in two months' time, we had two hundred twenty three pounds weight of Gold: When being frighted from our watering place, we had a device to use salt water, until we came thwart Cape das Palmas, from whence in four days we fell in with the high Cape Mensurado; the twenty eighth of April we fell in sight of two Islands, six Leagues off the Head land of Serra Leona, regarding the Currants which set North North west; the twelfth of May we were in the height of Cape Verde; the eighteenth we were directly under the Tropic of Cancer; the first of June we were in the height of St. Michael; and the twenty third bearing in with the Lizard, we arrived safely at Foy. CHAP. VI A fourth Voyage to Guinney. THe last of December we set out of the Sound of Plymouth, and met with two hitches of Dantzick with enemy's Goods, and fearing we should lose our Voyage if we returned to England, went directly to Spain and sold them, only we took a Hogshead of Aquavitae, ten Tuns of Wine, fix Cakes of Resin, and some Chess-nuts for our own service; the nineteenth of December we had fight of the Grand Canary, to which road, avoiding that foul one of Tenariffe, we went; the twenty eighth we had sight of Riodel Oro, almost under the Tropic of Cancer, the height of Cape-Blank; the six of January we had a board the Cape de Verd, having refreshed ourselves at a bay Northward off it, where the French trade for Gaunards (little Birds so called) Elephants-teeths, Musk, and Hides: The sixteenth of March we fell with the Coast of Guinney, five Leagues to the Westward of Cape de Monte, besides a River called Rio das Palmas, whence we set into the Rivers De Sesto, & De Rostos, along the Coast whereof we had Gold and Elephants teeth enough for our Wares, especially at Perinnen, Laguon, Wiumba, Perecow, and Eagrand, Villages some four Leagues distance from one another, and at Mowr, Cormantine, and Shamma, where the Inhabitants would Trade with us but three days in the week, that is, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; here we got fourscore pound weight of Gold, where being stayed by a Currant, below which we had run unawares; we were belated on the Coast, where they that stay till May hardly escape sickness, especially near St. Thome, or the Isle of Salt, therefore as soon as we could, we returned along St. Nicholas, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Anthony, which four Isles lie the one from the other North West and by West, South East and by East, where we discharged the Tiger in the Lee ward leaking passed all remedy, whence we came in ten days within sight of two Isles of the Azores, St. Marry, and St. Michael; and twelve days after, North West and by West of the Cape Finester, within one hundred and twenty Leagues of England, whether after a great storm West, South West, and West, and the loss of our sail, we halled with an old Bonnet in the Fore-yard, until we came to the Isle of Weight; bringing home with us 171 Elephants Teeth, weighing 1780 pounds, and 22 Butts full of Grain. Rules for Fortifications and Settlement at the Coast of Guinney, observed by all that trade thither. 1 THat the Ground so serve, that it may be by the Sea, or a River on one side at least, so that we may Lade and Unlade before it. 2 That the Earth be a good Mould. 3 That we have good Timber at hand. 4 That we have plentiful and wholesome provision. 5 That our Fortifications be naturally strong. 6 That we have fresh Water at hand. 7 That we have good correspondence with the Negroes by little gifts, and a noble appearance, to defend or build our Fortification. 8 That the King of Haban be moved about the building of some forts, so as that he may not understand our meaning. 9 That the Country be searched by Negroes of our own breeding, along the Coast, and in the Inland part of it. 10 That upon the fall of the Coast, about Cape-Blank, we beware how we borrow in twelve, ten fathom, for within two or three casts of lead, we may be on ground. 11 That the Negroes be not trusted but upon great advantage. At a meeting of the Adventurers for Guinney. IT was resolved, 1 That Captain Peirce should be sent to Deptford, to Mr. Hickman, for his Letters to Peter Williams, to go about Rigging one of the Royal Ships, and to Gillingham for money. 2 That every Partner should supply 29 l. 6. s. for every 100 l. value, towards the new Rigging. 3 That every of the Partners bring 50. l. for furniture. 4 That the Voyage be finished before April, and the dangerous time of the year in Guinney. 5 That they call in at Sancta Cruz, and Tenariffe, (where by the way though it's as hot in Winter as in Summer, yet there is Snow seen on the Pike all the year) for provisions. 6 That there be a Committee of Seamen, for regulating the Voyage. 7 That the Committee keep a book of their proceed. 8 That all misdemeanours be tried by twelve men. 9 That there be the names of Gentlemen privately set down, to succeed the Captains if they die. 10 That there be an Inventory of all Tackle, Munition, and Furniture drawn, before they set out. 11 That they pass not to the Northeastward of the sixteenth degree, but keep their course by Cape de Buena Speranza. 12 That they appoint places to meet, in case they are separated by a tempest, leaving tokens in the respective promontories. 13 That you deal honestly and courteously with the Ethnics, so as to procure their friendship and good liking, especially you must take care of your word and promise. 14 That no man sell any thing about him but in the public stock. 15 That a Table of Orders be set up in each Ship. 16 That some Negroes be brought over to settle a further trade. The Merchandise, Wares, and Commodities, that are most desired in Guinney. 1 OLd Hats, and Caps. 2 Cats to catch their Mice, for there it was Whittington was made an Alderman by a Cat. 3 Salt. 4 Swords, Daggers, Knives, Frize-Mantles and Gowns, Clothes, Red Caps, Axe-heads, Hammers, short pieces of Iron, little Belts, Sheepskin Gloves, Leather-Bags. 5 Manils of Brass or Iron. 6 Basins, most Latin or Flanders, and Ewers. 7 Course tin Pots. 8 Beads, Corals. 9 Course Red Cloth, Linen, and Kersie. 10 Lavers and great Dutch Kettles with handles. 12 Graved Brazen Vessels. 13 Horse-tails. 14 Great Pins. 15 Patched Sheets, and course French Cover. 16 Slight Flanders Casket, and Chests of Rouen, of a low price. A note of the heights of the most eminent places in the South Sea. IMprimis, Cape Cantin standeth in latitude, thirty two degrees, four minutes. Item, The Island Mogador standeth one and thirty degrees, thirty minutes. Item, Cape de Ore, thirty degrees, twenty minutes. Item, Islands Canaries, twenty eight degrees. Item, Cape Badacor, twenty seven degrees, thirty minutes. Item, Cape Verde, fourteen degrees, thirty minutes. Item, Serra Leona, eight degrees. Item, Island called Ilha Verde, seven degrees, thirty minutes. Soundings on the Coast of Guinney. IMprimis, Going unto Serra Leona, having the Cape East North East off you, seven Leagues off, you have twenty two fathoms brown Sand, and haling in, you shall find very fair shoalding; you may be bold to borrow on the Southermost shore; but beware the Rock that lieth in the fair way, a good breadth off the shore, two miles off the South Bay. Item, You may borrow hard by the Rock, for on the Northern part of it, there lieth a Long Sand, which runneth South East, and North West, distant from the South shore two Leagues, and you will Anchor in fourteen or fifteen fathoms hard by the shore. Item, Sailing to Ilha Verde, ten Leagues to the Southward of Serra Leona, the course is South South West, and North North East, and there are betwixt them nine or ten fathoms, and if you Anchor in that place, you have five or six fathoms hard by the shore. Item, Being bound Southward, you must go West South West off, for fear of the should that is called Madera Bomba, the which should is to the Southwards of the Island. Item, You must always remember the great Currant, that setteth along the Coast of Guinney, to the Eastward. CHAP. VII. The Merchandise and commodities of Guinney. BEfore the Pertugez came thither, they had very little or no Merchandise to traffic withal, only they had plenty of whatever is needful for man's sustenance; in the former time they brought their Gold unto the Portugez, but the People dwelling further within land, durst not venture to trade with them, or any other White-men, and men apparelled, therefore they do now bring their Gold to the Sea side; thus, Betimes in the morning, they come a board our Ships with their Canoes or Scuts, betimes in the morning I say, for that in the morning the wind which they call Bofone, bloweth off from the Land, and then it is calm smooth water; for about noon, the wind which they call Agem-Bretton gins to blow out of the Sea, and then they row to Land again; the people that dwell within the Land not brooking the Sea, for when they are aboard they can scarce go or stand, but lie down & spew like Dogs, and are very Sea-sick; but their Rowers or Pilots that carry them are hardy enough, and rarely are sick, by reason of their daily using to the Seas: But some of their Merchants, when they come aboard our Ships, are so sick that they cast out all that are within their bodies; and by reason of their being so sick in fair weather, they are so afraid of the wind (when the Waves go any thing high) that they make as much haste home as they can, and some of them dare not venture upon the Seas to go aboard the Ships, but deliver the money to the Pilots or Factors, telling them what Merchandise they desire to have, and those Tolken come with the Gold aboard the Ships, having a Purse which hangeth about their middles, wherein they put their Gold, and every several man's Gold is in a piece of cloth or paper by itself, and they can tell which is every man's, and what Wares he desireth for it; and sometimes they desire to have men's Gold to bestow, which is called an English of Gold, and of some two, or three, or more; and when any of their money is not weight, than they put it into their Purse, and carry it to the man again, for if they should put any thing to it to make it full weight, the Merchant would not give it them again; for they weigh their Gold first upon the Land, and know how much it is before they send it aboard the Ship, for they credit not one the other; and when they have bestowed their money, than we must give them something to boot, which they call Dache. When we began to Traffic here in the Country with two or three Ships, as one of Middleburgh, one of Amsterdam, and one of Schiedam, and that all our Ships met and lay at Anchor together to sell our Wares, the one Ship seeing that the other Trafficked more, and vended more Wares than his fellows; to find the means to get the Merchants aboard their Ships, they willed the Pilots (with whom they must hold friendship, for they carry the Merchants aboard) to bring them aboard their Ships, and they would give them something for their labours; and the Pilots accordingly to get something, brought them aboard that Ship, which had made them that offer (for they are very covetous) which the other Ships perceiving, willed the Pilots to bring the Merchants aboard their Ships, and they would likewise give them something; and they made them answer, that if they would give them as much as the other did, they would come aboard their Ships, which they promised to do, and gave them more Dache than the other, and by that means drive the Merchants, Pilots, and Tolken aboard their Ships, which the other Ships seeing, and thinking that their Merchant's Wares cost, them no more than the others, gave them more Dache than the others, and by that means striving one with the other, they diminished one the others gain; and in fine, their gifts grew to such a rate, that at this day, their Dache amounteth unto six or seven per Centum. And now it is come to pass, that whereas the Country People and Merchants were wont to pay the Litridge and Brokeridge, to the Pilots and Tolken to carry them aboard their Ships, they sought to the Merchants and Country Moors, to get them into their Canoes for greediness of Dache, which they got of the Factors for their labours, to bring the Merchants aboard, and thereby instead of paying them for going aboard, they give the merchants much Dache, inregard of the great profit they get thereby. Many Merchants coming to the Seaside to buy Wares, some of them a hundred or two hundred miles from within the Land, bringing great store of Gold, and have divers slaves with them, which they lad with the Wares which they buy in the Ships, whereof some have twenty, other thirty, and some more, as they have means, and according to the trade that they use; which Merchants or Moorish Country people, know the houses or lodgings where they use to lie, and weigh their money to their Tolk or Host, and tell them what Goods or Wares they will have, who coming aboard, commonly bring one of the Merchants with them (for they trust not one the other) and leave the rest with their slaves upon the Land, which tell them what Wares they desire to have; and if it be a Merchant that can speak no Portugal speech, they will presently tell you, and will the Factor to speak Moorish speech unto them, because their Merchant is one that dwells within the Land; thereby giving you to understand, that they mean to deceive and beguile him of much money. The poor Merchant being sick, and lying in the Ship spewing like a Dog, in the mean time the Brokers make the match for them, telling the Factors how much Ware they desire to have for so much Gold, for that the Wares are commonly sold all at one price. The Tolken makes not many words with the Factors, but certain Wares before the Merchant, as little as they can to content him for his money; and the price being made with him, he weighs their Gold, and takes the Wares, and goes on Land again; and the Merchant being gone home, than the Pilots and Tolken come aboard the Ships again, to fetch that which they have cozened the Merchants of; So that oftentimes the Merchants are deceived of a third part of their Goods by such practices; others, whiles he looks about, or turns to spew, steals a piece of the Merchant's Gold, and puts it into their Mouths, Ears and Nostrils, making the Merchant believe that his money is two light; the Merchant for his part, seeing that by means of their thievery his money will not hold out, because it is too light, that it may weigh more than it is, blows into the Balance, which the Factors oftentimes not perceiving, and thinking that they have their full weight, are by that means deceived, and come short of their reckoning; so that they have a thousand devices to steal, and to beguile the Merchants. At first they were wont to be very simple in their dealing, and trusted the Netherlands very much, whereat we wondered; for they were of opinion, that White men were Gods, and would not deceive them, and then took the Wares upon their words, without reckoning it after them, whereby they were deceived; so that if they bought ten fathom of Linen-cloth, they found but eight, and by that means lost two fathom, and other things after that rate, which the Factors did so grossly, that the Merchants at last perceived it, and looked better to themselves, and grew so subtle in their reckoning, that if they bought one hundred fathom of Linen, they could reckon it to a fathom, and tell whether they had their measure or not, so that now if you do them any wrong by measuring, they will not come aboard your Ship any more; and which is more, for any bad look, or hasty word that you shall give them, they will never be friends with you again. The next Commodity to their Gold, is their Elephants Teeth, and their Ivory. The Elephants they take thus: Where they know they use oftenest, they dig large and deep pits, which they cover over with straw, and foul leaves of Trees, which the Elephant knowing nothing of, goeth the way he was wont, and falls in, which the Negroes observing, run upon him with their Assagacies, and divide him in pieces among themselves, reserving the Hide for stools; bestowing the tail on the King, to beat the Flies from his naked body; and selling the Tooth in the Market. Next the Elephant comes the Monkeys, some with white beards and black moustaches, called by the Hollanders beard-men; some with nothing white but their noses, some called Boertkens, that cannot live a whole day in the sight of a man; the first of these are in very great esteem with their women, and may be so with our Ladies, there being no kinder creatures under the Sun. After the Monkeys, they offer us Musk-cats, called by the Portugez, Cato degalia, which eat Flesh (as Hens, Pigeons) and are so sweet, that they ease themselves in a place apart, leaving the Ordure, and never lying in it, being taken up young in the Woods, with sprigs which hang on the Trees, they are brought up, and the Musk is taken from them and put in Glasses, the male Cats yielding the best and most Agalia, by reason the females piss in the Cod wherein the Musk groweth, and piss it out with their water; When the Natives perceive that, they tear their bag, and take their Agalia from them; for they do so to be rid of it: The wilder and worse they are to rule, so much the costlier and richer their Agalia. Neither are their Birds a viler Commodity than their Beasts, for first there are blue Parrots, which being taken out of their Nests, are tamed and made so teachable, that they out-prate the Green Brasilian Parrots. Secondly, Thereis a bigger Green Bird, like the Catalinkin of West-India, called Ausuront, or Parokite, taken with Nets, as we do Sparrows, using much the Low corn grounds, and being so kind the one to the other, that put the male and female in a Cage, they sit so quietly and respectfully, the He on the right hand, and the She on the left, as may teach many a man civility and duty. To which I may add another kind of Parokiton, Red spotted, with a black tail, which would entertain us with very great delight, though the Natives make no more of them than eat them alive, feathers, bones, and all. But to come to what is more useful, we have their Cotton yarns, Hides, and what they sell at the dearest rate; Slaves and Children, which the Parents will trappan to the Sea side, and sell away for a Crown. It also yields good Trennuelis, like milk (when the Tree is cut down) which cometh out of the body thereof, having hanged three or four days they are through ripe, the Tree bears but one bunch at a time, whereon there is at least a hundred Figs, or more, and when they cut off the bunch of Figs, the Tree also is cut down to the ground, the root staying still in the earth, which presently springeth up again, and within a month hath its full growth, and so all the year long, no time excepted. The tree beareth fruit very delicate to eat; you must pull off the husk wherein the fruit lieth, very delightful to behold, the colour whereof is whitish and somewhat yellow; when you by't it, it is soft as if it were Meal and Butter mixed together; it is mellow in biting, it cooleth the Maw; much thereof eaten, maketh a man very lose and raw in the throat, it maketh women lecherous if they eat any store. Some are of opinion, because it is so delicate a fruit, that it was the same Tree that stood in Paradise, whereof God forbade Adam and Eve to eat: It hath a very good smell like Roses, but the taste is better: The Portugals will not cut it through with a knife, but break it, by reason of a special observation which they have in the cutting thereof, which is, that then it showeth like a cross in the middle of the fruit, and therefore they think it not good to cut it. The Bachonens (by us so called) are very like the Bannanaes', for the condition and form is all one, only that the fruit is smaller, shorter, white of colour within, and sweeter of taste, and is esteemed wholesomer to be eaten than the Bannanaes'; but there is no such great quantity of them, and for that they were first brought out of the Kingdom of Congo into other Countries, they have gotten the name thereof. The Annanas is also a delicate and pleasant fruit for smell, and of the best taste that any fruit can be; it hath also divers several names; there are two sorts, the Male and the Female; the Cannarians call it Annanasa, the Brasilians, Nana; those of Hispaniald, Jajawa; and the Spaniards in Brasilia, Pinas, because one of them found that and the Pinas first in Brasilia; It is as great as a Melon, fair of colour, somewhat yellow, Green and Carnation; when it gins to be ripe, the greenness turneth into an Orange colour; it is of pleasant taste, and hath a fine smell like an Apricock, so that it is to be smelled a far off; when you see the fruit a far off, being green, it shows like Artichokes, and is eaten with wine; it is light of disgesture, but eating much thereof it inflameth a man's body: In Brasilia there are three sorts thereof; the first Jajama, the second Boniama, the third Jajagma; but in Guinney there is but one sort: The time when they are in their flower is in Lent, for than they are best; it grows half a fathom above the ground, the leaves thereof are not above Semper Vinum: When they are eaten they are cut in round slices, and sopped in Spanish Wine; you cannot eat enough thereof, it is very hot of nature, and grows in moist ground; the sops that you take out of the Wine, taste like sweet Musk, and if you do not presently wipe the knife, wherewith you cut the fruit, but let it lie half an hour, it will be eaten in as if there had been strong water laid upon it; being eaten in abundance, and without knowledge, it causeth great sickness. There are great store of Iniamus growing in Guinney in great fields, which are sowed and planted like Turnips; the Root is Iniamus, and groweth in the Earth like Earth-nuts; those Iniams' are as great as a Yellow-root, but thicker and fuller of knots, they are of a Mouse-colour, and within as white as a Turnip, but not so sweet; being put in a Kettle and sodden with flesh, and then peeled and eaten with Oil and Pepper, they are a very delicate meat; in many places it is used for bread, and is the greatest meat that the Negroes eat. The Battatas are somewhat redder of colour, and in form almost like Iniamus, and taste like Earth-nuts; those two kind of fruits are abundant in Guinney, they are commonly roasted, or else eaten with a Hodge-potch instead of Parsneps or Turnips. The Palm-wine tree is almost like the Cocos-Tree, or a Lantor, with divers others, and are of three or four sorts, most of them have all one kind of leaf, but in manner of Wood they are all unlike, for this Tree is shorter of Wood than all the rest; The Wine is drawn out of those Trees by boring them, from whence there issueth a Sap like Milk, which is very cool and fresh to drink; at the first when it is drawn, it is pleasant and sweet, having stood a while it is as sour as Vinegar, so that you may use it in a Salad, but being drunk sweet and fresh, it causeth a man to void Urine well, whereby in those Countries, there are very few found that have the disease of the Stone; by drinking much thereof a man's head will soon be light; but that lightness a man hath in his head thereby, causeth it not to ache: When it cometh first out of the Tree, it is sweeter of taste, than when it hath stood a while, but yet it is esteemed better when it hath stood a while, and is somewhat settled, than presently to be drunk; for it standeth seething and bubbling, as if it hung over the fire and sod, so that if it were put into a Glass and stopped up, without letting any air come into it, the force thereof would break the Glass in pieces; but being a meal-tide old it is nothing worth, because it is so sour, and then it is of another colour very waterish, therefore it is much mixed with water, and seldom comes pure into the Market, as it is taken out of the Tree, which is done partly to increase their Wine, as also that then it is the sweeter to drink, and hath the taste of Cider, and the colour of Must; when the Tree is old and will yield no more wine at the top, it is cut down at the foot, and a fire made at the root thereof, where they set a pot, whereinto the Wine (by reason of the heat) runneth; the Tree being changed, and yielding no more profit, there groweth another Tree out of the root thereof, but it is half a year old before it giveth any Wine, in the morning betimes an hour before day, the Wine is drawn out, and brought to the Market at noontime. The Palmitas-Tree is not much to be seen in Guinney, but for that a Negro in that Country shown me the fruit thereof, I thought good to say something of it in this place; It is a Tree without branches, on the top of the Tree the fruit groweth, and it is almost like the Annanas when it is ripe: It is outwardly of a fair Gold-colour, and withering it hath grains, like Pomegranates, they are of a very sweet taste, the other is hard and unfit to eat. But what is stranger than all this, here is a Tree called the Oyster-Tree, that bears Oysters three times in the year; but I believe it hath been since Noah's flood when (Piscium & summa genus haesit ulmo, Nota quaesedes fuerat Columbis) the fish forgot their way into the Sea again. The Gold of Guinney. HEre be some Politicians, who had rather fetch their Gold from other Coasts, than discover that in their own, lest such Discovery should draw thither the Covetous and Ambitious Armies of the Neighbourhoods: The chief Commodity that is bartered for Gold is Salt, which is sold certain deformed Negroes, who will not be seen, and therefore it is left in the field, where the Negroes take it away, and leave as much Gold; the truest dealing men in the world. Then returneth the Merchant, and if he likes the Gold, he taketh it away, if not, he leaves it, the Negroes returning, addeth to it, or else brings the Salt, and takes away his Gold. I have not found so much faith, nor faithfulness, no not in Israel. In this Inland Country where houses are covered with Gold, Iron is far more esteemed, especially to the Southward of the Bay of Vallay, whose sand is all Gold, driven down with fresh water, and taken up in spoons by the Inhabitants. Solomon's Gold wherewith he built his Temple being supposed to be brought out of this place: where, after a shower of Rain, neither man, woman nor child, stayeth within the Town, but go out to seek for Gold in the fields, and all the way the water runneth, turning up the Earth with staves, the earth in some places having two parts of Gold, and but a third of Mould, especially where a Gold mountain glistereth as the Sun, where there are no Bridges permitted to make any easy passages, only the people swim with their burdens on their backs, by the tail of their Buffs, which swim before them, where it's more profitable trading than at Peru, or the Indies: they dig deep pits in the earth, and wash the earth in great bowls, and therein find Gold, making piles round with Brick, that the earth fall not in. How careful they are, not to spit in the Earth, how fearful to look up into the Sky before the Sun riseth, I will not rehearse. Only when they die, the next of kin makes a Petisto, or God of straw, to go along with them to another World, setting before him a sodden Hen, with many Fetistoes' round about him, of Beads, Shells, Pease, etc. With the blood of the Hen, they make the dead hand sprinkle the Fetisto, for there the dead must offer blood to their Gods; then the Kinsman taketh a few green Herbs, and wrings the sap of them on the Fetisto, putting them about his Neck with certain words, to bid him not leave the dead in the Regions of Darkness; with whom his dearest Wives and Friends go, saying, Auzy, or Love, into another World. The Morimni, or chief Man of the place, gathering twelve pence a piece of the Inhabitants, towards a Funeral Feast, whitherto the Corpse is carried by armed men; after which Feast they fill the Grave with Palm Wine, and other good Viaticum, for that great journey, the dead goeth; after which they all go together to a River up to the middle, and there with Basins and other noise fill the air, and then after a Banquet go home, leaving the dead with his Fetisto and dead Wives, and bestowing his goods not on his Wife or Children, but on his Brethren: These customs reach from Cape tres punctos to Rio de Valte, and the Kingdom of Bennin, along the Rivers, Rio de Valto, Rio de Ardra, Rio de Lago, where we Traffic back for Slaves; only we are in great danger there of strange calms, and strong currants. Their Gold. GOld though common, yet is as much esteemed there, as by us (of whom those Heathens say, Gold is our God) because they see what pains the Hollanders take, and what Merchandise they give for it; the Mines are well kept by the respective Kings, and few by the Seaside know where they are; they find it in deep pits, and see it carried down by waters, at which they sit with spoons to take it up, sand and all, which they make clean in running water; they confess it hath cost many men their lives in their Mines, and he that finds three Englishes a day doth well, and hath carried a good day's hire; the rough Gold is the best; but let it be what it will, half is the Labourers and half the Kings; and the King of Portugal did Let out the Trade of Guinney to Fernand Gomez, for 138 l. 14 s. 6 d. to discover every year an 100 Leagues, and since it hath been Let for 12000 l. CHAP. VIII. Their Measures, Weights, Scales, Markets, and Customs. AS soon as it is day they come with their Sugarcanes in bundles, about nine a clock, when the Sugarcanes are sold, the women come with their Oranges, Lemons, Bannanas, Backovens, Balatoes', Indianaes', Millia, Mais, Rice, Manogette, hens, Eggs, Bread, etc. about noon when these are gone, the men come with our Commodities, and Fish, Fish that it may be stinks a quarter of a mile distance, and is but a compound of Maggots; and then the women trudge home with their Children on their backs, and their Commodities, especially Millia on their Heads five or six mile's distance, paying no Custom to the King, but drop down now and then some Grain to their Fetisto, which they call Tithe (the very Heathens it seems pay Tithe) these women go home seven or eight in a company singing; towards the evening the Husbandmen bring in their Pots of Palm wine, with their Assagayes in their hands, which they are bound to lay aside in one place, when they enter the Town, and taking every one his own when they go out, for they are very orderly, for their sitting, going out, and standing. These Markets are kept by turns in their several Towns, where they have no coin, but they weigh their Gold in four square pieces, of a grain, or half grain, though they knew not how to melt it before the Portugez came, and therefore they bartered Wares, or paid one another in small pieces of Iron, with an Half Moon upon them. Their Weights and Scales are Copper, round and hollow like an Orange peel, whereof a Benda is the chiefest, and a Loot the least. They measure their Linen by two fathoms together, and their Woollen-cloth likewise, which they cut into pieces for Girdles; they are not very well skilled in Arithmetic, for when they have passed the number ten, they rehearse so many words one after the other, for one number, that they are so cumbered, that they cannot tell how to get out of it, and so sit buzzing so long, till at last they have forgotten their number, and are forced to begin to tell again, until of late the Dutch have laughed them out of that humour; and they tell ten, and then take one of their fingers into their hands, and then tell ten again, and again take another finger into their hand, and so proceed till they have both their hands full, which in all maketh an hundred, than they mark that up, and then begin again to tell ten, and use the same order as before. These very Heathens know that they must give their Kings a part of their estate to secure the whole, therefore they pay him Custom, who keeps several Vessels with a Kinsman on the Coast, to see he is not abused, and several Slaves to carry his Custom, that is the fourth part of Fish and other Commodities, besides the weight of six pence in Gold, he hath of the Merchants for their passage through his Country, how much or how little soever they intent to buy, and agree commonly for the Custom of what is worth above two ounces, with the King, and what is less, with the Customer, or Lafoy Guarda, as they call him. Besides this Custom, the King's Revenue comes in several other ways, As First, In Fines for Theft. Secondly, In the two ounces of Gold paid by every man that lieth with another man's Wife; and in the six penny forfeiture for bringing their Weapons within their City. And now I have named stealing, on my conscience I think there are not such Theives in the world, they are not more ashamed to steal from one another, which they reckon dishonesty (for they have some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of good and evil) than they are proud to steal from strangers, which they esteem as policy, and look for honour as the reward of so brave an action; a little lead without the Ships to keep them from being eaten with Worms, rusty nails, grease, weights (which they hid in their Hair, Ears, or Mouths, or any small business of that kind, is the exercise of their Theft; yea, though they be never so great Merchants, and bestow three or four pound of Gold with you for Merchandise, their opinion being that they may steal, and we not; I asked them the reason, and they said, we were rich, and brought great store of Ware, which would stand upon our hands, if they took not some away, and they naked. You must presently search them all, for they convey it from one to another, and beat him that hath it sound, be he never so rich, and the rest will laugh at him for a Bungler; if you beat them they will come again, if not they fear worse, and will not come near you. Neither are they more Thievish, than they are false to us in their words, though most true one to another, especially after an Oath, which they take thus. The Negro wipes his face upon the sole of his foot to whom he swears, Their Oaths. and likewise upon his shoulders, and breast, and upon all his body, both crying thrice Jau, Jau, Jau, and each time clapping their hands together, and stamping with their feet upon the ground, than they drink and kiss their Fetistoes' or God's on their arms. The drink they drink when they swear, Their Oathdrink. they call Enchionkenon, made of the same Herbs with their Fetistoes', a kind of water of jealousy, which they think upon a falsehood would kill them, whereby they accuse and swear likewise against one another, ten years after the thing is done, forcing the nearest of kin to the offending party to pay his fine if he be dead. And from this discourse of Theft, you may guests that they have some propriety and justice among them, wherein the proceeding is after this sort. 1 Every man tells his tale (for they have no Lawyers) by turns, without interruption (which they specially forbidden upon pain of corporal punishment) before the Judge, who having heard both sides, gives his own judgement, which they must stand to without appeal; if there be any forfeiture to the King, it must be paid presently, or the party must be banished from his Majesty's jurisdiction, with all his relations, until it is paid; if it be a controversy among the Nobility, they come to a Combat, whether both parties bring their relations, who engage side against side; the Plaintiff and Defendant fight in the middle of them, he that is beaten must suffer, and if he runneth away to another little King's dominion, he must be delivered up to the Wife of the dead man, to be disposed of; or it comes to a War. In most matters the Plaintiff certifieth the Captain, who causeth a Drum to be beat by one of his Slaves, who carrieth it about his neck, and two boys with Cow-bells (a sign that justice is to be done) whereupon the Captain and his armed Gentlemen sit round the Market place, whether the people flock, not knowing what is to be done, until the accused party is called, and bound to answer all the allegations against him, or pay the penalty with his Purse or freedom (for they buy their lives there with money, divided among the Mornans) I was present at this case. A man came from one Town to another to gather up his debts, which man a year before had lain with another man's Wife, and the same woman was by chance come to the Market, and seeing him, went strait and complained to the Aene, i.e. the chief Officer, who presently ordered his apprehension; the good woman complained he had forced her, and not paid according to his promise; he made answer, he did it with her good will; after a great contest, the Fetistero (or the Priest that hath to do with their Fetistoes', Gods) came thither with a certain drink in a pot, and set it down before the Captain (as they call their Magistrate, where Arms are the Law) the woman took the pot and drank of it, to justify he had not satisfied her for the loss of her honour; and if the man durst have drunk thereof before the woman, he had been acquitted, but knowing his guilt, he paid his three Bendaes', that is six ounces of Gold. But in case a man deserveth death, and cannot pay a fine, he dieth without any more ado, after this manner; The Executioner takes him, Their Executions. binds his hands behind him, covers his eyes, leadeth him into a field or a wood (there being no peculiar place allotted for it) and being there alone, for none assists there, makes him kneel down, and stoop with his head, when he taking an Assagaie, steppeth back, and strikes him into the body, wherewith he falleth down, and then takes his Cutting-knife to cut off his Head, not believing in those parts, that a man is dead until his Head is off; the body is quartered and left in the field to the Eagles and Elephants, but the Head is boiled by his friends, who meet together, and eat the broth it makes, and hang the bare skull to their Fetisto; the women of that Village making a sad lamentation for three days, for the deceased. CHAP. IX. How they live together in Guinney. MArriage being the foundation of Society, they keep their Daughters in Cloisters when they are Marriageable, and their Sons leave themselves to their Father's disposal, never wooing or looking on their Wives before they Mary them; giving nothing with their Sons, but what they earn themselves, only the Father gives a Peto and an half of Gold, and the Mother half a Peto, i. e. half an ounce, and the richest no more; The Portion being paid, they meet one another naked, as Sir Thomas Moor said they do at Utopia, and as Sir Francis Bacon wisheth they might do in Atlantis, it being a great disadvantage (saith he) that a man shall see no more of his wife than two handfuls, that is, her face, and swear faithfulness to the Bed, and Board, and it is a Marriage: I mean, the Woman swears, but not the man, for he is at liberty. Upon the least offence, she is at her Husband's mercy for a Divorce, or a Fine of so many Petoes of Gold. If the man doth but suspect her, she must eat the salt of jealousy, which if she refuseth, he sends her out of that Kingdom; If the man thriveth, he buyeth more Wives, whereof the eldest serve the youngest, in so much, that many Wives is a sign of a rich man. Indeed their drinking and feeding is so disorderly; that they are very lustful and impudent, especially, when they come to hid their nakedness, (for a Negroes hiding his Members, their extraordinary greatness) is a token of their Lust, and therefore much troubled with the Pox. 2. Their bread is of Millia, or Mais, baked on a warm Hearth, their meat they eat raw, as Birds, Dogs, for some of them being in our Ships, and seeing our Hens would 'tice them to hang out their necks out of the Cage, and kill them, showing the Sailors that some of the Hens were dead, thereby only contriving that they might eat their Raw guts, not staying till they were clean; but eating them raw as they came out of the hen's belly, though they can dress meat very well with their Palm-Oyle, the best sauce for their Fish. 'Tis strange, yet true, that in those hot Countries, they would eat all day long, and when they do eat they sit upon the ground, and cram it into their mouth, without any respite between morsel and morsel. But they drink more civilly than they eat, for they will set a wooden Kilderkin of Poitous, i. e. Ale, or Palme-Wine, in the midst; and sitting round it drink by turns, all standing up, while one drinks, laying their hands on their heads, and crying Tautosi, Tautosi, at their first draught, not drinking their cups out, but leaving some for their Fetisso, or their God, saying I. O. U. what ever they can cozen white men of, is devoted to a drinking, and laid in a common bank for a merry meeting. The Husbands and Wives neither eat nor lie together but on their Tuesdays, when they spread a Mat upon the ground, and lay stools under their heads with a fire at the end of the bed to warm the soles of their feet. Although the Husband commands, yet the Wife carrieth the purse until she is with Child, and her time is come, when in the middle of the field, stark naked, among all the people of the Country she is delivered, and she throweth the Bag to her Husband, until taking a spoonful of Oil, and an handful of Manniget, she goeth abroad next day as other women, having Circumcised her Child, Feasted her Neighbours, and let the Infant sprawl on the ground, a day or two, and then carrying it on her shoulder, like an Irish-woman. When the Child is above a year Old, they hang a shirt of Network made of bark, about him with Coral, which they call their Fetisso, to keep him from evil, the first Fetisso being good against vomiting, the second against falling, the third against bleeding, the fourth to procure sleep, the fifth against the Ague. By that time they have crawled three or four years, they are brought by the Mother, to the Father, who sets them to swim as soon as they can walk, and then to knit Nets, to row, and fish, giving them not a rag of but what they can earn, and therefore the first Gold they have they bestow on a fathom of Linen to cover their middle; They are flat Nosed, white-eyed, small eared, thick-bodied, broad shouldered, long hands and limbs, as especially the token of a Gentleman, which they scrape with Ivory and use to take their Gold in, instead of spoons; they are very subtle and sevengeful, very nice and superstitious, very craving and beggarly, yet very clean; easing themselves out of the way, at the end of the Town, in an House made above ground for the purpose, for they think it abominable to do it upon the ground, pissing likewise by jobs as Hogs do, every one cuts his curled hair, and wears his Reed Turban of several fashions, but all agree in their Rings, and Wreaths of Say, Coral, etc. which they worship, and offer meat to every day, under the notion of their Fetisto. As naked as they are, they are proud, and walk a Spanish pace, looking so scornfully forward, that a man must not speak to them, till they come to their seats; especially meaner persons, whom as soon as they spy a far off, they cry, Hold your peace. In the morning when they go out and meet with any of their friends or acquaintance, they embrace and kinkle one another by the arm, bowing the head and saying, Auzi, Auzi; then they comb, with their one-tooth comb, their frizzled and lousy pates, making a round bob at top, as our Gentlemen use to do; and then especially about the Castle Damina, they buy provisions for the day, and sufficient to the day is the provision thereof: Their Houses are like Soldier's Cabins, and the Cities are Tents built on sticks, about which they twine the rods, which they daub in thin mortar, instead of paint; the Hog-sties they cover with four square cover of Palm Tree leaves, which they open and shut at pleasure; the floor being a flat piece of red Earth, in the midst of which is a hole, for their pot of Palm Wine; their Sconces are only of Reed and Straw; their streets being so narrow, that but one goeth a breast; their Towns being filthy and stinking, insomuch that sometimes, when the wind sits that way, you may smell the stink a mile and a half into the Sea. Only the Strangers have taught them to make their Towns more strong and wholesome, especially their Sea Towns, where are none but their Officers, Factors, etc. especially at Tres Punctos, under four degrees and a half, where the Portugez have a Castle called Aziem. Five miles Eastward is Anta, where we sell Iron; a mile lower is Rio de St. Georgio, Jubbe, and Carrua, where the Portugez have a House and good Fishing to furnish the Castle of Mina; below here is Commando where we sell Venetian Madrigetton and Corals (for the common people traffic much therewith, by grinding and selling them one to another) small Copper Basins, Blue Cloth, and broad Linen-cloth in small parcels, where their Gold is molten, and therefore very deceitful; not far from which place is the Castle De-Demina, to command Trade, a mile below which, is Cape Crostio. Sailing a mile lower, we come to the chief place of Traffic, called Mourre, and a mile below that is Infantin, and not far from that is the Castle Cormantin, under the King of Fatus, where we have hoops for our Vessels. Five miles lower is the fine Dairy-place Biambis, whee they sell great Cows and fair Women; not far off is Chinha, a place of great Traffic with Canoes or Bowls, where a Gibbet is worshipped for a Fetisto or God. Their Religion. NO Nation so barbarous, but owneth a Religion and a God, these have Birds, Hills, Vale-Tree Gods, every strange thing being divine with them, in somuch that we had much ado to keep them from worshipping a Bagpipe, which for a great while they took for a living creature, and still say it's the work of the Gods; as the Manichees, so they hold two Gods, one that doth them harm, and another that doth them good, which they say fight together; yet they think there is a God, whom they do not see, but believe black like themselves; for though, say they, we sow Millia, who sends rain to make it grow? you can shoot (say they) but who thundereth? therefore they pray to God under the notion of Juan Goemain: Once we had a Negro aboard imprisoned for counterfeiting of Gold, who took every morning a tub with water in it, and washed his face therein, which done, he took his hands full of water, and cast it over his head, speaking divers words to himself, and after that spitting in the water, which we seeing, asked him why he did so? whereupon he answered, he prayed his Fetisso that it might rain, that so his friends might find much Gold to release him, and he might go home again; some of them under the History of Christianity; all believe they die not, and therefore they give their dead bodies something to carry to another world. They keep their Fetissoes day, one day in seven, and that Tuesday (a Sabbath it seems is natural) more solemnly and strictly than the Hollanders do their Sunday; when they offer meat and drink to their Fetisso on a four square place, covered with wires, or Fetissoes straws, which the Birds of the air, which they call the Birds of God, eat up. Not far from which place their Fetissero sits on a stool with a pot of drink in his hand, and the people about him stroking the people with a wisp, and speaking something they will not tell us; only when he hath done, they clap their hands and cry, I ou, I ou. Thence they go with the Holy Straw-wisp, which preserves them from the Fetissoes; when they miscarry in Fishing, Trading, etc. they think their Fetisso is angry; then the Fetissor, with all his Wives (for he hath ten at least) goes up and down the City with sad groans and a drum, to the tree which is the Fish Fetisso, and from thence casts Millia to the water, as if it were to the Gods, but indeed to bring the Fish together; these and many other computations they have, which would be as frivolous in the relation, as they are in the performance. CHAP. X. Their War, and their Gentlemen. THese little Kingdoms have often occasions of War among themselves, and oftener with strangers, upon both which occasions, the King first calleth for his Guard, i. e. twelve hundred men that have nothing else to do but to wait, who sleep like dogs round his royal Cottage; and if his occasions require more, he gives his Captain's order to summon more, who with such Drums as Children use to carry, go up and down for a week's space until the rabble get together, and painting themselves, march out with their Fetissoes, that is, their Beads and Corals, wherewith they think themselves secure; there is a Holy Wreath of Bark about their necks, the Poniard hangs to the Girdle, the Assagaie was in the right hand, the Bow and Arrows in the left; the whole Family follows every man, all the Country is burned and destroyed, that the enemy may not have where to invade, nor the cowardly where to retreat; the whole Kingdom surrounds the King, and becomes a Court; and in that posture march with their Turbands of Libards-skins, having dispatched their Householdstuff into a neighbour Country. They shoot straight, and can hit the very breadth of a Stiver, whom they take they enslave, whom they kill they eat, whom they conquer they take Hostages from; their Poniards are four fingers broad, their Shields of Goat skin, or Ox hid four foot broad, every man keeping six or seven of each by him upon all occasions, with a Bow and Arrow stringed, with the Bark of a Tree, feathered with Dog's hair, tipped with Iron, and most commonly poisoned with a green Herb called Assapi; their Drum is a piece of hollow wood, covered with Bucks-skin, and beaten with a wooden spoon. In the Wars the Gentlemen have a peculiar privilege, and a Gentleman is made thus; A man finding himself Rich, presents the King with a Dog, a Goat, and a Cow, and his neighbours with an Ox, and therewith a Feast is made, with Palme-wine, music, dancing, and the man goes home a Gentleman, and a beggar, having usually spent all his estate at the Installation. After the Wars, on the Coronation day, and on the quarter days for customs, there is a Royal Feast whereat they are mad for three days, after which the King sets up the heads of the beasts he hath spent among his Fetissoes or Gods, in his Hall, in perpetuum rei memoriam, for the Kings there have no design in their Grandeur but honour, providing nothing for their Children, but what they shall earn with the sweat of their brow. How they agreed with us about their Lands. THe people being persuaded that we were an inconsiderable nation, kept aloof a great while, till on the 18th. of January, one Anchor zano was ambitious to be the white men's Alcade or Factor, whom we entertained with a string of Crystal, and a double one of Coral about his neck, and so with drinking a cup of Rosa solis, and shooting off five thunders, for so they call Muskets, he was solemnly proclaimed Alcard, Alcard, he adding his fiddler's music, the people their bows, arrows, and what improved the solemnity, their wives, as soon as he came on shore, he distributes those Nuts whereof 500 buyeth a wife, among his friends, as a token of his joy in his new honour (Nuts that have yet nothing to recommend them, but that they are so bitter, that they set over their river water, and makes it sweet to him that eats them. This done, as an handsel of his office, he goeth to the King's house, who sat without doors, their fashion being as soon as it is dark, to make a fire of reeds without doors, and the best sort to have mats, on which to sit down and use their Ceremonies; he placed our Captain by the King, and went himself six paces off, right before him, and made a speech, which one repeats after him as he speaks, to entreat his kind usage of the White men; the King answered with a like speech, giving us liberty to shoot any thing on the Land, and none should offend us; Anchor zano kneeled down and gave him thanks, sending him in our behalf Coral and Crystal; whereupon the King made a long speech, concluding that he would give the place we were in for ever; upon which gracious speech, our Alcade pulled off his shirt to thank him, and kneeled down naked, until divers Marybuches with their hands, raked up a heap off of the ground, upon which he lay flat upon his belly, and covered him with the earth lightly, from head to heel, when with his hands he threw the earth round about amongst us all; and the Marybuches gathered a round heap again together, and compassing it with a round ring of the same earth, bade him write with his finger, as much as the round would contain. Which done, our Alcade, Anchor zano took of that earth in his mouth and put it forth again, and then he and our two Marybuches or Waiters, brought their hands full of the same earth into our laps; after which ceremonies, presenting their bows and arrows on their knees, they withdrew, only they made their several speeches (for every one of fashion must needs make his speech when they meet) and led about some dances, after which we were Masters of that land, and friends to the great Tivil. A Relation of such persons as got wonderful Estates by their Trade to Guinney. I. SIr John Tintam and Sir Pierce Fabian in the year 1481. in the days of Edward the 4th. Sir John Tintam, and Sir William Fabian, the great Mathematicians and Geographers of those times, having Spirits above the model of their age, and the narrowness of their Fortunes; and hearing of the Portugals rich discovery upon the Coast of Guinney, and Terra Nigritarum (as Keckerman confesseth) that we are the best adventurers in the world) joined heads and purses to set out some English Vessels with Hanse Towns Mariners, for the Trade of Guinney, while they were setting out, John the second, King of Portugal, upon the Frenchman's suggestion, (with whom we had great Sea-fights at that time, and by fight with whom, we grew expert at Sea) sent Ruyde Sousa, with Dr. de Elvas, and Ferdinando de Pira, to confirm the ancient League with England, and desire the King to dissolve the fore said Fleet, which the King did, but the Duke of Medina Sidonia, encouraged the foresaid Gentlemen, insomuch that they appeared at Cape Verde, the 5th of March 1482. and making no stay there, crept along the Coast to Rio de Festos the 8th. of April, whence all the French on the Coast fled upon the first sight of them, they Trafficking securely, and understanding of the Negroes, the state of the Country, who directed them to Rio de Pontis, and to the River St. Andras, where a great Ship and Carvel of the King of Portugal shot at them, but they getting to the foremost of them, sliped between them and the Castle De tres Punctos, where the English beat them, to the no small joy of the Negroes, as well as the security of themselves, whom the Inhabitants invited to Mowre, some three leagues behind, where they said was the best place to Trade with them; considering the strength of the Portugez, whither they brought more Gold than they knew what to do with: Here they had a hundred pounds worth of Pewter, sixty five of Tin and Brass; an hundred twenty four pound, thirteen shillings six pence of Iron: For which they carried away two hundred sixty seven Elephants teeth, weighing two thousand seven hundred fifty eight pound; and Grains sixty five Butts full, all along the Coast of Rio de Festos, and Rio de Barbos', which at last they improved to a Million, half whereof they paid the Duke their Patron, and half they divided among themselves, who were within three years able to buy their Traffic with Portugal, and their peace with England, putting up an hundred thousand pounds a piece in their purses: For Sir P. Fabian Nephew to Sir William, died the richest Subject in Medina. Of Van Here Vizksted, II. THe next Instance is a Dutchman, who was left at Cormantin, May the third, 1562. who bearing affection to a young Maid, broke it to her friends, who appointed the two young Parties to run a race together, the Maid being allowed in the starting, the advantage of a third part of the Race; as the manner of that Country is, wherein the Maid being willing, the Dutchman prevailed, and Married her: Whereupon he is made a Factor between the Negroes and the Dutch, and in ten years' time, by the very gifts that were bestowed upon him, he returned to Holland with twenty thousand pound in two Vessels, and not long after, lives to break for an hundred and fifty thousand pound, whereof he paid nine in the hundred, and died worth fifty thousand pound. Alfonso Albuquerque. III. THe third Instance is a Portugez, who bound for Guinney was struck on ground, yet wave follows not wave faster, than wonder, doth wonder, in the preservation and advancement of this man: For 1. He and twelve more, got into a small Boat of a tun and a half, which had but one Oar to work withal. 2. They were sixty Leagues from Land, and the weather so foul, that it was not possible for a Ship to brook half a course of Sail. 3. The Vessel being over-set Don Alphonso made a motion to cast Lots, that those four who drew the shortest, should be cast overboard, the people were contented, only they provided, that if the Lot fell upon Alphonso, he should notwithstanding be preserved, as in whom all their safeties were concerned. 4. Brave Alphonso refused that kindness; vowing, that they should live and die together. 5. It pleased God, that two of the Passengers died. 6. For five days and nights, they saw the Sun and Stars but once, so that they only kept up their Boat with their single Oar; going as the Sea drove it. 7. Four days they were without sustenance. 8. About three a Clock the fifth day, they came on the South of Guinney, within half an hour after their Landing, the wind turned Northward, which if it had done any of the six days they were afloat, they had never saved themselves. 9 The very Infidels were civil to them, after some general and wary account they gave of themselves, especially for two things, Alphonso had by him: First A Cat to catch their Mice, and secondly, an Ointment to kill their Flies, for both which, the King of the place gave him his weight in gold, which he improved within five years, to sixty thousand pound upon the place, returning to Portugal, after 15. years traffic the third man in the Kingdom. John Towers. iv THe fourth instance is an Englishman, and an Apprentice of London, who ran from his Master, May the first, 1551. with forty pounds in money, and some rings, wherewith he got to Antwerp, where he listed himself in a Guinney ship, as a Chaplams boy in which capacity, he was Landed at Mina, where his Master dying, and leaving him his part of the fraught, the youth traded so ingenuously, that the company left him there, to discover the Country; which he did so effectually, that when Queen Elizabeth gave Tho. Gregory of Taunton, and Will. Pope a Patent, for 10. years, to Traffic to Guinney from the Northern-most part of the River Nonnia, to the Southern-most part of the rivers, Madrubanda and Sierra Leona; and to other parts, as well to the Southeast, as to the North-West, for a certain number of Leagues therein specified, which amount to an hundred or thereabout, they found that this person was head King of Tombuto, three years before, having left an hundred Millions of Gold, among forty Children he had gotten of the Negro women, not one whereof enjoyed any of his Royalty, nor could they endure an Europian. FINIS.