|
Richard Hakluyt - Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, 10
the shore to see them.
The 10. we had a letter from Cornelis Houtman, to wil vs to come to them, for that there they had founde
a good place for water, and all other necessaries, so that about euening wee set sayle, leauing two of our
men and a Portingall slaue among the Indians, whome the King promised should come vnto vs ouer land,
yet that night wee could not reach aboue the point, meane time we perceyued our Pinace that came to
helpe vs.
The 16. we got by the Mauritius, that had already laden in her water, and hooped her vessels, wherevpon
we began presently to do the like, and to visite our vessels that were almost spoyled.
The 17. our men whome wee left with the King came ouer land vnto our shippes, and then we bought
great store of cattle and fruit.
The 18. 19. 20. and 21. wee imployed our time to lade water, which wee had verie easily, and refreshed
our selues with Cattle, Hogges, fruit, and Lemons sufficient. There came one of the Kinges principall
officers with our men ouer land, to pleasure vs in all things we desired, he was very desirous to haue
some present of vs.
[Two of our men stayed with the Indians.] The 24. of Ianuarie two of our men that sayled in the
Mauritius stayed on lande, but wee knewe not the cause: it should seeme some great promises had beene
made vnto them, for as we vnderstoode the King was very desirous to haue all sortes of strange nations
about him, but our people were therein much ouerseene, for there they liued among heathens, that
neyther knewe God nor his commandements, it appeared that their youthes and wilde heades did not
remember it, one of their names was Emanuel Rodenburgh of Amsterdam, the other Iacob Cuyper of
Delft: within a day or two they sent vnto vs for their clothes, but wee sent them not.
The 23. 24. and 25. we made a voyage on land, and fetcht as many Hogges abord our shippes as we
could eate.
The 25. of Februarie we hoysed ankers, minding to set saile and so go homeward, leauing our two men
aforesaid on land, but because it was calme weather we ankered, and went once againe on lande, and the
26. of the same Month wee set saile and helde our course West South West, but we had a calme.
The situation of the Island of Baly
The Island of Baly lying at the East end of Iaua, is a verie fruitfull Islande of Ryce, Hennes, Hogges, that
are very good, and great store of cattle: but they are very drie and leane beastes. They haue many horses:
the inhabitants are heathens, and haue no religion, for some pray to Kine, others to the Sunne, and euerie
man as hee thinketh good. [How 50 women burnt them selues with one man.] When a man dyeth his wife
burneth her selfe with him: there were some of their men aborde our shippes, that told vs, that when
some man dyeth in that Countrey, that sometimes there are at the least fifty women that will burne
themselues with him, and she that doth not so is accounted for a dishonest woman: so that it is a common
thing with them: The apparel both of men and women is for the most part like those of Bantam, nothing
but a cloth about their middles: Their weapons is, each man a poinyarde at their backes, and a trunke
with an iron point like a speare, about a fadom and a halfe long, out of the which they blowe certaine
arrowes, whereof they haue a case full; it is an euil weapon for naked men: they are enemies to the Mores
and Portingalles. This Iland yeeldeth no spice, nor any other costly ware, onely victuailes and clothes
which they weare about their bodies, and slaues that are there to be solde. The King went with more state
|
