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Richard Hakluyt - Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, 10
all haue the cowe by the taile, and they poure water out of the pot vpon the cowes taile, and it runneth
through all their hands, and they lade vp water with their handes, and then the olde man doeth tie him and
her together by their [Marginal note: This tying of new maried folks together by the clothes, was vsed by
the Mexicans in old time.] clothes. Which done, they goe round about the cowe and calfe, and then they
giue somewhat to the poore which be alwayes there, and to the Bramane or priest they giue the cowe and
calfe, and afterward goe to diuers of their idoles and offer money, and lie downe flat vpon the ground and
kisse it diuers times, and then goe their way. Their chiefe idoles bee blacke and euill fauoured, their
mouthes monstrous, their eares gilded, and full of jewels, their teeth and eyes of gold, siluer, and glasse,
some hauing one thing in their handes and some another. You may not come into the houses where they
stand, with your shooes on. They haue continually lampes burning before them. From Bannaras I went to
Patenaw downe the riuer of Ganges: where in the way we passed many faire townes, and a countrey very
fruitfull: and many very great riuers doe enter into Ganges, and some of them as great as Ganges, which
cause Ganges to bee of a great breadth, and so broad that in the time of rain, you cannot see from one
side to the other. These Indians when they bee scorched and throwen into the water, the men swimme
with their faces downewards, the women with their faces vpwards, I thought they tied something to them
to cause them to do so: but they say no. There be very many thieues In this countrey, which be like to the
Arabians: for they haue no certaine abode, but are sometime in one place and sometime in another. Here
the women bee so decked with siluer and copper, that it is strange to see, they use no shooes by reason of
the rings of siluer and copper, which they weare on their toes. [Gold found.] Here at Patanaw they finde
gold in this maner. They digge deepe pits in the earth, and wash the earth in great holies, and therein they
finde the gold, and they make the pits round about with bricke, that the earth fall not in. Patenaw is a very
long and a great towne. In times past it was a kingdom, but now it is vnder Zelabdim Echebar, the great
Mogor. The men are tall and slender, and haue many old folks among them: the houses are simple, made
of earth and couered with strawe, the streetes are very large. In this towne there is a trade of cotton, and
cloth of cotton, much sugar, which they cary from hence to Bengala and India, very much Opium and
other commodities. He that is chiefe here vnder the king is called Tipperdas, and is of great account
among the people. Here in Patenau I saw a dissembling prophet which sate vpon an horse in the market
place, and made as though he slept, and many of the people came and touched his feete with their hands,
and then kissed their hands. They tooke him for a great man, but sure he was a lasie lubber. I left him
there sleeping. The people of these countries be much giuen to such prating and dissembling hypocrites.
From Patanaw I went to Tanda which is in the land of Gouren. It hath in times past bene a kingdom, but
now is subdued by Zelabdim Echebar. Great trade and traffique is here of cotton, and of cloth of cotton.
The people goe naked with a litle cloth bound about their waste. It standeth in the countrey of Bengala.
Here be many Tigers, wild Bufs, and great store of wilde foule: they are very great idolaters. Tanda
standeth from the riuer Ganges a league, because in times past the riuer flowing ouer the bankes, in time
of raine did drowne the countrey and many villages, and so they do remaine. And the old way which the
riuer Ganges was woont to run, remaineth drie, which is the occasion that the citie doeth stand so farre
from the water. From Agra downe the riuer Iemena, and downe the riuer Ganges, I was fiue moneths
comming to Bengala, but it may be sailed in much shorter time.
I went from Bengala into the countrey of Couche, [Marginal note: Couche: this seemeth to be Quicheu,
accounted by some among the prouinces of China.] which lieth 25. daies iourny Northwards from Tanda.
The king is a Gentile, his name is Suckel Counse: his countrey is great, and lieth not far from Cochin
China: for they say they haue pepper from thence. The port is called Cacchegate. All the countrie is set
with Bambos or Canes made sharpe at both the endes and driuen into the earth, and they can let in the
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