'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎22] (43/448)

Madagafcar.
fave when the Sun is in or near the Zenith. The foil in molt places is luxuriant,' in re-
eard thatthe Clouds pour down Rain weekly which abates the heat, together with the;
bdezes that fail not in the fore-noon from the Hills, and in the after-rioon from the
Ocean So as the ground is fitted both for feed and fruir, in the parts
'ds thought Gold may be found ; but much Wood there is, amongft which ftore ofEbo-
nv the rivers abound with fifli, and it wants not reafonable good Roads and Harbours
for Ships to Ride in. Pity that fo noble a place and fo populous Ibould continue fo long
uncivilized and corrupted by Mahometifm and Gentilifm, which as with an impure
breath has infefted the whole Ifland. a . l a* c ■ .
Maritim Towns and Ports known to us, are Roma, Augufime,
Mat at ana, Amoda,Ferendo-formofo, Anton-gill and Jmgomar ; the two lalt are well nigh
oppofite to each other; but Anoint Bay (under our Winter Tropick) and (up
on theEaft-fide) afford belt anchoring; the firft, we ufually ride at m palfing to or
Southward, the other home bound is belt ias Sir James 1600. made proof
of who rode in 8- fadom water in the bottom of the Bay (a fmall Ifle being behind them
to Sea) ozie ground, the place good for vidualling, the Air quick, and the Natives well
conditioned. Howbeit, the Dutch at this place two months formerly (through diftempers)
loft 200. men by Agues and Fluxes,which has made fome to report it an unhealthy place:
ztAfimfiine Bay the variation h 16. degrees. . ■
The whole Ifle was lately Tetrarchical, four feveral Kings fwaying their Ebony Scep
ters in each Toparchy; jealous each of one anothers greatnefs. Tne Maritim Towns
and Places are infeded with rylahometifme, brought thither with the little trade they
have from Arabia not longe* fince the Mediterran, with Gentiiifme: Nature abhorring
cruelty inftruds them to punilh murder with death, adultery with publique lhame, theft
with baniihment. Filhing delights thofe that live near the Sea, more than tillage ; Thetis ^
beingbetter accounted of than Ceres ; if their ignorance in agriculture do not rather fo
difpofeit The Natives are generally ftrong, adive and couragious; the male fort from
their infancy pradife the rudepoftures oiMars, covering their naked bodies with maffie
Targets, their right hand brandifhing a long but fmall Azaguay or lance of Ebony barbed
with Iron, kept bright, and which by exercifethey know how to jaculate as well as any
People in the Univerfe : difcommendable only in their being impoifoned according to
the Ethiopian ciiftom, *AZthiofum geminata venenis f^ulnera in Claud. & Sagittdi inmgunt^
radix qmdam mortifera eft, Theophraft. They are black, at no time lhading their bodies
from the parching Sun, but rather delighting to rub and anoint themfelves all over with
greafe and tallow, proud to fee their flelh fhine, the ftink never offending them: their
hair is black, and, contrary to the Africans, long, yet curled: the length is held an orna
ment *, they have a few leaves plaited about the waift, elfewhere go naked ^ their ears are
bored and wide enough', pinking and ; cutting the ilefh is here in fafiiion: whiles the bet
ter fex feek prey abroad, the women (therein like themfelves) keep home and ipin: biga
my is tolerated •, copulation they affed very early, the youth fcarce knowing 1 i.the maiden
10. years in the world the name Virginity. Delighted with fports and novelties •, hunting,
hawking, Miing, (of which the Ifle affords variety) and dancing*, inwinding,
beating and clapping their breafts and hands, their feet fpurning the yielding fands,
forces the fpedators further off-, during which the women with favage harmony, modula
ting with hands and eyes and obferving meafure, equal if not exceed the men in their la
borious treadings.
Till of late they knew not Letters. Art being burdenfome to Savages, compleats that
jeer Sophocles-, Nilfcire nihil jncmdm: howbeit, neceffity has taught them part of the
rudiment of Arithmetick when the number ten limited their invention ^ furpafling the
Mexicans who number but to fix 5 //o 1. Tone 2. Telia 1. Effad 4. Fruto 5. Wouhla 6. Sidda.
-j.FonloK. Malo y. Nel. 10. Their fpeechever fmce they embraced hath(efped-
ally upon the Sea-coaft) a mixture of Arahique' y what is fpoken over the reft of the Ifle dif
fers only in the dialed or various pronunciation. They call Water Camha, Bread Cohea, Salt
Sinz.Milk Renovaji Sheep Gofeefi Cow Angomba,z Horfe Coma, Fifh Langora, a Bow Hichafi
Sword yira, a Lance Lejfo, a Gun Pingbarra, a Dart Fajaro, an AnowAguay,a. Knife Sijfee,a
Horfe Coma, a Man To a Woman Codez,, an Infant T opee, good char a,bad rme y yea.mifee,
no cherufes. And albeit this Charader render s thefe people no other than favage,let us not
contemn them over much, feeing that the mofl civilized Nations amongft us have in their
infancy been no lefs inailtured, as fome render ourAnceftors the Britains, and what the
Saxon were obferve out of Tacim deferibing the Fenni then inhabiting part Germany :
PopidifimtrfuorHm vnira e?at feritas & foeda patipertas) Non arma^equi nec penates'^jiBm herhayve-
fflitm pellis,cnbikhnmiis^[ola infagitpisfpestfuasferri inopia ojfibm afperant. Venatm viros pariter ac
tv-'c foeminas