'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.' [‎365] (388/448)

Idol on their creft pardon after they have perpetrated an homicide. Not unlike what
was pradifed by Lewis the eleventh to the Crucifix in his Hat. But withal, thefe Javans
are drunk in Demonomy i and the more earneftly embrace it by how much their corrupt
natures abhor honefty: whence it happens, that they trade in murder, adultery, theft, ra
pine, deceit, and all other wickednefs. Magick alfo and Aftrology delight them •, a ftudy
their Priefts are excellent in, and in which Satan 'tis thought inftruds them, the better to
oblige their gratitude, and to worlhip him as the Apollo of knowledge: which we may in
culcate with that of the Prophet Jfaiah chap.44. Is there any God be fides the Lord (Jehovah ? )
yea, there is no God, we know not any. He maketh the Diviners mad, he tnrneth the wife-men
backward, and maketh their knowledge foolijh. And in Jerem, 10. Let m not learn the way of
the Heathen, they are altogether bruitijh and foolijhhis molten Image is faljhood, and there is no
breath in them: they are vanity, and in the day of account they jhallperijh. But in the Lord jhall
all true Believers bejuftified, and jhall glory. And to convince thefe, 1 may likewife oppole
them with a Heathen informing them, that Etfi Dei populares funt multi, Vnum tamen ejfe
naturalem: albeit national Gods there are many, there is but one natural the God of Na
ture, Cic.l. 1. de Natura Deorum y and much more with that of the Apoftle Idolum ni
hil eft in Mundo. Etenim etfi funt qui dicantur Dii, five in ccelo five in terra (ficuti funt Dii
multi & Domini multi) tamen nobis unus Dew \ Vater, ex quo omnia, & nos in ilium& mm
Dominusyfefus Chrlftus, per quern omnia, & nos per ipfum. An Idol is nothing in the World
and there is none other God but one: For, though there be that are called Gods, whether
in Heaven or Earth (as there be Gods many and Lords many) yet to us there is but one
God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him j and one Lord Jefus Chrift, by
whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. 8.4. To return.
The Natives, till of late, were not acquainted with Navigation: but in the Art of fwira-
ming (as moft Negroes) are very excellent. And feeing they are not (for want of Ships
and marine knowledge) capable of affairs abroad, thofe that live fome diltance from
the Sea make hunting their chief recreation: and fuch fport as tries their courage as well
as agility; the Ifle having ftore of Tygres, Ounces, and fuch Beafts as give chaie and re-
fiftance. The Alcoran is known of late years in moft parts of the Ifle, and as an infedi-
ous air fpread into the moft remote Iflands. Friendly they are towards the Englijh, efpe-
cially fince the Dutch forced Jacatra from them, betwixt whom is fuch variance, that fif
teen Ryals have been given by either as a reward for a Prifoner dead or alive: nor is there
ever hope of true amity with Barbarians. The Oran-kays are the prime fort of people *
who are lazie and fociable, but deceitful. They repute themfelyes defcended from Chy~
na \ and have a Tradition that they landed there out of a Junk which was feven hundred
years ago forced upon that Ifle by tempeft. They are a very proud race, wear their
hair pretty long, and about their heads fometimes wreath a valuable Shafh which none but
themfelves dare touch but go elfewhere naked to the. wafte,where they gird themlelves
with a patty-coloured Mantle which falls no deeper than the knees. Their ordinary food
(and not at eafie rates) is Rice, Wheat, Finange, Betele, Opium, Goats, Hens, Eggs, Co
coes, Plantains and Jacks •, for drink they have excellent good Water *, and for Wine, Rac-
a-pee, which like the Irifr Ufquebaugh drunk immoderately accelerates death; but tem
perately exhilarates the heart, cures fluxes, kills worms, and helps digeftion. Thefe parts
are for the greater part of the year fubjed to fuch loud thunders and flafhes of lightnings,
as are very dreadful to ftrangers.
Whence this noble Ifle is called Java, I confefs my ignorance. From J-avan (faphets
Son) would be ridiculous to fuppofe, in that moft agree his Plantation was in the lefler
jifia: but in regard his Brother Tharfis peopled thefe parts, might he not from his Bro
thers name, and to his memory, borrow the denomination ? Niger apprehends that it is
the fame was called InfuUfabadU, which founds like Java: fome call it famboli. There is
another in Moraa of that name: fome alfo take it for Taprobane.
Nothing fave Pepper and Cotton prefent themfelves in this Ifle worthy our noting.
Pepper is a feed firft ibwn, and in the growth like Hops or Vines lupported by poles, till
by maturity it gets the ftrength of abufhy,round, and pleafant Tree: the Pepper hangs
four inches inlength and one about in many clufters *, each yielding fifty or fixty corns
which be full, and round and fragrant: the fmoothis beft accounted of.
Cotton is no lefs obfervable. The Tree is flender but ftreight, a yard high and like a
Briar. Virgil in his lib. 2. Georg. feemsto have notice of it,
' .v, '
Trees grow in ^Ethiopia white with Wool, Q. u ^ Nemora iEthiopum molli canei
Where, from the leaves the Natives fleeces pull. yclkraqj ut foliis defpeftant tenuia