The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, - Richard Hakluyt
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Of a strange and vncouth idole: and of certaine customes and ceremonies.
In the said kingdome of Mobar there is a wonderfull strange idole, being
made after the shape and resemblance of a man, as big as the image of our
Christopher, et [sic passim--KTH] consisting all of most pure and
glittering gold. And about the neck thereof hangeth a silke riband, ful of
most rich and precious stones, some one of which is of more value then a
whole kingdome. The house of this idol is all of beaten gold, namely the
roofe, the pauement, and the sieling of the wall within and without. Vnto
this idol the Indians go on pilgrimage, as we do vnto S. Peter. Some go
with halters about their necks, some with their hands bound behind them,
some others with kniues sticking on their armes or legs: and if after their
peregrination, the flesh of their wounded arme festereth or corrupteth,
they esteeme that limme to be holy, and thinke that their God is wel
pleased with them. Neare vnto the temple of that idol is a lake made by the
hands of men in an open et common place, whereinto the pilgrimes cast gold,
siluer, and precious stones, for the honour of the idol and the repairing
of his temple. And therefore when any thing is to be adorned or mended,
they go vnto this lake taking vp the treasure which was cast in. Moreouer
at euery yerely feast of the making or repairing of the said idol, the king
and queene, with the whole multitude of the people, and all the pilgrimes
assemble themselues, and placing the said idol in a most stately and rich
chariot, they cary him out of their temple with songs, and with all kind of
musical harmonie, and a great company of virgins go procession-wise two and
two in a rank singing before him. Many pilgrims also put themselues vnder
the chariot wheeles, to the end that their false god may go ouer them: and
al they ouer whom the chariot runneth, are crushed in pieces, and diuided
asunder in the midst, and slaine right out. Yea, and in doing this, they
think themselues to die most holily and securely, in the seruice of their
god. And by this meanes euery yere, there die vnder the said filthy idol,
mo then 500. persons, whose carkases are burned, and their ashes are kept
for reliques, because they died in that sort for their god. Moreouer they
haue another detestable ceremony. For when any man offers to die in the
seruice of his false god, his parents, and all his friends assemble
themselues together with a consort of musicians, making him a great and
solemne feast: which feast being ended, they hange 5. sharpe kniues about
his neck carying him before the idol, and so soone as he is come thither,
he taketh one of his kniues crying with a loud voice, For the worship of my
god do I cut this my flesh, and then he casteth the morsel which is cut, at
the face of his idol: but at the very last wound wherewith he murthereth
himselfe, he vttereth these words: Now do I yeeld my self to death in the
behalfe of my god, and being dead, his body is burned, and is esteemed by
al men to be holy. The king of the said region is most rich in gold,
siluer, and precious stones, and there be the fairest vnions in al the
world. Traueling from thence by the Ocean sea 50. daies iourney southward,
I came vnto a certain land named Lammori, [Marginal note: Perhaps he
meaneth Comori.] where, in regard of extreeme heat, the people both men and
women go stark-naked from top to toe: who seeing me apparelled scoffed at
me, saying that God made Adam et Eue naked. In this countrey al women are
common, so that no man can say, this is my wife. Also when any of the said
women beareth a son or a daughter, she bestowes it vpon any one that hath
lien with her, whom she pleaseth. Likewise al the land of that region is
possessed in common, so that there is not mine and thine, or any propriety
of possession in the diuision of lands: howbeit euery man hath is owne
house peculiar vnto himselfe. Mans flesh, if it be fat, is eaten as
ordinarily there, as beefe in our country. And albeit the people are most
lewd, yet the country is exceedingly good, abounding with al commodities,
as flesh, corne, rise, siluer, gold, wood of aloes, Campheir, and many
other things. Marchants comming vnto this region for traffique do vsually
bring with them fat men, selling them vnto the inhabitants as we sel hogs,
who immediatly kil and eat them. [Sidenote: Sumatra.] In this island
towards south, there is the another kingdome called Simoltra, where both
men and women marke themselues with red-hot yron in 12. sundry spots of
their faces: and this nation is at continual warre with certaine naked
people in another region. [Sidenote: Iaffa.] Then I traueled further vnto
another island called Iaua, the compasse whereof by sea is 3000. miles. The
king of this Iland hath 7. other crowned kings vnder his iurisdiction. The
said Island is throughly inhabited, and is thought to be one of the
principall Ilands of the whole world. In the same Iland there groweth great
plenty of cloues, cubibez, and nutmegs, and in a word all kinds of spices
are there to be had, and great abundance of all victuals except wine. The
king of the said land of Iaua hath a most braue and sumptuous pallace, the
most loftily built, that euer I saw any, and it hath most high greeses and
stayers to ascend vp to the roomes therein contained, one stayre being of
siluer, and another of gold, throughout the whole building. Also the lower
roomes were paued all ouer with one square plate of siluer, and another of
gold. All the wals vpon the inner side were seeled ouer with plates of
beaten gold, whereupon were engrauen the pictures of knights, hauing about
their temples, ech of them a wreath of golde, adorned with precious stones.
The roofe of the palace was of pure gold. With this king of Iaua the great
Can of Catay hath had many conflictes in war: whom notwithstanding the said
king hath alwayes ouercome and vanquished.
Of certaine trees yeelding meale, hony, and poyson.
Nere vnto the said Iland is another countrey called Panten, or
Tathalamasin. And the king of the same country hath many Ilands vnder his
dominion: In this land there are trees yeelding meale, hony, and wine, and
the most deadly poison in all the whole world: for against it there is but
one only remedy: and that is this: if any man hath taken of the poyson, and
would be deliuered from the danger thereof, let him temper the dung of a
man in water, and so drinke a good quantitie thereof, and it expels the
poyson immediatly, making it to auoid at the fundament. Meale is produced
out of the said trees after this maner. They be mighty huge trees, and when
they are cut with an axe by the ground, there issueth out of the stocke a
certain licour like vnto gumme, which they take and put into bags made of
leaues, laying them for 15 daies together abroad in the sun, and at the end
of those 15 dayes, when the said licour is throughly parched, it becommeth
meale. Then they steepe it first in sea water, washing it afterward with
fresh water, and so it is made very good and sauorie paste, whereof they
make either meat or bread, as they thinke good. Of which bread I my selfe
did eate, and it is fayrer without and somewhat browne within. [Sidenote: A
sea running still Southward.] By this countrey is the sea called Mare
mortuum, which runneth continually Southward, into the which whoseuer
falleth is neuer seene after. In this countrey also are found canes of an
incredible length, namely 60 paces high or more, and they are as bigge as
trees. Other canes there be also called Cassan, which overspread the earth
like grasse, and out of euery knot of them spring foorth certaine branches,
which are continued vpon the ground almost for the space of a mile. In the
sayd canes there are found certaine stones, one of which stones, whoseuer
carryeth about with him, cannot be wounded with any yron: and therefore the
men of that countrey for most part, carry such stones with them,
whithersoeuer they goe. Many also cause one of the armes of their children,
while they are yong, to be launced, putting one of the said stones in the
wound, healing also, and closing vp the said wound with the powder of a
certaine fish (the name whereof I do not know) which powder doth immediatly
consolidate and cure the said wound. And by the vertue of these stones, the
people aforesaid doe for the most part triumph both on sea and land.
Howbeit there is one kind of stratageme, which the enemies of this nation,
knowing the vertue of the sayd stones, doe practise against them: namely,
they prouide themselues armour of yron or steele against their arrowes, and
weapons also poisoned with the poyson of trees, and they carry in their
hands wooden stakes most sharpe and hard-pointed, as if they were yron:
likewise they shoot arrowes without yron heads, and so they confound and
slay some of their vnarmed foes trusting too securely vnto the vertue of
their stones. [Sidenote: Sayles made of reedes.] Also Of the foresayd canes
called Cassan they make sayles for their ships, and litle houses, and many
other necessaries. [Sidenote: Campa.] From thence after many dayes trauell,
I arrived at another kingdome called Campa, a most beautiful and rich
countrey, and abounding with all kind of victuals: the king whereof, at my
being there, had so many wiues and concubines, that he had 300 sonnes and
daughters by them. This king hath 10004 tame Elephants, which are kept euen
as we keepe droues of oxen, or flocks of sheepe in pasture.
Of the abundance of fishes, which cast themselues vpon the shore.
In this countrey there is one strange thing to be obserued, that euery
seueral kind of fishes in those seas come swimming towards the said
countrey in such abundance, that, for a great distance into the sea,
nothing can be seene but the backs of fishes: which, casting themselues
vpon the shore when they come neare vnto it, do suffer men, for the space
of 3. daies, to come and to take as many of them as they please, and then
they returne againe vnto the sea. After that kind of fishes comes another
kind, offering it selfe after the same maner, and so in like sort all other
kinds whatsoeuer: notwithstanding they do this but once in a yere. And I
demaunded of the inhabitants there, how, or by what meanes this strange
accident could come to passe: They answered, that fishes were taught, euen
by nature, to come and to do homage vnto their Emperour. [Sidenote:
Tortoises.] There be Tortoises also as bigge as an ouen. Many other things
I saw which are incredible, vnlesse a man should see them with his own
eies. In this country also dead men are burned, and their wiues are burned
aliue with them, as in the city of Polumbrum above mentioned: for the men
of that country say that she goeth to accompany him in another world, that
he should take none other wife in marriage. [Sidenote: Moumoran.] Moreouer
I traueled on further by the ocean-sea towards the south, and passed
through many countries and islands, whereof one is called Moumoran, and it
containeth in compasse ii. M. miles, wherein men and women haue dog faces,
and worship an oxe for their god: and therefore euery one of them cary the
image of an oxe of gold or siluer vpon their foreheads. The men and the
women of this country go all naked, sauing that they hang a linen cloth
before their priuities. The men of the said country are very tall and
mighty, and by reason that they goe naked, when they are to make battell,
they cary yron or steele targets before them, which do couer and defend
their bodies from top to toe: and whomsoeuer of their foes they take in
battel not being able to ransom himselfe for money, they presently deuoure
him: but if he be able to redeeme himselfe for money, they let him go free.
Their king weareth about his necke 300. great and most beautifull vnions,
and saith euery day 300. prayers vnto his god. He weareth vpon his finger
also a stone of a span long which seemeth to be a flame of fire, and
therefore when he weareth it, no man dare once approch vnto him: and they
say that there is not any stone in the whole world of more value then it.
Neither could at any time the great Tartarian Emperour of Katay either by
force, money, or policie obtaine it at his hands: notwithstanding that he
hath done the vtmost of his indeuour for this purpose.
Of the Island of Sylan: and of the mountaine where Adam mourned for his
sonne Abel.
I passed also by another island called Sylan, which conteineth in compasse
aboue ii. M. miles: wherein are an infinit number of serpents, and great
store of lions, beares, and al kinds of rauening and wild beasts, and
especially of elephants. In the said country there is an huge mountaine,
whereupon the inhabitants of that region do report that Adam mourned for
his son Abel the space of 500. yeres. In the midst of this mountain there
is a most beautiful plain, wherin is a litle lake conteining great plenty
of water, which water the inhabitants report to haue proceeded from the
teares of Adam and Eue: howbeit I proued that to be false, because I saw
the water flow in the lake. This water is ful of hors-leeches, and
blood-suckers, and of precious stones also: which precious stones the king
taketh not vnto his owne vse, but once or twise euery yere he permitteth
certaine poore people to diue vnder the water for the said stones, and al
that they can get he bestoweth vpon them, to the end they may pray for his
soule. But that they may with lesse danger diue vnder the water, they take
limons which they pil, anointing themselues throughly with the iuice
therof, and so they may diue naked vnder the water, the hors-leeches not
being able to hurt them. From this lake the water runneth euen vnto the
sea, and at a low ebbe the inhabitants dig rubies, diamonds, pearls, and
other pretious stones out of the shore: wherupon it is thought, that the
king of this island hath greater abundance of pretious stones, then any
other monarch in the whole earth besides. In the said country there be al
kinds of beasts and foules: and the people told me, that those beasts would
not inuade nor hurt any stranger, but only the natural inhabitants. I saw
in this island fouls as big as our countrey geese, hauing two heads, and
other miraculous things, which I will not here write off. Traueling on
further toward the south, I arriued at a certain island called Bodin,
[Marginal note: Or, Dadin.] which signifieth in our language vnclean. In
this island there do inhabit most wicked persons, who deuour and eat raw
flesh committing al kinds of vncleannes and abominations in such sort, as
it is incredible. For the father eateth his son, and the son his father,
the husbande his owne wife, and the wife her husband: and that after this
maner. If any mans father be sick, the son straight goes vnto the
soothsaying or prognosticating priest, requesting him to demand of his god,
whether his father shall recouer of that infirmity of no: Then both of them
go vnto an idol of gold or of siluer, making their praiers vnto it in maner
folowing: Lord, thou art our God, and thee we do adore, beseeching thee to
resolue vs, whether such a man must die, or recouer of such an infirmity or
no: Then the diuel answereth out of the foresaid idol: if he saith (he shal
liue) then returneth his son and ministreth things necessary vnto him, til
he hath attained vnto his former health: but if he saith (he shal die) then
goes the priest vnto him, and putting a cloth into his mouth doth strangle
him therewith: which being done, he cuts his dead body into morsels, and al
his friends and kinsfolks are inuited vnto the eating thereof, with musique
and all kinde of mirth: howbeit his bones are solemnely buried. And when I
found fault with that custome demanding a reason thereof, one of them gaue
me this answer: this we doe, least the wormes should eat his flesh, for
then his soule should suffer great torments, neither could I by any meanes
remooue them from that errour. Many other nouelties and strange things
there bee in this countrey, which no man would credite, vnles he saw them
with his owne eyes. Howbeit, I (before almighty God) do here make relation
of nothing but of that only, whereof I am as sure, as a man may be sure.
Concerning the foresaid islands I inquired of diuers wel-experienced
persons, who al of them, as it were with one consent, answered me saying,
That this India contained 4400. islands vnder it, or within it: in which
islands there are sixtie and foure crowned kings: and they say moreouer,
that the greater part of those islands are wel inhabited. And here I
conclude concerning that part of India.
Of the vpper India: and of the prouince of Mancy.
First of al therefore, hauing traueled many dayes iourney vpon the
Ocean-sea toward the East, at length I arriued at a certaine great prouince
called Mancy, being in Latine named India. Concerning this India I inquired
of Christians, of Saracens, and of Idolaters, and of al such as bare any
office vnder the great Can. Who all of them with one consent answered, that
this prouince of Mancy hath mo then 2000. great cities within the precincts
thereof, and that it aboundeth with all plenty of victuals, as namely with
bread, wine, rise, flesh, and fish. All the men of this prouince be
artificers and marchants, who, though they be in neuer so extreme penurie,
so long as they can helpe themselues by the labor of their hands, wil neuer
beg almes of any man. The men of this prouince are of a faire and comely
personage, but somewhat pale, hauing their heads shauen but a litle: but
the women are the most beautiful vnder the sunne. The first city of the
said India which I came vnto, is called Ceuskalon, [Marginal note: Or,
Ceuskala.] which being a daies iourney distant from the sea, stands vpon a
riuer, the water whereof, nere vnto the mouth, where it exonerateth it
selfe into the sea, doth ouerflow the land for the space of 12. daies
iourney. All the inhabitants of this India are worshippers of idols. The
foresaid city of Ceuskalon hath such an huge nauy belonging thereunto, that
no man would beleeue it vnlesse he should see it. In this city I saw 300.
li. of good and new ginger sold for lesse than a groat. There are the
greatest, and the fairest geese, and most plenty of them to be sold in al
the whole world, as I suppose: [Sidenote: He meaneth Pellicans, which the
Spaniards cal Alcatrarzi.] they are as white as milke, and haue a bone vpon
the crowne of their heads as bigge as an egge, being of the colour of
blood: vnder their throat they haue a skin or bag hanging downe halfe a
foot. They are exceeding fat and wel sold. Also they haue ducks and hens in
that country, one as big as two of ours. There be monstrous great serpents
likewise, which are taken by the inhabitants and eaten: whereupon a solemne
feast among them without serpents is not set by: and to be briefe, in this
city there are al kinds of victuals in great abundance. From thence I
passed by many cities, and at length I came vnto a city named Caitan,
[Marginal note: Or, Zaiton.] wherin the friers Minorites haue two places of
aboad, vnto the which I transported the bones of the dead friers, which
suffred martyrdom for the faith of Christ, as it is aboue mentioned. In
this city there is abundance of al kind of victuals very cheap. The said
city is as big as two of Bononia, and in it are many monasteries of
religious persons, al which do worship idols. I my selfe was in one of
those Monasteries, and it was told me, that there were in it iii. M.
religious men, hauing xi. M. idols: and one of the said idols which seemed
vnto me but litle in regard of the rest, was as big as our Christopher.
These religious men euery day do feed their idol-gods: wherupon at a
certeine time I went to behold the banquet: and indeed those things which
they brought vnto them were good to eat, and fuming hote, insomuch that the
steame of the smoke thereof ascended vp vnto their idols, and they said
that their gods were refreshed with the smoke: howbeit all the meat they
conueyed away, eating it vp their owne selues, and so they fed their dumb
gods with the smoke onely.
Of the citie Fuco.
Traueling more eastward, I came vnto a city named Fuco, which conteineth
30. miles in circuit, wherin be exceeding great and faire cocks, and al
their hens are as white as the very snow, hauing wol in stead of feathers,
like vnto sheep. It is a most stately and beautiful city, and standeth vpon
the sea. Then I went 18. dates iourney on further, and passed by many
prouinces and cities, and in the way I went ouer a certain great mountaine,
vpon the one side whereof I beheld al liuing creatures to be as black as a
cole, and the men and women on that side differed somwhat in maner of
liuing from others: howbeit, on the other side of the said hil euery liuing
thing was snow-white, and the inhabitants in their maner of liuing, were
altogether vnlike vnto others. There, all maried women cary in token that
they haue husbands, a great trunke of horne vpon their heads. [Sidenote: A
great riuer.] From thence I trauelled 18. dayes journey further, and came
vnto a certaine great riuer, and entered also into a city, whereunto
belongeth a mighty bridge, to passe the said riuer. And mine hoste, with
whom I soiourned, being desirous to shew me some sport, said vnto me: Sir,
if you will see any fish taken, goe with me. [Sidenote: Foules catching
fish.] Then he led me vnto the foresaid bridge, carying in his armes with
him certaine diue-doppers or water-foules, bound vnto a company of poles,
and about euery one of their necks he tied a threed, lest they should eat
the fish as fast as they tooke them: and he carried 3. great baskets with
him also: then loosed he the diue doppers from the poles, which presently
went into the water, and within lesse then the space of one houre, caught
as many fishes as filled the 3. baskets: which being full, mine hoste
vntyed the threeds from about their neckes, and entering the second time
into the riuer they fed themselues with fish, and being satisfied they
returned and suffered themselues to be bound vnto the saide poles as they
were before. And when I did eate of those fishes, me thought they were
exceeding good. Trauailing thence many dayes iourneys, at length I arriued
at another city called Canasia, [Marginal note: Or Cansai, or Quinzai.]
which signifieth in our language, the city of heauen. Neuer in all my life
did I see so great a citie; for it conteineth in circuit an hundreth miles:
neither sawe I any plot thereof, which was not throughly inhabited: yea, I
sawe many houses of tenne or twelue stories high, one aboue another. It
hath mightie large suburbs containing more people than the city it selfe.
Also it hath twelue principall gates: and about the distance of eight
miles, in the high way vnto euery one of the saide gates standeth a city as
big by estimation as Venice, and Padua. The foresaid city of Canasia is
situated in waters or marshes, which alwayes stand still, neither ebbing
nor flowing: howbeit it hath a defence for the winde like vnto Venice. In
this city there are mo than 10002. bridges, many whereof I numbred and
passed ouer them: [Sidenote: The Italian copy in Ramusius, hath 11000.
bridges.] and vpon euery of those bridges stand certaine watchmen of the
citie, keeping continuall watch and ward about the said city, for the great
Can the Emperour of Catay. The people of this countrey say, that they haue
one duetie inioyned vnto them by their lord: for euery fire payeth one
Balis in regard of tribute: and a Balis is fiue papers or pieces of silke,
which are worth one floren and an halfe of our coine. Tenne or twelue
housholds are accompted for one fire, and so pay tribute but for one fire
onely. Al those tributary fires amount vnto the number of 85. Thuman, with
other foure Thuman of the Saracens, which make 89. in al; And one Thuman
consisteth of 10000. fires. The residue of the people of the city are some
of them Christians, some marchants, and some traueilers through the
countrey: whereupon I marueiled much howe such an infinite number of
persons could inhabite and liue together. There is great aboundance of
victuals in this citie, as namely of bread and wine, and especially of
hogs-flesh, with other necessaries.
Of a Monastery where many strange beastes of diuers kindes doe liue vpon an
hill.
In the foresaide citie foure of our friers had conuerted a mighty and riche
man vnto the faith of Christ, at whose house I continually abode, for so
long time as I remained in the citie. Who vpon a certaine time saide vnto
me: Ara, that is to say, Father, will you goe and beholde the citie? And I
said, yea. Then embarqued we our selues, and directed our course vnto a
certaine great Monastery: where being arrived, he called a religious person
with whom he was acquainted, saying vnto him concerning me: this Raban
Francus, that is to say, this religious Frenchman commeth from the Westerne
parts of the world, and is now going to the city of Cambaleth to pray for
the life of the great Can, and therefore you must shew him some rare thing,
that when hee returnes into his owne countrey, he may say, this strange
sight or nouelty haue I seene in the city of Canasia. Then the said
religious man tooke two great baskets full of broken reliques which
remained of the table, and led me vnto a little walled parke, the doore
whereof he vnlocked with his key, and there appeared vnto vs a pleasant
faire green plot, into the which we entred. In the said greene stands a
litle mount in forme of a steeple, replenished with fragrant herbes and
fine shady trees. And while we stood there, he tooke a cymball or bell, and
rang therewith, as they vse to ring to dinner or beuoir in cloisters, at
the sound whereof many creatures of diuers kinds came downe from the mount,
some like apes, some like cats, some like monkeys and some hauing faces
like men. And while I stood beholding of them, they gathered themselues
together about him, to the number of 4200. of those creatures, putting
themselues in good order, before whom he set a platter, and gaue them the
said fragments to eate. And when they had eaten he rang vpon his cymbal the
second time, and they al returned vnto their former places. Then, wondring
greatly at the matter, I demanded what kind of creatures those might be?
They are (quoth he) the soules of noble men which we do here feed, for the
loue of God who gouerneth the world: and as a man was honorable or noble in
this life, so his soule after death, entreth into the body of some
excellent beast or other, but the soules of simple and rusticall people do
possesse the bodies of more vile and brutish creatures. Then I began to
refute that foule error: howbeit my speach did nothing at all preuaile with
him: for he could not be perswaded that any soule might remaine without a
body. [Sidenote: Chilenso.] From thence I departed vhto a certaine citie
named Chilenso, the walls whereof conteined 40. miles in circuit. In this
city there are 360. bridges of stone, the fairest that euer I saw: and it
is wel inhabited, hauing a great nauie belonging thereunto, and abounding
with all kinds of victuals and other commodities. [Sidenote: Thalay.] And
thence I went vnto a certaine riuer called Thalay, which where it is most
narrow, is 7. miles broad: [Sidenote: Cakam.] and it runneth through the
midst of the land of Pygmaei, whose chiefe city is called Cakam, and is one
of the goodliest cities in the world. These Pigmaeans are three of my spans
high, and they make larger and better cloth of cotten and silke, then any
other nation vnder the sunne. [Sidenote: Ianzu.] And coasting along by the
saide riuer, I came vnto a certaine citie named Ianzu, in which citie there
is one receptacle for the Friers of our order, and there be also three
Churches of the Nestorians. This Ianzu is a noble and great citie,
containing 48 Thuman of tributarie fiers, and in it are all kindes of
victuals, and great plenty of such beastes, foules and fishes, as
Christians doe vsually liue vpon. The lord of the same citie hath in
yeerely reuenues for salt onely, fiftie Thuman of balis, and one balis is
worth a floren and a halfe of our coyne: insomuch that one Thuman of balis
amounteth vnto the value of fifteene thousand florens. Howbeit the sayd
lord fauoureth his people in one respect, for sometimes he forgiueth them
freely two hundred Thuman, least there should be any scarcity or dearth
among them. There is a custome in this citie, that when any man is
determined to banquet his friends, going about vnto certaine tauernes or
cookes houses appointed for the same purpose, he sayth vnto euery
particular hoste, you shall haue such, and such of my friendes, whom you
must intertaine in my name, and so much I will bestowe vpon the banquet.
And by that means his friendes are better feasted at diuerse places, then
they should haue beene at one. Tenne miles from the sayde citie, about the
head of the foresayd riuer of Thalay, there is a certaine other citie
called Montu, which hath the greatest nauy that I saw in the whole world.
All their ships are as white as snow, and they haue banqueting houses in
them, and many other rare things also, which no man would beleeue, vnlesse
he had seene them with his owne eyes.