CHAP. XXIII.

Of some kingdomes of the newe worlde, and of particular things that haue beene seene in them; and treateth of the citie and riuer of Ganies.

Ouer against this famous citie, of which so many thinges may be spoken of, is that mightie kingdome and Iland of The Iland of Samatra supposed to be the Iland of Ophir. Samatra, called by the ancient cosmogrofers Trapouana, which is (as some say) the Iland of Ophir, whether the fleet which King Solomon sent, of which there is particular mention made in the Scripture, in the third Booke of the Kings,[98] cap. 9 and 10, and in the Paralipomenon,[99] cap. 9, that went and returned again laden with gold and rich tymber for to adorne the temple of Ierusalem, and of many other curious things, whose memorie doth remaine vnto this day amongst the naturall people, although diffusedly, but not so much as those that haue it out of the Holy Scripture, neither so true. This iland is vnder the equinoctial line, so that the one halfe doth extend vnto the pole artick, and the other halfe vnto the poole antarticke. It hath in longitude 230 leagues, and in latitude three score and seuen leagues: and is so nigh vnto Malaca, that in some parts it is less than ten leagues. In this kingdom there are many lords and rulers, yet he that hath the greatest part thereof is a Moore, and is The richest iland in the world. called Achan; it is one of the richest ilands in al the world, for that it hath many mynes of fine golde, of the which (although there is a law that they cannot take out of them more than is necessarie) yet there is great abundance carried from thence to Malaca, Turkie, and many other places. There is gathered vpon this iland great abundance of pepper and beniewyn[100] of Boninas, in great quantity, out of whose trees (whereof there is great woods) there come foorth so sweet a smel that it seemeth an earthly paradice, and was wont to be smelled twenty leagues at sea, for which respect the ships that saile that way do come so nigh the lande as they may to haue the comfort of that smell. There is also much camphora, and all kinde of spices; by reason wherof there commeth vnto this kingdome to traficke, many Turkes that come in ships and foystes[101] out of the Red Sea. Also there doth traficke thether those of the kingdom of Sunda, Iaua the great, and Ambayno, and others that are there nigh vnto them. Vnto this iland came certaine Portingals to buy and sell, whereas they were all slaine, and some for the profession of the faith; for the which they are holden for martyrs of Iesu Christ, by the opinion of Christians that doo dwell nigh, when they vnderstood the cause. The most part of this kingdome are Moores; and therefore they do abhor the Christians, and do make with them all the warre they can, but in especiall with them that dwell in Malaca, whom many times they haue put in great danger of their liues, and losse of their goods.

Running from this kingdome of Malaca by the north and northwest cost is the mightie kingdome of Pegu, the which is in bignes greater then Samatra, and equall in riches, especially of pearls and al sorts of stones, and very fine christall: there is great store of prouision, and an infinite number of people, and the king thereof is mightie: to whom (as we haue said) the king of Cyan doth pay tribute, because he ouercame him in a battaile which he had with him in the yeare 1568, according vnto the common opinion: the occasion was, that, vnderstanding how that the saide king of Syan had in his power a white elephant (whome those of the kingdome of Pegu do worship for god), the king sent to buy the same, and to giue for it so much as he would esteeme or value it: but he utterly denied the same, and saide that he would not let him haue it for all that he had in his kingdom: the which caused so great anger vnto the king, that hee called together all the souldiers that he could make, with determination to get by force of armes that which he could not by faire meanes and great ritches: in the which he did so great diligence, that in a fewe dayes hee had ioyned together An armie of a million and sixe hundred thousand men. an armie of a million and sixe hundreth thousande of men of warre, with whome hee departed vnto the saide kingdome of Syan, which was from his kingdome two hundreth leagues, and did not onely performe his pretence in bringing away the white elephant, but did also make the king tributarie, as he is vnto this day, as hath bin declared vnto you.

The rites of the people and priestes of this countrie, doo resemble much those of the kingdome of Syan: they haue amongst them many monasteries of men that liue honestly, solitarie, and with great penance, and people verie apt to receiue the holy gospell. For ouer and aboue that they are docible and of a good vnderstanding, they are men which do studie philosophie, and are well inclyned and charitable, and haue a particular affection vnto vertue, and vnto such as they do knowe that haue vertue, and very friendly to remedie the necessitie of their poore neighbours.

The kingdome of Arracon. Going from this kingdome towardes the north is the kingdome of Arracon, verie plentifull of prouision, but few things of contractation or marchandice, which is the occasion that it is not well knowen to the Spaniardes, for that they haue not gone thether. They doo vnderstand of the naturall people and of their customes, that they are very apt to receiue the holie gospell.

The kingdome of Vangala. From this kingdome alongst the same coast, you came vnto the kingdome of Vangala,[102] through the which doth passe the riuer Ganges, one of the foure that comme foorth of paradice terrenall, the which being vnderstood by a certaine king of this kingdome, he determined to cause some to ascend vp that riuer till such time as he had found the head spring or head thereof, and therewith paradice: for the which effect he commanded to be made diuers sortes of barkes, both small and great, and sent in them vp the riuer certaine men (of whose diligence hee had long experience), and were prouided with victuals for many daies, and gaue commandement that presently after that they had discouered that which hee desired, that they should return with great speede, for to giue him particular and true relation, with pretence foorthwith to go himselfe to inioy the things which he thought necessarie to be seene, and woorthie to be desired, of his trauaile, and in a place so delightfull.

These men did nauigate vp the riuer many monethes, and came vnto a place whereas the water came foorth so softly and with so small noyse, which gaue them to vnderstande that they were not farre from the first head thereof, which should be paradice, that which they went to seeke. They gaue to vnderstand that in this place, after they had seene so many tokens, and comforted themselues with maruellous sweete smels, and aires of great delight, they thought verily that they had bin in the paradice terrenall. And more, when as they came vnto that place, where as the riuer did runne so peaceable, and the ayre so delicate and sweet, there entred into the hearts of them all, so great and extraordinarie ioy, that they seemed to be in the true paradice, and forgot all the trauaile that they had passed for to come thether, and of any other thing that did signifie paine or griefe. But when they did intend to go forwardes with this their pretence and intent, and thereunto did put all diligence possible, they found by experience that all their trauaile was in vaine, and howe that they remained alwaies in one place: and coulde not vnderstande from whence did come or proceede that contradiction, they could not find in the waters by reason of the peaceablenesse thereof.

This experience being done, attributing it vnto a miserie because they could not get a shore, they returned backe againe by the same riuer, till they came to their owne kingdome, whereas they arriued in a very short time, and gaue their king to vnderstand (who sent them) all as aforesaide, and many other thinges more, the which I do leaue out for that I do take it apocripha. They hold it for a certaintie that the riuers Eufrates and Tygris are not far from this riuer Ganges; and it seemeth to be true, for both of them doo discharge their currents, or water, into the Persian sea, the which is not farre distant from this kingdome.

The people of this kingdome haue this riuer in great reuerence, which is the occasion that they neuer enter into the same but with great respect and feare. And when they doo washe or bath themselues in it, they haue it for a certaintie that they remaine cleare from all their sinnes. Likewise this kingdome, with great ease, might be conuerted vnto the Catholike faith as it seemeth, for that they haue amongst them many morall rites, ceremonies, and vertues.