Pilgrimage, Book 6 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of AFRICA, and the Creatures therein.
WHether this name Africa, bee so called of aG…. 25 4.Epher or Apher, the sonne of Midian, and Nephew of Abraham, by his second wife Keturah (as Iosephuss bAntiq.l.1.c.15affirmeth, alleadging witnesses of his opinion, Alexander Polyhistor, and Cleode… ) or of the Sunnes presence, cDe his etymis & alijs consule F. Luys de Vireta l. 4.c.1. Roterosbecause it is aprica, or of the coldes absence, of … and … as Festus saith: or of the word Faruta dDom. Nig. G. Arthus hist. Indiae Orien.c.4.which in the Arabian tongue signifieth to diuide (whereupon they call this part of the world Ifricbia) because it is (saith eIo. Leo.lib.1.Leo) diuided by Nilus, and the Sea, from the rest of the world: or of fPom.Mela.lib. 1.cap. 9.…fricus, an Arabian King, which (chased by the Assyrians) heere seated himselfe: or if any other gMany of the Ancients, and Leo ascribe all beyond Nilus to Asia: so Pol.hist.l.3.6.37. Africa intra Nilum & columnas Herculis sita est.can giuegive more probable Etimologie of the Name, I list not to contend. Nor is it meet for me to be religious in these questions of names, in this quest and inquire of Religions. It is a great Peninsula, by one Isth…, or necke of land betweene the red sea, and Mediterranean, ioyned to the continent, which with the red sea aforesaid is the Easterne limit of Africa, as the Mediteranean on the North, and elsewhere the Ocean.
For Nilus is a more obscure, and vncertaine vmpire. It is twice hMagin.as bigge as Europe, and yet not so much peopled: Nature hauing made heere her solitarie place of retiring, attended by scorching heates, and showers of sands, as a counterfeit of those heauenly raines, and mouing waters, which the aire and seas afford in other places.
Such are the many deserts in Africa, onelyonly fertile in barrennesse: although in other parts it is both fruitfull and populous. The Equinoctiall Circle doth in manner diuide it in the middest. And yet old Atlas neuer sheddeth his snowie haires, but hath alwayes on his huge and high …op…es vnmolten snow, whence sometime it is dispersed as from a store-house, in such incredible quantitie, that it couereth carts, Horses, and the toppes of trees, to the great danger of the inhabitants: and the fountaines are so cold as a man is not able to endure his hand in them. Mount Atlas aforesaid stretcheth from the Ocean, iOc. Atlanticus.bearing name of him almost to Egypt. Other Mountaines of name are those of Sierra, Leona, and the Mountaines of the Moone, &c.
One Lake Zembre, yeeldeth three mightie Riuers, disemboking themselues into three seuerall seas: Nilus which runneth Northwards fortie degrees from hence, in Astronomicall reckoning; Cuama which runneth into the Easterne; and Zaire into the Westerne seas: of which Riuers, and of other like, the Reader shall finde more in due place spoken.
The Romans reckoned sixe Prouinces in Africa: Ptolomey numbereth twelue. But then was not Africa so well knowne as now. Iohn Leo kIo Leo.lib.I.(a Moore, both learned and experienced) hauing spent many yeares in trauell, diuideth Africa into foure parts; Barbaria, Numidia, Lybia, and the Land of Negros. Numidia he calleth Biledulgerid, or the Region of Dates: and Lybia, he calleth Sarra, for so the Arabians call a desert. But he thus excludeth Egypt, and both the higher and lower Aethiopia, which others lMaginus. Pory.adde hereunto, and make vp seuen parts of Africa.
Many are the mIo.Leo lib.9.Creatures which Africa yeeldeth, not vsuall in our parts. Elephants are there in plentie, and keepe in great herdes together: The Giraffa or Camelopardalis; a beast not often seene, yet very tame, and of a strange composition, mixed of a Libard, Hart, Buffe, and Camell, nP. Bellon. l.2. cap.49. doth largely describe him.and by reason of his long legges before, and shorter behinde, not able to grase without difficultie, but with his high head, which he can stretch forth halfe a pikes length in height, seemeth to feed on the leaues and boughes of trees. The Camels in Afrike are more hardie then in other places; and will not onelyonly beare great burthen, but continue to trauell fiftie dayes together, without carrying with them any corne to giuegive them, but turne them out at night to feed on thistles, boughes, and the little grasse they finde: And no lesse patient are they of thirst, being able to endure fifteene dayes without drinke vponupon necessitie, and fiue dayes ordinarily. The Arabians in Africa count them their greatest wealth: for so they defcribe a mans riches, saying, Hee hath so many thousand Camels: and with these they can liue in the deserts without dread of any Prince.
Of Camels they hauehave three sorts: the first called Hugiun, of great stature, and strength, able to carry a thousand pound waight: the second lesle, with two bunches on the backe, fit for carriage and to ride one; called Becheti, of which they hauehave onelyonly in Asia. The third sort, called Ragnahil, is meagre and small, able to trauell (for they are not vsed to burthens) aboue an hundred miles in a day. And the King of Tombuto can send messengers on such Camels to Segelmesse or Darha, nine hundred miles distant in seuen or eight dayes, without stay or change by the way.
Their Camels also are docile: they will more be perswaded to hold on a iourney further then ordinary by songs, then blowes. In the spring they are mare-wood, & mad of copulation, in which time they are very ready both to hurt their followers, and to kill their maisters, or any that hauehave whipped or hurt them. Of horses they hauehave both wilde (which they entrap by subtil…ie) and tame: of which the Barbary ho: se is famous, in Europe and Asia highly prized. The Lant or Dant is a kinde of wilde Kine, but swifter then almost any other beast. They hauehave also wilde Kine, and wilde Asses. The Adimmain is as bigge as an Assle, otherwise resembling a Ramme. They hauehave other sheepe, whose Tailes weigh twenty pound, and sometime fourescore or more, carried on little Cart behinde them. But those Adimmain are found in the Deserts and kept to profit, yeelding them Milke and Cheese. The Females onelyonly hauehave hornes. The Lyons in cold places are more gentle, in hotter are more fierce, and will not flee the on-set of two hundred horsemen armed. Mr. Iohn Vassall oOf Eastwood in Essex.(a friend & neighbour of mine) tolde mee that he brought once out of Barbary a Lyons skinne, which from the …noute to the top of the Taile contained one and twenty foote in length. Strange it is that a Lionesse by shewing her hinder parts to the Male, should make him run away. In time of their coupling, eight or ten will follow one Female, with terrible & bloudy battels amongst themselues.
They engender backward, pPlin.l.8.c.16. Solinus c.36.as doe the Camel, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Ounce, and Tyger. They spare such men as prostrate themselues, and prey rather on men then women, and not at all on Infants, except compelled by hunger. Plinis tels that Alexander set thousands on worke by hunting, hauking, Fishing, or other meanes, to take and learne the Natures of creatures, that Aristotle might by them bee informed thereof, who wrote almost fiftie Treatises of that Subiect, whereof it seemeth most are lost. He citeth out of qAristot. histor. …nimalium.him, that Lyons bring forth small deformed lumpes, at the first time fiue, and (eueryevery yeare after) one lesse, after the fift burthen remaining barren. It cannot stirre till it be two monethes old, nor goe till it be six, if you beleeue him. The Lybians beleeue that the Lyon hath vnderstanding of prayers, and tell of a Getulian woman, which lying at the Lyons mercy besought him so Noble a beast not to dish mour himselfe with so ignoble a prey and conquest as shee a weake woman was. The like is told rOvied.hist.Ind. l.16.c.11. Vrban. Calueto in Benzon.l.3.of a Spanish Dogge, of one Didacus Salazara Spaniard. This man, according to the bloudy practise of that Nation, minding to fill his Dogges belly with an olde womans flesh which was his Captiue, gaue her a Letter to carry to the Gouernour and so soone as shee was a little past, loosed his Mastife, who presently had ouer-taken her. The woman terrified, proftrates her selfe to the Dogge, and sues for her life; Good Maister Dogge, Maister Dogge (saith she) in her language, I carry this Letter to the Gouernour (and shewes it him.) Be not fierce on me Maister Dogge. The Dogge (hauing changed, it seemes, with his maister his doggednesse for the others humanitie) made a stay, and lifting vp his legge onelyonly pisted on her and departed, to no small wonder of the Spaniards that knew him.
But to returne to the King of beastes. His Taile seemeth to be his Scepter, whereby he expresseth his passion. He shrinkes not at danger, except some couert of Woods shroude him from witnesses, and then he will take the benefit of flight, which otherwise he seemes to disdaine. Mentor, a man of Syracusa, was encountred with a Lyon, which in stead of tearing him, fawned on him, and with his dumbe eloquence seemed to implore his aide, shewing his diseased foote, wherein Mentor perceiued a stubbe sticking, which hee pulled out. The like is reported by Gellius sA Gellius Noct.A…tic…, out of Polyhistor, of a Fugitiue seruant, who hauing performed this kinde of office to a Lyon, was by him gratified for a long space with a daily portion of his prey, But after the man was taken and presented to his Maister (a Roman Senatour) who exhibited games to the Romanes, wherein seruants and condemned persons were exposed to the fury of the beasts, amongst whom he placed this seruant; and by a wonderfull Fate, this Lyon also was a little before taken & bestowed on him for this solemne spectacle. The beasts running with violence to their bloudy encounter, sodainly this Lyon stayed, and taking a little better view fawned on this his guest, and defended him from the assault of the other beasts: whereupon, by the peoples entreatie (who had learned the Storie of him) he was freed, and the beast giuen him: which followed him with a Line in the streetes, the people pointing and saying; Hic est homo Medicus leonis, hic est Leo hospes hominis. One Elpis a Samian performed a cure on another Lyon, pulling a bone out of his throate, at the Lyons gaping and silent mone: and in remebrance hereof built a temple (at his returne) to Bacchus at Sango, whom before he had inuoked, being in feare of a Lyon. Pliny and Solinus among other African beasts mention the Hyaena, which some thinke to be Male one yeare, and Female another, by course: This Aristotle tArist hist. animal.l.6.32.denies. This beast hath no necke-ioint, and therefore stirres not his necke, but with bending about his whole body. He will imitate humane voice, and drawing neere to the sheepe-coates, hauing heard the name of some of the shepheards wil call him, and when he comes, deuoure him. They tell that his eyes are diuersified with a thousand colours, that the touch of his shadow makes a dogge not able to barke. By eng…ndring with this beast, the Lionesse brings forth a Crocuta, of like qualities to the Hyaena. Hee hath one continued tooth without diuision throughout his mouth. In Africa also are wild Asses, among which, one Male hath many Females: a iealous beast, who (for feare of after encroching) bites off the stones to the yong Males, if the suspicious female preuent him not by bringing forth in a close place where he shall not finde it. The like is told of Beners, uFlin.l.8.c.30. Whitney Einbl. Solinus.which being hunted for the medicinable qualitie of their stones, are said to bite them off when they are in danger to be taken, paying that ransome for their liues. It cannot be true that is reported of the Hyaeneum, xMarbod…us de Gemmis.a stone found in the Hyaena's eye, that being put vnderunder the tongue of a man, he shall foretell things to come, except he fore-tell this, That no man will beleeue what our Authour before hath told.
The Libard is not hurtfull to men except they annoy him: but killeth and eateth Dogges. Dabuh is the name of a simple and base creature like a Wolfe, saue that his legges and feete are like to a mans: ySol in c. 33. calleth them Celphos.so foolish, that with a song, & a Taber, they which know his haunt will bring him out of his denne, and captiue his eares with their musicke, while another captiuateth his legges with a Rope.
The Zebra of all creatures for beauty and comelinesse is admirably pleasing: resembling a horse of exquisite composition, but not all so swift, all ouer-laide with partie coloured Laces, and guards, from head to Taile. They liue in great heards, as I was told by my friend Andrew Battle, who liued in the Kingdome of Congo many yeares, and for the space of some monethes liued on the flesh of this Beast, which hee killed with his peece. For vponupon some quarrell betwixt the Portugales (among whom he was a Sergeant of a band) and him, he liued eight or nine monethes in the woods, where he might hauehave view of hundreds together in heards both of these, and of Elephants. So simple was the Zebra, that when he shot one, hee might shoote still, they all standing still at gaze, till three or foure of them were dead. But more strange it seemed which hee told mee of a kinde of great Apes, if they might so be termed, of the height of a man, but twice as bigge in feature of their limmes, with strength proportionable, hairie all ouer, otherwise altogether like men and women in their vvhole bodily shape. They liued on such wilde fruites as the Trees and woods yeelded, and in the night time lodged on the Trees: Hee was accompanied with two Negro-boyes: and they carried away one of them by a sudden surprise: yet not hurting him, as they vse not to doe any which they take, except they then looke vponupon them. This slaue after a monethes life with them conuayed himselfe away againe to his Maister. Other Apes there are store, and as Solinus reporteth, zSatyres (if there be any such) are thought to be conceiued of humane copulation with Goates. …. raudius in Soli….Satyres with feete like Goates, and Sphynges, with breasts like women, and hairie, whereof Pierius saith hee saw one at Verona, and a kinde of Conies also at the same time, foure times as bigge as the ordinarie, & (which is more incredible) had each of them foure genitall members. Philippo Pigafetta speaketh in his Relation aCongo translated by A. H.of Congo, of other beastes in Africa, as of the Tyger as fierce and cruell as Lyons, making prey of man and beast, yet rather deuouring blacke men, then white: whose Mustachi…s are holden for mortall poison. and being giuen in meates, cause men to die madde. The Empalanga is somewhat like to an Oxe. Their sheepe and goates neuer bring forth lesse then two, and sometimes three or foure at a time. They hauehave Wolues, Foxes, Deere, (Red and Fallow) Robuckes, Ciuet-Cats, Sables and Marterns. They hauehave Snakes and Adders, whereof some are called Imbumas fiue and twenty spannes long, liuing in Land and water, not venemous but rauenous, and lurke in trees (for which taking purpose, Nature hath giuen it a little horne or claw within two or three foote of the Taile) waiting for their prey, which hauing taken, it deuoureth hornes, hoofes, and all, although it be a hart. And then swollen with this so huge a meale, it is as it were drunke and sleepie, and vnweldie or the space of fiue or six daies. The Pagan Negros rost and eate them as great dainties. The people doe eate them. The biting of their Vipers killeth in foure & twenty howers space. Africa for monsters in this kinde hath beene famous, as in the Roman Historie appeareth. Attilius bA Gel.l.6.c.3.Regulus the Romane Consul in the first Punike warre, at the Riuer Bagrada encountred with a huge Serpent, and planted his Engines an 1 Artillerie against the same, whose skinne, sent to Rome for a Monument, was in length a hundred and twenty foote, as Gellius out of Tubero reporteth. The Scales cOros.l.4.c.8.armed it from all hurt by darts or Arrowes, and with the breath it killed many, and had eaten many of the Souldiours before they could with a stone out of an Engine destroy the destroyer. The Riuers of Niger, Nilus, Zaire, and others, hauehave store of Crocodiles, whereof some are of incredible bignes and greedy denourers. Mount Atlas hath plenty of Dragons, grosse of bodie, flow of motion, and in biting or touching incurably venemous. The Deserts of Lybia hauehave in them many Hydra's. Dubh is the name of a kinde of great Lizard, not venemous, which neuer drinketh, and if water bee put in his mouth hee presently dieth. He is counted dainty meat, and three daies after hee is killed, at the heate of the fire hec moueth as if he had life. In Congo is a kinde of Dragons like in bignes to Rammes, with wings, hauing long Tailes, and Chappes, and diuers iawes of Teeth, of blew and greene colour, painted like scales, with two feete, and feede on rawe flesh. The Pagan Negros pray to them as Gods, for which cause the great Lords keepe them to make a gaine of the peoples deuotion, which offer their gifts and Oblations. The Chameleons are knowne among vsus, admirable for their acrie sustenance, (although they also hunt and eate Flies) and for the changeablenes of their colours. dSolinus c. 3.3.The Tarandus, a beast somewhat resembling an Oxe, liuing in Aethiopia, is of like fearefulnes and changeablenes. An other Serpent hath a rundle on his Taile like a Bell, which also ringeth as it goeth. But if any desire to know the varietie of these Serpents, Solinus in his thirteenth chapter will more fully satisfie him: and Bellonius in his obseruations.
Manifold are these kindes of Serpents in Africa, as the Cerastes, which hath a little Coronet of foure hornes, whereby he allureth the birds vntounto him (lying hidden in the sands all but the head,) & so deuoreth them. The Iaculi dart themselues from trees on such creatures as passe by. The Amphisbena, hath two heads, the Taile also onerated, (I cannot say honoured) with a head, which causeth it to moue circularly with crooked windings: a fit Embleme of popular sedition, where the people will rule their Prince, needes must their motion bee crooked, when there are two heads, and therefore none. The Scythale is admirable in her varied iacket. The Dipsas killes those whom shee stingeth, with thirst. The Hypanale with sleepe, as befell to Cleopatra. The Hemerois with vnstanchable bleeding. The Prester with swelling. And not to poison you with names of many other of these poisonfull creatures, the Basiliske is said to kill with her sight or hissing. Galen eGallen.lib.de Theriaca. Pliny saith it is twelue fingers long, and nine inches. 1.8.c.21.describes it: and so doe Solius and others. It is not halfe a foote long, and hath three pointells (Galen saith) on the head, or after Solinus, strakes like a Mitre. It blasteth the ground it toucheth, the Hearbes, and trees, and infecteth the ayre, that birds flying ouer fall dead. It frayeth a way other Serpents with the hissing. It goeth vpright from the belly vpwards. If any thing be slaine by it, the same also proueth venemous to such as touch it. OnelyOnly a Weasill killes it. The Bergameni bought the carkasse of one of them at an incredible summe, which they hung in their Temple (which Apelles hand had made famous) in a Net of Golde, to preserue the same from birds and Spiders. The Catoblepas is said to bee of like venemous nature, alwaies going with her head into the ground, her sight otherwise being deadly. As for the monsters, that by mixt generations of vnlike kindes Nature vnnaturally produceth flo. Baptistu Porta, &c.I leaue to others discourse. Leuinus gLemnius de occultis.14.c.12.Lemnius tels, that of the marrow in a mans backbone is engendred a Serpent; yea of an Egge which an old Cock will lay after he is vnable to tread Hennes any longer, is (saith he) by the same Cockes sitting, produced a basilske: and tells of two such Cockes at Zirizea, killed by the people, which had found them sitting on such Egges.
Ostriches keepe in companies in the Deserts, making shewes a far off as if they were troupes of Horsemen: a ridiculous terrour to the Carauans of Marchants: a foolish Bird, that forgetteth his Nest, and leaueth his Egges for the Sunne and Sands to hatch, that eateth any thing, euen the hardest Iron: that heareth nothing: They hauehave Eagles, Parots, and other Fowles. But none more strange then that which is tearmed Nisr, bigger then a Crane, preying vponupon Carrion, and by his flight burieth his great body in the clouds that none may see him, whence he espyeth his prey: and liueth so long that all his fethers fall away by age, and then is fostered by his yong ones.
Other fowles they hauehave too tedious to relate. Grashoppers doe here often renew the Aegyptian plague, which come in such quantitie that they intercept the shining of the Sunne like a cloud, and hauing eaten the fruits and Leaues, leaue their spawne behinde (worse then their predecessors) deuouring the very barkes of the Leafe-lesse Trees. The old depart none knowes whither: and sometime with a South-East winde are carried into Spaine. The Arabians, & Lybians eate them before they hauehave spawned, to that end gathering them in the morning, before the Sunne hauehave dried their wings, and made them able to flye. One man can gather foure or fiue bushels in a Morning. hP. Oros.l.5.c.11.Orosius tells that once they had not onelyonly eaten vp Fruits, Leaues, and Barke, while they liued, but being dead, did more harme: for beeing carried by a winde into the Sea, & the sea not brooking such morsels, vomiting them vp againe on the shore, their putrified carkasses caused such a plague, that in Numidia died thereof eight hundred thousand: and on the Sea coast neere Carthage and Vtica, two hundred thousand: and in Vtica it selfe thirtie thousand souldiours, which had beene mustered for the Garrisons of Africa. In one day were carried out of one gate one thousand & fiue hundred carkasses. They are said to come into Barbary seuen yeares togither, & other seuen not to come, at which times corne before so deare, is sold for little, and sometimes not vouchsafed the reaping, such their soile and plenty. The iuice of the yong is poison. Aluares in his 32. and 33. Chapters, tells of these Grashoppers in Aethiopia, that in some places they made the people trusse vp bagge and baggage, and seeke new habitations where they might finde victuall: The Countrey all desert and destroyed, and looking as if it had snowed there, by reason of the vnbarked Trees, and the fields of Mais, the great stalkes whereof were troden downe, and broken by them: and in another place a Tempest of raine and Thunder left them more then two yards thicke, on the Riuers bankes. This he saw with his eyes.
But the studious of Natures rarities in these parts may resort to Leo, and others, as also for their further satisfaction in the Fishes and Monsters of the water; as the Hyppopotamus, in shape resembling a horse, in bignes an Asse: The Sea Kine, lesser then the land Kine, the Tartaruca a tortuise, which liueth in the Deserts, of huge bignes, &c,
The people which inhabite Africa are Arabians, Mores, Abissines, Aegyptians, and diuers sorts of the Heathens, differing in rites from each other, as shall follow in our discourse. The Monsters which Pliny and others tell of, besides Munster and Sabellieus out of them, I neither beleeue, nor report.