Pilgrimage, Book 7 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of other Countries betweene the Redde Sea and Benomotapa.
AEthiopia Exterior, or Inferior, is that Southerly Tract of Africa, which to Ptolomey and the Auncients was vnknowne. It comprehendeth all that great wedge of Land (such is the forme) which beginning in the West, at the Countries aboue Zaire, stretcheth to fiue and thirtie degrees of Southerly latitude, and from thence, Northwards, to the entrance or mouth of the Arabian Gulse; all this way besieged and enuironed with the Ocean aBot.Ben.part.1.l.2. maginus. Pory before Leo.Maginus diuideth it into fiue parts, Aian, Zanguebar, Benomotapa, Cafraria, and Congo: but Congo is here taken in a very large sence. Aian, after the Arabians account, containeth all that Region which lyeth betweene the mouth of the Redde Sea, and Quilimanci; being, for the most part, on the SeaCoast inhabited by the said Arabians: but the in-land parts thereof are peopled with a blacke Heathenish Nation. It comprehendeth two Kingdomes, Adel, and Adea; the former of which extendeth from that mouth of the Sea before mentioned, to the Cape Guardafu, by bPtol.l.A.c.7.Ptolomey called Aromata. South and West it bordereth vponupon the dominions of Prete Ianns, about the Kingdome of Fatigar. The chiefe Citie is Arar. Zelia also and Barbora pertaine to this Kingdome, Cities without the Strait, on the Sea, much frequented with Merchants. Zeila is situate in eleuen degrees, where Ptolomey placeth the Avalites. It is stored with varietie of Merchandise, and yeeldeth some representation of Antiquitie in the buildings thereof, consisting of Lime and Stone. The King is a Moore, and esteemed a Saint among the superstitious Mahumetans, for his continuall Warres with the Christian Abassines, whence he transporteth innumerable slaues to the Arabians and Turkes, receiuing in exchange Armour and other helpes for his Warres. Anno 1541 Guad tameth the King hauing before done much harme, by the helpe of some Portugalls which Claudius the Abassine had in his warres, was slaine, and his Armie ouerthrowne: but his successour, Anno 1559, slew Claudius in battaile, and the Moore acknowledging diuine assistance in this victorie, triumphed on an Asse. Zeila was burnt and sacked by the Portugalls, Anno 1516: as Andrea cAndrea CorsaliCorsali, who was then present in the Action, testifieth.
Adea is situate betweene Adel, Abassia, and the Sea. The inhabitants are Moores, descended of the Arabians, who many hundred yeares agoe, partly by their rich Traffique, and especially by force of Armes, became Lords, not onelyonly of A…an, but of all the Sea-Coast, to Cape dos corrientes, which is somewhat to the South of the Southerly Tropicke. In all which space, before the Portugall Discoueries, that part of the Cities which lay open to the Sea, was open and vnfortified, but toward the Land were walled, for feare of the in-land people. Adea payeth tribute to the Abassian. In this Kingdome is Magadazzo, being it selfe a pettie Kingdome of the Moores, which are of an Oliue colour. dLud. Roma…, l.7.Brava was a free Towne, which, with Pate and Gogia, were taken by the Portugalls, vnderunder Tristan de Cugna.
Zanzibar, or Zanguebar, is a name by the Arabians and Persians giuen to that Tract, extending from the Riuer Qualimanci, which Ptolomey calls Raptus, to the borders of Benomotapa. Some, in a larger extent, include Benomotapa and Cafraria. Sanutus affirmeth, That it is a low, fennie, and wooddie Countrey, with many Riuers, which by extremitie of moisture cause the ayre to be intemperate. From the waste vpwards they goe naked. Herein are contained the Territories of Melinde, Mombaza, Quiloa, Mosambique, and others. Melinde e…o.di Barros, Dec.1.l.4.c.6. … faith, At Melinde G…nma receiued kinde entertainement, and Pilots to conuey hun to India, when it was first discouered by the Portugalls.is the name of a Kingdome, and of the chiefe Citie thereof: The inhabitants, especially neere to the Sea, are Moores, and build their houses after the manner of Europe. The women are white, and the men, of colour inclining to white, notwithstanding the situation vnderunder the Line. They hauehave blacke people also, which are Heathens for the most part. Of like condition is Mombazaf fVascus Gamma 1500, subducd Mombaza, and Almeida fiue yeares after, and, after Non…ius, Acuna. Osor. dereb. Eman.(which is said to hauehave some resemblance with Rhodes) but enemie to the Christians, and was ruinated by Thomas Cotigno, in the yeare 1589, for receiuing Alebech the Turke; as Ampazi in the same Coast, by Alfonso Mello the yeare before.
Quiloa stands nine degrees to the South of the Line: the name of a Citie and Island, which is a Kingdome of the Moores, and extendeth her dominion faire in the Coastg. gMa…. hist. indic. l 2. Arthus bist. ind. c.2.o.The King grew mightie by the Trade of Sofala; but it was made tributarie to Portugall by Vascus Gamma, Anna 1500. In the yeare 1505 the Portugalls for deniali of that tribute, depriued Abrahem, the Arabian Ring, of his Scepter, and built a Fort there; which the Moores soone after destroyed, together with the new King, made by the Portugalls. The people are whitish, their women comely, rich in attire: their houses faire built, and richly furnished.
Betweene Coava and Cuama, two Riuers which spring out of the same Lake with Nilus, are the Kingdomes of Mombara, Mozimba, Macuas, Embcoe, and against them the Promontorie Prassum. Here is Mosambique hSee Linschot l … c.4. Paludanus ibid., by which name is signified a Kingdome in the Continent, and an Island also, with a safe Harbour, which with two other Islands are in the mouth of the Riuer Moghincats, in fifteene degrees South. Mosambique is inhabited by Portugalls, which hauehave there a strong Castle: here the Portugall shippes Winter. In this Island are Sheepe, with tayles of fiue and twentie pound weight (a Beast common in Africa:) Hennes blacke both in feathers, flesh, and bone, and sodden, looke like Inke, yet sweeter then other in taste: Porke very good, but for the decre sauce. There are some Mahumetans, as they were all, before the Portugalls arriuall there. They hauehave Trade in the Continent, in Sena, Macurva, Sofala, Cuama, a people for the most part differing in speech and behauiour, each Village fighting with her neighbour, captiuing them: and some (as at Macurva) eat them. Their chiefest … is by Hunting, and by flesh of Elephants. In euerie Village is a new King. The Captaine of Mosambique, in his three yeares Gouernment, maketh thre… hundred thousand duckats gaine, especially by Gold, from Sofala.
Vp further wi…nin Land t…e people goe almost naked, and were so simple when first the Portug…is traded … …ther iL Romanus, l. g., that Ludonico Barthema, or Vertomannus, for his shirt; and an…ther, for a …sor, and a little Bell; bought fifteene Cowes of them; and then were …eadie to fall together by the eares among themselues for the Bell, who should hauehave it. But they could not enioy their purchase, being driuen to their heeles by three female Elephants, which hauing young ones, were very fierce, and made them leaue their Ki… to saue themselues. In these Seas the Moores sayle in Vessells fow… Lea…r, the sayles of Palme-tree leaues, calked with Gumme, gathered off … T… in … Woods.
S… … betweene Cuama and Magnice, two Riuers. Here the Portugals hauehave on a little …nd (whence the whole Kingdome hath this name) a Fort and Factorie of … rich Trade, the people bringing great quantitie of Gold (whereof they hauehave plentifull Mines) for their Cloth and other commodities: it is supposed that it amounteth to two millions yearely. Ortelius kOrtel, Thesaur.is of opinion, That this Cephala, or Sophala, is that which in Salomons time l…eg 9.28. 2. chron.9.21.was called Ophor, from whence so great quantitie of Gold was brought by his Nauie. Iosephus m…seph. Antiq.seekes for it in India: Eupolemus nEuseb. deprap. l.9 …in the Redde Sea, imagining it to be an Island there placed. Dom, oNiger Geog. Tremd & Iun. A…not.Niger Tremellus and Iunius, in Aurea Chersonesus, where Malacca standeth (although wee reade not of any great quantitie of Gold found in that soyle.) pGaspar Var. d… Ophyra.Gaspar Varerius is of the same minde, but reckoneth to the Chersonesus both Pegu and Samotta, with all that lyeth betweene them. Vatablas qVatin i.r.….9. F.Mart. de….I.l.3.with lesse reason applyeth it to Spagniola, discouered by Columbus. and by Columbus himselfe so called. Arias rAr. Mont. Mo…n. … verit. I o…llus. G…rep. Hispania.Montanus. Philip Morn…y. Post…lls, Geropi…s, would by their authoritie much moue vsus to thinke with them, that Ophir is Peru, if the ignorance of the Load-stone, and those huge Seas, esteemed by Antiquitie vnnauigable, did not detaine vsus from consent: And where should Peru yeeld him Ivorie, where neuer was yet seene an Elephant? Iosephus s…Ios. Acosta, l.I.6.14.Acosta taketh Ophir and Tharsis to signifie no certaine places, but commonly to be taken in a generall sence, as the word India is now with vsus; a name giuen to all remote Countries, East and West. Hee thinketh, that Salomons Gold, Ivorie, &c. came from the East Indies.
But some reasons doe yeeld great cause of co…iecture for Sofala, both because of the plentie of the commodities which Salomons seruants are said to bring with them, and because of auncient buildings of Stone-worke, which the tIo.di Barros Dec.i.l.10.c.1.inhabitants call, the worke of Deuills; supposing it impossible for men (guessing of others by their owne ignorance) to hauehave built: Which also hauehave strange Letters, that the Moores (though learned) could not reade: (And why might they not be the olde Hebrew Letters, which the Phoenicians of old, and Samaritans to this day obserue, as elsewhere we hauehave shewed?)
And further, Thomas uNauigationi di Thome Lopez ap. Ramusium.Lopez telleth, That certaine Moores related vntounto them of the riches of those Mines; that Shippes from Mecca and Zidem vsed to trade there; and that yearely there were taken forth of the Mines two millions of Mittigalls, eueryevery Mittigall being a Duckat of Gold, and a third part: That the Warres in those Countries at that time had ceased the Traffique: and that they had Bookes and auncient Writings, which testified, That these were the Mines whence Salomon, in his three yeares Voyages, fetched his Gold, and that the Queene of Saba was naturall of the parts of India.
As for India, yee hauehave xCap. sup.euen now read, that it was a name giuen to many Nations, and among the rest, to Aethiopia. And if a man consider the small skill which that Age of the world had in marine affaires, still as much as might be holding their course within fight of Land, he can scarce thinke, that long Nauigations could then be performed. Barrius accounteth all Sofala to the Empire of Benomotapa, of which wee shall speake anone: wee hauehave now mentioned the same, by reason of the Isle which is subiect to the Portugalls. These, beside Gold, here hauehave great Trade for Ivorie, of which Barrius sayth, That in Benomotapa are yearely slaine foure or fiue thousands, and of Water-horses (whose teeth are accounted Ivorie also) all the great Riuers in Africa are full. These feede sometimes on the Medowes, where the Mariners hauehave chased them, as Lopez yTh. Lopez.reporteth: and after long chasing by Land, they hauehave taken the water; where, in reuenge, they hauehave assaulted the Mariners in their Boates, and bitten chippes of the same, being, by the thicknesse of their Hides, armed against their Pikes, and hauehave made them afraid, that they would ouer-whelme the Boat.
Within the Land, behind these parts, is the Kingdome of Monoemugi, which is rich in Gold: their vnfortunate warres with Monomotapa hauehave made them knowne. Nilus is their Westerne border, and Abassia on the North. They hauehave little redde Balls made of a kinde of Clay in Cambaya, and resembling Glasse, which they weare for ornament, and vse for money. This King warreth with the Benomotapa, and hath terrible souldiours, called Giacqui, or Agab, or Ag…g, who inhabite betweene the Lakes, whence Nilus and Zaire take their beginnings; which liue a wandering life, like the Nomades, in Cottages, which they make in the Fields. They are of stature tall, and of countenance terrible, making lines vponupon their cheekes with certaine yron Instruments, and turning their eye-lids backward, eating their enemies.
These not long since (as zOd. Lopez, I.2.C.5.some say) inuaded the Kingdome of Congo, and forced the King to keepe in a small Isle, where himselfe was taken with a Dropsie, and his people famished, as after shall follow in due place. The Amazones of Monomotapa are eueryevery way equall vntounto them in prowesse. Little is knowne of the Religion of these Heathenish Nations, nor of other Kingdomes, whereof we hauehave little but the names to relate, Goroua, Col…a, Anzuga, Moneulo, Baduis.
Now for those Moores which inhabited the Sea-coasts, as wee hauehave said, they are not all aIo. di Barros, Dec.I.lib.8.c.4.Catholike Mahumetans, especially such of them as hauehave conuersed, and taken their habitations further within Land. And the first Moores or Arabians that came to inhabit those coasts, were banished persons, called as in the Chronicles of Quiloa is reported, Emozaidin, of Zaide, the nephew of Hocem the sonne of Hali, whose Doctrine they followed in some opinions, contrary to the Alcoran, and therefore esteemed Heretikes.
Long after them came three shippes with great multitudes of Arabians, that fled from the King of Laza their enemie, vnderunder the conduct of seuen brethren, which built Magadazzo, and after that, Braua; which, in manner of a Common-wealth, was till the Portugals time gouerned by twelue Aldermen, or chiefe Gouernours, that descended of the seuen brethren.
These Moores and the former differing from each other in their superstitions, could not agree, and therefore the Emozaidin were forced vp higher into the Countrey, and there by mariages mixed themselues with the Cafers (so the Arabians call all Heathen people) and became Mungrels in a galli-maufrey of deuotions, whom therefore the Sea-cost-Moores called by a generall name, bBoter….Baduini: which in Arabia and Egypt, is the title of the people that liue in the Champaine, and Inland countries: and those that liue neere the Sea-coast are called Arabians, &c. They make no difference of meats. The Heathens in those parts are giuen to Auguries and Witcher…es: & in their highest attempts and greatest resolutions, yet will leaue off, if any of these phantasies bode vnluckinesse. The fruits, birds, beasts, and seeds, are in manner like to the people, all wilde. The aire is vnholesome. But what vnhealthsomenesse can there bee found, where gold is found? which makes men commit themselues (no maruell what they commit with others) to the most scorching heats, to contagious aires, to tempestuous seas, and the darkest prisons of the disembowelled Earth.