A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 2
SECTION II.
Of the Soyl there, what it is, and what it produceth, &c.
THis moſt ſpacious and fertile Monarchy (called by the Inhabitants Indoſtan) ſo much abounds in all neceſſaries for the uſe and ſervice of man, to feed, and cloath, and enrich him, as that it is able to ſubſiſt and flouriſh of it ſelf, without the leaſt help from any Neighbour-Prince or Nation.
Here I ſhall ſpeak firſt of that which Nature requires moſt, Food, which this Empire brings forth in abundance; as, ſingular good Wheat, Rice, Barley, with divers more kinds of good Grain to make Bread (the ſtaff of life) and all theſe ſorts of Corn in their kinds, very good and exceeding cheap. For their Wheat, it is more full and more white than ours, of which the Inhabitants make ſuch pure, well-reliſhed Bread, that I may ſay of it, as one ſometimes ſpake of the Bread made in the Biſhoprick of Leige, it is Panis Pane melior, Bread better than Bread.
The ordinary ſort of people eat Bread made of a coarſer Grain, but both toothſome, and wholſome, and hearty; they make it up in broad Cakes, thick like our Oaten-cakes; and then bake it upon ſmall round iron hearths, which they carry with them when they journey from place to place, making uſe of them in their Tents. It ſhould ſeem to be an antient Cuſtome in the Eaſt, as may appear by that preſident of Sarah when ſhe entertained the Angels, who found her in her Tent; She took fine meal, and did knead it, and made Cakes thereof upon the hearth, Gen. 18. 6.
To their Bread they have great abundance of all other good Proviſion, as of Butter (beating their Cream into a ſubſtance like unto a thick Oyl, for in that hot Climate they can never make it hard) which though ſoft, yet it is very ſweet and good. They have Cheeſe likewiſe in plenty, by reaſon of their great number of Kine, and Sheep, and Goats. Beſides, they have a Beaſt very large, having a ſmooth thick skin without hair, called a Buffelo, which gives good milk; the fleſh of them is like Beef, but neither ſo toothſome nor wholſome. Theſe Buffeloes are much employed in carrying large skins of water (for they are very ſtrong Beaſts) which hang on both ſides of them, unto Families that want it: their Hides make the moſt firm and excellent Buff.
They have no want of Veniſon of divers kinds, as Red-Deer, Fallow-Deer, Elks (which are very large, and ſtrong, and fierce Creatures) Antilops, Kids, &c. but their Deer are no where imparked, the whole Empire being (as it were) a Forreſt for them; for a man can travel no way but he ſhall here and there ſee of them. But becauſe they are every mans Game that will make them ſo, they do not multiply to do them much hurt, either in their Corn, or other places.
To theſe, they have great ſtore of Hares, and they have plenty of Fowls wild and tame, as abundance of Hens, Geeſe, Ducks, Pigeons, Turtle-Doves, Partriches, Peacocks, Quails, and many other ſingular good Fowl. They have variety of Fiſh; all which, by reaſon of their Plenty. and becauſe many of the Natives eat no kind of Fleſh at all▪ nor of any thing that hath or may have life, and thoſe that feed on ſuch things eat not freely of any of thoſe living Creatures they are all bought there at ſuch eaſy rates, as if they were not worth the valuing. They do not cut their Chickens when they be little to make Capons, and therefore they have no Creatures of that name, but men, their Eunuchs called there Cogees or Capons in their Language: ſo made, when they be very young, and then deprived of all that might after provoke jealouſie; and therefore they are put to be attendants on their women, the great men of that Nation keeping many of them, a ſoft, tender people, tener Spado, as Juvenal cals one of them, that never come to have any Hair on their Faces.
But to return again to their Proviſions, the Beeves of that Countrey differ from ours, in that there are none of them very large; and thoſe they have, have each of them a great bunch of griſly fleſh which grows upon the meeting of their ſhoulders. The fleſh of their Beeves is much whiter than the fleſh of ours, and very ſweet, tender and good. Their Sheep differ from ours by their great fleſhy Bob-tails, which ſevered from their bodies are very ponderous. Their Wool is generally coarſe, but their fleſh is not ſo.
Now to ſeaſon all their good Proviſions, there is great ſtore of Salt; and to ſweeten all, abundance of Sugar growing in that Countrey; which, after it is well refined, may be there had at a very low rate; out of which they make very pure white Sugar-Candy, which may be had there at a ſmall eaſy Price likewiſe.
Their Fruits are every way anſwerable to the reſt, the Countrey abounding in Musk-Melons (very much better, becauſe they are better digeſted there by the heat of the Sun, than theſe with us) They have many Water-Melons, a very choyce good Fruit, and ſome of them as big as our ordinary Pompions, and in ſhape like them; the ſubſtance within this Fruit is ſpongie, but exceeding tender and well taſted, of a colour within equally mixed with red & white, and within that an excellent cooling and pleaſing liquor. Here are likewiſe ſtore of Pome-granats, Pome-citrons; here are Limons and Oranges, but I never found any there ſo good as I have ſeen elſwhere. Here are Dates, Figs, Grapes, Prunelloes, Almonds, Coquernuts (of which I obſerved ſomething before) and here they have thoſe moſt excellent Plums called Mirabolans, the ſtone of which Fruit differs very much from others in its ſhape, whereon Nature hath curiouſly quartered ſeveral ſtrakes equally divided, very pretty to behold; many of which choyce Plums (they write) are very cordial, and therefore worth the prizing, are there well preſerved, and ſent for England.
They have to theſe another Fruit we Engliſh there call a Planten, of which many of them grow in Cluſters together; long they are in ſhape, made like unto ſlender Cucumbers, and very yellow when they are Ripe, and then taſt like unto a Norwich Pear, but much better. Another moſt excellent Fruit they have, called a Manggo, growing upon Trees as big as our Walnut-trees; and as theſe here, ſo thoſe Trees there, will be very full of that moſt excellent Fruit, in ſhape and colour like unto our Apricocks, but much bigger; which taken and rolled in a mans hands when they are through ripe, the ſubſtance within them becomes like the pap of a roaſted Apple, which then ſuck'd out from about a large ſtone they have within them, is delicately pleaſing unto every Palate that taſts it. And to conclude with the beſt of all other their choyce Fruits, the An…anas, like unto our Pine-Apples, which ſeems to the Taſter to be a moſt pleaſing Compound made of Strawberies, Claret-wine, Roſe-water and Sugar well tempered together. In the Northernmoſt parts of this Empire they have variety of Pears and Apples, every where good Roots, as Carrets, Potatoes, and others like them. They have Onions and Garlick, and ſome Herbs and ſmall Roots for Salads; and in the Southernmoſt parts, Ginger growing almoſt in every place: the large Races whereof are there very excellently well preſerved, as we may know by our taſting them in England. And all theſe things I have laſt named may be there likewiſe bought at very low rates And laſtly, ſome one kind or other of their very good and choyce Fruits may be there had at every time or ſeaſon of the Year.
And here I cannot chuſe but take notice of a very pleaſant and clear liquor, called Toddie iſſuing from a Spongie Tree, that grows ſtrait and tall without Bowes to the top, and there ſpreads out in tender branches, very like unto thoſe that grow from the Roots of our rank and rich Artichokes, but much bigger and longer. This Toddie-tree is not ſo big, but that it may be very eaſily embraced, and the nimble people of that Countrey will climb up as faſt to the top thereof (the ſtem of the Tree being rough and cruſty) as if they had the advantage of Ladders to help them up. In the top tender branches of thoſe Trees they make inciſions, which they open and ſtop again as they pleaſe, under which they hang Pots made of large and light Gourds, to preſerve the influence which iſſues out of them in a large quantity in the night ſeaſon, they ſtopping up thoſe vents in the heat of the day. That which thus diſtils forth in the night, if it be taken very early in the morning, is as pleaſing to the taſt as any new Whitewine, and much clearer than it. It is a very piercing, and medicinable, and moffenſive drink, if taken betimes in the day, onelyonly it is a little windy: but if it be kept till the heat of the day, the Sun alters it ſo, as if it made it another kind of liquor, for it becomes then very heady, not ſo well reliſhed, and unwholſome; and when it is ſo not a few of our drunken Sea-men chuſe to drink it; and I think they ſo do, becauſe it will then preſently turn their brains; for there are too too many of the common ſort of thoſe men who uſe the Sea, who love thoſe brutiſh diſtempers too much, which turn a man out of himſelf, and leave a Beaſt in the skin of a man. But for that drink, if it be taken in its beſt, and moſt proper ſeaſon, I conceive it to be of it ſelf very wholſome, becauſe it provokes urine exceedingly; the further benefit whereof ſome there have found by happy experience, thereby eaſed from their torture inflicted, by that ſhame of Phyſicians, and Tyran of all Maladies, the Stone. And ſo cheap too is this moſt pleaſing Wine, that a man may there have more than enough for a very little money.
At Surat, and ſo to Agra, and beyond, it ſeldome or never rains, but one ſeaſon of the year; but yet there is a refreſhing Dew during all that time the Heavens there are thus ſhut up, which every night fals, and cools, and comforts, and refreſheth the face of the earth. Thoſe general Rains begin near the time that the Sun comes to the Northern Tropick, and ſo continue till his return back to the Line. Theſe ſhowers at their beginning moſt extremely violent▪ are uſher'd in▪ and uſually take their leave with moſt fearful Tempeſts of Thunder. Lightning, more terrible than I can expreſs, yet ſeldome do harm; the reaſon in Nature may be, the ſubtilty of the Air in thoſe parts wherein there are fewer Thunder-ſtones made, than in ſuch Climates where the Air is thick, groſs, and cloudy. During thoſe three months it rains uſually every day more or leſs, ſometimes one whole quarter of the Moon together, ſcarce without any intermiſſion; which abundance of moyſture, with the heat of the Sun, doth ſo enrich their Land, which they never force (if I obſerved right) by Soyling of it, as that, like Egypt, by the inundation of Nilus, it makes it fruitful all the year after. When the time of this Rain is paſſed over, the face of the Skye there is preſently ſo ſerene and clear, as that ſcarcely one Cloud appears in their Hemiſphere the nine months after.
And here a ſtrong Argument that may further, and moſt infallibly ſhew the goodneſs of their Soyl, ſhall not eſcape my Pen, moſt apparent in this, That when the Ground there hath been deſtitute of Rain nine months together, and looks all of it like the barren Sands in the Deſerts of Arabia, where there is not one ſpire of green Graſs to be found, within a few daies after thoſe fat enriching ſhowers begin to fall, the face of the Earth there (as it were by a new Reſurrection) is ſo revived, and throughout ſo renewed, as that it is preſently covered all over with a pure green Mantle. And moreover, to confirm that which before I obſerved concerning the goodneſs of that Soyl, amongſt many hundred Acres of Corn of divers kinds I have there beheld, I never ſaw any but what was very rich and good, ſtanding as thick on the Ground as the Land could well bear it.
They till their Ground with Oxen and Foot-Ploughs, their Seed-time in May, and the beginning of June, they taking their time to diſpatch all that work before that long Rainy ſeaſon comes; and though the Ground then hath been all the time we named before without any ſufficient moyſture by ſhowers, or otherwiſe, to ſupple and make it more fit for tilliage, yet the Soyl there is ſuch a brittle fat mould (which they ſow year after year) as that they can very eaſily till it. Their Harveſt is in November and December, the moſt temperate months of all that year.
Their Ground is not encloſed, unleſs ſome ſmall quanty near Towns and Villages, which ſtand ſcattered up and down this vaſt Empire very thick, though, for want of the true names, not inſerted in the Map.
They mow not their Graſs (as we) to make Hay, but cut it off the ground, either green, or withered, as they have occaſion to uſe it.
They ſow Tobacco in abundance, and they take it too very much, but after a ſtrange way much different from us; for firſt, they have little Earthen Pots, ſhaped like our ſmall Flower-pots, having a narrow neck, and an open round top, out of the belly of which comes a ſmall ſpout, to the lower part of which ſpout they fill the Pot with water, then putting their Tobacco looſe in the top, and a burning coal upon it, they having firſt faſtned a very ſmall ſtrait hollow Cane or Reed (not bigger than a ſmall Arrow) within that ſpout, a yard or ell long, the Pot ſtanding on the ground, draw that ſmoak into their mouths, which firſt falls upon the Superficies of the water, and much diſcolours it. And this way of taking their Tobacco, they believe, makes it much more cool and wholſome. The Tobacco which grows there is doubtleſs in the Plant as good as in any other place of the world, but they know not how to cure and order it, like thoſe in the Weſt-Indies, to make it ſo rich and ſtrong.
The Countrey is beautified with many Woods and Groves of Trees, in which thoſe winged Choriſters make ſweet Muſick. In thoſe Woods ſome excellent Hawks make their neſts, and there are very often to be ſeen great flocks of Parakeetoes, or little Parrats, who have their breeding and lodging amongſt thoſe Melancholy Shades. And (in the number of many other Creatures covered with Feathers) there are ſome very little Birds leſs than our Wrens, who are exceeding pretty, for their neat ſhape, and their covering, with moſt curious parti-colour'd Feathers, full of variety of little ſpots. I have ſeen there many of thoſe rare Creatures kept together in large Cages, who pleaſe the Eye with their curious Colours, and the Ear with their variety of pleaſant Notes. The Woods and Groves in the Southernmoſt parts of Indoſtan, have great ſtore of wild Apes, and Monkeys, and Baboons in them, ſome of which I have ſeen as high as our talleſt Greyhounds, which live among the Trees, and climbe them at pleaſure. Thoſe Apes, &c. are very terrible to thoſe little Birds, which make their Neſts in thoſe Woods; and therefore Nature hath taught them this ſubtilty (to preſerve their young ones from thoſe Creatures which would otherwiſe deſtroy them) to build their Neſts in the twigs, and the utmoſt boughs of thoſe Trees, where ſome of them hang like little Purſe-nets, to which thoſe Apes and Monkeys, be they never ſo little and light, cannot come to hurt them.
Beſides their Woods, they have great variety of fair goodly Trees that ſtand here and there ſingle, but I never ſaw any there of thoſe kinds of Trees which England affords. They have very many firm and ſtrong Timber-trees for building, and other uſes; but much of their bruſh, or ſmall wood, I obſerved to be very ſappie, ſo that when we brake a twig of it, there would come a ſubſtance out of ſome of it, like unto Milk, and the ſappineſs of that underwood may (as I apprehend it) be aſcribed in part to the fatneſs of that Soyl. Some of their Trees have Leaves upon them broad as Bucklers, others are parted ſmall like out Fern or Brakes, as the Tamerine Tree, which bears Gods ſomewhat like our Beans, in which when the Fruit is ripe, there is a very well taſted pulp, though it be ſowr, moſt wholſome to open the body, and to cool and cleanſe the blood.
There is one very great and fair Tree growing in that Soyl, of ſpecial obſervation, out of whoſe Branches or great Arms grow little Sprigs downward till they take Root (as they will certainly do if they be let alone) and taking Root, at length prove ſtrong ſupporters unto thoſe large Branches that yield them. Whence it comes to paſs, that thoſe Trees in time (their ſtrong and far-extended Arms being in many places thus ſupported) grow to a very great height, and extend themſelves to ſuch an incredible breadth, they growing round every way, as that hundreds of men may ſhade themſelves under one of them at any time; the rather, becauſe theſe, as all other Trees in thoſe Southern parts of Eaſt-India (as particularly I obſerved before) ſtill keep on their green Coats.
For their Flowers, they are for the generality like unto painted Weeds, which, though their colour be excellent, they rather delight the eye than affect the ſmell; for not many of them, except Roſes, and ſome few kinds more; are any whit fragrant: Amongſt them that are, there is one white Flower, like to Spaniſh Jeſſamin (if it be not the ſame) which is exceedingly well ſented, of which they make a moſt excellent pure ſweet Oyl, with which they anoynt their heads, and other parts of their bodies; which makes the company of thoſe that do ſo very ſavoury and ſweet.
This Empire is watered with many goodly Rivers (as they are expreſſed in the Map) the two principal are Indus and Ganges; where this thing is very obſervable (for they ſay there that it is very true) that one pint of the water of Ganges weigheth leſs by one ounce than any other water in that whole great Monarchy▪ And therefore (they ſay) that the Mogol, whereſoever he is, hath water brought him from that River, that he may drink thereof, by ſome appointed for that ſervice, who are continually either going to it, or coming from it: The water is brought unto the King in fine Copper Jars, excellently well tin'd on the inſide, and ſealed up when they are delivered to the Waterbearers for the King's uſe; two of which Jars every one carries, hanging upon Slings fitted for the Porter's ſhoulders.
Beſides their Rivers, they have ſtore of Wels fed with Springs; and to theſe, they have many Ponds, which they call Tanques, ſome of them exceeding large, fill'd with water when that abundance of Rain fals (of which more hereafter.)
That moſt antient and innocent Drink of the World, Water, is the common drink of Eaſt-India; it is far more pleaſant and ſweet than our water; and muſt needs be ſo, becauſe in all hot Countries it is more rarified▪ better digeſted, and freed from its rawne…s by the heat of the Sun, and therefore in thoſe parts it is more deſired of all that come thither, though they never made it their drink before, than any other liquor and agreeth better with mens bodies. Sometimes we boyl the water there with ſome wholſome ſeeds and after drink it cold, and then it is by much more cold after an heat. (Like unto ſome men, who have ſhewed formerly much zeal and heat for good, and afterward become more chill and cold than ever they were before) Sometimes we mingle our water there with the juice of Limons and Sugar, which makes an exceeding pleaſant drink, which we call there Sherbet.
Some ſmall quantity of Wine, but not common, is made amongſt them; they call it Ra…k, diſtilled from Sugar, and a ſpicy rinde of a Tree called Jagra; it is very wholſome, if taken very moderately.
Many of the people there, who are ſtrict in their Religion, drink no Wine at all; but they uſe a Liquor more wholſome than pleaſant, they call Coffee, made by a black ſeed boyled in water, which turns it almoſt into the ſame colour, but doth very little alter the taſt of the water; notwithſtanding it is very good to help digeſtion, to quicken the ſpirits, and to cleanſe the blood.
There is yet another help for thoſe that forbear Wine, by an Herb they have, called Beetle, or Paune, in ſhape ſomewhat like an Ivy-leaf, but more tender; they chew it with an hard Nut, ſomewhat like a Nutmeg (but not in taſt like that) and a very little pure white-lime amongſt the leaves, and when they have ſucked down the juice, put forth the reſt. It hath (as they ſay and I believe very much of it) many rare qualities, for it preſerves the Teeth, ſtrengthens the Stomack, comforts the Brain, and it cures or prevents a tainted Breath. This I am ſure of that ſuch is the pleaſing ſmell of this Beetle, being chewed in a cloſe room, that the breath of him ſo chewing it fils it with a very pleaſing ſavour.
This Empire further affords very excellent good Horſe, curiouſly made, high mettled, and well managed by the Natives. Beſides their own, they have many of the Perſian, Tartarian, and Arabian breed, which have the name to be the choyce ones of the World. But of theſe more when I come to ſpeak of the Inhabitants.
Here are a great number of Camels, Dromedaries, Mules and Aſſes, imployed for the carriage of burthens, or the carrying of the people, to which uſe alſo they employ many of their Oxen, and their Buffeloes likewiſe. (which before I ſpake of) The Camels, as I oft obſerved there, have one ſtrange quality, who cry and make a very piteous noyſe at night, when they take off their burthens; but in the morning, when they are laid on, the poor Creatures are very ſtill and quiet, making no noyſe at all. Many wicked men, who are moſt fitly called by the Pſalmiſt, the Beaſts of the people, P…al. 68. …0. (for ſo it is in the Vulgar Tranſlation, Beaſt… for want of Reaſon, and for not uſing Reaſon well, worſe than Brutes) may be moſt fitly reſembled by thoſe dull Camels, who being burthen'd and clogg'd with a great load of ſin already, enough to preſs them down into that bottomleſs pit, ſeem to feel nothing, nor to complain at all, but with much quiet and content keep on their burthens▪ and take up, more ſtill; as if that wickedneſs, which the Prophet Zachary, 5. 7. compares to a Talent of Lead, were as light as a Feather. But when we go about by our Exhortations, Intreaties, Perſwaſions of them, and by the ſtrongeſt Arguments beſides we can invent, preſs them to ſuffer God through Chriſt Jeſus to ſave their ſouls, and conſequently to get themſelves freed from that moſt intollerable burthen, which will unavoydably ſink them into Hell at laſt, if they be not freed from it; then theſe, like thoſe ſtupid Creatures, cry and complain, and ſeem to be much diſquieted, as if we did them much wrong, while we labour to do them the greateſt right. The reaſon is, becauſe their Pride (as every beloved ſin beſides) compaſſeth them as a Chain, Pſal. 73. 6. it is their Jewel, their Ornament (as they think) and therefore they will keep it, they will not part from it, though it be their greateſt ſhame, becauſe they eſteem it their chiefeſt Glory. I would intreat my Reader, when he comes to this digreſſion, to read it over and over again.
The Dromedary is called by the Prophet Jeremy, 2. 23. the ſwift Dromedary; the reaſon may be, becauſe theſe, like the Camels, have very long legs, and conſequently make long ſteps, and ſo travelling rid ground apace; or becauſe at a pinch, or time of need, they will carry a man exceeding far without reſt, and but with a very little food.
They have ſome Rhynocerots, but they are not common, which are very large ſquare Beaſts, bigger than the largeſt Oxen England affords; their skins, without hair, lye in great wrinkles upon their necks, breaſts and backs, which doth not make them ſeem lovely unto the beholders. They have very ſtrong, but ſhort Horns, growing upon very firm bones, that lye over their Noſtrils; they grow upwards, towards the top of their head, every one of theſe Creatures being fortified with one of them, and that enough to make them ſo terrible, that they are ſhunn'd by other, though very large Creatures. With theſe Horns (from which thoſe Creatures have their Names) are made very excellent Cups, which (as is conceived) give ſome virtue unto the liquor put into them, if it ſtand any whit long in thoſe Cups.
And now to conclude with the largeſt and the moſt intelligent (as we ſhall hereafter ſhew) of all the ſenſible Creatures the Earth produceth, the Elephant, of which this vaſt Monarchy hath abundance; and of them, the Mogol is Maſter of many thouſands; and his Nobles, and all men of quality beſides, in thoſe large Territories, have more or leſs of them. But of theſe much ſhall be ſpoken in my ſixt Section.
I obſerved before, that the Inhabitants of this Empire did carry moſt of their burthens upon the backs of their Beaſts, and in a ſpecial manner this people employ their Camels and Dromedaries for this uſe, to carry their Merchandizes from place to place, and therefore I ſhall let my Reader ſee