The People Are Very Friendly To The
English, And Have Many Pleasant Gardens, Which Attract Many To Pass Much
Of Their Time There.
On the trees round this village there are an
infinite number of those great bats we saw at St Augustine in
Madagascar, which hang by their claws from the boughs, and make a shrill
noise.
This bird is said by the people to engender by the ear, and to
give suck to their young.
The winter begins here about the 1st of June, and continues till the
20th September, but not with continual rains as at Goa; having only
heavy rain for six or seven days every full and change of the moon, with
much wind, thunder and lightning. At the breaking up of the winter,
there is always a cruel storm, called tuffoon, fearful even to men on
land. This is not equally severe every year, but once in two or three
years at the most. The monsoons, or periodical winds, serve here for
going to the south in April and September, and for Mocha in February and
March. From the south, ships come here in December, January, and
February, and from Mocha about the 5th September, after the rains. From
Ormus they sail for the coast of India in November: But none dare pass
without a licence of the Portuguese, for which they exact whatever they
think proper, erecting, by their own authority, a custom-house on the
seas, confiscating both ship and goods to the taker, if they do not
produce a regular pass.
Sec. 4. Journey to Agra, and Observations by the Way; with some Notices of
the Deccan Wars.
The 18th January, 1610,[233] I departed from Comuariaw, or Cumraie, a
small village 3 coss from Surat, to Mutta, a great aldea, 7 coss.
The 21st to Carode, 8 coss, a large country town, having the Surat
river on the north. This place has a castle, with a garrison of 200
Patan horse, who are good soldiers. The 22d to Curka, 12 c. a great
village with a river on its south side. In the way between Carode and
Curka, or Kirkwah, is Beca, or Behara, a castle with a great tank and
a pleasant grove. 23d to Necampore, a large town under the
Pectopshaw, 10 c. In this way begins a great ridge of mountains on the
right hand,[234] reaching towards Ahmedabad, among which Badur occupies
several strong-holds, which all the force of the king of the Moguls has
not been able to reduce. These mountains extend to Boorhanpoor, and on
them breed many wild elephants. The 24th to Dayta, 8 c. a great town,
having to pass in the midway a troublesome stony rivulet. This town has
a castle, and is almost encompassed by a river, being situated in a
fertile soil. The 25th to Badur, 10 c. a filthy town full of thieves,
where is made a kind of wine of a sweet fruit called mewa, but I found
it unwholesome except it be burnt.
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