Off the best part of the banquet for the queen his mother, saying that
they would eat it after sunset. The name of the queen was Sultana
Mannungalla, and the king's was Sharif Abubekr.[401] He requested me
to give him a letter of recommendation for those who might come
afterwards to his island, having formerly procured one to that effect
from Stephen Verhagen, the admiral of twelve Dutch ships, in 1604, which
he shewed me. I complied with his desire, yet left this caution at the
end, that they ought not to repose too much confidence in this people,
but stand well on their guard, as oft-times weapons preserve peace.
[Footnote 399: The longitude of that part of the coast of Africa, in the
latitude indicated in the text, is 38 deg. 30' E. from Greenwich. It does
not appear what might have been the first meridian referred to by
Saris. - E]
[Footnote 400: Mohilla is in 13 deg. 40'. The latitude in the text is nearly
that of Johanna or Hinzuan. - E.]
[Footnote 401: In Purchas Sarriffoo Booboocarree, and afterwards
Sharefoo Boobackar, which comes near the true name. - Astl. I. 454. a.]
The inhabitants are negroes, having short curled hair, and wear painted
cloths round their middles, some having white caps, and others turbans,
by which we knew them to be Mahometans. The king wore a white cotton
coat, with a turban on his head, and a painted calico of Guzerat about
his middle, being little whiter than the rest. He was very lean, with a
round thin black beard and large eyes. His stature was short, and he was
a man of few words, having some knowledge of Arabic, which he had learnt
when on a pilgrimage to Mecca, on which account he had the name or title
of Sharif.[402] At this place they chiefly desire money, or Spanish
dollars, rather than commodities. Yet, for crimson broad-cloth, red
caps, Cambaya, or Guzerat cloths, and sword-blades, you may purchase any
commodities that the island produces, which indeed are only fit for
refreshments, and not for traffic. He gave me a note of friendship under
his hand.[403]
[Footnote 402: Haji is the title acquired by the pilgrimage, while
Sharif signifies noble, and denotes being of the posterity of
Mahomet. - Astl. I. 454. c.]
[Footnote 403: This note, in Arabic characters, is inserted in Purchas,
consisting only of two lines, under which the name of John Sarris is
written in the same characters. By this writing, the name of the king
appears to have been as we have put it in the text. - Astl. I. 454. d.]
We sailed from the island of Moyella on the 4th of November, and on the
17th in the morning made the main land of Africa on the coast of
Melinda, the bay or gulf of Formosa being N.W. four leagues distant.
The 29th, in lat.
