All
The Way From The Cape Of Good Hope To The Azores, I Had Not One Man
Sick.
The 15th of June, 1614, we came into the river Thames, by the blessing
of God, it being that day six months on which we departed from Bantam in
Java.
SECTION XVIII.
Observations made during the foregoing Voyage, by Mr Copland, Chaplain,
Mr Robert Boner, Master, and Mr Nicholas Whittington, Merchant.[92]
[Footnote 92: Purch. Pilgr. I. 466. On this occasion, only such notices
as illustrate the preceding voyage are extracted. - E.]
Sec.1. Notes extracted from the Journal of Mr Copland, Chaplain of the
Voyage.
The bay of Saldhana, and all about the Cape of Good Hope, is healthful,
and so fruitful that it might well be accounted a terrestrial paradise.
It agrees well with our English constitutions; for, though we had ninety
or an hundred sick when we got there, they were all as well in twenty
days as when we left England, except one. It was then June, and we had
snow on the hills, though the weather below was warmish. The country is
mixed, consisting of mountains, plains, meadows, streams, and woods
which seem as if artificially planted on purpose, they are so orderly;
and it has abundance of free-stone for building. It has also plenty of
fish and wild-fowl, as geese, ducks, and partridges, with antelopes,
deer, and other animals. The people were very loving, though at first
afraid of us, because the Dutch, who resort hither to make train-oil,
had used them unkindly, having stolen and killed their cattle; but
afterwards, and especially on our return, they were more frank and kind.
They are of middle size, well limbed, nimble and active; and are fond of
dancing, which they do in just measure, but entirely naked. Their dress
consists of a cloak of sheep or seals-skin to their middle, the hair
side inwards, with a cap of the same, and a small skin like that of a
rat hanging before their privities. Some had a sole, or kind of sandal,
tied to their feet. Their necks were adorned with greasy tripes, which
they would sometimes pull off and eat raw; and when we threw away the
guts of beasts and sheep we bought from them, they would eat them half
raw and all bloody, in a most beastly and disgusting manner. They had
bracelets about their arms of copper or ivory, and were decorated with
many ostrich feathers and shells. The women were habited like the men,
and were at first very shy; but when here on our return voyage, they
became quite familiar, even lifting their rat-skins: But they are very
loathsome objects, their breasts hanging down to their waists. The hair
both of the men and women is short and frizzled. With these people
copper serves as gold, and iron for silver. Their dwellings are small
tents, removable, at pleasure; and their language is full of a strange
clicking sound, made by doubling their tongues in their throats.
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