MAdagascar, as it is generally called in all our Maps, and Chartes, (though by the Natives called by a different name) is an Island si­tuate on the South of the Equator, The gene­rall De­scription of the Island. and ex­tendeth it selfe North and South, from 12. degrees, to 26. degrees of latitude, in length 14. de­grees, that is 280. leagues, or 840. English miles, and is the greatest knowne Island in the world, having on the West the main Land of Africa, on the North the Islands of Comoro, on the East the Island of the Mauritius, and on the South the maine Ocean.

Heere in the Bay of Augustine, Augustine Bay. is the place where the English Ships bound for India, doe usually put in both outward and homeward, to take in their Wood, Wa­ter, and other Provisions; chiefly to refresh and Cure their sick people, where commonly their longest stay is but for five or six dayes, in which time they are perfectly cured. This Bay lieth on the West side of the Island, in the latitude of 23. degrees ½ under the Tropick of Capri­cornus.

In this Bay we arrived in Anno 1630. in the Charles and Ionah, Captaine Weddell Commander, on the first of Iuly, and stayed there till the beginning of October follow­ing, which time we spent in coasting along the Country, [Page 2] and in observing the customes and qualities of the people.

For the Island it selfe, on the East side it sheweth to be a low Champion Country, with many large creekes and In-lets, but on the West it is more mountainous and woody, the Vallies yeelding large plaines for pasture, full of Navigable Rivers, the soyle is generally a kind of Red earth.White Marble. Heere I observed that for the most part all the Rocks and Stones are white Marble.

For the Season, when we arrived there, it was in the depth of Winter, the Sun then being in the Tropick of Cancer, at which time we found the Trees and Plants in their full verdure,The whol­somenes of the Aire, all loaden with greene fruit of severall kinds, the Aire so temperate and wholesome, that al­though our people as they did oftentimes sleepe on the bare earth, yet in all the time of our stay there; (as di­vers can justifie) we never had any man sick.

To particularise of the nature and qualities of the Trees, fruits, and Plants of the Island, would rather re­quire an Herball, then to be Epitomized in my Relati­on, and would be impossible for me to performe, seeing that Almighty God doth dispose to each Country and climate, their particular plants and fruits, to our Nati­on unknowne, yet some of them I will describe as best knowne of us.

As for Timber, there is great variety, their whole Woods consisting of many kinds, fitting both for Mast and Planck,Tamarind Tree. the chiefest of them is the Tamarind tree, whereof there are aboundance of that growth, that wee saw'd some of them into Planck, that carried foure foot Diameter.Ebonie black and white. Redwood. Of Ebony there is great store, both white and black, Trees of a kind of Red-wood like Brasill, and as hard, whereof the Natives make their Darts, which I have to show; other trees there are wherof our men made [Page 3] their Mathematicall Instruments, and by them preferred before Wall-nut tree or Box,Box: besides infinite other kinds serving for Planck, Clap-boord, and Pipe-staves, whereof we made tryall.

One thing I observed, that not one tree but bore fruit, though unknowne to us, yet the Munkeys were our tasters, for if they did eate of them, we durst boldly adventure.

All the Vallies neere the Sea, and along the fresh Ri­vers,Palmito, or wild Datetree. are full of Palmito trees, from whence by making a small incision with a Knife or Hatchet, in a quarter of an houre and lesse doth issue forth a most pleasant and wholesome liquor,Palmito Wine. in taste like white Wine, and will inebriate as soone, and this being kept, in two dayes doth become excellent Vinegar.

Besides the Palmito there is an other kind of them that can be hardly distinguished, but that it doth beare a fruit which we called the Sea-Cocus,The Por­tugals cal this Fruit Coco dimar. whereof I have some to shew, the Kirnell whereof is esteemed to bee of equall vertue with the Bezar-stone.

I may not forget that admirable tree which we named the Flesh-tree,The Flesh Tree. whereon I would have all those that de­sire to try their blades and to glut their eyes with the effusion of Humane blood, to be exercised, for it is so like to materiall Flesh, that if you strike at it and wound it with your Sword, it sheweth like an incision made in flesh, and bleedeth forth a Crimson sap like very blood, we supposed the Sanguis Draconis,Sanguis Draconis, whereof they brought us a great quantity, to be made of the juice of this tree.

Oranges and Limons are here in aboundance,Oranges and Li­mons. where although our Countrymen have knowne and frequented this Island above 30. yeeres;George Gosnell Purser. yet we were the first that discovered them, for shewing them by chance a dryed [Page 4] Limon which one of our company had in his Pocket, the next day we had more brought unto us then we knew what to doe withall; we shewed them Pepper, Cloves,Pepper, Cloves. & Nutmegs. and Nutmegs, which they knew, and made signes to us by their gesture, that they grew up in the Country foure or five sleepes, which we interpreted nights.

Their Cattell heere,Their Cattell. I meane their Oxen and Kine, are the goodliest and largest for size that the world af­fords,Oxen. and as fat, their Oxen having a great bunch of flesh on the top of their shoulder as a Camell hath on his back; some of them I have seene waigh above 30. lib. being so curiously enterlarded, that we esteemed that part to be the daintiest part of the beast.

For Sheepe they have likewise in great aboundance,Sheepe. which are both larger and fatter then ours, but of a courser wool the tayles of some of them waighing above 20. lib. Goats they have in great plenty,Goates. all which Cat­tell are exceeding tame because they doe live among them and are in a manner bred up together. Of all which Cattell they brought them downe to us every day in whole droves, so that we were compelled to buy more then we could spend, which we committed to them to keepe, who at our departure did faithfuly restore them to us againe.

Hogs they have wild in the woods,Hogges. whereof we killed some, but they nourish none amongst them. As for Li­ons,No Lions, or Tigers, nor Woolves. Tigers, and other ravening beasts, we neither saw nor heard of any, and I beleeve there are none, for their Cattell feed abroad day and night in the plaines in safe­ty, the greatest enemy their Cattell have, is the Croco­dile or Alligator, who being in the fresh rivers, meets with them sometimes when they come to water, but of these there are not many, and those might soone be de­stroyed [Page 5] if the Natives had either wit or skill to doe it.

Of Fowle they have of all kinds both wild and tame,Their Fowle. Hens. Ginny Hens. Pea­cocks. Patridge: Swans. Geese. Ducks. Passula flamingos Great store of Fish. as well of those kinds best knowne to us as of others that I cannot name, but of those we knew are these, Cocks and Hens, Ginney Hens, Peacocks, Parrats of divers kinds, Patridges both wild and tame, wild Swans, Geese and Ducks, Herons, Cranes, Passula flemingos, whereof we have killed a dozen at one shot, Curlewes, and infinite other kinds to us unknowne.

For fish their Rivers abound with great store of all kinds, tedious it were for me to reckon them, we have taken ordinarily above 500. Mullets at a draught, and the like of all other kinds.

Now concerning the quality and disposition of the People,Nature & dispositi­on of the people. they are generally of a very loving and affable condition, for in that three moneths that we lived a­mongst them, we had as much freedome and lived as securely as if the Country had beene our owne,Their affa­bility. and if at any time our people by wandring abroad had lost their way, they would carefully bring them to us in safety without offering them the least injury.Their E­quity. They are just in all their dealings, whereof we had good experience: For example, during the time of our abode amongst them, they bringing downe daily such an aboundance of Cat­tell, which being sold to us for small prices, we bought every day more then we could spend, to the number of an hundred head of Cattell,An exam­ple of their fide­lity. which we committed to one of their owne people to keepe for us, not greatly caring whether we had them againe or no, yet at our comming away when we had cleared our selves of the shore, and all our men and provisions were aboord, our Grasier brought downe to the Marine all our Cattell to a hoofe, and did helpe us to get them aboord, and in [Page 6] all our trayding with them we never sustained so much as the losse of one Bead.Their Iu­stice. For theft they punish it with death, the father having that power over his owne chil­dren, for there we saw the father danc'd his owne child, a Maiden of some ten yeeres of age, for stealing of some two or three Beads.

For their persons,Constitu­tion of their bo­dies, and ornamēts▪ they are a lustie [...]all people both Men and Women, the most part exceeding us in sta­ture, of a browne or Chestnut colour; as well the Men as the Women weare their haire about a foot long, which they braid up as we doe an Horses maine. In their haire and eares the Women chiefly weare Beads, Shels, or peeces of Copper, also bracelets about their armes, either of sweet Wood, or of Shels, the better sort of Copper or Brasse. Every Man for the most part weares about his neck his Razor, pick-tooth, and Mullets, to pluck out the haire, (for you must note they weare no beards) also his sticks to kindle fire, all which I have to shew. The Women likewise weare neck-laces of Beads, sweet Wood, or Shels, or what their fancie best pleases. They go generally all naked as wel the Men as the Women, except a small peece of Cotton of their owne making,Apparell. some two hardfulls broad and ten long, which comming about their waste they crosse it betwixt their legs and so make it fast behind them, and this is the orna­ment of the Married, the rest goe naked.

Nor did their nakednesse any way tempt us to any uncivill action,Naked­nesse no motive to incivility. at the first our curiosity made our eyes unchast, but after one weeke they conversed with us, with the same observation as we behold ordinarily our Cattel, and I doe beleeve that apparell and the dresse of Women, alures more then their nakednesse. They are generally of a lazie condition, for they nei­ther plant nor sow,Their dis­position. for in the Sommer time they feed [Page 7] on those fruits which the earth naturally produceth, and on milke all the yeere long,Their diet. which for want of vessels the most part of them like great Calves suck from the Cowes, a thing ordinary with them. For bread they have some Cuscus and gravances which I beleeve growe naturally; they kill no Beast without the allowance of the King or Governour, who divideth to every one his part according to his family, wherein I noted both their community and Justice.

They are in continuall Wars one against another, which is chiefly for warring places, for whilst we stayd amongst them we desired them to shew us the manner of their fight,Their ma­ner of Fight. which they did to make us sport, their Skir­mishes are on this manner; They divided themselves in­to two Companies, some fifty on a side with Launces and Darts without heads, and so betwixt running and leaping with a terrible hubbub or cry, they traverse their ground and so deliver their Darts, which the adverse par­ty either avoydeth or catcheth, and returnes back to them againe; Their Women and children in the meane time imploy themselves in gathering up of the enemies weapons, wherewith they supply their husbands and fa­thers.

A [...] our first comming a shore when they beheld us set up our Tents and had planted a couple of Fowlers, they imagined that we came to inhabite there,Their be­haviour at our first landing. whereupon their King Andrapela with his Company, to the number of an hundred came to our Captaine,Captaine Weddell. submissively lay­ing their Launces at his feet and kissed them, offering himselfe and his people unto his subjection, praying him to receive them, their Wives, Children, and Cat­tell under his protection, and to defend them from their Enemies, which the Captaine accepted; he told us of the mortall wars they had with the Massagores The Mas­sagores. their [Page 8] next borders, but before we departed we left them good friends.

Upon a time, I know not whether upon policy or ne­cessity they came to our Captaine with a lamentable cry,A policy of Andra­pela. that the Massagores were come downe upon them and had drove away their Cattel, & that unlesse we came speedily to rescue them, they should be either all slaine or Captived. Whereupon in halfe an houres time wee had at least 200. of our men in armes, with our Drum, and Colours flying, to look out for this supposed Ene­my, having marcht thus a mile or two into the Woods, they brought us at length unto a place where the King had provided three or foure fat Sheepe and other things to feast us, and this was all the Enemy we found.

When our People first discovered this Island, which was about 37. yeeres since,In Anno 1606. we had no Commoditie to trade with them for their Cattell, Royalls of Eight they refused,Our first trade with them. at length having espyed the Boat-swaines whistle and Chaine they had a great mind to the Chaine, so that for a foot of Chaine we bought an Oxe, whereup­on the next Voyage we carried over silver Chaines on purpose to trade with them; afterward when our men shewed them red Agat Beads they became in love with them, and would trade with us for Chaines no longer, so that for a few Samsams or round small Beads, wee bought up all our silver Chaines again. Every morning during our abode there they brought us downe at least two or three hundred head of Cattell of all kinds, as Oxen,Great plenty of Cattell, and good Cheape. Sheepe, and Goats, of which the largest and fat­test Oxe we bought for five or six long Beads, called by them Arango's, which cost us in India not two pence the Bead, and the smaller Cattell after that rate, and these are the Jewels they most esteem, for as I said before being a naked people, and having no settled Habitations, they [Page 9] affect nothing but what they can hang about their necks and armes, wherein they take a great pride, and is indeed all the wealth they have. As for their Kine they doe not willingly part with them but keepe them for breed, and for their milke for the sustenance of them and their children.

When we came first among them we could never see above foure or five hundred of them,Not above 500. at the most live together. Men, Women, and Children, that lived together under one Raiae or Governour, nor could we see more all the time of our stay, and these came to us armed with Lances and Darts neatly and artificially made, for other weapons they know none,A good policy of Master Richard Wild [...] our Pre [...] ­dent. but by the policy of Master Richard Wild our President, we bought up all their weapons for a few Beads and so disarmed them, so that for two monethes after we could scarsely see twenty Lances amongst them all, for although all their imployments be about the making of them, yet for want of Tooles they cannot make one in a fortnights time.

In coasting along the shore to the Northwards in our Barge,A large River dis­covered to the north of Augu­stine Bay. some twenty leagues from Augustine Bay where our Ships road, we fell within a great fresh Ri­ver as broad as the Thames at Lee, whereon we sayled some foure or five leagues, where we saw the goodliest Country that ever eyes beheld. We sounded as we went, and found no lesse then foure or five fadome water, and therefore Navigable for Ships. The Natives seeing us (whom they had never seen before) used al the means they could by calling to us, making wests and using other gestures to cause us to come on Land, which at the last we did, being not above twenty of us, every man having his Musquet, who entertained us with a great deale of re­spect, presenting us with their fruits, sweet gums, and the like, making signes to us to goe with them to see [Page 10] their Towne which we yeelded unto, neere about 100. of them being our convoy arm'd after their manner, who brought us first through a great Wood at least halfe a mile through of Palmito and Tamarind Trees, then we came into a great large-plain or Pasture of as good grasse and Herbage as ever I beheld in England, whereon a num­ber of Cattell were grasing.

Beyond this plaine in a little copse or wood were their houses, made like Sommer Bowres of boughs and Mats, here they entertained us with songs and dances, bringing their yong children to us to take in our armes,Their ma­ner of en­tertaining to whom we gave a few glasse Beads, & they presented us with Lambs, milke, egges, and the like. Here they offe­red us their Oxen, Goats, and Sheep, for Beads at halfe the rate we payd in Augustine Bay. And not onely at this time but at another time we found out the cunning of Andrapela, Andrape­la's sub­tiltie. for we had not beene there a moneth but the rumor of our arrivall comming up into the Country, they brought downe great droves of Cattell to us on the other side of the River to sell to us, but he would by no meanes have us to trade with them, making signes to us that they were Man-eaters, but when he saw that we were resolved to trade with them, he gets over to them before us and deales with them for halfe the profit, as we knew afterwards.

In our Voyage back againe, we fell into a deepe Bay where we found aboundance of excellent Oysters,Oysters growing on Trees. grow­ing or rather sicking to the rootes and branches of Trees which you must conceive grew in salt water, which were both large and fat, and not much inferiour to our English Oysters; this Bay or creeke is not much above a league from Augustine Bay.

For their Religion,Their Re­ligion. as far as we could trace them, we conceived them (if of any) to be Mahometans, which [Page 11] they have gotten by their affinity & neer neighborhood to the Moores; that filthy Sect like a contagious Leprosie hath gene­rally infected almost all those Easterne and Southerne parts of the world; for we observed them to be circumcised. Their Priests came often to us,Their Priests. and were present sometimes at our Devotions, where they behaved themselves with a great deale of reverence. They shewed us their books which were made of Parchment or sun-dried sheep-skins;Their m [...] ner of writing their characters were like the Egyptian Hieroglyphicks, some like a fish, a tree, a flower, a beast and the like, which they would read to us in a confused manner, being as they told us a prayer to God. We shewed them one of our Books, which when they had well viewed and turnd over, they delivered us b [...]ck again, requesting us to read therein, whereat they gave good attention, yet they under­stood us no more then we did them.

Now for the Commodities & Riches of this Island,Commo­dities of the Cou [...] try. which every one doth hearken after, what greater wealth would any man desire to have then to have aboundance of all good things that this present life doth require?Ecclesia [...]. The Preacher saith, that the principall things for use of Man are Water,Chap, 3 [...]. ver. 28.Fire, Iron and Salt, Corn, Honey, Milk, Wine, Oyle, & Cloathing, all which this Country doth naturally even plentifully afford. For the Island it self, it lieth in a most temperat climate under the Tropick, a Virgin never yet deflowred either by the plow or spade. Gold, Silver,Gold. Silver. Copper▪ Brasse. Iron. Copper, Brasse & Iron, we have seen among them, which are therfound naturally, although they valew them not except it be Iron, which necessity hath taught them to melt out of the hard Rocks for their Lances & Dart heads, & what other rich minerals and precious Stones they have are unknowne to us, neither what rich gums and drugs those parts afford we know not. By chance those people brought us a kind of Red gum having the smell of Balsome;Sangui draconi [...] which being cast on the coales yeelded a most excellent perfume better then Beniamin: We brought from thence a good quantity, whereof I have some to shew, the powder therof put into any wound or ulcer doth pre­sently [Page 12] cure it as I have often experienced, it proved to be a kind of Sanguis-Draconis; [...]oes. the Herbe Aloes doth grow there in such aboundance all along the Marine, that one of our men by my direction in three or foure dayes made halfe a hundred waight, which was sold Master Sadler a Druggest in Buklersbury for a noble the pound, and by him preferred to be better then that which is brought us from Soccatore, from whom the next Voyage after I received instructions in wri­ting how to refine it, and of this an hundred tun might be made in a yeare, if there were good vent for it, to speake no­thing of Sugar and Ginger, [...]ugar. [...]inger▪ [...]ilke [...]ormes. which naturally grow there in a­boundance, and for the Silke wormes, I can testifie upon my oath and produce witnesses, that in walking through the woods we have bin entangled so fast with raw silke, that we have had some trouble to cleare our selves.

Now how easily might there be a Plantation made upon this Island by our Nation, let the indifferent Reader judge, how honourable for the Kingdome, [...]ncou­ [...]agemēts [...] a plan­ [...]ation. and how profitable for the Adventurers. And first for the facility therof, they are a peo­ple with whom we have had trade and commerce neere upon forty yeares, and therefore they are well acquainted with our conditions and friendly deportment towards them. And as for the length of the Voyage, [...]he length [...]f the Voyage foure monthes. it being neere upon two thirds of the way to India. Consider that now by our anuuall trad­ing into those parts our Seamen are more skilfull, and better experienced in those Voyages then formerly they were: For having past the Canaries you sayle alwayes before the wind, in a smooth and peaceable Sea out of the range of the Turkish Pirats, [...]s the la­ [...]y Sher­ [...]y▪ the La­dy Haw­ [...]ins, and many o­ [...]her [...] wo­men. so that Ladies may and have often gone those Voya­ges, even to the utmost parts of India.

And lastly, what an infinite Commodity would redound to our Country if we had a Plantation there, it being onely fit­test for us, and I do beleeve reserved for us in this latter Age. To which purpose that truely Noble Gentleman Captaine Bond our Governour,Captaine Iohn Bond. what a sea of opposition hath he waded [Page 13] through to settle a Colony of English in that rich and plen­tifull Island, for the honour of his King and Kingdome, and for the propagation of the Christian Faith, among those poore seduced Soules?

For the trade we have in India, let us consider upon what a tickle poynt it stands, subject to the tyranny of the ambitious Moores, who upon every slight occasion quarrell with our Merchants that live among them, confiscating their goods, imprisoning their persons, and threatning them every houre with their terrible Chawbucks or Whips,The trade of India. extorting from them infinite sums of money, for little or no cause at all. And then again to consider what a world of Treasure is every year transported to those Infidels, by the English and Hollanders, & nothing returned but leaves & blossomes, I mean Cotton & Indico; as for Cotton it doth grow there natura [...]ly, for Indico if it do not grow there as I think it doth, the seed may easily be broght thither frō India & Planted there, & workmen brought thither to work it. Aloes, as I said before, may be made there in aboundance.Building of Ships & Frigats. Ships & Pinnaces may therbe built. Ships that are bound for India, may there be victualled both outward and homeward, which would be a great benefit for all those ships that goe for India and Persia, For the Victual­ling of the Indian Fleets. for if their Beefe be well killed, salted, prest, and repackt againe; it may be preserved in Caske a twelve moneth and longer. For salt there is no want thereof, for besides that which you may find kirned on the Rocks, salt-pans may easily be made.

But it may be here objected;An ob­jection Answered▪ that i [...] this Island of Madagas­car were of that worth, wealth, and so commodious as I would infer, the Portugals had long since planted upon it as they have done on many places both in Africk and on the firme Land of India. To this I answer, that when the Portugals first passed the Cape of good Hope; to discover the Kingdomes of Cambaia and Calicut, now named the East-India, they coa­sted along the maine Land of Ethipia, and fell with Mosam­bique, where they planted a Colony for the reliefe of their [Page 14] ships comming out of Europe, where they take in fresh Pro­visions, and their wants supplied they proceed on their pre­tended Voyages to India, where they intended their conquests and plantations, using that other but as an Hostery or a place of reliefe for their Ships outward and homeward, not com­ming scarsely within the sight of Madagascar. Nor can either Spaniard or Portugall here claime any title, having had never any footing here, much lesse that they should any way op­pose us, they having more Forts in India already then they are able to hold, and are almost beaten off of their Trades since the English and Dutch used those Seas.

Consider withall, how that a few Portugalls have for the space of neere upon two hundred yeares fortifyed themselves on the maine Land of India, as at Cambaia, Gogo, Daman, Mus­cat, Dabull, Goa, Callicut, Mallacca, Macao, and others; and doe hold them still in despight of the Moores, a warlike and powerfull Nation. I need not tell you of Ormus a barren Island, or rather a Rock of salt, yet by the industry of the Portugalls in a few yeares; by forcing the Indian trade thither, it became the greatest Mart in the world.

And to conclude, this Virgin Island of Madagascar, doth here by me friendly and lovingly invite our Nation to take some compassion of her Nakednesse, her Poverty, and her Simplicity, both Corporall, and Spirituall, and doth earnestly and affectionately, even beg of us to Redeeme her out of her miserable thraldome, under the Tyranny of Satan, to be united with us into the fellowship of the Sons of God, by our Union in Christ Jesus.