1690. Buse. Redans Islands. Curious Starfish. a River, and a small village upon the Continent of Malacca, in Portuguese Maps call'd Buse. The InhabiTerchannu. tants, who are all Fishermen, call'd it Terchannu. The village seem'd to consist of about Fifty Houses or Cottages, built along the Shore. A Portuguese Ship, which, as we were told by the Inhabitants, came from Macao, lay there at anchor with her Colours flying. The Inhabitants speak both Siamish and Malayan. Three of them came on board in one of their boats to sell us fish; and for a course Table-cloth we had as much fish as Twenty hungry people could eat, and amongst others what they call King's Fish, which is a Fish not unlike a Pike, and about three foot long, Korkuades call'd by the Dutch Horse-heads, because of their figure, red Steenbrassems, Salammets, and Jacobs Ewertzen. We were becalm'd in the afternoon, and cast anchor in sight of some small Islands call'd the Redans Islands. Some of the Ships Company diverted themselves, as usual, with fishing, and one of them catch'd a very fine Starfish with nine Rays. The main body held four Inches in Diameter, and each Ray was near one span and a half long, so that the Diameter of the whole Creature was three spans at least. The upper surface was rough to the Touch, as it were full of small Scales. The thickness of the main body was two Inches representing a separate Star with nine short Rays rais'd above the substance of the body, in the Centre of which was a round hole, or mouth, pretty large and edged with two rows of fibres. The larger Rays were square in circumference, and of the thickness of a finger, streight, running into a point, of a whiteish, pale colour, and mark'd on the upper surface with Spots running across like Clouds, resembling those of a Tyger's skin. Both sides of the upper part were lin'd up to the point with a row of prickles joyning very close and growing still closer, as they run on towards the point. The under surface of this Creature was something softer to the touch or of a white colour, and each Ray lin'd on each side with a row of small feet like an Indian Millepes, or Fortyleg, which in moving confusedly together afforded an odd and diverting sight. In the main body was a cavity tolerably deep, from which Issued a channel along each Ray. The inward substance was white, hard and so brittle that some of the Rays broke in my hands. (Fig. 3.) 1690. FIG. 3. A curious star-fish with nine rays caught near the Redans We had tolerable good weather on the twenty fifth, twenty sixth and Twenty seventh of May, safe, that meeting every day with Turnado's which frequently arise in this passage, we were obliged to lie by, till it blew over. 1690. Cape Patany. Sea Cats. Nicobar The Coasts of Malacca seem'd to be all along well inhabited. On the twenty eighth of May, we made Cape Patany, when the wind turning of a sudden to N. W. by W. we tack'd about for a while advancing but little, and at last cast anchor in sight of the said Cape. We had several fishermen came on board, and sold us fish for Linnen. Among the rest they brought us some of those Animals, which our Seamen call Sea Cats, and which are true Ichthyothuria having neither bones nor fibres like other fish. We catch'd abundance of them in our voyage to Japan, whether I refer the Reader as to a more particular description. It will not be improper here to observe, that Linnen is, what the Inhabitants of Malacca, as well on these as on the opposite Coasts, towards the Straits of Malacca, and the Gulf of Bengale, as also the Inhabitants of the neighbouring Islands, covet most, and willingly exchange for the product of the Country, victuals, and manufactures, to the great advantage of seafaring people. They are for the most part fishermen and admirable Swimmers, as they also pass the best part of their Life at Sea. I was told by several of our Seamen, which had been that way, and were Eyewitnesses to the fact, that the Inhabitants of the Nicobar Islands, which lie in the Gulf of Bengale, and are commonly met with in going from Malacca to Bengale, are such good swimmers, that they will follow a ship with all her Sails crowded, and come up with her. In swimming they every now and then leap out of the water. They tie their goods about their neck, and sell them on board for Fish hooks, small knives and such other bawbles, but chiefly for Linnen if they can get it. They climb up the Ship wherever they alight, with great swiftness and dexterity. They are for the most part strong, and well built with wide mouths, and large teeth; when for diversion's sake a Gun was fir'd they would all jump over board, and a while after climb up again. The Portuguese frequently put in at these Islands to trade with the Inhabitants. They speak a peculiar 1690. Islands. Language of their own. Yet they understand some Malayan, Portugueze and Dutch words. They are said to be still so savage and cruel, that if an European hath the misfortune to come into their hands they will greedily devour him, and yet inferior in barbarity and fierceness to their neighbours the Inhabitants of the Andeman's Islands, Andeman's which lye also in the Gulf of Bangale. The Bramines say, that the Inhabitants of these Andeman's Islands are incarnate Devils and animated by the Souls of impious and wretched men. These Islands are not easily to come at, because of the shoals and rocks which encompass them. On the Twenty ninth of May, we set sail before Sunrise. We had not been long under sail, when a Storm arising out of the North, befel us so suddenly, that we could not furl without some difficulty. The Storm went over in about two hours time, but the wind continuing contrary kept us at an Anchor till the Thirtieth in the morning. In the mean time I beg leave to make Remarkable a short digression, and to give an account of the remark- Shipwreck in sight of Visia able shipwreck, and wonderful preservation of a native Grande. of Japan, a Passenger on board our ship from Batavia to Siam, which I had from himself. His Name was Hanjemon: He was an honest and industrious man, and besides his own Mother Tongue, well vers'd in the Chinese, Tunquineese and Cochinchineese Languages, as also in the Malayan and Siamese. He was born at Firando in Japan, and having left his native Country setled in the Kingdom of Siam. In 1682 he went on board a large Siamese Jonk, bound for Manilhas in the Philippine Islands. The Pilot of this Jonk, on board which there were besides him sixty four other People, was a Portuguese. After a tolerable good Voyage the Ship stranded in fair weather on a rock about two Leagues off a small low Island, call'd by the Portuguese Visia Grande. The Pilot and some others went into the Boat, and after six Days driving made the Coasts of Tunquin from whence they return'd to Siam. The best part of the Crew were carried off to Sea, and doubtless perish'd. 1690. Hanjemon and thirteen others were thrown upon the |