With this people linen-cloth is
good merchandise, and of good request; whereof they make rolls for their
heads, and girdles to wear about them. Their island is both rich and
fruitful; rich in gold, silver, copper, and sulphur, wherein they seem
skilful and expert, not only to try the same, but in working it also
artificially into any form and fashion that pleaseth them. Their fruits
be divers and plentiful; as nutmegs, ginger, long pepper, lemons,
cucumbers, cocos, _figu_, _sagu_, with divers other sorts. And among all
the rest we had one fruit, in bigness, form and husk, like a bay berry,
hard of substance and pleasant of taste, which being sudden becometh
soft, and is a most good and wholesome victual; whereof we took
reasonable store, as we did also of the other fruits and spices. So that
to confess a truth, since the time that we first set out of our country
of England, we happened upon no place, Ternate only excepted, wherein we
found more comforts and better means of refreshing.
At our departure from Barateve, we set our course for Java Major; where
arriving, we found great courtesy, and honourable entertainment. This
island is governed by five kings, whom they call Rajah; as Rajah Donaw,
and Rajah Mang Bange, and Rajah Cabuccapollo, which live as having one
spirit and one mind. Of these five we had four a-shipboard at once, and
two or three often. They are wonderfully delighted in coloured clothes,
as red and green; the upper part of their bodies are naked, save their
heads, whereupon they wear a Turkish roll as do the Maluccians.
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