they rowe in eighteene houres with the increase of
the water: in which riuer it floweth and ebbeth
as it doth in the Thamis, and when the ebbing water
is come, they are not able to rowe against it, by
reason of the swiftnesse of the water, yet their barkes
be light and armed with oares, like to Foistes, yet
they cannot preuaile against that streame, but for
refuge must make them fast to the banke of the riuer
vntill the next flowing water, and they call these
barkes Bazaras and Patuas: they rowe as well
as a Galliot, or as well as euer I haue seene any.
A good tides rowing before you come to Satagan, you
shall haue a place which is called Buttor, and from
thence vpwards the ships doe not goe, because that
vpwardes the riuer is very shallowe, and litle water.
Euery yeere at Buttor they make and vnmake a Village,
with houses and shoppes made of strawe, and with all
things necessarie to their vses, and this village standeth
as long as the ships ride there, and till they depart
for the Indies, and when they are departed, euery
man goeth to his plot of houses, and there setteth
fire on them, which thing made me to maruaile.
For as I passed vp to Satagan, I sawe this village
standing with a great number of people, with an infinite
number of ships and Bazars, and at my returne comming
downe with my Captaine of the last ship, for whom
I tarried, I was al amazed to see such a place so
soone razed and burnt, and nothing left but the signe
of the burnt houses. The small ships go to Satagan,
and there they lade.
Of the citie of Satagan.
[Sidenote: The commodities that are laden in
Satagan.] In the port of Satagan euery yeere lade
thirtie or fiue and thirtie ships great and small,
with rice, cloth of Bombast of diuerse sortes, Lacca,
great abundance of sugar, Mirabolans dried and preserued,
long pepper, oyle of Zerzeline, and many other sorts
of marchandise. The citie of Satagan is a reasonable
faire citie for a citie of the Moores, abounding with
all things, and was gouerned by the king of Patane,
and now is subiect to the great Mogol. I was
in this kingdome foure moneths, whereas many marchants
did buy or fraight boates for their benefites, and
with these barkes they goe vp and downe the riuer
of Ganges to faires, buying their commoditie with a
great aduantage, because that euery day in the weeke
they haue a faire, now in one place, and now in another,
and I also hired a barke, and went vp and downe the
riuer and did my businesse, and so in the night I saw
many strange things. The kingdome of Bengala
in times past hath bene as it were in the power of
Moores, neuerthelesse there is great store of Gentiles
among them; alwayes whereas I haue spoken of Gentiles,
is to be vnderstood Idolaters, and whereas I speak
of Moores I meane Mahomets sect. [Sidenote: A
ceremony of the gentiles when they be dead.] Those
people especially that be within the land doe greatly
worship the riuer of Ganges: for when any is
sicke, he is brought out of the countrey to the banke