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or ftage they are built upon, to keep out the fun. Here rtths a very ftrong ebb,which fometimes breaks their moorings, or what fallens them to the Ihore ; andyoumay fee three or four houfes adrift at a time. I have been informed, that fome houfeShaving broke Ioofe m the night, whilft the people were alleep, drove out into the mainriver, and thence to fea ; which is very probable, becaufe the flood fometimes runsvery weak, when, on the contrary, the ebb is exceeding rapid and ftrong.
When I firft got into the town, I was furprifed to fee thefe floating houfes, andthe people in great numbers paddling up and down from houfe to houfe in fmall butneat built canoes or praws. The curiofity of feeing us had brought a great many totown from all parts of the country, which caufed it to be more crowded with peopleand boats, than it had been in many years before. On our firft entrance I ordered thetrumpets to found ; the fine echo from the woods and waters added to the harmonyof our mufic. Moll of the natives were aftonilhed at the fudden noife, and fomefled one way and fome another in their little boats, with ill the confufion cf a frightenedmultitude. The number of ugly black ferry men was fo great, the ftink of the oilor ointment wherewith they befmear their bodies daily fo noifome, and the fultryheat fo excefiive, that I had almoft perfuaded myfelf I was palling the river Styx, orPhlegeton in Hell . We were conducted to Cay Arrea’s houfe, who is the principaltrader in town, but not a very Uriel obferver of juftice, and was afterwards intro-duced into the Prince’s prefence, who fat crofs-legged at the upper end of the room,with Cay Arrea on his left, and Cay Demon on his right. There was alfo the chiefof the Chinefe, who lives there, and is a very confiderable trader, befides feveralother great men. We were ordered to fit down crofs-legged, juft oppofite to thePrince; which we no fooner did but the houfe was immediately filled with otherIndians of the meaner fort, who fat down behind us ; fo that we were almoft ftifledwith heat, and the ftench proceeding from their abundant perfpiration. Our crewwaited with the pinnaces at the door.
The Prince, with a very referved countenance, after a profound filence, fpoke firft:to us, and let us know that they had great reafon to be jealous of all Europeans; andthat the Sultan did infill that we Ihould bring up our Ihips into the narrow river, oreven into the town, as a fecurity for the fafety of his fubjedls; and that it wouldforward our loading, and be other ways advantageous. We excufed it in the hand-fomeft manner we could, telling him that our men being ufed to a colder climate,could not live in that warm fituation without the fea-breezes. This indeed was onereafon; but the chief was, that if we Ihould comply, we mull be fubjecl to theirpower to ufe us as they pleafed, Ihould they at any time difeover that we were Com-pany Ihips, by way of reprifal, and in revenge for the injuries they complained to havebeen done by our former faflory ; and knowing that they were as willing to take ourmoney as we their pepper, we abfolutely refufed to yield to that propofal; and toldhim, that we would return to our Ihips, and ftay three days for an anfwer, but nolonger. We difeourfed on divers fubjecls for about three hours : and when we wereabout to depart, the Prince defired our longer ftay, becaufe the Sultan had given ftrictorders to Cay Arrea to entertain us whenever we came very handfomely at his charge.And immediately feveral large gold and filver bowls neatly wrought were brought infull of rice, boiled fowls, hard eggs, &c. We eat plentifully, and drank our ownwine and punch ; their belt liquor being the river water that runs before their doors.After we had done, what was left was given to our boat’s crew in brafs bowls. ThePrince, while we were at dinner, withdrew, and dined by himfelf; after which hecame in again. He was dreffed after their manner, in fcarlet and blue, having on a3 fmall