FIGAFETTA*S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.

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by the illanders. The captain then told the two Kings, by means of the interpreter,that this crofs was the ftandard confided to him by the Emperor his mailer, to plantwherever he landed; and that in confequence he Ihould eredt it on the ifland, to whichthis fymbol would moreover be aufpicious; as all European Ihips which in futureIhould vifit it would know, on feeing the crofs, that we had been received as friends,and would refrain from any violence to the perfons or property of their fubjects;and Ihould any be taken prifoners, they would only have to make the lign of it toregain their liberty. He added that this crofs Ihould be placed on the moll lofty fpotin the neighbourhood, fo that every one might fee it, and that every morning it was tobe worlhipped. To this he added further, that by following fuch advice neither Itormsor thunder would hereafter do them injury. The Kings, who gave implicit faith toall the captain faid, thanked him, and alfured him by means of the interpreter that theywere perfectly fatisfied, and would with pleafure do as he defired.

He enquired what their religion, and whether they were Moors (Mahometans) orGentiles (Pagans ) ? They replied that they adored no tcrrellrial objeft, but, raifingtheir hands towards heaven, one Supreme Being only, whom they called Abba * ; whichafforded much pleafure to our captain. The Rajah Colambu then, raifing his handsto heaven, exprelfed his defire of Ihewing him fome marks of his friendlhip. Theinterpreter having inquired of him wherefore provifions were fo fcarce, he anfweredthat it was owing to that ifland not being the place of their refidence, but only a fpotto which he cafuallyreforted for hunting, or to holdintercourfewith his brother; andthat he generally dwelt on another ifland where his family then was.

The captain told the King that if he had any enemies he would willingly combinewith him to combat them with all his velfels and warriors. The King aniwered thathe was indeed at war w'ith the inhabitants of two illands; but that the prefent was nota fit time to attack them, and returned him thanks. In the afternoon we determinedon erefling the crofs on the fummit of a mountain, and the feltival terminated with adifcharge of mufquetry, our men being formed into battalions; after this the King andthe captain embraced, and we returned to our Ihips.

Dinner ended, we all landed, drell merely in our jackets; and, accompanied by the twoKings we afcended the higheft mountain in the neighbourhood and there planted thecrofs. In the interim the captain expatiated on the advantages which umuld accruefrom it to the inhabitants. We all adored the crofs, and the Kings did the fame. Aswe came down the mountain we traverfed fome fields in culture, and proceeded tothe fpot. where the balanghay was, to which the Kings ordered refrelhments to bebrought.

The captain-general had previoufly inquired which was the bell ports in the neigh-bourhood for obtaining provifions and for traffic, and learned there were three; towit, Ceylon , Zubu, and Calaganf; but that the bell of thefe was Zubu; and ashe refolved on failing thither, they offered him pilots for the purpofe. The ceremonyof adoring the crofs being ended, the captain fixed upon the next day for our de-parture, and offered to leave an holtage with the Kings to anfwer for the fafe returnof the pilots, which they accepted.

In the morning, when on the point of heaving anchor, King Colambu caufed to beintimated to us that he would willingly himfelf ferve us as a pilot, but that he was obliged

* In Hebrew and in Arabic Abba is father. *

-f Ceylon is the ifland Leyte, which Pigafetta has divided in twain, giving to the northern part thedenomination Bay bay, which is the name ot a port. Calagan is Catagua in the ifland Mindanao ; andZubu is the ifland Seba of which copious mention will be made.

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