pigafetta’s voyage round the world.

35 3

On reaching the town we were forced to wait two hours in the pirogue for the ar-rival of two elephants covered with filk, and twelve men, each of which was the bearerof a vafe of porcelain covered with filk, to hold our prefents. We afcended the backsof the elephants, preceded by the twelve men who carried our prefents, and in thismanner proceeded to the houfe of the minifter, who had a fupper confiding of feveraldiflies ferved up for us. We flept on mattrefles fluffed with cotton and covered withfilk, and for coverlids had Cambaian chintzes.

The next day we fpent the morning idly at the minifter’s houfe; at noon we pro-ceeded to the King’s palace. We rode on the fame elephants as brought us from thepirogues, preceded by the men who carried our prefents. From the governor’s houfeto the King’s palace all the flreets were lined with men armed with lances, fwords,and clubs by fpecial order of the King.

We entered the court of the palace on our elephants, where alighting, we afcendeda flight of flairs accompanied by the governor and fome officers : we afterwards wereufhered into a large faloon full of courtiers, which we fhould denominate barons ofthe kingdom : here we feated ourfelves on a carpet, and the prefents were placednear us.

At the extremity of this faloon was another apartment, fomewhat fmaller, hung withfilk, where two curtains of brocade pulled up, exhibited two windows which gavelight to the apartment. We faw here three hundred of the King’s guards armed withpoignards, the point of which they refted on their thighs. At the extremity of thisapartment was a large door covered by a curtain of brocade, which, as thofe of thewindows, had been before was drawn up, and fhewed us the King feated at a tablewith a fmall child, and chewing betel: behind him there were only women.

One of the courtiers then informed us that we were not allowed to addrefs the King;but if we had any thing we wifhed to communicate to him we might deliver its fub-flance to him ; that he fhould then tell it to a courtier of higher rank, who would•repeat it to the brother of the governor’s, a minifler who was in the fmall apartment,and who, by means of a farbacane fixed in a hole in the wall, would impart it to oneof the principal officers about the King’s perfon, to be by him reported to the King.

He informed us that we had to make three inclinations to the King, at the fametime raifing our hands joined together above our heads, and raifing firfl the one andthen the other leg. Having complied with thefe requifite ceremonies, we informed HisMajelly that we were fubjefts of the King of Spain , who defired to live in friendfhipwith him, and afked nothing farther than the liberty of carrying on a commerce withhis ifland.

The King replied, that he was well pleafed that His Majefly of Spain fought hisfriendfhip ; and informed us that we were welcome to wood and water in his domi-nions, and to follow any traffic we chofe.

We then prefented to him the different things we had brought; and on each fepa-rate article being difplayed, he made a flight movement of the head. To each of uswas given brocade, with cloths of filk and gold, which were firfl laid on our left fhoulder,and afterwards taken off to preferve for us. A breakfafl of cloves and cinnamon wasthen placed before us, after which all the curtains were let down, and the windowsclofed.

All thofe who were in the King’s palace had a cloth of gold tied round their waiftsto conceal their privities, poignards with golden handles, let with pearls and preciousflones, and a number of rings on their fingers.

We now again mounted the elephants, and returned to the governor’s houfe. Seven8 men