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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels novel. A total of 621 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 1.by Robert Kerr.PREFACE.In
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 1.by Robert Kerr.PREFACE.In this enlightened age, when every department of science and literature is making rapid progress, and knowledge of every kind excites uncommon interest, and is widely d
- 1 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 1.by Robert Kerr.PREFACE.In this enlightened age, when every department of science and literature is making rapid progress, and knowledge of every kind excites uncommon interest, and is widely d
- 2 [15] In a treaty between the Teutonic knights, and the newly converted Prussians, the latter engaged never to burn their dead, nor to bury them with their horses, arms, clothes, and valuables.--Forst.[16] This power of producing cold in summer, so much ad
- 3 Opposite to the Alps, _on the north_, is Gallia-belgica, near which is the river Rhine, which discharges itself into the Britanisca sea, and to the north, on the other side of this sea, is Brittannia[66]. The land to the west of _Ligore_, Liguria, is AEqu
- 4 [42] The country on the Wisle or Vistula, being great and little Poland.--Forst.[43] These for some time inhabited Dacia, and, being famous in history, Alfred was willing at least to mention one of their residences.--Forst.[44] The Delamensen, or Daleminz
- 5 Note.--The subsequent sections of this chapter, although not of much importance in themselves, and some of them possessing rather doubtful authenticity, are inserted in this place on the authority of Hakluyt. In an English general collection of voyages an
- 6 To the natives of Winland, the Icelanders gave the name of Skraellinger, signifying cuttings or dwarfs, on account of their being of very low stature. These were probably the ancestors of the present Eskimaux, who are the same people with the Greenlanders
- 7 There are no taxes imposed upon the lands, but all the men of the country are subject to a poll-tax in proportion to their substance. When any failure of crops makes necessaries dear, the king opens his store-houses to the people, and soils all sorts of n
- 8 Komar is the country whence the aloes wood, which we call Hud al Komari, is brought; and it is a very populous kingdom, of which the inhabitants are very courageous. In this country, the boundless commerce with women is forbidden, and indeed it has no win
- 9 [18] This does not refer to the coast of Barbary in the Mediterranean, but must mean the coast of the barbarian Arabs or Bedouins.--E.[19] This singular expression probably signifies that the inhabitants are without law or regular government.--E.[20] This
- 10 [5] Psianki may, perhaps, be Poland, and Buria Bavaria.--E.[6] The Arabs, so called from their supposed ancestor, Ismael.--E.[7] Perhaps Blachernae.--E.[8] The Karaites were a sect among the Jews, who confined their observances and religious belief to the
- 11 26. E, to the promontory of Tschuts-koi-nos, or the East Cape of Asia, in long. 190. E. this vast region extends in length 160 degrees of longitude, or not less than 8000 miles. Its southern boundaries are more difficultly ascertainable: but, except where
- 12 SECTION V._Of their Good and Bad Customs_.[Ill.u.s.tration: Map of the Western part of Tartary & Adjacent Countries]Some of their customs are commendable, and others execrable. They are more obedient to their lords than any other people, giving them vast
- 13 [1] The Kirguses, inhabiting Western Turkestan, between Lake Balkash and the Caspian.--E.[2] The remainder of this short section is so ridiculously fabulous as not to merit translation, and is therefore omitted.--E.SECTION XIII._Of the death of Zingis, an
- 14 [1] The journal of Carpini begins here, that of Asceline never appears.--E.[2] At this period Jeroslaw, or Jeroslaus, was grand duke of Wolodimir or Wladimire, then considered as the sovereigns of Russia, who was succeeded by Alexander.--_Playf. Syst. of
- 15 The dukes a.s.sembled in the great tent, and consulted together, as we thought, about the election of the emperor. The rest of the people were collected all round the wooden walls, and at a considerable distance; and in this manner they continued till alm
- 16 _Dedication by the Author_ To the Most Excellent and Most Christian Lord Louis, by the Grace of G.o.d the ill.u.s.trious King of the French; Friar William de Rubruquis, the meanest of the Minorite Order, wisheth health and continual triumph in CHRIST JESU
- 17 From the milk of their cows they make b.u.t.ter, which they do not salt for preservation, but boil and clarify it, after which it is poured into bags made of sheep-skin, and preserved for winter use. The residue of the milk is kept till it becomes quite s
- 18 From this opinion, I could not move him by any arguments; so that these people are much estranged from becoming Christians, by the a.s.sertion of that opinion by the Russians, and other Christians, who come among them in great numbers.On the same day, whi
- 19 At the region from the west sh.o.r.e of the Caspian, where the Iron-gate of Alexander is situated, now called Derbent, and from the mountains of the Alani, and along the Palus Moeotis, or sea of Azoph, into which the Tanais falls, to the northern ocean, w
- 20 Next day being the Kalends, 1st December, was the pa.s.sover of the Saracens, and I changed my lodging to the neighbourhood of another temple of idols; for the people of this place shew hospitality to all messengers, every one according to his abilities.
- 21 _The Introduction of Rubruquis to Mangu-khan_.The people brought us from the court ram-skin coats, and breeches of the same, with shoes, which my companion and interpreter accepted, but I thought the fur garment which I brought from Baatu was sufficient f
- 22 About Pa.s.sion Sunday, the khan went before with his small houses only, leaving the great ones behind, and the monk and we followed. On the journey we had to pa.s.s through a hilly country[7] where we encountered high winds, extreme cold, and much snow.
- 23 [2] The obscurity of this pa.s.sage is inexplicable.--E.SECTION x.x.xIX._The departure of Rubruquis from the Court of Mangu-khan, and his journey by Saray and other places, to Tripoly in Syria._ Leaving the Leskar or moving camp of Mangu-khan, we came to
- 24 In the year 1305, when he must have become very old, Haitho became a monk of the Praemonstratensian order at Episcopia in Cyprus. He afterwards went to Poitou in France, where he dictated in French to Nicholas Salconi, a history of the events which had oc
- 25 The election of the pope was deferred two years, and the Polos became afraid least the great khan might be displeased at their delay. They went therefore back to Acre, carrying Marco along with them; and having gone to Jerusalem for the holy oil requested
- 26 When these people wish to commit robberies, by means of incantations addressed to the demons, they have the means of obscuring the air as if it were midnight darkness, that they may not be seen from any distance. This obscurity, when once raised, lasts fo
- 27 [8] Vochan, Vocham or Vakhan, on the river Vash.--Forst.[9] This observation was made on the mountains of Savoy and Switzerland, not many years ago, by M. de Luc, and published as a new discovery. The phenomena must be owing to the diminished pressure of
- 28 The Tartar women are remarkably faithful to their husbands, considering adultery as the greatest and most unpardonable of crimes; yet it is accounted lawful and honest for the men to have as many wives as they can maintain, but the first married is always
- 29 [11] In all ages of the world, except the social, yet irrational ancient superst.i.tions of Greece and Rome, mankind have vainly thought to propitiate the Almighty beneficence, by ridiculous acts of austere self-torment; and even the ignorant or designing
- 30 There are inspectors employed, who examine the state and conduct of these posts every month, and are empowered to punish those who are guilty of faults.The khan sends every year to the different provinces of his empire, to inquire whether any injuries hav
- 31 From this province of Tholoman, the high road leads eastwards by a river, on the banks of which there are many towns and castles, and at the end of twelve days journey, we come to the great city of Cintigui, the province of the same name being subject to
- 32 [15] Quiam, Kiang, Kian-ku, Kin-tchin-kian, or Yang-tsi-kiang. In modern maps, there is a town on the northern sh.o.r.e of this river, named Tsing-Kiang, which may possibly be the Singui of Marco, and we may perhaps look for the Sian-fu of the Polos at Ya
- 33 On this, the whole army re-embarked, and sailed to an uninhabited island, at the distance of about ten miles: But the tempest continuing, many of the s.h.i.+ps were wrecked, and about thirty thousand of the people escaped on sh.o.r.e, without arms or prov
- 34 [3] Mr Pinkerton, from the Trevigi edition, has this pa.s.sage as follows: "The king of Vor, one of the princes of Nacbabar, purchases about 10,000 horses yearly from the country of Cormos, formerly mentioned, each horse costing five _sazi_ of gold.&
- 35 Many things are related by various authors, concerning the customs, fas.h.i.+ons, and conditions of this world: Yet, as I, friar Oderic of Portenau in the Friul, have travelled among the remote nations of the unbelievers, where I saw and heard many great
- 36 Yet, if she have children by her husband, she may remain alive with them, if so inclined, without shame or reproach; yet most of them prefer to be burnt with the bodies of their husbands. But husbands are not influenced by any similar law, as when they lo
- 37 [4] Called in p. 404. Carchan.--E.SECTION XI._Of the City of f.u.ko, or Foquien_.Continuing my journey still farther to the east, I came to the city of Foquien, which is thirty miles in circuit. The poultry here are very large, and as white as snow, but h
- 38 [1] This strange word, both in the Latin and English of Hakluyt, is obviously the Italian for Prester John, information concerning whom will be found in the travels of Marco Polo.--E.SECTION XVIII._Of a certain Rich Man, who was Fed by fifty Virgins_.Whil
- 39 _Itinerary of Pegoletti, between Asof and China, in_ 1355[1].In the year 1355, Francis...o...b..lducci Pegoletti, an Italian, wrote a system of commercial geography, of great importance, considering the period in which it was written. Its t.i.tle translat
- 40 Antonio remained fourteen years in Frisland or Orkney; four years of that time along with his brother, and ten years alone after the death of Nicolo.The elder Zeno ingratiated himself so much into the favour of the prince, that he was appointed admiral of
- 41 Having made a conquest of _Bissibur_, they marched into. _Walor_[11], which they also conquered, and then returned into Kiptschak.At this period, there was a high officer of state among the Tartars, called Obmann, who had usurped the power of nominating a
- 42 [1] The capital of Khora.s.san, or Cora.s.san, in the north-east of Persia, then the residence of Shah Rokh.--Astl.[2] Or Zu'lkaadeh, as p.r.o.nounced by the Persians, called Dhu'lkaddeh by the Arabians, which is the eleventh month of the Mahome
- 43 On the seventeenth of the month Zu'lhajjeh, all the criminals were carried to be punished according to the nature of their offences, and as prescribed by the laws. The twenty-fifth of Moharram, Mulana Kadhi Yusof sent to acquaint the amba.s.sadors th
- 44 As they had no rope with, which to make fast their boat to the sh.o.r.e and prevent it from being dashed to pieces, they remained in it the whole night. Next day at dawn, sixteen weak, miserable and exhausted wretches, the sad remains of forty-seven who h
- 45 In this country there are a great number of woods and mountains. One of its districts is named Tiflis, in which is a town of the same name, situate on the Kur or Kyrus, which runs into the Caspian. Gori is likewise a fortified place in the same country, a
- 46 [33] Moxia is the country of the Morduanians, one tribe of whom call themselves Mokscha, or Moxa.--Forst. [34] This word signifies the New Castle; of this name there are two cities and provinces in European Russia, Novogorod proper, and Nisney Novogorod:
- 47 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. II.by Robert Kerr.PART I.(CONTINUED.) CHAP. XX._Account of Various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land; between the years 1097 and 1107_[1].INTRODUCTION.The subsequent account of se
- 48 [1] Glas. Disc. and Conqu. pa.s.sim.[2] The Author of the History of the Canaries, omits the date of this grant. Clement VI. was Pope from 1343 to 1352, between which years the papal grant must have been made.--E.[3] A more extended account or these islan
- 49 Pliny[39], on the authority of Cornelius Nepos, says that one Eudoxus, flying from Ptolemy Lathyrus, pa.s.sed by sea through the gulf of Arabia, and sailing along the eastern coast of Africa, doubled the cape of Bona Speranca arrived by the Atlantic at Ca
- 50 [35] Strabo, I. 17. p. 560, 561.[36] Strab. I. 17. p. 549.[37] Plin. I. 6. c. 23.[38] Id. I. 12. c. 18.[39] Id. I. 2. c. 67. [40] Ziphilin. in vit. Traj.[41] Ramusio, V. f. 372. p. 2 [42] Strabo, I. 11.[43] Plin. I. 6. c. 11.[44] Newfoundland?[45] Jidda.[
- 51 --E.[16] In the original this is called the country of Prester or Presbyter John. We have formerly, in the _First_ Part of this work, had occasion to notice the strange idea of a Christian prince and priest, who was supposed to have ruled among the pagan
- 52 In the month of May 1515, Alphonsus de Albuquerque, the Portuguese viceroy of India, sent Fernando Gomes de Limos from Ormus, as amba.s.sador to the Xec or Shah Ismael, king of Persia; and it is said they travelled 300 leagues through a country as pleasan
- 53 In the same year, 1534; Jaques Cartier, a native of Britanny, went with three s.h.i.+ps to the land of Corterealis[71], and the gulf of St Lawrence, otherwise called _Golfo Quadrato_, or the square gulf, which he fell in with in lat. 48 30' N. He pro
- 54 [5] Cape de Verd is in 14 30' N. Deseada in 16 30' N. a difference of two degrees of lat.i.tude. Dominica, in 15 30' is the first land said to have been discovered by Columbus in his _second_ voyage, in the authentic original narrative by h
- 55 [53] Id: Hist. Gen. II. vii.[54] In this lat.i.tude, on the sh.o.r.e of Costa Rica, there is a town now called Porto Cartago; but whether that indicated in the text it is difficult to say, as Galvano is not always perfectly accurate in his lat.i.tudes.--E
- 56 [99] Gomar. H.G. VI. xviii. and xix.[100] In other writers Liampa and Siampa, or Tsiompa, are synonimous; but that place is in lat. 12 N. The lat.i.tude of the text would lead us to the eastern coast of China, between Ningpo and Nankin.--E.[101] Gomez, H.
- 57 I left Phasis on the 4th of July, accompanied by Nicholas Capella, and crossed the river _Mare_ on a float. That day and the next, we travelled through a considerable portion of Mingrelia, always among woods and mountains. Towards the evening of the 5th,
- 58 On the 31st of May the king encamped about fifteen miles from Tauris, when a certain monk of the Boulonnois named Louis, who called himself patriarch of Antioch, and envoy from the Duke of Burgundy, arrived at the camp, attended by five hors.e.m.e.n. The
- 59 [2] These are large shallow ponds, in which sea water is exposed to evaporation, to procure salt.--E.[3] In the original this person is called the cham of the _Camercheriens_.The Tartar government of Astracan belonged to one of the Mongal tribes of Kipsch
- 60 i. sect. 3. Uzun-Ha.s.san had seven sons: Ogurlu Mohammed, Khahil Mirza, Maksud beg, Jakub beg, Masih beg, Yusuf beg, and Zegnel. Contarini strangely corrupts almost every name that occurs. Uzun-Ha.s.san, he makes Unsunca.s.san; Ogurlu Mohammed, Gurlu mam
- 61 SECTION IV._Continuation of Discovery to Cape de Verd_.On the return from this voyage, the sight of gold placed the fame and advantage of the enterprizes and discoveries of Don Henry beyond the reach of prejudice and detraction, and the former murmurings
- 62 [3] Hist. of the Disc. of India, prefixed to the translation of the Lusiad, I. 158.CHAPTER IV.ORIGINAL JOURNALS OF THE VOYAGES OF CADA MOSTO, AND PIEDRO DE CINTRA TO THE COAST OF AFRICA; THE FORMER IN THE YEARS 1455 AND 1456, AND THE LATTER SOON AFTERWARD
- 63 Innumerable quant.i.ties of large and excellent fish of various kinds are caught on this coast, similar in taste to those we have at Venice, but quite different in shape and appearance. The gulf of Arguin is shallow all over, and is full of shoals both of
- 64 Having pa.s.sed the river Senegal, we sailed about 800 miles farther south along the coast, which was all low land without mountains, till we came to the territory or kingdom of Budomel[1]. As some Portuguese, who had dealt with Budomel, represented him a
- 65 [3] It is necessary to be cautious with respect to these early voyages, which, having gone through various transcriptions and translations, are liable to numerous errors. In our best charts, this sand bank, intermixed with sunk rocks, extends two miles ou
- 66 [1] At this place Grynaeus calls him Batrinense; though he had named him rightly Bati-mansa before.--Astl.[2] This is now called Cape St Mary.--E.[3] This seems to allude to what is now called Bald Cape, about twenty miles south from Cape St Mary, and str
- 67 Including the voyages of Cada Mosto and Pedro de Cintra, which have been already detailed, as possibly within the period which elapsed between the death of Don Henry in 1463, and King Alphonzo, which latter event took place on the 28th August 1481, and th
- 68 "I am fully sensible of the high honour done me on this occasion by your sovereign. I have always endeavoured to deserve his friends.h.i.+p, by dealing strictly with his subjects, and by constantly exerting myself to procure immediate ladings for the
- 69 [1] Bibl. des Voyages, V. 2.DEDICATION BY CASTANEDA._To The most high and mighty Prince, John III.King of Portugal and Algarve, &c._ It hath seemed to me, most high and mighty prince, our dread king and sovereign, so important and weighty a matter to unde
- 70 They came immediately on board with as much confidence as if they were long acquainted, and entered into familiar conversation in the language of Algarve, and would not be known as Moors[27].The general ordered these people to be well entertained, and the
- 71 Whereupon the general requested them to do this; and, departing from this first anchorage, the fleet was conducted by these fishermen to Calicut.Calicut is a city on the coast of Malabar, a province of the second India, which begins at the mount of Delhi,
- 72 De Faria gives a somewhat different account of what pa.s.sed at this second audience[62]. "It was wonderful that the zamorin, not knowing how to be properly a.s.sured of the truth, should rely on the faith of him who was accused by his ministers. For
- 73 [13] Probably Rock Point, forming the western boundary of Algoa or Zwartkops bay, in long. 27 E. bring the rocky extreme promontory of the Krakakamma ridge.--E.[14] It is infinitely difficult to guess the course of these early voyages, without lat.i.tudes
- 74 Bontaybo applied the same significant term of kafr to the image wors.h.i.+ppers of all denominations, without discriminating one species of idolater from another.--E.[61] On this part of the text, the author, or the original translator, makes the followin
- 75 During the subsistence of this friendly intercourse, a large Moorish s.h.i.+p was descried from Calicut on its voyage from Cochin for Cambaya; and the zamorin requested our general to make prize of the s.h.i.+p, alleging that it contained a peculiarly fin
- 76 [23] According to De Faria, this event was occasioned by the Moorish admiral of Calicut, without the knowledge of the zamorin, who instigated Cabral to the attempt in hope of injuring the Portuguese, and sent information to the Moors to be on their guard.
- 77 "I am informed that you favour the Christians, whom you have admitted into your city and supplied with goods and provisions. It is possible you may not see the danger of this procedure, and may not know how displeasing it is to me. I request of you t
- 78 The zamorin made a new attempt to shake the resolution of the rajah in his present adversity, by offering peace on condition of delivering up the Portuguese and their goods; which the rajah rejected with disdain as he had done all his former overtures. On
- 79 [8] Such is the expression of Lichefild; which I suspect ought to have been 500 nayres of Cochin in paraws.--E.[9] The quant.i.ty in the text is probably exaggerated considerably, as only a few pages before, the factory at Cochin is said to have only been
- 80 [4] In a former note we have given a list of the names and circ.u.mstances of the English ordnance near this period. In that list the saker is described as a light cannon of only 5-1/2 pound ball, now looked upon as one of very small importance; we may th
- 81 [11] By some strange typographical mistake, Lichefild makes this date 1525, both in the text and in a marginal note, thus adding no less than twenty years to the true chronology. In Astleys Collection, the conclusion of this voyage is dated 22d July 1506;
- 82 Having thus informed you of the wealth of that country, which abounds in almost every thing, we now proceed to relate that two of our s.h.i.+ps above mentioned have been cast away in a storm near the mouth of the Red Sea, their commander Vincentius and ab
- 83 [10] Same and Zan probably are meant to indicate some of the Indian islands. Same may be Sumatra. Zan may be some port in Zangibar, on the eastern coast of Africa.--E. [11] Samoterra probably alludes to some port in the Bay of Bengal. Tannazar, almost cer
- 84 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. IV.by Robert Kerr.PART II.BOOK II. CONTINUED. CHAPTER V.HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY AND CONQUEST OF MEXICO, WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1568, BY CAPTAIN BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, ONE OF THE CONQUERORS.--_C
- 85 Montezuma was much struck with the manner in which De Leon expressed himself, and asked Donna Marina what he had said. She answered with much discretion, by mildly advising him to consent immediately to go along with us, a.s.suring him that he would be tr
- 86 Soon after the arrival of Father Olmedo, Guevara and his two companions returned from Mexico, and launched out in praise of Cortes, reporting the many expressions of respect he had used in speaking of Narvaez; and, commending the services he had already p
- 87 At length we reached the great temple, into which four thousand of the Mexicans immediately rushed, independent of other large bodies who were previously stationed there for its defence. They defended their temple with the most obstinate valour, and for s
- 88 On our arrival at Tlascala, we learnt that our good friend and faithful ally Maxicatzin had fallen a sacrifice to the small-pox. Cortes lamented the death of this good man as that of a father, and put on mourning out of respect to his memory, in which he
- 89 At this time our allies of Tlascala arrived under the command of Xicotencatl the younger, who was accompanied by his two brothers. Some of the warriors of Huexotzinco and Cholula came along with the Tlascalans, but not in any great numbers[12], yet the al
- 90 We remained for some time at our quarters comparatively at rest, recounting the events which had occurred at our post, and listening to a relation of what had taken place at the two others. On a sudden, we were struck by the horrifying sound of the great
- 91 Cortes therefore left a respectable garrison in Mexico, under Diego de Soto, and set out on his march for Panuco[1] with 130 cavalry, 250 infantry, and 10,000 Mexican warriors. As this expedition was very expensive, Cortes, wished the charge to be defraye
- 92 About this time Cortes was informed that the provinces of Higueras and Honduras contained rich mines, and some sailors reported that the native fishers of these countries used weights to their nets made of gold mixed with copper; they alleged also, that a
- 93 [1] Like the solitary Phoenix, I, without a peer, serve you, who have no equal in the world.[2] In Clavigero, at the close of Vol. I. this lady is named Donna Jeroma Ramirez de Arrellano y Zuniga, daughter of Don Carlos Ramiro de Arellano, Count of Auguil
- 94 The rest of the night was employed in providing arms and collecting all their friends, and at day-break next morning the whole party marched for the palace which Salazar inhabited, calling out as they went along, "Long live the king, and the governor
- 95 When the members of the royal tribunal understood that they were to be superseded, they resolved to send agents to Spain, provided with witnesses and doc.u.ments to vouch for the propriety of their conduct; and for this purpose all the veteran conquerors
- 96 [11] This appears to be the country now called Cinaloa, or Culiacan. The strange appellation of the _seven cities_ seems to have reference to that fancied ancient Spanish colony which has been formerly spoken of in the introduction to the discovery of Col
- 97 After having enjoyed the office of secretary to the royal council of Castille for fifteen years, the king was graciously pleased to order me to Peru in 1543, as treasurer-general of that province and of the Tierra Firma; in which employment I was entruste
- 98 These priests likewise offer sacrifices of animals and even of men to their G.o.ds, searching the hearts and intrails of the victims for certain signs which they wish to find, and repeating their abominable sacrifices until they meet with those signs whic
- 99 [5] Instead of _twelve_, the text only names _eight_ of the brave a.s.sociates of Pizarro.--E.[6] Morope, in lat. 6 35', in the district of Sana, is in the situation of the place mentioned in the text.--E.[7] This river, otherwise called Amatape, run
- 100 Early in the morning of the 16th November 1532, Pizarro drew up his small body of men in regular order. Dividing his cavalry into three bodies, under the command of his three brothers, Ferdinand, Juan, and Gonzalo, a.s.sisted by the Captains Soto and Bena