ies, as we do partridges and rabbits.

The king has many wives, nine of whom only are reckoned queens, and are
all his sisters or near relations; the rest being the daughters of
noblemen. The chief wife is called _Mazarira_, or the mother of the
Portuguese, who frequently make presents to her, as she solicits their
affairs with the king, and he sends no messengers to them but
accompanied by some of her servants. The second queen is called
_Inahanda_, who solicits for the Moors. The others _Nabuiza_,
_Nemangore_, _Nizingoapangi_, _Navembo_, _Nemongoro_, _Nessani_, and
_Necarunda_. Every one of these lives apart in as great state as the
king, having certain revenues and districts appointed for their
expenses. When any of these die, another is appointed to her place and
name, and they have all the power of rewards and punishments, as well as
the king. Sometimes he goes to them, and, at other times they come to
him; all of them having many female attendants, whom the king makes use
of when he thinks proper.

The principal nation of Monomotapa is called the _Moearangi_, and of
which the emperor is a native. They are by no means warlike, and their
only weapons are bows, arrows, and javelins. In regard to religion, they
acknowledge one only God, and believe in a devil or evil spirit, called
_Muzuco_, but they have no idols. They believe that their deceased kings
go to heaven, and invoke these under the appellation of _Musimos_, as
the saints are invoked by the catholics. Having no letters, their only
knowledge of past events is preserved by tradition. The lame and blind
are called the king's poor, because they are charitably maintained by
him; and when any of these travel, the towns through which they pass are
obliged to maintain them and furnish them with guides from place to
place, an excellent example for Christians. The months are divided into
three weeks of ten days each, and have several festivals. The first day
of each month is the festival of the new moon; and the fourth and fifth
day of every week are kept as festivals. On these days all the natives
dress in their best apparel, and the king gives public audience to all
who present themselves, on which occasion he holds a truncheon about
three quarters of a yard long in each hand, using them to lean upon.
Those who speak to him prostrate themselves on the ground, and his
audience lasts from morning till evening. When the king is indisposed,
the _Ningomoaxa_, or govern