on them that
have them.

[Of their Coin.] Of Money they have but three sorts that passeth
for Coin in the King's Dominions. The one was Coined by Portugals,
the King's Arms on one side, and the Image of a Frier on the other,
and by the Chingulayes called Tangom massa. The value of one is
nine pence English, Poddi Tangom, or the small Tangom is half as
much. There is another sort, which all People by the King's Permission
may and do make. The shape is like a fish-hook, they stamp what mark
or impression on it they please. The Silver is purely fine beyond
pieces of Eight. For if any suspect the goodness of the Plate, it is
the Custom to burn the Money in the fire red hot, and so put it in
water: and if it be not then purely white, it is not Currant Money.

The third sort of Money is the King's proper Coin. For none upon
pain of Death may Coin it. It is called a Ponnam. It is as small as a
Spangle: Seventy five make a piece of Eight, or a Spanish Dollar. But
all sorts of Money is here very scarce: And they frequently buy and
sell by exchanging Commodities.

[Of their Play.] Pass we now from their Business to their Pastimes
and Diversions. They have but few Sports, neither do they delight in
Play. Only at their New year, they will sport and be merry one with
another. Their chief Play is to bowl Coker-nuts one against the other,
to try which is the hardest. At this time none will work, until their
Astrolagers tell them, it is a good hour to handle their Tools. And
then both Men and Women do begin their proper works; the Man with
his Ax, Bill, and Hough, and the Woman with her Broom, Pestle, and
Fan to clean her Corn.

[A Play or a Sacrafice.] There is another Sport, which generally all
People used with much delight, being, as they called it, a Sacrifice
to one of their Gods; to wit, Potting Dio. And the benefit of it is,
that it frees the Countrey from grief and Diseases. For the beastliness
of the Exercise they never celebrated it near any Town, nor in sight of
Women, but in a remote place. The manner of the Game is thus. They have
two crooked sticks like Elbows, one hooked into the other, and so with
contrivances they pull with Ropes, until the one break the other; some
riding with one stick, and some with the other; but never is Money laid
on either side. Upon the breaking of the stick, that Party that hath
won doth not a little rejoyce. Which rejoycing is exprest by Dancing
and Singing, and uttering such sordid beas