. For I cannot think they ever were employed
for Traffick by Water; the River being so full of Rocks that Boats
could never come up into it.

[The Woods hereabouts.] The Woods in all these Northern Parts are
short and shrubbed, and so they are by the River side, and the lower
the worse; and the Grounds so also.

[How they secured themselves a nights against wild Beasts.] In the
Evenings we used to pitch our Tent, and make a great Fire both before
and behind us, that the wild Beasts might have notice where we lay;
and we used to hear the Voices of all sorts of them, but, thanks be
to God, none ever came near to hurt us. Yet we were the more wary
of them, because once a Tiger shewed us a cheat. For having bought
a Deer, and having nothing to salt it up in, we packed it up in the
Hide thereof salted, and laid it under a Bench in an open House, on
which I lay that Night, and Stephen layd just by it on the Ground,
and some three People more lay then in the same House; and in the
said House a great Fire, and another in the Yard. Yet a Tiger came
in the Night, and carried Deer and Hide and all away. But we missing
it, concluded it was a Thief. We called up the People that lay by
us, and told them what had happened. Who informed us that it was
a Tiger, and with a Torch they went to see which way he had gone,
and presently found some of it, which he let drop by the way. When
it was day we went further, and pickt up more which was scattered,
till we came to the Hide it self, which remained uneaten.

[They pass the River that divides the King's Countrey from the
Malabars.] We had now Travelled till Thursday Afternoon, when we
crossed the River called Coronda oyah which was then quite dry;
this parts the King's Countrey from the Maladars. We saw no sign
of Inhabitants here. The Woods began to be very full of Thorns,
and shrubby Bushes with Clifts and broken Land; so that we could not
possibly go in the Woods; but now the River grew better being clear
of Rocks, and dry, water only standing in holes. So we marched along
in the River upon the Sand. Hereabouts are far more Elephants than
higher up: by Day we saw none, but by Night the River is full of them.

[After four or five days travel they come among Inhabitants.] Friday
about Nine or Ten in the Morning we came among the Inhabitants. For
then we saw the footing of People on the Sand, and tame Cattel with
Bells about their Necks. Yet we kept on our way right down the River,
kn