, and always in obedience to the voice of the king. Nor do
they regard him with loathing as we do, for they know that although he
is greater than themselves, he is for all that their father and brother.
They keep groves and woods for wild animals, and they often hunt.

The science of navigation is considered very dignified by them, and they
possess rafts and triremes, which go over the waters without rowers or
the force of the wind, but by a marvellous contrivance. And other
vessels they have which are moved by the winds. They have a correct
knowledge of the stars, and of the ebb and flow of the tide. They
navigate for the sake of becoming acquainted with nations and different
countries and things. They injure nobody, and they do not put up with
injury, and they never go to battle unless when provoked. They assert
that the whole earth will in time come to live in accordance with their
customs, and consequently they always find out whether there be a
nation whose manner of living is better and more approved than the rest.
They admire the Christian institutions and look for a realisation of the
apostolic life in vogue among themselves and in us. There are treaties
between them and the Chinese, and many other nations, both insular and
continental, such as Siam and Calicut, which they are only just able to
explore. Furthermore, they have artificial fires, battles on sea and
land, and many strategic secrets. Therefore they are nearly always
victorious.

_G.M._ Now it would be very pleasant to learn with what foods and drinks
they are nourished, and in what way and for how long they live.

_Capt._ Their food consists of flesh, butter, honey, cheese, garden
herbs, and vegetables of various kinds. They were unwilling at first to
slay animals, because it seemed cruel; but thinking afterwards that it
was also cruel to destroy herbs which have a share of sensitive feeling,
they saw that they would perish from hunger unless they did an
unjustifiable action for the sake of justifiable ones, and so now they
all eat meat. Nevertheless, they do not kill willingly useful animals,
such as oxen and horses. They observe the difference between useful and
harmful foods, and for this they employ the science of medicine. They
always change their food. First they eat flesh, then fish, then
afterwards they go back to flesh, and nature is never incommoded or
weakened. The old people use the more digestible kind of food, and take
three meals a d