Fryer, John: A new account of East-India and Persia: in 8 letters being 9 years travels, begun 1672 and finished 1681 (London, 1698)

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O F

SURAT,
AND
Journy into DUCCAN.
LETTER III.
CHAP. I.
. Mimadyerjions on the City and People os Surat in the •
East-Indies.

GO I N G out to see the City of Surat, I pa(Ted without q^ i,
any Incivility, the better because I understood not what -^^~s_j
they said; for though we meet not with Boys so rude as The Rudends
in England, to run after Strangers, yet here are a sort of o^60"""'-
bold, lusty, and mostan end, drunken Beggars, of the Mu/Jlemen
Cast, that if they see a Christian in good Clothes, Mounted on a
stately Horse, with rich Trappings, are presently upon their Puncti-
lio's with God Almighty, and interrogate him, Why he sussers him
to go a Foot, and in Rags, and this Cossery ( Unbeliever j to vaunt
it thus ? And are hardly restrained from running a Muck (which is
to kill whoever they meet, till they be slain themselves) especially
if they have been at Hodge, a Pilgrimage to Mecca, and thence to
Juddah, where is Mahomet's Tomb; these commonly, like evil Spi-
rits, have their Habitations among the Tombs ; Nor can we com-
plain only of this Libertinism, for the Rich Moormen themselves are
persected by these Rascais.
As for the, rest, they are very respe&ful, unless the Seamen or And Seamen;
Soldiers get Drunk, either with Toddy, or Bang £a pleasant intoxi-
cating Seed, mixed with Milk) then are they Monarchs, and it is
N % Madness