DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9696#0118
32
PASSAGES ETTS. ATT SURATT
[rel. v
each side, vaulted and supported with pillars. In the
Midle of this Entrey lyes a very prettie small Tanck, hard
by the greater. This I conceive is that the troubled water
might settle there before it runne into th' other, beinge
that the litle one must be first filled, which is done, in
tymes of Rayne, as well litle as greate; and then in the
greatest may bee about 3 Fathom water att the deepest,
and before the rayne Come againe very litle, or none att all,
makeinge use of the bottome or floore for the soweing of
muske and Water Millions [melons], which growe up verie
sodainely there1. Round about stand many faire Tombes,
gardens and trees, which make a pleasant prospect, the
Tancke beinge full, whether wee resort manie tymes for
recreation, and sometymes to the Toddy gardens, which in
[tyme of]2 Rayne are very faire and green, yeilding forth
a most fragrant smell.
Tarree trees.
Of these Tarree trees are a verie great number round
about Suratt, out of which they drawe a Liquor wee call
Toddy, or rather Tarree [tdrl]. The best sort thereof
may bee compaired to new white wyne, both in Coulor
and Taste, pleasant and wholesome, which distilleth from
severall sorts of trees3, as the Coco tree, the date tree and
another called J, in forme all alike, differinge a
1 All the seventeenth century travellers appear to have been much
impressed by the celebrated Gopi Talao or tank at Surat. See Roe,
ed. Foster, p. 112 and note. Thevenot (Part HI., p. 25) writes of this
"lovely Tanque" that "it may be compared to the fairest that the
Romans ever made for publick benefit." See also Finch (in Purchas),
ed. Maclehose, iv., 28 ; Terry, pp. 187—188 ; Dellon, p. 40, and supple-
ment, p. 27; Fryer, ed. Crooke, 1., 261 and note.
* These words are added from the copy in Hurl. MS. 2286.
3 See Hobson-Jobson, s.v. Toddy. For various seventeenth century
accounts of the making of tarl (tary, terry, houry or toddy), see Delia
Valle, ed. Grey, p. 62; Terry, p. 92; Mandclslo, p. 23; TheVenot,
Part ill., p. 17; Dellon, pp. 62—63; Ovington, pp. 238—239.
4 There is a blank here in all the copies. Mundy probably intended
to add the palmyra palm or tar tree, which gave its name to the liquor.
PASSAGES ETTS. ATT SURATT
[rel. v
each side, vaulted and supported with pillars. In the
Midle of this Entrey lyes a very prettie small Tanck, hard
by the greater. This I conceive is that the troubled water
might settle there before it runne into th' other, beinge
that the litle one must be first filled, which is done, in
tymes of Rayne, as well litle as greate; and then in the
greatest may bee about 3 Fathom water att the deepest,
and before the rayne Come againe very litle, or none att all,
makeinge use of the bottome or floore for the soweing of
muske and Water Millions [melons], which growe up verie
sodainely there1. Round about stand many faire Tombes,
gardens and trees, which make a pleasant prospect, the
Tancke beinge full, whether wee resort manie tymes for
recreation, and sometymes to the Toddy gardens, which in
[tyme of]2 Rayne are very faire and green, yeilding forth
a most fragrant smell.
Tarree trees.
Of these Tarree trees are a verie great number round
about Suratt, out of which they drawe a Liquor wee call
Toddy, or rather Tarree [tdrl]. The best sort thereof
may bee compaired to new white wyne, both in Coulor
and Taste, pleasant and wholesome, which distilleth from
severall sorts of trees3, as the Coco tree, the date tree and
another called J, in forme all alike, differinge a
1 All the seventeenth century travellers appear to have been much
impressed by the celebrated Gopi Talao or tank at Surat. See Roe,
ed. Foster, p. 112 and note. Thevenot (Part HI., p. 25) writes of this
"lovely Tanque" that "it may be compared to the fairest that the
Romans ever made for publick benefit." See also Finch (in Purchas),
ed. Maclehose, iv., 28 ; Terry, pp. 187—188 ; Dellon, p. 40, and supple-
ment, p. 27; Fryer, ed. Crooke, 1., 261 and note.
* These words are added from the copy in Hurl. MS. 2286.
3 See Hobson-Jobson, s.v. Toddy. For various seventeenth century
accounts of the making of tarl (tary, terry, houry or toddy), see Delia
Valle, ed. Grey, p. 62; Terry, p. 92; Mandclslo, p. 23; TheVenot,
Part ill., p. 17; Dellon, pp. 62—63; Ovington, pp. 238—239.
4 There is a blank here in all the copies. Mundy probably intended
to add the palmyra palm or tar tree, which gave its name to the liquor.