Volume 4

Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists.

  • Moll, Herman, -1732
Date:
1711-1717
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    799/848 (page 765)
    / The A F R 1 Rind for two Days in a great Cauldron of ftrong Ley, made of the Alhes of a Tree Call’d Avo. When ’cis boil’d tender, they walh it in fair Water, pound it in a Wooden Mortar till ’tis as thick as Pap, and then pour it out upon a Hurdle or Mat; after which they lay it to dry in the Sun upon a Leaf befmear’d with Oil, and as foon as it is dry, they mix it with a thick Deco&ion of Rice, and dry it again till it becomes *a fmooth Sort of Paper. Our Author fays, they make their Ink of the Deco&ion of the fame Wood which the Grandees ufe in building their Houfes, and dry it to a pro¬ per Confiftency, which makes it very good Ink, but not fo black as ours, tho’ if may be made fo by mixing a. little Verdigreafe. When the Ink is dry, they boil it with a little Water, and it becomes as good as ever. Their Cane Pety are as long as one’s Hand,, and as thick as a Quill, which they holiow and cut as we do our Pens. They have fome obfcure Knowledge of the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies and the Zodiac, which they divide as we do into 12 Signs, and al- fo divide the Year into 12 Months, for the Names of which we refer to La Croix; and begin the Year with the New Moon in March, but have no certain Rule for calcu¬ lating their Times and Seafons, and reckon their Years by the Days of the Weeks, be¬ ginning the Year of Circumcifion upon a Friday. We come now to give an Account of their Religious Superftition. La Croix fays, they have no Churches or Prayers, but ob- ferye Circumcifion. They believe there’s a God, who created Heaven and Earth, all the Creatures, and an infinite Number of Angels, in 7 Days, but don’t worfhip him, and live only according to the Laws of Na¬ ture; yet they make Confeflion, efpecially of old Men. They believe alfo there’s a Devil, of whom they Band in great Awe. They call him Tavadcy, and think he has a great Number of Adherents, and that he cruelly torments them, efpecially the Men. They hold, that God is the Author of all Good, and that he never does any Harm; and that he gives and takes away Being from all Creatures at Pleafure ; but that the De¬ vil is the Author of all Evil, for which Reafon they make Offerings to him, and call upon him before God, They invoke a r A N ljlands. 765 third Power by the Name of Diem Manangy or the God of Riches, which they acknow¬ ledge to be Gold, and hold it over their Heads with a profound Veneration, and then kifs it. And fome by drinking Water in which a Gold Bracelet has been dipped, think they fhall obtain Remiflion of Sins. They believe there’s an infinite Number of Angels and Servants of God who move the Heavens and their Orbs, govern Rain, Air, Wind, Water, and Earth, and are the Pro- te&ors of Mankind. They fay there are 7 Sorts of Good and Evil Spirits . The firft they call the Good Angels, viz. Michaelf Gabriel, See. The fecond they fay are of an Inferior Order, and tho’ Corporal, invifi- bie to all Mankind, except thofe they fa¬ vour ; that they refide in the mo ft folitary Places; that there are fome of both Sexes who marry and get Children, and tho’ fub- je& to no JDorporal Maladies, yet die as well as Men, in Expectation of eternal Blifs or Damnation, according to their Li ves ; and that they eat all Sorts of Ani¬ mals and InfeCb. The Negroes, whofe Pa¬ rents appear after Death, fend Men imme¬ diately to kill and bury them again, for their Children reckon it a Difgrace, and they fay that the Wounds which are given them iffue Corruption inftead of Blood. Thofe of the 5th Order they call Angatf, i. e. Skeletons, which are a Sort of Ghofts. Thofe of the 6th Order they call Sacara, who they pretend are Evil Spirits, that tor¬ ment Men, Women and Children, in the Shape of Fiery Dragons, for a Week or Fortnight together; and that when they are thus pofTefTed, they are made to fing and dance inceffantly, with a Zagay in their Hand, and then the People of the Village go and dance with them at the Beat of Drum, and make’ the fame antick Poftures to tire their Patience ; and in fome Pro¬ vinces they facrifice Beeves, Sheep, and Fowls, to appeafe Sacara. The Spirits of the 7th Order they call B/7m, whofe Number they fay is infinite, and that they are all fubjeft to a fuperior Spirit, who with his Adherents is the Author of all Evil. They have the following ridiculous Story about Paradife, which they place either in the Sun or Moon. They believe that after God* had finifhed the Creation, he formed Adam out of the Earth, and placed him in Para* difie.