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.

    803/848 (page 769)
    they pour the ftrft of their Meat and Drink to the Ground, as a Sacrifice to the Devil. M. Dellon fays, the Rohundrians are the only Perfons that obferve any Religious Cere¬ monies, and that but upon extraordinary Occafions; that at certain Times they fa¬ crifice an Ox ; but no body except the Prince performs it; that they cut and flafii their Arms and Faces; but whether they do it out of Piety or Pride, or for Health, he is uncertain. He fays, contrary to La Croix, that they don’t believe the Immorta¬ lity of the Soul, and therefore give them- felves up to all Debauchery ; and that fuch as had been converted to Chriftianity, com¬ monly apoftatiz’d ; fo that of 3000 that had been baptized before our Author’s Arrival, fcarce 20 ufed to frequent the Church. He afcribes this in Part to the ill Examples of the french, fome of whom were excommunicated, and obliged to ftand in the Church-Porch during Service ; but get¬ ting a Prieft as bad as themfelves, they fet up a Chapel for their own Ufe, and per¬ formed Worlhip there in Spight of the Su¬ periors Commands, till ’twas by Order burnt down. In (hort, Du PleJJis and Fer fay, their Religion is a Mixture of Paganifm, Judaifm, and Mahometifm. M. DeUon fays, that befidcs the Badnefs of the Air here, Foreigners contratt a great many dangerous Diftempers by their Com¬ merce with the Negroes, whom they are obliged to follow over Rivers and Moun¬ tains without the Conveniency of Shipping or Land Carriage. The Sick are cariied to the Hofpital ereffced by the French at Fort Dauphin, which is generally full, tho great Numbers die daily of malignant Fevers. He obferves, that many, by drinking too much Brandy and Aquavitce in this hot Cli¬ mate, are feized with Cholicks, which are always attended with a Fever, that caufes a great Alteration in the Pulfe, and often flops Urine, and with tormenting Pains, which caufe frequent Convulfions and Pal- lies in the Body, that conrinue fomecimes after the Cholick is pafied. Our Author fees down the Methods by which he cured this Difeafe, for which we refer the Curious to his Book. He tells us, that the Venereal Diftemper is very common here both a* mong the french and Negroes j that the Eu¬ ropeans ufe their own Surgeons; but the others never feek for a Cure till the whole Mafs of Blood is infefted, and then they pretend to evacuate the malignant Humour by applying a broad red hoc Iron to their^ Feet, that produces an Ulcer, which they let run for 30 or 40 Days, keeping an exa& Diet all the Time ; but if the Diftemper be not inveterate, they only purge and fweat often. In the mean time our Au¬ thor adds, that the Negroes are fo debauch¬ ed, that they are feldom without fome Symptoms of this foul Diftemper. We come next in Order to ipeak of their Funerals. La Croix fays, the Kindred wafh the Corps, and adorn it with Gold Brace¬ lets, Ear-Pendants, Chains of Coral, &c. wrap it in two or three fine Linen Shrouds, and carry it to the Grave, inclos’d in a great Mat. They (have the Heads and Beards of thofe of Quality, and put a Cap upon the Women’s Heads, while all the Kindred, Friends and Servants of the Decealed, go into the Houfe to weep over the Corps, at whofe Feet they burn a Candle Night and Day. In the mean rime feveral Women and Girls dance ferious Dances at the Beat of Drum; then they go weeping into the Houfe, and return out again dancing. The Men alfo excercife themfelves in Arms, while thofe who make their Lamentations in the Houfe exalc the Piaifes of the De¬ ceafed, condole one another’s Lofs, and ask him the Reafon, Why he died ? If be wanted any Thing, &c. and at Night kill Beeves, and diftribute the boil’d or roafted Flefli among the Company. The next Morning they put the Corps, made of two hollow Trunks of Trees join’d one to another, and carry it to the Caemetery, where they lay it 6 Foot in the Earth under a Tomb well built, with a Pannier of Rice, a Tobacco-Box, an Earthen Plate, a little Chafing-Difti to burn Perfumes, a Habit and a Girdle by the Side of the Deceafed, which then they ihut up, and lay before it a great Stone 12 or ly Foot high ; after which they facrifice feve¬ ral Beafts, and leave Part for the Deceafed, and Part, they fay, for God and the Devil In a Week or Fortnight after the Kindred fend a Slave with Provifions for the Corps, and make as much of him as if he was alive. They alfo place the Heads of the Beafts, which they facrifice, on Pofts round the Sepulchre, and the Children F f f f f ' come