of fifty leagues, the traveller enters the first[124] India, in the
great kingdom of Guzarat, which kingdom had belonged to King Darius.
And the Indians have long histories of him and of King Alexander.
This kingdom has many cities and towns in the interior of the
country, as well as ports along the sea; and very much shipping. It
has many merchants and shipowners, both Moors and Gentiles.
The king, and the men-at-arms, and nobles of the country were all
Gentiles formerly, and now they are Moors, since the Moors conquered
the country in war, and hold the Gentiles subject to them, and
molest them and treat them ill. There are three qualities of these
Gentiles, that is to say, some are called Razbutes, and they, in the
time that their king was a Gentile, were knights, the defenders of
the kingdom, and governors of the country; they used to carry on
war, and even now there remain some towns of them in the mountains,
which have never chosen to pay obedience to the Moors, but, on the
contrary, make war upon them; and the King of Cambaya is not
sufficiently powerful to destroy them or subject them. They are very
good knights and great archers, and they have many other kinds of
arms with which they defend themselves from the Moors, without
owning any king or lord to govern them. The others are called
Banians, and are merchants and traders. These live amongst the
Moors, and trade with them in their goods. They are men who do not
eat meat nor fish, nor anything that has life; neither do they kill
anything, nor like to see it killed, because their idolatry forbids
it them; and they observe this to such an extreme that it is
something marvellous. For it often happens that the Moors bring them
some worms or little birds alive, saying they intend to kill them in
their presence; and they ransom them, and buy them to set them
flying, and save their lives for more money than they are worth. And
in the same way, if the governor of the country has got a man to be
executed, these Banians unite together and buy him from the officers
of justice, that he may not die; and frequently they sell him to
them. And in the same manner the Moors who beg for alms, when they
want alms from these people, take great stones and strike themselves
with them on the shoulders and the breast, and on their stomachs, as
if they were going to kill themselves with them, and they receive
alms not to do it, and to go away in peace. And others bring knives
and stab themselves in the arms and legs before them, in order to
extract alms; and others come to their doors to decapitate rats and
snakes and other reptiles, and they give them money not to do it, so
that they are very ill-treated by the Moors. If these people meet
with a band of ants in the road, they hasten out of the road, and go
and look for a place to pass without treading upon them. They
likewise sup in the daytime because they do not light candles at
night, in order that the mosquitoes and other insects may not come
and die in the flame; and if of necessity they must have a candle,
they keep them in lanterns of paper, or of stuff dipped in gum, so
that no living thing can get there to suffer. If these people have
lice they do not kill them, and if they worry them very much, they
send to fetch some men whom they have amongst them, also Gentiles,
whom they esteem of holy lives, like hermits, and who live in much
abstinence for the love of their idols, and these people pick out
their insects, and all those that they extract they put in their own
heads, and they nourish them on themselves and on their flesh for
the service of their idols. And so this law of not killing anything
is held in great observance. On the other hand, they are great
usurers and falsifiers of weights and measures, and merchandise, and
coin; and liars and cheats. These Gentiles are brown people, well
built and of good proportions, smart in their dress, and delicate
and temperate in their food. Their victuals are milk, butter, sugar,
rice, preserves of many kinds, many fruits, bread, vegetables, and
field herbs; they all have gardens and orchards wherever they live,
and many pools of water where they bathe twice every day, both men
and women; and having ended their washing, they hold the belief that
they are pardoned for all the sins which they have committed up to
that time. They wear the hair very long like the women in Spain, and
they wear it gathered on the top of the head, and made into a band
which is much adorned, and upon this a cap to fasten it; and they
always wear many flowers stuck into their hair, and sweet smelling
things. They also anoint themselves with white sandal mixed with
saffron and other scents; they are much given to fall in love. They
go bare, only covering themselves from the waist downwards with very
rich silk stuffs; they wear embroidered shoes of very good leather,
well worked, and some short silk skirts, and other short ones of
cotton, with which they cover their bodies. They do not carry arms,
only some small knives garnished with gold and silver, for two
reasons: one because they are persons who make little use of arms,
the other because the Moors forbid it to them. They use many
ear-rings of gold and jewellery in the ears, and many rings, and
belts of gold and jewellery upon the cloths with which they gird
themselves. The women of these Gentiles have very pretty, delicate
faces, and well made bodies, a little dark. Their dress is silk
stuff like their husbands' as far as the feet, and jackets[125] with
narrow sleeves of silk stuff, open at the shoulders, and other silk
cloths with which they cover themselves in the manner of morisco
almalafas; their heads bare, the hair gathered up upon the head;
they wear thick ankle rings of gold and silver on the legs, and
rings on their toes, and large coral beads on their arms, with beads
of gold filigree, and gold and silver bracelets; and round their
necks, necklaces of gold and jewellery, fitting closely; they have
large holes pierced in their ears, and in them rings of gold or
silver large enough for an egg to pass through them. They are modest
women, and when they go out of their houses they are much covered up
with their wraps over their heads. The other set of people are
called Bramans, and are priests and the persons who administer and
direct the idolatry; they have very large houses of prayer, some of
them with revenues, others are maintained by alms. In these they
keep many idols: some of stone, some of wood, and other of copper.
In these houses and monasteries they always perform many ceremonies
to their gods; they make feasts for them magnificently, with
instruments and songs, and with many lights of oil, and they have
bells in our fashion. These Bramans have got images which represent
the Holy Trinity: they pay much honour to the number three, and in
trine make their adoration to God, whom they confess to be the true
God, Creator, and Maker of all things, which are three things in one
sole person; and they say that there are many other gods governed by
him, in which they also believe. These Bramans, wherever they find
our churches, enter willingly into them, and adore our images; and
they always ask for Santa Maria, our Lady, like men who have some
knowledge of her. And as they see our manner of honouring the
churches, they say that there is no great difference between them
and us. These Bramans go bare from the waist upwards; they wear upon
their shoulder a thread of three threads, which is a sign by which
they are known to be Bramans. They are men who also do not eat
anything which receives death, nor do they kill anything. They hold
it to be a great ceremony to wash their bodies, and say that they
wash on that account. These Bramans, and also the Banians, marry in
our fashion, with one woman only, and only once. They make great
feasts at their weddings, which last many days, and there are many
people assembled at these very well dressed and decked out. These
festivities are magnificent. For the most part they are married when
very young, both men and women, and on the day of the betrothal, and
of the wedding, the couple are both of them seated on a
platform,[126] very much bedizened with gold and jewellery and
precious stones, and in front of them is a small table with an idol
covered with flowers, and many lighted oil lamps all round it; and
both of them have to remain there with their eyes fixed on that idol
from the morning until the evening, without eating or drinking, or
speaking to anybody during that time. The people make great
rejoicings over them with their instruments and songs and dances;
they let off many cannons, rockets and other fireworks to divert
themselves. And if the husband dies the woman does not marry again,
and so also does the husband should the wife die. And the children
are his rightful heirs; and Bramans must be sons of Bramans, amongst
whom there are some of a lower rank who serve as messengers and
travellers, and they go in security to all parts without any one
vexing them in any way. Even if there should be war or thieves, they
always pass safely. These are called _pater_.
OF THE KING AND THE LORDS OF GUZARAT, WHICH IS OF THE KINGDOM OF
CAMBAY.
The King of Guzarat is a great lord, both in revenue and people, and
extensive and rich territory. He is a Moor, as also are his
men-at-arms, as has been said. He has a large court of many knights,
and he is the lord of many horses and elephants, which are brought
for sale to this kingdom from the country of Malabar and Ceylon. And
with the horses and elephants he makes war upon the Gentiles of the
kingdom of Guzarat who do not pay obedience to him, and upon some
other kings with whom at times he is at war. And they make wooden
castles on the top of the elephants, which hold four men, who carry
bows and guns, and other weapons, and fight thence with the enemy.
And the elephants are so well trained, that they know how to take
part in the battle, and with their tusks wound the men and horses so
severely, that in a very short time they put any array into
confusion. But they are so timid, and subject to pain when wounded,
that they take to flight at once, and put one another into
confusion, and rout their own side. This king has four or five
hundred of these at his residence, very large and fine. They buy
them for one thousand five hundred ducats each, at the seaports
where the Malabars bring them for sale. And they make war much with
the horses bred in the country, for it has a wonderful quantity; and
the Moors and Gentiles of this kingdom are bold riders, ride small
saddles,[127] and use whips. They carry very thick round shields,
edged with silk, and two swords each man, a dagger, and a Turkish
bow, with very good arrows; and some carry steel maces, and many of
them coats of mail, and others tunics quilted with cotton. And the
horses have housings and steel head pieces, and so they fight very
well and are light in their movements; and they are so supple in
their saddles that they can play on horseback at the choga[128] or
at any other game. They have amongst them the game of the jerid, as
in Spain. These Moors are white, and of many countries: both Turks
and Mamelukes, Arabs, Persians, Khorasanys, Turkomans, and from the
great kingdom of Dily, and others born in the country itself. These
people come together there on account of the country being very
rich, and well supplied; and the king gives good pay and rations,
and regularly paid. These people are very well dressed, with very
rich stuffs of gold, silk, cotton, and goats' wool, and all wear
caps on their heads, and their clothes long, such as morisco shirts
and drawers, and leggings to the knee of good thick leather, worked
with gold knots and embroidery; and their swords are borne in their
girdles, or in the hands of their pages. They are richly ornamented
with gold and silver. Their women are very white and pretty, also
very richly decked out. They may marry as many as they like and are
able to maintain, to honour the sect of Mahomed; and so there are
many of them who have three or four or five wives, and of all of
them they have sons and daughters. And these Moors of Cambay speak
many languages, that is to say, Arabic, Persian, Turkish,[129] and
Guzaraty. They eat wheaten bread, rice, meat of all kinds, leaving
aside pork, which is against their law. They are luxurious people,
who live well and spend much money. They always go with their heads
shaved, and the women with very fine hair. When they go out of their
houses, they go on horses, or in cars, and so covered up that nobody
can see them. They are very jealous men, and can unmarry themselves
when they please, on paying to the wife a certain sum of money
(which is promised when they marry them), if at any time they repent
of it; and the women have also the same liberty.
This King of Cambay has been king since a short time only, and his
father was called Sultan Mahomed, who was brought up from a child
and nourished with poison, for his father desired that he should so
be brought up in order that it should not be possible to kill him
with poison; for the Moorish kings of these parts often have one
another killed by poison. And this king began to eat it in such a
small quantity that it could not do him any harm, and from that he
went on increasing this kind of food in such manner that he could
eat a great quantity of it; for which cause he became so poisonous
that if a fly settled on his hand it swelled and immediately fell
dead. And many wives with whom he slept died at once of his poison,
which he was unable to leave off eating, for he feared if he did not
use it, to die soon after; as we see by experience with the opium
which the Indians eat, for if they leave off eating it they die
immediately, that is, if they begin as children to eat it in such a
small quantity that it can do them no harm, for some length of time,
and then increasing the quantity by degrees until they remain
accustomed to it. This anfion is cold in the fourth degree, and on
account of being so cold it kills. We call it opio, and the women of
India when they wish to kill themselves in any case of dishonour or
of despair, eat it with oil of sesame, and so die sleeping without
feeling death.
CITY OF CHAMPAVER.[130]
This King possesses great cities in his kingdom, and especially the
city of Champaver, where he resides continually, with all his court.
This city is to the north of Guzerat, eighty leagues inland. It is a
very fertile country: of abundant provisions, wheat, barley, millet,
rice, peas and other vegetables, and many cows, sheep, goats, and
plenty of fruit, so that it is very full of all things; and it has
in its neighbourhood many hunting grounds, and deer and other
animals, and winged game. And this country possesses dogs and
falcons for the chase, and tame leopards for hunting all sorts of
game. And the King for his pastime keeps many animals of all kinds,
which they send to find and bring up. This King sent a Ganda[131] to
the King of Portugal, because they told him that he would be pleased
to see her.
ANDAVAT.
Leaving this city and going further inland there is another city
called Andavat, which is larger than the said city of Champaver, and
it is very rich, and well supplied. The former kings used always to
reside in this city. These towns are walled, and embellished with
good streets and squares, and houses of stone and whitewash, with
roofs in our fashion; and they have large courts, and much water in
wells and pools. They make use of horses, donkeys, mules, camels and
carts, and have fine rivers, with plenty of fresh water fish, and
many orchards and gardens. There are also in this kingdom, inland,
many cities, towns and villages, in which the king keeps his
governors and collectors of his revenue. If these commit a fault he
summons them, and after having heard them he bids them drink a cup
of poison, with which anyone dies immediately; and in this way he
chastises them, so that they are in great fear of him.
PATEMXI.
The places which this king has on the sea coast are these. Firstly,
leaving the kingdom of Ulcinde for India at a distance of
thirty-seven leagues, is a river, on the shore of which there is a
great city called Patemxi, a good seaport, very rich, and of great
trade. In this city many silk stuffs are made, coloured with much
embroidery, which are used over the whole of India, Malacca, Bengal,
and also many cotton stuffs. To this port come many Indian ships
laden with cocoa nuts, sugar of palms which they call xagara[132],
and from there they carry away a great quantity of cloth and much
cotton, horses, wheat, and vegetables, by which much money is made.
Their voyage, with the delays, is of four months.
SURATIMANGALOR.
Passing by this city, further on the coast to the east and south, at
fifteen leagues distance, there is another town of commerce, which
has a very good port, and is called Suratimangalor, where also many
ships from Malabar touch, for horses, wheat, rice, cotton cloths,
vegetables and other goods which are of use in India. And they bring
cocoa nuts, hurraca[133] (which is something to drink), emery,
beeswax, cardamums, and all sorts of spices, in which trade and
voyage great profit is made in a short time.
DUY.
Fifty leagues further along the coast, towards the south, there is a
promontory, and joining close to it is a small island, which
contains a very large and fine town, which the Malabars call
Diuixa[134], and the Moors of the country call it Diu. It has a very
good harbour, and is a port of much trade in merchandise, and of
much shipping from Malabar, Baticala, Goa Dabul and Cheul; and the
people of Diu sail to Aden, Mekkah, Zeyla, Barbara, Magadoxo, Brava,
Melinde, Mombaza, Xer[135], Ormuz, and all parts of the kingdom. And
the Malabars bring hither rice, cocoa nuts, jagara, wax, emery,
iron, and sugar from Baticala, and all the spices that can be got in
India and Malacca; and from Chaul and Dabul they bring a large
quantity of cotton stuffs, which they call _beyranies_, and caps for
women, which are carried from this place to Arabia and Persia. And
they load at this port for the return voyage cotton cloths of the
country and silk stuffs, horses, wheat, vegetables, sesame, cotton,
oil of sesame, and opium, both that which comes there from Aden, and
that which is made in the kingdom of Cambay, which is not so fine as
that of Aden; and they export many coarse camlets and silk stuffs
made in this kingdom of Cambay, and thick carpets,[136] taffeta,
scarlet cloth, and of other colours. They also export the spices and
things brought to them from India, by the people of the country, to
Aden, Ormuz, and all parts of Arabia and Persia, so that this town
is the chief emporium of trade which exists in all these parts. This
town gives such a large sum of money as revenue to the king, for the
loading and unloading of such rich goods, that it is a subject of
marvel and amazement; for they also bring to it from Mekkah much
coral, copper, quicksilver, vermillion, lead, alum, madder,
rose-water, saffron, and much gold and silver coined and uncoined.
The king keeps a Moorish governor in this place called Melquiaz; an
old man, and a very good gentleman, discreet, industrious, and of
great information, who lives with great order and regularity in all
his affairs. He makes much artillery, and has many rowing barges,
very well arranged, small and very light, which are called
Talayas.[137] He has had constructed in the port a very strong and
fine bulwark, in which he has very good artillery, with many
lombards,[138] and he always keeps with him many men-at-arms, to
whom he pays very good appointments. They are very well armed. He is
always on his guard, and is very apprehensive of the power of the
King of Portugal.[139] He shows great honour and attention to the
ships and people of Portugal who come to his port. The people of his
country are kept in very good order, and governed with much justice
and good treatment; he dispenses many favours and presents to
voyagers and strangers in his country.
A large fleet of the Great Sultan[140] of sailing ships and row
galleys arrived at this port, well equipped, with large crews and a
good armament; its captain was Emir Hussein. He came to reinforce
himself in this port with the assistance of the king of Cambay and
the before-mentioned governor Meliquiaz, and from thence to go to
Calicut, to fight with the Portuguese, and turn them out of India.
He was for some time in the port making many preparations, and the
Portuguese fleet came there to seek for them, of which Don Francisco
de Almeyda, viceroy of India, was the captain major. And the Moors
put out to sea to meet them, and the two fleets fought in the
entrance of this roadstead vigorously, and many people were killed
and wounded on both sides; and at the end the Moors were beaten and
captured with great slaughter, and the Portuguese took their ships
and galleys, with all their arms and heavy artillery. They captured
there many Moors, and the said Emir Hussein escaped, and left his
fleet to suffer as has been told; and when Meliquiaz, who assisted
and favoured them with his guard-boats and forces, saw the havoc, he
at once sent messengers to the before-mentioned viceroy to seek
peace of him, and he sent many provisions and refreshments and other
presents as a sign of peace.[141]
GOGARI.
Further on after this the coast begins to make a bend into Cambay
towards the north, in which bend are several seaports of the same
king, and towns of great trade. One of these is Guogari, at a
distance of twenty-five leagues (from Diu), which is a very large
town and a good port, where they always load many ships from Malabar
and other parts of India; and many other ships bound for Mekkah and
Aden. At this place all sorts of merchandise are dealt in, as at
Diu.
BARBESY.
Another is called Barbesy, a seaport twelve leagues further on to
the north, in which stretch of coast are several seaports of the
King of Cambay. All sorts of goods are traded in for all parts, and
the dues upon them produce very much to the king, who has in each of
these two places his custom houses, and all are well supplied with
provisions.
BUENDARI.
Further on, to north-west by north, there is another place in the
mouth of a small river which is called Guendari, twenty leagues
distant from Barbesy. And it is a very good town, a seaport of the
same trade, because further up that river is the great city of
Cambay. There arrived there many zambucos,[142] which are small
vessels of the Malabar country, with areca (nuts), spices, wax,
sugar, cardamums, emery, ivory, and elephants:[143] and these goods
are sold there very well. And from there they carry away cotton,
sesame, thread, wheat, peas, horses, alaquequas, and many other
goods. The navigation of these places is very dangerous, especially
for ships with keels which draw much water, because in this gulf
which the coast here makes, the ebb and flow is so great, that in a
very short space of time the sea leaves uncovered four or five
leagues of dry land, and in some places less; and it is expedient
for those who go in there to take country pilots, because, when the
tide runs down, they may know how to remain in pools of deep
water[144] such as there are there, and sometimes they make mistakes
and remain upon rocks, where they are lost.
CITY OF CAMBAY.