half dcxxx fs. 630
One of four fanoes dclx fs. 660
One of four fanoes and a quarter dcc fs. 700
One of four fanoes and a half dcccc fs. 900
One of five fanoes IU fs. 1,000
One of five fanoes and a half IUCC fs. 1,200
One of six fanoes IUd fs. 1,500
They are usually worth these prices if they are perfect, and those
which should not be perfect, or may have any spots, or have not got
a good colour are worth much less, according to the choice of the
buyer. A fanam weighs something more than two carats of our parts,
and eleven fanoes and a quarter are a mitigal,[355] and six mitigals
and a half make an ounce, and each fanan is worth here a real of
silver.[356]
ACCOUNT OF THE SPINEL RUBIES.
There is another kind of rubies which we call spinel rubies, and the
Indians call them carapuch, which are produced in the same country
of Peygu, where the fine rubies grow, and they find them in the
mountains near the surface of the ground. These are not so fine nor
of so bright a colour as the rubies, but they have rather the colour
of scarlet: and those which are perfect in colour and pure, are
worth half less than the rubies.
ACCOUNT OF OTHER RUBIES OF CEYLON.
In the second India there is an island called Ceylan, where many
rubies are found, which the Indians call manica, most of these do
not reach the perfection of the others in colour, because they are
red, and pale, and ruddy.[357] They are very hard and very cold,
and, those which are found in all their perfection of colour are
very highly valued amongst them. And the king of that island has
them found, and keeps the perfect ones for himself, which he sells
with his own hand: and when the lapidaries clean them if they find
one very white they put it by his orders into the fire for a certain
number of hours, and if it endures the fire and comes out sound it
remains of a brighter colour. Such a stone is of great value, and
those of this kind which the King of Narsynga can get into his
hands, he orders them to be bored with a very fine hole on the
underneath side so that the hole reaches to the centre, and they do
not pass it, because the stone can no longer leave the kingdom, and
that it may be known that it has been tried in the fire. And so also
these are worth more than those of Peygu. Their prices are the
following if they are perfect in colour and purity:--
One which weighs a carat, which is half a
fanam, is worth in Calicut thirty fanoes xxx fs. 30
One of two carats lxxv fs. 75[358]
One of three carats cl fs. 150
One of three carats and a half cc fs. 200
One of four carats ccc fs. 300
One of four carats and a half cccl fs. 350
One of five carats cccc fs. 400
One of five carats and a half ccccl fs. 450
One of six carats dxxx fs. 530
One of six carats and a half dlx fs. 560
One of seven carats dcxxx fs. 630
One of seven carats and a half dcclx fs. 760
One of eight carats very good and tried in
the fire is worth dccc fs. 800
Such a one of eight carats and a half dcccc fs. 900
Such a one of nine carats IUC fs. 1,100
Such a one of ten carats IUCCC fs. 1,300
One of eleven carats of this kind IUDC fs. 1,600
One of twelve carats nU fs. 2,000
One of fourteen carats mU fs. 3,000
One of sixteen carats VIU fs. 6,000
ACCOUNT OF THE BALASSES, WHERE THEY GROW AND WHAT THEY ARE WORTH IN
CALICUT.
These balasses are of the class of rubies but not so strong as them,
their colour is rosy and some are almost white, they are found in
Balaxayo[359] which is a kingdom of the mainland near Peygu and
Bengal. The Moors bring them out of that country to all parts; that
is to say, the good and picked ones, cut or uncut, they clean and
work them in Calicut, and they are sold for the prices of spinel
rubies. Those which are not good, and are bored, are bought by the
Moors of Mekkah and Aden for the whole of Arabia, where they are
accustomed to take them.
ACCOUNT OF THE DIAMONDS OF THE OLD MINE.
These diamonds are gathered in the first India in a kingdom of Moors
called Decan, and they carry them thence to all parts. There are
other diamonds which are not so good; some are white and are said to
be of the new mine which is in the kingdom of Narsynga; these are
worth less by a third in Calicut and the country of Malabar, than
those of the old mine; and they are worked in the kingdom of
Narsynga itself. And those of the old mine are not worked in India.
They likewise make false diamonds in India with white rubies,
topazes and sapphires, which look like fine gems and these are found
in Ceylon, and they only differ from diamonds in the colour which
they have by nature. And some of these stones are found half of
which have the colour of the ruby and the other of the colour of the
sapphire, and others of the colour of the topaze, and some of them
have got all these colours mixed. They bore these stones with two or
three very fine threads through them, and they remain as cats' eyes.
And with the stones which turn out white they make a great quantity
of small diamonds which cannot be distinguished from the other
genuine ones, except by the touch[360] and by those who have much
acquaintance with them.
Eight fine diamonds which weigh a manjar[361]
are worth xxv or xxx fs. 30
Six weighing one manjar xl fs. 40
Four weighing one manjar lx fs. 60
Two weighing one manjar lxxx fs. 80
One weighing one manjar c fs. 100
One weighing a manjar and a quarter clxv fs. 165
One of one and a half clxxx fs. 180
One of one and three quarters ccxx fs. 220
One of one and three quarters and a half cclx fs. 260
One of two manjars cccxx fs. 320
One of two and a quarter ccclx fs. 360
One of two and a half ccclxxx fs. 380
One of two and three quarters if in full
perfection ccccxx fs. 420
One of this said perfection of three manjars ccccl fs. 450
One of three manjars and a half cccclxxx fs. 480
One of four manjars dl fs. 550
One of five manjars dccl fs. 750
One of six manjars dcccc fs. 900
One of seven manjars IUCC fs. 1,200
One of eight manjars IUCCCC fs. 1,400
These go on increasing in price in proportion, and each manjar
weighs two taras and two-thirds, and two taras make a carat even
weight, and four taras weigh a fanam.
ACCOUNT OF THE SAPPHIRES.
The best and most genuine sapphires are found in Ceylon, they are
very strong and fine, and those which are in all perfection, and
purity, and of a fine blue colour, are worth the following prices.
One which weighs a carat two fanaes ii fs. 2
One weighing two vi fs. 6
One weighing three carats x fs. 10
One weighing four carats xv fs. 15
One weighing five carats xviii fs. 18
A weight of six xxv fs. 25
One of seven xxxv fs. 35
One of eight carats l fs. 50
One of nine lxv fs. 65
One of ten carats lxxv fs. 75
A sapphire weighing eleven carats is worth xc. fs. 90
One of twelve cxx fs. 120
One perfect in purity and colour weighing
thirteen carats cxxxv fs. 135
One of fourteen carats clx fs. 160
One of sixteen two hundred fanoes cc fs. 200
One of eighteen ccl fs. 250
One of twenty ccc fs. 300
One weighing a mitical which is xi fanams
and a quarter cccl fs. 350
There is also in Ceylam another kind of sapphires, which are not so
strong, which they call quirin genilam,[362] and they are of a
darker colour. These are worth much less, however good they may be,
for one of the above-mentioned is worth as much as thirteen of
these.
In the kingdom of Narsynga in a mountain above Bancanor and Mangalor
there is another kind of sapphires softer and inferior in colour,
which they call cringanilan;[362] they are somewhat whitish; these
are worth very little, so much so that the most perfect of them
which weighs twenty carats will not be worth a ducat. Their colour
is also somewhat yellow.
There is another sort of sapphires which are found on the sea beach
of the kingdom of Calicut in a place called Capucad,[363] the
Indians call these carahatonilam, they are very blue and cloudy and
do not glitter, except setting them in the light.[364] They are soft
and break like glass. An opinion is held by some who say that in
former times there was by the sea of this Capurad the house of a
king and that its windows were of blue glass, and that the sea
having covered it over the pieces of glass are thrown up ashore; but
they are very large, and on the other hand they seem to be glass.
These are worth very little among them.
ACCOUNT OF THE TOPAZES AND OF THEIR PRICES IN CALICUT.
The natural topazes are found in Ceylon which the Indians call pur
ceraga, it is very hard stone and very cold and heavy like the ruby
and sapphire, because all three are of one kind. Its perfect colour
is yellow like beaten gold, and when their colour is perfect and
pure, whether they be great or small, in Calicut they are worth
their weight in fine gold, and this is their price usually; and if
the colour is not so perfect they are worth their weight in gold of
fanams which is less by half, and if it is almost white they are
worth much less, and they make small diamonds of them.
ACCOUNT OF THE TURQUOISES, AND OF THEIR PRICES IN MALABAR.
The true turquoises are found in Niexer[365] and Quirimane,[366]
country of Sheikh Ismail, in mines and dry ground,[367] and they are
found upon black stones, and the Moors detach them there in small
pieces, and bring them thence to Ormuz, whence they are sent out to
many countries by sea. The Indians call them peyrosa. It is a soft
stone and of little weight, and not very cold; and in order to know
that it is good and true, by day it will seem to you of a blue
colour, and at night by candle light it turns green; and those which
are not so perfect, do not change from one appearance. If this stone
is pure and of a fine colour, underneath at its base it will have
brown stone upon which it grew, and if any little vein or point were
to come out above the black stone itself, then it is known as very
genuine indeed, and of greater value, because it is a sign of being
a true turquoise, and for greater certainty putting upon it a little
virgin lime, white and moistened like ointment, the lime will appear
coloured. And when they have this perfection they are worth the
following prices:--
If the turquoise is of the said perfection
and weighs a carat, it will be worth in
the Malabar country xv fs. 15
One of two carats xl fs. 40
One of four carats xc fs. 90
One of six carats cl fs. 150
One of eight carats cc fs. 200
One of ten carats ccc fs. 300
One of twelve carats ccccl fs. 450
One of xiiij carats dl fs. 550
They take no account of the larger ones, from their being light
pieces of much bulk. The Moors and Guzuratys wear the large ones.
ACCOUNT OF THE HYACINTHS.
The hyacinths are produced in Ceylan, and are soft yellow stones,
and those which are of a stronger colour are the best; most of them
have within some grains which impair their beauty, and those which
have not got them, and are pure, in perfection of this colour, are
worth little in Calicut where they arrange them; one which weighs a
fanam is not worth more than three fanams, and one of xviij fanams
is not worth more than xvi fanams.
There are also other gems, cat's eyes, chrysoliths, and amethists,
of which no other distinction is made on account of their being of
little value, and so also with regard to the jagonzas.[368]
ACCOUNT OF THE EMERALDS.
The emeralds are produced in the country of Babilonia, which the
Indians call Maredeygua;[369] and they likewise grow in many other
parts; they are green stones of a good colour and pretty; they are
light and soft, and many counterfeits are made of them which
resemble them, but looking at them in the light they show the
counterfeit and some little globules such as all glass makes; and if
they were genuine they would not show any. But the sight of them
would give great satisfaction and the good ones shew rays inside
them like of the sun, and being touched by a touchstone leaves on it
a copper colour. And the real emerald is such that they are worth
the same as diamonds in Calicut, and something more, not according
to the weight but the size, because the diamond is much heavier than
it.
There are likewise other emeralds which are green stones, and these
are not so much valued, but the Indians make use of them in jewellery.
These do not leave a copper colour on the touchstone.[370]
SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE SPICES, WHERE THEY GROW, AND WHAT THEY ARE
WORTH IN CALICUT, AND WHERE THEY ARE EXPORTED TO.
Pepper grows in all Malabar, firstly in the kingdom of Calicut, and
there it is worth from two hundred to two hundred and thirty fanoes
the bahal, which weighs four quintals of the old weight of Portugal
at which all spice is sold in Lisbon: and they pay twelve fanoes per
bahar duty for taking it out of the country to the King of Calicut;
and those who buy it are used to take it to Cambay, Persia, Aden,
Mekkah, from whence they also transport it to Cayro, and thence to
Alexandria. And now they give it to the King of Portugal at the rate
of iiijulx (4,060)[371] the bahar, with the duties, which are cxciij
fanoes (193) and 1/4, on account of so great a variety of merchants no
longer resorting there to buy it, and on account of the agreement
which the King of Portugal made with the kings and Moors and
merchants of the country of Malabar. Much pepper also grows in
Sumatra which is an island near Malaca, and it is larger and better
looking than that of the Malabar country: but this pepper is not so
fine nor so strong as that. This pepper is carried to Bengal and
China and Java, and some of it is carried to Mekkah without the
knowledge of the Portuguese, who do not allow it to be taken. It is
worth 400 to 600 maravedis the quintal of Portugal, in this case of
the new weight. And between the new and the old one in Portugal
there is a different of two ounces per pound.
ACCOUNT OF THE CLOVES.
The cloves grow in an island beyond Java called Maluco, and from
thence they bring it to Malacca, and from there to Calicut and all
the Malabar country. Each bahar is worth in Calicut 500 and 600
fanoes, and if it is clean of husks and sticks, at seven hundred
fanoes, and xviiij fanoes per bahar are paid as export duty. At
Maluco where it grows it is worth from one to two ducats the bahar;
according to the multitude of buyers who go for it. In Malacca the
bahar of these cloves is worth as much as fourteen ducats the bahar
according to the demand of the merchants.
CINNAMON.
Good cinnamon grows in the island of Ceylam, and in the county of
Malabar there grows a very inferior quality; the good sort is worth
little in Ceylam, and in Calicut it is worth three hundred fanoes
the bahar, new and very choice.
BELEDYN GINGER.
Beledyn[372] ginger grows at a distance of two or three leagues all
round the city of Calicut, and the bahar is worth lx[373] fanoes,
and sometimes fifty, they bring it to the city for sale, from the
mountains and estates. The Indian merchants buy it in detail and
collect it together, and then in the season for loading ships they
sell it to the Moors at prices from ninety to a hundred and ten
fanoes; its weight is the greater weight.[374]
ELY GINGER.
The Ely ginger grows in the mountain Dely as far as Cananor, and is
smaller and not so white, nor so good. The bahar in Cananor is worth
forty fanoes, and six fanoes duty is paid per bahar, and it is sold
without being packed.[375]
GREEN GINGER FOR CONSERVES.
In Bengal there is also much ginger of the country and there they
make with it a large quantity of preserves with sugar, very well
made; and they bring it in Martaban jars to sell at Malabar, and the
farazola, which is twenty-two pounds, is worth xiiij and xv or xv;
fanoes. And that which is now preserved with sugar in Calicut is
worth xxv fanoes the farazola on account of sugar being dear there.
Green ginger for making preserves is worth three quarters of a fanam
the farazola[376] in Calicut.
ACCOUNT OF THE DRUGS AND SPICES IN CALICUT AND ALL THE MALABAR
COUNTRY.
Lac of Martaban, very good, is worth the
farazola, which is twenty-two pounds and
six ounces and a half of Portugal, of xvj
ounces to the pound xviij fanoes 18
Lac of the country, the farazola xij fs. 12
Coarse camphor in loaves of lxx to eighty
fanoes the farazola lxxx fs. 80
Very good borax[377] in large pieces at xxx,
xl, or l fs. the farazola xl fs. 40
Camphor for anointing the idols at the rate
of one fanam and a half the mitical, six
and a half of which make an ounce i fm. & a half 1-1/2
Camphor for eating and for the eyes at
iij fs. the mitical iij fs. 3
Eagle wood at cccl and cccc fs. the farazola ccclxxv fs. 375
Genuine aloe-wood, and very choice black
and heavy is worth i fs. the farazola iu fs. 1,000
Musk in powder of good quality, the ounce
xxxvi fs. xxxvi fs. 36
Benjuy each farazola lx and the very good
lxx fs. lxv fs. 65
Fresh tamarinds at iij fs. the farazola iij fs. 3
Sweet flag[378] the farazola xij fs. 12
Indigo, coarse and heavy, which contains
sand, seventeen to twenty-two fs. the
farazola xx fs. 20
Encienzo the best when in grain is worth v fs. 5
Encienzo[379] in paste and inferior is worth iij fs. 3
Very good amber is worth ij to iij fs. the
mitical iij fs. 3
Mirobolans in sugar conserve are worth
from sixteen to xxv fs. the farazola xx fs. 20
Coloured sandal v and vi fs. the farazola vi fs. 6
Spikenard, fresh and good, from xxx to
xl fs. the fa. xl fs. 40
White sandal, and of a lemon colour xl to
lx fs. the farazola, it grows in an
island called Timor 1 fs. 50
Nutmeg x and xi fs. the farazola, it
comes from Bandam, where the bahar is
worth viij or x fs. xi fs. 11
Mace from xxv to xxx fs. the farazola,
this also comes from Bandan, where it
is worth 1 fs. the bahar. xxx fs. 30
Good herb lonbreguera[380] at xv fs. the farazola xv fs. 15
Turbiti,[381] at xiij fs. the farazola xiij fanoes 13
Zerumba is worth the farazola ij fs. 2
Zedoary is worth the farazola i fm. 1
Serapine gum[382] is worth the farazola xx fs. 20
Socotra aloes are worth the farazola viij fs. 8
Cardamums in grain at xx fs. xx fs. 20
Rhubarb, there is much of it in the Malabar
country, and what comes from China by
Malaca is worth cccc to d fs. the farazola ccccl 450
Mirobolans, ynblicos, are worth, the farazola ij fs. 2
Mirobolans, belericos, are worth, the farazola i fm. 1
Mirobolans of a citron colour and quebulos
which are one kind ij fs. 2
Mirobolans yndos, which are from the same
trees as the citron coloured, are worth iij fs. 3
Tutty,[383] the farazola xxx fs. 30
China cubela,[384] which grows in Java, is
given there at a low price without
weight or measure, by eye.
Opium is worth the farazola in Calicut,
and comes from Aden, where they make
it, it is worth from cclxxx to cccxx fs. ccc fs. 300
Another opium which is prepared in
Cambay is worth from cc to ccl fs.
the farazola ccxxv fs. 225
ACCOUNT OF THE WEIGHTS OF PORTUGAL AND OF THE INDIES.
IN PORTUGAL.
A pound of the old weight contains xiiij oz. A pound of the new
weight contains xvi oz., eight quintals of the old weight make seven
quintals of the new, and each quintal of the new weight is of
cxxviij pounds of xv oz., each old quintal is three quarters and a
half of a new quintal, and is of cxxviij pounds of xiiij oz. each.
INDIES.
A farazola is xxij pounds of xvi oz. and vi oz. 2/7 more. Twenty
farazolas are one bahar. One bahar is four old quintals of
Portugal.[385] All spices and drugs and anything which comes from
India is sold in Portugal by old weight, at present all the
rest[386] is sold by new weight.
VOYAGE WHICH JUAN SERANO MADE WHEN HE FLED FROM MALACA, WITH THREE
PORTUGUESE AND CRISTOVAL DE MORALES OF SEVILLE, IN A CARAVEL WHICH
HE STOLE IN MALACA, IN WHICH HE PUT CERTAIN MALAY MARINERS, NATIVES
OF MALACA, ABOUT THE YEAR OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ONE THOUSAND FIVE
HUNDRED AND TWELVE YEARS.[387]
In the name of God: we left the city of Malaca in a caravel with
five Malay mariners and pilots; the captain was Fran^{co} Serano,
with three other Christians, who in all were nine; the mariners,
natives of Malaca; the Christians, three Portuguese and a Castilian.
In the year one thousand five hundred and twelve we sailed to the
city of Pegu, and this city is on the mainland, and not very far
from the sea, more on this side of Malaca, east (and) west[388] of
the island Care ca Faya, north (and) south, with the Malacca channel
and island Quendan, it must be said, the river higher up towards the
east passes close by it: this river is very large and clear, by it
enters and goes forth the merchandise, which many Christians traffic
with; these are clothed in camlets and bocasi.[389] They believe in
one only true God. They are natives of these parts these married
Christians. They trade with Upper and Lower India. The king of this
country is an idolater; he uses another dress, which reaches from
his head to his feet, full of gold rings and jewellery and seed
pearl. These stones are brought from the kingdom of Pegu itself,
about three days' journey inland.
In this country, when the husbands die, their wives burn themselves
and throw themselves into the fire.
This King of Pegu is continually at war with some other powerful
king, who may be the King of Camboja, Siam, or Conchin Chinan.
Leaving Pegu and the bar of the river and continuing to the
south-west, inclining to the south south-west,[390] we arrive at the
island Samatra, for so is named a city of this northern part, as I
will relate further on, at a port which is very large and called
Pedir. It is near the extremity of the island, placed more to the
north, which looks to the north west.[391] The harbour of Pedir is
very large and the city very populous, the best of the island, which
the Malay pilots said had a circuit of two hundred and fifty
leagues, according as we can collect from their day's journey and
our day's run.[392] We gathered from the position of the country and
sayings of the pilots and ancient geographers that this island is
Traprobana, in which there are four idolatrous kings. The wives of
the natives of the country burn themselves when their husbands are
dead, as in Pegu and in Malabaria.
The people are white; they have wide foreheads, the eyes greyish and
round, the hair long, the nose flat; they are small in stature. Much
silk is produced in this island, and grows of itself on the
mountains, in which there are many trees of storax and benjuy some
way inland; and if it is not brought so much hither, the reason is
that they use it there, for they all anoint themselves: many various
kinds of lignum aloes grow in the mountains.
Having left Pedir and gone down the northern[393] coast, I drew
towards the south and south-east[394] direction, and reached to
another country and city which is called Samatra, in which we saw
many merchants; and in a single quarter we counted five hundred
changers, besides other quarters where there were many others. There
are innumerable silk workshops. The people are all dressed in
cotton. They navigate with vessels made of a certain wood which
looks like canes: they call them juncos in Malay language: they
carry three masts and two helms: when they pass any stiff gulf, the
wind being contrary they hoist other sails, and they are raised on
the second mast, and so they make their voyage.