RALPH FITCH ad. 



1583-91. 

 from us by the Captaine of the castle, whose name was 

 Don Mathias de Albuquerque ; and from hence the 

 eleventh of October he shipped us and sent us for Goa 

 unto the Viceroy, which at that time was Don Francisco 

 de Mascarenhas. The shippe wherein we were imbarked 

 for Goa belonged to the Captaine, and carried one hundred 

 twentie and foure horses in it. All marchandise carried 

 to Goa in a shippe wherein are horses pay no custome 

 in Goa. The horses pay custome, the goods pay nothing ; 

 but if you come in a ship which bringeth no horses, you 

 are then to pay eight in the hundred for your goods. 

 The first citie of India that we arrived at upon the fift 

 of November, after we had passed the coast of Zindi, is 

 called Diu, which standeth in an Hand in the kingdome Diu. 

 of Cambaia, and is the strongest towne that the Portugales 

 have in those partes. It is but litle, but well stored with 

 marchandise ; for here they lade many great shippes with 

 diverse commodities for the streits of Mecca, for Ormus, 

 and other places, and these be shippes of the Moores and 

 of Christians. But the Moores cannot passe, except they 

 have a passeport from the Portugales. Cambaietta is the 

 chiefe citie of that province, which is great and very 

 populous, and fairely builded for a towne of the Gentiles : 

 but if there happen any famine, the people will sell their 

 children for very little. The last king of Cambaia was 

 Sultan Badu, which was killed at the siege of Diu, and 

 shortly after his citie was taken by the great Mogor, 

 which is the king of Agra and of Delli, which are fortie 

 dayes journey from the country of Cambaia. Here the 

 women weare upon their armes infinite numbers of rings 

 made of Elephants teeth, wherein they take so much 

 delight, that they had rather be without their meate then 

 without their bracelets. Going from Diu we come to 

 Daman the second towne of the Portugales in the countrey Daman, 

 of Cambaia which is distant from Diu fortie leagues. 

 Here is no trade but of corne and rice. They have many 

 villages under them which they quietly possesse in time 

 of peace, but in time of warre the enemie is maister of 



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