REVIEW. 252 
the height of the Jack-fruit season is in May and June, but this 
year the crop was late (1628). 
Our traveller made two observations for the latitude and found it 
at the second and best to be 18° 54’ 20”. The Editor gives it (from 
the Gazetteer) as 14° 7 20". So Della Valle’s observation was not a 
bad one for an amateur of the 17th century. He got tired of the 
place before the Hnvoy’s business was completed, and left it on the 
23rd November. He had procured by order “ a little book written in 
the Canara language, * * * not of paper, which they seldom use, but 
of palm leaves, (to wit) of that palm which the Portugals call Palmum 
brama, 7, €., wild palm, and is of that sort which produces the Indian 
nut, for such are those commonly found in India, where palms that 
produce dates are very rare.” The whole passage is very true, but has 
somewhat puzzled the Hditor, not accustomed, as some of us are, to 
talk of “ brab trees.’ The Portuguese term “ Palmeira Brava” has 
got slightly corrupted in text and note, but the plant meant is cer- 
tainly Borassus flabelliformis, which does bear an edible Indian nut, 
though not so large or good as a cocoa-nut. 
On the 26th, Della Valle arrived at ‘“ Lower Barselor of the 
Portugals,” and on the 27th he “ imbarqu’d” for Mangalor. 
On the way they landed a‘ party on St. Mary’s Isles, still so 
ealled, to take wild pigeons, “ wherewith we made a good supper.” 
The Editor identifies these with the Primeira Rocks, but there seems 
to be no reason for doubting the correctness of the traveller’s nomen- 
clature, nor the persistence of so simple a name which is on 
our Admiralty charts and sailing directions. CMieehs Coast of Hindus- 
tan Pilot, 1891 ; page 163.) 
Pietro Della Valle’s great object at Mangalor was to visit Banghel 
and Olala, places now of no resort to globe-trotters, but important 
in the Portuguese local politics of the day. The latter was famous, 
indeed, for the spirit and wisdom of its ruler ; a lady whom he saw 
in a very informal way, and by no means in full dress. “ In brief, her 
aspect and habit represented rather a dirty kitchen wench or 
laundress than a delicate and noble queen, whereupon I (Della Valle) 
said within myself ‘ Behold, by whom are routed in India the armies 
of the King of Spain, which in Europe is so great a matter.” He 
“imagined,” however, that she had been handsome in her youth, and 
