COINS FROM MALACCA, 189 
should be delivered there to be reminted. When this had been 
done, and sufficient money had been coined, Albuquerque fixed 
a day for the proclamation of the new currency, and the princi- 
pal men of the people met Albuquerque with the Captains, Fidal- 
gos and Cavaliers of the fleet in the fortress to form a procession 
through the town. The account given of this procession and 
proclamation is so interesting and picturesque, that I give it 
literally : 
There went first, in front of all the people, one of the 
principal Governors of the City mounted upon an elephant with 
his castle caparisoned with silk, and carrying in his hands a flag 
of the arms of the King of Portugal upon a long spear, and be- 
hind him went all the people on foot on one side and the other, 
as it were in procession ; and in the midst of these people there 
went a Moor mounted upon another elephant, likewise capari- 
soned with silk, making the proclamation; and behind this one 
came the trumpets; and after them the Governors of the City, 
and all the Merchants, and principal men thereof; and at the 
rear of this throng there went Antonio de Sousa the son of 
Joao de Sousa of Santarem, and the son of Ninachatu, both to- 
gether upona large elephant, which had been kept for the 
King’s own use, with his castle caparisoned with brocaded cloths, 
and they carried with them a large quantity of gold, silver, and 
copper * coin, which they kept on throwing out over the heads 
of all the people at each publication of the proclamation which 
the Moor made. The crowd was so great that the streets could 
scarcely contain it, and with many songs and blowing of horns, 
according to the native custom, the people gave great praise 
to Afonso Dalboquerque for giving orders for this distribution 
of money by the advice and in accordance with the opinions of 
their natives.” (Vol. III, p. 141). Accounts of this first mint 
in Malacca are also given by Danvers (4), Vol. I, p. 230, and 
Stephens (15), p. 162. 
Besides these two mints at Goa and Malacca, others were 
established by the Portuguese in Ceylon, Cochin, Diu, Bassein, 
Damao and Chaul. The following are the mint marks of six of 
_  * This is probably an error: no copper coins of Malacca are previ- 
ously mentioned. Probably pewter coins are meant. 
R. A. Soc., No. 39, 1903 
