Travels in India. 



Part II. 



Mufcate, where they generally take in frefh Water. If there be any Ships that! 

 would not come to an Anchor there, the Governour fent for his Cuftom, which 

 was four in the hundred; and if they refus'd, the Governour had his Galeaffes 

 ready to fink them. 



The fifth Government was that of the Ifland of Ceyland, to which belong'd 

 all thofe places which the Portugais had, as well upon the Coaft of Matavar, 

 the Golf of Bengala, and other parts of India ; the worft of which employ- 

 ments was worth ten thoufand Crowns per ann. 



Befides thefe five great Governments, which were at the difpofal of the Vice- 

 Roy, he had abundance of other Offices in his Gift, as well in God; as in other 

 parts. of India. The very day that he makes his Entry into Goa, the Captain 

 of his Guards gets above four thoufand Crowns. The three Offices of Engi- 

 neer Major, Vifiter of the Forts, and chief Mafter of the Ordinance, yeilded 

 every year twenty thoufand Pardons ; every Pardo being worth twenty-feven 

 Sous of our Money. The Ponuguefes were then all very rich ; the Nobility 

 by reafon of their Governments and Commands, the Merchants by their Trade, 

 till the Enghjh and Hollanders cut them fhort. When they had Ormits, they 

 would not let any Merchant pafs by Sea into India ; fo that they were forc'd 

 to go by Land through Candahar. Then, when the Turkj, Perfian, Arabian^ 

 Muscovite, Polonian } and other Merchants arriv'd at Bander-Aba/fy, they /oin'd 

 together, and deputed four of the moft experiencd perfons among them, to 

 view all the -forts of Commodities, and to underftand their quality and price. 

 After they have made their report,they agree upon their price,and fetch away their 

 goods . which are diftributed to every one proportionably according to the number 

 of Merchants .It is alfo the cuftom of aîl Afia^hax there is nothing fold,but a Bro- 

 ker has a hand in the Bargain. They make good the Money to thofe that 

 have fold, and receive it from them that buy ; and there are fome forts of 

 Commodities upon which there is due to them for Brokage, fom.etimes one in 

 in the Hundred , fometime one and a half, and two. 



At that time the Ponuguefes made great profit, without any lofs. For the 

 Vice-Roy took care to prefèrve them againft the Pyrats. Who aifoon as the' 

 Rains are over, and that it was feafonable to put to Sea, always fent a fuffi- 

 cient convoy to guard the Merchants twenty-five or thirty Leagues to Sea, 

 the Malvares not daring to ftir above fifteen or twenty. The Captains of the 

 Galiots, and the Soldiers drive a fmall Trade alio in their Voyages, and in re- 

 gard they pay no cuftom, they gain enough to maintain themfelves handfbme- 

 ly all the time they lye in Garrifon, which is during the Rains. There was alfo 

 care taken for the advancement of the Soldiery; for every Soldier that came 

 from Portugal, after nine years fervice, had fome Command either by Sea or 

 Land beftow'd upon him ; and if he would not accept or it, they gave him 

 leave to Trade as a Merchant. So that if there happen'd to be any perfon of 

 underftanding among them, he could not fail to raife his fortune, having all 

 the credit he could defire. For there were people enough that being glad to 

 let out their Money, would venture with him at Cent, fer Cent, upon his re- 

 turn. If the Veffel be loft, they that lend their Money, lofe either their 

 Money or their goods; but if the Ship come fafe home, of one they make 

 three or four. 



The Natives of the Country , call'd Canarins , are not permitted to bear 

 any Offices among the Portugueses, but only in reference to the Law, that is 

 to fay, either as Advocates, or Sollicitors, or Scriveners ; for they keep them 

 very much under. If one of thefe Canarins or Blacks, happen to ftrike a White 

 or European, there is no pardon for him, but he muft have his hand cut off. 

 As well the Spaniards as Portuguefes, make ufe of them as Receivers, and to fol- 

 low their bufinefs. And in the Manillas, or Philippin Iflands, there are fome 

 of thefe Blacks fo rich, that many of them have offer'd twenty thoufand Cfoi- 

 lats to the Vice-Roy, for liberty to wear Hofe and Shoo's, which they are not 

 permitted to wear. Some of thefe Blacks have thirty Slaves attending upon 

 them, very richly habited ; but only they go barefoot. And had the Portugais 

 permitted them to fet out Ships of their own, and to have chofen Captains and 

 ©ther Officers at their own pleafure, the Ponuguefes would not have made fuch 



large, 



