322 



JOURNAL , B.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



A 2. 



Letter of King Manuel to the Cardinal Protector. 1 



[28 August 1499.] 



those who have just returned from this investigation 



and discovery visited, among other ports of India, a city called 



Quolicut, whence they brought us cinnamon, cloves, The 



island of Taprobana, which is called Ceilam, 2 is 150 leagues 

 from Quolicut 



1 A copy of this letter (the original of which may be in Rome) is 

 among the national archives in Lisbon, and was printed in the Boletim 

 of the Lisbon Geographical Society in 1886. There are many blanks 

 in the printed copy, owing, apparently, to the illegibility of the manu- 

 script. An English translation is given in the First Voyage of V. da 

 Gama, App. A. 



2 On this point King Manuel seems never to have changed his 

 opinion (c/. A 21, B 3). 



A 3. 



Oirolamo Sernigi's First Letter to a Gentleman at Florence. 1 

 [? July 1499.] 



All kinds of spices are to be found in this city of Chalichut, such 

 as cinnamon, pepper, ginger, frankincense, 2 lac: and brazil 

 wood abounds in the forests. These spices do not grow here, 

 but in a certain island 3 at a distance of 160 leagues from this 

 city, near 4 the mainland. It can be reached overland 5 in 

 xx days and is 6 inhabited by Moors. 7 All the above spices are 

 brought to this city as to a staple. 



The vessels which visit the islands 8 to carry spices to this city 

 of Chalichut 9 are flat-bottomed, so as to draw little water, 10 for 

 there are many dry places (shoals). 11 Some of these vessels are 

 built without any nails or iron, 12 for they have to pass over the 

 loadstone. 13 



******* 

 A load of cinnamon equal to 5 Lisbon 14 cantars is worth in 

 that city between x and xii ducats, or serafins, 15 at most ; but 

 in the islands where it is collected it is worth only half that sum. 16 

 Pepper and cloves are rated similarly. Ginger and cinnamon are 



worth more than any other spices. 17 



* * * * * * * 



The island where the spices grow is called 18 Zilon, and is 60 

 leagues from said city. In that island grow the trees which yield 

 very good cinnamon ; as also pepper. However, there is still 

 another island [in which spices grow]. Cinnamon and pepper 



