NO. 59. — 1907.] PORTUGUESE IN CEYLON. 



327 



A 11. 



Calcoen. 1 

 [January 1502.] 



From Coloen 2 1 miles lies an island and it is called 



Steloen, 3 and there grows the best cinnamon that is found. 

 ******* 



The ginger grows as the rush does, and cinnamon like willows, 4 

 and every year the cinnamon is peeled, and the thinner and newer 

 it is the better it is 



1 This is the title of a Dutch pamphlet, printed at Antwerp circa 

 1504, and giving an account of the second voyage of Vasco da Gama in 

 1502. A facsimile of the original, with a faulty English translation, 

 was published in 1874 by Mr. J. Ph. Berjeau. 



2 Coulam, or Quilon. 



3 A misprint for " Sieloen." 



* As di Conti had remarked, some sixty years before. 



A 12. 



The Voyage to the East Indies by Thome Lopez. 1 

 [19 November 1502.] 



And those of Cocchin also told us, that from there to 



Zeilam is 150 leagues, and that it is a rich and very large island of 

 300 leagues, and that there are great mountains there, and cinna- 

 mon grows there in the greatest abundance, more than in any other 

 place, and the best that is to be found, and many precious stones, 

 and great quantity of pearls. And there are in the said island, 

 corresponding to the great mountains, many wild elephants, very 

 big, and they tame them in this manner 



1 The Portuguese original of this is lost. An Italian translation 

 was printed by Ramusio in torn. 1 of his Navigationi et Viaggi (1550). 

 It describes the second voyage of Vasco da Gama to India. 



A 13. 



Barros I. vi. vi. 



[November-December 1502.] 



The king of Cochij during this time had not yet seen 



the admiral 1 ; and because he learnt that there was about to enter 

 his port a ship of Calecut, which was coming from Ceilam, and 

 which belonged to a Moor of Calecut called Nine Mercar, fearing 



