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



333 



A 20. 

 Correa i. 622. 

 [January 1506.] 



The viceroy sent Dom Lourenco with his fleet to care- 

 fully guard the vessels from Cochym and Cananor, 1 which went 

 laden with cloths, with which they sailed to Malaca, Maluco, 

 Banda, and other parts, whence they returned laden with drugs 

 and cinnamon which the}' got in Ceylao on the way back. 2 



1 On their way to Cambaya. 



2 Cf, the extract supra, A 14. 



A 21. 



Letter of King Manuel to D. Francisco de Almeida. 1 

 [? March or April 1506.] 

 # * * * * * * 



Item— On the return voyage, 8 if it please God, according to 

 the information that we have, it appears to us that you can well 

 take the course to Ceyllam, which is a thing of such importance 

 in Jmdia, as you know, and in which is such wealth, and from 

 which can be derived such profit ; and, that you may be able so 

 to do, we think it well that you come to it, and endeavour (if, with 

 the vessels and men that you have taken, it shall seem to you that 

 you can do it) to make, here in the said Ceyllam, a fortress, and 

 to leave in it some men and vessels, with which it can remain more 

 secure ; and it appears to us that you ought to use all endeavour 

 for it, on account of the advantages that this island possesses : 

 the first, through being such a rich and important thing, and 

 having in it the fine cinnamon, and all the choicest of the seed- 

 pearls and all the elephants of Jndia and many other wares and 

 things of great value and profit ; and being so near to Malaca and 

 to the gulf of Bymgalla, whence comes all or the greater part of 

 the food-stuffs of Jmdia; 3 and being near to Cayle ; + and lying 

 in the track of all the ships of Malaca and Bymgalla, and none 

 being able to pass without being seen and known of in that part ; 

 and being near to the archipelago of the xij 5 islands, in which 

 it is said there are many very rich and profitable, and to succeed 

 in finding which every effort should be made ; and the fortress 

 that may be made there being so near to Jmdia, because, according 

 to what we have learnt, it is a journey of two or three days ; • and 

 therefore it appears to us that your principal residence ought to be 

 there, since it seems that there you are in the centre of everything, 

 and that your being there gives more authority to our service and 

 to your person ; and moreover it would please us much to have this 

 fortified residence made here, not only for all the reasons that 



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