338 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIX. 



9s. 8d.), we find that Correa's estimate of the value of cinnamon 

 in Calecut works out to about the same figure as that derived from 

 Barbosa's, viz., 4c?. a pound. Gaspar da Gama's valuation of the 

 first tribute cinnamon (which he fathers on Dom Lourenco) works 

 out at less than 2c?. a. pound ; but the object of this under- valuation 

 is evident. 



B2. 



Summary of Letter from D. Francisco de Almeida to King 

 Manuel. 1 



[27 December 1506.] 



Item : how he sent Dom Louren90 to the islands of Maldiva 

 and Quymdiquel. 2 



* H= * * * * 



Item : that in Choromandel the ships of Malaca have a great 

 trading port, 8 and Pegun and Qamatra whence come all the 

 valuable things, and that on that coast the summer begins when in 

 Cochy the winter commences, 4 which is at the beginning of 

 May, and that because from then until September no vessel puts 

 to sea, Dom Lourenco is at this time to visit the coast of Choro- 

 mandel, 5 and that between this coast and Ceilam is a sandbank 

 on which there is not more than ten spans of water. 6 



* * % * * * * 



Item : the discovery that Dom Lourenco made of Ceylam, it 

 has a point like that of Cananor 7 for making a fortress, and plenty 

 of water and an excellent port, and he wishes to make it there and 

 not in Coulam, 8 and Ceilam is in the direct course for Malaca, 

 Peguu, and Qamatra, and Choromandel 9 ; from there to Ceilam 

 is seventy leagues. 10 



Item : the cross of Christos, 11 and the royal arms, and the 

 device 12 have been left in Ceilam on a padram. 1 * 



Item : he deprived Lopo Chanoca of the command of the 

 caravel, because he gave blows to the clerk. 14 



Item : that he 16 left for Ceylam at the end of September, 

 and took the ship Santo Sprito to load cinnamon, and in a month 

 hoped to make the fortress. 16 



1 This valuable document is printed in Cartas de Aff. de Alb. ii. 

 391-97. It forms part of a collection in the Torre do Tombo at Lisbon 

 entitled ' ' Summary of all the letters that came to our lord the king, 

 and of other messages that also came by the ships of which there 

 came as captain-major Antonio de Saldanha, and by the ship of Cide 

 Barbudo who came after him. ' ' In view of the irreparable loss of the 

 viceroy's original letter, it is some consolation to have this pretty full 

 precis ; but the summarist appears to have sometimes failed to do 

 justice to the contents of the original. 



