[32] This is probably the same person named Fernan Alvares on a former
occasion. - E.
[33] It is added by De Barros, that three _Abexijs_, or Abyssinians, from
the territory of _Preste Joano_, came on board the fleet, along with
the Moors who brought provisions; and, seeing the image of the angel
Gabriel painted on the ship of that name, and being accustomed to such
representations of angels in their own country, they made their
adorations to this holy picture. - Clarke.
[34] Mr Clarke, Progr. of Marit. Disc. I. 464, strangely misrepresents
this story; saying, "that _the pilot_ of Paulo de la Gama had deserted
to the Moors, though a Christian." - E.
[35] According to De Burros, after the inhabitants abandoned the town,
the zeque sent De Gama a pilot to navigate Coello's ship, from whom De
Gama learnt that Calicut was a months voyage from Mozambique. - Clarke,
I. 464.
[36] If Sunday, as above, were the first of April, the Friday following
must have been the 6th. - E.
[37] The text is here obscure; but it would appear that only some of the
men belonging to these two boats remained on board, and the rest
returned to the coast. Not that the Moorish pilots from Mozambique
were here dismissed, as the text of Lichefild's translation seems to
insinuate. - E.
[38] Motta, in the Portuguese East Indian Pilot, places this town in lat.
3 50'S. He says the entrance is much incommoded with shoals, and so
narrow in some places as not to exceed the length of a ship. This city
is said to have once stood on a peninsula, converted into an island by
cutting a canal across the isthmus. - Clarke, I. 469.
[39] This may be understood that part of the inhabitants were unmixed
Arabs, comparatively whites; while others were of a mixed race between
these and the original natives, perhaps likewise partly East Indian
Mahometans, of a similar origin. - E.
[40] This is surely an oversight in Castaneda or his translator, for
_one_ year. - E.
[41] It is difficult to ascertain what place in India is here meant.
Cranganore comes nearer in sound, but is rather nearer Melinda than
Calicut; Mangalore is rather more distant. The former a degree to the
south of Calicut, the latter not quite two to the north; all three on
the Malabar coast. On a former occasion, Castaneda says these
merchants were of Cambaya or Guzerat, above eleven degrees north of
Calicut. - E.
[42] This seems to be the same office with that named Kadhi, or Khazi, by
the Turks and Persians, which is rather the title of a judge than of a
priest, which is named Moulah. - E.
[43] It is probable that this passage should be thus understood, "The
king sent him a pilot, who was an idolater from Guzerate, &c." - E.
[44] The addition to, or observations on the text, inserted in this place
within inverted commas, are from Clarke, I. 486, 487. - E.
[45] In Lichefild's translation this date is made the 22d; but the Friday
after Sunday the 21st, must have been the 26th of the month. - E.
[46] The difference of longitude between Melinda and Calicut is thirty-
four degrees, which at 17-1/2 leagues to the degree, gives only 575
Portuguese leagues, or 680 geographical leagues of twenty to the
degree. Thus miserably erroneous are the estimated distances in old
navigators, who could only compute by the dead reckoning, or the log.
- E.
[47] The course from Melinda to Calicut is about E. N. E. the former being
about three degrees to the S. and the latter almost eleven degrees to
the N. of the line. - E.
[48] This vague account of the extent of Malabar is erroneous or corrupt,
as sixty-one Portuguese leagues would barely reach from Cape Comorin
to Calicut. The extreme length of the western maritime vale of India,
from Cambay to Cape Comorin, exceeds 250 Portuguese leagues. - E.
[49] The proper name of this prince who is said to have thus divided the
kingdom of Malabar, was Shermanoo-Permaloo. - Clarke, I. 395.
[50] This must be erroneous, as the Mahometans reckon from the year of the
Hegira, or flight of Mahomet from Mecca, which commences in 622 of the
Christian era. - E.
[51] This story seems an Arabian tale, perhaps partly founded upon some
real revolution in the government of Malabar. But it would much exceed
the bounds of a note to enter upon disquisitions relative to Indian
history. - E.
[52] Laker is a kind of gum that proceedeth of the ant. This marginal note,
in Lichefild's translation of Castaneda, indicates the animal origin
of lac, which has been elucidated of late by Dr Roxburgh. - E.
[53] From the sequel in the narrative of Castaneda, this Colastrian rajah
seems to have been the sovereign of Cananor. - E.
[54] This word pagoda, applied by the Portuguese, to denote an Indian,
temple, is said to be derived from a Malabar or Indian word,
_Pagabadi_, signifying any idol. - Astley, I. 51.
[55] This is described by Castaneda as a coin equal in value to three
crowns.
[56] By De Faria, this man is named Monzayde. - Astl. I. 30.
[57] The title of kutwal is of Arabic origin, and properly signifies the
governor of a fort or castle, but the office may be different in
different places. In some instances, the kutwal seems to have been the
deputy-governor, sheriff, or judge of a town. - Astl. I. 30.
[58] Such are the expressions used by Lichefild; but I suspect the sense
here ought to have been, That the kutwal required De Gama to land
immediately, that he might go to Calicut, on purpose to be presented
to the zamorin. - E.
[59] In Astley, I. 81. this place is named Kapokats. - E.
[60] Kafr is an Arabic word, signifying an infidel or unbeliever; and is
applied by the Mahometans to all who do not believe the doctrines of
Mahomet, and especially to all who worship images, including the Roman
Catholics.