Which
properly speaking is only an account of Cranganore and its inhabitants,
particularly the Christians and their ceremonies, with some account of
Calient, Kambaya, Guzerat, Ormuz, and Narsinga, very short and
unsatisfactory. - Astl. I. 48. b.
[31] Called Caitaio in the original, but obviously Cathay, or Northern
China, in which we have formerly seen that there were Nestorian
Christians. - E.
[32] In Lichefilds translation, the account of the day of these Indian
Christians runs thus, which we do not pretend to understand: "They
have their day, which they do call _Intercalor_, which is of _forty_
hours."
This account of the Christians found in India by the Portuguese, is
exceedingly imperfect and unsatisfactory; but it would lead to a most
inconvenient length to attempt supplying the deficiency. Those of our
readers who are disposed to study this interesting subject, will find
it discussed at some length in Mosheim, and there is a good abstract
relative to these Oriental sects given by Gibbon, in the Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire. - E.
[33] Named Canyfistola in Lichefilds translation.
[34] Lagartos in the original.
* * * * *
Note. - In the Novus Orbus of Simon Grynaeus, p. 202-211, there is an
article entitled, _Short Account of India, by Joseph, an Indian Christian,
who accompanied Cabral[A] to Lisbon in 1501_. We were inclined to have
inserted this account at this part of our collection as an ancient and
original document: But, on an attentive perusal, it is so jejune,
contused, and uninstructive as not to merit attention. It evidently
appears to have been penned by some person in Cabral's ship during the
voyage home, from repeated conferences with Joseph: But, as the writer of
this article informs us himself, many particulars were unknown to Joseph,
because he had little intercourse with the idolaters, or because the
reporter could not understand the answers which Joseph made to his
inquiries. - E.
[A] In Grynaeus, Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, is named Peter Aliares. - E.
SECTION IV.
_Voyage of John de Nueva, being the third made by the Portuguese to India_.
Is the same year 1501, supposing all differences to have been settled
amicably at Calicut by Cabral, and that a regular trade was established
both there and at Sofala and Quiloa, the king of Portugal dispatched
three ships and a caravel from Lisbon, under the command of John de Neuva,
a native of Galicia in Spain, who was accounted a valiant gentleman;
having under his orders, Francisco de Navoys, Diego Barboso, and Hernando
de la Pyna, as captains of three of the ships. Two ships of this fleet
were destined to carry merchandize to Sofala[1], and the other two to
Calicut, and all the four contained only eighty men[2]. The instructions
given to Nueva were, that he was to touch at the island of St Blas, where
he was to wait ten days if any of his ships had separated.