This Voyage Was Probably In Quest Of A North-West Passage
To India.
- E.
[3] In this passage we surely ought to read _ships may be built_. - E.
SECTION IV.
_Letter from Francis Sagitta of Cremona, from Lisbon, directed to the
Venetian orator Peter Pasquali, residing at the Court of Castile_[1].
Most excellent orator! In two former letters, I have promised to omit no
opportunity of informing your excellency what kind of merchandize might
be brought in four vessels which were expected daily from India. They are
now arrived, and I shall truly state all the merchandize which they have
brought, which is as follows: One thousand quintals of pepper; 450
quintals of cinnamon; about fifty quintals of ginger; fifty quintals of
lac: and as much cotton as may be bought for 400 ducats. The reason
assigned for having brought so small a quantity of spice is, that they
agreed among themselves, after sailing from hence, that two of the ships
should steer for the gold mine, and the other two for Calicut. On this
account, each took only such goods as it was thought would be valued in
the ports to which they were bound. But when these ships came to Calicut
they were not allowed to trade, and were obliged to go to other places.
On going to Cananore, they there learnt what had been done by Peter
Aliaris, the factor at Cochin for the king. The king or rajah of Cananore
received our people honourably, and offered to supply our commanders
gratuitously with all kinds of spices; but, thanking him gratefully for
this kindness, he declined the offer, saying that he must go in the first
place to the kings factor at Cochin, and would then return and accept his
spices on credit. Setting out therefore for Cochin, he transacted
business with the royal agent, Peter Aliaris; but as the ships did not
bring money for their purchases, and as the goods they brought were in
small request, and they could not therefore succeed in making purchases,
the commander resolved to return to Cananore, where the rajah had
expressed so much good will for the Portuguese, and where he bartered his
merchandize for spices at a good profit. He here left three persons, with
the ships factor and a clerk, because the rajah had advanced money on
credit for the spices, that they might not appear to have cheated the
rajah. Yet after all, the ships had to come away only half loaded,
because they had not taken out money for their purchases, and their goods
were in no request. The conclusion from this is evident, that the Indians
have no demand for our goods, and that money alone is especially desired
by them, and of which they are in great need.
It has been reported since, that these kings of the Indies gave as much
merchandize to our admiral without price as would load four ships, out of
fear of the Christians; especially the king of Calicut, who has been told
by his soothsayers to beware of the ensuing year, as the stars threaten
him with a great slaughter of his men by the Christians, and that his
kingdom even would be deserted, owing to dread of that people.
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