We Have
This Intelligence From Three Men Who Escaped From The Battle At
_Araschorea_ With The Barbarians.
The same thing is reported by a native
of Bergamo, who had dwelt twenty-five years at Calicut, which is likewise
confirmed by a native of Valentia, who had sojourned there six years.
In
the meantime the king of Calicut fitted out a large fleet to attack our
ships at Cananore; but they immediately sought for safety by setting sail.
On this account the king of Portugal has ordered eight or ten ships of
burthen to be fitted out by next January, of which seven are already
built. Two ships have been sent out this summer, one of which is of 700
tons burthen, and the other of 500. There is a third in the port of
Lisbon of 450 tons; two others at Madeira, one of 350, and the other of
230 tons; another is fitting out at Setubal carrying above 160 tons.
Besides these six, a caravel is to be added which lately came from the
island of Chio, all of which are entirely at the royal charges; and two
are to be fitted out by the king for certain merchants, one of 450 tons
and the other of 350. It is agreed between these merchants and the king,
that the king shall be at the sole expence of the voyage and payment of
the sailors, as in his service. That the merchants shall carry out as
much money as may suffice for all their purchases; and on the return of
the ships half of the goods shall belong to the king, and the merchants
shall be at liberty to sell the other half for their own behoof. It
appears evident to us that this mode of conducting business will be
greatly more to the benefit of the merchants than going entirely at their
own risk, as has been done hitherto; so that the king will probably find
abundance of people willing to trade to India on these conditions. We
have accordingly a share in these two ships; but of the event, God alone
can judge.
[1] This letter is dated 16th September 1502; and by it P. Pascquali
appears to have gone from Portugal into Spain: - E.
SECTION V.
_Of the Weights and Money of Calicut, and of the places whence they
procure their Spices_[1].
Having already treated concerning the articles of commerce of all kinds
in the Indies, it is proper to give some account of the prices and
weights of these. In the city of Calicut a _bahar_ of nutmegs is sold for
450 _favi_. A bahar consists of four quintals, of 100 pounds each, and
twenty _favis_ are equal to a ducat. A bahar of cinnamon costs 390 favi.
A _faracula_, or the twentieth part of a bahar of dried ginger, is six
favi. A faracula of candied ginger is twenty-eight favi. A bahar of
tamarinds thirty favi. A bahar of the best pepper 400 favi.
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