We Have Seen Two Of These Birds,
And Can Vouch For The Truth Of The Description.
On exploring this
extensive coast, the navigators believed that it must necessarily belong
to a continent, as they sailed along it for the space of 2000 miles
without having seen either extremity.
Its coasts are inhabited by people
of a tolerably handsome appearance, who go quite naked.[5]
In this voyage they lost four ships. Two others were sent to the gold
mines, which are not yet returned; and seven only reached Calicut, where
they were honourably received, and had a house allotted them by the
prince, and there they brought their ships to anchor. Soon afterwards
there assembled many boats of the Moors and other neighbouring people,
and some frigates belonging to the great sultan, all the people belonging
to which conspired together against the Christians, being exceedingly
adverse to the coming of the Christians into these parts, lest they
should diminish their profits. They insisted therefore to have their
ships first loaded, to the great dissatisfaction of the Christians, who
immediately complained to the king of the insolence of the Moors, but
soon discovered that he favoured them. The king of Calicut was a person
of very doubtful faith, and made the following answer: That it did not
seem equitable for the Moors to be permitted to finish their traffic
before the Christians; and gave orders accordingly, that the Christians
might carry on their trade. The Moors trangressed this decree, and took
away the goods of the Christians at pleasure; upon which disputes arose
between the Christians and the Moors, in which the whole inhabitants of
the city took part with the Moors.
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