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. 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.
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