In This Country Pepper Grows, Being Trained Up A Tree Or Pole.
It is
like our ivy berry, but something longer, like an ear of wheat.
At first
the bunches are green, but as they become ripe they are cut off and
dried. The leaf is much smaller and thinner than that of ivy. The houses
of the inhabitants are very small, and are covered with the leaves of
the coco-tree. The men are of moderate stature, but the women very
little; all black, with a cloth about their middles, hanging down to
their hams, all the rest of their bodies being naked. They have horribly
great ears, with many rings set with pearls and other stones. All the
pepper sold in Calicut, and the coarse cinnamon [cassia] grow in this
country. The best cinnamon comes from Ceylon, and is peeled from fine
young trees. They have here many palmers, or coco-nut trees, which is
their chief food, as it yields both meat and drink, together with many
other useful things, as I said formerly.
The nairs belonging to the Samorin or king of Calicut, which are
Malabars, are always at war with the Portuguese, though their sovereign
be at peace with them; but his people go to sea to rob and plunder.
Their chief captain is called _Cogi Alli_, who hath three castles under
his authority. When the Portuguese complain to the Samorin, he pretends
that he does not send them out, but he certainly consents to their
going.
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