stance like flax which is woven, 165; another made into cords; char-
coal; excellent water contained in the nut; oil; sap drawn and used
for wine; the cutting down of these trees not forgiven, 166; mode of
cultivation; the oil of zerzalino (sesamum).
Chapter concerning the practice they follow in sowing rice, 166, 167.
Ploughing, sowing, and devil-dancing, 167.
Chapter concerning the physicians who visit the sick in Calicut,
167.
Devil-dancers employed to visit the sick, 167; potion of ginger.
Chapter concerning the bankers and money-changers, 168-170.
Their balances and touchstones, 168; the brokers, and their curious
mode of bargaining with the fingers; weights used in trade, 170.
Chapter showing how the Poliari and Hirava feed their chil-
dren, 171-173.
Singular treatment of the children, 171; their agility; the many
animals and birds of Calicut, 172; parrots; starlings (or mainas);
apes and their tricks.
Chapter concerning the serpents which are found in Calicut, 173.
Great marsh serpents (crocodiles), 173; venomous serpents; protec-
tion of them; protection of cows, 174; superstitions.
Chapter concerning the lights of the King of Calicut, 174, 175.
Vases used in the king's house for lamps described, 174; feasting
customs on expiry of mourning, 175.
Chapter showing how a great number of people came to Calicut on
the 25th of December to receive their pardon, 175-177.
Temple in a tank, 175; manner of the sacrifice; the great Sathanas;
the vast number assembled, 177.
His companion cannot sell his goods, because of the war with the
King of Portugal, 178; they go by a beautiful river (backwater) to
Caicolon, 179; Christians of St. Thomas, 180; go to Colon (Quilon),
182; and thence to Chayl, 184; pearl-fishery.
Chapter concerning Cioromandel, a city of India, 186-188.
City of Cioromandel, 186; body of St. Thomas, 187; miracle at his
tomb; war with the King of Tarnassari, 188; Varthema and his
companion go to Zailon (Ceylon).
Chapter concerning Zailani, where jewels are produced, 188-190.
Four kings in the island, 188; their wars, 189; elephants; rubies,
190; mining customs; excellent fruits.
Chapter concerning the tree of the canella [cinnamon], 191-194.
Cinnamon-tree described, 191; Adam's Peak; no rice in Ceylon, 192;
dress and character of the people, 193: no artillery; flowers; sum-
moned to show their goods to the King, 194.
Animals detailed, 199; bird with great beak (hornbill), 200; great
cocks and hens; cock-fighting; goats, remarkable sheep, &c.; buffa-
loes, 201; great bone of a fish; dress of the people.
Chapter showing how the King causes his wife to be deflowered,
and so also the other pagans of the city, 202-204.
White men employed, 202; dialogue between merchants and the
author's companion recited.
Chapter showing how the dead bodies are preserved in this city, 204.
Burning of the dead and preservation of the ashes, 204; odoriferous
woods, &c., used in burning, 205.
Chapter showing how the wife is burnt alive after the death of her
husband, 206-208.
Description of the ceremonies of widow-burning, 206, 207; another
custom of proving affection, 208.
Chapter concerning the administration of justice which is observed
in Tarnassari, 209.
Punishment of murder, 209; conveying, &c.; the King heir to foreign
merchants; funeral customs of Moorish merchants.
Chapter concerning the ships which are used in Tarnassari, 210.
Chapter concerning the city of Banghella, and of its distance from
Tarnassari, 210-212.
They go to Banghella (some city of Bengal), 210; the Moorish Sultan
and his great army, 211; great plenty in the country, 212; wealthy
merchants; names of the stuffs exported.
Chapter concerning some Christian merchants in Banghella, 212-
Christian merchants from a city called Sarnau, 212; their dress, 213;
their belief, mode of writing, observances; they offer to take Var-
thema and his companion to a good market, 214; these go with the
Christians to Pego (Pegu).
Chapter concerning Pego, a city of India, 215.
The city of Pego, 215; Christians employed by the King, 217; animals,
218; parrots; timber (teak); great canes; rubies from Capellan; the
King's wars with Ava; they go in search of the King, 219; but
return to Pego, and are admitted to an interview when he comes back
victorious.
Chapter concerning the dress of the King of Pego above-men-
tioned, 219-222.
The King described, and his jewels, 219; Varthema's companion
shows his corals, 220; and presents them to the King, 221; the King
gives rubies in return; his wealth and liberality, 222; products of his
country; approach of the King of Ava; women burning themselves.
Chapter concerning the city Malacha and the river Gaza, otherwise
Gange, as I think, and of the inhumanity of the men, 223-228.
Go to Melacha (Malacca), 223; great river more than twenty-five
miles wide, called Gaza (the Straits of Malacca); Sumatra; Sultan
of Melacha; tributary to the King of Cini (Siam), 224; great amount
of shipping; trade and produces, 225; the people described, 226;
their violence and insubordination, 227; the travellers go to Pider
(Pedir) in Sumatra, 228.
Chapter concerning the island of Sumatra, and concerning Pider,
a city of Sumatra, 228-232.
Circumference of Sumatra, 229; he identifies it with Taprobane;
the inhabitants and their customs, 230; their money, 231; great
elephants, 232.
Chapter concerning another sort of pepper, and concerning silk
and benzoin, which are produced in the said city of Pider,
233, 234.
Pepper and long pepper, 233; silk, 234; benzoin.
Chapter concerning three sorts of aloes-wood, 234-237.
Three kinds of aloes-wood, viz., calampat, loban, and bochor, 235;
the first and best chiefly purchased in Gran Cathai, in Cini, Macini,
Sarnau, and Giava, 236.
Chapter concerning the experiment with the said aloes-wood and
benzoin, 238.
The Christians show by experiment the excellence of kalampat and
of benzoin; lacca-wood used for dying red.
Chapter concerning the variety of dealers in the said island of
Sumatra, 238.
Beautiful work in gold, 238; numerous money-changers, 239; timber;
great junks, with prows each way; swimmers, and fireworkers.
Chapter concerning the houses, and how they are covered in the
said island of Sumatra, 240-243.
Houses covered with turtle shells, 240; great elephants' teeth, 241;
very great serpents; they wish to see spices growing, but are informed
that the nutmegs and cloves grow much farther off; their Christian
companions teach them what they must do to go there, 242; they buy
two small vessels, and persuade the Christians to accompany
them, 243.
Chapter concerning the island of Bandan, where nutmegs and mace
grow, 243, 244.
Pass many islands, 243; arrive at Bandan, 244; description of the
people, and of the nutmeg-tree; stupidity of the people; determine
to go to the clove island.
The captain carries compass and chart with lines, 249; how he navi-
gated thereby, but tells them how beyond Giava there are some races
who sail by certain stars opposite to the north (antarctic); and that
there the day is only four hours long, and 'tis colder than in any
part of the world, 251.
Chapter concerning the island of Giava, of its faith, manner of
living and customs, and of the things which grow in the said
Island, 251-255.
Arrive at Giava, 251; religion of the island; its products, 252; cha-
racter and features of the people, 253; birds; dress of the people;
arms, 254; blowpipes; food.
Chapter showing how in this island the old people are sold by their
children or their relations and afterwards are eaten, 255-257.
Fathers when aged sold in the market for food, 255; sick persons
killed and sold, 256; Varthema's comrade takes alarm.
Chapter where, at midday, the sun casts a shadow in the island of
Giava, 257, 258.
The sun casts a shadow to the south in June, 257; their fear of being
eaten; purchase of emeralds and mutilated children, 258.
Chapter concerning our return, 258-263.
Charter a junk and return to Malacha, 258; part with the Christians
of Sarnau, to the great grief of these, 259; sail to Cioromandel, and
take another ship to Colon (Quilon); they proceed to Calicut, where
Varthema finds two Milanese Christians who made ordnance for the
king; Varthema plays the hypocrite, pretending to be a Mussulman
saint, and is much venerated, 262.
Chapter showing how I made myself a physician in Calicut,
263-266.
Varthema called to visit a silk merchant, 263; his medical practice,
264; and its success; his fame as a saint spreads, but he keeps up
secret communication with the Christians, 265.
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