AMomentous Journey The Complete Manuscript of The “Book of Duarte Barbosa” 1565
This Book is Published as a Joint Collaboration Between Science and Arts Institute, Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of Gulf Studies, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates And College of History and Geography, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Portugal
Edited by: Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad AlQasimi AMomentous Journey The Complete Manuscript of The “Book of Duarte Barbosa” 1565
© 2017 First published in 2017. Copyright © 2017 by Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Translation copyright © 2017 by Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi The moral right of the author has been asserted No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except for in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews Al Qassimi Publications Qasba, Block D, Entrance 1, Floor 3, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Telephone: 0097165541145 Fax: 0097165541664 Email: Alqasimi.dist@gmail.com ISBN: 978-9948-23-180-6 Printing permission No: 1752017, Date. 16/2/2017 National Media Council, Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates.
Cont ent s Introduction 7 About “The Book of Duarte Barbosa” 13 AMomentous Journey The Complete Manuscript of the “Book of Duarte Barbosa” 1565 (English Translation) 17 The Complete Manuscript portugness 49
7 Introduction Among the many works published by the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, there is one which is particularly important to my homeland. In 1813, Francisco Mendo Trigoso published, for the first time in Portuguese, the early 16th century work by Duarte Barbosa, commonly known as “The Book of Duarte Barbosa”. This edition, under the patronage of the Academia, was based on the printed 1550 Ramuzio›s collection of voyages (which included the hitherto unpublished work). Ans a manuscript (alas of unknown origin), which the publisher held in his possession at the time. This manuscript - so the publisher tells us - was part of a large “codex” which contained: First, some papers on the voyage of Dom Constantino de Bargança. Secondly, the “Book of Lisuarte de Abreu”. And thirdly, an untitled manuscript which was in fact the text commonly known as “The Book of Duarte Barbosa”.
8 In 1992, the Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses published the facsimile edition of the “Livro de Lisuarte de Abreu”. In its preface, Vasco Graça Moura points out the fact that a third part of the facsimiled codex, which contained “TheBook of DuarteBarbosa”was at that time of unknownwhereabouts. The 1813 publisher sold in 1821 the original three-part codex to Mr. Franscico Xavier Bertrand of the famous Lisbon-based namesake bookshop. In 1895, when Prince Afonso of Bragança, Duke of Oporto, was appointed Viceroy of Portuguese India (the very last), a present of the codex was forwarded to him. After the Prince returned to Portugal, the codex was deposited at Ajuda Royal Library. Following the 1910 revolution, the codex did somehow regain its lawful owner in 1911. In 1912, the codex was sold by the then exiled Duke of Oporto to Ludwig Rosenthal of Munich. Professor Maurice L.Ettinghausen, who at the time worked for the firm of Ludwig Rosenthal (the famous antiquarian bookseller), later
9 that year sold the second part of the dismembered codex to Mr. J. P. Morgan in Paris. Later, Professor Ettinghausen sold the first part of the codex (19 leaves) to the Conde de Arrochela. Much later, the Pierpoint Morgan Library acquired those leaves in 1963. The third part, i.e. “The Book of Duarte Barbosa” remained in oblivion for the next 53 years. In 2013, two hundred years after the Academia had published the original manuscript from this codex, “The Book of Duarte Barbosa” reemerged among other papers kept by the firm which employed Professor Ettinghausen between the two World Wars. It is this manuscript, rich of a momentous course of historic events, which we now present for publication in facsimile to the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa. After the Hakluyt editions of Lord Stanley of Alderley (1856) and of Mansel Longworth Dames (1918), we deemed desirable to publish in English the part of the manuscript which deals with the Arabian
10 Penninsula and the Gulf. Those interested in the complete manuscript canfind it in the Hakluyt Society publications. Last but not least, let us remember why Francisco Mendo Trigoso chose this manuscript for the Academia to print. Being not an autograph, it was by contemporary hands. Being not the earliest known manuscript (two others: Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa - Fundo Geral ms.11.008, and Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, ms.Brasil 25) it was whithout doubt the longest in text (the two earlier surviving manuscripts lack many important chapters). Let us also stress out that all the other known and published manuscripts had the same origin in the 1524 Spanish translation manuscript. This was carried out by the efforts of Martín Centurión, who had and original Portuguese manuscript (whereabouts unknown), copied and translated into Spanish during the Badajoz Junta of 1524. All subsequent copies derived from this one. This was paramount in establishing the international reputation of Barbosa’s work. But unfortunately Martín Centurión neglected 33
11 chapters of the original text. These 33 chapters lack in all subsequent copies, kept at institutional libraries throughout Europe. This present manuscript is therefore the earliest most complete manuscript. It is this manuscript, rich of a momentous course of historic events, which we now present for publication in facsimile by the AlQasimi Publications in Arabic, English and Portuguese. Afinal word to remind that the aim of our efforts was to bring light to the history of one of the earliest westerner›s account of our dear homeland. Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al-Qasimi Member of the ACADEMIA DAS CIÊNCIAS DE LISBOA
13 About “The Book of Duarte Barbosa” The voyages of the Portuguese in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans enabled the knowledge of the peoples who dwelt in the greater part of Africa, America, Asia and Oceania. Many regions of this vast world were visited and described by the Portuguese seafarers, crown officials and merchants with great detail. Therefore, physical aspects like islands, sea-shores, winds, tides, the stars that enabled the astronomical navigation; were known and described for thefirst time by the crews of the “ caravelas ” (Latin sail) and “ naus ” (Round sail) of the Portuguese. The people who inhabited those shores were regarded with great interest by the sailors, as well as the products with a commercial value namely spices and drugs, gold and noble metals as indeed textiles. Everything was observed, commented upon, and transmitted to the royal offices in Lisbon, which was the head of that maritime and commercial Empire. As this enterprise was mainly a crown endeavor, everything was
14 recorded and cautiously kept, and often with secrecy. Today, documents of this nature are kept in the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo or in other important libraries. The Arabic Gulf and its neighbouring regions stand out among the areas which were most visited, and which underwent missions of diverse purpose. The crews of the Portuguesefleets voyaged through and fro from the mouth of the Hormuz straits to Basra from the start of the 16th century, recording a great number of toponyms like Julfar, Sharjah, Bahrain, Muscat and Qatif, adding descriptions of the peoples and of the wealth that was offered by the regions. The “ Book of Duarte Barbosa ” is the main source for the knowledge of this region, circa 1514 -1515. One cannot but be impressed by the care the Author underwent to register in his text the greatest number of data about places, islands, products, tribes and their chiefs. This description by Duarte Barbosa seeks the naked truth and cares nothing for any other end. It is a document of the start of the 16th century in which the Author pursues strict observance to the truth in plain terms.
15 Sheikh Dr. Sultan al-Qasimi Phd (History and Geography) and member of the Academia das Ciȇncias de Lisboa, has decided to publish that precious text; thanks to the discovery of the most complete surviving manuscript, which was deemed lost. The manuscript is reproduced in exact facsimile, of the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo. With an English translation by Dr. Garry Mullender PhD, professor at Lisbon University; Paris III – Sorbonne Nouvelle; and Geneva. This edition is to hold immense importance for the History of the Arabic Gulf, its peoples and wealth. It has been written at the start of the Modern Age, barely fifteen years after the voyage of Vasco da Gama from Lisbon to Calicut in India; which bore new worlds to the world. António Dias Farinha Dean College of History and Geography Academia das Ciȇncias de Lisboa
17 The complete manuscript of the “Book of Duarte Barbosa” 1565 Transcription of the manuscript in English by: Professor Filipe Folque de Mendosa
19 The Book Of Duarte Barbosa Firstly Cape Saint Sebastian Further along the coast past the Cape of Good Hope and heading towards India as far as Cape Saint Sebastian, there are somefine lands with many mountains and pasture with large herds of cattle, sheep and other wild beasts. This land is inhabited by black people, who go naked, they only wear a French cape of deer or other animal’s skin. We never managed to find an interpreter to tell us about these people; nor could we get information on the hinterland. They do not sail or use the sea, nor have the Mouros [1] fromArabia and Persia ever reached them by sea or discovered them, because Cape Correntes is very stormy. The islands called the Great Hucicas Further along the coast past Cape Saint Sebastian and heading towards India, there are some islands called the Great Hucicas lying 1. Translator's note: Throughout the text, the author uses the term “Mouros”, literally Moors, to refer to Moslems of any origin, as was common among Portuguese writers at the time for cultural and historic reasons.
20 just off the mainland. There are some Mouros villages on these islands which trade with the gentiles [1] on the mainland and have agreements with them. There is plenty of ambergris of good quality in these Hucicas, which the Mouros collect and sell to others. There are also plenty of pearls and small seed-pearls, which are found in oysters in the sea, however they do not know how to collect them orfish, those they get are from roasting the oysters and the seed-pearl comes out ruined and burnt. There is not much doubt that there are good ones there if they knew how to collect them and fish as they do in other places, which I shall mention later. Sofala Going some twenty or thirty leagues further, beyond the Great Hucicas towards India, there is a river which is not very big, and upstream there is a Mouros village called Sofala, next to which Our Lord and King has a fortress. These Mouros settled here a long time ago because of the busy trade in gold they had with the gentiles on the mainland. The Mouros in this village speak Arabic and the king that rules them obeys Our Lord and King. The way they traded was for small boats called zambucos [2] to come here from the kingdoms of Kilwa, Mombasa and Malindi, bringing many coloured cotton cloths; other white and blue ones and some silks, and many small greyish; red and yellow beads, which are brought to the said kingdoms in other larger vessels from the Great Kingdom of Cambay. The said Mouros that used to come from Malindi and Mombasa were paid for these goods in gold, at a price they were very happy with; such gold was given by weight. The Mouros from Sofala kept these goods and then sold them to the gentiles from the Kingdom of Benamatapa, who used to go there with cargoes of gold, which was exchanged for the said cloths without being weighed, in such 1. Translator's note: Throughout the text, the author uses the term “gentios” to refer to those who are neither Christian; Jewish, or Moslem, in particular when describing India. 2. Translator's note: zambuco - A smallflat-bottomed boat with no deck.
21 large quantities that they easily made a hundred-fold gain. TheseMouros also collect a great deal of ivory, which they find near Sofala and also sell to the kingdom of Cambay atfive or six ducats a quintal, they also sell some very good ambergris that they bring from the Hucicas. These Mouros are black men and some are brown, some speak Arabic and the majority use the local language which is the same as the gentiles’. They cover themselves below the waist with cotton and silk cloths, they wear other cloths over their shoulders like cloaks, and turbans on their heads, some of them wear small caps made from quarters of scarlet and other woollen cloths of many different colours, and camlets and other silks. Their staple diet is maize, rice and meat, [and] fish. Many hippopotami come out of the mouth of this river to graze; in the water they swim like fish, they have tusks like elephants’, but they are small for the size of the animal. This ivory is better than elephants’, whiter and tougher and never loses its colour. In the area surrounding Sofala, there are many wild and very large elephants, lynxes, and lyons and deer, and many other beasts; the land comprises grasslands and mountains, with many streams of fine water. In Sofala itself, they are again making a large amount of cotton and they weave it into many white cloths, and because they do not know how to dye them, or for a lack of dye, they take blue cloths from Cambay and unravel them and then wind them into a ball again and use this thread and a white one to make manyflecked cloths which they earn a lot of gold from. This was the remedy they found after they saw that we cut off the zambucos from reaching them, and that the merchandise could only reach them through the factors that Our Lord and King has in his factories and fortresses there. The Great Kingdom of Benamatapa Heading inland from this place, one comes to the great kingdom of Benamatapa which is ruled by gentiles, whom the Mouros call kaffirs. They are black men, they go naked, they merely cover their pudenda
22 with coloured cotton cloths below the waist, some of them cover themselves in animal skins, and those of higher status wear cloaks made of the same skins, with trains dragging along the ground, forfinery and elegance, and they leap around and jerk their bodies in such a way as to make these skins spring from one end to the other. These men carry swords in wooden scabbards girded with much gold and other metals, on their leftflank, like us, with cloth belts using four orfive knots, with the tassels left hanging in elegant fashion. They also carry spears in their hands and others carry medium-sized bows and arrows, which are not as long as those of the English, nor as short as those of the Turks, the tips of the arrows are very big and finely made, they are warriors, and others are important merchants. Their women go naked, they only cover their pudenda with cotton cloths whilst they are unmarried, and when they are married they drape other cloths over their breasts. Zimboache Heading further inland for somefifteen or twenty days, one comes to a large settlement they call Zimboache, where there are many wooden houses. It belongs to gentiles and the king of Benamatapa is often there. To get there, one goes inland from Sofala towards the Cape of Good Hope. The king is often in this village belonging of Benamatapa. He stays in a very large place, from which the merchants bring gold to Sofala. They then give it to the Mouros without weighing it in exchange for flecked cloths and beads, which they value highly, the said beads coming from Cambay. These Mouros say that the gold comes from much further away than Benamatapa, from the direction of the Cape of Good Hope, from another kingdom which is a tributary of the said Benamatapa, who is a great overlord of many kings who come under his domain; he is the lord of a very large area of land that stretches both inland towards the Cape of Good Hope and towards Mozambique.
23 Every day, he receives huge presents sent by the other kings and lords, each sends what he can afford, and they carry them uncovered on their heads through the middle of the city, until they reach a very tall house where the king always lodges, and he sees them through a window but they can not see him, they can only hear him speak; and then the king calls the bearer of the gift and immediately gives him a handsome dispatch. A captain called Somo always accompanies the king on the field, along with a large number of people, and five or six thousand women who also take up arms and fight. He uses these people to quell certain kings who rebel or who wish to rebel against their lord. Every year, this King of Benamatapa dispatches noblemen throughout his kingdom to all his dominions, to give them newfire, in order to know if they obey him, that is to say, when each of these men reaches a place they put out all thefires there, so that there is nofire left at all in that settlement, and once they have all been put out, they all take it again from his hand as a sign of great friendship and obedience, meaning that the village or town which does not wish to do so, is immediately accused of rebellion. He then sends the said captain there, who destroys it or brings it back under his order and lordship. Wherever the said captain and all his army pass, they must be supplied with provisions and fed millet; rice and meat by the local people; they also take a lot of sesame. Cuama Heading from Sofala towards Mozambique, at close to forty leagues from Sofala, one comes to a very big river called the Cuama, which goes over one hundred and seventy leagues inland into the kingdom of Benamatapa. There is a settlement at the mouth of the river whose king is known as the Mamgalo. A lot of gold from Benamatapa is taken downstreamalong this river to thisMouros town. There is another branch
24 of the river which takes one to a place calledAmgoya; the Mouros use it to bring cloths and many other goods from Amgoya on a large number of canoes, the others bring them much gold and ivory. Amgoia Heading further up the coast and leaving the Cuama behind, one hundred and forty leagues along the coast from it one comes to a very large Mouros settlement called Amgoya. Many merchants live here who deal in gold and ivory in silks and cotton cloths and beads from Cambay, just as the merchants from Sofala used to. Mouros from Sofala; Mombasa; Malindi and Kilwa bring them merchandise in very small vessels hidden from our ships, meaning that they take a large amount of ivory and much gold from there. There are plenty of provisions of millet; rice and many meats in this place called Amgoya; some of the people are black, others brown, they go naked from the waist up, and from the waist down they cover themselves with cotton and silk cloths and wear other cloths over their shoulders like cloaks, some of them wear turbans on their heads, others wear hoods made from quarters of silk cloth; they speak the local language which is the gentiles’; some of them can speak Arabic. Sometimes, these Mouros obey our Lord and King, at other times they rebel because they are a long way away from our fortresses. Mozambique Heading further on towards India leaving Amgoya behind, there are three islands that lie just off the mainland including one inhabited by Mouros called Mozambique, which has an excellent harbour, where all the Mouros vessels sailing to Sofala and Cuama would stop off, in order to repair their ships and where they would take a lot of water; firewood, and provisions on board. There was a sheriff among the Mouros living
25 on the island of Mozambique, who governed them and kept the Mouros in order. They speak the same language and have the same customs as those of Amgoya. Our Lord and King has a fortress here, keeping the said Mouros under his orders and authority, and now our ships take water; firewood and local provisions on board, and those that need to, repair their ships here both on the way out and on the return home, and they also send provisions inland from here to Sofala and to the Portuguese there, both the many things that come from Portugal and from India. There are many elephants on these islands, very large ones; the land is inhabited by gentiles who are wild men who go naked and smear red clay all over their bodies, they wrap their privates in strips of blue cotton cloth without any other covering, and their lips are pierced, with each lip being pierced three times and they put some bones with small stones in them or other adornments. Kilwa Further along the coast from this place called Mozambique, there is an island that lies just off the mainland and which is called Kilwa, on which there is a Mouros town, with very beautiful stone and mortar houses, with many windows, like we have. It is set out in orderly streets, with many terraces, the wooden doors are very well carved with fine carpentry; there are many streams and orchards and vegetable plots nearby, with very pure water. They are ruled by a Mouros king, they trade with those in Sofala, from where they used to bring lots of gold. They travelled from here to the whole of Arabia Felix, which is what we can also call it henceforth, because the whole of the sea coast is heavily populated with many Mouros towns and villages. Before Our Lord and King ordered us to discover India, the Mouros of Sofala; Cuama; Amgoya; Mozambique were all subjects of the King of Kilwa,
26 who was the most powerful king among them, in whose town there was a large amount of gold, because no ships could go to Sofala without first passing this island. Some of the Mouros that live there are white, some black, they are well attired with many fine gold; silk and cotton cloths, and the women too, with a lot of gold and silver bracelets, worn on their feet and arms, and many jewels in their ears. These Mouros speak Arabic, and practise the Koranic idolatry, they believe strongly in Mafamede, and the Portuguese took the king’s position by force, because out of pride, he did not wish to obey Our Lord and King. Many people were captured and the kingfled from the island, and His Highness ordered that a fortress be built there, and placed them under his orders and authority; and then he ordered that it be destroyed, as it was not in his interest or benefit to keep it. Antonio de Saldanha knocked it down. Mombasa Heading further along the coast towards India, one comes to an island lying just off the mainland, where there is a city called Mombasa, which is very beautiful with very tall stone and mortar houses, and very well laid out, and the wood is beautifully carved. They have their own king who is a true Mouros, his wives are well-dressed with many silk cloths with lots of gold. A great many goods are traded here, it has a good harbour, where many vessels and large sailing ships [1] are always anchored, both those coming fromand going to Sofala and others coming from the great Kingdom of Cambay and Malindi; others that sail to the islands of Zanzibar, and others that I will mention later on. Mombasa has a very plentiful supply of provisions and there are many beautiful sheep with rounded bottoms and cows and lots of other livestock, and chickens, and it is all very plump; there is a lot of millet; rice; many sweet and bitter oranges; many lemons; pomegranates; prickly pears and all sorts of green vegetables, and many good waters. These men are 1. Translator's note: naos in the original text.
27 often warring with the people from the mainland, at other times they are at peace and they trade with them in return for a good deal of honey; beeswax and ivory. By not wanting to obey the orders of Our Lord and King out of pride, the king lost this city and it was taken fromhimby force bywe Portuguese. Hefled from it and they killed a lot of people and also captured many of his men and women, meaning that the city was destroyed and pillaged and burned. A great booty was taken here, of much gold and silver, anklets; bracelets; earrings; and gold beads, and much copper; and many other veryfine goods. The town was left in ruins. Malindi Heading further on towards India and leaving Mombasa behind, not very far along the coast from there there is a beautiful town built on the mainland, along a beach called Malindi, which belongs to Mouros; they have their own Mouros king; this place has many very beautiful stone and mortar houses, with many storeys and windows, like we have, and the town is well planned. Its people are white and black, they go naked, covering only their pudenda with cotton and silk cloths, and others drape cloths over their shoulders, like cloaks; they also often wear turbans and headscarves made fromfine cloths on their heads. There are principal merchants [1] who trade in cloths; gold; ivory and many other sorts of goods with the Mouros and gentiles from the great kingdom of Cambay. Many ships laden with goods come to this very port each year and leave with large quantities of gold; ivory, and beeswax which the merchants from Cambay find most profitable, and thus both of them earn a lot of money. There are many provisions and fruits of all kinds in this city, because there are plenty of orchards and 1. Tranlsator's note: There are frequent references in the text to grosos mercadores , who were merchants dealing in large quantities, often directly with the ships, almost like wholesalers. We have chosen to call them “principal merchants”.
28 vegetable plots, and there are also many sheep with round bottoms, cows and all other livestock, many oranges and chickens. The king and people of this village are and always have been friends of the King of Portugal, and the Portuguese have always found them to be most obliging and friendly and peaceful, and their ships, should they happen to pass by there, take on many fresh supplies. The Island of Saint Lawrence Lying diagionally across the sea from all these places is a very large island called Saint Lawrence, which has a gentile population inland and Mouros living in the seaports, where they have many villages. This island has many Mouros and gentile kings; there is a lot of meat; rice; oranges and lemons, and also plenty of ginger, which they use for nothing other than food. The men go naked, merely covering their pudenda with cotton cloths; they do not sail anywhere, nor does anyone sail to them, they have many canoes that they use to fish from along the coast; they are brown-skinned and have their own language. They are often at war with each other, they use very fine throwing spears as weapons, with finely sculpted tips, each of them carrying a number of them in one hand which they throw to wound with; they are very fast and skillful throwers; they use low grade silver; their staple diet is yams; the land is beautiful, pleasant and verdant, with streams and quite large rivers. This island must be three hundred leagues long along the coast of Malindi and around seventy leagues from the mainland. Pemba, Mafia and Zanzibar There are three islands between this island of Saint Lawrence and the main island; one is called Mafia, another Pemba and another Zanzibar, populated by Mouros; they are fertile, and have plenty of rice; millet and meats, and oranges; lemons, and citrons, the woods are full
29 of them and all other fruits; they have plenty of meats and sugar, which they do not know how to use. These islands have Mouros kings, some of the people trade their provisions of meat and fruit on the mainland, taking very small, flimsy and shoddy boats, without any decks and just one mast. Their wood is joined and sown together with a thread that they call coir; their sails are mats made from palm-leaves; these people are weak and have very few weapons. The kings on these islands live most comfortably, they wear fine cloths of cotton and silk which they buy from Cambay merchants in Mombasa; these Mouros’ wives are also very well attired, they wear many jewels about their persons made from fine Sofala gold, and a lot of silver, earrings, necklaces, anklets and bracelets. They wearfine silk cloths, they have many Mosques and greatly honour the Koran of Mohammed. Pate Island and Lamu Once one passes Malindi heading towards India, one starts to cross the great gulf because the coast starts to bend outwards towards the Red Sea. Heading further along the coast, one comes to a Mouros settlement called Pate Island, and further up there is another called Lamu; they trade with the people from the interior. These places have veryfine walls of stone and mortar, because they are often at war with the gentiles with the gentiles (sic) from the mainland. The city of Barawa Heading further long the coast past these places, one comes to a very large Mouros town with manyfine stone and mortar houses called Barawa. It does not have a king but is governed by its elders who are very respectable people and who trade very heavily in many different goods. This place was destroyed by the Portuguese and they killed many people and took many prisoners and a large booty in gold, silver and
30 goods; many of them thenfled inland, leaving the city, and once it had been destroyed and the Portuguese had left, they settled in it again and now is it prosperous as it used to be. Mogadishu Going further along the coast towards the Red Sea, one comes to a large Mouros town called Mogadishu, which a Mouros king reigns over. This is an important trading place for many different goods, which is why many ships from the great kingdom of Cambay come here, with a large number of different kinds of cloths and many other goods and spices and they also come from Aden, bringing a lot of gold, ivory, beeswax and many other things that they trade with. There is a lot of meat; wheat; barley; horses, and many fruits in this land, thus it is a very rich place; they speak Arabic, they are black and brown men; some are white; they have few weapons, however, they use poisoned arrows to defend themselves from their enemies. Hafun Past this place and town of Mogadishu and heading along the coast, there is a Mouros village called Hafun, where there is a lot of meat and provisions (as I said it is a small place) with little trade, and it does not have a harbour. Cape Guardafui Heading further along the coast past the village of Hafun, lies Cape Guardafui, where the coast bends again towards the Red Sea; it lies at the mouth of the Straits of Mecca, so that all the ships coming from India and the Kingdom of Cambay, Chaul, Dabhol, Bhatkal, Malabar, the whole of the Bengal coast; Ceylon; Malacca; Sumatra and Pegu,
31 pass by here, and they head in from this Cape, some going to India, others to Aden, Zeila; Barbora. Our Lord and King’s captains lie in wait for these ships here and take their rich booty and all the goods they are carrying, since they are breaching His Highness’s prohibition order. Mait When one rounds this Cape Guardafui heading towards the Red Sea, one is very close to a Mouros village called Little Mait, where there is a lot of meat. There is not much trade here. Berbera Heading further along the coast past this village of Mait going inwards, one comes to a Mouros town called Berbera, where many ships from Aden and Cambay go with many goods; they bring back a lot of gold, opium; ivory, and many other things; those from Aden return with many provisions, and meat; honey and beeswax, as this is a fertile place. The Portuguese took this village by force, through afleet under Antonio de Saldanha’s command, and destroyed the entire village in the yearfifteen eighteen. He then took hisfleet to Hormuz, where he had the ships that needed it repaired. Zayla Heading further inwards along the coast, one comes to another Mouros town called Zayla, which is a busy trading place, where many ships come to sell their goods; the town is well laid-out and has many fine houses, many of them are made of stone and mortar. The majority of its inhabitants, both men and women, are black and have many horses and raise a lot of different sorts of livestock, which provide them with plenty of butter, milk and meats, and there is a lot of wheat; millet,
32 and barley and many fruits in this place, which is all taken to Aden. This place was captured and destroyed by the Portuguese under Lopo Soares’ command, who was governor of India at that time, and he took it when he came from the port of Jeddah, in the yearfifteen seventeen. Dhalak Heading further along the coast past this place, one comes to another Mouros town called Dhalak, which has a sea harbour and which is the main one used by the Abyssinians from the land of Prester John. There are a lot of provisions and much gold that comes from Prester John in this place and the surrounding area. Massowah Heading inwards along the coast past this place of Dhalak, one comes to a place called Massowah and many other Mouros settlements, who call this the Barayam coast and we call it Arabia Felix, because of Mount Felix which is the site a great city of ancient times called Felix. It has laid uninhabited for a long time and no-one lives there. There is a lot of gold all along this coast which comes from the interior, from the great kingdom of Abyssinia, which is the land of Prester John. All of these places along the coast trade a lot of cloth and many other goods with the interior, from where they return with a lot of gold, and ivory and much honey, beeswax and slaves. Those who live in the interior are Christians and many of them are captured. These prisoners are highly valued by the Mouros, and are worth more to them than any other slaves, because they consider them intelligent and loyal, and very good natured, and as soon as these Abyssinans are taken prisoner by the Mouros, they are converted to their faith, and then they became even
33 more devout than the Mouros themselves; all of the latter, who are from Arabia Felix, both men and women, are black and very good fighters. They go naked from the waist up, and cover themselves with cotton cloths from the waist down, and those with a higher status wear large cloths like Mouros capes, and the women are covered with other long ones called chaddars; in this land, it is tradition to sow up a newborn daughters’ genitalia, and they stay like this until they marry and when they are given to their husbands, then they cut that flesh open again, which is welded as when they were born. I saw this with my own eyes, because I was at the taking of Zayla, which I have already mentioned, where we captured many girls in this condition. The Great Kingdom of Prester John Heading inland from these same Mouros villages, one comes to the great kingdom of Prester John, who the Mouros call the Abyssinian, which is very large and has many sheer mountains; many people live here and many surrounding kingdoms are his vassals, under his command and governed by him. This land has a large number of cities; towns; villages and many of them live primitively in the mountains. They are black men and good-humoured, they use their many horses and they are very skillful horsemen and great mounted huntsmen and hunters and their diet comprises a lot of butter; honey and wheat bread, which are plentiful in this land. They wear leathers because cloth is very expensive here, especially in the mountains; there is also a clan of them that can only wear leathers, which they always tan and prepare well; there are also men and women here who have never drunk anything other than milk to quench their thirst in their entire lives; and this is not for lack of water, because the land has plenty, but because milk makes them healthier and tougher, they drink a lot of it and honey, which is plentiful, but those who eat the most are those living in the mountains.
34 Generally, they are all Christians from the time of the doctrine of Blessed St. Thomas, who they say baptised them in three ways: thefirst in in blood; the second fire and the third water, like us; in the baptism with fire they are branded on their foreheads and temples; with water they are baptised like we are; in the baptism with blood many of them are circumcised, and they lack our true faith, because the country is very large and these people live in the mountains far removed from the towns and villages; and the truest Christianity to be found amongst them is that of a large city called Babelmalik, where the king we call Prester John (and the Mouros call the Great Abyssinian) can always be found. Every year on the day of Our Lady, in August, this city holds a big festival, which brings together a considerable number of people, including many kings and great lords. On this day, they take an image from a church, which we do not know if it is of Our Lady, or of St. Bartholomew; and it is lifesize and made of gold, the eyes are two rubies of indescribable value, and its body sparkles with countless precious stones. This image is placed on a golden cart, where they worship and revere it a great deal; Prester John goes out in front of her on another cart covered in gold leaf, very finely dressed in rich gold cloths and sparkling with fine stones. They go out in the morning and make a solemn procession around the city, playing various instruments, amid great festivity, until late when they return in the same order; there are so many people there that many die in the crush to reach the cart with the image. They consider such a death a holy and martyr’s death, and this is why many old men and women and others willingly meet it. This king, Prester John, is very rich and and owns a lot of gold, so much that we do not know of any other king of our times who can rival him in this. And as I said earlier, he brings a beautiful and rich court, and pays a large number of people who always accompany him, which is how he rules over neighbouring kings as I have already said.
35 Suez Leaving this land of Prester John, which [1] is [2] also the coast of Arabia Felix, and heading along the other shore of the Red Sea, which is also called Arabia and which the Mouros call Bar-al-Mahr, one comes to a seaport called Suez, where the Mouros would bring all sorts of spices and medicinesand many otherfine goods from India to Jeddah, the seaport of Mecca, and from there to Suez in very small craft. They would then take them overland by camel to Cairo, from where other merchants would take them to Alexandria, and there the Venetians would buy them and take them to Venice. This trade was undone by Our Lord and King because hisfleets cut off the Mouros ships which can no longer reach the Red Sea from India, which is why the Great Sultan of Cairo, who loses the most from this, ordered a huge navy to be assembled in this port of Suez. Thus, he brought wood and artillery by land, and all the other munitions at great expense, which was quickly made into square-rigged carracks and oared galleys. Once ready, hisfleet under the command of Mirocem passed the first India, which is in the kingdom of Cambay, and with the purpose of cutting off Portuguese shipping, it engaged Our Lord and King’s navy off the coast of Diu, where they fought so intensely that there were injuries and deaths on both sides, with the Mouros having been defeated and their vessels captured and burned and sunk. Through this exploit and many other subsequent ones of ours, they gradually lost control of the routes to the Red Sea, and the port of Suez was left without any business in spices, and is now greatly damaged and almost deserted. Mount Sinai There not very far from Suez in the same land of Arabia, one comes to Mount Sinai overlooking the Red Sea, where the body of Blessed Saint Catherine lies in a church where some Christian friars are in the 1. Andwas corrected towhich 2. Is added between the lines.
36 power of Mouros, under the might and command of the Great Sultan. Many Christians from the land of Prester John and Babylon; Armenia and Constantinople, and Jerusalem, from Rome; Germany and Naples and many other places make pilgrimages to this church. Jizan, Al Lohaia and Al-Khor After the harbour of Jeddah towards the open sea (when heading down the Red Sea coast), one encounters many towns inhabited by Moors. These towns have their own rulers. One of these is called Jizan, another Al Lohaia and a third one Al-Khor. These towns are surrounded by villages which are plentiful of provisions and horses. These rulers are autonomous and do not obey the Sultan or other Lord temporal. They have great extent of lands and seaports. On these, horses are regularly embarked towards India, where they command high prices thus bringing great profit to the inhabitants. Hodeidah, Bab-el-Mandeb or Mendel If one continues one’s journey; one comes to many other towns and smaller villages along the same coast, but these belong to the Kigdom of Aden. One of these is called Hodeidah and another Bab-el-Mandeb, which is placed at the mouth of the strait bearing the same name. This strait of Bab-el-Mandeb is the main thoroughfare for ships entering and leaving the Red Sea. This is the exchanging station for pilots that take the ships trough the straits and to Jeddah. This is the main reason for the settlement of this village. Kameran There is an island called Kamaran, which is not very big and which is inhabited by Moors.
37 This island is a convenient place for ships to embark supplies when they pass through either on their way to or from Jeddah. Afonso de Albuquerque captured this island for the Portuguese King. He spent several days there repairing thefleet and then he split it up in order to leave the Red Sea again. He intended to go to Jeddah, but he did not have enough time for that. When his successor Lopo Soares left the port of Jeddah he found a fortress by the waters’edge. This fortress had been built by the Turks when they were there. As he wished to leave and saw the military disadvantage of this building, he ordered that it be knocked down. This island is full of wells which are used to water the passing ships. The city of Aden When one leaves the Red Sea through the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb (which is the narrowest point through which all ships have to pass) one enters the broad gulf of Aden. After passing some villages of Moors which belong to the Kingdom of Aden, one comes to the popolous and magnificent city of Aden. It has its own King. The city has a fine seaport which deals and trades rich goods. It is very beautiful, as the houses are tall and built with stone and mortar. They have high roof-terraces and many windows. The streets are well laid-out and surrounded by walls. The fortresses have towers and square turrets with battlements, just like in Portugal. This lays on a peninsula between the mountains and the sea. The mountain-face is hewn in such a way on the land-side, that makes the only way of reaching the main land by one passage alone. This is what they use. They cannot come or go through any other passage. On the top
38 of the mountains (the city lays beneath) there are many beautiful small castles. These can be seen form the sea. There is no water in the city, it must be supplied from outside. There is a large house (towards the interior), where they bring water from another mountain-range. This is a fair way away, so far that there is a large portion of grassland between the two. Both Moors and Jews are principal merchants in this city. They are white men, some are black. They wear cotton cloths: some of them camlets and scarlet. Their clothes are long gowns, with caps on their heads and they wear a kind of slipper to their feet. Their diet is made of very good meat as well as wheat bread and rice that comes from India. All the fruits that are to be found in Portugal can be found here, as well as many horses and camels. The King is always inland. He appoints a governor here who is trustworthy. This port is demanded by ships from all parts, especially from the port of Jeddah. From hence they bring much copper, quicksilver, vermillion, coral and many wool and silk cloths. They exchange these trades against a lot of spices and medecines, cotton cloths and other goods. The great Kingdon of Cambay sends many ships here as well as from Zayla and Berbera. They carry many provisions, amongst which the Cambay ones come carrying cloths and there is an infinite number of these ships. As mentioned before, they bring cotton, medecines, bright stones, a lot of seed-pearls, carnelians. They return to Cambay with lots of rubia, opium, raisins, copper, quicksilver, vermillion as well as a great number of rose-waters that they make here. They also take many woolen cloths; coloured velvets from Mecca; gold pieces; coins and bullion either in chains or in camlets. It does not seem possible to use as many cotton cloths as these ships bring from Cambay. Many other ships demand this
39 city. From Hormuz, Chaul, Dabhol, Bhatkal and Calicut (where a lot of spices used to come from together with rice, sugar, coconuts), but also from Bengal; Sumatra and Malacca. From hence they bring also a lot of spices, medecines, silks, benzoin resin, sealing wax, sandalwood, agarwood, much rhubarb, musk as well as many fine muslins from Bengal. Also a lot of sugar. This makes this city the largest and busiest trading centre in the entire world, with the choicest merchandise. Thefleet of the King of Portugal under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque (then governor of Portuguese India) when reaching this city he captured and burned a great many ships in the harbour. Many were full of cargo, others had unloaded and tried to enter the city. He then escaladed on many ladders while the Moors watched. He gained control of a turret with forty Portuguese inside. They waited for help from their people but no one came and the Moors kept approaching and starting to force their way in. So the Portuguese had to jump from the turret and climbed down by rope. The Moors defended themselves very well and many perished along with some christians (including two captains : one on the turret and another in the city). The Kingdom of Fartak Leaving this kingdom and city of Aden and going out of the strait, one comes to another kingdom of Moors along the coast. This kingdom has three or four coastal towns: one is called Shihr, another Dhofar and another Fartak. Here the soldiers are well provided of horses which they use in warfare as well as many good weapons. Recently they swore alligeance to the King of Aden. The Cape of Fartak, Socotra The coast forms a cape when one heads away from this kingdom, which is called Fartak as well. This is where the coast turns outwards
40 into the open sea. The entrance to the straits of Mecca, which is where the ships head in; is situated between this cape and cape Guardafui. Three islands lie between these capes. One is large and the two other are small ones. The bigger is called Socotra, has very high mountains and is inhabited by brown men who say they are christians. But since they have not been baptised or catechised, they are just christians in namesake. Nonetheless they have crosses on their oratories. The Moors claim that in the distant past the island belonged to the Amazons, but they were gradually joined by men. Some of this still lingers as women take control of their assets without the interference of men. They have their own language. They go about naked protecting their private parts with cotton cloths, others with skins. They have many cows, sheep and date-palms. Their diet is of milk, meat and dates. There is a lot of dragon’s blood and aloe socotrina to be found on the island. The Moors from Fartak built a fortress here, in order to subdue and convert local people to Islam. Those living around the fortress were already Moors and waited on the Fartak Moors like slaves, both the people and their property. They struggled to survive and were greatly suppressed. Yet some managed to preserve their rites as best they could. These date back to a long time. People say the the island was inhabited by christians, and gradually they lost their way because ships from christian peoples did not call in there, hence they did not have anyone to teach them. When the Moors from Fartak held the fortress, afleet from the King of Portugal arrived here. The Portuguese went ashore and captured the fortress, but not as easy as they would have liked. The Moors defended themselves more resolutely than any living man we had ever seen in these parts and they refused to surrender. Eventually they all died fighting without a single one having survived. So one can see they are great warriors and very corageous in battle. The cpatain of thefleet left behind a large number of people to defend and preserve the fort.
41 Two other islands lie alongside this one, which are also inhabited by black and brown men who resemble the Canarese. These people hold no faith or worship anything. They just live like savages and do not trade or indeed have any order. A lot of ambergris can be found in these islands and those shells which are of vaule in Mina [fortress on the coast of Guinea], and much dragon’s blood, aloe socotrina as well as many sheep and cows. On the island of Socotra which I mentioned before, they make woollen cloths very much like Moors’capes which they call carabolins. These are worth a lot and sell well on the coast ofMalindi andMombassa, where they are commonly worn. Shihr When one heads along the coast, one comes to a town of Moors called Shihr which also belong to the kingdom of Fartak. It is rather a large place, trading a lot of different goods which the Moors from Cambay; Chaul; Dabhol; Bhatkal and Malabar bring on their ships. They trade here many thick and thin cotton cloths which they commonly wear here. They also trade many chains of granates and other stones of little value, a lot of rice; sugar; a variety of spice and many other wares. These they sell at good price here to the local merchants who buy from them and take them to Aden and throughout Arabia. Once the said merchants have sold their wares, they use that money to buy the excellent horse from here. These horses are much bigger and better than those which come from Hormuz, and are worth five or six hundred ducats in India. They also take back a lot of incense, which grows wild here. Shihr has also a lot of wheat, meats, dates and grapes. The inland is inhabited by desert Arabs. The ships coming from India
42 heading for the Red Sea cannot enter the strait if it is late evening. Thus they are forced to set to in Berbara and in this harbour. Similarly, those that are leaving (if they have the wind against them) take shelter here, from where they cross to India sticking closely to the coast of Cambay. Thus this town is a stopover for a great many ships. There is so much frankincense growing here that they take it all over the world. In fact they caulk ships with it. A quintal is worth one hundred and fifty reais. The king of Shihr and his kingdom are vassals to Aden, which hold hostage one of his brothers. Dhofar After cape Fartak, the sea coast turns towards Hormuz. Down the coast one comes to a village of Moors called Dhofar, which is also part of the kingdom of Fartak. Here the Moors from Cambay come to trade many cotton cloths, rice and several other goods. Sur If one goes down the coast past the town of Shihr, there are many other small villages inhabited by Moors. In the interior inhabited by desert Arabs. The coast continues as far as the Cape of Ras-al-Hedd, which is where the kingdom and realm of Hormuz begins. The king of Hormuz has a fort called Sur in this place. Here, the coast begins to turn inwards towards Hormuz. The Kingdom of Hormuz in Arabia Heading along the coast past the Cape of Ras-al-Hedd, one passes many towns and forts which belong to the King of Hormuz. These extend to the entrance to the Persian Sea. Similarly, the said King has many castles and towns within the Sea of Persia, and along the Arabian
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