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
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