A Momentous Journey

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

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