_ 311 _ inhabitants, although at present there are only about three thousand here because it has depopulated since the Turkish siege, when it was totally deserted. The inhabitants are now beginning to return. There are some one hundred and fifty casados including Portuguese and native Christians, and a garrison of six hundred soldiers. All the rest are Moors and some Hindus and Jews and Armenians, Russians and Abyssinians and other foreigners, who are welcomed here from all parts, for this city is one of the greatest trading places in the world, to which all kinds of merchandize, provisions and produce are brought. Arabia is twelve leagues away and Persia one, and it lies between them. The island of Ormuz is surrounded by other islands, more fertile than it is because they have fresh water. The variety of religions, of trade and contracts, of usury, of oppression, idolatry and other sins, found here from the mingling of these people indicates the spiritual fruit that is being and could be gathered here and the strength and vigour it can have, and also the character of the Father who will be needed here to bring it to fruition. 4. The Society has no college or house in this city, only a hermitage which is less than a league away from the city
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