_ 207 _ discovered by Afonso de Albuquerque, there is much ginger. It is said that this is the island where all the cattle come from. This Island is in the region of the mine of Sofala, and it is said that there are spices in many other Islands around this one. We are assured that the matter of these spices is very important and highly prized, not only because of the high value of the spices and the great sums of money which can be obtained from them and spent throughout the world, such as ginger, but also because they are in a place to which it appears that the round journey can be done in a shorter time than that to India. Item: At the time of Tristão da Cunha, the Viceroy himself arrived in an important place called Ponani, near Calicut, where there were more carracks and more maritime trade than anywhere else of which he was in charge. Here seventeen or eighteen large carracks had retreated for fear of him, and these are said to be the largest in the area. The Viceroy set fire to them all, and when he wished to go ashore to order the carracks to be set on fire and to attack the Moors, who were already waiting for him with Intent, the Moors came to meet him and both sides put up a good fight. Nonetheless, praise be to Our Lord, the Viceroy together with those he had with him defeated
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