_ 210 _ so much to their disadvantage and ruin; and it could not have come by any other channel, because the fleet bringing Afonso de Albuquerque is sailing under such difficult conditions (?) that it could not have been brought by our own people. The weather in those lands is of such a nature that it is impossible to navigate those seas except in certain weathers in the case of each place. The Moors had received this news overland. Ormuz is at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which is where almost all the pearls in India are. It is the main port for India in Persia and for all the other places in India. It has a great wealth of silken and golden cloths and all the abundance in the world, both of perfumes and of other things. It is regarded as more important place of greater fame and renown than all other places in those parts. It is said and is considered certain that, before it submitted to our rule, it was a tributary of the Sufi. This is known from general information from all the Moors of those parts. We must surely give much praise to Our Lord to find ourselves in our lifetime in the lands of those of such great repute throughout the world as this Sufi. He rules over such a great part of Asia, and it appeared that he is close to coming into Europe; and it almost seemed that there was no obstacle to
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