_ 186 _ think suitable to be kept in the magazine of the fortress; also, two Malabari carpenters, for there are no more than two in this fortress. In Basra there is confirmed news that the Grand Turk is sending one of his captains to Baghdad, who will act as Viceroy of Baghdad and Basra. It is presumed and it appears here that he is the one who is bringing instructions from the Turk as to how to fight against this fortress. There are many rumours circulating here which I am not writing about to Your Lordship, for Your Lordship will hear from the people sailing in the ships leaving this port, to a small number of whom I shall give permission, what the situation is in this place and the news coming from Basra. As there are no merchants from Aleppo or Baghdad or anywhere else, it is to be supposed that they are affected by something ordered by the Turks which prevents them from conducting their usual trade in Basra. It is now a year since Basra was seized by the Turks. In the time of Luis Falcão many terradas went there with a large amount of cloves and other spices, and clothing. For these reasons they will have to come to Basra as they always did, for they had many different kinds of
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