ABSTRACT
W e arrived in the course o f three days at a place which is called Paleachet,1 which is subject to the king of Narsinga.
1 P u lieat: “ a town in the British district o f Chingleput, about twenty-two miles north o f Madras, situated on an extensive inlet o f the sea, or salt water lake, o f the same name...From one to two miles off shore is the road called Pulieat Anchorage, where there are six or seven fathoms water.” ( T h o r n t o n ’ s Gazetteer.') Pulieat appears to have been a place of considerable trade at this period. Barbosa describes it a few years after Yarthema as having a good port, which was frequented by “ an infinite number” o f Moorish vessels from all quarters. In his time it was governed by a deputy appointed by the Narsinga, or Rajah o f Bijayanagar, who appears to have retained possession o f a great part of the sea-coast for more than half a century after the destruction o f his capital by the confederate Mussulman kings o f the Deccan in 1565 ; for in 1611, when Pulieat was visited by Captain Anthony Hippon, being the seventh voyage set forth by the East India Company, the administra tion was in the hands o f “ the Governess Konda Maa, on the part o f Wankapati Raja, king o f Narsinga.” ( G r e e n e ’ s Collection, vol. i. p. 436.) But the coast to the north o f Pulieat, including Masulipatam, became tributary to Bijapfir during the reign o f Muhammed Sh&h Bham&ni, about a .d . 1480, and formed subsequently a part o f the king dom o f Golconda, including Telingana, which in Fitch’s time, 1583-91, was ruled by “ Cutub de lashah,” (Muhammed Kfcli Kutb Sh&h,) who
This district is one of immense traffic in merchandize, and especially in jewels, for they come here from Zailon and from Pego. There are also here many great Moorish mer chants of all kinds of spices. W e lodged in the house of a Moorish merchant, and we told him where we came from, and that we had many corals to sell, and saffron, and much figured velvet, and many knives. The said merchant, under standing that we had this kind of merchandize, was greatly pleased. This country is most abundant in everything which is produced in India, but no grain grows there. They have rice here in great abundance. Their laws, manner of living, dress, and customs, are the same as at Calicut, and they are a warlike people, although they have no artillery. As this country was at fierce war with the king of Tarnassari, we could not remain here a very long time. But after re maining here a few days we took our route towards the city of Tarnassari, which is distant a thousand miles from here. At which city we arrived in fourteen days by sea.
