ABSTRACT
You are to know then that following the coast southwards from Cumbola which pertains to the King of Narsingua, there is a place which they call Cotecolam 1 on the strand in a fortress where is posted a nephew of the King of Cananor, the Warden of the Marches. Further on is a river named Miraporam 2 on which stands a seaport of Moors and Heathen, a place of much trade and navigation, where dwells another of his nephews who often rises against him, and the King again brings him under his power. After passing this place further along the coast is the Mount D'Ely,3 close to the sea, a mountain of great height and round, in the midst of low land whither all the ships of both Moors and Heathen steer, and from it they make their reckoning when they are about to sail. From this mountain flow many springs where the ships take in their water; on it is much wood among which is abundance of wild cinnamon. Close to its foot to the south is a place called Maravel,4 an old town prosperous and well furnished with food, peopled by Moors, Heathen and Jews, who speak the country language and have long dwelt there. In this place, and around the Mount D'Ely there is a great fishery. Near thereto, a short distance along the coast is a river on which inside is a very fine Moorish and Heathen town called Balaerpartam 1 in which the King of Cananor constantly stays, where he has a great and fair palace. And on the strand there is a hill on which stands a fortress. Four or five leagues inland from this town there is another town of both Moors and Heathen which has great traffic with the merchants of the Kingdom of Narsyngua. It is called Taliparam, 2 and much copper is used there.
