ABSTRACT
GOING yet further along the coast southwards, and passing by the Kingdom of Cochim we enter forthwith the Kingdom of Coilam 1 and midway between it and the Kingdom of Cochim is a small town which they call Porqua 2 under its own Lord, where dwell many Heathen fishers whose livelihood in the winter season is nought but fishery, and in the summer they live by robbery of all they can find, and everything they can take on the sea. They make use of small rowing vessels like a bargatim.1 They are great oarsmen and a multitude of them gather together all armed with bows and arrows in plenty, and thus they surround any vessel they find becalmed, with flights of arrows until they take and rob it. Those who are taken therein they put ashore. Thus with these boats of theirs which they call catures,2 they take much spoil, part whereof they give to the lord of that land.
