ABSTRACT
YET further along the coast the land turns northwards and bears the name of Charamandel,2 which land may have seventy or eighty leagues of coast. Here are many cities, towns and villages wherein dwell great numbers of Heathen folk. This land is under the King of Narsyngua, it is very fruitful and abounds in rice, flesh-meat, wheat and all vegetables of other kinds are found there; it is a land of open plains. Numbers of ships from Malabar sail hither every year, most of them to take cargoes of rice by which they make great profits: and they bring hither abundance of goods from Cambaya, copper, quick-silver, vermilion, pepper and goods of other kinds. In this Province of Charamandel are also found many sorts of spices and drugs which come from the kingdoms of Malaca, China 1 and Benguala in Moorish ships for they dare not pass by Malabar through fear of our fleets. This is the best supplied of all the lands in this part of India, saving only Cambaya, yet in some years it so happens that no rain falls, and then there is such a dearth among them that many die of hunger, and for this reason they sell their children for four or five fanams each. At such seasons the Malabares bring them great store of rice and coco-nuts and take away ship-loads of slaves.
