slash himself more severely, till the king gives credit to his assertions.  There are other tribes or lineages of people among the Malabars, of various sects and divers customs, of whom it were too tedious to speak in this place, who are all under obedience to the several kings and nobles.  The Moors alone are exempted from this obedience, on account of the large customs they pay for their merchandize, owing to which they are held in high estimation at Calicut.

Having come to anchor on the outside of the bar or reef of Calicut, the general sent one of the Portuguese convicts on shore, in one of the almadias which had conducted the ships to this port; instructing him to see what kind of a place it was, and to make trial of what kind of a reception might be looked for, seeing we were Christians, and as the general believed that the people were likewise Christians.  When this man landed, he was immediately surrounded by great numbers of the natives, staring at him as a stranger.  These people asked of the fishermen what man this was whom they had brought on shore? to which they answered, that they supposed him to be a Moor, and that he belonged to the three ships which were riding without the bar.  But the people of Calicut wondered much to see a person who was clothed so very differently from the Moors who came from the Red Sea.  Some of these people who had knowledge of Arabic spoke to this man, but he could not understand or answer them, at which they were much astonished.  Yet, believing him to be a Moor, they conducted him to a house where two Moors dwelt who came originally from Tunis and had established themselves in Calicut.  On his appearance, one of these Moors whose name was Bontaybo[56], who could speak Spanish, immediately recognized him for a Portuguese, having often seen people of our nation at Tunis in the reign of King John, in a ship named La Reyna which often traded to that port.  As soon as Bontaybo saw the Portuguese, he exclaimed in Spanish, Devil take you, what brought you here?  He farther inquired which way he had travelled so as to arrive at Calicut?  To this the banished man answered, telling how many ships our general had brought with him; at which Bontaybo was much amazed, wondering how they could possibly come by sea from Portugal to India.  He then asked what they sought at so great a distance from home?  And was answered that they came in search of Christians and spices.  Bontaybo then asked why the kings of France and Spain and the Doge of Venice had not sent their ships likewise?  Because, said our man, the king of Portugal would not allow them.  To this Bontaybo said, he was much in the right.  After some farther conversation in this way, Bontaybo gave him good entertainment, commanding certain cakes of wheat flour and honey, called apes by the Malabars, to be set before him; and then said that he would accompany him to the ships to wait upon the general.