200 dogs, and he is always attended by 500 buffoons.  His dominions are ruled over by a great many princes or governors, and to prevent them from rebelling he always keeps their heirs about him.  They have no law-suits.  Their arms are bows and arrows, javelins, daggers, and small sharp hatchets, and they all fight on foot.  The women of this country are used with so much respect, that even the kings sons when they meet a woman, give way to her and stand still till she has gone past.  The Moors of Magadoxa were the first who possessed the mines of Sofala, after which they were seized by the King of Quiloa:  But Yzuf, one of their governors, rebelled and usurped the government to himself, assuming the title of king.  This was the same person with whom Annaya had now to contend, and whose son Solyman he established in the sovereignty, under the protection and vassalage of Portugal.

While these things happened at Sofala, the zamorin of Calicut was using every exertion to raise up enemies to the Portuguese, even entering into alliance with the Mameluke Soldan of Egypt, hoping by his assistance to drive the Christians from the Indian seas.  His measures and preparations however became known to the Rajah of Cochin, who communicated the intelligence to the viceroy Almeyda.  He accordingly sent his son Lorenzo with eleven vessels to endeavour to counteract the designs of the zamorin by destroying the fleet he had prepared.  Learning that the Calicut fleet was in the port of Cananor, consisting of 260 paraos, 60 of which were larger than the Portuguese ships, Lorenzo sailed thither and put them to flight after a severe engagement.  In the pursuit, some of the paraos were taken, but many were sunk and run aground, by which the enemy sustained great loss, while only five or six of the Portuguese were slain.  The principal booty taken on this occasion was four ships loaded with spice.  Almost immediately after this victory, Don Lorenzo received notice that the fort of Anchediva was beset by 60 vessels belonging to the Moors and Malabars, well armed and manned with a number of resolute men under the command of a renegado.  On this occasion the besieged behaved with great gallantry, and the besiegers pressed their attacks with much bravery, but several of their vessels having been destroyed and others much damaged by the cannon of the fort, and hearing of the approach of Lorenzo, the enemy withdrew in all haste.

Finding their trade almost destroyed by the Portuguese, the Moors endeavoured to shun their cruisers by keeping out to sea in their voyages from Cambaya and the ports of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, passing through the Maldive Islands, and keeping to the south of Ceylon in their way to Sumatra and Malacca.  The viceroy on learning this new course of the Moorish trade, sent his son Lorenzo with nine ships to intercept the trade of the enemy.  While wandering through seas unknown to the pilots, Lorenzo discovered the island of Ceylon, formerly called Taprobana, and came