[Footnote 68:  Dechan, Deccan, or Dacshin, is the name of a territory or kingdom, and properly signifies southern India, or simply the south, in reference to Hindostan proper, on the north of the Nerbuddah:  But Verthema almost always names the capital from the kingdom.—­E.]

[Footnote 69:  By walnuts, I suspect that coca-nuts are meant, and rendered walnuts by some mistaken translation.—­E.]

[Footnote 70:  There are no lions in India, and tigers are certainly here meant.—­E.]

Departing from thence we went to the city of Cananore, where the king of Portugal has a strong garrison, though the king of the city is an idolater and no great friend to the Portuguese.  At this port many horses are imported from Persia, which pay a high duty.  Departing from thence into the inland we came to the city of Narsinga[71], which is frequented by many Mahometan merchants.  The soil in that country bears no wheat, so that the inhabitants have no bread, neither hath it vines or any other fruits except oranges and gourds, but they have plenty of rice and such walnuts as that country produces[72].  It has likewise plenty of spices, as pepper, ginger, mirabolans, cardamum, cassia, and others, also many kinds of fruits unlike ours, and much sweeter.  The region is almost inaccessible, for many dens and ditches made by force[73].  The king has an army of 50,000 gentlemen whom they call heroes[74].  In war they use swords and round targets, also lances, darts, bows, and slings, and are now beginning to use fire arms.  These men go almost entirely naked, except when engaged in war.  They use no horses, mules, asses, or camels; only employing elephants, which yet do not fight in battle.  Great quantities of merchandise are consumed in this city, insomuch that two hundred ships resort thither yearly from various countries[75].

[Footnote 71:  Bijanagur was the capital of the kingdom known by the name of Narsinga; but from the neighbourhood of Cananore, it is possible that Verthema here means Narsingapoor, about 25 miles S.S.W. from Seringapatam.—­E.]

[Footnote 72:  The walnuts of this author must have been cocoa-nuts, perhaps converted to walnuts by erroneous translation.—­E.]

[Footnote 73:  This singular passage probably means, that the country is defended by a great number of forts and garrisons, as indeed we know that the interior table land of southern India is thickly planted with droogs or hill forts, which must then have been impregnable.—­E.]

[Footnote 74:  Probably meaning Nairs or Rajputs, who are reckoned of a high or noble cast, next to the Bramins—­E.]

[Footnote 75:  This is a most astonishing error, as Narsingapoor is above 100 miles from the nearest coast.—­E.]