The day and the night are all of one length, very litle difference, and marueilous great store of fruits.  For all our great troubles, yet are we fat and well liking, for victuals are here plentie and good cheape.  And here I will passe ouer to certifie you of strange things, vntill our meeting, for it would be too long to write thereof.  And thus I commit you to God, who euer preserue you and vs all.  From Goa in the East Indies the 25 of Ianuarie 1584.

Yours to command, Ralph Fitch.

* * * * *

The voyage of M. Ralph Fitch marchant of London by the way of Tripolls in
  Syria, to Ormus, and so to Goa in the East India, to Cambaia, and all the
  kingdome of Zelabdim Echebar the great Mogor, to the mighty riuer Ganges,
  and downe to Bengala, to Bacola, and Chonderi, to Pegu, to Imahay in the
  kingdome of Siam, and backe to Pegu, and from thence to Malacca, Zeilan,
  Cochin, and all the coast of the East India:  begunne in the yeere of our
  Lord 1583, and ended 1591, wherin the strange rites, maners, and customes
  of those people, and the exceeding rich trade and commodities of those
  countries are faithfully set downe and diligently described, by the
  aforesaid M. Ralph Fitch.

In the yeere of our Lord 1583, I Ralph Fitch of London merchant being desirous to see the countreys of the East India, in the company of M. Iohn Newberie marchant (which had beene at Ormus once before) of William Leedes Ieweller, and Iames Story Painter, being chiefly set fourth by the right worshipful Sir Edward Osborne knight, and M. Richard Staper citizens and marchants of London, did ship my selfe in a ship of London called the Tyger, wherein we went for Tripolis in Syria:  and from thence we tooke the way for Aleppo, which we went in seuen dayes with the Carouan.  Being in Aleppo, and finding good company, we went from thence to Birra, which is two dayes and an halfe trauaile with Camels.

Birra is a little towne, but very plentifull of victuals:  and neere to the wall of the towne runneth the riuer of Euphrates.  Here we bought a boate and agreed with a master and bargemen, for to go to Babylon.  The boats be but for one voiage:  for the streame doth runne so fast downewardes that they cannot returne.  They carie you to a towne which they call Felugia, and there you sell the boate for a litle money, for that which cost you fiftie at Birra you sell there for seuen or eight.  From Birra to Felugia is sixteene dayes iourney, it is not good that one boate goe alone, for if it should chance to breake, you should haue much a doe to saue your goods from the Arabians, which be alwayes there abouts robbing:  and in the night when your boates be made fast, it is necessarie that you keepe good watch.  For the Arabians that bee theeues, will come swimming and steale your goods and flee away, against which a gunne is very good, for they doe feare it very much.