Antonio accordingly fitted out a small vessel with 50 men, in which he sailed from Patane on Saturday the 8th May 1540, and steered north-east towards the kingdom of Champa or Tsiompa, to examine that coast.  He here saw the island of Pulo Condor, in lat. 3 deg. 20’ N[355]. and then to the eastwards rounded one six leagues from the coast of Cambodia.  Entering the port of Bralapisam, he found there a vessel of the Lequii, having on board an ambassador from the prince of the island of Lossa[356] in 36 deg. of north latitude, for the king of Siam.  As soon as this vessel espied the Portuguese ship, it weighed anchor and sailed away.  Faria sent after them a Chinese pilot with a civil message, who brought back this remarkable answer, “We return thanks:  The time will come when our nation shall have commerce with that captain in real friendship, through the law of the supreme God, whose clemency is boundless, since by his death he gave life to all mankind, and remains an everlasting faith in the house of the good.  We confidently hold that this will be when half the times are past[357].”  The pilot also brought back a rich cymeter in a scabbard of beaten gold, with a handle of the same, splendidly ornamented with pearls of great value.  Antonio would have made a return, but the vessel could not be overtaken.  From thence Antonio proceeded to the river Pulo Cambier, which divides the kingdoms of Cambodia and Tsiompa.  At the town of Catimparu, he was informed that great river took its rise in the lake of Pinator, 260 leagues westwards in the kingdom of Quitirvam, encompassed with high mountains, around which lake there are 38 towns, 13 of which are considerable, where was a gold mine that yielded 22 millions of crowns yearly.  It belonged to four lords, who were engaged in continual wars for its possession.  At Bauquerim likewise there is a mine of the finest diamonds:  and from the disposition of the people they might easily be conquered by the Portuguese.

[Footnote 355:  Pulo Condor, off the mouths of the Japanese river, is in lat. 8 deg. 40’ N. perhaps the figure 3 in the text is a typographical error.—­E.]

[Footnote 356:  Possibly Luzon in lat. 16 deg.  N. may be here meant.  Unless we can suppose some part of Japan may be intended, which is in the latitude of the text—­E.]

[Footnote 357:  This strange oracular message, and indeed most of the wonderful deeds of Antonio de Faria, smells strongly of Mendez de Pinto, the factor of Pedro de Faria, who has been characterised as the prince of liars.  Indeed the editor of Astleys Collection says that his name ought to be Mendax de Pinto.—­E.]