Galconda, the king of which is called Cutub de lashach.  In this country, in the kingdom of Adel Khan, and in the Decan, those diamonds are found which are called of the old water.  Golconda is a pleasant fair town, having good and handsome houses of brick and timber, and it abounds with excellent fruits and good water.  It is here very hot, and both men and women go about with only a cloth bound about their middles, without any other clothing.  The winter begins here about the last of May.

About eight days journey from thence is a sea port called Masulipatan, toward the gulf of Bengal, to which many ships come out of India, Pegu, and Sumatra, richly laden with spiceries, pepper, and other commodities.  The country is very fruitful.  From thence I went to Servidone? which is a fine country, its king being called the king of bread.  The houses here are all built of loam and thatched.  The country contains many Moors and Gentiles, but there is not much religion among them.  From thence I went to Bellapore, and so to Barrampore, which is in the country of Zelabdim Echebar the great Mogor.  In this place their money is of silver, round and thick, to the value of twenty-pence.  It is a great and populous country; and in their winter, which is in June, July, and August, there is no passing the streets except on horseback, the waters are so high.  In this country they make great quantities of cotton cloth, both white and painted, and the land produces great abundance of corn and rice.  In the towns and villages through which we passed, we found many marriages celebrated between boys of eight or ten years old, and girls of five or six.  These youthful couples did ride both on one horse, very bravely dressed, and were carried about the streets with great piping and playing, after which they returned home and banqueted on rice and fruits, dancing most of the night, and so ended the marriage, which is not consumated till the bride be ten years old.  We were told they married their children thus young, because when a man dies his wife is burnt along with him; and by this device they secure a father-in-law, in case of the fathers death, to assist in bringing up the children that are thus early married, thus taking care not to leave their sons without wives, or their daughters without husbands.

From thence we went to Mandoway? a very strong town, which was besieged for twelve years by Echebar before he could reduce it.  It stands on a very great high rock, as do most of their castles, and is of very great circuit.  From thence we went to Vgini? and Serringe? where we overtook the ambassador of Zelabdim Echebar, attended by a prodigious retinue of men, elephants, and camels.  In this district there is a great trade carried on in cotton, and cloths made of cotton, and great store of drugs.  From thence we went to Agra, passing many rivers which were much swollen by the rains, so that in crossing them we had often to swim for our lives[404].