[Footnote 429:  In Cesar Fredericks peregrinations, Benzoin is said to come from Siam and Assi, or Assam, which confirms the conjecture already made, of Langeiannes and the Jangomes referring to Assam.—­E.]

[Footnote 430:  Fitch here repeats the ridiculous, story respecting the fabrication of musk, already given by Cesar Frederick.—­E.]

[Footnote 431:  Certainly Ambergris, the origin of which from the Spermaceti whale has been formerly noticed in this work.—­E.]

Rubies, sapphires and spinels are found in Pegu.  Diamonds are found in several places, as in Bisnagur, Agra, Delhi, and the Javan islands.  The best pearls come from the isle of Bahrein in the gulf of Persia; and an inferior sort from the fisheries near Ceylon, and from Ainan, a large island off the southern coast of China.  Spodium and many other drugs come from Cambaia or Gujrat, commonly called Guzerat.

SECTION III.

Supplement to the Journey of Fitch[432].

INTRODUCTION.

In Hakluyt’s collection, p. 235—­376, are given letters from queen Elizabeth to Akbar Shah, Mogul emperor of Hindostan, called there Zelabdim Echebar, king of Cambaia, and to the king or emperor of China, dated 1583.  These are merely complimentary, and for the purpose of recommending John Newbery and his company to the protection and favour of these eastern sovereigns, in case of visiting their dominions; and need not therefore be inserted in this place.  The following articles however, are of a different description, consisting of several letters from John Newbery and Ralph Fitch to different friends in England; and of an extract from the work of John Huighen Van Linschoten, who was in Goa in December 1583, upon their arrival at that emporium of the Portuguese trade in India, affording a full confirmation of the authenticity of the expedition thus far.—­E.

[Footnote 432:  Hakluyt, II. 375—­381. and 399—­402.]

No. 1.—­Letter from Mr John Newbery to Mr Richard Hakluyt of Oxford, author of the Voyages, &c.

Right well beloved, and my assured good friend, I heartily commend me unto you, hoping that you are in good health, &c.  After we set sail from Gravesend on the 13th of February, we remained on our coast till the 11th of March, when we sailed from Falmouth, and never anchored till our arrival in the road of Tripoli in Syria, on the 30th of April.  After staying fourteen days there, we came to this place, Aleppo, on the 20th of this present month of May, where we have now been eight days, and in five or six days, with Gods help, we go from hence towards the Indies.  Since my arrival at Tripoli, I have made diligent inquiry, both there and here, for the book of Cosmography of Abulfeda Ismael, but cannot hear of it.  Some say that it may possibly be had in Persia; but I shall not fail to make inquiry for it both in Babylon and Balsara, [Bagdat and Basora] and if I can find it in either of these places, shall send it you from thence.  The letter which you gave me to copy out, which came from Mr Thomas Stevens in Goa, as also the note you gave me of Francis Fernandez the Portuguese, I brought away with me inadvertantly among other writings; both of which I now return you inclosed.