months of May, June, and July, when with us in Italy every thing is almost burnt up with heat and drought, they have prodigious rains.  The best of their ships are built in the island of Porcai, not far from Calicut.  They have one kind of vessel or canoe, made all of one piece of wood like a trough, very long, narrow, and sharp, which is propelled either by oars or sails, and goes with amazing swiftness, which is much used by pirates.

The palace of the king of Calicut exceeds a mile in circumference, and is well constructed of beams and posts artificially joined, and curiously carved all over with the figures of devils.  It is all however very low, for the reason before-mentioned, as they cannot dig deep for secure foundations.  It is impossible to express in words the number and riches of the pearls and precious stones which the king wears about him, which exceed all estimate in regard to their value.  Although, when I was in that place, the king lived rather in a state of grief, both on account of the war in which he was engaged with the Portuguese, and because he was afflicted by the venereal disease which had got into his throat, yet his ears, hands, legs, and feet, were richly garnished with all sorts of jewels and precious stones, absolutely beyond description.  His treasure is so vast, that it cannot be contained in two immense cellars or warehouses, consisting of precious stones, plates of gold, and other rich ornaments, besides as much, gold coin as might load an hundred mules, as was reported by the Bramins, to whom these things are best known.  This treasure is said to have been hoarded up by twelve kings, his predecessors.  In this treasury there is said to be a coffer three spans long and two broad, entirely full of precious stones of inestimable value.

Pepper is gathered in the fields around the suburbs of Calicut, and even in some places within the city.  It grows on a weak and feeble plant, somewhat like vines, which is unable to support itself without props or stakes.  It much resembles ivy, and in like manner creeps up and embraces such trees as it grows near.  This tree, or bush rather, throws out numerous branches of two or three spans long, having leaves like those of the Syrian apple, but somewhat thicker.  On every twig there hang six clusters about the size of dates, and of the colour of unripe grapes, but thicker together.  These are gathered in October, while still inclining to green, and are spread out on mats in the sun to dry, when in three days they become black, just as brought to us.  The fruitfulness of these plants proceeds entirely from the goodness of the soil in which they grow, as they do not require pruning or lopping like vines with us.  This region also produces ginger, some roots weighing twelve ounces, though they do not penetrate the ground above three or four spans.  When the roots are dug up, the uppermost joint is again set in the ground, as seed for next year’s crop.  It and the mirabolans are found in a red-coloured soil, and the stalk much resembles a young pear-tree.