een months in this voyage, and
returned to Lisbon in spring; but they say that it may be made much
sooner, now that the course is well known, and may even be accomplished
in ten months. All the ships that reached Calicut returned, except one
which was lost on certain rocks, but the crew saved, which ship was of
six hundred tons burden. As yet only one caravel has come into port, but
the rest are said to be not far off. This lately arrived ship came into
port on St Johns day, 6th May, at which time I happened to be with the
king, who addressed me in these words. "_Hah!_ congratulate me, good sir,
as my fleet is already in the river, loaded with all kinds of spices." I
received the news joyfully, as became me, and made my compliments of
congratulation to the king. The tidings were welcomed with exceeding joy
and all kind of festivity, with the sound of trumpets, cymbals, and
flutes, and the continual firing of cannon. On the day following there
was a solemn thanksgiving, at which all the people assisted. When I again
waited on the king, he desired me to apprize your serenity of his good
fortune, saying that you may send your ships hither in safety to purchase
his spices; adding, that he should take such measures as to prevent the
prefect of Syria, that is the sultan[7]; from procuring spices in India.
He founds this hope assuredly on the success which his fleet had lately
in contending with the numerous vessels of the Moors, and has no doubt of
being able to reduce India under his own authority. The ship already
arrived is commanded by a Tuscan named Bartholomew, a native of Florence.
Her cargo consists of 300 _cantari_ or quintals of pepper, 120 cantari of
cinnamon, 60 cantari of lac, and 15 cantari of castor and other perfumes
of that kind[8]. They have no cloves or ginger, having been prevented by
the Moors, as these could only be procured at Calicut; neither have they
any of the lesser spices. They had purchased many pearls of different
sorts, which were all lost in the disturbances at Calicut, in which many
of their men and much riches were destroyed.

I must not omit to mention, that there have lately arrived messengers
from _Ubenus_[9] king of Ethiopia to the king of Portugal, bringing gifts
of ivory and many other things. These are soon to return in two ships,
which are to go to India after stopping at the new gold mines. While this
ship which has first arrived was on its voyage home, it met two ships
steering thei