they came, which was in sight, was not Calicut,
which lay farther off, and to which they offered to conduct our fleet.
Whereupon the general requested them to do this; and, departing from this
first anchorage, the fleet was conducted by these fishermen to Calicut.

Calicut is a city on the coast of Malabar, a province of the second India,
which begins at the mount of Delhi, and ends at Cape Comory, being sixty-
one leagues in length, and fifteen leagues broad[48]. The whole of this
country is very low, and apt to be covered with water, having many
islands in its rivers, which flow into the Indian Sea. This country of
Malabar is divided from the kingdom of Narsinga by a very high hill. The
Indians report that this land of Malabar was covered by the sea of old,
which then reached to the foot of the hills, and thence to a hill, where
now the islands of the Maldives are found, which were then firm land; and
that in after times it destroyed that latter country, and laid bare the
country of Malabar, in which are many pleasant and rich cities, dependent
upon trade, which they carry on principally with Calicut, which exceeds
all cities of our days in riches and in vice. Its foundation and rise was
as follows: In ancient times, this country of Malabar was entirely ruled
by one king, who dwelt in the city of _Coulan_. In the reign of the last
king of this race, named _Saranaperimal_[49], who died 600 years ago, the
Moors of Mecca discovered India, and came to the province of Malabar,
then inhabited by idolaters, and governed by an idolatrous king. From the
time of the coming of these Moors, they began to reckon their years as we
do, from the birth of our Saviour[50]. After the coming of the Moors into
Malabar, they insinuated themselves so much into the confidence of the
before-mentioned king, that he became a convert to their law, renouncing
the religion of his country, and embracing Mahometism with such zeal,
that he resolved to go and end his days in the temple of Mecca. Having
thus resolved, out of love to the Mahometan sect, to abandon his kingdom,
he called his kindred together, and divided all his territories among
them, reserving only twelve leagues of country near the place where he
intended to embark, not then inhabited, which he bestowed upon one of his
cousins who acted as his page. To this kinsman he gave his sword and
turban, as ensigns of dignity; commanding all the other nobles, among
whom he had distributed the re