they were only to be had in very
deep water. Our men did not bring home any single large pearl, as they
were not there at the season of the year for pearl-fishing. They said
however that they found an oyster there the flesh of which weighed
forty-seven pounds. Hence I should be disposed to believe that pearls
of the size mentioned would be found there; for it is certain that
large pearls are found in oysters. And, not to forget it, I will add
that our men reported that the islanders of Porne asserted that the
king wore two pearls in his crown as large as goose eggs. After this
they came to the island of Gilona, where they saw some men with such
long ears, that they reached down to their shoulders; and when they
expressed their astonishment, the natives told them, that in an island
not far off, there were men, who had such long and wide ears, that one
ear could, when they liked, cover the whole of their heads. But as our
men were not in search of monsters but of spices, they did not trouble
themselves about such rubbish, but sailed direct for the Moluccas,
where they arrived in the eighth month after their admiral Magellan had
been slain in the island of Mauthan. The islands are five in number,
and are called, Tarante, Muthil, Thedori, Mare, and Matthien, [235]
situated partly to the north, partly to the south, and partly on the
equator; the productions are cloves, nutmegs, and cinnamon: they are
all close together, but of small extent. A few years ago the kings [of]
Marmin began to believe that the soul is immortal. They were induced
to believe this solely from the following reason, that they observed
that a certain very beautiful small bird never settled on the earth,
or on anything that was on the earth; but that these birds sometimes
fell dead from the sky to the earth. And when the Mohammedans, who
visited them for trading purposes, declared that these birds came from
Paradise, the place of abode of departed souls, these princes adopted
the Mohammedan faith, which makes wonderful promises respecting this
same paradise. They call this bird Mamuco Diata; and they venerate it
so highly, that the kings think themselves safe in battle under their
protection, even when, according to their custom, they are placed in
the front line of the army in battle. The common people are Kafirs,
and have much the same manners and customs as the islanders of Porne,
already spoken of; they are much in need of supplies from abroad,
inasmu