countrey is well situate, hauing abundance of bread and wine, and of
other victuals therein. This kingdome in olde time was very large and vnder
the dominion of king Porus, who fought a great battell with Alexander the
great. The people of this countrey are idolaters worshipping fire, serpents
and trees. And ouer all this land the Saracen do beare rule, who tooke it
by maine force, and they themselues are in subjection unto King Daldilus.
There be diuers kinds of beasts, as namely blacke lyouns in great
abundance, and apes also, and monkeis, and battes as bigge as our doues.
Also there are mise as bigge as our countrey dogs, because cats are not
able to incounter them. Moreouer in the same countrey euery man hath a
bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before his doore, which
bundle is as great as a pillar, and it will not wither, so long as water is
applied thereunto: with many other nouelties and strange things, the
relation whereof would breed great delight.

How peper is had: and where it groweth.

[Sidenote: Malabar.] Moreouer, that it may be manifest how peper is had, it
is to be vnderstood that it groweth in a certaine kingdome whereat I my
selfe arriued, being called Minibar, and it is not so plentifull in any
other part of the worlde as it is there. For the wood wherein it growes
conteineth in circuit 18 dayes iourney. And in the said wood or forrest
there are two cities, one called Flandrina, and the other Cyncilim. In
Flandrina both Iewes and Christians doe inhabite, betweene whom there is
often contention and warre: howbeit the Christians ouercome the Iewes at
all times. In the foresaid wood pepper is had after this maner: first it
groweth in leaues like vnto pot-hearbs, which they plant neere vnto great
trees as we do our vines, and they bring forth pepper in clusters, as our
vines doe yeeld grapes, but being ripe, they are of a greene colour, and
are gathered as we gather grapes, and then the graines are layed in the
Sunne to be dried, and being dried are put into earthen vessels: and thus
is pepper made and kept. Now, in the same wood there be many riuers,
wherein are great store of Crocodiles, and of other serpents, which the
inhabitants thereabout do burne vp with straw and with other dry fewel, and
so they go to gather their pepper without danger. [Sidenote: Polumbrum.] At
the South end of the said forrest stands the city of Polumbrum, which
aboundeth with marchandize of all kinds. All the i