in it, which be made by degrees for to
sort the perles withall.] according to their carracts, beautie, and
goodnesse, making foure sortes of them. The first sort bee the round
pearles, and they be called Aia of Portugale, because the Portugales doe
buy them. The second sorte which are not round, are called Aia of Bengala.
The third sort which are not so good as the second, they call Aia of
Canara, that is to say, the kingdome of Bezeneger. The fourth and last
sort, which are the least and worst sort, are called Aia of Cambaia. Thus
the price being set, there are merchants of euery countrey which are readie
with their money in their handes, so that in a fewe dayes all is bought vp
at the prises set according to the goodnesse and caracts of the pearles.

In this Sea of the fishing of pearles is an Iland called Manar, which is
inhabited by Christians of the countrey which first were Gentiles, and haue
a small hold of the Portugales being situate ouer agaynst Zeilan: and
betweene these two Ilands there is a chanell, but not very big, and hath
but a small depth therein; by reason whereof there cannot any great shippe
passe that way, but small ships, and with the increase of the water which
is at the change or the full of the Moone, and yet for all this they must
vnlade them and put their goods into small vessels to lighten them before
they can passe that way for feare of Sholdes that lie in the chanell, and
after lade them into their shippes to goe for the Indies, and this doe all
small shippes that passe that way, but those shippes that goe for the
Indies Eastwardes, passe by the coast of Coromandel, on the other side by
the land of Chilao which is betweene the firme land and the Iland Manor:
and going from the Indies to the coast of Coromandel, they loose some
shippes, but they bee emptie, because that the shippes that passe that way
discharge their goods at an Iland called Peripatane, and there land their
goods into small flat bottomed boates which drawe litle water, and are
called Tane, and can run ouer euery Shold without either danger or losse of
any thing, for that they tarrie in Peripatane vntill such time as it bee
faire weather. Before they depart to passe the Sholds, the small shippes
and flat bottomed boates goe together in companie, and when they haue
sailed sixe and thirtie miles, they arriue at the place where the Sholdes
are, and at that place the windes blowe so forciblie, that they are forced
to goe thorowe,