e that yielded 22 millions of crowns
yearly. It belonged to _four_ lords, who were engaged in continual wars
for its possession. At _Bauquerim_ likewise there is a mine of the
finest diamonds: and from the disposition of the people they might
easily be conquered by the Portuguese.

[Footnote 355: Pulo Condor, off the mouths of the Japanese river, is in
lat. 8 deg. 40' N. perhaps the figure 3 in the text is a typographical
error.--E.]

[Footnote 356: Possibly Luzon in lat. 16 deg. N. may be here meant. Unless
we can suppose some part of Japan may be intended, which is in the
latitude of the text--E.]

[Footnote 357: This strange oracular message, and indeed most of the
wonderful deeds of Antonio de Faria, smells strongly of _Mendez de
Pinto_, the factor of Pedro de Faria, who has been characterised as the
_prince of liars_. Indeed the editor of Astleys Collection says that his
name ought to be _Mendax_ de Pinto.--E.]

Coasting along, Antonio came to anchor in the mouth of the river
_Toobasoy_, fearing to go up. At this place he espied a large vessel to
which he made signs of peace, but received a rude answer. As night drew
on, it was thought proper to wait for day; but in the dark first one
vessel and then three more were descried coming towards them, and forty
men from the first vessel boarded them, but were all slain, their vessel
taken and the others burnt. A black, who was taken on this occasion,
declared himself a Christian, saying he had been slave to Gaspar de
Melo, who had been taken by the pirate _Similau_ along with 26 other
Portuguese, all of whom he had barbarously put to death. The black said
that Similau had another vessel in the port richly laden, having only a
few men on board. Similau with the other prisoners were put to the same
death they had used to inflict on others. As soon as day appeared that
other vessel was taken, and the booty in silver only amounted to 60,000
ducats, besides other goods. Thus enriched, Antonio went on to the river
_Tinacoreu_ or _Varela_, where the ships of Siam and Malacca, trading
with China, barter their goods for gold, _calamba_, and ivory, with
which that country abounds. He anchored off a small town called
_Tayquileu_, the inhabitants of which called the Portuguese the _bearded
people_; for though these people had beards, theirs were short and thin,
whereas those of the Portuguese were at their full growth, many of them
reaching to their girdles. By the inhabitants o