The Book of Duarte Barbosa, An Account of the Countries bordering on the Indian Ocean and their Inhabitants Written by Duarte Barbosa, and Completed about the year 1518 A.D. Volume I. Including the Coasts of East Africa, Arabia, Persia and Western India as far as the Kingdom of Vijayanagar Edited by MANSEL LONGWORTH DAMES O Routledge Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORK First published by Ashgate Publishing Published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX 14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Founded in 1846, the Hakluyt Society seeks to advance knowledge and education by the publication of scholarly editions of primary records of voyages, travels and other geographical material. In partnership with Ashgate, and using print-on-demand and e-book technology, the Society has made re-available all 290 volumes comprised in Series I and Series II of its publications in both print and digital editions. For information about the Hakluyt Society visit www.hakluyt.com. ISBN-13: 978-1-4094-1411-7 (hbk) Publisher’s Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this book but points out that some imperfections from the original may be apparent. WORKS ISSUED BY IEbe IbaMugt Society THE BOOK OF DUARTE BARBOSA. VOL. I. SECOND SERIES, No. XLIV. Issued for 1918 This page intentionally left blank THE BOOK OF DUARTE BARBOSA AN ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRIES BORDERING ON THE INDIAN OCEAN AND THEIR INHABITANTS, WRITTEN BY DUARTE BARBOSA, AND COMPLETED ABOUT THE YEAR 1518 A.D, * Translated from the Portuguese text, first published in 1812 A.D. by the Royal Academy of Sciences at Lisbon, in Vol. II of its Collection of Documents regarding the History and Geography of the Nations beyond the seas, and edited and annotated BY MANSEL LONGWORTH DAMES, INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE (RETIRED) ; VICE-PRESIUENT ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY AND ROYAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE ; F.R.N.S. ; H.F.S. VOL. I. INCLUDING THE COASTS OF EAST AFRICA, ARABIA, PERSIA, AND WESTERN INDIA AS FAR AS THE KINGDOM OF VIJAYANAGAR. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE ^HAKLUYT SOCIETY. M CM XVIII. lONDON: PRINTEDAT THE BEDFORD PRESS, 20 AND 21 BEDFORDBURY, WC COUNCIL OF THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. ALBERT GRAY, ESQ., C.B., K.C., President. THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD BELHAVEN AND STENTON, Vice-President. THE RIGHT HQN, THE LORD PECKOVER OF WISBECH, Vice-President ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET THE RIGHT HON. SIR EDWARD HQBART SEYMOUR, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., LL.D., Vice-President. BOLTON GLANVILL CQRNEY, ESQ., I.S.O. M. LONG WORTH DAMES, ESQ. WILLIAM FOSTER, ESQ., C.B. F. H. H. GUILLEMARD, M.B. EDWARD HEAWOOD, ESQ., Treasurer, ARTHUR R. HINKS, ESQ., F.R.S. SIR JOHN F. F. HORNER, K.C.V.O. SIR EVERARD IM THURX, K.C.M.G., C.B. SIR JOHN SCOTT KELTIE, LL.D. LlEUT.-COLONEL SlR FREDERIC G. KENYON, K.C.B., P.B.A., Litt.D. SIR CHARLES LUCAS, K.C.B., K.C.M.G. ADMIRAL SIR ALBERT HASTINGS MARKHAM, K.C.B. ALFRED P. MAUDSLAY, D.Sc, LlEUT.-COLONEL RlGHT HON. SlR MATTHEW NATHAN, G.C.M.G., R.E. H. R. TEDDER, ESQ. LlEUT.-COLONEL SlR RlCHARD CARNAC TEMPLE, BART., C.B., C.I-E- BASIL HOME THOMSON, ESQ., C.B. SIR REGINALD TOWER, K.C.M.G., C.V.O, J. A. J. DE VILLIERS, ESQ., Hon. Secretary. This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY ..... xxv-xxxii I. Portuguese Histories and Narratives . xxv II. Eastern Travels . xxvi III. History and Topography . xxvii IV. Oriental Authorities , . xxviii V. Ethnography .... xxix VI. Numismatics ..... xxx VII. Miscellaneous . .xxx VIII. Works published by the Hakluyt Society xxxi INTRODUCTION ...... xxxiii-lxxii Versions of this Work, xxxiii. First Journey of Duarte Barbosa to -India, xxxiv. Barbosa's Linguistic Acquirements, xxxvi. Letter to the King of Por- tugal, xxxviii. Relations with A. D'Alboquerque, xlii. Attempted Conversion of the King of Cochin, xliii. Barbosa superintends building of galleys, xliv. Date of return to Portugal, xlv. Joins Magalhaes at Seville, xlv. Voyage with Magalhaes, xlvi. Death of Duarte Barbosa, xlviii. The second Duarte Barbosa, xlix. Portuguese and other texts compared, li. Relation between this work and the Second Borgian Map, liii Value of Barbosa's work mainly geographical and ethnographical, Iviii. Account of the Hindus of South and West India, Iviii. The African Coast, Ix. Arabia, Ixi. Persia, Ixii. Gujarat, Ixiii. The Muhammadan population, Ixiv. The Bahmani Kingdom, Ixvi. The Portuguese Text, Ixvii. The Notes, Ixviii, Authorities relied on, box. Portuguese Historians of the Sixteenth Century, Ixxi. APPENDIX TO INTRODUCTION .... Ixiii-lxxvi Account of the Events following the Mutiny against Magalhaes, from De Barros. Dec. Ill, Book V» Ch. 8, f 149 b. vii Vlll CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION OF THE PORTUGUESE EDITORS TO THE EDITION OF 1813, translated from the Portuguese Note on Do., Ixxxiv. Ixxvii-lxxxv DUARTE BARBOSA'S PREFACE ..... i Translated from the Italian of Ramusio's version, Ed. 1563. TEXT. I i. FIRSTLY, THE CAPE OF SAM SABASTIAM ... 3 The Country East of the Cape of Good Hope. The Hottentot Inhabitants. The furthest southward extension of the Arabs. § 2. THE ISLANDS WHICH THEY CALL THE GREAT HUCICAS 4 The Hucicas the extreme Arab settlement. Their pearl fishery. Now known as the Bazaruta Islands. § 3. THE LESSER HUCICAS IN THE RIVERS 5 Now known as the Isle of Chiluan. § 4. COFALA ........ 6 An Arab principality subordinate to Quiloa. Erection of a Portuguese fort. Trade with the Hottentots and Bantus. Gold-dust brought from Bena- metapa. Ivory. Customs of the Moors of (Jofala. Sea-horses and elephants. Indian cloths re-made. § 5. THE GREAT KINGDOM OF BEXAMETAPA . 9 Customs of the Cafres. Their weapons and attire. § 6. ZIMBAOCHE . , . .11 The capital of Benametapa. Gold-dust brought from the interior. Extent of the Kingdom. Its nature. Amazon guards. Fire received as a sign of obedience. | 7. CUAMA . 13 The River Zambezi. The Northern or Quiliman branch confused with Angoche. § 8. ANGOYA ........ 14 The island of Angoche. CONTENTS IX FAGK § 9. MOZAMBIQUE ....... 15 Its situtation on an island. Subject to Quiloa. The title " CJacoeja." Portuguese forts built 1507 and 1568. § 10. QuiLdA . .17 A well-built Moorish town. Extension of name Arabia Felix to E. Africa. Extent of Quilda kingdom. Quiloa occupied and fort built by Almeida in 1505. Fort abandoned 1507. Legend of Persian settlement. § IT. MOMBASA ....... IQ A prosperous town, with much trade. Round- tailed sheep. Mombaca assaulted and taken by Almeida. Later history. § 12. MELINDE ....... 22 Its trade with Cambaya. Friendly to Portugal, Attacked by Turks. Omitted by Ibn Batuta. Later history. § 13. THE ISLAND OF SAO LOUREN^O (MADEGASCAR) 23 No valuable products except ginger. Identification with Mas'tidi's KambaJu. Name Madegascar derived from Magadoxo. Discovery by Portuguese under Fernao Soares. Name of Sao Lourengo given by Pereira and D'Abreu on St. Lawrence's day, 1506. | 14. PEMBA, MAMFIA AND ZINZIBAR .... 26 Fertility of these islands ; abundance of sugar cane, but ignorance of art of sugar making. Cairo or Coir. Great extension of name Zangibar. Modern restriction to I. of Zanzibar .... § 15. PATEE AND LEMON. ...... 29 The Islands of the Lamu Archipelago. S 16. OF THE CITY OF BRAVA. ..... 30 Brava or Barawa taken by the Portuguese in 1506. Assault on Oja. Reduplication of names in Ribero's map. X CONTENTS PAGE f 17. MAGADOXO . • • • • 31 Makdashau the earliest Arab settlement in East Africa. Visited by Vasco da Gama in 1499. Taken by Tristao D'Acunha in 1506. § 18. AFUM 32 Reduplication by Ribero, as Affuni and Ofoni § 19. THE CAPE OF GUARDAFUY ..... 32 Its roadstead frequented by ships engaged in Red Sea trade. Convenient point for attack by Portuguese. Origin of name GuardafuL | 20. METEE ........ 33 § 21. BARBORA ....... 33 Name taken from the Barbarah tribes, now the Somalis. Taken and sacked by Saldanha in 1518. Identification with Malao of the Periplus. § 22. ZEILA 35 The capital of the Barbarah according to Ibn Batiita. Taken in 1517 by D'Albergaria, Duarte Barbosa present at the attack. § 23. DALAQUA ....... 36 The Dhalak Islands near Massowa. Principal port of Abyssinia. The Alalaei of the Periplus. § 24. MA^UA ........ 36 Name Arabia Felix or Barr 'Ajam applied to W. coast of Red Sea opposite Arabia. Massowa identified with entrance to the Annesley Gulf, not with Adulis of Periplus. Almaizares o,ndAlmalafas. Chandes. Female circumcision. § 25. THE GREAT REALM OF THE PRESTE JOAM . 39 The name of Preste Joam transferred from Central Asia to Africa. Abyssinia or Abexy, the Arabic Habash. Baptism by blood, fire and water. The capital Babelmaleque. Religious festivals. Wealth of Abyssinia. Subsequent attacks by Muhammadan coast tribes. Help given by Portuguese under Christovao da Gama. CONTENTS XI PAGE § 26. QUES. ........ 42 Trade of Suez with the East. Caravan routes to Alexandria. Destruction of this trade by the Portuguese. Building of a fleet under the Mamluk Sultans of Egypt to cope with the Portuguese. Account given by De Barros. Miro9em or Mir Husain. § 27. OF THE MOUNT SIXAY ..... 45 Monastery of St Catherine. Turla or Jebel Tor. § 28. ELIOBOM AND MEDINA ..... 45 Eliobom, now Ai-yambu, the port of Medina.