Ormus is an Island in circuit about fiue and twentie or thirtie miles, and
is the driest Island in the world: for there is nothing growing in it but
onely salte; for their water, wood, or victuals, and all things necessary
came but of Persia, which is about twelue miles from thence. All the
Illands thereabout be very fruitful, from whence all kinde of victuals are
sent vnto Ormus. The Portugales haue a castle here which standeth neere
vnto the sea, wherein there is a Captaine for the king of Portugale hauing
vnder him a conuenient number of souldiers, whereof some part remaine in
the castle, and some in the towne. In this towne are marchants of all
Nations, and many Moores and Gentiles. Here is very great trade of all
sortes of spices, drugs, silke, cloth of silke, fine tapestrie of Persia,
great store of pearles which come from the Isle of Baharim, and are the
best pearles of all others, and many horses of Persia, which serue all
India; They haue a Moore to their king, which is chosen and gouerned by the
Portugales. Their women are very strangely attyred, wearing on their noses,
eares, neckes, armes and legges many rings, set with jewels, and lockes of
siluer and golde in their eares, and a long barre of golde vpon the side of
their noses. Their eares with the weight of theie [sic--KTH] iewels be
worne so wide, that a man may thrust three of his fingers into them. Here
very shortly after our arriuall wee were put in prison, and had part of our
goods taken from vs by the Captaine of the castle, whose name was Don
Mathias de Albuquerque; and from hence the eleuenth of October he shipped
vs and sent vs for Goa vnto the Viceroy, which at that time was Don
Francisco de Mascarenhas. The shippe wherein we were imbarked for Goa
belonged to the Captaine, and carried one hundred twentie and foure horses
in it. All marchandise carried to Goa in a shippe wherein are horses pay no
custome in Goa. The horses pay custome, the goods pay nothing; but if you
come in a ship which bringeth no horses, you are then, to pay eight in the
hundred for your goods. The first citie of India that we arriued at vpon
the fift of Nouember, after we had passed the coast of Zindi, is called