第83章

So that,returning to the city of Bisnaga,you must know that before you arrive at the city gates there is a gate with a wall that encloses all the other enclosures of the city,and this wall is a very strong one and of massive stonework;but at the present time it is injured in some places.They do not fail to have citadels[411]in it.This wall has a moat of water in some places,and in the parts where it was constructed on low ground.And there is,separate from it,yet another (defence)made in the following manner.Certain pointed stones of great height are fixed in the ground as high as a man's breast;they are in breadth a lance-shaft and a half,with the same distance between them and the great wall.This wall rises in all the low ground till it reaches some hill or rocky land.From this first circuit until you enter the city there is a great distance,in which are fields in which they sow rice and have many gardens and much water,which water comes from two lakes.The water passes through this first line of wall,and there is much water in the lakes because of springs;and here there are orchards and a little grove of palms,and many houses.

Returning,then,to the first gate of the city,before you arrive at it you pass a little piece of water and then you arrive at the wall,which is very strong,all of stonework,and it makes a bend before you arrive at the gate;and at the entrance of this gate are two towers,one on each side,which makes it very strong.It is large and beautiful.As soon as you pass inside there are two little temples;one of them has an enclosing wall with many trees,while the whole of the other consists of buildings;and this wall of the first gate encircles the whole city.Then going forward you have another gate with another line of wall,and it also encircles the city inside the first,and from here to the king's palace is all streets and rows of houses,very beautiful,and houses of captains and other rich and honourable men;you will see rows of houses with many figures and decorations pleasing to look at.Going along the principal street,you have one of the chief gateways,[412]which issues from a great open space[413]in front of the king's palace;opposite this is another which passes along to the other side of the city;and across this open space pass all the carts and conveyances carrying stores and everything else,and because it is in the middle of the city it cannot but be useful.

This palace of the king is surrounded by a very strong wall like some of the others,and encloses a greater space (TERAA MOOR CERCA)than all the castle of Lisbon.

Still going forward,passing to the other gate you see two temples connected with it,one on each side,and at the door of one of these they kill every day many sheep,for in all the city they do not kill any sheep for the use of the heathen (Hindus),or for sale in the markets,except at the gate of this pagoda.Of their blood they make sacrifices to the idol that is in the temple.They leave the heads to him,and for each sheep they give a SACO (CHAKRAM),which is a coin like a CARTILHA (QUARTILHA --a farthing).

There is present at the slaughter of these beasts a JOGI (priest)who has charge of the temple,and as soon as they cut off the head of the sheep or goat this JOGI blows a horn as a sign that the idol receives that sacrifice.Hereafter I shall tell of these JOGIS,what sort of men they are.[414]

Close to these pagodas is a triumphal car covered with carved work and images,and on one day in each year during a festival they drag this through the city in such streets as it can traverse.It is large and cannot turn corners.

Going forward,you have a broad and beautiful street,full of rows of fine houses and streets of the sort I have described,and it is to be understood that the houses belong to men rich enough to afford such.In this street live many merchants,and there you will find all sorts of rubies,and diamonds,and emeralds,and pearls,and seed-pearls,and cloths,and every other sort of thing there is on earth and that you may wish to buy.Then you have there every evening a fair where they sell many common horses and nags (ROCIS ESEMDEIROS),and also many citrons,and limes,and oranges,and grapes,and every other kind of garden stuff,and wood;you have all in this street.At the end of it you have another gate with its wall,which wall goes to meet the wall of the second gate of which I have spoken in such sort that this city has three fortresses,with another which is the king's palace.Then when this gate is passed you have another street where there are many craftsmen,and they sell many things;and in this street there are two small temples.There are temples in every street,for these appertain to institutions like the confraternities you know of in our parts,[415]of all the craftsmen and merchants;but the principal and greatest pagodas are outside the city.In this street lodged Christovao de Figueiredo.On every Friday you have a fair there,with many pigs and fowls and dried fish from the sea,and other things the produce of the country,of which I do not know the name;and in like manner a fair is held every day in different parts of the city.At the end of this street is the Moorish quarter,which is at the very end of the city,and of these Moors there are many who are natives of the country[416]and who are paid by the king and belong to his guard.In this city you will find men belonging to every nation and people,because of the great trade which it has,and the many precious stones there,principally diamonds.