Having spoken of Ormus, I come in their order to Cambaye and Surat, whence comes the greatest and cheapest traffic of Goa, from which it is distant about 100 leagues to the north. This traffic is such that two or three times a year there come together from 300 to 400 vessels, called Cafiles, of Cambaye, like the caravans of Aleppo. At Goa the whole city looks out for these Cafiles and fleets, as in Spain they await those from the Indies. And when they arrive not at their due season, every one is in apprehension of the Hollanders, or the Malabars, or the Cambayans themselves, who frequently stop them when ready to set out, as happened the year I left Goa, and on many previous occasions: the fleet had been ready for more than two months, but was not allowed to proceed to Goa, insomuch that all were already crying famine. This was for a grievance the King, or Bascha, of Cambaye had against the viceroy of Goa, who had refused him something: for although this king holds of the Grand Mogor, as lord of all those lands, yet is he absolute in all things that prejudice not the Mogor's service.

When this fleet does arrive the joy of the merchants and the whole people is marvellous; and in truth it is a very pretty and pleasant sight to see so many sail together: but it is seldom that the Malabar corsairs fail to capture some of them.