A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of IndiaSewell, Robert
History
A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India
Sewell, Robert
Vijayanagar (Empire) -- History
There are three sorts of these: one class has only a small spur such
as those of Portugal have; another class has on each foot two very
sharp spurs, almost as long and thick as one's finger; the other class
is painted, and of these you will find the markets full; as also
of quails, and hares, and all kinds of wild fowl, and other birds
which live in the lakes and which look like geese. All these birds
and game animals they sell alive, and they are very cheap, for they
give six or eight partridges for a VINTEM, and of hares they give two
and sometimes one. Of other birds they give more than you can count,
for even of the large ones they give so many that you would hardly
pay any attention to the little ones they give you, such as doves
and pigeons and the common birds of the country. The doves are of
two kinds; some are like those in Portugal, others are as large as
thrushes; of the doves they give twelve or fourteen for a FAVAO; the
pigeons are the same price as the other birds. Then the sheep that
they kill every day are countless, one could not number them, for in
every street there are men who will sell you mutton, so clean and so
fat that it looks like pork; and you also have pigs in some streets of
butchers' houses so white and clean that you could never see better
in any country; a pig is worth four or five FANAMS.[422] Then to see
the many loads of limes that come each day, such that those of Povos
are of no account,[423] and also loads of sweet and sour oranges,
and wild BRINJALS, and other garden stuff in such abundance as to
stupefy one. For the state of this city is not like that of other
cities, which often fail of supplies and provisions, for in this one
everything abounds; and also the quantity of butter and oil and milk
sold every day, that is a thing I cannot refrain from mentioning; and
as for the rearing of cows and buffaloes which goes on in the city,
there is so much that you will go very far before you find another
like it. There are many pomegranates also; grapes are sold at three
bunches a FANAM, and pomegranates ten for a FANAM.
On the north side of the city is a very great river with much water,
in which are many fish, which fish are very unwholesome, and in
this river there is that which passes for ... (SIC. IN ORIG.); other
streams flow into it, which make it very large.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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