[324] Ramusio says 200 tons; Peutinger 1,200. [325] This sentence is omitted by Ramusio; but Peutinger says “many of these vessels are drowned in the sea”. [326] Ramusio says: “are of curious build”. [327] Ramusio adds: “but with wooden bolts”, but omits the allusion to the loadstone. Peutinger locates the “calamito or loadstone” near Ceylon. The myth of magnetic mountains and islands originated in India or China, and was widely credited during the Middle Ages. It was believed that the magnet pulled out the iron bolts and nails of passing ships, which then fell to pieces and were lost.] [328] Ramusio adds: “The sea rises and falls alternately every six hours, as elsewhere, and sometimes between 500 and 700 vessels may be seen there—a great sight”. [329] Peutinger adds that the cantar is equal to 250 pounds, when in fact it is only a hundredweight. Five cantars were equal to 1 bahar = 208 kilo = 460 pounds. [330] Ramusio and Peutinger say that ginger is worth only one half. They say nothing about cinnamon. [331] Ramusio says nothing about “calking”. The writer seems to look upon “ballasting” and “calking” as identical operations. Or has he made use of a Portuguese term (alastrar), the meaning of which he did not know? Or are we to understand that lac was employed as a substitute for pitch? [332] Ramusio and Peutinger say that they also take corals in payment, and this seems more probable. [333] “Balasci” are the pink rubies named after the country of their origin, Badakhshi, which was usually known, according to Ibn Batuta, as Al-balaksh (Yule’s _Marco Polo_, I, p. 169; Heyd, _Geschichte des Levante-Handels_, 1879, I, p. 582). Badakhshi is Badakhshan, and not a kingdom near Pegu and Bengal, as supposed by Duarte Barbosa (Hakluyt Society’s edition, 1866, p. 212). [334] The latter part of this sentence is omitted by Ramusio. [335] Bab el Mandeb. [336] The Rio dos Bons Signaes, or Zambezi. [337] Malvasia (Malmsey) is a luscious Greek wine, named after the town of Napoli di Malvasia, in Laconia. The vines were transplanted to Crete, Madeira, and other places. [338] Ramusio says: “they had a beard between the nose and the mouth, such as is worn by the courtiers at Constantinople, who call it a moustache.” [339] Ramusio adds: “of Melinde”. The “pilot” here referred to was Gaspar da Gama. See Appendix E.