FROM thence I traveled into Chaldæa, which is a great kingdome and I passed by the tower of Babel. This region hath a language peculiar unto itselfe, and there are beautiful men and deformed women. _The men of the same countrey used to haue their haire kempt, and trimmed like unto our women: and they weare golden turbants upon their heads richly set with pearle, and pretious stones. The women are clad in a course smock onely reaching to their knees and having long sleeves hanging downe to the ground._ And they goe barefooted, wearing breeches which reach to the ground also. They weare no attire upon their heads, but their haire hangs disheaveled about their eares: and there be many other strange things also. From thence I came into the lower India, which the Tartars overran & wasted. And in this countrey the people eat dates for the most part, whereof 42 li are there sold for lesse than a groat. I passed further also many dayes journey unto the Ocean Sea & the first lande where I arrived, is called Ormes,[1] being well fortified, and having great store of merchandize and treasure therein. Here also they use a kinde of Bark or shippe called Jase, being compact together onely with hempe. And I went on board into one of them, wherein I could not finde any yron at all, and in the space of 28 days I arrived at the city of Thana,[2] wherein foure of our friers were martyred for the faith of Christ. This countrey is well situate having abundance of bread and wine, and of other victuals therein. This Kingdome in olde time was very large and under the dominion of King Porus, who fought a great battell with Alexander the great. The people of this countrey are idolaters worshipping fire, serpents and trees. And ouer all this land the Saracens do beare rule, who tooke it by maine force, and they themselues are in subjection unto King Daldilus. There be divers kinds of beasts, as namely blacke lyons in great abundance, and apes also, and monkeis, and battes as bigge as our doves. And there are mise as bigge as our countrey dogs, and therefore they are hunted with dogs, because cats are not able to encounter them. Moreouer in the same countrey every man hath a bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before his doore, which bundle is as great as a pillar, and it will not wither, so long as water is applied thereunto: with many other novelties and strange things, the relation whereof would breed great delight. [Footnote 1: Ormus.] [Footnote 2: Thana, whereof Frederick Cæsar maketh mention.] _How peper is had: and where it groweth._