[142] Castanheda and Barros call this place Capocate. It was seven miles N.N.W. of Calecut, at the mouth of the Elatur River.
[143] The MS. says “abaixo”, below, with reference no doubt to the latitude, which is less than that of Calecut.
[144] Pandaramy (Pandarani) is Batuta’s Fandarain. Barros calls it Pandarane. It is identical with Pantharini Kollam, the northern Kollam or Quillan, and boasts one of the nine original mosques built on the Malabar coast by Malik Ibn Dinar. It is 14 miles N.N.W. of Calecut. The author of the MS. elsewhere spells Pandaramy and Pandarin.
[145] According to Correa (Stanley’s Vasco da Gama, p. 159), his name was João Nunez. See Appendix E.
[146] One of the “Moors” is frequently referred to as “Monçaide”. See Appendix E.
[147] Castanheda (I, c. 15) retails the conversation which this Moor is supposed to have had with Gama on board ship, and says that the captain-major was much pleased with his offers of service.
[148] The visitors thus became at once acquainted with the various castes constituting the population of Calecut, including the Nairs, or fighting caste of Malabar, who eat meat (which shows a servile origin), but wear the thread of the Dwija (twice-born), rank next to the Brahmans, and practise polyandry; and the turbulent Moplah, who are descendants of Arab fathers and native women. These latter are the “native” Moors.
[149] Goes (I, c. 39) and Castanheda (I, c. 15) say that he was at Panane, a coast town, 28 miles to the south of Calecut.
[150] One of these messengers was Fernão Martins. They were accompanied by Monçaide (Castanheda, I, c. 15).
[151] Off Calecut there are banks and reefs which may endanger the safety of a ship, but the anchorage in the roadstead within them is perfectly safe.