And I went to him, carrying some presents and biscuit and some
of our wine, for they have no wine except that made from the date-palm,
and he was pleased and extremely gracious, giving me three negroes and
swearing to me by the one only God that he would never again make war
against Christians, but that they might trade and travel safely through
all his country.
"Being desirous of putting to proof this oath of his, I sent a certain
Indian named Jacob whom the Prince had sent with us, in order that in
the event of our reaching India, he might be able to hold speech with
the natives, and I ordered him to go to the place called Al-cuzet, with
the lord of that country, to find Mount Gelu and Timbuctoo through the
land of Jaloffa. A knight had gone there with him before.
"This Jacob, the Indian, told me that Al-cuzet was a very evil land,
having a river of sweet water and abundance of lemons; and some of these
he brought to me. And the lord of that country sent me elephants' teeth
and four negroes, who carried one great ivory tusk to the ship.
"Now the houses here are made of seaweed, covered with straw, and while
I stayed here (at the river mouth) three days, I learned that all the
mischief that had been done to the Christians had been done by a certain
king called Nomimansa, who has the country near the great headland by
the mouth of the river Gambia.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366