Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c8.s3.66

v1.c8.s3.66

Foreign travellers, however, were entitled to go in a palanquin. Caesar Frederick thus narrates how with two of the Portuguese he went from the capital to Goa. "At the end of two moneths, I determined to goe for Goa in the company of two other Portuguall Merchants, which were making ready to depart, with two Palanchines or little Litters, which are very commodious for the way, with eight Falchines which are men hired to carry the Palanchines, eight for a palanchine, foure at a time: they carry them as we use to carry Barrowes. And I bought me two Bullocks, one of them to ride on, and the other to carry my victuals and provision, for in that Country men ride on bullocks with pannels, as wee terme them, girts and bridles, and they have a very good commodious pace. From Bezeneger to Goa in Summer it is eight daies journey, but we went in the midst of winter, in the month of July, and were fifteene dayes comming to Ancola on the Sea coast, so in eight dayes I had lost my two Bullocks; for he that carried my victuals was weake and could not goe; the other, when I came unto a River where there was a little bridge to passe over, I put my Bullock to swimming, and in the middest of the River there was a little Iland, unto the which my bullocke went, and finding pasture, there hee remained still, and in no wise we could come unto him: and so perforce, I was forced to leave him; and at that time there was so much raine, and I was forced to goe seven dayes a foot with great paines: and by great chance I met with Falchines by the way, whom I hired to carry my clothes and victuals".²