END OF THE INTERVIEW 219 great iron lamps fed with oil or butter, and each lamp had four wicks, which gave much light. These lamps they use instead of torches. This same Moor then had a horse brought for the captain to take him to his lodgings, but it was without a saddle, and the captain refused to mount it. We then started for our lodgings, and when we arrived we found there some of our men (who had come from the ships) with the captain's bed, and with numerous other things which the captain had brought as presents for the king. ' A more elaborate, if less trustworthy, account of this audience with the Zamorin is given, as mentioned above, in Gaspar Correa 's " Lendas; " but this record, despite its claim to being based on the diary of the Portuguese monk Figueiro, is less reliable than the " Boteiro," or Journal, because it was given at second hand, since Correa did not arrive in India until 1514, a number of years after the occasion. Nevertheless, as already stated, the account has a peculiar value of its own as a description of manners and customs at the Zamorin 's court, regarding which Correa was fully qualified to speak, owing to his long stay in India, where he died some time before 1583, as pointed out by Stanley in his translation for the Hakluyt Society. Such observations as those relating to the Zamorin 's constantly chewing the leaves of the betel-nut during the interview impart a realistic touch that will be rec- ognized by any one who has travelled in India. ' The King (the Zamorin) sent to tell the captain- major (Vasco da Gama) that he was in his palace wait-
