Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait391903roya).pdf/209

 should be delivered there to be reminted. When this had been done, and sufficient money had been coined, Albuquerque fixed a day for the proclamation of the new currency, and the princi- pal men of the people met Albuquerque with the Captains, Fidal- gos and Cavaliers of the fleet in the fortress to form a procession through the town. The account given of this procession and proclamation is so interesting and picturesque, that I give it literally:

"There went first, in front of all the people, one of the principal Governors of the City mounted upon an elephant with his castle caparisoned with silk, and carrying in his hands a flag of the arms of the King of Portugal upon a long spear, and be- hind him went all the people on foot on one side and the other, as it were in procession; and in the midst of these people there went a Moor mounted upon another elephant, likewise capari- soned with silk, making the proclamation; and behind this one came the trumpets; and after them the Governors of the City, and all the Merchants, and principal men thereof; and at the rear of this throng there went Antonio de Sousa the son of Joao de Sousa of Santarem, and the son of Ninachatu, both to- gether upon a large elephant, which had been kept for the King's own use, with his castle caparisoned with brocaded cloths, and they carried with them a large quantity of gold, silver, and copper coin, which they kept on throwing out over the heads of all the people at each publication of the proclamation which the Moor made. The crowd was so great that the streets could scarcely contain it, and with many songs and blowing of horns, according to the native custom, the people gave great praise to Afonso Dalboquerque for giving orders for this distribution of money by the advice and in accordance with the opinions of their natives." (Vol. 111, p. 141). Accounts of this first mint in Malacca are also given by Danvers (5), Vol. I, p. 230, and Stephens (15), p. 162.

Besides these two mints at Goa and Malacca, others were established by the Portuguese in Ceylon, Cochin, Diu, Bassein, Damao and Chaul. The following are the mint marks of six of