er from Mr John Newbery to the same_.

My last was of the 29th May from Aleppo, sent by George Gill, purser of
the Tiger. We left that place on the 31st, and came to Feluchia, which
is one days journey from Babylon [Bagdat,] on the 19th of June. Yet some
of our company came not hither till the 30th of June, for want of camels
to carry our goods; for by reason of the great heats at this time of the
year, camels are very hard to be got. Since our coming here we have
found very scanty sales, but are told our commodities will sell well in
winter, which I pray God may be the case. I think cloth, kersies, and
tin have never been here so low as now. Yet, if I had here as much ready
money as our goods are worth, I would not doubt to make a very good
profit of the voyage here and at Basora, and as it is, with Gods help,
there will be reasonable profit made of the adventure. But, with half
money and half commodities, the best sort of spices and other
merchandise from India, may be bought at reasonable rates, while without
money there is very little to be done here at this time to purpose. Two
days hence, God willing, I purpose going from hence to Basora, and from
thence I must necessarily go to Ormus, for want of a man who speaks the
Indian tongue. While at Aleppo, I hired two Nazarenes, one of whom has
been twice in India, and speaks the language well; but he is a very lewd
fellow, wherefore I will not take him with me.

The following are the prices of wares, as they are worth here at
present: Cloves and mace the _bateman_, 5 ducats; cinnamon, 6 ducats,
and very little to be had; ginger, 40 medins; pepper, 75 medins;
turbetta[433], 50 medins; neel [or indigo,] the _churle_ 70 ducats: the
churle is 27-1/2 rotils of Aleppo; silk, much better than that which
comes from Persia, 11-1/2 ducats the bateman, each bateman being 7
pounds 5 ounces English. From Bagdat this 20th July 1583.

[Footnote 433: Most likely turmeric, anciently called turbith vegetable,
in contradistinction to turbith mineral, so named from its yellow colour
resembling turbith or turmeric.--E.]

No. 4.--_Letter from, John Newbery to Messrs John Eldred and William
Scales at Basora_.

Time will not permit to give you an account of my voyage after my
departure from you. But on the 4th day of this present September, we
arrived here at Ormus; and the 10th day I and the rest were committed to
prison. The middle of next month, or thereabout, the captain proposes
se