FERDINAND, was born at Montemor-o-Velho in Portugal, and was at first servant to a Portuguese gentleman. In expectation of making a fortune, he embarked for India in the year 1537; but his vessel being taken by the Turks on his passage out, he was carried to Mokha, and sold to a Greek renegade, and afterwards to a Jew, in whose possession he continued till he was redeemed by the governor of Ormus, who procured him an opportunity of proceeding to India, agreeably to his original design. During a residence of twenty-one years in that country he was an eye-witness of many important transactions, and experienced many singular adventures. He returned in 1558 to Portugal, where he enjoyed the reward of his labours, after having been thirteen times a slave and sixteen times sold. A very curious account of his travels was written by himself, and published in Lisbon in 1614, folio. This work was translated into French by Bernard Figuier, a Portuguese gentleman, and printed at Paris in 1654, 4to. It is written in a very interesting manner, and in a style more elegant than might have been expected from a man whose whole life had been spent in the camp and in slavery. It relates with much credulity a great variety of particulars relating to the geography, history, and manners of the inhabitants of China, Japan, Pegu, Siam, Achem, Java, and other countries.