This trade increased in volume after Hippalus, an Egyptian pilot showed the possibility of large ships sailing with the monsoon straight across the ocean instead of small vessels hugging the coast and expos- ing themselves to many risks. Other ports of South India mentioned by the author in order are Balita (Varkalai), a village by the shore with a ﬁne harbour (Korkai) where were the pearl ﬁsheries of the Pandyan kingdom worked by condemned criminals; Camara (Kaveripattinam), Poduca (Pondi-cherry, Arikamedu) and Sopatma (Markanam).