▁of ▁sp ices , ▁her bs , ▁min er als , ▁and ▁fab rics ; ▁from ▁Mal ac ca , ▁ex otic ▁woods ▁and ▁sp ice ; ▁from ▁Beng ala , ▁fab rics ▁and ▁ex otic ▁food st uff s ; ▁from ▁Alexand ria ▁and ▁C airo , ▁ex otic ▁woods , ▁met als , ▁min er als , ▁fab rics , ▁and ▁bou ll ion ; ▁and ▁from ▁China , ▁mus k , ▁rh ub ar b , ▁& ▁sil k ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁g rom well s , ▁p ear ls , ▁horses ▁from ▁Arab ia ▁and ▁Pers ia , ▁non - work ed ▁sil k , ▁sil k ▁emb roid ery ▁threads , ▁f ruits ▁of ▁the ▁date ▁pal m , ▁ra is ins , ▁salt , ▁sul ph ur ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁goods . ▁ ▁As ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁other ▁pe op les ▁constantly ▁attacked ▁Portuguese ▁fle ets ▁in ▁India , ▁and ▁because ▁India ▁was ▁so ▁far ▁from ▁main land ▁Portugal , ▁it ▁was ▁extremely ▁difficult ▁for ▁John ▁III ▁to ▁secure ▁Portuguese ▁domin ion ▁in ▁this ▁area . ▁A ▁vic ero y ▁( or ▁Governor - General ▁with ▁extensive ▁powers ) ▁was ▁nominated , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁poss essions ▁in ▁India . ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁started ▁by ▁creating ▁fe itor ias ▁– ▁commercial ▁strong holds ▁in ▁C och in , ▁C ann an ore , ▁C oul ão , ▁Cr ang an ore ▁and ▁Tan or ▁– ▁with ▁the ▁initial ▁objective ▁of ▁establish ing